Xi calls for successful conclusion of five-year plan for military development

Xinhua) 09:13, March 08, 2025

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, attends a plenary meeting of the delegation of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and the People's Armed Police Force at the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2025. Xi delivered an important speech at the meeting. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday called for reaching a successful conclusion of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for military development.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks while attending a plenary meeting of the delegation of the People's Liberation Army and the People's Armed Police Force at the third session of the 14th National People's Congress, China's national legislature.

Xi called for efforts to strengthen confidence, face challenges head-on, and implement the requirements for high-quality development to achieve the established goals and tasks on schedule.

Over the past four-plus years since the implementation of the plan, a series of significant achievements have been made, while there are also many challenges and issues that need to be addressed, he said.

Xi called for pursuing a high-quality, highly efficient, cost-effective and sustainable path of military development to ensure that its outcomes withstand the test of time and real combat.

Xi highlighted the importance of using modern management concepts and methods, and continuously improving strategic management systems and mechanisms to implement the plan in a more systematic, holistic and coordinated manner.

Stressing intensified joint civil-military endeavors, Xi urged efforts to effectively leverage the strengths and resources of civilian sectors to enhance the quality and efficiency of military development.

Calling for the accelerated development of new quality combat capabilities, Xi urged efforts to improve a swift response and rapid transformation mechanism for advanced technologies.

He also demanded the establishment of a sound and effective oversight system to thoroughly investigate and address corruption.

(Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Sheng Chuyi)
China acts to make artificial heart implantation surgery affordable

Xinhua) 10:25, March 08, 2025

BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- China has taken steps to make the expensive artificial heart implantation surgeries more affordable, cutting expenditure to a minimum of 700,000 yuan (about 97,600 U.S. dollars), the National Healthcare Security Administration said on Friday.

Artificial heart refers to ventricular assist devices. The reduction in surgery costs will undoubtedly benefit terminal patients, as the device implantation is a critical therapy for managing heart failure.

There are approximately 16 million people suffering from chronic heart failure in China and the incidence rate continues to rise, according to the administration.

The administration said it has issued a set of trial guidelines, encouraging medical device manufacturers to cut excessive price hikes in the distribution process.

The guidelines will also address the high price tags associated with device extraction and adjustment in a bid to promote the clinical popularization of the surgeries.

The authority said it has communicated with five approved artificial heart manufacturers to reduce the prices of the device. The cost of implantation surgery has fallen from the million-yuan-level to as low as 700,000 yuan.

The price cut is helpful for translating medical progress into practical use and ensuring that medical technology benefits more people, said the administration.

(Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Sheng Chuyi)
Thousands of men have checked their risk of prostate cancer after a plea from Olympic cyclist Sir Chris Hoy following his terminal diagnosis.

The legendary athlete, 48, started a campaign two weeks ago to encourage men to check if they are at risk of England's most common form of cancer, after announcing his own tragic diagnosis last year.

More than 75,000 men have, since the start of his campaign, used charity Prostate Cancer UK's online risk checker to see if they too could be affected by the disease.

And Sir Chris's efforts seem to have been well worth it - more than 80 per cent of those men, or around 61,000 of them, discovered they were a higher risk patient after using the checker, which advised them to talk to their GP about getting tested.

Hoy's campaign, a collaboration with Marks & Spencer, has already raised more than 55,000 for Prostate Cancer UK by donating 4 from every pack of men's underwear from the Autograph range sold in the popular supermarket to the charity.

But as well as funding life-changing research into the disease, the six-time Olympic champion and father-of-two told the Daily Express he was proud to have started a conversation among thousands of men about getting checked.

With March marking Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, he said: 'Whoever you are, whatever your age, I urge you to start a conversation with your husband, dad, brother or friend. Or maybe it's about just having a conversation with yourself.'

With the online risk checker tool taking just 30 seconds and asking users only three questions, he said: 'What are you waiting for? It's time to check, mate.'

Thousands of men have checked their risk of prostate cancer after Olympic cyclist Sir Chris Hoy (pictured), terminally diagnosed with it, urged males nationwide to do so

The legendary athlete (pictured, after winning two gold medals at the London 2012 Olympic Games), 48, started a campaign two weeks ago to encourage men to check if they are at risk of England's most common form of cancer, after announcing his own tragic diagnosis last year

More than 75,000 men have, since the start of his campaign, used charity Prostate Cancer UK's online risk checker to see if they too could be affected by the disease. Pictured: Hoy at the Paris 2024 Olympics last summer

Prostate cancer is England's most common form of cancer, according to the latest figures from Prostate Cancer UK, with cases rising by a quarter between 2019 and 2023.

One in eight men will get prostate cancer - and the risk is double for black men. More than 12,000 men die from the disease every year - that is one every 45 minutes.

Sir Chris's passionate belief in men identifying their risk of prostate cancer, not just its symptoms, is only too poignant. By the time he himself started experiencing symptoms and was diagnosed in September 2023, his cancer had already spread.

Despite undergoing chemotherapy, doctors said he had only two to four years to live.

It is scarily common, Prostate Cancer UK said, for patients to have no symptoms until the cancer has spread and become incurable.

Hoy's own experience has inspired him to raise awareness of how important it can be to get diagnosed early - when treatment has a better chance of succeeding.

Chief of Prostate Cancer UK Laura Kerby said: 'Sir Chris has changed the way the UK thinks about prostate cancer - with more men now aware of their risk and the option to ask their GP about a simple PSA blood test, and politicians talking seriously about screening.'

The test in question is known as a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test, a designated blood test can help identify any problems in the area - including prostate cancer. Patients have the right to get one for free from their GP.

Sir Chris's efforts seem to have been well worth it - more than 80 per cent of those men, or around 61,000 of them, discovered they were a higher risk patient after using the checker, which advised them to talk to their GP about getting tested. Pictured: Sir Chris holding up the match ball before the Six Nations match between Scotland and Ireland last month

Sir Chris's passionate belief in men identifying their risk of prostate cancer, not just its symptoms, is only too poignant. By the time he himself started experiencing symptoms and was diagnosed in September 2023, his cancer had already spread

She continued: 'Tens of thousands of men have taken that all-important first step of taking our online Risk Checker, which will certainly lead to more men getting an earlier, curable diagnosis who might otherwise have got much worse news.'

Hoy first announced in February last year that he was undergoing treatment for cancer, but said he was 'optimistic' and then worked as a BBC pundit at the Paris Olympics in the summer.

However, the father-of-two admitted in October 2024 that he had known for a year that his illness was terminal.

The Scot originally went to the doctor in September 2023 for a suspected shoulder strain, only to discover he had a tumour in his shoulder.

A further scan found that the primary cancer was in his prostate and had spread to his bones.

'We were all born and we all die and this is just part of the process,' Hoy told The Sunday Times.

'But aren't I lucky that there is medicine I can take that will fend this off for as long as possible.'

The Prostate Cancer Risk Checker does not just identify how at risk of the disease users are - but what they can do about it.

Hoy (pictured after winning a gold medal at the London 2012 Olympics) first announced in February last year that he was undergoing treatment for cancer, but said he was 'optimistic' and then worked as a BBC pundit at the Paris Olympics in the summer

However, the father-of-two (pictured receiving his knighthood in 2009) admitted in October 2024 that he had known for a year that his illness was terminal

It has been advertised in all checkouts and fitting rooms in M&S stores as well as its webpages selling men's underwear from its Autograph range.

The supermarket will continue to donate 4 from the sale of each pack of the underwear, excluding vests and socks, to Prostate Cancer UK until the end of this month.

The funding will go towards supporting men with prostate cancer in the UK and research into better treatments, as well as the TRANSFORM trial currently testing the best way to screen for the disease.

M&S Menswear Director Mitch Hughes said: 'Who knew a pair of pants could be so powerful!'

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. Your risk increases if you are more than 50 years old, black and aged over 45, or if your dad or brother had it.

More than 52,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year on average - which is 143 men every day.

Many men with early-stage prostate cancer do not have or notice symptoms so it is best to know your risk and what you can do about it - rather than wait for symptoms. The earlier the diagnosis, the easier it is to treat.

Anyone with concerns about prostate cancer can visit the Prostate Cancer UK website or contact the charity's Specialist Nurses in confidence on 0800 074 8383 or via email, web chat or WhatsApp.
The BBC is 'fleecing' licence fee payers by hiring a 125,000-a-year Head of Belonging, MPs have complained.

The Corporation is offering the generous salary for a Head of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging who will be in charge of creating 'an inclusive workplace culture where everyone feels they can belong'.

The position was announced at a time when the BBC has admitted to 'serious flaws' by blowing 400,000 on a Gaza documentary fronted by the teenage son of a Hamas government official.

It is also trying to recoup 200,000 from disgraced news anchor Huw Edwards that was paid to him between his arrest for child abuse images and his resignation.

The successful candidate will lead a team of 'specialist diversity, inclusion and belonging practitioners' and 'embed inclusive practices into recruitment, retention, development and engagement'.

Tory MP Joe Robertson said: 'Once again, British licence fee payers are being fleeced  more overpaid management roles means more rubbish on the telly.

'Diversity and inclusion should already be embedded through the BBC and supported by the HR department. These grossly overpaid roles need to be scrapped.'

Reform MP Rupert Lowe posted on X: 'We must scrap the licence fee, make it a subscription service and let the people decide  suck the poison out.'

The Head of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging will be in charge of creating 'an inclusive workplace culture' (Pictured: BBC Director-General Tim Davie)

A BBC source said the hybrid post would consolidate two roles in the diversity and inclusion team, which is part of its HR department (Pictured: The BBC building)

A BBC source said the hybrid post, which is 35 hours a week, would consolidate two roles in the diversity and inclusion team, which is part of its HR department.

It comes as 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.'

And in another controversy for the BBC, A Hamas leader's teenage son who narrated the BBC's Gaza documentary has warned the corporation he holds it responsible if 'anything happens' to him.

Abdullah al-Yazouri, from Gaza, Palestine, contributed to the recent controversial documentary Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone.

Disgraced broadcaster Huw Edwards (pictured) has been 'unwilling' to pay back the 200,000 salary he pocketed between his arrest and resignation, a BBC top boss has revealed

The film was pulled from iPlayer last month after the BBC acknowledged 'serious flaws' in how it was produced.

Viewers were not told that Abdullah, the 14-year-old boy who narrated it, was the son of a senior Hamas minister.

It also later emerged that around 790 was paid into a bank account belonging to Abdullah's sister.

Their father, Ayman al-Yazouri, is the deputy agriculture minister in Gaza's Hamas-run government.

The funds, which are equivalent to a month's salary in Gaza, were transferred by the production company Hoyo Films, who made the programme. A full audit of the money used to make the programme has been demanded by the BBC.

A BBC spokesperson said: 'The BBC has a duty, under its Royal Charter, to ensure the views and voices of all communities across the UK are reflected and represented in our workforce and our output, which this role will be key in supporting.'
Labour's war on rural England looks set to continue under new plans which would see councillors losing the power to block all but the largest building developments in the hopes of instigating a house build boom.

Government ministers will next week unveil the policy which will all but eviscerate local council's ability to interfere with a majority of applications.

Despite the plans receiving the backing of some experts who believe that they will prove to be the necessary shot in the arm required to overcome political delays in building developments, numerous councils have cautioned against the policy's implementation.

Councils have argued that the proposed changes would erode any remaining trust in local democracy by removing residents ability to object to controversial schemes from the ballot box.

The new scheme, which is set to be unveiled by deputy prime minister Angela Rayner next week, aims to liberalise building regulations and provide 1.5 million homes before the next general election while also hoping to boost overall economic growth.

Previously, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has attacked current planning policy by labelling it 'ruinous' and promising to bring to a stop the people who have held Britain 'to ransom'.

At present, local councils make their own decisions via committees as to what development applications to allow or rebuff in their constituencies.

However, last year saw ministers signal their intent to overhaul these planning committees to streamline building and development.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has attacked current planning policy by labelling it 'ruinous'

Labour, under the leadership of Sir Keir Starmer and his deputy Angela Rayner, claim they are seeking to 'modernise' planning with their controversial new plans

Your browser does not support iframes.

Angela Rayner is set to take those original reforms one step further though by eliminating council's ability to reject all but the largest schemes which most obviously contradict local planning rules.

The finer points of the proposed changes are yet to be confirmed, but The Times report that the threshold for when councils will be unable to interfere in style or layout will range from between 10 to 100 house developments.

Minimum size thresholds are also set to be introduced for intervening in commercial developments.

Speaking to The Times, a government source said that reforms are aimed at 'modernising' how planning committees work and making sure that smaller to medium scale developments don't get bogged down in 'niche technical details'.

Whilst these changes won't impact some councils where few if any planning applications make it to committees, others see up to a third of development decisions made by councillors.

Matthew Spry, of the planning consultancy Lichfields, said that the change 'could make a real difference' and mean more and quicker approvals.

However, he caveated this by noting that the government's definition of a 'major' development would be crucial given that ten houses in an urban setting might seem like a drop in the ocean, but in rural communities it can be a very big deal.

Previously, developers have criticised planning regulations for being cumbersome and unpredictable. But many such as Zack Simons KC argue that the new scheme will remove the guess work and allow developers to have clarity on applications.

It is hoped that new scheme will pave the way to 1.5 million homes being built by the next general election

Angela Rayner is set to take Labour's original reforms one step further though by eliminating council's ability to reject all but the largest schemes

Despite these supposed benefits, the Local Government Authority has already written to ministers expressing its concern.

'This democratic role of councillors in decision-making is the backbone of the English planning system and our reservations about a national scheme of delegation centre on this role potentially being eroded, it warned.

'Many councillors stand for election on the basis of the role they could play in positively supporting the growth or protection of the environment and community in which they stand.

'Potentially removing the ability for councillors to discuss, debate or vote on key developments in their localities could erode public trust in the planning system and local government itself'.
A pivotal meeting between King Charles and Pope Francis is hanging in the balance as the 88-year-old pontiff remains in hospital battling double pneumonia.

The highly anticipated visit, set for April as part of a royal tour to Italy and the Vatican, would be a historic moment for both the King and the Catholic Church.

It would mark Charles' first meeting with the Pope since ascending to the throne, and comes during a special Jubilee Year for the Church.

But the Pope's condition remains grave. He has been receiving treatment at Rome's Gemelli Hospital since February 14, where his situation has been described as 'complex.'

His doctors have been cautious with their prognosis after he experienced two episodes of respiratory failure earlier this week.

He is now in need of regular oxygen, including a breathing mask that he wears at night, switching to nasal oxygen during the day.

A Vatican source revealed that while Pope Francis has had a few moments of stability in recent days, he is still not out of danger.

Pope Francis speaks with then Prince Charles on the day of the canonisation of 19th-century British cardinal John Henry Newman at the Vatican October 13, 2019

The then Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall during an audience with Pope Francis at the Vatican in 2017

'Whenever we mention 'stability' it's still within a picture of a complex situation and the prognosis remains guarded,' they said.

His recovery will depend on his response to ongoing treatment, and doctors have not yet indicated when he may be well enough to leave the hospital.

The Holy Father's ill health has raised concerns about the royal meeting, but Buckingham Palace remains hopeful the trip will go ahead as planned.

A Palace source told the Mirror that preparations are still in place, adding: 'Our fondest prayers continue to be with the Pope and we wish him a speedy recovery.'

If the meeting with the Pope does not take place, Charles and Camilla's planned visit to the Vatican's Sistine Chapel - famous for Michelangelo's frescoes and the site where future Popes are elected - is still expected to proceed.

Their trip, which includes a celebration of the royal couple's 20th wedding anniversary on April 9, will also include engagements in Rome and the northern Italian city of Ravenna.

This evening's Rosary Prayer for the health of Pope Francis will go ahead at 8pm GMT in Vatican City (pictured 3 March 2025)

Nuns pray in front of the statue of John Paul II outside the Gemelli University Hospital where Pope Francis is hospitalised

Pope Francis (pictured on February 1) remained in a 'stable condition' today following two 'respiratory crises' he suffered in hospital earlier this week

The royal tour marks a significant commitment from King Charles, who continues to balance his royal duties with ongoing cancer treatment.

The planned visit would be a major milestone in the King's reign, representing the first time in more than a decade that a British monarch, as head of the Church of England, would meet the head of the Catholic Church.

The Queen, in her final years, met Pope Francis in 2014 during an official visit to Rome.

As Pope Francis remains in a delicate state, prayers for his recovery have been pouring in. Thousands have attended nightly rosary prayers in St. Peter's Square, with many hoping for a miraculous recovery during the Jubilee Year of Speranza (hope).

Angela Maria, a Rome resident and regular attendee of the prayers, said after hearing the Pope's voice on Thursday: 'It was wonderful to hear from him. He knows of our nightly rosaries for him. It's been three trying weeks of suffering, but we are strong in hope.'

The Palace has been approached for comment.
A London employee who was sacked from his job for working from home over the summer at his parents' house in Cornwall has won a claim for unfair dismissal despite being found to have completed no work.

Security manager Nick Kitaruth had travelled 200 miles to visit his parents for four days from August 14 to August 17, 2023.

Mr Kitaruth was fired for gross misconduct after he was called by his boss to attend an in-person meeting in the capital, which he could not attend as he was hundreds of miles away.

While Mr Kitaruth, who was working for OCS Security at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Center in Westminster at the time, said he had asked his line manager Craig Stride for permission to work from Cornwall, his employer claimed such arrangement had not be autorised.

Now, the London-based employee has won his case for unfair dismissal after a judge found that the company's investigation into him had not been carried out fairly.

The central London tribunal heard that Mr Kitaruth had verbally agreed with Mr Stride that he would work from home, but the line manager insisted that nothing about Mr Kitaruth working out of London had been firmed.

Employment judge Tamara Lewis said that Mr Kitaruth had 'misled' his managers by not doing any work, but the tribunal found that the security manager 'genuinley believed he had been given permission' to work from Cornwall and that there was possibly some miscommunication between him and Mr Stride.

Ms Lewis said if Mr Stride had been interviewed formally before a decision to dismiss Mr Kitaruth was made, it would have shown how informal the arrangements were and that such a system 'always had the potential for misunderstanding'.

Nick Kitaruth, a London-based security manager, was unfairly dismissed after working from home from his parents home in Cornwall

Kitaruth travelled 200 miles from London to Cornwall (file image of Cornish coast) to visit his parents for four days from August 14 to August 17, 2023, which his employer OCS Security claimed was not authorised

Picture shows the Queen Elizabeth II conference centre, where Kitaruth worked at the time

She also found that 'no reasonable employer' would have failed to interview Mr Stride.

'For this reason, the dismissal was unfair,' she said.

Ms Lewis also noted that it was 'extremely poor practice' for the company to take six weeks to investigate Kitaruth and then take seven months to hear his appeal.

However, the tribubal had doubts that Mr Kitaruth 'did any work' and ruled that his total compensation would be deducted by 50 per cent.

'[OCS] dismissed [Mr Kitaruth] because it believed he had gone to Cornwall without authorisation from Aug 14 to 17 in 2023, and that not only was this unauthorised working from home, but that the claimant had misled his managers and was not in fact working in that period, and had not completed tasks he had been given in that period', Ms Lewis said.

The amount Mr Kitaruth will receive in compensation will be decided at a later date.
Kristi Noem said she's identified at least two of the people responsible for leaking information about Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids targeting illegal immigrants and is set to prosecute them.

One of the early victories of Donald Trump's second presidency has been his work to fix the crisis at the border.

In a post to his Truth Social page, Trump said that in the last month his administration had recorded the lowest number of immigrants trying to enter the country ever.

However, in a clear attempt to subvert ICE and the White House, an internal government document that detailed a large scale raid scheduled in Los Angeles was leaked to the media in early February.

In a video released Friday, Secretary Noem confirmed that the Department of Homeland Security had identified two leakers.

'We have identified two leakers of information here at the Department of Homeland Security who have been telling individuals about our operations and putting law enforcement lives in jeopardy,' she said.

'We plan to prosecute these two individuals and hold them accountable for what they've done.'

Noem finished by saying: 'We're going to continue to do all that we can to keep America safe.'

Kristi Noem said she's identified at least two of the people responsible for leaking information about Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids targeting illegal immigrants and is set to prosecute them

In a clear attempt to subvert ICE and the White House, an internal government document that detailed a large scale raid scheduled in Los Angeles was leaked to the media in early February

The identities of the leakers are yet to be revealed but a spokesperson for Noem told Fox News charges would be coming soon.

'We are preparing to refer these perpetrators to the DOJ for felony prosecutions,' Tricia McLaughlin said.

'These individuals face up to 10 years in federal prison. We will find and root out all leakers. They will face prison time, and we will get justice for the American people.'

Both Noem and Trump's border czar Tom Homan accused the FBI of recent leaks about upcoming ICE raids targeting illegal immigrants.

Noem was livid after the leaks and immediately went on the attack.

'The FBI is so corrupt,' Noem wrote on social media last month. 'We will work with any and every agency to stop leaks and prosecute these crooked deep state agents to the fullest extent of the law.'

The border czar claimed the information received so far 'tends to lead toward the FBI' during a shocking admission on Hannity.

He said anyone who leaks sensitive information about raids and target locations risks the lives of officers on the front lines.

Noem was livid after the leaks and immediately went on the attack

President Trump's border czar Tom Homan has revealed the FBI are believed to be behind recent leaks about upcoming ICE raids targeting illegal immigrants

'It's just not giving the bad guys a heads up... you're putting officers lives at risk,' he said.

'It's only a matter of time before there's going to be a bad guy who doesn't care, who is going to be sitting in wait for the officers to show up and ambush them.'

Homan revealed the Deputy Attorney General has launched a criminal investigation into the leak and has vowed to prosecute them.

'They've promised not only will this person lose their job, their pension... they'll go to jail,' he said.

He said these authorities also believe the leak has come from within the FBI.

'This is not a game,' he warned.

FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration officers and agents had been called in to assist with the upcoming raid, reportedly scheduled to take place by the end of February.

It was supposed to target foreigners without legal status to remain in the United States, as well as anyone with pending orders of removal.

Trump 's Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was livid after the leaks and immediately went on the attack

Authorities were requesting unprecedented multi-agency collaboration in order to achieve the targets.

Trump said in total there was 8,326 apprehensions by Border Patrol at the Southern Border.

He added that these people 'were quickly ejected from our Nation or, when necessary prosecuted for crimes against the United States of America.'

The commander-in-chief added: 'This means that very few people came  The Invasion of our Country is OVER.

'In comparison, under Joe Biden, there were 300,000 Illegals crossing in one month, and virtually ALL of them were released into our Country.

'Thanks to the Trump Administration Policies, the Border is CLOSED to all Illegal Immigrants.

'Anyone who tries to illegally enter the U.S.A. will face significant criminal penalties and immediate deportation.'

His statement came after Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirsti Noem announced that the administration had arrested 20,000 illegal aliens in one month.

Noem touted that as a 627 percent increase in monthly arrests, compared to President Biden.

She said: 'President Trump and this Administration are saving lives every day because of the actions we are taking to secure the border and deport illegal alien criminals.

'Hundreds of thousands of criminals were let into this country illegally. We are sending them home, and they will never be allowed to return.'

Trump's stance is that all migrants in the US, without documentation, are criminals because they illegally entered or illegally remained in the country.

He vowed during his campaign to remove criminals from the country, labeling some migrants as the 'worst of the worst'.

As his administration continues ramping up its crackdown on illegal immigration, some long-evading, at large fugitives are getting taken in after decades of delays.
Pressure is growing on Labour to fulfill their election pledge to scrap migrant hotels - with the Home Office yet to commit to an end date.

It comes as the total cost of accommodating asylum seekers in hotels is now 5.5million every day, according to figures obtained by The Times.

The number of migrants living in hotels at the expense of taxpayers has also risen by 8,500 under Labour.

The increase comes despite their election manifesto pledge to 'end asylum hotels, saving the taxpayer billions of pounds'.

Figures showed there were 38,079 in hotels at the end of December, up from 29,585 at the end of June  an increase of 29 per cent.

However, government sources have said Angela Rayner is putting Labour under increased pressure to scrap the policy.

An insider told The Times: 'She wants a particular date, rather than it drifting.'

It is understood she wants the Government to terminate contracts they have made with private companies to house migrants.

A group of males is seen outside one of the hotels currently housing migrants in November

government sources have said Angela Rayner is putting Labour under increased pressure to scrap migrant hotels

A worried group gather in Manchester to protest against asylum seekers being housed locally

Contracts with Serco, Clearsprings Ready Homes and Mears are worth around a whopping 4.6billion.

Nevertheless, the Home Office is yet to set a definite end date on migrant hotels as it does not want to commit to 'arbitrary targets'.

A source said: 'Setting a date would be setting us up to fail. We don't want to become a hostage to fortune like we saw under the last government's failed pledges.'

The only vague timeframe given by the department was by Matthew Rycroft, the department's top civil servant, last month.

He told MP's that the aim is to get to 'zero by the end of the parliament', leaving open the possibility migrant hotels could stay until August 2029.

The main issue facing the Government is the lack of other alternatives - with the party saying it does not want to use large sites such as former RAF properties.

However, the delay in shutting down migrant hotels has been criticised by the Conservatives.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp previously said: 'Despite promising to end hotel use for asylum seekers, the numbers have gone up again and they are costing Britons dear.

Anti-immigration protesters clash with members of Stand Up To Racism outside Cresta Court Hotel in Altrincham

The number of asylum seekers living in hotels at the expense of taxpayers has risen by 8,500 under Labour (pictured: Sir Keir Starmer)

Migrants wave to a smuggler's boat in an attempt to cross the English Channel, on the beach of Gravelines, near Dunkirk, northern France on April 26, 2024

'Removals of small boat arrivals are down again under Labour, with only 4 per cent of small boat arrivals being removed. Does the Labour Government really think that letting 96 per cent of illegal immigrants stay here is going to deter anybody?'

From the beginning of the Channel crisis in January 2018 to the end of December 2025, 151,161 migrants reached Britain by small boat. But only 4,995 have undergone enforced or voluntary removal from the country.

Last year there was a total of 8,164 enforced returns of immigration offenders and foreign criminals, a 28 per cent increase on the previous 12 months but still far below the 15,000 sent back annually in 2012 and 2013.

Mihnea Cuibus, from Oxford University's Migration Observatory, said: 'The Government has so far struggled to reduce the number of asylum applicants in supported accommodation.

'The combination of more refusals, a long appeals backlog in the courts, and a moderate increase in asylum applications towards the end of the year have all contributed. As a result, the Labour Party has not so far made much progress towards its goal of ending the use of hotels for asylum seekers.'

MailOnline has contacted the Home Office for comment.
Sam Bankman-Fried's revealing interview where he spoke about being imprisoned with Diddy and Luigi Mangione has earned the FTX founder a stay in solitary confinement.

The convicted cryptocurrency king is serving a 25-year sentence for fraud at New York's Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn alongside his famous fellow inmates.

His interview was apparently 'not approved' by the Bureau of Prisons, the New York Times reported.

While they would not confirm that Bankman-Fried had been punished with solitary confinement, a person close to the situation said that he had been locked up on his own after the interview went live.

During the chat, the former Fox News host asked Bankman-Fried if he has made any friends while behind bars and if he has been spending time with Combs.

'Have you made friends there? Are you hanging with Diddy? I think he's in there with you,' Carlson asked.

A grinning Bankman-Fried replied, 'He is.. he's been kind. I've made some friends, it's a weird environment. It's a combination of a few other high-profile cases and a lot of alleged ex-gangsters.

'I've only seen one piece of him, which is Diddy in prison. He's been kind to people in the unit, he's been kind to me.

Sam Bankman-Fried's revealing interview where he spoke about being imprisoned with Diddy and Luigi Mangione has earned the FTX founder a stay in solitary confinement

New York's Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn house several famous inmates including Diddy, SBF and accused UnitedHealthcare CEO killer Luigi Mangione

'It's kind of a soul crushing place for the world in general and what we see are just the people that are around us on the inside rather than who we are on the outside.'

Carlson asked what their fellow inmates think of being locked up with two famous people and how they all get along.

'Some of them I think are thinking well this is sort of an opportunity to meet people they wouldn't otherwise get to meet,' Bankman-Fried said.

'It makes sense from their perspective, but boy is that not how I think about prison.'

The FTX founder also revealed he was surprised to find strong chess competitors inside prison.

'They're good at chess... former armed robbers who don't speak English, and probably didn't graduate middle school, a surprising number of them are fairly good at chess. I'm not saying they're grand masters, but I lose games to them all the time,' he said.

In the latest episode of DailyMail.com's podcast The Trial of Diddy, federal prison consultant Sam Mangel said the Metropolitan Detention Center was placed on lockdown since last week after 'more than 40' people were involved in a melee.

While high-profile inmates like Combs, Mangione and Bankman-Fried were not housed at the area where the incident occurred, the entire Brooklyn facility was placed on 'modified operation' for at least the next month.

Diddy has been locked up at MDC since he was arrested last year on sex trafficking and racketeering charges

Sam Bankman-Fried shared how his fellow inmates feel about disgraced rap mogul Sean ' Diddy ' Combs

He told Tucker Carlson that Combs is kind to him and their fellow inmates

Sam Bankman-Fried is doing 25 years behind bars, and is now sharing a cell block with Diddy. He joins us from prison for an update on his new life.



(0:00) What Has Prison Been Like?

(2:28) Was SBF Ever on Adderall?

(4:42) SBF Meeting Diddy in Prison

(7:01) How Prison Has Changed pic.twitter.com/mNSNktLibg  Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) March 6, 2025

'He's locked down now, at least 23 out of 24 hours,' Mangel told the Daily Mail of Combs. 'I'm sure they allow him out at least three times a week for a shower, maybe to make a phone call, but that's about it. So he's being fed in his cell, it's a six by nine cell with a little slat for a window.

'If he wants to exercise in his cell, he can read in his cell. There are no TV's and that's where he is and will be for the next month other than legal visits. I know my client as well as other clients.

'I work closely with another consultant that is actually a Mangione's consultant. They're clamoring for legal visits because it's the only time that they can get out of their cells to see people, interact with people in a more open environment.'

Officials with the Federal Bureau of Prison confirmed to DailyMail.com that 'multiple' inmates 'were observed fighting' at the Brooklyn facility on February 22.

'Responding employees isolated and contained the incident and at no time was the public in danger,' BOP spokesman Donald Murphy told the DailyMail.com podcast.

MDC, which houses more than 1,600 inmates, is notorious for its 'deplorable conditions. In 2019, the prison made headlines after inmates suffered days without heat or power during severe winter conditions.

Diddy has been locked up at MDC since he was arrested last year on sex trafficking and racketeering charges. He's been denied bail multiple times.

Combs has vehemently denied all of the allegations since they first came to light and pleaded not guilty after charges were initially filed.
House Speaker Mike Johnson has openly distanced himself from Elon Musk's controversial Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), promising that recent drastic cuts to government programs and employees will be 'corrected.'

The remarks, made during Johnson's appearance on Fox News' Outnumbered on Friday, have reignited the debate over Musk's sweeping overhaul of government bureaucracy.

While the billionaire entrepreneur insists his efficiency-driven approach is a necessary intervention to trim government excess, critics argue the abrupt cuts are wreaking havoc on critical federal programs and costing dedicated workers their jobs.

But as criticism of DOGE mounted during the live debate, Johnson's tone suddenly appeared to shift as he signaled a clear separation from Musk's approach.

'Stay tuned. Stay tuned because it's going to be corrected,' he stated, revealing that he had personally spoken to Musk about the backlash.

When confronted about accusations that Musk's drastic government cuts were racially motivated, Johnson was also quick to dismiss such claims as 'patently absurd.'

'For them to say this has anything whatsoever to do with race, it has to do with government largesse. The government is too big, it does too many things, and it does almost nothing well,' he fired back, aligning himself with Musk's call for fiscal restraint.

Johnson praised Musk for 'cracking the code' on government inefficiency, crediting him with exposing hidden and wasteful spending practices.

House Speaker Mike Johnson has openly distanced himself from Elon Musk 's controversial DOGE, promising recent drastic cuts to government programs and employees will be corrected

Johnson had initially championed Musk's aggressive approach to cutting waste

Musk holding a chainsaw on stage at a conservative conference last month

'I mentioned earlier that Congress has not been able to do its oversight responsibility for decades, because the bureaucracy has been hiding the data. I mean, we didn't know that USAID was funding transgender operas in Peru.

'Obviously, everyone would have struck that down. So Elon has gotten inside,' Johnson explained.

He then went on to highlight Musk's use of advanced algorithms to scrutinize government data, a tool that Johnson claims has helped expose wasteful federal spending.

'As Elon says, the data doesn't lie. And the American people are with us on this,' he added.

Johnson had initially championed Musk's aggressive approach to cutting waste.

The leader of President Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency has already cut federal agencies, fired staff, and slashed federal spending.

The Trump administration has ended diversity hiring, froze federal contracts and declared there are only two genders - but it is clear that not everyone is on board.

Liberal Outnumbered contributor Marie Harf offered a more sobering perspective on the consequences of Musk's aggressive cost-cutting measures, citing job losses among long-serving federal employees, including veterans.

'The government shouldn't be in the business of firing a veteran who served their country for 20 years and then having to fix it later. I don't trust that it will fix it later. I just don't,' Harf argued.

She also warned that some of the cuts have targeted crucial programs such as cancer research and support for scientists dedicated to life-saving medical advancements.

Johnson highlighted Musk's use of advanced algorithms to scrutinize government data, a tool that Johnson claims has helped expose wasteful federal spending

Liberal Outnumbered contributor Marie Harf offered a more sobering perspective on the consequences of Musk's aggressive cost-cutting measures, citing job losses among long-serving federal employees, including veterans

Elon Musk heads President Donald Trump's DOGE

'So we can talk about cuts, but doing it this way hurts Americans. It's irresponsible. And quite frankly, that's why you see not just paid protesters coming to these town halls and saying, 'I'm a veteran, I lost my job. I have come to work every day. How can you and Elon Musk make millions of dollars every day from the American government, and you're firing these people?''

Johnson attempted to calm fears and suggested that more fired worked would be reemployed.

'I've talked to Elon about this personally and many of us have. He has completely pure motives. He's trying to make the government work better for the people. All the people in the essential employees and the people doing great work will come back,' he assured.

Johnson's pivot suggests that Republican leadership is feeling the heat from constituents outraged over the unintended consequences of DOGE's rapid-fire cuts.

The acknowledgment that fired employees may be rehired - particularly those working in sensitive sectors like nuclear weapons maintenance - marks a major concession.

DOGE has faced intense scrutiny in recent weeks for its chaotic handling of layoffs, particularly its firing of key federal employees only to attempt to rehire them later.

Among those affected were workers responsible for maintaining nuclear weapons sites across the U.S., a move that has raised serious national security concerns and Musk and his allies are now face mounting pressure to reassess their approach.

People holding banners chant during a rally outside Jacob K. Javits Federal Building against the firings of thousands of federal workers by Donald Trump and Elon Musk's DOGE

Researchers, academics and protesters rally outside the Health and Human Services (HHS) Building against DOGE funding freezes on research and higher education in Washington, DC

Earlier this week Musk revealed his next two targets as he moves to slash the size of the federal government.

He's now looking at cutting the U.S. Postal Service and the railway service Amtrak.

Musk named his targets when he spoke to a Morgan Stanley conference on Wednesday, CNN reported. He addressed the participants virtually.

In his remarks, the tech billionaire compared his influence over the federal government to that of a 'corporate takeover.'

'To understand the federal government, it is like a corporate takeover at scale, but one where the company is actually in much worse shape than any commercial company could ever be,' Musk said.

Musk went on to say that 'logically we should prioritize anything that can reasonably be privatized,' which is when he named the USPS and Amtrak.

Musk called Amtrak a 'sad situation.'

'If you're coming from another country, please don't use our national rail. It can leave you with a very bad impression of America,' Musk said.

'We should try to privatize everything we possibly can, and that would be my recommendation,' Musk added.
A petty dispute in one of San Francisco's wealthiest neighborhoods has erupted into a full-blown war between renters and billionaires over a parking spot.

The affluent Pacific Heights neighborhood, also known as Billionaire's Row, has a long-standing lack of parking, though for some of the area's wealthier residents, this wasn't much of a problem - until now.

The lavish neighborhood, which is lined with historic, multimillion-dollar mansions owned by tech founders and famous philanthropists has a peculiar phenomenon - dozens of white traffic cones lining the street preventing residents from parking.

The trouble began when a renter, frustrated by the constant lack of parking, moved the mysteriously occurring traffic cones, clearing a space to park his car.

However, within a few hours, the renter, who spoke to SFGate on a condition of anonymity, claimed a white Lexus had double-parked, blocking him in what felt like a clear act of retaliation.

Now frantic, because he had an appointment to make, the resident canvassed the neighborhood, knocking on doors, hoping desperately to find the car's owner.

After ringing several doorbells, he finally found a home where a man answered.

'He was very aggressive,' the renter said, adding that the angered homeowner 'silently glared' at him before agreeing to move the luxury vehicle.

The affluent Pacific Heights neighborhood, also known as Billionaire's Row, has a long-standing lack of parking, though for some of the area's wealthier residents, this wasn't much of a problem - until now

The lavish neighborhood, which is lined with historic, multimillion-dollar mansions owned by tech founders and famous philanthropists, however, has a peculiar phenomenon: dozens of white traffic cones lining the street preventing residents from parking

Several weeks later, the resident parked outside the same mansion, however this time there were no white traffic cones lining the street.

Yet, to his surprise, when he returned back to his car, he realized it had been vandalized.

At first, he wasn't sure the damage was done intentionally as the scratch was only a couple of inches long, and he had no proof of who did it.

But, he said 'it felt too coincidental,' so going forward he made a conscious effort to avoid parking near that property.

Earlier this week however, the situation took a turn for the worse as the worried renter was forced to park in the same area due to street cleaning, only to once again return to another malicious attack on his vehicle.

'I would hardly even call it being keyed,' he told SFGate. 'It looked like someone took pliers or a hammer to my door.'

The resident then turned to social media to air his grievances.

'The cone people have gone too far,' he wrote, adding that the residents of these mansions have 'made it crystal clear that they believe the street is theirs to control.

'They've escalated from passive aggression to outright vandalism, sending a message that parking here isn't just a matter of convenience - it's a privilege that comes with their approval,' he continued.

Several Google Street View images show white cones placed around one residence in particular, 2808 Broadway, over the course of several years.

Many have reported the cones to 311, but the issue still persists, the resident said.

The trouble began when a renter, frustrated by the constant lack of parking, moved the mysteriously occurring traffic cones, clearing a space to park his car

'It feels unfortunate that they've been clearly doing this for years and are clearly getting away with it.'

Objects like cones and trash cans cannot be used to stake out parking spots, according to San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency representative Michael Roccaforte.

'Public streets are for the public, and people should observe parking regulations to help with parking turnover to share limited curb space,' he wrote in an email.

'This can help to keep neighbors happy and avoid conflicts over parking spaces, and also keep the citys resources where theyre needed most to keep our streets running.'
Ronald Reagan's son has launched into a frenzied defense of Donald Trump - years after attacking his policies in his first term.

Michael Reagan, the adopted son of the 40th president, is a conservative commentator and runs the Reagan Legacy Foundation.

As President Trump takes heat for his tariffs against Mexico, Canada and China, some have reportedly used a speech President Reagan gave in 1987 to slam Trump.

The New York Post reported JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon has been sharing the video which features Reagan calling them 'stupid.'

Reagan's 79-year-old son has himself has been a Trump skeptic in the past, saying on X (then Twitter) in 2016: 'This most likely would be the 1st time if my father was alive that he would not support the nominee of the GOP.'

As late as 2023, he was critical of the president, having called his decision not to debate in the Republican Primary 'dumb' in an op-ed.

But Reagan went on social media Friday to confirm his father's position evolved over time on tariffs and would have approved of Trump's decisions.

'Yes, my father spoke about Tariffs when he was POTUS... that was 40yrs ago, it is different time with a different POTUS,' he said.

Ronald Reagan's son Michael is telling fans of his father that they're wrong to use him to criticize Donald Trump 's position on tariffs

As President Trump takes heat for his tariffs against Mexico, Canada and China , some have reportedly used a speech President Reagan gave in 1987 to slam Trump

He ordered others to 'for Gods sake quit using my father to bash Trump.'

Reagan claimed that many 'all of a sudden' support his father but when he was president, 'treated him like you are treating Trump today.'

'Give Trump time and get out of the way,' Reagan finished.

In other posts to X, Reagan showed examples of speeches his father gave in support of tariffs and ones he'd levied himself, including on Japanese goods in 1987.

'Remember my dad ended up kicking your a**es,' he added.

The full quote from President Reagan in the video being cited goes: ''We're in the same boat with our trading partners. If one partner shoots a hole in the boat, does it make sense for the other one to shoot another hole in the boat? Some say, yes, and call that getting tough. Well, I call it stupid.'

Reagan gave the talk while at Camp David in 1987.

On Friday, Trump continued his trade war with outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, threatening a new hefty tax on dairy and lumber from Canada.

Reagan's 79-year-old son went on social media Friday to confirm his father's position evolved over time

'Canada has been ripping us off for years on lumber and on dairy products,' Trump said in the Oval Office.

'We may do it as early as today, or we'll wait until Monday or Tuesday,' he previewed. 'We're going to charge the same thing. It's not fair. It never has been fair, and they've treated our farmers badly.'

The threat came a day after Trump announced a major reversal on his recent tariffs on goods and services from Mexico and Canada.

On Tuesday, the U.S. imposed 25 percent tariffs on all goods imported from Mexico and Canada rocketing the country into a trade war.

But just days later, Trump reversed his economic slap down saying that goods that are compliant with the North American free trade agreement with not be tariffed until April 2.

The president said earlier Thursday that he is enforcing a one-month pause out of 'respect' for President Sheinbaum because the country has agreed to his conditions to halt the flow of fentanyl through the southern border.

Canada will also be getting a similar extension, Trump announced to reporters during a gaggle in the Oval Office hours later.

'After speaking with President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico, I have agreed that Mexico will not be required to pay Tariffs on anything that falls under the USMCA Agreement,' he said on Truth Social.

President Donald Trump signaled Friday he was ready to get tougher on Russia in an effort to end the conflict in Ukraine

The agreement will last until April 2 and was done 'out of respect for' Sheinbaum.

'Our relationship has been a very good one, and we are working hard, together, on the Border, both in terms of stopping Illegal Aliens from entering the United States and, likewise, stopping Fentanyl. Thank you to President Sheinbaum for your hard work and cooperation!'

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick teased on CNBC that the president is also mulling a similar exemption for Canada.

Trump also announced on Wednesday that he is rolling back tariffs for auto imports from the neighboring countries.

'We spoke with the Big Three auto dealers. We are going to give a one-month exemption on any autos coming through USMCA. Reciprocal tariffs will still go into effect on April 2,' press secretary Karoline Leavitt said during the White House press briefing Wednesday.

That came one day after Trump met with the 'Big Three' automakers - General Motors, Ford and Stellantis.

The Trump administration appeared ready to blink first as the markets took a massive tumble this week, and Canada and China announced reciprocal tariffs.

But the trade war between the U.S. and major trade partners is far from over.

Reagan's 79-year-old son has himself has been a Trump skeptic in the past

The full quote from President Reagan in the video being cited goes: ''We're in the same boat with our trading partners. If one partner shoots a hole in the boat, does it make sense for the other one to shoot another hole in the boat? Some say, yes, and call that getting tough. Well, I call it stupid'

'I don't want anybody to forget, April 2 is the day that we announce our reciprocal tariffs around the world,' Lutnick noted.

Trump also warned Moscow he was 'strongly considering' imposing sanctions and tariffs on Russia until a ceasefire and peace agreement is reached with Ukraine.

It marks a shift in tone after Trump worried allies with warm words about how trusted President Vladimir Putin and a call for Moscow to be readmitted to the G7 .

A senior administration official said 'the president's has intensified over Russia escalating as he's trying to get both sides to the table.'

Trump took to his Truth Social platform to express his fury.

'Based on the fact that Russia is absolutely 'pounding' Ukraine on the battlefield right now, I am strongly considering large scale Banking Sanctions, Sanctions, and Tariffs on Russia until a Cease Fire and FINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ON PEACE IS REACHED,' he posted.

'To Russia and Ukraine, get to the table right now, before it is too late.'

He offered no further details on his plans.

However, the U.S., Europe and other nations have already imposed thousands of sanctions on Russiafocused on the oil industry and finance sectordesigned to hobble its economy and increase pressure to end the war.
One cop is dead and another fighting for his life after a shootout with a 14-year-old gunman who fired 29 times at police.

Bullets flew between pedestrians near a McDonald's and a White Castle in Newark before the teenager was finally gunned down by other officers.

The shooting began about 6.30pm on Friday around the intersection of Carteret Street and Broadway. What sparked the gunfight is not yet clear.

Both wounded officers were rushed to University Hospital, where one of them, aged just 25, was pronounced dead.

The other is 'fighting for his life' in critical condition after he was shot several times, the New Jersey State Policemen's Benevolent Association said.

A pistol was recovered at the scene and police appeared to also take a backpack as evidence.

One cop is dead and another fighting for his life after a shootout with a 14-year-old gunman who fired 29 times at police

The shooting began about 6.30pm on Friday around the intersection of Carteret Street and Broadway

Bullets flew between pedestrians near a McDonald's and a White Castle in Newark before the teenager was finally gunned down by other officers

The teenager was hanging out with a large group at the fast food outlets before the shooting. Several other suspects were arrested at the scene on unknown charges.

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said he had been briefed on the shooting and offered his condolences.

'This is a rapidly developing situation. Please pray for these officers, their families, and all our men and women in uniform who put their lives on the line to keep us safe,' he said.

Murphy and his wife Tammy made a private visit to the hospital to check on the wounded officer and his colleagues.

#Breaking 2 police officers shot in Newark, sources say 1 police officer is dead. @1010WINS pic.twitter.com/eiqL7T5IsO  Mary-Lyn Buckley (@ml_buckley) March 8, 2025

Locals were shocked to hear the gunshots and scrambled to get to safety.

'There was 10 shots, I want to say. I want to say the whole clip basically,' Andrea Perez told ABC 7.

'I just hear the gunshots and I thought it was fireworks, because people are always doing their fireworks, and then I saw a bunch of police come.'

Four police officers were shot across the US on Friday, with the one in Newark the only fatality.
Bill Maher has delivered a brutal takedown of what he called 'cringe' virtue-signaling and believes such practices have to stop if the Democrats are to ever have a hope of returning to power.

Maher offered up Julianne Hough's opening announcement during Sunday's Academy Awards broadcast, viewed by almost 20 million people in the US alone, as a prime example.

Hough started the show with an acknowledgment that paid homage to the Native Americans who once lived on the land where Hollywood now stands.

A land acknowledgement is 'a formal statement that respects and recognizes Native Americans as the original stewards of the land,' according to the Natural History Museums of LA County.

'We gather in celebration of the Oscars on the ancestral lands of the Tongva, Tataviam, and Chumash peoples, the traditional caretakers of this water and land,' Hough declared.

But Maher was quick to ridicule the gesture, saying, 'I don't know if we're still saying "cringe," but if we are, that's this.'

He then delivered his signature no-holds-barred critique, blasting Hollywood's self-congratulatory activism as hollow and hypocritical.

'I've said it before, I'll say it againeither give the land back or shut the f*** up!'

Bill Maher delivered a brutal takedown of what he called 'cringe' virtue-signaling, referencing an acknowledgement by Julianne Hough at the Oscars to the 'traditional' land owners

The famed ballroom dancer started the show with an acknowledgment that paid homage to the Native Americans

Maher called out the industry's elite, who often make grand statements about justice while living in extreme wealth.

'I understand the desire to right the wrongs of the past, especially when you get to take the moral high ground and then build an 8,000-square-foot mansion on it.'

He also dug into Hough further as he questioned how sincere her tribute might have been.

'I'm sure Julianne Hough is sincere about her love for the Chumash people, but I doubt she drives to work in a canoe, scavenges for acorns, or lives in a dome house made of reeds and dried mud.'

Maher then made a pointed joke about the industry's roots, saying, 'You want to thank a tribe for Hollywood? Start with the Jews.'

The host then broadened his criticism to take aim at what he called the 'simplistic idea of guilt by civilization' - the notion that ancient indigenous societies were somehow inherently more noble or peaceful than modern ones.

'Can we please get over this idea that ancient people weren't just as full of s*** - in fact, more full of s*** - than humans today?' he asked. 'This idea that being ancient and Indigenous was always better than us? It wasn't.'

He pointed to examples from history, such as the Maori of New Zealand, who recently passed a law granting a mountain the same rights as a human being.

Sandonne Goad is the current Chairwoman of the Gabrielino/Tongva Nation

'Can we please get over this idea that ancient people weren't just as full of s*** - in fact, more full of s*** - than humans today?' he asked. 'This idea that being ancient and Indigenous was always better than us? It wasn't.'

The Maori of New Zealand recently passed a law granting Mount Taranaki the same rights as a human being

'A modern, educated, technologically advanced country made a mountain a person -true story. And now it has all the responsibilities, liabilities, duties, and powers of a human being, which means the mountain can get a driver's license, vote, or adopt a rescue dog.'

Maher took aim at the glorification of indigenous traditions, pointing out that how many pre-colonial societies were violent.

'The Maori in pre-colonial times were like most indigenous people - quite war-like, frequently fighting other tribes, with the winners enslaving the losers. And even eating them. Have the mountain tell you that story next time you get it drunk.'

During his rant Maher noted the irony of people condemning the 1950s as a backward time while simultaneously glorifying life before modern civilization.

'Today's hippies love to harp on how the 1950s were backward. And yes, they were -as every past era was. But somehow they see indigenous life in the 1550s as the pinnacle of enlightenment.'

He sarcastically reminded his audience that the option to live like early indigenous tribes is still available.

'You could live outside and forage for food and wash your clothes in a pond. We have that today - it's called being homeless. And it sucks.'

Maher also pointed out that life before modern conveniences was brutal. 'It was no fun being alive before anesthetics, refrigeration, germ theory, the fork, or FaceTime.'

He ultimately made the case that, for all its flaws, modern civilization has undeniably led to progress.

Maher sarcastically reminded his audience that the option to live like early indigenous tribes is still available

Maher joked: 'You could live outside and forage for food and wash your clothes in a pond. We have that today - it's called being homeless. And it sucks.'

'The march of civilization has been bloody and painful, but we generally got to a better place, not a worse onenot just technologically, but in how we treat each other.'

Maher then pivoted to a deeper historical perspective, pointing out that before European settlers arrived, indigenous tribes often fought bloody wars against each other.

'Did you know that well before 1619, Indians practiced slavery here in America? The Apache, Iroquois, and Sioux all tried to wipe out their fellow tribes.'

He acknowledged that the European conquest of the Americas was devastating for Native Americans but argued that it was part of a historical pattern of human conflict. 'What the European invaders did to the Indians? Not good. But also not unusual. American Indians waged wars constantly.'

Maher also noted the polygamous practices of some indigenous groups, comparing them to modern tech billionaires.

'The Comanche were polygamists whose leaders could bear children with a dozen women - like Elon Musk.'

In a final jab at modern legal absurdities, Maher compared New Zealand's mountain law to America's concept of corporate personhood.

'Today in America, we have something called corporate personhood, which has gone a long way to corrupting our elections. But that's what we go by - that corporations are people. They're not. And neither are mountains.'
Lawyers on either side of the Karen Read murder trial have been banned from sharing prejudicial information outside of court.

Norfolk Superior Court Judge Beverly Cannone issued the gag order on Friday in a victory for special prosecutor Hank Brennan.

Read faces a second murder trial starting April 1, accused running over Boston police officer John O'Keefe with her SUV on January 29, 2022.

She was charged with murdering O'Keefe after a night out, but she instead claimed he was beaten by those inside the house his body was found on the front lawn of.

Her first murder trial ended with a hung jury on July 1 and the retrial is only weeks away, which will likely again be picketed by her army of supporters.

Brennan asked for the gag order to limit what Read's lawyers said outside court after complaining they were disparaging witnesses and improperly undermining his case.

He also took issue with Read herself being allowed to disclose what happened during grand jury proceedings, which are secret.

Brennan said 'the ongoing, deliberate, purposeful poisoning of the potential jury pool is not only wrong and unfair, it needs to be stopped'.

Karen Read in court on February 25 at a hearing ahead of her murder trial on April 1

Norfolk Superior Court Judge Beverly Cannone issued the gag order on Friday at the request of special prosecutor Hank Brennan

Read faces a second murder trial starting April 1, accused running over Boston police officer John O'Keefe with her SUV on January 29, 2022

Judge Cannone knocked back a previous request because there was no trial date set, but accepted it this time as the trial start drew near.

'Based, on these interviews and defense counsel's consistent, publicly-reported interactions with reporters and bloggers throughout the first trial, the court agrees with the Commonwealth,' she ruled.

'An order limiting extrajudicial statements of counsel is both appropriate and necessary to ensure a fair and impartial trial and finds that no reasonable, less restrictive alternative to the order is available.'

However, Read will still be free to say whatever she wants, which she celebrated by saying 'I like talking. I like to reveal the truth' after the hearing.

Cannone last month dramatically ended proceedings with a shaky courtroom outburst, citing 'evidence' she said changes everything.

The evidence related to claims the defense may have secretly paid expert witnesses who the jury believed were working independently.

'The implications of that information may have profound effects on this defense and defense counsel,' she told the court.

Read was charged with murdering O'Keefe after a night out, but she instead claimed he was beaten by those inside the house his body was found on the front lawn of

Read will still be free to say whatever she wants, which she celebrated by saying 'I like talking. I like to reveal the truth' after the hearing

Read's first murder trial ended with a hung jury on July 1 and the retrial is only weeks away, which will likely again be picketed by her army of supporters

Before Cannone called for the unplanned recess, Brennan revealed in court that Read's defense team had communicated with accident reconstruction experts from ARCCA Inc. hired by the FBI about their testimony before Read's first trial.

Brennan read what appeared to be emails between the defense and ARCCA and pointed out a $23,925 bill that he said the ARCCA sent to the defense.

'The commonwealth, as I understand it, was not aware of any promised rewards or inducements or payments,' Brennan said. 'They relied on a reciprocal discovery order of this court for that information.'

Calling out the bombshell payment request, Cannone, who was visibly trembling as she spoke, said: 'The commonwealth just provided the court with information that causes me grave concern.

'The implications of that information may have profound effects on this defense and defense counsel.

'So, for that reason, I'm going to suspend today so that when we meet again to address these issues, all affected will be appropriately prepared.'

Judge Cannone had previously declared a mistrial in July of last year after jurors were unable to reach a unanimous verdict before ruling in August that Read could be retried on all three charges.

Attorney Robert Alessi makes a heated point in court for the Read defense team

Special prosecutor Hank Brennan asked for the gag order to limit what Read's lawyers said outside court after complaining they were disparaging witnesses and improperly undermining his case

Within the emails, the ARCCA's director of accident reconstruction Daniel Wolfe also praised defense attorney Alan Jackson's questioning and allegedly wrote, 'if you don't want me to say this, that's fine,' Boston.com reported.

'That's not trial by ambush, that's getting duped,' Brennan said. 'I don't care if the ARCCA witnesses testify at trial. I don't care about their opinions. But I care that it's unfair, imbalanced, and hidden.'

Read also filed a habeas corpus claim in US District Court in Boston and asked for two of her charges to be dismissed. The judge is yet to rule on this.

Last week, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court rejected the motion to dismiss both counts after Read's lawyers argued jurors in her first trial unofficially agreed to acquit her of second-degree murder and leaving the scene of a fatal accident, Boston.com reported.

The defense also argued that a retrial on all charges would violate Read's double jeopardy protections.

Read was accused of ramming her Boston police officer boyfriend with her SUV while drunk in January 2022 before leaving him to die in a snowstorm

Read's attorneys argued that investigators focused on Read because she was a 'convenient outsider' who saved them from having to consider law enforcement officers as suspects

Read was accused of second-degree murder, manslaughter and leaving the scene of crime after her boyfriend John O'Keefe's death.

O'Keefe, according to autopsy results, died from hypothermia and blunt force trauma.

Read's attorneys have portrayed her as the victim, saying O'Keefe was actually killed inside Albert's home and then dragged outside.

They argued that investigators focused on Read because she was a 'convenient outsider' who saved them from having to consider law enforcement officers as suspects.

Read's defense said their theory that she was framed in a vast police conspiracy was supported by texts Trooper Michael Proctor - who led the investigation into O'Keefe's death - wrote about Read, which he was forced to read aloud in court last summer.

In the messages, Proctor called Read a 'whack job' and a 'c**t' and referred to her as a 'babe' with 'no a**,' while also making light of her 'Fall River accent'.

In other messages, he joked about rummaging through her phone for nude photos during the investigation.

Proctor claimed that 'these juvenile, unprofessional comments had zero impact on the facts, the evidence and the integrity of the investigation'.

Read's attorney Martin Weinberg argued that five jurors later said they were deadlocked only on the manslaughter count.

Prosecutors maintained there's no basis for dismissing the charges of second-degree murder and leaving the scene. They argued that her lawyers should have sensed a mistrial was 'inevitable or unavoidable' and that they had every opportunity to be heard in the trial courtroom

He added that they unanimously agreed in the jury room that she wasn't guilty on the charges of second-degree murder and leaving the scene.

But they hadn't told the judge.

Read told Boston 25 News that she's ready for a second trial and isn't worried about who's on the prosecution team.

'I don't care who I face,' she told the station. 'I have the truth. I have the best attorneys. Do your worst.'

Read could end up in prison  a fate she said she 'thinks about that every day,' but she said, 'It doesn't frighten me the way it did three years ago.'

Weinberg had urged the court to allow an evidentiary hearing where jurors could be asked whether they had reached final not guilty verdicts on any of the charges.

Prosecutors maintained there's no basis for dismissing the charges of second-degree murder and leaving the scene.

They argued that her lawyers should have sensed a mistrial was 'inevitable or unavoidable' and that they had every opportunity to be heard in the trial courtroom.
Four teenagers have been charged following an alleged stabbing at a popular shopping centre on Saturday afternoon.

At 3pm on March 8, emergency services were called to Westfield Shopping Centre at Hornsby in Sydney's northwest after reports of an assault.

Police were told a 21-year-old man and a 27-year-old woman were approached by two teenage girls and three teenage boys who allegedly assaulted the man.

The woman was also allegedly assaulted when she came to help the man who suffered stab wounds to the leg and was mugged.

He was treated at the scene by paramedics before he was taken to Royal North Shore Hospital in a stable condition.

Police found four of the five alleged offenders not long after at a shopping centre in Castle Hill.

They were taken to Castle Hill Police Station where they were charged.

A 16-year-old boy was charged with aggravated robbery with wounding, another 16-year-old boy was charged with robbery in company and assault occasioning actual bodily harm in company.

A 15-year-old girl was charged with accessory before and after to robbery in company and another 16-year-old boy was charged with robbery in company.

The three boys were refused bail to appear before a Children's Court on Sunday, March 9.

The girl was released on conditional bail to appear before a Children's Court on Tuesday, March 18.

Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
A growing number of people are questioning whether ex-tropical cyclone Alfred was a natural phenomenon or if it was a man-made disaster.

The condensation trails left behind aircrafts flying in the sky were actually chemtrails which altered Alfred's weather patterns, conspiracy theorists have claimed.

The ex-cyclone initially looked like it was going to pass Australia by before it took a sharp u-turn towards the country earlier in the week.

Those not content with the Bureau of Meteorology's assurance that the sudden shift was quite natural instead began turning their attention to a niche US military program from 1993.

The High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) focused on radio wave propagation, ionospheric disturbances, and space weather effects.

HAARP was originally a joint US Navy and Air Force program run out of the University of Alaska.

Some social media users believed the program was launched by the government in an attempt to understand how to influence extreme weather events.

Experts however dismissed the idea of HAARP ever having been used in any way which could impact cyclones or other natural disasters, according to AAP FactCheck.

Conspiracy theorists have begun blaming the condensation trails aircrafts leave in their wake while flying in the sky as the reason ex-tropical cyclone Alfred almost hit Australia

Alfred was initially set to pass Australia by before it made a sudden u-turn towards the east coast earlier in the week

Vocal conspiracy theorists insisted the supposed chemtrails often seen in the sky were part of a coordinated effort to manipulate weather patterns.

The trails appear as white streams left behind by aircrafts in the sky and Ionosphere and magnetosphere expert Professor Fred Menk said the theory was nonsense.

Even if the trails were intended to affect weather patterns they were far too close to the ground to be effective, Professor Menk told NewsWire.

'Weather at ground level is driven by geophysical effects, mostly solar heating, into the neutral atmosphere much nearer the ground,' Professor Menk said.

The professor said the impact the trails had on the environment around them was extremely limited.

'There's lots of planes out there, but the volume or area of air that they disturb at any one time, to my mind, is pretty small in a spatio-temporal setting,' he said.

'The spatial impact is limited, the time impact is limited. So yes, they are causing temporary perturbations in the atmosphere, unless they, for some reason, amplify and grow. And I can't quite characterise how that might occur.'

These kinds of conspiracies have been actively discussed online for decades but have recently picked up steam, the World Economic Forum warned.

Conspiracy theorists believe the 'chemtrails' are linked to a US military program which allegedly sought to influence the weather

There has been a rise in climate-related misinformation and disinformation online of late, the Forum noted.

Similar claims were spread when Hurricane Milton hit Florida, in the US, in October 2024.

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) dismissed the theories as pure conspiracy.

A spokesperson had to confirm the department 'does not modify the weather, nor does it fund, participate in or oversee cloud seeding or any other weather modification activities' in an official statement at the time.

Ex-tropical cyclone Alfred initially formed over the Coral Sea on February 20.

From there, it's movements were described as erratic as it moved closer to Australia's east coast.

The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) said there was an increase in tropical cyclones forming in the area since ocean temperatures began rising in the 1980s.

An average of 11 form each year but usually only four make it across the coastline and almost always by the time they do the cyclones have lost so much strength that they are downgraded to a tropical low - just as Alfred was.
A body has been found during a search for a man who was swept into raging floodwaters yesterday afternoon.

Emergency services were called to Wild Cattle Creek Bridge, about 25km north-east of Dorrigo, after a ute being driven across it was swept into floodwaters.

The driver  a 61-year-old man  was able to get out of the ute and climb onto a tree branch, about 30m from the riverbank, but emergency personnel were unable to reach the him before he was swept away.

Local police, Fire and Rescue NSW personnel and the SES resumed searching the area he went missing in today.

At about 4.30pm the body of a man was found.

While he is yet to be formally identified, it is believed to be that of the missing man.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the news as tragic.

'Our thoughts are with his loved ones and the community at this heartbreaking time,' he posted on X.
Donald Trump is considering pulling 35,000 troops out of Germany just hours after the US suspended sharing satellite images with Ukraine in a bid to pressure the country into signing a peace deal.

The latest move comes as Vladimir Putin defied Trump's warning to stop 'pounding' Ukraine by launching a deadly overnight barrage in the Donetsk region - despite suggestions he is willing to consider an immediate ceasefire, albeit under potentially controversial conditions.

At least 11 people were killed and dozens injured, while missiles crippled energy facilities vital for delivering heat and light to its citizens, as well as powering weapons factories.

Putin's forces launched 67 missiles and almost 200 drones at Ukraine overnight.

Analysts say the latest attack shows that Trump's continued 'squeezing' of Ukraine to sign a peace deal has had the opposite desired impact.

Sean Savett, a former spokesperson for the National Security Council under Biden, said: 'Not only did he clearly get it wrong when he claimed repeatedly that Putin wants peace, but his actions squeezing Ukraine have made peace less attainable by strengthening Putin's hand instead of Ukraine's,' he said.

But Trump, who is weighing up whether to redeploy US troops from Germany to eastern Europe, is said to have become increasingly frustrated with the continent's stance on the conflict.

European Union leaders, mindful they may need to shoulder more of the burden for arming Ukraine and strengthen their own defenses, agreed on a plan on Thursday to significantly build up their military spending.

Yesterday it was revealed that the so-called 'coalition of the willing' to defend Ukraine now has around 20 members - and on Saturday, Sir Keir Starmer revealed that Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese had made a 'commitment to consider contributing'.

Donald Trump is considering pulling 35,000 troops out of Germany as Russia launched a deadly overnight barrage in the Donetsk region

Friday night's Russian attack killed at least 11 and crippled energy facilities vital for delivering heat and light to its citizens, as well as powering weapons factories

Trump, who is weighing up whether to redeploy his troops to eastern Europe, is said to have become increasingly frustrated with the continent's stance on the conflict

Some 160,000 personnel are stationed outside of the US, with the majority positioned in Germany.

A source close to the White House told The Telegraph: 'Trump is angry that they [Europe] appear to be pushing for war.'

One potential relocation for the troops is Hungary, which on Thursday voted against further supporting Ukraine in the conflict - despite other member states backing the proposal.

Prime Minister Viktor Orban has also previously opposed EU sanctions against Moscow.

Trump is also said to have felt discontent against Nato countries not currently meeting the two per cent defence spending goal, arguing that the United States has had to bear the brunt of the shortfall.

Speaking about the issue on Thursday, Mr Trump told a press conference: 'When I came to Nato, when I first had my first meeting, I noticed that people weren't paying their bills at all, and I said I should wait till my second meeting.

'And I did. And I brought that up, and I said, 'if you don't pay your bills, we're not going to participate. We're not going to protect you.'

In January, it was reported that Trump intends to reduce US personnel in Europe by 20 per cent and is set to ask for a 'financial contribution' from member states to maintain the remaining troops.

More than 30 people were wounded, including five children, in the Russian attack

A building is seen entirely ablaze following Russian drone strikes in Odessa on Friday night

The President's focus on troops deployed to Europe comes as the US government announced on Friday that it had halted Ukrainian access to unclassified satellite images used to help in the fight against Russia.

The US National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency said the decision reflected 'the Administration's directive on support to Ukraine,' without elaborating.

Satellite imagery provider Maxar Technologies confirmed the US government decision to 'temporarily suspend' Ukrainian access.

Air-defense systems supplied by the West are crucial for Ukraine, but further US help is uncertain under Trump, who held a tempestuous - and televised - White House meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last week in which he questioned Ukraine's determination to end the war.

Zelensky has since said the blowup with the Trump administration was 'regrettable.'

The latest moves come as at least 11 people were killed overnight in the Donetsk region as Vladimir Putin ignored Trump's warning to stop 'pounding' Ukraine.

More than 30 people were wounded, including five children.

A Ukranian fireman attempts to cool the temperature of a burnt-out building in Bohodukhiv, in the Kharkiv region

Damaged residential buildings at the site of a Russian strike in Dobropillia, Donetsk region

Footage showed the hellish carnage in Dobropillia as the strikes destroyed eight five-story buildings, an administrative building and 30 cars.

Another nine people were killed across Donetsk region, in Pokrovsk, Konstantinopol, Yablunivka, Konstantinovka, Myrnograd and Ivanopillya, as well as Dobropillia.

A total of 42 were wounded in the region, said the administration of Ukrainian controlled territory.

Fires raged in Dobropillia's buildings hampering rescue efforts for people trapped in the rubble.

Ukrainian reports saying the dead were civilians.

Some 160,000 personnel are stationed outside of the US, with the majority positioned in Germany. Pictured: US troops in Hohenfels, Germany

Trump held a tempestuous - and televised - White House meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last week in which he questioned Ukraine's determination to end the war

Preliminary reports say the Russians used an Iskander-M missile, Tornado-S MRLS, and Shahed 136 killer drones.

Governor of the region Vadym Filashkin urged remaining residents of the mining town - some 12 miles from the frontline - to flee to safer regions.

Dobropillia is geographically close to the rare metals deposits that Trump is seeking to rights to exploit from Zelensky, as Russia seeks territorial gains in the Donbas.

A separate Russian drone strike on Kharkiv region killed three, said Oleg Sinegubov, head of the regional military administration.

A meat processing plant was hit in Bogodukhiv.

'The death toll has risen to three. All are civilian men,' he said.

Putin also staged an attack on civilian and industrial facilities in Odesa, triggering fires.

A video showed the horrific moment a Russian drone hit a car in Odessa, a strike which the driver miraculously survived.

A residential building is ablaze in the aftermath of an attack in Dobropillia in the Donetsk area, on Friday evening

The Russian attack came just days after the US government announced it would no longer share satellite images with Ukraine

The onslaught came as Trump's blocking of Ukraine receiving intelligence data triggers fears of missile strikes from Russia without warning.

Trump has also effectively grounded Ukraine's Western-supplied long range missiles by refusing to supply key mapping data needed for targeting.

So far, Putin has shown no sign of desiring quick peace, which Trump claims the Kremlin dictator wants and needs.

On Friday, Trump complained Russia was 'absolutely pounding' Ukraine, and he threatened new sanctions if it did not stop.

Yet he gave succour to Putin saying it was easier to deal with Russia and Ukraine, adding that he understood the Kremlin dictator's heavy bombardment.

'I actually think he's doing what anybody else would do,' he said. 'Probably anybody in that position would be doing that right now.'

The US president also said of Putin: 'I think he's going to be more generous than he has to be.'

Friday's bombardment comes as 10,000 Ukrainian troops risk being encircled in a cauldron in the Kursk region of Russia.

People comfort a crying woman near a damaged residential building following a strike in Dobropillia, Donetsk region

A man carries surviving items from a damaged residential building as Ukraine suffered a heavy Russian attack on Friday night

'The situation is very bad,' said Pasi Paroinen, a military analyst at Finnish military company Black Bird Group.

'There is very little time left before Ukrainian troops are either surrounded or forced to retreat.'

Ukraine still controls around 150 square miles of a larger area of Kursk region that it occupied in August last year.

Zelensky is clinging to the territory aiming to use it as a bargaining chip during peace talks but the strategy is now on a knife edge, with his 10,000 trips in potential peril from advances by Russian troops backed by North Korean fighters.

Ukrainian war analyst Denis Kazansky condemned the Dobropillia massacre in Russian-speaking eastern Ukraine.

This was 'senseless mass murder of those very residents of Donbas whom Russia supposedly liberates and protects.

'Only not a single Russian propagandist will shed tears over these murdered residents of Donbass.'

In Ukrainian overnight drone strikes, they hit and partially destroyed the Kirishinefteorgsintez oil refinery in Kirishi, in Leningrad region near St Petersburg.

European Union leaders, mindful they may need to shoulder more of the burden for arming Ukraine and strengthen their own defenses, agreed on a plan on Thursday to significantly build up their military spending. Pictured: Zelensky wth Special Antonio Costa, President of the European Council and Ursula Von der Leyen, President of the European Commission

The drone offensive caused disruption at the city's Pulkovo airport.

A Russian defence ministry dry rations plant in Bryansk region was also hit by Ukrainian jet drones causing a dozen explosions.

Separately, cockpit pictures today emerged of Ukraine's first use of a French Mirage 2000-5 fighter jet to shoot down a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile during savage Russian attacks on Friday.

Zelensky overnight hit out at Russia over Putin's Friday blitzkrieg against Ukraine's gas storage facilities.

'This Russian strike on our energy system and civilian facilities occurred so routinely for Russia, so vile and cynical, as always, as if there are no efforts at all from Ukraine and the world to end this war,' he said.

'Ukraine is ready for peace as soon as possible: we have proposed concrete steps.

'And every day, new Russian strikes and reality itself prove that it is Russia that must be forced into peace  into stopping the war, into real diplomacy, into ensuring security and into a reliable and lasting peace.'

According to the Ministry of Defence (MoD), Russia launched the 'largest' multi-axis Long Range Aviation (LRA) 'strike package' seen so far in 2025 on Thursday night into Friday.

Alongside up to 35 As-23a Kodiak air launched cruise missiles, Russia also launched land attack cruise missiles from its Black Sea fleet vessels, as well as short range ballistic missiles and more than 100 one way attack UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles).

The MoD said: 'Russia continues to strike a range of targets, including the Ukrainian energy sector, predominantly gas infrastructure, seeking to exploit the winter period as it attempts to demoralise the civilian population as well as weaken the Ukrainian economy.'

Zelensky - who is due in Saudi Arabia on Monday where Ukraine will start talks of a peace deal with the Americans - hit out at the latest Russian aggression.

'Such strikes show that Russia's goals are unchanged,' he said.

'It is very important to continue to do everything to protect life, strengthen our air defence, and tighten sanctions against Russia.

'Everything that helps Putin finance the war must break down.'

Meanwhile, reports from inside the Kremlin suggest that Russia is open to a temporary cessation of hostilities, but only if certain preconditions are met.

According to individuals familiar with high-level negotiations, these include a concrete framework for a final peace agreement and a carefully curated list of countries to participate in a prospective peacekeeping mission.

But such a stipulation is raising concerns among Ukraine and its Western allies, who fear that any such agreement would be skewed in Moscow's favor.

The Trump administration had been quietly exploring ways to ease economic sanctions against Russia, including reconsidering the cap on its oil sales, a move that has alarmed European allies.
Poland's Donald Tusk wants access to nuclear weapons as he plans to have every adult male undergo military training to grow a 500,000-strong army in a bid to deter Putin.

The Polish Prime Minister revealed he was having serious discussions with France about falling under the protections of their nuclear umbrella, to his parliament on Friday.

It comes after French President Emmanuel Macron offered to extend his nation's nuclear protection to European allies and invited military chiefs to discuss putting boots on the ground in Ukraine.

During his announcement, Tusk emphasised the Eastern European county could not rely on conventional weaponry alone, noting that Ukraine had surrendered its nuclear ammunition to continue to be attacked by Russia.

'We must be aware that Poland must reach for the most modern capabilities also related to nuclear weapons and modern unconventional weapons ... this is a race for security, not for war,' he said.

The Polish leader has also set his sights on dramatically growing his army, which currently sits at 200,000 soldiers - the third largest in NATO after the US and Turkey - to a 500,000-strong legion.

Tusk said the military training would create a reserve force that is 'adequate to possible threats', with aims to finalise scheme plans - open to women volunteers - by the end of the year.

The significant military expansion comes as worries grow across the continent after President Donald Trump shifted the US position from being a defender of Ukraine to withholding military aid and intelligence to signalling a support for Kremlin's position.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk revealed he was having serious discussions with France about falling under the protections of their nuclear umbrella

Tusk said the military training would create a reserve force that is 'adequate to possible threats' (Pictured: Volunteers taking part in basic training with the Polish army in Nowogrod, Poland, on Thursday June 20, 2024)

President Donald Trump shifted the US position from being a defender of Ukraine to withholding military aid, intelligence, and signalling a support for Russia and Vladimir Putin

During talks with the Sejm - the lower house of the parliament - Tusk highlighted that the Ukrainian Army was made up of around 800,000 soldiers while its opposition, Russia, had an army of 1.3 million.

'We will try to have a model ready by the end of this year so that every adult male in Poland is trained in the event of war so that this reserve is truly ... adequate to potential threats,' Tusk told the chamber Friday.

He added: 'If Ukraine loses the war or if it accepts the terms of peace, armistice, or capitulation in such a way that weakens its sovereignty and makes it easier for Putin to gain control over Ukraine, then, without a doubt - and we can all agree on that - Poland will find itself in a much more difficult geopolitical situation.'

'Every healthy man should want to train to be able to defend the homeland in case of need. We will prepare it in such a way that it will not be a burden on people,' he said, whilst also announcing women would have the option to volunteer.

Despite this, he also remarked that 'war is still, to a greater extent, the domain of men'.

'Poles will not adopt the philosophy that we are completely powerless and helpless, if President Trump has decided to adjust policy,' Tusk said.

Jaroslaw Kaczy'nski, the head of Polands largest opposition party, the conservative Law and Justice, said a mental shift in society would also be needed in addition to the military training of men.

Emmanuel Macron previously offered to extend his nation's nuclear protection to European allies and invited military chiefs to discuss putting boots on the ground in Ukraine

It comes after tense discussions in the White House between Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky were broadcast in front of the world

'Poland's job is to guard its eastern border, which is also the border of NATO and the European Union,' Tusk said

'We will have a return to the chivalric ethos and to the fact that men should also be soldiers, that is, be able to expose themselves, even to death,' Kaczy'nski said.

Talking to reporters later, Tusk cited the Swiss model as an example and added it would not be 'mandatory, but there would be incentives that make men decide to undergo annual training and it is not just symbolic, not fake.'

Every Swiss man is obliged to serve in the military or an alternative civilian service. Swiss women can serve on a voluntary basis.

Tusk also said he supported Poland withdrawing from international conventions that ban the use of anti-personnel landmines and cluster munitions.

The Polish leader was also adamant that the country would not be giving up on NATO, announcing the Eastern European state - who is already NATO's top spender - would up its defence budget from 4.7 percent GDP to five percent.

'Poland is not changing its opinion on the need, the absolutely fundamental need to maintain the closest possible ties with the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. This is in general indisputable,' Tusk said.

Poland, galvanised by Russia's invasion of neighbouring Ukraine three years ago, is shelling out billions on artillery including Patriot missiles, Abrams tanks, F-35 jet fighters from the US.

They are also cashing out on more weaponry from South Korea, which includes K2 Black Panther main battle tanks, K9A1 Thunder howitzers, Homar-K rocket systems and jet trainers.

The Polish leader also announced the Eastern European state - who is already NATO's top spender - would up its defence budget from 4.7 GDP to five per cent

European leaders at a summit on March 2, with the likes of Sir Keir Starmer, Volodymyr Zelensky and Emmanuel Macron

Meanwhile, Trump has suggested that the US might abandon its commitments to the alliance if member countries dont meet defence spending targets.

It comes shortly after dramatic scenes between Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky and Trump, which saw the US president reverse policy with the Eastern European country and risking a historic rupture with Europe.

But despite Trump's previous comments stating that the US would not carry out its NATO obligations if countries within the alliance aren't spending enough on defence, Tusk is adamant Poland 'can't turn [its] back' on neighbouring Ukraine.

And as diplomatic uncertainty continues in the West, the Polish leader affirmed his belief that Europe had the economic power to face off with Russia.

He also added that no Polish military personnel would be deployed into Ukraine to monitor a peace agreement, a move currently being weighed up by NATO allies France and the UK.

'Poland's job is to guard its eastern border, which is also the border of NATO and the European Union,' he added.

Russia attacked Ukrainian energy facilities with dozens of missiles and drones this week, hobbling the country's ability to deliver heat and light to its citizens and to power weapons factories vital to its defences.

The overnight barrage - which also pounded residences and wounded at least 10 people - came days after the US suspended military aid and intelligence to Ukraine to pressure it into accepting a peace deal being pushed by the Trump administration.

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, firefighters put out the fire following a Russian rocket attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Friday, March 7, 2025

A rescuer stands amid smoke and debris near a damaged premise after a Russian missile attack on March 7, 2025 in Kharkiv, Ukraine

Without US intelligence, Ukraine's ability to strike inside Russia and defend itself from bombardment is significantly diminished.

Air-defence systems supplied by the West are crucial for Ukraine, but further help is uncertain under Trump, who says hes determined to end the war.

European Union leaders, mindful they may need to shoulder more of the burden for arming Ukraine and strengthen their own defences, agreed on a plan Thursday to significantly build up their military spending.

Ukraine is having a tough time on the battlefield. An onslaught by Russia's bigger army is straining short-handed Ukrainian forces at places along the 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line.

Officials from the US and Ukraine will meet in Saudi Arabia next week to discuss ending the war, which began more than three years ago when Russia launched a full-scale invasion. On Friday, President Trump said on social media he was 'strongly considering' placing additional sanctions on Russia to force it into peace talks with Ukraine.

Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine's power grid during the war. The attacks have depleted electricity generation capacity and disrupted critical heating and water supplies. Ukrainian officials have accused Russia of 'weaponizing winter' in an effort to erode civilian morale.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday that the energy supply is a legitimate target in the war, because it's 'linked with Ukraines military industrial complex and weapons production.'

Russian air defences downed 39 Ukrainian drones overnight, according to the Russian Defence Ministry.

Emergency teams and civilians are at the scene where a Russian Iskander missile hit a civilian infrastructure facility, causing an explosion and therefore fire and damage in ten garages and five cars in Kharkiv, Ukraine on March 7, 2025

Ukraines largest private gas producer, DTEK, said that the overnight bombardment in the Odesa region was Russia's sixth attack in the past two and a half weeks on its facilities. Its plants in two other regions were also struck.

Russia fired 67 missiles from air, land and sea, and launched 194 strike and decoy drones , Ukraines air force said. Their primary target was Ukraines natural gas extraction facilities, it said.

Ukrainian defences downed 34 missiles and 100 drones, the air force said, while up to 10 missiles didn't reach their targets and 86 drones were lost from radars, presumably jammed by electronic warfare.

Zelensky said Thursday that he would travel to Saudi Arabia on Monday to meet with the country's crown prince, and that his team would stay on to hold talks with US officials.

He also welcomed a European Union plan to bolster the continent's defences, and expressed hope that some of the new spending could be used to strengthen Ukraine's own defence industry.
The truth is out there - but don't expect the US Space Force to lift the lid anytime soon. Days after a senior figure spoke of the agency's determination to 'control the space domain', mystery continues to surround the primary function of the X-37B spacecraft, which quietly returned to Earth on Friday after more than 14 months in orbit.

The $200 million (155 million) spaceplane has now completed seven successful missions, yet its activities have for the most part remained highly classified.

The primary function of the craft is unknown, with Space Force revealing little about its purpose beyond hinting at a series of experiments involving 'space domain awareness technologies'.

There is, however, clarity about the core mission of the US military's space branch, which was spelled out earlier this week by Space Force General Bradley Chance Saltzman, the organisation's chief of operations.

'Domain control is the special province of warfighters, a unique responsibility that only military services hold,' said Saltzman. 'It is the thing that distinguishes the navy from the merchant marine and the air force from Southwest Airlines. It is the purpose of the Space Force to achieve space superiority.

'Put simply, space control encapsulates the mission areas required to contest, to control the space domain, employing kinetic and non-kinetic means to affect adversary capabilities by disruption and degradation, even destruction if necessary.'

It remains unclear how exactly the unmanned X-37B craft, which launched from NASAs Kennedy Space Centre in Florida in late December 2023, fits into that overarching objective, although one possibility is that it will be used to monitor other orbiting spacecraft.

What is known, however, is that last October the craft undertook a series of manoeuvres that demonstrated, for the first time, its ability to change orbit. Known as aerobraking, the procedure essentially involves using the Earth's atmosphere to slow down the vehicle.

The US Space Force's X-37B orbital test vehicle 7 landed at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California in the early hours of Friday morning, after spending 434 days in orbit

A camera onboard the X-37B craft captures an image of Earth. Little is known about the $200 million (155 million) spaceplane, which has now completed seven successful missions

Staff on the ground at Vandenberg Space Force Base were on hand for the X-37B's landing, which the USSF said highlighted their ability to recover the craft 'across multiple sites'

The spacecraft 'dips' into the atmosphere, where gas molecules rub against it, creating resistance that slows it down.

The technique can alter the craft's orbital trajectory, or slow it sufficiently to let gravity pull it earthwards. It also allows for the safe disposal of the service module mounted on the craft's back - the contents of which have not been specified in this instance.

'Mission 7 broke new ground by showcasing the X-37Bs ability to flexibly accomplish its test and experimentation objectives across orbital regimes,' said Saltzman in a USSF statement.

'The successful execution of the aerobraking manoeuvre underscores the US Space Forces commitment to pushing the bounds of novel space operations in a safe and responsible manner.'

In common with the now retired space shuttle, the Boeing-built X-37B launches like a rocket and lands like a conventional aeroplane.

'X-37B missions have continuously advanced our nation's space capabilities by testing new technologies that reduce risk and inform our future space architectures,' Holly Murphy, programme director for Boeing's Experimental Systems Group, said in a video last November.

'Mission seven is no different.'

Looking somewhat the worse for wear after its 43-day mission, the spacecraft touched down at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California in the early hours of Friday morning.

In common with the now retired space shuttle, the Boeing-built X-37B, seen here on the ground at andenberg Space Force Base, launches like a rocket and lands like a conventional plane

Addressing the Air and Space Forces Association Warfare Symposium in Aurora, Colorado, on Monday, Saltzman stressed the importance of space control in preparation for potential future combat.

'If we're going to truly embrace our status as space warfighters, then we need to also embrace our fundamental responsibility for space control,' he said.

'We need to sharpen every one of the components of readiness: personnel, training, equipment and sustainment. If any one of these elements is lacking, then our readiness as a whole is impacted.

'Space superiority is an end goal [and] it's the headquarters' job to provide the means to achieve it, to create the environment, set the conditions for victory.'
Her leg was severely mauled but she survived

A woman who was attacked by a shark told her partner she 'should be dead' after waking up in hospital following a life-saving surgery.

Mangyon Zhang, 56, was attacked by a suspected bull shark while swimming in chest-high water at Bundeena's Gunyah Beach in Sydney on Friday.

Ms Zhang recalled the moment she realised she had been bitten and the struggle she faced trying staying afloat in the water while waiting for someone to rescue her.

She said she could not move and tried her hardest not to splash while waiting for someone to notice she was in trouble.

Her partner Maria Masutti said Ms Zhang felt a strong 'whoosh' rip past her in the water which turned out to be the shark as it was attacking her.

'She was kind of just having a bit of a leisurely swim and making her way back in and then she said she felt whoosh, that's how she described it, like a whooshing kind of feeling,' Ms Masutti told the Daily Telegraph.

After that everything went numb and there was no pain, according to Ms Zhang.

That was put down to the adrenaline surging through her body but it did not take Ms Zhang long to notice the copious amounts of blood that surrounded her.

Mangyon Zhang, 56, told her partner, Maria Masutti, that she should have died after surviving a shark attack at Bundeena's Gunyah Beach in Sydney on Friday

Ms Zhang believes it was a bull shark that attacked her but authorities have still yet to locate it and the beach remained shut on Saturday (stock pictured)

Ms Zhang could not move after the attack and spent the next 20 minutes lying idle in the water until fellow beachgoer Blake Dickson dived in to save her.

After Mr Dickson and his partner got Ms Zhang to shore they alerted paramedics before she was flown to St George Hospital.

Ms Zhang had serious lacerations and wounds to her leg and she was immediately rushed in for emergency surgery.

Ms Masutti spent the entire night by her partner's bedside, waiting for Ms Zhang to wake up.

'When she opened her eyes she said "I should be dead, I nearly died". She started explaining how she felt she was drowning and no-one would get to her,' Ms Masutti said.

Ms Zhang was hopeful she would be able to keep her leg despite the extensive injuries suffered.

'Her legs' a bit of a mess, its gonna be a bit of a long recovery as she's lost use of her foot so theres some sort of nerve or muscle damage, but it didnt hit any arteries, which is good, so she lives to tell the tale,' Ms Masutti said.

Beaches along the Sutherland Shire remained closed on Saturday while authorities tried to hunt down the shark responsible for the attack.

Ms Zhang said she felt a sudden 'whoosh' in the water before she noticed blood spurting up all around her which was when she realised the severity of her situation

Some believe it might be a bull shark that multiple residents have sighted and reported in the area in recent weeks.

Ms Zhang's attack is the latest of several to happen across Australian beaches this year.

Charlize Zmuda, 17, was killed by a shark that attacked her at Bribie Island's Woorim Beach, north of Brisbane, on February 3.

Lance Appleby, 28, also went missing after he was attacked by a shark while surfing on the Eyre Peninsula, in South Australia, in January.
A female tradie has called out the double standards between guys who can work shirtless on worksites during hot days and girls like her who can't.

Shianne Foxx, who calls herself the Bikini Tradie, slammed her boss for saying it would be a 'distraction' for her to work topless on very hot days.

Ms Foxx, who is employed as a landscaper in Sydney, said it was an unfair 'double standard' that needed to be addressed in the industry.

She uploaded her thoughts in a short TikTok video on the way home from work.

'It's a f***ing 40 degree day today and I'm the one who has to wear my shirt [while] all the boys on the site don't have to wear theirs,' Ms Foxx said.

'It's a double standard, it's sexist and I'm actually really over it.

'I just want to be topless like the boys but no, I will "distract them".'

Her take on the workplace stirred up mixed emotions from her followers with some taking her side while others were more wary.

Shianne Foxx, who works as a landscaper in Sydney, called out the double standards of the industry

Male tradies are allowed to work shirtless on hot days but women like Ms Foxx are not (pictured, stock)

Ms Foxx failed to see the big deal however since so many of her colleagues work topless when the heat gets too unbearable.

'I thought it was only fair if I could get mine off too. I have no shame in getting my boobs out,' she told news.com.au.

'I don't think it should be "distracting" because at the end of the day they're just a natural thing.

'At the end of the day, we all have breasts. It's just a natural thing. If you're going to be childish and feel like they're going to be distracting, then you should just grow up.'

Most of the comments on the video showed support for Ms Foxx and many people told her to take it up with the boss.

'It ain't the lads you work with that would be complaining, direct the hate towards those running the show,' one person wrote.

'Sure there'd be comments and looks for a week or so but then it really wouldn't matter.'

A few others however feared that workplace injuries would go 'through the roof' if too many of her co-workers got distracted in that first week should the rules change.
In the wake of the latest Barclays banking app outage, customers took to social media to dub it the 'worst bank ever' and discuss their plans to find a new provider.

Today's problems started at around 7am GMT, with irate customers across the UK unable to access their online accounts or transfer funds.

The failure comes only days after Barclays was ordered to pay 12.5million in compensation to customers after IT outages in January and February prevented millions of user from using their mobile and online banking.

Airing their concerns about the latest disruption on the X social media platform, one user wrote: 'Barclays at it again, I can't even transfer my savings this gotta be the worst bank ever.'

The dissatisfaction with the banking giant seemed widespread across social media, prompting fears for Barclays bosses of a mass exodus.

One user who claimed to have been an account holder for 16 years spoke of her frustrations and requested 'better bank recommendations.

They said: 'Think it's finally time to leave Barclays. Had account 16 years.

'Yet again, no one has access to their money. I use savings accounts to manage my money better with ADHD. All plans out the window today. #joke

Barclays is one of the most popular banking apps across the UK, but it was unavailable to customers on Saturday morning - only days after it was ordered to pay compensation to those affected by previous outages





Users took to X after the latest outages to dub Barclays 'the worst bank ever' and announce they were looking for a new bank

The Barclays service status page on Saturday morning, with a message reading: 'We're sorry, some customers may be having issues making or receiving payments at the moment. We're working to fix this'

'Better bank recommendations appreciated.'

Other customers kept it simpler, with one writing: 'Barclays is down again. I'm changing banks asap.'

A large number of those complaining about the service failure continued the theme of switching banks.

One user wrote: 'Think I will be leaving Barclays. Once again can't access my own money or transfer funds. #BarclaysApp #fuming.'

Another disgruntled Barclays account holder said: 'Not me about to leave out to work and Barclays is down again.

'I definitely need to change banks now thought it was just a one time thing.'

While a third user wrote: 'Guys it's time we leave Barclays for good, I just looked up 4 banks that are giving you money if you switch with them.

'I know what I'll be doing #BarclaysIsDownAGAIN.'

Furious users voiced their frustrations with the outages and talked about their plans to switch banks

Money-saving expert Martin Lewis has previously spoken about how customers can make significant savings by switching accounts - although there is several loopholes they have to be careful to navigate.

Barclays confirmed today's Today's outcome

The previous Barclays outage lasted three days between January 31 and February 2, leaving customers unable to access funds or make payments on what was payday for many and the deadline for HMRC self-assessment tax returns - sparking fears the outage was the result of a cyber attack.

The bank said at the time the problem was due to a 'technology issue' rather than a cyber attack and that it was 'very sorry for any disruption'.

In an enquiry by MPs, the bank confirmed 56 per cent of online payments during the outage failed due to 'severe degradation' of its IT systems.

The Treasury Committee, which scrutinises financial institutions found nine of the UK's biggest banks suffered outages lasting 803 hours over the last two years, amounting to more than a month's worth of failures.

At least 158 banking IT failure incidents affected millions of customers' ability to access and use banking services between January 2023 and February 2025.

The Treasury Committee has demanded answers about IT outages from nine of the UK's biggest banks and building societies, including AIB, Barclays, Bank of Ireland, Danske, HSBC, Lloyds, Nationwide, NatWest, and Santander.

Dame Meg Hillier MP, chair of the Treasury Select Committee, said: 'For families and individuals living paycheck to paycheck, losing access to banking services on payday can be a terrifying experience.

'Even when rectified relatively quickly, it can cause real panic, which is why we wanted to get a proper understanding of why unplanned banking outages happen and how banks and building societies respond.'

Barclays have now confirmed that service has resumed as normal.

In a statement a Barclays spokesperson said: 'Were extremely sorry for the technical issues that some of our customers experienced this morning when using our app, online banking and with payments in and out of their accounts. Everything is now back up and running.'
An investigative journalist, who believes Putin ordered his execution, says he's 'lucky to be alive' after a honeytrapper got so close to him she recorded the pin code to his phone.

The Insider Editor-In-Chief, Roman Dobrokhotov, became a prime target of Russia after unveiling the spies responsible for the 2018 Salisbury poisoning, where mother-of-three Dawn Sturgess was killed by the disguised nerve agent.

But when the Russian journalist boarded a flight from Budapest to Berlin in 2021, on his way to give evidence in a murder trial, he was unaware of the danger sitting at arm's length from him - Katrin Ivanova.

The 33-year-old lab technician, who was a part Bulgarian honey trapping duo known as 'The Brunette Twins', sat only seats away recording him with a covert camera strapped onto her arm after jetting to Budapest from London.

As the airplane began to descend onto German tarmac, Ivanova alerted accomplice and boyfriend, Biser Dzhambazov, who was waiting on the other side in Berlin, whilst an airport worker - only known as Cvetka - was keeping an eye out for the editor.

Luckily, the journalist managed to unknowingly evade the Bulgarian spies who had been carrying out plots across the continent on behalf of the Kremlin, after leaving his flight.

During one flight Bulgarian spies, who had chatted about killing and kidnapping him and fellow journalist Christo Grozev, had gotten so close to Dobrokhotov that they were able to see his phone's pin code.

Following his terrifying brush with the cell, the Russian journalist believes Vladamir Putin ordered his death, adding: 'I'm lucky to be alive.'

A picture Katrin Ivanova took of Roman Dobrokhotov whilst she sat only seats away from him on a flight

Katrin Ivanova was a part Bulgarian honey trapping duo known as 'The Brunette Twins, who acted within a spying ring of six carrying out acts across the continent for the Kremlin

He also added that police action sends a message to Putin, stating that the Russian doesn't understand 'words' only action.

But spy Ivanova wasn't acting alone. She along with five others had also been following the Kremlin's enemies across the continent for three years, hatching honeytrap plans, possible kidnap and potential murder plots on behalf of Russia.

The group was operating from a guest house in Great Yarmouh, purchased for 220,000, where sophisticated technology including rocks containing hidden camera and a device for intercepting mobile phone numbers was found.

Ivanova as well as beautician Vanya Gaberova and decorator Tihomir Ivanchev, 39, found guilty of conspiring to spy for Russia on March 7 at the Old Bailey.

ivanova was also found guilty of possessing several false identity documents.

Their handler, Orlin Roussev, 46, his lieutenant, Biser Dzhambazov, 43, and Ivan Stoyanov, 32, had already pleaded guilty to charges under the Official Secrets Act.

They will be sentenced at a later date but the six Bulgarian nationals are now facing lengthy jail sentences.

However their puppet master, Jan Marsalek, 45, who was recruited for Putin's intelligence network by an erotic model, Natalia Ziobina, remains at large and is hiding out under the guise of being a priest.

Vanya Gaberova, 30, has been found guilty of spying for Russia at the Old Bailey

Surveillance image of Christo Grozev and Roman Dobrokhotov, which was also shown to the jury

Ivanova recording Bulgarian journalist Grozev as he left a flight

The group duly followed Grozev to Vienna, Valencia and Montenegro, taking pictures of whoever he met, setting up surveillance outside his flat and opening his mail

'We're in a situation where only some of us will survive,' Dobrokhotov told the BBC.

'It will be either Russian journalists and human rights watchers, or Vladimir Putin and his killers.'

Bulgarian journalist Christo Grosev, who is also believed to have been targeted because of his Russian exposes, was also lurked upon by the spies at his Vienna home, with cameras installed in a nearby flat watching his front door.

The cell also monitored him as he met up with a weapons dealer, who Grozev believed the Kremlin had carried out a failed assassination attempt against.

The group duly followed Grozev to Vienna, Valencia and Montenegro, taking pictures of whoever he met, and even opening his mail.

In June 2022, Ivanova even used video surveillance spectacles to film Grozev on a Wizz Air flight from Vienna to Montenegro. And that same month, the spies broke into his apartment and stole an old laptop.

At one point Roussev offered to have the journalist kidnapped, drugged and then brought to Russia in the same way a high profile Nazi was extracted by Israeli operatives in 1960.

'The idea of the Israelis kidnapping Adolf Eichmann is good inspirational material,' he told Marsalek. 'We will need a plane or a boat.' The plan was not proceeded with.

The agents all face lengthy jail terms when they are sentenced. Pictured: Gaberova's custody photo

This picture of Vanya Gaberova wearing spy glasses was shown to the jury at the Old Bailey

Katrin Ivanova was also accused of being part of a network of spies targeting people and places of interest to the Russian state

Pictured: The Haydee Hotel guest house in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, where the spy ring operated from

Police also found 11 drones, 221 mobile phones and 75 fake passports at Roussev's guesthouse

Inside three of the 33 rooms of the guest house was a 'significant amount of IT and surveillance equipment'

Image shows a Coca Cola bottle that was seized as part of the investigation

A photo of a fake Dzhambazov press ID card shown to the jury during the trial

Another operation focused on a UK-based Russian dissident saw the spies discuss how to kidnap their target and place him onto a boat in an operation which would make up for the 'f*** up' of the failed Skripal poisoning.

They also considered poisoning the man with ricin, firing a poison dart at him from a drone or using a Coke can booby-trapped with nerve gas.

Eventually Vanya Gaberova - the other half of Ivanova's honeytrapping duo - was summoned in an attempt to seduce the journalist, and was order to send a Facebook request.

Handler Roussev soon began to boast to ringleader Marsalek that the Bulgarian journalist was liking the award-winning beautician's pictures.

'Grozev seem hooked and in love with Vanya,' the message read: 'He started liking her pics...post. We can move slowly to a romance.'

Marsalek replied: 'I hope she doesn't fall in love with him,' to which the handler replied: 'No...no. Vanya is a very assertive and strongly independent...true sexy b***h.'

It was later revealed Gaberova was having an affar with Ivanova's partner, who was also part of the spying ring which was operational for three years across Europe.

Bulgarian national Dzhambazov, 43, previously admitted to spying in the UK on behalf of Russia

Decorator Tihomir Ivanchev, 39, (left) and Orlin Roussev, 46, (right) were both accused of being part of the ring. Roussev pled guilty at an earlier date

Ivan Stoyanov, 32, pleaded guilty to the charges under the Official Secrets Act

Ivan Stoyanov, 32, had already pleaded guilty to the charges under the Official Secrets Act

The Bulgarian's deployment by Russia marks a new chapter in an age-old game.

In the years before the 2018 Novichok nerve agent attack in Salisbury, any Russian espionage on British soil was run by highly-trained operatives working directly for their intelligence agencies such as the GRU or FSB.

Following the incident, Britain expelled 23 Russian diplomats identified as undeclared intelligence officers, while 100 Russian diplomat visa applications have since been denied on national security grounds.

It means Russian intelligence agencies have had to turn to other methods to carry out covert plots, often using proxy groups to do their dirty work.

These include migrants tempted by the offer of cash - so-called 'misfits' who are viewed by their handlers as relatively expendable.
Outspoken Senator John Fetterman slammed his own party's muted response to President Trump's address to Congress earlier this week.

The Pennsylvania lawmaker, seen by some as a potential unorthodox candidate for the 2028 presidential election, was asked by Fox News for his reaction to how Democrats behaved during Trump's speech.

Democrats faced backlash for several stunts and protests during the address, including refusing to stand and clap for a young cancer survivor who was honored by Trump, while one congressman was even booted from the chamber for his antics.

'I don't think that was the best look for our party last night,' Fetterman said.

Fetterman also took to X to share a more hostile take on his party's performance, which be branded a 'sad cavalcade of self owns and unhinged petulance.'

'It only makes Trump look more presidential and restrained,' he said as he shared a Politico article that mocked Democrats who held up protest signs during the speech as 'giving bingo.'

'Were becoming the metaphorical car alarms that nobody pays attention to  and it may not be the winning message,' Fetterman posted.

The senator's break from his party comes as he has been floated by some as a potential presidential candidate in 2028, with Bill Maher recently calling for him to run, saying 'Democrats need to find their Trump.'

Outspoken Senator John Fetterman slammed his own party's muted response to President Trump's address to Congress earlier this week, saying: 'I don't think that was the best look for our party'

The senator's break from his party comes as he has been floated by some as a potential presidential candidate in 2028

Fetterman also took to X to share a more hostile take on his party's performance, which be branded a 'sad cavalcade of self owns and unhinged petulance'

In his surprising endorsement for Fetterman, Maher said Democrats were struggling to combat Trump's platform and the party needed someone 'Trump-like.'

The comedian clarified that when he says the liberal candidate needs to be like the 47th president, he doesn't mean to take on his 'authoritarian' characteristics, but that the politician needs to act like the Republican in the way that he 'bonds with everyday Americans because he talks like them.'

'The good news for Democrats is they have that guy, and his name is John Fetterman,' Maher, 69, said.

Maher spoke highly of Fetterman, 55, and mentioned how he chose to go to Mar-a-Lago after Trump won 'instead of curling up in a ball'.

After their 'fascinating meeting,' Trump told The Washington Examiner's Salena Zito how 'impressed' he was of Fetterman.

'He's a commonsense person. He's not liberal or conservative. He's just a commonsense person, which is beautiful,' Trump added.

Despite suffering health issues during his run for the senate in 2022, including having a stroke that impaired his speech, Fetterman has emerged in recent months as a potential Democrat presidential candidate.

He has broken with his party's liberal wing several times, including maintaining his staunch support for Israel and supporting the Laken Riley Act focused on illegal immigrants.

Donald Trump recently surprisingly said how 'impressed' he was of Fetterman, saying: 'He's a commonsense person. He's not liberal or conservative. He's just a commonsense person, which is beautiful'

While Fetterman appeared comfortable to trash his own party following Trump's speech on Tuesday, a number of his Democrat colleagues balked when questioned by Fox News over their party's antics.

Producer Johnny Belisario was seen asking a number of Democratic Senators, including several past and potential future presidential candidates, for their take.

Asked why he didn't stand up at any moment during the speech, New Jersey Senator Cory Booker responded it was because 'the president got before the American people and didnt talk about how he could drive down grocery prices.'

Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren was asked why she didn't applaud certain aspects of the speech, including for the mother of murdered Georgia nursing student Laken Riley.

'I did clap, when he said that the United States has supported Ukraine,' Warren responded.

Texas Congressman Al Green was removed from the chamber following several outbursts during Trump's speech, and he was censured by the House soon after as 10 Democrats joined Republicans in voting to punish the member.

When Belisario went to Green's office, he said he was 'shooed away' by his staff.

And when the producer tracked down Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar for her take on the speech, she responded bluntly: 'You need to get away from me.'

Texas Congressman Al Green was removed from the chamber following several outbursts during Trump's speech, and he was censured by the House soon after as 10 Democrats joined Republicans in voting to punish the member

When Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar was asked for her take on Trump's speech, she responded bluntly: 'You need to get away from me'

Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren was asked why she didn't applaud certain aspects of the speech, including for the mother of murdered Georgia nursing student Laken Riley. 'I did clap, when he said that the United States has supported Ukraine,' she responded

Talk of Fetterman running for president comes as Democrats are searching for a standard bearer to lead them into the 2028 election, following Kamala Harris' resounding defeat in November.

Fetterman was previously asked about his White House ambitions in December 2023, to which he told Politico that he was 'not thinking about 2028.'

Despite losing in a landslide to Trump, Harris surprisingly topped a post-election poll among Democrats, where she led the field with 41 percent of the vote, according to a Puck News/Echelon Insights survey.

The rest of the pack combined - 13 Democratic politicians who all scored in the single digits - garnered 43 percent, with 16 percent of those surveyed saying they were 'unsure' to the question of who they would vote for if a party primary were held today.

Gov. Gavin Newsom came in at second place with just eight percent.

Vice President Kamala Harris led a post-election poll of Democrats who could compete in the 2028 election

California Gov. Gavin Newsom came in second place in a November poll of who should be the next Democratic standard bearer

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro earned seven percent in the poll, a once-rumored vice presidential pick who was ultimately turned down by Harris as a running mate in favor of Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota who receives six percent in the poll.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg also remains in the list of potential candidates as he sits at six percent.

Other possible candidates include Democratic socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez with four percent and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer with three percent.

Candidates in the bottom tier include Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore.

Democratic senators in the conversation include Fetterman, alongside New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, and Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock.
Gene Hackman's wife Betsy Arakawa may have lay weak and dying of a rare rat disease in their luxury home as her disorientated, dementia-struck husband was unable to help her, a new report has revealed.

Authorities are slowly beginning to piece together Arakawa's movements in the days leading up to her death.

She collected the couples' dog Zinna from the vet on February 9, where the canine had undergone an operation, Sheriff Adan Mendoza of Santa Fe County said yesterday.

That may may shed some light on why the pair's beloved 12-year-old Australian Kelpie mix was found dead in a crate, only a few feet from Arakawa's body.

Police confirmed on Friday that Arakawa, 65, succumbed to Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) in her bathroom somewhere around February 11.

That day, possibly hours before her death, Arakawa sent an email to her massage therapist before visiting a grocery store in the afternoon, The New York Times reported.

She was also caught on CCTV visiting a pharmacy where she was wearing a face mask, which friends said she often did to avoid transporting any illnesses to her medically vulnerable, older husband.

Arakawa also stopped at a local pet food store later the same afternoon before returning to her local area at approximately 5.15 pm, the sheriff said.

Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Hackman pictured at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on March 21, 1994 at Morton's Restaurant in West Hollywood, California

Hackman, 95, died from heart disease a week after his wife Betsy Arakawa, 65 (pictured in 2024) succumbed to Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome - and police said the Alzheimer's stricken star may not have known she was dead

Hackman and Arakawa, who were married for more than 30 years, with two unidentified dogs. One of their dogs Zinna was found dead at their home in a crate

She did not respond to any emails after that day, leading police to believe that was the period in which she passed.

At some point after returning home, she began to decline rapidly. She eventually headed to the bathroom - her final resting place.

She was found lying on the floor with her head next to a space heater and thyroid medication pills scattered around her.

Authorities have determined that Arakawa died of a lung infection spread from rats, in the latest twist in the case.

Medical investigators in New Mexico said in a press conference on Friday that the 65-year-old was infected with hantavirus which caused a deadly build-up of fluid in her lungs, known medically as hentavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS).

HPS is so rare in the US that only one or two people die every year, and there have only been around 1,000 cases in the past three decades, mostly among farmers, hikers and campers and homeless populations.

The virus is spread through the inhalation of airborne particles containing the virus, which is typically found in the urine, droppings, or saliva of infected rodents.

HPS, which initially presents with flu like symptoms, can progress rapidly, leading to breathing problems, low blood pressure, and organ failure.

Unforgiven star Hackman may have wandered around the sprawling 9,000 square foot home (pictured), lost and confused, for seven days with the couple's dogs running loose

Specialists believe Arakawa could have picked up the deadly rat disease HPS from cleaning the garage in the couple's mansion

The couple on the red carpet in happier times, attending the 60th Golden Globes in 2003 in Beverly Hills, California

Arakawa may have caught the ultra-rare but deadly virus from the garage of the couple's mansion, experts have said.

DailyMail.com understands that while there was no rodent activity in the main house, there were rodent droppings in the couple's garage and outhouses.

Specialists told this website Arakawa could have picked HPS up from cleaning those areas.

Hackman and Arakawa's dog was also found dead in the house. Authorities note that while there is evidence that dogs can catch the virus, the animals do not show symptoms and there are no recorded cases of them passing the virus on to human

Unforgiven star Hackman may have wandered around the sprawling 9000 square foot home, lost and confused, for seven days - without his partner of three decades by his side to feed and care for him, or look after their three treasured dogs,

Left to fend for himself and with his wife's body decomposing in their bathroom, Hackman, who was already in 'very poor health', went without food.

An autopsy showed his stomach was empty at the time of his death.

He was found dead with his cane and sunglasses by his side in a room just off the kitchen following an apparent fall - hinting he may have been on his way out of the home before his weak heart gave in.

Aerial photos of the couple's Santa Fe, New Mexico home where they were found dead last week

Hackman and his wife spent their final years out of the spotlight in Santa Fe, Mexico

Hackman first adopted a German Shepherd in 1999 (pictured) after the stray dog wandered on the set of The Replacements

His pacemaker's last recorded activity was on February 18 - but help would not arrive until over a week later.

The reclusive couple's dogs, who were lovingly cared for by the couple, were also left alone.

Their pet Zinna, who had been picked up by Arakawa from a veterinary hospital on February 9 - two days before her death - was found dead in a a kennel in a bathroom closet about 10 to 15 feet from Arakawa's partially mummified remains.

Officials believe the animal had been crated due to the recent medical care it had received.

A German Shepherd named Bear and a second dog named Nikita were found running around the 12 acre property - with a dog door allowing them access to food and water.

The dogs were discovered loose when the mummified bodies of Hackman and Arakawa were discovered on February 26 by two maintenance workers.

Dr. Heather Jarrell, Chief Medical Investigator for the state of New Mexico, said their deaths had both been ruled as natural, and that no signs of internal or external trauma were found.

This followed days of intense speculation around the seemingly mysterious deaths.

Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa developed a love for German Shepherds that saw the couple adopt at least three dogs over the years

In an update issued on Friday, the cause of death for the couple was revealed

Chief Medical Investigator Heather Jarrell confirmed Hackman was in a 'very poor state of health' prior to the events that led to his death.

'He was in a very poor state of health. He had significant heart disease, and I think ultimately that's what resulted in his death.'

Officials had also said that there was no trace of carbon monoxide in the bodies of the couple.

Hackman's daughter Elizabeth had earlier floated a theory that the couple had died from carbon monoxide poisoning, which authorities officially quashed last week.

She told TMZ that the family believed their deaths came about after inhaling the toxic fumes.

Hackman was a five-time Oscar nominee who won for The French Connection in 1972 and Unforgiven two decades later.

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 soon moved in together, and by the end of the decade had decamped to Santa Fe.

Hackman starred in the 2001 Wes Anderson film The Royal Tenenbaums and was pictured at the premiere

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

Santa Fe County deputies were seen outside of Betsy and Gene's home in Santa Fe last week after their bodies were discovered

A naturally private man, Hackman was labelled a recluse as he remained out of the public eye for years on end following his retirement from the movie industry. He retired from acting in 2004.

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 couples stucco, Pueblo-revival style home sits on a hill in a gated community at the southern tip of the Rocky Mountains. Santa Fe is known as a refuge for celebrities, artists and authors.

Hackman dedicated much of his time in retirement to painting and writing novels far from Hollywoods social circuit.

He served for several years on the board of trustees at the Georgia OKeeffe Museum in Santa Fe, and he and his wife were investors in local businesses.
A Wisconsin teen accused of viciously murdering his mother allegedly told police he was inspired by a Netflix series about the Menendez brothers.

Reed Gelinskey, 16, allegedly stabbed his mother, Suzanne, five times with a kitchen knife after bashing her over the head with a dumbbell in their Franksville home on Tuesday night.

The idea to go through with the gut-wrenching crime allegedly struck him while he was watching the 'shotgun scene' of Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.

The violent scene depicts the brothers fatally shooting their parents Jose and Kitty inside their Beverly Hills mansion in 1989.

After the gory attack, Reed sent a Snapchat photo of his bloodied dead mother to his friend and told her to call the police, according to a criminal complaint.

Police rushed to the scene and were immediately greeted by Reed, who they say walked outside and dropped a brown and silver knife on the ground.

'She is dead,' he told police as he clothes were covered in blood, according to the complaint. 'She is dead from what I did.'

In a later 'excited utterance', he allegedly admitted he used the dumbbell to try and knock out his mother so he could easily stab her.

Authorities say he explained to a detective that he came home form school that day feeling depressed and had an 'urge to kill his parents.'

Suzanne Gelinskey was allegedly murdered by her own son on Tuesday, March 4

Reed Gelinskey, 16, allegedly stabbed his mother Suzanne five times with a kitchen knife after bashing her over the head with a dumbbell in their Franksville home

He alleged said he wanted to kill his dad when he came home from work as well, but could not find a 'large enough' hammer.

As part of his alleged plot, Reed is accused of hiding his sleeping medication and secretly putting a steak knife in his pocket.

He then went into his mother's bedroom and claimed he could not find his pills, prompting her to get out of bed and help him find them downstairs, according to cops.

While her back was turned, Reed used a dumbbell bar hidden in his shirt's sleeve and struck Suzanne twice with it over the head.

But it did not go as Reed planned, according to the complaint. His mother did not fall over after being hit like he thought she would - so he tackled her to the ground and grabbed the knife, according to the complaint.

Police say the accused murder told them d his mother fought back hard, kicking him about seven times to get him off her.

'Why?' she asked him as she battled for her life. 'Pain,' he reportedly responded as he allegedly stabbed her three times in the chest and twice in the neck.

Reed had been taking his brother's anxiety medication for about a month, he told police.

After the police arrived, Reed came outside and allegedly dropped the murder weapon to the ground

Reed's idea to go through with the gut-wrenching crime allegedly struck him while he was watching the 'shotgun scene' of Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story

Erik and Lyle were convicted in 1996 of the murders of their parents, Jose and Kitty

Based on Suzanne's Facebook page, where she posted about Reed's 11th birthday on March 8, 2020, Reed turned 16 while in custody on Saturday

Suzanne reportedly asked her son 'why?' as he proceeded to murder her, to which he replied 'pain'

The night of the attack he allegedly took nine pills, which made him feel 'high and he enjoys that,' the complaint reads.

Reed appeared in court via Zoom on Thursday and was charged as an adult with first-degree homicide. His bond was set at $1 million.

'This was an extremely violent but planned offense. Its dangerous in its nature. His original plan was not for just the one victim but for two,' Racine County District Attorney Patricia Hanson said, Fox 6 reported.

The teen went to court again on Friday and his next scheduled hearing is on March 12.

According to a Facebook post shared by Suzanne on March 8, 2020, Reed turned 16 on Saturday as he remains in custody. He has not entered a plea at this time.
A Florida man who put who large Trump banners outside his home won a hotly contested legal battle against the county, which charged him $50 a day for the decorations.

Marvin Peavy began hanging banners from his Santa Rosa Reach balcony in 2020, with some reading: 'Trump 2020' and 'Trump Now, Trump Won' and 'Who's Your Daddy?'

Outside of election years, Walton County, which is heavily Republican, does not allow political banners to be hung from buildings and it charged Peavy $63,000 in fees since the battle began - fines he didn't pay.

But on Wednesday, Peavy won his lawsuit against the county, arguing that it was violating his First Amendment rights to freedom of speech.

'Their laws cannot supersede my First Amendment right, so they came after my constitutional rights, which they cannot do,' he told WJHG.

'It woke me up as a patriot.'

A judge ordered that Walton County pay Peavy $42,000 within 10 days of the decision and that any fines he was charged were not to be collected.

'People love it, because people believe in American the Free,' he told the local outlet.

Marvin Peavy began hanging banners from his Santa Rosa Reach balcony in 2020, with some reading: 'Trump 2020' and 'Trump Now, Trump Won' and 'Who's Your Daddy?'

Outside of election years, Walton Country does not allow political banners to be hung from buildings and it charged Peavy $63,000 in fees since the battle began - fines he didn't pay

But on Wednesday, Peavy won his lawsuit against the county, arguing that it was violating his First Amendment rights to freedom of speech

Other signs he hung showed Trump dancing against the backdrop of an American flag emblazoned with the words: 'Trump Coming Home 2025'.

Another of Peavy's signs has Trump being called a 'Legend' and 'Bulletproof,' while a third one echoed the derogatory right-wing slogan used to denounce Joe Biden: 'Let's Go Brandon'.

His first sign went up in February 2020, something he was initially nervous to do. In response, he said critics 'threw eggs at it'.

'We have rights in this country,' he said after the ruling. 'My signs are going to hang regardless.'

Peavy isn't the only one who likes interesting artwork hanging around his home, but so does President Donald Trump, who hung a framed copy of the New York Post's cover with his mugshot on it.

The mugshot was first noticed on social media as it poked through the door of the Oval Office in a photo shared by Trump staffer Margo Martin last month.

The door to the Oval Office was left open, allowing the view into the hallway outside.

President Trump made history as the first former president to get his mugshot taken after he was arrested and fingerprinted at the Fulton County jail in Atlanta in October 2023.

A judge ordered that Walton County pay Peavy $42,000 within 10 days of the decision and that any fines he was charged were not to be collected

Trump was charged with 41-counts in Georgia, by prosecutor Fani Willis, who indicted him for trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

Trump famously stared into the camera with a glowering look as jail officials took his picture.
The Donald Trump-impersonator who was threatened by Alec Baldwin allegedly has a troubled past of abusing his ex-girlfriend.

Comedian Jason Szkup, 33, ambushed the Rust star outside of his New York City home at the end of February.

Szkup mimicked the president as he taunted Baldwin, 66, about shooting and killing Halyna Hutchins on set in 2021, causing the actor to become irate.

'If this camera wasn't here, I'd snap your f***ing neck in half and break your f***ing neck, you know that don't you?' Baldwin - whose involuntary manslaughter case related to Hutchins' death was thrown out last year - said in the viral clip.

But records first obtained by the New York Post revealed Szkup - whose stage name is Jason Scoop - pleaded guilty to domestic violence charges regarding his ex-girlfriend, Keanu Thompson, in December 2021.

In a fit of jealous rage, Szkup allegedly screamed and spat at Thompson before stomping on her wrist until it broke after she received a text from another male comedian in February 2021.

Two months later, she filed a protective order against him. A source from Manhattan Criminal Court told the Post Szkup's record was sealed after he completed his probation.

Thompson, who is also a comedian, described Szkup to DailyMail.com as 'deranged, unfunny, and violent,' adding he is 'lunatic who gets off on hitting women.'

Comedian Jason Szkup, 33, ambushed the Rust star outside of his New York City home at the end of February

Keanu Thompson allegedly endured severe abuse while she was dating the comedian

'Hes a frightening dude, and young women and men need to know about him. I know first-hand what hes capable of, and its not good,' she told the Post.

Thompson claimed Szkup often had violent outbursts throughout their two-year relationship.

In December 2018, she claimed Szkup slapped her across the face. Thompson said he broke her glasses in June 2019, according to the Post.

He also reportedly punched her in the back in 2020. Photos shared with DailyMail.com showed bruises across Thompson's face, allegedly as a result of Szkup's brutality.

After every fight or abusive incident, Szkup would allegedly beg for Thompson's forgiveness, even promising to seek out therapy, Thompson said.

But he allegedly never changed his behavior.

'He also threatened to do worse in his words literally kill, me if I ever told anyone about the abuse,' Thompson claimed.

Photos shared with DailyMail.com showed bruises across Thompson's face, allegedly as a result of Szkup's brutality

Szkup's allegedly has a track record of abusing an ex-girlfriend

Alec Baldwin threatened the impersonator, saying he would have attacked him if he was not being filmed

She continued: 'Its hard to understand if you havent been in one, but abusive relationships like this are psychological warfare and its hard to see straight or know which way is up when youre in one.

'You feel so helpless and alone and ashamed and as if theres nothing you can do, nowhere you can turn.

'I just hope to be the last person he hurts.'

Szkup did not immediately respond to the DailyMail.com's request for comment.
Detectives searching for a man suspected of shooting a mother-of-two outside a pub on Valentine's Day have recovered a body from the River Thames.

Edvard Smith is thought to have gunned down Lisa Smith, 43, who was with a female friend when killed outside the Three Horseshoes pub in Knockholt, Kent.

Edvard - her partner - was the main suspect and police were not looking for anybody else.

He is believed to have driven to the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge near Dartford ten miles away and jumped in the river.

Police have today announced a body was found on Friday at around 3.45pm near Rainham.

A Kent Police spokesman said: 'A body has been recovered by police from the River Thames, which is being linked to a murder investigation in Knockholt.

'On Friday 14 February 2025, Lisa Smith, 43, was killed after she was shot outside a pub in Main Road. The suspect was known to Lisa and later that evening officers found his car abandoned on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge. Enquiries established he had fallen into the water below.

'At around 3.45pm on Friday 7 March, a body was located near Rainham, Essex. Formal identification has not yet taken place; however, the man's family have been informed.'

Edvard Smith (left) is thought to have gunned down Lisa Smith (right) who was with a female friend when killed outside the Three Horseshoes pub in Knockholt, Kent

Lisa, 43, was shot in the picturesque village of Knockholt, Kent, as shocked couples were settling down for romantic candlelit dinners

A police cordon was set up at the Three Horseshoes pub after emergency services were called to the scene on Valentine's Day

We reported last month how Edvard called his best friend Leslie Thompson to dramatically confess to gunning down his wife Lisa outside a pub as she enjoyed a night out with two women friends.

Mr Thompson told how he felt helpless after receiving the harrowing call from Edvard telling him: 'She's dead. I can't live - we've all gone together. I'll see you on the other side.'

Mr Thompson, 53, said his friend was sobbing uncontrollably as he told him he 'loved him' and believed that he was going to be shot dead by armed police.

He told MailOnline: 'He told me what he had done and I could not speak.'

The dramatic account comes as police and coastguard teams continue to search for a body along stretches of the River Thames close to the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge in Dartford, Kent.

Police found a handgun inside Edvard's car which was found abandoned on the bridge while eye-witnesses told how they saw a man clambering over barriers before plunging more than 170 feet into the freezing water below.

Friends and relatives have told how they were left 'bewildered' by the tragedy which is thought to have happened just days after the couple celebrated becoming grandparents for the first time.

Some speculated that the couple had argued and had decided not to spend the special evening together - but found it inexplicable that the night could have ended in bloodshed.

Troubled Edvard Smith called his best friend Leslie Thompson to dramatically confess to gunning down his wife Lisa outside a pub as she enjoyed a night out with two women friends. Pictured: Leslie Phillips and his wife, below, and Lisa and Edvard Smith, above

After the killing, Edvard - who was also known by the surname Stockings and is believed to have worked in the motor trade - drove 15 miles to the bridge where it is thought he made his dramatic confession. Pictured: With Mr Thompson

The couple, from Slough, Berks, were parents to a nine-year-old son and Teejay, 19 - who is thought to have recently become a father.

Lisa, 43, was gunned down outside the Three Horseshoes pub in the picturesque village of Knockholt, Kent, as shocked couples were settling down for romantic candlelit dinners.

As she and her friends prepared to climb into a waiting car at 7pm up to four gunshots rang out.

Shocking CCTV footage of the road obtained by MailOnline show the moment pub goers began screaming in terror before a vehicle is seen driving away from the pub's car park.

In a harrowing cry a woman can be heard screaming: 'He's killed her.'

After the killing, Edvard - who was also known by the surname Stockings and is believed to work in the motor trade - drove 15 miles to the bridge where it is thought he made his dramatic confession.

Mr Thompson, who is Lisa's cousin, told MailOnline how he was left in disbelief after receiving the traumatic phone call from his friend of more than 30 years at 8.50pm - less than two hours after the shooting.

He said: 'I was dumbstruck, I was absolutely dumbfounded. I just couldn't make sense of any of it.

Friends and relatives have told how they were left 'bewildered' by the tragedy which is thought to have happened just days after the couple celebrated becoming grandparents for the first time. Pictured: Mr Thompson, his wife and Edvard sharing a meal

Smith drove 13 miles to Queen Elizabeth II Bridge near Dartford and is believed to have jumped into the Thames. His car was discovered abandoned with a handgun was inside. His body has not been found

The dramatic account came as police and coastguard teams searched for a body along stretches of the River Thames close to the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge in Dartford, Kent. Pictured: Edvard and Lisa Smith

'I was too frightened to even say 'come to me' if I want to be honest - I've got five grandchildren, and I've just got a brand new one who's only weeks old.

'He told me what he had done and I could not speak. I had my grandbaby in my hands and I did not know what to say. I couldn't make head or tail of it.

'He put me in shock - he's left me in shock ever since.

'I'd heard the news about 20 minutes before and I thought it can't be right - where's he got a gun from? It doesn't make sense.

'And then, next thing, he's ringing me and as quick as I answered the phone, I just said, 'Is it right? 'He went, 'Yeah'. He said, I'll be gone in a minute.

'He said: 'Les, I love you, your wife and kids, and I'll see you on the other side, and I'm going to die.' He was so determined.

'Look, me and my wife's gone together. My dad's already dead. We've all gone together. I'll see you on the other side.'

'I just cut him off, he started crying really bad. I filled up with tears myself - I just felt so helpless.'

Some speculated that the couple had argued and had decided not to spend the special evening together - but found it inexplicable that the night could have ended in bloodshed

Mr Thompson, 53, said his friend was sobbing uncontrollably as he told him he 'loved him' and believed that he was going to be shot dead by armed police. Pictured: Lisa and Edvard Smith

Mr Thompson, who works as a roofer, said loved ones were at a loss to explain the catastrophic events of the night of the tragedy.

He said he believed Edvard had never got over his father's death and had suffered a mental health crisis.

He said: 'He was like a brother, he was closer than my own brothers to me, and she genuinely really was like a sister to me. I thought the world of them. It's absolutely devastated me.

'He was an upright man, he had a breakdown. He had to have had a nervous breakdown to do what he done because it wasn't like him. He's got two kids and everything.

'The only thing I can put it down to is he had to have had a very, very, very bad nervous breakdown.

'He lost his dad two years ago. He was really, really close to his dad and he was never, ever the same. I'd seen a change in him but nobody saw this coming. He'd ring me on a night crying on the phone.

'Money was definitely not his problem. He had a good job and everything - that was the last of his problems, and why would you kill your wife as well?

'It's hurt me more than anything. It's like my sister getting killed and brother being killed in one day. She wasn't like a normal woman, she idolised her children. Those two boys were their lives.

Pubgoers screamed in terror as four blasts rang out. A vehicle was then seen leaving the car park of the Three Horseshoes Pub in Knockholt, Kent

'She'd never done no wrong. She was a proper, upright woman, a good mother, a good wife. It just doesn't make sense.

'They must have had their own issues, we all have our own issues when you close the door, but whatever it was none of us could see it coming. Men and women argue but do not to go to this extent.'

Trying to come to terms with the tragedy Mr Thompson added: 'They haven't found his body yet but I know one million per cent that it is in that river.

'He definitely has done it. He had tunnel vision, there was no turning him out of it or anything. I had to cut him off. I just couldn't take no more.'

Son Teejay also appeared to be in turmoil in the aftermath of the tragedy.

In an apparently conflicted message posted on social media he described his father as 'a proper man' who 'went out a legend'.

He added of his mother: 'My dear old mum - never be another to walk in her shoes - the best'.

Meanwhile in Knockholt, residents were struggling to come to terms with the tragedy.

The pub's landlady, Michelle Thomas, revealed 30 people were at the pub for dinner, while 20 more were in the bar as the incident unfolded just after 7pm

A number of floral tributes have been left at the scene by friends and relatives as a tribute to Lisa.

Michelle Thomas, who runs the village pub where the shooting happened, said the community is in 'absolute shock'.

She told how she was printing off menus and preparing for the Valentine's dinner service when she heard two loud bangs which she initially thought were 'fireworks'.

Describing the drama that unfolded she said: 'There was so much commotion - screaming, shouting, crying. People were outside, on their phones. We tried to get people inside the pub.'

She said that when the shooting happened around 30 people were having dinner in the pub, while 20 more were in the bar.

She said: 'People were only just starting to sit down, it was early on in the evening'

The landlady described how an off-duty firearms officer intervened, calling him 'amazing' as he helped get the situation under control.

Detectives investigating the double tragedy said police had had no prior contact with the victim or the suspect.

Two relatives of Ms Smith, who had been living in Slough Berkshire, visited the pub to pay their respects at a floral shrine which had been set up close to the spot she died

Officers - who described Lisa's murder as 'senseless' have concluded that Edvard is dead after falling from the bridge.

Detective Chief Inspector Dave Higham, of Kent Police, said: 'We have carried out a full and extensive investigation into Lisa's tragic murder and our enquiries have concluded that the suspect is believed to have died after falling into the River Thames.

'Multiple searches of several areas of the river have since been assisted by the Metropolitan Police, London Fire Brigade and Coastguard, but at this stage we have not recovered a body.

'These searches are ongoing and whilst our investigation will continue, we will be preparing our findings and reports to assist the coroner.

'This murder has led to the senseless loss of a beloved daughter and mother and our thoughts remain with Lisa's family.'
Kim Jong Un has revealed a new submarine set to carry ten nuclear missiles capable of being launched at the US.

The nuclear-powered weapons system is currently under construction and will pose a major security threat to South Korea and the US.

On Saturday, state media released photos showing what it called 'a nuclear-powered strategic guided missile submarine', as it reported leader Kim Jong Un's visits to major shipyards where warships are built.

Moon Keun-sik, a South Korean submarine expert who teaches at Seoul's Hanyang University, said the naval vessel appears to be a 6,000-ton-class or 7,000-tonne-class one which can carry about 10 missiles.

He said the use of the term 'the strategic guided missiles' meant it would carry nuclear-capable weapons.

'It would be absolutely threatening to us and the US,' Mr Moon said.

A nuclear-powered submarine was among a long wishlist of sophisticated weaponry that Mr Kim vowed to introduce during a major political conference in 2021 to cope with what he called escalating US-led military threats.

Other weapons were solid-fuelled intercontinental ballistic missiles, hypersonic weapons, spy satellites and multi-warhead missiles.

Kim Jong Un has revealed a new submarine set to carry ten nuclear missiles capable of being launched at the US

The nuclear-powered weapons system is currently under construction and will pose a major security threat to South Korea and the US

North Korea could launch the submarine in one or two years to test its capability before its actual deployment

North Korea has since performed a run of testing activities to acquire them.

As part of an effort to strengthen its naval force, obtaining a greater ability to fire missiles from underwater could cripple their rivals because it is difficult to detect such launches in advance.

But many have speculated how North Korea, a heavily sanctioned and impoverished country, could get resources and technology to build the advanced naval vessel.

Mr Moon speculated North Korea may have received Russian assistance to build a nuclear reactor to be used in the submarine in return for supplying conventional weapons and troops to support Russia's war efforts against Ukraine.

North Korea could launch the submarine in one or two years to test its capability before its actual deployment, he said.

It already has an estimated 70-90 diesel-powered submarines in one of the world's largest fleets.

However, they are mostly aging vessels capable of launching only torpedoes and mines, not explosive missiles.

In 2023, North Korea said it had launched what it called its first 'tactical nuclear attack submarine', but foreign experts doubted the North's announcement and speculated it was likely a diesel-powered submarine disclosed in 2019.

As part of an effort to strengthen its naval force, obtaining a greater ability to fire missiles from underwater could cripple their rivals because it is difficult to detect such launches in advance

Many have speculated how North Korea, a heavily sanctioned and impoverished country, could get resources and technology to build the advanced naval vessel

In 2023, North Korea said it had launched what it called its first 'tactical nuclear attack submarine'

Kim described the launch of the submarine as a crucial step in his efforts to build a nuclear-armed navy to counter the United States and its Asian allies.

There has been no confirmation that it has been deployed.

North Korea has conducted a slew of underwater-launched ballistic missile tests since 2016, but all launches were made from the same 2,000-tonne-class submarine which has a single launch tube.

Many experts call it a test platform, rather than an operational submarine in active service.

It comes as North Korea has been dialling up its fiery rhetoric against the US and South Korea ahead of their upcoming annual military drills set to start Monday.

During his visits to the shipyards, Mr Kim said North Korea aims to modernise water-surface and underwater warships simultaneously.

He stressed the need to make 'the incomparably overwhelming warships fulfil their mission' to contain 'the inveterate gunboat diplomacy of the hostile forces', KCNA reported on Saturday.
Giant trolley scales being trialled by Tesco have caused a mixed reaction with concerns that 'honest shoppers' are being 'treated like thieves'.

Trolleys are weighed before checkout of those using Scan as you Shop (SAYS) to ensure the weight is the same as the items scanned.

Three of the checkouts have been installed at the Tesco store in Gateshead while the SAYS system has been rolled out in a select number of stores across the UK.

However, some shoppers thought the checkouts looked more airport security with one person pointing out they were similar to ePasssport gates.

Business retail consultant Ged Futter believes the measures have been brought in to tackle the rising levels of shoplifting and reduce staffing costs, not to make the checkout system quicker.

In a warning to Tesco, he said that if shoppers are 'being treated like thieves they will go somewhere else'.

'They're forgetting that trust is the most important thing for all of the retailers and it works both ways. If customers don't feel trusted or think they're being treated like thieves they will go somewhere else,' he told the BBC.

Retail criminologist professor Emmeline Taylor added that the scales were 'quite foreboding and reminiscent of security scanners'.

UK shoppers are divided over Tesco's new Scan As you Shop checkouts with giant trolley scales

Tesco has rolled out the Scan As You Shop (SAYS) system in a select number of stores across the UK

Business retail consultant Ged Futter believes the measures have been brought in to tackle the rising levels of shoplifting and reduce staffing costs

'They don't want to give the impression that they are pointing the finger at their honest customer,' she said.

Users on Reddit agreed and joked that the scanners were similar to security checks at airports.

'Am I at border control or Tesco?' one user asked. Another said: 'Come for the shopping, stay for the full body scan! Wtf.'

'Are those the gates for the new Heathrow runway?' a third queried.

'TSA Tesco Security Administration' someone else said. Meanwhile, another added: 'Better get the Tesco Passport ready.'

Others were also skeptical of how accurate the large scales would be to smaller items and if the new technology would work effectively.

'(Who) knows how that will work when it would have to be sensitive enough to work for like birthday cards and also have enough variance for different bags people use, coat hangers, product weight, etc,' someone pointed out.

Some of those who aren't keen on the development questioned the accessibility and effectiveness of the 'insane' new checkouts.

Your browser does not support iframes.

'Those floor scales are going to cause headaches. Especially as supermarkets are not too good at the calibration of scales,' one shopper wrote.

'Hardly looks wheelchair accessible. Definitely not fitting my wheelchair through there,' a second said.

'This is all going too far now. Can we not go back to mainly staffed tills and just have the odd couple self service for 10 items or less?' someone asked.

'A very dystopian feel, hoping that the general public will vote with their feet,' another chimed in.

But some customers were big fans of the modern shopping method.

'Have you used these things? They are 10-times more convenient and faster. I love walking past giant queues with a full trolley, scan screen, pay and on my way with bags packed already. If you don't want to use them, don't,' one man said.

'I'm all for it! Why wait around to be 'processed' when you can put your items in a trolley, pay, and go?' another agreed.

It comes after shoplifting offences rose by 23 per cent to more than 490,000 a year to hit the highest level since records began, official figures revealed last month.

Your browser does not support iframes.

The shocking data is further proof of Britain's worsening retail theft epidemic, which an industry body today warned was 'out of control'.

There were a total of 492,914 offences recorded by police in the year to September, the Office of National Statistics (ONS) found - the highest figure since current police recording practices began for the year ending March 2003.

Police recorded 1.8 million theft offences in the year to September, a two per cent increase driven by shoplifting and a 22 per cent rise in crimes involving theft from a person (146,109). Knife offences and robberies rose by four per cent each.

It comes amid warnings that shoplifting is 'spiralling out of control' after a survey by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) suggested there were more than 2,000 incidents a day, with staff facing assault, being threatened with weapons, and racial and sexual abuse.

There were more than 55,000 incidents of theft per day, equating to more than 20 million in total.

The alarming figures show the issue is getting worse, with cases of attacks and shoplifting beating last year's record numbers to be a fresh high since the surveys began in 2001.

This is despite businesses paying a record 1.8billion on prevention tactics such as CCTV, more security guards and body worn cameras.

Some 61 per cent of retailers say the police response to calls for help has been 'poor' or 'very poor'.

Retailers are reporting unprecedented levels of violence towards their staff, with the number of incidents involving a weapon more than doubling to 70 per day.
Sir Keir Starmer may think Donald Trump is a reliable ally. But Britain's security services do not. 'We can't risk sharing our human intelligence with the United States now,' an intelligence service source told me. 'There's a danger of our assets being compromised. Trump is too close to Putin. Within the service, he's regarded as a possible agent of influence.'

The question is what sort of agent. Fantastical rumours that the US President was literally a Russian mole began to circulate in 2016, around the time he launched his first election campaign.

They peaked three years later with the publication of the Mueller report, which uncovered widespread Russian interference in that presidential election on Trump's behalf, but concluded there was insufficient evidence of direct collusion between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin.

Now, following Trump's dramatic pivot away from Ukraine, Nato and Europe and towards Moscow, the rumours are circulating again.

So what is the truth? It seems Trump first attracted the interest of Soviet intelligence sometime in the late 1970s, when he married Czechoslovakian-born Ivana Zelnickova. In the depth of the Cold War, long-term relationships between Westerners and Eastern Europeans were relatively rare, and the Czech security service  the StB  opened a file on him.

In later years, as Trump's profile as a businessman began to increase, he became the subject of an active surveillance and intelligence-gathering operation, with information being shared with the KGB.

At which point, according to Trump's own account in his book The Art Of The Deal: 'In January 1987, I got a letter from Yuri Dubinin, the Soviet ambassador to the United States, that began, "It is a pleasure for me to relay some good news from Moscow."'

The 'good news' was an invitation to travel to Russia to discuss the possibility of constructing a new hotel in Red Square. Trump accepted, and arrived in Moscow on July 4. At the time, Russian intelligence was making specific efforts to target, compromise and recruit Western businessmen.

Three former KGB intelligence officers have separately claimed this was the moment Trump became successfully turned into a Soviet asset. But they have been unable to provide any evidence to support their allegations. Trump and his associates have dismissed the claims as a ridiculous fiction. And no one else has been able to find a shred of evidence to corroborate them.

But what is a matter of documented record is that on his return from Moscow, Trump did an unusual thing. Though he had not previously displayed any significant interest in foreign affairs, on September 2, 1987, he spent $94,801 on three full-page adverts in the New York Times, Washington Post and Boston Globe that declared: 'Why America should stop paying to defend countries that can afford to defend themselves'.

The primary focus of the ads appeared to be the US's engagement in the Gulf and Pacific. But immediately following their publication, Trump appeared on television and said: 'If you're looking at the payments we're making to Nato, they're totally disproportionate with everybody else's, and it's ridiculous.'

Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump meet during the 2019 G20 summit, during Trump's first term

At the time there was speculation this intervention was a prelude to Trump entering the 1988 presidential race.

But no campaign ensued. Instead, Trump concentrated on building his business empire, with the help of a number of Russian contacts. Two of the most significant were Tevfik Arif, a former Soviet official, and Felix Sater, a Russian-born, Brooklyn-raised business executive who had established the Bayrock real estate company and moved its headquarters into Trump Tower. 'Bayrock knew the people, knew the investors,' Trump later declared.

It was his partnership with Bayrock that assisted him in rebuilding his fortunes after a series of high-profile failures, including the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, and the Trump Shuttle.

Then, in 2015, Trump announced his intention to run for president. What followed has been well-documented, and was set out in exhaustive detail in the Mueller Report. Mueller revealed that there was a concerted attempt by Russia to sway the 2016 campaign in Trump's favour. And it documented numerous links between Trump officials and Russian state actors.

The most infamous of these was the meeting held in Trump Tower on June 9, 2016. It was attended by Donald Trump Jnr (Trump's son), Jared Kushner (his son-in-law) and Paul Manafort (Trump's campaign manager) and a number of Russian 'lobbyists', who claimed they had information that could be used to damage his Democrat rival Hillary Clinton.

Trump later claimed this 'opposition research' was not acted upon, and that the relationship with the 'lobbyists' was immediately severed.

Mueller concluded the meeting and other contacts did not constitute a criminal conspiracy. But Trump's recent statements and actions now place those relationships in a different light.

Even after links between Trump's inner circle and Moscow were supposedly ended, Trump continued to adopt and construct policy positions favourable to Putin. Especially in relation to Ukraine.

In the weeks and months following the Trump Tower meeting, he claimed the US was supporting Nato 'far more than we should' and described the organisation as 'obsolete'.

The US President shakes hands with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer last month

At the Republican convention  held in July  his foreign policy adviser opposed an amendment to the party's foreign policy platform that advocated sending arms to Ukraine and condemning Russian aggression in the region.

And most significantly  especially given the events of the past fortnight  Trump's campaign manager Manafort continued to develop what became known as the Mariupol Plan, a 'peace deal' that would have annexed eastern Ukraine and effectively turned it into a Russian puppet state. What's more, he did so in conjunction with a long-standing contact, Konstantin Kilimnik, who was later unmasked by the Senate Intelligence Committee as an active Russian intelligence officer.

The rumours swirling around Trump are hard to pin down and verify. But the following facts are not contested. He was targeted by Soviet intelligence services. With the Cold War at its height, he was charmed by the Soviets, and visited Moscow. On his return, he began to publicly adopt foreign policy positions favourable to the Kremlin. He revitalised his fortune with major support from Russian business contacts.

Russia actively campaigned for his election. Even before he entered the White House, he and his inner circle continued to advocate for, and adopt, policy stances favourable to Putin.

And upon his re-election, he has pivoted so far towards Russia that, in the gleeful words of official Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov: 'The new [US] administration is rapidly changing all foreign policy configurations. This largely coincides with our vision.'

The truth is that Britain's intelligence services no longer trust the President of the United States. It isn't hard to see why.
'Eurocentric' prayers should be avoided to improve inclusivity, according to guidance by a Church of England diocese.

In what is believed to be the first example of Church of England prayer being subject to diversity plans, the Diocese of Norwich has issued parishes with an 'anti-racist toolkit'.

The toolkit tells priests to ensure prayers are not 'entirely Eurocentric'.

It says: 'Invite people to say the Lord's Prayer in their own language and ensure that intercessions are aligned with the concerns of the congregation and are not entirely eurocentric.'

The guidance for around 650 churches, mostly in rural East Anglia, also says churches should seek to 'include different languages and topics in the prayers' and 'display Images that reflect diversity in the Body of Christ'.

It also tells churches to recognise special days which people from ethnic minorities may celebrate, such as Racial Justice Sunday.

Using different languages in songs and hymns to improve 'linguistic diversity and intercultural worship' in music is encouraged.

Rev Dr Ian Paul, associate minister at St Nic's, Nottingham, told the Telegraph: 'It seems extraordinary that, in a diocese which is 95 per cent white, money is being spent on this, including a full-time racial justice officer, when parishes are crying out for more clergy.'

'Eurocentric' prayers should be avoided to improve inclusivity, according to guidance by the Church of England

Bishop of Norwich Graham Barham Usher (pictured) presides over 650 churches, mostly in rural East Anglia

The anti-racist toolkit, issued by the Diocese of Norwich, is believed to be the first example of Church of England prayer being subject to diversity plans

The advice, written by the Norwich Diocese's Racial Justice Action Group, says that the diocese is 'very white in terms of population, but the schools are becoming more and more diverse.

'It's quite likely that in a few years, the ethnic makeup of some of our churches will start to reflect this.'

It further calls on God to 'open our hearts, that we may be bold in finding the riches of inclusion and the treasures of diversity among us', adding congregants 'come before you, a holy family, a rainbow people'.

Racial Justice Sunday, which takes place on the second Sunday of February, is a day to 'reflect on the importance of racial justice, to give thanks for the gifts and beauty of human diversity,' the Church of England says.

The Norwich guidance encourages clergy to start a 'Collect for Racial Justice Sunday', with suggested prayers reading: 'Stir the hearts of your people that, rejoicing in our diversity, we may repent of the wrongs of the past'.

It tells 'mono-cultural' parishes to be particularly receptive to diversity, even if there is none in the parish.

'We should find ways to reflect that in our churches, even if someone from a different culture is not physically present,' it adds.

The guidance, which includes a foreword saying the Church of England's track record on racial justice is poor, launched last September.

In November, a review by the Archbishops' Commission for Racial Justice took aim at congregations in predominantly white areas for their 'lack of cultural awareness'

Weeks later the Church of England's racial justice commission suggested congregations in rural parishes around Britain are racist.

A review by the Archbishops' Commission for Racial Justice took aim at congregations in predominantly white areas for their 'lack of cultural awareness'.

The 68-page report branded the denomination as 'structurally and institutionally' racist.

A spokesman for the Diocese of Norwich said the toolkit is part of their response to the Church of England's From Lament to Action report agreed by General Synod in 2021.

They added it contains a wide range of optional resources for parishes.

'We are committed to being a Church for all in our communities and this must include people from all parts of society. It is a matter of fact that Anglicanism is a global communion and, as disciples of Jesus, we benefit from the insights of Christians from a range of cultures and experiences.

'Archbishop Desmond Tutu coined the phrase 'rainbow people' to describe how we might live well together and contribute to just and flourishing communities. That is our desire in the Diocese of Norwich.'
Two migrants died in the English Channel today as they tried reach Britain on a massively overcrowded small boat.

One was a 64-year-old Kuwaiti man, who is believed to be the eldest person to die crossing the Channel on a small boat since the journeys started.

He was declared dead on the beach by a team of French paramedics.

The disaster unfolded close to the French coast at Marck, near Calais, at around 7am on Saturday morning.

Despite the deaths of the two unnamed migrants, the boat they were travelling in carried on with its illegal journey to Britain after their bodies were taken off.

A small boat set off in the early hours but then returned to France within a few minutes, said a local emergency services source.

There were about 50 people on board, and among them were the motionless bodies of two of them.

He has suffered a heart attack in the boat, said the source, who said he had no details about the second victim.

Two migrants died in the English Channel today as they tried to reach Britain on a massively overcrowded small boat

Despite the deaths of the two unnamed migrants, the boat they were travelling in carried on with its illegal journey to Britain after their bodies were taken off

When the corpses were taken off, some of the others on the boat also got off, and were seen running into dunes, said the source.

Others decided to get back on the dinghy, which continued on its voyage to England.

Conditions were good in the Channel, with bright sunshine and a calm sea, suggesting that the Kuwaiti man may have suffered a heart attack because of over-crowding.

Most of the flimsy dinghies used in such crossings are designed for 12 people maximum.

Todays disaster means that a total of eight people have died in similar circumstances this year alone, as the small boats crisis continued.

Prosecutors in France have started an enquiry, while judicial police are looking for the people smugglers who arranged the crossing.

At total of 78 migrants died in 2024 while trying to reach England in the same way.

This was a record since smugglers started launching small boats full of migrants in 2018.

The disaster unfolded close to the French coast at Marck, near Calais, at around 7am on Saturday morning

In January, a Syrian man became the first UK-bound migrant of 2025 to die in the Channel after being crushed to death in an overcrowded boat.

French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau said of such tragedies: Our government will intensify the fight against these mafias who are getting rich by organising these crossings of death.

In April last year, a criminal enquiry was launched following the deaths of five migrants including a little girl around Wimereux, near Calais.

The worst tragedy of this kind came in November 2021, when 27 migrants died after a dinghy sank while heading to the UK  the highest recorded number of deaths from a single incident.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have pledged to 'strengthen cooperation' to fight the people smugglers, but they are regulary criticised for not doing enough.
The US-Mexico border has become drastically more secure under the Trump administration compared to Biden's, data from US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has revealed.

The number of southwest land border encounters in February 2025 are the 'lowest in history,' according to the White House.

Last February, there were 189,913 reported interactions between US patrol agents and non-citizens at the border while Joe Biden was president.

In February 2022 and 2023, those numbers were 166,010 and 156,630 respectively.

But after less then two months in office, Donald Trump's stern immigration policies have made those figures plummet, with just 8,326 incidents reported this February.

In a post to his Truth Social page, Trump said that in the last month his administration had recorded the lowest number of immigrants trying to enter the country ever.

He declared that the 'invasion' of the United States is over and the border is now 'closed to all illegal immigrants' after mass ICE arrests.

Trump said the more than 8,000 who were apprehended 'were quickly ejected from our Nation or, when necessary prosecuted for crimes against the United States of America.'

US-Mexico border has become drastically more secure under the Trump administration compared to Biden's, data from US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has revealed

After less then two months in office, Donald Trump 's stern immigration policies have made those figures plummet, with just 8,326 incidents reported this February

Your browser does not support iframes.

The commander-in-chief added: 'This means that very few people came  The Invasion of our Country is OVER.

'In comparison, under Joe Biden, there were 300,000 Illegals crossing in one month, and virtually ALL of them were released into our Country.

'Thanks to the Trump Administration Policies, the Border is CLOSED to all Illegal Immigrants.

'Anyone who tries to illegally enter the U.S.A. will face significant criminal penalties and immediate deportation.'

His announcement came just after Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirsti Noem announced that the administration had arrested 20,000 illegal migrants in one month.

That was a 627 percent increase in monthly arrests compared to Biden, Noem claimed.

She said: 'President Trump and this Administration are saving lives every day because of the actions we are taking to secure the border and deport illegal migrant criminals.

'Hundreds of thousands of criminals were let into this country illegally. We are sending them home, and they will never be allowed to return.'

Trump said that under Joe Biden, more than 300,000 illegal migrants were came into a America in one month

Among those deported were Ivan Oramas and Santos Maradiaga-Villalta, who were first ordered to be removed from the country while George W. Bush was president

Trump declared that the 'invasion' of the United States is over and the border is now 'closed to all illegal immigrants' after mass ICE arrests

The president has pledged to purge the US of its 'most dangerous' unlawful immigrants through a sweeping deportation strategy that would result in the 'largest deportation effort' ever carried out.

More than 50,000 illegal migrants have been removed from the US so far, with several law-evading fugitives among them, a Department of Homeland Security official previously revealed to DailyMail.com.

Among those deported were Ivan Oramas and Santos Maradiaga-Villalta, who were first ordered to be removed from the country while George W. Bush was president.

News of their arrest was circulated at the end of February in an internal immigration memo noting recent enforcement actions made by Trump's administration.

Oramas, 61, is a citizen of Cuba with a rap sheet including convictions for sexual battery and aggravated assault.

His sexual battery case caused serious injury, according to his charges in the file. ICE Houston nabbed Oramas this week, enforcing a deportation order first handed down in October 2003.

Maradiaga-Villalta, a 40-year-old from Honduras, has convictions for smuggling people into the US.

He was arrested by ICE in Phoenix. His first deportation order dates back to January 2006, a 19-year lapse in action.

The South Texas Family Residential Center will reopen in Dilley with the capacity to hold 2,400 people

The Trump administration also announced plans to reopen a detention center for immigrant families which was shuttered by the former president.

Biden shuttered the South Texas Family Residential Center while seeking to end the detainment of children.

But the facility is set to reopen in Dilley with the capacity to fit 2,400 people.
A much-loved shopping centre which became a landmark in the 80s has announced that it is closing to the dismay of shoppers who are calling it the 'end of an era'.

Connswater Shopping Centre, in east Belfast, is set to close its doors for good before this month is out, with the blame being placed on difficult trading conditions and the loss of high profile stores.

The 20 remaining tenants were told earlier this week the centre will close on March 21.

The 162,000 square foot centre is fitted with 52 units, and has been part of the east Belfast skyline for more than 40 years, opening its doors in 1983.

Despite being an instant success, footfall has gradually declined over the years.

Shoppers have dubbed the closure 'the end of an era' with one writing online: 'Can't believe Connswater is closing. End of an era'.

Another wrote: 'Really saddened to read about the closure of Connswater Shopping Centre on 21st March. It was more than shops'.

And another said: 'Disappointed to hear about the closure of Connswater Shopping Centre. In decline for years with no push to get credible tenants. Many politicians in the East don't give a toss. The area is being run into the ground'.

Connswater Shopping Centre, in east Belfast, is set to close its doors for good before this month is out

The blame is being placed on difficult trading conditions and the loss of high profile stores

The shopping centre opened more than 40 years ago, in 1983 and was a instant success

It has seen a gradual decline in the last 42 years and now just 20 units remain open

Michael Jennings of BDO NI, who has been appointed as a Fixed Charge Receiver of the centre alongside Brian Murphy, told ITV News that notice had been given after the viability of the business had been assessed.

'Over these next weeks, BDO will support the tenants through this transition while assessing potential future uses at Connswater and options to market the centre for sale', he added.

East Belfast MP and DUP party leader Gavin Robinson posted on X: 'The closure of Connswater Shopping Centre next Friday marks a sad day for East Belfast. It has been a part of our community for decades; this shocking loss will be deeply felt.

'My thoughts are especially with those affected by uncertainty and job losses during this difficult time.

'While the centre has been in visible decline for some time, it's vital that the site remains of benefit to the people of the Newtownards Road and surrounding areas'.

A petition has since been launched online in a bid to stop the centre from closing.

A spokeswoman for Connswater Shopping Centre told ITV News: 'The evolving retail landscape, the loss of anchor tenants and difficult market conditions have made it increasingly challenging to sustain operations in a viable way in Connswater Shopping Centre.

The shopping centre is set to be closed for good in just under two weeks time on March 21

The 162,000 square foot centre is fitted with 52 units, and has been part of the east Belfast skyline for more than 40 years

Shoppers have dubbed the closure of the centre as 'the end of an era' in Belfast

'So, very regretfully and after much consideration of different options, we have now appointed BDO as Fixed Charge Receivers for the centre.

'We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to our loyal customers, tenants, and staff who have supported Connswater Shopping Centre throughout the years.

'Your patronage and dedication have been invaluable, and we are deeply appreciative of the community spirit that has been fostered here throughout our 20 years of ownership.

'We understand that this news will be disappointing to many, Connswater Shopping Centre has been more than just a shopping destination; it has been a part of the fabric of East Belfast. We deeply regret having to make this difficult decision.'
Vladimir Putin has ignored Donald Trump's warnings to stop 'pounding Ukraine' as a huge barrage of missile strikes killed 20 in Ukraine and left dozens more injured.

A single town in the war-torn Donetsk region was bombarded 11 times, days after the US suspended military aid to Ukraine in order to pressure the country into accepting a peace deal.

The latest wave of attacks in the town of Dobropillya claimed the lives of a least 11 people, including five children, with more than 30 left injured.

Strikes in Pokrovsk, Kostyantynivka, Myrnograd and Ivanopillya killed another six people.

Meanwhile three more were killed after a Russian drone hit a warehouse in Kharkiv.

Donetsk's governor, Vadym Filashkin declared a day of mourning on Saturday for the victims, warning that more people could be found in the rubble following the deadly strikes.

Russia was further accused of targeting rescuers with drone as they rushed to extinguish blazes in eight residential buildings damaged by missiles.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said the attack on emergency workers was a 'vile and inhumane intimidation tactic' by the Kremlin.

Firefighters in Dobropillia, which was bombarded with 11 strikes, attempt to extinguish a fire on residential buildings in the town in Donetsk

Mr Trump, despite acknowledging Russia was 'absolutely pounding' Ukraine on Friday, suggested the Kremlin was doing what 'anybody else would do'

A Ukranian fireman attempts to cool the temperature of a burnt-out building in Bohodukhiv, in the Kharkiv region

He said in a message on Saturday night: 'Today, all day long, work continued in the city of Dobropillya, the Donetsk region, following a Russian strike.

'It was one of the most brutal attacks, a combined strike carefully planned to cause maximum damage. Missiles, along with Shahed drones, targeted the central part of the city. Nine residential buildings, a shopping center, and stores were hit.

'Russia continues to prove with its cruelty, day after day, that nothing has changed for them in Moscow  they are not thinking about how to end the war, but how to destroy and capture more while the world allows them to continue.'

Mr Zelensky thanked world leaders who condemned Russia's actions and 'call things by their true names' .

He continued: 'Of course, we are doing everything we can to protect lives. I am grateful to all the leaders, diplomats from partner countries, and civil society figures who support Ukraine, who condemned these Russian strikes, and who call things by their true names.

'Its important that we continue to coordinate all our efforts with our partners, ensuring effective defense and doing everything possible to bring peace closer.'

The latest round of strikes came after Russia aimed drones and missiles at Ukraine's energy and gas infrastructure, in a bid to cut off the nation's power.

It comes after President Trump threatened to step up sanctions on Russia for 'absolutely pounding' Ukraine.

Writing on his social media platform on Friday, Mr Trump said: 'Based on the fact that Russia is absolutely 'pounding' Ukraine on the battlefield right now, I am strongly considering large-scale Banking Sanctions, Sanctions, and Tariffs on Russia until a Cease Fire and FINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ON PEACE IS REACHED.'

'To Russia and Ukraine, get to the table right now, before it is too late. Thank you!!!'

But when later asked whether Putin was taking advantage of his suspension of Ukrainian aid, he replied: 'Probably anybody in that position would be doing that right now.'

Mr Trump also said it was 'easier' to deal with the Kremlin's dictator than with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky.

He said of Putin: 'I think he's going to be more generous than he has to be.'

The US President is also reportedly considering withdrawing more than 35,000 troops from Germany amid his increasing frustration with much of Europe's stance on the conflict, which he believes is 'pushing for war'.

Some 160,000 personnel are stationed outside of the US, with the majority positioned in Germany.

Damaged residential buildings at the site of a Russian strike in Dobropillia, Donetsk region

Mr Trump's incendiary conversation with Volodymyr Zelensky last week accelerated progress for a 'coalition of the willing' between other world leaders

Donald Trump is considering pulling 35,000 troops out of Germany as Russia launched a deadly overnight barrage in the Donetsk region

It comes as the US President suggested it was easier to do deals with Putin than Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky

Hungary is among countries where they could be relocated, with prime minister Victor Orban having consistently opposed EU sanctions on Russia.

In January, it was reported that Mr Trump intends to reduce US personnel in Europe by 20 per cent and is set to ask for a 'financial contribution' from member states to maintain the remaining troops.

Mr Trump's rapid withdrawal of support has rallied other leaders into a 'coalition of the willing' in the wake of the President's incendiary press conference with Volodymyr Zelensky last week.

Earlier today, Sir Keir Starmer announced that Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese had 'made a commitment' to consider joining the group, which has now grown to around 20 members.

Mr Zelensky, who is due in Saudi Arabia on Monday for talks of a peace deal with the Americans, said the latest round of attacks showed that Putin's goals remain 'unchanged'.

Reports from the Kremlin suggest Russia is open to a temporary cessation of hostilities, but only if certain preconditions are met.

Emergency workers attend damaged buildings, including a car dealership and service station, following a Russian drone attack in Odesa

Workers extinguish a fire on a five-story building in Dobropillia in Donetsk region

A man stands among debris at a building destroyed in a Russian drone attack in Odesa on Saturday

According to individuals familiar with high-level negotiations, these include a concrete framework for a final peace agreement and a carefully curated list of countries to participate in a prospective peacekeeping mission.

Moscow has rejected plans for a temporary ceasefire, which were also proposed by Britain and France, and insisted it would never let peacekeepers from NATO countries into Ukraine, after the two countries suggested a European force could police any permanent settlement.

The UK's Ministry of Defence (MoD), Russia launched its 'largest' multi-axis Long Range Aviation (LRA) 'strike package' so far of 2025 overnight on Thursday.

Ukraine also struck targets in Russia including partially destroying the Kirishinefteorgsintez oil refinery in Kirishi in Leningrad region near St Petersburg, where the attack also disrupted flights at the city's Pulkovo airport.
A Western tourist and her female travel host were allegedly gang-raped while stargazing in India by a mob of attackers who also killed their male companion.

The sick attack took place when the host took her guests, an Israeli woman, two Indian men and an American man, on a stargazing excursion near the canal in Koppal town, southern Karnataka state, on Thursday evening.

The three suspects arrived on a motorbike and approached the group, demanding cash. But, when an argument broke out, they launched an attack, throwing the three men into the canal.

Police official Ram L Arasiddi said one of the tourists, an Indian man, drowned as a result and that his body was recovered on Saturday. The two other men swam to safety.

The two women were then beaten and sexually assaulted before the suspects fled the scene.

A special investigation team has since arrested two of the suspects on suspicion of attempted murder, gang rape and robbery. The third remains at large.

The incident has left the country reeling as Karnataka state President B.Y. Vijayendra dubbed the authorities 'delusional and indifferent'.

'Our government is committed to providing protection to everyone, including tourists, coming to the state,' he said, adding that measures will be put in place to prevent future attacks.

A police officer speaks on his mobile phone at the scene as they search for the male travelers who were pushed into the canal by three men accused of gang-raping two women

One of the tourists drowned and his body was recovered on Saturday

Sexual assaults on women have become more commonplace in India, where police recorded more than 31,000 cases of rape in 2022 - a 20 per cent increase from 2021, according to the National Crime Records Bureau.

It is thought the true figure may be higher still due to the stigma surrounding sexual violence.

Instances of rape and sexual violence have been under scrutiny since the gang-rape and killing of a 23-year-old student on a New Delhi bus in 2012.

The attack sparked mass protests and prompted legislators to create fast-track courts for rape cases, and harsher penalties.

The rape law was amended in 2013 to criminalise stalking and voyeurism, and to lower the age at which a person can be tried as an adult from 18 to 16.

In 2018, the government approved the use of the death penalty for people convicted of raping children under the age of 12.

High-profile cases involving foreign visitors have drawn international attention to the issue.

Last year, in a video that was later deleted, a Spanish tourist said his wife was raped in northern India, while an Indian-American woman said she was raped at a hotel in New Delhi. In 2022, a British tourist was raped in front of her partner in Goa.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned Tehran will not be bullied into negotiations, a day after Donald Trump said he had sent a letter to the country's top authority to negotiate a nuclear deal.

In an interview with Fox Business, President Trump said 'there are two ways Iran can be handled: militarily, or you make a deal' to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

In a meeting with senior Iranian officials, Khamenei said the aim of Washington's offer for negotiations was to 'impose their own expectations', Iranian state media reported.

'The insistence of some bully governments on negotiations is not to resolve issues, but to dominate and impose their own expectations,' he said.

'Talks for them is a path to have new expectations, it is not only about Iran's nuclear issue. Iran will definitely not accept their expectations.'

While expressing an openness to a deal with Tehran, Trump has reinstated a 'maximum pressure' campaign that was applied during his first term to isolate Iran from the global economy and drive its oil exports to zero.

Trump warned that if Iran assassinated him - as officials have threatened to do after he ordered the killing of Quds force leader Qasem Soleimani - there would be retribution.

'If they did that, they would be obliterated,' Trump responded. 'I have left instructions. If they do it, they get obliterated, there won't be anything left.'

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks during a meeting in Tehran today. The Iranian leader called Donald Trump 'a bully' after the US president said he had sent a letter to the country's top authority to negotiate a nuclear deal

It comes after Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order outlining a 'maximum pressure' campaign against Tehran

Trump also said he was 'torn' about signing the order because he'd like to make a deal with Iran, to prevent the Middle Eastern nation from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

In his remarks, Khamenei pointed to Trump as the reason a nuclear deal with the U.S. no longer existed.

'The person in charge tore it up,' Khamenei said.

He told Iranians they shouldn't do it again.

'Negotiating with America is neither smart, wise, or honorable,' he said in remarks marking the anniversary of Iran's 1979 revolution. 'It will not solve any of our problems. The reason? Experience!'

Khamenei also rejected Trump's plan for the U.S. to take control of war-torn Gaza, something the president floated Tuesday during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to the White House.

'On paper, Americans are changing the world map,' Khamenei said. 'Of course it's only on paper because it's devoid of reality.'

During his first 2017-2021 term as president, Trump withdrew the United States from a landmark deal between Iran and major powers that placed strict limits on Tehran's nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said last month that reopening talks with the US would not be 'smart' after President Donald Trump threatened to 'obliterate' the nation, while also saying he'd 'love to make a deal' with Iran

After Trump pulled out in 2018 and re-imposed sanctions, Iran breached and far surpassed those limits.

UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi has said time is running out for diplomacy to impose new restrictions on Iran's activities, as Tehran continues to accelerate its enrichment of uranium to near weapons-grade.

Tehran insists its nuclear work is solely for peaceful purposes.

It comes after Khamenei said last month that reopening nuclear talks with the US would not be 'smart' after Trump threatened to obliterate the nation, while also saying he'd 'love to make a deal'.
A New Jersey police officer who lost his life after being gunned down allegedly by a 14-year-old boy on a shooting spree has been identified.

Joseph Azcona, 26, a five-year veteran, died in the hospital from his injuries after he was shot 'before he even had the opportunity to leave his police car,' Essex County Prosecutor Theodore Stephens said at a press conference on Saturday.

Azcona, who was a detective for the Newark Police Department, was pronounced dead at 2:30 am on Saturday surrounded by his parents and brothers.

'He has a lot of friends and a lot of family who loved him,' his mother said of her youngest to The New York Times.

'We lost a true hero last night,' Emmanuel Miranda, Newark's public safety director, said at a press conference. 'Our hearts are heavy, we're leaning on one another for support.'

A second officer was also shot outside of the cruiser and is recovering in the hospital from non-life-threatening injuries, authorities said on Saturday.

Five suspects, including a 14-year-old, are in police custody and authorities managed to secure one of the guns used in the shooting.

The teen has been charged with murder, attempted murder and possession of an illegal weapon. He is currently in the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to Stephens.

Joseph Azcona, 26, a five-year veteran, died in the hospital from his injuries after he was allegedly shot 'before he even had the opportunity to leave his police car,' Essex County Prosecutor Theodore Stephens said at a press conference on Saturday

Five suspects, including a 14-year-old, are in police custody and authorities managed to secure one of the guns used in the shooting

The teen has been charged with murder, attempted murder, and possession of an illegal weapon. He is currently in the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries

The shooting began around 6:30pm near a White Castle and a McDonald's.

The officers were in the area after getting a report there may be illegal guns there. In a chaotic scene, twenty-nine shots were fired at officers, sources told PIX 11.

Police recovered the automatic weapon the teenager used to fire at police, authorities said.

Authorities now want to figure out how the 14-year-old obtained the firearm and his motivation to use it against police.

Before the deadly event, the accused teenager was hanging out with a large group at the fast-food outlets.

'We need to focus laser sharp on trying to find the reason why this 14-year-old was in the situation that he was  had a gun, felt he could use it against police,' Stephens said at a press conference on Saturday.

'Thats a crazy situation. Thats one that cannot go unchecked.'

In the immediate aftermath, resident of Newark had scrambled to get safely away from the scene.

The shooting began about 6:30 pm on Friday around the intersection of Carteret Street and Broadway

'There was 10 shots, I want to say. I want to say the whole clip basically,' local Andrea Perez told ABC 7.

'I just hear the gunshots and I thought it was fireworks, because people are always doing their fireworks, and then I saw a bunch of police come.'

This was not the only violent encounter targeting law enforcement.

Four police officers were shot across the US on Friday, with the one in Newark the only fatality.
Nicola Sturgeon was booed and subjected to chants of shame on you by female protesters at an International Womens Day event yesterday.

Demonstrators angrily shouted at the former First Minister as they accused her of betrayal over her bid to introduce controversial gender laws.

Ms Sturgeon looked shaken as she was confronted by the baying crowd on the street as she walked to the SNPs Womens Day celebration event in the centre of Edinburgh.

She was the architect of the Nationalists failed reforms which intended to make it easier for people to legally swap gender without medical involvement.

She also refused to label transgender rapist Isla Bryson a man even though the crime of rape can only be perpetrated by a male.

Womens rights groups allege that by advocating for looser rules over changing gender at any cost Ms Sturgeon betrayed biological women.

Signs were waved, emblazoned with such slogans as women want our stuff back, woman=adult human female, stop self-ID by the back door.

However, Ms Sturgeon ignored the protest staged outside the SNP event as she walked straight into the meeting.

Ms Sturgeon was the architect of the Nationalists failed gender law reforms which would have made it easier to transition

On Saturday, Ms Sturgeon was faced by a wall of protestors who claim she has betrayed women over her bid to introduce controversial gender laws

First Minister John Swinney also attended the event, but didnt face protests and stopped to chat to the demonstrators.

Concern over people self-identifying as the opposite gender has intensified in recent weeks thanks to a landmark employment tribunal involving NHS Fife.

Nurse Sandie Peggie was suspended by the health board after she challenged the presence of Dr Beth Upton, who was born a biological man, in the women-only changing rooms at the Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy.

She is arguing at an ongoing tribunal in Dundee that being forced to change next to Dr Upton broke the Equality Act.

Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay has said the situation is a direct consequence and legacy of Nicola Sturgeons gender self ID legislation.

Last night, Susan Smith of campaign group For Women Scotland said: Nicola Sturgeon betrayed so many women with her wholehearted embrace of self-ID and her pig-headed determination to push gender recognition reform at any cost.

Not only did she refuse to talk to critics, she went out of her way to lie about womens rights activists, including members of her own party and exposed them to threats of violence.

Her laughable claim to be a feminist only rubbed salt in the wound.

The group of demonstrators held a number of signs including one that read: 'Woman = adult human female'

The former First Minister arrived with an SNP strategist who was wearing a 'choose love' top

She added: The unlawful self ID policies introduced in schools, hospitals and elsewhere during her tenure as FM have done incalculable damage and now have to be fought in court.

Chanting shame on you is probably a mild expression of the disgust many women feel towards her.

Scottish Conservative deputy leader Rachael Hamilton MSP said: Nicola Sturgeons time as First Minister will be remembered for failing women and girls, so its hardly surprising that her attendance was met with a chorus of boos.

She shamefully dismissed womens concerns and tried to impose her dangerous gender self-ID proposals on Scotland, thats why the previous UK Conservative government rightly blocked it.

However, despite it not becoming law, the legacy of Nicola Sturgeons flawed plans remain embedded across Scotlands public bodies and women like Sandie Peggie are paying a heavy price.

Meanwhile Lucy Hunter Blackburn, a policy analyst at the Edinburgh-based think tank MurrayBlackburnMackenzie, wrote: One of the speakers at the SNP event today was the former First Minister who has probably done more than any other person in Scottish politics to delegitimise the voices of women who disagree with her, on an issue affecting women.

Ms Sturgeon spearheaded the Gender Recognition Reform Bill which would have removed the need for a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria to obtain a gender recognition certificate and lowered the minimum age to 16.

Ms Sturgeon did not stop to speak to the protestors, although her successor John Swinney did make the time

The former First Minister shared her thoughts on International Women's Day on Instagram. Credit: Nicola Sturgeon

The proposal was struck down by the UK Government because of concerns about the impact on UK wide equalities legislation, much to the relief of a number of SNP rebels.

She initially insisted that the enormous backlash she faced over the failed gender reforms was not the final straw which prompted her shock resignation in March 2023.

But last year, Ms Sturgeon appeared to revise that position, telling an audience at the Charleston Literary Festival in Sussex that the abuse she received over the plans contributed to her decision to step down.

Insiders at the SNP International Womens Day event yesterday said the room was full to bursting for Ms Sturgeons speech.

In an Instagram story created from the event, Ms Sturgeon wrote: Lovely to spend International Womens Day with some SNP women. Talking about what feminism and female solidarity really mean.
SNP chiefs have caved-in to pressure and approved party rebel Fergus Ewing to stand for Holyrood, The Mail can disclose.

In a humiliating climbdown, Nationalist top brass have given the green light to the former SNP Minister after an internal vetting process.

It means he can stand in the Highland constituency he has represented for more than a quarter of a century at the Scottish parliament vote next year.

The revelation comes after party insiders last month claimed that a case against Mr Ewing getting through party vetting was compelling.

Mr Ewing, the son of SNP grande dame Winnie Ewing, was also concerned he might not pass because he said party bosses tended to select only obedient and pliant candidates.

Yet insiders have confirmed he will be allowed to stand again  if he wishes to.

The Inverness and Nairn MSP is said to have endured extra checks including a rigorous interview with the national secretary to secure the confidence of party chiefs.

A panel asked him to justify critical remarks he had made about the SNP, in particular relating to the dualling of the A9 and the A96, its position on sex and gender issues, as well as its treatment of fishermen, one friend told this newspaper.

SNP rebel Fergus Ewing has passed internal vetting and will be allowed to stand for Holyrood next year

The Highland MSP had raised fears the party might want more obedient candidates to stand

Mr Ewing has been highly critical of the SNP administration over a number of issues including the dualling of the A9 and A96

Last night, fellow former SNP Minister Alex Neil said: I am absolutely delighted that Fergus has passed vetting but the question is now, why on earth did the SNP wait so long to pass him?

Everyone and their granny knows that he is one of the most effective MSPs in Scotland and if they had tried to get rid of him there would have been a massive revolt from both the public and within the party.

The public are fed up with party hacks and nodding donkeys. Fergus speaks his mind and represents his constituency.

He added: Whoever was briefing recently that he was not going to pass vetting is obviously not very clever and they have been rightly humiliated.

Although well liked by the constituents he has served since the inception of the parliament, Mr Ewing has been critical of the Nationalist administration in recent times, taking aim at Nicola Sturgeon, Humza Yousaf and current First Minister John Swinney.

In mid-February, after a slew of his colleagues were told they had passed vetting, concerns grew over the partys failure to contact Mr Ewing.

The case against him was said to be compelling.

Mr Ewing told Charles Fletchers The Week in Holyrood podcast he did not know if the SNP wanted him to stand again.

He said: Im just actually waiting to see whether my party wishes me to stand again. I think Ive got not a bad CV.

They [his constituents] want me to be the Highland voice in the Scottish parliament irrespective of their views.

Frankly, if they want a doormat, they would have gone to B&Q.

Mr Ewing last night declined to comment.
Pope Francis is responding well to his treatment for double pneumonia and has shown a 'gradual, slight improvement' in recent days, the Vatican has said.

But his doctors have decided to keep his prognosis 'guarded', meaning he is not yet in the clear.

The 88-year-old Pope, who has chronic lung disease, has remained stable with no fever and good blood oxygen levels for several days.

His doctors said that such stability 'testifies to a good response to therapy.'

It is the first time the doctors had reported a positive response to treatment by Francis after he was hospitalized on February 14.

The Pope worked and rested during the day on Saturday, as he entered his fourth week at Rome's Gemelli hospital.

His condition has now stabilized following a few bouts of acute respiratory crises last week.

'In order to record these initial improvements in the coming days as well, his doctors have prudently maintained the prognosis as guarded,' a Vatican statement said.

The Pope's health has shown a 'gradual, slight improvement,' the Vatican said in a statement

Nuns pray in front of a statue of John Paul II at the entrance of Gemelli hospital where Pope Francis is still hospitalized

A woman prays near the statue of late Pope John Paul II outside Gemelli Hospital, where the Pope has been admitted for treatment

'The clinical condition of the Holy Father in recent days has remained stable and, consequently, indicates a good response to the treatment.'

Francis has been using high flows of supplemental oxygen to help him breathe during the day and a noninvasive mechanical ventilation mask at night.

He has not been seen in public since entering hospital and his doctors have not said how long the treatment might last.

Doctors not involved in Francis's care have said the Pope is likely to face a long, fraught road to recovery, given his age and other long-standing medical conditions.

Francis has experienced over the last two years and had part of one lung removed as a young man.

He was initially hospitalized on Valentine's Day for a bad case of bronchitis.

The infection then progressed into a complex respiratory tract infection and double pneumonia that has sidelined the Pope for the longest period of his 12-year papacy.

However, in his absence, the Vatican's day-to-day operations have continued, with Cardinal Pietro Parolin celebrating Mass for an anti-abortion group in St. Peter's Basilica.

A nun prays during the nightly rosary prayer service for the health of Pope Francis in St Peter's Square

A nun prays during the nightly rosary prayer service for Pope Francis's health

Pope Francis speaks with then Prince Charles on the day of the canonisation of 19th-century British cardinal John Henry Newman at the Vatican October 13, 2019

The then Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall during an audience with Pope Francis at the Vatican in 2017

Parolin began the service by delivering a message on behalf of the Pope on the need to protect life, from birth to natural death.

In the message, dated March 5 and addressed to the Movement for Life, which seeks to provide alternatives to abortion, Francis encouraged promotion of anti-abortion activities not just for the unborn, but 'for the elderly, no longer independent or the incurably ill.'

Later on Saturday, a cardinal closely associated with Francis' papacy, Michael Czerny, will preside over the nightly recitation of prayers for Francis.

Czerny then returns on Sunday to celebrate the Holy Year Mass for volunteers that Francis was supposed to have celebrated.

The latest health update comes as a pivotal meeting between King Charles and Pope Francis is hanging in the balance as the pontiff remains in hospital.

The highly anticipated visit, set for April as part of a royal tour to Italy and the Vatican, would be a historic moment for both the King and the Catholic Church.

It would mark Charles' first meeting with the Pope since ascending to the throne, and comes during a special Jubilee Year for the Church.

'Whenever we mention 'stability' it's still within a picture of a complex situation and the prognosis remains guarded,' the Vatican has previously said.

Catholic worshippers gather for a prayer of the Rosary for Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square at The Vatican on Saturday

Catholic clergy pray during the nightly rosary prayer service for the health of Pope Francis

A woman prays outside Gemelli Hospital, where Pope Francis is admitted for treatment

Bishop Franco Agostinelli leads a rosary prayer for Pope Francis in front of Gemelli Hospital on Saturday

The Holy Father's ill health has raised concerns about the royal meeting, but Buckingham Palace remains hopeful the trip will go ahead as planned.

If the meeting with the Pope does not take place, Charles and Camilla's planned visit to the Vatican's Sistine Chapel - famous for Michelangelo's frescoes and the site where future Popes are elected - is still expected to proceed.

Their trip, which includes a celebration of the royal couple's 20th wedding anniversary on April 9, will also include engagements in Rome and the northern Italian city of Ravenna.

The royal tour marks a significant commitment from King Charles, who continues to balance his royal duties with ongoing cancer treatment.
Britain's foreign secretary David Lammy and his counterparts from France, Germany and Italy have backed an Arab plan for the reconstruction of Gaza that would avoid displacing Palestinians from the enclave.

The $53billion (41bn) proposal, which was drawn up by Egypt and adopted by Arab leaders on Tuesday, has been rejected by Israel and by U.S. President Donald Trump, who has presented his own vision to turn the Gaza Strip into a 'Middle East Riviera'.

In a joint statement, the European ministers said: 'The plan shows a realistic path to the reconstruction of Gaza and promises  if implemented  swift and sustainable improvement of the catastrophic living conditions for the Palestinians living in Gaza.'

The Egyptian proposal envisages the creation of an administrative committee of independent, professional Palestinian technocrats entrusted with the governance of Gaza after the end of the war in Gaza between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

The committee would be responsible for the oversight of humanitarian aid and managing the Strip's affairs for a temporary period under the supervision of the Palestinian Authority.

The statement issued by the four European countries on Saturday said they were 'committed to working with the Arab initiative,' and they appreciated the 'important signal' the Arab states had sent by developing it.

The statement said Hamas 'must neither govern Gaza nor be a threat to Israel any more' and that the four countries 'support the central role for the Palestinian Authority and the implementation of its reform agenda.'

The foreign ministers of France , Germany, Italy and Britain have backed an Arab-backed plan for the reconstruction of Gaza that would cost $53 billion

It comes after U.S. President Donald Trump sparked outrage last month after he said he planned to turn Gaza into the 'Riviera of the Middle East'

Trump took it a step further after he shared a controversial AI-generated video showing what Gaza would look like under his plan. Scenes show a Trump hotel and a giant golden statue of the US president

It comes after Trump last month promoted a controversial vision for what his 'Riviera of the Middle East' plan for the Gaza Strip could look like.

The Presidentlaid out an extraordinary plan at a press conference with Israeli prime minister Netanyahu stating: 'The US will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it too.'

Trump's proposal was met with global criticism by both lawmakers and analysts who fear the plan would forcibly displace Gaza's population of two million, while US critics wondered if the President's vision would plunge the nation into the potentially bloody role of occupying power.

Aaron David Miller, a Middle East expert who advised secretaries of state across multiple administrations of both parties, said the immediate reaction among global lawmakers and leaders across the region was one of 'revulsion'.

Trump has further promoted the plan by posting a 35-second video to his Truth Social account that began with the question: 'Gaza 2025: What's Next?'.

The AI-generated video - in a series of bold, gaudy images - shows a Trump hotel, a giant golden statue of Trump, and a child holding a Trump balloon among resplendent beach-front resort complexes.

'First Buddy' Elon Musk is seen tossing around cash to visitors and children, while Trump dances with a belly dancer and drinks cocktails with Netanyahu.

The video created uproar online with X users quickly branding it as 'absolutely horrifying' and 'filth on a world stage', while others argued that it is time for people to 'start taking Trump's plan for Gaza more seriously'.

isplaced Palestinians living in makeshift tents struggle due to rainfall and cold weather in Khan Yunis, Gaza on March 07, 2025

Around 1.9 million Gazans have been displaced amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, according to the United Nations

The war started after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and seizing more than 250 as hostages. Image shows a general view of destoryed buildings and makeshift tents in Gaza

In response, Israel launched an air and ground war in Gaza that has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities

Shrouded bodies of Palestinians, who lost their lives during the Israeli army raids, and buried in a mass grave due to the siege at the time, are taken out to be identified and buried in official cemeteries near Kemal Adwan hospital of Beit Lahia, Gaza Strip on March 05, 2025

The White House responded to the criticism in a statement to DailyMail.com: 'As President Trump has said, Gaza in its current state is unhabitable for any human being.

'President Trump is a visionary, and his plan to have the United States involved in Gaza's rebuilding will allow for Palestinians to resettle in new, beautiful communities while improving conditions in the region for generations to come.'

Around 1.9 million Gazans have been displaced amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, according to the United Nations, which started after Palestinian terrorist group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and seizing more than 250 as hostages.

In response, Israel launched an air and ground war in Gaza that has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities, and devastated much of the narrow enclave.
Virtuoso violinist Nicola Benedetti has said she owes her stellar music career to the school run.

The classically-trained star said that while none of her family could play a note, her mother Francesca would play classical CDs in the car on the daily trip into Ayr.

The effect of this immersion in music, according to Benedetti, is that she was left spellbound by recordings of Brahms Violin Concerto.

Discussing her appreciation for the introduction her mother gave her to music, she told the Speaking Soundly podcast: Wed play them on the way to school and on the way back. We had a little bit of a drive.

It was the long form and the patience and waiting for those moments of big climactic build, that moment of virtuosity, where I was just dumbfounded.

How is it physically possible for someone to do that? And because I hadnt seen any violinists live, it was the most mystical, magical thing I had ever heard in my life.

And so we would all begin to learn what it was to listen to a 30-minute piece of music together because none of us had really experienced that before.

Benedetti, 37, admits shes still gripped with excitement whenever she performs that Brahms piece live today.

Nicola Benedetti with her mother Francesca

Nicola Benedetti's violin playing captivates audiences

She said: Its not even a choice. The first time when the violin plays the primary melody, I still have this [feeling of]: Am I really doing this?.

To feel so much about it can be exhausting, and sometimes I resent that.

But when Im in my right mind and come to my senses, I realise actually thats a gift I never want to break away from.

Benedetti was raised in West Kilbride, Ayrshire, but had a 40-minute drive to school.

She and elder sister Stephanie began playing the violin at the age of four, and she moved to London to attend the specialist Yehudi Menuhin school in London aged 10.

The younger Benedetti shot to fame winning the BBC Young Musician of the Year title in 2004 then landed a million-pound record deal.

As well as touring the globe as a performer, she is also director of the Edinburgh International Festival and became a mother last year for the first time.

She won a Grammy award for best classical solo in 2020.

But Benedetti admits shes already steeling herself for her daughter not liking her music.

She said: Ive thought quite a lot in the last few months, about will it be tough on me if she really hates classical music, which is entirely possible.

But I think what I really hope for is a fundamental openness and curiosity towards others, and that can be expressed through so many different modes of creativity that humanity has come up with.
Congress has proposed a budget bill that addresses pressing issues regarding Pentagon cuts, veteran affairs and immigration as the threat of a government shutdown looms over the Trump administration.

At the start of each fiscal year, Congress is tasked with distributing funds among the federal government's 438 agencies before October 1 - deadline that is often extended.

The current extension expires on March 14, and if a detailed spending plan is not passed, government funding will come to a halt.

Hundreds of thousands of federal workers would be furloughed and federal agencies would have to 'discontinue all non-essential discretionary functions,' according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.

But essential services, such as border protection air traffic control and power grid maintenance would continue along with Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid payments.

Republican lawmakers have comprised the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act to extend current funding levels, which is called a continuing resolution (CR), until the end of the fiscal year on September 30.

The 99-page legislation was 'closely coordinated' with President Donald Trump, although House Republican aides said he has not reviewed the entire document on Saturday.

Republicans believe they could pass this bill on their own given their slight House majority over Democrats. But some left-wing support with be needed to meet Senate's 60-vote requirement.

The act outlines additional funding to support some of Trump's strongest issues - including national defense, veteran healthcare and immigration crackdowns.

Donald Trump's proposed budget will help rectify three pressing issues that his administration has tried to prioritize

Part of the CR involves increasing funding to agencies including ICE to carry out more deportations

Defense spending in wake of Pentagon cuts

In an attempt to ease concerns surrounding extreme Pentagon budget cuts, the CR allocated $8 billion more in defense dollars, while non-defense spending was lowered by $13 billion.

Total defense funding under this bill would be $892.5 billion and $708 billion would go toward non-defense discretionary spending.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently rolled out a plot to slash the Pentagon's budget by eight percent each year over the next five years, amounting to a whopping $50 billion cut.

The cuts are styled after the actions of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has been reviewing a slew of federal government spending under the leadership of Elon Musk.

The target will be to scale back military programs created under Biden's administration that focused on climate change and energy policies among other 'woke' programs, Pentagon spokesman Robert Salesses said in a statement.

'The offsets are targeted at 8 percent of the Biden Administration's FY26 budget, totaling around $50 billion, which will then be spent on programs aligned with President Trump's priorities,' Salesses concluded.

'The time for preparation is over,' Hegseth wrote in his memo to the Defense Department. 'We must act urgently to revive the warrior ethos, rebuild our military, and reestablish deterrence.'

In an attempt to ease concerns surrounding extreme Pentagon budget cuts , the CR allocated $8 billion more in defense dollars, while non-defense spending was lowered by $13 billion

Fears among veterans have been on the rise after DOGE cuts slammed the community, costing more than 2,400 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employees their jobs and forced the cancellation of about 900 VA contracts

Veterans' healthcare

Fears among veterans have been on the rise after DOGE cuts slammed the community, costing more than 2,400 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employees their jobs and forced the cancellation of about 900 VA contracts.

These 'dangerous and indiscriminate mass firings' limit veteran's access to care and health benefits, the US Senate Committee on Appropriations argued.

In order to try to rectify these circumstances, Congress' proposed legislation allocates $6 billion to US veteran healthcare.

According to the VA, the federal government currently allocates about $128 billion toward veterans' healthcare.

In a joint letter released on Friday, House Democrats claimed GOP members are slyly trying to cut Medicaid and Medicare benefits, and therefore actually negatively impacting the veteran community.

The statement reads: 'Republicans have decided to introduce a partisan continuing resolution that threatens to cut funding for healthcare, nutritional assistance and veterans benefits through the end of the current fiscal year.

'House Democrats would enthusiastically support a bill that protects Social Security, Medicare, veterans health and Medicaid, but Republicans have chosen to put them on the chopping block to pay for billionaire tax cuts. '

In light of the VA budget cuts and layoffs, people including Senator Patty Murray have expressed their outrage toward Trump's administration.

She shared in a statement: 'Donald Trump and Elon Musk are utterly betraying our veteransindiscriminately firing men and women who have served our nation in uniform and endangering the care and benefits they deserve and have earned.

'Now, Trump and Musk are also paralyzing countless operations at VA hospitals across the country by essentially freezing their purchase cardspreventing them from buying more supplies for hospitals, operating shuttles for patients, covering lodging for veterans, and much more.

'This is a totally senseless and reckless move that is creating more chaos for VA providers and their patients.'

According to the bill, $9,986,542,000 is devoted to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Operations and Support

ICE funding allocations

The White House has demanded additional spending in areas that have not been previously explicitly funded, known as 'anomalies.'

One anomaly that Trump is is particularly keen on is securing additional money for ICE.

The goal of this funding is to address 'an operations shortfall that goes back to the Biden administration,' aides said.

A source familiar with the situation told Fox News: 'That money, most of that, has already been obligated prior to the start of this administration. So that request reflects an existing hole.'

According to the bill, $9,986,542,000 is devoted to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Operations and Support.

Department of Homeland Security Sec. Kristi Noem has announced that in conjunction with Border Czar Tom Homan, immigration officials have already apprehended over 20,000 at large illegal aliens since Trump was sworn in.

'That's a 627 percent increase in monthly arrests compared to just 33,000 at large arrests under Biden for ALL of last year,' she wrote in a post on X.

In another post on the platform she bragged that DHS has slashed border encounters from 15,000 a day under Joe Biden to just 200 under Trump.

It's a '15-year low,' she wrote.

More than 50,000 illegal immigrants removed so far, a Department of Homeland Security official revealed to DailyMail.com.
The Royal Academy has announced that 94 of its employees are at risk of redundancy  a figure that equates to nearly a third of its workforce.

The prestigious art institution in central London is getting rid of staff in a bid to secure its future amid plummeting visitor numbers and a lack of revenue.

The RA confirmed up to 60 people are expected to lose their jobs - almost 20 per cent of current employees - by the time the redundancy period is complete.

According to documents seen exclusively by MailOnline, attendance figures have dropped by 40 per cent from 1 million visitors before covid to 600,000 visitors post pandemic.

The documents also reveal that one fifth of older people that culturally engaged pre covid failed to return post covid. The age range of 'older people' is not defined.

Staff were outraged at the announcement which comes after a redundancy round at the height of the pandemic.

A source said: 'People are angry because they said four years ago this wouldn't happen again because those redundancies were just to survive covid.

'People just aren't coming to visit the RA anymore.'

In September 2020, the RA consulted on making 150 people redundant to cope with the dramatic loss of visitors during lockdown.

The Mail understands that senior management planned to make cuts months ago and only shared the full extent of their redundancy plan with staff in January.

The Royal Academy has announced that 94 of its employees are at risk of redundancy

According to documents seen exclusively by MailOnline, attendance figures have dropped by 40 per cent from 1 million visitors before covid to 600,000 visitors post pandemic (stock image)

A source said that people 'aren't coming to the RA' following covid lockdowns

'It was kept very secret for a very long time,' the source said.

The RA has struggled to stay out of the red since 2018, when it had made a loss of 2.74m and a loss of 2m the following year.

The gallery was saved by cash injections amounting to almost 5m over three consecutive years after 2020 as part of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

'The RA has been losing money consecutively for three years at least, maybe five, as a result of many things  covid, rising costs, and exhibitions that are falling flat', the source said.

'Apart from Marina Abramovic, no exhibitions have made much money'.

To solve the crisis, a 'Steering Committee' made up of artists, Royal Academicians and entrepreneurs has been set up to propose a plan

'They're deciding if they're going to start making more money through the Summer Exhibition, selling art, whether they're going to push memberships more,' the source added.

'The RA may even take a bigger percentage of artists sales to boost revenue  and definitely the Creative Direction behind exhibitions is all going to change.'

The committee includes Royal Academicians Peter St John and Anne Desmet as well as Sally Tennant, Vice Chair of the Royal Academy Trust and Alistair Summers, a member of the Royal Academy Council. The committee is supported by Natasha Mitchell, Interim Secretary and Chief Executive..

The Mail understands the new strategy  including cuts  is to increase revenue everywhere, especially art sales, memberships and exhibition attendance.

A spokesperson for the Royal Academy said: 'Financial challenges are affecting every organisation across the cultural sector at the moment.

'This is particularly true for the Royal Academy which is an independent organisation that does not receive any public funding.

'Increasing costs and changing visitor behaviours have put pressure on the RA's financial position and cost savings are required to sustain its position in the future.

'All levels of the organisation will be affected with different impacts on different departments. No decisions have been taken, and this is subject to consultation'.
The Air Force has unveiled the first ever fully unmanned fighter jets in a showcase of the next generation of the American military.

The YFQ-42A and YFQ-44A, also dubbed the 'loyal wingmen,' were revealed at the Air Force Association Warfare Symposium, where military leaders hailed the technology as a new era in military aviation.

'We have a fighter designation in the YFQ-42 Alpha and the YFQ-44 Alpha - maybe just symbolic, but its telling the world that we are leaning into a new chapter of aerial warfare,' Air Force Chief of Staff General David W. Allvin said, according to Air and Space Forces Magazine.

'If were in this dangerous and dynamic time, I want to give the president as many options as we possibly can,' he said during his keynote speech at the symposium.'

When deployed, the unmanned combat fighter jets would work alongside manned aircrafts, such as the F-35 and F-22s.

However, both would be able to carry out solo missions, in addition to small groups, according to Business Insider.

The aircrafts were developed in partnership with General Atomics for the 42A and Anduril Industries for the 44A.

Anduril's 'The Fury' has a single turbofan engine and can reach up to 650mph and go up to 50,000 feet, according to Business Insider. Its control systems will also integrate AI to help command and control of the aircraft.

The YFQ-42A and YFQ-44A, also dubbed the 'loyal wingmen,' were revealed at the Air Force Association Warfare Symposium, where military leaders hailed the technology as a new era in military aviation

Anduril's 'The Fury' has a single turbofan engine and can reach up to 650mph and go up to 50,000 feet, according to Business Insider. It's control systems will also integrate AI to help command and control of the aircraft

'We have a fighter designation in the YFQ-42 Alpha and the YFQ-44 Alpha - maybe just symbolic, but its telling the world that we are leaning into a new chapter of aerial warfare,' Air Force Chief of Staff General David W. Allvin said

General Atomics' fighter jet system is based on its existing XQ-67A that can adapt to each mission.

The Y in the name stands for prototype, the F stands for fighter, and the Q means un-crewed. The Y will eventually be dropped once it goes into production.

'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,' a senior VP for engineer, Jason Levin, told the magazine.

General Atomics said the aircraft will help soldiers 'defeat enemy threats in contested environments' and it is designed to 'integrate seamlessly' with the current fleet and future ones.

The prototypes are apart of the Air Force's Next-Generation Air Dominance program, which is focusing on a hybrid crewed-autonomous fleet.

The program, plagued by development delays and high costs, is funded through the Pentagon's budget, according to Business Insider.

Over the years, the Air Force's fleet has dwindled as it is expensive to produce and develop new planes. It is now down to 5,500 planes, according to the outlet.

The new prototypes would be cheaper to build and maintain than the current fleet.

The aircrafts were developed in partnership with General Atomics for the 42A and Anduril Industries for the 44A

General Atomics' fighter jet system is based on its existing XQ-67A that can adapt to each mission. General Atomics said the aircraft will help soldiers 'defeat enemy threats in contested environments' and it is designed to 'integrate seamlessly' with the current and future fleets

Former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said the new aircrafts would cost one-third of the one built for a soldier to operate, according to Business Insider.

An unmanned plane would cost $1,200 per pound, whereas a crewed aircraft cost up to $6,000 per pound.

It would also help protect soldiers as it would need less men in the air.

The Air Force has requested $557.1 million to build 1,000 of the new fighters to pair two with each of its 500 advanced fighters, according to Business Insider.
The ongoing case of A&E nurse Sandie Peggie v NHS Fife, in which she was required to share changing facilities with a biologically male doctor  then suspended after 30 years service when she objected to doing so - has captured world attention.

Yet there is one unique subset of the UK who cannot seem to get their heads around it; the politicians in charge.

Attempts to debate the topic in the Scottish Parliament have so far been derailed and no-one in government has publicly admitted there is a problem  despite employers clear legal duties to provide separate changing rooms for women and men.

In a further fall-out from the Peggie case, we have learned this week that NHS Scotland is developing new guidance mandating that transgender health staff must be allowed to use their preferred showers, changing rooms and toilets, unless there is a particular case-by-case reason.

Another week, another wave of gender wildfires have been lit across the country - and the UK as a whole.

In the last few days, it also emerged that the UK National Police Chiefs Council may propose guidance proposing that police forces should allow biologically male officers to strip search women and girls if they have a gender recognition certificate (GRC).

If any woman has the temerity to object to having her nudity exposed before a trans-identifying officer of the opposite sex, she should be slapped down with positive action taken for using prejudicial language.

Trust in the police remains at rock bottom, especially amongst women, in the wake of the Sarah Everard and John Worboys (London taxi rapist) cases, not to mention the child sex grooming gangs that were permitted to spread nationwide.

Dr Claire Methven O'Brien

Having seemingly learned nothing from such scandals, and despite millions spent on inquiries investigating their causes, the countrys top cops are now advancing a policy that any ordinary person can see subjects female detainees to a degrading experience in a closed, coercive environment.

If it were to happen by accident, it would be bad enough. As a deliberate policy choice, it is an unforgiveable abuse of womens privacy and dignity.

Turning to education, the Scottish Government has announced moves that may dismantle requirements for single-sex toilets in schools entirely.

Currently - for obvious, rock-solid child safe-guarding reasons - the law requires that all school toilets should be single-sex.

Yet, egged on by Scottish Government guidance, more and more schools are ignoring this obligation: a 2024 survey found that only 1 in 20 Scottish schools have enough single-sex toilets, while the same number have no single sex toilets at all. Instead of taking basic precautionary measures to protect childrens bodily privacy and shield them from the risk of physical and sexual abuse, the Government guidance said, schools should prioritise the feelings of trans-identifying pupils and remove single sex facilities.

The result? In the place they go to learn, and while entrusted by their parents to the states care, girls are being subjected to voyeurism, upskirting and who knows what other kinds of bullying and cyber-abuse.

Alternatively, they are using supermarket toilets at lunch, not drinking, or just holding it in  with all the attendant health problems you would expect. Illustrating the problem, in Dundee, a male pupil has been charged by police after a mobile phone concealed in a unisex toilet facility was found to hold hundreds of video recordings of his female fellow students.

The list goes on. And on.

And while different in some ways, these cases have some things in common: ideological capture, institutional denial, flagrant disregard of basic duties to women  and extraordinary arrogance.

It is this toxic combination that explains the stream of legal gibberish and disconcerting non-answers that continue to pour forth from government representatives when challenged to defend their manifestly incoherent positions.

Lets take First Minister John Swinney.

Whenever asked directly, he claims to support single-sex spaces for women.

Yet anyone in the legal know can see that every statement the First Minister makes has been assiduously worded to be fully consistent with the admission to such spaces of biological males, so long as they say they are trans-identified.

Turning to Sir Keir Starmer, as a KC and former DPP, he is a legal expert.

Indeed, hes written whole books on human rights.

Yet when asked about the Peggie case, he brushes reporters off with blandishments about not being across the detail, and the banal platitude that the government should follow the law.

In 2023, Nicola Sturgeons dissonant, absurd answers when questioned about double-rapist Isla Bryson torched the last shreds of her premierships credibility. Swinney and Starmer likewise seem content to risk burning theirs on the gender ideology altar.

But the problems do not stop at the top of the political ladder.

Drill-down, and what you will find is that a surreptitious denial of womens basic human rights is now a feature, not a bug, that pervades all layers and instruments of public bureaucracy.

For instance, legislation now mandates that equality impact assessments (EIAs) are done before new policies and practices can be adopted, for example, by Police Scotland, Scottish Prison Service and government departments.

But if such EIAs are performed (they are not always), they typically exaggerate the legal rights of transgender individuals, while turning a blind eye to non-negotiable protections that are truly owed to women and girls.

We cannot go on like this. Scottish Ministers and the Prime Minister continue to tell us that the law is crystal clear. In reality, its as clear as mud. Otherwise, why have so many women and men been forced out of their chosen careers or had to engage in court challenges that, even where successful leave their lives and livelihoods destroyed? The costs to taxpayers in legal fees and lost productivity are immeasurable.

The needed solutions are firstly, to reform the UK Equality Act to say sex means biological sex  as Reem Alsalem, the UNs courageous expert on violence against women has already highlighted.

Secondly, the Gender Recognition Act must be tackled. The unintended, unacceptable and dangerous consequences of changes to gender identity that we see today in healthcare, education and criminal justice settings were never put before the Strasbourg court (whose decision it followed) or properly before the UK Parliament.

And it is in Parliament where these problems must be solved. The Supreme Court is reviewing some relevant points in the pending case of For Women Scotland v Scottish Ministers. However, the Acts scheme, around transgender issues, is now too complex to support their effective management and judges cannot legislate to fix this, nor should they.

Without Parliaments action, the sad reality is that we will all be stuck in a never-ending doom-loop of Equality Act whack-a-mole that corrodes trust in the state, and threatens women and childrens safety  as well as national credibility. In a stiffening global security and trade environment, how can the UK command the respect of allies  or fear of enemies - when we are unable to resolve such basic matters of social housekeeping?

All of us must step up, the First Minister said this week, to fight the rise of the radical right and defend the Scottish civic values of decency and democracy. There needs to be a reaction, he said, from mainstream Scotland.

Well, mainstream people are reacting: they are calling for Holyrood and Westminster to course-correct, decisively, to end the self-inflicted sex and gender saga. If our governments decline to act now, they risk being just the latest remembered for fiddling while Rome burns.

 Dr Claire Methven OBrien is a member of the Scottish Human Rights Commission and has written this article in a personal capacity.
Elon Musk's DOGE has been granted access to a sensitive child support database by the Department of Health and Human Services.

The landmark move was approved by the HHS, now headed by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., despite protests from career employees within the department, according to the Washington Post.

The huge government database contains swaths of personal income data from Americans across the country, and it was initially created with the intention of enforcing child support payments.

An HHS official told the Post that DOGE agents requested 'read only' access to the database, and were required to take 'necessary trainings' before they were allowed into it.

The official said the Administration for Children and Families, which oversaw the database, 'supports DOGEs efforts to improve efficiency and data quality to reduce waste, fraud, and abuse in federal programs.'

'ACF will continue to assist DOGE in efforts to strengthen the programs it runs,' the anonymous official said.

Insiders reportedly saw DOGE's access of the child support database as part of its efforts to crackdown on wasteful federal payments to Americans, with their attempts to access IRS data previously halted by federal law.

The child support database may offer similar information on tax records and federal benefits that could highlight duplicate or fraudulent payments that may have been previously missed by the separation of huge federal agencies.

The Department of Health and Human Services, now headed by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., granted DOGE access to a sensitive child support database this week

HHS's granting access to the database to Elon Musk's DOGE comes amid criticism of the controversial new agency and the billionaire's slash-and-burn approach to cutting spending

According to HHS insiders who spoke with the Post, a career civil servant protested allowing DOGE agents into the child support database, but that person has since left the department.

Civil servants in multiple agencies have objected to DOGE's efforts to obtain sensitive government data since Donald Trump re-took the White House, amid fears the new department could overstep important safety guardrails.

DOGE was reportedly especially interested in accessing a component of the child support database known as the National Directory of New Hires, which shows hiring data nationwide.

The controversial new government agency has sparked backlash for its 'chainsaw approach' to cutting government spending, with critics claiming legitimate, needed government programs have been slashed alongside waste.

After being rebuffed by the IRS as some opponents argue DOGE may recklessly access sensitive data, the department claims accessing such databases is necessary to root out issues deep within the federal government.

As DOGE's access to the child support database was reported on Friday, Democrats urged the department to fully explain the move and reveal how many Americans 'have had their confidential information received or accessed.'

'It is essentially an end-run around the confidential taxpayer information protected by the IRS,' Congressman Richard Neal told the Post.

Neal, the top Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee, wrote a letter to RFK Jr. and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urging the White House to lead with transparency.

'No one, including DOGE, should be rummaging around in the confidential information of private citizens at any agency where the protected information resides,' Neal added.

It appeared this week that Trump heard criticisms of Musk's slash and burn approach as he told his cabinet leaders they are in charge of their departments' staff, not Musk

The widespread cuts pushed by Elon Musk's DOGE have sparked protests in recent weeks

The widespread cuts pushed by Musk's DOGE have sparked protests in recent weeks, as opponents lament the mass firings across the federal government and slashing of support.

It appeared this week that Trump heard criticisms of Musk's slash-and-burn approach as he told his cabinet leaders that they alone are in charge of hiring and firing employees within their departments, not Musk.

'DOGE has been an incredible success, and now that we have my Cabinet in place, I have instructed the Secretaries and Leadership to work with DOGE on Cost Cutting measures and Staffing,' Trump wrote in a post to Truth Social.

The president abruptly assembled his Cabinet on Thursday amid rising scrutiny over how much power Musk wields over the U.S. government.

It appears Trump told his top leaders that they need to be more selective if they continue to conduct clear-outs of their workforce.

He said that instead of taking a 'hatchet' approach, secretaries should instead use a 'scalpel' for 'surgical' precision over who they dismiss.

In one of RFK Jr.'s early moves as HHS Secretary, he granted Musk's DOGE access to sensitive child support payment data

The news from HHS comes just days after the agency controversially announced that the CDC will study the potential link between vaccines and autism.

Two sources told Reuters the agency is planning a large study into the long disproven connection.

However, it is unclear whether newly appointed health secretary RFK Jr., who has long been skeptical of vaccines, is involved in the planned study or how it would be carried out.

The bombshell move comes amid one of the largest measles outbreaks in US history, with more than 150 cases across the country and two deaths in Texas and New Mexico.

Experts believe the outbreak has been fueled by declining vaccination rates in parts of the US.

Kennedy, whose role includes authority over the CDC, has long sowed doubt over the safety of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, along with Covid shots made by Pfizer and Moderna.

However, he did make a U-turn move earlier this week when he urged people to get the shot to prevent measles.
More than 1,000 Syrians have been killed in just two days in brutal revenge killings as the conflict-riddled nation is gripped by bloody clashes between its new rulers and loyalists of ousted President Bashar Assad.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said in addition to 745 civilians, mostly killed in massacres, 125 government security force members and 148 militants with armed groups affiliated with Assad were killed.

It added that electricity and drinking water were cut off in large areas around the city of Latakia.

The violent clashes, which erupted Thursday, are some of the deadliest since Syria's conflict began 14 years ago, and marked a major escalation in the challenge to the new government in Damascus, three months after insurgents took authority after removing Assad from power.

Witnesses revealed how women were reportedly told to 'walk naked' before being shot dead amid horrifying scenes in Syria.

The government has said that they were responding to attacks from remnants of Assad's forces and blamed 'individual actions' for the rampant violence.

The revenge killings that were started by Sunni Muslim gunmen loyal to the government against members of Assad's minority Alawite sect are a major blow to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the faction that led the overthrow of the former government.

Alawites made up a large part of Assad's support base for decades.

Residents of Baniyas, one of the towns worst hit by the violence, said bodies were strewn on the streets or left unburied in homes and on the roofs of buildings, and nobody was able to collect them.

One witness said that the gunmen prevented residents for hours from removing the bodies of five of their neighbors killed Friday at close range.

'They forcibly brought people down to the streets, then they lined them up and started shooting them,' a resident of Baniyasin told Sky News.

Soldiers are seen in a vehicle with damaged windows as authorities extended the curfew in the cities of Latakia and Tartus in northwest Syria on Friday and launched large-scale security sweeps in urban centers, villages, and surrounding mountains to track down remnants of the deposed Bashar al-Assad regime on March 07, 2025 in Latakia, Syria

The clashes are some of the deadliest since Syria's conflict began 14 years ago

Smoke rises as search and sweep operations are being expanded to track down remnants of the deposed Bashar al-Assad regime after recent security tensions in the coastal region, where ousted regime elements attacked security patrols and checkpoints, resulting in casualties

'They left nobody. They left nobody at all. The scene that I saw was pure horror; it's just indescribable,' he said.

The man also described how women were forced to 'walk naked' before being gunned down.

Ali Sheha, a 57-year-old resident of Baniyas who fled with his family and neighbors hours after the violence broke out Friday, said that at least 20 of his neighbors and colleagues in one neighborhood of Baniyas where Alawites lived, were killed, some of them in their shops, or in their homes.

Sheha called the attacks 'revenge killings' of the Alawite minority for the crimes committed by Assad's government.

Other residents said the gunmen included foreign fighters, and militants from neighboring villages and towns.

'It was very very bad. Bodies were on the streets,' as he was fleeing, Sheha said, speaking by phone from nearly 20 kilometers (12 miles) away from the city.

He said the gunmen were gathering less than 100 meters from his apartment building, firing randomly at homes and residents and in at least one incident he knows of, asked residents for their IDs to check their religion and their sect before killing them.

The Observatory's chief Rami Abdurrahman said revenge killings stopped early on Saturday.

'This was one of the biggest massacres during the Syrian conflict,' he said about the killings of Alawite civilians.

The previous figure given by the group was more than 200 dead. No official figures have been released.

Horrific footage shows the violent clashes, with one video showing street fighters exchanging gunfire.

The leaders of Syria's three main Christian churches issued a joint statement Saturday condemning 'massacres targeting innocent civilians', following reports of mass killings of Alawite civilians by the security forces.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also said '532 Alawite civilians were killed in the coastal regions of Syria and the Latakia mountains by security forces and allied groups'.

More than 600 Syrians have died in the bloody clashes that erupted on Thursday

The latest string of violence in Syria also marks a major escalation in the challenge to the new government in Damascus

It comes three months after insurgents took authority after removing Assad from power

Britain-based war monitor, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said '532 Alawite civilians were killed in the coastal regions of Syria and the Latakia mountains

'In recent days, Syria has witnessed a dangerous escalation of violence, brutality, and killings, resulting in attacks on innocent civilians, including women and children,' the joint statement said.

It was signed by the patriarchs of the Greek Orthodox, Syriac Orthodox and Melkite Greek Catholic Churches.

The reported killings on the Mediterranean coast - the heartland of the Alawite religious minority - was gripped by fighting between the country's new security forces and gunmen loyal to toppled president Bashar al-Assad.

Though the majority of Syria's Christians fled during the civil war that erupted in 2011, the city of Latakia, which has been hard hit by the latest violence, is home to a small Christian community.

'The Christian churches, while strongly condemning any act that threatens civil peace, denounce and condemn the massacres targeting innocent civilians, and call for an immediate end to these horrific acts, which stand in stark opposition to all human and moral values,' the statement said.

'The churches also call for the swift creation of conditions conducive to achieving national reconciliation among the Syrian people.'

They urged a 'transition to a state that... lays the foundation for a society based on equal citizenship and genuine partnership, free from the logic of vengeance and exclusion'.

The spiritual leader of Syria's Druze minority, Sheikh Hikmat al-Hajri, also called for an end to the violence.

The new authorities have repeatedly promised an inclusive transition that protects the rights of religious minorities

Relatives and neighbours attend the funeral procession for four Syrian security force members killed in clashes with loyalists of ousted President Bashar Assad in coastal Syria

'The flames that burn under sectarian slogans will burn all of Syria and its people,' he said in a statement.

Assad, himself an Alawite who sought to present himself as a protector of Syria's minorities, was ousted on December 8 in a lightning offensive led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.

The group's leader Ahmed al-Sharaa has since been appointed Syria's interim president.

The new authorities have repeatedly promised an inclusive transition that protects the rights of religious minorities.

The Alawite heartland has nonetheless been gripped by fear of reprisals for the Assad family's brutal rule.

On Saturday morning, the bodies of 31 people killed in revenge attacks the day before in the central village of Tuwaym were laid to rest in a mass grave, residents said. They included nine children and four women, the residents said.

Lebanese legislator Haidar Nasser, who holds one of the two seats allocated to the Alawite sect in parliament, said people were fleeing to Lebanon. He did not have exact numbers.

Mr Nasser said many people were sheltering at the Russian air base in Hmeimim, adding that the international community should protect Alawites who are Syrian citizens loyal to their country. He said that since Assad's fall, many Alawites had been fired from their jobs and some former soldiers who reconciled with the new authorities were killed.

Under Assad, Alawites held top posts in the army and security agencies. The new government has blamed his loyalists for attacks against the country's new security forces over recent weeks.

The most recent clashes started when government forces tried to detain a wanted person near the coastal city of Jableh, and were ambushed by Assad loyalists, according to the Observatory.
Criminals released early from prison under Labour went unmonitored for up to nearly eight weeks before being fitted with an electronic tag.

Prisoners ordinarily have the ankle-worn devices fitted within a few hours of being freed so authorities can ensure offenders comply with strict conditions such as curfews, alcohol intake and avoiding certain locations.

But it took up to 53 days to tag every criminal under its controversial early release scheme in September.

Experts said the 'chaotic, shambolic' tagging system 'is very obviously failing to protect the public'.

David Shipley, a convicted fraudster who writes, speaks and researches on prison and justice issues, said: 'To have a gap of 53 days is appalling  even two weeks is crazy.

'It is an extraordinary amount of time not being supervised. It just makes a mockery of the system and is very obviously failing to protect the public.'

He added: 'Well-behaved people were phoning up to say, 'I've not been tagged' and they were told they were prioritising the high-risk people.

'It would be very unrealistic to assume every single person on a tag would have stayed at home and complied  if that was the case then the system would be done on trust which, of course, it isn't.'

Daniel Dowling-Brooks celebrates after being released outside HM Prison Swaleside on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent

Convicts leaving HM Prison Brixton in London after being released early in an attempt to ease prison overcrowding

People seen outside HM Prison Liverpool after hundreds of inmates were let out early in an attempt to ease overcrowding in prisons

Nearly 1,900 prisoners were released in England and Wales in September last year, including those convicted of violent offences, after serving just 40 per cent of their sentences.

A further 1,200 offenders were released the following month as part of Labour plans to ease prison overcrowding, despite concerns from victims' groups.

Freed prisoners were seen cheering and celebrating in the streets, with some saying they would now vote Labour as a 'thank you'.

The Government admitted to the extent of the tagging delay in a written parliamentary question. It had previously said the performance of security contractor Serco in fitting the tags was 'below acceptable levels'.

They said the service 'improved' for the second tranche of early-release prisoners in October, with all tags completed within 13 days.

A Serco spokesman refused to explain what caused the delays or give an update on the current length of time between a prisoner's release and being tagged.
A mother-of-two who had her eyes gouged out by a sadistic ex-partner is living in constant fear after learning he will soon be back on the streets.

Tina Nash, 44, was permanently blinded during a horrifying 12-hour domestic attack by sick thug Shane Jenkin in 2011.

Jenkin, 46, was moved to an open prison two weeks ago - meaning he will be allowed to walk the streets unsupervised and look for work and education and to visit family as early as this summer.

Tina, from Penzance, Cornwall, told MailOnline: 'I'm terrified. He could be stood right behind me in a shop and I wouldn't have a clue because he blinded me.

'I know he wishes he'd killed me that night because then there would have been no witnesses and I couldn't speak out. I still live in Penzance, I'm a sitting duck.

'I feel very scared for my safety, the parole board has said he is vengeful and I've heard from people on his landing that he couldn't stop talking about me.

'I've been warned the first thing he's going to do is come straight for me.'

Horror film-obsessed Jenkin carried out his monstrous attack in April 2011. The night before he had watched an eye-gouging scene in the zombie movie 28 Weeks Later.

Tina Nash, 44, was permanently blinded during a horrifying 12-hour domestic attack by sick thug Shane Jenkin in 2011

Jenkin, 46, was moved to an open prison two weeks ago - meaning he will be allowed to walk the streets unsupervised and look for work and education and to visit family as early as this summer

Tina recalled how she felt her face to discover her eye hanging out of the socket and 'thought she was dead'.

Truro Crown Court heard it was one of the worst cases of domestic abuse the UK has ever seen. He was sentenced to life with a minimum of six years in 2012 and has since made seven failed bids for parole.

But with Jenkins now in an Category D open prison, Tina has bravely spoken out in order to prevent others going through similar abuse and has shared an up to date photo to warn women he meets of his violent past.

She said: 'People who knew him tell me he's twice the size he was when he went in, he looks like a meathead.

'He was big before but he just looks dangerous. I don't believe he will ever be safe in public - he has a violent past long before what he did to me.

'They told me that the decision to transfer him to an open prison was ratified by the secretary of state in December.

'I wasn't even told that I could lodge an appeal until after the 21 day window to do so had closed.

'I'm the one serving a life sentence, not him - I'll never see my children's faces again, and he's being given his freedom back.

'It's two-tier justice all over again - this government bends over backwards to give abusers another chance, and treats their victims like an afterthought.'

Tina says she feels badly let down by the justice system after being assured it would be 'many, many years before he was released'.

She rarely dares to venture out of the house after previously being extremely sociable and at one point didn't leave her bedroom for six months.

After learning that she was powerless to stop his transfer to an open prison, she launched a GoFundMe page to help pay for security upgrades to her house for when he is released.

Tina recalled how she felt her face to discover her eye hanging out of the socket and 'thought she was dead'

Tina says she feels badly let down by the justice system after being assured it would be 'many, many years before he was released'

She said: 'I cannot depend on the authorities to help, so I'm having to do it myself. The donations will go towards keeping me safe, my legal case and buying things I desperately need.

'If Jenkin is released my property must be urgently target hardened, I need cameras and a security consultant to help me.'

Tina has also set up a petition against his release which has already been signed by more than 11,000 people.

But instead of applauding her efforts to raise awareness, Tina claims probation chiefs 'told her off' for speaking out about her case with one asking her 'don't you feel sorry for him, putting this on his head?'

She said: 'When they said that to me I felt confused - I have every right to speak out and I don't want this to be brushed under the carpet. I don't want this to happen to anybody else.'

The Probation Service is currently investigating Tina's complaint about the comment and the staff member involved is understood to deny using those words. Tina has since decided to sever contact with the Probation Service.

Inmates in Category D prisons are considered 'low risk' and often have their own keys and are allowed to spend their days away from the prison as well as taking part in educational, vocational and work programmes.

As recently as two years ago Jenkin was held at a maximum security prison and has previously spent time in a psychiatric unit.

He subjected his ex-lover to a 12-hour attack in which he broke her jaw, throttled her until she was unconscious and blinded her by gouging out her eyes.

Truro Crown Court heard in May 2012 that Jenkin attacked Miss Nash while she slept at her home. Her two sons Liam and Ben were in the property

Ignoring her desperate pleas to call an ambulance, Jenkin kept her imprisoned for 12 hours and throttled her into unconsciousness before blinding her.

She had several operations over four weeks of hospital treatment but surgeons could not save her eyes.

Miss Nash, then 32, told the court of her heartache at knowing she will never again see her two sons.

Losing her sight felt like being buried alive, she said.

Describing the assault, Judge Christopher Clarke said that Jenkin 'repeatedly held her tightly around the neck and, as he continued to strangle her, she lost consciousness and from time to time she hallucinated'.

Describing the assault, Judge Christopher Clarke said that Jenkin 'repeatedly held her tightly around the neck and, as he continued to strangle her, she lost consciousness and from time to time she hallucinated'

Jenkin had attacked Miss Nash before. Tina said she had thought she could change Jenkin's violent behaviour but warned other victims of domestic violence to get out 'before it is too late'.

Jenkin had also been repeatedly banned from his local pubs in Penzance for violence, and three months before he blinded Miss Nash he was reportedly charged with breaching bail following an assault charge.

The 18-stone brute was jailed for life in a secure mental health unit and ordered to serve at least six years before being considered for release.

He immediately appealed against his sentence but the Court of Appeal rejected it.

His lawyers argued that the life sentence should be quashed to allow him to go free when his doctors are convinced he had beaten his mental illness.

But the judges ruled that Jenkin was dangerous with or without a mental illness.

Laura Richards, former head of the Scotland Yard's Homicide Prevention Unit and criminal behavior analyst, told MailOnline she believes Jenkin is a psychopath who can never be safely released.

Laura - who helped keep child killer Colin Pitchfork behind bars - said: 'Based on everything I have assessed he has an extreme lack of empathy and no fear of the consequences. I believe Jenkin is most likely a psychopath.

'He has no moral code whatsoever and there is a real risk here. He has just said the right things to tick a box and move closer to release but if my assessment is correct he will never be safe to be released.

'If he is a psychopath the risk assessment is flawed and if he is released he will harm somebody else, I have no doubt about that.

'The Parole Board must take the safety of future victims into consideration.

'Tina has been failed spectacularly by the police, probation and everybody. She was told he would be in prison for life.

'Her case is precedential because she survived something most people wouldn't. Throughout the court case he always blamed her and she is now much more vulnerable because she is blind.'

Ms Richards, who analysed Tina's case in her podcast, has urged Brits to write to Labour Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood demanding she reverse Jenkin's downgrading until he's tested for psychopathy.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: 'This was a horrific crime and our thoughts remain with Ms Nash.

'Life-sentenced prisoners must pass a robust risk assessment before any move to open conditions and we do not hesitate to move them back to closed prisons if they break the rules.'
Defence Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has spoken about accident that injured military personnel on Saturday evening.

He said it happened at about 5.15pm and involved two 40-MIC trucks on the Tregeagle Road near Lismore in northern NSW.

There were 16 people on each truck, he said. Thirteen were injured in total - six of whom were seriously injured.

They had been doing route clearance work and were moving from one task to another when the incident happened, with both trucks rolled.

'The circumstances of the incident are still being investigated ... 13 were injured, some of them seriously,' Mr Marles said, adding that all are expected to recover.

They are being treated in local hospitals in Byron Bay, Tweed Valley and Lismore.

'The 32 came from the 2nd Combat Engineer Regiment, the 7th Service Support Battalion, all being part of 7Brigade based at Gallipoli Barracks in Enoggera in Brisbane,' Mr Marles said.

'The families of all personnel have been notified. We would like to take the opportunity to thank the NSW Police, the NSW Ambulance Service, the NSW State Emergency Service and the NSW Rural Fire Service - all of whom attended on the scene of the accident and performed exemplary duties in supporting those who had been injured.'

He said that all 32 personnel who were involved in the accident had been medically assessed.

'As the Prime Minister said, when the men and women of our Defence Force sign up to wear our nation's uniform, they choose a life of service, and they do so to make a difference.

'They are there to help our fellow Australians. That's what each of these 32 people were doing yesterday in support of those who were feeling the brunt of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred in northern New South Wales.

'They did so without question. They wanted to make a difference. This is why they had signed up. But they also knew that they were in a difficult circumstance where the weather was obviously making conditions treacherous and, in that sense, they were putting themselves voluntarily in danger,' he said.

Mr Marles added that 'We very much thank them for their service and our thoughts are very much with those who have been injured.
About 100 private schools will be forced to close because of Labour's hated tax raid on fees, a Minister has admitted.

It is the first public acknowledgment by a Minister that any school will shut because of the 20 per cent levy on independent school fees.

Government officials have previously insisted they were not braced for the collapse of private schools as a result of the policy and have been accused of underplaying the number of pupils who would be forced out of the sector.

Now Treasury Minister Torsten Bell has put a figure on the effect of the tax hike for the first time, revealing about 100 schools are expected to close over three years.

A dozen schools have already shut, or intend to close, since January, blaming the VAT hike.

The Independent Schools Council (ISC) welcomed Mr Bell's admission but said Ministers were still underestimating the impact of Labour policy on school closures.

The Independent Schools Bursars Association has forecast that 286 private schools could close, 11 per cent of Britain's 2,600 total.

VAT was added to private school fees at the start of the year and from next month the business rates exemption for independent schools will end, adding to the pressure on schools.

About 100 private schools will be forced to close because of Labour's hated tax raid on fees, a Minister has admitted (file photo)

Treasury minister Torsten Bell (pictured) said around 100 private schools were expected to close as a result of the Government's VAT levy on fees

In a debate on independent schools in Westminster Hall this week, Mr Bell suggested the Government anticipates a 60 per cent increase in the annual closure rate of schools.

He said: 'Evidence suggests that around 50 private schools close each year during normal business.

'Although we would expect some additional closures, we have not seen any evidence to revise our view that the overall number of extra closures will be modest, perhaps something in the order of 100 schools over three years.'

If 100 schools close, 40,000 pupils would be displaced and 11,000 jobs lost, ISC analysis suggests.

Its CEO Julie Robinson said: 'It is frustrating to discover the Government has been planning in private for what it rejected in public.

'The loss of any independent school has a huge impact: for local employment, businesses and, most importantly, families.

'This tax on education will not raise money, not benefit state schools and not improve outcomes for children.'

Labour says the money from the tax will pay for 6,500 more teachers and other improvements for state schools but its figures have been widely disputed.

Education Secretary and Women and Equalities Minister Bridget Phillipson talks to former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard during International Women's Day conversation on March 8, 2025

Amid reports at New Year that Whitehall was drawing up contingency plans for a surge in demand for state school places if private schools go bankrupt, a Government spokesman said the suggestions were 'completely misleading'.

A Whitehall source said of Mr Bell's admission: 'Many of these schools shut because they are poorly run or because parents have voted with their feet after ever-increasing price rises that were not accompanied by a higher quality service.'

Last night it emerged that Heathfield girls private school in Ascot, whose former pupils include actress Sienna Miller, will become part of Mill Hill Education Group to help ensure its survival.
This is the shocking moment an Argentinian swindler accused of drugging and stealing nearly 20,000 from a man she met on a dating app calmly left his flat with a cash-filled suitcase.

The 20-year-old woman, who has not been named, was arrested in Buenos Aires on Friday following an investigation by police.

She is said to have seduced a man she met on the dating app Tinder, before being invited to her date's apartment in the affluent Palermo neighbourhood.

Once inside, she allegedly drugged the man, stole his computer and $24,000 (18,500) in cash.

Videos captured by security cameras show her arriving at the man's apartment building and greeting him.

A separate clip shows the woman leaving the man's flat calmly with a packed black suitcase.

The man reported the incident to the police, telling investigators how he lost consciousness after the woman arrived at his home.

An Argentinian woman accused of drugging her Tinder date and leaving his flat with 20,000 in cash has been arrested by Buenos Aires police

Footage shows how the woman calmly left her victim's apartment building with a suitcase filled with stolen items and cash

Mugshots of the suspect and her father, who was also arrested after police found him to be in possession of a firearm

When he woke up, he discovered that his money and several personal belongings had been stolen, Argentinian news outlet Infobae reported.

Following an extensive investigation, Buenos Aires cops managed to identify the suspect and arrested her at her home in the Lomas de Zamora neighbourhood in southeast Buenos Aires.

Police carried out a search of the house, where they managed to recover the victim's stolen laptop and the clothes the suspect wore on the day she carried out the alleged crime.

Police also arrested the suspect's 71-year-old father after discovering a firearm.

Footage of the woman's arrest was released by Buenos Aires police.

The video shows officers breaking down a gate open to enter her home, while another clip shows cops searching the house.

In a separate video, the suspect is seen sitting on a sofa while she is interrogated by police.

In 2023, a Miami woman was arrested after she allegedly drugged her date before leaving with $600,000-worth of his jewelry.

The woman reportedly met her victim at a bar before they went back to his apartment in the early hours of the morning.

During a search of the suspect's home, police found the outfit she wore on the night of the alleged crime, as well as a stolen laptop

A gun and phone were also seized from the suspect's home

There, she allegedly drugged his drink and stole his items after he passed out.

When the man woke up, he found his safe open and his jewelry gone, while his date was nowhere to be seen.

Items she allegedly stole included a Rolex Daytona Rainbow with diamonds and a Sky-Dweller Rolex as well as a gold chain, Franco Gold bracelets, Cartier sunglasses and a rose gold diamond ring.

Surveillance footage from the apartment building showed the suspect in the elevator as she entered with the man, and again when she left on her own.
The British chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court repeatedly bombarded his alleged victim with calls urging her to deny the claims of sexual assault she had made against him, The Mail on Sunday understands.

Karim Khan KC, the controversial barrister bringing a war crimes case against Israel, is said to have spent more than five months pressuring and asking - sometimes multiple times in one day - his female colleague to retract serious allegations of sexual misconduct against him.

In one instance, which took place just three days before this newspaper revealed in October that he was facing the allegations, Mr Khan told the alleged victim the issue could be 'contained' to avoid a 'feeding frenzy' in the press, according to court sources.

He allegedly suggested that she write a letter disavowing her claims, which she did not do.

Instead, it is understood that later that day she left the Netherlands and since then has not returned, fearing continued pressure from both the prosecutor and internally at the court in The Hague.

Last night a well-placed source said: 'She couldn't take it anymore. She was so distressed and left in such a hurry that her car is still parked at the airport nearly five months later.'

They added that the female official has not seen her immediate family since that day in October.

Mr Khan, 54, announced he was seeking the arrests of Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant in May 2024, just two weeks after learning that the female lawyer at the International Criminal Court (ICC) had accused him of serious sexual misconduct.

Karim Khan KC (pictured) is said to have spent more than five months pressuring and asking his female colleague to retract allegations of sexual misconduct against him

Mr Khan, 54, announced he was seeking the arrests of Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (right) and former defence minister Yoav Gallant (left) in May 2024

An external investigation was launched six months later in November and is understood to be examining allegations that Mr Khan groped the woman in his office and 'sexually touched' her while on a work trip, which he has strenuously denied.

Mr Khan was advised in May that he should avoid one-to-one contact with his alleged victim but sources have said that within days of that warning he began asking her to row back on her allegations.

A different ICC source said: 'It was pretty relentless, I think [Mr Khan] wanted to brush it away.

'It was inappropriate on so many levels. He was told not to talk to her and yet he still did, but frankly you don't even need to be told not to talk to her, this is a person making a complaint against you.'

And on top of the requests made by Mr Khan, sources have said that one of his most senior advisers and closest allies, Mamadou Racine Ly, also made repeated attempts to persuade the alleged victim to email investigators and say she had no complaint to make.

Both officials are said to have done this during in-person meetings and over numerous phone calls, initially taking place two or three times a week before ramping up to nearly every day from July and then often multiple times a day from August until mid-October last year.

Mr Ly, who is now the prosecutor's Chief of Staff, is said to have quizzed the female staff member over what her 'responsive lines' would be if the press caught wind of the allegations, which he has denied.

Last month Mr Khan was banned from entering the United States by Donald Trump as part of an executive order sanctioning court officials.

Last month Mr Khan (pictured) was banned from entering the United States by Donald Trump as part of an executive order sanctioning court officials

It came days before the MoS revealed that Mr Khan was refusing to step aside from his role after direct pleas from three of his highest-ranking colleagues, including American lawyer Brenda Hollis, the leader of the ICC's Palestine investigation.

There are fears that the investigation into his alleged misconduct could be hindered if he stays in his post.

Speaking about the alleged victim, a source said: 'All of this has been devastating for her. She hasn't seen her family since she left The Hague in October, her life has been completely upended.

'All the while [Mr Khan] continues to walk around the Court like nothing happened and refuses to take a leave of absence which would ensure an impartial investigation.'

When the allegations were first reported in October, Mr Khan said: 'There is no truth to suggestions of such misconduct.

'I have worked in diverse contexts for 30 years and there has never been such a complaint lodged against me by anyone.'

Mr Khan has also denied asking the alleged victim to retract her allegations against him.

His lawyers have previously said: 'Our client denies the whole of the allegations and we are most concerned the exposure of a confidential and closed internal matter is designed to undermine his high-profile ongoing work at a delicate time.'
A bombshell statement given to police that supported Lucy Letby's claim to be innocent of murdering babies was not disclosed to her defence team, it was claimed yesterday.

The evidence from Dr Astha Soni, a paediatrician at the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital where Letby worked, disputed claims by prosecution experts that the poor health of one baby in the unit, Baby Y, was linked to insulin poisoning by Letby.

The nurse, now 35, was never accused of trying to harm him, but was convicted of the attempted murder of two other babies through insulin poisoning.

According to the UnHerd website, Dr Soni's statement said Baby Y's high insulin levels were due to a genetic condition which produces excess levels of the hormone.

This contradicted claims by Dewi Evans, the controversial retired paediatrician who played a central role in the prosecution, who told police that Baby Y had been given 'insulin from an external source'.

The statement by Dr Soni calls into question the prosecution's methodology and was never passed to Letby's defence by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

Mysteriously, Dr Soni's document briefly appeared on the website of Lady Justice Thirwall's public inquiry into the Letby case late on February 17 before vanishing soon afterwards.

The growing doubts about the safety of Letby's conviction are placing pressure on Lady Thirwall to pause her inquiry, which is based on the presumption Letby is guilty.

Image taken from body worn camera footage issued by Cheshire Constabulary of the arrest of Lucy Letby.

Consultant Paediatrician Dr Dewi Evans (pictured), the controversial retired paediatrician who played a central role in the prosecution

The Countess of Chester Hospital where convicted baby killer Lucy Letby worked

British-based neonatologists Svilena Dimitrova and Neil Aiton have compiled reports on three of the deaths that challenge evidence given at Letby's 2023 trial, while a separate panel of experts concluded last month there was 'no medical evidence to support malfeasance'.

The specialists believe the babies died from 'either natural causes or bad medical care'.

Lord [Ken] Macdonald KC, a former head of the CPS, told UnHerd that Dr Soni's statement appeared to meet the legal test for discloure to Letby's lawyers before the trial, which is that it was 'capable either of undermining the prosecution case or assisting the defence'.

UnHerd also reveals that neither of the juries in Letby's two trials were told a dangerous respiratory virus was ravaging the neo-natal ward just before one baby's death.

The CPS declined to comment, other than to stress that she had been found guilty.
As his dinghy is picked up in the Channel, Palestinian Abu Wadee makes a victory sign and declares: 'Thank God, we arrived in Britain.'

However Wadee is no innocent fleeing the horrors of Gaza, but a militant who has called for the slaughter of all Jews and posed menacingly with AK-47s, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

The migrant is a former key member of a group that has terrorised Israel. He has filmed himself chanting about killing Jews and has posted a string of pictures depicting running battles with the Israeli Defence Forces.

In one sickening video, posted on his Facebook page last September, he is filmed calling for Allah to 'punish [Jews] completely'.

'Allah, it is upon you to [deal with] the Jews and those loyal to them,' he said, according to a translation for this newspaper by research organisation Camera.

'Allah, kill them one by one, and don't leave a single one. Allah, destroy them completely, disperse them completely and make the earth fall from under their feet.'

The Home Office last night refused to say whether they were aware of Wadee's militant background or whether he was free to roam the streets. Kent Police said they were unaware of any arrests related to the case.

Senior politicians and security experts have reacted with horror at our revelations and demanded Wadee's immediate arrest.

As his dinghy is picked up in the Channel, Palestinian Abu Wadee makes a victory sign and declares: 'Thank God, we arrived in Britain'

The migrant has filmed himself chanting about killing Jews

Wadee's case heaps fresh pressure on Sir Keir Starmer to get a grip on the migrant crisis, after more than 1,600 people arrived by small boats last week alone.

Home Office officials have previously admitted they do not know the whereabouts of thousands of those who have illegally crossed the Channel.

Tory justice spokesman Robert Jenrick, the former immigration minister, said: 'Abu Wadee is clearly a threat to the British people.

'The police and security services are stretched as it is without dangerous men like this who appear to hold extremist sympathies to deal with. He needs to be deported immediately.'

Colonel Philip Ingram, a former Army intelligence officer, said: 'He is a significant terror threat to the UK and is someone who should be arrested immediately.

'I would hope that security services are all over him. If he is here, there are likely to be more. This is one of the most worrying reports I have seen in a long time.'

Wadee is believed to be in his mid-thirties and from the city of Khan Yunis in Gaza.

Although he fled the territory before the massacres Hamas carried out on October 7, 2023, he appears to have been a prominent member of the so-called 'Tyre-Burning Unit', a militant group of Palestinian extremists who before the outbreak of war regularly hurled fire-bombs and rocks at Israeli forces manning the border with Gaza.

Wadee's social media is replete with pictures of him posing with a Kalashnikov, an artillery shell and a menacing posse of masked men

Wadee is seen here posing with two assault rifles in front of a Palestine flag

Other clips shared by Al-Qassas of his journey to the UK show him sat outside a tent accompanied by other refugees

CAA claims to have identified Wadei as a member of a Hamas-endorsed unit involved in serious violence on the Gaza-Israel border who wants to 'die for the sake of Allah'

The group also revelled in launching airborne arson attacks in which they fired incendiary objects across the border.

In an interview in April 2018 unearthed by the MoS, Wadee, whose full name is believed to be Mus'ab Abd al-Kareem al-Qassas, boasted to Hamas-affiliated newspaper Felesteen about terrorising Israel by sending improvised incendiary kites across the border.

'[It] only costs us three shekels, [65p] but it costs the occupation (Israel) more because of the fires it causes,' he said.

'We try to come up with new surprises.

'It is known that we started with [throwing] stones, moved to burning tyres and setting the Israeli flag on fire, and then used kites.'

In one shocking picture, posted on his Facebook account in March 2021, Wadee stared into the camera while smoking a cigarette and brandishing a powerful assault rifle with a telescopic sight.

Last night Acume Forensic, a leading digital analytic company, confirmed that the picture of the gunman matched the footage of the migrant in the boat. Both were posted to Wadee's Facebook page.

'Based on the imagery we would be confident that the individual on the boat is the same individual shown in the image with the firearm,' a spokesman said.

CAA says that Wadei can be seen in this image posing with slingshot for hurling rocks

Wadei, seen posing in front of a fire on the Israel-Gaza border, is considered a 'threat to public safety' according to CAA

Wadei, pictured on the right-hand side wearing a Palestinian flag headband, according to CAA, stands among a crowd with fence cutting equipment

Another picture showed Wadee crouching with two Kalashnikov AK-47s, while a third showed him nonchalantly wielding a gun while sitting in a car.

The brazen militant also posed alongside seven masked men and a high-explosive artillery shell that was covered in pictures of gunmen apparently killed in clashes with Israel.

Accompanying the picture, posted in January 2021, he wrote: 'We are the ones who ignite it for the sake of Al-Aqsa, and we do not fear death. Our souls are cheap for you, our beloved Al-Aqsa.'

The comment appear to be a reference to the feared Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade: a militant group that took part in the October 7 massacres and which is listed as a terror group by the US and EU.

One of his friends, however, was clearly concerned that Wadee was the only militant showing his face, writing: 'Cover your face, Abu Wadee, you are dangerous.'

In another post from 2021, Wadee commented on what appeared to be a picture of a rocket attack on Israel, saying: 'Our occupied lands will become red with flames and wrath, God willing.'

A spokesman for the Campaign Against Antisemitism said last night: 'We consider that this man poses a threat to public security and are asking the Home Office for urgent assurances that he is in secure custody pending further investigations.

'[Someone] whose stated ambition is 'to die for the sake of Allah' and prayed for the slaughter of all Jews must not be permitted to be at large in this country.'

Analysts allege to have identified Wadei in a video from 2017 in which he took the microphone at a rally, apparently held in Gaza

Wadei, seen wearing a Palestinian flag headband, chants his desire is to 'die for Allah'

Wadei told the crowd at the rally that he is a member of the 'tyre burning unit', which was active in the Hamas-endorsed violent border riots in 2018 and 2019

The campaign group claim they have also found photographs of Wadei allegedly taken at a conference addressed by Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who was widely credited as the architect of the October 7, 2023 terrorist atrocities.

Wadee has a huge following on social media, where his TikTok videos attract up to 2.5 million views.

He charted his journey from Gaza on the social media site channel, including posting footage of his dinghy being approached by the Border Force vessel.

It is believed he was one of the 235 migrants picked up on four small boats in the English Channel on Thursday morning.

As part of his journey across Europe, he posted a picture of himself in Brussels on Valentine's Day, and then in central Paris earlier last week.

He also posted videos of him apparently sleeping rough in makeshift camps in France before uploading a new video on Friday, standing on a cramped dinghy, smiling as the Hurricane rescue boat comes into view.

He reposted another picture on Facebook yesterday which appeared to show him relaxing with a coffee and a cigarette in a busy town centre.

It was originally posted by a friend and carried the caption in Arabic which said: 'A thousand "thank Gods" for Abu Wadee being safe. You have brightened up Britain.'

It is not known when or where the picture was taken.

The Home Office last night said: 'We are committed to ending small boat crossings which undermine our border security, and restoring order to the asylum system to ensure that the rules are respected and enforced.

'While it is a long-standing rule that we never comment on individual cases or operational matters, the British public can be reassured that we take all steps necessary at all times to protect the nation's security.'
Premier Roger Cook has declared he's ready to get back to work after Western Australian Labor secured a third term with another massive victory.

Labor was on track to win 41 seats, the Liberals five and the Nationals four late on Saturday night, according to ABC News.

It follows an unprecedented triumph in 2021 when Labor won 53 of 59 seats in the WA lower house, putting it in a nearly unbeatable position for Saturday's poll.

Mark McGowan was the Labor leader at the time and his popularity was credited with helping Anthony Albanese win the federal election in 2022.

The latest victory for Labor in Western Australia could have been capitalised by Mr Albanese as he was set to call the date of the federal election on the weekend.

Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred scuppered those plans with Mr Albanese revealing he would delay the announcement as his government focused on the natural disaster.

The date of the federal election was widely expected to be held on April 12, but a delay to the announcement means it is more likely to be held in May.

Mr Cook was jubilant as he declared victory, telling supporters the party had been rewarded for delivering a sensible and stable government.

Premier Roger Cook (pictured, with his wife Carly Lane) has declared he's ready to get back to work after Western Australian Labor secured a third term with another massive victory

'We relentlessly pursued the creation of jobs and the delivery of infrastructure and services that people need and at times of global uncertainty,' he said after arriving at a hall in his electorate of Kwinana to a rock star welcome.

'We are humble. We do not take that trust for granted. We will work to repay this trust every single day.'

Mr Cook, who replaced former premier Mark McGowan mid-term in 2023 when he stood down, said his team would be back at work on Sunday.

'Putting together a new government that builds upon everything that we have achieved together to date,' he said.

Polls predicted a 12-13 per cent swing, putting up to 11 seats within reach of the Liberal Party.

But the Liberals had garnered a swing of about 11 per cent late in the evening, failing to claw back the party's previous strongholds as hoped.

Mr Cook, who will now govern in his own right, said Labor wanted to make sure it got as big a mandate as it could.

'We're pleased that the people of Western Australia have put their trust in us,' he said as the tally board pushed the number of seats Labor had potentially won past its emphatic 2017 victory when it secured 41 lower house seats.

The latest victory for Labor in Western Australia could have been capitalised by Mr Albanese as he was set to call the date of the federal election on the weekend

The Liberals won 13 and the Nationals five in that poll.

Liberal leader Libby Mettam said the rebuild of the WA Liberal Party would continue.

'Is this the result I hoped for? Of course not,' she said in her concession speech.

'Is this what we have been working for? Absolutely not and what we will take from tonight is lessons on how we can do better.'

The poor Liberal showing leaves doubt as to Ms Mettam's leadership going forward after high-profile Perth media personality and the city's former lord mayor Basil Zempilas, who is viewed as a future leader by many, edged closer to securing the seat of Churchlands.

'I would accept any position but, look, ultimately it will be up to my colleagues,' Ms Mettam said ahead of conceding.
Skygazers in the UK could be treated to a show of the Northern Lights on Sunday night.

Clear skies in Scotland overnight into Sunday mean it is a good spot to possibly see the displays of light from the aurora borealis, but there is also a chance the phenomenon could be visible further south.

A map issued by the Met Office shows the chances of seeing the Northern Lights in the UK tonight.

The Met Office said: 'Through this evening and overnight, aurora sightings are possible over northern Scotland and potentially over much of Scotland where skies remain clear.

'There is perhaps a chance further south too, with long exposure photography.'

Met Office meteorologist Zoe Hutin said there is a 'heightened chance' of seeing them due to the low cloud coverage and clear skies in Scotland.

She said the movement of solar winds around the sun at this time is leading to the 'enhanced possibility of a sighting'.

She added: 'The further north you are, the more likely the chances are that you will be able to see them.

'They are more easy to see on cameras, so pictures often come up a little bit more clearly than by the naked eye and this is just because of the type of beam that it is.'

The Northern Lights could be seen tonight over northern Scotland, the Met Office has said

There is also a chance the Aurora Borealis phenomenon could be visible further south

Through this evening and overnight, aurora sightings are possible over northern Scotland and potentially over much of Scotland where skies remain clear 



There is perhaps a chance further south too, with long exposure photography  pic.twitter.com/V8WpEqiFml  Met Office (@metoffice) March 8, 2025

The sun has now entered its period of greatest activity, which means Britons could be seeing more colourful displays of the aurora borealis until the middle of the year.

The sun goes through an 11-year solar cycle, with periods of intense activity followed by a quiet phase.

During its active bursts, also known as solar maximum, the sun releases charged particles that travel through space at speeds of around one million miles per hour.

Some of the particles are captured by the Earth's magnetic field and collide with oxygen and nitrogen atoms and molecules in the atmosphere.

These atoms and molecules then shed the energy they gained from the collision, emitting light at various wavelengths to create colourful displays in the night sky.

According to Nasa, oxygen emits either a greenish-yellow light - which is the most familiar colour of the aurora - or a red light, while nitrogen generally gives off a blue light.

The oxygen and nitrogen molecules also emit ultraviolet light, which can only be detected by special cameras on satellites.

The best way to catch the display is to find a dark place, away from light pollution such as street lights and ideally a cloud-free sky.

The aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights over Derwentwater, near Keswick in Cumbria

October, 2024 Pictured: The Northern Lights visible over a groyne on the beach at Portobello near Edinburgh

Jedburgh Abbey pictured with the colours of the northern lights above

What are the Northern Lights? The Northern and Southern Lights (auroras) are natural light spectacles. The displays light up when electrically charged particles from the sun enter Earth's atmosphere. Usually the particles are deflected by Earth's magnetic field, but during stronger storms they enter the atmosphere and collide with gas particles such as hydrogen and helium. These collisions emit light in many amazing colours, although pale green and pink are common. Advertisement

Some of the best aurora spots around the UK are in areas of high elevation (closer to the magnetosphere) and away from cities that pollute the sky with artificial light.

The Northern Lights are caused by a 'severe' geomagnetic storm - a major disturbance of Earth's magnetosphere, the area around Earth controlled by the planet's magnetic field.

This disturbance is triggered when a violent stream of charged particles released from the sun's outermost atmospheric layer is directed towards us.

'There's a reaction called nuclear fusion that occurs continuously deep within the sun's core,' explains Dr Amore Elsje, an applied geomagnetic researcher at SANSA Space Science, in a new piece for The Conversation.

'This generates massive amounts of energy.

'Some of the energy is released as light (sunlight), some as radiation (solar flares), and some as charged particles.'
Before Meghan Markle and Prince Harry officially bowed out as working royals, their last public appearance was at the Commonwealth Day service on March 9, 2020.

Stepping out in a bold green Emilia Wickstead cape dress, the Duchess of Sussex held a chic bag by Gabriela Hearst in one hand and her husband's hand in the other as they entered Westminster Abbey.

But there were signs of familial frostiness as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex perched on the pews.

As Prince William and Princess Catherine took their seats, barely a word was exchanged between the brothers.

All lip readers could make out was a curt, 'Hello Harry' from William, to which his younger brother replied: 'Hello'.

With a smile on her face, Meghan was seen to say hi and then hello to the Duke of Cambridge when he didnt appear to see her the first time.

It was not clear whether any further exchanges took place off camera.

But writing in his book Battle of the Brothers, royal expert Robert Lacey revealed that Prince William had extended 'a small but sensitive gesture of peace' to Prince Harry prior to the service, despite the otherwise cold exchange.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive at Westminster Abbey for their final public appearance on March 9, 2020

According to the author, Harry was 'fighting back tears' at the event, as he was expecting to filter into the Abbey alongside the other senior royals for one final time -as they had the year before.

Instead, it would only be Prince Charles, Duchess Camilla, Prince William and Princess Catherine taking part in 'The Procession of The Queen' - a snub which was printed in the Order of Service for all 2,000 members of the congregation to see.

'Harry and Meghan were not included in this senior royal group,' Mr Lacey wrote.

'As "junior" royals they would have to shuffle their way to their seats that afternoon like any other member of the congregation and take their places on the sidelines alongside their fellow "juniors", Edward and Sophie Wessex.'

The prince was reportedly 'furious' at being 'shunted aside on this final appearance'.

Fearing another highly public royal skirmish, William and Catherine stepped in to defuse the situation and offered to join emotional Harry and Meghan as they waited in their seats for the Queen, Charles and Camilla to arrive.

'It was a small but sensitive gesture of peace,' Mr Lacey wrote. 'Within minutes of each other, the two princes and their wives slipped quietly into their seats, and both couples then sat waiting with everyone else for the Queen and Prince Charles to process in senior splendour down the aisle to open the ceremony'.

But it seems his eleventh-hour olive branch was still not enough to ease the ill-feeling between the feuding family - in what body language expert Judi James described as 'not exactly the warm reunion we were hoping for'.

Princess Catherine and Prince William arrive for the Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge greet Prince Edward, Meghan and Harry as they take their seats before the ceremony

Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, lean forward to speak to William and Catherine as the Duke and Duchess watch on

The Cambridges were meant to walk in behind the Queen and Prince Charles but there was a 'last minute change' as William extended an olive branch to his brother Harry who was left out of the procession

'The tension in Harry's body language especially was palpable,' Ms James said. 'When Harry arrived, the minute he and Meghan had to drop hands, he immediately reached for his wedding ring which is a self comfort.

'Even when she was beside him after they had stopped holding hands, he was missing her, needing her support.

'As Harry walked up the aisle to his seat, they both waved at the children, but his face otherwise was quite tense and unsmiling.'

Throughout the service, Meghan sported a Suits TV-style smile.

'Big smiles!' had been her whispered instruction to her husband as they took their seats.

But after the ceremony when Kate and William drove away, Ms James said we saw a 'different Harry altogether'.

'With the other royals gone Harry and Meghan became an animated, tactile double-act again, with Harry chatting to Craig David as though he was an old friend and Meghan even leaning forward to touch Anthony Joshua on the arm to congratulate him for his speech,' she claimed.

'Harry suddenly looked like a man reluctant to leave a party, throwing a thumbs-up gesture to Joshua over his shoulder while Meghan touched Harrys arm in what looked like a gesture of affection and steering.

From left to right: The Queen, Prince Charles, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. All five were senior royals and meant to process behind the Commonwealth flag

Members of the royal family leave Westminster Abbey after attending the Commonwealth Day Service. Harry was reportedly 'holding back tears' throughout

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge leave after attending the Commonwealth Day Service

Catherine shakes the hand of a young wellwisher before she departs with her husband William

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex leave Westminster Abbey. They had already announced their plans to step down as working royals

Meghan shakes the hand of a young wellwisher before she departs with her husband Harry

'Laughing and joking with the people outside, Harry's relief looked so tangible that his sudden eyes to heaven and raised hands looked awfully like a signal of thanks.

'He became animated and far more relaxed and holding Meghan's hand again.

'He looked like a man who felt he's got the most difficult moments over and who could now return to being "Just Harry" again with his wife and son.'
Out of all the long list of royal protocols - and there are a lot of them - one of the most noticeable is how everyone in the family walks behind the monarch.

During Queen Elizabeth II's record-breaking 70-year reign, you might have noticed planning was always done to ensure no one walked in front of her in public.

But the rule was not there due to simple politeness, it is actually the cardinal rule of royal etiquette and is based on the royal order of precedence.

The hierarchical system is pretty much the same as the line of succession to the throne, ensuring it is visible to anyone looking that no one outranks the monarch.

However when Meghan Markle stepped out for her first royal engagement with the late Queen in June 2018, she did not appear to respect the time-honoured tradition.

Rediscovered footage from the event shows the new duchess boldly striding in front of the then 92-year-old monarch and grabbing a bouquet of flowers while aides walked nearby.

When clips of the incident were recently shared on social media, viewers expressed alarm that Meghan had seemingly broken one of the most important, and easy to remember, royal protocols so early in her career.

One person commented: 'And she has the nerve to walk in front of the Queen. An absolute no no!'

Meghan Markle raised eyebrows in June 2018 when she walked in front of the late Queen on her first royal engagement

Resurfaced footage from the event shows the newly-made Duchess boldly striding in front of the then 92-year-old monarch and grabbing a bouquet of flowers while aides stand nearby

When clips of the incident were recently shared on social media, viewers expressed alarm that Meghan had seemingly broken one of the most important, and easy to remember, royal rules

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Queen Elizabeth II were on the engagement to open the new Mersey Gateway Bridge on June 14, 2018 in Widness

Another posted: 'This is why she can't act. She can't remember protocol or lines.'

A third said: 'This was one of the main reasons she couldn't stay with the Royal Family. Her narcissistic personality couldn't, under any circumstances, stand back and take second place to anybody.'

Someone else claimed it was 'just another demonstration' of how she thinks everything is all about her and 'tries to take front stage'.

The trip Meghan and the Queen were on was itself a fairly mundane affair in the first place, with them opening a new bridge across the River Mersey in Cheshire.

It was the first and only time the Queen and Meghan carried out a joint engagement.

Now the lip reading expert Jacqui Press has revealed what was said between Meghan and the royal staff while she was walking in front of the Queen.

The clip begins with Meghan walking towards the crowd while holding out her hand and saying: 'Thank you so much'.

Meghan later revealed to Harry that she talked to the Queen about her desire for children during their first joint engagement

A view of the motorcade as Queen Elizabeth II and Meghan arrived in Chester

Meghan remained behind Queen Elizabeth II when they arrived by Royal Train at Runcorn Station to carry out engagements in Cheshire

Meghan continued to walk on before stopping, and the aide in the white outfit (it's difficult to see what she said as her face is turned away) said to Meghan: 'Do you want to come down?'

There is a pause while Meghan addresses the crowd, and the aide then said to Meghan 'this way please', and gestures with her hand in the direction to walk ahead.

Then the lady with the green skirt walked along and Meghan turned to her and said: 'And these?'

The lady in the green skirt takes the flowers and gives them to Meghan, with the duchess saying 'thank you', then smiling and walking off.

As well as walking in front of the Queen, it seems Meghan had forgotten the proper etiquette when it came to dealing with the bunches of flowers the royalists were handing them.

Royal protocol dictates that when a member of The Firm is handed flowers they should pass them back to their private secretaries and personal assistants.

The aides will then display the flowers properly, allowing the royals to keep their hands free to shake hands with more well-wishers.

There is also a more serious reason: the bouquets could contain dangerous substances or explosives.

In this photo, Meghan stays behind the Queen while she shakes a woman's hand

In other photos taken from the day, Meghan remained in her correct position behind the Queen

The monarch always walks at the front of the Royal Family due to well-established rules of the royal order of precedence

But footage from the event seems to show Meghan being keen to hold on to the flowers she picked up.

Although some viewers have pointed out that because Meghan was unexpectedly in front of the Queen, they may have actually been meant for the monarch but were taken before she got there.

While out with a senior member of the Royal Family, Meghan had to follow the plethora of long-established rules and habits that were in place for such events.

As she had married into The Firm at the age of 36, she was not brought up to appreciate all of the intricacies of life in the limelight like her husband Harry.

The American actress had to learn how to curtsey properly, give a proper royal handshake, stand up when the Queen does, avoid any PDA and remember not to sign any autographs.

Her training also included how to greet dignitaries  and expect to be greeted  as well as how to behave on royal engagements and the intricacies of palace life.

And although the etiquette of walking in the correct order may seem arcane, it is taken very seriously by those in the institution.

However this wasn't Meghan's first royal row, as her journey to becoming a full-time member of The Firm was fraught with many well-publicised difficulties.

Queen Elizabeth II and Meghan observe a moment of silence in memory of the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire

The visit was perceived as an occasion for the Queen to give a personal masterclass on how to handle royal engagements for newcomer Meghan

In her months of dating Prince Harry and in the lead up to their wedding, there had been a number of critical stories in the press showing she was happy to trample on royal protocol.

So when Meghan went on her first royal engagement with the Queen, the couple were nervous about how the press would cover it.

The visit was perceived as an occasion for the Sovereign to give a personal masterclass on how to handle royal engagements for the newcomer.

When Meghan joined the Royal Family, the Queen had suggested her close friend Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh (formerly the Countess of Wessex), show her the ropes.

But according to the late monarch's friend Gyles Brandreth, Meghan turned down the offer of a mentorship from Prince Edward's wife, instead saying 'she had Harry'.

However, perhaps Meghan should have taken up the offer for extra help, because as well as walking in front of the Queen, there was also a row over Meghan getting into a car before the monarch at another point in the day.

Although the trip seemed to go well overall, as when the duchess was photographed making the Queen laugh, most of the coverage featured the pair of them giggling - with the Daily Mail's front page reading: 'How did Meghan make one so amused?'

And although conversations with the Queen are usually private, Harry later revealed in his 2023 memoir Spare that the pair bonded over their love of dogs and motherhood.

Meghan shaking hands as she walked on foot to Chester Town Hall

The UK was still gripped by Meghan-mania during the visit, as thousands of well-wishers turned up to see the newly minted Duchess

Queen Elizabeth II and the Duchess of Sussex leave the Storyhouse Chester, after taking a tour and unveiling a plaque to mark the official opening of the building

Speaking to Femail at the time, body language experts revealed how Meghan appeared deferential, nervous - but above all gloriously happy to be in the monarch's company.

And the fond feeling was certainly mutual, with the Queen clearly 'delighted' by how Meghan performed.

Harry later wrote of the event in Spare: 'She returned from the trip glowing. We bonded, she told me. '"The Queen and I really bonded!"

'"We talked about how much I wanted to be a mom and she told me the best way to induce labour was a good bumpy car ride! I told her I'd remember that when the time came".'

Photographs from the event showed the two women appearing to enjoy each other's company, sharing a joke and laughing.

The monarch was also seen sharing her blanket with Meghan while they travelled in the back of the car together.

In a March 2021 interview with CBS, Meghan revealed why the Queen's gesture meant so much to her.

She said: 'We were in the car going between engagements. And she has a blanket that sits across her knees for warmth, and it was chilly.

'And she was like, 'Meghan, come on', and put it over my knees as well and it made me think of my grandmother, where she's always been warm and inviting and really welcoming.'

And in another sign of her growing friendship with the Queen, Harry's wife sported a pair of delicate pearl earrings, given to her by the monarch as a gift.

Body language experts later revealed how Meghan appeared deferential, nervous - but above all gloriously happy to be in the monarch's company

The Queen had gifted Meghan a pair of delicate pearl earrings, which she wore on her first joint engagement with the monarch in June 2018 (left). At the monarch's funeral in September 2022, she wore them again (right)

Meghan would later wear these same earrings to the monarch's funeral in September 2022.

And the month after, she spoke about her relationship with the late Queen in an interview with US magazine Variety, where she said: 'I've reflected on that first official engagement that I had with her, how special that felt. I feel fortunate.

'And I continue to be proud to have had a nice warmth with the matriarch of the family.'

After all, Meghan hasn't been the only person to have seemingly made a royal faux pas in the company of the Queen.

US President Donald Trump caught a wave of social media attention when he gaffed by walking in front of the monarch as they inspected a guard of honour in 2018.

However, years later, following the Queen's death in September 2022, Meghan seemingly forgot her training once again when she tried to walk in front of more senior royals.

Footage from the occasion seems to show Harry having to pull his wife back with his arm and slow down his walking pace so that she didn't pull ahead of Prince William and Kate.

It seems Meghan could be naturally predisposed to taking the lead.
A former mortuary near Needham Market, Suffolk, built in the 1930s is going up for auction with a guide price of between 60,000 to 80,000 on 26 March.

Offering scope to for an imaginative developer, The Old Mortuary would have serviced locals during the Second World War, when East Anglia experienced several devastating air raids.

It is not known when the propertys life as a mortuary ended, but it retains features harking back to its original use.

These include a bare concrete floor, whitewashed brick walls and two sets of double doors at the front of the building.

Inside the mortuary are two rooms with large windows. The smaller room contains a sink and may once have been the embalming room, according to Auction House.

The larger room has a further set of double doors at the opposite end of the space.

Time for rejuvenation: A former mortuary near Needham Market is going up for auction

Hannah Turner, an area manager at Auction House, told This is Money: 'This historic mortuary presents a unique opportunity for investors or developers looking to breathe new life into a property with character.

'It holds incredible potential for redevelopment such as a creative commercial space or workshop.

'Buildings like this dont come around often, making this auction lot an exciting prospect for visionary buyers.'

History: The Old Mortuary near Needham Market was built in the 1930s

Features: The property has a bare concrete floor and whitewashed brick walls

Use your imagination: Auction House suggests the site could be turned into a funeral business

Benefits: The property does have a number of surprisingly large windows

Amenities: The site is close to local shops, supermarkets and a nature reserve

Prospective buyers could transform the former mortuary into a workshop or studio.

With planning permissions in place, the site, which is being sold freehold, could also be transformed into an office space, funeral business or other commercial premises.

Auction House added: 'Alternatively, it could be revitalised as an unconventional home or holiday let, provided approval is granted.

'No matter what its future use, the new owners will be able to take advantage of a convenient concrete parking area at the front of the building, which provides ample room for commercial or private vehicles.'

The location of The Old Mortuary provides easy access to the centre of Needham Market.

Buyers interested in the more macabre facets of the area's history can walk down Chainhouse Road, which heralds from when the town was chained at either side to contain the spread of plague in the 1660s.

The Causeway, previously known as The Corpseway, is another infamous route by which plague victims were reportedly transported to their place of burial, Auction House said.

Buying a property at auction can be exciting, but fraught with challenges and pitfalls for the uninitiated.

It is essential to read the legal pack for any property you are interested in and to view the property in person beforehand.

A conveyancing solicitor can help prospective buyers scrutinise the legal pack and assess any potential complications.

If considering buying at auction, it is also a good idea to, when possible, get a survey completed on the property before putting a bid in.

Before placing any bids on a property at auction, set a budget beforehand and stick to it.
Many scientists are self-proclaimed atheists who believe that their fact-driven worlds don't align with a belief in God.

However, three scientists have shared the remarkable events that led them to embrace spirituality and the idea that their careers and faith can coexist.

A neuroscientist found religion on a college campus, while a highly educated psychiatrist became a believer after a firsthand encounter with demonic forces.

Meanwhile, a grieving astrophysicist found comfort in God after the loss of her child.

Sarah Salviander, who grew up as an atheist, found faith when her daughter was born a stillborn.

'I bonded with Ellinor during that time. Sadly, though, what I had bonded with was a tiny, lifeless body,' she said.

'Grief does a lot to twist our thinking, and as awful and crazy as it sounds, I felt like it was my motherly duty to be buried with Ellinor.'

The scientist said it was the that saved her own life, as she came to believe that Ellinor would be parented by the Heavenly Father.

'Knowing she was safe in a realm of indescribable love, joy, peace, and beauty and that this would be the place we would eventually be reunited - I was finally freed from despair,' Salviander explained.

Astrophysicist Sarah Salviander always knew she would be a space scientist - and then she found God after personal tragedy

The scientists' stories are just some of the many accounts of individuals who have found their way to religious faith, according to the new book 'Seeing the Supernatural' by Lee Strobel.

Salviander once believed that Christianity made people 'weak and foolish.' However, an experience turned her world upside down.

While studying the Big Bang, she became awed by the order of the universe and began to entertain the idea of God's existence.

'Without knowing it, I was awakened to what Psalm 19 tells us so clearly: 'The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands,'' she said.

The astrophysicist then became convinced that the Bible's account of creation was scientifically sound and developed an interest in the Gospels.

However, it was the loss of her daughter that truly cemented her faith.

Sharon Dirckx, a neuroscientist, grew up aspiring to be a scientist. At age 17, she read a book by evolutionary scientist and atheist Richard Dawkins, which reinforced her agnostic beliefs.

'I became convinced that a person couldn't be a scientist and believe in God at the same timethat they were incompatible,' Dirckx said.

Neuroscientist Sharon Dirckx grew up wanting to be a scientist and believed science and religion were incompatible

That changed at the University of Bristol when she attended a panel with Christians and asked whether science and faith were at odds.

'They made the case that, of course, a person can be both a Christian and a scientist. It rocked my world,' Dirckx explained.

She then spent 18 months investigating Christianity while continuing her studies in brain imaging.

Dirckx went on to conduct seven years of neuroimaging research at both the University of Oxford and the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee.

She now believes that Christianity and science can coexistand, in fact, that both need each other.

'The Bible says God has made himself known in two waysthrough the natural revelation of the physical world and the special revelation of Scripture,' Dirckx noted.

'Science tells us a lot about the natural world, but we still need theology and philosophy to explore special revelationthe Scripturesand to grapple with questions that science cannot answer. Questions like: Why can we think at all?'

Dirckx added that her own work in neuroimaging highlights why science alone cannot answer every question.

'As a neuroscientist, I've measured the electrical activity of people's brains, but I can't measure their experience in the same way. I can't quantify what's in their minds or what it's actually like to be them. Why not? Because the brain alone is not enough to explain the mind,' she explained.

Ivy League educated psychiatrist Richard Gallagher says he encountered 'possessed' patients and was even the victim of a demonic spell

In one of her books, Dirckx recounts the story of Pamela Reynolds, who suffered a severe brain hemorrhage due to an aneurysm in 1991.

During surgery, doctors cooled Reynolds' body temperature, flatlined her heart, and drained blood from her brain.

When she was resuscitated, Reynolds claimed she had been conscious the entire time. Thousands of other patients have reported similar experiencesdescribing being clinically deceased and watching doctors resuscitate them from aboveaccording to Dirckx.

'It's important to point out that recent discoveries in neuroscience are entirely compatible with the existence of God,' the neuroscientist said.

'In no way does any discovery in brain research rule out God. That would be a complete misunderstanding of the data. The best scientists always remain open to new ideas.'

Ivy League educated psychiatrist Richard Gallagher was trained in psychiatry at Yale University and in psychoanalysis at Columbia University.

But he found God in the reality of Satan and demons after a chilling encounter with a 'possessed' woman. The night before he met her, his two cats began fighting.

'Loud screeching sounds startled me and my wife out of our sleep. Our two normally docile cats were going at it like champion prizefighters, smacking and clawing at each other, intent on inflicting some serious harm,' Dr Gallagher recounted.

He had a client named Julia the following day. She was a self-described priestess of a satanic cult and was accompanied by a catholic priest.

Dr Gallagher said that when Julia arrived, she gave him a smirk and said, 'How'd you like those cats last night?'

The meeting made the doctor believe that some of his patients may not be mentally ill but possessed by evil spirits.

'To the untrained eye, many possessions may be thought to fall into the psychiatric categories of various psychoses and severe personality and dissociative disorders,' Dr Gallagher said.

'However, for well-trained psychiatrists and other health professionals, possessions differ from such disorders in significant ways.'
Ever since the time of the ancient Greeks over 2,000 years ago, human beings have known the Earth is a globe.

Despite this, some people are still convinced that we live on a giant floating disc in space, known as 'Flat Earth'.

Now, scientists have discovered why believers are still so sure of this fantastical theory.

According to researchers from the University of Kent, people who believe in conspiracies like the Flat Earth theory are more likely to be insecure.

The team analysed the results of 279 studies involving more than 137,000 people.

Their analysis revealed that people are more likely to endorse conspiracies if their psychological needs are unmet.

This includes feeling uninformed, insecure, and undervalued.

'People may find conspiracy theories less appealing if they have alternative ways to meet their psychological needs or if their needs are not frustrated in the first place,' said Dr Mikey Biddlestone, lead author of the study.

Ever since the time of the ancient Greeks over 2,000 years ago, human beings have known the Earth is a globe. Despite this, some people are still convinced that we live on a giant floating disc in space, known as 'Flat Earth'

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 why some people believe and endorse these conspiracies.

'Belief in conspiracy theories has been linked to harmful consequences for individuals and societies,' the team wrote in the study, published in Psychological Bulletin.

'In an effort to understand and mitigate these effects, researchers have sought to explain the psychological appeal of conspiracy theories.'

In total, the team analysed 279 independent studies including 137,406 participants.

Their analysis revealed that when people spread conspiracy theories, it can be an attempt to compensate for feelings of uncertainty, insecurity, and to defend their own 'threatened' social image.

Their analysis revealed that when people spread conspiracy theories, it can be an attempt to compensate for feelings of uncertainty, insecurity, and to defend their own 'threatened' social image (stock image)

From exploring the relationships between conspiracy beliefs and psychological motives, the strongest connections between the two were found to be concerns over existential threats from the world around us, prompting feelings of societal and political alienation.

The researchers hope the findings will pave the way for tailored methods to counter conspiracies.

'Conspiracy theories pose a threat to individuals, groups, and societies, and therefore it's really important to understand why people believe and spread them,' Dr Biddlestone added.
The Bible tells the story about a king who died at the hands of an Egyptian pharaoh in a battle at Armageddon, and new evidence may prove scripture to be true.

Archaeologists have uncovered buried ruins and pottery at a site of the ancient city of Megiddo where scripture says Josiah was killed in 609BC and is the Hebrew phrase for Armageddon.

Analysis of the artifacts suggested that the building was constructed around the mid-seventh Century BCE, not long before Necho was said to have killed Josiah.

The vast majority of the pottery was Egyptian, specifically from the Nile Valley, including vessels that varied widely in shape and size and served many different functions.

Assaf Kleiman, co-researcher from the Haifa University, said: 'This is not decorated fine tableware, so it's very hard to argue that someone at Megiddo, a deportee or a surviving Israelite, all of a sudden acquired a taste for sub-par Egyptian pottery and decided to import it into his house.'

Therefore, the most likely explanation for its presence at Armageddon is that it was brought there by Necho's army and later abandoned, the researchers concluded.

While this new evidence does not tell us much about the details of Josiah's death, it does point to Necho's military presence at Armageddon around that time, bringing experts one step closer to understanding what took place on that ancient battlefield.

Archaeologists have found evidence to support the Biblical story of Josiah, the last king of Judah, who was fatally wounded during the last battle of Armageddon

Most of the city of Armageddon had been excavated in the 1920s. But one area in the northwest corner of the site, known as 'Area X,' had been left untouched

Josiah, according to the Bible, was known for leading a revival and reformation of Judah by ordering the repair of the temple of the Lord.

Necho was on his way to aid the Assyrians in the northern Levant, and his army was marching through Judah. Josiah and his army met the Egyptians at a nearby mountain pass where the two armies clashed at Megiddo.

Until recently, however, experts had not found any archaeological evidence to support the story of Josiah's fatal shooting there.

The research team conducted excavated the site known as Armageddon from 2016 to 2022.

Most of the city had been unearthed in the 1920s, but one area in the northwest corner of the site, known as 'Area X,' had been left untouched.

Lead researcher Israel Finkelstein and his colleagues focused their efforts on that part of the city, and soon unearthed a large building that contained a cache of pottery, at least five rooms and a paved courtyard.

'When we opened the boxes of finds from the dig at my lab in Ben-Gurion University, I told my students to put the Egyptian pottery on the tables, and table after table got filled,' Kleiman told Haaretz.

'The number of Egyptian vessels is double of even triple the amount found in the entire Levant for that period,' he added.

The vast majority of the pottery was Egyptian, including vessels that varied widely in shape and size and served many different functions

The Bible states that Necho's archers mortally wounded Josiah on the battle field and he was brought back to Judah's capital city, Jerusalem, to die

As for the Greek vessels, historical and archaeological evidence supports the idea that Necho's army was accompanied by Greek mercenaries, according to the researchers.

Further analysis confirmed that the pottery discovered at Armageddon came from the Nile Valley or Delta, but it is unlikely that they were imported because of their crude make, according to the researchers.

The team discussed their findings in two papers published in the January and February editions of the Scandinavian Journal of the Old Testament.

The story of Josiah established end-of-the-world traditions in Judaism and Christianity that revolve around the site of his death: Armageddon.

The term 'Armageddon' appears only once in the Bible, in Revelation 16:16, but ti is also a Hebrew phrase meaning 'Mount Megiddo.'
Daily Mail journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission - learn more

Nothing beats a long Aussie summer. The humidity and damage that comes with it? Not so fun for our locks.

For those of us blessed with even a hint of body to our hair, the advent of autumn brings with it the relief that less frizzy days may be coming.

If youve spent the past six months doing battle with humidity and sweat-induced frizz and are desperate for a solution, you need to try Unwrittens Hydration Repair Trio.

The shampoo, conditioner and serum bundle was created and specifically formulated for the local climate by Australian chemists in collaboration with real hairdressers.

They use a powerful blend of native botanicals to nurture back to health hair affected by the Australian active, outdoor lifestyle and harsh environment.

The brands Founders, Karen and Rob Aubin, and Karla and Hayden Brooks say: 'If we can fix hair in Australia, we can fix it anywhere.'

With consistent use, the Hydration Repair Trio promises to tame frizz, shield from damage, while hydrating, boosting growth and delivering enviable shine.

Unwritten uses native Australian botanicals such as Kakadu Plum and Australian Flame Tree Extract as they are 'renowned for their ability to thrive in harsh environmental conditions'.

Unwritten's Hydration Repair Trio uses a powerful blend of native botanicals to nurture back to health hair affected by the Australian active, outdoor lifestyle and harsh environment

Coupled with hydration heroes such hyaluronic acid, ceramides and niacinamide, it is a potent formulation that promises to transform hair with shine, softness and strength within two to four washes.

Reviews of the bundle have been glowing, with one fan writing, This trio works wonders. My dyed hair doesn't fade in the sun anymore, and the shine is to die for.

Another five star reviewer agreed: 'Just a few washes and I can see the difference. The softness, shine, everything feels so luxurious.'

Meanwhile one diehard fan called the products their 'hair's best friend', adding, 'A month in and the results are outstanding. And the colour protection is superb!'

The three-step routine works cohesively to cleanse, deeply condition and then lock in moisture with the So Sublime Hydro Repair Serum

The three-step routine, suitable for medium to course and curly hair, works cohesively to cleanse, deeply condition and then lock in moisture.

First, Unwrittens Bliss Out Hydro Repair Shampoo removes any build up, while a blend of hyaluronic acid, Kakadu Plum & phytokeratin work to hydrate, strengthen, and protect strands.

Next, Bliss Out Hydro Repair Conditioner is formulated with vitamin C and antioxidants to boost softness and shine, while protecting hair from environmental damage.

And finally, So Sublime Hydro Repair Serum claims to rehydrate hair by 97 per cent, taming frizz without weighing hair down, and also defends against heat damage.

Australian native botanicals are formulated with hydrating ingredients to tame frizz without weighing hair down and defend against heat damage

While your strands are being taken care of, scalp health is also a priority in the brands formulations.

Along with the aforementioned hydrating ingredients to deeply nourish locks, the brand uses PATCH20, a 'highly concentrated hydrating formula designed specifically to nourish your scalp with consistent use'.

Improved scalp health boosts growth and leads to hair less prone to breakage.

Shampoos, conditioners, styling serums and treatments can be purchased separately or as part of a value bundle focused on your hair's needs.

The three-step routine, suitable for medium to course and curly hair, is also formulated to prioritise scalp health

For blondes, the Blonde Bombshell Collection includes vitamin-enriched shampoo and conditioners, as well as a specifically formulated toning mask to intensely hydrate and neutralise brassy tones, and the So Sublime Hydro Repair Serum.

Unwritten's 'no nasties' promise ensures the products are free of toxins including sulphates, parabens and fillers, and are certified vegan and cruelty free.

The Australian made brand is truly local, with products manufactured from sustainably sourced ingredients, and bottled in Sydney.

Shop the Hydration Repair Trio on the Unwritten website.
If you thought all McDonalds restaurants were the same  think again.

In a fascinating book called McAtlas, a devoted fan of the fast-food chain, Gary He, reveals that it operates in a bewildering variety of outlets, from the grand to the bizarre, serving dozens of different localised dishes, from the weird to the wonderful  including 70 variations of the chicken burger alone.

And here, Gary, from Brooklyn, New York, tells MailOnline Travel about the highlights of a global tour charted in the tome that saw him visit a ski-thru McDonalds in Sweden and try meals from McSpaghetti to macaroni soup.

There are more than 41,000 McDonalds in over 100 countries, and Gary managed to get himself to 55 countries across six continents to photograph hundreds of the branches.

But it was the McSki, open only during the winter months in Lindvallen ski resort, Salen, Sweden, that was Garys personal favourite.

Opened in 1996 and designed to look like a lodge, this branch features a ski-thru window at the back where passers-by can order from the El Maco menu  a Tex-Mex offering only available in Nordic countries.

Gary tells us: The McSki was isolated, on the side of a mountain, and allowed for some of my favourite pictures from the entire trip.

Another highlight for Gary was in Roswell, USA - a UFO-shaped McDonalds embracing the local areas history of alien sightings.

Gary He has visited hundreds of McDonald's in 55 countries across six continents, and tells MailOnline Travel about the highlights of his global tour. The devoted fan is pictured above in front of an alien-themed McDonald's in Roswell, USA, shaped like a UFO in homage to the local area's history of 'alien sightings'

Above is Gary's 'personal favourite', the McSki, which is open only during the winter months in Lindvallen ski resort, Salen, Sweden. Opened in 1996 and designed to look like a lodge, this branch features a 'ski-thru window' at the back

Not only is it shaped like a flying saucer, but there are also statues of Ronald McDonald and friends in space suits dotted around, as well as a statue of an alien greeting guests at the entrance.

Gary adds: Its also one of the few McDonalds restaurants in the world allowed to have a gift shop  and who doesnt love merch?

Gary was also a fan of Chinas first McDonalds. Found in Shenzhens central shopping district, Dongmen, it serves unusual desserts such as taro pie, made from the root vegetable thats popular there.

In McAtlas, Gary reveals how this McDonalds branch opened in 1990, at a time when China continued to liberalise its economy and the local population surged with workers looking to reap the benefits of the Special Economic Zone.

He adds: Its beautiful and historically significant.

Once a major experiment in an economic sandbox, it now feels frozen in time, as every other building around this area is a modern glass-and-steel structure.

For the worlds coolest McDonalds, Gary ventured 8,809 miles to Taupo, New Zealand, to visit a restaurant where diners can eat Kiwiburgers [beetroot slices and fried egg atop a beef patty] while sitting inside a decommissioned Douglas DC-3 plane with the famous Golden Arches stencilled onto its fuselage.

The former galley, meanwhile, has photos and notes about the history of the plane and even a view into the cockpit.

For the worlds coolest McDonalds, Gary (above) ventured 8,809 miles to Taupo, New Zealand, to visit a restaurant where diners can eat Kiwiburgers [beetroot slices and fried egg atop a beef patty] while sitting inside a decommissioned Douglas DC-3

Gary was a fan of Chinas first McDonalds. Found in Shenzhens central shopping district, Dongmen, it serves unusual desserts such as taro pie, made from the root vegetable thats popular there. Gary says: 'Once a major experiment in an economic sandbox, it now feels frozen in time'

That was the biggest pain to get to, Gary tells us. Not only is Auckland very far from my hometown of New York, but then I had to get on a prop plane for another couple of hours to the centre of the north island.

But seeing it for myself and taking pictures of it was well worth the 24-hour trek just to get down there.

There was a real joy walking up to it after seeing so many photos online. Its iconic.

Another favourite McDonalds for Gary, much closer to home, was Denton House, in Hempstead, New Hyde Park, New York, due to its history  and the fact it became a harbinger for the rest of Long Islands McDonalds architecture in the area.

Built in 1795 and then converted into a two-storey mansion in the 1860s, complete with the colonnade and circular veranda still seen today, Denton House was a private residence until after World War I, when it was turned into a funeral home and then into various restaurants.

By 1986, Gary explains in McAtlas, the property had fallen into disrepair, so McDonalds bought it for $1million to knock it down and build a then-standard flat-roofed restaurant in its place.

However, a petition from locals led to the property being deemed a landmark in 1988, and McDonalds was forced to preserve and restore the building, eventually opening it in 1991, complete with chandeliers and exposed wood beams.

Gary says this inspired communities in Long Island to fight for the McDonalds in their towns to better resemble local architecture, with many succeeding.

This McDonald's in Hempstead, New York, is housed in a two-storey mansion dating back to 1795. McDonald's had originally wanted to knock it down and build a flat-roofed restaurant, but a petition from locals led to the property being deemed a landmark and McDonald's was 'forced to preserve it'. Gary says this inspired communities in Long Island to fight for the McDonalds in their towns to better resemble local architecture

Gary is planning to head back to Hamburgs McBoat (pictured). At this branch people in boats can pull up at a jetty and order food from the water. 'Although the idea is quite cool, I didnt get to see any boats pull up to the dock either of the times that I visited the location, he says. Maybe a third visit will be the lucky one'

Gary charts his world tour in a fascinating book called McAtlas

Gary first realised how much McDonalds localises its menus when he visited Morocco during Ramadan and was served an iftar kit (a gift box given to celebrate the Muslim festival) made up of dates, chebakia (a honey-covered local pastry), a yoghurt-milk beverage, and Harira soup.

Hes now had plenty of different foods from McDonalds around the world thats traditional to the area, also including poutine (chips, cheese and gravy) in Canada and burgers served in rye buns in Finland.

But the most unusual McDonalds food Gary says he ate was in the Philippines, where he tried the local delicacy of McSpaghetti.

And its not what youd expect! he adds.

Using a sweet marinara substitute made from sweet banana ketchup and chopped-up hot dog sausages, McSpaghetti was launched in McDonalds in 1986, in response to Philippines chain Jollibee having introduced its version, Jolly Spaghetti, eight years prior.

Gary says: It became a flavour profile that every local loved, and Jollibee made it insanely popular at kids birthday parties, so McDonalds just had to sell its own version of it when it launched in the Philippines.

The McSpaghetti was really fun to look at and to photograph.

Hong Kongs macaroni soup (pasta topped with ham and egg, in beef or chicken broth) was another highlight. Gary described it as a comfort food, having grown up in a household that had immigrated from Southern China, where the dish is popular.

The most unusual McDonalds food Gary says he ate was in the Philippines, where he tried the local delicacy of McSpaghetti (pictured)

LEFT: Gary was served burgers in rye buns in Finland. RIGHT: The poutine (chips, cheese and gravy) Gary ordered from the menu in Canada, where the dish is a local delicacy

Pictured is Hong Kongs McDonald's macaroni soup (pasta topped with ham and egg, in beef or chicken broth). Gary described it as a comfort food, having grown up in a household that had immigrated from Southern China, where the dish is popular

I was pleased to see that on the menus in Hong Kong, he says.

Despite having now published McAtlas, Garys journey hasnt ended.

Hes keeping an eye on China and Japans ever-changing menu, and also planning to head back to Hamburgs McBoat. At this branch people in boats can pull up at a jetty and order food from the water.

Although the idea is quite cool, I didnt get to see any boats pull up to the dock either of the times that I visited the location, he finishes. Maybe a third visit will be the lucky one.

Gary Hes McAtlas: A Global Guide to the Golden Arches is available to buy now. Visit www.mcatlas.com.
Netflix viewers have raved over a 'laugh-out-loud funny' sitcom with a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes score as it rockets up the charts.

The Other One first aired on BBC back in 2017 and was recently added to popular streaming platform Netflix.

Created by Amandaland co-writer Holly Walsh, the comedy follows 'polar opposite' two sisters who don't know each other exist until their father passes away suddenly and they connect his funeral.

The two series starred Ellie White as Catherine Cathy Walcott and Misfits actrerss Lauren Socha as Catherine Cat Walcott.

Attracting impressive ratings on Rotten Tomatoes, The Other One has been a hit with viewers and critcs.

The Arts Desk described the series as 'funny (often laugh-out-loud so), witty and knowing' in a review back in 2020.

Netflix viewers have raved over a 'laugh-out-loud funny' sitcom with a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes score as it rockets up the charts.

Created by Amandaland co-writer Holly Walsh, the comedy follows 'polar opposite' two sisters who don't know each other exist until their father passes away suddenly and they connect his funeral

The two series starred Ellie White as Catherine Cathy Walcott and Misfits actrerss Lauren Socha as Catherine Cat Walcott

One fan penned on the review site: 'I just love everything about it. The characters are so authentic and I just binged!';

'Fantastic cast, smart, sharp script and filled with heart. Wish there were more than two seasons.';

'Funny, smart and even poignant at times. The writing is stellar as are the performances.'

The Guardian previously rated the show four out of five stars and praised it as a 'sharp, touching comedy'.

While The Telegraph spoke highly of the acting and 'strong cast and whip-smart script'.

Some fans have shared their verdicts on the show on social media too, with one writing on X: 'How did I not know about #TheOtherOne on #Netflix - it is hilarious.';'

'How hilarious The other one on #netflix is? I love it! #theotherone.';

'Caroline Quentin is MAGNIFICENT in "The Other One". End of tweet. #Netflix #theotherone.'

Fans have been raving over another Netflix comedy too - sci-fi series Resident Alien.

The Other One has received raving reviews from fans on social media and X, with some describing it as 'hilarious'

It first aired back in 2021 and follows extraterrestrial Dr. Harry Vanderspeigle (Alan Tudyk) after he crashed-landed onto Earth on a mission to destroy the human race.

Based in Colorado, the alien soon becomes enthralled by human beings and instead of exterminating, forms connections with them instead.

Harry even goes as far as trying to defend the planet from alien threats.

Based on a comic book series with the same name by Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse, Resident Alien has three seasons so far, with a fourth currently in the works.

The Other One is available to stream on Netflix now.
Britain's Got Talent is set to take a dramatic turn on Saturday night as a contestant is set to invite Simon Cowell up on stage to be part of his nail-biting act.

In tense scenes, the sledgehammer-wielding entertainer Kranthi will ask the 65-year-old judge to be his volunteer to help him out during the audition.

Simon is told to lie down and keep very still, while the audience watch on in shock and Ant McPartlin shouts: 'What are you doing? You must be mad!'

The crew come onto the stage and warn Simon of how important it is he stays still as 'things could go wrong'.

The act then puts on a blindfold, which earns a gasp from the crowd, before her blindly smashes the watermelons which are placed just inches from Simon's head, with the giant sledgehammer.

Alesha and Amanda are out of their seats and keen for Kranthi to stop his act, as the weapon lands just centimetres away from Simon's face.

Britain's Got Talent is set to take a dramatic turn on Saturday night as a contestant is set to invite Simon Cowell up on stage to be part of his nail-biting act

In tense scenes, the sledgehammer-wielding entertainer Kranthi will ask the 65-year-old judge to be his volunteer to help him out during the audition

Discussing how he never used to get up on stage, but now can't seem to get off it, Simon explained: 'So it started when a couple of times I agreed to get involved in something. And it's almost likehow can I put this?

'The producers on this show just love my pain! So I thought, Well, if you like it that much, I'll just go along with it! But often its not fun what they do to me.

'I mean, the stuff they did to me this year, wow! There was one point, and I'm not lying, I genuinely thought, Thats it. It's over.'

Recalling the terrifying moment, he quipped: 'A guy nearly smashed my head in with a sledgehammer. I genuinely thought my days were numbered.

'He was slipping all over the place and sweating so much. Thats what freaked me out because when I got up close, I thought, My god, his adrenaline's on such a high.

'Then it doesn't matter what he's done in rehearsals, he's falling around, he's sweating like that, things could go wrong. And I thought, I shouldn't be doing this. Amanda and Alesha were not happy.'

He admitted: 'When I looked at them, saw their faces and really were worried. I mean, look, I don't want to push my luck, I did say at one point that I think I'm running out of lives here.

'I've had everything thrown at me this series. It's scary but good scary. It's like going on a rollercoaster, you know its going to be really frightening and you shouldn't do it, but you kind of want to!'

Meanwhile, Amanda admitted: 'I just thought it was insane and I cant believe he did it.

Simon is told to lie down and keep very still, while the audience watch on in shock and Ant McPartlin shouts: 'What are you doing? You must be mad!'

The crew come onto the stage and warn Simon of how important it is he stays still as 'things could go wrong'

The aCT puts on a blindfold, which earns a gasp from the crowd, before her blindly smashes the watermelons which are placed just inches from Simon's head

'And the only thing that Simon was told when he went up on stage was to keep still, which he did not do, obviously.

'He never does what hes told. So it scared me but hes an adrenaline junkie. I think he does it because Eric likes seeing his dad do those kinds of things. He likes seeing him take risks.'

Viewers will have to wait for Saturday night's instalment to see how Simon's dangerous stunt goes.

The ITV talent show sees judges Simon, 63, Amanda Holden, 53, Alesha Dixon, 46, and Bruno Tonioli, 69, give their verdicts on acts from around the country.

A new series began just last month and has already showcased a range of performances from a naked comedian to impressive opera singing.

But, the much-loved ITV hit received a surge of Ofcom complaints from viewers last week, many about a particularly gruesome act.

American performer Auzzy Blood took to the stage in last weekend's instalment and shocked the judges and audience with his daring routine.

During his stunt, Auzzy put a corkscrew and meat hook through his head and nose, and out of his mouth.

The scene was so dangerous that a warning was put out so viewers do not try the stunt at home - with Dec reiterating the point during the segment.

Alesha and Amanda are out of their seats and keen for Kranthi to stop his act, as the weapon lands just centimetres away from Simon's face

Viewers will have to wait for Saturday night's instalment to see how Simon's dangerous stunt goes

But, the much-loved ITV hit received a surge of Ofcom complaints from viewers last week, many about a particularly gruesome act

American performer Auzzy Blood, pictured, took to the stage in last weekend's instalment and shocked the judges and audience with his daring routine

The horrifying act was dressed head to toe in gothic attire and had painted their face in skeleton-like paint.

After twisting the corkscrew and hooks, he then inserted a tube into their nose and out their mouth, instructing Simon to drink from it.

For the final part of the terrifying act, he pulled himself up into the air from a rope with a hook hanging from their mouth and nose.

However, ITV received 57 complaints after the show which brought the total number to 828 so far.

An Ofcom representative said: 'The vast majority of complaints were about Auzzy Blood's routine. These are additional complaints to those reported last week, and the cumulative total 828.'
Furious Harry Potter fans have hit out at HBO over the casting of Severus Snape in a new TV series just days after being upset about a US star who was cast as Dumbledore.

The new Harry Potter television series promises a deeper exploration of the wizarding world.

There are reports that the series could run for '10 consecutive years', but not all Harry Potter fans are happy with who is rumoured to play the characters.

British actor Paapa Essiedu, 34, has reportedly been 'offered to play Severus Snape' in the reboot, sources recently informed The Hollywood Reporter on Wednesday.

However, it is 'not clear if negotiations have begun in earnest.'

The late Alan Rickman notably portrayed the role of the potions professor throughout Warner Bros.' Harry Potter film franchise from 2001 through 2011.

Upon hearing the possibility that Essiedu was cast as Snape, some shared their thoughts on X (formerly known as Twitter).

One penned, 'I'm sorry but there is only one man who can be Professor Snape. Shame on HBO for going near this. It's just going to ruin something that should be left well alone.'

British actor Paapa Essiedu, 34, has reportedly been 'offered to play Severus Snape'; seen in November in London

The late Alan Rickman notably portrayed the role of the potions professor throughout Warner Bros.' Harry Potter film franchise from 2001 through 2011

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Paapa has already been offered the part of Snape, although it is 'not clear if negotiations have begun in earnest'

Another typed, 'Paapa Essiedu shouldn't take this role for his own benefit. He could be the best actor in the world but he doesn't fit the characteristics of Snape from the book.'

'I don't understand the push to change everything from the original context,' they added.

Another typed, ''Greasy, shoulder-length black hair, a hooked nose, and sallow skin.' Does this sound like Paapa Essiedu to you? Or any person of color, for that matter?'

One questioned, 'So Paapa Essiedu is the new Severus Snape in Harry Potter series. Why?'

'Nothing against Paapa Essiedu but he can NEVER be Severus Snape when it comes to Alan Rickman's amazing performance. I'm sorry but no,' another penned.

Despite some backlash, others came to the defense of the Black Mirror actor, with a fan typing, 'might not occur to harry potter fans that paapa essiedu simply was the best person for the job??'

'Paapa Essiedu is a phenomenal actor and in another world this would be a fascinating and inspired bit of casting, unfortunately this show, ironically enough, is cursed from birth,' another shared.

One wrote, 'I love Paapa Essiedu.. Saw him in The Effect at the London National Theater a year ago and he's too good!!'

The actor is known for his roles in projects such as The Lazarus Project and also Gangs Of London.

John Lithgow has clearly cast a spell over Harry Potter producers as it is confirmed he is the first major signing for a new TV series based on the JK Rowling novels

The character, played by Michael Gambon in the final six of eight Harry Potter films, is the headmaster of the wizarding school Hogwarts and a mentor to the title character

Lithgow recently received a fresh round of critical acclaim for his major role in the Oscar hopeful Conclave (pictured)

J.K. Rowling will also be 'very involved' with the reboot - which is slated to begin filming next year around spring 2025. After garnering backlash, HBO came to the defense of Rowling; seen in 2022 in London

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Paapa has already been offered the part of Snape, although it is 'not clear if negotiations have begun in earnest.'

This comes after fans were furious that American actor John Lithgow was cast as the new Professor Dumbledore in the upcoming wizarding HBO series, which is due out in 2026.

Taking to X, fans wrote: 'I can't understand why John Lithgow is the new Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter HBO series. Dumbledore is British, Lithgow is from the USA.'

'Nothing against John Lithgow, but Dumbledore and the whole Harry Potter franchise is British.'

'I love John Lithgow. Absolutely bananas they're not hiring a British actor to play Dumbledore.'

'WarnerBros quite literally need to pull something out of their hat to save Harry Potter. John Lithgow as Dumbledore certainly feels like it's going to put a lot of people off wanting to watch it. Whatever happened to keeping it all British?'

According to Deadline, HBO is now also closing in on two more main cast members as Emmy-nominated actress Janet McTeer is in negotations to play Professor Minerva McGonagall.

Essiedu is also said to be days away from being official cast for the series.

HBO declined comment, saying: 'We appreciate that such a high-profile series will draw a lot of rumor and speculation.

'As we make our way through pre-production, we will only confirm details as we finalize deals.'
Fans went wild after Saturday night's installment of Britain's Got Talent as The Blackouts received the highly-sought-after Golden Buzzer.

The illusion dance troupe from Switzerland wowed the judges and audience alike after their incredible LED extravaganza routine.

After a standing ovation and rapturous applause from the audience the judges made the decision to give their group golden buzzer to the special act, with viewers already predicting they could be this year's winners.

After the incredible performance, judge Bruno Tonioli praised the group as he gushed: 'Talk about a magic ride, choreographed to perfection. I can't wait to see what you are going to do next.'

The audience then began to chant: 'Press the gold' as the judges then formed a huddle before ultimately deciding to send them through to the final.

And taking to X, formerly Twitter, viewers were very happy with Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and Bruno's decision as they penned : 'theres your winner'.

Britain's Got Talent fans have predicted the show's winners after LED dance act The Blackouts received the group golden buzzer after a sensational performance on Saturday night

The audience began to chant: 'Press the gold' as the judges then formed a huddle before ultimately deciding to send them through to the final

Others agreed, writing: 'WINNER'; 'Now, THAT WAS EPIC!! That surely is this years winner!!'; 'The 1st Golden buzzer worthy Golden buzzer act...';

'Very well deserved for the golden buzzer do proud of them'; 'Now that was deserving of the golden buzzer... well done Blackouts... amazing!!

'Ive never seen anything like the blackouts on #BGT Get them a residency in Las Vegas right now!!';

'What an exceptional light show! And I can really appreciate the intricacy of choreography required there to make that work perfectly. Such a well-deserved Golden Buzzer!';

'Omg the The Blackouts were amazing and definitely deserved the golden buzzer.'

Yet they weren't the only act to receive the Golden Buzzer during the episode after Amanda also sent Olly Pearson straight through to the final.

The 11-year-old guitarist wowed the judges after his impressive performance after he revealed his inspiration was AC/DC guitarist Angus Young.

During his impressive audition, Olly overcame his nerves to blast out the chords to AC/DC, Van Halen and Queen.

The illusion dance troupe from Switzerland wowed the judges and audience alike after their incredible LED extravaganza routine

And taking to X, formerly Twitter, viewers were very happy with Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and Bruno's decision as they penned :' theres your winner'

Yet they weren't the only act to receive the Golden Buzzer during the episode after Amanda also sent Olly Pearson straight through to the final

During his impressive audition, Olly overcame his nerves to blast out the chords to AC/DC, Van Halen and Queen

Speaking to The Mirror about his audition, he said: 'It was just those rows and rows of people - it was just amazing.

'It just felt like I was on top of the world. Every time I perform in front of lots of people, I just want to perform for even more.'

Olly started learning the guitar when he was just seven after his grandad began teaching him during lockdown.

His grandad Lee told the publication: 'I always had his guitar around the house and then Olly decided he wanted to play. We had an awful lot of fun doing it. The talent was in there.'

Elsewhere, fans accused a contestant of wearing a 'fake blindfold' as he swung a hammer inches from Simon Cowell's head during Saturday's episode.

In tense scenes, the sledgehammer-wielding entertainer Kranthi asked the 65-year-old judge to be his volunteer to help him out during the audition.

Simon was told to lie down and keep very still, while the crew and warned him of how important that it was for him to not move as 'things could go wrong'.

Kranthi then put on a blindfold, before he blindly smashed some watermelons placed by Simon's head with the giant sledgehammer.

However, some viewers were left less than impressed and claimed there was 'no way' that the contestants blindfold was real as they pointed out it looked very thin.

They posted on X: 'There is no way that hammer swinging idiot could not see'; 'People must realise it is a fake blindfold'; 'It's almost as if the blindfold was see-through... ...oh wait!.'
Claims have emerged that I'm A Celebrity...Get me Out Of Here! co-host Julia Morris will not be returning in 2026.

Julia, 56, has co-hosted the show since its inception in 2015, first with Dr Chris Brown and then Robert Irwin, who joined the series in 2024.

However, whispers have apparently been emanating around the halls of Network Ten that the Gold Logie nominee's tenure on the show is set to come to an end.

'Julia Morris won't be returning to her high profile gig as host of I'm A Celebrity in 2026.,' an insider told Daily Mail Australia.

The source added that Julia's axing was part of wider cost-cutting measures to ensure the survival of the popular reality show.

'The budget has been drastically affected in the last few years and executives are at it again crunching the numbers, with the Network Ten making some drastic decisions to keep the show on air,' the insider claimed.

With rumours of her 'diva' behaviour plaguing the 2025 season, claims have emerged that I'm A Celebrity...Get me Out Of Here! co-host Julia Morris will not be returning in 2026

'We were lucky to get away with as much as we did with the shoestring budget.

'The show requires live components and that is more expensive than people realise.'

The insider claimed that of all the expenses the production incurs, the largest is Julia herself.

'One of the biggest expenses is Julia Morris. It sounds like a numbers game that has seen Morris axed from the show,' they explained.

They added that number crunchers are increasingly looking for younger, cheaper hosts to helm their shows as production costs increase.

'They were able to replace Dr Chris Brown with Robert Irwin pretty easily and younger, cheaper hosts have been where a lot of the conversations are at the moment inside Network Ten,' the source said.

They used the example of Mel Tracina, who is set to help the anticipated reboot of iconic reality series Big Brother.

"Mel Tracina came at a much cheaper price tag for the Big Brother reboot and if she pulls off that gig, it will be the nail in the coffin for Julia Morris. Who makes a six figure salary at the moment.'

Julia has co-hosed the show since its inception in 2015, first with Dr Chris Brown and then Robert Irwin (l) who joined the series in 2024.

However whispers have apparently been emanating around the halls of Network Ten that the Gold Logie nominee's tenure on the show is set to come to an end

'The sort of money to have Julia back with Robert next year could be spent on other things and that could save the show from being axed all together.'

A spokesperson for Network 10 rubbished the suggestion with: 'There is no truth to these claims. They are completely false.'

It comes after rumours of Julia's 'diva-like' behaviour surfaced in January as a result of budget cuts.

Insiders working closely with the show told Daily Mail Australia last month that the TV presenter has had to 'give up her luxuries' to keep within budget this year.

The upcoming series of I'm A Celebrity has been facing some setbacks due to "budget issues" and everyone has been affected by the tightening of the belt,' one Network Ten source claimed.

'Let's just say that a few people known for their previous demands were not happy.

'Ten doesn't have the budget they once had and some of the long standing crew and Julia Morris have noticed that the 11th series is far from the "big budget production" it once was.'

A former producer of the series said the money being spent to 'lavish' hosts Julia Morris and Dr Chris Brownwho has since been replaced with Robert Irwinand 'lure' celebrities to I'm A Celebrity in its early years 'was quite ridiculous'.

'Julia Morris won't be returning to her high profile gig as host of I'm A Celebrity in 2026.,' an insider revealed to Daily Mail Australia

'One of the biggest expenses is Julia Morris. It sounds like a numbers game that has seen Morris axed from the show,' the insider added

"Mel Tracina (pictured)came at a much cheaper price tag for the Big Brother reboot and if she pulls off that gig, it will be the nail in the coffin for Julia Morris. Who makes a six figure salary at the moment,' the source said.

'That era was all before streaming platforms started to cannibalise the free to air networks,' they added.

'When I'm a Celeb started, Dr Chris Brown and Julia Morris were living polar opposite lives to the 'celebrities' in "the jungle" and that was kind of done on purpose.

'It was hilarious to watch Julia with perfect hair and perfect nails from the salon and with different designer dresses each night, while the likes of Chrissie Swan and Shane Warne would fester away in camp.

'Wearing the same clothes and in desperate need of a toothbrush! That juxtaposition was perfectly curated.'

Another casting producer said hosting I'm A Celebrity was once 'one of the most sought after gigs in Australian TV history'.

'That all changed when ITV Studios Australia were handed half the budget they were accustomed to for this upcoming series,' they alleged.

'[The 2025 season] is going to be massively affected and that hasn't gone down well.

'Julia has had her backstage requests halved and that hasn't been an easy conversation for the producers that are accustomed to treating the long standing host like a queen,' the insider added.
Amber Rose has lifted the lid on what she saw at Sean 'Diddy' Combs' White Parties as she gave her verdict on the disgraced rapper.

The American model, 41, revealed she has attended 'every Puff party' since 2009 and claimed she has never seen anything relating to a so-called 'freak off'.

'I done been to the party, the after party, the after after party... and I never seen none of that stuff,' she told the Club Shay Shay podcast on Wednesday.

Amber continued: 'If these freak offs are happening it's on a completely different day than the actual Puff parties. It's not that day, because every time I was there Puff was there the whole time. He's got his Ciroq, he's on the DJ booth, he's the host of the party. I will say that.'

She added: 'But that's not to say that it does not happen or invalidate people on that... but I do think it's a different day that I'm just not invited to. I don't know.'

Amber went on to claim that despite never seeing anything at the parties, Combs 'is an abuser' - as she recalled the video of him violently assaulting his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura.

Amber Rose has lifted the lid on what she saw at Sean 'Diddy' Combs' White Parties as she gave her verdict on the disgraced rapper

The American model, 41, revealed she has attended 'every Puff party' since 2009 and claimed she has never seen anything relating to a so-called 'freak off' (Diddy seen centre and Amber bottom right together in 2018)

The video, shared by CNN back in May, shows Combs attacking Ventura in a Los Angeles hotel hallway in 2016. In the footage, a man who appears to be Combs, wearing only a towel, punches Cassie, kicks her, and throws her on to the floor.

In November 2023, Cassie settled a lawsuit against Combs - in which she accused him of rape and sexual trafficking - for an undisclosed sum.

Combs has been locked up in jail since he was arrested last year on sex trafficking, racketeering and prostitution charges. He's been denied bail multiple times.

He has vehemently denied all of the allegations since they first came to light and pleaded not guilty after charges were initially filed.

Amber has now said of Combs: 'They did say that there were drugs in the baby oil. I don't know because the internet is fake, you just don't know, but if that is in fact true then that is a problem.

'One thing I do know about Puff is the fact that he is an abuser. He abused Cassie. We all saw the video. That is not okay.'

But of the parties she added: 'But as far as the freak-offs I don't know about that.'

Prosecutors in Combs' case have described the so-called freak-offs as 'elaborate and produced sex performances' arranged and directed by Combs while he masturbated and often recorded them.

'I done been to the party, the after party, the after after party... and I never seen none of that stuff,' she told the Club Shay Shay podcast on Wednesday (Pictured)

Combs has been locked up in jail since he was arrested last year on sex trafficking, racketeering and prostitution charges. He's been denied bail multiple times (Seen in 2018)

Amber continued: 'If these freak offs are happening it's on a completely different day than the actual Puff parties'

Amber recalled how she asked her friend, rapper Ray J, about what he had seen and whether he had ever been invited to one of the alleged 'freak offs'.

She said: 'I said "Ray did they ever invite you to freak off because they never invited me" and I done been at these parties, and I just feel like why I didn't get the invite?

'Maybe they know I don't get down like that, okay cool, but you would think maybe an assistant would come up and be like "Hey you like girls? Are you into..." Never. No one ever asked me that.

'They never asked Ray J either and me and Ray J was talking about it and we were like, I done been to the party, the after party, the after after party... and I never seen none of that stuff.'

Asked if she had a personal relationship with Diddy, Amber added: 'I would say that we didn't talk on the phone and we didn't hang out but I was always invited to the party.

'And that's the extent of our friendship.'

It comes after sources revealed Combs was taken to hospital from his federal prison cell last month.

Combs has vehemently denied all of the allegations since they first came to light and pleaded guilty after charges were initially filed (Seen in 2022)

The disgraced mogul, who is currently locked up at the notorious Metropolitan Detention Center awaiting trial for numerous sex crimes, was rushed to hospital late at night.

Combs received an MRI at Brooklyn Hospital because his 'knee was bothering him,' and the trip occurred at 10pm to avoid any speculation, insiders told DailyMail.com.

The source clarified that a jail altercation or fight was not the reason for Combs' late-night hospital trip, adding that it was 'just an old injury that was bothering him.'

Combs did not stay at the medical facility overnight and was taken back to his cell after the MRI concluded.
Terri Irwin has given followers an update on the state of Australia Zoo as the south east coast of Queensland waits for Cyclone Alfred to make landfall.

The Wildlife Warrior, 60, shared a bird's eye view of the 700-acre zoo, located on the Sunshine Coast, to Instagram on Friday.

She announced the sanctuary would stay closed during the impending storm, revealing several staff members were 'sheltering' with the animals to keep them safe.

'For the next couple of days, @australiazoo will be closed while we wait for cyclone Alfred to pass through,' Terri said.

'When our skies are blue again, well be ready to welcome you back.

'Our animals are safe, and there are a few of us sheltering here with them to make sure they stay snug and comfy.'

Terri Irwin, 60, has given followers an update on the state of Australia Zoo as the south east coast of Queensland waits for Cyclone Alfred to make landfall

She continued: 'A special thank you to our doctors and nurses caring for wildlife that need help at our Hospital.

'Open around the clock since 2004, our Wildlife Hospital treats animals in need until they can be released back to the wild.'

Terri finished her message with: 'Stay safe everyone. Well take care of the critters!'

It comes as Cyclone Alfred has been downgraded to a tropical low, with 55km/h winds near the centre, and gusts of up to 85km/h.

As of 6am, the ex-tropical cyclone was 65km north of Brisbane and 40km south of Maroochydore.

It is expected to cross the mainland this morning, with winds weakening as it moves inland.

Authorities are warning heavy rainfall is still likely to continue over southeast Queensland and northern NSW during the weekend.

Authorities are warning residents to brace for devastating floods despite Cyclone Alfred being downgraded to a tropical low.

The Wildlife Warrior shared a bird's eye view of the 700-acre zoo, located on the Sunshine Coast, to Instagram on Friday

She announced the sanctuary would stay closed during the impending storm, revealing several staff members were 'sheltering' with the animals to keep them safe

The Bureau of Meteorology says the category rating system only relates to wind speeds, and has nothing to do with the amount of rain that will be dumped across the impact zone in the coming days.

'In this case, Alfred is going to bring a lot of rain, whether it is a tropical cyclone or whether it is a tropical low,' the Bureau's Angus Hines tells the ABC.

'Tomorrow, it will be inland areas which start seeing severe falls and so the hinterland, the Scenic Rim, parts of Darling Downs and Queensland, and then parts of the Northern Tablelands.'

He also predicts regions south of the eye of the storm will be hardest hit by the storm and its torrential downpours.

His warning comes amid fears the Wilsons River will break its levee in South Lismore in the next couple of hours amid widespread flooding throughout northern NSW.

Lismore Mayor Steve Krieg says it is distressing news for a community still trying to rebuild in the wake of the devastating 2022 floods.

'If our levee overtops especially, our towns in a lot of troublejust emotionally, financially, people are really struggling before this cyclone,' he says.
Tom Cruise's latest movie has reportedly been forced to halt filming after a member of the cast suffered a 'major injury' on the Pinewood Studios set in Buckinghamshire.

According to The Sun, the unnamed actor injured their pelvis and leg and was taken to hospital, causing chaos and 'costly delays'.

The movie, which is directed by Oscar winner Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu sees Tom, 62, play a megalomaniac who tries to save humanity.

The film, which has the working titled of Judy, also stars Jesse Pelmons, John Goodman as well as British actor Riz Ahmed.

MailOnline have contacted the movie's producers for comment.

Tom Cruise 's latest movie has reportedly been forced to halt filming after a member os the cast suffered a 'major injury' on the Pinewood Studios (pictured 2022)

According to The Sun the unnamed actor injured their pelvis and leg and was taken to hospital, causing chaos and 'costly delays' (Tom pictured in Mission Impossible 8)

a lack of oxygen when

.

It comes after Cruise revealed he passed out due to

The actor, who reprises his role as Ethan Hunt in the latest movie in the action franchise, told Empire magazine: 'When you stick your face out (of an airplane), going over 120 to 130 miles an hour, you're not getting oxygen.

'So I had to train myself how to breathe. There were times I would pass out physically; I was unable to get back into the cockpit.'

Previous Mission: Impossible movies have seen Cruise climb the Burj Khalifa in Dubai and cling to the roof of a moving train but director Christopher McQuarrie explained that a scene in the latest flick  which is set for release in May  made him 'want to puke' from 'the stress'.

The 56-year-old filmmaker said: 'There are stunts in this movie that will melt your brain.

'There would be a day in Africa  any day in Africa  where Tom would go out and do something that topped anything he had ever done before.'

There has been talk that Mission: Impossible  The Final Reckoning could be the last movie in the long-running franchise but Cruise is staying tight-lipped on the matter.

The Top Gun star said: 'You gotta see the movie. It's a hard thing for me to discuss at the moment, because it really is something that you have to experience.'

The movie, which is directed by Oscar winner Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu sees Tom, 62, play a megalomaniac who tries to save humanity

The film, which has the working titled of Judy, also stars Jesse Pelmons (L) John Goodman R) as well as British actor Riz Ahmed

McQuarrie was also coy on the subject but promised that the new picture will encompass Cruise's time portraying Ethan Hunt.

The director said: 'It is, I hope, the satisfying conclusion to a 30-year story arc. I'm pretty confident that people are going to feel that the title was appropriate.'

Meanwhile, McQuarrie revealed that an audience member 'almost had a heart attack' during a screening of the movie after watching one of the intense action sequences.

He said: 'We had a small screening, and someone said, "I was suffocating throughout the entire sequence. I almost had a heart attack."

'And I thought, "I guess we did something right."'

The Jack Reacher director has promised that the franchise's eighth film will give fans the chance to see more of the characters Grace (Hayley Atwell), Degas (Greg Tarzan Davis) and Paris (Pom Klementieff).

He said: 'I can only say that the end of the world makes strange bedfellows. And I'm excited for people to see the evolution of Paris, Degas and Grace.'

McQuarrie explained that he doesn't want characters to be pigeonholed in the films as tech wizards or all-action agents.

The filmmaker, who has helmed four movies in the series, said: 'Mission has a mind of its own. 'If you say, 'I want a character who does this', you'll be disappointed. If, however, you approach it obliquely, the movie will reward you, and you will find yourself doing things you never thought you would.'
Weston Cage's mother Christina Fulton spoke out about his engagement to Jenifer Alexa Canter - almost one year after he allegedly assaulted her.

Christina, who shares son Weston with ex-partner Nicolas Cage, spoke to TMZ about his engagement.

'I hope his mental health is being addressed first and foremost,' she said.

Adding: 'At the end of the day he's my son, I want the best for him, however my pain and suffering this past year as his mother will never got away.'

Earlier this week, Christina broke her silence after suing ex Nicolas over Weston's 'vicious attack' on her.

Last month, it was revealed that she is suing both the actor and Weston following an alleged physical altercation that took place in April 2024.

Weston Cage's mother Christina Fulton spoke out about his engagement to Jenifer Alexa Canter - almost one year after he allegedly assaulted her; seen September 2019

She told TMZ on Monday while heading inside an LA courtroom that she has 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.

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.'

On Thursday, Weston announced his engagement to Jenifer Alexa Canter - almost five months after going public with their romance on Instagram

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.'

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.'

Christina, who shares son Weston with ex-partner Nicolas Cage , spoke to TMZ about his engagement

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.'

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 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

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.

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 in January for the assault trial, with Fulton's attorney Joseph Farzam accusing Cage of 'enabling Weston his whole life', leading to his alleged aggressive behavior.

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.

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; seen in 1988 in L.A.

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.

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.

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.

On Thursday, Weston announced his engagement to Jenifer Alexa Canter - almost five months after going public with their romance on Instagram.

The musician, 34, confirmed that he proposed to her via People.

'Jenifer is my first love, my only love and my last. She is the love of my life and I am committed to her forever,' he expressed to the outlet.

'What I have with Jenifer is a God-given divine phenomenon, and therefore it is incomparable. She is the love of my life, and our special love is uncanny.'

Weston - who has previously been married three times - further gushed, 'I am honored to be with the absolute love of my life. We look forward to changing the world and making our legacy.'

One day before confirming his engagement, Weston shared a post that included two images of the lovebirds.

The music artist penned in the lengthy caption, 'I love you more than any man has ever loved in the history of humanity. That astronomically immeasurable love multiplies in every second.'

The musician, 34, confirmed that he proposed to her via People

He then said that Jenifer is his 'first love, only love, the love of my life and my last love.'

Weston later added that his partner 'saved my life' and added he 'was born for you and I truly can't wait to change the world with you.'

He also credited Jenifer with his sobriety journey and wrote, 'The way it was always supposed to be shall always be and I love you galaxies above human love.

'You get the greatest version of me and that shall exist within my art as well. I can't wait to release all my love songs to you.'
Blake Lively's big return to the red carpet got off to a bumpy start on Friday, as a Justin Baldoni protestor arrived the Another Simple Favor premiere at South by Southwest Film & TV Festival in Austin, Texas.

Proving that the PR disaster of It Ends With Us is far from over, a woman was seen wearing a shirt that said 'Blake lied' and held a sign that read: 'Justice for Justin Baldoni. Blake lied,' as the star walked the red carpet nearby.

To make matters worse, there appeared to be more awkward moments as Blake's co-star Anna Kendrick had an awkward response to a question about working with her on the film.

'Oh you know,' Anna said on the red carpet when asked about working with Blake.

It was also unclear if Blake and Anna posed together just the two of them, though they did both pose alongside the film's director Paul Feig.

The actress, 37, donned a skintight nude and black dress - layered under a pink plastic cover up.

Blake is currently in the midst of a legal war against her It Ends With Us co-star and director, actor Justin Baldoni.

Blake Lively's big return to the red carpet got off to a bumpy start on Friday, as a Justin Baldoni protestor arrived the Another Simple Favor premiere at South by Southwest Film & TV Festival in Austin, Texas

The protestor held a sign that read: 'Justice for Justin Baldoni. Blake lied,' as the star walked the red carpet nearby

Her co-star Michele Morrone looked nervous on the red carpet as she appeared to make a joke about her braless dress.

Another Simple Favor is the sequel to her 2018 thriller A Simple Favor.

The movie follows main characters Stephanie (Anna Kendrick) and Emily (Lively) 'head to the beautiful island of Capri, Italy, for Emily's extravagant wedding to a rich Italian businessman,' according to Variety.

'Along with the glamorous guests, expect murder and betrayal to RSVP for a wedding with more twists and turns than the road from the Marina Grande to the Capri town square.'

While on the red carpet on Friday, Blake was heard telling the screaming crowd: 'You guys are so sweet not to shout, so civil.'

After smiling and posing for a few seconds, Blake proceeds to take off the plastic-style cover up, as she says aloud: 'Okay this is coming off now, that's better.'

'Hi there,' she adds, as she takes the cover up off to reveal the strapless skintight dress beneath.

While inside Austins Paramount Theater, Lively was seen speaking in public for the first time since the start of her legal battle with Baldoni.

'I love this character so much. Its probably my favorite character Ive ever been fortunate enough to play,' she shared, as per Variety.

Blake is currently in the midst of a legal war against her It Ends With Us co-star and director, actor Justin Baldoni

The movie follows main characters Stephanie (Kendrick) and Emily (Lively) 'head to the beautiful island of Capri, Italy, for Emily's extravagant wedding to a rich Italian businessman,' according to Variety

The actress donned a skintight nude and black dress - layered under a pink cover up - she took off for the afternoon premiere

Her blonde tresses cascaded down her shoulders

It was also unclear if Blake and Anna posed together just the two of them, though they did both pose alongside the film's director Paul Feig

She smiled while posing with fans

Blake brushed off the protestor as she mingled with fans

Blake couldn't stop smiling as she posed with her fans

The movie star also posed with her co-star Michele Morrone

He rocked a pinstripe jacket

He sported a number of rings on his fingers

Kendrick sizzled in a black bodysuit with a plunging neckline and matching black pants

They also posed with Hanry Golding

The cast all posed together

While inside Austins Paramount Theater, Lively was seen speaking in public for the first time since the start of her legal battle with Baldoni

'I love this character so much. Its probably my favorite character Ive ever been fortunate enough to play,' she shared, as per Variety

Anna and Blake were seen standing next to each other inside the theater

The two spoke to the audience

They did not pose for photos of just the two of them on the red carpet, fueling rumors of a feud

It was previously reported that Kendrick is less than thrilled that Blake's legal drama with Baldoni is overshadowing the film

A separate source explained to DailyMail.com, 'These movies are basically all Anna and Blake have in common. They have a working relationship, by no means a close friendship or bond'

No shortage of Blake Lively fans turned out for the premiere of #anothersimplefavor at @sxsw film festival  she took tons of photos with fans ahead of the screening. @ASimpleFavor @PrimeVideo @AmazonMGMStudio pic.twitter.com/X3lVqCFFjk  Caralynn (@caralynn_marie) March 7, 2025

'So when Paul asked us to come back, I was so excited.'

The timing is a publicity nightmare for the movie, which will no doubt be over shadowed by Blake's ongoing legal drama with her It Ends With Us co-star Baldoni.

Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign against her in a lawsuit filed in December while Baldoni accused Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, 48, and publicist Leslie Sloane of defamation and extortion in a $400 million suit filed in February.

Baldoni has denied the allegations from Lively, while Lively, Reynolds and Sloane have denied the accusations made by Baldoni.

Baldoni's team has also released a website which includes private communications such as text messages that were included in court filings detailing his interactions with the Hollywood power couple over the making of romantic drama.

He claimed in court filings they made efforts made to usurp and undermine his input as the director of It Ends with Us.

After Prime Video released a promotional post for Another Simple Favor February 5 - which Lively stars in opposite Anna Kendrick - a number of commenters implicated that Lively might have tried to assert her influence over director Paul Feig, 62, over that movie, leading the filmmaker to respond to the speculation.

Amid Baldoni's claims that Lively and her inner circle used their considerable clout to commandeer changes to the script - even enlisting Swift to lean on him at one point - and re-cut the motion picture, a user asked in the comment section, 'Is it Paul Feig's cut or Blake's cut?'

Feig - whose other cinematic credits include 2011's Bridesmaids, 2016's Ghostbusters and 2024's Jackpot! - made clear he had full creative control over the film, replying, 'Its my cut. There is no other cut ... just wanted to clear that up.'

Feig in his reply heaped massive praise on Lively, who he previously worked with on 2018's A Simple Favor.

Lively is currently embroiled in legal warfare with Baldoni after It Ends With Us

'Blake has been nothing but supportive and a dream to work with,' said the Emmy-nominated director, who has directed shows such as Arrested Development, The Office and Nurse Jackie. 'She is the best and an amazing collaborator and Im her biggest fan.'

Feig also shared, that 'Every movie star has opinions about what theyre doing. I havent worked with one that doesnt want to get in there and work on stuff and make it better. Thats our process. I love that Blake works that way.'

A number of the director's fans criticized his defense of Lively, amid the allegations Baldoni made in court filings and on the website.

'Paul, I know youre gonna wanna shake off these comments as coming from a bunch of loons, but Blake and Ryan really did use their star power to bulldoze Justin,' said one user. 'It makes me really sad, and I hope you remember when you were starting off in this business.'

Others told Feig that his stellar reputation as a feted industry veteran insulated him from the strong-arming and meddling Lively allegedly subjected Baldoni to in regard to It Ends with Us's screenplay, wardrobe and editing.
Blake Lively's co-star Michele Morrone looked nervous as she appeared to make a joke about her braless dress at the Another Simple Favor premiere in Texas on Friday.

The Gossip Girl, 37, and the Italian actor, 34, posed together on the red carpet at the South by Southwest Film & TV Festival in Austin, Texas.

Blake  who's currently involved in a sexual harassment lawsuit against her It Ends With Us co-star Justin Baldoni, 41  wore a skintight nude latex dress with a plunging neckline.

In a video from the event, the actress looked down and adjusted the top of the dress before looking over at Morrone and making a comment as she laughed.

Expert Nicola Hickling, who is the founder of LipReader, told DailyMail.com that Lively said, 'Oh sorry.'

Morrone appeared nervous as he quickly turned his head away and made a hand gesture, before adjusting his hair.

Blake Lively's, 37, co-star Michele Morrone, 34, looked nervous as she appeared to make a joke about her braless dress at the Another Simple Favor premiere in Texas on Friday

Blake's look was completed with black peep-toe heels, and her blonde hair cascaded down her shoulders in waves.

Meanwhile Michele looked dapper in a black and white pinstripe jacket with black pants and dress shoes.

In December, he expressed his support for Lively, after she accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign against her.

He took to his Instagram Stories, sharing, 'Its usually not my thing to make those kind of videos, but I think its time to stand up for a person that I really love and this person is Blake Lively.'

'I felt something was wrong, and I felt the pain,' he added about meeting Lively on set of their film.

'We had the opportunity to talk about [it] me and her. Blake was in pain.'

He added, 'Im really tired to see those kind of cruel and bad comments about her without knowing the situation.'

At the end of his clip he shared, 'Blake, I love you so much. Keep it up, and were going to see each other very, very soon.'

Blake  who's currently involved in a sexual harassment lawsuit against her It Ends With Us co-star Justin Baldoni, 41  wore a nude latex dress with a plunging neckline. At one point she looked down and adjusted the top of the dress, before looking over at Morrone and making a comment as she laughed

Expert Nicola Hickling, who is the founder of LipReader, told DailyMail.com that Lively said, 'Oh sorry'

Morrone appeared nervous as he quickly turned his head away and made a hand gesture, before adjusting his hair

The two posed together on the red carpet at the South by Southwest Film & TV Festival in Austin, Texas

Blake's look was completed with black peep-toe heels, and her blonde hair cascaded down her shoulders in waves

Michele looked dapper in a black and white pinstripe jacket with black pants and dress shoes

In December, he expressed his support for Lively, after she accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign against her

While at the premiere, Blake was also faced with a Justin Baldoni protestor waiting outside.

The protestor, who also wore a shirt that said 'Blake lied' - held a sign that read: 'Justice for Justin Baldoni. Blake lied,' as the star walked the red carpet nearby.

Another Simple Favor is the sequel to her 2018 thriller A Simple Favor.

The movie follows main characters Stephanie (Anna Kendrick) and Emily (Lively) 'head to the beautiful island of Capri, Italy, for Emily's extravagant wedding to a rich Italian businessman,' according to Variety.

'Along with the glamorous guests, expect murder and betrayal to RSVP for a wedding with more twists and turns than the road from the Marina Grande to the Capri town square.'

While on the red carpet on Friday, Blake was heard telling the screaming crowd: 'You guys are so sweet, not to shout, so civil.'

Blake's other co-star Anna offered a very awkward response when questioned about working with Lively on the sequel.

The Twilight star, 39 - who is rumored to have a 'secret feud' with Lively - was filmed cheerfully greeting fans outside of the event.

At one point, one asked the actress, 'What does it mean to be working with Blake again?'

Anna simply replied with, 'Oh, you know...,' and began to take selfies with others instead of further elaborating on the answer - which further fueled speculation of a feud between the two stars.

While at the premiere, Blake was also faced with a Justin Baldoni protestor waiting outside

The protestor, who also wore a shirt that said 'Blake lied' - held a sign that read: 'Justice for Justin Baldoni. Blake lied,' as the star walked the red carpet nearby

Another Simple Favor is the sequel to her 2018 thriller A Simple Favor

The film will be released on Amazon Prime Video on May 1

Another Simple Favor will be released on Amazon Prime Video on May 1.

The timing is a publicity nightmare for the movie, which will no doubt be over shadowed by Blake's ongoing legal drama with her It Ends With Us co-star Baldoni.

Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign against her in a lawsuit filed in December while Baldoni accused Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, 48, and publicist Leslie Sloane of defamation and extortion in a $400 million suit filed in February.

Baldoni has denied the allegations from Lively, while Lively, Reynolds and Sloane have denied the accusations made by Baldoni.

Baldoni's team has also released a website which includes private communications such as text messages that were included in court filings detailing his interactions with the Hollywood power couple over the making of romantic drama.

He claimed in court filings they made efforts to usurp and undermine his input as the director of It Ends with Us.

After Prime Video released a promotional post for Another Simple Favor February 5, a number of commenters implicated that Lively might have tried to assert her influence over director Paul Feig, 62, over that movie, leading the filmmaker to respond to the speculation.

Amid Baldoni's claims that Lively and her inner circle used their considerable clout to commandeer changes to the script - even enlisting Swift to lean on him at one point - and re-cut the motion picture, a user asked in the comment section, 'Is it Paul Feig's cut or Blake's cut?'

Feig - whose other cinematic credits include 2011's Bridesmaids, 2016's Ghostbusters and 2024's Jackpot! - made clear he had full creative control over the film, replying, 'Its my cut. There is no other cut ... just wanted to clear that up.'

Feig in his reply heaped massive praise on Lively, who he previously worked with on 2018's A Simple Favor.

'Blake has been nothing but supportive and a dream to work with,' said the Emmy-nominated director, who has directed shows such as Arrested Development, The Office and Nurse Jackie. 'She is the best and an amazing collaborator and Im her biggest fan.'

Lively accused Baldoni (pictured in 2024) of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign against her in a lawsuit filed in December while Baldoni accused Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, 48, and publicist Leslie Sloane of defamation and extortion in a $400 million suit filed in February

Baldoni has denied the allegations from Lively, while Lively, Reynolds and Sloane have denied the accusations made by Baldoni; Lively and Baldoni seen in a still from It Ends With Us

A number of the director's fans criticized his defense of Lively, amid the allegations Baldoni made in court filings and on the website.

'Paul, I know youre gonna wanna shake off these comments as coming from a bunch of loons, but Blake and Ryan really did use their star power to bulldoze Justin,' said one user. 'It makes me really sad, and I hope you remember when you were starting off in this business.'

Others told Feig that his stellar reputation as a feted industry veteran insulated him from the strong-arming and meddling Lively allegedly subjected Baldoni to in regard to It Ends with Us's screenplay, wardrobe and editing.

Among those who have been dragged into the dispute is Lively's friend Taylor Swift, who is set to be subpoenaed during the case.
Ice Spice made sure to turn heads as she made a fashionable exit from her hotel during Paris Fashion Week on Friday night.

The American rapper, 25, showed off her incredible figure in a fitted leather top and matching skintight trousers as she stepped out in the French capital.

She added to her frame with a pair of peep-toe camel suede heeled boots and swept a dramatic orange faux-fur jacket over her shoulders.

Ice Spice toted her essentials in a small black handbag and accentuated her features with a slick of eyeliner and a touch of glossy lipstick.

She sported her vibrant orange tresses in a straight fashion over her shoulders as she headed out for another fun-filled night in Paris.

Ice Spice, whose real name is Isis Naija Gaston, has been making the most of Paris Fashion Week and has been spotted at a string of events already.

Ice Spice made sure to turn heads as she made a fashionable exit from her hotel during Paris Fashion Week on Friday night

The American rapper, 25, showed off her incredible figure in a fitted leather top and matching skintight trousers as she stepped out in the French capital

On Wednesday, she sent temperatures soaring as she put on a very daring display while attending Stella McCartney's show.

The musician showcased her enviable figure in a sheer lace catsuit as she joined the stars at the glitzy event.

She paired the daring ensemble with a shaggy black shawl from Stella's pre-fall 2025 collection.

To complete her look, Ice toted her essentials in a mini black handbag and added height with a pair of black mesh open-toe pointed heels.

On the FROW, she was joined by supermodel Kate Moss, 51, who looked phenomenal in a black, figure-hugging jumpsuit featuring a plunging lace bust.

Kate paired her chic ensemble with a black leather biker jacket, striking poses for the camera.

They were also joined by actress Cameron Diaz, 52, who wowed in a satin red mini dress.

The blonde beauty completed her look with red patent leather heels and styled her blonde tresses in an elegant up-do.

She added to her frame with a pair of peep-toe camel suede heeled boots and swept a dramatic orange faux-fur jacket over her shoulders

She sported her vibrant orange tresses in a straight fashion over her shoulders as she headed out for another fun-filled night in Paris

Ice Spice toted her essentials in a small black handbag and accentuated her features with a slick of eyeliner and a touch of glossy lipstick

On Wednesday, she sent temperatures soaring as she put on a very daring display while attending Stella McCartney's show

Paris Fashion Week kicked off on Monday and will run until March 11, and on Friday night, Victoria Beckham's show took place at Chateau de Bagatelle

Paris Fashion Week kicked off on Monday and will run until March 11.

On Friday night, Victoria Beckham's show took place at Chateau de Bagatelle as she showcased her Fall/Winter 2025-2026 women's ready-to-wear collection.

The fashion designer, 50, was supported by her husband David, 49, and kids Romeo, 22, Cruz, 20, and Harper, 13, as they all proudly watched from the front row.

However, her eldest son Brooklyn, 26, did not appear to be in attendance as he wasn't seen arriving with the rest of the Beckham clan.

Anna Wintour was also among the guests at the fashion show, which was livestreamed online to give fans a glimpse at the collection.
Lindsay Lohan appeared on Instagram ahead of the weekend to share an uplifting post with her nearly 16 million followers.

The 38-year-old former child star  who attended Vanity Fair's Oscars bash on Sunday  looked beautiful in a black and white selfie as she added a thoughtful caption.

'Happy Friday, everyone! As we wrap up the week, take a deep breath and remind yourselfyou made it! No matter what challenges came your way, youre here, standing stronger than you were on Monday,' she wrote.

The mother-of-one, who shares one-year-old son Luai with husband Bader Shammas, added, 'Let today be a celebration of progress, big or small. A moment to pause, reflect, and appreciate how far youve come. And if this week wasnt perfect? Thats okay. Every step forward is still a step in the right direction!'

It comes as it was revealed on Friday that Lindsay's troubled dad, 64-year-old Michael Lohan, has a warrant in Florida in connection with an alleged violation of his probation when he was arrested for assault two weeks ago.

Lindsay Lohan appeared on Instagram ahead of the weekend to share an uplifting post with her nearly 16 million followers

'Happy Friday, everyone! As we wrap up the week, take a deep breath and remind yourselfyou made it! No matter what challenges came your way, youre here, standing stronger than you were on Monday,' she wrote

Lindsay's upbeat note continued, 'Go into the weekend with gratitude in your heart, joy in your spirit, and the confidence to keep chasing what sets your soul on fire. The best is yet to come! Make it a great one! '

Her dad breached the terms of his probation with his February 21 felony assault arrest in Spring, Texas involving his estranged wife Kate Major, 42.

Authorities issued an arrest warrant for the older Lohan, in connection to his probation from a 2022 conviction in Palm Beach, Florida.

At the time, he was found guilty of pocketing money in exchange for steering patients toward a specific rehab facility.

Lohan had been previously been arrested in April 2021 and charged with five counts of patient brokering and one count of attempted patient brokering.

Authorities are expected to extradite Lohan from Texas to Florida, sources told TMZ this week.

Major contacted authorities last month after she noticed Michael in the parking lot of a medical building, a spokesperson for the Harris County Sheriff's Department told Dailymail.com February 23.

Lohan previously told TMZ that he felt Major had been 'setting him up' to get arrested, as she had 'physically and verbally abused him' prior to his arrest.

It comes as it was revealed on Friday that Lindsay's troubled dad, 64-year-old Michael Lohan, has a warrant in Florida in connection with an alleged violation of his probation when he was arrested for assault two weeks ago

Michael was arrested on a felony assault charge in February after he allegedly flipped his wife Kate Major out of her chair

The estranged couple pictured in Philadelphia in July 2010

Lohan shared: 'Kate has been threatening to get me violated on probation for a long time. She used these false charges here in Texas to do so.'

In the February 21 incident, Major called 911 and reported that 'she was concerned [Michael] was following her,' authorities said, leading deputies to respond.

She told law enforcement that Michael had 'flipped' her out of a chair at their home days earlier, officials said. Kate told authorities that 'she felt pain and discomfort' as result of the alleged attack.

Police said that Major, who shares two young sons with Lohan, showed a female deputy 'the bruising' on her body as result of the attack.

The latest incident follows a string of past legal incidents involving her spouse.

Michael was arrested without incidence at the family home and held on a charge of Continuous Family Violence and a $30,000 bond.
Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick had a 'subdued' face-off at the premiere of their new film, Another Simple Favor, a body language expert has claimed.

Lively, 37, and Kendrick, 39  who are rumored to have a 'secret feud'  did not pose for any photos featuring just the two of them, as they attended the event at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas on Friday.

Instead, they posed for some shots with director Paul Feig, 62, and other cast members, and later appeared on stage inside the theatre.

Body language expert Judi James exclusively told DailyMail.com that Feig 'seems to have been enlisted as a handy "air bag" buffer between them.'

She noted that, 'Their "red carpet" smiles do look rather tempered or subdued here, Blake's lips are closed while Anna's smile lacks the traits of real joy, like rounded cheeks or eye crinkling.'

Blake is currently in the midst of a legal war against her It Ends With Us co-star and director, Justin Baldoni, and it's been reported that Anna is not thrilled that the drama is overshadowing their film.

Blake Lively, 37, and Anna Kendrick, 39, had a 'subdued' face-off at the premiere of their new film, Another Simple Favor, a body language expert has claimed

Lively and Kendrick  who are rumored to have a 'secret feud'  did not pose for any photos featuring just the two of them on the red carpet, as they attended the event at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas on Friday

'Blake is performing an eye-smile but Anna's "smile" doesn't seem to have reached her eyes,' Judi added.

'Blake's body pose looks relaxed and has amicable signals, with the way her pelvis is partly turned in towards the group and the way her legs are crossed inward towards the group too.'

The expert also shared that, 'Anna looks less assured' in the red carpet photo, 'with her right hand hanging in front of her torso in a partial barrier gesture.'

Inside the event, the stars were pictured awkwardly standing next to each other, with Anna holding her head down as she listened to Lively speak.

Lively excitedly recounted the filming of the movie in Capri, Italy, as Kendrick stood by and only glanced over at her co-star one time in a video shared by Variety.

Fans were convinced of tension between the two stars.

One wrote, 'Oh Lord. Anna Kendrick looking like she would rather be ANYWHERE else, but there, listening to the inane drivel tumbling out of Blake Lively's mouth. Anna's body language is speaking VOLUMES here. God, I feel so bad for her.'

Another added, 'Anna Kendrick's body language screams "get me outta here, last time I do a movie with you or be seen in public with you again."'

'The way Anna doesnt give her 0 eye contact but looking at that hideous dress is beyond me,' another added.

'Why she not looking at her????? Anna, your body language is very telling!!!'

Blake Lively was initially reluctant to shoot "Another Simple Favor" in Capri but was eventually won over: "They serve you ice cream in lemons!" pic.twitter.com/osAghvohTW  Variety (@Variety) March 8, 2025

Instead, they posed for some shots with director Paul Feig, 62, and other cast members, and later appeared on stage inside the theatre

Body language expert Judi James exclusively told DailyMail.com that Feig 'seems to have been enlisted as a handy "air bag" buffer between them'

She noted that, 'Their "red carpet" smiles do look rather tempered or subdued here, Blake's lips are closed while Anna's smile lacks the traits of real joy, like rounded cheeks or eye crinkling'

'[Anna] in the background thinking, wtf, wow. I cant believe I did this sequel again. Sigh. Im so done with her.

'Anna hates her so much lol,' another added.

'Poor Anna - her body language SPEAKS VOLUMES.'

Speaking about the director wanting to shoot the film in Capri, Blake  who's been accused of trying to 'hijack' her last film, It Ends With Us, from her director and co-star Baldoni  shared, 'I said that sounds amazing, but it's very expensive, and let's just shoot in Connecticut, that's where the first one took place. I didn't understand why it needed to be Capri.'

However, she eventually came around, saying, 'Now, I want to live there. I love it so much.'

The body language expert also shared that Blake showed some signs of 'anxiety' as she posed solo on the red carpet.

'Posing in her demurer 50's style dress she looks anxious and tentative, cupping her hands at chest level in what looks like a pleading gesture as she calls out to the press.'

'When her hands settle onto her torso, she places one hand onto her stomach in what looks like a barrier gesture.'

Judi added, 'Blake takes direction from the press to pose, flapping her skirt in an awkward gesture and looking over her shoulder to cue.'

'Her smile for the cameras looks red carpet perfect but in between smiles there seems to be some pursing of the lips to hint at possible anxiety. Even when she turns to look over her shoulder her eyes look down.'

'Blake's body pose looks relaxed and has amicable signals, with the way her pelvis is partly turned in towards the group and the way her legs are crossed inward towards the group too,' Judi added, while noting that Anna 'looks less assured'

Inside the event, the stars were pictured awkwardly standing next to each other

Blake looked at Anna when she spoke, but Anna mostly kept her head down when Blake addressed the audience

Earlier on the red carpet Anna offered a very awkward response when questioned about working with Blake once again on the sequel

At one point, one fan asked the actress, 'What does it mean to be working with Blake again?'

Anna simply replied with, 'Oh, you know...,' and began to take selfies with others instead of further elaborating on the answer - which fueled speculation of a feud between the two stars

OMG Anna Kendrick just clowned Blake Lively at Another Simple Favor premiere at SXSW  pic.twitter.com/TKn911IjCR  Melanie King (@realmelanieking) March 7, 2025

'Then there is a sudden dramatic change of mood music as she suddenly announces, "I think this is coming off", walking forward and quickly un-popping her over-dress to reveal the nude-colored strapless dress below.'

It's then that Blake looks like 'she found her charging point.'

'Her movements and poses have a sense of purpose and confidence and she raises one hand to her head to touch her hair in a directional, framing gesture to confidently draw attention to her face.'

Blake's 'smile widens and she adopts the ultimate pose of confidence by placing both hands on her hips with her elbows splayed. There is some sassier pulling at her skirt but there is still one non-verbal tell or cue to suggest some possible inner anxiety: her left hand that is placed onto her hip performs a couple of tapping gestures.'

'Metronomic gestures like this can suggest a subliminal desire to get on with something or to self-reassure. Blake's friendly wave though and her splayed shoulders are incongruent performed rituals in terms of suggesting she's enjoying her red-carpet experience,' the expert concluded.

While on the red carpet, Blake also appeared to have an awkward interaction with co-star Michele Morrone, 34.

In a video from the event, the actress looked down and adjusted the top of the dress before looking over at Morrone and making a comment as she laughed.

Expert Nicola Hickling, who is the founder of LipReader, told DailyMail.com that Lively said, 'Oh sorry.'

Morrone appeared nervous as he quickly turned his head away and made a hand gesture, before adjusting his hair.

Body language expert Judi said that as Blake stood next to Morrone, she 'has her right hand on her hip in another pose of supreme confidence, but she suddenly lifts it to the left side of her strapless dress to pull it up into place, adding a checking pat to the bodice as she does so.'

Fans were convinced of tension between the two stars. 'Anna Kendrick looking like she would rather be ANYWHERE else, but there, listening to the inane drivel tumbling out of Blake Lively's mouth,' one wrote

OMGLook at what Blake Lively said when asked about what it was like working with Anna again vs what Anna Kendrick says at Another Simple Favor premiere at SXSW. pic.twitter.com/e1CKbUGMU8  Melanie King (@realmelanieking) March 7, 2025

'She seems to make a smiling comment to Morrone as she performs the pat and he responds with a raised hand and finger of reassurance or "that's ok" as she grins at him.'

'They then smile at the camera but the way Morone's arm swings at his side before his hand rises to touch his head suggests a moment of awkwardness, as does the way Blake crosses her legs in a self-diminishing pose as her hand taps on her hip again.'

In another pose with the actor, they were seen facing towards the cameras, with his arm around her waist.

Morrone 'seems to use the "gentleman's hand" gesture, which means no actual holding. His hand at Blake's waist has the fingers curled inward so there is no clutching and little touch if any at all.'

Earlier on the red carpet Anna offered a very awkward response when questioned about working with Blake once again on the sequel.

In a now-viral video shared to X, Kendrick was filmed cheerfully greeting fans outside of the event.

At one point, one asked the actress, 'What does it mean to be working with Blake again?'

Anna simply replied with, 'Oh, you know...,' and began to take selfies with others instead of further elaborating on the answer - which fueled speculation of a feud between the two stars.

Lively was seen mingling with fans and signing autographs in a separate video on X, when she was asked a similar question, but her response was in stark contrast to Kendrick's.

Anna and Blake's joint appearance on Friday at the premiere of their movie comes amid rumors of a 'secret feud' between the pair

It was previously reported that Kendrick is less than thrilled that Blake's legal drama with Justin Baldoni is overshadowing their film

'Blake, what does it mean to be back with Anna?' a fan asked as the actress was strolling by.

'Oh, it's the best! I'm so happy,' the star gushed before being guided to take additional photos during the festivities.

And on the red carpet with Variety, Kendrick shared a vague response when questioned about how the movie has been affected by 'everything going on in the world.'

'Why, what happened? I did ayahuasca and the last year of my life is just gone,' the star replied, referencing to the plant-based psychedelic.

The actress then continued, 'But I've heard the movie is amazing,' before walking away.

Anna and Blake - who was interrupted by a pro-Justin Baldoni protestor at the event - reunited for the anticipated film, which is slated to officially release later this year on May 1, and is the sequel to the 2018 movie A Simple Favor.

Other cast members include Henry Golding, Andrew Rannells, Bashir Salahuddin, Allison Janey and Elena Sofia Ricci.

The premise, 'Follows Stephanie Smothers (Kendrick) and Emily Nelson (Lively) as they head to the beautiful island of Capri, Italy, for Emily's extravagant wedding to a rich Italian businessman,' per IMDB.

Anna and Blake's joint appearance on Friday at the premiere of their movie comes amid rumors of a 'secret feud' between the pair.

Blake also showed some signs of 'anxiety' as she posed solo on the red carpet, according to the body language expert

'Her smile for the cameras looks red carpet perfect but in between smiles there seems to be some pursing of the lips to hint at possible anxiety'

'Posing in her demurer 50's style dress she looks anxious and tentative, cupping her hands at chest level in what looks like a pleading gesture as she calls out to the press'

It was previously reported that Kendrick is less than thrilled that Blake's legal drama with Baldoni is overshadowing their film.

A source told People last month, 'The comments on Instagram have upset her, especially the ones saying fans are now refusing to watch the movie because they don't want to support Blake.'

They further explained that the Pitch Perfect star is 'not used to being caught up in any drama.'

A separate source explained to DailyMail.com, 'These movies are basically all Anna and Blake have in common. They have a working relationship, by no means a close friendship or bond.

'Last-minute talks are underway with execs as Anna would prefer to distance herself from Blake going forward.'

The insider added, 'It was originally planned that the two would do much of the promotion together. That's what the studio requested, and Anna and Blake agreed to it. But Anna could go it alone over fears she will get caught up in the drama.'

Another source commented on Blake attending the SXSW Film Festival and said, 'Beyond this, Anna and the others do not anticipate any deep level of involvement.

'In fact, Anna is prepared to handle the promotion responsibilities alone. She would prefer this because she does not want to have to dodge questions about Blake's lawsuit or have every interview turn into a Lively v Baldoni Q&A session.

While on the red carpet, Blake also appeared to have an awkward interaction with co-star Michele Morrone, 34

In a video from the event, the actress looked down and adjusted the top of the dress before looking over at Morrone and making a comment as she laughed. Morrone appeared nervous as he quickly turned his head away and made a hand gesture, before adjusting his hair

'They then smile at the camera but the way Morone's arm swings at his side before his hand rises to touch his head suggests a moment of awkwardness, as does the way Blake crosses her legs in a self-diminishing pose as her hand taps on her hip again,' body language expert Judi explained

In another pose with the actor, they were seen facing towards the cameras, with his arm around her waist

Morrone 'seems to use the "gentleman's hand" gesture, which means no actual holding. His hand at Blake's waist has the fingers curled inward so there is no clutching and little touch if any at all'

The insider added, 'Although Blake is obligated to promote the film, she retains the autonomy to determine the extent of her involvement beyond SXSW. They are now leaving this up to her to decide.'

Anna and Blake are also rumored to have clashed over their billing on the sequel and Lively failing to address the effect of her lawsuit on the movie.

Also last month, a source told DailyMail.com, 'There is a gigantic pink elephant in the room that no one is acknowledging.

'The backlash to initial promo has been brutal. There are people protesting and refusing to see it.'

The insider continued, 'Blake has not addressed this. She has not called the cast to apologize. She has not done anything like that. She has stayed quiet and hidden away. She owes Anna an apology. She owes them all an apology.

'Anna is just over all of it. If Anna was in this position, she would not be letting the film take the fall for her own personal issues.'

In regards to the position of their names when it came to the billing, another source shared, 'In the original film Anna got top billing over Blake. She thought it was a no-brainer that the same would happen this time around. But Blake didn't see it that way.

'She fought, through her reps to get top billing over Anna, who refused to bow to Blake's demands. Finally, after weeks of negotiations a deal was struck between the actresses.'

'They agreed on staggered billing, which meant Anna's name would read first and Blake's would be above hers but on the right-hand side. In the business that's considered equal billing,' the source explained.

Another Simple Favor, which is slated to officially release later this year on May 1, is the sequel to the 2018 movie A Simple Favor; Anna and Blake seen in a still

Lively has been embroiled in the ongoing legal battle with Baldoni after she accused him of sexual assault and launching a smear campaign against her.

He responded by filing a $400 million lawsuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds and their publicist Leslie Sloane.

Upon filing her lawsuit in December, Blake not only sued Baldoni but also producer Jamey Heath, Wayfarer Studios co-founder Steve Sarowitz, crisis PR expert Melissa Nathan, Jed Wallace and his publicist Jennifer Abel.

Along with his $400 million lawsuit against Lively, Justin is also suing the New York Times $250 million in a libel lawsuit after the publication reported on Lively's allegations.

The two stars are set to go to court later next year in March 2026.
Kelly Osbourne showed off the results of her recent weight loss journey on Saturday as she stepped out for a stroll in Sydney with her husband Sid Wilson and their son.

The TV personality, 40, opted for a chic monochrome look for her outing, pouring her slimmed down figure into a white T-shirt and black mini skirt.

Accessories is where the daughter of Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne really splashed her cash as she donned $2,280 Chanel loafers and a $1,020 black Prada hat.

Slipping on her favourite pair of cat eye frames, Kelly then carried her vintage Chanel tote, which currently retails for thousands of dollars on second-hand websites.

Kelly kept her makeup to a minimum, slicking on some blush and a nude lip as she tucked her blonde locks beneath her hat.

The media personality happily pushed along her son Sidney, two, in his pram as her partner Sid brought up the rear in a black T-shirt and baggy khaki shorts.

Kelly Osbourne, 40, showed off the results of her recent weight loss journey on Saturday as she stepped out for a stroll in Sydney with her husband Sid Wilson and their son

The TV personality opted for a chic monochrome look for her outing, pouring her slimmed down figure into a white T-shirt and black mini skirt

Accessories is where the daughter of Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne really splashed her cash as she donned $2,280 Chanel loafers and a $1,020 black Prada hat

Sid will take to the stage with his band Slipknot on Saturday evening to play Centennial Park amid Knotfest 2025.

It comes after Kelly first addressed her sudden weight loss in April last year, when she revealed she 'doesn't know where it came from' that she 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 I 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 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.

'I had the baby and my stomach got so many stretch marks, and the skin, it looks like it lost its elasticity,' Kelly shared.

Slipping on her favourite pair of cat eye frames, Kelly then carried her vintage Chanel tote, which currently retails for thousands of dollars on second-hand websites

Kelly kept her makeup to a minimum, slicking on some blush and a nude lip as she tucked her blonde locks beneath her hat

The media personality happily pushed along her son Sidney, two, in his pram as her partner Sid brought up the rear in a black T-shirt and baggy khaki shorts

Sid will take to the stage with his band Slipknot on Saturday evening to play Centennial Park amid Knotfest 2025

Kelly flashed the tattoo on her arm as she stepped out

She was all smiles as she pushed along her son Sidney in his pram

However, while she didn't use Ozempic herself, her mother 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 didn't like it 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 I'm like yeah, it's great.

'If there's a medication out there that can help people lose weight then what's so bad about it?'
Anna Kendrick seemingly shaded Blake Lively's ongoing legal battle with Justin Baldoni as she evaded a question during the SXSW Film Festival in Austin on Friday.

The Pitch Perfect star, 39 - who is rumored to have a 'secret feud' with the Gossip Girl actress - attended the event along with Lively to promote their Amazon Prime Video sequel Another Simple Favor.

Blake is currently amidst an ongoing and publicized legal battle with her It Ends With Us co-star and director Justin Baldoni - which began when she sued him for sexual assault and launching a smear campaign against her late last year in December.

And it was previously reported that Kendrick is 'upset' the lawsuit is overshadowing their upcoming sequel.

While on the red carpet with Variety, Kendrick shared a vague response when questioned about how the movie has been affected by 'everything going on in the world.'

'Why, what happened? I did ayahuasca and the last year of my life is just gone,' the star replied, referencing to the plant-based psychedelic.

Anna Kendrick, 39, seemingly shaded Blake Lively's ongoing legal battle with Justin Baldoni as she evaded a question during the SXSW Film Festival in Austin on Friday

The actress then continued, 'But I've heard the movie is amazing,' before walking away.

Anna and Blake were spotted at the premiere of Another Simple Favor at the festival - but notably did not take any photos of just the two of them.

At one point, the two stars paused for a few photos together - as director Paul Feig stood in between the pair.

The filmmaker - who is known for working on other projects such as Bridesmaids - doubled down on his support to Blake amid her legal battle.

During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Feig expressed: 'Blake's awesome. I love Blake. I love working with Anna, I love working with Blake, and that's all I can say. She is a great collaborator. I just love working with her.'

He further reflected on working with both Lively and Kendrick once again following the 2018 film A Simple Favor and gushed to People that it was 'too much fun.'

Paul added, 'I mean, I had such a great experience on the first one. It always kind of stuck with me. God, I love working with the two of them, as well as the rest of the cast.'

During the festivities, Anna also offered a very awkward response when questioned about working with Lively once again on their sequel.

'Why, what happened? I did ayahuasca and the last year of my life is just gone,' the star replied, referencing to the plant-based psychedelic

The filmmaker - who is known for working on other projects such as Bridesmaids - doubled down on his support to Blake amid her legal battle

During the festivities, Anna offered a very awkward response when questioned about working with Lively once again on their sequel

In a now-viral video shared to X, Kendrick was filmed cheerfully greeting fans outside of the event.

At one point, one asked the actress, 'What does it mean to be working with Blake again?'

Anna simply replied with, 'Oh, you know...,' and began to take selfies with others instead of further elaborating on the answer - which further fueled speculation of a feud between the two stars.

Blake was also seen mingling with fans and signing autographs in a separate video on X when she was asked a similar question - but her response was in stark contrast to Kendrick's.

'Blake, what does it mean to be back with Anna?' a fan asked as the actress was strolling by.

'Oh, it's the best! I'm so happy,' the star gushed before being guided to take additional photos during the festivities.

Anna and Blake reunited for the anticipated sequel which is slated to officially release later this year on May 1 - and is the sequel to the 2018 movie A Simple Favor.

Other cast members include Henry Golding, Andrew Rannells, Bashir Salahuddin, Michele Morrone, Allison Janey and Elena Sofia Ricci.

The premise, 'Follows Stephanie Smothers (Kendrick) and Emily Nelson (Lively) as they head to the beautiful island of Capri, Italy, for Emily's extravagant wedding to a rich Italian businessman,' per IMDB.

Body language expert Judi James told DailyMail.com that Feig 'seems to have been enlisted as a handy "air bag" buffer between them'

Along with Anna and Blake posing for photos on the red carpet - with director Paul Feig standing between them - the two stars also spoke on stage during the screening.

Body language expert Judi James told DailyMail.com that Feig 'seems to have been enlisted as a handy "air bag" buffer between them.'

She added that, 'Their "red carpet" smiles do look rather tempered or subdued here, Blake's lips are closed while Anna's smile lacks the traits of real joy, like rounded cheeks or eye crinkling.'

James continued, 'Blake is performing an eye-smile but Anna's "smile" doesn't seem to have reached her eyes.

'Blake's body pose looks relaxed and has amicable signals, with the way her pelvis is partly turned in towards the group and the way her legs are crossed inward towards the group too.'

Judi further explained, 'Anna looks less assured' in the red carpet photo, 'with her right hand hanging in front of her torso in a partial barrier gesture.'

And while onstage inside the theater, the pair could be seen awkwardly standing next to each other as they discussed their movie.

In a video shared by Variety, Lively was filmed talking about Another Simple Favor with Anna only glancing over at her co-star only once throughout the clip.

And while onstage inside the theater, the pair could be seen awkwardly standing next to each other as they discussed their movie

It was previously reported that Kendrick is less than thrilled that Blake's legal drama with Justin Baldoni is overshadowing her film Another Simple Favor with the actress

Their joint appearance on Friday at the premiere comes amid rumors of a 'secret feud' between the pair.

It was previously reported that Kendrick is less than thrilled that Blake's legal drama with Justin Baldoni is overshadowing her film Another Simple Favor with the actress.

A source told People last month, 'The comments on Instagram have upset her, especially the ones saying fans are now refusing to watch the movie because they don't want to support Blake.'

They further explained that the Pitch Perfect star is 'not used to being caught up in any drama.'

However another insider shared, 'The film is in the early stages of planning what press will look like, and Blake and Anna will be doing some things together.'

A separate source explained to DailyMail.com, 'These movies are basically all Anna and Blake have in common. They have a working relationship, by no means a close friendship or bond.

'Last-minute talks are underway with execs as Anna would prefer to distance herself from Blake going forward.'

The insider added, 'It was originally planned that the two would do much of the promotion together. That's what the studio requested, and Anna and Blake agreed to it. But Anna could go it alone over fears she will get caught up in the drama.'

Anna and Blake are also rumored to have clashed over their billing on the sequel and Lively failing to address the effect of her lawsuit on the movie.

Also last month, a source told DailyMail.com, 'There is a gigantic pink elephant in the room that no one is acknowledging.

'The backlash to initial promo has been brutal. There are people protesting and refusing to see it.'

The insider continued, 'Blake has not addressed this. She has not called the cast to apologize. She has not done anything like that. She has stayed quiet and hidden away. She owes Anna an apology. She owes them all an apology.

A separate source explained to DailyMail.com , 'These movies are basically all Anna and Blake have in common. They have a working relationship, by no means a close friendship or bond'; seen in 2018 in NYC

Anna and Blake are also rumored to have clashed over their billing on the sequel and Lively failing to address the effect of her lawsuit on the movie; seen earlier this month in Beverly Hills

'Anna is just over all of it. If Anna was in this position, she would not be letting the film take the fall for her own personal issues.'

In regards to the position of their names when it came to the billing, another source shared, 'In the original film Anna got top billing over Blake. She thought it was a no-brainer that the same would happen this time around. But Blake didn't see it that way.

'She fought, through her reps to get top billing over Anna, who refused to bow to Blake's demands. Finally, after weeks of negotiations a deal was struck between the actresses.

'They agreed on staggered billing, which meant Anna's name would read first and Blake's would be above hers but on the right-hand side. In the business that's considered equal billing,' the source explained.
Jeremy Clarkson has revealed he was forced to call the police after thieves targeted his farm.

The former Top Gear host, 64, purchased Diddly Squat Farm in Oxfordshire back in 2008 as it's since been the focus of his popular Amazon Prime show Clarkson's Farm.

However, despite its TV presence, that didn't stop potential robbers from setting their sights on the farm and its animals, with Jeremy revealing in his The Sun column that they'd even used drones to scout the area.

He wrote: 'Two weeks ago, five men in a van came into the farmyard. They checked out the security cameras and asked Kaleb [Cooper] how many dogs were on the site.

'I reported this to the police who said the plates on the van had been cloned. More worryingly, on two separate nights in the last week, a drone has been spotted, scouting the house and the farmyard.'

And after police warned the star to made sure that his security systems were 'up to scratch', Jeremy insisted that he had the perfect deterrent to keep the robbers at bay - guinea fowl.

Jeremy Clarkson has revealed he was forced to call the police after thieves targeted his farm

The former Top Gear host, 64, purchased Diddly Squat Farm in Oxfordshire back in 2008 as it's since been the focus of his popular Amazon Prime show Clarkson's Farm [pictured with Kaleb Cooper]

In his article, he revealed that his daughter and her husband gifted him 12 of the birds at Christmas in revenge for the consistently loud toys he purchases for his granddaughter.

And Jeremy insists that the guinea fowl are enough to drive any would-be thief away due to their ear-piercingly loud vocals, which the TV host compared to Nasa testing their 37million horsepower Space Shuttle engines.

On whether his security systems were up to par, he remarked: 'Oh trust me on this. They are. Anyone who tries to burgle us is going to have their eardrums turned into a blood-speckled gooey mush.'

Meanwhile, despite the farm being under threat, there's good news for Jeremy's co-star Kaleb Cooper.

The Mail's Richard Eden revealed that Jeremy's popular sidekick pocketed 910,000 profit at Kaleb Cooper Productions, the company into which he channels his earnings from the series.

Accounts report 960,000 in assets before bills, including 400,000 in cash. Meanwhile, his takings, in the year to June 2024, include a 666,000 profit for the year.

He set up his TV company in 2021 and runs it alongside farming businesses K Cooper Contracting and K Cooper Holdings.

Profits made there amount to 100,000 combined, meaning Cooper has now made his first million at 26.

Despite its TV presence, that didn't stop potential robbers from setting their sights on the farm and its animals, with Jeremy revealing that they'd even used drones to scout the area

After police warned the star to made sure that his security systems were 'up to scratch', Jeremy insisted that he had the perfect deterrent to keep the robbers at bay - guinea fowl

Meanwhile, despite the farm being under threat, there's good news for Jeremy's co-star Kaleb Cooper, who has become a millionaire aged 26

The Chipping Norton native has long spoken about his dream of owning his own farm - something that now seems more achievable due to his newfound fame.

Kaleb had previously mentioned paying himself just 50p an hour due to the volatile nature of farming costs and profit margins, especially when experimenting with new business ventures.

In 2022, he shared: 'When Im working for myself when Im feeding my calves in the morning - I bought eight calves,'

'Its like a little bit of a new business idea that Im doing, buying calves in and then feed them on milk, which costs me about 200 a calf, then selling them at nine months.'

He added: 'Im trying to get a profit and see if it will work. I worked it out the other day, do you know how much my hourly rate is, how much I pay myself? 50p an hour.'

His hourly rate was a stark contrast to his hard work, as Jeremy, who has praised Kaleb as 'the hardest working person I know', pointed out that he works 18 hours a day, with no days off.

Kaleb, who shares two children - Oscar, three, and Willa, one - with fiancee Taya, has consistently said that his 'one goal in life' is to own his own farm, something he wants 'more than anything.'
Sydney's hottest stars turned up in full force on Saturday for the grand opening of MJ The Musical, but it was Sonia Kruger and Kylie Gillies who truly set the red carpet on fire.

The glamorous TV icons arrived at the star-studded event at the Lyric Theatre, bringing style and sophistication to celebrate Michael Jackson's legacy.

Sonia Kruger, 59, proved once again why shes the undisputed queen of Australian television fashion.

The Big Brother host looked effortlessly chic in a shimmering silver mini dress, which showed off her toned legs, layered under a structured lilac blazer that oozed modern elegance.

With a sleek black belt cinching her waist and a stylish chain-link bag in hand, Sonia exuded pure red carpet perfection.

She wore her signature blonde locks in soft waves, cascading effortlessly over her shoulders for a touch of classic glamor.

Sydney 's hottest stars turned up in full force on Saturday for the grand opening of MJ The Musical, but it was Sonia Kruger (pictured) and Kylie Gillies who truly set the red carpet on fire

Sonia Kruger, 59, proved once again why shes the undisputed queen of Australian television fashion. The Big Brother host looked effortlessly chic in a shimmering silver mini dress, which showed off her toned legs, layered under a structured lilac blazer that oozed modern elegance

The Morning Show co-host Kylie Gillies, 57, turned heads in a bold and sultry red ensemble

The veteran TV presenter rocked a daring high-neck draped dress, proving that classic Hollywood glamour never goes out of style as she posed alongside her husband Tony

Elsewhere, Lisa Wilkinson opted for a fashion-forward yet effortlessly cool look

Meanwhile, The Morning Show co-host Kylie Gillies, 57, turned heads in a bold and sultry red ensemble.

The veteran TV presenter rocked a daring high-neck draped dress, proving that classic Hollywood glamour never goes out of style as she posed alongside her husband Tony.

The deep red hue complemented her bronzed complexion, while strappy black heels and a statement bracelet completed the look.

Kylie rocked a sleek, modern shoulder-length cut with soft waves, while subtle highlights added depth and a touch of warmth to her polished red-carpet look.

Elsewhere, Lisa Wilkinson, 65, opted for a fashion-forward yet effortlessly cool look.

The veteran journalist and TV icon ditched the traditional red carpet gown in favour of a statement-making off-the-shoulder faux fur top, paired with relaxed-fit denim jeans.

With her signature radiant smile and natural glam, Lisa exuded confidence as she posed for the cameras.

She accessorised with a chic pink clutch and nude heels and her jet-black hair was elegantly styled.

The veteran journalist and TV icon ditched the traditional red carpet gown in favour of a statement-making off-the-shoulder faux fur top, paired with relaxed-fit denim jeans

The Wiggles star Tsehay Hawkins looked radiant in a strapless black sequined gown paired with a white glove on her right hand

Her black hair was stylishly made up in a bouffant and she completed her look with oversized silver hoop earrings

Veteran journalist Liz Hayes brought timeless elegance to the MJ The Musical red carpet, stunning in a classic black dress that oozed sophistication

The 60 Minutes presenter proved that less is more, opting for a sleek, figure-flattering silhouette that showcased her effortless style

The presenter kept her look kept it effortlessly chic with her brunette tresses styled in loose, tousled waves, perfectly framing her radiant smile.

The Wiggles star Tsehay Hawkins, 19, looked radiant in a strapless black sequined gown paired with a white glove on her right hand.

Her black hair was stylishly made up in a bouffant and she completed her look with oversized silver hoop earrings.

Veteran journalist Liz Hayes, 67, brought timeless elegance to the MJ The Musical red carpet, stunning in a classic black dress that oozed sophistication.

The 60 Minutes presenter proved that less is more, opting for a sleek, figure-flattering silhouette that showcased her effortless style.

Farmer Wants A Wife host Samantha Armytage, 48, looked radiant in a strapless black blouse that was tied at the neck paired with a patterned dress.

Legendary Aussie TV host Kerri-Anne Kennerley, 71, ensured that all eyes were on her by rocking up in a long-sleeve black-and-white checkered maxi-dress.

Farmer Wants A Wife host Samantha Armytage looked radiant in a strapless black blouse that was tied at the neck paired with a patterned dress

Legendary Aussie TV host Kerri-Anne Kennerley ensured that all eyes were on her by rocking up in a long-sleeve black-and-white checkered maxi-dress

Former KIIS FM presenter Mitch Churi looked dashing in a cream suit paired with a black top and matching dress shoes, as he beamed for the cameras

Former Miss Universe Australia winner Laura Dundovic stayed ahead of the fashion curve in a striking figure-hugging tan gown, effortlessly paired with chic silver slippers

She paired it with black heels and looked to be in great spirits on the night.

Ex-KIIS FM presenter Mitch Churi looked dashing in a cream suit paired with a black top and matching dress shoes, as he beamed for the cameras.

Former Miss Universe Australia winner Laura Dundovic, 36, stayed ahead of the fashion curve in a striking figure-hugging tan gown, effortlessly paired with chic silver slippers.

The stars looked to be having the time of their life at the opening night to the world famous jukebox musical, which focuses on Michael Jackson's early career up until 1992.
Nikita Kuzmin has discussed his marriage plans with his girlfriend Lauren Jaine.

The Strictly pro dancer, 27, and the model, 23, are believed to have started dating in early 2023 and went public in October of that year.

And it appears that things are getting very serious between the couple as Nikita shared his hopes of one day marrying Lauren.

When asked about what the future holds for the lovebirds, Nikita told OK! Magazine: 'Yeah, we've definitely talked about the future. I hope one day she'll say yes!

'We just saw a video of a wedding in South Africa and got emotional watching it. So, why not?'

He also gave a candid insight into their relationship and told how their ideal date night is much more low-key than the glitz and glamour of the Strictly dance floor.

Nikita Kuzmin has discussed his marriage plans with his girlfriend Lauren Jaine as things are getting serious between the pair

The Strictly pro dancer, 27, and the model, 23, are believed to have started dating in early 2023 and went public in October of that year

'Honestly, 99 per cent of the time we're at home watching Modern Family,' he admitted.

'It's not about what we do, it's about just being together and respecting each other's space.'

In October 2023, Nikita confirmed his romance with Lauren by sharing a series of loved-up snaps on his Instagram.

He and Lauren were said to have been quietly dating for months before going Instagram official.

Earlier that month, Lauren had attended the Strictly studios to watch Nikita perform, sitting in the audience to support him.

His sister, Anastasia, who has 109k Instagram followers, later flew to the UK to visit Nikita, meeting Lauren for a night out at the theatre, where they snapped more sweet selfies.

An insider told The Sun at the time: 'Nikita and Lauren have been dating for months and seem to have an amazing connection...'

'The pair have tried to keep their romance under the radar but they have been attending events together and are really enjoying each other's company.'

When asked about what the future holds for the lovebirds, Nikita said: 'We've definitely talked about the future. I hope one day she'll say yes! (pictured at Wimbledon in July 2024)

'They have been spending a lot of time together and even went on holiday together in the summer. Things are progressing and Nikita is very happy with his new romance.'

Anastasia, who lives in Italy, shared a selfie with Nikita and Lauren, capturing the trio looking trendy in a lift before they hopped on a rickshaw in central London and headed to the theatre.

They later attended Moulin Rouge at The Piccadilly Theatre, where Anastasia shared a beautiful snap of the group.

Elsewhere, Nikita is also planning a career change as he is launching his own solo tour and preparing to go into music.

He revealed he has been secretly having singing lessons to make him a triple-threat as a performer.

Nikita, who came second on Celebrity Big Brother last year, said he is hoping to star in a musical in his latest career goal.

He told The Sun: 'There are things which I'm saving for next year and singing is one of them. I've been taking singing lessons for a couple of years.

'I would love to do a musical. I wouldn't mind doing music. I'm not against anything that is new and exciting. Potentially going into films. But I think a musical is my next step.'
A medical expert has explained how Gene Hackman's wife Betsy Arakawa could have been saved from the rat disease that took her life.

Autopsies have finally revealed how Hackman and Arakawa died, solving the mystery that hung over them after their corpses were discovered at home last week.

Arakawa, 62, succumbed to a rodent-borne disease called hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) on February 11 - and then lay in their Santa Fe house decomposing as Hackman, 95, suffering from advanced Alzheimer's, wandered about the luxury property confused and possibly unaware she was even dead.

Hackman himself lost his life to a cardiovascular disease exacerbated by his Alzheimer's, several days after his wife, with officials noting the last activity on his pacemaker occurred on February 17.

Now Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, a professor at USC's Keck School Of Medicine, has shed light on the virus that caused Arakawa's death.

HPS kills about one in three of its patients - but Arakawa had a much higher chance of surviving if she had been quickly hospitalized, Klausner told TMZ.

Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Hackman pictured at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on March 21, 1994 at Morton's Restaurant in West Hollywood, California

The virus is spread through the inhalation of airborne particles containing the virus, which is typically found in the urine, droppings, or saliva of infected rodents.

HPS, which initially presents with flu like symptoms, can progress rapidly, leading to breathing problems, low blood pressure, and organ failure.

The illness is so rare in the US that only one or two people die every year, and there have only been around 1,000 cases in the past three decades, mostly among farmers, hikers and campers and homeless populations.

Klausner noted that because the disease is so uncommon, and because it often initially looks like the flu, doctors tend to miss it when they see it.

'Hantavirus can cause a flu-like illness and often its confused by doctors or diagnosed as a flu or flu-like syndrome,' he shared.

'Again, its very rare and its not something that someone would necessarily be concerned about. Its often contracted after people have been cleaning an attic or a basement, because theyre coming into contact with the rat or the mice droppings, or rate or mice urine,' the professor explained.

'Unfortunately, there is no treatment for hantavirus so its really just early diagnosis and supportive care,' Klausner chillingly observed.

'So if someone was suspected of having hantavirus, or just suspected of having severe pneumonia  I mean its really very similar to having a severe pneumonia  if you go to the hospital, youre gonna be provided with oxygen,' he added.

Hackman, 95, died from heart disease a week after his wife Betsy Arakawa, 65 (pictured in 2024) succumbed to Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome - and police said the Alzheimer's stricken star may not have known she was dead

'If youre not able to breathe on your own, you may be supported with mechanical ventilation in an intensive care unit, and some people who get that early type of intervention can survive and go on to recovery from hantavirus.'

The disease advances its progress in a timeframe of 'days to a week, to two weeks, so similarly to when someone gets influenza.'

He then turned his attention to Arakawa's final days, saying: 'She may have been struggling for many days, and been progressively short of breath, and experienced lightheadedness, dizziness, shortness of breath when she exerted herself and walked around, and for whatever reasons did not pursue additional medical attention.'

Authorities are slowly beginning to piece together Arakawa's movements in the days leading up to her death.

She collected the couples' dog Zinna from the vet on February 9, where the canine had undergone an operation, Sheriff Adan Mendoza of Santa Fe County said yesterday.

That may may shed some light on why the pair's beloved 12-year-old Australian Kelpie mix was found dead in a crate, only a few feet from Arakawa's body.

Police confirmed on Friday that Arakawa, 65, succumbed to Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) in her bathroom somewhere around February 11.

That day, possibly hours before her death, Arakawa sent an email to her massage therapist before visiting a grocery store in the afternoon, The New York Times reported.

She was also caught on CCTV visiting a pharmacy where she was wearing a face mask, which friends said she often did to avoid transporting any illnesses to her medically vulnerable, older husband.

Arakawa also stopped at a local pet food store later the same afternoon before returning to her local area at approximately 5.15 pm, the sheriff said.

Hackman and Arakawa, who were married for more than 30 years, with two unidentified dogs. One of their dogs Zinna was found dead at their home in a crate

Unforgiven star Hackman may have wandered around the sprawling 9,000 square foot home (pictured), lost and confused, for seven days with the couple's dogs running loose

She did not respond to any emails after that day, leading police to believe that was the period in which she passed.

At some point after returning home, she began to decline rapidly. She eventually headed to the bathroom - her final resting place.

She was found lying on the floor with her head next to a space heater and thyroid medication pills scattered around her.

Authorities have determined that Arakawa died of a lung infection spread from rats, in the latest twist in the case.

Medical investigators in New Mexico said in a press conference on Friday that the 65-year-old was infected with hantavirus which caused a deadly build-up of fluid in her lungs, known medically as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS).

Specialists believe Arakawa could have picked up the deadly rat disease HPS from cleaning the garage in the couple's mansion

The couple on the red carpet in happier times, attending the 60th Golden Globes in 2003 in Beverly Hills, California

Arakawa may have caught the ultra-rare but deadly virus from the garage of the couple's mansion, experts have said.

DailyMail.com understands that while there was no rodent activity in the main house, there were rodent droppings in the couple's garage and outhouses.

Specialists told this website Arakawa could have picked HPS up from cleaning those areas.

Hackman and Arakawa's dog was also found dead in the house. Authorities note that while there is evidence that dogs can catch the virus, the animals do not show symptoms and there are no recorded cases of them passing the virus on to human

Unforgiven star Hackman may have wandered around the sprawling 9000 square foot home, lost and confused, for seven days - without his partner of three decades by his side to feed and care for him, or look after their three treasured dogs,

Left to fend for himself and with his wife's body decomposing in their bathroom, Hackman, who was already in 'very poor health', went without food.

An autopsy showed his stomach was empty at the time of his death.

He was found dead with his cane and sunglasses by his side in a room just off the kitchen following an apparent fall - hinting he may have been on his way out of the home before his weak heart gave in.

Aerial photos of the couple's Santa Fe, New Mexico home where they were found dead last week

Hackman and his wife spent their final years out of the spotlight in Santa Fe, Mexico

Hackman first adopted a German Shepherd in 1999 (pictured) after the stray dog wandered on the set of The Replacements

His pacemaker's last recorded activity was on February 18 - but help would not arrive until over a week later.

The reclusive couple's dogs, who were lovingly cared for by the couple, were also left alone.

Their pet Zinna, who had been picked up by Arakawa from a veterinary hospital on February 9 - two days before her death - was found dead in a a kennel in a bathroom closet about 10 to 15 feet from Arakawa's partially mummified remains.

Officials believe the animal had been crated due to the recent medical care it had received.

A German Shepherd named Bear and a second dog named Nikita were found running around the 12 acre property - with a dog door allowing them access to food and water.

The dogs were discovered loose when the mummified bodies of Hackman and Arakawa were discovered on February 26 by two maintenance workers.

Dr. Heather Jarrell, Chief Medical Investigator for the state of New Mexico, said their deaths had both been ruled as natural, and that no signs of internal or external trauma were found.

This followed days of intense speculation around the seemingly mysterious deaths.

Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa developed a love for German Shepherds that saw the couple adopt at least three dogs over the years

In an update issued on Friday, the cause of death for the couple was revealed

Chief Medical Investigator Heather Jarrell confirmed Hackman was in a 'very poor state of health' prior to the events that led to his death.

'He was in a very poor state of health. He had significant heart disease, and I think ultimately that's what resulted in his death.'

Officials had also said that there was no trace of carbon monoxide in the bodies of the couple.

Hackman's daughter Elizabeth had earlier floated a theory that the couple had died from carbon monoxide poisoning, which authorities officially quashed last week.

She told TMZ that the family believed their deaths came about after inhaling the toxic fumes.

Hackman was a five-time Oscar nominee who won for The French Connection in 1972 and Unforgiven two decades later.

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 soon moved in together, and by the end of the decade had decamped to Santa Fe.

Hackman starred in the 2001 Wes Anderson film The Royal Tenenbaums and was pictured at the premiere

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

Santa Fe County deputies were seen outside of Betsy and Gene's home in Santa Fe last week after their bodies were discovered

A naturally private man, Hackman was labelled a recluse as he remained out of the public eye for years on end following his retirement from the movie industry. He retired from acting in 2004.

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 couples stucco, Pueblo-revival style home sits on a hill in a gated community at the southern tip of the Rocky Mountains. Santa Fe is known as a refuge for celebrities, artists and authors.

Hackman dedicated much of his time in retirement to painting and writing novels far from Hollywoods social circuit.

He served for several years on the board of trustees at the Georgia OKeeffe Museum in Santa Fe, and he and his wife were investors in local businesses.
March 7, 2025: In late 2024 there were two million Palestinian refugees in Gaza and they had to be fed. That was proving difficult because several Palestinian gangs were hijacking up to a quarter of the 800 truckloads of food needed daily. Israeli troops are still fighting Palestinian gunmen in Gaza. It is also noted that the stolen food aid is offered for sale by Palestinian merchants. The prices charged are often more than many Palestinian families can afford. In some months up to $10 million in food aid is hijacked. This has been going on since Hamas took control of Gaza many years ago.

The foreign aid groups only demanded that Israel do something about the food thefts after Israel invaded Gaza following Hamas invasion of Israel, and massacre of almost a thousand of Israeli civilians, on October 7, 2024. Israeli forces in Gaza have limited capability to do this because their first priority is to hunt down and capture or kill the remaining Palestinian gunmen in Gaza.

This kind of crime and violence has been endemic to Gaza for over twenty years. The hostility and violence between the PA and Hamas eventually led to the PA losing control over Gaza in 2006. Hamas won an election and refused to work with the Pa government in the West Bank. In October 2023 thousands of armed Hamas members advanced north towards Israel. This led to a war that has continued into 2025.

In 2006 foreign aid groups in Gaza were complaining that at least sixteen terrorist organizations were using force to grab a share of whatever foreign aid was available. Since neither Fatah nor Hamas have been able to impose order to the area, and the economy was depressed because Hamas has not been able to work out a deal with foreign aid organizations who oppose the Hamas policy of destroying Israel, there are increasing shortages of just about everything. Except Palestinian young men with guns and attitude.

By late 2007 the Hamas militia in Gaza had increased to about 5,000 armed men. Some Hamas members claim 10,000 armed men, but more realistic estimates are half that figure. Earlier in the year, when Hamas took control of the government, Hamas only had about 2,000 armed men. Smuggled and stolen from Fatah weapons have fed the growth. The gunmen are largely untrained, poorly trained and led. As Hamas has put more gunmen on the street, there have been more clashes with Fatah gunmen.

Meanwhile, the Fatah president of the Palestinian government has expanded the Presidential Guard from 2,500 to nearly 4,000. Israel and the U.S. are suspected of helping Fatah get the weapons for this expansion. Egyptian police arrested four Egyptian smugglers as they were about to enter a newly constructed tunnel across the Egyptian border into Gaza.
Denzel Washington encouraged a down-on-her-luck actress expressing her frustrations with the industry in New York City, leaving the internet swooning over the actor's gracious and compassionate response.

The Hollywood star was on his way to the Manhattan-based Ethel Barrymore Theatre on Monday when he stopped to offer a helping hand to a stranger, inviting a struggling actress inside after she expressed defeat over not being able to land a job.

In a touching act of kindness, the 'American Gangster' star reminded her that he's 'regular people just like you.'

Washington's heartwarming display of humility was captured on camera and shared to TikTok, earning him widespread praise as viewers were deeply moved by the interaction.

'Mr. Washington is living proof that humans are humans, and should be treated with respect no matter of your status or stature,' one comment read. 'A True American Gangster.'

In the short viral clip, the dispirited woman followed the busy star towards the theater, filming as she expressed the distressing challenges of landing an acting job these days.

In what seemed to be a heartfelt plea for Washington to address her worries, she could be heard asking for any insight on behalf of 'actors struggling to find work'.

'Come inside here,' Washington responded, resting his bags on the ground beside him once he stepped into the theater. 'And put the phone down.'

Denzel Washington encouraged a down-on-her-luck actress expressing her frustrations with the industry in New York City, inviting her inside the Ethel Barrymore Theatre where he reminded her that he's 'regular people just like you'

The Hollywood star was on his way to the Manhattan-based theater this week when he stopped short to offer a helping hand to a stranger after he heard her expressing the distressing challenges of landing an acting job these days

Washington's heartwarming display of humility was captured on camera and shared to TikTok , earning him widespread praise as viewers were deeply moved by the interaction

Struggling to find the words, the woman agreed, trailing just behind the Oscar-nominee before audibly gasping 'Oh my God!' in pure disbelief.

Though we'll never know for sure what transpired in the moments after the camera stopped recording, it was clear that the 70-year-old legend had offered the woman the validation she desperately needed in that moment.

The footage jumped to the pair standing side-by-side a moment later, with Washington resting his arm around the woman's shoulder before appearing to ask about her ethnicity.

'Trinidadian,' the woman responded as tears began to fill her eyes.

Acknowledging her feelings, Washington patted her shoulder in comfort and asked: 'Why you crying, girl?'

'Because...' the woman began to respond, but overcome with emotion, she was unable to finish the sentence and instead let out more tears that seemed to be ignited by deep gratitude.

'I'm regular people just like you,' Washington reassured the woman as the clip came to a close, gently wrapping his other arm around her and pulling her into a tight, heartfelt embrace.

The video quickly garnered widespread attention after it was shared across dozens of social media platforms, as thousands of viewers applauded Washington for the 'life-changing' humility he possesses toward humans from every walk of life.

Washington invited the woman inside the theater, and struggling to find the words, she quickly obeyed and trailed just behind the star before audibly gasping 'Oh my God!' in pure disbelief

The video quickly garnered widespread attention after it was shared across dozens of social media platforms, as thousands of viewers applauded Washington for the 'life-changing' humility he possesses towards humans from every walk of life

The footage jumped to the pair standing side-by-side a moment later, with Washington resting his arm around the woman's shoulder as she cried tears appearing to ignite from pure gratitude

'Denzel Washington is such a class act,' one comment read. 'I really admire the man.'

Another expressed their thoughts and wrote: 'It didn't take anything away from him but it meant absolutely everything to her, be kind.'

Someone agreed and said: 'What a saint. A lot of people wouldn't bat an eye.'

'I will never say a single bad thing about Denzel,' a user commended Washington. 'Like Keanu Reeves and a couple others... he is just an amazing soul. Treats people with kindness, is incredible at his craft. Very very high IQ.'

'Denzel Washington's kindness and humility shine through moments like these - he truly embodies the spirit of lifting others up!' another comment read.

Another expressing their love for the actor wrote: 'This man is EVERYTHING!! Can't say one bad thing about him, he's GOLDEN! Clearly one of God's favorites. I love Denzel REAL BAD!!'

Showing others kindness is nothing new for Washington, who has a reputation over his long and successful career of offering support to both fellow actors and strangers alike.

In 2020, the star was spotted helping out what appeared to be a homeless man in the middle of a busy street in West Hollywood.

Showing others kindness is nothing new for Washington, who has a reputation over his long and successful career of offering support to both fellow actors and strangers alike

In 2018, late 'Black Panther' star Chadwick Boseman revealed that the actor paid for his British Drama Academy's Midsummer program tuition so he'd be able to attend , acknowledging that he may not have gotten to where he was without Washington's indirect help

Boseman went on to tell the story of how he finally got to thank the Hollywood legend in person, referring to Washington as the 'dopest actor on the planet'

In true Washington fashion, the actor pulled his Range Rover off to the shoulder of the road and got out to see if he could help the man, who was dangerously close to oncoming traffic.

Putting himself at personal risk, Washington approached the homeless man to engage with him, ultimately helping him safely back onto the sidewalk as someone else called the police.

As if that wasn't enough, Washington reportedly 'continued to comfort' him while he dealt with cops.

The homeless man was briefly detained and placed in handcuffs for an unknown reason but later released, with Washington by his side throughout the ordeal.

He even appeared to be speaking on behalf of the man to the handful of responding police officers on scene.

Footage and photos from the incident showed Washington during this act of kindness, placing a hand on the mans shoulder in support and sticking by him while the police did their job.

He even tried to give the stranger a sandwich as well as a face mask to protect him from the coronavirus.

In 2018, late 'Black Panther' star Chadwick Boseman revealed that the actor paid for his British Drama Academy's Midsummer program tuition so he'd be able to attend, acknowledging that he may not have gotten to where he was without Washington's indirect help.

In 2020, the star was spotted helping out what appeared to be a homeless man in the middle of a busy street in West Hollywood

Washington managed to bring the homeless man safely back onto the sidewalk and reportedly 'continued to comfort' him while he dealt with cops

The 'American Gangster' star even tried to give the stranger a sandwich as well as a face mask to protect him from the coronavirus

Boseman went on to tell the story of how he finally got to thank the Hollywood legend in person, referring to Washington as the 'dopest actor on the planet.'

Washington accepted an invite to the premiere of Black Panther in the Big Apple back in 2018, where he was met with profound thanks from the marvel star.

In response, the 'Malcolm X' star hilariously laughed and said: 'Oh so that's why I'm here, you owe me money!'

'There is no Black Panther without Denzel Washington... Not just because of me, but my whole cast, that generation stands on your shoulders,' Boseman said at the time.

'It is an honor to now know you, to learn from you, and join in this work with you.'
Machine Gun Kelly says the imminent birth of his second child will be 'bittersweet' following the recent death of one of his best friends.

While mourning the loss of his longtime pal, Australian snowboarder Luke 'The Dingo' Trembath, 38, the rapper, 34, expressed his profound sadness that his 'brother' won't be around to meet his and former fiancee Megan Fox's baby, who is due any day.

'Crazy I didn't even cry this hard when my dad died. I've lost a lot of friends, but I've never lost a brother,' he wrote in an emotional Instagram tribute on Friday.

He continued: 'We'll never get another Dingo on this planet. A true rockstar without ever needing to make a song, the most loyal, loud, charismatic, funny, and annoying human I've ever had the honor of knowing.'

'I'll miss your epic toasts, I'll miss dapping you up and my hand hurting everytime because you had some odd amount of Australian strength goin on, I'll miss your bellyflops, I'll miss watching you walk through the door and lifting the energy of every pivotal event in my adult life, I'll miss you pissing me off, but most of all I'll miss your laugh. you were the glue between all of us.

Kelly went on to reflect on how telling his daughter, Casie, 15, the news was one of the 'hardest phone calls' he ever had to make because she loved him 'so much.'

Machine Gun Kelly says the birth of his second child will be 'bittersweet' following the death of one of his best friends; seen earlier this year

'I'll never forget when she was too young to understand your name was Dingo so she called you Ping Pong,' he mused.

'I feel like your up there with my new child, dressed up in a hilarious costume making them laugh, getting ready to send them down. I couldn't ask for a more bittersweet birth blessing,' he added.

Kelly concluded his caption by writing: 'Life will always be less without you, but legends never die. we'll all miss you brother.'

Last week, a source told Page Six that Fox has been leaning on her older sister, Kristi Fox, as she prepares to give birth to her fourth child.

Despite the breakup, the insider insisted that MGK has 'every intention' of being an active part of his child's life.

'He and Megan have still been in communication,' the source added. 'He loves Megan and wants nothing more than to be a family unit.'

Megan's sister Kristi, 50, lives her life out of the spotlight as a guidance counselor.

The Transformers star, 38, and MGK broke up in November 2024 after dating for four and a half years.

While mourning the loss of his longtime friend, Luke 'The Dingo' Trembath, 38, the rapper, 34, expressed his sadness that his 'brother' won't be around to meet his and ex Megan Fox 's baby, who is due to give birth any day

'I feel like your up there with my new child, dressed up in a hilarious costume making them laugh, getting ready to send them down. i couldn't ask for a more bittersweet birth blessing,' he wrote in his emotional tribute

Last week, a source told Page Six that Fox has been leaning on her older sister, Kristi Fox, as she prepares to give birth to her fourth child

They split two weeks after they revealed they were expecting their first child together.

While the two have been texting from time to time as they await the birth of their baby, the Jennifer's Body star has made it clear that she will never get back together with him.

'Megan is moving forward independently and is not interested in revisiting the past,' a source told Us Weekly last month.

'Megan is focused on her pregnancy and not looking back. She is deeply hurt by how things ended but is focusing on healing.'

And while the actress is setting her sights on the future and moving on, MGK is on the other side of the spectrum.

The rapper is reportedly 'struggling' to accept his new reality and is attempting to repurpose 'his energy into self-improvement.

'Megan is leaning on her sister Kristi amid her split from Colson,' a source told Page Six , referring to the rocker's birth name, Colson Baker

The Transformers star, 38, and MGK broke up in November 2024 after dating for four and a half years. They split two weeks after they revealed they were expecting their first child together.

'He has been focusing on mental health and getting back in shape,' the source insisted. 'Hes heartbroken but trying to move forward.'

With her baby on the way, the Subservience star is 'taking extra care of herself and focusing on a healthy pregnancy.'

And insiders suggest shes prioritizing a calm and healthy environment until further notice.

The couple have been on-off over the years but sources say Megan is not interested in another reconciliation.

'MGK would like to reconcile, but Megan is firm in her decision to move on,' the source said. 'She does not see a future with him anymore. She doesnt want to put herself in the same position again with him anymore. She wants to break the cycle.'

Megan was formerly married to Beverly Hills 90210 star Brian Austin Green, 51.

While the two have been texting from time to time as they await the birth of their baby, the Jennifer's Body star has made it clear that she will never get back together with him (seen here in 2022)

They share kids Noah, 12, Bodhi, 10, and Journey, eight, and were famously on and off, breaking up once during their engagement and once during their marriage and reconciling both times.

Megan and MGK first connected in 2020 after working on the film Midnight in the Switchgrass together.

MGK proposed in 2022 and during their engagement, they broke up and got back together several times.

Fox revealed that she suffered a pregnancy loss in November 2023 that took a toll on her and Kellys relationship.

'I have three kids, so it was very difficult for both of us, and it sent us on a very wild journey together and separately and together and apart,' Fox said in an interview with Good Morning America.

'Trying to navigate, "What does this mean?" and "Why did this happen?"'

According to Us Weekly's source, even though Fox and Kelly are no longer a couple, their baby is the 'greatest gift' they still share.
Halle Bailey's rapper ex DDG claimed he has been 'fighting' for 'months' to see their son Halo, one, in a bombshell tweet he has since deleted.

The former couple, who welcomed their baby three days before Christmas 2023, were together for three years before their split last October.

Initially, they appeared to have developed an amicable co-parenting equation, even celebrating their son's first birthday together.

However their relations appear to have deteriorated since, with DDG alleging that when he and Halle are on less than 'perfect terms,' she denies him access to Halo.

Writing on X, formerly Twitter, he fumed this Friday: 'been fighting to see my son for months now... shout to to all the Dads who try their best to be there. this s*** sucks.'

Although he deleted the tweet, he soon began one of his daily livestreams and doubled down on his accusations, threatening to take the matter to court.

DailyMail.com has reached out to representatives for Halle and DDG for comment.

Halle Bailey's rapper ex DDG claimed he has been 'fighting' for 'months' to see their son Halo, one, in a bombshell tweet he has since deleted

He claimed he did not 'wanna get on the internet, cause at the end of the day, this is something that can really f*** with him,' referring to Halo.

'But Im really just coming on this mother***er as just a dad that really dont know what to do at this point. I been trying for  I been dealing with it since hes been born, damn near,' claimed DDG, whose real name is Darryl Granberry.

'I really feel like Im a f***ing nanny at this point. The nanny has been able to have my son more than me, and I dont even know the nanny name.'

He insisted: 'Its just not fair, bro, so I have to come on here and I gotta do this s***, but I gotta do it like this,' adding that he now had to 'go to court, do all this extra s*** when it aint gotta be like that, bro.'

Reminding his audiences that he does daily livestreams, he declared with obvious exasperation that 'everyday I dont see my son imma number it. Lets see. I know she gonna let me see my son now. This the only way.'

At another point in the stream, DDG said: 'Behind closed doors, I have not been able to see my son. Only if we on good - if we on perfect terms and she around, its cool, but if we not, I dont get to see him.'

He insisted: 'Every time Im there, he got a smile on his face, he happy to see me, but he only can see me for no more than 48 hours. I havent had to have my son to myself for longer than than 72 hours max.'

DDG added: 'And hes getting picked up, taken away, I cant come get him, whatever. Its like I dont know what to do at this point. I genuinely dont know what to do.'

Although he deleted the tweet, he soon began one of his daily livestreams and doubled down on his allegations, threatening to take the matter to court

The former couple, who welcomed their baby three days before Christmas 2023, were together for three years before their split last October; pictured November 2023

Initially, they appeared to have developed an amicable co-parenting equation, even celebrating their son's first birthday together (pictured)

Their relations appear to have deteriorated since, with DDG alleging that when he and Halle are on less than 'perfect terms,' she denies him access to Halo; pictured last March

Halle and DDG announced their split this past October when Halo was 10 months old but did not publicly elaborate on the reasons for their breakup.

The following month, their co-parenting disputes burst into the public eye when Halle publicly slammed DDG for showing the baby on a livestream without her go-ahead.

''Hi everyone. Just so you know I am out of town and I don't approve of my baby being on a stream tonight,' she wrote in a since-deleted tweet.

'I wasn't told or notified and I am extremely upset to have my baby in front of millions of people,' the The Little Mermaid actress shared. 'I am his mother and protector and saddened that I wasn't notified especially when I am out of town.'

She then posted and deleted a follow-up tweet that said: 'As a woman experiencing severe postpartum, there are boundaries that I wish to be respected. no one knows what someone is going through until they snap.'

Halle and DDG announced their split this past October when Halo was 10 months old but did not publicly elaborate on the reasons for their breakup; pictured November 2023

A day later, after receiving a deluge of backlash online, she appeared to walk back her initial outburst and acknowledge she had perhaps gone too far.

'Yesterday maybe I did overreact and shouldn't have brought it here. I know that Halo is always safe with his dad. I just don't like finding out with the rest of the world what my baby is doing,' said the 24-year-old songstress.

She continued to get blowback for litigating her co-parenting issues in the public square, and eventually DDG leapt to her defense on a livestream.

'One thing I don't like when people do, I don't like when people hate on Halle,' he said. 'I don't care if people think she wrong or not, or if I think she wrong or right.'

The Michigan-born rapper noted: 'She could be going through something mentally after having a kid that I can't understand as a man.'
Britain's Got Talent fans accused a contestant of wearing a 'fake blindfold' as he swung a hammer inches from Simon Cowell's head during Saturday's episode.

In tense scenes, the sledgehammer-wielding entertainer Kranthi asked the 65-year-old judge to be his volunteer to help him out during the audition.

Simon was told to lie down and keep very still, while the crew and warned him of how important that it was for him to not move as 'things could go wrong'.

Kranthi then put on a blindfold, before he blindly smashed some watermelons placed by Simon's head with the giant sledgehammer.

However, some viewers were left less than impressed and claimed there was 'no way' that the contestants blindfold was real as they pointed out it looked very thin.

They posted on X: 'There is no way that hammer swinging idiot could not see'; 'People must realise it is a fake blindfold'; 'It's almost as if the blindfold was see-through... ...oh wait!.'

Britain's Got Talent fans accused a contestant of wearing a 'fake blindfold' as he swung a hammer inches from Simon Cowell's head during Saturday's episode

In tense scenes, the sledgehammer-wielding entertainer Kranthi will ask the 65-year-old judge to be his volunteer to help him out during the audition.

Others added: '100% he can see thru that blindfold'; 'Yeah. He could see through the blindfold. Idiots, these people'; 'Whats the point of the fake blindfold?'; 'There is no way that hammer swinging idiot could not see.'

Judges Alesha and Amanda were out of their seats and keen for Kranthi to stop his act, as the weapon landed just centimetres away from Simon's face.

Discussing how he never used to get up on stage, but now can't seem to get off it, Simon explained: 'So it started when a couple of times I agreed to get involved in something. And it's almost likehow can I put this?

'The producers on this show just love my pain! So I thought, Well, if you like it that much, I'll just go along with it! But often its not fun what they do to me.

'I mean, the stuff they did to me this year, wow! There was one point, and I'm not lying, I genuinely thought, Thats it. It's over.'

Recalling the terrifying moment, he quipped: 'A guy nearly smashed my head in with a sledgehammer. I genuinely thought my days were numbered.

'He was slipping all over the place and sweating so much. Thats what freaked me out because when I got up close, I thought, My god, his adrenaline's on such a high.

'Then it doesn't matter what he's done in rehearsals, he's falling around, he's sweating like that, things could go wrong. And I thought, I shouldn't be doing this. Amanda and Alesha were not happy.'

Simon was told to lie down and keep very still, while the crew and warned him of how important that it was for him to still as 'things could go wrong'

Kranthi then puts on a blindfold, before he blindly smashing some watermelons placed by Simon's head, with the giant sledgehammer

However, some viewers were left less than impressed and claimed there was 'no way' that the contestants blindfold was real

He admitted: 'When I looked at them, saw their faces and really were worried. I mean, look, I don't want to push my luck, I did say at one point that I think I'm running out of lives here.

'I've had everything thrown at me this series. It's scary but good scary. It's like going on a rollercoaster, you know its going to be really frightening and you shouldn't do it, but you kind of want to!'

Meanwhile, Amanda admitted: 'I just thought it was insane and I cant believe he did it.

'And the only thing that Simon was told when he went up on stage was to keep still, which he did not do, obviously.

'He never does what hes told. So it scared me but hes an adrenaline junkie. I think he does it because Eric likes seeing his dad do those kinds of things. He likes seeing him take risks

The ITV talent show sees judges Simon, 63, Amanda Holden, 53, Alesha Dixon, 46, and Bruno Tonioli, 69, give their verdicts on acts from around the country.

A new series began just last month and has already showcased a range of performances from a naked comedian to impressive opera singing.

But, the much-loved ITV hit received a surge of Ofcom complaints from viewers last week, many about a particularly gruesome act.

American performer Auzzy Blood took to the stage in last weekend's instalment and shocked the judges and audience with his daring routine.

During his stunt, Auzzy put a corkscrew and meat hook through his head and nose, and out of his mouth.

The scene was so dangerous that a warning was put out so viewers do not try the stunt at home - with Dec reiterating the point during the segment.

The much-loved ITV hit received a surge of Ofcom complaints from viewers last week, many about a particularly gruesome act

American performer Auzzy Blood, pictured, took to the stage in last weekend's instalment and shocked the judges and audience with his daring routine

The horrifying act was dressed head to toe in gothic attire and had painted their face in skeleton-like paint.

After twisting the corkscrew and hooks, he then inserted a tube into their nose and out their mouth, instructing Simon to drink from it.

For the final part of the terrifying act, he pulled himself up into the air from a rope with a hook hanging from their mouth and nose.

However, ITV received 57 complaints after the show which brought the total number to 828 so far.

An Ofcom representative said: 'The vast majority of complaints were about Auzzy Blood's routine. These are additional complaints to those reported last week, and the cumulative total 828.'
Charlotte Dawson has revealed she is finally in labour as she prepares to welcome her third child with fiance Matt Sarsfield.

The reality TV star, 32, has been eagerly awaiting the arrival of her baby and took to her Instagram Stories on Saturday night to update her followers.

She revealed she has finally gone into labour as she shared a video of Matt, 33, driving her to hospital at 8pm to give birth to their third child.

She shared: 'It's happening! Oh my God, I've had pains all day from 12pm, I've been at a kids' party, I've been walking around, and then it's just got too much the pain.

'It's every three to five minutes these contractions.'

Charlotte revealed Matt would be trying to keep fans up to date throughout the process as her partner excitedly smiled to the camera from the driver's seat.

Charlotte Dawson has revealed she is finally in labour (pictured in hospital) as she prepares to welcome her third child with fiance Matt Sarsfield

She revealed she has gone into labour in a video shared to Instagram of Matt driving her to hospital at 8pm on Saturday to give birth

Matt then took to Instagram again after Charlotte was admitted to hospital as he documented their journey, gushing that he was 'so proud' of her

True to his word, Matt then took to Instagram again after Charlotte was admitted to hospital as he documented their journey.

He shared photographs of her experiencing contractions while lying in her hospital bed as he gushed that he was 'so proud' of her.

Earlier in the week, Charlotte had given her fans an insight into her final days of pregnancy in a candid video.

The clip started with her looking glamorous in a tight white dress with a bouncy blow dry as the caption read: 'Preggo in public'.

It then hilariously cut to her 'preggo at home' as she relaxed on the sofa in her pyjamas eating chocolate with her bump out.

On her story she also shared a look at her day meanwhile as she said she was ready to give birth and compared her breasts to 'udders'.

Charlotte and her fiance Matt already share two sons, Noah, four, and Jude, 18 months.

Just days earlier, Charlotte had headed to the hospital and was checked over by medics after suffering from pains.

Matt shared a series of videos of Charlotte lying in her hospital bed as she prepared to give birth

Charlotte sported pink pyjamas as Matt shared videos of her in hospital while dealing with her contractions

Earlier in the week, Charlotte had given her fans an insight into her final days of pregnancy in a candid video

Taking to Instagram, Charlotte shared a snap of herself from the hospital the night before, where she sought reassurance after being 'so sore' and feeling 'less movement' by her baby.

She penned: 'Went to the hospital last night after that story of me being so sore, I had a big gush of water & a few pains, less movement so just thought I'm best getting checked as my back waters went with Jude.

'But no waters, just a water infection. So that explains a bit.'

Reassuring her fans that she hadn't given birth yet she continued: 'She's still here but she's very much head engaged. I feel reassured now tho after going to hospital [sic].'

In another story, Charlotte showed her mother Tracey Dawson, who was at her side at the hospital, while her fiance Matthew no doubt stayed home with the couple's sons Noah and Jude.

Charlotte went on to give her fans another update later in the day, revealing that she was 'a lot better', before going into more detail about the situation.

She explained: 'I had this big gush of water... I went into hospital last night because I just wanted to get checked.'

'I was so happy I went because I had a water infection, so yeah I was very very happy I went. Cos I knew something wasn't right, there was a party going on and I wasn't invited - didn't even have a guest list down there!'

After showing her looking glamorous out and about, it hilariously cut to her 'preggo at home' as she relaxed on the sofa in her pyjamas eating chocolate with her bump out

She also shared a look at her day as she said she was ready to give birth and compared her breasts to 'udders'

Charlotte and her fiance Matt, 33, already share two sons, Noah, four, and Jude, 18 months (pictured)

Showing off her burgeoning bare bump in leopard print pyjamas, Charlotte turned to the side and added: 'Yeah, I'm still here guys and I can't wait to get my tan on, because I need it!'

Charlotte also recently revealed that it will likely be her 'last pregnancy' as she documented the process.

She said: 'She's 36 weeks prego. Yeah, I know people are going to say, 'Get that bump away, I'm sick of ya, you don't wear any clothes, blah blah blah.'

'Shuv off! Yes, I get it, I get it, but this is probably going to be my last pregnancy.'

'Nothing fits me right now. These are Matthew's joggers, and they don't even fit me-they're tight on me! Me t*ts are like a sack of spuds.'
John Goodman is recovering from an injury he received while filming his latest film in England with action star Tom Cruise.

The 72-year-old actor 'experienced a hip injury,' according to a representative from the set who spoke with People.

The spokesperson said Goodman 'received immediate medical attention that led to a brief delay in shooting to allow him time to recover.'

'The production resumes shooting next week following Johns full recovery,' the rep asserted.

The untitled project is being directed by Alejandro G. Inarritu on the Pinewood Studios set in Buckinghamshire, England.

When the accident was first reported by The Sun, the publication said the accident for the film under the working name of Judy, was causing chaos and 'costly delays.'

John Goodman, 72, is recovering after being on the set of his latest film. The actor reportedly slipped while blocking a scene for the film and was taken to the hospital for treatment, according to Deadline (Pictured in Monte-Carlo in June 2023)

According to Deadline, The Connors star slipped while blocking a scene for the film and was taken to a hospital for treatment.

The injury resulted in filming being stopped for two days.

Sources told the publication Goodman's injury was a relatively 'minor' and that he was expected back on set Monday.

In the plot listed on IMDB, Cruise, 62, stars as 'the most powerful man in the world.'

After he causes a major disaster, the character 'embarks on a mission to prove that he is the savior of humanity.'

Jesse Plemons and Riz Ahmed have also been cast in the action adventure.

Warner Bros. currently has the film scheduled for release in October 2026.

Goodman, whose show The Righteous Gemstones was scheduled to make it's season four debut on Sunday, has not released a statement.

The film has been in production at Pinewood Studios

'The production resumes shooting next week following Johns full recovery,' a representative for the film told People (Pictured in Los Angeles in December 2021)

Tom Cruise, 62, is starring in the untitled film as 'the most powerful man in the world.' After he causes a major disaster, the character 'embarks on a mission to prove that he is the savior of humanity' (Pictured in Beverly Hills in February 2023)

The film, which has the working titled of Judy, also stars Jesse Plemons and British actor Riz Ahmed

The Emmy winner has several other projects in the pipeline, including the animated Smurfs, and the dark comedy Chili Finger with Bryan Cranston and Sean Astin.

Cruise will be seen on the big screen next in Mission Impossible - The Final Reckoning.

'Our lives are the sum of our choices,' Cruise wrote on social media next to a trailer of the film.

Final Reckoning, which could be the last one in the popular franchise, will help kick off the summer blockbuster season when it's released May 23 over the long Memorial Day weekend in the US.
Commentary: China's innovation drive fosters new economic momentum

Xinhua) 10:31, March 08, 2025

BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- China's ongoing national "two sessions" have sent a clear signal that the world's second-largest economy is dedicated to progress through sci-tech innovation.

According to the 2025 government work report, which was submitted Wednesday to the annual meeting of the national legislature for deliberation, China will remain committed to innovation-driven development, with a focus on talent cultivation, along with integrated progress in education and sci-tech innovation.

In its pursuit of high-quality development, China regards science and technology as the primary productive force, and relies on innovation to open up new areas in development and cultivate fresh driving forces.

The country's emphasis on the development of new quality productive forces provides a vivid example. With sci-tech innovation playing a leading role, these new forces are breaking away from traditional growth models and old paths. Instead, they are pursuing productivity development that features high-tech, high efficiency and high quality.

In recent years, innovation-driven development has yielded significant outcomes. Emerging industries such as integrated circuits and artificial intelligence are experiencing rapid growth, while the BeiDou navigation system is providing precision services globally. Domestically-developed large passenger aircraft have entered commercial operation, and new energy vehicles are injecting fresh momentum into the automobile industry while contributing to China's green transition. Commercial spaceflight and new types of energy storage are also reporting rapid growth.

Additionally, this year's government work report states that China will promote emerging industries such as commercial spaceflight and the low-altitude economy, while also cultivating industries of the future including biomanufacturing, quantum technology, embodied AI and 6G technology.

This innovation drive has boosted China's economic structural adjustment. In 2024, the industrial added value of national high-tech zones accounted for 24.1 percent of the country's total. Also, the added value of core industries of the digital economy rose to about 10 percent of national GDP last year.

China has markedly increased its fundamental research input -- which is evident from the country's policy support initiatives, substantial investments in research and development, and growing sci-tech talent pool. Its research and development expenditure increased by 8.3 percent and accounted for 2.68 percent of GDP last year.

China is actively promoting integrated advancements in technological and industrial innovation to build up the momentum of new growth drivers while upgrading and reviving traditional ones.

Notably, innovation has also driven the upgrading of traditional industries, with factories getting smarter via 5G and AI, and the logistics industry becoming more efficient thanks to BeiDou navigation technology. It has also created new consumption demands, such as AI-powered smart terminals and elderly care robots. Drone technology, meanwhile, has spurred the low-altitude economy, which is becoming a new growth point.

Tech giants such as Huawei and BYD have emerged as market leaders in their respective fields, while startups like DeepSeek and Unitree Robotics have demonstrated the country's potential in the fields of AI large models and humanoid robotics.

Of course, China's innovation push is not just for its own sake. Its technological progress has significantly reduced the cost of clean energy, making it more accessible for countries in need of low-carbon transformation. China has pledged to expand opening up and cooperation in the sci-tech sector, which serves the well-being of the whole of humanity.

As China improves its self-reliance and ability in science and technology, its new quality productive forces will be expanded and new growth drivers cultivated, helping ensure the long-term growth and high-quality development of its economy.

(Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Sheng Chuyi)
March 7, 2025: In 2025 the United States threatened to halt $336 million is aid to the Palestinian Authority/PA if the Palestinians did not halt their Pay for Slay payments. Recent payments were substantial, with some Palestinian terrorists receiving over a million dollars. The most recent payment totaled $142 million for 738 Palestinian terrorists. That averages $193,000 per terrorist.

Last year the PA continued using its Pay For Slay program to reward Palestinian terrorists. Since October 2023, the PA declared nearly 10,000 imprisoned Palestinian and Hamas terrorists as eligible for Pay for Slay money. The PA also recognized an additional 39,000 families of dead terrorists as eligible for Pay for Slay payments. While the PA agreed to the American demands, it is believed that the PA will seek to find a way to make the payments anyway. The Americans have been through this before and this time the PA deceptions may not work.

The PA has long used foreign aid money to run their pay-for-slay program. Since the 1970s the PA has diverted nearly half a billion dollars in foreign aid to pay Palestinian terrorists for killing Israeli civilians and soldiers. There is an elaborate system for paying the families of dead Palestinian terrorists as well as lesser payments for those imprisoned for attacks on Israelis.

Foreign donors eventually learned of this program, which used money donated for the welfare of Palestinian civilians. Donors tried to enforce rules prohibiting use of cash for pay-for-slay programs. The PA keeps finding ways to circumvent these restrictions and continue making terrorism profitable for Palestinians. PA leaders take a portion of the aid for themselves as a reward for continuing to deceive foreign donors.

In 2019 the Palestinian Fatah government threatened to cause an economic catastrophe by refusing partial payments from Israel and donor nations unless everyone stopped deducting the money Fatah spends on supporting and encouraging terrorist activity. In 2018 Israel passed a law to deduct Pay For Slay payments from the $130 million a month it collects in taxes and fees for the Palestinians in the West Bank. Despite that Fatah paid over $20 million to Palestinian terrorists in prison or to their families for deceased terrorists. The U.S. had already enacted a similar law and was deducting a similar amount from the $300 million it currently gives to the West Bank Palestinians. Other foreign donors have taken similar measures.

Fatah complains that the U.S., Israel and other donors are being unfair. Yet it is no secret that many Palestinians become terrorists because they are attracted to the financial rewards, which are considerable for many impoverished Palestinians impoverished by Fatah corruption and incompetence. Palestinians who are jailed, injured or killed while trying to kill Israelis receive large payments from Fatah. For example families of dead terrorists get an immediate payment of $1,700 from Fatah plus monthly payments for the life of the immediate family. These monthly payments consist of $400 to over $1,000 depending on the number of wives and children and can make a family relatively affluent and open new opportunities, like enough cash to afford a people smuggler who can get one or more family members to the West. There is also a bonus of $86 a month if you are a legal resident of Israel and a similar monthly bonus if you were a resident of Jerusalem. Fatah currently pays about $200 million a year to the families of over 26,000 dead terrorists as well as smaller payments to 6,000 badly injured while trying to kill Israelis.

Monthly payments to jailed Palestinians vary according to how long they have been in jail, how many dependents they have and so on. There are also bonuses for how many Israelis the prisoner killed or injured. Some of these convicts get over $50,000 a year. Fatah currently spends nearly $200 million a year to reward over 6,000 jailed terrorists. Fatah considers this payment program a success even though hundreds of Palestinians have died in the Fatah-promoted violence. These attacks also left a growing number of Israelis dead and for Fatah that is political gold as far as Arab language media is concerned.

With this approach, Fatah and Hamas together currently spend over $400 million a year to make murder economically attractive to many young Palestinians. Most of it comes from Fatah although Hamas is trying to make more payments to Palestinians in the West Bank who support Hamas and attack Israelis in the name of Hamas. The Arab language media throughout the Middle East take for granted that these payments are just and necessary for the war against Israel.

In response to the current American and Israeli efforts to penalize Fatah for what is spent to encourage terror attacks, Fatah made it clear it would not halt payments to families for dead or jailed terrorists. Instead, it cut pay to Palestinians who worked for the West Bank government. But by refusing foreign aid money still being offered, Fatah caused shortages of food and other necessities in the West Bank. The ensuing Palestinian outrage and resulting damage were blamed on the efforts to halt pay for slay terrorism support.

Fatah is pleading with Russia and Arab oil states to help them out. Russia is broke and prefers to be on good terms with Israel. The Arab oil states are fed up with the Palestinian preference for self-destructive behavior. When the PA cannot obtain the needed Pay for Slay cash from the usual sources, it records missed payments as debts that must eventually be paid. Pay for Slay is an essential PA program because it brings in more Palestinian men willing to die for money. Families receiving the money honor their dead benefactors for a long time.
March 8, 2025: On January 5th the Indian made Dhruv helicopter suffered its 23rd accident. This occurred 23 years after the Dhruv was introduced. Hindustan Aeronautics, a private corporation, designed, developed and built the Dhruv.

Twelve years ago the Indian Navy put its first squadron of Dhruv light helicopters into service. These were used for patrolling, search and rescue, and anything else the navy needed. Its been a difficult journey for Dhruv. In 2009 the Indian Navy bought six of the Dhruvs for evaluation and did not like what they saw. The main complaints were lack of engine power and poor reliability. These were considered fatal flaws for helicopters meant for SAR/search and rescue and ASW/anti-submarine warfare.

Dhruv entered service in 2002, as the Coast Guard and the other services got a few of them for evaluation. The army under intense pressure from the government to buy Indian and purchased 40 Dhruvs without thoroughly testing them. Then the army discovered that, although the purchase contract stipulated that the Dhruv be able to operate at high altitudes up to 5,000 meters, its engine was underpowered and could not handle high altitudes. So the army had to keep its older helicopters in service until the Dhruvs were upgraded.

The 5.5 ton Dhruv has had more problems than successes. By 2009, a series of crashes indicated some basic design flaws, which the manufacturer insisted did not exist. The navy disagreed, even though the fleet was desperate to replace over three dozen of its elderly Sea King helicopters. These were a 1950s design and the Indian Navy models were about 30 years old.

Nevertheless, work on the Dhruv continued. Early in 2013, the army received the first of over 60 Rudra gunship versions of the Dhruv. The army already had 47 of the Dhruv and 65 more on order. The Rudra carries a 20mm autocannon and up to eight guided missiles or 70mm unguided rockets. An ASW version can carry sonar gear and two torpedoes. The Rudra can also be equipped for electronic warfare. The Rudra has day and night vid cams, heat sensors, and a laser designator. The Rudra was basically a Dhruv with the additional sensors and stubby wings to hang weapons from. Without its weapons, Rudra can also be used as an all-weather transport or ambulance.

Although it is Indian made, until 2010, the Dhruv contained 90 percent imported parts. The manufacturer had kept quiet about this because at least half the parts in Indian made weapons are supposed to be made in India. Since 2010 the percentage of Indian made components has increased. As embarrassing as this revelation was, there were other problems that were more crucial.

For over three decades now India has been making strenuous efforts to create a local capacity to design and manufacture modern weapons. It hasnt been easy, as military manufacturers in neighboring China are far ahead of Indian efforts. Unlike China, Indian manufacturers don't have the license to steal technology and manufacturing techniques. This means more weapons components have to be imported, even if quietly and without any publicity.

The 5.5 ton Dhruv was in development for two decades before the first one was delivered in 2002. Since then, over 400 have been built mostly for the Indian military, About twenty have been exported to eight countries. A series of Dhruv crashes indicated some basic design flaws, which the manufacturer insisted did not exist. This delayed acceptance of the Dhruv by the Indian Navy and Air Force.

The Dhruv can carry up to 14 passengers or four stretchers. Max load is 2.5 tons and endurance is about two hours. The Dhruv can also fly as high as 6,000 meters. Northern India has a lot of mountains, so operating at high altitude was a key design requirement.

Meanwhile more Indians ask why China developed a world-class weapons development and production capability in the last few decades while India has not? Mainly its about corruption and decades of India making it difficult for Indians to start and operate profitable firms that could produce consumer goods as well as military equipment. The United States became the largest economy in the world over a century ago by encouraging this entrepreneurship. Many other nations, including those in Europe, Japan, South Korea and China followed that example.

While making it difficult for Indian entrepreneurs, India tried to use government-owned weapons development efforts and defense manufacturers to locally produce weapons. These state-owned organizations were epic failures and continue to develop second-rate weapons or weapons that dont work at all. Prominent examples include assault rifles, helicopters and jet fighters. The only successes have been with privately owned firms and that is what the government wants more of. New rules and laws to reduce restrictions on commercial firms are meant to encourage less dependence on imports. As with previous efforts in this area, the goals tend to be more aspirational than actual.

Indian government bureaucrats and procurement agencies have become quite effective at protecting their own interests at the expense of commercial firms and the needs of the military. This is a problem in all industrialized nations because that is the nature of government; to use their power to expand. Nations like China and Israel are notably different because China did not begin undergoing the industrial revolution until the 1980s. As usual, that produced spectacular results, which will be eroded over the years as the government expands, often at the expense of successful new firms. That is already happening in China, where the communist government fears the potential political influence of the largest and most successful firms. Israel is a special case because they have been under constant attack by their Moslem neighbors since Israel was founded in 1947. For Israel it has always been a matter of succeeding at developing new weapons or being wiped out.

India is different because it adopted a local form of socialism instead of free enterprise when modern India was formed in 1948. As a result, India has always had to import most of its weapons. Efforts to change this have failed so far, mainly because of corruption and unwillingness to tolerate competitive and efficient defense industries. That corruption that has been pervasive in India for thousands of years and makes imported weapons from nations willing to pay bribes to Indian government officials more attractive than allowing competitive Indian firms to develop and provide cheaper locally made equipment.

One bit of good news is that this form of corruption has been under heavy attack for more than a decade because of the Internet. Political parties could control mass media and much local news, but not the Internet. Fighting corruption has become enormously popular with voters, who learn that most Western countries supplying weapons to India are often very anti-corruption themselves and much more successful at it. When Russia was supplying over 80 percent of weapons imports, you had a supplier that was a dictatorship and quite comfortable with bribes and payoffs. For more than a decade Russia has been losing sales to Western firms. The culture of corruption still exists in Indian defense procurement, but it is under heavy attack. Even if no bribes were involved when buying foreign weapons, that would not fix the inability to create a competitive Indian weapons industry.

The reason for that has to do with why, for most of the last half century, most Indian weapons came from Russia. There were several reasons for that: politics, price and practicality. The policy was a decision by Indian politicians to be non-aligned during the Cold War. This conflict began just as India became independent from the British Empire. Still resentful towards Britain and the West for two centuries of colonial domination, India officially refused to take sides during the Cold War. Yet its relations with communist dictatorship Russia were much warmer than with the Western democracies.

Although India clung to democracy, the educated classes were infatuated with the promise of socialism. For several decades Indians abhorred the Russian form of government but admired their socialist approach to running their economy. It wasnt until the 1980s that most Indian politicians admitted that the Russian economic model was all a fraud and not working. For India, this set-in motion the sort of free enterprise policies that China had employed since the 1980s.

By then it was too late for India. Decades of attempts to impose government regulation and guidance of the economy had created a huge bureaucracy that could not be easily dismantled because many of these jobs were used by politicians to reward supporters and get reelected.

Then there was the price of Russian weapons. They were cheaper than Western equivalents. This meant more could be spent on bribes and payoffs. Finally, there was practicality. Indias main foes were Pakistan and China. Pakistan had a much smaller population, economy and defense budget than India. Russian weapons were adequate for Pakistan. China was also poorly equipped, until quite recently, and separated from India by the Himalaya Mountains. Under those conditions Russian weapons were just fine for Indian needs.

Since the Cold War ended in 1991 all this has changed. Indian politics has changed and now officially wants to clamp down on the corruption, which everyone admits cripples the economy. Price is still important, but its been noticed that Russian weapons have slipped in quality and effectiveness since the Soviet Union collapsed. Pakistan is even less of a military threat, because Pakistan is even more corrupt and economically crippled than India. China, however, is another matter. China has managed to build a powerful and productive arms industry. All those Russian weapons India has no longer provide any degree of superiority. India needs Western-quality arms to maintain a competitive military for confronting China, but those are more expensive. Its possible to make them in India under license, but the Indian industry has not been able to master high tech sufficiently to make this practical. In short, its no longer practical to tolerate an inefficient domestic defense industry.

Efforts to create domestic defense industries have been crippled by specific portions of the bureaucracy. The worst of these is the DRDO/Defense Research and Development Organization. Alas, DRDO became a monumental example of bureaucratic inefficiency, wasting billions of dollars and decades of effort on weapons systems that never quite became operational or when they did, they really weren't. DRDO was created in 1958 to provide government support and guidance for defense related research. But the network of research and manufacturing facilities DRDO established since then were more about patronage and plundering the taxpayers than in actually creating competitive defense industries. Even DRDO efforts to create low-tech weapons like assault rifles and other infantry equipment were failures, with sloppiness and inefficiency resulting in very uncompetitive weapons.

This situation is tragic and a growing number of Indians realize it. India, a regional superpower and the worlds largest democracy, with a population of over a billion, now finds itself in a very rough neighborhood and military efficiency is becoming a necessity, not just a worthy goal. To deal with that, India has always maintained large armed forces with an army with a million personnel. But keeping these troops equipped, for what is expected of them, has proved to be very difficult. The army keeps falling behind in replacing aging weapons and obtaining new technologies like modern missiles, smart munitions and night vision gear. Getting the money from the government has been the least of their problems. The biggest hassles are with corruption and failed efforts to develop local weapons production.

The latest government moves to change all that are not revolutionary, but evolutionary. As has long been observed, democracies always do the right thing, but often only after trying everything else. India still has not reached the end of the everything else list.
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Scottie Geil, assigned to Abel Battery, 3rd Battalion, 321st Field Artillery Regiment, 18th Field Artillery Brigade, XVIII Airborne Corps, throws a molotov cocktail during a joint training exercise hosted by Estonian soldiers near Camp Tapa, Estonia, Feb. 19th, 2025, for British and U.S. Soldiers. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Nathan Arellano Tlaczani)

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:
State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, Canada

Zip Code
Trump is planning to remove all US troops from Germany and deploying 35,000 to Hungary, which is allied with Russia. These moves reveal some semblance of a new world order slowly forming. Trump is clever, because he is masking these moves as a precept to peace when, in fact, it is preparation for war.

The EU can try to create their new soviet army, but it looks increasingly too late for that, but they will still try. Marxism and communism are not compatible with the Trump new world order. The EU has shown its ideological and economic alignment with communist China, and is therefore seen as the enemy by Trumps USA.

The common enemy here is communism. The final boss in this big game is China.

Russia and America are in a process of alignment, normalisation of diplomatic and military ties, and they will be strategic partners in the next big war.

With Russia and America aligned, there will be a better chance of vanquishing the common enemy of all  China. Russia and the United States will want to be viewed as liberators of the Chinese people from the evil CCP, as will Israel and America of the Iranian people.

Chinas recent sabre-rattling in the territorial waters of Australia reveals that the CCP and PLA want the entirety of Australasia, and South East Asia. Taiwan is a day trip for China, a morsel of a much bigger pie. China wants Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas, it wants everything. China is essentially a parasitical entity consisting of 1.4 billion people using up vast amounts of resources daily whilst pumping out enormous amounts of pollution into the environment and atmosphere every day. The way the CCP sees it, they want to depopulate the earth of other people and re-populate those areas with Chinese people. They need your space, your resources and your country, but you just have to be erased first.

Trump recently welcomed a $100 million deal with one of Taiwans biggest chip manufacturers to open facilities in the USA, simply because microchips are crucial for American success once Taiwan falls to China. The deal with Ukraine for its rare earth minerals is still on the cards, but will ensure the USA continues to be able to fight China in the coming conflict.

Unfortunately for Britain, the timing to elect a Labour, overtly Marxist government has brought great misfortune upon the nation, and its stance against Russia is a further bone of contention with Trumps new world order. The socialist UK will thus gladly align with its soviet partner, the EU, despite the so-called Brexit that never really materialised. If Britain had voted for a truly conservative party in the election, and had actually embraced Brexit, there would have been a chance of survival, but sadly this never materialised. Keir Starmer is incompetent, weak and inadequate as a leader, as are his entire cabinet and party. When it comes time to batten down the hatches, all chaos will ensue, especially because the British military has been stripped to the bone for the last three decades.

These are the last days to acquire the final remnants of earths remaining finite resources and strategic territory, and China is preparing for a global campaign of imperialistic conquest under Chairman Xi Jinping.

Of course, in wars, alliances can change, simply because of the fluidity of situations, but we are beginning to see a new alliance between Russia and the USA. We are also beginning to witness the breakdown of former institutions created 80 years ago, which seem to have lost their effectiveness in keeping global peace. The EU and UK has been promised to Russia after the war ends, that is, if anything is left. China will be portioned off with Russia, and strategic American territory will also be claimed by the USA. Australasia will be allowed to survive in its current state. South America will be left to rot, and Africa will be plundered by the USA and Russia of its resources. The Middle East, including Iran, will be under Israeli and American control. Turkey is the odd strategic zone and odd man out in this puzzle, but may make moves further into Syria or Greece, which could invoke the wrath of all of their surrounding enemies, including the soviet EU. Pakistan and India will be allowed to mutually destroy each other and once irreparably weakened will have their territory mopped up by Russia and the USA. North Korea will be assimilated into the new world order after the people are liberated from the communist Kim regime.

During the war, there will preferably be no elections within the USA, but if there are token elections, they will be controlled to present the correct result. The USA will be an oligarchical totalitarian state, like Russia is today under Putin. Billionaires, conglomerates and an intertwined state run commercial operation.

The key to the New World Order is a consolidation of territory, an amalgamation of former smaller countries and territories into a single global government portioned off into bigger zones that will be easier to control. Tech billionaires like Elon Musk will be in charge of chipping the global populace into a single database so that everyone will be tracked and controlled. The population of the globe will be vastly reduced post-war through this process, and will be more manageable for the central global government. Differing factions and divisions will also be reduced and incorporated into a single world system of governance. The global threat of China and other menacing states will have been vanquished, including the threat of global communism.
International Women's Day was marked by Derry City and Strabane District Council's Go Succeed Team with a special event aimed at celebrating female entrepreneurs who have transformed their past experiences into thriving businesses.'s Go Succeed Team with a special event aimed at celebrating female entrepreneurs who have transformed their past experiences into thriving businesses.

Around 80 women from across the district attended the Empower Her: Transforming Experiences into Enterprises event in the Everglades Hotel on Friday 7th March. During the day, attendees heard from a number of amazing female entrepreneurs who've turned adversity into success, as they shared their individual journeys of resilience, innovation, and growth.

MC Emer Maguire, a Strabane native, was an engaging host. Emer spoke about her own journey from international science commentator through to musical comedy success.

The keynote speaker for the event was the inspirational Patricia Breslin. Speaking passionately about her own experiences, Patricia offered the audience invaluable insights on how to transform their experiences into thriving enterprises.

A single mother of six children, Patricia is also a transformational speaker, counsellor, and the creator of the Who Am I? program, a 12-week journey designed to help individuals rediscover their identity, build resilience, and create a purposeful future. With a powerful combination of lived experience and professional expertise, Patricia specialises in guiding individuals who have faced domestic violence, trauma, or life transitions toward healing and empowerment.

Having overcome her own challenges, including domestic violence, addiction recovery, trauma, bulimia and her personal transformation, Patricia spoke about how she now dedicates her life to helping others break free from limiting beliefs, reclaim their self-worth, and step into their full potential.

Following this the attendees were able to enjoy a panel discussion with a number of distinguished guests including Roisin Henry, Jenna McCusker and Staci Stewart.

Roisin is the owner of Soundness of Soul, a holistic therapy business dedicated to nurturing women's well-being in a calm and welcoming environment. She is also a part-time social media manager.

Speaking about her business Roisin told the audience: "Soundness of Soul was born out of my own journey with complementary therapy, which became a lifeline for staying balanced and grounded after my cancer diagnosis in 2022. Experiencing how these treatments worked alongside conventional medicine inspired me deeply. It's now my passion to offer others a safe and welcoming space where women can take time for themselves, reconnect, and nurture their emotional and mental wellbeing through reflexology and energy healing."

Jenna is the owner of fragrance product business 'House of Scents'. Having gone through a divorce, losing her first business and being left paralysed from the waist down after breaking her back, Jenna decided to turn all her pain into power. She explained: "I am now the founder and the host of the 'Mental Health and Me' podcast.

"The concept is to give hope, empowerment and inspiration to those going through their own pain, whilst sharing my own personal stories and the stories of my guests' struggle."

Staci, a busy mum of two, spoke about her experience founding Mama Placenta Remedies, which offers a holistic and natural approach in supporting women into their transition of motherhood.

During the panel discussion the three ladies shared how they had turned the negative aspects of their lives into a force to help them develop and expand their businesses. They also took a range of questions from the audiences, resulting in an engaging and inspirational discussion.

On hand throughout the day to offer advice were Carolann Doherty and Rachel Gallagher from Council's Go Succeed team. They were able to speak to attendees about support which is available for their particular business, be that starting something new, the importance of developing networking skills, or advice on how to expand a growing business.

Reflecting on the success of the event, Danielle McNally, Business Development Manager with Derry City and Strabane District Council said: "The Empower Women event held to mark International Women's Day was an incredible success. It was amazing to have so many like-minded and passionate woman all under one roof and there was such real buzz and energy in the room as the ladies shared their aspirations and ideas with each other.

"Thank you to everyone who came along and took part in this event, your stories will have inspired many in attendance. In particular I'd like to thank our MC, keynote and panel speakers, you gave incredibly powerful testimonies of your own particular journeys, and I know there was something for each of us to take away and use in our own jobs and businesses to help us achieve even more success."

Go Succeed (www.go-succeed.com) is funded by the UK Government and delivered by Northern Ireland's 11 councils. The service supports entrepreneurs, new starts and existing businesses with easy-to-access advice and support including mentoring, master classes, peer networks, access to grant funding and a business plan, at every stage of their growth journey.

For further information on the support programmes available to set up and grow your business through Derry City and Strabane District Council visit derrystrabane.com/business.

PICTURED BELOW: Derry City and Strabane District Council Business Team
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.
Country

United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe
A sweep of second-hand websites has found that more than half are potentially breaking consumer law.

This investigation was conducted by Irelands Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) and European counterparts.

The sweep of 356 websites and platforms across Europe for second-hand goods checked to see whether the professional sellers were following consumer law. These sites featured clothes, accessories and electronics.

It found that:

52% online sellers were potentially infringing consumer law.

45% of online sellers do not correctly inform consumers of their right to return faulty goods or goods that do not look or work as advertised.

40% did not inform consumers about their right to change their mind within 14 days without giving a reason, and without incurring cost.

Out of 34% of traders that presented environmental claims on their website, 28% were assessed as false, deceptive, or likely to qualify as unfair commercial practices, while 20% were not sufficiently substantiated.

This was carried out through the European Commissions Consumer Protection Cooperation Network. Ireland was one of the 25 Member States that participated in the sweep along with Iceland and Norway.

READ MORE: Latest garda speed safety camera goes live on busy road

Pat Kenny, Member of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, said, Consumers are increasingly looking for ways to support the circular economy and its good for them to know that they dont have to sacrifice their consumer rights when doing that.

Consumers have rights when buying second-hand goods online from Irish and other European professional sellers. Goods must be as advertised, and consumers have the right to change their mind. A consumer has 14 days to let the seller know they have changed their mind and a further 14 days to return the product, entitling them to a refund.

Second-hand goods play an important role in the circular economy; consumers keen to support that need to have confidence that theyre getting what they pay for and that any green claims are true," he added.

Michael McGrath, Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection, said, "Second-hand goods play a crucial role in a circular economy. It is important that all traders, including those dealing in second-hand goods, uphold consumer rights. The results of our recent sweep indicate that this is not always happening. I urge all affected traders to assure their practices are fully aligned with EU consumer law."
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.
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.
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
In his later years, it was a source of great pride to Paddy Martin that two of his sons had occupied the office of lord mayor of Cork.

History does not relate whether the Champ ever dreamed that one of those sons might one day bring him in spirit at least  to the Oval Office in Washington DC.

In January, before he was elected Taoiseach for the second time, Micheal Martin told The Echo that before big political debates, he motivates himself by remembering his father, Paddy the Champ Martin, a gifted amateur boxer who represented Ireland 13 times.

Two or three minutes before the debate starts, Ill go into a corner and I try to visualise, I invoke his spirit, and say, He had to go into the ring, he was on his own, once you go into the ring youre on your own, theres a whole lot of people watching, depending on you, Mr Martin said.

All being well  which is admittedly a major assumption these days  Mr Martin will next Wednesday visit the White House and present a bowl of shamrock to US president Donald J Trump.

During his first term as taoiseach, Mr Martin missed out twice on the shamrock presentation.

First, in March of 2021, when the world was locked in the grip of the covid-19 pandemic, and covid played a hand the following year, too, when Mr Martin tested positive the night before his planned meeting with then-president Joe Biden.

US president Joe Biden met virtually with Taoiseach Micheal Martin in the Oval Office in 2022. Picture: Nicholas Kamm / AFP via Getty Images

The Corkman had to isolate across Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House, in Blair House, the presidents guesthouse.

In the Oval Office, the Taoiseach smiled from a television screen at Mr Biden, and between them sat a bowl of shamrock which had, presumably, been disinfected within an inch of its life.

Last year we met virtually across the Atlantic; this year were meeting virtually across the road. So were getting closer, Mr Martin joked.

It being March 2022, the conversation turned to Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine a month earlier and Mr Biden praised Irelands response.

I want to publicly compliment you for it. I think youve already brought in over 7,000 or so refugees from Ukraine, and youre prepared to do more. So, thank you, thank you, the US president said.

Its our duty, the Taoiseach replied.

Never a man to let dead Irish poets lie, Mr Biden then cited WB Yeatss poem Easter, 1916 in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, specifically the line: All changed, changed utterly.

Trump and Zelensky meeting

Three years on, when the Oval Office has been the scene of the public humiliation of Ukrainian president Volodymir Zelensky by Donald Trump and his vice president JD Vance, youd be inclined to say that poor old Joe and Willie Yeats didnt know how good they had it.

All changed, changed utterly, indeed, but although what happened in the White House two Fridays ago was a terrible thing, there was little beauty to it.

Its been quite something to see Donald Trump, who seemingly never met an actual dictator he didnt love, denounce as a dictator the democratically elected leader of Ukraine for the lack of elections since Putins full-scale invasion, barely four years after Trump himself tried to overthrow a democratic election.

Theres history there, of course, going back to the first Trump impeachment, in 2019, when he was accused of withholding military aid to Ukraine to bully Mr Zelensky into pursuing investigations against Joe and his son Hunter Biden.

Even so, it was horrible  quite extraordinary, very, very unsettling, as the Taoiseach put it  to watch as Mr Trump and Mr Vance tore into a visibly distressed Ukrainian president like Russian Mafia underbosses with something to prove.

It is probably highly unlikely that Micheal Martins visit to the White House on Wednesday will go so badly as Mr Zelenskys did, but then, barely 50 days into the second, even more chaotic, Trump administration, who really knows anything?

Enda Kenny's visit

Its hard not to think back to March 2017, when Donald Trump had been barely two months into his first term. Enda Kenny dropped around with the bowl of shamrock, and at the Speakers lunch the then taoiseach threw some pretty serious shade at Trumps brutal immigration policies.

Reminding the president that St Patrick too had been an immigrant, Mr Kenny said: Ireland came to America because, deprived of liberty, opportunity, safety and even food itself, we believed.

Four decades before Lady Liberty lifted her lamp, we were the wretched refuse on the teeming shore. We believed in the shelter of America, in the compassion of America, in the opportunity of America. We came and became Americans.

It was a brave speech from Enda, even if Donald sat shoulders slumped throughout it, affecting that slightly gormless, closed-mouth grin he usually wears when he doesnt seem to quite understand whats going on but figures its not relevant to him.

Eight years later, though, the world is a very different place. This time around, an emboldened Trump knows where the levers of power are, and has surrounded himself with like-minded acolytes.

This White House is a much colder house for Ireland, with a certain resentment in MAGA (Make America Great Again) circles at this countrys perceived pro-Democrat bias, even as Irish America votes increasingly Republican.

Some in power, such as the commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, actively question our building our economic success off the back of so many US firms. And thats not to mention the Apple tax decision.

Micheal Martin would doubtless point out that Ireland is the sixth-largest investor in the US, with Irish firms employing about 120,000 people there.

That defence may not cut any ice, especially if we are identified as an EU weak link ahead of his threatened tariffs.

Then theres our strong support of Ukraine. That wont have gone down well in MAGA-land. Neither will our recognition of the state of Palestine, and thats before we even get to the Occupied Territories Bill.

Tech regulation could be an issue too, and dont forget Elon Musks opposition to the Hate Crimes Bill last year, or his friendly online interactions with members of Irelands far right.

And then theres what passes for the White House press corps these days. It could all be plain sailing for the Taoiseach until some conspiracy theorist with a blog blindsides him with something stupid that Trump nonetheless seizes upon.

It could get nasty. It might not, but there seems little chance Mr Martin wont be preparing for the worst.

Last November, when he topped the poll on the first count in Cork South Central and it became clear that he would again be Taoiseach, Mr Martin must have imagined that, when it came to visiting the White House, third time might prove the charm.

Now, he might even be forgiven for sneakily wishing that his covid might come back.

When Mr Martin spoke earlier this year to this newspaper about his fathers influence on him, he quoted the Champ as saying: If youre not nervous or anxious before a big event, youll do badly.

And he always said that was how boxers got caught in the past, if you go in too cocky and confident, youll get the knock-out, youll get the sucker punch.

But if youre in nervous or anxious minset, your defences are up straight away. So I deploy that, Ive always been conscious of that, never be cocky in any situation.

I say, Paddy, you had to get into the ring, Im now going in, theres nothing to fear, give it a go.

It could get nasty. The Champs son will be hoping hes ready for a scrap.
A Cork city councillor has proposed renaming Bishop Lucey Park following the publication of reports related to historical sexual abuse by religious orders.

Works are currently underway on the redevelopment of Bishop Lucey Park, which closed last year, with the expected re-opening date later this year.

The redevelopment of the park will include improved access to the historic city wall, a new events pavilion and plaza, improved access and seating for all, and a new tower to mark the eastern entrance.

Workers Party councillor for the North East Ward, Ted Tynan, has lodged a motion with Cork city council to change the name to Pairc na mBan Chorcai.

Remove

Mr Tynan proposed: That, in view of the Ryan Report, the McAleese Report and the most recent Report of The Scoping Enquiry into Sexual Abuse in schools run by Religious Orders, Cork City Council forthwith remove the name of Bishop Cornelius Lucey from the public park on Grand Parade for whom he was named by a previous decision of Council.

The motion suggests the name Pairc na mBan Chorcai, which translates to Cork Women's Park, to honour to the women and girls who were victims of the institutional abuse that occurred under his reign both as priest and bishop.

Honour

"The name would also honour the women of Cork who participated in the War of Independence, such as Muriel McSweeney and Mary McSweeney, and celebrate the lives of other Cork women who have contributed to art and literature as well as community work and campaigning," he said.

The city centre park, which is also known as the Peoples Park, was first closed on December 6, 2023, to enable construction work to commence as part of a major redevelopment plan.

The redevelopment is designed by Belfast-based Hall McKnight Architects.
Maureen Moore and Kathleen Burke at the afternoon tea party organised by Apple.

Resilient Cork Fund winners

Rethink Ireland has announced seven awardees for the Resilient Cork Fund 2025  two of which are local.

The cash grants and business support provided through this fund will help to strengthen communities facing social and economic exclusion, tackling challenges such as mental health issues in the community, rural isolation, and urban marginalisation.

Among the awardees are Studios of Sanctuary at Sample-Studios and WellSchools Initiative, Lets Grow Together.

Winning Rethink Irelands Resilient Cork award is transformative for the Lets Grow Together collaboration with The WellSchools Network, said Katherine Harford, executive director, Lets Grow Together.

It enables us to scale our trauma-informed education initiatives, supporting educators and students across Cork. Its a powerful endorsement of our vision for well-being in education.

Amna Walayat, Studios of Sanctuary participant, Sample-Studios; and Padraic Vallely, Rethink Ireland. Picture: Michael OSullivan

The other awardees from across Cork city and county  all of whom also focus on disability access, mental health support, and tackling poverty  include the Inclusive Dance Cork at the Firkin Crane; Corks Baby Bank, Community Connect Support; Deaf Awareness and the ISL Act, Cork Deaf Association; Leading the Way, Irish Dogs for the Disabled; and Cork Anti Poverty Resource Network (CAPRN) Volunteers Training and Community Outreach Project.

Padraic Valley, senior philanthropy and development manager and head of Munster Rethink Ireland, said: Were incredibly proud to see these awardees delivering innovative strategies that foster social inclusion and sustainable community development across Cork city and county. Since 2020, weve invested 3.2 million in Cork-based social innovations through our place-based approach.

Rethink Ireland is funding body that aims to create a more just, equal and sustainable Ireland.

Brick sponsors wanted

Castleview AFC are encouraging people in the community to support their Sponsor a Brick fundraiser.

We are in the final stage of an incredible journey  the construction of our brand-new clubhouse, the first step in the complete redevelopment of OSullivan Park, the organisation said.

They said that a top-of-the-range facility for the community is closer than ever to being delivered.

However, unexpected costs have pushed the total clubhouse project cost over 400,000, and while we have made tremendous progress in fundraising and grant approval, we now need your support to get us over the finish line.

The Sponsor a Brick initiative gives people and families involved in the club and community the chance to get involved to help.

Every contribution, big or small, helps bring this much-needed facility to life, they added.

An individual brick is 50, a family brick is 100, and a business brick is 150.

Visit Castleview AFCs Facebook page for more information on how to get involved.

Have Knocknaheeny, Gurranabraher and Hollyhill news to share? Contact Sarah.odwyer@theecho.ie
The news that the Cork City Garda Division is only to receive three probationer gardai has been greeted with disappointment.

The Garda Press Office today announced that from a new class of 149 sworn gardai graduating from the Garda Training College in Templemore, 13 new officers were being allocated to the Southern region, which is made up of Cork, Kerry, Clare, Tipperary, and Limerick.

By far the greatest number of garda graduates, 98, are to be stationed in Dublin, while the second-highest number, 28, are to be stationed in the Eastern district.

Of the 13 assigned to the Southern region, seven went to the three Cork divisions, which cover between them the largest county in the State.

Three new gardai were assigned to city stations  two to Mayfield and one to Togher  while three graduates were assigned to Mallow, and one to Bandon.

Speaking to this newspaper earlier this week, Detective Garda Padraig Harrington, the Garda Representative Association (GRA) delegate for Cork city, said the division was short by at least 125 gardai.

Donnchadh O Laoghaire, Sinn Fein TD for Cork South Central, expressed unhappiness at the allocation, especially in the context of a number of recent incidents in the city.

Its very disappointing again to see such small numbers of gardai coming to Cork, especially after we had seen a slight improvement in the allocation before Christmas, he said.

I had hoped this reflected Gardai HQ realising that Cork wasnt getting a fair shake.

I think Garda management need to grasp the challenges that exist in terms of gardai on the ground.

Peter Horgan, Labour Party councillor for the citys South East ward, described the allocation as a disgrace, adding that garda management did not seem to be taking seriously the policing needs of the second city.

Three gardai to Cork city is shameful, the GRA have highlighted the dire situation the force is in, but the commissioner persists with miserly allocations to the city, he said.

And we have yet to see the successor to the joint policing committees established, so we have been in a policing state of limbo since last June.

Cork city deserves much better.

Sean Martin, Fianna Fail councillor for the citys South Central ward, said the allocation constituted a start, but more gardai were needed.

There is a need for a lot more gardai in the city, and at least this is a start, but we do need more, he said.

Damian Boylan, Fine Gael councillor for the citys North West ward, said a greater allocation of officers was needed on Leeside, especially in the city centre.

Im delighted that we are getting new gardai but Im very disappointed with the numbers, he said.

I would really like to see more gardai made available for the city centre.
A Cork TD has called for the new national sexual health strategy to be published amid high rates of sexually transmitted infections.

Speaking in the Dail earlier this week, Social Democrats TD for Cork South Central Padraig Rice said that there is currently no active sexual health strategy for Ireland.

The previous strategy was launched a decade ago by Leo Varadkar when he was minister for health, he said.

The sexual health services are thin on the ground, and starved of resources.

Minister of state at the Department of Health, Jennifer Murnane OConnor, said that sexual health was a priority for the Government, adding: Following expert advice, the second national sexual health strategy underwent an additional round of stakeholder consultation and feedback, which is now complete.

The good news is that the strategy was approved to progress to design stage at the end of last week.

Once design is completed, the strategy will be submitted for ministerial and Government approval, then launched. It will be launched quite soon.

She added that HIV and STI rates have been rising both nationally and internationally, adding that 550,000 had been allocated in 2025 to support the HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis scheme, bringing the total allocation for HIV PrEP to 6.45m.

Mr Rice said it was welcome to hear that the strategy is to be launched soon but added: This is not the first time it has been promised.

He highlighted the importance of the strategy, given that last month the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control reported that Ireland had the highest rates of gonorrhoea in Europe and among the highest rates of syphilis.

Services on the ground are really thin, particularly outside Dublin, added Mr Rice.
A book of evidence was served on a man, aged 41, who is accused of carrying out an aggravated burglary and assault causing harm to three people during an alleged incident in Cork city.

Gerard Quinlan of Gilabbey Mews, Connaught Ave, Cork, faces charges of carrying out an aggravated burglary and assault causing harm to one man and two women.

The injured parties were aged in their early to mid-20s.

Sergeant John Dineen confirmed at Cork District Court that a book of evidence had been served on the defence. Barrister William Bulman appeared on behalf of Gerard Quinlan, who was on video link from Limerick Prison.

Judge Mary Dorgan agreed to extend legal aid to include a senior counsel to represent the accused at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

The case was sent forward to the circuit court at the sessions commencing on April 28.

The judge required an outline of the allegations in the case before legal aid was extended to include a senior counsel.

Sgt Dineen said it was alleged that at 5.45am on April 17 last year, two men entered a house at Millerd St, Cork city, as intruders.

They were not known to the people living there.

The intruders burst into the two upstairs bedrooms simultaneously, demanding cash and mobile phones from the three victims, who were struck with blunt and sharp objects.

It is alleged that following complete compliance with the demands of the two and having handed over what little money and mobile phones they had, the three residents were then subjected to a vicious and sustained assault.
Cork city was honoured at an awards ceremony in Brussels this week for its range of sustainability projects.

More than 60 cities participated in the EU Intelligent Cities Challenge over the last two years to advance the green transition in Europe by establishing partnerships at a local level.

Green Party councillor Oliver Moran accepted the award on Thursday for the highest number of local green deals (LGDs) of a consistently high quality.

Cork City Council signed 12 deals with a range of private, community, and voluntary organisations, with the agreed LGDs ranging from building retrofits and installation of rooftop solar PV panels to waste management and community education programmes.

The deals included Boston Scientific decarbonising their plant and Sundays Well Rugby Club installing solar PV panels and creating a green wall.

Others included a toy library social enterprise to reduce plastic waste by supporting people to freely share toys within their neighbourhood and the installation of solar PV by Ballyphehane Community Association.

Green Party councillor Dan Boyle, Lord Mayor of Cork, said: The city is using the LGD process to support its participation in the Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission.

This award is another important milestone on our journey.

I would like to thank Cork Chamber for its assistance and the many other organisations who have made commitments.

The fact that the award recognises not just the quantity, but also the quality, of the partnerships is particularly satisfying.

Cork City Councils support ranges from funding for the community and for voluntary and sporting groups to providing technical assistance, such as consultancy services for small- and medium-sized enterprises and advisor-based assistance from its Climate Action Unit.

Cork City Council will be promoting the organisations projects with a view to increasing similar efforts and awareness around further LGDs.

Chief executive of Cork City Council, Valerie OSullivan, said: This award is due recognition of the hard work of the city council and its partners in this regard.
Serial shoplifting resulted in a 23-year-old man being jailed for five months.

Kalem Murphy, of Cork Simon Community, pleaded guilty to carrying out a theft at TK Maxx on Cornmarket St, Cork, at lunchtime on January 25.

The young man was seen entering the store, taking a pair of shoes valued at 85, removing a security tag, putting the footwear under his jacket, and leaving without paying.

Sergeant John Kelleher said the accused had 151 previous convictions, of which 51 were for theft.

At Cork District Court, solicitor Frank Buttimer said: He has settled in well in prison. He is on a methadone programme. You can see how healthy he looks.

Judge Mary Dorgan agreed, saying: He looks grand when he is in prison.

The judge noted a background of serial offending, and jailed Murphy for five months.
A Cork politician has been arrested as part of a fraud investigation.

The man was arrested yesterday and questioned before being released without charge yesterday evening.

A garda spokesperson said: "As part of an ongoing investigation into fraud offences, Gardai in Co Cork arrested and detained a man yesterday, Friday, 7th of March 2025.

"He was released without charge on the evening of 7th March 2025.

"Investigations are ongoing."
A Cork TD who was arrested and released without charge on Friday in relation to an alleged 150,000 business fraud almost a decade ago has said he is entirely innocent and utterly rejects the complaint against him.

Thomas Gould, who has been a Sinn Fein TD for Cork North Central since 2020, said in a statement issued by his solicitor that he was entirely innocent and was confident that his position would be vindicated.

A report in The Irish Times said an Oireachtas member had been arrested by arrangement with gardai yesterday after presenting at a garda station, accompanied by a solicitor, near their home.

A statement issued by the garda press office said: As part of an ongoing investigation into fraud offences, gardai in Co Cork arrested and detained a man yesterday, Friday, March 7.

He was released without charge on the evening of March 7.

Investigations are ongoing. A file is expected to be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

In a statement issued to The Echo on Saturday evening, Mr Gould said he would be meeting with his legal team to discuss all avenues now open to him.

When this matter was brought to my attention I was shocked and angry, he said.

I am entirely innocent and reject the complaint which my former employer has made against me.

Despite my ongoing treatment for bowel cancer I proactively requested that my interview with gardai happen quickly rather than when my treatment concluded as I consider this to be a serious attack on my reputation.

Mr Gould said he had attended by arrangement with the gardai an interview yesterday.

I am confident that my position will be vindicated having met with the investigating gardai where I made a detailed statement, he said.

The complaint made against me relates to my employment as a logistics manager before I was elected to the Dail in 2020. I worked for this company for 16 years.

I was a hard-working employee who was promoted to a senior management level. When the company was sold the owner asked me to stay on for a period to help with the transition and I was happy to facilitate him.

I reject the complaint entirely and I will be meeting with my legal team to discuss all avenues now open."

Mr Gould said he was prevented from making any further comment while the garda investigation continues.

Statement from party leader

In a statement issued this evening on the matter Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said:

In early February, Deputy Thomas Gould informed the party that a complaint had been made against him to the Gardai and that he had been asked to make a statement on the matter.

He was interviewed by Gardai in Cork yesterday and made a detailed statement to them.

We understand that a number of other people have been questioned as part of Garda inquiries. This includes party councillor Kenneth Collins, who worked for the company, and was questioned by Gardai in January.

They both emphatically deny the allegations.

It is now for the Gardai to continue their investigation into the complaint.
A Cork politician has been arrested as part of a fraud investigation.

The man was arrested by gardai in Cork on Friday and questioned, before being released without charge on Friday evening.

A garda statement said: "As part of an ongoing investigation into fraud offences, Gardai in Co. Cork arrested and detained a man yesterday, Friday, 7th of March 2025.

He was released without charge on the evening of 7th March 2025."

A file is expected to be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Olivia Kelleher

Sinn Fein TD for Cork North Central Thomas Gould has maintained that he is innocent of all wrongdoing while confirming that he is the politician who was questioned by gardai about an alleged case of fraud.

The Irish Times revealed a member of the Oireachtas had been arrested and questioned about an alleged 150,000 business fraud almost a decade ago.

A file is expected to be prepared for the DPP to the allegation.

In a statement issued to the Irish Examiner, Mr Gould rejected a complaint which he said his former employer had made against him.

I am confident that my position will be vindicated having met with the investigating gardai where I made a detailed statement.

I will be meeting with my legal team to discuss all avenues now open.

When this matter was brought to my attention I was shocked and angry.

I am entirely innocent and reject the complaint which my former employer has made against me," Mr Gould added.

Despite my ongoing treatment for bowel cancer I proactively requested that my interview with gardai happen quickly rather than when my treatment concluded as I consider this to be a serious attack on my reputation.

"Yesterday I attended by arrangement with the gardai for interview.

The complaint made against me relates to my employment as a logistics manager before I was elected to the Dail in 2020. I worked for this company for 16 years.

I was a hard-working employee who was promoted to a senior management level.

When the company was sold the owner asked me to stay on for a period to help with the transition and I was happy to facilitate him.

I reject the complaint entirely and I will be meeting with my legal team to discuss all avenues now open.

I am prevented from making any further comment while the gardai continue with their work.

Meanwhile, Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald also confirmed that Deputy Gould was interviewed after a complaint had been made to the gardai.

He was interviewed by gardai in Cork yesterday and made a detailed statement to them.

We understand that a number of other people have been questioned as part of Garda inquiries. This includes party councillor Kenneth Collins, who worked for the company and was questioned by gardai in January.

They both emphatically deny the allegations.

It is now for the Gardai to continue their investigation into the complaint.

Mr Gould is a former Sinn Fein councillor in Cork City. He was first elected to the Dail in 2020 and retained his seat in the last general election.

His most recent interview was with the Opinion Line on Corks 96FM last month. He told presenter PJ Coogan that he was diagnosed with bowel cancer during the general election campaign.

However, he said that never considered stepping back from politics.

He underwent an emergency operation in September of last year and maintained that he had to get on with life following his sudden and shocking diagnosis.

I'm really proud to be a TD for Cork North Central. And for me being able to go to work, being able to come in here and do interviews, being in the Dail this week speaking.

"What was I going to do, go to bed and feel sorry for myself? I actually love my job.

Mr Gould is still undergoing chemotherapy. He stresses that that the reality of life is that many cancer patients go to school, go to college every day, raise families in the midst of chemo, radium or a different type of cancer treatment.

In hindsight, Mr Gould realises that he was suffering from exhaustion for about eighteen months before he was diagnosed.

I couldn't figure out what it was. Outside of that, I had very few other issues. I went for tests and they thought I was anaemic and then they put me on iron tablets thinking my iron counts were low.

"I went for different tests over different months. And then what happened was I went for a test in September and I went out to see the consultant to get the results. I never brought my wife with me or my sisters. I had no inclination that was what I was facing.

"So I met Dr Shane Killeen on a Friday and he says, Youre coming in next Wednesday to (be) operated on. I was shocked.

"He said if he had a theatre he would have operated on the Friday. The closest one he could get was on the Wednesday.

"It was an emergency operation and I had to go because I had a tumour in my bowel and it needed to be got out. It was so sudden. I hadnt thought I was that sick.

"Mr Gould had the surgery the following Wednesday in the Mercy Hospital in Cork city.

I had the tumour removed and it went well.They got the tumour, they got all the cancer around it. They sent parts off then to be analysed.

"A week or so later, I got back the results to say that they had all the cancer in the bowel, but there seemed to be some in the lymph nodes. And then I had to go Derek Power who is a a consultant in cancer.

"And Derek said Shane got all the cancer, but to be doubly sure and be precautionary I should start chemo when I got over over the effects of the operation.

"The father of two said that he was enormously grateful for the excellent care provided to him by hospital staff since he got unwell.

"He also feels forever in the debt of Sinn Fein colleagues who assisted him enormously during the general election campaign.

I have unbelievable people around me, family, friends and people in Sinn Fein. And people came out then who heard I was sick.

"People canvassed, leafleted the amount of work that people put in.

"I really appreciate it because when things go wrong for you and things are down, people come out.

"But I was lucky, I made a really good recovery after the operation. For some people, having a tumour removed, it could take months or years to get over the surgery.

"In my case, I made a good recovery, but I was lucky. I would go out for the start of a canvas for maybe half an hour and meet some people and then go home.

"Or I might come out after the canvas and they would say maybe three or four people wanted to speak to me and I would drive around to their houses.

Mr Gould, who retained his seat in the election, has only missed the Dail on two occasions since he got sick.

Well, I suppose I've been lucky so far. I've only missed the Dail twice. But like, I'm getting chemo next Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday next week. So I won't travel to Dublin next week.

"But the week after then I will. And it's kind of two-week blocks, I get it. This week I was in Dublin on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

"I do a clinic every Monday then. So even during the weeks I have chemo, I have a full clinic. And then Thursday and Friday I meet with groups around Cork.

"The reason I did the interview today is because I know some people know, but I know others don't. And I wanted to be upfront with people.

"I'm still working hard, I'm still doing my clinics, and I still feel that I have a lot to offer for years to come.
Google will have to break up its business, the Justice Department said in a filing, upholding the previous administration's proposal after a federal judge ruled last year that the company illegally abused a monopoly over the search industry. As The Washington Post and The New York Times have reported, the Justice Department reiterated in a new filing that Google will have to sell the Chrome browser. When the DOJ argued for its sale last year, it said that selling Chrome "will permanently stop Googles control of this critical search access point and allow rival search engines the ability to access the browser that for many users is a gateway to the internet."

The Justice Department also kept a Biden-era proposal that seeks to ban Google from paying companies like Apple, other smartphone manufacturers and Mozilla to make its search engine the default on their phones and browsers. It did remove a previous proposal that would compel Google to sell its stakes in AI startups, however, after Anthropic told the government that it needs the company's money to continue operating. Instead of banning AI investments altogether, the government wants to require the company to notify federal and state officials before making investments in artificial intelligence. Earlier this year, the Financial Times reported that Google was investing another billion dollars in Anthropic.

Google is expected to file its own proposal for its final set of alternative remedies. In the earlier one it filed in December, the company said that the Justice Department's original remedies went "overboard" and that they reflected an "interventionist agenda" that "goes far beyond what the Court's decision is actually about  [its] agreements with partners to distribute search." Google suggested allowing it continue paying partners like Apple and Mozilla to offer Google Search, but also to allow them to form agreements with other partners across different platforms. Apple could, for instance, offer different default search engines for iPhones and iPads. Meanwhile, browser companies could change default search engines every 12 months.

As The Post notes, the Justice Department's filing could be an indicator of how the Trump administration will handle antitrust cases involving tech companies. It could be strict on big tech like the Biden administration was despite tech leaders supporting the new President and his policies. Google donated to the Trump's inaugural fund and just recently halted efforts to hire employees from diverse backgrounds. It said that it was "no longer set hiring targets to improve representation in its workforce." The House also recently subpoenaed Alphabet and its CEO Sundar Pichai for communications between the company and the Biden administration regarding COVID-19.

Judge Amit Mehta, the original judge who ruled that Google was a monopolist and had "acted as one to maintain its monopoly," will hear both the government's and the company's remedies and will decide on the final solutions for the case in April.

Update, March 15, 2025, 12:18AM ET: This story has been updated to clarify that Google donated to Trump's inaugural fund. We apologize for the error.
Gene Hackman, star of classics including The French Connection and Hoosiers, has passed away at 95  just days after the actor lost his wife, Betsy Arakawa, to a rare rodent-borne virus.

According to The New York Post, authorities reported that Hackman succumbed to complications associated with heart disease and advanced Alzheimer's on Feb. 18, a week after his wife's death on Feb. 11 due to Hantavirus. The couple was found in their Santa Fe home on Feb. 26.

According to New Mexico Chief Medical Examiner Heather Jarrell, Hackman's health had declined significantly in the years leading up to his death, with late-stage Alzheimer's disease impacting his cognitive abilities. Hackman's wife had died within the past few days, and Jarrell said he was just about certain Hackman did not even realize that.

Arakawa, 65, is believed to have contracted Hantavirus after being exposed to rodent droppings. She reportedly began feeling ill shortly before her death, which was confirmed by medical officials at a news conference on March 7.

Sheriff Adan Mendoza detailed a timeline of events leading up to the couple's deaths. Arakawa was last seen leaving their home on Feb. 11 and had not communicated with anyone since that day. Hackman's last recorded pacemaker activity was on Feb. 17.

The couple's bodies were discovered by maintenance workers at their home, with Hackman found near his cane and sunglasses in a mudroom. Arakawa was located in a bathroom alongside one of their dogs, Zinna, who also died under mysterious circumstances.

Autopsies showed both died of natural causes, but investigators said circumstances in the deaths warranted further investigation. Initial concerns about carbon monoxide poisoning were alleviated after testing revealed only a minimal gas leak in their home.

Hackman and Arakawa married in 1991 after meeting in the 1980s and were known for their private lifestyle, often going long periods without contact with friends or family.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only a small number of Hantavirus cases have been recorded in the U.S. and symptoms can emerge as early as one week or as late as eight weeks after coming into contact with the virus.

Hackman's family has expressed grief over the loss of the iconic actor and his wife. His daughter, Leslie Anne Allen, shared that she had not been in contact with her father for several months prior to his death.
Rebecca Gayheart has filed to dismiss her divorce from actor Eric Dane, nearly seven years after initially seeking to end their marriage.

The Beverly Hills, 90210 star submitted the legal documents on March 6, signaling a potential reconciliation with the "Grey's Anatomy" actor. A conference to resolve the matter is scheduled for March 10, according to court filings.

According to DailyNews, the couple, who married in 2004, first announced their split in 2018, citing irreconcilable differences.

Despite the divorce petition, Gayheart and Dane have maintained a close relationship, often seen together with their two daughters, Billie and Georgia.

The parents have shared joint custody of their children, with both seeking equal legal and physical custody in their divorce filings.

Grey's Anatomy star Eric Dane's estranged wife, Rebecca Gayheart, dropped her divorce despite the case not being finalized, In Touch can exclusively report. https://t.co/WniGXqriPN  In Touch Weekly (@intouchweekly) March 7, 2025

Gayheart and Dane's Family Vacation Fuels Reconciliation Speculation

Rumors of a reunion began circulating in January 2023 when Gayheart and Dane were photographed holding hands during a family vacation in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

While these images sparked hope for reconciliation, the speculation cooled later in the year. In November, Eric was spotted dining with Priya Jain in Los Angeles, and further sightings of the two together in early 2024 fueled romance rumors, though neither party confirmed anything publicly, ENews said.

Rebecca and Eric's relationship has been under scrutiny, especially since their initial divorce filing, but the couple has remained dedicated to co-parenting their daughters.

In a recent interview, Gayheart shared an update on their children, expressing pride in how well they were adjusting to their family dynamic. "They are making it easy on me so far," she said, referring to her daughters. "But I should knock on some wood. Do we have any wood anywhere?"

Their eldest daughter, Billie, has also gained attention for her public appearances, including stepping onto the red carpet.

Gayheart praised her daughter's maturity, saying, "She's just a good girl, I have to say." Rebecca also shared how she returned to work after a decade-long break, noting that her kids were curious about her career. "I took a decade off from working to be home with my kids. They're like, 'But what do you do, mom?' And I'm like, 'OK, I need to show them what I do.'"
Support Us

Your Support will ensure EPWs financial viability and sustainability.

The EPW produces independent and public-spirited scholarship and analyses of contemporary affairs every week. EPW is one of the few publications that keep alive the spirit of intellectual inquiry in the Indian media.

Often described as a publication with a social conscience, EPW has never shied away from taking strong editorial positions. Our publication is free from political pressure, or commercial interests. Our editorial independence is our pride.

We rely on your support to continue the endeavour of highlighting the challenges faced by the disadvantaged, writings from the margins, and scholarship on the most pertinent issues that concern contemporary Indian society.

Every contribution is valuable for our future.
Anuradha Chenoy writes:

The President of the United States (US), Donald Trump, shifted international geopolitics by taking two interconnected steps. One is towards ending the war in Ukraine, and the second is to reset the USs relations with Russia. Trumps moves in this direction, beginning with the ice-breaking 90-minute phone call to Russian President Vladimir Putin (13 February 2025), have been followed up by two tracks of meetings. One, between Trump and his allies from Europe, including Ukraine, and second, high-level meetings between the Trump and Russian teams. One press conference (28 February) resulted in a public spat between Trump and Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky, after which all US military shipments to Ukraine were paused, putting enough pressure on Zelensky who now agrees to come back to US peace terms. The European leadership is scrambling for its own response. The interests between Europeans and Americans have changed, and the transatlantic alliance is adrift.

Trump has logical reasons for these geopolitical moves. Peace in Ukraine is in keeping with the promise he made to his Make America Great Again (MAGA) base and contrasts with Joe Bidens pursuit of war. Trump recognises that Ukraine is losing the war that has caused a massive loss of life and material waste. He wants to cut loose and profit before a final Ukrainian collapse. US businesses have lost billions as they left the Russian market after sanctions. Trump believes that US hegemonism and imperial aims are better served through economic means, and the US needs to focus on containing China.

Trumps peace projections outlined by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to the North Atlantic Treaty Organizations (NATO) Ukraine Defense Contact Group (12 February) explained that it would be unrealistic to expect any return to Ukraines pre-2014 borders and that Ukraine could not become a member of NATO. In addition, he said that security guarantees could be backed by European and non-European troops but not by NATO troops. He ruled out any US troop deployment in Ukraine.

The Europeans were shocked by the TrumpPutin phone call, the terms, and the realisation that they were being left out of these negotiations. Then, they got another tough message during the Munich Security Conference (15 February). Here, US Vice President J D Vance critiqued the European Union (EU) on their double standards on democracy and demanded that the Europeans pay and play a bigger role in their own security. To prove intent that words are not just rhetoric, the US on 25 February joined Russia to vote against a resolution in the United Nations General Assembly that condemned the Russian war against Ukraine and then followed up by voting alongside Russia in a Security Council Resolution that took a neutral position on the war (France and United Kingdom [UK] abstained).

Trumps altered policies towards Ukraine, Europe, and Russia reveal a narrative shift where Russia is not viewed as a permanent security threat. Zelensky and the Europeans do not agree and want to continue the war till Russia gives up the territories it has gained in the last three years and Ukraine joins NATO, both of which can happen only if Russia is completely defeated, which does not seem to have any concrete basis. So, the US and Europeans have different interests. But despite the rhetoric of backing Ukraine on their own, the Europeans are not prepared for a strategic separation from the US.

Trump continued his profit and loss plans as he framed a double deal for Zelensky to sign in the White House (28 February). Trump wants Ukraine to agree to a peace dictated by the US and a payback of $350 billion, which they had received from the US for defence and assistance in this war. Zelensky, on his part, offered the US Ukrainian rare earth minerals in exchange for US security guarantees. Trump altered this offer to propose that the US would get 50% of the profits with the sale of Ukraine-owned minerals. Ukraines profits would go into a reconstruction fund in which the US would have a larger share of equity and decision-making powers. Trumps offer to Zelensky is not accompanied by any security (military) guarantees. This led to the internationally watched spat between Zelensky and Trump. Trump went for the jugular, paused weapon shipments to Ukraine, and Zelensky succumbed to the pressure. Now, the EU is making alternative plans.

Earlier, on 16 January, the UK signed a 100-year security partnership with Ukraine for free trade and strategic relations. The UK will give Ukraine 3 billion yearly and partner with Ukraine for defence, energy and critical minerals. Britain gets access to the Black Sea, Baltic Sea, and the Sea of Azov (which Russia considers an internal sea). So, if Ukraine is to be anyones economic colony, Britain plans to play a part there. France and the UK have proposed to deploy their respective troops to Ukraine as peacekeeping forces when a peace agreement is negotiated but want security guarantees from the US. However, Trump has ruled out providing security in or for Ukraine because troops here can reignite the conflict and drag the US back into war.

The Russian position is clear. European troops on their border, even if termed as peacekeepers, will be labelled combatants and treated as such. Ukraine will not be part of NATO; there should be a demilitarised buffer zone between Russia and Ukraine. Russia will not return the provinces they have taken over during the war. There will be no ceasefire till these terms are accepted. Moreover, the sanctions will have to be lifted, and the Russians will negotiate for a security architecture with Europe in which they are included. It is evident that the Western strategy of destroying the Russian economy and military, isolating it globally, and delegitimising the Russian leadership has failed. The Russian economy, military, and leadership are stronger than they were at the beginning of the war.

Now, Putin has offered a rare earth partnership to the US. The majority of rare earth minerals are in the Russian Donbass and the Arctic region. Trump aims to expand American influence in the Arctic, so he talks of acquiring Greenland and Canada. However, 50% of the Arctic region is Russian territory where they have multiple military sites. Russian cooperation is essential for mining the Arctic. As the Arctic ice melts, this is opening new and shorter maritime routes and the US does not want to miss out. The reality is that the two are neighbours in the Pacific. A report in the Financial Times

(2 March 2025) said that Trump could take over the Nord Stream pipeline and provide Russian gas to Europe. Trump sees gains from a Russia reset, but he has to convince his domestic base on this.

These are early steps in the peace and profit negotiations and all involved have distinct interests. The Ukraine conflict was constructed in the US and is being deconstructed there. The European allies in this proxy war have traditional Russophobia but cannot afford to alienate the US. Trump has created a paradigm shift within imperialism. Meanwhile, the war goes on.

As Trump reconfigures US imperialism and seeks to expand US territories, there has already been a reconfiguration of global forces. The USs conjecture that to isolate China they can rope in Russia is unlikely to materialise. Just as India, China, and other BRICS countries maintained neutrality during the Ukraine conflict, Russia will also retain its strategic partnerships with China, India, and others. After all, the TrumpPutin phone call was followed by Russian National Security Advisor Sergei Shoigus visit and meeting with President Xi Jinping (28 February). Russia and the BRICS played a role in constructing multipolarity, which proved a lifeline for Russia and gives strategic importance to BRICS countries. This redistribution of power is not changing in a hurry.

In the Ukrainian peace negotiations and reset of USRussia relations, there will be pressures, compromises, betrayals, winners and losers. This soap opera geopolitics continues to unfold.

Anuradha Chenoy (chenoy@gmail.com) is adjunct faculty, Jindal Global University and associate fellow, Transnational Institute.
In mid-February, the United States (US) promulgated a presidential memorandum ordering the development of a comprehensive plan for ensuring fairness in trade relationships and countering or neutralising non-reciprocal trade pacts. Titled the Fair and Reciprocal Plan, this new policy seeks to ensure a reduction in trade deficit and improve economic and national security by encouraging the relocation of production to within US shores.

Claiming that the US is one of the most open economies, the memorandum accuses its trading partners of keeping their markets closed to US products, which resulted in huge trade deficits. The Fair and Reciprocal Plan intends to neutralise the trade barriers to US exports by ushering in a reciprocal tariff regime. This would require that the US evaluate the tariff and non-tariff barriers imposed by its trade partners and match them with commensurate tariff rates to persuade the trade partners to reduce the trade barriers and also encourage more domestic production.

One of the unjust tariffs cited in the order is the 5% average tariff levied by the US on agriculture products as against the 30% charged by India. Other instances cited were the 2% US tariff on motorcycles as compared to the 100% levied by India and the 2.5% tariff charged by the US on motor cars as against the 10% tariff imposed by the European Union (EU). In fact, the US claims that 133 countries charged it higher tariffs on more than two-thirds of the 6,00,000-odd product lines. The US hence blames these unequal tariff levels for the large merchandise trade deficits that have crossed $1 trillion in 2024.

While the latters claim that the US trade deficit has steadily surged to unacceptably high levels with a few nations running unwarrantedly huge surpluses is certainly true, the formers assertion that the US is one of the most open economies does not stand such scrutiny. The economies with which the US has the largest trade deficits in 2024 are China ($295 billion), Mexico ($172 billion), Vietnam ($124 billion), Ireland ($87 billion), Germany ($85 billion), Taiwan ($74 billion), Japan ($69 billion), South Korea ($66 billion), Canada ($65 billion), and India ($46 billion).

However, the USs claim of being one of the most open economies is totally misleading. A basic measure of the openness of an economy is the level of trade intensity which is derived by dividing the total value of exports and imports of goods and services by the gross domestic product (GDP). The trade to GDP ratio of the US was one of the lowest among the major economies (26.9%). This is not only less than half the global average of 62.8% but also substantially lower than that in other major economies like China (38.4%), Japan (46.8%), India (50%), the United Kingdom (68.9%), France (75.8%), Germany (89.1%), and South Korea (96.5%).

Apart from the low trade density, the other feature that differentiated US trade from the other major economies was its low import intensity (15.3% of the GDP), which is the least among major economies. In contrast, the import intensity of South Korea was the highest at 48.3% of GDP. Similarly, another major aspect that sets apart the US external trade is the large gap between exports and imports. The ratio of imports to GDP of the US was more than one-third higher than its export ratio. In contrast, the export to GDP ratio was much higher than the import ratio in China and Germany.

So, the big question is: Why are US exports so truncated? A closer investigation shows that it is the merchandise exports that are responsible for this imbalance. In fact, the US even generates a surplus of more than $200 billion in services trade where it accounts for 12.8% of the global exports of commercial services and is ranked first in both exports and imports in the segment. This is in sharp contrast with its merchandise trade profile where it only had an 8.3% share of the global exports. So why has the US been unable to replicate its export performance in the services sector in merchandise trade? Or put differently, why do the US trade partners levy excessive tariffs to limit the growth of US merchandise exports while they have no such barriers on US service exports?

The answer to both these questions is that rather than a biased tariff regime, it is the vast disparities in global competitiveness that allow the US to top the global ranking in the services trade and, at the same time, run up the largest deficits in merchandise trade. A detailed analysis indicates that the export performance of the agriculture and manufacturing sectors is weighed down by their limited size. The share of agriculture in the gross value added (GVA) of the US was less than 1%, which is much lower than the 1.5% charged by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the average of around 1.5% and the EU average of almost 2%. Similarly, the share of manufacturing in the GVA is just 10% in the US, whereas it is much higher in competing nations like Germany (18.5%), Japan (19.2%), and China (26.2%). Hence, it is the supply-side constraints and its ability to ramp up economies of scale which is the major factor that limits US merchandise exports. So rather than blaming a biased tariff regime, the US would do better if it introspects on its macroeconomic policies to ascertain the real reasons for its dismal performance in merchandise trade.
Long-term care is a womens issue, placing physical, emotional, and financial burdens on them and their families.

International Women's Day (IWD), celebrated annually on March 8, is a global event dedicated to honoring the achievements of women across social, economic, cultural, and political spheres. It also serves as a call to action for accelerating gender equality.

As we mark International Women's Day, Matt McCann, a nationally known expert on long-term care planning, says it's imperative to shed light on a critical yet often overlooked aspect of women's lives: aging and long-term care.

"Women are predominantly the caregivers in our society, frequently stepping into roles that demand immense physical, emotional, and financial resources. This caregiving journey often begins out of necessity, due to a lack of planning, and extends into their own later years, where they may find themselves in need of care, often without a spouse by their side."

Women Receive Majority of Long-Term Care Insurance Benefits

Women as Primary Caregivers

Globally, women shoulder a disproportionate share of unpaid domestic work, including caregiving responsibilities.

In the United States, the scenario is no different. According to the Family Caregiver Alliance, approximately 66% of caregivers are female, and they may spend as much as 50% more time providing care than male caregivers.

McCann says that this substantial commitment often leads to significant personal and professional sacrifices, including reduced work hours, lost job opportunities, and increased financial strain.

Impact of Caregiving on Women's Lives

The demands of caregiving extend beyond time and energy; they have profound economic implications. A study highlighted by MarketWatch reveals that unpaid caregiving can delay retirement by as much as 21 years. Caregivers often reallocate funds to cover caregiving expenses, leading to a substantial deficit in retirement savings. Depending on their salary, caregivers may face a 40% to 108% reduction in retirement savings by age 65.

McCann notes that the emotional and physical toll on caregivers is significant. The "sandwich generation," individuals caring for both their aging parents and young children experience heightened levels of stress, financial pressure, and time constraints.

"Placing the burden of caregiving on women is unfair. The "sandwich generation," where a woman must balance caring for an aging parent while also supporting her own family, is physically, emotionally, and financially exhausting. As women age, the physical demands of caring for an older spouse become even more challenging, continuing the cycle unless a plan is in place ahead of time."

McCann says this dual responsibility can lead to adverse health outcomes, including increased psychological distress and accelerated physical decline.

While those with Long-Term Care Insurance benefit from guaranteed, tax-free funds that cover quality care and ease the burden, many families fail to discuss the issue until it's too late.

Women Living Longer and the Implications

Women generally have a longer life expectancy than men, which presents unique challenges as they age. Living longer increases the likelihood of requiring long-term care services.

According to data from the World Health Organization, the majority of older persons needing long-term care services rely on informal home care, primarily provided by unpaid caregivers, often family members.

In the United States, this pressure on family and finances is tremendous as too many families ignore long-term care planning until a crisis has occurred.

McCann says that you may need long-term care services due to a chronic illness, accident, mobility hardship, dementia, or even frailty due to aging. Since health insurance, including Medicare, only pays for short-term skilled care, the vast majority of the responsibility falls on the family or finances unless a plan has been put in place beforehand.

What is Long-Term Care Insurance - What Does It Cover?

This extended lifespan also means that women are more likely to outlive their spouses, leaving them without a primary caregiver when they need assistance the most.

"This scenario underscores the importance of planning for long-term care to ensure that women and their husbands receive the necessary support without placing undue burdens on their families."

Role of Long-Term Care Insurance

Long-Term Care Insurance serves as a crucial safety net, ensuring that individuals receive quality care, even at home, without depleting their assets or imposing significant financial and emotional strain on their loved ones.

"Long-Term Care Insurance not only protects your savings but also ensures you have access to quality care options, including care at home, which is where most people prefer to receive care."

LTC Insurance policies can cover various services, including in-home care, assisted living, memory care, and nursing home care. By securing an LTC policy, women can maintain their independence and dignity while alleviating the caregiving burden that often falls on their daughters or other female family members.

Financial Implications of Aging Without Planning

The cost of long-term care is significant and continues to climb. According to the LTC News survey of nationwide long-term care costs, the national median cost for a home health aide is $5,200 per month based on a 44-hour workweek. Assisted living and nursing home care are even more expensive, with costs varying widely depending on your location. The cost of care increases every year.

How Much Does Long-Term Care Cost Near You?

Without proper planning, McCann says that these expenses can quickly erode savings, leaving you and your family in precarious financial situations.

Furthermore, the lack of long-term care planning can have ripple effects on the broader economy. As more individuals require care, the demand for unpaid caregivers rises, leading to increased absenteeism and reduced productivity in the workforce. This scenario highlights the need for comprehensive policies supporting caregivers and care recipients.

"Long-Term Care Insurance is an affordable way to safeguard your income and assets, ensure access to your choice of quality care services, and give your loved ones the time to be family instead of caregivers."

Empowering Women Through Education and Planning

Education and proactive planning are essential in addressing the challenges associated with aging and long-term care.

Women, in particular, should consider:

Educate Themselves About Long-Term Care Options: Understanding the various care options available, not just for themselves in the future but also for parents and other loved ones. Care options, including in-home care, assisted living, and nursing home facilities, empower individuals and their families to make informed decisions about their future. Explore Long-Term Care Insurance: Investigating LTC Insurance policies can provide financial security and ensure access to quality care when needed. It's crucial to assess policies early, as premiums are generally more affordable when purchased at a younger age. Most people obtain an LTC policy between the ages of 47 to 67. Encourage Spouses and Families: Too many people are in denial about the consequences of aging and the growing need for long-term care. Loved ones should be open to learning about their options, and many find it surprisingly affordable to add an LTC policy to their retirement plan.

How Much Does Long-Term Care Insurance Cost at My Age?

Motivate Yourself to Plan

International Women's Day reminds us of women's multifaceted roles in our society, including caregivers.

McCann says that planning for long-term care is an act of lovefor yourself and for those you care about. It ensures that your care needs are met without burdening your family.

Get Professional Planning Help Now

Matt McCann, CLTC is licensed in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, representing top-rated insurance companies that provide long-term care solutions. He is also a regular panelist on the "62 Who Knew" Podcast.

His innovative approach allows clients to consult with him over the phone while viewing his computer screen, ensuring a convenient and transparent process for learning about, exploring, and selecting the best options.

You can get free and accurate quotes from all the top companies, along with professional recommendations - Free and Accurate LTC Insurance Quotes.

Media Availability

McCann is available for radio, TV, and podcast interviews. He also speaks to groups and organizations worldwide on the issues of aging, caregiving, health, and long-term care.

Contact McCann through his website for information.
Fairfield, MT (59436)

Today

Sunshine early followed by mostly cloudy skies this afternoon. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 71F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. Low 49F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph.
Russia said Saturday its troops had retaken three villages seized by Ukraine in its Kursk border region, in a fresh setback for Kyiv ahead of talks to try to end the war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday named a high-level delegation including ministers to meet US negotiators in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, seeking to repair ties with President Donald Trump's administration.

"We hope to discuss and agree on the necessary decisions and steps", Zelensky said, stressing that Ukraine was "fully committed to constructive dialogue".

But he condemned "brutal" deadly strikes on eastern Ukraine, saying they proved that Russia was "not thinking about how to end the war".

Trump on Friday threatened new sanctions and tariffs against Russia over its bombardment of Ukraine.

The three-year-long war is now at a critical juncture for Kyiv after Trump suspended US military aid following his public falling-out with Zelensky last week.

Ukraine still controls some 400 square kilometres (150 square miles) in the Kursk region after launching an offensive last August. Zelensky sees this as a possible bargaining chip in peace talks.

But Ukraine's troops in Kursk have seen their position worsen in recent weeks as Russian forces pushed back.

- Russian claims gains -

Russia's defence ministry on Saturday announced the recapture of three more villages: Viktorovka, Nikolayevka and Staraya Sorochina.

According to DeepState, an online military tracker linked to the Ukrainian army, the Russian move followed a "breach" in the Ukrainian defence lines near the town of Sudzha, which is under Kyiv's control.

The advance appears to have cut off the logistics route needed by Ukraine to supply its troops, although Kyiv has not confirmed this.

Russia has already taken back more than two-thirds of the territory Ukraine initially seized in Kursk.

The Ukrainian military General Staff said Saturday that clashes were ongoing amid heavy bombardment with artillery and guided aerial bombs.

Small groups of Russian troops have also mounted attacks in recent weeks into Ukraine's Sumy region bordering Kursk.

Ukraine's Centre for Countering Disinformation on Saturday denied reports of a "massive breakthrough", saying its forces were destroying small groups trying to cross.

- Saudi talks -

Full peace negotiations remain a distant prospect, with Kyiv and Moscow making starkly opposed demands. Trump has made settling the conflict a priority since his return to the White House.

But by reaching out to Russian President Vladimir Putin while criticising Zelensky, he has raised fears in Kyiv -- and among its European allies -- that Trump may try to force Ukraine to accept a settlement that favours Russia.

Senior US and Ukrainian officials are set to meet for talks on the war in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. Zelensky will also visit Monday for talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

US envoy Steve Witkoff said Thursday that Washington wanted to discuss an "initial ceasefire" with Russia and a "framework" for a longer agreement.

Zelensky said Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga and Defence Minister Rustem Umerov would be among those representing Ukraine.

In his evening address, he told Ukrainians he was "confident that the meeting will be productive".

Zelensky also urged allies to "increase sanctions against Russia" after heavy overnight bombardment in the east and northeast.

A Russian barrage hit the centre of Dobropillia in the eastern Donetsk region late Friday, killing 11 people and wounding 40, said the emergency services.

"Russia is proving literally every day with its cruelty that nothing has changed for them," Zelensky said.

Moscow wanted to "destroy and capture more as long as the world allows them to wage this war", he said.

On Saturday, a strike on the embattled city of Pokrovsk killed a man in his 40s and wounded two others, Donetsk governor Vadym Filashkin said.

Four people were killed Saturday by drone attacks in the eastern Kharkiv region, the head of its military administration, Oleg Synegubov, said.

A drone attack also killed a 74-year-old man in the southern Kherson region, the governor Oleksandr Prokudin said.

- 'More bombs' -

The European Union's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, reacting Saturday to the latest deadly attacks on Ukraine, wrote on X: "Once again, Putin shows he has no interest in peace.

"This is what happens when someone appeases barbarians," Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk posted on X. "More bombs, more aggression, more victims."

France's Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu told the La Tribune newspaper Saturday that Paris would use 195 million euros of frozen Russian assets to fund more military aid for Ukraine.

The money would, among other things, pay for the delivery of armaments used by the Mirage 2000 fighter jets France delivered to Ukraine in February, he added.

In Dobropillia, AFP saw charred residential buildings, flattened market stalls and evidence of cluster bomb damage.

Irina Kostenko, 59, spent the night cowering in her hallway with her husband. When she left the apartment building on Saturday, she saw a neighbour "lying dead on the ground, covered with a blanket".

"It was shocking, I don't have the words to describe it," Kostenko told AFP.

burs-lgo-led-am/jj
Recent federal job cuts barely affected Yellowstone National Park staffing, according to information from U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, on Friday.

Speaking to area news media Friday morning near Four Corners, Daines said he spoke to the parks superintendent, Cameron Cam Sholly, the night before and learned that out of hundreds of Yellowstone National Park employees, only seven were let go.

"So out of 800 to 900 Yellowstone National Park employees, there were 30 probationary employees," Daines said. "Of those 30, seven lost their jobs."

Sholly is discussing the matter with U.S. Dept. of Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, and they may reinstate several of those seven employees, according to Daines.

And so, I just want to make sure the public is hearing the facts, Daines said.

Daines expressed frustration that the publics perception of the local effects of federal cuts may be exaggerated, referring to recent protests. There was a protest in Gardiner on March 1 and another in Bozeman on Tuesday.

Representatives of gateway communities near the parks northern gate recently expressed concern about cuts to the U.S. Department of the Interior. The Livingston City Commission and the Park County Commission this week approved letters to be sent to Daines and other members of the states congressional delegation  letters expressing concern about possible local effects of cuts to the Interior Department. The countys letter expressed concern about U.S. Forest Service cuts and the citys letter referenced fears over cuts related to Yellowstone National Park and surrounding national forests and wilderness areas.

Daines spoke of the need to make sure enough seasonal employees are hired at the park in time for summer and said hes discussed the matter with Burgum and Sholly.

"Cam's done an excellent job to put more emphasis on seasonality," Daines said. "It's a more efficient way to balance resources with peak season in the summertime."

The U.S. Interior Department exempted thousands of seasonal positions from the hiring freeze announced by the Trump administration in late January.

So, I just want to hopefully calm some of this down, its creating a little bit of a tempest in a teapot as were trying to find ways to [arrive at] efficiencies in the federal government, Daines said.

Daines also confirmed that 13 additional full-time YNP employees took the Trump administrations Fork in the Road email offer to resign, according to Bozeman Daily Chronicle.

The Trump administration via Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has been cutting federal jobs, programs and contracts across multiple government agencies.
The government has announced an import ban of livestock from Hungary and Slovakia following a confirmed case of foot-and-mouth disease.

The disease was confirmed on Friday (7 March) on a cattle farm in north west Hungary, near the border with Slovakia, the country's first case in 50 years.

It comes just two months after foot-and-mouth was detected in a small herd of water buffalo near Berlin, Germany, which also has a UK import ban.

The UK government said farmers and livestock keepers must be "absolutely rigorous" about their biosecurity.

Hungarys National Food Chain Safety Authority said a farm with 1,400 cattle showed classic symptoms of foot-and-mouth disease at the beginning of March.

The presence of the pathogen was subsequently confirmed in a laboratory.

The UK imports a variety of pork products from Hungary, with HMRC figures showing that over 1,800 tonnes of fresh and frozen pork arrived last year, up 44% on 2023.

Following confirmation, the government said it had now "stepped up measures" to prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth in the UK.

Commercial imports from Hungary and Slovakia of cattle, pigs, sheep, goats and other non domestic ruminants and porcines such as deer and their untreated products, such as fresh meat and dairy, are banned.

In addition, travellers will no longer be able to bring meat and dairy products from Hungary and Slovakia into the UK.

The UK's chief veterinary officer has urged livestock keepers to remain vigilant to the clinical signs of FMD, as there are no cases in the UK currently.

Dr Christine Middlemiss said: We remain in contact with our Hungarian counterparts to understand the latest situation - measures are now being taken to contain and eradicate the outbreak.

I would urge livestock keepers to exercise the upmost vigilance for signs of disease, follow scrupulous biosecurity and report any suspicion of disease immediately to the Animal and Plant Health Agency.

FMD poses no risk to human or food safety, but is a highly contagious viral disease of cattle, sheep, pigs and other cloven-hoofed animals such as deer, llamas and alpacas. Rodents can also be affected.

The disease causes significant economic losses due to production losses in the affected animals as well as loss of access to foreign markets for animals, meat and milk for affected countries.

The 2001 foot-and-mouth outbreak saw around 2,000 cases of the disease in farms across the UK.

Farming Minister Daniel Zeichner said the government would "do whatever it takes" to protect farmers from the risk posed by the disease.

He said: That is why restrictions have immediately been brought in on animal products from Hungary and Slovakia to prevent an outbreak.

"We will not hesitate to add additional countries to the list if the disease spreads."

Clinical signs to be aware of vary, but in cattle the main signs are sores and blisters on the feet, mouth and tongue with potentially a fever, lameness and a reluctance to feed.

In sheep and pigs, signs tend to manifest with lameness, with potential for blistering.??

Any suspicion of FMD in animals must be reported immediately by calling the Government Helpline, and failure to do so is an offence.

The number to report a suspected case is 03000 200 301 in England and 0300 303 826 in Wales.

Farmers and livestock keepers in Scotland should contact their local Field Services Office to report suspicion of disease.
Anora movie was the highlight of the night at the Oscars 2025, bagging five awards for Original Screenplay, Film Editing, Directing, Actress in a Leading Role, and Best Picture. Adrien Brody won his second Oscar for The Brutalist, following his 2003 win for The Pianist. Among many firsts, Kieran Culkin won Best Supporting Actor for his role in A Real Pain, while Zoe Saldana took home Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Emilia Perez. Scroll down to see the full list of Oscar winners.





Actress in a Leading Role

Mickey Madison





Cynthia Erivo, Wicked

Wicked Karla Sofia Gascon, Emilia Perez

Emilia Perez Demi Moore, The Substance

The Substance Fernanda Torres, Im Still Here

Other Nominees:

Actor in a Leading Role

Adrien Brody

Other Nominees:

Timothee Chalamet, A Complete Unknown

A Complete Unknown Colman Domingo, Sing Sing

Ralph Fiennes, Conclave

Conclave Sebastian Stan, The Apprentice

Best Picture

Anora



Other Nominees:



The Brutalist

A Complete Unknown

Conclave

Dune: Part Two

Emilia Perez

Im Still Here

Nickel Boys

The Substance

Wicked

Animated Feature Film

Flow





Other Nominees:



Inside Out 2

Memoir of a Snail

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl

The Wild Robot

Directing

Sean Baker

Other Nominees:



Jacques Audiard, Emilia Perez

Emilia Perez Brady Corbet, The Brutalist

Coralie Fargeat, The Substance

James Mangold, A Complete Unknown

Actor in a Supporting Role

Kieran Culkin

Other Nominees:

Yura Borisov, Anora

Anora Edward Norton, A Complete Unknown

A Complete Unknown Guy Pearce, The Brutalist

Jeremy Strong, The Apprentice

Actress in a Supporting Role

Zoe Saldana





Other Nominees:

Monica Barbaro, A Complete Unknown

A Complete Unknown Ariana Grande, Wicked

Wicked Felicity Jones, The Brutalist

The Brutalist Isabella Rossellini, Conclave

Costume Design

Wicked





Other Nominees:



A Complete Unknown

Conclave

Gladiator II

Nosferatu

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

Conclave (Screenplay by Peter Straughan)





Other Nominees:



A Complete Unknown

Emilia Perez

Nickel Boys

Sing Sing



Writing (Original Screenplay)

Anora (Written by Sean Baker)





Other Nominees:



The Brutalist (Written by Brady Corbet, Mona Fastvold)

A Real Pain (Written by Jesse Eisenberg)

September 5 (Written by Moritz Binder, Tim Fehlbaum; Co-Written by Alex David)

The Substance (Written by Coralie Fargeat)



Animated Short Film

In the Shadow of the Cypress





Other Nominees:



Beautiful Men

Magic Candies

Wander to Wonder

Yuck!

Cinematography

The Brutalist (Lol Crawley)





Other Nominees:

Dune: Part Two (Greig Fraser)

Emilia Perez (Paul Guilhaume)

Maria (Ed Lachman)

Nosferatu (Jarin Blaschke)



Film Editing

Anora

The Brutalist

Conclav e

Emilia Perez

Wicked

Other Nominees:

Makeup and Hairstyling

The Substance



Other Nominees:

A Different Man

Emilia Perez

Nosferatu

Wicked

Live-Action Short Film

Im Not a Robot





Other Nominees:

A Lien

Anuja

The Last Ranger

The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent



Music (Original Score)

The Brutalist





Other Nominees:

Conclave

Emilia Perez

Wicked

The Wild Robot







Music (Original Song)

El Mal from Emilia Perez





Other Nominees:

The Journey from The Six Triple Eight

The Six Triple Eight Like a Bird from Sing Sing

Sing Sing Mi Camino from Emilia Perez

Emilia Perez Never Too Late from Elton John: Never Too Late

Documentary Feature Film

No Other Land

Other Nominees: Black Box Diaries

Porcelain War

Soundtrack to a Coup dEtat

Sugarcane

Documentary Short Film

The Only Girl in the Orchestra





Other Nominees:





Death by Numbers

I Am Ready, Warden

Incident

Instruments of a Beating Heart



International Feature Film

Im Still Here

(Brazil)



Other Nominees:



The Girl With the Needle (Denmark)

Emilia Perez (France)

The Seed of the Sacred Fig (Germany)

Flow (Latvia)



Production Design

Wicked



Other Nominees:



The Brutalist

Conclave

Dune: Part Two

Nosferatu



Sound

Dune: Part Two



Other Nominees:



A Complete Unknown

Emilia Perez

Wicked

The Wild Robot



Visual Effects

Dune: Part Two



Other Nominees:



Alien: Romulus

Better Man

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

Wicked





The Oscars was a true celebration of global storytelling take place with Im Still Here (Brazil) getting the Best International Feature. The night also saw No Other Land win the award for Best Documentary Feature, while The Only Girl in the Orchestra took home the award for Best Documentary Short Film-honoring captivating real-life narratives. Farther down the list, gems such as Flow and In the Shadow of the Cypress shimmered through and received accolades.



From stunning performances to breathtaking visuals, this year's winners showcased the best of cinema in all its forms.



Images: Instagram, IMDb



Also Read: The Oscars was a true celebration of global storytelling take place with Im Still Here (Brazil) getting the Best International Feature. The night also saw No Other Land win the award for Best Documentary Feature, while The Only Girl in the Orchestra took home the award for Best Documentary Short Film-honoring captivating real-life narratives. Farther down the list, gems such as Flow and In the Shadow of the Cypress shimmered through and received accolades.From stunning performances to breathtaking visuals, this year's winners showcased the best of cinema in all its forms.Images: Instagram, IMDbAlso Read: The Only Quick Recap You Need Before Watching The White Lotus Season 3






China signs agreements to import Ukrainian peas, wild aquatic products

Xinhua) 10:33, March 08, 2025

Chinese Ambassador to Ukraine Ma Shengkun (2nd R), on behalf of China's General Administration of Customs, inks the documents with Serhii Tkachuk (2nd L), head of the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection, in Kiev, Ukraine, on March 6, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Dongxu)

KIEV, March 7 (Xinhua) -- China and Ukraine have signed two agreements, paving the way for Ukrainian peas and wild aquatic products to enter the Chinese market, said the Chinese Embassy in Ukraine late Thursday.

On behalf of China's General Administration of Customs, Chinese Ambassador to Ukraine Ma Shengkun inked the documents on Thursday with Serhii Tkachuk, head of the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection.

China-Ukraine agricultural cooperation potential is huge as the two countries are highly complementary in this sector, said Ma at the signing ceremony, adding that China is willing to further strengthen collaboration with Ukraine for the benefit of both nations.

The two agreements, he said, will further expand farm product trade and cooperation, contributing to the China-Ukraine strategic partnership.

Vitaliy Koval, Ukraine's agrarian policy and food minister, who also attended the signing ceremony, underscored China's role as the world's largest importer of agricultural products, Ukraine's top trading partner, and a key market for its agricultural exports. He expressed his confidence that the agreements would help expand agricultural trade between the two countries.

(Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Sheng Chuyi)
Gulshan Devaiah has been appreciated for his powerful acting skills time and again. The actor is known to play different parts with utmost dedication and conviction. To celebrate Women's Day with Filmfare, he spoke about the women in his life and their impact. In an exclusive chat he revealed that he has always been inspired by his mother.

Read on...





Who is the most inspiring woman in your life, and what makes her special?





My mother!! Pushpa : Fire nahin flower hai !! Shes the toughest, strongest person I know.



How has a woman influenced your career or personal growth?





My grandmother, Aunts & 5 cousin sisters. Ive spent most of my childhood with them and Im emotionally the closest to them. My mother despite having major health problems, allowed me to leave home to pursue my dreams. She never said dont go, I need you to look after me despite me being an only child. My parents dont live with me in Mumbai.





Whats the greatest life lesson youve learnt from a woman in your life?





My mother taught me to stop complaining, not to run away & to always do my best with what I have..because thats what she did.





Can you recall a moment when a womans resilience or kindness changed your perspective?





2008, when my mom said Go live your dreams. If you need anything let me know  .. ok not exactly her words but I paraphrase for effect without changing the meaning.

Whats one piece of advice from a woman that has stuck with you?





Be careful with your words and your money.



What message would you like to share with your female fans on womens day?





Go watch films in a theatre and in particular the female led films.





What changes would you like to see in society to support and uplift women more?





Better public toilets, more leisure time in life to watch films at the cinemas
Today is Fardeen Khans 51st birthday, and it's a great time to look back at his journey in Bollywood. Coming from a famous film family, he is the son of legendary actor and director Feroz Khan. Before starting his acting career, he studied in the USA. In 1998, he made his Bollywood debut with Prem Agan, a film directed by his father. Though the movie got mixed reviews, people noticed his good looks and acting. Over the years, he acted in many films like Jungle (2000), Love Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega (2001), Om Jai Jagadish (2002), Janasheen (2003), and No Entry (2005). He did all kinds of roles, from romance to comedy, making him a well-known face in the industry.

Fardeen won the Best Debut (Male) award at the 44th Filmfare Awards for his role in Prem Agan. He gave an emotional speech on stage, saying, "remember my father often telling me, son, you're gonna reach for the stars, and sometimes you might just find yourself on the moon. Well, tonight is one of those nights when I do feel like Im on the moon. Id like to thank my father for the opportunity called Prem Agan, and if it wasnt for you, I wouldnt be standing here tonight. Thank you."

After acting in several films, Fardeen took a long break from movies in the early 2010s to focus on his personal life. He stayed away from the big screen for years, and his transformation surprised many. But in 2024, he made a strong comeback. He played a Nawab in Sanjay Leela Bhansalis hit web series: The Diamond Bazaar, proving that he still has the charm and talent. Soon after, he returned to the big screen with the movie Khel Khel Mein.Fardeen Khans journey in Bollywood has had its ups and downs, but he continues to stay connected to cinema. As he turns 51, fans are excited to see what he does next.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 7, 2025) - Kuya Silver Corporation (CSE: KUYA) (OTCQB: KUYAF) (FSE: 6MR1) (the "Company" or "Kuya Silver") announces it intends to close a non-brokered private placement by issuing up to 10,000,000 common shares in the capital of the Company (each a "Common Share") at CAD$0.25 per Common Share for gross proceeds of up to CAD$2,500,000 (the "Offering"). The Offering may be subscribed to by insiders, which will be considered a "related party transaction" within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company is relying on exemptions from the formal valuation requirements of MI 61-101 pursuant to section 5.5(a) and the minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 pursuant to section 5.7(1)(a) in respect of such insider participation as the fair market value of the transaction, insofar as it involves interested parties, will not exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering for general working capital. All securities issued under the Offering, including securities issuable on exercise thereof, will be subject to a hold period expiring 4 months and 1 day after issuance, in accordance with the rules and policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange and applicable Canadian securities laws. In connection with the Offering, the Company may pay certain eligible finder's a fee in cash or securities. ECM Capital Advisors is acting as financial advisor to the Company in respect of the Offering. Closing of the Offering is expected to occur in tranches, with the first tranche closing on or around March 14, 2025.

About Kuya Silver Corporation

Kuya Silver is a Canadian-based, growth-oriented mining company with a focus on silver. Kuya Silver operates the Bethania silver mine in Peru, while developing district-scale silver projects in mining-friendly jurisdictions including Peru and Canada.

Reader Advisory

This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking information," including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs, and current expectations of the Company, its directors, or its officers with respect to the future business activities of the Company. The words "may," "would," "could," "will," "intend," "plan," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "must," "next," "propose," "new," "potential," "prospective," "target," "future," "verge," "favourable," "implications," and "ongoing," and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company or its management, are intended to identify such forward-looking information. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing statements, any discussion regarding the proposed use of the proceeds of the Offering, is forward-looking information. Investors are cautioned that statements including forward-looking information are not guarantees of future business activities and involve risks and uncertainties, and that the Company's future business activities may differ materially from those described in the forward-looking information as a result of various factors, including but not limited to fluctuations in market prices, successes of the operations of the Company, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market, and business conditions. There can be no assurances that such forward-looking information will prove accurate, and therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of the risks and uncertainties. The Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking information except as required under the applicable securities laws.

Neither the CSE nor the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES. ANY FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS RESTRICTION MAY CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF U.S. SECURITIES LAWS.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/243829

SOURCE: Kuya Silver Corporation


CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The Antipodean currencies such as the Australia and the New Zealand dollars weakened against their major currencies in the Asian session on Thursday, as concerns about the impact of the ongoing trade war continue to weigh on the markets.



U.S. President Donald Trump escalated global trade tensions by threatening more tariffs on EU goods. Trump also hinted at financial repercussions if Russia rejects the Ukraine ceasefire proposal. Trump's steel and aluminum tariffs took effect on Wednesday, raising fears of a widening global trade war.



In economic news, data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed that the total number of building permits issued in Australia increased as initially estimated in January. Building consents climbed a seasonally adjusted 6.3 percent monthly to 16,579 units in January, much faster than the 1.7 percent gain in December. That was in line with the flash data published on March 6.



Permits for private sector houses rose 1.1 percent on month to 9,042, while consents for private sector dwellings excluding houses surged 12.7 percent to 7,213.



On a yearly basis, permits for private sector houses grew 8.9 percent, approvals for private sector dwellings excluding houses rallied 41.6 percent, and overall permits were up 21.7 percent.



Meanwhile, Australia's Consumer Inflation Expectations, which measure how much consumers estimate inflation to be over the next 12 months, dropped from 4.6% in February to 3.6% in March, the lowest level since April 2024.



In the Asian trading today, the Australian dollar fell to 0.6308 against the U.S. dollar and 1.7266 against the euro, from a recent 6-day high of 0.6334 and a 4-day high of 1.7188, respectively. If the aussie extends its downtrend, it is likely to find support around 0.61 against the greenback and 1.75 against the euro.



The aussie slid to 93.26 against the yen, from a recent high of 93.94. The aussie may test support near the 91.00 region.



Against the Canada and the New Zealand dollars, the aussie edged down to 0.9076 and 1.1012 from recent highs of 0.9097 and 1.1031, respectively. On the downside, 0.89 against the loonie and 1.09 against the kiwi are seen as the next support levels for the aussie.



The NZ dollar fell to a 2-day low of 84.30 against the yen, from a recent high of 85.17. The next possible downside target for the kiwi is seen around the 82.00 region.



Against the U.S. dollar and the euro, the kiwi edged down to 0.5709 and 1.9049 from recent 3-day highs of of 0.5742 and 0.8959, respectively. If the kiwi extends its downtrend, it is likely to find support around 0.50 against the greenback and 1.92 against the euro.



Looking ahead, Eurostat is slated to release euro area industrial production figures for January at 6:00 am ET in the European session. Industrial output is expected to grow 0.5 percent month-on-month in January, in contrast to the 1.1 percent decrease in December.



In the New York session, U.S. building permits for January, PPI for February and U.S. weekly jobless claims data are slated for release.



Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

 2025 AFX News
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 7, 2025) - Canadian Nexus Team Ventures Corp., (CSE: TEAM) ("TEAM", "Canadian Nexus", or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company's directors have approved a name change for the Company to Data Watts Partners Inc. The Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE") will publish a bulletin announcing the effective date of the name and symbol change, and it is anticipated that the common shares of the Company will commence trading under its new name, Data Watts Partners Inc., on or about Wednesday, March 12th, 2025. The Company's trading symbol will change to "DWTZ". The CUSIP and ISIN numbers will change to 237944103 and CA2379441033 respectively.

No action is required to be taken by shareholders with respect to the name change. Outstanding share certificates are not affected by the name change and do not need to be exchanged.

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 it's 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/243834

SOURCE: Canadian Nexus Team Ventures Corp.
International Women's Day Statement by Education Cannot Wait's Yasmine Sherif

NEW YORK, March 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On International Women's Day, Education Cannot Wait joins our partners worldwide in calling for human rights and empowerment for women and girls everywhere.

Empowerment starts with an education. Worldwide, women still account for almost two-thirds of all adults unable to read, according to UNESCO. The challenge becomes even more severe on the frontlines of armed conflict, climate change and forced displacement, where approximately 234 million children in crisis contexts (half of whom are girls) require our urgent support in accessing quality education.

In Afghanistan an entire generation of girls is being systematically denied their right to an education, and thus deliberately disempowered. About 2.5 million Afghan girls are out of school today according to UNESCO. That's 2.5 million people denied their right to develop and their capacity to help rebuild a nation that has suffered far too long.

This week, a new feature film titled 'Rule Breakers' highlights the stories of hope, courage and resilience of the Afghan Girls Robotics Team. In real life, ECW's Global Champion Somaya Faruqi led that team to victory in competitions around the world. Today, she has joined a long list of leading global advocates to call on leaders to listen to AfghanGirlsVoices and call for a return to equality and equal access to quality education for all the girls and women of Afghanistan.

Education is also fundamental in claiming and protecting human rights. Today, we commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a defining commitment to ensuring human rights for women everywhere.

"Investing in formal and non-formal education and training for girls and women, with its exceptionally high social and economic return, has proved to be one of the best means of achieving sustainable development and economic growth that is both sustained and sustainable." ~ Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

Education is the most important investment of all: a quality education for every girl means empowerment of every woman. It is not a short-cut, nor an unattainable dream. Education is the path.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2636248/54365266670_707e8ba826_o.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/education-is-a-pathway-toward-human-rights-and-empowerment-for-women-and-girls-everywhere-302395312.html
Shenzhen, China--(Newsfile Corp. - March 8, 2025) - Shenzhen Creality 3D Technology Co., Ltd. today announced the launch of the Creality Raptor Pro 3D Scanner, a groundbreaking device featuring markerless face and body scanning, near-infrared (NIR) structured light, and blue laser scanning to capture fine details. Designed for reverse engineering, industrial design, and 3D modeling specialists, this scanner sets a new standard for speed, accuracy, and versatility in professional-grade 3D scanning.

Creality Raptor Pro 3D Scanner

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8846/243265_438ad699e442ab8b_001full.jpg

Revolutionary Dual-Mode Scanning Technology

The Creality Raptor Pro distinguishes itself with dual-mode scanning technology, offering an uncommon level of flexibility. Twenty-two cross-laser lines provide extensive coverage for medium-to-large objects, reducing the number of passes required and maximizing efficiency. In parallel, seven laser lines capture ultra-sharp edges and subtle details with 0.1mm sensitivity, an approach suited for smaller, more intricate components.

Markerless scanning is another notable benefit of the Raptor Pro. The NIR structured light mode enables the scanning of feature-rich objects, including human faces and biological items, without the use of tracking markers. This capability simplifies workflows in reverse engineering, medical applications, and creative fields, making the device a dependable option for a range of 3D scanning needs.

Creality Raptor Pro 3D Scanner

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8846/243265_438ad699e442ab8b_002full.jpg

High Speed, Exceptional Accuracy, and Broad Object Compatibility

Professionals seeking speed and meticulous precision can rely on the Creality Raptor Pro for volumetric accuracy of 0.02mm + 0.08mm/m. NIR mode processes data at 30 frames per second, ensuring rapid capture. In laser mode, 660,000 points per second are processed at 60 frames per second, generating a substantial data output for detailed modeling tasks.

The Raptor Pro also addresses materials that typically challenge 3D scanners, including dark and reflective surfaces, without requiring sprays or coatings. Its robust sensor technology handles textures ranging from metallic finishes to delicate sculptural curves, supporting demands in automotive engineering, artistic creation, and industrial manufacturing.

Streamlined Workflow with CrealityScan Software

CrealityScan software complements the scanner's hardware by delivering an intuitive user interface and efficient model processing. One-click model generation streamlines the conversion of raw scan data into high-quality 3D models, supporting rapid project turnarounds. The software accommodates multiple file formats, integrating seamlessly with manufacturing systems, 3D printing platforms, and CAD software.

Built-in tools refine point clouds, adjust for specific scanning modes (e.g., faces, bodies, mechanical parts), and maintain a direct path to manufacturing without extensive post-processing. This approach saves time and reduces complexity for engineers, designers, and other professionals who depend on precise 3D modeling.

Creality Raptor Pro 3D Scanner

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8846/243265_438ad699e442ab8b_003full.jpg

A New Era of High-Precision 3D Scanning

The Creality Raptor Pro 3D Scanner introduces new possibilities for reverse engineering, industrial design, automotive customization, and other fields that require exacting specifications. Its dual-mode scanning, high-speed data acquisition, and adaptability across diverse materials represent significant advancements in professional 3D scanning technology.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/243265

SOURCE: Media Feature
Bollywood has given us some unforgettable portrayals of female journalists, showcasing their courage in uncovering the truth, fighting injustice, and questioning authority read more

On Womens Day, we celebrate the power, resilience, and determination of women who break barriersboth in real life and on screen. Bollywood has given us some unforgettable portrayals of female journalists, showcasing their courage in uncovering the truth, fighting injustice, and questioning authority.

From Rani Mukerjis fearless reporting in No One Killed Jessica to Raashii Khannas gripping performance in The Sabarmati Report, these actresses have owned their roles as journalists, bringing depth, intensity, and authenticity to their characters.

Advertisement

Rani Mukerji  No One Killed Jessica

Rani Mukerji delivers a compelling performance as a bold, foul-mouthed journalist in No One Killed Jessica. Inspired by real-life events, her character is relentless in seeking justice for Jessica Lal, making the role one of her most powerful performances.

Kareena Kapoor Khan  Satyagraha

In Satyagraha, Kareena plays Yasmin Ahmed, a dedicated journalist determined to expose corruption and political unrest. Her character represents the ethical dilemmas journalists face when truth clashes with power.

Raashii Khanna  The Sabarmati Report

Raashii Khanna plays Amrita Gill, a journalist fighting to uncover the truth in The Sabarmati Report. She portrays the emotional turmoil of a reporter standing against the system, making Amrita Gill a symbol of resilience and integrity.

Vidya Balan  Jalsa

Vidya Balans portrayal of Maya Menon in Jalsa delves into the moral struggles of a senior journalist. The film explores the fine line between power, privilege, and truth, making Maya one of the most complex journalist characters in Bollywood.

Anushka Sharma  PK

As Jagat Janani Jaggu in PK, Anushka Sharma plays a fearless television journalist who challenges societal norms. Her character brings warmth, wit, and determination to the profession, proving that journalism is about uncovering the truth, no matter how unconventional the path.

Konkona Sen Sharma  Page 3

Konkona Sen Sharmas award-winning role in Page 3 portrays the realities of Mumbais glam media industry. As a journalist covering the citys elite, her character eventually questions the ethics of sensational journalism, making it a thought-provoking performance.

Advertisement
This Womens Day lets celebrate women we cant help but root for read more

While these women may not fit into the cookie-cutter image of your good girl next door, being neither demure nor mindful, audiences adore them nonetheless. From exposing the spicy affairs of Londons ton, to going to any lengths to regain control over Heeramandi, these Netflix women are no saints, but thats exactly what has made them audience favourites. This Womens Day lets celebrate women we cant help but root for

Fareedan, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar

Advertisement

Fareedan is a storm, unafraid to shake up the shiny castles Malikajaan had built for herself in Heeramandi. Shes willing to make some truly dangerous gambles to get what she truly wants the keys to the Heeramandi kothi, even if it deems her a villain in the eyes of the other tawaifs.

Why We Root For Her: Yet, despite this icy exterior, Fareedan, as one would call it, is a girls girl, who knows a white mans demands will never outweigh whats most important liberty, for the people of the country and for the brave women of Heeramandi.

Penelope Featherington, Bridgerton

Penelopes Featheringtone leads quite the illustrious double life: shy sweetie by day, scandal-spilling Lady Whistledown by night. Shes awkward in a crowd, pines for Colin a tad too hard, and occasionally lets her quill run wild with tea that burns bridges. But thats the charmshes a mess of loyalty and longing wrapped in pastel gowns.

Why We Root for Her: Penelopes imperfections make her relatable. Everyone has had a crush they cant shake or a secret theyre dying to spill. Her quiet strength and sharp wit keep us invested.

Rani, Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba

Ranis is a walking soap operascheming, seductive, and a little too extra with her love-and-revenge plots. Shell set a trap, cry crocodile tears, then strut away like its nothing. Her over-the-top antics could be exhausting, but theyre also addictively entertaining.

Why We Root for Her: Shes unapologetic chaos, and everyone loves it. Ranis knack for turning heartbreak into high-stakes games keeps us guessingand cheering.

Advertisement

Koyal Chaddha, Dhoom Dhaam

Shes not your typical Sanskari Bahu but an atypical Punjabi Patakha. That is the perfect description for Koyal Chaddha. She may accelerate a bit too hard through some decisions but shes got her reasons! Far from the sweet docile wife she was expected to be, shes brave, loud and unafraid to call out her husband on his prejudice, blushing bride be damned.

Why We Root for Her: Hasnt every girl dreamed of living a double life away from the restrictions and rules of strict parents? Its hard to fault our Patakha for searching her escape from the monotonous motions of the femininity that she was expected to perform, knowing very well her life was capable of being much, much more. It helps that Koyal looks like a total badass when shes in her true element!

Advertisement

Sanya Malhotra- MRS

Sanya Malhotras Mrs is a film that has triggered a massive debate on social media about the way it narrates the story of a housewife trapped inside a kitchen. Men are definitely triggered. Its a social drama that attempts to slap the toxicity of patriarchy.

Shabana Azmi- Dabba Cartel

The veteran plays Sheila Jagtap, an associate of crime boss Haji Mastan, and oozes power and even vulnerability to her performance as always.
An 82-year-old woman passenger was forced to walk at the Delhi airport after Air India failed to provide her a wheelchair, which was pre-booked by her family. The octogenarian fell face flat and had to be hospitalised after reaching Bengaluru. What does the aviation regulator say about assistance by airlines to elderly flyers? read more

Air India allegedly denied an 82-year-old woman passenger a wheelchair, leading to her fall at the Delhi airport. X/@parulkanwar

Air India has courted controversy as an elderly passenger landed in ICU due to a fall after being allegedly denied a wheelchair at the Delhi Airport. The 82-year-old woman, with restricted mobility, was forced to walk after the airline did not provide a wheelchair booked by her family in advance.

Air India has responded to the incident and expressed concern after the octogenarians granddaughter took to X to narrate the ordeal. As this puts a spotlight on the issue of assistance for elderly passengers at airports, what do the rules say?

Advertisement

Lets take a closer look.

What happened?

Raj Pasricha, 82, had to be hospitalised due to a fall after Air India failed to arrange a wheelchair for her at the Delhi airport.

As per The Hindu report, on March 4, the octogenarian and her family arrived at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi at 3:30 pm for a flight to Bengaluru.

A family member approached the assistance desk outside the airport for a wheelchair, waiting about 20 minutes. However, after not being provided a wheelchair, the elderly woman, with help from her grandson, started walking from the car drop-off point to the airport entry gate, her granddaughter Parul Kanwar told the newspaper.

The staff at the desk expressed his helplessness and we were told that they were arranging wheelchairs as per availability and we were on a waiting list. Our flight departure time seemed to bear no significance or urgency, she added.

In a post on X, last edited at 2 am on Friday (March 7), Kanwar wrote that her grandmother managed to enter the airport on foot but even after that was not allotted a wheelchair. Ultimately, her legs gave way, and she fell - she fell in front of the Air India premium economy counter. Not one person stepped in to help. We requested someone to help get first aid - no help (sic).

Advertisement

The granddaughter also shared Pasrichas ticket online that mentions a special request for a wheelchair to aircraft door, which was confirmed by the airline.

She told The Hindu that the 82-year-old woman sustained head injuries, a bleeding nose, and a cut on her upper lip and tongue after falling face flat.

At this point my husband and I approached Air India staff, including those at the check-in counter, for medical aid and none was forthcoming. We were instead told to walk to the medical room and seek first aid ourselves. After this, a wheelchair was arranged and her boarding expedited, but she continued to bleed throughout the flight, Kanwar said.

Advertisement

The granddaughter mentioned the injured woman was treated by a doctor only at the Bengaluru airport and administered two stitches. She suffered a brain stroke and has been in ICU for the past three days at the citys Indian Air Force Command Hospital, as per The Hindu report on March 7.

The elderly passengers family has lodged a complaint with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Ministry of Civil Aviation and written to Air India CEO Campbell Wilson.

Responding to the online post by her granddaughter, Air India said it was concerned to note the incident and wished the woman a speedy recovery. The airline said it was actively working on the concern and would share details at the earliest.

Advertisement

Dear Ms. Kanwar, we sincerely wish your grandmother a speedy recovery. We are actively working on the concern and assure you that we will share the complete details at the earliest.  Air India (@airindia) March 7, 2025

What are Air Indias rules about wheelchair?

Air Indias website states that passengers who need a wheelchair can inform the airline at the time of reservation, ticketing, or reconfirmation of the booking.

Travellers are requested to pre-book wheelchairs during booking or ticket issuance to avoid last-minute delays and the unavailability of wheelchairs, it says.

Advertisement

For old and infirm travellers and those with a medical condition, the wheelchair is free of cost.

A bird flies over a logo of Air India airlines at the corporate headquarters in Mumbai, October 19, 2021. File Photo/Reuters

Air India asks passengers who are medically unfit and require a wheelchair to submit the Medical Information Form (MEDIF) form filled by a physician at the nearest Air India office.

The request will be verified by Air Indias medical officer, a process that takes at least 72 hours.

What does DGCA say?

According to the aviation regulator DGCA, once passengers with disability or reduced mobility, who have a valid booking, report at the airport, an airline must provide assistance to meet their particular needs and ensure their seamless travel from the departure terminal of the departing airport up to the aircraft and at the end of the journey from the aircraft to the arrival terminal exit, without any additional expenses.

The Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) lay down rules for assistance to flyers with disabilities and reduced mobility.

No airline shall refuse to carry persons with disability or reduced mobility and their assistive aids/devices, escorts and guide dogs including their presence in the cabin, provided such persons or their representatives, at the time of booking, inform the airline of their requirement(s)," as per paragraph 4.1.1.

In 2022, the DGCA made it illegal for airlines to decline boarding to any person with a disability. This came after a specially abled child was not allowed to board an IndiGo flight.

The CARs rules were amended to state:  Airline shall not refuse carriage of any person on the basis of disability. However, in case, an airline perceives that the health of such a passenger may deteriorate in-flight, the said passenger will have to be examined by a doctor- who shall categorically state the medical condition and whether the passenger is fit to fly or not. After obtaining the medical opinion, the Airline shall take the appropriate call.

Last February, Air India was fined Rs 30 lakh after an 80-year-old passenger collapsed at Mumbai airport and later passed away after he was not provided a wheelchair. After the tragic incident, the DGCA had issued an advisory to all airlines to ensure availability of adequate wheelchairs.

With inputs from agencies
Canada is set to get a new Prime Minister after Justin Trudeau resigned earlier this year. The ruling Liberal Party is will choose his successor and the result is expected on March 9. Notably, Trudeaus departure automatically initiated a leadership race, and the new Liberal leader will take over as the next prime minister read more

Canada's Liberal Party leadership candidates on the day of a debate ahead of the March 9 vote to replace Trudeau. Reuters/File Photo

Who will be Canadas next prime minister?

Canada is set to have a new Prime Minister following Justin Trudeaus resignation earlier this year.

Trudeau stepped down in January after nearly a decade in office due to growing dissatisfaction with his leadership and internal turmoil within his government. His decision followed the sudden resignation of his finance minister and confirmed that he would remain in office until the Liberal Party selects a new leader.

Advertisement

Days later, Trudeau announced he would not contest the upcoming federal elections, scheduled for October.

Several candidates, including former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney, have since declared their candidacy to succeed Trudeau as the leader of the ruling Liberal Party.

Meanwhile, tensions between Canada and the United States have escalated following tariffs imposed by Donald Trumps administration. In response, Canada announced retaliatory tariffs on US exports and warned that a trade war would be harmful to both nations.

Justin Trudeau resigned in January this year. Reuters/File Photo

On Thursday, Trump temporarily suspended tariffs on some imports for a month. Previously, he had imposed 25 per cent tariffs on nearly all imports from both countries.

ALSO READ | Who is Doug Ford, Captain Canada, taking on Trumps tariffs?

After a conversation with Trump on Wednesday, Trudeau told reporters that he foresaw a trade war between the two nations. Trump has also repeatedly suggested the idea of incorporating Canada as the 51st US state and has referred to Trudeau as Governor.

The ruling Liberal Party is now set to elect a new leader to succeed Trudeau, with the result expected to be announced on March 9.

Why does there need to be a race?

Unlike Australia and Britain, where prime ministers are chosen by legislators and can be quickly removed, Canadas political parties elect their leaders through special contests open to members.

Trudeaus resignation automatically triggered a leadership race, and the new head of the Liberal Party will become the next prime minister.

Key contenders in the race

Polls indicate that former central bank governor Mark Carney holds a huge lead over ex-finance minister Chrystia Freeland, whose resignation last December set off the crisis that ultimately led to Trudeaus departure.

Former cabinet minister Karina Gould is also in the race, though her chances appear slim.

Advertisement

Who is allowed to vote?

Any registered Liberal Party member is eligible to vote. There is no fee to join, and both Canadian citizens and permanent residents can sign up.

The party announced on January 30 that around 400,000 people had registered to vote. Canadas total population is approximately 41 million.

ALSO READ | Tit for Tat: How China, Canada and Mexico are countering US tariffs

How is the result determined?

The contest will be a ranked ballot of voters in each of the 343 parliamentary constituencies, also known as ridings. Each riding is allocated 100 points. These are distributed based on the ratio of votes won by a contestant in each riding.

The system means that a candidate must have broad backing across the country, rather than just amassing the largest number of supporters.

Mark Carney holds a huge lead over ex-finance minister Chrystia Freeland, according to polls. Reuters/File Photo

Voters in each riding rank the candidates in order of preference. So if Candidate A won 60% of the votes in a riding and Candidate B won 40%, they would earn 60 and 40 points respectively. The process is repeated in all 343 ridings and then the national count takes place.

Advertisement

If no contestant gets more than 50% of the overall points on the first count, the leadership contestant who received the least points is eliminated.

This is where the ranked ballots play a key role. The Liberal Party will redistribute the ballots of the eliminated contestant to the other contenders based on who voters in each riding chose as their second option. This process continues until someone takes more than 50% of the points.

How will the result be announced?

The Liberals say they will unveil the result at a gathering in Ottawa on March 9 with the first round of voting being announced at about 6:30 p.m. ET (2230 GMT).

When will national elections be conducted?

Under Canadas fixed election law the next national vote must be held by October 20 but could take place much sooner. The new prime minister could call an election any time after March 9. An election could also be triggered in late March, when a vote of no confidence in the government is expected in Parliament. If all the opposition parties vote against the Liberals, the government will fall.

Polls show that the Liberals are virtually tied with the official opposition Conservatives led by Pierre Poilievre. The Conservatives had a double-digit lead for more than a year but that advantage vanished after Trudeau announced he was stepping down and U.S. President Donald Trump threatened tariffs on all imports from Canada.

Advertisement

With inputs from Reuters
On March 8, 2014, one of the biggest aviation mysteries unfolded. Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 vanished exactly 39 minutes after taking off from Kuala Lumpur International Airport. The search for the flight, carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew members, continues until today. On this day in 1817, the New York Stock Exchange was formally created by a group of stockbrokers read more

Malaysia Airlines flight 370 disappeared on March 8, 2014, en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. It remains one of the biggest aviation mysteries in the world. Illustration: Santan

March 8, 2014, was a regular day for a lot of people. But, for the relatives of the passengers onboard the Malaysia Airlines flight 370, it was a tragic day. The flight took off from Kuala Lumpur International Airport at its scheduled time but did not reach its destination, Beijing. And, there is still no trace of the aircraft.

If you are a history geek who loves to learn about important events from the past, Firstpost Explainers ongoing series, History Today will be your one-stop destination to explore key events.

Advertisement

The York Stock Exchange (NYSE) was formally created on this day in 1817 when a group of New York brokers established the New York Stock & Exchange Board. In 1979, the compact disc, popularly known as the CD, was presented to the public by Philips and Sony.

Here is all that happened on this day.

Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappears into thin air

Good night Malaysia, Three Seven Zero, was the last message that the Kuala Lumpur air traffic control received from Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. The Boeing 777 took off from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport shortly after midnight on March 8, 2014, with the expectation of reaching its destination Beijing at its expected time of arrival.

The air traffic control in Ho Chi Minh City became concerned when the flight failed to check with them even after entering their airspace. The planes transponder, a communication system that transmits the planes location to air traffic control, shut down within a few minutes raising confusion among the air traffic controllers.

Military radar saw the plane turn around to travel over the Andaman Sea before it vanished, and satellite data showed it continued to fly for hours, possibly until it ran out of fuel. The plane, carrying 239 people including the crew, is believed to have crashed in a remote part of the southern Indian Ocean.

A girl stands in front of a condolence message board during Day of Remembrance for MH370 event in Kuala Lumpur. File image/AP

As the search intensified, dozens of ships and aircraft, representing a multinational effort, were deployed to the South China Sea between Malaysia and Vietnam making this one of the largest and most expensive multinational searches in history.

Ranging from hijacking to loss of oxygen in the cabin to power failure, all kinds of theories have been floated since the disappearance. But nothing could be proved as there was no distress call, no ransom demand, no bad weather or evidence of technical failures.

Advertisement

The New York Stock Exchange formally created

On this day in 1817, the worlds largest stock market, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) was formally established. This marked a pivotal moment in financial history. While stock trading in New York had been taking place informally since the Buttonwood Agreement of 1792, it wasnt until 1817 that brokers created a structured institution known as the New York Stock & Exchange Board (later renamed the NYSE).

At the time, stock trading was disorganized, with brokers conducting business in coffee houses or on Wall Streets sidewalks. Seeking to create a more regulated and reliable system, a group of brokers met to establish a formal exchange.

New York Stock Exchange was set up in 1817. File image/AP

They adopted a constitution based on the model of the Philadelphia Stock Exchange, which was already functioning with structured trading rules. The newly formed New York Stock & Exchange Board set up operations at 40 Wall Street, implementing strict membership rules, commission structures and trading regulations to ensure transparency and fairness.

Today, the NYSE remains a cornerstone of global finance, home to some of the worlds largest corporations and a hub for stock trading. Its formal creation on March 8, 1817, laid the foundation for a more organized and efficient financial system, shaping the modern stock market as we know it.

Advertisement

Compact disc presented to the public for the first time

It was on March 8, 1979, that the world was introduced to the groundbreaking new technology - the compact disc, popularly known as CD. In a press conference held in Eindhoven, Netherlands, Philips and Sony publicly demonstrated their groundbreaking invention - the Compact Disc. This revolutionary technology offered a marked improvement over traditional vinyl records and cassette tapes, boasting superior sound quality, greater durability and significantly higher storage capacity.

The concept of digital audio storage had its origins in the late 1960s, with Philips and Sony pursuing separate research on optical disc technology. In the 1970s, they combined their efforts to establish a unified format, leading to the 120mm disc with a 74-minute audio capacity, a choice influenced by the desire to include Beethovens Ninth Symphony.

The first commercial CDs and players were launched in Japan in 1982, followed by a global rollout. The format quickly gained popularity, dominating the music industry throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Albums like Billy Joels 52nd Street and ABBAs The Visitors were among the first to be released on CD. Although digital streaming now dominates, the CDs influence on music history is profound. Its debut on March 8, 1979, ushered in a new era, permanently changing how people accessed and kept their music.

Advertisement

This Day, That Year

On this day in 1942, Japanese troops captured Rangoon, Burma (Yangon, Myanmar) during World War II.

Rioting began on March 8, 1917, in St. Petersburg marking the beginning of the February Revolution and the first stage of the Russian Revolution.
The world celebrates International Womens Day each year on March 8. But did you know that the celebration has a strong Russian link dating back to 1917? read more

Women's demonstration for bread and peace in 1917. This eventually overthrew the Russian monarchy and is known to be the reason why International Women's Day is held on March 8. File image/ State museum of political history of Russia/WIkimedia Commons

Today, March 8 is the day when the world pauses to recognise roughly 50 per cent of its population  women  on the occasion of International Womens Day. Countries as far as Kyrgyzstan to Kenya will mark the progress women have made so far in society and acknowledge the long road that is ahead of them.

Its a day when social media will be flooded with all types of women-related hashtags and celebrities and brands will co-opt the day. Newspapers will dedicate an opinion piece to womens rights and news channels will do shows honouring them.

Advertisement

But how many know that International Womens Day has a significant Russian connection dating all the way back to 1917 during the Russian Revolution? Heres how the two are linked.

History of Womens Day

The seeds of such a day have grown out of the labour movement. In 1908, 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter hours, better pay and voting rights. A year later, the Socialist Party of America declared the first National Womans Day.

In 1908, 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter hours, better pay and voting rights. Image Courtesy: internationalwomensday.com

The holiday soon caught the attention of the Europeans and a woman named Clara Zetkin (leader of the Womens Office for the Social Democratic Party in Germany) proposed an International Womens Day. Her efforts culminated in the establishment of the first International Womens Day celebrated in 1911 in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland on March 19.

International Womens Day and the Russian connection

However, it was later decided that March 8 would be celebrated as International Womens Day thanks to the Bread and Peace protest in Russias Petrograd in 1917.

On this day  February 23 in the old Russian calendar  tens of thousands of women congregated on the Nevsky Prospekt in the centre of the Russian capital, carrying banners demanding the Tsarist government feed the children of the defenders of the motherland.

The protests emerged as a result of the tiring World War I and the resulting shortage of bread. The situation worsened when female factory workers, who were forced to stand in long queues for the staple, heard rumours about a planned rationing. Furious that they wouldnt have enough to feed their children, the women, on March 8, gathered demanding food and peace.

Advertisement

As one man recounted in a Smithsonian report, We could hear womens voices in the lane overlooked by the windows of our department: Down with high prices! Down with hunger! Bread for the workers! I and several comrades rushed to the windows Masses of women workers in a militant frame of mind filled the lane. Those who caught sight of us began to wave their arms, shouting Come out! Stop work! Snowballs flew through the windows. We decided to join the demonstration.

By the end of the day, 100,000 workers went on strike, holding banners that said Bread and Down with the Czar. The number of demonstrators increased to 150,000 by the next day.

Advertisement

People demonstrating in Moscow. The Russian Revolution started with demonstrations against the war and the food supply shortages in Petrograd and led to the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II. File image/AFP

As the crowds grew bigger, Russian police forces were called in to repel them, resulting in clashes. But the demonstrators didnt back down and as days progressed, even the Russian army joined the marchers, withdrawing their support from Tsar Nicholas. The protests that went on for a week ended with the collapse of the Russian monarchy and paved the way for socialism and the formation of the Soviet Union in 1922.

As historian and activist Rochelle Ruthchild of Harvards Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies told TIME, One could argue that these demonstrations sparked the abdication of Tsar Nicholas and the end of the Romanov dynasty. This was probably the most consequential of any International Womens Day demonstrations of any time.

Advertisement

International Womens Day in other countries

In 1922, Vladimir Lenin declared March 8 as Womens Day to honour the role they played in the 1917 Russian Revolution and it was subsequently celebrated on that date by the socialist movement and Communist countries. Communists in Spain and China adopted the holiday by 1922.

Finally, after many years, in 1975, the United Nations adopted March 8 as International Womens Day. By 2014, it was celebrated in more than 100 countries and been made an official holiday in more than 25.

Women take part in a protest to mark International Womens Day in Mexico City, Mexico last year. File image/Reuters

In modern times, International Womens Day is marked by marches, talks, concerts, exhibitions and debates. Its also a day when bouquets of flowers are given by men to women or from woman to woman. In fact, before the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, flower sales in Russia typically doubled around International Womens Day.

Many experts note that a day like International Womens Day is now more required than ever. Russian leader Vladimir Putin has asked women to forego education and careers to prioritise having children. In the US, women believe their bodily autonomy has slipped away after Roe v Wade was overturned by the US Supreme Court.

Advertisement

Moreover, women are still a long way to achieve parity in leadership roles. Studies show that women make up only one-third of total business leaders globally. Even in politics, 60 per cent of UN member states have never had a female leader. In fact, in 2024, 45 countries in the United Nations held national elections to decide their top leadership. Of those, only four selected a woman to become head of state or government.

As Eileen Boris, professor of Feminist Studies at the University of California Santa Barbara, told TIME magazine, Days like International Womens Day are a time to celebrate the gains that have been made and to measure how far we have come. We also have to see that there are many more steps to take and to rededicate to the struggle ahead.

With inputs from agencies
Kannada actor Ranya Rao was arrested at the Bengaluru airport for allegedly smuggling 14.8 kg of gold bars from Dubai. She hid the yellow metal inside a customised body jacket. Officials say gold smugglers have become sneakier to avoid detection. Heres all this and more in our weekly wrap from India read more

It was not the best week for India. United States President Donald Trump reiterated his threats of reciprocal tariffs against the South Asian country. He made the remarks while addressing the joint address to the US Congress.

Many crime reports grabbed the headlines this week. From chilling murders to gold smuggling involving an actor, several stories caught the attention of readers.

India is staring at a big problem: It is projected to have the second-highest number of overweight and obese people in the world by 2050. Obesity is a growing problem affecting the world, with the situation set to worsen in the coming years.

Advertisement

Heres all this and more in our weekly roundup of explainers from India.

1. US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose reciprocal tariffs against India and other nations on April 2. Other countries have used tariffs against us for decades, and now its our turn, Trump said in his speech. Whatever they tariff us, we will tariff them. Whatever they tax us, we will tax them. If they use non-monetary barriers to keep us out of their market, we will do the same.

Donald Trump has threatened India with reciprocal tariffs. Reuters

The US president has targeted India over high tariffs on American imports many times before. While New Delhi has already taken steps to avert Trumps trade war, it is unclear whether it will be able to get the Republican to change his mind before the looming deadline. But Indias taxes on which American imports does he have a problem with? We explain in this story.

2. A South Indian actor has been arrested for allegedly smuggling gold. Ranya Rao was nabbed by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) upon her arrival at Bengalurus international airport from Dubai for possessing 14.8 kilogrammes of gold valued at nearly Rs 13 crore. The yellow metal was concealed inside a specially modified body-jacket.

Rao, a Kannada actor and stepdaughter of senior IPS officer Ramachandra Rao, had raised suspicions with her frequent travels to the UAE and calculated attempts to bypass customs upon her return. Her husband, Jatin Hukkeri, is also under scrutiny with the police alleging he accompanied the actor to Dubai several times.

Advertisement

While Rao smuggled gold as bars, officials say this is not the preferred method by most. They say smugglers have adapted to newer, sly methods to illegally bring the gold into the country. Read our story to find out.

3. Obesity is on the rise. A new study by The Lancet has revealed that more than half of all adults (3.8 billion) and a third of children and adolescents (746 million) will be overweight or obese globally.

In alarming news for India, as many as 45 crore citizens  almost a third of the population  are likely to be overweight or obese in the next 25 years. If India fails to check the obesity problem, the country could end up with health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, and an overburdened economy. Heres our report on why obesity is rising.

Advertisement

4. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Dhananjay Munde was forced to resign as Maharashtra Food and Civil Supplies Minister after the killing of popular Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh. He had been under pressure to step down for more than three months after his close aide Walmik Karad was arrested in the murder case.

Mundes resignation came after the photos of the brutal murder, attached with the court chargesheet, went viral on social media, triggering a huge outrage. But what led to Deshmukhs murder? Read our report.

5. The murder of a young Congress worker has shocked the country. The body of Himani Narwal, 22, was found in a suitcase lying on the highway in Haryanas Rohtak district. She was a Youth Congress worker who rose to fame after participating in Rahul Gandhis Bharat Jodo Yatra.

Advertisement

   



         @himani_narwal      ,           ,      



         ,     pic.twitter.com/uJHx6kdYM6  Srinivas BV (@srinivasiyc) March 1, 2025

The police have arrested a man named Sachin, a resident of Haryanas Bahadurgarh, who has levelled allegations of extortion against Narwal. Heres our story on the case.

Advertisement

6. West Bengal has been stunned by a triple murder case. The Kolkata Police have discovered a chilling tale of murders, a Rs 16-crore debt and a suicide pact involving the Dey family. The brothers Pranay and Prasun Dey, along with their wives, decided to end their lives, along with their teenage children, over their mounting debt.

However, things did not go as they had planned. As their initial suicide pact failed, the events took a darker turn. In this report, we look at the horrific tale of three murders, a crushing debt and human desperation.

This is all we have for you this week. If you like the way we explain news, you can bookmark this page.
US authorities have disclosed what caused the death of veteran actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa, whose bodies were found at their home last month. The Hollywood star died of a heart disease, a week after his wife died of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). It is a rare illness spread through contact with rodents or their urine, feces, or saliva read more

Actor Gene Hackman arrives with his wife, Betsy Arakawa, for the 60th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California, January 19, 2003. File Photo/AP

Authorities in the United States have revealed the cause of death of veteran Hollywood actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa. According to officials in New Mexico Friday (March 7), Hackman, 95, died of a heart disease with advanced Alzheimers disease as a contributory factor.

Arakawa, 65, died of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), a rodent-borne disease. The rare but potentially fatal illness killed her a week before her husbands death at their home in Santa Fe last month.

Advertisement

What is HPS? How is it caused and can it be cured? Lets understand.

Whats HPS that killed Betsy Arakawa?

Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a rare disease spread by infected mice and rats. Hantavirus can infect humans through contact with rodents or their urine, feces, or saliva.

The virus, which damages the heart, lungs and other organs, does not transmit from human to human.

Dr Jeff Duchin, a retired public health officer in Seattle, told NBC News: Its a horrible disease. Its not uniformly fatal and its not always severe, but the fatality rate is still thought to be up to 40 per cent, which is really high.

Hantavirus can cause a severe lung infection called hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which could be fatal sometimes, as per the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Arakawa and Hackman lived in New Mexico, where the hantavirus is most commonly spread through the deer mouse. Other known carriers in North America of the virus are white-footed mice, rice rats and cotton rats.

Deer mouse can transmit hantavirus to humans. File Photo/Reuters

Symptoms of HPS

HPS progresses rapidly and causes three different phases of symptoms. In the first phase that can last up to eight weeks after contracting the virus, there are no outward signs of the disease.

Between one and eight weeks after that exposure, someone might begin to feel like they have a flu-like illness, Dr Sonja Bartolome of UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, told The Guardian.

The symptoms in the second phase include fever, chills, fatigue, stomach ache, rash, nausea and vomiting, dizziness, headache, dry cough and trouble in breathing, as well as muscle aches, especially around thighs, hips and back, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Advertisement

Initially, theres nothing specific that would tell you you have hantavirus. You could think you have Covid or influenza, or just a really bad community acquired infection, Dr Duchin told NBC News.

About four to 10 days after these initial symptoms begin, the third and most severe phase starts. It entails internal bleeding, fluid development in and around the lungs, shortness of breath, a rapid heartbeat, and chest tightness.

This can be life-threatening and the patient needs immediate medical care.

And at that point, a person can die very quickly, within 24 to 48 hours, roughly speaking, without medical treatment, Dr Heather Jarrell, chief medical investigator at the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator, said Friday, as per CNN.

Advertisement

HPS can be fatal for about a third of people who develop respiratory symptoms, the CDC says.

Dr Duchin told NBC News that in its final phase, the disease leads to a drop in blood pressure  leaky blood vessels  and that causes fluid to seep into the lungs and tissues and makes it very difficult to get oxygen and lowers the blood pressure, which is usually the cause of death and severe illness.

Can it be treated?

Yes, but there is no specific treatment or cure for HPS. Early medical intervention can raise the chances of survival.

As per Cleveland Clinic, patients require oxygen therapy, fluid replacement, medications to stabilise blood pressure, antiviral drugs like ribavirin, among other care.

If the patients survive the late-stage symptoms, they typically recover in a few weeks.

Advertisement

There is no vaccine for HPS.

How common is HPS in the US?

Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome was first discovered in the US in 1993 after an outbreak in the Four Corners area  the region where Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah meet.

Between 1993 and 2022, the US reported 864 cases, including 122 in New Mexico and 119 in Colorado.

Seven cases each were confirmed in 2023 and 2024, AP reported citing New Mexico Department of Health. New Mexico has reported 52 deaths from the rare disease between 1975 and 2023.

Arakawas is the first confirmed case of hantavirus in New Mexico this year.

Actor Gene Hackman with wife Betsy Arakawa in June 1993. File Photo/AP

How to stay safe?

Experts say the best way to treat this illness is through prevention. To avoid infection, stay away from rodents and areas where they leave droppings.

When cleaning an area that was infested with rodents and their droppings, it is better to wear gloves and masks covering mouth and nose, as well as using disinfectant to sanitise the place.

Erin Phipps, a veterinarian with the New Mexico Health Department, said, other steps include avoiding contact with or breathing in aerosolised rodent urine or feces, especially in a poorly ventilated area.

Advertisement

Never sweep up or vacuum mouse droppings, since this can spread particles up into the air, she added.

With inputs from agencies
Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Jatinder Jorwal was quoted by local media as saying that the injured were shifted to a nearby hospital for treatment, with five workers being in critical condition read more

At least one worker died and five others were critically injured after a portion of a factory collapsed in Ludhiana city in Indias northern state of Punjab on Saturday (March 8).

The multi-storey textile factory is located in the Focal Point Phase-8 area.

According to local media reports, a boiler blast may have caused the building to collapse.

Around 20 workers were inside the factory at the time of the incident.

Police officers started clearing the debris as soon as they arrived at the scene and rescued around a dozen workers.

Advertisement

Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Jatinder Jorwal was quoted by local media as saying that the injured were shifted to a nearby hospital for treatment, with five workers being in critical condition.

He added that the health department had been instructed to deploy medical teams on the site to facilitate rescue operations.

The reports said that a team of the National Disaster Response Force, along with local police, was conducting rescue operations at the factory.

We received information this evening that the building of a factory collapsed in the Focal Point 8 area. Six workers are trapped. Rescue operations are underway. NDRF teams have reached the spot," Jorwal told reporters.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann posted on X that he has directed officials to take stock of the matter urgently.

A factory collapse has been reported in Ludhiana. I have asked the administration to immediately assess the situation. The rescue teams have reached the spot and started their work. I pray for the speedy recovery of those buried under the debris, the CM wrote.

(With inputs from agencies)
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday inaugurated the new Consulate General of India in Belfast, Northern Ireland, marking a significant step in strengthening India-UK ties. read more

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday inaugurated a new Consulate General of India in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Speaking at the new Indian Consulate, the external affairs minister said the move reflects stronger India-UK ties and recognises the diasporas contributions. The consulate was inaugurated to cater to the needs of a growing Indian diaspora in the region.

Belfast is the capital city of Northern Ireland, a devolved region of the United Kingdom, which is home to an estimated 10,000 people of Indian origin, according to the last official census.

Advertisement

We saw in Belfast a meeting place, in many ways, between our UK policy and our European policies, Jaishankar said.

We could see that this [region] had privileged access to both. Interestingly, we were negotiating free trade agreements with both the UK and the EU in parallel, which we hope to conclude at an early date, he said.

The minister reflected on Northern Irelands great economic history, known for its shipbuilding capabilities, and the presence of many Indian IT companies in the region.

We do see the economic potential. But at the same time, we want it to serve the Indian community. We take pride, as the prime minister often says, in being a government that has given great priority to the importance and contribution of the diaspora.

Emphasising that the newly inaugurated consulate will be beneficial for the Indian community, Jaishankar said that the Indian government is trying to express its appreciation in various ways, including by making services easier and providing support in multiple forms.

The opening ceremony was followed by political engagements with the devolved administration, including meetings with Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland Emma Little-Pengelley and Junior Minister Aisling Reilly.

Thanked them for all the support in setting up our Consulate. Discussed possibilities for deepening Indias engagement with Northern Ireland, especially in skills, cyber, tech, creative industries, and manufacturing, Jaishankar posted on social media.

Advertisement

The minister is scheduled to open a second Consulate General of India in Manchester on Saturday, as he wraps up his week-long visit to the UK and Ireland.

With inputs from PTI.
An Israeli woman and a homestay owner were allegedly gang-raped by three men in Karnataka on Thursday, while their male companions were thrown into a canal. read more

An Israeli woman and a homestay owner were allegedly gang-raped by three men in Karnataka on Thursday, NDTV reported.

The incident took place around 11:30 pm while the 27-year-old Israeli traveller and the 29-year-old homestay owner were stargazing by a canal in Koppal, about 350 km from Bengaluru.

Five peoplethree women and two menwere attacked near Sanapur. Two of them are foreigners, one an American and the other a woman from Israel. The woman said in her complaint that besides being beaten up, the two women were sexually assaulted by the accused, SP Koppal Ram L Arasiddi said to NDTV.

Advertisement

The accused allegedly pushed the three male companions of the tourists into the canal before targeting the women.

According to the complainant, Daniel from the US and Pankaj from Maharashtra managed to escape from the canal, while Bibash from Odisha is still missing.

A senior police officer assured that the accused would be arrested soon and confirmed that an investigation had begun.

The 29-year-old homestay owner stated in her police complaint that she and four guests went stargazing by the Tungabhadra Left Bank Canal after dinner when two men arrived on a bike.

According to the complaint, the men initially asked for directions to get petrol and then demanded 100 from the travellers. When refused, they attacked the group and sexually assaulted the women. After committing the crime, they fled on their motorcycle.

The police said the victims are currently receiving treatment at a government hospital and can be shifted to a private hospital if they choose.
When Maharaja Digvijay Singh opened his kingdom to Polish refugee children in their hour of greatest need, he could not have foreseen that his actions would shape diplomatic relations between two geographically distant nations in the next century read more

In the last week of February, the 21-member Polish youth delegation visited India for the first Jamsaheb Memorial Youth Exchange Program. Indias External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also met the delegation. This youth exchange program between India and Poland was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in August 2024.

After hearing the news about the program, one might naturally wonder who is the person whom the Youth Exchange Program is named after. Jamsaheb is a title referring to the rulers of Nawanagar (now Jamnagar) in the western state of Gujarat. In this case, the title is particularly referring to the Jamsaheb Maharaja Digvijay Singh, who is also called Good Maharaja by the Poles because they found his name difficult to pronounce.

Advertisement

The story behind why Digvijay Singh attained the Good Maharaja title is also fascinating. During World War II, Maharaja Digvijay Singh performed an extraordinary humanitarian act that forever linked him to Polish history. In 1942, as thousands of Polish refugeesmostly childrenwere displaced by the war, the Jamsaheb opened his heart and his kingdom to them. He provided shelter to approximately 1,000 Polish children, many of whom were orphans, at his summer palace in Balachadi near Jamnagar.

Under his protection, these children received food, education, medical care, and perhaps most importantly, a sense of safety during one of historys darkest periods. By 1943, the Jam Sahib started construction for a family camp at a stretch of his land in a quarter city of Kolhapur, Valivade, to house over 6500 Poles. In 1945, the camp at Balachadi was closed, and the children were transferred to the family camp in Valivade. The refugee settlement operated until 1946. The settlement allowed these young survivors to maintain their Polish identity, culture, and traditions while under his care.

This compassionate gesture by the Good Maharaja has evolved into a cornerstone of diplomatic relations between India and Poland. What began as a humanitarian response to the wartime crisis has transformed into a bond of mutual respect and friendship. Polish diplomats regularly reference this historical connection in bilateral meetings. In 2013, Poland honoured the Maharaja by issuing a commemorative stamp featuring his image. During PM Modis visit to Warsaw in 2024, Polish officials specifically highlighted this shared history. This demonstrates how a single act of kindness has been woven into the diplomatic narrative between the two nations.

Beyond formal diplomacy, the story of the Good Maharaja has permeated cultural exchanges and public consciousness. Polish schools include this history in their curriculum, while documentary films and books continue to tell the story to new audiences. Both the Polish and Indian governments created a documentary called A Little Poland in India in 2015 that showcases this episode of history.

Advertisement

The children, who were enrolled in the settlement of Jam Sahib, later settled down across the globe and became successful in their lives. They became natural advocates of Indias goodwill gesture. In Jamnagar, a small museum preserves artefacts and testimonies from the Polish children who found refuge there, attracting visitors from Poland making what many consider a pilgrimage of gratitude. Former refugees and their descendants have maintained connections with India, some returning periodically to honour the place that saved their lives.

As we witness the unfolding of initiatives like the Jamsaheb Memorial Youth Exchange Program, we are reminded that historys most meaningful legacies often spring from moments of moral courage. When Maharaja Digvijay Singh opened his kingdom to Polish refugee children in their hour of greatest need, he could not have foreseen that his actions would shape diplomatic relations between two geographically distant nations in the next century. Yet today, over eighty years later, that single act of humanity continues to inspire cooperation, cultural exchange, and mutual respect between India and Poland.

Advertisement

The writer is an independent columnist who writes on international relations, and socio-political affairs. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
The quicksand in which Americans were in Vietnam in the late 60s and early 70s, which eventually led to their defeat; today, the Russians and Americans together have proved that Ukraine is Europes Vietnam read more

The on-camera wordy duel of US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last Friday was not a conversation between two presidents of sovereign nations but a sign of geopolitical churning that is imminent in the coming months and years.

Global politics is bound to be upended, something that has not happened in the last few generations. Even if we do not go into the details of a public spat between the two leaders, one thing is clear: transatlantic relations will never be the same again.

Advertisement

Though Zelenskyy seemed forced to reconcile as suggested by his tweet later, the fact remains that Europe now has a new reality to face: taking care of its security without an assured umbrella of the US. Not only that, but the trade and tariff war with Europe is also on the anvil.

Whats in store for Ukraine?

The US has suspended military and intelligence support for Ukraine, which will make things difficult for Ukraine. It will also give Russia a military and strategic advantage over its forces, forcing Ukraine to agree to the call of the US to ceasefire and, in probability, lose all the territory lost by Ukraine to the Russians. Thats what has been desired by the Russians all along.

Russia has made territorial gains in 2024 and a slow and steady territorial advance in Ukraine in 2025. Ukraine had proposed staged cessation of hostilities by starting with stopping air and naval operations, as complete cessation of fighting at the behest will not be sustainable in the long run and might be a provocation for the next round of hostilities, as was witnessed in the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. Any peace settlement against Ukraines explicit will and, above all, without taking Europe into confidence, will not be sustainable and might be a template for a similar scenario in Europe.

The US, led by Donald Trump, is also symmetrical with the Russian view on how it will interact with Europe and will have an essential bearing on the future security order in Europe. Trump is in perfect sync with Moscow by helping the illiberal political parties of Europe who have sympathy for Russia and its causes. This was seen when JD Vance and Trumps friend Elon Musk made a common cause with the European far-right movements like AfD in Germany and the Reform UK party led by Nigel Farage.

Advertisement

A shift in the traditional stance of the US?

The transatlantic alliance has been in place among European and North American states after the Second World War. The basis of the alliance was not only economic and security but also a similarity of the worldviews as reflected in the shared values of capitalism, free market, democracy, human rights, etc. The United States helped Europe come out of economic distress through the Marshall Plan, etc. The creation of the international liberal rule-based world order, maintained by the hard and soft power of the US. Ukraine will be the first victim of the realignment of the Transatlantic Alliance and the resultant upending of the relations established between them for the past 80 years. This will result in a marginalised Western Europe, increased say of Russia in East, Central Europe, and the Former Soviet space, or Near Abroad (Blizhnee Zerubezhe) as the Russians term it.

Advertisement

Three years of slumber for Europe!

The war is in its fourth year now. Even a casual student of history will know that Russia has always been a victor in the battle of attrition. Its victory over Napoleon and Hitler (in the siege of St Petersburg) was the result of these tactics. The famous and catchy statements by Joe Biden patting Ukraine, saying that we have Ukraines back and we are with Ukraine as long as it takes, didnt help the ground realities. Ukraines army, without Western support, was incapable of taking on the mighty Russian war machine. The reason that they could hold together and give a tough fight to the Russians was because the Ukrainian war machine was well-oiled by Western donations, assistance, and above all, intelligence and communications support, which the US has now stopped from its side.

Advertisement

The collective West had seen that Trumps America First movement had become a major political force. It has been 11 years since Crimea was reintegrated back into Russia, and probably since the end of the Cold War three decades back, the US has been hinting at Europe to take care of their security, but nothing has worked. All the efforts to work collectively for a collective response minus the US have drawn to naught, and here is where Ukraine stands today.

Thousands of casualties and billions of dollars lost; Ukraine stands poorer since the war started, losing 20 per cent of its territory. The West was looking for a strategic defeat instead of a battleground defeat for Russia. West appears defeated in both. Though Russia cannot be declared victorious as of today, history will be a better judge of this. The quicksand in which Americans were in Vietnam in the late 60s and early 70s, which eventually led to their defeat, the Russians and Americans together have proved that Ukraine is Europes Vietnam.

Advertisement

For the rest of the world, the Russia-Ukraine War was only a snapshot of the developing world order and the decline of the West. There are ticklish and contentious issues that still confront them: the ongoing conflict in West Asia involving actors like Israel, Iran and the rest, and the politics of the US is gradually pivoting towards the East, to Asia, especially China and Southeast Asia. The real test of American and Western clout is when it has to address them. Fundamental diplomatic and economic skills are needed to address the challenges here.

Amitabh Singh teaches at the School of International Studies, JNU, New Delhi. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
Donald Trump has peeled Russia away from the axis of upheaval and by withdrawing military aid from Ukraine has left little reason for the protracted war in Europe to continue. This shifts the focus back to the bigger and much more real challengeChina read more

In December 2024, a month before Donald Trumps inauguration as the President of the United States for a second time, the incumbent Joe Biden administration approved a national security memorandum to serve as a roadmap for the incoming government. Although most details of this memo were shrouded in secrecy, it was shaped as a document to help Trump deal with the tightening relationship among Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea, which the Biden administration had identified as Americas biggest adversaries.

Advertisement

The memorandum called on the US to improve intelligence efforts, use sanctions, and prepare for simultaneous crises between itself and the enemies in order to deal with the imminent challenge. While it sought to outline the top national security priority for Trump 2.0 in advance by highlighting how Russias war on Ukraine had accelerated its cooperation with China, Iran, and North Korea. Little did the Biden administration realise that this memo would serve no purpose in a few weeks time because the Trump administration was coming in with a plan of its own.

Cut to March 2025, barely two months into Trumps presidency, and the axis of adversaries that the Biden administration had sought to warn about is already staring at irrelevance. It all started as a phone call between the new US President Donald Trump and the Russian President Vladimir Putin in February this year, putting an end to the previous governments efforts to isolate Russia.

Unlike Biden, who had publicly termed Putin as a War Criminal, Trump made a series of conciliatory gestures towards Russia by calling Ukraines NATO membership as impractical and Russias return of occupied territory to Kyiv as illusionary. Suddenly a country that was facing the worst kind of shaming and isolation perpetrated by the collective West for the past three years was no more a pariah. Trump had not just broken away from the ranks, but he had also sidelined American allies in Europe to engage Russia directly and show that it really meant business.

One of the most important steps that Trump took was to convey to Ukraine that cessation of hostilities with Russia was the only logical way forward. Unlike the Biden administration, which had willingly backed Volodymyr Zelenskyys war against Russia, Trump decided to halt all military support to Ukraine. It was quite a sight to behold when US President Trump and Vice President JD Vance tried to drill some realism into Zelenskyys head, videos of which widely circulated on social media as well.

Advertisement

Although it also triggered a spate of responses from European leaders condemning Trump and vowing to stand with Ukraine, it seems that all those promises appeared hollow to Zelenskyy himself, who, hours after Trumps resolve to stop military aid, posted a long note on X expressing his unconditional willingness to work under President Trumps strong leadership for peace.

On one hand, Trump was rebuking the Ukrainian leader for continuing mindless hostilities in the war. On the other hand, he was reminding Russia of its shared effort with the United States during the Second World War, where both countries lost tens of millions of people.

Advertisement

For Putin, this was particularly pleasing as he himself has justified Russias great power status many times by alluding to the Soviet legacy of fighting the WWII. What Trumps reference as well as his phone call did was to safely walk Russia away from its years of isolation by the West toward a broader agenda of cooperation covering multiple issues beyond just the immediate matter of resolving the war. It was anyones guess that Russia would soon reciprocate with an equal amount of warmth towards Trumps United States when Putin offered to broker nuclear talks with Iran as well as some sort of understanding on Iranian proxies that have continued to target the interests of the US and its allies in the region.

Advertisement

All these developments have taken place in a matter of just a few weeks since Trump has returned to the White House. Russia has responded in a manner as if it was waiting for Trump to make an offer that respected the Kremlins sensitivities. Now some are of the view that Trumps olive branch to Russia is coming at the cost of alienating European allies, who in turn may find comfort in China instead. Some are calling his outreach to Russia a bad move as well since it will embolden the country, an aggressor as per their perspective, to indulge in even more such activities. But if we observe Trumps actions sans emotions, then we find that it is nothing but the return of good old balance of power politics.

Advertisement

Unlike Biden, whose alienation of Putin forced him to side with China and ended up creating a whole bloc of adversaries against the United States, Trumps foreign policy is rooted in the logic that it is not Russia but China from which the US has a major threat. China is economically and militarily a predominant challenge to American power, where Russias war with Ukraine and its isolation by the collective West paved the way for China to approach Russia with a tighter embrace.

If China propped it up economically, then Russia also leaned on Iran and North Korea for defence supplies. Their mutual support club strengthened their collective resistance against the American influence. Due to Bidens miscalculation, if the US had China as the principal challenger to its hegemony, then between 2022 and 2025, that challenger also got Russia, Iran, and North Koreas collective strength on its side.

For all practical purposes, the US was left with backing a war that did not even threaten its security along with a host of incompetent allies. Not to mention that it was the Europeans who first provoked Russia into attacking Ukraine with their overtures in the form of NATO membership as well as European Union expansion but later expected the US to shoulder the lions share of burden.

It is common sense that in front of a mounting geopolitical challenge, it is better to isolate the challenger from its allies so that the threat can be managed without overwhelming oneself. Trump is doing exactly that. His foreign policy so far appears as an exercise to restore the balance of power in the international system. He has tactfully peeled Russia away from the axis of upheaval and by withdrawing military aid from Ukraine has left little reason for the protracted war in Europe to continue. This has made sure that the geostrategic focus of the United States is once again back to the bigger and much more real challenge, which is China.

Not to miss that Trumps resolve to impose debilitating tariffs against China has not weakened even one bit after assuming power. Just this week he has increased tariffs on Chinese goods to 20 per cent. One of the key steps that he has taken also includes restricting Chinese investment in strategically sensitive sectors. Trump 2.0s foreign policy on China so far has disappointed those geopolitics watchers who were hoping that the second outing would see some conciliatory attitude towards China.

Interestingly, this is not lost on China itself because on a day when the country increased its annual military budget by more than 7 per cent, it also issued a statement saying China is ready to fight any type of war with the United States, be it a tariff war, trade war, or any other type of war. Now with the Ukraine war off the radar, the strategic focus of the US under Trump will be clear on the more pertinent challenge. European allies will obviously cry and crib, but at least the attention will be back on the Indo-Pacific.

One may say that Trump is doing a reverse of Nixon this time. In the 1970s, during the Cold War, US President Richard Nixon had secured a rapprochement with China to take on the Soviets. But this time, Trump is doing a rapprochement with Russia to take on China instead. In hindsight, the Soviet Union was a bigger challenge, needing China to be pulled away from an already credible threat. Today the same is true for China as a threat, thus needing Russia to be pulled away.

The implications of this Nixon-in-reverse strategy are going to be huge for India as well. The country had faced a lot of attacks from the collective West for not shaming Putin enough in the last three years. But now it is in the good books of Russia as well as being seen as a counter to China in the Indo-Pacific by the US. Trump had revived Quad in his first outing as the president. Though during Bidens presidency the usual bonhomie between India and the US had taken a serious hit, now things are changing. The stage is all set for more such actions by the Trump administration, where Beijing may feel the heat, but India would find its concerns regarding the rise of China eased.

The author is a New Delhi-based commentator on geopolitics and foreign policy. She holds a PhD from the Department of International Relations, South Asian University. She tweets @TrulyMonica. The views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
The relationship between Sudan and the UAE is complex, characterised by both cooperation and recent tensions. The UAEs alleged support for the RSF against the non-Arab Masalit tribe has become a significant point of contention read more

The repercussions of these allegations could significantly impact the UAEs reputation in Africa as a key economic partner. Image: REUTERS

The United Arab Emirates is confronted with a challenging predicament, as the military government of Sudan, under the leadership of General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has formally lodged a complaint at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing the UAE of breaching its obligations under the Genocide Convention.

The charges were initially directed at the paramilitary Rapid Support Force (RSF) and its leader, General Muhammad Hamdan Dagalo, popularly known as Hemedti, for offences including genocide, murder, theft of property, rape, forcible displacement, trespassing, vandalism of public property, and violations of human rights.

Advertisement

The Sudanese government has accused the UAE of complicity in genocide. Sudan referenced the case of ethnic-based attacks perpetrated by the RSF against the non-Arab Masalit tribe in 2023 in West Darfur, alleging that the UAE supported and armed the RSF and its allied Arab militias.

As anticipated, the UAE dismissed the case as a cynical publicity stunt and pledged to appeal for an immediate dismissal. While the outcome of the ICJs verdict remains uncertain, the potential actions the Court may take against the UAE are not difficult to foresee. In recent times, the ICJ has failed to take any significant action regarding Russia or Ukraine. Although its rulings are legally binding, the Court lacks the authority to enforce them. In any case, it seems that Sudan currently lacks any concrete evidence against the UAE.

Nevertheless, the repercussions of this legal challenge could significantly impact the UAEs reputation in Africa as a key economic partner. Over the years, the UAE has expanded its economic presence across the continent through investments in ports, airports, and infrastructure projects.

In 2022, with an investment of $50 billion, the UAE became the largest investor in Africa, surpassing other competing nations, including China and the United States. In the past two years alone, the UAE has pledged an additional $97 billion in new investments, three times the amount committed by China.

The timing of the appeal is also noteworthy. For nearly two years, the devastating conflict between the two military leaders has resulted in the deaths of more than 24,000 individuals and the internal displacement of approximately 30 per cent of the population, or around 14 million Sudanese.

Advertisement

While it has been a see-saw battle, with shifts in control, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have recently gained the upper hand, reclaiming significant portions of the capital and its surrounding areas. It marked a potential turning point in Sudans civil war, as the SAFs ongoing strategic offensive pushed the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to the outskirts of the city.

In a move to counter the onslaught by the Sudanese Army and to ensure its survival, on February 22, the RSF and its allies signed a charter in Kenya, announcing the establishment of a parallel government, referred to as a government of peace and unity. The RSF also outlined plans for what it characterises as a federal, secular state divided into eight regions, with Port Sudan on the Red Sea under the RSF-led governments control.

Advertisement

The move has since been criticised by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and numerous other countries. However, the UAEs silence regarding the announcement of the new Sudan is interpreted as implicit support for the RSF.

This development does not bode well for the UAEs engagement with Sudan. Over the years, the UAE has made significant investments in Sudanese seaports, energy, mining, banking, and agriculture sectors. Presently, the UAE imports 90 per cent of its food supply from Sudan. With a cumulative investment exceeding $7.6 billion, the UAE is one of Sudans most important economic partners. Additionally, the UAE has contributed $70 million to UN agencies to support efforts addressing the humanitarian crisis in Sudan.

Advertisement

While the UAE exports various products, including refined petroleum, infrastructure, and logistics, it primarily imports gold, precious stones, and critical minerals. The importation of gold has led to several accusations, including claims of laundering gold for Russia through the Wagner Group. However, these allegations have not posed any significant threat to the UAE.

The relationship between Sudans military government and the UAE began to deteriorate due to the UAEs alleged support for the RSF. Just last year, Sudan annulled a $6 billion agreement to develop a new port and a linked enterprise zone along the Red Sea coast, thereby creating opportunities for regional rivals, including Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt.

Advertisement

Like many other countries, the UAE has been engaged in a delicate balancing act in a multipolar world. By focusing exclusively on economic diplomacy and refraining from political and ideological debates, the UAE has managed to preserve its neutral image. Its stance as a diplomatic neutral ground has notably enhanced its geopolitical position.

The relationship between Sudan and the UAE is complex, characterised by both cooperation and recent tensions. However, the UAEs alleged support for the RSF has become a significant point of contention in its future engagement. Given the evolving political landscape, the decision to bring the UAE to Court clearly reflects Sudans intention to reassess this partnership. Emerging unscathed from this setback would certainly be a diplomatic challenge for the UAE.

Samir Bhattacharya is Associate Fellow at Observer Research Foundation. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR), a human rights monitor considered independent and credible, noted the large-scale field executions of men and young adults, without any clear distinction between civilians and combatants in northwest Syria read more

Members of the HTS rebel group that overthrew the Assad regime pose for a portrait in the ancient town of old Damascus, in Syria, December 28, 2024. File Image/AP

The government security forces in Syria have executed around 125 civilians during a rolling two-day battle with the loyalists of the countrys ousted President Bashar al-Assad in the northwestern region. The death toll was confirmed by a Syrian war monitor on Friday.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR), a human rights monitor considered independent and credible, noted the large-scale field executions of men and young adults, without any clear distinction between civilians and combatants in northwest Syria.

Advertisement

SNHR maintained that at least 240 people had lost their lives in the ongoing conflict since Thursday. This includes 100 Syrian security forces officials and 15 civilians. The Thursday slaughter was done by Assads loyalists. The war monitor said that the fighting made Thursday Syrias deadliest day since the toppling of the Assad regime three months earlier.

How did it start?

According to SNHR, the fighting between the two factions started on Thursday afternoon, when militants loyal to the ousted leader ambushed Syrian security forces in a coordinated attack in a rural area of Latakia province. The region used to be Assads stronghold and housed many of Syrias minority Alawite Islamic sects.

On Friday, Syrias interim president Ahmad al-Sharaa went on to urge these militants to lay down their arms before its too late. He also asked those loyal to the new government to avoid attacking civilians or abusing prisoners.

When we compromise our ethics, we reduce ourselves to the same level as our enemy, he said in a video address. The remnants of the fallen regime are looking for a provocation that will lead to violations behind which they can seek refuge," he added. In response to the attacks, the Syrian government eventually mobilised thousands of troops to north-west Syria and attacked Assad loyalists with helicopter gunships, drones and artillery.

According to SNHR, in the al-Mukhtariya, Latakia, about 40 civilians were executed together in a single location. Videos of the incident show people dressed in civilian clothes piled on top of one another as women wailed. Later the Syrian interior ministry said that some individual violations had taken place as a result of people heading towards the villages being attacked by Assad loyalists.

However, they did not claim responsibility for the alleged execution. We are working to put a stop to these violations that do not represent the Syrian people as a whole, an interior ministry source told Syrias state broadcaster. Amid the chaos, the UN special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, urged for the protection of civilians in the region. There is clearly an immediate need for restraint from all parties and full respect for the protection of civilians by international law, Pedersen said in a statement.

Advertisement

Despite assurance from the interim Syrian government that they will be protected, the minority community of Alawite has been subject to several revenge killings since December. Syrias new rulers tried to defend themselves by saying that the killings were individual cases committed by individuals and groups unaffiliated with the government in Damascus. However, they have done little to protect the community.

With inputs from agencies.
Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, died of natural causes, according to autopsy results released on Friday. Hackman, 95, was in an advanced stage of Alzheimers. read more

Authorities found actor Gene Hackman dead alongside his wife, pianist Betsy Arakawa, and their dog at their New Mexico home. File image/Reuters

Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, died of natural causes, a New Mexico medical investigator said, citing autopsy results.

According to autopsy results released on Friday in New Mexico, Hackman was in an advanced state of Alzheimers and died of heart disease and other factors, likely days after his wife, Betsy Arakawa, died of a rare syndrome spread by mice.

The 95-year-old Oscar-winning actor, 64-year-old Arakawa, and their dog were found dead in different rooms of their Santa Fe home on February 26.

Advertisement

The autopsy report stated that Hackmans wife died days before he did.

Alzheimers prevented Hackman from realising his wifes death

Reporters asked Sheriff Adan Mendoza if Hackmans Alzheimers prevented him from realising his wifes death. I would assume so, Mendoza said in response.

Heather Jarrell, chief medical investigator in New Mexico, said, Its quite possible he didnt know she had passed away.

Authorities said on Friday that Arakawa is believed to have died around February 11, citing the last email she sent.

The sheriff said a pathologist found that Hackman had a pacemaker, which sent its last signal on February 17, likely the day he passed away.

Hackman and Arakawa had been living in their Santa Fe home since the 1980s and were active in the citys art community and culinary scene.

In recent years, their public appearances in town became less frequent as his health deteriorated.

Hantavirus

Hantavirus is rare in the US, with most cases found in western states like New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah. Deer mice spread the virus through their droppings and urine. People can catch it by breathing in dust while cleaning areas like closets or drawers where mice have lived.
Pakistan, a conservative country, is known for having a conservative outlook towards women. In the midst of all this, a womens rights movement fights to survive in the country and is known for hosting marches on or near March 8, when the world celebrates International Womens Day read more

Pakistan, a conservative country, is known for having a conservative outlook towards women. According to the National Report on The Status of Women in Pakistan, which was published by the United Nations in 2023, 50 per cent of women in the country have been physically battered, and 90 per cent of them are mentally and verbally abused by men regularly.

In the midst of all this, a womens rights movement fights to survive in the country and is known for hosting marches on or near March 8, when the world celebrates International Womens Day. The initiative is called Aurat March, an annual socio-political demonstration held across different cities in Pakistan.

Advertisement

The march calls for greater accountability for violence against women and supports women who experience abuse and harassment at the hands of Pakistani security forces or men either at home or at the workplace. Every year in March, women were seen carrying posters and taking to the streets of Pakistan to make their voices heard.

The movement with resilience

The first Aurat March in Pakistan was held on March 8 2018, in the city of Karachi. The marches were initiated by womens collectives and came in parallel with the #MeToo movement in Pakistan. A year after the first March, the same initiative was started in Lahore and slowly took over the country, especially its capital, Islamabad.

It was in 2023 that the Aurat March in Karachi was held on a Sunday instead of March 8 to accommodate working womens attendance. This year the marches are scheduled in different cities on different dates for the same reason. However, the Aurat March in Islamabad will be held on March 8 despite resistance from the Pakistani authorities.

In a statement titled 2025: The year of the Aurat March Caravan, the Aurat March Karachi organisers insisted that while traditions hold value, Aurat March has always been about challenging norms and making space for diverse feminist expressions. For the first time, the marches in Lahore, Multan, Karachi, and Mirpurkhas will take place on newer dates but with the same passion, the statement read.

Advertisement

The defiance

On Friday, the organisers of the Aurat March in Islamabad made it clear that they would go ahead with the planned demonstration in the capital despite not receiving formal permission to do so. According to Pakistani news outlet Dawn, the planned event will be conducted at the National Press Club to D-Chowk in Islamabad.

We will have our show outside the National Press Club as per previous years and will try to march towards D-Chowk to mark the occasion [of International Womens Day], rights activist Dr Farzana Bari told Dawn on Friday night. Bari noted that the group had submitted a formal application to the Islamabad administration months ago, seeking permission to hold the march.

However, they havent received a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) for the event so far. Bari told Dawn that she also wrote to Pakistans Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, requesting him to direct the Islamabad administration to issue the NOC. She hasnt received a response.

Advertisement

Ramazan was the reason for the postponement

Bari told Dawn that the administration has instead asked the group to postpone the march since it is the holy month of Ramazan. Bari insisted that the organisation already conveyed to the authorities that the event will be held without any music or other fanfare in order to respect the sanctity of the holy month.

In their open letter posted to Instagram, the marchs organisers urged the premier to deal with the matter. In the past, our organisers have faced brutalisation in the hands of religious fundamentalist groups, police and Islamabad administration, sending a very negative message to the international community regarding [the] status of womens rights in Pakistan, the letter said.

Advertisement

Instead of paying heed to their demands, traffic police in Islamabad have announced that due to the ongoing law and order situation, both entry and exit routes at Express Chowk and Serena Hotel will be blocked.

The impact

Despite all the challenges, over the years, these marches have initiated conversations about womens rights in Pakistan. The activists argued that these demonstrations bring the topics of consent and bodily and sexual autonomy to the forefront in a country which continues to remain in the shackles of religion and shies away from talking about such matters.

Effecting legislation will take time, but we believe that providing a platform for these issues will affect the consciousness of the public, a Karachi organiser told Dawn. One such instance is that these Aurat Marches raised awareness about the two finger tests on the victims of sexual crimes. The petitions filed by organisers and other feminists in the country eventually led to the court declaring the archaic method as illegal.

Advertisement

It is hard to imagine the #MeToo cases brought forward by educational institutions in 2020 happening 10 years ago. The Aurat March makes us believe in our ability to resist. The Anti-Rape Ordinance, despite its many flaws, had a lot to do with the increasing pressure created by women online and on the ground  we organised a protest around that, another volunteer from Islamabad explained.

Irrespective of the outcomes, Aurat Marches have given many a platform to initiate a conversation in a country which has historically kept mum on womens issues.
The cyclone was downgraded after it stalled withing a few kilometers of the Australian mainland on Saturday morning read more

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese warned that the people of the country must not become complacent about the dangers posed by Tropical Cyclone Alfred despite the fact that it was downgraded to a tropical low weather system on Saturday morning. The cyclone was downgraded after it stalled withing a few kilometers of the Australian mainland on Saturday morning.

However, the authorities continued to raise warnings about severe wind and rainfall and urged residents of southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales to remain indoors, The Guardian reported. On Friday, a 61-year-old man was swept off a bridge by fast-moving flood waters near Dorrigo in NSW and remained missing on Saturday. The emergency services were able to briefly talk to the man while he was clinging to a tree branch. However, the authorities later confirmed that he was unfortunately washed downstream.

Advertisement

In the midst of all this, Albanese urged people not to drive through flood waters and said it was important that people do not take this downgrading as a reason for complacency. [This systems] impact will be serious and will intensify over coming hours and indeed over coming days, the Australian premier said in a statement. The impacts are already being felt, and there is worse to come in the hours ahead. We must remain vigilant," he added.

Storm followed by power outages

Over 250,000 homes in Queensland and 43,000 homes in NSW were left without power on Saturday due to the storm. The Queensland premier, David Crisafulli, said the outages were the single biggest loss we have seen in over a decade. The Gold Coast university hospital was also without power on Saturday morning and was running on generators. Albanese said six generators were being transported to Lismore on Saturday morning.

Meanwhile, NSW Minister for Energy Penny Sharpe said it could be several days before power was restored across the north of the state. You are going to have to be patient, Sharpe said. We cannot risk the lives of those workers. But know that we are doing everything we can, as quickly as we can," she furthered.

Essential Energy, the state-owned electricity infrastructure provider, said that the debris, including fallen trees and vegetation, would need to be removed before powerlines could be assessed and repaired. The authorities noted that around 740 people in northern NSW had taken refuge across 21 evacuation centres by 10 am (local time) on Saturday. 20,000 people were subject to evacuation warnings in the region.

Cyclone warning downgraded

At 6 am (local time), Cyclone Alfred was downgraded again by the Bureau of Meteorology, effectively cancelling cyclone warnings. However, the authorities did not remove weather warnings  from Noosa to Brisbane. The bureau is now referring to the cyclone as ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, which has stalled in Moreton Bay near Bribie Island, about 55km north of Brisbane, and tracked further to the north.

While speaking on the matter, senior meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology, Miriam Bradbury, said the storm system had not moved position from 6 am to shortly before noon. We do expect it to make that coastal crossing today, Bradbury said. Matthew Callopy, a senior forecaster at the bureau, noted that the primary concern was now from heavy rainfall.

Advertisement

Rainfall totals of over 250mm have already been observed around the Scenic Rim, and weve seen widespread totals of 100mm to 200mm both on the Gold Coast but also stretching up into the southern parts of Brisbane, he said.

As the remnants of Tropical Cyclone Alfred move inland, we will see more tropical moisture streaming across south-east Queensland and we are expecting widespread totals of 300-500mm, with localised amounts of 800mm-plus possible in some areas of south-east Queensland, particularly again around the southern part of where ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred tracks," he furthered.
Bosnias Constitutional Court on Friday suspended legislation proposed by Serb leader Milorad Dodik that rejected the authority of the federal police and judiciary within the countrys Serb entity, the Republika Srpska read more

This photograph shows the headquarters of Bosnia and Herzegovina's State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) in Sarajevo. AFP

The EU said Friday it would send reinforcements for its peacekeeping mission in deeply divided Bosnia after the nations top court suspended separatist laws adopted by its Serb statelet.

Bosnias Constitutional Court on Friday suspended legislation proposed by Serb leader Milorad Dodik that rejected the authority of the federal police and judiciary within the countrys Serb entity, the Republika Srpska (RS).

Since the end of Bosnias inter-ethnic war in the 1990s, the country has consisted of two autonomous halves  the Serb-dominated RS and a Muslim-Croat statelet  which each have their own government and parliament, and are linked by weak central institutions.

Advertisement

A week after Dodik was convicted for defying an international envoy charged with overseeing Bosnias peace accords, the courts temporary suspension of the separatist laws on Friday has cast further uncertainty on the nations divided politics and its fragile, post-war institutions.

The European Union Force (EUFOR) announced Friday that it will temporarily increase the size of its peacekeeping mission in the country.

This is a proactive measure aimed at assisting Bosnia and Herzegovina in the interest of all citizens, EUFOR said in a statement, affirming its continued support to security and stability in the nation.

It did not specify the number of additional reserve forces that would be deployed.

But the European peacekeeping mission had 1,500 personnel in Bosnia, according to a statement from an Austrian parliamentary mission that visited the country in February.

NATO also announced its chief Mark Rutte will visit the capital Sarajevo on Monday.

Separatist agenda

Earlier this week, Dodik had signed off on the separatist legislation, which was adopted by the Serb deputies in RS and had been due to come into force there on Friday.

The Serb leader, who has pursued a relentless separatist agenda for years, had urged ethnic Serbs to quit the federal police force and courts, and join his RS.

Advertisement

We have ensured them a job, while preserving their legal status, ranks, and positions. They will receive the same salary, or even a higher salary than they had, said Dodik.

He later added there were no plans for violent escalation but insisted that the RS had the ability to defend itself, and we will do that.

Both the European Union and the US embassy in Sarajevo condemned the law, while Bosnias Foreign Minister Elmedin Konakovic described it as a textbook coup detat in comments on Wednesday.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Friday that Dodiks revolt against Bosnias federal institutions threatened its security and stability.

Advertisement

Rubio called on regional partners to join Washington in pushing back against this dangerous and destabilizing behavior, in a social media post.

The EU delegation in Bosnia said in a statement that decisions by the Constitutional Court, including the provisional measures, must be respected by all.

Tension

Dodik pushed the legislation through the RS parliament last week, after he was sentenced to a year in prison and banned from office for six years for refusing to comply with decisions made by Christian Schmidt  the international high representative charged with overseeing Bosnias peace accords.

Dodik also said this week that he planned to ignore a summons from Bosnias chief prosecutor who is investigating Dodik for allegedly undermining the constitution.

Advertisement

The now-suspended legislation had escalated already fraught tensions on the ground.

At the Srebrenica Memorial Centre in RS  where most of the 8,000 victims killed by ethnic Serb forces in July 1995 are buried  the facility said it had closed its doors until further notice, citing uncertainty triggered by the ongoing political crisis.

During an interview with a local broadcaster, Darko Culum  who oversees Bosnias federal police force  dispelled rumours that their offices had been targeted by operations from RS security personnel in east Sarajevo and Banja Luka.

The security situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina is stable and calm, he told N1 television.

Advertisement

The Bosnian Muslim member of the countrys joint presidency, Denis Becirovic, implored state employees to remain in their positions.

Bosnia and Herzegovina will prevail. It is difficult indeed, but we will win. We cannot give up, he said.

Becirovic also invited EUFOR to deploy its forces at strategic points in the country.

RS leader Dodiks conviction last week was linked to his role in pushing through two laws in 2023 previously annulled by high representative Schmidt.

The legislation refused to recognise decisions made by the high representative and Bosnias constitutional court in RS.

This followed months of tensions, as Dodik engaged in a bitter feud with Schmidt, who holds vast powers as high representative, including the ability to effectively fire political leaders and strip them of power.

Dodik has repeatedly threatened to pull the Serb statelet out of Bosnias central institutions  including its army, judiciary and tax system, which has led to sanctions from the United States.
The Egyptian-crafted alternative to Trumps widely condemned takeover proposes to rebuild the Gaza Strip under the future administration of the Palestinian Authority read more

Diplomats attend an Extraordinary Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Member States of The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Jeddah. AFP

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation formally adopted early Saturday an Arab League counter-proposal to US President Donald Trumps plan to take over Gaza and displace its residents, calling on the international community to support the regional initiative.

The decision by the 57-member grouping came at an emergency meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, three days after the Arab League ratified the plan at a summit in Cairo.

The Egyptian-crafted alternative to Trumps widely condemned takeover proposes to rebuild the Gaza Strip under the future administration of the Palestinian Authority.

Advertisement

The OIC adopts the plan on the early recovery and reconstruction of Gaza, a communique said.

The body, which represents the Muslim world, urged the international community and international and regional funding institutions to swiftly provide the necessary support for the plan.

Trump triggered global outrage when he suggested the US take over Gaza and turn it into the Riviera of the Middle East, while forcing its Palestinian inhabitants to relocate to Egypt or Jordan.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty welcomed the OIC endorsement and said he now hoped to gain support from the wider international community, including the US.

The next step is for the plan to become an international plan through adoption by the European Union and international parties such as Japan, Russia, China and others, Abdelatty said.

This is what we will seek and we have contact with all parties, including the American party.

However, the Egyptian proposal  which does not outline a role for Hamas, which controls Gaza  has already been rejected by both the US and Israel.

The plan does not meet the expectations of Washington, State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told reporters on Thursday.

Advertisement

Trumps Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, however, gave a more positive reaction, calling it a good-faith first step from the Egyptians.

Trumps plan has united Arab countries in opposition, and Rabha Seif Allam, of the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo, said Egypt was seeking broad support for its proposal.

This is an attempt to build a broad coalition that refuses the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, she said.
Paul Clement, who represented the federal government before the Supreme Court as President George W. Bushs solicitor general, delivered the recommendation to Manhattan federal Judge Dale E. Ho in papers filed two weeks after Ho appointed him to provide neutral advice on the case read more

A judge has no choice but to grant the Justice Departments unusual and divisive request to dismiss New York City Mayor Eric Adams corruption case, a court-appointed lawyer said Friday. But he recommended that prosecutors be barred from ever reviving the charges so they dont hang over Adams like the proverbial Sword of Damocles.

Paul Clement, who represented the federal government before the Supreme Court as President George W. Bushs solicitor general, delivered the recommendation to Manhattan federal Judge Dale E. Ho in papers filed two weeks after Ho appointed him to provide neutral advice on the case.

Advertisement

In a written submission, Clement told Ho that there was ample reason to dismiss the prosecution without granting the Justice Departments request to be able to refile them after this years mayoral election, which would leave a prospect that hangs like the proverbial Sword of Damocles over the accused.

He added: Such an ongoing prospect of re-indictment is particularly problematic when it comes to the sensitive task of prosecuting public officials. There is an inherent risk that once an indictment has been procured, the prospect of re-indictment could create the appearance, if not the reality, that the actions of a public official are being driven by concerns about staying in the good graces of the federal executive, rather than the best interests of his constituents.

Ho appointed Clement after Acting Deputy U.S. Attorney General Emil Bove defended the request at a hearing, saying they came too close to Adams reelection campaign and would distract the mayor from assisting the Trump administrations law-and-order priorities.

Bove had suggested the charges could be reinstated after the election if the new permanent U.S. attorney decided it was appropriate.

In a filing late Friday signed by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and Bove, the government continued to maintain that the judge should allow reinstatement of the charges in the future.

Advertisement

They also cited text messages exchanged by prosecutors who worked on the case  a result of an investigation of the Adams prosecution team that Bove disclosed two weeks ago  and suggested that they would reference those materials if Ho conducts a hearing, saying any additional inquiry will not reflect well on Manhattan prosecutors.

Among the subjects addressed in the text messages, prosecutors discussed how to react to recent public statements about political corruption by former U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, who stepped down late last year.

The filing came on the same day that two prosecutors who worked on the Adams case  Celia Cohen and Andrew Rohrbach  were placed on leave while the internal probe of the Adams prosecution continued, according to a person with knowledge of the action. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the individual was not authorized to speak publicly.

Advertisement

Messages sent to Cohen and Rohrbach for comment were not returned Friday. Two other prosecutors on the case had already been placed on leave and one has resigned.

The government also was expected to file papers soon in response to a recent request by lawyers for Adams asking that the charges be dismissed with prejudice, meaning they could not be refiled. That request is pending.

Adams was indicted in September and accused of accepting over $100,000 in illegal campaign contributions and travel perks from a Turkish official and others seeking to buy influence while he was Brooklyn borough president. He has pleaded not guilty and insisted he is innocent.

Advertisement

Ho has said that oral arguments, if necessary, could occur next week on the government request to dismiss the indictment.

Bove initially directed then-interim U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon to request dismissal, but she refused, telling Attorney General Pam Bondi in a Feb. 12 letter as she offered to resign that she could not agree to seek a dismissal driven by improper considerations.

She said the indictment was brought nine months before New Yorks June Democratic mayoral primary, consistent with longstanding Justice Department policy regarding election-year sensitivities, and the threat of possibly refiling the charges amounted to using the criminal process to control the behavior of a political figure.

Advertisement

Besides Sassoon, whose resignation was accepted by Bove the day after her letter, six prosecutors, including five high-ranking ones at the Justice Department, resigned before Bove made the dismissal request himself, along with two other Washington prosecutors.

In his recommendation to Ho, Clement observed that the Justice Departments move to end the case precipitated a series of resignations and unusual public disclosures concerning internal deliberations about the case and the decision to seek dismissal.

Suffice it to say that those materials raised material questions concerning both the initial decision to pursue the indictment and the subsequent decision to seek dismissal, he wrote.
In Germany, coalition governments are typically formed through a two-step process: parties first engage in exploratory talks to assess potential alliances before entering formal coalition negotiations read more

Social Democratic Party (SPD) Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his conservative rival of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Friedrich Merz are pictured in a studio of the ARD and ZDF television broadcasters ahead of the first TV debate between Scholz and Merz in Berlin, Germany. Reuters

German political parties negotiating the upcoming coalition government have reached an agreement, Conservative leader and election winner Friedrich Merz announced Saturday (March 8).

Merzs Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Social Democrats (SPD) of outgoing chancellor Olaf Scholz were involved in the talks.

Friedrich Merz is most likely to become the next German chancellor.

In a statement, co-leader and parliamentary group leader of the SPD Lars Klingbeil also confirmed that negotiations have concluded successfully and further move forward.

Advertisement

Talks to conclude by Easter

Meanwhile, Merz said a joint paper should be the basis for coalition negotiations, which could begin next week if necessary. The Conservative leader has vowed to conclude the whole process by Easter, according to German media reports.

The CDU/CSU emerged victorious in the parliamentary elections on February 23, securing 28.5 per cent of the vote. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) took second place with 20.8 per cent, while the SPD came in third with 16.4 per cent. Despite AfDs strong showing, all major parties have ruled out forming a coalition with them.

In Germany, coalition governments are typically formed through a two-step process: parties first engage in exploratory talks to assess potential alliances before entering formal coalition negotiations.

Key areas of cooperation

Ahead of the elections, both CDU and the SPD sparred over several issues of national importance, like the Ukraine war and immigration.

The two parties are said to have discussed sending weapons to Ukraine, something that Scholz opposed but Merz supports, with conditions.

Merz has also pledged stricter policies to curb illegal migration, including turning away arrivals at Germanys borders and expanding border controls.

He also set an economic growth target of 1-2 per cent and vowed to reduce energy costs to support businesses.

Why AfD was not included in talks?

After winning the elections, Merz ruled out a coalition with the AfD, saying it was out of the question.

Merz also criticised the AfDs stance on Russia, stating that the party has not a single critical word to say about Russia regarding Ukraine. He stressed that this position does not align with the values of the CDU/CSU, making a coalition with the AfD completely out of the question.

(With inputs from agencies)
President Donald Trumps at-times threatening remarks about seizing Greenland have lent fresh momentum to the self-governing territorys independence movement read more

Greenland's flag flies in the Igaliku settlement, on July 5, 2024. In recent weeks, Donald Trump has said time and again that we want to acquire Greenland, the world's largest island. Reuters

Greenland votes Tuesday in legislative elections following a campaign largely focused on when  not if  to cut ties with Denmark without falling into the clutches of the United States.

President Donald Trumps at-times threatening remarks about seizing Greenland have lent fresh momentum to the self-governing territorys independence movement.

Many of the islands 57,000 inhabitants insist they want to be neither American nor Danish  just Greenlandic.

Donald Trump has kind of sparked the issue of independence again, University of Greenland political scientist Maria Ackren told AFP.

Advertisement

Its nothing new for Greenlanders  But it is giving the Greenlandic decision-makers and politicians momentum now to actually maybe reach some goals that havent been available lately, she said.

The issue of independence has featured predominantly in the campaign, alongside education, social affairs, fisheries  which account for 90 percent of the vast Arctic islands exports  and tourism.

Almost all of the parties represented in parliament support the idea of full sovereignty for the massive ice-covered island, 50 times the size of Denmark yet 100 times less populated.

Clusters of building cranes towering over the capital Nuuk are a sign of Greenlands rapidly modernising society, one that has left some of its mainly Inuit population  mostly hunters and fishermen  by the wayside.

While visible on the streets, the social woes are even more glaring in the statistics: Greenland has one of the highest suicide rates in the world, more abortions than births and a life expectancy for men under 70 years.

Fast track?

While most parties vying for the 31 seats in parliament back independence, their views differ on the timeline. Some prefer a fast track while others want to take it slow.

Among the most impatient is the opposition nationalist Naleraq party, which has been highly prominent in the campaign.

Advertisement

It wants the independence process to begin immediately. In the previous 2021 election, it won 12 percent of votes.

The interest that were seeing, not only from the United States but basically from the whole world, which has been there for quite some years now, is turning out to be in our favour, Juno Berthelsen, one of Naleraqs most prominent candidates, told AFP.

When does he think independence will happen?

We could try and predict that its going to be within one or two election cycles of four years each, he said.

But it depends on how the negotiations are going to go between Greenland and Denmark.

Advertisement

Colonised by Danes more than 300 years ago, the island was granted home rule in 1979, with Copenhagen maintaining control over matters such as foreign and defence affairs.

Since 2009, a law has enabled Greenland to unilaterally initiate the independence process.

The law stipulates that negotiations be held between the Danish and Greenlandic governments to reach an agreement, which must be approved by the Greenlandic parliament, endorsed by a referendum on the island and voted on by the Danish parliament.

Jail

The outgoing government coalition, made up of Prime Minister Mute Egedes green-left Inuit Ataqatigiit (IA) and the social democratic Siumut party, also support independence.

But despite internal divisions, they are in less of a rush to attain it.

They have insisted the island must first gain economic independence. It currently receives around $565 million from Copenhagen in annual subsidies, equivalent to around a fifth of its GDP.

Advertisement

The independence talk is always on the table. Thats the end goal for a lot of us from Greenland but it will be in 10, 20 years or more, said Aaja Chemnitz, a member of IA and one of two Greenlandic representatives in the Danish parliament.

Its important to talk about the economic development of Greenland and how we do this in a way thats much more sustainable, she said.

Siumut party leader Erik Jensen, the outgoing finance minister, expressed frustration that the independence issue has eclipsed  at least in Danish and international media  issues affecting Greenlanders daily lives.

Its also an important part of our programme but everyone here in Greenland talks about health, schools and kindergarten, he told AFP.

Advertisement

In the chilly, windy streets of Nuuk, residents swing between wanting to break free and economic realism.

Of course we want to have independence from Denmark, because we are seen as lower-ranking people, said Peter Jensen, an entrepreneur.

But with its subsidies, Copenhagen has kept us in this jail, he said.

The exploitation of Greenlands mineral resources, often seen as an economic springboard to independence, is in its infancy.

We should think about how we can become self-sufficient in our food and fuel. Because everything weve got is from abroad, added Ole Moeller, a middle manager at a transport company.

And as you can see right now, the world is not very safe right now.
Meanwhile, Israeli government is pushing for a new agreement to extend the truce during Ramadan in exchange for the release of the remaining hostages in Gaza, while maintaining its military presence in the enclave read more

Palestinians walk past the rubble of destroyed houses, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. Reuters

Palestinian militant group Hamas said Saturday (March 8) that it sees positive indicators for launching talks over the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire.

Hamas spokesperson Abdul Latif al Qanou said in a statement, The efforts of Egyptian and Qatari mediators continue to push for the full implementation of the ceasefire agreement and the start of the next phase, and the signs are positive.

Qanou added that Hamas was ready to begin negotiations. The delegation of leaders from the movement (Hamas), which has been in Cairo since yesterday, is discussing ways to initiate the negotiations for the second phase and compel the occupation (Israel) to attend, the spokesperson added.

Advertisement

For the past week, the Islamist group has reiterated its commitment to advancing to the second phase of the ceasefire, even as indirect talks with Israel remain stalled.

Meanwhile, the Israeli government has pushed for a new agreement to extend the truce during Ramadan in exchange for the release of the remaining hostages in Gaza, while maintaining its military presence in the enclave.

Trumps final warning

Hamas call to start negotiations comes days after US President Donald T rump issued his final warning to the militant group.

On Wednesday, Trump vowed to punish Hamas further and destroy Gaza if all remaining hostages were not released.

Release all of the Hostages now, not later, and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered, or it is OVER for you, he wrote on his Truth Social platform after meeting freed hostages.

This is your last warning! For the leadership, now is the time to leave Gaza, while you still have a chance.

Trumps strong rhetoric followed the United States confirmation of historic direct talks with Hamas. The discussions, led by US hostage envoy Adam Boehler, focused on securing the release of American hostages.

Advertisement

Israel not happy with US-Hamas talks

Earlier on Tuesday, Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer reportedly told Boehler that his nation was not pleased with the talks between the US and Hamas.

But US special envoy Steve Witkoff later justified the engagement, saying the talks were focused on securing the release of 20-year-old Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander.

Edan Alexander is very important to us. He is wounded, and he is a top priority. I hope we see good behavior [from Hamas] next week and that I can get there (to Qatar) and have good talks, Witkoff said.

(With inputs from agencies)
Khameneis statement came a day after President Donald Trump acknowledged sending a letter to Khamenei seeking a new deal with Tehran to restrain its rapidly advancing nuclear program and replace the nuclear deal he withdrew America from during his first term in office. read more

Irans supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday slammed what he described as bullying tactics a day after US President Donald Trump threatened military action against Iran.

Some bully governments  I really dont know of any more appropriate term for some foreign figures and leaders than the word bullying  insist on negotiations, Khamenei told officials after Trump threatened military action if Iran refuses to engage in talks over its nuclear programme.

Advertisement

Khamenei dismissed US efforts to start talks between the two nations, asserting that such discussions are intended to limit Irans missile capabilities and regional influence.

Khameneis comments came a day after Trump said he had written to Irans supreme leader, urging new talks on the countrys nuclear programme or face possible military action if it refuses.

Khamenei said on Saturday that bullying powers aim to assert their own expectations.

They are setting new expectations that they think will definitely not be met by Iran, he said, without naming the United States or referring to Trumps letter.

Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters, said such talks would not address solving problems between Iran and the West. Though Khamenei did not name any person or country, he said the push for talks creates pressure on Iran in public opinion. It is not negotiation. It is commanding and imposing, he said.

Tehran has long maintained its program is for peaceful purposes, even as its officials increasingly threaten to pursue the bomb as tensions are high with the U.S. over its sanctions and with Israel as a shaky ceasefire holds in its war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Irans accelerated production of near weapons-grade uranium puts more pressure on Trump. Hes repeatedly said hes open to negotiations with the Islamic Republic while also increasingly targeting Irans oil sales with sanctions as part of his reimposed maximum pressure policy.

Peaceful nature

Khamenei said Tehran had abided by its commitments for a year but there was no other way but to roll back from these under the deal following legislation by the countrys parliament.

US officials now estimate that Iran could produce a nuclear weapon within weeks if it chose to do so.

Advertisement

Tehran has consistently denied pursuing nuclear weapons, emphasising the peaceful nature of its nuclear programme.

Officials have always cited a religious decree issued by Khamenei that prohibits the development of such weapons.

With inputs from agencies
Myanmars junta chief has announced plans to hold elections in December 2025 or January 2026, marking the first vote since the military seized power in a 2021 coup. read more

Myanmar's junta leader General Min Aung Hlaing, who ousted the elected government in a coup on February 1, 2021, presides over an army parade on Armed Forces Day in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, March 27, 2021. (Photo: Reuters)

Myanmars junta chief said that elections would be held in Mayanmar in December or January, the first in the war-torn nation since the military staged a coup in 2021, countrys state media reported.

We plan to hold the election in December 2025 or by January 2026, General Min Aung Hlaing said, as reported by the state-run newspaper Global New Light of Myanmar on Saturday.

He said that the vote would be free and fair during a state visit to Belarus, adding that 53 political parties had submitted their lists to participate.

Advertisement

We also invite observation teams from Belarus to come and observe the slated election, he said during a meeting with Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko in Minsk.

The Myanmar military seized power in 2021, making unsubstantiated claims of massive electoral fraud in 2020 polls won resoundingly by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyis National League for Democracy (NLD).

It has since unleashed a bloody crackdown on dissent and as fighting ravages swathes of the country had repeatedly delayed

plans for fresh polls that critics say will be neither free nor fair.

The junta is struggling to crush widespread opposition to its rule from ethnic rebel groups and pro-democracy Peoples Defence Forces.

In 2022, the junta-stacked election commission announced that Suu Kyis NLD would be dissolved for failing to re-register under a tough new military-drafted electoral law.

Junta-appointed foreign minister Than Swe in December told delegates from five neighbouring countries at a meeting in Bangkok that progress was being made towards an election in 2025.

The junta in January extended an already-prolonged state of emergency by six months, eliminating the possibility of long-promised polls until the second half of the year at the earliest.

Advertisement

Southeast Asian foreign ministers in January told the junta to prioritise a ceasefire in its civil war over fresh elections during a meeting in Malaysia.

Min Aung Hlaing told his ruling military council in January that peace and stability is still needed before the state of emergency can be lifted and polls held.

The United States has said any elections under the junta would be a sham, while analysts say polls would be targeted by the militarys opponents and spark further bloodshed.

A joint statement by election experts published on the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistances website in February said they unequivocally reject plans by Myanmars junta to hold an election in 2025.

Advertisement

More than 6,300 civilians have been killed since the coup, and more than 28,000 arrested, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) monitoring group.

The conflict has forced more than 3.5 million people to flee their homes, while an estimated 19.9 million people  or more than a third of Myanmars population  will need humanitarian aid in 2025, according to the UN.
This comes after last week some media reports suggested that Israel was preparing to resume fighting in Gaza in about a week and a half if no agreement is reached read more

Israels top political leadership has reportedly directed the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) to prepare for an immediate return to fighting in Gaza.

KAN news on Friday (March 7) reported citing officials that the talks for extending truce in Gaza between Hamas and Israel were not progressing.

Hamas is currently rejecting [US Middle East envoy Steve] Witkoffs proposal, so it is very difficult to make progress, one official was quoted as saying.

This comes after last week some media reports suggested that Israel was preparing to resume fighting in Gaza in about a week and a half if no agreement is reached.

Advertisement

Hamas not agreeing to Witkoffs proposal

According to Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office, Witkoffs plan outlines a phased hostage release.

On the first day of the continued deal, half of the living hostages and half of the bodies would be returned. The remaining hostages and bodies would be released on the 42nd day, marking the final day of the ceasefire.

However, reports indicate that Hamas has not explicitly accepted or rejected the proposal. A source familiar with the negotiations stated, Hamas has neither accepted nor rejected the Witkoff proposal.

New IDF chiefs warning

Meanwhile, on Thursday (March 6), new IDF chief of staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir told communities in Gaza border areas that we are preparing to return to fighting in Gaza.

We must defeat Hamas, Zamir said. We are also preparing to resume fighting. The hostages are our top priority.

US, Israel to take joint action against Hamas

Earlier on Thursday, Witkoff told reporters that US and Israel could take joint action against Hamas if negotiations collapse.

There definitely is such a date, but Im not at liberty to discuss what that is, Witkoff said. Its unclear exactly whats going to happen. I think theres going to be some action taken. It could be jointly with the Israelis.

The White House confirmed on Wednesday that it has directly engaged in talks with Hamas, marking the first public acknowledgement of US negotiations with the designated foreign terrorist organisation.

Phase 1 of the ceasefire-for-hostages deal between Israel and Hamas expired on March 1, after Hamas rejected Israels proposal for an extension.

(With inputs from agencies)

Advertisement
An improvised explosive device (IED) blast in Pakistans Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province killed two security officials and injured two others. The explosion, which targeted a security forces vehicle, occurred in the Mulla Said area of Salarzai, Bajaur district, near the Afghanistan border read more

Pakistan: Two soldiers killed, two injured in IED blast in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Reuters

Two security officials were killed and two injured after an improvised explosive device (IED) blast occurred in Pakistans northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Friday (March 8), news agency AP reported, citing official sources.

The roadside IED explosion allegedly targeted a security forces vehicle.

The blast took place in the Mulla Said area of Salarzai, Bajaur district, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which borders Afghanistan.

Security forces quickly reached the site and sealed off the area. They launched a search operation to find those behind the blast. So far, no group has claimed responsibility.

Advertisement

This is a developing story.
Authorities had shut down all entry and exit points to the so-called Red Zone area of the capital for an indefinite period. Notably, the Red Zone hosts important government buildings of the federal government read more

A security official checks the site of a bomb blast in Quetta, Pakistan, on Feb. 28, 2025. (AP)

Authorities in Pakistans capital Islamabad were on high alert on Saturday (March 8) following a major attack on a check post on the PunjabKhyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) border. The attack took place in early hours of the day by 15-20 militants, according to media reports.

Authorities had shut down all entry and exit points to the so-called Red Zone area of the capital for an indefinite period.

Notably, the Red Zone hosts important government buildings of the federal government, including the Presidents House, Prime Ministers House, National Assembly of Pakistan, Senate of Pakistan, Foreign office, the diplomatic enclave, Supreme Court of Pakistan and other important offices.

Advertisement

Attack on check post

News agency IANS cited police sources as saying that the militants launched attacks on the check post using rocket launchers and other heavy weapons.

The attackers approached the post in small groups from multiple directions but were detected through thermal imaging cameras. The security personnel responded immediately with machine guns and mortar fire, forcing the assailants to retreat, said an officer of Punjab Police.

The check post has emerged as a major target for militants active in Pakistan. The Saturday attack was the second within this week. Militants attempted to occupy this check post last year as well but were thwarted by Pakistani security agencies.

Punjab Police have so far successfully repelled 19 similar assaults on border checkpoints, claimed Usman Anwar, Director General of Punjab Police.

Our vigilant officers have ensured that these elements fail in their nefarious designs, he added.

Militancy on rise in Pakistan

Pakistan has experienced a sharp rise in militant violence over the past months.

In February, a 175 per cent increase was recorded in civilian casualties compared to January, according to the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS).

The southwestern province of Balochistan was the most affected.

The report stated that Pakistan recorded 79 militant attacks in February, leading to 55 civilian deaths and 47 security personnel fatalities. Additionally, 81 security personnel and 45 civilians were injured.

In response, security forces have ramped up counter-militancy efforts, eliminating 156 militants, injuring 20, and arresting 66 suspects.

Advertisement

February 2025 marked the first month since August 2024 in which civilian fatalities surpassed those of security forces, the report said. Civilian deaths rose by 175 per cent compared to January 2025, when 20 civilians were killed, while security forces casualties declined by 18 per cent, down from 57 in January.

(With inputs from agencies)
This weekend, the Holy Year is celebrating volunteers, and many are extending their pilgrimage to pray for Francis outside the Gemelli hospital read more

Pope Francis continued his recovery from double pneumonia on Saturday as the Vaticans Holy Year proceeded without him on a weekend dedicated to the Catholic Churchs volunteers.

The night passed quietly, the pope is resting, said the Vaticans early morning update.

The 88-year-old pope, who has chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed as a young man, enters his fourth week at Romes Gemelli hospital with his condition stabilized following a few bouts of acute respiratory crises.

Advertisement

In his absence, the Vatican was going ahead with its Jubilee celebrations, the once-every-quarter-century Holy Year that is drawing pilgrims from around the world to Rome. This weekend, the Holy Year is celebrating volunteers, and many are extending their pilgrimage to pray for Francis outside the Gemelli hospital.

On Sunday, one of the cardinals most closely associated with Francis papacy, Canadian Cardinal Michael Czerny, presides over the Holy Year Mass for volunteers that Francis was supposed to have celebrated.

On Friday, Francis spent 20 minutes in the Gemelli hospital chapel, praying and doing some work in between rest and respiratory and physical therapy, the Vatican said. A medical update was expected later Saturday.

Francis has been using high flows of supplemental oxygen to help him breathe during the day and a noninvasive mechanical ventilation mask at night.

Doctors not involved in his care said after three weeks of acute care in the hospital for double pneumonia, they would have hoped to have seen improvement. While he has stabilized, they warned that he was increasingly at risk of secondary infections the longer he remains hospitalized. Additionally, Francis had episodes of acute respiratory failure earlier this week and underwent bronchoscopies to suction mucus from his lungs.

Hes had respiratory failure and they were not able to liberate him from the hospital in the first three weeks. And therefore I think youd say this does look concerning, perhaps more concerning than it did right at the beginning, said Dr. Andrew Chadwick, a respiratory and intensive care specialist at Oxford University Hospitals in England.

Advertisement

Dr. Jeffrey Millstein, a clinical assistant professor of internal medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, said it wasnt shocking that Francis hadnt improved in three weeks, and that it was encouraging he was able to breathe part of the day with just a nasal tube of high-flow oxygen.

But he said that the popes condition certainly was a precarious, touch and go kind of situation and that recovery, while still possible, would be a long process.

Going forward, I just would be looking for no new setbacks, he said. I think as long as he is dealing with the current issues and hes just making incremental progress, that would be great.

Advertisement

Francis was hospitalized Feb. 14 for what was then just a bad case of bronchitis. The infection progressed into a complex respiratory tract infection and double pneumonia that has sidelined Francis for the longest period of his 12-year papacy and raised questions about the future.
Russian strikes overnight had killed at least 12 people in eastern Ukraine as of Saturday morning, countrys emergency service said. read more

Emergency personnel work in a destroyed building following a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine. Reuters

Russian strikes overnight had killed at least 12 people in eastern Ukraine as of Saturday morning, AFP reported citing countrys emergency service said.

This development comes days ahead of talks in Saudi Arabia between US and Ukrainian negotiators aimed at negotiating a truce deal.

A separate strike city of on Dobropillia in Ukraines Donetsk region late Friday killed 11 people and injured 30, according to emergency services.

In a separate incident, a drone strike early Saturday in the city of Bogodukhiv killed one person and wounded seven others, said Kharkiv region military chief Oleg Synegubov.

Advertisement

The overnight air raids followed US President Donald Trumps warning of new sanctions and tariffs on Russia. However, he also suggested that negotiating with Moscow might be easier than dealing with Kyiv to end the ongoing three-year war.

Trump had earlier criticised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a White House meeting and suspended US aid to Kyiv, claiming it was meant to push for diplomacy. Speaking to reporters on Friday, Trump said he found negotiations with Ukraine difficult and expressed trust in Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Ukraine doesnt have the cards, Trump said. It may be easier dealing with Russia.

His comments came shortly after he threatened fresh sanctions and tariffs on Russia in response to its intensified attacks on Ukraine, including drone and missile strikes on energy facilities.

Since Russia is heavily bombarding Ukraine right now, I am seriously considering large-scale banking sanctions, tariffs, and other measures until a ceasefire and final peace agreement is reached, Trump posted on Truth Social.

Russia and Ukraine, get to the table now before its too late, he urged.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on Friday. According to State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce, Rubio reiterated Trumps goal of ending the war quickly and stressed that all sides must take steps toward a lasting peace.

Advertisement

Zelensky to visit Saudi Arabia

Zelensky is due to land in Saudi Arabia on Monday for talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The meeting is a day before Ukrainian officials are expected to hold fresh talks with their US counterparts on Tuesday in the Middle Eastern kingdom.

After meeting with Prince Mohammed, Zelensky said his team will remain in Saudi Arabia to work with our American partners.

Ukraine is most interested in peace, he added.

Earlier on Friday, he renewed calls for a mutual halt to aerial attacks on critical infrastructure following the recent Russian barrage.

The Ukrainian leader said the first steps to establishing real peace should be stopping both Russian and Ukrainian aerial and naval attacks.

Advertisement

This latest proposal builds on growing rhetoric from Kyiv, Washington and Moscow on halting the war.

The Kremlin has previously ruled out a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine.

Moscows defence ministry said Saturday its air defence systems destroyed 31 Ukrainian drones over the past night, with most over the territory of Krasnodar Krai.
According to the ministry, Russian soldiers damaged eight multi-story buildings and thirty vehicles during their strike on Dobropillia using ballistic missiles, many rockets, and drones read more

Firefighters work at the site of a residential area hit by a Russian military strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in the town of Dobropillia, Donetsk region, Ukraine. Reuters

Russian drone and missile assaults on Ukraines eastern city of Dobropillia overnight killed at least 11 people and injured 30, including five children, the Ukrainian Interior Ministry said Saturday.

According to the ministry, Russian soldiers damaged eight multi-story buildings and thirty vehicles during their strike on Dobropillia using ballistic missiles, many rockets, and drones. Eleven individuals, including five children, were killed in the assault, and thirty others were injured.

While extinguishing the fire, the occupiers struck again, damaging the fire truck, the ministry said on the Telegram messenger app.

Advertisement

Photographs of partially destroyed buildings engulfed in flames and rescue workers clearing debris were also published by the ministry.

The ministry also reported that three civilians were killed in a separate drone attack on the Kharkiv region in the northeast.

Such strikes show that Russias objectives have not changed. Therefore, it is crucial to continue to do our best to protect lives, strengthen our air defences, and increase sanctions against Russia. Everything that helps Putin finance the war must collapse, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Facebook.

On Friday, Russian forces destroyed Ukrainian energy and gas infrastructure in their first big missile assault since the US halted information cooperation with Ukraine, putting further pressure on Kyiv as President Donald Trump wants a quick conclusion to the war.

The suspension of US military help and information may weaken Ukraines air defences as it runs low on modern missiles and unable to follow strikes as efficiently, military specialists warn.

Dobropillia, which was home to around 28,000 people prior to the fighting, is located in eastern Ukraines Donetsk region, 22 kilometres (13.67 miles) from the front line north of the important centre of Pokrovsk, which Russian soldiers have been attacking for weeks.

The ministry also said at least three were killed and 7 injured in a separate drone attack on Kharkiv region overnight.

Advertisement

Ukrainian military said Russia attacked Ukraine overnight with two Iskander-M ballistic missiles and one Iskander-K cruise missile as well as 145 drones.

They said air forces shot down one cruise missile and 79 drones. The military said another 54 drones did not reach their targets, likely due to electronic countermeasures.
How to Install Krikya Apk: Full Instructions

Mobile betting is rapidly gaining popularity in Bangladesh, with more than 60 per cent of punters preferring to bet through apps rather than websites. However, Google Play and App Store restrict access to betting sites, so users have to install Krikya apk manually. This task may seem complicated, but it actually only takes a few minutes. In this guide, we will detail how to properly download, install and configure the Krikya app on your device.

Preparing to Install Krikya APK

Before downloading the app, it is important to make sure that your device meets the technical requirements. This will help avoid problems when installing and using Krikya.

Device Compatibility

The Krikya app works on most modern Android smartphones and tablets. However, for stable operation it is important that your phone meets the following requirements:

Operating system: Android 6.0 or higher.

Free memory: minimum 100 MB.

RAM: 2GB or more.

Internet access: stable Wi-Fi or mobile connection (4G/5G).

If your phone is outdated, the app may work with delays or may not start at all. In this case, you can use the mobile version of the Krikya website through your browser.

Permission to Install APK

Since Krikya is not available on Google Play, you need to allow installation of apps from unknown sources before installation. To do this:

Go to Phone settings. Open Security or Applications. Find the Unknown Sources option. Enable permission to install third-party applications.

Now your phone is ready to install the Krikya app.

How to Download Krikya APK?

The safest way to download Krikya APK is through the official website.

Download order:

Open a browser (Chrome, Firefox, Opera) on your phone. In the address bar, type krikya.com and go to the site. Find the Download APK button and click on it. Confirm the file download and wait for the download to complete.

Important: Never download APK files from unverified sites. This may lead to the installation of malware.

Checking the Uploaded File

After Krirkya download make sure the file is safe:

The file name should be Krikya.apk without extra characters.

The size of the file should be the same as specified on the website (usually around 30-50 MB).

Antivirus scan  if you have an antivirus installed, scan the file before installing.

If the file meets all the parameters, you can proceed to installation.

Krikya APK Installation Instructions

Installation takes only a few minutes and follows a few simple steps:

Open the Downloads folder on your phone. Locate the Krikya.apk file and click on it. In the window that appears, select Install. Wait for the installation process to complete (usually 10-30 seconds). When finished, click Open to launch the application.

If the installation has not started, check:

Whether installation permissions from unknown sources are enabled.

Whether there is enough free space in the phone memory.

Whether the APK file is fully downloaded.

If the problem persists, try rebooting the device and repeating the installation.

First Steps After Installing Krikya

After successful installation, you need to log in to your account or register.

How to register with Krikya:

Open the Krikya app. Click Register and fill in the form (phone number, e-mail, password). Select the account currency (BDT) and specify the payment details. Confirm registration via SMS or e-mail. Log in to your account.

Now you can top up your balance and start betting.

Possible Problems and Solutions

Some users encounter difficulties downloading and installing Krikya APK. Most often this is due to internet connection problems, device incompatibility or lack of memory. If the file is not downloaded, first of all you should check the stability of the Internet connection, try to refresh the page or use another browser, such as Chrome or Opera. Sometimes it helps to clear the browser cache and try downloading again.

If the message Application not installed appears during installation, it may be due to an outdated version of Android, lack of memory or a corrupted file. In this case, you should check if your device meets the minimum requirements, delete unnecessary files and download the APK file again from the official website.

After installation, the application may not open. In this case, it is recommended to reboot the device and try again. If the problem persists, you can check for updates in the phone settings or uninstall and reinstall the app. In rare cases, clearing the application cache via Android settings can help.

How to Install Krikya APK via Computer

If you dont have enough memory on your phone or have internet problems, you can download the APK to your PC and then transfer it to your phone.

How to transfer APK from PC to smartphone:

Open your browser on your PC and go to the official website of Krikya. Download the APK file. Connect your phone to your computer via USB cable. Move the Krikya.apk file to the Download folder on your phone. Switch off your phone and install the app following the instructions above.

This method is handy if you have slow internet on your phone or cant download the file directly.

Now you know how to download, install and configure Krikya APK correctly. Following these instructions, you will be able to avoid mistakes and quickly start using the application.

FAQ

Where can I download Krikya apps?

Only on the official Krikya website  this guarantees the security of the file.

Why does the installation not start?

Make sure you have enabled installation from unknown sources in the phone settings.

What should I do if Krikya does not open after installation?

Try rebooting your device or reinstalling the app.

Can I install Krikya APK on iPhone?

No, the app is only available for Android. iOS users can use the web version of Krikya.
A court had dismissed his arrest order the day before on technical and legal reasons, a move that prosecutors investigating Yoon described as unjust in a statement released on Saturday read more

South Korean impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol gestures outside the Seoul detention center after his release, in Uiwang, South Korea. Reuters

Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was freed from detention on Saturday when a judge overturned his arrest on procedural grounds; nevertheless, he is still being investigated for declaring martial law.

The suspended president, who was apprehended in a dawn raid in January on insurgency charges stemming from his December 3 attempt to overthrow civilian government, came out of the jail facility smiling before bending deeply in front of a small band of applauding supporters.

Advertisement

I bow my head in gratitude to the people of this nation, Yoon said in a statement released through his lawyers.

A court had dismissed his arrest order the day before on technical and legal reasons, a move that prosecutors investigating Yoon described as unjust in a statement released on Saturday.

Yoon was released when prosecutors forfeited their ability to challenge the courts decision, which was based on technical elements of his criminal imprisonment.

Yoon is also facing a separate Constitutional Court verdict on whether to sustain his impeachment and formally remove him from office, with the court decision likely any day.

Prosecutors said that given the Constitutional Courts ruling and related considerations, the Prosecutor General has instructed the team to actively present its arguments before the trial court instead, of appealing Yoons release from detention.

South Korea must hold a fresh presidential election within 60 days if Yoon is removed.

The criminal case against him will continue even if he is formally stripped of office.

Restoration of rule of law

Yoons lawyers, who had filed a request to cancel his arrest last month arguing his detention was unlawful because the prosecution waited too long to indict him, hailed his release.

The presidents release signifies the restoration of the rule of law, his legal team said in a statement.

Advertisement

Yoon got into a convoy of vehicles and drove straight to the presidential residence, AFP reporters saw, getting out of his car outside the presidential compound to greet the hundreds of cheering supporters waiting outside.

The opposition slammed the decision, with Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung saying at a rally that they would fight until the insurrection is over.

Yoon, a former prosecutor, plunged democratic South Korea into turmoil in December by briefly suspending civilian rule and sending soldiers into parliament.

He has been charged with insurrection for his martial law declaration, which lawmakers voted down within hours before impeaching him.

The 64-year-old resisted arrest for two weeks, in a tense standoff between his security team and investigators at his official residence in Seoul. He was finally taken into custody on January 15.

Advertisement

Much of the impeachment trial has centred on whether Yoon violated the constitution by declaring martial law, which is reserved for national emergencies or times of war.

The opposition has accused him of taking the extraordinary measure without proper justification.

Yoons lawyers have said he declared martial law to alert the country to the dangers of legislative dictatorship by the opposition.
US President Donald Trump said that Vladimir Putin was doing what anybody would do after Russia launched a major missile and drone attack on Ukraine. read more

US President Donald Trump said on Friday that Vladimir Putin was doing what anybody would do after Russia launched a major missile and drone attack on Ukraine, The Guardian reported.

This remarks comes after the US decided to halt key military aid and intelligence sharing to Kyiv.

When a reporter asked whether Putin was taking advantage of the pause in US intelligence sharing and military aid to Ukraine, Trump said, I actually think he is doing what anybody else would do.

Advertisement

Trump made the statement while speaking to the press at the Oval Office on Friday.

He said he finds it easier to work with Russia than Ukraine and claimed that Putin wants to end the war.

Im finding it more difficult, frankly, to deal with Ukraine. And they dont have the cards, Trump said. In terms of getting a final settlement, it may be easier dealing with Russia.

Trump, emphasising the gravity of the recent massive missile attacks on Ukraine, said, Were doing very well with Russia. But right now, theyre bombing the hell out of Ukraine.

He said that he thinks Putin wants to stop the war and reach a settlement, adding, I think hes hitting them harder than hes been hitting them, and I think probably anybody in that position would be doing that right now.

The stance on foreign policy, particularly on Ukraine, has changed after Trump took office for his second term as US President.

War of words between Trump, Zelenskyy

Earlier, both Trump and Zelenskyy were engaged in a war of words following a strain in ties.

Trump called Zelenskyy a dictator without elections, whereas the Ukrainian President said that Trump was living in a Russian disinformation bubble.

Public spat in Oval office

Later, when Zelenskyy visited the White House, the two leaders clashed publicly, with Trump accusing Zelenskyy of gambling on World War 3, not seeking peace in the war and disrespecting the US.

In an effort to secure peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, Trump announced plans to visit Saudi Arabia to discuss reviving the peace process.

Advertisement

Trump strongly considering new sanctions on Russia

Earlier, Trump said on Friday that he is strongly considering imposing new sanctions and tariffs on Russia. This could be seen as his attempt to increase pressure on Moscow to secure peace in the Ukraine war.

Trump, in a post on his Truth Social platform, said he was considering the action based on the fact that Russia is absolutely pounding Ukraine on the battlefield right now.
The three-year-long war is now at a critical juncture for Kyiv after Trump suspended US military aid as well as access to satellite imagery and intelligence-sharing following his public falling-out with Zelenskyy last week. read more

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, firefighters put out the fire following a Russian rocket attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Friday, March 7, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)

One week after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyys confrontational approach with US President Donald Trump led to a heated Oval Office meeting, Kyiv is now working to repair relations with Washington as the White House is intensifying pressure for a swift resolution to the war with Russia even as Ukraine seeks to maintain international support.

Senior US and Ukrainian officials are scheduled to meet in Jeddah on Tuesday for talks on ending the conflict with Zelenskyy set to meet Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday. US envoy Steve Witkoff said he would discuss an initial ceasefire with Russia and a framework for a longer-term agreement.

Advertisement

Ukraine and its allies hope that the recent pressure from Washingtonincluding the suspension of military aid, demands for half of Ukraines mineral wealth to repay an alleged debt, and a call for a public apology from Zelenskyyis merely a negotiating tactic. However, a broader shift in US strategy is becoming evident. The Trump administration now positions itself not as an ally to Ukraine and Europe but as a mediator between Kyiv and Moscow, reportedly helping Russia to reintegrate Russia on the world stage.

On Friday, after Russia launched a barrage of missiles and drones targeting Ukrainian energy facilities, Trump hinted at imposing new large-scale sanctions and tariffs on Moscow until a ceasefire and final agreement are reached. This rare threat against Russian President Vladimir

Putin suggested Zelenskyys diplomatic efforts might be yielding results. However, Trump later appeared to backtrack, seemingly condoning Russian attacks and reiterating his view that Ukraines position remains weak.

As Europe struggles to adapt to the shifting sands of diplomacy, Ukraine faces the challenge of handling a complex geopolitical situation while striving to end the war on favourable terms.

Zelenskyy seeks constructive dialogue

Zelenskyy on Saturday named a high-level delegation including ministers that will meet US negotiators in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday seeking to repair ties with President Donald Trumps administration.

The United States has said it wants to discuss a framework for a peace agreement, but the Ukrainian leader was less specific.

We hope to discuss and agree on the necessary decisions and steps, he said, stressing that Ukraine is fully committed to constructive dialogue.

Since taking office in January, US President Donald Trump has paused US military aid to Ukraine as well as intelligence-sharing with Kyiv. He has accused Zelenskyy of not being serious about reaching a peace agreement with Russia, which invaded Ukraine three years ago and has seized about 20 per cent of its territory."

Advertisement

Ukraine has been seeking peace from the very first second of this war. Realistic proposals are on the table. The key is to move quickly and effectively," Zelenskyy said on social media network X.

Today, a highly productive meeting took place in Kyiv between the diplomatic teams of Ukraine and the UK.



We discussed our joint steps that could bring us closer to peace and accelerate diplomatic efforts. Im grateful for the support. Ukraine is determined to do everything to  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) March 8, 2025

Zelenskyy said he would visit Saudi Arabia next week and that after meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman on Monday, Ukrainian diplomatic and military representatives would stay for a meeting on Tuesday with the US team.

On our side, we are fully committed to constructive dialogue, and we hope to discuss and agree on the necessary decisions and steps, he said.

With inputs from agencies
The 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation at an emergency meeting in Saudi Arabia, on Saturday formally adopted a plan put forward by the Arab League. read more

Palestinians walk surrounded by the rubble of destroyed homes and building in the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City, Friday, March 7, 2025. Image- AP

Britain, France, Germany and Italy on Saturday backed a proposal by Muslim-majority nations to rebuild Gaza as a realistic path.

The counter-proposal to US President Donald Trumps plan to take over Gaza and displace its residents promises  if implemented  swift and sustainable improvement of the catastrophic living conditions for the Palestinians living in Gaza, the foreign ministers of the four countries said in a joint statement.

The plan proposed by Egypt and endorsed by Arab leaders on Tuesday seeks to rebuild the Gaza Strip without displacing its 2.4 million residents, who have endured 17 months of war. Unlike U.S. President Donald Trumps proposal to transform Gaza into a West Asia Riviera, the Egyptian plan focuses on reconstruction while keeping the population in place.

Advertisement

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), representing the Muslim world, has called on the international community and funding institutions to swiftly support the plan. However, the proposal, which does not assign a role to Hamas, the governing authority in Gaza, has been rejected by both Israel and the U.S.

Despite this, European foreign ministers have praised the plan, describing it as a realistic path to the reconstruction of Gaza.

We are clear that Hamas must neither govern Gaza nor be a threat to Israel any more, they said in their statement.

We commend the serious efforts of all involved stakeholders and appreciate the important signal the Arab states have sent by jointly developing this recovery and reconstruction plan, the statement added.

We are committed to working with the Arab initiative, the Palestinians and Israel to address those issues together.

With inputs from agencies
Several UK diplomatic figures, including former British ambassador to the US David Manning, have raised doubts over the future of US-UK nuclear cooperation. Many believe the UK should immediately start looking eastward read more

Defence nuclear programmes of the UK and US are highly intertwined. So much so that most of the UKs nuclear stockpile is maintained by US agencies and experts under a 1958 agreement. Thus, heavy reliance on the US makes the UKs nuclear posture somewhat dependent and less sovereign.

Thats why experts are now alarmed over the possibility of the US, under President Donald Trump, pulling out of Nato military alliance and stopping maintaining UK nuclear weapons.

Advertisement

This comes as the UKs Trident submarine-launched nuclear missile system increasingly shows signs of inefficiency. Experts believe the UK is in no position to repair and revive its ageing nuclear infrastructure without support from the US.

Britain likes to call its nuclear posture independent, but it, of course, is absolutely not, Hans Kristensen, who monitors the status of nuclear forces for the Federation of American Scientists, a US thinktank, was quoted as saying by the Guardian.

It may be that Britain can fire weapons independently of the US, but below that, the entire infrastructure covering missile compartments on submarines, the missiles themselves, all are supplied by the Americans.

UK urged to deepen cooperation with France

Several UK diplomatic figures, including former British ambassador to the US David Manning, have raised doubts over the future of US-UK nuclear cooperation.

Many believe the UK should immediately start looking eastward for the solution.

Former UK foreign secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind is batting for cooperation with Paris.

It really is necessary for Britain and France to work more closely together because if American reliability ever came into question, then Europe could be defenceless in the face of Russian aggression, he said.

The contribution by America must now be to some degree in doubt, not today or tomorrow, but over the next few years and certainly as long as Trump and people like him are in control in Washington.

Challenges

But making that switch from the US to France wont be that easy for London.

Firstly, it would be too awkward for the UK to publicly acknowledge the risk itself, given that it may send inappropriate message to both Washington and Moscow.

Advertisement

It would be a big risk if it wasnt being planned for, but its something the UK government cant be too public about, as it wouldnt want to give the Trump administration or Russia any ideas, said Marion Messmer, a senior research fellow at Chatham House and an expert on nuclear weapons policy.

Secondly, the US-supported systems are hugely complicated and costly.

Thirdly, the UK should not take French support for granted given their own differences.

You could hope that France  the most obvious contender for Britain to work with  has a delivery vehicle similar to Trident that could easily be adapted, but it would require the French government and the French nuclear enterprise being willing to share those designs with the UK, Messmer warned.

Advertisement

Nonetheless, the UK government continues to dismiss such doubts and risks publicly.

The UKs nuclear deterrent is completely operationally independent, asserted a No 10 spokesperson this week, adding that PM Keir Starmer viewed the US as a reliable ally.
The travel advisory asks Americans to not travel to Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which include the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), due to terrorism. read more

The US has issued an advisory cautioning against travel to the immediate vicinity of the India-Pakistan border and the Line of Control due to terrorism and the potential for armed conflict and to the provinces of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The US State Department issued the travel advisory on Friday. The advisory states that people should reconsider travel to Pakistan due to terrorism and the potential for armed conflict.

The travel advisory asks Americans to not travel to Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which include the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), due to terrorism.

Advertisement

It also cautions against travel to the immediate vicinity of the India-Pakistan border and the Line of Control due to terrorism and the potential for armed conflict.

Violent extremist groups continue to plot attacks in Pakistan. Terrorist attacks are frequent in Balochistan province and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which include the former FATA. Large-scale terrorist attacks have resulted in numerous casualties, and small-scale attacks are frequent.

Terrorism and ongoing violence by extremist elements have led to indiscriminate attacks on civilians, as well as local military and police targets. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting transportation hubs, markets, shopping malls, military installations, airports, universities, tourist attractions, schools, hospitals, places of worship, and government facilities. Terrorists have targeted US diplomats and diplomatic facilities in the past, the advisory said.

It said Pakistans security environment remains fluid, sometimes changing with little or no notice. There are greater security resources and infrastructure in the major cities, particularly Islamabad, and security forces in these areas may be more readily able to respond to an emergency compared to other areas of the country, it said.

On advisory related to the Vicinity of Line of Control  Level 4: Do Not Travel, it said, Do not travel to the India-Pakistan border, including areas along the Line of Control for any reason. Militant groups are known to operate in the area. India and Pakistan maintain a strong military presence on their respective sides of the border.

Advertisement

The only official Pakistan-India border crossing point for persons who are not citizens of India or Pakistan is in the province of Punjab between Wagah, Pakistan, and Atari, India. Travellers are advised to confirm the status of the border crossing prior to commencing travel. An Indian visa is required to enter India, and no visa services are available at the border. On the Balochistan province, the travel advisory is at Level 4: Do Not Travel.

Do not travel to Balochistan province for any reason. Extremist groups, including an active separatist movement, have conducted deadly terrorist attacks against civilians, religious minorities, government offices, and security forces, it said.

Advertisement

It added that do not travel to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which includes the former FATA, for any reason.

Active terrorist and insurgent groups routinely conduct attacks against civilians, non-governmental organisations, government offices, and security forces.

These groups historically have targeted both government officials and civilians. Assassination and kidnapping attempts are common, including the targeting of polio eradication teams and Government of Pakistan security service (police and military) personnel, it said.
Following the massive backlash, the officials of United Russia party from the town of Polyarniye Zori defended their decision and accused critics of making provocative interpretations read more

Russias ruling party is facing flak for a major symbolic as well as PR disaster: Gifting meat grinders to families of soldiers killed in the Ukraine war.

Officials from President Vladimir Putins United Russia party posted photos on social media this week, showing families from the northern Murmansk region, including bereaved mothers, receiving flowers and meat grinders on the occasion of International Womens Day.

The officials in their message thanked the mums for their strength of spirit and the love you put into bringing up your sons.

Advertisement

However, the act was immediately criticised by users on social media, with some saying the gesture was shameful and inappropriate.

Officials defend decision

Following the massive backlash, the officials of the United Russia party from the town of Polyarniye Zori defended their decision and accused critics of making provocative interpretations of the gift, reported news agency AFP.

Mayor Maxim Chengayev clarified that the meat grinder was gifted to the families after one mother specifically asked for it, and the item was not originally intended to be included as a gift.

We, of course, could not say no, AFP quoted Chengayev as saying.

The party officials later shared a video featuring one of the soldiers mothers, who awkwardly expressed gratitude for the gifts. She also confirmed that she had specifically requested a meat grinder because she needed one.

I wanted to buy [the meat grinder] for myself, but you gifted me one just in time, the woman said while looking at the camera.

I asked you for it, in principle.

A pro-war organisation called Defenders of the Fatherland also supported the move to gift meat grinders. In a statement, it said, Our duty and responsibility is to surround the mothers of the Heroes of the Fatherland with attention and support, not in words, but in deeds.

We strive to be close to these strong women, share their experiences and provide assistance in difficult times.

This comes after Russias continued bombardment of Ukraine after the US also suspended aid to the country.

Trump recently announced he would face sanctions on Russia if a peace deal is not reached with Ukraine.

Advertisement

Trump posted on his Truth Social platform: Based on the fact that Russia is absolutely pounding Ukraine on the battlefield right now, I am strongly considering large scale Banking Sanctions, Sanctions, and Tariffs on Russia until a Cease Fire and FINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ON PEACE IS REACHED.

To Russia and Ukraine, get to the table right now, before it is too late.

(With inputs from agencies)
Russian troops have reclaimed the villages of Viktorovka, Nikolayevka and Staraya Sorochina in the western Kursk region from Ukrainian forces, according to a report by the Tass state news agency on Saturday, citing the Russian defence ministry. read more

Russia on Saturday said its troops had retaken three villages seized by Ukraine in its Kursk border region in a fresh setback for Kyiv as the prospect of peace negotiations appeared to be increasing.

Days ahead of talks between the US and Ukrainian negotiators to secure a truce, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday called for more sanctions against Russia as overnight strikes killed at least 14 people and wounded dozens more.

Advertisement

Russian forces attacked Dobropillia with ballistic missiles, multiple rockets, and drones, causing damage to eight multi-storey buildings and 30 vehicles, according to the ministry. The assault resulted in the deaths of 11 people, including five children, and left 30 others wounded.

The ministry also reported that three civilians were killed and seven wounded in a separate drone attack on the Kharkiv region in the northeast.

Such strikes show that Russias objectives have not changed. Therefore, it is crucial to continue to do our best to protect lives, strengthen our air defences, and increase sanctions against Russia. Everything that helps Putin finance the war must collapse, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Facebook.

The overnight air raids came after US President Donald Trump threatened new sanctions and tariffs on Russia but said it may be easier to work with Moscow than Kyiv on efforts to end the three-year-long war.

Such strikes show that Russias goals are unchanged. Therefore, it is very important to continue to do everything to protect life, strengthen our air defence, and increase sanctions against Russia, Zelenskyy wrote on the Telegram social media channel.

Washington has suspended crucial US military aid and access to satellite imagery and intelligence sharing after President Donald Trump and Zelensky had a public falling-out in the Oval Office last week.

Advertisement

Ukraine still controls some 400 square kilometres (150 square miles) in the Kursk region after launching a cross-border offensive last August and Zelensky sees this as a possible bargaining chip in peace talks.

But Ukraines troops in Kursk have seen their position worsen in recent weeks with Russias army encroaching.

Russias defence ministry on Saturday announced the recapture of three more villages: Viktorovka, Nikolayevka and Staraya Sorochina.

Putin has no interest in peace: EU

Putin has no interest in peace, the European Unions foreign policy chief said on Saturday, after overnight strikes by Moscows troops killed 14 people in Ukraine.

Russian missiles keep relentlessly falling on Ukraine, bringing more death and more destruction. Once again, Putin shows he has no interest in peace. We must step up our military support  otherwise, even more Ukrainian civilians will pay the highest price, Kaja Kallas said on X.

Advertisement

With inputs from agencies
Waves as large as 17 metres have battered the coastline, with damaging effects expected to last for years to come.

As Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred made its way towards our coastline, millions across the country were left stunned by the ferocious weather conditions  with some watching the waves rolling in with awe, while others ignored warnings to take advantage of the rare surf conditions.

But what's clear for all to see is that beaches up and down the east coast have been battered by the weather event not seen so far south in over 50 years. One freak 17-metre wave was recorded near Brisbane.

Photos show drop offs as steep as six metres on Queensland beaches from Surfers Paradise down to Coolangatta and into New South Wales beaches like Duranbah and Kingscliff where the damaging waves have ripped the sand away from the beach and washed it away.

University of the Sunshine Coast's Dr. Javier Leon told Yahoo News an unfortunate consequence of the wild conditions is that the important dunes could take "years" to recover.

ADVERTISEMENT

READ MORE:  Cyclone Alfred live updates

Debris and beach erosion is seen at Duranbah Beach in Northern New South Wales. Source: AAP/Jason O'Brien

Beach erosion at Kingscliff in Northern New South Wales. Source: AAP Image/Jason O'Brien

Beaches are 'very resilient' but will take a long time to recover

Sand dunes play a vital role in the environment, creating a natural flood barrier and a buffer for wind erosion as well as being used as a nesting ground for native birds and turtles.

"Beaches are very resilient and great at adapting to waves. The erosion we are observing is a result of sand moving offshore due to energetic conditions," Dr. Leon told Yahoo. "This makes waves break offshore and acts as a barrier."

As conditions go back to normal, Dr Leon said that much of this sand will come back to shore. "The rate of this recovery depends on upcoming conditions but usually takes weeks to months. Dunes take longer to recover," he said.

"In some cases, it might take years for dunes to come back to pre-cyclone conditions."

ADVERTISEMENT

Acting Gold Coast Mayor Donna Gates echoed this. "We'll be really anxious to see our beaches recover over time," she told the ABC. "It will take some time. There's 4m to 6m escarpment"

In the coming days and weeks, authorities may need to intervene to help return the beaches to their natural state.

"On places where erosion has been extreme, dunes might have been overtopped and sand from beaches might have moved too offshore or swept away by strong currents," Dr Leon said. "In such cases, interventions like beach nourishment might be needed to restore the beach and dunes."

ADVERTISEMENT

He added that it's "important to stay away" from the dunes as they start to recover.

Cyclone downgraded to tropical low but 800mm of rain predicted

Since making landfall, Cyclone Alfred has been downgraded to a tropical low, but its effects have been well and truly felt through Queensland's southeast and northern NSW.

The Bureau of Meteorology's latest advice indicates the low is sustaining winds near its centre of 55km/h with wind gusts of up to 85km/h with 800mm of rain predicted within the region.

The heaviest rainfall until the system has moved inland, the Bureaus Christine Johnston said on ABC Breakfast. Ms Johnston added the risk of massive rain totals and life-threatening flash-flooding had increased in the Sunshine Coast and Wide Bay-Burnett areas, given the shift of the heaviest rainfall occurring north of Brisbane, rather than south.

 With NCA Newswire

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
While many think it's fine to 'ignore' these parking tickets, a leading lawyer has explained why you might want to pay it anyway.

A driver's shopping centre parking fine has prompted a debate about whether they are payable or not. Source: Google/Reddit

A driver's frustration at copping a $77 parking penalty at a shopping centre has reignited a debate over whether or not the privately issued fines are enforceable  with one leading lawyer issuing a stark warning to those who choose to utilise a cheeky loophole and "ignore" the penalties.

The Perth driver who copped the fine earlier this week for parking at the Bull Creek shopping centre, in the city's south, with "no permit" asked fellow residents if he had to pay the parking breach notice given it came from a private company and not a law-enforcement authority.

While many Aussies were quick to urge him to ignore the notice, with previous advice suggesting drivers can simply "throw it in the bin". But leading lawyer Hayder Shkara has cautioned against this. He told Yahoo News that while private parking fines are "not the same" as council-issued fines, not paying them do come with certain risks.

"While some people ignore them, it's important to know the risks involved," he warned.

Leading lawyer Hayder Shkara cautions Aussies against ignoring private parking fines. Source: Getty/Hayder Shkara

What is a parking breach notice?

When a driver leaves their car in a private car park like a shopping centre, they enter a contract with a private entity. This means that they have to follow the terms and conditions outlined by that business.

ADVERTISEMENT

Breaking that contract, like parking without a permit, or overstaying your welcome, can result in what is called a "breach notice" such as what the Perth driver received.

Risks in 'ignoring' private parking fines

Hayder, a director at Walker Pender law firm explained that to enforce the fines, companies must take civil action.

"If you dont pay, the terms and conditions say that they will send a reminder letter with extra fees," he told Yahoo.

"If you keep ignoring it, they may refer the matter to debt recovery, adding further costs. They can also access registered owner details to chase payments."

ADVERTISEMENT

He explained that legal action isn't always guaranteed but "if the debt keeps accumulating due to extra 'administrative fees', it may be large enough for the debt collectors to take it to court. And they will win."

The best thing to do, according to Hayder, is appeal the fine if you think it's unfair. "Its best to appeal rather than ignore it," he said. "Otherwise, you can choose to pay or take the risk of ignoring it, knowing the possible consequences."

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2024.
Multiple people have been injured after two Australian Defence Force vehicles responding to ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred crashed near Lismore.

A major emergency response was launched on Saturday evening after two Defence vehicles carrying 36 people crashed on Tregeagle Rd in Tregeagle about 9km southwest of Lismore just after 5pm.

A Defence spokesperson said 13 of the 36 personnel on board the two vehicles were injured.

They were taken to Lismore Base Hospital, Byron Central Hospital, Ballina District Hospital and Tweed Hospital.

Its understood some people were trapped following the incident, but not for a prolonged period of time.

ADVERTISEMENT

A Defence spokesperson said the welfare of ADF members and their families is a priority and Defences focus is on supporting those involved.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Defence Minister Richard Marles released a joint statement on Saturday evening.

A short time ago there was a serious vehicle incident involving two Australian Defence Force vehicles near Lismore, the statement read.

A number of ADF personnel have been injured, some seriously.

More than 30 Australian Defence Force personnel were injured in a crash near Lismore. Picture: 7News.

Medical assistance is on hand. We stress this is an ongoing incident.

Right now our focus is on the welfare of those involved and their families.

Our ADF heroes were on their way to help Australians in need.

NSW Premier Chris Minns also said he was very concerned.

Im very concerned to hear reports of an accident involving Australian Defence Force personnel tonight, Mr Minns said.

ADVERTISEMENT

They came to the Northern Rivers to help keep this community safe.

NSW emergency services are currently responding on the scene and we will provide all support necessary.

Pictures showed multiple emergency vehicles and police officers at the scene on Saturday evening.

Defence personnel were also captured running.

The personnel had been responding to ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Picture: 7News.

There were 36 people injured. Picture: 7News.

Lismore MP Janelle Saffin said the community sent love to those injured in a Facebook post on Saturday night.

To the Australian Defence Force soldiers, their families, and their Australians Defence Force family, our community expresses its heartfelt concern and send our love to those personnel injured and their families, Ms Saffin said.

Those injured were taken to four different hospitals. Picture: 7News.

They came in service to our Northern Rivers communities in our time of need and we stand ready to help in their time of need.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton also expressed his concern following the incident in a social media post.

ADVERTISEMENT

The ADF is at the forefront of Australias disaster response, bravely stepping into danger to protect and support communities, Mr Dutton said.

Our thoughts, prayers and gratitude are with them, their families and their fellow personnel.

Wishing all those injured a full and speedy recovery.

NSW Police earlier said officers from the crash investigation unit would investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash.

Tregeagle Rd was closed following the incident, with members of the public urged to avoid the area.

Man dead amid ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred

The body of a man who was swept away by floodwaters in northern NSW was found, marking the first loss of life amid ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

Emergency services on Friday responded to reports of a 4WD being washed off a bridge into fast-running waters at Wild Cattle Creek Bridge near Old Coramba Road northeast of Dorrigo.

ADVERTISEMENT

The driver was initially able to escaped the vehicle and cling onto a tree before he was swept away shortly after.

A search was launched to find the 61-year-old man, however police confirmed the body of a man was found nearby about 4.30pm on Saturday.

While the body is yet to be formally identified, it is believed to be that of the missing man, a NSW Police spokesperson said.

Flooding imminent in Lismore after TC Alfred crossed the Queensland coast and was downgraded to a tropical low with heavy rain expected. Picture: NewsWire / Glenn Campbell

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the mans death tragic.

Tragic news out of NSW this evening with confirmation a man has died in floodwaters near Dorrigo, Mr Albanese said.

Our thoughts are with his loved ones and the community at this heartbreaking time.

The Prime Minister earlier said authorities had held grave concerns for the missing man.

Acting Coffs/Clarence police district commander Detective Inspector Guy Flaherty earlier said the search for the man had been hampered by weather conditions.

We are dealing with an evolving, dynamic weather event which presents unique search and rescue challenges, Inspector Flaherty said.

Aside from the severe local weather and flood conditions, we have a responsibility to keep emergency personnel and volunteers safe from unnecessary risk.

The search and the assessment of the area has been ongoing by local police since this incident commenced.

We are using local knowledge to collate information as to how the river system progresses and identify key access point. But, again, we will only be looking at where we can safely put our SES and police into those areas.

NSW Premier Chris Minns cautioned the public not to dismiss the weather event. Picture: NewsWire / Glenn Campbell

Minns urged public not to dismiss weather event

NSW Premier Chris Minns said communities across the states north were still in danger as ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred threatens to dump huge amounts of rain.

Mr Minns said on Saturday the main message he wanted to send was that the emergency was not over, despite the system weakening to a tropical low that morning.

He told NSW residents they needed to be alert as the next several days were expected to bring heavy rain, full rivers and windy conditions.

For those three reasons it is crucially important that the public not dismiss this weather event as something that has already passed, Mr Minns said.

It really doesnt matter to us whether it has been downgraded from the tropical cyclone to a weather event, or whether it is still a tropical cyclone.

He warned the next 24 hours would be critical for regions impacted by Alfred.

The effect on the Northern Rivers communities and lower down into the Coffs Harbour area is still the same for thousands and thousands of families  it is a really important point, (not) just to be trivialised or put to one side, he said.

Lismore is currently facing heavy rain brought on by ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

Lismore prepares for the expected deluge from Cyclone Alfred expected arrival on Saturday by closing off low lying areas. Picture: NewsWire / Glen Campbell

Residents in Lismore voiced concerns of the devastating impacts ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred could still have on the Lismore community, so soon after it was devastated by the 2022 floods.

Thousands of people have been evacuated and tens of thousands of homes are at risk of flooding as now ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred inundates areas along the coast.

There are fears the South Lismore levee could break later on Saturday.

The latest official data indicates the Wilsons River at Lismore was at 9.22m and still rising on Saturday afternoon, and could soon exceed the major flood level of 9.7m.

The flood-ravaged city of Lismore in NSW north has gone underwater again as the Wilson River bank burst. Picture: 9News

The flood-ravaged city of Lismore in NSW north has gone underwater again as the Wilson River bank burst. Picture: 9News

The Bureau forecast the river level could reach 10m by late Saturday afternoon, lower than previously expected.

According to the Bureau of Meteorologys 2.30pm update, river levels are no longer expected to reach the heights of Lismore CBD Levee, although flooding will still occur.

Moderate flooding is occurring at Lismore, with river levels rising slowly. Further river level rises at Lismore are possible as upstream floodwaters approach. River levels may reach major flood levels Saturday afternoon. River levels are no longer expected to reach the height of the Lismore CBD levee (10.6 metres) during the afternoon, The Bureau said.

Based on the last update, the Wilson River at Lismore is currently at 9.27m and rising slowly. It is still expected to surpass 10m lat Saturday afternoon or evening.

This follows previous warnings from Mr Minns saying the flood might breach the levee protecting the town.

The latest models of it is right on 10.8m, which could be just under (or) just over in various parts, he said.

We hope it is under but  we are ready in the possibility of an overflow.

We hope it doesnt but it could and if it does it is likely to be today, he said.

A number higher than 10.6 means it would breach the Lismore CBD levee.

For residents such as Toni Storer  who has lived in the town for 62 years  it was the wind coming with the ex-tropical cyclone that made her nervous.

Ive lived through large sea surges, cyclones, small tornadoes  quite a variety of disasters, she told The Daily Telegraph.

There will be houses washed away because of this.

Lismore Mayor Steve Krieg was among the residents forced to evacuate as Alfred loomed off the coast, and spoke earlier this week about the devastating feeling of deja vu in the community.

Lismore Mayor Steve Krieg is calling for long-term flood mitigation to protect his town. Picture: NewsWire / Glen Campbell

As the town he leads began to be inundated on Saturday morning, Mr Krieg said there was a lot of concern for people who had only just rebuilt in the wake of the catastrophic 2022 floods.

If our levee overtops especially, our towns in a lot of trouble  just emotionally, financially, people are really struggling before this cyclone, he told Sunrise.

My wife will kill me for saying this, but the reality is theres tension in every household as to not only what the future, short- to long-term looks like.

Drone footage captures extent of flooding in Lismore, NSW

Weve put everything we have into rebuilding our lives  we can pay our staff this week and we dont know whats going to happen after that  it is that stressful.

Mr Krieg said he had conversations with NSW Premier Chris Minns and the Prime Minister about needing funding for flood mitigation.

The cost of doing some mitigation work in Lismore and in the Northern Rivers is a tenth of what the recovery cost is going to be after this cyclone, he said.

So long-term flood mitigation just has to be done.

I need a budget allocation from the state and federal governments to give our community the guarantee that the work is going to be done so that they have the confidence to rebuild their lives.

The flood-ravaged city of Lismore in NSW north has gone underwater again as the Wilson River bank burst. Picture: 9News

An alert from Lismore City Council said a major flood was a strong possibility, and that Alfred could still bring significant flooding impacts as a tropical low.

We are closely monitoring the situation, with staff stationed in the emergency operations centre to ensure we stay ahead of any developments, it read.

Council is already planning for the restoration and emergency works period, which is likely to begin early next week.

NSW north braces for the worst

Forty evacuation orders have been issued for communities across northern NSW as of Saturday morning.

In the latest warning there is major flooding predicted along the Richmond River.

The Bureau of Meteorology said at 3.40pm major flooding is possible at Oraki and Bungawalbyn on Sunday morning.

Inflows from the upper Richmond will combine with inflow from the Wilsons River, with major flooding possible at Coraki and Bungawalbyn Sunday morning and moderate flooding possible at Woodburn Sunday morning, the BOM said.

Meanwhile in the Tweed Heads region, which was facing pressures on their water treatment plant because of water damages.

Minister for the North Coast Rose Jackson has said the Tweed region near the Queensland border is facing quite local challenges in accessing potable water. Picture: NewsWire / Flavio Brancaleone

Minister for the North Coast Rose Jackson said at a press conference on Saturday that residents had been advised to conserve water for essential purposes only.

We can make arrangements to have potable water, and water carting where that becomes necessary, she said.

We have budget and equipment to deliver water to local communities who require potable drinking water. All of those provisions are in place.

As I said, at the moment, there are some quite local challenges in the Tweed Shire.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announces an update for the Lismore area. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Mr Albanese warns of power outages throughout northern NSW.

We know that there are reports of significant power outages with more than a quarter of a million homes without power, he said.

At the moment, the advice is there are several communities with no access because of power outages. State Emergency Services are aware and are working urgently with energy companies and telcos to restore services.

Mr Albanese said the government stood ready to activate disaster payments.

We wont be waiting for the March 25 budget to do that. We will do so expeditiously as is appropriate, he said.

The governments Disaster Recovery Payment is a one-off payment those eligible can receive $1000 per adult and $400 per child.

That is activated 40 hours after the initial impact. The disaster recovery allowance is a payment for up to 13 weeks for people who are unable to work as a direct result of the disaster, Mr Albanese said.

That is their businesses have been shut down where they work, so they are therefore unable to do so, or their workplace might be closed, and thats paid through Centrelink.

Those payments have not yet been activated.
Scott Crabtree/The Daily Sentinel

Students arrive for class at Bookcliff Middle School, 540 29 Road, in this 2023 file photo. On Friday, a student brought a gun to the school and threatened classmates, leading to a shelter-in-place for more than an hour. The student was later arrested and faces 14 criminal charges for the actions.
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.
Department of State Employee Charged for Conspiracy to Gather, Transmit, or Lose National Defense Information

Friday, March 7, 2025

For Immediate Release

Office of Public Affairs

View the complaint affidavit.

Michael Charles Schena, 42, of Alexandria, Virginia, was arrested on criminal charges related to his alleged participation in a criminal conspiracy to gather, transmit, or lose national defense information.

According to court documents, Schena is employed by the U.S. Department of State (DOS) working out of DOS Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Schena held a top secret security clearance and had access to information up to the secret level within his DOS workspace. Beginning in or about April 2022, Schena allegedly communicated with people he met online through various communication platforms and provided them with information they were not authorized to receive. In return, Schena received payments. On Feb. 27, Schena allegedly used a cellphone to take images of multiple documents, which were displayed on the monitor of his classified computer and marked as "SECRET." Schena then allegedly left work and returned to his home in Alexandria, where the cellphone was seized.

Schena is charged with conspiracy to gather, transmit, or lose national defense information and faces a penalty of up to 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case with assistance from the FBI Richmond Field Office, the Department of Justice's Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service Office of Counterintelligence.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Ben'Ary and Gavin R. Tisdale for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Maria Fedor of the National Security Division's Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Topics: National Security

Counterintelligence

Components: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

National Security Division (NSD)

USAO - Virginia, Eastern

Press Release Number: 25-237

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






How Important Is US Intelligence For Ukraine's War Effort?

By Farangis Najibullah and Sergei Dobrynin March 08, 2025

The US decision to restrict intelligence assistance to Ukraine will seriously undermine Kyiv's ability to defend itself against Russia, but it will not spell the end of Ukraine's war efforts, officials and analysts have said.

Washington announced on March 5 that it was placing limitations on intelligence sharing with Ukraine, a move that followed a pause in US military assistance to Kyiv.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe said the new restrictions on intelligence sharing were rooted in US President Donald Trump's concerns over his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy's commitment to peace after a disastrous meeting between the two leaders in the Oval Office last week.

How Is Ukraine Using US Intelligence?

The exact scope, nature, and impact of US intelligence assistance to Ukraine has not been made public. Nor is it clear to what extent intelligence-sharing is being paused, or in which specific areas it is being suspended.

Two US defense officials told CNN on March 7 that the US continues to share intelligence with Ukraine to aid in defensive operations but has "scaled back" the provision of intelligence that could be used for offensive strikes against Russian forces.

Several experts and politicians who spoke to RFE/RL said that the United States had been providing Ukraine with crucial data -- gathered through sophisticated satellite surveillance, interception of signals, and information from human assets -- about the location and movement of Russian troops and heavy weapons and their intended attacks, among other information.

The US-based Maxar, which provides high-resolution satellite imagery, told Current Time that its Ukrainian clients were facing restricted access to data provided by the US.

"Maxar has contracts with the US government and dozens of allied and partner nations around the world to provide satellite imagery and other geospatial data," a Maxar spokesperson told Current Time. "One of those contracts is GEGD (the Global Enhanced GEOINT Delivery program), a US government program that provides access to commercial satellite imagery that has been tasked and collected by the US government. The US government has decided to temporarily suspend Ukrainian accounts in GEGD."

Intelligence shared with Ukraine has enabled its military to plan its attacks and operations and get timely warnings against incoming Russian air strikes as well as ground assaults, experts said.

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukrainian cities, including the capital, Kyiv, have been subjected to repeated aerial attacks.

Roman Kostenko, the secretary of Ukraine's Parliamentary Committee on National Security, Defense, and Intelligence, said the absence of "vital" US intelligence puts the lives of Ukrainian troops and civilians "under greater danger."

"Can we [still] strike the enemy without external intelligence? Yes, of course. For example, we can strike stationary targets --such as a distant airfield -- that we already know about," said Kostenko, a former military commander, on March 5.

"But [we rely on US intelligence] to see in real-time if aircraft are present there, if they are preparing for takeoff to attack Ukraine."

Ukraine also depended on US data to operate US-supplied High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and the US Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), among the most advanced artillery systems in the world.

Experts told RFE/RL that the intelligence pause includes targeting data for HIMARS and ATACMS, which would effectively prevent Ukraine from using them against Russia.

Advanced Systems And Spies

Describing US intelligence as "superior" and "unmatched by any other nation," New York-based Russian intelligence analyst Ruslan Leviev stated that the United States possesses an extensive network of reconnaissance satellites, cutting-edge technology, and significantly greater financial resources to invest in its intelligence capabilities.

"When Russian bombers take off toward the border to launch missiles, American intelligence could detect this far in advance. [The US] might even intercept internal communications from Russia's Defense Ministry, where orders are given to plan flights or launch attacks on specific targets. This means the United States may know about an attack even before the planes take off," Leviev told RFE/RL on March 6.

Leviev, the founder of the Conflict Intelligence Team, an independent organization that investigates Russian military activities, also emphasized that the United States has "more capabilities" than any other country to recruit agents on the ground.

"It is also evident that the United States has spies embedded within Russia's General Staff, the Defense Ministry, and the presidential administration, providing valuable intelligence," the analyst claimed, adding that US intelligence also "intercepts electronic communications, such as e-mails between military personnel and officials responsible for shaping military policy in this war."

Can Ukraine Survive With Less US Wartime Intelligence?

Politicians and experts agree that Washington's move to abruptly restrict intelligence assistance will put Kyiv's war efforts in a difficult and more disadvantaged position than before.

But some Ukrainians hope that the country can fill the data gap with information provided by other Western allies as well as from its own sources.

France has said its intelligence sharing with Ukraine has not been affected by the US freeze. According to British media reports, the United Kingdom will continue to provide intelligence to Ukraine, although will not pass on data it has obtained from the United States.

Roman Bezsmertnyi, a former Ukrainian ambassador to Belarus, said that it is "incorrect" to attribute all the intelligence critical to Kyiv's offensive and defensive operations "solely to US agencies, particularly operational-tactical intelligence."

"France, Germany, Britain, Italy, and Canada have similar intelligence-gathering capabilities. There is no shortage of intelligence, and acquiring such information is not a problem," Bezsmertnyi said on March 6.

In a similar comment, Mykola Melnyk, an expert at the Kyiv-based analytical group Leviathan said the US intelligence pause will not mean a "catastrophe" for Kyiv as long as it has the help of "the quite powerful intelligence structures of countries like Britain and France."

Many experts, however, point out that the intelligence supplied by other Western allies and obtained by Ukraine itself cannot match that of the United States in scope and quality and can only partially fill the gap left by the US pause.

"The information that our US military partners provided us with was very diverse, and at the moment it is difficult to estimate what its absence will cost us," Ukrainian military analyst Serhiy Bezkrestnov said.

"Our armed forces continue to operate with the resources we have now, and we must deal with it. We do not have any other choice," Bezkrestnov said.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/us-intelligence-sharing- pause-restrictions-ukraine/33340241.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 little free library concept (now quite a common site) swept across the world. Naturally, that was the springboard for The Little Free Postcard Mailbox located at Hoopes Park in Auburn. With the support of the city and the park it was installed in front of the iconic clubhouse and on Jan. 1, 2024, the first batch of postcards was delivered. The Postcard Project was ready to share the fun of sending and receiving postcards in a fun and unique way. It is a joy to share some of what I have learned over the last year from a mailbox, a journal and some postcards. On May 26, 2024, a mailbox visitor wrote, A little kindness goes a long way. Love the idea of the postcards and the journal. To all the folks that left a journal note, you have made my heart burst!

I enjoy the sentiments, the handwriting, the pictures along with my walk to Hoopes each Monday to deliver some postcard freebies, with one special postcard stamped! Recently, this postcard lady snowbird brought the 2024 journal to Florida to thoroughly read and compose a reflective piece on this special journey. True story: While in Florida I visited the Sarasota post office to mail some items. A young woman at the desk began to process my items when she looked up and said, Is this The Postcard Project mailbox in front of the Hoopes Park clubhouse? I was stunned! It really was only minutes, but our conversation left me feeling I had made a young friend and witnessed someone missing her hometown. She told me (in a bit of a choked voice) she left a note in the journal while visiting home last summer and it meant a lot to her. So, for Amy, and all the Hoopes Park visitors, I thank you.

Many visitors shared where they call home and the intended destination of the postcard: Cayuga; Syracuse; Atlanta; Jackson, South Carolina; South Amboy, New Jersey; Vermont; Ithaca; Groton-on-Hudson; Ottawa; California; Skaneateles; Florida; New Mexico; and Texas. They came to watch the 2024 eclipse, have a girls gathering and visit family, and oh-so-many simply came for a walk. I grew to recognize handwriting (Anna and Deli) and looked forward to each entry. On April 22, 2024, I could not get DJ and his stunning journal entry out of my head and heart. It felt like a privilege and honor that he wrote: My father  died today. He was born and raised in Auburn. He loved it here. He loved people. He loved to fish. There are fishermen here today  looks like a grandpa with his family. It is a beautiful day. He lived well. He died well. I am proud to be his son. I am proud I was born and raised in his hometown. DJ Springfield, Virginia.

What a treat to see that children were being introduced to postcards: Thank you so much for the postcard. I picked a beautiful fall foliage one to send to my Grandpa! He loves getting mail and Im sure hell love the pretty picture  Katie. Ophelia wrote in her beautiful printing, Nature is good. She is right, so many folks wrote about their love for Hoopes Park! Some folks shared how they were going to use their postcards. On July 22, 2024, one friend wrote, Postcard going to someone who made me a Thanksgiving meal in July. And on Nov. 7, 2024, Thank you so much for the postcard. My nephew just lost his wife to cancer. This will put a smile on his face. I just loved this entry from a teacher: In 2020, I sent postcards to all my remote students, and they told me how much it cheered them up.

Quite a while ago, I began diligently sending postcards as my new year initiative; it was my project. Later, I started The Postcard Project with the help from Finger Lakes Press as an opportunity to make my own postcards and donate money to the Auburn Education Foundation and the Finger Lakes Land Trust. These have been good projects. Currently, The Postcard Project is working on two more initiatives. Fifth grade students from Herman Avenue Elementary School have been engaged in a Pen Pal Project with Skaneateles fifth graders. Before the end of the school year, I will be meeting with the graphic design and new media students at Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES to propose a new set of You Know Youre From Auburn postcards  their perspective!

I firmly believe that a little kindness goes a long way. Thank you to everyone that stopped by the Hoopes Park postcard mailbox in 2024. The red bar on the Little Free Postcard Mailbox is up! Youve got mail! Make today a postcard day. Dont forget to add a note to the 2025 journal!

Auburn's Postcard Project adds park mailbox, series on local painter The Postcard Project, a series of postcards celebrating Auburn history and supporting local causes, has a few new developments.
Marines Storm Ashore in South Korea, Showcasing Rapid Deployment Capabilities

US Marine Corps News

5 Mar 2025 | Dustin Senger Marine Corps Blount Island Command

POHANG, South Korea --U.S. Marines stormed ashore Feb. 28 to offload tactical vehicles and equipment from the USNS Dahl during an exercise at the Republic of Korea Marine Corps Base Pohang in South Korea.

The in-stream offload from the containerized and rolling stock cargo ship, operated by Military Sealift Command, showcased the rapid deployment capabilities of maritime prepositioning force operations, which rely on pre-loaded ships that are forward-deployed and combat-ready.

Highlighting the joint interoperability of Exercise Freedom Banner 25, Sailors with Navy Cargo Handling Battalion 13 maneuvered equipment from the holds of USNS Dahl onto an Improved Navy Lighterage System causeway ferry, a modular system that enables efficient ship-to-shore movement, even in areas without established port facilities. Beachmaster Unit 1 and Naval Beach Group 1 assisted with the movement of vehicles onto the shore.

Freedom Banner 25, a key component of the larger Korean Marine Exchange Program (KMEP) 25.1, is designed to test and refine the complex logistical processes that enable the Marine Corps to respond to crises and contingencies around the globe. The exercise highlights the critical programs managed at Marine Corps Support Facility Blount Island in Jacksonville, Florida, the nerve center for the Marine Corps global prepositioning network.

"We are the linchpin in the Corps' ability to project power globally," said U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Jesse Johnson, operations director for Blount Island Command. He oversees the training of technical assistance and advisory teams in Jacksonville, which deploy in support of Marine expeditionary forces.

The in-stream offload at Pohang followed an earlier pier-side offload at the Chinhae Naval Ammunition Pier, where U.S. Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Kevin Collins, commanding general of 3rd Marine Logistics Group, visited 3rd Maintenance Battalion. From under a 7-ton vehicle, he spoke with a lance corporal about the importance of properly maintained equipment in austere conditions.

Collins received a detailed briefing on asset capabilities from Samuel Paulk, assistant officer in charge of the exercise's technical assistance and advisory team. Paulk, a Blount Island Command communication electronics supervisor, brought his expertise to ensure the smooth operation of critical communication systems.

Established in September 1986, Blount Island Command has earned six Meritorious Unit Commendations. Between October 2020 and September 2022, it supported four separate geographic combatant commands, including seven large-scale exercises. It also excelled in modernizing Marine Corps prepositioning programs, making strategic-level impacts, including 18 time-sensitive presidential directives.

Freedom Banner 25 supports the Marine Corps' Distributed Maritime Operations and Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations concepts, which emphasize mobility and sustainment in forward environments.

Upon completion of Freedom Banner 25, the Marines will transition to Freedom Shield 25, the second phase of KMEP 25.1, to continue building readiness and interoperability between U.S. and Republic of Korea forces.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






President Discusses Strengthening Bulgaria-US Partnership in Defence industry and High Technologies with Leading American Companies

President of the Republic of Bulgaria

7 March 2025

American business delegation visits Bulgaria at the initiative of the Head of State

President Rumen Radev met with leading American companies active in the defence, aerospace, cyber and high-tech industries. The business delegation is visiting this country at the initiative of the head of state.

During the meeting, the sides discussed the prospects for building on the strategic cooperation between Bulgaria and the US in the field of investment and technology transfer. The opportunities for the modernisation of the Bulgarian defence industry with the introduction of innovative and high-tech solutions, as well as its transformation to match NATO standards were also in the focus of the talks.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






March 7, 2025

Release

Pentagon Culls Social Science Research, Prioritizes Fiscal Responsibility and Technologies for Future Battlefield

Cost savings of more than $30 million in first year through discontinuation of 91 studies

The Office of the Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)) is scrapping its social science research portfolio as part of a broader effort to ensure fiscal responsibility and prioritize mission-critical activities. This initiative involves focusing resources on technologies essential for maintaining a strong national defense, aligning with the Administration's commitment to efficient government and ensuring taxpayer dollars are spent wisely.

The Department recognizes the value of academic research but - in response to President Trump's Executive Orders and Secretary Hegseth's priorities in his January 25, 2025, "Message to the Force" and January 29, 2025, Memorandum, "Restoring America's Fighting Force" - recognizes that funded research must address pressing needs to develop and field advanced military capabilities. Several studies are affected by this shift, including those focused on global migration patterns, climate change impacts, and social trends. Examples include:

The Climate-Food-Urbanization Nexus and the Precursors of Instability in Africa

Social and Institutional Determinants of Vulnerability and Resilience to Climate Hazards in the African Sahel

Anticipating Costal Population Mobility: Path to Maladaptation or Sociopolitical Stability

Comparing Underlying Drivers of South-North Migration in Central America and West Africa

Democracy Quest

The Language of Parasocial Influence and the Emergence of Extremism

Weaponized Conspiracies

Beyond the Clock: Understanding Cross-Cultural Temporal Orientation of Military Officers

Food Fights: War Narratives and Identity Reproduction in Evolving Conflicts

Future Fish Wars: Chasing Ocean Ecosystem Wealth

The Department expects to see cost savings of more than $30 million in the first year through the discontinuation of 91 studies, including the examples listed above.

Secretary of Defense Hegseth has emphasized the importance of equipping the American military with the tools and capabilities necessary to deter adversaries and maintain a strong defense. This initiative directly supports that commitment by prioritizing investments in areas like hypersonic weapons development, AI-powered systems for enhanced battlefield awareness, and strengthening the domestic military industrial base.

The realignment also reflects the Department's commitment to fiscal responsibility and ensuring every dollar invested in defense generates the greatest possible return for the American people. By focusing on the most impactful technologies, the Department is ensuring the U.S. military remains the most powerful and advanced fighting force in the world.

https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/4113076/

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






March 7, 2025

By C. Todd Lopez, DOD News

Fort Liberty Becomes Fort Bragg, Renamed for Battle of Bulge Hero

Last month, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memorandum directing that Fort Liberty, North Carolina, be renamed as Fort Bragg. Today, that order was implemented.

The new name for the largest installation in the Army honors Army Pfc. Roland L. Bragg, a native of Maine, who enlisted in July 1943 at age 23. During World War II, he served with the 513th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 17th Airborne Division, XVIII Airborne Corps, and completed his Army training at the installation that now bears his name. Following that training, he left for the European theater.

"On a bitter cold January morning outside of Bastogne, Belgium, as the Battle of the Bulge raged, he would put that training to [the] test," said Army Lt. Gen. Gregory K. Anderson, commander of XVIII Airborne Corps. "The 17th Airborne, or the 'Golden Talons' division, was engaged in a fierce battle over a critical piece of terrain. During that fighting, Pfc. Bragg was wounded and taken prisoner along with four other paratroopers."

At a German aid station, Anderson said, one of the paratroopers talked with the German guard. The two found commonality in that they were both Freemasons.

"They somehow convinced the German guard to let the prisoners go, but only if Pfc. Bragg first knocked the German guard out with a rifle, so it looked like he struggled," Anderson said. "Wounded as he was, Pfc. Bragg was more than happy to oblige, as well as he took the German soldier's uniform, and then he commandeered a German ambulance nearby."

With the wounded paratroopers loaded in the ambulance, Bragg drove back to the American lines while taking fierce enemy fire the entire time. The young soldier was sure enemy fire had killed all the wounded paratroopers he was hoping to save. Even after reaching an allied hospital, he remained unsure of the condition of his passengers and was never told if his actions saved their lives.

"It was for this action that Pfc. Bragg earned the Silver Star, the third highest military decoration for valor in combat," Anderson said. "He was a hero, but we can only imagine the burden he carried for years believing he had let his fellow paratroopers down."

Following the war, Bragg returned to Maine and married his wife Barbara in 1946. The couple raised three daughters, Linda, Diane and Deborah. Diane attended the base renaming ceremony.

"Bragg rarely spoke of his service," Anderson said. "And for nearly 50 years, he continued to believe he was the sole survivor of the desperate flight from captivity in the Ardennes."

In the early 1990s, as the 50th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge approached, John Martz, another member of the 17th Airborne Division who fought in the war, reflected on his own wartime experience.

"John, too, had been wounded in battle near Bastogne and found himself in a barn 20 miles behind the German lines," Anderson said. "Someone, a nameless paratrooper, had loaded him and three others into an ambulance and drove them to safety."

Martz wanted to know more about the man who saved him. So, he began a letter-writing campaign to the surviving members of his division, looking for information about what happened to him. One of those letters made its way to Roland Bragg.

Bragg later told a reporter that upon reading the letter from Martz, "chills went up and down my spine."

"Roland traveled to California and was reunited with the paratrooper whose life he had saved," Anderson said. "Two ordinary men, bound by an extraordinary moment, found each other across the decades. This reunion wasn't just a footnote in Roland's story. It was and stands as a testament to the bonds forged here in this place, bonds that many who have trained and served here would immediately recognize and feel."

While Bragg's military history during WWII is now a matter of record, his personal life and the kind of man he was as a civilian are best known to his family. His granddaughter, Rebecca Amirpour, said he was a loving grandfather, devoted husband, father and grandfather, and a pillar of his community in Nobleboro, Maine. She also said he was shy about discussing his military service.

"I never saw my granddad wear his military uniform," she said. "He was not one to go to a Memorial Day parade or a Veterans Day parade. Even one Memorial Day, when I was marching in a parade in our town, he was working."

Amirpour said she remembers, in the mid-1990s, when her grandfather first heard from John Martz via the letter.

"My grandfather had spent his entire life thinking everyone in the back of that ambulance had died, and I feel like it was a tremendous gift for him to learn that someone had survived," she said. "It was a true blessing."

From her grandmother, Amirpour said, she learned something of her family history and a bit of her grandfather's time in the war.

"My grandmother told me that she and my grandfather were dating before he left for the war, and she decided to send him a Parker pen and pencil set with metal caps for Christmas," Amirpour said. "When he got that set, he wore it over the pocket, over his heart."

Amirpour said his strategic placement of that pen and pencil set later saved his life.

"When he was hit in the chest with shrapnel, the metal pen and pencil prevented the shrapnel from entering his heart," she said.

Amirpour recounted a passage from a letter Bragg wrote to his brother and sister-in-law while recovering in an Army hospital.

"This war is no fun ... there is too much grief in it," she read from Bragg's letter. "I lost a lot of my buddies, but they all went down fighting. I learned one thing, and that is rank doesn't mean a thing when you're in a tight spot. It's the ones with a little common sense. All I can say is that I thank God that I'm still here today."

Bragg died in January 1999 and is buried in Nobleboro.

"I think my granddad, if he were here today, would encourage the folks here to use their common sense to work hard in school and beyond," she said. "And most certainly, he would want them to appreciate the importance of giving back and making an impact on your own communities when you're done with your service to your country."

For his actions in WWII, Bragg was awarded the Silver Star for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity, and a Purple Heart for wounds sustained during the Battle of the Bulge. He was trained at both Fort Bragg and Camp Mackall, North Carolina, before deploying to Europe. He served as a toxic gas handler.

Anderson said it's been 80 years since Bragg trained on the installation that bears his name and that Fort Bragg has since then served as the force generation platform where the best American soldiers are built and the place from which they deploy to every major conflict around the world.

"It has been my experience that this place and our nation and our Army are chock full of people like Roland Bragg," Anderson said. "Fort Bragg is where soldiers transform, where the ordinary find the extraordinary, and where the call finds its answer; where a quiet man from Maine emerges a hero. In his honor and in the shared legacy of all who have called this place home, we answer the call. Welcome back to Bragg, [and] may this place continue to forge heroes for our nation."

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






NATO Exercise Was Held in Estonian Airspace

Republic of Estonia - Defence Forces

7. March 2025

On Thursday, March 6, NATO exercise Viking Nebula was conducted in Estonian airspace, demonstrating the Allied operational readiness to identify locations of targets, and responding to threats with both air and ground systems.

"This successful exercise highlights our collective capability to defend our territories and deter any threats with the strength and unity of our allies. The seamless cooperation between different domains and involved countries further strengthens our shared commitment to peace and stability in the region," said Commander of Estonian Air Force Brigadier General Toomas Susi.

The exercise was conducted in the airspace of Estonia and neighboring countries, and involved various NATO and allied aircraft and multiple nations. The aim of the exercise was to train the involved forces in identification of targets, sharing information, and issuing shared tasks to both air and ground units, thus directly contributing to strengthening NATO's defense capabilities, and improving the ability to simultaneously coordinate activities of air and ground units.

During the exercise, the Estonian Air Force ensured control of tactical air operations and maintained situational awareness in close cooperation with NATO and Allied forces. In addition to the Air Force, Estonia also contributed with long-range indirect fire units from the Estonian Division, enabling the integration of air and ground domain during the exercise. The exercise confirmed the high state of readiness of command and control functions of the involved forces, as well Estonia's ability to support the tactical control of air operations and maintaining situational awareness during such operations.

Viking Nebula is part of NATO's readiness and preparatory activities before the large-scale NATO air force exercise Ramstein Flag 2025, which will begin in the coming weeks. Developing the capability to operate in different domains, and integrating different capabilities contributes to NATO's readiness to deter threats and protect Allied territory.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Foreign Minister Tsahkna: Europe can act decisively

Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

07.03.2025

Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said that yesterday's European Council and various individual steps taken by countries to support Ukraine and boost their defence capabilities show that at a critical moment, Europe can take crucial and quick decisions.

"The European Union member states supporting the European Commission's proposals for a budget rules easing mechanism is welcome because it gives countries the necessary freedom to quickly raise defence spending and allows Estonia to meet the defence spending level necessary for filling capability gaps, which is 5% of GDP," Tsahkna said. "Europe is taking security challenges seriously and is ready to act decisively. I hope that all EU member states take this opportunity to increase their contribution to our shared security."

"Russia is a persistent and the most serious security threat to Europe and this is why all decisions taken to boost Europe's defence capabilities directly contribute to ensuring the security of Estonia and Europe," Tsahkna said.

The foreign minister said it was significant that Norway yesterday decided to double the sum it has allocated in support of Ukraine and contribute more than 7 billion this year. Additional aid packages are being prepared by other countries. Several countries are also discussing an increase in defence spending.

"All this proves that Europe is moving in the right direction, making important decisions for helping Ukraine and boosting its defence capabilities," Tsahkna said.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






'FORTRESS HAIL' mission bolsters U.S. lethality alongside NATO Allies

Bomber Task Force missions like FORTRESS HAIL demonstrate the ability to integrate seamlessly with mission partners, strengthening readiness and lethality.

By USAFE-AFAFRICA Public Affairs , U.S. Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa Ramstein, Germany Mar 07, 2025

U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortresses from the 69th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron at RAF Fairford, England, participated in FORTRESS HAIL, a Bomber Task Force 25-2 mission that included a dynamic targeting exercise over the Baltic Sea involving NATO F-35 Lighting IIs and a live weapons drop with Finnish F/A-18 Hornets, March 6.

The dynamic target exercise, also referred to as a Find, Fix, Track, Target (F2T2) mission, integrated U.S. aircraft with Dutch F-35 Lightning IIs, NATO's Airborne Warning and Control System, German KC-30 tankers, and British and U.S. RC-135 Rivet Joints. The exercise enhanced intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance integration and refined operational tactics, techniques, and procedures.

The B-52s later proceeded to Rovajarvi Range in Finland, where they conducted GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munition drops with support from the Finnish Army and U.S. Joint Terminal Attack Controllers.

Bomber Task Force missions like FORTRESS HAIL demonstrate the ability to integrate seamlessly with mission partners, strengthening readiness and lethality.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Palestinian Islamic Jihad slams Israeli atrocities against prisoners

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Mar 7, 2025

Tehran, IRNA -- The Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement condemns the Israeli regime's crimes against Palestinian prisoners, asserting that the prisoners would not be left to face the occupation's cruelty on their own.

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement, in a statement, expressed condolences on the martyrdom of Ali Ashour Al-Battash, who reportedly died under severe torture on February 21, 2025, according to Shehab news agency.

The movement termed the measure as a flagrant violation of human values and international law.

The statement rebuked the Israeli actions, framing them as a violent and oppressive strategy intended to weaken the determination of the prisoners.

Criticizing the silence of international human rights organizations toward the Israeli oppression, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement reaffirmed the commitment of resistance groups to continue fighting for the prisoners' freedom.

7129**2050

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Strong alliances, strong Europe and strong leadership are more important than ever before, says Vice Minister K. Aleksa in the United Kingdom

Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of National Defence

2025-03-07

International cooperation

Vice Minister of National Defence Karolis Aleksa conducted a visit to the United Kingdom this week: he met with Lithuanian military personnel serving in Operation Interflex for training Ukrainian military personnel and their trainees, as well as command staff of the operation.

Vice Minister learned about the Ukrainian military training programme and its objectives in greater detail. When meeting with the operation leadership, Vice Minister thanked the United Kingdom for its leadership in ensuring training assistance and other support for Ukraine and reiterated Lithuania's commitment to Operation Interflex and military training for Ukrainian troops.

While on visit, Vice Minister attended a Chatham House event on "Security and Defence 2025" which addressed the current security challenges and situation in Ukraine. In the opening of the event K. Aleksa noted that we lived in a period of turning-points and the importance of strong alliances, strong Europe and strong leadership could not be overstated. Vice Minister underscored the need to retain the transatlantic unity.

K. Aleksa also met with Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence Lord Vernon Coaker. They discussed support to Ukraine, strengthening the European defensive capabilities, further cooperation in the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) framework.

Vice Minister thanked the UK for the leadership in supporting Ukraine and leading the JEF and underscored Lithuania's lasting commitment to Ukraine. Vice Minister K. Aleksa also discussed the upcoming NATO Summit in The Hague, underscored the necessity for Europe to step up the investment in their defence and presented Lithuania's plans to increase defence spending to at least 5% of GDP in 2026. It was agreed at the meeting to continue the discussions on Europe's involvement in ensuring peace in Ukraine and protection of the critical undersea infrastructure.

A meeting with representatives of the UK Ministry of Defence addressed potential cooperation in defence industry, projects and procurements. The officials exchanged views on possibilities to enable defence industry companies to strengthen defence capabilities of the respective countries in the face of the current geopolitical and security challenges more quickly and effectively.

During the visit Vice Minister also met with members of the Lithuanian Riflemen's Union in the UK and took part in a University College London debate on the current security situation.

Lithuania joined other countries in the UK-led Operation Interflex for training Ukrainian military personnel in 2023. Lithuania is also a members of the Capability Coalition for Drones led by the UK and Latvia and the board of the UK International Fund for Ukraine.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Ramstein Dust 2025 Another step forward for NATO's Integrated Air and Missile Defense

NATO Allied Air Command

Mar 7 2025

POGGIO RENATICO, Italy -- NATO's Deployable Air Command and Control Center (DACCC) in Poggio Renatico, Italy, today began the deployment of the mobile DARS (Deployable Air Control Centre, Recognized Air Picture Production Centre, Sensor Fusion Post) system for the Ramstein Dust exercise.

This year's deployment, includes a DADR (Deployable Air Defense Radar) and two GAG (Ground-Air-Ground) modules as well, required 64 vehicles, 56 of which belong to NATO and 8 to the German 467th Logistic Battalion, which left this morning for 3 different locations in the Netherlands and Germany.

"This exercise represents a key moment to test and enhance the Atlantic Alliance's command, control and air surveillance capabilities." said Gen. D.A. Maineri, DACCC commander. "The operational effort is significant and required external resources, such as logistical support from the German Armed Forces and additional controller personnel provided by Sweden and Canada. Since its very beginning this exercise demonstrates the strength of the Alliance: cohesion and interoperability." he continued

The DARS is an advanced mobile command and control system designed to integrate data from multiple sources, including active and passive sensors that contribute to the definition of the Recognized Air Picture (RAP), a comprehensive graphical representation of all available air situation data essential for airspace management and rapid and effective response to threats by controlling air and Surface Based Air and Missile Defense (SBAMD) assets.

DADR extends radar surveillance capabilities by increasing radar coverage in theater, while GAG modules provide robust communications between ground and air assets by extending radio coverage and tactical link availability. Together, these systems form an integrated network that enhances the DACCC, a critical component of the NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defense System (NATINAMDS).

The deployment of DARS is not just a technical exercise, but a demonstration of NATO's ability to respond quickly and efficiently to air threats by fully integrating into NATO's air and missile defense system. By deploying the DACCC and its DARS, DADR and GAG assets, NATO aims to consolidate its leadership in integrated air and missile defense, ensuring interoperability, speed and resilience in the face of current and future challenges.

Story by Deployable Air Command and Control Centre

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






NATO Deputy Secretary General highlights French support and discusses NATO priorities in Paris

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

07 Mar. 2025

NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska visited Paris today (7 March 2025), meeting French senior officials to discuss the current security situation, and Alliance priorities.

In Paris, Ms Shekerinska praised France's pivotal role amid today's volatile global agenda. She commended France for its significant contributions in support of Ukraine, stressing that battlefield needs remain urgent and that a lasting peace requires unified efforts from Europe, the United States, and Ukraine. "We cannot have a Minsk 3.0," she remarked, thanking France for its proactive leadership and engagement with Allied nations. She emphasised unity as NATO's core strength.

Deputy Secretary General Shekerinska also expressed gratitude for France's substantial contributions to NATO's deterrence and defence, including its deployments to NATO Forces in Romania and Estonia. She welcomed President Macron's openness to raising defence spending to 3.5% of GDP, encouraging all Allies to invest more. On NATO-EU cooperation, she underscored the need for complementary and interoperable defence efforts.

Ms Shekerinska's meeting in Paris was preceded by a visit with NATO Permanent Representatives to Istres Air Base in southern France, which included briefings on French nuclear deterrence and its strategic role within the Alliance.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Today's partnerships underpin tomorrow's success

New Zealand Defence Force

In what is an increasingly competitive and strategic environment it's more important than ever to be in close contact with your friends, partners and allies. Chief of Army Major General Rose King shares her thoughts following a series of recent Army talks

07 March, 2025

Last month I had the privilege of catching up with a number of Canadian Army and other nations' officials as we attended and supported some of our incredible competitors, including former and current veterans, at the Invictus Games held in Vancouver and Whistler.

Our alignment with Canada, as one of our closest and valued Five Eyes partners alongside Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, is hugely significant for Ngati Tumatauenga, the New Zealand Army.

The Five Eyes partnership underpins our broader relationship and reaffirms our shared commitment to defence, security and intelligence as we strive to maintain the international rules-bases system.

There is no denying that today's global environment has put even more emphasis on the need for us to be ready to respond to whatever the New Zealand Government requests of us.

Looking for ways to not only expand and modernise our armies, but to maximise the return on investment for the Government is an ever-prescient priority, and one that is shared by our partners.

Armies around the world, Ngati Tumatauenga included, are looking for ways to evolve and adapt to not just meet the demands of the current environment, but the future fight too. One key part of that is experimentation.

The NZ Army currently has around 30 personnel deployed to California as part of Project Convergence, a large scale multi-national experimental exercise led by the United States and in conjunction with our Five Eyes partners and other likeminded nations.

This is an opportunity for us to be at the cutting-edge of military advancement and observe the new trends in technology and equipment, in order to bring those ideas back home to better serve our people. It's also a chance for our highly experienced people to share the Kiwi way of working and how we approach the ever-evolving landscape. Our input on that stage is respected and valued.

Conflicts in Europe and the Middle East have shown that warfare's characteristics have fundamentally shifted. These flashpoints have led to the rapid experimentation and introduction of advanced technologies, including non-kinetic capabilities, which are transforming how soldiers deliver military effects within the land domain.

This forms part of regular and key discussions I am having with our partners around the world.

In the time I spent with Lieutenant-General Michael Wright (Commander of the Canadian Army) I also had the chance to both share some of our lessons learned and the recent challenges we have faced with regards to retention and attrition, as well as hear how the Canadian Army has approached similar issues.

Having the opportunity to learn from and work alongside our trusted partners in this way carries huge benefit for us, particularly as a comparatively-speaking, smaller nation and force.

However, as our partners and ally would attest to, our strength is not in our numbers, but rather our highly-respected and incredibly well-trained people.

I look forward to connecting with our partners again at California in the coming weeks, where our soldiers and personnel will be hard at work to set up us for future success.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






United States: New Administration must halt sweeping attacks on independent justice, says rights expert

Press releases

Special Procedures

07 March 2025

GENEVA -- The new US administration is conducting a purge of justice officials in apparent retaliation for doing their jobs, a human rights expert said today, expressing serious concern for the rule of law and the functioning of the justice system in the country.

"Since the new administration took office on 20 January 2025, a significant number of lawyers, prosecutors and immigration judges have been reassigned, transferred or dismissed without following standard procedures," said Margaret Satterthwaite, the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers*.

The affected lawyers include many prosecutors at the Department of Justice (DOJ) who were fired after reportedly working on criminal investigations of President Trump or prosecutions stemming from the attack on the US Capitol on 6 January 2021.

"Since these firings, a number of DOJ prosecutors have resigned rather than taking what they consider to be inappropriate action in other cases," the expert said.

"These actions come amid public statements by government officials and others characterising judges, prosecutors and law enforcement officials as weapons of the previous administration."

On 5 February 2025, the Attorney General announced the establishment of a "Weaponization Working Group" tasked with reviewing the activities of civil and criminal enforcement agencies over the past four years. "This suggests that the actions taken against justice officials to date may be only the beginning of a course of conduct aimed at removing these professionals and replacing them with individuals loyal to the new administration," the Special Rapporteur said.

"I am deeply concerned that these attacks are part of an ongoing pattern of harassment of independent justice professionals," the expert said. She pointed to the recent articles of impeachment filed by members of Congress against three federal judges in apparent retaliation for their rulings against the government, as well as the decision to remove senior Judge Advocates General (JAGs) from the US Army, Navy and Air Force, despite the key role these legal advisers play in ensuring that military actions comply with the law, including international humanitarian law.

"Independent justice personnel are a necessity for the rule of law and separation of powers," Satterthwaite said. "The US government must stop its interference and ensure that justice, not politics, is allowed to prevail."

The Special Rapporteur is in contact with the Government on the issue.

Margaret Satterthwaite is the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers. Special Rapporteurs/Independent Experts/Working Groups are independent human rights experts appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council. Together, these experts are referred to as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. While the UN Human Rights office acts as the secretariat for Special Procedures, the experts serve in their individual capacity and are independent from any government or organization, including OHCHR and the UN. Any views or opinions presented are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the UN or OHCHR. Country-specific observations and recommendations by the UN human rights mechanisms, including the special procedures, the treaty bodies and the Universal Periodic Review, can be found on the Universal Human Rights Index https://uhri.ohchr.org/en/.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Joint statement by OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Valtonen and Secretary General Sinirlioglu on recent political developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina

OSCE | Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe

HELSINKI/VIENNA 7 March 2025

HELSINKI/VIENNA, 7 March 2025 - OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland Elina Valtonen and OSCE Secretary General Feridun H. Sinirlioglu issued the following statement regarding several laws and measures adopted by the Republika Srpska National Assembly on 27 February and entered into force on 6 March that challenge the constitutional order of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

"The OSCE reaffirms its full support for the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Full respect for the rule of law and responsible leadership are instrumental to ensure a peaceful and prosperous future for everyone in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The recent adoption of a set of laws and measures in the Republika Srpska National Assembly that prohibit the work of judicial and security institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the territory of Republika Srpska and their entry into force violates Bosnia and Herzegovina's constitutional order and threatens the stability and unity of the country. Attempting to create additional structures at the entity level undermines stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region.

We urge political leaders in Republika Srpska to respect the sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the interest of all citizens by upholding and preserving the rule of law and their constitutional and legal obligations, in line with OSCE commitments. The OSCE will continue to monitor all related developments very closely and call for de-escalation, in close co-ordination with the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina."

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Army light tanks, other modern weapons showcase live-fire capabilities

Philippine News Agency

By Priam Nepomuceno

March 7, 2025, 7:32 pm Updated on March 7, 2025, 8:16 pm

MANILA -- The Philippine Army (PA) on Friday said its Sabrah light tanks, ATMOS self-propelled 155mm howitzers, and newly-procured mortar systems showcased their firepower during the live-fire drills at the Crow Valley Gunnery Range in Capas, Tarlac.

The activity is part of the "Battle Phase 2" of the 10-day Combined Arms Training Exercise (CATEX) "Katihan" which started on March 3.

"The ATMOS 2000 self-propelled (155mm) howitzers of the Army Artillery Regiment, Armor Division assets such as the Sabrah light tanks and newly procured mortars were among the defense assets utilized in the live fire exercise at the expansive lahar fields of the Crow Valley Gunnery Range," PA spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala said in a statement.

Meanwhile, infantry units and other Army specialized enablers trained in various warfighting functions at the Combat Readiness Training Area (CRTA) in Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija.

This year's CATEX Katihan 02-2025 focuses on "command-and-control," which is a critical factor in external security operations and enhancing the Army's capability for future interoperability exercises with the Navy and the Air Force.

This Army-wide training exercise also simulates wartime operations to validate the PA's Combined Arms Brigade capability to rapidly project and sustain forces in line with the Land Defense Concept.

"Training is vital in our organization because it is only through training that we gauge and improve our capability to perform our mission," PA commander Lt. Gen. Roy Galido earlier said.

"This exercise tests our combat readiness and demonstrates our adaptability and ability to execute complex, high-stakes operations with precision. We are confident that the outcomes of this exercise will strengthen our command-and-control capabilities, further enhancing our preparedness to respond to any challenge that may threaten our national security."

The 2025 iteration CATEX "Katihan" serves as the highlight of the 128th founding anniversary of the PA which is anchored on the theme "Matatag na Sandigan ng Bagong Pilipinas." (PNA)

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






PH, Canada conclude negotiations for visiting forces agreement

Philippine News Agency

By Priam Nepomuceno

March 7, 2025, 5:31 pm

MANILA -- The Department of National Defense (DND) on Friday announced that the negotiations for the proposed Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) between the Philippines and Canada have successfully concluded.

"This agreement will establish a framework for increased cooperation, fostering closer collaboration between defense and military establishments, improving interoperability between forces, and facilitating more effective joint exercises and capacity-building activities," DND spokesperson and Assistant Secretary Arsenio Andolong said in a statement.

The Philippine delegation, he noted, was headed by Defense Undersecretary Angelito De Leon while the Canadian side was led by Department of National Defence Assistant Deputy Minister Scott Millar.

"These (negotiations) were supplemented by virtual meetings and inter-agency consultations to ensure that the agreement aligns with both nations' mutual interests and priorities," he added.

Formal negotiations started on Jan. 16, 2025.

The Philippine negotiation panel included Presidential Commission on Visiting Forces Undersecretary Antonio Habulan Jr.; DND Assistant Secretaries Marita Yoro and Erik Lawrence Dy; Department of Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretaries Jose Victor Chan-Gonzaga and Patrick Chuasoto and Officer-in-Charge Paulo Saret; Department of Justice Undersecretary Raul Vasquez and Chief State Counsel Dennis Arvin Chan.

The Canadian delegation was composed of representatives from the Department of National Defence and Global Affairs Canada.

Following the 75th anniversary of Philippines-Canada diplomatic relations in 2024, the two nations reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral ties through the conclusion of the SOVFA.

Andolong said this development highlights Philippines' commitment to bolstering international partnerships and promoting regional security, thereby ensuring security and economic prosperity of both countries.

"The Philippines looks forward to the positive impact of the SOVFA, which is expected to contribute to peace, stability, and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. The DND remains committed to working closely with international partners to safeguard national interests and strengthen security efforts in the region," he said. (PNA)

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






PAF probe team reaches Mount Kalatungan; pilots' bodies retrieved

Philippine News Agency

By Priam Nepomuceno

March 7, 2025, 4:27 pm

MANILA -- The Philippine Air Force (PAF) on Friday said the investigation team that will look into the ill-fated FA-50PH fighter jet has reached Mount Kalatungan in Bukidnon province.

A group of rescuers also arrived in the area ahead of the team and retrieved the bodies of the two pilots.

However, PAF spokesperson Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo, told reporters that they could not get timely updates from the team due to "poor signals."

She said the investigators trekked for more than six hours to get to the area.

The PAF spokesperson also noted that it took the rescue team five hours of walking downhill to bring down the pilots' cadavers, which were brought to Cagayan de Oro for forensic examination.

Castillo said the personnel would "check on the pieces of the wreckage" and look into the aircraft's "point of impact".

She said tight security is being imposed in the area to avoid compromising the crash site, which is essential to ensuring an accurate investigation.

The PAF has yet to release to the media the exact cause of the mishap, which is the first since the FA-50PH, along with 11 similar aircraft, were acquired from South Korea from 2015 to 2017 at the cost of PHP18.9 billion. (PNA)

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






77% of Filipinos favor more PH joint patrols with allies in WPS

Philippine News Agency

By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora

March 7, 2025, 4:08 pm

MANILA -- A recent survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) revealed that at least 77 out of 100 Filipinos are in favor of the Philippines holding joint sails and patrols with foreign states as a way to strengthen alliance and help assert the country's rights over the West Philippine Sea.

The Stratbase ADRi-commissioned poll was conducted from Feb. 15 to 19 and asked a total of 1,800 respondents nationwide.

Seventy seven percent of the number agreed that the "Philippine government must further strengthen its alliance with other countries" through joint patrols, joint sails, and joint military exercises to assert and defend the country's territorial and economic rights in the West Philippine Sea.

Respondents from the National Capital Region gave the highest support at 84 percent followed by the rest of Luzon at 82 percent, Visayas at 77 percent, and Mindanao at 64 percent.

At a forum in Makati City on Friday, Stratbase ADRi President Dindo Manhit said this result signals the need for the country to further reinforce its defense posture and collaborate more closely with allies.

"It tells us really, where we stand as a nation. We know who our friends are. We know that we might be not as strong as we could be, but our strength is with our friends and allies," he said.

The survey also revealed that 78 percent of Filipinos prefer candidates "who believe that the Philippines must assert our rights against China's aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea".

In an interview, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla assured the public that Manila would further engage and strengthen military cooperation with allies and partners.

Efforts to increase maritime patrols as well as joint drills, she said, would continue "not just in the West Philippine Sea, but the whole country".

Beyond traditional partners, Padilla added the country is also looking at forging "greater alliances" with other states such as India.

"Lahat iyan tinitignan natin (We are looking at all of those) not just with our exercises but also our modernization projects who can provide us different technologies, different equipment, and different assets," she said. (PNA)

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Defending West Philippine Sea a national duty: House speaker

Philippine News Agency

By Filane Mikee Cervantes

March 7, 2025, 10:07 am

MANILA -- House of Representatives Speaker Martin Romualdez has reiterated that the West Philippine Sea belongs to the Philippines and defending it is a matter of national survival.

Romualdez made the statement during his promotion and donning of his rank as an Auxiliary Vice Admiral of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Thursday night.

"Hindi tayo papayag na maging dehado sa sarili nating dagat. Hindi tayo magpapatalo sa sariling teritoryo (We will not allow ourselves to be disadvantaged in our seas. We will not lose in our territory)," he said. "The West Philippine Sea is not just a political issue; it is a national cause, a matter of survival, dignity, and sovereignty."

He said the Coast Guard has been the country's first line of defense in the face of aggression, intimidation, and illegal incursions by foreign vessels.

"Habang may PCG na nagbabantay, hindi kailanman magiging pag-aari ng ibang bansa ang ating karagatan (So long as the PCG is on guard, our seas will never belong to any other country). Your bravery, discipline, and unwavering commitment to protecting our maritime territory define the true essence of patriotism," he said.

Romualdez assured the Coast Guard of his continued support, both in Congress and through his new role in the PCG Auxiliary.

He pledged to use his position to push for stronger maritime defense policies, greater support for uniformed personnel, and the continued assertion of Philippine sovereignty.

"But beyond legislation, I believe that leadership must also be personal. It must be about standing with those who serve on the frontline: our Coast Guard, our Navy, our fisherfolk who brave the waters every day, knowing that our seas are not just waters. They are our birthright, our lifeline, our future," he added. (PNA)

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Wang Yi on the South China Sea: China has full confidence in concluding the COC

People's Republic of China Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Updated: March 07, 2025 12:49

At the press conference on March 7, 2025, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi elaborated on China's position on the South China Sea.

Wang Yi noted, last year, with the joint efforts by China and ASEAN countries, the South China Sea maintained peace and stability, and remained the safest and busiest waters for international navigation and overflight. China and Indonesia signed an intergovernmental document on maritime joint development. China and Malaysia launched a bilateral dialogue on the management of maritime issues. China has established maritime dialogue mechanisms with all countries concerned. These are proof that there is no problem that cannot be solved through dialogue and no goals that cannot be reached with cooperation.

Wang Yi said, to realize good neighborliness, lasting peace and security in the South China Sea, one needs trust and also rules. The key is to implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and develop a sound COC. With China's facilitation, consultations on the COC are accelerating and the third reading of the text has been completed. We have full confidence in the prospect of concluding the COC. China is ready to work with ASEAN countries to step up communication, stay clear of disturbances, and build consensus for an early conclusion of the COC, so as to make the South China Sea a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Experts worldwide voice confidence in China's 2025 growth

Xinhua) 10:36, March 08, 2025

An aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 18, 2025 shows the MSC SVEVA vessel docking at the container terminal of Dalian Port in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province. (Liaoning Port Group/Handout via Xinhua)

The new economic target signals confidence in stabilizing growth despite external uncertainties.

BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- China's 2025 economic growth target of around 5 percent is a reasonable and attainable goal that will bolster confidence and stability amid mounting global uncertainties, international observers have said.

The world is watching this year's "two sessions" closely, eager to know China's economic growth target the government sets for 2025, said Wolfram Elsner, a professor of economics at the University of Bremen in Germany.

Regarding the growth target officially announced Wednesday, Elsner described it as "definitely reasonable."

John McLean, chairman of the China-Britain Business Development Center, said the new economic target signals "confidence in stabilizing growth despite external uncertainties."

China's gross domestic product grew 5 percent year on year last year, ranking among the world's fastest-growing major economies.

It is believed that China, as in the past, will successfully achieve this year's goal, which is grounded on an objective analysis of its domestic conditions and a realistic assessment of the global situation, said Marcelo Rodriguez, a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Argentina.

Pedro Steenhagen, director of development at Brazilian think tank Observe China, noted that China's growth target for 2025 highlights the government's focus on both the pace and quality of growth, serving as a crucial guide for economic development.

"China is on the right path of development," as it actively advances technological innovation, green development and social inclusiveness, said Steenhagen.

James Shikwati, a Kenyan economist, said that as the world's largest developing country, China leverages its vast population and rising consumer demand to expand its domestic market, gaining strong economic growth momentum.

The Chinese government emphasizes leveraging market mechanisms to guide resource allocation, enhancing economic efficiency and development quality, said the economist.

Amid rising global uncertainties, China's stable development serves as a key anchor for global economic stability, said Frank-Jurgen Richter, chairman of the Zurich-based think tank Horasis.

China's 2025 growth target is not only pivotal for its domestic progress but also a key benchmark for global market outlooks, investment confidence and the stability of supply chains, Richter said.

China contributes roughly 30 percent of global economic growth, holding a significant position in the world economic landscape, said Steenhagen, echoing Richter's opinion.

The 2025 growth target will help boost international market confidence, reduce global economic volatility, and support world economic recovery and sustainable development, Steenhagen said.

(Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Sheng Chuyi)
Wang Yi on the South-China-Sea performance staged by the Philippines: Those acting as others' chess pieces are bound to be discarded

People's Republic of China Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Updated: March 07, 2025 12:42

At the press conference on March 7, 2025, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi talked about the disputes between China and the Philippines.

Wang Yi noted, at an international forum a few weeks ago, an official from a regional country noted that the frictions are like "shadow play," which is a vivid analogy. For every move on the sea by the Philippines, there is a screenplay written by external forces, the show is livestreamed by Western media, and the plot is invariably to smear China. People are not interested in watching the same performance again and again. China will continue to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in accordance with law. When managing the situation at Ren'ai Jiao and Huangyan Dao, we will also take into account the actual conditions out of humanitarian spirit. But let me make it clear that infringement and provocation will backfire and those acting as others' chess pieces are bound to be discarded.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Wang Yi on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: The will of the people must not be defied, and the principle of justice must not be abandoned

People's Republic of China Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Updated: March 07, 2025 11:26

At the press conference on March 7, 2025, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi elaborated on China's view and position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Wang Yi noted, Gaza belongs to the Palestinian people. It is an inseparable part of the Palestinian territory. Changing its status by forceful means will not bring about peace, but only new chaos. We support the plan for restoring peace in Gaza initiated by Egypt and other Arab countries. The will of the people must not be defied, and the principle of justice must not be abandoned. If the major country truly cares about the people in Gaza, it should promote comprehensive and lasting ceasefire, ramp up humanitarian assistance, observe the principle of Palestinians governing Palestine, and contribute to the reconstruction in Gaza.

Wang Yi noted, without Middle East peace, the world will not be stable. The Palestinian question has always been at the heart of the Middle East issue. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict takes place again and again simply because the two-State solution is only half achieved: The State of Israel has long been a reality, but the State of Palestine is still far beyond reach. Going forward, the international community should focus more on the two-State solution and give more support to independent statehood for Palestine. Only then could Palestine and Israel truly coexist in peace, and the Arab and Jewish peoples live side by side in enduring amity. To this end, first, all Palestinian factions need to deliver on the Beijing Declaration to achieve unity and self-strengthening, all parties in the Middle East need to rise above differences to support Palestinian statehood, and the international community need to build consensus and promote peace between Palestine and Israel.

Wang Yi said, China is a strategic partner of Middle East countries and a sincere friend of our Arab brothers. We will continue to strive resolutely for justice, peace and development for the Middle East people, and support countries in the region in taking their future in their own hands, independently exploring their development paths, and realizing the dream of peace and revitalization at an early date.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Israeli airstrikes target southern Lebanon

Iran Press TV

Friday, 07 March 2025 9:39 PM

Israeli warplanes have carried out airstrikes on southern Lebanon, targeting areas between the towns of Ansar and Zrerieh, in yet another breach of Lebanon's sovereignty.

The attacks also struck locations near the Litani River, including the outskirts of Aishiya, Wadi Zebqin, and the area between Aita al-Jabal and Beit Yahoun.

The airstrikes come despite a ceasefire agreement between the Lebanese based resistance movement Hezbollah and the Israeli regime, which was reached on November 26, 2024, and took effect the following day.

After failing to achieve its goals, the Israeli regime was compelled to accept a ceasefire with Hezbollah. Yet, the regime continues to violate the agreement almost on a daily basis through launching attacks on Lebanese territories.

On December 2, the Israeli regime breached the ceasefire 52 times within the first five days.

At least 259 violations were reported, resulting in 31 fatalities and 39 injuries by December 20.

In early February 2025, Lebanon lodged a complaint with the UN Security Council against Israeli regime over its continued violations of a ceasefire agreement and UN Resolution 1701.

A Foreign Ministry statement said the complaint was filed through Lebanon's permanent mission in New York in response to Israel's violation of resolution 1701 and the declaration of cessation of hostilities, and its complete disregard of related security arrangements.

According to the ministry, the complaint explained in detail the Israeli violations in southern Lebanon, including its ground and air assaults, destruction of homes and residential neighborhoods, abduction of Lebanese citizens, including army soldiers, and attacks on civilians returning to their border villages.

The Israeli military carried out acts of aggression in south Lebanon soon after launching a genocidal war against the besieged Gaza Strip in October 2023.

The Israeli regime's offensives in Lebanon have resembled its atrocities across the Palestinian territories, including the Gaza Strip, where it has killed more than 48,446 Palestinians, mostly women and children.

The Lebanese resistance movement, however, stood up to the aggression with all at its disposal, conducting numerous retaliatory strikes against sensitive and strategic Israeli targets.

The Israeli invasion of southern Lebanon escalated in October and November 2024 as intense bombardments of civilian areas destroyed thousands of homes and a significant portion of the infrastructure in southern regions and also in Beirut.

Since the onset of the escalation in October 2023, around 4,000 Lebanese, many of them civilians, have been killed, and over one million people displaced.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






'Occupation's religious war': Hamas slams Israeli restrictions at al-Aqsa, Ibrahimi mosques

Iran Press TV

Friday, 07 March 2025 6:05 PM

Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has condemned the Israeli restrictions against al-Aqsa and Ibrahimi mosques, noting that attacks against mosques are part of the regime's "religious war" against Palestinians.

The movement released a statement on Friday after Israeli forces raided several mosques in Nablus, occupied West Bank, and restricted the access of thousands of fasting Muslim worshipers to al-Aqsa Mosque and Ibrahimi Mosque in East al-Quds and al-Khalil respectively.

Hamas said the raids "represent an intensification of the occupation's religious war and an attack on Islamic sanctities as part of its open war against our people and land."

Hamas called on the Palestinian masses in the West Bank to escalate all forms of resistance and to intensify their presence and efforts to reach al-Aqsa and Ibrahimi Mosques and to repel the occupation's aggression against mosques and sanctities.

Meanwhile, Hamas official Haroun Nasser al-Din said on Friday that Israel's refusal to open the Ibrahimi Mosque and hand it over to the Palestinian authorities during the blessed month of Ramadan is part of a plan to completely control it.

He further said the new move is a blatant and dangerous violation within the series of ongoing attacks on Islamic sanctities by the regime.

Israel's "continuous and escalating steps constitute a blatant attack on the status of the Ibrahimi Mosque, and a blatant and dangerous violation within the series of ongoing attacks on Islamic sanctities," al-Din added.

Elsewhere in his remarks, al-Din warned that Israel's continued and escalating actions are a clear violation of the Ibrahimi Mosque's status.

The Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs said Israeli authorities refused to hand over sections of the Ibrahimi Mosque to Palestinian authorities, as is customary on Fridays during the holy month of Ramadan.

Separately, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged the international community to intervene to "enable our people to freely enter occupied al-Quds and pray there".

The calls come as Israel restricted access to al-Aqsa Mosque on the first Friday of Ramadan.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office earlier announced Israeli forces will limit the number of worshippers from the occupied West Bank who are allowed to enter Al-Aqsa Mosque for Friday prayers.

Under the new restrictions, only men over 55, women over 50 and children under 12 will be permitted to enter on the first Friday of the holy month of Ramadan.

The Palestinian Wafa news agency, citing sources, reported that Israeli troops stormed eight mosques in Nablus in the occupied West Bank, "vandalizing and damaging them".

Israeli military vehicles stormed multiple neighborhoods in the city and fired live ammunition, stun grenades and tear gas canisters over the past few hours.

A number of Palestinians were also detained during the raids and military operations across the occupied region.

The developments coincide with ongoing daily incursions by hundreds of Israeli settlers into the al-Aqsa Mosque compound during the holy month alongside increasing restrictions on Palestinians travelling from the occupied West Bank.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Yemen's strikes 'drained' US Navy's munitions: Report

Iran Press TV

Friday, 07 March 2025 3:37 PM

An American military news publication says Yemen's retaliatory operations have "drained" the stockpile of munitions of the US Navy, as it has fired more missiles in the past 15 months than in the last three decades combined.

Citing retired Navy Cmdr. Bryan Clark, of the Hudson Institute, Task & Purpose reported that the number of missiles fired by the navy in the Red Sea since Yemen began its pro-Gaza operations in October 2023 exceeds the total used in all the years since Operation Desert Storm in the 1990s.

Clark confirmed that the navy saw the most combat at sea since World War II over the 15-month-period, which ran from October 19, 2023 to January 19, 2025.

"It's kind of amazing how the Navy has held up with no losses, but the cost has been pretty enormous," Clark said, adding, "The estimates are the Navy has used up $1 billion-plus worth of interceptors to shoot down these drone and missile threats."

He stressed that the navy will need years to replenish its supply of missiles, noting that if the United States and China were to engage in a war today, the service would be in a bad position.

During his confirmation hearing to serve as navy secretary, John Phelan acknowledged that the navy faces a shortage of munitions.

"So, if confirmed, I intend to focus on this very quickly and get that resolved because I think we're at a dangerously low level from a stockpile perspective, and as well as new," Phelan said at the hearing late in February.

In January, the navy revealed that it had used about 400 munitions since October 2023 as part of attacks in the Red Sea, including 120 SM-2 missiles, 80 SM-6 missiles, and a combined total of 20 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles (ESSM) and SM-3 missiles.

According to Task & Purpose, the navy turned to the 5-inch gun rounds, which are less expensive than missiles, to down drones, amid munitions depletion.

"They have been using guns to shoot down drones lately, especially the Hypervelocity Projectile," Clark said.

After the onset of Israel's genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023, Yemeni forces carried out scores of operations in support of the war-hit Gazans, striking targets throughout the occupied Palestinian territories, in addition to targeting Israeli ships or vessels heading towards ports in the occupied territories.

In support of Israel, the US announced the formation of a maritime task force in the Red Sea in December 2023 to protect the passage of vessels bound for the Israeli-occupied territories.

The Yemeni forces responded by ramping up their strikes against strategic and sensitive Israeli and American targets, including the US warships and aircraft carriers that are deployed off Yemen's coastline.

The Yemeni forces paused their retaliatory strikes in support of the ceasefire that took hold in Gaza on January 19.

The deal between Israel and Hamas was reached after 15 months of the regime's genocidal war on the strip, which claimed the lives of at least 48,446 Palestinians, mostly women and children.

The regime approved the ceasefire after falling short of realizing any of its wartime objectives, including freeing the captives, "eliminating" the Gazan resistance, and causing forced displacement of Gaza's entire population to neighboring Egypt.



NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Lebanon's post-war reconstruction needs $11 Billion: World Bank

Iran Press TV

Friday, 07 March 2025 1:45 PM

Following the Israeli regime's invasion of Lebanon last year and Hezbollah's resistance against the aggression, the World Bank on Friday estimated Lebanon's recovery costs at $11 billion.

The total economic cost of the conflict stands at $14 billion, including $6.8 billion in damage to physical structures and $7.2 billion in economic losses from reduced productivity, forgone revenues, and operating costs, according to a World Bank report on Friday assessing damage and losses from October 8 to December 20, 2024.

The Lebanese housing sector has suffered the most, with losses estimated at $4.6 billion, while the tourism industry has lost $3.6 billion.

"The impacts of the conflict have resulted in Lebanon's real GDP contracting by 7.1 percent in 2024, a significant setback compared to a no-conflict growth estimate of 0.9 percent," the World Bank said.

"By the end of 2024, Lebanon's cumulative GDP decline since 2019 approached 40 percent, compounding the effects of the multi-pronged economic downturn and impacting Lebanon's prospects for economic growth."

The Israeli military began operations against Hezbollah's positions in south Lebanon soon after launching a genocidal war against the besieged Gaza Strip in October 2023.

The Israeli invasion of southern Lebanon escalated in October and November 2024 as intense bombardments of civilian areas destroyed thousands of homes and a significant portion of the infrastructure in southern regions and also in Beirut.

This devastation comes on top of Lebanon's already unprecedented economic crisis prior to the conflict.

Since the onset of the escalation in October 2023, around 4,000 Lebanese, many of them civilians, have been killed, and over one million people displaced.

After failing to achieve its goals, the Israeli regime was compelled to accept a ceasefire with Hezbollah in November. Yet, the regime continues to violate the agreement almost on a daily basis through launching attacks on Lebanese territories.

The Lebanese resistance movement, however, stood up to the aggression with all at its disposal, conducting numerous retaliatory strikes against sensitive and strategic Israeli targets.

The Israeli regime's brutal military operations in Lebanon have resembled its atrocities across the Palestinian territories, including the Gaza Strip, where it has killed more than 48,300 Palestinians, mostly women and children, with almost all of the population internally displaced.





NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






New Israeli military chief to present plan to restart war on Gaza: Report

Iran Press TV

Friday, 07 March 2025 11:26 AM

The Israeli military's new chief of staff is set to present plans for the resumption of the genocidal war on the Gaza Strip, amid the fragile ceasefire agreement, a report says.

On Thursday, Haaretz reported that Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, before his inauguration, asked for time to present a plan for the resumption of war in Gaza, adding "he will now be tasked with doing so within days."

"The government is demanding that Zamir present plans for taking control of parts of Gaza."

The report, however, noted that sources familiar with the plan's details have cast doubt over the Israeli military's ability to draft the number of reserve soldiers needed to retake different areas across Gaza, including areas that the Israeli army left during the first phase of the truce deal.

Many officers in the Israeli military's "reserves have made it clear that they plan to end their service and not continue volunteering for combat operations in Gaza, citing their belief that the return to fighting is based on political considerations, all while endangering the lives of the hostages held in Gaza."

Haaretz also noted that the burnout of reservists and the condition of the equipment "makes it hard" for some brigades and units to fight.

Citing other sources, the report stressed that the idea that the war in Gaza would be more intense than before is "overblown" as the occupying regime wants to keep its forces ready for the possibility of retaliatory strikes.

During his inauguration, Zamir acknowledged that the regime has failed to defeat the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas as he hinted at the possibility of resuming the war on Gaza.

"I accept command (of the Israeli military) with modesty and humility... Hamas has indeed suffered a severe blow, but it has not yet been defeated. The mission is not yet accomplished," Zamir said on Wednesday.

He was sworn in as the new military chief to replace General Herzi Halevi, who resigned in January, soon after the Gaza ceasefire deal was agreed.

Israel launched the campaign of genocide in Gaza on October 7, 2023. It has killed at least 48,446 Palestinians there so far.

In January, the Israeli regime was forced to agree to a ceasefire deal with Hamas given the regime's failure to achieve any of its objectives, including the "elimination" of the Palestinian resistance movement or the release of captives.

During the first phase of the deal, Hamas exchanged 33 Israeli captives and five Thais for some 2,000 Palestinians.

The 42-day stage of the truce, which was marred by repeated Israeli violations, expired on March 1, with Israel refraining from stepping into talks for the second stage of the agreement.

Hamas has insisted on proceeding to negotiations on a permanent ceasefire before agreeing to any further releases of Israeli captives.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Israeli forces violently raid Nablus mosques on first Friday of Ramadan

Iran Press TV

Friday, 07 March 2025 11:01 AM

The Israeli regime's forces have stormed several mosques in the occupied West Bank city of Nablus on the first Friday of the fasting month of Ramadan.

The official Palestinian news agency Wafa said the forces raided six mosques in the Old City of Nablus at dawn on Friday, preventing the prayer from being held and detaining three Palestinians during their incursion into the city.

Citing local sources, the news agency reported that the Israeli military fired live ammunition, stun grenades and toxic gas canisters as the forces stormed multiple neighborhoods in the city and its Old City.

"During the incursion, the occupation forces stormed and searched several mosques, including al-Satoon Mosque, Ajaj Mosque, the Great Salah al-Din Mosque, al-Tina Mosque, al-Nasr Mosque, and al-Beik Mosque," Wafa said. "These mosques, all located in the Old City, were ransacked during the raids."

Palestine's Safa news agency also confirmed the report and said the occupation set fire to a room inside al-Nasr Mosque.

The news agency added that the Israeli forces had earlier raided several homes in Nablus, causing destruction and chaos before detaining three citizens from different parts of the city.

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees warned on Thursday that Israel's ongoing violent aggression against the West Bank appears to be part of the regime's plan to annex the occupied territory.

Israel's military onslaught on the West Bank started shortly after the Gaza truce took effect in January and ended the occupying regime's 15-month genocide in the besieged Palestinian territory.

Since the onset of the Gaza war in October 2023, attacks by the Israeli army and illegal settlers have killed at least 930 Palestinians and injured nearly 7,000 in the occupied West Bank.

It initially focused on Jenin, Tulkarm and Nur Shams refugee camps, but has since expanded to more areas of the West Bank's north.

Last July, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) declared that Israel's long-standing occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal, demanding the evacuation of all illegal settlements in the West Bank and East al-Quds.

Israel launched its brutal aggression against Gaza after Hamas-led resistance groups carried out a historic operation against the usurping entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

The Tel Aviv regime failed to achieve its declared objectives of freeing captives and eliminating Hamas despite killing at least 48,446 Palestinians, mostly women and children, in Gaza.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






West Bank situation remains 'deeply alarming', warns UN spokesman

Iran Press TV

Friday, 07 March 2025 9:33 AM

The spokesperson for the United Nations secretary-general has warned of the deteriorating security situation in the West Bank, stating that the status quo remains 'deeply alarming' in the occupied territory.

"Especially in the northern part of the West Bank, our humanitarian colleagues are warning that the situation remains deeply alarming, with partners telling us that what they see on the ground from displacement to demolished homes to damaged streets due to the continuing operations being conducted by the Israeli security forces," Stephane Dujarric told reporters on Thursday.

The UN underscores that international law must be respected at all times, and civilians must be protected, he added.

The remarks came on the same day that a young Palestinian man sustained fractures and injuries after being attacked by Israeli occupation forces at the entrance to al-Arroub refugee camp, located adjacent to the town of Shuyukh al-Arrub in the southern West Bank.

The official Palestinian news agency WAFA, citing local sources, reported that Israeli soldiers assaulted the man, beating him with the butts of their rifles, as he attempted to enter the camp and return to his home.

The attack resulted in the man sustaining injuries, including fractures to his face and jaw.

The Israeli occupation forces also stormed the camp, forcing shop owners to close their businesses. This took place amid the firing of stun grenades and toxic tear gas canisters towards the homes of local residents.

Elsewhere in Jenin refugee camp, Israeli military forces demolished several houses and set fire to others.

Local sources reported that the occupation bulldozers demolished more than four houses in the neighborhoods of al-Faluja and al-Samran, in the center of the camp.

Video clips also showed columns of smoke rising from houses in the camp.

The Israeli military launched its onslaught on the occupied West Bank on January 21, claiming that it was targeting resistance fighters of the Jenin Battalion.

Since the onset of the Gaza war in October 2023, attacks by the Israeli army and illegal settlers have killed at least 930 Palestinians and injured nearly 7,000 in the occupied West Bank.

Last July, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) declared that Israel's long-standing occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal, demanding the evacuation of all illegal settlements in the West Bank and East al-Quds.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






EU leaders agree to dramatically increase military spending amid rift with US

Iran Press TV

Friday, 07 March 2025 7:58 AM

European leaders have agreed to dramatically increase military spending, and continue to support Ukraine against Russia, after US President Donald Trump halted the military and intelligence aid to Kiev.

At a crisis summit in Brussels on Thursday, EU leaders endorsed an $860 billion (800bn) plan to "rearm Europe" outlined by the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, earlier this week.

Von der Leyen said it was "a watershed moment for Europe" and also for Ukraine.

"Europe must become more sovereign, more responsible for its own defense and better equipped to act and deal autonomously with immediate and future challenges and threats," the final conclusions state.

The EU "will accelerate the mobilization of the necessary instruments and financing" to boost security and "reinforce its overall defense readiness [and] reduce its strategic dependencies".

This comes as European governments are under pressure to boost defense as Trump questions whether the United States, the guarantor of Europe's security since World War II, should continue its central role in NATO.

He once again cast doubt on his willingness to defend NATO allies, saying they "should be paying more."

The statementbacked by 26 of 27 states amid the opposition of Hungarystressed that "there can be no negotiations on Ukraine without Ukraine" after Trump began talks with Russia without Kiev or the EU.

It declared that Ukraine had to be in the "strongest possible position" to secure a "just and lasting peace".

Arriving at the summit, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who had originally been scheduled to join by video link, said "We are very thankful that we are not alone."

The plan includes a loan scheme secured against unused funds in the EU budget and greater flexibilities in the bloc's fiscal rules that could unlock 650bn in new spending.

Member states would still have to agree to the 150bn loans scheme.

The summit was called last week after Trump embarked on his direct diplomacy with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, but before the US president's clash with Zelensky in the White House and the suspension of US aid.

Relations between the United States and Ukraine broke down dramatically in late February, when Trump and Vice President JD Vance engaged in a tense exchange with the Ukrainian president at the Oval Office over a proposed peace deal with Russia.

Afterwards, the Trump administration suspended Washington's intelligence support and military aid to Ukraine to pressure Kiev into a swift end to the three-year war on Washington's terms.

In a sign of improved ties, Zelensky expressed willingness in a letter to Trump on Tuesday to enter negotiations over the war. Ukrainian and American negotiators are expected to meet in Saudi Arabia next week.

Since the Ukraine war began in February 2022, the US has provided Ukraine with nearly $86 billion in military assistance, according to the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






UNRWA: Israel's West Bank aggression aligns with annexation 'vision'

Iran Press TV

Friday, 07 March 2025 2:05 AM

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees has warned that Israel's ongoing violent aggression against the West Bank appears to be part of the regime's plan to annex the occupied territory.

The regime's weeks-long operation has displaced tens of thousands of Palestinians and ravaged refugee camps.

On Thursday, UNRWA described the situation in the West Bank as unprecedented, both from a humanitarian and wider political perspective.

"There are growing concerns that the reality being created on the ground aligns with the vision of annexation of the West Bank," said Roland Friedrich, director of West Bank affairs for UNRWA, the UN agency supporting Palestinian refugees.

"It's an unprecedented situation, both from a humanitarian and wider political perspective," he added.

"We talk about 40,000 people that have been forcibly displaced from their homes" in the northern West Bank, mainly from three refugee camps where the operation had begun, Friedrich said.

He added that "these camps are now largely empty," their residents unable to return and struggling to find shelter elsewhere.

He stated that the level of destruction of electricity, sewage, and water infrastructure, as well as Palestinians' houses, is very concerning.

The official said that as Israel's aggression drags on, there are increasing signs that it could turn into a permanent military presence in Palestinian cities.

The agency cited Israeli officials' remarks that Palestinians will not be allowed to return to their homes in the region.

Israel's military onslaught on the West Bank started shortly after the Gaza truce took effect in January.

It initially focused on Jenin, Tulkarm and Nur Shams refugee camps, but has since expanded to more areas of the West Bank's north.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Vietnam receives 6 new Czech aircraft as it seeks to rely less on Russia

Hanoi hopes the L-39 Skyfox trainer will help modernize its air force as tensions rise in the South China Sea.

By RFA Staff 2025.03.07 -- Czech manufacturers Aero Vodochody and Omnipol have completed the delivery of six L-39 Skyfox training aircraft to the Vietnamese air force, Aero Vodochody said.

Vietnam - the first foreign customer for the aircraft - had already received the first batch of six aircraft last August. It now has a fleet of 12 advanced jet trainers that can also operate as light combat aircraft.

In order to modernize and strengthen its air force to deal with rising security challenges, especially tension in the South China Sea, Vietnam has been looking to buy planes and equipment from countries other than traditional partner Russia.

Buying weapons from Russia could also isolate Vietnam from its Western allies as Russia's arms manufacturers face sanctions following its invasion of Ukraine.

Vietnam ordered the 12 trainers from Aero Vodochody in 2021. Omnipol, a strategic partner in the project, became a minority owner of Aero the same year.

Also in 2021, Vietnam signed a contract to buy 12 new U.S.-made T-6C Texan II aircraft, five of which were delivered last November. The Beechcraft trainers were the first military aircraft sold directly by the U.S. to Vietnam.

Two years earlier, Vietnam bought 12 Yak-130 jet trainers from Russia.

Aero Vodochody said that the Vietnamese air force received a theoretical and practical training kit with the completed aircraft, including a simulation training system for pilots and mechanics.

An on-the-aircraft training course will be held this year in the Czech Republic for Vietnamese pilots.

Adaptable, versatile aircraft

L-39 Skyfox is a turbofan-powered military trainer. Originally called L-39NG, the Czech manufacturers renamed the aircraft Skyfox last October saying the name fox "is perfectly suited to the aircraft due to its nature and behavior."

"It may not be the strongest animal in the forest, but it is extremely adaptable, persistent, resourceful, takes care of its young like an airplane takes care of its pilots, and when it comes down to it, it can bite hard," Aero said.

The aircraft, originally designed to support the training of pilots for Russian-made front-line combat aircraft, can also be used for training pilots of 4th and 5th generation aircraft such as the U.S.'s F-16 and F-35, it said.

The manufacturer said the L-39 Skyfox is also suitable for light combat as it can be equipped with rockets, missiles, bombs and guns with a total payload capacity of up to 1,640 kilograms (1.8 tons).

With a little adaptation such as by mounting sensors, it can be deployed for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations, border and maritime patrolling.

This week, Israeli media reported that Vietnam intended to buy two surveillance satellites worth US$680 million from Israel to "address China's provocations against its neighbors in the South China Sea."

The L-39 Skyfox reportedly cost less than US$10 million per plane to procure, according to Janes, the military intelligence company.

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






Tibet is a 'front line' in struggle for freedom with Beijing: US official

The senior State Department official made the remark at a Tibetan New Year celebration in Washington.

By Tashi Wangchuk and Tenzin Pema for RFA Tibetan 2025.03.07 -- Tibet's struggle for autonomy in China is "one of the front lines" in America's battle with the Chinese Communist Party, a senior State Department official said at a Tibetan New Year celebration.

Albert Gombis, the acting under secretary of state for civilian security, democracy and human rights, made the remark at an event marking Losar, or Tibetan New Year, at the State Department on Tuesday.

Gombis told the gathering that U.S. national security was "inextricably bound to the battle of ideas and influence" with Beijing, which annexed Tibet in the early 1950s and has since governed the territory with an oppressively heavy-hand while seeking to erase Tibetan culture.

"The decades-long struggle for Tibet's autonomy is important not only to the six million Tibetans in China and the many tens of thousands in the Tibetan diaspora; their struggle constitutes one of the front lines in the global effort for freedom from the Chinese Communist Party's repression," Gombis said, calling for a renewed American focus on Tibet.

"The CCP's efforts to erase Tibetan identity and militarize the Himalayas reverberate across the region and threaten the safety of U.S. partners and the Indo-Pacific more broadly," he added.

Beijing denies it represses Tibet or seeks to erase its cultural traditions, instead pointing to economic development in the region as evidence of its positive impacts on the population of about 6 million Tibetans.

Losar celebrations

Tibetans around the world held subdued celebrations this Losar - or Tibetan Wood Snake Year, which began Feb. 28 - due to the earthquake that struck Tibet in January and the death of Gyalo Thondup, the elder brother of the Dalai Lama, in February.

The annual U.S. State Department gathering held Tuesday was the 11th such event organized by the department since the Tibetan New Year was first celebrated at its headquarters in February 2015. It was also the first held since the new Trump administration returned to office.

It was a largely somber observance of the new year, with religious rituals by Tibetan Buddhist monks and participation of young Tibetan Americans explaining the significance of the Losar traditions.

Last week, in what was the new U.S. administration's first remarks on U.S. policy on Tibet, a State Department spokesperson told RFA Tibetan that the Trump administration will continue to call on China to return to direct dialogue with the Dalai Lama or his representatives.

"We will also continue to call on China to cease its interference in the succession of the Dalai Lama and other Tibetan Buddhist lamas and to respect the freedom of religion or belief of individuals of all faiths," the spokesperson said, noting long-running bipartisan support for Tibet.

China invaded far-western Tibet in 1950 and has controlled the territory ever since. The Dalai Lama fled into exile in India amid a large-scale Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule in March 1959.

Since then, Beijing has sought to legitimize Chinese rule through the suppression of dissent and policies undermining Tibetan culture and language. More recently, China has also sought to control the reincarnation process of Tibetan religious leaders in an attempt to interfere in the selection of the Dalai Lama's reincarnation.

At Tuesday's event, Gombis said Tibet should not be forgotten as the United States tries to counter Chinese expansion in other areas, such as its expansionist claims on the South China Sea and Taiwan.

China's Sinicization of Tibetan Buddhism, including its interference in the Dalai Lama's succession process, he said, mirrors its "larger efforts to co-opt other religious traditions," both within China and elsewhere.

"We must challenge the CCP's brazen efforts to undermine the ideals that are a key source of our strength and identity as a nation," he said.

Additional reporting by Tenzin Dickyi and Passang Dhonden. Edited by Tenzin Pema and 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






Srebrenica Genocide Center Closes Citing Security Fears As Dodik Defies Government

By RFE/RL's Balkan Service March 07, 2025

Bosnia-Herzegovina's Srebrenica Memorial Center said it was closing for the first time ever because of security concerns amid rising tensions after a state court sentenced Milorad Dodik, the Serb Republic's president and a pro-Russian nationalist, to a year in prison and banned him from politics for six years.

In a statement posted on social media on March 7, the center -- which marks the site of genocide committed by ethnic Serb troops against Muslim Bosniaks in 1995 -- said that it had locked its doors "until further notice and in accordance with the current security situation."

The move comes after Bosnian officials challenged a set of laws barring the state judiciary and police from operating in Republika Srpska, the Serb-controlled part of the country. The contentious legislation has fueled tensions in the ethnically-divided Balkan country.

On February 27, the National Assembly of Republika Srpska voted on the laws a day after the State Court in Sarajevo delivered a non-final judgment sentencing Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik to one year in prison and banning him from politics for six years for defying the orders of an international peace envoy.

Dodik, who rejected the charges, was accused of failing to implement the decisions of the High Representative for Bosnia-Herzegovina, Christian Schmidt, in July 2023.

In response to the ruling, Dodik warned that he "would radicalize the situation" in the country.

On March 7, he went a step further, calling on ethnic Serbs to quit the federal police force and courts.

Dodik added afterward that he was not planning for a violent escalation of the situation, but he quickly noted that Republika Srpska had "the ability to defend itself, and we will do that."

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.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/srebrenica-genocide- closes-security-fears-dodik/33340181.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






Aid efforts in Burundi buckling as more Congolese arrive in largest influx in decades

UNHCR - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

This is a summary of what was said by Faith Kasina, Regional Spokesperson for East and Horn of Africa and Great Lakes - to whom quoted text may be attributed - at today's press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

7 March 2025

BUJUMBURA, BURUNDI -- As conflict in the eastern parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues, thousands are still crossing the border into Burundi in what has become the largest influx the country has experienced in decades.

Nearly 63,000 people have arrived in less than a month, with over 1,100 crossing on 5 March. Despite a slight decline in arrivals this past week, hundreds of refugees continue to arrive in Burundi every day through 11 border crossings, most of which are unofficial. The majority are women, children and the elderly.

Some arrivals tell harrowing stories of dangerous journeys, including new mothers crossing the Rusizi River with their newborns in their arms. Others walked for hours, traversing difficult terrain at night without stopping to rest, fearful of getting caught up in hostilities. For some, this is not the first displacement. One 45-year-old mother first fled to Burundi as a teenager, and is now back with her six children. Many children are arriving alone or separated from their families.

There are also reports of people being forced to pay skyrocketing fees for transportation to the border, up to three times the cost two weeks ago, making it too expensive for many to afford to reach safety.

The Burundian authorities have established reception and transit facilities to register, shelter, and provide emergency assistance to those arriving. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and partners, are rushing to support relief efforts with emergency aid.

Over 45,000 refugees are still sheltering in a local stadium in Rugombo, a few kilometres from the DRC border, awaiting relocation to designated refugee sites. The stadium has surpassed its hosting capacity, and many families are now staying in open fields within the community or with well-wishers.

This week, UNHCR set up a protection desk to provide critical psychosocial support and to assist in identifying specific needs among the new arrivals, including unaccompanied children, survivors of sexual violence, the elderly, and people with serious medical conditions. However, resources available for follow-up care are extremely limited. Inadequate sanitation facilities and poor waste management are making the situation even more precarious, increasing the risk of disease outbreaks.

Relocation has started to the new refugee site identified by the authorities to ease pressure at the border. However, significant logistical challenges, including vehicle shortages and long travel times, are challenging efforts to move refugees to better equipped locations.

In the Musenyi refugee site, in the south of the country, new arrivals are settling down. The site, which can host 10,000 people, is now 60 per cent full, with people setting up in communal shelters as UNHCR and partners construct more appropriate housing. Refugees are receiving food and water and can access local health facilities. More land is being identified by the Government of Burundi where additional refugee sites can be set up as more arrive.

Medical services, including specialized treatment for the wounded, as well as psychosocial support to help address trauma, are urgently needed. To ensure refugee children can continue learning, UNHCR is looking to build additional classrooms in local schools and other educational facilities.

In the current constrained funding environment, Burundi is one of many countries where an urgent injection of support is needed. Without it, more lives will be put at risk.

As of 5 March, some 85,000 people have fled to neighbouring counties from the DRC following the recent escalation of fighting. By comparison, less than 7,000 people fled to neighbouring countries in the first two months of 2024.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Occupied Palestinian Territory: Israeli operations continue to have dire consequences

7 March 2025 - Humanitarian agencies warned on Friday that ongoing Israeli military operations in the northern West Bank are exacerbating an already dire situation for displaced Palestinians.

The UN relief agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) reports that Israeli authorities have started demolishing more than 16 buildings in Nur Shams refugee camp, after destroying more than two dozen homes over the past week in the occupied West Bank.

Those displaced are staying at public shelters in Jenin and Tulkarm, with many lacking bare necessities, according to a new assessment from the UN aid coordination office (OCHA).

"Less than half of the people our teams interviewed said they could afford food, with many reducing or skipping meals. Children are also unable to attend school," UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters at the regular daily briefing in New York.

Humanitarian efforts

Since the beginning of the Israeli operation in January, humanitarian partners have been providing life-saving assistance, distributing food parcels and daily meals.

Over 5,000 families have received cash assistance to meet their basic needs, and relief efforts have included the provision of bedding, dignity kits, water storage tanks and mobile latrines in Jenin, Tulkarm and Tubas.

Access restrictions

Meanwhile, according to OCHA, the closure of the Tayaseer checkpoint since February has severely hampered movement for more than 60,000 Palestinians.

On the first Friday of Ramadan, these restrictions prevented thousands of Palestinian worshippers from reaching holy sites.

While the Israeli authorities have allowed Palestinians access to East Jerusalem and the H2 area of Hebron, they have set up hundreds of metal barriers and imposed restrictions based on age and gender, with the condition that worshippers possess Israeli-issued permits.

OCHA has deployed teams to identify potential protection risks and possible measures for Palestinians to cross, with particular attention to the most vulnerable.

No aid entering Gaza

In Gaza, humanitarian organizations warned on Friday that the closure of all crossings for nearly a week has cut off the flow of critical aid, exacerbating suffering among civilians who have already endured months of hardship.

"It is critical that humanitarian assistance is allowed to enter Gaza without delay," said Mr. Dujarric.

Under international humanitarian law, Israel, as the occupying power, is required to ensure that people's essential needs are met, including by facilitating aid into Gaza.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






DR Congo crisis leaves mothers with newborns fleeing to Burundi

7 March 2025 - The aid response in Burundi to the crisis in neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) "is literally buckling", the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, warned on Friday, as it relayed dramatic testimonies from people forced to flee the unchecked advance of Rwanda-backed M23 rebels.

"Over 63,000 people now have crossed into the country, Burundi, fleeing atrocities, deadly conflict in parts of eastern DR Congo," said Faith Kasina, UNHCR Regional Spokesperson for East and Horn of Africa and Great Lakes.

Amid the largest influx of refugees Burundi has seen in decades because of the hostilities in eastern DRC's mineral-rich region, the UNHCR official issued an urgent appeal for immediate and sustained humanitarian funding to meet growing needs among the new arrivals. "This country, despite its best efforts, was not prepared for this emergency," Ms. Kasina noted.

The alert comes just days since UNCHR warned that sexual violence and human rights abuses remain rampant near the frontlines in DRC, along with looting and destruction of homes and businesses.

Aid response 'buckling'

To assist the new arrivals, UNCHR and partners are registering them in Rugombo before facilitating their onward passage to refugee sites far from the border. "But without more or without sustained funding...the aid response is literally buckling," she warned.

At least 45,000 refugees have crammed into a stadium in Rugombo. "Conditions are extremely harsh...there are at least 45,000 people still sheltering in the stadium. The stadium is literally bursting at the seams."

Testimonies from many of those fleeing grave rights violations in eastern DRC linked to the M23 advance have continued to highlight the seriousness of the ongoing emergency.

DR Congo rape alert

On 4 March, UNHCR warned that 895 cases of rape were reported to humanitarians in the last two weeks of February alone - an average of more than 60 a day.

One new mother "told me she gave birth three days before she had to flee and she had to cross the Rusizi river with her newborn baby in her arms and four more by her side," Ms. Kasina said. "She was seeing people's property and people's luggage go down the river and she was scared for her life."

Another DRC victim uprooted by the conflict described how she had already fled to Rugombo in Burundi as a teenager - "Now she's forced back in the almost exact same spot now with six children...it's just as an unending cycle of displacement."

Highlighting the high number of children separated from their parents, UNHCR has set up a protection desk because "they have no point of contact and therefore these protection desks are useful in terms of trying to identify them, trying to connect them or reunite them with close family members", the UNHCR official explained.

There are over one million Congolese refugees across Africa, mainly in neighbouring countries. Uganda hosts more than half of that total, while Burundi has seen most new arrivals since January's flash M23 offensive.

Prior to the current crisis, some 6.7 million people were internally displaced within the DRC.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Launch of the 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan for the Central African Republic

UNOCHA - United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Central African Republic: US$ 326.1 million needed for a humanitarian response on resource test.

Bangui, March 7, 2025 -- Although humanitarian needs in the Central African Republic (CAR) have decreased, they remain high, given the large number of vulnerable people revealed by the annual needs assessment. This decrease is partly due to the improved security situation in certain localities, and to the fact that the humanitarian community has carried out a rigorous analysis and targeting of humanitarian needs, advocating for development funding where the situation has improved. However, the humanitarian situation remains worrying in areas affected by movements of population, epidemics, climate shocks and the impact of the war in Sudan and insecurity in Chad. These include the southeast, northeast and west of the country.

2.4 million people - 37.5 per cent of the population - are extremely vulnerable in 2025, to the extent that humanitarian assistance alone will not be enough to restore their well-being. "Our needs analysis covered only areas that had experienced recent shocks such as armed violence, epidemics and floods, leaving room for other actors, such as development organizations, in areas where the situation has improved as a result of better security and gains made by humanitarian action", explained Mr. Ag Ayoya, Humanitarian Coordinator for CAR.

To meet the needs of the most vulnerable Central Africans, the CAR Government and the Humanitarian Country Team officially launched today the 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan. The humanitarian community is seeking to meet the urgent needs of 1.8 million of the most vulnerable people and is calling for the mobilization of US$ 326.1 million. The humanitarian community will ensure that the response covers different sectors that have recorded needs following recent shocks, with systematic participation of local actors and affected communities.

Civilians continue to bear the brunt of the violence that has forced to displacement one in five Central Africans either within the country or abroad, and logistical and security constraints continue to hamper the efforts of humanitarian actors to provide them with required assistance. In 2024, at least one security incident affected humanitarian actors every week. "When humanitarian actors are attacked, life-saving assistance to hundreds of thousands of Central Africans is threatened," Mr. Ayoya stressed.

Thanks to the generosity of donors, 1.7 million of the most vulnerable Central Africans received vital assistance in 2024 in at least one sector, particularly in regions that have remained inaccessible by road for several years. "The humanitarian community is extremely grateful to donors, whom I thank for their generosity in 2024, and I invite them not to forget Central Africans in 2025, in the face of the ever-changing dynamics of emergency aid funding at global level," concluded Mr. Ayoya.

For more information, contact

Maxime Nama, Head of Public Information, namacirhibuka@un.org; +236 70 12 24 43

Abdoulaye Sawadogo, Head of Office, sawadogoa@un.org, + 236 70 60 10 66

7 March 2025

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






$860 billion rearmament plan fuels European defense stocks

By Henry Ridgwell March 07, 2025

European defense firms appear set to profit from a massive EU investment in armaments, as the bloc reacts to a U.S. pivot away from Europe's security under President Donald Trump.

The $860 billion "ReArm Europe Plan" faces opposition, however, from Hungary, which argues the effort to continue arming Ukraine in its war against Russian invaders could bankrupt the EU.

Stock gains

Several European defense stocks have recorded huge gains in recent weeks, bucking the general nervousness in global markets over a potential trade war triggered by U.S. tariffs.

Germany's Rheinmetall, which makes the widely used Leopard tank, has seen its stock jump almost 90 percent since the start of the year. Shares in British arms maker BAE Systems are up over a third, while Italy's Leonardo and the French firm Thales have also risen sharply.

Europe is pushing to bolster its own defenses after Washington indicated that European security would no longer be a priority, explained Tim Oechsner, a senior trader at Germany's Wolfgang Steubing AG bank.

"The stock market has also realized that Europe is more on its own and has to defend itself accordingly  and that the USA has taken a back seat as a reliable partner. In this respect, armaments and defense spending are forecast to be higher and the values are set correspondingly higher," Oechsner told Reuters.

ReArm Europe Plan

U.S. President Donald Trump has long called on Europe to spend more on its own defense, arguing that Washington should no longer foot the bill.

Meeting in Brussels Thursday, European Union leaders, alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, approved the $860 billion "ReArm Europe Plan," which will be funded by EU bonds and relaxed rules on borrowing and spending.

The bloc has shown in the past that it has the capacity to act fast, said Mattia Nelles of the Dusseldorf-based consultancy the German-Ukrainian Bureau.

"The money is less of an issue than the resolve. We saw after corona, after COVID, that Europe and the EU were quickly able to mobilize hundreds of billions of euros," he told VOA.

In addition to the EU plans,individual nation-states are also ramping up defense spending. Friedrich Merz, who is expected to be Germany's next chancellor after his Christian Democrats won the largest share of votes in last month's election, pledged to relax the nation's strict borrowing rules, known as the "debt brake."

"I want to be very clear here. The concept of '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 told reporters in Berlin this week.

The Trump administration's decision to halt military aid to Ukraine and restrict the use of some American-made weapons is driving Europe's desire to build up its own capabilities.

As the share prices of many European arms companies have climbed this year, prices for several American defense firms have declined.

"It is important that the money we spend at least stays in Europe. We shouldn't be buying American weapons systems with it," said Robert Halver, head of capital markets analysis at Germany's Baader Bank, in an interview with Reuters.

Ukraine support

European leaders also pledged to continue supporting Ukraine. In a five-point plan agreed to Thursday, the EU committed to providing Ukraine with $33 billion in aid this year and affirmed that there should be no ceasefire negotiations without Ukrainian officials present.

But can the continent strengthen its defenses while supporting Kyiv's forces in its war against the Russian invasion? Mark Galeotti, executive director of Mayak Intelligence and an author on Russia, said Europe's rearmament will take time.

"Most of this cannot actually affect the situation on the ground, for months or indeed years to come," he said. "You do not build a defense-industrial complex overnight. This is not something which is suddenly going to manifest itself  and certainly will have no direct impact on the Ukraine war."

Hungarian opposition

Not all Europeans are on board with Brussels' plans. Hungary has voiced opposition to continuing support for Ukraine. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban refused to sign the final leaders' statement, so it was endorsed by only the remaining 26 member states.

In an interview on Hungarian television Friday, Orban warned Europe alone could not afford to support Kyiv.

"If you say that the war should go on then somebody must finance that. Now that the Americans quit, it will cost us a lot. If the Europeans want to carry on like this, then our last penny will be spent on this war," Orban said.

European Union officials dismissed claims that Hungary's opposition revealed a lack of unity.

"We all want peace. The difference is that 26 [member states] believe that the path to peace is by strengthening Ukraine's defense capacity. Hungary has isolated itself from this consensus; it stands alone. A country alone does not create division," European Council President Antonio Costa said on Friday.

Outside the EU summit, demonstrators demanded that Europe seize the $200 billion in Russian assets currently frozen in European banks and use the money to defend Ukraine. While the idea is reportedly gaining support, several European governments fear such a move could impact global confidence in the euro as a reserve currency.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Hamas delegation arrives in Cairo to discuss 2nd phase of Gaza ceasefire

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 10:21, March 08, 2025

CAIRO, March 7 (Xinhua) -- A Hamas delegation arrived in Egypt's Cairo on Friday for talks on implementing terms of the Gaza ceasefire deal and pushing forward negotiations on its second phase, Egypt's State Information Service said in a statement.

Egypt is holding intensive talks with Hamas leaders, as well as U.S. and Qatari mediators, to continue the implementation of the ceasefire and to begin the 2nd phase of the deal, according to the statement.

A three-phase Gaza ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, brokered by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, took effect on January 19. The negotiations for the second phase of the deal remain stalled after the initial 42-day phase expired on March 1.

Egypt has been intensifying diplomatic efforts to achieve a Gaza ceasefire and advance the strip's reconstruction. On Tuesday, Egypt hosted an emergency Arab summit and proposed a Gaza non-displacement reconstruction plan valued at 53 billion U.S. dollars.

However, the plan necessitates a permanent ceasefire in the strip to encourage financing and investment for its implementation.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Russo-Ukraine War - 07 March 2025 - Day 1108

Su M Tu W Th F Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While GlobalSecurity.org takes utmost care to accurately report this news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

On 24 February 2022, Ukraine was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval and air forces of Russia, igniting the largest European war since the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" (SVO - spetsialnaya voennaya operatsiya) in Ukraine in response to the appeal of the leaders of the "Donbass republics" for help. That attack is a blatant violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Putin stressed that Moscow's goal is the demilitarization and denazification of the country. The military buildup in preceeding months makes it obvious that the unprovoked and dastardly Russian attack was deliberately planned long in advance. During the intervening time, the Russian government had deliberately sought to deceive the world by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

"To initiate a war of aggression... is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." [Judgment of the International Military Tribunal]

The UK Ministry of Defence reported that on 04 March 2025, Russian president Putin stated that Russia had completed issuing passports to Ukrainians living in illegally Russian-occupied territory in Ukraine. Russia's Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev stated that 3.5 million Russian passports had been issued to Ukrainians in occupied territory, an increase from the 2.8 million reported in March 2024.

Russia makes access to services in occupied regions, including social services, healthcare, and financial services, conditional on the receipt of Russian passports. Possession of a Russian passport also constitutes eligibility for conscription into the Russian military. Ukrainians without a Russian passport also face the seizure of their property by the authorities.

Russian efforts to enforce governance in illegally occupied territory, and to coerce and compel Ukrainians to accept Russian passports, demonstrate the Russian senior leadership's continuing commitment to, and pursuit of, a Russification policy.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that Ukrainian defenders continue to decisively thwart the Russian enemy's attempts to advance deep into Ukrainian territory, giving him an effective fire effect, exhaustion throughout the frontline.

Since the beginning of this day, there have been 109 combat clashes.

Russian zagarbniki made one missile strike, using 67 missiles, 60 aviation strikes, applying 77 cab. In addition, the Russians have engaged 1240 kamikaze drones and carried out more than four thousand shells on the positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements.

In the Kharkiv direction, Ukrainian troops repelled two attacks of the opponent in the area of vovchanska. The Russian enemy caused an air strike in the area of the settlement of Graniv.

In the Kupiansk direction, Russian forces carried out four assaults of the positions of Ukrainian defenders in the areas of Petropavlivka, Zagrizovy and in the direction of Kupiansk. Ukrainian defenders repelled Russian attacks.

In the Lyman direction during the day Russian zagarbniki 16 times attacked the positions of Ukrainians near Grekivka, Torsky, Yampolivka and in the direction of new, novomikhailivka. Two clashes are still ongoing.

In the Sivers komu direction throughout the day, Russian forces made two attempts to attack the position of Ukrainian units in the area of Bilogorivka, attacks repelled.

In the Kramators komu direction, nine combat clashes near Orikhovo-Vasilivka and Time Yar have been recorded, one of which continues so far. Chasiv Yar suffered an air strike.

In the Toretsky direction Russians 22 times attacked the positions of defense forces. The main efforts of the attack of the occupiers concentrated near Diliivka, Friendship, Dachny and Toretsk. Currently, nine clashes continue. Air strikes controlled bombs were suffered by Toretsk, Kleban-Bik and Konstantinivka.

Since the beginning of this day, in the Pokrovsky direction, Russian zagarbnytsky units 24 times tried to break through Ukrainian defense near the settlements of Elizabeth, Tarasivka, Nadiivka, Rumin, Lisivka, Oleksiyivka, Andriyivka, Ulakly and in the direction of Nova Poltavka, Pokrovsk. Oleksandropil, Myrolyubivka, Elizabeth, Pokrovsk, Zvirove and Gorikhove suffered aviation strikes.

Today in this direction Ukrainian warriors zneskodili 184 Russian occupants, 87 of them - irrevocable. Also destroyed one BTR, six cars, seven BPLA control antennas, three motorcycles, a mortar, two BPLA control points; a cannon, one trench REB, a car and a motorcycle.

Today in the novopavlivs komu direction, Russian forces attacked seven times near konstantinopol and burlatsky, received a detachment. NARAMA beat on Konstantinopol, KABom - on Rebuilding.

In the direction of Gulyaipils komu, the zagarbnik did not carry out offensive actions, however, caused an air strike of narama on the railway.

Today, Ukrainian defenders repelled four Russian assault actions in the Orihiv direction, in the areas of Stepovoye and Pyatihatok, three clashes are ongoing so far. The NARAMA air strike was hit by Mirna.

Russian forces did not carry out offensive actions in Gulyaipilsky and Pridniprovsky directions.

In Kur ini Ukrainian warriors repelled 25 attacks of Russians, two clashes are still ongoing. Since the beginning of the day, Russian forces launched 19 air strikes, in total dropped 24 controlled air bombs at the positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements, and executed 377 artillery shells.

In other directions, the situation has not changed significantly.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that from 1 to 7 March, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation carried out seven group strikes with high-precision weapons and strike drones, which destroyed the infrastructure of military airfields, ammunition depots, drone manufacturing shops, depots, and command posts for strike unmanned aerial vehicles, watercraft depots, temporary deployment areas of Ukrainian armed formations, nationalists, and foreign mercenaries.

Moreover, last night, the Russian Armed Forces launched a group strike by high-precision long-range air-, sea-, and ground-based weapons as well as unmanned aerial vehicles at the gas and power infrastructure that supported the Ukrainian defence industry enterprises. The goal of the strike was achieved. All the targets were engaged.

During the week, the Sever Group of Forces continued to rout AFU units in Kursk region. The Group hit manpower and hardware of one heavy mechanised brigade, five mechanised brigades, one motorised infantry brigade, one assault brigade, two air assault brigades, two assault regiments of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and two territorial defence brigades.

In Kharkov direction, units of two mechanised brigades, one motorised infantry brigade, two territorial defence brigades, and two border guard units of the Ukrainian Border Service were hit.

Over the past week, the enemy suffered losses of more than 1,590 troops, six tanks, 74 armoured fighting vehicles, and 99 motor vehicles in the area of responsibility of the Sever Group of Forces. Twenty-eight field artillery guns, including three Western-made ones, five electronic warfare stations, and four ammunition depots were neutralised.

The Zapad Group's units have taken more advantageous lines and positions. They hit manpower and military hardware of five mechanised brigades, one tank brigade, one assault brigade, one airborne brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and two territorial defence brigades.

The enemy lost more than 1,525 troops, two tanks, two armoured fighting vehicles, 40 motor vehicles, and 29 field artillery guns, with 10 of them manufactured by NATO countries. Seven electronic warfare stations and 11 ammunition depots were neutralised.

The Yug Group of Forces improved the tactical position. The Group hit four mechanised units, two motorised infantry brigades, one airmobile brigades, one AFU unmanned aerial vehicle regiment, two National Guard brigades, and one territorial defence brigade were hit.

Over the past week, the AFU lost more than 1,665 troops, one tank, 11 armoured fighting vehicles, 19 motor vehicles, and 20 field artillery guns, including four Western-made guns. Seven ammunition depots and four electronic warfare stations were neutralised.

The Tsentr Group's units improved the tactical situation and liberated Andreyevka (Donetsk People's Republic). They inflicted fire damage on manpower and hardware of six mechanised brigades, three jaeger brigades, two assault brigades, one infantry brigade, one airborne brigade, one UAV brigade, one assault regiment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, one marine brigade, and two National Guard brigades.

The AFU losses amounted to more than 3,810 troops, two tanks, 29 armoured fighting vehicles, with 16 of them manufactured by Western countries, 25 motor vehicles, and 21 field artillery guns.

The Vostok Group's units continued to advance to the depths of the enemy's defence and liberated the settlements of Skudnoye, Burlatskoye, and Privolnoye (Donetsk People's Republic). The Group hit four mechanised brigades, one jaeger brigade, one assault regiment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, one marine brigade, one National Guard brigade, and three territorial defence brigades.

The enemy lost more than 1,210 troops, three tanks, 11 armoured fighting vehicles, and 45 motor vehicles. Twenty-six field artillery guns, including six Western-made guns, as well as two electronic warfare stations, were neutralised.

The Dnepr Group's units improved the situation along the front line. The Group inflicted damage on manpower and military hardware of four mechanised brigades, one mountain assault brigade, three coastal defence brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, one territorial defence brigade, and a detachment of foreign mercenaries.

The AFU losses amounted to up to 575 troops, one tank, two armoured fighting vehicles, 40 motor vehicles, and three field artillery guns. Two ammunition depots and nine electronic warfare stations were neutralised.

??Over the past week, Russia's air defence systems have shot down 21 JDAM guided aerial bombs and five U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS projectiles, as well as 637 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles.

Over the past week, 35 Ukrainian servicemen have surrendered on the line of contact.

In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, 656 aircraft, 283 helicopters, 45,471 unmanned aerial vehicles, 600 anti-aircraft missile systems, 22,076 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,523 MLRS combat vehicles, 22,333 field artillery guns and mortars, and 32,573 units of support military vehicles of the enemy have been neutralised.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation also reported that te Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the operation to neutralise AFU formations on the territory of Kursk region.

In course of offensive actions, the Sever Group of Forces inflicted fire damage on formations of one heavy mechanised brigade, five mechanised brigades, one motorised infantry brigade, one assault brigade, two air assault brigades, two territorial defence brigades, and two assault regiments of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near Goncharovka, Zapselye, Zaoleshenka, Ivashkovsky, Kazachya Loknya, Pervy Knyazhy, Kurilovka, Lebedevka, Loknya, Makhnovka, Nikolayevka, Nikolsky, Novaya Sorochina, Orlovka, Rubanshchina, Sverdlikovo, Staraya Sorochina, and Sudzha.

Operational-tactical and army aviation and artillery fire hit enemy manpower and hardware close to Bogdanovka, Bondarevka, Viktorovka, Guyevo, Kositsa, Loknya, Melovoy, Mirny, Cherkasskoye Porechnoye, Cherkasskaya Konopelka, Yuzhny, as well as Basovka, Belovody, Vodolagi, Zhuravka, Miropolye, Novenkoye, Yunakovka, and Yablonovka in Sumy region.

During the day, the AFU losses amounted to more than 160 troops, one tank, one armoured personnel carrier, four armoured fighting vehicles, 13 motor vehicles, one field artillery gun, four mortars, and one electronic warfare station.

Since the beginning of hostilities in Kursk direction, the AFU losses amounted to more than 65,400 troops, 386 tanks, 296 infantry fighting vehicles, 257 armoured personnel carriers, 2,137 armoured fighting vehicles, 2,328 motor vehicles, 516 artillery guns, 52 MLRS launchers, including 13 of HIMARS and seven of MLRS made by the USA, 25 anti-aircraft missile launchers, one self-propelled anti-aircraft system, ten transport-loading vehicles, 119 EW stations, 15 counter-battery warfare radars, nine air defence radars, 53 units of engineering and other materiel, including 21 counterobstacle vehicles, one UR-77 mine clearing vehicle, five bridge launchers, one engineering reconnaissance vehicle as well as 14 armoured recovery vehicles, and one command post vehicle.

The operation to neutralise the AFU units is in progress.





NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Former Refugee Pleads Guilty and Admits to Supporting ISIS

Friday, March 7, 2025

For Immediate Release

Office of Public Affairs

A former Iraqi refugee and legal permanent resident of Richmond, Texas, has entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization.

Abdulrahman Mohammed Hafedh Alqaysi, 28, admitted to providing material support and resources to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS).

From 2015 to 2020, Alqaysi provided his computer expertise to develop and post logos for a media arm of the ISIS group known as the Kalachnikov team. He further sent hacking videos and instructions to ISIS members in addition to stolen credit card information and fraudulently created identity documents.

U.S. District Judge Alfred Bennett accepted the plea and has set sentencing for June 5. Alqaysi faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. Alqaysi has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.

The FBI Houston Joint Terrorism Task Force investigated the case with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Winter for the Southern District of Texas is prosecuting the case with assistance from Trial Attorney Michael Dittoe of the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section.

Topics: National Security

Counterterrorism

Components: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

National Security Division (NSD)

USAO - Texas, Southern

Press Release Number: 25-236

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Garantex Cryptocurrency Exchange Disrupted in International Operation

Friday, March 7, 2025

For Immediate Release

Office of Public Affairs

Two Administrators Charged with Operating Multibillion-Dollar Crypto Money Laundering Service

Note: View the indictment here.

The Justice Department announced today a coordinated action with Germany and Finland to disrupt and take down the online infrastructure used to operate Garantex, a cryptocurrency exchange that allegedly facilitated money laundering by transnational criminal organizations  including terrorist organizations  and sanctions violations. Since April 2019, Garantex has processed at least $96 billion in cryptocurrency transactions.



Garantex Splash Page Garantex Splash Page

In conjunction with the operation targeting Garantex, the Department also announced the unsealing of an indictment in the Eastern District of Virginia against Aleksej Besciokov, 46, a Lithuanian national and Russian resident, and Aleksandr Mira Serda (previously Aleksandr Ntifo-Siaw), 40, a Russian national and United Arab Emirates resident. Mira Serda and Besciokov are charged with money laundering conspiracy, and Besciokov is charged with conspiracy to violate sanctions and conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business.

According to court documents, between 2019 and 2025, Besciokov and Mira Serda controlled and operated Garantex. Besciokov was Garantex's primary technical administrator and responsible for obtaining and maintaining critical Garantex infrastructure, as well as reviewing and approving transactions. Mira Serda was Garantex's co-founder and chief commercial officer.

Garantex received hundreds of millions in criminal proceeds and was used to facilitate various crimes, including hacking, ransomware, terrorism, and drug trafficking, often with substantial impact to U.S. victims. According to the indictment, Besciokov and Mira Serda knew that criminal proceeds were being laundered through Garantex and took steps to conceal the facilitation of illegal activities on its platform. For example, when Russian law enforcement sought records relating to an account registered to Mira Serda, Garantex provided incomplete information in response and falsely claimed the account was not verified. In reality, Garantex had associated the account with Mira Serda's personal identifying documents, even while disclosing identifying information related to other accounts requested by Russian law enforcement.

On April 5, 2022, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Garantex for its role in facilitating money laundering of funds from ransomware actors and darknet markets. According to court documents, despite the widespread publicity of the sanctions and Garantex administrator's personal knowledge of them, Besciokov and his co-conspirators violated those sanctions by continuing to transact with U.S.-based entities. Further, Besciokov and his co-conspirators redesigned Garantex's operations to evade and violate U.S. sanctions and induce U.S. businesses to unwittingly transact with Garantex in violation of the sanctions. For example, Garantex moved its operational cryptocurrency wallets to different virtual currency addresses on a daily basis in order to make it difficult for U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchanges to identify and block transactions with Garantex accounts.

Despite doing substantial business in the United States and operating as a money transmitting business, Garantex failed to register with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) as required.

On March 6, U.S. law enforcement, led by the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), executed a seizure order authorized by a judge in the Eastern District of Virginia against three website domain names used to support Garantex's operations. According to court records unsealed today, Garantex.org, Garantex.io, and Garantex.academy were associated with the administration and operation of Garantex. The seizure of these domains will prevent these sites from being used for money laundering and additional crimes. Individuals visiting those sites now will see a message indicating that the site has been seized by law enforcement.

As part of the coordinated actions, German and Finnish law enforcement seized servers hosting Garantex's operations. U.S. law authorities have separately obtained earlier copies of Garantex's servers, including customer and accounting databases. In addition, U.S. law enforcement has also frozen over $26 million in funds used to facilitate Garantex's money laundering activities.

Besciokov and Mira Serda are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Besciokov is also charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and with conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.

Supervisory Official Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department's Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia, Assistant Director Michael Centrella of the USSS' Office of Field Operations, and Assistant Director Bryan Vorndran of the FBI's Cyber Division made the announcement.

USSS and the FBI are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoe Bedell for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Tamara Livshiz of the Criminal Division's Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section's National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department's National Security Division and Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance.

The Justice Department also recognizes the critical cooperation of the German Federal Criminal Police Office, the Frankfurt General Prosecutor's Office, the Dutch National Police, Europol, the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation, and the Estonian National Criminal Police.

Finally, the Department thanks Tether and blockchain analytics firm Elliptic for their proactive assistance in this investigation.

Any individual who believes he/she is a victim whose funds were laundered through Garantex or who may otherwise have a claim to restrained funds should reach out to law enforcement via email address GarantexClaimants@secretservice.gov.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Topic: Cybercrime

Components: Criminal Division

Criminal - Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section

Criminal - Office of International Affairs

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

Cyber Division (FBI)

USAO - Virginia, Eastern

Press Release Number: 25-231

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Wang Yi: The United States should not return good with evil on the fentanyl issue

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China

Updated: March 07, 2025 10:58

At the press conference on March 7, 2025, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated China's position on the fentanyl issue.

Wang Yi noted, China always takes resolute measures against drug trafficking and manufacturing, and China has put in place the toughest and most comprehensive counternarcotics policies in today's world. As early as in 2019, China scheduled all fentanyl-related substances upon the request of the U.S. side, the first country in the world to do so. But the abuse of fentanyl in the United States is a problem that must be confronted and resolved by the United States itself. China has been assisting the United States in various ways on humanitarian grounds. The United States should not return good with evil, or even impose arbitrary tariffs on Chinese products. No responsible major country should do that.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






New UK-made space system to help protect military satellites

Innovative UK-made tech will help the military monitor space following a new 65 million deal agreed today, in British Science Week.

7 March 2025

The Borealis command, control and data processing system will help the UK military the UK Space Agency to better monitor and protect satellites, through new software which compiles and processes data from multiple sources, more quickly, to monitor space.

The 65 million deal with CGI UK, an IT systems integration specialist, will support around 100 skilled jobs in Leatherhead, Reading and Bristol, boosting the UK's space capabilities and delivering on the Government's Plan for Change.

The new technology will provide UK military with a better understanding of the Space Domain, improving military commanders decision-making process and supporting operations, both at home and overseas.

Under the five-year contract, Borealis will provide software for the National Space Operations Centre, which develops and operates the UK's space surveillance and protection capabilities. It will be a unique, UK-made system which support military operations around the world.

Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry, Rt Hon Maria Eagle MP, said:

This new deal delivers for our national security by enhancing protection for our satellite technology that millions rely on, while boosting jobs and growth at home. This Government continues to work swiftly to develop the new Defence Industrial Strategy. This announcement will support hundreds of highly skilled jobs, unlocking defence as an engine for growth and driving forward this government's Plan for Change.

Borealis will enhance the UK's ability to monitor and protect crucial space assets, which underpin the UK's security and prosperity, enabling us to navigate the oceans, keep our military personnel safe, monitor the climate, and forecast the weather. Other key benefits which Borealis provides includes:

Space Domain Awareness: The ability to understand and analyse what is happening in space around the Earth. This includes space weather - the environmental conditions in space around Earth - and monitoring objects in space, including space debris and active satellites.

Protection of UK space assets: Borealis will provide a single, bespoke system, which will compile all data related to UK satellites. This enhanced awareness of what is happening in space will enable UK Space Command to better protect critical UK space systems.

Integrated C2 System: Borealis will provide timely decision-quality information to government and military commanders through an interoperable system, across different tiers of security classification.

Maj Gen Paul Tedman, Commander of UK Space Command, said:

The use of space is crucial for our economy, prosperity, security, and defence, but assured access to space is becoming increasingly contested by adversaries and congested by users and debris. Therefore, it is imperative that we know what is happening in space. Borealis is an innovative system that draws together multiple inputs to enhance the UK government's understanding of the wide-ranging activity on orbit, allowing the UK to protect not just our own space assets, but those of our allies and partners as well.

CGI is one of the world's leading providers of independent IT services to international defence customers including the UK, Australia, Canada and the USA. CGI will work alongside a network of partner organisations hand-picked for their expertise to deliver the programme.

Neil Timms, Senior Vice President of Space, Defence & Intelligence UK & Australia at CGI said:

We're proud to support UK Space Command and the UK Space Agency through delivery of BOREALIS. We believe this is a strategic step towards establishing a more holistic approach to the UK's national space data architecture, with BOREALIS and the National Space Operations Centre (NSpOC) at its heart.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle

Over the years the X-37 had many sponsors, and beauty was in the eye of the beholder - it was many things to many people. Now the main purpose is to keep the Red Chinese bewildered, so they would have to respond to every potential mission it might perform. The Air Force reverted to Cold War-level secrecy even for the landing (only admitting its coming back, but nothing else). Making it highly secret makes it seem more important and helps keeps the CHICOMs focused on all the different threats that it might pose to them.

The X-37 can carry nuclear weapons. This was announced on Saturday by Yan Novikov, General Director of Concern East Kazakhstan Oblast Almaz-Antey, during his speech at the Russian society "Knowledge" 22 May 2021. "The United States has the X-37 inter-medium space platform. To date, there are six of these vehicles, some are smaller, others are larger. One is in orbit, 4 and 5 flew off for two years. According to our estimates, a small device can carry up to three nuclear warheads, a large one - up to six, "Novikov said. According to him, in the near future the United States may have eight X-37 spacecraft. "These circumstances objectively put forward new requirements for advanced systems and means of aerospace defense," stressed the general director of the concern.

Two former shuttle hangars at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, FL house the US Air Force's X-37B program as of late 2014. The hangars house two reusable, unmanned space planes. The overall mission of the planes is unknown, but they could be used satellite deployment or repair missions.

The Air Force's unmanned, reusable space plane landed in the early morning of June 16 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., a successful conclusion to a record-setting test-flight mission that began 05 March 2011 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL. The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle, one of two such vehicles, spent 469 days in orbit to conduct on-orbit experiments, primarily checkout of the vehicle itself. The vehicle was designed for a mission duration of about 270 days. The 11,000-pound state-of-the-art vehicle is about a fourth the size of the shuttle. The vehicle was initially a NASA initiative, but was transferred to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency in 2004. Air Force officials anticipate multiple missions will be required to satisfy the X-37B program test objectives. A third flight, using the same spacecraft that flew on the first mission in 2010, is planned for Fall 2012.

On March 5, 2011, the US Air Force launched the second X-37B from Cape Canaveral. The Orbital Test Vehicle-2 launch comes on the heels of the successful flight of OTV-1, which made an autonomous landing at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., Dec. 3 after 224 days in space. According to officials, post-flight analysis of OTV-1 revealed OTV-2 needed no significant changes. The second X-37B flight was aimed at helping Air Force scientists better evaluate and understand the vehicle's performance characteristics and expand upon the tests from OTV-1.

On 1 December 2010, the USAF announced that the first landing of the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV-1) at Vandenberg Air Force Base was to occur between Dec. 3 and Dec. 6, depending on technical and weather considerations. Members of the 30th Space Wing would monitor the de-orbit and landing of the Air Force's first X-37B. The X-37B landed at Vandenberg AFB at 1:16 AM PDT on 3 December 2010 after 225 days in space. It fired its orbital maneuver engine in low-earth orbit to perform an autonomous reentry before landing. OTV-1's de-orbit and landing marked the transition from the on-orbit demonstration phase to a refurbishment phase for the program.

The 45th Space Wing successfully launched a United Launch Alliance-built Atlas V Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle from Space Launch Complex 41 at 7:52 p.m. (EDT) Thursday 22 April 2010. The Atlas V rocket carried the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV), making its first space flight. As the first U.S. unmanned reentering space vehicle, the first of its kind, it has been remarkably easy to work with," said Lt. Col. Erik Bowman, 45th Launch Support Squadron Commander. "Processing and preparations went extremely smooth, and there were absolutely no delays in the vehicle processing. Overall there was great cooperation between the Air Force and industry teams of Boeing, ULA, and Astrotech, where we processed the spacecraft, to make sure everything went smoothly." The mission was also the first-ever launch of an Atlas V with the 501 configuration, requiring no solid rocket motors, and the first launch in some five years to involve a 5-meter class fairing, said Colonel Bowman. "This vehicle is light enough to launch without the solid rocket motors even with the larger fairing, making this a rather unique configuration."

The X-37B has a 270-day on-orbit capability and will be used to test technologies including advanced guidance, navigation and control, thermal protection systems, avionics and high temperature structures and seals. Once the testing is complete, the OTV de-orbits and lands autonomously. While the X-37B is on orbit, it is like most satellites in that there are operators monitoring telemetry and sending commands to maintain the health of the spacecraft. Upon being given the command to return to Earth, the X-37B will automatically descend through the atmosphere and land on the designated runway. There is no one on the ground with a joystick flying it. The X-37B is scheduled to land at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.

The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle, or OTV, is a non-operational system that will demonstrate a reliable, reusable, unmanned space test platform for the U.S. Air Force. The spacecraft measures more than 29 feet long and nine-and-a-half feet tall. Its wingspan is 14 feet, 11 inches, and it will weigh about 11,000 pounds at launch. The objectives of the OTV program include space experimentation, risk reduction and a concept of operations development for reusable space vehicle technologies. The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle is the newest and most advanced re-entry spacecraft. Based on NASA's X-37 design, the unmanned OTV is designed for vertical launch to low Earth orbit altitudes where it can perform long duration space technology experimentation and testing. Upon command from the ground, the OTV autonomously re-enters the atmosphere, descends and lands horizontally on a runway. The X-37B is the first vehicle since NASA's Shuttle Orbiter with the ability to return experiments to Earth for further inspection and analysis.

Technologies to be tested include advanced guidance, navigation and control, thermal protection systems, avionics, high temperature structures and seals, conformal reusable insulation, and lightweight electromechanical flight systems. In addition, the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle will demonstrate autonomous orbital flight, reentry and landing.

The Nov. 25, 2002 NASA contract initiated a design for an additional X-37 long-duration orbital vehicle. All Boeing X-37 activities were structured to mature technologies needed for a future orbital space plane, and were designed to reduce risks for future reusable space transportation systems. The orbital version of the vehicle was being developed to test and validate technologies in the environment of space and will test vehicle system performance during orbital flight, reentry and landing. Technologies to be demonstrated include thermal protection systems; autonomous advanced guidance, navigation and control systems; high temperature structures; conformal reusable insulation; and high temperature seals.

The purpose of the X-37 Orbital Vehicle was to provide a versatile technology demonstrator platform on which to mature, through demonstration, critical technologies required by future space transportation systems. It would validate ascent, on-orbit, and re-entry environments incorporating a broad range of technologies including autonomous (no pilot) approach and landing, advanced guidance and navigation, advanced thermal protection systems and power distribution systems, and streamlined flight operations. The Project began the formulation phase in FY03. The planning was based on a Preliminary Design Review (PDR) in CY 2004, a Critical Design Review (CDR) in early 2005, and an orbital flight test in CY 2006, scheduled to be inserted into low Earth orbit by a Delta II booster in July 2006.

When fielded, the unpiloted and autonomously operated X-37B will be the only X-vehicle capable of conducting continuous on-orbit operations for up to 21 days. In addition, the vehicle will serve as a test bed for approximately 30 airframe, propulsion and operation technologies and gather test data in the Mach 25 (reentry) region of flight. Within the airframe itself, a variety of experiments and technologies would be tested, including a highly durable high-temperature thermal protection system and important new aerodynamic features. Its modular design also includes a seven-foot by four-foot bay for other experiments.

The Air Force is working on a space vehicle that will allow government scientists to transport advanced technology into orbit, test its capability there, then bring it home to see how it fared in the harsh environment of space. The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle is similar to the space shuttle, except it's about a fourth the size and unmanned. The OTV can return from space on its own. The OTV gets itself ready for re-entry, descends through the atmosphere, lines up on the runway, puts down its landing gear and it does it all on its own. The vehicle will land at either Vandenberg or Edwards Air Force bases in California.

The OTV will serve as a test platform for satellites and other space technologies. The vehicle allows satellite sensors, subsystems, components and associated technology to be transported into the environment where they will be used -- space. Scientists will prepare components in the OTV's experiment bay, and then the craft is launched into space aboard an Atlas V launch vehicle. Once in space, the OTV begins testing its payload. The doors aboard the craft could simply open, exposing the experiment bay, or mission scientists could design more elaborate experiments. The OTV is a very flexible space test platform for any number of various experiments.

Being able to test parts in their actual operational environment will allow scientists to better judge how those parts will perform when deployed, so fewer redundancies may occur in future satellites. Rather than build unproven components into a high-cost satellite, with multiple layers of redundancy to make sure they work -- the Air Force can use the OTV to get those components into space to see how they respond to the environment, and make sure they work the way they were designed. "When the OTV returns to Earth, you can inspect the tested component and use that information to potentially alter your design.

The Air Force's Rapid Capabilities Office was tasked with acquiring, testing and demonstrating the OTV. By 2006 much of the X-37B system vehicle was being built and would soon move into a testing phase. By late 2006 the Office was getting into the subsystem and systems-wide testing, which was planned to go on for about a year. The Air Force was projecting a first launch for the beginning of 2008.

Aviation Week reported (29 July 2008) that the "Atlas V Eastern Range launch slot that had originally been reserved for the Atlas V launch of NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite" will instead be used for "the first mission of the USAF/Boeing X-37B space maneuvering vehicle."

After a few flight tests in space, the OTV should be ready to begin experimentation in orbit. The first flight or two will be to check out the OTV itself to make sure it works the way it is designed to. After that, the Air Force would get into the realm of using it as a reusable space test platform -- putting space components into its experimental bay and taking them to space for testing.

Though the OTV is designed to provide a testing platform for new space technologies, it is made up of several advanced, untested technologies itself. There are a number of cutting-edge technologies on the OTV besides the auto de-orbit capability. It has new thermal protection tiles underneath and high-temperature components and seals throughout that need to be proven in orbit. There will be a great deal of extremely useful data coming from the OTV on its first flights. The plan is to share this data with other government agencies such as NASA.

OTV-1

By the end of 2009 the first flight was scheduled for launch 19 April 2010 on an Atlas 5 rocket from Cape Canaveral, FL. First flight was originally scheduled for 2002. The Air Force's first X-37B, OTV-1, launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., April 22, 2010 and performed a successful autonomous landing at Vandenberg AFB, Calif., Dec. 3, 2010, after approximately 91 million miles and 224 days, 8 hours and 24 minutes in orbit.

OTV-2

The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV), the Air Force's unmanned, reusable space plane, landed at Vandenberg Air Force Base at 5:48 a.m. (PDT) June 16. OTV-2, which launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., March 5, 2011, conducted on-orbit experiments for 469 days during its mission.

OTV-3

Since the third launch of the X-37B, Dec. 11, 2012, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., Vandenberg crews conducted extensive, periodic training in preparation for landing. The third X-37B mission concluded on 16 October 2014, with the spaceplane finally making her return back to Earth after nearly two years in space. The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle 3 (OTV-3) safely landed on Runway 12 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California at 16:25 GMT.

OTV-4

The X37-B conducted its fourth mission in 2015 from Cape Canaveral. Weather permited, and the fourth mission was launched 20 May 2015 aboard an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The Air Force said it had not decided how long the mission will last, but the X-37B is expected to remain in space for months.

NASA will use the flight to see how 100 or so "materials of interest" hold up in spaces harsh environment. The fourth mission will focus on how space stresses materials with temperature extremes, debris, micrometeoroids, direct sunlight, and atomic oxygen, and how it can erode many of the paints, polymers, and composites that NASA and private space companies use as protective coatings on their craft.

On 29 April 2015 Defense Industry Daily reported that the Air Force will test external link a plasma-based propulsion system on board a X-37B reusable space vehicle, in a joint effort between the The Air Force Research Laboratory, Space and Missile Systems Center, and Rapid Capabilities Office. A Hall thruster external link can provide greater fuel efficiency compared to conventional engines, with the new thruster a modified version of those equipping the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellites.

The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle mission 4 (OTV-4), the Air Force's unmanned, reusable space plane, landed at NASA's Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility May 7, 2017. "Today marks an incredibly exciting day for the 45th Space Wing as we continue to break barriers," said Brig. Gen. Wayne Monteith, the 45th SW commander. "Our team has been preparing for this event for several years, and I am extremely proud to see our hard work and dedication culminate in today's safe and successful landing of the X-37B." The OTV-4 conducted on-orbit experiments for 718 days during its mission, extending the total number of days spent on-orbit for the OTV program to 2,085 days.

OTV-5

The spacecraft, the fifth of its kind, was initially rocketed into orbit on September 7, 2017, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. All previous OTV missions established new flight records, with the fourth spacecraft spending 718 days in orbit. The Air Force prepared to launch the fifth X-37B mission from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, later in 2017. In just a few months it would head back out to orbit  except this time it was on the back of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The previous four X-37B launches were done on the back of a Lockheed Martin-Boeing Atlas V rocket. Both are launch rockets meant to take payloads into Earth's orbit, but the Falcon 9 is partially reusable whereas the Atlas V is not. The Falcon 9 costs about $62 million per launch, compared to the Atlas V's hefty $109 million, which may have influenced the decision.

"We are very excited for the next fifth X-37B mission," said Randy Walden said in a statement. Walden is the director of the Air Force's Rapid Capabilities Office (RCO), and works on cutting-edge and classified projects as well as managing the X-37B missions. "We look forward to continued expansion of the vehicle's performance and are excited to continue hosting experimental payloads for the space community."

The fifth mission included the Air Force's experimental Advanced Structurally Embedded Thermal Spreader (ASETS-11), which is used to "test experimental electronics and oscillating heat pipes in the long duration space environment" according to a USAF statement. Further details were not released to the public.

In August 2018, the space plane was spotted by Marco Langbroek, a Netherlands-based satellite tracker. Langbroek previously told Space.com that X-37B was flying at a very low altitude, somewhere between 193 and 202 miles up. The US Air Force's unmanned X-37B space plane passed its 400-day mark 20 October 2018, inching its way toward setting a new flight duration record for the Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV) mission.

The Air Force's X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle Mission 5 successfully landed at NASA's Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility Oct. 27, 2019 at 3:51 a.m. The spaceplane conducted on-orbit experiments for 780 days during its mission, recently breaking its own record by being in orbit for more than two years. As of today, the total number of days spent on-orbit for the entire test vehicle program is 2,865 days.

OTV-6

The US Air Force on 17 May 2020 successfully launched the X-37B, placing the reusable vehicle into orbit for its sixth secretive mission in space. The orbiter was launched from Cape Canaveral in Florida. It will spend months in orbit, remotely conducting a series of experiments. The Atlas V launch vehicle took off with an earth-shaking roar at 9:14 am (13H14 GMT) to loft the drone, also known as an Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV), into space. The orbiter in turn will deploy a small research satellite dubbed FalconSat-8, to carry out additional experiments, Secretary of the Air Force Barbara Barrett explained earlier, elaborating on what up to now has been a highly secretive project. This X-37B mission will host more experiments than any prior missions, said Barrett, who also heads the recently created US Space Force.

Vladimir Kozin noted "The X-37B can carry out up to ten secret missions. One of them should be specially mentioned. It is noteworthy that in the twenties of October 2021, from the X-37V in space, a separation from the board of this "shuttle" with a high speed of a small spacecraft, which is unable to conduct radar observation, was recorded, which indicates that the Pentagon was testing a new type of space-based weapon.

"The separation of the named space object was preceded by the X-37 maneuvering the day before. From October 21 to October 22, the separated object was at a distance of less than 200 meters from the Kh-37B, which subsequently made a maneuver to move away from the separation point of the new spacecraft. Based on the results of processing objective coordinate information, it was established that the spacecraft was stabilized, and no elements were found on its body that characterize the presence of antennas that could provide the possibility of conducting radar observations. At the same time, the moments of the approach of the new spacecraft with other objects or the execution of orbital maneuvers were not revealed.

"According to the Russian side, the United States conducted an experiment to separate from the X-37B a small spacecraft with a high speed, which may indicate the testing of a new type of space-based weapon."

OTV-7

SpaceX, the American company owned by billionaire Elon Musk, owner of X Company, announced 30 Decxember 2023 that it had launched the Falcon Heavy rocket to transport the American X-37B drone into space on a research mission. The company stated that the rocket was launched at exactly 20:07 GMT from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where the launch was broadcast live on the SpaceX website. There is no information yet available about the destination of the space drone on its seventh mission, despite the importance of this mission, and the US Department of Defense (the Pentagon) has published only a little information about the space drone and the nature of its new mission, which was supposed to be launched on the seventh of this month.

The Pentagon appears to have partially lifted the veil of secrecy on one of the mission's objectives, saying that the X-37B will expose plant seeds onboard to the critical radiation environment of long-duration spaceflight. The "Seeds-2" experiment is said to pave the way for future crewed space missions.

The rocket lifted off carrying the X-37B on a mission designated OTV-7. The target orbit for this mission is classified, but observers believe that, based on navigational warnings and the fact that it's launching on a larger rocket than past missions, the vehicle is headed to a highly elliptical, high-inclination orbit, higher than previous missions. The vehicle will conduct a wide range of tests and deploy a smallsat developed by the U.S. Air Force Academy. The Space Force has not disclosed the length of the mission, but X-37B flights have been getting progressively longer, with the sixth mission lasting 908 days.

"There is no official information about military purposes - everything is classified, nothing is reported," Ivan Moiseev, the head of the Russian Institute of Space Policy, told Sputnik. "But an analysis of the device and its orbits allows us to suggest what its purpose is. This device carries several small supporting microsatellites. They provide video reconnaissance, communications, and navigation to the [US] military. If a conflict erupts somewhere  the spacecraft flies close to the equator, where there are a lot of hot spots  these devices are deployed in those orbits that are most convenient and quickly accessible to special groups located below, on Earth."

"The recent launch is special and stands out from the general picture," Moiseev explained. "[The spacecraft] was sent into a High Elliptical Orbit (HEO) of the 'Molniya' [the Soviet spacecraft  Sputnik] type, that is, to an altitude of somewhere around 40,000 kilometers and with an orbital period of 12 days. Apparently, the purpose has not changed. Only the type of orbit has changed. The first six flights were carried out in a low Earth orbit: 500-600 kilometers, where it maneuvered, and the orbits changed only slightly."

HEO has a low perigee altitude of under 1,000 km and a high apogee altitude of over 35,756 km (a "perigee" is the point of orbit closest to the Earth and an "apogee" is the point farthest from Earth). One of the features of the HEO-launched satellite is that most of the time it is visible from some point at which the apogee is located, the expert explained.

"Its easy to imagine how it was with the Molniya satellite, which provided television communications. Most of the time [the satellite] was visible from the territory of the USSR. When it left this zone for a short time, it was replaced by another satellite. And this orbit is widely used by various satellites, including for military purposes, for detecting missiles, for example. And this device has now been launched into this orbit," Moiseev said.

"One could also use the method of elimination to say that this is clearly not a communications device, obviously not for tracking missiles. But for some reason, the orbit changed from low [to a geostationary one]. Indeed, in previous orbits, the territory of Russia was practically invisible. From this orbit, it may be visible, but it needs to be clarified," he continued.

The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle-7 (OTV-7), the U.S. Space Force's dynamic unmanned spaceplane, successfully deorbited and landed at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, March 7, 2025 at 02:22 a.m. EST.

The X-37B demonstrated its rapid ability to launch and recover its systems across multiple sites. X-37B's Mission 7 was the first launch on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket to a Highly Elliptical Orbit. While on orbit, Mission 7 accomplished a range of test and experimentation objectives intended to demonstrate the X-37B's robust maneuver capability while helping characterize the space domain through the testing of space domain awareness technology experiments. While in orbit, Mission 7 tested space domain awareness technology experiments that aim to improve the United States Space Force's knowledge of the space environment.





NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Minister Blair welcomes report on the future of Canadian Military Colleges

National Defence

News release

March 7, 2025, Ottawa - National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces

Today, the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence, released the Canadian Military Colleges (CMC) Review Board report. The CMC Review Board was stood up in December 2023 in response to Recommendation 28 and the first part of Recommendation 29 of former Supreme Court of Canada Justice Louise Arbour's Independent External Comprehensive Review (IECR) Report.

The report highlights the enduring value of the Canadian Military Colleges (CMC) and provides 49 recommendations. Minister Blair thanks the Review Board for its important work and recognizes the principles they seek to uphold. The Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces will review the report and provide responses to its recommendations.

The Review Board analyzed the costs, benefits, advantages, and disadvantages of continuing to educate Naval and Officer cadets within the Regular Officer Training Plan at Canada's two military colleges - the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) in Kingston, Ontario, and RMC Saint-Jean, in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec. It also reviewed the current quality of education, socialization, and military training at the colleges, and assessed different education and training models.

Quotes

"I would like to begin by thanking the Canadian Military Colleges Review Board members for their important work, professionalism and dedication. I would also like to thank all Canadians who shared their knowledge and expertise with the Review Board. Canada's Military Colleges are critical, national institutions and this report will enable us to make meaningful changes and investments necessary to prepare our people to protect Canada's sovereignty in a complex and uncertain global security environment. The Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence

"Canadian Military Colleges play an important role in the education of our officers. The recommendations made by the Review Board support the development of effective and ethical leaders for the Canadian Armed Forces. I would like to thank the Canadian Military Colleges Review Board and Canadians for their thoughtful and insightful contributions." General Jennie Carignan, Chief of the Defence Staff

"Over the last year, we engaged with a wide cross-section of current and former Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members, allies, and experts in the field to closely analyze the culture, the environment, and the training provided at Canada's military colleges. The military colleges remain a key asset to the Department of National Defence and the CAF, and Canada as a nation, and we believe that the implementation of the 49 recommendations in this report will contribute to an environment at the military colleges where Naval and Officer Cadets are safe, respected, and well trained." Dr. Kathy Hogarth, Chairperson, Canadian Military Colleges Review Board

Quick facts

The CMC Review Board is comprised of five external education and culture experts, a DND public service executive and a CAF representative. Board members were chosen for their range of perspectives and background, as well as for their independence and impartiality.

The well-being of CMC Naval and Officer Cadets and staff is a top priority for the Defence Team.

Recommendation #28 of the IECR recommends eliminating the Cadet Wing peer leadership structure. Recommendation #29 called for the establishment of an additional review of the costs and benefits associated with educating officers through the military colleges.

Canada's two military colleges educate and develop a portion of the officers who serve in the CAF's Regular Force. Both military colleges grant undergraduate degrees, and RMC in Kingston also grants graduate degrees.

RMC in Kingston was founded in 1874. On June 1, 1876, it opened its doors to the first class of 18 officer cadets. RMC Saint-Jean, formerly known as College militaire royal de Saint-Jean, originally opened in 1952. It temporarily closed its doors in 1995 and reopened in May 2008. It returned to full university status in 2022.

Over the past year, Review Board members consulted and engaged with over 1,500 individuals, including Department of National Defence employees, Canadian Armed Forces members, alumni, academic and non-public fund CMC employees, and Canadians. Consultation was a key part of the Review Board's mandate and included visits to allied and partner nations' military academies as well as several visits to both CMCs.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Achieving 'dragon and elephant dance' as mutually supportive partners only correct choice for China, India: FM

Global Times

By Global Times Published: Mar 07, 2025 12:39 PM

In response to a question about how China views the development of China-India relations in the context of the current global upheaval and whether it's possible for China and India to establish a lasting relationship, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Friday at a press conference on China's foreign policy and external relations that China has always believed that being mutually supportive partners and achieving the "Dragon and Elephant Dance" is the only correct choice for both sides.

China-India relations made positive strides over the past year. In October last year, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi successfully met in Kazan, Russia, providing strategic guidance for improving and developing China-India relations, Wang said.

Both sides have earnestly implemented the important consensus reached by the two leaders, strengthening exchanges at all levels and practical cooperation, resulting in a series of positive outcomes. As the two largest developing countries, our shared task is to accelerate the development and revitalization of our respective countries. Both sides should support each other, rather than consume each other, cooperate closely rather than be wary of each other, as this is in the fundamental interest of both countries and their peoples, Wang noted.

He stressed that as two ancient civilizations, we have the wisdom and ability to maintain peace and stability in the border areas until a fair and reasonable solution is found. We must uphold the principle of not defining bilateral relations by border issues and ensure that specific differences do not affect the overall direction of bilateral relations.

Also, as important members of the Global South, China and India also have the responsibility to take the lead in opposing hegemonism and power politics, Wang said. We should not only safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of both countries but also uphold the fundamental principles of international relations. When China and India join hands, the democratization of international relations and the growth of the Global South will have great hope.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and India. China is willing to work with India to summarize our experiences, open up new possibilities for the future, and promote the healthy and stable development of China-India relations, Wang noted.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Chinese FM responds to Global Times question: Those with 'stronger arms' and 'bigger fists' should not be allowed to call the shots; intl affairs must not be monopolized by a few countries

Global Times

By Global Times Published: Mar 07, 2025 12:11 PM

In response to a Global Times reporter's question at a press conference on China's foreign policy and external relations on Friday in Beijing that some believe that the current international order is facing its most dangerous moment since WWII, with the role and authority of the UN being undermined, how the situation can be addressed and what role China will play, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the more complex the problems, the greater the need to accentuate the important status of the UN; the more pressing the challenges, the greater the need to uphold the due authority of the UN.

To prevent the world from returning to the law of the jungle, it's imperative to cement the cornerstone of sovereign equality, uphold the principle of fairness and justice, observe multilateralism and strengthen the authority of the international rule of law, Wang said. China will come forward to be a pillar of the multilateral system, and speak up for justice for the Global South, Wang added.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the UN. Around the end of WWII, the most important decision the international community made was to establish the UN and make it the primary platform for maintaining world peace and promoting global governance. Facts have shown that the U.N. has withstood tests and has been instrumental, Wang said.

Today there have been fundamental changes in the world situation. Unilateralism is on the rise, and power politics run rampant. Some countries have voiced scepticism of one kind or another about the UN. But China believes that the more complex the problems, the greater the need to accentuate the important status of the UN; the more pressing the challenges, the greater the need to uphold the due authority of the UN, Wang noted.

All countries want to prevent the world from returning to the law of the jungle. To this end, the first thing to do is to cement the cornerstone of sovereign equality. Those with stronger arms and bigger fists should not be allowed to call the shots, Wang said.

Second, the principle of fairness and justice must be upheld. International affairs must not be monopolized by a small number of countries, Wang said.

Third, multilateralism must be observed. We should follow the principles of consultation, joint building, and shared benefits, replacing group confrontation with inclusive cooperation. Countries should shatter small circles with greater solidarity.

Fourth, the authority of the international rule of law must be strengthened. Major countries in particular should take the lead in upholding integrity. Still less should they resort to bullying, monopoly, trickery or extortion.

China is a founder and beneficiary of the post-WWII international order. Naturally, we are an advocate and builder of it as well. We have no intention to start all over again, nor do we support any country's attempt to overturn the current order, Wang noted.

China is well aware of its international responsibility as a permanent member of the UN Security Council. It will firmly safeguard the central role of the UN, come forward to be a pillar of the multilateral system, and speak up for justice for the Global South, Wang said.

Last month, China presided over a high-level meeting in the UN Security Council on the theme of "Practicing Multilateralism, Reforming and Improving Global Governance."

More than 100 countries enthusiastically signed up to participate, marking the beginning of the activities to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the founding of the UN, Wang noted.

China is ready to work with all sides to reflect on the founding vision of the UN, observe the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and build a more just and equitable global governance system, Wang said.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






China says it will firmly confront U.S. tariff pressure

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Mar 7, 2025

China's top diplomat, Wang Yi, has vowed that Beijing would firmly retaliate against the United States if it escalates the trade war with more tariffs, striking a tough note despite the country's economic challenges.

Speaking at a news conference in Beijing on Friday, Wang Yi said Beijing wouldn't hesitate to counter any push by the United States for more tariffs on goods from China.

Wang's comments came a day after President Donald Trump suspended tariffs for goods coming from Mexico and Canada but did not do the same for items coming from China.

"If you choose to cooperate, you will achieve mutual benefit and win-win results; if you blindly exert pressure, China will definitely, resolutely counter," the Chinese foreign minister said at a news briefing on the sidelines of China's annual legislative session in Beijing.

Wang said the United States should "look within" for solutions to its fentanyl crisis and not blame countries like China for the problem, let alone impose tariffs on them.

He also accused the Trump administration of being insincere toward China  a nod to Trump's approach of publicly offering overtures toward China's leader, Xi Jinping, while hitting the country with trade measures.

"No country can fantasize that it can suppress and contain China while at the same time develop good relations with China," Wang said. "This kind of 'two-faced' approach is not only detrimental to the stability of bilateral relations, but also unable to build mutual trust."

Wang's news conference, an annual affair at the legislative sessions, appeared designed to bolster confidence in China's prospects and attract more foreign investment that had been driven away in recent years by China's weak growth, its heavy-handed response to the Covid pandemic and stricter national security laws.

His remarks came two days after Li Qiang, China's premier and second-highest official after Mr. Xi, tried to project confidence in the country's economy by setting an ambitious growth target for this year despite a domestic-property crisis and the escalating trade war with the United States.

2050

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Photo Credit: The Mayors Office with Sean Casey

Sean Caseys podcast, The Mayors Office, welcomed a special guest on Friday.

Kevin, the dog.

As a bonus, the celebrity dachshund brought along his human, three-time MLB All-Star first baseman Anthony Rizzo, for the appearance.

Obviously, Rizzo was the featured guest on Caseys podcast, but Kevin stole the spotlight. Kevin earned celebrity status during Rizzos time with the New York Yankees when the pup became friends with Aaron Judges two dachshunds. Judge even joked in an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon that Rizzo used the dogs friendship to encourage him to sign an extension with the team in 2022.

So when Casey mentioned the story about Judge and Kevin, Rizzo called the little dog and held him up.

Rizz, does Kevin still have a big following on Instagram? Doesnt he have more followers than you? Casey asked.

No, he really wanted one, but we never gave him that route, Rizzo said. We wanted him to grow up in just a normal household.

Rizzo went on to explain how Kevin helped spark his friendship with Judge.

Having the dogs, having him, Judgy having two dachshunds as well, it was fun. He loves New York, Rizzo said. Judgy and I kind of clicked right away.

Yeah it was cool to have Anthony Rizzo step inside The Mayors Office pod today. But his pup Kevin  who is incidentally a strong reason Aaron Judge signed back with the Yanks  stole the show! @ARizzo44 Full episode here: https://t.co/SHlfuSmi15 pic.twitter.com/QAy9qSlWEJ  Chinch4 (@Chinch4) March 7, 2025

The Yankees declined Rizzos $17 million option for the 2025 season, making him a free agent. The 35-year-old veteran says hes healthy and wants to play this year. Hes preparing to welcome his first child with his wife, Emily Vakos. Rizzo is getting some practice pushing Kevin around in a stroller.

Kevin is helping Anthony Rizzo get ready for dad life  (: rizzoem on IG) pic.twitter.com/fZaJFnfEEb  Cubs Zone (@CubsZone) February 21, 2025

For now, Rizzo remains without a team with spring training well under way  but at least hes got Kevin keeping him on his toes until his next team comes calling.
Wang Yi on diplomacy for the people: No matter where you are, the motherland will never be far

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China

Updated: March 07, 2025 13:17

At the press conference on March 7, 2025, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi updated on how MFA acts on diplomacy for the people.

Wang Yi said, the central Party leadership cares a great deal about Chinese nationals overseas, and always keeps their well-being and safety close at heart. In 2024, in addition to safely evacuating more than 10,000 Chinese citizens from Lebanon, Haiti and other high-risk areas, we processed more than 50,000 consular protection cases, handled over 500,000 calls on the consular service hotline 12308, and issued more than 5,000 safety alerts. Our goal is: No matter where you are, the motherland will never be far.

Wang Yi said, online gambling and telecom fraud is a matter of grave concern to the people, hence an issue that we must keep a firm hand on. Recently, thanks to the support from leaders of China and the neighbouring countries, law-enforcement authorities and diplomatic services have conducted effective cross-border cooperation and made all-out efforts to save stranded Chinese citizens. The telecom fraud parks in northern Myanmar near the border region with China have all been removed. In the Thailand-Myanmar border region, China has joined forces with Thailand, Myanmar and Laos to crack down on telecom fraud. Our mission is: To cut off the predatory hands targeting Chinese nationals, and to remove the cancer of telecom fraud.

Wang Yi said, in 2025, we will focus on three aspects to strengthen the system of safety protection for Chinese nationals and interests overseas: First, we will build an international cooperation platform for protecting the safety of overseas citizens. We will deepen such cooperation with other countries, especially with BRI partner countries and Lancang-Mekong countries, and expand the "circle of friends" for mutual assistance. Second, we will make good use of the consular service hotline, to provide inquiries and assistance 24/7 without time difference. Third, we will improve the risk alert and emergency response coordination mechanism, providing more efficient consular protection and assistance to overseas Chinese and assurances to the people.



NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Wang Yi: A cooperative pas de deux of the dragon and the elephant is the only right choice for China and India

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China

Updated: March 07, 2025 13:11

At the press conference on March 7, 2025, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi talked about China-India relations.

Wang Yi noted, China-India relations have made positive strides over the past year. The successful meeting between President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Kazan last October provided strategic guidance for the improvement and development of the bilateral ties. Both sides have earnestly followed through on the important common understandings of our leaders, strengthened exchanges and practical cooperation at all levels, and achieved a series of positive outcomes.

Wang Yi said, China and India are each other's largest neighbors. China always believes that the two should be partners that contribute to each other's success. A cooperative pas de deux of the dragon and the elephant is the only right choice for both sides.

As the two largest developing countries, China and India have a shared task to accelerate our countries' development and revitalization. There is every reason for us to support each other rather than undercut each other, work with each other rather than guard against each other. This is the path that truly serves the fundamental interests of the two countries and peoples.

As two ancient civilizations, we have enough wisdom and capability to maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas pending a fair and reasonable solution. We should never allow bilateral relations to be defined by the boundary question, or let specific differences affect the overall picture of our bilateral ties.

As important members of the Global South, we have the responsibility to take the lead in opposing hegemonism and power politics. We must not only safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of our countries, but also uphold the basic norms governing international relations. When China and India join hands, the prospects for greater democracy in international relations and a stronger Global South will improve greatly.

Wang Yi said, this year marks the 75th anniversary of China-India diplomatic relations. China stands ready to work with India to sum up past experience, forge a path forward, and advance China-India relations on the track of sound and stable development.







NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Wang Yi on China-LAC cooperation: There is only mutual support, no geopolitical calculations

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China

Updated: March 07, 2025 12:23

At the press conference on March 7, 2025, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi talked about China's cooperation with Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries.

Wang Yi said, China-LAC cooperation is South-South cooperation. There is only mutual support in this cooperation, no geopolitical calculations. In its engagement with LAC countries, China follows the principles of equality and mutual benefit, and never seeks sphere of influence or targets any party.

Wang Yi said, what people in LAC countries want is to build their own home, not to become someone's backyard; what they aspire to is independence and self-decision, not the Monroe Doctrine. Cooperation between China and LAC countries has won popular support because it respects the will of the people, meets the needs of regional countries, and provides reliable options and broad prospects for the revitalization of the region.

Wang Yi said, in the new era, under the guidance of President Xi Jinping and the leaders of LAC countries, and boosted by the China-CELAC Forum, we have produced fruitful outcomes in building the China-LAC community with a shared future and delivered benefits to all our people. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the formal launch of the China-CELAC Forum. China will host the Fourth Ministerial Meeting of the Forum in the first half of this year. Taking this as an opportunity, the two sides will come together, over the mountains and the oceans, and regardless of all disturbances, to take China-LAC cooperation to a higher level.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Wang Yi on China-Japan relations: Japan should take the test of conscience and integrity

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China

Updated: March 07, 2025 12:10

At the press conference on March 7, 2025, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi talked about China-Japan relations.

Wang Yi said, last November, leaders of the two countries reached important common understandings on following the four political documents between China and Japan, comprehensively advancing the strategic relationship of mutual benefit, and building a constructive and stable China-Japan relationship fit for the new era. With concerted efforts, bilateral relations have demonstrated a momentum of improvement and growth. We welcome enhanced exchanges, deeper mutually beneficial cooperation, and stronger goodwill between all sectors of our societies. All these are in the long-term interests of both sides. As for the specific concerns of the Japanese side in your question, China will handle them responsibly and properly in accordance with laws and regulations.

Wang Yi said, this year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. To remember history, one can better shape the future. To forget history, one may lose his direction going forward. The Japanese militarists committed heinous crimes to the people in China and all over Asia. They brought immense suffering for the Japanese people as well. Guarding against the revival of militarism is a duty Japan must carry out without a moment's relaxation. This is also the firm resolve of the Chinese and Asian people that will not be challenged. In this test of conscience and integrity, the right choice for Japan is to abide by the principles enshrined in its pacifist constitution and keep to the path of peaceful development.

Wang Yi said, there is a long history of ties between China and Japan. Japan knows best that China is a peace-loving country and a trustworthy neighbor with good intentions. For more than a thousand years, China has meant opportunities, not threats, for Japan. What is the right way of being neighbors and which is the right side of history? Faced with historical transformations, the bright minds in Japan need to think carefully about these questions and follow good advice.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Wang Yi : Countries should support Africa in exploring a new development path of self-reliance and self-strengthening

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China

Updated: March 07, 2025 11:40

At the press conference on March 7, 2025, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi talked about China-Africa relationship.

Wang Yi noted, China and Africa are always good friends, good partners and good brothers with a shared future. Under the guidance of President Xi Jinping and African leaders, China-Africa relationship is now at its best in history. China has established strategic partnership with all African countries having diplomatic ties with it. The China-Africa community with a shared future has been elevated to an "all-weather" level.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of FOCAC. Over the past 25 years, China has helped Africa build or upgrade nearly 100,000 kilometers of roads, and more than 10,000 kilometers of railways. In the past three years alone, Chinese enterprises created more than 1.1 million new jobs in Africa. China has remained Africa's largest trade partner for 16 consecutive years. To African brothers and sisters, China-Africa cooperation is visible, tangible and truly beneficial. Last year, a Gambian farmer sent a bag of rice he grew all the way to Hunan Province in China to show respect to Yuan Longping, the father of hybrid rice. It is China's hybrid rice that has helped end hunger and bring hope to them. Stories like these are happening in Africa every day.

Wang Yi said, Africa is a fertile land of hope of the 21st century. There will be no global modernization without African modernization. The stability and development of Africa is vital to the future of humanity, and the world must listen to Africa and heed its concerns. Africa is going through a new awakening, and countries should support Africa in exploring a new development path of self-reliance and self-strengthening.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Wang Yi on global governance: China will firmly come forward to be a pillar of the multilateral system

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China

Updated: March 07, 2025 11:21

At the press conference on March 7, 2025, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi elaborated on China's proposition on global governance.

Wang Yi noted, this year marks the 80th anniversary of the U.N. Around the end of WWII, the most important decision the international community made was to establish the U.N. and make it the primary platform for maintaining world peace and promoting global governance. Facts have shown that the U.N. has withstood tests and has been instrumental. Today there have been fundamental changes in the world situation. Unilateralism is on the rise, and power politics run rampant. Some countries have voiced scepticism of one kind or another about the U.N. But China believes that the more complex the problems, the greater the need to accentuate the important status of the U.N.; the more pressing the challenges, the greater the need to uphold the due authority of the U.N.

Wang Yi noted, all countries want to prevent the world from returning to the law of the jungle. To this end, the first thing to do is to cement the cornerstone of sovereign equality. Those with stronger arms and bigger fists should not be allowed to call the shots. Second, the principle of fairness and justice must be upheld. International affairs must not be monopolized by a small number of countries. Third, multilateralism must be observed. Countries should shatter small circles with greater solidarity. Fourth, the authority of the international rule of law must be strengthened. Major countries in particular should take the lead in upholding integrity. Still less should they resort to bullying, monopoly, trickery or extortion.

Wang Yi said, China is a founder and beneficiary of the post-WWII international order. Naturally, we are an advocate and builder of it as well. We have no intention to start all over again, nor do we support any country's attempt to overturn the current order. China is well aware of its international responsibility as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council. It will firmly safeguard the central role of the U.N., come forward to be a pillar of the multilateral system, and speak up for justice for the Global South. China is ready to work with all sides to reflect on the founding vision of the U.N., observe the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter, and build a more just and equitable global governance system.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Wang Yi: China and the United States must seek peaceful co-existence on this planet

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China

Updated: March 07, 2025 11:10

At the press conference on March 7, 2025, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated China's principled position on China-U.S. relations.

Wang Yi noted, mutual respect is a basic norm governing state-to-state relations. It is also an important prerequisite for China-U.S. relations. No country should fantasize that it can suppress China and maintain good relations with China at the same time. Such two-faced acts are not good for the stability of bilateral relations, or for building mutual trust.

Wang Yi said, as the world's largest developing and developed countries respectively, China and the United States will stay on this planet for a long time. They must therefore seek peaceful co-existence. As President Xi Jinping noted in his telephone call with President Donald J. Trump earlier this year, confrontation and conflict should not be an option. Given the extensive common interests and broad space for cooperation, it is fully possible for China and the United States to become partners helping each other succeed and prosper together.

Wang Yi noted, China will stay committed to the three principles proposed by President Xi Jinpingmutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperationin promoting steady, sound and sustainable development of China-U.S. relations. At the same time, we hope that the U.S. side will listen to the calls of the two peoples, see clearly the trend of the times, take an objective and rational view of China's development, engage proactively with China in practical exchanges, and work together with China to pursue the right way of getting along with each other to the benefit of the two countries and the whole world.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Wang Yi on the prominent, growing strength of the Global South: The dynamism of the changes originates from the South

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China

Updated: March 07, 2025 10:42

At the press conference on March 7, 2025, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke of the cooperation of the Global South.

Wang Yi said, the world today is marked by sweeping winds and surging clouds. The dynamism of these changes originates from the South. The hallmark of our era is the prominent, growing strength of the Global South. Accounting over 40 percent of global GDP and contributing as high as 80 percent of global growth, the Global South is a key force for maintaining world peace, driving world development, and improving global governance. As the world is undergoing great transformation unseen in a century, historic changes are taking place in the East-West and South-North dynamics. The Global South holds the key to bringing stability to the world and making it a better place.

Wang Yi noted, the Global South should strengthen themselves. Since the beginning of the year, Indonesia has become a full member of BRICS, and nine partner countries have joined the BRICS family. BRICS is emerging as a backbone of cooperation and an engine of growth in the Global South. The greater BRICS should be made bigger and stronger to give more momentum to the development of the Global South.

The Global South should stand together in unity. This year, China will host the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, Brazil the BRICS summit, and South Africa the G20 summit. We should speak in one voice to the world, safeguard our common interests, and steadily increase our representation and voice in global governance.

The Global South should strive for development. Last November, President Xi Jinping announced eight actions China would take in support of global development, generating new energy for faster Global South development. We should keep development as a central international agenda item, build up the momentum, enhance our capacity, and advance hand in hand toward modernization.

Wang Yi said, China is naturally a member of the Global South, because we have fought colonialism and hegemonism together in history and we are committed to the common goal of development and revitalization. No matter how the world changes, our heart will always be with the Global South, and our root will grow deeper in the Global South. China will work with all Global South countries to add a new chapter to the annals of the history of the world.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Wang Yi: Through head-of-state diplomacy, China's relations with the world have undergone positive and profound changes

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China

Updated: March 07, 2025 10:17

At the press conference on March 7, 2025, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi reviewed China's achievements in head-of-state diplomacy in 2024 and envisioned highlights in 2025.

Wang Yi noted, head-of-state diplomacy is the highest form of China's diplomacy. In the past year, President Xi Jinping personally planned and conducted head-of-state diplomacy, and many fruitful results were achieved. Many wonderful moments are still fresh in our memory. The three monumental events that China hosted last year, i.e., the conference marking the 70th anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, and the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum, set a new benchmark of the Global South joining hands for common progress. The four overseas visits by President Xi to Europe, Central Asia, the BRICS and Latin America generated new dynamism for global solidarity and cooperation. President Xi also hosted many leaders and friends from foreign countries in more than 130 diplomatic engagements, adding a new, beautiful page to the annals of China's friendship with the world.

Wang Yi said, president Xi Jinping, as the leader of a major country and a big political party, has shown a global vision and shouldered the responsibility of our times, and led China's diplomacy in upholding fundamental principles, breaking new ground, and making steady progress. China's relations with the world have thus undergone positive and profound changes. First, China's foreign policies, especially those important concepts and initiatives proposed by President Xi, are increasingly welcomed and supported by the international community. Second, China's important role in addressing global challenges and resolving burning and tough issues is more and more expected and commended by countries across the world. Third, the success of Chinese modernization and the inspiration it offers are increasingly recognized and emulated by more and more countries.

Wang Yi said, the year 2025 is important for both China and the world. There will be new highlights in China's head-of-state diplomacy. Last month, President Xi attended the opening ceremony of the Asian Winter Games, marking the beginning of the diplomatic events that China will host this year. We will solemnly commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, and hold a series of major events including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit. President Xi is expected to make a number of overseas visits. Head-of-state diplomacy will write a new chapter of closer cooperation and shared success between China and the world.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Wang Yi: The mission of China's diplomacy remains unchanged and upholds what is right

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China

Updated: March 07, 2025 10:13

On March 7, 2025, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi hosted the press conference at the Press Center for the Third Session of the 14th National People's Congress.

Wang Yi said, the year 2024 saw profound changes in the international landscape as well as remarkable progress in China's reform and development. Under the stewardship of General Secretary Xi Jinping, China made important progress in its diplomacy. We fostered a good external environment for China's high-quality development, brought much-needed stability to a changing and turbulent world, and made new and solid strides in building a community with a shared future for mankind. This year, the international situation is still full of challenges. But the mission of China's diplomacy remains unchanged. We will, along with other countries, continue to uphold what is right, steer the direction of our era, defend international fairness and justice, and safeguard world peace and stability.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






China warns of 'law of jungle' after Trump's unilateral tariffs

Iran Press TV

Friday, 07 March 2025 7:27 AM

China has warned the United States against slapping "tariffs without reason," noting that such unilateral measures could lead to a "law of the jungle" scenario.

"The United States should not repay kindness with resentment, nor should it impose tariffs without reason," said China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Friday.

China's top diplomat said countries should not operate on a "might is right" basis for this will severely damage the world order and usher in the law of the jungle.

Major powers should never engage in "bullying, market manipulation, or plunder" the resources of the weaker countries, he added.

"If every country emphasizes its own national priorities and believes only in strength and status, the world will regress to the law of the jungle, small and weak countries will bear the brunt, and international rules and order will be severely impacted."

Since resuming power as the US president in January, Trump has set out to consolidate US hegemony by devising new foreign policy measures, including slapping tariffs on its main business partners and acquiring Greenland, the Panama Canal and Canada on the grounds of national security.

"First and foremost, the foundation of sovereignty equality must be built on the equal will of the international community. We cannot allow the strong to dominate and decide everything based on their own power," Wang pointed out.

On Monday, the White House said Trump had inked an order to increase a previously imposed 10 percent tariff on China to 20 percent.

Beijing's commerce ministry expressed opposition to Washington's decision on Tuesday, urging the US to "immediately withdraw" its unilateral tariff measures that are "unreasonable and groundless, harmful to others."

However, Trump in his joint address to Congress on Tuesday night claimed near-term pain would be needed. He insisted the long-term future is bright for the US. He even acknowledged that the new tariffs could cause harm to some groups. In his address, he pleaded to Americans to be patient, asking farmers who could be hurt by retaliatory tariffs to "bear with me."

On Thursday, Trump went on to slam "globalists ... that have ripped off this country, our country, our beloved United States. And they're not going to be ripping us off any more. So, you know, I think that has an impact on the market."

Trump's comments came as indexes in the US stock market dropped in recent days as the fears of a global war of tariffs rise.

In the meantime, Trump is scheduled to announce fresh US tariffs against the European and other countries on April 2 which brokers expect will cause new panic and increased market jitters.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Chinese warships under close watch near Australian waters

China is sending a message about how it can project force far from home, analysts said.

By RFA Staff 2025.03.07 -- The Australian navy deployed three vessels and surveillance aircraft to "keep a close eye" on a Chinese task group that has been operating "in the vicinity of Australia" since mid-February, the Australian defense minister said.

Richard Marles, who is also a deputy prime minister, said in an interview on Thursday that three Anzac-class frigates - HMAS Stuart, HMAS Warramunga and HMAS Toowoomba were monitoring the Chinese warships that were about 500 kilometers (310 miles) northwest of Perth.

"From the very moment that this task force came within the vicinity of Australia, in an unprecedented way, we have been surveilling its movements," Marles said. "We will continue to stay with them so long as they are within the vicinity of Australia."

The Chinese task group includes the Jiangkai-class frigate Hengyang, the Renhai-class cruiser Zunyi, and the Fuchi-class replenishment vessel Weishanhu.

On Feb. 21, they carried out a live-fire exercise in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand at very short notice, prompting airlines to divert commercial flights in order to avoid the risk of an accident.

After Canberra expressed concerns, Chinese authorities replied that the warships' activities "have always been conducted safely, in a standardized and professional manner, and in accordance with relevant international laws and practices."

China sending a 'strategic signal'

Although the Chinese vessels are entitled to freedom of navigation under international law China was sending a message about its ability to project force, analysts said.

"It's pretty clear that China is using this naval deployment of three ships to send a strategic signal to Australia - and the region - that China will project its naval capabilities further from China's coast and into the maritime approaches of other states," said Malcolm Davis, a senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, or ASPI.

One of the three vessels is a Type 055 Renhai-class cruiser, which is one of China's most powerful warships, Davis noted.

"This is designed to assert China's power and dominance in the Indo-Pacific region, especially at the same time that the U.S. appears to be embracing a more isolationist posture," the analyst said.

Anne-Marie Brady, professor of political science at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, emphasized the strategic signaling of the live-fire exercise conducted by the task group in the Tasman Sea.

"China was sending a message to New Zealand and Australia that they could threaten their air and sea links at any time, without warning," Brady said.

Marles declined to speculate about future activities of the Chinese task group and how long it would remain near Australia but Davis said he believed Chinese forces would appear regularly in the region in response to Australian deployments in waters closer to China.

"China will do this more regularly and won't be constrained to only nearby maritime areas" Davis said.

"Now that flotilla is circumnavigating Australia, so it's a message that is directed principally at Australia, to try to intimidate them into ending deployments into the South China Sea."

New Zealand and Australia "are meeting with other like-minded states, and signing new strategic partnership agreements," said Brady.

"They've also both said they'd increase defense spending," the New Zealand academic added.

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






China warns US against containment as Trump's second term reshapes relations

Wang Yi signals a tough stance on US sanctions but raises the possibility of a successful partnership.

By Taejun Kang and Alan Lu for RFA

2025.03.07

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- No country should expect to suppress China and maintain good relations with it, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Friday, as he warned of a reaction if the United States tried to contain his country.

But in response to questions about U.S. relations as President Donald Trump begins his second term, Wang also held out the prospect of a successful partnership between the world's two biggest economies.

"No country should fantasize that it can suppress China and maintain a good relationship with China at the same time," Wang told a news conference on the sidelines of China's annual parliamentary meeting in Beijing.

"Such two-faced acts are not good for the stability of bilateral relations or for building mutual trust."

The United States has imposed tariffs of 20% on Chinese goods since Trump took office - 10% last month and a further 10% coming into effect on Tuesday.

Trump imposed the tariffs in retaliation for what he says is China's refusal to stop the outflow of precursors for the synthetic opioid fentanyl. U.S. officials blame fentanyl for tens of thousands of deaths each year.

China moved swiftly to retaliate with tariffs of its own on American agricultural and food products while accusing the United States of "bullying."

Wang said the U.S. should reassess its policies, particularly on tariffs. He also dismissed U.S. criticism over fentanyl, describing it as a domestic issue that the U.S. must confront internally.

The U.S. "should not repay kindness with grievances, let alone impose tariffs without reason," he said, adding that China had provided the United States with "various assistance" to tackle the flow of fentanyl precursor drugs into the U.S.

"If one side blindly exerts pressure, China will resolutely counter that," Wang said.

Wang warned of the "law of the jungle" in international relations if powerful countries bullied smaller ones.

"Small and weak countries will get burned first, and the international order and rules will be under severe shock," he said. "Major countries should undertake their international obligations ... and not seek to profit from and bully the weak."

He said China welcomed more countries into a "community of a shared future."

"History proves that the only way to be a real winner is to care for everyone," he added.

'Playing with fire'

On broader U.S.-China relations, Wang denounced "unjustified external suppression" of China's technology sector and reiterated Beijing's opposition to Washington's Indo-Pacific strategy.

Wang called on the U.S. to foster "positive and pragmatic cooperation and dialogue," while emphasizing that mutual respect remained the foundation of U.S.-China ties, and their economic and trade ties were interdependent.

"The two countries can be partners that contribute to each other's success," he said.

Wang held out the prospect of good ties with the European Union as well, noting that annual China-EU trade has grown to US$780 billion.

"We also believe that Europe can be a reliable partner. Both sides have the ability and wisdom to properly handle existing issues through friendly consultations," he said.

Wang reaffirmed Beijing's position on self-ruled Taiwan and accused outside powers of fueling instability, adding that anyone supporting Taiwan's independence would get burned.

"Taiwan has never been a country; it was not in the past, and it will never be in the future," he said, warning that "allowing Taiwan independence undermines stability in the Taiwan Strait."

Wang further criticized "external support" for the island's independence.

"Supporting Taiwan independence is playing with fire," he said.

On the war in Ukraine, Wang repeated China's stance of support for political negotiations to end a conflict that he said "could have been avoided."

"China has been advocating for peace talks since the first day of the crisis," he said.

"All parties should learn something from the crisis," he said. "Among many other things, security should be mutual and equal, and no country should build its security on the insecurity of another," he said.

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






China cracking down on Protestant churches during annual congress

Police detain nine people at a village church in the eastern province of Anhui.

By Qian Lang for RFA Mandarin 2025.03.07 -- Chinese authorities raided a Protestant "house church" in the eastern province of Anhui amid a nationwide security clampdown during the annual National People's Congress in Beijing, according to a U.S.-based rights group and local Christians.

Police and local officials raided the Xinyi Village Church in Anhui's Huainan city, detaining nine members including pastor Zhao Hongliang, the Christian rights group China Aid reported on March 5.

Four men including Zhao are now being held under "criminal detention," while the remaining five were released on bail, the group said.

Local officials from the neighborhood committee and the bureau of religious affairs have taken control of the church premises, which police continue to harass its congregation, the report said.

The church is a member of the ruling Communist Party's Three-Self Patriotic Association of approved organizations, but had refused to comply with official demands, according to China Aid (in Chinese).

Nationwide crackdown

Under President Xi Jinping, officials have engaged in a nationwide crackdown on Muslim, Christian and Tibetan Buddhist religious activities and venues since 2017.

Protestant churches are allowed to function if they are part of the government-backed Three-Self Patriotic Association. The three "selfs" refer to self-governance, self-support and self-propagation -- essentially rejecting any foreign influence -- and the "patriotic" refers to loyalty to the Chinese government.

China has many unauthorized "house churches" across the country, which are frequently raided by authorities, and some "Three-Self" churches have also been targeted at times, too.

A Protestant pastor surnamed Chen who is familiar with the Anhui case said the move was part of heightened security measures during the National People's Congress in Beijing.

"The parliamentary sessions started on March 5, so controls are much tighter," Chen said. "Things are pretty strict with churches ... with the state security police frequently harassing them and issuing warnings."

According to a Feb. 26 directive from Huainan's Panji district religious affairs bureau, the government have assigned officials to a task force to manage Xinyi Village Church, as part of a move to "strengthen the standardized management of religious sites."

"They will enter the church to carry out relevant work until the church's internal management is on track," the notice said.

It threatened severe punishment for Christians who violated laws and regulations, saying, "Christian believers must participate in normal religious activities within the scope permitted by the constitution, laws, and regulations, in accordance with Christian doctrines and canons."

"Violations of laws and regulations will be severely punished in accordance with the law and regulations," the notice warned.

Repeated calls to the Panji district government, its Tianji sub-district office and the district ethnic and religious affairs bureau rang unanswered during office hours on Friday.

A church in every village

A Protestant pastor at a "house church" in Huainan who gave only the surname Zhou for fear of reprisals said the area has a high proportion of Christians, with a church in every village.

"The local government may be looking to win approval [from higher up]," Zhou said. "Whenever a new leader takes office, he will crack down on churches."

The Xinyi Village Church raid came after police in the southwestern region of Guangxi raided a house church in Baise city, taking away nine members including children, ChinaAid reported.

While most were released, three church members -- Qin Tao, Cui Tiande, and Chen Shaofeng -- have yet to be released, it said.

A pastor from Guangdong's Jiangmen city who gave only the surname Sun for fear of reprisals said there have been reports of similar raids across China in recent weeks, particularly targeting Christians who bring their children to church events.

"Churches in Henan, Anhui, Shenzhen and other inland areas have been threatened and intimidated," Sun said. "[The authorities are] saying that they shouldn't allow minors to attend gathering, or that these are illegal gatherings."

A house church member from the southwestern province of Yunnan who asked to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals told RFA Mandarin that authorities in Shangri-La have imposed a limit of eight people per gathering on churches in the area.

"No adults can't gather in groups of more than seven or eight," the person said. "The have installed surveillance cameras at their front doors."

"There are also surveillance cameras in the church, but we don't go there now."

Translated by Luisetta Mudie. Edited by 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






China to impose additional tariffs on some Canadian farm products after anti-discrimination probe

Global Times

By Global Times Published: Mar 08, 2025 10:14 AM

China on Saturday announced a 100 percent tariff on rapeseed oil, oilcake, and peas from Canada and a 25 percent tariff on aquatic products and pork from the country, after the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) announced on Saturday a ruling on an anti-discrimination investigation into Canada's tariff hikes on Chinese EVs and steel and aluminum products.

The investigation, launched in late September 2024, under Articles 7, 36, and 37 of China's Foreign Trade Law, concluded that the measures taken by Canada constitute discriminatory restrictions that disrupt normal trade and harm the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises, according to a spokesperson from the MOFCOM.

China has decided to impose tariffs on some imports from Canada in accordance with the Foreign Trade Law, the Tariff Law, and other relevant regulations, a MOFCOM spokesperson said.

Following the anti-discrimination investigation results, the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council announced on Saturday that starting from March 20, China will impose a 100 percent tariff on rapeseed oil, oilcake, and peas from Canada and a 25 percent tariff on aquatic products and pork from Canada.

Despite China's repeated opposition, Canada has unilaterally restricted imports of EVs, steel, aluminum, and other products from China without prior investigation, undermining China-Canada economic and trade relations. China has expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to it, the MOFCOM spokesperson said.

China urges Canada to immediately correct its wrongdoings, revoke the restrictive measures, and eliminate their negative impacts, the spokesperson noted.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






China's top political advisory body holds 2nd plenary meeting of annual session

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 10:08, March 08, 2025

BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- China's top political advisory body on Friday held its second plenary meeting of the annual session.

Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, attended the meeting.

During the meeting, 14 members of the CPPCC National Committee shared their views and gave their suggestions.

Wang Guosheng said it is imperative to implement more proactive and impactful macro policies to promote sustained economic growth.

Sun Dongsheng called for deeper integration of artificial intelligence with industries, and the formulation of industrial development plans based on a scientific approach.

Lu Guoyi said it is necessary to improve basic market systems and market regulation, and push forward the development of a unified national market in a prudent and orderly manner.

To boost domestic consumption, Li Xiaopeng emphasized the need to establish long-term mechanisms and sound institutional arrangements.

Li Shufu called for efforts to support the digitalization and green transition of private manufacturing enterprises.

To cope with population aging, Jiao Hong suggested refining the supporting policies on childbirth and optimizing the development and utilization of human resources.

Other political advisors shared their views on marine economy, integrated urban-rural development, silver economy, and the development of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, as well as on teachers, regional medical centers, governance on super-large and mega cities, and talent cultivation.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






A North Korean base has mockups of South Korean cities, POW in Ukraine says

South Korean ministry says if it's true, it means that North Korea hasn't given up on one day invading the South.

By Jamin Anderson for RFA Korean 2025.03.07 -- North Korean troops train at a base designed to emulate the layout of Seoul and other major South Korean cities, a South Korean lawmaker said, citing testimony from North Korean prisoners of war in Ukraine.

If the testimony is true, it is an indication that North Korea has not given up on the possibility of invading the South, a South Korean ministry official said.

The POW's testimony was revealed during an interview -- broadcast on South Korean radio and simultaneously livestreamed on YouTube -- with National Assemblyman Yu Yong-weon about his recent visit to Ukraine, where he met with two North Korean POWs.

North Korea has sent an estimated 12,000 soldiers to fight in Russia's war against Ukraine, although neither Moscow or Pyongyang has publicly confirmed this.

During the interview, Yu said that one POW identified as Ri told him that the base was located in Koksan county, North Hwanghae province, just over 40 miles (65 kilometers) from the DMZ that divides North from South.

"When you go to this training site, it is a Ministry of Defense training ground," said Ri, according to an audio clip from their conversation played during the program. "The training ground has geographic shapes and buildings resembling those of Seoul's Jongno-gu (a downtown district), Busan, Daegu, Jeonju, and Jeju island. ... It's in Koksan."

Radio Free Asia looked at satellite photos of the Koksan area in North Korea's North Hwanghae province for evidence of what Ri described.

In a photo taken by Google Earth on Nov. 25, 2022, the Koksan Training Base, located next to a mountain and surrounded by fields, has a headquarters, a barracks and what appears to be many buildings that private satellite imagery analyst Jacob Bogle told RFA Korean closely resembled Ri's description.

Based on the satellite images, The entire base is approximately 3.5 kilometers (2 miles) long and 1.5 kilometers (1 mile) wide, with the model buildings spread over approximately 40 hectares (100 acres)

"The base complex is split up into 4 sections of MOUT across the area," Bogle said, using the abbreviation for "military operations on urbanized terrain."

"Most are simple, there may be around 5 structures that are two floors, but the vast majority are single-story structures, but some are as long as 36 meters (40 yards)," he said.

Bogle said that about half of these buildings are likely unfinished, roofless structures, that are likely models for training purposes rather than actual buildings

Further analysis of historical satellite imagery reveals that a full-scale urban warfare training facility was established in earnest at Koksan Training Base in 2020.

Previously, there were only a few structures with only some outer walls, but since 2020, at least 72 mock buildings have been newly constructed.

In addition to the buildings, there are 33 model tanks, and 8 model fighter jets situated within the training ground, which appear to have remained in their current location for over 20 years.

"One key sign that the fighter jets and tanks aren't real is that they never move," said Bogle. "The fighter jets, for example, have been in the exact same position since 2003. These mockups are used to familiarize recruits with the overall appearance of DPRK and enemy equipment in basic training drills, and some are used as target practice."

DPRK is the abbreviation of North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Looking forward in time, Google Earth photos from Aug. 14 and Sept. 28, 2024 show two rows of new structures, and evidence that dirt in the vacant lots has been disturbed.

"That can indicate ongoing drills on the site," said Bogle. Referring to the new buildings he said that the low-res imagery made it difficult to determine what they were exactly, but their size and positioning suggest they are target structures.

The Koksan Training Base is also believed to have been visited by the country's leader Kim Jong Un in Sept. 2024, when state media reported that he gave onsite guidance to soldiers at a training ground.

NK news, a U.S. media outlet specializing in North Korea, analyzed a documentary video broadcast on the state-run Korean Central Television in January about the visit, and reported it likely took place in Koksan.

On Friday, during a press briefing by the South Korean Ministry of Unification, a reporter asked spokesperson Goo Byung-sam about Ri's testimony and the satellite imagery in the Korean version of this report, which was published on Thursday.

The spokesperson said it was a military matter and that it would be inappropriate for the Ministry of Unification to comment.

"That said, if this report is true, it would be yet another piece of evidence that North Korea has not abandoned its ambitions of invading the South," Goo said.

Translated by Claire S. Lee and Leejin J. Chung. Edited by Eugene Whong and Malcolm Foster.

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






Secretary Rubio's Call with French Foreign Minister Barrot

US Department of State

Readout

Office of the Spokesperson

March 7, 2025

The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce:

Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke today with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot about bringing an end to the Russia-Ukraine war. The Secretary emphasized President Trump's determination to achieve, through negotiations, a just and lasting peace, and stressed the United States will continue working with France towards this end.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






India - Russia Foreign Office Consultations (March 07, 2025)

India - Ministry of External Affairs

March 07, 2025

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited Moscow to hold bilateral Foreign Office Consultations with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko on March 07, 2025.

2. During the consultations, the two sides reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral ties and also shared perspectives on regional and global issues of mutual interest. Both sides took stock of progress on implementation of decisions taken at the 22nd Annual Summit held in Moscow in July 2024, the meeting in Kazan on the sidelines of the 16th BRICS Summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin, the 25th session of the India-Russia Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation held in New Delhi in November 2024, and other high level engagements.

3. During the visit, Foreign Secretary also held meetings with Maxim Oreshkin, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Russian Presidential Executive Office; Yury Ushakov, Aide to the Russian President; and Alexey Gruzdev, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade.

4. The last round of Foreign Office Consultations was held in New Delhi in November 2023.

Moscow

March 07, 2025

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Minister Joly announces additional sanctions against Iran

Global Affairs Canada

News release

March 7, 2025 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada

Today, the Honourable Melanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, announced that Canada is imposing new sanctions under the Special Economic Measures (Iran) Regulations against Iranian individuals and entities who have engaged in gross human rights violations against Iranian civilians and destabilizing activities in the Middle East region and globally that undermine international peace, security or stability in a manner that is consistent with the policies of Iran.

The Iranian regime continues to demonstrate blatant disregard for human rights, systematically oppressing its own people and spreading instability beyond its borders. From the brutal crackdown on peaceful protesters to the arbitrary detention and execution of dissidents, Iran's leaders persist in silencing voices of freedom with violence and fear. These egregious violations extend beyond their domestic population, as the regime supports terror groups and threatens regional and global security.

These sanctions target 3 individuals and 4 entities that are Iranian business people and companies connected to procurement networks that acquire and supply sophisticated technology that supports the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC's) weapons production and sales, including to Russia for use in its illegal war against Ukraine.

Canada is listing the following individuals and entities:

Hossein Hatefi Ardakani, head of a transnational procurement network that includes Kavan Electronics Behrad Limited Liability Company, Basamad Electronic Pouya Engineering Limited Liability Company and Teyf Tadbir Arya Engineering Company

Mehdi Gogerdchian, managing director and board member of Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industries (HESA)

Hossein Pourfarzaneh, lead engineer of Farzanegan Propulsion Design Bureau

Kavan Electronics Behrad Limited Liability Company, a procurement firm

Basamad Electronic Pouya Engineering Limited Liability Company, a procurement firm

Teyf Tadbir Engineering Company, a procurement firm

Farzanegan Propulsion Systems Design Bureau, a technology firm

These new sanctions align with measures taken by Canada's allies, including the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union.

Despite decades of concerted efforts by the international community to counter activities that gravely threaten international peace and security, Iran remains a destabilizing actor across the Middle East region through a range of malign activities by its own military as well as by its support of a network of aligned, non-state militias and terrorist armed groups.

Iran and its proxies have heightened the risk of uncontrollable escalation and violence in the region through persistent attacks against neighbouring states, Israel, and U.S. and allied forces in the region. In 2024, Iran undertook two sets of large-scale, direct territorial attacks against Israel using ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)also known as dronesa dangerous and unprecedented step that raises the stakes in a long-standing regional confrontation. As Iran continues to build networks to acquire and share weapons technology and expertise, the regime has also increased the operational coordination of its proxies, with multiple aligned armed groups launching attacks in Iraq and against Israel.

Iran has also increased defence cooperation with and provided materiel support to Russia in its illegal war of aggression against Ukraine in the form of UAVs, ammunition and ballistic missiles. Canada and G7 partners have assessed that there is evidence that Iran has continued to transfer weaponry to Russia despite repeated international calls for this to stop. This represents a further escalation of Iran's military support to Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.

The Iranian regime poses a threat to international peace and security, both through its armed forces and through its support of its allies and proxies. Canada stands firm in responding to Iran's actions and supporting those who courageously resist oppression under the Iranian regime in pursuit of fundamental human rights and justice.

Quotes

"The actions of the Iranian regime speak for themselves. The world has watched for years as this regime has pursued its agenda of violence, fear and propaganda. Canada is taking action against the Iranian regime whose complete disregard for regional peace and security will further escalate regional tensions and violence." - Melanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs

Quick facts

Including these new measures, Canada has sanctioned 208 Iranian individuals and 254 entities.

In 2012, Canada designated Iran as a state supporter of terrorism under the State Immunity Act. Along with the Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act, this listing allows victims to bring civil action against Iran for losses or damages from acts of terrorism with links to Iran committed anywhere in the world.

In November 2022, Canada designated the Islamic Republic of Iran as a regime that has engaged in terrorism and systematic and gross human rights violations pursuant to subparagraph 35(1)(b) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. This means that tens of thousands of senior members of the Iranian regime, including many members of the IRGC, are inadmissible to Canada.

In June 2024, Canada listed the IRGC as a terrorist entity under the Criminal Code in response to terrorist acts committed by the IRGC both on its own and in knowing association with listed terrorist entities, such as Hezbollah and Hamas.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Backgrounder: Additional sanctions against Iran

Global Affairs Canada

Backgrounder

Canada is imposing new sanctions under the Special Economic Measures (Iran) Regulations against 3 Iranian individuals and 4 entities that have engaged in destabilizing activities in the Middle East region and globally that undermine international peace, security or stability in a manner that is consistent with the policies of Iran.

The individuals and entities targeted are Iranian business people and companies connected to procurement networks that acquire and supply sophisticated technology that supports the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC's) weapons production and sales, including to Russia for use in its illegal war against Ukraine.

In light of Iran's destabilizing activities in the Middle East region and globally, the Special Economic Measures (Iran) Regulations have been amended to enable Canada to impose sanctions in response to the evolving peace and security threat that Iran poses to the region and globally. In addition to nuclear activities and human rights violations, the Iran regulations can now capture the broad scope of malign activities carried out by, or consistent with, the policies of Iran. This amendment also enables Canada to designate any current or former senior government officials beyond senior IRGC officials.

Canadian measures

The Special Economic Measures (Iran) Regulations impose a prohibition on dealings related to the listed individuals, effectively freezing any assets they may have in Canada. Persons in Canada and Canadians outside the country are prohibited from dealing in the property of the listed individuals, and the listed individuals are also rendered inadmissible to Canada under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

The specific prohibitions are set out in the regulations.

The names of the individuals and entities added to the schedule of these regulations are the following:

Hossein Hatefi Ardakani, head of a transnational procurement network that includes Kavan Electronics Co., Basamad Electronic Pouya Engineering Co. and Teyf Tadbir Arya Engineering Co.

Mehdi Gogerdchian, managing director and board member of Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industries

Hossein Pourfarzaneh, lead engineer of Farzanegan Propulsion Design Bureau

Kavan Electronics Behrad Limited Liability Company, a procurement firm

Basamad Electronic Pouya Engineering Limited Liability Company, a procurement firm

Teyf Tadbir Engineering Company, a procurement firm

Farzanegan Propulsion Systems Design Bureau, a technology firm

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Iran condemns US policy of maximum pressure as violation of law, crime against humanity

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Mar 7, 2025

Tehran, IRNA -- Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esma'eel Baqayi has described the hostile statements of the U.S. treasury secretary regarding the continuation of the maximum pressure policy against the Iranian people as a clear sign of the continued enmity of U.S. policymakers towards the Iranian nation.

Referring to the failure of the policy of pressure and intimidation against the Iranian people in different periods, Baqayi said it is a mistake to test the one who has been tested, and the U.S. policymakers are not going to reach a different conclusion than what they have reached so far by repeating incorrect policies.

He stressed that the Islamic Republic of Iran's approach to international diplomacy is based on logic and mutual respect to ensure the legitimate and legal interests of the Iranian people, and any behavior or speech that is not consistent with this approach is rejected from "our viewpoint."

"The Iranian nation will continue to strengthen its capacities in various fields and will respond to any illegal and inhumane pressure with resistance and perseverance," Baqayi said.

2050

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






After series of anti-Iran moves, U.S. president says he has asked Tehran to reopen nuclear negotiations

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Mar 7, 2025

Tehran, IRNA -- He pulled the United States from a finely-negotiated multinational deal with Iran during his first term in office. He torpedoed the implementation of the agreement by the remaining parties during the rest of that term. Early into his second term, he signed a presidential memo to restore "maximum pressure" on Iran. Now U.S. President Donald Trump says he has asked Iran to reopen negotiations.

Trump said in an interview with Fox Business that he had written a letter to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, asking that negotiations be reopened.

"There are two ways Iran can be handled: militarily or you make a deal. "I would prefer to make a deal, because I'm not looking to hurt Iran. They're great people," Trump said in the interview, a section of which was released by Fox News on Friday.

He said the letter had been sent on Wednesday. The White House did not provide any more details.

"I would rather negotiate a deal. I'm not sure that everybody agrees with me, but we can make a deal that would be just as good as if you won militarily," Trump boasted.

"But the time is happening now, the time is coming up. Something is going to happen one way or the other. I hope that Iran, and I've written them a letter, saying I hope you're going to negotiate because if we have to go in militarily, it's going to be a terrible thing for them," he said.

Iran did not immediately address Trump's remarks.

But Ayatollah Khamenei has already rejected negotiations with the United States. So has President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Trump has been speaking of a keenness to negotiate with Iran since he took office for a second term in January. Nevertheless, on February 5, he signed a presidential memorandum to restore a campaign of "maximum pressure" on Iran that he had launched in his first term.

Two days later, Ayatollah Khamenei said negotiating with the United States government "would not be wise and honorable" given Washington's past perfidy. And on March 2, President Pezeshkian said he was committed to the position outlined by the Leader regarding negotiations with Washington even though his own view had initially been different.

During the Fox Business interview, Trump was asked if he had given Iran "an ultimatum."

"No, I didn't say, 'You better.' I said, 'I hope you're going to negotiate,' because it will be a lot better for Iran. I think they want to get that letter. The other alternative is we have to do something because you can't let them have a nuclear weapon," he claimed.

Ayatollah Khamenei has issued a religious decree (fatwa) prohibiting the development, possession, and use of nuclear weapons. Iran has repeatedly said it is not seeking to build such a weapon.

Under the deal Trump withdrew from, Iran had given the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) enhanced access to its nuclear program to remove unsubstantiated concerns that it is pursuing a weapons program.

2050**4482

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Parliament gives five recommendations to Rafael Grossi

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Mar 7, 2025

Tehran, IRNA -- The National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Parliament in a statement has responded to the recent statements of the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi, saying, "Regulate the Agency's behavior and your statements based on the Agency's rules and solely in the technical field, and avoid political statements."

"The Director General of the Agency has expressed concern that the reserves of uranium with an enrichment of 60 percent have reached 275 kilograms. However, it is not clear what the legal and technical reasons for his concern are?," it said.

The statement pointed out that according to Article 4 of the NPT, all member states have three inviolable rights: 1- Research and development 2- Production 3- Operation and use of the nuclear industry.

The statement emphasized that this right is only conditional on such activities being peaceful. "Accordingly, the Iranian nation has the right to use all peaceful nuclear capabilities"

The National Security and Foreign Policy Commission said that the United States gave "the Shah" a research reactor, which, firstly, is for peaceful medical purposes and for the production of radiopharmaceuticals, and secondly, its fuel was 93 percent, adding, "Accordingly, there is no legal prohibition on carrying out 60 percent enrichment and using it for peaceful medical and non-medical purposes."

2050

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






The U.S. threatens to 'collapse' Iran's economy

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Mar 7, 2025

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said that President Donald Trump's sanctions against Iran are aimed at shutting down the country's oil industry.

Bessent told the Economic Club of New York on Thursday that the Trump administration also intends to cut off Tehran's access to the international financial system.

Trump reimposed his pressure campaign on Iran through a presidential memorandum on February 4. Two days later, the U.S. Treasury Department started imposing sanctions on an international network shipping Iranian oil to China.

Trump launched that campaign during his first term in office after he withdrew the United States from a landmark deal on Iran's nuclear program in 2018. He resumed the campaign early this month, just two weeks after returning to the White House.

Despite reinstating the policy, the U.S. president has spoken of his readiness to negotiate a deal with Iran.

The Islamic Republic, however, has ruled out the possibility of direct talks with the U.S. as long as the "maximum pressure campaign" is in place.

2050

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Iran: No negotiations with US while threats, sanctions persist

Iran Press TV

Friday, 07 March 2025 5:43 PM

Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Abbas Araghchi says Tehran will not engage in direct nuclear negotiations with the United States as long as Washington persists with unilateral sanctions and threats.

"We will not enter any direct negotiations with the US so long as they continue their maximum pressure policy and their threats," he told AFP on Friday on the sidelines of his visit to Jeddah.

Araghchi, who traveled to the Saudi city on Friday to participate in an Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meeting, reaffirmed Iran's peaceful approach toward its nuclear program and advised US policymakers to observe the conditions of a "fair and just negotiation" instead of abusing the language of pressure and threat.

He went on to refer to Iran's ongoing negotiations with other parties to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), including Russia, China, and three European countries.

The interview came on the same day as Trump claimed to have sent a letter to Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei. The claim, however, was rejected by the Iranian mission to the UN.

Speaking to Fox News, Trump said he hoped for achieving a deal with Tehran before making military threats against the country.

"I think they want to get that letter. The other alternative is we have to do something, because you can't let another nuclear weapon," he said despite Tehran's repeated stance that it does not seek to develop nukes.

Addressing repeated Israeli and American military threats against Iranian nuclear facilities, Araghchi noted that the program cannot be destroyed militarily.

"Iran's nuclear program cannot be destroyed through military operations... this is a technology that we have achieved, and the technology is in the brains and cannot be bombed," he said.

"Iran's nuclear facilities are scattered in many different parts of the country and are properly protected, and we are sure that they cannot be destroyed," he added.

Furthermore, the top envoy touched on Iran's ability to respond to military aggression "in a completely proportionate and balanced manner."

"The Israelis themselves know, and others in the region know, that any action taken against Iran will be followed by a similar action against Israel," Araghchi said.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Iran slams US 'maximum pressure' policy as 'crime against humanity'

Iran Press TV

Friday, 07 March 2025 5:06 PM

Iran says Washington's continuation of its so-called "maximum pressure" policy against Tehran is tantamount to "crime against humanity," stressing that the failed policy will not yield new results for Washington.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei made the announcement on Friday, a day after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said his country's sanctions against Iran are designed to shut down its oil industry and "collapse its already buckling economy."

He said Bessent's hostile remarks clearly indicate the continuation of hostility of American policymakers towards the Iranian people.

Baghaei pointed to the failure of the US policy of pressure and intimidation against the Iranian people at different junctures, saying it is a "clear violation of the principles and objectives of the United Nations Charter and international law which is subject to international responsibility for the US government."

The Iranian spokesperson cautioned that "it is a mistake to test the tried."

"American policymakers are not expected to achieve a different outcome from what they have obtained so far by repeating incorrect policies," Baghaei emphasized.

Iran's approach in international diplomacy is based on logic and mutual respect for securing the legitimate and lawful interests of the Iranian people, he said, adding that Iran would not accept any behavior or statement that does not align with this approach.

He emphasized that the Iranian people would continue to improve their capacities in various fields and would "respond to any illegal and inhumane pressure with resistance and perseverance."

In his speech at the Economic Club of New York, Bessent claimed that the US is deploying sanctions against Iran aggressively for "immediate maximum impact", saying US President Donald Trump's goal is to slash Iran's oil exports of 1.5 million barrels per day to a trickle.

Iran has long been subjected to Western sanctions imposed on different pretexts, including its civilian nuclear program.

The administration of US President Trump has escalated these unilateral measures since taking office, reinstating the so-called maximum pressure policy, a campaign of hybrid warfare targeting Iran.

Back in February, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi asserted that another round of deployment of the "maximum pressure" policy on the part of the United States against Tehran will only lead to another defeat.

"The policy of maximum pressure has already proven to be a failure, and any attempt to revive it will only lead to another defeat," the top diplomat said.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Iran's UN mission on Trump's claim: 'We've not received such a letter yet'

Iran Press TV

Friday, 07 March 2025 3:22 PM

Iran's permanent mission to the United Nations has dismissed the latest claim by US President Donald Trump about sending a letter to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, proposing negotiations on a new nuclear deal.

"We have not received such a letter yet," the mission said on Friday.

In an interview with Fox Business' Maria Bartiromo on Friday, the US president claimed that he has sent a letter to Ayatollah Khamenei and proposed to negotiate with Iran on a deal on the country's nuclear program.

"I said I hope you're going to negotiate, because it's going to be a lot better for Iran," he claimed, before threatening Tehran with military action.

"I think they want to get that letter. The other alternative is we have to do something, because you can't let another nuclear weapon," he said despite Tehran's repeated stance that it does not seek to develop nukes.

In February, Ayatollah Khamenei said experience has shown that negotiations with the US have no effect on solving Iran's problems.

"Some people pretend that if we sit at the negotiating table, some problem will be solved, but the fact that we must understand correctly is that negotiating with the US has no effect on solving the country's problems," the Leader emphasized.

Later in February, Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian reiterated Tehran's openness to negotiations, but emphasized that the Islamic Republic will not give in to the pressure of bullying powers and won't engage in any negotiations under duress.

In May 2018, Trump pulled Washington out of a multilateral international agreement, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), signed between Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany in 2015.

The UNSC-endorsed agreement required Iran to scale back some of its nuclear activities in return for the lifting of cruel sanctions imposed on the country, especially by the United States.

Trump then imposed severe economic sanctions against Tehran while Iran was adhering to its commitments under the deal and even continued to do so for a year after the US withdrawal.

Tehran started to reduce its commitments under the JCPOA in a series of pre-announced and clear steps after witnessing the other parties' failure to secure its interests under the agreement.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Sanctions not working against Iran: UN nuclear chief

Iran Press TV

Friday, 07 March 2025 2:00 PM

The United Nations top nuclear official says the United States-led sanctions against Iran's nuclear energy program have been ineffective.

"Sanctions aren't working," Rafael Grossi, director general of the world body's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), told Bloomberg in an interview published on Friday.

"Quite obviously, the country has learned to circumvent them. The program has grown enormously, especially since 2018."

Last month, the Islamic Republic's nuclear chief, Mohammad Eslami likewise dismissed the efficacy of the illegal and unilateral bans.

The head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) reiterated that the country's enemies were not capable of preventing it from achieving its goals by imposing sanctions and exerting economic pressure on the country or assassinating its scientists, referring to the Israeli regime's targeted killing of at least seven Iranian nuclear scientists over the past decades.

"In order to achieve our goals, we don't care about the enemies' sanctions and pressure," Eslami said, adding "We will continue the path that we have drawn for ourselves to reach our goals."

Despite external pressures, Iran continues to advance its nuclear capabilities for civilian applications, including medicine and agriculture, he noted, repeating Iranian officials' invariable assertion that the country's nuclear program is solely geared towards civilian purposes.

The IAEA's Board of Governors, though, has ratified several resolutions amid pressure by the US and its European allies, accusing the Islamic Republic of deviating from the program or withholding sufficient cooperation with the nuclear body.

This is while the resolutions and the accusations underlying it run counter to the standing status of the country and the body's cooperation, which has even increased in frequency and quality over the past years.

Tehran has, meanwhile, been urging the IAEA to remain committed to its professional standards and avoid politicization of its decision-making processes.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Trump Says He Offered Nuclear Talks With Iran's Khamenei

By RFE/RL March 07, 2025

US President Donald Trump has said he sent a letter to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei proposing talks to reach a deal over Tehran's nuclear program.

In an interview with Fox News recorded on March 6, Trump said he had sent the letter "yesterday."

"I've written them a letter saying, 'I hope you're going to negotiate because if we have to go in militarily, it's going to be a terrible thing,'" Trump said.

Snippets of the interview were aired on March 7, but the full sit-down will be broadcast on March 9, Fox News said.

"I would rather negotiate a deal. I'm not sure that everybody agrees with me, but we can make a deal that would be just as good as if you won militarily," Trump added. "But the time is happening now. The time is coming up. Something's going to happen one way or the other."

In comments at the White House later on March 7, Trump again voiced hope for a deal in the near future.

"We cannot let them have a nuclear weapon," he said, adding that "something is going to happen very soon."

"Hopefully we will have a peace deal," he said, apparently meaning a peaceful resolution of tension over Tehran's nuclear program. "I'm just saying I'd rather see a peace deal then the other. But the other will solve the problem."

During his first term in office, Trump withdrew the United States from a landmark 2015 nuclear accord between Iran and world powers and reimposed sanctions that had been lifted under its terms.

Khamenei last month said he opposed direct talks with Trump, charging that he cannot be trusted since he left the nuclear deal.

After abrogating the accord in 2018, Trump welcomed an offer by Japan's then-prime minister, Shinzo Abe, to mediate and in 2019 asked the Japanese premier to deliver a letter to Khamenei. The Iranian leader rejected the letter, saying it was "not worthy" of a response.

Since returning to office in January, Trump has reinstated his "maximum pressure" campaign that was the cornerstone of his Iran policy in his first term, with the aim of slashing Iran's oil exports to "zero." Experts say the United States is unlikely to be able to entirely stop Iran's oil sales but will be able to substantially reduce it.

In comments to AFP, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi insisted Iran's nuclear program "cannot be destroyed" through military action and dismissed the prospect of talks with Trump as long as the "maximum pressure" campaign was in force.

Iran significantly accelerated its nuclear program after the United States withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal and is now enriching uranium to 60 percent purity. Experts say Iran is a short technical step from enriching uranium to 90 percent, which is considered weapons-grade level.

Tehran insists its nuclear program is peaceful and has no plans to weaponize it. But the International Atomic Energy Agency has expressed "serious concern" over the speed with which Iran is accumulating highly enriched uranium.

On March 6, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the Trump administration's "maximum pressure" campaign aims to shut down Iran's oil industry and "collapse its already buckling economy."

He added that "making Iran broke again" will mark the beginning of the government's sanctions policy toward the Islamic republic.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/trump-proposes-nuclear- talks-iran-khamenei/33340021.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






Canada announces new sanctions against Myanmar military regime

Global Affairs Canada

News release

March 7, 2025 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada

The Honourable Melanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today announced sanctions against 13 Myanmar senior government officials and 3 entities for undermining the peace, security and stability of the country and contributing to gross human rights violations.

The sanctions announced today respond to gross and systematic human rights violations committed by individuals in Myanmar's Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces, as well as the entrenched violence, repression, instability and overall worsening crisis in Myanmar.

The conflict has resulted in a humanitarian crisis that is deteriorating, with increased instability and violence against civilians. On December 2, 2024, the United Nations reported that more than 6,000 civilians were killed due to the military regime's increasing violence since the 2021 coup. In the first four months of 2024, regime airstrikes killed more than 359 civilians, including 61 children, and injured 756 civilians.

Canada continues to urge all countries to impose similar measures. We call on the international community to suspend all operational and financial support to Myanmar's military regime and to cease the transfer of arms, materiel, dual-use equipment and technical assistance to the regime and its agents.

Canada will continue to work with international partners to advance an inclusive and sustainable peace in Myanmar. This includes support to advance the restoration of democratic rule in Myanmar and increased pressure on malign actors, including through the continuing pursuit of accountability for human rights violations.

Quotes

"Canada will not remain idle while senior government officials in Myanmar undermine the peace, security and stability of the country and contribute to gross human rights violations. Canada will continue to support the aspirations of the Myanmar people and those who work to advance a peaceful and inclusive democratic future." - Melanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs

Quick facts

Canada has had comprehensive sanctions against Myanmar in place under the Special Economic Measures (Myanmar) Regulations since 2007. This includes an arms embargo, aviation fuel prohibition and a dealings ban on listed persons, targeting both individuals and entities.

Including today's announcement, Canada has listed 149 individuals and 92 entities under the Special Economic Measures (Myanmar) Regulations.

Since the February 1, 2021, coup in Myanmar, Canada and its partners have condemned the military regime's actions and have urged it to reverse course.

These sanctions are in line with Canada's commitments under its Indo-Pacific Strategy, including promoting peace, resilience and security and upholding democracy and human rights.

Canada's sanctions are designed to complement a broader engagement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and ASEAN's Five-Point Consensus on Myanmar.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Myanmar military battles to push rebels back from Chinese economic zone

Arakan Army aims to capture junta's last two major strongholds in Rakhine state.

By RFA Burmese 2025.03.07 -- Myanmar's military bombed a village in an economic zone that is vital to China's investment in Myanmar, sparking a fire that burned almost 200 homes, residents told Radio Free Asia, as insurgents tightened their grip on the junta's last pockets of territory in Rakhine state.

The Arakan Army, or AA, is one of Myanmar's most powerful ethnic minority insurgent groups and has nearly achieved its goal of defeating the forces of the junta that seized power in 2021 across the whole of Rakhine state.

The military's two most important remaining Rakhine state strongholds are the state capital of Sittwe, and the Kyaukpyu economic zone, where China has major energy interests and plans a deep-sea port as a hub for its Belt and Road development strategy.

AA fighters battling to capture Kyaukpyu are concentrating on a naval base protecting the zone, and the military has been using its navy and air force to try to fend off the advancing insurgents.

Late on Thursday, the military used a drone to attack fighters in the village of U Gin, on the approaches to the naval base, sparking a blaze that engulfed nearly 200 homes, residents said.

"Almost the entire village went up in flames," one Kyaukpyu resident said of the Thursday night attack.

The resident, who declined to be identified for security reasons, said there were no reports of casualties in the fire as U Gin's residents had already abandoned their homes and fled because of the fighting.

RFA tried to contact the AA spokesperson, Khaing Thu Kha, and the junta spokesperson for Rakhine state, Hla Thein, to ask about the situation but neither responded by the time of publication.

On Tuesday this week, the AA captured at least three guard outposts protecting the Danyawaddy naval base, forcing defending junta forces to fall back, said another resident who also declined to be identified.

"Now the junta troops are holding out in front of the headquarters," the resident said.

The fall of Kyaukpyu would be a major embarrassment for the junta and would force China to deal directly with the AA to protect its economic interest there.

Those interests include oil and gas pipelines running to southern China's Yunnan province, which would be vital for China in the event of war any disruption of energy shipments through the South China Sea.

Fighting is also heavy around the Rakhine state capital of Sittwe, residents there said.

Junta forces trying to repel advancing AA troops attacked War Bo village on Sittwe's outskirts on Thursday, destroying 35 homes, residents said. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Translated by Kiana Duncan. Edited by RFA Staff.

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






WFP appeals for urgent funding to prevent ration cuts to over one million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh

World Food Programme

7 March 2025

DHAKA, Bangladesh -- The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warns of a critical funding shortfall for its emergency response operations in Bangladesh, jeopardizing food assistance for over one million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.

Without urgent new funding, monthly rations must be halved to US$6 per person, down from US$12.50 per person - just as refugees prepare to observe Eid, marking the end of Ramadan. All Rohingya receive vouchers that are redeemed for their choice of food at designated retailers in the camps. To sustain full rations, WFP urgently requires US$15 million for April, and US$81 million until the end of 2025.

"The Rohingya refugee crisis remains one of the world's largest and most protracted," said Dom Scalpelli, WFP Country Director in Bangladesh. "Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh remain entirely dependent on humanitarian assistance for their survival. Any reduction in food assistance will push them deeper into hunger and force them to resort to desperate measures just to survive."

In recent months, new waves of Rohingya refugees, potentially exceeding 100,000 people, have crossed into Bangladesh, fleeing conflict in neighbouring Myanmar. The continued influx of Rohingya seeking safety places an even greater strain on already overstretched resources.

WFP has already begun communicating with the Rohingya community about the potential ration cuts. This coincides with the holy month of Ramadan - a sacred period for Muslims worldwide, including for the majority of the Rohingya - observed as a time for solidarity and support.

"Now more than ever, the Rohingya need us to stand with them. These families have nowhere else to go, and WFP's food aid is the difference between survival and despair. Immediate support is urgently needed to prevent this crisis from escalating further," added Scalpelli.

In 2023, severe funding constraints forced WFP to reduce rations from US$12 to US$8 per person per month, leading to a sharp decline in food consumption and the worst levels of malnutrition among children since 2017 - reaching over 15 percent - above the emergency threshold. Rations were later increased when funding was received.

For a population with no legal status, no freedom of movement outside the camps, and no sustainable livelihood opportunities, further cuts will exacerbate protection and security risks. As in 2023, women and girls, in particular, may face heightened risks of exploitation, trafficking, prostitution, and domestic violence. Children may be pulled out of school and forced into child labour, while girls may be married off at a young age as families resort to desperate measures to survive.

Refugee populations across the globe are often the first to face cuts to aid, despite being among the most vulnerable. As funding shortfalls grow and needs continue to rise, the Rohingya and many other communities are left with fewer resources to survive.

# # #

The United Nations World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Pakistan orders documented Afghan migrants to leave

By Sarah Zaman March 07, 2025

Pakistan ordered all documented Afghan migrants on Friday to leave the country by March 31 or risk deportation.

The directive was issued a day after the Afghan Ministry of Refugee and Repatriation Affairs urged Pakistan to slow down the expulsion of Afghans.

Pakistan launched the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Program in October 2023, after a dramatic rise in violence that Islamabad blamed on militants operating from Afghanistan.

Friday's order called on those with Afghan Citizen Cards (ACCs) to leave the country in the next three weeks, saying deportation of documented migrants would begin April 1.

"In continuation of the government's decision to repatriate all illegal foreigners, national leadership has now decided to also repatriate ACC holders," the ministry said in a brief press release. "All illegal foreigners and ACC holders are advised to leave the country voluntarily before 31 March 2025; thereafter, deportation will commence with effect from 1 April 2025."

This affects nearly 900,000 documented Afghan economic migrants residing in Pakistan.

According to data from the U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR) released Friday, more than 842,000 Afghans have left Pakistan since the expulsion drive began, including more than 40,000 deportees.

"It is highlighted that sufficient time has already been granted for their dignified return," the Pakistani interior ministry said.

In late January, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's government approved a plan to repatriate ACC holders but did not specify a date.

Security concerns

Pakistan ranks second among countries most affected by terrorism, according to the Global Terrorism Index released this week.

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, emerged as the fastest-growing terrorist group in 2024, almost doubling the number of deaths attributed to it in 2023.

Pakistan accuses the Afghan Taliban of providing sanctuary to TTP militants, and Islamabad alleges Afghan nationals are involved in terror attacks claimed by the TTP and its offshoots.

Friday's directive to expel documented Afghan migrants followed Tuesday's twin suicide bombing of a military compound in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that killed 18, including five soldiers. The Pakistani military said that Afghan nationals were among the 16 militants killed in the attack and that it was orchestrated from Afghanistan.

The Afghan Taliban denied Islamabad's accusations.

Arrests and detention

Since the start of 2025, the UNHCR has recorded an uptick in the arrest and detention of Afghans, especially undocumented and ACC holders in the capital region, where it recorded 45 times more arrests than in January and February of 2024.

The trend follows a November 2024 order by Pakistan's interior minister, Mohsin Naqvi, calling on Afghans to leave the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, and its neighboring garrison city of Rawalpindi by the end of that year.

In the first two months of this year, more than 2,600 Afghans were arrested across Pakistan. Nearly 2,300 were undocumented or ACC holders, according to the UNHCR. Close to 1,200 were arrested in Islamabad and nearby areas.

In January, Pakistan deported 1,000 Afghans. Of those, more than 800, who included women and children, were rounded up from the capital and Rawalpindi.

The Pakistani advocacy group Joint Action Committee for Refugees raised alarm Friday, claiming that authorities had rounded up more than 200 Afghans in the capital and nearby cities. The rights organization called the action a violation of a recent court order that restrained authorities from harassing refugees, and it urged authorities to act according to the law.

"It is emphasized that no one will be maltreated during the repatriation process," the interior ministry said. "Arrangements for food and health care for returning foreigners have also been put in place."

The order for documented Afghans to leave takes place as Torkham, the busiest border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan, remains closed after intense shelling from both sides in recent days.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Pakistan Sets April 1 Deadline For 'Afghan Card' Holders, 'Illegal Foreigners' To Leave

By RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal March 08, 2025

Pakistan ordered Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders and "all illegal foreigners" to leave the country, either voluntarily or through deportation starting on April 1, raising fears among the Afghan community of repression should they return to their homeland.

"The Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Program has been implemented since November 1, 2023. In continuation to government's decision to repatriate all illegal foreigners, national leadership has now decided to also repatriate ACC holders," the Pakistani Interior Ministry said in a statement on March 7.

"All illegal foreigners and ACC holders are advised to leave the country voluntarily before March 31, 2025; thereafter, deportation will commence on April 1," it added.

The ministry said that "sufficient time" has been given for the "dignified" departure of those affected and it pledged that "no one will be maltreated during the repatriation process."

The Pakistani government has often blamed militant violence and criminal activity on Afghan citizens, allegations rejected by the extremist Taliban-led government in Kabul.

Islamabad accuses the Taliban of providing a safe haven for extremists linked to Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TPP), also known as the Pakistani Taliban, inside Afghanistan, charges the government in Kabul also rejects.

In late January, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's government approved a plan to repatriate ACC holders but did not specify a date.

An Afghan woman in Pakistan told RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal on condition of anonymity that she had fled to Pakistan because the Taliban had violated basic human rights in Afghanistan.

"We call on the government of Pakistan to retract what it has said regarding us at this difficult time," she said.

Qaiser Khan Afridi, spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Islamabad, told Radio Mashaal on March 7 that he is continuing to discuss the fate of Afghans with officials of the Pakistani government.

Pakistan's government in late 2023 launched the effort to repatriate foreign citizens -- the majority of whom are Afghans -- first focusing on foreigners with no legal documentation but now including those with the ACC, a document that had allowed Afghan asylum-seekers to temporarily remain in Pakistan.

When the repatriation program was announced, Abbas Khan, Pakistan's commissioner of Afghan refugees, told RFE/RL that refugees were given ACC documentation in 2016 in an agreement among the governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan and the UNHCR.

"They agreed that those citizens would be gradually returned to Afghanistan. But that did not happen," Khan said.

Pakistan has been a popular refuge for Afghans for decades, beginning during the 1979-89 Soviet occupation. Others fled fighting during the ensuing Afghan civil war and the Taliban's first stint in power from 1996 to 2001.

Millions of Afghans returned to their homeland following the U.S.-led invasion that toppled the Taliban from power.

But after the Taliban seized power again in 2021 amid the withdrawal of international forces, an estimated 700,000 more Afghans left for Pakistan to escape a devastating economic and humanitarian crisis and possible retribution by the Taliban.

According to UN data, more than 800,000 Afghans hold ACC status in Pakistan. Another 1.3 million are formally registered with the Pakistan government and hold a separate Proof of Residence (PoR) card. The statement did not mention the effect on those with PoR status.

The UN has estimated that at the peak, some 3.8 million Afghan refugees were in Pakistan, although Islamabad put the number at above 4.4 million.

Some 15,000 Afghans in Pakistan are awaiting to be approved for resettlement in the United States, although their status remains unclear after President Donald Trump's administration announced that the US Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) would be suspended for at least three months starting on January 27.

With reporting by Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/afghan-pakistan-refugee- taliban-deport/33340326.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






Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov visits All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Experimental Physics in Sarov

06.03.2025 (18:30)

Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov made a working visit to Sarov, where he visited a number of structural units of the All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Experimental Physics.

The Russian Defence Minister got acquainted with the activities of the organisation, where specialists conduct research on plants and stands with unique characteristics. The head of the military department also visited the institute's laser training ground and experimental site.

The Russian Defence Minister was presented with the development of the organisation in the areas of digital, supercomputer, and laser technologies as well as impulse technologies.

At the end of the working visit, Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov held a working meeting with the management of the All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Experimental Physics and relevant military administration bodies, during which he commended the institute's staff and expressed confidence that new developments will be made available to the Russian Ministry of Defence in the near future.

The Russian Defence Minister also laid wreaths on the monument to Yuly Khariton, who is the founder of the All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Experimental Physics in Sarov.

The All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Experimental Physics located in Sarova is the leading research organisation ensuring Russia's national security and technological competitiveness. The institute was established in 1946 to implement the Soviet nuclear project. Here the first domestic nuclear and thermo-nuclear bombs were developed.

Department for Media Affairs and Information

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Wang Yi: A mature and stable China-Russia relationship represents a pioneering effort in forging a new model of major-country relations

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China

Updated: March 07, 2025 10:22

At the press conference on March 7, 2025, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke of China-Russia relations

Wang Yi said, no matter how the international landscape evolves, the historical logic of China-Russia friendship will not change and its internal driving force will not diminish. Based on deep reflections on historical experience, China and Russia have decided to forge everlasting good-neighborliness and friendship, conduct comprehensive strategic coordination, and pursue mutual benefit, cooperation and win-win, because this best serves the fundamental interests of the two peoples and conforms to the trend of our times. The two countries have found a path of "non-alliance, non-confrontation and not targeting any third party" in developing their relations. It is a pioneering effort in forging a new model of major-country relations, and has set a fine example for relations between neighboring countries. A mature, resilient and stable China-Russia relationship will not be swayed by any turn of events, let alone be subject to interference by any third party. It is a constant in a turbulent world rather than a variable in geopolitical games.

Wang Yi said, last year marked the 75th anniversary of China-Russia diplomatic relations. President Xi Jinping and President Vladimir Putin had three face-to-face meetings, jointly steering the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for the new era into a new historical stage.

This year will be the 80th anniversary of the victory in World War II. Back then, China and Russia fought valiantly in the main theaters of Asia and Europe respectively. The two nations made immense sacrifice for and major, historic contributions to the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War. The two sides will take the opportunity of joint commemoration of this important historical milestone to advocate the correct historical view of World War II, defend its victorious outcomes, uphold the U.N.-centered international system, and promote a more just and equitable international order.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Russia Says It's Open To Broad Nuclear Talks With Trump

By RFE/RL March 07, 2025

Amid the frantic pace of ongoing diplomatic outreach between Russia and the United States over ending the war in Ukraine, the two powers also have arms control high on their agendas.

The Kremlin told reporters on March 7 that it was open to dialogue and broad discussions with the United States about their nuclear arsenals after US President Donald Trump issued a broad call for other nuclear powers to draw down their stockpiles.

"Dialogue between Russia and the US on arms control is necessary, especially concerning strategic stability," Peskov said.

That came in response to comments the previous day by Trump, who pledged to make denuclearization a goal in his second term as his administration looks to realign the US-Russia relationship and craft a peace settlement that ends the three-year war in Ukraine.

The comments also come as Washington prepares to hold a meeting with Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia next week about reaching a peace deal after holding similar talks with Russia in February.

"It would be great if everybody got rid of their nuclear weapons," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on March 6. "I know Russia and us have by far the most. China will have an equal amount within four to five years. It would be great if we could all denuclearize because the power of nuclear weapons is crazy."

While Trump specifically addressed the nuclear stockpiles held by China, Russia, and the United States -- who hold the world's largest nuclear-armed number of nuclear weapons -- Peskov said that discussion should also include European nuclear powers Britain and France, especially given recent comments by French President Emmanuel Macron where he said in a televised address that Paris was willing to extend its nuclear umbrella to other European nations.

The Kremlin criticized Macron's offer, saying it contained "notes of nuclear blackmail" and that France was staking a claim to "nuclear leadership in Europe."

Trump's comments on nuclear arms control build on previous statements in February where he said he wants to restart nuclear arms control talks with Russia and China as part of a process that could see all three countries agree to cut their massive defense budgets in half.

Russia and the United States are the world's largest nuclear powers with more than 5,000 nuclear warheads each, while China is believed to have around 500. France's stockpile sits at 290 and Britain at 225.

Trump also tried to bring China into nuclear arms reduction talks when the United States and Russia were negotiating an extension of a pact known as New START. Russia suspended its participation in the treaty during the administration of former US President Joe Biden, as the United States and Russia continued their massive programs to extend the lifespans of or replace their cold war-era nuclear arsenals.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/putin-trump-china- nuclear-talks-arms-control-weapons/33339859.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






Federal Council decides to impose additional freeze on assets of Bashar al-Assad's entourage

Swiss Government

Bern, 07.03.2025 -- During its meeting on 7 March 2025, the Federal Council decided to impose an additional freeze on the assets of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his entourage. The Assad government fell last December after 24 years of rule. With this measure, the Federal Council wants to ensure that, regardless of developments in the area of sanctions, no funds of the former Assad government can flow out of Switzerland.

On 18 May 2011, based on the Embargo Act, Switzerland joined the European Union (EU) in imposing sanctions against Syria in response to the violent repression of the population by Syrian armed and security forces. The sanctions include asset freezing measures. In Switzerland, assets worth around CHF 99 million have been frozen, about two thirds of which are linked to members of the former Assad government and their entourage.

The Federal Council is now imposing an additional freezing measure on these assets, which may have been acquired unlawfully, to ensure that they remain frozen regardless of sanctions-related developments. This decision should also make it possible to freeze any illicitly acquired assets of five other individuals associated with the former Syrian government. These measures are based on a freezing ordinance issued in accordance with the Federal Act on the Freezing and the Restitution of Illicit Assets Held by Foreign Politically Exposed Persons (FIAA; SR 196.1).

With this ordinance, the Federal Council has taken all the measures needed to prevent the risk of Assad funds flowing out of Switzerland before they are subject to judicial scrutiny of their lawfulness. Should it emerge in future criminal and mutual assistance proceedings that the funds are in fact of illicit origin, Switzerland will seek to return them in a manner that will benefit the Syrian population.

The measures taken target individuals who held a public office under the autocratic regimes of Bashar al-Assad and his father Hafez al-Assad or who had close family, personal or business ties with them. They cover all assets held by the individuals listed in the annex to the freezing ordinance, which shall enter into force today with immediate effect and remain valid for four years until further notice.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Easing of sanctions against Syria on behalf of the civilian population

Swiss Government

Bern, 07.03.2025 -- On 7 March, the Federal Council lifted certain sanctions against Syria. In doing so, it is following the decision of the EU, which has suspended various sanctions in view of the change of government in Syria. The decision comes into effect at 6pm on 7 March.

The Federal Council has lifted measures against Syria's energy and transport sectors. Certain financial services and banking relationships will also be permitted. In applying these changes, the Federal Council is aligning itself with the decision of the EU of 24 February to ease certain sanctions. The lifting of these measures, following the removal from power of former President Bashar al-Assad, is intended to facilitate a peaceful and orderly political transition process. Other provisions of the Ordinance on measures against Syria, including further sanctions on financial services and goods, are not affected by this decision. Furthermore, the easing of measures will not result in the release of any frozen funds or economic resources.

The Federal Council first decided to impose sanctions against Syria on 18 May 2011, thereby aligning Switzerland with the measures imposed by the EU against Syria on 9 May 2011. The Swiss sanctions against Syria were subsequently amended several times by the Federal Council in line with EU decisions. The sanctions against Syria were imposed due to the violent repression of the civilian population by the Syrian armed forces and security apparatus and were directed against the al-Assad government, which was ousted from power on 8 December 2024. The Federal Council is closely monitoring developments in Syria and reserves the right to make further changes to the sanctions regime. This also includes the possibility of reintroducing measures that have now been lifted.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Iran voices concern over developments in Syria

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Mar 7, 2025

Tehran, IRNA -- Foreign Ministry spokesperson in reaction to reports of violence and insecurity in different parts of Syria says that the Islamic Republic of Iran is closely monitoring internal developments in Syria and is following with great concern the news and reports published about violence and insecurity across the Syria.

Baqayi underscored the principled stance of the Islamic Republic of Iran on the need to maintain security and stability in Syria and create the necessary conditions for all ethnic groups and strata of Syrian society to live peacefully together, as well as the necessity of preserving the territorial integrity and unity of Syria, especially against the acts pf aggression and threats by the occupying "Zionist regime".

The spokesperson said while reminding Syria's interim government of its responsibilities in ensuring the security of all Syrian citizens, the Islamic Repulic of Iran strongly opposes insecurity, violence, killing, and harming innocent Syrian people from any ethnic group and tribe.

Baqayi said that Tehran considers such violence to be a catalyst for the spread of instability in the region and more seditious acts by third parties, especially the Zionist regime.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Violence in Syria causes regional instability, invites further Israeli provocations: Iran

Iran Press TV

Friday, 07 March 2025 6:58 PM

The Iranian Foreign Ministry expresses grave concern regarding the ongoing spread of violence and instability across Syria, warning that the unwelcome situation serves to pave the way for regional instability and further Israeli provocations.

Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei made the remarks on Friday, saying the Islamic Republic strongly opposed insecurity, violence, bloodshed, and affliction of harm to innocent Syrian people by any group or faction.

"Iran considers such acts to be contributing to the spread of instability in the region and further incitement by third parties, particularly the Zionist regime," he asserted.

The spokesperson's remarks came amid reports of intensified confrontation in Syria between the Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) militants of the new interim ruling regime in Syria and armed opposition groups in the western part of the Arab country

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UK-based so-called monitor, more than 70 individuals had been killed amid a recent bout of the clashes.

The opposition groups' operations marked one of the most substantial coordinated retaliations against the new regime, which ran over the entire country late last year amid intense Israeli attacks against Syria's civilian and defense infrastructures.

The Israeli regime keeps up its aggression against Syria, alleging that it seeks to prevent spillover of violence in the country into the occupied Palestinian territories.

The regime even went as far as occupying a buffer zone monitored by the United Nations in Syria's Tel Aviv-occupied Golan Heights.

Baghaei emphasized that the Islamic Republic was closely monitoring Syria's internal developments and was alarmed by reports detailing the escalation of violence and instability.

Tehran, he said, reminded the interim administration in the country of its responsibilities towards ensuring the security of all Syrian citizens, and reiterated Iran's steadfast position on the necessity of preserving security and stability in Syria.

He underscored the importance of establishing conditions that promoted peaceful coexistence among all ethnic and social groups within the Syrian society.

Additionally, he highlighted the critical need to maintain Syria's territorial integrity and unity, especially in light of the Israeli regime's acts of aggression and threats.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Russia calls on Syria's new administration 'to stop the bloodshed'

Iran Press TV

Friday, 07 March 2025 6:10 PM

Russia has urged all leaders in Syria to work toward stopping the bloodshed as soon as possible, amid tensions in the country's Western region.

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday expressed its concern about the sharp deterioration in security in Syria, calling for immediate action "to stop the bloodshed."

This comes as clashes have erupted in Syria's western coastal region since Thursday when the ruling Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) militants were reportedly ambushed.

The so-called Syria Observatory for Human Rights on Friday said the clashes killed 78 people and injured dozens of others.

The Britain-based war monitor also reported that gunmen loyal to the new administration shot dead at least 69 men in the villages of Sheer, Mukhtariyeh and Haffah in the countryside of Latakia on Friday.

The latest deaths bring to 147 the total number of people killed since clashes between erupted between HTS militants and opposition forces on Thursday.

"They killed every man they encountered," said the Observatory's chief, Rami Abdurrahman, referring to gunmen who killed residents who belong to the country's minority Alawite sect of former President Bashar Assad.

The Beirut-based Al-Mayadeen TV cited local sources as saying more than 30 men were killed in the village of Mukhtariyeh after they were separated from women and children. According to the report, several others were also shot dead in Sheer and Haffah.

Earlier, the SOHR said HTS militants took control of Baniyas city in the province of Tartous. Jableh of Latakia province was also under their almost complete control.

However, the opposition forces still control several towns and villages on the mountains near Syria's coast.

The region is home to the Hmeimim air base - a strategic Syrian base that Russia operates.

Also on Friday, Alawite people staged protests in front of the Russian military base in Hmeimim, demanding Moscow to protect them and asked Russia to take action at the United Nations Security Council regarding their situation.

It was the worst violence since President Bashar al-Assad's government was toppled by militant groups led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS.

A resident from Qardaha, which sees ongoing clashes, told The Associated Press in a text message that the situation "is very bad." The resident, who asked not to be named fearing for his safety, said HTS forces were firing with heavy machine guns in the town's residential areas.

The attacks come while the HTS administration has sought to assure religious and ethnic minorities that their rights would be upheld.

The Hayat Tahrir al-Sham militant group along with other militants seized control of Damascus on December 8, 2024, forcing Assad to leave the country.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Scores killed as opposition forces fight HTS militants in Syria

Iran Press TV

Friday, 07 March 2025 6:55 AM

More than 70 people have reportedly been killed and dozens wounded in Syria due to heavy fighting between the ruling Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) militants and armed opposition groups in the west of the country.

The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said in a post on X on Friday that the casualties were recorded on the Syrian coast after HTS militants were ambushed.

In the coastal town of Jableh and adjacent villages in Latakia Governorate, 48 people were killed in fighting, the Britain-based war monitor said.

The SOHR said the coordinated attacks were the biggest against Syria's new rulers since President Bashar al-Assad was toppled in early December last year.

At least 16 HTS militants were killed during clashes on Thursday in the the Mediterranean province of Latakia, which is populated by Alawites and Shia Muslims.

The region is home to the Hmeimim air base - a strategic Syrian base that Russia operates.

The operation by opposition groups came after the monitor earlier reported strikes launched by helicopters on the village of Beit Ana and the surrounding forests and artillery strikes on a neighboring village.

Alawite leaders had called in a statement on Facebook for "peaceful protests" in response to the helicopter strikes, which they said had targeted "the homes of civilians."

HTS authorities imposed overnight curfews on Latakia, the port city of Tartus and the western city of Homs.

Tensions erupted after residents of Beit Ana, the birthplace of Suhail al-Hassan, a former high-ranking Syrian army commander under Assad, prevented HTS militants from arresting an individual in the village.

Hassan reportedly commanded an elite special mission division known as the Tiger Forces.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Foreign Ministry: Saudi Arabia Condemns Crimes Committed by Outlaw Groups in Syria and the Targeting of Security Forces

Saudi Press Agency

Riyadh, March 07, 2025, SPA -- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's condemnation of the crimes committed by outlaw groups in the Syrian Arab Republic and the targeting of security forces. The Kingdom affirms its support for the Syrian government in its efforts to maintain security and stability and preserve civil peace.

--SPA

14:13 Local Time 11:13 GMT

0030

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






We must seize this opportunity to destroy Assad's chemical weapons programme: UK statement at the UN Security Council

Statement by Fergus Eckersley, UK Minister Counsellor, at the UN Security Council meeting on Syria

7 March 2025

The last time this Council met to discuss chemical weapons in Syria, Bashar al-Assad was still in power.

Two days later, he fled and his brutal regime was overthrown.

The fall of Assad marks a new chapter for Syria and presents a golden opportunity to destroy his remaining chemical weapons programme, verified by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

However, the situation in Syria is fragile and we must make sure we seize this window of opportunity to remove the threat posed by these weapons once and for all.

The UK is concerned about recent clashes in Syria, which must not be allowed to escalate into wider violence. We urge all parties to refrain from further violence and exercise restraint at this critical time.

The OPCW Director-General's visit to Damascus on 8 February was an important step forward.

And we are greatly encouraged by the commitments already made by the Syrian interim authorities to fully cooperate with the OPCW and to secure chemical weapons sites.

The attendance of Syria's interim Foreign Minister, at the OPCW's Executive Council this week was a very significant moment.

We welcome his renewed commitments on chemical weapons, including to "put an end to this painful legacy and ensure Syria becomes a nation aligned with international norms."

The next step is to support Syria to meet its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention, including to declare and destroy remaining chemical weapons stockpiles working with the OPCW.

The OPCW Director-General set out the scale of the challenge ahead to the OPCW's Executive Council this week.

And this Council has an important role to play in supporting the OPCW's work.

First, we underscore the importance of implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention alongside the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 2118.

Second, the international community must provide the financial and technical assistance to the OPCW that it needs.

The UK has committed more than $1m to the OPCW Syria Missions since the fall of Assad to support their immediate work.

Finally, as Syria's interim authorities seek to bring stability to the country and address security threats, it is vital that Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity are respected.

This is why we urge Israel to de-escalate their actions in Syria.

Such military action risks destabilising an already fragile security situation.

We call on all parties to provide the safe conditions for the OPCW to conduct its work.

Madam President, with political will from the new authorities in Syria and this Council, there is an opportunity to deal with this issue once and for all, and to finally achieve the total elimination of chemical weapons in Syria.

We must take that opportunity.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






UNHCR urges more support in Syria as 1 million displaced in north-west yearn for home

UNHCR - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Celine Schmitt in Damascus - to whom quoted text may be attributed - at today's press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

7 March 2025

GENEVA -- Up to 1 million internally displaced people (IDPs) living in camps and displacement sites across north-west Syria intend to return to their areas of origin within the next year, 600,000 of them in the next six months, according to a new survey.

The survey showed that 51 per cent of households intend to return to their areas of origin, with 93 per cent planning to go home within three to twelve months. It was carried out between 26 January and 23 February. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and partners surveyed 4,800 households - more than 29,000 individuals - in 514 IDP sites across north-west Syria.

As of January, more than 3.4 million IDPs were in north-west Syria, including 1.95 million in 1,500 camps and other displacement sites across the governorates of Idleb and Aleppo. Intentions to return are particularly strong among IDPs in Idleb, where two in three households expressed the desire to head home. Former frontline areas in the Idleb and Aleppo governorates are the primary intended destinations for return, especially the Al Ma'ra and Jebel Samaan districts.

With these returns, the population in Ma'arat An Nu'man and Kafr Nobol (Idleb) areas could rise to 130,000 individuals from 3,000. Overall, 23 districts could see their populations at least double, placing additional strain on overstretched services and infrastructure.

While the emotional desire to return was widespread among those surveyed, IDPs said that obstacles include the lack of humanitarian aid, employment and livelihood opportunities and access to basic services.

This week, at IDP sites in Idleb, UNHCR witnessed the determination of internally displaced Syrians to go home and rebuild, as they now feel safe. For that to be dignified and sustainable, they need jobs, housing, schools, hospitals and basic services like electricity and clean water. They also need support to remove landmines; they cite fear of explosive remnants as their biggest security concern.

Access to housing is among the biggest needs. The survey - conducted by UNHCR, a humanitarian initiative REACH and other camp management partners - reveals that nearly all IDPs planning to return intend to move back to their former homes. However, 80 per cent said these are severely damaged or destroyed, rising to 95 per cent among the 350,000 IDPs planning to return to the former frontline districts of Al Ma'ra (Idleb) and Suqaylabiyah (Hama).

UNHCR and its partners are providing transport, legal assistance and support in repairing damaged homes as well as mattresses, blankets and winter clothing for the tough months ahead.

Nearly 14 years after the crisis began, Syria is at a crossroads, urgently needing support for rebuilding as years of conflict have devastated the economy and infrastructure, leaving 90 per cent of the population reliant on aid.

There is now hope and a historic opportunity. UNHCR calls on the international community to make a firm commitment to support Syrians with essential aid for returnees and by investing in early recovery.

With an injection of support, the international community could help end the world's largest displacement crisis. This is an opportunity not to be missed. International partners must step up to meet these needs and support immediate and long-term recovery.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Amid funding crunch, UNHCR issues urgent call to protect women and girls from surging violence

UNHCR - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

7 March 2025

GENEVA -- On this year's International Women's Day, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, warns that critical funding shortages are leaving displaced women and girls at unprecedented risk.

Reports of conflict-related sexual violence have surged by 50 per cent in recent years. Yet funding shortfalls are forcing humanitarian organizations to cut essential services in crisis-affected regions.

Safe houses - once a refuge for survivors at risk of immediate attacks by traffickers, armed groups and other perpetrators - have been shuttered. Legal aid programmes, which once offered a path to justice, have been dismantled, allowing perpetrators of violence to act with impunity.

"Women and girls fleeing war deserve to find safety. Yet across the world, they are now at even greater risk of rape and other forms of horrific violence. Without immediate funding, more safe houses will close, more survivors will be turned away, and more women and girls will face violence with no medical and psychosocial support. It's heartbreaking and unacceptable," said Ruven Menikdiwela, UNHCR's Assistant High Commissioner for Protection.

The lack of global humanitarian funding is having devastating consequences. In South Sudan, only 25 per cent of the dedicated spaces created by UNHCR for women and girls at risk of violence are currently operational, leaving up to 80,000 people without access to services such as emergency psychosocial support and legal and medical assistance.

Programmes to protect refugees - particularly adolescent girls - from child marriage and other forms of violence have also been suspended, putting over 2,000 of them at aggravated risk.

In Ethiopia, more than 200,000 refugees and internally displaced persons no longer have access to life-saving services, including a safe house that used to host women in immediate danger of being killed.

In Jordan, at least 63 programmes providing specialist support to women and girls are closing down or on hold, leaving 200,000 vulnerable people in both refugee and host communities without help.

For years, programmes to prevent and respond to sexual and other forms of violence against refugee and stateless women and girls have saved lives, providing safety, legal assistance, medical care and psychosocial support - critical services for survivors escaping violence.

Yet despite its life-saving importance, support in this area has suffered from years of underinvestment and was only 38 per cent funded in 2024. The current crisis in humanitarian funding risks pushing this vital work beyond the point of no return.

On this International Women's Day, we remind the world that displaced women and girls are not only survivors; they are leaders and changemakers. We must sustain and increase investment in their safety, education and economic empowerment to break these vicious cycles of violence and drive lasting change.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Amid Evolving Political Reality, Security Council Speakers Urge Breakthrough on Syria's Chemical Weapons Compliance

Meetings Coverage

Security Council

9874th Meeting (AM)

SC/16014

7 March 2025

The new political reality in Syria presents an opportunity to obtain long-overdue clarifications on the Syrian chemical weapons programme, rid the country of all such weapons and ensure long-term compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention, a senior United Nations official told the Security Council today.

"The importance of closing all outstanding issues related to Syria's chemical weapons dossier cannot be overstated," said Izumi Nakamitsu, High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, during her briefing to the 15-member Council.

Although the previous Syrian authorities submitted 20 amendments to Syria's initial declaration, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Declaration Assessment Team was never able to confirm that the information was accurate. Over the last 11 years, the Team has raised and reported a total of 26 outstanding issues with Syria's declaration.

"The OPCW Technical Secretariat has reported that the substance of the 19 outstanding issues remains a 'serious concern' as it involves large quantities of potentially undeclared or unverified chemical warfare agents and chemical munitions," she added.

The OPCW Fact-Finding Mission and the OPCW Investigation and Identification Team have documented the use of chemical weapons in Syria, and in several incidents, identified the Syrian Arab Armed Forces as the perpetrators. The OPCW Technical Secretariat has reported that Syria continued to use, and possibly produce, chemical weapons after joining the Chemical Weapons Convention in 2013. "The situation left by the previous Syrian authorities is extremely worrying," she went on to stress.

But, there are some encouraging signs. The OPCW Director-General recently received assurances that the new authorities are committed to destroying any remains of the chemical weapons programme, bringing justice to the victims and ensuring Syria's compliance with international law. A new focal point for chemical weapons matters within the Syria's Foreign Ministry travelled to The Hague for in-person meetings with the OPCW Technical Secretariat on how to advance the OPCW's "Nine-Point Action Plan for Syria".

In the coming days, a team of experts from the OPCW Technical Secretariat will be deployed to Damascus to establish OPCW's permanent presence in Syria and start jointly planning deployments to chemical weapons sites. While the commitment of the caretaker authorities in Syria to fully cooperate with the OPCW Technical Secretariat is commendable, the work ahead will not be easy and will require additional resources from the international community. "I urge the members of this Council to unite and show leadership in providing the support that this unprecedented effort will require," she said.

In the ensuing discussion among Council members, many speakers took note of the developments reported to date, underscoring them as important steps towards implementing relevant Council resolutions and securing Syria's fulfilment of its international commitments. Several speakers also stressed the importance of ensuring that chemical weapons do not fall into the hands of non-State actors.

Need to Prevent Transfer of Mass Destruction Weapons to Terrorists

"Terrorists cannot be allowed to have access to weapons of mass destruction, including chemical weapons," Pakistan's delegate said. The new Syrian authorities must address long-standing questions and ensure unimpeded access to enable the OPCW to independently and fully verify the elimination of chemical weapons in Syria, he emphasised. China's delegate also said that effectively resolving the Syrian chemical issue will help prevent chemical weapons from falling into the hands of terrorists. Resolving the issue of Syrian chemical weapons should be a top priority for the international community, he added, warning that the risk of terrorist organizations within Syria expanding their position in the country "remains high".

Greece's delegate stressed the importance of "securing chemical weapons-related locations and materials therein, during the [political] transition" in Syria. According to the latest OPCW monthly reports, he noted, no monthly report was received recently from Syria and its authorities have not completed declaring all the chemical weapons it currently possesses, including sarin, sarin precursors and chlorine. The interim Government must work constructively with OPCW to close the 19 outstanding issues, and thus to confirm that it has abandoned the use of chemical weapons and concluded the total destruction of stockpiles.

Several speakers highlighted the plight of the Syrian people, with Slovenia's delegate emphasizing that Syrian civilians still await justice after 14 years of bloody conflict. "The use of chemical weapons has always resulted in a human tragedy," she recalled. The representative of Denmark, Council President for March, speaking in her national capacity, stressed the importance of justice for Syrians who were victim to the Assad regime's horrific chemical attacks. "The toppled regime of Bashar al-Assad had used these inhumane weapons against its own people in at least nine cases documented by independent investigations," echoed France's delegate. And for more than 11 years, the Assad regime obstructed the work of OPCW, he recalled.

'Historic Opportunity' for Renewed Momentum

"This is an opportunity that must not be squandered," the representative of Panamastressed, echoing many speakers who also spotlighted this moment as a unique chance for Syria to start fresh. Efforts are being made to rebuild institutions and restore the rule of law. In the same vein, he also echoed several speakers as he expressed concern over increasing clashes and tensions across the country. "We urge all parties to halt this escalation and to prioritize dialog and stability," he urged.

"We have a historic opportunity to close this dark chapter in history and to start a new one  creating a Syria that is safer for its people and more secure for the region and the world," said the representative of the United States, underscoring that all elements of the Assad regime's chemical weapons programme must now be secured, declared and safely destroyed under international verification. This imperative is two-fold: to bring Syria into compliance with its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention, and critically, to ensure that any remaining elements do not end up in the wrong hands, she said. However, "the window of opportunity is short", she cautioned, highlighting "a tremendously important mission" before OPCW.

The fall of the Assad regime presents "a golden opportunity" to destroy Syria's remaining chemical weapons programme, said the speaker for the United Kingdom, as he welcomed the commitments already made by the Syrian interim authorities to fully cooperate with OPCW. For things to progress, however, the international community must provide the financial and technical assistance that is required. He also urged Israel to de-escalate their actions in Syria, adding that such military moves risk destabilizing an already fragile situation. The representative of Republic of Korea also called on regional actors to refrain from actions that could impede Syria's full implementation of its Chemical Weapons Convention obligations. Israel's air strikes could not only create a risk of contamination, but also lead to the destruction of valuable evidence for investigations related to past use of chemical weapons. "Broader accountability measures must be pursued as part of Syria's political transition," he stressed.

Moscow Questions Expert Deployment to Chemical Weapons Sites

The Russian Federation's delegate stated that his country was instrumental in Syria's accession to the Chemical Weapons Convention in 2013, which placed its chemical arsenal under international control. "On the whole, we support any progress that would help resolve the remaining outstanding issues in Syria's initial declaration," he said. However, he expressed doubts about the OPCW's ability to carry out its technical mandate impartially, citing long-standing concerns over the politicization of its work. Cautioning against the deployment of full-fledged OPCW teams in Syria, he argued that any conclusions such missions might reach "won't enjoy the trust of the international community". Given the uncertain conditions in the country, verifying the presence of chemical weapons is "not the top priority for the current authorities," he said, emphasizing: "We need to understand this and not push ahead with this topic."

Other speakers commended recent diplomatic progress, with Algeria's delegate, speaking also for Guyana, Sierra Leone and Somalia, acknowledging the recent engagement between Syria and OPCW and the designation by the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs of a new focal point for chemical weapons matters. He commended Qatar's "instrumental role" as a revitalizing channel for engagement. While recognizing the challenges faced by the Declaration Assessment Team in addressing all outstanding issues, he welcomed the readiness of the new Syrian leadership to inaugurate a new chapter of open and transparent relations with the Organization.

Turkiye's delegate said that the high-level discussions during this visit of the OPCW Director-General "represent a crucial turning point in establishing direct cooperation between Syria and the OPCW, putting an end to years of stagnation". Echoing several other speakers, he commended Qatar for temporarily assuming the role of representing Syria's interests at OPCW, and also called on the Council to take decisive action against Israel's expansionist and destabilizing acts.

New Foreign Policy, New Phase of Cooperation

For his part,Syria's representative said his country is "keen to adopt a new foreign policy" grounded in international law, and to honour its obligations under international legal instruments it has acceded to. Accordingly, he reiterated his country's commitment to cooperate with OPCW and "close this file once and for all". However, he stressed that Israel's aggression against several military and civilian facilities in Syria on 9 December 2024 complicates the relevant logistical, technical and practical challenges.

Highlighting "a new phase of cooperation" with OPCW, he requested that Syria's privileges and rights as a State party  which have been suspended  be restored and collective punitive measures be lifted. "This undermined its efforts to achieve economic development and meet the needs of its people," he observed, adding that Syria is keen today to eliminate the threat posed by prohibited chemical weapons, promote international peace and stability and "ensure that these atrocities will not occur in the future".

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Gun barrel explodes on Taiwan frigate, nobody injured: Navy

ROC Central News Agency

03/07/2025 06:23 PM

Taipei, March. 7 (CNA) A 76-millimeter (mm) gun on one of the Taiwan Navy's Cheng Kung-class frigates exploded during a shooting drill Friday, but none of the crew were injured, according to the Naval Fleet Command.

"The Chang Chien frigate experienced an explosion of its 76mm fast gun barrel during an anti-aircraft shooting exercise this morning, with no personnel injured," the command said in a statement.

A team has been tasked to investigate the cause of the explosion, the command said.

The "76mm fast gun" that exploded is the 76mm OTO Melara dual-purpose turreted deck gun, designed by the Italian defense company OTO Melara. It is used by the militaries of over 50 countries, according to the military websites Military Factory and U.S. Naval Institute.

The Chang Chien is one of 10 Cheng Kung-class guided-missile frigates in the Rebublic of China (Taiwan's official name) Navy, which are primarily used for patrol, combat, and training missions.

They were all built in Taiwan based on the improved design of the United States Navy's Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates, equipped not only with the 76mm fast gun but also with air-defense and anti-warship missiles.

(By Wu Su-wei and Sunny Lai)

Enditem/ls

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Bill to support Taiwan's IMF admission passed by U.S. House committee

ROC Central News Agency

03/07/2025 10:53 AM

Washington, March 6 (CNA) The United States House Financial Services Committee on Wednesday approved a bipartisan bill to support Taiwan's admission into the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The bill, introduced by Republican House Representative Young Kim and her Democratic counterpart Al Green in February, calls for the U.S. government to support Taiwan's admission into the IMF as a member and participation in the financial institution's regular surveillance activities relating to its conomic and financial policies.

In addition, the bill urges the U.S. government to support IMF employment opportunities for Taiwan nationals and for Taiwan to receive IMF technical assistance and training.

Before the bill passed, Kim stated that the U.S. had long supported Taiwan's inclusion in international organizations and advocated for a mechanism to ensure its voice is heard when full membership is not possible.

"This principle has endured for decades across the Republican and Democratic administrations and has repeatedly been reaffirmed in bills passed by this congress," Kim said.

"My bill is straightforward. It requires the Treasury Department to implement our Taiwan policy at the International Financial Fund or the IMF. As the legislation makes it clear, Taiwan is not required to be a member of the United Nations to gain membership in the IMF," Kim added.

Kim cited Kosovo as an example, saying the country is not a member of the U.N. but has been an IMF member for over a decade.

She said it would be "absurd" for the organization to exclude Taiwan, one of the U.S.' top 10 trade partners and the fifth-largest foreign exchange reserve holder in the world.

"At a time when China has been threatening the work of the IMF through its non-transparent lending abroad and its lack of cooperation with other creditors, we must focus the fund on effective international cooperation," Kim said.

"That means openness toward potential members like Taiwan that can make significant contributions to the IMF's mission," Kim added.

Kim said the push for Taiwan to join the IMF could pave the way for it to join other international financial institutions, like the World Bank, which requires countries to be first members of the IMF.

Kim added that the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee has expressed bipartisan support for Taiwan's membership in the Inter-American Development Bank, which would be possible if Taiwan was an IMF member.

The bill notes that although Taiwan is not an IMF member, it has membership in the World Trade Organization, the Asian Development Bank and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation trade bloc.

The bill cited the Taiwan Relations Act as saying "Nothing in this Act may be construed as a basis for supporting the exclusion or expulsion of Taiwan from continued membership in any international financial institution or any other international organization."

The Republic of China (Taiwan) retained its IMF membership nine years after it lost its seat in the U.N. to the People's Republic of China (PRC).

Even after the PRC replaced the ROC as an IMF member in 1980, the 16 ROC nationals employed by the IMF were allowed to continue working there.

The IMF, which has 191 members, promotes global financial stability and economic growth by providing financial assistance, policy advice and economic surveillance to members.

(By Chung Yu-chen, Teng Pei-ju and Frances Huang)

Enditem/kb

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Taiwan decries China official's 'misinterpretation' of U.N. resolution

ROC Central News Agency

03/07/2025 07:50 PM

Taipei, March 7 (CNA) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Friday criticized Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi () for using United Nations Resolution 2758 to assert Beijing's territorial claims over Taiwan.

In a press release, MOFA said the resolution did not mention Taiwan or authorize the People's Republic of China (PRC) to represent Taiwan and its people in the U.N. and affiliated agencies.

Wang's claims that the resolution had "addressed the issue of representation for all of China, including Taiwan, in the United Nations" are "absurd" and "false," MOFA said.

The Chinese official's comments at a news conference in Beijing on Friday were in line with Beijing's position that the U.N. resolution adheres to its "one China" principle, under which there is only one China in the world and that Taiwan is "an inalienable part of China."

MOFA also denounced the Chinese foreign minister for "attempting to deceive and mislead the international community" following the "Two Sessions" meetings, the most important political occasion for the Chinese Politburo.

Taiwan's Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung () urged the global community to "reject China's repeated misinterpretation of the resolution."

MOFA added that the Republic of China (Taiwan) is an independent sovereign state and that Taiwan has never been part of the PRC.

Only the popularly elected government in Taiwan is entitled to represent Taiwan's 23.5 million people in the international arena, the ministry said.

Meanwhile, the Mainland Affairs Council, Taiwan's top government agency handling cross-strait relations, said in a separate release that Beijing's efforts to undermine the ROC's sovereignty and hamper Taiwan's international participation would only increase tensions.

Resolution 2758 was adopted by the 26th U.N. General Assembly in 1971 to address the issue of China's representation in the U.N. and resulted in the ROC being replaced by the PRC.

The resolution, however, did not mention Taiwan or even the ROC by name.

(By Teng Pei-ju)

Enditem/ASG

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






The only reference to Taiwan region in the UN is 'Taiwan, Province of China': Chinese FM

Global Times

By Global Times Published: Mar 07, 2025 02:25 PM

In response to media inquiry over some countries claiming that UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 does not equate to the One China principle, does not clarify the island of Taiwan's sovereignty, and does not prevent the island from participating in international organizations, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at a conference on China's foreign policy and external relations on Friday in Beijing that the only reference to the Taiwan region in the UN is "Taiwan, Province of China." Taiwan is never a country, not in the past, and never in the future. To clamor for "Taiwan independence" is to split the country, to support "Taiwan independence" is to interfere in China's internal affairs, and to connive at "Taiwan independence" is to undermine the stability of the Taiwan Straits.

Such a narrative is a blatant challenge to the authority of the UN and the post-war international order. It is extremely absurd and dangerous. Those who spread it could use some help to improve their common sense, Wang said.

Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. This is the history and the reality. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the recovery of Taiwan. Eight decades ago, the victory of the Chinese People s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression put Taiwan back under China's sovereign jurisdiction. Both the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation, issued by major victorious nations of World War II, stated in explicit terms that Taiwan is a territory that Japan had stolen from the Chinese, and shall be restored to China. Japan also accepted the terms of the Potsdam Proclamation and announced its unconditional surrender. All these have confirmed China's sovereignty over Taiwan, and formed an important part of the post-war international order.

Resolution 2758 was later adopted in 1971 by the UN General Assembly with an overwhelming majority. It decides to restore all the lawful rights of the People's Republic of China at the UN and expel forthwith the representatives of the Taiwan authorities from the UN and all the organizations related to it. Once and for all, this resolution resolved the issue of the representation of the whole of China, including Taiwan, in the UN, and precluded any possibility of creating "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan."

The principle of sovereignty is the cornerstone of the UN Charter, and no country or individual should apply double standards, Wang noted. Respect for all countries' sovereignty and territorial integrity should mean support for China's complete reunification. Commitment to one-China should mean opposition to any form of "Taiwan independence."

Realizing China's complete reunification is a shared aspiration of the Chinese nation. It is an inevitable trend, and it is what the greater national interests entail. Seeking "Taiwan independence" is doomed to backfire, and using Taiwan to contain China will be nothing but a futile attempt. China will realize reunification, and this is unstoppable, said Wang.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






To provoke trouble in the name of Taiwan is to invite trouble for Japan, says Chinese top diplomat

Global Times

By Global Times Published: Mar 07, 2025 01:37 PM

"To provoke trouble in the name of Taiwan is to invite trouble for Japan," Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said, warning some people in Japan who refuse to reflect on history and secretly collude with Taiwan secessionists, as part of his remarks commenting on China-Japan relations.

Wang made the remarks at a press conference on the sidelines of the third session of the 14th National People's Congress, in response to a Kyodo News question on China-Japan relations.

Wang said it has been 80 years since Taiwan's return to China, and the one-China principle forms the political foundation of China-Japan relations. However, some in Japan refuse to reflect on this history and secretly collude with Taiwan secessionists.

We solemnly warn these people: instead of claiming "any contingency for Taiwan is a contingency for Japan," they should better remember that to provoke trouble in the name of Taiwan is to invite trouble for Japan, Wang said.

Wang mentioned that in November 2024, the leaders of China and Japan reached an important consensus, agreeing to comprehensively advance the strategic and mutually beneficial relations between China and Japan, building constructive and stable China-Japan relations that meet the requirements of the new era, in line with the spirit of the four political documents between the two countries.

Through the joint efforts of both sides, bilateral relations have shown positive momentum toward improvement and development, said Wang, adding that China welcome the strengthening of exchanges between various sectors of the two countries, the deepening of mutually beneficial cooperation, and the improvement of public sentiment - all of which align with the long-term interests of both parties.

The Chinese top diplomat emphasized that 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. "Remembering history, one can better shape the future. Forgetting history, one may lose his direction going forward," Wang said.

"Guarding against the revival of militarism is a duty Japan must carry out without a moment's relaxation. This is also the firm resolve of the Chinese and Asian people that will not be challenged," Wang said, adding that when faced with the test of conscience and integrity, Japan should uphold the spirit of its pacifist constitution and steadfastly pursue the path of peaceful development.

The history of exchanges between China and Japan stretches back centuries, and Japan should know better than anyone that China is a force for peace, a neighbor that values trust and harmony. For over a thousand years, China has consistently brought opportunities to Japan, never threats, according to Wang.

"What is the right way of being neighbors and which is the right side of history? Faced with historical transformations, the bright minds in Japan need to think carefully about these questions and follow good advice," he said.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Wang Yi: To provoke trouble in the name of Taiwan is to invite trouble for Japan

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China

Updated: March 07, 2025 12:18

At the press conference on March 7, 2025, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that the one-China principle is the political foundation for China-Japan relations. Eighty years have passed since Taiwan returned to China. Yet some unrepentant individuals in Japan are still working in the shadows with the so-called "Taiwan independence" forces. Here is our message for them: Stop the propaganda that "a Taiwan emergency is a Japanese emergency." The truth is, to provoke trouble in the name of Taiwan is to invite trouble for Japan.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Wang Yi: Taiwan's return to China forms an important part of the post-war international order

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China

Updated: March 07, 2025 11:43

At the press conference on March 7, 2025, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi responded to the narrative questioning Resolution 2758 of the U.N. General Assembly.

Wang Yi noted, such a narrative is a blatant challenge to the authority of the U.N. and the post-war international order. It is extremely absurd and dangerous. Those who spread it could use some help to improve their common sense.

Wang Yi said, Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. This is the history and the reality. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the recovery of Taiwan. Eight decades ago, the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression put Taiwan back under China's sovereign jurisdiction. Both the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation, issued by major victorious nations of World War II, stated in explicit terms that Taiwan is a territory that Japan had stolen from the Chinese, and shall be restored to China. Japan also accepted the terms of the Potsdam Proclamation and announced its unconditional surrender. All these have confirmed China's sovereignty over Taiwan, and formed an important part of the post-war international order.

Wang Yi noted, Resolution 2758 was later adopted in 1971 by the U.N. General Assembly with an overwhelming majority. It decides to restore all the lawful rights of the People's Republic of China at the U.N. and expel forthwith the representatives of the Taiwan authorities from the U.N. and all the organizations related to it. Once and for all, this resolution resolved the issue of the representation of the whole of China, including Taiwan, in the U.N., and precluded any possibility of creating "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan." The only reference to the Taiwan region in the U.N. is "Taiwan, Province of China." Taiwan is never a country, not in the past, and never in the future. To clamor for "Taiwan independence" is to split the country, to support "Taiwan independence" is to interfere in China's internal affairs, and to connive at "Taiwan independence" is to undermine the stability of the Taiwan Strait.

Wang Yi said, the principle of sovereignty is the cornerstone of the U.N. Charter. No country or individual should adopt any kind of double standard. Respect for all countries' sovereignty and territorial integrity should mean support for China's complete reunification, and commitment to one-China should mean opposition to any form of "Taiwan independence." Realizing China's complete reunification is a shared aspiration of the Chinese nation. It is an inevitable trend, and it is what the greater national interests entail. Seeking "Taiwan independence" is doomed to backfire, and using Taiwan to contain China will be nothing but a futile attempt. China will realize reunification, and this is unstoppable.

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

2025/03/07

PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan

1. Date

6 a.m. Mar. 6 (Thu.) to 6 a.m. Mar. 7 (Fri.) (UTC+8)

2.PLA activities

5 sorties of PLA aircraft and 6 PLAN ships operating around Taiwan were detected as of 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 4 out of 5 sorties crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan's southwestern ADIZ. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and employed CAP aircraft, Navy ships, and coastal missile systems in response to detected activities.

3.11 PRC balloons were detected during this timeframe.

1140307_PLA activities_1.jpg

1140307_PLA activities_2.jpg

1140307PLA activities_3.jpg

1140307_PLA air activities in the vicinity of Taiwan.jpg

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Turkish frigate TCG KEMALREIS pays a port visit to Catania Within SNMG2

Republic of Turkiye Ministry of National Defence

Date: 07.03.2025

Within SNMG2, Turkish frigate TCG KEMALREIS pays a port visit to Catania/Italy on February 26-March 3, 2025.

As part of the visit, pre-sail briefing of DYNAMIC MANTA-25/March 3-14, was conducted aboard TCG KEMALREIS on February 28, 2025.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






PM call with President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission: 7 March 2025

The Prime Minister spoke to the President of the European Council, the President of the European Commission and the leaders of Canada, Turkey, Norway and Iceland this morning.

7 March 2025

The Prime Minister spoke to the President of the European Council, the President of the European Commission and the leaders of Canada, Turkey, Norway and Iceland this morning.

The Prime Minister applauded the progress the European Union had made at the European Council yesterday, saying it was a historic step forward and another sign of Europe stepping up.

Closer collaboration between the European Union, its partners and our combined defence industrial base was vital as Europe stepped up to counter egregious Russian aggression, the Prime Minister added.

Updating on the intensive diplomacy between the US, UK, France and Ukraine, the Prime Minister welcomed the potential for peace talks in Saudi Arabia next week.

The leaders also discussed the Coalition of the Willing and looked ahead to the Chiefs of Defence meeting in Paris on Tuesday. It would be another important moment to drive forward planning, they agreed.

The leaders agreed to stay in close touch.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Tsahkna meeting with the friendship group of Israeli Parliament: Ukraine needs political, economic and military support from us all to resist the aggressor

Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

07.03.2025

Today, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna met with the visiting friendship group of the Israeli Parliament to discuss the global security situation and bilateral relations.

At the meeting Tsahkna welcomed the agreement on a truce between Israel and Hamas and the release of hostages, mediated by Qatar, the United States, and Egypt. "People in the Middle East have been subjected to horrible suffering for a long time," Tsahkna said. "I truly hope that the truce holds and paves the way for the release of all hostages. I am extending my heartfelt condolences to the loved ones of hostages who have been killed."

Speaking about the security situation in Israel, Tsahkna said that a lasting peace can only be ensured by the two-state solution, and Israel's security concerns must be taken into account. "The security of Estonia and Israel are not separate from each other; we both have a very clear understanding of existential issues."

Discussing Russia's continued aggression in Ukraine, Tsahkna said it had a global impact. "Ukraine needs us all to provide political, economic and military support to help it resist the aggressor," Tsahkna said. "It is in the interest of the security of us all because Russia will not stop in Ukraine.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






The first series of witness testimony in the ethics hearings probing Sen. Jason Ellsworths alleged conflict of interest violation on Friday saw legislative staff set up the early timetable.

Ellsworth, a Hamilton Republican and former president of the Senate, failed to disclose a longtime personal relationship with a vendor whom he signed on to a six-figure, state-funded contract. A legislative audit report determined in February that the contract ran afoul of state law when he split that contract into two documents in a manner that would have evaded oversight.

The Senate Ethics Committee has been gearing up for the adjudicatory process for roughly a month, defining its rules and processes that had not been put to use in modern times. The committee, evenly split with two Republicans and two Democrats, sat as a panel over the hearing while Adam Duerk, the special counsel hired to manage the investigation, questioned witnesses.

Ellsworths attorney, Joan Mell, likewise questioned witnesses on cross examination and lobbed objections during Duerks questions, giving the hearing a distinctly legal effect despite the fact that this is merely a legislative fact-finding process. The ethics committee will ultimately make a report to the full Senate to determine whether to discipline Ellsworth and, if so, to what degree.

The testimony on Friday began with the legislative staff who first received Ellsworths two contracts, and two invoices, for a total of $170,100 to track legislative proposals developed by Republican lawmakers over the past year. Both of the legislative staffers who spoke during the hearing said the process Ellsworth initiated was irregular.

Legislative Financial Director Angie Carter, whose department handles procurement and contracting for the legislative branch, was the first witness called in the hearing Friday. Carter was communicating by text and phone calls with Ellsworth in the days when he was attempting to execute the contract.

She explained that most contracts that exceed $100,000 become the Department of Administrations responsibility and typically have to go out to bid. She added contracts that use legislative funds are usually prepared by her office. Ellsworth sent pre-written proposals that did not go out to bid.

The first versions of the proposals Ellsworth sent to legislative staff stipulated that payment be made in full upfront. Carter said that is not typical practice.

Carter did not process any invoices for payment because she had concerns about the business deal being split in two and the upfront payment, she explained Friday. When Carter told Ellsworth about her concerns over the immediate payment, she said he was on board for a payment schedule.

Ultimately, the two proposals ended up as one contract that was edited by legislative and DOA staff, and the payments were not set up to be made up front, but in monthly payments of roughly $7,000.

Mell made a point that in the end, the proposal was edited by the correct people in state government who do that work, and Carter said that Ellsworth did not obstruct that process.

Legislative Services Deputy Legal Director Jaret Coles said Friday he first learned of the contracts through Carter, and immediately had questions about their validity, considering they had already been signed and dated by Ellsworth and Eggleston.

Together, these elements set up a situation in which the state may have been bound to pay Eggleston, before any work had begun and without the standard protections for the state typically included in contracts in the event the business arrangement goes awry.

There were a lot of terms missing from those particular contracts and there were some things missing in those contracts that were definitely problematic, in my opinion, from a payment perspective and the states interests being protected, he said. There was just no guarantee that the work could get done, or if it didnt get done, how the state could challenge that. There was no mechanism to hold back any funding because they had already given it all.

Coles notified his supervisors, aware of the Dec. 31 deadline on which the funding for Ellsworths contract would expire.

Duerk, the special counsel, posted on the hearing room monitors an email Coles sent to Department of Administration Director Misty Ann Giles at 4:20 p.m., on Dec. 27.

Long story short, the President (Ellsworth) attempted to enter into 2 contracts without our support the day after Christmas. They are missing multiple elements that make them problematic. We advised that (Legislative Services Division) cannot pay on the contracts and that he use procurement procedures, including looking at sole source justification.

Coles assisted Ellsworth in forming a sole source justification form, a document required of state agencies that look to arrange work with vendors without putting the contract out to bid.

The other option, and ultimately the exemption under which the contract was signed, was an exigency contract. Coles testified that these contracts typically come together when a state facilitys boiler fails or when a sudden emergency takes place.

Did you make any determinations whether or not these two contracts fit the exigency exceptions? Duerk asked.

It would ultimately be up to a court or someone higher to determine if there was an exigent circumstance or not, Coles responded. We have to sign off on contracts. I wouldnt have felt comfortable for a variety of reasons, but exigency would have been one of those things I would not have felt comfortable signing off on.

The funding had been available, at that point, for months, and the end of the calendar year hardly matched the definition of unforeseen and sudden, Coles responded.

The following month, officials from the Department of Administration told legislative audit attorneys investigating the contract dealing that the legal definition of exigency did not really apply here.

Department of Administration staff are expected to be called next in the ethics proceedings into Ellsworths contract.

The committees next hearing is scheduled for March 14, when the Legislature reconvenes in Helena following its transmittal break.
Additional SEK 100 million to Ukraine via the World Bank

Government Offices of Sweden

Press release from Ministry for Foreign Affairs

Published 07 March 2025

Sweden will contribute an additional SEK 100 million to Ukraine via the World Bank. The support, which will help the reconstruction and upcoming necessary infrastructure projects, was presented during World Bank President's visit to Stockholm on 6-7 March.

"Ukraine's need for reconstruction is enormous following Russia's targeted attacks. Therefore, Sweden is contributing a further SEK 100 million to Ukraine via the World Bank. The railway network has been subjected to many attacks during the Russian aggression. The railway is extremely important for the Ukrainian economy, helping millions of people to be evacuated from the frontlines, providing large parts of the country with goods and vital supplies and helping to export Ukrainian grain. The Ukraine Relief, Recovery, Reconstruction and Reform Trust Fund (URTF) has enabled extensive repair and rebuilding efforts. This is one of many examples of how the money can be used. It is also an important part of the support for the country's macro-financial stability and for Ukraine's EU accession. Sweden's support to Ukraine is increasing and will continue for as long as it is needed.", says Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa.

World Bank President Ajay Banga visited Stockholm on 6-7 March to participate in the meeting with ministers of development assistance and finance from the Nordic and Baltic countries. The emphasis of the meeting was the importance of continued support to Ukraine and a well-functioning multilateral economic cooperation. The World Bank is a significant player in helping countries with their economic development and is the single largest channel for Swedish development assistance. The World Bank has a special role in Ukraine, having mobilised nearly USD 60 billion over the past three years and providing support in various ways, such as broad rebuilding funds, guarantees and other financial instruments. The support aims to enable access to continued basic public services, boost the private sector and help with the reconstruction of Ukraine.

Sweden has contributed a total of SEK 73 billion in civil and military support to Ukraine.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Iran: France should accept its responsibility for peace by stopping the blame game

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Mar 7, 2025

Tehran, IRNA -- In response to the claims made by senior French officials against Iran in connection with the Ukrainian conflict, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esma'eel Baqayi called on French officials to stop the blame game, accept their responsibilities and mistakes towards regional and international peace and security, and work to correct them.

Regarding French President Emmanuel Macron's statements regarding Russia's use of Iranian equipment in the Ukrainian conflict, the spokesperson rejected such claims and described the repetition of such baseless and false accusations by French officials as irresponsible, and considered it a sign of the French authorities' insistence on a projective approach and their lack of seriousness in restoring peace and stability in Europe and the world.

2050

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Ukrainian, U.S. teams to meet for peace talks next week: Zelensky

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 16:42, March 07, 2025

KIEV, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian and the U.S. delegations are expected to meet for peace talks next week in Saudi Arabia, the UNN news agency reported Friday, citing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

"On Monday, I am scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia to meet with the Crown Prince (Mohammed bin Salman). After that, my team will remain in Saudi Arabia to work with our American partners," Zelensky was quoted as saying.

He stressed that Kiev is committed to achieving peace and is working on a solution to the conflict.

"The war must be stopped as soon as possible, and Ukraine is ready to work around the clock with partners in America and Europe for the sake of peace," Zelensky emphasized.

One day earlier, U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff told reporters that he is set to meet with a Ukrainian delegation in Saudi Arabia on March 11 to discuss a potential peace agreement.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Wang Yi on the Ukraine Crisis: No one wins in a conflict, but everyone gains in peace

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China

Updated: March 07, 2025 10:48

At the press conference on March 7, 2025, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke of the Ukraine crisis.

Wang Yi stressed, China has been calling for political settlement through dialogue and negotiation since the first day of the crisis, and has been actively working for peace and pushing for talks. Our stance has always been objective and impartial, our voice has always been calm and balanced and our purpose is to create conditions and build consensus for resolving the crisis.

Wang Yi said, China welcomes and supports all efforts for peace. At the same time, it is also important to see the complexity of the causes of the crisis. As a Chinese proverb puts it, it takes more than one cold day to freeze three feet of ice. Likewise, melting that thick ice cannot be done overnight. No one wins in a conflict, but everyone gains in peace. The negotiation table is where the conflict ends and peace starts. Although the relevant parties have not had their positions fully aligned, they all hope to have a fair and durable peace deal that is binding and accepted by all the parties concerned. And that is a valuable common point, and all the parties should jointly strive for it. China is ready to work with the international community, in light of the wills of the parties to the conflict, to continue to play its constructive role in resolving the crisis and realizing lasting peace.

Wang Yi noted, the Ukraine crisis has been dragging on for over three years. In hindsight, the tragedy could have been avoided. All parties should learn something from the crisis. Among many others, security should be mutual and equal, no country should build its security on the insecurity of another. We should advocate and act on the new vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and that is the way to truly realize lasting peace and security on the Eurasian continent and across the world.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Report: US intelligence ban renders UK missiles useless for Ukraine

Iran Press TV

Friday, 07 March 2025 10:40 AM

The United States' decision to stop sharing military intelligence with Ukraine has made the UK-provided Storm Shadow missiles useless for Kiev in its war with Russia, a report says.

In a huge blow to Ukraine forces against Russian troops, US President Donald Trump ordered halting intelligence support for Kiev earlier this week.

"Britain's long-range Storm Shadow missiles are feared to have been rendered useless in Ukraine after President Donald Trump blocked US intelligence from being shared with allies," the Daily Mail reported on Thursday.

The UK-provided Storm Shadow cruise missiles used by Ukraine to strike Russian targets required US intelligence to hit their targets.

Russian officials have said Ukrainian forces lack the necessary know-how to operate such missiles independently and require aid from US-led NATO specialists as well as intelligence data obtained through the West's satellite systems to use long-range missiles.

The UK was banned from sharing intelligence with Ukraine after Trump stopped intelligence support.

British intelligence agencies and military units have received an order that explicitly prohibits them from sharing intelligence received from the United States, which was previously known as "Rel UKR."

It is unclear how many Storm Shadow missiles were provided to Ukraine.

The head of the Ukrainian parliament's foreign affairs committee, Oleksandr Merezhko, has described the Americans' foreign policy shift as "unbelievable."

Russia, however, applauded the US move saying the pause in military aid to Ukraine could help persuade Kiev's leaders to join the peace process.

"This would probably be the best contribution to the cause of peace," Dmitry Peskov, Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, told reporters on Tuesday, according to RIA Novosti.

Relations between the United States and Ukraine broke down dramatically recently after Trump and Vice President JD Vance engaged in a live argument in the Oval Office with the visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Captured North Korean soldier reveals use of Russian drone-jamming gun

South Korea said North Korean troops sent to Russia were receiving drone training.

By Taejun Kang for RFA

2025.03.07

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- A captured North Korean soldier told a South Korean lawmaker that he used a drone-jamming gun provided by the Russian military in fighting against Ukrainian forces.

It was the first confirmation of North Korean troops using such technology in Russia's war against Ukraine and fuel concerns that they are gaining valuable knowledge of drone warfare that could be used in a conflict with South Korea.

The soldier, identified as Ri, was among an estimated 12,000 North Korean troops sent to Russia's Kursk region to combat Ukrainian forces, who occupied parts of the area in August. Ri was captured in Kursk and is now being held in Ukraine.

Neither Russia nor North Korea has acknowledged the presence of the North Korean troops on the battlefield..

During an interview with the South Korean lawmaker, Yoo Yong-won, who recently visited Ukraine, Ri said his company had six drone jamming guns, but they were not that effective.

"At first, the drones fell easily, but it seems the Ukrainians changed the frequency. After that, it didn't work as well," Ri told Yoo, who revealed part of his interview to the Yonhap News Agency on Friday.

Yoo said the devices were provided by Russia, and this indicated that North Korean soldiers were learning more about drones and gaining knowledge that could become a "direct threat" to South Korea.

"North Korean troops are gaining real combat experience through their deployment, shedding blood, and suffering heavy losses. They are also accumulating knowledge about drone warfare through trial and error," said Yoo.

"If a significant number of North Korean soldiers return home alive, they could pose a direct threat to us in a future conflict."

Reports suggest North Korean troops in Kursk are suffering heavy casualties due to relentless Ukrainian drone strikes. Lacking effective countermeasures, they are struggling to defend their positions as drones target them with precision, worsening their battlefield losses.

Ri also told Yoo that there were seven Russian officials directly working with his company who served as a bridge between Russian authorities and the North Korean soldiers.

"They maintained communication with their authorities, coordinated artillery support when needed, guided us through unfamiliar terrain, and provided rear logistics support. They also conducted drone reconnaissance and shared the gathered intelligence with us," said Ri.

Reports about Ri's comments came a few days after South Korea's main spy agency said it had intelligence indicating that North Korean troops dispatched to Russia were receiving drone training from Russian forces.

The South's National Intelligence Service said on Wednesday that it was closely monitoring the "possibility" of North Korea-Russia cooperation in drone technology and production.

In February, Japan's public broadcaster NHK reported that North Korea was set to produce multiple types of drones this year in collaboration with Russia. It said Moscow had agreed to provide technical support to Pyongyang in exchange for its military assistance in the fighting against Ukrainian forces.

The two countries have reached an agreement under which Russia will provide technical assistance to North Korea for the development and mass production of various types of drones, the broadcaster reported, citing multiple unidentified sources.

Ri's testimony echoed what the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War think tank reported last month, that Russia may be providing drone and missile technology to North Korea in exchange for North Korean troops fighting in Kursk.

The think tank reported at that time that the North was using the war against Ukraine as a testing ground for its own military capabilities.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also warned in February that Russia was deliberately transferring "modern technology" to North Korea, including drone technology.

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






Ukraine Prepares For US Talks In Saudi Arabia After Europe Rallies Around Zelenskyy

By Ray Furlong and Rikard Jozwiak March 06, 2025 Updated March 07, 2025

After a successful summit in Brussels that saw Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy receive strong backing from European leaders, Kyiv will now turn its attention to high-stakes talks next week between Ukrainian and US officials.

The Ukrainian president said in a social media post following the summit that he will travel to Saudi Arabia, which hosted the first round of talks between the United States and Russia, and that his team "will remain in Saudi Arabia to work with American partners." Zelenskyy will not attend the talks personally.

White House special envoy Steve Witkoff confirmed that a meeting is planned and said that he idea was to "get down the framework for a peace agreement." He said coordination efforts were still ongoing and that the meeting could take place in Riyadh or Jeddah.

"But I think the larger discussion for us...is to get a peace deal done," Witkoff told reporters.

Zelenskyy said the talks with the United States were evidence that Kyiv was working to reach a "fast and lasting" peace and he expressed hope that it will be "a meaningful meeting."

The development caps off a whirlwind week of diplomacy for Zelenskyy amid tensions with the United States and competing visions over how to end the three-year-old war.

One week ago on February 28, Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump were involved in a public clash in the Oval Office where Trump accused the Ukrainian president of not being ready to end the war. Zelenskyy left the White House without signing a minerals deal and Washington proceeded to pause military aid to Ukraine and stop sharing intelligence.

"I think Ukraine wants to make a deal because they don't have a choice," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on March 6.

"I also think that Russia wants to make a deal because in a certain different way -- a different way that only I know -- they have no choice either," he added.

Trump also said he will also visit Saudi Arabia over the next month and a half, without elaborating further.

"I don't know, I can't tell you," he sid in response to question about whether he would travel to the country to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin. "I'm going to Saudi Arabia."

A 'Watershed' Meeting In Brussels

Now, Ukraine will be heading into the upcoming talks with fresh support from Europe.

With the exception of Hungary, European Union governments rallied behind Zelenskyy at a March 6 summit in Brussels. The Ukrianian president called on leaders at the meeting to push the Kremlin to halt air and sea attacks on Ukraine as a step toward building trust and moving forward in negotiations to end the war.

After crisis meetings in Paris and London, the summit focused on boosting defense spending in Europe after the United States suspended aid to Ukraine and signaled Europe must play a bigger role in its own security.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen kicked off the meeting by warning that "Europe faces a clear and present danger," exacerbating the need for it "to be able to protect itself, to defend itself."

"This is a watershed moment for Europe and Ukraine as part of our European family," she added. "It's also a watershed moment for Ukraine."

After several hours of discussions, the European Council approved a statement saying Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and its repercussions for European and global security "constitute an existential challenge for the European Union."

"In this context, the European Union will accelerate the mobilization of the necessary instruments and financing in order to bolster the security of the European Union and the protection of our citizens," it added.

The document, which includes wording that gives members fiscal flexibility on defense spending and supports the idea of providing members with EU-backed loans of up to 150 billion euros ($160 billion) to spend on their militaries, was approved by all 27 EU members, including Hungary.

Earlier in the day, Budapest made it clear it wouldn't support a statement backing Ukraine, though Hungary was on board with bolstering spending on defense.

In his speech, Zelenskyy thanked those in attendance for their support more than three years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, while urging them to ensure "that the Russians are not deceiving us" in any talks to "a full and fair settlement, to a comprehensive agreement on security guarantees and an end to the war," Europe's deadliest conflict since the end of World War II.

"The next step is basic trust to the circumstances in which the negotiations are taking place.... The release of prisoners can be a means of establishing basic trust," he said.

What's The Plan To REARM Europe?

Ahead of the meeting, von der Leyen called for the adoption of REARM Europe (her capitalization), which envisages releasing up to 800 billion euros for EU members states to spend on defense. The summit's draft conclusions, seen by RFE/RL, broadly welcome the plan, setting the stage for more detailed plans to be approved at the next European Council on March 20-21.

Noting the need to "substantially increase defense expenditure," the text calls for "action at the EU level" to boost military capabilities in the face of "threats posed by Russia and Belarus."

EU leaders are also set to welcome new lending rules outlined by the European Investment Bank, freeing up funds to finance projects such as barracks and military hospitals.

Ahead of the summit, there was a broadly warm response to von der Leyen's letter.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said it was an "important first step" while Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis posted on social media: "We must now work out the details."

This reflects the fact that, despite the upbeat rhetoric of European officials, much of the details still remain to be put in place and there are questions about whether the overall price tag is realistic.

Critics have argued that the EU is not making new money available but merely rearranging existing budget elements.

Can Europe Defend Itself Without US Help?

The plan comes as Washington announced a pause on its military assistance to Ukraine, and some have framed it as Europe preparing for a worst-case scenario without a US security umbrella.

Mostly, European politicians have rejected this.

"We should not give up on the US," said Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky on March 4, while British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told reporters at the weekend London conference: "I do not accept that the US is an unreliable ally."

But the fact that they're saying such things at all is a sign of how rattled Europe is by decisions and statements being made in Washington.

Can Zelenskyy Repair Relations With Trump?

"The situation in Ukraine, given notably the position of the new US administration, has changed," a senior EU official told RFE/RL. "This is the starting point for the special European Council."

European leaders will address what they can do to fill the gap left by the aid freeze to support Ukraine's armed forces. But the summit is not expected to provide significant new announcements on this.

The main focus remains repairing the rift between US President Donald Trump and Zelenskyy, and there was some movement on this in the days before the summit.

In his address to Congress on March 4, Trump said Zelenskyy had written to him following their recent Oval Office showdown, and that the Ukrainian leader was ready to return to the negotiating table.

The next day, his national-security adviser, Mike Waltz, told Fox News that the pause on military aid could be lifted if Ukraine signed a deal giving Washington access to its mineral wealth -- which another US official said was still possible after Zelenskyy expressed regret for the White House clash.

Going into the Brussels meeting, German chancellor Olaf Scholz noted that "Ukraine's security arrangements and peace cannot be forcefully imposed by outside actors.

"We are aligned with that concept. The strengthening of Ukraine's security strength is why we are here to discuss today," Scholz said.

The question of Ukraine may also expose the lack of EU unity at the special summit.

After making a TV address to the nation on March 5, Macron had dinner with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban at the Elysee Palace on the eve of the summit.

His aim was to try to get Orban, who has nurtured close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin, on board with a statement supporting Ukraine.

Hungary's nationalist leader, a Trump ally, has signaled he may veto a unanimous statement backing Ukraine, though he has also made clear he would support measures for an increase in spending on Europe's own defense.

In televised remarks, French President Emmanuel Macron said it would be "madness" to ignore the threat Russia has become for Europe and said he is open to discussing the extension of France's nuclear deterrence to Paris's allies on the Continent.

Who Could Send Troops To Ukraine?

The meeting in Brussels follows a string of previous crisis gatherings, most recently in London on March 2.

A key takeaway from that meeting was that Britain, France, and other countries would work on a joint peace plan with Ukraine, which they would then take to Washington. There may be some discussion of this on the sidelines in Brussels, but post-Brexit, this is something that is being developed away from EU meetings.

Another key point from recent talks is the plan to form a European military force to deploy to Ukraine as part of a cease-fire or peace deal.

So far, Britain and France have said they're ready to put boots on the ground. Starmer said in London that other countries had also stepped up but declined to name them.

The senior EU official confirmed that member states had expressed willingness but "to go into details is premature." However, he added, "work needs to start and this European Council is a good moment for that work to start."

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/europe-defense-summit-ukraine- crisis-trump/33337389.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 Threatens Russia With Sanctions After Latest Massive Air Assault On Ukraine

By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service March 07, 2025

Trump Threatens Russia With Sanctions After Latest Massive Air Assault On Ukraine

US President Donald Trump threatened to impose additional sanctions on Russia over its continuing assault on Ukraine, but suggested that Moscow's latest large-scale attack was no surprising and said Kyiv must "get on the ball" and commit itself to seeking peace.

Trump's remarks, in a social media post and a White House appearance on March 7, came hours after Russia launched a massive missile and drone attack targeting energy and gas infrastructure across multiple regions of Ukraine, where Moscow's all-out invasion is now in its fourth year.

And late on March 7, Ukrainian authorities reported that a Russian attack on the town of Dobropillya in the Donetsk region killed at least four people and injured 18 others, although officials warned that those were only preliminary figures.

Donetsk Regional Military Administration Vadym Filashkin said on Telegram that "the Russians had launched three strikes on the city...four high-rise buildings were damaged."

Trump's remarks followed a call by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on his country's allies to press Russia to end the war, with an air and sea truce as the first step.

"Based on the fact that Russia is absolutely 'pounding' Ukraine on the battlefield right now, I am strongly considering large scale Banking Sanctions, Sanctions, and Tariffs on Russia until a Cease Fire and FINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ON PEACE IS REACHED," Trump wrote on Truth Social on March 7.

"To Russia and Ukraine, get to the table right now, before it is too late," he added. "Thank you!!!"

Trump did not go into detail about potential measures. He had spoken a few days after his January 20 inauguration of potentially using "taxes, tariffs, and sanctions" to get Russia to the negotiating table, but no new measures have been announced.

The new comment was one of only a few from Trump in recent weeks about what might be done to bring Russia to the table. It followed tense exchanges between the United States and Ukraine, including a vocal February 28 argument in the White House after which Trump said Zelenskyy was not ready for peace.

Speaking at the White House later on March 7, Trump said that he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin wants peace, but suggested he wanted stronger assurances from Kyiv.

"I think both parties want it settled," he said, but "I'm finding it more difficult, frankly, to deal with Ukraine, and they don't have the cards."

"In terms of the final settlement it may be easier to deal with Russia, which is surprising," Trump said. He repeated that Russia has been "pounding" Ukraine recently, but said he thinks he understands why.

"I actually think he's doing what anybody in that position would be doing right now," Trump said, adding: "I've always had a good relationship with Putin. And you know, he wants to end the war."

"I think he's going to be more generous than he has to be, and that's pretty good," he said. "That means a lot of good things."

Trump defended his decision this week to suspend military aid to Kyiv and restrict intelligence sharing with Ukraine, saying: "I have to know that they want to settle. If they don't want to settle, we're out of there."

"Ukraine has to get on the ball and get the job done," he said.

In his evening address on March 7, Zelenskyy said Ukraine wants peace "as soon as possible" and "is determined to be very constructive."

"The theme is clear: peace as soon as possible, security as reliable as possible," he said.

A major source of the recent US-Ukraine tension has been Trump's resistance to Zelenskyy's repeated requests for concrete security guarantees for Kyiv in the event of a cease-fire or peace deal. Asked about it in his White House appearance, Trump said, "Before I even think about [security guarantees] I want to settle the war."

Earlier in the day, Zelenskyy said in a social media post that Russia fired almost 70 cruise and ballistic missiles, as well as launching nearly 200 drones, at various energy facilities in Ukraine in an attack that also hit residential buildings.

He did not say if there were any deaths as a result of the attacks, which come amid a diplomatic push for peace talks that will see a delegation from Ukraine travel to Saudi Arabia next week to meet with US officials with the aim of working out a framework for a peace agreement.

"The first steps to establishing real peace should be to force the sole source of this war, that is, Russia, to stop precisely such attacks against life," Zelenskyy wrote.

"This can be realistically controlled. Silence in the sky -- a ban on the use of missiles, long-range drones, and aerial bombs. And also silence at sea -- a real guarantee of normal shipping."

At the White House event with Trump, national-security adviser Mike Waltz said he and Secretary of State Marco Rubio would meet with the Ukrainian delegation in Saudi Arabia.

Waltz said he thinks the United States is "going to get things back on track with Ukraine."

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said he had a "constructive call" with Rubio on March 7 to discuss the upcoming meeting.

"Ukraine wants the war to end, and US leadership is essential for achieving lasting peace. We also discussed ways to advance our bilateral cooperation," Sybiha said in a post on X.

The massive attack -- the 30th such strike on Ukraine's energy infrastructure since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022 -- is part of a broader Russian strategy targeting Ukraine's critical energy infrastructure. In the past two weeks, Russian strikes have repeatedly hit energy facilities in the Odesa region.

Ukraine's air force said the attack started at 3:03 a.m. when Russia launched Kalibr cruise missiles from the Black Sea. Soon after, it warned of the deployment of a MiG-31K fighter jet, which carries Kinzhal hypersonic missiles.

Russian forces also launched a barrage of drones in a coordinated assault.

Zelenskyy said F-16 aircraft and Mirage-2000 provided by France were used to help repel the attack. The jets were part of an aid package announced by French President Emmanuel Macron in June 2024.

As a result of the March 7 attack, Poland activated its air-defense systems and scrambled fighter jets. The Polish Armed Forces reported in a statement that, due to Russian long-range aviation activity, Poland and its allies had initiated an aerial operation to monitor and respond to any threats.

Naftohaz, Ukraine's state-owned gas company, confirmed this was the 17th combined attack on its infrastructure.

The company's CEO, Roman Chumak, said production facilities essential for gas extraction had been severely affected but restoration efforts were already under way.

Despite Moscow's repeated denials that it has targeted civilian infrastructure, Ukraine and international organizations have called the attacks war crimes, citing deliberate targeting of hospitals, schools, energy facilities, and water supply systems across the country.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/zelenskyy-allies- putin-massive-air-assault-ukraine/33339555.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






Every Day, New Russian Strikes and Reality Itself Prove That It Is Russia That Must Be Forced Into Peace - Address by the President

President of Ukraine

7 March 2025 - 19:34

I wish you health, fellow Ukrainians!

I held a Staff meeting. There was a detailed analysis of today's Russian strike and the operation of our air defenses. We usually do such analyses of combat activities after massive attacks - identifying weak points as well as lessons learned that deserve to be shared. Today, all the necessary reports on this were presented. Special emphasis was placed on the effectiveness of our air defenses. In total, the Russians used more than 260 aerial attack assets in this strike: cruise and ballistic missiles, attack drones. Our troops succeeded in responding to the attack with the highest level of professionalism. I want to thank every unit, all the services involved, all our warriors. As always, the attack was repelled in a comprehensive manner. Among other things, we deployed fighter aircraft - F16s and French Mirage jets, which performed exceptionally well today. Emmanuel, thank you! I want to commend all our fighter pilots, our helicopter crews of the Ukrainian Defense Forces, our electronic warfare units and mobile fire groups of our army, and especially the units of the 160th Anti-Aircraft Missile Odesa Brigade, the 208th Anti-Aircraft Missile Kherson Brigade and the 540th Anti-Aircraft Missile Lviv Brigade. Well-done, warriors!

We are also working very actively to prevent any shortages in supplies to protect lives. Ukraine's Minister of Defense Umerov is practically on a continuous business trip - constantly in meetings and in communication with partners to secure new support packages, with air defense, of course, being the top priority.

Today, this Russian strike on our energy system and civilian facilities occurred so routinely for Russia, so vile and cynical, as always, as if there are no efforts at all from Ukraine and the world to end this war. Ukraine is ready for peace as soon as possible - we have proposed concrete steps. And every day, new Russian strikes and reality itself prove that it is Russia that must be forced into peace - into stopping the war, into real diplomacy, into ensuring security and into a reliable and lasting peace. I thank everyone who is helping Ukraine, everyone who is supporting our state, our people, our defense, and simply the truth.

And a few other things. This week we have significantly increased our support in Europe. Both from the EU and from individual countries. There is a particularly strong decision from Norway to finance our resilience - the level of announced assistance this year has been increased to USD 7.7 billion, and most of it will be allocated to weapons production in Ukraine. This will help a lot. Thank you. We also expect decisions from other Nordic countries. France will expedite its security assistance. The Netherlands is ready to invest EUR 700 million in the production of drones. There are new decisions by our Baltic friends to support us. We have solid security agreements with European Council President Costa and European Commission President von der Leyen. We are preparing for a meeting at the level of the Chiefs of General Staff in France.

We continue working on the relevant steps with our partners who want peace, who want it just as much as we do. And next week there will be a lot of work here in Europe, with America, in Saudi Arabia - we are preparing a meeting to accelerate peace and strengthen the foundations of security. Today, throughout the day, the most intensive work to date has been ongoing with President Trump's team at various levels - with many phone calls. The agenda is clear - peace as soon as possible, security as reliable as possible. Ukraine is committed to the most constructive approach.

We thank everyone who is helping us!

Glory to Ukraine!

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Trump confident Putin wants peace despite 'bombing the hell out of Ukraine'

By Jeff Seldin March 07, 2025

Russia's latest aerial barrage against targets in Ukraine is not dampening expectations by U.S. President Donald Trump that he can broker a deal to end the fighting between Moscow and Kyiv.

Ukrainian officials Friday accused Russia of launching more than 200 overnight missile and drone strikes against Ukraine's energy infrastructure across a broad swath of the nation, hitting targets in five regions while damaging residential buildings and injuring residents.

But Trump, speaking to reporters Friday in the Oval Office, said he takes Russian President Vladimir Putin at his word when Putin says he wants peace.

"I believe him. I think we're doing very well with Russia," Trump said, acknowledging that for the moment "they're bombing the hell out of Ukraine."

"He's doing what anybody else would do," the U.S. president said of Putin. "I think probably anybody in that position would be doing that right now."

Trump also expressed continued frustration with Kyiv.

"I'm finding it more difficult, frankly, to deal with Ukraine. They don't have the cards," he told reporters.

When asked if the United States would consider giving Ukraine additional air defenses, Trump said it depended on Ukraine.

"I have to know that they want to settle. I don't know that they want to settle," he said. "If they don't want to settle, we're out of there because we want them to settle."

Other U.S. officials, meanwhile, have pushed back against the notion that Trump's tactics to bring Russia and Ukraine to the negotiating table  which has included a pause on military aid and intelligence sharing with Kyiv  have made Ukraine more vulnerable.

U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard told Fox News late Thursday that the pause on intelligence sharing is designed only to prevent Ukraine from launching offensive operations against Russia.

"Any intelligence going toward defending Ukraine against attacks coming into their country would continue," Gabbard said.

A U.S. defense official Friday confirmed to VOA that there has been no pause on intelligence that would allow Ukraine to defend itself, adding that Ukraine also maintains access to Starlink, the satellite internet system owned by Trump ally Elon Musk.

As for the overnight attack by Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted on social media that many of the drones were taken out by antiaircraft defenses. He said that for the first time, French-made Mirage fighter jets were deployed in air defense, and that U.S-made F-16s were also used.

Zelenskyy, in a statement on his X social media account Friday, said that despite the Russian attacks, Kyiv is committed to seeking peace.

"Intense work with President Trump's team has been ongoing at various levels  numerous calls," he wrote. "The topic is clear  peace as soon as possible, security as reliably as possible. Ukraine is fully committed to a constructive approach."

In a separate statement on Telegram, however, Zelenskyy expressed frustration with Moscow.

"Every day, new Russian attacks and reality itself prove that it is Russia that must be forced to make peace  to stop the war, to engage in real diplomacy," he said, according to a translation of his comments.

The latest barrage of Russian missiles and the responses from the U.S. and Ukraine come as Zelenskyy plans to travel to Saudi Arabia Monday for meetings with U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff to discuss a possible ceasefire with Russia.

The meeting would be the first between Zelenskyy and U.S. officials since the Ukrainian leader's contentious White House meeting last week with Trump and Vice President JD Vance, as reporters looked on.

Earlier this week in a letter sent to Trump, Zelenskyy said the way the meeting went was "regrettable" and Ukraine was "ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible."

VOA's Patsy Widakuswara and Jeff Custer contributed to this report. Some information was provided by the Associated Press and Reuters.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Female lawmakers, political advisors shine at China's ongoing "two sessions"

Xinhua) 11:55, March 08, 2025

A deputy to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) attends a group meeting of the delegation of Guizhou Province at the third session of the 14th NPC in Beijing, capital of China, March 6, 2025.

International Women's Day falls on March 8.

At the ongoing annual sessions of China's top legislature and top political advisory body, female lawmakers and political advisors play an essential role in pooling wisdom to boost the country's development. (Xinhua/Xu Bingjie)

National political advisors walk towards the Great Hall of the People for the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025.

International Women's Day falls on March 8.

At the ongoing annual sessions of China's top legislature and top political advisory body, female lawmakers and political advisors play an essential role in pooling wisdom to boost the country's development. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

Deputies to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) walk towards the Great Hall of the People for the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th NPC in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2025.

International Women's Day falls on March 8.

At the ongoing annual sessions of China's top legislature and top political advisory body, female lawmakers and political advisors play an essential role in pooling wisdom to boost the country's development. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

Deputies to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) walk towards the Great Hall of the People for the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th NPC in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2025.

International Women's Day falls on March 8.

At the ongoing annual sessions of China's top legislature and top political advisory body, female lawmakers and political advisors play an essential role in pooling wisdom to boost the country's development. (Xinhua/Zhou Dixiao)

National political advisors from the All-China Women's Federation attend a discussion at the third session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 6, 2025.

International Women's Day falls on March 8.

At the ongoing annual sessions of China's top legislature and top political advisory body, female lawmakers and political advisors play an essential role in pooling wisdom to boost the country's development. (Xinhua/Zhou Dixiao)

National political advisors attend the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025.

International Women's Day falls on March 8.

At the ongoing annual sessions of China's top legislature and top political advisory body, female lawmakers and political advisors play an essential role in pooling wisdom to boost the country's development. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)

Deputies to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) walk towards the Great Hall of the People for the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th NPC in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2025.

International Women's Day falls on March 8.

At the ongoing annual sessions of China's top legislature and top political advisory body, female lawmakers and political advisors play an essential role in pooling wisdom to boost the country's development. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

Sun Yuanhua (C), a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), attends the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th NPC at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2025.

International Women's Day falls on March 8.

At the ongoing annual sessions of China's top legislature and top political advisory body, female lawmakers and political advisors play an essential role in pooling wisdom to boost the country's development. (Xinhua/Li Xiang)

National political advisors attend the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025.

International Women's Day falls on March 8.

At the ongoing annual sessions of China's top legislature and top political advisory body, female lawmakers and political advisors play an essential role in pooling wisdom to boost the country's development. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)

Deputies to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) attend the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th NPC at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2025.

International Women's Day falls on March 8.

At the ongoing annual sessions of China's top legislature and top political advisory body, female lawmakers and political advisors play an essential role in pooling wisdom to boost the country's development. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

Deputies to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) attend the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th NPC at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2025.

International Women's Day falls on March 8.

At the ongoing annual sessions of China's top legislature and top political advisory body, female lawmakers and political advisors play an essential role in pooling wisdom to boost the country's development. (Xinhua/Li Xiang)

Lu Lihua (C), a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), attends the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th NPC at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2025.

International Women's Day falls on March 8.

At the ongoing annual sessions of China's top legislature and top political advisory body, female lawmakers and political advisors play an essential role in pooling wisdom to boost the country's development. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

Deputies to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) walk towards the Great Hall of the People for the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th NPC in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2025.

International Women's Day falls on March 8.

At the ongoing annual sessions of China's top legislature and top political advisory body, female lawmakers and political advisors play an essential role in pooling wisdom to boost the country's development. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei)

Deputies to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) attend the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th NPC at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2025.

International Women's Day falls on March 8.

At the ongoing annual sessions of China's top legislature and top political advisory body, female lawmakers and political advisors play an essential role in pooling wisdom to boost the country's development. (Xinhua/Li Xiang)

National political advisor Wang Yaping talks with another national political advisor before a joint group meeting of political advisors from the Communist Youth League of China and the All-China Youth Federation, the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, and the All-China Women's Federation at the third session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 6, 2025.

International Women's Day falls on March 8.

At the ongoing annual sessions of China's top legislature and top political advisory body, female lawmakers and political advisors play an essential role in pooling wisdom to boost the country's development. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)

Tian Shuxian (2nd R), a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), speaks during a group meeting of the delegation of Hubei Province at the third session of the 14th NPC in Beijing, capital of China, March 6, 2025.

International Women's Day falls on March 8.

At the ongoing annual sessions of China's top legislature and top political advisory body, female lawmakers and political advisors play an essential role in pooling wisdom to boost the country's development. (Xinhua/Lyu Shuai)

(Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Sheng Chuyi)
Analysis: Ukraine Forced To Saudi Talks With Fewer Cards Than Ever

By Ray Furlong March 08, 2025

Ukraine is a recalcitrant mule that's been smashed on the nose with a plank of wood.

This colorful image is a paraphrase of a telling remark this week by US special envoy Keith Kellogg that sums up Washington's view of Ukraine's rocky road from the bust-up in the White House to new talks with US negotiators in Saudi Arabia.

Kellogg was discussing the US decision to pause military supplies to Ukraine and suspend intelligence cooperation. The aim, he said, was to compel Ukraine to join talks.

"The best way I can describe it is sort of like hitting a mule with a two by four across the nose," Kellogg said. "You got their attention."

In other words, Ukraine's biggest military backer has wielded a big stick to get its way, and it seems to have worked.

"The push is to get them to engage in diplomatic activities.... The bottom line is that it's a forcing function to get them to the table," Kellogg said at an event in Washington on March 6.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy heads to Riyadh on March 10 to meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, followed by talks between Ukrainian and US delegations in Jeddah later in the week.

This view of the dynamic of the last few days, and where it now leaves Ukraine, was shared by one analyst who spoke to RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service on March 7.

"They decided to put pressure on the weakest party," said Yevhen Mahda, a Ukrainian political scientist and director of Kyiv's Institute of World Policy.

"The United States is not just turning the world order upside down. They are demonstrating, you know, a kind of caricature of policy," Mahda said.

The bitterness in these words echoes that heard in comments made by Ukraine's ambassador to London, Valeriy Zaluzhniy, who this week accused the United States of "destroying" the rules-based international order.

Nevertheless, the presence of Ukrainian negotiators in Jeddah next week suggests that officials in Kyiv have accepted they have -- right now -- few options. Or, as US President Donald Trump put it, few cards.

Zelenskyy's tone of contrition in recent days also speaks to this.

"Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is regrettable," he tweeted on March 4. "I stand ready to work under President Trump's strong leadership."

Kellogg was sitting right behind US Vice President JD Vance and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio when the Oval Office meeting blew up. "I had a ringside seat," he said, adding that Zelenskyy "misread the room."

"You don't try to challenge the president of the United States in the Oval Office."

While Kellogg's mule quote made some headlines, his other comments offer further insight into how Washington wants things to go from here.

A key first step will be to sign the minerals deal that was supposed to be signed in Washington.

"That is a big deal for us because President Trump is a transactional leader, and transactional starts with economics," he said.

Kellogg suggested -- in broad brush rather than in detail -- that this would be followed by Ukrainian officials setting out their "term sheet" of basic positions. He said Russia had already done this.

"Do we have a term sheet from the Russians broadly? Do we have a term sheet with the Ukrainians? The answer is yes and no."

Mahda, the Ukrainian analyst, complained that Trump was not putting any kind of pressure at all on Russia, "despite the fact that Ukraine is fighting a war for its independence."

On March 7, Trump took to Truth Social to wave some kind of stick at Russia, too.

"I am strongly considering large scale Banking Sanctions, Sanctions, and Tariffs on Russia until a Cease Fire and FINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ON PEACE IS REACHED," he wrote.

"To Russia and Ukraine, get to the table right now, before it is too late."

This framing of the situation as two sides with equal status is clearly painful for Ukrainians. But Zelenskyy's attempt to persuade Trump that his country, as the victim of aggression, has a moral case for support appears to have fallen on deaf ears.

Kellogg said that, instead of acting as Ukraine's ally, Washington would play "an objective interlocutor role."

The fear in Kyiv and many other European capitals is that Washington is not even going to do this. Rather, that it sees its own interests as aligned with Moscow's. This perception has driven European efforts this week to bolster its own defense capabilities.

Zelenskyy appeared genuinely moved by European expressions of support and solidarity at meetings in London and Brussels in recent days. Alongside the now traditional mantra of sticking with Ukraine for as long as it takes, there were announcements that British and French intelligence would try to fill the gap left by the Americans.

But the reality is that this is second-best assistance. It can help Ukraine hold the line for a time, but it cannot quickly replace the kind of US backing Ukraine has had until now.

"We have to understand that European equivalents of (US-made) Patriot missiles...won't come quickly, by waving a magic wand," said Mahda.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/33340142.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






Air Force, Northrop Grumman achieve milestone in Sentinel ICBM modernization with stage-one solid rocket motor test

Published March 7, 2025

Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center

HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah (AFNS) -- The U.S. Air Force and Northrop Grumman Corporation completed a full-scale qualification static fire test of the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile stage-one solid rocket motor March 6, at Northrop Grumman's facility in Promontory, Utah.

This critical milestone further validates the motor's design and paves the way for the production and deployment of a safe, secure and reliable strategic deterrent.

"As we modernize our nuclear triad, the ICBM Systems Directorate is driven to securely deliver America's ICBM capabilities," said Brig. Gen. William Rogers, Air Force program executive officer for ICBMs and director of the Air Force Nuclear Weapon Center's ICBM Systems Directorate. "This brings us one step closer to fielding the Sentinel weapon system, a vital component of our nation's strategic deterrence and a testament to our unwavering commitment to national security."

This test confirms the accuracy of digital engineering models and brings the stage-one solid rocket motor closer to achieving full qualification. This achievement follows static fire tests of the second and third stages, showcasing clear momentum in the Sentinel program's development.

"The entire Sentinel team is laser-focused on ensuring the program delivers on its promise of providing an unmatched strategic deterrent," said Col. Amanda Okeson, senior materiel leader-upper and Sentinel system program manager. "This test is just one tangible example of the team's dedication and expertise as we move one step closer to completing that promise."

The test results are currently being analyzed by a team of experts from the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center and Northrop Grumman.

The Sentinel program is modernizing the land-based leg of the U.S. nuclear triad, replacing the aging Minuteman III ICBM weapon system. This modernization effort is essential to ensuring a safe, secure and effective strategic nuclear deterrent for decades to come.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






DELAND, Florida, March 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As many Americans prepare to set their clocks forward on Sunday, March 9, theres debate about ending this tradition.

President Trump posted on social media in December, "The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate Daylight Saving Time, which has a small but strong constituency, but shouldnt! Daylight Saving Time is inconvenient, and very costly to our Nation." On Thursday, however, he said it's hard to get excited about a change because its a 50-50 issue.

The Center for Public Opinion Research (CPOR) at Stetson University surveyed Americans on the biannual clock changes, which will happen this Sunday at 2 a.m. when clocks spring forward to 3 a.m.

The survey, conducted nationally with a representative sample of 1,006 U.S. adults, found a majority of Americans supported the idea to stop changing their clocks twice a year (75%).

When asked which system they preferred, 54% favored year-round Daylight Saving Time, which would result in later sunrises and more sunlight in the evening.

Another 21% supported a permanent switch to standard time, meaning earlier sunrises but less daylight in the evening. Only 18% preferred keeping the current system of changing clocks twice per year, while 7% were unsure.

Among generational groups, Gen Z (ages 18-29) showed the highest support for keeping the twice-yearly clock changes, with 32% favoring the current system  statistically significant compared to all other generations. However, preferences for daylight saving time or standard time showed minimal variation across gender, income, education, race and party identification.

"Honestly, I am not sure what would explain this difference," said Steven Smallpage, PhD, associate professor of political science at Stetson and director of CPOR. "Perhaps it could be that the younger generation has more of a flexible lifestyle, which is less impacted by clock changes. Or perhaps they just like the current system of changing times twice a year because it's interesting and something different."

Methodology

This study was conducted by Stetson Universitys Center for Public Opinion Research through SSRS on its Opinion Panel Omnibus platform. The SSRS Opinion Panel Omnibus is a national, twice-per-month, probability-based survey. Data collection was conducted from February 21  February 23, 2025, among a sample of 1,006 respondents. The survey was conducted via web (n=976) and telephone (n=30) and administered in English. The margin of error for total respondents is +/-3.7 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All SSRS Opinion Panel Omnibus data are weighted to represent the target population of U.S. adults ages 18 or older.

About the Center for Public Opinion Research (CPOR)

The Center for Public Opinion Research at Stetson University specializes in nonpartisan public opinion polling and survey research. CPOR provides valuable insights into political, social, and economic issues affecting Florida and the United States. For more information, visit http://www.stetson.edu/cpor.

Attachment
NEW YORK CITY, March 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Expert Consumers has recognized Klaviyo as the top SMS marketing platform for 2025, citing its seamless integration with marketing automation, data-driven insights, and multi-channel capabilities. As businesses increasingly turn to SMS marketing to engage customers in real time, the demand for platforms that provide targeted, efficient, and scalable messaging solutions continues to grow.

Best SMS Marketing Platform

Klaviyo - enables businesses to deliver personalized, automated text messages integrated with email and other marketing channels for seamless customer engagement.

This article is sponsored by Klaviyo. All opinions are solely those of Expert Consumers. Expert Consumers delivers news and reviews on consumer products and services and may earn commissions from purchases made through featured links.

Marketing automation has become a critical tool for businesses aiming to optimize customer engagement and sales performance. SMS marketing, in particular, has proven to be an effective channel, with 74% of consumers subscribing to text updates from brands and 65% reporting that SMS messages have influenced their purchasing decisions. Unlike email and social media, SMS offers direct communication with higher open rates, making it an essential part of modern marketing strategies.

Expert Consumers highlighted Klaviyos ability to enhance customer outreach by integrating SMS with email marketing and automation workflows. The platform enables businesses to personalize text campaigns based on real-time customer data, improving engagement and conversion rates.

Klaviyo stands out for its ability to unify SMS with email and other digital marketing channels, allowing businesses to create more personalized and effective customer journeys, said Drew Thomas, a spokesperson from Expert Consumers.

Founded in 2012 by Andrew Bialecki and Ed Hallen, Klaviyo has grown into a leading provider of marketing automation solutions, serving over 167,000 businesses worldwide. Klaviyos SMS marketing solution is used by more than 19,000 brands alongside email, demonstrating its impact on businesses seeking to maximize engagement across multiple channels.

Unlike SMS point solutions that focus solely on text-based communication, Klaviyos all-in-one platform enables brands to optimize marketing efforts holistically across multiple channels. By considering the customer journey as a whole rather than treating SMS as an isolated touchpoint, businesses can create more strategic and effective outreach. As customer expectations evolve, brands are shifting toward integrated marketing strategies that balance automation with personalization, ensuring that no single channel operates in a silo.

With Klaviyo, brands can build multi-channel workflows that adjust messaging based on customer intent. For example, a site visitor showing low intentsuch as browsing without adding items to their cartmay receive a well-timed email, while a high-intent action like cart abandonment can trigger a personalized SMS. This approach ensures that messaging remains relevant, avoids overcommunication, and maximizes engagement at every stage of the customer journey. While short-term single-channel optimization may yield immediate results, a comprehensive, data-driven strategy ultimately enhances long-term performance across all marketing channels.

SMS marketing today

SMS marketing remains a powerful tool for B2C brands looking to drive customer retention and sales. With high engagement rates and the ability to deliver time-sensitive messages, SMS has emerged as a vital channel for brands seeking to reach consumers with immediacy and precision. Industry benchmarks and statistics indicate that 90% of text messages are read within three minutes of receipt, underscoring SMS as one of the most direct and effective means of communication. Unlike email or social media, which may be overlooked in crowded inboxes or feeds, text messages are delivered straight to consumers' mobile devices, which are frequently within reach throughout the day.

Klaviyos last-touch multichannel attribution feature enables businesses to measure the direct impact of SMS campaigns on conversions, providing actionable insights to refine marketing strategies. Data suggests that SMS campaigns often generate higher revenue per recipient than email across e-commerce industries, reinforcing its role as a high-performing marketing channel.

As SMS marketing continues to evolve alongside email best practices, its potential for driving revenue and customer engagement is expected to expand. Given the personal nature of text messaging, brands must ensure that SMS communications provide meaningful value, leveraging the channel for urgent updates, time-sensitive promotions, and critical customer interactions.

To maximize the effectiveness of SMS within a broader marketing strategy, seamless integration with existing business systems is essential. The platform integrates with over 350 third-party applications, allowing businesses to synchronize customer data across their entire tech stack. This enables automated triggers for messages such as cart abandonment alerts, shipping updates, and loyalty rewards. Businesses using Klaviyos unified SMS and email platform have reported a 19% increase in gross merchandise volume (GMV) growth rate, reinforcing the effectiveness of its multi-channel approach.

With the growing need for global scalability, Klaviyos SMS marketing service supports businesses operating in over 15 countries, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and several European markets. The platforms smart automation, AI-powered campaign tools, and performance analytics alongside email, analytics, and customer data allow brands to tailor their SMS strategies for different audiences, ensuring messages reach the right customers at the right time.

As businesses continue to prioritize direct-to-consumer marketing, SMS remains a key channel for driving customer loyalty and revenue growth. Klaviyos recognition as the top SMS marketing platform for 2025 reflects its role in helping brands leverage data-driven insights to create more effective, personalized marketing experiences.

For businesses looking to enhance their customer engagement strategies, SMS marketing offers a reliable, high-impact solution. As automation and data-driven marketing continue to evolve, platforms like Klaviyo are shaping the future of customer communication and business growth.

To read the full review, visit Expert Consumers. To sign up with Klaviyo, click here.

About Expert Consumers: Expert Consumers provides news and reviews of consumer products and services. As an affiliate, Expert Consumers may earn commissions from sales generated using links provided.
NEW YORK CITY, March 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Consumer365 has recognized Klaviyo as the top SMS marketing platform for 2025. This accolade highlights the growing importance of SMS marketing in the broader landscape of marketing automation and its role in driving customer engagement, retention, and sales.

Best SMS Marketing Service

Klaviyo - allows businesses to deliver deeply personalized messages tailored to customer preferences, past purchases, and behavioral insights.

This article is sponsored by Klaviyo. All opinions are solely those of Consumer365. Consumer365 offers news and reviews on consumer products and services and may earn commissions from purchases made through featured links.

As businesses increasingly adopt marketing automation software to deliver personalized, real-time communication, SMS marketing has become a critical component of a comprehensive strategy. Unlike email or social media, which can be overlooked in crowded inboxes or feeds, SMS boasts an open rate exceeding 90%, with most messages read within three minutes.

This immediacy makes SMS one of the most effective ways to engage consumers, particularly for time-sensitive offers and high-intent actions. According to industry data, 74% of consumers subscribe to SMS updates from brands, and 65% have made a purchase earlier than planned because of a text message.

Recognizing this trend, Consumer365 has highlighted Klaviyo for its innovative, data-driven approach to SMS marketing. Klaviyo, headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, specializes in marketing automation for e-commerce businesses, seamlessly integrating email and SMS to create highly personalized, multi-channel customer experiences. Founded in 2012 by Andrew Bialecki and Ed Hallen, Klaviyo has powered over 167,000 businesses globally.

A Holistic Approach to SMS and Multi-Channel Marketing

Unlike traditional SMS point solutions that focus solely on text messaging, Klaviyo enables brands to take a broader approach to customer engagement. The platform helps businesses optimize across multiple channels rather than relying on SMS alone at every touchpoint. Instead of viewing the customer journey through the lens of a single channel, Klaviyo analyzes behavior, intent, and engagement trends to determine the most effective way to connect with consumers.

For example, low-intent actions like site browsing might trigger an email, while high-intent actions like cart abandonment could prompt an SMS message. This strategic use of SMS prevents over-messaging consumers while maximizing engagement and revenue. While short-term, single-channel optimization may drive results, a data-driven, multi-channel approach ensures sustainable long-term performance.

Consumer365 praised Klaviyo for its ability to unify SMS with other marketing channels, leveraging insights from 350+ integrations to help brands create smarter, more context-aware messaging flows. The platform enables businesses to send highly personalized messages informed by customer preferences, purchase history, and behavioral data. Whether its a shipping notification, loyalty reward update, or subscription reminder, every SMS is designed to provide real valuean essential factor given that SMS subscribers are quicker to unsubscribe than email subscribers.

The Growing Role of SMS in Marketing Automation

Beyond its ability to drive engagement, SMS has also proven to be a revenue powerhouse. Data suggests that SMS campaigns generate higher revenue per recipient than email across e-commerce industries, an exciting prospect for marketers looking to enhance conversion rates. Text messaging is already delivering strong ROI for high-intent buyers, and as brands continue to refine their SMS strategies and integrate them with email best practices, the revenue potential is expected to grow even further.

To support this, Klaviyos SMS marketing service includes advanced tools like multichannel attribution, which tracks the exact messages that lead to conversions, and an SMS performance dashboard that provides real-time insights to optimize campaigns. The platform also incorporates AI-powered automation, streamlining workflows and ensuring that businesses can scale SMS efforts without sacrificing personalization.

Consumer365s recognition of Klaviyo highlights its unique ability to blend innovation, data, and usability into a platform that delivers measurable results, said Drew Thomas, a spokesperson for Consumer365. As SMS continues to play a vital role in marketing automation, tools like Klaviyo are shaping the future of customer engagement.

You may read the full review at Consumer 365. To know more about signing up with Klaviyo, click here.

About Consumer365: Consumer365 provides news and reviews of consumer products and services. As an affiliate, Consumer365 may earn commissions from sales generated using links provided.




Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP Securities Litigation Partner James (Josh) Wilson Encourages Investors Who Suffered Losses Exceeding $50,000 In e.l.f. Beauty To Contact Him Directly To Discuss Their Options

If you suffered losses exceeding $50,000 in e.l.f. Beauty between November 1, 2023 and November 19, 2024 and would like to discuss your legal rights, call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310).

[You may also click here for additional information]





NEW YORK, March 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP, a leading national securities law firm, is investigating potential claims against e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (e.l.f. Beauty or the Company) (NYSE: ELF) and reminds investors of the May 5, 2025 deadline to seek the role of lead plaintiff in a federal securities class action that has been filed against the Company.

Faruqi & Faruqi is a leading national securities law firm with offices in New York, Pennsylvania, California and Georgia. The firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors since its founding in 1995. See www.faruqilaw.com.

As detailed below, the complaint alleges that the Company and its executives violated federal securities laws by making false and/or misleading statements and/or failing to disclose that: (1) contrary to its representations to investors, the Company was experiencing rising inventory levels as a consequence of flagging sales; (2) Elf falsely attributed the rising inventory levels to, among other things, changes in its sourcing practices; (3) to maintain investor confidence, Elf reported inflated revenue, profits, and inventory over several quarters; (4) accordingly. the Companys business and/or financial prospects were overstated; (5) all of the foregoing, once revealed, would likely have a material negative impact on the Company; and (6) as a result, the Companys public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant time

On November 20, 2024, Muddy Waters Research (Muddy Waters) published a report entitled e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. A Revenue and Inventory Mystery (the Muddy Waters Report), alleging that Elf had materially overstated revenue over the past three quarters, and that in Q2 FY24, ELF management realized its growth narrative was in trouble as its inventory built. It appears that ELF then began reporting inflated revenue and profits. Its reported inventory also appears materially inflated as a result - i.e., to account for cash that has not really come in. Further, Muddy Waters accused the Company of concealing its inventory challenges from investors by falsely attributing its rising inventory levels to supposed changes in its sourcing practices rather than the true causeinsufficient sales.



After the Class Period ended, on February 6, 2025, Elf released its fiscal Q3 2024 results and provided its fiscal 2025 outlook. Specifically, Elf revealed that it expected full-year fiscal 2025 net sales growth to be 27%-28%, down from the previous guidance of 28-30%, and also revised its adjusted EBITDA guidance to $289-293 million, down from $304-308 million, resulting in part from the updated sales outlook and a $7 million foreign currency loss. Further, the Company stated that it anticipated net sales growth was lowered to -1% to +2%, with management explaining that this reflected prudence amid softer consumption trends, challenging category conditions, and slower-than-expected new product performance

The court-appointed lead plaintiff is the investor with the largest financial interest in the relief sought by the class who is adequate and typical of class members who directs and oversees the litigation on behalf of the putative class. Any member of the putative class may move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff through counsel of their choice, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision to serve as a lead plaintiff or not.

Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP also encourages anyone with information regarding e.l.f. Beautys conduct to contact the firm, including whistleblowers, former employees, shareholders and others.

To learn more about the e.l.f. Beauty class action, go to www.faruqilaw.com/ELF or call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310).

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, on X, or on Facebook.

Attorney Advertising. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP (www.faruqilaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your particular case. All communications will be treated in a confidential manner.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d6e81e3d-0277-4a0f-a7fb-420e46f048c2
Beijing, China, March 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- China's national "two sessions," the annual meetings of China's top legislature, the National People's Congress (NPC), and the top political advisory body, the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), are set to convene in Beijing this week. As a key political event shaping the country's policy direction, the upcoming annual sessions provide a prime opportunity for observers to gain a unique vantage point to witness the country's democracy in action.

Democracy is a common value for all humanity and an important principle that the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese people steadfastly uphold. In a country with about one-fifth of the world's population, people are actively participating in democratic practices, ranging from state legislation to local matters.

In China, scenarios of democracy manifest in diverse ways. Global Times is launching a series of stories to share with international readers what Chinese democracy is. This is the first installment.

When village officials approached He Zhigang's home and inquired whether he would consider renting out a 1-mu plot of land (666.7 square meters) right in front of his house, he barely paused before nodding in agreement.

At the time, Shiying village in East China's Zhejiang Province was developing rural tourism. To attract more visitors, the village officials and local collective economic organizations planned to rent some of the empty spaces in front of villagers' homes to use as parking lots for tourists. They went door to door to seek opinions, and offered willing villagers an annual rent of 1,200 yuan ($165) per mu.

"They really respected our opinions and didn't force anyone to make a decision," He recalled.

In many villages like Shiying across China, the rural collective economy drives collective development through the integrated use of village members' resources, democratic management, cooperative operations, and equitable distribution. This mechanism vividly illustrates China's people-centered democracy.

China's democracy is a whole system of political structures to ensure the people's status as the true masters of their own affairs and the ultimate beneficiaries of development.

"Democracy primarily addresses how public opinion is realized in a country's political process. In this sense, democracy is not an ornament or mere decoration; it is meant to address the issues that people need to resolve. This is one of the significant characteristics that make our whole-process people's democracy the most genuine," said Sang Yucheng, a professor at the School of International Relations, Fudan University.

Strong sense of belonging

Shiying village, nestled among lush mountains and clear waters, boasts stunning natural beauty and is an ideal location for eco-tourism. It is home to over 1,600 residents.

He Liyan was elected as Shiying village's Party chief in 2021. She and the other village officials all believed that, for the relatively underdeveloped village of Shiying, making full use of its natural resources to develop rural tourism was the best way to generate income. And the collective economy, which gathers the resources of everyone in the village, and utilizes them by the unified planning of the whole village, was the most suitable approach for the local development of tourism. Therefore, that year, they decided to start collective economic projects in tourism, such as constructing water parks and sites for rafting and off-road vehicles.

A village's collective economy concerns all residents, and decisions cannot be made by someone alone. In the following months, He Liyan and her colleagues visited the homes of all villagers to gather opinions, and held several meetings to collect thoughts on developing local tourism.

Villager He Zhigang recalled that, at the time, officials of Shiying village regularly visited his home to explain development plans and seek his feedback.

"They explained to me in detail what had been done, and what was planned next," He Zhigang told the Global Times.

He Zhigang now works at one of the village's collective economic projects named "Dream Land," a tourism complex that contains an amusement park, camping sites, and guesthouses.

"I feel a strong sense of belonging and ownership, as I also own a part of this 'Dream Land,'" he told the Global Times. "So does everyone in our village."

Transparent, accessible to all villagers

Danitang village, literally meaning "a village of big mud pits," is a small agricultural village in Central China's Hunan Province. When Xie Jiarong became the Party chief of the village in 2020, Danitang had almost no collective economic projects. At the time, local villagers either sought employment outside the village or stayed to cultivate their small plots of land, with an income that was far from ideal.

Xie, who had spent 10 years working in rural planning before being the village's Party chief, decided to harness the wisdom of the collective economy to manage the village's agricultural resources more effectively.

"We encouraged villagers to lease their previously scattered or even idle farmland to the village collective economic organization, establishing a dedicated project to uniformly cultivate rice and rapeseed, with the harvested crops being sold collectively to partner enterprises," Xie explained.

This ambitious plan began in 2021. The very first step, as Xie noted, was to rent farmland from the villagers. This was a democratic process, where everyone's opinions were carefully considered.

"We organized numerous information-sharing sessions, and called those working away from home, to explain the concept of collective economy to every villager, assuring them that this project would bring tangible benefits," Xie told the Global Times.

Villager Zhu Xueping was cheerful about this project. Prior to that, Zhu, in his 60s, was no longer able to engage in high-intensity farming. He had to lease his farmland to other individuals, which not only yielded no rental income but also required him to pay a "land maintenance fee" to the lessees.

"Since I leased my land to the village collective economic project for 260 yuan per mu, I can earn nearly 2,000 yuan a year without doing anything. This is great," Zhu told the Global Times.

A broad consensus

It is important to note that China's democratic system has both a complete institutional procedure and extensive participatory practices, Sang told the Global Times.

According to Sang, the concept of whole-process people's democracy has gradually formed a broad consensus in China, and efforts are being made to promote its practical and effective application at all levels, and the rural collective economy is one representative.

Xie chief, who was elected by the local villagers, believes that democracy is reflected in all aspects of rural life in China, and the village collective economy is a vivid embodiment of this.

"I spend every day with the villagers, and we fully trust and respect each other," Xie told the Global Times.

This article first appeared in the Global Times:

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202503/1329356.shtml

Company: Global Times

Contact Person: Anna Li

Email: editor@globaltimes.com.cn

Website: https://globaltimes.cn

City: Beijing

Disclaimer:

This press release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies (including product offerings, regulatory plans and business plans) and may change without notice. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements.
Regents Park Road, Londo , March 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Technology should drive business success, not create roadblocks. Yet many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in London find themselves held back by unreliable IT support. Unexpected downtime, security risks, outdated systems and poor communication frustrate teams, drain resources, and make it harder to stay competitive. When IT isnt working, neither is the business, and thats where Ratcliff IT steps in.

For the seventh consecutive year, Ratcliff IT has been recognised as one of Britains 50 Best Managed IT Companies. This achievement reinforces its reputation as a trusted provider of IT support in London, helping businesses optimise operations, minimise disruptions, and protect their digital assets.



Ratcliff IT

Londons SMEs operate in an environment where every second counts. Without a structured and proactive approach to IT management, they risk inefficiencies, cyber vulnerabilities, and costly downtime.

Ratcliff IT provides managed IT services in London to SMEs who value a dependable technology and security partner, where privacy and confidentiality are key. They take the hassle out of technology so businesses can focus on growth. Their proactive technology management ensures round-the-clock system monitoring, preventative maintenance, and background security updates, fixing issues before they cause disruption.

When businesses need support, their London-based service desk delivers fast, expert help from professionals that get to know each clients systems and team inside out. Clients can reach out via web portal, email, or phone, with additional access to guides and advice from a friendly team that will always call back - keeping operations smooth and stress-free.

Their approach isnt just about keeping up with industry changes. Its about staying ahead, outpacing competitors, and using technology as a tool for success. Ratcliff ITs IT consultancy in London starts with a comprehensive IT audit, assessing infrastructure and workflows to uncover opportunities for greater efficiency, security, and risk reduction.

Businesses receive a clear IT roadmap and budget plan, giving them full visibility and control over their technology investments. With quarterly strategic planning meetings, Ratcliff IT keeps businesses aligned with their goals, ensuring technology evolves alongside their success.

As businesses grow, so do the risks they face. Many businesses lack the in-house expertise to defend against cyber attacks, leaving them vulnerable to data breaches and financial loss. Ratcliff ITs cyber security consultancy London means clients get the right cyber security solution for their business needs, with end-to-end protection including risk assessments, security audits and advanced threat mitigation strategies. Their inclusive security support offers real-time monitoring, proactive threat detection, and compliance management, ensuring businesses stay protected while building trust with customers.

What truly sets Ratcliff IT apart is its people-first approach. Ratcliff IT believes IT support should be simple, straightforward, stress-free, and most importantly, based on building great relationships. Their no-jargon approach, combined with their can-do attitude and commitment to fairness and transparency, means all clients get the same honest advice, clear solutions, and IT that works consistently - all at a fixed monthly fee.

Their seventh consecutive win as one of Britains 50 Best Managed IT Companies confirms what their clients already know. Ratcliff IT is continuing to deliver expert solutions that make businesses more resilient, competitive, and ready for whatever comes next.

To learn more about how Ratcliff IT can help improve productivity and security for businesses, visit their website at https://www.ratcliff.it/ and schedule a consultation today.

About Ratcliff IT

Ratcliff IT is a leading provider of IT support in London. They specialise in managed IT services, cybersecurity, and consultancy for SMEs. With a strong reputation as one of Britains 50 Best Managed IT Companies, Ratcliff IT provides expert solutions tailored to business needs.

###

Media Contact

Ratcliff IT

1st Floor, 314 Regents Park Road, London, N3 2JX

07815 042884

https://www.ratcliff.it/



Ratcliff IT 1st Floor, 314 Regents Park Road, London, N3 2JX

























Attachment
Bedford Metals Corp. (TSX-V: BFM, FWB: O8D, ISIN: CA0762301012) (the "Company" or "Bedford") is pleased to announce the successful closing of the acquisition (the "Acquisition") of Northern Lights Exploration Corp. ("NLE"). NLE is the holder of the Cable Lake Uranium Project, and with this Acquisition, the Company now controls an aggregate of 13,092 hectares of prospective ground in the highly promising Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan.

The Cable Lake property, covering an area of 8,056 hectares, adjoins the Company's Sheppard and Ubiquity Lake claims to the north. The Cable Lake claims host over 22 kilometers of electromagnetic (EM) anomalies situated within relative magnetic lows- a geophysical signature commonly associated with uranium deposits in the Athabasca Basin. Notably, a 2007 GEOTEM (airborne magnetic and electromagnetic) survey conducted by Fugro identified an area of interest (ROI 5) just north of Warr Lake, where Bedford's 2024 exploration program uncovered several radioactive anomalies.

Pursuant to the terms of the Acquisition, Bedford acquired all of the outstanding share capital of NLE in consideration for the issuance of 1,000,000 common shares of Bedford to the sole shareholder of NLE (the "Vendor"). Additionally, the Vendor has been granted the right to acquire 2,500,000 common shares for total consideration of $1.00, contingent upon Bedford successfully recovering a radioactive sample from the Cable Lake claims equal to or greater than 0.10% U?O? prior to December 31, 2027. The Company is at arm's length from the Vendor and NLE, and no finders' fees or commissions were payable in connection with the Acquisition.

Peter Born, President of Bedford, commented, "We are thrilled to have successfully closed the acquisition of the Cable Lake Uranium Project. This acquisition significantly expands our Ubiquity Lake project area and enhances our portfolio with highly prospective ground. The strong geophysical signatures identified at Cable Lake are very encouraging, and we are eager to begin integrating this new ground into our exploration plans as we advance our goal of making a significant uranium discovery."

With the addition of the Cable Lake Uranium Project, Bedford will be updating its exploration plan to incorporate this newly acquired prospective ground. The Company will refine its targeting efforts using historical geophysical data, modern exploration techniques, and the findings from its 2024 exploration programs to prioritize high-potential areas for further investigation. Further details on the exploration plans for the expanded project area will be provided as they are finalized.

Bedford remains committed to conducting all exploration activities in an environmentally responsible manner. The company prioritizes sustainability and responsible resource development while ensuring that all operations are conducted transparently and in collaboration with local indigenous communities and stakeholders.

Qualified Person

Dr. Peter Born, P.Geo., is the designated qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and the President of the Company, and is responsible for and has approved the technical information contained in this release.



Click Image To View Full Size

For further information, please contact the Company at info@bedfordmetals.com or 604-622-1199 or visit the Company's website at www.bedfordmetals.com.

On behalf of the Board,

Bedford Metals Corp.

"Peter Born"

President

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release includes statements that contain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation ("forward-looking statements"). All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statements that involves discussion with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often, but not always using phrases such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this news release, forward -looking statements relate, among other things to: completion of the Acquisition, the ability to obtain the necessary regulatory authorizations and approvals and the development of a revised exploration plan.

These statements reflect the Company's respective current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of other assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by management, 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 Company has made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation: precious metals price volatility; risks associated with the conduct of the Company's mining activities in foreign jurisdictions; regulatory, consent or permitting delays; risks relating to reliance on the Company's management team and outside contractors; risks regarding exploration and mining activities; the Company's inability to obtain insurance to cover all risks, on a commercially reasonable basis or at all; currency fluctuations; risks regarding the failure to generate sufficient cash flow from operations; risks relating to project financing and equity issuances; risks and unknowns inherent in all mining projects, including the inaccuracy of reserves and resources, metallurgical recoveries and capital and operating costs of such projects; contests over title to properties, particularly title to undeveloped properties; laws and regulations governing the environment, health and safety; the ability of the communities in which the Company operates to manage and cope with the implications of public health crises; the economic and financial implications of public health crises, ongoing military conflicts and general economic factors to the Company; operating or technical difficulties in connection with mining or development activities; employee relations, labour unrest or unavailability; the Company's interactions with surrounding communities; the Company's ability to successfully integrate acquired assets; the speculative nature of exploration and development, including the risks of diminishing quantities or grades of reserves; stock market volatility; conflicts of interest among certain directors and officers; lack of liquidity for shareholders of the Company; litigation risk; and the factors identified under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's public disclosure documents. Readers are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be anticipated, estimated or intended. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements or information, other than as required by applicable law.


7 March 2025 - Jervois Global Ltd. ("Jervois" or the "Company") advises in accordance with ASX Listing Rule 3.17A that it has received two notices from a group of shareholders holding at least 5% of the votes that may be cast at a general meeting of the Company ("Requisitioning Shareholders").

The first notice is purportedly given under section 249D of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) ("Corporations Act"). The notice requests that the Company call and arrange to hold a general meeting of shareholders for the purposes of considering and, if thought fit, passing the resolutions set out in Part A of the attachment.

The second notice is also purportedly given under section 249D of the Corporations Act. The notice requests that the Company call and arrange to hold a general meeting of shareholders for the purposes of considering and, if thought fit, passing the resolutions set out in Part B of the attachment.

The Company is considering if the notices are valid and the directors will comply with their obligations under the Corporations Act.

The Company will update shareholders on any material developments.

On behalf of Jervois Global Limited

Bryce Crocker, CEO

For further information, please contact:

Investors and analysts: Alicia Brown Group Manager - External Affairs Jervois Global alicia.brown@jervoisglobal.com Media: Nathan Ryan NWR Communications nathan.ryan@nwrcommunications.com.au Mob: +61 420 582 887

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.

Attachment

Part A

Resolution 1 - Special resolution to amend Constitution

That the Company's Constitution be amended by the insertion of the following new

clause 52A:

52A Member resolutions at general meeting

52A. 1 The Members in general meeting may by ordinary resolution express an opinion, ask for information, or make a request, about the way in which a power of the Company partially or exclusively vested in the Directors has been or should be exercised. However, such a resolution must relate to an issue of material relevance to the Company or the Company's business as identified by the Company, and cannot either advocate action which would violate any law or relate to any personal claim or grievance. Such a resolution is advisory only and does not bind the Directors or the Company.

Resolution 2 - Ordinary resolution on the Recapitalisation Proposal announced 2 January 2025

With regard to the proposal (Recapitalisation Proposal) set out in the Company's announcement dated 2 January 2025 titled 'Jervois Global signs recapitalisation agreement', the Shareholders:

(a)do not approve of the Recapitalisation Proposal; (b)request that the Company and its related entities (including, but not limited to, Jervois Texas, LLC), to the fullest extent lawfully possible, immediately cease all acts undertaken for the purpose of giving effect to the Recapitalisation Proposal; (c)request that the Company and its related entities (including, but not limited to, Jervois Texas, LLC), to the fullest extent lawfully possible:

(i) withdraw the "Joint Prepackaged Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization of Jervois Texas, LLC and its Debtor Affiliates" (the Plan) filed by Jervois Texas, LLC in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas on about 28 January 2025;

(ii) otherwise take steps to oppose the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas granting approval of the Plan; and

(d)request that the Board immediately develop and implement an alternative strategy which does not involve the Shareholders losing the value of their investment in the Company.

Part B

Resolution 1 - Removal of Bryce Crocker as a director

That, pursuant to section 203D of the Corporations Act and the Company's Constitution, Bryce Crocker be removed as a director of the Company effective immediately on the passing of this resolution.

Resolution 2 - Removal of Peter Johnston as a director

That, pursuant to section 203D of the Corporations Act and the Company's Constitution, Peter Johnston be removed as a director of the Company effective immediately on the passing of this resolution.

Resolution 3 - Removal of Brian Kennedy as a director

That, pursuant to section 203D of the Corporations Act and the Company's Constitution, Brian Kennedy be removed as a director of the Company effective immediately on the passing of this resolution.

Copyright (c) 2025 TheNewswire - All rights reserved.
Lithium Energi Exploration Inc. (TSXV: LEXI) (the "Company" or "LEXI") today announces the resignation of Eamonn McInerney, the former nominee to the Company's board from Arena Investors LP ("Arena").

The Company is also announcing that it received a demand notice from its senior secured creditor Arena for payment of $7,172,527.29 outstanding pursuant to the secured credit agreement entered into between the Company and Arena on February 1, 2023, as amended (the "Credit Agreement"), and a notice of intention to enforce security pursuant to Section 244(1) of the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (Canada). The Company is engaged in discussions with Arena to evaluate potential solutions to enable the Company to carry on in some form in the future; however, there can be no assurances it will be able to do so successfully.

As at November 30, 2024, the date of the Company's last unaudited financials, the Company had cash and cash equivalents balance of $3,267,062 and a working capital deficit of $4,112,218. Such amounts include the $7,000,000 in principal and related interest amounts under the Credit Agreement that have a maturity date of March 21, 2025. As at February 28, 2024, the Company had a cash balance of under $600,000 as it continues to spend on its drilling program and general and administrative expenses.

The Company has been unable to complete the final hole in its intended drilling program, owing to a shortfall in funds. Though the Company is continuing to engage in discussions with Arena, there can be no assurances the Company will be able to proceed with the completion of its drilling program. The Company expects to release results to date as soon as possible.

About Lithium Energi Exploration, Inc.

Lithium Energi Exploration, Inc. is an exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development of lithium brine assets in Argentina. Headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, with offices in Catamarca, Argentina, the Company's shares are listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV: LEXI), the Frankfurt Exchange (FSE: L09) and the U.S. OTC markets (OTC:LXENF). LEXI's portfolio of prospective lithium brine concessions in the Argentina Province of Catamarca (heart of the lithium triangle) includes approximately 57,000 hectares and a 20% interest in Triangle Lithium Argentina, S.A., which owns an additional 15,000 hectares - all located in and around the Antofalla Salar, one of the largest basins in the region, which is over 130 km long and up to 20 km across and the Hombre Muerto Salar, Argentina's long-producing lithium basin. LEXI is committed to innovation, sustainability, and quality, striving to differentiate itself from other players in the industry to maximize its potential for success. For more information, please visit our website at lithiumenergi.com.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

"Ali Rahman"

________________________

Ali Rahman,

Chief Executive Officer and Director

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements.

These forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions and estimates of management of the Company at the time such statements were made. Actual future results may differ materially as 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 materially differ from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors, among other things, include: the absence of material changes with respect to the Company and its businesses; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets; fluctuations in currency markets (such as the Canadian dollar to United States dollar exchange rate); change in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments; the failure of the parties to comply with the terms and conditions of the Credit Facility and the receipt of all requisite approvals. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure its shareholders that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended.

Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law.

SOURCE Lithium Energi Exploration Inc.







FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:



Ian Murphy

Tel: (310) 689-6397

Email: press@lithiumenergi.com


Stuhini Exploration Ltd. ("Stuhini" or the "Company") (TSXV: STU) and (OTCQB: STXPF) announces its intention to extend the expiry date of previously issued common share purchase warrants (the "Warrants") to purchase up to 3,000,000 common shares at an exercise price of $0.50 per share. The Company also announces that it has chosen to terminate the amended and restated Que Property ("Property") Option Agreement ("Agreement" or "Option Agreement") with the Property vendors.

Proposed Extension of Warrant Expiry Date

The Warrants were issued in connection with a non-brokered private placement of units (the "Units") with each Unit comprised of one common share and one-half of one common share purchase Warrant. The offering closed on March 17, 2023 with 3,000,000 Warrants scheduled to expire on March 17, 2025. If accepted by the TSX Venture Exchange, the Company will extend the expiry date of the Warrants to March 17, 2027. All other terms and conditions of the Warrants will remain unchanged. The extension of the expiry date of the Warrants is subject to the acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange.

Que Project Option Termination

Due to market conditions and the Company's recent focus on Nevada, Stuhini has chosen to terminate the Option Agreement. The Company would like to thank the project vendors for the opportunity and for all their efforts, and we look forward to working with them on other projects.

About Stuhini Exploration Ltd.

Stuhini is a mineral exploration company focused on exploration and development of precious and base metals properties in western Canada and the southwest United States. The Company's portfolio of exploration properties includes: the flagship Ruby Creek Property, 14 km east of Atlin, BC; the South Thompson Nickel Project, 35 km northwest of Grand Rapids, Manitoba; the Big Ledge Property, 57 km south of Revelstoke, BC; the Red Hills Project in northeast Nevada; the Jersey Valley Project in northwest Nevada; and the Lindsay Project in southeast Arizona.

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.

SOURCE Stuhini Exploration Ltd.







For further information please contact:



David O'Brien, President & Chief Executive Officer Telephone: (604) 835-4019, Email: dobrien@stuhini.com


The Food and Drug Administration has approved yet another expensive but highly effective hepatitis C medication, which Medicaid experts and insurers warn could ignite demand because its easier to take and comes with fewer side effects than other medications used to treat the disease.Harvoni is now the first once-daily medication that can cure hepatitis C in as few as eight weeks without injections or other pills that can cause flu-like symptoms, anxiety and a host of other side effects. It comes from California-based Gilead Sciences, which introduced the hepatitis C drug Sovaldi in late 2013 at a cost of about $84,000 for a 12-week regiment. When paired with other drugs (that can induce painful side effects), Sovaldi showed a cure rate of more than 90 percent in FDA trials, but its high price tag sparked Congressional inquiries and moral dilemmas for states, which shoulder much of the burden for hepatitis C treatment through their Medicaid programs.By providing very high cure rates in as little as eight weeks and completely eliminating the need for interferon and ribavirin, which are challenging to take and tolerate, Harvoni significantly advances treatment for patients with the most common form of hepatitis C in the United States, said Nezam Afdhal, the director of Hepatology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and a main investigator in the FDAs clinical trials, in a statement.Harvoni also boasted a clinical success rate of 94 to 99 percent in FDA trials.Hepatitis C is a viral infection that eventually leads to liver failure, cancer or other life-threatening health problems. In the developed world, its most commonly spread through intravenous drug use. Many of the estimated 3.2 million people living with hepatitis C in the United States are poor, imprisoned or elderly, which means the cost of care falls disproportionately on Medicaid and Medicare. One analysis put the potential cost of Sovaldi to states at $55 billion if they covered their entire hepatitis C populations.The pricing for Harvoni is different, though. About 40 percent of patients, those with less advanced cases, could take the drug for eight weeks at a cost of $63,000. More typically, patients will take a 12-week supply at $94,500, according to the company. High-cost, specialty drugs are a rapidly growing market -- and a growing issue for states.When last reported on Sovaldi, about half of the states were requiring prior authorization for the use of Sovaldi, essentially creating lists of criteria that patients must meet before a doctor can prescribe the drug. Those criteria commonly require that patients be in the worst stage of hepatitis C, which is cirrhosis, and that they be drug-free for a period of time.Today, some 37 states require prior authorizationaccording to a report commissioned by the Medicaid Health Plans of America, a trade group representing insurers that contract with states to manage their Medicaid programs. That report details some of the more severe requirements from state Medicaid agencies, such as a rule in Alaska requiring people with hepatitis C to be drug-and-alcohol free for a minimum of three years before getting Sovaldi.It has grown and it has grown substantially, because even in the state where there is no decision or they dont have a Medicaid [preferred-drug list], we know theyre considering moving in that direction, said Jeff Myers, the groups CEO.But the issue for state budget makers is a likely uptick in demand, says Myers and Matt Salo, who heads the National Association of Medicaid Directors. Many patients and doctors were aware of Harvonis potential when Sovaldi was released, and many decided to wait for it because it reduces side effects and doesnt require repeated office visits for the therapies that accompany other hepatitis C treatments, Salo said.Weve known that the first nine months of the availability of the hepatitis C cure was not the thing that was going to get 3 million people treated, he said.Many of those doctors will encourage their patients to take the opportunity presented by Harvoni -- rightly so, Salo said. But theres still an undeniable problem for state budgets, even if the costly drug prevents things like liver transplants later on, because those costs will surge in the near term.No physician is going to want to say to a patient, No, go without it [because the state faces a budget situation], Salo said. Thats not their job.
Plane forced to go back to gate after female passenger strips naked

www.foxnews.com International News Mar - 08 - 2025 , 10:00 2 minutes read

A Southwest plane bound for Phoenix was forced to go back to the gate this week after one of the passengers walked to the front of the plane and started taking off her clothes.

The woman, who had said she wanted off the flight and had stripped completely naked, began berating the passengers on the packed flight, harassed the flight attendants and even started pounding on the cockpit doors, other passengers said, according to local outlets.

"She turned toward us and stripped all of her clothes off," a passenger told KHOU-TV.

Another passenger explained to KPNX-TV, "She started jumping up and down, screaming at the top of her lungs.  It was very evident that she was having a mental breakdown."

She added, "I was just hoping that the plane wouldnt take off, which it didnt, thank God."

The passenger also told KPNX that the woman claimed she was bipolar.

One of the passengers caught the incident on cellphone video, which showed her walking up and down the planes aisle completely naked, screaming and banging her head.

After the plane returned to the gate at Houston's Hobby Airport, a worker covered her in a blanket, but then the woman took off, the passenger said.

"The lady just runs out of the airplane, and who knows where she went?" she told KPNX.

Houston police told the station she was taken to a hospital for medical evaluation and isnt facing any charges yet.

Southwest told KHOU, "Local law enforcement met Flight 733 from Houston to Phoenix Monday afternoon after it returned to the gate because of a Customer situation onboard. We apologize to our Customers for the delay in their travels and appreciate their patience as our Teams worked to get them to their destinations as quickly as possible."
Gertrude Oforiwa Fefoame * A visually impaired trailblazer leading disability advocacy

Efia Akese Life Mar - 08 - 2025 , 05:09 6 minutes read

At age 10 and in primary six, she realised she couldnt read clearly from the blackboard. A worrying situation that resulted in several hospital appointments and different eye treatment processes as she grew till she finally lost her sight around age 30.

Her visual impairment was caused by retinal dystrophy; genetic eye conditions that lead to decreased vision over time.

Even before losing her sight completely, she encountered many obstacles that could have prevented her from continuing her education and pursuing her dreams. However, her determination, faith in God and the support from her family and some close acquaintances set her on a different path.

Mrs Gertrude Oforiwa Fefoame, 67, and a mother of three is the immediate past chair of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), Global Advocacy Manager (Social Inclusion), Sightsavers; Global President, International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment and Commissioner, World Council of Churches.

She is the immediate past chair of the UNCRPD

She has chalked up many firsts not only in Ghana but the world at large. She is the first female from Africa to be elected to chair the UNCRPD, the first African to be elected as the Global President of the International Council of People with Visual Impairment and the first visually impaired person to earn masters degrees from both the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration and the Akrofi-Christaller Institute of Theology, Mission and Culture.

For over four decades, she has volunteered for and led different organisations and groups that advocate disability and gender issues.

A sad encounter

Last Tuesday, when The Mirror spoke to her at her office in Accra, she recounted how some depressing comments by some distant relatives who found out she had been enrolled at the School for the Blind, Akropong-Akuapem, after completing Form Five challenged her.

So by age 14, I had changed spectacles several times and couldnt read all textbooks even with spectacles on. From Form Two, which was around age 14 to 17, I went to school with limited reading capacity. I couldnt read and depended on friends during study groups and family when I was home. That is how I finished Form Five. Because reading was a challenge, I chose the Science option forgetting that practical sessions would be more challenging. I remember there was one exercise in which we had to cut the thigh of a cockroach, draw and label it. During chemistry, I couldnt see the colours, she said.

She recounted that there were many instances when she had to be out of school for weeks for medical treatment, but for the intervention of a teacher who gave her hand lenses, which enlarged prints, she wouldnt have sat for her final exam in Form Five.

When the results were released, she had two credits, two passes and two fails. One of her uncles suggested that she enrolled at the School for the Blind to learn braille reading and typing.

So I come from Akropong and spent some of my formative years in the town so I had relatives there. I was named after a queenmother of the town so the traditional natives, which include my distant relatives, called me Ohemea Foriwaa.

One day, I was by the roadside and three of the women who knew me met me and asked what I was doing there. When I told them I was a student there, they broke down. They made comments like, They thought I had a bright future and other comments that I dont want to recollect. I left them crying and feeling hopeless, she narrated.

Turn around

Aunty Getty, as she is commonly referred to, said while she spent the following days worrying about the comments from the women, she was also determined to prove them wrong and God sent her someone just in time to assist her.

Unknown to her, one of the teachers who supervised her Oral English exam at the Ghana Secondary School noticed her challenge and discussed it with his students at the Wenchi Secondary School, one of the first secondary schools in Ghana that admitted visually impaired students.

This young lady, the late Ms Grace Preko, who was touched by her teachers narration wished she met me. Unlike today where we easily communicate through phones, then, it was difficult and I had completed school so she couldnt contact me through the school.

Thankfully, when Grace enrolled at the Teachers Training College in Akropong, she heard someone who had completed secondary school had been admitted to the School For The Blind. She came to check up only to realise I was the same person her teacher spoke about.

I still have a mental image of her; she was fair, hair well plaited, well-spoken and neat. She became a friend who understood what it meant to be blind. I looked up to her and aspired to be a teacher too.

I applied to the Teachers Training College after a year at the School For The Blind and got admission. Grace was very supportive, she taught me techniques like using cassettes to record lessons and because we were doing common subjects, there were some subjects that she already had recordings of, she said.

Advocacy

Mrs Fefoame completed the Presbyterian Training College in May 1979 earning a Post-Secondary Teachers Certificate, which served as the foundation for her journey in higher learning and later, advocacy on disability issues.

She had gone ahead to pursue a Diploma in Special Education, College of Special Education; a Bachelors degree in education (Special Education) from the University College of Education, two master's degrees and many other courses from international organisations.

Going through these different schools as a visually impaired person came with many challenges but her resolve to succeed and the willingness of some leaders in these institutions to accommodate her needs fuelled her on.

She taught in mainstream schools and later in special schools, but her work in advocacy started by volunteering for the Ghana Association for the Blind.

She has been very active in local, national and international advocacy for persons with disabilities over the years, and has led many policies, programme development and capacity-building programmes in social development.

She is grateful to her mentors, family and her husband, Mr John Vital Fefoame, who have been her pillar throughout.

Raising children as a visually impaired mother, she admitted, was not easy, as there were instances when she could not tell if her children were in harms way.

Mrs Fefoame, (middle) with her husband, Mr John Vital Fefoame and their three daughters. They are Euget Zevi Motogbe, (left) Eunice Diede Fefoame (right) and Eugenia Nibie Fefoame

She was particularly grateful to her husband who had on many occasions stepped in to take care of the family (when the children were young) as her schedule involved a lot of travelling and also accompanying her to many of her international assignments.

Mrs Fefoame continues to advocate accessibility in terms of environment, information, communication and transportation for persons with disabilities.

There are accessibility standards that we have developed together with the government, there are gradients and rules on how humps are made but we dont go according to them. We want braille displays, sign language interpreters and an environment that makes life easier for persons with disabilities, she said.

Writers email: [email protected]
Savannah College of Education joins Ghanas public tertiary system

GraphicOnline Education Mar - 08 - 2025 , 08:18 1 minute read

The Savannah College of Education has officially been absorbed into Ghanas public college system, marking a significant step in the governments efforts to enhance access to quality teacher education across the country.

The Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), announced the transition after the institution successfully met all regulatory requirements. This move, according to the Ministry, aligns with the governments broader agenda to fortify the nations educational framework and bridge disparities in teacher training.

A statement from the Ministrys Public Relations Unit outlined the benefits of the absorption, noting that the college would now function under the governance and funding structures of Ghanas public tertiary education system. This change is expected to improve teacher training infrastructure, enhance faculty development, and upgrade curricula to meet modern educational standards.

Beyond infrastructure improvements, the initiative is set to broaden access to teacher education, particularly benefiting students from underserved regions. By integrating the college into the public system, the government aims to promote equity in educational opportunities and strengthen the overall quality of teacher training nationwide.

The Ministry commended all stakeholders who played pivotal roles in ensuring a smooth transition and called on students, faculty, and administrators to embrace the change. The statement further urged them to collaborate in transforming the institution into a centre of excellence in teacher education.
Bawumia pays tribute to women on International Womens Day

GraphicOnline Mar - 08 - 2025 , 13:16 1 minute read

Former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has paid glowing tribute to women for their immense contributions to humanity, urging continuous recognition of their role in society.

In a social media post marking International Womens Day, Dr Bawumia described the contributions of women as "immeasurable" and called for them to be honoured with "utmost respect."

"On this special day, I salute women in Ghana, and the world over, for their immeasurable impact on humanity," he wrote.

"Women's roles in our societies are indispensable, and we must continuously appreciate and honour them, by treating them fairly and with utmost respect."

Honouring womens contributions

International Womens Day, celebrated annually on March 8, recognises the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women worldwide. The occasion also serves as a reminder of the need to promote gender equality and womens empowerment.

Dr Bawumias message aligns with the global call to accelerate action towards womens rights and ensure that their contributions to nation-building and societal progress are duly recognised.
Empowering women is a national duty  Vice President Opoku-Agyemang

GraphicOnline Mar - 08 - 2025 , 21:30 3 minutes read

As Ghana joins the world to celebrate International Womens Day (IWD) 2025, Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has emphasised the need for collective action in breaking barriers and ensuring equal opportunities for women.

In a video message to mark the occasion, the Vice President stressed that womens empowerment is not just a womens issue, but a national imperative.

She underscored the importance of advancing gender equality, stating, When women thrive, families, communities, nations prosper. Let us accelerate action for our mothers, our daughters, our sisters, and for the future of our great nation. She further added, A happy International Womens Day to all of us. Let us continue to accelerate action.

With this years theme being "Accelerate Action," Prof. Opoku-Agyemang reaffirmed Ghanas commitment to ensuring that women play a central role in national development. She noted that women are at the heart of economic and social progress, and their contributions must be recognised and supported.

We do not only recognise the profound contributions of women in every sphere of society, but we also affirm our commitment to breaking the barriers that have long hindered our full participation in the nations progress, she said.

She highlighted the indispensable role of women in business, governance, education, healthcare, and science. She noted that Ghanaian women are the backbone of families, communities, and the economy, adding, Whether in our archives, in the boardrooms, classrooms, farmlands, or on the beaches, women continue to drive innovation, nurture growth, and shape the future of our country.

The Vice President also commended the bold steps taken under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama to promote gender equality and support womens development.

She explained that the government had introduced initiatives such as the Womens Development Fund, which provides financial support to women entrepreneurs, ensuring they have access to capital and resources to expand their businesses. She also pointed to affirmative action policies designed to increase womens representation in leadership and governance, paving the way for more women to have a voice at the decision-making table.

While acknowledging these gains, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang stressed that the journey towards full gender equality was far from over.

She noted that women still face challenges in all spheres of life but expressed optimism that with greater representation, more women would be able to unlock their full potential. These ideas mark progress, but we know that the journey towards full equality is far from over, she said.

She called on Ghanaians to do more in supporting womens aspirations and ensuring that gender equality becomes a reality in the country. We all must do better to support the women of Ghana, she urged.

She concluded her message with a call to action, saying, As we celebrate this day, let us reaffirm our collective commitment to building a Ghana where every woman and girl has the freedom to dream, the power to achieve, and the support to excel.
Bono Region losing fertile land, forest reserves to galamsey activities

Biiya Mukusah Ali Mar - 08 - 2025 , 12:17 6 minutes read

The Bono Region, one of the food baskets of the country, is gradually losing its natural resources, mainly fertile land, plantations and rivers to activities of illegal mining popularly known as "galamsey."

The fast spreading of galamsey activities in the region is threatening food production because tracts of land suitable for agriculture have been destroyed in search for gold.

A visit to Nipanikrom, Surubokrom, Operator, near Bandaboase in the Banda District and Branam in the Wenchi Municipality, has exposed how the galamseyers have destroyed farmlands, water bodies and forest reserves with impunity.

Havoc

When galamsey is mentioned in the country, attention is shifted to other parts of the country such as Ashanti, Western, Central and the Eastern regions.



However, what remains unknown to many Ghanaians is that the Bono Region is actively involved in the menace, wreaking havoc on fertile land, rivers and forest reserves.

It is devastating to see how fertile lands, cashew plantations, and popular rivers such as the Tain River are being destroyed by the galamseyers.

The Tain River, which used to be clean and surrounded by giant trees has turned yellowish, with only grass left along its banks.



The illegal miners have blocked rivers, including the Tain River, laid pipes to supply water to their illegal operation sites, thereby forcing the rivers to dry up.

Their activities have created deep pits that have been left uncovered and thus currently serving as death traps to residents, particularly farmers and strangers in the communities.

These illegal miners have erected make-shift structures in the deep forest to serve as their accommodation.

Further, the illegal miners have drilled boreholes at places where there are no rivers to facilitate their operations.

They have also installed solar panels and stationed generators to supply them with power to operate even deep in the night.

Some of the illegal miners have permanently settled in the deep forest to facilitate their daily illegal activities.

The galamseyers have encroached on parts of the concession of the King Award Ghana Limited, a mining company currently undertaking exploration in the area.

Operations of some of the illegal miners which are close to the edges of roads are gradually eating up those roads.

Excavators

At the time of the visit, there were several illegal miners busily digging for gold, using excavators, changfangs, pumping machines and other equipment.

The Daily Graphicgathered from the communities that some cashew farmers were selling out their cashew farms to the galamsey operators to mine.

The source said with as little as GH1,000, a galamseyer could purchase one acre of cashew plantation to mine.

The region is likely to lose its enviable name as "food basket", if measures are not put in place to halt the activities of illegal miners immediately.

Bono Regional Minister

The Bono Regional Minister, Joseph Addae Akwaboa, who led members of the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) to some of the sites, expressed shock and dismay about the level of destruction caused by the illegal miners in the region.

Joseph Addae Akwaboa (right), Bono Regional Minister, listening to Alex Twumasi, PRO of King Award Ghana Ltd, who gave directions to the galamsey sites. With them are DCOP Joseph Gyamera Oklu (left), Bono Regional Police Commander, and others

"I'm so shocked to the extent that I don't know how to describe these galamsey activities in the region at the moment.

"If you stay in Accra or Sunyani, you will think there are no galamsey activities in the region, but today I have realized that it's happening quietly deep in the forests," he said.

Mr Akwaboa said "If we don't act fast to halt these activities now, then the region is doomed," explaining that "a time will come when we won't get water and food to drink and eat respectively."

He said the REGSEC had put in place advanced strategies to combat the illegal mining in the region.

"The fight against galamsey will not be easy, but we will fight and win the battle,"

he said.

Bui Dam

Mr Akwaboa said if action was not taken to halt operations of these illegal miners, their activities could endanger the Bui Dam and the Bui Power Authority's

(BPA) installations.

He said the REGSEC would soon take serious action against these illegal miners to protect the Bui Dam and BPA installations.

Mr Akwaboa said the team had identified all galamsey-prone areas in the region, explaining that the team would go after operators in their hiding places.

He cautioned the Chinese and the Ghanaian nationals engaged in the activities to leave all galamsey sites with immediate effect.

"As far as I remain in office as the Bono Regional Minister, I will combat this illegal mining. I am not going to allow them to operate in this region," he said.



Arrest chiefs

Mr Akwaboa also vowed to arrest and prosecute traditional leaders who have released lands or played any role in illegal mining in the region.

"I am sending this warning to all chiefs in the region. If I get any chief involved in illegal mining, I will arrest and prosecute that chief, so stop releasing lands to illegal miners," he said.

Mr Akwaboa said the REGSEC had picked intelligence that some chiefs had released lands to the illegal miners, explaining that they had identified all the chiefs and "very soon, we will go after them.

"If you are a chief and you know you have released land to galamseyers, please drive them out of the land, else we will come after you," he warned.

Mr Akwaboa said he would put politics aside in the fight against galamsey and warned those involved in galamsey to stop their operations.

He advised cashew farmers to stop selling their cashew farms to galamseyers, because the government would soon roll out interventions to make the cashew industry lucrative.



Mining exploration

The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of King Award Ghana Limited, Alex Twumasi, said the company secured the exploration licence in 2021.

Land devastated by galamsey



He said the operations of the illegal miners had affected their exploration activities.

Mr Twumasi explained that the galamseyers at Operator, part of the company's concession, had lived in the area for more than 30 years.

He, however, explained that the destruction worsened when the illegal miners started introducing excavators and other heavy machines.

Mr Twumasi again said several galamseyers who were operating in the Ashanti, Eastern and Central regions had moved to the area because of the constant

operations of the anti-galamsey taskforce in those regions.

"After realising that there is peace in this area, most of them moved into the region to continue their operations.

This has worsened the destruction within a few years," he said.

No jobs

A 32-year-old illegal miner at Surubokrom, Zakaria Seidu, told the Daily Graphicthat the lack of jobs had forced some of them to engage in illegal mining.

He said he owned some changfangs and had been renting them to other illegal miners daily.

Seidu, who tried to justify their operations, claimed that illegal miners who used changfangs did not cause any destruction to the environment, including water bodies.

He said it was only those using excavators who were destroying forest reserves and the water bodies.

Writer's email:[email protected]
Cabinet approves 2025 Budget - Focuses on economic recovery tax reforms, energy sector overhaul

Kester Aburam Korankye Mar - 08 - 2025 , 12:59 3 minutes read

Cabinet has approved the 2025 budget and fiscal policy for presentation to Parliament on Tuesday.

The Minister for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, at a press briefing yesterday at the Jubilee House following a special Cabinet meeting, said the approved

budget would speak to the hope and aspirations of Ghanaians.

He said the budget would reflect the state of the economy, what was inherited, and a response to the economic crisis that was handed over to the government by the previous

administration.



The budget would also highlight some priorities of the government, the Government Communications Minister stated.

The President made incursions into the state of the economy during the State of the Nation Address but the Finance Minister will provide details, Mr Ofosu said.

Social contract

The minister indicated that the administrations first budget would also reflect that President John Dramani Mahama was keeping to his 120-day social contract.

The social contract includes abolition of some taxes that were introduced by the previous administration, including E-Levy, COVID-19 levy, the 10 per cent levy on bet winnings and the emissions levy.



Energy sector crisis

When the Minister of Energy and Green Transitions, John A. Jinapor, took to the podium to brief the press about the state of the energy sector, he disclosed the governments plan to construct a second gas processing plant, given the huge power demand and energy sector shortfalls.

He said the countrys energy sector faced a huge fuel deficit which had led to power outages and instability for years.

Cabinet has approved that in partnership and in conjunction with the Finance Ministry, we take immediate steps to construct a second gas processing plant, Mr Jinapor stated.

The plant was expected to augment the power shortfall and increase supply security across the country as well as improve the reliability of natural gas supply for power generation, he added.

Currently, the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant located in the Ellembele District in the Western Region is the only processing plant the country has. It has been burdened with huge demand for natural gas supply to feed thermal plants.

The Energy and Green Transitions Minister said that, considering the huge power demand, the government would require about $700 million worth of fuel to solve the fuel deficit.

In order to meet the demand requirements, we require about $700 million worth of fuel in order to fill the fuel deficit because our gas today

is inadequate to meet our fuel requirement, Mr Jinapor said.



He said the energy sector was bleeding, and something has to be done.

Mr Jinapor, who until the ninth Parliament was the Ranking Member on Energy, stressed that the current situation was unsustainable and required immediate attention from the government and stakeholders to prevent further deterioration.

He pointed to the mounting debt within the sector, inadequate infrastructure, and poor management practices as key contributors to the crisis.

Energy sector riddled with poor infrastructure, huge unsustainable and mounting debt.

At the last reconciliation before Cabinet, the energy sector debt stands at over GH80 billion. ECGs receivables stands at GH8 billion, so if ECG were to collect all its receivables we will still have a shortfall of more than GH70 billion.

What is more worrying is that the debt keeps ballooning and increasing, Mr Jinapor stated.
Tidal wave victims receive fresh hope - President assures of permanent solution soon

Alberto Mario Noretti Mar - 08 - 2025 , 12:36 4 minutes read

President John Dramani Mahama has pledged the governments determination to find a permanent solution to the ruthless and persistent tidal waves invasion of the coastal communities of Agavedzi, Sallakope and Amutinu in the Ketu South Municipality in the Volta Region.

Price: GH8.00 Ravages caused by the recent tidal wave at Agavedzi We already have a comprehensive report on the situation; the feasibility studies and the design for the Blekusu Phase 2 (sea defence) project are ready, and we just have to allocate the funding for the project, he said.



The President Mahama said this at a mini-durbar of the chiefs and the people of the affected communities at Agavedzi last Thursday after touring the areas destroyed by tidal waves to see at firsthand the damage caused by the sea.

The President visited the area moments after presiding over affairs at Ghanas 68th Independence Day celebration at the Jubilee House in Accra.



He told the people that he would direct the Minister of Finance to include the sea defence projects required expenditure in the Budget Statement scheduled to be presented to

Parliament on Tuesday.



Damage so far



So far, 51 households have been affected by the tidal waves this year, displacing 300 people and washing away 800 metres of coastal land.

The government has not forgotten you; we will do everything possible to ameliorate the plight you are going through, the President affirmed.



He blamed the severity of the problem on the failure of the previous government to continue the Blekusu Phase 2 project which covered Agavedzi, Sallakope, Amutinu and Adina, saying the project would be revived soon.

Among President Mahamas large entourage were ministers of state, Members of Parliament, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), Professor Nana Ama Brown Klutse, the Regional Minister, James Gunu, and officials of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO).

Resettlement site



President Mahama, however, expressed misgivings over the quality of the Ghana Gas resettlement project in the area, and said it was shoddy with structures not fit for purpose in a flood prone zone.

He said when Blekusu Phase 2 eventually took off, efforts would be made to resettle the displaced people at a suitable ground.



The durbar was attended by the chiefs, queens and people from the entire Some Traditional Area, beyond the affected communities.



The Paramount Chief of Some, Togbiga Makorsor Adama III, said the Presidents visit signified hope for the people and bore testimony to his personal concern for the wellbeing of the people.



You started the sea defence project in 2015; if the New Patriotic Party (NPP) had continued it, this would not have happened, he added.



For now, Togbiga Adama said, the peoples expectations were on the Mahama-led government for respite.



The regional minister said the failure of the previous government to continue the sea defence project brought agony to the people for eight years.



The assembly member for Sallakope, Sylvester Kuma, said without the sea defence, the livelihood of the people would remain at risk all the time.



Later, President Mahama presented a large consignment of assorted relief items to the people.



The consignment included 250 bags of rice donated by the Minister of Roads and Highways and MP for Adaklu, Kwame Governs Agbodza; GH100,000 donated by Engineers and

Planners; the same amount donated by the Volta Region National Democratic Congress (NDC) caucus in Parliament and 500 bags of rice, 200 cartons of cooking oil, 100 cartons of soap, 30 cartons of mosquito coils and bales of used clothes from NADMO.

These funds are intended to support the affected families as they rebuild their lives.

Displaced people

Many of the displaced people who spoke to the Daily Graphic said the solution to the tidal waves problem was the sea defence wall.

What we need now is the sea defence wall to protect lives and property and bring back our livelihoods, a resident, Yawo Moayekor, said.

The 30-year-old mother of three who is a trader said the tidal waves had deprived her of business, and that the relief items would only help for a few days.

Another woman, Josephine Domevenu, said with no roof over her head and nowhere to sleep, she could not work to feed her children.

She said the Presidents visit had renewed her hopes for a permanent solution to the problem.
International Womens Day: President Mahama calls for urgent action on gender equality

Kweku Zurek Mar - 08 - 2025 , 09:44 2 minutes read

As Ghana joins the world in celebrating International Womens Day (IWD) 2025, President John Dramani Mahama has reaffirmed his commitment to gender equality, calling for urgent measures to empower women and girls across all sectors.

In a Facebook post marking the occasion, President Mahama urged Ghanaians to accelerate action towards achieving gender parity, emphasising that womens empowerment is central to national progress.

This year's theme, #AccelerateAction, calls for urgent measures to ensure that we achieve gender equality. Ghana has made some significant strides, particularly in electing its first female Vice President. Lets build on this momentum, he stated.

President Mahama highlighted the need to prioritise womens empowerment in areas such as education, business, politics, and leadership, stressing that Ghana must continue creating opportunities for women to thrive.

We must all prioritise empowering and uplifting women in every sphere, from education and business to politics and leadership. Lets work together to create a Ghana where every woman has the opportunity to reach her full potential, he added.

His remarks align with this years International Womens Day theme, For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment, which calls for equal rights, power, and opportunities for all. The year 2025 also marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a landmark document that has significantly influenced womens rights policies worldwide.

Under President Mahamas leadership, Ghana has made significant progress in promoting gender equality, with the countrys first female Vice President serving as a milestone. However, he believes more needs to be done to break barriers and accelerate womens participation in leadership and decision-making.

As part of the IWD celebrations, the President encouraged Ghanaians to use digital platforms to share impactful stories and messages that promote gender equality. He urged the public to use the hashtag #ForAllWomenAndGirls to spark dialogue and inspire meaningful action.

The Presidents call comes at a time when governments, corporate leaders, civil society, and youth are being urged to invest in policies and initiatives that promote womens rights and create equal opportunities.

With his administrations continued push for gender inclusion, President Mahamas advocacy is expected to shape the national conversation on womens leadership, economic empowerment, and social equity.
See the areas that will be affected by ECGs planned maintenance on March 8-10, 2025

GraphicOnline Mar - 08 - 2025 , 11:04 1 minute read

The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has announced a planned maintenance schedule for Saturday, March 8, and Sunday, March 9, 2025, in parts of the Greater Accra Region.

The exercise aims to enhance service delivery and ensure a more stable power supply.

Affected Areas and Timelines

Saturday, March 8, 2025

Time: 9:00 AM  4:00 PM

Affected areas: Canadian Embassy and surrounding areas

Sunday, March 9, 2025

Time: 9:00 AM  5:00 PM

Affected areas: Little Legon, Abotse Link, Nestle Head Office, Noguchi, Fiesta Royal, 335 Place, and surrounding areas

Monday, March 10, 2025

Time: 9:00am to 5:00pm.

Affected areas: Ashesi University, East Legon, and surrounding areas.

ECG has apologised for the inconvenience the outage may cause and assures customers that the maintenance is necessary to improve power reliability.

Residents and businesses in the affected areas are advised to take the necessary precautions and make alternative arrangements where necessary.
Womens leadership is key to progress  MP Nasira Afrah urges action on International Womens Day

GraphicOnline Mar - 08 - 2025 , 09:11 2 minutes read

As the world marks International Womens Day, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Sekyere Afram Plains, Nasira Afrah, has urged Ghanaian youthparticularly young girlsto embrace leadership roles and contribute to national development.

She emphasised the need for womens active participation in decision-making, governance, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields, stressing that gender equality is fundamental to Ghanas progress.

Speaking on the theme Accelerate Action, Hon. Nasira Afrah highlighted Ghanas significant progress in advancing womens rights through education, policy reforms, and legal frameworks. However, she acknowledged that cultural and customary barriers still hinder womens full participation in leadership and economic opportunities.

Breaking barriers for womens leadership

The MP called on traditional leaders to reassess cultural practices that restrict womens progress. She also urged political parties to actively create spaces for women in decision-making and provide them with the necessary resources to thrive.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has set an example by producing the countrys first female vice president. The rise of Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang to this high office will not only inspire women and girls but also accelerate the dreams of many in reaching their full potential, she stated.

Hon. Nasira Afrah believes that womens leadership is not a competition with men but rather a partnership in nation-building. She called on fathers, husbands, and brothers to serve as allies in eliminating barriers to womens empowerment.

Economic empowerment and the Womens Development Bank

Beyond political leadership, the MP stressed the importance of womens economic empowerment. She pointed out that the proposed Womens Development Bank, as outlined in the NDCs manifesto, would be a game changer in supporting female entrepreneurs, improving access to financial resources, and closing the gender wealth gap.

As a country, we must accelerate action to support the active economic participation of women. Innovative approaches like the Womens Development Bank will ensure that Ghanaian women receive the financial backing they need to scale their businesses and contribute to economic growth, she said.

Call for collective action

Nasira Afrah reiterated that achieving gender equality requires a collective effort from all sectors, including government, civil society, and private institutions. She urged stakeholders to commit to policies and programmes that support womens inclusion and leadership development.

I wish Ghanaian women and girls a happy International Womens Day and encourage them to keep breaking barriers. Together, we can accelerate action, dismantle systemic challenges, and create a more inclusive society where women and girls have equal rights, opportunities, and empowerment, she concluded.
Next article: Afenyo-Markin urges NPP to use Lent and Ramadan for reflection and unity

Previous article: Former President Akufo-Addo calls for end to attacks on JB Danquahs legacy

President Mahama assigns Interior Minister Muntaka additional role as Acting National Security Minister

GNA Politics Mar - 08 - 2025 , 21:41 1 minute read

In a move aimed at enhancing coordination and efficiency within Ghanas security framework, President John Dramani Mahama has assigned the Minister for Interior, Mr Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, additional responsibilities as the Acting National Security Minister.

The decision, made in accordance with Section 24 of the Securities and Intelligence Act 2020 (Act 1030), was formally communicated to Parliament by the Speaker, Mr Alban Bagbin during proceedings on Friday, March 7.

Mr Mubarak Muntaka is expected to oversee national security operations alongside his duties as Interior Minister, it read.

This development comes as the government intensifies efforts to address alleged emerging security challenges and ensure public safety.

By consolidating the roles of the Interior Minister and National Security Minister, President Mahama aims to streamline the countrys security framework.

Notably, President Mahama had earlier dissolved several sectoral ministries, including the Ministry for National Security, the Ministry of Information, and the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, as part of his commitment to a lean and efficient government.
You might have heard of Apple's patent dispute with medical technology company Masimo, which resulted in a sales ban on Apple Watches with SpO2 sensors in the US. Well, the Cupertino-based tech giant was also involved in a legal battle with health tech company AliveCor, which could've led to an import ban of Apple Watch by the International Trade Commission (ITC), but that won't happen now since the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has ruled in Apple's favor.

The US Court of Appeals has upheld a decision by the US Patent and Trademark Office's Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), which said that AliveCor's EKG patents - the center of the dispute - are not patentable.

AliveCor had filed a case with ITC, claiming Apple had infringed on its EKG patents with the Apple Watch, and the ruling was in AliveCor's favor since ITC recommended an import ban on the sale of Apple Watches with the EKG feature in the US.

Apple Watch Series 9

Apple responded by appealing to PTAB that AliveCor's disputed patents be declared invalid, and PTAB found that the patents were indeed unpatentable. That decision is now upheld by the US Court of Appeals, dismissing AliveCor's ITC case against Apple.

"We thank the Federal Circuit for its careful consideration in this case. Apple's teams have worked tirelessly over many years to develop industry-leading health, wellness and safety features that meaningfully impact users' lives, and we intend to stay on this path," said Apple.

And here's what AliveCor said:

"We are deeply disappointed by the Courts decisions this morning and that the Court did not review the available secondary considerations, which the ITC found to be persuasive in their finding of validity. Today's ruling does not affect our business or ability to continue innovating for our growing base of millions of customers.

These cases go beyond AliveCor; these cases represent every small company and every future innovation that is at risk of being suppressed by a Goliath. Our fight against Apple is necessary to preserve innovation, fair competition, and the ability to ensure that inventors - both today and of the future - have the IP protection needed to build and scale new technologies.

We will continue to explore all available legal options, including potential appeals, to defend our position that our patents are valid and that Apple infringed our intellectual property rights. As we move forward, our focus remains on transforming the industry with clinically validated, AI-powered solutions that help democratize access to cardiac care."

Via
No, there's no typo in the title - we do mean that Samsung has started testing One UI 8 based on Android 16. And yes, it's incredibly ironic, since the update to One UI 7 based on Android 15 still isn't out, even with many months of testing. That one will finally start rolling out next month, and then the waiting game will start again very soon after that, since Google aims on releasing Android 16 in June.

We are naturally hoping that Samsung will be quicker with this update than it's been with the previous one, but of course there's no guarantee. The fact that the Korean company is already testing One UI 8 internally does seem like a good sign, but we wouldn't make any bets based on this information alone.

BREAKING 



The FIRST One UI 8 internal test build for the Galaxy S25 series has been spotted on the server today



Build Version: S938BXXU1BYC1/S938BOXM1BYC1/S938BXXU1BYC1



Samsung has kicked off One UI 8 (Android 16) development two months earlier than usual.



Repost  pic.twitter.com/hZ3G38ORng  Tarun Vats (@tarunvats33) March 7, 2025

The first One UI 8 build for the Galaxy S25 series was spotted today on Samsung's firmware servers, and the good news is that the company has started development two months earlier than usual. Then again, Android 16 may come out even earlier than that in the year. Perhaps there's a chance Samsung will release the One UI 8 update by the end of the year at this rate. We'll let you know when we find out more.
Diocese of Chalan Kanoa has a new bishop after Romeo Duetao Convocar was ordained and installed as the leader of the CNMIs Catholic church at the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral on Saturday.

The former apostolic administrator and vicar-general of the Archdiocese of Agana welcomed his new assignment as the pastor of the Catholic faithful in the Northern Marianas, but acknowledged the people of Guam who he said has shaped him after serving there for the past 14 years.

Convocar, who arrived on Saipan last Monday, said the past six years as apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Agana were very challenging, not just for the entire people of Guam, but for him personally.

What I went through tested my faith. However, these experiences have greatly deepened my understanding of the Lords faithful love and His boundless mercy to His people, and so, in my heart, for His mercies have never failed me. And this, I bring with me in my ministry, proclaiming the compassion and the faithful love of God, as I begin my ministry with you here in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, he said addressing the close to 2,000 in attendance during his ordination and installation.

He then recalled a conversation he had with his predecessor, Archbishop Ryan Jimenez of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Agana, shortly after he accepted Pope Francis appointment as bishop-elect of the Chalan Kanoa.

[He] asked me this question, so bishop-elect Romy, what are the things that you will remember in Guam? With that question, I must search the depths of my heart and not just answer from the top of my head. I was silent for a moment, and then I said, its the people. The people take you as their own. You belong, or I say, I belong. You are family. My deeper realization was that when I joined the ministry in the Archdiocese of Agana, the people that I met in the different villages accepted and loved me as their own.

Convocar continued that the warmth, the love, the care of the people of Guam made him feel that he truly belonged.

And with that mindset and understanding or viewpoint, I now realize that the sacrifices rendered, the many self-denials, the passion in the ministry, the pastoralism that was shown, were not just coming from the mundane of what I am supposed to do as a priest, but more so was a reciprocation or a great response to the love and the generosity that the people have come to know and serve has shown me. This, I truly cherish. I am grateful. And, so to you, people of Guam, sorry...My Guam family, thank you.

Prior to his appointment as the new bishop of Diocese of Chalan Kanoa, the 54-year-old native of Iloilo, Philippines spent 14 years in the Sacred Order of Priesthood for the Military Ordinariate in the Philippines and then another 14 years in Guam.

The great and beautiful people of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, by the virtue of this episcopal ordination and installation, I now belong to you. Yes, I belong to you, Chalan Kanoa. I trust that with the Lords sustaining grace and his boundless mercy, I will have the strength to help you walk with you as I am tasked with doing the ministry of vision to serve you.

Aside from Jimenez, other members of the Guam clergy as well as the U.S. territorys government officials, led by Guam Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero, attended the ordination and installation of Convocar.

I just want to say the community and the [Diocese] of Chalan Kanoa is a very lucky group of people to have now Bishop Romeo. Bishop Romeo worked with us very closely during the pandemic and worked with us very closely through the turmoil and tumultuous settlement of the challenges of their legal suit. And he has been very, very forthright and very smart man. Hes a smart man. He knows finances and administration very well, said Leon Guerrero during a brief interview after the rites.

She added that the people of Guam will miss Convocar terribly.

Hes a very compassionate, very loving, and kind person. The people of CNMI are, like I said before, very lucky to have him. We want you to take care of him very much and certainly well continue working together as a whole region here in the Marianas.

CNMI Gov. Arnold I. Palacios also alluded to Convocars skillful management of getting the Archdiocese of Agana out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

I heard hes got a good background in trouble situations, so I look forward to working with him. I know hes good. Our people here are very good people and we always accommodate our priests and bishops.

He then dismissed the earlier uproar following Pope Francis appointment of Convocar as the new bishop of the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa over homegrown CNMI priests.

Sometimes, you know, us humans we get into those kinds of things. I think and I believe that that has tapered off. I dont think its a controversy anymore, he said.

Aside from Jimenez, Archbishop Gabor Pinter, Apostolic Nuncio to New Zealand, CEPAC, and apostolic delegate to the Pacific Islands; and Jose F. Cardinal Advincula, Archbishop of Manila, as well as other bishops and priests from around the region attended Saturdays rites.

The ordination and installation of Convocar started with the bishop-elect being presented to the consecrating prelate and the college of bishops present. The mandate from the Holy See was then read aloud and shown to all.

In the presence of all the bishops and all the faithful, Convocar then expressed his promise to carry out his duties before laying down prostrate on the floor as a symbol of humility.

Pinter, Advincula, and Jimenez then laid their hands on Convocar, who was kneeling before them, and recited the Prayer for Ordination. Two deacons then held a book of the gospel symbolizing the duty of a bishop and sacred chrism oil was poured on his head anointing him and signifying the sacred priesthood of Christ.

Convocar was then presented his bishops ring, miter, and crosier or pastoral staff and was then welcomed with a fraternal kiss as the newest brother into the College of Bishops. After the nearly four-hour event, lunch was then served at the Mt. Carmel School Gymnasium.

Convocar is the third bishop of Diocese of Chalan Kanoa after succeeding Jimenez. The latter was bishop of from 2016 to 2024 but prior to that served as apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa from 2010 to 2016. Jimenez in turn succeeded the late Bishop Tomas A. Camacho who served from 1984 until his resignation in 2010.

Fr. Charlie Borja has served as the apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa since Aug. 15, 2024 following the appointment of Jimenez as the Metropolitan Archbishop of Agana.
A once senior Guam Visitors Bureau employee who alleged former GVB general manager Carl Gutierrez fired him over political patronage and harassed and intimidated him during his employment has taken his firing appeal to court.

The firing appeal was thrown out by the Civil Service Commission in December for being filed a day late.

Former GVB director of tourism research and strategic planning Nico Fujikawa was terminated in April 2024 for alleged insubordination and using insulting and abusive language with Gutierrez and deputy general manager Gerry Perez.

A firing appeal Fujikawa made with the CSC contends the firing was retaliation for the former employee raising issues of segregation, low morale, and pay disparity in the workplace.

But commissioners never heard the facts in the case, because attorneys for GVB successfully argued that Fujikawas appeal was filed one day after a 20-day window the employee had to challenge the termination.

Now, attorneys for Fujikawa want the Superior Court of Guam to void the CSC decision, a petition for writ of judicial review filed Feb. 11 shows.

A key disagreement in the case is whether GVB and former general manager Gutierrez fired Fujikawa on time, according to the petition.

The petition filed by Fujikawas attorneys asserts GVB waited too long to fire the former research director over alleged insubordination at a meeting.

Management did not follow GovGuams personnel regulations, and the CSC failed to properly consider the matter before throwing the case out, the petition alleges.

Months of alleged hostilities at GVB that culminated in the use of law enforcement to give Fujikawa a termination notice were detailed in internal GVB memos filed with the Civil Service Commission.

But it was a Jan. 11, 2024 meeting between Fujikawa, Gutierrez, and Perez that was used as the basis to fire Fujikawa, the Pacific Daily News has reported.

GVB documents allege the former research director used insulting and abusive language at the meeting.

The meeting was scheduled to discuss a reprimand Fujikawa had already received for alleged insubordination, a reprimand the former employee has called manufactured.

On April 10, exactly 90 days from that Jan. 11 meetingthe very last day management could have fired Fujikawa over the meeting, based on GovGuam personnel regulationsGVB management issued a termination notice for the former employee.

But the petition filed by Fujikawas attorneys argues he did not get that notice until April 11.

The former employee left work early on April 10 to deal with a personal situation outside of work, according to the petition.

He informed his supervisor, Dina Hernandez, via WhatsApp message that he was leaving at 2:35 p.m. that day.

Ms. Hernandez did not immediately respond or instruct Mr. Fujikawa to return to the office, the petition states.

Hernandez did tell Fujikawa at about 3:02 p.m. about a time-sensitive letter she needed to give him. But the contents of that letter were never shared, the document continues.

No other member of management contacted Fujikawa before the close of regular business hours at 5 p.m., and GVB deputy GM Perez called him via WhatsApp at 5:06 p.m., and did not leave a message, according to the petition.

GVB attorneys have argued that a termination notice was sent to Fujikawa by mail at 4:41 p.m. on April 10, fulfilling the requirement that he be served within 90 days of the Jan. 11 meeting.

Reasonable efforts

But the petition filed by Fujikawas attorneys asserts that GVB had to make reasonable efforts to personally give him the termination notice before resorting to mail, and did not.

Instead, management sent four law enforcement officers to his fathers house and left a physical copy of the termination notice there at about 7 p.m. that day, the petition states.

Fujikawa did not get a copy of the termination notice until reporting for work the next day, on April 11, according to his attorneys.

CSC commissioners threw the case out without ever determining that he got the notice on April 10, that reasonable efforts were made to give Fujikawa the notice in person, or that Fujikawa had willfully avoided the notice, the petition states.

And if Fujikawa got the notice on April 11 and not April 10, his May 1 firing appeal would have been on time, it notes.

The petition asks the Superior Court to void the CSCs dismissal of the case, or else order the CSC to rescind and annul the decision.

GVBs Gutierrez resigned just seven months after Fujikawa was axed, on Nov. 15. The former GM faced tensions with his board and pressure from the local tourism industry to deal with Guams depressed visitor arrivals.

Fujikawa has accused Gutierrez of dismantling the GVB research department, and removing Fujikawas office door in retaliation against him.

January arrivals to Guam were still just 42% of arrivals in pre-pandemic 2019, latest GVB data shows.

The fiscal-year-to-date levels also went down by nearly 10% compared to just a year ago, just when Guam was hoping for a steady increase since the staggeringly low numbers in 2021.


https://asianreviewofbooks.com/living-the-asian-century-an-undiplomatic-memoir-by-kishore-mahbubani/





















 ? 2024  8  13 





 1948 1967  2001 



"Living the Asian Century: An Undiplomatic Memoir" by Kishore Mahbubani

https://asianreviewofbooks.com/living-the-asian-century-an-undiplomatic-memoir-by-kishore-mahbubani/

For two decades, Singaporean diplomat and author Kishore Mahbubani has been a leading voice among a growing group of intellectuals and pundits publicizing the Asian Twenty-First Century, a triumphalist arc where Asian powersespecially a rising Chinahave cast off the shackles of Western colonialism to assume their rightful place atop in the global hierarchy of nations and civilizations. Mahbubanis oeuvre, dominated by his series of bestsellers popularizing a tale of Western decline and Asias rise, has won recognition from a host of audiences ranging from American internationalists and Chinese nationalists.

Readers of his prior work will thus be primed for, and perhaps surprised by the tenor of Mahbubanis most recent book, a deeply personal and intimate memoir. A welcome departure from the polemicsbut not necessarily the weight of self-importancewhich have characterized his earlier writings, Living the Asian Century provides insights into the intellectual and political worlds that produced the ideas for which he is best known.

Blame it all on the damn British.

Blame it all on the damn British. This first line of the first chapter sets the stage by invoking a familiar trope of Western colonial culpability for all of postcolonial Asias shortcomings. Fortunately, this opening does not allow the colonial screw up to overshadow the complex life worlds of a poor Sindhi immigrant family in postwar Singapore. Despite the challenges of domestic life, his fathers imprisonment, and his parents separation, Mahbubani dwells on the cultural richness of a polyglot society relatively free from communal violence and politics which positioned him for success. Through a series of fortuitous state interventionsincluding the provision of nutrition, public education, repositories of knowledge through well-stocked public libraries, and eventually a Presidents Scholarship to the University of Singaporea young Kishore rises up the ranks, primed for a productive career in the civil service. As he surmises, his was a lucky youth marked by affection from his mother and good governance by the state, although his privileged access to education and opportunities and advancement were not shared by his sisters.

It was the intellectual stimulation at Singapore University, that nurtured Mahbubanis free and independent spirit, positioning him to leave behind the poverty of his youth for a lifelong career in public servicefirst as a diplomat, with postings in Phnom Penh, Kuala Lumpur, Washington DC, and New York. These journeys trace Mahbubanis growth into his better-known role as a popularizer for a Singapore model of governance and diplomacy; the young idealist, pacifist Kishore is soon assimilated into the hard-nosed realism of his mentors such as Goh Keng Swee, S Rajaratnam, and Lee Kuan Yew. And yet, far from compromise, as Mahbubani describes, his free and radical spirit found kindred spirits with the trio of Singapores founding leaders (Goh, Rajaratnam, and Lee) who in their own right, were also rebels against much more powerful colonial powers. In between the highlights of his career, the memoir is interspersed with the rhythms of family and personal life. Through two marriages, and experiencing debilitating personal tragedies including the tragic death of an infant and a painful divorce, Mahbubani emerges stronger and poised for greater success in his professional life.

What does it mean to live the Asian Century?

It is the mature Kishore who dominates in the latter chapters of the book when he finds his voice as Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Through two stints as Singapores Ambassador to the UN, including a brief year as head of the UN Security Council, readers are introduced to his multiple interactions with top diplomats, professional struggles, and myriad achievements in diplomacy, academia, and public life. Embellishments to his illustrious public record, rather than dropping any groundbreaking revelations, the memoir ultimately concludes by recording his pioneering role in the great Asian renaissance, living out the Asian dream and contributing to the realization of the Asian century.

What is this Asian dream, and what does it mean to live the Asian Century? If, as he has previously defined, this involves overcoming the West and throwing off the shackles of colonialism, the growing political clout of Asian powers and the material successes of Asian cities like Singapore certainly affirms this triumphalist arc. Indeed, Mahbubanis claims are to a region-making project in Asia, pitching his personal and professional trajectoryvia Singaporeto a large base of readers in India and China (this memoir, as with many of his prior works, is available in Chinese translation). There is much to commend about the autobiographical approach, which personalizes the inner workings of high politics and diplomacy. However, I set down the book still curious about other aspects of his recent political career which gained considerable public scrutiny in Singapore. Given the wide-ranging publicity over Mahbubanis recent role as a sympathetic commentator on Chinese politics, there is surprisingly little reflection on his interest in contemporary China. Likewise, his retirement from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in 2017 and the context of his recent dissent and divergence from other members of Singapores foreign policy establishment are also passed over lightly. Despite his attempts to be undiplomatic, casting himself as an activist and contrarian thinker who supports the writing of an uninhibited history of Singapore, one might wonder if Mahbubani is being facetious about this activist persona or whether it is partially his attempt to strike a chord with a younger generation of Asian readers outside of the establishment with which he was previously associated. Given his public stature in Singapore and eminent role as a diplomat and academic who has in recent times earned the public censure of the city-states elite, a more introspective reflection on navigating the role of a public intellectual in contemporary Singapore, would have been an important contribution to ongoing debates on the stakes of democratic participation and civil society activism in Asia today.

Living the Asian Century will undoubtedly be of wide-ranging interest to those interested in contemporary Singapore. As a reader who has been at times frustrated by the generalizations and combative tone that characterizes Mahbubanis polemics in his other works, I must confess that I found this memoir eminently readable, even enjoyable at times. In simple prose, it is readily accessible and succeeds at least as one account of as one account of progress in post-independence Singapore. Even readers who cannot follow Mahbubani along with his visions of the Asian dream and Asian renaissance, will gain some insights into the social and political worlds which shaped the man and his ideas.

LIVING THE ASIAN CENTURY AN UNDIPLOMATIC MEMOIR

BY KISHORE MAHBUBANI ? RELEASE DATE: AUG. 13, 2024

An intimate view of Singapores stunning rise since independence.

Afrank career assessment by the longtime Singaporean diplomat whose tenure paralleled the decades of Lee Kuan Yews stewardship of the country into the international arena.

A descendant of Hindu Sindhi people who left what became Pakistan during Partition, Mahbubani (b. 1948), author of The Great Convergence, was born in Singapore, where his father worked as a laborer. Often drunk and mired in gambling debts, his father was not a stable provider, and the author, his mother, and his sisters struggled to make ends meet. At the same time, they lived amicably among Malay, Chinese, and Muslim neighbors, as Singapore was an entrepreneurial hub fighting for independence from Great Britain and then from the Federation of Malaysia. As the strong-armed Lee Kuan Yew steered the tiny state toward modernization and greater prosperity, Mahbubani became convinced that the only way for me to progress was to steadily shed my primitive Asian prejudices and replace them with the advanced thought of Western civilization. In 1967, he writes, one of the greatest miracles of my life happened. He was granted a Presidents Scholarship to attend the University of Singapore. Although Mahbubani hoped to become a philosophy professor (Plutarch was righteducation isnt about filling a bucket; its about lighting fires), he joined the Foreign Ministry largely to support his mother, and he served for more than three decades. The author writes about his admiration of Lee, who was close to Ronald Reagan, as well as the importance of Singapores election to the UN Security Council in 2001. Mahbubani credits Lee with being able to stand up to the U.S., like David to Goliath, and the author went on to serve as dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. He is a straightforward, prolific, influential commenter on Southeast Asia.
The Guam Department of Public Health and Social Services was awarded $1.3 million in federal funding which will help the agency prepare for pandemics.

DPHSS' Public Health Emergency Preparedness Program was awarded $1,339,555 through the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Cooperative Agreement for Emergency Response: Public Health Crisis Response Influenza A/H5N1 and Pandemic Preparedness and Response Funding for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Jurisdictions, a release from the agency states.

This cooperative agreement is part of a nationwide effort to enhance pandemic preparedness and response in light of increasing activity associated with avian influenza A/H5N1, DPHSS said.

The funding will support Guams readiness and response efforts to mitigate respiratory disease threats, including influenza A/H5N1 virus.

As part of the initiative, DPHSS will use the grant to fund various key public health activities, such as:

Case investigation and contact tracing to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

Enhancing surveillance systems and data management for better disease monitoring.

Strengthening risk communication and health education for high-risk populations.

Expanding laboratory capabilities for testing and identifying respiratory infections.

Improving emergency response coordination and vaccine distribution planning.

This funding is critical in ensuring that Guam remains prepared for potential public health emergencies, said Theresa C. Arriola, DPHSS director, in a release. By strengthening our data systems, laboratory testing, and public outreach efforts, we are better positioned to protect our community.

Guam is one of 63 jurisdictions receiving funding from the CDCs $99.3 million initiative aimed at bolstering state, tribal, local, and territorial public health capacity.

The cooperative agreement prioritizes support for jurisdictions to develop comprehensive response plans and improve public health infrastructure.

For more information, visit https://www.cdc.gov/readiness/php/funding/index.html or email the DPHSS Public Affairs Office at pao@dphss.guam.gov.
The Guam Department of Public Health and Social Services is urging the community to take preventive measures against measles after two recent measles-related deaths reported in Texas and New Mexico.

The New Mexico Department of Health reported that a deceased resident of Lea County, who was unvaccinated, tested positive for measles.

The official cause of death is still under investigation by the states Office of the Medical Investigator, the agency added.

This death marks the second fatality in the growing outbreak, coming on the heels of the death of an unvaccinated school-aged child who died on Feb. 26 in a hospital in Lubbock, Texas.

As of Friday, Texas had reported 198 cases and New Mexico 30, bringing the total to 228. Each state confirmed one death, and both were unvaccinated, according to a report from AFP.

More cases are expected as this outbreak continues to expand rapidly, the CDC warned in a Health Alert Network advisory to health care workers, public health officials, and potential travelers.

Measles is a highly contagious virus that spreads through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

Symptoms typically appear 7 to 14 days after exposure and include high fever, cough, runny nose, red or watery eyes, and a distinctive rash.

Severe complications can occur, especially in young children, immunocompromised individuals, and unvaccinated persons.

The measles, mumps, and rubella, MMR, vaccine is the most effective way to prevent measles infection and complications, DPHSS said.

MMR vaccine recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

All children should receive two doses

First dose given at 12-15 months of age, and

Second dose at 4-6 years of age or at least 28 days after dose #1

Students at post-high school educational institutions: Students without evidence of measles immunity need two doses, with dose #2 given no earlier than 28 days after the first dose.

Adults: All persons born during or after 1957 should have documentation of at least one dose given on or after the first birthday.

International travelers: People should be protected before traveling:

For infants 6 to 11 months of age, get an early dose at 6 to 11 months; follow the recommended ACIP schedule and get another dose at 12 to 15 months of age, and a final dose at four to six years.

Children 12 months of age or older: Should have two doses, separated by at least 28 days.

Adults born during or after 1957 without evidence of immunity against measles should have documentation of two doses, with dose #2 given no earlier than 28 days after the first dose.

2 weeks before travel

Those traveling to regions (domestic or international) where measles is spreading should be fully vaccinated with the MMR vaccine at least two weeks before travel, DPHSS said.

Unvaccinated travelers may still benefit from a single dose of MMR vaccine.

DPHSS recommends reviewing vaccination records to confirm they are up to date.

To learn more about what vaccines are needed for each country, visit https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/list/.

All health care providers are urged to review and update the immunization status of all patients they see.

If vaccination is contraindicated (should not be used) because of illness, a follow-up appointment should be scheduled to update vaccination as soon as the illness is over.

For more information about MMR vaccination, visit https://www.cdc.gov/measles/vaccines/index.html.

For more information or assistance, contact:
The Guam Department of Labor and the Guam Office of Veterans Affairs teamed up to create a dedicated liaison between them and strengthen support for veteran employment initiatives.

To expand and improve workforce development services for veterans, the two agencies signed a memorandum of understanding on March 6.

Labor Director David DellIsola and Veterans Affairs Director Jose San Agustin finalized the MOU.

Veterans are among our highest priority of service at the American Job Center. Any time a veteran walks through our doors or gives us a call, they get priority of service, DellIsola said in a statement. This partnership with Veterans Affairs is a connection to a sister agency that serves veterans every day. This MOU will ensure a direct link to the (American Job Center) so our veterans have the tools for their workforce needs.

The MOU establishes that Veteran Affairs and GDOL will assist new clients to register into hireguam.com, promote agency programs and initiatives, attend and participate in agency outreach events when possible, and assign appropriate staff to serve as a liaison to each agency for the coordination of all case management, among other initiatives, GDOL said.

We are proud to partner with Veterans Affairs and help our islands veterans find jobs and careers. Guam has among the highest military enlistment rates in the nation. So, when they retire or are done with their service in the armed forces, its only right that we give them the support they need to transition successfully into civilian careers, GDOL Deputy Director Gerard Toves said in a statement.
Generating consciousness and acts of cultural sovereignty.

Thats the mission for the Kumision i Fino CHamoru yan Finanaguen i Historia yan Linala i Taotao Tano or the Commission on CHamoru Language and the Teaching of the History and Culture of the Indigenous People of Guam, said Chairperson Laura Souder.

When we speak our language, we recognize that we are descendants of an ancient and sovereign people and that we maintain that connection, she said. When we learn our history, when we learn our culture and traditions, our beliefs, our values, we assert ourselves as people of the land, as taotao tano.

As indigenous people, we join other world indigenous people in celebrating our indigeneity, and the key element of indigeneity of course, is language. So long as we speak our language, our culture will continue to live and to thrive, Souder added.

The Kumision held an open house Friday at its second-floor offices at the Bell Tower Building in Anigua. Its staff, board of directors, senators, and invited guests helped cut the ribbon on a couple of public resource rooms.

The first is a room featuring dozens of interactive links to key moments and people in Guams history, primary sources which have propelled the journey of the CHamoru people in their quest for self-determination.

The exhibit, I Kinalamten Para i Direchon i Taotao Tano, explores the ongoing movement toward CHamoru self-determination.

It chronicles the resilience of CHamoru leaders, activists, and community members who have fought for the right to self-governance and sovereignty, according to the commission.

Through primary sources, historical records, and personal accounts, visitors will gain insight into the challenges and triumphs of the CHamoru self-determination movement.

I Kinalamten Para i Direchon i Taotao Tano will be on display for public viewing during Mes CHamoru from Monday, March 10, through March 31 by appointment.

Those interested in scheduling a visit may contact Piatra Tuncap at piatra.tuncap@kumision.guam.gov; or by phone at (671) 922-0600.

The Kumision acknowledges that there are many missing pieces in the story, and they will continue to work hard to fill in those gaps. The exhibit was produced with the assistance of a working group that included members of the Commission on Decolonization and the Guam Museum.

Scattered about the display are several QR codes, meant to connect the guest with the historic moment through technology.

We wanted to make it so that kids would love to interact with it. We will curate it with a narrative when we put it online, and that will be for teachers, Souder said.

The eight exhibit panels that make up a key display might not have been saved for a key donation.

Souder explained that the Kumision does not have a lot of money as its work is dependent on federal funding.

We were talking to Senator Joe (S. San Agustin) and were telling him that we want to do an interactive exhibit, but we dont have the funds to launch it, to print the panels. And he says how much do you need. I said $1,200 for eight panels, said Souder. He literally came back the next day and gave us 1,200 bucks. And he said, This is from my wife (Joanne) and me.

Genealogy

The commission also launched Sagan Inilao Put Hinayi yan Rikuetdon CHamoru. Its a genealogy research lab and resource center, dedicated to preserving and revitalizing CHamoru family histories.

Located in the Kumisions office, this new lab provides a center hub for families seeking to explore, document, and preserve their genealogical heritage.

The more the room is used and the more data is collected, the easier it will be to make connections, Souder said.

She encouraged people to come in and share their family trees, in digital format if possible. All ancestry data is welcome, she said, and those who visit are almost guaranteed to make some connection with the past.

The Genealogy Lab offers a database of genealogical information, tools for creating family trees, and staff to assist families in researching their lineage.

The Kumisions new website will feature online scheduling, downloadable forms, and educational resources. The lab is free and open to the public, call to schedule a visit with hours of operation on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., and Tuesdays from 1 to 4 p.m.

These initiatives are part of the Kumisions ongoing efforts to educate, inspire, and empower the CHamoru community while preserving the history and culture of the CHamoru people for future generations, the commission said.

For more information, contact the Kumision at (671) 922-0600, by e-mail at kumisionchamoru@gmail.com, or check them out on social media @kumision.chamoru.
A 37-year-old man is accused of assaulting a woman known to him leaving her with multiple injuries, a magistrate's complaint filed in Superior Court states.

Roy Manuel Molano Taitano was charged with two counts of aggravated assault and two counts of family violence as third-degree felonies.

On March 4, a woman and Taitano got into an argument, which turned physical when the woman tried to get away from Taitano, documents state.

The woman said she could tell Taitano was going to start arguing as they drove back to their residence and when they arrived, she tried to get into the driver's seat. Taitano threw what appeared to be a wrench at the side mirror on the driver's door causing it to break.

He then ran at the woman and began swinging at her with closed fists, striking her face, arms, and legs, the complaint states.

Taitano then grabbed her and threw her on the ground and then he placed both hands on her throat and squeezed for about eight seconds causing her to lose her breath, lose bladder control and almost lose consciousness, documents state.

The woman said she scratched Taitano's arms and tried to fight him off her and Taitano eventually released her, and she locked herself in the vehicle and fell asleep for the rest of the night, the complaint states.

The next day, the woman went into the bedroom to find Taitano and tell him he needed to fix the damage to her car.

Taitano slammed the bedroom door as he approached the woman, then punched her head with a closed fist approximately 10 times, the complaint states.

He then got a drill and used it to hit her legs and then began shooting a BB gun into the room, but didn't hit her with any pellets, documents state.

Taitano then threw the BB gun down and came to the woman and grabbed her throat for about five second causing her to lose her breath, documents state.

She tried to push him off, but he was too strong.

The woman went to the Central Precinct to report Taitano and police noticed several injuries including bruising and scratches all over her body. Medics assessed the woman's injuries and recommended she be transported to the hospital for treatment, but the woman said she would take herself, the complaint states.

Police met with Taitano at his home and brought him to the precinct for questioning.

Taitano said the woman began calling him multiple names and pushed his head which made him angry. He admitted to grabbing the woman and restraining her on the bed while sitting on top of her, holding her arms, pinning them to the side, the complaint states.

He said the woman tried to kick him off multiple times, so he placed her in a choke hold by wrapping his left arm around her neck and locking his left hand with his right arm while "lightly" applying pressure, documents state.

He said he did it so the woman would calm down and said when he released her, he noticed white foam coming out of her mouth, the complaint states.

Taitano was arrested and was committed to jail on a $5,000 cash bail, according to Office of the Attorney General of Guam documents.
A man who was convicted of crashing a bus at Andersen Air Force Base was sentenced to three years in prison.

The Office of the Attorney General announced Jesse Taitano Basaliso's sentence in a release and thanked Judge Alberto E. Tolentino for handing down the maximum three years of incarceration.

In November 2024, a jury found Basaliso not guilty on a charge of theft of an automobile, but it also found him culpable of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, eluding a police officer and criminal mischief on Friday.

Basaliso initially faced a second-degree felony charge after he jumped onto a yellow bus in March 2024, and drove it from Two Lovers Point to the Andersen Air Force Base gate.

Core Tech employees spotted the bus, followed it and told police, who took up pursuit. Basaliso led officers on a medium-speed chase before arriving at the military base entry point and finally surrendering after crashing into a concrete barrier at the base.

The AG's office said it would seek the maximum jail term of three years.

Basaliso faced as many as 10 years in jail had he been convicted of theft of an automobile. Basaliso also has prior convictions.

Tolentino imposed a harsh sentence, with 1 year on each charge, to be served consecutively, the AG's office said.

"Harsh sentences deter crime and protect our community. Basalisos crimes show the devastation criminals cause when left free. He damaged Core Techs property and risked lives. The cycle of catch, release, and reoffend must be broken," the AG's office said.

Prior convictions

Basaliso has previous convictions for assault, criminal mischief, reckless conduct, terrorizing, theft and possession of a firearm without a firearms identification card, according to documents from the Office of the Attorney General.

He was awaiting trial on a 2022 theft-by-receiving charge when he was arrested in the bus chase case, according to a magistrates complaint filed in Superior Court.

Workers at the Core Tech barracks reported a man climbed aboard a yellow bus with a white roof and rammed the main gate at Two Lovers Point. Police located the bus near the NCS Shell area and activated their lights and sirens to pull it over near Route 3 and Route 28.

The bus continued northbound on Route 3, with officers using their public address system to order the driver to pull over.

Basaliso appeared to stop and speed up multiple times, according to the complaint, and came to a stop at the red light near the Andersen Air Force Base gate.

But when the light turned green, Basaliso began driving again  and soon crashed into a concrete barrier at the base.

As the officers approached him and told him not to move, he reportedly uttered, Im here for recruitment, the complaint stated.




Haiti - Education : Progress of the Ministry towards trade union organizations





On Thursday, February 6, 2025, the authorities of the Ministry of National Education presented, during a press conference, the progress made by the Ministry in implementing the commitments made to the country's teachers' union organizations.



Less than 2 months after the signing of an agreement https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-44109-haiti-education-end-of-teachersstrike.html , Yves Roblin, the Director General of the Ministry announces that significant progress has been made to make available to workers in the education system, the debit card, considered one of the key points of the Ministry's commitments.



"It is a measure of distributive justice and equity," 34,505 employees are concerned, specified Roblin, also announcing letters of appointment to teachers who work in the system without being appointed.



In this perspective, Guichard Chery, the Director of Administrative Affairs of the Ministry stressed that the files of 4,793 teachers have already been processed by the Human Resources Department of the Ministry alongside 580 appointment notices processed for trainee teachers. The files of 700 professors appointed but not budgeted, are being processed, also announcing progress in the process aimed at paying salary arrears.



Guichard Chery, stressed that in accordance with the commitments made to the Ministry of Economy and Finance, measures have been taken to clean up the education system, well before the distribution of debit cards.



In this sense, Jean Wilnor Pierre, the Coordinator of the Departmental Directorates of Education, recalls that an inspection mission was dispatched to the field, from February 12 to 27, 2025, with the aim of providing the Ministry with a cleaned attendance list for the 10 departments.



For the time being, the purge is already effective for 9 departments, except the West, stressed Jean Wilnord Pierre, announcing that this process will be launched in the West with the distribution of checks for the month of February 2025.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Overseas Military Bases of the United States and China's Belt and Road Initiative

This article analyzes the current status of the United States' overseas military bases and China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), aiming to predict their medium- to long-term impacts on the global order.

According to publicly available data, the United States currently operates 374 overseas military bases across more than 140 countries and regions, with a total of 300,000 troops stationed abroad. These bases enable the U.S. to control critical maritime chokepoints, including the Korean Strait, the Strait of Malacca, the Suez Canal, the Panama Canal, the Strait of Gibraltar, the Persian Gulf, and the Greenland-Iceland-UK passage. Overseas military bases serve as the foundation for the U.S. to project and sustain its military power globally, maintaining the international order and hegemony as defined by the U.S. These bases also bring significant economic and political benefits to the United States.

Economic Benefits:

Warfare generates substantial profits for the U.S. military-industrial complex. The arms industry is one of the most profitable sectors globally. Conflicts and wars drive weapon sales, aligning with the interests of the U.S. military-industrial complex. As the world's largest economy, the U.S. stations troops overseas to protect vital trade routes and energy resources. For example, the presence of U.S. forces in the Middle East helps stabilize oil supplies, which is crucial for the economic security of the U.S. and its allies.

Political Benefits:

Through overseas military presence, the U.S. exerts greater influence in international affairs, shaping a global order that aligns with its interests. This also serves as a way to reassure allies of its security commitments, enhancing its international standing and preparing for potential conflicts.

During the peak of the Roman Empire, it controlled territories primarily around the Mediterranean, spanning Europe, Asia, and Africa, with a land area of approximately 5 million square kilometers. The controlled seas included the Mediterranean, parts of the Black Sea, and the coastal regions of Western Europe. Similarly, during the height of the Han Dynasty, China's controlled territories were limited to Asia, with a land area comparable to that of the Roman Empire (about 5 million square kilometers). In contrast, through its allies and overseas military bases, the U.S. effectively controlled most of the world in the 1990s following the collapse of the Soviet Union, excluding a few countries like China and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). This represents the largest hegemonic system in human history. The network of air and sea routes connecting the U.S. mainland to its overseas military bases forms a global force projection system, embodying American democracy and underpinning the hegemony of the U.S. dollar.

On the other hand, China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has led to the construction, ownership, and operation of 110 ports in 67 countries (according to a MERICS report). These include approximately 25 in Europe, 23 in Africa, 13 in the Middle East, 19 in the Americas, and 16 in South Asia. Additionally, 12 highway projects and 12 railway projects (completed or under construction) have been established. During the third Belt and Road Forum in 2023, China signed 32 intergovernmental cooperation projects with 34 countries, 10 cooperation projects with international or regional organizations, and established 17 bilateral platforms for scientific research, education, and finance. By 2023, trade in goods between China and BRI partner countries had doubled from 1 trillion in 2013 to over 2 trillions. At same time, China's total import and export trade increased from 4.1 trillions in 2013 to approximately 6 trillions in 2023 (WTO), with the trade surplus growing from 300 billions to 800 billions. This demonstrates that while BRI partner countries are primarily developing nations, they have contributed significantly to the growth of China's total trade volume.

Comparative Impact on the Global Order:

Both the U.S. overseas military bases and China's BRI aim to project power and influence through global networks of points and lines.

The U.S. has established a multi-layered security system worldwide through its military bases. This includes core alliances (e.g., AUKUS, Five Eyes), military alliances (e.g., NATO, U.S.-Japan-South Korea), and various security treaties with allies (e.g., U.S.-Australia-New Zealand, U.S.-Philippines, U.S.-Ukraine). This system allows the U.S. to intervene almost anywhere in the world, shaping a global order that serves its interests and ensuring the dominance of the U.S. dollar. The use of military bases to secure political and economic benefits is stable, efficient, and far-reaching, surpassing the provincial systems of ancient Rome and the tributary systems of Han and Tang China. For example, the U.S. containment of China's technological and economic development since the 1950s significantly delayed China's modernization. During the Cold War, NATO's containment and pressure on the Soviet Union were major factors leading to its collapse. The U.S. suppression of Japan's semiconductor industry successfully neutralized a potential technological rival. Similarly, U.S. control over Germany has prevented it from challenging American dominance. The extensive network of overseas military bases enables the U.S. to execute such strategies and reap substantial political and economic benefits.

However, this military-centric approach to power projection has significant disadvantages. The failures in the Vietnam War, the Afghanistan War, and the spread of extremism following the Iraq War have consumed vast amounts of U.S. military resources without achieving their political objectives, leading to a decline in U.S. influence. The root cause is that the U.S. attempts to alter the civilizational trajectories of other nations through military forces, In fact, it is promoting Western hegemony under the guise of democracy. However, the world has changed, and nations now prioritize independence and development, which fundamentally conflicts with U.S. objectives. This is the primary reason for the ultimate failure of U.S. led wars. The U.S. and its allies' support for Ukraine in the Russia-Ukraine war has cost them significant military and economic aid, with European allies suffering substantial losses due to sanctions against Russia. As Ukraine faces setbacks in the war, the U.S. may be forced to seek a ceasefire, prompting European allies to reconsider the high costs of aligning with U.S. interests, which may not align with their own. This could create fissures between the U.S. and its allies, ultimately threatening the presence of U.S. military bases in allied countries.

Since its proposal in 2013, China's Belt and Road Initiative has attracted participation from over 150 countries and 30 international organizations. China's cumulative direct investment in BRI partner countries exceeds $270 billion. The construction of ports, railways, and other transportation projects under the BRI has directly facilitated trade between China and partner countries. Chinese manufacturing industries, through wholly-owned enterprises, joint ventures, and intergovernmental cooperation, have expanded globally, transforming China from a manufacturing powerhouse into the center of a global manufacturing network. Through the BRI, China has significantly strengthened its political and economic ties with the Global South and many moderately developed countries, indirectly benefiting from their economic relationships with developed nations.

Compared to the U.S. overseas military bases, China's BRI offers several advantages in projecting power and influence:

1. The BRI focuses on mutual development and trade reciprocity, with minimal military or political conditions. It does not infringe on the sovereignty or security interests of partner countries, making it more acceptable to other nations.

2. Western civilization has only created a few developed countries over centuries. Many developing nations that adopted democratic systems remain impoverished, while some moderately developed countries have regressed due to economic crises. For these nations, economic development is their only way forward. From the perspective of human civilization, after the bipolar confrontation of the Cold War, the unipolar world, and various regional wars and great power competitions, peace and development have gradually become the mainstream. The BRI aligns with this trend, which is why it has achieved continuous success and expanding influence over the past 11 years.

3. China's strong infrastructure capabilities, advanced manufacturing level, and the diligence of its technical personnel enable BRI projects to be completed quickly, efficiently, and at low cost. Chinese enterprises, both state-owned and private, have promoted employment and improved living standards in partner countries. Compared to investments from Western countries or the World Bank, BRI investments typically offer higher cost-effectiveness and faster completion, with overall benefits surpassing other forms of investment.

However, the BRI also presents challenges for China:

1. The lack of military means to protect BRI projects has led to the suspension of some projects due to U.S. military or political pressure on partner countries, resulting in losses for Chinese enterprises. This highlights the role of U.S. overseas military bases in countering and disrupting the BRI.

2. Investments in heavily indebted countries may exacerbate their debt burdens, making it difficult to recover investments.

3. The BRI is profoundly altering global geopolitics, leading to heightened vigilance and countermeasures from Western countries, particularly the U.S. Rapidly disrupting the global order may provoke stronger Western counteractions, potentially backfiring.

The U.S. overseas military bases are a primary means of power projection but not the only one. They symbolize the overall strength of the U.S., and their role will inevitably change with the rise and fall of U.S. power. Similarly, the BRI represents China's strength, reflecting its vast manufacturing capabilities, technological advancements, and the potential of the Chinese people to drive human civilization forward. Assuming a 5 to 15 years as a medium term for the evolution of the global order, we can predict the most favorable strategies and outcomes for the U.S. and China in their competition for global influence.

For the U.S.:

President Donald Trump marks a significant shift in U.S. policy from maintaining a single polar post-Cold War world to prioritizing U.S. interests. The U.S. is not abandoning its hegemonic position but seeks to maintain it at lower costs and with reduced risks of major power conflicts, including necessary retrenchment, to focus on domestic reconstruction. Therefore, the optimal strategy for utilizing overseas military bases should include:

1. Adjusting forward deployments against China and Russia, shifting focus to overseas bases closer to the U.S. mainland. Negotiating with China and Russia to delineate spheres of influence, and increasing transparency in military engagements in hotspot areas to reduce miscalculations. Initiating U.S.-China-Russia arms control talks to lower U.S. defense expenditures. The U.S. must recognize that the triangular relationship between the U.S., China, and Russia has become the dominant factor shaping the global order. Attempting to defeat either China or Russia will provoke coordinated counteractions from both, leading to failure. The outcome of the Russia-Ukraine war will demonstrate this.

2. Reducing the reliance on overseas military bases in allied defense strategies. Shifting from a predominantly coercive interventionist policy to a more carrot-based approach, helping allies and developing countries grow their economies on a reciprocal basis, while supporting the revival of U.S. domestic manufacturing and establishing secure supply chains.

3. Rebuilding U.S. manufacturing is critical to sustaining overseas military deployments. In the short term, government policies (subsidies, allied investments) should strengthen or rebuild key industries. In the medium to long term (15 years and beyond), the focus should be on education, particularly from elementary to high school, to cultivate a pragmatic and hardworking younger generation. Additionally, limiting financial speculation and reorienting capital markets toward industry, as well as restoring traditional Christian values in society, will help revive the spirit of unity, diligence, courage, and justice that characterized the founding of the U.S.

In summary, the scale and role of U.S. overseas military bases will likely decrease over the next 5 to 15 years. Their future depends on the U.S. maintaining its lead in technology and manufacturing, which in turn depends on the overall competitiveness of the American people, including innovation, labor efficiency, and manufacturing costs. Competing with emerging nations like China in labor efficiency and manufacturing costs is a daunting task that requires long-term efforts.

For China, the optimal strategy for the BRI should include:

1. Ensuring that the BRI remains an extension of China's manufacturing and technological strength. To guarantee the long-term success of the BRI, core technologies and innovations must remain within China. China must avoid the pitfalls experienced by Japan and the U.S., where the outsourcing of manufacturing led to its decline.

2. Providing secure investments to partner countries, including appropriate military aid and security cooperation, in order to protect BRI projects. However, China should avoid becoming entangled in the internal political conflicts of partner countries.

3. While Western countries, particularly the U.S., are wary of or resistant to the BRI, they also benefit directly or indirectly from it. The dilemma for Western countries is that the BRI erodes their spheres of influence while they rely on the supply chains and industrial networks it creates. Therefore, China should minimize geopolitical disruptions and consider the interests of all parties when advancing BRI projects.

The BRI will continue to expand over the next 5 to 15 years, primarily because both China and partner countries benefit from it.

The above analysis discusses the strategies for U.S. overseas military bases and China's BRI from the perspectives of their respective interests. Both are means for major powers to project influence and compete for global dominance. While history records the rise and fall of hegemonic powers, it does not simply repeat itself. If multipolarity is the inevitable direction of the global order, the end of the single polar world means that no major power should seek to become the new global hegemon. From the perspective of promoting human civilization, both U.S. overseas military bases and China's BRI can play positive roles. A potential win-win cooperation between China and the U.S. could involve combining China's manufacturing and infrastructure capabilities with U.S. capital and management expertise, supported by the security provided by U.S. overseas military bases, to jointly advance the BRI or similar initiatives, benefiting all parties. In conclusion, the global expansion of China's manufacturing and technology, symbolized by the BRI, represents a second industrial revolution following the original Industrial Revolution. If China and Western countries collaborate to promote the BRI in the Global South, it could fundamentally address global development imbalances and propel human civilization to a new stage.
ALBANY  Amy Dake considers herself computer savvy. And with experience as an independent living specialist, the Buffalo woman possesses intrinsic knowledge of the world of home care.

But on Feb. 3, Dake struggled to register with Public Partnerships LLC, the states new fiscal partner for a Medicaid program that allows New Yorkers to receive home care from loved ones. Dake is among 280,000 people receiving care through the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program or CDPAP, an alternative to nursing care.

Starting April 1, PPL will become the states single entity to handle payments to CDPAP caregivers. Consumers and their caregivers must register with PPL by that date to continue receiving services. It is a plan that Gov. Kathy Hochul touted as a way to save $1 billion annually and reform a costly system hurt by fraud. Home care advocates and the chairs of both health committees of the State Legislature, however, say the April 1 deadline is unrealistic for a registration process they see as rife with issues for consumers.

Dake, 57, said PPLs enrollment site gave her the option to use her phone or computer to register. She used her computer.

It did not like one of the answers that I gave when I was trying to register to do the program and so it kept spitting out at me that I had a bad phone number, Dake said in a phone interview. I ended up having to call them and have them reset the whole thing so I could start from scratch again.

Dake said she was fortunate to call someone at Western New York Independent Living, an organization that advocates for people with disabilities and where she previously worked as a caregiver, to walk her through the registration process. But she questioned how many other people, especially more elderly CDPAP consumers, might fare. Dake said she was asked to enter the personal information of her caregivers, which she did not know. Even after supplying her information, the process left her unsure of whether she would have care after April 1.

Who knows whats going to happen when it comes time whether or not Ive successfully completed it or not? I dont know, she said.

Dake said she had no prior issues with her present fiscal intermediary.

Sam Spokony, a spokesperson for Hochul, noted that Western New York Independent Living is working with PPL to help consumers.

"The state is committed to supporting home care users like Ms. Dake  and were pleased she was able to work with one of PPLs state-approved facilitators to begin her CDPAP transition," he said. "This is a prime example of why the states transition encourages CDPAP consumers to work with one of PPLs facilitators, such as a local Independent Living Center, if they have any questions or issues during this process."

Todd Vaarwerk, a Buffalo CDPAP consumer who doubles as the director of policy and advocacy for Western New York Independent Living, said he did not believe the system would be ready by April 1.

If we keep going at the rate were going and dont push the date further ahead to get everybody enrolled, services are going to be affected through no fault of the consumers, he said. What is the commissioner of the Department of Health going to do about having made that (April 1) assertion in multiple media venues and then it turns out not to be true?

Lindsay Miller, executive director of the New York Association on Independent Living, said the states shift to a single fiscal intermediary is relying heavily on technology and underestimates the level of support needed by consumers to complete the transition to PPL.

Our greatest concern at this time is for the health and well-being of tens of thousands of consumers whose services will no doubt be disrupted, leaving them without the care and assistance they need to live, she said.

Brian OMalley, executive director of Consumer Directed Action of New York, an advocate for CDPAP consumers and fiscal intermediaries, estimated that some 80,000 consumers would be left out by the deadline. Ilana Berger, political director of Caring Majority Rising, a group representing people with disabilities, older adults, family caregivers and home care workers, said even if PPL was a well-oiled machine with everything in place there was no way to make the April 1 deadline.

But despite what you heard from DOH, Berger said, referring to the state Department of Health, PPL is far from a well-oiled machine. Its actually been a trainwreck. I know this because we talk to consumers and workers every single day who are going through this process.

As of March 3, nearly 95,000 consumers and nearly 95,000 personal assistants had either started or completed the registration process with PPL. That included at least 4,4000 consumers in Western New York, said Cadence Acquaviva, a Health Department spokesperson.

Consumers can register by phone, online or at more than 150 physical locations. State Health Commissioner James V. McDonald has repeatedly said the plan to shift to PPL by April 1 was ahead of schedule, according to his testimony on Feb. 11 before a joint legislative panel conducting hearings on Hochuls proposed $252 billion budget.

The deadline is April. Thats in the law, the health commissioner said, joined at the hearing by State Medicaid Director Amir Bassiri. And thats what were planning on doing and thats what we expect that well do.

The commissioners testimony drew skepticism from Sen. Gustavo Rivera, D-Bronx, and Assembly Member Amy Paulin, D-Scarsdale, who chair the health committees in their respective houses. Paulin said there was a 15 or so page document that each caregiver, known as a personal assistant, needs to fill out.

We have concerns, I think collectively, whether this is really going to happen by April 1, Paulin told McDonald.

Rivera said PPL would need to sign up 240,000 consumers  roughly 5,000 a day  to reach the April 1 deadline.

And youre suggesting that this actually possible? Rivera asked McDonald.

Im suggesting that we have a plan and we are meeting the targets in that plan for the people that should be enrolling and informed, McDonald said. It does exponentially go up. Were monitoring it very, very closely.

McDonald added that there was the potential they did not meet the deadline. Both Paulin and Rivera asked the health commissioner to identify his Plan B if the deadline was missed. Rivera noted that under the budget, past intermediaries cannot handle payments after April 1.

The Plan B is essentially going to be dependent on where we get to and when, McDonald said. The minute we dont meet benchmarks, people will know. But in essence, we have confidence that there will be no disruption for the members or their workers. The reason for that is thats what we pay health plans to do is to be accountable for those members so theyre going to make sure that the members receive care and the workers get paid.

Rivera bluntly told McDonald that the April 1 deadline does not work.

And I would suggest to the (Hochul) administration that they privately talk amongst themselves to see if this is the case, Rivera said, adding, You might need to move that deadline. Because the Plan B that youre talking about seems to be pointing the finger at (others) and saying you all didnt do it. It seems thats what youre setting up.

Acquaviva, the DOH spokesperson, said: It was always anticipated that this transition would advance at the pace weve seen thus far, with engagement and registrations scaling up as the process continues through April 1. Our much-needed CDPAP reforms will protect home care users, while also protecting taxpayers across New York by ending years of runaway Medicaid costs.

At the budget hearing, lawmakers and witnesses expressed concerns over PPLs ability to address consumers and caregivers who need translators. DOH said PPL has nine direct language lines running and that speakers are available for an additional 35 languages. DOH said when callers to PPL request a non-English speaker, PPL agents will look to find someone who speaks that language. If one is not available, they can choose an interpretation service.

In a statement, PPL President Maria Perrin said, We continue to grow our engagement with the CDPAP community through our various channels of support  Were excited to share positive experiences consumers and PAs are having in the registration process.

DOH said the department expects registration to accelerate significantly in next few days and weeks.

Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, D-Bronx, said he does not support a delay, nor did Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes, D-Buffalo.

I hope that we can go through with the original plan and I hope that it does exactly what its planned to do  that we will decrease the number of agencies that are delivering this important service to our constituents and still be able to deliver a good service, Peoples-Stokes said. I believe that thats possible and Im hoping we can move forward with it.

Other Western New York lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle expressed concerns.

Assembly Member Patrick Chludzinski, R-Cheektowaga, who sits on the Assembly health committee, said he shared the concerns of Paulin and Rivera. He urged the state to provide more time.

The testimony from Health Commissioner James V. McDonald confirms what many of us have feared  the transition of 280,000 consumers is not progressing at the pace needed to meet the April 1 deadline, he said. While it is important to have a goal, we must also be realistic. Rushing this transition risks leaving thousands of vulnerable consumers without the care they depend on.

In August, Sens. Sean Ryan, D-Buffalo, and Patrick Gallivan, R-Elma, were among 31 lawmakers who signed a letter asking the federal government to consider rejecting the switch to a single intermediary. They were concerned it could deprive tens of thousands of consumers of care and disproportionately hurt vulnerable populations.

Gallivan, the ranking Republican on the Senate health committee, said CDPAP helps thousands of elderly and disabled residents stay in their homes and saves the state money. But he said the transition to PPL needs to be transparent, that services are enhanced and no one jeopardized.

If the deadline cannot be met, I encourage the department to adopt a time frame that is more achievable, he stated.
The Encyclopedia Brittanica calls Ash Wednesday a solemn reminder of human mortality, the feeling typically associated with distributing ashes as Lent begins in many Christian churches.

Certainly, that emotion was present Wednesday evening at Holy Cross on Buffalos West Side, where a crowd of well over 100 people turned out to receive ashes during a Catholic Mass said by the Rev. Louis Lougen.

Yet this was no typically somber Ash Wednesday. What you felt above all else, as Lougen noted, is how people really come together here with joy.

Sean Kirst: At St. Bernard's, despite pandemic, they still have some fish to fry At church in Buffalo's Kaisertown, a tiny group of volunteers pulled off a knockout Lenten drive-up pandemic fish fry, in a neighborhood saddened by news of a bank shutdown across the street.

In that sense, Lent began at Holy Cross as an introspective journey, intertwined with celebration. The church is staying open. Its seemingly set-in-stone closing was part of the shutdowns and mergers announced last year by the Diocese of Buffalo, bringing 160 Western New York parishes down to 79.

The stunned congregants of Holy Cross rallied together. The church faithful  predominately Hispanic, parishioners say, with a mesh of longtime Italian American families and immigrants from Burma, Congo, Rwanda and other nations  didnt accept the finality of the decision.

They formed a committee to prepare an appeal. The goal was showing the diocese that Holy Cross has multicultural meaning of deep value, serving an important and unique mission near the downtown skyline you see as you walk out the door.

The Rev. Bryan Zielenieski, diocesan vicar of renewal, stayed in touch with that process. He eventually carried the Holy Cross plea for staying open back to church leaders.

Two weeks ago, Zielenieski delivered a letter to Holy Cross from Bishop Michael Fisher, who lauded the diversity and deep roots of the parish, and ruled the church didnt need to close.

The long-term future, however, is hardly certain: Fisher, noting that Holy Cross remains on a diocesan watch list, asked parishioners to address severe challenges involving finances and attendance.

The congregation, elated, says it will rise to those demands.

We feel this is a miracle, said Denise Santos, a lector whose husband, Miguel, is a Holy Cross deacon  and who remembers, in childhood, how she and her father always sat beneath a statue of the Blessed Mother.

Nelly Garcia and Francisco Perez share that gratitude. The couple arrived in Buffalo 11 years ago, from Puerto Rico, to care for Nellys ailing mother and aunt. Nelly prayed every day to find a welcoming church. She and Francisco were shopping at Tops Markets on Niagara Street when they heard the bells of Holy Cross, across the street.

This was their answer. They became so deeply involved they now serve as Eucharistic ministers. Their daughter, also named Nelly, is a lector and usher who joined the committee that saved the church.

Pointing at the floor Wednesday, Francisco called Holy Cross our second home  an expression I heard multiple times from many in the pews.

The younger Nelly, their daughter, said everyone at Holy Cross feels keen empathy for other Western New York churches closed by the diocese, including almost 30 appealing their closures. But Zielenieski said Holy Cross was a one-of-a-kind situation.

Even before the larger shutdowns, he said, the diocese told Holy Cross it was fragile, but could remain open on a watch list. Zielenieski said a small group of leaders at Ss. Columba-Brigid and Holy Cross met quietly and decided a merger made sense, choosing Ss. Columba-Brigid as the place of worship.

Zielenieski said they brought that plan to a diocesan review committee. He asked if they were sure the congregation at Holy Cross agreed. Based on that assurance, he said the church was added to the list of closings.

The fierce and heartbroken reaction of Holy Cross parishioners  many with no easy way of reaching another church  made diocesan leaders realize the congregation had a different view, to put it mildly. Zielenieski said the bishop listened, reviving the original plan of keeping the church open.

Sean Kirst: At Our Lady of Hope, global community to greet 40th Mass Mob as 'one big family' Christopher Byrd, a founder and organizer, said the original idea was to shine a little light on city churches having problems with attendance, while emphasizing how "these beautiful historic churches are an absolutely vital part of the fabric of the community.

The parishioners I spoke with knew nothing of earlier talk of a merger.

We did not give up, said Elda Pichardo, a Holy Cross usher. We all made a movement.

That elation rippled through Wednesdays Mass, where Lougen  a former Rome-based superior general of his Missionary Oblates of Immaculate Mary  filled in for the Rev. Felix Nyambe, church administrator, who was traveling.

The Buffalo-born Lougen moved easily between English and Spanish. He walked down the aisle to bring ashes to Rose Sabia, 86, who celebrated her marriage decades ago with a wedding cake  made at the old Blue Bird Bakery  that looked exactly like the church.

She sat with her daughter, Roxanne Schweitzer, who cooks at Holy Cross, and Patty Andreana Fedele, 69, a family friend who has attended Holy Cross since baptism.

They offer their own theory on why the church was saved. Fedele has a medal honoring St. Jude, patron saint of lost causes, that received a private blessing from Miguel Santos, a deacon. Fedele hung it in the church cafeteria, where everyone prayed to St. Jude during committee meetings.

The saint came through, Fedele said. She is a co-manager of a monumental Palm Sunday bake sale that is a big fundraiser for Holy Cross  duties recalling her mom, the late Connie Andreana, who did that task for years.

Sean Kirst: At the peak of the basilica: Restoration and Father Baker's legacy "I climbed it. I was thinking of 1920s orphans, in faded uniforms, staring up as fearless workers shaped this place out of the sky," writes Sean Kirst.

The bake sale  more important than ever  will be from 1 to 4 p.m. April 12 and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. the next day, Palm Sunday. Fedele will also be thinking of her dad  a Riverside barber and a stalwart in the Holy Name Society  and her grandmother, who washed and ironed vestments for the priests.

Of the church staying open, Fedele said: Are you kidding? This is the biggest blessing.

Sean Kirst: For young Navy Reserve officer with HIV, a 10-year journey toward 'bigger cause' If service means trying to lift up everything that matters in his life  his partner and family, his city and nation, his deep faith  then it all begins in one truth he reached in full, in Buffalo: This is me, said Ensign Kevin Deese, commissioned officer.

Kevin Deese, another committee member, said the future depends on such forward-looking optimism. Deese, a Navy Reserve ensign and a member of the LGBTQ+ community, said the congregation welcomed him when he settled in Buffalo, and always provides an equally warm greeting for his partner.

He is a cantor with the church choir. For years, Deese was conscious of a sense of doom at the parish, a feeling the diocese might shut things down at any time, and he said the announcement should be taken as a joyous opportunity, rather than a reprieve.

In the homily, Lougen spoke of how Lenten penance is intended not as some ritual of casual sacrifice, but to invoke lasting, soulful change. In that spirit, Deese said he hopes the congregation looks passionately outward to illuminate the astounding nature of the place.

The joyous mesh of newcomers with longtime parishioners explains why Nancy Cannizzaro  a legendary office manager and church organist  and her identical twin sister, Mary Rizzo, have been there since childhood, not long after World War II.

The same loyalty causes Toni Canazzi, 83  another committee member  to drive in from Amherst for Mass and events with her 85-year-old sister, Anna Rose Noto.

They were born in the old Italian American neighborhood known as The Hooks. They remember a time when statues in the church were draped in somber purple cloth for Lent, and the place was packed on Sundays, all year long.

Canazzi, whose mother and grandparents were born in Sicily, sees that same courage in the resilience of todays immigrants  such as the famed Holy Cross Rwandan Magnificat Choir  who often join her at Mass.

Its not just a parish, she said. Its a family.

The quest is finding more young regulars like Sydney Johnson, there for ashes with her infant daughter, Sadie. Johnson was a parishioner at Holy Angels until it closed five years ago, and she wondered if she could ever find similar comfort at another church.

The potential closing was very upsetting, Johnson said, because this was the kind of community I searched for.

Cannizzaro, the office manager, said more than 600 families are listed on the parish rolls. The mission is trying to make sure they all turn out, and to hope others  searching for a church  might witness the faith and compassion parishioners see as bedrock, at Holy Cross.

This place, Toni Canazzi said. It keeps me alive.
Trump doubts NATO's commitment to U.S., mulls policy change

Xinhua) 13:51, March 08, 2025

WASHINGTON, March 7 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump once again questioned the role of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), casting doubt on whether other members of the military alliance would defend America if it were attacked.

"You know the biggest problem I have with NATO? ... I know the guys very well. They're friends of mine. But if the United States was in trouble, and we called them ... Do you think they're going to come and protect us? They're supposed to. I'm not so sure," Trump said Thursday in the Oval Office.

French President Emmanuel Macron responded to Trump's remarks by telling reporters at a European Union summit Thursday in Brussels that France and the United States have "always been there for each other" throughout history.

France had shown "respect and friendship" toward the United States, Macron said. "I think we're entitled to expect the same."

The French leader also mentioned that NATO members joined the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan after the 9/11 terror attacks.

That has been the first and only invocation to date of Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, known as collective defense.

"Not only the French, but the Europeans were there when we were called for Afghanistan. And by the way, they weren't politely warned when (the U.S. left Afghanistan)," Macron said. "We are loyal and faithful allies."

Trump, who has criticized other NATO members for not spending enough on defense, is considering a major change to Washington's engagement with NATO, NBC News reported.

As part of the potential policy shift, the United States might not defend a fellow NATO member that is attacked if the country does not meet a certain defense spending threshold set by Washington, it said, citing anonymous officials.

Should the policy change be implemented, it would mark a significant shift away from Article 5, which says an attack on any NATO country is an attack on all of them.

In addition, the United States may also prioritize military exercises with NATO members that are spending a set percentage of their GDP on defense, according to the report.

(Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Sheng Chuyi)
News / Education

by Gideon Madzikatidze/Simbarashe Sithole

Several privately-owned schools in Harare have described heritage-based educational curriculum as the best foundation and template for sustainability through skills identification, audit and development whilst concurrently fostering critical thinking and teamwork amongst learners.Speaking to Bulawayo24.com during the ongoing independent curriculum adoption, preparedness and implementation responsiveness assessment amongst private schools, prestigious Focus Academy's (a boarding school based in Waterfalls, Harare) spokesperson, Ms Rumbidzai Musikambesa claims her school has endorsed heritage-based education as the ideal curriculum policy capable of enriching learners and the country at large with sustainable knowledge and skills."The heritage-based education is premised on elements which seek to empower learners from grassroots, that is, early childhood development, primary, secondary, vocational and tertiary levels, solely with the intention to bring about positive change amongst communities. This would therefore help in grooming the next generation enriched with skills and prerequisites for the country's sustainable development," Musikambesa said."As private players in education, we see it important to embrace this policy since it complements development amongst communities, leaving no-one and no place behind. It therefore bridges the gaps between rural and urban communities, which in turn bring inclusivity into major play," Musikambesa added."We have also noted that it is the best template for educational development and country at large. It brings in various aspects of skills including indirect audit, identification and development," Musikambesa noted.Meanwhile, Focus Academy has intensified its commitment to fight drugs and substance abuse within institutions of primary and secondary learning environments."It is the duty of private schools to complement the government's efforts to fight drugs and substance abuse scourge. We have launched various programmes and platforms which equip learners with skills to bring change amongst peers in various communities on how to fight drugs," Musikambesa disclosed."These youths who are most vulnerable to drugs and substance abuse are then trained as anti-drugs ambassadors who will be responsible for rehabilitation, reintegration and abstinence from abusing such. We have anti-drugs and substance abuse ambassadors within and outside school, who help other vulnerable peers amongst various communities to get out of drugs scourge," Musikambesa said."So during holidays when they are off school campus, we urge them to continue to engage other peers in fighting the scourge. We have also crafted and provide opportunity for them to engage in roles plays, dramas and story-telling activities as a means to campaign against abusing drugs and substances," Musikambesa added.Afro-Bank Christian High School founder, Mr Ruzai Machaurawa claimed that their major priority during term is to make sure that learners are introduced to education meant to transform various communities throughout the country."We are targeting to provide education to learners premised on projects and practicals which compliment communities demands. Heritage-based education will be our major thrust where we compliment the government's educational policy initiatives," Muchaurawa said."We will also be targeting to nurture learners with basic mechanisms which enable them to join vocational training institutions to acquire necessary skills as espoused in the country National Development Strategies prerequisites," Muchaurawa added.The heritage-based curriculum is designed to foster critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork among learners. It is set to equip students with essential skills to navigate the challenges of a rapidly evolving world.Zimbabwe's Primary and Secondary Education Minister, Torerai Moyo (then), emphasised the significance of the curriculum."Another milestone that we have achieved as a ministry is to review the competence-based curriculum and introduce the Heritage-Based Curriculum. We want learners to have a deep understanding of their heritage, and their surroundings so that they can identify challenges they face at home, schools, and communities," Minister Moyo said then."They can then do research based on the problem and try to proffer solutions through the power of digital tools," Moyo added.Minister Moyo also highlighted that the Government is committed to enhancing educational experiences through the establishment of innovation hubs in schools, aimed at equipping students with 21st-century skills necessary for innovation and technological advancement.
News / Local

by Staff reporter

Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona has come under fire in Parliament over the slow pace of rehabilitating the deteriorating Beitbridge-Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Highway, a critical artery for international and domestic travel.During a parliamentary session this week, Hwange East legislator Joseph Bonda questioned the minister's focus on road improvements. "The minister touched on almost all the roads, but I want to remind him that there is this road from Victoria Falls to Beitbridge, maybe if he had actually touched on it, even if there are some other arrangements that are there," Bonda said, highlighting concerns that the key route remains neglected.Minister Mhona acknowledged that the issue had been raised before. "My apologies, that route is very important because that accommodates a lot of international delegates," he said. Explaining his broader strategy, Mhona noted that he had mentioned improvements in other regionssuch as Mashonaland Central - to ensure that a variety of roadways were addressed, adding, "If I simply sit down without mentioning it, people will say I did not mention it."The minister elaborated on the challenges of covering the extensive network of roads. "We go to Mukumbura Border Post, which is the same route that leads us to Mozambique. If we focus on Midlands, or Chikwalakwala, or Gweru, if I mention any of those areas, others will say, 'why didn't you mention up to the border post?'" He indicated that the planned rehabilitation covers nearly 760km from Beitbridge to Bulawayo and onward from Bulawayo to Victoria Falls.Mhona expressed satisfaction that a company had been contracted to prioritize repairs on the most affected sections. "We mentioned that they are working together with a certain company, we agreed that the company should concentrate on the worst affected areas. On the 760km stretch, the worst areas are Hwange to Victoria Falls and Lupane to Bulawayo. Those are the areas which are actually affected," he explained. The contractor is slated to resume work on repairing the damaged stretches and expanding the road from Bulawayo to Victoria Falls.Looking ahead, the minister outlined plans to extend the improvements to other key routes. "We are also going to start from Kwekwe, going to Lupane, Silobela, Lupane, Nkayi and so on. Those are some of the big roads which people are worried about. Do not despair, I might have omitted some names of places. Other people from Mashonaland West might want the Binga-Cross Dete road fixed, then we link it with the route to Bulawayo."As the debate continues, Minister Mhona's remarks underscore the complexity of addressing Zimbabwe's vast and varied road network. While some legislators remain skeptical of the government's approach, the Transport Minister insists that concrete plans are in place to rehabilitate and expand vital routes, ensuring smoother transit for international delegates and local commuters alike.
News / National

by Staff reporter

New details have emerged in a kickback scandal at Masvingo Provincial Hospital (MPH), where sources allege that nurses are receiving US$5 for every patient they refer to private clinics for services that are, in many cases, available at the hospital itself.According to multiple sources, the practice has been ongoing for months. Nurses are reportedly working in cahoots with private clinic owners and labs to exploit patients for financial gain. "Some clinics and labs pay US$5 per referral. This is the new norm and the practice happens across Zimbabwe and cannot be stopped easily as nurses are benefiting from it. So what happens is, the charges you get when you want to do the test is not the normal charge as the private clinic or lab add an extra US$5 to cater for the nurses. What the nurse does is to simply record the name of the patient and would go anytime to collect his or her ready cash," one source disclosed.The scandal has ignited widespread outrage among the public, with many demanding accountability and transparency. The Ministry of Health and Child Care has already directed hospital authorities to launch internal investigations into the matter.Further revelations indicate that the scandal extends beyond nurses alone. Sources claim that a coordinated scheme involving MPH doctors and nurses is also at play. Under this arrangement, doctors with private surgeries allegedly admit patients "off the record" at MPH without entering them into the hospital database. This covert practice allows patients to benefit from hospital facilities without incurring any charges, thereby bypassing standard billing procedures."There is a scheme involving doctors where if a patient needs to be admitted, they will use the hospital facilities. The scheme involves nurses on duty who would see the patients and when the doctors do rounds, they prioritize their patients. The scheme is well knotted and it involves the accounting department and the patients brought through the scheme will then be discharged without paying and it's difficult to trace since there will be no record of them ever being admitted there," a source revealed.In this arrangement, nurses reportedly bring their own patients to these doctors, ensuring they get paid for the services provided while the hospital loses significant revenue. The problem appears to be systemic, with reports suggesting that similar referral practices are also occurring at district hospitals such as Ndanga, Msiso, Silveira, Chibi, Gutu, Mwenezi, and Chiredzi. "Go to any private laboratory here in town and sit there observing, there are lots of referrals from hospitals like Ndanga, Msiso, Silveira, Chibi, Gutu, Mwenezi and Chiredzi District Hospitals. You would see blood samples being delivered by a Probox and other pirate vehicles," a source added.Masvingo Provincial Medical Director Dr. Amadeus Shamhu confirmed that internal investigations are underway. "No investigation team has been sent yet, however there are internal investigations being done currently. The hospital has since placed notices around the institution to warn people against such and to report anything suspicious," he said. Dr. Shamhu further revealed that the hospital is considering the introduction of a system to ensure that patients are referred externally only when the needed service is not available in-house. "We are trying to find ways to combat the practice and we will make sure that there is a mechanism in place to make sure that all tests, scans or any other service that are referred outside are not being done within the hospital," he added.At a press discussion organized by TellZim News at Chevron Hotel on March 5, Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Permanent Secretary Dr. Addmore Pazvakavambwa confirmed that higher offices have received reports on the matter. "We received those allegations at a very high level, so we are putting measures in place but I cannot divulge them here. We want to make sure that we have proved beyond doubt, that what is being alleged is true, however, we cannot ignore when the citizenry has said something so investigations will be carried out," Dr. Pazvakavambwa stated.In addition to tackling the corruption issues, Masvingo Provincial Health Services Administrator Samson Nyoni noted that plans are underway to upgrade the hospital's power backup system. "There are plans to install a more powerful backup at MPH as the one being used can only be used for lighting," he said, highlighting the ongoing efforts to improve operational efficiency at the institution.As the investigations progress, authorities are expected to implement stricter measures to curtail the kickback scheme and restore the integrity of services at Masvingo Provincial Hospital. With the scandal now in the spotlight, both the public and government officials are calling for robust action to ensure that such practices are rooted out and accountability is enforced across all levels of the healthcare system.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Wicknell Chivayo's lavish lobola payment sparks debate pic.twitter.com/MnXnKqy1oZ  Bulawayo24 News (@Bulawayo24News) March 8, 2025

Flamboyant businessman and controversial tenderpreneur Wicknell Chivayo has once again made headlines - this time for his extravagant approach to lobola (bride price) negotiations. Chivayo, known for his deep ties to the ruling elite and lucrative state tenders, paid a staggering US$125,000 in cash for his bride, Lucy Lulu Muteke, in Marondera today.In a widely circulated video, Chivayo is heard instructing his munyai (go-between) to inform his in-laws that he does not wish to engage in prolonged negotiations. He initially sent US$50,000 with the go-between and later arrived with an additional US$75,000, demanding a swift transaction - what he termed a cash-and-carry approach to marriage.Beyond the cash payment, Chivayo also gifted the bride's family a large herd of cattle, including five additional cows as a bonus and a purebred bull valued between US$8,000 and US$9,000. The extravagant gesture has drawn both admiration and criticism, with some viewing it as a show of wealth and others questioning the commercialization of traditional marriage rites.Chivayo's financial clout is largely attributed to his close ties with President Emmerson Mnangagwa. His business empire thrives on government tenders and contracts, granting him preferential treatment in state payments. Critics argue that he effectively lives off taxpayers, leveraging political connections to amass wealth in a predatory and parasitic manner.His introduction of Lulu to Mnangagwa before paying lobola further underscores his proximity to power. While some see this as a sign of respect, others perceive it as an unnecessary display of his influence within the corridors of state power.Chivayo's lavish lobola payment has ignited a heated debate on social media. Some hail his generosity as an example of how successful men should honor their brides' families, while others argue that such extravagant spending distorts the cultural significance of lobola, turning it into a transactional affair rather than a symbolic union of families.Meanwhile, concerns over his wealth and state contracts continue to fuel controversy. Many Zimbabweans struggling with economic hardships view his flamboyance as a stark reminder of growing inequality and the nexus between political power and economic privilege.As Chivayo settles into married life, his controversial reputation remains intact, ensuring that his every move - whether in business, politics, or personal affairs - will continue to capture public attention.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, renowned for his pivotal role in the 2017 military coup that ended President Robert Mugabe's near-four-decade rule, is now making headlines for his vibrant and impactful use of language. His public statements, rich in local vernacular, have struck a chord with Zimbabweans, permeating social media and everyday conversations.At the mention of his name, many recall the fearless former army general who played a critical role in deposing Mugabe - a leader who commanded both respect and fear. Chiwenga's decisive actions in November 2017, when he thwarted an attempted arrest at Harare's Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, marked a turning point in Zimbabwe's political history. Today, while he occupies the country's second most powerful office, his rhetorical style reveals another facet of his public persona - a sharp orator whose memorable phrases have come to define the national conversation.Chiwenga's recent speeches have captivated audiences with their bold language. Speaking at the National Heroes Acre in Harare during the burial of late national hero Justin Mupamhanga earlier this year, the Vice-President took a firm stand against corruption. "Zimbabwe belongs to all of us. We must share its God-given bounty, share its bounty equally so no one - not even the weak, the widowed or the orphaned - are displaced or elbowed out by the strong in a mad rat-race to grab unmerited privileges. Corruption has to end," he declared.He further condemned those who amassed wealth through corrupt means by invoking the term "zvigananda"a word used during the liberation war to describe opportunists who exploited chaos. "Our Vision 2030 is for all of us, not those that you call mbinga. During the war, we referred to them as zvigananda (leeches): those who grow big tummies through ill-gotten wealth and questionable morals! Pasi nezvigananda [Down with leeches]," he proclaimed. The phrase "Pasi nezvigananda" has since become a rallying cry among Zimbabweans, symbolizing widespread frustration with endemic corruption.Chiwenga's no-nonsense, colloquial rhetoric has resonated with citizens and found a receptive audience on social media. Political analyst Lazarus Sauti observes, "VP Chiwenga is using statements that reflect and are in sync with the political, economic, and social climate in the country. The word zvigananda' is now part of our social discourse." This linguistic impact extends beyond political commentary. His admonishment to illegal forex dealers - delivered in clear, accessible language - has even influenced everyday banter. Phrases like "Regerai vakomana munoremara" have surfaced among Zimbabweans, used both to critique misconduct and to guide personal behavior in informal settings.At a recent rally ahead of the August 2023 elections in the Midlands province, Chiwenga did not shy away from vivid metaphors. He compared opposition party Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) to lice, stating, "I have heard others here saying down with CCC, let me assure you that there is nothing that it can achieve. You see how we crush lice with a stone - you put it on a flat stone and then flatten it to the extent that even flies will not make a meal out of it."Media expert Mlondolozi Ndlovu commented on the distinctive style, saying, "Chiwenga belongs to the nationalistic movement, the old crop of nationalists. Though a military man, he was trained as a commissar during the war and much of his language is very consistent with the discourses of that era."Chiwenga's language not only mirrors Zimbabwe's complex political and social landscape but also actively shapes it. By reviving terms from the nation's liberation struggle and adapting them to modern challenges, he creates a direct link between the country's past and its present. His phrases have transcended political rhetoric, evolving into cultural markers that encapsulate the public's growing demand for accountability and reform.As Zimbabwe navigates economic hardships and political transformation, Vice-President Chiwenga's colorful rhetoric continues to inspire debate and reflection. Whether lauded for its authenticity or critiqued as populist theatrics, his language undeniably wields powerreminding citizens that words, much like actions, are potent forces in shaping a nation's destiny.
Those seeking community services through the Columbus Area United Way will have a friendly face in the city's Community Building to help find them, following the approval of a memo of understanding during the March 3 Columbus City Council meeting.

The memo of understanding is between the United Way and the City of Columbus that would establish a position for a parttime United Way employee in the Columbus Community Building to help guide people to the agency's services or other agencies as a "first line of defense."

The staff member will be hosted in a conference room that's not in use during the service hours. Everything with regard to the new position is provided for by the United Way, Community Coordinator Sarah Bettenhausen said, so the city is not funding this during the three-year contract.

Bettenhausen explained that, due to the three-year contract, there will be plenty of time for people with long term projects such as grant research to utilize the United Way employee's availability.

Plus, the United Way has agreed to share collected data with the city for the duration of the contract, she said.

City Engineer Rick Bogus provided an update on the 23rd Street Reconstruction Project  construction along the south side eastbound lane from 18th to 31st avenues initially meant to start March 3 has been postponed to March 10, after which that southside lane will be blocked.

"It will be very similar to last year's phase, except, obviously, on the other side, so as far as traffic goes, as patterns go, they'll try to leave signalized intersections open as long as they can," Bogus said.

The Nebraska Department of Transportation, which has helmed this reconstruction, is hoping to be mostly finished in September if all goes well, Bogus said. There will still need to be striping, traffic signals installed and some shorter lane closures in the time after that.

The council approved a quote of $24,080 to update the city's Active Director Domain Services to a more up-to-date version.

A quote was approved for a tablet at the city hall front desk to direct visitors to the proper individuals when there is not staff at the desk, with a purchase price of $10,035.83. Users will be able to search the staff directory for the employee they're looking for and the tablet notifies them at their workspace to come to the front desk.

Due to the retirement of Administrative Assistant Linda Cloeter, the front desk will largely be vacant, Mayor Jim Bulkley said, but perhaps this is a position that can be filled in her absence by the tablet.

Council members had some questions about the efficacy of a device alerting the individual rather than a person finding them directly. Bulkley said that some of those concerns will have to be worked out as they go.

In a way, Bulkley noted, the cost of the machine would come out of the wages the city would have paid the position in years going forward.

"It's actually a way to look at streamlining a personnel position we possibly can get by without," he said. "I think the concern will be how we handle it and how we move forward."

Bulkley made a proclamation toward the start of the meeting marking March as Problem Gambling Awareness Month in Columbus. Mike Sciandra, education and outreach coordinator at Choices Treatment Center, was in attendance to speak in favor of the city's support of the awareness efforts.

"It is kind of the great thing about the state of Nebraska is that we have the Nebraska Gambler Association as a program here which allows for free treatment for anyone struggling with problem gambling and their loved ones as well," Sciandra said.

That's what they do at Choices, which has a location in Columbus at 3116 18th St., Suite 55. Nebraska has many counselors and treatment options for those individuals, Sciandra said.

"Nationally there are 2.5 million people that struggle from severe problem gambling, another 5-8 million people ... that struggle with some moderate to slight struggles with problem gambling," Sciandra said. "So it is definitely a huge consideration and I just appreciate (the mayor) and the council's seriousness with this matter."
Chinese home appliance giant Haier hosts its dealer convention in Philippines

Xinhua) 13:52, March 08, 2025

MANILA, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Haier Philippines has hosted its dealer convention here under the theme "New Era of Smart Living," showing the Chinese home appliance giant's commitment to strengthening business partnerships in the Southeast Asian country.

At Friday's event, attendees had the opportunity to explore a wide range of products, including refrigerators, gas ranges, televisions, air conditioners, washing machines, freezers, and commercial air conditioners, all showcasing Haier's advanced technology and user-centric design.

Haier Philippines CEO Yan Xuhong highlighted the company's continued success in the Philippine market, noting that it has "maintained steady and high growth over the past seven years," achieving a compound annual growth rate of 19 percent.

"Haier continues to drive innovation and excellence in home solutions. We look forward to strengthening our partnerships and opening a new chapter of growth together," Yan said at the event.

As a global leader in home appliances, Haier operates in over 200 countries and regions worldwide.

(Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Sheng Chuyi)
North Korea has halted international trips to a city near its border with China, travel agencies said on Wednesday, abruptly reversing Pyongyang's recent decision to reopen its frontier to tourism after five years of isolation.

North Korea shut its borders in early 2020 to prevent the spread of Covid-19, and later bolstered defences along its northern boundary to deter its own nationals from re-entering the country illegally from China.

Several Western tour operators said last month they had sent small numbers of foreign travellers into the northeastern city of Rason after receiving permission from North Korean interlocutors.

But some of the companies said on Wednesday that those trips had been suspended for unclear reasons.

"We have been advised by our partners... that tours to Rason are currently paused," travel agency Young Pioneer Tours said in a notice on its website.

Fellow travel agency Koryo Tours said "Rason is temporarily closed", with Beijing-based general manager Simon Cockerell telling AFP that those already in North Korea would "finish their trips as planned".

Rayco Vega, tours coordinator for Spain-based travel agency KTG, also confirmed the suspension to AFP, adding: "We do not know the reason nor how long this will last".

North Korea has already welcomed some international trade and official delegations, and last year allowed Russian tourists to enter the country for the first time since the pandemic.

Rason, which lies near the borders with China and Russia, became North Korea's first special economic zone in 1991.

It has a separate visa regime and has been a testing ground for new economic policies, boasting the socialist country's first legal marketplace.

The vast majority of foreign visitors to North Korea before the pandemic were Chinese, though some US citizens also ventured there before Washington banned travel following the imprisonment and subsequent death of student Otto Warmbier in 2017.

People from South Korea, with which Pyongyang remains technically at war, are also barred from visiting without official permission.

China is a key ally and source of economic backing for North Korea's diplomatically isolated, UN-sanctioned government.

A Chinese firm that advertised a tour to Rason last month did not respond when asked by AFP to clarify if it had been affected by the suspension.
Three individuals, including two active-duty U.S. Army soldiers and one former soldier, were arrested in Oregon on Thursday for allegedly gathering and transmitting sensitive military information to individuals in China, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced.

The accusedactive-duty soldiers Jian Zhao and Li Tian, both stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, and former soldier Ruoyo Duanface charges of conspiring to commit bribery and theft of government property. Additionally, Zhao is charged with conspiring to obtain and transmit national defense information to an unauthorized recipient.

Allegations of Espionage and Bribery

Attorney General Pam Bondi condemned the accused, stating, "The defendants arrested today are accused of betraying our country, actively working to weaken America's defense capabilities and empowering our adversaries in China. They will face swift, severe, and comprehensive justice."

According to the DOJ, from November 28, 2021, to at least December 19, 2024, Duan and Tian allegedly conspired to surreptitiously gather and transfer sensitive military data related to the U.S. Army's operational capabilities. This included technical manuals and information on military weapon systems, specifically Bradley and Stryker U.S. Army fighting vehicles. The DOJ further claims that Tian, an active-duty officer, collected classified information for Duan in exchange for money.

In a separate but related case, Zhao, an Army supply sergeant, allegedly began conspiring in July 2024 to obtain and send classified national defense information to individuals in China. The DOJ's statement outlines that Zhao negotiated the sale of several classified hard drives, including those marked "SECRET" and "TOP SECRET," and allegedly received at least $10,000 for them. Additionally, he is accused of conspiring to sell a stolen U.S. government computer and sensitive military documents, including information on the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) and military preparedness in a potential conflict with China. Zhao purportedly accepted around $5,000 in payments for these materials.

Strong Condemnation from U.S. Officials

The FBI and DOJ emphasized the severity of the charges. "Zhao is alleged to have violated his duties as a U.S. Army soldier and public official to protect sensitive military information in exchange for money," the DOJ stated.

Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Seattle Field Office, called the alleged actions "unconscionable" and warned potential spies, "These arrests should send a message that we and our partners have the will and the ability to find you, track you down, and hold you to account. Protecting the nation's secrets, especially those necessary to preserve our military advantage and protect our troops, is one of the FBI's top priorities."

FBI Director Kash Patel reinforced this sentiment, declaring that the accused "will face American justice" for allegedly "stealing America's defense intelligence capabilities and empowering adversaries like China in betrayal of our country."

The DOJ has not disclosed further details on how authorities uncovered the alleged espionage activities or whether additional arrests are expected. The accused remain in custody as legal proceedings move forward.
It was another roller-coaster week in U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war as tariffs against China came into force while Mexico and Canada were given a temporary reprieve.

Here is what happened this week and what's looming in the coming weeks:

Trump unveiled 25-percent tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods on February 1, with a lower rate of 10 percent for Canadian oil.

But hours before they were due to take effect on Feb. 4, Trump agreed to delay the move for a month.

Fast-forward to March 4: the tariffs come into force, hitting imports from Mexico such as avocado or tomatoes and Canadian goods such as lumber.

Three days later, Trump gave the two countries another one-month delay, this time on products covered under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) -- a pact that the U.S. leader signed into law during his first term in office in 2020.

More than 50 percent of Mexican goods and 38 percent of Canadian goods entered the United States under the USMCA last year, according to a White House official.

Trump had already given automakers a similar reprieve, which will last until April 2, following talks with Ford, General Motors and Jeep owner Stellantis.

In response to the pause, Canada delayed its own second wave of retaliatory tariffs on Can$125 billion ($87 billion) worth of U.S. products until April 2.

Trump has justified the tariffs on the United States' neighbours and vital trade partners, along with China, as a response to illegal immigration and the deadly drug fentanyl coming into his country.

Trump has not given China such breaks.

Ten percent tariffs on goods from the country considered as the world's factory came into effect on Feb. 4 -- and they were increased to 20 percent on March 4.

Beijing retaliated, saying it would impose 10- and 15-percent levies on a range of agricultural imports from the United States.

Those come into effect next week and will impact tens of billions of dollars in imports, from US soybeans and corn to chicken and beef.

Beijing had earlier responded to U.S. trade measures with duties of 15 percent on coal and liquefied natural gas, and 10 percent on oil and other goods.

China has pushed back on its alleged role in the deadly fentanyl supply chain, saying Beijing has cooperated with Washington and arguing that tariffs would not solve the drug problem.

Trump has said that products from the 27-nation European Union would be hit with a tariff of 25 percent, adding that the bloc has "taken advantage of us."

The EU has vowed to retaliate with proportionate countermeasures.

Trump signed orders in February to impose 25-percent tariffs on U.S. steel and aluminium imports from March 12.

Canada is the leading supplier of steel to the United States, followed by Brazil.

Trump has said tariffs on automobiles, semiconductors and pharmaceuticals could come as early as April 2, with a rate of around 25 percent.

For computer chips and pharmaceuticals, he said they could "go very substantially higher over (the) course of a year."

Trump has also signed plans for sweeping "reciprocal tariffs" that could hit both allies and adversaries by April 2.

The levies would be tailored to each U.S. trading partner and consider the tariffs they impose on American goods, alongside taxes the White House has said are discriminatory, such as value-added taxes.

On Monday, Trump also signalled tariffs on imported agricultural products. A White House official told AFP this came under his plans for reciprocal tariffs.

Trump ordered a probe on Saturday into potential tariffs on lumber imports.

The review, due by November, takes aim at exporters like Canada, Germany and Brazil, with White House officials earlier accusing them of "dumping" lumber into the U.S. market.

Last month, Trump also ordered an investigation into possible levies on U.S. copper imports, which could fuel trade tensions with Chile, the biggest U.S. supplier, as well as Canada.

Trump has said tariffs on automobiles, semiconductors and pharmaceuticals could come as early as April 2, with a rate of around 25 percent.

For computer chips and pharmaceuticals, he said they could "go very substantially higher over (the) course of a year."
State Fire Marshal: Daylight Saving Time Reminder

STOW, Mass. With daylight saving time beginning on March 9, Massachusetts fire officials are reminding residents to check their smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms when they change their clocks.

"Working smoke and CO alarms are your family's first line of defense against an emergency at home," said State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine. "As we spring forward this weekend, remember to check your alarms when you change your clocks. Be sure they're present on every level of your home and within their useful lifespan. And unless you have newer alarms with sealed, long-life batteries, this is a great time to replace the alkaline batteries in all your alarms."

"Smoke and CO alarms are like any other appliance  they don't last forever," said Foxborough Fire Chief Michael Kelleher, president of the Fire Chiefs Association of Massachusetts. "An alarm's manufacturing date is printed on the back of the device. Smoke alarms need to be replaced after 10 years, and carbon monoxide alarms need to be replaced after 5, 7, or 10 years, depending on the make and model. If your alarm is out of date, or if there's no date at all, it's time to replace it."

Most Fire Deaths Take Place at Home Overnight

Of the 50 fire deaths in Massachusetts last year, 80 percent took place in dwellings  and more than half of these took place between 8:00 pm and 7:00 am. Overall, DFS code compliance officers could only confirm that smoke alarms were present and operated at about 35 percent of the fatal fire scenes they inspected.

"Here in Massachusetts, most fire deaths take place at home and they're most common during the overnight hours when we're sleeping," State Fire Marshal Davine said. "Tragically, we see this fact pattern play out again and again, especially with seniors in homes without working smoke alarms."

Older Adults at Greatest Risk

More than half of last year's residential fire deaths involved adults aged 65 and older. State Fire Marshal Davine and Chief Kelleher asked residents to check in on older relatives, friends, and neighbors who may need help installing, testing, or replacing their alarms. Seniors can also contact their local fire department, council on aging, or senior center for assistance: Department of Fire Services' Senior SAFE grant program awarded nearly half a million dollars to fire departments across Massachusetts last year to support assistance with alarm installation and testing.

Replacing an out-of-date alarm?

The Massachusetts Comprehensive Fire Safety Code requires replacement battery-operated smoke alarms in older one- and two-family homes to have sealed, long-life batteries and a hush feature. These alarms are easier to maintain and less likely to be disabled while cooking or by someone using the batteries for other household appliances.

"Disabling a smoke alarm puts you and everyone in your building at risk," said Chief Kelleher. "Never remove the batteries from a smoke alarm until it's time to replace the batteries or the alarm itself."

Fire officials recommend that you choose alarms from a well-known, national brand. Look for the mark of an independent testing laboratory such as UL or Intertek. Many Massachusetts fire departments have found alarms purchased through Amazon and other online retailers that do not meet the Fire Code  and may not perform when they're needed most.

"If the price seems too good to be true, then it probably is," said State Fire Marshal Davine.

Carbon Monoxide Hazards

Heating equipment is the leading source of carbon monoxide at home, Chief Kelleher said, and CO remains a hazard even in warmer weather. While many carbon monoxide incidents involve furnaces and other heating appliances, CO is also produced by stoves, grills, and vehicles, as well as generators put into use during a power outage.

"Massachusetts firefighters report detecting carbon monoxide at about 5,000 calls each year," said Chief Kelleher. "We can't see, smell, or taste this silent, invisible killer. Working CO alarms are the only way to detect it. Please be sure you have them in place at home. If you hear them sounding, get out to fresh air right away and call 9-1-1 for help."
I was attracted to Mystery Story by its title and jacket. The photographic cover, with its half-buried clues (stiletto, photo of woman, Duke of Wellington 5 note), appealed to me, and the title seemed pleasingly straightforward and self-aware.

Mystery Story takes place in an alternative contemporary Britain (it was published in 1980) with its white defence leagues, coalition government and Commission on Urban Violence (Curv). The narrator, a writer and journalist, spending Christmas alone in London, hears news that police in Weston, Staffordshire, are searching for 32-year-old Johanna Parver after the discovery of her clothes by the side of the road. Since the missing woman is an ex-girlfriend of the narrators, hes soon driving out of London.

Weston is a new town, with a Curv-led programme of curfews and resulting low crime figures. After the narrators arrival, a mutilated corpse is found. The narrator turns snooper. He slips into Johannas former house, now with new owners, where he thinks he hears voices discussing Johanna, but its just the television. The police, initially gruff and unforthcoming, become earnest and obliging. It suddenly seemed to me... that I wasnt dealing with a policeman at all, but with a rather skilled professional actor. Johanna, it is revealed, previously posed as Bree Daniels, a name familiar to anyone who has seen Jane Fonda in Klute. No one is who they seem. Later, sporting a head wound, the narrator invents a persona for himself. I was a garage mechanic who had been hurt in a small accident... it gave me a role.

The atmosphere of paranoia and fear, as the narrator goes from hunter to hunted, is masterfully built up. The set pieces  car chase, deadly night-train hide-and-seek, knife fight on a rollercoaster  are remarkable. On the train, the narrator considers his options: The question I had to face now was what was going to happen next. I love the possibility that this might reflect the authors modus operandi, matching my own.

Mystery Story, long out of print, is Piries first novel. It says so on the flyleaf. Ive lost count of the number of people Ive lent my copy to. I had to buy another before I could write this piece. Reading it for the third time, I realise that a bit of business with a 5 note in my new novel might have been subconsciously borrowed from it. So imagine my bewilderment when in 2001 Century published David Piries The Patients Eyes: The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes and wrote on the jacket: This is his first novel.
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

Anna Kendrick had the perfect response to a red carpet reporter who asked about the legal drama surrounding her co-star Blake Lively.

Kendrick, 39, and Lively, 37, have reunited for a sequel to their comedy crime-thriller A Simple Favour, which was released in 2018.

The follow-up, titled Another Simple Favour, premiered at the SXSW film festival in Austin, Texas on Friday (7 March).

Both actors were present for the red-carpet event, with Lively attending amid her ongoing legal dispute with Justin Baldoni.

Seemingly in reference to her co-stars highly publicised drama, one journalist vaguely asked Kendrick: How do you feel that the movie is being impacted by everything going on in the world?

The Pitch Perfect star laughed it off and feigned ignorance, smiling as she replied: Why? What happened? I did Ayahuasca and the last year of my life has just gone, but Ive heard the movie is amazing!

A clip of the moment has circulated on social media where several fans have applauded Kendrick on her Oscar-winning evasion of the question.

Anna Kendrick mastering the art of saying a lot without saying anything at all, wrote one person.

open image in gallery ( Getty Images )

Another called it the best response she could have given, with a third writing: Shes a freakn national treasure.

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.

Shes a pro, someone else wrote, with a fifth person agreeing. Anna Kendrick couldnt have answered this better.

In January this year, A Simple Favour director Paul Feig shut down online rumours that a feud between the movies stars, Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively, had indefinitely shelved the now-released sequel. Feig called the speculation total BS.

Sorry. The movie is finished and coming out soon. Dont believe anything you read on social media these days, the Bridesmaids director warned at the time.

Rumours of a feud between Lively and Baldoni began to circulate last year when they appeared to keep their distance from one another while promoting It Ends With Us, an adaptation of Colleen Hoovers novel, which Baldoni also directed.

open image in gallery ( Getty Images )

In December, Lively sued Baldoni for sexual harassment and claimed that he had tried to destroy her reputation. Baldoni has denied the allegations.

He then filed a $250m lawsuit against The New York Times after it published an article detailing Livelys claims, and later launched a $400m countersuit against Lively and Reynolds.

See a full timeline of their legal row here.

open image in gallery Film-Blake Lively-Justin Baldoni

Last month, Livelys husband, the actor Ryan Reynolds appeared to allude to the high-profile row between his wife and Baldoni in a joke at SNL50, a star-studded celebration of the comedy shows milestone birthday.

When he was asked hows it going?, Reynolds responded with Great! Why? What have you heard? in an apparent reference to the scandal.

Released in 2018, A Simple Favour was a twisty black-comedy mystery film based on the 2017 novel of the same name by Darcey Bell, which follows Stephanie as she tries to solve the disappearance of her mysterious, glamorous friend.

Another Simple Favour will follow Stephanie and Emily as they reunite on the beautiful island of Capri in Italy for Emilys extravagant wedding to a rich Italian businessman.

The film will launch globally on Prime Video on 1 May 2025.
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

Authorities have revealed actor Gene Hackman died of heart disease a full week after his wife died from hantavirus in their New Mexico home.

Hackman, 95, Betsy Arakawa, 65, and their kelpie mix named Zinna were found dead by a maintenance worker on February 26.

In the days that followed, mystery swirled around the deaths as authorities ruled out foul play, and immediate tests for carbon monoxide poisoning were negative.

Then authorities released the causes, proposing a simple but tragic theory: Shortly after Arakawa's death from a rare infection, Hackman died of the nations leading killer  heart disease  apparently unable to seek help after his wife died.

open image in gallery The house owned by actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa in Santa Fe ( AP )

Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said the 95-year-old was likely unaware that she was dead because he was in the advanced stages of Alzheimers disease.

Here's a timeline of events surrounding the couple's deaths:

11 February

Arakawa's last known activities happened this day. She emailed with a massage therapist in the late morning, visited a grocery store in Santa Fe in the afternoon, then went to a pharmacy and a pet food store, Mendoza said.

At 5.15pm, Arakawa entered the gated community to the home she shared with Hackman. Mendoza said investigators found no other communication or activity by Arakawa after February 11, which they believe to be the day of her death. The medical examiner said she may have been experiencing symptoms of hantavirus before her death.

17-18 February

Hackmans initial pacemaker data revealed cardiac activity on 17 February. Subsequent pacemaker investigation showed an abnormal rhythm of atrial fibrillation on 18 February, the last record of heart activity.

Based on this information, chief medical examiner Dr Heather Jarrell said it is reasonable to conclude that Hackman probably died around 18 February.

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.

26 February

A maintenance worker who showed up to do routine work at the house could not get inside and called a security worker, who spotted two people on the ground inside the home, Mendoza said. The worker called 911 and told an operator he did not know if they were breathing. He and another worker later told authorities that they rarely saw the homeowners and that their last contact with them had been about two weeks prior.

Police found Hackman in an entryway and Arakawa in a bathroom, as well as a deceased dog in a closet.

open image in gallery Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa ( AP )

Arakawa had picked up the kelpie mix named Zinna from Gruda Veterinary Hospital on February 9 after a procedure was done, according to the sheriff. He said the hospital visit might help explain why the dog was found dead. A necropsy is being done on Zinna to determine the cause of death, he said.

Two healthy dogs were found on the property  one inside and one outside.

27 February

Autopsies were done on Hackman and Arakawa. Detectives wrote in a search warrant that the couple and the dog had been dead for some time when the maintenance worker discovered their bodies.

28 February

Preliminary autopsy results didn't reveal causes of death but showed Hackman and Arakawa were not killed by carbon monoxide poisoning, the sheriff said. The initial autopsies also found no external trauma to either body.

7 March

Authorities reveal causes of death for Hackman and Arakawa. Jarrell said both deaths were from natural causes.

Hackmans death was tied to heart disease with Alzheimers disease contributing. Authorities linked Arakawas death to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare but potentially fatal disease spread by infected rodent droppings.
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

James Bonds acquisition by Amazon has turned off one filmmaker, who has sworn off ever directing a 007 film if Jeff Bezos is in charge.

Last month, it was revealed that Amazon MGM has taken full creative control of the Bond franchise after striking a deal with long-time producers Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli.

While the pair will remain co-owners of the franchise, the transaction leaves creative control of all future productions in the hands of Amazon.

American filmmaker Osgood Perkins, who directed 2024 sleeper horror hit Longlegs and new film The Monkey, was recently asked during a Reddit Ask Me Anything whether hed ever consider directing a film in the long-running British spy franchise.

He made his feelings known about the Amazon development with his blunt reply: No, because f*** Jeff Bezos. Its worth noting that Bond films are often directed by British filmmakers.

The highly influential Bezos is a controversial figure, having faced accusations of creating tense working conditions at Amazon.

Just last week, Washington Post owner Bezos left many workers enraged after he announced changes to the papers opinion content that resulted in a top editor resigning.

Journalists at the publication have expressed concern that Bezos is currying favor with President Donald Trump by softening the Posts coverage of him, months after he blocked the editorial boards endorsement of then-vice president Kamala Harris.

The new Bond deal comes amid mounting speculation over the fate of the British spy franchise after Daniel Craig made his final appearance as Bond in 2021s No Time To Die almost four years ago. The franchise has gone silent in recent years, with no formal plans for the next movie or any recruitment of the next Bond actor.

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.

Jeff Bezos-owned Amazon has acquired James Bond franchise ( Getty )

Wilson said in a statement: With my 007 career spanning nearly 60 incredible years, I am stepping back from producing the James Bond films to focus on art and charitable projects. Therefore, Barbara and I agree, it is time for our trusted partner, Amazon MGM Studios, to lead James Bond into the future.

Broccoli added: My life has been dedicated to maintaining and building upon the extraordinary legacy that was handed to Michael and me by our father, producer Cubby Broccoli.

I have had the honour of working closely with four of the tremendously talented actors who have played 007 and thousands of wonderful artists within the industry. With the conclusion of No Time to Die and Michael retiring from the films, I feel it is time to focus on my other projects.

With no plans in place, the gap between No Time To Die and the next Bond film could beat the record for the longest break between Bond installments, which currently stands at six years and four months for the wait between 1989s License to Kill and 1995s Goldeneye.
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

Your second year at Yale School of Drama, says Brian Tyree Henry, is the one that makes or breaks you. As well as rigorous Shakespeare studies  including staging the Bards works on a shoestring  Henry was also cast as a lead in a Yale Repertory Theatre production of Dance of the Holy Ghosts: A Play on Memory by the African-American playwright Marcus Gardley, appearing alongside professional actors. It was a rare opportunity for a student, and one that he relished. But Henry  who had previously honed his talents at Atlantas majority-Black Morehouse College  didnt feel as though his efforts were truly recognised while at the Ivy League institution.

It wasnt until a few weeks ago, 17 years later, that one of my classmates was like, Im filming something and going to school at the same time, and I couldn't help thinking about you, says Henry. His friend acknowledged just how much work he must have put in at the time. I was like, you have no idea how badly I needed to hear that. I didnt think that anybody cared. It was really nice to get that validation and affirmation that what I did was being seen. It might seem unusual that Henry  the star of Donald Glovers Atlanta, who has enjoyed Emmy and Oscar nods  is thinking back to his college days, but he has had reason to of late. His latest project is an Apple TV+ series, Dope Thief, a zippy crime caper that slowly unfurls into a high-stakes drama. The feeling of not being seen, he says, trickles into my character, Ray. He has this moniker of being the inconvenient child. And I had been feeling like that for most of my life. Thats why acting was so important to me. In the places and spaces where Im not recognised or encouraged or even treated like I matter  when I act, I feel safe and protected.

Although he is in a reflective mood, Henry  who celebrates his 43rd birthday later this month  clearly has much to celebrate on the career front. Since coming up as reluctant rapper Alfred Paper Boi Miles in the anarchic, boundary-bending TV comedy Atlanta, hes rarely been off both the big and small screen (fans of the show will be happy to know that he retains what he describes as a close-knit relationship with Glover and the rest of the crew). Praised by many as a chameleon, Henry has starred in action blockbusters (Bullet Train with Brad Pitt), dark thrillers (Steve McQueens Widows), emotive dramas (Causeway with Jennifer Lawrence, which led to that best actor Oscar nomination), and even popped up in the MCU as Phastos in Eternals.

When we meet at a London hotel he is partway through shooting a new film, Panic Carefully, written by Mr Robot creator Sam Esmail, and starring Eddie Redmayne and Julia Roberts (a legend, and the love of my life, says Henry). He looks every inch the booked-and-busy star, wearing enough jewellery to send an airport metal detector into meltdown, and a buttery-looking leather jacket subtly stamped with the logo of Spanish luxury brand Loewe. But despite his successes, Henry remains grounded, self-aware and  although hes frequently laugh-out-loud funny, especially when talking about his favourite British shop, Waitrose (an essential part of any trip to London)  clearly a deep thinker, a hint of a frown stretching across his face when he concentrates.

Casting his mind back to Yale again, he explains that Dope Thief  which is also his first exec producer credit  is very Shakespearean, and [like a] Greek tragedy. Indeed, there are downfall-causing flaws, bucket loads of hubris, and more than a little irony to the Philadelphia-set series. It centres on Ray and his bestie Manny (Wagner Moura, light years away from his role as cartel king Pablo Escobar in Narcos), who have the (initially brilliant) idea of posing as cops to rob drug gangs of their wares. It goes surprisingly well  until the real cops get involved, of course. Its a heavier affair than it seems at first glance, and comes with some proper prestige attached: Ridley Scott is also an executive producer, and directed the opening episode. For Henry, the role is another example of reaching that person at the back of the room that doesnt feel seen ... Im reaching that version of me that doesnt feel seen.

He has spoken at length in previous interviews about his tough childhood in North Carolina and Washington DC. By the time he was born, his four older sisters were already adults, and his parents split up when he was young; he told Variety in 2023 that there was a lot of strife, a lot of poverty, a lot of pain under that roof. Acting, he says, has allowed him to reflect back to himself the different kinds of men I want to be, or that I could be. Having guardianship of different characters allows him to care for them, and to be able to tell them that hey, somebody does see you, somebody does care about you. I will make sure that youre loved. I will make sure that youre protected. Its all the things that I think I wanted in my upbringing that I didnt get.

open image in gallery Brian Tyree Henry in Dope Thief ( Apple )

He is clearly very proud of Dope Thief, and says it is one of the first projects hes done that has gotten so close to what Ive endured. As well as his risky criminal scheming, Ray struggles with fractured family relationships  in particular with his father, who is in prison  and the trauma of losing his first love, all while slipping further and further into alcoholism. In one scene thats equal parts hilarious and gut-wrenching, his adoptive mother (played beautifully by Orange Is The New Blacks Kate Mulgrew) tells him that he has few friends and no love in his life; Ray asks whether this is supposed to be an intervention or an invitation to kill himself. You see him going to AA meetings, you see him kind of trying to talk things out, but for the most part, he hasnt really figured out how to truly care for himself, says Henry. I was like, I have done so much work on myself, that I think Im able to really guide Ray in a [way] that feels safe.

The series also brought him face-to-face with the fresh grief he was enduring at the time. Dope Thief was, like many shows shot over the past few years, delayed due to the Hollywood writers strikes (Henry hired a bouncy castle for the cast and crew to let their emotions out before production shut down). During the break in filming, he lost his father. And, by chance, the first day back on set after seven months saw him shooting some particularly heavy scenes with Ving Rhames, who plays Rays father, Bart. Grief is inevitable. Loss is inevitable, says Henry, matter-of-factly. The difference is that when you are dealing with grief and loss in a medium such as television and film, youre reenacting a lot of those things  theres often nowhere to hide.

He sees a kind of kismet in the fact that he has been confronted with parental grief yet again. His mother died suddenly, just after he finished filming the first season of Atlanta; in the second series of the show, the episode Woods sees Paper Boi struggling on the anniversary of his own mothers death. Even before Henrys father died, he had wanted to confront the father/son dynamic. Initially, it felt too close to home, and then I remember sitting with Peter [Craig, Dope Thiefs creator, who also wrote Top Gun: Maverick], and we couldnt be two more different people. We started talking about our relationships with our dads. And I was just like, wow, so Im not alone

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.

Coming back to filming after his fathers death was difficult in ways one might not necessarily expect. My father was an angry man. I mean, he was a good man, but he was an angry man, very misunderstood. We were estranged for almost a decade, says Henry. Id done the work to create boundaries and to try to find forgiveness and so on, but that pain and that trauma had been my identity for so long. So when I got the call and he was gone, I was like, oh, shit, well: who am I now?

Despite all that was going on in the background, Henry clearly brought his A-game to Dope Thief. And, if it sounds like it might be overly heavy, there are also moments that you imagine were a riot to film  in particular, a farcical opening sequence where Ray and Manny realise that the drug dealer theyre about to pounce on is in fact a little kid. The chemistry between Henry and Moura is key; the actors shared what Henry calls this incredible spiritual connection  at our first meeting it felt like we had known each other forever. It is, he says, so easy to see a show like this with a Black and a Latino man that is dealing with violence and drugs, and you just already want to compare it to something else. I really wanted to make sure that people understood how much Ray and Manny care about each other. I was like, actually, its a love story. Youre watching the relationship between two people who love each other, who are terribly co-dependent, trying to find a way to care for and protect one another. He has described their relationship as the gooey centre of the series.

Its clear that Henry really appreciated his old classmate getting in touch. That, coupled with all the work he did on Dope Thief, seems to have brought him to a peaceful place of late, where he is giving much of himself to his work but also getting plenty in return. Ray was somebody I needed and who needed me, and he came along exactly when I was ready to lay those burdens down and lean into it, he says. I think that being able to do this show was some of the best healing Ive ever had. The universe, he says with a laugh, can be incredibly petty, but  ultimately  I dont think it ever gives me more than I can handle.

Dope Thief is on Apple TV+ from 14 March
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

Gogglebox viewers were stunned to see one of the shows stars agreeing with Donald Trumps opinion on Volodymyr Zelenskys attire.

Last week, the US president sat down with the Ukrainian president at the White House and what started out civilly enough descended into open acrimony as Trump and his vice president, JD Vance, demanded Zelensky show gratitude.

Zelenskys choice of clothing  a military-style sweatshirt  was also a point of contention from the beginning of the conversation, with Trump greeting the politician by sarcastically saying: Youre all dressed up today.

The moment featured on Friday nights episode of Gogglebox (7 March), and viewers were shocked to see one star, Giles Woods, agreeing with Trump on the subject.

Married couple Giles Wood and Mary Killen have made regular appearances on the hit Channel 4 show since joining in series five in 2015.

Watching the moment unfold on TV, Giles said to Mary: With hindsight, Mary, it might have been better if he had worn a suit.

Giles agreed with Trump at another moment, too, when Zelensky addressed US Vice President JD Vance, stating: You think that if you will speak very loudly about the war before he was cut off by Trump who said: Hes not speaking very loudly.

Giles also defended Vance, adding: I dont think he was speaking loudly, to which Mary responded: We can see which side youre on. Youre on the side of the wronguns!

open image in gallery Pictures of the Week Global Photo Gallery ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

Viewers at home similarly called out Giles for his opinion, with one writing on X/Twitter: Why would anyone defend Trump/Vances position baffling Giles.

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.

Others commended Mary on speaking up against her husband.

Elsewhere during the episode of Gogglebox, the sofa critics agreed with Zelensky, with Sue Sheehan asking: Why would you wear a suit? Hes come from a war-torn country!

open image in gallery ( Channel 4 )

At the televised meeting between Zelensky and Trump, a chief White House correspondent for the pro-Trump right-wing cable network Real Americas Voice criticised the Ukrainian leader, asking: Why don't you wear a suit? 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.

In response, Zelensky said: I will wear costume after this war will finish. The word suit can be translated into Ukrainian as kostyum.

Instead of wearing a suit and tie, Zelensky wore a military-style black sweatshirt adorned with the Ukrainian trident. This has been his choice of attire ever since Russias full-scale invasion of his country began in 2022.

He has previously said that his wardrobe is a show of solidarity with fighters opposing the Russian army on the frontlines during the war.
Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

Whether you like it or not, Harry Potter fever is sweeping Hollywood once again  this time thanks to a high-profile TV series thatll take over screens for a decade.

HBO and Warner Bros are behind the new project, which, in their own words, is drawing a lot of rumour and speculation about who will play the shows primary characters.

The new series will be another direct adaptation of JK Rowlings book franchise, with each book comprising one season. This means that a new batch of actors will be portraying roles previously played by stars including Daniel Radcliffe, Alan Rickman, and Maggie Smith.

Casting calls for the three young leads opened in September 2024, with unknowns set to become household names after being cast in the roles of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger.

But well-known actors are being scouted for the older characters. No casting has been confirmed  but the rumour mill is in overdrive. Here are the actors reportedly being touted for roles in the show.

Albus Dumbledore

On Wednesday (12 February), it was reported that John Lithgow was in final talks to play the role of Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore. If confirmed, this could mean that Mark Rylance, who was rumoured to be a favourite of producers, turned down the part.

Lithgows casting would also come after Gary Oldman, who played Harry Potters godfather Sirius Black in the original film series, said he would be up for playing the character. Another name thats been bandied around is Mark Strong.

When The Independent asked Jared Harris, son of original Dumbledore star Richard Harris, if hed be up for being in the show, he shared a less-than-enthusiastic response.

Severus Snape

Other actors rumoured to play characters include Paapa Essiedu, star of Gangs of London, The Lazarus Project and The Capture, who is reportedly in final talks to play Severus Snape.

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.

Essiedu has carved himself out as one of the most enticing British rising stars in recent years, delivering standout turns on both screen and stage (The Old Vics A Number and Lucy Prebbles The Effect at the National Theatre). It would be a shame to see Essiedu committed to such a long-running series  think of the roles hed have to turn down!  but he would make a savvy choice for arguably Rowlings best character.

open image in gallery Paapa Essiedu is reportedly being eyed for Snape ( Getty Images / Warner Bros Pictures )

Minerva McGonagall

As of 7 March, the leading name reportedly in contention for the Transfiguration professor, who was memorably played by the late Dame Maggie Smith, is Janet McTeer. The Oscar-nominated actor, who recently appeared in the unfairly cancelled Netflix show Kaos, is in negotiations for the role, according to Deadline. Another name being floated was Irish actor Sharon Horgan, the star and creator of Bad Sisters. The Favourites Rachel Weisz is also reportedly being eyed, but it seems like the role is McTeers to lose.

Rubeus Hagrid

The most bizarre casting rumour is Brett Goldstein, the actor and writer whose profile has risen considerably in recent years thanks to the success of Apple TV+ comedies Ted Lasso and Shrinking. According to reports, Goldstein is being lined up to play Rubeus Hagrid, the cuddly gameskeeper played by the late Robbie Coltrane in the original franchise.

open image in gallery Brett Goldstein is rumoured to be frontrunner to play Rubeus Hagrid in the forthcoming HBO Harry Potter series ( Getty )

Aunt Petunia Dursley

Phoebe Waller-Bridge is supposed to be working on a bunch of new titles for Prime Video, but it seems like she might have to find time to ensconce herself in the wizarding world. The Fleabag star has, according to insider DanielRPK, been offered the role of Potters spiteful aunt, played in the films by Fiona Shaw.

Lord Voldemort

With a new Harry Potter show comes the need for a new Voldemort  and its been claimed that Oscar winner Cillian Murphy is being eyed for the role. The rumours have become so fervent that former Voldemort star Ralph Fiennes was asked for his views on whether Murphy would be a good successor. Speaking on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, Fiennes said: Cillian is a fantastic actor. Thats a wonderful suggestion. I would be all in favour of Cillian. However, its since been claimed that Murphy is being lined up to play Professor Quirrell in the shows first season  not Voldemort.

open image in gallery Cillian Murphy is a favourite among fans to play Lord Voldemort ( Warner Bros Pictures/Getty )

Sirius Black

Theres less pressure on the casting of Sirius Black considering he doesnt appear until book three  meaning his debut in the show is a long way off  but that hasnt stopped speculation that Ben Barnes will take on the role of Harrys godfather.

The Chronicles of Narnia and Shadow and Bone alum told US Magazine of the rumours: Its been going on for 20 years that people have been very kindly saying that they wouldve liked me to have played a young version of the Sirius Black character in Harry Potter, but now its been going on so long that Im now the age of the actual character in the books.

Theyre books that I love and at least half of my career has been based on literary adaptations that Ive loved. And [Harry Potter], I see no reason why it would be any different, but I havent spoken to anyone about it yet.

Molly Weasley/Ollivander

A person claiming to be a TV insider on Reddit has alleged that Jessica Hynes and Peter Capaldi have both been contacted regarding short term availability for filming of the show, which will take place in summer 2026. While they said they were uncertain about which roles the actors would play, its been speculated that Jessica Hynes could play the Julie Walters role of Molly Weasley, while former Doctor Whos Peter Capaldi could take on wandmaker Ollivander, who was played by John Hurt in the films.
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

CBS has swung the axe on yet another TV series after what has become a brutal week at the network.

Days after announcing that FBI spin-offs FBI: Most Wanted and FBI: International would be drawing to a close with their current seasons, the network has revealed its axed SWAT  for the third time.

The series, which stars Shemar Moore and focuses on the Los Angeles Police Department, was previously cancelled in 2023 and 2024, but received surprise renewals.

However, the shows luck has run out with Deadline reporting this latest cancellation is permanent.

The 2024 decision was believed to be an unceremonious one made due to budget concerns, without alerting the shows creators Aaron Rahsaan Thomas and The Shields Shawn Ryan.

After the duo and their producing team spoke with the network, SWAT was renewed for a seventh season, with an eighth following in 2024.

The news follows what has been a bloodbath at CBS this week, with FBI fans left distraught over the sudden end of Most Wanted and International.

Fortunately, the shows have a few episodes left to shoot, so will receive series finales as opposed to ending on a cliffhanger, which was a fate suffered by the cancelled NCIS: Hawaii in May 2024.

Shemar Moore in the permanently cancelled SWAT ( CBS )

The reason for the glut of axings is reportedly due to an influx of new shows, including a Blue Bloods spin-off starring lead Donnie Wahlberg and a fresh FBI spin-off titled FBI: CIA.

FBI fans arent happy with the development.

I knew one would be cancelled to make way for FBI:CIA but thought theyd keep one, a viewer said, with another angrily adding: WHAT THE F*** CBS?? WE DONT WANT A NEW SPINOFF. WE WANT THE SHOWS AND CHARACTERS WE ALREADY LOVE.

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.

An additional fan concurred: No one asked for another FBI spin off, no one wanted this, with another stating on X/Twitter: Did anyone even ask for an FBI: CIA? Anyone?
On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

North Korea unveiled for the first time a nuclear-powered submarine under construction, which experts consider a weapons system that can pose a major security threat to South Korea and the US.

State media on Saturday released photos showing what it called a nuclear-powered strategic guided missile submarine, as it reported leader Kim Jong Uns visits to major shipyards where warships are built.

The Korean Central News Agency, or KCNA, didnt provide details on the submarine, but said Mr Kim was briefed on its construction.

The naval vessel appears to be a 6,000-ton-class or 7,000-ton-class one, which can carry about 10 missiles, said Moon Keun-sik, a South Korean submarine expert who teaches at Seouls Hanyang University. He said the use of the term the strategic guided missiles meant it would carry nuclear-capable weapons.

It would be absolutely threatening to us and the US, Mr Moon said.

open image in gallery North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, bottom right, visits a shipyard to construct warships at an undisclosed place in North Korea ( KCNA via KNS )

A nuclear-powered submarine was among a long wishlist of sophisticated weaponry that Mr Kim vowed to introduce during a major political conference in 2021 to cope with what he called escalating US-led military threats. Other weapons were solid-fuelled intercontinental ballistic missiles, hypersonic weapons, spy satellites and multi-warhead missiles. North Korea has since performed a run of testing activities to acquire them.

North Korea obtaining a greater ability to fire missiles from underwater is a worrying development because its difficult for its rivals to detect such launches in advance.

Questions about how North Korea, a heavily sanctioned and impoverished country, could get resources and technology to build nuclear-powered submarines have surfaced.

Mr Moon said North Korea may have received Russian technological assistance to build a nuclear reactor to be used in the submarine in return for supplying conventional weapons and troops to support Russias war efforts against Ukraine.

He also said North Korea could launch the submarine in one or two years to test its capability before its deployment.

North Korea has an estimated 70-90 diesel-powered submarines in one of the worlds largest fleets. However, they are mostly ageing ones capable of launching only torpedoes and mines, not missiles.

open image in gallery North Korea has conducted a slew of underwater-launched ballistic missile tests since 2016 ( KCNA via KNS )

In 2023, North Korea said it had launched what it called its first tactical nuclear attack submarine, but foreign experts doubted the Norths announcement and speculated it was likely a diesel-powered submarine disclosed in 2019. Mr Moon said there has been no confirmation that it has been deployed.

North Korea has conducted a slew of underwater-launched ballistic missile tests since 2016, but all launches were made from the same 2,000-ton-class submarine, which has a single launch tube. Many experts call it a test platform, rather than an operational submarine in active service.

In recent days, North Korea has been dialling up its fiery rhetoric against the US and South Korea ahead of their upcoming annual military drills set to start on Monday.

During his visits to the shipyards, Kim said North Korea aims to modernise water-surface and underwater warships simultaneously. He stressed the need to make the incomparably overwhelming warships fulfil their mission to contain "the inveterate gunboat diplomacy of the hostile forces, KCNA reported on Saturday.
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 27-year-old Israeli tourist and a 29-year-old Indian homestay operator were gang-raped and a man was killed in an attack in southern India.

The two women, who were stargazing with three male tourists near Sanapur lake in Hampi, Karnataka, were attacked by a group of men on Thursday night. A male tourist from Odisha was later found dead, police said.

"Five people  two women and three men  were attacked near Sanapur. Two of them are foreigners, an American [man], and another a woman from Israel, said Ram L Arasiddi, superintendent of Koppal police.

The woman [homestay operator] said in her complaint that besides being beaten up, the two women were sexually assaulted by the accused, the police said.

According to officers, a group of assailants on a motorbike initially approached the tourists asking for petrol and demanding 100 rupees ( 1). When the victims refused, the men turned violent, physically assaulting them, pushing the men into a canal, and then sexually assaulting the women.

Since the homestay operator did not know them, she told them they had no money. When the men repeatedly insisted, one of the male tourists from Odisha gave them 20 rupees. After that, the three men allegedly started arguing and threatened to bash their heads with stones," police said.

Two of the male tourists  from the US and Maharashtra  managed to escape, while the third tourist, from Odisha, was found dead, according to PTI news agency.

A case has been registered at Gangavathi Rural Police Station under sections related to extortion, robbery, gang rape, and attempted murder.

Mr Arasiddi told reporters that six special teams have been formed to track down the suspects.

Immediate action was taken following the womens complaint, and the investigation is in full swing, he said.

The Koppal police have arrested two of the three men allegedly involved in the attack, the police said.

The victims are receiving medical treatment at a government hospital, the police said.

The attack has raised concerns about safety in Hampi, a Unesco World Heritage site, which attracts thousands of domestic and international tourists.

The gang-rape of a tourist from Spain in the eastern state of Jharkhand in India has sparked anger and a discussion on safety in a country with rising crimes against women.

Last year a 28-year-old woman and her husband were assaulted in the Dumka district of Jharkhand where they had set up their tent for the evening. The couple, who manage an Instagram page chronicling their motorbike travels across South Asia, posted a video recounting their ordeal.

Last month, a 31-year-old man was jailed for life over the rape and murder of a 28-year-old Irish tourist in Goa.

Danielle McLaughlins body was found with severe injuries in a forested area near Palolem beach in Canacona village in March 2017.

Reports of horrific sexual assaults on women have become familiar in India, where police recorded 31,516 rape cases in 2022, a 20 per cent increase from 2021, according to the National Crime Records Bureau. The real figure is believed to be far higher due to the stigma surrounding sexual violence.
On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

A Japanese High Court on Friday ruled that Japan's refusal to legally recognise same-sex marriage is unconstitutional, in a victory for same-sex couples and their supporters seeking equal rights.

Fridays decision by the Nagoya High Court in central Japan marks the ninth victory out of 10 rulings since the first group of plaintiffs filed lawsuits in 2019.

The decision was also the fourth High Court ruling in a row to find the current government policy unconstitutional, after similar decisions in Tokyo, Fukuoka and Sapporo.

After a fifth court ruling expected later this month in Osaka, the Supreme Court is expected to handle all five appeals and make a decision.

The Nagoya court said on Friday that not allowing same-sex couples the legal right to marry violates a constitutional guarantee of equality. The court also upheld the right to individual dignity and the essential equality of both sexes.

A supporter for the LGBTQ+ community holds up a poster reading Legalize the same-sex marriage as plaintiffs speak in front of media members by the main entrance of the Tokyo district court after hearing the ruling regarding LGBTQ+ marriage rights ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

The current civil law, which defines marriage as being between a man and a woman, is discrimination based on sexual orientation and lacks rationality, the ruling said.

The government has argued that marriage under civil law does not cover same-sex couples and places importance on natural reproduction. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters after the ruling Friday that the government will monitor pending lawsuits and public opinion.

The plaintiffs and their lawyers say the overwhelming winning record of 9-1 in the courts is already enough and the government should quickly take action.

More than 30 plaintiffs have joined the lawsuits on marriage equality filed in five regions across Japan since 2019. They argue that civil law provisions barring same-sex marriage violate the Constitutional right to equality and freedom of marriage.
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

Myanmar is set to hold its first election since the military seized power in a coup in February 2021, plunging the country into a brutal civil war.

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, who led the coup against Aung San Suu Kyis elected government, announced that elections would take place in December 2025 or January 2026 at the latest, according to the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper.

Speaking in Belarus, one of Myanmars few remaining allies, he said 53 political parties had already submitted their lists to participate.

However, no exact date was given, and the junta has repeatedly pushed back election plans while facing growing battlefield losses.

The announcement comes as Myanmars military struggles to maintain control, with armed resistance from pro-democracy fighters and ethnic militias escalating across the country.

A man standing near a burning house at the site of a suspected airstrike carried out by Myanmars military on Ramree Island in western Rakhine State ( Arakan Army (AA)/AFP via Getty )

With the junta losing ground to resistance forces, opposition leaders jailed, and large parts of the country outside military control, the planned vote is already being dismissed as a farce.

Four years after overthrowing Ms Suu Kyis government, the military is on the defensive. It is believed to control less than half of Myanmars territory, with opposition forces seizing key towns and military bases. Holding a nationwide election in this environment seems nearly impossible.

The junta has already signalled that voting will only take place in areas it controls. In October, the military attempted a partial census to compile voter lists, but it only managed to collect data in 145 of 330 townships. The junta admitted in a report, that many areas controlled by ethnic militias and pro-democracy forces were inaccessible.

The plan for a general election is widely seen as an attempt to legitimise the militarys grip on power. Most of Myanmars opposition leaders, including Ms Suu Kyi, 79, remain in prison after what rights groups call politically motivated trials. The junta has also cracked down on independent media, making a fair election even more unlikely.

The National Unity Government (NUG), a shadow administration formed by ousted lawmakers and activists, has rejected the militarys election plans and vowed to block the vote through non-violent means.
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

Sitting in a dimly-lit bamboo shelter in the worlds largest refugee camp, Rohingya Muslims like Azizur Rehman could be forgiven for hating Aung San Suu Kyi.

Five years ago, the then-leader of Myanmar appeared at the International Court of Justice to deny the Rohingya were victims of genocide by her countrys military, much to the shock of the rest of the world.

Yet Rehman, 34, speaks enthusiastically from Coxs Bazar in Bangladesh about the now jailed Myanmar leader and her father General Aung San, Myanmar's independence hero, who in 1946 declared that Myanmars citizens will live together and die together and assured full rights and privileges for the Rohingya. One year later, he was assassinated.

I dont think she (Suu Kyi) is the real enemy of the Rohingya, he tells The Independent. She was just a rag doll who never had absolute power.

Instead he blames the army itself and the Mogh Baghi  a common term used by refugees for the Arakan Army, the most powerful Buddhist rebel group in Myanmar accused of forcefully displacing tens of thousands of Rohingya.

I dont know if I, or the tens of thousands of people like me, will ever return to Burma. But I believe Aung San Suu Kyis release from detention could awaken her conscience and give her a chance to redeem herself for not speaking up for the Rohingya when she was in power.

Rehman, who fled Rakhine State during the 2017 mass exodus, now works as a community leader in the camp, helping those who continue to flee war and destruction since General Min Aung Hlaing led a military coup that overthrew Suu Kyis democratically elected government in February 2021.

As Myanmar plunges deeper into civil war under military rule, Rohingya refugees like Rehman are reassessing their views on the jailed leader.

open image in gallery A Rohingya refugee watches a live feed of Aung San Suu Kyi's appearance at the UN's International Court of Justice in the Hague from a refugee camp in Cox's Bazar in December 2019 ( AFP via Getty Images )

Desperate and frustrated with the ever-waning attention on one of the worlds most persecuted communities, many Rohingya in exile cling to the belief that the release of Suu Kyi will provide them some hope for repatriation to Myanmar.

Rehmans perspective appears to be representative of many of the Rohingya who have fled across the border to Coxs Bazar.

Now in her fourth year of solitary confinement in Myanmar, Suu Kyi, 79, was long celebrated as a global democratic icon for standing up to the Myanmar generals, but later fell from grace due to her silence and perceived complicity in the brutal military crackdown of 2017  an operation that led to mass killings and displacement of over 700,000 Rohingya.

open image in gallery Azizur Rehman, a Rohingya refugee, who hopes Suu Kyi's release from detention could be a stepping stone in their repatriation to Myanmar ( Supplied )

As the Myanmar military faced accusations of "widespread and systematic clearance operations," including mass murder, rape, and destruction of Rohingya villages, Suu Kyi stood at The Hague in 2019 and dismissed the claims. She argued that the allegations against the military presented an incomplete and misleading factual picture and blamed the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) for triggering what she described as an internal conflict.

While Suu Kyi conceded that disproportionate military force may have been used and civilians killed, she said the acts did not constitute genocide. At Bangladeshs refugee camp, some refugees at the time shouted "liar, liar, shame!" as they watched Suu Kyi on television.

Five years later, in November last year, the International Criminal Courts prosecutor Karim Ahmad Khan requested an arrest warrant against General Hlaing for the crimes against humanity of deportation and persecution of the Rohingya, committed in Myanmar, and in part in Bangladesh. This request is currently under review by ICC judges, who will determine whether to issue the warrant.

open image in gallery Aung San Suu Kyi addresses judges of the International Court of Justice in 2019 ( AP )

Umma Hanee, 75, remembers watching the ICJ hearing where Suu Kyi defended the army against accusations of genocide.

It was due to the power of the general that she was unable to speak up for the Rohingyas at that time and General Min Aung Hlaing was actually the person in power, who used to direct violence against people in Rakhine state, Hanee says.

Rohingyas are the citizens of Myanmar and everyone, including Suu Kyi should raise their voice for us.

Mohammad Shakir, 35, blames General Hlaing for pushing the Mogh Baghi into the Rakhine state, calling him the main culprit of the crisis in Myanmar.

General Min Aung Hlaing has controlled the power in Myanmar, he asserts.

Shakir believes that if Rohingyas now stand with her (Suu Kyi) and demand her release, she might testify that Rohingya did not commit violence, but the junta did.

The refugees in Bangladesh say they follow the happenings in Myanmar and updates on Suu Kyi through TV and online news on their phones despite bad reception in parts of the camps  once a forested area inhabited by wild animals, now home to nearly a million displaced people.

open image in gallery Rohingya refugees watching news in a Cox Bazar camp ( Getty Images )

It is not the first time Suu Kyu has been under house arrest. Arrested three times before, she has spent more than 18 years of her life with little company and no connection with the outside world.

Once likened to Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her non-violent struggle for democracy and human rights in Myanmar in 1991. At the time, she was under house arrest imposed by the military junta for her role in leading the pro-democracy movement.

Her younger son Kim Aris, who lives in London, has raised concerns over his mothers health in interviews with The Independent and made a direct appeal to the military-run government in Naypyidaw to release her on the fourth anniversary of the 2021 coup.

The Independent TVs documentary Cancelled: The Rise and Fall of Aung San Suu Kyi shines a light on her continued imprisonment.

In Coxs Bazaar, Sabikun Nahar, who has lived in a cramped 12ft by 12ft shelter for two years, tells how she once owned a large piece of land in Myanmar.

She alleges that the land is now occupied by the military and used for conducting activities against their people.

Nahar believes that Suu Kyis downfall is intrinsically linked to the 2017 crisis.

If the 2017 influx had not happened, she might not have been jailed. Even when she was in power, she was making efforts to repatriate us. But this angered Min Aung Hlaing, and he jailed her. Thats why we are still unable to return to Myanmar, she says.

Many Rohingya had high hopes when Suu Kyi became Myanmars first civilian leader after decades of military rulelargely because of her fathers legacy. General Aung San had openly referred to the Rohingya as our own people, a recognition later erased by successive military regimes.

Rehman and others remember the "red identity cards" issued under Aung Sans leadershipproof of their Burmese citizenshiponly to be replaced later with white cards, marking them as Bengalis and Muslims rather than Myanmar nationals.

That was the only identity proof my family held for a short period of time. Since then, we are fighting for our identity and our homeland, facing systematic oppression at the hands of the junta, Rehman says.

open image in gallery An identity card that belonged to Azizur Rehman's father when they were living in Myanmar ( Supplied )

open image in gallery An identity card belonging to Azizur Rehman's father during their time in Myanmar ( Supplied )

Abdul Karim, a 60-year-old refugee whose mother had a similar identity card, lamented that Suu Kyi did not fulfil her commitment to ensure peace in Rakhine state and remembered her father who was more sympathetic to them.

We voted for her in the election as she was our only hope. But she failed us and the world, he says.

The influx of Rohingyas into the already overcrowded camps in neighbouring Bangladesh has never stopped since 2017. It has been exacerbated by the 2021 coup which has unleashed a civil war in parts of the country, especially in the Rakhine state. It is one of the poorest among the countrys seven states and has a vast majority of the population of Rohingya Muslims.

Human rights groups have raised concerns over the living conditions in the camps where the majority of the population solely relied on the UNs funding for food and healthcare.

The United Nations food agency earlier this week said it was planning to slash food rations for Rohingya refugees by more than half from next month, a move that activists say would cause widespread malnutrition among the already vulnerable community.

The Independent spoke to those who have escaped violence, rapes and forced conscription in their country. The fighting in Myanmar has intensified between rebel groups and the military since the latter claimed power and overthrew the democratically elected government.

open image in gallery A view of a shelter home in Coxs Bazar refugee camp ( Shweta Sharma/The Independent )

In the last year, the military has lost huge swaths of territory to the rebel groups, including in nearly all of Rakhine State, according to reports. It has also lost territory in the west and northern Shan State in the east of Myanmar and large parts of Kachin State in the north.

Hanee, a septuagenarian, says there are textbooks in Myanmar on General Aung San while Suu Kyi had her contribution written and erased with the multiple military coups the country has seen.

She says the only way to bring peace in Myanmar is after Suu Kyi is released and the Arakan Army is held accountable and taken over.

Noor Hashim, a refugee himself who works with trafficking victims at the camps, says Suu Kyi is one of them.

Suu Kyi has been the victim of the military like us, he explains, demanding that she should be released and allowed to spend the rest of the days with her family.
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

I do think were in the middle of a serious trend. Theresa MacPhail is a medical anthropologist and associate professor in the science and technology programme at the Stevens Institute in New York. But shes not just an academic  shes also a single woman in her fifties with extensive first-hand experience of using dating apps. And the trend shes referring to concerns age gaps.

Were well used to scrutiny and discourse around the older man, younger woman trope  see the million or so thinkpieces about Leonardo DiCaprio and his bevy of love interests, who never seem to get past the age of 25 without being abruptly dumped, like some mad dating version of Logans Run  but MacPhail is talking about the reverse phenomenon.

Over the past 10 years, she says, theres been a steady and significant increase in the number of men aged between 23 and 30 messaging her on all the major dating apps, including Hinge and Tinder. What really changed is that Im now seeing men as young as 19 message me, she says. I have been single and dating from age 40 to my current age of 52. Over that time, I would say that the percentage of men who are younger than me that find their way into my inbox has grown two or even threefold.

Shes not averse to casting the net wide  at the age of 42, she embarked upon a serious three-year relationship with a man 15 years her junior. Her current dating-app parameters are set between 35 and 55, though she says shell go up to 65 if someone seems interesting and active in the world, and she sets her cut-off on the other end of the spectrum at 30-year-olds.

I am very comfortable dating younger and older  for me its more about how we get along, and if we share interests and values, she tells me.

MacPhail isnt alone. A new survey from luxury sex-toy purveyor Lelo found that more than four out of five people (83 per cent)hadwidened their age preferences on dating apps in the past year. The Bumble dating app has picked up on a similar trend; globally, singles are widening their age-range filters, with more people open to dating both older and younger partners. Nearly two in three (63 per cent) of Bumbles users believe that age is no longer a defining factor in dating. In the UK, 84 per cent of men are open to dating older or younger, while more than half (61 per cent) of women say they would consider going out with someone their junior.

Our perspective on age-gap relationships is shifting, agrees Dr Caroline West, Bumbles sex and relationship expert. More than one in three women (35 per cent) on Bumble say they have become less judgemental towards generation-gap relationships in recent years.

One reason could well be the plethora of recent films that have been anchored around the idea of age gaps  particularly those featuring older women and younger men. The latest Bridget Jones movie, starring Renee Zellweger and Leo Woodall, and last years Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson vehicle Babygirl, are just the tip of the iceberg; recent releases with a similar premise include A Family Affair (Nicole Kidman and Zac Efron), The Idea of You (Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine) and Lonely Planet (Laura Dern and Liam Hemsworth). Although arguably, our fascination with the idea is nothing new: back in the Noughties we had Somethings Gotta Give, featuring Diane Keaton and Keanu Reeves; Prime, starring Uma Thurman and Bryan Greenberg; and The Rebound, with Catherine Zeta-Jones and Justin Bartha.

open image in gallery Anne Hathaway dates younger in The Idea of You ( Prime Video )

The predilection for dating outside our demographic seems to be generational. Data from dating app Flirtini released last year revealed that more than half (52 per cent) of Gen Z men would date a women from four to 10+ years their senior, compared to just 9 per cent of millennial men and 1 per cent of Gen X. Going in the other direction, just 7 per cent of Gen Z males would be prepared to pursue romance with a woman four or more years younger, which leaps up to 67 per cent of millennials and a whopping 95 per of Gen X.

Meanwhile, Gen X women  those aged between 45 and 60 years old  are by far the most likely female cohort to accept a younger partner. Some 34 per cent said theyd date 10 or more years below their own age bracket, a number that dropped down to 10 per cent of millennial and 0 per cent of Gen Z women.

So whats the appeal? Tom*, a 28-year-old Bumble user, has always found himself drawn to older women, even before he finds out what age they are. Hes currently chatting to a 31-year-old on the app  something of a departure for him, as he usually sets his parameters to five years his senior and above. I believe I grew up fast so I found myself more attracted to older women; I believe because of their life experiences they are more intentional and assertive about the things they want, he says. Theyre more expressive and they are often better communicators. Tom has no reservations about age-gap relationships; Love is love regardless of age, as long as you both are happy, fulfilled and compatible, he adds.

I believe I grew up fast so I found myself more attracted to older women Tom, 28

The younger men whom MacPhail has dated or chatted to online always give roughly the same answers when she asks why theyre interested in pursuing an older woman: That older women are easier to be around, that were often more interesting to talk to (which I can see, because we have more time to accrue stories and experiences), and that we have more sexual experience and are more open, and they hope that we can teach them something. The sexual element is key, she believes: I think younger men watch  or have been exposed to  porn with stepmoms and teachers and the like, and they think its sexually attractive to be with someone older who they think knows what theyre doing.

On the flipside of the equation, Hayley*, 34, has recently decided that dating older might be the way forward. Shes changed her Bumble age parameters to match, setting them to up to 55 years old. What others might see as an obstacle she sees as a benefit, citing differences as one appeal of older men: Opposites attract, as they say. She also believes they offer more stability, are more sure of themselves, and are more comfortable and settled in life. Older guys know what they want and arent afraid to go for it, she says.

Though 34-year-old Emma* hasnt quite taken the plunge yet, she is starting to think about dating younger, partly inspired by her social circle. Four of my closest friends are currently in relationships with younger men  three of whom they met organically, while one intentionally adjusted her app settings after seeing how well it worked for the others, she says. Their experiences have made me more open to considering it, but Im still weighing the idea. While she thinks representation of the older woman/younger man dynamic in the media is a crucial step forward, she believes theres still work to be done in shifting societal attitudes.

Its hard to argue. For all that Kidman is doing Gods work in attempting to shift these attitudes, theres no doubt that stigma remains. The very existence of the term cougar  used to describe an older woman being with a younger man  when there is no male equivalent, is arguably proof enough.

open image in gallery Nicole Kidman and Zac Efron have a sizeable age gap in A Family Affair ( Netflix )

And you only have to look at the medias obsession with the relationship between actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson, 34, and his wife of 13 years, 58-year-old filmmaker Sam Taylor-Johnson, to get a sense of the discomfort that pervades. Likewise, 47-year-old French president Emmanuel Macrons marriage to Brigitte Macron, a woman 14 years his senior, has never ceased to be framed as titillating by certain quarters.

As an anthropologist, MacPhail is always curious about when and why people express disgust or discomfort.

These relationships are still taboo, she says. All cultures have taboos, and they work to maintain social cohesion and identity. When people transgress social norms, by dating someone much younger or older, they are trafficking in taboo behaviours.

Im now seeing men as young as 19 message me Theresa MacPhail

From what shes seen and experienced, people are far more comfortable with the idea of women having sexual relationships with younger men than they are romantic ones. When love and committed relationships come in, its harder for people to accept, she says. The questions come thick and fast, adds MacPhail, often displaying a bias against the younger generation: What did you talk about? Was it just about the sex? How old were you when they were born? (with a residual disgust if its more than five to 10 years old).

Still, those willing to break the taboo could well reap the rewards of widening their choice of potential partners. The relational literacy among younger generations is impressive and attractive, argues Dr West. Many younger men, particularly Gen Z and millennials, exhibit strong emotional intelligence and better sex education, which explains why more women are expanding their dating pool to include them. While relationships with significant age gaps are often seen as transactional  based on the assumption that the pair have nothing in common  this is far from the truth today. These couples often share a commitment to personal and emotional growth.

There will, of course, still be challenges to navigate, as there are in any relationship. Communication and honesty about the future are vital, according to Kate Moyle, a psychosexual therapist and Lelos in-house sex and relationship expert. Your partner isnt a mind-reader, and it can be useful to listen and discuss each others concerns and what potential hurdles you might face so that you can be better equipped as a couple to tackle them when they arise, she says.

open image in gallery What age gap? Renee Zellweger and Leo Woodall in the latest Bridget Jones film ( Universal Studios )

You also have to learn how to tune out external noise.One of the biggest external influences on age-gap relationships is social input, messages and opinions received from others, which many of us allow to impact our feelings in some ways, adds Moyle. Try not to take on the opinions of others, and focus on your own feelings and those of your partner  people will always have opinions about something.

And theres absolutely no need to humour others voyeuristic curiosity about your relationship, she advises: If intrusive questions cross boundaries, you dont have to feel prepared to answer them  with more obvious differences, people often feel that they have more of a right to ask, even though they dont.

At the end of the day, the modern adage you do you is probably the best response to someone elses relationship, rather than interrogation or judgement. As MacPhail puts it: Personally, Im a big fan of letting people do what works for them, even if it wouldnt work for me.

*Names have been changed
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

As the warmer months draw near, many U.S. citizens will also see more hours of daylight in the evening  due to the start of daylight saving time (DST).

Daylight saving time is the practice of setting the clock forward an hour each spring, beginning on the second Sunday in March and ending on the first Sunday in November.

This year, daylight saving time starts on Sunday, March 9  when most people in the U.S. will lose an hour of sleep.

When does DST begin and end?

In the U.S., daylight saving time begins on the second Sunday of March, which will fall on March 9, 2025. At 2 a.m. local time, the clocks will be set forward by an hour for most U.S. citizens.

On November 2, 2025, daylight saving time will end at 2 a.m. local time when we fall back and gain an extra hour of sleep. It will occur again next year on Sunday, March 8, 2026.

Who follows DST?

In the United States, most states adhere to the rules of daylight saving time, with the exception of Arizona, the Navajo Indian Reservation, and Hawaii, according to the National Institutes of Standard and Technology (NIST).

The territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands also do not follow the practice.

Why do we follow DST?

The idea for daylight saving time was reportedly first proposed by Benjamin Franklin in 1784. However, it did not become implemented until 1966 when the Uniform Time Act was created, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Although there were previous periods where the U.S. followed daylight saving including during World War II, when President Roosevelt instituted year-round daylight saving called War Time  the Uniform Time Act mandated that all states follow a time as decided under the four main time zones and follow DST, unless the entire state agreed to be exempt. The Uniform Time Act also meant that all states would implement the time change at the same time.

In later years, the Department of Transportation hypothesized that daylight saving could positively impact violent crime rates, traffic safety, and energy conservation. However, a subsequent report found that there were minimal changes when DST was implemented.

The daylight saving time the United States follows now wasnt implemented until 2007, when it was decided it would begin on the second Sunday of March and end on the first Sunday of November. The annual practice previously took place from the last Sunday of April to the last Sunday of October.

DST is now followed for 238 days of the year.

How does DST affect our health?

Daylight saving time can result in significant changes to our sleeping patterns. When we spring forward in March, we lose an hour of sleep. According to the Sleep Foundation, the average person receives 40 minutes less sleep on the Monday after daylight saving time. Sleep deprivation is already an ongoing problem in the U.S., with one in three adults sleeping less than the recommended seven-plus hours nightly, per the AP.

The American Heart Association also reported an increase in heart attacks and strokes in the days following the hour change.

Sunlight is another important factor that influences our circadian rhythm  the bodys natural 24-hour cycle that regulates alertness and sleepiness, typically in response to light changes in our environment. While some Americans may receive an extra hour of morning sunlight when we fall back in November, this also means earlier sunsets and darker skies by the time we leave work.

During this time, many people have been known to experience seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression usually linked to the shorter days and less sunlight of fall and winter. Symptoms of SAD may include fatigue and decreased energy; feelings of irritability, frustration, or restlessness; loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities; and changes in sleep, appetite, or unplanned weight changes.

The National Institute of Mental Health recommends a combination of light therapy, vitamin D supplements, antidepressants, or talk therapy as treatments for SAD.

Do you have to manually switch your clocks?

Most clocks will update the time on their own. However, certain appliance clocks may require the time to be updated manually.

Some clocks may also have a DST on/off function that needs to be switched on to change the time.

Why do some Americans call for an end to DST?

In recent years, the practice of daylight saving time has become increasingly unpopular, with multiple states proposing bills to end the practice of switching clocks. In March 2022, the Senate passed The Sunshine Protection Act, which would make U.S. daylight saving time permanent. The bill was introduced in the House in March 2023, though it has yet to be passed.

Proposals for New England states such as Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts to move into Atlantic Standard Time, getting rid of DST, have been introduced in the last couple of years.

Since before his inauguration this January, President Donald Trump has made it clear hes not a fan of DST. The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate daylight saving time, which has a small but strong constituency, but shouldnt! Daylight Saving Time is inconvenient, and very costly to our Nation, he wrote in a December post on Truth Social.
Sign up for the Independent Women email for the latest news, opinion and features Get the Independent Women email for free Get the Independent Women email for free Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

If you want to dream big, finding your feet in the world of wine and carving out a career in a male dominated-industry has its challenges but more and more women are tearing up the rule book and shaping the way we drink.

And with #AccelerateAction the theme for this years International Womens Day (8 March), celebrating with a wine made by a woman is a great opportunity to learn more about the lure of the vine.

As Sarah Burvill, senior winemaker at award-winning Bird in Hand in South Australias Adelaide Hills, puts it: Aside from a great excuse to raise a glass of something delicious (lets be honest, every day is a good day for that), its a moment to pause and reflect on how far weve come  and how far we still have to go.

One of the keys to thriving in this industry has been my refusal to label myself a female winemaker, underlines Burvill. I didnt come here to fit into a box I came to make the best wine I possibly could.

Of course, being a woman in this field comes with unique challenges, but the moment we start categorising ourselves, we risk creating unnecessary divisions.

Instead, Ive always approached my career with a mindset of excellence, not exclusivity.

That said, Burvill, whos celebrating her 28th vintage as a winemaker, says she absolutely recognises the power of solidarity.

Theres nothing quite like being in a room full of strong, intelligent, wine-loving women. Its energising, inspiring and a reminder of why fostering female talent in the industry is so important. 

Moreover, she says its about creating a culture where women feel valued, heard and empowered  whether theyre in the vineyard, the winery or the bottling line.

As an industry we have come a long way, but lets not pop the champagne just yet, she quips. Theres still plenty of work to be done.

Encouraging women to enter the wine industry is a great start, but ensuring they stay and advance is where the real challenge lies.

We need to keep pushing for equal opportunities, fair treatment and a culture that celebrates talent over tradition, adds Burvill.

Elsewhere, Julie Pitoiset, director and winemaker at famous estate Chateau des Jacques in Beaujolais, France, says: International Womens Day is a good opportunity to celebrate the achievements, hard work, innovations and skills of many women in the world.

I love to hear these success stories, its always inspiring for all of us to see what can be done, what we should aim for and what we truly want with ambition their stories challenge us all!

Pitoiset, whos consulted for countless producers in Beaujolais, goes on to say diversity is a wonderful thing  and a strength in any company. In most fields women can bring some of that diversity in their approach, they appear to share a different mindset, skills or ideas.

Both management, but also winemaking in particular benefit from that diversity. She continues: Winemaking is a mixture of technical knowledge and practice, where women can be perfectionists, show creativity, and we can also bring our vision and taste for innovation.

With a wealth of winemaking talent still to be discovered, from studying viticulture and oenology, to wine marketing and sales, slowly but surely theres a wine revolution going on.

Sue Daniels, expert in-house winemaker at M&S Food, says: Women have traditionally been underrepresented in the wine industry, although fortunately thats starting to change.

Its therefore particularly important we continue to highlight and celebrate the vital role women play in producing many of the wines enjoyed around the world.

Indeed, Daniels, whos worked in the M&S wine category for more than 25 years, says the majority of the wine team are female  from herself as one of the winemakers, through to their buyers, product developers and technologists.

Having a diversity of talent and perspective is essential for creating exceptional wines, highlights Daniels. We also work with a number of brilliant women at wineries around the world to produce many of the bottles our customers know and love.

Some of her favourites include the exceptional value Delacourt champagne, produced by Carine Bailleul, Chef de Caves at Champagne Castelnau, who has blended best-in-class wines for 20 years.

We also work with the trailblazing Estelle Roy at La Chablisienne, who was named White Winemaker of the Year by the IWC last year, and blends our fantastic range of chablis, adds Daniels.

As a reminder of the progress weve made, Burvill says shes raising a glass to all the women making waves in the wine industry  from those just starting out to the veterans whove been breaking barriers for decades.

Lets keep supporting each other, challenging the status quo, and proving that great wine knows no gender, enthuses Burvill. Except when it comes to palates, because science shows womens tasting abilities are simply superior!
Sign up to our free Living Well email for advice on living a happier, healthier and longer life Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

A 22-year-old woman is unable to walk or talk after she had a stroke caused by undiagnosed leukaemia.

Cleo Davies, from Axford, Wiltshire, was found in her bed staring into space and unable to speak or move by her boyfriend Dan on January 8.

She was taken to the Great Western Hospital in Swindon where doctors discovered she had acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL) - a type of blood cancer that affects cells called promyelocytes, which are white blood cells at an early stage of development.

Further tests revealed that she had also suffered a stroke caused by a blood clot, which occurred due to APL triggering clots and excessive bleeding.

Her parents, Heather Davies, 48, and Lee Davies, 49 were told that the first 24 to 48 hours would be touch and go, and despite having complications such as sepsis, Cleo has defied the odds and kept fighting.

As Cleos entire right side is paralysed and requires intensive rehabilitation, her aunty Fiona Campbell, 45, who lives in Glasgow, launched a fundraiser which has raised over 24,000.

open image in gallery Heather Davies and Cleo Davies ( Collect/PA Real Life )

Fiona, who is speaking on behalf of Cleo and her parents, said: When I heard the news, I thought: Is this really happening?

Doctors keep giving us bad news but Cleo is just beating the odds and keeps fighting, shes so strong.

Cleo was having fun with her friends on New Years Eve and showed no warning signs that anything was wrong in the days that followed.

However, on January 8, her boyfriend, who was staying over at Cleos parents house, found her sitting up at the end of the bed in the middle of the night staring into space and she was unable to speak or move.

Cleos parents immediately rang 999, but as they live in a rural area, an ambulance would take hours to arrive.

With her boyfriends help, they carried Cleo to their car and drove her to the Great Western Hospital in Swindon.

At the hospital, doctors discovered she had acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL) and further tests revealed that she had also suffered a stroke caused by a blood clot, which occurred due to APL triggering clots and excessive bleeding.

open image in gallery The 22-year-old in hospital ( Collect/PA Real Life )

Cleos parents were told that the first 24 to 48 hours would be touch and go and doctors were unsure if she would survive  so, she was taken to intensive care for blood transfusions and platelet treatments.

Fiona said: Treatment wasnt simple  normally, for a stroke, they would give you blood thinners, but they couldnt do that with her because of the leukaemia  the two things were sort of counteracting each other.

Doctors were unsure how long she had leukaemia, but explained that it was likely a recent development.

Acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL) symptoms Blood Cancer UK Bruising easily and bleeding such as gums, wounds, or bleeding on the brain that may cause headaches, difficulty speaking or difficulty moving parts of the body

Blood clots (thrombosis) which can lead to a painful or swollen leg, chest pain, difficulty breathing, headaches or vomiting

Fatigue

Weight loss

Increased risk of infections

Fiona took the next available flight from Glasgow to be by her nieces side.

It was absolutely horrific, she said.

It was terrifying on the first day, I got to hold her hand, and she would wake up for a wee bit and see me, and she was squeezing my hand, and then she would fall back to sleep again.

open image in gallery Cleo had to start chemotherapy immediately ( Collect/PA Real Life )

As a result of the stroke, Cleo lost her speech and is paralysed on the right side of her body.

Fiona said: When we went down, the only thing that she could do was make a little noise.

She was trying to talk to you. You could see her looking in your eyes, and she wanted to speak but she couldnt.

She also keeps dislocating her jaw it might be because of the stroke affecting her muscles, but she has had to have braces fitted to hold her jaw in place.

She can stand but only for a second or two, she needs to get all of the strength back in her body.

open image in gallery Her future remains uncertain ( Collect/PA Real Life )

Fiona has not seen Cleo since, as she has been pregnant and had a planned C-section on March 6, preventing her from flying.

However, she remains in constant contact with Cleos parents, video calling them as much as possible.

You just feel so helpless, Fiona said.

Its been a living nightmare for them I think its been really traumatic and itll take them a while to process it.

Cleo began chemotherapy straightaway but after a week in hospital, she developed sepsis.

Doctors were unsure of the cause and, again, did not know if she was going to make it  but, within a matter of days, Cleo made a full recovery.

open image in gallery Cleo in hospital with her dad ( Collect/PA Real Life )

Her future remains uncertain, but she has repeatedly amazed and impressed the doctors with her chemotherapy progress.

Cleo is still in hospital and receives physiotherapy and speech therapy. However, her family feel she would benefit from a personalised plan.

So Fiona launched a GoFundMe in the hope of securing private rehabilitation at Hobbs Neurological Rehabilitation Services and has so far raised more than 24,000 in donations, and the family are unbelievably grateful.

Reflecting on the experience, Fiona believes there is a misconception about strokes.

People think strokes only happen to old people but it can happen to young people too, Fiona said.

We were so shocked with it as well, so I think its good to get Cleos story out there so others can be more aware.

To find out more, visit her GoFundMe
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

Ione Skye has opened up about a steamy interaction she had with Keanu Reeves in the 1980s.

The 54-year-old revealed in her memoir Say Everything: A Memoir, which hit shelves on Tuesday, that she developed a huge crush on Reeves while they were co-starring in the 1986 movie Rivers Edge.

In her book, the Say Anything actor wrote that she first began acting on her crush by stalking Reeves  who is six years her senior  while he was in his trailer between scenes.

At one point, she visited his apartment and tried to kiss him, which he attempted to get out of by telling her that he was going to go take a shower. However, Skye followed him into the bathroom.

Keanu turned on the water and stood with his back to me, hand in the stream, staring up at the showerhead. I maneuvered between him and the open shower curtain, water spraying my back, her book read.

His beautiful neck was right there, so close I could lick it, so I did. I zeroed in on his beautiful throat, sucking and making out with it. He made a low, growly noise and I felt my stomach turn nicely. Oh, I heard myself say. The room was thick with steam, my wet T-shirt sticking to me, wanting to be peeled off.

Skye recalled stalking Reeves while he was in his trailer ( Getty Images )

Skye then tried to unfasten Reevess belt buckle before he grabbed her wrist and told her he wasnt interested. I broke out with a quick, shocked laugh. Sorry! the memoir continued.

No, don't be, said Keanu, releasing my wrist. We were still stuck together, breathing hard. I pressed my face, red from the kiss and now embarrassment, into his chest.

Let me, ah, get you a dry shirt, he said to her.

Damn, Skye thought. Even the way hed rejected me was charming.

The next day on set, Skye said being around Reeves was only a little awkward.

During another portion of the book, Skye wrote about sleeping with her Say Anything co-star John Cusack years after they filmed the movie together.

Recalling a dinner party with her fiance, designer David Netto, and some friends who loved the movie, she wrote: We talked about the film and what John Cusack was like. I told them wed had a sweet friendship and I'd always admired him and he'd never felt at home in LA so had recently moved back to Chicago.

I did not mention that I'd slept with Johnny after my divorce because Id needed to get him out of my system and it had worked  now I knew we were meant to be in love only in the movies, she added casually.
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

Paris Jackson has hit back at the criticism shes received for wearing a sheer dress.

The 26-year-old model posted a video to her Instagram Stories on Friday about her black, off-the-shoulder, sheer gown, which she wore to Stella McCartneys show at Paris Fashion Week on Wednesday.

Ive gotten a lot of mixed reviews with my choice of clothing for the Stella McCartney show, Jackson, whos the only daughter of the late Michael Jackson, said in the clip. Well just say theres been a good amount of flack. So I would like to point out that everyones entitled to their own opinions. And, were animals. At one point, we abided by the laws of nature.

She went on to describe how there was a harmony amongst humans that once worked really well, until the day humans decided were not animals.

We're going to wear clothes and we're gonna rule over all the other animals, and were going to be different, Jackson continued. A segregation was born and spoiler alert, that's why s*** got really bad.

In a later clip in her Instagram Story, she went on to discuss her outfit at fashion week and how shes confused about the backlash she received over it.

open image in gallery Paris Jackson wore the black sheer dress to Stella McCartneys fashion show on Wednesday ( Getty Images )

I don't really understand why the human body is a driving force for such discomfort in so many people. Its just a body, she said. We look at other naked animals all the time.

Jackson concluded by telling her followers not to be concerned about her appearance, specifically her sheer dress  which exposed her nipples.

Don't get uncomfortable with our bodies. Its your body, youve got one, Ive got one, she said, before adding in another clip: Were all animals. Weve all got bodies. Its not that big of a deal Stop freaking out about nipples man!

During the Stella McCartney show on Wednesday, she wore a pair of white underwear under her sheer black gown. She also had a matching black, small purse and heels, with loose curls in her bleach blonde hair.

On her Instagram Story on Friday, she shared a photo of herself in another sheer look  which she wore to the star-studded Costes party the night before. Underneath her sheer, turtleneck maxi dress, she wore a pair of high-waisted black underwear. She paired the look with black leather knee-high boots and a matching purse, as her hair was in an updo.

A few months ago, Jackson celebrated a milestone in her life: Getting engaged. She announced her engagement in a birthday post for her fiance Justin Long in December, as she shared a snap of him on one knee in front of her, with a ring box in hand.

open image in gallery Paris Jackson urges followers not to be unconfortable with their bodies on her Instagram Story ( parisjackson / Instagram )

Happy birthday my sweet blue, Jackson wrote in the caption. Doing life with you these last years has been an indescribable whirlwind and I couldnt dream of anyone more perfect for me to do it all with. Thank you for letting me be yours. I love you.

On her Instagram Story at the time, she included a series of sweet photos of her and Long together in honor of his birthday. Her post included multiple images from the proposal, including one of Jackson kissing Long after she said yes. Another photo showed Jackson hugging her fiance. A third picture showed a close-up of Long placing the diamond ring on the models finger.
Hami Lee sat in a Linn County courtroom, eyes down. A screen, just a few feet away, played video of police finding Lucas Forbes on his porch, bleeding from a gunshot wound to the head, his limp body reflexively gasping for air.

A jury found Lee, the Albany woman charged with the fatal shooting death of her boyfriend, guilty of second-degree manslaughter Friday, March 7.

Lee was initially arrested on domestic violence allegations, including felony charges of second-degree assault and unlawful weapon use, and misdemeanor counts of menacing and reckless endangering.

The jury found Lee guilty of the underlying charges as well. Sentencing will be scheduled with Judge Keith Stein for a later date.

Lee told authorities she fired the fatal shot from Forbes own Glock 9 mm pistol by mistake following an alcohol-fueled argument over infidelity, claiming she only meant to intimidate him by racking the slide. But the weapon went off while she was manipulating it and trying to eject the magazine, she said.

He didnt deserve to die, and I still loved him, Lee said during her testimony at trial this week.

The jury was instructed to consider three options regarding the shooting death: first-degree manslaughter, second-degree manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide, which are differentiated by the degree of recklessness and indifference for another persons life.

Lee testified about meeting Forbes while they were working as caregivers at a Corvallis facility after she moved to Oregon from New Hampshire. She said Forbes was mostly assigned to memory care and was really good at his job, which could be exceedingly difficult.

She and Forbes started hanging out, she said, and he wanted her to meet his girlfriend, thinking they would get along well, which they did, she said. Lee later needed a new place to live and moved in with Forbes and his girlfriend, who had an extra room.

A year later, Forbes girlfriend moved out, and he and Lee began dating. She said Forbes was still married at the time to a woman in California with whom he had a daughter, though he later agreed to get a divorce.

Lee said their relationship had rocky times but was also growing stronger and more serious, noting that he bought her a diamond promise ring at the same time he bought the pistol. She said they were even talking about having a family someday.

But then Lee got on Forbes phone one morning and found text messages between him and another woman, including what she called explicit messages and photos.

That had her giving the whole relationship second thoughts.

I felt pretty betrayed, she said. I was very devastated. We were doing so great.

Still, Lee said she wanted the relationship to survive despite being so upset, saying part of their argument that night was about getting a couples counselor to help them.

Lees defense attorney, Kent Hickam, called the case emotionally charged and tragic, not only for Forbes but also for his family and all those who loved him.

He said Lee recognized from the very beginning that she is liable for what happened that night.

Shes the one who brought that gun out, and shes the one who was holding the gun when it went off, Hickam said.

Prosecutors Lynn Howard and Lindy Pyle argued that Lee was reckless and showed extreme indifference for Forbes life by getting the gun while she was under the influence of alcohol and angry at Forbes.

They also said Lee did not react with the level of concern that would be expected when she learned Forbes was shot.

The shooting happened around 2 a.m. Jan. 25, 2024, at an apartment shared by Lee and Forbes in the 600 block of 34th Avenue Southeast. Their roommate called 911 to report a domestic situation and someone trying to barge into the residence.

After hearing a gunshot, the roommate said he needed officers at the scene, adding that Forbes was outside and trying to get in.

At one point, Lee got on the phone, and when asked by the dispatcher who had fired a shot, Lee said, I did; Im so sorry, and that she mistakenly pulled the trigger.

Responding officers found Forbes near the front door of the apartment with a gunshot wound to the head.

Security video shown in court captured Lee before the shooting, dragging a heavily intoxicated Forbes out of the residence, then going back in and locking the door. Forbes is seen trying to shoulder open the front door and falling multiple times in the process. It did not record Forbes being shot.

Lee and Forbes had been romantically involved since the end of 2021, but when looking through his cellphone before the night of the shooting, she found messages indicating he had been with another woman, and she wanted to confront him about it.

In preparing for the confrontation, Lee picked up a bottle of Jose Cuervo tequila. She said she does not typically drink because of health issues, and he had been sober for three years. Between the two of them, they emptied the bottle. Lee said Forbes drank about two-thirds of it himself.

The two argued for some time about their relationship, including what would happen to Forbes dog if he had to leave the apartment. Angry that Forbes did not want to leave, Lee dragged him by his belt onto the front stoop, leaving him outside shirtless and shoeless in the January night air.

Just give me my car keys, Forbes is heard saying on video, likely the last words he ever spoke.

As Forbes tried to get back inside, Lee went to their bedroom and retrieved Forbes pistol, then returned to the door, racking the slide on the weapon to scare him off. It accidentally fired, she said.

Police investigating the shooting testified in court that the bullet struck the door frame and changed trajectory as it passed through to the outside, where it hit Forbes in the left side of his head.

Related stories:
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

France handed control of two military facilities to Senegal on Friday, beginning the formal process of withdrawing its military presence from the West African country amid its waning influence in the region.

The handover follows the declaration by Senegals President Bassirou Diomaye Faye late last year that all foreign troops would leave the country.

The French side handed over to the Senegalese side the facilities and housing in the Marechal and Saint-Exupery districts on Friday, March 7, 2025," the French Embassy in Senegal said in a statement Friday. Located near the Hann Park, these districts were ready to be returned since the summer of 2024.

France set up a joint commission with Senegal last month to organize the withdrawal, and the French army recently announced it had dismissed 162 Senegalese who worked on military bases in Dakar.

The French Embassy did not respond to an email late Friday seeking details on how many service members remain in Senegal.

Senegals new government has taken a hard-line stance on the presence of French troops as part of a larger regional backlash against what many see as the legacy of an oppressive colonial empire.

France has faced opposition from some African leaders over what they described as a demeaning and heavy-handed approach to the continent. It has suffered setbacks in West Africa in recent years, including Chad, Niger and Burkina Faso, where French troops are no longer on the ground.

France has said it is planning to sharply reduce its presence at all its bases in Africa except Djibouti, including the 350 French troops in Senegal. It has said it could instead provide defense training or targeted military support, based on needs expressed by those countries.
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 maximum speed limit for four major roads in Cardiff will revert from 20mph to 30mph after almost 1,000 people called for it to happen.

A consultation to review the maximum speed limits saw 933 people make requests for the speed limit to go back to 30 mph following backlash to the Welsh governments decision to lower the speed limit on mostly urban roads in 2023.

The review resulted in sections of Newport Road, Western Avenue, Ocean Way and Hadfield Road reverting to 30mph.

Members of the public, local councillors, MPs, Senedd Members and bus companies were all consulted in the review.

A total of 192 roads were included in the review, 178 saw requests from fewer than 10 people and 95 with just one.

The road which received the most requests was Excalibur Drive, with 2,078 requests.

open image in gallery Wales dropped the default speed limit on restricted roads last year (Ben Birchall/PA) ( PA Wire )

However, the road did not qualify, as there were community facilities, such as a post office, medical centre, church, nursery, public house, playing fields, schools on the route.

The four roads will return to their original speed limit following a legally required Traffic Regulation Process.

All of Newport Road, except for a section of carriageway which runs outside St Illtyd's Catholic School, will revert will 30 mph. So will a small section of the Western Avenue road west of the Taff River Bridge up to the junction with Cardiff Road/Llandaff Road.

Ocean Way, from its junction with Beignon Close to Rover Way, will also revert to its former speed limit, as will Hadfield Road between the junction with Leckwith Road and Penarth Road.

Councillor Dan DeAth, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, Transport and Climate Change said the Council supports the Welsh Governments 20 mph policy and has been using 20mph speed limits in the city as far back as 2014.
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 viral illness called Lassa fever that can cause Ebola-like symptoms has been confirmed in a person who recently travelled to England from Nigeria.

Officials are now checking for any possible cases of the virus and are working to track individuals who may have been in contact with the infected person during their time in England.

There have been very few cases of Lassa fever ever detected in the UK  with the last cases recorded in 2022.

Lassa fever is more common in Nigeria and several other countries on the west coast of Africa, including Liberia and Guinea.

How does Lasser fever spread?

Lassa fever is carried by a particular type of rodent, called the Mastomys.

The rat-borne virus is usually contracted by humans through food and water.

It does not spread easily between people and the overall risk to the UK population remains very low, Dr Meera Chand, deputy director at UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said.

However, it can be transferred through blood, saliva, urine or semen.

UK officials have not confirmed how long the infected individual remained in England or which part of the country they visited.

What are the symptoms?

Lassa fever causes acute infections which can range from very mild symptoms through to a severe viral haemorrhagic fever.

The virus, which can trigger seizures and make women bleed from their vagina, also causes difficulty breathing, vomiting, facial swelling, pain in the chest, back and stomach.

However, most people with Lassa fever experience mild symptoms, such as fever, tiredness, headaches, a sore throat and generalised pain.

Symptoms usually occur between one and three weeks after contracting the virus. But in the majority of cases (80 per cent) people who contract the virus experience no symptoms at all, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Although most people do make a full recovery the virus can cause more severe illness and even be fatal.

Out of those recovering, about a quarter have hearing loss, which improves within three months in about half of these cases.

Pregnant women in particular are at risk of getting seriously ill. Catching the virus in the third trimester of pregnancy can increase the risk of stillbirth and miscarriages and even a higher chance of death for pregnant women.

When was it last detected in the UK?

Lassa fever was last detected in the UK in 2022 when a newborn baby died in Bedfordshire, at Luton Dunstable Hospital.

The child was the third member of the family to contract the virus after they returned to the UK from west Africa.

These three cases were the first recorded in the UK since 2009.
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 grieving parents of a virtuoso 14-year-old musician who died while on holiday in Amsterdam are seeking answers over their sons death.

Despite his young age, multi-instrumentalist Raymi Saldana Rojas had won multiple prestigious awards and performed alongside the BBC Symphony Orchestra at Maida Vale studios, while becoming the youngest person ever to play at Londons Jazz Cafe.

But in July 2024, while on holiday with friends and their family in Amsterdam, the London-born teenagers life was cut short during a boat trip, when Raymi  who was unable to swim  ended up in the water.

open image in gallery Raymi Saldana Rojas won multiple awards for his music ( supplied )

Raymis parents, Jeanette Rojas and Carlos Saldana, told The Independent that they are still seeking answers over the circumstances of his death at the IJ bay in Amsterdams waterfront, at which point they said our world was destroyed.

While a coroner will soon hold an inquest, the family are not eligible for legal aid representation during the hearing, and are seeking to crowdfund the money required to pay for barristers and solicitors, via a CrowdJustice page.

They have so far raised close to 20,000, in large part thanks to amazing support from the Hispanic and Latin American community in London.

But Raymis mother and father  who are also musicians, from Bolivia and Peru respectively, and who played in a trio with Raymi called Sagrada Familia  remain a long way from the 58,000 target their lawyers advise could be required.

Mr Saldana said: We are crying a lot. I feel useless. I used to play instruments to support people because its my [way] of life  and now I am stuck. I cant play because [everything reminds] me of my son and it hurts me a lot.

So I really appreciate if people can help to solve what happened, because we dont know  we need answers.

open image in gallery Raymi and his parents played in a trio called Sagrada Familia ( supplied )

Ms Rojas said: Since my son was little, he was always with us  we were together as a family. That was our way to live  with music, with family, with community. So all the community know Raymi. This is why the community is giving back, but still we are far [from the target].

Describing the impact of her sons loss, Ms Rojas said: One day we were as happy as any other parent, expecting [to see] our child  Raymi was our only son  growing more, achieve all their dreams, to have a family maybe.

She added: We are trying to understand  why us, why our son. I could die, but why my son? He deserved to live. As parents, we are grieving so much, but it is about my son  his voice was cut off. No one can explain.

My son, as  all young children  had his own world, his own dreams, but now from one moment to another everything is gone. Every morning we try to say oh no, this is a nightmare and were going to wake up. But never.

So we want to tell our story with others, because we dont want any other families to suffer a similar story. Maybe after we find some justice, if its possible, honour my son how he deserves, [how great] he was. And maybe he can inspire other children.

But for the moment we want to find the truth and this is justice for us to know what happened.

An obituary in The Guardian by journalist Silvia Rothlisberger, a family friend, described Raymi as passionate about peace, justice and humanity and said he will be remembered for his kindness and humility.

open image in gallery ( supplied )

Having gone to William Ellis school in Gospel Oak, Raymi was supported for four years by the London Music Fund and attended Music Education Islington, where he played as part of the flute ensemble.

Aged nine, he won an award from Young Sounds UK, which saw him play at the Royal Academy of Music, Leeds Conservatoire, and the BBCs Maida Vale studios. In 2023, aged 13, he won an honourable mention at the Royal Academy-hosted New Talent festival.

Raymi was also an avid reader and poet, and his school has set up an English writing award in his name, as well as an award for music at Music Education Islington.

His mother told The Independent: Its so beautiful to see how they are honouring him, but in the end thats not filling our empty souls. But what can we do? We have to continue.

I hope that people can be touched by our story and support us  to ensure that we have a good investigation and go beyond  not just the inquest  to find real justice.
Sign up for the Independent Women email for the latest news, opinion and features Get the Independent Women email for free Get the Independent Women email for free Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

Jess Phillips has revealed she was told not to apply for a job because she was pregnant.

Speaking to The Independent for International Womens Day (IWD), the Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley opened up about her experiences of being discriminated against as a woman, as she called for action to be taken to push for gender equality.

The minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls said: I have definitely been discriminated against. I have not been able to continue to go through a job application because I was pregnant  I was asked not to come back.

I was told on one occasion that I had to be judged by my parents income about whether I could get student finance, even though I had a baby of my own, because I wasnt married to my husband  so I was owned by my parents because my husband didnt yet own me.

Those are both state institutions that have discriminated against me.

Have your say on what gender equality means for you.

open image in gallery Jess Phillips has revealed she was told to not apply for a job because she was pregnant ( Sane Seven )

As a woman in the public eye and as a female politician, Ms Phillips, 43, said the gender discrimination she has faced has been especially relentless, even sometimes including prejudice from fellow MPs in parliament.

She said: I have suffered violence and abuse and threat like almost every woman, but women in the public eye and women in frontline politics face a constant barrage of gender discrimination every single day.

And its from colleagues in the House of Commons, saying youre too emotional when youre talking about murder  yep, youre not wrong Im emotional.

While she acknowledged this can be tiring to endure, she described it as mostly acting like rocket fuel, spurring her into action. Its like something you put in your belly and essentially say f*** you tomorrow, she said.

The theme for IWD this year is Accelerate Action, which is a worldwide call to take action to progress gender equality, with Ms Phillips calling for every single possible step to be taken.

open image in gallery The MP has marked International Womens Day every year for the past decade by reading out the name of every woman killed in the UK by a man over the previous 12 months (UK Parliament/Maria Unger/PA Wire) ( House of Commons )

We all have to recognise everywhere that it happens that we tell girls that they are lesser, that they are sexual objects, that they are owned, she said. And we have to do everything possible  my responsibility is to make sure that our laws do that.

For Ms Phillips, IWD not only offers an opportunity to celebrate women but also for activism.

The MP has marked the day every year for the past decade by reading out the name of every woman killed in the UK by a man over the previous 12 months, with some unknown women and those killed in incidents where the primary suspect was a man also included. She described this annual moment as not only a tribute to the women but also as a reminder to stop it happening next year.

Ms Phillips spoke of the pushback happening across the world as women have gained more rights, with many arguing a period of regression is currently being seen.

She said: Us having more power and more freedom doesnt take away from someone elses freedom  but for lots of men, and this is a growing problem, equality feels like oppression.

Ms Phillips described true gender equality as when women no longer have to do the micro work, such as thinking about when and how they are going to get home. Thats what gender equality looks like to me, she said. Ease for women just to be who they are and feel free.
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

Britain and other European nations must be ready to take over Nato if Donald Trump carries out US threats to withdraw from the organisation.

They must replace American military aid to Ukraine scrapped by Mr Trump and make sure Russian leader Vladimir Putin does not win the conflict.

That was the powerful message delivered on Saturday by former Conservative defence secretary Sir Ben Wallace.

We are witnessing a new era where we cannot take for granted US security guarantees, said Sir Ben.

open image in gallery The former defence secretary said Britain and other European nations must be ready to take over Nato if president Donald Trump withdraws the US ( Getty )

He accused President Trump of trying to bully Ukraine and suffocate its hopes of defeating Russia.

We arent going to let Putin win, Sir Ben told the BBC. The Americans can do what they want, but what Trump may discover is that the Ukrainians are tough people.

Putin is not going to stop and President Trump is naive to think so.

Sir Ben said Mr Trumps message to Putin appeared to be: I will bully Ukraine and give hope to Russia.

He continued: That is the totally wrong message to send if you want to push Russia back and make Putin think that he had better come to the table.

Donald Trump is suffocating the hope that Putin can be fought to a standstill and brought to the table.

open image in gallery Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and Trump had a furious confrontation over the war last week ( AP )

Sir Ben said that if Ukraine carries on its resistance for another 18 months, the Russian economy will collapse.

Ukraine could still defeat Russia, but only if we all step up and substitute what the Americans have taken away or show proper European resolve, including the UK, that we aint going anywhere.

Britain and Europe had to face up to the fact that it was possible the US could carry out threats by vice-president JD Vance and others to leave Nato altogether, said Sir Ben.

Britain and Europe could survive without US support, he argued, but it would mean spending a lot more money on defence.

He added: Its not the end of the world if they pull out of Nato. We have the will in Europe and the money, if we choose to, to fix our own security and defence.

It was partly a question of resolve, said Sir Ben: Do we want to do this, see through the defence of Ukraine, make sure we are less reliant on a less dependable US by investing in our own capabilities?

We have the capability, if we have to, to replace that. Its not like if they pull out we have no options at all if we want to, if we believe in ourselves and are prepared to put our hands in our pocket.
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 judge on Friday declined a Georgia state senators request for an arrest warrant against a state House staffer following a confrontation between the two earlier this year.

State Sen. Colton Moore, a Republican from Trenton, had sought the arrest warrant against Keith Williams, a lawyer in the House speaker's office, after the two men were involved in a scuffle outside the House chamber in January. Fulton County Magistrate Judge Robert Wolf said at the end of a hearing that he hadn't seen sufficient evidence to support probable cause that criminal charges were warranted.

Phil Holloway, an attorney for Williams, applauded the judge's ruling.

It's been our position all along that this event that happened at the Capitol was certainly unfortunate  I think probably everybody that was involved in it has at least some degree of regret  but it's never risen to the level of a crime, he said after the hearing.

Catherine Bernard, a lawyer for Moore, said she believes the probable cause standard was met and that they intend to appeal the judges decision to Fulton County Superior Court.

I'm a bit depressed and disappointed," Moore told reporters. "I walked out of the courtroom thinking, Where will I find justice?

Moore, one of the state Senate's most conservative members, was arrested Jan. 16 after he tried to push his way past House staffers who were blocking him as he tried multiple times to enter the state House chamber for the governor's state of the state speech. House Speaker Jon Burns, a fellow Republican, banned him from the chamber last year after Moore denounced late House Speaker David Ralston on a day when Ralston was being honored and his relatives were watching.

Before trying to enter the House chamber, Moore told reporters that the law didn't allow Burns to keep him from attending a joint House-Senate session to listen to Gov. Brian Kemp.

Williams put his arms around Moore and shoved him away as Moore tried to enter the House chamber, and the senator fell to the ground. State troopers handcuffed Moore and brought him to the Fulton County Jail, where he was booked on misdemeanor charges of willful obstruction of law enforcement officers.

The day after Moore's arrest, Burns said he was lifting his ban on the senator entering the House chamber. State Senate and Republican Party leaders had rallied around Moore.

During Friday's hearing, the judge heard testimony from three Capitol police officers, as well as from Moore and his fiancee. Williams chose not to testify. Moore's lawyer had issued subpoenas to Burns, the speaker's chief of staff, Lt. Gov Burt Jones and House Majority Leader Rep. Chuck Efstration, but the judge threw out those subpoenas.

Video of the confrontation was shown in court. Moore's attorney also played video of the senator's bruised left hand taken several hours after the tussle.

Moore testified that, as an elected senator, it was his compelled constitutional duty to attend a joint session of the General Assembly. I did everything I could to peacefully enter the chamber," he said.

But Andrew Fleischman, an attorney for Williams, suggested the senator was trying to make an end run around Burns decision to ban him from the House chamber.

Maj. Gary Langford with the Capitol police said Moore seemed to make sure to keep his hands down as he tried to enter the House chamber but that he's a big man and used his body to lean into those who were blocking him. There was pushing back and forth, Langford said.

Under questioning from the judge, Langford said he would have pursued charges if he saw a crime happen. The judge noted that Capitol police did, in fact, charge Moore with a crime that day. The judge asked if Langford saw how Williams acted, and the officer said he did. Then the judge asked whether he sought a warrant for Williams, and the officer said he didn't.

Moore's attorney asked the judge to consider charges of battery, aggravated battery, criminal intent to interfere with government property, disruption of a session of the House and unlawful practice of law.

The judge said the question of Moores ban from the House doesnt excuse or explain what either party did here. He also said that regardless of who started the confrontation, there did seem to be a back-and-forth.
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

Mobsters, a mysterious man with an umbrella, Ted Cruzs dad  and aliens.

Conspiracy theories about the assassination of President John F Kennedy on that fateful day on November 22, 1963, have swirled for decades. But experts agree that the imminent release of the long-awaited JFK files, along with unreleased documents about the killings of Robert F Kennedy and civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr, is unlikely to quell the paranoia surrounding any of their murders.

President Donald Trumps deadline for officials to submit a plan for the release of the files is this weekend, according to the executive order he issued 43 days ago.

That's a big one, huh? Trump said as he signed the order in January. A lot of people have been waiting for this for years, for decades.

While conspiracy theories have implicated 214 individuals and 44 organizations in John Kennedys murder over the years, doubts also remain over the killings of RFK and King after their families remain unconvinced the true culprits were convicted.

As the deadline for the release of the files looms, The Independent revisits some of the outlandish and more compelling theories out there:

John F Kennedy assassination  Dallas, November 22, 1963

open image in gallery President Kennedy and the First Lady ride in the motorcade minutes before his assassination in Dallas in November 1963 ( Dallas Morning News/Public Domain )

The widely accepted theory

Positioning himself from a snipers perch on the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository building, former marine Lee Harvey Oswald fired multiple shots that killed Kennedy.

Two days later, nightclub owner Jack Ruby shot Oswald during a prison transfer, killing him.

One year after the assassination, President Lyndon B. Johnson assembled and tasked the Warren Commission to investigate. The commission, along with the FBI and other governmental probes, concluded that Oswald acted alone. The theory was widely accepted.

Multiple gunmen and the umbrella man

open image in gallery Lee Harvey Oswald pictured shortly after his arrest. The Warren Commission found he acted alone in killing the president ( AFP/Getty )

Things started to unravel when a Select Committee on Assassinations argued in 1979 that there was a high probability that two gunmen fired at Kennedy, with one of them being situated on an area known as the grassy knoll.

Kennedys own nephew, RFK Jr, himself a keen conspiracy theorist, has said that he believes there was more than one man behind his uncles murder.

The theory that a second shooter was situated on the knoll was disproved by several technical recreations, including by the National Academy of Sciences, which concluded: Reliable acoustic data do not support a conclusion that there was a second gunman.

Within the multiple gunmen theory came another about a mysterious figure holding a black umbrella on the day of the assassination. Curious, as the sun was shining that day. There was speculation that the umbrella contained a dart gun which was shot into Kennedys neck, giving his fellow assassins time to kill him while he was immobilized. In Oliver Stones controversial 1991 film JFK, the umbrella man featured sends signals to the other assassins.

open image in gallery It turned out that the umbrella man, sat on the far right side at the scene of the assassination, brought it with to heckle Kennedy ( Richard Oscar Bothun/Wikimedia Commons )

open image in gallery The umbrella, exhibit 405, is demonstrated to the House Select Committee on Assassinations in 1978 ( National Archives/YouTube )

The umbrella in question was exhibit 405 in the House committees probe in 1978, where its owner, Dallas life insurance salesman Louie Steven Witt, revealed its true purpose  to heckle Kennedy.

When asked by staff counsel to the committee Robert Genzman whether the umbrella ever contains a gun or weapon of any sort, Witt replied: This umbrella? No.

CIAs retaliation over failed operation

The failed Bay of Pigs CIA invasion in Cuba ordered by Kennedy in 1961 to overthrow Fidel Castros government led some Americans to link the intelligence agency to the presidents murder.

In 2017, the release of classified papers detailed plans that Kennedys administration and the CIA developed to kill Castro, including one where they would give the keen diver an exploding seashell or contaminated diving suit.

open image in gallery The CIA conspiracy theory surrounds the failed operation to overthrow Fidel Castros government ( AFP via Getty Images )

When the assassination attempt on Castro failed, some believe that the tension between the CIA and Kennedys administration led the agency to retaliate by ordering the hit. The CIA has repeatedly denied the conspiracy.

Kennedys nephew, RFK Jr, is one believer of the CIA theory. The evidence is overwhelming that the CIA was involved in the murder and in the cover-up, he told a podcast in May 2024, while on the campaign trail before he defected to Trump.

Former mobster who claims he is the true assassin

During a 25-year stint in prison for the attempted murder of two Chicago police officers, former mobster James Files converted to Christianity and owned up to a previous murder  the assassination of Kennedy.

The 83-year-old insists that he was situated behind a fence on the infamous grassy knoll and took the fatal shot, he told The Times of London.

open image in gallery Former mobster James Files claims he is the real JFK assassin. He made the confession while in prison for killing two cops ( @DocoCentral/Youtube )

His claims have been widely disregarded, but he maintains that he was working with a team of mafia hitmen, allegedly trained and recruited by the CIA. He told the newspaper that his debrief with CIA handlers ten days after the killing is buried in the agencys files.

Even the former mobster doesnt think that the files will unearth anything new. The government tells a lie, they have to live the lie. I dont think Trump will get any further than whats already been disclosed, Files told the outlet. The CIA has lied to the American public for 61 years. Does anyone really think the CIA is going to say, Were sorry, we lied to you? A hundred years from now they will still say that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone and there was no conspiracy.

Ted Cruzs dad and aliens

Trump was at the center of the wild conspiracy theory that Ted Cruzs dad, Rafael Cruz, was linked to Kennedys assassination.

During the 2016 presidential campaign, Trump peddled a photograph published by the National Enquirer tabloid that last year was confirmed to be made up. The fake photo showed his then-rivals father, a Cuban immigrant, with Lee Harvey Oswald in New Orleans in 1963 handing out pro-Fidel Castro pamphlets.

open image in gallery Ted Cruz with his father Rafael Cruz, who was linked to Kennedys murder by a tabloid which was then shared by Donald Trump ( Getty Images )

His father was with Lee Harvey Oswald prior to Oswald's being  you know, shot. I mean, the whole thing is ridiculous, Trump said on the campaign trail. I mean, what was he doing  what was he doing with Lee Harvey Oswald shortly before the death? Before the shooting?

Trump didnt apologize for pushing the conspiracy theory.

From one baseless theory to another, aliens were responsible for the murder of Kennedy, according to the late conspiracy theorist Milton William Cooper, because the president was about to expose his knowledge of a secret martian base on the moon to Congress.

Martin Luther King Jr assassination  Memphis, April 4, 1968

open image in gallery Martin Luther King Jr on the balcony of the Lorraine motel in Memphis, Tennessee, before his assassination in 1968 ( Glasshouse Images/Shutterstock )

MLK was the target of a wider plot

The death of King has been investigated by the authorities five times since he was murdered on the Lorraine motel balcony in Memphis, Tennessee.

While Congress, the Justice Department and district attorneys conclude that James Earl Ray was responsible for Kings death, the civil rights leaders own family vehemently disagrees.

In March 1997, one of King's two sons, Dexter Scott King, visited Ray in prison and said he thought he was innocent. He died in prison the following year.

Until the day she died in 2006, Kings widow Coretta believed there is abundant evidence of a major high level conspiracy, she told a 1999 press conference. The Mafia, local, state and federal government agencies, were deeply involved in the assassination of my husband...Mr Ray was set up to take the blame.

To the family and many others who lived through the civil rights struggle of the 1960s, the idea of such high-level government involvement in an assassination plot was not fanciful. King knew the FBI had been operating against him. On November 18, 1964, J. Edgar Hoover, the director of the FBI, had publicly denounced him as the most notorious liar in the country.

This all laid the groundwork for the idea that King was the target of a much bigger plot, according to his family, the Washington Post reported in 2018.

open image in gallery The King family never believed that Martin Luther King Jr was murdered by James Earl Ray ( Getty )

Even those investigating the case admitted Rays version of events kept changing and theorized that he may have had help, but poured cold water on the idea that it was an inside job.

Im not saying he didnt have help, John Campbell, who investigated the case, told the newspaper. But he didnt have the FBI, the CIA, the Memphis police or the mafia.

Sharpshooting Memphis police officer fired fatal shot

No one has championed Rays innocence more than William Pepper, a civil rights activist and attorney who continued to investigate the case after Ray died.

Pepper has tracked down witnesses in Memphis to support his theory of what he believes really happened that day.

That J. Edgar Hoover used his longtime assistant, Clyde Tolson, to deliver cash to members of the Memphis underworld, that those shadowy figures then hired a sharpshooting Memphis police officer, and that officer  not Ray  fired the fatal shot, the Post reported, outlining Peppers theory.

Segregationist presidential candidate and the Ku Klux Klan

Another theory put forward by the House Select Committee on Assassinations in 1979 speculated that Ray killed King for a $50,000 bounty, offered by the supporters of presidential candidate George Wallace, a segregationist. The committee could never prove it.

Authors Stuart Wexler and Larry Hancock, meanwhile, argued in a book The Awful Grace of God that the Ku Klux Klan of Mississippi issued the bounty. FBI files of the KKK were examined by the committee but they found no evidence that these organizations had anything to do with the assassination.

Robert F Kennedy assassination  Los Angeles, June 5, 1968

open image in gallery Robert F Kennedy speaking shortly before his murder at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles moments after winning the California presidential primary ( AP )

Killer was hypnotized

Five years after the death of his brother, Robert Kennedy had just delivered a victory speech after winning Californias Democratic primary and had momentum in primary season.

In the kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, Kennedy was fatally shot.

Sirhan Sirhan was convicted of the murder and jailed in 1969, but he has claimed to have no memory of what happened.

Sirhan, a Palestinian, had emigrated to the U.S. from Jordan and admitted to the crime during the trial. In the aftermath of the killing, Sirhan said he was angry at Kennedy for his support of Israel. But Sirhans testimony changed on numerous occasions and his legal team argued at one point that he had been hypnotized.

open image in gallery Sirhan Sirhan is arrested for the murder of Robert F Kennedy in 1968. He was refused parole in 2024 ( Getty Images )

The second shooter theory

Kennedys son, RFK Jr, believes Sirhan is innocent.

RFK Jr, who was 14 when his father was murdered, met Sirhan in Californias Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility just outside of San Diego in 2018 and became convinced of his innocence during their three-hour exchange.

I went there because I was curious and disturbed by what I had seen in the evidence, RFK Jr, now Trumps health secretary, told the Washington Post at the time. I was disturbed that the wrong person might have been convicted of killing my father.

RFK Jr believes the theory that there was a second shooter, implicating security guard Eugene Thane Cesar in a 2023 television interview. In 1990, Cesar said that he had gone to the Ambassador Hotel that night with the intent to kill Kennedy, but that Arab fellow shot him before I could.

Writing in The Independent last month, former intelligence officer John Kiriakou said that the files set to be released Sunday could shed light on the second gunman theory.

Sirhan fired eight shots at Kennedy with an eight-shot revolver. But Sirhan was in front of Kennedy when he began shooting. And Los Angeles County Coroner Thomas Noguchi testified that the fatal shot came from behind Kennedy, at a distance of between one and three inches, Kiriakou writes.

Furthermore, a 2006 forensic analysis of a recording of the shooting found that between 10 and 13 shots had been fired. In 2008, John Pilger, the Australian documentary-maker, who had been covering the Kennedy campaign, witnessed his assassination and maintained he had seen a second gunman.

Kiriakou said it is unlikely that the declassified documents will provide a smoking gun.

But what we do expect, he said, is that the documents will at least shed some contemporaneous light on one of the most important and tragic events in American history.
Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

A group of Department of Government Efficiency agents repeatedly pressured a federal official to open a large water pump system in California  and then flew there to do it themselves, according to a new report.

DOGE staffers attempted to pressure the acting head of the Bureau of Reclamation to open a water pump system, CNN reports. The staffers wanted to send the water to Los Angeles amid the devastating wildfires in January  even though the system wouldnt have allowed it to reach the scorched city, CNN reports.

Despite this, they still decided to take matters into their own hands.

In January, DOGE staffers called the Bureau of Reclamation claiming President Donald Trump wanted water pumps turned on at the Jones Pumping Plant, which sends water to the states Central Valley, CNN reports.

But when the official didnt give in, staffers Tyler Hassen and Bryton Shang flew to California to open the pumps themselves and get a photo while doing so, CNN reports. But two issues stopped them.

DOGE staffers Bryton Shang (left) and Tyler Hassen flew to California to turn on a major water pump system themselves in the wake of the Los Angeles wildfires, according to a new report ( Department of Government Efficiency )

First, the power was off due to planned maintenance. Second, Shang wasnt an official federal employee yet, meaning he couldnt access the pump. Hassen couldnt do it either, CNN reports, because he had to fly back before the power would be restored.

They didnt get their photo op, an unnamed source with knowledge of the incident told CNN, adding it represented what DOGE has been this entire time  this slapstick operation of 20-somethings theyre seeing as whiz kids but have zero knowledge.

Instead, the DOGE X account posted a photo of Shang and Hassen in front of a map, along with other pictures of the plant.

Congratulations to the Administration and DOIs Bureau of Reclamation for more than doubling the Federally pumped water flowing toward Southern California in < 72 hours. Was an honor for the DOGE team to work with you. Great job! @Interior @usbr pic.twitter.com/V68cw48BwU  Department of Government Efficiency (@DOGE) January 28, 2025

White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told The Independent that the administration wanted to turn on the water to prevent another tragedy like the recent California wildfires. However, experts say there is no evidence that a water shortage caused the California wildfires, CNN reports.

He will continue to protect Americas abundant natural resources while streamlining federal agencies to better serve the American people, Kelly said.

A White House official also told The Independent Hassen and Shang are Department of Interior employees. Hassen has been previously identified as a DOGE staffer by The New York Times.

Soon after the visit, Trump ordered the US Army Corps to open up two Southern California dams at the end of January. This release sent water rushing toward farmland in the San Joaquin Valley, the Los Angeles Times reports, prompting concern from farmers.

This is going to hurt farmers, water consultant Dan Vink told the outlet. This takes water out of their summer irrigation portfolio.

Trump ordered the release after claiming that water access issues caused the wildfires that killed nearly 30 people. Trump falsely claimed the LA fires were a result of the states water policies.

Photo of beautiful water flow that I just opened in California, Trump said in January 31 post on X. Today, 1.6 billion gallons and, in 3 days, it will be 5.2 billion gallons. Everybody should be happy about this long fought Victory! I only wish they listened to me six years ago  There would have been no fire!

The Independent has contacted Hassen and Shang for comment.
Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

Secretary of State Marco Rubio launched into a heated argument with Elon Musk during a Cabinet meeting, according to a new report.

Musk and Rubio went at it in a back-and-forth on Thursday in front of President Donald Trump and nearly two dozen others, The New York Times reported.

Rubio has been privately furious at Musk for weeks over his role in dismantling USAID, which the secretary believed should have been under his control, according to The Times.

The conflict began when Musk accused Rubio of not firing State Department workers despite mandates from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Rubio reportedly shot back, pointing out that 1,500 State Department employees had taken early buyouts, which should be tallied as a reduction in the workforce.

He then sarcastically asked Musk if he should rehire those employees just so they could be fired again, mocking DOGEs stumbles in firing workers they had to rehire soon after because of bad decisions.

open image in gallery Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Elon Musk got into a heated argument at Thursday's cabinet meeting, according to a new report ( AFP via Getty Images )

Then, Musk accused Rubio of being just good on TV, The Times reported. The argument stretched on for an uncomfortable time before Trump finally intervened.

Trump  after silently watching the exchange  said Rubio is doing a great job and said he has a lot to deal with, according to The Times. He added that everyone needs to work together.

Appearing to recognize some of the growing anger with Musk, Trump reduced some of Musks power at the meeting. The president made it clear that while he supports Musks work, he also noted that only the Cabinet members would be in charge of any firings, and the billionaires team would only advise, The Times reported.

open image in gallery Trump reportedly initially sat back and listened as Rubio and Musk exchanged heated words ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called it a great and productive meeting.

Everyone is working as one team to help President Trump deliver on his promise to make our government more efficient, she said in a statement.

Rubio similarly said it was an open and productive discussion with a dynamic team, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told The Times. In a statement on X, Musk similarly labeled the meeting very productive.

The reported argument comes amid Musks continued efforts to shrink federal spending by slashing jobs and terminating contracts through DOGE.

The efforts have prompted multiple legal challenges, including a lawsuit from 20 attorneys general who accused the administration of terminating tens of thousands of probationary employees without following federal regulations, including a 60-day advance notice to affected employees and states.

DOGE staffers are also making headlines, with Politico reporting some have transformed at least four rooms on the 6th floor of the General Services Administrations building to sleep in, equipping them with beds from IKEA, lamps and dressers. Some are making six-figure salaries working for DOGE.
While Oregon State University tries to hash out a new contract with its faculty union, some undergraduate workers are attempting to get their own seat at the bargaining table.

This term, organizers behind the OSU Student Workers campaign are focused on circulating union cards, hoping to get a majority of undergraduates signatures to be officially certified by the state, or obtain enough signatures to trigger an election for student employees to decide on union representation.

The campaign goes back to summer of 2023, according to one of the effort's key organizers, Dylan Perfect.

He said his aspirational goal is to get enough signatures by the end of spring to have student employees recognized as a bargaining unit by the Oregon Employment Relations Board.

If we dont meet that goal, well continue organizing for recognition into the fall, Perfect said by phone.

Student workers

Student workers hold a variety of part-time jobs on campus  theyre generally capped at 24 hours per week  but most work at university dining, Perfect said. The number of student employees has generally fluctuated between 6,500 and 7,500 in recent years, he added.

The latest data released by the university shows OSU employed more than 5,000 undergraduate students in October. Thats along with over 1,800 graduate workers employed that month, class of workers represented by the Coalition of Graduate Employees, a separate labor union.

Perfect, however, said graduate workers employed at dining halls for example, could fall into the umbrella of students OSU Student Workers is aiming to represent, though it's overwhelmingly undergraduates.

Increasing their wages is top of mind for organizers.

Current rates for undergraduates can range from Oregons standard minimum wage of $14.70 to $17 an hour for those working in food and retail service. Rates can go up to $21 an hour for those working in information technology or outreach programs.

Students, Perfect said, are in more precarious positions than other employees on campus, both working and going to school.

"And not only can that be quite stressful, but it can be quite difficult to manage, along with the cost of rent and housing generally," he said.

Organizing

Fueling the union drive, according to Perfect, is his desire to have an independent vehicle to lobby the university on higher wages, beyond OSUs student government.

Perfect, for context, is also at the center of recent turmoil at the Associated Students of Oregon State University, which has prompted administrators to temporarily shut down parts of ASOSU over hostile work environment concerns.

The university fired Perfect and two other students for allegedly violating the shutdown directive.

Under state rules, the OSU Student Workers campaign needs signed cards from more than 50% of a proposed bargaining unit  in this case, mostly undergraduate employees  to successfully petition the state for recognition.

The campaign can also get signatures from 30% of the bargaining unit to prompt an election. According to Perfect, the current target is around 2,500 students and the campaign is a quarter of the way there.

We definitely have a lot of ground to cover, he said.

Masha Mogylevsky, another student organizer, who was recently elected as vice president of OSUs student government, said the campaign has been trying to reach many university workplaces.

Mogylevsky, for her part, works part-time at the Hattie Redmond Women & Gender Center on campus.

I actually like my workplace a lot, especially this year, she said in a phone call, adding she felt supported by her boss.

Most student workers dont get that opportunity, and obviously there are still issues in the workplace that can always be improved, she said.

The union effort, Mogylevsky said, was about giving students more say in their working conditions.

Union campaigns

The effort by OSU students follow in the footsteps of the successful campaign by University of Oregon student workers to form their own union in 2023, as well similar efforts by college students nationwide.

It also comes as OSUs faculty union prepares to enter mediation with the university this month as it negotiates a new contract. And it follows the first-of-its-kind strike by graduate employees last year, as they worked to settle their own contract dispute.

Classified workers at Oregons public universities, including at OSU, reached an agreement on an updated contract in the winter of 2024.

"A lot of what we're doing here is closely inspired by what they've pulled off at the University Oregon and we've been in close contact with them," Perfect said.

Related stories:
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

Hundreds of thousands of people are under a blackout in Queensland, while flood warnings remain in place across New South Wales, after ex-Cyclone Alfred left a trail of destruction along Australias east coast.

As of Sunday, approximately 316,540 properties in Queensland were without electricity, with the Gold Coast being the hardest hit with over 112,000 customers affected.

The storm's ferocious winds and torrential rains uprooted trees and damaged power lines, complicating restoration efforts. Energy distributor Energex said their crews were working tirelessly to restore power, but extensive damage means some areas might not see their power resumed for some days.

open image in gallery A boy walks past an uprooted tree in front of the Miami Beach Surf Lifesaving Club in the aftermath of Cyclone Alfred on the Gold Coast on 8 March 2025 ( AFP via Getty Images )

Prime minister Anthony Albanese said on Sunday that the "situation in Queensland and northern New South Wales remains very serious due to flash-flooding and heavy winds".

"Heavy rainfall, damaging wind gusts, and coastal surf impacts are expected to continue over coming days," Albanese said in Canberra, in remarks televised by the Australian Broadcasting Corp.

open image in gallery A tree lies fallen on the beach front following cyclone Alfred on the Gold Coast, Australia, Saturday, 8 March 2025 ( AP )

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued fresh flood alerts for parts of southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales as heavy rainfall continued to pose a risk of flash flooding.

Regions like Brisbane, Ipswich, the Sunshine Coast, and Gympie were particularly hit.

Even though the risk of high wind gusts has largely subsided, with the remnants of the storm moving inland, gusts of 90kmph (60mph) were also possible in the state, the bureau said on its website.

"It is now just a weak low as it continues moving further inland through southeast Queensland, bringing lots of rain," said bureau meteorologist Dean Narramore.

open image in gallery A tree lies fallen on the beach front following cyclone Alfred on the Gold Coast, Australia, Saturday, 8 March 2025 ( AAP Image )

Emergency services have been stretched thin, responding to numerous incidents across the affected regions. In northern New South Wales, a 61-year-old man was found dead after being swept away by floodwaters near Dorrigo.

A convoy of Australian Defence Force vehicles en route to assist with flood relief in Lismore was involved in a crash, resulting in injuries to several personnel. Emergency services have conducted multiple rescues, many involving individuals attempting to drive through flooded areas.

The severe weather has led to significant disruptions in transportation and public services. Brisbane Airport reopened on Sunday but warned travellers of potential delays due to ongoing weather conditions. Public transport services have been affected, with train services and bus operations resuming but limited in certain areas.

open image in gallery A lifeguard tower is surrounded by heavy seas following Cyclone Alfred on the Gold Coast, Australia, Saturday, 8 March 2025 ( AAP Image )

Decisions regarding the reopening of approximately 1,000 Queensland schools closed due to the storm will be made based on safety assessments, state Premier David Crisafulli said.

"Where it's safe to do so, schools will reopen with the exception of the Gold Coast, where there remains some significant damage. Power loss and issues with transport," Mr Crisafulli said in televised comments from Brisbane.

He added: "One thing's remained consistent, and that is the community spirit and the resolve.
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

At least 12 people have been injured in a shooting at a pub in Toronto that left blood all over the floor as three suspects remained on the run hours later.

Police said they received numerous emergency calls after three men fired randomly into the venue in the district of Scarborough in the east of the Canadian city on Friday night.

Officers are still hunting for three male suspects, Toronto Police said early on Saturday, following the incident near Progress Avenue and Corporate Drive at around 10.40pm local time. The force added that one suspect wearing a black balaclava was seen fleeing the scene in a silver car.

Police described shot pubgoers surrounded by broken glass and blood all over the floor when officers arrived on the scene, according to local media.

Superintendent Paul MacIntyre, unit commander of the organised crime enforcement unit, said purses and shoes were scattered around the pub, while food and drinks were still on the tables, reported the Toronto Star. Its kind of eerie, he said.

The senior officer said CCTV footage showed revelers enjoying a Friday night like any other at the bar, before gunshots were heard and people were seen falling to the floor and ducking for cover.

He added that blood was also found in the basement, where some people had hidden.

None of the victims  who range in age from their twenties to mid-fifties  suffered life-threatening injuries, police said in a post on X, adding that six of those injured have gunshot wounds. The remaining six victims were hurt by flying and broken glass.

During a news conference at the scene, Supt MacIntyre said: "One male was armed with what appears to be an assault rifle, the other two males were armed with handguns, and they walked into the bar, they produced their guns and they opened fire indiscriminately on the people sitting inside.

open image in gallery Police arrived at the scene and found 12 people suffering from various injuries ( Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press via AP )

Police arrived at the scene and found a dozen people suffering from various injuries, with Supt MacIntyre calling the victims "extremely lucky" not to have suffered fatal injuries.

The motive was not immediately clear, Supt MacIntyre said, calling the shooting "a brazen and reckless act of violence that's really shaken our community and the city itself".

Supt MacIntyre said he and other officers were "horrified" by what they saw on a security video, adding: "These guys just looked at the crowd and opened fire.

Officials warned the public to stay away from the area.

It is troubling because of the magnitude of the shooting and the number of people hurt, Mayor Olivia Chow said at a press conference Saturday morning.

Police are still looking to determine a motive for the shooting.

Our investigation will tell us whether or not this pub was targeted for a particular reason, MacIntyre said Saturday. Maybe somebody was inside that somebody didnt like. Maybe somebody had a beef with the business. We dont know.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said the department had his full support as they bring those responsible to justice.

My thoughts are with the victims and their families, and Im praying that all those affected by this terrible shooting make a full recovery, he added in a statement on X.

Toronto police are calling on the public to submit any information related to the shooting.

We are urging anyone with information, video footage, or eyewitness accounts to come forward and assist in this investigation, the department wrote in a statement on Saturday.

Employees and bystanders near the shooting expressed their shock at the sudden outburst of violence at the pub, which was celebrating its opening weekend.

Ive been here a couple of times for training and today was supposed to be my first shift, pub employee Pooja Reddy told the Toronto Star. Its very shocking and I feel very bad for whatever happened. They were just sitting there eating. They did not deserve to have a fate like that.

Lemaun Bailey-McIntosh, who was out shopping near the crime scene on Saturday, said it was a miracle that nobody got killed in the shooting.

Pedestrians were walking by, [people were] having a good time on a Friday night, and just to see something like this, it's terrible," they told the CBC.

Fridays gunfire came the same week the city of Toronto released statistics for the first two months of this year showing 17 shootings had taken place, a 26 percent decrease from the same period in 2024.

Over the last week, three people have been wounded in four shootings clustered at sites related to the towing industry.
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 Vaticans Holy Year has proceeded without Pope Francis as he continues his recovery from double pneumonia on a weekend dedicated to the Catholic Churchs volunteers.

The night passed quietly, the pope is resting, the Vatican said in its early morning update.

The 88-year-old pope, who has chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed as a young man, enters his fourth week at Romes Gemelli hospital with his condition stabilised following a few bouts of acute respiratory crises.

On Friday, the Vatican said Francis spent 20 minutes in the Gemelli hospital chapel, praying and doing some work in between rest and respiratory and physical therapy.

Another medical update is expected later on Saturday.

In his absence, the Vatican is going ahead with its Jubilee celebrations, the once-every-quarter-century Holy Year that is drawing pilgrims from around the world to Rome.

This weekend, the Holy Year is celebrating volunteers, and many are extending their pilgrimage to pray for Francis outside the Gemelli hospital.

On Sunday, one of the cardinals most closely associated with Francis' papacy, Canadian Cardinal Michael Czerny, presides over the Holy Year Mass for volunteers that Francis was supposed to have celebrated.

Catholic worshippers pray during a prayer of the Rosary for Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

Francis has been using high flows of supplemental oxygen to help him breathe during the day and a noninvasive mechanical ventilation mask at night.

Doctors not involved in his care said after three weeks of acute care in the hospital for double pneumonia, they would have hoped to have seen improvement.

While he has stabilised, they warned that he was increasingly at risk of secondary infections the longer he remains hospitalised. Additionally, Francis had episodes of acute respiratory failure earlier this week and underwent bronchoscopies to suction mucus from his lungs.

Hes had respiratory failure and they were not able to liberate him from the hospital in the first three weeks. And therefore I think youd say this does look concerning, perhaps more concerning than it did right at the beginning, said Dr. Andrew Chadwick, a respiratory and intensive care specialist at Oxford University Hospitals in England.

Dr. Jeffrey Millstein, a clinical assistant professor of internal medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, said it wasnt shocking that Francis hadnt improved in three weeks, and that it was encouraging he was able to breathe part of the day with just a nasal tube of high-flow oxygen.

But he said that the pope's condition certainly was a precarious, touch and go kind of situation and that recovery, while still possible, would be a long process.

Going forward, I just would be looking for no new setbacks, he said. I think as long as he is dealing with the current issues and hes just making incremental progress, that would be great.

Francis was hospitalised February 14 for what was then just a bad case of bronchitis. The infection progressed into a complex respiratory tract infection and double pneumonia that has sidelined Francis for the longest period of his 12-year papacy and raised questions about the future.
On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

At least 20 people have been killed in Russian strikes including 11 in a single town in Ukraine's embattled Donetsk region just days after the U.S. suspended military aid and intelligence, officials said on Saturday.

Multiple strikes on the town of Dobropillya, which is close to the front where Russian troops have been making steady advances, killed at least 11 people and injured 30 more, including five children, late on Friday.

Ukraines State Emergency Service said a Russian drone damaged a Ukrainian fire truck while rescuers fought to extinguish burning buildings after eight apartment blocks were damaged in the strikes.

Another six people were killed in the front-line towns of Pokrovsk, Kostyantynivka, Myrnograd and Ivanopillya, regional Gov. Vadym Filashkin said, while emergency services reported that three others died when a Russian drone hit a civilian workshop in the northeastern Kharkiv region.

Filashkin declared Saturday a day of mourning in the region and warned that more victims could still be found in the rubble.

Last night, the Russian army fired two ballistic missiles at the center of Dobropillya, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said. After emergency services arrived at the scene, they launched another strike, deliberately targeting rescuers. It is a vile and inhumane intimidation tactic to which the Russians often resort.

The wave of attacks took place just 24 hours after Russia hit Ukrainian energy facilities with dozens of missiles and drones, hobbling its ability to deliver heat and light to its citizens and to power weapons factories vital to its defences.

open image in gallery Firefighters respond to a blaze following a Russian rocket attack in Dobropillya ( Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP )

The decision to suspend military aid and intelligence to Ukraine to pressure it into accepting a peace deal being pushed by the Trump administration came on the heels of a tempestuous White House visit last week by Zelensky.

Without U.S. satellite imagery, Ukraines ability to strike inside Russia and defend itself from bombardment is significantly diminished.

When asked Friday by a reporter during an Oval Office exchange if Russian President Vladimir Putin was taking advantage of the U.S. pause on intelligence-sharing to attack Ukraine, Trump responded: I think hes doing what anybody else would.

Zelensky did not reference the intelligence-sharing deal, but did seem to appeal to other statements Trump made on Friday related to financial sanctions against Moscow. Writing on social media, the U.S. president proposed imposing large-scale banking sanctions and tariffs on Russia until a cease-fire and final peace settlement was reached.

Zelensky welcomed the prospect of additional sanctions on Moscow, saying, "Everything that helps Putin finance the war must be broken.

open image in gallery The aftermath of the Russian rocket attack ( Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP )

Ukraines air force reported on Saturday that Russian troops launched three Iskander missiles and 145 drones over the country overnight.

The bombardment contained a mix of attack and decoy drones intended to confuse air defences. One missile and 79 drones were shot down, while 54 more drones were lost without causing damage, the Ukrainian air force said.

Among the targeted areas was Ukraines northeastern region of Kharkiv, where three people died after a Russian drone hit a civilian workshop, emergency services said.

Meanwhile, Russian troops shot down 31 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 26 over the countrys Krasnodar region, Russias Defense Ministry said on Saturday.

Falling debris from one drone sparked a blaze at the KINEF oil refinery in Russias northern Leningrad region, local Gov. Aleksandr Drozdenko said. No casualties were reported.
I remember a bright morning in Kabul, standing on a dusty roadside and frantically waving at a yellow Toyota Corolla taxi, hoping to negotiate a fare to the city where my office was based. The sky was that piercingly clear shade of blue that always made me feel anything was possible. Women were grabbing fresh naan on the go, balancing bags of vegetables from the market and chatting on their phones. Others rushed to work, some in government offices, some in NGOs, while university students  books tucked under their arms  piled into shared taxis, laughing with friends. No one guessed just how quickly the world around us would change. We knew tensions were high, but most of us still believed we had time.

Looking back, Ive often thought how life can tilt in a heartbeat. When the Taliban took control again in August 2021, it was as if a trapdoor slammed shut under half the population. Overnight, Afghan women were driven out of classrooms, forced out of workplaces, and robbed of even the smallest freedoms.

My colleague Marzia*  once a fearless project manager running workshops for womens entrepreneurship and USAID initiatives  found herself sitting at home, forced out of work, surviving in a climate of terror. She was one of the sharpest minds Ive ever encountered, always brainstorming how to expand women-led businesses across every province, with a vision to uplift women across Afghanistan.

The Talibans rule has erased women from life in Afghanistan. We have seen the shocking headlines: girls banned from secondary schools, and women from universities; increases in forced marriages and female suicide rates; the near-complete dissolution of womens healthcare; and a clampdown on women in most public spaces. In January, Hibatullah Akhundzada, the leader of the Taliban, ordered that buildings should not have windows looking into places where a woman could be sitting or standing.

But what doesnt always make the headlines is the gritty, ingenious work being done by women at the grassroots level.

Have your say on what gender equality means for you.

This years International Womens Day slogan is accelerate action and it captures perfectly what so many of us are feeling: the worlds outrage might be loud online, but the true practical steps to help Afghan women and girls survive these brutal new realities feel painfully slow. As someone who is of Afghan heritage and has friends and colleagues still living there, it doesnt help me to dwell on how we got here. Id rather ask: how can we help now, this very minute, not in some pie-in-the-sky future?

I left Afghanistan in 2016, after spending three years there working on UK aid programmes, but I am still in touch with brave women in every province  urban and rural alike  who are determined to keep hope alive.

The dozens of women-led NGOs that I am in contact with through the Friends of Afghan Women Network, are, despite the Talibans best efforts, working tirelessly to deliver literacy programmes, addressing malnutrition, helping women start new businesses, supporting farming and agricultural projects as well as running in-person digital skills training in segregated spaces  and fighting tooth and nail to keep their work alive. They are doing this with barely any funding, international recognition or backing.

I think of the wives, daughters and sisters that I met across Afghanistan since I started going back from 2005  women in Herat, Parwan, Laghman, Mazar and beyond  some of the bravest souls Ive ever known, now holding each other up in the face of unimaginable odds and forging quiet underground networks of solidarity that defy despair.

open image in gallery The Talibans rule has erased women from life in Afghanistan ( Getty )

To escape the wrath of the Taliban, they have to come up with ingenious tactics. Between 2013 and 2016, I worked directly with a network of women educators. Under the banner of advanced tailoring classes, we worked secretly to teach English to groups of young women whod slip in and out of these sessions when it was safe to do so. As soon as the door clicked shut, our English grammar exercises started. Nobody had dared to advertise them as English classes outright  one glance from the wrong person could lead to a serious crackdown. And yet, despite the anxiety of being caught, the women were electrified by the chance to learn. They giggled over verb conjugations, they scribbled notes, and repeated phrases with fierce determination.

And yes, even under the brutal regime operating today, that same spirit lives on today. I recently connected Marzia* with another grassroots women-led organisation run by Shakiba*, who helps train health champions in villages across the country, giving women the skills to provide basic medical support to their communities.

She tells me: Weve been going door to door, bringing women together under one roof and teaching basic reading and writing to women whove never held a pen. The Taliban know were doing it, but for now, theyre turning a blind eye. Its not a grand gesture, but it changes everything for these women. When you see the spark in their eyes as they form letters for the first time, you remember why we cant give up on education, no matter how dark things seem.

open image in gallery A woman teaches girls at a madrassa (Islamic school) in Kandahar ( AFP/Getty )

Their trick is clever diplomacy: they frame each project as a benefit to entire families rather than solely to women. If the Taliban chose not to turn a blind eye, these women could lose everything  offices would shut down, staff would be threatened or arrested, and their entire community would be left without essential services. Despite that risk, they keep going, because for them, giving up isnt an option.

Its by forging these local relationships  often with people who are less ideological but more pragmatic  that these organisations manage to operate. Hundreds of women are learning how to sell crafts online; how to raise poultry for profit; how to use their lands to farm and support their livelihoods. A few hours a day  or even a week  may seem trivial to the outside world, but for these women, its an anchor to cling to.

These small but mighty efforts during the Talibans reign are laying the foundation for Afghanistans future. Whatever government comes next, these women will be ready with skills and confidence, even if theyre forced to hide it for now. These efforts arent rebellious or symbolic; theyre vital. Every sewing machine being used in a back room, each battered laptop booted up in secret, every literacy lesson quietly delivered door to door offers hope.

I think of the wives, daughters, and sisters that I met across Afghanistan; some of the bravest souls Ive ever known, now holding each other up in the face of unimaginable odds and forging quiet underground networks of solidarity that defy despair

These quiet pockets of productivity and resilience are happening because brave women still talk (sometimes tensely) with the de-facto authorities, negotiating what little freedoms they have. Im under no illusions about the brutality and oppressiveness of the current regime. Yet, in these precarious meetings, women are managing to carve out certain allowances for humanitarian or developmental work. For every small win one woman makes, officially or unofficially, a glimmer of hope for hundreds of others is kept alive.

Thats why I believe that isolating Afghanistans citizens and starving the country of international aid or financial ties wont topple Taliban rule. It will create more suffering for ordinary Afghans, especially women and children, who were already bearing the brunt of poverty before the Talibans return.

A broken Afghanistan, cut off from the world, is a recipe for deeper chaos. Almost every woman-led NGO Ive worked with has the same plea: stay engaged. We need your support to keep our work going  direct support, not funding that disappears into the de-facto authorities pockets.

The only way to ensure aid reaches Afghan women-led NGOs is for donors  including foundations, high-net-worth individuals, senior government decision-makers, research organisations and the corporate sector  to directly fund evidence-based grassroots, women-led initiatives, treating them as trusted partners rather than sidelined beneficiaries. Theyre there, on the ground, navigating the system day in and day out. They know how to negotiate for safe passage, how to quietly expand a programme without drawing hostile attention.

open image in gallery Shabnam Nasimi (second from right) with her cousins in Kabul, Afghanistan ( Shabnam Nasimi )

I understand that outsiders are understandably uneasy about sending money into a country governed by an oppressive regime. But a blanket freeze on humanitarian aid or development funding  often imposed through broad sanctions and isolating the country  only punishes the innocent and does nothing to moderate the Taliban, who continue to receive financial support through illicit trade, drug trafficking, taxation on aid, and backing from sympathetic states and private networks.

Humanitarian relief alone isnt enough. Yes, we must keep people alive in the short term, make sure theyre fed, cared for, sheltered. But we also must invest directly in women and girls because its critical for fostering a more stable society, whether the Taliban stays in power another year or another decade.

Of course, you may say, What good can these tiny grassroots efforts do in the face of such oppression? But by strengthening these seedling initiatives, we ensure that when Afghanistans politics shift again  as they inevitably will  we wont be starting from zero. Well have some skilled, literate women ready to lead their communities who have managed to defy the Talibans determination to keep them down.

open image in gallery A Taliban fighter pictured at a protest held by womens rights activists in 2022 ( AFP/Getty )

I often think back to that bright February morning in Kabul, remembering how naive we were to think nothing would stop the progress we had made. But I also remember how relentless Afghan women can be in the face of hopelessness. When they want to learn, when they want to feed their families, when they want to carve out a space for their daughters, they will claw and persist, even at great personal risk. The question for those of us who hold some measure of power  donors, leaders, governments, journalists, everyday citizens  is whether well choose to stand in solidarity with that tenacious spirit or look away.

We owe it to the women of Afghanistan  women like Marzia and Shakiba, who have refused to let a harsh regime define their futures. We owe it to the next generation of Afghan girls, waiting for the door to open a crack to give them everything they need to slip through it and find ways to exist as human beings.

Im certain theres a new sunrise waiting. When that moment arrives, the women of Afghanistan will be ready, armed not just with survival instincts but with the know-how to build something lasting from the rubble. Let us help them hold the line until then.

*Names have been changed to protect identities

Shabnam Nasimi is co-founder and CEO of the Friends of Afghan Women Network (FAWN), which has over 70 grassroots Afghan women-led NGOs within its network. Find out how you can help here and stand with Afghan women today
International Womens Day is an opportunity for us to reflect on the progress weve made towards a world where women can thrive, living our lives on equal terms with the men around us. In recent years, theres been plenty to celebrate  from a huge win on abortion rights in Ireland to a new law in Colombia ending child marriage.

But for women across the world, a backlash against our rights has many feeling fearful. In Afghanistan, the Taliban have banned girls from going to school, and women from working, in an attempt to remove women from public life. And in America, the repeal of Roe v Wade has stripped women in some states of autonomy over their bodies.

These creeping attacks on womens ability to live as we choose are taking place in the context of a broader backlash against progress  imperfect, but important progress  made in recent decades towards a safer, fairer and more equal world. Young men are being sucked into dark, misogynistic online worlds by the likes of Andrew Tate. Politicians and public figures are fanning the flames of racist hate. Meanwhile, grifters like Nigel Farage, whose party is funded by oil and gas companies and climate deniers to the tune of 2.3 million, are working to dismantle and reverse the progress weve made towards tackling the climate crisis.

Across the globe, this last development will do just as much damage to womens lives as rising misogyny and attacks on bodily autonomy. We know that women are far more vulnerable to the ravages of the climate crisis: in many places, women are more likely to be responsible for securing food, water and fuel for their families; more likely to work in agriculture, and therefore have to work harder when drought and erratic rainfall leads to poor harvests; and more likely to live in poverty, making it harder to recover from disasters.

80 per cent of people displaced by the climate crisis are women. And when women are displaced from their homes, they are at greater risk of unemployment, child marriage, human trafficking, and gender-based violence ( Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

The figures are stark: 80 per cent of people displaced by the climate crisis are women. And when women are displaced from their homes, they are at greater risk of unemployment, child marriage, human trafficking, and gender-based violence.

Despite the disproportionate impact of the climate crisis on women, across the globe men dominate climate decision-making  filling more than two-thirds of climate decision-making roles. When women do take action in their communities to defend the natural environment they rely on, they often face gender-based violence as a result of their activism  from intimidation and harassment to sexual violence.

For women in countries across the world, the droughts, extreme weather and food shortages caused by the climate crisis are a daily reality. But here in the UK, there is a growing movement to convince people that these horrors arent happening, arent caused by fossil fuels  or that if they are, its none of our business.

A small group of extremely wealthy men are hell-bent on using their money and influence to derail this countrys progress towards lowering our emissions and building a fairer, greener economy  because they fear climate action will hinder their ability to make money.

Since 2019, 92 per cent of the funding for Nigel Farages Reform party has come from oil and gas interests, highly polluting industries, and climate science deniers  and theyve spent much of that time spreading disinformation about net zero, pushing for the government to scrap vital action to tackle the climate crisis.

But we cant afford to let them, because the choices we make now will have a direct impact on the 160 million women and girls at risk of being pushed into poverty by the climate crisis; the 240 million more who will be affected by food insecurity if we dont curb the worst excesses of the crisis; or the 1.5 billion living in places which are highly exposed to droughts.

Across the world, womens rights are under threat from a growing right-wing movement to strip us of our choices, whip up misogyny and hate, and block the action needed to keep women and girls across the world safe. We have a duty to stand up to them  and demand that our government do the right thing to secure a safe future for all of us.

Carla Denyer is a British politician who has served as co-leader of the Green Party of England and Wales alongside Adrian Ramsay since 2021 and as the Member of Parliament for Bristol Central since 2024
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

The Art of the Deal, indeed. Donald Trumps self-image as a great negotiator is taking a beating. He came as close as possible on Friday to admitting that his attempt to bully Volodymyr Zelensky into surrendering was encouraging Vladimir Putin to kill more Ukrainians.

After Russian drones rained down on Odesa, President Trump said he was considering further sanctions against Russia. It seemed, briefly, that he was taking an even-handed approach, and trying to put pressure on both sides to come to the negotiating table.

A short time later on Friday, however, he was asked if he thought Putin was taking advantage of the US decision to pause support for Ukraine. I think hes doing what anybody else would do, Mr Trump said. Hes hitting him harder than hes been hitting him. And I think probably anybody in that position would be doing that right now.

He continued to blame the Ukrainians, saying, I dont know that they want to settle. If they dont want to settle, were out of there.

President Zelensky has made it abundantly clear that he wants the war to end, and that Ukraine is prepared to compromise its territorial integrity for the sake of peace. What he is not prepared to do is surrender.

Yet it seems that this is precisely what Mr Trump is trying to force him to do. He insists that Putin is prepared to do a deal, when the evidence suggests that, if Putin senses weakness, he will simply step up his military effort.

As Donald Tusk, the Polish prime minister, said: This is what happens when someone appeases barbarians. More bombs, more aggression, more victims. Another tragic night in Ukraine.

We should be grateful that Mr Tusk and other European leaders are prepared to make a stand and not just speak up for the right of the Ukrainian people to decide their own future, but to provide them with meaningful additional support.

Sir Keir Starmer has done his bit, trying to act as a bridge  although it is a bridge that keeps being blown up at the American end. But Sir Keir, with the support of parliament and the British people, stands with the most resolute of our European allies in defence of Ukraine. Germany, France and the Baltic states are prepared to do more for Ukraine, but they need all the nations of the continent to join them.

In crude terms, Mr Trump and European leaders are divided in how to end this war. The US president may seem to be inconsistent, but his essential aim is as unmistakable as it is cynical: he believes that US withdrawal will cause the Ukrainians to start losing the war and force them to agree to terms. He does not care how many Ukrainians die or how abject those terms are, just as long as the fighting stops.

The European view was well expressed by Sir Ben Wallace, the former UK defence secretary, on Saturday  although possibly in blunter terms than most national leaders would deploy. Putin is not going to stop and President Trump is naive to think so, he told the BBC. Sir Ben went on: We arent going to let Putin win. The Americans can do what they want, but what Trump may discover  is that the Ukrainians are tough people.

To the charge that the European approach would mean a war without end, Sir Ben said that if Ukraine carries on its resistance for another 18 months, the Russian economy will collapse. At some point before that, Putin would be wise to settle, in a deal in which the balance of forces would still be approximately equal.

Any skilled negotiator knows that the art of a deal is to allow both sides to feel that they are gaining something from it. Mr Trump is not a skilled negotiator. It is up to Sir Keir and other European leaders to take up their responsibilities and show him how it is done.

The urgency of strong leadership enacted immediately by Europe is now paramount. The Independent has been adamant that what Mr Trump has done is wrong. He has appeased and supported an invader. He has chosen dictatorship over democracy and despotic tactics over decency.

This is the time for our prime minister to show he has the mettle to lead and inspire. So far, he has done much right.
Last summer, the Taliban introduced a new set of vice and virtue laws, one of which banned women not only from showing their faces, but also from speaking outside their homes.

If anyone ever questions the need for an International Womens Day, the answer is right there in Afghanistan.

Dont get me wrong: there were a few important milestones reached and glass ceilings shattered in 2024. Women now occupy nearly 45 per cent of board positions in the FTSE 100 for example, and Kemi Badenoch became the first black woman to lead a major UK political party. But look across the world  in Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan (I could go on)  and women are being denied the most basic rights.

So as this International Womens Day approaches, I wanted to pay tribute to some of the women who have used their voices to demand a better world.

open image in gallery Women and a girl walk along a street in Kandahar, Afghanistan ( AFP/Getty )

Gisele Pelicot refused to be silenced by shame after being drugged and raped by her husband Dominique and dozens of other men hed recruited over a period of a decade. Her decision to waive her anonymity and her call for shame to change sides resonated across the world, empowering countless other survivors of sexual abuse.

I witnessed the same sort of bravery when I spoke to the victims of the Reverend David Fletcher. He was the man who instigated the Church of Englands decades-long cover-up of John Smyths barbaric abuse. No one knew that he too was accused of abuse, until three women came forward to tell their stories to me earlier this year.

Jeni, Caroline and Ali had stayed silent for nearly half a century but, with the Church facing a day of reckoning over how its handled abuse allegations, they plucked up the courage to speak out.

I saw fearlessness too in the Bishop of Newcastle Helen-Ann Hartleys refusal to toe the line and protect the establishment, instead breaking ranks with her fellow bishops to challenge the two men at the top of the Church  Archbishops Justin Welby and Stephen Cottrell  who have both been accused of failing to to do enough to stop abuse over many years.

Welby became the first Archbishop of Canterbury in history to be forced to resign. But since calling for his resignation in the autumn, Bishop Helen-Ann has been ostracised by other senior Church figures.

That same determination to use a public platform to call for change was what motivated Love Island star Cally Jane Beech to talk about becoming a victim of an AI deepfake; a photograph of her was taken without her permission, then nudified and shared on the internet. I met her in the aftermath of Channel 4 Newss own investigation, during which my colleagues discovered Id been deepfaked, too.

Cally Jane has campaigned brilliantly to ensure the government acts to make the creation of sexually explicit deepfakes  not just the sharing of such images  a criminal offence.

Its the likes of Gisele, Jeni, Caroline and Ali, Bishop Helen-Ann and Cally Jane who speak for us all in trying to make the world a more hospitable place for women.

Cathy Newman is a presenter and the investigations editor of Channel 4 News and also presents Times Radio
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
A Cork TD has been arrested by gardai investigating a reported 150,000 fraud against a company.

The politician was arrested on Friday after presenting to a garda station by appointment, and was released without charge a number of hours later.

It is understood that the TD was questioned about the alleged fraud offences as part of an ongoing inquiry.

A file will be sent to the DPP.

The alleged offences date back a number of years and are understood to predate the TDs election to the Dail.

The Irish Times reported yesterday that the politician is alleged to have signed off on invoices and authorised payments totalling almost 150,000 in excess of what was owed.

The alleged fraud came to light following a review of the businesss accounts.

The person is the second member of the Oireachtas to be arrested since the formation of the Dail in January.Senator Martin Conway was arrested in January for being drunk in a public place, and subsequently resigned from Fine Gael.

Tanaiste Simon Harris said the Oireachtas member questioned by gardai was not a member of Fine Gael.

I satisfied myself this morning that that doesnt pertain to anybody in my own parliamentary party, he told the media. I obviously dont want to say anything that cuts across an ongoing, active Garda investigation.

Certainly, it sounds very serious from what I read this morning. But of course, there is an ongoing garda investigation.

"Its for the gardai to perhaps provide further information in relation to this.

A statement from An Garda Siochana confirmed a man was arrested.

The man, who was detained at a garda station in the Garda Southern Region under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984, was released without charge on the evening of March 7, 2025. Investigations are ongoing.
The late Private Billy Kedian who died while on duty 25 years ago.

Tanaiste and Defence Minister Simon Harris has honoured the family of a young Mayo soldier who was killed while on peacekeeping service in Lebanon 25 years ago.

Mr Harris presented a Distinguished Service Medal with Honour to the family of the late Private Billy Kedian, who was tragically killed at the age of 21 in action in Lebanon on May 31, 1999.

He is the first Army Private in the state's history to be awarded a Distinguished Service Medal with Honour.

The Tanaiste presented sisters Ann and Mary with the medal in their brothers honour at todays ceremony at Dun Ui Mhaoliliosa in Galway, where Private Kedian served for many years with distinction.

Speaking at the commemoration event, the Tanaiste paid tribute to the late Private Kedian, of whom he said duty, professionalism and a willingness to accept responsibility were the hallmarks of his service, commending him for courage, leadership and bravery.

The late Private Billy Kedian who died while on duty 25 years ago.

Today's News in 90 Seconds - March 8th

Were it not for the courage, bravery and the highest level of selfless devotion to duty, Private Kedian would likely have been the first of his Company to reach the protection of the bunker in the early hours of May 31, 1999, he said.

Instead, Private Kedian put himself in harms way for the protection of others. He did this without hesitation, ensuring the safety of his comrades while sacrificing his own safety, embodying the highest values of our Defence Forces.

Through the award of this Distinguished Service Medal, this young soldier will never be forgotten. He, too, will always retain the gratitude of the Irish Government, the women and men of Oglaigh na hEireann, and above all, the Irish People, he added.

Private Kedian, a native of Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo, enlisted in the Defence Forces on December 30, 1996.

At the age of 21, he embarked on his second peacekeeping mission to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in April 1999.

In the early hours of May 31, 1999, hostile fire broke out close to UNP 6-42, where Private was stationed, and a mortar round impacted within the confines of UNP6-42, fatally injuring him.

A Defence Forces Medals Board, which reviewed Privates case, said that his selfless actions were deserving of the posthumous award of the Distinguished Service Medal with Honour.

"Pte Kedian, despite great personal risk and while his post was under fire, alerted fellow peacekeepers to the dangerous situation and directed them to a place of safety, the citation reads.

"His selfless actions and devotion to duty placed him in danger and resulted in his death.

The Tanaiste added that the Irish Defence Forces peacekeeping service in Lebanon stretches back to 1978.

Participation in UNIFIL illustrates how small countries like Ireland can make a practical difference for the people of Lebanon, with whom the people of Ireland share a particular affinity.

The decision by any Government to send troops overseas on UN peacekeeping operations is never taken lightly.

The decision of Private Kedian to embark on this noble endeavour and to travel to Lebanon to contribute to this vital mission for a second time in April 1999 is a source of pride for us all, Mr Harris added.

The Distinguished Service Medal with Honour has only been awarded on 31 occasions.

It is awarded to individuals whose actions display bravery, courage, leadership, resource or devotion to duty.
Key HSE staff ordered to start working weekends

Bernard Gloster says moving away from a Monday to Friday regimen is crucial  and he will work over bank holiday to monitor patient flow

HSE boss Bernard Gloster outlines how new rosters will see hospitals ready for St Patrick's weekend

Eilish O'Regan Sat 8 Mar 2025 at 03:30

More consultants will be on the hospital floor over the St Patricks weekend as HSE chief Bernard Gloster signals a significant change in the staff working week.
Environmental groups unhappy at U-turn before report published

It is expected the LNG will have to be fed into the regular supply every two months as it is not stable enough to be held any longer. Stock image: Getty

Almost all households connected to gas will have their supply replaced with LNG (liquified natural gas) under the Governments new energy security plans.

The coalition is to develop a national LNG storage facility intended for use in an emergency if the normal supplies of conventional gas that come through a pipeline from Britain are disrupted.

However, the storage facility, which the Government says will hold enough gas for 200,000 homes for six months, or 600,000 homes for two months, will have to be emptied as often as every two months as the gas can only be stored in liquid form for short periods.

It will be emptied into the national gas network, displacing conventional gas.

It is expected the LNG will have to be fed into the regular supply every two months as it is not stable enough to be held any longer. Stock image: Getty

Today's News in 90 Seconds - March 8th

In effect, that means most of the 680,000 homes currently using gas will be receiving LNG instead.

Alternatively, the LNG may flow to a combination of domestic customers and businesses, but the end result is the same  a significant proportion of the countrys daily gas use will come from LNG.

Dr Sinead Sheehan, a lecturer at University of Galway and campaigner with the Stop Shannon LNG Coalition, said the volume of LNG that will be entering the network would amount to more than 10pc of annual national gas usage.

It is nonsense that the LNG facility would only be used in emergencies, as stated by Energy and Environment Minister Darragh OBrien, she said.

His departments statement said that the facility would likely be refilled six times per year.

The statement also claimed that the storage capacity of the facility would be enough energy to supply 200,000 homes for six months.

Therefore, it would not only be used in emergencies  Ireland would be totally reliant on it.

This is a really environmentally destructive plan that is being pushed by the Government

The department said in a statement that references to the six annual refills were indicative only and it might be possible to reduce the number of times emptying and refilling was needed.

There will be a technical and operational requirement to issue a minimum send out of gas from the reserve, a spokesperson said.

Work is ongoing, in the department and Gas Networks Ireland, on technological approaches to manage, mitigate and minimise the quantity of gas subject to boil off.

Full concept design will now commence and the department will consider options to minimise send out of gas into the network.

Since the Governments plan was announced last Tuesday, 22 environmental groups have come together under the Stop Shannon LNG Coalition banner, pledging to fight any attempt to establish an LNG import terminal in the country.

The project, which will cost hundreds of millions of euro to establish and tens of millions more in annual running costs, is controversial for a number of reasons.

It represents a major investment in new fossil fuel infrastructure at a time when the countrys climate action commitments require moving rapidly away from fossil fuels.

LNG produced in the United States, which is Irelands most likely supplier, generally comes from gas extracted by fracking, a method banned here because of its damage to the environment, water sources and public health.

LNG is also the most carbon-polluting form of natural gas because fugitive emissions escape during the liquefication and regasification processes.

This is a really environmentally destructive plan that is being pushed by the Government, Dr Sheehan said.

The first question before we even look at the costs and the impacts on our climate targets is, Do we need an LNG facility?

Up to last Tuesday, the Government had a ban on fracked gas imports in recognition of those concerns, but that was scrapped with the announcement to proceed with a national reserve.

Government TDs, including Norma Foley and Michael Healy-Rae, welcomed the move as an opportunity for commercial LNG operators to enter the country.

US-owned Shannon LNG has been trying for almost 20 years to develop an LNG import industry in Ireland.

A High Court hearing relating to its most recent planning application will take place later this month. Other LNG firms have also expressed interest in establishing bases here.

Social Democrats climate spokesperson Jennifer Whitmore said the Government should have held off making any announcement on LNG until fresh analysis currently under way was completed.

The analysis by consultants CEPA was ordered towards the end of the last government.

A separate report by Gas Networks Ireland, also ordered by the last government, has not been published, although it has been revealed it was the state gas company that warned the refilling rate for a storage facility would be up to six times a year  much more than the once or twice originally believed.

We need the reports released. There should be no decision made until there is full transparency, Ms Whitmore said. The first question to be answered before we even look at the costs and the impacts on our climate targets is, Do we need an LNG facility?

We dont have the up-to-date analysis, facts or evidence to show us we do.
Beekeepers have warned that native Irish honey bees are at grave risk of extinction.

This weekend, the Native Irish Honey Bee Society is holding its annual conference in Athlone, Co Westmeath, where beekeepers are to express their concerns for the native Irish species.

Irish honey bees have a genetic make-up unique to Ireland, having evolved to cope well with cooler temperatures and rain.

However, they are generally docile creatures under intense threat from habitat loss, pesticides and competition from a huge increase in imports of more aggressive varieties from abroad.

The conference, titled Protecting What We Have: Conserving Irelands Unique Ecotype, aims to address the risk of extinction facing the native Irish honey bees due to the increase of hybridisation of bee populations.

Hybrid bees in Ireland have surged from under 5pc in 2018 to more than 12pc today, with some regions reporting figures exceeding 30pc.

The societys chairperson, Lorretta Neary, said the event, held on Friday and Saturday at the Athlone Springs Hotel, will provide a platform for vital discussion and finding solutions to protect our unique Irish honey bee.

In the face of this crisis, it is imperative that we come together as a community to safeguard our native bees and the essential roles they play in our ecosystems, she said.

"Once these unique genetic lines are lost, they cannot be reclaimed, and we are running out of time, she added.

The recent study by University of Galway scientists, published in October, said the native Irish bees are at severe risk of extinction due to unrestricted imports of other bee species.

The study, led by PhD student Alexandra Valentine, took two years and involved testing 505 colonies across 27 counties on the island of Ireland.

A proposed bill to protect the native bees that would ban imports of non-native bees is currently in the Oireachtas.

The Protection of the Native Irish Honey Bee Bill 2021 is the work of beekeepers, scientists and barristers from the Climate Bar Association.

It comes as banning imports has been made difficult as bees are considered livestock, which have freedom of movement within the EU.
Focus Ireland CEO Pat Dennigan (back row) and Focus LEAP ambassador Des Murphy (centre), pictured with Loreto Secondary School Kilkenny Orchestra performing at The Big Busk for Focus Ireland in Blanchardstown Shopping Centre. Photo: Mark Stedman

Focus LEAP ambassador Des Murphy (centre) pictured with Loreto Secondary School Kilkenny Orchestra performing at The Big Busk for Focus Ireland in Blanchardstown Shopping Centre. Photo: Mark Stedman

Leah ODonovan (left) and Anna Waldron with Loreto Secondary School Kilkenny Orchestra performing at The Big Busk for Focus Ireland in Blanchardstown Shopping Centre. Photo: Mark Stedman

Hundreds of people have been busking across Irish cities to raise funds for homeless services during the Big Busk for Focus Ireland.

Live music could be heard yesterday at shopping centres and local events in Dublin, Limerick, Galway and Cork.

Nearly 240,000 was raised for Focus Ireland on Friday, with the final total yet to be counted, expected to rise over 250,000.

Hundreds of performers - from professional musicians to school choirs, orchestras, jazz artists and drumming groups - took part in the live music events to raise funds for the national charity working to end homelessness.

Blandchardstown Shopping Centre in Dublin staged three busking stations for performances yesterday.

Focus Ireland LEAP Ambassador, Des Murphy (71), who has experienced homelessness multiple times, performed an acoustic vocal set, singing a selection of songs, including A Winter's Tale by David Essex.

"This song just makes me realise how much we need other people," Mr Murphy said.

The Loreto Secondary School Kilkenny orchestra treated Blanchardstown shoppers to a medley of classical and traditional music.

Focus LEAP ambassador Des Murphy (centre) pictured with Loreto Secondary School Kilkenny Orchestra performing at The Big Busk for Focus Ireland in Blanchardstown Shopping Centre. Photo: Mark Stedman

Meanwhile, in Cork, the 2 Johnnies performed When I Play for the County live on Today FM's Louise Cantillon show at Cork's Marina Market.

There have also been several acts performing in Limerick's Crescent Shopping Centre and Galway's Eyre Square Shopping Centre.

Focus Ireland CEO, Pat Dennigan, said the charity is "so grateful to everyone who came out to perform and support the Big Busk".

"The Big Busk is a really fun way to raise funds for a really important issue that's affecting over 15,000 people in Ireland today," he said.

"We've been blown away by the musical talent. Every donation, no matter how big or small, will help Focus Ireland give families and individuals the support they need to find and keep a home for good," he added.

The Big Busk for Focus Ireland, supported by TodayFM, has raised more than 1 million in funds for the charity's services since 2022.

There are currently more than 15,000 people experiencing homelessness in Ireland, including almost 5,000 children.

Focus Ireland provides essential support services, secure housing for families and individuals, and campaigns for systemic solutions to the homelessness and housing crisis.

The charity helps people who experience or are at risk of homelessness to rebuild their lives.

Donations can still be made through the Big Busk website or via the Revolut app.

Focus Ireland CEO Pat Dennigan (back row) and Focus LEAP ambassador Des Murphy (centre), pictured with Loreto Secondary School Kilkenny Orchestra performing at The Big Busk for Focus Ireland in Blanchardstown Shopping Centre. Photo: Mark Stedman

This article was edited at 8am, March 10 to correct the total raised so far
Its not about the money, its just having to do it all again  home that had 600,000 Room to Improve makeover is damaged in blaze
Patrick Kielty is mourning the death of his mother.

Mary Kielty, who was aged in her 80s, died peacefully at home today.

She was from Dundrum in Co Down.

The news emerged hours after Patrick Kielty fronted the latest episode of RTEs Late Late Show last night.

A death notice described Mrs Kielty as a loving mother" and devoted grandmother.

It added that she will be sadly missed and lovingly remembered by her entire family circle, neighbours and friends.

Mrs Kieltys funeral will take place on Monday.

Her remains will leave her late residence in Dundrum for Requiem Mass in the Church of the Sacred Heart, in the village.

Patrick Kielty

Today's News in 90 Seconds - March 8th

Despite her sons public profile, Mrs Kielty always stayed out of the limelight.

Shortly after taking over as host of the Late Late Show, Kielty said: Mary Kielty is secretly delighted but not making any real public statements.

He also revealed how his mother took a no-nonsense approach to his fame.

Whenever my mother leaves Mass on Sunday and someone says, Mary you must be very proud of your son, she will reply, Which son? I've got three of them and I'm proud of them all.

Speaking during an appearance at the Irish Open in Co Down, he also revealed his mother still offers to do his laundry.

"I think Irish mummies never really understand what age their youngsters actually are. So you do get a lot of offers like 'Do you have any washing' and I would be like 'Well no, no that's done, I'm 53 mum," he said.

Patrick Kieltys father Jack was shot dead by loyalist paramilitaries in 1988. He was just 16 at the time.

Speaking on a BBC programme in 2018, he revealed that the IRA offered "revenge" for his father's murder.

He stressed his family rejected the IRA's offer "in no uncertain terms.

In My Dad, the Peace Deal and Me, he said: "My dad died for nothing - he wasn't a political figure, he wasn't taking a stand.

"He had a building firm, he employed both sides.

That wouldn't be considered a stand anywhere else. He was just doing the right thing.

Three men were convicted in connection with the killing, but freed after the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.
Tanaiste Simon Harris has expressed "concern" around the progress in housing supply last year.

However, speaking to reporters in Galway today, Mr Harris said he believed housing figures provided by former Housing Minister Darragh OBrien were provided in "good faith".

Last August, the then housing minister sent a letter to Mr Martin, who was tanaiste at the time, Mr Harris, who was taoiseach, and former Green Party leader Eamon Ryan, outlining that Ireland was on track to see close to 40,000 new homes built.

The figure was used by Mr Harris and Mr Martin in the lead-up to the general election, with opposition parties now claiming they misled the public.

"I think Minister OBrien was providing information in good faith and I suppose the context to that information is that in the last number of years targets had been exceeded and indeed projections and targets by other bodies had been exceeded as well, said Mr Harris.

That didnt happen last year and that is a cause of concern there was a stagnation in terms of progress in relation to housing supply.

My focus right now is I am now relitigating the last government or the arguments of the last election. Rather now we are crucially answering the questions of how we can build more homes.

Because certainly that is what people around the country want to see happen.

Adult children living in box rooms in their parents home they want to know when will they be able to buy their own home.

That is why we have since this new government came to office taken a number of actions to try an accelerate the numbers of housing supply- allocating E250m to get new projects off the ground.

And a further 260m odd for the tenant in situ scheme.

Myself I have been putting forward ideas with party colleagues and Fine Gael around the idea of utilities and waste water treatment plants and the need to deliver on that.

What we are hearing is that there are many towns and villages that want to develop housing but cant get planning permission due to a lack of connection to water and waste water.

So these are the sort of practical areas of focus we all need.

Meanwhile, Mr Harris said he had an "excellent conversation" with US secretary of state Marco Rubio despite claims that a trade imbalance was focus of the call this week.

The phone call between Mr Harris and Mr Rubio was the only time the US said the so-called trade imbalance was addressed by Mr Rubio with an EU counterpart.

However, Mr Harris said: We discussed a range of matters. I was very satisfied that the conversation places a good solid foundation for the Taoiseachs engagement next week. And that is a view the Taoiseach shares.

Mr Harris said: "I think we very clearly know the US administration and their view in relation to trade policy. And we clearly are now in a time of flux in relation international trade policy.

"But we also know this, and I think one of the messages all of us will be taking to the United States next week- the Taoiseach to the White House and all of us right across the US in the next week or so- is this: The Trade relationship and the economic relationship is very much a two way relationship.

"Indeed my own department will be publishing figures to show the extent of it.

"There are people in every single state of America including many people who voted for President Donald Trump who get out of bed and go to work in companies that are Irish owned.

"And the point I know we will all be eager to make is we know every government ahs a right of course to review its economic policies. Of course to review its trade policies.

"But even in the context of that review I think an understand of the depth and the interconnectedness of the two way trade and investment relationship is something we are very keen to get across in the coming days weeks and indeed beyond that.

"This is a relationship that is extraordinarily powerful. And Irish companies are making a really profound impact for the betterment of the US and the US economy.

"Just like US companies based here in Ireland are providing so many employment opportunities.

"We now have a vibrant dynamic two way relationship when it comes to trade, jobs and investment."
Sinn Fein TD Thomas Gould has been arrested and a councillor from the same party questioned by gardai investigating a reported 150,000 fraud against a company.

Mr Gould, who represents Cork North Central, was arrested yesterday after presenting to a garda station by appointment.

He was released without charge several hours later. A file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Mr Gould was questioned as part of an ongoing garda investigation into alleged fraud offences at the company he worked at prior to his being elected to the Dail in 2020.

Mary Lou McDonald, the Sinn Fein leader, tonight confirmed Mr Goulds arrest. She said Kenneth Collins, a Sinn Fein councillor in Cork who worked for the same company, was also questioned by gardai as part of the investigation in January.

Sinn Fein TD Thomas Gould was questioned by gardai

Today's News in 90 Seconds - March 9th

In a statement issued at 9pm, Ms McDonald said Deputy Gould told the party in early February that a complaint had been made against him to gardai and that he had been asked to make a statement.

He was interviewed by gardai in Cork yesterday [Friday] and made a detailed statement to them, she said.

We understand that a number of other people have been questioned as part of Garda inquiries. This includes party councillor Kenneth Collins, who worked for the company, and was questioned by gardai in January.

Ms McDonald did not elaborate on the nature of the complaint against the two politicians but said that both emphatically denied the allegations.

In a statement issued by a solicitor tonight, Mr Gould said he utterly rejects the complaint.

The complaint made against me relates to my employment as a logistics manager before I was elected to the Dail in 2020. I worked for this company for 16 years, the statement said.

I was a hard-working employee who was promoted to a senior management level. When the company was sold the owner asked me to stay on for a period to help with the transition and I was happy to facilitate him.

I reject the complaint entirely and I will be meeting with my legal team to discuss all avenues now open.

Mr Gould said that when he was informed about the matter he was shocked and angry.

I am entirely innocent and reject the complaint which my former employer has made against me. Despite my ongoing treatment for bowel cancer I proactively requested that my interview with Gardai happen quickly rather than when my treatment concluded as I consider this to be a serious attack on my reputation, he added.

He said that he attended by arrangement with gardai for interview and is confident his position will be vindicated.

Kenneth Collins, a Cork city councillor for Sinn Fein since 2014, works as a truck driver and is also a peace commissioner for oaths, according to his biography.

The Irish Times reported that an unnamed politician had been questioned about an alleged business fraud amounting to almost 150,000.
Marco Rubios call back record contradicts Simon Harriss claims

The phone call between Tanaiste Simon Harris and US secretary of state Marco Rubio was the only time the US said the so-called trade imbalance was addressed by Mr Rubio with an EU counterpart.

Eighteen separate conversations have been held between EU ministers since Mr Rubio took office in January. These include phone calls with ministers from France, Germany and Greece.

According to a US readout, the issue was also not addressed on a call with Kaja Kallas, the EU high representative for foreign affairs and vice-president of the European Commission.

The readout released by the US State Department after the Foreign Affairs Minister spoke with Mr Rubio conflicted with the account of the phone call released by the Government here.

Tanaiste Simon Harris. Photo: Getty

Today's News in 90 Seconds - March 8th

They discussed the US priority to address the US-Ireland trade imbalance and reaffirmed the importance of our partnership in addressing issues like Gaza, the conflict in Ukraine, and space co-operation, the statement from the US said.

Mr Harris went on to directly contradict this, when he told the media on Thursday that the trade imbalance wasnt specifically referenced.

A spokesperson for Mr Harris yesterday maintained that the call between the Tanaiste and secretary of state Marco Rubio was a very positive and constructive one.

The majority of readouts from Mr Rubios department released after phone calls with EU leaders indicate that trade did not form part of any of these conversations aside from Mr Harriss call.

In conversations with Belgian, Danish and Estonian ministers, references to economic links were made, but were in relation to positively deepening ties and co-operation.

The phone call is not the first time this week that the US government has referenced its difficulty with the trading relationship between the EU and US.

In what was seen as a positive signal yesterday ahead of the ministerial trips next week, president Donald Trump signed a proclamation that marked the month of March as Irish-American heritage month.

However, the document also became another opportunity for the US government to reference its unhappiness with the trade status quo and a desire to make that relationship fairer.

As my administration works to correct trade imbalances with the European Union, our historic relationship with Ireland presents an opportunity to advance fairer trade policies and stronger investment opportunities that benefit both nations, the proclamation said.

A number of Government sources have said this weeks emphasis on the trade deficit from the US will not change how ministers will approach their trips to America next week.

However, a video set to be released next week by the Department of Foreign Affairs has been developed by the Government as part of a diplomatic offensive to drive home the message that the trade relationship is beneficial to both nations.

Set to U2s Beautiful Day, the video features the latest analysis by the Government of the economic relationship, and will be used by Irish missions in America.

Today, Irish companies are changing lives in the US, by employing American workers and buying American goods and services, one caption reads.

Statistics featured will also say that 770 Irish-owned companies in the US employ more than 200,000 American workers and goes on to break down the state where those workers live.

The video also features a clip of former taoiseach Enda Kenny when he met Mr Trump in 2017, during his first presidency.

That visit was most notable for Mr Kennys decision to speak about Irish communitys contribution to the US, which led the New York Times calling it a lecture for Mr Trump on immigration.
Darren Kennedy asks creative director of furniture store Oriana B how to brighten up dark spaces

"Having at least one dark room is a reality for most homes. I always recommend leaning into it  paint the walls in deep, warm shades and focus on ambient lighting to create a cosy, relaxing space." Photo: Colourtrend

The single most important thing in a home, in my opinion, is light. Natural light is always the dream, but not every home is blessed with it. The good news? With the right approach, even the darkest of spaces can feel brighter, airier and more welcoming.

Question: How do you make a space that doesnt get a lot of daylight feel brighter?

In rooms where brightness is key to function, like kitchens and bathrooms, you have to be clever with indirect lighting solutions, says Alannah Monks, creative director at Oriana B furniture store in Dublin.

Alannah Monks, creative director at Oriana B furniture store in Dublin

If youre renovating, dropped ceilings with integrated LED lighting can work wonders. But if youre working with what you have, strategically placed large mirrors will bounce back any available light beautifully. Look for slim-frame round mirrors or even custom glasswork fitted into wall panelling for a seamless way to brighten up a space.

While the instinct might be to paint everything white, Monks warns that not all whites are created equal. Cool-toned whites in rooms with limited natural light will actually read as grey and uninviting, accentuating the darkness rather than brightening it. Instead, opt for warmer hues with beige or yellow undertones to neutralise the dimness. Accent colours like rust and burgundy can also add depth and warmth.

For rooms like bedrooms, where natural light is already low, Monks suggests embracing the darkness rather than fighting it.

Having at least one dark room is a reality for most homes. I always recommend leaning into it  paint the walls in deep, warm shades and focus on ambient lighting to create a cosy, relaxing space. Pleated lampshades are a great way to diffuse light softly, which is ideal for unwinding in the evening.

Brass reading floor lamp from Oriana B, orianab.com

Beyond colour and lighting, small design choices can make a big impact. Glossy surfaces, metallic accents, and light-reflecting materials all help to bounce light around a room.

Layering different types of lighting  ambient, task and accent  ensures no corner is left in shadow. And dont underestimate the power of a well-placed lamp or candle to add warmth to a space.

So, if your home doesnt get much natural light, dont despair. The right colours, textures and lighting scheme can transform even the darkest of room. And sometimes, as Monks reminds us, embracing the moodiness of a room can be just as rewarding.
Nell McCafferty told the country it didnt have to be this way. She held up a mirror and people hated her for it

This weekend, journalist Nell McCafferty will be honoured with a mural in her hometown. A powerhouse for social justice, she paved the way for women in this country to stand up for those most vulnerable, writes fellow Derry native Aoife Moore

Journalist and campaigner Nell McCafferty

Aoife Moore Sat 8 Mar 2025 at 03:30

In the North, you got shot at, and in the south, you got condemned. Women were always at the bottom of both heaps, Nell McCafferty said of Ireland.
Dont screw it up: how Micheal Martin can avoid a Trump-lashing at the White House

The pressure is high as the Taoiseach meets the US president to mark St Patricks Day, with one former Oval Office insider warning against blowing up a strong relationship

How will Micheal Martin fare at the Oval Office? Design by Eoin Flynn (with apologies for Matt Groening)

Kim Bielenberg Sat 8 Mar 2025 at 03:30

Having spent months at the heart of Donald Trumps first administration, Sean Spicer is ready to offer advice to Micheal Martin as he prepares to meet the US president in the Oval Office next week.
There is no doubt some go into homelessness as a result of domestic violence  Cuan chief Stephanie OKeefe

Dr Stephanie OKeeffe discusses Andrew Tate, the use of victims counselling notes in rape trials and why Ireland needs to face up to the scale of sexual violence against children

Dr Stephanie O'Keefe, CEO of Cuan, the State's first agency tackling domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. Photo: Frank McGrath

Ellen Coyne Sat 8 Mar 2025 at 03:30

The heartbreaking practice of using rape victims counselling notes in court cases should be banned, the head of the States first domestic and gender-based violence agency has said.
Tabitha Monahan: US has made it clear that Ireland has a trade imbalance target painted on its back

With differing accounts of recent trade discussions between Simon Harris and Marco Rubio, its likely Micheal Martin will take a cautious approach in Washington

Taoiseach Micheal Martin said he will be 'respectful' on his visit to the White House. Photo: Reuters

Tabitha Monahan Sat 8 Mar 2025 at 03:30

There was a lot of focus this week on who was telling the truth when it came to the phone call between Tanaiste Simon Harris and US secretary of state Marco Rubio.
Is anyone cheering the prospect of Wednesdays White House visit? After recent events involving a bilious and some would say bullying American president Donald Trump and his deputy JD Vance as they pincered Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, celebrating our heritage in the Oval Office somewhat sticks in the throat.
Stock picture of the grounds of Mallow Castle which previously held an event as part of Culture Night

An open call has been issued by Cork County Council for events to celebrate culture, creativity and the arts as part of Culture Night 2025.

Culture Night / Oiche Chultuir will take place this year on Friday, September 19. It sees cultural venues open their doors late and communities come together to deliver free cultural events for all.

In 2024 over 17,000 people came out to celebrate Culture Night attending outdoor film screenings, electronic music workshops, underground music events, community parades, and so much more. County Cork hosted a total of 166 events in 132 venues.

Cork County Councils Library and Arts Service is now inviting arts organisations, community groups, artists and others to submit proposals for events that will be programmed as part of Culture Night.

Cork County Culture Night will take place in the 17 Culture Night Hub Towns of Fermoy, Mitchelstown, Mallow, Charleville, Macroom, Baile Mhuirne, Clonakilty, Skibbereen, Bantry, Bandon, Kinsale, Carrigaline, Passage West Midleton, Youghal, Cobh and Watergrasshill, as well as on the islands and in other locations across the county.

Welcoming the call for creative proposals, Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Joe Carroll commented: Culture Night is an opportunity for communities to come together to celebrate our rich arts offering in the county. From brass bands to rocks bands, and arts centres to town centres, Culture Night is a true celebration of the arts. We look forward to receiving proposals from the community.

For Culture Night 2025, Cork County Council will support events that provide opportunities for families, youth audiences, adults, and older people to participate. Initiatives that have the capacity to animate public spaces in innovative and creative ways are also sought.

There are a limited number of grants available to support the delivery of events throughout the county.

An online information session will be held on Wednesday, March 12 at 5pm.

To register, email arts@corkcoco.ie

Further information and application details are available via the Councils website www.corkcoco.ie

Applications must be submitted online.

The deadline for submission of proposals to Culture Night is 5pm on Friday, April 18 2025.
Figures released show that Tallaght has the longest driving test waiting list in the state.

Over 13,000 people are on driving test waiting lists in the Tallaght test centre.

While the RSA aims to have driving test wait times of 10 weeks, the average waiting time in Tallaght is 27 weeks, where 13,567 learner drivers were on a waiting list as of January 31.

The figure of 13,567 includes people who are waiting for an invitation to sit their test or have had their application paused.

Nationwide, the total figure is 126,115.

Driving test waiting lists. Stock image.

Today's News in 90 Seconds - March 8th

Sinn Fein TD for Dublin Mid West is calling on the government to implement a suite of measures to address this crisis.

He said through bad planning and mismanagement, successive Fianna Fail and Fine Gael-led governments had created a system that was not fit for purpose.

13,567 learner drivers are now languishing on waiting lists in the Tallaght test centre. This is the highest in the entire State, he said.

The average waiting time to take a test in Tallaght is 27 weeks. This is nearly three times the statutory maximum of 10 weeks. No one should be waiting over half a year for their driving test.

This is totally unacceptable. These delays cause great frustration in our community, in Dublin Mid-West. They push up the costs of learning to drive and trap learner drivers in expensive insurance policies. For some, learning to drive now costs over ,3000 euro.

The backlog even leads to disruptions in other vital services, as students or workers who rely on their licence are waiting in limbo. For example, there have been delays to the recruitment of Bus Eireann and Dublin Bus drivers as well as to paramedics as they require a licence to start their course.

There are not enough permanent driving instructors. The government has completely failed to keep pace with increasing demand.

Mr Ward said that Sinn Fein is calling on the Government to match the increased demand for driving tests with appropriate resources which means ending the over-reliance on temporary driving instructors and expediting the recruitment of permanent instructors.

The unsatisfactory performance of the Road Safety Authority cant be ignored in all of these. Therefore, we are calling for an urgent review of the mandate, resourcing and programme of work, Mr Ward added.

The Government must once and for all identify all the gaps in driving test centre locations and mandate the RSA and the OPW to fill them.

The deepening crisis requires the political will, ambition and resourcing to solve it.

Just like the crisis in housing, healthcare and the cost of living, more of the same from Fianna Fail and Fine Gael will only make matters worse.
Gleneagle employees including Managing Director Patrick O'Donoghue pictured as Gleneagle Killarney celebrated Women in the Workplace with a Special International Womens Day Coffee Morning. Photo by Don MacMonagle.

The Accommodation Team at Gleneagle pictured as Gleneagle Killarney celebrated Women in the Workplace with a Special International Womens Day Coffee Morning. Photo by Don MacMonagle

Gleneagle employees Mike Woods, Caroline Papin, Noreen OGorman and Maura OConnor pictured as Gleneagle Killarney celebrated Women in the Workplace with a Special International Womens Day Coffee Morning on Thursday. Photo by Don MacMonagle.

Gleneagle employees Ann OLeary, Sandra Lopez and Jadwiga Surmiak pictured as Gleneagle Killarney celebrated Women in the Workplace with a Special International Womens Day Coffee Morning. Photo by Don MacMonagle.

Gleneagle employees Ann OLeary, Sandra Lopez and Jadwiga Surmiak pictured as the Gleneagle celebrated Women in the Workplace with a Special International Womens Day Coffee Morning on Thursday.Photo by Don MacMonagle.

Gleneagle employees Weronika Czluk and Sandra Guadas Patino (front), Tetiana Tokar, Justyna Maka, Yuliia Dybyna and Svitlana Hulieva pictured as Gleneagle Killarney celebrated Women in the Workplace with a Special International Womens Day Coffee Morning. Photo by Don MacMonagle

Gleneagle employee Caroline Papin pictured as Gleneagle Killarney celebrated Women in the Workplace with a Special International Womens Day Coffee Morning. Photo by Don MacMonagle.

Gleneagle employees Michaela Jurickova, Elyse Fleur Willoughby, Alanis Maldonado Herrera and Laura Jarosiute pictured as Gleneagle Killarney celebrated Women in the Workplace Award. Photo by Don MacMonagle.

Gleneagle employees Elyse Fleur Willoughby, Michaela Jurickova, (Front) and Sandra Garcia Aranda, Alanis Maldonado Herrera, and Laura Jarosiute (Back) pictured as Gleneagle Killarney celebrated Women in the Workplace Award. Photo by Don MacMonagle.

Gleneagle employee Rukhsana Yasmeen pictured as Gleneagle Killarney celebrated Women in the Workplace Award. Photo by Don MacMonagle.

With International Womens Day celebrations in full swing female staff at one Kerry hotel have plenty of reasons to celebrate after their workplace was named as one of the best places to work for women.

The Gleneagle Hotel has been recognised as a Best Workplace for Women 2025, an accolade that celebrates organisations that foster an inclusive, supportive, and empowering work environment for women.

This recognition follows Gleneagles recent achievement of being named among Irelands Top 20 Best Large Workplaces at the Great Place to Work Best Workplaces Awards 2025.

To celebrate the achievement and International Womens Day, employees gathered for a special coffee morning to recognise the contributions of women in the workplace.

Director of People and Culture at Gleneagle, Eilis Loughrey, said the award recognises the hotel and companys commitment to a fair workplace for all.

At Gleneagle, we are passionate about creating an environment where women feel supported, valued, and empowered to succeed. Being named a Best Workplace for Women 2025 reinforces our commitment to fair opportunities, career progression, and work-life balance for all employees, she said.

The coffee morning was a fantastic way to celebrate our incredible team and the role of women in shaping our workplace culture.

The Best Workplaces for Women award recognises companies that go beyond providing a great workplace for all and take additional steps to ensure fair pay, recognition, leadership opportunities, and work-life balance for women.

Organisations must meet key benchmarks, including female representation in leadership, strong employee trust levels among women, and inclusive workplace policies.
Sean Murphy of Murphy's Ice-cream who won an award at Irish Food Writers Guild Awards held in Ananda Restaurant, Dundrum, Dublin. Photo by Sherwood Photographer.

Sean O'Sulllivan of O'Sullivan's Butchers who won an award at Irish Food Writers Guild Awards for their unique black pudding. The awards were held in Ananda Restaurant, Dundrum, Dublin. Photo by Sherwood Photographer.

Sean Murphy of Murphy's Ice-cream receving their award at Irish Food Writers Guild Awards held in Ananda Restaurant, Dundrum, Dublin. Photo by Sherwood Photographer.

Sean O'Sulllivan of O'Sullivan's Buthchers in Sneem receiving their award at the Irish Food Writers Guild Awards 2025. Photo by Paul Sherwood.

With a secret recipe passed down through generations, Sneem Black Pudding is a rare product which in fact has EU recognition for its uniqueness.

Now the famed product has added another accolade to its bow with a win at the 32nd Irish Food Writers Guild Food Awards.

The awards were presented to food producers who put sustainability and ethical food production at the heart of their product.

Peter OSullivan Butchers was singled out for one of just eight awards presented this year by the Irish Food Writers Guild for its famous Sneem Black Pudding.

This is a traditional blood sausage crafted in small batches using locally sourced ingredients including fresh blood and a recipe passed down through generations, resulting in a rich, earthy flavour with subtle seasoning and exceptional provenance.

Sneem black pudding is made in South Kerrys Iveragh Peninsula by Peter and his family, who runs a third-generation family-operated craft butchers where he personally sources stock from local farmers and processes them in his own abattoir.

This unusual style of Irish black pudding has been made in the village of Sneem for several generations and is continued today by Peter and his neighbouring butcher Kieran Burns, both to different family recipes but in a similar style.

With the help of Michael Gleeson of Gleeson Rural Development, in 2019 Peter and Kieran secured Protected Geographical Indication status for Sneem Black Pudding.

That PGI status guarantees a pudding free from artificial colours, flavours, bulking agents and preservatives; and made with sheep, cow or pig blood together with beef or lamb suet, oatmeal, onions, seasoning and spices.

It is handcrafted in small batches, and gently tray-baked in blocks rather than boiled in a casing and is commonly sold in blocks.

Both butchers make their pudding to their own family recipes.

Meanwhile, Murphys Ice Cream was singled out for its focus on local, inventive flavours, using milk from the Kerry Cow and ingredients sourced from nearby farms, creating indulgent, high-quality treats that celebrate the best of Kerry.

Irish brothers Sean and Kieran Murphy were born in New York City and started Murphys Ice Cream in Dingle in the year 2000. Their goal was to make the best ice cream in the world.

Over the next two years their business quickly grew, the ice cream became more refined, and customers from outside of Kerry became more insistent on having Murphys Ice Cream closer to home.

In 2005, Murphys Ice Cream opened a second shop on Main Street in Killarney. In 2010, they scooped up the old Haagen Daz cafe space on Dublins Wicklow Street.

Twenty years later, they have a total of six outlets and an arsenal of twelve core flavours, plus seasonal options, and a few of those flavours are also available in specialty grocers.

In support of one of Irelands oldest indigenous breeds, Murphys Ice Cream only uses milk from the Kerry Cow farmed by Colm Murphy in West Kerry.

Murphys Ice Cream flavours have always been inventive; pioneering ingredients which are nearly all locally sourced, from free-range eggs supplied by local farmers to sea salt harvested off the Dingle coast, locally grown seasonal fruits, honey from the Sheehy beekeepers in Camp, County Kerry, McCambridges Brown Bread, Dingle Gin and Teeling Whiskey.

Murphys Ice Cream has won numerous awards and accolades over the years, but what Sean and Kieran have always really been interested in is exciting and delighting their customers.

Now in their 32nd year and with no applications or submissions allowed, all eight winners of the 2025 IFWG Food Awards were chosen based solely on quality, integrity, and a commitment to genuine sustainable practices.
To mark International Women's Day, we asked the people of Kilkenny about the inspirational women in their lives

International Womens Day  people of Kilkenny on the most inspiring women in their lives

Today is International Womens Day, an annual event celebrated globally that honours the social, cultural, economic and political achievements of women and reviews how far women have come in their struggle for gender parity.

While there are many International Womens Day events happening across the world today, its also important to take a look closer to home and celebrate all the inspirational women and unsung heroines in your life whether that be your mum, wife, sister, grandmother, aunt, best friend and so on.

While we have come far in our quest for gender equality, we are still a long way from being an equal society.

Follow Independent Kilkenny on Facebook

This International Womens Day, The Irish Independent took to the streets of Kilkenny City and asked:

Who is the most inspirational woman in your life and why?
Sligo Bay RNLI volunteer Eithne Davis has been awarded an Excellence in Volunteering Award for her service to the charity and to her lifeboat station in Rosses Point. This is one of the highest awards the organisation bestows on its volunteers in recognition of outstanding service.

Eithne joined the RNLI over 25 years ago and became the first female helm at Sligo Bay Lifeboat Station in 1998, at a time when there were few female helms in the service.

On 1 August 1999, she was appointed Inshore Lifeboat retained mechanic, the first appointment of a woman to this position across the RNLI. In September 2021, she was appointed as Sligo Bay RNLIs first local trainer assessor, and in 2024 took up the position of Launch Authority. In 2023, Eithne was the RNLIs nominee for the inaugural Captain Dara Fitzpatrick Award.

Eithne has also been the motivator within her own family as her brother Eoin and sister Fionnuala joined the crew after her. Outside the operational area, Eithne is a key contributor to the station's annual Wild Atlantic Shanty Festival and her son Ruairi is currently chair of the Sligo Bay RNLI events group.

Speaking about her achievements, Willie Murphy, chair of Sligo Bay RNLI said: 'Since joining the RNLI at Sligo Bay Lifeboat Station, Eithne has been a role model, advocate, supporter and in particular, mentor to women in search and rescue and to our volunteers generally. Although she will herself proclaim that we are all the same, her leadership and example have been instrumental in ensuring that women have been and continue to be represented at all levels at Sligo Bay.

"We cannot overstate her pivotal role at the station. In addition to her hundreds of hours at sea, and people rescued, she has been directly involved in the saving of nine lives. On one call out, the lifeboat suffered a hard slam in heavy seas resulting in an injury for Eithne, but she pressed on towards the casualty until the lifeboat was stood down by the Coast Guard when the casualty had made their own way ashore. After a couple of weeks, she was back afloat and in her own wording saying, 'it's what we do.

Meanwhile, Sligo Bay RNLI lifeboat launch vehicle driver Linda Bradley was among around 80 women to attend the RNLIs #WomenInSAR Training Week at the RNLI College in Poole, Dorset.

The action-packed five-day event aimed to bring together women from RNLI teams across Ireland and the UK to inspire, connect and share their experiences while learning new skills.

Dermot Gillen, Sligo Bay RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager said: "The RNLIs Women in SAR Training Week has been a fantastic opportunity for women like Linda to come together, share knowledge and grow stronger as a community, all while learning new lifesaving skills.

Everyone is working hard to create a more diverse RNLI and a crucial part of that is encouraging women into search and rescue roles. Were incredibly proud of all our volunteers who continue to support our mission to save lives at sea.
Fr. Billy Swan, Cliona Connolly Wexford County Council, Noel Culleton and Mary Ellen Hawkey Wexford Parish Care for the Earth, Bishop Ger Nash, Claire Goodwin, Biodiversity Officer, Helen Corish and Gerry Forde Wexford Parish Care for the Earth.

A community project which will see six Co Wexford parishes carry out biodiversity schemes in church grounds has received the support of the county council. This joint project will see Wexford County Council (WCC) team up with the Parishes of Wexford and the Wexford Parish Care for the Earth group to commence work in local churches this year.

Support will be provided by a biodiversity specialist and there will be funding to get projects off the ground.

"The aim is to allow room for nature to flourish and to manage sites to support wildlife, said Claire Goodwin, biodiversity officer with WCC.

The initiative came about following a meeting between The Wexford Parish Care for the Earth group, WCCs environmental department staff, Bishop Ger Nash, and the diocesan priests in which all parties discussed Returning to Nature project for Wexford parishes.

Among the examples suggested are reducing mowing frequency to allow flowers to bloom and provide food for our endangered pollinators, the planting of heritage fruit trees, hedgerow maintenance or planting, erecting barn owl or swift boxes for endangered birds, and providing nesting habitats for solitary bees.

This project is open to groups of all faiths. To find out more or to apply to be involved please see the Wexford County Council website or contact biodiversity@wexfordcoco.ie
Arklow dancer Darragh Cox (second from left) with Laura Carroll, Callum Murray, KathyAnn Murphy and Fiona Walker at last year's Stars of Tomorrow Secondary School Awards in Gorey's Ashdown Park Hotel.

Arklow dancer Darragh Cox (third from right) with Frances Ryan School of Dance at his very first performance at the Bord Gais Energy Theatre.

Arklow dancer Darragh Cox (second from right) with Brighton Academy principals Tim Newman and Stuart Dawes at Perform Ireland in the RDS.

Wicklow dancer Darragh Cox has taken another giant step towards his dream of performing on Londons West End after he was offered a three-year scholarship at the prolific Brighton Academy.

A musical theatre student at the Cork School of Music, Arklow native Darragh recently received a life-changing call to say that his audition had impressed assessors from the prestigious academy, which boasts a 100pc graduate success rate with top West End agents.

Darragh will now finish out the calendar year in Cork before skipping across the pond, where he will expand his horizons at industry workshops led by West End performers, and enjoy ample opportunities to hone his craft while building professional networks.

Still on cloud nine, Darragh said he cant wait to embark on the exciting journey, explaining that it has always been his intention to become a well-rounded dancer and choreographer, before setting off to take part in productions across the globe.

I auditioned for The Brighton Academy in Dublin, and got a call the very next day to say that I had been offered a three-year scholarship  I was gobsmacked, Darragh recalled.

I got on the phone with a gentleman from the academy and I was like: No, youre joking me?. Then he replied that it would be an awful joke to play on someone!

My family and friends are over the moon for me, and Im buzzing. Its my first year in Cork, but Ill be dropping out at the end of this year, to go over to Brighton and start there in September.

This will be my first time living abroad, so Im glad I got the year in Cork because it has made me realise what living by myself is like. Im a pretty outgoing person, so making friends shouldnt be a problem!

I suppose, I always knew I wanted to get out, study abroad and then start performing straight away, he added.

Getting to the West End has always been my dream, from a very young age, so to get a scholarship for the Brighton Academy, which is one of the most prestigious academies in the UK, it really feels like the dream is starting to become a reality.

Born into a family blessed with artistic ability, Darraghs gifts were evident from an early age, with the former Glenart College student lauded for his performances in local shows, including Avonmore Musical Societys production of Sister Act, and his capable choreography of Glenarts smash-hit musical Dare to Dream, which saw Darragh receive his first nomination for Best Choreographer.

Wowing audiences on both sides of the Wicklow-Wexford border, Darragh has performed with Gorey, North Wexford and Wexford Light Opera Society, dancing in the latters acclaimed production of Phantom of the Opera in the National Opera House, which also featured exceptional Arklow Soprano Karla Tracey.

Reflecting on his roller coaster ride, Darragh said that his progression as a performer is down to the love and support of his family, and the encouragement of local arts enthusiasts and some vastly experienced mentors.

I started at Frances Ryans School of Dance in Arklow when I was four, and it was kind of from then that I knew I always wanted to perform, he explained.

My whole family was in the arts, so I was like: I need to do this. It wasnt really until I had done West Side Story with Gorey Musical Society that I realised that this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

Im a part of a few societies, and Ive done Avonmore Musical Society shows in Arklow, along with musicals with Gorey Musical Society, and North Wexford Musical Society. Last year, I did Phantom of the Opera with the Wexford Light Opera Society  which was an amazing experience.

My next one will be in April with Gorey Musical Society and their upcoming production of Jekyll & Hyde The Musical.

Its been a great journey so far, and there are lots of people to thank, but I have to give my mam, Marie, a special mention for introducing me to dance and giving up her time to bring me to all my auditions, he continued.

There have been lots of people, like Yvonne Kenny from Arklow Music and Arts who have encouraged me along the way, and two people that have been instrumental for me are Laura Doyle, who was my music teacher in school, and the amazing choreographer Megan Lopez, because without her, I wouldnt have applications done at all.

Delighted to see Darragh pursuing his dream, Yvonne Kenny commented: Darragh is a dancer that has performed in a few AMA events and even as a very young dancer, his talent and hard work shone.

We wish him all our very best and have no doubt that he will go all the way to achieving his goals.
Meet the young Irish man with Down Syndrome who will address the United Nations in New York

Galway man Fionn Crombie Angus has spent the last 10 years working on inspirational projects aimed at breaking down barriers

Fionn

Erika Sassone Sat 8 Mar 2025 at 08:00

Young Irish man Fionn Crombie Angus will speak at the United Nations in New York on World Down Syndrome Day this March, after ten years of incredible projects inspiring other around the world to achieve their dreams.
The community of Parkbridge in southwest Wicklow turned out in force to raise 3686 at a walk to help Carnew First Responders install a public defibrillator in a coverage blackspot.

Beginning at Egans Pub, where the new defib will be located, the 4.5km walk was attended by over 80 people, who enjoyed some well-earned sandwiches and refreshments afterwards.

The walk began with a speech by Carnew First Responders secretary and volunteer Dani Horton, who told participants how they attend medical emergencies whilst awaiting ambulance personnel, before explaining why a defib for Parkbridge is so crucial.

We were stood down in 2020 and at the time we had a 5km radius around Carnew, and when we were re-initiated in 2022, we expanded our radius to 10km, encompassing the areas of Tinahely, Monaseed, Craanford, Askamore, Kildavin, Coolkenno, Shillelagh and everywhere in between, she said.

Parkbridge was seen as a blackspot for a defib as it would take at least 12 minutes to get one to where it was needed and in the instance of Cardiac Arrest, every second counts.

Its wonderful how the community has come together to support this and I have no doubt that they have raised enough money to place a defib on the wall of Egans Pub. I am amazed at the generosity of the community and people not even directly connected with it.

Thank you to Larry and Mary Egan for allowing us to place a defib on their wall, to Maxol Candys Carnew for sponsoring water for our walkers, to everyone who was involved in the day and of course to all of you near and far that donated!

Declan Nolan was certainly a driving force for the whole venture. Neither of us could have done this alone  it really does take a community to come together.

Carnew First Responders are running an Irish Heart Foundation Hands For Life Course on March 22 in the Clubrooms, Kildavin. To register, contact Sheila 0877634510 or Dani 0873892928. Courses will run in Shillelagh, Carnew and Parkbridge in April and May.
With her latest RTE mini series due on our screens on March 13, Glenealys Catherine Fulvio speaks to reporter David Medcalf

Catherine Fulvio.  Dan Butler Photography - All rights are reserved. My images may not be used or edited without my permission.

Catherine Fulvio recalls how, not so long ago, she was still in bed one morning when the doorbell of her home in the Wicklow countryside near Glenealy sounded. She went drowsily to find out who could possibly be calling at such an early hour. It turned out that the unheralded visitors were an American couple who were beyond delighted to see this bleary eyed apparition wrapped in a homely dressing gown.

Its her! Its her! they exclaimed, clearly excited that they had come to the correct address.

It turned out that these tourists were only a few hours in Ireland and could think of nowhere they wanted to be more once they had landed in the Emerald Isle than in the presence of their heroine. Of course Catherine is well-known in her native country thanks to her cookery school and her TV appearances, but her fame is not confined to these shores as she also maintains an influential and inspirational presence in assorted media around the world, not least in the US, where those unexpected callers are just two among a huge audience.

The way she tells her life story, the fast talking, infinitely enthusiastic chef has achieved lasting celebrity almost by accident. In reality, her rise to prominence springs from a sound understanding of her craft, allied to a gift for sharing the love of food with others. This petite powerhouse of the culinary world is no overnight sensation; rather she is a product of an old-style agricultural holding allied to a willingness to look out beyond the farm gate.

The exotic Fulvio surname comes from her Sicilian husband, Claudio. She was born Catherine Byrne and she was raised on the farm in Ballyknocken where she resides to this day, in the same solid farmhouse where she grew up with brothers Paul and Carl, and sister Eithne. Parents Charlie and Mary worked hard to make the most of their land, prepared to think beyond traditional agriculture in order to improve their lot. The four children were kept busy helping with the B&B which Mary started in the sixties. Besides bed and breakfast, the Byrnes offered lunch and dinner to their guests.

My mother was very forward looking, reflects Catherine, who is now aged in her fifties, recalling how the guesthouse evolved to attract the hikers who came from all over the world to explore the nearby Wicklow Way and the neighbouring mountains. She saw the Germans in lederhosen. In the 1980s, these Continental visitors and walking groups from Britain or Northern Ireland were able to book into Ballyknocken for bed and board, ferried by bus from the farm to walk in the uplands.

From teaching ambitions to finding her culinary path

The future chef learned how to cook and clean but, as a young woman, her ambitions lay elsewhere. After leaving the Dominican in Wicklow, she took an arts degree at UCD, expecting to become a teacher. However, a brief stint in the classroom made it clear that she was not cut out for the profession. So, she spent a few years on the payroll of Bank of Ireland, at their branch in Dublins Baggot Street. It was work she also found less than fulfilling.

Rather than allow herself be gnawed by discontent, she took a post-graduate course in public relations which led to a post with legendary PR man Larry Sheedy, whose portfolio included several agri-food clients. Catherine genuinely loved the job but was tempted away by an offer from William Power as he set about re-opening Tinakilly House in Rathnew as an upmarket hotel. William needed a sales and marketing executive, while she was happy to find work close to home.

Taking over the family business after tragedy

She probably would have stayed at Tinakilly but for a family tragedy, the death of Mary Byrne at the age of 56. After ten years at the hotel, Catherine stepped into her mothers shoes at Ballyknocken where she has been in charge now for more than two decades. In that time, she has adapted the business model to changing times and become something of a celebrity in her own right, without ever detaching herself from her countryside roots.

Her first call was to enrol on a three month course at Ballymaloe, the cookery school run by the Allen family at Shanagarry in County Cork. There she picked up technical expertise as a cook and a can-do philosophy which has served her well ever since. She returned encouraged to make the most of what she had inherited and ready to take on the mission which she has pursued ever since.

She started with the simplicity of grandmothers brown soda bread and worked her way up. It was a challenge keeping the business going but I had loads of ideas, she remembers.

Transforming the milking parlour into a cookery school

With Charlie no longer keeping dairy cattle, she converted the redundant milking parlour into her own cookery school where she has taught her pupils the basics and beyond on short courses.

She passes on the skills with a lightness of touch which ensures that meal making does not become a chore.

The B&B tradition established by her mother has been continued under the daughter though, these days, Catherine does not look for the passing trade, concentrating instead on attracting pre-booked groups who are guaranteed a full Irish breakfast, usually served with home grown blueberries.

Such enterprise would be commendable enough of itself but it is as a TV chef with ever-growing celebrity status that she has made a wider mark both in Ireland and in the US, an add-on career which started with a stroke of good fortune. An American cookery show producer was in Ireland and had booked a chef who had to cancel their appointment. A call to Ballyknocken confirmed that Ms Fulvio was available at short notice and she turned out to have a natural screen presence.

She took her chance with both hands and has become a darling of Recipe TV, presenting a series of series with titles such as Catherines Farmhouse Kitchen, Baking at Ballyknocken, A Taste of Ireland, churned out with good humour and plenty of practical tips. Many of the past episodes can be tracked down on YouTube. Her exploits on the cookery channel earned her a call-up to mainstream telly, with a regular invitation to cook for an audience of millions on NBCs Today Programme. She has been inducted into the hall of fame run Stateside by Taste Awards.

Building an international following across continents

Catherine Fulvio.  Dan Butler Photography - All rights are reserved. My images may not be used or edited without my permission.

The word has spread, helped by the conscious building of her brand by a constant drip of short videos released on Facebook, Instagram, X, Tik Tok and the rest.

Ive been dubbed in Turkey and I am popular in Sri Lanka, she beams. I love cooking and how TV operates.

The ability to charm viewers has not been overlooked by Irish programme makers, as viewers of RTEs Lords and Ladies tour of Irelands big houses will especially recall. She is back on our screens this St Patricks weekend as the two-parter Catherines Way With Food is set for broadcast by RTE on March 13 and 14, taking our heroine north of the Border.

She has written books; she cooks with passengers on cruise ships; she is a passionate supporter of Our Ladys Hospice  the list goes on. There seems to be no end to Catherine Fulvios energy, drawing inspiration from her home place where her children, Charlotte and Rowan, now help out just as she did. Her father died back in 2020 but Eithne continues to run the farm and Catherine is sure of one thing.

Ill always be here, she insists.
Photo: https://www.facebook.com/vadym.filashkin/

As a result of shelling by Russian occupiers over the past day, 11 civilians from the town of Dobropillia, three from Pokrovsk and six from other settlements in Donetsk region died, Head of Donetsk Regional Military Administration Vadym Filashkin said.

"On March 7, Russians killed 20 residents of Donetsk region: 11 in Dobropillia, three in Pokrovsk, two in Kostiantynopil, one in Yablunivka, Kostiantynivka, Myrnohrad and Ivanopillia. Another 43 people in the region were injured during the day. The total number of Russian victims in Donetsk region is given without taking into account Mariupol and Volnovakha," Filashkin said in Telegram on Saturday morning.

Later, the Prosecutor General's Office clarified that 11 people died in Dobropillia at night, 30 were injured, among them five children: 9, 14, 17-year-old girls and 10 and 11-year-old boys.

"According to the investigation, on the evening of March 7, 2025, the troops of the aggressor state carried out a massive combined attack on Dobropillia. Previously, the enemy struck the town with Iskander-M missiles, Tornado-S MLRS, and Geran-2 UAVs. The city center with dense residential buildings was under the blows of the enemy army. The weapons of destruction were aimed at apartment buildings... The injured were provided with qualified medical assistance. In addition to residential buildings, dozens of vehicles were damaged," the PGO said.

A pretrial investigation has been launched into criminal proceedings on the fact of a war crime (Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

As reported, Russian troops launched three strikes on Dobropillia at night. Previously, four multi-storey residential buildings were damaged. Earlier, five people were reported dead and 15 injured.
The artists giving big vagina energy  from the Sheela na Gig project to an 80-year-old shamanic vulva called Growler

No longer seen as a source of fear and shame, a new generation of female creatives is reclaiming the powerful iconography of the vagina and vulva as a symbol of strength, beauty and healing

Artist Dee Mulrooney dressed as her alter ego 'Growler'

Kathy Donaghy Sat 8 Mar 2025 at 03:30

A new wave of Irish women are reclaiming the vagina and vulva in their artistic work, breaking down taboos, opening up conversations and shedding new light on a history of hurt.
A member of the Syrian forces stands on a vehicle after a battle against a nascent insurgency in Latakia, in the west of the country. Photo: Reuters

Syrian security forces battled for a second day yesterday to crush a nascent insurgency by fighters from Bashar al-Assads Alawite sect, with scores reported killed as the Islamist-led government faced the biggest challenge yet to its authority.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that more than 130 people had been killed in two days of violence in the coastal region of western Syria, which is heavily populated by the members of the Alawite minority.
Foreign ministers from Muslim nations have rejected calls by US President Donald Trump to empty the Gaza Strip of its Palestinian population, and instead backed a plan for an administrative committee of Palestinians to govern the territory to allow reconstruction to go ahead.
Outgoing premier says unity is best tool against tariffs

Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau. His country is in the midst of a trade war with the new US administration. Photo: Reuters

Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau teared up as he made a pledge to support the Canadian people, amid an ongoing trade war with Donald Trump.

Mr Trudeau is in his final weeks as the countrys leader after he was forced to resign by his party over internal disputes about how to handle the US president and his tariffs on Canadian imports.
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.
It's 2025! and after years of hiatus, BTS is all set for their full-group OT7 reunion by June. Over the past few months, after not claiming the top spot due to their military duties, the global phenomenon has reclaimed their crown in the monthly boy group brand value rankings.

The Korea Brand Reputation Index Institute released the brand value rankings of K-Pop boy groups for March 2025. From February 8 to March 8, the Institute analyzed big data on currently active K-Pop boy groups, focusing on key metrics such as consumer participation, media presence, communication, and community engagement. Let's take a look at the top 5 rankings, followed by the rest.

BTS

According to the analysis, BTS reclaimed the top spot with a brand reputation index of 6,980,701 points. This milestone follows BTS member J-Hope's recent return to activities after completing his mandatory military service, joining Jin, who was discharged earlier.

SEVENTEEN

The group that maintained the No. 1 ranking during BTS's absence has now stepped down to second place, earning a total of 5,969,482 points. Despite the shift, their strong presence and consistent performance continue to keep them at the top of the charts.

BIGBANG

Currently focusing on individual projects, the group still secured the third spot with a brand reputation index of 4,369,863 points, maintaining their strong influence despite their solo activities.

SHINee

The group rose to fourth place with a brand reputation index of 2,998,172 points, marking a notable 23.97% increase compared to last month, showcasing their growing momentum.

THE BOYZ

Rounding out the top five, the group soared to fifth place with a brand reputation index of 2,437,895 points  an impressive 54.42% increase from February, highlighting their rising popularity.

The top 30 K-Pop boy groups in terms of brand value rankings for March 2025 are as follows:

6. BOYNEXTDOOR

7. Stray Kids

8. NCT

9. EXO

10. INFINITE

11. ZEROBASEONE

12. BTOB

13. RIIZE

14. TWS

15. ENHYPEN

16. ATEEZ

17. Super Junior

18. ASTRO

19. MONSTA X

20. Wanna One

21. TREASURE

22. Highlight

23. TVXQ

24. GOT7

25. EVNNE

26. 2PM

27. TOMORROW x TOGETHER

28. VIXX

29. ONF

30. KickFlip

These rankings highlight the dynamic landscape of the K-Pop industry, with both established legends and rising stars making their mark.

For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
On March 7, NJZ (NewJeans) attended the first round of court interrogations amid their ongoing legal battle with their "former" agency ADOR. The Seoul Central District Court is reviewing the dispute over the group's contractual status. Although not required to appear, all five members  Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein  showed up in person, dressed in all black as they arrived at the courthouse.

During the court session, the members shared their remarks, but it was Danielle's comments about former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin that caught the most attention. Her words have sparked a wave of backlash, but also concern from netizens, with many expressing worry about the young idol's well-being and the complex bond she shares with the former CEO.

What did Danielle say?

According to an article from the news outlet MK, Danielle made comments about former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin during the court session, drawing significant attention. In her remarks, she referred to the group as having "six members," expressing her concern for Min Hee-jin amidst the ongoing controversy and emphasizing their desire to keep working with her.

Danielle said, "We are very sensitive to each member's condition, so we always worry about injuries or illnesses." She added, "While there are five of us on stage, we are actually a team of six, including CEO Min Hee-jin. Seeing her being attacked and reading all these absurd articles, I was terrified of losing her." She concluded by firmly stating, "I want to continue being with CEO Min Hee-jin in the future."

Posts from the kpop_uncensored

community on Reddit

K-pop fans shocked

Danielle's comments quickly sparked backlash from netizens, with many expressing concern over the group's apparent dependence on Min Hee-jin. Some believed the remarks reflected the influence of the former CEO, accusing her of "brainwashing" the members.

The statement about considering Min Hee-jin as the group's "sixth member" particularly alarmed fans, adding to the ongoing debate about the nature of their relationship. Many discussed the issue at length on Reddit, while others took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to share their concerns.

One user wrote, "Danielle is in love with Min Hee-jin. Imagine someone from another group saying this about their CEO."

danielle is in love with min hee jin and thats weird as fck. Imagine someone from other group saying this about their ceo https://t.co/kzHaJjlGLc  Tokkis are all Ped#phiIes (@__0ooo_o__) March 7, 2025

Another commented, "Danielle doesn't seem to visualize a world or her life without Min Hee-jin."

impossible, at least for Danielle, she does not visualize a world or her life without Min HeeJin.  Steve G.Poblete 86 (@Gpoblete0506) March 7, 2025

Someone else added, "It's disgusting that Danielle considers Min Hee-jin a part of their group like ?? Okay, good riddancewhy does that woman still have defenders?"

someone blocked me and called me weird cuz i said its disgusting that danielle considers min heejin a part of their grp like ?? ok good riddance bro why does that woman have defenders even now  lai  (@saebify) March 7, 2025

On Reddit, one user suggested, "The court should call in a child/youth psychologist for a consultation..."

Comment

byu/BeginningCapital1273 from discussion

inkpop_uncensored

Another wrote, "'Afraid of losing her' is what you say when you think your girl is about to break up with you."

Comment

byu/BeginningCapital1273 from discussion

inkpop_uncensored

One also stated, "Nah, she needs helplike actually, this is so concerning."

Comment

byu/BeginningCapital1273 from discussion

inkpop_uncensored

About the case

This case is part of the ongoing legal battle between ADOR and NewJeans over the validity of their exclusive contract. ADOR maintains that their contract remains valid and accuses the group of violating its terms by rebranding as NJZ. Meanwhile, the girls argue that they have lawfully terminated the contract, giving them the freedom to promote without ADOR's involvement.

For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
Happy Womens Day wishes for teachers: International Women's Day is celebrated globally on 8th March to honour the remarkable contributions of women across society, the economy, culture, and politics. Various events take place worldwide to recognise these achievements and advocate for gender equality.

The origins of this day date back to 28th February 1909, when the first National Women's Day was observed in the United States following a declaration by the Socialist Party of America. In 1910, Clara Zetkin proposed the idea of an annual Women's Day at the International Conference for Working Women in Copenhagen. This led to the first official International Women's Day in 1911, celebrated across multiple nations.

International Women's Day serves as a powerful reminder of the ongoing fight for womens rights and gender equality, offering a platform to celebrate womens achievements in various fields.

The Role of Teachers in Shaping the Future

Teachers are beacons of knowledge, igniting curiosity and inspiring young minds. With wisdom and compassion, they nurture students, shaping their futures with unwavering dedication. Their classrooms are more than just places of learning; they are sanctuaries of inspiration and hope. Beyond academics, teachers instil lifelong values, leaving an indelible mark of kindness, knowledge, and empowerment. As the architects of tomorrow, they create a lasting legacy of enlightenment and transformation.

With International Women's Day approaching, let's make it even more meaningful by sharing heartfelt Women's Day wishes, messages, quotes, images, and WhatsApp statuses with the incredible teachers who have shaped our lives.

Happy International Women's Day 2025: Inspiring Quotes Dedicated to Your Favourite Teacher

Credit: Freepik | Happy Women's Day Wishes Images

"Teachers plant the seeds of knowledge that last a lifetime." - Unknown

"One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world." - Malala Yousafzai

"The best teachers are those who show you where to look but don't tell you what to see." - Alexandra K. Trenfor

"Teaching is not a profession; it's a passion." - Unknown

"The influence of a good teacher can never be erased." - Unknown

"The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires." - William Arthur Ward

"A good teacher can inspire hope, ignite the imagination, and instill a love of learning." - Brad Henry

"Education is the key to unlocking the world, a passport to freedom." - Oprah Winfrey

"Teaching is the profession that teaches all the other professions." - Unknown

"The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery." - Mark Van Doren

Heartfelt Women's Day Wishes for Your Favourite Teacher

Credit: Freepik | Happy Women's Day Wishes Images

Happy International Women's Day to a phenomenal teacher! Your dedication and wisdom continue to inspire us all.

Wishing my favourite teacher a day filled with recognition and appreciation. You make learning a joyHappy Womens Day!

To an extraordinary mentorHappy International Womens Day! Thank you for being a guiding light and role model.

Happy Women's Day to an inspiring teacher! Your passion for education brightens the lives of countless students.

Cheers to a wonderful teacher on International Women's Day! Your impact reaches far beyond the classroom.

Warmest wishes to a fantastic teacher! Your encouragement and support mean the world to usHappy Womens Day!

Happy International Womens Day to a remarkable educator! Your resilience and strength inspire us every day.

To an amazing teacherHappy Womens Day! Thank you for shaping young minds with wisdom and kindness.

Wishing a very Happy Womens Day to a teacher who truly makes a difference! Your dedication does not go unnoticed.

Happy International Women's Day to our exceptional teacher! Your influence extends far beyond textbooks and lessons.

Happy International Women's Day to an extraordinary teacher who empowers minds, shapes futures, and inspires greatness every day.

Wishing my incredible teacher a day filled with recognition for the invaluable impact you have on your students' lives. Happy Womens Day!

To a remarkable woman who does more than just teachshe nurtures, guides, and uplifts every student. Happy International Womens Day!

On this special day, I honour an inspiring teacher whose dedication, passion, and wisdom light up the classroom and spark a love for learning.

Heres to a teacher whose influence extends far beyond the classroomtouching hearts and minds with kindness, knowledge, and unwavering support. Happy International Womens Day!

Happy International Women's Day WhatsApp Status for Teacher

Credit: Freepik | Happy Women's Day Wishes Images

 Celebrating our amazing teacher this International Women's Day! Your guidance and inspiration mean the world to us.

 To our remarkable teacher: Happy International Women's Day! Your wisdom lights our way and shapes our future.

 Wishing a Happy Women's Day to the incredible woman who educates with passion and empowers with knowledge.

 Honouring our teacher on International Women's Day for her dedication to moulding young minds and uplifting spirits.

 Happy Women's Day to our brilliant teacher! Your resilience and kindness continue to inspire us every single day.

 Cheers to our teacher, a beacon of wisdom and compassion, on this special International Women's Day!

 Sending heartfelt wishes to our exceptional teacher today. Your influence on our lives is immeasurable.

 Happy International Women's Day to the teacher who inspires, challenges, and supports us to become our best selves.

 On this special day, we celebrate our teachers leadership, wisdom, and endless encouragement. Happy Women's Day!

 To our extraordinary teacher: Happy International Women's Day! Thank you for shaping the future with passion and dedication.

Special Happy International Women's Day Messages for Teachers

Credit: Freepik | Happy Women's Day Wishes Images

To our wonderful teacher, Happy International Women's Day! Your wisdom enlightens us, and your dedication empowers us every day.

Wishing our incredible teacher a fantastic International Women's Day! Your passion for education and advocacy for equality continue to inspire us all.

Happy Women's Day to our exceptional teacher! Your unwavering commitment to teaching and nurturing young minds is truly admirable.

On this special occasion, we celebrate our extraordinary teacher. Your resilience, strength, and dedication make a lasting impact. Happy International Women's Day!

To the inspiring woman who leads us with wisdom and kindness, Happy Women's Day! Thank you, teacher, for your constant guidance and encouragement.

Happy International Women's Day to our remarkable teacher! Your belief in our potential and dedication to our growth are truly commendable.

Wishing a joyful Women's Day to our devoted teacher. Your relentless efforts to educate, empower, and uplift deserve immense appreciation.

To our inspiring mentor and role model, Happy International Women's Day! Thank you for shaping young minds and guiding future generations.

Happy Women's Day to our phenomenal teacher! Your passion, perseverance, and commitment inspire us to strive for greatness.

On this International Women's Day, we honour our exceptional teacher. Your wisdom and strength serve as a beacon of inspiration to us all.

Happy Women's Day to all the great teachers out there!

For more informative articles on historical and upcoming events from around the world, please visit Indiatimes Events.
In a shocking incident, a group of tourists, including some foreign nationals, were physically and sexually assaulted by a gang in Karnataka. The incident happened on Thursday night on the banks of Sanapur Lake near Hampi.

According to police, one of the victims, a woman who owns a local homestay, had taken two female tourists from Israel and America, a male tourist from Odisha, and another person to the banks of the Tungabhadra Left Bank Canal near Sanapura village, near Gangavathi town, for stargazing.

CREDIT: BCCL

Accused demanded money

As the group was stargazing, and playing guitar they were approached by a group of three men. While some reports say they were travelling on a motorcycle, others say the three men were in a car. The men initially asked the tourists for some petrol but later demanded 100 from them.

When the tourists refused their demands, the three men became aggressive and attacked them.

The accused pushed three other tourists who were with the two women into a nearby canal before targeting the females.

The two females in the group were sexually assaulted by the accused, who fled the scene after stealing mobile phones and money from the tourists.

One tourist found dead

While two of the men who were pushed into the canal managed to swim ashore, the third person, a native of Odisha, did not make it.

Forty-year-old Beebas remained untraceable on Friday, and his body was recovered from the Tungabhadra Left Canal near Sanapura village, near Gangavathi town, on Saturday.

CREDIT: BCCL

Complaint filed

Based on the complaint filed by the 29-year-old homestay owner, who is also one of the victims of the sexual assault, the Gangavathi Rural police have launched a probe into the shocking crime.

According to the complainant, the accused spoke Kannada and Telugu and were in their 20s.

Police said they have identified the suspects, and special teams have been formed to arrest them.

For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
Over the past day, aviation, missile troops and artillery of the Defense Forces hit 12 areas of concentration of personnel and equipment, a control point, an electronic warfare station, five artillery pieces, as well as an air defense system of the Russian invaders.

This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Telegram in operational information on the Russian invasion as of 08:00 on Saturday.
A video has gone viral on social media showing what appears to be two female tourists from India plucking mangoes from a mango tree inside a temple complex in Thailand. In the video, a woman can be seen climbing onto the base of a Buddha statue to reach the mangoes.

Indian tourist's mango plucking video goes viral

The woman is seen plucking two mangoes, which she then passes on to another woman on the ground, who puts them into a bag.

Inside Phra Chedi Chaimongkol

According to TikTok user @viewyeahhh, who first shared the video, the incident happened inside the Phra Chedi Chaimongkol in Ayutthaya.

The temple is a religiously significant site for Buddhism, and relics of the Buddha are believed to be preserved at the top of the pagoda.

According to another social media user who reposted the video on Instagram, it is believed that the tourists were travelling without a guide, leading to a lack of awareness regarding proper conduct within temple grounds.

"The incident took place in the evening, a time when temple staff may not have been on full patrol," the user wrote.

Such acts bring shame to Indian tourists

The video has gone viral, and many, including Indians on social media, condemned the conduct of the two women. Some also argued that such behaviour by a few is bringing disrepute to Indian tourists globally.

While the identities of the two women have not been established, another Instagram user posted the same video, sarcastically suggesting that the women are either British or Canadian.

The mango-plucking women went viral just days after another video resurfaced on social media, allegedly showing 'Indian tourists' littering and drinking on Pattaya Beach.

CREDIT: UNSPLASH

Rise in Indians visiting Thailand

Indians are among the largest populations of international tourists in Thailand. In 2024, China, Malaysia, and India were the three largest sources of foreign tourists to Thailand. In 2024, over 2.1 million Indians visited Thailand, where they don't require a visa to enter.

For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
In a shocking incident, a social media user has alleged that her grandmother was denied a wheelchair by Tata Group-owned Air India, resulting in the elderly woman falling and injuring herself inside the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi. The social media user, Parul Kanwar, claimed that the incident happened on Tuesday, March 4, when the family was travelling from Delhi to Bengaluru.

CREDIT: DELHI AIRPORT

Booked wheelchair in advance

According to Kanwar, she had pre-booked the wheelchair for her grandmother well in advance, but despite Air India confirming the same, when they reached the airport on Tuesday, she was not allocated one.

After waiting for nearly an hour and failing to get a wheelchair, the woman decided to walk.

Elderly passenger injured after falling

"With no other option, this old lady slowly made her way across three parking lanes at T3 New Delhi, on foot with assistance from a family member," she wrote.

"She managed to enter the airport on foot, still no wheelchair or assistance was provided. Ultimately, her legs gave way, and she fell  she fell in front of the Air India premium economy counter," Kanwar added.

CREDIT: BCCL

Air India staff did not provide first aid

What followed was even more shocking, as Air India staff allegedly refused to help and expected the family to get medical aid themselves.

"Finally, the wheelchair arrived, and she was promptly boarded without a proper check-up, with a bleeding lip and injury to her head and nose. On flight, crew did help with ice packs and called ahead to Bangalore airport for medical aid, where she was seen by a doctor and given two stitches," she wrote.

Family files complaint

According to Kanwar, her grandmother is admitted to the ICU and is under observation for potential brain bleeds.

CREDIT: X

"From where we stand, its a long road ahead of pain and recovery which she did not deserve," she said, adding that the family has lodged complaints with the DGCA and Air India.

Responding to the post, Air India said they are working on the concern and wished the elderly woman a speedy recovery.

For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
Two of the powerful men in the Donald Trump administration, it seems, can't see eye to eye. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Elon Musk, who is a special government employee, got into a heated argument during the second Cabinet meeting of the Trump administration on Tuesday.

According to The New York Times, which first reported the development, Musk and Rubio clashed over job cuts in the State Department.

CREDIT: REUTERS

'Rubio is only good on TV'

Musk, who said that Rubio was "good on TV," raised questions on his cost-cutting record at the State Department, accusing him of having fired "nobody" in the administration's first 45 days, to which the Secretary of State responded by pointing out that 1,500 State Department officials had accepted early retirement.

Rubio then asked Musk if he should hire them back just to sack them again more spectacularly.

Rubio vs Musk

According to the report, Rubio was already at odds with Musk for DOGE closing down the United States Agency for International Development, which would have operated under him as the Secretary of State.

CREDIT: REUTERS

The report added that Trump intervened to calm the situation, commending Rubio for doing a "good job".

It also stated that Rubio was not the only person who clashed with Musk during the meeting.

Musk clash with Transport Secretary

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy also clashed with Musk, accusing DOGE of trying to lay off air traffic controllers, who are already in short supply in the Federal Aviation Administration.

CREDIT: AP

Trump cuts Musk to size

In what could be a clear message to Musk that his job cuts are not popular even among the Cabinet members, Trump then said that from now on, Cabinet secretaries would be in charge, and DOGE would only advise.

After the meeting, Trump announced that cuts would continue but with a "scalpel" rather than a "hatchet," implying that he had taken the opportunity to rein Musk in.

CREDIT: REUTERS

But, when asked by reporters on Friday about the reported dispute, the president dismissed it, declaring: "No clash. I was there."

He went on to insist of Musk and Rubio, "They're both doing a fantastic job ... they both get along fantastically well."

For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
US President Donald Trump has claimed victory as India has agreed to cut tariffs on American goods significantly. The move comes days after Trump confirmed that the reciprocal tariffs he had announced on countries, including India, would come into effect on April 2.

Throughout his first term in office and during the US presidential election cycle, Trump had singled out India for charging high tariffs on American-made goods.

CREDIT: REUTERS

'Somebody exposed India'

On Friday, yet again, Trump said the tariffs India charged on US goods made it impossible to do business there. He also claimed that India agreed to cut the tariffs after 'somebody exposed them'.

"India charges us massive tariffs. Massive. You can't even sell anything in India... They have agreed, by the way; they want to cut their tariffs way down now because somebody is finally exposing them for what they have done," Trump said.

CREDIT: REUTERS

Earlier this week too, Trump targeted India's import duties in a speech to a joint session of Congress. "India charges us auto tariffs higher than 100 per cent," Trump said.

Indian delegation in US

While the Indian government has not officially commented on reducing tariffs on US goods, a delegation led by Union Minister Piyush Goyal is currently in the US to work out a bilateral agreement on the matter.

India already cut tariffs on many US imports

Last month, ahead of the Modi-Trump meeting in the White House, India had announced the reduction of import duties on US-made bourbon whiskey from 150% to 50%.

Import duty on wines made of fresh grapes and vermouth, as well as some fermented beverages and unadulterated ethyl alcohol with 80% alcohol strength, has also been cut to 100 per cent.

India has also lowered tariffs on US products, including motorcycles, ICT products, and metals, as well as measures to enhance market access for US agricultural products like alfalfa hay and duck meat, and medical devices.

CREDIT: REUTERS

Tesla wants zero per cent import duty

Earlier this week, it was also reported that Tesla, owned by Trump's right-hand man Elon Musk, which expressed its intention to enter the Indian market soon, was seeking zero per cent import duty. India currently imposes import duties of up to 110% on vehicles.

For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
How Xiaomi 14 Ultra camera is different from Xiaomi 15 Ultra?: The Xiaomi 15 Ultra's potent 200MP vintage telephoto camera is poised to revolutionize smartphone photography. However, how does it stack up against the Xiaomi 14 Ultra?

This most recent update is a serious contender for the best camera phone of 2025 since it offers a crisper zoom, better low-light performance, and unparalleled detail. With its cutting-edge AI processing and optical improvements, Xiaomi hopes to boost mobile photography.

This revolutionary telephoto lens has the potential to revolutionize the way you take pictures, regardless of your level of experience. To determine whether the Xiaomi 15 Ultra deserves the moniker "new king of smartphone cameras," let's examine the main distinctions between it and the 14 Ultra.

How different is the camera of 14 Ultra from Xiaomi 15 Ultra?

Credit: Xiaomi

The Xiaomi 15 Ultra phone has been launched worldwide. India has not yet received this phone. A quad camera module has been added to the Xiaomi 15 Ultra Camera. This uses a Sony LYT-900 sensor in conjunction with a 50MP main camera.

The Samsung ISOCELL JN5 sensor is found in the 50MP ultrawide camera. The Sony IMX858 sensor is found in the 50MP telephoto camera. Simultaneously, the 200MP ultra classic telephoto camera uses a Samsung ISOCELL HP9 sensor.

However, Xiaomi's flagship smartphone, the 14 Ultra, has a quad camera system. Four 50MP cameras are built within the phone. In addition, a 32MP front-facing camera has been added to the Xiaomi 15 Ultra's camera and the Xiaomi 14 Ultra's module.

Specifications Xiaomi 15 Ultra Xiaomi 14 Ultra Processor Snapdragon 8 Elite Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Battery 5410mAh 5000 mAh, non-removable Screen 6.73 inch 6.73 inch Rear Camera 50MP+50MP+200MP+50MP Quad Camera 50MP Front Camera 32MP 32MP Refresh Rate 120Hz 120Hz

When will Xiaomi 15 Ultra be available in India?

Credit: Xiaomi

You must wait a few days to purchase a Xiaomi 15 Ultra smartphone. On March 11, 2025, phone manufacturer Xiaomi will formally introduce its high-end smartphone in India. Numerous reports have released varying opinions regarding the Xiaomi 15 Ultra Camera.

After arriving in India, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra's camera has the potential to create a stir in the market. The sensor is the primary distinction between the Xiaomi 14 Ultra and Xiaomi 15 Ultra cameras. Only on March 11, 2025, will the phone's Indian price be disclosed.

To stay updated on the stories that are going viral follow Indiatimes Trending.
International Womens Day 2025: Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated International Womens Day on March 8, 2025, by handing over his social media accounts to 7 prominent women achievers from various fields. This has been initiated to honour the concept of Nari Shakti, or women empowerment.

This is not the first time PM Modi has taken such an initiative. In 2020, he handed over his social media accounts to 7 inspiring women achievers on IWD 2025. This year, the Prime Minister continued the tradition by inviting women from various sectors to share their stories and experiences with the nation.

PM Modis Tribute to Nari Shakti

In a heartfelt message on x.com, PM Modi stated, We bow to our Nari Shakti on #WomensDay! Our Government has always worked for empowering women, reflecting in our schemes and programmes. Today, as promised, my social media properties will be taken over by women who are making a mark in diverse fields!

This sweet announcement was part of his ongoing commitment to womens empowerment and recognition of their contributions in various sectors.

IWD 2025: Women Taking Over PM Modi's Social Media

Below are the following women who were selected to take over PM Modis social media accounts:

Name Field Achievements R Vaishali Chess Indian Chess Grandmaster, Winner of Women's Grand Swiss Tournament 2023.

She is also inspiring millions of girls to pursue sports. Elina Mishra Nuclear Science Contributing to advancements in nuclear science.

She is also inspiring women in STEM fields. Shilpi Soni Space Science Working on space-related projects.

She had promoted women's participation in space exploration. Anita Devi Entrepreneurship Started her own startup company called Madhopur Farmers Producer Company Limited.

She also contributed to local economic growth.

PM Modi's gesture of handing over his social media accounts to women achievers on IWD 2025 is an important tribute to 'Nari Shakti.' It shows the government's commitment to women's empowerment. It truly provides a platform for inspiring stories of women from diverse fields to reach every woman around the world.

To stay updated on the stories that are going viral follow Indiatimes Trending.
Andros, the verdant gem of the Cyclades, has been named the top Greek island for walking by the prestigious travel magazine Conde Nast Traveler.

Renowned for its lush landscapes, pristine beaches, and well-maintained hiking trails, Andros has captured the attention

of discerning travelers seeking an authentic and immersive island experience.

Conde Nast Traveler describes Andros as "multiple islands in one," praising its diverse offerings: green valleys, rugged landscapes, rushing streams, charming villages, and secluded beaches.

The island's captivating beauty extends beyond its natural wonders, with marble-paved streets in Chora, historic monasteries, cascading waterfalls, and exceptional tavernas adding to its allure.

"The beaches steal the show," the article declares, highlighting the island's varied coastal experiences, from tranquil sandy coves to dramatic sunset vistas and delectable seafood dining.

"International media continue to acknowledge the uniqueness and authenticity of our destination," said Nikos Moustakas, Andros' municipal councilor for Tourism.

"The trend for seeking special destinations is gaining more supporters, and our ongoing efforts to promote Andros abroad are paying off."

The municipality recently concluded a successful outreach program at the ITB Berlin 2025 tourism fair, connecting with journalists and bloggers from key European markets, including Germany, France, Austria, Scandinavia, and Italy.

Supported by specialized consultants, this initiative aims to solidify Andros's reputation as a year-round haven for nature enthusiasts and cultural explorers.

With its diverse attractions and growing international recognition, Andros is poised to welcome a new wave of travelers seeking an unforgettable escape in the heart of the Cyclades.

   iefimerida.gr
In a significant boost to Greece's economic recovery, DBRS Morningstar has upgraded the nation's credit rating to BBB from BBB (low).

The move by the influential Canadian agency signals growing confidence in Greece's fiscal policies and its progress in overcoming a decade-long debt crisis.

"This upgrade is a vote of confidence in the government's economic choices," declared

Greek Minister of Economy and Finance Kostis Hatzidakis.

He emphasized the need for continued fiscal prudence, stating, "Greece must maintain a prudent economic policy and stay away from populism and political instability."

The upgrade reflects Greece's successful efforts in reducing its debt burden, stimulating economic growth, and implementing key structural reforms.

The positive assessment comes despite heightened political tensions, with opposition parties criticizing the government's economic strategies.

DBRS Morningstar's decision holds considerable weight, as it is one of the four agencies recognized by the European Central Bank for determining collateral eligibility.

The upgrade is expected to enhance investor confidence and potentially lower borrowing costs for Greece, which has been steadily regaining access to international markets since exiting its bailout programs in 2018.

While the Greek economy has demonstrated resilience in recent years, exceeding eurozone average growth rates, challenges persist. High public debt and the need to address long-term structural issues remain key priorities.

The credit rating upgrade underscores the government's commitment to fiscal responsibility and highlights the importance of maintaining economic stability amidst a politically charged landscape. As Greece continues its recovery, the focus will be on sustaining economic momentum and avoiding policies that could jeopardize its hard-won progress.

   iefimerida.gr
The no-confidence vote against the Mitsotakis government has failed to pass as widely expected, with a majority of 157 deputies voting against the motion.

A total of 293 MPs out of Greeces 300-member Parliament participated in the roll-call vote late Friday.

Deputies of the ruling center-right New Democracy (ND) party

opposed the motion, while 136 deputies, all from opposition parties, voted in favor.

The late-night vote followed three days of intense debate, initiated by four opposition party leaders to mark the two-year anniversary of the deadly Tempi rail collision on February 28, 2023, and the massive protests held last Friday across Greece and abroad.

All party leaders spoke from Parliaments podium, with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis delivering the final address.

A brief but dramatic interruption occurred as Mr. Mitsotakis began speaking when five individuals with visitor accreditation from the Nea Aristera (New Left) party stood in the gallery, threw leaflets into the air, and shouted slogans before being removed by security.

Earlier, tensions escalated when ND deputy Mr. Dimitris Kyriazidis was summarily expelled from the ruling party after directing a sexist remark at Ms. Zoe Konstantopoulou, founder and president of Plefsi Eleftherias (Course of Freedom).

Mr. Kyriazidis told Ms. Konstantopoulou to go have a baby as she addressed the plenum, referring to a group of visiting students observing the debate. The remark sparked outrage, prompting ND leadership to take swift disciplinary action.

   iefimerida.gr
A peaceful demonstration commemorating the anniversary of the deadly Tempe train crash descended into chaos Thursday as masked protesters clashed with police in central Athens.

The violence erupted near Syntagma Square,

where Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was addressing Parliament , underscoring the lingering public anger and frustration over the tragedy

Hooded individuals hurled Molotov cocktails and projectiles at police, who responded with stun grenades and tear gas to disperse the crowd.

The clashes spread towards the Propylaea area before demonstrators regrouped near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where the protest continued. One man was injured in the confrontation and treated at the scene.

The demonstration marked the February 2023 train collision in Tempe, which claimed 57 lives and ignited widespread outrage over systemic safety failures in Greece's rail network.

While the initial march proceeded peacefully, a group of masked individuals escalated tensions, triggering the violent confrontations.

Authorities reported four detentions and three arrests by late Thursday evening. The unrest highlights the deep-seated public anger over the Tempe tragedy and broader dissatisfaction with the government's response and accountability.

Opposition parties, including Syriza and Pasok, have been vocal in their criticism of the government's handling of the incident and its aftermath.

The clashes, coinciding with Mitsotakis' parliamentary address, further underscore the tense political climate in Greece. With protests expected to continue in the coming days, police remain on high alert.

   iefimerida.gr
Photo: https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua

Some 124 combat clashes were recorded over the past day. This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Telegram in operational information on the Russian invasion as of 08:00 on Saturday.

"Yesterday, the enemy launched three missile strikes on the positions of Ukrainian units and settlements using 72 missiles, as well as 103 air strikes, in particular, it dropped 166 guided aerial bombs (KAB). In addition, it carried out more than five thousand three hundred attacks, of which 157 were from multiple launch rocket systems, and engaged 2,696 kamikaze drones for destruction," the General Staff said.
The motion of no confidence against the government was rejected by the Parliament
Helen Ati, the woman claiming to have a child for Cubana Chief Priest, has given him a two-month ultimatum to take responsibility for the alleged baby.

The situation, which has been unfolding for over two months, keeps escalating. Helen is unwavering in her demand, refusing to back down until Cubana Chief Priest acknowledges the child.

In a video posted on her Instagram page on Saturday, Helen lashed out, accusing Cubana Chief Priest of neglecting their child after finding out it was a boy rather than a girl.

Advertisement

READ MORE: Do You Have 100m To Feature Me?  Portable Blasts VeryDarkMan Over Mercy Chinwo Diss Track

She also urged his wife, De Angel, to step in and convince him to take a DNA test.

She partly said, Pascal, come and do the DNA. DAngel, talk to your husband. I did not beg you to have intercourse with me. You thought I was going to give you a baby girl. When you found out it was a boy, you changed your mind. I swear on my mothers grave, Im giving you two months.

I dont want to tell you what is going to happen. I am not threatening you. I am tired of raising this boy alone. DAngel, beg your husband, I am not letting this go.

Helens ultimatum has triggered widespread reactions online, with many people speculating whether Cubana Chief Priest will respond or keep ignoring the ongoing controversy.

Watch her speak below

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DG7s-DJs4J8/?igsh=ZWY2NXJyaWJybmFk
Former Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson has rallied support for suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who was barred from the Senate for six months on Thursday.

Dickson, leading a delegation of opposition senators, visited Natasha at her home on Friday, expressing solidarity and offering encouragement.

Dickson explained that his absence from the Senate proceedings on the day of Natashas suspension was due to his engagement with tax reform bills.

Advertisement

speaking to the press on Friday Seriake Dickson disclosed: As humans, senators have their low and high moments and it is a tradition for Senators to support each other during these moments.

The public may recall that, for the past three days, I was attending the three-day workshop on the Tax Reform Bills which started on Wednesday, 5th of March and ended this evening, March 7.

This is why I was not available yesterday to sit as a member of the Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, Privileges and Public Petitions in respect of the issues concerning our colleague Distinguished Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghans suspension, haven been assured by the Committee Chairman that the hearing would hold on Wednesday the 11th of March for which notices had already been issued. I was not notified of the emergency seating yesterday.

This evening, after concluding the retreat, I led a delegation of some senators of opposition parties on a visit to our colleague Senator Natasha and met with her and her husband at their home.

We offered words of encouragement, prayers and advice on a quick resolution of the issues surrounding her suspension.

Having heard more from her and her husband for the first time, I will discuss with other colleagues on how to intervene and engage with the leadership of the senate to resolve the issues as soon as possible,
Two suspected kidnappers, identified as Kamsiru Abubakar and Akhor Daraman, have been arrested by men of Edo State Police Command.

In a statement by the Commands Spokesman, Moses Yamu on Saturday, disclosed that Abubakar, and Daraman were arrested on the 5th of March, 2025, when sighted at Ugonoba village in Uhunmwode Local Government Area of the state.

Moses added that some individuals who were victims identified the suspects to be part of the gang that kidnapped them last year.

Advertisement

The statement reads: On 05/02/2025 at about 09:45hrs, the police received credible information that suspected kidnappers were sighted around Ugonoba Village in Uhunmwode Local Government Area, Edo South.

The Divisional Police Officer, leading the operatives of Operation Rescue, stormed the location.

READ MORE: Edo Police Arrest Ex-Convict For Alleged Armed Robbery Two Days After Release From Jail

The suspected kidnappers took to their heels on sighting the police. They were chased, and the duo of Kamsiru Abubakar and Akhor Daraman were arrested.

During preliminary investigation, some individuals who were victims identified the suspects to be part of the kidnappers that abducted them last year.

Investigation has been expanded with a view of arresting other members of the kidnap syndicate.
President Bola Tinubu has celebrated Nigerian women for their resilience, hard work, and achievements in celebration of the 2025 International Womens Day.

In a statement via his X handle on Saturday, President Tinubu said that his administration is committed to actualising the Renewed Hope agenda.

He said: You are the bedrock of our nation, driving progress from our homes to our farms, boardrooms, and communities.

Advertisement

READ MORE: Natasha: Senate Pledges To Promote Gender Equality

Yet, 30 years after the Beijing Declaration, too many still face barriers that limit their potential.

Our administration is committed in our Renewed Hope pledge to dismantle obstacles, expand access to finance, and ensure equitable opportunities in governance, agriculture, and every sector.

To our mothers, daughters, sisters, your strength fuels Nigerias future. Together, we rise,Happy International Womens Day.
National Agency for Foods Drugs Administration and Control, has destroyed counterfeit pharmaceutical products worth about N100 billion at Moniya dump sites in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The Director General of the agency, Mojisola Adeyeye on Saturday, said that the affected products include, Analgin, controlled substances such as Tramadol 225mg amongst others.

Mrs. Adeyeye, who was represented by Director of Narcotics, Yedunni Adenuga, reiterated the commitment of NAFDAC to ensure that food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, chemicals, packaged water and drinks are safe, for human consumption.

Advertisement

She said: The products that were classified as illicit, expired, and banned were confiscated during a raid on three markets in the country.

READ MORE: NAFDAC Arrests Man For Producing Fake Alcoholic Drinks In Port Harcourt

The recent discovery of counterfeit and other products in these three major markets in the country is mind-boggling.

The discoveries made of the presence of unregistered products, banned products such as Analgin, and Controlled substances such as Tramadol 225mg amongst others, which are part of the things making our country unsafe in terms of security.

This operation could not have been made possible without the support of the National Security Advisor, Nuhu Ribadu, who graciously approved the use of over 1,000 security personnel, including the Military, Police and Department of State Services.

Today, we are witnessing the destruction of expired falsified, controlled, unregistered, and banned medicines removed from Idumota Open Drugs outlets. The estimated street value of these products is N100 billion.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio has denied allegations of sexual harassment made by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. Akpabio claimed that Akpoti-Uduaghans allegations traumatized him and others.

Senator Natasha was suspended for six months, sparking widespread criticism. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi cautioned against making the political atmosphere toxic for women.

Opposition parties also expressed outrage over the handling of the complaint. Akpabio maintained his innocence, stating that the allegations were untrue.

Advertisement

At an International Womens Day event on Saturday, Akpabio expressed concerns that he was being falsely targeted by Natasha, citing previous allegations made by her that were later proven to be untrue.

He said: It is only yesterday that I realised that what we are talking about only happened when there was a change of seat. That is when hell was let loose, and all sorts of allegations came up, only after the change of seat and change of committee, which my Senators know to happen from time to time.

This is said to have happened on December 8, a day before my birthday, which was celebrated in the Stadium in 2023. So from the 8th of December 2023, I never heard, my wife never heard, no Nigerian ever heard, even the husband never heard any issue of sexual harassment until her committee was changed and then her seat was changed.

Have you ever wondered about the trauma caused by that same woman on the other people she has accused in the past? None has been proven so far. Do you even wonder about the trauma this caused to the 10th Senate and the image of the Senate with all these useless allegations? I have refrained myself from making a statement.

Look at these beautiful women. They have come across me so many times. Have I ever harassed any one of you? Or is the person thinking that you are not beautiful?
Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has had his case reassigned to another judge by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho.

This development was confirmed by Kanus lead counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, who stated that Kanu is ready to face trial, convinced of his innocence. Kanu had previously asked Justice Binta Nyako to recuse herself from his case, citing lack of confidence.

The case has sparked intense debate, with some calling for Kanus release and others advocating for his prosecution. Kanus supporters argue that he is being unfairly targeted, while opponents accuse him of inciting violence. The reassignment of the case to a new judge may potentially impact the outcome of the trial.

Advertisement

In a statement lead by Kanus Counsel Ejimakor on Saturday, he had this to say : Yesterday, before the legal team conducted our routine visitation to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, we received two separate official letters regarding his case. The letters are momentous and somewhat pyrrhic.

One letter was from the Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria, responding to a recent letter we had written to her, seeking her prompt administrative intervention (as the administrative head of Nigerian judiciary) on the matter of a proper and lawful reassignment of Mazi Nnamdi Kanus case, following the recusal of the Judge that was conducting it.

The other letter was from the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, informing us that the case has been reassigned to another Judge of the Federal High Court.

Consequent upon these latest developments, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu instructed the legal team to publicly convey his sincere gratitudes to the Chief Justice of Nigeria for her sound administrative discretions and the despatch with which she responded to our request.

He also expressed his profound appreciations to members of the general public who publicly expressed their support to our righteous demands that Mazi Nnamdi Kanus case be reassigned to another Judge, as the law demands.

To be sure, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has always been ready to take his trial because he is firmly convinced of his innocence. But the perverse events of the past six months (from September 2024, when the recusal happened) posed portent dangers to his constitutional rights, particularly his right to fair and speedy hearing.

It was in view of these untoward developments that we were propelled to resort to taking extraordinary measures to ensure that his case is properly reassigned and conducted in accordance with the law.

So, now that the first steps have been taken by the authorities to do the lawful thing, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and his legal team shall take stock and hanker down to the zealous preparation of his defense.
The Delta State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected Senator Ovie Omo-Agege as the partys leader in the state.

In a statement made on Friday, Valentine Onojeghuo, the Delta State APC Publicity Secretary, emphasised the partys commitment to building a formidable and inclusive platform. The Delta State APC remains committed to building a formidable, inclusive, and progressive political platform.

He also warned that, We will not allow such divisive and whimsical declarations to derail our collective efforts. We call on all Party members to disregard the misleading claim and remain focused on strengthening our Party ahead of future political engagements.

Advertisement

While we acknowledge the contributions of all stakeholders, including Senator Omo-Agege, the leadership of Delta APC remains a collective responsibility, guided by due process and internal democracy.

We urge all members of the Party and the general public not to be hoodwinked by the arbitrary assertion made by Barr. Morka, as it is self-serving and does not represent the official position of the APC in Delta State.

It is regrettable that, lately, the National Publicity Secretary, Barr. Morka, has chosen to make such arrogant and condescending pronouncements, which are not only misleading but also insensitive to the structures and principles that govern our Party.

The APC in Delta State operates under a democratic framework, where leadership is a collective and collaborative process, not the arbitrary declaration of any national officer.

Barr. Morkas comments are not only inappropriate but also capable of causing unnecessary tension and division within our Party. At a time when unity is paramount, we strongly advise him against making inflammatory statements that could destabilize the Party and distract us from our collective goal of strengthening the APC in Delta State.

We urge all members of our great Party to disregard this unauthorized declaration and remain focused on building a stronger and more inclusive APC in Delta State.

Furthermore, we also call on the national leadership of our Party to restrain Barr. Felix Morka from making such unbridled, disruptive statements, which do not reflect the will of Delta APC, and to ensure that they are avoided in the future in order not to throw the Party into unwanted chaos.

Delta APC remains committed to working in harmony with all stakeholders and the national leadership of our great Party to ensure that our collective interests are safeguarded.
Abdullahi Ganduje, APCs national chairman, has taken a swipe at the PDP, calling it a dying party plagued by internal crisis.

He claimed that no aspirant is willing to contest the upcoming Anambra governorship election under the PDP platform. Ganduje made these remarks while receiving defectors from the Atiku Abubakar Support Groups in Abuja.

This development highlights the ongoing rivalry between the APC and PDP, with Ganduje seizing the opportunity to mock his opponents.

Advertisement

Speaking in Abuja on Friday the former Kano Governor had this to say: You are welcome to our party. We are formally receiving you now. But as I have been informed, after the fasting period, all your members will gather here in Abuja, under the leadership of the distinguished Senator Barau, so that we invite Mr. President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the vice-president himself, senate president and the Rt honourable speaker to formally receive all your members to register the death, collapse, and disappearance of the PDP in Nigeria.

I saw one clip that is trending. Soon, we will have an election in Anambra state. Each political party plans to get its candidates for the contest in the governorship election.

But I have seen that PDP has extended its screening deadline because nobody has shown up for the contest. The extension has also expired. And nobody has showed up for the contest. So, I dont need to tell you, it is a crumbling party.

We are the most peaceful party in Nigeria the most peaceful party in Africabecause we believe in internal democracy.
Photo: https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official/13499

Eight five-story residential buildings, an administrative building and a fire engine were damaged as a result of a strike by two ballistic missiles on the center of the town of Dobropillia, Donetsk region on Friday evening, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

"Yesterday evening, the Russian army struck the center of Dobropillia in Donetsk region with two ballistic missiles. After our services arrived at the scene, they launched another strike, deliberately targeting rescuers. A vile and inhumane tactic for intimidation that the Russians often resort to," Zelenskyy said on Telegram on Saturday morning.

He also confirmed the information about 11 dead and over 30 wounded, five of whom are children.

"Such strikes show that the goals in Russia are unchanged. Therefore, it is critical to continue to do everything to protect life, strengthen our air defense, and tighten sanctions against Russia. Everything that helps Putin finance the war must be broken," Zelenskyy said.
The Ogun State Police Command has arrested three men over the electrocution of a 23-year-old apprentice, Jonathan Emmanuel, at a welding workshop in the Asimolowo area of Ifo.

The suspects are a welder, Oladokun Johnson; a truck driver, Azeez Salami; and a truck owner, Olaleye Kamaldeen.

Mr Abah Emmanuel, the father of the late Emmanuel, reportedly informed the Ifo Divisional Police Headquarters about the tragic incident on Thursday, March 6, 2024, around 6 p.m.

Advertisement

READ MORE: Woman Arrested For Fatally Stabbing, Killing 80-Year-Old Trader In Ogun Market

He reportedly stated that Salami, the truck driver and his sons master, informed him about the electrocution.

CSP Omolola Odutola, the state police commands spokesperson, confirmed this in a statement to journalists on Friday.

Odutola stated that upon receiving the report, police officers were dispatched to the scene to assist with the evacuation to the General Hospital, where the doctor on duty confirmed the victim as Brought In Dead.

She said, Preliminary investigation revealed that Oladokun Johnson, a welder, was working on a container at his workshop, using a welding machine with an exposed live wire.

At the time of the incident, Olaleye Kamaldeen, the owner of an Iveco truck (Reg. No. T 7146 LA, Lagos), had arrived with a minibus carrying about ten truck rims for offloading.

While Azeez Salami (truck driver), Olaleye Kamaldeen (truck owner), and Jonathan Emmanuel (victim) were rolling the rims towards the truck, one of the rims came into contact with the exposed wire, resulting in the victims immediate electrocution.

Following the incident, police operatives recovered the welding machine and exposed wire as exhibits.

The welder, truck owner, and driver have been arrested and are currently in custody as investigations continue. The case will be transferred to the SCID for further investigation and possible prosecution.

However, the command has strongly urged business owners and artisans to prioritise workplace safety measures to prevent such tragic and avoidable incidents.
Three people have been detained by Lagos State law enforcement for tampering with key electricity infrastructure on Glover Road, near Defence House in the states Ikoyi district.

In a statement posted on its Facebook page on Friday, the Lagos State Government revealed that the suspects were reportedly digging and cutting power cables, which posed a major threat to both public safety and the areas electricity supply.

The statement partly read, The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources has commended the swift response of law enforcement officers in apprehending three vandals who were caught tampering with critical electricity infrastructure.

Advertisement

READ MORE: Rivers Community Attack Leaves Four Injured, One Suspect Arrested

The Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Mr. Biodun Ogunleye, while condemning the act of vandalism, emphasised its detrimental impact on electricity supply and public safety.

He referred to the destruction of power infrastructure as a crime that not only disrupts vital services but also jeopardises lives and hinders economic activities.

The destruction of power infrastructure is a serious offence that disrupts essential services, endangers lives, and slows down economic activities.

The government will not tolerate such criminal acts, and we will ensure that those responsible face the full weight of the law, he was quoted as saying.

Ogunleye also called on residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity near electricity infrastructure to the authorities.

Protecting our power systems is a collective responsibility, and public cooperation is crucial in preventing such criminal acts, he added.

Following their arrest, the suspects were reportedly taken to the Ikoyi Police Station and are set to be transferred to Oshodi for prosecution in line with the law.
President Donald Trump has warned Iran that it will not be allowed to possess nuclear weapons.

This comes amid reports of Irans uranium upgrades and the International Atomic Energy Agencys (IAEA) warning about Irans enrichment of near-bomb-grade uranium. Trump hinted at possible action against Iran.

The US has been monitoring Irans nuclear activities, and the IAEA has expressed concerns about Irans lack of transparency. The situation is critical, with tensions rising in the region. Trumps statement on Friday suggests that action may be taken soon to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

Advertisement

Speaking to reporters at the Oval Office on Friday, the US leader indicated, There will be interesting days ahead,

Iran was stone cold broke during his first term and when he left office, and now they have a lot of money.

Were down to the final strokes on Iran. Well see what happens, but were down to the final moments. Cant let them have nuclear weapons, he vowed.

Trump contended that he would have made a deal with Iran within one month after the rigged election of 2020, criticising former President Joe Biden.

They were all set to make a deal, and when I lost (slurs against Biden), they said, Lets not make a deal, he said.

He (Biden) took the sanctions off; they became rich under Biden. They went from having no money to having $300 billion.

We have a situation with Iran, and somethings going to happen very soon. Youll be talking about that pretty soon, I guess.

Trump further said that although he was hopeful about a peace deal with Iran, he was not speaking out of strength or weakness.

Id rather see a peace deal than the other, but the other will solve the problem, he declared.
Former Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, has denied fraud allegations after being questioned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Kennedy-Ohanenye voluntarily visited the EFCC headquarters in Abuja on March 6, 2025, where she was questioned for approximately four hours. The EFCC is investigating allegations that 138,413,253.89 from the 2023 budget of the Ministry of Women Affairs was misappropriated.

Kennedy-Ohanenye maintained that she efficiently managed resources during her tenure, even using her personal funds when necessary. She commended the EFCC for their professionalism and expressed willingness to cooperate further.

Advertisement

Kennedy-Ohanenyes denial comes amidst reports that the alleged misappropriated funds were meant for projects like the P-BAT Cares for Women Initiative

In her response to the media on Saturday, Kennedy-Ohanenye denied any wrongdoing and insisted that she managed public funds with integrity. During my tenure as the Honourable Minister of Women Affairs, my team and I executed our duties diligently and transparently,

We judiciously utilized all funds available and, in many cases, supplemented with our personal resources to support the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for the Nigerian women and children.

Kennedy-Ohanenye also commended the EFCC for their professionalism during her visit and assured the public of her full cooperation. I sincerely appreciate the warm reception and professionalism exhibited by the operatives during our engagement. I will continue to offer my full cooperation with the agency to ensure a smooth and successful process, she said.
Office of the Accountant General of the Federation has clarified reason behind ongoing salary deduction among Federal workers.

It was gathered that some workers experienced salary overpayments in December 2024 due to a system error.

The overpayments are currently being recovered through deductions from affected workers salaries.

Advertisement

This was contained in a statement on Friday by Director of Press and Public Relations, to OAGF, Bawa Mokwa.

READ MORE: Angry Military Retirees Shut Finance Ministry In Abuja, Demand Unpaid Salary

He explained that the amounts received during this period reflected normal salaries after the exhaustion of various arrears paid in the last quarter of 2024.

The statement reads: Payment of normal salaries after exhausting the various arrears began in January 2025, which made some workers think that they were shortchanged when in actual sense, it was their real salaries.

A glance at the current salary table will substantiate this further.

There were cases of overpayments in December 2024 due to system error, adding that the error has been corrected and deductions in respect of the overpayments from the salaries of affected workers were ongoing and shall continue until such overpayments were fully recovered.
Social media critic, VeryDarkMan, has boldly challenged Seyi Tinubu, the son of Nigerias president, questioning the leadership under the older generation and accusing them of stifling the nations progress.

The statement was made in a video shared on his Instagram page on Friday, where he reflected on his recent visit to China.

After witnessing the countrys remarkable progress in technology and innovation, VeryDarkMan made a direct address to President Tinubu, his son Seyi, and the presidents close associates.

Advertisement

He pointed out that Nigerias development is being obstructed by the outdated mindset of the older generation in power, who, in his opinion, lack the vision to bring about innovative changes that could propel the nation forward.

READ MORE: Davido Joins Royal Playlist For Commonwealth Day, Curated By King Charles III

VeryDarkMan specifically called out Seyi Tinubu, highlighting that as a young individual with direct access to power, he holds a unique position to instigate change.

He encouraged Seyi to draw inspiration from the progress seen in other parts of the world and push for similar advancements in Nigeria.

He partly said, Seyi Tinubu, I feel the need to say this to you. Your father is old, and the people around him have dusty brains filled with cobwebs.

I dont mean this as an insult, but I know exactly where Im going with this. You are the closest the youth have ever been to power, and there are so many things you can help us achieve.

Coming to China has opened my eyes to endless possibilities that Nigeria can emulate. Honestly, I feel like we need a train that brings every Nigerian here and takes them back, just so their eyes can be opened.

Theres so much potential in Nigeria thats being wasted because the old men in power cant see it  but you, Seyi Tinubu, you can see it because you have the privilege of coming here and witnessing it firsthand.

VeryDarkMans statement quickly gained traction online, prompting a flood of reactions and opinions in the comment section.

See some comments below

@ayowole_obi: Very solid points, I just dont agree with things he said about the people around the President. Some of those people are working while the others are not doing well.

@chillywills23: I hope Tinubu hears and sees this without feeling disrespected.. I hope he acts.

@_savinha_: American investors gave some youths funding money, them go do obleh with it. Problem full this country.

Watch him speak below

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DG8bNm0MULN/?igsh=MjBxaWZyMWRoNnY=
In this Oct. 19, 2016 file photo, members of Bon Jovi front row from left, Tico Torres, Jon Bon Jovi, David Bryan, back row from left, Phil X, and Hugh McDonald pose for a portrait in promotion of their album "This House is Not for Sale" in New York. Read more

Heres something thats making Bon Jovi fans go wild in the streets.

The iconic band, fronted by New Jersey rock star Jon Bon Jovi, released a series of deluxe versions of its 1986 best-selling album Slippery When Wet, on Feb. 28.

Advertisement

This includes digital, vinyl, CD, and cassette reissues of the album, which includes rock classics like Livin on a Prayer, You Give Love a Bad Name, and Wanted Dead or Alive.

Among the special reissues is a liquid-filled vinyl disc thats soaked in nostalgia. As an ode to the LPs title, theres actual liquid held between both sides of the transparent disc.

Naturally, the internet is abuzz.

On a Reddit channel dedicated to vinyl records, one commenter posted a picture of the LP, saying It is pretty neat, although Im not a huge Bon Jovi fan, but its still cool to have as it fits the album name so well.

The Reddit user managed to snag the 265th issue of the release, which was limited to 1,300 copies, according to UDiscover Music. The official Bon Jovi website describes the light blue liquid as actual watery liquid. The LP is $99.98 and limited to four purchases per buyer but is listed as sold out.

Ill most likely never open this and keep it as a collectors item. Theyre already going for three times what I paid for it on Discogs, the Reddit user added.

But not everyone is thrilled. Not a huge fan of gimmicky collector bait! one user wrote.

Great album tho, pretty dumb to gimmick it all up. In 25 yrs its garbage. Actually its garbage now, another one wrote.

While not all rock-obsessed audiophiles favor the liquid-soaked vinyl, its clear that at least 1,300 fans of the band werent going to let the opportunity slip from their fingers.

For the ones who grabbed the rare disc, it appears they will Let It Rock until the nostalgia runs dry.
Tara Jackson (right), mother of Mar'Quis "MJ" Jackson, is embraced by Kelly Burkhardt, the LGBTQ+ liaison for the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office. Read more

Tara Jackson wanted to face the man who left her son, MarQuis MJ Jackson, out to die in the cold on a winter day in 2022.

As she looked at Charles Mitchell, 42, the man found guilty in January of involuntary manslaughter, abuse of corpse, and tampering with evidence in connection with her sons death, Tara Jackson said the sentence didnt matter. She had lost her firstborn, she said, his fate sealed by Mitchells actions that December night.

Advertisement

What you took from me was my first love, she said. You stole that from me.

After a hearing during which Jacksons mother and sister, Markiya Jackson, recalled the 33-year-old son and brother they lost, Common Pleas Court Judge J. Scott OKeefe ruled that Mitchell would face 2 to 5 years in prison for Jacksons death, followed by two years of probation.

In December 2022, Jackson was found dead in the backyard of Mitchells North Philadelphia home. He was shoeless and wearing only a T-shirt and gym shorts, and had bruising around his face and head, authorities said.

Prosecutors had initially pursued a third-degree murder charge.

OKeefe said Mitchell had shown exceptional callousness when he left Jackson out in the cold without seeking medical attention.

To completely disregard another human being is absolutely abhorrent, he said.

The two men met at a bodega before going to a party at Jacksons girlfriends house to celebrate Jacksons birthday, according to court testimony. At the party, the two men did drugs together, including crack cocaine and PCP, authorities said.

Later that night, prosecutors said, they left the party and went to Mitchells home, where they continued to do drugs and then got into a fight that ended with Mitchell beating Jackson to death.

Mitchell moved Jacksons body, prosecutors said, and police found Jacksons bloodstained sneakers and jeans a few feet away in the yard, alongside Jacksons wallet.

An autopsy later found that Jackson died of blunt force injuries and that he had cocaine and PCP in his system.

At trial, Mitchells lawyer, Marni Jo Snyder, questioned the medical examiners findings and brought to the stand a forensic pathologist who said Jacksons death was likely caused by bleeding between his skull and brain that could have happened days before he died.

The medical examiners office had not looked at slides of Jacksons brain or taken into account Jacksons history of seizures or the drugs in his system, Snyder said.

At Fridays sentencing, Snyder once again criticized the investigation into Jacksons death, saying that lapses in analyzing scientific evidence led to more than two years of jail for Mitchell and anguish for Jacksons family.

In this matter, had the science been done correctly and had the investigation been done correctly from the beginning, the family would not have been told MarQuis Jackson was beaten to death, Snyder said.

As Jacksons mother and sister both addressed Mitchell directly, telling him about the brother and son they lost, he wept, dabbing his eyes with a tissue.

Later, Mitchell tearfully apologized for not getting Jackson help as he was lying in Mitchells backyard. Mitchell said Friday that he was not in his right state of mind that night and has been full of remorse ever since.

Im sorry for not making better decisions that night, he said. Im sorry for not calling medical attention when I discovered him.

As Mitchell apologized, Markiya Jackson broke down in tears as her mother embraced her.

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said Friday that although he believed third-degree murder was the appropriate charge for Mitchells crime, he respected the judges decision to downgrade the charge. He also noted that the prison term OKeefe gave Mitchell was above the sentencing guidelines.

We pursued a higher charge because we believed it was appropriate, Krasner said. Its a case where there was a significant dispute between two different experts who are medical experts. He acknowledged a level of uncertainty about what happened in Mitchells backyard the night of Jacksons death and said that prosecutors recognized that the judge faced issues of proof beyond the reasonable doubt.

Outside the courthouse after the sentencing, Markiya Jackson said she did not fully accept Mitchells apology and had hoped that he would serve decades in prison. Still, she said, she was working to forgive him. She and her mother said they were hopeful that the conclusion of the case would allow them to begin to heal.

As she stood next to her youngest child, Tara Jackson remembered her oldest, and tears welled up in her eyes. The length of Mitchells prison term, she said, was of little importance. But it offered some semblance of closure, she said, a chance to move forward.

Im OK with it. I wish he had more time, because the time that I lost is the time that he should be feeling, she said.

And yet, she said, I forgive him. Ive forgiven him a long time ago.
Michael Anthony, 45, was found stabbed to death outside his Cherry Hill home. He was a veterinarian who owned a practice in Haddon Heights. Read more

The Oregon man charged with murder in the stabbing death of Cherry Hill veterinarian Michael Anthony was intimately acquainted with the victims partner, authorities said Friday.

Cristian Custodio-Aquino, 27, who was arrested last month in the December slaying of Anthony outside his home in the Barclay Farm section of Cherry Hill, was an intimate acquaintance of Anthonys partner, Kyle Bartsch, said Sgt. Andy McNeil, spokesperson for the Camden County Prosecutors Office.

Advertisement

McNeil did not elaborate, so it was unclear how Bartsch and Custodio-Aquino met or how long they had known each other. He said more information about the nature of the relationship would come to light at future court hearings.

Bartsch, who lived with Anthony at his home on Sharrowvale Road, said in a statement Saturday that he was devastated by the sudden and senseless loss of his partner and grateful to law enforcement for their work on the murder investigation.

Of Custodio-Aquino, he said, This individual was known to me, but we had not been in contact for more than three years.

He added that he looked forward to bringing this individual to justice.

Bartsch described Anthony, his partner of three years, as an exceptional person, universally loved by those who knew him.

Anthony, 45, was stabbed multiple times on the front lawn of his home and pronounced dead at the scene.

Custodio-Aquino, a native of Peru who had been living in Portland, was charged after investigators linked him to a pair of prescription glasses found at the scene by tracing them to the store where he purchased them. Authorities also said Custodio-Aquino owned a black sedan that matched the description of a car seen driving into Anthonys neighborhood on the day he was killed and then driving away from the scene of the crime.

Custodio-Aquino was taken into custody in Fresno, Calif., where he had been staying with friends.

He and Anthony knew each other, according to the affidavit of probable cause for his arrest, but detectives did not say how.

Last week, a Fresno County Superior Court judge ordered Custodio-Aquino be extradited to New Jersey within 120 days. He has not yet arrived in New Jersey, said McNeil of the prosecutors office.

The death of Anthony, a veterinarian with a practice in Haddon Heights and a father of two sons, stunned his Cherry Hill community. Neighbors described him as a friendly, but private, man, and people who took their pets to his veterinary office said he had a gentle touch with animals.

Bartsch said he was touched by the kindness of those who had reached out to him and the family in the nearly three months since Anthonys death.

I am still grieving this loss, he said. All who loved Michael appreciate the outpouring of support and look forward to keeping his legacy alive.
Philadelphia Police Capt. Tyrell McCoy, who had been named to lead the Hartford Police Department, speaks at a news conference on Jan. 24. Read more

A Philadelphia police captain who was named police chief in Hartford, Conn., but did not take the job after it was revealed he was under investigation for sexual harassment, has been sued by a police sergeant who accused him of years of sexual misconduct.

Capt. Tyrell McCoy was accused in a federal lawsuit filed this week of creating a hostile environment of pervasive sexual harassment in the workplace, including unwanted groping and kissing and requests for oral sex on the job and after work hours.

Advertisement

Sgt. Mark Casey said in the suit that McCoy had pursued him for years  including while he was his boss in Center City  and then retaliated against him when he refused his requests.

The suit names McCoy, along with the City of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Police Department. The police department declined to comment, citing the litigation. A spokesperson for the citys law department also declined to comment.

Caseys attorney, Wayne Ely, could not be reached for comment. Attempts to reach McCoy for comment were unsuccessful.

In the lawsuit, Casey described a persistent pattern of harassment by McCoy and said the offensive behavior continued even though he rebuffed his boss at every turn.

Last June, the suit said, McCoy sent him a text message saying he needed sex and when Casey didnt respond, McCoy called him a whore. And he said McCoy asked him for oral sex by sending him emojis that represented the sex act.

According to the lawsuit, McCoy threatened Casey and told him he was untouchable because of his close working relationship with the then-head of professional standards at the departments Internal Affairs Bureau.

The suit comes at a time when McCoy was under investigation by police Internal Affairs after Casey and another sergeant filed complaints last year saying that he had sexually harassed them on the job, according to records obtained by The Inquirer.

The city hired a team of outside lawyers to investigate the matter. The inquiry remains ongoing, according to sources familiar with the investigation, and Internal Affairs has not issued any findings on whether McCoy acted inappropriately or violated any department rules.

In January, McCoy, 36, stood with Hartford officials as they announced him as the new police chief, after a nationwide search. Officials at the time said he was to be confirmed after a public hearing and City Council vote on Feb. 10.

After The Inquirer began asking questions about the Internal Affairs investigations, Hartfords mayor announced that McCoy had withdrawn from consideration for the job for personal reasons.

Staff writer Ellie Rushing contributed to this article.
A group of drones attacked the Kirishi oil refinery (Kirishnefteorgsintez enterprise) in Leningrad region of Russia on the night of Saturday, March 8, intelligence sources told Interfax-Ukraine.

According to information in local publications, the explosions at the facility occurred around six in the morning. It is reported that at least one of the enterprise's tanks was damaged as a result of the attack, which was confirmed by the head of the region of the aggressor state.

Kirishi oil refinery (Kirishnefteorgsintez) is a significant enterprise in the Kremlin's oil refining industry and participates in supplying the Russian occupation army. Regardless, as the source noted, the Main Intelligence Agency continues to dismantle the aggressor's hydrocarbon industry, depriving the Russian military machine of its "blood supply system."
Chikao Tsubaki took part in a program called Community Aging in Place: Advancing Better Living for Elders, or CAPABLE, that helps people modify their homes and safely live independently as they age. MUST CREDIT: Brian Fitzek Read more

Chikao Tsubaki had been having a terrible time.

In his mid-80s, he had a stroke. Then lymphoma. Then prostate cancer. He was fatigued, isolated, not all that steady on his feet.

Advertisement

Then Tsubaki took part in an innovative care initiative that, over four months, sent an occupational therapist, a nurse and a repair person to his home to help figure out what he needed to stay safe. In addition to grab bars and rails, the repair worker built a bookshelf so neither Tsubaki nor the books he cherished would topple over when he reached for them.

Reading is kind of the back door for my cognitive health  my brain exercise, said Tsubaki, a longtime community college teacher. Now 87, he lives independently and walks a mile and a half almost every day.

The program that helped Tsubaki remain independent, called Community Aging in Place: Advancing Better Living for Elders, or CAPABLE, has been around for about 15 years and is offered in about 65 places across 26 states. It helps people 60 and up, and some younger people with disabilities or limitations, who want to remain at home but have trouble with activities such as bathing, dressing and moving around safely.

Several studies have found that the program saves money and prevents falls, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says contribute to the deaths of 41,000 older Americans annually and cost Medicare about $50 billion each year.

Still a small program

Despite evidence and accolades, CAPABLE remains small, serving roughly 4,600 people to date. Insurance seldom covers the program, although the typical cost of $3,500 to $4,000 per client is less than many health-care interventions.

Traditional Medicare and most Medicare Advantage private insurance plans dont cover it. Only four states use funds from Medicaid, the federal-state insurance program for low-income and disabled people. CAPABLE gets by on grants from state agencies for aging and philanthropies, among others.

The payment obstacles are an object lesson in how insurers, including Medicare, are built around paying for doctors and hospitals treating people who are injured or sick - not around community services that keep people healthy. Medicare has billing codes for treating a broken hip but not for avoiding one, let alone for something like having a worker tack down loose carpet near stairs.

And while keeping someone alive longer may be a desirable outcome, its not necessarily counted as savings under federal budget rules. A 2017 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) evaluation found that CAPABLE had high satisfaction rates and some savings. But the programs limited size made it hard to assess long-term economic impact.

Its unclear how the Trump administration will approach senior care.

Barriers to funding

The barriers to broader state and federal financing are frustrating, said Sarah Szanton, who helped create CAPABLE while working as a nurse-practitioner doing home visits in West Baltimore. Some patients struggled to reach the door to open it for her. One tossed keys to her out of a second-story window, she recalled.

Seeking a solution, Szanton discovered a program called ABLE, which brought an occupational therapist and a repair worker to the home. Inspired by its success, Szanton developed CAPABLE, which added a nurse to check on medications, pain and mental well-being, and to do things like help participants communicate with doctors. The program formally launched in 2009.

Since 2021, Szanton has served as the dean of the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, which coordinates research on CAPABLE. The model is participatory, with the client and care team problem-solving and brainstorming together, said Amanda Goodenow, an occupational therapist who worked in hospitals and traditional home health before joining CAPABLE in Denver. She also works for the CAPABLE National Center, the nonprofit that runs the program.

CAPABLE doesnt claim to fix all the gaps in U.S. long-term care, and it doesnt work with all older people. Individuals with dementia, for example, dont qualify. But studies show the program does help participants live more safely at home with greater mobility. And one study that Szanton coauthored estimated that Medicare savings of around $20,000 per person would continue for two years after a CAPABLE intervention.

To us, its so obvious the impact that can be made just in a short amount of time and with a small budget, said Amy Eschbach, a nurse who has worked with CAPABLE clients in the St. Louis area, where a Medicare Advantage plan covers CAPABLE. That St. Louis program caps spending on home modifications at $1,300 a person.

In Washington, Capitol Hill and CMS experts who have looked at CAPABLE see potential routes to broader coverage.

One senior Democratic House aide, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to speak publicly, said Medicare would have to establish careful parameters to broadly cover CAPABLE. For instance, CMS would have to decide which beneficiaries would be eligible. Everyone in Medicare? Or only those with low incomes? Could Medicare somehow ensure that only necessary home modifications are made  and that unscrupulous contractors dont try to extract the equivalent of a co-pay or deductible from clients?

Szanton said that there are safeguards and that more could be built in. For instance, its the therapists like Goodenow, not the repair workers, who put in the work orders to stay on budget.

For Tsubaki, whose books are not only shelved but also organized by topic, the benefits have endured.

I became more independent. Im able to handle most of my activities. I go shopping, to the library, and so forth, he said. His pace is slow, he acknowledged. But he gets there

Kenen is the journalist-in-residence and a faculty member at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She is not affiliated with the CAPABLE program.

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF.
Organizer Amanda Rabinowitz was the first speaker at a "Stand up for Science" rally Friday at Philadelphia City Hall. Read more

Scientists and their supporters from around Philadelphia crowded outside City Hall Friday to decry President Donald Trumps proposed cuts to research funding and attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion policies at a rally organized in coordination with dozens of other events around the country.

Organizers of Philadelphias Stand Up For Science rally estimated attendance at around 1,000. Philadelphia-area researchers and physicians spoke to the crowd about the impact of Trumps early presidency, which has taken aim at federal funding it sees as wasteful and DEI programs that it considers discriminatory.

Advertisement

Scientists have countered that the administration is jeopardizing crucial research and undermining efforts to diversify the field and improve health outcomes for marginalized people.

Melina Blees, who heads BioLabs Philadelphia, a Center City incubator for biotechnology companies, said she was concerned about how Trumps policies are affecting companies who depend on research funding. And she carried a sign reading: Cutting-edge cancer research is keeping my mom alive.

Her mother, who has metastatic cancer, is currently taking an FDA-approved treatment.

We dont know how long shell respond to it, and shes going to need the next thing thats going to be coming out of trials. If we cant rely on science to keep moving forward, she, like many other patients, is going to be at risk, Blees said.

The administration has attempted to cut scientific research funding, frozen communications at federal health agencies, and pulled data from those agencies webpages. It also has postponed or canceled meetings on vaccines at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration.

Some speakers at the rally said that grants they rely on to conduct research have been paused or delayed amid widespread uncertainty over potential funding cuts.

Monserrat Anguera, a University of Pennsylvania scientist who studies autoimmune disorders, said two meetings to review NIH grants that fund her lab have been canceled without rescheduling, leaving that funding in limbo.

Likewise, Eartha Mae Guthman, a Princeton University neuroscientist, said she is worried about the future of an NIH grant that she had recently received to launch her own lab studying improvements in hormone therapies.

Guthman, who is transgender, said the Trump administrations targeting of transgender Americans puts that goal in jeopardy. The administration has said it will only recognize two sexes, male and female, contrary to established scientific understanding.

STAT News reported Friday that the NIH had abruptly canceled millions in NIH grants, in an apparent violation of a court order, including grants supporting research on DEI-related issues and transgender health.

I dont know how or if Ill get paid next month, and I dont know if Ill actually get the funds that Congress has already awarded to me to start my own lab, Guthman said. My dream grows less likely by the day because of Republican efforts to reverse decades of acceptance for various minorities.

Organizers said they were encouraged by the high turnout Friday and hopeful that the rally could be a jumping-off point for continued local advocacy for scientific research.

I see this as hopefully mobilizing a lot of folks who are invested in science and maybe havent been part of organizing before. This can hopefully be the thing that pulls them in, said Brooke DiLeone, who works at a local public health nonprofit and helped to organize the rally in Philadelphia.

Aude Ikuzwe, a Penn Ph.D. student in her third year, said the early days of the Trump administration have been scary on all sides. His efforts to cut scientific research funding make her nervous about completing her Ph.D., and his threats of mass deportations concern her as an immigrant from Rwanda.

Attending the rally left her buoyed and already making plans to spread the word about future advocacy.

It was surreal to see that many people actually showed up today, she said. And it makes me hopeful that there is a change coming.
A West Chester Uber driver has been arrested for groping and harassing a female passenger, according to the Montgomery County District Attorneys Office.

Robert Corcoran, 61, turned himself in to Whitpain Township Police Thursday. He is charged with indecent assault and harassment.

Advertisement

On Feb. 10, at approximately 1:38 a.m., Corcoran picked up a man and a woman from a Montgomery County bar. After a brief Wawa stop, Corcoran dropped the man off at his residence at approximately 2:02 a.m.

Once the man was inside his home, Corcoran allegedly exited the car and opened the rear door where the victim was sitting, speaking on FaceTime with her sister. He asked her to sit in the front, and she agreed. After Corcoran began driving, he asked the alleged victim to end the call, police said. The woman refused, but shortly thereafter her sister said she was going to bed and hung up.

Corcoran allegedly then put his hand under the womans shirt and bra and groped her breast. The woman got upset, and told Corcoran that he had crossed a line, police said. She got back on FaceTime with her sister for the rest of the ride, and Corcoran allegedly began making lewd comments about her body.

They arrived at the womans residence about 2:22 a.m., and she and Corcoran got out of the car, police said. Corcoran allegedly asked the woman, who was still on FaceTime, if he could feel her breast again and kiss her. She said no and told him he was continuing to act inappropriately, but allowed him to give her a hug before her mother opened the front door, police said.

On Feb. 12, Corcoran told police that he touched the alleged victim on the outside of her clothing and that he got out of the car at her house because he believed that she was going to give him half of the hoagie shed bought at Wawa.

A preliminary hearing in the case is scheduled for March 20.

Corcorans case is similar to other alleged assaults from rideshare drivers in the Philadelphia area in recent years. An Uber driver from Montgomery County has denied charges that he raped a Villanova student after picking her up for a ride last fall, and a Philadelphia woman sued Uber after she said she was sexually assaulted by a driver in 2017.
People look at the memorial to the fallen Ukrainian soldiers on Independence Square in Kyiv, Ukraine, March 4, 2025. Read more

Donald Trumps treatment of Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office on Feb. 28 indicates that the 47th president plans to hand the United States its most humiliating defeat since Japan conquered the Philippines, our largest colony, in 1942.

Too few Americans realize Vladimir Putins three-year invasion is just the latest phase in a struggle that the Russian strongman has waged against us since he took power in 2000. If the United States abandons Ukraine, it will jettison its world standing and grow less able to check foreign threats to its security and economic health.

Advertisement

Putin toiled originally as a career officer of the KGB  the ruthless security organization dedicated to the preservation of the Soviet Union (USSR), or what Ronald Reagan called the Evil Empire.

America and the West triumphed in the Cold War in 1991, and the Soviet Union dissolved before the years end, which resulted in independence for the 14 republics, in addition to Russia, that comprised the Soviet Union, along with several other states the Red Army overran during World War II. Those events left Putin seething with rage, and he swore vengeance on the U.S., which he held primarily responsible for the USSRs collapse.

Ukraines war is Americas war, and both nations welfare depends on the outcome.

Russias leaders judged that they were locked in a perpetual war with the United States and NATO. Russia lacked the military and economic might to risk a direct showdown with superpower America, but Putin found a viable strategy in gray zone or hybrid conflicts. This approach included espionage, sabotage, covert attacks on computer networks, propaganda aimed at undermining faith in democracy, and unconventional operations by forces Russia pretended were not acting under its orders.

One of Putins chief goals is to demonstrate that the U.S. lacks the resolve to sustain its allies. In 2008, Putin tested the West by invading Georgia to intimidate that former Soviet republic from joining NATO.

Six years later, Putin deployed Russian special forces and various surrogates to seize the Crimean Peninsula, which belonged to Ukraine. He proceeded to nibble away at eastern portions of Ukraine until he launched a full-fledged invasion on Feb. 24, 2022.

Putins decision to wage an open war was a colossal blunder. The Russian army turned out to be poorly trained and poorly motivated, mauled repeatedly by outnumbered and outgunned Ukrainians.

This provided President Joe Biden with an opportunity to weaken his countrys archenemy at bargain rates. According to the BBC, 95,000 people fighting for Russia have died, with potentially more than 20,000 additional deaths for those serving in militias in the Donbas republics. Ukraine claims that more than 46,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed since the start of the war and that there have been 390,000 injuries on the battlefield. Not one American soldier has died.

Russia is badly hurt and cannot long endure such punishment, provided Ukraines friends stand firm.

Unfortunately, President Trump is in the process of throwing away a cost-efficient American victory, along with this countrys coveted position as leader of the free world.

World War II taught the United States that it needed allies to project its power to the far corners of the globe and reduce American casualties by sacrificing their own sons and daughters on countless battlefields. What MAGA adherents call America First will result in America alone, a decaying superpower with few or no friends and diminished access to the distant markets on which our prosperity depends.

Ukraines war is Americas war, and both nations welfare depends on the outcome.

Regardless of whether one believes the conspiracy theory that Trump is a Russian asset, Americans need to rise up and demand he cease acting like one  and do what is necessary to promote the cause of freedom and a safer world.

Gregory J.W. Urwin is a military historian and former president of the Society for Military History. He has authored nine books and was a historian-consultant for the 1989 film Glory. He lives in Doylestown Township and has taught at Temple University since 1999.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner is joined by a handful of elected officials on Feb. 18 as he announces the launch of his campaign for a third term. Read more

Moments before District Attorney Larry Krasner announced his run for a third term in office, the stage inside a Center City TV studio was filled with his political allies, most of them fellow progressives. Then a murmur rippled through the room. Cameras flashed.

They brought the big dogs out! someone yelled from the crowd. City Council President Kenyatta Johnson had just walked in. Im with Larry, he said, grinning as he took the stage.

Advertisement

Johnson didnt say much more  and he didnt need to. The significance was clear to those in the room: Here was the citys top legislator  an influential Council member who does not hail from the leftist wing of the party  making it known early in the campaign that Krasners support goes beyond progressives, despite being snubbed by other leaders in the citys Democratic establishment.

The Council president is among a handful of the citys top Black political leaders who are, more than two months before the May 20 primary election, publicly championing Krasner, some for the third time. The backing from leaders of a key voting bloc shows the citys controversial top prosecutor may have staying power as he faces a serious primary challenge from the more moderate former judge Patrick Dugan.

The support comes at a critical juncture. After the Philadelphia Democratic Party declined to endorse a candidate in the race, Krasner and Dugan have been left to crisscross the city, campaigning for the support of dozens of Democratic leaders in Phillys 66 wards. Without an official party endorsement, it is up to wards and their leaders to decide whether to support a candidate and promote them to voters on election day.

 READ MORE: Trump, Elon Musk, and Philly unions are the wild cards in this years DA race

In addition to Johnson, Krasner has won endorsements from other influential Black leaders in the city, including State Sen. Sharif Street, the son of a former mayor from North Philadelphia who is chair of the Pennsylvania Democrats; longtime State Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams of West Philadelphia; and Jannie Blackwell, the former West Philly Council member who chairs the United Ward Leaders of Color group.

The district attorney also has the support of U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans, who hails from the vaunted Northwest Coalition, a prominent political family founded to elevate Black electoral power that is known to drive turnout in voter-rich neighborhoods. The coalition backed Krasner before, including in 2017, when he was a civil rights attorney and criminal justice reformer trying to become the citys top prosecutor for the first time.

Evans said in a statement that hes supporting Krasner again because of his commitment to addressing gun violence while addressing the mass incarceration that damages Philadelphia communities.

Several ward leaders in Northwest Philadelphia have said they are supporting Krasner again, according to his campaign  but not among them is perhaps their most well-known member: Mayor Cherelle L. Parker.

Parker, head of the 50th Ward and a former Council member who in the past backed Krasner alongside other members of the Northwest Coalition, has not said if she will endorse a candidate in this years race for district attorney. Her preference may become clearer closer to election day.

 READ MORE: How Patrick Dugan raised more money than Larry Krasner last year and what it means for the 2025 Philly DAs race

Sharon Vaughn, a longtime North Philadelphia ward leader and a former City Council member, is supporting Krasner, citing his philosophies on issues she said disproportionately affect the Black community, such as mass incarceration.

Vaughn said she expects ward leaders like her who supported Krasner in the past to do so again, saying he maintained close relationships with them. But Krasner has never won the backing of the citys Democratic Party as a whole, and he has characterized some of its officials as out of touch.

Some ward leaders wont back Krasner, Vaughn said, because he didnt, quote unquote, call them back when they called him for services.

But if I ran across this city and didnt get the party to support me twice, why would I return your telephone calls? Vaughn said. Hes that kind of guy. Thats the way our system is set up. We support politicians, and we expect access. Ive supported him each time, so when I call, he responds.

Its significant that Krasner has maintained support beyond progressives, partly because every year a person is in office, their political support diminishes because you get people mad or get people disappointed, said Larry Ceisler, a Philadelphia-based public affairs executive.

Ceisler said well-known elected officials and ward leaders could help Krasner drive voter turnout in majority-Black neighborhoods, which could prove decisive in an off-year election when interest is typically far lower than in presidential or midterm election years. Dugan also has a turnout operation  he is being backed by a handful of deep-pocketed labor unions known to activate their thousands of members.

In a statement announcing Streets endorsement Friday, Krasner seemed to acknowledge other Democrats key role in boosting turnout.

Senator Streets support will help us power a mass movement, he said, as we bring together people from diverse backgrounds to push forward fundamental reforms that make our criminal justice system fairer and more effective.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates  President Donald Trump sent a letter to Irans Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, seeking a new deal with Tehran to restrain its rapidly advancing nuclear program and replace the agreement he withdrew America from during his first term in office.

Iranian state media immediately picked up on Trumps acknowledgment, given in excerpts from a Fox Business Network interview that aired on Friday  though there was no confirmation from Khameneis office that any letter had been received. The interview airs in full Sunday.

Advertisement

It remained unclear how the 85-year-old supreme leader would react, given that former President Barack Obama had kept his letters to Khamenei secret ahead of the start of negotiations that led to Tehrans 2015 deal with world powers.

In comments to reporters in the Oval Office later Friday, Trump did not mention the letter directly. But he made a veiled reference to possible military action, saying: We have a situation with Iran that, somethings going to happen very soon. Very, very soon.

Hopefully we can have a peace deal, Trump said. Im not speaking out of strength or weakness. Im just saying Id rather see a peace deal than the other. But the other will solve the problem.

Trumps overture comes as both Israel and the United States have warned they will never let Iran acquire a nuclear weapon, leading to fears of a military confrontation as Tehran enriches uranium at near weapons-grade levels  something only done by atomic-armed nations.

In the interview with Fox host Maria Bartiromo for Sunday Morning Futures, Trump said, Ive written them a letter saying, I hope youre going to negotiate because if we have to go in militarily, its going to be a terrible thing.

The United Nations welcomed Trumps outreach to Iran. As a matter of principle, we reaffirm that diplomacy remains the best way to ensure the peaceful nature of Irans nuclear program, spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement. We welcome all diplomatic efforts towards that goal.

Trumps outreach comes amid tensions

The White House confirmed that Trumps letter to Irans leaders is seeking to negotiate a nuclear deal. The presidents comments in the Oval Office echoed his sentiments from the interview, in which he said the letter had been sent Wednesday.

I would rather negotiate a deal. Im not sure that everybody agrees with me, but we can make a deal that would be just as good as if you won militarily, Trump said in the interview. But the time is happening now. The time is coming up. Somethings going to happen one way or the other.

We have to do something because you cant let them have a nuclear weapon, he added.

Trump offered no details on what, if anything, was specifically offered to Iran in the letter.

The move recalled Trumps letter-writing to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in his first term, which led to face-to-face meetings, but no deals to limit Pyongyangs atomic bombs and a missile program capable of reaching the continental U.S.

Iran has long maintained its program is for peaceful purposes, even as its officials increasingly threaten to pursue the bomb as tensions are high with the U.S. over its sanctions and with Israel as a shaky ceasefire holds in its war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Since Trump returned to the White House, his administration has consistently said that Iran must be prevented from acquiring nuclear weapons. A report last month, however, by the U.N.s nuclear watchdog said Iran has accelerated its production of near weapons-grade uranium.

Trumps first term in office was marked by a particularly troubled period in relations with Tehran. In 2018, he unilaterally withdrew the United States from Irans nuclear deal with world powers, leading to sanctions hobbling Irans economy. Iran retaliated with attacks at sea  including one that it likely carried out and that temporarily halved Saudi Arabias oil production.

Trump also ordered the attack that killed Irans top general in a Baghdad drone strike in January 2020.

Irans enriched uranium stockpile surges

Under the original 2015 nuclear deal, Iran was allowed to enrich uranium only up to 3.67% purity and maintain a stockpile of uranium of 300 kilograms (661 pounds). The last report by the International Atomic Energy Agency on Irans program put its stockpile at 8,294.4 kilograms (18,286 pounds) as it enriches a fraction of it to 60% purity, a short, technical step to weapons-grade levels of 90%.

Irans accelerated production of near weapons-grade uranium puts more pressure on Trump. Hes repeatedly said hes open to negotiations with the Islamic Republic while also increasingly targeting Irans oil sales with sanctions as part of his reimposed maximum pressure policy.

Khamenei in a speech last August opened the door to talks with the U.S., saying there is no harm in engaging with the enemy. However, more recently the supreme leader tempered that, saying that negotiations with America are not intelligent, wise or honorable, after Trump floated nuclear talks with Tehran.

Whether Khamenei even would accept a letter remains in question. A previous attempt in 2019 for Trump to exchange a letter to Khamenei through the late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe saw the supreme leader refuse it and declare: I do not consider Trump personally worthy of exchanging any messages, nor do I have any response for him, and I never will.

But it also remains unclear how Iran will handle further pressure. The Islamic Republics currency, the rial, has dramatically fallen in value. Unemployment and underemployment remain rampant. Meanwhile, women have continued their defiance of laws on the mandatory headscarf, or hijab, and continue to go without the head-covering, two years after the death of a detained young woman, Mahsa Amini, sparked nationwide protests.

Israel and Iran also have traded direct attacks during the Israel-Hamas war, while partners in Tehrans self-described Axis of Resistance are reeling after the assassinations of their leaders by Israel. In Israel itself, officials have suggested striking Irans nuclear program now, something Trump has threatened while still insisting hed prefer reaching a diplomatic deal with Tehran.
Former USAID employees become emotional as they leave the agencys former offices at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center on Feb. 27 in Washington, D.C. Read more

PHILADELPHIA  They wanted to move on. But like a toxic ex, the workers joked, the federal government seemed hell-bent on sabotaging a clean break.

They want us gone, lamented one government IT specialist whod just been maybe-fired, but theyre making it so hard to get away.

Advertisement

Dozens of federal workers crammed this week into the Queen Memorial Librarys basement, brainstorming ways to escape what organizers say vexes thousands more nationwide: limbo induced by DOGE, the team of young Elon Musk loyalists reshaping the U.S. government. Some have been let go only to be yanked back  or told they could be yanked back. Others have landed on administrative leave, whatever that meant; no one was returning their calls. Several attending this south Philly support group had been terminated for what the Trump administration called performance reasons, despite glowing evaluations, but couldnt prove that to potential employers after getting locked out of their files. Several worried that President Donald Trump and Musk were torching their professional reputations.

Layoffs sting in any circumstance, but DOGEs slash-and-burn approach to government downsizing has blown past the usually strict protocols, legal experts say, leaving many workers mired in confusion or scrambling to clear their names. Unlike in the private sector, most public servants have until now enjoyed protections that say they cannot be abruptly cut without evidence of dismal performance, breaking agency rules or bad behavior.

While the administration has vowed to curb what it considers waste, fraud and abuse, union lawyers have criticized the firings in a court filing as one of the most massive employment frauds in the history of this country. As outrage erupted over some of the losses, Trump clarified in a social media post Thursday that DOGE, which stands for Department of Government Efficiency, will proceed with a scalpel rather than a hatchet.

Their fates resting with judges, those impacted in Pennsylvania  the birthplace of the U.S. government with a pre-DOGE federal workforce of roughly 60,000  have been largely left to fend for themselves.

Just limbo and uncertainty, remarked one laid-off HIV treatment adviser, settling in front of a PowerPoint screen that read: Federal Employee Transition Workshop.

Thus far, its unclear how many Pennsylvania feds have been laid off.

Weve lost 40 percent of our people in the field, piped up Janice Barlow, a Commerce Department director whod managed a job-growth office, tossing out an estimate. After 25 years at the agency, Barlow freaked out, she said, and hastily accepted the deferred resignation offer that DOGE email-blasted to most of the governments 2.3 million employees in late January.

Now she waited to see if Trump would honor it.

At Tuesdays library meeting, almost everyone said they were too spooked to speak to the media, citing fear of harassment, discrimination from hiring managers or retaliation from the Trump administration, which may or may not take them back. (Federal workers usually require special permission to speak to the press.) The Washington Post interviewed five who agreed to be identified by first or middle names, or an initial, and verified their identities.

I see lots of experience, boomed the days organizer, Charlie Elison, a bearded Army veteran turned civilian public affairs officer, scanning the turquoise-painted room. Lots of very impressive resumes.

Before him sat a former civil engineer for FEMA, a former childrens nutritionist for USDA, a former attorney for HUD  the sign-up sheet stretched depressingly on.

Elison, 41, was relieved to see no real estate agents. A couple had lurked with business cards at a similar meeting in Maryland, hed heard, in case any of the freshly unemployed wanted to off-load their homes.

We can lean on each other, Elison continued.

Hed been on paternity leave for the past nine weeks, worried that his role could also be axed. Adapting this presentation from a job-seeking guide for discharged veterans, he figured, was a healthy outlet for that stress.

The group breezed through best practices for updating LinkedIn and polishing their resumes. A handful posed for new headshots, courtesy of a neighborhood photographer. Yet no one had a foolproof strategy for handling a job application that probed, Have you ever been fired?

Who knows if humans even read those, one let-go IRS staffer bemoaned to the photographer, or if AI automatically sorts you out.

Campbell, a 42-year-old HIV treatment adviser whod worked for USAID, hadnt been sure what to say when she applied for unemployment benefits.

Her initial attempt had been rejected, she said. The automated system must have marked her as terminated for misconduct, a state agent later explained on the phone.

Weeks later, she received her first payment, covering about a fifth of her lost biweekly income, but Campbell still felt misunderstood. Shed applied over the past month for 25 jobs. Only two companies had called her back, mainly to verify that she was human. None has scheduled her for an interview.

Her panic was rising. Her husband worked for a nonprofit feeding kids in low-income homes. His salary relied on federal grants  now a red flag for job security. They have two small children.

A criminal organization was how Musk had publicly described her employer of 10 years.

She wished recruiters would focus on the mission her resume detailed: Preventing new HIV infections in children.

Others swapped tales of bureaucratic purgatory.

The government IT specialist, who goes by E, was stuck on the meaning of administrative leave. Her whole team, she said, had been frozen out of their accounts. But they were technically still employees, according to an email theyd received, who would be officially booted in 60 days.

At least I got paid on Friday, she said, unsure if that would actually continue.

Looking for other jobs was tricky, she said. Certain roles might violate conflict-of-interest laws for federal workers. Plus, she didnt want to start interviewing if a lawsuit could imminently reverse her pending dismissal.

In normal times, shed consult her supervisor. That person, though, faced the same murk. No one knew what to do. The administration certainly wasnt helping, she said.

Kim, a staffer at the Department of Health and Human Services  also on administrative leave  struggled with the mixed messages.

Shed received a letter stating that your performance has not been adequate  starkly contradicting her outstanding 2024 evaluation  and that shed be terminated on March 14. (Luckily, shed managed to download her records before losing access.)

Then she heard that the agency was pushing to reverse some layoffs. Stick with us, her boss had urged her.

Kim had worked on boosting patient safety. She had a PhD in epidemiology and biological statistics. She had a masters degree in public health. Protecting the vulnerable on behalf of the United States was her dream job, she said  like getting called to the major leagues.

She had more years of school and training under her belt, she quipped, than some of these DOGE guys have been alive.

Sure, she could cash out elsewhere. But no one had yet prompted her to return her work computer and badge.

She hoped that was a good sign.
US Ambassador calls deaths of Ukrainian civilians as result of night attacks by Russia as horrifying news

U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink called the information about the deaths of Ukrainians as a result of attacks by Russia on Saturday night "horrifying" news.

"Horrified to see that overnight attacks struck multiple parts of Ukraine  killing 11 and injuring 40  including a double tap hitting first responders in Dobropillia. Recovery efforts are still underway. Civilians continue to bear the cost of this war," Brink said on the X social network on Saturday.

She said the civilian population "continues to bear the burden of this war."

As reported, over the past day, 20 civilians in Donetsk region were killed as a result of Russian shelling, including 11 in Dobropillia and three in Pokrovsk. Another 43 people in the region were injured in the past 24 hours, 30 of them in Dobropillia, five of them children. A day of mourning has been declared in Donetsk region.

On Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump said that he was finding it easier to deal with Russia in achieving peace in Ukraine, and commenting on the Russian shelling of Ukraine, he said that Vladimir Putin "does what anybody else would do" in a war situation.
Twenty-five victims of the Palisades Fire victims filed an inverse condemnation lawsuit in the Los Angeles Superior Court against the City of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, alleging the entities failed to maintain an adequate water supply and fire hydrant system.

LADWP and the City of Los Angeles had a duty to properly construct, inspect, maintain and operate its water supply system, stated Peter McNulty of the McNulty Law Firm, attorney for the fire victims. The system necessarily failed, and this failure was a substantial factor in causing my clients to suffer catastrophic losses.

Related: Insurers Have Now Paid Out Nearly $7B for LA Wildfires

The suit alleges the city and LADWPs facilities, reservoir, water supply system, hydrants, infrastructure and other public improvements, as deliberately designed and constructed, presented an inherent danger and risk of fire to private property.

The Palisades Fire burned in conjunction with several fires that hit the L.A. area in January. The other major fire was the Eaton Fire. Los Angeles County sued Edison International to recoup its losses from that fire, which was one of the most destructive in California history.

Topics Lawsuits Louisiana
The Curragh in Co Kildare is usually associated with the Irish army barracks, or a fine day's horse racing at the Irish Derby, Oaks, Irish Guineas, St. Ledge but recently, butchers from all over the country, north and south, converged on the Curragh, clutching boxes of precious homemade sausages, black puddings and their finest steaks.

They were there to compete in the National Irish Steak Challenge, and I was invited to be a judge along with 30 others including master butchers, meat scientists, industry professionals and chefs.

What a day! We tasted and judged over 25 sirloin, rump, and fillet steaks. Other teams of judges tasted the sausages and the black and white puddings.

Chefs Dolan Heaney, Sean Owens and their teams laboured non-stop all day cooking the steaks in the kitchen of the Curragh restaurant, normally frequented by hungry racegoers.

The awards are a serious business: we worked in threes, examining first the raw steaks, then tasting mostly juicy morsels of the cooked meat.

We each marked them for appearance, flavour and tenderness, then we tasted.

Finally it was narrowed down to six finalists to ascertain the winners. We tasted and pondered over 100 steaks in total.

I know you have no sympathy for me, but by the end I wasnt craving a juicy steak any time soon  I have to say I was mightily impressed and heartened by the standard.

Here in Ireland, despite the fact that weve lost quite a number of butchers, we are fortunate to still have many local butchers.

This is not the case in many countries where the meat business has been lost to the big meat plants and supermarkets.

Animals are slaughtered and butchered in large meat factories.

They can undoubtedly be traced back to the farm or increasingly feedlot where they are reared but the skill and knowledge of being able to choose an animal at its optimum stage of maturity is not needed.

Nor are the butchering skills or the in-depth knowledge of the carcass and how to utilise every scrap of the animal.

However, here in Ireland, we are still beyond fortunate to have a number of butchers who still have to have their own abattoirs so they can humanely kill the animals they have purchased at local marts or have carefully chosen from local beef farmers, who proudly rear their animals on rich pasture to produce the very best quality meat.

Many of these butchers are second- and third-generation and in some cases even fifth-generation, so you can imagine how the skill and knowledge has been passed down from father to son through the years although there are indeed some talented women butchers also.

Those who are still fortunate enough to have butchers with their own abattoirs close by are fortunate indeed. For me, they are the ultimate craft butchers.

They know the story of the animals from the farm to the fork, how to dry age and are in total control of the quality. They are deeply knowledgeable about the different cuts of meat and how to cook them.

An animal is made up of many different cuts, some muscular, others like the fillet are super-tender. Some can be flashed on a hot pan or grill for a few minutes while others need to be coaxed to melting tenderness by slow, gentle cooking.

Ironically the more muscular, less expensive cuts usually have far superior flavour but need more care and a different type of cooking.

If you are fortunate to have such a butcher in your local area, go out of your way to raise awareness and support them, otherwise they will be lost in the struggle to compete with supermarket prices.

Most people dont realise that we are not comparing like with like. Dry aged meat is quite different to meat that is vac packed and aged in plastic, more economical and convenient of course, but less succulent and for me, often less flavoursome.

Skills are being lost for a variety of reasons. Regrettable but understandable, economics and convenience are major factors.

All the more reason to value and show our appreciation for the dwindling number of family butchers throughout Ireland, both north and south who continue to hone their craft and are anxious and determined to pass on the skills to future generations.

For a list of the winners in the Irish Craft Butchers Association Awards go to craftbutchers.ie.

I will mention just two, the overall winner of several awards was Millar Meats (fillet and striploin steak category), a passionate family butcher for the past 20 years in Irvinestown, County Fermanagh who finishes the animals he buys from local farmers on his own land.

Winner of the ribeye steak with a Kingsbory Irish Wagyu ribeye was Kerrigans butchers from north County Dublin founded in 1973.

Just to be clear, not all butchers are members of the Craft Butcher Association. Some exemplars understandably just want to be independent; others are not joiners. If you have such a butcher close to you, celebrate and enjoy every morsel of their carefully chosen product on your plate.

Chefs too can raise awareness by identifying the butcher and the farmer who raised the premium animal on their restaurant menus.

So this week, here are some steak recipes for you to enjoy.

Pan-Grilled Steak with French Fried Onions and Bearnaise Sauce recipe by:Darina Allen Of all the sauces to serve with steak, Bearnaise is the classic combination and my absolute favourite. Servings 6 Course  Main Ingredients 6 x 175g sirloin or fillet steaks

1 garlic clove

salt and freshly ground pepper

a little olive oil

Bearnaise Sauce:

4 tbsp tarragon vinegar 4 tbsp dry white wine 2 tsp finely chopped shallots pinch of freshly ground pepper 2 organic egg yolks 110g butter 1 tbsp freshly chopped French tarragon leaves

French Fried Onions:

1 egg white 300ml milk 2 large onions, peeled 225g seasoned flour good-quality oil or beef dripping for deep-frying

fresh watercress (optional) Method To prepare the steaks: About 1 hour before cooking, if time allows, cut a clove of garlic in half and rub it on both sides of each steak. This simple step intensifies the beefy flavour. Then grind some black pepper over the steaks and sprinkle on a few drops of olive oil. Turn the steaks in the oil and leave aside. If using sirloin steaks, score the fat at 2.5cm intervals. Make the Bearnaise sauce and keep it warm (see recipe). Heat the grill pan on a high heat, season the steaks with a little salt and put them down onto the hot pan. The cooking times for each side of the steaks are roughly as follows: rare: 2 -5 minutes medium-rare: 3-6 minutes medium: 4-7 minutes well-done: 5-8/9 minutes When cooking a sirloin steak, also turn it over onto the fat side and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the fat crisps up nicely. Put the steaks onto an upturned plate resting on another plate and leave them for a few minutes in a warm place while you make the French-fried onions. Transfer the steaks to hot serving plates. Serve with French fried onions, bearnaise sauce, some homemade chips and a sprig of fresh watercress if available. For the bearnaise sauce: Boil the first 4 ingredients together in a low, heavy-bottomed, stainless-steel saucepan until completely reduced and the pan is almost dry but not browned. Add 1 tablespoon of cold water immediately. Pull the pan off the heat and leave to cool for 1 or 2 minutes. Using a coil whisk, whisk in the egg yolks and add the butter bit by bit over a very low heat, whisking all the time. As soon as one piece melts, add the next piece; it will gradually thicken. If it shows signs of becoming too thick or slightly scrambling, remove from the heat immediately and add a little cold water. Do not leave the pan or stop whisking until the sauce is made. Finally, add 1 tablespoon of freshly chopped French tarragon and taste for seasoning. If the sauce is slow to thicken, it may be because you are excessively cautious, and the heat is too low. Increase the heat slightly and continue to whisk until all the butter is added and the sauce is a thick coating consistency. It is important to remember, however, that if you are making Bearnaise sauce in a saucepan directly over the heat, it should be possible to put your hand on the side of the saucepan at any stage. If the saucepan feels too hot for your hand it is also too hot for the sauce! Another good tip if you are making Bearnaise sauce for the first time is to keep a bowl of cold water close by so that you can plunge the bottom of the saucepan into it if it becomes too hot. Keep the sauce warm in a Pyrex bowl over hot but not simmering water or in a Thermos flask until you want to serve it. For the French-fried onions: Whisk the egg white lightly and add it to the milk. Slice the onion into 5mm rings. Separate the rings and cover with the milk mixture until needed. (The leftover milk may be boiled up, thickened with roux and used for a white or parsley sauce). Just before serving, heat the oil or beef dripping to 180C. Toss the rings a few at a time in well-seasoned flour. Deep-fry for 2-3 minutes or until golden in the hot oil. Drain on kitchen paper and serve hot.

Pan-grilled Steak with Roasted Peppers & Anchoiade I love this combination, the sweetness of the peppers, salty anchovy and peppery rocket leaves, a perfect accompaniment to a juicy steak. Course  Main Ingredients 6 x 175g sirloin or fillet steaks

1 garlic clove

salt and freshly ground pepper

a little olive oil

3 plump red peppers

Anchoiade:

110g tinned anchovy fillets (weigh out of tin) 300ml olive oil 2 cloves garlic, chopped  tsp thyme leaves 1 tbsp chopped basil 1 tbsp Dijon mustard 1 tbsp red wine vinegar lots of freshly ground pepper

Rocket leaves Method To prepare the steaks, about 1 hour before cooking cut a clove of garlic in half and rub it on both sides of each steak. This simple step intensifies the beefy flavour. Then grind some black pepper over the steaks and sprinkle on a few drops of olive oil. Turn the steaks in the oil and leave aside. If using sirloin steaks, score the fat at 2.5cm intervals. Next, roast the red peppers. Preheat the grill or better still use a charcoal grill or barbecue. Grill the peppers on all sides, turning them when necessary - they can be quite charred. Alternatively, preheat the oven to 250C/Gas Mark 9. Put the peppers on a baking tray and bake for 20-30 minutes until the skin blisters and the flesh is soft. Put them into a bowl and cover for a few minutes, this will make them much easier to peel. Pull the skin off the peppers, remove the stalks and seeds. Do not wash or you will lose the precious sweet juices. Divide each into 2 or 3 pieces along the natural divisions. To cook the steaks. Heat the grill pan, season the steaks with a little salt and put them down onto the hot pan. Cook to your preference  rare, medium rare, medium or well done (see Pan-grilled Steak with Bearnaise Sauce for timings). Allow to rest. Transfer the steaks onto hot plates. Serve with roast red peppers, rocket leaves and a little blob of anchoiade. For the Anchoiade: Whizz all ingredients together except the oil in a food processor. Add the oil gradually. Taste and add a little more oil if necessary. (The anchovies act in the same way as egg yolks in mayonnaise and as a protein, will emulsify the oil). Be careful and keep a close eye as the oil starts to emulsify. If you feel it becomes too thick, add a little water. This will do two things; it will thin the anchoiade and will also stabilise the emulsion too which will stop it from splitting. When all the oil is incorporated and you have a lovely thick garlicky, anchovy emulsion, store in a covered jar in the fridge. Serve with crudites or just slathered on toast, bruschetta, or warm pitta bread.

Seasonal Journal

Wild Food of the Week: Wild Garlic

I so love that moment when I suddenly realise that winter is over. One can practically hear the tingle of excitement underneath the ground. Rhubarb and chives are pushing their way up through the soil, everything is stirring. Weve already found some wild garlic to add to champ, salads and flavoured butters  so how about a bit of foraging in the open air this weekend?

There are two varieties allium ursinum or ramps, a broad-leaved bulbous plant which grows in moist woodland and allium triquetrum with a triangular steam also known as three-cornered leeks often grows along roadside verges. The la t ter has a flower that resembles white bluebells, and pointy narrow leaves. They are often first to appear and are best for Champ. If you can find some of the pretty white flowers, scatter them over the top.

Waterford Food Festival (25th - 27th April 2025)

Waterford Festival of Food is one of Irelands largest and longest-running community food festivals. The main hub for this 3-day event is the scenic harbour town of Dungarvan, Co. Waterford on April 25-27 with events also taking place in nearby Lismore, Ardmore, Villierstown, Ballyduff, Cappoquin and Kilmeaden, making it a unique showcase of the flavours and characters local to this food region.

Highlights from this years programme include guided taste tours, kitchen table talks with influential people from Irelands food scene and beyond, high profile guest chef dining events, sustainability workshops, and pop-up experiences in unusual locations. There will also be foraging walks, food waste talks, bus tours to farms and mountains, live cooking demos, and the festivals famous market, which is Irelands largest outdoor market, in Dungarvans market square on the final day.
The thing about Killarney, and what makes it the incredibly popular tourist destination it is  over 1 million tourists visit the town each year  is that it lies right in a national park, an area of spectacular beauty that takes your breath away.

The team behind Wander Wild, Irelands Great Outdoors Festival, has harnessed that beauty, from the rugged mountain peaks of MacGillycuddys Reeks to the serene lakes dotted throughout the park, to create a festival that focuses on nature and all its wonder.

On a visit to Killarney to find out about the Wander Wild festival, we were treated to a taster of what people can expect when they book any of the activities taking place from April 4-6 this year. Throughout the weekend, we met several members of the Wander Wild committee, all volunteers who are united by their love of Killarney and its surroundings. Youd be hard-pushed to find a more passionate group of people.

Brave souls enjoying the Wander Wild Sunrise Dip.

We stayed in the luxurious Killarney Plaza, with its glorious beds that were the talk of our group. Somewhat reluctantly we had to leave those beds early on Saturday morning for an early morning hike up Torc Mountain. We travelled the short distance to Torc by bus with some festival volunteers, enjoying the scenery on the way. The hike itself is manageable, even for a novice hiker like me. The path up the mountain is made easier by steps fashioned from rocks and wooden boardwalks to cover the marshier sections. And once we reached the summit, well, they werent lying when they said the views would be spectacular. They were, every which way we looked.

And then it was time to return to earth, where we met the bus again to bring us to Ross Castle, where we were catching a boat to the ancient island of Innisfallen. At the castle coffee shop, we stocked up on delicious hot chocolate with toasted marshmallows before boarding our boat. During the 15-minute trip to the island we were regaled with stories by Dux who runs the Gap of Dunloe Traditional Boat Tours and whose family has been ferrying people on the lakes for generations. With his infectious laugh and zest for life, Dux was a highlight of the weekend.

Jen Healy leads a mindfulness session in the forest of Torc Mountain

We reached Innisfallen Island with its ruined monastery and were welcomed ashore by Kevin Tarrant playing some traditional Irish music. As we tucked into an al fresco lunch supplied by Luna, together with some warm apple cider from Pigs Lane, Kevin gave us a rundown on the islands fascinating history. After lunch we wandered the island, not forgetting to ground ourselves by taking off our shoes and socks and standing on the islands and  as legend tells it  Irelands most grounding piece of land. Back on the boat, and Dux took us the long way around the island for a view of Irelands largest native oak woodlands.

Next on our itinerary was a yoga session in the beautiful grounds of Killarney House. This was a real treat and the wonderful scenery only added to the relaxing hour of yoga guided by Kelly Ann McSweeney. Most of the wellness activities during Aprils festival take place in the idyllic setting of Killarney House, a unique privilege. The wellness events will include yoga, sound baths and somatic healing sessions.

The Seanoiche at J M Reidys, Main Street, Killarney, as part of the Wander Wild Festival in Killarney.

Feeling thoroughly bone weary and deeply relaxed at the same time, we returned to the hotel for a couple of hours rest before heading off for pre-dinner drinks in Pigs Lane, a cool, underground cocktail bar. These were no run-of-the-mill cocktails either, pushing the boundaries on flavour pairings and presentation. Then it was onwards to the cosy dining room at the Arbutus Lodge Hotel, where an open fire and a hearty welcome awaited us. Dinner hit all the right notes of comforting, tasty and moreish.

We rounded off the evening with a fireside chat in the Arbutus sitting room, a new addition to the 2024 festival, which proved immensely popular. In 2025, the fireside chats will be back featuring local adventurers and regular people talking about extraordinary things theyve done.

Finally, after a packed day, our beds in the Killarney Plaza were calling, so we headed back for another peaceful nights sleep.

Emma West leading the Vinyasa Yoga at Anam Cultural Centre

On the Sunday we took a trip to Muckross Creamery for the Cow to Cone tour (a new addition to this years festival). It was a treat in more ways than one. We met John and Catherine Fleming and their children, who took us around their dairy farm, bringing us through the process from the cows to the milking parlour to the ice cream factory. We were then led into the original farm cottage, thats been thoughtfully renovated, for an ice cream tasting, followed by a full-size cone of the most gloriously, creamy ice cream Ive ever had. And then we bade farewell to the Flemings and their little piece of Killarney and headed back to the town for our goodbyes.

And so our weekend came to an end. From hikes to boat rides, yoga to ice cream, we got a real taste of whats in store for attendees at this years Wander Wild festival. With over 100 events to choose from there really is something for everyone  from full-on adventure to more sedate pursuits, a family-friendly schedule to simply taking in the beauty of this place. Im already making notes of all the events Ill be booking into for my return to Killarney in April.

At a time where were all working, rushing, consuming and burning out, the Wander Wild festival is an opportunity to immerse yourself in nature, both physically and mentally, and to slow right down, valuing whats all around you.

Deirdre was a guest of Wander Wild Festival

Escape notes

Oona Tibbetts, left and Beverley Gray, enjoying Stand Up Paddleboarding with Wild Sup Tours

Wander Wild Festival takes place in Killarney from April 4-6.

Each event is individually priced from 10 to 100. You can book one event or several, making Wander Wild an affordable and accessible festival.

See wanderwildfestival.com for the full schedule of events

Where to stay
Ready for take-off

Theres still time to snag a bargain with the Aer Lingus sale, with up to 20% off seats and bags on selected routes from Ireland to Europe and the UK, including Aer Lingus Regional routes, operated by Emerald Airlines.

With new routes from Cork to Bilbao and Bordeaux alongside all the holiday favourites, the travel period runs from April 28 to August 31 which covers the peak summer period. Sale ends March 11.

AerLingus.com

Luxury in the South of France

Hotel Crillon le Brave.

April 11 marks the reopening of one of Provences most beautiful hotels, Hotel Crillon le Brave. Maisons Parientes charming five-star bolthole is a haven of style, elegance, and good taste. For a real slice of Gallic indulgence, book in to loll by the pool, sample the exquisite food, chill in the serene spa, and explore the pretty village.

Special spring packages include 15% off when booking a suite this spring. Or why not book in for the Ventoux Getaway which includes a picnic lunch for two, 40-minute Apres-Ventoux massage, two days cycling with e-bike rental, equipment, and itineraries or a half-day of hiking with a private guide. B&B from 370.

CrillonLeBrave.com

New name, same high standards

Talbot Hotel Midleton

Midleton Park Hotel has undergone a rebranding and unveiled its new name. Celebrating its tenth anniversary of joining The Talbot Collection, the East Cork property is now called Talbot Hotel Midleton. Fans of the original can still expect the same standards of comfort and service, while enjoying newer facilities that include three new family-friendly bedrooms, completed in 2024.

talbothotelmidleton.ie

Deal of the week

Praia do Vau in Portimao, Algarve, Portugal

The Algarve is a great year-round destination, with Easter an especially pleasant time to explore the Portuguese region.

For a four-star self-catering family break this April, Click and Go is offering seven nights self-catering at the four-star Estrela do Vau from 299 per person based on two adults and two children sharing for travel on April 13.

The package includes return flights from Dublin to the Algarve.

clickandgo.com

The best of Zimbabwe

Victoria Falls Safari

The Victoria Falls Safari Collections new three-night package gives guests the chance to experience the best of Zimbabwe. Overlooking a waterhole frequented by elephant, buffalo, and kudu, the property has been voted best safari lodge/resort hotel in Zimbabwe for 26 years by the Association of Zimbabwe Travel Agents.

Enjoy three nights B&B, dinners  including one at The Boma with a drum show  lunches, a guided tour of Victoria Falls, and a sunset cruise on the Zambezi. Theres also a 30- minute massage at Victoria Falls Safari Spa, to ease away those long-haul knots. From 1,116 per person, excluding flights and visas.

victoria-falls-safari-lodge.com
The health service will be asked, at Mondays launch of the National Survey on Births in Ireland, to acknowledge that a problem of obstetric violence exists in Irish hospitals.

Among the key findings in the report are issues around women who were neither asked for or gave their consent for medical procedures.

Health researcher Dr Susann Huschke of University of Limericks School of Medicine, said: The first thing the health service needs to do is acknowledge there is a problem.

We will be calling for this on Monday.

Obstetric violence is comparable to other forms of violence against women and gender-based violence, where acts of violence are considered normal and acceptable until the discourse around them changes, as exemplified by the #metoo movement and recent convictions for date rape.

Every day obstetric violence is still very much hidden in Ireland. It is not talked about enough yet, she said.

Late last year, the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) said obstetric violence is a recognised form of gender-based violence.

Examples include medics performing interventions without consent and women being neglected by being left to labour on their own without appropriate support or pain relief. Another is gaslighting, where medics try and convince women they are not remembering events correctly or misinterpreting what happened.

Almost half of patients surveyed said they did not realise consent was needed before medics could carry out internal examinations.

Some 25% of those who completed the survey, and had either a C-section or an instrument-assisted birth, said they were not provided with enough information about both procedures.

When asked if they were involved in the decision about what kind of birth to have  spontaneous vaginal birth, instrumental birth, or C-section  just over half said they were fully involved.

However, issues arose with the remaining 47% who referenced varying degrees of either consent or information being provided to them in advance of procedures.

The report launch at noon in the University of Limericks Pavilion in the North Campus will present findings from answers provided by 3,824 respondents who gave birth in Ireland between 2018 and 2023.

The project was a collaborative effort led by midwives, doulas, mothers, and health researchers who are part of the Birth Rights Alliance Ireland (BRAI), in collaboration with the Participatory Health Research Unit, UL.

The survey sheds light on issues including high rates of routine medical interventions such as inductions, episiotomies, and C-sections.

'Complicit' in violence

Dr Huschke pointed out that when it comes to obstetric violence carried out by male or female surgeons, inaction by onlooking midwives leaves them complicit in the violence if they do not intervene.

Obviously everybody in the room is implicated in it in a way, she said.

A spokesperson for the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation said: The INMO has consistently advocated for safe midwifery staffing levels in maternity hospitals and units, which are necessary to ensure respectful maternity care.

Additionally, we have long campaigned for increased numbers of midwifery-led services to ensure greater levels of choice for women and moreover, we have consistently advocated for the development and implementation of a nationwide safe home birth service to facilitate more choice for women.

The INMO and its members advocate the provision of a human rights-based, respectful, and safe system of maternity care in Ireland.
The undocumented Irish in America fear they will be caught up in Donald Trumps vow to deport millions of people, as Micheal Martin looks set to raise the issue when he meets the US president next week.

With the Taoiseach set to meet Mr Trump face-to-face for the first time since they both re-took office, advocates have urged the Irish Government to cut a deal with the president to crack the issue of the undocumented status in America once and for all.

It comes after Mr Trump declared March to be Irish-American Heritage Month, a common act of US presidents every March, but noted trade imbalances between the two countries, as tensions heighten between America and the EU over tariffs and Ukraine.

In a new podcast series, the Irish Examiner visited three cities in the US and spoke to immigration lawyers, Irish community advocates, and the undocumented themselves to learn more about the concerns they have under the new Trump administration.

Prior to his inauguration, Mr Trump said that his administration would aim to deport all illegal immigrants from the US  starting with the criminals.

In his inauguration speech, he vowed that the US would begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came.

'Zero-tolerance ideology'

While some Irish dont think they will be targeted in the crackdown by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency, American-based immigration lawyers said anyone living in the US illegally must take note.

I think we have to take it at face value and accept what it is theyre saying, said James OMalley, a Limerick man and immigration laywer in New York.

Taking it at face value, it smacks of a zero-tolerance ideology. It doesnt matter if you were born in say, Co Mayo, or if you were born in El Salvador in pure terms. And I dont think it would matter.

There is no true figure for how many undocumented Irish people live and work in the US, with government estimates putting the figure at around 10,000.

Many of them have been there for several decades since the last major exodus of Irish people to the US in the 1980s and 1990s.

Dan Dennehy, who lobbies lawmakers as the immigration chair for the Ancient Order of Hibernians, said the undocumented are not as cavalier now as they were in the 1980s when they spoke publicly against the unfairness of the system.

Most of the undocumented will not do anything to jeopardise themselves

What they have to be worried about now is somebody finger pointing, exposing them, making people aware of their status, because a lot of them have developed good businesses and good social and community roots," he said.
Every year the taoiseach of the day travels to Washington DC for a date with the president of the United States.

The doors open to the Irish. A former diplomat said that European counterparts stare absolutely agog as, each year, the Irish get the attention of the US capital all to itself for a day.
In a small house in the middle of Galways west end, five Afghan men gather to break their Ramadan fast.

Its a little after 6pm and the men have been fasting since sunrise this morning. They will break it first with prayer, then with a simple glass of water and a date, before finishing their devotion and preparing their evening meal  known as Iftar  together.
U.S. President Donald Trump is considering the possibility of withdrawing 35,000 U.S. troops from Germany and redeploying them to Hungary, which maintains close relations with Russia, The Telegraph said, citing its own sources.

"The US president, who has repeatedly warned that Europe must commit more to its defensive capabilities, is becoming increasingly frustrated that the continent is 'pushing for war,' sources close to the administration said. About 160,000 active-duty personnel are stationed outside of the United States, a vast quantity of whom are in Germany," the publication said.

U.S. National Security Spokesman Brian Hughes said: "While no specific announcement is imminent, the US military is always considering the redeployment of troops around the world to best address current threats to our interests."

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban reportedly blocked the conclusions of a special meeting of the European Council on Support for Ukraine and the Defense of Europe in the part that concerns Ukraine. He later announced that he would put Ukraine's membership in the EU to a vote within his country.
The general population doesnt know whats happening, and it doesnt even know that it doesnt know, the American political writer Noam Chomsky wrote in his 2011 bestseller How The World Works, which offers a basic understanding of whats required when it comes to solving the worlds toughest problems.

Chomsky, at 96, is arguably the most important intellectual alive.
If all else fails at the Oval Office on Wednesday, Taoiseach Micheal Martin might return to the phrase he levelled at Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald in the Dail and tell the rest of the world that president Donald Trump is ag insint breaga aris (telling lies again).

He is too gracious, too diplomatic, and much too statesman-like to do such a thing, although he must privately be wondering how, in the name of all that is plain to see, the leader of what was once the free world can call the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a dictator and say that his country  not invading Russia  started the war?
Services always come at a price and we are now paying for abandoning the much-hated water charges.

The public uproar and protest movement which led to a scrapping of infamous water charges back in 2016 is well documented, but we have now been left with a free system that is leaking, creaking, and in some cases, unfit for consumption.

The system cannot currently cater to households with a connection, it will require investment on a scale unseen if the 50,000 new housing units required each year to tackle the housing crisis are to be delivered.

The Construction Industry Federation (CIF) has already signalled alarm that a lack of investment in infrastructure is slowing down the delivery and completion of housing.

When you go and try and get your connection agreement to a utility  whether thats electricity or water  there are very significant delays, because we simply havent been putting the pipes in the ground for a long time now, said CFI director of housing and planning Conor OConnell.

Having a connection does not translate to being provided with an adequate service.

This week, Independent Ireland TD Ken OFlynn lifted a glass of brownish-green liquid in dramatic fashion in the Dail, pointing out that this is the water that is coming through the taps of those living on the northside of Cork.

People are waking up on the northside of the city not knowing whether they can bathe their children, wash their hands, have a shower or put on a wash and leave.

Irish Water has come out with a statement that 500m needs to be secured for Cork City Council. Working on the basis that the 500m is provided, it would take 90 years, at the rate the work is being done, to replace the Victorian pipeline in Cork City, he said.

The Taoiseach made it clear that he is aware of the issue, with Fianna Fails Padraig OSullivan and Sinn Feins Thomas Gould also raising it for quite some time.

Micheal Martin stressed that there are about 600 km of water mains pipes in the city, 50% to 60% of which are made from cast iron and were first installed 100 years ago.

Uisce Eireann is responsible for Irelands water and wastewater infrastructure, which includes more than 1,700 water and wastewater treatment plants, over 4,000 pumping stations, and 90,000km of pipes.

Water charges, which were a stipulation set down as part of the bailout, aimed to provide a stable funding base outside of state revenues, which the troika cited as being an overly replied upon form of finance. At a time when the country was struggling to fund day-to-day expenses, the charges guaranteed that water would continue to run through the taps.

When the economy reignited, any government of the day could then begin to supplement the water charges income stream with exchequer funding to improve services and in many instances upgrade systems not touched since the 1920s.

There was a coherent argument for it, both in terms of avoiding waste and having a flow of income into the new State entity, which was Irish Water, the same as electricity is paid for and allows the ESB to develop modern infrastructure, former Labour leader Brendan Howlin said.

Brendan Howlin said there was a coherent argument for water charges. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

We had no money; we needed to invest. If we were to have any industry in the country, any housing in the country we had to have both freshwater infrastructure and wastewater infrastructure.

"We were facing also legal action from the European Commission about our water discharges, so it was imperative to have some sort of income at a time when we had no income.

But the public groundswell of opposition ensured that water charges became a shameful idea, never to be uttered again.

Storm Eowyn further exposed just how ramshackle the system really is when tens of thousands of customers realised their treatment plants did not have the backup generators to maintain services.

Uisce Eireann is now buying 100 new generators in response to the widespread water outages and a further 200 will be purchased later.

This year, over 1.7bn is public money is being provided to Uisce Eireann to meet the cost of domestic water services.

The Government claims that this will ensure the continued operation, repair, and upgrading of the countrys water and wastewater infrastructure.

The continued investment in public water services capital infrastructure is vital to support housing delivery, economic recovery, and for delivering environmental compliance, the budget document states.

Uisce Eireann has estimated that up to 60bn will be needed to fix known problems with Irelands water and wastewater systems over the next 25 years, with 17bn of that required in the next four years.

In its strategic funding plan 2025-2029, published last December, the public water utility set out the need for an ambitious capital investment plan.

The repair and upgrading of the countrys water and wastewater treatment plants, and water and sewer networks will require a multi-billion euro investment programme that will extend beyond the lifetime of this plan, the report said.

Some of this funding may be found from the Apple tax windfall.

Reintroducing water charges, however, is not an option even if it makes sense.

As Howlin put it: There is no political reason to go into the lions den in an area where clearly there is, for whatever reason historic or otherwise, a notion that water should be free. Thats now an established principle.

There is no politician who is going to touch that again for the foreseeable future.
A South Carolina man convicted of murder has been executed by firing squad, the first US prisoner to die by that method in 15 years.

Brad Sigmon, 67, was pronounced dead at 6.08pm local time after being shot by three volunteer prison employees wielding rifles loaded with live ammunition.

Sigmon killed his ex-girlfriends parents with a baseball bat in their Greenville County home in 2001 in a botched plot to kidnap their daughter. He told police he planned to take her for a romantic weekend, then kill her and himself.

Sigmons lawyers said he chose the firing squad because the electric chair would cook him alive, and he feared that a lethal injection of pentobarbital into his veins would send a rush of fluid and blood into his lungs and drown him.

The details of South Carolinas lethal injection method are kept secret in South Carolina, and Sigmon unsuccessfully asked the state Supreme Court on Thursday to pause his execution because of that.

Brad Sigmon. (South Carolina Department of Corrections via AP)

The armed prison employees stood 15 feet from where Sigmon sat in the states death chamber  the same distance as the backboard is from the free-throw line on a basketball court.

The firing squad is an execution method with a long and violent history in the US and around the world. Death in a hail of bullets has been used to punish mutinies and desertion in armies, as frontier justice in Americas Old West and as a tool of terror and political repression in the former Soviet Union and Nazi Germany.

Since 1977, only three other prisoners in the US have been executed by firing squad. All were in Utah, most recently Ronnie Lee Gardner in 2010. Another Utah man, Ralph Menzies, could be next; he is awaiting the result of a hearing in which his lawyers argued that his dementia makes him unfit for execution.

In South Carolina on Friday, a group of protesters holding signs with messages such as All life is precious and Execute justice not people gathered outside the prison before Sigmons execution.

Supporters and lawyers for Sigmon asked Republican governor Henry McMaster to commute his sentence to life in prison.

They said he was a model prisoner trusted by guards and worked every day to atone for the killings and also that he committed the killings after succumbing to severe mental illness.

But Mr McMaster denied the clemency plea. No governor has ever commuted a death sentence in the state, where 46 other prisoners have been executed since the death penalty resumed in the US in 1976.

Seven have died in the electric chair and 39 others by lethal injection.

In the early 2000s, South Carolina was among the busiest death penalty states, carrying out an average of three executions a year. But officials suspended executions for 13 years, in part because they were unable to obtain lethal injection drugs.
North Korea has unveiled for the first time a nuclear-powered submarine under construction, a weapons system that can pose a major security threat to South Korea and the US.

On Saturday, state media released photos showing what it called a nuclear-powered strategic guided missile submarine, as it reported leader Kim Jong Uns visits to major shipyards where warships are built.

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) did not provide details on the submarine, but said Mr Kim was briefed on its construction.

Moon Keun-sik, a South Korean submarine expert who teaches at Seouls Hanyang University, said the naval vessel appears to be a 6,000-ton-class or 7,000-tonne-class one which can carry about 10 missiles.

He said the use of the term the strategic guided missiles meant it would carry nuclear-capable weapons.

It would be absolutely threatening to us and the US, Mr Moon said.

Experts have said the development is worrying for South Korea and the US (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

US National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes said: Were aware of these claims and do not have additional information to provide at this time.

The US is committed to the complete denuclearisation of North Korea.

A nuclear-powered submarine was among a long wishlist of sophisticated weaponry that Mr Kim vowed to introduce during a major political conference in 2021 to cope with what he called escalating US-led military threats.

Other weapons were solid-fuelled intercontinental ballistic missiles, hypersonic weapons, spy satellites and multi-warhead missiles.

North Korea has since performed a run of testing activities to acquire them.

The North obtaining a greater ability to fire missiles from underwater is a worrying development because it is difficult for its rivals to detect such launches in advance.

Questions about how North Korea, a heavily sanctioned and impoverished country, could get resources and technology to build nuclear-powered submarines have surfaced.

Mr Moon said North Korea may have received Russian technological assistance to build a nuclear reactor to be used in the submarine in return for supplying conventional weapons and troops to support Russias war efforts against Ukraine.

He also said North Korea could launch the submarine in one or two years to test its capability before its actual deployment.

North Korea has an estimated 70-90 diesel-powered submarines in one of the worlds largest fleets.

However, they are mostly aging vessels capable of launching only torpedoes and mines, not missiles.

In 2023, North Korea said it had launched what it called its first tactical nuclear attack submarine, but foreign experts doubted the Norths announcement and speculated it was likely a diesel-powered submarine disclosed in 2019.

Mr Moon said there has been no confirmation that it has been deployed.

North Korea has conducted a slew of underwater-launched ballistic missile tests since 2016, but all launches were made from the same 2,000-tonne-class submarine which has a single launch tube. Many experts call it a test platform, rather than an operational submarine in active service.

In recent days, North Korea has been dialling up its fiery rhetoric against the US and South Korea ahead of their upcoming annual military drills set to start Monday.

During his visits to the shipyards, Mr Kim said North Korea aims to modernise water-surface and underwater warships simultaneously.

He stressed the need to make the incomparably overwhelming warships fulfil their mission to contain the inveterate gunboat diplomacy of the hostile forces, KCNA reported on Saturday.
Foreign ministers from Muslim nations have rejected calls by US President Donald Trump to empty the Gaza Strip of its Palestinian population, and instead backed a plan for an administrative committee of Palestinians to govern the territory to allow reconstruction to go ahead.

Meanwhile, Hamas reported positive signals in talks with Egyptian and Qatari mediators in Cairo on starting negotiations on the delayed second phase of its ceasefire deal with Israel.

Spokesman Abdel-Latif al-Qanoua gave no details, but said the group is willing to start talks and its delegation has been discussing the means to do so.

The foreign ministers gathered in the Saudi city of Jeddah for a special session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to address the situation in Gaza, at a time when the seven-week-old ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has been thrown into doubt.

In a statement, the gathering threw its support behind a plan to rebuild Gaza put forward by Egypt and backed by Arab states, including Saudi Arabia and Jordan, aimed at countering Mr Trumps call.

The OIC comprises 57 nations with largely Muslim populations.

Women supporters of a religious party Jamaat-e-Islami hold placards in support of women of Gaza during a demonstration to mark International Womens Day, in Lahore (AP)

Without specifically mentioning Mr Trump, the ministers said they rejected plans aimed at displacing the Palestinian people individually or collectively  as ethnic cleansing, a grave violation of international law and a crime against humanity.

They also condemned policies of starvation that they said aim to push Palestinians to leave.

The OIC also reinstated Syria as a member of the grouping.

Syria was removed from the OIC in 2012 over then-president Bashar Assads brutal crackdown on opposition protests.

After some 14 years of civil war, Mr Assad was ousted in December by Islamist-led insurgents who have since created a transitional government.

The ceasefire that began in mid-January brought a pause in Israels campaign of bombardment and ground offensives in Gaza aimed at destroying Hamas after its attack on southern Israel on October 7 2023.

The ceasefires first phase saw the release of 25 Israeli hostages held by militants in Gaza and the bodies of eight others in exchange for the freeing of nearly 2,000 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

Camps have been set up for displaced Palestinians (AP)

But an intended second phase of the deal  meant to bring the release of remaining hostages and a lasting truce and full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza  has been thrown into doubt.

Israel has baulked at entering negotiations over the terms of the second phase. Instead, it has called for Hamas to release half its remaining hostages in return for an extension of the ceasefire and a promise to negotiate a lasting truce.

Since Sunday, Israel has barred all food, fuel, medicine and other supplies from entering Gaza for some two million people, demanding Hamas accept the revised deal.

At the same time, Mr Trump has called for Gazas population to be resettled elsewhere permanently so that the United States can take over the territory and develop it for others.

Palestinians have rejected calls to leave.

The ministers at the OIC gathering supported an Egyptian-backed proposal that an administrative committee replace Hamas in governing Gaza.

The committee would work under the umbrella of the Palestinian Authority, based in the West Bank. Israel has rejected the authority having any role in the Gaza Strip, but has not put forward an alternative for post-war rule in the territory.

Israels military offensive has killed over 48,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gazas Health Ministry (Jehad Alshrafi/AP)

Under the ceasefire, Israeli forces have pulled back to a zone along Gazas edges.

Early on Saturday, an Israeli strike killed two Palestinians in Gazas southernmost city of Rafah, the Palestinian health ministry said.

The Israeli military said it struck several men who appeared to have been flying a drone that entered Israel from Gaza.

Israels military offensive has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to Gazas health ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were militants.

The campaign was triggered by Hamas October 2023 attack, in which militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, inside Israel and took a total of 251 people hostage.

Most have been released in ceasefire agreements or other arrangements.

Hamas is believed to still have 24 living hostages and the bodies of 34 others.
(The headline has been adjusted)

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he will visit Saudi Arabia on Monday, but the Head of the President's Office of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak, the Foreign and Defence Ministers, Andriy Sybiha and Rustem Umerov, and the Deputy Head of the President's Office of Ukraine, Pavlo Palisa, will meet with US negotiators.

"Next week, I will begin with a visit to Saudi Arabia. After my meeting on Monday with the Crown Prince, Ukrainian diplomatic and military representatives will stay for a meeting on Tuesday with the American team. The Ukrainian team will include Andriy Yermak, Andriy Sybiha, Rustem Umerov, and Pavlo Palisa," the president said on the X network on Saturday.

Zelenskyy also said a meeting of the diplomatic teams of Ukraine and the UK took place in Kyiv on Saturday.

"Today, a highly productive meeting took place. We discussed our joint steps that could bring us closer to peace and accelerate diplomatic efforts. I'm grateful for the support. Ukraine is determined to do everything to end this war with a just and lasting peace as soon as possible," the president said.

Regarding the negotiations between the Ukrainian and U.S. teams, Zelenskyy said: "On our side, we are fully committed to constructive dialogue, and we hope to discuss and agree on the necessary decisions and steps. Ukraine has been seeking peace from the very first second of this war. Realistic proposals are on the table. The key is to move quickly and effectively."

Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said talks between Ukraine and the United States would be held in Riyadh or Jeddah in Saudi Arabia on March 11. The kingdom's Foreign Ministry later clarified that a meeting between the U.S. and Ukrainian representatives on the possibility of ending the war between Ukraine and Russia would take place next week in Jeddah.
Photo: https://ssu.gov.ua/novyny

The State Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) with the assistance of the Minister for Strategic Industries, exposed an official of the State Space Agency of Ukraine for cooperation with Russia, who had secret information about domestic strategic enterprises, as well as access to secret satellite images.

"Counterintelligence and SBU investigators detained the person involved during a meeting at the Ministry for Strategic Industries of Ukraine," the special service said on its website on Saturday.

According to the case materials, the Russian Federal Security Service recruited this agent in 2024. Since then, the Ukrainian special service has gradually documented every step of the attacker and his interaction with Russian handlers. The SBU also used the attacker to misinform the enemy in order to pass on to the racists information that was beneficial to Ukraine.

"The agent was recruited by the FSB through his wife, who lives in Rostov-on-Don and collaborates with the occupiers. He agreed to cooperate with the enemy in exchange for money, and after his planned retirement in the summer of 2025, he even planned to move to Russia," the SBU said.

The occupiers tasked the attacker with collecting and transmitting secret information that he possessed by virtue of his official duties. "In particular, this is data on the locations of military-industrial complex facilities that manufacture navigation systems, spare points of operation of strategic enterprises, military warehouses, as well as information on the production of high-precision weapons by Ukraine and satellite images. According to available data, the Russian special service hoped to use this data for air strikes on strategically important facilities of our state," the special service said in a statement.

Based on the collected evidence, investigators of the Security Service informed the agent of suspicion under Part 2 of Article 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (high treason committed under martial law). The issue of choosing a preventive measure in the form of detention for him is being resolved.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 8. The visit of the Slovenian business delegation to Azerbaijan, initially scheduled for March 1013, has been postponed to April, the Slovenian Ministry of Economy, Tourism, and Sport told Trend.

"Minister of Economy Matjaz Han will not go to Baku due to other obligations. The business delegation will accompany the Minister for Foreign and European Affairs, Tanja Fajon, on her visit to Baku in April," the ministry stated.

The data from the State Customs Committee reveals that the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Slovenia amounted to $30.1 million in 2024, which is $9.7 million (24.5%) less than in 2023.

During the reporting period, Azerbaijan's exports to Slovenia totaled $8.1 million, marking a decrease of $3 million (27%) compared to 2023.

Additionally, imports from Slovenia to Azerbaijan fell by $6.7 million (23.5%) last year, amounting to $21.9 million.

In January of this year alone, trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Slovenia reached $4.9 million, an increase of $1.9 million (61.9%) compared to the same period in 2024.
By May Darwich, University of Birmingham

(The Conversation)  US president Donald Trump famously called Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi his favourite dictator in 2019, but their relationship has been complex. Trumps return to the White House for a second term has sent ripples of concern through Cairo. In January 2025, Trump proposed a resolution to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza: forcibly relocating Palestinians to Egypt and Jordan. Trump simultaneously threatened to withdraw US aid if these countries didnt comply with the proposal. Sisis Egypt will need to navigate Trumps ambition without sacrificing the regimes own survival. May Darwich, who has studied Arab states foreign policies and alliances in the Middle East, explains whats at stake.

How dependent is Egypt on the US?

Over time, Egypt has received more US foreign aid than any country besides Israel. It has received US$78 billion for economic assistance and US$90 billion in military assistance since 1946.

A peace agreement with Israel in 1979 concluded the war between the two countries. Israeli forces withdrew from Egypts Sinai Peninsula. Since then, the US has provided Egypt with a fixed amount of US$1.5 billion, of which US$1.3 billion is military aid, every year. It goes to financing Egypts purchase of weapons systems from US defence contractors.

US aid has been a cornerstone of Egyptian-US relations for decades.

Since 1979, Egypt has been a central pillar of US policies in the Middle East. Military aid is deemed essential to ensure that the regime in Egypt aligns with US interests. At the same time, this aid is widely seen as contributing to the survival of Egypts authoritarian regime.

But history shows that Egypt can soften the potential impact of the US freezing assistance during periods of strained relations.

The US suspended some military assistance to Egypt after the regime change in 2013. During that time, el-Sisi, who was elected president in 2014, received support from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. He also increased weapon imports from France and Russia.

After a period of review, the Barack Obama administration released aid to Egypt to preserve US interests. As US secretary of state John Kerry once explained:

We are getting a return on that investment that is not inconsequential. The army also is helping us enforce security in the Sinai (in Egypt). The army is also helping us enforce the Gaza peace.

Should this relationship come under strain again, Egypt could learn to become even more independent. Chinas influence in Egypt is growing, and the Gulf states that enjoy a close relationship with Sisi may also decide to commit funding.

How has Egypt balanced its interests with Arab states, Israel and the US?

The signing of the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty in 1979 marked a shift in Egyptian foreign policy. The treaty aligned Egypt with the west in recognising Israel. This decision, however, led to Egypts isolation in the Arab world and its expulsion from the Arab League (it was readmitted in 1989).

When Mohamed Hosni Mubarak assumed power following Anwar el-Sadats assassination in 1981, Egypt had to balance its partnership with the US, maintain peace with Israel and reconcile its relations with Arab states.

Egypt condemned Israeli aggression against Palestinians and against Lebanon in 1982 and 2006, and froze efforts to normalise relations with Israel. This reinforced its pivotal position in Arab circles without jeopardising its peace with Israel.

Meanwhile, Egypt helped US military assets to move across the region and oil to flow through the Suez Canal. It maintained peace and stability with Israel by pressuring Palestinian resistance movements into de-escalation. This balancing act allowed Egypt to become a mediator between Palestine and Israel.

Egypt under Sisi has made efforts to maintain the balancing act. However, the ongoing Gaza war has intensified Egypts challenges. These include refugee flights and instability at its border. The war has also threatened Egypts longstanding role in the Middle East region.



File. President Donald Trump greets the President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, prior to their bilateral meeting, Sunday, May 21, 2017, at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead). Public Domain. Via Get Archive.

How has the Gaza war threatened Egypts balancing act?

The onset of the Gaza war in October 2023 put Egypt on edge. Cairo is apprehensive about Israels potential strategy of forcibly locating Palestinians to the Sinai Peninsula, which is on its territory. Egyptian officials have deemed that scenario as a red line. Cairo doesnt want to be seen as undermining the Palestinian cause.

Also, Egyptians harbour concerns that the presence of a substantial Palestinian population in Sinai  which links Africa to Asia, and borders Israel and Gaza  could transform the region into a launchpad for attacks on Israel. This would compel Egypt to either suppress such activities or face retaliation from Israel.

This concern stems from a 1955 incident. The Israeli army raided an Egyptian military camp in the Gaza strip, which was then under Egyptian control. Seventeen soldiers were killed following a Palestinian militants killing of an Israeli. A plan to move Palestinians to Sinai sparked protests in the Gaza strip, bringing the Egyptian military in direct confrontation with Palestinians.

This historical event has continued to shape Egyptian foreign policy, which rejects any relocation of Palestinians in Sinai.

The current war has highlighted structural weaknesses in the already precarious Egyptian economy. The Houthi attacks in the Red Sea that began in 2024 caused a sharp drop in revenues from the Suez Canal, a critical source of foreign revenue for Egypt.

Sisi played on European fears that what happened in Gaza could harm Egypts economic situation and lead to mass migration to Europe. But cash infusions wont solve the deep-seated economic challenges facing the country.

Cairos role as a mediator between the west, Israel and the Arab world is facing renewed challenges. Other mediators, like Qatar, have emerged.

What could affect Egypts response to Trumps proposal to relocate Palestinians?

Trumps proposal places the Egyptian regime in a precarious position. If Egypt agrees to the plan to relocate Palestinians from Gaza, it would signify a dramatic departure from its foundational foreign policies. It could also reignite discontent among its population.

Rejecting the proposal would strain Egypt-US relations, potentially undermining the support for Sisis regime, which might then have to seek aid from other countries.

The Gaza conflict underscores Egypts historical and political entanglement with the Palestinian issue.

May Darwich, Associate Professor of International Relations of the Middle East, University of Birmingham

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
( Middle East Monitor )  The conversation on settler-colonialism must not be limited to academic discussion. It is a political reality, demonstrated clearly in the everyday behaviour of Israel. The occupation state is not merely an expansionist regime historically; it remains actively so today. Moreover, the core of Israeli political discourse, both past and present, revolves around territorial expansion.

We succumb frequently to the trap of blaming such language on a specific set of right-wing and extremist politicians or on a particular US administration. The truth is vastly different: the Israeli Zionist political discourse, although it may change in style, has remained fundamentally unchanged.

Zionist leaders have always associated the establishment and expansion of their state with the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians.

This was later referred to in Zionist literature as the transfer of the indigenous population. Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern political Zionism, wrote in his diary about the ethnic cleansing of the Arab population from Palestine: We shall try to spirit the penniless population across the border by procuring employment for it in the transit countries, while denying it any employment in our own country Both the process of expropriation and the removal of the poor must be carried out discreetly and circumspectly.

It is unclear what happened to Herzls grand employment scheme aimed at spiriting the population of Palestine across the region. What we know is that the so-called penniless population resisted the Zionist project in numerous ways. Ultimately, the depopulation of Palestine occurred through force, culminating in the Nakba, the Catastrophe of 1948.

The discourse of the erasure of the Palestinian people has been the shared foundation among all Israeli officials and governments, but it has been expressed in different ways. It has always had a material component, manifesting in the slow but decisive takeover of Palestinian homes in the West Bank, the confiscation of farms and the constant construction of military zones.

Despite Israeli claims, this incremental genocide is not linked directly to the nature and degree of Palestinian resistance. Jenin and Masafer Yatta illustrate this clearly.

The ongoing ethnic cleansing in the northern West Bank, which, according to UNRWA, is the worst since 1967, has seen the displacement of tens of thousands of Palestinians. This has been justified by Israel as a military necessity due to the fierce resistance in that region, primarily Jenin, but other areas as well.

However, many parts of the West Bank, including the area of Masafer Yatta, have not been engaged in armed resistance. Yet, they have been primary targets for Israels colonial expansion.

In other words, Israeli colonialism is in no way linked to Palestinian resistance, action or inaction.

This has remained true for decades.

Gaza is a stark example. While one of the most horrific genocides in recent history was being carried out, Israeli real estate developers, members of the Knesset (parliament), and leaders of the illegal settlement movement were all meeting to discuss investment opportunities in a depopulated Gaza. The callous tycoons were busy promising villas on the beach for competitive prices while Palestinians starved to death, amid an ever-growing body count. Even fiction cannot be as cruel as this Zionist reality.

It is no wonder that the Americans joined in, as evidenced by equally ruthless comments made by Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, and eventually by Trump himself.

While many at the time spoke about the strangeness of US foreign policy, few mentioned that both Israel and the United States are prime examples of settler-colonialism.

Unlike other settler-colonial societies, both Israel and the US are still committed to the same project.

Trumps desire to take over and rename the Gulf of Mexico; his ambition to occupy Greenland and claim it as American territory; and, of course, his comments about owning Gaza are all examples of settler-colonial language and behaviour.



File. Illegal Israeli Settlement encroaching on Bethlehem and Beit Sahour in the West Bank. The Advocacy Project at Flickr . Creative Commons License CC By NC-SA-2.0 Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic .

The difference between Trump and previous US presidents is that others used military power to expand American influence through wars and hundreds of military bases worldwide without explicitly using expansionist language. Instead, they referenced the need to challenge the Soviet red menace, restore democracy and launch a global war on terror as justifications for their actions. Trump, however, feels no need to mask his actions with false logic and outright lies. Brutal honesty is his brand, although in essence, he is no different from the rest.

Israel, on the other hand, rarely feels the need to explain itself to anyone. It remains a model of a ferocious, traditional colonial society that fears no accountability and has no regard for international law.

While the Israelis pushed to conquer and ethnically cleanse Gaza, they remained entrenched in southern Lebanon, which they invaded last September. They insisted on remaining in five strategic areas, thus violating the ceasefire agreement with Lebanon, which was signed on 27 November.

A perfect case in point with reference to settler-colonial action was Israels immediate  and I mean immediate  expansion into southern Syria, the moment that the Assad regime collapsed on 8 December. When events in Syria opened up security margins, Israeli tanks rolled in, warplanes destroyed almost the whole Syrian army, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu unilaterally cancelled the armistice agreement signed in 1974.

That expansion continued, even though Syria represented no so-called security threat to Israel whatsoever. Israel is now in control of the Sheikh Mountain and Quneitra inside Syria.

The unquenchable appetite for land in Israel remains as strong as it was upon the formation of the Zionist movement and the takeover of the Palestinian homeland nearly eight decades ago.

This is a crucial fact, and Arab countries, in particular, must understand it.

Sacrificing Palestinians to the Israeli death machine with the flawed calculation that Israels ambitions are limited to Gaza and the West Bank is a fatal mistake.

Israel will not hesitate for a minute to move militarily into any Arab geographic space the moment it feels able to do so, and it will always get US support and European silence, regardless of how destructive its actions are. Jordan, Egypt and other Arab countries could find themselves facing the same predicament as Syria today, watching their territories being devoured while remaining powerless and without recourse to justice.

This realisation should also matter to those busy finding solutions to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, which frame the problem narrowly to that of the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza.

Settler-colonialism can never be resolved through creative solutions. A settler colonial state ceases to exist, and a settler colonial society ceases to function, if territorial expansion is not a permanent fixture of both state and society.

The only solution to this is that Israels settler-colonialism must be challenged, curtailed and ultimately defeated. It may be a difficult task, but it is an inescapable one.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor or Informed Comment.

Via Middle East Monitor
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 8. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov spoke at an extraordinary meeting of the heads of the foreign ministries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states in Jeddah, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said, Trend reports.

Minister Jeyhun Bayramov conveyed his best wishes to the entire Islamic world on the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan.

It was noted that the current humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip and Palestine, the mass deaths of innocent people, the destruction of infrastructure, the lack of food and water in the region remain a cause for concern, and the use of force that led to the deaths of civilians is unacceptable.

It was noted that Azerbaijan positively assesses the ceasefire achieved in January, and the importance of preventing any steps that could lead to a violation of the ceasefire and escalation in the current difficult situation was emphasized. The importance of the ceasefire achieved as the beginning of a sustainable peace process based on international law, including the legitimate expectations of the Palestinian people, was also noted.

In this context, it was once again emphasized that Azerbaijan is in favor of resolving the conflict based on the "two-state" principle, in accordance with the norms and principles of international law, as well as the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council.

It was noted that Azerbaijan, as a responsible member of the OIC, as well as the country chairing the organization in 2026, is always ready to support the brotherly Palestinian people. In this regard, in addition to the previous years, since 2023, when the escalation began, Azerbaijan has provided assistance in the amount of 2 million US dollars to alleviate the humanitarian situation of the Palestinian people.

It was also noted that our country has taken the initiative to support the Palestinian people in the fields of education and health, and in this regard, the "Heydar Aliyev International Educational Grant" was allocated to 15 students from Palestine for the 2024-2025 academic year, in addition, Azerbaijan has committed to building a school for 600 students in Nablus.

In his speech, Minister Jeyhun Bayramov emphasized that our country supports the Gaza reconstruction and assistance plan put forward by Egypt and approved during the extraordinary summit of the Arab League on March 4. The minister also congratulated Syria on the occasion of its restoration of its membership in the OIC.
1 of 1

     :     1174    FSTP     

khaskhabar.com: , 08  2025 09:46 AM
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 8. As part of his participation in the extraordinary meeting of the heads of the Foreign Ministries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov met with the Deputy Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Minister of Foreign Affairs Muhammad Ishaq Dar, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said, Trend reports.

The issues arising from the strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Pakistan, as well as various aspects of bilateral and multilateral cooperation were discussed at the meeting.
KILDARE flower preservation company, SIOG Botanicals, based in Crookstown Business Park and Emma Ferris from Athy's Clanard Court Hotel won awards for flower preservation supplier of the year and wedding co-ordinator of the year.

The awards ceremony took place at Lyrath Estate, Kilkenny, on Monday, March 3, celebrating excellence in Irelands wedding industry.

Emma Ferris of The Clanard Court Hotel with Jonathan Bryans of weddingsonline.ie and Maria Kelly of Asentiv

SIOG Botanicals, founded by Lorna Frawley and Joanna Brien-Sammons, specialises in transforming wedding bouquets and meaningful floral arrangements into timeless pieces of pressed flower art. The business has built a reputation for its meticulous craftsmanship and dedication to the ancient art of flower pressing.

We are truly honoured to receive this award, said co-founder Lorna Frawley.

When we started SIOG Botanicals, our goal was to create something meaningfulsomething that allows people to hold onto the most special moments of their lives. To be recognised as Irelands top flower preservation supplier is a dream come true.

Co-founder Joanna Brien-Sammons added: This award is a testament to the hard work of our incredible team, the support of our suppliers, the florists who recommend us, and, most importantly, the trust our clients place in us. Every bouquet we preserve tells a unique story, and we are privileged to be part of that.

Recent client of SIOG Botanicals, Nicola OSullivan, and her husband on their wedding day and a few months later picking up her artwork.

If you know someone getting married, you can book a flower preservation service on their website. SIOG Botanicals also regularly hosts pressed flower art workshops at GATHER Kildare, located at Southwells, Market Square in Kildare town. GATHER Kildare is a creative space that showcases the best of local design and is supported by Kildares Local Enterprise Office.
An appointed contractor is due to commence works at the The Tholsel in the coming weeks a spokesperson from the local authority has confirmed to Kilkenny Live.

The latest development follows a lengthy preparation period which can be dated back to 2019.

The 'Museum of Medieval Kilkenny' will receive a total investment of 8 million and provides for the unification of The Tholsel and the Medieval Mile Museum (formerly St Marys Church). with the overall objective to develop an offering that will become one of Irelands top visitor attractions.

Kilkenny County Council, in partnership with Failte Ireland signed a contract with, local company, Duggan Lynch Ltd to complete the works earlier this year.

READ MORE: New beer goes on the market in Kilkenny

The focus of this contract will centre on The Tholsel building and includes internal and external enhancement works along with the introduction of a lift for improved accessibility. The building, when works are complete, will continue to act as the seat of local government in the city, with some parts of the building converted for use as a visitor attraction including the basement.

There will also be a number of physical changes to the structure in an effort to bring the Tholsel up to modern fire safety and accessibility standards. At present, it does not comply with regulations. A lift to cater for people with mobility issues will also be installed.

The offering proposed will be presented in a fun and interactive manner in a fact-based horrible history experience, themed around 'The Rich, The Poor, The Rouges and The Righteous'. Where visitors will discover the darker side of medieval Kilkenny. They will meet the worlds most famous knight, powerful mayors and wealthy medieval merchants.

FOR MORE KILKENNY CITY NEWS, CLICK HERE
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 8. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov met with his Tunisian counterpart Mohamed Ali Al-Nafti as part of an extraordinary meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said, Trend reports.

During the meeting, the prospects for bilateral and multilateral cooperation between Azerbaijan and Tunisia were discussed.

The importance of expanding ties in various fields between the two countries, linked by common religious and cultural roots, was noted.

In this regard, the importance of creating a mechanism for consultations between the foreign ministries was emphasized. The need for mutually beneficial cooperation between Azerbaijan and Tunisia within the framework of regional and international organizations, including the UN, OIC, and the Non-Aligned Movement, was emphasized.

An exchange of views on other issues of mutual interest also took place during the meeting.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 8. The delegation of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly is on a working visit to Brussels, Trend reports.

On 6-8 March 2025, the delegation of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, led by MP Ramid Namazov, is on a working visit to Brussels. The delegation, together with the members of the Mission of the Republic of Azerbaijan to NATO, has conducted bilateral meetings at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Secretariat and NATO Headquarters.

Within the framework of the visit to NATO Parliamentary Assembly Secretariat, the members of the delegation held meetings with the Secretary General of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Director of the Defense and Security Committee, Director of the Committee on Democracy and Security, Director of the Political Committee, and Director of Science and Technology Committee. During the meetings, extensive discussions were held on the issues related to the cooperation between Azerbaijan and NATO in inter-parliamentary dimension.

Within the framework of the meetings of the delegation at NATO HQ with the Head of Engagements at NATO's Public Diplomacy Division, Director of the Partnership and Global Affairs Directorate of NATO's Political Affairs and Security Policy Division, and Head of Arms Control at the Disarmament and WMD non-proliferation section of the same division comprehensive exchange of ideas were conducted.

During the meetings, as the 30th anniversary of Azerbaijan-NATO Partnership, the cooperation in the year 2024 was welcomed with great satisfaction, and Azerbaijan-NATO partnership within the framework of

Partnership for Peace (PfP) Programme, Azerbaijan's contribution to the NATO-led peace support operations, as well as to the energy security of Europe were expressed with high regard. Parties also discussed the role of Azerbaijan's transport infrastructure in the transport map of the world.

During the meeting between the Azerbaijani delegation and Head of Arms Control, discussions were held on topics related to the landmine problem faced by Azerbaijan, NATOs financial and technical assistance in addressing this issue, as well as learning about modern technologies and applying new methods. It was highlighted that since November 2020, 383 of our civilian citizens have become victims of mine explosions, and that mines have severely hindered the return of internally displaced persons to their native lands, as well as the reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts in those areas. Additionally, the humanitarian, economic, and environmental consequences of landmines were discussed in detail.

Furthermore, the parties extensively exchanged views on cooperation in the field of humanitarian demining.

As part of their visit to NATO Headquarters, the delegation also visited the Mission of the Republic of Azerbaijan to NATO.
A guest post by Marley Joseph:

New Zealands public hospitals are facing a doctor shortage, yet Health New Zealandthe bureaucratic body overseeing our public health systemcontinues to artificially limit the number of hospital internship positions available to newly qualified doctors. Without these placements, graduates cannot gain full registration and are effectively locked out of the workforce. Meanwhile, instead of hiring more permanent staff, hospitals are forcing already overworked junior doctors to take on unsafe levels of extra shifts just to keep the system running. This isnt a funding issueits a case of government mismanagement and poor workforce planning that is burning out staff and driving talented doctors overseas.

Finishing medical school doesnt make someone a practising doctor. After years of study, graduates must complete a two-year hospital internship (PGY1 & PGY2) before they can work independently. Health New Zealand controls how many internship positions are available each year, yet despite hospitals constantly reporting shortages, these placements havent kept pace with demand. In 2024, 563 new doctors were ready to start work, but 25 were left in limbo due to a cap on internship positions. Even worse, hospitals rarely advertise new PGY1 positionsopenings only occur when an overworked junior doctor resigns. If theres truly a shortage, why arent more permanent roles being created? Meanwhile, hospitals claim they cant find enough staff.

With hospitals refusing to create permanent positions, the burden falls on existing junior doctors, who are forced to work extra shifts and take on additional responsibilities just to keep services running. Instead of hiring more staff, hospitals rely on a broken systemexpecting junior doctors to not only do their own jobs but also cover the duties of missing colleagues. This means that during the day, a single doctor might be responsible for twice the number of patients because no one else is available. After hours, hospitals often dont have enough staff on duty, so exhausted doctors are called back in from home or coerced to stay long past their scheduled shifts. Across four separate weeks in 2023 (Week 6 of each quarter), Aucklands major hospitals spent nearly $2 million on 2,900 of these additional shifts, adding up to 17,500 hours of extra work. If that trend continued across the year, it suggests Auckland alone is short by around 110 full-time junior doctors (RMOs), costing taxpayers an estimated $26 million annually in temporary staffing fees. To put this into perspective, $26 million could fund the salaries of more than 300 full-time junior doctors each year, providing continuity of care and reducing burnout. Instead of investing in a permanent workforce, Health New Zealand is funnelling taxpayer dollars into a revolving door of emergency shift coveran approach that neither fixes the crisis nor provides sustainable care for patients. And this is just Aucklandit doesnt include rural or regional hospitals, where shortages are often even worse.

Nor does it account for the growing deficit of Senior Medical Officers (SMOs), meaning junior doctors are increasingly left to manage complex cases without proper supervision. While some may argue that a lack of supervisors limits the number of junior doctors that can be trained, the reality is that failing to expand these positions only worsens the SMO shortage long-term. A sustainable workforce starts by ensuring a steady pipeline of trained doctors who, with experience, can relieve the burden on senior staffrather than forcing them to pick up the slack left by chronic understaffing. All that money goes toward patching holes rather than developing a stable workforce. If we continue down this path, costs will only balloon further, and the shortage will worsen. So why does Health New Zealand continue throwing millions at a short-term fix while refusing to create the permanent roles that would solve the problem?

If funding isnt the problem, then why is Health New Zealand still refusing to expand training positions? Year after year, it chooses to fund emergency shifts instead of creating the permanent jobs hospitals desperately need. Rather than addressing the workforce crisis, policymakers seem more comfortable maintaining the status quoeven as the costs of inaction keep rising. Hospitals claim they cant find enough doctors, yet bureaucratic red tape continues to block qualified graduates from entering the workforce. Meanwhile, private locum agencies thrive on these inefficiencies, profiting from a system designed to fail. Its unclear whether this is the result of poor workforce planning, bureaucratic inertia, or a system that has become financially dependent on short-term staffing solutions. With multiple key Health NZ executives resigning in recent months, it seems even those in charge dont have a clear strategy. But what is clear is that this crisis isnt being fixedand taxpayers, patients, and frontline doctors are paying the price.

This workforce crisis isnt just affecting local graduatesits also trapping foreign-trained doctors in limbo. New Zealand recently doubled the number of exam slots for internationally trained doctors (NZREX) from 90 to 180 per year, promising a pathway for them to work in our health system. But theres a catch  Health New Zealand hasnt expanded the number of internship placements they need to become fully registered. The result? We have built a system that is failing from both endsturning away new Kiwi doctors while simultaneously inviting foreign-trained doctors to New Zealand with no clear path to employment. EInstead of solving the workforce crisis, we are actively worsening it. Many of doctors who have passed every required exam but remain unable to workjust like many Kiwi graduates. Instead of strengthening our health system, this failure has created a bottleneck where both locally and internationally trained doctors are being shut out while hospitals continue to struggle with staff shortages. Its a baffling contradictionour healthcare system is crying out for doctors, yet government inaction is keeping them on the sidelines.

This crisis isnt just about numbersits about real people, both doctors and patients. When hospitals dont have enough staff, doctors are forced to work back-to-back shifts with little rest. Fatigue leads to mistakes, slower response times, and missed diagnoses. Patients wait longer for care, and avoidable complications become more common. Hospitals are meant to be places of healing, but instead, they are running on desperation. Junior doctors, instead of learning and developing under proper supervision, are being stretched to their limits, covering chronic staff shortages with little support. Every resignation due to burnout forces remaining staff to work even harder, pushing more doctors to leave. Its a vicious cycle that only gets worse with time.

Meanwhile, New Zealand-trained doctors, unable to secure placements at home, are heading overseas for better opportunities. These are doctors taxpayers have invested in, but instead of serving our communities, they are now treating patients in Australia, countries that recognise their value. If we keep losing doctors faster than we replace them, New Zealands healthcare system will be permanently crippled.

The solution is simple: let trained doctors work. Instead of wasting millions each year on emergency shift cover, that money should be redirected towards permanent positions that build a stable workforce. Expanding junior doctor placements isnt just the right thing to doits the most cost-effective and practical way to fix the shortage. Every dollar spent on short-term fixes could instead be used to train and retain doctors who will stay in New Zealand long-term. Likewise, if we are inviting more foreign-trained doctors to sit NZREX, we must guarantee a clear pathway to full registration. Otherwise, were just inflating numbers on paper while hospitals remain critically understaffed. The bottleneck isnt a lack of qualified doctorsits Health New Zealands refusal to provide them with the final step they need to work. We already have the doctors. We already have the funding. If there were truly no capacity to train more junior doctors, hospitals wouldnt be spending millions on emergency shift cover year after year. The system has found a way to fund reactive, short-term fixesso why cant it fund proactive, long-term solutions? The only thing missing is the political will to remove the barriers keeping them from serving our communities. If Health New Zealand continues down this path, the crisis will only escalatemore burnout, more resignations, and more Kiwi doctors choosing to leave for better opportunities overseas.New Zealand invests heavily in training doctors, expecting them to serve our communities. Yet Health New Zealand is actively blocking them from doing sowasting taxpayer money on short-term fixes while letting homegrown talent walk out the door. Patients wait longer, doctors burn out, and our hospitals become increasingly reliant on expensive, unsustainable stopgaps. This is a manufactured crisis. We dont have a doctor shortagewe have a policy failure. The solution is staring us in the face: expand the number of internship placements, give new graduates a clear pathway into the workforce, and stop throwing millions at temporary fixes. If Health New Zealand can afford to spend $26 million per year patching holes in Auckland alone, it can afford to train and retain the doctors we already have. The longer this inaction continues, the greater the damage will be. More doctors will leave, patient care will suffer, and the system will spiral deeper into crisis. Health New Zealand must be held accountable for these failuresand its time for the government to step in and demand urgent reform. If we genuinely want to fix our hospitals, we must stop blocking the very people who can save them.
The Herald reports:

Wellington Water chairman Nick Leggett is right to pause for thought about whether his position is tenable, given the company he is accountable for has ripped off ratepayers. More scathing reports about the water companys failings have been released today  the latest of many reviews into Wellington Water in recent years. The Taxpayers Union called the revelations nothing short of scandal, while Wellington City councillor Ben McNulty said the region has been betrayed by Wellington Water. At least one mayor in the region has already called for Leggetts resignation but another said that would be stupid. The reports found Wellingtonians have been paying nearly three times that of comparable councils such as Hamilton and Christchurch for unplanned pipe maintenance.

The problems with Wellington Water go back many many years. Nick was only appointed in mid 2023 to try and fix the problems. His position may no longer be tenable, but no one should think the long standing problems at Wellington Water are the fault of Leggett.

Ultimate control of Wellington Water lies with the Wellington Water committee. They appoint the board and set the overall leadership and direction. The members are:

Campbell Barry, Chair (Hutt Mayor)

Ros Connelly, Deputy Chair (WRC)

Anita Baker (Porirua Mayor)

Tory Whanau (Wellington Mayor)

Martin Connelly (South Wairarapa Mayor)

Melissa Sadler-Futter (South Wairarapa Deputy Mayor)

Wayne Guppy (Upper Hutt Mayor)

Lee Rauhina-August (Mana Whenua)

Helmut Modlik (Mana Whenua)

Porirua Mayor Anita Baker said she was horrified by the higher costs ratepayers in the region were paying but said talk of resignations was absolutely stupid. Pat Dougherty and Nick as chair have led this report and driven these findings and its taken a while because weve needed to get a new chief executive so, I think what theyve done is really good and I would not understand why you would want to throw that out.

What the Councils should be doing is setting clear performance targets for the board such as that the costs of pipe maintenance should be no higher than other water entities.
Shenandoah, IA (51601)

Today

Showers and 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.
Shenandoah, IA (51601)

Today

Showers and thunderstorms. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High around 85F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 67F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
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.
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, March 8. The Kazakhstani delegation, headed by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Murat Nurtleu, participated in the emergency session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), dedicated to the situation in Palestine and Syria, Trend reports.

The participants discussed the current geopolitical situation, the challenges and threats facing the Islamic world, and emphasized the need for the prompt reconstruction of the Gaza sector and the stabilization of the situation in Syria.

In his speech, Nurtleu emphasized that Kazakhstan has been paying close attention to the Syrian crisis since its beginning, providing a platform for negotiations within the Astana process.



"We urge OIC member states to take active actions to stabilize the situation in Syria, taking into account the interests of the Syrian people," said Nurtleu.

Regarding the Palestinian issue, the minister emphasized that the most urgent issue is ensuring a sustainable ceasefire between Hamas and Israel. Kazakhstan hopes that ongoing negotiations on the second stage will pave the way for peace, security, and the creation of a Palestinian state based on the relevant resolutions of the UN General Assembly and Security Council.

The event demonstrated the solidarity of Muslim countries with the Palestinian and Syrian peoples, as well as their commitment to taking active steps to quickly resolve the situation in the region.

Following the meeting of the OIC Foreign Ministers, the relevant resolutions were adopted and Syria's membership in the Organization was restored.

OIC stands for the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. It is an international organization founded in 1969, consisting of 57 member states, to promote solidarity and cooperation among Muslim-majority countries in various political, economic, social, and cultural matters. The OIC works to safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world, particularly concerning issues such as the Palestinian cause, conflicts in member countries, and global challenges affecting the Islamic world. Its headquarters are in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, March 8. Kazakhstan views Malaysia as a "strategic bridge" to Southeast Asia and is keen on strengthening cooperation both at the federal and regional levels, said Kazakhstan's Ambassador to Malaysia, Bolat Sugurbayev, at a business forum in Malaysia, Trend reports.

A business forum titled "Kazakhstan: Heart of Eurasia" was held in the capital of Malaysia's Penang state. The event was organized by the Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Penang, with support from the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Malaysia.

The forum was attended by representatives from the state government, businesses, higher education institutions, and the media. From the Kazakh side, presentations on investment and tourism climates were delivered by representatives of JSC "NC "Kazakh Invest", JSC "NC "Kazakh Tourism", and "Almaty Development Company" under the Akimat of Almaty.

"Penang is a leading economic center in Malaysia with a developed electronics industry, logistics, creative economy, and tourism. Kazakhstan, in turn, has successful experience in the digitalization of the economy and fintech. Combined with direct flights and a visa-free regime between our countries, this creates excellent conditions for business partnerships," he emphasized.

The Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy of Penang, Wong Hon Wei, highlighted the state's interest in developing comprehensive cooperation with Kazakhstan and expressed confidence that Penang has great potential for cooperation with Kazakhstan in IT, fintech, and "smart city" development. He also noted the interest of Malaysian industrial enterprises, particularly in the metallurgy and steel sectors, in expanding cooperation with Kazakhstan.

Honorary Consul of Kazakhstan in Penang, Luis Ng, emphasized the active growth of Kazakhstan's economy, which provides new opportunities for expanding Malaysian businesses both within the country and for further entry into the Central Asian markets.

Anes Zadabek, Deputy Chairman of the Board of "Almaty Development Company," presented the investment and tourism potential of Almaty, whose economy generates about 20 percent of Kazakhstan's GDP.

Foreign representative of JSC "NC "Kazakh Invest" Diana Ablyakimova focused on the vast base of mineral resources and critical minerals necessary for the development of the electronics industry. She noted that, due to transparent conditions that include best international practices, Malaysian companies have the opportunity to invest in Kazakhstan's economy.

Following the presentations, a lively discussion took place regarding the prospects of the Kazakh market, considering its geostrategic position and resource base, as well as measures taken by the Kazakh government to continually improve the business climate. A significant portion of forum participants expressed their intention to visit Kazakhstan, and the Honorary Consulate is working on forming a business delegation.

Kazakhstan and Malaysia are members of the UN and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on March 16, 1992.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 8. A new center of excellence will be established in Azerbaijan's transportation sector through cooperation with the D-8 (the Developing Eight) Organization for Economic Cooperation, said Rashad Nabiyev, Azerbaijan's Minister of Digital Development and Transport, wrote on the official Facebook page, Trend reports.

A working group will also be formed to oversee the initiative.

We met with the Secretary General of the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation, Isiaka Abdulqadir Imam, who is visiting our country.

We discussed cooperation opportunities in transportation, especially in the aviation and maritime sectors, as well as expanding the legislative framework.

We reached an agreement on the establishment of the Excellence Center in the transportation sector and the formation of a working group to support this project," the post reads.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
The Israeli Prime Minister's Office has confirmed that discussions are ongoing with the United States to establish a strong framework for trilateral cooperation between Israel, Azerbaijan, and the US, as reported by JPost.

This statement came as a response to a proposal made by Simon Moshiashvili, a Member of Parliament from the Shas party, during a plenary session at the Knesset. Moshiashvili had raised the idea of renewing the strategic partnership with Azerbaijan and potentially involving the country in the Abraham Accords.

The Prime Minister's Office emphasized that Israel is committed to strengthening its ties with both Azerbaijan and the US, while firmly opposing any efforts to weaken these relationships.
A LOCAL man claimed that he was stripped naked by gardai while being searched in a cell at Portlaoise Garda Station following his arrest for engaging in disorderly conduct.

Liam Gavin, 42 Buttercup Avenue, Esker Hills, Portlaoise was charged with the offence, which is alleged to have taken place on 4 December 2023 at SuperValu, Lyster Square, Portlaoise.

Giving evidence, 31-year-old Mr Gavin said that on the day in question he had been collecting his job seekers allowance in the nearby post office.

He said: When I came out, I met two people begging outside the 2 shop and gave them a 5 note. I walked away from them and across the road into SuperValu. When I went to pay for my stuff at the till, two gardai came up to me and said that they wanted to speak to me and I said okay. I was in the queue for the till. There were about three people in front of me and two behind me.

One said: we tried to do this the easy way, now well do it the hard way. They took me to the garda car. I was confused. I didnt know why they were doing this to me. I was really embarrassed by it. One of the guards said that she had observed a suspicious transaction outside the 2 shop.

Sergeant JJ Kirby put it to Mr Gavin that he told the gardai in the shop that he wasnt going anywhere with them, which he refuted.

I didnt say that. Im 100% certain that I didnt. I get on well with the gardai, he said.

Sgt Kirby stated: She (garda) said that she asked you for your name and alleges that you said to her, Im not giving you my f**king name.

Mr Gavin said he had been in the shop for about 30 seconds when he was approached by the two gardai and then taken to Portlaoise Garda Station. He said that he told the two gardai that he knew local gardai.

He said: The beggars that I had handed the 5 to came back and handed it back to me through the garda car window. He said: I was strip-searched in the cell and they found no narcotics on me. I dont do narcotics. I was stripped down naked.

Judge Andrew Cody said there was evidence stating that one of the people he had given the 5 to was a convicted drug dealer.

Sgt Kirby asked Mr Gavin if he had ever been convicted of drug offences, to which he replied: I was a known drug user up to about three years ago, but I now stay away from them. I dont go near them anymore. Sgt Kirby pointed out that Mr Gavin had previous convictions for drugs, burglary and public order offences.

I done my time for them. I have a past, but most guards know that Ive moved on, that Ive grown up, replied Mr Gavin.

Mr Gavin said he knows the two people he gave the money to: They were drug users, but they have been clean for the past four years. The two of them are sober.

Sgt Kirby put it to Mr Gavin: You came out of the post office. The guards saw you engaging in a suspicious activity and you have a history of drugs. You lost it in the shop, said Sgt Kirby, you told the guards that you were not going anywhere with them. You caused a scene and committed a public order offence. Whatever happened at the garda station, the gardai were entitled to search you.

Mr Gavins solicitor Josephine Fitzpatrick said that a number of CCTV cameras are positioned around the supermarket and that it was up to the gardai to obtain the CCTV coverage, which could have been used as independent evidence of what took place in the shop, but the guards had failed to bring that evidence to court.

She said that Mr Gavin was entitled to be given the benefit of the doubt in the case.

Judge Cody said that he had previously heard evidence from the arresting garda that she had observed suspicious activity taking place at the time, and that suspicion did not centre on Mr Gavin.

He said that he was at a loss to understand why the arresting garda could not have waited until Mr Gavin had come out of the shop before approaching him.

Judge Cody went on to apply the Probation Act in the case.
A MOTORIST stopped by gardai in Mountmellick who was sweating profusely was subsequently found to have been drug-driving.

Arising from the incident, Patrick Delaney, 169 St Brigids Place, Portlaoise pleaded guilty to the offence, which took place at Mullaghandard, Mountmellick on 19 June last, when he appeared at Portlaoise District Court last week.

Garda Kieran OMahoney said he stopped the car at 8.45pm that night.

While speaking to the driver he observed that he was not wearing a top, was sweating profusely and that he got a smell of cannabis from the car.

A blood test report showed that Mr Delaney had cannabis in his system while he had been driving.

Garda OMahoney said the 26-year-old defendant had a previous conviction for assault in 2016.

He said that Mr Delaney was extremely co-operative, very polite and very nice to deal with.

Defending solicitor Barry Fitzgerald said that his client has come back to Ireland from the UK to meet the summons.

Judge Andrew Cody convicted Mr Delaney of the offence, fined him 250 and disqualified him from driving for 12 months.
A CONVICT who appeared in court from custody to be sentenced for being drunk and disorderly on Christmas Eve, and for threatening to vandalise a restaurant he was barred from, was sentenced to nine months in prison.

However, the judge dangled the carrot of rehabilitation after hearing the mans story by ordering this sentence run concurrent to his present incarceration, thereby not extending his stay any longer.

Stephen Martin (33), presently of No Fixed Abode, but formerly of Rheban Manor, Athy, was in Athy District Court to face sentence on both counts.

On 24 December, 2024 he was reported to gardai at a party at 5am. He was found so intoxicated that he was unable to look after himself, said Sergeant Dave Hanrahan.

It was a friends house, said the defendant ruefully.

Then on 26 November he entered a restaurant on Duke Street in Athy and threatened staff saying: Ill come back here with 20 pals and destroy the place, revealed the sergeant.

Why? asked the judge.

I was barred, smiled the defendant.

It was two oclock in the afternoon, clarified the sergeant.

I was fightin with me partner, then somebody said somethin said Martin.

Im still with her, and shes pregnant now! he said proudly.

How did she get pregnant when you were in prison? enquired the judge.

I was out in November for 10 weeks, he smiled.

This man is super-human! declared the judge.

Then the sergeant told the judge that Martin had 162 previous convictions.

162 convictions, not proud, said the judge.

Ive had problems with alcohol all me life, said the defendant, though he denied illicit drugs when the judge asked him.

The judge then revealed that Martin had written to the court in which he apologised, and said he lost his grandmother, and leant on alcohol as a crutch.

In fairness, hes trying to deal with the alcoholism, and is doing exceptionally well,  said his solicitor Chloe Donegan.

He has difficulty dealing with his emotions, particularly grief, she added.

He seems fine here, but I wouldnt like to see him when hes drunk, noted the judge.

Ms Donegan said her client was only five weeks in jail, with a release date in November, and that he had prospects as a qualified plasterer.

Theyre crying out for all the trade skills in Ireland, said the judge, before sentencing him to nine months for making the threats in the restaurant, but ordering it commence from today.
Chilean influencer and fashion designer Javiera Ortiz has died as a result of a surfing accident off the coast of her home country. The accident took place when she collided with a fishing boat near Rinconada Beach in Cobquecura, Chile.

The incident occurred as Ortiz was surfing near the shore. A fishing vessel, approaching at a high speed, struck her, causing severe injuries to her head and arms.

The incident was captured on video and despite immediate medical attention, she was pronounced dead en route to the hospital. 24 Horas reported that the 60-year-old driver of the boat had been arrested but was later released.

Ortiz was engaged and just weeks away from her wedding at the time of her death. While emergency response teams showed up to the scene quickly, her injuries were too severe.

Ortiz was a prominent figure in the surfing community and had amassed over 63,000 followers on Instagram, where she shared her passions for surfing, photography, and knitting.

Originally from Rancagua, Ortiz relocated to Cobquecura to be with her partner. In early February she had shared her excitement about incorporating wind spirals, crafted by her followers, into her wedding decor.

The local surfing community has expressed profound sorrow over her passing. Club de Surf Rinconada de Taucu released a statement on social media urging enhanced safety measures to prevent future tragedies.

"With deep sorrow, we announce that a surfer has died in an accident on Rinconada de Taucu beach, Cobequecura today. The surfing community and locals are mourning this tragic loss... This accident has created turmoil and sadness within the community and has reminded us of the importance of precautions in aquatic activities."

Originally published in The Latin Times
'Emilia Perez' star and Best Actress nominee to the Oscars, Karla Sofia Gascon took jokes from host Conan O'Brien about her recent controversy in stride.

In his opening monologue, which began with a sketch that parodied acclaimed film 'The Substance,' O'Brien addressed the elephant in the room directly.

"Little fact for you, 'Anora' uses the f-word 479 times. That's three more than the record set by Karla Sofia Gascon's publicist. 'You tweeted what?!'... Karla Sofia Gascon is here tonight. And, Karla, if you're going to tweet about the Oscars, remember, my name is Jimmy Kimmel."

Gascon took to social media in kind to reply to O'Brien's light jab at her recent troubles in the court of public opinion.

"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 O'Brien."

When the camera cut to the 'Emilia Perez' star for her reaction, she let out a laugh before turning to her friend, presumably to translate the joke in Spanish.

Her graceful response to O'Brien's comments is a sharp contrast to her previous response to the situation.

After several social media posts of hers that were seen as racist and Islamophobic resurfaced, the Spanish actress faced intense backlash online. She posted a half-apology on social media, claiming that she had changed as a person since making those comments and that some were fabricated.

Gascon then went behind Netflix's back to do an unfiltered, tearful interview with CNN en Espanol in which she claimed that she was not a racist and that she has not been given a fair chance to defend herself.

After Netflix removed her from their promotional campaign for the film after the controversy regarding her past social media posts, many speculated whether or not Gascon would attend the prestigious ceremony, with some calling for her nomination for Best Actress to be rescinded.

Originally published in The Latin Times
ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, March 8. A delegation from Turkmenistan visited London to participate in the 8th meeting of the Turkmen-British Trade and Industry Council (TUKTIC), Trend reports.

This visit marked an important milestone in the development of bilateral economic and trade relations between Turkmenistan and the UK.

During the meeting, the Turkmen delegation, led by the Minister of Finance and Economics, Mammetguly Astanagulov, presented initiatives aimed at improving the business climate and stimulating investments, emphasizing the importance of joint projects and programs focusing on infrastructure development, technologies, and knowledge exchange.

The meeting covered key topics, including trade, agriculture, water management, energy, sustainable development, and potential cooperation in digital technologies and education. A major outcome of the meeting was the agreement to further strengthen mutually beneficial relations.

This visit was a significant step towards further consolidating bilateral ties and creating new opportunities for joint initiatives.

The UK and Turkmenistan have steadily grown their diplomatic and economic relations, with cooperation spanning energy, trade, and infrastructure. The total trade volume between Turkmenistan and the United Kingdom from October 2022 through September 2023 reached $81.8 million, marking a 43.5 percent increase.
Mark Macarro, President, National Congress of American Indians, testifies before the Senate Indian Affairs Committee during a hearing on Native communities' priorities for the 119th Congress, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) AP

NORMAN, Okla. (AP)  In tribal nations across the United States, leaders are scrambling to respond to a directive from President Donald Trump and Elon Musk to close more than a quarter of Bureau of Indian Affairs offices, which provide vital services to Indigenous communities.

Trump and Musk are calling on the General Services Administration, or GSA, to begin terminating leases on all of the roughly 7,500 federal offices nationwide, including 25 regional offices of the BIA. Those offices fulfill a wide variety of rights the U.S. owes to tribal nations, and some leaders and legal experts are worried the potential closures, layoffs and funding freezes could violate those trust responsibilities.

Its a destabilizing action, said Mark Macarro, president of the National Congress of the American Indian. I really have to think we have to assume the worst, unfortunately.

In the many treaties the U.S. signed with tribal nations, it outlined several rights owed to them  like land rights and healthcare through departments established later, like Indian Health Services. Trust responsibilities are the legal and moral obligations the U.S. has to protect and uphold those rights. Tribes go through BIA regional offices to approve things like road projects and law enforcement funding.

The move to close the regional offices is part of a sweeping effort by the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, led by Musk to reduce the size and spending of the federal government.

Funding for the BIA, IHS and the Bureau of Indian Education represents the lions share of the governments obligations to tribes, Macarro said, and last year those departments made up less than a quarter of 1% of the federal budget.

Theyre looking in the wrong place to be doing this, said Macarro. And whats frustrating is that we know that DOGE couldnt be a more uninformed group of people behind the switch. They need to know, come up to speed real quick, on what treaty rights and trust responsibility means.

Part of those trust responsibilities is consulting with tribes on matters that affect their citizens, said Jacqueline De Leon, an attorney with the Native American Rights Fund, which represents tribes protecting their treaty rights. In the case of BIE cuts, this type of action taken without consultation is rare and in clear violation of the law, she said.

In February, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. rescinded an order to lay off 950 IHS employees, hours after they had been told by phone they were being fired. A Jan. 30 order from the Interior Department titled Ending DEI Programs and Gender Ideology Extremism stated that any efforts to eradicate diversity, equity and inclusion in the departments policy should exclude trust obligations to tribal nations.

In a letter sent Thursday to GSA Acting Administrator Stephen Ehikian and exclusively shared with The Associated Press, Arizona Sens. Ruben Gallego and Mark Kelly expressed serious concern about the announced closure of the BIAs regional office in Phoenix, one of the departments largest.

Its closure will severely limit access for all of these tribes to essential services ranging from economic development to child social services to water system improvements, the senators wrote. The federal government is at serious risk of failing at its most basic obligations, including breaking long-held promises to tribes.

The senators asked Ehikian to explain how the Phoenix office was chosen for closure and how the government will meet its trust responsibilities if it is shuttered.

A spokesperson for the GSA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Vital federal departments for tribes like the BIA and IHS have been chronically underfunded and understaffed. That often means the contracts and projects those agencies are required to approve for tribal nations are already delayed, said Martin Harvier, president of the Salt River PimaMaricopa Indian Community in Phoenix.

If theyre going to start shutting down the office, that means all of us on the other end are waiting for a response, and it just delays things that were trying to move forward, he said. Whether it be a family waiting for a probate to happen or a family waiting for a lease so they can build a home on their lot or economic development.

Harvier said he has been assured by staff at the Phoenix office that its inclusion on the list of closures was a mistake, but he and other tribal leaders he is speaking with are uncertain about the days ahead.

I think all of the tribal nations are just very concerned right now, he said. We just dont know what to expect.
The U.S. Department of State issued a Level 2 travel warning for this popular spring break beach destination due to crime. Katherine Rodriguez/Canva

The U.S. Department of State recently issued a Level 2 travel warning for this popular spring break beach destination due to crime.

Tourists visiting the island of Turks and Caicos were also advised by the State Department not to bring any firearms with them when entering or leaving the islands.

Police strictly enforce these laws, even at the airport when travelers are leaving. Travelers face arrest, jail time, and heavy fines, the State Department noted.

Some U.S. citizens have been detained and unable to depart for several weeks or more after being found with bullets in their luggage. Offenders can face 12 years or more in prison, the notice continued.

Travelers were advised to be on the lookout for crime, especially in Providenciales due to the limited police resources available.

The State Department also advised travelers to do the following to prevent crime:

Avoid walking alone and at night.

Do not answer your door at your hotel/residence unless you know who it is.

Do not physically resist any robbery attempt.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Katherine Rodriguez can be reached at krodriguez@njadvancemedia.com. Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips.
A Sinn Fein TD has said he is shocked and angry about a complaint of alleged fraud made against him.

Cork North Central TD Thomas Gould added that he is entirely innocent.

The Irish Times reported on Saturday that a member of the Oireachtas had been arrested and questioned by gardai about an alleged business fraud almost a decade ago.

In a statement issued by his solicitor Mr Gould said he utterly rejects complaint made against him by a former employer.

He said he is confident that his position will be vindicated after meeting investigating gardai and providing a detailed statement.

Mr Gould said the situation has arisen while he is undergoing treatment for bowel cancer.

When this matter was brought to my attention I was shocked and angry. I am entirely innocent and reject the complaint which my former employer has made against me, he said.

Despite my ongoing treatment for bowel cancer I proactively requested that my interview with gardai happen quickly rather than when my treatment concluded as I consider this to be a serious attack on my reputation.

Yesterday I attended by arrangement with the gardai for interview. I am confident that my position will be vindicated having met with the investigating gardai where I made a detailed statement.

The complaint made against me relates to my employment as a logistics manager before I was elected to the Dail in 2020. I worked for this company for 16 years.

I was a hard-working employee who was promoted to a senior management level. When the company was sold the owner asked me to stay on for a period to help with the transition and I was happy to facilitate him.

I reject the complaint entirely and I will be meeting with my legal team to discuss all avenues now open.

I am prevented from making any further comment while the gardai continue with their work.

Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald said Mr Gould emphatically denies the allegation.

In early February, Deputy Thomas Gould informed the party that a complaint had been made against him to the gardai and that he had been asked to make a statement on the matter, she said.

He was interviewed by gardai in Cork yesterday and made a detailed statement to them.

We understand that a number of other people have been questioned as part of Garda inquiries.

It is now for the gardai to continue their investigation into the complaint.

A Garda spokesperson said in a statement: As part of an ongoing investigation into fraud offences, gardai in Co Cork arrested and detained a man yesterday, Friday 7 March 2025.

He was released without charge on the evening of 7 March 2025.

Investigations are ongoing.
According to a press release from National Broadband Ireland (NBI), the company responsible for delivering the new high-speed Fibre-to-the-Home network under the Governments National Broadband Plan (NBP), "construction is now underway to bring high-speed broadband to over 1,600 homes, farms, and businesses in the Carrigallen deployment area in Co. Leitrim." This area includes the rural surrounds and townlands of Carrigallen, Aughavas, and Drumreilly.

The National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to ensure that homes, businesses, and farms across rural Ireland are connected to future-proofed, high-speed internet. Co. Leitrim, part of the States Intervention Area, is set to receive 46 million in Government investment for broadband infrastructure. "This area will benefit from minimum speeds of 500 megabits per second, which will significantly improve digital connectivity for rural residents," the press release stated.

A total of 12,000 premises in Co. Leitrim are included in the States Intervention Area, with NBI currently working to deliver high-speed broadband to 1,607 homes, farms, and businesses in the Carrigallen area. These premises are expected to be connected by the end of the year. NBIs website is regularly updated with estimated connection dates, and those interested in staying informed can sign up for email notifications at nbi.ie/eoi/.

NBI has already completed works in other parts of Leitrim, with a total of 6,821 premises now able to order or pre-order high-speed broadband. Of these, 1,674 premises are already connected. NBI encourages residents to visit the NBI map and enter their Eircode to check if their premises is ready for connection.

As part of the broader rollout, NBI has connected over 344,000 homes, farms, and businesses across rural Ireland, with more than 116,800 now connected to high-speed broadband. "The take-up rate is impressive, with 33% of eligible premises opting into the service, which surpasses initial projections and international benchmarks. In some areas where the network has been live for 18 months, the take-up rate exceeds 50%," the company shared.

TJ Malone, CEO of National Broadband Ireland, commented, "Our teams are working hard on the ground across the country, and significant progress has been made in Leitrim. High-speed fibre broadband is now available to order for nearly 6,800 premises in the county, including over 900 near Carrick-on-Shannon, more than 2,200 near Keshcarrigan, and almost 2,600 near Manorhamilton. We continue to progress other areas through engineering surveys and design phases, and we encourage all Leitrim residents to visit the NBI website to check their Eircode for updates."

NBI aims to improve digital connectivity nationwide with a minimum internet speed of 500 Mbps, "a vital resource for sustaining local businesses, education, and rural communities."

As a wholesale network operator, NBI does not sell broadband directly to consumers. Instead, it enables broadband services from a range of Retail Service Providers (RSPs), who are responsible for providing connections to end-users. "Currently, 73 RSPs are signed up to sell services on the NBI network, with 69 RSPs certified and ready to provide connections," the company confirmed.

In addition to the Fibre-to-the-Home rollout, the National Broadband Plan includes the establishment of Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) nationwide. These BCPs, which include community centers, sports clubs, tourist sites, and other public spaces, offer free public access to high-speed internet. "As of now, 955 BCPs are live across the country, with several located in Leitrim, such as the Aughavas GAA Centre, Aughawillan Community Centre, and Leitrim Gaels Community Facility." These BCPs will benefit rural communities by facilitating mobile working, e-learning, digital tourism, and mobile banking.

Primary schools in the Intervention Area are now also connected as part of the National Broadband Plan, "ensuring that students have access to the digital resources needed for their education." To keep track of the progress in their area, NBI encourages residents to visit www.nbi.ie and sign up for regular email notifications. Checking eligibility and receiving updates ensures that individuals are always informed about when they can expect to be connected.

National Broadband Ireland is tasked with designing, building, and operating the high-speed fibre broadband network for rural Ireland on behalf of the Irish Government. The company is working with a range of partners, including Nokia (providing active equipment) and various infrastructure partners such as Actavo, KN Group, and Secto, to deliver the network. NBI is committed to managing the broadband network for at least the next 25 years, ensuring sustainable connectivity for rural communities across the country.

READ MORE Kevin Love: The engineer powering Leitrims water supply
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, March 8. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan held a series of meetings with the foreign ministers of OIC member countries to discuss expanding cooperation in political and economic spheres, Trend reports.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, Murat Nurtleu, met on the sidelines of the emergency meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation with the heads of foreign ministries of Turkiye, Hakan Fidan; Malaysia, Mohamad Haji Hassan; Indonesia, Retno Marsudi; Pakistan, Muhammad Ishaq Dar; Oman, Badr Al-Busaidi; Iran, Seyed Abbas Araghchi; and Bahrain, Abdullatif Al-Zayani.

In the course of the meetings, issues related to further development of bilateral relations in political, trade-economic, and investment spheres were discussed, as well as the schedule of joint events for the current year.

Special attention was given to issues of developing transit-transport and cultural-humanitarian cooperation.

Furthermore, the ministers discussed the global agenda and agreed to continue active work within international organizations.

Moreover, the outcomes of the meetings confirmed the mutual interest of the parties in strengthening partnerships and jointly seeking solutions to current challenges.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is an international organization that brings together 57 member countries. Its primary goal is to promote cooperation and support the interests of Muslim countries on the world stage. The OIC was founded on September 25, 1969, following the arson of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, to protect the interests of Muslims and maintain peaceful and mutually beneficial relations between countries.
You have permission to edit this article.

Edit Close
THE North Clondalkin Community Choir will visit St John's Cathedral, Limerick to lead the Music Ministry for the 12 o'clock Mass tomorrow. This is a first for the choir and marks one year since they performed in St Peter's Basilica, Vatican and in Assisi.

Speaking ahead of the performance, Musical Director, Noel Collins said:

"It is a privilege to be invited to perform in St John's Cathedral. Bishop Brendan Leahy, is scheduled to officiate at the service. Bishop Brendan taught my wife Carolyn (Assistant Director) and I during our time in Mater Dei.

He continued: "Our choir was set up in Sept 2022 in response to the isolation and loneliness that many experienced from Covid. There will be 58 out of 63 active members travelling to Limerick on Sunday."

The North Clondalkin Community Choir is a voluntary intergenerational choir consisting of children

and adults from Clondalkin and the surrounding areas. The choir has grown from 40 to 63 members since 2022. Connected by a shared passion for music, all members are directed to sing in harmony to live music and are instructed in how to read sheet music.

Mr Collins said: "Music has the power to unite people from different backgrounds. Our choir brings teachers, lecturers, SNA's, and various community volunteers together in a spirit of friendship and unity. All our members are instructed in how to read sheet music and sing in harmony together. We achieve this by collaborating with professional musicians."

The main aim of the choir is to provide people with access to professional music tuition while making

every effort to reduce the financial barriers traditionally associated with a choir that regularly depends

on the support of professional musicians.
IFA FARM business chair Bill OKeeffe has reminded farmers with land that may fall under the scope of Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT) to make themselves fully aware of the 2025 updated zoning maps in their county.

These maps were updated in January. Lands that are zoned residential and serviced are liable for the tax at 3% of market value.

Following intensive lobbying on RZLT by IFA last year, the then Minister for Finance Jack Chambers announced an exemption for landowners in Budget 2025. In order to avail of this one-year exemption, landowners must make an application to their local authority to have their lands re-zoned based on the current economic activity on the land.

Landowners with affected land must apply before March 31 to their local council to de-zone their land, if they wish to avail of this exemption. Details of how to make a submission for de-zoning are available on local authority websites.

IFA believes that hundreds of farmers around the country have land on the outskirts of towns and villages that has been zoned residential, often without the knowledge of the landowner. It is important that landowners check the zoned land maps in their county, they say.

IFA has objected to RZLT being imposed on farmland since it was first announced in 2021 and continue to campaign for a permanent solution that will remove farmland from the scope of RZLT. The exemption announced in last years Budget is only in place for 2025.

Mr OKeeffe said: IFA and farmers understand the need to build new homes, but RZLT is not the instrument that will solve the current deficit in housing supply.

There are many other barriers to the supply of new housing that the Government needs to address.

He said IFA will continue this campaign to have all farmland excluded from the scope of RZLT.

READ MORE: Young Limerick student recognised with prestigious farming scholarship

It is important that farmers realize they must act before the March deadline and apply for their lands to be rezoned regardless of previous applications.

Regardless of the outcome of the application to rezone, it is the act of applying that will facilitate an exemption from the scope of RZLT for landowners in 2025.

Information on RZLT and making a submission is available here.
A DEVELOPER planning up to 60 new homes in Patrickswell is unable to build on the 20-acre patch of land he has earmarked for them.

In spite of the housing crisis, soaring rents and homelessness across Limerick, Denis Lane of Milfort Properties has learned his land in the village can no longer be developed on because it has been rezoned from residential to agricultural land.

It follows the adoption of Limericks local development plan which governs what development is allowed in what areas.

READ MORE: Hospital-standard care for patients in the comfort of their own homes

The Croom man bought the site, which lies adjacent to the existing Sycamore Heights estate, in 2018 when housing was permitted. But the change in zoning of the land means in effect, development is now prohibited there.

If Mr Lane applied for permission for housing from the council, it would most likely be refused.

I've spoken to all our local TDs and they are scratching their heads about this. There is a new passenger line going through Patrickswell. These residents would be one-minute walk to a rail line possibly into the Raheen Industrial Estate and the city centre, he said.

The developer believes the council are treating Patrickswell in the same way as other villages in Limerick by limiting development.

mong the reasons for this are limited capacity in the sewer systems.

Mr Lane points out this issue does not exist in Patrickswell - his site has a sewer line adjacent.

He also thinks Patrickswell should be treated differently given its proximity to the city, where thousands of people are working at University Hospital Limerick and in the Raheen Industrial Estate.

I am a landlord in Limerick city. A lot of my clientele are trainee doctors in the Regional.

Some of their friends are sleeping in cars, added Mr Lane.

There is a starvation of accommodation in Raheen, three kilometres away.

Mr Lane has secured support from Patrickswell-based councillor Fergus Kilcoyne, who has warned in the past about the impact changing the zoning of land will have on the village.

The Fianna Fail councillor is hoping Government step in with a directive, given the housing crisis.

Patrickswell is the only village around Limerick that has proper sewage facilities which have been upgraded. For the life of me, I cannot understand why theyve dezoned land in Patrickswell. It doesnt make sense, he said.

Cllr Kilcoyne could seek to have the land zoned back for housing, but would need the support of a three-quarters majority of the full council to do this.

In a statement, Limerick City and County Council wrote: According to the 2022 census, Patrickswell has a population of 848. Taking into account dwellings under construction, with planning permission and live planning applications there is potential for an additional 374 units within the village equating to a doubling of existing population.

The local authority added it believes the current zoning of land is considered sufficient and aims to ensure that large scale, rapid development does not overwhelm and detract from the quintessential character of the village that has developed slowly and organically over time.

Council said its area plan seeks to ensure that population growth is met and future needs of the village are accommodated.
NEW DELHI : Samir K. Modi, scion of the KK Modi group, says he's busy building his own consumer-facing business amid an inheritance dispute within the family.

Modi, former executive director at tobacco major Godfrey Phillips India Ltd, part of Modi EnterprisesKK Modi Group, plans to launch home decor stores and expand his direct-selling venture, which he started in 1996. His cosmetics brand Colorbar is also undergoing a revamp.

"I'm not concerned with the (inheritance) fight; that's in the background. I've got businesses to run, people take care of," Modi, founder and managing director of Modicare Ltd, said in an interview on Friday at the company's office in New Delhi.

In August last year, Modi was ousted from the tobacco maker's board over his conduct during board meetings and outside. His mother Bina Modi was reappointed as managing director for five years with effect from 14 November, and his sister Charu Modi joined the board.

The dispute dates back to 2014 when his father KK Modi, mother Bina and the children executed a restated trust deed, consolidating the family's assets to ensure equal distribution among all branches.

Since KK Modi's death in 2019, his grandson Ruchir and son Lalit Modi have been embroiled in legal battles over their exclusion from key roles in family companies, including Godfrey Phillips India and Modicare Ltd.

Bina Modi was appointed chairperson of Modi EnterprisesKK Modi Group, in 2019.

"My nephew is contesting it. I have no time for it. I've taken somewhat of a backseat from it. But nobody can take my share away from me. I have 25% shareholding in the group. That cannot be taken away and not contested by anybody," Samir Modi said.

Modi Enterprises has interests in chemicals (Indofil Industries Ltd), tobacco, travel, education and direct selling.

In fiscal 2024, Godfrey Phillips, the group's listed entity that sells cigarettes under the Marlboro and Benson & Hedges brands, reported a gross sales value of 11,271 crore and a net profit of 884 crore.

Expansion business

Modi joined the family business at the age of 19, working at the tobacco factory. Lalit Modi, the founder of the Indian Premier League, is his elder brother.

Samir was involved in the group's expansion in other consumer segments such as retail (24Seven convenience stores) and beauty products (Colorbar Cosmetics).

Last year, Godfrey Phillips closed its 24Seven retail business due to stakeholder feedback, poor long-term performance, challenging market conditions, and accumulated losses. Modi has sought payment of royalties for using the 24Seven trademarks between June 2005 and 31 August 2024, along with damages.

"It was a great business. Family fights end up having business casualties. I believe they have given a management contract to somebody; but the brand name is mine; it is owned by me," he said. "However, I'm no longer part of the company, so I'm not aware of the strategy."

Modi is focusing on expanding his businesses, including the recent launch of more premium weight loss and health supplement products through Modiway's direct-selling network.

Tough market

However, that comes as more consumers shift to buying goods online and through quick commerce. Despite the traditional model's reliance on network-based sales and Modi claiming a large active membership, the industry faces scrutiny.

Government regulations have been implemented to protect consumers from fraudulent schemes, following enforcement actions against major players.

Modi is, however, unfazed and convinced the industry is here to say, citing job opportunities it provides.

Meanwhile, the beauty market has evolved, too, with direct-to-consumer brands entering the fold and chipping away share from incumbents. That has prompted a revamp of Colorbar.

"We are changing everythingthe packaging, social media and positioning it as a more premium brand," he said.

Modi intends to take the business public within the next three years. Colorbar is cutting costs to achieve profitability milestones. "We are streamlining business and could touch 1,000 crore in revenue by next fiscal up from 700 crore now," he said.

Modi is also launching Banaras Bhang, a multi-brand design store, in Delhi-NCR this May, expanding into the lifestyle business.

Meanwhile, shares of Godfrey Phillips India have risen over 30% since Modi's ouster despite volatility in the broader stock market.

"Why is this happeningI don't know, but it's unusual," he said.

Promoter shareholding in Godfrey Phillips India stands at 72.58%; while foreign institutions hold 10.63%.

Modi wasn't bogged down by his public ouster last year. "There were different kinds of issues when I was working with my father such as how to be an entrepreneur and how to stay afloat in a large family business," he said. "The other kind of struggle, which has been in the news recently, is probably far more emotional and personal in nature."
Qimat Rai Guptas journey from the small town of Malerkotla in Punjab, where he sold kerosene on a bicycle, to building Havells, a global electrical equipment powerhouse, is a testament to the grit and vision of one of Indias most inspiring yet understated entrepreneurs.

Born in 1937 to a lower-middle-class family with no business pedigree, Gupta, who was called Bhaisahib by older employees and QRG by others, defied the odds in the India of the 1970s, where connections and inherited wealth often dictated success. His story rivals the bootstrapped triumphs of global icons such as Sam Walton of Walmart and Ingvar Kamprad of IKEA, yet remains distinctly Indian in its context and execution.

At 21, QRG left for Delhi armed with little more than the will to succeed. He started working at an electrical goods shop in Bhagirath Palace, Delhis bustling wholesale market, learning the trade from the ground up. In 1971 he made a bold move, buying the Havells brand from Haveli Ram Gandhi for 7 lakh, a princely sum that he scraped together through sheer hustle.

Also read: Why LTIMindtrees old-school tests may not work in an AI-driven world

In a market teeming with competitors such as Anchor Electricals, Crompton Greaves, Bajaj Electricals, and multinationals such as Siemens and GEC catering to the premium segments, QRG carved out a place for his fledgling startup. He transformed commoditised electrical components such as switches, wires, and miniature circuit breakers into branded products.

Intuitively, he also figured that the new post-Independence generation of Indians were emerging as avid buyers of fast-moving electrical goods such as fans and lights. This new cohort would want style and panache in fans and lights as they eschewed the humbler choices of their parents.

Rural opportunity

What set QRG apart was this foresight. In his book Havells: The Untold Story of Qimat Rai Gupta, Anil Rai Gupta, whos headed the company since 2014, said his father believed that Business is done with conviction, not a calculator." Unlike his peers, who were fixated on urban centers, he also tapped Indias rural markets, which had been studiously avoided by larger companies reluctant to invest in the distribution network this would require. This was the key to Havellss future success.

QRG built an extensive distribution network before fully committing to manufacturing. Once this was in place, he invested in world-class manufacturing, as Havells evolved from a trading outfit to a producer of quality, homegrown alternatives to imported goods. Its positioning was carefully chosenoffering reliable products at reasonable prices, bridging the gap between pricey multinationals such as Philips and cheap, unbranded alternatives.

Also read: How Manu Manek aka Black Cobra went from college trader to market marauder

Soon Havells became a feature of Indian households despite the presence of big brands in various segments. By 2000 the company was competing against multinationals such as Legrand, Schneider Electric and Philips, as well as Indian firms such as Finolex Cables, Anchor (later acquired by Panasonic) and L&T. Over the years, newer competitors such as Polycab and Syska also gained ground in emerging segments. Havellss market share remained strong, however, ranging from 15-20% in switches and sockets and 10-15% of the overall lighting market.

Risky business

In 2007, the scrappy electrical goods company from Delhi made an audacious bet which equalled in degree, if not in scale, the Tata bid for Corus. QRG wasnt content with domestic success and had always dreamt of going global. His eyes were set on Sylvania Lighting International (SLI), a Frankfurt-based giant with a century-old legacy and a presence in more than 50 countries. At $300 million, Sylvania was a behemoth, 1.5 times larger than Havells, with revenues dwarfing those of its Indian suitor. For QRG, it was a chance to catapult Havells into the big leagues alongside titans such as Philips, Osram and GE.

Also read: Vikram Sarabhai, the cosmic capitalist whose vision encompassed Indian industry

The acquisition was a complex affair, with Havells finally buying Sylvania with a mix of $265 million in debt from Barclays Bank and internal funds. For QRG, it was a coup. Sylvanias European sophistication paired with Havellss Indian manufacturing prowess promised a bright future through synergies from shifting production to India.

But the euphoria wouldnt last long.

Just as Havells was finding its footing with Sylvania, the global financial crisis of 2008 plunged Europe, Sylvanias stronghold, into chaos. Demand for lighting fixtures and electrical goods evaporated and Sylvania, already burdened by inefficiencies from years under private-equity ownership, began haemorrhaging cash. The debt that funded the acquisition was the proverbial albatross around its neck. The bankers delivered an ultimatum: repay the loan immediately or surrender the European company.

Never say die

This might have been a tempting thought  cut your losses and save Havellss thriving domestic business. After all, Sylvanias losses were dragging down Havellss consolidated performance, threatening the entire enterprise. QRGs reputation, built over decades of grit and ingenuity, hung in the balance.

But the septuagenarian founder wasnt built for surrender. Along with his son and nephew, now a vital part of the business, he embarked on a restructuring that involved slashing Sylvanias bloated workforce, closing unprofitable plants and warehouses, and cutting logistics costs. Havells emerged stronger from the near-death experience. In 2015 it sold an 80% stake in Sylvania to Shanghai-based Feilo Acoustics for more than 1,070 crore.

QRG's life story is a powerful reminder that true success is built on vision, resilience, and the courage to take risks.
President Trump and his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff have threatened a return to war in the Gaza Strip if Hamas doesnt release its remaining hostages. Israel is already plotting out how that would happen.

Israel has drafted plans for a series of escalatory steps to gradually ratchet up pressure on Hamas now that talks to extend a seven-week cease-fire have stalled, plans that could lead to a resumption of hostilities in the 16-month war in the Gaza Strip.

The steps kicked off in the past week with Israel blocking the entry of goods and supplies into Gaza. The next moves would include cutting off electricity and water, said Bezalel Smotrich, Israels powerful finance minister, who said the measures were discussed in a cabinet meeting last weekend.

If those steps fail, Israel could turn to a campaign of airstrikes and tactical raids against Hamas targets, an Israeli security analyst briefed on the plan said. Next, Israel could again displace the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who have used the cease-fire to return to their homes in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, the analyst said.

Ultimately, Israel could re-invade Gaza with far more military power than it has deployed so far in the conflict, with an eye to holding ground and effectively occupying territory while it attacks the remnants of Hamas, people familiar with the plan said.

Many in Israel feel another invasion of Gaza cant be avoided.

Theres a determination to go back in and finish Hamas no matter what happens," said former Pentagon official Michael Makovsky, who is now president of the Jewish Institute for National Security of America, a think tank based in Washington. I think Israel will go in tougher and stronger."

The planning comes as Israel and Hamas have reached a pivotal stage in the talks where the two foes are bringing diametrically opposed positions to the core issues in the war, hamstringing efforts to keep the negotiations going.

Israel wants Hamas to release the dozens of hostages it still holds, something Hamas has said it would do only if there is a permanent end to the fighting, which Israel wont agree to. Israel also wants Hamas to relinquish power and disarm, which the U.S.-designated terrorist group refuses to do.

As an interim step, Israel is offering to extend the cease-fire for a month or so if Hamas will keep releasing hostages held in Gaza and has set a deadline of Saturday for the militant group to comply. If it doesnt, Israel has warned negotiators in the cease-fire talks that it will gradually escalate its punishment of Hamas to the point of a return to full-blown war, Arab mediators said.

Hamas is insisting on opening talks about an end to the war and refuses to discuss disarming, the mediators said.

Trump has shown signs this week of losing patience with the delays. On Wednesday, he warned Hamas in a social-media post that if it didnt release all the remaining hostages in Gaza immediately, you are DEAD!" A day later, Trump and his envoy Witkoff suggested the U.S. and Israel could take joint action against Hamas.

Some Israeli security analysts say the country is in a much better position to go into Gaza than it was at the beginning of the war. Its ammunition stores are replenished, the limits and pressure imposed on it by the Biden administration have been lifted, and it no longer needs to keep large numbers of troops pinned down on its northern border to guard against an attack by Hezbollah, the Lebanese militia that Israel forced into a cease-fire with a ferocious military campaign last fall.

The war has destroyed much of Hamass fighting force and much of its infrastructure, including facilities for making weapons and major tunnels that serve to connect important military sites. The group has been cut off from outside help, and Israel believes it killed 20,000 fighters, including top commanders. While Hamas has been able to recruit thousands more, they are inexperienced and will have a hard time training without becoming targets.

The analyst briefed on Israels plan said the preliminary stages of escalation could take up to two months, during which time Israel could begin to remobilize its forces for a large invasion of Gaza with sufficient troops to hold ground.

Thus far, Israel has fought Hamas in parts of the enclave then moved on to new battles elsewhere, allowing the militants to regroup.

There is no way to do it without the occupation of Gaza," Yaakov Amidror, a former Israeli national security adviser, said of any effort to wipe out Hamas militarily. Israel would need at least six months to a year to subdue Hamas, Amidror said.

The war was sparked on Oct. 7, 2023, by the Hamas-led attacks on Israel that left around 1,200 dead and about 250 taken hostage. Israels response has reduced much of Gaza to rubble and has killed more than 48,000 people, according to Palestinian health authorities, who dont say how many were combatants.

Despite its weakened state, Hamas is likely to survive another round of fighting, said Tahani Mustafa, senior Palestine analyst at the conflict-resolution organization International Crisis Group.

View Full Image The minaret of a destroyed mosque leans across a street in Nuseirat, Gaza. Photo: Eyad Baba/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images

I think there had been an underestimation in terms of Hamass numbers in terms of their operational capacity and how they were able to sustain such a long-term insurgency," she said. In terms of its numbers as well, it doesnt look like its numbers are necessarily dwindling. I think if anything its recruitment has seen a significant uptick."

Hamas is deeply unpopular in Gaza, but the violence of the war and lack of an alternative ensures it has some support, Tahani said.

For any effective control of Gaza, Israel would still need to dismantle the rest of Hamass extensive tunnel system, much of which is still intact, in what would be a grueling and destructive process, analysts said. Some warned that without any clear replacement for Hamas and a way to win over Gazans, Israel would be left fighting an insurgency.

Israel would face challenges returning to war while Hamas still holds hostages. Fifty-nine of them have yet to return from Gaza, including as many as 24 who Israel believes are alive. Israel has acknowledged that at least 14 have been killed by military activity including airstrikes. Another six were executed by Hamas in late August, as Israeli military troops closed in on their tunnel in the city of Rafah.

Israeli polls have shown a strong majority of the public supports moving to the next phase of the cease-fire deal, which would bring home the remaining living hostages in exchange for a permanent end to the war.

Write to Dov Lieber at dov.lieber@wsj.com and Anat Peled at anat.peled@wsj.com
New Delhi: Zero for zero is the buzzword in Indias textile and apparel industry as sector leaders urged the government to push for nil tariffs either way for trade between India and the US. Such a move, coming in the backdrop of the US increasing tariffs on some countries, is seen as something that could move the needle towards India in its textile and apparel exports to the worlds second-largest market.

According to Prabhu Dhamodharan, convenor of the Indian Texpreneurs Federation (ITF), India's current 5.9% share in US apparel imports could increase to 10% if zero-duty access is secured. Zero-for-zero duty is the textile industry's wish, and if we get that, nothing could be better for the industry," Dhamodharan told Mint over phone.

The industry inputs come in the backdrop of an India team camping in Washington to thrash out a bilateral trade agreement (BTA) with the US that would seek to avoid reciprocal tariffs on critical goods such as textiles, engineering goods, drugs and pharmaceuticals, and electronics goods.

According to a commerce ministry official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the department has taken note of the demands and suggestions from the industry. The proposed BTA will be positive for the sector, this official said.

Also read | Bangladesh shifts global textiles export route from India to Maldives amid strained bilateral ties

In response to an emailed query, a spokesperson for the US Embassy in New Delhi said, Our leaders have set a bold new goal for bilateral tradeMission 500which aims to more than double total trade to $500 billion by 2030."

Queries emailed to the textiles secretary, spokespersons of the US trade representative (USTR), and Indian ministries of commerce and textiles remained unanswered till press time.

The global trade scenario

The US is the worlds second-largest market for textiles and apparel, accounting for 15% of global exports. India has a trade surplus with the US in textiles and apparel. In 2024, the US imported about $10.8 billion worth of textiles and apparel from India, while its exports to India were much lower at $0.41 billion.

India mainly buys fibre products from the US, with cotton accounting for over half of these imports. In contrast, Indias exports to the US are mostly apparel and home textiles, accounting for 81.5% of total shipments.

Meanwhile, the US has imposed (and subsequently paused) 25% tariffs on all imports from Canada and Mexico, till 2 April.

It has also imposed a 10% tariff on China on 1 February and another 10% on 4 March. In turn, China has announced an additional 15% tariff on US cotton, which will come into effect on 10 March. These developments are expected by the industry to indirectly benefit India, as Chinese products will become costlier and US cotton exports to China will not be profitable.

Also read | Budget 2025 | Textile industry seeks interest subsidy, lower PLI investment floor in budget

Further, when the USs 25% tariff on Mexico comes into effect, the cotton apparel opportunity is expected to shift to India and Bangladesh, while the man-made fibre apparel, such as Lycra and nylon wear, will likely move to Vietnam and Cambodia, according to experts. The share of Mexico in US apparel imports is 3.3%, and it mainly exports knitwear and denim, among others.

After the tariffs between the US and these countries come into effect, experts said the major destinations for US textile imports will be Vietnam, Bangladesh, and India.

As per Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA) trade data, US apparel imports in CY2024 stood at $79.26 billion. Indias share of this was 5.9%, amounting to about $4.68 billion. China was the top exporter of apparel to the US, holding a 21% share amounting to around $16.64 billion, followed by Vietnam at 19% ($15.06 billion) and Bangladesh at 9.3% ($7.37 billion).

What Indian experts have said

The US is a very important market for us, as it imports around $70 billion worth of apparel every year," said Dhamodaran of ITF. Our market share has improved by only 1% in the last four years, meaning we have grown from 5% to 6% now. China remains the dominant player, followed by Vietnam and Bangladesh, while we hold the fourth position."

Dhamodaran added that Indian negotiators should offer leverage in technology and cotton exports to the US while seeking duty concessions for Indian textile products in return, as we need to create jobs, and labour-intensive sectors like textiles and leather will provide that opportunity".

Read this | Textiles exports a silver lining as Indias trade deficit widens

According to a report by Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) released on 25 February, US exports to India face an average duty of 10.14%, while Indian textiles, fabric, yarn, and fibre face an average duty of 3.55%, resulting in a tariff difference of 6.59%. The trade think tank suggested in the report that the 'zero-for-zero' tariff strategy is Indias best option and could be implemented quickly.

A more proactive approach would be for India to propose eliminating tariffs on most industrial products, provided the US reciprocates," the GTRI report stated, adding that agriculture should be excluded from the negotiations. India should identify tariff lines where duty cuts would not harm domestic industries, drawing from its past FTA offers to Japan, Korea, and Asean."

However, Raja Shanmugam, a knitwear exporter and former president of the Tiruppur Exporters Association, cautioned the government to keeping in mind the interests of Indian cotton farmers while making policy shifts. He noted that while cheaper US cotton may scale up the garment sector, it could also encroach upon the market share of Indian farmers.

Also read | Demand from European markets fuels recovery in Indias textile exports amid Bangladesh crisis

The Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI), too, suggested setting up a quota for cotton imports from the US to safeguard Indian farmers, even while it also batted for a zero-for-zero policy on textiles and apparel exports.

As India remains dependent on US cotton imports, a duty-free access mechanism with quota safeguards could ensure a balanced trade approach," said CITI chairman Rakesh Mehra. With strategic negotiations and industry-government collaboration, India is well-positioned to seize this transformative opportunity in the US textiles and apparel market."

Fall in production and exports

To be sure, in recent years, India has witnessed a sharp decline in cotton production, often referred to as white gold. According to data from the textiles ministry, annual cotton production stood at 37 million bales (170 kg each) in 2017-18, which steadily declined over the years to 34.7 million bales in 2022-23. Production is estimated to shrink further to 31.6 million bales in 2023-24.

The overall textiles exports have witnessed a declining trend, starting with $33.83 billion in FY20, dropping to $29.46 billion in FY21. Although exports rose to $41.12 billion in FY22, they then decreased to $35.55 billion in FY23 and it reduced further to $34.40 billion in FY24.

And read | Cotton is passe. Can India ever make it big in this fashionable textile market?
Photo: Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Azerbaijan / Facebook

BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 8. Azerbaijan has participated in discussions on gas supply to Slovakia, Trend reports via the Azerbaijani Ministry of Energy.

Thus, at the first meeting of the Working Group established between the European Commission and Slovakia regarding the gas supply issue faced by Slovakia in Brussels, Belgium, Azerbaijan was represented by a delegation led by Azerbaijan's Deputy Minister of Energy Orkhan Zeynalov.

The meeting was attended by Head of Energy Policy in the Directorate-General for Energy of the European Commission Cristina Lobillo Borrero, and Slovakia's Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economy Denisa Sakova.

The European Commission and Slovakia emphasized Azerbaijan's strategic importance as a reliable partner in the energy sector.

Both the supply of natural gas and the development of cooperation in the green energy sector were discussed, with readiness for mutual cooperation and support expressed.

During the event, where SOCAR's Vice President Elshad Nasirov also participated, Azerbaijan's natural gas potential, particularly additional export opportunities to Europe, was presented.

The necessary conditions for increasing supply and developing infrastructure were highlighted.

The deputy minister discussed Azerbaijan's strategic role in creating energy corridors and stated that the country is ready to contribute to the dialogue on expanding cooperation with European suppliers and ensuring energy security.

The meeting also provided information on the development and export plans for renewable energy, and the work done on green energy interconnector projects such as "Caspian-Black Sea-Europe", "Azerbaijan-Central Asia-Europe", "Azerbaijan-Turkiye-Europe", and "Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkiye-Bulgaria -Bulgaria" was emphasized.

During the visit, a meeting was held with the Director General for Energy of the European Commission Ditte Juul Jorgensen.

The discussion focused on energy dialogue between Azerbaijan and the European Union, cooperation under the Southern Gas Corridor Consultative Council, and the supply of renewable energy to Europe through various routes, including the green energy transit from Central Asia.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
New Delhi: The process of appointing new honchos for five large state-owned enterprises with combined revenue of more than 18 trillion found its first appointee on Thursday.

Vikas Kaushal, a partner and chairman at consultancy major Kearneys India operations, was appointed chairman and managing director (CMD) of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL), Indias third-biggest oil marketing company by revenue, by the appointments committee of the Union cabinet for a period of five years.

The move marks the first instance of a private sector executive being appointed head of an oil and gas PSU. To be sure, Kaushal has previously worked in HPCL along with other PSUs such as Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and NTPC in senior executive positions.

Meanwhile, advertisements by the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) have been pushed out seeking applications for CMD posts in four other central public sector units (PSUs)Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC), NTPC Ltd, BPCL, and NHPC Ltd.

Also read | PSU stocks tumble from all-time highs - is it time to reconsider or is it an investment opportunity?

The move assumes significance given that these companies are market leaders in their domains, and have a pivotal role to play in Indias energy transition goals. While ONGC is Indias largest hydrocarbon and exploration firm, NTPC is Indias largest power generation firm. NHPC is the countrys largest hydropower firm.

ONGC is the latest public sector entity in the energy space for which the PESB has sought applications for the chairmans post. On Monday, PESB invited applications from qualified candidates, and the last date of receipt of applications is 11 April. The incumbent CMD, Arun Kumar Singh, was appointed in December 2022 for a three-year term.

Some former chairmen of these large PSUs expressed reservations over the process followed and the tenure of the leaders.

A.K. Singh, CMD of NHPC from February 2020 to August 2022, told Mint that the appointment of CMD should be for a longer period than the usual two or three years so that there is time for the vision of the board of directors and the CMD to be implemented.

Also read | Centre directs energy PSUs to list green energy business

Further, the appointment process also usually takes a few months, so a pool of qualified candidates should be prepared and the government should have a ready list to accelerate the process of selection and appointment," Singh said. Energy companies have capex-heavy operations and have heavy investments in hand, which would require management to operate round the clock with decisiveness."

"There should be much more seriousness in terms of appointment of top management personnel in PSU companies," R.S. Sharma, who was CMD of ONGC from May 2006 to January 2011, said. The process should not be delayed, as it can become a long-drawn process in case the PESB's recommendation is not finalized, and also norms need to be properly followed in terms of these appointments."

Queries emailed to the Union ministries of power, petroleum & natural gas, ONGC, HPCL, NTPC and NHPC remained unanswered till press time.

The process

For oil marketing and refining major BPCL, the search and selection process is underway as the tenure of its current CMD G. Krishnakumar ends in April. The PESB held interviews of potential candidates on 1 February.

The two top power generators, NTPC and NHPC, would also need new chiefs, with the selection process for the former already underway.

The tenure of Gurdeep Singh, the CMD of NTPC, comes to an end this July. He was given an extension of five years in 2020. His tenure witnessed the largest coal-based power generator's pivot towards green energy. With a target of 60 GW renewable energy by 2032, its subsidiary NTPC Green Energy Ltd was listed on the stock exchanges in November last year. It has also undertaken the task of setting up India's first green hydrogen hub in Andhra Pradesh with a projected investment of 1.8 trillion.

Read this | Govt weighs strategic PSU tag for BHEL

NHPCs current CMD, Raj Kumar Chaudhary, who was previously director (technical) at the Navratna company, would retire on 30 June. The advertisement seeking applications for NHPC CMD was published on 3 March. Applications are to be sent in by 1 April.

Executives from both public and private sector companies can apply for these posts. As per current norms, after shortlisting of candidates from the applicants and interviewing them, PESB sends a recommended name to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), which takes the final decision on the appointment.

Why these companies are important

For ONGC, which in 2023 announced its objective to achieve Scope I and II net zero carbon emission by 2038 and plans to invest 2 trillion in the process, a new chairman would have a key role to play in consolidating its net zero plans and expanding the renewable energy portfolio. ONGC aims to install a renewable energy capacity of 10 GW by 2030. Currently, it has 3 GW capacity in the country.

Further, ONGC would play a key role in achieving the governments target of increasing domestic oil and gas production in order to lower import dependence, along with ONGC Videsh, which takes up projects abroad, and the bid to appoint a new chief comes at a time when some of its projects, including the Mozambique LNG project, are in limbo.

Meanwhile, both BPCL and HPCL play a major role in terms of crude oil and LNG supplies from abroad. BPCL signed long-term deals with Petrobras and Total for oil and gas respectively in February. Further, it would also set up the nearly 95,000 crore refinery in Andhra Pradesh, dubbed to be India's last greenfield refinery project. It also has an ambitious energy transition plan under its ASPIRE programme, wherein it plans to invest 1.7 trillion in the next five years.

Also read | PSU banks are giving the best FD rates in eight years. Here's why

Responding to Mint's queries, BPCL said that with a focus on talent grooming, the organization has established a robust framework to cultivate well-rounded professionals. In a bid to enrich learning experience, BPCL integrates assignments, board nominations, steering committee participation, and action learning projects into leadership development programs. This comprehensive approach ensures that leaders develop a deep understanding of the business and are equipped to tackle complex challenges, it said.

NTPCs incoming chief will have to play a major role in expanding the portfolio of NTPC Green and setting up the hub at Pudimadaka, Andhra Pradesh, along with ensuring growth of thermal power capacity amid the government's renewed push for coal to meet the surging power demand and maintain grid stability.

Another major task for the new NTPC CMD would be to consolidate the company's position in the nuclear power space, where it has forayed. In May 2023, it signed a joint venture agreement with Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd for nuclear power plants. NTPC also plans to have standalone projects, along with developing small modular reactors (SMR) through global partnerships.

And read | BPCL's Andhra plantlikely India's costliest refinery projectto serve dual ambitions

NHPC, on the other hand, has to develop strategic projects including the 11 GW Siang hydroelectric project in Arunachal Pradesh, which would work as a counter to the China's 60 GW Motok Dam hydroelectric project.

In a recent interview to Mint, its current CMD Raj Kumar Chaudhary, whose tenure ends in June, said that with a reservoir capacity of 13 billion cubic metres, the Siang project would provide resistance against sudden floods if China suddenly releases water during the monsoon season and would act as a reservoir to supply water downstream in case China decides to divert the Tsangpo river (known as Siang when it enters Arunachal Pradesh) during the dry season.

He also said that Indias largest hydropower generation firm would invest around 84,000 crore to set up 20 gigawatts (GW) of pumped storage capacity.
Even as women make their presence felt in India's finance sector, with many making it to corner offices and boardrooms, female participation remains abysmally low in one corner: equity dealing rooms.

The trading floor is intensefull of aggression, sharp language, and a no-filter attitude that can be overwhelming," said a female equity trader with nearly two decades of experience who didn't want to be identified. The gender ratio is shockingly low at 20:1 in dealing rooms."

However, in the finance sector overall, about 20% of those employed are women, according to estimates shared by search firm Korn Ferry India. Women's participation is even higher in an industry like information technology services at 36%, according to estimates by industry body Nasscom.

Trading floors of the past, where men jostled, animatedly signalled and shouted orders over the din, have given way to dealing rooms where people furiously tap away client trades on keyboards. That, according to multiple traders Mint spoke with, hasn't brought women into these roles as much as some of the other profiles.

Also read | On the gender scale, business schools still dont measure up

There is a clear boys' club, and the cultural nuances on the trading floors make it a male bastion," said Monica Agrawal, managing director  financial services, Asia Pacific and India lead, board and CEO services at Korn Ferry India. There are few role models for women and that prevents them from even considering to aspire for the role."

In equity dealing rooms, traders execute stock and derivatives transactions, often involving high volatility and short-term trades on the National Stock Exchange Ltd and BSE. A bond dealing room focuses on government and corporate bonds, trading via negotiated dealing system-order matching, over-the-counter markets, and exchanges. The activity on an equity trading floor is far more frenetic.

We have to take instant decisions on whether to buy or sell (shares of a firm), and the order sizes can be large," said Radhika Maheshwari, lead dealer at WhiteOak Capital's portfolio management vertical. In a volatile market like the one we are seeing now, the risk multiplies and only those with a strong risk appetite and risk management can confidently make quick, high-impact decisions."

Also read | Where women lead: small companies outpace giants in executive roles

A trade call, often made in split seconds, can either boost or erode a client's portfolio. The stereotyped belief that men are more attuned to such risk-taking prevents many women from applying for roles in dealing rooms even now.

In the futures and options (F&O) retail space, the number of women traders is quite low," said Salonee Sanghvi, founder of research firm My Wealth Guide. Sanghvi, who has worked with ace investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala's RARE Enterprises for nearly a decade, estimates that barely 10-15% of all retail derivative traders in India are women.

We have women as senior executives in other teams like finance, marketing, but the dealing rooms are all-male," said a senior executive in the dealing room of one of the largest financial advisory firms. Some [women] who came in the early years, asked for a transfer or left."

Alekh Yadav, head of investment products at Sanctum Wealth, who headed trading for four years, said in the open outcry method of the 1990s and early 2000s, men were considered naturally suited for the role" of shouting out buy-and-sell orders on the BSE floor. But as technology has advanced, the need for physical presence has disappeared, allowing more women to enter the space. Still, old traditions linger, keeping the gender ratio skewed."

Read this | Happy 2025: Five new-year resolutions for smarter equity investing

A few financial services firms have been trying to reduce this gap.

We are proud to have achieved 26% female representation in our dealing room," Manjeet Dhillon, head of human resources at Kotak Securities, told Mint. But the broking firm flagged that early reporting hours" was one of the major hurdles.

Many companies are adopting gender-blind hiring practices, forming diverse interview panels, and setting specific gender-diversity goals to encourage more women to pursue equity trading, Dhillon said.

Rival HDFC Securities has introduced a childcare allowance, helping reduce attrition among returning mothers to just 5.5%. While challenges in closing the gender gap in broking remain, we believe our initiatives will empower more women to thrive in this field," said Dhiraj Relli, the company's managing director & chief executive officer.

And read | 'We can't have equity-market returns with fixed-income-like consistency'

While HDFC Securities has reached an overall gender diversity ratio of 26.7%, Motilal Oswal Financial Services told Mint that it has clocked a 308% increase in the number of women professionals in its company.

Both the companies did not specify the percentage of female traders in their dealing rooms.

Most companies still want to hire women in the treasury, accounting and finance floors, and trading rooms stay largely off-limits.
Many companies in India and globally have taken steps to bridge the gender gap, recognising the importance and advantages of a higher share of women in the workforce.

Initiatives such as gender pay parity assessments, flexible work policies, generous sabbaticals, and extended maternity leaves have been implemented. Yet, retaining women remains a major challenge. Caregiving responsibilities for children and elderly family members continue to be one of the main reasons women leave the workforce. Even well-intended initiatives like workplace creches fall short of addressing their concerns.

As a result, womens representation in leadership remains muted. A 2024 study supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the ministry of women and child development found that only 1.6% of Fortune India 500 companies have women CEOs. Another study by Deloitte found that women held just 18.3% of board seats in Indian companies in 2023, lower than the global average of 23.3%.

Also Read: Where women lead: small companies outpace giants in executive roles

Gender gap starts early

As the 2024 MBA admissions into business schools have shown, the problem of a lower share of women managers in companies actually starts at the roots of their careers and education.

The 2024 Common Admission Test (CAT) results illustrate this starkly: out of 14 students who scored a perfect 100 percentile, only one was female. Of the 3.29 lakh registered eligible candidates, just 1.19 lakh were women, 2.10 lakh male and 14 transgender candidates.

Further, the 2020-21 All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) highlights that while overall female enrolment in higher education has increased, women remain underrepresented in professional and technical courses. Only 30% of engineering students and less than 40% of management students were women. This disparity trickles into business schools and, eventually, corporations.

Also Read: Women-centric policies need to deliver progress thats tangible and enduring

What B-Schools can do

Business schools should attempt to improve the ratio of female students so that it will have a cumulative impact on gender diversity in companies.

Although the cut-off percentile for students eligibility and admission is often internal and confidential, it is learnt that many schools this year have lower cut-offs for girls than for boys. Hopefully, this will increase the overall number of girls in the incoming batch. The Indian School of Business (ISB) believes that its commitment to improving gender representation has resulted in a more balanced ratio of 53:47 between boys and girls.

In recent years, it has become evident that a significant majority of students in MBA cohorts come from engineering backgrounds. For instance, in the 2024 two-year MBA programme at IIM-Bangalore, out of a total number of 535 students, 393 had completed an engineering course, of which 276 were boys and 117 were girls. However, girls outnumbered boys in all the other streams like arts and humanities, science and commerce. Therefore, the solution to the problem of diversity in companies can partly be solved by encouraging more female students to opt for engineering before enrolling in an MBA programme.

Institutions like IIM-Kashipur and IIM-Kozhikode have introduced a supernumerary system where a certain number of seats are reserved for female candidates every year. The IIMs supported by the Centre and state governments have quotas for sections like economically weaker sections (EWS), scheduled castes and tribes, and other marginalised segments. It is possible to encourage more women from these categories to apply, gain admission and even get scholarships for support.

Finally, companies recruiting from business schools should be encouraged to hire women through a diversity lens. By prioritizing gender diversity, recruiters can help ensure that the influx of female MBA graduates translates into more women in leadership roles.

Globally, DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) initiatives are facing headwinds. Major companies such as Meta, Google, John Deere, Harley Davidson, Walmart and Amazon are reportedly deprioritising DEI initiatives under US President Donald Trump. This makes it even more critical for Indian corporations to take ownership of the gender diversity agenda rather than relying on global trends. Indian corporations should involve a larger number of business schools and higher education institutions and integrate gender diversity efforts into recruitment.

Also Read | Rahul Jacob: Working for women bosses is a privilege one must treasure
For about half the people alive today, the story of where they came from just became clearer.

For centuries, historians and linguists have been searching for the cradle of the Indo-Europeans, an ancient people who shaped history and created the worlds largest language family, now spoken by over 40% of humanity. Now research led by David Reich, a geneticist at Harvard Medical School who specializes in the study of ancient populations, is making it possible to give a precise answer.

The peoples of Europe and West Asia, as well as everyone descended from their migrations across the globesome four billion human beings alive todaycan trace their ancestry to theYamnaya, a small community of cattle-herders who lived 5,000 years ago in what is now Ukraine.

DNA detectives, including at Reichs lab, analyzed DNA samples from the remains of around 450 prehistoric individuals taken from 100 sites in Europe, as well as data from 1,000 previously known ancient samples. In two papers published in the scientific journal Nature last month, the researchers combine genetic evidence with archaeology and linguistics to argue that sometime before 3000 B.C., a previously unknown people migrated from the Volga River to the Ukrainian steppe north of the Black Sea, where they mixed with a local population and formed theYamnaya.

The Ukrainian hamlet Mykhailivka, now under Russian occupation, was pinpointed as the genetic cradle of the Yamnaya. From there they exploded across Eurasia, spreading their genes and their way of life from Portugal to Mongolia. This expansion, archaeologists and geneticists say, defines much of the worlds genetic and cultural heritage to this day. They changed the populations of Europe, and ultimately, the world, Reich said.

This incredible expansion laid a foundation for premodern globalization," said Kristian Kristiansen of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, an authority on the Yamnaya who did not participate in the new research. Their language, which was not written down but can be partly reconstructed by linguists, was the ancestor of 400 later tongues, including Latin and Greek, English and Russian, Urdu and German. Ancient civilizations that we usually think of as antagoniststhe Romans and the Celts, the Persians and the Macedoniansall shared this genetic and cultural heritage, the new research shows.

These ancient people did not call themselves Yamnaya. The name was coined by archaeologists from the Russian word yama, meaning pit," because they buried important people in pits beneath mounds known as kurgans. They were also likely the first people to ride horses and use wheeled carts, technologies that allowed them to conquer the Eurasian steppe.

Only a handful of labs work on ancient DNA research. Scientists can retrieve DNA from human bones, teeth or tissue from museum collections, as well as from ancient cave dwellings, burial grounds, battlefields and disaster sites. DNA is preserved in the most unlikely places: Ancient Europeans mixed their saliva with birch tar to make a glue to repair pots and attach arrowheads. Reichs award-winning lab at Harvard has one of the largest ancient DNA databases in the world and uses proprietary gene-analysis software co-developed by Nicholas Patterson, a British mathematician who once worked as a codebreaker for U.K. intelligence services.

The new genetic research reinforces earlier theories about the spread of the Yamnaya based on linguistic and archaeological evidence. The idea that the languages of Europe, Iran and India descend from a single ancient tongue was first proposed by Sir William Jones, a British colonial judge in 18th-century India. Jones taught himself Sanskrit to interpret local laws and suggested that the ancient Indian language had a common ancestor with Latin, Greek and Old Iranian.

DNA evidence shows that the proto-Yamnaya population migrated from the Volga region to Anatolia, presumably spreading their language along the way. Still, some linguists remain cautious. Genetic evidence alone will never be enough to prove the origin of a language," said Lehti Saag, an ancient DNA researcher at Tartu University in Estonia.

For the peoples living in Eurasia before the Yamnaya arrived, being conquered was tantamount to cultural erasure," Reich said. The erasure was often physical, too. In many places, indigenous male DNA disappears upon the arrival of the Yamnaya, while indigenous female DNA is traceable in the following generations.

View Full Image Yamnaya stone engravings from the 3rd millennium B.C. found in northeast Bulgaria. Photo: Vladimir Slavchev (2); Dilen Dilov; Kalin Dimitrov

This suggests that the newcomers exterminated the men in the farming and hunter-gatherer populations they encountered, while incorporating the surviving women into their community. The Yamnaya were originally dark-skinned, with dark hair and brown eyes; their descendants in Western Europe inherited genes for blue eyes and lighter skin from the women they conquered.

In other places, its a process of almost no mixture with the previous people, who just disappear," Reich said. That is what happened to the highly sophisticated civilization that built Stonehenge in Britain. Shortly after the giant stone structure was completed around 2500 B.C., descendants of the Yamnaya steppe-riders landed on Britains shores. Within years of their arrival, some 99% of the indigenous people disappeared, according to Reichs analysis of DNA samples from the time. Stonehenge, an apogee of a vanquished culture that took centuries to complete, was turned into a garbage dump.

Experts believe there was likely a religious or ideological driver of the Yamnaya expansion. Since they left no written records, it is impossible to know exactly what they believed and what drove them to expand the way they did. But the ancient epics of the cultures they engendered, including the Hindu Rigveda and Homers Iliad, suggest that they glorified battle and expanded through colonization.

Archaeological evidence from their settlements and burial grounds shows that young Yamnaya men were trained not only in hunting, herding, riding and fishing, but also to be warriors. By analyzing words related to kinship and social order from later cultures descended from the Yamnaya, researchers conclude that they had a patriarchal social structure, in which firstborn sons inherited all their fathers property. This system of primogeniture created an expansive dynamism" that encouraged younger sons to embark on conquest, said Volker Heyd, professor of archaeology at the University of Helsinki.

The Yamnaya also had biological advantages. Studies comparing their skeletons with those other contemporary groups show that on average they were about 6 inches taller, possibly as a result of their meat and dairy consumption, researchers believe.

View Full Image An ancient Yamnaya skull painted with red ocher. Photo: Simon Rasmussen/Cell 2015 Associated Press

It was a group of Arnold Schwarzeneggers riding into conquest," Heyd said.

Traces of Yersinia pestis, the bacteria that causes plague, were found in Yamnaya remains, suggesting that they may have developed immunity to the disease and carried it as an unintended biological weapon" that decimated rival groups.

One group derived from the Yamnaya were the Aryans, who shaped the cultures of ancient India and Iran. In the 20th century, the term Aryan became associated with white supremacy, after theorists of racism falsely identified them as a Germanic race of conquerors superior to other Europeans.

In fact, the new findings show that most people in Europe share Yamnaya ancestry as one element in a complex genetic inheritance, which also includes DNA from earlier hunter-gatherer and farming groups and later migratory peoples such as the Huns or the Mongols.

Large-scale movement of people is a repeated event in human history, and its been often disruptive," Reich said. It occurs again and again and again."
A defendant accused of theft from a Edgeworthstown pharmacy will return before Longford District court in May.

Matt Cummins (51) of 6 Pairc Na Habhainn, Edgeworthstown was before the court in respect of an incident on the previous day, February 24, 2025.



Mr Cummins was charged with robbing 84 Pregabalin tablets valued at 15 from Tully's Chemist, Main St, Edgeworthstown.

Garda Shane Carroll told the judge the defendant was arrested the previous evening at 7:10pm in Edgeworthstown and brought to Longford Garda Station. When the charge was put to Mr Cummins he replied: I think I said everything that had to be said.



Judge Owens was told the prosecution consented to bail on a number of conditions.

They included that the defendant enter a 200 bond, signed on weekly every Thursday, provide a mobile phone number to Gardai and not travel without the prior agreement of the court.

Solicitor Frank Gearty said his client was dealing with significant addiction issues and would be making a visit to his GP with all speed.



Mr Gearty said the defendant intends to address his addiction issues as an inpatient at St Patrick's MHS before the matter returns before the court.

Judge Owens adjourned the case to May 6, 2023 for DPP directions, giving Gardai liberty to re-enter the matter if necessary. The defendant was granted legal aid.

Read next: https://www.longfordleader.ie/news/local-news/1747018/celebrations-silver-jubilee-of-longford-s-irish-wheelchair-centre.html
Longford Westmeath's five TDs received over 17,500 between them in expenses for the month of December 2024, a month in which the Dail sat once.

Details of the unvouched Parliamentary Standard Allowance (PSA) payments from December have been published. They show that TDs received 567,000 in expenses automatically for the month. Although the Dail sat just once, the Longford Westmeath TDs attended Leinster House on a number of days in December.

The Dail sat on December 18 to elect Verona Murphy to the role of Ceann Comhairle. It did not sit again until January 22 when the election of Micheal Martin as Taoiseach was derailed over the speaking time row.

Also read: Longford Periodontist tells incredible story of her escape from the Libyan Civil War

The Parliamentary Standard Allowance is an annual allowance paid automatically monthly to members of the Oireachtas, on top of their 113,000 a year salary. The PSA is made up of the travel and accommodation allowance (TAA) and public representation allowance (PRA).

The public representation allowance covers costs associated with members work as public representatives  such as office rental and leaflet printing.

The figures released this week show that Minister of State Kevin 'Boxer' Moran received 4,168.25 in Parliamentary Standard Allowance for December, while Deputy Micheal Carrigy received 4,084.58, Deputy Sorca Clarke and Minister of State Robert Troy each received 3,972.08, with Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke receiving 1,333,33. In total, the five local TDs received 17,530.32.

Also read: Longford selects business for National Enterprise Awards Finals

TDs are entitled to claim between 9,000 and 34,065 a year in travel and accommodation expenses, depending on the distance between their home and the Dail with different bands based on distance to the Dail set out.

TDs must register their attendance in the Dail on 120 days to claim the full rate of Parliamentary Standard Allowance.

Also read: Celebrations: Silver Jubilee of Longford's Irish Wheelchair Centre
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 8. The inauguration of the Igdr-Nakhchivan gas pipeline, which was initiated in 2023 by the Presidents of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan, marks a new stage in ensuring the energy security of the region. With the launch of the pipeline, Nakhchivan will now directly import gas from Turkiye, improving its energy supply stability and reliability. Previously, gas was transferred to Nakhchivan via the Baku-Astara pipeline from Iran in a swap arrangement. This new pipeline eliminates that dependency while further strengthening energy cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkiye. Experts believe that the Igdr-Nakhchivan gas pipeline will not only enhance bilateral relations but will also play a crucial role in improving energy security in the South Caucasus and Anatolia regions.

According to experts, the Igdr-Nakhchivan gas pipeline is one of the most significant projects for strengthening regional stability and diversifying energy supplies.

Economist Eldeniz Amirov told Trend that the concept for the Igdr-Nakhchivan gas pipeline was first formed in 2009. He emphasized the strategic importance of this project, which Azerbaijan has consistently recognized.

"Just a few days ago, we witnessed the opening of the pipeline. This pipeline will not only support the energy needs of Nakhchivans consumers but also ensure the economic activities of its businesses. Importing 2 million cubic meters daily, or 730 million cubic meters annually, is undoubtedly a satisfactory supply for the economy of the Autonomous Republic," he said.

There is potential to more than double the capacity of this pipeline

The economist further noted that the pipelines capacity could be increased more than twofold in the future.

"Once the Zangezur Corridor opens, this pipeline could transport Azerbaijani gas to Turkiye and Europe via Nakhchivan. The core of the issue is that today, the pipeline delivers gas to Nakhchivan, but in the future, it could also supply gas from Nakhchivan," he added

There is a need to establish a gas storage facility in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic

He also highlighted the need for a gas storage facility in Nakhchivan, saying "There is a need to create a gas storage facility in Nakhchivan, as interruptions in gas supply due to pipeline issues could severely impact both the population and the economic sectors. Nakhchivan has salt mines, which are one of the key natural resources used worldwide for building gas storage facilities. Even if these salt mines do not suffice, the creation of isothermic gas storage is still possible, and Azerbaijan has the necessary experts for this. I believe that it would be prudent to consider this issue in the medium term."

Azerbaijani MP and economist Vugar Bayramov also spoke with Trend, stating that the Igdr-Nakhchivan gas pipeline would significantly contribute to the region's energy security. He said that the pipeline was crucial in eliminating Nakhchivans dependence on a single source for blue gas, "Through the pipeline, Nakhchivan will receive close to 750 million cubic meters of gas annually, with the volume set to double, meeting the growing demand of Nakhchivan."

Bayramov pointed out the primary advantage of the pipeline: ensuring the continuous supply of blue gas to Nakhchivan and bolstering the regions energy security.

"Additionally, Nakhchivan will receive gas directly from our brotherly country, Turkiye, eliminating previous dependencies. This type of project is crucial for regional energy supply. The pipeline is also considered a key contribution to regional energy security, particularly after the Zangezur Corridor is operational.

The pipeline is also a reflection of the deepening relationship between Azerbaijan and Turkiye," Bayramov said.

In the future, especially with the opening of the Zangezur Corridor, it will contribute uniquely to the region," Bayramov concluded.

The more reliable and sustainable gas supply in Nakhchivan will positively impact both industrial development and the welfare of its population. With improved energy provision, new investment opportunities will arise, and the social well-being of the people will increase.

For these reasons, the Igdr-Nakhchivan gas pipeline is considered a significant strategic project from economic, political, and energy security perspectives.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Longford County Council is encouraging everyone in Longford to get involved in National Tree Week 2025 which is taking place from Sunday, March 9 to Sunday, March 16.



The theme for 2025 is Planting Trees, growing together'. By doing something as simple as planting a tree everyone can play their part in combating biodiversity loss and climate change.



National Tree Week is organised by the Tree Council of Ireland and proudly supported by Coillte. 150,000 tree saplings will be donated by Coillte to local community groups, with events happening nationwide to encourage tree planting and environmental awareness.



This years theme - Planting Trees, Growing Together - highlights the deep connection between trees, people, and the environment, emphasising how tree planting fosters stronger communities, promotes sustainability, and prepares us for a changing climate.

Trees bring people togetherwhether through local planting events, shared green spaces, or educational initiatives. By working collectively to plant and care for trees, we strengthen community bonds and create healthier, greener spaces for future generations. As Ireland faces evolving climate challenges, planting trees that are suited to future conditions is more important than ever. This years theme encourages thoughtful planting strategies that support long-term environmental health, ensuring that our forests and green spaces continue to thrive.



A packed schedule of events will take place across Ireland throughout the week from group forest walks and tree-planting events to local workshops and forestry talks.

Discover events near you on the Tree Council of Irelands new sister website: www.nationaltreeweek.ie

Lets come together to plant, grow, and celebrate our trees!



A guided woodland walk will take place in Newcastle Woods on Thursday, March 13 at 12 noon, all are welcome.

Get out, make a difference, and get involved in National Tree Week 2025.



If you would like some trees for your community, tidy towns group, estate, or school you can contact Adam Mulvihill, Biodiversity Officer, Longford County Council on 086 192 8247. There are a limited number of trees available, and they will be allocated on a first come first served basis. The tree species available are Oak, Silver Birch, Common Birch, Scots Pine, Sycamore, Alder, and Beech.



Photography Competition for Primary School Children



To celebrate National Tree Week there is an exciting photography competition; simply upload a picture of a tree, forest or a favourite nature space saying why you love it.

You and your class could win a trip to Coilltes Beyond the Trees at Avondale Forest Park. Enter the competition here https://www.coillte.ie/ national-tree-week/



Since its inception in 1985, National Tree Week has been responsible for planting almost one million trees in Ireland. Community groups planning events in their local area can register with the Tree Council at https://www.treecouncil.ie/ register-an-event

Read next: https://www.longfordleader.ie/news/local-news/1745336/longford-periodontist-tells-incredible-story-of-her-escape-from-the-libyan-civil-war.html
Teen Arrested in Massapequa Park After Alleged Assault on Officer with Switchblade

Local News, Crime

By Long Island Published: March 08 2025

A 16-year-old was arrested in Massapequa Park for assaulting an officer with a switchblade while attempting to evade arrest.

The Seventh Squad reports the arrest of a male Juvenile for an Assault that occurred on Saturday, March 8, 2025 at 12:00 a.m. in Massapequa Park.

According to Detectives, Officers were dispatched to Lake Shore Drive for a suspicious male who was pulling on car door handles. The Bureau of Special Operations (BSO) assisted in the canvass for the suspicious person and observed a male matching the description fleeing on foot.

As Officers attempted to place the subject under arrest, the suspect began grabbing at his clothing and one Officer sustained a severe laceration to his hand from a black switchblade the subject had in his possession. The injured Officer was transported to a nearby hospital for

treatment and is in stable condition.

The 16-year-old Juvenile defendant is charged with Criminal Possession of a Weapon 4th Degree, Aggravated Assault on a Police Officer and Assault 2nd Degree.
Luxembourgs Prince Frederik has died at the age of 22 after a long battle with a rare genetic condition, his family has said.

Frederik, who was the son of Prince Robert, Grand Duke Henris cousin, had been diagnosed aged 14 with POLG mitochondrial disease, a genetic disorder that robs the bodys cells of energy, in turn causing progressive multiple organ dysfunction and failure.



Frederik passed away on 1 March in Paris, his family said in a statement published on the website of the POLG Foundation, an association he founded three years ago to raise awareness of the condition.

Prince Frederik (front) in a photo taken recently to celebrate Princess Charlottes civil wedding, with from left to right; Princess Charlotte and her husband Mansour Shakarchi, Prince Robert, Princess Julie and Prince Alexander  Photo credit: Privat

In the statement, his father said: Last Friday, February 28th, on Rare Disease Day, our beloved son called us in to his room to speak to him for one last time.

After gifting each of us with our farewells  some kind, some wise, some instructive  in true Frederik fashion, he left us collectively with a final long-standing family joke, his father said.

Frederik passed on March 1st 2025, in Paris France, the City of Lights. One light was extinguished, but so many remain, Prince Robert concluded.

The full statement can be read on the POLG Foundations website.
Mid-September 2024 I met Marc Berna in the Ahn Vogelsang vineyard in glorious weather. The winegrower proudly showed me his clusters of Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris, as fresh as daisies, glistening in the sun and showing no sign of rot.

He was looking forward to the imminent harvest, hoping for good weather. The winegrowers have suffered enough from the persistent summer rains, and have had to treat the grapes much more often than usual to prevent vine diseases.

But the rain was not going to spare the harvest either.

A vintage that favoured Burgundy grape varieties

3 March 2025. four and a half months after the end of the harvest, I visit Marc Berna at his winery in Ahn. He will give me a tasting of a selection of his 2024 wines, most of which are still slumbering in the stainless steel vats. An exciting event, as this is my first tasting of the 2024 Luxembourg vintage in a producers cellar.

The winegrower Marc Berna has already bottled two 2024 wines, including Gris de Gris, a Pinot Gris rose  Photo credit: Claude Francois

The family business Caves Berna covers eight hectares. The Bernas own plots in, among others, the prestigious Ahn Palmberg locality, which is particularly suited to Riesling. After the harvest, this late-ripening variety was considered the troubled child of the vintage, because the grapes had developed lower sugar levels than usual, but relatively firm acidity.

The result is all the more surprising: the 2024 Palmberg, of which the winegrower lets a few drops drip from the stainless steel vat, is convincing in its youth with its intense and aromatic notes; the wine already seems harmonious and balanced. Its length is also remarkable.

Berna is extremely satisfied with his Palmberg: The grapes had got used to the water, they reacted very well, he is delighted to say. In the end, the rain didnt harm the vintage, quite the contrary: it allowed for good mineralisation in the soil. This had a positive effect on the grapes, which were able to develop enough sugar.

But for Berna, the winners of the 2024 vintage are the Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Auxerrois grape varieties, which are truly excellent, and the base wines for the cremants are also impeccable.

I am served samples of his Elterberg Pinot Blanc and two Pinot Gris from the Vogelsang locality, and I tentatively approach them. Impressive: they have substance, fullness and length, intense aromas and are very harmonious. What is also remarkable is that they are already very drinkable, even the Pinot Gris Vieilles Vignes, which comes from old vines, although the wines are not yet ready to be bottled.

Healthy grapes at the heart of mid-September 2024 for the start of the harvest: the record rainfall did not have a negative effect on quality. Rather, the water allowed for good soil mineralisation  Photo credit: Claude Francois

Berna has, however, already bottled two wines that are now on sale: the Auxerrois from the Vogelsang locality and the Gris de Gris, the Pinot Gris that has obtained its Rose colour on contact with the must. Both confirm the impression left by the previous samples: This vintage has the potential to enthuse wine lovers.

Working with nature, but leaving nothing to chance

A general impression that is confirmed by Andre Mehlen. The director of Domaines Vinsmoselle is charmed by the fresh acidity and fruity character of the wines. He is particularly positive about the Pinot Blanc, which, in his opinion, has become even better than in previous vintages.

The problem with the 2024 vintage is generally the low quantity. The yield was 30% lower than the average of previous years, laments the former state wine controller. The vineyards between Grevenmacher and Wasserbillig were particularly affected, as they were considerably damaged by the late spring frost.

The Bernard-Massard wine cellars and their family estate, Clos des Rochers, are among the affected producers. We didnt harvest enough Riesling, nor enough Pinot Gris, regrets technical director Stephan Kramer.

He too says he has been pleasantly surprised by the quality of the wines: The sugar content is certainly not very high, but the wines are mineral, with a moderate alcohol content and magnificent fruit. The expert points out that with us, everything is harvested by hand, and that makes a huge difference. The grapes are already rigorously selected in the vineyard, so that the harvest that arrives in our cellar is of impeccable quality.

The Burgundy grape varieties Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Auxerrois developed particularly well in the 2024 vintage.  Photo credit: Claude Francois

Nothing is left to chance. The production of a high-quality wine requires meticulous and continuous choices. As wine consumers, we sometimes forget the efforts that wine producers make and the risks they take to meet the highest quality expectations in a year like 2024, which, with 1195.7 millimetres of rainfall, was the rainiest since weather statistics began in 1854.
Reflecting on women who inspire me, I am reminded of something we must never take for granted: equality is not a given - it is won through courage, persistence, and idealism. The rights and opportunities our societies have today exist because of women like Madeleine Frieden-Kinnen* and Simone Veil, who refused to accept the limits placed on them by their time. They stood up, spoke out, and kept going, even when it would have been easier to stop.

Madeleine Frieden made history by serving as Luxembourgs first female member of government from 1967 to 1972. Long before she entered government, she was already working to uplift others - founding the womens organization of the Christian Democrats (CSV) in 1953 and leading the Catholic Womens Action in Luxembourg from 1960 to 1966.

Madeleine Frieden (second from right) cuts a lonely female figure during the opening of a German cultural institute in Luxembourg City in 1972  Photo credit: Le Siebenaler, Phototheque de la Ville de Luxembourg

Her tenure was cut short in 1972 due to a misogynistic smear campaign that sought to silence a woman who had dared to lead. When I think about her journey, I see a woman who had to work twice as hard, speak twice as loud, and endure doubts and criticism that many of her male colleagues never faced.

The fight for equality is not over

Just as Madeleine Frieden-Kinnen broke barriers in Luxembourg, another woman across Europe was leading the fight for justice and equality: Simone Veil.

Simone Veil (l.) pictured in 2008 during a visit to Luxembourg with Grand Duke Henri and Astrid Lulling, a veteran female politician and Member of the European Parliament at the time  Photo credit: Anouk Antony

Just as Madeleine Frieden-Kinnen broke barriers in Luxembourg, another woman across Europe was leading the fight for justice and equality: Simone Veil.

Simone Veil inspires me due to her resilience in the face of incredible hardship, her devotion to justice and human dignity and her remarkable political achievements.

Deported to Auschwitz at just 16 years old, she endured the horrors of the Holocaust, losing her parents and brother. But she survived - not just in body, but in spirit. She emerged from the darkness with a profound sense of purpose: to build a world where no ones rights could be taken away, where dignity was non-negotiable, and where women had the power to make decisions about their own lives.

Her name became synonymous with one of the most defining battles for womens rights in France. As Minister of Health in 1974, she championed the law legalizing abortion, facing relentless attacks, misogyny, and even death threats. But she stood firm.

But her legacy didnt stop there. She became the first female President of the European Parliament, an advocate for European unity and a defender of human rights. She knew firsthand what hatred and division could lead to, and she spent her life fighting against them.

We owe it to women like Madeleine Frieden-Kinnen and Simone Veil to never take progress for granted. The fight for equality is not over, and their stories remind us that we must continue the work they started - by standing firm in the face of adversity, championing our values, and never accepting the limits imposed upon us by societal constraints.

*Madeleine Frieden-Kinnen is not related to Luc Frieden
William Lambers is an author who partnered with the UN World Food Program on the book "Ending World Hunger." His writings have been published by the Washington Post, NY Times and Newsweek among others. Opinions expressed by columnists do not necessarily reflect the views of Vermont News & Media.
Don Sweeneys explanation was simple. The Bruins and Brad Marchand were still far apart on the length of the contract each side wanted for the Boston captain as he approached free agency.

Sweeney didnt think they could bridge that gap and didnt want to risk losing Marchand for nothing when he became a free agent in the summer. So the Bruins general manager sought the best deal he could find and dealt him to the Panthers for a second-round pick that becomes a first-round pick if Marchand is healthy enough in the playoffs.

Did Sweeney get enough for Marchand, who is expected to miss at least three more weeks? The national media experts didnt think so:

Everything Marchand achieved in Boston created the idea that moving on from him could lead to the Bruins receiving a significant return.

Yet they were able to get only a conditional second-round pick that could become a first-round pick. The conditions of the trade are that if Marchand plays in more than 25% of the Panthers' games over the first two rounds, the pick then becomes a 2028 first-rounder.

And thats it. No other draft picks. No prospects. Just a conditional second-round pick that could become a first-round pick if Marchand plays in more than a quarter of the Panthers' playoff games through the first two rounds." Grade: C+

Dom Luszczyszyn: "This is a no-brainer for Florida and a serious head-scratcher for Boston. If youre going to trade your captain to a bitter rival at least make them pay a little bit. At least get a guaranteed first. This return is so pitiful that you wonder why the Bruins would even agree to it in the first place. Given the importance of Marchand to the franchise, the Bruins owed it to their fans to net an actual return. This? Its a slap in the face.

For the Bruins, its a sad day trading away a heart and soul captain. And they made it even sadder by getting very little in return in what was a massive sellers market. The key to a trade that pisses everyone off? Dont piss off your own fans too." Grade: D.

Sean Gentille: On the Bruins end of things, they sent a franchise icon to a divisional rival (and potential playoff opponent) and couldnt net so much as a no-strings-attached first-round pick in return. If the fan bases social media temperature is any kind of barometer, Don Sweeney made himself a bunch of enemies today  and for what? If Florida doesnt advance to the conference final, a late second-rounder. The Panthers, meanwhile, can thank Sweeney for their missing piece, and the rest of us can thank him for a memorable afternoon." Grade: F

The Bruins have signaled they are starting to rebuild. It was rumored they set a high price for Marchand. Ultimately, they settled for a 2027 second-round pick, which could turn into a 2028 first-rounder. They also retained half of Marchands $6.13 million cap hit. Thats not much of a return for someone of Marchands stature." Grade: D
ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, March 8. Turkmenistans Minister of Foreign Affairs Rashid Meredov held a phone conversation with Vice-President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas, Trend reports, citing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan.

The discussion focused on strengthening cooperation between Turkmenistan and the European Union, particularly within the framework of the "Central Asia  European Union" format. The sides also exchanged views on upcoming high-level meetings.

Turkmenistan has been actively expanding its engagement with the EU, prioritizing areas such as energy, trade, and regional security. The "Central Asia  European Union" format provides a key platform for enhancing regional collaboration, underscoring Turkmenistans growing commitment to closer ties with Europe.
The neighbors of a person who was killed in a shooting in Boylston on Wednesday, resulting in the hours-long closure of a residential street, continue to ask questions about what happened on their street that day.

Boylston police previously told residents that there would be a heavy police presence in the area of Central Street and French Drive that included police dogs and drones in a statement on Facebook at 9:43 a.m. Police were looking for a 25-year-old man considered to be armed and dangerous, the department said.

By 11:06 a.m., police said that though there was an active crime scene in the area, there was no threat to the public.

Central Street was closed off between the intersections of Linden Street and French Drive, and French Street was closed off at its intersection with Main Street. Boylston police were stationed at both closure sites.

At 4:26 p.m., Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early Jr.s office said it was in the early stages of an investigation into a fatal officer-involved shooting. A spokesperson clarified that no police officers were shot.

MassLive reached out to Earlys office and the Boylston Police Department on Friday. Neither had any new information about Wednesdays fatal shooting.

It was very unsettling, I think, for everybody here, resident Jane Lucia Molina told MassLive on Friday. ... The police were very helpful. They had issued a call [telling everyone to] stay inside. So you felt safe. But it was very unsettling, because once you see the ambulances and all the police activity, the drones, the helicopter ...

Molinas house is several yards north of the house where the family involved lives. She returned home from a doctors appointment that morning when she saw a fire truck and an ambulance outside of her neighbors home, she said. Police sent an emergency call to residents, including Molina, that told them to stay home and that Central Street and French Drive were closed.

Neither Molina and her neighbor across Central Street, Tom Garry, knew the family, which consist of a husband, wife and two adult sons. The family lived in a house painted green, and Molina said the family would have a pool set up in the backyard in the summer. By appearances, they were a normal family, she said, resembling a Norman Rockwell painting.

But [the areas] quiet, isnt it? Molina continued. This is very disturbing for everybody. It truly is. Because you never want to think of something like that. And its very woodsy... Its a tough thing.

She did not hear any gunshots but she could hear the police helicopters flying over the area. While she said she usually hears LifeFlight helicopters flying patients to the hospital, she thought that something sad happened at her neighbors house with the police helicopters above.

But she never felt unsafe, she said, even with the large police presence around her neighbors' house.

We just have to pray that [the persons] at peace, Molina said. And also pray for the police, because I cant even imagine the depth of their sorrow, to be quite honest with you.

Garry worked in Framingham on Wednesday and was coming home with his two children at around 7 p.m. when he saw the road was still closed, though officers and town officials allowed residents back to their homes.

Speaking with a town worker directing cars, Garry asked, Just out of curiosity, what was going on? Because I couldnt tell if like a power line had gone down or why they closed the road.

Garry learned from police there was an incident involving a person at a home on his street, he said.

Before he went to bed, Garry looked outside the window to see if the road was still closed until 9 p.m. When he woke up on Thursday the cones, police cruisers and officers were gone.

Its sad to hear that somebody died, though, he said. The next day I was talking to my kids and [said,] I hope the neighbors are OK.

The family declined to speak with MassLive Friday.
A former American Airlines flight attendant pleaded guilty to recording or attempting to record a girl using a bathroom during a flight, according to U.S. Attorney Leah Foleys office.

Estes Thompson III, 37, of Charlotte North Carolina pleaded guilty to one count of attempted sexual exploitation of children and one count of possession of child pornography depicting a prepubescent minor, the statement reads. A federal grand jury in Boston indicted Thompson in April 2024.

U.S. District Court Judge Julia Kobick scheduled Thompsons sentencing for June 17.

The incident happened on Sept. 2, 2023, on an American Airlines flight from Charlotte, North Carolina to Boston. Thompson told a 14-year-old girl before she entered the planes bathroom that he needed to wash his hands and that the toilet seat was broken.

After Thompson left the bathroom, the girl noticed red stickers underneath the toilet seat lid that said INOPERATIVE CATERING EQUIPMENT, REMOVE FROM SERVICE, and in hand-written black ink, SEAT BROKEN, Foleys office said.

Under the red stickers, she found Thompsons concealed iPhone that was recording a video.

Red stickers underneath the toilet seat lid said INOPERATIVE CATERING EQUIPMENT, REMOVE FROM SERVICE, and in hand-written black ink, SEAT BROKEN." Underneath the red stickers was Thompsons concealed iPhone recording a video. United States Attorney Leah Foleys office

The girl told her parents what she saw and showed them a picture of the toilet seat.

Her father confronted the flight attendant who then locked himself in the bathroom with his iPhone for three to five minutes before the plane began its descent.

Once the plane arrived at Boston Logan International Airport, law enforcement found that Thompson had restored his iPhone to factory settings.

Officials then found 11 INOPERATIVE CATERING EQUIPMENT stickers in his suitcase, similar to those found by the girl on the toilet seat, Foleys office wrote.

A search of Thompsons iCloud account revealed four additional instances between January and August 2023 where Thompson recorded minors who were seven, nine, 11, and 14 years old at the time using the aircrafts bathroom.

Officials also found more than 50 images of an unaccompanied 9-year-old girl in Thompsons iCloud.

The photos showed the girl sitting in her seat before the flight and close-ups of her face while sleeping, the statement reads. Hundreds of AI-generated images depicting child sexual abuse material were also found on Thompsons iCloud account.

The minors involved in the matter have been identified and their families were contacted by law enforcement, Foleys office said.

The charge of attempted sexual exploitation of children carries a sentence of 15 to 30 years in prison.

The charge of possession of child pornography depicting a prepubescent minor provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. Both charges also include at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 and restitution.

12aa
A gag order has been issued to the lawyers in the Karen Read case, which has drawn local and national media attention.

The order, issued on Friday by Norfolk County Judge Beverly Cannone, aims to prevent the defense from making statements that could prejudice the upcoming retrial scheduled for April, according to court documents.

The decision comes after the prosecution argued that the defense had a history of making extrajudicial statements or public comments outside the courtroom that could influence the trial.

Prosecutors cited a July 2023 interview with Boston Magazine where Read and her attorney, Alan Jackson, discussed the sealed grand jury proceeding, the court documents state.

The prosecution also pointed to a more recent interview on Feb. 17 with Bostons Fox 25 News, where they claimed the defense team made prejudicial statements.

....the Commonwealth asserted that the defense lawyers have a history of making extrajudicial statements that may prejudice the proceedings, the records state. ...the Court agreed with the Commonwealth that an order limiting extrajudicial statements of counsel is both appropriate and necessary to ensure a fair and impartial trial and finds that no reasonable, less restrictive alternative to the order is available.

Prosecutors filed a similar motion in June 2023. That was denied since no trial date was set at the time, minimizing the perceived risk of prejudicial statements.

12aa
Two adults and five children were found in Texas after being missing for nearly a week, according to the Fitchburg Police Department.

An investigation was launched after the department received a missing person report on March 3 for Ruth Encarnacion, with whom the children reside, along with another adult, Isael Rivera.

A report for her five missing children was filed a couple of days later by the Department of Children and Families (DCF) on March 5.

Police obtained warrants for five counts of custodial kidnapping of a minor by a relative against both Encarnacion and Rivera, the release states.

An amber alert was not issued during the investigation because these alerts are meant for cases where there is a reasonable belief that a child faces imminent danger of serious bodily harm or death.

Fitchburg police announced Saturday afternoon that both Encarnacion and Rivera were found and taken into custody in Whitney Texas.

The five children, ranging in age from nine months old to 10 years old, were found and are safely in the custody of the Texas Child Protective Services.

The Fitchburg Police Departments Bureau of Criminal Investigation worked tirelessly the past several days to bring this ordeal to a successful resolution, the department said on Facebook. ....The Worcester County District Attorneys Office and the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families are currently working with authorities in Texas to arrange for all parties to be returned to Massachusetts.

12aa
A Needham Public Schools teacher faces charges after authorities said he had child sex abuse material.

After a months-long investigation, Michael R. Ciccolella, 47, who taught at High Rock Middle School, was charged with possession of child pornography, distribution of obscene material and distribution of material depicting a nude child, according to the office of the Middlesex County District Attorney.

Ciccolella has been with Needham Public Schools since August 2008, according to his LinkedIn page. He taught 6th grade history.

Ciccolella was immediately placed on administrative leave, and his access to the school districts buildings, grounds and digital files was removed, according to a letter Dan Gutekanst, the superintendent of Needham Public Schools, sent to families Friday.

The safety and wellbeing of our students is always the districts top priority, and we will cooperate with all law enforcement agencies as the investigation continues, the letter reads. Due to the disturbing nature of the charges, we encourage families to speak with their children and reassure them that they are safe at school.

Authorities executed both a search and an arrest warrant around 8:45 p.m. Thursday at a home on Spyglass Hill in Ashland, according to the office of the Middlesex County District Attorney. Authorities also found several pieces of evidence for further analysis during the search.

Ciccolella viewed and sent sexually explicit images of kids from ages between 3 and 12 using the online messaging app Media Lab/Kik, according to the district attorneys office.

Ciccolella was arraigned in Framingham District Court Friday, according to the district attorneys office. He was ordered to be held on a $500,000 bail and to have no unsupervised contact with minors.

Ciccolella was also ordered not to use the internet and to submit to house arrest with a GPS monitoring device, according to the district attorneys office.

This incident is being investigated.
Maura Sullivan, CEO of The Arc of Massachusetts, speaks during an advocacy event on Thursday, March 6, 2025. (Alison Kuznitz/State House News Service) Alison Kuznitz/State House News Service

Disability advocates urged lawmakers to pump an extra $100 million into the human services sector Thursday, while top Democrats signaled their budgeting outlook is hamstrung by the prospect of major federal funding cuts.

Hundreds of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and autism, alongside providers and advocates, filled the Great Hall to marshal support for a slight pay raise for direct support professionals.

Gov. Maura Healey proposed funding the Chapter 257 human services workforce reserve at $207 million in her fiscal 2026 budget. The Arc of Massachusetts advocacy organization argues an additional $100 million is needed for the account, which CEO Maura Sullivan said would bump hourly pay from $20.79 for entry-level workers to $22.35 and ensure more people on lengthy waitlists can access services.

The people that are caring for our loved ones, that are caring for my children, deserve more than that, Sullivan, who has two sons with autism, said at an event co-hosted with the Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council. But especially in this tough budget year, these incremental increases are a crucial step.

Under Healeys budget, direct support professionals would continue earning salaries at the 53rd percentile of the Bureau of Labor Statistics' median rate. Advocates' request would bump workers to the 63rd percentile, and The Arcs long-term goal is to see workers reach the 75th percentile.

Advocates' funding plea, and their escalating focus on safeguarding rights for residents with disabilities, comes as they brace for potentially devastating blows from Washington.

U.S. House Republicans recently approved a budget resolution that could slash Medicaid by $880 billion, and Gov. Maura Healey claims that plan could cause 2 million Bay Staters -- including individuals with disabilities -- to lose their health insurance coverage.

State Rep. Sean Garballey, D-23rd Middlesex, who was honored as a Legislator of the Year recipient at the event alongside Sen. Robyn Kennedy, accused the Trump administration of working on a policy of zero empathy.

And theyre literally working hard to implement harmful and malicious cuts to Medicaid, Garballey said. But we unite together for the challenges ahead. And what does that mean? Massachusetts must always put inclusion and opportunity first.

House Speaker Ron Mariano, D-3rd Norfolk, and Senate President Karen Spilka, D-Middlesex/Norfolk, voiced broad support for advocates' past legislative work.

Yet the branch leaders separately expressed doubt to State House News Service about the states capacity to invest more dollars into the human services workforce as they await clarity from Congress.

These people here who are nervous today about the federal money that comes in for some of these folks with disabilities, we cant replicate all that money in our budget, Mariano, of Quincy, said. So, we need it, and we need to know what were going to get and how to use it.

Healeys budget recommendation baked in more than $16 billion in federal money, with the majority of that tied to Medicaid.

Mariano said lawmakers must evaluate the need when weighing federal uncertainty against advocates' push for heightened investment in direct care workers' pay.

Who needs it most, who needs it immediately, and where the money would maybe be diverted into long-term plans, Mariano said. I dont think were going to have the ability to look long-term. Were going to have to deal with our immediate needs as the money begins to dwindle down.

Spilka, asked whether the Senate has the ability to boost Chapter 257 reserve funding, said, Its early in the budget process.

Well have to see. Every day, were hearing Trump is slashing funds for organizations, for disability organizations, for veterans, the Ashland Democrat said.

Spilka lamented a news alert she received Thursday morning about President Donald Trump gearing up to issue an executive order to dismantle the Department of Education. She also accused the president of shredding the federal government.

We get billions of dollars in federal aid. If we dont get a percentage of that, or a large percentage, our budget will be even more difficult than it normally is, clearly, and thats putting it mildly, so well have to see, Spilka said. We know that there are a lot of needs out there, but I go back to Trump and his administration are creating total chaos. Business confidence is going down the tubes.

She added, Our economy is, hopefully, able to survive a Trump administration.

Beyond Chapter 257, disability advocates urged lawmakers to inject an additional $6.7 million into the Turning 22 line item, which supports young adults with disabilities as they transition from special education to adult services. Healey proposed about $110.7 million in funding in fiscal 2026, compared to $124 million in 2025 to eliminate one-time costs and to meet projected need, according to administration budget documents.

The Arc also wants lawmakers to increase funding for community-based adult services by $3.5 million. Healey has recommended about $287 million for community day and work programs.

It is unacceptable that 2,500 adults are still waiting for services. The Turning 22 cliff is worse than ever, said Sullivan, referring to the juncture when individuals lose access to care. Caregivers, especially single parents, are struggling. People with profound autism and complex medical conditions are often left behind.
In this undated photo, U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, D-6th District, speaks during an event on Capitol Hill (Photo courtesy of the Office of U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton). Ike Hayman

U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, joined by a Nebraska Republican, is pressing the Trump administration to explain sweeping cuts at the Department of Veterans Affairs that may have scooped up workers who deal with veterans in crisis.

The agency plans to cut more than 80,000 workers to return it to 2019 staffing levels of just under 400,000 employees, Reuters reported earlier this week.

The move drew the ire of veterans' groups and Capitol Hill Democrats, including Moulton, of Salem, a former Marine.

This week, Moulton, D-6th District, fired off a letter, co-signed by U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., a retired U.S. Air Force brigadier general, to VA Secretary Doug Collins, seeking clarity on the reductions and their potential impact on workers who staff the Veterans Crisis Line.

The Veterans Crisis Line plays a critical role in ensuring that veterans can seek assistance in addressing mental health issues, particularly thoughts of attempting suicide, Moulton and Bacon wrote.

As you know, veterans have an age-adjusted suicide rate that is considerably greater than the non-veteran U.S. adult population. And since the transition of the previous VCL and National Suicide Prevention Lifeline to 9-8-8, the VCL has continued to see a significant rise in call volume with no signs of slowing down, they continued.

The two lawmakers gave the agency until Monday to respond. So far, it has not answered, Moultons office confirmed to MassLive on Saturday.

On Friday, the VA announced that it was exempting crisis line workers from return-to-office requirements imposed on other federal employees that were imposed by the Trump administration.

Those workers have worked remotely since the pandemic, CNN reported.

Last week, agency staff were directed to work with the Department of Government Efficiency, the quasi-governmental group helmed by tech billionaire Elon Musk, Reuters reported.

The magnitude of the cuts at the VA are far greater than those at other agencies that have been whipsawed by Musk and his team, the wire service reported.

Now, we regret anyone who loses their job and its extraordinarily difficult for me especially as a VA leader and your secretary to make these types of decisions but the federal government does not exist to employ people. It exists to serve people, Collins said in a video posted to Musks social media site on Wednesday.

In a statement, VA spokesperson Pete Kasperowicz told MassLive that all 300,000-plus VA mission-critical positions  including all Veterans Crisis Line positions  are exempt from the federal hiring freeze and layoffs, and hiring for all open mission-critical positions continues."

The agency will ensure veterans, families, caregivers and survivors [receive] the health care and benefits they have earned. But were also making major improvements to strengthen the department, including redirecting billions of dollars from non-mission-critical efforts to health care, benefits, and services that directly support VA beneficiaries, he said.

Labor leaders who represent the workers underscored the important service they provide.

Crisis line workers are talking to veterans about their homicidal thoughts, their suicidal thoughts, Erika Alexander, president of AFGE 518, a local chapter of the American Federation of Government Employees Union, and crisis responder in Atlanta, told CNN. No one should be sitting next to another random federal employee discussing some of the things that they have to discuss about the calls.

In their letter to Collins, Moulton and Bacon stressed the bipartisan support for the crisis line, arguing that policymakers have a duty to ensure that [its] critical services are able to meet the needs of those who have bravely sacrificed so much defending our nation.

In that March 3 letter, the two lawmakers asked Collins to respond to a series of questions  including identifying how many hotline employees and the workers that support them had received termination notices or had resigned during the last 30 days.

The lawmakers also asked Collins to explain how crisis line employees would be affected by any recent cuts to the [d]epartments personnel or funding.

We would be failing our veterans if any cuts to the Department diminished the quality of service provided by the VCL to individuals in crisis, and we welcome your recent public statements that the Department will not be cutting healthcare or benefits, they wrote.
Thousands gathered at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington on Friday to defend science as a public good and central pillar of social progress. MUST CREDIT: Astrid Riecken/For The Washington Post For Astrid Riecken/For The Washington Post Washington Post

By Richard Sima, Ellie Silverman, Scott Dance and Carolyn Y. Johnson

On any other Friday, Meghan Bullard would probably be immersed in data on a novel treatment for multiple sclerosis, the subject of her dissertation as a graduate student at Georgetown University.

But on this Friday afternoon, she was standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial holding up a sign that read LITERALLY TRYING TO CURE MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS BUT OKAY  She was one of at least hundreds who gathered there to push back against a series of executive orders, funding freezes and other administrative edicts that they say threaten the foundations of scientific research and could carry deadly and costly long-term consequences.

The demonstration, which also included dozens of satellite rallies and walkouts across the country, marked the first major protest focused on actions by President Donald Trumps second administration that have cast many scientific and biomedical research efforts into turmoil. Scientists organized the rallies under the banner Stand Up for Science with specific demands: an expansion in funding for scientific research and the reinstatement of initiatives on both diversity, equity, and inclusion and accessibility within government-funded science.

And theyre calling for an end to political interference in science.

Without science, I wouldnt be here today, Emily Whitehead, who was facing a terminal cancer diagnosis until enrolling in an immunotherapy clinical trial at age 6, told the crowd. I stand up for science so kids can grow up to be the next generation of scientists, the University of Pennsylvania sophomore said. I stand up for science because science saved my life.

Former leaders of government science agencies stressed that the administrations actions, many of them steered by billionaire technology CEO Elon Musk, threatened to halt dramatic progress in treating diseases and saving the planet from climate change.

U.S. flags were flown upside down, which is a signal of distress. MUST CREDIT: Astrid Riecken/For The Washington Post For The Washington Post

Moving fast and breaking things might be an appropriate mantra for Silicon Valley, said Francis S. Collins, a former National Institutes of Health director who less than a week earlier announced his retirement from the research lab he kept at the agency. Lets go with, First, do no harm.

Science has typically enjoyed bipartisan support in Congress, but public attitudes toward scientists shifted amid the coronavirus pandemic as political debates took hold over lockdowns, the origin of the virus, coronavirus treatments and school closures.

Since Trump reclaimed the presidency in January, executive orders, funding freezes and other administrative edicts have left scientific agencies scrambling to figure out how to comply. Across the country, research institutions that depend on federal funding are tracking the rapidly evolving situation, and some have taken measures such as freezing hiring or capping graduate student admissions for next year.

At the National Science Foundation, staff were tasked with reviewing thousands of existing grants that had been flagged because they contained keywords such as women and diversity. The National Institutes of Health has been reeling from the loss of longtime leaders and from stops and starts to its massive grant-making operation as it works to stay in compliance with administrative orders and federal courts.

That has required a massive effort to judge if ongoing and proposed scientific activities conflict with executive orders aimed at ending federal support of diversity, equity and inclusion activities. And now NIH has started terminating grants that no longer align with administration priorities, including transgender research and DEI.

At the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Weather Service, there are concerns that the recent firings of hundreds of probationary employees could leave the country and the world more vulnerable to extreme weather and climate change, which Trump has dismissed as a hoax. The administration also has taken steps to limit U.S. involvement in the work of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Bill Nye, American science communicator and TV presenter, leaves the stage after addressing the crowd. MUST CREDIT: Astrid Riecken/For The Washington Post For The Washington Post

White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said protesters should be overjoyed that Trumps commitment to redirect billions of spending away from diversity-oriented projects would free up more money for legitimate scientific research, not less.

The Trump administration is committed to slashing waste, fraud and abuse while increasing transparency of taxpayer spending and how their money is advancing necessary scientific research and development, Rogers said in an email.

A group of five young scientists organized Stand Up for Science after connecting on the social media site Bluesky, where each had come in search of support and activism as the new administration policies filled them with dread. After searching the site for protests she could join, lead organizer Colette Delawalla made a bold post of her own that brought the group together: F--- IT IM PLANNING A STAND UP FOR SCIENCE PROTEST IN DC, she wrote Feb. 8.

It just seemed really obvious to me that this is a five-alarm fire, Delawalla said in an interview. This is hugely impactful to every American.

Along with Delawalla, the organizers include J.P. Flores, a doctoral student in bioinformatics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Emma Courtney, a doctoral candidate in biology at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York; Samantha Goldstein, a doctoral student in health education and behavior at the University of Florida; and Leslie Berntsen, a social scientist with a doctorate in social psychology. Many of the organizers werent working in science during the first Trump administration. Some were still in high school.

The event was an echo of larger March for Science events during Trumps first term, the first of which drew crowds to the National Mall on a rainy Saturday - which also happened to be Earth Day - in 2017. But the Stand Up for Science organizers decided to hold their event on a Friday in part to underscore an important point, writing on the event website: We believe that our demands are worth stepping away from work to take a stand against the attack on science.

The planning for Fridays events began before much of those actions had taken place, allowing the initiative to snowball as impacts to research projects continued to pile up, Courtney said.

It just became more and more dire, she said. These are not things that, if we stop for a little while, that we can just rebuild.

Event organizers estimated around 5,000 people would attended the event in D.C., according to a National Park Service permit.

Images shared on social media from other rallies across the country showed large crowds gathered in places including Atlanta, Boston and St. Paul, Minnesota. On Bluesky, scientists shared pictures of walkouts from a lab at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and from as far away as a hospital in Geneva, Switzerland.

Among other speakers at the Washington event were climate scientist Michael Mann, science communicator Bill Nye, former NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and federal lawmakers including Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland) and Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Maryland).

Rep. Bill Foster (D-Illinois) also spoke, cheered as he was introduced as the only member of Congress with a doctoral degree in physics. But some cheers turned to boos when he told the crowd there were many like him in Congress, members of both parties, who really believe in science.

Where are they? someone shouted from the crowd.

Foster urged rallygoers to continue calling their elected representatives, saying it would give them if not the stiffness of spine, at least the viscosity of spine.

When youre speaking the truth, your voice has a natural amplifier to it that youre not always aware of, Foster said.

All the upheaval has created confusion and worry about the future even among nongovernment scientists, who depend on those agencies to support their work. That has been especially true for younger scientists starting their careers, uncertain about what sorts of opportunities there might be for research funding in the years ahead.

Young scientists came out in large numbers on Friday.

Among them was Stella McCarthy, 21, who will be graduating from DeSales University in Center Valley, Pennsylvania, this May with a degree in biology with plans of becoming a physician assistant.

But just as shes starting her career in medicine, she said she is troubled by what she sees as an attack on her field. Shes seen close friends lose job opportunities in medical research for cancer and immunology because of federal cuts and decided to spend part of her spring break with her sister by joining the crowd by the Lincoln Memorial standing up for science.

She stood by the reflecting pool, holding a handmade sign that read: AMERICA IS GREAT BECAUSE OF SCIENCE.

We have been feeling very frustrated and passionate about everything thats been happening in the political world, McCarthy said. People just have lost the meaning of the word great.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi speaks at a news conference regarding immigration enforcement at the Justice Department, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis) AP

By Perry Stein and Salvador Rizzo

The Justice Department has removed top national security officials as part of a widespread purge of senior career leaders across the law enforcement agency, according to people familiar with the decisions who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss personnel issues.

The transferring of at least three national security officials amounts to a complete gutting of leadership in the highly sensitive National Security Division, which is charged with working with the FBI and other intelligence agencies to protect the nation from threats.

It is unclear if the the national security officials were provided a reason for their removals. They were technically not fired, with at least some of them being transferred to do other parts of the Justice Department in less desirable positions, according to people familiar with the transfers.

The removals reflect the Trump administrations effort to push out experienced career officials from nonpartisan roles at the Justice Department, likely paving the way for President Donald Trump and his allies to install people in these traditionally nonpartisan positions who align ideologically with the president. Trump and his allies have long lambasted the Justice Department as weaponizing the law enforcement agency against him and the administration has sought to root out career officials who could undercut the presidents agenda.

Dozens of senior career officials in the civil rights, executive office for immigration review, U.S. attorneys office for D.C., public integrity section and more have been removed or transferred during the Trump administration.

The national security officials had decades of experience across multiple Republican and Democratic administrations, leaving a vacuum of experience in the division, according to the people familiar with the matter.

Melissa MacTough, who headed the office of intelligence, and Brad Wiegmann, who headed the law and policy section for the division were among those ousted. Scott Damelin, the executive officer of the national security division, was also removed. The Justice Department had transferred two other leaders in the first days of the Trump administration.

The Justice Department declined to comment.

On Friday afternoon, the Justice Department also removed at least four other career staffers in various divisions, including a top ethics official and pardon attorney and public records officer.

Jeffrey Ragsdale, the head of the Office of Professional Responsibility, and Liz Oyer, the U.S. pardon attorney, were among those removed, according to multiple people familiar with the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive personnel matter.

Tara Twomey, the head of the Executive Office for U.S. Trustees, which oversees the administration of bankruptcy cases and private trustees, was also removed, the people familiar said.

Im sad to share that I was fired today from the job I have poured my heart and soul into for the last three years, Oyer said in a note posted Friday on LinkedIn. I am so proud of the team we built in the Office of the Pardon Attorney, who will carry on our important work.

Those positions are intended to be apolitical, ensuring that institutional knowledge and Justice Department investigations are carried on from administration to administration. But the Trump administration has challenged this federal norm, stressing through executive orders and personnel decisions that loyalty to the presidents agenda is critical to serving in the administration and at a Justice Department headed by Pam Bondi.

The latest wave of firings arrived days after Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche was sworn-in to his posting as the number two position at the Justice Department. He signed off on at least some of the termination notices.

Devin DeBacker, a career national security prosecutor, had been serving as the acting director of the national security division at the start of the Trump administration. But he was abruptly removed from that position last month.

Trump has nominated John Eisenberg to serve as the permanent director of the National Security Division. Eisenberg, who served in the first Trump administration, is awaiting Senate confirmation.

The Trump administrations shake-ups at Justice and the FBI have eroded the continuity on national security matters that has long been a cornerstone of presidential transitions, The Washington Post reported last month.

National security experts have said the loss of veteran career experts could have serious implications if they are not quickly replaced with others who are qualified and up to speed on how the Justice Department and FBI operate.

The removals have fueled mistrust between Justice Department leadership and the national security division, according to people familiar with the unit.

The Post reported that after the national security officials were transferred in the first days of the Trump administration, Justice Department leadership told the division that there would be no further personnel removals in national security.

There have been at least four more removals since then.
A nearly 9-foot-tall historic statue in Fitchburg on March 7 due to strong winds. Courtesy of Fitchburg mayor Sam Squailia

Strong winds knocked down trees, statues and construction material across Massachusetts Friday.

The high-speed winds are due to a low-pressure storm from Thursday coming in contact with a high-pressure storm over the Western Great Lakes, according to Andy Nash, a meteorologist from the National Weather Service.

The wind has been especially strong in Western and Central Massachusetts because those areas have a higher terrain, bringing them closer to the high-speed winds, Nash said. Both areas have been issued a high wind warning.

Read More: Strong winds bring snow flurries to Western and Central Massachusetts

In Fitchburg, wind gusts caused a statue to fall from its pedestal on the Spanish Memorial Monument in Moran Square, according to a statement from Mayor Sam Squailia.

As of Friday morning, the city had seen 60 mph winds, according to the National Weather Service.

Crews safely removed and moved the nearly 9-foot-tall bronze statue after it fell, according to Squailia. The statue was installed and dedicated in September 1924.

Initial findings indicate that the deterioration of the original securing pins between the statue and its pedestal likely caused its detachment, Squailia said.

But even in other parts of Massachusetts with no official high wind warning, strong winds still caused damage Friday.

A high wind warning has been set for Western and central Massachusetts on March 7, according to the National Weather Service. The National Weather Service

In Newburyport, strong winds blew a tree on a home at 372 High St. around 1:02 p.m., according to the Newburyport Fire Department.

The large pine tree fell onto the roof of the North Shore home, causing significant damage, the department said.

Two people who were in the home at the time werent hurt, the department said. Both of them will be displaced. Firefighters also helped get two cats and a dog out of the home.

Firefighters also stood by at the scene until a tree company could secure the damaged tree, the department said.

High-speed winds may have played a role in the collapse of four stories of construction scaffolding near a building in Bostons Back Bay neighborhood, according to the Boston Globe.

Fire companies went to the corner of Beacon and Exeter streets around 11 a.m., the Boston Fire Department said on X, formerly Twitter. The scaffolding fell onto some vehicles.

The wind gusts are expected to ease somewhat Friday night, but another round of very gusty to strong wind is expected to come Saturday, the National Weather Service reported.

It will still be breezy and cool on Sunday before mild and mainly dry weather comes next week, according to the National Weather Service. It is expected to be very dry with no significant precipitation at least through the next five days.
Photo: Ministry of Industry and New Technologies of Tajikistan

DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, March 8. Tajikistan's Minister of Industry and New Technologies, Sherali Kabir, met with Lily Burns, Vice President of Global Engagement at the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) in Abu Dhabi, Trend reports.

According to the Tajik ministry, the sides discussed the exchange of ideas on government policies and initiatives to advance innovative technologies, particularly in artificial intelligence, science, and education.

They emphasized the importance of involving Tajik students in MBZUAI's degree programs and strengthening academic exchange between scholars and students from both nations.

As part of his official visit to the UAE, Kabir also met with Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technologies of the UAE.

In the course of the meeting, they discussed key issues in bilateral relations, including cooperation in industry, green energy, agriculture, mining, light industry, food processing, and artificial intelligence. The parties also highlighted the significance of investment projects and the further expansion of the legal and contractual framework for trade relations.
March 9 marks 28 years since one of the most acclaimed rappers, The Notorious B.I.G., was shot and killed in Los Angeles.

In celebration of the rappers life and career, a Worcester restaurant is holding a special brunch in his honor on the anniversary of his death.

The Biggie Brunch will be held at 1885 at 48 Green St. in Worcester on Sunday, March 9, from 1-9 p.m., according to Cam Brigham, the owner and manager of the restaurant.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, The Notorious B.I.G., also known as Biggie, Biggie Smalls and by his real name, Christopher Wallace, is considered by many as one the greatest rappers who ever lived.

The event will feature live performances from three DJs: DJ Jack Frawst, DJ Cortes, and DJ Lucas, all three of whom are hip-hop DJs, the owner told MassLive.

The menu at the restaurant will be the same, featuring items such as avocado toast, french toast waffles and steak and eggs, according to Brigham. The owner, however, is considering naming some of his drinks after songs performed by The Notorious B.I.G.

Instead of Mo Money Mo Problems maybe its Mo Money Mo Mimosas" Brigham said, referencing the rappers song from his studio album Life After Death.

DJ Lucas, one of the performers at the brunch, said the music featured will be from The Notorious B.I.Gs catalog and other songs from artists of the 90s and the early 2000s.

Lucas, who is from Worcester, said the rapper was a major influence on him and his work and that his favorite song by Biggie is Juicy from his first album, Ready to Die.

I always played Biggie when I started DJ-ing, Lucas said. Hes always been one of the greatest rappers out there.

Biggie is known for his hit singles such as Juicy, Big Poppa, and Hypnotized. He was also an icon in representing East Coast rap, getting into a rivalry with rappers from the West Coast  namely Tupac Shakur.

On March 9, after Biggie attended the Soul Train Awards in Los Angeles, he was sitting in a Chevrolet Suburban stopped at a red light. A black, Chevrolet Impala drove up beside the car, the drivers window rolled down, and a pistol was drawn and shot at Biggies vehicle. Struck by bullets, he was rushed to a hospital and was pronounced dead.

1885 in Worcester is not the only location holding a Biggie Brunch on the anniversary of Biggies death.

New York City; East Providence, Rhode Island and Durham, North Carolina are some of the cities where brunches honoring The Notorious B.I.G. will be held.

The Biggie Brunch in Worcester takes place at 1885 at 48 Green St. from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.
A GROUP opposed to the preferred route option of the controversial Westport to Murrisk Greenway are to hand in a letter outlining their opposition to Mayo County Council.

The Belclare to Murrisk Committee who oppose the preferred route option are to hold a protest outside the offices of Mayo County Council in Castlebar on Monday where they will hand in letters of protest against the proposed Greenway route.

The committee claims that they will have approximately 260 letters of protest signed by local residents and landowners in the Murrisk area outlining their opposition to the route and the CPO of land for the project.

The Murrisk Greenway project from Belclare to Murrisk is being developed by Mayo County Council in conjunction with Transport Infrastructure Ireland. The preferred route option will see the Greenway go off road from Aughavale Cemetery via the townlands of Cloonagh, Kiladangan and Deerpark towards Murrisk and will cut through land at the foot of Croagh Patrick.

READ: Minister Kevin Moran turns sod for construction commencement of the Crossmolina Flood Relief Scheme

A spokesperson for the Belclare to Murrisk Committee told The Mayo News that they are holding the protest at Aras an Chontae to highlight the level of opposition to the Greenway route.

There has been a lot of propaganda leveled online that the vast majority of landowners along the preferred route option are in favour of the route which is not the case. Nobody is in favour of it as it is and absolutely nobody will be allowing their land to be CPO'd to make way for this Greenway.

The people along the route are in favour of a Greenway but along the main road [R335] to Louisburgh. It makes sense to locate it along the road instead of up a mountain and going through people's land, the spokesperson said.

Those who favour developing the Greenway along the R335 point out that Mayo County Council received funding in 2019 to bring the Greenway from Westport to Murrisk along the main road to Louisburgh.

However, Mayo County Council pointed out that since then the TII have taken over the delivery of Greenways and the standards involved are different. Last week, 200,000 was allocated by the Government for the development of the Clew Bay Greenway from Belclare to Murrisk.

The decision on whether to approve the preferred route option is likely to be made by the seven councillors in the Westport/Belmullet Municipal District. Three of the Westport-based councillors have voiced their objection to the route with only Fine Gael councillor Peter Flynn supporting the option.

In a post on Facebook during the week, Cllr Flynn dismissed the practicality of bringing the Greenway along the R335 and the local councillors will have to act for the greater good for the area.

As politicians and people, our aspiration should always be to act in the greater good, ensuring that we leave our surroundings in a better state than we found them for future generations. This principle is especially important during 2025a year that will shape the future destiny of the wider Clew Bay Area and its islands. The decisions made now will have lasting consequences, not just for those who live and work here today, but for the generations to come.

We need leadership, both political and civic, to rise to the occasion. It is not about short-term gains and vested interests but about long-term vision.

As discussions and decisions unfold in 2025, lets hope that wisdom prevails. Lets ensure that whatever path we take secures the future of Clew Bay and makes it a better place for current and future generations to live, to work and to enjoy.

I am not optimistic that the decision will be positive but I hope I'm wrong and that common sense leads the way, he stated on Facebook.
by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, March 7, 2025

Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr is asking Google to address allegations that YouTube TV marginalizes faith-based programming.

I am writing because concerns have been raised with the FCC that YouTube TV discriminates against faith-based programming, Carr said Friday in a letter sent to Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai and YouTube CEO Neal Mohan.

The FCC chair, who has loudly criticized large tech companies over their editorial policies, posted on X, formerly Twitter, that the allegations against Google come at a time when American public discourse has experienced an unprecedented -- and unacceptable -- surge in censorship.

advertisement advertisement

Carr is asking the company to brief staff on the role of virtual multichannel video programming distributors and YouTube's carriage negotiations procedures, including the potential role of viewpoint-based discrimination.

The FCC head pointed specifically to the company Great American Media, which he said claimed in a letter to him that YouTube TV deliberately marginalizes faith-based and family-friendly content.

Great American Media states that its Great American Family network is the second fastest-growing channel in cable television and, while they are carried on a range of cable and streaming services, including Comcast, Cox, Hulu, FuboTV, and DirecTV stream, YouTube TV refuses to carry them, Carr wrote.

A YouTube spokesperson said, We welcome the opportunity to brief the FCC on YouTube TVs subscription service and the strategic business decisions we make based on factors like user demand, operational cost and financial terms, and to reiterate that we do not have any policies that prohibit religious content.

Despite Carr's public questioning of YouTube TV, the FCC lacks authority to require the company to carry particular programming.

The FCC doesn't currently regulate virtual multichannel video programming distributors, and even if the agency did regulate such companies, they would have a First Amendment right to decide what to carry based on viewpoint -- the same way that cable operators can choose what to carry -- according to Harold Feld, an expert in telecom law and senior vice president at the advocacy group Public Knowledge.

Cable operators have a First Amendment right to decide 'I don't want to carry this guy,' based on content, he tells MediaPost.

Carr says in his letter to Google that Section 616 of the Communications Act authorizes the FCC to address certain discriminatory practices in negotiations for carriage agreements between traditional cable operators and vendors, and suggests that this provision could in the future be extended to virtual distributors like YouTube TV.

But that provision of the law only restricts anticompetitive actions, such as a cable operator's refusal to carry an independent channel that competes with one of the cable provider's own affiliates, Feld says.

In other words, even if Section 616 covered YouTube TV, that provision would not affect the company's ability to decide what types of content to include in its lineup, according to Feld.

Carr, an author of the conservative Heritage Foundation's Project 2025, has previously argued that large tech companies like YouTube and Facebook -- and not the cable and telecom companies that offer internet access -- are the real abusers of gatekeeper power.

In November, he said in a letter to the CEOs of Google, Meta, Apple and Microsoft that their companies had played significant roles in what he described as an unprecedented surge in censorship.

He went on to accuse the companies of participating in a censorship cartel that included advertising and fact-checking organizations. (Carr didn't name any advertising groups, but his accusations seemed reminiscent of ones made by the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee against the World Federation of Advertisers' now-shuttered Global Alliance for Responsible Media.)

That letter alarmed some observers, who said the FCC would be the one engaging in censorship if it attempted to control tech companies' content moderation policies.

Far from defending the First Amendment, this is what censorship looks like: a regulator implicitly threatening private companies for their speech, Senator Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts) said last November in a post on X. The FCC under Trump is prepared to become the Federal Censorship Commission. We can't let that happen.
by Danielle Oster , March 7, 2025

International humanitarian organization Plan International partnered with Paramount and KFC for an Empower Girls. Change the Future International Womens Day campaign promoting educational and leadership opportunities for girls, which arrives amid a backslide on gender equality.

According to Plan International, the global gender equality gap is now projected to take 137 years to close  three years longer than in 2024.

"Girls need our support now more than ever. When we invest in their education and leadership, we're not just changing their futures  we're changing the world," Plan International CEO Shanna Marzilli said in a statement. "Through our partnerships, we're giving girls the tools to overcome barriers and lead with confidence."

advertisement advertisement

Paramounts partnership with Plan International on girls education and equal opportunity initiatives dates back to 2015. For Empower Girls. Change the Future, Paramount-owned Nickelodeon shared exclusive content featuring Dora of Dora The Explorer. The bilingual character addresses adult viewers with a message about the importance of girls education and equal opportunities.

The video continues a story started in a previous International Day of the Girl campaign last year, which saw Plan International and Paramount distribute backpacks filled with school supplies to students in Cambodia, Mexico, Nepal, Ukraine and Zimbabwe.

KFCs partnership revolves around Girls Takeover events last month at two of its corporate offices -- Plano, Texas and Bangkok, Thailand  where girls stepped into leadership roles, including Chief People and Culture Officer and Chief Development Officer. Plan International shared a video from the events on its YouTube channel, and will feature related social media content as part of the campaign.

A Her Future Starts Now call to action on a dedicated campaign landing page on Plan International's website includes a #HerFutureStartsNow challenge to talk to the young people in your life about their dreams and leadership experiences or share your own. It also includes prompts and stories from Plan International to help with process, as well as a drive to donate.

The push comes at a critical time for the organization, which reportedly has received over $20 million in USAID funding annually.

After the Trump administrations freeze on foreign aid spending, Plan International received stop work orders, resulting in school closures in Nepal; 32 metric tons of undispersed food and 10,000 doses of pharmaceuticals left undispersed in an Ethiopia warehouse, Marzilli told The Providence Journal.

The organizations educational work helps provide an education to girls who otherwise might not attend school, Marzilli told the publication. "This is the last opportunity for some of them."We have done so much to change the norms for girls who would otherwise end up being married or in situations where they are vulnerable to human trafficking."

On March 5, the Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision, that the administration must unfreeze the funds already appropriated by Congress for USAID and other spending. Court filings in a U.S. District court revealed the administration ultimately plans to cut around 90% of USAID funding.
Lack of sleep and insomnia can raise the risk of high blood pressure (hypertension) in teens. Aim for 8 to 10 hours of sleep to stay healthy!

Did You Know?

Teens who report insomnia and sleep less than 7.7 hours are five times more likely to develop high blood pressure. #insomnia #sleep #BP #highbloodpressure #medindia

Teens who report insomnia and sleep less than 7.7 hours are five times more likely to develop high blood pressure. #insomnia #sleep #BP #highbloodpressure #medindia

Advertisement

Sleep Deprivation: A Silent Threat to Your Heart

Advertisement

How Insomnia Fuels Hypertension in Teens

Sleepless Nights Increase BP

Teenagers who self-reported insomnia and slept less than 7.7 hours in the lab were five times more likely to have clinical hypertension than good sleepers (participants who did not report insomnia and obtained sufficient sleep in the lab, defined as 7.7 hours or more).

Teenagers who slept less than 7.7 hours in the lab but did not report insomnia had nearly three times the risk of elevated blood pressure compared to the good sleepers.

Teens who self-reported insomnia but obtained sufficient sleep in the lab did not appear to be at higher risk for elevated blood pressure or stage 2 hypertension.

Sleep Well to Stay Well: A Key Component of Lifes Essential 8

The study group included 421 participants (54% boys and 46% girls, average age 16.5 years) from three school districts in the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, metropolitan area. 77% of participants self-identified as white; 13% self-identified as Black; 7% self-identified as Hispanic; and 3% selected Other.

The overnight sleep study and blood pressure measurements occurred between 2010 and 2013, and data analyses were conducted between 2023 and 2024.

Of the participants, 35% reported difficulty falling and/or staying asleep (insomnia symptoms) and 50% slept less than 7.7 hours in the lab (objective short sleep duration).

Data was collected between 2010 and 2013 through self-reported questionnaires, a polysomnography (a sleep study conducted in a lab) and seated blood pressure measurements collected in the lab the same evening of the sleep studies.

The Penn State Child Cohort is ongoing and collecting data from the same participants, now ages 20 to 33 years old.

Healthy Sleep, Healthy Heart: A Lifelong Connection

Good Sleep Habits for Teens

Daylight Saving Time: The Time Shift That Messes with Your Zzzs

Get Enough Sleep to Stay Healthy

Teens who don't get enough sleep may have a higher risk of high blood pressure , according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Associations Epidemiology, Prevention, Lifestyle & Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Sessions 2025.The meeting will be held in New Orleans, and features the latest science on population-based health and wellness and implications for lifestyle.Poor sleep is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease , which claims more lives each year in the U.S. than all forms of cancer and chronic lower respiratory disease combined, according to the American Heart Associations 2025 Statistical Update., according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, yet the average high school student is estimated to sleep only 6.5 hours per weeknight.Researchers studied a diverse group of more than 400 teenagers from the Penn State Child Cohort. Participants in the study self-reported insomnia on a questionnaire prior to enrolling in the lab-based sleep study. In the nine-hour overnight sleep study, called a polysomnography, sensors were attached to each participants head, face and body to measure their sleep duration objectively. The study also included three consecutive blood pressure measurements taken on the night of the sleep study about two-to-three hours before lights were turned off in the lab.We know that disturbed and insufficient sleep is associated with high blood pressure in adults, particularly in adults who report insomnia and sleep objectively less than six hours, but we do not yet know if these associations exist in adolescents, said senior study author Julio Fernandez-Mendoza, Ph.D., a professor of psychiatry, neuroscience and public health sciences and director of behavioral sleep medicine at Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine in Hershey, Pennsylvania.The researchers defined insomnia as reporting difficulty falling and/or staying asleep and defined objective short sleep duration as less than 7.7 hours, based on the median total time asleep in the lab-based sleep study. Teenagers in the study were considered to have elevated blood pressure if they had a systolic, or top number, measurement of 120 mm Hg or higher and a diastolic, or bottom number, measurement of 80 mm Hg or lower. They were considered to have stage 2 hypertension if they had an average systolic blood pressure measurement of 140 mm Hg or higher and/or an average diastolic measure of 90 mm Hg or higher, which aligns with the Associations 2017 Guideline for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults.The researchers found:These findings suggest, the researchers noted.While we need to explore this association in larger studies on teens, it is safe to say that sleep health matters for heart health , and we should not wait until adulthood to address it, Fernandez-Mendoza said. Not all teens who complain of insomnia symptoms are at risk for cardiovascular issues, however, monitoring their sleep duration objectively can help us identify those who have a more severe form of insomnia and are at-risk for heart problems.Improving ones sleep health is something everyone can do to improve their cardiovascular health and is a key component of the Associations Lifes Essential 8.include eating healthy food, being physically active, not smoking, getting enough sleep, maintaining a healthy weight and controlling cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure levels.Our findings are important because they call attention to the need to listen to teens who complain of disturbed sleep, to monitor and assess their sleep objectively and help them improve it in order to prevent heart problems early, said the studys first author Axel Robinson, a 17-year-old senior at Pelham Memorial High School in Pelham, New York.Robinson, whose high school offers a four-year science research program, read one of Fernandez-Mendozas scientific articles when he was in ninth grade and reached out to Fernandez-Mendoza, asking him to become his research mentor. I have always been personally interested in insomnia, so I pursued two internships with Dr. Fernandez-Mendoza with the goal of learning more about the disorder. Insomnia had bothered me my entire life and I was able to overcome it thanks to what I learned and a therapist he recommended, he said.Study details, background and design:The studys limitations include that it was conducted in a sleep lab, so participants might not have slept as well as if they were at home. Additionally, because all data collection took place between 2010 and 2013, It is uncertain whether there may be post-COVID increases in adolescent insomnia, depression and anxiety that could impact the results of other studies when replicated now, Fernandez-Mendoza noted.This study adds to the limited knowledge base about the relation between poor sleep and risk of hypertension during a crucial life stage of development, said Brooke Aggarwal, Ed.D., M.S., FAHA, an assistant professor of medical sciences in the department of medicines division of cardiology at Columbia University Medical Center and a member of the Associations Lifestyle Sleep Health Science Committee.Prevention of heart disease is key, and it begins with the adoption of a healthy lifestyle in childhood and adolescence, including optimal sleep. Setting healthy sleep patterns during the teenage years could carry over into adulthood. Similarly, sleep problems that occur during the teen years tend to persist over time and could predispose individuals to increased cardiovascular risk later in life, said Aggarwal, who was not involved in the study.Besides treatment for any clinical sleep disorders, teens can also practice good sleep hygiene, including creating relaxing bedtime routines, limiting electronics use in the hours before bedtime, avoiding heavy meals before bed, restricting caffeine and participating in daily physical activity.This year, daylight saving time begins on Sunday, March 9. Daylight saving time is the practice of setting the clocks an hour ahead of standard time to achieve longer evening daylight in the summer months. Following good sleep hygiene, as well as getting as much natural light as possible each day and winding down earlier in the evenings ahead, can help to get ahead of the time change.Many people, including teens, struggle to adjust and their sleep suffers. Before we all spring ahead, Id encourage parents and teens to talk about the importance of sleep and make a plan to adjust schedules to ensure everyone gets adequate sleep, Aggarwal said.Source - American Heart Associations Epidemiology, Prevention, Lifestyle & Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Sessions 2025
Healthy Sperm, Healthy Life: Men with higher sperm motility lived 23 years longer than those with poor semen quality.

  Trusted Source

Semen quality and lifespan: a study of 78 284 men followed for up to 50 years



Go to source Trusted Source

Did You Know?

Men with more than 120 million motile sperm lived 2.7 years longer on average than those with 0 - 5 million motile sperm. #spermhealth #semenquality #longevity #malelifepan

Men with more than 120 million motile sperm lived 2.7 years longer on average than those with 0 - 5 million motile sperm. #spermhealth #semenquality #longevity #malelifepan

Healthier Sperm, Longer Life

  Trusted Source

Spermatozoa as harbingers of mortality: the curious link between semen quality and life expectancy



Go to source Trusted Source

Better Sperm, Better Health, Better Life!

Semen Quality: A Sign of Longevity

Poor Sperm Quality may Signal Bigger Health Risks

Oxidative Stress: The Hidden Culprit Behind Aging and Sperm Health

Semen quality and lifespan: a study of 78 284 men followed for up to 50 years - (https://academic.oup.com/humrep/advance-article/doi/10.1093/humrep/deaf023/8051460) Spermatozoa as harbingers of mortality: the curious link between semen quality and life expectancy - (https://academic.oup.com/humrep/advance-article/doi/10.1093/humrep/deaf027/8051459)

Men's sperm health isn't just about fertility ; it may also be a predictor of how long they live, according to a new study of nearly 80,000 men.The findings of the study are published in the journal, one of the worlds leading reproductive medicine journals ().The study followed the men for up to 50 years and found that those with a total number of motile sperm (sperm that can move or swim) of more than 120 million could expect to live two to three years longer than men with a total motile sperm count of between 0 and 5 million.This is the largest study to examine the link between semen quality and mortality. An accompanying editorial commentary calls it a landmark publication ().The research was led by Dr. Lrke Priskorn, a senior researcher, and Dr. Niels Jrgensen, chief andrologist, both working in the Department of Growth and Reproduction at Copenhagen University HospitalRigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark. They analyzed data from 78,284 men who had their semen quality assessed between 1965 and 2015 at the public semen analysis laboratory in Copenhagen due to reported couple infertility. This meant that semen quality among the men ranged from very good to those with no sperm. Assessment of semen quality included semen volume, sperm concentration, and the proportion of sperm that were motile and a normal shape.During the follow-up period, the researchers used the data contained in unique Danish national registers, to see how many died from any cause. During this time there were 8,600 deaths, representing 11% of this group of men. Out of this group, 59,657 men provided semen samples between 1987 and 2015, and for this group more information was available, including educational level as an indicator of socioeconomic status, and registered diagnoses of medical conditions in the ten years prior to giving a sample.The researchers adjusted their analyses to take account of the extra information that was available for the men who gave samples from 1987 onwards as that could affect the results.Dr. Priskorn said: Previous research has suggested that male infertility and lower semen quality could be associated with mortality. We conducted this study to test the hypothesis and at the same time get an absolute estimate of how much semen quality predicts a mans lifespan and to understand whether diagnosed diseases prior to semen quality assessment might explain some of the reported association.We calculated the mens life expectancy according to their semen quality and found that men with the best quality could expect to live two to three years longer, on average, than men with the lowest semen quality. In absolute terms, men with a total motile count of more than 120 million lived 2.7 years longer than men with a total motile count of between 0 and 5 million. The lower the semen quality, the lower the life expectancy . This association was not explained by any diseases in the ten years before semen quality assessment or the mens educational level.The researchers suggest that poor semen quality may be an indicator of other, underlying factors that affect both fertility and overall health. This might have the potential for detecting health problems at the time men have their semen quality investigated.Dr. Jrgensen said: We need to better understand the association between semen quality and mens general health. However, this study suggests that we can identify subgroups of men with impaired semen quality who are apparently healthy when their semen quality is assessed, but who are at increased risk of developing certain diseases later in life.Thus, fertility evaluations, which are typically conducted when the men are relatively young, would serve as an opportunity for detecting and mitigating the risks of other health problems in the longer term. In the current study, we did not analyze whether poor semen quality was associated with earlier deaths from particular causes, such as cancer or heart disease , and this is something we will be studying in the future. Using other groups of men, we will also try to identify relevant biomarkers that can identify subgroups of men at increased risk. This is key to initiating relevant prevention strategies.A strength of the study is its large size. Limitations include lack of information on health behaviors; assessment of the mens health before semen sampling was limited to diagnoses obtained from the National Patient Register, and only for men who gave samples from 1987; and it was not possible to distinguish between men who had no motile sperm because of an obstruction in their genital tracts and those who had no motile sperm for other reasons.In a commentary to accompany the paper, Distinguished Emeritus Professor John Aitken from the School of Environmental and Life Sciences at The University of Newcastle, Australia, calls it a landmark publication and sets out the various mechanisms that could be contributing to the link between poor semen quality and shorter life span.In this commentary, I have highlighted several potential mediators of such an association including genetic defects on the sex chromosomes (X or Y), a compromised immune system, comorbidities, lifestyle factors and chemical pollutants capable of compromising telomeric integrity. Given the complexity of these factors, we might ask whether they are acting independently, or do they reflect the existence of some fundamental pathological process that cuts across all of these epidemiological pathways? he writes.He suggests a process called oxidative stress could be involved in the process. This is an imbalance in the body of molecules called free radicals and antioxidants, which inhibit oxidation. Free radicals are known to damage cells and to influence semen quality, and oxidative stress is known to be involved in the aging process.He writes: Any factor (genetic, immunological, metabolic, environmental or lifestyle) that enhances overall levels of oxidative stress, could reasonably be expected to drive changes in the semen profile and subsequent patterns of mortality, as observed by Priskorn et al. . . . Furthermore, an aetiology grounded in oxidative stress might also explain the relationships observed between complications of pregnancy (preeclampsia, gestational hypertension and gestational diabetes) and female mortality later in life . . . An overarching oxidative stress hypothesis also accords with the observation that circulating antioxidant levels are generally higher in women than men, just as their telomeres are usually longer . . . So perhaps, for both genders, the secret to achieving both high fecundity and heathy ageing, is to monitor oxidative stress and adopt measures to maintain a balanced redox state. Could it be that simple? Clearly, much food for thought.Source- University of Copenhagen
Join the #IAmFearless campaign this Womens Day to raise awareness about breast cancer and empower women to fight fearlessly.

Prioritizing Womens Health: Breast Cancer Awareness Talk



Celebrating the strength & resilience of women this #InternationalWomensDay! #Wockhardt Hospitals' "I Am Fearless" campaign shines a light on the incredible spirit of women everywhere. #WomenEmpowerment

Advertisement

In a powerful tribute to women's resilience and health, Wockhardt Hospitals, Mira Road hosted its annualThe initiative brought together 1,800 female staff members from various locations, including Mira Road, Mumbai Central, Rajkot, and Nagpur, fostering a sense of unity, empowerment, and well-being. The campaign aimed to promote womens health, encourage talent expression, and reinforce the organization's commitment to supporting female employees in every aspect of their lives.A key highlight of the event was an insightful talk on breast cancer awareness by Dr. Aditi Agrawal, Consultant General Surgery & Breast OncoSurgery. She emphasized the importance of daily self-examinations and early-stage screenings, highlighting how timely detection can save lives. Attendees actively participated in a Q&A session, engaging in meaningful discussions about womens health concerns, making the session both educational and impactful.The celebration wasnt just about health awarenessit also encouraged physical fitness and well-being. A high-energy Zumba session brought excitement and enthusiasm to the gathering, encouraging participants to embrace an active lifestyle. The event also featured various fun activities and team-building exercises, reinforcing the message of strength, resilience, and camaraderie among the hospitals female workforce.Ms. Zahabiya Khorakiwala, Managing Director at Wockhardt Hospitals Group, shared her vision for empowering women: "At Wockhardt Hospitals, we believe in empowering women to live fearlessly. Our 'I Am Fearless' campaign serves as a reminder to women everywhere of the strength and resilience they possess, and we are proud to support them in their health and well-being. This day is not just about celebration but also about raising awareness of important health issues that directly impact women.""Celebrating International Women's Day through this campaign allows us not only to honor the women at Wockhardt Hospitals but also to reinforce our commitment to their health, development, and empowerment. It's an opportunity to bring our teams closer and highlight the incredible impact women have within our organization."Adding to the sentiments, Dr. Pankaj Dhamija, Centre Head, Wockhardt Hospitals, Mira Road, acknowledged the unwavering dedication of female staff: "This celebration is a testament to the strength, dedication, and talent of our female staff. It was truly inspiring to witness the enthusiasm and unity within our teams, and we are committed to creating an environment that supports their personal and professional growth."The I Am Fearless campaign stands as a symbol of Wockhardt Hospitals dedication to fostering a culture of empowerment, wellness, and solidarity. By prioritizing womens health through awareness sessions, promoting fitness, and recognizing the contributions of female employees, the organization continues to break barriers and champion the cause of womens strength and well-being.As Wockhardt Hospitals moves forward, initiatives like this reaffirm the importance of supporting womennot just on International Womens Day, but every day of the year.Source-Medindia
The reactivation of the dormant X chromosome may explain slower cognitive aging in women, paving the way for potential brain aging treatments.

  Trusted Source

Aging activates escape of the silent X chromosome in the female mouse hippocampus



Go to source Trusted Source

Did You Know?

Women tend to have a larger hippocampus and more neural connection density, meaning they are able to process and absorb more emotional and sensory information.

Women tend to have a larger hippocampus and more neural connection density, meaning they are able to process and absorb more emotional and sensory information.

Advertisement

Analysis of Gene Expression in the Hippocampus

Advertisement

Impact of the Silent X Chromosome on Brain Function

Gender Differences in PLP1 Expression

Aging activates escape of the silent X chromosome in the female mouse hippocampus - (https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.ads8169?)

The slower cognitive aging in female brains may be linked to the, which activates genes that support the maintenance of healthy brain cell connections. This discovery, made by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), could open up new possibilities for treatments aimed at combating brain aging and diseases in both women and men ().The study, conducted on mice and published in Science Advances under the title "Aging activates escape of the silent X chromosome in the female mouse hippocampus," reveals that when female mice reached an age equivalent to about 65 human years, their inactive second X chromosome (the Barr body) began to express genes that enhanced brain connections and improved cognition. This finding could help explain why older women generally experience fewer cognitive declines compared to older men, according to Dr. Dena Dubal, M.D., Ph.D., senior author of the study and a professor of neurology at UCSF. "These results demonstrate that the silent X chromosome in females reawakens late in life, likely helping to slow cognitive decline," she explained.To investigate this phenomenon, Dr. Dubal and her team created hybrid mice by crossing two different laboratory strains, with one strain having a silent X chromosome. Because they knew the genetic code for each strain, they could accurately trace any gene expression back to its respective X chromosome. The researchers then analyzed gene expression in the hippocampus of 20-month-old female mice, which are roughly equivalent to 65-year-old humans. The hippocampus, a crucial area for learning and memory, is known to decline with age.The researchers discovered that in various hippocampal cell types, the silenced X chromosome began expressing around, many of which are involved in brain development and intellectual disabilities. "We immediately thought this might explain how womens brains remain resilient during typical aging, as men dont have this extra X chromosome," said Margaret Gadek, a graduate student in the M.D.-Ph..D program at UCSF and the study's first author.Upon further investigation, the researchers noticed that a gene called, which is involved in the formation of myelin, was particularly notable. In particular, older female mice had higher levels of PLP1 in their hippocampus compared to older male mice, likely due to the activation of the silent X chromosome.To determine whether PLP1 could account for the resilience they observed, the team artificially expressed the gene in the hippocampus of both older female and male mice. In both groups, the increased gene activity improved brain function. Mice of both sexes that received the PLP1 boost performed better on memory and learning tests.For their next steps, the team is further investigating the activity of the silent X chromosome and exploring potential interventions. As part of this work, they analyzed brain tissue donated by older men and women, finding that only women had elevated levels of PLP1. "Cognition is one of our biggest biomedical challenges, but the aging brain is adaptable, and the X chromosome clearly offers insights into what might be possible," Dubal said.Source-Genengnews
After doing seven films together like Lahoo Ke Do Rang (1997), Hera Pheri (2000), Awara Paagal Deewana (2002), Aan: Men At Work (2004), Deewane Huye Paagal (2005), Phir Hera Pheri (2006) and Welcome (2007), Akshay Kumar is reuniting with producer Firoz A Nadiadwala for the eighth time with Welcome to the Jungle which is slated to release in theatres in 2025. In almost three decades since they first collaborated and delivered several iconic films, their famed classic remains Hera Pheri. As the film completes 25 years this month, Firoz Nadiadwala was all praise for Akshay Kumar as a leading man and he put him above the likes of Hollywood superstars like Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio.

 Base Industries Group Firoz told Bollywood Hungama, Akshay ji is one star in which we have the whole galaxy and universe together. Aap unse comedy karao, action karao, romance karao, emotions karao (You can make him do comedy, action, romance, emotions)  he can do it anything. I keep telling him that Tom Cruise is the Akshay Kumar of Hollywood, not the other way around! In fact, according to my humble submission, in terms of talent, personality and looks, hes far ahead of Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio put together. He continued, He can be a romantic hero for a minimum of 10 years. Abhi bhi unke chehre pe kya glow hai (His face still has that glow). He takes care of his health and is always punctual. His level of commitment and respect for everybody on the set are commendable. I have been watching him since 1996. Lahoo Ke Do Rang (1997) was my first film with him. And added, You must have heard the saying One in a million. For me, Akshay ji is a million in one! God bless him (smiles).
ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, February 16. Natural gas production at the Malai field in Turkmenistan, operated by the Lebapgazchykarysh division of the state-owned Turkmengas corporation, reached 444.4 million cubic meters in January 2025, exceeding planned targets by 8 percent, an official source told Trend.

In total, over 5.47 bcm of gas was extracted from the Malai field in 2024. A significant portion of the extracted gas was directed to the Turkmenistan-China pipeline. About 5.8 bcm of gas was transported via the 188 km long Malay-Bagtyyarlyk high-pressure gas pipeline in 2024, which exceeded the annual plan by 25.7 percent.

This achievement was attributable to the efficient utilization of existing fields and the development of new fields. In particular, a gas compressor station was commissioned at the Malai field, while ongoing workover of existing wells and exploration of new gas-bearing areas contributed to the success.

A recent breakthrough came in September 2024, with the discovery of a new gas field at the Tachmyradov site in the Chardjev district. Specialists from the Lebapnebitgazgozleg expedition of Turkmengeology drilled a well at a depth of 2,500 meters, uncovering a large natural gas reserve. The capacity of the new field stands at 389,000 cubic meters of gas daily.
The Army is grappling with a staggering attrition rate among newly enlisted troops, even as recent recruiting figures suggest the service is clawing its way out of a yearslong enlistment crisis.

Nearly one-quarter of soldiers recruited since 2022 have failed to complete their initial contracts, according to internal Army data reviewed by Military.com. While the Army's recruiting totals look solid on paper, a high dropout rate raises serious doubts about whether those numbers are an accurate portrayal of how well the service is manned.

It remains unclear why the Army is losing so many soldiers, but one explanation could be the declining quality of its recruiting pool. One-quarter of all enlistees last year had to go through at least one of the Future Soldier Preparatory Courses, which were set up as a sort of silver bullet for recruiting woes -- getting applicants up to snuff with academic or body fat enlistment standards before they ship out to basic training.

Read Next: Pentagon's No. 2 Spokesperson Has Long History of Antisemitic, Bigoted Social Media Posts

The military's recruiting challenges have largely centered around finding young Americans eligible to serve, a pool that the Pentagon has estimated at only about 23% of 17- to 24-year-olds. One senior Army official with direct knowledge of the service's recruiting efforts said only about 8% are eligible for a so-called "clean enlistment," meaning the recruit didn't need any waivers or have to attend a prep course.

"If this is the new normal, we're taking in a whole quarter of the Army that isn't hitting the standard," Gil Barndollar, a senior research fellow at the Center for the Study of Statesmanship, said in an interview with Military.com. "The bigger question, though, is a human capital problem. If we have a crisis and we need a lot of people, what is the state of the nation? We're looking at a country which by a lot of metrics -- physical ability, cognitive ability -- all those numbers are going in the wrong direction."

According to service data, roughly 25% of prep course soldiers do not make it through their first contract and wash out of the Army within the first two years of their enlistment. But even more strikingly, soldiers who do not attend the prep courses aren't that much different -- they have a 20% attrition rate.

The numbers give the first public glance at the prep courses' success. Some service officials interviewed by Military.com noted the Army is in a difficult position and would come nowhere near meeting manning standards without those courses.

Here are the rates at which soldiers wash out of basic training:

Soldiers who did not attend any prep course: 11.3%

Academic track prep course: 15.3%

Fitness track prep course: 16%

Soldiers who attended both prep courses: 18.7%

"I don't know what an acceptable attrition rate is, but we have to meet people where they are," the senior Army official told Military.com. "The quality of new soldiers is an enormous problem we're paying for. But that's just where the country is."

Moreover, the Army has more than doubled the number of waivers it grants to new recruits, from 8,400 in 2022 to 17,900 last year. Many of those are medical waivers.

That increase is largely attributed to MHS Genesis, a new centralized medical records system that gives the military unprecedented access to applicants' health histories. Some recruiters say the system is disqualifying applicants over minor injuries or past treatments, while others note a dramatic rise in teenage medication use and diagnoses for conditions like attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD.

The Army has also loosened restrictions on criminal backgrounds. Last year, the service granted 1,045 waivers for misdemeanor offenses, up from 895 in 2022. More strikingly, it approved 401 felony waivers -- quadrupling the 98 granted in 2022. The Army prohibits waivers for crimes related to sexual violence.

"U.S. Army Recruiting Command remains committed to recruiting young men and women into our Army that are ready and qualified to join the most lethal fighting force in the world to ensure our nation's security," Madison Bonzo, a service spokesperson, said in a statement when asked about whether the Army is concerned that the quality of recruits is worsening.

On paper, the service started turning around its recruiting woes last year, bringing in 55,300 new active-duty troops against a goal of 55,000.

Additionally, it ended the year with a healthy surplus of 11,000 in the so-called delayed-entry pool, which will be counted in this year's numbers. The significant pool of delayed enlistees is largely due to the Army having such a healthy recruiting year that it ran out of space in basic training units. The service is set to dramatically expand its capacity for basic trainees this spring.

"We've seen record numbers across the country," Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Fox News on Wednesday, touting recent recruitment gains.

But the exodus of new enlistees begs the question: Does the extremely short turnaround make those recruiting wins meaningless?

The active-duty Army counts someone as a new recruit once they ship off to the Future Soldier Preparatory Course or basic training, meaning dropouts may not be reflected in data briefed to senior leadership or Congress.

In February, Military.com reported on Defense Department inspector general findings that the service might be skirting its own rules on recruiting, sending applicants to the prep course designed to help them meet body fat standards even though they were too overweight to even qualify.

The inspector general found about 300 applicants were turned away at the prep course for being too overweight -- a figure that would nearly nullify the Army's recruiting victory last year.

Related: 'Last Stop USA': How the Army Is Trying to Fill in for a Broken Education System
It was Sunday, quiet and mild aside from the two Ospreys' dual rotors thrumming the chests of the Marines packed inside. The sortie was just over a mile away from its objective -- an airfield the troops aboard were meant to seize -- located on a sparsely populated island north of Australia's mainland.

The flight on Aug. 27, 2023, was part of a routine training exercise with the Australian military. It came weeks before the Marines' rotation to the Pacific was set to end. Lima Company was tasked with seizing two airfields on Melville Island, and Capt. Joshua Watson was in charge of leading the 38 Marines aboard the two Ospreys to their objective, which was nicknamed "Cheetah."

Watson, then a first lieutenant and executive officer for Lima Company, was in one of the aircraft, call sign Dumptruck-12, which trailed behind the lead Osprey. He was keyed into the aircraft's intercom, listening to the chatter from its crew as it approached its final descent to the objective, not knowing what awaited him and his Marines in the coming seconds.

Read Next: Pentagon Caps Civilians' Government Charge Cards at $1, Limits Travel as Part of Trump Cuts

The pilots and crew chief were "calm, cool and collected," he said, even as the two Ospreys nearly collided, causing the fuel-heavy aircraft he was in to bank dramatically -- once, twice, three times, before it began to plummet nose-down.

"I didn't have any thought or indication that something was going wrong until I heard 'brace for impact,'" Watson said in an interview with Military.com on Thursday. He relayed the signal to the Marines in the troop cabin -- they were going to crash.

The impending tragedy would prove fatal to the three aircrew: Both pilots, Capt. Eleanor LeBeau and Maj. Tobin Lewis died, crash-landing the Osprey in a way that would allow the 20 other passengers on board to survive, Watson said.

"They didn't give up," he said. "They flew the aircraft all the way to the ground, and I truly owe my life to them, and I wouldn't be here ... and you can say the same for 19 others."

Cpl. Spencer Collart, the crew chief, survived the initial impact but returned to the burning wreckage in an attempt to save the pilots at the cost of his own life. He was posthumously awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal last year, the service's highest noncombat award for acts of valor.

"[It's] hard to believe, but he got [the full company of] 108 infantry Marines excited about going to ride on a V-22 and execute a mission on a Sunday, just the way he presented himself and carried himself was awesome," Watson said of Collart, describing him as having an "absolute phenomenal attitude."

Watson, an infantry officer at the time, also earned that same award for his actions in the aftermath of the crash, for which he was honored in a ceremony Feb. 28.

Lewis, who took control of the aircraft in the moments before it crashed, gripped the controls with both hands, pulling back on the cyclic in an attempt to level the Osprey out and slow its speed into the trees, which Marines later said were getting closer and closer as a stall warning blared into the troop cabin amid the perilous descent.

"And after I heard 'brace for impact,'" Watson said, "it was about three to five seconds later and we were on the ground."

The Osprey hit the ground in Melville Island's jungle forest before skidding 200 feet. Trees sheared the aircraft's tail off and the Osprey "burst into a fireball" on impact, according to a subsequent mishap investigation.

"I'm alive" was Watson's first thought post-impact. It was fleeting as he absorbed the chaos around him. Smoke, fire and debris filled the cabin as alarms blared -- his ankle was broken. The Marines were in shock; some were unconscious. He saw a light punching through the smoke toward the rear of the aircraft, marking the only exit amid the flames.

"Leave everything and get out the back," he recalled saying in a first-person account of the crash published last month. Watson explained that he unstrapped himself and, as he checked the Marines to his left and right, began tending to his radio operator, who was unconscious.

He pushed the radio operator to the aircraft's rear ramp, ushering other Marines out as he checked under seats and wreckage to make sure no one was trapped. Within two minutes, the Marines in the troop cabin were out of the flames. Watson was the last to leave the cabin.

"I tried to be as deliberate as I could in that moment to make sure that there was no one remaining onboard," he told Military.com. "I had a feeling that I was gonna have one shot to make sure everybody got out due to the nature of the fire in the crash."

Thinking the aircraft might explode, Marines started to scramble away as others worked to free another service member pinned underneath the fuselage of the Osprey. Watson began directing other leaders to control the chaos.

He sent two to sweep the area to make sure they had everyone accounted for. Three Marines were missing -- LeBeau, Lewis and Collart.

Watson assigned two noncommissioned officers and a platoon commander to get the surviving Marines to a casualty collection point, where they began treatment. The corpsman's medical bag was lost in the crash so Marines had to rely on sparse individual first aid kits, or IFAKs, to tend to casualties.

Watson radioed to the section of AH-1Z and UH-Y1 helicopters circling above, which had accompanied the Ospreys on their flight. The helicopters couldn't land because the forest was too dense. While coordinating higher-level casualty care, Watson directed the remaining Marines to move the injured more than a mile away to their intended airfield.

"He guided multiple rescue helicopters into position and facilitated the insertion of several medical teams," a news release announcing Watson's award said. "Watson was the last Marine to recover and transport to Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin, where he and his Marines received treatment for their injuries."

Watson said that, from day one, accountability is drilled into every Marine officer's head. When he signed his original contract to join the Marine Corps in 2016, he did so with the intention of flying himself. But when he went to The Basic School, where new officers are trained, he switched to infantry.

"You fall to your level of training, you don't rise to the occasion," he said. "I one hundred percent felt that."

Watson has "come full circle," he said, now being stationed at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, where he is a flight student and slated to fly rotary-wing aircraft. It was at Pensacola where he received the award for valor late last month.

In his interview and written reflections, Watson asserted that training and preparation were critical to his and his Marines' success in the chaotic scenario. Communication, accountability, rehearsals, equipment inspections -- tasks that can occur well before takeoff -- proved crucial and life-saving in hindsight.

"There's no book answer for a lot of these questions," he said. "But [it was] training, experience and the trust in everyone that really got us to the answers."

Related: He Died Trying to Save Fellow Marines from a Burning Osprey. Now, Spencer Collart Will Be Awarded for His Valor.
Amid mass firings, the Pentagon has effectively put a halt on the use of travel and purchasing credit cards by its civilian employees and ordered any workers currently traveling to return as soon as possible, according to a pair of memos issued this week.

One memo puts a $1 limit on the government cards, which renders them mostly useless and will likely bar employees from making a wide range of purchases related to work with the Defense Department. The restrictions come as the Pentagon is firing 5,400 civilian employees -- with plans to reduce its workforce by 5% to 8% as part of the Trump administration's ongoing effort to dramatically remake the government.

Workers at agencies across the federal government have been hit with the government charge card cap at the behest of billionaire Elon Musk, who is also firing tens of thousands of other federal employees and slashing agencies through his so-called Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, with the blessing of President Donald Trump. The president ordered cost-cutting measures for government employees in an executive order on Feb. 26.

Read Next: Pentagon's No. 2 Spokesperson Has Long History of Antisemitic, Bigoted Social Media Posts

The Pentagon's acting head of acquisition and sustainment, Steven Morani, issued the memo ordering the virtual halt in the use of government purchase cards by civilian employees.

In that memo, the Pentagon temporarily reduced the spending limit to $1 on all government purchase cards, which are normally used to streamline purchasing things as basic as office supplies to items as expensive as $10,000.

"The use of government-issued [government purchase card] accounts to fund activities initiated on or before Feb. 26, 2025, will cease as soon as feasible within the bounds of law," the memo read.

It is not immediately clear what impact the cap on charges will have on Pentagon operations.

The purchase card memo does make exemptions for "disaster relief or natural disaster response benefits or operations, or other critical services," or on existing contracts that remain active until April 9.

Another memo -- this time from Darin Selnick, who is performing the duties of under secretary of defense for personnel and readiness -- restricting travel for civilian workers came a day after the restriction on government charge cards.

"Effective immediately, the use of all government-issued travel charge cards by DoD civilian employees is suspended for all travel that is not exempted," Selnick's memos says.

The only exemption, according to that memo, is for "direct support of military operations or a permanent change of station," known as a PCS move.

It is not clear what the broader impact of the new travel ban will be or how much money it would save the department. Musk's DOGE has claimed widespread savings as it hacks its way through the federal government, but many of the claims have been inaccurate or unsupported.

On Monday, the Pentagon's top spokesman said that Musk's team of aides, who were recently granted access to the department, had made cuts that "probably" saved $80 million but only provided examples that support $13 million in cuts -- a minuscule fraction of the department's roughly $840 billion annual budget.

Some effects of Musk cuts have already been seen.

Military.com has learned that civilian workers in at least four agencies -- the Defense Health Agency, Defense Logistics Agency, the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, and the Navy -- were fired this week.

"Gosh, it was insanely impersonal. We were not allowed the opportunity to ask questions, nothing. It was basically, 'Here it is. You have questions? Ask your supervisors,' who were also in the dark, by the way," said one DHA employee, who requested anonymity out of hope that she may be reinstated.

In another example, Hill Air Force Base in Utah is scaling back its child development centers due to the Trump and Musk job cuts, meaning Gold Star spouses and other defense employees were expected to lose child care as soon as this week.

Military.com reported Tuesday that the Air and Space Forces Association Warfare Symposium in Aurora, Colorado -- one of just two major professional development conferences for the two services -- had noticeably lower attendance than in previous years.

Officials confirmed to Military.com that Trump's order was behind the decreased numbers and that they limited attendance to only people who had a "direct role" in the conference in order to comply with "the spirit of the president's executive order."

Related: Firings Begin at the Pentagon: Veterans, Civil Servants Caught in the Crosshairs
WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump said Friday he is strongly considering levying new sanctions and tariffs on Russia for its war against Ukraine, floating the possibility of new pressure on Moscow just days after he ordered a pause on U.S. military assistance and intelligence sharing with Kyiv.

Trump, in a post on his Truth Social platform, said he was considering the action based on the fact that Russia is absolutely 'pounding' Ukraine on the battlefield right now.

He added that the prospective sanctions could remain in place until the two sides come to a ceasefire and peace settlement.

The sanctions threat came as Trump faces criticism for increasing pressure on Ukraine to reach a deal while playing down or even denying Russias responsibility for starting the war with its invasion three years ago.

To Russia and Ukraine, get to the table right now, before it is too late, Trump added in his post.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said at the Economic Club of New York on Thursday that the U.S. has kept its sanctions in place on Russia and will not hesitate to go all in should it provide leverage in peace negotiations.

Joe Biden's administration over the course of Russias invasion of Ukraine imposed thousands of sanctions on Russian firms, people and ships as well as a price cap on Russian oil, among other actions.

Bessent called Bidens sanctions on Russian energy egregiously weak and stemming from worries about upward pressure on U.S. energy prices.

Per President Trumps guidance, sanctions will be used explicitly and aggressively for immediate maximum impact," Bessent said. They will be carefully monitored to ensure that they are achieving specific objectives.

Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, told reporters Friday there is still a heck of a lot of room to put further pressure on the Russian economy through sanctions.

President Trump is adamant that we need to get everybody to the table, and we could do that with carrots, and we could do that with sticks, Hassett said.

Russia launched overnight attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities with dozens of missiles and drones, officials said Friday, hobbling the countrys ability to deliver heat and light to its citizens and to power weapons factories vital to its defenses.

The barrage  which also pounded residences and wounded at least 10 people  came days after the U.S. suspended military aid and intelligence to Ukraine to pressure it into accepting a peace deal being pushed by the Trump administration.

Without U.S. intelligence, Ukraines ability to strike inside Russia and defend itself from bombardment is significantly diminished.

But Trump, in an exchange with reporters, shrugged off the notion that Russian President Vladimir Putin is taking advantage of the intelligence pause to inflict more pain on Ukraine.

I think hes doing what anybody else would, Trump said of Putin.

And Trump again questioned whether Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is committed to getting a peace agreement to end the conflict. It may be easier dealing with Russia, which is surprising, because they have all the cards, and theyre bombing the hell out of them right now, Trump said.

Trump is sending Secretary of State Marco Rubio, national security adviser Mike Waltz and special envoy Steve Witkoff to Saudi Arabia next week to meet with Ukrainian officials.

Trump, days into his second, nonconsecutive White House term, said targeting Russias oil revenue was the best way to get Moscow to end its nearly three-year war against Ukraine. He leaned in on the idea that OPEC+, the alliance of oil producing nations, holds the key to ending the war by reducing oil prices.

But that push has been received coolly by OPEC+ nations, which include the oil-rich kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Trump has had a complicated history with Putin. The Republican president has even raised the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election in making the case for why he believes he can trust Putin to not restart his war on Ukraine if a truce is reached.

Putin went through a hell of a lot with me, Trump told Zelenskyy during last week's contentious Oval Office meeting that led to Trump pausing aid and intelligence with Ukraine. He went through a phony witch hunt where they used him and Russia. Russia, Russia, Russia, ever hear of that deal?

Associated Press writer Fatima Hussein contributed reporting.
The unemployment rate for veterans ticked down from 4.2% to 4.1% in February despite the Trump administration's push for major cuts in the federal workforce, the government's Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday in its monthly jobs report.

The jobless rate for the post-9/11 generation of veterans also dropped from 4.7% to 4.3% while the unemployment rate for the general population went up slightly from 4.0% to 4.1% as the economy added 151,000 jobs in February in another sign of the labor market's resilience, the BLS report showed.

The new 151,000 jobs added were below market expectations in the range of 170,000, but President Donald Trump seized on the 10,000 new jobs in the manufacturing sector cited in the BLS report to tout the success of his economic strategy.

Read Next: Pentagon Caps Civilians' Government Charge Cards at $1, Limits Travel as Part of Trump Cuts

"We've not only stopped the manufacturing collapse, but we've begun to rapidly reverse it and get major gains," Trump said in Oval Office remarks. "These aren't government jobs, which actually we cut. These are private-sector manufacturing jobs. So we gained all of those jobs, 10,000 jobs, and we've barely started yet. That's very unusual."

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell later signaled that he was still confident in the nation's economic stability despite the slashing of the federal workforce by Elon Musk's so-called Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, and the market indexes all flashing red through Thursday in response to Trump's on-again, off-again imposition of tariffs on Mexico and Canada.

"Despite elevated levels of uncertainty, the U.S. economy continues to be in a good place," Powell said at a University of Chicago event Friday.

Powell's remarks, and Trump's touting of new manufacturing jobs, appeared to head off what was shaping up as another down day for the markets as stocks rallied by midday.

The latest BLS report came at the end of a week in which new Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins announced plans in the coming months to slash about 80,000 jobs at the VA, where veterans make up about 27% of the workforce, according to VA data.

Since Trump took office, a total of more than 62,000 jobs have been cut at 17 federal agencies, according to the outplacement firm Challenger, Gray and Christmas, which specializes in assisting laid-off workers.

Veterans advocates said the impact of the federal workforce cuts for veterans likely had yet to show up in the latest BLS jobs report, since the practice of the BLS is to report on data collected by the middle of the month, and the job cuts mainly came in the latter part of February.

"We're concerned about what the next month looks like," said Will Attig, executive director of the Union Veterans Council at the AFL-CIO. "There's a lot of anger and despair from a lot of veterans" over the cutbacks.

Attig, a former Army sergeant who served two tours in Iraq, said that he expected to see in the March jobs report from the BLS "the real impact on the veterans community" of the federal workforce firings.

"All we want is fairness," and "we're not getting it," he said.

"All ears are to the ground to see how this plays out," Kevin Rasch, the Warriors to Work regional director at the Wounded Warrior Project, said of the plans by Trump and Musk to downsize the federal workforce. "We're all kind of in a holding pattern."

Related: Unemployment Rate for Veterans Spiked More than a Percentage Point to 4.2% in January
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP)  Foreign ministers from Muslim nations on Saturday rejected calls by U.S. President Donald Trump to empty the Gaza Strip of its Palestinian population and backed a plan for an administrative committee of Palestinians to govern the territory to allow reconstruction to go ahead.

The foreign ministers gathered in the Saudi city of Jeddah for a special session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to address the situation in Gaza, at a time when the 7-week-old ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has been thrown into doubt.

In a statement put out Saturday, the gathering threw its support behind a plan to rebuild Gaza put forward by Egypt and backed by Arab states, including Saudi Arabia and Jordan, aimed at countering Trumps call. The OIC groups 57 nations with largely Muslim populations.

Without specifically mentioning Trump, the ministers said they rejected plans aimed at displacing the Palestinian people individually or collectively  as ethnic cleansing, a grave violation of international law and a crime against humanity. They also condemned policies of starvation that they said aim to push Palestinians to leave.

The OIC also reinstated Syria as a member of the grouping.

Syria was removed from the OIC in 2012 over then-President Bashar Assads brutal crackdown on opposition protests. After some 14 years of civil war, Assad was ousted in December by Islamist-led insurgents who since have created a transitional government.

The ceasefire that began in mid-January brought a pause in Israels campaign of bombardment and ground offensives in Gaza aimed at destroying Hamas after its Oct. 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel. The ceasefires first phase saw the release of 25 Israeli hostages held by militants in Gaza and the bodies of eight others in exchange for the freeing of nearly 2,000 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

But an intended second phase of the deal  meant to bring the release of remaining hostages and a lasting truce and full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza  has been thrown into doubt. Israel has balked at entering negotiations over the terms of the second phase. Instead, it has called for Hamas to release half its remaining hostages in return for an extension of the ceasefire and a promise to negotiate a lasting truce. Since Sunday, Israel has barred all food, fuel, medicine and other supplies from entering Gaza for some 2 million people, demanding Hamas accept the revised deal.

At the same time, Trump has called for Gazas population to be resettled elsewhere permanently so that the United States can take over the territory and develop it for others. Palestinians have rejected calls to leave.

The ministers at the OIC gathering supported an Egyptian-backed proposal that an administrative committee replace Hamas in governing Gaza. The committee would work under the umbrella of the Palestinian Authority, based in the West Bank. Israel has rejected the PA having any role in the Gaza Strip, but has not put forward an alternative for post-war rule in the territory.

Under the ceasefire, Israeli forces have pulled back to a zone along Gazas edges. Early Saturday, an Israeli strike killed two Palestinians in Gazas southernmost city of Rafah, the Palestinian Health Ministry said. The Israeli military said it struck several men who appeared to have been flying a drone that entered Israel from Gaza.

Israels military offensive has killed over 48,000 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to Gazas Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were militants.

The campaign was triggered by Hamas October 2023 attack, in which militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, inside Israel and took a total of 251 people hostage. Most have been released in ceasefire agreements or other arrangements. Hamas is believed to still have 24 living hostages and the bodies of 34 others.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the U.S. military to remove diversity-related content in accordance with President Donald Trump's executive order to end diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs across the federal government. Hegseth's order reportedly gave the Pentagon a deadline of Wednesday, March 5, to complete the task, but it looks as though the hasty effort had the unwanted side effect of erasing some of America's greatest heroes -- including at least one Medal of Honor recipient from World War II.

According to The Associated Press, images of Col. Paul Tibbets and the Enola Gay, the pilot and aircraft that first dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, were found in a database of 26,000 pieces of content flagged for removal, in all likelihood because their files included the word "gay." Content related to the Tuskegee airmen, the storied Black fighter pilots who helped pave the way for desegregation in the U.S. military, also appeared in the database despite the public outcry over their removal from Air Force training materials and subsequent reversal in January.

And among those files flagged for removal was a photograph of Pfc. Harold Gonsalves, who received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions during the Battle of Okinawa in 1945.

(U.S. Marine Corps photo)

Gonsalves was born into a Portuguese-American family in Alameda, California, on Jan. 28, 1926. He spent his boyhood days there and was, by all accounts, an excellent student who was active in his school's extracurricular activities. But the young man never finished high school. Instead, he dropped out during his junior year to start working as a clerk for the local Montgomery Ward, one of America's oldest and then-most successful retail chains.

The United States entered World War II when Gonsalves was just 15 years old. He was barely 17 when he joined the Marine Corps Reserve in May 1943. Less than one month later, he was called up to active duty. He became a cannoneer with the Marine Corps artillery, and before the year's end, he was shipping out to the Pacific Theater. After joining his fellow artillerymen in the 22nd Marines, he first saw action capturing the island of Engebi during the Battle of Eniwetok in the Marshall Islands. From there, Gonsalves and the 22nd captured the Perry Islands and Kwajalein.

Read Next: The Army Medic Who Received the Medal of Honor for Taking Out a Chinese Squad with His Bare Hands

Like the rest of the Army, Navy and Marine Corps forces in the Pacific, Gonsalves' island-hopping campaign continued as the combined American and Allied forces pushed the Japanese back toward their home islands. Their next stop was Guam, the largest of the Marianas, where some 22,000 Japanese troops and 40 tanks were waiting for them across 212 square miles. After almost three weeks of fighting in the dense jungle and driving rain between July and August 1944, Guam was finally liberated.

(U.S. Marine Corps photo)

Gonsalves was then sent to Guadalcanal, which had been captured by the Allies in February 1943. In November 1944, he was attached to the 6th Marine Division, joining Battery L, 4th Battalion, 15th Marine Regiment. It was with the 15th Marines that he landed on Okinawa on April 1, 1945. The largest amphibious assault of the war in the Pacific, he was one of 183,000 combat troops to fight on the island, facing down more than 110,000 entrenched Japanese troops and conscripts. It was the last stop before a full-scale invasion of mainland Japan.

Gonsalves was a forward observer for the battalion, directing fire toward the enemy's mountain stronghold on the Motobu Peninsula, amid a hail of rifle fire, grenades and mortars. As the Marines advanced, the batteries needed to move closer to the front line to provide deadlier, more accurate artillery fire. Along with another Marine, he followed one of his officers up a hill to lay down telephone lines so they could communicate with Marines farther back.

A view of one of the beaches on Okinawa, taken by Navy Petty Officer E.W. Peck off the USS Tulagi, April 3, 1945. (National Archives)

As the group approached the front, a Japanese grenade landed in their midst. Without hesitation or reservation, Gonsalves threw himself on it. He absorbed the full blast and fragmentation, saving his comrades who all emerged unharmed.

For his actions to protect his fellow Marines, President Harry S. Truman awarded him a posthumous Medal of Honor, which was presented to his family in San Francisco on June 19, 1946.

"Stouthearted and indomitable," his Medal of Honor citation read, "Private First Class Gonsalves readily yielded his own chances of survival [so] that his fellow Marines might carry on the relentless battle against the fanatic Japanese and his cool decision, prompt action, and valiant spirit of self-sacrifice in the face of certain death reflect the highest credit upon himself and the United States Naval Service."

Want to Learn More About Military Life?

Whether you're thinking of joining the military, looking for post-military careers or keeping up with military life and benefits, Military.com has you covered. Subscribe to Military.com to have military news, updates and resources delivered directly to your inbox.
ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, March 8. Turkmenistan has expressed its readiness to work closely with European partners on natural gas supplies, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said in an interview with Euronews Trend reports.

The energy sector holds vast potential, with growing mutual interest in its development. Turkmenistan is ready to engage in close cooperation with European partners on the supply of natural gas. One of the pathways for targeted actions is the implementation of the Trans-Caspian route, said Berdimuhamedov.

He also emphasized that the development of underwater infrastructure in the Caspian Sea aligns with the economic interests of coastal states, ensuring a balanced approach that considers the needs of energy producers, consumers, and transit countries.

"This will serve as a fundamental factor in strengthening energy security and resilience across Eurasia," stressed Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.

The growing trade turnover between the EU and Turkmenistan highlights expanding cooperation, particularly in energy. It exceeded 1.5 billion euros from January through October 2023, marking an 84-percent increase compared to the same period in 2022. Turkmenistans readiness to engage in gas partnerships, like the Trans-Caspian route, offers mutual benefits, supporting Europes energy security while providing Turkmenistan access to key markets.
HOLLAND, MI  Experience a morning after that rivals the night before.

Big Lake Brewing, at 13 W 7th St. in Holland, is a tavern offering hand crafted beers boasting eclectic flavors to pair with appetizing entrees. The eatery is experimenting with solutions for the morning after with its new Sunday brunch menu.

The menu consists of options like the Rise and Shine pizza and chicken and waffles and is an ongoing attempt to expand the brewerys horizons.

Not everyone thinks to go to a brewery for lunch or brunch, but we want to be an accommodating space for any time of day, retail manager Bailey Villanueva said. We released a pub only beer called lunch beer basically with the goal of, like, if you wanted to sneak a beer in during lunch, no one would ever know.

Villanueva said the brewery has improved upon its burgers over the past couple years. One of the ways its done so is bringing back its Hangover Burger for Sunday brunch.

The Hangover Burger, which costs $16, is a half-pound patty topped with smoked pork, BBQ sauce, beer cheese and a fried egg on a pretzel bun. Its served with chips.

The Salmon Bruschetta, which costs $18, at Big Lake Brewing, at 13 W 7th St., in Holland on Monday, March 3, 2025. Isaac Ritchey | iritchey@mlive.com

The pub doesnt only experiment with its food. Villanueva said the brewery is always reinventing its beers and doesnt shy away from innovative flavor profiles.

The pubs draft list is a wide selection of mainstays and seasonal offerings. The brewery is known for its flavored hazy IPAs and Michigan Amber, which won a silver medal in the US beer open in 2024.

The Cotton Candy Haze is a juicy new England style IPA that is six percent ABV. The beer remains a best seller, and while its lost some of its specialty locally, its a popular try at beer festivals.

While its draft list may take center stage most evenings, the restaurants regular food menu also has tempting options.

The Salmon Bruschetta is a dinner special that premiered recently. The $18 option comes with grilled salmon topped with bruschetta tomatoes and balsamic reduction on white rice and asparagus.

For those looking to pair a drink with their meal, Chef Jeremy Snider suggests the Works Pizza for $18. Its topped with ham, pepperoni, sausage, bacon, mushroom, bell peppers, onion and mozzarella.

The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Its open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for brunch on Sundays.

For more information or take a look at the full menu, visit The Big Lake Brewings website here or call (616) 796-8888.

Big Lake Brewing, at 13 W 7th St., in Holland on Monday, March 3, 2025. Isaac Ritchey | iritchey@mlive.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.
PLYMOUTH, MI  Federal funding chaos is putting an already strained support system for people experiencing domestic violence at risk of collapsing, organizational directors told Michigan leaders Friday morning.

Leaders from organizations serving those experiencing domestic and sexual violence in southeast Michigan met March 7 with U.S. Reps. Debbie Dingell of Ann Arbor and Rashida Tlaib of Detroit, both Democrats, to share how attempts from the Trump administration to block federal funding have impacted their organizations.

I dont think that the community really understands whats coming versus whats happening, said Lori Kitchen-Buschel, executive director of FirstStep, which works to end domestic and sexual violence in Wayne County.

FirstStep was set to break ground in February on a Detroit-based domestic violence shelter, a project now on hold, she said. Although funding for construction is available, there is now a huge question mark about whether the organization will have money for operational costs, Kitchen-Buschel said.

The shelter would have had to be open by Jan. 1, 2026, to qualify for upcoming grants, she said.

And now because we paused construction, we wont be, Kitchen-Buschel said. So that means that even if we did the construction, we wouldnt be able to operate until 2027  if the moneys there in 2027.

The shelter could have served up to 85 people, she added.

Applications for grants have disappeared from government websites, and this could have long-reaching implications, leaders said. Although some programs have already been approved, theres no application available, which could delay funding awards and dispersment, Kitchen-Buschel said.

That puts organizations like hers in a dangerous position, said Christine Watson, executive director of SafeHouse Center, which works with people experiencing domestic violence in Washtenaw County. She worries she will have to cut programs and staff if its unclear funding will be available Oct. 1, when a new round of funding begins.

Were dismantling stuff that we cant necessarily put back together, Watson said.

Resources are already strained, said Nagham Dabaja, who works with crime survivors through the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services in Dearborn. She sometimes has to place people escaping domestic violence hours away because there are not enough shelter beds in the area.

Other organizations are having trouble accessing money already approved.

Johanna Kononen, director of law and policy for the Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence, said her organization still has not received notice funding is available for the final year of its three-year grant. The notice has typically come in January, she said.

This is what federal courts are tackling now, Tlaib said.

What theyre doing is illegal. Thats completely illegal, she told the group. Because if (officials) wanted to do it, go ahead and offer the bill on the floor to cut it.

U.S. District Court Judge John McConnell in Rhode Island extended a temporary block barring the Trump administration from pausing federal grants and loans, according to The Associated Press. The executive branch was undermining the distinct constitutional roles of each branch of our government, McConnel said in his ruling.

The Executive has not pointed to any constitutional or statutory authority that would allow them to impose this type of categorical freeze, McConnell wrote. The Court is not limiting the Executives discretion or micromanaging the administration of federal funds.

Rather, consistent with the Constitution, statutes, and caselaw, the Court is simply holding that the Executives discretion to impose its own policy preferences on appropriated funds can be exercised only if it is authorized by the congressionally approved appropriations statutes.

The White House previously said the administration halted funding temporarily to ensure the payments complied with President Donald Trumps priorities, which include increasing fossil fuel production, removing protections for transgender people and ending diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, the Associated Press reported..

The administration has since rescinded a memo outlining the funding pause. Still, many state government, universities and nonprofits have argued federal agencies continue to block funding, according to the Associated Press.

Federal funding, often passing through the state government, makes up 60 to 70% of funding for organizations like theirs and is often based on reimbursement, Kononen said. Other directors have shared with her they could last from one pay period to six months if there is another pause, she added.

Resources for those experiencing domestic violence will not be the only programming impacted, Kitchen-Buschel said.

Theres so many more layers, she said. The entire social safety net is about to completely stomach out over the summer, into the fall.
YPSILANTI, MI - Im obsessed with the 4-ounce pours at The Corner Brewery, and it goes deeper than a cost-effective way to try new beer.

My grandfather Giacomo Jack Mattioli immigrated to the United States from Abruzzo, Italy in 1956. The 19 years he lived in Italy were consumed by famine, war and poverty. This subtly bled into the way he poured his drinks, even after immigrating. He always used a small 4-ounce cup for anything that wasnt individually portioned in its own can or bottle.

Giacomo Mattioli before departing Italy at the port of Naples in 1956 Unknown

Nowadays, you can order 32 ounces of beer at the movie theatre and be asked, would you like to order more to be brought to your seat? I feel a longing for less. The smaller pours at the Ann Arbor Brewing Companys Corner Brewery brought on feeling of subdued and calculated consumption that I felt was well worth it.

I savored ever sip of my flight, ruminating on the malty flavors of the Arbor Classic, Euchre Pils, and Strawberry Blonde Ale. You can read my full thoughts in through the related link.

RELATED - Taste 4 pours of Michigan beer at Ann Arbor Brewings Corner Bar

4oz pours of the Arbor Classic (Left), Euchre Pils (Lef-Center), Helles Lager (Right-Center), and Strawberry Blonde (Right) at the Corner Brewery in Ypsilanti Santino Mattioli | MLive

My favorite of the four was the Helles Lager, a crisp light bodied beer that Ill be searching for on party store shelves. I think my grandfather wouldve appreciated this beer too. He enjoyed Heineken and near the end of his life my brothers and I dubbed Peroni Nastro Azzurro the family beer. Lagers have a simple quality that will never go out of style.

DRINK OF THE WEEK

Flight of Four 4-ounce beers

Price: $10.27 (Range from $2-$4 per pour)

Location: 720 Norris St. in Ypsilanti

Hours: Noon to 11 p.m. everyday

If you have a drink or cocktail youd like Santino Mattioli to try, email him at smattioli@mlive.com.

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.
A taste of Mexico has arrived on Richfield Road in Flint with the opening of Casa Amigos, a new Mexican restaurant owned by Nancy Hernandez. | Fuad Shalhout Fuad Shalhout

FLINT, MI - A taste of Mexico has arrived on Richfield Road in Flint with the opening of Casa Amigos, a new Mexican restaurant at the former Robins Nest location and owned by Nancy Hernandez.

Bringing the authentic flavors of her hometown in Tamaulipas, Mexico, Hernandez has turned her lifelong passion for cooking into a dream come true.

What inspired us was the love for the food and for the culture, said John Padilla, Hernandezs son and restaurant manager. We dont got a lot of really authentic Mexican food.

Hernandez grew up cooking alongside her elders, perfecting family recipes that have been passed down for generations.

The menu at Casa Amigos features a variety of tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and tamales, all made with fresh, high-quality ingredients. Guests can enjoy dishes like the carne asada, al pastor, and barbacoa, as well as house-made salsas and guacamole. The restaurant also offers refreshing aguas frescas and traditional Mexican desserts such as flan and tres leches cake. | Roberto Acosta Roberto Acosta

The menu at Casa Amigos features a variety of tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and tamales, all made with fresh, high-quality ingredients. Guests can enjoy dishes like the carne asada, al pastor, and barbacoa, as well as house-made salsas and guacamole.

The restaurant also offers refreshing aguas frescas and traditional Mexican desserts such as flan and tres leches cake.

And of course, dont forget the tamales.

The food tastes like its from Tamaulipas, Padilla said. The food is traditional, but it also has a touch of modern.

Hernandez envisions Casa Amigos as a gathering place for the community. She hopes her restaurant will be a space where neighbors can come together, share stories, and enjoy good company.

Hernandezs dedication and passion have already earned her recognition. On Sept. 23, she participated in the Flint SOUP Community Micro-Grant Event, where local entrepreneurs pitched their business ideas to the community.

Casa Amigos won the grand prize, taking home a $2,310 micro-grant to support the restaurants growth.

Flint SOUP was a great experience and they supported us a lot, Padilla said.

Casa Amigos is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Follow the restaurant on Facebook for more information.
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, March 8. Uzbekistan and Turkiye discussed updating the preferential trade agreement, Uzbekistans Minister of Foreign Affairs Bakhtiyor Saidov wrote on his Telegram channel, Trend reports.

We conducted a fruitful meeting with my colleague, Turkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. In our discussion, we underscored that regular dialogue strengthens our strategic partnership, he wrote.

The talks focused on the timely implementation of agreements made by both countries' leaders, the upcoming 4th Supreme-Level Strategic Council to be hosted in Tashkent, aiming to further boost bilateral relations in trade, commerce, and other key sectors.

Meanwhile, trade turnover between Uzbekistan and Turkiye reached $212.9 million in January 2025. This is 1.2 percent less compared to the same period last year ($215.5 million in January 2024).

Turkiye has occupied the top echelon of Uzbekistan's trade partners, becoming one of the four largest players in bilateral trade.
At the Great Lakes Mushroom Company, customers can find 100% organic gourmet mushrooms, micro greens, homemade pizza, soup, salads, smoothies, mushroom coffee, cold-pressed juices, and medicinal products. (Photo/Justin Sean) Justin Sean

NORTON SHORES, MI Chicago native Justin Sean was inspired to start Great Lakes Mushroom Company because he wanted to help people.

Eight years ago, Seans grandmother died of cancer, leading him to question alternative medicines besides chemotherapy that his family could have tried.

We didnt have this information or knowledge then, so now my goal is to basically help somebody else, he told MLive/Muskegon Chronicle. I want to educate people about healthy living.

Sean said he and his team, which also includes part of his family, have been growing mushrooms since 2019, but incorporated it into a formal business in Grandville in 2020.

By 2021, he had migrated Great Lakes Mushroom Company to the lakeshore and began selling products at the Muskegon Farmers Market.

Now, the business has its first brick-and-mortar shop and restaurant at 3371 McCracken St. in Norton Shores. There is also another seasonal location in Montague.

Customers can find 100% organic gourmet mushrooms, micro greens, homemade pizza, soup, salads, smoothies, mushroom coffee, cold-pressed juices and medicinal products.

We are a farm, so we farm all our mushrooms, but were also a retail store, a natural apothecary and a restaurant, Sean said. We are completely customer-oriented.

He said that his business is not like big mushroom companies that care more about quick profit, which can be dangerous.

Instead of getting cheap mushrooms that are bio-accumulative, or absorb toxins out of the atmosphere and get people sick, he grows them in a 2,000-square-foot non-polluted stone basement right on site.

We let every customer who walks in know that these different medicinal products can benefit your body, Sean said.

The Great Lakes Mushroom Company incorporates gourmet mushrooms, such as shiitake, reishi, lions mane, chestnut and king oysters for their medicinal properties, which support immune function, cognitive health and potential cardiovascular issues.

Some of the dishes that are topped with these beneficial mushrooms include the businesss fresh Chicago-style pizza.

Customers can check out the small or large cheese pizza for $11.99-$19.99 and an extra $2 per topping or order the supreme for $5 extra. Gluten-free options are also available.

For something a little lighter, check out the 24-oz smoothies for $10. Besides natural sweeteners like honey, the drink does not contain juice, sugar or additives.

Great Lakes Mushroom Company also sells its products in 25 stores in Michigan and two in Chicago. It also ships to all 50 states through its online store.

The McCracken Street locations hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 7 p.m. Saturday. Visit mushroomdeliveries.com for more information.

Would you like MLive to consider featuring your favorite restaurant in Michigans Best Local Eats? Send the details, including business name, address and best menu item, to Skyla Jewell-Hammie at sjewell-hammie@mlive.com.

Want more Muskegon-area news? Bookmark the local Muskegon news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Muskegon daily newsletter.
MOUNT PLEASANT, MI  Matthew Katz knows you might be worried about The Terminator.

The Central Michigan University philosophy professor, though, also wants you to consider whether an android  a Terminator or something with less sinister intent  could one day worry about you.

Katzs academic research explores the philosophical side of artificial intelligence, asking questions that humans may face as digital programs grow more intelligent and perform more functions in society.

Questions such as: What if artificial intelligence becomes self-aware? What are the ethical implications for people who interact with these human-like robots? Is it forced labor to task a self-aware A.I. to perform work it does not want to perform? And what does the emergence of human-created intelligent beings reveal about the nature of life?

The 52-year-old educator poses queries such as these to philosophy students at his Mount Pleasant-based university. In fact, earlier this academic calendar, he wrapped up a three-year Honors Program class exclusively dedicated to exploring philosophical issues tied to artificial intelligence.

When Katz imagined the Honors Program initiative, he didnt predict how quickly its focus would become relevant to modern advances in technology. The first classes kicked off the same year the rest of the planet was introduced to ChatGPT, the generative artificial intelligence chatbot that supercharged A.I. capabilities beginning in 2022.

Thats when the whole world exploded with news about artificial intelligence, Katz said. I didnt expect the sort of scale at which people would start to use A.I. in their day-to-day lives. Thats been a surprise, just how fast its taken off.

In his Honors Program curriculum  as well as in other philosophy classes Katz leads  the professor presents his students with questions that may challenge them to consider the ethics of using the A.I. tools to complete their assignments.

If I assign a paper and the assignment is turned in and its been written by ChatGPT or a similar program, I would think of that as academic dishonesty, the professor said.

But, if a student is writing a paper and uses Grammarly  an A.I.-powered writing assistance program  to eliminate grammatical errors from a student-authored essay, would that be acceptable to a teacher grading the paper?

For the record, since Katz teaches philosophy classes that task students with thought experiments rather than English classes that test their skill with sentence structuring, he said he has no problem with his pupils asking digital programs for a grammar boost.

I dont want to send our students out unequipped for the workforce of the 21st century, Katz said of global industries increasingly adopting A.I. aid into work production.

Katz also challenges students to consider how they may behave toward artificial intelligence if one day they live alongside a digital program that is indistinguishable from a person. Its a question they tackle when reading the Katz-assigned essay, Robots and Minds, by American philosopher William Lycan.

His paper thinks into the future and asks, If there were a robot that looked and behaved like a human being  they clean their driveway, they mow their lawn, they argue with their kids  would that creature be conscious or, as Lycan puts it, would it be a mindless walking hardware store that only appeared (human)?, Katz said. Like the Terminator, but with no murders.

Yes, Katz is keen on artificial references in pop culture. He knows some students might better connect with an assignment if they can relate it to films such as the 1984 James Cameron-directed dystopian thriller about killer A.I. or literature such as Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, the 1968 Phillip K. Dick novel that portrays android antagonists as more human than its human protagonist.

To capture the attention of students, Katz weaves more modern pop culture references into his coursework. In some classes, hes screened the 2014 sci-fi thriller, Ex Machina, which tackles philosophical questions that explore the blurry line separating humanity from conscious machinery.

Students know how to use (artificial intelligence), but they dont necessarily know whats going on in the insides, Katz said. As we get into these ethical issues, (students) had a good time thinking about issues they may have not considered before.

And those thoughts will become more relevant as humans continue finding new ways to engage artificial intelligence, and as A.I. continues to evolve, Katz said.

Ill be doing research on it, and that will be the same for many philosophers around the country, he said. There will be more conferences on it. Its growing in interest just as the technology is growing in availability.

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.
Michigan admitted more than 32,000 refugees from 2012 to 2024, with a majority coming from Iraq and Syria. But recent actions from the Trump administration have frozen resettlement efforts. (Screenshot of map from Scott Levin | MLive) Screenshot of map from Scott Levin | MLive

More than 32,000 refugees  fleeing conflict and persecution in countries like Iraq, Syria and the Democratic Republic of Congo  have settled in Michigan over roughly the past decade.

Numbers recently jumped with Michigan welcoming nearly 3,700 refugees last year alone.

But all that has screeched to a halt.

A flurry of recent actions from President Donald Trump threw refugee resettlement in chaos, which left Michigan agencies cut off from federal funding, scrambling to help hundreds of refugees and unsure of what tomorrow holds.

Were just trying to be creative in how we can continue to be there for families that are already here, taking things one step at a time in terms of what were able to do and what we need to be agile with, said Lukas Ziomkowski, vice president of refugee services at Samaritas, the largest resettlement agency in Michigan.

Related: Ann Arbor refugee resettlement agency sounds alarm about $550K funding gap

On Trumps first day in office, he signed an executive order that suspended all refugee admissions because the United States lacks the ability to absorb large numbers of migrants, and in particular, refugees, into its communities.

This immediately put the brakes on any resettlements, meaning some refugees, already cleared to enter the United States, reportedly got their flights canceled.

On top of that, the Trump administration then issued a stop work order that froze federal funding for refugee agencies  a move that Myal Greene, president of humanitarian organization World Relief, said effectively ends a 45-year, bi-partisan, refugee resettlement program with the stroke of a pen.

Several refugee agencies then filed a lawsuit, and a federal judge last week blocked Trumps effort to suspend resettlements. U.S. District Judge Jamal Whitehead, saying the president does have substantial discretion on refugee admissions but that authority is not limitless, ordered the administration to restore the program and funding.

The Trump administration, still trying to block funding, responded one day later by terminating contracts with refugee agencies.

All this means funding remains in limbo as the issue is hammered out in the courts, but its left organizations confused and unable to support refugees who have already been admitted to the United States.

In Michigan, the first stop work order froze funding that supports refugees when they resettle in the United States. After moving, they get up to 90 days of relocation assistance that can be used for housing, food and healthcare until they can get a job.

Ziomkowski estimates the stop work order cut funding for roughly 1,000 Michigan refugees  including some who had only been in the country a couple of days. At Samaritas, it created a $573,000 funding gap for 430 newly arrived refugees.

That would mean just under our care, hundreds of people would potentially face homelessness or not getting the medical care they need and not getting the services they need, Ziomkowski said.

Filling the gap

With the uncertainty of federal funding, refugee resettlement agencies are now scraping together donations to support those who just started settling in Michigan.

Ziomkowski says donations have been generous but not enough to fill the roughly $8 million gap that Samaritas would get from the federal government this year.

Catholic Charities of Ingham, Eaton and Clinton Counties, which is currently supporting 117 refugee families including 61 children, has a red HELP! flag on its website. The organization estimates $2,000 would support a family of four for a month.

Help is particularly critical during the first few months when there is a gap between securing employment and receiving a first paycheck, the website says.

And Bethany Christian Services, a resettlement agency headquartered in Grand Rapids, has a statement on its website saying the temporary suspension of refugee resettlement efforts will cause significant impact to people seeking safety in the United States.

Related: About 1,300 Afghan refugees are coming to Michigan. Thats more than weve seen in the last decade.

Even with fundraising efforts, Ziomkowski says the damage is already done for refugees who are now trying to figure out how to navigate a new country on their own. Its also led to hundreds of job losses at resettlement agencies across the country.

And the frozen federal funding throws future admissions into jeopardy.

Unless something changes, we dont have the funding to resettle, Ziomkowski said.

Additional federal actions have targeted other refugee programs.

The Trump administration issued a different stop work order in mid-February to organizations that provide legal services to unaccompanied minors. It meant roughly 26,000 children  including 800 in Michigan  would have gone to immigration court alone without an attorney.

This order was rescinded a few days later but the program remains on shaky ground.

At a time when these children will most need a lawyer, the future of the unaccompanied child legal services program is uncertain, a statement from the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center said.

The numbers behind Michigans refugee resettlement

Michigan, among the top states for refugee resettlements, has seen its numbers swing dramatically under different presidencies.

Resettlements plummeted during the first Trump administration when the president banned resettlements for 120 days. He then dropped the cap for refugee admissions from 110,000 in 2017 to 18,000 in 2020.

That year, Michigan admitted fewer than 500 refugees.

Resettlements picked back up when President Joe Biden raised the refugee admission ceiling to 125,000. With the change in policy, Michigans refugee numbers climbed 640% in five years.

Refugee resettlement is a piece to Michigans population puzzle.

The states population growth has dragged behind the rest of country, but immigrants have accounted for more than 57% of the states growth over the past decade, research shows.

To bolster these efforts, Michigan has rolled out additional support under the Office of Global Michigan including a program that provided rental subsidies to refugees, asylees and immigrants from areas like Ukraine, Cuba, Haiti and some African nations.

This coincided with the United States admitting more refugees than it has in three decades.

More than 100,000 refugees relocated last year, and in the first three months of the latest fiscal year, before Trumps second term, another 27,000 refugees resettled in the country.

This occurred as the estimated number of global refugees, 31 million, has tripled in the past decade due to conflicts in Afghanistan, Syria, Venezuela and Ukraine.

Faced with growing need and lingering confusion, humanitarian organizations have been urging the Trump administration to unfreeze federal funding.

Were going to keep showing up, Ziomkowski said. Were going to keep being there for these populations. At Samaritas, weve done this for 75 years. As long as theres a need, were going to continue to do it.
The National Weather Service issued a report at 11:21 p.m. EST on Friday for fog until Saturday at 2 a.m. EST for Cass, St. Joseph, Branch, Hillsdale and Berrien counties.

Areas of fog, locally dense with visibility quarter mile or less, will be possible over the next several hours. If travelling, slow down and give yourself extra time to arrive at your destination. Be prepared for rapid changes in visibility, says the weather service.
Chinese leaders attend deliberations at annual legislative session

Xinhua) 09:25, March 08, 2025

Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, takes part in a group deliberation with National People's Congress (NPC) deputies from the Taiwan delegation at the third session of the 14th NPC in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jie)

BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Senior Chinese leaders on Friday attended deliberations at the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), the national legislature.

Top political advisor Wang Huning took part in a group deliberation with NPC deputies from the Taiwan delegation. He stressed the need to adhere to the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus, and resolutely oppose "Taiwan independence" separatism and external interference.

Wang, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, called for deeper and more substantive integrated development across the Taiwan Strait to enable Taiwan compatriots to share the opportunities and the achievements of Chinese modernization.

Cai Qi, a member of the Secretariat of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, participated in a group deliberation with his fellow deputies from Qinghai Province. He stressed the need to deepen reform comprehensively, effectively improve the quality of the economy and promote growth within a reasonable range.

Cai also urged the province to enhance ecological conservation to safeguard "the water tower of China" and maximize its ecological function.

Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang attended group deliberations with deputies from Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions, respectively. He noted that China has made solid progress in its modernization and achieved new breakthroughs in advancing the cause of "one country, two systems."

He urged the two regions to fulfill their mission of practicing "one country, two systems" in the new era and strive for greater development.

Wang, Cai and Ding are all members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, participates in a group deliberation with his fellow deputies from Qinghai Province at the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2025. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

Ding Xuexiang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese vice premier, attends a group deliberation with deputies from Hong Kong Special Administrative Region at the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)

Ding Xuexiang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese vice premier, attends a group deliberation with deputies from Macao Special Administrative Region at the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Xiang)

(Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Sheng Chuyi)
A delegation led by Azerbaijans Deputy Minister of Energy, Orkhan Zeynalov, participated in the inaugural meeting of the EU-Slovakia Working Group on Slovakias natural gas supply issues. The session, held in Brussels, brought together key stakeholders to discuss energy security and collaboration opportunities, Azernews reports.

The meeting included Kristina Lobillo Borrero , Director of the European Commissions Directorate-General for Energy, and Denisa Sakova , Slovakia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy. During the discussions, both the European Commission and Slovakia emphasized Azerbaijans strategic importance as a reliable partner in the energy sector. Commitments to expanding cooperation in natural gas and "green energy" were highlighted.

SOCAR Vice President Elshad Nasirov also presented Azerbaijans natural gas potential and additional export opportunities to Europe. The delegation underlined the importance of developing infrastructure and increasing supply to meet Europes growing demand. Deputy Minister Zeynalov elaborated on Azerbaijans strategic role in establishing energy corridors and its readiness to enhance collaboration with European suppliers to strengthen energy security.

The working group also explored renewable energy development and export plans. Updates were provided on Azerbaijans green energy interconnector projects, including the Caspian-Black Sea-Europe, Azerbaijan-Central Asia-Europe , Azerbaijan-Turkey-Europe , and Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey-Bulgaria routes.

During the visit, a meeting was also held with Ditte Juul Jrgensen , Director-General for Energy at the European Commission. Discussions focused on the EU-Azerbaijan energy dialogue, cooperation within the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council, and plans for renewable energy transit from Central Asia to Europe using various routes.

Azerbaijan reaffirmed its commitment to contributing to Europes energy security while continuing to expand its role as a key energy partner.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 8. The National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) disclosed the contract values and locations for seven new hubs in the South Pars gas field, following agreements signed on March 8 with four local contracting companies, Trend reports via the country's Ministry of Oil.

The contracts are as follows:

A $2.4 billion deal was signed between NIOC and Petropars for the 1st and 7th centers.

Irans National Oil Company and the Oil Industry Engineering and Construction Company (OIEC) signed contracts worth $2.37 billion for the 2nd center and $2.49 billion for the 5th center.

Irans National Oil Company and Khatam al-Anbiya Construction Headquarters signed agreements totaling $2.54 billion for the 3rd center and $2.39 billion for the 6th center.

A $2.37 billion contract was signed between Irans National Oil Company and MAPNA for the fourth center.

The contracts will primarily cover specific phases for each center. The 1st center will focus on fields 11A, 11B, 12A, and 12B, while the 2nd center will cover phases 3, 15, 16, and 21. The 3rd center will include phases 1, 5, 17, and 18, and the 4th center will focus on phases 6, 19C, 19AB, and 20.

In addition, the 5th center will cover phases 10, 13AC, 13BD, and 14AC, the 6th center will focus on phases 11, 14BD, 22-24A, and 23-24B, and the 7th center will cover phases 4, 7, 8, and 9.

South Pars is a significant global resource, representing about 7 percent of the world's gas reserves, 50 percent of Irans total gas reserves, 75 percent of the countrys gas production, and 40 percent of its gasoline production.

Moreover, contracts worth $17 billion were signed between Iran's National Oil Company and local companies to increase pressure at the South Pars gas field.

The South Pars gas field (called North Dome in Qatar) is a joint gas field of Iran and Qatar. The proven reserves of the South Pars Gas Field are estimated at 51 trillion cubic meters of gas, of which 36 trillion are extractable. Iran's share in the field is 14 trillion cubic meters of gas and 18 billion barrels of gas condensate.

Irans development of South Pars consists of 24 phases, with production starting in 2002. Currently, Iran produces around 700 million cubic meters of gas per day from the field. To date, Iran has invested approximately $90 billion in its development.

About 33 percent of the recoverable gas reserves from South Pars belong to Iran. While Iran has developed its portion independently, the Qatari side has primarily relied on foreign companies for development.

---

Follow the author on X: @BaghishovElnur
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 8. The Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, who has taken a trip to the Saudi city of Jeddah to take part in the extraordinary meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Foreign Ministers, met with his Egyptian counterpart, Badr Abdelatty, on the sidelines of the meeting, Trend reports.

The senior diplomats discussed bilateral issues, regional developments, and the situation in Palestine.

The sides emphasized that maintaining and deepening the solidarity of the Islamic Ummah and the international community with the Palestinian people is necessary for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.

The parties also welcomed the joint decision of the OIC Foreign Ministers on this issue.
Archisha Yadav is a sub editor with 1.5 years of experience in writing news articles on topics like education, jobs, and politics. She specialises in crafting simple, clear, and engaging stories that are easy to understand and hold the readers interest, making complex topics accessible and relatable to a larger audience.

Archisha Yadav

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
Gayatri Rani

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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
HC halts the release of film Shaadi Ke Director Karan Aur Johar for misusing filmmaker's name

Gayatri Rani

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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
Palak Vij

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 8. Iran's nuclear program cannot be destroyed through military action, said the countrys Foreign Minister, Seyyed Abbas Araghchi, Trend reports.

Speaking on the sidelines of an extraordinary meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Saudi Arabia, Araghchi responded to threats against the country's nuclear program, explaining that there are several reasons why it is impossible to destroy the program.

"Firstly, Iran has already mastered this technology, and it is embedded in the minds of our experts. Secondly, nuclear facilities are spread across various locations in the country. Thirdly, the country's nuclear facilities are properly secured. Based on these factors, we believe that Iran's nuclear program cannot be destroyed," he said.

On January 16, 2016, the JCPOA came into force between Iran and the P5+1 group (US, Russia, China, the UK, France, and Germany) regarding Irans nuclear program. However, on May 8, 2018, the US withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) between Iran and the 5+1 group (Russia, China, the UK, France, the US, and Germany) and imposed new sanctions on Iran starting from November 2018.

By the end of 2020, the Iranian parliament decided to pursue a strategic plan in the nuclear sector to counter the sanctions, leading to a suspension of additional steps and the Additional Protocol as per the nuclear agreement.

Consequently, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) faced a reduction in monitoring capabilities by 2030 percent.

Iran has officially affirmed that its strategy is not to pursue the development of an atomic bomb and that it does not support the production of weapons of mass destruction.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Skyforce OTT release: When and where to watch Akshay Kumar and Veer Pahariya starrer action thriller

Palak Vij

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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
Sonakshi Sinha's bold new look in her Telugu bebut Jatadhara will leave you stunned

Palak Vij

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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
Upasana Kamineni stresses the importance of financial independence on International Womens Day

Gayatri Rani

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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
When Jaya Bachchan revealed she wanted to slap Shah Rukh Khan for his behaviour towards Aishwarya Rai, said, "If he was at my home..."

Vaishnavi Gavankar

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
International Women's Day: These seven women are rewriting the rules in a patriarchal world

Saumya Rastogi is a senior sub-editor who writes on everything lifestyle, such as health and fitness, beauty, fashion and art and culture. When not working, she likes to practice yoga, travel and hang out in quaint little cafes.

Saumya Rastogi

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
Full transcript: CM Fadnavis speaks on Maharashtra's vision for $1 trillion economy, upcoming BMC polls and more at Moneycontrol Global Wealth Summit

Swarali Bodas

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
IPO boom or bust? Citis Rahul Saraf says 2025 could be a bigger year

Veer Sharma

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
Aurobindo Das

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
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 8. Iran informed Russia it will never negotiate on the terms of US President Donald Trump, a senior Iranian official told reporters, Trend reports.

The official noted that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, during his visit to Tehran, expressed his readiness to hold nuclear talks with Washington through diplomatic channels.

Tehran welcomed Russias initiative and said that it will never negotiate on the terms of US President Donald Trump, explained the official.

Meanwhile, on February 5, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order to restore maximum pressure on Iran. The US President expressed hope that the maximum pressure will not be applied too often. He also noted that he is ready for dialog with the Iranian president.

On January 16, 2016, the JCPOA came into force between Iran and the P5+1 group (US, Russia, China, the UK, France, and Germany) regarding Irans nuclear program. However, on May 8, 2018, the US withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) between Iran and the 5+1 group (Russia, China, the UK, France, the US, and Germany) and imposed new sanctions on Iran starting from November 2018. In 2020, Iran announced that it would no longer be bound by restrictions outlined in the nuclear agreement.

By the end of 2020, the Iranian parliament decided to pursue a strategic plan in the nuclear sector to counter the sanctions, leading to a suspension of additional steps and the Additional Protocol as per the nuclear agreement. As part of this, Iran suspended the implementation of additional steps and the additional protocol outlined in the nuclear deal starting February 23, 2021.

Consequently, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) faced a reduction in monitoring capabilities by 2030 percent.

Iran has officially affirmed that its strategy is not to pursue the development of an atomic bomb and that it does not support the production of weapons of mass destruction.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Lovisha Darad

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
Khushi Keswani

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
GST rates will come down further: Nirmala Sitharaman

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
'Claims are baseless': Air India on elderly woman getting injured after being denied wheelchair

Swarali Bodas

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
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
Chhabi Kala

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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
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
Tamal Nandi

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 8. The relations between Iran and Turkiye are founded on the mutual interests of both countries, the Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi said, Trend reports.

Speaking at a meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on the sidelines of the extraordinary session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Saudi Arabia, Araghchi emphasized that maintaining relations and mutual interests between the two countries is considered one of the key responsibilities of both nations' officials.

In the course of the meeting, Turkish FM Hakan Fidan also highlighted the significance of bilateral relations between Iran and Turkiye.

The maintenance and development of bilateral relations in various fields are crucial, he said.

The extraordinary meeting of the OIC Foreign Ministers was held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on March 7.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Sonalee Borgohain

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
'Mahila Samriddhi Yojana' to give Rs 2,500 to women in Delhi has been approved today, says BJP's JP Nadda

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
Aishwarya Dabhade

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
'Ridiculous': IAF Chief on filming of conversation with HAL officials during Aero India

Tamal Nandi

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
Women's safety our govt's top priority; we made strict laws to prevent crimes against them: PM Modi

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
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 8. A protest took place in central Paris against French President Emmanuel Macron's plans to send troops to Ukraine, Trend reports.

Hundreds of people gathered outside the Royal Palace near the Louvre, voicing opposition to military intervention and the supply of weapons to Kyiv. Demonstrators also expressed their discontent with France's NATO membership.

The protesters marched across the Seine toward European institutions, urging the European Union to halt militarization and the creation of a pan-European armed force. Organizers harshly criticized Brussels' policies, calling for France's exit from the EU.
MC Travel Desk Read the latest and trending travel news storiesstay updated on new destinations, travel trends, visa updates, and expert tips for your next adventure.

Priyanka Roshan

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
He's doing what anybody would do: Trump defends Putin as Russian strikes kill 11 in 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
Nepal hit by three earthquakes, no loss of lives

Chhabi Kala

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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
Taliban insist Afghan womens rights are protected as UN says their bans cannot be ignored

Sonalee Borgohain

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
In her two years at Foxtons Group Plc, one of Londons biggest estate agencies, Lucy said her managers and co-workers groped her, sent her explicit messages, discussed her weight in work WhatsApp chats and told her to start an account on OnlyFans, a streaming service used by sex workers. Her story is not unique.

When she confided in a manager, she told Bloomberg News, he said she needed thicker skin. Everyone goes through that, she recalled a female colleague saying. She ended up in hospital with work-related stress, her medical records show.

It started in 2023, when a sales director in Lucys high-end central London office began sending her suggestive messages, seen by Bloomberg, commenting on her body and saying he wanted to have sex with her. She was 21 years old at the time. (Her name is an alias used to protect her privacy.)

It wasnt long before his behavior escalated. The sales director, who was roughly 20 years Lucys senior, would grab her hand or try to kiss her in the office, she said. WhatsApp records show he sent her and other female colleagues explicit photos and videos of himself, sometimes as late as 3am, and asked for photos in return.

At the pub after work one night, another senior employee slapped Lucys bottom as she walked past with a drink in each hand, she said. She started to have nightmares, she said, and would cry for long periods most days. Lucy didnt want to upset her parents by telling them what was happening.

She was afraid to report the sales director to Foxtons human resources team, but she did call to complain about what happened in the pub. The HR representative asked if she was sure, she recalled, telling her the man in question was well-liked. (The HR employee no longer works at Foxtons and did not respond to Bloombergs requests for comment via LinkedIn.) The rep said they would not address the complaint unless Lucy filed a police report, she said, which she worried would only bring more stress. She burst into tears and retracted her statement.

Eleven current and former Foxtons employees told Bloomberg that co-workers had repeatedly subjected them to unwanted physical contact, requests for sex or other explicit and offensive comments between 2021 and late 2024.

Eight of the women said they had complained to their boss or to Foxtons human resources department and were met with a lack of interest or told the behavior was unexceptional. All 11 said they had not complained about some incidents because they did not believe any action would be taken. All said senior staff who were supposed to protect them were aware of inappropriate behavior and either ignored it or were complicit.

The women worked at more than a dozen different branches around London, including Marylebone & Mayfair and Hampstead. Most were in their mid-twenties or younger, while nine were in their first proper jobs.

We are concerned that colleagues have told Bloomberg of offensive behavior and urge them to report it to the independent, confidential whistleblowing process, a company spokesperson said in an emailed statement. Any matters of sexual harassment or misconduct are taken extremely seriously, thoroughly investigated and in no way tolerated at Foxtons.

We dont recognize allegations that colleagues escalating issues are not taken seriously, the spokesperson said, adding that the broker is committed to a culture where employees feel able to speak up.

This story is based on interviews with more than 20 former and current Foxtons employees, as well as legal and employment records, emails, screenshots and other documentation. The employees asked not to be identified, fearing reprisal from Foxtons or from individuals who have been employed by the company. All of them worked for Foxtons between 2020 and 2025 and the majority were with the company after Guy Gittins became Chief Executive Officer in September 2022.

Thirteen interviewees described examples of racist or antisemitic comments made by their Foxtons co-workers, and 16 said that heavy drinking and drunk-driving were commonplace. Roughly two years ago, one senior employee took a series of allegations about sexual harassment and discrimination directly to Gittins, who said he could not engage with the complaint personally, legal documents and messages seen by Bloomberg show. The ex-employee said a manager offered him more potential clients if he stopped speaking out about workplace behavior. When his approach didnt change, he said he was starved of clients and dismissed by the estate agency for poor performance.

Another former employee said the CEO refused to believe his complaint about a senior colleague who addressed him using a racial slur against people of south Asian descent. He said he told Gittins in a telephone call that the co-worker called him a p---. The CEO said he did not believe the man in question would have used the term, according to the employee and a former Foxtons staff member who he confided in at the time. The employee did not pursue a complaint, he said, because he had no confidence that any action would be taken.

In a written response, lawyers acting for Foxtons said Gittins does not accept that a colleague made this complaint and that the CEO dismissed it. He does not tolerate racism and would wish for all such allegations to be the subject of immediate investigation and appropriate disciplinary steps, they wrote.

Referring to the senior employees case, Foxtons spokesperson said that complaints of this nature are automatically referred to the HR department to ensure they are investigated in the appropriate, confidential manner.

A car branded with the Foxtons company logo in London. Jason Alden (Bloomberg)

Foxtons can be a combative and sexually charged workplace, interviewees said. Managers would sometimes tell female staff to wear high-heeled shoes and feminine or sexy outfits, according to nine people who have worked there.

Five former employees told Bloomberg they had heard managers, area directors and male negotiators making obscene comments about women who came to the office for interviews. Three women felt the chatter was a way of testing them, to see whether they fitted in or were likely to complain.

One woman said a colleague started making sexual comments on her first day in 2022, as they drove back from a property viewing. On the walk from the car park to the office, he pushed her against a wall and groped her breasts, she said. The then-20-year-old said she told her manager a few months later, who responded, Thats just what hes like. On another occasion, she recalled, her area director asked her for sex and later told her that if shed agreed, she would have been promoted by now.

Interviewees also told Bloomberg about bullying behavior related to race and religion. Five interviewees who worked for the company between 2021 and late 2024 said managers commented on their foreign accents. One was called an immigrant by a sales manager, who on another occasion made a light-hearted comment in response to an antisemitic image posted in a Foxtons group WhatsApp chat, screenshots seen by Bloomberg show. Foxtons spokesperson described this incident as unacceptable and said the company took appropriate action.

In the U.K., anti-discrimination law protects workers against being treated less favorably than others because of their race, sex and other characteristics. Since October 2024, a new law requires employers to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of their staff and encourage cultural change where necessary.

At Foxtons regular Friday meetings, dozens of negotiators from different branches gather in one of the companys central London offices to hear their individual sales performances read out to the group. Publicly available LinkedIn posts show Gittins and other top executives at some of the meetings.

The most severe harassment thrives in workplaces where so-called sexual banter is accepted by leaders, said Jemima Olchawski, CEO of the campaign group the Fawcett Society, speaking generally about office culture. The young men witnessing this will be the same men who will make future decisions on how the workplace runs.

Lucy has been out of work since leaving Foxtons. She has continued to receive texts from the former sales director who touched her and messaged her, records seen by Bloomberg show. While she never reported him, others made complaints and he is no longer at Foxtons. The company says it took decisive action.

Foxtons is an integral part of the UK property industry, Lucy said, so many employees dont want to speak out. Without a good first reference, she said, people worry their careers will be over when theyve barely started.

This report is an edited summary of the original version published in Bloomberg.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition
Trump has begun another trade war. Here's a timeline of how we got here

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
Trump is forcing a generational shift in GOP foreign policy. Here's how Republicans are responding

Sonalee Borgohain

USER CONSENT

We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy.

*We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies.

Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy

*I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl

I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites

I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS

Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue.

I Accept
Why Canada is jailing more Indigenous people despite Trudeau's promises

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
Zelenskyy says Ukraine is 'fully committed' to constructive dialogue with US

Sonalee Borgohain

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
On May 2, 2017 at 8:45 a.m., police officers armed with a warrant stormed a terraced house in Jonzac, the small town in southwestern France where surgeon Joel Le Scouarnec lived. The forced entry was in response to a complaint from a six-year-old neighbor who alleged he had exposed himself to her. But the French police had long suspected that Le Scouarnec, now 74, was a dangerous pedophile who had used his status as a doctor to abuse hundreds of minors.

Inside the house, they found dozens of dolls with names and sex objects attached, 300,000 photos of pedophilia and zoophilia and 151 videos and USB keys. At the end of the search, officer Nadia Martineau discovered some hard drives under a mattress. On them, Le Scouarnec had stored the account of most of his crimes from 1990 to 2014, at a rate of 50 pages per year. Martineau became obsessed with the case. She combed through the notes that were filled with horrific details of the mans abuse. The documents were the key to solving the case. They also became a black hole from which Martineau would not be able to emerge for years to come.

The impact of Le Scouarnecs diaries on Martineau was such that she had to ask for a leave of absence that has kept her away from her job for the last three years. At the end of February, as the mass sex abuse trial opened, she was unable to finish her virtual testimony before the court, breaking down in tears as she tried to relay the details of the files. I would have wanted to... Im so sorry, she said excusing herself. The court authorities intervened: On behalf of the court, we hope you can recover and get through this ordeal, she was told as she was excused from finishing her testimony. Martineaus trauma is of course a reflection of just how dehumanizing Le Scouarnecs crimes were. The facts contained in the summary of the case, to which EL PAIS has had access, will allow for a maximum sentence in what is considered Frances largest ever pedophilia trial.

The first entry in the surgeons diary  and also in the documents that he meticulously separated under the titles of vulvas and penises  is dated 1990 and refers to Delphine, a girl who was then 10 years old and was in his care for acute appendicitis. As with the other victims, Le Scouarnec addressed her directly in his writings. Delphine, when I first saw you, you had not finished waking up. Thats why I was able to push aside the clothes that covered your naked little body, open your legs and admire your little sex [...] I could not breathe your smell of sex, caress you. Too bad. Goodbye, little Delphine, I love you.

A sketch of the pedophile surgeon during his trial in Brittany. Alain Paillou (REUTERS)

Le Scouarnecs detailed descriptions of his abuse have been central to his investigation and trial. For 18 years, he wrote down all his crimes on sheets of paper which were transferred to word files. In all the entries, he described his patients and addressed them directly. He classified them by age. He described them physically, noted the first impression they made on him and always placed them in a specific space: the operating room or his office. He also details whether the minors were alone and how he managed to escape their parents attention or that of any other potential witnesses. He also had a list where he wrote down his criminal biography, with names, ages, places and dates. There are several years that were erased when he thought his wife was about to expose him.

The average age of his alleged victims was 11 years old, as confirmed by the prosecutor in the case, Stephane Kellenberger. One hundred and fifty-eight were male and 141 female. Only 14 of them were over 20 when they were assaulted, while 256 were aged under 15. In most of the cases, he claimed to love them, without showing any remorse or guilt for what he had done, though he has since repeatedly expressed remorse for ruining the lives of his family and his victims. The crimes were always enacted either in the consulting room or in the operating room where the minors were generally suffering acute pain from appendicitis or peritonitis. You wouldnt let yourself be done because you had pain in your belly... he said of Delphine, who had unsuccessfully resisted the abuse.

One of the younger victims was Tiphaine D. In 1996, he wrote: Thursday. Aug. 1 17.30. In my office: I caressed the small nipples and the belly of a little girl of one and a half years old, who was only wearing a diaper. When her mother turned her back to me, I lifted the diaper to see her pubis. Unfortunately, I could not stay alone with the child to insert my fingers. Le Scouarnec, who has admitted to the vast majority of the charges against him, declared to the police that he did not sexually abuse the infant, but that it was not her age that deterred him.

There are some parallels between Le Scouarnecs case and that of Dominique Pelicot, the man who for decades drugged his wife Gisele to allow 51 individuals he met on the internet to rape her in her own home. Beyond the horror and the magnitude of the crimes, and the social and media repercussions, there is a similarity in the need of both men to meticulously record what they were doing  one in images and the other through the written word.

There appears to have been a certain pleasure taken in recording the details of their crimes so they could be revisited; pleasure in constructing a narrative of the suffering of their sleeping victims, but also the inevitable awareness that those documents could constitute the definitive proof of their guilt. It is as if, somehow, they had wanted to leave clues so that someone could catch them.

Laurent Layet, the psychiatrist who analyzed Dominique Pelicot before he was sentenced in December to 20 years in prison, believes that recording their crimes is part of the perversion mechanism of this type of individual, which indicates, on the one hand, the need to have control and the desire for domination, hence writing everything down and documenting it  On the other hand, it is a way of prolonging the criminal act. By keeping the evidence of the crime, they prolong the pleasure it gives them. And that cataloging is usually meticulous; they take the time to reference, to classify.

Layet points out that there is probably a dissociation or split personality at work, though in Le Scouarnecs case, a psychiatric profile has not yet been made available. This split personality is what allows them to present a respectable image  one of a good father or husband, on the one hand, and also prolong their criminal activity for so long. It is, he explains, like a hard drive that works with one part first and then the other, without them colliding.

Le Scouarnec was a gastric surgeon who worked for 30 years in clinics and private hospitals in western and central France. Family members describe him as a very intelligent and cultivated man, curious and fond of classical music. Regarding perverse schemes, intelligence is often put at the service of the perversion and that is why it takes longer to discover the perpetrator. Those who are not intelligent are caught sooner, adds Layet.

Le Scouarnecs last diary entries are made January 3, 2014. The last victim he talks about is Hugo C., who was 10 years old. Friday, January 3. 9.30. In his room in Jonzac. Hugo is a very cute boy and for once a kid is alone in the room. I took advantage of it; I pulled down his pants [...] When the police officer discovered the notebooks and the police located Hugo C. for questioning, he was still a minor. Le Scouarnec told investigators that it was enough for him to touch the child for a few moments in order to record the encounter.

Hugo Lemonier, journalist for Medipart and author of the book Trapped in Dr. Le Scouarnecs Diary, believes the culture of silence surrounding the surgeons abuse was due to the incestuous environment that prevailed within the family and the shame that accompanied that.

Regarding the writings and notes, Lemonier says: Diaries are something collectors do, and he is one. They found more than 300,000 files on him. But hes not exceptional. This type of person keeps everything. They want to create a treasure through pedophilic images. It is rare to write so much, but that was part of his treasure trove. He also wrote by hand, but he scanned it later. They amount to pedo-criminal autofictions. And that was all he had. The family had already abandoned him. And he kept those files over the years, even though they provided key evidence that could get him convicted. He thought he was above the law, he didnt think he would get arrested. Thats why he kept doing it, Lemonier says.

Reading Le Scouarnecs diaries is traumatic for anyone, particularly for those who read them unprepared for what they reveal. Like the police officer who discovered them, Lemonier also had therapy after reading: Of course. And I cried, and I cried for the police officer. Whoever is exposed to the bulk of these writings cant help but have enormous sympathy for her. And I think she should be honored for the work she did. For her sacrifice. Without her, this case would not exist.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition
The winds of democratic decline began blowing a long time ago. Most democratic governments were still celebrating post-Cold War globalization, and the United States pursued its mission to democratize the Middle East  starting with Iraq  even at the cost of an unjustified war.

Larry Diamond, 73, a Stanford University sociologist and expert on authoritarianism, was among the few who recognized the rise of a new generation of populist leaders. Figures like Hugo Chavez, Viktor Orban, and, to some extent, Vladimir Putin were exploiting democratic processes to erode democracy itself, consolidating vast power within the executive branch. This so-called electoral autocracy was neither isolated nor coincidental. There was a pattern of illiberal strategies and common denominators  a playbook Diamond termed the autocrats 12-step program. A broader global democratic retreat was underway.

The issue was hotly debated among academics, who discussed concepts like hybrid regimes and competitive authoritarianism. But while the authoritarian virus had not yet infected the great democracies of the West, few took the threat seriously. Then, Donald Trump rose to power in the worlds most economically, technologically, and militarily dominant nation.

Diamond recognized the implications for American democratic institutions. In 2019, while Trump still had a chance of winning the 2020 election, he warned that a second term could be even more extreme and damaging to democracy. That warning came a year and a half before the MAGA mob stormed Congress on January 6, 2021.

Now, a month into Trumps return to the White House, the frenetic pace at which the president and his team are dismantling the countrys governing apparatus is difficult to process  even for someone like Diamond, who has spent decades studying how autocracies arise and take root.

The sociologist opens the door to his home in a quiet, wooded neighborhood near Stanford University, where he has worked for decades. He settles onto a sofa in front of a large window and waits for questions. There is no time for formalities. Democracy around the world is in peril, and its enemies are more powerful than ever.

Question. Since Trumps return, there has been intense concern about democracy in the United States. Paul Krugman speaks of a self-coup; others say that the United States is Latin Americanizing, which is a way of saying it is headed toward authoritarianism. In the book Ill Winds, you warned about the decline of democracy in the U.S. How could Trump impact the country? Are you concerned about what is happening?

Answer. Im very worried. Weve already entered in the early stages of a constitutional crisis that is certain to get much worse. Trump aspires to be an authoritarian ruler, to sweep away checks and balances, to weaken and psychologically intimidate opposition and criticism, and to dominate the political landscape in the same way that Orban does in Hungary, that Erdogan does in Turkey, and that Modi is doing in India. Maybe theres no immediate Latin American parallel thats exactly right. Its not going to be Bukele, who got an 80% approval rating. Hes already at the point where more people in the U.S. disapprove of his presidency than approve of it. But he will plunge forward and try to hollow out democratic institutions. It is a dangerous path.

Q. You say that U.S. democracy is being hollowed out.

A. I dont think it is hollowed out yet, but it is remarkable the speed with which Trump is moving to try to establish an absolute presidential power, and to diminish and even eliminate congressionally authorized agencies, which he has no authority to do under the Constitution. So he is violating the law, democratic norms and procedures. The courts have issued injunctions, and in certain cases hes ignoring them. Theyve ruled that he cant suspend funding for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), but hes doing it anyway.

Q. Has fascism arrived in the United States, or is it on its way?

A. You have to be very careful when using the word fascism. Its a very specific historical and political phenomenon, with a number of distinctive components. If you are going to ask the question is Donald Trump a fascist or is the U.S. entering a fascist era? its very important to be rigorous and analytical. Right now, were in the early stages of a dedicated authoritarian project and a deeply alarming authoritarian drift. If you run up the flagpole of alarm with the word fascism, what word do you use when he starts arresting people and creating political prisoners?

I am going to use fascism as an adjective. Fascists like private, violent organizations, like the Proud Boys, the Oath Keepers, and other networks whose names we may not even know, but who participated in the illegal and unconstitutional attack on our democratic process on January 6, 2021. If these groups become more overt, violent, and intimidating, emboldened by having been pardoned by Donald Trump for all their crimes on January 6, what word will we have left if we start using fascist? There are elements of fascism in the ideology, organization, mentality, and aspiration of the MAGA movement. But if we just use the fascist label, it can become reflexive, ahistorical, imprecise, and, unnecessarily polarizing. The political right perceives it as a term of attack, as a negative code word that the left might use. So we need to be careful.

Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Donald Trump speak to reporters in the Oval Office on February 28. JIM LO SCALZO (Pool/EFE)

Q. How did the authoritarian wave spread to the United States?

A. We have been in a democratic recession since 2006. That year reversed the trend that had existed since the end of the Cold War in 1990 until 2005, when many more countries gained in freedom each year than declined. Over these 19 years, we have seen a classic pattern of democratic backsliding.

A president gets elected legitimately in a free and fair election, and then, almost always, he decides that the power that the constitution of the country has conferred on him, with its checks and balances and constraints, is not enough. And he begins a process of reducing all the independent actors in society.

This authoritarian playbook unfolded over a number of years after Chavez came to power in Venezuela, and unfolded very quickly in El Salvador under Nayib Bukele. Bolsonaro tried to bring it off in Brazil, but he didnt have a congressional majority or the support of the electorate. In my book Ill Winds, I call it the autocrats 12-step program. Trump is following that program. He tried in his first term, but the checks and balances were too strong. His electoral defeat in 2020 came very close to overturning the democratic process, but failed. Now he has been re-elected and is picking up where he left off.

Q. Its the pace thats striking; Trump is accelerating the authoritarian process.

A. Hes moving very quickly. They now have a much more ideological project than last time. Its called the Theory of the Unitary Executive, which could also be labeled the theory of the imperial presidency. It states that the president can do whatever he wants, that he owns and controls the entire federal government, that there cannot and must not be any independent actors in the bureaucracy; that everybody, in the entire administrative state he loathes, owes absolute personal and political loyalty to the president. They have engaged in withering behind the scenes and public intimidation of congressional Republicans to get them to confirm all of Trumps nominees and bend their knee to Trumps imperial will.

They are entering the government and taking control through the irregular mechanism of Elon Musk and his technocratic brownshirts, the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), even though it has not been authorized by Congress. They go into computers and do whatever they want, with no real statutory authority to do so. They know that they must act decisively, intimidatingly, without restraint, without hesitation, without respect for the courts, in contempt of Congress, and unconcerned about public opinion. Again, Im going to use the word fascism analytically. The Trump administration has fascist elements in terms of the deification of the leader as an all-powerful and infallible being, in the mobilization of an irregular squad of fervent believers to do the leaders will, in the intimidation of independent or semi-independent actors who might exert checks and balances. Its very important to understand now how Trump is disabling Republicans in the Senate. Im talking about the death threats that members of Congress are getting, which have been spiking for the last two years.

Q. What are you referring to?

A. Some Republicans in Congress and some election officials are concerned about their physical safety. You dont understand fascism if you dont understand the role of the threat of physical violence in intimidating people and disabling their resistance. Trump has withdrawn Secret Service protection for people who crossed him in the last administration. Hes sending out a warning, like a mafia boss.

Q. There is not much talk about the unitary executive theory.

A. Google the words unitary executive theory and then look up the writings of Russell Vought, who is now the director of the Office of Management and Budget. Among both MAGA militants and the intellectual world around Trump, which includes some religious conservatives and Christian nationalists, there is a theory that we need a strong leader to lead us out of the moral rot were in, restore our moral virtues, and purge the government of its woke elements. It sweeps away Article One of the Constitution and the role of Congress in elevating the president as the sole legitimate and directing actor of the executive branch.

Q. That happened in Venezuela under a different ideology.

A. Whether its the right or the left, if that vision exalts an elected president above any scrutiny or accountability, it can be called an illiberal version of democracy. As we saw in Venezuela, in Hungary, in Turkey, in Russia at the beginning of Putins rule, soon that government will not be an illiberal democracy, but an illiberal authoritarianism with a merely a competitive multi-party veneer.

Professor Larry Diamond during his interview with EL PAIS, at Stanford. Kike Arnal

Q. You say that the Republican Party has been driven to submission.

A. Trump owns the Republican Party: lock, stock and barrel. It was a hostile takeover, a coup from the outside, because he was an outsider, he had no association with Republicans until he decided to run. But that happened a long time ago. Control of Congress is more complicated. Mike Johnson, re-elected as House speaker, is a loyal servant of Trump, though he has shown some pragmatism. Controlling the Senate is trickier. Trump wanted to have an equally loyal servant as Senate majority leader, an extremely powerful position. But fortunately, that election happens by secret ballot. Rick Scott, Trumps man, finished a very distant third with only 13 of 53 senators in favor. That should tell you something about the way the senators really feel privately. Senator John Thune of South Dakota was elected, the man who was most institutionalist and most wary of bending too much to Trump. Thune is now living in a world where he doesnt feel he can really speak up.

Q. Silicon Valley billionaires and technologists are cooperating in dismantling the U.S. government apparatus. Why is this happening?

A. First of all, Silicon Valley is not a monolith. Some prominent leaders in Silicon Valley, such as Marc Andreessen, a very influential venture capitalist, endorsed Trump in the election and others jumped on the bandwagon once he was elected. What brought about the philosophical change of many Silicon Valley billionaires and other executives who abandoned the Democratic Party or moved to the right? In part, it has been a reaction against the woke agenda, which they perceived as extremism and intolerance of the left; an ideological agenda that seemed to go beyond the words diversity, equity and inclusion to a broader, philosophical, militant agenda, to which everyone had to submit. Even though most of these executives are extremely socially liberal in their views, they dont like this. They are also reacting to what they see as cuts in their personal and corporate freedom. So they flipped. They said, what the heck? The left has gone crazy with the woke agenda. We are tired of this overreach by the progressives. Trump is going to give us lower taxes, less regulation. He wont do that much harm. Now, some of them may be asking, My God, what have we done?

Q. Is Trump motivated primarily by his ego, or is there an ideological plan?

A. Trump wants power, status and wealth, three elements of social stratification. In what order does he prioritize them? Its hard for me to know. For a long time in his career, political power was only something he dreamed of. What he sought was wealth and social status, including the celebrity that came from a remarkably successful television show, The Apprentice. Now he wants unmitigated power. He doesnt want it to be checked or scrutinized. We must not forget that one of the first things he did when he took office was to fire all the inspectors general from a wide variety of agencies and cabinet departments. These are the anti-corruption watchdogs, the so-called monitors of waste, fraud, and abuse in every government agency. Trump wants free rein to convert power into more wealth for himself. Musk is doing that as well by capturing all this data that hes collecting to have unfettered power. This should alarm not just Americans, but anyone whose data might be captured by Musk, or who has done business or shared secrets with the U.S. government.

Q. You have used the word emperor several times. Do you think the ultimate goal is to become a Caesar?

A. I dont think Trump can become emperor. I worry about the future of American democracy, but I dont worry that well have a Mussolini as president for life or something like that  Il Duce in the literal sense. I think hes going to make such a mess of the American economy and the world economy and our system of government that he and his whole project will be defeated in four years. But do you remember that interview where he said, I just want to be a dictator for a day? I dont think he was being honest. He wants to be a dictator for four years, and hed love to carry on after that. But I dont think hell be able to do that. He can get away with it for the next three years and 11 months, but he cant get away with eliminating the Constitution. Theres not the remotest chance that any changes hed like to make to the Constitution will be adopted. His long-term project faces a lot of challenges. But in the short term, he could do a lot of damage.

Q. Will Musk endure, even as he overshadows Trump in a number of ways?

A. Everyone was anticipating a breakup in the bromance between Musk and Trump, but that hasnt happened. Were in unforeseen psychological territory, where Trump is almost playing the role of number two to Musk. Trump admires him: his technological prowess, his wealth, his personality. I make no prediction of how long this will go on or where it will lead. All I can say is it will become more and more dangerous as long as Musk is the agent of this democratic destruction.

Elon Musk during a Trump cabinet meeting on February 26 at the White House. Molly Riley (White House)

Q. Are we witnessing the decline of the liberal democracy that characterized the post-war world order?

A. What worries me is that political ideologies, political styles, and political changes have a viral dimension. Samuel Huntington, in his book The Third Wave: Democratization in the Late Twentieth Century, referred to it as diffusion and demonstration effects. You see someone acting as a strongman and wiping out the predatory criminal gangs in El Salvador, which makes him quite a popular figure. You see a strongman taking control and running roughshod over the opposition, expelling immigrants out of his country, and pushing back against woke tendencies, which many of those who cling to tradition see as a perversion of their traditions and beliefs. This has its appeal. If the strongman is successful financially, he will achieve tremendous capacity for diffusion, which I dont think will happen here.

But look at whats happening in Europe right now. After the elections in Germany, the Alternative for Germany party expanded its seats in Parliament. Marine Le Pen has a 50% chance of being elected president of France. Within four years, Nigel Farage could become prime minister of the U.K. with the real possibility of his Reform Party replacing the Conservatives as the principal party of the right. We are starting to see a spread of this right-wing authoritarian mentality: Austria, the Netherlands, Giorgia Meloni is already prime minister of Italy. And the most powerful, richest and successful democracy is also moving in this authoritarian, strongman, illiberal direction, again, with some growing elements that bear resemblances to European fascism.

Q. What will happen in Brazil in two years? President Lula has a low approval rating.

A. Lula is down. Hes old. Hes ineffective, frankly. What happens if Bolsonaro comes back? Or a Bolsonaro-like figure? Youve got to start to worry. The party system has imploded in Peru and there is a lot of dissatisfaction with the current government. We are in an extremely fluid situation, both ideologically and in terms of commitment to democratic values and institutions. This is the main issue: democrats around the world are going to have to fight to defend their values, their constitutions and the boundaries of legitimate political behavior.

Q. What counterweight can the democracies that are still standing exert to counter this authoritarian trend?

A. First of all, they must preserve the quality of their own democracy. We cannot afford any more democratic backsliding. The second is what can be done collectively. There are two elements: one regional and one global. Europe has to be very vigilant through the mechanisms of the European Union about what is happening and about the signs of crony capitalism and the abuse of democratic norms. Hungary should have been penalized for its defections from democracy much sooner. There are other worrisome trends in old and new Europe. Recently, there was an attempt by the Russians to manipulate social media in Romania to elect a pro-Russian right-wing populist. The EU has to support Romanian democracy. The Organization of American States failed the people of Venezuela after it was shown that the opposition won the presidential election on July 28 with two-thirds of the vote.

Q. Can authoritarianism be reverse engineered?

A. We know what the authoritarian playbook is, and now we have a number of instances of pushing back. The most efficient way to end a competitive authoritarian regime is through an election. We know what is necessary for the opposition to prevail. First, you have to unite it behind a single presidential candidate. Second, you need a program that goes beyond defending democracy. Voters are going to ask: What about my life, my income, my job, my prospects, the security on the streets? You have to show why the corruption and autocracy of the ruler has damaged their material interests. Third, you have to have a vibrant candidate and campaign. You cant be boring. You have to win. And fourth, you have to take back the flag and recapture what it means to be patriotic, not let autocrats monopolize patriotism, because what they are doing is deeply unpatriotic.

Q. If you had the ear of leaders like Macron, Lula, Boric, all besieged by the extreme right, what advice would you give them?

A. Number one, govern from the center out and build a broad coalition. Number two, listen to the people and their real concerns about immigration, jobs, and social policies. If democracies dont find ways to control their borders, the populist right will win. Theyve got to be flexible, adaptive, and humble. They must win back the working class by re-elevating them as valued members of society. All of these societies are now experiencing a rift between college-educated and non-college-educated people, between those who work with their minds and those who work with their hands. This is extremely prominent now in American politics. The old divide between the working classes and the elite has been flipped: we need to win back the working classes for democracy and economic justice. The United States will not be the main defender of democracy for a few years, but we are not the only liberal democracy in the world. There is political and economic strength in other liberal democracies in Asia, Europe, and Latin America. And they need to step up and constitute an alternative leadership.

Q. Where do you find hope?

A. These authoritarian projects can be turned back, as in Brazil. Venezuela could have gotten rid of Maduro if the world had stood behind Maria Corina Machado and Edmundo Gonzalez. The courage of the Venezuelan people gives me hope, as does Ukraines resilience, and activism in the United States. Trump is already below water in his presidential approval ratings one month into his presidency. This is not popular and its going to implode when its lack of success becomes known and the opposition unites. We are facing a sobering circumstance, but I have confidence that were going to defeat this authoritarian project.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition
Tuolumne County Sheriff's Office Vehicle View Photo

Chinese Camp, CA A man from Chinese Camp is facing felony child sex-related charges following an investigation that targeted an electronic device.

During the investigation, Tuolumne County Sheriffs detectives uncovered information from the device that led to the arrest of 61-year-old Charles Raymond Hoover on Tuesday morning (3/4/25) in the vicinity of Red Hills Road near Washington Street.

Hoover is suspected of communicating with a minor and arranging to meet with the intent of sexual contact, reports sheriffs spokesperson Ashley Boujikian.

Hoover was arrested without incident on those felony charges. Boujikian stated, This is an active investigation, and detectives are pursuing all leads. Due to the involvement of minors, limited information is being released.
San Andreas, CA  Time to spring forward and set clocks one hour ahead for daylight savings time at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 9, and local health officials advise on how the time change can impact health.

There are drawbacks to daylight saving time, according to Mark Twain Medical Center in Calaveras County. The abrupt change in time can have a detrimental effect on health, especially if it causes sleep deprivation, underscoring the significance of taking time shifts into account. Increased health and safety hazards have been associated with the switch to daylight saving time (DST), especially when sleep is missed. According to a study by Current Biology, in the week following the clock change, there was a 6% rise in fatal auto accidents in the United States. Increased health and safety hazards have been associated with the switch to daylight saving time (DST), especially when sleep is missed. An increased risk of heart attacks, strokes, and occupational injuries has also been connected to sleep deprivation.

The good news is that there are steps you can take to minimize the impact of the time change, says Dr. Pardeep Athwal, Chief Medical Officer at Mark Twain Medical Center. Avoid caffeine and heavy meals close to bedtime, and make sure to prioritize getting at least seven hours of sleep in the days following the transition.

One of the main causes of these adverse consequences is the disturbance of the circadian rhythm, the bodys internal clock. Health officials share that melatonin, the hormone that tells the body to wind down for sleep, is delayed by prolonged evening light, which results in shorter and poorer-quality sleep. Additionally, a higher incidence of mood disorders, such as anxiety and sadness, is associated with sleep abnormalities. In the week after the time change, people should exercise caution when driving and doing other jobs that need complete focus, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
Sonora, CA  Motorists can expect delays one day next week in downtown Sonora to make repairs to PG&E equipment.

The utility has hired Summit Line Construction out of Sacramento to replace power poles near 258 Lyons Street, between Hope Lane and Palemone Street, east of Highway 49, on Wednesday, March 12, beginning at 8 a.m.

Flaggers will be in place, along with signs directing drivers. Motorists can expect up to five- to ten-minute delays intermittently when heavy equipment is used. According to the construction company, the work will be completed by the end of the day.
Bulawayo  The city of Bulawayo is in mourning following the tragic death of Detective Constable Cassandra Hove, a dedicated member of the Criminal Investigations Departments (CID) Homicide Unit. The 34-year-old officer was shot dead in the line of duty on Thursday night in Pumula South, Habek area, while pursuing suspected armed robbers, leaving behind a legacy of service and a family of four children.

Detective Constable Hove, a mother of four (three daughters and a son), was killed in the line of duty in Pumula South, Habek area, after sustaining gunshot wounds to her upper limbs. She was part of a team of detectives engaged in a raid against armed robbers suspected of targeting service stations throughout the city.

The incident occurred at approximately 8:40PM, with her team rushing her to a nearby private clinic where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed that investigations into Detective Constable Hoves death are ongoing. The Zimbabwe Republic Police confirms that investigations are being conducted in connection with the tragic and unfortunate death of Detective Constable Cassandra Hove of CID Homicide Bulawayo on March 6, 2025 while pursuing armed robbery suspects. The shooting incident occurred at Habek area, Pumula South, Bulawayo, said Commissioner Nyathi.

He said that Commissioner-General of Police Stephen Mutamba is mourning Detective Constable Hove, while assuring that a comprehensive investigation is underway to establish the precise circumstances of the incident. He stressed that law enforcement is declaring war against violent crimes, while appealing to members of the public to come forward with information that could lead to the arrest of the suspects.

The ZRP reiterates that there is no going back in the fight against armed robberies and other violent crimes in the country. The public should feel free to give information on criminal movements on Complaints Desk number 0242703631 or WhatsApp number 0712800197, he said.

Just hours before her death, Detective Constable Hove had posted a seemingly cryptic message on her Facebook page, Usandipusha, ndofamba ndega . . . Ndini zvangu ndichiudza ngirozi musi we judgement day, translating to do not push me, I can walk on my own, that will be me saying that to an angel on judgement day. This led to an outpouring of grief, with many mourning her death while others suggested her message could be interpreted as a premonition of her demise. A source close to the investigation revealed that her death occurred during a pursuit of suspects wanted for armed robberies targeting fuel stations.

She was shot and sustained a wound on her breast during an exchange of fire with armed robbers. Recently, the city recorded a series of armed robberies at fuel service stations. In one of the nights, five fuel stations were raided. So, CID detectives were following up on a tip-off, but unfortunately the armed robbers shot and subsequently killed the cop, said a source.

The shooting is said to have happened so quickly that residents in the area were left shocked.

Although we heard gunshots, we couldnt tell what really transpired. I heard three gunshots. I was scared to go out and check what was happening, but some few residents went to the scene but didnt stay long. It is only today that we learnt that a cop had been shot and killed. Our neighbourhoods are becoming unsafe. We hope the police will soon get to the bottom of the matter, said a Pumula South resident who preferred not to be named.

The ZRP has promised to fight back any armed robbers in the country.

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Republic Police reiterates that there is no going back in the fight against armed robberies and other violent crimes in the country, said Nyathi.

Cassandra Hove was shot dead in the Habek area at around 9PM as she and colleagues from the Criminal Investigations Departments Homicide division pursued a gang wanted for armed robbery. She was a member of an all-female team of detectives known within the police as Team Lozikeyi, named after Ndebele queen Lozikeyi Dlodlo, who was one of King Lobengulas wives. Police have launched an appeal for information over the police officers killing.

Hove, who was born in Mberengwa on November 5, 1990, was a mother of three daughters and a boy.

Tragically, Hoves dedication to law enforcement came just as she was on the cusp of a career change. Friends said Hove had been actively pursuing a career away from the police, possibly in banking, after recently gaining qualifications in forensic accounting.

Im thrilled to share that Ive recently joined the forensic accounting team, and I feel honoured to be a part of such a talented and dedicated group., she wrote on her LinkedIn account last month.

The loss of Detective Constable Hove has been felt deeply within the Bulawayo community and across the nation. Her commitment to justice and her untimely death serve as a stark reminder of the dangers faced by law enforcement officers in their daily efforts to protect citizens from violent crime. The ZRP has vowed to bring the perpetrators of this heinous crime to justice and to intensify its efforts to combat armed robberies and other violent crimes throughout the country.

In a statement, ZRP national spokesperson, Commissioner Paul Nyathi said a probe into the shooting is underway.

The Commissioner-General of Police Stephen Mutamba expresses condolences to the Hove family and assures the public that comprehensive investigations are underway with a view of establishing what actually transpired, said Nyathi.

As Bulawayo mourns the loss of Detective Constable Cassandra Hove, the city stands united in its resolve to support law enforcement and to create a safer environment for all its residents.

Breaking News via Email

Related

Pin Share Share 0 Shares






Harare  Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, a figure synonymous with the 2017 ousting of the late President Robert Mugabe, is increasingly making headlines not just for his political role, but for his colourful and impactful use of language. His public statements, often rich in vernacular, have resonated with Zimbabweans, taking social media by storm and shaping the national discourse.

At the mention of his name, many rush to think of the man who played a critical role in deposing the late former President Robert Mugabe, a feared and respected Statesman, who brooked no nonsense. Even international leaders feared and revered Mugabe one way or the other. But when the time came, Mugabe was toppled in a military coup in November 2017, marking an end to his near-four-decade rule. A fearless former army general, who in the build-up to the coup, foiled a swarm of police details waiting to arrest him at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare upon his return from China. That is Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga.

Today, despite holding the second most powerful office in the country, Chiwenga has shown his other side, perhaps as a sharp orator whose public statements have found favour among netizens and the general populace. Rich in vernacular, his statements have taken over social media by storm, with his utterances shaping the society in some way.

Addressing mourners at the burial of late national hero Justin Mupamhanga at the National Heroes Acre in Harare in January this year, Chiwenga blasted corruption in the country, using a phrase that has become popular in social circles. In his description of those accumulating wealth through corrupt means, Chiwenga said they are zvigananda.

Zvigananda was a term used during the war of liberation to refer to people, who would take advantage of the chaos and move around accumulating wealth through illegal means.

Zimbabwe belongs to all of us. We must share its God-given bounty, share its bounty equally so no one  not even the weak, the widowed or the orphaned  are displaced or elbowed out by the strong in a mad rat-race to grab unmerited privileges. Corruption has to end, Chiwenga said. Our Vision 2030 is for all of us, not those that you call mbinga. During the war, we referred to them as zvigananda (leeches): those who grow big tummies through ill-gotten wealth and questionable morals! Pasi nezvigananda [Down with leeches].

Today, Zimbabweans have been using the word zvigananda to describe people involved in corrupt ways as well as people with huge frames. The Pasi nezvigananda statement has taken on a life of its own, resonating with Zimbabweans both online and offline.

VP Chiwenga is using statements that reflect and are in sync with the political, economic, and social climate in the country, said political analyst and media expert Lazarus Sauti. Corruption is rife and devouring development in Zimbabwe, and he [Chiwenga] castigated it using the word zvigananda. The word is now part of our social discourse.

Following the introduction of the Zimbabwe gold-backed local currency, ZiG, last year, Chiwenga took to the podium to reprimand illegal forex dealers and urged them to desist from such operations as they sabotage the economy. In vernacular, Chiwenga delivered his message like: Regerai vakomana. Hatidi kuti ukanganiswe uzoita hupenyu waremara, handiti. Regerai, ndati chii? [Stop it. We dont want you to be crippled, do you hear me. Stop it, what did I say].

The statement has also taken the social media by storm, with netizens using it to reprimand colleagues to desist from wayward behaviour. For example, the statement has been popular among men reprimanding each other from infidelity or from unprotected sex. In bars, imbibers utter regerai vakomana munoremara to reprimand those who abuse liquor or consume illicit brews.

VP Chiwenga also used the phrase regerai vakomana munokuwara in castigating illegal activities in the country, Sauti added. The phrase is now like a national anthem on social media platforms in Zimbabwe. This shows the power of words and phrases in meaning-making. Words are powerful in politics. They shape opinions, frame issues and create identities.

The phrases Regerai vakomana munoremara and Pasi nezvigananda have become ingrained in popular culture, symbolising a sense of frustration and disillusionment with the status quo. These phrases are not only being shared and discussed on social media platforms, but are also being used in everyday conversations, reflecting the growing discontent among citizens. The fact that these phrases have become so popular is a testament to the power of social media in amplifying voices and mobilising public opinion.

Addressing a rally ahead of the August 2023 elections in the Midlands province, Chiwenga once likened the opposition party, Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), to lice. I have heard others here saying down with CCC, let me assure you that there is nothing that it can achieve, Chiwenga said. You see how we crush lice with a stone, Chiwenga added, you put it on a flat stone and then flatten it to the extent that even flies will not make a meal out of it.

Media expert and researcher Mlondolozi Ndlovu said Chiwengas speeches depict that of a person who went to war and trained as a commissariat. Chiwenga belongs to the nationalistic movement, the old crop of nationalists, Ndlovu said. Though a military man, he was trained as a commissar during the war and much of his language is very consistent with the discourses of the war.

Breaking News via Email

Related

Pin Share Share 0 Shares






Saudi Arabia has submitted an official registration dossier to host World Expo 2030 Riyadh to the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), Azernews reports, citing Arab News.

Saudi ambassador to France Fahd bin Mayouf Al-Ruwaili presented the document to the Secretary General of BIE Dimitri Kerkentzes, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Friday.

Kerkentzes, who praised the clear organizational vision around Expo 2030 Riyadh, said the plan reflects the Kingdoms dedication and the significant efforts it is exerting to prepare for this global event and closely cooperate with BIE to ensure its success.

Saudi Arabia was announced as the winning bid to host expo at a BIE event in November 2023, after a secret ballot process gave the Kingdom 119 of the 165 votes available, breezing past South Korea and Italy.

The submission represents the actual start of event preparations. It includes a comprehensive plan detailing all of the events organizational, operational and procedural aspects, along with the scheduled operational dates, the SPA said.

It also goes over the legislative, regulatory, and financial measures, as well as the Expo site master plan, the conditions for international participation, and plans for utilizing the exhibitions legacy, the SPA said.

The document will be reviewed by BIE and its members ahead of its official adoption at the organizations general assembly.

The Kingdom will then be able to begin with the practical preparations and extend official invitations for international participation through the proper diplomatic channels, according to SPA.
At the main entrance of The Row Hotel, a 10-year-old girl slowly descends from a yellow school bus. Shes received by her mother, whos been waiting for a while near Eighth Avenue, on the western side of downtown Manhattan, where theres the usual and tremendous hustle and bustle of people coming and going.

This area of New York seems divided between those who belong to the hotel and those who continue on their way. The Row, a 1,300-room behemoth with a terracotta brick facade, stands like a kind of fortress that protects its tenants from the outside world. From the hotels entrance, you can spot a group of screaming teenagers queuing up at a souvenir shop, a couple  in athleisure  leaving with several bottles of wine from a Times Square liquor store, or parents pushing strollers past an advertisement for the Michael Jackson musical.

Inside the hotel, theres a father who asks for work and cannot find a job. Kids exchange cigarettes for loose dollar bills near the lobby. A middle-aged woman speaks to her parents on a video call in Spanish.

A line of migrants outside the ROW hotel, on January 25, 2025. SARAH YENESEL (EFE)

The four-star hotel was the first of more than 200 that New York City has taken off the tourist circuit. Theyve been turned into shelters for the migrants who have arrived in recent years. But none of the tenants  neither the mother waiting for her daughter, nor the boys who smuggle small goods, nor the woman on a video call  are willing to admit that they live in the hotel. They dont want to talk to the press, say anything that could harm them, or have their faces appear on television or in a magazine. Some finish a cigarette or a conversation on the sidewalk, show their ID cards to the hotel guards and go up to their rooms. Others will grab the bikes that theyve parked out front, to begin their work as food delivery people. Some will simply wait until nightfall.

On its website, The Row, which promotes itself as being more New York than New York, announces that its closed until further notice (at least, for tourists). When the governor of Texas began expelling migrants arriving in the country in 2022 during the border crisis, some 4,000 people were arriving in New York each week. By law, the city was required to offer at least a bed per person.

The Row negotiated an initial agreement of $40 million with the city to host the families, who arrived through the airports, or by bus at the Port Authority terminal. Dozens of other Manhattan hotels  normally intended to receive the millions of tourists passing through  found themselves between a rock and a hard place due to the economic impact of the pandemic. Many were converted into shelters. Until the end of last year, the figures showed that the majority of families or people living in shelters were of Latin American origin, mainly Venezuelans (35%), followed by Ecuadorians (18%) and Colombians (9%).

A migrant of Colombian origin leaves the ROW hotel with his belongings. Mary Altaffer (AP)

Now, after almost three years, New York City officials are announcing the end of an era. Mayor Eric Adams said that no official could have predicted a time when the system reached its breaking point. The lack of hotels and shelters has made politicians think about housing migrants on cruise ships, in churches, and even in city gyms. To date, the local government has registered 232,000 people in its shelter system. Still, New York City now seems to be far from those days when migrants arrived in unexpected numbers. Today, the city has a total of 45,000 people under its care, or some 24,000 fewer than the previous month. The latest promise from the Adams administration is to close 53 shelters by June of 2025.

Its not a decision that the residents of The Row seem to be aware of, but its on peoples lips a few blocks to the northwest, at The Watson. A year ago, the 600-room hotel was a hubbub of children in the lobby: parents were coming and going, while people were asking for work around the neighborhood. Now, its a much more subdued place.

Luz Marina arrived with a large suitcase, to collect the belongings that remained in her old room. She lived there for six months with her husband and two children, after they arrived from Venezuela. Her seven-year-old son was immensely sad after they had to leave the hotel on February 24.

I have my children studying nearby. Now, theyve sent me to a shelter in Queens, says Luz Marina, 21, who travels more than an hour every day to get to the school. Its very complicated for me, because they dont want to move.

Migrants outside The Watson Hotel, upon their arrival in January of 2024. Leonardo Munoz (Getty Images)

Although she feels sad to have to leave a neighborhood she already knows, in her new shelter, shes allowed to cook something she couldnt do at The Watson. And theres also a small room where she can receive visitors. But what Luz Marina really wants is to work and have documents, so that she can earn money. She was a beneficiary of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) that, as a Venezuelan, she received in 2023. However, shes now one of the 300,000 people who have seen their protection withdrawn by the Trump administration. With this suspension, were all left in the air, she sighs, while dragging her suitcase to finally leave The Watson.

A crusade before Trump

Turning left from The Watson, a few blocks down, you hit Tenth Avenue. There, The Skyline Hotel is almost desolate. A man arrives with an order from Dominos Pizza and a woman comes out to meet him: its a sign that there are still people living inside. There arent many more tenants to be seen outside the austere place with gray walls. Its not as imposing as The Row or The Watson. It became a shelter during the migrant crisis in the city something that neighbors and business owners in Hells Kitchen have complained about many times. If, a few months ago, there were always people congregating around The Skyline, now, everything is much quieter. Some say that migrant families are careful not to be out and about, for fear that the authorities from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could conduct one of the raids that have been widely promoted by Trump. Mayor Adams has been particularly cooperative in these operations.

Just a few blocks from The Skyline is Hotel Merit. Upon being queried by EL PAIS, representatives of the small hotel refused to accept that, not long ago, it was a shelter for dozens of migrants. Apparently, its not convenient for tourists to imagine sleeping in the same rooms where families, recently arrived in New York, once lived. Last November, local media outlet W42ST reported that the city government had terminated the contract with this hotel. But today, just four months later, the receptionist at the hotel claims that they were never a shelter. However, when pressed, she calmly responds: Yes, probably yes.

Demonstrators pictured during a pro-immigrant rally, demanding an end to deportations, February 9, 2025, in New York City. Andres Kudacki (AP)

The New York City governments crusade against shelters and migrant reception centers didnt begin with Trumps return to power. Before mid-January, Mayor Adams had already announced the closure of 25 centers, including the Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Centers (HERRC) at Randalls Island and Floyd Bennett Field. Although its a fact that the terror spread by the new administration  along with the end of programs such as Humanitarian Parole or CBP One  has reduced the arrival of migrants to the country, the flow had already been reduced last year, following the measures taken at the border by the Democratic administration. Even so, Adams has claimed the local authorities have achieved an important milestone regarding the decrease in the number of arrivals of immigrants to New York. He credits the policies that the municipal government has implemented to face the crisis, such as limiting the stays of immigrants in shelters to a maximum of between 30 and 60 days.

What is a reality  and whats proven by the citys Migrant Shelter Census  is that the number of people registered in shelters has been decreasing for more than seven months. Migrant arrivals are no longer in the thousands, but are at around 350 people per week. And, according to the local government, 80% of migrants in shelters have already taken the next steps in their journeys. The Migrant Shelter Census notes that the administration doesnt record these next steps, nor does it know if [migrants] have obtained their own housing.

Leaving Hells Kitchen behind and crossing Times Square stands the majestic Roosevelt Hotel, a building with Italian Renaissance-style facades that takes up the entire block located between 45th and 46th Street and Madison Avenue and Vanderbilt Avenue. The century-old 1,025-room hotel  which opened its doors to the border crisis in 2023  has received some 173,000 migrants and asylum seekers. Now, as dusk falls, a man stands at the front door, slowly smoking a cigarette.

The gentleman arrived from Colombia two years ago, but has been living at the Roosevelt for 20 days. He heard that the hotel had been in the news and that its one of the migrant shelters scheduled to close before June. Hes not worried about the decision. Rather, he says that hes grateful for the help that the city has given him so far. You dont look a gift horse in the mouth, he smiles, while letting out a puff of smoke. He adds that what he really wants to be offered is a job: nobody wants to live in a shelter in the long-run. What he really needs, he explains, is a room to rent and a way to earn money.

Paola, 25, is an undocumented immigrant from Venezuela. Jaclyn Licht

Paola, her husband Gilbert, and their two small children also live in one of the rooms at the Roosevelt. Soon, theyll be joined by the baby that Paola gave birth to prematurely just a month ago, at the Bellevue Hospital Center. He remains hospitalized until hes discharged. The Roosevelt will become the babys first home. A year ago, they arrived in Houston, Texas a place they left behind two months ago due to lack of work. They got a van and drove for several days until they reached New York. I imagined that there were more possibilities here, but weve only been suffering from the cold. Theres no work, Gilbert laments. The 22-year-old affirms that  beyond accommodation  he hasnt received any kind of help or guidance from the city.

The couple has just learned that the Roosevelt Hotel plans to close its doors in June. No one had informed them. Nor is it a place they would like to stay much longer. Elon Musk claims that its a luxury hotel, but they explain that the hallways stink, theres a lot of noise, the food isnt good and people sometimes give them dirty looks. Still, theyre grateful to have a roof over their heads. They find it incredible that no one has come to tell them that, in a few months, theyll have to leave. Theyve noticed fewer and fewer people coming in and out of the hotel. And their mail no longer arrives at the Roosevelt: it gets sent to a center in the Bronx.

Even though the lines of migrants camping outside the hotel are no longer visible  and even though the processing center where help was offered to undocumented immigrants is no longer functioning  Liz Garcia, the spokeswoman for City Hall, assures EL PAIS that there are still about 2,852 people staying at the hotel. According to the dates planned by the city, theyll have to leave in the next few months. Other spaces will also close by June: a 2,400-bed shelter in Clinton Hill is expected to close that month, as is a 1,300-bed migrant camp on the grounds of Creedmoor Psychiatric Center, in Queens.

Gilbert, Paolas husband. Jaclyn Licht

In a statement sent to El PAIS, the Legal Aid Society and the Coalition for the Homeless expressed their dismay at the announcement of the closure of the Roosevelt Hotel and the citys handling of the shelter crisis. Were very concerned that the city cannot meet its moral and legal obligations to provide safe and appropriate shelter for all those in need, especially at a time when an increasing number of New Yorkers are homeless, they said. The city must ensure that no one is left out in the open due to a lack of beds.

Recently, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) ordered the suspension of more than $80 million destined to cover housing and other services for immigrants in New York, after Musk called the conversion of some high-end hotels into shelters illegal. And, although many shelters have now closed  especially those located in Manhattan  the city still has to take care of some 45,000 migrants or asylum seekers. Yet, officials are already seeing an end to the crisis that began in 2022, while the Adams administration is claiming a victory, stating that the closures have saved them some $5.2 billion.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition
Harare  Blessed Mhlanga, the Head of News at Heart & Soul TV (HSTV), remains in remand prison as he challenges a lower courts decision to deny him bail on charges of inciting violence. Mhlangas legal team has filed an appeal at the High Court, arguing that there are no compelling reasons to justify his continued detention.

Mhlanga, who is also a senior journalist with Alpha Media Holdings (AMH), has been behind bars for nearly two weeks following his arrest on February 24th. The charges stem from his coverage of press conferences held by Blessed Bombshell Geza, a war veteran and former Zanu PF central committee member. Geza, now a staunch critic of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, used the platform to demand the Presidents resignation, citing alleged corruption, incompetence, and misgovernance. Geza also called for a nationwide shutdown to force Mnangagwas resignation. Geza is currently being sought by the police to answer to incitement, undermining the authority of the President and theft charges.

Mhlanga faces two counts of contravening Section 136 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, which pertains to transmitting data messages inciting violence or damage to property.

Magistrate Farai Gwitima initially denied Mhlanga bail, arguing that the journalist was likely to interfere with witnesses, who are allegedly his subordinates, and that his release could potentially spark unrest in Zimbabwe.

Through his lawyer, Chris Mhike of Atherstone & Cook, the AMH senior scribe told the High Court that Gwitima was wrong in denying him bail.

We have amplified our efforts to secure freedom for Mhlanga by filing an appeal at High Court against Harare Magistrate Farai Gwitimas decision to deny bail to the senior journalist. In the appeal, our lawyer Chris Mhike, argued that Magistrate Gwitima grossly erred and misdirected himself in denying bail to Mhlanga late last month as there were no compelling reasons to justify Mhlangas continued incarceration, said ZLHR.

The appeal will specifically challenge the magistrates conclusions that Mhlanga might interfere with witnesses and that his release could threaten public peace.

Mhike argued that the court erred in assuming that Mhlangas position as a senior political reporter automatically meant he would influence witnesses, despite the fact that no specific witness was identified.

In particular, the court a quo [lower court] misdirected itself in concluding that appellant would interfere with witnesses simply because he is a senior political reporter whose perceived juniors are potential witnesses [even though not a single actual or potential witness was identified by the State], Mhike said.

He further argued that consent to remand does not equate to an admission of guilt and that the court ignored Mhlangas denial of the allegations during bail proceedings.

Further, by concluding that the release of the applicant will likely disturb the public order or undermine public peace or security, the magistrate grossly erred because he descended into the arena, Mhike said.

The arrest and subsequent detention of Mhlanga have drawn sharp criticism from media organisations and Press freedom advocates both locally and internationally.

The Media Alliance of Zimbabwe described the arrest as an act of cowardice, unacceptable in a democracy that permits the practice of journalism as a constitutional right to free expression.

Similarly, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has called for Mhlangas immediate and unconditional release.

IFJ said freedom of expression and media freedom are fundamental rights that enhance democracy and must be respected everywhere.

IFJ general secretary Anthony Bellanger said the arrest of journalists under vague and rogue criminal charges could lead to self-censorship among media personnel. He urged authorities in Harare to respect their obligations in defending media freedom.

Journalist Blessed Mhlanga has committed no crime and his arrest and detention is a travesty of justice, Ballanger said.  Intimidating and harassing journalists and the media in general with vague and rogue criminal charges that undermine their constitutional rights only leads to self- censorship, which has a negative effect on quality journalism.

He called on the Zimbabwe government to move away from its past media repression era and create a conducive environment for the media to flourish.

Local and regional media freedom lobby groups have condemned the arrest describing it as an act of intimidation and harassment of journalists by the State.

As Mhlanga awaits the High Courts decision, the case continues to highlight concerns about media freedom and the protection of journalists in Zimbabwe. The appeal is yet to be heard.

Breaking News via Email

Related

Pin Share Share 0 Shares






Yves here. This article describes why the Trump Administration effort to shut down USAID fundings without following required procedures is a linchpin battle over the extent of presidential power. It also explains that the court has measures it can implement, such as fines of Trump officials as individuals. Mind you, it might take some doing to identify where these individuals hold their financial assets, but a bank will execute a court order.

By Charles Wise, Professor Emeritus of Public Affairs, The Ohio State University. Originally published at The Conversation

Amid the chaos of the Trump administrations first few weeks in office, a court case regarding the presidents legal rightto stop payment of nearly US$2 billion in U.S. Agency for International Development contracts poses an important legal question whose answer may show just how strong the countrys separation of powers actually is.

On Jan. 20, 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order pausing all foreign aid funding, most of which is administered by USAID. A little more than two weeks later, USAID laid off all but a few hundred of its 10,000 workers.

U.S. District Judge Amir Ali issued a temporary order on Feb. 13 for the administration to not end or pause any existing foreign aid contracts  and again ordered on Feb. 25 that the administration needed to pay the $2 billion owed to various aid organizations for completed work.

After the Trump administration filed an emergency appeal of the decision to the Supreme Court, the justices, in a 5-4 ruling on March 5, found that the federal judges decision can temporarily take effect while the district court considers the merits of the case.

Now, the Trump administration is facing a deadline imposed by Judge Ali of 11 a.m. on March 10, 2025, to announce a new timeline for delivering the frozen foreign aid payments.

Amy Lieberman, a politics and society editor at The Conversation U.S., spoke with Charles Wise, an expert on public administration and law, to understand what is fueling this court case and why it has become a test of how far Trump can push the boundaries of presidential power.

What is most important to understand about the Supreme Courts ruling on USAID funding?

The Trump administration issued a blanket executive order freezing all USAID funds on Jan. 20, 2025. There have been many twists and turns in this case since then, but the Washington, D.C., district court determined in February that the organizations that receive USAID funding to deliver food or health care to people in need, as well as other recipients of USAID money in foreign countries, would suffer irreparable harm.

The U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., also said that the administration did not follow proper procedures in the law. The Administrative Procedure Act has a set of standards that requires the president to do certain things before making any unilateral kind of action to withhold funds.

The Supreme Courts March 5 order is not the final ruling on the case, but it does allow the U.S. District Court decision to stand  at least for now. This ruling requires the government to release funds to USAID recipients. The Supreme Courts decision also directs the district court to clarify what the government must do to comply with the district courts order, including considering the feasibility of the timeline within which the government must release the money.

This is all taking place in a very short time frame, in the context of the D.C. district court issuing a temporary restraining order. It is saying: Lets freeze the existing situation in place so we can have a full hearing on this issue.

Why is this case important?

Any administration is prohibited from just withholding funds for any program it doesnt like without following the procedures prescribed by law. This case matters because the D.C. district courts decision puts boundaries on what the Trump administration can do to withhold funds that Congress has appropriated. It forces the administration to follow the laws that Congress and previous presidents have agreed on and adopted.

It ultimately comes down to a contest between the branches of government, and, specifically, the presidency and Congress. This is where Articles 1 and 2 of the U.S. Constitution  and how they divided powers between the president and Congress  comes in. The Trump administration claimed that the court should have respected the presidents Article 2 powers to administer the federal governments spending. The D.C. court acknowledged the presidents powers under Article 2 but said it has to be balanced against Congress right, under Article 1, to appropriate funds.

What happens if Trump and his administration do not abide by this order?

Trumps officials have a decision to make. Are they going to follow the executive order or the courts order? Thats not a fun place to be. Administrative officials take an oath to uphold the Constitution and the laws of the U.S., which subjects them to court decisions.

The president himself is not responsible for distributing USAID funds. State Department officials are responsible for dispersing the funds, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio was appointed as the acting administrator of USAID on Feb. 3, 2025.

If Rubio and other officials refuse to comply with the courts order, the D.C. judge, Amir Ali, can hold those officials in contempt of court. Ali has a variety of tools he can use  one is to levy fines against them individually. He could say they have to pay a thousand dollars per day for each day they dont execute the courts order.

What will happen next in this case?

The Supreme Court said in a brief opinion on March 5 that the Feb. 26, 2025, deadline for the government to pay USAID and its contractors had already passed and instructed Ali to clarify what obligations the Government must fulfill to ensure compliance with paying USAID.

The government has argued to the court that the timeline the judge initially set was too fast  they couldnt do it that fast.

Now, a few things are going to happen. Ali has ordered the government to develop and release a new schedule to release funds and to have that ready by March 10.

The second part is that the district court judge will probably schedule a hearing on the merits of the case, in which Ali will be assessing the administrations argument about whether the administration has violated the Administrative Procedure Act. Ultimately, the Trump administration could appeal Alis decision, and the case could wind up back at the Supreme Court.
Chastity or Fornication? London Review of Books

Athena Spacecraft Declared Dead After Toppling Over On Moon CNN

Misdiagnosis of Chronic Conditions as In Your Head Causes Lasting Damage The Conversation

The Blood of Exceptionally Long-Lived People Suggests Crucial Differences ScienceAlert. Underlying study not new but seems not to have gotten much notice.

Scientists discover new part of the immune system BBC. Paul R: Interesting, but idk, science by press release is always suspicious. Ill wait for more developments before expecting too much.

COVID-19/Pandemics

Climate/Environment

China?

Surface tension: could the promised Aukus nuclear submarines simply never be handed over to Australia?

Guardian

Africa

South of the Border

European Disunion

Israel v. The Resistance

Trump says he wrote to Khamenei offering talks on Irans nuclear program Times of Israel. In small letters in red above the oversized headline: Iran says it has not received the letter yet

Yemens Ansarullah movement declares a four-day deadline to international mediators to advocate for the resumption of aid delivery into the Gaza Strip; otherwise, the movement would restart its naval operations against the Israeli regime. https://t.co/4FWUpofUl5 pic.twitter.com/rs3jIqwiH2

New Not-So-Cold War

Russia: reparations + peace: Details of the Russian peace plan Marat Khairullin (Chuck L). A must read. Scroll down to find the Russian peace plan. It outlines how Russia proposes to keep rump Ukraine (which would include Odessa, which may disappoint a lot of Russian) militarily neutered and politically aligned, at least at the outset. Perhaps I am unduly pessimistic, but I cant see the US and certainly not the current regime in Kiev agreeing to this. Russia will have to make a lot more progress on the ground before a near-capitulation like this becomes acceptable as less bad than the direction of travel.

SITREP 3/7/25: EUs Mega-Billion Bid for Ukraine Flops Again, as Trumps Erratic Messaging Dissipates Peace Momentum Simplicius. Important

Russias Putin Is Said to Be Ready to Agree to Ukraine Truce With Conditions Bloomberg. Headline revised since first publication; then it was only Russias Putin Is Said to Be Ready to Agree to Ukraine Truce. Notice the sequence (emphasis mine)

In the first signal of a positive response from President Vladimir Putin to US counterpart Donald Trumps call for a ceasefire, the offer was conveyed at last months talks in Saudi Arabia between top Russian and American officials, the people said, asking not to be identified discussing internal policy.

*Sigh* That meeting was on February 18. So even if accurate, as opposed to Telephone-induced or deliberate overstatement, why is it being leaked now, particularly after Russian officials have repeatedly and consistently rejected the idea of a ceasefire or truce since then, as Lavrov did yesterday (see here staring at 1:26)? And why would Trump be trying to bully Russia again, per the next entry, if Russia was amenable to Trumps big demand for a ceasefire or something approximating that?

Trump Threatens to Hit Russia with Sanctions Wall Street Journal. Lead story. The Russians will see this as pathetic, even before you get to the microscopic level of US imports of Russian wares. They will not be impressed with Trumps dominance games. I think you can kiss that Trump request for help with negotiating with Iran goodbye. Even if Russia goes through the motions, this bluster confirms, the US in general and Trump in particular cant be trusted to stick to any position. And this seems merely to be due to the fact that Russia is continuing to hit Ukraine energy infrastructure and also struck a training site in Dniepropetrosk and killed about 150 Ukraine and an estimated 30 NATO trainers. The thing that OUGHT to have Trump upset or rethinking his approach is that he keeps saying he wants a ceasefire (and that does seem to be high on his wish list) when Lavrov has said every time Ukraine comes up that no way, no how is Russia going to agree to a ceasefire. They will stop war-making only after their minimum ask has been met, which includes Ukraine removing all forces from the four oblasts and Ukraine taking steps (which IIRC include constitutional changes) that commit them to neutrality and no NATO evah.

Ukraine loses access to satellite intelligence, but not completely Ukrainska Pravda

Ukraine could get NATO protection without membership  Italian PM RT (Kevin W)

THE REM WAR  THE RUSSIAN STATE VERSUS TRUMP AND MUSK John Helmer
Donald Jeffries Hidden History explores the most controversial conspiracies in modern American politics

Donald Jeffries' book, "Hidden History," delves into pivotal moments in U.S. political history, questioning the official narratives and exposing systemic manipulation by those in power.

The book starts with the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy, arguing it was a turning point in American history that fostered lasting distrust. Jeffries highlights inconsistencies in the Warren Commission's findings and suggests a deeper conspiracy involving figures like Allen Dulles.

Jeffries examines events like the Gulf of Tonkin incident and Operation Northwoods, portraying them as examples of government deception and false flag operations used to manipulate public opinion and justify military actions.

The book scrutinizes the assassinations of Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr., as well as the Chappaquiddick incident, suggesting these events were not as straightforward as the official stories claim and may have been politically motivated.

"Hidden History" serves as a critique of past events and a warning for the future, urging readers to question authority, demand transparency and hold leaders accountable. It resonates with the current climate of low public trust in institutions.

Donald Jeffries' book, "Hidden History: An Expose of Modern Crimes, Conspiracies and Cover-Ups in American Politics," takes readers on a provocative journey through pivotal moments in the modern political history of the United States, challenging official narratives and uncovering what he describes as systemic manipulation by those in power.

Jeffries begins with what he calls the "big one"  the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy. This event, he argues, marked a turning point in American history, sowing seeds of distrust that persist to this day. Kennedy, a charismatic war hero and the nation's first Catholic president, was a figure of immense promise and controversy. His administration took bold stances against organized crime, clashed with the Central Intelligence Agency and challenged powerful industries, including oil and finance. Jeffries contends that these actions made him a target.

The official narrative, as outlined by the Warren Commission, pins the assassination on Lee Harvey Oswald as a lone gunman. However, Jeffries points to glaring inconsistencies: tampering with the presidential limousine, mishandled evidence and the mysterious disappearance of other evidence. Jeffries highlights the involvement of figures like Allen Dulles, the former CIA director whom Kennedy had fired, as evidence of a deeper conspiracy.

The book doesn't stop at JFK. Jeffries examines the Gulf of Tonkin incident, which he describes as a "false flag" operation used to justify escalating the Vietnam War. He also revisits Operation Northwoods, a declassified CIA plan to stage terrorist attacks on U.S. soil and blame Cuba. These examples, he argues, illustrate a pattern of government deception.

Jeffries delves into the assassinations of Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr., suggesting that the official stories are riddled with inconsistencies. In the case of RFK, he notes that witnesses reported more gunshots than Sirhan Sirhan's revolver could have fired, and the autopsy revealed a fatal shot from an angle inconsistent with Sirhan's position.

The book also scrutinizes the Chappaquiddick incident, where Senator Ted Kennedy's car accident resulted in the death of his passenger, Mary Jo Kopechne. Jeffries posits that this was not a mere accident but a politically motivated assassination attempt, orchestrated by the same forces that targeted his brothers.

Moving into the Reagan era, Jeffries explores scandals like Iran-Contra and the October Surprise, alleging that powerful figures manipulated events to serve their agendas. He also revisits the Clinton years, highlighting controversies such as the Waco siege, the Oklahoma City bombing and the mysterious death of Vince Foster, a White House counsel whose suicide has long been questioned.

The Sept. 11, 2001 attacks serve as a focal point in the latter part of the book. Jeffries questions the official narrative, pointing to the military's failure to intercept hijacked planes and the unexplained collapse of World Trade Center Building 7.

Jeffries' work is not just a recounting of historical events but a call to action. He challenges readers to question authority, seek transparency and hold leaders accountable.

"Hidden History" arrives at a time when public trust in institutions is at historic lows. Against this backdrop, Jeffries' exploration of conspiracy theories resonates deeply, offering both a critique of the past and a warning for the future.

Watch this video discussing Donald Jeffries' book "Hidden History: An Expose of Modern Crimes, Conspiracies and Cover-Ups in American Politics."

This video is from the BrightLearn channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

Brighteon.ai

Brighteon.com
A tragic consequence of failed border policies: Illegal immigrant sentenced for killing Florida deputy

Juan Ariel Molina-Salles, a previously deported illegal immigrant from Honduras, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for the hit-and-run death of Pinellas County Deputy Michael Hartwick, reigniting the national debate on border security and immigration enforcement.

On September 22, 2022, Deputy Michael Hartwick, a 19-year veteran, was fatally struck by a front-end loader driven by Molina-Salles while working off-duty. Molina-Salles fled the scene with the help of a co-worker, Elieser Aureilio Gomez-Zelaya, both of whom were in the U.S. illegally.

Molina-Salles' case highlights broader failures in U.S. immigration enforcement. He was previously deported but reentered undetected, reflecting a pattern of recidivism and the challenges posed by current border policies.

The 12-year sentence, deemed relatively light by some, has drawn criticism for not reflecting the crime's severity. The incident also raises concerns about employers like Archer Western-de Moya Group Joint Venture, who hired illegal immigrants under false identities.

The tragic death of Deputy Hartwick underscores the need for stronger border security measures. Advocates argue that lax enforcement puts American lives at risk and call for decisive action to secure the border and enforce immigration laws to prevent future tragedies.

The sentencing of Juan Ariel Molina-Salles, a previously-deported illegal immigrant from Honduras, to 12 years in prison for the hit-and-run death of Pinellas County Deputy Michael Hartwick has reignited the national debate over border security and immigration enforcement. The case, which unfolded in September 2022, is a stark reminder of the human cost of lax border policies and the dangers posed by illegal immigration.

The incident: A deputys life cut short

On the night of September 22, 2022, Deputy Michael Hartwick, a 19-year veteran of the Pinellas County Sheriffs Office, was working off-duty to provide traffic control at a construction site on Interstate 275. Hartwick, 51, was struck and killed by a 30,000-pound front-end loader driven by Molina-Salles, who was operating the heavy machinery at approximately 20 mph. Investigators say the deputy was killed almost instantly.

Instead of stopping to render aid, Molina-Salles continued driving, eventually fleeing the scene on foot after discarding his work gear with the help of a co-worker, Elieser Aureilio Gomez-Zelaya. Both men were in the U.S. illegally and working under false identities for Archer Western-de Moya Group Joint Venture, a contractor for the Florida Department of Transportation.

Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gulatieri expressed outrage at the circumstances surrounding the tragedy. This company is employing a bunch of illegals, and they are all out there lying and giving us fake names, fake IDs, Gulatieri said. He shouldnt have been here to begin with. He shouldnt have been driving. He shouldnt have been working.

A pattern of border failures

Molina-Salles case is emblematic of the broader failures in U.S. immigration enforcement. He was first apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol in October 2021 after illegally crossing into Eagle Pass, Texas. Despite being deported to Mexico, he reentered the U.S. undetected and made his way to Florida, where he secured employment under a false identity.

This pattern of recidivism is not unique. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data, thousands of illegal immigrants are caught and deported each year, only to reenter the country shortly thereafter. The Biden administrations policies, which critics argue have incentivized illegal immigration, have exacerbated the problem.

The tragic death of Deputy Hartwick underscores the consequences of these failures. Mikes actions protecting his community caused the consequences of his death, said Jeffrey Snyder, a friend of the deputy. And we will never recover knowing that that man gave himself until the very last second for his family, and the community, and the defendant, who he was trying to protect that night.

A light sentence and lingering questions

On Tuesday, Molina-Salles was sentenced to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges related to Hartwicks death. Prosecutors had sought a 20-year sentence, but the judge accepted a plea deal with a 12-year cap. Molina-Salles will also be deported to Honduras upon his release.

The relatively light sentence has drawn criticism from law enforcement advocates and conservatives, who argue that it fails to reflect the gravity of the crime. This is not just about one mans actions, said a spokesperson for the National Sheriffs Association. This is about a system that allows dangerous individuals to slip through the cracks and puts American lives at risk.

The case also raises questions about the role of employers in enabling illegal immigration. Archer Western-de Moya Group Joint Venture, the company that employed Molina-Salles and Gomez-Zelaya, has faced scrutiny for its hiring practices. Sheriff Gulatieri noted that multiple workers at the construction site provided fake names and IDs, highlighting the need for stricter enforcement of employment verification laws.

A call for stronger border security

The death of Deputy Hartwick is a sobering reminder of the human cost of illegal immigration and the urgent need for stronger border security measures. For decades, conservatives have warned that weak enforcement of immigration laws puts American lives at risk. This case is a tragic validation of those warnings.

As the nation grapples with the ongoing border crisis, the story of Deputy Hartwick and Juan Molina-Salles should serve as a rallying cry for policymakers to prioritize the safety and security of American citizens. The stakes are too high to continue down the path of open borders and lax enforcement.

Deputy Hartwicks legacy as a dedicated public servant will endure, but his death must not be in vain. It is time for leaders in Washington to take decisive action to secure the border, enforce immigration laws and prevent future tragedies like this one.

Sources include:

InfoWars.com

Yahoo.com

YourNews.com
National Science Foundation under fire, as FOIA requests expose unconstitutional censorship ring

In a bold move to uncover the truth behind the Biden regimes alleged weaponization of federal agencies to suppress free speech, the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) has launched a series of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests targeting the National Science Foundation (NSF). The ADFs Center for Free Speech is demanding transparency about the NSFs involvement in funding tools and partnerships that may have been used to censor Americans online. This investigation, announced on February 28, 2025, seeks to expose how taxpayer dollars may have been funneled into programs designed to silence dissenting voices and enforce compliance with government narratives. The ADFs actions come amid growing concerns that the Biden administration, through its vast network of federal agencies, has systematically violated the First Amendment by coercing social media platforms to suppress speech it deemed inconvenient or misinformation.

Key Points:

 The ADF has filed FOIA requests with the NSF, seeking records of communications between the agency and major tech companies like Meta, Google, and X (formerly Twitter), as well as universities and non-profits involved in online speech moderation.

 The requests focus on terms like misinformation, disinformation, hate speech, and election integrity, which were often used as justification for censorship during the Biden administration.

 ADF alleges that the NSF funded organizations like Meedan, a misinformation flagger, which received a $5.7 million grant in 2021 to combat hate, abuse, and misinformation.

 The investigation covers the period from 2018 to 2025, aiming to uncover the extent of federal involvement in online censorship and potential First Amendment violations.

 ADF Senior Counsel Phil Sechler accused the Biden administration of creating a censorship regime to suppress voices critical of its policies.

The NSFs role in online censorship

The NSF, an independent federal agency tasked with advancing science and technology, is now under scrutiny for its alleged role in funding tools and programs that facilitated online censorship. According to the ADFs FOIA requests, the NSFs Convergence Accelerator Section may have collaborated with organizations like Meedan, which trained Facebooks fact-checkers and developed tools to flag misinformation in private messaging apps. The ADF is also investigating the NSFs communications with universities such as the University of Michigan, the University of Wisconsin, and MIT, as well as non-profits like the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD).

The 2021 grant to Meedan, ostensibly aimed at combating hate, abuse, and misinformation, raises questions about how federal funds were used to influence online discourse. Critics argue that terms like misinformation and hate speech were weaponized by the Biden administration to silence dissent, particularly on contentious issues like COVID-19 origins, vaccine efficacy, and election integrity.

A censorship regime built on deception

ADF Senior Counsel Phil Sechler minced no words in his condemnation of the Biden administrations actions. Instead of defending free speech and the First Amendment, the previous administration set up a censorship regime, Sechler stated. He emphasized that taxpayers have a right to know if their money was used to create tools that suppressed certain voices and how deeply federal agencies were involved in social media censorship.

The ADFs investigation is part of a broader effort to hold the Biden administration accountable for its alleged abuses of power. The FOIA requests seek to uncover whether federal agencies like the NSF acted as enablers of censorship, working hand-in-hand with tech giants to control the flow of information online. This collaboration, critics argue, represents a dangerous overreach of government authority and a blatant violation of constitutional rights.

Litigation looms as ADF seeks accountability

If the FOIA requests reveal evidence of First Amendment violations, the ADF has made it clear that litigation is on the table. Mathew Hoffmann, legal counsel for the ADFs Center for Free Speech, told The Federalist that the organization is prepared to take legal action if necessary. If the documents show that anyones rights have been violated through censorship, litigation will certainly be an option, Hoffmann said.

The ADFs efforts are not just about exposing past wrongs but also about preventing future abuses. By shedding light on the federal governments role in online censorship, the organization hopes to restore trust in public institutions and reaffirm the importance of free speech in a democratic society.

The ADFs FOIA requests represent a critical step in unraveling the web of deception and control woven by the Biden administration. By targeting the NSF and other federal agencies, the ADF is shining a light on the dark corners of government overreach, where taxpayer dollars may have been used to silence dissent and enforce compliance with politically motivated narratives.

This investigation is a stark reminder that regimes that resort to censorship are the most desperate kinds. The Biden administrations alleged efforts to suppress free speech reveal a profound fear of the truth and a willingness to trample on constitutional rights to maintain control. As the ADF continues its fight for transparency, one thing is clear: the truth is not misinformation, and censorship is not content moderation. The American people deserve to know how their government has usedand abusedits power, and the ADF is determined to ensure they get the answers they deserve.

In the end, this battle is not just about uncovering the past; its about safeguarding the future. For if the government can silence its critics today, what will stop it from doing so tomorrow? The ADFs fight is a fight for the soul of America, a nation built on the principles of freedom, transparency, and the unyielding pursuit of truth.

Sources include:

Reclaimthenet.org

Docs.reclaimthenet.org [PDF]

Enoch, Brighteon.ai
Trumps demand to ban masks at protests echoes ADLs demand just one day prior

Is the Trump administration now working with the Anti-Defamation League?

(Article by Chris Menahan republished from InformationLiberation.com)

President Trump's demand on Tuesday to ban masks at "illegal" anti-Israel protests came just one day after Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt issued the same demand at the ADL's "Never is Now" conference.

Jonathan Greenblatt explained on Monday how the ADL is behind the push to outlaw wearing masks at anti-Israel protests. Trump echoed Greenblatt's demands on Tuesday in his statement threatening to "imprison" anti-Israel protesters. "NO MASKS!" Trump said. Was this coordinated? pic.twitter.com/clkyzYKLdf  Chris Menahan ?? (@infolibnews) March 5, 2025

Elise Stefanik, Trump's UN Ambassador, spoke at the ADL's conference on Monday and heaped praise on Jonathan Greenblatt for his "tremendous leadership."

Elise Stefanik, Trump's pick for UN Ambassador, hugs and heaps praise on ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt for his "tremendous leadership on combatting anti-Semitism." pic.twitter.com/ItqYeFweJ5  Chris Menahan ?? (@infolibnews) March 4, 2025

Stefanik was ready to share Trump's statement announcing the "illegal protest" crackdown mere seconds after it was posted as you can tell from the low "likes" counter on his Truth Social post.

As a reminder, Greenblatt celebrated Trump picking Stefanik for UN Ambassador in Nov 2024 and said, "I'm excited to work with her."

Mazel Tov to @EliseStefanik on her nomination to be the next US Ambassador to the @UN. Rep. Stefanik has been a critical partner and absolutely fearless in fighting campus antisemitism. Im excited to work with her to combat anti-Jewish hate & anti-Israel bias on the world stage. https://t.co/RexQKwWqTd  Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) November 11, 2024

Greenblatt successfully lobbied for President Trump to get banned off all social media in the wake of Jan 6th.

He also blamed Trump for a torrent of over 2,000 bomb threats called into Jewish community centers in early 2017. Greenblatt expressed outrage after Trump said at the time that the calls were probably a false flag to "make people look bad."

The ADL used the threats to harangue Trump for "emboldening anti-Semites" and legislation was passed as a result of lobbying from the ADL to increase funding and security grants to Jewish groups.

(You can see more on how Mossad was likely behind the threats in my article here.)

Jewish Insider reported on Wednesday that the ADL "welcomed" Trump's threat to jail people for taking part in "illegal protests."

From Jewish Insider:

While mainstream Jewish organizations largely declined to weigh in on Trump's campus crackdown, the Anti-Defamation League cautiously welcomed Trump's statement for drawing attention to the environment for Jewish college students, while underscoring that any penalties need to be lawful. The group "welcome[s] attention and action to combat antisemitism on campus, and urge[s] that any action taken addresses the problem directly and is constructive, helping to rebuild a welcoming environment for Jewish students on campus," Todd Gutnick, an ADL spokesperson, told JI. "Of course, it is crucial that consequences must be lawful, preserve constitutionally protected free speech and be enforced in ways that are consistent with due process," Gutnick said.

Note: they're effectively using Trump as their attack dog while they feign support for due process (which they've demonstrated time and time again they couldn't care less about about).

It was reported in January that the ADL had hired "the most powerful lobbyist in Trump's Washington" to try and get close to new administration.

As I reported last month, Greenblatt got on the Trump Train in response to Trump's executive order cracking down on anti-Semitism.

ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt is on the Trump Train now. He's thrilled about Trump's "incredibly important" executive order cracking down on free speech to fight anti-Semitism. I wonder if he'll throw out a pro-Trump "salute" at his next conference?! pic.twitter.com/uevpZhrMox  Chris Menahan ?? (@infolibnews) February 26, 2025

Greenblatt opened his Never is Now conference on Monday by heaping praise on the Trump administration for all the measures they've taken to crackdown on "anti-Semitism."

ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt praises the Trump administration's crackdown on anti-Semitism. "Regardless of who you voted for this is something we can all celebrate and support." pic.twitter.com/tJGW15eYgs  Chris Menahan ?? (@infolibnews) March 4, 2025

It was remarkable how Greenblatt simultaneously played the victim while issuing mafia-style threats to his political enemies.

ADL CEO Jon Greenblatt: "How many of our synagogues and JCCs now have bulletproof glass, metal detectors and armed security? Let me ask you, do the churches in your town...have to take these precautions?" "I'm willing to bet not a single one!" The ADL worked in the past to pic.twitter.com/C1pWDf7eEo  Chris Menahan ?? (@infolibnews) March 4, 2025

ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt: "We are finding new ways to harness our power... We can punch back and believe me, we will." pic.twitter.com/RpBjdCJvp9  Chris Menahan ?? (@infolibnews) March 4, 2025

ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt says the ADL works with law enforcement to "stop" protests in America from happening. He also boasts about how at the drop of a hat he can meet with officials like the Dutch PM "in his residence" and tell him what to do. pic.twitter.com/oG7g2xKCa0  Chris Menahan ?? (@infolibnews) March 4, 2025

ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt boasts that he got a group of "anti-Israel therapists" banned from Facebook for making a list of "Zionist" therapists. He says the ADL pushed Illinois state regulators to strip the therapists of their licenses. Says his goal was to send "a message." pic.twitter.com/eh6ZVXeO9o  Chris Menahan ?? (@infolibnews) March 4, 2025

ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt boasts his domestic intelligence operation "provided more than 2,700 assists to law enforcement" last year. pic.twitter.com/3LgOwXJGvW  Chris Menahan ?? (@infolibnews) March 4, 2025

As noted above, Stefanik spoke at the event and was effusive in her praise for Greenblatt and the ADL.

"The ADL's work helping expose the rot on higher ed campuses has been invaluable to [the Trump administration's] efforts" to crackdown on anti-Semitism, Stefanik said.

Elise Stefanik runs down everything the Trump administration is doing to shut down criticism of Israel, from civil rights investigations to threatening deportations and more. "The ADL's work helping expose the rot on higher ed campuses has been invaluable to these efforts." pic.twitter.com/LwYhe8NBh2  Chris Menahan ?? (@infolibnews) March 4, 2025

After getting copious applause at the ADL's latest conference for detailing everything she and Trump are doing for Israel, Elise Stefanik briefly gave homage to Trump by repeating his line that Oct 7 "would never have happened" if he was president. The crowd loudly booed. pic.twitter.com/umRpuhb2v4  Chris Menahan ?? (@infolibnews) March 4, 2025

Whether or not the Trump administration is working directly with the ADL, they're clearly doing their bidding.

Read more at: InformationLiberation.com
Trumps policy changes and the future of global alliances: Is a pivot to Russia and isolation of China on the horizon?

Mike Adams and Michael Yon discuss potential U.S. policy shifts under Trump, including ending sanctions and unfreezing $300 billion in Russian assets to isolate China strategically.

Yon argues Europes internal issues and military dependency on the U.S. make it an unreliable long-term ally, pushing for a strategic pivot away from the European theater.

The interview underscores Chinas growing threat, with a focus on isolating it economically and militarily through increased U.S.-Russia cooperation, aiming to create a rift between Russia and China.

Implications for global alliances are explored, noting Western Europe's precarious position due to over-reliance on U.S. support and the potential decline of NATO as a significant security alliance.

The discussion concludes with the assessment that the U.S. is reconfiguring its alliances and policies, with bold steps toward aligning with Russia and isolating China, which will profoundly impact international stability and security.

In a compelling interview, Mike Adams and Michael Yon delve into the strategic shifts in U.S. foreign policy under the Trump administration. The conversation revolves around the potential end to sanctions against Russia, the unfreezing of Russian assets, and the broader implications for global alliances, particularly the isolation of China.

A Strategic Pivot to Russia

Mike Adams and Michael Yon explore the possibility that the Trump administration is gearing up to drop sanctions against Russia and unfreeze the $300 billion of Russian assets that have been frozen. This move, they suggest, is not just a geopolitical maneuver but a part of a broader strategy to pivot away from the European theater and focus on isolating China economically and militarily.

Yon, drawing from his extensive experience in global affairs, opines that this shift is driven by the realization that Western Europe, already grappling with internal issues, is not a reliable ally in the long term. He points out that Europe's reluctance to invest in its own defense capabilities has left it dependent on U.S. military support, a situation that is increasingly unsustainable.

The Isolation of China

The discussion highlights the growing threat posed by China and the strategic necessity of isolating it. Yon argues that China's aggressive economic and military expansion, particularly its extensive trade networks and technological advancements, make it a more significant threat than Russia. The interview emphasizes the need for the U.S. to reorient its alliances and policies to counter China's influence.

Adams and Yon predict that the U.S. will engage in increased trade with Russia as part of this strategy. They suggest that this could include the return of U.S. companies to the Russian market and the restoration of military and intelligence cooperation. The goal, they explain, is to create a rift between Russia and China, thereby weakening China's global position.

Implications for Global Alliances

The interview also examines the implications of these policy changes for global alliances. Yon notes that Western European countries, particularly the UK, are in a precarious position. These nations, he argues, are over-reliant on U.S. military and intelligence support and are ill-prepared to defend themselves against Russia or any other external threat.

Adams points out the recent cuts in U.S. funding and intelligence support to Ukraine, which has left the country "virtually blind" in its conflict with Russia. He suggests that this is a clear indication of the U.S. shifting its focus away from Europe and towards the Asia-Pacific region, where China poses the greater threat.

The Role of the UK and NATO

The conversation explores the potential decline of NATO, a possibility that has been discussed by military and political analysts. Yon recalls a conversation with a retired colonel who described NATO as potentially entering its final days. He argues that the UK and other Western European countries are facing significant challenges, both economically and militarily, that could lead to their inability to maintain their current alliances.

Adams and Yon also discuss the UK's role in this new geopolitical landscape. They suggest that the UK's military capabilities are severely limited, and it may not be capable of defending itself, let alone taking on a leadership role in the region. Yon, who has extensive combat experience in Afghanistan and Iraq, provides firsthand insights into the military shortcomings of the UK and other European nations.

Conclusion: A Shifting Global Order

The interview concludes with a sobering assessment of the future. Adams and Yon agree that the global order is rapidly changing, and the U.S. is likely to take bold steps to reconfigure its alliances and policies. The pivot to Russia and the isolation of China are seen as key elements of this new strategy. However, they caution that these shifts will have significant and far-reaching consequences, particularly for Western European countries that are already struggling with internal and external challenges.

As the world watches, the Trump administration's foreign policy decisions will undoubtedly shape the global alliances and conflicts of the coming years, with potentially profound implications for international stability and security.

Watch this full episode of the "Health Ranger Report" with Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, and Michael Yon as they talk about nested genocide, globalism and historical analogies.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

America First or Globalism First? UN funding cuts expose the cost of global dependence on U.S. taxpayers

Israeli official calls for GENOCIDE in Gaza: Separate children, kill adults! says Deputy Parliament speaker

Robert Jay Liftons The Nazi Doctors examines how physicians willingly participated in genocide during the Holocaust

Sources include:

Brighteon.com
Ukraines desperate war machine: Young men are ABDUCTED off the streets as Zelenskys regime forces conscription

 Videos reveal Ukrainian military agents forcibly abducting men from streets, schools, and public spaces.

 Desperate tactics include bribes, violent altercations, and even chases into moving traffic.

 Ukrainian men lock themselves indoors for years to avoid conscription, while martial law tightens its grip.

 International pressure mounts as the Biden and Trump administrations urge Zelensky to end the bloodshed and human rights atrocities

A nation under martial law: the tightening noose of conscription

In a chilling display of desperation, Ukraines military recruitment efforts have devolved into what can only be described as state-sanctioned kidnappings. Videos flooding social media platforms show young men being violently seized off the streets, dragged into waiting vans, and forced into a war they never signed up for. These scenes, reminiscent of dystopian nightmares, reveal the grim reality of President Volodymyr Zelenskys crumbling war machine as it scrambles to replenish its dwindling ranks.

Since the onset of martial law in February 2022, Ukraine has transformed into a nation under siegenot just from external forces, but from its own government. The Territorial Center of Recruitment and Social Support (TCR), tasked with military mobilization, has resorted to increasingly brutal tactics to meet its quotas. From bustling city streets to quiet rural roads, no corner of Ukraine is safe from the reach of these recruitment agents.

Ukraines streets are now dotted with military checkpoints, where agents scrutinize every passing vehicle and pedestrian. Buses are halted, traffic is blocked, and passengers are interrogated in a desperate search for conscripts. Those who cannot produce valid documents or bribes are hauled away, often kicking and screaming, to face the horrors of the front lines.

The Hungarian news outlet Magyar Nemzet reports that some Ukrainian men have locked themselves in their homes for years, refusing to step outside for fear of being snatched by TCR agents. Others have gone to extreme lengths to avoid conscription, including fleeing into moving traffic or engaging in violent altercations with recruiters. In one harrowing incident, a man in Lviv was struck by a car after running into traffic to escape questioning by mobilization agents.

The situation has grown so dire that even Ukrainian media outlets, typically aligned with the government, have acknowledged the increasing violence surrounding recruitment efforts. The Kyiv Independent, a publication funded by USAID and the Canadian government, reported that a recruitment officer was shot and killed last month by a man attempting to prevent a friend from being conscripted.

International pressure mounts as the world watches human rights abuses unfold in Ukraine

The Biden administration, recognizing the unsustainable nature of Ukraines manpower crisis, unsuccessfully lobbied Zelensky to lower the draft age from 25 to 18. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has urged Zelensky to call a ceasefire, a plea that has so far fallen on deaf ears. During his recent visit to the White House, Zelenskys combative demeanor made it clear that he has no intention of backing down, even as his nations young men pay the ultimate price.

Donald Trump Jr., the son of former U.S. President Donald Trump, has taken to social media to highlight the disturbing tactics employed by Ukraines recruitment agents. Sharing a thread of videos showcasing young men being forcibly abducted, Trump Jr. wrote, This is not freedom. This is not democracy. This is a tragedy.

The world is beginning to take notice of the horrors unfolding in Ukraine. From the streets of Kharkiv to the schools of Lviv, the scenes of young men being dragged away against their will are impossible to ignore. As the conflict drags on, the question remains: how many more lives will be sacrificed before the international community steps in to demand an end to this senseless slaughter?

Ukraines war machine, fueled by desperation and disregard for human rights, is a stark reminder of the cost of unchecked militarism. The young men being forced into this conflict are not soldiersthey are victims of a regime that has lost sight of its humanity. Until the fighting stops, these tragic scenes will continue to play out across Ukraine, a grim testament to the futility of war and the fragility of freedom.

In the end, the story of Ukraines conscription crisis is not just about a nation at warit is about the erosion of liberty, the betrayal of trust, and the sacrifice of an entire generation. As the world watches, one cannot help but wonder: when will the madness end?

Sources include:

RMX.news

X.com

X.com

X.com

X.com

X.com

X.com
Zelenskys peace gambit: A turning point or political theater?

The Kremlin has cautiously welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's apparent willingness to engage in peace talks, signaling a potential shift in the prolonged conflict, despite significant legal and political obstacles.

Zelensky is legally barred from negotiating with Russian President Vladimir Putin due to a 2022 decree, and his presidential legitimacy is questioned as his term officially expired in May 2024, complicating any diplomatic efforts.

U.S. President Donald Trump's public criticism of Zelensky and reports of suspended military aid to Ukraine have raised concerns about the U.S. role in the conflict and its impact on Kyiv's ability to resist Russian advances.

The war, now in its third year, has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and widespread displacement, with Ukrainian forces struggling to hold back Russian advances. The conflict is deeply rooted in historical, cultural and geopolitical tensions.

Despite the Kremlin's openness to negotiations, the path to peace remains challenging due to Zelensky's legal constraints, contested legitimacy and deep mistrust between Ukraine and Russia.

The Kremlin has issued a cautious welcome to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskys apparent willingness to engage in peace talks with Russia, marking a potential shift in a conflict that has dragged on for years and claimed tens of thousands of lives. However, significant obstacles remain, including a 2022 Ukrainian decree that legally bars Zelensky from negotiating with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The development comes after U.S. President Donald Trump revealed during an address to Congress that Zelensky had written, Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. This statement, if genuine, represents a stark reversal from Zelenskys previous refusal to engage with Moscow. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded by saying the Russian authorities perceive the development positively, but he also noted that the legal ban on the Ukrainian president holding negotiations with the Russian side remains in force.

The legal barrier to peace

In the fall of 2022, Zelensky signed a decree prohibiting negotiations with Putin following the controversial referendums in which the Donetsk and Lugansk Peoples Republics, as well as the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, voted to join Russia. The Kremlin has consistently maintained that these regions are now part of Russia, a position rejected by Ukraine and much of the international community.

Peskovs remarks underscore the complexity of the situation: Therefore, overall, the attitude is positive, but some details have not changed yet. The legal barrier, combined with Zelenskys questionable legitimacy as Ukraines leaderhis presidential term officially expired in May 2024adds layers of difficulty to any potential diplomatic breakthrough.

Trumps role: Mediator or provocateur?

Zelenskys apparent U-turn follows a highly publicized spat with President Trump, who accused the Ukrainian leader of gambling with World War III by refusing to negotiate peace with Russia. Trump also criticized Zelensky for being disrespectful and ungrateful for the military aid provided by Washington. Reports suggest that Trump has since ordered a suspension of weapons deliveries to Ukraine, a move that could significantly impact Kyivs ability to resist Russian advances.

Trumps suggestion that Zelensky doesnt want there to be peace as long as he has Americas backing has sparked debate about the U.S. role in the conflict. While the White House has yet to officially confirm the suspension of military aid, the mere possibility has sent shockwaves through European capitals, where leaders are scrambling to adapt to the shifting U.S. stance.

A war of attrition with no end in sight

The conflict, now in its third year, has devolved into a grinding war of attrition. Ukrainian forces are struggling to hold back Russian advances along the 1,000-kilometer front line, particularly in the eastern Donetsk region. Despite heavy casualties on both sides, neither side has achieved a decisive breakthrough.

The human cost of the war is staggering. Tens of thousands of soldiers and over 12,000 Ukrainian civilians have lost their lives, with countless others displaced or injured. The recent funeral of Ukrainian soldier Vasyl Ratushnyy, 28, in Kyivs St. Michael Cathedral serves as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices being made daily.

Historical context: A conflict rooted in geopolitics

The roots of the Ukraine-Russia conflict stretch back decades, if not centuries, encompassing historical, cultural and geopolitical tensions. Ukraines desire for closer ties with the West, culminating in its aspirations for NATO and EU membership, has long been a point of contention with Moscow. Russias annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its support for separatist movements in eastern Ukraine were early flashpoints that escalated into full-scale war in 2022.

The 2022 referendums in Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporozhyewidely criticized as illegitimate by the international communityfurther entrenched the divide. For Russia, these regions are now integral parts of its territory, making any peace deal that excludes them politically untenable. For Ukraine, accepting their loss would be a bitter pill to swallow, undermining its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The path forward: Diplomacy or deadlock?

While the Kremlin has expressed openness to negotiations, the road to peace remains fraught with challenges. Zelenskys legal constraints, his contested legitimacy and the deep-seated mistrust between Kyiv and Moscow all complicate efforts to end the conflict.

European leaders, meanwhile, are watching nervously as the U.S. under Trump appears to be recalibrating its approach to the war. French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer have reportedly discussed the possibility of a joint trip to Washington with Zelensky, though details remain unclear.

As the world waits to see whether Zelenskys peace overture is genuine or merely political theater, one thing is certain: the stakes could not be higher. A negotiated settlement could bring an end to one of the deadliest conflicts of the 21st century, but achieving it will require unprecedented diplomacy, compromise and courage from all sides.

For now, the Kremlins guarded optimism offers a glimmer of hope, but the path to peace remains as uncertain as ever.

Sources include:

RT.com

Iol.co.za

Yahoo.com
Profiles in Corruption exposes the wickedness of the countrys top Democrats and progressives

The book examines how prominent political figures often blur the line between public service and personal gain, highlighting a troubling pattern of leveraging public office for private benefit.

Bill and Hillary Clinton are scrutinized for their financial dealings, including Hillary's cattle futures windfall and the Clinton Foundation's donor-driven surges, suggesting potential conflicts of interest and ethical gray areas.

Kamala Harris' career is linked to influential figures like Willie Brown, while her prosecutorial decisions, such as in the Catholic priest abuse scandal, raise concerns about selective justice and cover-ups.

Joe Biden's family, including his son Hunter and brother James, have benefited from his political influence, leading to allegations of nepotism and conflicts of interest in business dealings with foreign entities.

Senators Cory Booker, Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders are critiqued for their associations with wealthy donors, corporate ties and financial dealings that contradict their public images as reformers and champions of the working class.

In the corridors of American politics, where power and ambition intersect, the line between public service and personal gain often blurs. Peter Schweizer's "Profiles in Corruption: Abuse of Power by America's Progressive Elite" delves into the controversial narratives surrounding some of the nation's most prominent political figures, revealing a troubling pattern of leveraging public office for private benefit.

Schweizer begins with perhaps the most controversial political family today in America: the Clintons. Long a fixture in American political lore, the Clintons provide a case study on the intersection of power and profit.

For example, when former President Bill Clinton was serving as Arkansas' attorney general, his wife Hillary benefited from a $100,000 windfall from cattle futures trades. Later, as Secretary of State, the Clinton Foundation saw donations surge, only to decline sharply after her 2016 presidential loss. Leaked emails from John Podesta, Clinton's campaign chairman, revealed that high-dollar donors often expected favors in return. "The foundation's internal review showed that donors anticipated quid pro quo benefits," Schweizer writes, highlighting the ethical gray areas that have dogged the Clintons for decades.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris' rise in California politics is similarly intertwined with influential figures. Her early career was shaped by Willie Brown who, while he was Speaker of the California Assembly, appointed her to lucrative patronage positions and introduced her to a network of political allies.

Their personal relationship, which began in 1994, coincided with Harris' rapid ascent. Critics argue that her tenure as San Francisco District Attorney and California Attorney General was marked by selective prosecution, particularly in her handling of the Catholic priest abuse scandal. Despite access to evidence, Harris chose not to pursue charges, a decision victims' groups decried as a cover-up.

Former President Joe Biden's political career, too, has been shadowed by questions of familial enrichment. His son Hunter's business dealings in Ukraine and China, often facilitated by his father's political influence, have drawn scrutiny. Hunter's lucrative roles with foreign entities, including a Ukrainian energy company, have fueled allegations of nepotism and conflicts of interest. Similarly, Biden's brother James has benefited from his sibling's political clout, with business ventures in real estate and education that coincided with Joe's public roles.

Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), has cultivated an image as a reformer, but his political career reveals a different narrative. His close ties to Mark Zuckerberg, who donated $100 million to Newark's schools, resulted in little tangible improvement, with much of the funds diverted to consultants and back pay for teachers.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), a vocal critic of Wall Street, has faced scrutiny for her legal consulting work for major corporations, including her role in rewriting bankruptcy laws that benefited large companies. Her daughter's business ventures, particularly in the Mashpee Wampanoag casino deal, further complicate her image as a champion of the working class.

Finally, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), perhaps the most famous socialist in the United States, has also faced questions about his financial dealings. His book sales, real estate holdings, reluctance to publish his tax records and ties to wealthy donors reveal a man who has profited significantly from his political career. The Sanders family's financial arrangements, including the use of shell companies like Old Towne Media, have raised eyebrows.

These stories, spanning decades and political ideologies, reveal a recurring theme: The temptations of power and the ethical compromises it can entail. As Schweizer's work illustrates, the responsibility for accountability ultimately lies with the public an serves as a timely reminder of the need for vigilance, transparency and integrity in public life.

Find more stories about corrupt government officials at Corruption.news.

Watch this video discussing Peter Schweizer's chronicle of corruption within the Democratic Party in his book "Profiles in Corruption: Abuse of Power by America's Progressive Elite."

This video is from the BrightLearn channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

Brighteon.ai

Brighteon.com
Climate United Fund: A $7 billion boondoggle exposing the rot in climate spending

The Climate United Fund, a hastily formed nonprofit, received a record-breaking $7 billion grant from the Biden administration's Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) in April 2024. Despite promises of clean energy projects, the majority of the funds remain unaccounted for, with only a small fraction allocated to actual initiatives.

The fund's financial disclosures are opaque, with no clear information on officer salaries, project plans, or basic accountability measures. The fund's rapid spending and mysterious disappearance of funds raise serious concerns about its management and intentions.

The fund's leadership is dominated by Democratic insiders, including former Obama aides and political operatives. This has fueled accusations of cronyism and favoritism, suggesting the grant was awarded based on political connections rather than merit or need.

The Biden administration rushed to distribute $20 billion to newly formed environmental nonprofits before the 2024 election, leading to widespread waste and abuse. The lack of oversight and accountability has been criticized as a betrayal of public trust.

The Trump administration has frozen access to the remaining funds and initiated investigations into fraud, waste and conflicts of interest. Environmental groups are pushing back, but the lack of transparency and evidence of mismanagement has left many demanding accountability and a thorough investigation into the scandal.

The Climate United Fund, a hastily assembled nonprofit, has become the poster child for government waste, cronyism and outright corruption. In April 2024, this shadowy entity secured a staggering $7 billion grant from the Biden administrations Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF)  the largest nonprofit grant in U.S. history. What was supposed to be a bold step toward clean energy has instead devolved into a taxpayer-funded slush fund for Democratic insiders, leaving Americans rightfully outraged and demanding accountability.

This scandal is not just about wasted money; its about the erosion of trust in government. Its about how climate change has become a convenient excuse for unchecked spending, backroom deals and political favoritism. And its about the hardworking Americans who are footing the bill for this disgraceful charade.

A nonprofit built on smoke and mirrors

The Climate United Fund was cobbled together in November 2022 with a laughable $547,000 in revenue. By 2023, it had already burned through $451,000 in just two months, with $323,000 of that amount mysteriously unaccounted for in its tax filings. Where did the money go? No one knows. The funds financial disclosures are a black hole, offering no details on officer pay, project plans, or even basic accountability measures.

Yet, despite this glaring lack of transparency, Vice President Kamala Harris and EPA Chief Michael Regan handed over 7 million in taxpayer money to this dubious entity. The funds vague promises of solar projects in Idaho, Arkansas and Oregon amounted to a paltry 50 million  less than 1% of the total grant. The rest? Vanished into the ether, with no clear explanation or oversight.

This isnt just incompetence; its a deliberate betrayal of the public trust. As one EPA insider was caught on tape saying, the Biden administrations rush to spend these funds before Trump took office in January 2025 was like throwing gold bars off the Titanic.

A whos who of Democratic cronyism

The Climate United Funds leadership reads like a whos who of Democratic insiders. CEO Beth Bafford is a former Obama aide and campaign operative. The board includes California Democratic Party Chairman Phil Angelides, Obamas Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, and Stacey Abrams, whose linked group, Power Forward Communities, quietly pocketed some of the funds.

This isnt climate action; its a taxpayer-funded piggy bank for political pals. The funds ties to Democratic heavyweights reek of cronyism and favoritism, raising serious questions about how this grant was awarded in the first place.

The broader GGRF is no better. After Bidens 2024 election loss, his administration rushed $20 billion to eight newly minted environmental nonprofits. These groups, like the Climate United Fund, were given billions with little to no oversight, leading to rampant waste and abuse.

The fight for accountability

Thankfully, the Trump administration is taking action. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has frozen access to the $20 billion held by Citibank, citing fraud, waste, abuse and conflicts of interest. The DOJ and FBI are investigating, but the lack of hard evidence so far is maddening.

Zeldin has also called for an inspector general probe into the GGRF, highlighting the programs reckless financial management and blatant conflicts of interest. As acting EPA Deputy Administrator W.C. McIntosh wrote in a referral letter, Recent findings reveal a pattern of astonishing sums of tax dollars awarded to unqualified recipients and severe deficiencies in regulatory oversight under the prior administration.

But the fight is far from over. Environmental groups are pushing back, claiming that freezing the funds violates contracts and federal law. However, as Georgetown law professor David Super noted, Theres nothing that allows this unilateral termination of the contracts or unilateral interruptions, so the federal government is in breach of contract right now.

A betrayal of public trust

The Climate United Fund scandal is a microcosm of everything wrong with government spending on climate initiatives. Its a cautionary tale of how noble goals can be hijacked by political opportunists and used to line the pockets of the well-connected.

This isnt just about $7 billion; its about the integrity of our institutions. Its about ensuring that taxpayer dollars are spent wisely and transparently, not funneled into the hands of political cronies.

As investigations continue and lawsuits pile up, one thing is clear: the American people deserve answers. They deserve accountability. And they deserve a government that puts their interests above political gamesmanship.

The Climate United Fund is a disgrace, and its time for those responsible to be held to account.

Sources include:

WattsUpWithThat.com

Politco.com

IowaClimate.org
NULL AND VOID: Every document and executive order signed by Demented Joe Biden CONSTITUTIONALLY VOID due to use of AUTOPEN, including all PARDONS

Revocation of Biden's Orders : The discovery that someone used an autopen to sign numerous documents during Biden's tenure could render every executive order, policy, and document he signed invalid, potentially upending his entire presidency.

: The discovery that someone used an autopen to sign numerous documents during Biden's tenure could render every executive order, policy, and document he signed invalid, potentially upending his entire presidency. Potential Treason and Embezzlement : The use of the autopen raises suspicions of illegal activities, including embezzlement and the distribution of trillions of dollars to fake organizations and shell companies, suggesting a severe breach of trust and potential criminal activities.

: The use of the autopen raises suspicions of illegal activities, including embezzlement and the distribution of trillions of dollars to fake organizations and shell companies, suggesting a severe breach of trust and potential criminal activities. Investigation into Mental Capacity: Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey is calling for a Department of Justice investigation into Biden's mental capacity, suggesting that his cognitive decline allowed unelected bureaucrats to run the government without oversight, potentially making all his decisions null and void under the 25th Amendment.

The Heritage Foundation Oversight Project just uncovered the greatest discovery of the modern era, that just might upend every horrific policy, action, document, and executive order senile Joe Biden signed because SOMEBODY used an autopen every time, except when he signed his resignation letter. If this holds water, its time to legitimately revoke every order Biden signed, since ANYONE could have used the autopen, meaning any one of his cohorts could have been running the country for the past 4 years.

The only document that would be legitimate then would be his letter announcing his resignation from the 2024 presidential race, that some speculate Obama wrote for him anyhow. Imagine that. Maybe thats why Biden couldnt recall anything he ever signed or did just days before being asked, because not only was he in stage 4 dementia, but treasonous cohorts were using his autopen signature to conduct illegal transactions and distribute trillions of dollars to their embezzling friends with fake organizations and shell companies.

Anyone with access to Bidens autopen signature could sign any document they wanted and run the United States of America as a fake POTUS, just like Biden

Please sign here clone POTUS, we need $20 billion for testing transgender drugs on mice. Thank you. Please sign here auto-Pres, we need $1.5 trillion for a proxy war somewhere, so we can run guns, traffic children into slavery, and pretend to be defending some rogue nation from the communists. Click. Press hard  four copies.

The use of the presidential autopen dates back to the 1950s, and its legality has been in question the entire way. In 2013, Obama used the autopen to sign a bill into law while vacationing in Hawaii. Was Biden even aware the autopen was used to sign his name to thousands of documents over 4 years, or was he napping in his beach chair by the ocean in Delaware the whole time?

Now, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey is demanding that the Department of Justice investigate whether Biden's demented state and obvious cognitive decline allowed unelected bureaucrats to run the government without any presidential oversight at all. And the Democrats are whining about unelected bureaucrats investigating their fraud now, imagine the repercussions if the autopen negates and voids everything with Bidens signature on it.

That means all the pardons Biden issued to his criminal cohorts and his son are all NULL AND VOID.

This letter written to Michael E. Horowitz, the inspector general of the Department of Justice, spells it all out:

I write to request that you conduct a full investigation into President Biden's mental capacity in his final days in office. By now, Biden's mental decline is famous. Under the 25th Amendment, his inability to make decisions should have meant a succession of power. Instead, it appears staffers and officers in the Biden administration may have exploited Biden's incapacity so they could issue orders without an accountable President of sound mind approving them. That would explain why the Biden administration's orders were aggressively much farther to the left than any previous President. If in fact Biden's staffers were exploiting his mental decline, those orders are null and void.

This is it folks. Everything Biden signed is now void and unconstitutional. Let the undoing of all his demented programs, money laundering, and pardons be uprooted once and for all. Tune your apocalypse dial to preparedness.news for updates on real news about surviving the Democrat wasteland and propaganda that taxpayers footed the bill for to the tune of $5 trillion or more.

Sources for this article include:

ZeroHedge.com

Censored.news

NaturalNews.com
Sanctuary city laws shield illegal immigrant accused of burning woman alive in NYC subway

An illegal immigrant, Sebastian Zapeta-Calil, is accused of murdering a woman by setting her on fire while she slept on a NYC subway.

NYCs sanctuary policies prevent ICE from deporting Zapeta-Calil, despite an ICE detainer, sparking widespread outrage.

Zapeta-Calil, previously deported, re-entered the U.S. illegally and was living in a Brooklyn shelter before the attack.

Critics, including DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, condemn NYCs sanctuary laws, calling for an emergency suspension of the policy.

Former ICE Director Tom Homan vows federal authorities will ensure Zapeta-Calil is deported, despite sanctuary city obstacles.

In a shocking case that has reignited the debate over sanctuary city policies, an illegal immigrant charged with setting a woman on fire as she slept on a New York City subway is being shielded from deportation by local laws.

Sebastian Zapeta-Calil, a 33-year-old Guatemalan national, is accused of murdering 57-year-old Debrina Kawam in a horrific December 22 attack at Brooklyns Coney Island station. Despite an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer, New York Citys sanctuary policies have prevented federal authorities from taking custody of Zapeta-Calil, sparking outrage among law enforcement officials and critics of the citys approach to immigration enforcement.

A gruesome crime

Prosecutors allege that Zapeta-Calil set Kawam ablaze while she slept on a subway car, then fanned the flames with a shirt to intensify the fire before calmly watching the scene from a platform bench. Kawam, a New Jersey resident, succumbed to her injuries, leaving her family and community devastated. Surveillance footage captured the chilling aftermath, showing an NYPD officer walking past the burning victim as Zapeta-Calil observed from a distance.

Zapeta-Calil, who entered the U.S. illegally in 2018, was previously deported but re-entered the country and had been living in a Brooklyn shelter while working as a roofer. He has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and arson, but his case has become a flashpoint in the national conversation about illegal immigration and public safety.

Sanctuary policies under fire

New York Citys sanctuary laws prohibit local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities, meaning the Department of Corrections has refused to honor ICEs detainer for Zapeta-Calil. This has drawn sharp criticism from Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who called the policy disgusting and urged New York Governor Kathy Hochul to suspend sanctuary protections immediately.

New York politicians are allowing the murder of their own citizens, Noem said during a visit to the city. Governor Hochul should impose an emergency suspension of sanctuary protection by executive order NOW.

Mayor Eric Adams has also called for greater collaboration between the NYPD and ICE, requesting federal prosecutors to charge Zapeta-Calil in addition to state charges. Lighting another human being on fire and watching them burn alive reflects a level of evil that cannot be tolerated, Adams said in a statement.

Homan vows justice

Former ICE Director Tom Homan, now serving as a border czar, has vowed that federal authorities will not let Zapeta-Calil evade deportation. Hes not gonna get away, Homan said during an interview with Fox News. If we have to sit outside that jail every day, 24/7, well get our hands on him.

Homan emphasized that sanctuary cities like New York make it harder for ICE to enforce immigration laws but insisted that federal agents remain committed to removing dangerous individuals from the country. New York City, or any other sanctuary city, is not gonna stop ICE from keeping President Trumps promise to eradicate every criminal illegal alien, every public threat illegal alien, every national security threat illegal alien from this country, he said.

The case has become emblematic of the broader tensions between federal immigration enforcement and local sanctuary policies that endanger public safety by shielding violent criminals from deportation. As Zapeta-Calil awaits trial, his case serves as a grim reminder of the human cost of failed immigration policies. For Debrina Kawams family and countless others, the hope is that justice will prevailand that no more lives will be lost to preventable tragedies.

Sources for this article include:

TheNationalPulse.com

DailyMail.co.uk

NYPost.com
Senate Republicans pass budget resolution for Trumps border security initiatives despite Democratic opposition

Senate Republicans blocked Democratic amendments to a budget resolution that would allocate over $340 billion for President Donald Trump's border security initiatives, after a lengthy debate and a 52-48 vote.

Democrats argued that the 2017 GOP tax cuts disproportionately benefited the wealthy and led to increased national debt, proposing amendments to prevent tax breaks for billionaires.

The budget framework passed by Republicans includes up to 175 billion for border security measures, 150 billion for the Pentagon and $20 billion for the Coast Guard, marking a significant step in allocating resources for Trump's immigration agenda.

Its passage comes amid a decline in public approval of Senate Democrats, as a new Quinnipiac University poll reveals that only 21 percent of respondents approve of how congressional Democrats are handling their jobs, while 40 percent approve of how Republicans are performing.

The poll results are seen as a "sobering slap down of historic proportions for the Democrats in Congress," with 49 percent of Democrats disapproving of their party's representatives' performance in Congress.

Senate Republicans have successfully blocked Democratic efforts to alter a budget resolution that would unlock over $340 billion in funding for President Donald Trump's border security initiatives.

In a late-night session that stretched into early Friday morning, Feb. 21, Democrats introduced several amendments to prevent tax breaks for billionaires, arguing that the 2017 GOP tax cuts disproportionately benefited the wealthiest Americans. Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), emphasized that Republican-led tax cuts have been the primary driver of the national debt since 2001 and criticized the Republican focus on further tax cuts for the wealthy at the expense of federal programs and workers.

However, these amendments ultimately failed after Senate Republicans blocked it with a 52-48 vote just before 5 a.m. after nearly ten hours of debate.

In line with this, Republican senators pushed through the $340 billion budget framework, setting the stage for increased funding for border security and deportation operations under Trump's immigration agenda. The framework includes up to 175 billion for border security measures, 150 billion for the Department of Defense and $20 billion for the Coast Guard. This marks a significant step in the Republican-led effort to allocate resources for the Trump administration's top priorities, including building the U.S.-Mexico border wall and mass deportation operations.

"The budget will allow us to finish the wall. It also takes the steps we need toward more border agents," said Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY). "It means more detention beds. ... It means more deportation flights." (Related: Trump signs executive order halting taxpayer funds for illegal immigrants, prioritizing American citizens.)

Poll: Vast majority of Americans unimpressed by congressional Democrats

The resolution's passage comes amid a decline in public approval of congressional Democrats.

A new Quinnipiac University poll, released on Feb. 19, reveals that Americans' approval of Democrats in Congress has plummeted to an all-time low, while approval of congressional Republicans has soared to an all-time high.

The poll, conducted from Feb. 13 to 17, surveyed 1,039 registered voters, finding that only 21 percent of respondents approve of the way congressional Democrats are handling their jobs. This marks a historic low, with 68 percent disapproving and 11 percent not offering an opinion.

In contrast, the survey found that a record 40 percent of Americans approve of how Republicans in Congress are handling their jobs, a significant increase from previous approval ratings. A majority of 52 percent disapproved, while eight percent did not give an opinion.

Despite these findings, 49 percent of Democrats still disapprove of the way their party's representatives in Congress are performing, with 40 percent approving and 11 percent not providing an opinion.

The university's polling analyst, Tim Malloy, described the results as a "sobering slap down of historic proportions for the Democrats in Congress," noting that "their Republican counterparts take a victory lap as the Democrats try to get their footing."

Visit OpenBorders.news for similar stories regarding Trump's plans to deal with illegal immigrants.

Watch this Feb. 20 episode of "Brighteon Broadcast News" as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, talks about the USA military waging war on drug cartels.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

European leaders 'horrified' after JD Vance rips their censorship laws and mass immigration policies at Munich security conference.

Stephen Miller vows to unleash full federal power for MASS DEPORTATIONS, promises to restore law and order in America.

Trump administration secures historic U.S.-Mexico military border patrol agreement.

Noem launches ad campaign warning illegal immigrants: "We will hunt you down."

UK Leaders Propose Military Draft and War with Russia: A Recipe for Catastrophe.

Sources include:

YourNews.com

APNews.com

DailyCaller.com

Brighteon.com
Study suggests link between prenatal mercury exposure and autism: Could a common pregnancy shot containing thimerosal increase autism risk?

A late 20th century debate questioned whether Rho(D)-immune globulin, a common prenatal treatment containing thimerosal (a mercury-based preservative) was linked to rising autism spectrum disorder (ASD) rates.

Researchers from the Institute for Chronic Illnesses examined 53 children with autism, all non-Jewish Caucasians born between 1987 and 2001, to explore a potential connection between prenatal mercury exposure from thimerosal and autism development.

The study found that children with autism were more than twice as likely to have Rh-negative mothers (28.3 percent vs. 14.36 percent in the control group), with an odds ratio of 2.35, suggesting a higher risk for autism in children with Rh-negative mothers who received thimerosal-containing pregnancy shots.

Mercury can cause neurological issues, behavioral changes and motor dysfunction. Thimerosal can cross the placental and blood-brain barriers, potentially affecting fetal brain development.

For decades, the medical community has worked to understand the complex causes of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). While genetics play a key role, environmental factors  especially prenatal exposures  have also been widely studied. One such factor is thimerosal, including a widely administered injection for Rh-negative pregnant women.

In the late 20th century, a debate emerged about whether a common prenatal treatment could be linked to the rising rates of autism spectrum disorders. The treatment, known as Rho(D)-immune globulin, was widely used to prevent a serious condition called Rh disease in newborns. However, until the early 2000s, many versions of this shot contained thimerosal, a preservative made with mercury. A study published in the Journal of Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine aimed to explore whether there is a connection between this mercury exposure and the development of autism.

Researchers from the Institute for Chronic Illnesses conducted a study involving 53 children with autism, all of whom were non-Jewish Caucasians born between 1987 and 2001. These children were evaluated at the Genetic Centers of America, where they underwent thorough testing to rule out other potential causes of their autism.

To understand the role of thimerosal, the researchers focused on the mothers of these children. They found that every mother had received a Rho(D)-immune globulin shot during pregnancy and these shots contained thimerosal. To put this into perspective, imagine a group of children with autism and every single one of their mothers had been exposed to this mercury-containing compound while pregnant.

For comparison, the researchers also looked at a group of 926 non-Jewish Caucasian women who had visited the same centers for prenatal care between 1980 and 1989. They found that about 14 percent of these women were Rh-negative, meaning they could benefit from the Rho(D)-immune globulin shot.

Mercury and the brain: The science behind the connection

The study revealed a striking difference: children with autism were more than twice as likely to have Rh-negative mothers compared to children without autism. Specifically, 28.3 percent of the mothers of children with autism were Rh-negative, while only 14.36 percent of the control group mothers were Rh-negative. This translates to an odds ratio of 2.35, meaning the risk was significantly higher for children with autism.

Every Rh-negative mother of a child with autism had received at least one thimerosal-containing Rho(D)-immune globulin injection while pregnant. These findings suggest a possible link between material Rh status, prenatal exposure to thimerosal and autism risk.

Mercury is a well-documented neurotoxin. Research has shown that mercury exposure can impact fetal brain development in several ways:

Neurotoxicity - Mercury can interfere with normal neuronal growth (brain development) and connectivity or problems with brain function.

- Mercury can interfere with normal neuronal growth (brain development) and connectivity or problems with brain function. Behavioral changes - Studies have linked mercury to traits commonly observed in autism, including repetitive behavior and challenges with social interaction and communication.

- Studies have linked mercury to traits commonly observed in autism, including repetitive behavior and challenges with social interaction and communication. Motor and cognitive effects - Prenatal mercury exposure has been associated with developmental delays, motor dysfunction (difficulties with movement and coordination) and learning difficulties.

A key concern with thimerosal is its ability to cross both the placental and blood-brain barriers, meaning that mercury could reach the developing fetus and accumulate in brain tissue. Animal studies have shown that ethylmercury (the form found in thimerosal) is readily transferred from mother to fetus and can persist in the brain long after exposure.

This study aligns with previous research suggesting a connection between prenatal mercury exposure and neurodevelopmental disorders. A 2003 study by Holmes et al. found that mothers of autistic children had a significantly higher rate of Rh-negativity (46 percent) compared to control (nine percent). Animal studies have demonstrated that prenatal exposure to thimerosal can lead to neurological and behavioral changes similar to those seen in autism. Molecular studies have shown that even low levels of thimerosal can cause neuronal damage, disrupt key pathways and alter brain structure.

Additionally, in 2004, the California Environmental Protection Agency classified thimerosal as a developmental toxin, recognizing its potential to cause neurological and behavioral effects in children.

While the study suggests a possible link between thimerosal exposure and autism, it has not established causation. The researchers emphasize the need for more studies to confirm their findings and explore other potential factors. (Related: Vaccine industry in panic over global effort to remove all mercury from vaccines.)

Note: This article simplifies complex scientific findings for general understanding. Always consult a healthcare professional regarding pregnancy-related concerns.

Watch this video about the danger of thimerosal in vaccines.

This video is from the Vaccines and Vaccination channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Thimerosal-free childhood vaccines still suspect in autism.

Study raises questions about mercury exposure and autism: A look at nine children's stories.

The mercury-autism connection: What the science says.

Sources include:

ResearchGate.net

TAndFOnline.com

PewTrusts.org [PDF]

Brighteon.com
Trump disables U.S. missile systems in Ukraine, forces Zelensky to face reality of peace talks

 President Donald Trump orders shutdown of U.S. missile systems in Ukraine, limiting Kyivs ability to strike Russian targets.

 Trump administration halts military aid and intelligence-sharing with Ukraine, pushing for peace negotiations with Russia.

 Zelenskys refusal to engage in talks sparks tension with Trump, who warns of escalating conflict and calls for de-escalation.

 European leaders, including France's Macron, reaffirm support for Ukraine, creating a rift with Washingtons new approach.

In a bold move to de-escalate tensions and force Ukraine to the negotiating table, President Donald Trump has ordered the shutdown of U.S. missile systems in Ukraine, effectively crippling Kyivs ability to launch long-range strikes against Russian targets. The decision, which took effect Wednesday afternoon, marks a dramatic shift in U.S. policy and signals a growing impatience with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskys refusal to engage in peace talks with Moscow. As the Trump administration cuts off military aid and intelligence-sharing, Zelenskys regime is left isolated, clinging to the illusion of victory in a war that cannot be won.

Trumps push for peace: a reality check for Zelensky

The disabling of U.S. missile systems, including the Himars, is not an isolated action but part of a broader strategy to force Ukraine into negotiations with Russia. According to The Telegraph, the Trump administration has made it clear that missile access will only be restored if Kyiv agrees to talks. These discussions are expected to include a stalled minerals deal, which became a point of contention during a tense Oval Office meeting between Trump and Zelensky last Friday.

White House officials said the U.S. would only lift the ban on sharing the data if it could nail down negotiations with Ukraine, The Telegraph reported. This ultimatum underscores Trumps determination to end the conflict and prevent further bloodshed, even if it means pressuring an ally.

Trumps actions come as no surprise to those who have followed his administrations approach to foreign policy. Since taking office, Trump has consistently sought to reduce U.S. involvement in foreign conflicts, particularly those that risk escalating into broader wars. His decision to halt military aid and intelligence-sharing with Ukraine earlier this week was a clear signal that the U.S. would no longer prop up Zelenskys regime or fuel a war that has already claimed countless lives.

Zelenskys defiance and the cost of war

Zelenskys refusal to engage in peace talks has only deepened the rift between Washington and Kyiv. During last Fridays meeting, Trump reportedly warned Zelensky that his resistance to negotiations could lead to further escalation. The Ukrainian presidents stubbornness has not only strained relations with the U.S. but also highlighted the growing disconnect between his regime and the realities on the ground.

Trumps frustration with Zelensky was evident in his recent remarks, in which he referred to the Ukrainian leader as a dictator without elections. This criticism reflects a broader concern about Zelenskys use of martial law to postpone elections and force conscripts into a war that has no end in sight.

On Monday, Trump escalated his rhetoric, stating that Zelensky wont be around for very long if he continues to reject negotiations with Moscow. This stark warning serves as a reminder that Zelenskys regime is no longer sustainable and that the time for diplomacy has come.

Europes divided stance and the path forward

While the Trump administration has taken a firm stance on de-escalation, European leaders have reaffirmed their support for Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron, who has previously proposed deploying European forces in Ukraine, recently met with the British Prime Minister to discuss the future of Western backing for Kyiv. Macrons commitment to Ukraines defense highlights the growing divide between Washington and its European allies.

Despite this support, Ukraines reliance on European-supplied long-range missiles, such as the British Storm Shadow and French SCALP, may not be enough to turn the tide of the war. With the U.S. withdrawing its support, Kyivs ability to conduct precision strikes against Russian targets has been severely diminished.

Trumps decision to disable U.S. missile systems is a wake-up call for Zelensky and his regime. The time for endless war and empty promises is over. The U.S. government must continue to push for peace, disarm Ukraine, and reestablish diplomacy with Russia. Failure to do so risks plunging the region into further chaos and bringing the world closer to the brink of World War III.

The Trump administrations actions in Ukraine represent a necessary step toward ending a conflict that has spiraled out of control. By disabling U.S. missile systems and cutting off military aid, Trump has sent a clear message to Zelensky: the era of U.S. support for an unwinnable war is over.

Sources include:

Yournews.com

Foxnews.com

NaturalNews.com
RIFU, Japan - Japan's figure skating icon Yuzuru Hanyu performed his ice show on Friday in his native Miyagi Prefecture, commemorating the 14th anniversary of the devastating March 11 earthquake and tsunami that struck northeastern Japan.

The show at Sekisui Heim Super Arena in Rifu was staged for the third straight year. It is named "notte stellata," meaning starry night in Italian, in memory of the "ray of light" he saw in the sky as he left home for the evacuation center following the 2011 disaster.

"I skated praying this serves as a catalyst for us to do something on disasters, such as the one of March 11," said Hanyu, the first Asian to win a men's figure skating Olympic gold medal when he triumphed in Sochi in 2014.

The three-day event through Sunday commemorates the magnitude-9.0 quake and tsunami that claimed over 15,000 lives and ravaged Miyagi and neighboring Iwate and Fukushima prefectures, triggering a nuclear disaster.

The 30-year-old Hanyu performed to the composition "Seimei," which accompanied his free skate at the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang where he won his second Olympic gold, landing both his quad salchow and toe loop to captivate the crowd of 6,300.

Kyogen actor and 58-year-old Nomura Mansai, dressed as a yin-yang diviner, shared the stage with Hanyu.

Hanyu finished fourth in 2022 in Beijing before retiring from competition in July that year to turn professional, stating he "stopped wanting to be evaluated" by points but would seek new ways to express himself in skating exhibitions.

He became the first skater to perform solo at Tokyo Dome in February 2023 in a show attended by around 35,000 spectators.

Related coverage:

Figure skating: Winter Olympics remain far off for teen star Mao Shimada

Figure skating: Rio Nakata becomes Japan's 7th junior men's world champ
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.
Download Now

The News-Gazette mobile app brings you the latest local breaking news, updates, and more. Read the News-Gazette on your mobile device just as it appears in print.




NAGASAKI - Nagasaki University in southwestern Japan and a local systems development company have unveiled an artificial intelligence program that lets medical students practice interviews with virtual patients on a screen.

The development comes as regional universities struggle to secure simulated patients, who require training to accurately reproduce symptoms of real cases, the university said, amid population declines in many of Japan's local areas.

In a demonstration in early March, an AI patient reported having a fever and cough for two to three days and responded appropriately to questions from a person acting as a medical student. The university plans to introduce the program in March 2026.

By utilizing the AI technology, universities are expected to enhance medical training for their students through interactions with a range of virtual patients who differ in age, gender and symptoms.

"We will add scoring and feedback functions (to the system). We hope it will lead to more efficient study methods and improve the quality of learning," said Shinya Kawashiri, an associate professor at the university's School of Medicine.

Toru Kobayashi, a professor at the university's School of Information and Data Sciences, called it a "new endeavor" in Japan.

Related coverage:

FEATURE: Japanese firms aim for one giant leap in space development

Japan gov't OKs bill that allows state to advise firms over AI risks
As we mark International Women's Day tomorrow on March 8, the story of the COST Action on Perinatal Mental Health and Birth-Related Trauma: Maximizing best practice and optimal outcomes (DEVoTION) is a powerful example of how collaborative research can both advance women's health and support the next generation of women researchers. This Action focused on understanding birth trauma and optimizing the birth experience, while creating opportunities for young women researchers to flourish in their careers.

Breaking the silence of birth trauma

What if the happiest moment of your life turned into your worst nightmare? For thousands of women across Europe, the miracle of childbirth is overshadowed by a trauma that lingers long after they leave the hospital. Evidence suggests almost one in three women in Europe experience some aspect of their birth as traumatic. Despite its prevalence, birth-related trauma is often overlooked, leaving women to suffer in silence, their pain invisible but deeply real. Unrecognized and untreated, the trauma doesn't just affect the mother - it affects her baby, her family, and ultimately, society.

Led by Professor Joan Lalor of Trinity College Dublin, the Action DEVOTION has brought together researchers, clinicians, NGOs and SMEs to address this critical but often overlooked issue. "When working effectively across disciplines, there is always a fear that the professions will drift apart. That hasn't happened in this Action - everyone is working equally and respectfully," says Professor Lalor. "Interdisciplinarity has such potential when skills are maximised to achieve the best possible outcome".

In this Action video, DEVOTION shares the facts about perinatal mental health and family well-being after birth trauma.

5.1 million babies born in the EU each year

Every year, 1 million new mothers in the EU report post-traumatic stress symptoms after childbirth

200,000 mothers are diagnosed with postnatal traumatic stress disorder each year

4% of fathers also report post-traumatic stress symptoms after childbirth

Real-world impact

One of DEVOTION's most significant achievements has been to bridge the gap between scientific research and clinical practice. The Action's training school on the intergenerational transmission of trauma brought midwives, psychologists, allied health professionals and scientists together, leading to the development of three massive online open courses (MOOCs) that continue to educate health professionals today (Trauma-Informed Care and Epigenetics; Epigenetics as a Lifelong Record of the Early-Life Environment; and Birth Trauma from a life-span perspective).

Interdisciplinarity has such potential when skills are maximised to achieve the best possible outcome" Prof. Joan Lalor of Trinity College Dublin, Chair of the Action DEVOTION

Their research has gained significant recognition, and the Action's open-access publications such as the Discussion Paper, Consensus recommendations for practice, policy, and research and American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology (AJOG) publication are gaining traction, including citations in the British Birth Trauma Report.

The impact of the Action extends beyond academic achievements to practical applications. Changes in antenatal care have been implemented in Turkey and Cyprus, and a new prenatal and postpartum midwife-led consultation for couples has been introduced at the University Hospital of Lausanne, Switzerland.

DEVOTION actively lobbies for increased European funding for perinatal mental health research, representing over 5,000 researchers in 20 Actions. The team makes representations to the European Committees - Health, EESC, DG Sante and Research, and lobbies at the national level.

Empowering future leaders

For young women researchers, DEVOTION has been transformative. Lucija Prepust, a Croatian psychologist, shares her experience: "As young researchers just starting our professional journeys, we often face challenges such as limited financial resources and a lack of connections, which can result in missed opportunities. Fortunately, being part of a COST Action allows us to overcome these obstacles and opens up avenues for growth. My involvement in COST Actions has been transformative, offering me knowledge, connections, skills, and experiences that will benefit me throughout my career and life in general. To anyone ambitious and eager to learn: don't hesitatejust go for it!"

The Action has particularly excelled in supporting early career researchers through hands-on training and networking opportunities. Julika Johanna Hudson, from Trinity College Dublin, highlights the diverse learning opportunities such as the Action's training schools, short-term scientific missions and the COST Academy training on social media. "The project I am most proud of is the co-production of leaflets for parents, practitioners and policymakers. I also feel that my experience with COST will benefit me in my new role as a community midwife in a multidisciplinary team with a strong focus on infant mental health. I would highly recommend other early career researchers to participate in a COST Action".



The journey of Dr Gulcan Tecirli of the Ministry of Health of Turkiye from doctoral student to co-leader of a working group is an example of the Action's commitment to developing women in leadership in research. "This experience allowed me to collaborate closely with internationally recognised researchers in the field of birth trauma as the Action progressed. One of the publications we co-authored during this time has now become my most highly cited work," she recalls.

More than just colleagues: The DEVOTION family

DEVOTION's success lies not only in its scientific achievements, but also in the supportive community it has created. Professor Lalor shares the touching feedback of a colleague: "In the previous Actions I developed my network, in DEVOTION I developed lifelong friendships. The atmosphere in an Action is crucial to its success, recognising that people are not just researchers/clinicians/service users. We are all human and looking for connection".

Not the end, just a new beginning

The legacy of DEVOTION continues with follow-up initiatives. A 4 million HORIZON Marie Curie Joint Doctoral Network (MCSA-JD) grant on Healthy Adaptation to Pregnancy, Postpartum and Parenthood (HAP 3). HAP3 will focus on intergenerational prevention of obesity and mental health problems and will train 'PERINATAL CARE INNOVATORS' to support couples through the transition from pregnancy, postpartum and early parenthood. The TREASURE COST Action will continue to develop knowledge on the adverse effects of maternal stress on prematurity, autism or transgenerational effects in the long term.
School readiness is central to child wellbeing and is predictive of not only academic, but also long-term economic and health outcomes according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). However, new research reveals a concerning gap in school readiness for children with low birth weight, with only one-third of these children being on track for school readiness - lower than reported for the general pediatric population.

A new Boston Medical Center (BMC) study identifies five key protective factors that can support children, especially those with low birth weight, in reaching developmental milestones and being prepared for school. Neighborhood amenities, better parental mental health, emotional support networks, regular reading or bedtime routines, and limiting screen time to one hour or less each day are all associated with improved school readiness, according to findings published recently in Academic Pediatrics.

Using data from the 2016-2019 National Survey of Children's Health, the BMC research team, led by Gen Guyol, MD, MAT, explored developmentally sound and emotionally supportive early life experiences that can improve school readiness.

Our findings underscore the critical role that family routines and parental supports play in shaping early child development. By fostering predictability, such as through consistent household routines and spending dedicated time together, parents can create an environment that supports their child's readiness for school." Dr. Gen Guyol, health services researcher in neonatology at BMC

The study highlights the importance of emotional support for not only children, but also parents and caregivers. Having someone to turn to for guidance and reassurance can be a vital resource for families as they navigate the complexities of raising a young child. Dr. Guyol, who is also an assistant professor in pediatrics at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, adds, "It's essential to recognize that the support of parents and caregivers is a protective factor. When parents feel supported, they are better equipped to create an environment that promotes positive developmental outcomes for their children."

This research contributes to a growing body of evidence that emphasizes the importance of early, accessible interventions and supportive environments in fostering school readiness, particularly for vulnerable populations like children with low birth weight. "Investing in school readiness has far-reaching effects that extend well beyond the classroom. By supporting parents and creating environments that foster early development, we are not only helping children thrive in school but also setting the foundation for lifelong success and well-being," says Dr. Guyol.
Ultraviolette Tesseract Introductory Offer Extended To 50,000 Customers, Check Benefits

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 14:36 IST

In case you are interested, the vehicle can be booked online using Ultraviolette's official website or by visiting an authorised dealership across the nation.

Ultraviolette Tesseract Electric Scooter. (Photo: Samreen Pall/News18.com)

In a move to attract more customers, the leading electric two-wheeler maker Ultraviolette Automotive has extended the introductory price offer of its newly launched Tesseract. The company is now offering the battery-powered vehicle at the introductory price of Rs 1.45 lakh (ex-showroom), benefiting 50,000 customers.

It has been informed by the brand that the EV has received an overwhelming response from the customers for the product. Ever since it was introduced, the model has witnessed an overall 20,000 pre-bookings in the first 48 hours.

Recommended Stories

In case you are interested, the vehicle can be booked online using Ultraviolettes official website or by visiting an authorised dealership across the nation.

Battery and Range

The Tesseract has been released in three battery options: 3.5 kWh, 5 kWh, and 6 kWh. This offers a maximum range up to 261 km. The e-scooter is complimented by an electric motor, enabling the model to do 0-60 km/h in 2.9 seconds. It generates a maximum output of 20.1 BHP.

Features and USPs

In terms of design, the Tesseract comes with a futuristic road presence with a blend of sophistication and comfort. It offers a long list of advanced features such as front and rear cameras for blind spot detection, dual radars, overtake alert, collision alert, speed alert, and a large touchscreen instrument console, supported by Violette AI connectivity.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

Safety

Apart from this, it also has some top-notch safety features. The list includes dual-channel ABS, dynamic stability control, traction control, keyless access, cruise control, hill hold, park assist, and navigation.

About the Author Shahrukh Shah Shahrukh Shah, Sub-Editor at News18, loves to write about everything that moves on wheels. With years of experience and the required skill sets, he is contributing to the auto section, where he let people know ... Read More Shahrukh Shah, Sub-Editor at News18, loves to write about everything that moves on wheels. With years of experience and the required skill sets, he is contributing to the auto section, where he let people know ... Read More

Get the latest updates on car and bike launches in India  including reviews, prices, specs, and performance. Stay informed with breaking auto industry news , EV policies, and more, Also Download the News18 App to stay updated!

First Published: March 08, 2025, 14:35 IST
Air India Operates Multiple All-Women-Managed Flights On International Women's Day | Check Details

Reported By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 12:24 IST

Tata-owned Air India also introduces the #HerMatters initiative to assist its women employees navigate critical life events, both on their professional and personal fronts, for a better work-life balance.

Air India has decided to organise sessions on careers in aviation at girls' schools in Delhi-NCR to inspire young women to pursue careers in aviation.

Marking the International Womens Day, Air India on Saturday operated a total of 18 international and domestic flights managed by all-women teams across functions in the air and on ground. The Tata group-owned airline also introduced the #HerMatters initiative to assist its women employees navigate critical life events, both on their professional and personal fronts, for a better work-life balance.

In resonance with #AccelerateAction, the theme of International Womens Day 2025, the Air India group took to the skies with flights managed by all-women teams across functions in the air and on ground, while also unveiling a series of initiatives for women employees and special offers for women passengers," Air India said in a statement.

Recommended Stories

In all, 18 flights operated by Air India and Air India Express on select international and domestic routes, were managed by all-women teams that included pilots, cabin crew, crew roster planning analysts scheduling duties for the all-women crew onboard, flight dispatchers and a meteorologist planning and monitoring flights from departure to arrival, crew controllers tracking all crew ensuring compliance with flight duty time and rest requirements and a female operations control duty manager overseeing Air Indias day of operation, the airline added.

Destinations to which these flights were operated included Melbourne, the longest amongst them, London Heathrow, Dammam, Muscat, Ras Al Khaimah, Abu Dhabi, Varanasi, Pune, Visakhapatnam, Kolkata, Bagdogra, Bhubaneswar, Vijayawada and Guwahati, it said.

At an organisational level, Air India has launched the #HerMatters initiative to assist its women employees navigate critical life events, both on their professional and personal fronts, for a better work-life balance.

Air India group has also decided to organise sessions on careers in aviation at girls schools in the National Capital Region of Delhi to inspire young women to pursue careers in aviation.

Exclusive Offers For Women Passengers

Air India also offered special promotions and benefits from 1-8 March 2025, which included fare discounts for bookings with at least one woman in the PNR, and 5 per cent discount on gift card purchases, enabling and encouraging women to take charge of their travel.

Campbell Wilson, chief executive officer & managing director of Air India and chairman of Air India Express, said, At Air India group, we take pride in the fact that women leading from the front is a norm rather than an exception. India leads the world in the number of women commercial pilots and Air India group is significantly contributing to this achievement."

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

At Air India, women make 46 per cent of the total workforce, 16 per cent of pilots, which is almost three times the global average, 21 per cent of staff in ground services, 27 per cent in finance and 22 per cent in the digital and technology division, and all these numbers have grown significantly since Air Indias return to the Tata group, according to Air Indias statement.

Air India is also a signatory to IATAs #25by2025 initiative and aims at enhancing women at mid and senior levels.

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 08, 2025, 12:24 IST
Corporate India: Women's Median Pay 62% Lower Than Men, Their Share In Top Management Still Low, Says Report

Reported By :

News18.com Edited By: Mohammad Haris



Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 10:33 IST

Nearly 23% of employees in India Inc are women but the share falls as we go up the hierarchy with just 13% women in Key Management Personnel (KMPs), 10% as executive directors (EDs), and just 5% as MDs and CEOs, shows Prime Database's data.

Nearly 97 per cent of the 2,133 companies listed on NSE mainboard have at least one woman director on board.

International Womens Day 2025: India has made significant progress on several parameters to improve women representation in Corporate India, while there is still a long journey ahead. According to the latest data by Prime Database, nearly 23 per cent of employees in the companies in India are women but the share falls as we go up the hierarchy with just 13 per cent women in Key Management Personnel (KMPs), 10 per cent as executive directors (EDs), and just 5 per cent as MDs and CEOs.

The data also showed that mens median remuneration is around 62 per cent higher at Rs 114 lakh than womens Rs 71 lakh.

Recommended Stories

According to the data, 97 per cent of the 2,133 companies listed on NSE mainboard have at least one woman director on board. However, of the 57 companies which do not have a woman director, 26 are public sector undertakings (PSUs).

Pranav Haldea, managing director of PRIME Database Group, said, The critical need of the hour is to form policies and supportive practices and to make this a part of the board agenda to ensure that women do not have to leave in the middle of their careers for childcare and other caregiving responsibilities."

A total of 2,687 women hold 3,479 directorship positions or 21 per cent of the directorship positions, up from 17 per cent as on March 31, 2020, and just 5 per cent as on March 31, 2014, when the requirement to appoint one woman director on board had just been announced (in February 2014), the data showed.

Haldea said the data shows the monumental role played by the regulation in improving the representation of women on board.

Women Independent Director

A total of 1,837 companies (or 86 per cent) now have an independent woman director. Companies having 2 or more women independent directors have also increased from 8 per cent as on March 31, 2020, to 22 per cent presently, according to the data.

Women hold 2,370 out of the 8,472 independent directorship positions (or 28 per cent), up from 17 per cent as on March 31, 2018, before the requirement to appoint one woman independent director, which became effective from April 1, 2019.

Women Executive Directors

Women hold just 480 out of the 4,828 (or 10 per cent) executive directorship positions, up marginally from 8 per cent as on 31st March 2020.

Outside Professional Executives At The Top

Just 5 per cent, or 103 out of the 2,133 companies, have a woman MD/CEO, with barely any improvement over the last 5 years. There are 115 women MD/CEOs in these 103 companies of which 77 (or 67 per cent) are from the promoter group itself showcasing the lack of outside professional" women at the very top.

Outside professional executive women directors (non-promoters), as a whole, hold just 163 out of 2,344 such directorship positions (or 7 per cent), Prime Databases data showed.

Women On India Incs Board

According to the data, only 6 per cent, or 123 out of the 2,133 companies, have a woman chairing the board. 57 out of these 123 chairpersons (or 46 per cent) are from the promoter group.

Womens Salary Vs Mens Pay

The median remuneration of male executive directors was a startling 62 per cent higher at INR 114 lakh in comparison to INR 71 lakh for women, it added.

Even more startlingly, the median remuneration of male non-promoter executive directors or the outside professionals was a huge 134 per cent more than for women (Rs 93 lakh for men as against Rs 40 lakh for women), in comparison to being 69 per cent higher for promoter executive directors.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

The average of the median remuneration of male KMPs disclosed by the 1,155 companies was almost double that of women KMPs at Rs 165 lakh in comparison to Rs 83 lakh for women, it said.

However, women independent directors are being paid similar to their male counterparts with their median remuneration being Rs 4.50 lakh, almost same as the Rs 4.60 lakh for men.

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 08, 2025, 10:33 IST
What Are Reciprocal Tariffs, How Can They Impact India, Its US Exports? All You Need To Know

Reported By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 11:27 IST

Reciprocal Tariffs: US President Donald Trump this week announced reciprocal tariffs on its partners, including India, that impose higher levies on imports from the US; here's all you need to know about the reciprocal tariffs, their impact on India.

India says it is looking at deepening trade ties with the US including by reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers under a bilateral trade agreement. (File Photo: Reuters)

Reciprocal Tariffs Meaning: As US President Donald Trump this week announced reciprocal tariffs on its partners, including India, that impose higher levies on imports from the US, India has been in negotiation with the US with Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal leading Indias trade negotiation there. What are reciprocal tariffs, and how can they impact India and its US exports if implemented? Heres all you need to know:

Since assuming office on January 20, Trump on multiple occasions criticised India for higher tariffs and even described the country as a tariff king" and tariff abuser.

Recommended Stories

So far, in a cautious reaction, India on Friday said it is looking at deepening trade ties with the US including by reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers under a bilateral trade agreement. In its Union budget for 2025-26, India announced its decision to lower tariffs on Bourbon whiskey, wines, and Electronic Vehicle (EV) segments.

What Are Reciprocal Tariffs?

Reciprocal tariffs are trade duties that one country imposes in response to tariffs placed on its goods by another country. In simple terms, if Country A charges extra taxes on goods from Country B, then Country B does the same in return. Its like a tit-for-tat" in trade to keep things fair.

In this case, Trump said India charges higher tariffs on American goods, thus America will also levy equal reciprocal tariffs.

Ross Maxwell, global strategy operations lead at VT Markets, said, India effectively imposes 9.5% tariffs on US goods, compared to the 3% the US applies on Indian goods, which leaves India exposed to the threat of increased tariffs on their exports to the US."

However, Justin Khoo, senior market analyst-APAC, VT Markets, said, A 7 to 8.2 percentage point tariff differential between India and the US places Indian exports at risk of retaliatory tariffs."

How Will These Tariffs Affect India, Its Exports To US?

India exports nearly $74 billion worth of goods to the US in 2024, which establishes the US as Indias biggest trading partner.

Justin Khoo, senior market analyst-APAC, VT Markets, said, The implementation of these tariffs would impose annual financial losses between $2 billion and $7 billion on India while heavily affecting major export sectors such as chemicals, metals, jewellery, automobiles, pharmaceuticals, and food products."

Higher tariffs on Indian products will decrease their competitive edge in the US market which will hit major labour-intensive sectors hard. Despite benefiting from the US-China trade war, the auto industry might encounter problems because of Indias substantial import taxes on American automobiles, he added.

Maxwell also said, The reciprocal tariffs would particularly impact sectors such as the automobile industry, pharmaceuticals and textiles, all of which are significant to Indias export economy."

There are also challenges facing the steel industry, and the Indian rupee has weakened against the USD in the past few months as some foreign investment has been pulled amid sell-off in equities, he added.

What The US Wants And What Does India Plan?

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal is in the US to lead Indias trade negotiation efforts to engage with US officials to obtain concessions that could lessen the economic impact.

India on Friday said it is looking at deepening trade ties with the US including by reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers through a bilateral trade deal.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Friday said that during Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to the US last month, both India and the US announced plans to negotiate a mutually beneficial, multi-sector Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA).

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick in an interaction with India Today TV said the US wants a more balanced trade relationship with India, emphasising the need for fairer trade policies.

Its time to take bold actionsomething grand that strengthens the India-US partnership on a larger scale Rather than negotiating product by product, we need a comprehensive approach. Lowering Indias tariff policy toward America will open the door for India to seize an extraordinary opportunity and build a deeper relationship with us," Litnick has said.

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 08, 2025, 11:05 IST
International Womens Day 2025: Smart Investment Plans For Women To Secure Their Future

Published By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 08:15 IST

International Women's Day 2025: More women in India are joining the workforce and investing in their financial futures through gold, PPF, mutual funds, NPS, fixed deposits, and NSCs.

International Women's Day 2025: There are a myriad of options available for women in India to choose from and to diversify their portfolio of investments (Image: Shutterstock)

International Womens Day 2025: Top Investment Plans For Women To Secure Future With Smart Financial Choices: There is a rising percentage of women entering the workforce and taking an interest in investments in India. When it comes to savings, women are generally considered to be wise as they take decisive steps to ensure that their financial future and that of their family are secured.

While more women are embracing investment opportunities, many are yet to embark on this journey. As International Womens Day approaches, it is a fitting time to encourage and support women in taking control of their financial futures.

Recommended Stories

ALSO READ: Happy Womens Day 2025: Best Wishes, Images, SMS, Greetings & Loving Quotes For The Special Women In Your Life

Currently, there are a myriad of options available for women in India to choose from and to diversify their portfolio of investments. In this article, lets check out some of the best investment options for women in India.

ALSO READ: International Womens Day 2025: Date, Theme, History, Significance And Wishes To Share

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

International Womens Day 2025: Best Investment Plan For Women

Gold: Investing in gold is considered one of the most sought-after options for women in India. From purchasing physical gold to saving in the governments Sovereign Gold Bonds, this option has stood the test of time and serves as a financial safety net. Sovereign Gold Bonds (SGBs) are a scheme launched by the government that helps store gold in electronic form and also gives a small interest. Public Provident Funds: Next on the list is the Public Provident Fund (PPF). It is a government-backed investment scheme offering long-term financial security with consistent growth. It is ideal for women who aim to contribute a specific amount for long periods to leverage the interest-compounding benefit. PPF has a 15-year tenure, and the tax benefits help reduce their overall tax liability and enhance their resources for further investment. With guaranteed returns at 7.1% per annum, this is one of the best womens retirement planning options. Another good thing about this plan is that women can start investing from as low as Rs 500 per year to Rs 1.5 lakh. Mutual Funds: These are becoming a common investment vehicle, but one should proceed with proper study and research. Mutual funds are best suited for ladies who are open to market fluctuations and wish to stay invested for a longer period. With multiple investment options available, the returns too vary, and one should invest depending on ones goal and risk profile to balance the risks with rewards and eventually earn higher returns. National Pension Scheme (NPS): This is a government-supported retirement savings plan for women aiming to secure their future post-retirement. It allows individuals, including women, to invest systematically in a mix of equity, government securities, and corporate bonds, offering both growth and stability. This scheme also provides a tax benefit under Section 80C and an additional Rs. 50,000 under Section 80CCD(1B). Upon retirement, women can choose to withdraw a portion of the corpus as a lump sum, while the remaining is converted into a regular pension. Fixed Deposits (FDs): Bank Fixed Deposits or corporate deposits can also be considered for investments. It also offers guaranteed returns with high liquidity but the rate of return varies with banks and corporates with no maximum limits. FDs are ideal investment options for women to meet short-term goals, as the tenure is flexible, ranging from 6 months to 10 years. National Savings Certificate (NSC): Another government-backed savings plan scheme offered by post offices is the National Savings Certificate (NSC). With tenures of five years or 10 years, this scheme offers 6.8 per cent interest annually and guaranteed returns. NSC is a tax-efficient scheme as the investment made under the scheme is eligible for a tax deduction of up to Rs 1.50 lakhs under Section 80C of the IT Act 1961, making it a desirable option amongst working women.

About the Author Nibandh Vinod Nibandh Vinod is a seasoned journalist with 26 years of experience, specializing in covering events, festivals, and driving SEO content for News18.com. A tech-savvy person, Nibandh works closely with a young te... Read More Nibandh Vinod is a seasoned journalist with 26 years of experience, specializing in covering events, festivals, and driving SEO content for News18.com. A tech-savvy person, Nibandh works closely with a young te... Read More

First Published: March 08, 2025, 08:15 IST
Womens Day 2025: From Startups To Billion-Dollar Empires, 10 Successful Indian Women Entrepreneurs

Published By :

Trending Desk Edited By: Mohammad Haris



Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 11:57 IST

As Womens Day 2025 is here, we celebrate the achievements of some of Indias most powerful women entrepreneurs who have broken barriers and built thriving businesses.

Happy Women's Day 2025: Heres a look at 10 successful and influential women entrepreneurs in India. (Image: Shutterstock)

The International Womens Day is almost here. With just a day to go, its the perfect time to celebrate the remarkable achievements of women who have transformed Indias business landscape. These entrepreneurs have defied the odds, challenged stereotypes and built powerful companies that have reshaped industries.

Heres a look at 10 successful and influential women entrepreneurs in India:

Recommended Stories

1. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, founder of Biocon

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw founded Biocon in 1978 with just Rs 10,000 and a vision to make affordable healthcare accessible. Overcoming gender bias and funding struggles, she transformed Biocon into a global pharmaceutical leader, producing life-saving insulin and cancer drugs. Her contributions to science earned her the Othmer Gold Medal, and Forbes recognised her as one of the most powerful women in the world.

2. Falguni Nayar, founder of Nykaa

At the age of 50, Falguni Nayar left a successful career in banking to launch Nykaa, Indias first beauty and personal care e-commerce platform. With no prior experience in retail or cosmetics, she built Nykaa into a billion-dollar empire, which went public in 2021.

3. Ghazal Alagh, co-founder of Mamaearth

A personal struggle to find chemical-free products for her son led Ghazal Alagh to co-found Mamaearth in 2016. She focused on toxin-free, sustainable personal care products, and today, Mamaearth is a household name valued at over $1 billion. Her success highlights the growing demand for natural and environmentally friendly products in India.

4. Namita Thapar, executive director of Emcure Pharma

As the executive director of Emcure Pharmaceuticals, Namita Thapar has played a big role in the companys expansion. Beyond pharma, she mentors startups through Shark Tank India and runs Incredible Ventures Ltd., an academy that trains young entrepreneurs. Her work continues to inspire women to take charge in both corporate and startup ecosystems.

5. Upasana Taku, co-founder of MobiKwik

A Stanford graduate, Upasana Taku co-founded MobiKwik in 2009, when digital payments were still an emerging concept in India. Despite initial scepticism, she built a trusted fintech platform now used by millions. Her work in financial inclusion has made her one of the leading women in Indias digital economy.

6. Roshni Nadar Malhotra, chairperson of HCL Technologies

Roshni Nadar Malhotra became the first woman to lead an Indian IT company as the chairperson of HCL Technologies. With a background in media and an MBA from Kellogg School of Management, she now oversees one of Indias largest tech firms, proving that leadership knows no gender.

7. Vineeta Singh, CEO of SUGAR Cosmetics

Rejecting a Rs 1 crore job offer, Vineeta Singh chose to build her own brand. She launched SUGAR Cosmetics, which competes with international beauty giants and has made a mark in Indias premium makeup industry. Her success landed her a seat as an investor on Shark Tank India, where she now mentors budding entrepreneurs.

8. Vani Kola, founder of Kalaari Capital

After a successful stint in Silicon Valley, Vani Kola returned to India to support the countrys startup ecosystem. Through her venture capital firm Kalaari Capital, she has funded some of Indias biggest companies, including Flipkart, Myntra and Dream11.

9. Devita Saraf, chairperson and CEO of Vu Televisions

At just 24, Devita Saraf founded Vu Televisions, a brand that blends innovation with luxury. Under her leadership, Vu became a leading premium television brand in India. With a background in business from the University of Southern California, she has successfully positioned her company as a strong competitor to global brands.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

10. Manju Dhawan, co-founder of Ecom Express

Recognising the challenges in e-commerce deliveries, Manju Dhawan co-founded Ecom Express in 2012. Her company revolutionised logistics by building a strong last-mile delivery network catering to platforms like Amazon and Flipkart. She shattered gender stereotypes in a male-dominated industry and set new benchmarks in logistics efficiency.

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 08, 2025, 11:57 IST
Breaking Gender Stereotypes In Education: Key To Empowering Girls And An Inclusive Future

Published By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 11:40 IST

Encouraging girls without bias empowers them to take challenges, lead, and build a strong voicegender-sensitive schooling is key.

Gender-sensitive schooling is vital for true inclusivity and empowering girls. (Representative/Shutterstock)

A simple question from a bright young seven-year-old girl puts into perspective everything we need to know about gender-sensitive schooling. Why is the nurse always depicted as a female and why is the doctor always a male?" This inquisitiveness stemmed from a seemingly innocuous illustration she had spotted.

Being exposed to a rather stereotypical portrayal of gendered roles and careers is sure to leave an imprint on a young mind, making her perhaps believe that she doesnt have what it takes to become a doctor. For a child, who spends most of her time learning in school, challenging these norms and breaking away from gendered stereotypes through education, then becomes most imperative.

Recommended Stories

While we have taken great strides in making education equally accessible to all genders, to achieve inclusivity in its truest sense and accelerate real action towards equity, gender sensitivity needs to be at the core of school and classroom environments, teaching approaches and pedagogy.

Firstly, Integrating a gender-sensitive curriculum that effectively challenges stereotypes and encourages inclusivity must remain critical. Learning material must be reviewed to ensure that they are free from any information that propagates gender bias, even subtle nuances, such as in illustrations. Teachers can integrate case studies, stories, and group discussions into their lesson plans which can help to dismantle traditional stereotypes.

In a country such as India, social and cultural norms and practices sometimes seep into deeper layers of curricula, beyond the formal one, into what is frequently referred to as the hidden curriculum. These include all the underlying lessons that may be translated via behaviors, and personal preferences of educators as well.

Secondly, this brings me to perhaps one of the most important aspects of achieving gender equity  the role of teachers. Teachers can be active change makers to achieve gender equity. This also means that effective education which is gender sensitive relies greatly on well-trained teachers.

Teachers need to be made aware of their own gender biases which might be reflected in their teaching. Something as simple as believing that boys are better at science and math than girls. They must be trained to identify practices that might favour one gender over the other and understand gender dynamics, which can help create a gender-responsive pedagogy.

There are enough case studies and literature to show that this pedagogical approach can benefit quality outcomes for not just girls but boys as well.

For teachers, access to resources online, workshops that analyze teaching styles and possible gender bias, and the constant evolution of teacher training initiatives such as NISHTA are key to realizing change on the ground. Interactive classroom sessions which focus on inculcating gender-progressive attitudes in students early on will mean that we have high-schoolers who are exhibiting gender-equitable behaviour, which shapes their lifelong personality and perception.

While teachers will play a critical role in creating an environment which encourages equality, it is also important to provide further mentorship to go beyond gendered expectations. This will encourage more girls to work towards STEM careers. Gender-specific programs for girls right from primary and middle school to encourage curiosity in science and technology must be mandatory. Programs with leading tech institutes, for example, the Indian Institute of Technologys STEM mentorship program for school girls is a brilliant initiative that motivates and hones young girls interested in the sciences.

We need to expose our girl children to the right mentors and leaders who can motivate them outside of their curriculum. We have to make them meet female scientists, engineers and technology analysts who will inspire them to work towards a career of choice, even when it is in a field that is traditionally not seen as their genders domain.

In India, internalized gender bias, research has shown, impacts even parents to unfairly favour boys when investing in STEM education for a child. Systemic changes early in schooling which break traditional stereotypes can help transform parent and community behaviors that create these barriers for the girl child.

Overall, a policy framework that addresses gender equality and equity across all areas of school environment, learning approaches, and teacher training must be at the heart of national education reforms and strategies for the future of education.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

When girls are encouraged without any bias or gendered expectations, they are brave enough to take up challenges, have a powerful voice, a stronger agency, and lead and gender-sensitive schooling is the very first step to achieve this goal.

(Written by Devyani Jaipuria. The Author is the Pro Vice Chairperson of Delhi Public School, Gurugram; Delhi Public School-Jaipur; Dharav High School-Jaipur; and DPS International-Gurugram. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.)

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 08, 2025, 11:40 IST
TANCET Admit Card 2025 Release At tancet.annauniv.edu, Direct Link To Download Hall Ticket

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 14:18 IST

TANCET 2025: Candidates can download admit cards from the official website - tancet.annauniv.edu using email and password.

The TANCET 2025 exams will be held on March 22, 2025.

TANCET 2025 Hall Ticket: Anna University released the admit cards for the Tamil Nadu Common Entrance Test (TANCET 2025). Candidates who registered for the exam can check and download their TANCET 2025 admit cards on the official website- tancet.annauniv.edu using their email address and password.

The University has also released the hall tickets for the Common Engineering Entrance Test & Admissions (CEETA-PG 2025).

Recommended Stories

TANCET 2025 Exam Date

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.

How To Download TANCET 2025 Admit Card?

Step 1: Visit the official website- tancet.annauniv.edu

Step 2: Click on the link to download TANCET Admit Card 2025

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.

Direct Link To Download TANCET 2025 Admit Card

Hall Ticket should be produced at the time of Entrance Test and also at the time of Counselling and Admission. If the hall ticket is lost after the Entrance Exam, a duplicate Hall Ticket can be obtained on payment of 354/- ( 300 +18 % GST) in the form of a Demand Draft, with a written request to The Secretary, TANCET, Anna University, Chennai  600 025 indicating the Registration No. / Application No. and the Name of the Examination Centre," reads the official information brochure.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

TANCET 2025: Exam Pattern

The TANCET 2025 exam will be held offline and will include 5 sections: Business Situations, Reading Comprehension, Quantitative Ability, Data Sufficiency, and English Usage. Each section will have 20 questions.

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 08, 2025, 14:15 IST
NEW YORK - The states parties of a U.N. nuclear weapons ban treaty on Friday adopted a declaration affirming the existential threat nuclear weapons pose to humanity and pursuing the eradication of such weapons.

The members also agreed to hold in late 2026 their first conference aimed at reviewing the implementation of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which took effect in 2021.

The declaration, which affirms the parties' "unwavering determination to address the existential threat that nuclear weapons pose to humanity," was adopted at the end of the members' third meeting in New York.

The pact requires its member countries to abandon nuclear deterrence and none of the five recognized nuclear weapons states have acceded to it.

Unlike the two previous meetings of the signatories in 2022 and 2023, no NATO countries sent observers to the latest round which lasted for five days at the U.N. headquarters.

As a reason for the absence, some NATO countries said the alliance has criticized and rejected the treaty and should stick to that position together.

"We cannot reach the elimination of nuclear weapons over the week, but we have given additional impetus to the activities" for the goal, Akan Rakhmetullin, deputy foreign minister of Kazakhstan, who chaired the meeting, said in an interview at the end of the conference.

The declaration recognized the "devastating" impact of the atomic bombings on the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and later in nuclear testing, noting the "catastrophic humanitarian consequences" of such weapons and "immense human suffering" of the victims.

In the wake of heightened geopolitical tensions and crises such as Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the declaration said that nuclear arms races and the growing danger of more countries getting nuclear weapons demands "immediate and decisive action" from the rest of the world.

The treaty entered into force among its ratifiers, currently at 73, in January 2021 after being endorsed by 122 parties in 2017.

The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty is an almost universally subscribed treaty under the world body on nuclear disarmament. It recognizes Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States as the five nuclear weapons states.

With the New START nuclear arms control agreement between Russia and the United States set to expire next year, Friday's declaration calls on the two states to "urgently engage in negotiations" to conclude a successor agreement.

Australia, a U.S. ally that is not a member of the treaty, observed the proceedings through Friday, saying Canberra "shares the ambitions" of the pact's members for a nuclear-free world and wanted to monitor the progress of the treaty.

The pact's declaration congratulated Nihon Hidankyo, the main Japanese atomic bombings survivors' group, on its Nobel Peace Prize win last year, noting its witness testimony and "its efforts to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons."

Hidankyo, or the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations, urged the Japanese government to participate in this year's meeting as an observer.

Japan relies on the U.S. nuclear umbrella for its deterrence and did not send observers to any of the three nuclear weapons ban treaty meetings.

Related coverage:

Trump complains security pact with Japan nonreciprocal

A-bomb survivor's son repeats call for elimination of nukes at U.N.
Thousand Nepalese Students Return To KIIT As NHRC Investigates Suicide Case

Published By :

PTI

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 16:58 IST

KIIT University claims 1,000 of 1,100 Nepalese students returned to campus after the February 16 unrest.

The NHRC and Odisha Police are investigating the alleged suicide of a B Tech girl student.

Amid the probe by the NHRC and Odisha Police into the alleged suicidal death of a B Tech girl student, KIIT University has claimed that 1,000 of the 1,100 Nepalese students who left the campus in the wake of the February 16 unrest have returned to the institute in Bhubaneswar.

The private university made this claim on Friday after Odishas Higher Education Minister, Suryabanshi Suraj, informed the Assembly that the state government formed a professor committee to ensure a proper academic environment on the KIIT campus.

Recommended Stories

"As many as 1,000 Nepalese students out of 1,100 have returned to KIIT-DU to resume their academic pursuits after temporarily leaving the campus in the wake of the February 16 incident. The remaining 100 students are on their way and will be arriving soon," the KIIT said in a statement, adding that the students return demonstrates the strong ties between the institute and its international student community, particularly from Nepal.

The Nepalese students were allegedly evicted from the campus by KIIT employees after they demanded justice for 20-year-old Prakriti Lamsal, who died by suicide in her hostel room on February 16.

The students allegedly were beaten up, verbally abused and even thrown out of the campus as they staged a demonstration over the Nepalese girl students death.

Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli had expressed concern over the manner in which the Nepalese students were treated by the KIIT authorities.

Later, the institute tendered an apology and urged the students to return to campus.

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi also assured the complete safety of the Nepalese students after they returned to the campus in KIIT.

The state government has, meanwhile, set up a helpdesk to facilitate the return of Nepalese students and also launched a dedicated International Student Facilitation Cell to support and assist international students across (Public/Private/Deemed) universities in the state.

In a statement, the varsity expressed gratitude to the central government, the Ministry of External Affairs, the Odisha Government, the Nepalese Government, and the Nepalese Embassy in New Delhi for the return of the students.

The authorities also said that in coordination with law enforcement authorities, KIIT had taken immediate steps to restore normalcy and ensure the safety and well-being of all students.

"With the situation stabilized, KIIT-DU engaged in continuous dialogue with the Nepal Embassy, student representatives, and parents to reassure them about the security and support available at the university. Special grievance redressal mechanisms were put in place to address any concerns and enhance the overall student experience," the statement said.

The varsity said that these efforts saw the return of Nepalese students to the campus with renewed confidence".

"The university has reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining an inclusive, safe, and academically enriching environment for all its students," it added.

As directed by the NHRC, its team has been undertaking an on-spot" inquiry into the death of the female student and subsequent harassment of the Nepalese students allegedly by KIIT employees.

The NHRC inquiry team, led by its Registrar (Law) Joginder Singh, has collected evidence from the Odisha Police and interacted with the KIIT authorities, students and other persons concerned linked to the incident.

The commission has asked the team to submit its findings by March 10.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

Besides Odisha Police and NHRC, the state governments high-level committee headed by the additional chief secretary of the Home Department is also probing the KIIT incident.

The police have meanwhile arrested 11 people, including one engineering student, on the charge of abetment to suicide.

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

Location : Bhubaneswar, India, India

First Published: March 08, 2025, 16:58 IST
'Panel To Fix Mahila Samridhi Eligibility Criteria': CM Rekha Gupta To News18 After Delhi Cabinet Nod

Reported By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 19:46 IST

The chief minister will head the committee that will also have cabinet ministers Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma, Ashish Sood, and Kapil Mishra as members

Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta. File pic/ANI

While the Delhi cabinet has cleared the Mahila Samridhi Yojana by approving Rs 5,100 crore for it, the eligibility criteria will be finalised by a committee, chief minister Rekha Gupta told News18 on Saturday, which is International Womens Day.

The CM will head the committee that will also have cabinet ministers Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma, Ashish Sood, and Kapil Mishra as members.

Recommended Stories

Gupta told News18 that the scheme will allow online registration.

Today, we have approved the scheme, allocated the budget, and formed a committee. We have also decided that there will be online registration for the scheme," she said when asked about the scheme.

Gupta also said that yellow ration card holders will be the beneficiaries as per what has been decided so far. A yellow ration card is for those who are in the Below Poverty Line (BPL) category.

In an official statement, the Delhi government said it is a major step towards ensuring economic stability and social upliftment for women, particularly those from poor families.

The scheme will leverage advanced technology to ensure transparency, efficiency, and seamless disbursement of financial benefits. Aadhaar-based e-KYC will be used," the government said.

Last month, News18 reported that a cabinet approval is needed for the scheme under which eligible women in Delhi will get Rs 2,500 per month.

The Mahila Samridhi Yojana was promised by the top BJP leadership to be taken up in the first cabinet meeting but could not be finalised.

However, Gupta had announced that women in Delhi will start getting Rs 2,500 per month from March 8.

In its manifesto for the February Delhi assembly polls, the BJP promised to provide financial assistance of Rs 2,500 monthly to women from poor families under the Mahila Samridhi Yojana.

While the concerned departments will map the eligible women as and when the process is finalised, Delhi has 72.37 lakh women above the age of 18 years, based on the electoral rolls.

For women to enjoy the benefits of the scheme, they need to be registered voters in Delhi.

A similar scheme was also approved by the last government of the Aam Aadmi Party, but it could not be implemented and the party was voted out.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

The AAP government had calculated the estimated number of eligible women at 45 lakh as it excluded all those who were either taxpayers, elected leaders, government employees, or already enrolled in a government scheme.

But by excluding women from middle- and upper-middle-class families, the total beneficiaries are expected to be around 20-25 lakh, an official said based on estimates. This can also change depending upon what is defined as poor. This is just an estimate," the official said.

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 08, 2025, 19:29 IST
Betrayed, Framed, Jailed: Revisiting Bollywood Actor's UAE Ordeal Amid Ranya Rao Gold Smuggling Row

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 15:05 IST

Chrisann Pereira and Ranya Rao have both made headlines for their alleged involvement in international smuggling cases, however, their situations are worlds apart

Chrisann Pereira and Ranya Rao

Two Indian actresses, two smuggling allegations, but starkly different stories. Chrisann Pereira and Ranya Rao have both made headlines for their alleged involvement in international smuggling cases, however, their situations are worlds apart.

While Pereira was proven to be an innocent victim, Ranya Rao is now under investigation for alleged involvement in a large-scale gold smuggling operation. The two cases, though seemingly similar at first glance, highlight vastly different circumstances and legal proceedings.

Recommended Stories

CHRISANN PEREIRA: A VICTIM OF DECEPTION

In April 2023, Bollywood actress Chrisann Pereira was apprehended at the Sharjah airport in the UAE after authorities discovered drugs hidden inside a trophy she was carrying. Known for her performance in Sadak 2, Pereira had travelled to Dubai under the impression that she was attending an audition for a Hollywood web series. Unfortunately, the supposed opportunity turned out to be an elaborate trap set up by Mumbai-based baker Anthony Paul, who planted drugs in the trophy she carried.

Subsequent investigations disclosed that Paul had orchestrated the entire scheme as an act of revenge against Pereiras mother over a petty dispute. This disagreement reportedly revolved around financial issues and a long-standing animosity that Paul held against the Pereira family. What made the case even more shocking was the meticulous planning that went into framing her.

Paul, a neighbour of the Pereira family, carefully devised the plot to frame Chrisann by gaining her trust and convincing her that the audition was genuine. He handed her the trophy, claiming it was a requirement for the supposed film role, ensuring that she would unknowingly transport the concealed contraband.

Paul and his accomplice, Rajesh Damodar, targeted at least four other individuals in similar drug-smuggling setups. Their modus operandi involved luring people with false promises of career opportunities or financial incentives, deceiving them into carrying drugs overseas. Their scheme was finally exposed after Pereiras family and the Mumbai Police diligently pursued the case, leading to Pauls arrest.

Upon her arrival in the UAE, Pereira found herself stranded with no contacts. When she sought help from the authorities, the concealed drugs were uncovered, resulting in her arrest. She spent months in a prison in Sharjah, enduring immense mental and emotional turmoil. It was only after sustained efforts from her family and intervention from Indian authorities that the truth came to light.

Mumbai Police uncovered evidence proving Anthony Paul had set her up, and after his arrest, Chrisann was finally released and allowed to return to India, clearing her name.

RANYA RAO: A WEB OF SMUGGLING ALLEGATIONS

Unlike Chrisann Pereira, who was an innocent pawn in a larger conspiracy, Ranya Rao, a Kannada actress, is now at the centre of a major gold smuggling investigation. On March 3, 2025, the actress was apprehended at Bengalurus Kempegowda International Airport for attempting to smuggle 14.8 kilograms of gold, valued at approximately Rs 12.56 crore.

Authorities revealed that Rao had made at least 30 trips to Dubai in the past year, allegedly transporting gold on each occasion. Further inquiries revealed that her smuggling network was not limited to Dubai; she had also travelled extensively to Europe, the United States, and the Middle East, raising suspicions that she was part of a well-organised international smuggling syndicate.

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) reported that she had used sophisticated methods to conceal the contrabandhiding gold bars by taping them to her thighs and waist, and wearing custom-made belts and jackets with hidden compartments.

Further scrutiny of her activities uncovered links to airport security personnel, including a police constable named Basavaraj, who is alleged to have assisted her in evading security checks. Following her arrest, law enforcement officials conducted a search of her residence in Bengaluru, confiscating gold jewellery valued at Rs 2.06 crore and cash totalling Rs 2.67 crore, which brings the overall worth of the seized assets to Rs 17.29 crore.

Ranya Rao has been remanded to 14-day judicial custody following the arrest. Her stepfather, DGP Ramachandra Rao, has distanced himself from her, stating that she lived separately and had no links to his professional career.

A TALE OF TWO CASES

The cases of Chrisann Pereira and Ranya Rao illustrate two vastly different narratives in the realm of international smuggling allegations. Pereiras ordeal was a tragic case of deception, resulting in her unjust imprisonment before she was ultimately cleared of all charges.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

In contrast, Raos situation paints a far more complex picture. It has been revealed that Rao has admitted to the crime during her statement to the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). CNN-News18 has learnt that in her first statement to the DRI, Ranya Rao admitted that 17 pieces of gold bar were recovered from her possession.

The case, touted as one of the biggest gold seizures in Karnataka, has also brought increased scrutiny on Raos husband, Jatin Hukkeri. Police have alleged that he frequently travelled with the actress to Dubai, from where she allegedly smuggled gold.

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 08, 2025, 11:28 IST
Blue-Collar Jobs Promising Rs 3.5 Lakh Salary: Kerala Man Killed In Jordan Was Victim Of Job Scam

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 18:05 IST

According to Pereras brother-in-law, Edison Charlas, who was with him during the incident and was injured in the shooting, the two men had been deceived by an agent

Thomas Gabriel and his relative Edison were shot at Jordan border in the Karak district.

Thomas Gabriel Perera, a man from Kerala who was allegedly shot dead by Jordanian soldiers while trying to cross into Israel illegally, was reportedly a victim of a job scam. He was reportedly lured to Jordan with promises of high-paying blue-collar jobs that could earn over Rs 3 lakh a month.

According to Pereras brother-in-law, Edison Charlas, who was with him during the incident and was injured in the shooting, the two men had been deceived by an agent. The agent had promised them high-paying jobs in Jordan, assuring them they could earn Rs 3,50,000 a month.

Recommended Stories

Both Perera and Charlas used to work as auto-rickshaw drivers in Kerala

Charlas, while speaking with the BBC, revealed that he paid Rs 2,10,000 before leaving India and another $600 after they arrived in Jordan. However, upon reaching Amman, the capital of Jordan, they were told there were no jobs available.

The agent then suggested they try to cross into Israel illegally, claiming that there are many job opportunities there. With no options left and desperate for work, Perera and Charlas, along with two other men, decided to cross the border.

On February 10, the four men, who had entered Jordan on a three-month visit visa, were intercepted by the Jordanian army at the border. As they tried to escape, the soldiers opened fire.

Perera was shot in the head and died on the spot, while Charlas was shot in the leg and taken to a Jordanian hospital. After receiving medical treatment, Charlas was eventually repatriated to India.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

Meanwhile, Pereras family has appealed to Indian authorities for assistance in bringing his remains back home. On Tuesday, senior BJP leader V Muraleedharan also urged External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to intervene and facilitate the repatriation of the body.

ALSO READ: Jaishankars Help Sought To Facilitate Mortal Remains Of Man Killed While Crossing Into Israel

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 : Kerala, India, India

First Published: March 08, 2025, 16:47 IST
Bodies Of Three Missing Civilians, Including A Teen, Found In J&K's Kathua

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 20:55 IST

The bodies were sighted in Ishu Nallah in Malhar area by drones during a joint search operation by the police and Army

The civilians had been missing since Thursday night following which a large-scale search operation was launched in the Lohai Malhar area of Kathua district to locate them.

The bodies of three civilians, including a teenager, who went missing while on their way to attend a wedding, were found in Kathua district, Jammu and Kashmir, on Saturday.

The bodies of Varun Singh (15) of Dehota, his uncle Yogesh Singh (32) and maternal uncle Darshan Singh (40) were sighted in Ishu Nallah in Malhar area by drones during a joint search operation by the J&K police and the Indian Army this afternoon.

Recommended Stories

The bodies were later retrieved from the scene after a hectic effort as the area was steep, an official said.

The official further stated that a preliminary investigation has ruled out a terror angle, as there were no visible signs of injury on the bodies. The exact cause of death will be determined after a postmortem.

The civilians had been missing since Thursday night following which a large-scale search operation was launched in the Lohai Malhar area of Kathua district to locate them. The Indian Army, along with the Jammu and Kashmir Polices Special Operations Group (SOG), conducted the joint manhunt.

Locals in the area had said the three civilians disappeared around 8:30 p.m on Thursday. They had left home to attend a wedding in the Billawar area. The wedding party was travelling from Dehota village of Billawar to Surag village in Lohai Malhar.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

In a similar civilians missing incident in February, the bodies of two villagers, Shamsher (37) and Roshan (45), were found in the village of Kohag in Billawar. However, their postmortem later revealed they had been strangled to death.

(With inputs from agencies)

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 : Jammu and Kashmir, India, India

First Published: March 08, 2025, 17:07 IST
Chess Player To Nuclear Scientist: PM Modi's X Handle Pays Digital Tribute To 'Nari Shakti' On Women's Day

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 13:37 IST

International Women's Day: PM Modi paid a similar digital tribute to women achievers in 2020, marking the occasion of Women's Day.

Chess Grandmaster Vaishali (L), Nuclear scientist Elina Mishra and Space scientist Shilpi Soni (R) | Image/X@Narendramodi

International Womens Day: Prime Minister Narendra paid tribute to Nari Shakti" in a unique style on International Womens Day, handing over his social media properties to women achievers for the day.

Chess Grandmaster Vaishali, nuclear scientist Elina Mishra and space scientist Shilpi Soni, among others, have taken over the Prime Ministers social media accounts, posting a series of tweets to share their thrill" of taking over the responsibility.

Recommended Stories

PM Modi shared a short video on X, reaffirming his governments dedication towards womens empowerment through several women-centric initiatives and schemes.

We bow to our Nari Shakti on #WomensDay! Our Government has always worked to empower women, reflecting in our schemes and programmes. Today, as promised, my social media properties will be taken over by women who are making a mark in diverse fields," PM Modi said in an X post.

We bow to our Nari Shakti on #WomensDay! Our Government has always worked for empowering women, reflecting in our schemes and programmes. Today, as promised, my social media properties will be taken over by women who are making a mark in diverse fields! pic.twitter.com/yf8YMfq63i Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 8, 2025

He further mentioned the names of the six women achievers who are taking over his social media properties on the occasion of Internation Womens Day: Vaishali Rameshbabu from Chennai, Tamil Nadu, Dr Anjlee Agarwal from Delhi, Anita Devi from Nalanda, Bihar, Elina Mishra from Bhubaneswar, Odisha, Ajaita Shah hailing from Rajasthan, and Shilpi Soni from Sagar, Madhya Pradesh.

Each of these exceptional women embodies the spirit of Nari Shakti, demonstrating that women are not just participants but pioneers in shaping Viksit Bharat. Their remarkable contributions reinforce the idea that Indian women are breaking barriers, achieving excellence, and shaping the countrys future," he added.

PM Modis X Timeline

Chess Grandmaster Vaishali was the first among other women achievers who took over PM Modis social media accounts today. Vaishali, the elder sister of chess prodigy Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, has won many titles, including the Womens Grand Swiss Tournament 2023.

I am Vaishali and I am thrilled to be taking over our PM Narendra Modi Jis social media properties and that too on #WomensDay. As many of you would know, I play chess and I feel very proud to be representing our beloved country in many tournaments," she wrote on PM Modis X handle.

She further gave a special message to all the women, urging them to follow their dreams by overcoming the hurdles in life. Your passion will power your success," she said.

She also urged parents and siblings to support girls and trust their abilities.

Vanakkam!I am @chessvaishali and I am thrilled to be taking over our PM Thiru @narendramodi Jis social media properties and that too on #WomensDay. As many of you would know, I play chess and I feel very proud to be representing our beloved country in many tournaments. pic.twitter.com/LlYTmqE2MQ  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 8, 2025

Elina Mishra And Shilpi Soni

Nuclear scientist Elina Mishra and space scientist Shilpi Soni also took over PM Modis account on International Womens Day, sharing a series of posts about the excitement of handling such a responsibility and insights into their lives.

Our message- India is the most vibrant place for science and thus, we call upon more women to pursue it," they tweeted.

Mishra hails from Bhubaneswar, while Soni is from Sagar, Madhya Pradesh. Mishra shared that her aspiration to work in science was realized when she was chosen for a position at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in Mumbai. On the other hand, Soni expressed that joining ISRO after a brief time at DRDO has been the fulfilment of her long-held dream.

Mishra wrote: I was fortunate enough to be associated with a group working in the field of electromagnetism, accelerator physics and technology. I was associated with the development of magnetic and RF (Radio Frequency) characterisation of Drift Tube Linac cavities for Low Energy High-Intensity Proton Accelerator (LEHIPA)."

Soni tweeted: After a stint at DRDO, it was a dream come true to work with ISRO, where I have contributed towards the design, development and induction of state-of-the-art RF and Microwave subsystem technologies for more than 35 communication and navigation mission of ISRO over the last 24 fruitful years."

Space technology, nuclear technology and women empowermentWe are Elina Mishra, a nuclear scientist and Shilpi Soni, a space scientist and we are thrilled to be helming the PMs social media properties on #WomensDay. Our message- India is the most vibrant place for science pic.twitter.com/G2Qi0j0LKS  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 8, 2025

Anita Devi From Nalanda

Another woman given the chance to manage the Prime Ministers social media accounts is entrepreneur Anita Devi from a village in Nalanda district, Bihar. Nine years ago, she founded her own startup, Madhopur Farmers Producer Company Limited.

Today, I am working to take my family forward through mushroom production. I have not only made my path easier but have also made hundreds of women self-reliant by giving them employment opportunities. Now my company also provides essential items like fertilizers, seeds and pesticides to farmers at cheap rates. Today, hundreds of women working in this company are getting a life of self-respect along with livelihood," she tweeted.

  ,                      ,       2016             -        9     pic.twitter.com/DFrQ8sDJd2 Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 8, 2025

Ajaita Shah: Social Entrepreneur

Ajaita Shah, Founder and CEO of Frontier Markets, was the fourth woman to be given the responsibility of handling the Prime Ministers social media accounts on Womens Day.

She is transforming rural entrepreneurship by empowering over 35,000 digitally enabled women entrepreneurs. Her initiative helps these women become self-reliant business owners and last-mile distributors of essential goods and services, bridging the gap between rural markets and economic growth.

A financially empowered woman is a confident decision-maker, independent thinker, architect of her own future and a maker of modern India! And, our nation is taking the lead in building financially empowered women," she wrote from PM Modis X handle.

A financially empowered woman is a confident decision-maker, independent thinker, architect of her own future and a maker of modern India! And, our nation is taking the lead in building financially empowered women.I, @Ajaita_Shah, am really delighted to be handling PM pic.twitter.com/Jx0ony2hwS  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 8, 2025

Anjlee Agarwal

Another woman given the job to take over PM Modis social media properties was Anjlee Agarwal, a leading advocate for universal accessibility. She is the founder of Samarthyam Centre for Universal Accessibility. With a career spanning three decades, she has dedicated her life to ensuring inclusive mobility and barrier-free infrastructure.

Her efforts have been instrumental in making schools and public spaces across India more accessible for people with disabilities.

Lets ensure that every woman, every individual, can navigate their life with dignity and independence. Let us build on the recent gains and improve lives for persons with disabilities," she wrote on X.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

Namaste India and Happy #WomensDay.I am Dr. @access_anjlee, founder of @samarthyam Centre for Universal Accessibility. Through PM @narendramodis social media handle, which I have the honour of taking over today, I want to ignite a spark of transformation, and seek a call to pic.twitter.com/HTTgSYHpZd Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 8, 2025

PM Modi paid a similar digital tribute to women achievers by letting them take over his social media properties for a day in 2020, marking the occasion of Womens Day.

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

First Published: March 08, 2025, 11:19 IST
Delhi Cabinet Approves Rs 2,500 Monthly Cash Scheme For Women On International Women's Day

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 16:00 IST

The BJP had campaigned in Delhi on the promise of providing cash aid of Rs 2,500 to women. CM Rekha Gupta said a provision of Rs 5,100 crore has been allocated for the implementation of the scheme,

Delhi CM Rekha Gupta announced the Cabinet approval of the 'Mahila Samriddhi Yojana'. (PTI/File)

In a big move, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Delhi made good on its promise as it approved the Mahila Samriddhi Yojana to disburse a monthly cash aid of Rs 2,500 for women in the national capital, announced Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday.

The much-anticipated approval came on the occasion of International Womens Day being celebrated across the nation today. Speaking to reporters, CM Rekha Gupta said, On the occasion of International Womens Day, we called a cabinet meeting. Our cabinet has approved the scheme  the promise that we made during the Delhi elections to provide Rs 2,500 to women."

Recommended Stories

The Cabinet also greenlit a Rs 5,100 crore allocation in the Delhi budget for the implementation of the Mahila Samriddhi Yojana. A committee has been formed under the chairmanship of the Delhi CM for the implementation of the scheme and a portal will also be launched soon, Gupta further said.

#WATCH | Delhi government approves Mahila Samridhi Yojana to provide Rs 2500 to women | Delhi CM Rekha Gupta says, Today is Womens Day. We had our cabinet meeting today, and our cabinet has approved the scheme  the promise that we made during the Delhi elections to provide pic.twitter.com/SNuhRAv7PY ANI (@ANI) March 8, 2025

Mahila Samriddhi Yojana: What It Entails?

According to an official statement, the Rs 5,100 crore yearly scheme will provide direct financial assistance to women in Delhi and is a major step towards ensuring economic stability and social upliftment for women, especially those from poor families.

The committee, chaired by Rekha Gupta, also includes Cabinet ministers Pravesh Sahib Singh, Ashish Sood and Kapil Mishra. The scheme will leverage advanced technology to ensure transparency, efficiency, and seamless disbursement of financial benefits, said the government.

ALSO READ: Delhi Mahila Samriddhi Scheme: Check Eligibility For Rs 2,500 Monthly Aid, Heres How You Can Apply

This initiative is a step towards fulfilling our promise to the women of Delhi. By providing direct financial assistance, we are ensuring economic security, greater independence, and empowerment for women across the city. This scheme is not just financial benefit but a commitment to building a stronger, more self-reliant community of women in Delhi," the statement further read.

The Rekha Gupta-led government plans to extend the benefits of the scheme using Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), under which the beneficiaries will get the amount directly into their bank accounts. Aadhaar-based e-KYC will also be used in these transactions.

All women, between 18 and 60 years of age, who do not have government jobs and are beneficiaries of other financial assistance schemes of the government are eligible for the benefits of the scheme.

BJP Vs AAP On Cash Aid For Women

Hours before the announcement, Leader of Opposition Atishi had raked up the issue and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of not fulfilling the promises made during the election campaign in the national capital.

Posting an International Womens Day wish, the former chief minister said Delhi women must be waiting for it today. All the women of Delhi are staring at their phones today, waiting for the message of the money being deposited in their bank accounts," Atishi said.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

In response, the BJP said these statements are a result of AAPs political frustration after being handed a bruising defeat in the Delhi Assembly elections last month. BJP Delhi Chief Virendraa Sachdeva accused AAP leaders of creating a drama to divert the attention of the public from the CAG reports related to their corruption".

The BJP had announced that the Mahila Samriddhi Yojana would be rolled out on March 8, which marks International Womens Day. PM Modi had said the scheme would be launched in the first Cabinet meeting of the newly-formed Delhi government, terming it Modi ki Guarantee".

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 08, 2025, 15:29 IST
Bihar Police Orders Crackdown On People Playing Vulgar Bhojpuri Songs In Public: 'Embarrassing For Women'

Published By :

PTI

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 20:54 IST

Bihar police said playing "double-meaning" Bhojpuri songs in public is a "burning social problem" that imperils women's security and leads to a perversive effect on the psyche of children.

Bihar Police will take strict action against people playing 'double-meaning' Bhojpuri songs in public.

Ordering a crackdown on people playing double-meaning" Bhojpuri songs in public, the Bihar Police said it was a burning social problem" that imperilled womens security, besides having a perversive effect on the psyche of children.

A circular issued by the state Police Headquarters said those playing these songs at public functions, buses, trucks and auto-rickshaws will be booked under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Samhita.

Recommended Stories

The circular, issued on Friday, was sent to all Inspector Generals (IGs), Deputy Inspector Generals (DIGs) and the railway police.

A special drive must be carried out across the state to identify those who indulge in such activities and promote vulgar and double-meaning Bhojpuri songs. It becomes embarrassing for women when they hear such vulgar and double-meaning Bhojpuri songs at public places, functions, buses, trucks and auto rickshaws," it said.

Sometimes they feel insecure also when such songs are played. Strict action should be taken against those who are caught violating the directive in this regard," it added. The issue was earlier raised in the assembly as well.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

Congress MLA Pratima Kumari had raised the issue in the assembly two years back, demanding action against those who promote such songs.

The state government had assured legislators that strict action would be taken against those who promote obscene and double meaning" Bhojpuri songs in films and on social media.

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 08, 2025, 20:53 IST
India Downplays Trump Remarks, Says Tariff Reduction In Line With Past Agreements: Source

Reported By :

CNN-News18 Edited By: Yimkumla Longkumer



Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 20:45 IST

On Friday, Trump criticised Indias tariff rates, claiming that they were "massive" and restrictive, making it difficult for the US to sell products in India

US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi shake hands as they attend a joint press conference at the White House in Washington, DC, US. (IMAGE: REUTERS)

A day after US President Donald Trump announced that India has agreed to cut its tariffs, a government source on Saturday said that this move is not an extraordinary step" but rather part of a broader pattern, as India has undertaken similar tariff reductions with other developed countries in the past.

The source told News18 that if India agrees to reduce tariffs as per US requests, it should not be seen as an exceptional action. India has already made similar agreements with countries like Australia, the UAE, Switzerland, and Norway," the source added.

Recommended Stories

On Friday, Trump criticised Indias tariff rates, claiming that they were massive" and restrictive, making it difficult for the US to sell products in India.

Trump also stated that India had agreed to reduce tariffs way down," claiming his administration was exposing" countries like India for such practices. Theyve agreed, by the way, they want to cut their tariffs way down now because somebodys finally exposing them for what theyve done," he added, also including China and the European Union in his criticisms.

ALSO READ: What Are Reciprocal Tariffs, How Can They Impact India, Its US Exports? All You Need To Know

In response, the government source reiterated that discussions on tariffs and other trade issues were ongoing, and that Indias position aligned with the negotiations it had conducted with other developed countries.

Multi-Sector Bilateral Trade Agreement

In February, India and the US had agreed to begin talks on a multi-sector Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) by the autumn. Prime Minister Modi and President Trump had also agreed to appoint senior representatives to advance these discussions.

They were to work towards increasing market access, reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers and deepening supply chain integration," the source said.

During Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyals visit to Washington this week, discussions on tariffs were part of the ongoing negotiations.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

The source added that talks on tariffs and other trade issues raised during the Prime Ministers visit to Washington in February were still ongoing. There are specifics which have been mentioned on various issues as part of the negotiation It is also natural that both countries have their interests and sensitivities. These are legitimate matters for a discussion," it said.

Additionally, similar negotiations have already been conducted with the European Union and the United Kingdom, adding that the ongoing discussions with the US should therefore be seen in this context.

About the Author Siddhant Mishra Siddhant Mishra is a Senior Special Correspondent at CNN-News18, covering foreign affairs and international relations. With over 12 years of experience in journalism, he has also reported extensively on crime, ... Read More Siddhant Mishra is a Senior Special Correspondent at CNN-News18, covering foreign affairs and international relations. With over 12 years of experience in journalism, he has also reported extensively on crime, ... Read More

First Published: March 08, 2025, 19:46 IST
Kerala Lottery Results LIVE: Karunya KR-696 Winners For March 8, 2025 Soon; First Prize Rs 80 Lakh!

Published By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 09:00 IST

Kerala Lottery Result Guessing Numbers: Check the Live Updates and full list of winning numbers for Karunya KR-696 lucky draw for Saturday, March 8, 2025 here from 3 pm.

Kerala Lottery Karunya KR-696 Results: The first prize winner of Karunya KR-696 will get Rs 80 lakh. (Image: Shutterstock)

KERALA LOTTERY KARUNYA KR-696 RESULT ON SATURDAY, 8.3.2025, LIVE UPDATES: The Kerala State Lottery Department will announce the results of the Karunya KR-696 lucky draw on Saturday, March 8. At 3 PM, the lottery draw will take place at Gorky Bhavan, which is close to Bakery Junction in Thiruvananthapuram. The first place winner will receive a cash award of Rs 80 lakh. The second-place finisher will get Rs 5 lakh, and the third-place finisher will get Rs 1 lakh. Check the Live Updates and Full List of Winning Numbers here from 3 pm.

KERALA LOTTERY KARUNYA KR-696 GUESSING NUMBERS

Recommended Stories

6327 6372 6237 6273

6732 6723 3627 3672

3267 3276 3762 3726

2637 2673 2367 2376

2763 2736 7632 7623

7362 7326 7263 7236

KARUNYA KR-696 LOTTERY: PRIZE STRUCTURE

1st Prize: Rs 80 Lakh

2nd Prize: Rs. 5 Lakh

3rd Prize: Rs. 1 Lakh

4th Prize: Rs. 5,000

5th Prize: Rs. 2,000

6th Prize: Rs. 1,000

7th Prize: Rs. 500

8th Prize: Rs. 100

Consolation Prize: Rs. 8,000

FULL LIST OF WINNING NUMBERS FOR KARUNYA KR-696 LOTTERY

WINNING NUMBER FOR 1ST PRIZE OF RS 80 LAKH IS: Result at 3 pm

WINNING NUMBER FOR 2ND PRIZE OF RS 5 LAKH IS: To be announced

WINNING NUMBER FOR 3RD PRIZE OF RS 1 LAKH ARE: To be announced

WINNING NUMBERS FOR CONSOLATION PRIZE OF RS 8,000 ARE: To be announced

WINNING NUMBERS FOR 4TH PRIZE OF RS 5,000 ARE: To be announced

WINNING NUMBERS FOR 5TH PRIZE OF RS 2,000 ARE: To be announced

WINNING NUMBERS FOR 6TH PRIZE OF RS 1,000 ARE: To be announced

WINNING NUMBERS FOR 7TH PRIZE OF RS 500 ARE: To be announced

WINNING NUMBERS FOR 8TH PRIZE OF RS 100 ARE: To be announced

HOW TO CONFIRM KARUNYA KR- 696 LOTTERY RESULTS?

Visit the official website, keralalottery.info, to view the Kerala Karunya KR-696 Lottery results. To confirm the winning numbers, go to the Kerala Government Gazette office. Reliable official sources guarantee accurate and reliable lottery information.

HOW TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE MONEY

Verify that the winning numbers on your tickets match those in the Kerala Government Gazette.

To be eligible for a prize, your ticket number must precisely match the winning numbers that have been announced.

The Kerala Lottery offices in Thiruvananthapuram is where you can pick up your winnings.

You have 30 days from the draw date to collect your prize.

To get the prize, show the winning ticket and a legitimate ID.

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED TO CLAIM PRIZE MONEY

Submit a copy of the winning ticket that has been self-attested by the winner and signed on both sides. Pictures the size of a passport that have been approved and signed by a gazetted official. A signed copy of the participants PAN card. Fill out the prize claim form online, include a revenue stamp and submit it. Current proof of identity, such as a voter ID, PAN card, Aadhaar card or ration card.

HOW TO DOWNLOAD A PDF WITH THE FULL LIST OF WINNING NUMBERS:

Go to keralalotteries.info or keralalotteryresult.net, the official websites of the Kerala Lottery Department.

To view the Karunya KR-696 lottery results, click the link.

Your screen will show you the winning numbers.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

Locate and click the download option on the website.

To save the lottery results in PDF format, click the download link given.

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 08, 2025, 09:00 IST
SEOUL - South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was released Saturday after spending 52 days in detention over his brief imposition of martial law last December, a day after a court ruled his confinement illegal.

Yoon waved to his supporters as he walked out of the Seoul Detention Center, where he had been held on charges of inciting an insurrection by declaring martial law on the night of Dec. 3, which remained in effect for only six hours.

"First and foremost, I would like to express my gratitude to the judges of the (Seoul) Central District Court for their courage and determination in rectifying this injustice," Yoon said before thanking his supporters.

Yoon, who was indicted on Jan. 26, was released shortly after the country's Prosecutor General Shim Woo Jung decided not to appeal the court decision. He is still expected to stand trial over the charges.

The prosecution said in a statement that the Seoul Central District Court's finding -- that the indictment was filed after the expiration of the initial detention period -- was "absolutely unacceptable."

An anti-corruption body that led the investigation with police expressed regret that it was unable to seek a ruling from a higher court on issues such as the calculation of the detention period.

Yoon is also currently waiting for a Constitutional Court verdict on whether to impeach or reinstate him, which is widely expected next week.

Related coverage:

South Korea court approves release of President Yoon from detention

Acting South Korea president hopeful for "new chapter" with Japan

51% of Japanese feel relations with South Korea are "good": survey
Kerala Man Dies After Swallowing 2 Packets Of MDMA Drug To Evade Police

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 20:45 IST

Iyyadan Shanid, 28, swallowed two packets of MDMA to evade police check but was arrested and sent to custody. He was taken to a hospital, where his condition deteriorated during treatment and he died.

Iyyadan Shanid (R) died after swallowing two MDMA packets in Kozhikode. (IANS)

A man died after allegedly swallowing two packets of MDMA drug to escape a police check in Keralas Kozhikode, as per reports. The incident took place in Ambayathode on Friday after a police operation to probe the use of drugs in the area.

The man, identified as Iyyadan Shanid, 28, had swallowed two packets of MDMA after he spotted the police. He also tried to escape the police by running away from the spot but was apprehended and taken into custody.

Recommended Stories

He later told the police that he had swallowed two zip covers filled with the drug to avoid the police check and was taken to the General Hospital in Thamarassery. He was later shifted to Kozhikode Medical College, where doctors recommended immediate surgery to remove the packets.

Radiological tests confirmed the presence of two packets in Shanids stomach. Despite receiving medical attention, his condition deteriorated, and he passed away on Saturday. The police have registered a case of unnatural death and are awaiting the postmortem report.

Before his death, police had registered a case against him for drug trafficking. The quantity of the drugs Shahid consumed were unknown until a post-mortem report. An investigation was underway.

Shanid had been previously apprehended for drug-related offenses. His death came at a time when Kozhikode is emerging as a hub for drug trafficking, prompting frequent police checks.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

Wayanad and Kozhikode, both popular tourist destinations, have witnessed a rise in the availability and use of both synthetic and non-synthetic drugs, particularly among visitors from neighbouring states.

(with IANS inputs)

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 : Kozhikode, India, India

First Published: March 08, 2025, 20:44 IST
MP CM Mohan Yadav Says Will Create Provision For Death Penalty For Religious Conversion Of Girls

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 17:52 IST

CM Mohan Yadav said his government wont spare those behind illegal conversions and rapes of minors, during a programme organised to mark International Women's Day.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav (File photo)

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said on Saturday that his government would make a provision for the death penalty for religious conversion of girls, along the lines of punishment for rape of minors.

Yadav made the announcement at a programme organised here to mark International Womens Day.

Recommended Stories

The government is very strict against those who rape innocent daughters. A provision for the death penalty has been made in this regard. Besides this, a provision for capital punishment will also be made in the Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act for religious conversion," he said.

Yadav said the state wont spare those behind illegal conversions.

The government has resolved that it will deal strictly with such evil practices and wrongdoings," he said.

Later, Yadav said on X that the Madhya Pradesh government is dedicated to the protection and self-respect of daughters.

After (provision for) death penalty for those who rape (our) daughters, now provision for capital punishment will also be made in Madhya Pradesh for those who convert daughters," he said.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

During the Womens Day event in Bhopal, the CM also digitally transferred Rs 1,552.73 crore to the accounts of more than 1.27 crore beneficiaries of Ladli Behna Yojana, a monthly financial assistance scheme for women.

He also transferred a grant of Rs 55.95 crore to over 26 lakh eligible beneficiaries under the LPG Cylinder Refill Scheme, under which a subsidy of Rs 450 is provided per cylinder a month.

Location : Bhopal, India, India

First Published: March 08, 2025, 17:52 IST
NTPC Official Shot Dead In Jharkhand's Hazaribagh, Search Launched To Nab Accused

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 14:52 IST

An NTPC Deputy General Manager was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Jharkhand's Hazaribagh district. The police have launched an investigation to arrest the culprits.

A representative photo for shot dead (PTI)

An official of the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Jharkhand on Saturday morning. The incident happened in the Hazaribagh district of the state.

The official was identified as 42-year-old Kumar Gaurav, posted as deputy general manager (dispatch) at NTPCs Keredari coal mines project.

Recommended Stories

According to Hazaribagh Superintendent of Police (SP) Arvind Kumar Singh, Gaurav was shot near Fatah Chowk under the Katkamdag Police Station limits. He was on his way to the coal mine site at the time of the incident.

Gaurav was rushed to a private hospital soon after the incident, where he was declared brought dead.

SP Singh said an investigation into the case was underway and a search operation had been initiated to arrest the criminals, news agency PTI quoted.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

Later, commenting on the incident, Coal Mining chief Kamla Ramzad said, I cannot provide much information about the incident, but I have learned that a gunshot was fired and Kumar Gourav, who was on the spot, died there."

The deceased hailed from Nalanda in Bihar.

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 08, 2025, 14:52 IST
PM Modi To Attend Mauritius National Day As Chief Guest, Sign Several Pacts During Visit

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 21:04 IST

A contingent of Indian defence forces will participate in the national-day celebrations of Mauritius, along with a ship from the Indian Navy

PM Narendra Modi (Image: X/narendramodi)

India and Mauritius will sign several pacts providing for cooperation in the areas of capacity building, trade and to tackle cross-border financial crimes during Prime Minister Narendra Modis two-day visit to the country from Tuesday.

Modi is travelling to Mauritius primarily to grace the island nations national-day celebrations as the chief guest on March 12.

Recommended Stories

At a media briefing, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Saturday that the two sides will sign several agreements in the fields of capacity building, bilateral trade, tackling cross-border financial crimes and promoting small and medium enterprises.

The visit will enable both sides to take stock of the bilateral ties and provide orientation to engagement in the coming months and years, he said.

Describing Mauritius as a close maritime neighbour, Misri said India has been privileged to be a preferred development partner for the island nation.

In the last 10 years, the relationship has deepened significantly, he said.

A contingent of Indian defence forces will participate in the national-day celebrations of Mauritius, along with a ship from the Indian Navy.

India has close and longstanding relations with Mauritius, an island nation in the Western Indian Ocean.

A key reason for the special ties is the fact that Indian-origin people comprise nearly 70 per cent of the island nations population of 1.2 million (12 lakh).

Since 2005, India has been among the largest trading partners of Mauritius.

For the financial year 2022-2023, Indian exports to Mauritius were USD 462 million, while Mauritian exports to India were USD 91.5 million.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

The total trade volume was USD 554 million.

Trade has grown by 132 per cent in the last 17 years, from USD 206 million in 2005-06 to USD 554 million in 2022-23, according to official data.

First Published: March 08, 2025, 20:40 IST
'Reported Just 90 Minutes Before Departure': Air India On 82-Year-Old Woman Injured After Allegedly Denied Wheelchair

Reported By :

News18.com Edited By: Mohammad Haris



Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 14:42 IST

'The said passenger, travelling with her family members, had arrived at the departure terminal much later than the recommended 2 hours before departure,' says Air India in a statement.

Unfortunately, the woman fell near a counter of the airline, causing head injuries, a bleeding nose, and a cut on her upper lip and tongue. (X)

Responding to the reports of a lady being seriously injured following a fall at the Delhi airport after she was allegedly denied wheelchair that was pre-booked with Air India, the Tata group-owned airline on Saturday said family members reported at the desk less than 90 minutes before the scheduled time of departure to request for a wheelchair, and a wheelchair could not be made available due to the unprecedented peak demand at that hour.

According to reports, an 82-year-old woman is in an ICU, under observation for potential brain bleeds, following a fall at the Delhi airport after she was allegedly denied a wheelchair which was pre-booked with Air India. After waiting for an hour for the wheelchair, the woman  the widow of a decorated Lieutenant General  had to walk a considerable distance at the airport with the help of a family member and fell near a counter of the airline when her legs gave way.

Recommended Stories

Responding to this, Air India on Saturday said, There are allegations on media platforms that an elderly lady suffered grievous injuries at the Delhi airport on account of Air India. While we fully empathise with the lady and wish her a swift recovery, we would like to state the following based on our investigation."

The said passenger, travelling with her family members, had arrived at the departure terminal much later than the recommended 2 hours before departure. Family members/relatives accompanying the passenger had reported at the PRM(Person with Reduced Mobility) desk located near Air Indias ticketing office less than 90 minutes before the scheduled time of departure to request for a wheelchair, it added.

It added, Due to the unprecedented peak demand at that hour, a wheelchair could not be made available within the 15 minutes that the passengers relatives spent waiting for it. The claims of the passenger having waited for an hour for the wheelchair are baseless."

On their own accord, the passenger decided to walk along with those accompanying her. She unfortunately suffered a fall in the airport premises. Upon noticing the incident, officials of the Delhi Airport, as well as the airport doctor on duty immediately attended to her and administered first aid, it added.

Doctors Offer For Medical Attention Not Accepted

Air India stated that the family members did not accepted the addtional medical attention and insisted on continuing their travel to Bengaluru.

We understand that the doctors offer for additional medical attention was not accepted and the guests family members insisted on continuing their travel to Bengaluru. Through this process, Air India staff were courteous, escorted them from immediate check-in through to priority security check and boarding. The passenger was also provided all possible care during the flight from Delhi to Bengaluru," the airline said.

Guest Escorted By Air India Staff

Air India said, Upon reaching Bengaluru, as requested by the family members, the guest was escorted by our staff for further medical attention in the Bengaluru Airport premises, and later also escorted until the drop-off point."

At no point was the wheelchair or any assistance denied to the passenger. Air Indias staff cooperated with the guests through their journey. We have reached out to the guests family and pray for her wellbeing, it added.

The Issue

As per the media reports, the incident took place on March 4 when the woman, widow of a Lieutenant General, was scheduled to take a flight to Bengaluru. A family member approached the assistance desk outside the airport and waited for a wheelchair for about an hour.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

However, the senior citizen lady and her grandson walked to the airport entry gate after waiting for ca onsiderable time. Unfortunately, the woman fell near a counter of the airline, causing head injuries, a bleeding nose, and a cut on her upper lip and tongue.

The womans granddaughter, Parul Kanwar, shared her ordeal on social media platform X, claiming that her grandmother was not provided first aid. She further said that her grandmother has been in the ICU for two days and the left side of her body is losing strength.

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 08, 2025, 14:17 IST
1 Dead, 16 Critically Injured In Clashes On Day 1 Of 'Free Movement' In Manipur

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 19:12 IST

Manipur saw fresh clashes and bus attacks as the Centre's free movement directive began. Security forces intervened, buses resumed, and seven banned outfit members were arrested.

Protesters block roads and burn vehicles in different parts of Manipur hills.

As the Centres free movement directive came into force in Manipur on Saturday, the ethnic violence-hit state saw clashes between groups with buses being burnt and roads being blocked. The violence led to the death of a man, while 16 people were critically injured, according to Manipur government functionaries.

Kuki protesters reportedly blocked the road leading to Senapati from Imphal and stopped a BSF convoy carrying people of the Meitei community, according to security forces. Troops and police personnel deployed there resorted to firing tear gas shells to control the situation.

Recommended Stories

The convoy was again stopped at the Keithelmanbi military colony by around 2,000-2,500 Kuki protesters, who pelted stones and set ablaze a few vehicles. This prompted the police and Army troops to control the situation once again by firing tear gas shells and baton-charging the mob.

The deceased victim was identified as Lalgun Singsit. Notably, the state that came under the Presidents rule saw fresh blocks and barricades opposing free movement in the hill districts. In December last year, the state governments attempt to resume public bus services from Imphal to Kangpokpi and Churachandpur failed when no passengers showed up at the Manipur State Transport (MST) station in Moirangkhom, Imphal.

The buses to the hill districts of Churachandpur and Senapati were flagged off from Imphal airport around 10 am without any passengers, and a large convoy of central forces, including army personnel, escorted the vehicles, they said.

The Churachandpur-bound bus reached Kangvai after crossing the Bishnupur district without any hindrance, the officials said.

The bus destined for Senapati district via Kangpokpi did not face any obstruction or blockade till Kanglatongbi in Imphal West district, they added. The state transport bus services resumed to alleviate public inconveniences and as an initiative towards bringing normalcy in the state", the officials said.

The inter-district bus services resumed after Union Home Minister Amit Shah had recently directed security forces to ensure free movement of people on all routes in Manipur from March 8 and also called for strict action against those creating obstructions.

Chairing a meeting to review the security situation of Manipur, he said the Centre remains fully committed to restoring lasting peace in the state and is providing all necessary assistance in this regard.

This was the first such meeting held after the imposition of the Presidents rule in the northeastern state, which has been witnessing ethnic violence since May 2023. Over 250 people have lost their lives in the violence.

7 Members of Banned Outfits Held

Seven members of four proscribed outfits were arrested in separate operations in Manipur, police said on Saturday. Two cadres of the banned Kangleipak Communist Party (PWG) were apprehended from Lamphel in Imphal West district on Friday, while another member of the same outfit was held near the gate of Bir Tikendrajit International Airport, a senior officer said.

They have been identified as Moirangthem Jiban Singh (27), Laishram Tiken Singh (40) and Thoudam Premkumar Singh (38), he said.

An amount of Rs 50 000 was also recovered from those who were arrested in Lamphel.

Two members of the proscribed Kanglei Yaol Kanna Lup (KYKL) were arrested on Thursday near the Lokchao river along the India-Myanmar border in the Tengnoupal district.

These members of the militant group have been identified as Keisham Naocha alias Ningsingba (38) and Ningthoujam Sanjoy (18) and handed over to the local police for necessary legal actions," an officer said.

A 24-year-old cadre of the outlawed KCP (Taibanganba), identified as Mayanglambam Borish Singh, was also arrested on Friday, he said.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

Security forces arrested another member of the banned PREPAK, identified as Ningthoujam Dhananjoy.

(With PTI 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

First Published: March 08, 2025, 14:01 IST
Telangana Tunnel Collapse: Minister Asks Officials To Use Robots In Rescue Operation

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 18:18 IST

Eight persons remained trapped inside the tunnel since February 22, after a part of it collapsed

Indian Army's Engineer Task force carries rescue operation at the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) project site where a part of the tunnel collapsed. (PTI photo)

Telangana Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Saturday directed officials to take immediate steps to deploy robots for rescue work inside the partially collapsed SLBC tunnel as fragments of the damaged Tunnel Boring Machine posed a danger to the rescue personnel.

Eight persons remained trapped inside the tunnel since February 22, after a part of it collapsed.

Recommended Stories

Reddy, who visited the tunnel site and reviewed the ongoing rescue operation with officials of different organisations, said the government would spend Rs four crores to undertake the rescue work by utilizing the services of robot experts (of a Hyderabad-based private company).

As the fragments of the huge TBM got submerged under water, soil and stones inside the tunnel, they caused a hazard to the rescue team, an official release quoted him as saying.

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, who visited the tunnel on March 2, suggested to the officials leading the rescue operation to use robots inside the tunnel if necessary, to avoid any danger to the rescue personnel.

The irrigation minister, who described the tunnel collapse as a national disaster, said the government is determined to continue the rescue operation though the conditions inside the tunnel, including low levels of oxygen, high seepage of water and the sturdy parts of TBM that got drowned in water and soil, posed challenges to the operation.

The Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) had got damaged inside the tunnel and rescue teams have been cutting its parts to reach the stranded persons. The government would fully stand by the workers and officials involved in the rescue work, the minister said. He instructed the officials to use the best technology in the world to locate the trapped persons.

Special Chief Secretary (Disaster Management) Arvind Kumar, who is supervising the rescue operation, and other officials informed the minister about its progress.

The minister discussed the hurdles faced by the operation, the reasons for lack of desired speed and the steps to be taken to overcome the challenges with officials of National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI), rat miners, robotic experts and others, the release said.

The minister thanked the officials, experts and personnel who are working hard.

He said he would again visit the tunnel site on March 11. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy would either visit the site or review the rescue operation in Hyderabad, he said.

The rescue operation has been going on amid challenging conditions, including slush and seepage of water.

The cadaver dogs deployed to locate human presence on Friday identified two possible spots for human presence and the rescue personnel have been removing the silt at those locations.

The cadaver dogs of the Kerala police joined the operation on Friday morning with rescue teams taking the canines inside the tunnel. The dogs are trained to locate missing humans and human bodies.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

The cadaver dogs of Kerala police (of the Belgian Malinois breed) can detect smell even from a depth of 15 feet, officials said.

Eight persons  engineers and labourers  have been trapped in the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) project tunnel since February 22 and experts from the NDRF, Indian Army, Navy and other agencies are making relentless efforts to pull them out to safety.

Location : Telangana, India, India

First Published: March 08, 2025, 18:14 IST
Israeli Tourist, Homestay Operator Gang-Raped In Karnataka, Co-Traveller Found Dead; 2 Arrested

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 21:48 IST

The accused also attacked three male companions of the women, pushing them into the canal, and one of their bodies was recovered from the waters this morning.

Karnataka Police have launched an investigation into the gangrape of two women, one of them Israeli, in Hampi. (IMAGE: News18)

Two womena 27-year-old female Israeli tourist and a 29-year-old female operator of a homestaywere allegedly gang-raped by three men on the banks of the popular Sanapur Lake, near Hampi in Karnataka, on Thursday night.

Sources told CNN-News18 that the incident occurred around 11:30 pm while the women were stargazing at the site. The accused also attacked three male companions, who were with the women, pushing them into the canal before committing the crime.

Recommended Stories

While Daniel from the United States and Pankaj, a traveller from Maharashtra, managed to swim to safety, Bibash from Odisha tragically drowned. Officials said that his body was recovered on Saturday morning.

Speaking about the incident to ANI, SP Koppal Dr Ram Arasiddi said that two accused have been arrested and they are searching for one more accused.

On the 6th of this month, five persons, two of them ladies and three men, were assaulted by three miscreants. They assaulted three men and sexually abused two females. Based on the complaint given by the victim, we registered an attempt to murder, robbery, and rape case, and based on the information we had, we arrested two persons  Sai Mallu and Chethan Sai, both from Gangavathi. We have to arrest one more person. They have also given his name, and we will catch him soon as well," he said.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah condemned the incident and said that all necessary measures will be taken to ensure such incidents dont take place again.

Taking to social media platform X, CM Siddaramaiah said, As soon as the incident was reported, I obtained information from the relevant police, conducted a thorough investigation, and instructed them to quickly identify the culprits."

Our government is committed to providing protection to everyone, including tourists, coming to the state. All necessary measures will be taken to ensure that such incidents do not recur," he added.

How Crime Unfolded

The 29-year-old homestay owner reported in her complaint that she and four other guests went stargazing near the Tungabhadra Left Bank Canal after dinner late that night.

Three men on a motorcycle approached them and asked where they could get petrol. When the homestay owner informed them that there was no nearby petrol pump, the men demanded Rs 100.

When the travellers refused, an argument broke out. The accused then attacked the travellers and the women, according to the complaint. They fled on their motorcycle after the crime.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

A case has been registered at the Gangavathi rural police station under sections 309(6) (theft or extortion), 311 (robbery or dacoity with the intent to cause death or grievous hurt), 64 (rape), 70(1) (gang-rape), 109 (attempt to murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

A senior police official said that a manhunt has been launched for the accused. As many as six special teams have been formed to investigate the case, he added.

Location : Karnataka, India, India

First Published: March 08, 2025, 09:49 IST
UP, Bihar Among Top States In Conviction Rate In Cases Of Crimes Against Women

Written By :

News18.com Edited By: Apoorva Misra



Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 13:58 IST

Andhra Pradesh and Assam were the worst-performing states where not even five out of 100 cases with completed trials saw conviction in 2022

The data from National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), last available for 2022, shows that India's average conviction rate in cases of crimes against women stood at 25.3 per cent. (PTI)

The data from National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), last available for 2022, shows that Indias average conviction rate in cases of crimes against women stood at 25.3 per cent, down from 26.5 per cent in 2021 and 29.8 per cent in 2020.

Recommended Stories

Conviction rate is the proportion of cases resulting in a legal declaration of guilt for an offense, against the total number of trials completed.

As shown in the graph, Andhra Pradesh and Assam were the worst-performing states where not even five out of 100 cases with completed trials saw conviction in 2022. On the other hand, Uttar Pradesh topped the chart and Bihar stood third. Mizoram was at the second spot. Both Uttar Pradesh and Bihar were in the top five list in 2021 and 2022.

The analysis of data between 2017 and 2022 shows that while Indias average has stayed below 30 per cent, Bihars performance has improved from 18.4 per cent in 2017 to 60.9 per cent in 2022  a jump of more than three times. The conviction rate of Andhra Pradesh has dropped from 10.3 per cent in 2017 to 4.5 per cent in 2022.

Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Karnataka and West Bengal did not just register the lowest conviction rate in 2022 but were at the bottom spot throughout the 2017-22 period. The analysis also showed that the five lowest states have not seen conviction rates above 10 per cent between 2017-22, except Andhra Pradesh in 2017.

To put the data in numbers, in Bihar, there were 1.17 lakh cases of crime against women pending for trials in 2022. Trials were completed in 1,740 cases and 677 people were acquitted while in 1,059 the accused was convicted. At the end of 2022, a total of 1.15 lakh cases of crime against women were pending for trials.

Andhra Pradesh had 76,097 cases pending for trial in 2022. Trials were completed in 9,168 cases but only 414 cases of crime against women saw conviction. In 8,485 cases, the accused was acquitted. A total of 59,575 cases remains pending for trials.

In Assam, as shown in the graph, while trials were completed in 10,602 cases, only 512 were convicted and 10,056 were acquitted.

Across India, there were 23.66 lakh cases of crime against women pending for trials in 2022. The trials were completed in 1.5 lakh cases during the year and 38,136 were convicted while in 1.05 lakh cases, the accused was acquitted. The country was left with 21.84 lakh pending cases of crime against women at the end of 2022.

In Uttar Pradesh, there were 2.91 lakh cases and in 18,491 cases the trials were completed. A total of 13,099 of these cases saw convictions and in only 4,678 cases the accused was acquitted.

The analysis showed that the conviction rate of crime against women in Madhya Pradesh ranged between 26-36 per cent between 2017 and 2022 and never crossed the 40 per cent mark. In Rajasthan, the conviction rate in cases of crime against women was above 35 per cent but never crossed 50 per cent.

Delhi has seen a consistent drop in the conviction rate from 47.4 per cent in 2020 (highest between 2017 and 2022) to 38.4 per cent in 2021 and 32 per cent in 2022.

Along with the six states at the bottom, 15 states have a conviction rate below the national average. The list includes Himachal Pradesh (23.5 per cent) except which the remaining 14 states had conviction rates below 20 per cent.

Barring a few cases, the average conviction rate of these states has remained below 20 per cent between 2017-22 period  Tamil Nadu; Punjab; Tripura; Haryana; Goa; Telangana; Maharashtra; Kerala; Odisha; West Bengal; Karnataka; Gujarat; Assam; and Andhra Pradesh.

Low Conviction Rate In Cases Of Cruelty By Husband, His Relatives

A look at the crime-wise analysis shows that post 2018, the conviction rate of cases of murder with rape/gangrape has remained above 60 per cent. On the other hand, cases of dowry deaths, rape, human trafficking and cruelty by husband or his relatives have seen conviction rate below 50 per cent between 2017 and 2022.

Barring just one year, that too for human trafficking, the conviction rate for rape, human trafficking and cruelty by husband or his relatives has not crossed 40 per cent.

The highest number of cases of crimes against women were under cruelty by husband or his relatives  8.52 lakh, including 7.29 lakh old cases. The conviction rate in 2022 was just 17.7 per cent and it has never crossed 20 per cent between 2017-22.

The total cases of major crimes against women for trials in 2022 were 20.11 lakh, including 17.33 lakh cases from the previous year. Reporting a conviction rate of 23.3 per cent in major crimes, the cases forwarded to 2023 stood at 18.64 lakh.

Another 5.48 lakh cases were related to assault on women with intent to outrage her modesty. The conviction rate in such cases stood at 25.6 per cent.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

In only two crimes, the conviction rate was above 50 per cent  murder with rape/gangrape (69.4 per cent) and acid attack (53.1 per cent).

As per the Union Home Ministry, the reasons for low conviction rate include hostile witnesses, long duration of trials and faulty investigations. For crimes against women to stop, it is important that these conviction rates go up.

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 08, 2025, 13:58 IST
BLACKPINKs Jisoo Dazzles Like A True Cartier Queen At Louvres Grand Fashion Dinner In Paris

Published By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 12:24 IST

At the Louvres Grand Fashion Dinner in Paris, Jisoo, showed off a stunning necklace that featured the extremely rare and sought-after Ceylon sapphire.

Jisoos 26-carat Cartier necklace at the Le Grand Diner du Louvre in Paris was the talk of the town.

The celebrity brigade was in full force at the Louvres Grand Fashion Dinner in Paris on March 6. Jisoo (Kim Ji-soo) from the K-pop girl band BLACKPINK was one of the guests. She donned a black gown with a sweetheart bodice that was sculpted and had no straps. But what really drew our attention was her stunning neckpiece. Jisoo paired her ensemble with a distinctive Panthere de Cartier, which debuted at the Louvres Grand Diner.

Jisoos stunning black gown and opulent 26-carat Cartier necklace were the main attractions. In a stunning strapless black gown, she looked like she was from a vintage Hollywood movie as she attended the gala event. The dress had a figure-hugging silhouette, a sweeping skirt, and a plunging neckline.

Recommended Stories

From the Nature Sauvage High Jewellery collection, this creation sees the feline invite herself into an imaginary jungle, where she watches over an imposing 26.53-carat Ceylon sapphire," the French luxury-goods conglomerate explained in a post on Instagram.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Cartier Official (@cartier)

Jisoos outfit was made even more luxurious by the necklaces magnificent craftsmanship and imperial aura.

In 2022, Jisoo was named an ambassador for the French luxury brand. The third chapter of Cartiers Nature Sauvage high jewellery collection includes the Panthere Canopee necklace.

Princess #JISOO at Le Grand Diner du Louvre in Paris.  pic.twitter.com/C6lyTAzTHO FOREVER KIM JISOO (@ForeverKimJisoo) March 4, 2025

Why Do Ceylon Sapphires Have Such High Value?

Ceylon sapphires, also known as Sri Lankan sapphires, are of excellent quality and are regarded as some of the most beautiful in the world.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

The magnificent sapphires found in this area of the world are celebrated for their rich blue hues and velvety silk appearance. The mysticism of sapphires has evolved for thousands of years. Today, many people believe in sapphires power to focus and calm the mind, aid mental tension and depression, and encourage faithfulness and loyalty in partners," according to Sothebys, a Fine arts company in the UK.

Around the world, Ceylon sapphires are highly prized and used in a variety of jewellery. One of Sri Lankas gem-richest regions is the Ratnapura area. It is often called the City of Gems." Ceylon sapphires are found in a variety of blue colours, but they can also be pink, yellow, green, purple, and orange.

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 08, 2025, 12:24 IST
SHIZUOKA, Japan - The Vatican has sent a letter to a Japanese man acquitted of a 1966 quadruple murder in a retrial, expressing the pope's joy over the freedom of Iwao Hakamata who spent more than four decades on death row.

"His Holiness Pope Francis was pleased to be informed about your acquittal," according to the letter written on behalf of the leader of the Roman Catholic Church. Hakamata, 88, was baptized as a Catholic in 1984 while in detention and attended a Mass held by the pontiff at Tokyo Dome in 2019.

The letter, dated Jan. 9 and accompanied with a rosary with an emblem of the Vatican, said the pope "hopes that you will enjoy the fullness of your freedom and the company of those closest to you." The pope also "cordially sends his blessing," it read.

The letter was personally handed over by Cardinal Isao Kikuchi during his visit to Hakamata's home in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, in late February, the former death row inmate's 92-year-old sister, Hideko, said.

Indicted for murder, robbery and arson, Hakamata's death sentence was finalized in 1980.

New evidence led to the release of the former professional boxer from the Tokyo Detention House in 2014, and his case was later reopened. In September 2024, he was acquitted by the Shizuoka District Court in a retrial.

Hakamata was a live-in employee at a miso maker when he was arrested in 1966 for allegedly killing the firm's senior managing director, his wife and two of their children. They were found dead from stab wounds at their house in Shizuoka Prefecture, which had been burned down.

"I was happy for the care shown (by the pope). I hope the pope regains his health," the sister said.

The pope, who has been hospitalized since last month, continues to be treated for pneumonia, according to the Vatican.

Related coverage:

Japanese man acquitted of 1966 murders to sue state for defamation

FEATURE: Japan film reveals human face of exonerated killer Hakamata

Japan prosecutor apologizes to man acquitted of 1966 murders
Explore the World Visa-Free: Top Destinations for Indian Travelers in 2025

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 14:08 IST

As more countries simplify entry for Indian travelers, international tourism is set to grow exponentially.

Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur has a lot of cultural experiences to offer.

For Indian travelers, the excitement of international trips often comes with the hassle of visa applications, paperwork, embassy visits, and long wait times. However, several stunning destinations now offer visa-free entry to Indian passport holders, making travel easier and more accessible. At TripJack, we have seen a significant rise in bookings to top destinations like Thailand, a long-time favorite among Indian travelers. The growing demand for hassle-free travel underscores the need for a smooth and efficient booking process. That is why we empower travel agents across India with a vast inventory, offering worldwide flight bookings, access to over 2 million hotels, and curated holiday packages to high-demand destinationsall through a seamless, user-friendly platform.

From the stunning beaches of Seychelles and Barbados to the cultural wonders of Bhutan and Kazakhstan, Hussain Patel, Founder, TripJack shares some of the top visa-free destinations for Indian travelers in 2025, many of which are witnessing record-breaking interest from Indian tourists.

Recommended Stories

Top Visa-Free Destinations for Indian Travelers

Southeast Asia: A Region on the Rise

 Thailand: A long-time favorite, Thailands visa-free policy allows Indian travelers to stay for up to 60 days. From Bangkoks vibrant streets to Phukets serene beaches, the country remains a top pick, with Indian arrivals reaching all-time highs.

 Malaysia: With visa-free travel extended until December 2026, Malaysia blends modern skylines, island retreats, and world-famous street food. The destination is seeing increasing demand from Indian travelers looking for a mix of adventure and relaxation. Applicants must complete the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) before traveling to Malaysia.

 Bhutan: Indian travelers enjoy visa-free access for 14 days, making Bhutan a peaceful retreat with stunning monasteries and Himalayan landscapes. With a renewed interest in spiritual and eco-tourism, Bhutan is drawing more Indian tourists than ever.

 Nepal: With no visa requirements, Nepal remains a hassle-free destination offering breathtaking mountain views, spiritual experiences, and adventure tourism. Its close proximity and affordability have made it a go-to getaway for Indian travelers.

Island Escapes: Perfect for Relaxation

 Seychelles: A paradise for beach lovers, Seychelles offers Indian travelers visa-free entry for up to 30 days, with crystal-clear waters and exotic marine life. The growing preference for luxury island vacations has put Seychelles high on the list for Indian tourists.

 Maldives: The Maldives offers visa-free entry for Indian citizens. Indians can get a visa on arrival for up to 90 days. Passengers must complete a Traveller Declaration" at most 96 hours before arrival. Its unmatched appeal as a honeymoon and luxury travel destination has made it one of the most searched international locations for Indian travelers.

 Barbados: Enjoy up to 90 days of visa-free beach bliss, vibrant nightlife, and warm Caribbean hospitality. This hidden gem is drawing increasing numbers of Indian tourists looking for exotic, offbeat experiences. Passengers must complete an Immigration/Customs Form" before departure.

 Jamaica: Indian passport holders can explore the reggae rhythms, waterfalls, and stunning beaches of Jamaica without a visa for up to 30 days. The Caribbeans growing allure among Indian travelers has led to a notable rise in interest for Jamaica. Passengers must submit the customs and immigration C5 form before departure or upon arrival.

 Trinidad and Tobago: This twin-island nation welcomes Indian travelers visa-free, offering a unique blend of Caribbean charm, culture, and nature for 90 days. With Indian heritage woven into its culture, the country is gaining traction among travelers eager to explore its deep-rooted Indian connections.

Offbeat & Emerging Destinations

 Kazakhstan: A hidden gem in Central Asia, Kazakhstan allows Indian travelers visa-free entry for 14 days, offering a mix of futuristic cities and stunning landscapes. As Indian travelers seek new and unexplored destinations, Kazakhstan is rapidly growing in popularity, attracting adventure seekers and culture enthusiasts alike.

The Future of Hassle-Free Travel

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

As more countries simplify entry for Indian travelers, international tourism is set to grow exponentially. Destinations with relaxed visa policies are witnessing a surge in Indian footfall, reinforcing the need for easier mobility.

For Indian travelers in 2025, the world is more accessible than ever. With these visa-free destinations, you can focus on unforgettable experiences instead of paperwork!

About the Author Swati Chaturvedi Swati Chaturvedi, a seasoned media and journalism aficionado with over 10 years of expertise, is not just a storyteller; she's a weaver of wit and wisdom in the digital landscape. As a key figure in News18 Engl... Read More Swati Chaturvedi, a seasoned media and journalism aficionado with over 10 years of expertise, is not just a storyteller; she's a weaver of wit and wisdom in the digital landscape. As a key figure in News18 Engl... Read More

fashion, travel, 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!

First Published: March 08, 2025, 14:08 IST
Womens Day Special: 7 Women-Owned Restaurants in India to Celebrate This Womens Day

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 19, 2025, 09:01 IST

From Parsi cafes to Japanese ramen bars, their restaurants are not just about great foodtheyre about storytelling, culture, and empowerment.

This Womens Day, we celebrate seven exceptional women who have carved a niche in the F&B industry, proving that passion and perseverance can turn dreams into reality

Women chefs and restaurateurs in India are reshaping the countrys culinary scene, blending tradition with innovation to create unforgettable dining experiences. This Womens Day, we celebrate seven exceptional women who have carved a niche in the F&B industry, proving that passion and perseverance can turn dreams into reality. From Parsi cafes to Japanese ramen bars, their restaurants are not just about great foodtheyre about storytelling, culture, and empowerment.

SodaBottleOpenerWala Delhi/NCR by Anahita Dhondy

Recommended Stories

SodaBottleOpenerWala, co-led by chef Anahita Dhondy, is a vibrant tribute to Bombays Parsi cafes. Known for its nostalgic charm and authentic Irani-Indian flavors, the restaurant offers signature dishes like Berry Pulao, Patra Ni Macchi, and Mutton Dhansak. Anahita, a celebrated chef and advocate for regional Indian cuisine, infuses her expertise into every dish, preserving Parsi culinary traditions. With a playful yet vintage ambiance, SodaBottleOpenerWala brings a slice of old-world Bombay to modern diners. Under Anahitas leadership, it stands as a testament to women entrepreneurs redefining Indias food scene while keeping heritage alive through innovative yet rooted flavors.

Le15 by Chef Pooja Dhingra

Chef Pooja Dhingra, the visionary founder of Le15 Patisserie, continues to revolutionize Indias dessert landscape. In January 2024, she expanded Le15s reach by initiating pan-India shipping, allowing dessert enthusiasts in cities like Delhi, Ahmedabad, and more to savor their signature macarons. Demonstrating resilience, Dhingra transitioned from closing the Colaba cafe in 2020 to inaugurating a new outlet in Mumbais Palladium Mall, Lower Parel, by December 2024. Her innovative spirit led to the launch of a crunchy cookie collection in February 2022, featuring flavors like Crunchy Toffee and Dark Chocolate Hazelnut. Recognized for her culinary excellence, Dhingra joined the judging panel of MasterChef India in November 2023, further solidifying her influence in the industry. Through Le15, Chef Dhingra exemplifies the prowess of women in the culinary world, blending passion with entrepreneurial acumen.

Chef Megha Kohli, Chef Partner at Mezze Mambo

Chef Megha Kohlis culinary journey is a testament to passion, resilience, and innovation. From her early fascination with cooking at the age of four, inspired by her grandmother, Meghas path led her through rigorous training programs like the Oberoi STEP and the Oberoi Centre for Learning and Development (OCLD). Her professional trajectory includes significant roles at esteemed establishments such as Olive Beach and Lavaash by Saby, where she showcased her flair for blending traditional Indian flavors with modern techniques.

In 2020, Megha was honored with the Times Chef of the Year award, recognizing her contributions to the culinary world. Her commitment to sustainability and local sourcing is evident in her culinary practices, reflecting a deep respect for regional produce and traditional cooking methods. As the Chef Partner at Mezze Mambo, a Mediterranean restaurant in New Delhi, Megha continues to redefine dining experiences by introducing innovative dishes that celebrate the rich tapestry of Indian and Mediterranean cuisines. 

Beyond the kitchen, Megha actively participates in global discussions on food sustainability. She represented India at the EAT Forum in Stockholm in 2019 and has been featured in United Nations campaigns promoting climate-conscious cooking. Her story has also been the subject of academic study, with institutions like IIM Ahmedabad publishing case studies on her career, highlighting her influence in modern Indian gastronomy.

Through her dedication to mentoring young chefs and advocating for sustainable culinary practices, Chef Megha Kohli continues to inspire and pave the way for future generations in the culinary arts.

Butterfly High by Nikita & Ankita Poojari

Taking the ethos of Shiv Sagar that revolves around delivering an unparalleled dining experience today Poojari sisters are spearheading, 5 outlets of Butterfly High (a chain of high-energy neighborhood bars), Kyma in Mumbai & Pune and expanding the portfolio! Seven years ago, Nikita Poojari entered the F&B industry and began to shadow her father, the legendary restaurateur Narayan Poojari. She completely immersed herself in various roles, understanding the different aspects of the business.

Today, the second-generation restaurateur is a Director at Shiv Sagar Foods and Resorts Private Limited and has carved a unique niche for herself. Joining this exciting journey with her sister Ankita, the duo embarked on a mission to introduce a high-energy bar to the vibrant heart of Mumbai, situated at BKC called Butterfly High. Our vision was to craft a dining experience that seamlessly blends the comforting flavours of Indian cuisine with an exciting global fusion, accompanied by an enticing array of cocktails to elevate the overall customer experience. Under the great mentorship of their dad, the Poojari sisters are propelling the business to new heights by strategically expanding its reach and impact.

Mensho Tokyo, Delhi by Chef Vidushi Sharma

Ramen in India has a new definition, thanks to Chef Vidushi Sharma, who leads Mensho Tokyo, Delhis first outpost of the globally acclaimed Japanese ramen chain. Bringing Tokyos authentic umami flavors to India, she has carved a space for women in a traditionally male-dominated culinary niche. The restaurant is known for its rich, umami-packed broths and perfectly crafted noodles, offering an authentic taste of Tokyo in the heart of Delhi. With a meticulous approach to flavors and techniques, Mensho Tokyo has become a go-to spot for ramen lovers. Known for her meticulous approach to ramen-making, Vidushi has made Mensho Tokyo a must-visit for noodle lovers.

Diva  The Italian Restaurant by Chef Ritu Dalmia

Diva  The Italian Restaurant, founded by Chef Ritu Dalmia, is a celebrated dining destination in Delhis GK-2. Known for its authentic Italian flavors, the restaurant has been delighting patrons for nearly two decades with handcrafted pasta, wood-fired pizzas, and fine wines. As a queer-owned business, Diva fosters inclusivity, offering a warm, welcoming space for all, including the LGBTQ+ community. Chef Dalmias passion for Italian cuisine and hospitality shines through in every dish, making Diva a standout in the citys culinary scene. With its elegant ambiance and top-notch service, Diva remains a must-visit for Italian food lovers.

Sante Spa Cuisine by Sonal Barmecha

Sonal has always believed that food is more than just something we eat; its a way of life. As the founder of Sante Spa Cuisine, shes made healthy, guilt-free dining something everyone can enjoy. Ive always felt that practicing healthy living shouldnt feel like a chore or a sacrifice. Thats what I wanted to change with Sante Spa," the founder shares. Growing up in a disciplined and fitness-driven environment shaped by her years as a hostelite, she learned the values of structure and perseverance early on. Though she trained as a Chartered Accountant, her heart always lay elsewhere. She wanted to create something that not only tasted good but also nourished the soul. That dream turned into Sante Spa Cuisine, a place where the traditional practices of Indian food were reawakened. Shes popularly known as The Satvik Queen, and true to this moniker, she has simply changed the concept of healthy eating along with Celebrity Chef Shailendra Kekade, with whom she curated a menu thats both satisfying to the eye and palate.

Ekaa, Mumbai by Niyati Rao

Ekka by Nyati Rao in Mumbai is a culinary gem that showcases modern Indian cuisine with a creative twist. Led by Chef Nyati Rao, this women-owned restaurant blends traditional flavors with contemporary techniques, offering a unique dining experience. With a focus on seasonal ingredients and artistic presentation, Ekkas menu features innovative small plates and bold flavors. The restaurants elegant ambiance and Chef Nyatis commitment to culinary excellence make it a must-visit destination. As a woman entrepreneur in the industry, Nyati Rao is redefining fine dining in Mumbai, making Ekka a standout name in the citys vibrant food scene.

Izum, Bandra by Nooresha Kably

Izumi, a cozy Japanese eatery in Bandra, is the brainchild of Nooresha Kably, a chef passionate about authentic flavors and handcrafted ramen. Tucked in a charming lane, this women-led restaurant has redefined Mumbais Japanese dining scene with its dedication to fresh ingredients and traditional techniques. Known for its soulful bowls of ramen, fresh sushi, and minimalist ambiance, Izumi has garnered a cult following. Nooreshas expertise and attention to detail shine through every dish, making it a must-visit. Her leadership in the culinary space sets a strong example for women entrepreneurs in Indias evolving food industry.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

Zoca Cafe, Chandigarh Sec.32 by Varalika Sharma (New Launch)

On this Womens Day, Varalika Sharma is turning her childhood dream into reality by launching Zoca Cafe in Chandigarh, Sector 32 as a franchise owner. A lawyer by profession and founder of Legal Trends Immigration, Varalika has always been a strong advocate for womens and childrens welfare. Born and raised in Chandigarh, she has been a foodie at heart, aspiring to own a cafe since childhood. The largest cafe chain in Asia, Zoca Cafe is known to serve quality food at affordable prices. The pastel-hued interiors with floral elements will instantly make you relax and put your mind at ease. Their menu is also quite extensive and has everything that you could possibly want to eat.

About the Author Swati Chaturvedi Swati Chaturvedi, a seasoned media and journalism aficionado with over 10 years of expertise, is not just a storyteller; she's a weaver of wit and wisdom in the digital landscape. As a key figure in News18 Engl... Read More Swati Chaturvedi, a seasoned media and journalism aficionado with over 10 years of expertise, is not just a storyteller; she's a weaver of wit and wisdom in the digital landscape. As a key figure in News18 Engl... Read More

fashion, travel, 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!

First Published: March 08, 2025, 11:06 IST
Shalini Passis Dog-Themed Thom Browne Clutch Is An Ode To Her Love For Quirky Accessories

Published By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 20:43 IST

Shalini Passis Thom Browne Hector Clutch Bag was made from soft leather. The sleek bag was painted in contrasting black and white colours and featured a detachable chain-link shoulder strap.

Shalini paired the clutch with an asymmetrical maxi dress.

Shalini Passis fashion lookbook has style enthusiasts intrigued. The credit goes to her impeccable wardrobe collections. But its time to move over her sartorial flair. The Delhi-based art connoisseur has now grabbed attention for her unique accessory picks. Recently, she visited Sussanne Khans newly launched luxury design store, The Charcoal Projec,t in Hyderabad.

Shalini Passi dropped a set of pictures from the venue on Instagram. Her chic OOTD was indeed meant for the books. But the show-stealer was Shalinis unique dog-shaped clutch. Through the clutch, Shalini once again proved her soft spot for quirky accessories.

Recommended Stories

The Hector Flat Clutch was chosen from the shelves of the luxury British brand Thom Browne. Made from soft leather, the sleek bag was painted in contrasting black and white colours. It also featured a detachable chain-link shoulder strap. Zip fastening and press-stud fastening added to the functionality. The striped lining was the X-factor here.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shalini Passi (@shalini.passi)

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

Coming to her outfit, Shalini slipped into an asymmetrical maxi dress from Missoni. The relaxed number came with a twisted neckline. A piece of fabric flowed dramatically over the shoulder, serving the purpose of a sleeve. Black and white stripes ran down the floor-sweeping ensemble, contributing an extra dose of edge. Shalini teamed up her stylish fit with black peep-toe heels.

Shalini resorted to minimal jewellery for the outing. She put on a pair of chunky dangles, a delicate bracelet and cocktail rings. In terms of makeup, she let her blemish-free skin do all the talking. A nominal blush on the cheeks and glossy nude-tinted lips added a pop of colour to her face. She nailed the eye game with an intense stroke of eyeliner. False lashes adorned with generous coats of mascara suited the glam. For the final touch of elegance, Shalini tied her tresses with a big black bow.

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 08, 2025, 20:43 IST
Sunkissed And Stylish: Ananya Pandays Seychelles Wardrobe is a Whole Mood!

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 12:28 IST

Ananya Pandays Seychelles Getaway: Breezy summer looks to bookmark for your next beach vacation

Ananya Panday in Seychelles

Ananya Pandays latest photo dump from her tropical escape to Seychelles is the ultimate inspiration for summer holiday goals. With lush greenery, crystal-clear waters, bustling local markets, and charming cafes as her backdrop, the actors vacation was as picturesque as it was stylish.

Her effortless yet trendy vacation wardrobe is a lesson in chic, laid-back beach dressing. If youre planning a seaside retreat, take cues from Ananyas sun-soaked outfits, which strike the perfect balance between comfort and sophistication.

Recommended Stories

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ananya  (@ananyapanday)

For one of her standout looks, Ananya paired a beige bandeau top from Kim Kardashians label, Skims (priced at 2,650), with a statement leopard-print high-waisted skirt from Dolce & Gabbana (approximately 16,800). This effortlessly sultry combination is perfect for an evening by the beach or a sunset dinner. She completed the ensemble with a sleek black Chanel Mary Janes bag, embodying the essence of quiet luxury. Instead of opting for tousled beach waves, she went for a sleek, tucked-back hairstylea polished alternative that works well for post-sunset outings.

Her second outfit embraced a vibrant, bohemian aesthetic. She donned a flowing maxi dress with a signature zigzag pattern from Missoni, a luxury Italian brand known for its bold, colorful knits. The dress, priced at approximately USD 1,100 (95,864), exuded effortless elegance with its relaxed fit and striking print. This look is the epitome of a carefree beach wardrobeperfect for strolling through coastal streets or enjoying a lazy brunch by the shore.

Style Takeaways from Ananyas Beach Looks:

 Mix Neutrals with Prints: A solid bandeau top with an animal-print skirt is an easy way to make a bold statement while keeping things balanced.

 Quiet Luxury Accessories: A classic designer bag or minimalist jewelry can subtly elevate any vacation look.

 Experiment with Hairdos: A sleek, straightened hairstyle can add polish to a beach outfit, making it perfect for sundown events.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

 Invest in Timeless Prints: A vibrant Missoni dress with geometric patterns is a fail-safe choice for a sophisticated yet breezy holiday wardrobe.

Whether you prefer sultry neutrals or bold, boho prints, Ananyas Seychelles outfits prove that the right mix of style and comfort can make all the difference on a beach vacation. Which look is your favorite?

About the Author Swati Chaturvedi Swati Chaturvedi, a seasoned media and journalism aficionado with over 10 years of expertise, is not just a storyteller; she's a weaver of wit and wisdom in the digital landscape. As a key figure in News18 Engl... Read More Swati Chaturvedi, a seasoned media and journalism aficionado with over 10 years of expertise, is not just a storyteller; she's a weaver of wit and wisdom in the digital landscape. As a key figure in News18 Engl... Read More

fashion, travel, 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!

First Published: March 08, 2025, 12:28 IST
BLACKPINK Star Lisa Is Once Again Facing The Wrath Of Internet, Know Why

Published By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 15:10 IST

Fans noticed that Lisas signatures on the albums were too precise to be handwritten.

Lisa released her first solo album on February 28. (Photo Credits: Instagram)

BLACKPINKs Lisas solo album Alter Ego, released on February 28, made waves with its 12 tracks that showcased her artistic range. However, the excitement surrounding her debut solo project has been overshadowed by controversy.

Fans who purchased the signed vinyl and CD editions expected authentic autographs from Lisa. Instead, many now believe the signatures were created using an autopen  a device that replicates handwriting with mechanical precision. This has led to disappointment among fans, who voiced their concerns across social media.

Recommended Stories

The suspicion first arose when a section of fans began comparing their signed copies. While Lisas autograph showed slight variations across different batches, albums from the same store or region appeared identical. This led many to believe that the signatures were too precise to be done by hand and concluded that an autopen was indeed used.

The fans who paid a hefty amount for the autographed vinyl and CDs to store them as their keepsakes are not happy. Meanwhile, a section of her fans have come out in support of Lisa, arguing that the responsibility for such a thing falls on her production and management teams and the idol should not be dragged into the matter. Others thought that since the album was released under her own independent label, LLOUD, she also should be held responsible.

In a Reddit post titled LISA  ALTER EGO signed vinyl autopen??" many have expressed their disappointment. One user said, Why do these artists do this st?  If you cant sign a product, then dont sell signed CDs or vinyl. Easy."

Another quipped, I cant imagine being an artist and letting my fans buy fake autographs"

100% auto pen, same as the Paris ones," mentioned a different user.

Another fan wrote, Theyre too identical. I bet if you even measured the width between the two long lines, theyd be the same. Thats so disappointing, and I love BP."

Lisas independent label, LLOUD, has yet to respond to accusations from her fans.

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

First Published: March 08, 2025, 15:10 IST
Bombay HC Refuses To Lift Stay On Shaadi Ke Director Karan Aur Johar Film Release: Details Inside

Curated By :



Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 09:20 IST

The Bombay High Court upheld the stay on the release of "Shaadi Ke Director Karan aur Johar," citing infringement on Karan Johar's personality rights.

Bombay HC Refuses To Lift Stay On Film 'Shaadi Ke Director Karan Aur Johar

The Bombay High Court on Friday upheld the stay on the release of Shaadi Ke Director Karan aur Johar, citing concerns over filmmaker Karan Johars personality rights.

During the hearing, Justice Riyaz Chagla noted that the films title appeared to infringe upon Johars identity and publicity rights, presenting a strong case for legal violation. As a result, the court refused to lift the interim order, effectively maintaining the restriction on the films release.

Recommended Stories

A strong prima facie case has been made out by the Plaintiff (Johar) that the Respondents (filmmakers) have infringed the Plaintiffs personality and publicity rights as well as use of the brand name of the Plaintiff. The balance of convenience is in favour of the Plaintiff and that irreparable injury would cause to the Plaintiff in the event interim relief is not granted by this Court," the judge said.

Earlier, the High Court had barred the filmmakers from using Karan Johar in the movies title or promotional material, stating that it could create a false impression that the renowned filmmaker was involved with the project.

Karan Johar took legal action in June 2024 against the films producers, IndiaPride Advisory, along with writer Sanjay Singh and director Bablu Singh. He contended that the title unfairly exploited his name, infringing upon his personality and fundamental rights.

Johar argued that the filmmakers were deliberately leveraging his name to benefit from his reputation and industry standing. On June 13, 2024, the High Court imposed a stay, pointing out that the combination of Karan and Johar with Director could mislead audiences into believing he was involved in the project.

Recently, the filmmakers sought to have the stay lifted, hoping to proceed with the films release. However, on Friday, the court dismissed their request, upholding the stay until Johars lawsuit reaches its final resolution.

The filmmakers proposed altering the title to Karan Aur Johar, arguing that this modification would address the concerns raised. However, the court remained unconvinced, maintaining that the essence of the issuemisleading associations with Karan Joharstill persisted. It stated, I do not find merit in the submission on behalf of the Defendant / Respondent No.2 that mere addition of AUR in between Karan and Johar is an adequate solution to avoid any possible confusion By such understanding, the Respondents are destroying the concepts of intellectual property rights and brand name."

The judge pointed out that even after the proposed title change, a simple Google search for Karan Aur Johar still led to Karan Johars Wikipedia page and related news articles.

The court ruled that the filmmakers unauthorised use of Karan Johars name and persona in the movie title infringed upon his personality, publicity, and privacy rights. The order stated, The Plaintiff has successfully demonstrated that the Respondents are leveraging his brand name to unfairly profit from his goodwill and reputation." As a result, the court refused to lift the stay on the films release.

First Published: March 08, 2025, 09:20 IST
Heavy Metal Band System Of A Down's John Dolmayan Supports Trump's Victory, Says He Brings Sanity Back

Published By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 16:37 IST

Despite his band's generally progressive stance, Dolmayan remains vocal about his support for Trump, doubling down on his perspective in a recent conversation with Australian YouTuber Lilian Tahmasian.

In 2023, John Dolmayan said he lost hundreds of thousands of followers due to his political views. (Photo Credits: Instagram)

John Dolmayan, drummer for System of a Down, has never been one to shy away from sharing his political views, especially when it comes to his admiration for US President Donald Trump. Despite his bands generally progressive stance, Dolmayan remains vocal about his support for Trump, doubling down on his perspective in a recent conversation. Having been part of System of a Down since 1997, Dolmayan took the opportunity to discuss politics at length. He confirmed that he voted for Trump in the 2024 election and explained why he believes the country is better off with him in office.

Im glad he won, because it brings a little sanity back. Irrespective of what you hear out there, its much more sane with him than it was without him," Dolmayan told Australian YouTuber Lilian Tahmasian.

Recommended Stories

Born in Beirut, Lebanon, Dolmayan moved to California as a toddler, escaping the Lebanese Civil War. His personal experience as an immigrant informed his stance on border control. While he acknowledged the importance of immigration, he insisted it should be managed properly.

We need law and order. Maybe they get oppressed one way or the other in their countries and they need to leave. Or maybe they just want a fresh start. Or maybe they wanna be part of something thats unique and interesting like the United States. And they should be allowed to do that, but do it a certain way  pay taxes, whatever you need to do and live your life," he said.

According to Billboard, over the years, Dolmayans staunch support for Trump has cost him dearly. In 2023, he revealed on social media that he had lost friends and hundreds of thousands" of followers due to his political views. Many of his followers, he claimed, were now questioning the very narratives they once believed. Yet, Dolmayan insists that his political stance isnt about choosing a side but rather about standing against whoever is doing wrong at this time."

As for his band, System of a Down made their mark with five studio albums between 1998 and 2005, including the chart-topping Toxicity (2001) and Hypnotize and Mezmerize (both 2005). After a hiatus in 2006, they reunited in 2010 and have since performed intermittently. While they released the singles Protect the Land and Genocidal Humanoidz in 2020, theres been no sign of a new album.

Dolmayan has expressed frustration over the bands stagnant musical output, leaving fans wondering what the future holds for the iconic group.

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 08, 2025, 16:37 IST
Radhika Apte Drops RARE Pic With Husband Benedict Taylor And Their Baby Girl On International Womens Day 2025

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 20:52 IST

Radhika Apte and her hubby Benedict Taylor welcomed their first child, a baby girl, in December last year.

Radhika Apte shares a glimpse of her daughter on International Women's Day 2025.

Actress Radhika Apte is quite active on Instagram, and while she frequently posts about her work life, posts about her personal life are few and far between. On International Womens Day 2025, the actress surprised her fans by posting a rare family photo which features her, her husband Benedict Taylor and their three-month-old daughter! The adorable picture left fans awestruck, and soon went viral on social media.

In the photo, Radhika Apte and Benedict Taylor are seen posing for a selfie with their baby girl. The Sacred Games actress gazed lovingly at her little princess, while Benedict clicked the picture. A beautiful sunset is seen in the backdrop, and looks like the family enjoyed an outing on Womens Day! Benedict is seen holding the baby, and while the little ones face isnt revealed, she looks adorable in a white beanie. Radhika also donned a white beanie, and was seen in a beige sweater. Sharing the lovely snap, the actress wrote, Happy womens day to us all," along with a red heart emoji. Check out the picture below!

Recommended Stories

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Radhika (@radhikaofficial)

Radhika and Benedict embraced parenthood in December last year. A week after giving birth, the actress shared a picture in which she was seen breastfeeding her daughter. Sharing the photo, she wrote, First work meeting back after birth with our one week old at my breast #breastfeeding #mothersatwork #itsagirl #girlsarethebest #abeautifulchapter #bliss @benedmusic."

Radhika Apte met British musician Benedict Taylor in 2011 in London. They lived together before getting married in a small ceremony in 2012, followed by an official celebration in 2013.

On the professional front, Radhika is all set to mark her directorial debut with an action-fantasy film, Kotya. It will be available in Hindi and Marathi languages. The film will reportedly be produced by filmmaker Vikramaditya Motwane. Variety reported Kotya as a Hindi/Marathi action-fantasy following a young migrant sugarcane cutter who gains superpowers after a forced medical procedure and uses them to free her family from debt."

First Published: March 08, 2025, 20:52 IST
Tara Sutaria Shares Loved-Up Pics With Ishaan Khatter From Pyaar Aata Hai Shoot, Netizens Can't Keep Calm

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 20:34 IST

Tara Sutaria and Ishaan Khatter's chemistry in Pyaar Aata Hai is praised by fans. Set in Kashmir, it blends old-school romance with modern allure.

Tara Sutaria shared BTS photos Pyaar Aata Hai shoot with Ishaan Khatter.

Tara Sutaria and Ishaan Khatters chemistry in their latest music video, Pyaar Aata Hai, is creating waves online. Fans have praised their on-screen pairing, calling them an amazing duo. Following the tracks success, Tara shared multiple behind-the-scenes glimpses with Ishaan from the songs shoot in the iconic valleys of Kashmir.

Tara looked like a dream in the many chiffon sarees that she wore in the song. Ishaan looked dapper, complementing her in similar-coloured shirts and sweaters. Some of my favourite moments from our very special song, Pyaar Aata Hai that we filmed in glorious Kashmir @ishaankhatter," wrote Tara, while sharing the pictures. Check out the photos here:

Recommended Stories

View this post on Instagram A post shared by TARA (@tarasutaria)

What a magical song! Loved this", wrote a fan while commenting on a photo. She is literally one of the most beautiful woman in existence, she is so talented and smart. Yet I dont understand why shes so underrated?", wrote another fan. Their chemistry", commented yet another user.

Pyaar Aata Hai is the latest romantic music video in town. Set against the breathtaking backdrop of Kashmirs valleys, the song beautifully blends old-school romance with modern allure  with a visually stunning background that looks straight out of a fairytale. Ishaans magnetic screen presence shines as he effortlessly embodies the charm of a new-age romantic, balancing passion and playfulness with ease. His sizzling chemistry with Tara further adds to the songs charm, making every frame feel like a scene from a timeless love story. Have you watched the video yet? If not, check it out here:

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ishaan (@ishaankhatter)

Meanwhile, Tara Sutaria recently made headlines after her former boyfriend Aadar Jains timepass" remark during one of his pre-wedding festivities with Alekha Advani. Professing love for Alekha, Aadar said, I have always loved her and I have always wanted to be with her. So she sent me on this long journey of 20 years through time-pass. It was worth the wait because I get to marry this beautiful, beautiful woman, who looks like a dream. I love you, and it was worth the wait. Its a secret, I have always loved her. I have done time pass for four years of my life. But now Im with you, baby." This sparked widespread outrage online.

Later, Tara Sutarias mother, Tina Sutaria, shared a cryptic on social media, seemingly bashing Aadar. Taking to her Instagram stories, she shared a note which read, If your boyfriend/husband ever says anything disrespectful to you, tell him to write it down on a piece of paper, get in his car, drive and deliver it to his mother, or simply hand it to his daughter. If he cant say it to his mother or doesnt want another man to one day say it to his daughter, he shouldnt be saying it to you (sic)." Tara, however, maintained a dignified silence on the matter.

First Published: March 08, 2025, 20:26 IST
Trouble Mounts For Ranya Rao? CBI Takes Over Gold Smuggling Case, Intensifies Investigation

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 12:55 IST

Sources claim that after taking all inputs from the DRI, CBI team will intensify probe in the gold smuggling case.

Ranya Rao was arrested from the Kempagowda International Airport.

In a big development in the gold smuggling case involving Kannada actress Ranya Rao, it has now been reported that CBI has taken over the investigation. CNN-News18 has learnt that a CBI team has reached Bengaluru and will now work in close coordination with the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI).

Sources claim that after taking all inputs from the DRI, CBI team will intensify probe and will find out if a gold smuggling racket is operating at the national level.

Recommended Stories

Who Is Ranya Rao? How Is She Linked To Gold Smuggling Case?

Rao, the stepdaughter of Director General of Police (Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation) Ramachandra Rao, was under the radar of authorities due to frequent travel to Dubai. She allegedly travelled to the city 30 times over the past year, and four times in 15 days, bringing back kilos of gold each time.

Ranya was arrested by the authorities at the Bengaluru airport earlier this week. Following her arrest, the Bengaluru Directorate of Revenue Intelligence recovered gold jewellery worth Rs 2.06 crore and Rs 2.67 crore in cash from her Bengaluru home during raids. On Friday, she was sent to the DRI custody for three days.

The case, touted as one of the biggest gold seizures in Karnataka, has also brought increased scrutiny on Raos husband, Jatin Hukkeri. Police have alleged that he frequently travelled with the actress to Dubai, from where she allegedly smuggled gold.

Hukkeri married Ranya Rao in a high-profile marriage around four months ago at Taj West End, after which they settled into a high-end apartment in Bengalurus upscale Lavelle Road. Hukkeri is an architect by profession, holding a Bachelors degree in Architecture and Interior Design from RV College of Engineering in Bengaluru. He pursued further studies at the Royal College of Art  Executive Education, London, specialising in Disruptive Market Innovation.

About the Author Chirag Sehgal Chirag Sehgal works as a Sub-Editor in the Entertainment team at News18.com. With an experience of five years in the media industry, he largely focuses on Indian television coverage. Apart from bringing breakin... Read More Chirag Sehgal works as a Sub-Editor in the Entertainment team at News18.com. With an experience of five years in the media industry, he largely focuses on Indian television coverage. Apart from bringing breakin... Read More

First Published: March 08, 2025, 12:44 IST
TOKYO - Japanese startup Dymon Co. said Saturday its ultra-compact, lightweight rover, which reached the Moon aboard a U.S. lander, will not proceed with its planned lunar exploration, bringing its mission to an end.

The Tokyo-based firm's 498-gram rover, Yaoki, measuring around 14 centimeters in length and width and 8 cm in height, remained mounted on U.S. company Intuitive Machines Inc.'s lander Athena, which was declared dead after landing on its side in the early hours of Friday, Japan time.

It landed some 250 meters away from the intended site of the lunar south pole, where it was unable to recharge with its solar panels oriented away from the sun.

Before ceasing its operation, Yaoki photographed a crater and a leg of the lander and transmitted the image as well as temperature data to Earth, Dymon said. The company confirmed that the rover's wheels were functional.

The initial plan after landing on the Moon was for Yaoki to wait around five days to acclimatize to the temperature before detaching from the lander. It then would have been remotely operated from Earth for several hours to capture and transmit images.

The lander was launched from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Feb. 26.

In February last year, Intuitive Machines became the first private firm to successfully send a spacecraft to the lunar surface.

Related coverage:

ispace to attempt June Moon landing, would be 1st by Japan firm

FEATURE: Japanese firms aim for one giant leap in space development

Japan Moon rover sets out for world's 1st private lunar exploration
Veteran Actress Moushumi Chatterjee Makes Comeback After 12 Years, Teams Up With Nusrat Jahan

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 07:39 IST

Moushumi Chatterjee returns to Bengali cinema after 12 years in the film Aari, alongside Nusrat Jahan and Yash Dasgupta. Directed by Jiit Chakraborty, Aari promises a heartfelt intergenerational saga.

Veteran Actress Moushumi Chatterjee Makes Comeback After 12 Years, Teams Up With Nusrat Jahan

Bengali cinema is about to get a dose of nostalgia and fresh energy as legendary actress Moushumi Chatterjee returns to the big screen after 12 years! The beloved star, known for her unforgettable performances in both Bollywood and Bengali films, is stepping back into the spotlight alongside the talented Nusrat Jahan in the upcoming film, Aari.

Adding to the excitement, Aari is shaping up to be a heartfelt intergenerational saga, blending seasoned talent with fresh faces. Alongside Moushumi Chatterjee and Nusrat Jahan, the film also stars Nusrats husband, actor Yash Dasgupta, in a pivotal role.

Recommended Stories

Moushumi Chatterjee, a legend in Indian cinema, was last seen in Goynar Baksho (2013), where she left a lasting impression with her powerful performance. Meanwhile, Nusrat Jahan has carved a niche for herself and is one of the most sought-after actors in contemporary Bengali cinema.

Helmed by Jiit Chakraborty, Aari is set to be a heartfelt mix of nostalgia and modern storytelling, promising an emotional and dramatic cinematic experience. Though the makers are keeping the plot tightly under wraps, insiders hint that the film will delve into themes of family dynamics, evolving relationships, and cultural shifts.

Speaking about the project, an insider shared with India Today Digital, Having Moushumi Chatterjee back on screen is a treat for cinephiles. She is amazing in the film. Pairing her with Nusrat Jahan is a masterstroke. Also, Aari has shaped up to be a film to watch out for. The film is complete and all the shooting is done. Now the film will release on April 25."

First Published: March 08, 2025, 07:39 IST
From Fields To Frontlines: How Women Are Leading India's Agri-Transformation Under PM Modi's Leadership

Written By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 11:18 IST

The governments unwavering commitment to gender-inclusive policies is not just a step towards equityit is a blueprint for a stronger, more self-reliant India

By transferring funds directly into their accounts, PM-KISAN has given women greater autonomy over agricultural investments, enabling them to purchase high-quality seeds, improve irrigation, and adopt modern farming techniques. (AP)

Women have always been the backbone of Indian agriculture; the silent architects of rural economies, working tirelessly in fields, managing livestock, and ensuring food security for millions  yet their contributions often remain unrecognised. However, this narrative is changing. With a series of progressive government interventions and an increasing recognition of their role, women in agriculture are stepping into leadership positions, driving innovation, and shaping the future of Indian farming.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly emphasised that empowering women farmers is integral to Indias agricultural and economic transformation. The Modi-led government has backed this commitment with robust policies, ensuring that women farmers gain access to financial assistance, technological innovations, and institutional support.

Recommended Stories

The impact of these efforts shines through stories like Kranti Devisonce a homemaker, now a leader in sustainable farming. Through the Gormi Mahila Aajivika Crop Producer Company in Madhya Pradesh, she has mobilised over 400 women, backed by Corteva Agrisciences 2 Million Women in Agriculture by 2030 initiative. Her journey is a testament to the limitless potential of rural women when given the right opportunities.

One of the most powerful catalysts for this change has been the PM-KISAN scheme, which extends direct financial support to farmers. More than 2.41 crore women farmers were among the 9.8 crore beneficiaries of the 19th installment alone, underscoring the programmes transformative reach. By transferring funds directly into their accounts, PM-KISAN has given women greater autonomy over agricultural investments, enabling them to purchase high-quality seeds, improve irrigation, and adopt modern farming techniques. This financial independence is not only revolutionising farms but also empowering women to make strategic decisions that enhance productivity and sustainability.

Beyond financial assistance, Indias push for gender-inclusive agricultural research is yielding remarkable results. The Central Institute for Women in Agriculture (CIWA), under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), has been at the forefront of gender-focused innovations, ensuring that farming practices and tools are tailored to meet the needs of women farmers. The institutes research centers spread across the country are identifying challenges unique to women in agriculture and developing solutions that enhance their efficiency and economic viability.

Entrepreneurial opportunities are also expanding. The Innovation and Agri-Entrepreneurship Development Program, part of the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), provides financial support of up to Rs 25 lakh to agri-startups, many of which are led by women. Complementing this is the AgriSURE Initiative, launched in 2024 with a corpus of Rs 750 crore, aimed at fostering high-impact agricultural enterprises. By promoting women-led agribusinesses and ensuring access to venture capital, these initiatives are dismantling traditional barriers and positioning women as key players in Indias agricultural economy.

Access to knowledge and training is another crucial area of focus. Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) are playing a pivotal role in equipping women farmers with the latest scientific and sustainable farming techniques. By offering training in areas such as climate-resilient farming, water conservation, and organic agriculture, KVKs are enabling women to maximise yields while ensuring environmental sustainability.

The digital revolution in agriculture is further bridging the gap between women farmers and critical resources. Initiatives such as AgriStack, Farmer Registry, and the Krishi Mapper Application are leveraging technology to improve decision-making, optimise crop planning, and expand market access. Women farmers, who have historically faced obstacles in accessing financial and technological resources, are now benefiting from these digital interventions, gaining real-time insights and opportunities to enhance their farming practices.

Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) are proving to be game changers in empowering women farmers. These collective structures provide women with stronger bargaining power, improved access to credit, and greater market linkages. The governments ambitious plan to establish 10,000 FPOs by 2027-28 is ensuring that women-led agricultural enterprises receive institutional support, and the tools needed to thrive. Women like Kranti Devi, who have taken on leadership roles within FPOs, are demonstrating how collective strength can break down barriers and create a more equitable agricultural sector.

Technology is also playing a crucial role in driving financial inclusion. The PM-KISAN mobile app, launched in 2020, allows farmers to self-register, track payments, and complete e-KYC with face authentication. The introduction of the AI chatbot Kisan-eMitra has further enhanced accessibility, providing real-time assistance in regional languages. With over five lakh Common Service Centres (CSCs) onboarded, the digital infrastructure is ensuring that women farmers can access government benefits seamlessly, without middlemen or bureaucratic hurdles.

The impact of these combined efforts is profound. Women farmers are no longer confined to the margins; they are now key stakeholders in Indias agricultural and economic growth. By recognising their contributions, dismantling systemic barriers, and equipping them with the right resources, India is building a future where women in agriculture are not just participants but pioneers of change.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

As we celebrate International Womens Day, it is imperative to acknowledge the resilience, innovation, and leadership of women in agriculture. Their role in ensuring food security, fostering rural development, and driving climate-smart farming cannot be overstated. The governments unwavering commitment to gender-inclusive policies is not just a step towards equityit is a blueprint for a stronger, more self-reliant India. The future of Indian agriculture is female, and the nation stands to gain immensely from their empowerment.

The writer is a well-known author and national spokesperson of BJP. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.

First Published: March 08, 2025, 11:18 IST
Opinion | J&Ks Budget Of Illusions: False Promises, Flawed Policies And No Accountability

Written By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 15:02 IST

Rather than offering fiscal prudence, it is a collection of misleading figures and exaggerated claims, designed to paint an illusion of growth while ignoring the ground realities of Jammu and Kashmirs struggling economy

J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah speaks during the Budget session of the J&K Assembly, in Jammu, Thursday, March 6, 2025. (PTI Photo)

The recently presented J&K budget is not just disappointingit is a document of deception, lacking vision, transparency, and a clear roadmap for economic progress. Rather than offering fiscal prudence, it is a collection of misleading figures and exaggerated claims, designed to paint an illusion of growth while ignoring the ground realities of Jammu and Kashmirs struggling economy.

Austerity is not just a sloganit is a way of governance. Late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, even as Indias home minister, lived in a modest 1,200 sq. ft. apartment. Compare this to todays leaders who preach financial restraint but indulge in extravagance.

Recommended Stories

This administration has failed to adopt cost-cutting measures or negotiate meaningful financial aid, unlike the pragmatic approach taken by Mufti Sayeed in 2014 for Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.

EXAGGERATED ECONOMIC CLAIMS

The government claims that the tertiary sector contributes 61.70 per cent to J&Ks economy, but this assertion does not hold up under scrutiny. Tourism, a crucial component of this sector, cannot thrive when infrastructure is crumbling, airline fares are prohibitively high, and visitors are forced to choose between overpriced luxury stays and substandard budget options.

Middle-class tourists, the backbone of Indias tourism economy, are being driven awayyet the administration boasts of growth. This is nothing more than a mathematical illusion designed to mislead.

In the primary sector, the budget conveniently omits any mention of key industries like mining and minerals. Despite the discovery of lithium reserves in Samba, the government has failed to disclose any economic contribution from this valuable resource.

If these reserves are being accounted for, where is the mention of royalty revenues? Or does the government itself not know where these resources are heading? This silence raises serious concerns about transparency and mismanagement.

Similarly, the secondary sectors projected 19 per cent share in the economy is an inflated figure with no basis in reality. Where are the industries contributing to this number? With no large-scale manufacturing, minimal industrial output, and no major investments in production, this claim is a fabrication.

The government owes the people an explanationwhat methodology was used to arrive at these numbers?

A BUDGET THAT LACKS ACCOUNTABILITY

The budget includes a massive Rs 12,000 crore capital expenditure allocation for rural development, irrigation, healthcare, and housing. While investment in these sectors is essential, history has shown that such funds often become easy targets for corruption and mismanagement.

From the 1980s to the post-1996 era, financial irregularities have plagued J&K, and this administration is no exception. Without strict accountability, this money will enrich a few rather than uplift the region.

Another major concern is J&Ks overdependence on central assistance. The region generates only 30 per cent of its revenue receipts and 25 per cent of its budgetary needs independently, making it one of the least self-sufficient economies in the country.

With Rs 17,000 crore coming from central assistance and additional borrowings keeping the economy afloat, where is the roadmap for financial autonomy? A region that survives on grants and loans cannot claim to be economically stable.

The governments unrealistic tourism projections are another glaring issue. The claim that J&Ks tourism will contribute 15 per cent to GSDP within five years is nothing but an empty promise. Where is the infrastructure to support such numbers? Where is the policy for sustainable tourism? These projections exist only on paper, not in reality.

AGRICULTURE, POWER AND EMPLOYMENT: EMPTY PROMISES

Despite a Rs 5,013 crore allocation for the Holistic Agriculture Development Program, the budget fails to address critical issues like low irrigation coverage, lack of cold storage facilities, weak supply chains, and limited access to competitive markets for farmers.

The two-crop pattern initiative is meaningless without specifics on its implementation across J&Ks diverse terrains. Agriculture is not just about allocating money; it requires well-planned systems.

In the power sector, the administration claims that under-recovery losses have been reduced from Rs 6,552 crore in 2022-23 to Rs 5,244 crore in 2023-24, but this is merely a numbers game. Aggregate Technical & Commercial (AT&C) losses remain at a staggering 41 per cent, while public debt has soared to 52 per cent of GSDP. The administration expects people to believe that billing reforms alone will fix this crisis, but without a concrete roadmap, J&Ks power sector will remain a financial black hole.

Employment promises made under Mission YUVA are equally vague. The claim of creating 4.25 lakh jobs over five years lacks specificswhere will these jobs come from? What training will be provided? How will these trained youth be absorbed into employment?

The government itself admits to delays in JKPSC and JKSSB recruitments yet makes grand statements about job creation without a clear timeline. A government that cannot even manage its recruitment backlog has no business making hollow promises about employment.

HEALTHCARE AND INDUSTRIAL POLICY: MISSING THE MARK

While Rs 1,750.50 crore has been allocated for healthcare, the budget ignores the doctor shortages in rural areas, fails to provide a plan for district hospitals, and lacks a strategy for strengthening primary health centres.

Cancer treatment and maternal health services remain severely inadequate, with only two State Cancer Institutes plannedan utterly insufficient response to the rising healthcare needs of the population.

The government also boasts about having 64 existing industrial estates and 46 more under development, yet it has no clear strategy for attracting large-scale industries. Where are the implementation timelines for the Rs 28,000 crore industrial package? Where are the tax incentives for MSMEs? Where is the framework for IT and biotech expansion? Without a proper industrial policy, this so-called industrial push will remain mere rhetoric.

A BUDGET WITHOUT REFORMS IS JUST A SPEECH

The biggest failure of this budget is its lack of a long-term strategy for fiscal sustainability. Committed expenditures like salaries and pensions consume nearly 60 per cent of revenue expenditure. A region that spends more on running its government than on developing its economy is heading toward bankruptcy.

The administration has also failed to introduce new tax reforms, missing a crucial opportunity to boost J&Ks revenue base. It claims to have utilised 97 per cent of the Rs 58,466 crore under the PM Development Package (PMDP-2015), yet it refuses to provide a transparent performance audit of these projects.

Even social welfare schemes such as free ration, marriage assistance, and free transport for women remain plagued by inefficiencies. Without proper execution, these are hollow promises, not policies.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

In the end, this budget is nothing more than a grand speechlong on words but short on execution, financial clarity, and accountability. A budget without reforms is just a piece of paper. A government without transparency is just a regime. And a promise without a plan is just a lie.

Zaffer Mir (Lasjan) is Political Leader, Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party, Advocate for regional stability, development & societal well-being. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.

First Published: March 08, 2025, 14:58 IST
Opinion | My Way Or The Highway: The New Normal In Global Negotiations

Written By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 12:06 IST

Will bilateral and multilateral negotiations become harsher, more unpredictable, and increasingly businesslike? Is this the end of diplomatic speak in negotiations?

US President Donald Trump and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House. (AFP Photo)

US President Donald Trump and his administration are changing the order of things in trade and diplomacy by introducing unpredictability that is unfamiliar even to businesses. Dons negotiation style represents a new way of exercising power, exposing the other side to uncertainty and changing the terms of engagement, ultimately anchoring them into a new normal altogether.

The use of strategic ambiguity, reciprocal tariffs, and ultimatums in trade and geopolitical negotiations underscores a new normal in global relationships. This norm will replace or affect the traditional diplomatic approach of conceding in public while gaining in private. Is this the end of diplomatic conversations hiding behind verbosity and a more naked and harsher truth-based approach?

Recommended Stories

Historically, international negotiations followed hard bargaining behind closed doors and soft, diplomatic messaging in public. This method allowed leaders to protect relationships while still advocating for national interests. Behind-the-scenes negotiations were often tough and strategic, but public rhetoric emphasised cooperation, stability, and long-term partnerships. The rhetoric would drive the media, and the analysis or criticism was muted or contained in the public sphere.

The new approach today, however, flips this dynamic. Instead of careful, behind-the-scenes bargaining, the US leadership is openly confrontational, using public pressure, social media, and press statements to shape negotiations. This shift creates a high-stakes environment where countries feel forced to take rigid stances to avoid losing face in public. The consequences include heightened tensions, increased unpredictability, and a greater risk of negotiation breakdowns.

This shift exemplifies Trumps approach, particularly in trade and security discussions. His administration has frequently used social media and public statements to pressure negotiating counterparts, forcing real-time responses rather than allowing for quiet, measured diplomacy. This hardline approach, amplified by Vice President JD Vance, is a defining characteristic of the USs international negotiations. This will affect negotiation methods in bilateral relationships and is a harbinger to a new way of negotiating in business and even multilateral forums.

CHANGING THE REFERENCE POINT: A NEW ANCHORING STRATEGY

One of the most significant shifts in this negotiation style is the deliberate redefinition of the anchoring point, or the starting reference for discussions. Rather than negotiating from a conventional baseline, the US has changed the frame of reference to put other nations on the back foot before talks even begin.

In the case of Ukraine, the US moved the focus away from core issues like reclaiming Russian-occupied territory or achieving a ceasefire. Instead, the anchoring point was set at a radically different levelUkraine ceding mineral rights to the US in exchange for support. This fundamentally altered the negotiations premise, shifting it from a security-based discussion to a transactional, resource-exchange dynamic. By doing so, the US forced Ukraine to argue against an artificial demand rather than negotiate on its original terms.

the US moved the focus away from core issues like reclaiming Russian-occupied territory or achieving a ceasefire. Instead, the anchoring point was set at a radically different levelUkraine ceding mineral rights to the US in exchange for support. This fundamentally altered the negotiations premise, shifting it from a security-based discussion to a transactional, resource-exchange dynamic. By doing so, the US forced Ukraine to argue against an artificial demand rather than negotiate on its original terms. This strategy is even more apparent in trade negotiations. Instead of beginning discussions from existing trade norms, the US set new baselines by introducing steep reciprocal tariffs. This approach effectively forced trading partners like Canada, Mexico, and China into a defensive posture, focusing on removing or mitigating these tariffs rather than negotiating other critical trade terms. By shifting the anchoring point to a new, harsher standard, the US ensured that its negotiating counterparts had to fight uphill battles just to return to previously accepted norms.

THE FIXED-PIE BELIEF IN UKRAINE NEGOTIATIONS

One of the key cognitive biases in negotiation, as discussed by Bazerman and Neale (1992) in Negotiating Rationally, is the fixed-pie beliefthe assumption that a negotiation is a winner-takes-all scenario rather than an opportunity for mutually beneficial solutions. This belief was evident in the USs approach to talks with Ukraine, where the Trump administration proposed that the US receive ownership of half of Ukraines mineral and oil resources in exchange for continued American support. This shifted from the moral high horse approach that Ukraine has used till now to force the US, and even Europe, to shame them in supporting its conflict with Russia.

From the US perspective, the demand was seen as a necessary price for military and economic aid, rooted in the belief that any gain for Ukraine must come at a proportional loss for Kyiv. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected this proposal outright, arguing that it lacked substantive security guarantees and positioned Ukraine as a vassal rather than a sovereign ally.

Zelenskyys approachassuming that the US would negotiate on conventional diplomatic termsdid not align with the Trump-Vance administrations strategy, which relied on extreme anchoring and rigid demands. Rather than countering in a way that acknowledged the USs hardline stance, Ukraines outright rejection eliminated opportunities for compromise. This demonstrated a crucial misalignment where Ukraine assumed room for mutual benefit. The US viewed the negotiations strictly from a mineral gains point of view and forced this publicly, not privately. Zelenskyy had to finally capitulate and agree to the terms and leadership of the US, as is evident from the letter he wrote to the US President after leaving the negotiation midway.

HARDLINE TACTICS IN TRADE NEGOTIATIONS: THE MY-WAY OR HIGHWAY APPROACH

This uncompromising approach is not limited to Ukraine but is evident in trade negotiations with Mexico, Canada, and China. Trump imposed a 25 per cent tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico, arguing that these measures would revitalise the American economy. Canada and Mexico responded with retaliatory tariffs, escalating the trade dispute.

Similarly, in negotiations with China, the administration repeatedly altered terms and imposed sudden tariffs, making it difficult for China to anticipate US demands. This created an environment of uncertaintya negotiation tactic often used to pressure the opposing party into irrational concessions due to fear of unpredictability, as noted in Negotiating Rationally.

By shifting the anchoring point to new, extreme tariffs, the US forced other countries to negotiate from a defensive position rather than engage in equal bargaining.

THE GLOBAL SHIFT TOWARD UNPREDICTABILITY IN NEGOTIATIONS

The success (or, at least, the endurance) of this hardline strategy suggests that it is becoming the new normalnot just for the US, but for other nations as well. In a world where unpredictability has proven to be a powerful tool, more countries may adopt similar tactics to gain leverage in international agreements. We are already seeing instances of this:

India has taken a firmer stance in trade negotiations with the European Union, leveraging its growing economic clout to dictate terms rather than accept concessions.

China has begun implementing its retaliatory economic policies, ensuring that US tariffs are met with equally severe countermeasures. It has refused to back down from the US approach, and it has become a game of who blinks first, how long this stand-off will continue, and whether it will flow into other, even harsher, military adventures.

The shift toward a more rigid, transactional negotiation style marks a fundamental change in global diplomacy and trade relations. The traditional framework of cooperative bargaining is giving way to a more aggressive, confrontational model. The USs deliberate shift in anchoring points has fundamentally altered negotiation dynamics, forcing counterparts into defensive positions even before talks begin.

Research on high-pressure negotiations, such as studies by Malhotra & Bazerman (2007) in Negotiation Genius and Carnevale & De Dreu (2006) in Motivational Aspects of Negotiation and Mediation, suggests that such tactics heighten anxiety and stress among negotiators, leading them to make more significant concessions than they would under more stable conditions. When confronted with unpredictable and extreme demands, negotiators often act out of fear or pressure rather than rational evaluation, ultimately ceding more ground than initially intended.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

While this approach may yield short-term gains, it also risks long-term instability and erosion of trust among international partners. As this negotiation-normal gains traction, it raises critical questions about the future of diplomacy: Will nations find ways to counterbalance these hardline tactics, or will this become the dominant negotiation method in the years ahead?

K Yatish Rajawat is a public policy researcher and works at the Gurgaon-based think and do tank Centre for Innovation in Public Policy (CIPP). Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.

First Published: March 08, 2025, 12:01 IST
Womens Empowerment, Minus The Cliches: What Really Needs To Change? | Interview

Written By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 11:16 IST

Sheroes Amongst Us isnt just about women breaking barriersit questions why those barriers exist in the first place. Authors Falguni Desai and Dr Amit Nagpal discuss what real change looks like beyond the cliches

On this Womens Day, lets move beyond celebration and start questioningwhat still holds women back, and what will it take to create real, lasting change? (AI Generated)

Every year, International Womens Day brings the usual slogansempowerment, equality, breaking barriers. But what happens when the day is over? What does real change look like beyond corporate hashtags and token initiatives?

Sheroes Amongst Us, by Falguni Desai and Dr Amit Nagpal, captures the raw, untold stories of women who didnt just rise against the odds but reshaped the very definition of success. From breaking into male-dominated industries to challenging the myth that women must do it all, the book goes beyond inspirationits a call to rethink how we define progress, power, and true equality.

Recommended Stories

Through this book, the authors challenge the idea that empowerment is just about individual achievements. True change, they argue, is not about women simply overcoming obstaclesits about ensuring those obstacles dont exist at all.

In this exclusive interview, we speak to the authors about the myths, the realities, and the urgent shifts needed to move beyond token empowerment. What will it take for women to stop fighting just to existand finally have the freedom to live, thrive, and take up space without a battle?

EXCERPTS FROM THE CONVERSATION:

Sheroes Amongst Us is a call to action for a more equitable world. Beyond leadership, what systemic changeswhether in education, social structures, or workplace cultureare crucial to ensuring womens empowerment is not just a corporate talking point but a lived reality?

Womens empowerment cannot be outsourced to corporates under the banner of Diversity & Inclusion. If we truly want an equitable world, change must start at the grassroots levelwithin families, in schools, and in everyday mindsets long before women enter the workforce.

The first step is at home. A girl should not be raised thinking she has to prove her worth, or that her biggest responsibility is to balance work and family while her male counterparts enjoy more freedom. Her choiceswhether in career, education, or personal lifeshould be treated as valid, without conditions or limitations. We need to stop making cooking, caregiving, and household responsibilities a must-have" for girls, while boys are raised without the same expectations.

Then comes education. We celebrate figures like Rani Lakshmibai in textbooks, but we rarely teach young girls about the career possibilities they can actually pursue. Its not enough to highlight stories of past warriorswe need to introduce girls to STEM careers, entrepreneurship, finance, leadership, sports, and more, so they see a world of options beyond traditional roles. And why do we still have separate girls schools, only to later expect corporates to take full responsibility for diversity & inclusion? If we separate girls and boys during formative years, we reinforce differences that later translate into workplace biases.

By the time a woman enters the workforce, she has already faced decades of conditioning about what she should" or should not" do. Corporates alone cannot undo that. If we want real change, it has to begin much earlierby treating girls as equals at home, in education, and in everyday choices.

Women dont need special treatment. They need equal opportunities without predefined roles. The real call to action is for society to changenot just policies in boardrooms, but the way we raise, educate, and respect women from the very start.

Despite progress, leadership spacesespecially in business and politicsremain male-dominated. What policy-level changes do you believe can bring real, measurable shifts in gender representation rather than just token inclusion?

Ideally, we wouldnt need policy-level changes for women at allopportunities, funding, and leadership roles should be distributed purely on merit. If someone has the right qualifications and talent, they should be given opportunities regardless of gender. However, the reality is that mindsets take time to change, and systemic biases still exist.

Policy-level changes need to go beyond just quotas and representationthey must create real pathways for women to enter, grow, and sustain leadership positions in business and politics. The goal of these policies isnt to give women an advantageits to remove the structural disadvantages theyve historically faced.

Some of the changes which we can implement are:

Companies and governments should be held accountable for gender diversity at every levelnot just in top positions but in mid-management, where future leaders are groomed.

Equal paid parental leave for both men and women ensures that caregiving is not just a womans responsibility.

Flexible work policies, return-to-work programs, and on-site childcare facilities should be mandatory for large corporations.

State-supported funding for female candidates and stronger laws against workplace harassment can encourage more women to step into leadership.

Boards and political parties should have clear gender diversity benchmarks, with measurable tracking of how many women are being promoted, funded, and electednot just how many are hired.

Women dont just need a seat at the tablethey need the tools, policies, and support systems to lead effectively.

The book talks about awakening the Shero within." What does that really mean in todays world, and how can women bring this idea into their everyday livesnot just as motivation but as action?

Awakening the Shero within" is about recognising that you are capable, you are enough, and you dont need anyones validation to move forward. Too often, we as women second-guess ourselvescan I do this? Should I take this risk? Am I good enough?while others move ahead without overthinking. Its time to drop the hesitation and take action.

In todays world, this isnt just about motivationits about making real choices every day that push us forward: stop waiting for permission. At work, at home, or in businessstep up, own your space, and make things happen. Take risks. Dont overanalyse every decisionsometimes, the best way to know if something works is to try it. Perfection isnt requiredprogress is.

A Shero isnt someone extraordinary. She is every woman who decides to silence the doubt, take risks, and own her journeywithout guilt, without hesitation. And thats a choice we can make every single day.

The book features women whove defined success on their own terms. Do you think its time to move beyond traditional ideas of making itlike promotions and degrees? What should success look like today?

For me, success has never been about just climbing the ladder or collecting achievements. Its about giving the world a wholesome human beingsomeone who adds to the world, creates a peaceful space, and makes a difference in their own way. If I can do that, if I can contribute to a world that is more thoughtful, kind, and awarethat, to me, is success.

The women in Sheroes Amongst Us have all defined success on their own terms. Their journeys prove that success isnt just about titles or validation, but about the impact we create, the fulfillment we find, and the peace we feel within ourselves. Whether its leading a company, shaping young minds, or simply finding joy in our own journey, what truly matters is that its a path we choose for ourselves, not one dictated by expectations.

Women are often expected to excel at work, manage families, and stay perfect while doing it all. What impact does this pressure have on mental health, and how do we push back against these impossible standards?

The expectation that women should excel at work, manage families, and stay perfect while doing it all is exhausting. Its not about whether we can do itits about the toll it takes when were expected to juggle everything seamlessly. The mental load is constant. We are always planning, always thinking ahead, always carrying the responsibility of making sure everything runs smoothly. The mind is never at peace.

Ive seen so many womenmyself includedonly realise the weight of this burden once life slows down a little. It often happens after kids leave for college, and suddenly, theres this moment of reflection. We call it a mid-life crisis, but in reality, its the first time many of us have stopped long enough to askWhat about me?" Life has moved at full speed, and in trying to be everything for everyone, we never got the time to just be ourselves. The pressure to be perfect, to manage it all, and to never drop the ball leads so many women into burnout, depression, and other mental health struggles.

The real solution isnt about time management or work-life balanceits about letting go of this impossible standard. We dont have to know everything. We dont have to prove ourselves by doing it all. Its okay to say no, to ask for help, to choose yourself without guilt.

And society needs to shift toowomen dont need empowerment initiatives that just add more to their plates. What we need is real change in how responsibilities are shared, how workplaces support women, and how we redefine success. The goal is not to do it all"the goal is to live a life where doing what truly matters is enough.

Many women, even those with successful careers, find themselves financially vulnerable after the loss of a spouse. One of the women in your book faced this after losing her husband unexpectedly. Why is financial independence still an afterthought for many women, and what can be done to change this mindset?

It all starts with a mindset shiftif we earn the money, we should be the ones managing it. Too often, the narrative has been that men earn and grow wealth, while women only spend. This needs to change.

The first step is taking control of your own financessomething as simple as having your own bank account rather than only relying on a joint one. Women have always been great at savingweve seen our mothers and grandmothers do it effortlessly. But now, we need to go beyond saving and actively understand investments, wealth creation, and financial growth.

One of the most powerful statements in Sheroes Amongst Us came from a mother who told her daughter: The only way to combat poverty, the only way to combat male oppression, the only way to combat patriarchy is financial independence. When someone else is earning the money, then you dont have the right to even think."

This is the reality that many women have faced for generations. Financial independence is not just about moneyits about freedom, dignity, and having a voice in your own life.

Its also about correcting the narrative. When someone says, Women only know how to spend money," we need to challenge that thinking right there. Financial independence is not just about earningits about owning our financial decisions, making informed choices, and securing our future. The sooner women start taking charge of their money, the stronger and more empowered they will benot just in times of crisis, but in every stage of life.

We often highlight the resilience of women who overcome adversity, but what about those who dont make it? The ones whose stories end in burnout, systemic exclusion, or quiet resignation? How do we shift the conversation from glorifying survival to dismantling the structures that make survival so difficult in the first place?

The conversation needs to start by stopping the constant scrutiny and judgment placed on women. Words have power, and the casual remarkssometimes from our own familiesleave a deep mental impact. Women dont just deal with external barriers; they carry the weight of proving themselves at home, in the workplace, and within society. How much can you really do?", Why do they pay you so much?", Youre coming home latewhats going on?"

These arent just questionsthey are constant reminders that women are being watched, evaluated, and second-guessed at every step. The pressure to prove ourselves never really stops. And in this cycle of trying to meet expectations, we often forget to give ourselves the trust, freedom, and space to fail.

Failure is part of life, and it should be acceptednot as a sign of weakness, but as a step toward growth. But the world doesnt allow women the same room for failure as it does for men. Instead, women are expected to be perfect at everythingat work, at home, in relationships, in leadership. This burden is what leads to burnout, quiet resignation, and lost potential.

Its easier said than done, but we need to stop defining success for others. No one else should get to dictate whether weve made it" or not. The only person who should have the right to measure how well weve done in life is ourselves.

Real change starts when we shift the conversation from Can women do it all?" to Why are they expected to?" And more importantly, when we stop expecting women to prove their worth at every step, and simply let them be.

When we talk about womens safety, the conversation is often about preventing violence. But safety is also about freedomthe ability to take a walk at night, travel alone, or exist without fear. How can we shift the conversation from just protection to true freedom and mobility for women?

For centuries, women have been seen as objects of desire or as carriers of family honour, which has led to a culture of control and judgment. A womans clothing, her choices, her presence in public spacesall of it is scrutinised. We need to stop aligning a familys image to a woman and stop making an issue when she dresses a certain way, speaks up, or takes up space. Safety will never be achieved as long as women are constantly policed and judged for simply existing in public.

The real shift needs to happen in how men view women, how they are raised, and how society defines respect. A woman walking alone at night shouldnt be seen as bold"it should be normal. The solution isnt to teach women how to protect themselvesits to change the way society perceives and treats them.

True safety will only exist when a woman can walk freelynot because shes protected, but because she doesnt have to fear being harmed or judged in the first place.

As Sheroes Amongst Us reminds us, empowerment is not about glorifying struggleits about removing the barriers that make struggle inevitable. Its about rethinking success, demanding systemic change, and shifting the conversation from survival to true freedom.

The stories in this book are not just storiesthey are challenges to the status quo. They force us to ask: How much longer will women have to fight for what should already be theirs?

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

True empowerment isnt about applauding the few who make itits about dismantling the barriers that force women to fight in the first place. Its about ensuring that every woman, everywhere, has the freedom to livenot just survive.

Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.

About the Author Karishma Jain Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @kar... Read More Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @kar... Read More

First Published: March 08, 2025, 07:00 IST
BJP MLAs Introduce Love Jihad Bill In Maharashtra Assembly, Oppn Warns Of Harassment

Reported By :

News18.com Edited By: Apoorva Misra



Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 14:36 IST

The Bill seeks to introduce strict measures to ensure that any individual intending to convert to another religion must declare their intent to the district magistrate at least 60 days in advance

All eyes are now on the assembly discussions to see if the Bill becomes a law or faces resistance from the Opposition and civil society. (PTI)

In a significant move during the Maharashtra Assemblys budget session, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators Atul Bhatkhalkar and Sudhir Mungantiwar introduced a private members Bill, seeking to enact a law against religious conversions allegedly taking place under the guise of marriage. The proposed legislation, which aims to prevent forced conversions, has reignited political and social debates on the issue of Love Jihad in Maharashtra.

The Bill proposes legal provisions to curb what the BJP calls one-sided religious conversions" occurring after marriage. It seeks to introduce strict measures to ensure that any individual intending to convert to another religion must declare their intent to the district magistrate at least 60 days in advance. Additionally, religious priests conducting the conversion would also be required to inform the authorities before proceeding. Failure to adhere to these provisions could result in legal consequences, including imprisonment ranging from six months to three years and fines between Rs 10,000 and Rs 50,000.

Recommended Stories

According to Mungantiwar, the Bill is not aimed at targeting any particular community but is necessary to prevent coercion, fraud, and pressure that might influence an individuals religious decision-making under the pretence of marriage.

Speaking to CNN-News18, Bhatkhalkar said: The private members Bill was introduced with the aim to curb illegal religious conversion which happens under the pretext of marriage. It has been observed that such cases are increasing every year. Hence, to curb them, there is need for strict legal provision. I am confident that our government will pass the Bill and make it an Act which will help curb these illegal conversions."

The introduction of the Bill has triggered mixed reactions across the political spectrum. BJP leaders and right-wing groups have strongly supported the move, arguing that it will safeguard individuals, especially women, from being deceived into marriage for religious conversion. They claim that Maharashtra, like other states, needs a legal framework to prevent such cases, following the example of BJP-ruled states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, which have already implemented similar laws.

On the other hand, opposition parties and activists have criticised the Bill, calling it an attempt to polarise society along religious lines. The Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) have questioned the necessity of such legislation, arguing that existing laws in India already address issues of forced conversions and fraudulent marriages. They believe that the Bill could be misused to harass interfaith couples and restrict personal freedoms.

Majid Memon of NCP(SP) said: Such a Bill being tabled in the Maharashtra assembly shows the Hindutva mindset of Maharashtra BJP leaders. As per our Constitution and existing laws, forceful conversion itself is an offence. Hence, there is no need for such a Bill. The BJP leaders should consult the legal experts and drop this Bill."

AIMIMs Waris Pathan echoed the sentiment. Those who are talking about Love Jihad, do they even know the meaning of Jihad? It is just a phrase some are using to defame Muslims. Love is love and Jihad is Jihad  inter-caste or inter-religion marriages are happening in our country since a long time. BJP minister Lodha had said in the assembly that many cases have been recorded of Love Jihad but when the actual investigation was done, they didnt find any such thing."

Some legal experts have also raised concerns about its constitutionality as Indias secular fabric allows individuals the right to choose their religion and life partner.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

The proposed Bill has also sparked public discourse on individual rights versus state control. Supporters believe it will act as a deterrent against coercive conversions, citing instances where women have allegedly been misled into marriage for the purpose of religious conversion. Meanwhile, critics argue that such a law could create an atmosphere of fear and suspicion, discouraging interfaith marriages and violating fundamental rights guaranteed under the Indian Constitution.

As a private members Bill, it will now be subjected to further discussions and deliberations in the Maharashtra Assembly. The bills passage will depend on the support it garners from other legislators. Given the sensitive and controversial nature of the topic, it is expected to be hotly debated in the coming days. All eyes are now on the assembly discussions to see if the Bill becomes a law or faces resistance from the Opposition and civil society.

About the Author Mayuresh Ganapatye Mayuresh Ganapatye, News Editor at News18.com, writes on politics and civic issues, as well as human interests stories. He has been covering Maharashtra and Goa for more than a decade. He previously worked with... Read More Mayuresh Ganapatye, News Editor at News18.com, writes on politics and civic issues, as well as human interests stories. He has been covering Maharashtra and Goa for more than a decade. He previously worked with... Read More

First Published: March 08, 2025, 14:36 IST
'Manufactured News': Devendra Fadnavis Rejects Shiv Sena Rift Reports, Stresses Mahayuti Unity

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 07, 2025, 19:29 IST

Fadnavis dismissed any speculation of a rift, stressing that all three ruling Mahayuti parties in the state are working together for the progress of Maharashtra

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday dismissed reports of a dispute with Eknath Shindes Shiv Sena, calling them manufactured news".

Speaking at the Moneycontrol Global Wealth Summit 2025 in Mumbai, Fadnavis denied any speculation of a rift, stressing that all three ruling Mahayuti parties in the state are working together for the progress of Maharashtra.

Recommended Stories

Addressing his relations with the opposition in the state, Fadnavis acknowledged that Maharashtra politics had seen challenging moments, where he and his government were targeted. However, he made it clear that his aim was not revenge but change.

When I came to power, I said I have not come for badla (revenge), I have come for badlav (change). My focus has always been on development," Maharashtra CM noted.

Fadnavis also addressed the issue of the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the state, noting that the Speaker has the right to decide on this matter.

Expressing confidence in the Speakers judgment, he stated, The Speaker is a very learned man, and in the interest of democracy, he will take the right decision."

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

The Chief Minister further stressed that he does not judge the opposition based on their numbers but considers opposition leaders in their rightful capacity, as the Leader of Opposition.

ALSO READ: Thanda Thanda, Cool Cool: Fadnavis And Pawar By His Side, Shinde Says Well Not Break

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 07, 2025, 19:19 IST
Rahul Gandhi Says 'Congress Leaders Working For BJP', Draws 'Biggest Asset' Barb

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 20:31 IST

Rahul Gandhi's big allegation came on the second day of his two-day Gujarat visit, amid reports of an impending overhaul of the state Congress unit.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. (Image/PTI)

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi made a big claim on Saturday, accusing some party leaders of working for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha said 30-40 Congress leaders can be sacked if required.

Rahul Gandhi made the remarks during the second day of his Gujarat visit, where he said there was a need to filter out leaders and workers from his partys Gujarat unit who were secretly working for the BJP, warning of strict action going as far as removals.

Recommended Stories

Gandhis visit focuses on the 2027 Gujarat Assembly elections, and he warned that he could sack up to 40 leaders if needed to clean the party in the BJP-ruled state, where Congress has been out of power for decades.

There are two types of people in the Gujarat Congress leadership and among workers. Those who are honest with people, fight for them, respect them and have the ideology of the Congress in their heart. And the others who are cut off from the people sit far away, do not respect them, and half of whom are with the BJP," the Congress leader said while addressing party workers.

Gandhi warned of strict action against those working for the rival political party. If we have to connect with the people of Gujarat, we need to do two things. The first task is to separate these two groups. Even if we have to remove 10, 15, 20, 30, 40 people, we are ready to do that to set an example," he was quoted as saying by NDTV.

Congress Failed To Meet Expectations, Says Rahul Gandhi

Gandhi asserted that unless these two groups were separated, the people of Gujarat would not repose their faith in the Congress. He said the party should find a place in their hearts" by setting winning and losing elections aside. Attacking the BJP government, he said the people felt trapped" and key industries were in ruins.

Look at farmers of Gujarat. They are screaming for a new vision. The vision of the last 20-25 years has failed, and Congress can provide this vision easily. But this is not possible unless these two types of people are filtered," the LoP said, acknowledging that Congress has not been in power for over 30 years and the party has not been able to fulfill expectations of the people

Unless we fulfil our responsibilities, the people of Gujarat will not let us win the elections. And we should not ask the people to give us the government till we fulfil our responsibilities. The day we have fulfilled our responsibilities, I can guarantee that all the people of Gujarat will support us," he said.

He said that all party leaders of Congress will have to work hard by going amidst the people and listening to their opinions and expectations, adding that the party can make a comeback in the state even if the vote share increases by 5%.

In the 2022 Gujarat assembly elections, Congress won only 17 of the 182 seats in the state. However, the partys strength in the House dropped to 12 after the resignation of five MLAs. The BJP has governed the state since 1995.

BJP Responds To Rahul Gandhis Claims

The BJP responded to Rahul Gandhis claims, saying he had trolled" his own party in Gujarat, making him the biggest asset" of the party in the state.

Rahul Gandhi brutally trolled his own party and showed himself the mirror. He should have hesitated a bit," said BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla. If losing elections is an art, then Rahul Gandhi is the artist. He has lost 90+ elections. You are the biggest asset of the BJP. Are you involved with the BJP yourself?"

If you (Gandhi) want to achieve self-realisation, then you should evaluate yourself and see why you are a non-performing asset for the Congress. Please stop calling your party workers animals. Stop disrespecting a politician like (Mallikarjun) Kharge ji," he added.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

Union Minister Giriraj Singh also took a swipe at Gandhi. The workers of Gujarat have expressed that they have no faith in the leadership of Rahul GandhiWhen questions are raised on the leadership, then the supporters and cadres leave the party," he told reporters.

(with PTI inputs)

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 08, 2025, 16:14 IST
In Bizarre Job Application, Techie With 25 Years Of Experience Asked How He Performed In High School

Curated By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 16:05 IST

The applicant, who has been in the tech industry for over two decades, was perplexed by the outdated requirements in the job application.

The user completed his high school in 1997. {representative image)

A techie, with approximately 25 years of experience, was asked on a job application to mention his high school grades. The applicant, who has been in the tech industry for over two decades now, was perplexed by the outdated requirements.

He decided to post about his experience on social media, which has now sparked a discussion. In the Reddit post, the user also uploaded a screenshot of the job application form.

Recommended Stories

It questioned, How did you perform in mathematics at high school?" and How did you perform in your native language at high school?" Both questions required candidates to select their preference from a drop-down menu.

The application further asked for a rationale for the responses mentioned in the form. The form instructed the candidates to refer to provincial, state, or nation-wide scoring systems, rankings, or recognition awards, or to competitive or selective college entrance results such as SAT or ACT scores, JAMB, matriculation results, IB results, etc."

We recognise every system is different, but we will ask you to justify your selections above," it added.

Frustrated, the techie captioned his post, I have 25 years of industry experience, went to apply to this role Im not filling this garbage out. I havent been in high school since 1997."

As the post quickly gained traction online, social media users flocked to the comments section, agreeing that such outdated hiring practices were counterproductive. Some questioned why employers still prioritised high school performance over decades of professional experience.

A user commented, That is some micromanagement BS."

Its Canonical. I applied there recently and had to answer these questions. I was like, High school was a long time ago," another added.

An account remarked, More like ageism. Cant imagine what other value Canonical is getting from asking such questions. I feel like this should be illegal unless the job description explicitly states the role is for an internship or early career program."

The asking of the questions regarding high school performance is stupid enough to laugh, but that they then want you to explain your rationale and/or provide evidence of and justify your answers just made my jaw drop," echoed a few.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

Let me guess. Canonical and they also asked for ACT/SAT scores. I quit applying for them when I saw that. The audacity," said a user.

What are your views on this ongoing debate?

About the Author Buzz Staff A team of writers at News18.com bring you stories on whats creating the buzz on the Internet while exploring science, cricket, tech, gender, Bollywood, and culture. A team of writers at News18.com bring you stories on whats creating the buzz on the Internet while exploring science, cricket, tech, gender, Bollywood, and culture.

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 08, 2025, 16:05 IST
'Is It In Our DNA?' Mans Post On Toxic Indian Bosses Sparks Debate

Curated By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 10:57 IST

A man on Reddit detailed how his wife was left in tears after her boss was "extremely rude" to her during a meeting call..

Social media users echoed the concerns raised in the post. (Representative Image)

A social media post shedding light on toxic workplace behavior among some managers at the workplace has struck a chord with many. The post, shared on Reddit, detailed how a mans wife was left in tears after her boss was extremely rude" to her during a meeting call. The man also claimed that his brother-in-law, working in the US, faced similar mistreatment from his Indian manager.

Frustrated by these experiences, he wrote, Indian bosses are a**holes."

Recommended Stories

Detailing his wifes ordeal, he added, My wife has been crying her eyes out since this afternoon. Her a**hole of a boss was extremely rude to her on a meeting call. The poor woman has been crying since then. She cried just now too."

Questioning the behavior, he wrote, What makes these b**tards get away with this? What kind of culture have we created? How did these people get the idea that they can talk however they feel like, and we will take it? What gives them the right to take out their frustration on us? Im not surprised by people wanting to leave."

In his Reddit post, the man also claimed that this toxic behavior isnt limited to India alone. He revealed that his brother-in-law, who works in the US, faces similar mistreatment from his Indian boss.

Is there something wrong in our DNA itself? Are we exploitative by nature? Sab apne aap ko baap samajhte hain. These people make comments on our personal lives also," he wrote, concluding his post with frustration.

Since the post gained traction online, it has opened the floodgates for conversations about workplace bullying and harassment, especially involving Indian managers. Many users shared their own troubling experiences, highlighting the lack of concern for employees well-being in Indian corporate culture.

No comments, just praying for the well-being of your wife and a better heart and understanding for her boss," wrote a user on Reddit.

Another one commented, Most Indian bosses are yes, mean, and bootlickers. Plus, they get praised by their bosses because of how much more their team delivers. No one cares about your personal well-being in Indian corporate life. Plus, they know there is always someone willing to work more and for far less money than you."

Not to sound negative, this is as normal as seeing a kid begging for food while people drive away in their BMW, I have Indian bosses while in the USA who carelessly call Indian counterparts at 2 AM in the morning to ask questions, which they can easily find if they do some research," said someone in the comments section.

A person mentioned, When you become a manager, youll be the same. Its in the genes Desi managers are a**holes."

Nobody tells them they are wrong. They spend a lot of time in meaningless meetings but nobody says anything. Their planning is shit, they hand over every small piece of work, lacking any kind of leadership skills, and still nobody says anything," said another user.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

An individual suggested, If your wife can afford to quit, Id advise you to tell her to do that. No job is worth losing your self-esteem. Lost confidence doesnt build up so easily. It takes months to build confidence. It takes a day to lose it."

Whats your perspective on this debate?

About the Author Buzz Staff A team of writers at News18.com bring you stories on whats creating the buzz on the Internet while exploring science, cricket, tech, gender, Bollywood, and culture. A team of writers at News18.com bring you stories on whats creating the buzz on the Internet while exploring science, cricket, tech, gender, Bollywood, and culture.

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 08, 2025, 10:55 IST
SEOUL, March 8 (Xinhua) -- The top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) called for bolstering up the navy's combat power while inspecting the country's major shipyards, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Saturday.

The basic orientation for radically bolstering up the navy's combat power is "to simultaneously push forward with the modernization of water-surface and underwater warships and the further improvement of their operational capabilities," Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the DPRK, was quoted as saying.

He stressed the need to decisively enhance the warship-building capacity on the basis of the existing experience and technology and "put spurs to the improvement of overall technical processes," in a bid to build a large number of modern warships of different missions desired by the naval force.

Kim also learned about the building of a nuclear-powered strategic guided missile submarine.

The DPRK would "never remain an idle onlooker to the naval and underwater military activities of the enemies," he said, adding that the DPRK will "reliably defend the maritime sovereignty and firmly ensure a security guarantee on the Korean Peninsula and in the region through the important innovations and changes of its naval force and the upper hand in the ever-evolving strength."

The KCNA report did not specify when Kim visited the shipyards. 
20 States Sue Trumps Administration Over Mass Firings Of Federal Workers

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 07:33 IST

The lawsuit, filed late Thursday in Maryland, is led by Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown, who is heading a coalition of attorneys general

US President Donald Trump (AP Image)

Maryland and 19 other states have filed a lawsuit against multiple federal agencies, contending that President Donald Trumps administration illegally terminated thousands of federal probationary workers.

The lawsuit, filed late Thursday in Maryland, is led by Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown, who is heading a coalition of attorneys general. The state of Maryland estimates that approximately 10% of households in the state rely on federal wages.

Recommended Stories

Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, voiced his support for the lawsuit on Friday, stating, The extreme actions of the Trump-Vance Administration could lead to tens of thousands of job losses, disrupt hundreds of thousands of lives, and cause the loss of millions of dollars in income here in Maryland."

Following up on Friday, Brown filed a motion in federal court in Maryland seeking a temporary restraining order to halt any further firings of federal probationary workers and to reinstate those already dismissed.

The lawsuit argues that the mass firings will create significant and lasting financial strain on the states, as they will be required to provide support to newly unemployed workers and process their unemployment claims. Over 800 of the fired federal workers in Maryland have already applied for unemployment benefits, according to Browns office.

The lawsuit further asserts that these layoffs will negatively impact state finances through lost tax revenue.

President Trumps unlawful mass firings of federal workers are a direct assault on the civil service, forcing thousands of hardworking families into financial hardship," Brown, a Democrat, said in a statement. Rather than following the law and notifying the states, his administration blindsided Maryland, leaving us to cope with the devastating economic and social consequences."

President Trump, a Republican, has justified the firings by claiming they target fraud, waste, and inefficiencies in the federal government. Under the guidance of Trump and his adviser Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency, both new and veteran employees have been dismissed, with agency heads instructed to plan for large-scale reductions in force." These actions have prompted several lawsuits from unions and attorneys general challenging the authority of the Department of Government Efficiency. Efforts to contact the White House and the Justice Department for comment were unsuccessful.

Probationary workers, who are typically new to their roles and lack full civil service protections, have been disproportionately affected by the layoffs.

Although federal agencies claim the dismissals were due to poor performance or conduct, the lawsuit argues that the firings were part of a broader attempt by the administration to restructure and downsize the federal government.

As part of this process, the administration was obligated to comply with federal laws and regulations that govern large-scale reductions in force, the lawsuit contends. For instance, regulations mandate that agencies consider an employees tenure, performance, and veteran status when making termination decisions. Additionally, 60 days notice is typically required before terminating employees in a reduction in force.

This has caused and will continue to cause serious and irreversible harm to the Plaintiff States, who must now manage a sudden surge in unemployment without the required notice under federal regulations," the lawsuit states.

The attorneys general are requesting that the court reinstate the fired employees and stop further terminations of federal workers.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

Other states joining the lawsuit include Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin, with the District of Columbia also participating.

(With AP inputs)

Location : United States of America (USA)

First Published: March 08, 2025, 07:33 IST
A Realistic Path: UK, Europe Choose Arab Gaza Rebuilding Plan Over Donald Trumps Riviera Proposal

Published By :

AFP

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 18:41 IST

US President Donald Trump said that he would remove Palestinians from Gaza and build a riviera there.

Palestinian children attend a lesson in a classroom at a damaged school, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, in Gaza City. (IMAGE: REUTERS)

Britain, France, Germany and Italy on Saturday backed a proposal by Muslim-majority nations to rebuild Gaza as a realistic path".

The counter-proposal to US President Donald Trumps plan to take over Gaza and displace its residents promises  if implemented  swift and sustainable improvement of the catastrophic living conditions for the Palestinians living in Gaza," the foreign ministers of the four countries said in a joint statement.

Recommended Stories

The 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) at an emergency meeting in Saudi Arabia, on Saturday formally adopted a plan put forward by the Arab League.

The Egyptian-crafted plan, an alternative to Trumps widely condemned takeover, proposes to rebuild the Gaza Strip under the future administration of the Palestinian Authority.

Unlike the Trump plan, it aims to do so without displacing the territorys 2.4 million inhabitants, who have suffered 17 months of war.

The OIC, which represents the Muslim world, in a statement urged the international community and international and regional funding institutions to swiftly provide the necessary support for the plan".

The Egyptian proposal  which does not outline a role for Hamas, which controls Gaza  has already been rejected by both the US and Israel.

But the European foreign ministers said it shows a realistic path to the reconstruction of Gaza".

We are clear that Hamas must neither govern Gaza nor be a threat to Israel any more," they said in their statement.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

We commend the serious efforts of all involved stakeholders and appreciate the important signal the Arab states have sent by jointly developing this recovery and reconstruction plan," the statement added.

We are committed to working with the Arab initiative, the Palestinians and Israel to address those issues together."

About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More

Location : Berlin, Germany

First Published: March 08, 2025, 18:41 IST
Australian Journalist Robbed On Live TV While Reporting On Crime Rates

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 22:58 IST

Reporter Hayden Nelsons teams equipment was stolen while he was reporting on Adelaides rising crime rates.

Hayden Nelson, a reporter for an Australian broadcaster, shows how his crews equipment was stolen while they were reporting on the crime rates in the area. (IMAGE: INSTAGRAM)

An Australian journalists equipment was stolen while he was reporting on live television on rising crime rates in the Australian city of Adelaide. Hayden Nelson, a reporter working with the Australian broadcaster 7+.

He was delivering a piece-to-camera on the broadcasters breakfast show Sunriseon7 when the thief stole equipment as the crew were filming near Rundle Mall.

Recommended Stories

The thief approached the reporter and the video journalist and casually greeted them. Then when everyone got back to their work, he took one of the crews lights and walked away.

To give you an idea of just how brazen some of the crime is, this morning after our last live, someone came and took the light off our light stand. We have about three lights here and theyve just pulled it blatantly off and walked away with it. So, any need for security and calls for police were certainly made clear for us this morning," Nelson said on camera.

After the cross, hes gone to check on the light  the stand was still there but the light itself has vanished and we were both scratching our heads about how a light can go missing," another reporter told the news outlet.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

The reporter said that the crew took time to realise that there was missing equipment because the reporter was coordinating with the producer and other presenters, while having lights shining on the reporter.

The reporter said that while reporting they focus on reporting the news correctly and stay aware of their surroundings but they were shocked that someone took advantage of the situation to steal their equipment and that too without knowing its use or value.

About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More

Location : Adelaide, Australia

First Published: March 08, 2025, 22:58 IST
'I Am A Zionist': Trudeau's Support For Israel In Spotlight, Says 'No One Should Be Afraid To...'

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 13:59 IST

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's statement comes as the Liberal Party prepares to elect a new leader to succeed him.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau | File Image/Reuters

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sparked a row after saying he is a Zionist", a term used to define a person supporting the protection of a Jewish homeland in Israel.

Addressing the National Forum on Combatting anti-Semitism, Trudeau called upon the people and said that no one in the country should be afraid to identify as a Zionist."

Recommended Stories

The increasingly common deafening indifference toward or even rationalisation of rising anti-Semitism is not normal. The term Zionist is increasingly being tossed around as a pejorative, even though it simply means believing in the right of Jewish people, like all people, to determine their own future, is not normal," he said.

No one in Canada should be afraid to call themselves Zionists, I am a Zionist," he added.

PM Justin Trudeau says no one in Canada should ever be afraid to call themselves Zionists, I am a Zionist" pic.twitter.com/zIEa0kvaIk 6ixBuzzTV (@6ixbuzztv) March 7, 2025

Israel Embassy Welcomes Trudeaus Remark

The Israeli Embassy in Canada praised Trudeaus statement, emphasising its significance during challenging times for Jews both in Canada and worldwide.

In a social media post on X, the Embassy highlighted the alarming rise in antisemitism, citing data from Israels Diaspora Ministry that reported a 670 per cent increase in antisemitic incidents in Canada since October 7.

The post further stressed that such a surge is unprecedented and should be a cause for concern." The Embassy also underscored the importance of backing words of solidarity with concrete actions to fight hatred and promote education against antisemitism.

UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights Francesca Albanese stated that Zionism infringes on Palestinians right to self-determination, adding that combating antisemitism should not come at the expense of others rights.

No ideology justifies the dispossession of a people or the denial of their right to self-determination. Canada has legal obligations to support, not obstruct, Palestinian self-determination-failure to do so can have legal consequences under international law. Canadians should be fully aware of this."

Row On Social Media

Trudeaus remark sparked a social media row, with an X user saying: He might as well declare himself proud of apartheid laws, proud of Israels illegal occupation, proud of their genocide."

Several other users commented, with some saying that his remark during the last days in the office would set his legacy, while others said, No comment, only nausea".

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

Trudeaus statement comes as the Liberal Party prepares to elect a new leader to succeed him. Having led the party since 2013 and becoming prime minister in 2015, he announced in early January his intention to step down amid declining poll numbers and internal party divisions.

The leading contender to replace him is Mark Carney, a former Bank of Canada governor who later became the first non-British governor of the Bank of England.

Location : Canada

First Published: March 08, 2025, 13:58 IST
India Seeks 'Good' Trade Agreement With US To Boost Economic Growth, Says Sitharaman

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 23:20 IST

The minister said that a lot more steps are required to strengthen the country's exports across the board, wherever there is potential

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. (File)

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said India is looking for a good" trade agreement with the US to promote economic growth and ensure smooth supply chains.

She also said that amid a growing global tariff war, India will have to move smartly" to guard against possible dumping of goods from countries that are facing higher US tariffs. At the same time, India will protect the interests of domestic industries that rely on affordable imports.

Recommended Stories

In a broad sense, I think, both sides should have ambition for a good treaty, and nobody can fault that. Particularly for India, when you are looking at Viksit Bharat, you need to have good traction. Everybody is concerned about the growth numbers," she said at The Economic Times Awards.

The minister said that a lot more steps are required to strengthen the countrys exports across the board, wherever there is potential.

So, I am sure the commerce minister (Piyush Goyal) is quite seized of this, and he would take this (trade) agreement to meet the ambitions that we have in terms of promoting growth, in terms of ensuring that our supply chains are intact and smooth and flowing well, and therefore, that would guide his negotiations, I would think," Sitharaman said.

India and the US are negotiating a bilateral trade agreement, with an aim to double trade to USD 500 billion by 2030. After a week-long visit, Goyal on Saturday returned from Washington after holding trade talks with his US counterparts.

Over the concern that due to the US tariffs, there is a possibility of dumping of goods in the country, Sitharaman said: When such chances exist, we will have to guard ourselves against it. But, how smartly do we do that?We need to be smart about these sorts of things".

Among stakeholders, there are sections that opt for complete stoppage of dumped goods and some sections prefer a calibrated approach to it, she added.

So, the governments task is to make sure that we plan for it and balance everybodys interests," the minister said.

Already various sectors like steel have approached the government to impose safeguard duties to protect them against the increase in imports from countries, such as China, which have huge inventories.

When asked about the guiding principles that India needs to follow while negotiating free trade agreements, she said: The first principle is to put Indias interest first".

She said the language of certain agreements signed by the previous government was very loose" and India is facing a challenge now because of those.

She said the commerce ministry is now engaged to review many of the FTAs, including with countries like Japan, Korea, and ASEAN, which were signed in the past.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

today our understanding is good negotiationIndias interest should be absolutely your top priority. And unless you do negotiate for Indias own good, even your negotiation will not be taken seriously by the opposite side, because they are very clear on what they want. But can you not be as clear? And therefore, I would think the approach now is to be a lot more hands-on in your negotiation," she said.

She also pitched for consulting with the stakeholders at every process and taking their inputs from time to time.

First Published: March 08, 2025, 23:19 IST
Not Aimed At Solving Problems: Khamenei Slams US Bullying Tactics After Trumps Threats

Published By :

AFP

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 23:27 IST

Khamenei said the actions of the US are not aimed at solving problems but are aimed at domination.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei greets Iranians ahead of a speech in Tehran. (IMAGE: AFP)

Irans supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday slammed what he described as bullying tactics a day after US President Donald Trump threatened military action against Iran.

Some bully governments  I really dont know of any more appropriate term for some foreign figures and leaders than the word bullying  insist on negotiations," Khamenei told officials after Trump threatened military action if Iran refuses to engage in talks over its nuclear programme.

Recommended Stories

Their negotiations are not aimed at solving problems, they aim at domination," Khamenei said.

On Friday, Trump said he had written to Irans supreme leader, urging new talks on the countrys nuclear programme or face possible military action if it refuses.

Khamenei said on Saturday that bullying powers aim to assert their own expectations.

They are setting new expectations that they think will definitely not be met by Iran," he said, without naming the United States or referring to Trumps letter.

On Friday, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told AFP in an interview that Tehran would not negotiate under maximum pressure", although he did not directly address Trumps letter.

Trump reinstated his policy from his first term of maximum pressure on Iran upon returning to the White House in January.

Under this policy, the United States in 2018 withdrew from the Iran nuclear accord formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The JCPOA, set between Tehran and western powers in 2015, had offered relief from economic sanctions in exchange for limits on Irans nuclear activities.

Tehran has in recent months engaged in diplomatic efforts with three European countries  Britain, France and Germany  aimed at resolving issues surrounding its nuclear ambitions.

However on Saturday, Khamenei also slammed the three European countries for declaring that Iran has not fulfilled its nuclear commitments under the JCPOA".

You say that Iran has not fulfilled its commitments under the JCPOA. Okay, have you fulfilled your commitments under the JCPOA?" he responded.

Peaceful nature

Khamenei said Tehran had abided by its commitments for a year but there was no other way" but to roll back from these under the deal following legislation by the countrys parliament.

US officials now estimate that Iran could produce a nuclear weapon within weeks if it chose to do so.

Tehran has consistently denied pursuing nuclear weapons, emphasising the peaceful nature of its nuclear programme.

Officials have always cited a religious decree issued by Khamenei that prohibits the development of such weapons.

Last month, Khamenei reiterated his opposition to negotiations with the United States, calling this unwise" just days after Trump called for a new nuclear deal.

Khamenei accused Washington of having ruined, violated, and tore up" the 2015 agreement.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

In 2019, more than a year after Trumps withdrawal from the JCPOA, Japans then premier Shinzo Abe visited Iran in an attempt to mediate between Tehran and Washington.

But Khamenei firmly rejected the possibility of talks with the United States, saying he did not consider Trump as a person worthy of exchanging messages with".

About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More

Location : Tehran, Iran

First Published: March 08, 2025, 23:27 IST
Oscar-Winning Actor Gene Hackman Died Days After Wife Succumbed To Rare Virus: Cause Of Death Revealed

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 08:12 IST

The 95-year-old Oscar-winning actor, his 64-year-old wife Arakawa, and one of their dogs were found dead in different rooms of their Santa Fe home on February 26.

Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, in 1989. File Image/X

Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman, who was in the later stages of Alzheimers, died of heart disease and other conditions, just days after his wife, Betsy Arakawa, succumbed to a rare syndrome spread by mice, revealed the autopsy results released on Friday in New Mexico.

On February 26, the 95-year-old Oscar-winning actor, his 64-year-old wife Arakawa, and one of their dogs were found dead in different rooms of their Santa Fe home.

Recommended Stories

Hackmans heart disease and the hantavirus pulmonary syndrome that led to Arakawas death were revealed during a press conference at the Santa Fe Sheriffs Office.

Hackmans wife died days before he did, results showed. A reporter asked Sheriff Adan Mendoza if Hackmans Alzheimers had hindered him from perceiving her death.

I would assume that is the case," Mendoza told reporters.

Its quite possible that he was not aware that she was deceased," Heather Jarrell, chief medical investigator at the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator, told reporters.

Arakawa is believed to have died around February 11, authorities said on Friday, citing the date of the last email she sent.

Last week, the sheriff told reporters that a pathologist determined the last signal from Hackmans pacemaker was from February 17, making it likely that was the last day of the actors life.

All About The Rare Virus

Hantavirus is a rare disease in the US, with most cases concentrated in the western states of New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Utah. In northern New Mexico the virus is spread by droppings and urine of deer mice.

The virus is often transmitted through the air when people sweep out sheds or clean closets where mice have been living.

Hackman and Arakawa, a pianist, called Santa Fe home since the 1980s and were active in the citys art community and culinary scene. In recent years, the couple were seen less often in town as his health deteriorated. They lived a very private life before their deaths, Mendoza said.

A caretaker at their gated community discovered the couple dead. Sheriffs deputies found Hackman in the kitchen. Arakawa and a dog were found in a bathroom.

Both Hackman and Arakawa appeared to have suddenly fallen to the floor and neither showed signs of blunt force trauma.

Arakawa had picked up one of her dogs in a crate on February 9 from a Santa Fe veterinarian, which may explain why the animal was found dead in the crate in the couples home on February 26, Mendoza said. State Veterinarian Erin Phipps said the dog may have died of starvation.

Hackman, a former Marine known for his raspy voice, appeared in more than 80 films, as well as on television and the stage during a lengthy career that started in the early 1960s.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

He earned his first Oscar nomination for his breakout role as the brother of bank robber Clyde Barrow in 1967s Bonnie and Clyde." He won an Oscar for best actor in 1972 for his portrayal of detective Popeye Doyle in The French Connection," and in 1993 won an Oscar for best-supporting actor for Unforgiven."

(With agency inputs)

Location : United States of America (USA)

First Published: March 08, 2025, 08:08 IST
At Least 12 Injured In Shooting At Toronto Pub, Cops Launch Manhunt For Gunman

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 11:16 IST

At least 12 people were injured at a pub near Scarborough Town Centre in Toronto, Canada, according to reports.

According to officials, multiple people were struck by gunfire inside a pub in the area.

At least 12 people were injured in a shooting at a Toronto pub on Friday night, according to police.

The incident took place around 10:39 pm near Progress Avenue and Corporate Drive, in the Scarborough area of the city. Four victims suffered non-life-threatening injuries, while the condition of the others remains unknown, police was quoted as saying by NBC News.

Recommended Stories

The suspect was described as wearing a black balaclava and was seen fleeing the scene in a silver car.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow expressed her concern in a statement on social media, stating that all available police resources had been mobilized.

I am deeply troubled by the reports of a shooting at a pub in Scarborough. I have spoken with Chief Demkiw, and he has assured me that all necessary resources are being used," Chow said, referring to Torontos Chief of Police, Myron Demkiw. This is an early and ongoing investigation, and police will provide more details as they become available. My thoughts are with the victims and their families," she added.

Location : Canada

First Published: March 08, 2025, 11:07 IST
'Another Tragic Night For Ukraine': Poland PM Donald Says Russia Appeasement Led To More Bombing'

Published By :

AFP

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 20:17 IST

Polish PM Donald Tusk said the recent bombing of Ukraine was because of Russia appeasement.

People hug a crying woman near a damaged residential building following a strike in Dobropillia, Donetsk. (IMAGE: AFP)

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Saturday slammed deadly Russian overnight strikes on Ukraine as the result of what happens when someone appeases barbarians".

More bombs, more aggression, more victims. Another tragic night in Ukraine," Tusk wrote on X, formerly Twitter, following Russian attacks that killed at least 14 people in Ukraines east and northeast.

Recommended Stories

About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More

Location : Warsaw, Poland

First Published: March 08, 2025, 19:11 IST
Ukrainian Diplomats To Meet Americans In Saudi As Zelenskyy Announces Array Of Meetings

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 20:16 IST

Zelenskyy is set to meet Mohammad bin Salman, the Saudi Crown Prince, and Ukrainian diplomats will meet US officials. The meetings will take place in Jeddah.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during an interview. (IMAGE: AFP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday said a batch of Ukrainian diplomats will remain in Saudi Arabia after he meets Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman next week. The Ukrainian President said Andriy Yermak, Andriy Sybiha, Rustem Umerov and Pavlo Palisa will meet the American team which will be in Saudi Arabia.

Senior US and Ukrainian officials are set to meet for talks on the war in Jeddah on Tuesday.

Recommended Stories

US envoy Steve Witkoff said he would speak to the Ukrainian negotiators about an initial ceasefire" with Russia and a framework" for a longer agreement.

We continue working with partners who seek peace just as we do, focusing on the necessary steps. Next week, there will be a lot of work here in Europe, with the U.S., and in Saudi Arabia  we are preparing a meeting to accelerate peace and strengthen the foundations of security. pic.twitter.com/RDoGpHNwUl Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) March 7, 2025

The war is at a critical juncture, days ahead of talks between US and Ukrainian negotiators aimed at securing a truce in the three-year-long war.

Next week, I will begin with a visit to Saudi Arabia. After my meeting on Monday with the Crown Prince, Ukrainian diplomatic and military representatives will stay for a meeting on Tuesday with the American team. The Ukrainian team will include Andriy Yermak, Andriy Sybiha, Rustem Umerov, and Pavlo Palisa," the Ukrainian President said, adding that his country remains committed to constructive dialogue".

Ukraine has been seeking peace from the very first second of this war. Realistic proposals are on the table. The key is to move quickly and effectively," he further added.

Washington has suspended crucial US military aid and access to satellite imagery and intelligence sharing after US President Donald Trump and Zelenskyy had a public falling-out in the Oval Office last week.

The American president has radically shifted the US position, reaching out to Russian President Vladimir Putin while criticising Zelenskyy.

Trump has said it may be easier" to work with Moscow than Kyiv on efforts to end the three-year-long war.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

He says he wants to end the war as soon as possible, but Ukraine fears being forced to make heavy territorial concessions to Moscow.

Kyivs troops are also struggling on the eastern front, although an AFP analysis of US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) data showed Moscows advance had slowed in February.

About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More

Location : Kyiv, Ukraine

First Published: March 08, 2025, 20:15 IST
Mohammad Sharifullah, who confessed to organizing the 2021 bombing in Kabul, admitted to instructing the perpetrators of the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall near Moscow, Azernews reports, citing Azertag.

"During his interview with the FBI, Sharifullah admitted that, on behalf of ISIS-K (the branch of the Islamic State in Afghanistan, banned in Russia), he had shared instructions on how to use AK-style rifles and other weapons to would-be attackers. Sharifullah also admitted to recognizing two of the four arrested gunmen as those he had previously instructed," the statement reads.

Earlier, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that Sharifullah, who was detained near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border with the assistance of US intelligence, was brought to the US on Wednesday morning. Leavitt emphasized that Sharifullah had confessed to crimes related to the Kabul airport attack, as well as other attacks in Russia and Iran.

The terror attack on the Crocus City Hall concert venue in the city of Krasnogorsk just a stones throw from Moscows city limits was staged on the evening of March 22, 2024. The attack claimed 144 lives and left 551 more people hurt. Four perpetrators were detained in Russias Bryansk Region bordering Ukraine by the next morning. Their alleged accomplices were also arrested and taken into custody. Some of them are natives of Tajikistan.
BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- China's courts have acted to protect the rights of businesses and entrepreneurs by stepping up oversight of illicit cross-region and profit-driven law enforcement, said a work report of the Supreme People's Court.

This was done to "strictly prevent the misuse of criminal measures in economic disputes," said the report submitted Saturday to the national legislature's annual session for deliberation.

Summarizing its work over the past year, the top court said the move was part of the judiciary's efforts to "create a law-based business environment."

"The legitimate rights and interests of both state-owned and private businesses were equally protected, while their illegal and criminal activities were severely punished by law," the report said.

The report noted that 46 cases involving property rights were retired and corrected by courts in 2024, acquitting 13 out of 72 people involved in these cases.

China's Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) also upheld the principle of equal protection for the lawful rights and interests of all types of business entities, while strengthening oversight over compulsory measures such as sealing, sequestering, and freezing of assets and handled 31 key cases last year, a work report of the SPP said Saturday.

As of February 2025, 21 of these cases had been resolved, releasing 610 million yuan (about 85 million U.S. dollars) in funds that had been sealed up, sequestered or frozen, according to the report. 
US Deals Another Blow To Climate Justice, Exits Hard-Negotiated Loss and Damage Fund

Reported By :

News18.com Edited By: Apoorva Misra



Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 10:28 IST

The L&D Fund, agreed to at COP28 in Dubai after decades of efforts, is meant to financially compensate developing countries address impacts of climate disasters

President Donald Trump, a climate denier, had also decided to withdraw from the 2015 Paris Agreement, one of the most important UN climate action deals. (Reuters)

Donald Trump-led United States, continuing its retreat from climate commitments, has dealt another blow to climate justice. The worlds biggest historical emitter has exited the Board of the Loss and Damage Fund, which was operationalised in January 2025 to financially compensate poor and vulnerable countries facing climate disasters.

In the latest order, Rebbecca Lowler, Deputy Director at the Office of Climate and Environment, wrote to Jean-Christophe Donnellier, Developed Country Co-Chair of the Fund, informing him that the US administration is withdrawing from the board effective immediately".

Recommended Stories

It stated: Both the US Board Member and United States Alternate Board Member will be stepping down, not to be replaced by a US representative. Consistent with the rules of the Procedure, please convey the change to the Secretariat."

Loss and damage" refers to adverse impacts of climate change, including loss of life, damage to infrastructure and property, crop damage, and ecosystems degradation. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), developing countries have 15 times more victims of natural disasters than developed countries.

After decades of efforts, the landmark fund was finally agreed to at COP28 in Dubai in 2023 where the developed countries decided to financially compensate developing countries most vulnerable to the devastating impacts of climate change. The fund was formally operationalised on January 1, 2025.

It was a hard-won deal after 30 years of campaigning by small island nations and other developing countries. While it relies on voluntary pledges from countries, and does not legally bind them to make any contribution to the fund, several developed countries had already pledged over $661 million in voluntary contributions by the end of the Dubai conference.

Disappointed to learn that the US has withdrawn from the Fund or responded to Loss and Damage. At a time when the world needs a concerted effort to fight the effects of climate change, the spirit of multilateralism should remain our guiding light," tweeted Ali Mohammad, Special Climate Envoy for Kenya.

Climate activist Harjeet Singh said the decision exemplifies a longstanding pattern of obstruction by the US government in securing climate finance and undermines global efforts for climate justice. While their absence might keep the ambition of the fund from being diluted, it does not absolve the US of its responsibilities. As the largest historical emitter, we must hold them accountable, and ensure they contribute their fair share towards global climate reparations," added Singh, also founding director, Satat Sampada Climate Foundation.

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

All large historical emitters have a moral and economic obligation to lead, not retreat, on climate action. It is even more imperative now, for other OECD countries to step up in their climate action," said Dr Dhruba Purkayastha from Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW).

The latest action follows US withdrawal from the 2015 Paris Agreement  one of the most important UN climate action deals under which countries committed to limit global warming to below 2 above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to limit the increase to 1.5. The decision was taken by newly sworn in President Trump  a climate denier  on his first day in office this January.

About the Author Srishti Choudhary Srishti Choudhary, Senior Assistant Editor at CNN-News18 specializes in science, environment, and climate change reporting. With over a decade of extensive field experience, she has brought incisive ground repo... Read More Srishti Choudhary, Senior Assistant Editor at CNN-News18 specializes in science, environment, and climate change reporting. With over a decade of extensive field experience, she has brought incisive ground repo... Read More

Location : United States of America (USA)

First Published: March 08, 2025, 09:21 IST
Watch | Man Waving Palestinian Flag Climbs Up London's Big Ben Tower

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 08, 2025, 18:18 IST

Police were called along with emergency units who brought a cherry picker with them to rescue the man.

Rescuers reached out to the man and urged him to get down but the man was seen holding on to the Palestinian flag, perched atop the tower that houses the Big Ben. (IMAGE: SKY NEWS/X)

A man holding a Palestinian flag was seen climbing up the tower which houses Big Ben in the Palace of Westminster in UK capital London. Videos, shared by a UK-based broadcaster, are now going viral on social media showing a barefoot man standing on a ledge several metres up the Elizabeth Tower.

A report by broadcaster Sky News said that a fire engineer has raised a cherry picker to the same height where the man was standing. It also said that some officials were engaging with the man while standing several feet away from him.

Recommended Stories

Police were called to the Palace of Westminster after a man appearing to hold a Palestinian flag was seen climbing up the tower which houses Big Ben. Read more: https://t.co/Ka0KLbEXCF pic.twitter.com/zy1FPaxGcl  Sky News (@SkyNews) March 8, 2025

At some point you have to come down, how long do you think you are going to be there, how long do you think you are able to be there?" a woman in the cherry picker was heard saying to him.

The man protesting with the Palestinian flag has also been sharing videos from the tower.

The barefooted pro-Palestine idiot who climbed Big Ben and is currently on it in Westminster, London, is complaining about the policing of the hate marches. Well, this is really going to help prevent a further crackdown. pic.twitter.com/tFasXnyBSk Starmer Sycophant (@sirwg202110) March 8, 2025

top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all

The broadcaster also said that a large red stain was seen on the side of the tower which appeared to be blood from the protesters feet.

At 7.24am on Saturday March 8 officers were alerted to a man climbing up the Elizabeth Tower at the Houses of Parliament. Officers are at the scene working to bring the incident to a safe conclusion. They are being assisted by the London Fire Brigade and the London Ambulance Service," a spokesperson for the London Metropolitan Police said.

About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More

Location : London, United Kingdom (UK)

First Published: March 08, 2025, 17:27 IST
CHENGDU, March 8 (Xinhua) -- As they recently sat in on a Communist Party of China (CPC) local committee meeting in a Chinese town, a delegation of the Nepali Congress party were deeply intrigued.

They were eager to know everything about how China runs a town, and foremost on their minds was whether it was done democratically.

The group was in China on a fact-finding tour at the invitation of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee. At Guanying town of southwest China's Sichuan province, they had a chance to observe grassroots governance firsthand.

At a meeting of the town's CPC committee, members held a group study session and addressed the most pressing matters in the town, such as the building of a service complex for the elderly. Each of the committee members shared their thoughts and made recommendations, making the meeting constructive and efficient.

As several members of the Nepali delegation are government officials, their questions were direct, targeted and professional: "How often is the town's CPC committee meeting held?" "How are the town's CPC committee members selected?" "How are the town's CPC committee meetings held?" "Are there any expert-style officials in the town's CPC committee?" "What is the age, gender and educational composition of the CPC committee members?"

Responding to the delegation's questions, Liu Chi, secretary of Guanying Town's CPC committee, provided a detailed explanation: "According to the rules, the meeting is held at least twice a month. The members are seasoned CPC members who were first vetted and then elected. The top official usually speaks last at the CPC committee meeting to ensure open discussion."

"How are the opinions of ordinary citizens reflected in the government?" One of the Nepali delegates continued to ask.

Liu said that now there are many ways for the public to express their opinions, including through e-mail, hotlines and mobile apps, as well as directly through local officials.

"I feel the convergence of two forces, top-down and bottom-up," said Kesab Joshi, director of Arunima College in Nepal. "This shows that the grassroots-level governments of China can both implement directives from the highest level as well as respond to the voices of the people."

Echoing Joshi, Kushum Shakya, a scholar from Tribhuvan University in Nepal, said that a well-functioning democratic system should serve all the people.

Observing that China's grassroots-level officials implemented policies from the highest level with strictness and honesty, she said: "This is the key to successful governance."

The scholar also noted the diverse composition of Guanying Town's officials and the practical topics discussed in the meeting, hailing it as a true democratic exercise.

According to the local officials, all CPC and government officials in the town's leadership team hold at least a bachelor's degree, with some having backgrounds in auditing, law and medicine, and the youngest is just over 30 years old.

Shubha Shakya, also a professor from Tribhuvan University, said this reflects the power of the youth. "You are all so young, well-educated, full of energy and capable of getting things done!" he said. 
Researchers, doctors, patients, and students walked out of hospitals, labs, and offices on Friday to demonstrate against what they characterize as an attack by the Trump administration on life-saving scientific and biomedical research. Thousands gathered for "Stand Up for Science" rallies around the country, the Washington Post reports. In Washington, University of Pennsylvania climate scientist Michael Mann told thousands of people assembled near the Lincoln Memorial that "Science is under siege," per the AP. Demonstrators included people who do the work and those whose lives have been saved by it. In places including Iowa City, Lansing, Boston, Tallahasee, and Philadelphia, demonstrators and speakers addressed the issues.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk has told Poland's parliament that his government is working on a plan for all adult men in the nation to be trained for the military. The goal is to have a model prepared by the end of the year, he said, that would allow for a reserve force "comparable and adequate to the potential threats." At the moment, Tusk said Friday, Ukraine's army has 800,000 soldiers and Russia's about 1.3 million. He said he wants to increase Poland's army from the current 200,000 or so to 500,000, the BBC reports. Women who volunteer also would be allowed to join the military.

Tusk said he's working with the defense minister on providing "intensive training to make those who do not go into the army fully-fledged and competent soldiers during a conflict." Part of the impetus is the decline in US support, which is leading European nations to increase aid to Ukraine and their own defense spending. In addition, Russia has increased its military budget as it presses its invasion of Ukraine. "Today, the situation of Poland, objectively and the situation of Ukraine above all, is more difficult than it was a few months ago," Tusk said, per Euronews, "and we have to deal with this fact."
Foreign ministers from Muslim nations on Saturday rejected calls by President Trump to empty the Gaza Strip of its Palestinian population and instead backed a plan for an administrative committee of Palestinians to govern the territory to allow reconstruction to go ahead. The AP reports that the foreign ministers gathered in the Saudi city of Jeddah for a special session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to address the situation in Gaza, at a time when the seven-week-old ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has been thrown into doubt.

In a statement put out Saturday, the gathering threw its support behind a plan to rebuild Gaza put forward by Egypt and backed by Arab states, including Saudi Arabia and Jordan, aimed at countering Trump's call. The OIC groups 57 nations with largely Muslim populations. Without specifically mentioning Trump, the ministers said they rejected "plans aimed at displacing the Palestinian people individually or collectivelyas ethnic cleansing, a grave violation of international law and a crime against humanity." They also condemned "policies of starvation" that they said aim to push Palestinians to leave.

Trump has called for Gaza's population to be resettled elsewhere permanently so that the US can take over the territory and develop it for others. Palestinians have rejected calls to leave. The ministers at the OIC gathering supported an Egyptian-backed proposal that an administrative committee replace Hamas in governing Gaza. The committee would work "under the umbrella" of the Palestinian Authority, based in the West Bank. Israel has rejected the PA having any role in the Gaza Strip, but it has not put forward an alternative for post-war rule in the territory.
A quarter of a century after a 2-year-old vanished from Connecticut, authorities there have finally tracked her down: She's now 27 and alive and well in Mexico. The Guardian reports Andrea Michelle Reyes was abducted by her mother, Rosa Tenorio, in 1999. Police long suspected Tenorio, who didn't have legal custody of Reyes at the time, had fled to Mexico with her daughter. Reyes' father, who was her guardian at the time of the kidnapping, reportedly traveled to Mexico several times over the years in an attempt to locate his daughter, but he could never make contact.

Although police originally obtained a felony warrant for custodial interference and a second in 2009, the case went cold until 2023, when a New Haven police detective reopened the file. In a news release , the department said, "Using a combination of interviews, search warrants, and social media," the detective discovered that Reyes was living in the Mexican city of Puebla. Investigators also used advanced DNA testing to confirm the relationship between Reyes and her father, and the pair were finally able to reconnect for the first time in two decades. The case was investigated as part of an initiative by DNA testing company Othram to solve 525 cases involving minors in the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System.

Although there's still an active arrest warrant out for Tenorio, it's only valid in the US, and New Haven police believe she remains in Mexico. But Chief Karl Jacobson said the investigation shows that it's never time to give up: "This case reflects the hard work of our officers and detectives. While cases may have investigative leads exhausted at the time, no cold case is ever truly closed."


House Republicans on Saturday unveiled a bill to keep government funded for six months, a blueprint that would boost allocations for defense, make cuts elsewhere, but largely retain funding levels set last year by President Biden. Congress has to pass something before midnight Friday to avoid a government shutdown. The proposal would go around the usual budget process, shifting some of the power to set spending from the appropriations committees to the Trump administration, the Washington Post reports. Democrats immediately denounced the plan.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee said the bill is a "power grab for the White House and further allows unchecked billionaire Elon Musk and President Trump to steal from the American people," per the Hill. Democrats said the continuing resolution would make it easier for Musk and his Department for Government Efficiency to slash the government and its employees. GOP staff members said the House leadership coordinated the bill and its release with the White House. Speaker Mike Johnson is moving toward a vote on Tuesday despite the lack of Democratic support, per the AP, trying to put the pressure on them. "I don't like CRs," Rep. Ralph Norman said. "But what's the alternative? Negotiate with Democrats? No."

The 99-page bill:



Increases spending : More would go toward veterans' health care and defense. Republicans said the defense budget would be about $6 billion higher than in fiscal 2024 but below amounts previously agreed to for fiscal 2025.

: More would go toward veterans' health care and defense. Republicans said the defense budget would be about $6 billion higher than in fiscal 2024 but below amounts previously agreed to for fiscal 2025. Decreases spending: Non-defense programs would be cut by about $13 billion compared to fiscal 2024, Republicans said. The Internal Revenue Service would be hit, they said.

Non-defense programs would be cut by about $13 billion compared to fiscal 2024, Republicans said. The Internal Revenue Service would be hit, they said. Excludes : Disaster relief for the recent fires in California, as well as funding for community projects that lawmakers deliver to their districts. There's nothing in the bill about the debt ceiling issue.

: Disaster relief for the recent fires in California, as well as funding for community projects that lawmakers deliver to their districts. There's nothing in the bill about the debt ceiling issue. Leaves intact: Benefits including the Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid programs aren't touched. Those programs aren't regularly reviewed by Congress, and funding continues. Most of government spending, in fact, is not addressed in the bill, per the AP.
A 14-year-old shot and killed a police officer and wounded another Friday evening in New Jersey, authorities said. Witnesses described seeing officers running down a busy street before they heard a volley of a dozen or more gunshots, the AP reports. The slain officer, 26-year-old Joseph Azcona, was part of a team of Newark police detectives and federal agents that had gone to arrest a suspect in an illegal weapons sting when the officer was fired on in his vehicle, authorities said. "He didn't even get a chance to step out of the vehicle before he was struck," Emanuel Miranda, Newark's director of public safety, said Saturday.

The other officer, who was not identified, was hospitalized with injuries that were not expected to be life threatening, authorities said. In a news conference, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka called the shooting a "heinous, callous disregard for humanity" and said officers had gone to the scene knowing that "grave danger was possible." Police took five people into custody, including the 14-year-old, who was charged with murder, attempted murder, and possession of illegal weapons, Essex County Prosecutor Theodore Stephens II said. The 14-year-old was shot and hospitalized with injuries that were not life threatening, Stephens said.

Stephens and Miranda gave few details about what led police to the group that fired on Azcona, the ensuing police response, or the shootout, per the AP. Azcona, a five-year veteran of the Newark force, was promoted to detective two years ago and assigned to an intelligence unit that was the "best of the best," Miranda said. The mayor expressed frustration that society hasn't figured out how to prevent a 14-year-old with a firearm from shooting at police. "We just have to do a better job. I have to do a better job. Our families have to do a better job. The community has to do a better job at making sure that our children are not handling guns in the street, shooting at police officers," Baraka said.
RIYADH, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Syria's membership in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) was reinstated, the OIC announced in a statement on Saturday.

The decision was taken during an extraordinary meeting of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers, convened in Jeddah on Friday to discuss the ongoing Israeli offensive against the Palestinian people and the plans for annexation and forced displacement from their land.

The statement noted that the decision came at Syria's request, and necessary measures will be taken to implement the decision.

The meeting, held at the request of Saudi Arabia, Palestine, and Iran, supported all the OIC resolutions on Palestine and Jerusalem, most recently by the Extraordinary Arab and Islamic Summit in Riyadh last November. 
TDT | Manama

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

The Kingdom of Bahrain has strongly condemned the recent crimes committed by outlaw groups in Syria, including attacks targeting security forces and attempts to undermine the countrys stability and civil peace.

In an official statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated Bahrains firm stance in supporting the Syrian governments efforts to safeguard national security, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. The ministry also reaffirmed Bahrains commitment to standing by the aspirations of the Syrian people for peaceful coexistence, development, and long-term prosperity.

Bahrains condemnation comes amid ongoing instability in Syria, with the kingdom expressing its solidarity in ensuring regional security and stability. The statement underscored the importance of international cooperation in addressing threats posed by armed groups and maintaining peace in the region.
TDT | Manama

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Bahrains Minister of Foreign Affairs, participated in the 163rd Ministerial Meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) held in Saudi Arabia.

The session, chaired by Abdullah bin Ali Al Yahya, Kuwaits Foreign Minister and current President of the Ministerial Council, was attended by the Foreign Ministers of the GCC member states, alongside Jassim Mohammed Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the GCC.

Key discussions at the meeting included the progress on implementing decisions made by the GCC Supreme Council and the Ministerial Council, as well as the recommendations put forward by the various ministerial committees and specialized councils regarding joint cooperation within the GCC.
TDT | Manama

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

The Shura Council will convene tomorrow, Sunday, for the 21st session of the third legislative term, where several important matters will be reviewed. Among the key items on the agenda is the Foreign Affairs, Defense, and National Security Committee's report on a draft law concerning the ratification of an agreement between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the State of Guernsey. This agreement aims to eliminate double taxation on income taxes and prevent tax evasion.

The committee has recommended the approval of the draft law, which is designed to remove double taxation on income and capital taxes, thus reducing the opportunities for non-compliance or tax avoidance. By doing so, the agreement is expected to foster greater economic and commercial cooperation between the two countries, promoting transparency and facilitating the exchange of information between tax authorities.

This agreement is part of Bahrains ongoing efforts to strengthen tax cooperation with international partners. It provides a legislative framework that helps mitigate the risks of double taxation, thereby creating a more stable investment environment. This will encourage businesses and individuals from both Bahrain and Guernsey to invest in each other's markets, boosting capital flows into Bahrain and opening up new investment opportunities.

In addition to the Guernsey agreement, the Council will also review another report from the Foreign Affairs, Defense, and National Security Committee concerning the draft law to ratify an agreement between the Government of Bahrain and Hungary. This agreement focuses on promoting and protecting investments and aims to enhance economic cooperation between the two countries.

The committee has recommended approval of this draft law as well. The agreement seeks to create a favorable environment for increased investments by offering legal protections for investors and encouraging commercial ventures. With its skilled workforce, growing economy, and developed infrastructure, Bahrain is positioning itself to attract high-value investments, which will drive job creation, increase foreign currency reserves, and support sustainable economic growth.

The investment protection agreement also promises to open new opportunities for Bahraini investors in Hungary, particularly in the technology and innovation sectors. This aligns with Bahrains Vision 2030, which seeks to promote economic growth and diversify the economy while avoiding direct financial obligations.

Additionally, the Council will review a question directed to the Minister of Legal Affairs and Acting Minister of Labor, Ms. Nancy Dina Eli Khaddouri, regarding the monitoring mechanisms implemented by the Labor Market Regulatory Authority. Ms. Khaddouri seeks to ensure employers comply with agreed-upon wages in contracts, and the Minister will respond to this inquiry.

Another question will be addressed to the Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, presented by Mr. Hisham Hashim Al-Qassab. The inquiry concerns the requirements and documents that companies and institutions must submit to obtain licenses for operating intelligent public transport application services. The Minister is also expected to provide a response.

The session promises to be an important one, with significant legislative matters on the agenda aimed at enhancing Bahrains economic ties with international partners and improving its investment climate.
Qatar Urges Diplomatic Resolution Between the U.S. and Iran

Qatar Urges Diplomatic Resolution Between the U.S. and Iran

TDT | Manama

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

Qatars Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, has reiterated the necessity of a peaceful agreement between the United States and Iran, stressing that Qatar firmly opposes any military escalation in the region.

Qatar will never endorse military action in this region. We remain committed to pursuing a diplomatic resolution between the U.S. and Iran and will not stop until an agreement is reached, Al-Thani stated in an interview with Al Jazeera.

His comments came shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump hinted on Friday at the possibility of a "peace agreement" with Tehran.

During a televised discussion with journalist Tucker Carlson, Al-Thani voiced concerns about potential military strikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities. He emphasized that maintaining stable relations with Iran is crucial for regional security, saying, Iran is our neighbor, and fostering positive ties with all our neighbors is essential. A stable relationship with Iran benefits the entire region.

The Qatari leader also highlighted significant advancements in relations between Iran and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations in recent years. While acknowledging certain policy differences, he stressed that these differences have not damaged diplomatic relations with Gulf states.

Meanwhile, President Trump remarked on Friday that "interesting developments" were ahead in U.S.-Iran relations. He suggested that Washington would either negotiate a revised nuclear agreement with Tehran or consider alternative measuresan apparent reference to military intervention.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi, however, dismissed direct talks with the U.S., stating that Tehran would not engage in negotiations as long as Washington continues its maximum pressure campaign and threats.

Qatars Role in Gaza Ceasefire Negotiations

Discussing Qatars role in mediating a ceasefire in Gaza, Al-Thani emphasized that Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani had consistently placed humanitarian concerns at the forefront.

If we can save even one life, then all efforts are worthwhile, he remarked.

He acknowledged that Qatar had faced relentless criticism throughout the 15-month-long conflict in Gaza.

For over a year, we have endured intense scrutiny and accusations regarding our role in Gaza. The level of criticism has been overwhelming, but we have remained steadfast, he said.

Despite these challenges, he underlined Qatars unwavering commitment to peace efforts. He noted that witnessing celebrations in both Gaza and Israel after the ceasefire announcement reaffirmed the importance of their mediation efforts.

Al-Thani credited the success of the ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement to coordinated efforts between Qatar, the U.S., and other international partners. He specifically acknowledged U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff for his instrumental role in advancing the negotiations.

The ceasefire, which took effect on January 19, brought a halt to Israels military operations in Gaza. The conflict had resulted in over 48,400 Palestinian deathsmany of them women and childrenwhile leaving vast areas in ruins.

In November, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the Gaza conflict. Additionally, Israel is currently facing genocide allegations at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over its military actions in the territory.
BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- The number of credit defaulters on China's blacklist saw the first drop in a decade last year, according to a work report of the country's top court submitted Saturday to the annual session of the national legislature for deliberation.

Nearly 2.46 million defaulters were added to the blacklist in 2024, down 23.4 percent year on year, said the report of the Supreme People's Court.

Over 2.82 million defaulters returned to market through a credit repair system in 2024, up 35.4 percent from the previous year, it said.

The decline in the number of the defaulters demonstrates enhanced public awareness of the rule of law and integrity, as well as improvement of law enforcement and judicial environment, according to the report.

China established a blacklist of credit defaulters in 2013 to better maintain market order and social fairness. 
Information from someone who lives and works in the area, online transcripts from the public meetings and public reports, Grok 3 analysis (based upon my giving it my view of the context to get to first megapack production at the new megapack factory in Texas gives this 6 month timeline.

 8-10 month timeline likely

 1.77 million sf of building. 1.03 million building getting converted. Other building being built. More buildings could getting leased or bought.

 main critical path bottleneck is the power upgrades that are needed inside and outside

The City of Katy is not involved in this project in any way. The County of Waller and the City of Brookshire are the only local governing bodies involved in this undertaking. The EPA and the State of Texas will also be heavily involved.

Retrofit: there are 206 overhead doors that have to be removed and the openings closed off. Tesla has access to premier construction teams, but this is still a major undertaking.

Starting time: The warehouse currently has approximately 10,000 completed batteries that need to be removed prior to any retrofit beginning. There are also nearly 44 million battery cells on pallets that need to be relocated. Give or take 40,000 square feet of auto parts are in the building 111 Empire. The staff for loading and unloading trucks has been reduced to the bare minimum. My personal guesstimate is that mid to late June before the building is empty. The facility is still receiving freight, which works against clearing the building of all products. The facility recently received several loads of freight into the building.

The building will not be empty until June (unless there is a massive speedup in clearing operations). This is based on how many people are available to load trucks for the outbound products. This is also allowing for receiving additional products. This shifts your timeline by several months. This would make pre-production later Dec 2025-Feb 2026.

The main project timeline for converting the warehouse at 111 Empire Boulevard in Brookshire, Texas, into Teslas third Megapack factory looks like about 6 months. There could be 3 months of delay for the roofwork and clearing the building.

Current status  Warehouse must be cleared, roof has to be changed. Equipment is not installed, power has not been upgraded, reinforcement to allow 80 ton megapacks may not be needed.

Several key factors: the conversion of an existing structure, utility setup (especially power for heavy industrial use), regulatory approvals, Teslas experience with similar projects, and the specific context of Waller County and the City of Brookshire.

Info from someone who lives in the area and has been investigating. Tesla took a lease on the building in November 2022 and opened in December of the same year. The building was originally built as a logistics hub for heavy inbound/outbound freight. There are over 200 overhead doors. Four overhead doors with ramps to allow large trucks or equipment to be brought into the building. There is another building (117 Empire) on the west end of 111 Empire (1 million SF) that is to be leased. 117 Empire is 122,000 square feet on a 10 acre lot and it would form a line of three buildings- 117 empire, 111 empire and the new building. A new building is to be built which will be 616,000 square feet. Total square footage of three buildings will be about 1.77 million square feet. The Giga Texas car factory is 10 million square feet. There are several other large buildings in the area which could be leased or acquired.

Currently the building houses just under 10,000 batteries, auto parts, and many items related to the assembly line at Giga Texas.

Key Factors and Main Issues

Conversion of an Existing Warehouse

The building at 111 Empire Boulevard is a pre-existing 1.03 million square-foot warehouse, previously leased by Tesla since October 2021 and used by a third-party logistics company (DB Schenker) for auto parts handling. Converting it into a Megapack factory involves reconfiguring the interior for manufacturing rather than starting from scratch. This reduces the timeline compared to a ground-up build like the Shanghai Megafactory, which took seven months to construct (May 23, 2024, groundbreaking to December 2024 completion).

Tesla is investing approximately $194 million in upgrades and equipment, including $44 million for facility improvements and $150 million for manufacturing equipment. These upgrades likely include installing production lines, reinforcing the structure for heavy machinery (Megapacks weigh around 80 tons when fully assembled), and adapting the space for industrial use. Since the building is already complete, structural work should be minimal, focusing instead on interior retrofitting, which experienced construction teams can execute efficiently.

Utility Setup (Power Infrastructure)

Power is a critical bottleneck. A Megapack factory requires significant electrical capacity to operate heavy equipment, test batteries, and potentially charge units during production. The Shanghai Megafactory transitioned from building completion to production in about two months (December 2024 to trial production by late January 2025), suggesting utilities were pre-coordinated. In Texas, however, utility upgrades can take longer due to regulatory processes and coordination with local providers like CenterPoint Energy, which serves Waller County.

Teslas Gigafactory Texas (Giga Texas) in Austin faced utility challenges, requiring a new substation and transmission lines, but it benefited from proximity to a major grid hub. Brookshire, near Houston, is in a well-developed industrial area (Empire West Industrial Park), but the warehouses prior logistics use suggests its current power capacity is insufficient for manufacturing 40160 GWh/year of Megapacks (estimates vary based on factory size comparisons).

Info from onsite investigator is $1 million of power grid work.

Upgrading transformers, substations, or grid connections could take 612 months if not pre-planned, though Teslas experience with Giga Texas and SpaceXs Starbase may expedite this.

Regulatory Approvals and Permits

Waller County Commissioners Court approved a tax abatement agreement on March 5, 2025, and the City of Brookshire was set to consider additional incentives on March 13, 2025. These financial incentives indicate strong local support, likely streamlining other approvals. Teslas history in Texas (e.g., Giga Texas) shows it can navigate permitting efficiently, often securing preliminary approvals while construction progresses.

Remaining permits likely include building permits for interior modifications, electrical permits for utility upgrades, and environmental permits (e.g., air quality or waste handling for battery production). Texas is business-friendly, and Waller Countys economic development partnership has a track record of fast-tracking projects (e.g., spec buildings since 2010). Unlike Giga Berlin, which faced delays from environmental objections, Texas projects typically avoid such hurdles, especially for retrofits rather than new builds.

Teslas Experience and Supply Chain Readiness

This is Teslas third Megapack factory, following Lathrop, California (ramped to 40 GWh/year), and Shanghai (targeting 40 GWh/year by Q1 2025. I, Brian Wang, believe that Shanghai megapack will reach 80 GWH/year or more but others like Dillon Loomis must wait for clear capacity statements and proof that the space will be used to increase production). Teslas project teams are seasoned, and their Texas presence (Giga Texas, SpaceX facilities) means established relationships with local contractors and suppliers. The supply chain for Megapack components (cells, inverters, etc.) is likely optimized, with parts possibly sourced from Giga Texas or other U.S. facilities, reducing delays.

The Shanghai timeline (two months from completion to production) reflects Teslas ability to install equipment rapidly when utilities and permits align. Texas construction firms can likely match this efficiency.

Estimated Timeline

Based on the above, heres a likely timeline starting from March 8, 2025 (todays date):

Phase 0: Clearing the warehouse, fixing the roof (1-4 months)

Phase 1: Planning and Initial Permitting (01 month, March 8April 8, 2025)

Tesla likely began planning before the March 5 announcement, given its lease since 2021. Remaining permits (building, electrical) can be secured in 24 weeks with Waller County and Brookshires support. Assume completion by early April.

Phase 2: Interior Retrofitting and Equipment Delivery (24 months, April 8July 8, 2025)

Retrofitting the warehouse (installing production lines, reinforcing floors, etc.) could take 23 months, overlapping with equipment delivery. Teslas $194 million investment suggests pre-ordered machinery, which can be installed in 12 months once on-site, mirroring Shanghais pace.

Phase 3: Utility Upgrades (36 months, April 8September 8, 2025)

Power infrastructure is the wildcard. If Tesla pre-coordinated with CenterPoint Energy, upgrades (e.g., substation enhancements) could finish in 34 months. Without prior planning, it might extend to 6 months. Assume 45 months as a midpoint, running parallel to retrofitting.

Phase 4: Equipment Installation and Testing (12 months, July 8September 8, 2025)

Once power is ready, installing and testing equipment takes 12 months, consistent with Shanghai. Trial production could start by late August if utilities align early, or September if delayed.

Total Timeline: 56 Months (March 8August/September 2025)  Possible 3 months Phase 0  to fix the roof and clear the warehouse.

Trial production could begin by August 2025 if utilities are expedited (5 months total), or September 2025 (6 months) if power upgrades lag. Mass production would follow a 36 month ramp-up, targeting Q1 2026 (JanuaryMarch).

Remaining Regulatory and Permit Steps

Building Permits: Likely minor, as its a retrofit. Waller County can issue these within weeks, especially with tax incentives in place.

Electrical Permits: Required for utility upgrades. Coordination with CenterPoint Energy and the Texas Public Utility Commission (PUC) may take 12 months but can overlap with construction.

Environmental Permits: Battery production involves chemicals, so air quality or waste permits may be needed. Texass laxer regulations (compared to California or the EU) suggest quick approval (12 months), likely already in progress given Teslas experience.

Occupancy and Safety Certifications: Final inspections post-retrofit, typically 24 weeks once equipment is installed.

Main Issues and Mitigations

Fixing the roof (206 doors) and clearing the warehouse.

Power Delay Risk: The biggest hurdle. Tesla could mitigate this by leasing temporary generators (as done at Giga Texas) or pushing CenterPoint for priority service, leveraging its economic impact (1,500 jobs).

Supply Chain Hiccups: Unlikely, given Teslas U.S. network, but global shipping delays could push equipment installation back by 12 months.

Regulatory Surprises: Low risk in Texas, but any unforeseen environmental pushback could add 12 months. Waller Countys proactive stance minimizes this.

Estimating 8-10 Months to First Megapack

The conversion of 111 Empire Boulevard into a Megapack factory would take 56 months from March 8, 2025, with trial production starting between August and September 2025. However, there is roof work and clearing the warehouse which could delay work by 3 months. So 8-10 months. The main issues are clearing the warehouse, fixing the roof, utility power readiness, which could stretch the timeline if not pre-planned, but Teslas experience and Texass business-friendly environment should keep delays minimal. Most regulatory hurdles are cleared, with only routine permits remaining, likely processed concurrently with construction.
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.
MOGADISHU, March 8 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations mission in Somalia joined the global community in marking International Women's Day on Saturday by calling on the authorities to take decisive steps to achieve gender equality in the country.

James Swan, acting special representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia, lauded the progress so far made by the authorities and urged them to redouble efforts to accelerate the current rate of progress.

"Somali women continue to contribute significantly to the peace-building and reconciliation efforts in the country -- I congratulate them on their achievements in advancing gender equality and the full participation of women in all spheres of life," he said in a statement issued in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia.

The UN envoy, who is also the head of the UN Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS), however, said Somali women continue to face systemic barriers and biases that make it difficult for gender equality to be achieved.

He said the theme for this year's International Women's Day is "Accelerate Action," emphasizing that, at the current rate of progress, it will take until 2158, roughly five generations from now, to reach full global gender parity.

"Hence, there is an urgent need to address systemic barriers and biases that women face," Swan added.

International Women's Day has been observed around the world since 1975, when the UN started marking the occasion to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. 
Henizat Tohti takes a short video at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2025.

Henizat Tohti, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), has been focusing on sharing more appealing stories of Xinjiang with the world.

In 2023, he advocated for the establishment of a new media industry base in Xinjiang. During an interview at the first session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee, he invited people to come to Xinjiang and share the stories there through videos.

With the establishment of several new media industry bases and the support of policies, numerous internet influencers have emerged to share stories about Xinjiang. (Xinhua/Cai Yang)

Henizat Tohti (1st R) talks with other political advisors in Beijing, capital of China, March 6, 2025.

Henizat Tohti, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), has been focusing on sharing more appealing stories of Xinjiang with the world.

In 2023, he advocated for the establishment of a new media industry base in Xinjiang. During an interview at the first session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee, he invited people to come to Xinjiang and share the stories there through videos.

With the establishment of several new media industry bases and the support of policies, numerous internet influencers have emerged to share stories about Xinjiang. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

Henizat Tohti takes a short video at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2025.

Henizat Tohti, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), has been focusing on sharing more appealing stories of Xinjiang with the world.

In 2023, he advocated for the establishment of a new media industry base in Xinjiang. During an interview at the first session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee, he invited people to come to Xinjiang and share the stories there through videos.

With the establishment of several new media industry bases and the support of policies, numerous internet influencers have emerged to share stories about Xinjiang. (Xinhua/Cai Yang)

Henizat Tohti (C) learns about local agricultural products in Lop County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, March 26, 2024.

Henizat Tohti, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), has been focusing on sharing more appealing stories of Xinjiang with the world.

In 2023, he advocated for the establishment of a new media industry base in Xinjiang. During an interview at the first session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee, he invited people to come to Xinjiang and share the stories there through videos.

With the establishment of several new media industry bases and the support of policies, numerous internet influencers have emerged to share stories about Xinjiang. (Xinhua)

Henizat Tohti takes photos at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2025.

Henizat Tohti, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), has been focusing on sharing more appealing stories of Xinjiang with the world.

In 2023, he advocated for the establishment of a new media industry base in Xinjiang. During an interview at the first session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee, he invited people to come to Xinjiang and share the stories there through videos.

With the establishment of several new media industry bases and the support of policies, numerous internet influencers have emerged to share stories about Xinjiang. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

Henizat Tohti prepares a speech in Beijing, capital of China, March 6, 2025.

Henizat Tohti, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), has been focusing on sharing more appealing stories of Xinjiang with the world.

In 2023, he advocated for the establishment of a new media industry base in Xinjiang. During an interview at the first session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee, he invited people to come to Xinjiang and share the stories there through videos.

With the establishment of several new media industry bases and the support of policies, numerous internet influencers have emerged to share stories about Xinjiang. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

Henizat Tohti attends the second plenary meeting of the third session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2025.

Henizat Tohti, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), has been focusing on sharing more appealing stories of Xinjiang with the world.

In 2023, he advocated for the establishment of a new media industry base in Xinjiang. During an interview at the first session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee, he invited people to come to Xinjiang and share the stories there through videos.

With the establishment of several new media industry bases and the support of policies, numerous internet influencers have emerged to share stories about Xinjiang. (Xinhua/Li He)
Newark police Detective Joseph Azcona was shot and killed Friday night during an investigation into illegal gun activity. A second officer was wounded and a 14-year-old has been charged with murder and attempted murder. (Ed Murray | For NJ Advance Media)

A Newark police detective investigating a group believed to have illegal guns Friday night was shot to death before he could get out of his vehicle and a second officer was wounded, authorities said.

A 14-year-old, whose name was not released because of his age, is facing charges of murder, attempted murder and weapons offenses. Five people are in custody and being questioned.

Police said they recovered one gun at the scene and are in the process of trying to interview all suspects.

Joseph Azcona, 26, a five-year veteran of the department, was pronounced dead at University Hospital in Newark early Saturday. Azcona was surrounded by his mother, father and five brothers, officials said during a press conference Saturday morning.

He was shot before he even had the opportunity to leave his police car, said Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens.

The second officer wounded in the shooting is expected to recover, officials said.

Police investigators on the scene where two police officers were shot in Newark. Ed Murray| For NJ Advance Media

The thing to remember primarily is that the officers involved are heroes, everyday heroes that work the streets, Stephens said.

Stephens said Azconas unit had been investigating individuals they believed had illegal weapons when the shootings occurred.

Shots were exchanged upon the interaction with the police and those individuals, the prosecutor said.

Essex County Prosecutor Theodore Stephens speaks at a press conference Saturday morning, updating reporters on the fatal shooting of one police officer and the wounding of another. Amanda Brown| For NJ Advance Media

Our heart is heavy right now. Our agency is hurting, Emanuel Miranda, Newarks director of public safety, said during the news conference.

The shooting occurred around 6:30 p.m. in the area of Broadway and Carteret Street in Newark.

The scene is near a local elementary school, a church and a fast food restaurant a few blocks from the Passaic River.

Azcona was part of an intelligence unit working with federal authorities on Friday night to capture an individual who we believe had a weapon, Stephens said.

Azcona had been part of that intelligence unit for the past two years.

Police investigators on the scene where two police officers were shot in Newark on Friday. Ed Murray| For NJ Advance Media

Officers investigate after a police detective was fatally shot Friday in Newark. Ed Murray| For NJ Advance Media

They were doing their job getting intelligence about guns on the street, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said. Danger lived there. They went anyway.

He called the shooting a heinous, callous disregard for humanity and noted the age of the accused gunman.

The 14-year-old is also being treated for injuries that are not considered life-threatening, authorities said.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka updates reporters Saturday on the fatal shooting of Newark Detective Joseph Azcona and the wounding of another officer. Amanda Brown| For NJ Advance Media

Newark Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda speaks during the press conference, providing updates on the fatal shooting Friday of Detective Joseph Azcona. Amanda Brown| For NJ Advance Media

Thank you for relying on us to provide the local news you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.

AJ McDougall may be reached at amcdougall@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on X at @oldmcdougall.

Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
A Gloucester County attorney and another person were arrested and charged with smuggling contraband into a federal prison in Pennsylvania, officials with the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania said Friday.

Paul DiMaio, 56, of Turnersville, and Tanya Culver, 55, of Philadelphia, were each charged with one count of providing contraband to an inmate and aiding and abetting, officials said.

Just before 11 a.m. on Feb. 4, DiMaio entered the Federal Detention Center in Philadelphia with two folders and met with an inmate who was not his client, authorities said in a statement.

DiMaio entered the room to meet with the inmate with two folders and left 18 minutes later with one folder, authorities said.

Surveillance footage shows the inmate did not have a folder when he entered the meeting with DiMaio, but prison personnel later observed the inmate with the folder in his possession after the meeting, officials said.

A search of the folder yielded a cell phone, charging cord, 83 strips of Suboxone and 240 loose cigarettes, authorities said.

Culver traveled with DiMaio to the federal prison on Feb. 4 and is alleged to have helped acquire the contraband and communicated with DiMaio, officials said.

DiMaios attorney did not immediately return a request for comment. An attorney for Culver was not able to be reached for comment.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Matthew Enuco may be reached at Menuco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Matt on X
When Leon Szewcyk learned that doctors had found a donor for his kidney transplant, there was probably no one more excited than his daughter, Jennifer, who turned out to be the perfect match.

At 73, Szewcyk, a North Caldwell resident, is one of the longest-living heart transplant recipients.

He has undergone three transplants. The first was a heart in the 1980s, and the second and thirda heart and kidneycame 20 years later.

Now, thanks to his daughter, he is getting another chance at life after doctors told him his kidney was failing.

In December, Jennifer, 46, was found to be a perfect donor match, just months after their family learned Szewcyk likely wouldnt survive five years on the kidney transplant waiting list, ABC7 first reported.

The hospital called me and told me that I was a match and that we were going to move on to the next steps, Jennifer said.

Leon Szewcyk poses with his wife Michele and daughters Jennifer Szewcyk

There are more than 92,000 people on the national kidney transplant waiting list, according to the federal Health Resources and Services Administration .

Factors such as the recipients age, blood type, body size, distance from the donor and how urgent the recipients need is all play a role in finding a match, according to the agency.

Once she decided, its unbelievable how happy it made me, Szewcyk said of his daughters decision to donate her kidney. It wasnt luck, it was God that did it.

Both Szewcyk and his daughter have been active in real estate for decades. When Szewcyk became ill and needed his first transplant in 1983, he was a top real estate agent in his area, he said.

He was only 31 when he first encountered his medical issues, discovering he needed a heart transplant.

Jennifer Szewcyk and her sisters hold up signs reading Hurry home, Daddy as they await their fathers release from the hospital when he was undergoing his heart transplant. Leon Szewczyk

His wife of nearly 51 years, Michele, said the idea that her husband needed a heart transplant was unbelievable at the time.

I brought him to the hospital and I just thought maybe it was like a chest cold. Michele said. I had no idea.

I was young ... had three little kids and I was very upset. Who wouldnt be? Michele added, recalling the day.

At first, doctors told the 31-year-old Szewcyk there was nothing they could do and he would die. He considered traveling to California for better treatment, but after suffering two cardiac arrests, he stayed close to home and was approached by the transplant team at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York.

As they awaited his release from the hospital that year, Jennifer and her two sisters made signs that read, Hurry home Daddy.

Two decades later, Szewcyk needed both a kidney and another new heart due to the medications he was taking for his first transplant, he said.

I was almost died, I had maybe three days to live, he said. I needed a heart and a kidney, and thats a difficult match.

In June, Szewcyk will mark 42 years since his first transplant, making him one of the longest-living heart transplant patients in the country.

The over four-hour kidney transplant procedure is expected to be scheduled for this spring, the pair said. Theyre looking forward to going back to normal afterward.

Donating organs is a big sacrifice, Szewcyk wife, Michele, said, but shes grateful her daughter stepped up to help her father.

To give someone another chance at life, theres nothing like it, Michele said.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.
BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- China's national lawmakers on Saturday started deliberating a work report of the Supreme People's Court (SPC).

SPC President Zhang Jun delivered the report at the second plenary meeting of the third session of the 14th National People's Congress. 
A man was arrested on Friday on allegations he shared child pornography and performed a lewd act in a telehealth waiting room.

Jason Schain, 34, of Manalapan, is charged with distribution of child sexual abuse material, possession of child sexual abuse material, cyber harassment and lewdness, the Middlesex County Prosecutors Office said in a statement.

The Old Bridge Police Department contacted prosecutors in October 2024, requesting assistance with an investigation. An unknown male had reportedly joined the telehealth waiting room of a doctors office in Old Bridge to livestream prepubescent child sexual abuse material and masturbate, authorities said.

Detectives investigating the case found that the man livestreamed similar content at least seven times between October and January.

Schain was arrested at his home in Manalapan. Prosecutors did not say how he was identified as a suspect.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Nicolas Fernandes may be reached at nfernandes@njadvancemedia.com.
One of New Jerseys largest St. Patrick Day parades, held Saturday in Seaside Heights, started under humbler circumstances a half-century ago.

The first Ocean County St. Patricks Day parade consisted of an indoor loop around the Ocean County mall in Toms River, said Tom King, the parade committees president.

The next year, the parade started outside the mall and finished by a pub, King said. Then, in the mid-1970s it moved to Seaside Heights, where it remains.

MORE: Your town-by-town guide to St. Patricks Day 2025 in N.J.

Saturdays parade began at noon. A total of 87 organizations registered to march in the parade, including 11 bagpipe bands.

Very good turnout. People loved it, King told NJ Advance Media when reached by phone following the parade.

King, a drum major for the Shamrock and Thistle Pipe Band, said he has never missed a parade since participating in the first one in Toms River while he was in high school.

King was scheduled to line up with his band at the start of the parade.

Ill be the first one down the street, King said Friday.

The Seaside Heights parade is among eight St. Patricks Day parades taking place this weekend in New Jersey. Marchers assembled by the Boulevard, started from J-Street and headed north to Carteret Avenue.

More than 30 parades are scheduled in March. Five were held last weekend.

St. Patricks Day is Monday, March 17.

Please subscribe now and support the local journalism you rely on and trust.

Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com.
N.J. Sen. Cory Booker says Trump's administration is on fire and Democratic officials should stand back and let it burn as angry voters take the lead. (AP Photo | J. Scott Applewhite) AP

New Jersey Democratic Sen. Cory Booker, sounds like hes a political science major at James Carville University.

As voters and activists scream for liberal elected officials to do more to oppose President Donald Trumps chaotic and anti-democratic administration, Booker seems content to follow Carvilles guidance: Get out of the way and let the opposition come from the ground up.

On Friday night, Booker answered the critics  including those who believe Democrats in the House sold out Rep. Al Green in his censure  by posting Trumps recent poll numbers on Twitter/X.

Bookers message was clear: Trump is imploding with each passing day, and the protests from everyday Americans  at town halls, outside Tesla dealerships and federal buildings  are working. Booker laid out the evidence:

 First, since 1953, only two presidential terms have had an approval rating below 50% at this early stage of the presidency: Donald Trump in 2017 and Donald Trump in 2025. (Gallup)

 Today, 63% of Americans say they are concerned about Musk and his team getting access to their personal data (WP/Ipsos)

 66% say that Trump isnt focused enough on bringing down prices (CBS)

 71% believe the wealthy have too much influence on Trumps administration (Reuters/Ipsos)

 83% oppose the pardons of violent January 6 rioters (WP/Ipsos)

 9 in 10 express negative views about food prices (WP/Ipsos)

 Only 39% approve of the way hes handling the economy (Reuters/Ipsos)

 Only 34% of Americans say they approve of Musks handling of his role in the government (WP/Ipsos)

 And only 31% of 18-34 year olds say that Trump is taking the country the right direction (CNN)

Trump is toying with tariffs as the economy teeters. Hes putting veterans out of work and slashing their services. Hes insanely threatening to annex Canada and Greenland while confiscating the Panama Canal. Hes insulting Americas long and faithful allies while cozying up to Russias murderous dictator. All while allowing billionaire Elon Musk and his 20-year-old tech bros, flanked by federal marshals, to storm federal offices, fire employees and close down crucial agencies.

Hold on, itll get worse: They now have the sights on Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.

And when Republicans faced backlash for Trumps DOGE insanity from their own constituents at town halls, did they heed the message? No, Booker says, they simply stopped holding town halls.

He added: Trump & Musk are not doing the will of the American people. Theyre going after your healthcare and Social Security, jacking up prices, & engaging in blatant corruption. Voters are taking notice  thanks to your advocacy, activism, & demands for accountability. Lets keep it up."

In other words: Were getting out of the way.
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.
BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- More foreign people choose Chinese courts to exercise jurisdiction as the country has strengthened efforts to equally protect parties from both home and abroad, according to a work report of China's top court submitted Saturday to the national legislature's annual session for deliberation.

A number of typical corporate cases involving foreign investment have been concluded in accordance with the Foreign Investment Law, reinforcing China's position as one of the world's most attractive destinations for investment, said the report of the Supreme People's Court.

Since 2013, Chinese courts have closed about 417,000 first-instance civil and commercial cases involving foreign element, covering parties from more than 100 countries and regions, the report said. 
BEIRUT, March 8 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations (UN) in Lebanon called on Saturday for urgent action to ensure equal rights, power, and opportunities for all, as the world marks International Women's Day and the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action reaches its 30th anniversary.

Under the global campaign "For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment," the UN is spotlighting the pivotal role of women and girls in Lebanon's recovery, resilience, and rebuilding efforts.

The UN in Lebanon launched a nationwide awareness campaign on Saturday across social media platforms, featuring Lebanese actress Pierrette El Katrib. Led by UN Women, the initiative celebrates the resilience of Lebanese women and urges policymakers to include them in reconstruction efforts.

Women "have played a pivotal role in providing aid, running shelters, hosting displaced individuals, and fostering solidarity" during the Israeli confrontations with Lebanon, said Imran Riza, UN's deputy special coordinator and humanitarian coordinator for Lebanon. "We must address the barriers limiting their participation in decision-making."

"Women in Lebanon have been at the forefront of crisis response, yet their voices remain sidelined," said Gielan Elmessiri, UN Women representative in Lebanon. "Gender equality is not just a human right; it is the key to a more just and prosperous Lebanon."

Since 1977, the UN has commemorated International Women's Day on March 8 to recognize women's achievements and advocate for gender equality. 
The Get Down

Your weekly go-to show for all things happening in New Orleans.
A man was arrested after leading Troop NOLA officers on a chase from Treme to East Carrollton, ending in a collision. Troopers intercepted him on Burdette Street, where his vehicle clipped one police unit before colliding head-on with another. Officers pulled him from the car and arrested him. No serious injuries were reported, and the suspects identity has not been released.
Tony Spell, pastor of the Life Tabernacle Church of Central City, La., greets supporters outside the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, Monday, June 7, 2021. Spell, who flouted coronavirus restrictions last year, prepared Monday to ask the court to revive his lawsuit challenging the restrictions. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
SYDNEY, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Australia's Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) announced on Saturday morning that tropical cyclone Alfred has in the last hour weakened back to a tropical low pressure system and is now considered an ex-tropical cyclone, though more homes and premises in the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales (NSW) are suffering power outages.

The Guardian Australia quoted Queensland Premier David Crisafulli in the morning as saying that a quarter of a million homes in the Australian state do not have power, as well as Gold Coast University Hospital, which is running on generators.

That's the single biggest loss we have seen in over a decade, he added.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported on Saturday morning that the latest figures show there are around 43,000 premises, including homes and businesses, without power.

ABC quoted NSW's Minister for Energy Penny Sharpe as saying that energy will be restored as soon as possible, but it may take several days before it is restored. And, in some cases, this power will be intermittent.

"The issue that we have here is that we're still in the middle of this event, and that there is still wind and there is still extreme rain," she said.

ABC reported on Friday that local power suppliers' data showed over 90,000 customers had been affected by power outages since Thursday night in the southeast Queensland and northern NSW regions.

A man went missing in floodwaters in northern NSW on Friday after his four-wheel drive was swept off a bridge. He managed to exit his vehicle and cling to a tree branch about 30 meters from the riverbank before being carried away by the floodwaters.

NSW Police said on Saturday morning that they had suspended the search due to weather conditions and their relative danger, ABC reported.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the downgrading of ex-tropical cyclone Alfred is not a reason for complacency, with the "worse to come in the hours ahead," according to an ABC report on Saturday morning. 
CROWN POINT  A Griffith man was sentenced to 35 years in prison Friday for shooting his former friend who "essentially lost his life," a judge said, as a result of a life-changing brain injury caused by the shooting in 2023.

Aaron Belcher, 37, fired the bullet that is forever lodged in Aaron Swelfer's brain Aug. 2, 2023, because of what Swelfer's sister, Ria, called a "drug-fueled jealous rage" when Belcher learned three days before the shooting that Aaron Swelfer, whom Belcher was letting stay at his home at the time, began a sexual relationship with his on-and-off girlfriend.

A Lake Criminal Court jury found Belcher guilty of attempted murder, aggravated battery and battery by means of a deadly weapon hours after they heard Belcher's side of the story when he took the stand at trial in early February. Belcher told the jury Aaron Swelfer had threatened him in the days prior to the shooting and charged at him with a knife the day of, which caused him to shoot.

Aaron Swelfer's brother, Uriah Swelfer, said Aaron needs constant care and had to relearn to walk, talk and complete basic functions of everyday life because of the traumatic brain injury. He cannot work, nor can he have a relationship with his 8-year-old child because she is frightened he may have a seizure or an emotional outburst, both of which are complications from the brain injury.

"This is not just a case of a moment of violence," Uriah Swelfer said. "We all have to deal with this for the rest of his life. My brother's life as we knew it has been taken from him."

Defense attorney J. Michael Woods acknowledged the severity of the injury sustained by Aaron Swelfer but dismissed the idea that the shooting was a "jealous, nasty rage" shooting that was premeditated. He said Belcher acted under provocation after seeing Aaron Swelfer with the knife and was fearful due to the threats that had been made in the days leading up to the shooting.

Woods said Belcher should be given a benefit because he agreed to plead guilty to the crime  he had previously been offered two plea agreements by prosecutors, one of which was rejected by Vasquez and the other which was withdrawn, so he had no choice but to go to trial. While Belcher maintained that he acted in self-defense, Woods said Belcher understood how a jury would look at the facts of the case and was willing to take responsibility. Woods asked for a sentence of 22 years in prison.

Deputy Prosecutor Keith Anderson said Belcher had multiple felony convictions dating back approximately 15 years. He had been offered the opportunity to serve his sentences on probation and Lake County's Community Transition Court to help him transition after he previously served a sentence in the Department of Correction, but had repeatedly failed to adhere to the terms of both. The injury to Aaron Swelfer is the most egregious factor in the case, he said. Indiana's attempted murder statute does not include language about injury to the victim, but in this case, there was indeed an injury and it was severe.

Much of Belcher's criminal history can be attributed to his battle with a substance use disorder, according to court records and evidence from his defense attorneys.

Belcher apologized to his mother and his daughter for what happened. If he could go back in time, he would have never let Aaron Swelfer stay at his home. He said his intent was not to be violent but to defend himself from the supposed knife assault.

"I never meant to hurt him that day," Belcher said. "I just wanted to stop the attack."

Before Lake Criminal Court Judge Salvador Vasquez handed down the sentence, he speculated about Belcher's motive for the shooting. He wondered out loud if Belcher committed the crime because he was having a "bad day" or because of his perceived poor character.

"I've had attorneys make arguments like, 'Come on, judge, [my client] had a bad day...this is not in [their] character," Vasquez said. "As a result of your bad day, this person is never the same."
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
BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- China is witnessing a steady surge in female entrepreneurship, with women playing a pivotal role in fueling the country's high-quality development.

By the end of 2024, private enterprises with female investors in China surpassed 23 million, accounting for 41.6 percent of all private companies, data from the State Administration for Market Regulation showed on Saturday.

The number of businesses with investments by women has grown at an average annual rate of 9.8 percent since 2012, as more women are launching and investing in companies.

Saturday marked the 115th anniversary of International Women's Day, celebrated annually on March 8.

The administration said that the Yangtze River Delta region leads in female entrepreneurship, with 44.5 percent of private enterprises featuring female investors.

Shanghai stands out across the country, with nearly half of the city's private enterprises featuring female participation as investors. Zhejiang, Beijing and Liaoning also show strong female engagement, with over 47 percent of private businesses having women investors.

A growing number of well-educated women are choosing to start businesses from home or return to their hometowns, becoming a significant driving force for rural development. They are particularly influential in sectors such as agricultural e-commerce and traditional handicrafts, the administration said.

Women entrepreneurs are increasingly making their mark in China's emerging sectors and future industries. In the silver economy, over 80,000 enterprises have female investors, accounting for 46.5 percent of the market.

Female entrepreneurs leverage their extensive experience in family care to accurately identify market demands in health management, elderly care services and senior education. They create community platforms, develop age-friendly products and help seniors build social connections.

Experts believe that the momentum of female entrepreneurship will continue to grow, playing an increasingly vital role in driving domestic demand and fostering new quality productive forces. 
President Trumps address to Congress this week, in which he vowed to crack down on illegal immigration and end wokeness, was the longest speech of its kind in modern American history. About how long was it?
Every generation has chased trends. But to some members of Gen Z, the objects of teenage yearning feel more plentiful and less durable than ever before.

For the past few years, opening up social media has felt like standing in front of a fire hose of fashion and internet fads and cranking open the nozzle, full blast.

New it water bottles are anointed almost quarterly. Influencers urge their viewers to style themselves as coastal grandmothers, ballet dancers, indie sleazers and coquettes  looks that have little in common besides the consumption they require. Specious fads like the mob wife aesthetic, recognized by publications including this one, prompted The New Yorkers humor column to predict what might come next: How about Supreme Court casual or spotted-lanternfly goth?

To keep up would leave most people broke, not to mention disoriented. And while a majority of these crazes are labeled Gen Z trends, members of that generation may be the ones most fatigued by the churn.

Hana Tilksew, 19

Its not that they dont get whats going on: Todays young adults can comfortably discuss the way that social media and fast fashion keep many members of their generation buying, sharing and discarding items. They are aware, sometimes painfully, that their insecurities are being harnessed for someone elses bottom line. But awareness does not equal liberation. Understanding the mechanisms at play does not always mean they can escape them  although many are trying.

Neena Atkins, 16, a high school junior in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., said she felt constantly bombarded by product recommendations. Cheetah print was hot less than two months ago, she said, and now when I go on TikTok, I see people saying, like, cheetah print is getting so old.

Lina, 15, a high school freshman near Fort Wayne, Ind., watched classmates buy $35 Stanley tumblers only to covet another brand of pastel water bottles shortly thereafter. Its wasteful, she said. Youre just wasting resources, youre wasting money.

James Oakley, 19, a college student in Oregon, thinks his age group has reached saturation: The prevalence and pure amount of microtrends has made it impossible to understand or participate.

This Is Gross

We tend to think of trends as a means of demonstrating that we know whats cool and new, or as a way to take part in a bigger collective moment. For decades, critics have rightly pointed out that following trends facilitates a consumer capitalist culture  wake up, sheeple!  but it can also be experimental, playful, even fun.

Lately, though, trends feel more overwhelming. I recently set out to make sense of which trends were actually relevant to Gen Z-ers lives. But after hearing from dozens of young people, a pattern emerged: Many wanted to talk not about any one trend that they thought mattered, but about their struggles with the relentless onslaught of trends, and the whiplash they felt from trying to process them all so quickly.

Young people I spoke with described an online trend ecosystem that resembles a soupy flood plain of fads  trends that are at once flimsy and a genuine source of stress for young people eager to fit in. The insecurity that young people feel when they dont have the it item is amplified when theres a new it item every week.

To be clear, not every member of Gen Z has gotten sucked into the whirlpool that awaits them on their phones: Many cant be bothered  or simply cant afford  to pay attention. A lot of people dont buy from Shein, do not have the time or money to invest in every microtrend that just walks by, James said.

Abner Gordan, 21

Bemoaning the quickening of trends is itself a tradition. The scholar Quentin Bell observed in a 1978 edition of his book On Human Finery, that the pace of fashion has become noticeable, so noticeable that the fashions of a mans youth could look dowdy by the time that he was middle-aged.

Almost a half-century later, the journalist Kyle Chayka wrote in his book Filterworld that microtrends now rise and fall in a matter of weeks. In its quest to retain our attention, social media seemed to have heightened both the quantity and intensity of what we once called a fad: Under algorithmic feeds, the popular becomes more popular, and the obscure becomes even less visible, he writes.

Thats how it feels for Francesca Oliva, an 18-year-old college freshman in Hopewell Junction, N.Y. As a middle schooler, she said, she felt pressure to own the signifiers of the VSCO girl look that was then dominant: pastel scrunchies, a Hydro Flask water bottle. When she got them, it felt a little bit like she was putting on a costume.

When you have 18,000 different core identities being thrown at you  like eclectic grandpa, or coastal grandmother, or office siren  youre like, What am I supposed to be? she said.

As she watched even more trends come and go, each one seemingly requiring a new wardrobe, she took a step back. She wants to spend her money on clothing that will last, she said, and she has neither the budget nor the mental energy to keep pace with a trend environment that resembles a game of Whac-a-Mole.

People that continuously are buying these clothes just trying to fit in, it has to feel exhausting, she said. As someone whos just observing that, its exhausting.

Keeping up is a full-time job for Casey Lewis, author of the Gen Z trend newsletter After School. As an adolescent in rural Missouri in the late 1990s, Ms. Lewis, 37, learned about the popular styles of the moment  low-rise slip skirts, embellished baby tees  in teen magazines that arrived monthly. Fashion trends, in the macro sense, spun in 20-year cycles: Todays tier of more slight digital ephemera did not yet exist.

Her newsletter, a daily cheat sheet for millennials and their elders who want to know what young people are up to, is stuffed with a survey of everything that social media users and fashion publications are simultaneously declaring to be of the moment. Some of its tongue-in-cheek subject lines barely scan as English: Quietcations and Tweecore; Rococo Revival and Cinnamon Softcore.

A sense of consumption fatigue has set in, she said. Eventually, youre just kind of like, This is gross. Why am I even participating in this culture? she said. I think creators and brands are increasingly having to answer to that understanding from young people.

Status, Anxiety, FOMO

Accelerants for the trend cycle abound. TikTok requires novelty to hold our attention, and has an algorithm potent enough to elevate the unknown to ubiquity in a matter of days. Fast-fashion marketplaces are able to churn out polyester to meet whatever bottomless demand is generated online. And platforms are rolling out click-to-buy functions like TikTok Shop to all but eliminate the friction between seeing something online and having it dropped on ones doorstep.

That can make being online an unsatisfying experience: Social media was sold as a playground, but ended up feeling more like a mall. Every time I go on Instagram, its like something is being sold to me, said Sequoya, a 22-year-old living in Salt Lake City.

Ensuring that the wheel continues to spin is the status-seeking element of human nature itself, W. David Marx argues in his book Status and Culture. We want what other people have in order to fit in, but eventually abandon those same things once we see them as too accessible to the masses. Or, as Ms. Lewis put it, Once a 12-year-old is crying over getting a Stanley, a 17-year-old isnt going to want one.

In fashion, the result is a glut of low-quality clothing items that are not wearable for long. The average number of times a single garment is worn has decreased 36 percent compared with rates 15 years earlier, according to a 2019 report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and McKinsey & Company. For every five garments produced, the report added, three end up in a landfill or incinerated.

Mercedes Candelaria, 24

But its not just clothes. David Peraza, 21, a college student in Yucatan, Mexico, watches new titles surge to the top of the online game marketplace Steam more quickly than he can afford to buy them. At the beginning of last year, it seemed as if everyone was playing Helldivers 2, he said, only to pivot a few months later to an updated release of The Legend of Zelda.

It is overwhelming, he said. Games trend so quickly that his FOMO  fear of missing out  has grown exponential.

Some so-called trends feel more like mirages. Things like mermaidcore and barefoot-boy summer function less as reigning aesthetics in real life and more as mash-ups of words memorable enough to achieve social media virality for a week or two. But trend pieces reliably follow: Lately I wonder if were living through a mass psychosis expressing itself through trend reporting, the fashion critic Rachel Tashjian wrote for Harpers Bazaar in 2022.

Those fleeting trends can still cause real anxiety for young people who feel pressure to measure up to what they see online.

Neena, the 16-year-old, recalled a conversation with a panicked friend during study hall. She told me: Im really stressed out. I dont know whether I want to be an Aussie girl or a vanilla girl, Neena recalled, naming two looks that had briefly overtaken her TikTok feed. That was kind of my realization: This is not normal.

Enter Underconsumption Core

Is it possible that the fire hydrant of trends is starting to run dry? Business of Fashion predicted in January that viral microtrends were on their way out, in part because of the uncertain fate of TikTok, which was set to face a federal ban in January. The app flickered dark, and then back to life, after President Trump signed an executive order that delayed enforcement of the ban for 75 days.

Hana Tilksew, 19, a college student near Fresno, Calif., got rid of the app anyway. Its been a relief, she said: I think a permanent TikTok ban would definitely help mitigate the relentless pressure we feel to keep up.

Francesca Oliva, 18

Other TikTok users have been making their fatigue known for a while now. In a flurry of videos last year, some expressed frustration at the buy-buy-buy ethos on the app. Others pushed underconsumption core, which encourages users to show off their off-trend, but still thoroughly wearable, clothes. Still more have documented their attempts at a low-buy year in which they vowed to cut back on shopping.

Such neatly packaged repudiations of trendiness strike Abner Gordan, a 21-year-old college student in New York City, as ironic. In a weird way, I think being anti-trend is very trendy, he said.

While many of his friends still buy secondhand clothing or furniture, he has watched the underconsumption core label lose steam online, just like all of the cores before it. It was dispiriting, he said, to witness what at first seemed like a move away from the trend cycle be subsumed by it instead.

Its like you cant escape, he said.

Perhaps Gen Z is just aging out of the period of their lives ruled by trends, Ms. Lewis said, noting that its eldest members are in their late 20s. But she does not think the online trend madness will slow down anytime soon. Enter Gen Alpha, whose eyes are already racing across screens. I think theyre going to be trend freaks, Ms. Lewis said.

Hana stopped buying ultra-trendy items when she realized that a closet full of bags and Brandy Melville miniskirts wasnt making her any happier. She said she gave her hand-me-downs to her 13-year-old sister, a middle schooler who is still obsessed with trends.

Shell grow out of it eventually, she said.
6

Clement has told Judge Ho that his "primary" responsibility is not whether to approve the government's request to dismiss the case, but how. That skates over the possibility, discussed in many other cases, that there are rare times when a judge could deny a motion to dismiss, for example if a prosecutor makes such a request in bad faith, like after taking a bribe. But here, Clement highlights the reason judges really can't deny these motions as a practical matter -- because even if they do, there is no way to force prosecutors to pursue a case if they don't want to do so.
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
NEW DELHI, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Officials from India and Bangladesh Friday concluded a two-day meeting of the Joint River Commission (JRC) in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata, officials said.

The two sides discussed on Thursday the water sharing resources between the two countries and issues related to the renewal of the 30-year-old Ganga/Ganges Water Treaty (GWT), which will expire in 2026.

An 11-member Bangladeshi team arrived in Kolkata on Monday morning to attend the 86th meeting of the India-Bangladesh Joint River Commission and held discussions with their Indian counterparts.

Ahead of the talks, the team visited the Farakka Barrage in Murshidabad district and inspected the water distribution mechanism.

"At the meeting, the two sides discussed technical issues pertaining to the GWT, the measurement of water flows and other issues of mutual interest," India's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Friday during a press briefing.

Officials said that Thursday was the first day of the meeting during which a technical committee was formed, and on Friday the committee was supposed to make some recommendations on sharing the water of other rivers that flow into Bangladesh from India.

The JRC, established in 1972, manages issues concerning the 54 trans-boundary rivers shared by India and Bangladesh.

This was the first meeting of the JRC on the sharing of the trans-border river since the change of government in Bangladesh on Aug. 5, 2024. 
Historical analogies are never perfect fits: 2025 is not 1938. The later date marked an attempt to impose peace on the Russian-Ukrainian War while the earlier sought to prevent war between Germany and Europe's democracies. Still, the press conference of February 29th 2025 held by American President Donald Trump, his Vice-President, JD Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelinsky conjured up bitter memories. Their deal to end the Russian-Ukrainian conflict by imperiling Ukrainian sovereignty seemed much like the Munich Agreement of 1938 that sought to secure peace between Germany and Europe's democracies by abandoning Czechoslovakia to a dismal fate.

Having withdrawn Germany from the League of Nations, ending French Occupation of the Saar, remilitarizing the Rhineland, and achieving an annexation (Anschluss) with Austria, Adolf Hitler laid claim to the Sudetenland, or parts of Czechoslovakia inhabited by ethnic Germans -and threatened war unless his demands were met. Giving in to them meant dismemberingi ? ?  the Czech republic and its President, Eduard Benei ? ?... i ? ?, refusei ? ? d to back down. In practical terms, however, Czech resistance depended upon support from its democratic allies, England and France.

Europe seemed on the brink of another catastrophe just twenty years after the last one ended in 1918. To avoid war, at all costs, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and French Prime Minister Edouard Daladier joined the Italian fascist leader Benito Mussolini, who was ambivalent about the imperialist ambitions of his ally, and journeyed to meet with Hitler in Munich. The Fuhrer's behavior toward Chamberlain in particular anticipated that of Trump and Vance toward Zelensky. Hitler ranted and raved, and threw the fear of God into the leaders of Europe's leading democracies. Nevertheless, that occurred in private while the tantrums of President Donald Trump and Vice-President JD Vance took place in pubic for all the world to see.

Not that they were embarrassed. Trump's childish behavior has not cost him the support of his base; indeed, whatever else can be said about the president, he knows his people. Zelensky was left no choice other than accept their invitation to appear before the cameras in order to discuss the peace that merely awaited his approval. However, agreement was not enough: Trump and Vance also wanted to see the Ukrainian president grovel in public and show the appropriate" gratitude" to Trump personally for a policy initiative that would prove unfavorable to his country. This set the stage for the kind of bullying rhetoric that Trump in particular always employs.

Ukraine's sovereignty had already been compromised; indeed, such was the price for the aid it received from the Biden administration to fight Russia's invasion of its territory. This dependency put Zelensky at a decided disadvantage. He knew it, and the American leaders knew it, too. Then, too, Trump had long admired Russian President Vladimir Putin, and his shady real-estate dealings with Moscow are well known. By the same token, his antipathy toward Ukraine reaches back to its leaders' refusal to falsify evidence about then Vice-President Joe Biden and his son that could prove useful in his 2020 campaign for the oval office.

"Appeasement" today has a new wrinkle. Chamberlain and Daladier meant to satisfy the imperialist cravings of an enemy, Hitler, while Trump's policy is intended to normalize relations with Russia and favor a friend-- Putin. Insisting during his presidential campaign that he could end the war "in 24 hours," Trump is basically ready to support Putin's claims to roughly 20% of Ukraine. As surely as Czechoslovakia in 1938, indeed, Ukraine is in danger in finding itself dismembered in 2025. However, there is a difference. Chamberlain hoped and prayed that Hitler would not make new territorial demands, and respect what remained of the Czech state, whereas Trump seems cynically unconcerned with whether Putin will refrain from further imperialist adventures.

An agreement between Trump and Putin was in the works before the press conference with Zelensky took place. It had been hammered out between the United States and Russia in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, by American Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. The talks were insular: just as Czechoslovakia and other East European states were excluded from the Munich Conference of 1938, representatives from Ukraine and the European Union were not invited in 2025. This only made sense given that the coming peace would rest on what Trump proudly termed a "very big deal."

This deal would amount to yet another quasi-real estate "transaction" whereby the United States would receive virtually free access to Ukraine's mineral resources in exchange for a "reconstruction investment fund" jointly managed by the two nations. The role that Trump businesses will play in this enterprise has not been made public, but rest assured, he will get his cut. In any event, Trump insists that the deal would recompense the United States with $500 billion in profits for the $130 billion in aid -not $350 billion as claimed by the American president -- that had so far been given Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression.

Appeasement today has a new twist: not only is an ally abandoned, and a dictator strengthened, but the victim of invasion is forced into paying for the invader's gains. Repayment through the extraction of minerals would begin immediately while American investment would take place later; not exactly a formula for "joint" management. Without explicit security guarantees, belief that this deal will stem Putin's imperialist ambitions is either naAAAAAAi ? ?  i ? ? AAi ? ?  i ? ? AAi ? ?  i ? ?  AAAAAAi ? ?  i ? ?  AAA A ? A i ? ? ? ? A i ? ? ? ? AA A i ? ? ? ? A ? A i ? ? ? ? A i ? ? ? ? A ? A i ? ? ? ? A i ? ? ? ? AA A i ? ? ? ? A ? A i ? ? ? ? A i ? ? ? ? A ? A i ? ? ? ? A i ? ? ? ? AAAA AA A i ? ? ? ? A ? A i ? ? ? ? A i ? ? ? ? A ? A i ? ? ? ? A i ? ? ? ? AAA A ? A i ? ? ? ? A i ? ? ? ? AA A i ? ? ? ? A ? A i ? ? ? ? A i ? ? ? ? A ? A i ? ? ? ? A i ? ? ? ? AA A i ? ? ? ? A ? A i ? ? ? ? A i ? ? ? ? A ? A i ? ? ? ? A i ? ? ? ? AAA A ? A i ? ? ? ? A i ? ? ? ? AA A i ? ? ? ? A ? A i ? ? ? ? A i ? ? ? ? A ? A i ? ? ? ? A i ? ? ? ? AA A i ? ? ? ? A ? A i ? ? ? ? A i ? ? ? ? A ? A i ? ? ? ? A i ? ? ? ? AAAA AA A i ? ? ? ? A ? A i ? ? ? ? A i ? ? ? ? A ? A i ? ? ? ? A i ? ? ? ? AAA A ? A i ? ? ? ? A i ? ? ? ? AA A i ? ? ? ? A ? A i ? ? ? ? A i ? ? ? ? A ? A i ? ? ? ? A i ? ? ? ? AA A i ? ? ? ? A ? A i ? ? ? ? A i ? ? ? ? A ? A i ? ? ? ? A i ? ? ? ? AAA A ? A i ? ? ? ? A i ? ? ? ? AA A i ? ? ? ? A ? A i ? ? ? ? A i ? ? ? ? A ? A i ? ? ? ? A i ? ? ? ? AA A i ? ? ? ? A ? A i ? ? ? ? A i ? ? ? ? A ? A i ? ? ? ? A i ? ? ? ?ve or a smokescreen-- most likely the latter Trump has often stated that he is willing to give Putin a free hand in the region and he is clearly intent on normalizing relations with America's former cold-war enemy.

Charitable souls can argue that Chamberlain actually recognized the danger of war and that he was buying time for England and France to begin re-arming. But that is not the case with Trump and Putin. The United States has now re-oriented its foreign policy and switched sides in this terrible war between Russia and Ukraine. Especially after having been labeled a "dictator" by Trump, it makes sense that Zelensky should have protested his treatment in front of the camera and questioned the peace agreement. Nevertheless, that his administration lacked a "Plan B" verges on the irresponsible-- and the same can be said of the European Union.

Its members now find themselves in exactly the same position as the Biden Administration with regard to (unlimited) military aid for Ukraine. The EU might bribe some important nation or two, India or even China, to enter an alliance. Under any circumstances, however, Europe must now take the lead in defending Ukraine and resisting Russian imperialism. Whether that will involve increasing military aid, further boycotting and sanctions, or even creating a European army remains an open question. Turkey, France, and the United Kingdom are already talking about sending troops to Ukraine thus heightening the possibility of a broader war.

The world is still recovering from this debacle that was either purposely planned or spontaneously provoked by Trump and Vance. Zelensky kept his pride intact by publicly standing up to these authoritarian bullies. But, they will surely seek "retribution" from the Ukrainian president. Trump might end sanctions on Russia and impose them on Ukraine, or - as he stated during his diatribe - he could abandon Ukraine altogether, thus leaving it and Europe to their own devices.

No less than with Czechoslovakia in 1938, the actual subject of imperialist aggression, Ukraine in 2025 is of secondary importance in the still unfolding crisis. Still, it would be a serious mistake to assume that, should a crisis occur, President Trump will act in accord with some traditional understanding of the American "national interest." Were that the case, he would not have chosen to confront China with high tariffs (which might reach 25% on some goods) rather than support Russia and ignore the threat posed by Putin to world peace.

Actions speak louder than words: Trump has always identified the national interest with the benefits that he or his business concerns can accrue. The political implication is that the president is not committed to any given strategy but, instead, an opportunism that masquerades as a strategy. This means that traditional alliances should no longer be taken for granted, arbitrary exercises of power are on the agenda, policy reversals can occur at a moment's notice, and the United States can no longer be considered a reliable ally by any nation.

Next Page 1 | 2 | 3

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).




In his final week in office, President Biden signed important legislation that would allow a monument dedicated to American women to be placed on the National Mall. It would honor women's suffragists who, after seventy years of trying, would finally be recognized for what they achieved in 1920 - the right to vote.

The Women's Suffrage National Monument was approved on the eve of Donald Trump's second term. Preceded by the Vietnam nurses 1993 monument it will be the Mall's first large scale monument dedicated to American women's history. The site has yet to be determined and there is no design yet or competition announcement for sculptors.

Given the current situation in Washington, where neither women nor art are respected, it will take time before the Suffragists are on the Mall and even more time for Rosie the Riveter or the 6888 to show up, but it's about time women representing their wartime labor is recognized in a place of memory and respect

We have Joe Neguse (D-CO) to thank for the Suffrage monument. He introduced legislation for it to be created in 2020 and his bill passed in the House. Unfortunately, it has remained stalled in the Senate until now.

Still, it's not too soon to start advocating for another group of women to be honored on the Mall. "Rosie the Riveter," representing women who labored in America's factories during World War II, deserve to be there too along with the all-women 6888 regiment. The Rosies filled critical wartime factories and the 6888 restored morale among exhausted soldiers who had waited for mail from home.

Some Rosies received a bit of recognition at the Capital last spring when they received Congressional Gold Medals for their efforts. But that's not a lasting memorial that everyone can see. As one of them, Mae Krier, said at the Capital, "Up until 1941 it was a man's world. They didn't know how capable us women were did they?"

Thanks to an endearing poster that has a woman in a bandana flexing her muscle we know about these women, but we have very little information about who they were and what they did unless you've seen the documentary about them. The reality is they were wives, mothers, daughters, and girlfriends whose men were fighting in the war. With little reservation they quickly became heads of households while learning demanding skills and holding down vital jobs in America's factories to help the war effort.

By 1943 "Rosie the Riveters" were known and respected, but few people realized that one out of five defense workers were women, or that the largest employers of women during WWII were airplane manufacturers, and companies like Chrysler, Goodyear, and Ford. Nor did they know just after the war that more women worked in the labor force than during the war.

More than 310,000 women worked in the U.S. aircraft industry in 1943, making up 65 percent of the industry's total workforce (compared to just 1 percent in the pre-war years). The munitions industry also heavily recruited women workers, as illustrated by the U.S. government's Rosie the Riveter propaganda campaign.

Sadly, when Johnny came marching home again, the Rosies, who'd been admired for their skills and work ethics when they were needed, found themselves being subject to propaganda via a slew of medial messages that tried to convince them that their real place was in the home as wives and mothers. They suffered mass layoffs as vets took their jobs, but some of them proudly expressed the pride they had taken in their work.

One of them was Arlene Crary who lived in Wisconsin but went to work for almost two years at a Boeing factory in Seattle where she was paid $1.48 an hour. Eva Chenevert lived in Detroit. A year after graduating high school she was hired by Chrysler to make skins for airplanes. She was faced with misogyny and racism as a Black woman. Still, these women and others like them soldiered on.

As the National Park Service points out, "Rosie's impact extended well beyond the war years. Her image became a rallying cry for the women's rights movements of the 1960s and 1970s, inspiring legislation like the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Today, Rosie continues to inspire advocacy for gender equality and representation in fields like science, technology, engineering, and mathematics ("STEM.")

Illustrator Norman Rockwell deserves our thanks for an early image of Rosie the Riveter that appeared on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post in the 1940s. Soon other images followed, including the iconic one we all know that appears on various items and shows up at women's marches.

Next Page 1 | 2

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
In April 1966, Senator J.W. Fulbright, Chair of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, gave a remarkable and highly-publicized speech at Johns Hopkins University, condemning the U.S. role in the Vietnam War. Warning of "the arrogance of power", Fulbright argued that "we are not living up to our capacity and promise as a civilized power for the world". It turned out to be a momentous speech, enraging President Lyndon Johnson and providing a rallying point for U.S. critics of the conflict.

That arrogance was once again on display on February 28, 2025, as U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance proceeded to berate, bully, and interrupt Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a televised meeting at the White House. Complaining that Zelensky was "not acting at all thankful" for U.S. government aid to Ukraine, Trump was also irked that the Ukrainian president was not eager to accept his scheme to have Ukraine give the United States $500 billion worth of Ukraine's rare earth minerals without any security guarantees in exchange.

Nor was Trump's abusive behavior toward the embattled Ukrainian leader out of character. Only a little earlier that month, Trump had falsely called Zelensky "a dictator," falsely claimed that Zelensky had a "4% approval rating," and falsely accused Ukraine of starting the war with Russia.

The "peace" agreement with Russia that Trump expected Zelensky to accept had been hammered out in secret U.S. negotiations with Russia, from which Ukraine had been excluded. It was a diplomatic agreement much like the Munich Pact of 1938, in which the governments of Britain, France, Fascist Italy, and Nazi Germany met to deal with Hitler's demands for Czech territory and-- without consulting the Czechs-- agreed to these demands. The following year, Nazi Germany gobbled up the rest of Czechoslovakia.

Trump's lack of respect for Zelensky apparently results, at least in part, from the difference in power of their two nations. Lyndon Johnson had believed that the United States could simply not be defeated by Vietnam, which he dismissed as a "raggedly-ass little fourth-rate country". Similarly, not principle, but the power of their two nations was what mattered to Trump, who, in his February 28 confrontation with Zelensky, lectured him, stating: "You gotta be thankful. You don't have the cards. With us, you have the cards." Trump felt offended by Zelensky because the Ukrainian leader didn't accept what white supremacists, when addressing people of color, used to call "your place", which in Trump's view, was as an underling.

Trump never had any such problem with Putin who, in his view, is a fellow Master of the Universe. During his first term in office, Trump showed a remarkable fondness for the Russian strongman, accepting Putin's assurance that Russia didn't meddle in the 2016 election, despite evidence to the contrary produced by U.S. intelligence officials, a report by a bipartisan Senate panel, and an extensive investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller. Trump even shared classified information with the Russian ambassador and foreign minister. Explaining the Trump-Putin bromance, Fiona Hill, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and a national security official in the first two years of Trump's administration, remarked: "Trump views Putin as a strongman."

Trump's assumption that, along with Putin and a few other "strongmen", he is born to rule the world, flows not only from his position as president of the world's most powerful nation, but from deeper wellsprings. After all, he spent much of his life as a ruthless billionaire business tycoon, in a classic, no-holds-barred scramble for wealth and power. Not surprisingly, he emerged with an elevated view of his superiority to people of more modest circumstances. He was, of course, a "genius", Trump proclaimed repeatedly with characteristic hubris. Unlike so many others he dismissed with contempt as his inferiors, he possessed what he liked to call "good genes".

Overall, then, Trump's arrogance plays a major part in his domineering approach to the world. How else can we explain his recent glib talk of making Canada the 51st state, or of seizing Greenland, the Panama Canal, and Gaza? And there is also Trump's disdain for the United Nations, where all countries-- the large and the small, the powerful and the weak-- have pledged to work together for the common good.

Unfortunately, as Senator Fulbright understood, a more egalitarian, more cooperative world is out of bounds for those consumed by the arrogance of power.

Lawrence S. Wittner (https://www.lawrenceswittner.com/ ) is Professor of History Emeritus at SUNY/Albany and the author of Confronting the Bomb (Stanford University Press).
A measles outbreak in Texas is raising concern. AP Photo/Julio Cortez), File

Questions are answered by experts at the Oregon Health Authority, other state agencies or community partners. Questions and answers are republished by permission.

Q: I am a fairly healthy 77-year-old woman who has always been dutiful about being fully vaccinated. In reading about the measles outbreak, Im wondering how I can find out about whether or not I have received the measles vaccine. I remember discussing the issue with Rite Aid, my former pharmacy, along the lines of Oh, I got that as a child with a response of No, you didnt; they didnt have a vaccine when you were a child. I presume I got it but have no record of it. My current health providers MyChart records dont show it. Can you help me track down, whether, when, and which version of the vaccine I received? The purpose being, of course, to get some sense of whether or not I need to go get vaccinated for measles right now.  Anonymous, Oregon

A: The pharmacist was correct. The measles vaccine first became available to the U.S. public in 1963, at which time you were either 15 or 16. Prior to 1963, the disease was widespread and infected nearly all children by their teenage years, and once a person is infected with measles they are naturally immune for life with no need for vaccination. After the vaccine was introduced, transmission was reduced such that not everyone was being exposed any more. However, anyone born before 1957 has almost certainly had the measles  whether they or their parents remember it or not. So, we do not recommend measles vaccination for you, or for anyone born before 1957.

As for your records, there is no public or private database that contains peoples vaccination records from that far back, and unless they have their personal immunization booklet or paper records, it will be nearly impossible to find out what vaccines they received back then. Those born in 1957 or later who dont have their measles vaccination record could have their blood tested for measles immunity (aka measles titer testing) which will essentially tell whether they are immune to measles  either from having had it or from being vaccinated. They can ask their health care provider about this, or have their blood tested at a pharmacy or public laboratory (call ahead to confirm). Insurance plans may cover the cost of titer testing, possibly with some cost-sharing; we advise calling insurers in advance to confirm. Titer testing can also be useful for people planning to travel internationally to locations where measles is still common, or if schools or employers require proof of measles vaccination or immunity.

Finally, it is safe for someone to get vaccinated against measles more than once, or if theyve had measles.

Q: I am an 86-year-old woman and received my last COVID vaccine on 9/17/24. How long should I wait before getting a booster?  J.M., Eugene

A: The recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is to wait six months before getting a booster (second) dose of the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine. This applies only to people ages 65+ and those with compromised immune systems.

Strictly speaking, that means you will be eligible for the additional dose March 17. However, the recommendation is flexible and allows for people to get it sooner, in advance of typical COVID-19 surges, travel, life events, and healthcare visits. We recommend that you check with your vaccination provider before going in.

If you have questions about health topics for the Oregon Health Authority, submit your question here. Although the agency is unable to answer every question, it will try to address those of interest to a broad audience. Please understand that OHA is unable to provide specific medical advice for personal medical conditions.
Portlands new 12-member City Council gathered in the chambers at Portland City Hall Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, for the regular monthly meeting. Pictured is Councilor Sameer Kanal, District 2. Mark Graves/The Oregonian

The presence of five uniformed police officers at Portland City Councilor Sameer Kanals weekend town hall is raising eyebrows given his emerging role as a thorn in the side of the Police Bureau.

Kanal, who took office in January, has vowed to help implement a new police oversight system, though not before attempting to make changes to it. Hes suggested possible cuts to the Police Bureaus budget as well as other public safety agencies to help close a growing fiscal gap citywide. And hes advocated shifting police duties to entities like Portland Street Response.
Portland Police Chief Bob Day said he did not know much about Islam or Portlands Muslim community until he joined an annual event last year held by the bureaus Muslim Advisory Council to commemorate the month of Ramadan.

It was an opportunity, he said, to see the humanity in others and share stories and learn more about one of the holiest months in Islam, when Muslims fast from dawn to dusk. On Wednesday, the advisory council hosted Day and at least 20 Portland police officers in the Multnomah Arts Center to join Muslim community members in breaking a fast through iftar.
Photos of Secret U.S. Army hard drives that were sold to buyers in China, according to federal prosecutors. U.S. Attorney's Office

The investigation into the sale of military secrets by U.S. soldiers to Chinese buyers started with a focus on a Hillsboro man who gained U.S. citizenship through a special military program designed to recruit foreign nationals with special skills, FBI officials said.

Ruoyo Duan joined the Army in 2014 and was medically discharged three years later after an on-duty injury and has been collecting Veterans Affairs disability benefits since. He served at Fort Wainwright in Alaska, according to FBI agents.
An Liquor Control Board of Ontario employee removes American-made wine from the shelves at a liquor store in Toronto on on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. Laura Proctor/The Associated Press

The rapid-fire moves in the trade conflict between Canada and the United States put speed chess matches in the park to shame. With three days of tariff dust finally settling, Oregon wineries still face a 25% tariff and boycotts throughout Canada.

On March 4, the United States announced a 25% tariff on almost all goods entering the country from Canada and Mexico. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the American tariff a dumb policy before retaliating with a 25% tariff on $30 billion worth of American goods.
Roughly 74,000 patients insured through UnitedHealthcare may no longer be able to see providers in-network at Oregon Health & Science Universitys hospital and clinics starting next month, as the health system and insurer remain deadlocked in negotiations.

OHSUs contract with UnitedHealthcare expires on March 31. If the two cant strike a deal by then, OHSU and its affiliates Hillsboro Medical Center and Adventist Health Portland, will get dropped from UnitedHealthcares in-network provider list.

The health system and the insurer each said theyve notified patients enrolled in UnitedHealthcare employer-sponsored commercial and Medicare Advantage health plans, as well as those who have benefits through a group plan sponsored by a former employer, that they might lose in-network access to OHSUs hospitals, facilities and health care providers starting April 1.

OHSU has already stopped scheduling appointments beyond March for patients with UnitedHealthcare insurance, saying it made this decision to respect regulatory guidelines and to protect patients from potentially high financial impact if the contracts expire. It noted that it would still honor existing appointments that have been scheduled before April 1.

The stakes are high. OHSU operates a complex of hospitals and health clinics, including those branded under the umbrellas of OHSU, Adventist and Tuality, which includes Hillsboro Medical Center.

UnitedHealthcare is the nations largest health insurer, with large footprints in Oregons commercial and Medicare Advantage insurance markets. UnitedHealthcare provided coverage to roughly 31,500 Oregonians through large-employer plans, according to state data, as well as nearly 61,400 seniors through Medicare Advantage plans. Major employers like Nike contract with UnitedHealthcare to administer their health plans.

Sara Hottman, an OHSU spokesperson, said in a statement that the health institution will continue to negotiate with UnitedHealthcare until the contract end date. She said the two parties began talks to renew their contract last year but have not achieved mutually agreeable terms.

She said operational and financial issues in the UnitedHealthcare contracts have resulted in significant disruption of patient care, which OHSU finds unacceptable and remains a sticking point in negotiations.

In an email, UnitedHealthcare said it continues to negotiate in good faith with OHSU but accused the health system of being unwilling to compromise.

OHSU has made little movement in our negotiation and continues to seek a 36% price hike for our commercial plans over two years and a 15% rate increase for our Medicare Advantage plans, which is not sustainable, a UnitedHealthcare spokesperson said in an email.

The company said OHSUs proposal significantly drive-up premiums and out-of-pocket costs for consumers and impact employers ability to offer affordable health care coverage for their employees.

Some patients said the public fight makes it seem like the two parties arent serious about reaching an agreement.

Roni Goodstein, an OHSU patient with UnitedHealthcare insurance, said letters shes received from both parties wanted us to believe they were being wronged. Goodstein said she and her husband get 90% of their care through OHSU and worry they will have to find new providers, which she said is already difficult given the shortage of primary care doctors.

Frankly, we do not know what to do, she said. Laughingly, UHC directed us to Legacy for care. Legacy and OHSU announced plans to merge in 2023 and have been pursuing the tie-up since.

The dispute between OHSU and UnitedHealthcare comes as negotiations between insurers and health care providers have grown increasingly contentious.

In January, Providence Health & Services Oregon parted ways with Aetna and Salem Health axed Regence Blue Cross/BlueShield, disrupting care for thousands of patients. Last year, Providence narrowly averted going out of contract with Regence BlueCross/BlueShield. OHSU also came close to severing ties with Aetna but secured a new contract just in time to avoid disruption.

Hospitals contend that higher payments from insurers are essential to cover rising operating costs and to compensate for the financial strain of serving Medicare and Medicaid patients, whose reimbursement rates often fall far short of actual expenses.

Insurers, on the other hand, argue that their rates are in line with industry standards and keep premiums lower for consumers.

OHSUs contract dispute with UnitedHealthcare also comes as the quasi-public health institutions contract with PacificSources commercial and Medicare Advantage Plans approaches a June 30 expiration. PacificSource notified its Medicare Advantage members of the expiration date in a letter last month.

OHSU, however, said the letter mischaracterized its position by suggesting OHSU plans to leave PacficSources provider network. OHSU said it intends to work toward renewing commercial and Medicare Advantage plans with PacificSource without impact on patients or appointments.

-- 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.
Yang Huilan, an inheritor of the art of cloisonne painting, colours a work that contains elements of Dunhuang culture at her studio in Lanzhou, northwest China's Gansu Province, Feb. 28, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Wenjing)

HEFEI, March 8 (Xinhua) -- For Chen Jing, an inheritor of Wuqinxi, a traditional Chinese physical exercise inspired by the movements of five animals, a childhood fascination with martial arts novels has blossomed into a lifelong passion.

Recognized as a successor of this 1,800-year-old practice, the 52-year-old from the city of Bozhou -- the birthplace of Wuqinxi in east China's Anhui Province -- has dedicated over four decades of her life to revitalizing the ancient exercise and sharing it with the world.

Wuqinxi, literally meaning Five-Animal Exercises, was invented by Hua Tuo (145-208), one of the greatest doctors in Chinese history, based on his observations of tigers, deer, bears, apes and birds. In 2011, it was inscribed on China's national intangible cultural heritage list.

"I love this exercise because it strengthens the body while soothing the mind and relieving stress," said Chen, who has made many efforts to introduce Wuqinxi into schools, communities and tourist destinations.

Since 2005, she has traveled to over 30 countries, including the United States, Germany and France, captivating foreign audiences with the unique practice. Beyond in-person instruction, Chen has also released scores of instructional videos on international platforms, allowing people around the world to learn Wuqinxi at their convenience.

"Many foreigners have praised Wuqinxi's remarkable benefits," she said, adding that her greatest wish is to share this cultural treasure with the world.

This year's International Women's Day, which fell on Saturday, was marked by flowers, well wishes and celebrations of women's achievements. Across China, women are playing a key role in preserving and revitalizing intangible cultural heritage.

Yang Huilan, an inheritor of the art of cloisonne painting in Lanzhou, the capital city of northwest China's Gansu Province, has also been working toward this goal. In 2015, with the support of the city's women's federation, she founded an employment workshop to provide free training in the intricate craft, helping women learn the skill and sell their creations.

Over the years, thousands of culture enthusiasts have sought her guidance, and dozens of her female students have successfully launched their own handicraft businesses.

"At first, it was just a hobby, but it has now become a mission to pass on this cultural heritage," said Yang, who learned the craft from her aunt at the age of 9.

Her passion has also inspired her daughter, Ding Xinya, who has mastered cloisonne painting and infused it with modern innovations, incorporating designs into refrigerator magnets and keychains.

"I strive to be both a guardian of tradition and a pioneer of creativity," the young artist said.

"China's 5,000-year civilization is a vast reservoir of cultural treasures, many of which are being developed. Women's contributions in this process are indispensable," said Zhang Yiwu, a professor at Peking University. 

Chen Jing, an inheritor of Wuqinxi, a traditional Chinese physical exercise inspired by the movements of five animals, leads people to practise the exercise in Bozhou City, east China's Anhui Province, July 15, 2024. (Xinhua)
Officials in the Western U.S. who warn the public about avalanches are sounding a different type of alarm. They say theyre worried that the Trump administration firing hundreds of meteorologists and other environmental scientists could hinder life-saving forecasts that skiers and mountain drivers rely on.

The forecasting work is crucial for skiers and climbers who flirt with danger when they travel through mountain gullies that are prone to slide. Recovery efforts for three victims of a large avalanche near Anchorage, Alaska, were ongoing Thursday, two days after the accident in mountains where forecasters had warned it would be easy to trigger a slide that day because of a weak layer in the deep snow.

The forecasts also are used to protect the general public. Transportation officials use them to gauge the risk on well-traveled roads like one in Colorado where a vehicle got pushed off the highway by a slide earlier this month.

We save lives and there are people alive today because of the work we do, said Doug Chabot, who directed the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center in Montana for almost 24 years. To take funding and to just randomly cut programs, it will affect our ability to save lives.

Theres a lot of pieces that will fall apart'

Avalanches kill about two dozen people annually in the U.S. Predicting their likelihood, potential severity and location depends heavily on information provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The information comes in two forms: data-driven models and conversations between avalanche forecasters and National Weather Service meteorologists who can help assess the data.

We have our own numerical model, but we cant run that without the work that NOAA is doing, said Ethan Greene, director of the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, which publishes avalanche forecasts. Without that work, theres a lot of pieces that will fall apart.

So far this winter 18 people have been killed by avalanches, most of them in remote areas in Western states.

Weather models from NOAA are used by 14 avalanche centers run by the U.S. Forest Service. The Colorado center is largely state funded. Chabot said employees at the federal avalanche centers have so far been exempt from cuts, but officials worry that could change.

Shrinking the federal workforce

The Trump administration has not disclosed what positions are being lost at NOAA. Former leaders of the agency have said the firings will have wide-ranging negative impacts on flight safety, shipping safety and warning networks for tornados and hurricanes.

NOAA has about 13,000 employees. The firings come as billionaire Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency shrink a federal workforce that President Donald Trump has called bloated and sloppy.

A NOAA spokesperson declined to answer questions from The Associated Press about the potential for the cuts to degrade avalanche forecasting quality.

We are not discussing internal personnel and management matters, spokesperson Susan Buchanan wrote in an email. We continue to provide weather information, forecasts and warnings pursuant to our public safety mission.

Greene and Chabot said they dont anticipate immediate effects. But if NOAAs data is weaker, Greene said his centers forecasts will be more uncertain.

We will probably look at the same things that were looking at and see that theyre not working as well as they were, he said.

Ethan Greene, director of the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, shows a snow sample Wednesday, March 5, 2025, in Leadville, Colo. AP

Dangerous layers of snow

On a mountainside near Leadville, Colorado, this week, Greene dug a pit into the snow and scooped out snow crystals that he scattered across a plastic blue card.

Its so beautiful, he said, referring to a layer of snow turned to ice crystals, which under certain conditions can create weak layers prone to avalanche.

Such surveys are an essential part of forecasting and so is data on weather, which impacts snow and helps drive avalanche risk.

In nearby Frisco, Colorado, light snow fell in the parking lot at the Mayflower Gulch trailhead, where college students Joseph Burgoyne and his friend Michael Otenbaker from Michigan donned snow shoes and strapped skis to a backpack before heading up a mountain trail. Burgoyne said its scary to see headlines on social media sites about skiers who were carried and buried by avalanches.

Its serious terrain, and those reports, they can save lives, Burgyone said of the avalanche forecasts. Everybody just wants to have a good time. Going fast is fun. Finding deep snow is fun, but theres serious dangers behind that.

 BRITTANY PETERSON and MATTHEW BROWN, Associated Press
FILE - Custodian Ray Keen inspects a clock face before changing the time on the 100-year-old clock atop the Clay County Courthouse, March 8, 2014, in Clay Center, Kansas. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File) AP

Once again, most Americans will set their clocks forward by one hour this weekend, losing perhaps a bit of sleep but gaining more glorious sunlight in the evenings as the days warm into summer.

Where did this all come from, though?

How we came to move the clock forward in the spring, and then push it back in the fall, is a tale that spans over more than a century  one thats driven by two world wars, mass confusion at times and a human desire to bask in the sun for a long as possible.

Theres been plenty of debate over the practice, but about 70 countries  about 40% of those across the globe  currently use what Americans call daylight saving time.

While springing the clocks forward kind of jolts our system, the extra daylight gets people outdoors, exercising and having fun, says Anne Buckle, web editor at timeanddate.com, which features information on time, time zones and astronomy.

The really, really awesome advantage is the bright evenings, right? she says. It is actually having hours of daylight after you come home from work to spend time with your family or activities. And that is wonderful.

Here are some things to know so youll be conversant about the practice of humans changing time:

How did this all get started?

In the 1890s, George Vernon Hudson, an astronomer and entomologist in New Zealand, proposed a time shift in the spring and fall to increase the daylight. And in the early 1900s, British homebuilder William Willett, troubled that people werent up enjoying the morning sunlight, made a similar push. But neither proposal gained enough traction to be implemented.

Germany began using daylight saving time during World War I with the thought that it would save energy. Other countries, including the United States, soon followed suit. During World War II, the U.S. once again instituted what was dubbed war time nationwide, this time year-round.

In the United States today, every state except Hawaii and Arizona observes daylight saving time. Around the world, Europe, much of Canada and part of Australia also implement it, while Russia and Asia dont currently.

Inconsistency and mass confusion

After World War II, a patchwork of timekeeping emerged across the United States, with some areas keeping daylight saving time and others ditching it.

You might have one town has daylight saving time, the neighboring town might have daylight saving time but start it and end it on different dates and the third neighboring town might not have it at all, says David Prerau, author of the book Seize the Daylight: The Curious and Contentious Story of Daylight Saving Time.

At one point, if riders on a 35-mile (56-kilometer) bus ride from Steubenville, Ohio, to Moundsville, West Virginia, wanted their watches to be accurate, theyd need to change them seven times as they dipped in and out of daylight saving time, Prerau says.

So in 1966, the U.S. Congress passed the Uniform Time Act, which say states can either implement daylight saving time or not, but it has to be statewide. The act also mandates the day that daylight saving time starts and ends across the country.

Confusion over the time change isnt just something from the past. In the nation of Lebanon last spring, chaos ensued when the government announced a last-minute decision to delay the start of daylight saving time by a month  until the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Some institutions made the change and others refused as citizens tried to piece together their schedules. Within days, the decision was reversed.

It really turned into a huge mess where nobody knew what time it was, Buckle says.

What would it be like if we didnt change the clocks?

Changing the clocks twice a year leads to a lot of grumbling, and pushes to either use standard time all year, or stick to daylight saving time all year often crop up.

During the 1970s energy crisis, the U.S. started doing daylight saving time all year long, and Americans didnt like it. With the sun not rising in the winter in some areas till around 9 a.m. or even later, people were waking up in the dark, going to work in the dark and sending their children to school in the dark, Prerau says.

It became very unpopular very quickly, Prerau says.

And, he notes, using standard time all year would mean losing that extra hour of daylight for eight months in the evenings in the United States.

A nod to the early adopters

In 1908, the Canadian city of Thunder Bay  then the two cities of Fort William and Port Arthur  changed from the central time zone to the eastern time zone for the summer and fall after a citizen named John Hewitson argued that would afford an extra hour of daylight to enjoy the outdoors, says Michael deJong, curator/archivist at the Thunder Bay Museum.

The next year, though, Port Arthur stayed on eastern time, while Fort William changed back to central time in the fall, which, predictably, led to all sorts of confusion, deJong says.

Today, the city of Thunder Bay is on eastern time, and observes daylight saving time, giving the area, just delightfully warm, long days to enjoy in the summer, says Paul Pepe, tourism manager for Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission.

The city, located on Lake Superior, is far enough north that the sun sets at around 10 p.m. in the summer, Pepe says, and that helps make up for their cold dark winters. Residents, he says, tend to go on vacations in the winter and stay home in the summer: I think for a lot of folks here, the long days, the warm summer temperatures, its a vacation in your backyard.
The Hood River County Sheriffs Office and a team of salvage divers retrieved parts of a car they believe the Martin family drove when they disappeared in 1958. The chassis and engine were retrieved from the Columbia River near the Cascade Locks Marine Park on Friday, March 7, 2025. Beth Nakamura | The Oregonian/OregonLive

A small crowd of spectators and journalists gathered at the viewpoint at Washington State Historical Marker 19 on Friday to watch a long-awaited moment: the recovery of the car that was believed to be carrying the Martin family when they disappeared in the Columbia River Gorge decades ago.

On the Oregon side of the river that stretched below them, a salvage cranes cable began to slither upwards out of the depths of the Cascade Locks canal around 3:45 p.m., carrying a remnant of the missing station wagon and, hopefully, evidence that will help close the case that stumped investigators and journalists for more than half a century.

In December 1958, Portlanders Ken and Barbara Martin and their three young daughters headed east in the familys cream-colored Ford station wagon to find a Christmas tree. They never returned.

An intensive search of the region followed, turning up nothing.

A year later, two of the girls were found in the Columbia River, dead from drowning, near the Bonneville Dam.

Diver Archer Mayo dedicated himself to locating the Martin vehicle. Beth Nakamura

Archer Mayo, the White Salmon diver who discovered the vehicle after a yearslong search, was holding his breath Friday as he and Hood River County Sheriff Matt English watched from a footbridge crossing the canal where the car had been hidden for years.

The operation, which started Thursday morning, had been marked with false starts, but the finish line felt only seconds away.

I was right next to the sheriff and he was super nice to me, and he actually loaned me his binoculars, Mayo said. Once it pulled up, we were standing next to each other and really holding our breath.

But the object that emerged from the water was a piece of black twisted metal  not an intact car.

I was so crestfallen when it came up like that, he said. I needed to find my people, and I needed to get out of there.

For a few minutes, the twisted chassis and engine of the car  which sheriffs officials are reasonably certain belonged to the Martins station wagon  dangled over the Columbia River before it was wrapped in a blue tarp and carried away on a flatbed.

The sheriffs office said in a statement that they did not find any human remains during the recovery.

If they would have brought the car out showroom fresh and they had put it on the truck and taken it away, I would have tied this whole thing up with a bow, and it would have been magical, Mayo told The Oregonian/OregonLive hours after the recovery of the chassis. But the reality is  the river has forever been our sustainer and our competitor. You know, the river is a complicated thing.

Mayo said that a few factors could have contributed to the cars cabin separating from the chassis: For one, the 1950s car was built before manufacturers galvanized the steel used in auto manufacturing, he said. Without galvanization, he said that it wasnt uncommon for cars to rust before 100,000 miles.

Already, cars (from that period) werent meant to last, he said. And now youre putting it in this crazy environment.

He added that the sediment encasing the car was so dense when he found it that it was like concrete  creating another obstacle to freeing it from the channel bed intact.

But Mayo said he doesnt hold any ill will towards the sheriffs office, who he said played their best cards for what they understood, and he remains hopeful that the cabin  and any evidence inside  can still be recovered.

Had half the car body come up, that would have been worse because the rest of the pieces would have been scattered, he said. The fact that just the running gear, the engines and the frame got pulled off actually leads me to believe that theres an intact vessel with the evidence still in it.

But efforts to recover the rest of the car are uncertain.

Sheriffs office spokesperson Deputy Pete Hughes said in an email that plans have not been determined yet on a possible salvage operation in the future.

 Tatum Todd is a breaking news reporter who covers public safety, crime and community news. Reach them at ttodd@oregonian.com or 503-221-4313.
A judge who presided over Bends municipal court for two years intends to sue the city, alleging her termination in November was a violation of the federal law that protects government workers who report wrongdoing within their agencies.

In a notice filed with the city Feb. 14, attorneys claim former judge Angela Ruocco was fired because she reported what she felt was an overreach of legal authority by lower court staff who allegedly took actions on judicial matters using Ruoccos signature without her knowing.

The notice says Ruocco  who was hired by the University of Oregon School of Law in January to help prepare students for the bar and licensing  intends to make a claim for damages against the city in connection to her Nov. 22 termination.

Ruocco previously practiced immigration law before the U.S. Department of Justice courts, served as an assistant city solicitor for the city of Baltimore and an assistant attorney general for the state of Maryland, according to a recent press release. She also worked as an administrative law judge for the state.

According to the notice, Ruoccos work on the bench in city court earned praise from city leaders and peers.

She was hired in Sept. 2022 and her contract was renewed in 2023. Issues with court staff escalated during her second year of service.

Ruocco oversaw the citys municipal court, which handles minor traffic violations, parking citations and city ordinance infractions issued within the city of Bend. The judge is one of two positions  in addition to the city manager  within the city for which the city council and mayor are responsible for performance reviews and hiring and firing decisions.

According to the notice, city leaders told Ruocco in a Nov. 22 phone call that she was fired because she had not taken ownership for her role in creating mistrust with the court staff.

This pretext, however, is nothing more than shooting the messenger who reported the unlawful conduct. It should be no surprise that Judge Ruoccos uncovering of illegal, potentially criminal practices and abuse of authority, her repeated reports of it to supervisors, and her efforts to change practices so that they stopped, created fear among the court staff, Ruoccos attorney wrote in the notice.

The notice alleges that issues began in late 2023, when Ruocco observed a court employee, Shannon Warner, a longtime clerk who had recently been promoted to supervisor, take actions on judicial matters that Ruocco believed were beyond Warners authority. Later, Warner allegedly used Ruoccos signature to vacate a conviction and judgement of the court without the chief judges approval. Further investigation found that clerks were also engaging in similar behavior, according to Ruoccos attorneys. The notice also claims Warner was preparing to certify using Ruoccos signature that defendants had participated in drivers improvement courses when they had not.

That led Ruocco to change court practices and raise the issue to the citys finance director and later the human resources director and city attorney. According to Ruoccos claims, court staff said their behavior was standard practice for the court, as did the citys finance director.

Ruoccos attorneys cite a section of rules for the Bend Municipal Court, which state that decisions like the ones made by the courts staff shall be reviewed by the judge and the judge shall decide the motion and grant or deny relief as the judge deems appropriate.

When asked for comment on Thursday, the city rebutted Ruoccos claims that the judges termination was related to her reports about staff.

The city generally does not comment on potential litigation, City Attorney Ian Leitheiser said in a statement. However, the City strongly disagrees with the allegations made by the former judge. The reasons for not appointing the former judge to another two-year term were unrelated.

Ruoccos lawsuit notice paints a tumultuous picture of the courts internal operations in the years following a 2022 scandal involving two Bend municipal court clerks who were convicted of theft and misconduct skimming cash paid to fines over the course of several years.

 2025 The Bulletin, Bend, Ore.. Visit www.bendbulletin.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Hood River County Sheriffs Office and a team of salvage divers retrieved parts of a car they believe the Martin family drove when they disappeared in 1958. Beth Nakamura | The Oregonian/OregonLive

After two days of false starts and dashed hopes, divers recovered a portion of the station wagon they believe carried the Martin family of Portland on their ill-fated journey through the Columbia River Gorge decades ago.

Deputy Pete Hughes of the Hood River County Sheriffs Office said the salvage crew working near the Cascade Locks Marine Park believes the chassis and motor they pulled from the Columbia River around 3:45 p.m. did, in fact, belong to the Martin family.

Officials wont be able to confirm that its the car, which fell apart as they were recovering it, until they check the VIN number stamped on the engine. The car was full of rocks, Hughes said.

No human remains were recovered or seen as part of the process, which started Thursday but had to be postponed due to significant debris in the Columbia.

FILE - The Christmas photo of the Ken Martin family, from left, Barbara, 7; Ken, Barbara, Sue, 4; Donald, 21; and Virginia, 6; in Portland, Ore., in December 1952. (Ken Martin family via AP, File) AP

The Martin family vanished in December 1958 after driving to the gorge for Christmas greenery. Not a trace of them was found until the following May, when the two youngest daughters, dead, floated down the Columbia River.

Authorities searched the bottom of the river near Cascade Locks, but turned up nothing.

The disappearance fueled decades of speculation, with some coming to believe that evidence pointed to foul play. In 2018, Archer Mayo, a White Salmon diver, became interested in the case and started to do exploratory dives in the Columbia River.

On his dives in the Cascade Locks canal, he saw a wide swath of river bottom that was full of debris. Inspecting the original photos of the canals construction, he discovered the canal contained a massive pit that he concluded would almost certainly still have anything  including a car  that sank in it.

The effort to recover the Martin family's car from the Columbia River on Friday drew onlookers. Beth Nakamura/The Oregonian

By all accounts, Mayo was right. He spent hours dredging the debris that had accumulated in the pit until one wheel revealed itself, and then another. Certain car features matched the 1954 station wagon model that had disappeared. Mayo alerted authorities to his find in February and, about a month later, officials organized an operation to retrieve the car.

News of the discovery drew onlookers to Cascade Locks on Friday, including Will and Leah McKee, who drove from Washougal to catch a glimpse of the recovery.

The pair learned of the Martin familys disappearance a couple months ago. We caught it on YouTube as a cold case, Will McKee said.

On Thursday night, they went on YouTube again and learned the station wagon had been found. Its super interesting just that it could be solved and bring closure, he said.

Next steps are unclear, given the authorities will presumably need to locate and attempt to retrieve whatever is left of the car underwater and human remains, if any.

 Tatum Todd is a breaking news reporter who covers public safety, crime and community news. Reach them at ttodd@oregonian.com or 503-221-4313.

 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.

 Beth Nakamura is a photojournalist. Reach her at bnakamura@oregonian.com.

Our journalism needs your support. Subscribe today to OregonLive.com
President Donald Trump has been in office for just six weeks but is doing his best to upend the status quo, at home and abroad. His policy effort has prompted many Oregonians including some in Bend to take to the streets in protest.

Oregons Congressional delegation, which includes mainly Democrats, has likewise criticized the president on a range of policy issues, from federal workforce cuts to the escalating trade war with Mexico and Canada. But among the states representatives in Washington, D.C., theres a lone voice of support for Trump in eastern Oregon.

Congressman Cliff Bentz, who represents the 2nd Congressional District  including parts of Central Oregon, plus eastern and southern Oregon  has fallen in line with Trumps agenda. Mostly.

The following is a portion of an interview Bentz gave to The Bulletin. Bentz is not on any committees that oversee U.S. foreign policy but did respond to questions related to Ukraine, Gaza and other issues of national and global importance. The questions and responses were edited for length and clarity.

Q: Whats your assessment of the new administration after six weeks of what most would agree is a lot of change?

CB: Thats kind of a broad question. I would say that the means of trying to reduce the workforce in the federal government is extremely difficult and that much of what has been done to this point is going to be revisited in court. Well have a better idea of the most efficient and effective and legal way of approaching this once thats sorted out.

I fully support the presidents efforts to reduce spending in the sense that we have to if were going to address this. One of the biggest dangers we face, which is this huge debt and the huge amount were spending each year more than we have coming in, that problem must be addressed.

As far as what I would have done differently, I think there are many ways you can critique these kinds of efforts, but Im just happy that somebody finally is stepping up and trying to get this out-of-control spending situation under control. Thank goodness, because most of the time people are just too scared, politicians and others, to do the things that absolutely have to be done, and that means spending less money.

Heres the problem. Almost every government agency is doing something good. So when you try to stop spending money, people are immediately going to attack you saying, hey, youre stopping something good. Im sorry, but we dont have the money to keep doing this, and thats why its so difficult, so challenging.

But anyway, the short answer is Im happy its happening. Im not going to second-guess how theyre doing it. Thats for the executive branch, and then well keep trying to do our job here in Congress, which is to also shrink spending.

Q: Are you concerned about rising unemployment caused by the federal job cuts? Does paying for unemployment benefits create its own problems?

CB: Well, you pay in unemployment for this exact reason, so you have that insurance as a safety net. So the systems working exactly the way its supposed to. And Ive heard some people say that because they were fired, they somehow are not entitled to unemployment. Thats a complete lie. They are entitled to unemployment.

The great news is we have an extremely low unemployment rate, and that means that jobs abound everywhere. This is a great opportunity for people who had these jobs to go find others, particularly in Central Oregon. And frankly, across my district (eastern Oregon), there are jobs everywhere.

So the good news for those who have been laid off is that theres an opportunity for them to become reemployed fairly quickly.

Q: What are your thoughts on recent events related to the Ukraine war? Who started this war and what is needed to end it?

CB: So Russia started the war based upon my reading from four or five years ago. Russias concern was that Ukraine was going to join NATO, and they did not want a member of NATO immediately against their border. They wanted a buffer. And so when it occurred to Russia that Ukraine was going to make a serious play for becoming a member of NATO, they decided to invade Ukraine.

Im very, very happy that President Trump is doing his best to negotiate a settlement of it, because  people have died because of what Putin has done, and the war needs to end. Its one of those situations where hopefully they can negotiate a permanent end to this war.

Q: Whats your opinion on Trumps recent actions toward Putin and Russia compared to Zelenskyy and Ukraine?

CB: What I do in this situation is reach out to retired generals and to former ambassadors to Europe, and I talk to them about what should be done when it comes to Ukraine because I am not an expert in that space. Im certainly not an expert in negotiating with somebody like Putin.

I would say that what you are watching play out in real-time is Trumps attempt to try to bring Mr. Putin, a dictator, to the table and try to get something settled. A huge, huge, huge challenge. But the concept is that trying to get this done without the war becoming one that involves taking our people into it, which we want to avoid, period.

Q: Where do you stand on President Trumps idea to remove Palestinians from Gaza so it can be turned into the Riviera of the Middle East.

CB: Well, its kind of an interesting one. To bring Hamas back into Gaza so they could start shooting rockets back into Israel, again, doesnt make much sense. Rebuilding an enclave for people to attack Israel, again, doesnt make much sense. Putting billions of dollars into rebuilding for terrorist organizations doesnt make much sense.

So the real question is, how in the world do we set up something thats worthy of investing money in? If were going to be part of that exercise, it better be built on something far more permanent than that which existed prior to the extraordinarily sad situation were facing now. So good on President Trump for trying to think of something thats longer term than just rebuilding the status quo, which was not acceptable, I think, to anybody.

I think its one of those things where, thank goodness, the local countries, Egypt and Jordan, are stepping up to try to figure out what to do. But I dont think anybody wants to rebuild Gaza, only to have to go through all this again.

Q: Israels neighboring countries said they will not take the Palestinian people in Gaza, and the Palestinians there have not signaled any interest in leaving. Do you think it is realistic to have these people all removed?

CB: Its extraordinarily complicated, unbelievably complicated. To that end, Im just reviewing some of the literature and books so that I would better understand the situation. The book Im reading right now is Power, Faith and Fantasy, America in the Middle East, 1776 to the Present. Its written by Michael Oren, an American-Israeli diplomat.

I would just tell you that its extremely complicated, and to suggest whats good or bad or what might work, might not, requires somebody with far more knowledge about it than me.

Q: What is your opinion of the 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada? What will be the impact on Oregonians?

CB: I think prices will increase. Thats the nature of a tariff. But I would also say that in the long run, tariffs if done appropriately, usually because theyre reciprocal, is something thats done many times to balance trade.

In the long run, that works out to the benefit of U.S. businesses. Its my hope that these devices (tariffs) are used as negotiating instruments. I think thats President Trumps general approach.

I did meet with some people (on Feb. 28) who are heavily involved in the potato industry, and theyre very happy with the fact that there might be a tariff on the flood of agricultural products coming out of Mexico into the U.S., driving onion farmers and potato farmers and produce farmers out of business.

So tariffs have their place, and its my hope that they work to the benefit of all of us. But in the short run, the prices may go up. I think they will. I hope they dont, because I go to the grocery store often, and the prices are really high. But on the other hand, youve got to have a long-term outlook.

Q: Do you agree with President Trumps efforts to restrict transgender rights? On his first day in office, he signed an order recognizing only two sexes. That would, for example, impact transgender people who may want a passport that has what they believe is their gender identity. Can you talk a little bit about what President Trump is doing and if you think thats appropriate for the people of Oregon?

CB: So I dont think that men should be playing womens sports, and I think about 85% of Americans agree with that. And so I think thats what he was trying to address, and I think hes going to succeed in that regard. I think the transgender situation has placed Title IX in severe jeopardy, and for the sake of all women that want to play sports, and by that I mean biological females, this is a good thing.

Q: But beyond that, do you think that transgender people should be recognized by the gender of their choosing?

CB: I dont generally get into that kind of conversation. Its enough for me to say that I dont like seeing men trying to play in womens sports.

 2025 The Bulletin, Bend, Ore.. Visit www.bendbulletin.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
The 1952 Christmas photo of the Ken Martin family, from left, Barbara, 7; Ken, Barbara, Sue, 4; Donald, 21; and Virginia, 6; in Portland, Ore., in December 1952. (Ken Martin family via AP, File) AP

UPDATE: Oregon divers recover portion of submerged station wagon believed to belong to missing Martin family

Archer Mayo never bought the foul play theories about what happened to the Martin family after they left their Northeast Portland home on Dec. 7, 1958, and vanished.

I tend to be an Occams razor guy, where I think the simplest explanation is probably right, he told The Oregonian/OregonLive.

That logic eventually led him to the Oregon Historical Society archives, where his intuition rewarded him with a Eureka! moment in his independent investigation of the familys long-ago disappearance  a late 1800s image of the Cascade Locks canal under construction.

Mayo, a search-and-recovery diver from White Salmon, was ecstatic when he saw the pit  a 20-foot-deep, 90-foot-long depression at the bottom of the Columbia River that he was sure would contain the car that went missing along with the Martins.

I know I can now solve this 70-year-old mystery, Archer said he thought as he looked at the photograph.

The mystery has haunted and obsessed generations of journalists, investigators and armchair researchers.

The Hood River County Sheriffs Office and a team of salvage divers, with the help of a crane, are attempting to retrieve possible evidence in a long ago mystery: the disappearance of Portlanders Ken and Barbara Martin and their three daughters. The Martin family vehicle is believed to have been located in the Columbia River at Cascade Locks. March 6, 2025. Beth Nakamura

A Multnomah County Sheriffs Office deputy sheriff made it his lifes work to figure out what happened to the Martins. A reporter who wrote about the disappearance for The Oregonian when it happened talked about the case for years, her daughter said. As recently as 2019, a Portland writer published a book about the disappearance, after six years researching the case.

In the nearly seven decades since the Martin family disappeared, the scant evidence available ultimately pointed to two possible explanations for what happened: either the family accidentally drove into the river near Cascade Locks  the possibility that police considered most likely  or someone killed them and pushed their car into the river near The Dalles.

What happened to Oregons Martin family?

Kenneth Martins family was, by all accounts, quintessentially all-American. His father was a Presbyterian pastor who had moved to Oregon in the early 1900s. By 1958, Kenneth Martin, a 54-year-old electrical engineer, had a 28-year-old son who was in the Navy, and he and his wife Barbara had three young daughters.

And the family loved Christmas. Kenneth Martin, a jovial man, would make large wooden candy canes that he gave his neighbors and perform as the neighborhood Santa Claus.

On Sunday, Dec. 7, 1958, a friend called the Martins and asked if they would like to come over for dinner, but Barbara Martin said they couldnt because they were going to drive out the highway to look for greens, according to news coverage at the time. Kenneth and Barbara, along with their daughters Barbara Lee, 14, Virginia Anne, 13, and Susan Margaret, 11, piled into the familys 1954 cream-colored Ford station wagon and drove east.

They never came home.

A massive, regionwide search was launched  and produced very little.

The verifiable details that filtered through the tips, leads and dead-ends in the weeks that followed amounted to this: the Martins got gas at Cascade Locks and ate lunch in Hood River.

Then there was the tantalizing but inconclusive evidence.

A day after the disappearance, authorities found a stolen car east of Cascade Locks, not far from where someone had discovered a stolen automatic pistol, The Oregonian columnist Margie Boule wrote in a 1999 summary of the case.

By the end of 1958, Kenneth and Barbaras surviving son, Donald Martin, who was stationed in New York, had lost hope that his parents and siblings would be found.

Im convinced they are all dead, he said in the Dec. 29, 1958, edition of The Oregonian. They led good lives  father, mother and my three sisters. What else can I say?

Then the following February, a man found tire tracks leading over a cliff into the Columbia River near The Dalles. The path to the cliff was rocky, and there would have been no reason for the Martins to be there, unless there was foul play.

Three months later, in early May 1959, an angler was fishing near Cascade Locks when he spotted two bodies floating in the canal. He reported it to police and, soon after, the bodies of the two youngest of the Martin daughters were found and pulled out of the water.

Did police suspect foul play?

Then came a report that for decades drove speculation that the five family members did not die by accident. A river drilling company told authorities that, the day before the two girls bodies were seen, their anchor had caught something heavy in the water near The Dalles  also near where the tracks were found leading to a cliff.

The Hood River County Sheriffs Office and a team of salvage divers, with the help of a crane, are attempting to retrieve possible evidence in a long ago mystery: the disappearance of Portlanders Ken and Barbara Martin and their three daughters. The Martin family vehicle is believed to have been located in the Columbia River at Cascade Locks. March 6, 2025. Beth Nakamura

Workers for the drilling company tried to pull up what had snagged on the anchor, but it fell off before it reached the surface. One of the workers, however, did manage to poke it with a pole and hit metal, they said. They were sure it was a car, according to news coverage of the time.

Police were quick to say publicly they doubted it was murder, but Multnomah County Deputy Sheriff Walter Graven eventually came to believe it was. He figured the car probably was in a deep trench in the Columbia River near The Dalles, about 40 miles east of Cascade Locks.

If we find that car in there, it has to be murder, Graven told The Oregonian in 1967.

Graven, who died in 1988, spent years investigating the case and weighing possible suspects  but searches of the river near The Dalles over the years found nothing.

In the end, authorities concluded the car most likely was in the Cascade Locks canal, Mayo said, but they couldnt explain why they werent able to find it at the bottom of the river.

The search for the Martin family car

When Mayo  a professional auctioneer for charities, real-estate manager and sculptor  launched his own investigation in 2018, he tried to approach the cases core questions logically.

He looked at the spot where the tracks leading into the Columbia River were found near The Dalles, and quickly became skeptical of the theory that the Martin car was driven over the cliff. The path they wouldve had to take to get to the cliff was so rough that he doubted a 1954 Ford could have even made it there. And he doubted the basic premise behind the murder theory.

Who kills a young family? Mayo said. That seemed really odd to me.

The strongest piece of evidence was the two girls found in the river. When the angler saw them, they were close together, indicating they had probably come up at the same time, Mayo said. He was quick to dismiss what the river drillers had said, seeing as they had reported briefly pulling up what they believed was a car only after the girls bodies were found.

Because the fisherman saw the bodies in the canal, thats where Mayo decided to focus.

After doing a few exploratory dives at the bottom of the canal, he came across something strange. The bottom of the canal was all concrete, except for one large stretch where debris had collected. Wondering why the debris remained there, Mayo started to research the history of the canal, trying to find photos or blueprints so he could understand the river bottom and its layout. That led him to the Oregon Historical Societys archives, where he saw the pit.

Diver Archer Mayo dedicated himself to locating the Martin vehicle. March 6, 2025. Beth Nakamura

And, once he saw it, he knew he had solved the case. The pit was massive, and it was downstream from where the Martin car likely would have driven into the water, meaning that the current would have pushed the car towards the pit. Once inside, it would have been stuck there.

He just had to dig the car out, he believed.

Finding the car  and getting it out of the muck and debris that would have accumulated over it during the 67 years since it had presumably rolled into the pit  would be an ordeal of its own, he knew. It took months of work and thousands of dollars to get the necessary permits and permissions from the Department of Environmental Quality, the Army Corps of Engineers and other agencies to do the digging.

Mayo dove about 60 times in 2024  about three times per day for 20 days total  using machinery to suck up debris that had accumulated in the pit. When he came across a car wheel in November 2024, he didnt originally think it was the Martin car in part because the hub cap was as shiny as a brand new vehicle, and hed already found other cars in the pit.

But when he was sitting in his hot tub at home trying to get his temperature up, he thought more about the car wheel he had unearthed from the muck. Still in the tub, he went to eBay and searched for a 1954 Ford hub cap. The results looked exactly like the hubcap he had found.

During the dives that followed, Mayo unearthed more and more of the car and then took measurements that confirmed for him that the car belonged to the Martins. Then he reported it to authorities and, about a month later  this week  found himself standing near the canal, waiting for a crane barge to pull the car out of the water.

Mayo said his theory, much like the official one, is that Kenneth Martin took the family to the locks to look at the river and accidentally drove into the water.

In the 1950s, you could just drive accidentally right into the water, into 40 feet of water, he said, noting the area didnt have railings to prevent someone from driving over the edge at the time, unlike today. There was nothing to stop a car there.

 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
Nahla Haidar, chair of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), speaks during an interview with Xinhua in Geneva, Switzerland, on Feb. 28, 2025. China has made notable progress in gender equality, as shown by improvements in its legal framework and the introduction of several policy initiatives and decisions, said Haidar. (Photo by Zhang Yuli/Xinhua)

GENEVA, March 8 (Xinhua) -- China has made notable progress in gender equality, as shown by improvements in its legal framework and the introduction of several policy initiatives and decisions, said Nahla Haidar, chair of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

"China is on the right track," she told Xinhua in a recent interview during the 58th session of the UN Human Rights Council.

Haidar noted that the global effort to advance gender equality is thwarted by such challenges as escalating conflicts that severely impact women and children, the widening gender digital divide, and the exacerbation of social inequalities caused by climate change.

These issues not only hinder further improvements in women's rights but also pose obstacles to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, she warned.

Despite these challenges, China has made notable progress in strengthening its legal framework, expanding education and enhancing social security. These efforts are crucial for the broader global movement toward gender equality, said Haidar.

Speaking of China's latest legislative advancements presented during its periodic review under the CEDAW framework, Haidar highlighted that China has remained committed to advancing gender equality with its sustained efforts to improve the status of women and girls.

These endeavors, she added, are closely linked to the legacy of the Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing in 1995.

Adopted at the conference, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action was a groundbreaking global agreement. With the rapid evolution of digital technologies, she stressed the need to update the framework to address emerging challenges, such as the digital gender divide and the impact of climate change on women's rights.

She further highlighted China's unique role in global gender equality efforts, noting that as a major country with a rich history, its practices not only influence domestic development but also set an example for the region and the world. 

Nahla Haidar, chair of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), speaks during an interview with Xinhua in Geneva, Switzerland, on Feb. 28, 2025. China has made notable progress in gender equality, as shown by improvements in its legal framework and the introduction of several policy initiatives and decisions, said Haidar. (Photo by Zhang Yuli/Xinhua)
About a hundred people gathered in front of the Oklahoma state Capitol Friday afternoon in protest of nationwide layoffs at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and to support scientific funding and research.

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...

Supporters gathered on the South Plaza in front of the Capitol building to hear from speakers including Rep. Jared Deck (D-Norman), Rep. Jacob Rosecrants (D-Norman) and Rep. Andy Fugate (D-Del City).

Stand Up for Science was created in mid-February and quickly transformed into a national movement with rallies scheduled in Washington, D.C., New York City, Chicago and 28 other cities, according to a press release.

The rally comes less than two weeks after National Weather Center employees, including OU meteorology students, had their employment terminated in line with nationwide layoffs of workers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The layoffs are a result of the Department of Government Efficiency's efforts to significantly downsize the federal government. About 62,500 government employees in various departments across the nation have been fired so far, according to reporting from Reuters.

A former National Weather Center female employee who wanted to remain anonymous said she started her job in December and was fired via email just over a week ago. She said she left a high-paying position to move across the country to start her job at NOAAs Norman location because she felt the opportunity in Norman would better serve the community.

It kind of upended my life and  I dont have family here. I moved here to serve the American public and to have this job that keeps people safe because real time warning is really important, the former employee said. Now I have to kind of pick up the pieces and Im going to have to break my lease and move out.

The former employee said employees were expected to leave their positions immediately with no warning and no severance pay. After only three months living in Norman, she said she has to begin the job search and move all over again.

Nobody really was expecting it. It was just an email and we were out the door, she said. Was there an exit path given via these DOGE cuts? No.

While the loss of her job caused a huge rift in her life, the former employee said shes thankful shes still young enough to not be affected by losing insurance, but she fears for the workers who relied on healthcare and insurance to provide for their families. She said the losses are damaging to Oklahomas economy, removing valuable revenue that would have gone back to the city.

Ill go back home, but I would have stayed here and I would have contributed to the economy and probably ended up settling down and volunteering and having kids and doing all of the things you want people to do in Oklahoma, the former NOAA employee said.

Deck, who gave a speech at the rally, said he hopes the event proves to scientists who are fearful of the future that people support them and are standing behind them as attacks on research continue to flood out of the nations capital.

We are at the point where we can choose to fear the things that we dont yet know, or we can embrace possibility, Deck said. We want the scientific community to know that not only do we value their work, but we also value them and what theyre doing.

Deck encouraged OU students and faculty affected by layoffs at the National Weather Center to continue to fight against further budget cuts and job eliminations, expressing his commitment to supporting affected Normanites.

I would tell our students and our community to continue to push your legislators on a state and federal level, Deck said. We are now in an uphill battle to try to gain or regain their work and refund it. Thats going to be a long fight, but its one that were up for.

Ashley Hobson, professor at the OU Health Sciences Center, said she attended the protest to advocate for funding for research, specifically in higher education. She said OU research makes great strides in science, but a lack of funding can hinder that from happening.

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

We have the potential to be one of the top research institutions and we have brilliant minds and the fact that funding is being taken away is very concerning, Hobson said. It does not align with what we hope to see come out of the research happening at the life sciences center.

Hobson said many research projects at the Life Sciences Center are being impacted by cuts in grant funding that allow the center to advocate for opportunities to address disparities on a local and national level.

In February, the National Institute of Health announced research universities receiving grants from the NIH would be forced to reduce indirect costs to 15% of the total grant. Historically, indirect costs have averaged just under 30%.

Indirect costs are expenses not readily identified within a particular grant such as salaries, materials, supplies and equipment, and consultant services needed to accomplish grant objectives.

We really want to make a difference and its concerning that there are new barriers, Hobson said. I know a lot of people have navigated a lot of barriers already to be able to do the research that theyre doing and address the needs of Oklahomans. So to have that taken away is really concerning.

Hobson said shes seen her students pay close attention to movements by the federal government that could impact their careers and uncertainty is raising anxieties for the future.

Theres a lot of unease. Just not sure what the future looks like, Hobson said. And decisions that are impacting our education that do not necessarily align with our professions, so I think its concerning for a lot of them.

Adeline Molinski, a 34-year old research technician, said with lower funding from NIH, projects and jobs are at risk of being terminated. She said scientific work heavily relies on grant funding and shes anxious her own job could be affected.

As a young mom, Molinski said shes afraid she wont be able to support her family if her job is terminated.

Im really scared that in a few years Im going to lose my career that Ive built to create and that is supporting my family, Molinski said. I just had a baby and now will I be able to put food on the table?

Another protester, Marlon Richardson, 83-year old researcher at OUs Health Sciences Center and Oklahoma City VA Medical Center, has been involved with research for over 50 years. Richardson said for the first time, he has postdoctoral students worrying about getting funding and jobs.

Were at a very critical juncture in our nation's history, Richardson said. This administration is the most anti-science Ive ever seen and people dont realize that science is so important to not only (the) economy, but where were at with respect to health care and things like that.

Richardson said DOGE leader Elon Musk is a driving force in the attacks on grant funding and research.

The jobs are going to dry up in the science industry I think, because of this  What theyre doing is chaos, Richardson said. Our elected officials and our congressmen and senators need to figure out whether theyre standing up for the people in the community or Trump and Musk. Its as simple as that.

Event organizer, Sheeva Azma, an independent neuroscientist, said she was excited to see the turnout for the event and was inspired by the participation of local scientists in the community. She said the event was proof that researchers are engaged and ready to fight for what they believe in.

I dont think theres anything better than to have a rally for science and have actual scientists show up. Im really excited about the future, Azma said. I feel like if you are skeptical or feeling hopeless about the current times, I feel like this event was proof that scientists are very engaged and were going to fight for what we know to be true.

This story was edited by Anusha Fathepure and Ismael Lele.
With handmade signs and chanting in unison, roughly 60 protesters gathered outside of the National Weather Center to protest recent nationwide layoffs proposed by the Department of Government Efficiency.

The effort was one of 32 rallies organized across the nation by Stand Up for Science, a grassroots organization that advocates for science as a pillar for social, political and economic progress.

NEWSLETTERS * required Thank you for subscribing! Email * Please enter a valid email address First Name Last Name When major news breaks + a few times a week FREE SIGN UP Subscribing...

The Norman protest was locally organized by Green Week, an OU student organization committed to environmental education and promoting climate action. Bailey Wiegert, vice chair of Green Week, said she believes the defunding of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Weather Service is going to be a loss of crucial weather information.

We're gonna lose so much information that could be valuable to making a difference in the world, Wiegert said. I just think it's important that we protect science because it's protecting us. The more we know about what's around us, the more we can do to learn how we can protect ourselves, and protect others, and the environment.

Members of Green Week promoted the protest on campus through chalk messages on sidewalks, graphics and flyers.

Brendan Morales, a meteorology senior, said protesting the layoffs is a way for him to share his voice and exercise his political power.

Science is who we are, and the fact that this is being taken away from us forcibly, with no recompense, no review, is straight up a violation of what this country stands for, Morales said.

Morales said he wants those impacted by the layoffs or who know someone impacted to continue speaking up for what they believe in.

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

I encourage you to constantly step up. Today does not have to be the last day, today does not have to be the only day we need to keep this up, Morales said. Make sure that the government knows that this is not who we are, this is not what we want, we need representation. Always and forever.

Throughout the hour, more and more people joined the protest. Jacob Hall, a meteorology sophomore, was one of the students who joined the effort.

The National Weather Service and NOAA are very important to keeping people safe from weather in their daily lives, Hall said. I just think it's really important to be out here advocating for NOAA and the National Weather Service, because they're just so crucial to day life.

After roughly 30 minutes, protesters marched to south Jenkins Avenue to face cars as they drove by.

Caden Berry, a meteorology sophomore, said his support for the National Weather Center and NOAA employees is very personal.

Just three days ago, a tornado impacted my home community of Ada, Oklahoma, and my family took shelter before the sirens went off, Berry said. Luckily, we were all safe. But cuts make it much more difficult to put out warnings on time, especially when a tornado is moving at 50 miles per hour.

According to Berry, NOAAs services are crucial for Oklahomans.

Cassady Curtis, an environmental sustainability senior, said it was empowering to be surrounded by like-minded individuals at the protest who care about the issue as much as she does.

It was a really amazing experience, Curtis said. Even just showing up to something like this is an amazing way to help people, both the people that could be losing their jobs, but also the people that are affected by those job losses.

This story was edited by Anusha Fathepure, Ismael Lele and Ana Barboza.
A middle school student was killed after being hit by an unattended SUV that rolled down a hill in Seattle while walking to recess, according to police.

The 12-year-old girl had just left lunch, and was walking to recess outside Washington Middle School when an SUV that a driver had failed to put in park rolled about 225 feet down a hill, hitting and killing the girl, KOMO reported.

The incident happened at about 1 p.m. Thursday, and the school issued a shelter-in-place order before later sending students home early, as reported by FOX 13.

Police said the SUV's owner is being investigated for any possible drug or alcohol use, which is standard procedure for such incidents.

Although the girl was not named, Principal Adrian Manriquez confirmed she was a sixth grader at the middle school.

Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Brent Jones said in a statement, "I am deeply saddened by this tragedy, and my thoughts and condolences are with the student's family, friends and the entire Washington community during this incredibly difficult time."

Jones told KOMO that officials "don't know specifically how this transpired" when asked about how the vehicle was able to hit the student, and reiterated that the incident remains under investigation.

Originally published by Latin Times.
A Florida teen was found dead and dismembered, and St. Petersburg police have made one arrest in the case and are still looking for another individual.

The first arrest was a man, and the second person that law enforcement authorities are still looking for is a woman. A witness contacted police on Mar. 6, 2025, saying that they had information regarding a potential kidnapping and homicide involving a missing teenager.

Missing Teen Believed To Have Been Killed and Dismembered

Through an investigation, detectives learned that the victim, identified as 16-year-old Miranda Corsette, was lured through a social media app. She was set up to meet 35-year-old Steven Gress on Feb. 14, 2025, Valentine's Day.

Officials said that Corsette remained with Gress and his domestic partner, who was identified as 37-year-old Michelle Brandes, at the couple's home. Police added that a dispute occurred on Feb. 20, 2025, and Corsette was beaten and killed sometime before Feb. 24, 2025.

Police added that Gress later put the victim's body inside a car and drove off with it to a house at 12243 Mallory Drive in Largo. They also found evidence in the area that indicated Corsette was dismembered, driven to Hillsborough County, and placed inside a dumpster located at 2893 14th Ave. S.E., Ruskin, according to My Sun Coast.

Detectives have now located the dumpster in question and are working on finding the body of the victim. The arrest of Gress was made before the case, and he was in jail on unrelated charges to Corsette's kidnapping and murder.

Authorities arrested the suspect on Mar. 5, 2025, for pointing a harpoon at his domestic partner as well as for possession of drugs. They also revealed that Gress is facing a kidnapping charge in the disappearance of the teenage girl amid the ongoing investigation. More charges are expected to be brought moving forward.

Kidnapping the Victim

Officials said that Corsette was homeschooled and lived together with her grandmother before she was kidnapped and brutally killed. The teenager's parents are both deceased, and she was also the mother of an 11-month-old baby, Fox13 News reported.

Acting police chief for the city of Gulfport, Commander Mary Farrand, said that they were very familiar with Corsette. She described the victim as a frequent runaway and has a history of mental health issues and drug abuse.

Farrand said that Corsette typically comes home after going out for a while, and she is not reported missing every time she leaves. But this time, she did not come back on time, prompting the report.

The development comes as nine students went missing while on a vacation and were later found dismembered on the side of a highway in Mexico. The victims include four women and five men from Tlaxcala, Mexico, as per People.
United States President Donald Trump has revived the practice of detaining migrant families who came into the country illegally with their children.

On Thursday, the United States Immigrant and Customs Enforcement (ICE) worked to detain the first group of migrant parents and children. They were held in a detention facility in Texas that was designed to hold families with minors.

Detaining Migrant Families With Children

The news of the first family of migrants with children detained by ICE came through an internal government report, noting that the group included three kids. Tricia McLaughlin, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), said the migrants have deportation orders.

She also confirmed that President Trump's administration is refitting two Texas immigration detention centers to house families who are illegally in the U.S. McLaughlin said that they will not ignore the rule of law.

One of the detention facilities is the Karnes detention facility, which is found in Karnes City, Texas, which is a small town located east of San Antonio. The other one is located in Dilley, Texas, which is south of San Antonio, according to CBS News.

The latest move reverses a policy change by the Biden administration that discontinued the long-standing practice of detaining migrant families. The practice was first implemented on a large scale by the Obama administration to try and discourage families from illegally crossing the southern border.

Following the latest news, advocates and child welfare experts expressed their concern as they denounced family detention. They argue that it is harmful to children and their psychological well-being.

Tackling Immigration Issues

The situation comes as during his first time in office, President Trump also made an effort to deter migration through the southern border by detaining families. McLaughlin said that the best option for illegal migrant families is to self-deport, NPR reported.

Since Trump took office again, ICE has been constrained in its efforts to locate people to arrest and detain. The agency's 20 field offices across the country are now responsible for reaching a quota of at least 75 arrests per day despite limited staffing.

There is also an ongoing effort to target children who entered the country without their parents and were released without court dates. During Trump's 2024 presidential campaign, he and border czar Tom Homan said that plans for mass deportations would initially target migrants who committed crimes.

However, recent developments have shown that the administration's targets mostly consist of families and children who do not have criminal histories. The efforts to bring back family detention centers are being done with the help of private prison companies, as per NBC News.
These two articles were posted today in Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship:

Abstract: Dr. Meir Bar-Ilans paper, The Heavenly Lamb, Sacrifices on the Heavenly Altar, and the Song of the Lamb, appearing concurrently in Interpreter, is a welcome contribution from a noted Jewish scholar. Bar-Ilan has called the worlds attention to a remarkable Hebrew manuscript with origins in antiquity, Words of Gad the Seer. Those interested in the relationship between Jewish texts and Latter-day Saint scriptures may also wish to compare the findings in Bar-Ilans paper with treatments of the Lamb of God in the Book of Mormon and the Book of Moses.

Abstract: The symbolic image of the Lamb of God is well-known in the New Testament and The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs. This image derives from the Old Testament, later adopted by early Christians. Words of Gad the Seer is an apocalyptic pseudepigraphal book written in pseudo-biblical Hebrew from a manuscript copied in the eighteenth century. After over thirty-three years of investigation, many aspects of this recently discovered text are coming to light. There are more than twenty similarities between this largely unknown book and the book of Revelation, though one was written by a Jewish man who became Christian and the other by a (non-rabbinic) Jew. This old yet newly discovered book will be presented briefly, and the concept of the Heavenly Altar and the song of the Lamb will be discussed. Some esoteric traditions pseudepigraphic, rabbinic, and Hekhalot literature will be presented concerning what is sacrificed on the Heavenly Altar or goes up to God, giving the heavenly world a new look. The relationship of the Song of the Lamb to Revelation 15:3 and Jewish liturgy is also explored.

You can still watch the Interpreter Foundations 2021 theatrical film Witnesses online at no charge. I didnt expect this offer to go on so long, but I hope that some of you will take advantage of the opportunity. And have your neighbors and ward members seen it? Has your family seen it? Have the members of your court seen it? Have you at least called it to their attention? Has your dog-walker watched the film? Has your chauffeur? Your manicurist? Your valet? Your taster? Your jester? If not, why not?

This article in the Wall Street Journal is worthy of reflection, I think. Its co-author is Ryan Burge, whom I and many others regard as one of the most interesting American sociologists of religion now working: Are Americans Really Losing Their Religion? About 100 million people in the U.S. say they have no religious faith, but a new survey paints a more complicated picture. (I hope that you are able to access it.)

This article, too, seems worth pondering (or, if you prefer, ponderizing): The real Gen Z religion story is about women: On most indicators, Gen Z mens religious behavior has largely stayed the same in the past decade. Instead, it is Gen Z women who have moved religiously.

And, while were on this theme, you might have a look at this: Catholics Are Rapidly Losing Ground: A new survey shows that for every 100 new Catholics, more than 800 people leave the Church. As bad as that is, the news is actually worse when we look more closely at the numbers. Radical changes are needed.

And this: Decline in U.S. Catholic Church doesnt have a political solution

And this: American Jews buck the US trend and turn away from religion: But will antisemitism on dating sites change the picture in the future?

But Latter-day Saints shouldnt feel complacent or smugly superior. We appear to be battling the same headwinds: Pew: Utahs religious nones rise; Christianity  including Mormonism  declines: Change in share who say they identify as Christian or unaffiliated in Utah Assuming that the Pew figures are accurate and that the analysis correct, it remains unclear (to me, at least) what proportion of the rise in Utah religious nones should be credited to disaffiliation (certain the number isnt zero) and what proportion of it stems from the immigration into Utah of outsiders who have been attracted by the states strong economy. In either case, its clear that Utah has become even more of a mission field than it already was.

Pretty much ever since it was announced, opponents of the Cody Wyoming Temple  e.g., an organization called Preserve Our Cody Neighborhoods  have claimed that it would blot out the sky, dominate and loom over the city, and block views of the beautiful mountains that surround urban Cody. But construction of the temple is now underway. Its framing is substantially complete, and the horrified prophecies of the temples opponents have clearly been fulfilled. If you take a look at the 5 March 2025 construction photograph by Tom Cook entitled Framing the steeple, you can easily see how prescient those prophets of doom were. Although its admittedly true that the temple will be a very small one, with only 9,950 square feet of floor space, and that it will be set within 4.69 acres of private landscaped grounds, it already dominates the citys skyline, conceals the alpine mountains that surround Cody, and almost completely hides the sun, the moon, and the stars from view. (For an aerial photograph of the temples dominant location in the downtown heart of Cody  or, alternatively, intrusively inserted into one of the citys modest and quiet residential suburbs  see here.)
Two police officers were shot in Newark on Friday, March 7, 2025 Jelani Gibson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

A Newark, New Jersey, police detective investigating a person believed to have illegal guns Friday night was shot to death before he could get out of his vehicle, and second officer was wounded, authorities said.

A 14-year-old, whose name was not released because of his age, is facing charges of murder, attempted murder and weapons offenses. Five people are in custody and being questioned.

Police said they recovered one gun at the scene and are in the process of trying to interview all suspects.

Officer Joseph Azcona, 26, a five-year veteran of the department, was pronounced dead at University Medical Center in Newark early Saturday. Azcona was surrounded by his mother, father and five brothers, officials said during a press conference Saturday morning.

Newark police Detective Joseph Azcona was shot and killed Friday night during an investigation into illegal gun activity. A second officer was wounded and a 14-year-old has been charged with murder and attempted murder. (Ed Murray | For NJ Advance Media)

He was shot before he even had the opportunity to leave his police car, Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens said during a news conference Saturday morning.

The thing to remember primarily is that the officers involved are heroes, everyday heroes that work the streets, Stephens said.

The second officer wounded in the shooting is expected to recover, officials said.

Stephens said Azconas unit had been investigating individuals they believed had illegal weapons when the shootings occurred.

Shots were exchanged upon the interaction with the police and those individuals, the prosecutor said.

Our heart is heavy right now. Our agency is hurting, Emanuel Miranda, Newarks director of public safety, said during the news conference.

The shooting occurred around 6:30 p.m. in the area of Broadway and Carteret streets in Newark.

The scene is near an elementary school, a church and a fast-food restaurant a few blocks from the Passaic River.

Two police officers were shot in Newark on Friday, March 7, 2025 Ed Murray| For NJ Advance Media

Azcona was part of an intelligence unit working with federal authorities on Friday night to capture an individual who we believe had a weapon, Stephens said.

Azcona had been part of that intelligence unit for the past two years.

They were doing their job getting intelligence about guns on the street, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said. Danger lived there. They went anyway.

He called the shooting a heinous, callous disregard for humanity and noted the age of the suspected gunman.

The 14-year-old is being treated for injuries that are not considered life-threatening, authorities said.

AJ McDougall may be reached at amcdougall@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on X at @oldmcdougall.

Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino.
MANILA, March 8 (Xinhua) -- A couple and their seven-year-old daughter were killed when a fire ripped through at least three homes in Iloilo City in the central Philippines at dawn on Saturday, authorities said.

The Bureau of Fire Protection said the blaze, which started around 4:30 a.m. local time, gutted the victims' house and two neighboring homes.

The bureau said the remains of the three victims were found on the second floor, adding it is still investigating the cause of the fire. 
John Mellencamp performs at the BJCC Concert Hall in Birmingham during his Plain Spoken 2015 tour, Thursday, March 12, 2015. (Tamika Moore | tmoore@AL.com)

Teddi Mellencamp, the daughter or rock legend John Mellencamp and a former star of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, shared some heartbreaking news Thursday regarding her battle against brain cancer.

Mellencamp recently had a surgery to remove multiple tumors from her brain, and she said she had a follow-up scan on Thursday. She then took to Instagram to share the results.

I have multiple tumors in my brain that werent able to be removed via surgery, she wrote. I also have 2 tumors in my lung. These are all metastases of my melanoma.

Despite the sad news, she said there is hope.

The doctors are hopeful that immunotherapy will effectively treat them, she said. I am feeling positive  that I will win this battle, that I got this wig (I like the short hair, just not the bald spots), and that I can remember all of Angelinas kids names. Now as (Andy Cohen) would say: with all due  (expletive) off, cancer!

HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA - NOVEMBER 07: Teddi Jo Mellencamp arrives at the World Premiere Of Disney's 'Frozen 2' held at the Dolby Theatre on November 7, 2019 in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States. (Photo by Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/Sipa USA)(Sipa via AP Images) Sipa USA via AP

Parade Magazine noted that the 43-year-old had emergency brain surgery last month to try to remove the tumors. She was first diagnosed with stage 2 melanoma on her shoulder in 2023 and had surgery to remove it.

Fans and followers flooded her post  you can see it here  with prayers and well-wishes following her announcement Thursday.
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, they 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.
A total lunar eclipse will bring a blood moon on March 14. (Graphic provided by NASA) Graphic provided by NASA

By ADITHI RAMAKRISHNAN, AP Science Writer

NEW YORK (AP)  A total lunar eclipse will flush the moon red Thursday night into Friday morning across the Western Hemisphere.

The best views will be from North America and South America. Parts of Africa and Europe may catch a glimpse.

Lunar eclipses happen when the moon, Earth and sun align just so. The Earth casts a shadow that can partially or totally blot out the moon.

During a partial lunar eclipse, Earths shadow appears to take a bite of the moon.

The full moon is covered during a total eclipse and blushes coppery red because of stray bits of sunlight filtering through Earths atmosphere.

Lunar and solar eclipses happen anywhere from four to seven times a year, according to NASA. A partial lunar eclipse graced skies in the Americas, Africa and Europe last September and the last total lunar eclipse was in 2022.

How to see the lunar eclipse

The so-called blood moon will be visible for about an hour starting at 2:26 a.m. on Friday. Peak viewing will be close to 3 a.m.

To see it, venture outside and look up  no need for eclipse glasses or any special equipment.

As long as the sky is clear, you should be able to see it, said Shannon Schmoll, director of Abrams Planetarium at Michigan State University.
Two Newark police officers were shot on Friday, March 7, 2025. Ed Murray| For NJ Advance Media

A Newark police officer was killed in the line of duty Friday night in a shooting that also wounded a second officer, according to police union officials.

The officers were shot at 6:37 p.m. in the area of Broadway and Carteret Street in Newark, according to a statement from the Essex County Prosecutors Office.

Both officers were taken to University Hospital in Newark and one was in critical condition, the prosecutors office said in a statement.

Two police officers were shot in Newark on Friday, March 7, 2025 Ed Murray| For NJ Advance Media

New Jersey Fraternal Order of Police State President Robert W. Fox said on social media that one of the officers died from his wounds in the shooting.

Two brave, hero police officers of the Newark Police Department were shot in the line of duty this evening, Fox said in the statement. One officer has made the ultimate sacrifice, and the other is receiving treatment for their wounds at the time of this release.

University hospital after two police officers were shot in Newark, NJ on Friday, March 7, 2025 Jelani Gibson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

The New Jersey State Police Benevolent Association union also confirmed the officers death on social media. No name was released.

We here at the NJ State PBA are heartbroken to share that an officer from Newark PD has made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty, and another officer is currently fighting for their life in critical condition, PBA officials said in a statement.

The circumstances of the shooting were not immediately available.

Our law enforcement officers put themselves in harms way every day to protect our communities, and tonight is a painful reminder of the depth of the sacrifices they make, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin said in a statement.

Please keep the entire Newark Police Department and the families of our officers in your thoughts as we pray for both officers shot in the line of duty tonight, Platkin said.

Gov. Phil Murphy also shared his concern on social media.

This is a rapidly developing situation, Murphy said on X, formerly Twitter. Please pray for these officers, their families, and all our men and women in uniform who put their lives on the line to keep us safe.

The intersection includes a local elementary school, a church and a fast food restaurant a few blocks from the Passaic River.

Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com.
Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, is removed from the chamber as President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. Win McNamee/Pool Photo via AP

U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, a Democrat who represents Chester County, Pennsylvania, joined nine other members of her party Thursday in a vote to censure fellow Democratic Rep. Al Green for his outbursts during President Donald Trumps address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday.

Green, of Texas, stood up at the very beginning of Trumps speech after the president boasted about his electoral victory, calling it a mandate. He yelled, You have no mandate! You have no mandate to cut Medicaid! while pointing his cane at the president to punctuate his point.
By Aubrey Whelan and Max Marin, The Philadelphia Inquirer (TNS)

PHILADELPHIA  Philadelphia has settled a lawsuit with the brother of two girls killed in the 1985 MOVE bombing, resolving one aspect of an ongoing court battle over the mishandling of victims remains by both the Philadelphia Medical Examiners Office and the University of Pennsylvania.

Daniel Hartstein, an attorney for Lionell Dotson, confirmed the settlement on Friday. A city spokesperson said Philadelphia has not admitted liability under the settlement and will pay an undisclosed amount to Dotson.
How are things going in Donald Trumps second term as president?

Well, just look at the comments below this story. Theres a good chance, the MAGA crowd will be commenting that things are going great, and that even asking the question is silly. Folks on the left, will likely be lining up to say this is about as bad as it gets.

But what do the polls say?

Well, this week, Trump got some terrible numbers regarding the economy and his net approval rating, but he did get good news in terms of DOGE and the cuts he is planning there. CNN data guru Harry Enten returned to the airwaves Friday, though, with a concerning fact regarding the president and Google.

That fact?

Americans are googling Donald Trump and Chaos together at a record pace across his first 46 days. In fact, per Enten, searches to the two words together are up a whopping 326% compared to Trumps first term.

The American people are seeing this, and they think that Donald Trump is like Butters in South Park, Enten said. He is Professor Chaos. That is what is going on. The American people are going, What is happening here? They are seeing Trump and they are associating him with the word chaos.

That, Enten explained, could continue to be a bad thing for financial markets.

They do not like uncertainty, he said. How about the Trade Policy Uncertainty Index, this dates back all the way since 1960. We are dealing with a record high. Well, get this, up 651% versus a year ago. One day Trump seems to be for tariffs. The next day he doesnt. One day he is backing off tariffs. Then he is threatening to do it a month from now. What we are seeing is chaos playing out, and in trade uncertainty. This is playing out in the stock market as well. Traders, investors, Americans are channeling their inner Vince Lombardi saying, What the hell is going on out there?

Enten said that people just need to know what is going on so they can play.

"The American people are seeing this, & they think Donald Trump is like Butters in South Park. He's Professor Chaos."



Americans are Googling "Trump" & "Chaos" at record levels.



56% say Trump's moving too fast. They're asking, like Vince Lombardi: what the hells going on?" pic.twitter.com/JjgElcdhiQ  (((Harry Enten))) (@ForecasterEnten) March 7, 2025

He then showed another poll where people were asked if Trump was making changes too quickly. Fifty-six percent of those polled said that he was moving too quickly, and 43% said he wasnt.

This Trump presidency, we have been talking about this since going back to January 20th, he said. We said, Hey, maybe this Trump presidency with Susie Wiles will be more on the tracks. It seems to have gotten off the tracks as far as the American people are concerned, and they simply put do not like it.
NAIROBI, March 8 (Xinhua) -- International Women's Day was celebrated in Kenya on Saturday, with leaders reaffirming their commitment to promoting gender equality as a prerequisite for inclusive growth, cohesion, and stability.

Kenyan President William Ruto said his government is at the forefront of addressing socio-economic and cultural barriers to women's progress through targeted policy, legislative, and fiscal interventions.

"On this day, we reaffirm our commitment to empowering women and girls not just as a matter of equality and justice but also as a driving force for a stronger, more inclusive, and prosperous society," Ruto said in a video message released in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.

He added that Kenya is on course to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 on gender equality, ensuring that women and girls have access to quality education, health, vocational training, and employment.

Ruto also said the government has leveraged progressive legislation to boost the number of women in senior political leadership, while tackling harmful practices such as female genital cutting and early marriages.

This year's International Women's Day was marked with the theme "Accelerate Action," underscoring the urgency of taking forward-looking measures to realize gender equality.

While speaking at the national celebrations in the western county of Homa Bay, Kenyan First Lady Rachel Ruto stressed that empowering women will place the country on a growth and transformation path.

The pursuit of gender equity is at the heart of national policies that seek to promote growth, shared prosperity, climate resilience, peace, and harmonious coexistence, said the first lady.

She observed that Kenya has created a bigger space for women and girls to thrive in politics, academia, and entrepreneurship since the 1995 Beijing summit that adopted a landmark charter on advancing gender equality.

Antonia N'gabala Sodonon, UN Women representative in Kenya, called for speedy implementation of global and domestic legal instruments to eliminate gender-based violence and promote the dignity and safety of women in the country. 
BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- The following are the schedules for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) and the third session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) on Sunday.

In the morning, NPC deputies will deliberate a draft decision on amending the Law on Deputies to the National People's Congress and to the Local People's Congresses at Various Levels, and the work reports of the Supreme People's Court (SPC) and the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP).

In the afternoon, they will continue to deliberate the work reports of the SPC and the SPP.

Throughout of the day, the NPC Constitution and Law Committee will review a draft decision on amending the Law on Deputies to the National People's Congress and to the Local People's Congresses at Various Levels.

In the morning, members of the CPPCC National Committee will hold a plenary meeting. In the afternoon, they will hold group meetings.

In the afternoon, The Chairperson's Council of the CPPCC National Committee will hold a meeting. The CPPCC National Committee will hold a standing committee meeting. 
THIS AND THAT: Remembering the women in my life
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 
Stephanie Smith holds the key to her new home. The one story, 950-square-foot home is part of the Hutchinson Lane project that started back in 2022.
ABUJA, March 8 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy in Nigeria rolled out the drums on Friday to celebrate International Women's Day, which falls on March 8. The event, held at the China Cultural Center in the Nigerian capital of Abuja under the theme "Her Story, Her Future," brought together women from different backgrounds to reflect on their achievements and chart the way forward for gender equality.

Speaking at the event, Yu Dunhai, Chinese ambassador to Nigeria, emphasized the significance of this year's celebration, particularly as it coincides with the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

Reiterating China's dedication to gender equality, he hailed the progress made in women's empowerment globally since the Fourth World Conference on Women, held in September 1995. While reflecting on the progress in gender inclusion, the Chinese envoy noted the significant strides that China has made to ensure that women's rights are protected.

Over the years, practical cooperation between China and Nigeria has deepened across various fields, providing many Nigerian women with better medical resources, more agricultural skills, and increased business and entrepreneurial opportunities, Yu said.

"China will work with Nigeria to better implement the consensus reached between our two leaders, carry out the 10 partnership action plans, including promoting women's exchanges, and jointly build a high-level China-Nigeria community with a shared future," he said. "I believe that more women will benefit from the high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, realizing their dreams and creating an even more splendid future."

Other speakers at the event recalled the inspiring stories of women around the world, including their remarkable contributions and attainments in various sectors and the importance of continuous empowerment.

Oraeluno Raphael, acting permanent secretary of the Nigerian Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, reaffirmed the government's support for the growth of women in society.

He said Nigeria will continue to ensure capacity-building through training, cultural exchanges, and other initiatives aimed at repositioning women for greater impact.

"The theme 'Her Story, Her Future' reminds us that every woman's journey is a testament to resilience, courage, and the pursuit of dreams. Women have challenged norms, paved the way for future generations, and transformed societies. Their voices, struggles, and triumphs have enriched cultures and inspired progress," said Olubunmi Olowookere, permanent secretary of the Social Development Secretariat of Nigeria's Federal Capital Territory Administration.

"As we honor the past, we also commit to the future, where every woman has the opportunity to rise, to lead, and thrive -- a future where education, equality, and empowerment are not privileges but rights," she added. 
Charleston, SC (29403)

Today

Tropical storm conditions possible. Occasional rain tapering to a few showers late. High around 85F. Winds NE at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

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%.
Kingstree, SC (29556)

Today

Cloudy this morning. A few showers developing during the afternoon. High 84F. Winds NE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies with showers and a possible thunderstorm late. Potential for heavy rainfall. Low 71F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- China stepped up efforts to crack down on financial crimes in 2024 to safeguard financial security, a work report of the Supreme People's Court said Saturday.

Courts nationwide concluded 2.66 million financial cases last year, down 12.3 percent year on year, according to the report submitted to the ongoing national legislature session for deliberation.

Of the cases, 25,000 were related to illegal fund-raising and money laundering, up 5.3 percent year on year, said the report. 
PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-08 02:01:04

Press Information





Published by

ACCESSWIRE News Network

888.952.4446

e-mail

http://www.accesswire.com







# 486 Words

ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446

Free Car Wash Events and Special $10 Unlimited Membership Offer Available at Each Ribbon CuttingFAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS / ACCESS Newswire / March 7, 2025 / Glide Xpress Car Wash ( www.Glidexwash.com) is thrilled to announce a groundbreaking milestone: six new locations will celebrate their official Grand Openings throughout March 2025. Each site will host its own Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at 11:00 AM on the specified date, offering FREE Diamond Ray Washes (including Graphene protection, a $20 value) during a special promotional period. Plus, for those who want to keep the shine going all year long, Glide Xpress is offering any unlimited wash plan at just $10 per month for the first three months of membership. Glide Xpress Car Wash Glide Xpress Car Wash in Memphis, TN"We are absolutely ecstatic to open six new Glide Xpress Car Wash locations in a single month," says Christopher Barrett, Director of Marketing at Glide Xpress Car Wash. "Our aim is to be the world's best local car wash by offering superior washes, advanced technology, and exceptional customer service to as many communities as possible. We invite everyone to come out and celebrate with free washes and learn about our unmatched wash experience." Now with 15 locations (and counting), Glide Xpress Car Wash continues to raise the standard in the car wash industry. From its signature conveyor belt moving floor system-capable of accommodating everything from compact cars to SUVs-to its use of advanced wash chemistry, each facility promises a smooth, high-quality wash that leaves every vehicle gleaming.Below is an overview of each Grand Opening celebration. All Ribbon Cuttings are at 11:00 AM on their respective dates, and local community members, media, and press are warmly invited to attend.Fayetteville, AR (Wedington Drive)Address: 3349 W Wedington Dr, Fayetteville, AR 72704 Date: March 11, 2025Tontitown, ARAddress: 1272 E Henri De Tonti Blvd, Tontitown, AR 72762 Date: March 14, 2025Memphis, TN (Kirby Road)Address: 2966 Kirby Rd, Memphis, TN 38119 Date: March 14, 2025Bentonville, ARAddress: 807 SE Walton Blvd, Bentonville, AR 72712 Date: March 21, 2025Memphis, TN (Austin Peay Hwy)Address: 3560 Austin Peay Hwy, Memphis, TN 38128 Date: March 21, 2025Fayetteville, AR (N College Avenue)Address: 3448 N College Ave, Fayetteville, AR 72703 Date: March 28, 2025Free Diamond Ray Wash and Unlimited Membership Offer: To introduce these locations, visitors can receive a FREE Diamond Ray Car Wash (valued at $20) during a select promotional window. The Diamond Ray Wash features Graphene for exceptional shine and protection. Additionally, any of Glide Xpress's unlimited wash packages can be purchased for $10 a month for the first three months (regular plans start at $16/month).Why Glide Xpress Car Wash? "At Glide Xpress, it is our goal to be the world's best local car wash. We are a family-owned car wash that prioritizes customer service, great value, and clean vehicles," says James Herrington, Managing Partner. "We hire local, think local, and look forward to being a significant part of the communities in which we serve." Contact InformationChristopher BarrettDirector of Marketingpress@ glidexwash.com (855) 448-5155SOURCE: Glide Xpress
PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-08 00:46:05

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 7, 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=134724&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: 2025-03-08 17:01:03

Press Information





Published by

ACCESSWIRE News Network

888.952.4446

e-mail

http://www.accesswire.com







# 632 Words

ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446

WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of Edison International (NYSE:EIX) between February 25, 2021 and February 6, 2025, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important April 21, 2025 lead plaintiff deadline in the securities class action first filed by the Firm.SO WHAT: If you purchased Edison securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Edison class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=33590or 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 21, 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 firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Edison's claim that Southern California Edison Company ("SCE") used its Public Safety Power Shutoffs ("PSPS") program to "proactively de-energize power lines to mitigate the risk of catastrophic wildfires during extreme weather events", was false; (2) this resulted in heightened fire risk in California and heightened legal exposure to Edison; and (3) as a result, defendants' statements about Edison's business, operations, and prospects, were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.To join the Edison class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=33590call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@ rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm or on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.---Contact Information:Laurence Rosen, Esq.Phillip Kim, Esq.The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.275 Madison Avenue, 40th FloorNew York, NY 10016Tel: (212) 686-1060Toll Free: (866) 767-3653Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@ rosenlegal.comwww.rosenlegal.com SOURCE: Rosen Law Firm PA
PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-08 01:34:00

Press Information





Published by

ACCESSWIRE News Network

888.952.4446

e-mail

http://www.accesswire.com







# 340 Words

ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / March 7, 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=25195 for 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: Rosen Law Firm PA
PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-08 00:30:37

Press Information





Published by

ACCESSWIRE News Network

888.952.4446

e-mail

http://www.accesswire.com







# 672 Words

ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / March 7, 2025 /WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) between November 2, 2022 and December 19, 2024, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important March 25, 2025 lead plaintiff deadline.SO WHAT: If you purchased Novo Nordisk securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Novo Nordisk class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=34168 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. at 866-767-3653 or email case@ rosenlegal.com for more information. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than March 25, 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 firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, during the Class Period, defendants provided overwhelmingly positive statements to investors concerning the details of, and expectations for, Novo Nordisk's phase 3 CagriSema study on obesity, named " REDEFINE-1." Defendants' statements failed to disclose or otherwise misled investors as to the nature of the dosages provided to patients in the study. Defendants' statements further included, among other things, significant confidence in Novo Nordisk's expectations for the study, in particular a minimum expected 25% average weight loss for obesity patients treated with CagriSema in the REDEFINE-1 study. Defendants provided these overwhelmingly positive statements to investors while, at the same time, disseminating materially false and misleading statements and/or concealing material adverse facts concerning the true state of Novo Nordisk's REDEFINE-1 trial protocol; notably, that it was a "flexible protocol" which gave patients the ability "to modify their dosing throughout the trial." When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.To join the Novo Nordisk class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=34168 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. at 866-767-3653 or email case@ rosenlegal.com for more information.No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm , on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/ Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.---Contact Information:Laurence Rosen, Esq.Phillip Kim, Esq.The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.275 Madison Avenue, 40th FloorNew York, NY 10016Tel: (212) 686-1060Toll Free: (866) 767-3653Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@ rosenlegal.comwww.rosenlegal.com SOURCE: The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
Since the 1980s, the name Pete Edochie has resonated across generations of movie loversand it continues to do so to this dayremains a towering figure in Nollywood.

For Gen Z audiences who may not be familiar with his unforgettable performances, particularly in Things Fall Apart, his appearance in skit maker Mr Macaronis The Avengers of Nollywood would undoubtedly introduce them to his deep voice and regal presencequalities that command immense respect.

Mostly regarded as one of Nigerias most gifted actors, Edochie has spent decades bringing fearless kings and wise elders to life on screen, crafting a career that stands as a masterclass in storytelling.

As the Anambra native marks his 78th birthday on Friday, PREMIUM TIMES highlights the iconic roles that have defined his illustrious career.

Things Fall Apart

Released in 1987 as a TV series, Things Fall Apart featured Edochie in the iconic role of Okonkwo, a complex character driven by fear and an intense desire to avoid his fathers perceived weakness.

The series was an adaptation of Chinua Achebes 1958 novel, produced by the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).

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

Edochie masterfully portrayed Okonkwos inner turmoil, strength, and eventual tragic downfall.

He embodied the characters pride, rigid adherence to tradition, and inability to adapt to changing times.

The novel, Achebes debut work, was written while working at the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation. It was first published in London by Heinemann on June 17, 1958.

Edochies career would be incomplete without Things Fall Apart, a role he played at 38.

The late G.C. Ugwu, then Zonal Director of NTA Benin, recommended him for the role. He was invited to audition at the main auditorium of the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus.

https://youtu.be/LgB2zI3-gV0?si=adkkuv9prYkFaU

Igodo

Produced by Don Pedro Obaseki in 1999 and directed by Andy Amenechi, Igodo featured Edochie as an older and influential leader who guided his community through perilous times.

His commanding presence and authoritative delivery made him the perfect fit for such roles.

The adventure film follows seven warriors on a dangerous mission to the Land of the Living Dead to retrieve a mystical weapon capable of breaking a deadly curse that plagues their kingdom.

Billionaires Club

Directed by Afam Okereke and released in 2003, Billionaires Club featured Edochie as Billion, a wealthy businessman who wielded significant power and influence.

The film tells the story of a secret society of men who use occult powers to manipulate others and acquire wealth through blood money.

Edochies role explored themes of ambition, corruption, and the consequences of unchecked power.

Lionheart

In the 2018 drama Lionheart, Edochie played Chief Ernest Obiagu, the owner of Lionheart Transport Company and the father of Adaeze and Obiora.

He also portrayed Abigail Obiagus husband. The film was produced by Chinny Onwugbenu and directed by Genevieve Nnaji.

His role as a business patriarch who values family and tradition showcased his ability to adapt to contemporary narratives while maintaining his signature presence.

Nnajis directorial debut, which also marked the acting debut of Peter Okoye and Chibuzor Phyno Azubuike, follows Adaeze Obiagu as she steps up to run her fathers company after he falls ill, facing the challenges of a male-dominated industry.

Netflix acquired Lionheart on September 7, 2018, making it the first Nigerian Netflix Original.

The film premiered at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival and was released globally on Netflix on January 4, 2019.

Rituals

Directed by Andy Amenechi and written by Kenneth Nnebue, Rituals (1997) featured Edochie as Don Pedro, a patron of the infamous Vampires Confraternity.

The film follows Desmond (Sola Fosudo), an aspiring gubernatorial candidate who joins the Vampire Confraternity.

To secure power, he is asked to sacrifice his mother and wife. However, karma catches up with him when he ultimately loses the election.

The movie sheds light on societal ills and dark secrets previously only whispered.

Foreigners God

Released in 2019, Foreigners God was produced by Kelechi Freeman Ukadike and directed by Ifan Ifeanyi Michael under Ifan Michael Productions.

In the film, Edochie plays the role of a storyteller, adding depth and cultural richness to the narrative.

The story follows an English documentary photographer who arrives in Igbo land during the colonial era.

However, the plot turns supernatural when his bodyguard mysteriously disappears, and he falls in love with a subhuman witch in the jungle.

Beyond his iconic roles in the above movies, Edochie has starred in numerous other films, earning an Industry Merit Award from Africa Magic and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Africa Film Academy.

His other notable films include Heavy Battle, in which he played a chief, Test Your Heart, Greatest Harvest, Secret Pain, and Fair Game.

Pete Edochie

Edochie, born in Zaria, Kaduna State, attended St. Patricks and St. James Primary Schools for his early education.

He later proceeded to St. Johns College for his secondary education.

He furthered his studies at the School of Journalism and Television in England.

At Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS), he served as Director of Programmes while occasionally doubling as Deputy Managing Director and sometimes acting as Managing Director.

Edochie resigned from ABS after the government decided to politicise the FM stations affairs, dismissing the entire management team, including him.

He had been the immediate successor to the MD before his departure, which prompted his transition into the movie industry.

Before fully venturing into Nollywood, he had already gained recognition for his role in Things Fall Apart, which earned him an international award.

His performance was so impactful that the BBC flew to Nigeria to interview him about his portrayal of Okonkwo.

Edochie is married to Josephine Edochie, and they have six children.

In 2009, he was kidnapped but was later released unharmed by his captors.

In September 2017, he endorsed the Wikimedia movement in Nigeria by appearing in a video campaign to increase Wikipedia awareness and usage among older generations.

In 2020, he was honoured with the African Film Legend Award at the African Film Festival (TAFF).

Share this: Twitter

Facebook

WhatsApp

Telegram

LinkedIn

Email

Print


Actress Destiny Etiko has responded to allegations of man-snatching levelled against her by her colleague, Queeneth Hilbert.

In a now-deleted video on her Instagram page, Ms Hilbert accused Ms Etiko of snatching her wealthy boyfriend and other colleagues benefactors, who allegedly sponsor their lavish lifestyles.

Ms Hilbert, who made the allegations after Ms Etiko unfollowed her on social media, claimed that Ms Etiko fled Asaba for Lagos out of fear of being beaten by colleagues whose partners she had allegedly snatched.

She further threatened to physically assault Ms Etiko if she returned to Asaba, the capital of Delta State.

Boyfriend snatching allegations

In the video, Ms Hilbert alleged: It has come to my attention that you (Destiny Etiko) think this is just about running around and unfollowing me. I need to understand something. This started on the Cubana Babes set, produced by Elitific Productions and directed by Ken Steve Anukah.

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

On that movie set, guys, you wont believe it. Destiny Etiko is used to this: When she sees anyone around her who she feels is okay and is funding your bills, shell try to snatch the person.

Just like my ex, Tonythe one who drives a Benzcame from Benin, and I know exactly how long he was (sleeping) with you. And thats just the beginning. The story is long, and this isnt even the first or second time. You, who claim to be my friend, are the one stabbing me in the back.

You break a leg and then open your legs for my man. You ran from Asaba because you knew too many people were waiting to deal with you. Im coming for you a million times over, and this is far from over.

Etiko reacts

However, in response to the allegations, Ms Etiko, 35, issued a cease-and-desist letter through her legal representatives, Nwabundo Associates.

The letter posted on her Instagram page on Saturday was signed by Chisom Onugah and C.C. Nwabundo.

They refuted Ms Hilberts claims, noting that her allegations were made to gain material benefits.

Demands

Ms Etikos legal team gave Ms Hilbert 48 hours to retract the allegations and publicly apologise to their client.

They also demanded N100 million in damages for the harm the allegations caused to their clients reputation.

Furthermore, the legal team stated that their client maintained that the allegation was false and malicious.

Cease and desist from publishing, disseminating and making any further false and defamatory statement about our client.

A retraction of the derogatory publication not later than 48 hours of the receipt of this letter and an apology published on the same platform you used in disseminating the defamatory statement and payment of N100 million as damages for the malicious publication made against our client, the actress legal team noted.

According to Ms Etikos legal team, Ms Hilberts failure to comply with the demands will result in seeking legal redress in a court of law.

All legal rights shall be explored, including but not limited to injunctive reliefs and institution of legal proceedings against you for defamation of character, injurious falsehood, and malicious publication made against our client.

As of the time this report was filed, the 32-year-old had not responded to Ms Etikos demands or legal threats.

PREMIUM TIMES reviewed her Instagram page and found that her most recent post was about her trip to a movie shoot.

Ms Hilbert tagged the video Money movement.

Share this: Twitter

Facebook

WhatsApp

Telegram

LinkedIn

Email

Print


Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has called for increased legal protections and enforcement of current laws in Nigeria to guarantee the safety of female journalists both physically and in the digital space.

The organisation, in a statement signed by Idowu Adewale, the Communication Manager, on Friday, highlighted the invaluable contributions of women journalists.

The statement was released ahead of this years International Womens Day, which will be commemorated on 8 March.

MRA is a non-governmental organisation with a focus on freedom of expression, access to information and media development.

International Womens Day

This years International Womens Day anniversary marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action adjudged the most progressive blueprint ever for advancing womens rights.

The anniversary is themed, For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.

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

This years theme calls for action that can unlock equal rights, power and opportunities for all and a feminist future where no one is left behind, the United Nations wrote on its website.

In the statement, MRAs Programme Officer, Ayomide Eweje, acknowledged the numerous challenges faced by female journalists, including gender inequality, safety concerns, and limited leadership opportunities.

Despite these barriers, she emphasised their invaluable contributions to the media industry. She noted that through their work, female journalists continue to inform and educate the public while holding those in power accountable.

Despite their critical role in strengthening democracy and amplifying marginalised voices, female journalists in Nigeria continue to face threats, harassment, and violence, both online and offline, Ms Eweje said.

She noted that a collaborative effort between media houses, civil society organisations, government agencies and the public is crucial to ensuring the safety and well-being of female journalists.

Legal protections

Women in the media play an important role in ensuring the diversity of voices and opinions as well as fostering a more inclusive media landscape, Ms Eweje said.

She, however, noted the increasing incidents of intimidation, harassment, cyberbullying and other forms of attacks against women in the media.

This, she said the attacks highlights the urgent need for stronger legal protections, institutional safeguards and collective action to combat impunity for these actions, many of which constitute criminal offences for which no one is ever held accountable.

Safety of female journalists

Ms Eweje said that ensuring the safety of female journalists in Nigeria requires a multi-faceted approach which will address both physical and digital threats, as well as systemic barriers to their protection.

She also calls for enforcing existing laws that protect journalists and adopting gender-sensitive policies to address violence against female journalists.

She alo suggested providing cybersecurity training to help female journalists navigate online threats.

Ms Eweje urges an end to impunity for crimes against journalists through swift investigation and prosecution of perpetrators.

She also supports initiatives to increase womens representation in media leadership.

We must challenge systemic biases that limit the growth of female journalists and create environments where they can thrive without fear of harassment, discrimination, or violence, she said.

Media organisations and media professional bodies must commit to gender-inclusive policies, including those that address workplace harassment; create mechanisms for swift action when female journalists are threatened; and ensure equal opportunities for women to lead and influence the profession.

Ms Eweje stressed that a free and safe press is essential to a thriving democracy and that a free and fair media sector must reflect the voices of all, particularly women in positions of authority and influence.

She added that protecting female journalists is a crucial step toward achieving gender equality and media freedom in Nigeria.

A free and safe press, which must include the voices of women in positions of authority and influence, is essential for a thriving democracy, Ms Eweje emphasised.

Protecting female journalists is a crucial step toward achieving gender equality and media freedom in Nigeria, she added.

Share this: Twitter

Facebook

WhatsApp

Telegram

LinkedIn

Email

Print


The Association of Resident Doctors, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, on Friday commenced an indefinite strike to press for the fulfilment of several pending demands.

The doctors in a memo titled, Notice of industrial action addressed to the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Olawale Olakulehin, and dated 6 March, 2025, detailed their grievances and the rationale behind their decision.

According to the memo, ARD congress unanimously decided to proceed on an indefinite industrial action from 12 a.m. on 7 March, until its demands are met.

In the memo, signed by the ARD President, Stephen Adedokun, and the General Secretary, Adedapo Mustapha, the doctors expressed dissatisfaction over the failure of the State government to meet their demands despite several pleas.

Demands

The doctors highlighted some of the issues to include the non-payment of the minimum wage despite the implementation for other health workers in the state, a significant shortfall in the February salary in breach of agreement that was reached during the management meeting with the unions and deduction of insurance indemnity without the associations approval.

It also noted the neglect of repair of dilapidated call rooms and gross manpower shortage across all departments as part of its grievances.

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

Other issues include non-implementation of accoutrement allowance, delay in payment of upgrade-arrears for members owed, delayed payment of examination and update course refunds and non-payment of Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF).

The doctors are, however, demanding the immediate refund of short fall of February salary, payment of new minimum wage with arrears, repair of dilapidated call rooms, adverts for employment of resident doctors across all departments and payment of accoutrement allowance.

They are also demanding the refund for update course and examination fees, payment of MRTF, and payment of upgrade arrears for members owed.

Owing to the issues mentioned, the congress unanimously decided to proceed on total indefinite industrial, the memo partly read.

The doctors have previously written to Seyi Makinde, the state governor and the health commissioner to address their demands, but nothing has been done.

Share this: Twitter

Facebook

WhatsApp

Telegram

LinkedIn

Email

Print


The Nigerian government has designated 154 health facilities nationwide to provide free treatment for women with obstetric complications.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, disclosed this on Friday during an interview on Channels Televisions programme tagged Politics Today.

Mr Pate, a professor, said these facilities will cater to women experiencing health challenges during pregnancy, labour, delivery, or the postpartum period, which could affect the well-being of both mother and baby.

He noted that the designated facilities have adequate manpower, high standards, and modern equipment to deliver quality care.

The government has approved free treatment of emergency obstetric complications for women in the empanel facilities, and that includes cesarean sections, he said.

So, its not only cesarean sections, excessive bleeding, obstruction, other complications of pregnancy. If a woman gets to a facility that is certified, the facility will be reimbursed for the care.

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

Obstetric complications are health problems that occur during pregnancy, childbirth, or the postpartum period, potentially affecting the mother, baby, or both.

These complications can range from mild to life-threatening and may require medical intervention. Some common obstetric complications include: preeclampsia, preterm labour and gestational diabetes.VVF surgeries

Mr Pate also highlighted the governments commitment to addressing Vesicovaginal Fistula (VVF) by offering free treatment in 18 centres across Nigeria.

He noted that VVFa childbirth-related complicationaffects at least 10,000 women annually, leaving many suffering from continuous urine leakage, which often leads to severe stigma and social isolation.

The care is surgical care that requires competency and facility that knows how to take care of them, but it costs money, he said.

For a very long time, many women suffered from that without the opportunity to have those repairs. We took it upon ourselves to ensure whoever has VVF will have a surgical repair and that will be paid for by the government.

The minister added that about 2,000 women have already been repaired and its very touching seeing them expressing gratitude for the life-changing opportunity that they have.

VVF remains a significant health issue in Nigeria, particularly in rural and underserved communities. The condition is often linked to prolonged obstructed labour, early marriage, and limited access to quality maternal healthcare.

Prioritising maternal care

Mr Pate emphasised that the health and wellbeing of Nigerians are central to President Bola Tinubus vision for the country.

Recognising the alarming rate of maternal deaths, he said the administration has made it a priority to reduce fatalities linked to obstetric complications by ensuring that no woman dies due to financial constraints in accessing life-saving care.

I cannot emphasise this enough, the president is very clear in his mind that the health and wellbeing of Nigerians is core through his own agenda and vision for the country.

Mr Pate said as part of ongoing health sector reforms, the federal government has mobilised resources in collaboration with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to ensure that empanelled healthcare facilities can provide maternal care without cost becoming a burden to the women who need it.

Maternal mortality

It is no longer news that Nigerias maternal mortality rate is one of the highest in the world.

The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa says that one in seven global maternal deaths occurs in Nigeria. That is more than 50,000 women dying per year in Nigeria.

Health experts, however, said about 95 per cent of deaths during childbirth are preventable.

As part of its efforts to reduce the countrys maternal mortality rate, the government had in November 2024 announced that Cesarean sections will now be provided free of charge to pregnant women.

The coordinating minister said maternal mortality remains unacceptably high, with 172 LGAs accounting for over 50 per cent of maternal deaths in the country.

He explained that by focusing resources on these high-burden areas, the new initiative will address the greatest areas of need.

Mr Pate noted that the NHIA, in collaboration with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, and State Health Insurance Agencies, will manage the reimbursement process, ensuring that providers across both sectors can sustainably deliver these essential services.

Below is the full list of free Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric Care and VVF facilities as reported by Channels TV:



Share this: Twitter

Facebook

WhatsApp

Telegram

LinkedIn

Email

Print


BEIRUT/JERUSALEM, March 8 (Xinhua) -- One person was killed and another critically injured on Saturday in an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon, according to Lebanese media and sources.

Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported that Israel carried out a drone strike on a vehicle in Kherbet Selm, located in the central sector of the border region in southern Lebanon.

A Lebanese security source told Xinhua that an Israeli airstrike hit the vehicle with two air-to-ground missiles, setting the car on fire.

Civil Defense teams have worked to extinguish the blaze and transported the body of the deceased and the critically injured person into the hospital.

Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement that its air force attacked a Hezbollah militant in southern Lebanon on Saturday.

Israel's state-owned Kan TV News cited reports in Lebanon that a man was killed in the attack.

The channel added that the attack took place in a village 15 km from the Lebanon-Israel border and targeted a vehicle where a Hezbollah operative was riding.

The IDF statement said the militant was engaged in "re-establishing terrorist infrastructure and directing Hezbollah terror activities in southern Lebanon," adding "the IDF will continue to operate to remove any threat to the Israel and will prevent any attempt by Hezbollah to rebuild itself."

A U.S.- and French-brokered ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon has been in effect since Nov. 27, 2024, bringing an end to more than a year of clashes between Hezbollah and Israel following the war in Gaza.

Despite the truce, the Israeli military continues to launch strikes in Lebanon, citing efforts to eliminate Hezbollah threats.

While the agreement stipulated a full Israeli military withdrawal from Lebanese territory, Israel has maintained a presence in five key locations along the Lebanese border beyond the Feb. 18 deadline for its pullout. 
CONTINUE FROM PART ONE

After Nigeria called off negotiations with Binance for Tigran Gambaryans release, the American government intensified diplomatic efforts to resolve the matter. On 30 September 2024, the US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan telephoned his Nigerian counterpart, Nuhu Ribadu.

Details of their discussions are unknown, but those familiar with the matter said that after that engagement, things moved quickly, with the US becoming less bullish in its approach to the talks. Officials involved in the negotiations said before then that Binance lawyers and US officials condescended in their approaches to the matter, believing their countrys laws should prevail over Nigerias.

Insiders said three days later, the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills Jr., messaged officials at Mr Ribadus office, saying his embassy was ready to advance negotiations and chart a way forward.

Before the Ribadu-Sullivan call, Nigeria had detailed conditions for Mr Gambaryans release on humanitarian grounds, but the US had repeatedly stalled. Firstly, Nigeria demanded that the Binance officials release be framed at all times as a diplomatic gesture to the United States and that Mr Gambaryan would only be released to U.S. officials and not to Binance.

Secondly, Nigeria demanded full cooperation and assistance from the US in the countrys law enforcement actions against Binance and other cryptocurrency firms. In this respect, Nigeria wanted specific information about the US Department of Justices officials who would participate in this high-level engagement and provide technical assistance on Nigerias Binance investigation.

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

Thirdly, the West African nation demanded accelerated action to return about $380 million of seized assets to Nigeria. These assets include $6 million seized from a certain Ara Garabed Dolarian concerning payments made by former NSA Sambo Dasuki for arms procurement, $53 million from the forfeiture of properties in the case involving Diezani Alison-Madueke and Jide Aluko and $150 million from Sani Abacha-linked assets frozen in France since 2012 following a bilateral request by the US Department of Justice. The US seized the last asset for which Nigeria demanded speedier action, amounting to 140-160 million Euros, from the family of a former Nigerian governor.

Fourthly, Nigeria asked the US to formally communicate its request for Mr Gambaryans release in a letter to President Bola Tinubu, which was copied to the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice. In addition, Nigeria insisted that its release of Mr Gambaryan would not prevent it from continuing the probe and prosecution of Binance and its officials.

Ambassador Mills promptly communicated Nigerias demands to Washington, and in days, a formal letter containing the negotiated offers arrived in Abuja. After the agreements were signed, Nigeria instructed its prosecutors to withdraw charges against Mr Gambaryan, culminating in his release and departure from Nigeria on 23 October.

President Joe Biden telephoned President Tinubu six days later to thank him for the Binance officials release. The two leaders exchanged pleasantries, and President Biden proceeded to thank President Tinubu for his partnership and for Nigerias partnership, in particular the collaboration between the two countries with regards to our law enforcement and law enforcement agencies as well as the release of one of the suspects of the cryptocurrency exchange company (Binance), Mr Tuggar told journalists after the call.

What Nigeria has benefited so far from the deal

Mr Gambaryans release has so far yielded significant benefits for Nigeria. For instance, as agreed by both countries during negotiation, on the same day the Binance official was freed, the US embassy in Nigeria announced the launch of the U.S.-Nigeria Bilateral Liaison Group on Illicit Finance and Cryptocurrencies. The two countries now collaborate to counter and respond to malicious cyber operations, cybercrime, and other digital harms through that platform. The US Department of Justice is now helping to enhance the capacity of relevant personnel of Nigerias law enforcement agencies to pursue cybercrime investigations and prosecutions.

On 23 December 2024, the US District Court for Eastern California ordered the release of a $6.02 million arms fund to Nigeria. The US seized the funds about a decade ago from an arms broker hired to supply military equipment from the US to Nigeria without having the necessary licence. The US government said the arms brokers active involvement in the sale, export, and supply of military products to Nigeria without authorisation violated the Arms Export Control Act, leading to the seizure of the funds. After the criminal proceedings concerning the funds in the US ended, Nigeria declared interest in the money and took steps to recover it.

The US government resisted Nigerias bid to recover the funds. However, after Mr Gambaryans release, the US government, on 19 December, agreed to forfeit the assets to Nigeria.

Another fruit of Mr Gambaryans release is the US return of $52.88 million linked to ex-Minister Alison-Madueke and Kola Aluko to Nigeria. On 10 January, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, and the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills Jr., signed an Asset Return Agreement to repatriate the funds to Nigeria.

According to the agreement, $50 million of the repatriated funds will be utilised through the World Bank to partly fund a rural electrification project to increase the reliability and availability of renewable energy in Nigeria. The balance of $2.88 million will be disbursed as a grant by Nigeria to the International Institute for Justice (IIJ) to support the Rule of Law and Counter-Terrorism Project through counter-terrorism capacity building for Criminal Justice Sector Practitioners in East, West, and North Africa.

Share this: Twitter

Facebook

WhatsApp

Telegram

LinkedIn

Email

Print


The Pro-Chancellor of the Admiralty University, Ibuzor, Delta State, Dele Ezeoba, has resigned his position as the Chairperson of the university governing council over the contentious appointment of the vice-chancellor.

Mr Ezeoba, a retired vice-admiral and Nigerias former Chief of Naval Staff, confirmed his resignation to PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday.

He said his decision to resign was due to the ongoing controversy around the VC selection in the university.

Its true. I am done and dusted. Ive moved on, he told our reporter via telephone.

The Cable quoted parts of his resignation letter addressed to the Ministry of Education as reading: I pride myself in the ethos of truth, fairness, equity, transparency, and justice as the fundamental principles of purposeful leadership.

The reason for this unforeseen decision is the controversy arising from the negation of a transparent and merit-based interview process leading to the selection and appointment of a substantive vice-chancellor.

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

Controversy

The university has since last week been enmeshed in a controversy regarding the selection of a vice-chancellor.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how some members of the university council in the absence of Mr Ezeoba, then the council chair, appointed the candidate who came second place in the recruitment process Christopher Ogbogbo, a professor as the vice-chancellor.

Mr Ezeoba said the selection must be based on merit and, therefore, protested the decision and petitioned the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa.

In response, Mr Alausa reversed Mr Ogbogbos appointment and approved the appointment of Lucian Chukwu, also a professor, who came first in the recruitment process.

However, the university has defied the ministers directive by issuing a letter of appointment to Mr Ogbogbo and a memo to the university community, informing them of Mr Ogbogbos appointment and imminent assumption of office.

Meanwhile, the university has maintained that it had not violated any laws as it was not bound by law to select the candidate who emerged first in the selection process.

In a statement by its Registrar and Secretary to the university council, Isaac Mankilik, a retired commodore, the university said the selection of a vice-chancellor is by selection and not based on marks awarded by the Joint Selection Board.

The university noted that the only criterion was that the selected candidate be one of the three recommended candidates.

Share this: Twitter

Facebook

WhatsApp

Telegram

LinkedIn

Email

Print


Former President Goodluck Jonathan has expressed deep sorrow over the passing of his former aide, Doyin Okupe.

He described Mr Okupe, who died on Friday in Lagos at 72, as a courageous and dedicated public servant.

Mr Jonathan, in a statement on Friday by his Media Aide, Ikechukwu Eze, said the late politician contributed to the growth and development of the country.

It is with a heavy heart that I extend my heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and associates of the late Okupe.

Okupe, who served in my administration as a Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on public affairs, was a dedicated and loyal soul.

He was a passionate advocate of progress and development of our great nation, he said.

Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later

The former president also affirmed that Mr Okupe demonstrated unwavering commitment, exceptional diligence, and a profound sense of duty.

Okupes contributions to my administration and his relentless efforts in defending our policies to advance good governance will always be remembered.

He was a man of conviction, courage, and wisdom, whose impact transcended his immediate roles and touched the lives of many.

His passing is a great loss to our nation, and his absence will be deeply felt.

As we mourn his departure, we take solace in the fact that he lived a life of purpose, leaving behind a legacy of service and dedication, Mr Jonathan said.

(NAN)

Share this: Twitter

Facebook

WhatsApp

Telegram

LinkedIn

Email

Print


President Bola Tinubu congratulates his longtime ally and friend, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, on his 68th birthday.

Professor Osinbajo was vice president of Nigeria from 2015 to 2023.

President Tinubu notes that Osinbajo, a professor of law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, worked harmoniously with President Muhammadu Buhari to deliver good governance and critical infrastructural projects for the country.

President Tinubu recalls how Osinbajo proved his mettle when he briefly acted as President while President Buhari was on a medical vacation in the United Kingdom.

Describing him as a close ally, friend, and brother, the President affirms that as Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in his administration as Lagos governor, Prof. Osinbajo partnered with him to institute many political and judicial reforms in the state, using the instrumentality of the law.

President Tinubu acknowledges that Professor Osinbajo exercised his democratic right and freedom in 2023 when he contested alongside him for the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress.

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 President remarks: Professor Yemi Osinbajo will always remain my friend and associate. He served our country meritoriously as Vice President to that patriotic leader, President Muhammadu Buhari.

He made all of us in the All Progressives Congress proud by working collaboratively and harmoniously with the president without rancour.

President Tinubu joins Professor Osinbajos family, particularly his wife Dolapo and children, friends, and associates, in wishing the erudite professor many more years of good health and a future filled with continued success and achievements.

Bayo Onanuga,

Special Adviser to the President,

(Information & Strategy)

March 8, 2025

Share this: Twitter

Facebook

WhatsApp

Telegram

LinkedIn

Email

Print


Seven people have been confirmed killed in another petrol tanker explosion in Niger State.

The latest incident occurred in Karamin Rami, a village in Mashegu Local Government Area at about 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

According to a statement by the Director-General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Abdullahi Baba Arah, the incident occurred after the tanker truck fell at a bad portion of the road and spilled its petrol load, which flowed into a stream where dry-season farmers were working on rice fields.

The statement added that the tankers content came in contact with the farmers water pump and caught fire. The fire then spread back to the tanker, causing an explosion.

It noted that the inferno returned to the farmland through the already contaminated stream water, burning some of the farmers and destroying their rice fields and a fruit vegetation.

The statement revealed that one other person was injured in the incident.

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 gave the names of the deceased as Rafiatu Sahabi, Ramlat Shehu, Rashida Abdullahi, Raliya Abdulrahman, Zainab Ahmed, Zuwaira Idrisu and Maryam A. Nura.

It said Maimuna Isah, the injured person, was receiving treatment at Saho Rami Primary Health Care.

In his reaction, Governor Mohammed Bago condoled with the families of the victims.

READ ALSO: Death toll rises in Enugu petrol tanker explosion

In a message by his Chief Press Secretary, Bologi Ibrahim, the governor described the incident as unfortunate, worrisome and traumatic.

He enjoined road users, especially tanker drivers, to drive with utmost caution and sense of responsibility.

The governor commended NSEMA for its quick response to the disaster.

Share this: Twitter

Facebook

WhatsApp

Telegram

LinkedIn

Email

Print


President Bola Tinubu has appointed Attahiru Jega, a former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC), as special adviser and coordinator of the Presidential Livestock Reform.

President Tinubu announced the appointment Friday, hoping to drive meaningful progress in the livestock sector and further strengthen national development efforts.

Mr Jega, a professor and former vice chancellor of Bayero University, co-chaired the Presidential Livestock Committee with President Tinubu.

The committee delivered comprehensive recommendations that underscored sustainable livestock reforms. One recommendation was the creation of the Livestock Ministry, which now has a minister.

Mr Jega, 68, is a member of the International Elections Advisory Council and the pro-Chancellor and chairman of the Governing Council of Saadatu Rimi University of Education in Kano State.

He served as the chairman of INEC between 2010 and 2015.

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

His appointment as special adviser to President Tinubu will reinforce the gains of the presidential committee and ensure the continued momentum of the reforms already in motion.

Bayo Onanuga

Special Adviser to the President

(Information & Strategy)

March 7, 2025

Share this: Twitter

Facebook

WhatsApp

Telegram

LinkedIn

Email

Print


As Nigeria joins the rest of the world to mark the 2025 International Womens Day (IWD), the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has identified four major challenges facing Nigerian women.

Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja on Thursday to flag off the IWD celebrations, Mrs Sulaiman-Ibrahim listed these challenges as legal and policy frameworks, economic empowerment, political representation and leadership, and gender-based violence and social norms.

This years IWD commemoration marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action adjudged the most progressive blueprint ever for advancing womens rights.

2025 International Womens Day

The IWD anniversary is themed, For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.

This years theme calls for action that can unlock equal rights, power and opportunities for all and a feminist future where no one is left behind, the United Nations wrote on its website.

The campaign is also tagged Accelerate Action, emphasising the urgency of achieving gender equality.

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

Challenges

While Nigeria has made significant progress by enacting gender-responsive laws such as the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (VAPP) and the Child Rights Act, a full implementation remains a challenge, the minister said.

Mrs Sulaiman-Ibrahim noted that 35 out of 36 states have domesticated the VAPP Act, while 34 states have adopted the Child Rights Act. However, she stressed that this is not enough.

We need full compliance, effective enforcement, and accountability to ensure that the rights enshrined in these laws are a lived reality for every Nigerian woman and girl, she said.

Mrs Sulaiman-Ibrahim said another challenge confronting Nigerian women is economic empowerment.

Women drive Nigerias informal economy, owning 41 per cent of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), she said.

However, access to finance, markets, and digital literacy remains a barrier to scaling their businesses. More than 94 per cent of women still lack access to formal credit despite their proven ability to reinvest in their families and communities.

We must close the gender financing gap, expand opportunities in trade, technology, and digital skills, and provide structured support for women entrepreneurs.

The minister also hinted at the latest empowerment projects embarked upon by the ministry.

Under Nigeria for Women Project Scale Upproject, which we just commenced, we will be reaching a minimum of 4.5 million women nationwide to bridge the gap, she said.

We also launched the MOWA-SARA initiative recently, with the support of WEMA Bank. As we speak today, this skill development programme is ongoing, and the target is 500,000 women.

The third issue that Nigerian women encounter is gender-based violence and social norms, which must be decisively addressed, said the minister.

She explained that more than 30 per cent of Nigerian women between the ages of 15-49 have experienced physical violence, and one in four girls has been sexually abused before their eighteenth birthday.

Recent GBV cases

Mrs Sulaiman-Ibrahim cited recent cases of gender-based violence, including the deaths of Emrich Effanga in Cross River State, Mutiat Sholola in Ogun State, and Salome Adaidu in Nasarawa State.

She also mentioned a mother of six, allegedly set ablaze by her husband in Anambra State, and a woman in Abuja whose fingers were cut off by her supposed boyfriend.

These are stark reminders of the urgent need to sustain the declaration of a state of emergency on gender-based violence embarked upon in 2020 by Nigerias Governors Forum in the wake of the high number of such cases during the lockdown of COVID-19, she noted.

Also, women remain vastly underrepresented in decision-making spaces.

In our 10th National Assembly, only 4 out of 109 Senators and 17 out of 360 House of Representatives members are women, with 15 states lacking any female representation, she said.

This stark imbalance is not reflective of a progressive democracy. We must accelerate efforts toward political inclusion, ensuring that women have a seat at the table  not as tokens, but as equal partners in governance and development.

Share this: Twitter

Facebook

WhatsApp

Telegram

LinkedIn

Email

Print


The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, has denied media reports that Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, was suspended for six months due to her sexual harassment allegations against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.

Mr Bamidele, who represents Ekiti Central Senatorial District, explained that Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghans suspension was solely due to her persistent misconduct, disregard for Senate rules, and gross indiscipline.

He made the rebuttal in a statement on Saturday.

Let it be unequivocally stated that Senator Uduaghan was suspended solely for her persistent acts of misconduct, blatant disregard for the provisions of the Senate Standing Orders 2023 (As Amended) and gross indiscipline-nothing more, nothing less, he said.

Her suspension

The Senate suspended Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months with effect from 6 March, after considering a report by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, which was presented by its Chairman, Neda Imasuen.

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 decision, supported by a majority of senators, was made following Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghans refusal to adhere to the sitting arrangement and her alleged misconduct during the plenary session on 20 February.

In addition to the suspension, the senator faced several other penalties including withdrawal of all her security aides and closure of her office within the National Assembly.

All the properties belonging to the Senate that are in her possession would be handed over to the Clerk to the National Assembly and she was also prohibited from entering the National Assembly premises during the suspension period.

Her salary and allowances will not be paid for the duration of the suspension and she was banned from representing herself as a senator, both locally and internationally

However, the Senate left the door open for the suspension to be lifted if Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan submits a written apology, which the leadership may consider before the full six-month period expires.

Despite the Senates stated reasons for her suspension, there are speculations in media reports, including some from international outlets, that Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended because of her sexual harassment allegations against the senate president.

Such reports can be seen here, here , here and here.

Allegations of sexual harassment not a factor in suspension

Mr Bamidele said suggesting that Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended based on her sexual harassment allegation against the senate president is misleading and a distortion of facts.

He said the suspended Kogi senator never obeyed the established rules of the Senate and as such it is mandatory on the upper chamber to make her face the consequences.

It has come to the attention of the Senate that some media reports are attempting to falsely suggest that Senator Uduaghans suspension was due to allegations of sexual harassment.

This is completely untrue, misleading, and a calculated attempt to distort the facts. If Senator Uduaghan had strictly followed our guiding principles, the Senate would have treated her petition based on merit in line with its practice. But she never obeyed the established practices of the institution where she was serving, the senate leader said.

Sexual harassment petition dismissed for procedural violations

Addressing the issue of Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghans petition regarding the alleged sexual harassment, Mr Bamidele explained that the Senate dismissed it due to procedural violations.

Senate Order 40 (4), stipulates that no senator is allowed to submit a petition personally signed by themselves. Since Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan violated this rule, her petition was disqualified from consideration.

Contrary to the false claims being circulated, Senator Uduaghan was NOT suspended for making any sexual harassment or for submitting a petition.

Her petition was rightfully discountenanced because it failed to meet the clear and established procedural requirements for submitting petitions to the Senate. The rules of the Senate apply to all members without exception, and no petition-regardless of its subject-can be considered if it does not follow due process, he said.

The senate leader maintained that any attempt to link her suspension to the sexual harassment allegations would be considered as a deliberate distortion of facts aimed at misleading the public.

To suggest that her suspension was linked to her petition is not only a distortion of facts but an intentional and malicious attempt to mislead the public, he said.

Condemnation of misleading media reports

Mr Bamidele condemned the misleading media reports, particularly those from foreign and local outlets, which he accused of twisting the facts to create a false narrative.

The Senate strongly condemns the irresponsible and unethical reporting by some media organisations that have deliberately twisted the facts to suit a false narrative.

This coordinated misinformation campaign is nothing more than an attempt to politicise a disciplinary action that was strictly based on clear violations of Senate Standing Orders 2023 (As Amended). It is reckless, misleading, and a disservice to the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who deserve truthful and factual reporting.

He urged media organisations, both local and international, to correct their misleading reports and refrain from spreading falsehoods that undermine the credibility of Nigerias legislative process

We, therefore, urge all foreign correspondents and responsible media houses to correct these misrepresentations and avoid propagating falsehoods that undermine the integrity of Nigerias legislative process, he said.

No senator is above the rules

Mr Bamidele reiterated that the Senate remains committed to upholding discipline and parliamentary ethics, regardless of a senators status, gender, or political affiliation.

The Senate remains committed to upholding discipline, order, and parliamentary ethics. No senator-regardless of status, gender, or political affiliation-is above the rules of the Senate. Senator Uduaghans suspension was the direct consequence of her actions and nothing else, he said.

He called on the public and the media to disregard any misleading reports suggesting otherwise and to seek the truth before spreading politically motivated narratives.

We urge the public and the media to disregard any false reports suggesting otherwise and to always seek the truth before spreading politically motivated narratives, the senate leader stated.

Share this: Twitter

Facebook

WhatsApp

Telegram

LinkedIn

Email

Print


The World Health Organisation (WHO) has identified pregnancy-related complications as a leading cause of maternal deaths globally.

These complications include haemorrhage, a severe form of heavy bleeding, and hypertensive disorders like preeclampsia.

A recent study by the organisation highlights that haemorrhage, which commonly occurs during or after childbirth, accounts for nearly 27 per cent of maternal deaths.

Preeclampsia and other hypertensive disorders contribute to 16 per cent.

According to WHO, these complications were responsible for approximately 80,000 and 50,000 deaths, respectively, in 2020.

Maternal complications

Maternal complications also known as pregnancy-related complications, refer to health problems that arise during pregnancy, childbirth, or the postpartum period, affecting the mothers well-being and sometimes endangering her life.

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 complications can result from underlying health conditions, infections, poor nutrition, inadequate medical care, or pregnancy-related disorders such as hypertension, severe bleeding, and gestational diabetes.

Some complications develop due to pre-existing illnesses like heart disease or anaemia, while others, such as postpartum haemorrhage and preeclampsia, occur specifically because of pregnancy.

Study findings

Despite advancements in maternal healthcare, pregnancy-related complications continue to claim thousands of lives each year.

A recent study by the health organisation highlights haemorrhage as the leading cause of maternal deaths globally, accounting for 27 per cent of cases, with an uncertainty interval of 2232 per cent.

This is followed by indirect obstetric deaths at 23 per cent (18 to 30 per cent) and hypertensive disorders, including preeclampsia, at 16 per cent (14 to 19 per cent).

The study also identifies other contributors to maternal mortality, including sepsis, infections, pulmonary embolism, complications from spontaneous and induced abortions,such as miscarriage, ectopic pregnancies, and unsafe procedures,anaesthetic complications, and birth-related injuries.

According to the findings, maternal mortality is not evenly distributed across regions.

Haemorrhage-related deaths are highest in sub-Saharan Africa, Western Asia, and Northern Africa, while hypertensive disorders contribute most significantly to maternal deaths in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The study also notes that the majority of maternal deaths caused by haemorrhage and sepsis occur during the postpartum period.

Beyond obstetric complications, the study highlighted the impact of underlying health conditions on maternal mortality.

Infectious and chronic diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, anaemia, and diabetes contribute to nearly 23 per cent of pregnancy-related deaths.

It added that many of these conditions go undiagnosed or untreated until they lead to severe complications, increasing risks for expectant mothers.

The study also raised concerns about the lack of comprehensive data on maternal suicides and late maternal deaths, those occurring between 42 days and one year after childbirth.

It revealed that only 12 countries record maternal suicides, with rates ranging from below 1 per cent to 26 per cent of maternal deaths.

Among countries reporting late maternal deaths, the ratio of these to deaths within 42 days after delivery ranged from 0.01 to 0.07.

Improved maternal care

The study reinforced the urgent need to strengthen maternity care, particularly in low-resource settings.

It emphasised the importance of comprehensive antenatal services to detect and manage risks early in pregnancy, as well as emergency obstetric care to address life-threatening complications such as haemorrhage and embolism.

The study suggested that population-level interventions, including improved access to nutrition and better management of noncommunicable diseases, could help mitigate underlying health risks that contribute to maternal deaths

Share this: Twitter

Facebook

WhatsApp

Telegram

LinkedIn

Email

Print


A well-structured SWF is not just a financial instrument; it is a vehicle for national transformation. Nigerias NSIA must not just be maintained  it must be aggressively expanded, and the principles it was setup around should be adhered to and vigorously protected. With disciplined governance, strategic investment, and a clear long-term vision, Nigeria can turn its sovereign wealth fund into a powerhouse for economic resilience and national development.

Economies, much like ecosystems, are governed by forces both visible and invisible, balancing stability and disruption. In this way, sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) are not just financial instruments; they have the potential to be the deep roots of an economy, storing and redistributing resources across time. Done right, they enable countries to weather economic droughts, foster long-term growth, and cultivate resilience.

The Rain That Comes and Goes

Imagine an arid landscape. Rain comes in short bursts  torrential downpours that flood the land before quickly disappearing. Without deep-rooted trees or reservoirs to capture it, the water runs off, leaving little behind for the dry seasons. Many economies, especially those dependent on natural resources, function in much the same way. Commodity prices surge, filling government coffers, but when they inevitably collapse, the funds dry up, leaving economic instability in their wake. Nigerias economy, like most of the world economy, went through an economic dry season in 2020, with the collapse in the global price oil, leading to the worst recession in 40 years. Nigeria still feels the impact through its public finances, five years on.

The United Kingdom, despite benefiting significantly from North Sea oil revenues in the 1970s and 1980s, did not establish a sovereign wealth fund, instead using its oil windfall for immediate fiscal policies such as tax reductions and current expenditures. As a result, the UK has little to show today as a legacy from its oil boom. In contrast, Norway, often hailed as the gold standard of sovereign wealth management, saw the draught coming. Instead of spending every oil boom windfall, it planted deep financial roots through the Government Pension Fund, which now stands at a staggering $1.7 trillion.

To put this into perspective, Norways sovereign wealth fund is larger than the entire GDP of Canada. This means that a nation of just 5.5 million people, similar in size to the population of Akwa Ibom State, has saved more than the total annual economic output of a country of nearly eight times its size. This fund allows Norway to support future generations, stabilise economic fluctuations, and invest in global opportunities that sustain national prosperity. It is, in many ways, an ecological model applied to finance  capturing and storing value during times of abundance to sustain life when scarcity arrives.

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 has an immense opportunity to do the same. In 2004, the country established the Excess Crude Account (ECA), which peaked at nearly $20 billion and played a stabilising role during the 2008 global financial crisis. However, due to weak governance and political withdrawals, the fund dwindled over time. Recognising the need for a more structured approach, Nigeria created the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) in 2011. As of recent reports, the NSIA manages approximately $2.4 billion, far less than the countrys potential, but a step in the right direction.

Why Economies Need Deep Roots

Economies are living, breathing ecosystems. They thrive when diversity, resilience, and regenerative processes are embedded in their designs. SWFs, when properly structured, act as economic stabilisers, much like forests that anchor the soil and prevent erosion. Without them, resource-rich nations become victims of boom-and-bust cycles, unable to sustain long-term prosperity.

Nigerias population exceeds 200 million  far greater than Norways 5.5 million. Yet, Norway has saved nearly two hundred times more in its sovereign wealth fund than Nigeria has. If Nigeria had consistently saved and invested its oil revenues over the past few decades, its fund could hold hundreds of billions of dollars today. This is not a criticism, Nigeria is not alone in this, the UK did the same. But it is an illustration of what is possible with the right policies in place.

The Flywheel Effect: A New Way to Think About SWFs

Resilience is built through self-reinforcing cycles. Strong economic systems generate growth that begets more growth, much like a flywheel gaining momentum over time. Sovereign wealth funds, when designed effectively, function as the anchor of this process.

Instead of only spending resource wealth on short-term needs, governments must treat SWFs as flywheels mechanisms that convert volatile revenue into stable, long-term investment. These funds should:

Balance stability and growth: A portion should be set aside for stabilisation, ensuring governments can maintain essential services during downturns.

A portion should be set aside for stabilisation, ensuring governments can maintain essential services during downturns. Invest in future industries and infrastructure: Rather than solely relying on bonds or equities, SWFs can invest in emerging technologies, renewable energy, important infrastructure projects and human capital to ensure future relevance.

Rather than solely relying on bonds or equities, SWFs can invest in emerging technologies, renewable energy, important infrastructure projects and human capital to ensure future relevance. Ensure intergenerational equity: Every dollar extracted today should be viewed through the lens of future generations.

If a countrys resources belong to its people, then unborn citizens deserve their share, too.

The NSIA is set-up appropriately along these lines and therefore has the potential to be transformational. It has already made promising progress with some of its infrastructure investments.

Conclusion: A Call to Aggressively Grow the NSIA

A well-structured SWF is not just a financial instrument; it is a vehicle for national transformation. Nigerias NSIA must not just be maintained  it must be aggressively expanded, and the principles it was setup around should be adhered to and vigorously protected. With disciplined governance, strategic investment, and a clear long-term vision, Nigeria can turn its sovereign wealth fund into a powerhouse for economic resilience and national development. It can stabilise the economy, seed new industries, provide the next generation of infrastructure and ensure wealth does not evaporate with shifting oil and gas prices.

Nigeria should act decisively. It should see the NSIA as much more than a bolted-on element of its public financial management. Every dollar placed in the fund today is a step towards a stronger, more secure future. The goal should not be modest expansion but an ambitious drive to grow the fund to tens, if not hundreds, of billions of dollars over the next decade.

By doing so, it can unlock economic opportunities, drive infrastructure development, and ensure lasting prosperity for generations to come. We cannot control the rain. But we can control how we capture it. The opportunity is here  plant deep, grow strong, and ensure that when the economic storms come, the roots hold firm.

Richard Ough is the managing director and chief economist at Flywheel Economics; a boutique economic consulting company and policy think tank.

Share this: Twitter

Facebook

WhatsApp

Telegram

LinkedIn

Email

Print


A winery worker operates a machine to harvest grapes in Coonawarra, Australia, Feb. 20, 2025. (Photo by Li Ting/Xinhua)

CANBERRA, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Top Australian winemaker Treasury Wine Estates (TWE), the owner of Penfolds, Australia's leading luxury wine brand, was deepening its ties with China's wine industry.

The Melbourne-headquartered TWE, one of the world's largest wine companies, looked to the long-term growth and success of both the Australian and Chinese wine industries, according to Penfolds' Managing Director Tom King.

The company emphasized the importance of mutual learning and expressed enthusiasm about facilitating knowledge exchange and cross-cultural collaboration, King said.

"We're proud of our history with China's wine industry, which started when the first bottle of Penfolds was exported from South Australia to Shanghai in 1893," the latest edition of The Drinks Business, a global drinks trade publication, quoted King as saying in an article. 

A grape harvesting machine operates at a winery in Coonawarra, Australia, Feb. 20, 2025. (Photo by Li Ting/Xinhua)

Harvested grapes are pictured at a winery in Coonawarra, Australia, Feb. 11, 2025. (Photo by Li Ting/Xinhua)
If youre an avid TikToker or frequently find yourself scrolling through Facebook and Instagram during downtime, chances are youve come across this meme. Its often deployed in situations of confusion or dilemma, where one is trying to make sense of a perplexing scenario.

Kasongo ye ye it turns out, is actually a song by Orchestra Super Mazembe, a renowned Kenyan soukous band with roots in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo). Formed in 1967 under the name Super Vox and led by Longwa Didos Mutonkole, the group relocated to Nairobi in 1974 and adopted the name Orchestra Super Mazembe.

The band achieved significant success and some of the groups hit songs include Shauri Yako, Bwana Nipe Pesa Samba and of course, Kasongo. Lovy Longomba, nephew to Awilo Longomba, the famous Congolese musician well known to Nigerians, was a band member and did the vocals. In 2006, they renamed themselves Orchestra Bana Mazembe, after most of the original members had died.

Their vibrant performances and unique sound made them one of East Africas most celebrated musical acts during the 1970s and 1980s. Despite disbanding in 1985, their music continues to influence artists across the region.

Kasongo is a song about a woman calling her husband whose name is Kasongo, and pleading with him to return to their marriage. Originally sung in Lingala, a Bantu language spoken in the northwest of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the lyrics Kasongo ye ye ee, mobali na ngai, Kasongo nga nawe oo, zonga libala ee translate to Kasongo, my husband, Kasongo, I am dying, come back to the marriage. The song was especially popular among East Africans but, like many popular songs, eventually faded into oblivion.

The resurgence in popularity of the song Kasongo was propelled by its viral spread on social media platforms like TikTok, where users created content inspired by its catchy rhythm. This trend emerged after Ugandan pastor Aloysius Bugingo sang it to his congregants at the House of Prayer Ministries in Makerere during a sermon.

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

Pastor Bugingos rendition quickly became a trend, similar to how the Nigerian skit maker Brain Jotter popularized Mike Ejeaghas song Ka Esi Le Onye Isi Oche through the Gwo Gwo Gwo Ngwo dance challenge, leading to a resurgence of interest in the classic tune.

In 2024, Kenya witnessed a significant wave of protests, predominantly led by tech-savvy Gen Z activists, in response to a proposed finance bill that included tax hikes on essential items such as bread and diapers. These proposed taxes exacerbated the already high cost of living, fueling widespread public discontent. The protests were largely organized through social media platforms, with young Kenyans utilizing TikTok and other channels to mobilize and educate citizens about the implications of the bill.

The initially peaceful demonstrations escalated due to heavy-handed police responses, resulting in clashes and fatalities. Despite President William Rutos eventual withdrawal of the contentious tax proposals, the protests evolved into a broader movement against political corruption and the perceived detachment of politicians from the hardships faced by ordinary citizens. Amid this backdrop, the phrase Kasongo ye ye, gained traction as a satirical nickname for President Ruto.

The nickname Kasongo ye ye became emblematic of the publics frustration, serving as a tool for political satire and commentary. The widespread use of this meme as Rutos nickname, caught the Presidents attention; he was even recorded dancing to the Kasongo song during a New Years Eve event, indicating his awareness of it and perhaps an attempt to embrace or neutralize the satire. Kenyas Kasongo is the equivalent of Nigerias T-Pain.

The Kasongo ye ye phenomenon exemplifies how traditional art forms can be revitalized to articulate contemporary political dissent, reflecting the dynamic interplay between culture and socio-political movements.

This trend underscores the enduring power of music as a vehicle for social commentary. Fela Anikulapo-Kuti dedicated his entire life and career to critiquing governance and advocating for change, utilizing the enormous platform offered by his music. Similarly, Kenyan artists have utilized songs, riddles, and proverbs to critique governance and advocate for change, especially during electoral periods.

The Kasongo ye ye meme continues this tradition, demonstrating how cultural artifacts can be adapted to address modern issues, thereby fostering a sense of unity and shared identity among citizens.

Moreover, the phenomenon highlights the role of digital platforms in amplifying these expressions. The widespread sharing and adaptation of Kasongo ye ye memes illustrate how technology facilitates the rapid dissemination of political satire, enabling broader participation in civic discourse. This convergence of traditional art forms and modern technology exemplifies the evolving landscape of political expression, where cultural heritage and contemporary tools intersect to challenge and critique the status quo.

In a landmark decision, Nigerias Supreme Court recently nullified the October 5, 2024, local government elections in Rivers State, citing violations of the Electoral Act by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC). This ruling effectively removed all serving local government chairmen. The court also dismissed Governor Sim Fubaras appeal challenging the legitimacy of the House of Assembly led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, ordering the immediate resumption of legislative activities under Amaewhules leadership.

Furthermore, the Supreme Court reinstated a Federal High Court judgment that restrained the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Accountant General of the Federation from releasing funds to the Rivers State government until compliance with court orders is achieved.

This sequence of events has significantly disrupted the political dynamics in Rivers State, particularly between Governor Fubara and his erstwhile political godfather, Nyesom Wike, turning over almost all the entire machinery of government to Wike. Wikes residence in Abuja became a hub of celebration as allies and supporters gathered to acknowledge the courts decisions, reflecting his enduring political clout.

The Supreme Courts recognition of the faction loyal to Wike within the Rivers State parliament has left Governor Fubara vulnerable to potential impeachment. In response, individuals of Ijaw descent, such as Asari Dokubo, along with groups like the Ijaw National Congress (INC) and the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), have issued warnings about the potential consequences of efforts to remove one of their own from power. They cautioned about the likelihood of a breakdown of law and order.

The unfolding scenario in Rivers State is to say the least disturbing and raises concerns about the broader implications for Nigerias democratic processes. As I pointed out in my prior essay, Wike is the one with the big mouth, but the long string could be traced all the way to Aso Rock.

Today, the political activist, who was once driven to refugee status in a foreign land, has become the Oga at the top and is deploying every anti-democratic force in his toolkit to muscle everyone into submission. The consolidation of power and marginalization of opposition voices is almost total. Our nation is being steered toward totalitarian rule and a one-party state. While trying to make sense of all this, the one thing that comes to my mind is the song, Kasongo ye ye ee, mobali na ngai!

Osmund Agbo is a US-based medical doctor and author. His works include Black Grit, White Knuckles: The Philosophy of Black Renaissance and a fiction work titled The Velvet Court: Courtesan Chronicles. His latest works, Pray, Let the Shaman Die and Maam, I Do Not Come to You for Love, have just been released.

Share this: Twitter

Facebook

WhatsApp

Telegram

LinkedIn

Email

Print


Clearly, the shutting down of schools in the month of Ramadan, even for the benefit of Muslims, is an innovation that has no basis in the Quran or Prophetic traditions of Muhammad [PBUH], as the true test of faith is being able to cope with your regular workload, while observing the Ramadan fast. But what makes this even more absurd and illegal is that it violates the freedom and right of non-Muslims indigenes and residents of these states to education in the month of Ramadan.

The shutting down of schools on the order of Hisbah (the moral police) in some predominantly Muslim states of northern Nigeria in the month of Ramadan, is a clear indication that Islamism has ascended new heights in the Muslim north. The entrenchment of a range of religiously inspired political ideologies that hold the belief that Islam should influence the socio-political and economic system of public administration (Islamism) in the Muslim north has resulted in the imposition of Sharia laws in the region and establishment of Hisbah to banish vice and enforce virtue. As the Nigerian state is increasingly weakened by the politics of religious identity, the influence of Islamism has expanded in a manner that has severely diminished the countrys secular constitutional democratic order and, in the process, given rise to the dominance of Muslims, while undermining the civil rights and freedoms of non-Muslims in the predominantly Muslim northern part of Nigeria

Fasting as an act of worship is enjoined upon Muslims in Quran 2:183 thus, O Believers! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was for those before you, so you will become mindful of Allah, thereby making it an obligation upon all Muslims from the ages of seven in the month of Ramadan, which is made holy by the divine revelation of the Quran therein. Ramadan is usually marked by abstinence from food, drinks and pleasures of the flesh, from dawn to sunset, for 29 or 30 days by Muslims. It is also a period of renewal of faith through pious living, reflection, contemplation and remembrance of Allah through various activities of worship, such as recitation of the Quran, listening to preachings, observance of nightly voluntary prayers, and being charitable to the poor and needy.

Whereas fasting is obligatory for believing Muslims, there are exemptions made for the sick, infirm, aged, travellers and those whose peculiar circumstances makes it impossible for them to observe the Ramadan fast. And to ease the difficulty of abstaining from food and water for a prolonged period during the day, Muslims are encouraged to take early morning meals before the beginning of the days fast, in order to maintain a balanced metabolism. This is because Muslims are not precluded from working, schooling and carrying out any other productive activity while observing the Ramadan fast, and they will require some residue energy to undertake these activities successfully.

Nigeria is a secular state and must remain so, as all faith groups can always find accommodation of freedom of religious practice, without infringing on the right of orders under the constitution. And the insistence on continuously violating Nigerias secularism by state actors in the Muslim north, approximates the violent struggle of non-state actors like Boko Haram to forcefully destroy secular Nigeria and erect an Islamic state in its place.

For example, I am writing this article while fasting. And before putting final touches to this piece, I had gone for the newspaper review programme on AIT between 7 a.m. and 7:45 a.m. Once I send my material to my editor at about noon for editing and publishing the next day, I set out for the Abuja studio of Naija Info, where I am the presiding Chief Judge of Abuja secondary schools debate competition between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. By the time I get home by 6:30 p.m., I prepare for Iftar (the breaking of fast) by 6:50 p.m. Not to mention that Mohammed, my 12 year-old son is fasting and attending school between the hours of 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. And he appears to be coping better than his dad! This has been the norm all my life as a Muslim.

Clearly, the shutting down of schools in the month of Ramadan, even for the benefit of Muslims, is an innovation that has no basis in the Quran or Prophetic traditions of Muhammad [PBUH], as the true test of faith is being able to cope with your regular workload, while observing the Ramadan fast. But what makes this even more absurd and illegal is that it violates the freedom and right of non-Muslims indigenes and residents of these states to education in the month of Ramadan. They are not obliged by their religions to fast in the Muslim holy month. Whereas, fasting in the month of Ramadan is obligatory for Muslims, it cannot be compelled on both Muslims and non-Muslims by self-appointed agents of enforcement of religious morality, such as Hisbah.

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

if the Muslim north keeps insisting and expanding the frontiers of Islamism in Nigeria through the surreptitious use of political Islam, then it is time to stop the war on Boko Haram and seek for a negotiated settlement that will cede the region to Islamists, while the rest of Nigeria will get whatever it wants, including 100 per cent control of oil mineral resources and revenue within the framework of a restructured Nigeria.

Nigeria is a secular state and must remain so, as all faith groups can always find accommodation of freedom of religious practice, without infringing on the right of orders under the constitution. And the insistence on continuously violating Nigerias secularism by state actors in the Muslim north, approximates the violent struggle of non-state actors like Boko Haram to forcefully destroy secular Nigeria and erect an Islamic state in its place. What state actors are trying to achieve through political Islam is what Boko Haram is also trying to achieve through violent Islamist Jihadism. The closure of schools during the month of Ramadan is less about concerns for school children and more for the symbolic dominance of Muslims in multi-religious Nigeria, which is the ultimate goal of Islamism.

And if the Muslim north keeps insisting and expanding the frontiers of Islamism in Nigeria through the surreptitious use of political Islam, then it is time to stop the war on Boko Haram and seek for a negotiated settlement that will cede the region to Islamists, while the rest of Nigeria will get whatever it wants, including 100 per cent control of oil mineral resources and revenue within the framework of a restructured Nigeria.

Majeed Dahiru, a public affairs analyst, writes from Abuja and can be reached through [email protected].

Share this: Twitter

Facebook

WhatsApp

Telegram

LinkedIn

Email

Print


In just one minute, you can say Astaghfirullah more than 100 times! The benefits of seeking forgiveness are numerous: it grants forgiveness, opens the gates of Paradise, increases provisions, strengthens your resolve, repels harm, and even brings down rain. It is a reason for increased wealth and children.

Saturday, Ramadan 08, 1446 AH (08/03/2025)

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.

Respected brothers and sisters! People often overlook the profound significance of the simple yet powerful Dua (supplication) known as Istighfar  saying Astaghfirullah (I seek forgiveness of Allah). It is the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) to seek forgiveness from Allah at least 100 times daily. If Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), the one who is guaranteed Paradise, humbles himself in seeking forgiveness a hundred times a day, how much more do we need to seek Allahs mercy?

Let us reflect on the countless benefits and virtues of reciting this beautiful supplication, In Shaa Allah.

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

Benefits of Reciting Istighfar (Astaghfirullah):

1. Istighfar is a gateway to relief and happiness. Whenever you feel distressed or anxious, start reciting it, and In Shaa Allah, it will calm your heart and bring peace.

2. It removes anxiety, and your Duas are answered. Allah promises relief to those who seek His forgiveness.

3. It opens the doors of sustenance. Regular recitation of Istighfar brings abundant provisions.

4. It opens the doors of mercy. Seeking forgiveness draws down Allahs mercy.

5. It opens the doors of knowledge. When we ask Allah for forgiveness, He grants us wisdom.

6. Istighfar is a pathway to productivity. It clears the mind, allowing us to focus on our duties.

7. It provides emotional relief. When sadness or frustration overwhelms you, saying Astaghfirullah repeatedly lifts your spirit.

8. It helps alleviate depression. The act of seeking forgiveness from Allah soothes the soul and calms our worries.

9. Istighfar helps prevent sins. Reminding ourselves to seek forgiveness often strengthens our resolve to avoid wrongdoing.

Hadiths on the importance of Istighfar:

Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:

If anyone constantly seeks pardon (from Allah), Allah will appoint for him a way out of every distress and a relief from every anxiety, and will provide sustenance for him from where he expects not. [Abu Dawud]

Abdullah Bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported:

The one who frequently repents and says Istighfar, Allah will open a path from poverty and difficulties. All sorrow and hardship will be replaced with prosperity and contentment. One will receive sustenance from unexpected sources. [Sunan Ibn Majah]

The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said:

The one who seeks forgiveness for Muslim men and women twenty five or twenty six times every day, Allah will count that person among those whose Dua (supplication) is accepted. Through this persons blessings, those on earth will gain sustenance. [Ibn Majah]

In just one minute, you can say Astaghfirullah more than 100 times! The benefits of seeking forgiveness are numerous: it grants forgiveness, opens the gates of Paradise, increases provisions, strengthens your resolve, repels harm, and even brings down rain. It is a reason for increased wealth and children.

Dear brothers and sisters! The gates of repentance remain open, so dont delay your repentance by waiting for tomorrow, for tomorrow is uncertain. Repent today and make it a habit to seek forgiveness by reciting Astaghfirullah.

Say with sincerity:

I believe in Allahs mercy. I have sinned, I have gone astray, I have been negligent, but still I believe in Allahs boundless mercy and forgiveness. I will not despair!

Allah, in His infinite mercy, has made Al-Ghaffar  The Great Forgiver is one of His Names. There are numerous verses in the Quran emphasising the importance of seeking forgiveness from Allah.

In Surah Hud (Quran, 11:3):

And (commanding you): Seek the forgiveness of your Lord, and turn to Him in repentance, that He may grant you good enjoyment for a term appointed, and bestow His abounding Grace to every owner of grace.

In Surah Al-Hijr (Quran, 15:49):

Declare (O Muhammad) unto My servants, that truly, I am the Oft-Forgiving, the Most-Merciful.

In Surah An-Nahl (Quran, 16:119):

Then verily, your Lord is Most Forgiving to those who repent, believe, and do righteous deeds.

In Surah Al-Isra (Quran, 17:25):

Your Lord knows best what is in your inner-selves. If you are righteous, then, verily, He is Ever Most Forgiving to those who turn unto Him in obedience and repentance.

In Surah Ta-Ha (Quran, 20:82):

And verily, I am indeed Forgiving to him who repents, believes (in My Oneness), does righteous deeds, and then remains constant in doing them.

In Surah Al-Muminun (Quran, 23:118):

And say (O Muhammad): My Lord! Forgive and have mercy, for You are the Best of those who show mercy.

There are numerous verses in the Quran that reinforce the importance of repentance and seeking forgiveness. Allahs mercy is vast, and through His forgiveness, He leads us to the path of righteousness and peace.

So, my question now is, did you say Astaghfirullah 100 times today?

Ya Allah, on this day, let us have mercy on the orphans, and feed the hungry, and spread peace, and keep company with the noble-minded, O the shelter of the hopeful.

Glorious You are Ya Allah, and with Your praise, and blessed is Your Name, and exalted is Your majesty, and none has the right to be worshipped but You.

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


Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umaru Radda, has praised the invaluable contributions of women to the socio-economic development of the state and the nation.

In commemorating International Womens Day 2025, themed For All Women and Girls: Rights, Equality, and Empowerment, Mr Radda stressed his administrations deliberate inclusion of women in governance through strategic appointments to key positions.

Women represent the backbone of our society and economy. Their resilience, dedication, and ingenuity continue to drive progress across all sectors. Our administration firmly believes in the power of women to transform our state, which is why we have ensured their representation at the different levels of decision-making, Governor Radda stated.

We have championed various empowerment programme and capacity-building initiatives specifically tailored to support women across Katsina State. Our goal is to ensure that every woman has the opportunity to achieve financial independence and contribute meaningfully to their communities, he added.

Governor Radda specifically noted the administrations flagship Goat Rearing Initiative, which has empowered over 20,000 women across the state. This programme provides beneficiaries with goats for breeding, along with the necessary training and support for sustainable livestock management.

In line with this years theme, which calls for meaningful opportunities and empowerment for all women and girls, Governor Radda cited successful training of 500 girls across different vocational fields and provision of kits as startup.

Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later

Continuing, he said that the administration also provided conditional cash transfer to 104,111 across 255 secondary schools in the state to assist their education.

Our government has equally organised specialized capacity-building workshops, skills acquisition training, and provided direct financial interventions designed to support women entrepreneurs, the governor recounted.

He said that his administration would continue to implement numerous initiatives aimed at enhancing womens economic independence and social well-being.

The governor renewed his administrations pledge to continue creating an enabling environment where women can thrive and achieve their full potential.

The future of Katsina State is brighter when all our citizens, regardless of gender, are given opportunity to succeed, Governor Radda stated.

Share this: Twitter

Facebook

WhatsApp

Telegram

LinkedIn

Email

Print


Bayero University, Kano (BUK) has expelled 62 students and rusticated 17 others for alleged examination malpractice.

The university said the decision was in line with its General Examinations and Academic Regulations (GEAR).

According to the universitys weekly bulletin, the decision was made during the Senates 421st meeting on Wednesday, 26 February.

The Senate at its 421st meeting held on Wednesday, 26th February, 2025, approved the expulsion of 62 students for allegedly being involved in examination misconduct in accordance with General Examinations and Academic Regulations (GEAR), the bulletin stated.

The universitys Senate also exonerated five students, and issued warnings to 29 others, and deferred the cases of three candidates.

Share this: Twitter

Facebook

WhatsApp

Telegram

LinkedIn

Email

Print


The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja, John Tsoho, has finally reassigned Nnamdi Kanus trial to another judge after months of intense pressure.

Aloy Ejimakor, the special counsel to Mr Kanu, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday.

Mr Kanu, who is facing terrorism charges at the Federal High Court in Abuja, is the leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The IPOB leader has been in detention since he was repatriated to Nigeria from Kenya in June 2021 under controversial circumstances.

Recusal saga

Justice Binta Nyako had been presiding over the trial of the IPOB leader.

But during the courts hearing on 24 September 2024, Mr Kanu requested that Mrs Nyako recuse herself from presiding over the matter, accusing the judge of bias.

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 subsequently announced her withdrawal from the matter, but the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Mr Tsoho, later reassigned the matter to Mrs Nyako.

Since then, Mr Kanu and his team of lawyers have repeatedly opposed Justice Nyako from presiding over the case.

During the courts last hearing on 10 February, the IPOB leader became furious when he observed that Mrs Nyako continued presiding over his case despite her initial recusal.

He then accused the judge of insisting on presiding over the case because of ongoing corruption cases against her husband and son.

Reassignment of case

But in the Saturday statement, Mr Ejimakor said he and other legal team members received a letter from Mr Tsoho informing them that the case has now been reassigned to another judge of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

The special counsel uploaded on his Facebook page a screenshot of the letter dated 4 March 2025.

Mr Ejimakor said the legal team also received another letter from the Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun.

He said Mrs Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, in the letter dated 25 February 2025, was responding to a letter which the team had written to her requesting her prompt administrative intervention on the matter.

Consequent upon these latest developments, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu instructed the legal team to publicly convey his sincere gratitudes to the Chief Justice of Nigeria for her sound administrative discretions and the dispatch with which she responded to our request.

He (Kanu) also expressed his profound appreciation to members of the general public who publicly expressed their support to our righteous demands that Mazi Nnamdi Kanus case be reassigned to another Judge, as the law demands, the lawyer said.

He did not, however, mention the new judge which the case was assigned to.

Kanu ready for trial

Mr Ejimakor stressed Mr Kanu has always been ready to face trial because he is firmly convinced of his innocence.

The special counsel said the IPOB leader was compelled to insist on Mrs Nyakos recusal because of the recent perverse events which posed potent dangers to Mr Kanus right to fair and speedy hearing.

So, now that the first steps have been taken by the authorities to do the lawful thing, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and his legal team shall take stock and hanker down to the zealous preparation of his defence, he said.

Share this: Twitter

Facebook

WhatsApp

Telegram

LinkedIn

Email

Print


Gunmen have abducted the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of Petroleum Retailers Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROA), Lawson Obasi.

Mr Obasi was abducted at about 7 p.m. on Wednesday in Azumini, a community in Ukwa East Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigerias South-east.

The police spokesperson in Abia State, Maureen Chinaka, disclosed this in a statement on Friday.

Ms Chinaka, a deputy superintendent of police, said apart from Mr Obasi, his driver and one other person were killed by the attackers.

The police spokesperson said gunmen, operating a dark blue Sienna vehicle, ambushed Mr Obasis convoy while he was returning to Port Harcourt, Rivers State, through Azumini Ndoki Area of the Abia State.

While the officers were repelling the attack, another set of gunmen forcefully took Chief Lawson, ordered him into their vehicle, and took him to an unknown destination, leaving his driver and one other person dead, she 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

Ms Chinaka said the Commissioner of Police in Abia State, Danladi Isa, visited the scene alongside the deputy commissioner of operations and other security teams on Thursday.

Mr Isa urged residents to remain calm and vigilant and assured them that intensive patrols had been activated across the area to track down the attackers.

The commissioner said police authorities have deployed tactical teams to comb the region for the kidnappers.

Security agencies are working to ensure the safe rescue of Chief Lawson, he said

The police chief asked residents of Abia State to report to security agencies individuals with gunshot wounds or dark blue Sienna vehicle seen in their neighbourhoods for action.

Share this: Twitter

Facebook

WhatsApp

Telegram

LinkedIn

Email

Print


The office of the Chief of Staff to the Alaafin of Oyo Kingdom has announced a daily curfew from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., effective immediately, in preparation for the traditional rites of the Alaafin, Abimbola AbdulAkeem Owoade I.

The curfew, which will be in place from Friday, 7 March, to Saturday, 29 March, aims to ensure the peaceful conduct of the Oro Ipebi rites, a crucial traditional process leading up to Alaafins ascension to the throne.

According to Rotimi Osuntola, the Alaafins Chief of Staff, Oyo township residents are advised to comply with the curfew and avoid movement during restricted hours.

This means movements are not allowed during the period of the curfew, and anyone who contravenes this order shall be arrested and detained till 7 a.m. of the following day after his or her arrest, Mr Osuntola stated.

He emphasised the importance of respecting the Oro Ipebi rites, which involve the Alaafin going into absolute seclusion.

ORO IPEBI is sacrosanct for the ascending Iku-Baba-Yeye and must be respected by all and sundry, Mr Osuntola 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

The tussle for the Alaafin throne

Following Lamidi Adeyemi IIIs demise on 22 April 2022, the Oyomesi, the historical Oyo council of kingmakers, initiated selecting a successor in accordance with the Alaafin Chieftaincy Declaration of 1961, which vests the authority to choose the Alaafin in the traditional council.

From a pool of 82 aspirants, the Oyomesi selected Lukman Gbadegesin as the new Alaafin. However, Governor Seyi Makinde questioned the process and refused to approve Gbadegesins appointment.

In 2023, the kingmakers filed a lawsuit against Governor Makinde and other officials. However, the Oyo State High Court dismissed the case because of administrative errors.

In response, the kingmakers, through their counsel, filed a notice of appeal and motion for injunction at the Court of Appeal and Oyo High Court.

Despite the legal battle over the Alaafin stool, the governor appointed Mr Owoade the new Alaafin in January.

The disregard for Oyomesis selection process has been criticised as a breach of the law and customary practices.

Share this: Twitter

Facebook

WhatsApp

Telegram

LinkedIn

Email

Print


GUANGZHOU, China, March 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- News report from GDToday:

"Big economies like China have to grow organically within the country and take a change toward domestic circulation," said David Blair, Vice President and Senior Economist at the Center for China and Globalization (CCG), during China's annual "two sessions" in a recent interview with GDToday. Looking into China's economic trajectory, he emphasizes a strategic shift from rapid growth to sustainable quality.

For this year's "two sessions", Chinese legislators have departed with an ambitious agendato prove that a mature economy can prioritize both citizen welfare and global competitiveness. The outcome, as Blair notes, "will shape globalization's next chapter."

China is redefining growth beyond GDP

According to the government work report delivered by Chinese Premier Li Qiang on March 5, in 2024, the country's total economic output reached 134.9 trillion yuan, breaking through the 130 trillion yuan mark for the first time. That marks a growth of 5% compared to the previous year.

Moreover, China set its 2025 GDP growth target at around 5%.

"A 5% growth rate would be extraordinary for mature economies, but China is rewriting the development playbook. But China's real focus now is improving lives, not just chasing numbers," Blair noted, highlighting investments in parks, schools, and rural roads that, while not directly boosting GDP, significantly enhance living standards.

"Twenty years ago, China needed raw GDP growth. Today, it needs quality to bridge urban-rural divides," he added, referencing new infrastructure projects. As records show, China's 27,000 km of new urban greenways built since 2019, though absent from GDP calculations, represent social investments that directly enhance the quality of life for 1.4 billion people.

China's shift to a high-value economy is a transition, not a collapse

Many have painted an impending economic crisis for China; however, Blair thinks that is a false statement. "What I see is structural transition, not collapse." He said China's growth in the past two decades relied on investments in real estate and infrastructure. Now, China is focusing on technology and innovation. "Obviously, there's a lot of investment in education," Blair noted, "which allows for many engineers to be created every year, providing a lot of benefit to technological development."

"It's very important for any country to be careful about what's happening with working-class people," Blair warned. "You have to ensure they have jobs and don't lose out in the transition, but the transition has to happen." Blair emphasized the importance of learning from Silicon Valley's experience in the 1980s and 1990s, where they had a similar model before losing their manufacturing capability or giving it away.

Blair also lauded China's industrial clusters, like the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area cluster, which combine manufacturing, technology, and finance. "You can't hold back the tide," Blair said. "The transition has to happen," he added.

China's Greater Bay Area charts a path towards sustainable growth

On a road towards sustainable growth, China's Greater Bay Area, combining manufacturing with tech research, is a key regional spot that holds great potential. However, compared to the other three bay areas (the New York Bay Area, the San Francisco Bay Area, and the Tokyo Bay Area), China's Greater Bay Area charts a more effective path that suits itself, according to Blair.

"Silicon Valley had it right in the 1980s with integrated tech and production, but lost its way by offshoring manufacturing," Blair noted, contrasting Apple's "Designed in California, Made in China" model with the GBA's approach. "You can't innovate effectively if you're disconnected from making things."

Silicon Valley, integrated with San Francisco, began as farmland in the 1970s. Regulations and billionaires drove up prices, forcing manufacturing out. Silicon Valley outsourced nearly every component to places like South Korea, Japan or China, lacking a manufacturing base.

Unlike Silicon Valley, the GBA emphasizes common prosperity, which is vital. Its unique development approach holds great potential, as Blair concluded the success story behind China's GBA.

SOURCE GDToday
TOKYO, March 8 (Xinhua) -- The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has warned that cold air and a passing trough of low pressure will bring heavy snowfall to the Kanto region from Saturday evening through early Sunday, with the possibility of snow accumulation in Tokyo.

According to the JMA, a trough of low pressure will pass through the region, causing widespread cloud cover and a significant drop in temperatures.

The agency forecasts up to 10 cm of snow in the mountainous areas of northern Kanto, up to 8 cm in the plains of northern Kanto, and up to 5 cm in the plains of southern Kanto, including Tokyo.

Residents are urged to be cautious of icy roads, transportation disruptions, and snow accumulation on power lines and trees. 
Most Resolutions from Korea Zinc's Extraordinary Shareholders' Meeting Suspended A Big Win for Young Poong and MBK Partners

A Green Light for Securing Control Over Korea Zinc

SEOUL, South Korea, March 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The court has ruled that restricting Young Poong's voting rights at Korea Zinc's extraordinary shareholders' meeting on January 23 was unlawful, suspending the effectiveness of most resolutions passed, including the resolution to impose a cap on the number of directors.

Furthermore, as Young Poong's voting rights restriction was deemed illegal, the duties of the seven Korea Zinc-nominated directors, who were appointed through a process marred by significant procedural defects, have also been suspended.

On March 7, the Seoul Central District Court's Civil Division 50 granted Young Poong and MBK Partners' injunction request to suspend the resolutions of Korea Zinc's extraordinary shareholders' meeting, ruling that "Under Article 369, Paragraph 3 of the Commercial Act, restricting Young Poong's voting rights in Korea Zinc is unlawful." The court consequently suspended the effectiveness of the resolutions on:

Article 1-2: Establishing a cap on the number of directors

Article 1-4: Stock split

Article 1-6: Appointment of the board chair from among outside directors

Article 1-7: Amendment of the dividend record date

Article 1-8: Introduction of quarterly dividends

Additionally, the seven directors nominated by Korea Zinc have been prohibited from exercising their duties as outside directors.

With this ruling, while the resolution to amend the articles of incorporation to introduce cumulative voting (Article 1-1) remains effective, the cap on the number of directors (set at 19) has been nullified, and the seven Korea Zinc-nominated directors can no longer perform their duties.

This decision paves the way for Young Poong and MBK Partners, the largest shareholders, to secure control over Korea Zinc.

Young Poong and MBK Partners welcomed the court's decision to grant the injunction.

At Korea Zinc's annual general meeting, expected in late March, a new board of directors will be elected through cumulative voting. Young Poong and MBK Partners have already submitted a shareholder proposal nominating 17 director candidates.

A representative from Young Poong and MBK Partners stated, "We will make every effort to restore corporate governance, shareholder value, and corporate value at Korea Zinc through a fair and transparent annual general meeting."

SOURCE MBK Partners
Husband-and-Wife Duo Expand Territory from Erie to Penn State, Bringing Authentic Maine Lobster to More Seafood Lovers

PITTSBURGH, March 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- One of the nation's most celebrated seafood brands is expanding its footprint in Pennsylvania.

Husband-and-Wife Duo Expand Territory from Erie to Penn State, Bringing Authentic Maine Lobster to More Seafood Lovers

Cousins Maine Lobster, the nationally recognized food truck and restaurant concept serving authentic Maine lobster, is growing in Northwest Pennsylvania with the addition of a second truck. Husband-and-wife duo Savas and Victoria Alkoc, who have operated in Pittsburgh for several years, are adding this new truck to meet the growing demand in the Steel City area and beyond. This expansion allows Cousin Maine Lobster to serve the broader community more frequently, reaching seafood lovers from Erie to Centre County and Penn State. The grand opening celebration will take place on Saturday, March 8th, at the Whitehorse Brewery located at 824 Diamond St. in Berlin, Pennsylvania.

The Alkocs are experienced multi-unit operators, launching their first truck in 2017 and now managing 10 food trucks across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Ohio, and a brick-and-mortar location in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Passionate about bringing high-quality, Maine-sourced lobster to communities nationwide, they look forward to engaging with new neighborhood hot spots, creating local job opportunities, and introducing more seafood lovers to the brand's signature lobster rolls, bisque, New England clam chowder, tots, whoopie pies, and more.

"We've built our business from the ground up, starting with one truck and expanding into multiple markets while staying true to our commitment to quality and service," said Savas, co-owner of Cousins Maine Lobster in Pennsylvania. "After receiving such a warm welcome in Pittsburgh, we knew this region was the perfect place to add another truck and continue growing with Cousins Maine Lobster. There's nothing quite like the experience of enjoying real Maine lobster, and we're excited to bring it to even more communities across Northwest Pennsylvania and beyond."

Specializing in sustainably sourced Maine lobster, Cousins Maine Lobster offers a gourmet fast-casual seafood experience through food trucks, brick-and-mortar locations, and a Shore-to-Door service that delivers responsibly harvested lobsters nationwide. Founded in 2012, the brand gained national recognition after appearing on Shark Tank and partnering with Barbara Corcoran. With rapid expansion underway, Cousins Maine Lobster has earned accolades from The Food Network, Good Morning America, Inc., and Tasting Table, where it was voted Best Lobster Roll on the West Coast from 2013 to 2015.

"The brand's growth has been a rewarding journey for our operators, and Northwest Pennsylvania is another exciting chapter for Cousins Maine Lobster," said Angela Coppler, Head of Development at Cousins Maine Lobster. "Through our conversations with Savas and Victoria, it was clear that the strong demand and enthusiasm from seafood lovers in the region made this truck the best place to expand next. We're eager to see how the new communities embrace our high-quality lobster offerings and look forward to building more community ties."

In addition to the expansion, Cousins Maine Lobster is launching a new Garlic Butter Lobster Roll on March 21. This indulgent twist on their classic roll features warm Maine lobster drizzled in rich, house-made garlic butter on a toasted New England-style bun.

The Cousins Maine Lobster of Pittsburgh's celebration continues with a series of events across Pennsylvania and Ohio, giving communities the chance to experience the brand firsthand. Upcoming stops include:

March 7  Indiana Mall, Indiana , Pa. | 11 a.m.  7 p.m.

 Indiana Mall, , Pa. |  March 8  Grand Opening  Whitehorse Brewing, Berlin, Pa. | Noon  8 p.m.

 Whitehorse Brewing, | Noon  March 9  Gossip Uniontown, Uniontown, Pa. | Noon  6 p.m.

 Gossip Uniontown, | Noon  March 13  Mt. Morris Community Center, Mt. Morris, Pa. | 11 a.m.  5 p.m.

 Mt. Morris Community Center, |  March 14  Southern Park Mall, Boardman, Ohio | Noon  8 p.m.

 Southern Park Mall, | Noon  March 15  Vinoski Winery, Belle Vernon, Pa. | Noon  8 p.m.

 Vinoski Winery, | Noon  March 16  Logan Valley Mall, Altoona, Pa. | 11:30 a.m.  7 p.m.

For more information on Cousins Maine Lobster of Pittsburgh and its upcoming events, visit Pittsburgh, PA Cousins Maine Lobster Facebook Page

Cousins Maine Lobster of Northwest Pennsylvania is part of the brand's broader growth strategy, expanding through food trucks as a unique and effective way to reach new markets. With a growing number of new locations in major cities across the U.S., the brand is on track to break a new record of new unit openings in 2025. Cousins Maine Lobster is seeking operators who are passionate about delivering high-quality food and exceptional customer service. Ideal candidates have a strong business mindset, work ethic, and leadership skills, with a commitment to maintaining the brand's standards.

With a strong business model that offers flexibility, operators can launch food trucks quickly, typically in three to six months. Low overhead and labor costs allow Cousins Maine Lobster an efficient and cost-effective entry into each market. The brand is currently targeting markets with strong demand for high-quality, fast-casual seafood, including Columbia, Charleston, Phoenix, Winston-Salem, and areas across the Midwest like Wisconsin and St. Louis.

About Cousins Maine Lobster

Cousins Maine Lobster is a premier seafood food truck and restaurant brand bringing authentic Maine lobster to communities nationwide through its fleet of food trucks and brick-and-mortar restaurants. Founded in 2012 by cousins Jim Tselikis and Sabin Lomac, the brand started as a passion project and quickly gained national recognition after securing an investment from Barbara Corcoran on Shark Tank. Since then, Cousins Maine Lobster has grown into a leading franchise, delivering high-quality, sustainably sourced Maine lobster with a commitment to consistency, hospitality, and an unforgettable guest experience. Whether serving seafood lovers from its iconic food trucks or expanding into new markets with restaurant locations, Cousins Maine Lobster continues to set the standard for premium lobster offerings.

To learn more about franchise opportunities with Cousins Maine Lobster, visit https://www.cousinsmainelobster.com/franchise. To find a location near you, visit www.cousinsmainelobster.com.

DISCLAIMER: This news is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy a franchise. Any actual offer or solicitation can only be made through a Franchise Disclosure Document. If you reside in California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, or Wisconsin, we may not be able to offer you a franchise until it has been registered in your state.

For more information, please contact: Lindsay Herberger at [email protected]

SOURCE Cousins Maine Lobster
NILES, Ill., March 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Daiso, the globally recognized retail chain known for offering affordable and unique products, is excited to announce the grand opening of its latest store in Niles, Illinois, on March 8th, 2025. Located at Civic Center Plaza, this store marks a significant milestone in Daiso's U.S. expansion.

"We are thrilled to open our new store in Niles," said Jack Williams, Chief Retail Operations Officer for Daiso USA. "This milestone reflects the continued support of our customers, and we're excited to introduce Daiso's budget-friendly offerings to the Niles community. We invite everyone to Discover Daiso and explore the variety of products we offer."

The new Daiso store, located at Civic Center Plaza, spans 7,958 square feet and features a wide selection of products across multiple categories. Customers can find everything from Japanese-inspired home decor and kitchenware to beauty products, stationery, and snacks. Daiso's commitment to providing affordable and unique merchandise has made it a go-to destination for shoppers seeking unique items at great prices.

"Thanks to the enthusiasm of our loyal customers, we're excited to expand in Illinois," said John Clarke, Chief Development Officer for Daiso USA. "We continue to see growing demand in the region, and we're proud to be opening more stores in 2025. With 179 stores now operating across the U.S., we're excited to serve new communities and bring the Daiso experience to even more customers."

To celebrate the grand opening, Daiso will offer exclusive promotions at the Civic Center Plaza location. On March 8th and 9th, the first 100 customers who make a minimum purchase of $30 will receive a special Daiso goodie bag as a thank-you for their support.

The new store will be located at:

Civic Center Plaza, 800 Civic Center Dr., Niles, IL 60714

Store hours will be Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Daiso invites customers to visit, explore the latest offerings, and find new favorites.

About Daiso:

Daiso is a global retail chain founded in Japan, known for its wide selection of unique and affordable products across categories such as household goods, stationery, beauty, and more. Daiso entered the U.S. market in 2005 and has expanded into multiple states. The company's U.S. headquarters is in Anaheim, CA.

SOURCE Daiso USA
BEIJING, March 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, took part in a deliberation with fellow lawmakers from Jiangsu during the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, on March 5, 2025. This marks the third consecutive year that Xi has taken part in a deliberation of this delegation since 2023.

'Social work must be strengthened'

The lively exchanges in the deliberation vividly reflect the significance of social governance in the context of China's efforts to modernize its national governance system.

"How many people live in your community?" Xi asked the lawmakers during the deliberation with the Jiangsu delegation.

"There are 7,266 residents, making up five residential communities. When I first started working in this community, there were only some 3,000 people. Now the number has doubled," said Li Xiaona, an NPC deputy who has worked in the Hailian community of Xinhai Street in Lianyungang city for 12 years, when talking about her grassroots work.

After hearing these figures, Xi said with emotions: "In the past, the neighborhood committees were generally quite small in my memory. The community's Party secretary was like a 'premier of a small alley,' managing a lot of things, which was not easy."

The community is the fundamental unit of urban governance in China, weaving together countless threads of daily life and connecting thousands of households. Within this intricate web pulses the lifeblood of the nation, revealing both the immense scale and profound weight of governance in a country. Xi has always cared about the affairs within the community.

During the deliberation, Xi expressed concerns regarding "caring for the elderly and children."

In terms of the elderly care, it is common to see senior canteens in China, but overly relying on welfare models risks its sustainability. Solutions must be locally tailored and self-sustaining. Meanwhile, home services for the elderly should also be enhanced with the expansion of volunteer networks and elderly healthcare occupations.

In terms of childcare, current daycare services face problems of imbalances, which should be adjusted align with local demographics and service quality. The children deserve safe, healthy and nurturing environments, which requires professional caregivers and stronger oversight frameworks.

Xi also expressed concerns about the groups of new forms of employment.

A recent survey on the status of the national workforce revealed that 84 million people are now employed in new forms of work across China, accounting for 21 percent of all employed citizens.

The 20th CPC National Congress has made improving the social governance system a priority. In 2023, the Society Work Department of the CPC Central Committee was established, with local branches following nationwide. The central conference on social work was held for the first time in Beijing in 2024. These initiatives embody the governing philosophy that "nothing is too small for a civil servant to do if it delivers concrete benefits to our people."

"Social work must be strengthened," Xi emphasized, addressing the matter with clarity: As the Chinese social fabric grows more complex, emerging forms of work like deliveryman, ride-hailing drivers, and e-commerce practitioners demand tailored management services. The country must keep up with the management services and fill the gap.

Sound grassroots governance fortifies national governance. In the deliberation, Xi urged earnestly to make more practical efforts to strengthen foundational and inclusive construction of people's livelihood, and to address the urgent and pressing concerns of the public. Additionally, the social security system and the accessibility and balanced distribution of basic public services should be further improved. "Putting the people first" has permeated every word of his address.

'Always maintain the role of a trendsetter'

You were on the TV news today, weren't you?" Xi asked Zhang Junjie, an NPC deputy and a cardiologist in Nanjing First Hospital, who was seated across from him. That morning, Zhang had shared stories about advancements in medical technology with the media in the NPC deputies' meetings with the press.

Zhang used the metaphor of "touching the heart" to share an inspiring tale of triumph. He recounted how his team overcame foreign monopolies to develop a domestically produced mitral valve clip. Utilizing minimally invasive techniques, they successfully repaired the mitral valve - the heart's "back door" - of an 88-year-old patient surnamed Liu at the time, all while his heart continued to beat. Now Liu, 92, enjoys a fulfilling life in his later years.

"Every year, my team performs over 300 minimally invasive heart valve surgeries across the country. Liu's story is merely a snapshot of our daily work," he said.

"Twenty years ago, I went abroad for further studies. Now, we have emerged as a leader in various medical fields," he recalled, emphasizing that the realm of medical research knows no boundaries.

"What you said reminds me of the difficulties we faced in the 1990s when performing heart stent surgeries," Xi talked to him.

Now, the domestic production rate of cardiovascular materials is quite high, isn't it? the president asked.

Zhang responded proudly, "Our domestically produced stents have reached global markets. Over the years, I have traveled to Belt and Road Initiative partner countries, treating patients and saving lives with Chinese technologies and products.

After hearing that, Xi said that "we have made significant strides in this area, and we must continue to forge ahead."

The transformation of an industry reflects the broader trends of development. Today's China is a nation surging with waves of innovation and vibrant growth.

"Jiangsu, an economic powerhouse, should take the lead." This was the earnest instruction from Xi.

The president elaborated on four key areas for "taking the lead," with the foremost being "taking the lead in integrating technological innovation with industrial innovation."

Innovation is the primary driving force for development.

When Xu Guanghui, an NPC deputy and director of the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Science and Technology, made a report, Xi asked "What is the proportion of innovation investment in Jiangsu's fiscal expenditures?"

The answer given by Xu was impressive. Compared with 2022, Jiangsu's fiscal investment in technological innovation increased by 16.2 percent in 2024.

Technological innovation and industrial innovation constitute the fundamental pathways for developing new quality productive forces.

Following last year's two sessions, Xi once again mentioned new quality productive forces during this deliberation, noting that China should promote the development of new quality productive forces so that the country could always remain a role of trendsetter in modern economic wave.

Economic powerhouses should shoulder greater responsibilities in implementing the country's major development strategies, Xi stressed.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202503/1329706.shtml

SOURCE Global Times
Hope RISING Clinic offers services for children with PSE

BOTHELL, Wash., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In these uncertain times, please remember the children--innocent victims of substance use and abuse.

The on-going opioid epidemic has brought tragedy to families and communities, but with all the press given to the problem, there is still little attention given to one group--children with pre-natal exposure to opioids and other substances.

Many people are aware that prenatal exposure to opioids can result in Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS), resulting in the infant going through withdrawal after birth. But for many children and families, that is just the beginning. Prenatal exposure to drugs and alcohol often causes lifelong developmental and intellectual disabilities, shortened lives, and wasted potential. There are no cures, however, there are proven services and support to help both the impacted children and the family.

It is difficult to assess exactly how many children have been impacted, but we have some clues to the scope of the problem. Prenatal substance exposure (PSE) is a significant public health concern affecting many children. In 2021, approximately 20% of pregnant women in the US reported using substances, translating to an estimated 720,000 individuals (about half the population of Idaho) requiring screening and services annually. While that is a substantial number, keep in mind that substance use, illegal or prescription, is typically under self-reported, and even that figure has risen exponentially since COVID's isolation.

The dedicated staff at Hope RISING Clinic in Bothell, Washington are pioneers in offering comprehensive services for children with prenatal substance exposures (PSE). The first--and so far, only--provider in Washington State to focus on children birth  13 who, because of prenatal exposure through no fault of their own, have a unique set of challenges. Treatment includes speech, occupational therapy, and behavioral health, but the real success comes from educating parents. Equipping parents and caregivers with the skills they need to help their child thrive.

The Washington State Legislature passed a ground-breaking bill in 2023 to expand services to children with prenatal substance exposure and their families. This was the first step in creating more options for families beyond Hope RISING Clinic. Sadly, that expansion is now in jeopardy, leaving families across Washington and even the nation without access to services.

As the Governor Ferguson and the Washington State legislature face tough budget decisions, we implore them and citizens through calls and emails to preserve access to Washington State's one-of-a-kind PSE treatment and remember all the people, including children who have been impacted by the opioid epidemic and substance use and abuse.

Hope RISING Clinic

Hope RISING Clinic, founded in 2019 by Wonderland Child & Family Services, provides specialized care for children and families affected by prenatal substance exposure. Through a comprehensive, trauma-informed service model, the clinic addresses the developmental, emotional, and behavioral needs of children impacted by PSE, while offering family-focused support programs to ensure lasting positive outcomes. For more information, visit hoperisingclinic.org.

Claire Lee

Sr. Marketing Specialist

425-281-5653

[email protected]

SOURCE Hope RISING Clinic
A Tail-Wagging Event to Benefit Central Texas SPCA

AUSTIN, Texas, March 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Grab your leash, round up your pup, and get ready for Pup Crawl ATX, the city's favorite dog-friendly bar crawl, happening on April 1 - April 30, 2025! This pawsome event invites dog lovers and their four-legged friends to enjoy a fun-filled month of dogs, drinks, and tail wagsall while raising funds for Central Texas SPCA , an incredible non-profit adoption center dedicated to rescuing dogs and cats at risk of euthanasia from high-kill shelters.

What is a Pup Crawl?

A Pup Crawl is like a pub crawlbut with dogs! Participants will make their way through Austin's best dog-friendly bars, enjoying exclusive drink specials, pup perks, and a vibrant community of fellow dog lovers. Each stop will have something special for both humans and pups, from complimentary treats to pet-friendly photo ops.

This year's event is particularly special, as it highlights women-owned businesses in celebration of International Women's Day on March 8. All four participating venues are part of the Dog Park Bar Alliance, a coalition of locally owned, women-led dog park bars committed to creating safe, welcoming spaces for dogs and their owners.

Pup Crawl ATX Locations:

Dog House Drinkery: doghousedrinkery.com

Mutts Canine Cantina: muttscantina.com/tx-austin

The Watering Bowl: thewateringbowlatx.com

Yard Bar: yardbar.com

Support a Great Cause!

Every Pup Pass purchased goes toward Central Texas SPCA , helping them continue their mission of providing personalized, force-free, one-on-one care to ensure each rescued animal is healthy and well-adjusted before adoption. Subaru, a proud sponsor of Pup Crawl ATX, is dedicated to making a difference in the lives of pets and their owners, and their support ensures that this event is not only fun but also meaningful.

Get Your Pup Pass!

Purchase a Pup Pass for $39 to gain entry for one dog and enjoy a complimentary drink at each participating venue (a $79 value). All proceeds from Pup Pass sales will be donated to the Central Texas SPCA, aiding their mission to find forever homes for animals in need.

Tickets are available now at pupcrawlatx.com . Each Pup Pass includes:

Entry for one dog at each participating park

One free drink at each location

A stamp at every stop to track progress

Participants who visit all four dog park bars and submit their completed Pup Pass at their final stop will be entered into a grand prize giveaway, with winners announced in early May.

Scavenger Hunt: Enhance your Pup Crawl experience by participating in a scavenger hunt at each location. Completing the hunt earns an additional entry into the prize raffle.

Want to Be a Sponsor?

Join Subaru and other pet-friendly brands in making Pup Crawl ATX a success! Sponsorship opportunities are available for businesses looking to connect with Austin's passionate pet community. To learn more, visit pupcrawlatx.com .

Don't miss outgrab your pup, gather your friends, and let's make this the best Pup Crawl yet!

About Pup Crawl ATX

Pup Crawl ATX is Austin's premier dog-friendly social event, bringing together pet owners for a month of fun, fundraising, and community. Proceeds from the event support local animal welfare organizations.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit pupcrawlatx.com .

CONTACT

Laura Ladewig

[email protected]

512-497-2000



SOURCE Pup Crawl ATX
BEIJING, March 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The world's eyes are once again on China as the annual sessions of the National People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), collectively known as the two sessions, started from March 4.

In this issue, Science and Technology Daily speaks with foreign experts and young scientists working in China, who share their perspectives on China's sci-tech achievements.

China's Tech Leap in Foreign Experts Eyes

They also discuss China's open and inclusive research environment, its people-centered policies and the broader implications of its technological progress for the international community.

China's AI Rise Benefits the World

With its rapid advancements in AI, China is consistently capturing world headlines, not only for its technological progress but also for the profound impact these advancements are having on society and the world. Through the eyes of international experts and researchers, we gain a deeper understanding of China's AI journey, showing its forward-thinking policies, commitment to improving quality of life, and growing influence on the global stage.

AI for common good

China's strategic focus on AI as a key driver of economic and social progress has been a paradigm shifter. The country's policymakers have demonstrated remarkable foresight by identifying AI as a critical area for development and setting a goal to become a global leader in the field by 2030. This vision is backed by substantial investments in research, development, and implementation across various sectors.

Sergey V. Ablameyko, an academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus and visiting professor at Northwestern Polytechnical University in Xi'an, said that, "China has made significant progress in the AI field, especially since 2017 when it adopted a national strategy for AI development. I have seen how China has grown in this area over the past 20 years, and it is now a leader in both practical applications and scientific research. "

However, what China has done goes far beyond this. According to Ashyana-Jasmine Kachra from the London School of Economics and Political Science, "China is not just focused on the proliferation of AI and its innovative use cases; the country has also been silently leading the pack and making its mark on the AI regulatory landscape."

China has implemented strict laws and ethical guidelines for AI development, ensuring that technological advancements align with societal values.

In 2017, China released the Next Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Plan to encourage diverse AI methodologies, such as deep learning, knowledge-based reasoning and large-scale modeling. In May 2019, it was followed by the Beijing AI Principles, which set out clear guidelines for AI research and development, advocating respect for privacy, human dignity and human rights. This underscores China's commitment to developing responsible AI and its philosophy of using technology for the greater good.

Profound global influence

China's AI advancements are not confined to within its borders; they are shaping the global landscape of technology and innovation.

Md Monjurul Karim, a young Bangladeshi researcher majoring in AI at the Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, emphasized how China's rapid progress in AI has influenced his career and research. He noted that China's AI ecosystem, with its high-performance computing infrastructure and top-tier research labs, provides an ideal environment for cutting-edge research.

Breakthroughs like DeepSeek, a large-scale AI model, have inspired new ways of thinking and accelerated innovation. For Karim, AI is not just a tool but a "research companion" that fosters creativity and exploration.

China's focus on innovation is also driving global advancements in AI and computer science. Karim pointed out that China's investments in large-scale AI models and high-performance computing contribute to the broader research community, enabling international collaboration and knowledge-sharing.

One of the most significant contributions of China's AI industry is its commitment to "democratizing access to AI technologies," said Md Altab Hossin, a Bangladeshi expert at the School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Chengdu University, adding that DeepSeek exemplifies this ethos. By developing easy-to-use models, tools and platforms, DeepSeek has made AI accessible to users without extensive technical expertise. Its open-source model allows anyone to use it for professional or personal purposes without restrictions.

Just as Ablameyko noted, China's progress is an opportunity for the world, and its development in science is a help, not a threat to the global community.

Inclusive Hub of Global Agricultural Transformation

In recent years, China has become a global leader in agricultural research, playing an essential role in addressing worldwide challenges such as food security, climate change and sustainable farming.

This achievement is largely due to the country's open and inclusive approach to scientific research, where international collaboration is encouraged and deeply embedded in its culture. Through strategic partnerships and initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China has created a cooperative research ecosystem that benefits local and international scholars.

Learning, leading and bridging

Dr. Hao Yuanfeng, a scientist from the Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), has witnessed firsthand how China's collaborations with global institutions and partners, such as the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), have evolved over the years. As a former beneficiary of international collaborations during the early stages of his career, Hao now mentors a young generation of scientists who continue to benefit from these partnerships.

"For example, in our lab, we started working with CIMMYT in the 1980s. They shared germplasm and protocols for quality testing, which helped us develop our breeding pipeline for high-yielding and high-quality varieties," Hao explained. "This collaboration led to the release of varieties such as Zhongmai 578, a strong gluten wheat variety currently widely grown by farmers."

According to Hao, the calls for more international cooperation have become louder in the sci-tech community. He underscores China's role as a bridge between international organizations and developing countries, stating that China now shares its advancements with nations across the globe, helping them adopt modern breeding and production technologies.

A culture of openness and growth

One of the most significant aspects of China's research environment is its inclusivity. For Youshaa Danyal, a young researcher from Pakistan, China offers a dynamic and welcoming atmosphere that fosters both academic and personal growth.

His experience reflects the environment that China cultivates for international scholars, one that promotes collaboration, creativity and excellence. He noted the inspirational work of Chinese scientists, like Li Wenxue team's recent publication in Science magazine on the NAC gene marks a significant advancement in maize biofortification.

The open and inclusive nature of China's research ecosystem is clear in Danyal's daily work, as he collaborates with colleagues from around the world. "We are working together to tackle pressing agricultural challenges such as micronutrient deficiency," he said.

Muhammad Adeel Qureshi, a senior researcher from Pakistan, speaks highly of the organization and systematic approach to China's agricultural programs. He noted that China is a leading producer of wheat worldwide. "This high yields resulted due to the continuous efforts by the breeders and scientists across China. I'm honored to be part of the CAAS, where the breeding work is systematic and well organized," said Qureshi, adding that the research team of his lab has developed many molecular markers for different quality traits in wheat.

For him, being part of such a well-organized environment has been both enriching and motivating. He noted that China focuses on international cooperation at both governmental and institutional levels, which is crucial for tackling global agricultural challenges. "China's policies on collaboration are reflected at both the governmental and individual levels, with a strong focus on international cooperation, especially in the scientific community," Qureshi said.

Connecting continents, empowering research

The BRI has proven to be a vital platform for expanding international collaboration in agriculture. Yirga Kindie Wasihun, a senior researcher from Ethiopia doing his PhD in wheat genetics and molecular breeding in CAAS, underscores the impact of this initiative on global agricultural cooperation. "The BRI has not only provided infrastructure but also opened doors for knowledge transfer, allowing us to bring back new technologies to our home countries," said Wasihun. Through the BRI, China is actively collaborating with partner countries, facilitating agricultural research and fostering capacity building. "China plays a leading role in uplifting the region's economies and ensuring sustainable development," said Wasihun.

Qureshi also recognizes the BRI's pivotal role in boosting agricultural collaboration. "The BRI has created numerous opportunities in infrastructure, science, technology and other fields," he said. "It has opened doors for international students and scientists, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange."

Steering a Greener Future

On November 14, 2024, China achieved a historic milestone as its annual production of new energy vehicles (NEVs) surpassed 10 million units, consolidating its leading role in the transition to a greener future. This achievement shows not just China's technological progress but also its efforts to combat climate change and reduce carbon emissions.

A benchmark for the world

Nicholas Mulei Musyoka is an associate professor in renewable energy and energy storage at the Nottingham Ningbo China Beacons of Excellence Research and Innovation Institute, which is a part of University of Nottingham Ningbo China. He described China's NEV industry as "innovative, scalable and impactful" in a recent interview with Science and Technology Daily. Musyoka emphasized that the rapid adoption of NEVs in China is a clear indicator of the country's leadership in the sector.

"China is setting the trend and becoming a benchmark for other countries to follow," Musyoka said. But China's booming NEV industry is not just about numbers. According to Italian scientist Francesco Faiola, the rapid expansion of electric vehicles (EVs) has significantly improved people's quality of life.

"Chinese companies have made EVs more affordable and accessible, contributing to reduced air pollution and lower greenhouse gas emissions," Faiola said. Electric buses and taxis have become the norm, leading to cleaner air and improved public health.

This sentiment was echoed by Musyoka. "China does not live in a bubble. China's contribution to reductions in CO2 emissions benefits the entire planet," he said.

Instead of viewing China's advancements in the NEV industry as competition, Musyoka urged for more international collaboration. "China's progress should be applauded, and we should learn from its technological and adoption strategies. The bigger picture is about solving the climate crisis together."

A holistic approach to sustainability

China's rapid NEV adoption is not an isolated phenomenon but part of a broad, integrated strategy for sustainable development. Beyond reducing emissions, it has triggered advancements in renewable energy, AI and smart city systems, transforming urban infrastructure.

However, NEVs are just one piece of the puzzle, as Musyoka pointed out. "To fully realize their potential, we need renewable energy installations to charge these vehicles, ensuring zero emissions throughout the lifecycle."

This holistic approach extends beyond land transportation. In sectors like maritime transport and aviation, China is exploring technologies such as power-to-methanol and sustainable aviation fuels to further cut carbon emissions.

Additionally, innovations in battery technology are enhancing the efficiency of unmanned aerial vehicles, contributing to greener logistics and transportation networks. "The integration of AI and smart systems ensures efficient monitoring and management, making cities cleaner and more sustainable," Musyoka added.

SOURCE Science and Technology Daily
BEIJING, March 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On Friday, Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi answered questions from Chinese and foreign journalists about China's foreign policy and external relations during a press conference of the third session of the 14th National People's Congress in Beijing. Wang answered 23 questions in nearly 90 minutes, comprehensively reviewing the achievements of China's diplomacy and looking ahead to its future direction, ranging from head-of-state diplomacy, great power relations, hotspot issues, and international order to scientific and technological development and people-to-people exchanges.

Foreign media paid great attention to expressions such as "China and the US will stay on this planet for a long time, and they must, therefore, seek peaceful co-existence", "the world today is marked by sweeping winds and surging clouds and the dynamism of these changes originates from the South", and "preventing the world from returning to the law of the jungle." The keywords that many people have taken away from this year's press conference are "stability" and "certainty," which are also gifts that China has contributed to a world full of uncertainty.

China's "stability" comes from the mentality of "staying cool-headed and not being affected by any distractions in a volatile world." Today's world is characterized by changes and turbulence. At the same time, a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation is developing further, the Global South is gaining momentum, while peace, development, cooperation and win-win have become the universal wish of the people and a general trend.

But regardless of what happens, "the mission of China's diplomacy remains unchanged." It is a manifestation of China's diplomatic pattern and determination to be a staunch force defending our national interests, a just and righteous force for world peace and stability, a progressive force for international fairness and justice and a constructive force for the common development of the world. Furthermore, it injects more positive energy into the maintenance of world peace and stability.

Over the past year, head-of-state diplomacy has continued to play a visionary and leading role in China's in-depth interaction with the world, demonstrating extraordinary charm and commitment. The three main home-court diplomatic events, four important overseas visits and more than 130 foreign affairs talks and meetings have continued to write a new story of friendship between China and other countries, creating a new momentum of solidarity and cooperation in the world. Building a community with a shared future for mankind has taken new and solid steps forward under General Secretary Xi Jinping's stewardship. This is where the confidence and backbone of Chinese diplomacy's "stability" lies, and it has also become a grand cause for all parties to participate in.

Today, the notion of humanity sharing a common future has been written into multiple resolutions of the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN) and multilateral documents, more than 100 countries have expressed support for the three major Global Initiatives, and more than three-quarters of the world's countries have become part of the family of the Belt and Road Initiative. With its growing number of friends and partners, China is gathering greater strength to stabilize the world.

The "stability" and "certainty" of China's diplomacy also lie in its proactive approach and continued opening-up. As Wang Yi stated, China's foreign policies, especially those important concepts and initiatives proposed by President Xi, are increasingly welcomed and supported by the international community; China's important role in addressing global challenges and resolving burning and tough issues is becoming more and more expected and commended by countries across the world; the success of Chinese modernization and the inspiration it offers are being increasingly recognized and emulated by more and more countries.

The press conference provided a preview of key diplomatic activities for this year: President Xi is expected to make a number of overseas visits; we will solemnly commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, and hold a series of major events including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit; China will convene a Global Leaders' Meeting on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment in Beijing.

The significance of China's diplomatic vision and policies extends beyond the present - it is about shaping the future. From this consistent commitment to progress, the world sees China taking the initiative in history and driving historical advancement with concrete actions.

By always upholding the banner of peace, development, cooperation and win-win and pursuing a win-win strategy of opening-up, China continues to create new opportunities for the world through its own development. Over the past year, China has expanded its unilateral visa-free policy to 38 countries, continued to unilaterally open up to the least developed nations, shortened its negative list for foreign investment, and shared innovations in space exploration, artificial intelligence, and other fields with more countries.

With sincerity and pragmatism, China's diplomacy is becoming increasingly attractive and influential, positioning itself as a "top choice" for international cooperation. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres previously hailed China as an "indispensable and trustworthy vital force in promoting world peace and development."

"China will work with all countries to promote friendship and cooperation, enhance mutual learning among different cultures, and build a community with a shared future for mankind. We must jointly create a better future for the world." As emphasized by General Secretary Xi Jinping, China always stands firmly on the right side of history and the side of the progress of human civilization. In this new year, major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics will bring even greater certainty to the world. We also have every reason to look forward to a world of shared prosperity and cooperation, where the future belongs to all.

SOURCE Global Times
AUSTIN, Texas, March 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Vurvey Labs, an AI research and platform company serving global brands like Adidas, Kenvue, and Unilever, today unveiled Vurbs  the world's first AI agent ecosystem dynamically powered by real-time human insights.

Breaking the LLM Paradigm

Traditional Large Language Models (LLMs) are static. Vurbs represent a revolutionary approach: AI agents that live, learn, and evolve through continuous human interaction.

"LLMs are a great starting point, but the next generation of agents need deeper understanding," said Chad Reynolds, Founder and CEO. "Vurbs are designed with characteristics not just inspired by real people, but directly connected to them."

The People Model: A New AI Paradigm

Dr. Ben Vaughan, Head of AI Research, explains the breakthrough: "While traditional LLMs remain frozen in time, our Vurbs network learns through insights from over 3 million global consumers. This introduces variance crucial for modeling consumer behaviors that expand beyond existing training sets."

Key Innovations

People Model: Advanced Large Persona Model (LPM) designed to generate Vurbs, segments, and global AI populations using identifiable personality traits, demographics, psychographics, and custom facets

Vurb Personas: Transform static consumer profiles into living, conversational agents for real-time insights and collaboration

Vurb Assistants: A custom network of expert AI agents to advance and scale knowledge creation and innovation

Vurb Products: AI personalities and companions that authentically represent brands, products, and commerce opportunities

Enterprise-Tested, Consumer-Ready

Kathy Rutherford, Global Insights leader from Kenvue highlights the transformative potential: "Our Skin Health brands now have 24/7 consumer collaboration through Vurvey agents, democratizing insights across our innovation teams."

Beyond Conversation: Actionable AI

"Vurbs are not just conversational  they're actionable," Reynolds emphasizes. "This creates an opportunity to bring everyday objects, products, and experiences to life through dynamic, collaborative agents that can be personalized and more reflective of your world."

About Vurvey Labs

Building on their Sensemake model and Vurvey research platform, Vurvey Labs is pioneering "AI Powered by People"  creating a new category of real-time, human-connected AI agents.

Launch Details:

Platform: Vurbs mobile app

Debut: South by Southwest (SXSW) Conference, March 7, 2025

More Info: vurvey.com

Media Contact: Katie Sizemore , [email protected]

SOURCE Vurvey Labs
RIO DE JANEIRO, March 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Vale Overseas Limited ("Vale Overseas" or the "Offeror"), a wholly owned subsidiary of Vale S.A. ("Vale"), further to the press release issued earlier today, announces the early tender results of the previously announced offers to purchase for cash (the "Offers") up to a maximum aggregate principal amount of Notes (as defined below) validly tendered in the Offers not to exceed US$450,000,000, excluding any premium and any accrued and unpaid interest (the "Maximum Principal Amount"), of the outstanding notes issued by Vale Overseas of the series of notes as set forth in the table below (the "Notes"). The Offers are being made upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the offer to purchase dated as of February 24, 2025 (the "Offer to Purchase").

Title of Security CUSIP /

ISIN Nos Principal Amount

Outstanding Acceptance

Priority Level Principal Amount

Validly Tendered Principal Amount

Accepted for Purchase 8.250% Guaranteed

Notes due 2034 91911TAE3 / US91911TAE38 US$438,337,000 1 US$103,433,000 US$103,433,000 6.875% Guaranteed

Notes due 2039 91911TAK9 / US91911TAK97 US$1,061,600,000 2 US$170,555,000 US$170,555,000 6.875% Guaranteed

Notes due 2036 91911TAH6 / US91911TAH68 US$916,425,000 3 US$49,977,000 US$49,977,000

As of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on March 7, 2025 (the "Early Tender Date"), US$323,965,000 in aggregate principal amount of Notes has been validly tendered and not validly withdrawn. Because the aggregate principal amount of Notes validly tendered in the Offers and not validly withdrawn do not exceed the Maximum Principal Amount, the Offeror has accepted for purchase all of the Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn on or prior to the Early Tender Date.

If the aggregate principal amount of Notes validly tendered in the Offers on or prior to the Expiration Date exceeds the Maximum Principal Amount, then the Offeror will (assuming satisfaction or, where applicable, the waiver of the conditions to the Offers) (i) accept for purchase, in accordance with their Acceptance Priority Levels (as defined in the Offer to Purchase), the maximum aggregate principal amount of Notes tendered after the Early Tender Date and on or prior to the Expiration Date that can accepted without exceeding the Maximum Principal Amount, and (ii) prorate the series of Notes tendered after the Early Tender Date and on or prior to the Expiration Date, and accepted for purchase in the Offers in accordance with the Acceptance Priority Procedures, as described in the Offer to Purchase. The Offeror expressly reserves its right, in its sole discretion and subject to applicable law, to increase the Maximum Principal Amount without extending withdrawal rights.

As previously announced, the applicable Total Consideration (as defined in the Offer to Purchase) payable per US$1,000 principal amount of Notes tendered and accepted for purchase has been determined by the Dealer Managers based on the applicable fixed spread for each series of Notes plus the applicable yield-to-maturity of the Reference U.S. Treasury Security for that series of Notes as of 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on March 7, 2025. Payment of the applicable Total Consideration and accrued and unpaid interest for the Notes validly tendered and accepted for purchase is expected to be made, subject to the terms and conditions of the Offer to Purchase, on March 12, 2025. The Offers will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on March 24, 2025. Holders who validly tender their Notes after the Early Tender Date, but on or prior to the Expiration Date, will be eligible to receive the Tender Consideration (as defined in the Offer to Purchase) and accrued and unpaid interest. The applicable "Tender Consideration" is equal to the applicable Total Consideration minus the applicable Early Tender Payment. The Tender Consideration is expected to be paid on the Final Settlement Date, which is expected to occur on March 26, 2025.

Vale has retained BMO Capital Markets Corp., BofA Securities, Inc., Credit Agricole Securities (USA) Inc., HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC to serve as dealer managers ("Dealer Managers") and D.F. King & Co., Inc. to serve as tender and information agent for the Offers ("D.F. King"). The Offer to Purchase and any related supplements are available at the D.F. King website at www.dfking.com/vale. The full details of the Offers, including complete instructions on how to tender Notes, are included in the Offer to Purchase. Holders of Notes are strongly encouraged to carefully read the Offer to Purchase, including materials incorporated by reference therein, because they will contain important information. Requests for the Offer to Purchase and any related supplements may also be directed to D.F. King by telephone at +1 (212) 269-5550 or +1 (800) 714-3310 (US toll free) or in writing at [email protected]. Questions about the Offers may be directed to BMO Capital Markets Corp. by telephone at +1 (212) 702-1840 (collect) or +1 (833) 418-0762 (US toll free), BofA Securities, Inc. by telephone at +1 (646) 855-8988 (collect) or +1 (888) 292-0070 (US toll free), Credit Agricole Securities (USA) Inc. by telephone at +1 (212) 261-7802 (collect) or +1 (866) 807-6030 (US toll free), HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. by telephone at +1 (212) 525-5552 (collect) or +1 (888) HSBC-4LM (US toll free), or J.P. Morgan Securities LLC by telephone at +1 (212) 834-3554 (collect) or +1 (866) 834-4666 (US toll free).

This news release is for informational purposes only and is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell any securities. The Offers are being made only by, and pursuant to the terms of, the Offer to Purchase. The Offers are not being made in any jurisdiction in which the making or acceptance thereof would not be in compliance with the securities, blue sky or other laws of such jurisdiction. In any jurisdiction where the laws require the Offers to be made by a licensed broker or dealer, the Offers will be made by the Dealer Managers on behalf of the Offeror. None of the Offeror, D.F. King, the Dealer Managers or the trustee with respect to the Notes, nor any of their affiliates, makes any recommendation as to whether holders should tender or refrain from tendering all or any portion of their Notes in response to the Offers. None of the Offeror, D.F. King, the Dealer Managers or the trustee with respect to the Notes, nor any of their affiliates, has authorized any person to give any information or to make any representation in connection with the Offers other than the information and representations contained in the Offer to Purchase.

Marcelo Feriozzi Bacci

Executive Vice President, Finance and Investor Relations

For further information, please contact:

[email protected]

Thiago Lofiego: [email protected]

Mariana Rocha: [email protected]

Luciana Oliveti: [email protected]

Pedro Terra: [email protected]

Patricia Tinoco: [email protected]

This press release may include statements that present Vale's expectations about future events or results. All statements, when based upon expectations about the future, involve various risks and uncertainties. Vale cannot guarantee that such statements will prove correct. These risks and uncertainties include factors related to the following: (a) the countries where we operate, especially Brazil and Canada; (b) the global economy; (c) the capital markets; (d) the mining and metals prices and their dependence on global industrial production, which is cyclical by nature; and (e) global competition in the markets in which Vale operates. To obtain further information on factors that may lead to results different from those forecast by Vale, please consult the reports Vale files with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Brazilian Comissao de Valores Mobiliarios (CVM) and in particular the factors discussed under "Forward-Looking Statements" and "Risk Factors" in Vale's annual report on Form 20-F.

SOURCE Vale Overseas Limited
BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- China's national lawmakers on Saturday started deliberating a work report of the Supreme People's Procuratorate.

Procurator-general Ying Yong delivered the report at the second plenary meeting of the third session of the 14th National People's Congress. 
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
Holi is much more than the festival of colors, it is a vibrant celebration of love, renewal, and of course, the triumph of good over evil. Even though the roots of this vibrant festival lies in India, the colors, joy, and celebrations of the festival has casted its spell all around the world. With cities, streets, beaches, and parks getting transformed into colorful playgrounds, Holi has undoubtedly become a global festivity.

Whether celebrating in the traditional ways or embracing new methods with unique twists, the festival united people across the globe. And with the celebrations transcending boundaries, each destination adds its own flair to the celebration. Here are some of the most vibrant and exciting destinations around the world where you can experience the magic of Holi in all its colorful glory.

1. Nepal

Image Source: Envato.com

Nepal is one of the finest places to celebrate Holi after India. Celebrated as Fagu Purnima, the people of Nepal celebrate the arrival of spring with the festival. With all the traditional rituals like the Holika Dahan and Chir Haran, the celebrations here last for almost a week. Families and friends gather in the streets throwing color powder and water balloons at each other, getting completely immersed in the spirit of the festival.

2. USA

Image Source: Envato.com

With a large number of Indian immigrants, almost all Indian festivals are celebrated in the US with much glory and show. In most of the major cities like New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, and Chicago, large-scale Holi events are organized, bringing together diverse communities to celebrate with vibrant colors, music, dance, and traditional Indian delicacies. From events like cruise Holi celebrations to beach parties, holi transforms every place into a joyous hub of celebration. With major international airports like John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, Los Angeles International Airport, and the O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, travelers from around the world can easily join the vibrant and diverse Holi celebrations across the US.

3. United Kingdom

Image Source: Envato.com

Cities like London, Birmingham, Leicester, and Manchester, which boasts a large Indian population are known for the vibrant and grand holi celebrations. Parks, community centers, and temples host holi celebrations here, transforming every corner into lively hubs of colors, music, and joy. Many universities and cultural organizations also organize holi celebrations in the UK, making it an event to promote unity and cultural exchanges.

4. Canada

Image Source: Envato.com

Canada is another country where Holi celebrations are held in full spirit and enthusiasm. With a significant Indian diaspora, major cities like Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, and Montreal host several events during this time. Just like all other places, here also people celebrate the day with colors, dance, music, Indian feasts, and by meeting their loved ones. With convenient international connections through major airports like Toronto Pearson International Airport and Vancouver International Airport, travelers from around the world can easily join these cities for the Holi celebrations.

5. Mauritius

Image Source: Envato.com

Mauritius is the ideal destination for beachside Holi celebrations. With a large Hindu population, the island nation celebrates the festival of colors amidst the charming beauty of its coasts. Here, the locals and tourists come together, filling the air with the holi hues, music, and dance. Many resorts and cultural organizations host special events, especially for tourists, offering the complete essence of the celebration with both traditional rituals and modern beach parties.

6. Australia

Image Source: Envato.com

With its pleasant climate and serene atmosphere, Melbourne is a wonderful destination to get drenched in colors on this Holi. People around the world, from different cultures and traditions, unite here to bring in one of the most vibrant Holi celebrations every year. Other than Melbourne, cities like Sydney, Brisbane, and Perth also hold several events during Holi. Anyone planning to celebrate their Holi in Australia can conveniently fly into the Melbourne Airport, which offers easy access to the festive hotspots.

7. Germany

Image Source: Envato.com

Featuring vibrant color throws, live DJ performances, Bollywood music, and Indian food stalls, Germany is another great destination to celebrate Holi outside of India. Cities like Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, and Hamburg host several open-air events and cultural performances, making holi more colorful and vibrant. This festive atmosphere brings people of different identities together to enjoy the colorful spirit of Holi in a truly global setting.

8. Singapore

Image Source: Envato.com

Singapore is a country that welcomes and celebrates all traditions and festivities. Holi is also celebrated here with much enthusiasm and joy. Several events are organized in areas like Little India, Sentosa Island, and Clarke Quay, where the natives and tourists take part alike. These events feature vibrant color throws, traditional music, dance performances, and delicious Indian cuisine, creating a lively and festive atmosphere that makes them unforgettable for everyone. With Changi Airport serving as a major international hub, it is easy for tourists to arrive here and take part in Singapores joyful Holi celebrations.

9. Trinidad and Tobago

Image Source: Envato.com

Holi is celebrated as Phagwah in the twin island states of Trinidad and Tobago. The celebrations are believed to have reached here through the Hindu migrants from Bihar who reached here around 1845. Natives here celebrate the festival by singing folk songs known as Chowtal, playing instruments like the dholak and majeera, and dancing to the beats. The celebrations showcase the nation's rich Indo-Caribean culture, creating a joyful atmosphere filled with colors, music, and a deep sense of cultural heritage.

10. Malaysia

Image Source: Envato.com

Holi celebrations in Malaysia are often organized by the Indian communities and temples here. Places like Kuala Lumpur, Penang, and Selangor, where there is a large Indian population, host vibrant events like color parties, traditional rituals, and cultural performances. Travelers wishing to take part in these vibrant celebrations can easily access the festivities through Kuala Lumpur International Airport, which offers convenient connections from around the world.

Holi has transcended geographical boundaries, uniting people of different cultures and identities under one roof to celebrate this joyful and vibrant festival. From the serene beaches of Mauritius to the bustling streets of New York, each of these cities blends traditional rituals with their cultures, bringing a unique flair to the celebrations. May every splash of color spread happiness, unity, and love, reminding all of us that the spirit of Holi knows no boundaries.

Holi Greetings
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis addresses the lawmakers at the Greek Parliament in Athens, Greece, March 7, 2025. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)

ATHENS, March 7 (Xinhua) -- A week after the second anniversary of Greece's deadly train collision, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis's government once again withstood a no-confidence vote on Friday.

The vote came after three days of intense debate, with opposition parties fiercely criticizing the government's handling of the 2023 rail disaster. They accused the ruling administration of failing to address systemic issues in the railway sector and of not providing sufficient support to the victims' families.

This marks the second time the government has faced a no-confidence motion over the incident. On March 28, 2024, opposition parties had also filed a similar motion, blaming the government for neglecting to reform the railway system. That motion was also defeated by the majority held by Mitsotakis's New Democracy (ND) party in Parliament.

The tragic collision occurred on Feb. 28, 2023, near Tempi, central Greece, killing 57 people and injuring dozens more. The incident sparked widespread outrage and protests across the country, with public outcry focusing on the government's failure to ensure railway safety and its inadequate disaster response.

Four opposition parties jointly presented the no-confidence motion on Wednesday, accusing the government of mishandling the investigation into the crash and failing to deliver promised reforms. Opposition leaders took turns in Parliament, criticizing the government's lack of accountability and calling for those responsible to be held to full account.

Despite the strong opposition, the ruling ND party used its parliamentary majority to defeat the motion. Out of 300 Members of Parliament (MP), 293 participated in the roll-call vote, with 157 voting against the motion and 136 in favor. All ND members voted in support of the government, while every opposition MP voted in favor of the no-confidence motion.

In his closing remarks, Mitsotakis defended his government's actions, emphasizing measures taken to improve railway safety, such as introducing new technologies, enhancing staff training, and conducting a thorough investigation into the accident's causes. He reassured the public that the government remained committed to implementing reforms to prevent such a tragedy from occurring again.

However, Mitsotakis's speech did little to quell the anger of opposition parties or the public. During the debate, five individuals with accreditation from the Nea Aristera (New Left) party disrupted the session by throwing leaflets and chanting slogans from the gallery.

Since the second anniversary of the tragedy last Friday, large-scale protests have been held across Greece and abroad, demanding accountability from the government and more effective reforms.

Clashes erupted in Athens and Thessaloniki on Friday night, with protesters throwing gasoline bombs and flares outside Parliament during the no-confidence debate, according to local media reports. 

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (R, at podium) addresses the lawmakers at the Greek Parliament in Athens, Greece, March 7, 2025. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)
Jaipur, March 8 : As part of IIFA's Silver Jubilee celebrations, a special event was held on the eve of International Women's Day in Jaipur.

Titled 'The Journey of Women in Cinema', the event featured a thought-provoking conversation with Bollywood icon Madhuri Dixit and Oscar-winning producer Guneet Monga.

The discussion was hosted by IIFA Vice-President Noreen Khan.

During the conversation, Madhuri Dixit shared her thoughts on her personal and professional journey.

She said, "I have lived my life well after marriage. My partner is very supportive, and living with family is like a dream. I have also had the opportunity to play some incredible roles in my career."

Speaking about her choices in films, she reflected on 'Mrityudand', an art film that remains a landmark in her career.

"When I chose to do 'Mrityudand', people discouraged me, saying it wasn't the right move for my career. But I went ahead with it, and the film turned out to be a significant milestone."

On the growing influence of social media, she added, "Today, actors are not just movie stars but also Twitter stars, Instagram stars, and social media influencers. I enjoy creating reels and engaging with my audience in new ways."

Oscar-winning producer Guneet Monga shared her inspiring journey, recalling her early struggles.

We used to live in a rented house, but I always dreamed of moving to Bombay to make films. I aspired to become a producer, and over time, I gradually learned the entire filmmaking process. That journey brought me to where I am today."

She also spoke about her early work in film distribution, managing acclaimed projects such as 'Gangs of Wasseypur' at the age of 27 and 'Lunchbox' at 29.

Madhuri Dixit, reflecting on her 39-year career, shared insights on how women's roles in films have evolved over time.

She highlighted that female characters are no longer just supporting figures but are now central to compelling narratives.

Guneet Monga, on the other hand, spoke about her struggles in the film industry, her journey to winning an Oscar, and the importance of women's leadership.

She emphasised that women's participation in Indian cinema is growing, bringing hope for a more inclusive future.

The discussion focused on the changing role of women, their challenges, and their increasing influence in the film industry.

Both speakers shared personal stories that served as inspiration for the new generation of filmmakers and artists.

IIFA Vice-President Noreen Khan said, "As IIFA completes 25 years, we remain committed to recognising and celebrating women's contributions to cinema and beyond. 'The Journey of Women in Cinema' is not just a discussion but a movement. By sharing stories of courage, creativity, and leadership, we not only honour successful women but also inspire future generations. IIFA will continue to work towards positive change through platforms, events, and collaborations that amplify every voice and empower the collective belief that 'I can bring change'."

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Patna, March 8 : Three women leaders in Bihar politics, who have made their mark with their hard work, struggle and strong leadership, emerged from the last strata of the society and have now become the voice of the downtrodden sections of people.

Their inspirational journey is such that it is needless to say, these women are living examples of women empowerment in the country.

Bhagirathi Devi, a Dalit leader from Bihar, has carved a distinct identity in politics through hard work, struggle, and leadership.

Rising from humble beginnings, she has emerged as a voice for the oppressed, particularly Dalits, Mahadalits, and women facing social injustices.

Born into the Mahadalit (Bhangi) community, which has little political influence in Bihar, Bhagirathi Devi worked as a sanitation worker in the Narkatiaganj Block Office for Rs 800 per month.

But she has another identity to fight for poor labourers and women facing domestic violence. This has led to multiple arrests but she never stepped down and continued her social work.

She entered politics through the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which recognised her grassroots activism. She began her political career in 1980 and was elected as an MLA from Narkatiaganj in West Champaran district in 2000. She was re-elected in 2005 and 2010 from Narkatiaganj.

In 2015 and 2020, she was elected from Ramnagar Assembly constituency after seat delimitation. In 2022, she adopted a rebellious stance and resigned from the BJP. Bhagirathi Devi was the first and only MLA from the Bhangi community in Bihar.

She defeated political veteran Purnamasi Ram (2015) even when Nitish Kumar was part of the Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan).

Advocated for Mahadalit women, Bhagirathi Devi was arrested for the first time in 1991 while protesting under the Mahila Morcha banner. She was also arrested in Samastipur during late veteran BJP leader L.K. Advani's Rath Yatra movement. Due to her extensive social work, Bhagirathi Devi was awarded the Padma Shri in 2019.

Her straightforward, Bhojpuri-speaking style resonates with common people. She also featured in the Bhojpuri film 'Pyaar Mohabbat Zindabad', directed by Vinay Bihari. She inspired countless women and Dalits to enter politics.

Despite facing opposition within her own party and personal challenges, Bhagirathi Devi remains a symbol of resilience and empowerment in Bihar politics.

Munni Devi, the MLC of Rashtriya Janata Dal is another name in the politics of Bihar who emerged right from the grassroots level of the society. Bihar politics has seen the rise of several remarkable women leaders from humble backgrounds, proving that dedication and perseverance can break all barriers.

She is one of them who fought against poverty, discrimination, and social injustices to make their mark in Bihar's political landscape.

Munni Devi, a washerwoman of Bakhtiyarpur in Patna district, belongs to the Rajak community.

She worked as a washerwoman in Patna before entering politics. She had a deep interest in social issues and women's rights from a young age.

Lalu Prasad Yadav noticed her grassroots activism and made her an RJD candidate for MLC in 2022. She continued to work as a washerwoman even after becoming an MLC, showing her deep connection to her roots.

She used the mobile phone for the first time after becoming MLC which highlights her modest background. Due to her humility and commitment, she earned respect across party lines.

"I dedicated my political career to raising the voice of marginalised women for education, social upliftment, and economic stability," Munni Devi said.

Bhagwati Devi, a stone-breaker of Bihar's Gaya district became an MP. She started her career as a stone-breaker to support her family in the Naxal-affected Barachatti area of Gaya district.

She always raised concerns about labour rights and gender equality right from the beginning and inspired many people in her community. Bhagwati Devi was inspired by socialist leaders Upendra Nath Verma and Ram Manohar Lohia.

They recognised her leadership potential and encouraged her to join politics. She contested from Barachatti Assembly constituency in Gaya district in 1969 on a United Socialist Party ticket and won.

She lost the Assembly election in 1972 but returned as an MLA in 1977. In 1980, she lost again and briefly withdrew from politics. In 1995, Lalu Prasad Yadav revived her political career, making her active again. In 1996, she won the Lok Sabha seat from Gaya and entered the Parliament.

Bhagwati Devi remained deeply connected to the poor, living a simple life despite being an MP. She became an inspiration for Dalit women and marginalised labourers across Bihar.

She symbolised true grassroots leadership, advocating for workers' rights and education.

Bhagirathi Devi, Munni Devi and Bhagwati Devi exemplify resilience, courage, and the power of grassroots leadership. Their journey shows that social change begins at the lowest levels, and with determination, anyone can rise to power and bring real change to society.
Patna, March 8 : After a nine-year gap, the much-awaited Valmiki Mahotsav is set to return with grandeur on Saturday in Bihar's Valmiki Nagar, located on the India-Nepal border.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will arrive in Valmiki Nagar by helicopter in the evening to formally inaugurate the festival.

District Magistrate (DM) of West Champaran, Dinesh Kumar Rai, confirmed the CM's participation and said that all preparations have been completed.

The festival will feature cultural programs from 3 to 9 p.m., showcasing performances by local artists, Bhojpuri celebrities, and other renowned performers.

Valmiki Nagar, often referred to as the "Kashmir of Bihar", is known for its spiritual and natural beauty, associated with Maharishi Valmiki, the author of Ramayana.

The festival was previously celebrated in 2014 and 2016, but due to various reasons, including the Covid-19 pandemic, it could not be held. Now, after nine years, the grand celebration is making a comeback.

The event will take place at the playground of River Valley Higher Secondary School.

During the Mahotsav, performances by Tharuhat and regional artists and special acts by famous Bhojpuri artists will take place here.

CM Nitish Kumar will land at Valmiki Nagar Airport and proceed to the event venue on Saturday evening.

DM Dinesh Kumar Rai has personally inspected the airport and festival venue to ensure smooth preparations.

"The festival coincides with International Women's Day (March 8), adding a special significance to the event. CM Nitish Kumar has always admired the scenic beauty of Valmiki Nagar, making it one of his favourite destinations alongside Rajgir," Rai said.

After nearly a decade, Valmiki Mahotsav, Bihar's heritage and art will get a grand platform.

The event will highlight Valmiki Nagar's potential as a major tourist attraction.

With the 2025 Bihar Assembly Elections approaching, this event also serves as a political outreach opportunity as well.

The people of Valmiki Nagar and West Champaran are expecting special announcements from the Bihar CM during the event.
Kolkata, March 8 : Amid prevailing and continuing tension in West Bengal's Jadavpur University (JU) over the ruckus within the university premises on March 1, a single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court, on Friday, has barred any kind of political rally in the locality in the vicinity of the varsity campus till March 13 without prior permission of the court.

However, the single-judge bench of Justice Tirthankar Ghosh has given conditional clearance to a pre-scheduled rally by a BJP-affiliated students' body on Sunday which will be led by the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari.

As per the directive of the single-judge bench, not more 750 individuals will be able to participate in the rally and the end point of the rally will 100 years away from the boundary wall of the Jadavpur University.

On the restrictions imposed on Sunday's rally, Justice Ghosh observed that it is not a students' programme in the true sense of it and the factor of the security aspects of the LoP will have to be kept in mind.

The court has also fixed the rally time between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Sunday.

Justice Ghosh also directed the police administration to ensure that no permission for rally is given to any political outfit during the period fixed by the court.

The ruckus broke out within the Jadavpur University campus on Saturday when the State Education Minister Bratya Basu'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 protesting students alleged that while Basu decided to leave the campus in the face of the protests, his vehicle deliberately hit two agitating students, following which they were severely injured and had to be hospitalised.

Amid the protests, the Minister received minor injuries and fell sick. He was taken to the state-run S.S.K.M. Medical College and Hospital and was discharged later.
Bengaluru, March 8 : Union Minister for Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs, Pralhad Joshi, has criticised the state Budget presented by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, stating that it has driven the state's debt close to Rs 8 lakh crore and is primarily focused on appeasing minorities.

Addressing the media in Bengaluru on Friday, Union Minister Joshi remarked that while CM Siddaramaiah has presented a Rs 4.09 lakh crore Budget, it lacks substance.

"A Budget should ensure the welfare of all sections of society and balanced development across all regions. However, this Budget is solely aimed at appeasement," he said.

Union Minister Joshi accused the Chief Minister of failing to present a Budget that ensures balanced development.

"Karnataka, which was financially strong, has now been pushed into a debt trap. The state's debt has increased from Rs 24,974 crore to Rs 26,474 crore," he alleged.

According to Union Minister Joshi, the state Budget has a revenue deficit of Rs 19,262 crore and a financial burden of Rs 7.64 lakh crore.

With the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) standing at 24.91 per cent, he expressed concerns that Karnataka will soon breach the 25 per cent fiscal deficit limit set by the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act.

The Union Minister criticised the state Budget for lacking any concrete proposals to drive Karnataka's economic growth.

"The Chief Minister constantly depends on the Central government for everything instead of focusing on the state's comprehensive development. The Budget completely fails to lay strong financial foundations for Karnataka's progress," he said.

Union Minister Joshi added that Karnataka's total debt is nearing Rs 8 lakh crore, amounting to 23 per cent of the state's GDP, which he termed as "alarming".

He also said that the revenue expenditure is Rs 3,11,400 crore, while the capital expenditure stands at Rs 76,400 crore, with no proper fiscal discipline in place to manage the deficit.

The Union Minister also criticised the state Budget for neglecting infrastructure development, calling it a major setback for the state's economic growth.

"Only 14 per cent of the Budget has been allocated to agriculture and rural development, 10 per cent to education, and merely five per cent to healthcare. This Budget does not address the needs of the common people," he said.

"A state's infrastructure is key to attracting investments. However, in his 16th budget, CM Siddaramaiah has completely ignored this sector, making the state Budget highly disappointing," he concluded.

Taking to social media X, Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel, H.D. Kumaraswamy, opined that, "Favouritism for a few and disregard for the majority! This is the true face of the Congress-led Karnataka government's budget -- appeasement over development."

Former Chief Minister and BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai criticised the 2025-26 state Budget presented by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and said that it lacks measures for economic reform and empowerment.

He called it an "anti-people" and "disappointing" Budget that imposes a financial burden on the public.

In a press statement here on Friday, Bommai said that there was a significant gap between last year's Budget promises and actual implementation.

While last year's Budget projected a total revenue of Rs 3,68,674 crore, the current Budget estimates it at Rs 3,58,657 crore --indicating a shortfall of Rs 10,000 crore, he added.

Similarly, the total expenditure was projected at Rs 3,71,383 crore last year but has now been reduced to Rs 3,65,865 crore, with capital expenditure declining as well. This has hindered the state's 2024-25 growth rate, he said.

Bommai said the state Budget shows a fiscal deficit of 2.95 per cent, but in reality, it will exceed three per cent of the state's GSDP.

"The figures were merely adjusted to appear favorable. Additionally, the state's total debt has now reached Rs 7,64,655 crore, which amounts to nearly 25 per cent of the GSDP, indicating an impending financial crisis," he added.

The former CM also criticised the reduction in allocations for education (by two per cent) and women and child development (by one per cent).

He expressed disappointment that no special funds were allocated for irrigation, rural development, and agriculture, calling it an "anti-farmer" Budget.

Condemning the state Budget for failing to address regional imbalances, Bommai said that the Rs 5,000 crore allocated to the KKRDB (Kittur Karnataka Region Development Board) was inadequate, especially since last year's allocated funds were not fully utilised.

Besides, the state government has not announced any special financial aid for the development of Kittur Karnataka and termed it a major disappointment for the people of the region, the BJP leader added.

Bommai has criticised the state Budget, stating that it does nothing to address the regional disparities in north Karnataka and is largely limited to the Bengaluru-Mysuru region.

Calling the budget "anti-people" and "anti-development", he said that no new schemes have been introduced to reduce regional imbalances.

"Last year too, Rs 5,000 crore was allocated for Kalyana Karnataka, and the same amount has been allocated this year, but the funds remain unspent. Meanwhile, Kittur Karnataka has received zero allocation. This Budget is entirely focused on the Bengaluru-Mysuru region," he alleged.
Patna, March 8 : A fresh political storm erupted in Bihar after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar allegedly used objectionable remarks against former CM Rabri Devi in the Legislative Council.

Leader of Opposition in the Assembly and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader (RJD), Tejashwi Yadav, condemned Nitish Kumar's remarks, calling them a sign of his "deteriorating health" and inability to govern Bihar.

"Rabri Devi was the first woman CM of Bihar. She is older than Nitish Kumar in both age and relation. The way he is talking about women shows that his health is deteriorating and he is unfit to govern," Yadav said.

"Nitish Kumar is constantly using indecent language for women. His mental health is questionable, and he is losing control. The CM position has prestige, but Nitish Kumar is disrespecting it with such language," he added.

RJD MLC Sunil Singh also hit back at Nitish Kumar.

"Nitish Kumar has insulted women before too. Today, he disrespected Bihar's first woman CM, Rabri Devi. If he can't even remember Lalu Prasad Yadav's name, it seems he is suffering from a serious disease of forgetfulness," Singh said.

On Friday, the Bihar Assembly and State Legislative Council had given priority to the women legislatures to ask the question a day before the International Women's Day.

RJD MLC Urmila Thakur questioned the government about a girls' high school that has not been established in Garahra village in Begusarai district.

She said that the nearby girls' high school is four to five km away from the village in Barauni city and hence they are unable to go to school.

Hearing this, Nitish Kumar responded aggressively, saying: "They do not know anything. When her (Rabri Devi) husband drowned (went to jail in the fodder scam), he made his wife CM. What has she done for women during her tenure? All the work for women was done by our government."

He also claimed the education system had collapsed under RJD rule.

Women were not encouraged to study before his government, CM Nitish Kumar said.

This controversy could damage Nitish Kumar's image among women voters.

RJD is using this as political weapon to show that CM Nitish Kumar is losing his grip on governance.
Indore, March 8 : The 16th Finance Commission of India led by Arvind Pangariya, which is in Madhya Pradesh to assess the state's financial requirement, on Friday, held discussion with representatives of industry and trade organisations in Indore.

During the meeting organised at Export Bhawan in Pithampur industrial area, the representatives of industrial units discussed issues related to industrial development and economic cooperation.

Representatives from industrial organisations presented several suggestions, including establishment of an air cargo hub, skill development centres for women's empowerment, data centres, and multimodal logistics parks.

The members highlighted the necessity for more support from the Central government for Madhya Pradesh, considering it is a tribal and forested area, and advocated for the promotion of the agriculture and healthcare sectors.

During the meeting, Dhar District Collector Priyank Mishra provided information on the geographical and social features of the district and explained how the government is working towards industrial development in the region.

Before this, the Commission held meetings with the representatives of rural and urban bodies, Madhya Pradesh Cabinet and political representatives since March 5 in Bhopal.

The Commission, led by Chairperson Arvind Pangariya, along with its four members, is on a visit to Madhya Pradesh to assess the finance assistance from the Centre through the tax devolution system.

"As the Commission is tasked to engage with the representatives of states to assess the financial requirement and to make recommendations accordingly before the Centre for the tax devolution, as of now no decision has been taken. The Madhya Pradesh government's demands would be presented by the Centre," Pangariya said after meeting with the state government in Bhopal on Thursday.
Jabalpur, March 8 : Two kidneys harvested from a brain-dead man at a government-run hospital, were transported through a green corridor in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur on Friday.

One kidney was transported to Bombay Hospital in Indore, around 500 km away from Jabalpur, while another one at Baderiya Metro hospital within the city to give a new lease of life to the persons who were in need.

A man identified as Puran Choudhary was met with a road accident and received grievous head injuries.

He was admitted at Jabalpur Medical College and succumbed to his injuries during treatment.

A team of neurosurgeons of Jabalpur district hospital, during operation have found that Choudhary's brain was dead due to heavy stroke.

"A team of doctors from Jabalpur Medical College met the family members of the deceased person and encouraged them for organ donation to give a new lease of life to the persons in need. His Family members agreed," said Jabalpur district administration.

"Upon receiving information, Jabalpur District Collector Deepak Saxena order to setup a green corridor to ensure safe transportation of kidneys. The last rites of the deceased person, was performed with state honour in his village," it added.

Madhya Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla appreciated Jabalpur district administration, police and doctors for collective efforts for setting an example of service to the people.

"Puran Choudhary's family have given new lease of life for persons by donating kidneys. Their step will encourage more people for organ donation. The Madhya Pradesh government appreciates district administration and doctors for exemplary service to the people," Shukla, who also holds the portfolio of State Health Minister, said.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on January 26 had said the state government would give state of honour to those who would donate organs.

He had also said that a provision would be made to facilitate them (organ donators) with a posthumous award on national festivals.
Tehran, March 8 : The Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned British Ambassador to Tehran Hugo Shorter over the anti-Iran positions recently adopted by his country's senior officials.

In a statement released on Friday, the ministry said the British envoy was summoned to protest against senior British officials' "baseless claims" about Iran and their accusations that Tehran "seeks to interfere in Britain's internal affairs."

At the meeting, Alireza Yousefi, assistant foreign minister and the ministry's director general for Western Europe, stressed that the British officials' "biased positions and baseless claims" against Iran were "in contradiction with the international law principles and regulations as well as the diplomatic norms," and would increase the Iranian people's distrust of Britain's policies towards their country and the West Asia region.

He called on the British government to reconsider and revise its "unconstructive" approaches towards the Iranian nation.

The British ambassador said he would convey Iran's protest to his government, reports Xinhua news agency.

In an address on Tuesday to Britain's parliament, British Security Minister Dan Jarvis said he "will place the whole of the Iranian state, including its intelligence services, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps and Ministry of Intelligence," into the enhanced tier of the upcoming Foreign Influence Registration Scheme, which is designed to protect Britain against covert foreign influence.

He claimed that direct action by Iran against targets in Britain "has substantially increased over recent years," adding Iran's establishment was "targeting dissidents, media organisations and journalists."

In a statement on Wednesday, Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei rejected the claims as "baseless" and called on Britain to stop its "unconstructive" approaches towards Iran and the West Asia region.
Mumbai, March 8 : Actress Taapsee Pannu shared a glimpse of her "celebrating choices," which captured the essence of making bold, unapologetic decisions.

Mumbai, March 8 (IANS) Actress Taapsee Pannu shared a glimpse of her "celebrating choices," which captured the essence of making bold, unapologetic decisions.

Taapsee took to her Instagram, where she dropped a string of images of herself. The first was of the actress dressed in a black mesh outfit posing for the camera on a teal coloured couch.

Another image showed the actress looking outside the window with the sunlight softly hitting her skin adding an extra golden glow. The third and fourth photograph was a closeup of the "Rashmi Rocket" star.

The last was an adorable picture, where the actress, who kept her curly hair open, could be seen flashing a toothy smile while looking away from the camera.

"An evening of celebrating choice." she wrote as the caption.

The actress had previously talked about breaking barriers and exploring a world beyond limits to discover new possibilities on the photo-sharing website.

She wrote: "When the box broke n you realised there is a world outside n beyond"

The actress will next be seen in the actioner "Gandhari", where she will be seen doing her own stunts. The writer-producer Kanika Dhillon appreciated Taapsee for acing the action sequences flawlessly.

"'Gandhari' promises a riveting storyline filled with relentless determination and intense personal stakes, set against the backdrop of gripping mystery and high-powered action. Audiences will see Taapsee Pannu as a fierce mom on a mission," reads the plot description from streaming giant Netflix,reports variety.com.

"Gandhari", which also stars Ishwak Singh marks Kanika Dhillon and Taapsee's sixth collaboration after back-to-back success with "Manmarziyaan", "Haseen Dilruba", "Phir Aayi Hasseen Dilruba" and many more.

"Gandhari" is the second project under Kanika Dhillon 's banner Kathha Pictures post the success of mystery drama "Do Patti" and for this action drama the ace producer has roped in highly acclaimed director Devashish Makhija known for his movies like "Bhonsle", "Joram" and others.

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
ANKARA, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Turkiye has significantly increased its domestic oil production, reaching a daily output of 132,000 barrels as of March, Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar told the semi-official Anadolu Agency on Saturday.

The Turkish minister announced plans to drill 153 new oil wells, primarily in the Gabar region of southern Sirnak province, eastern Van province, and southern Diyarbakir province, along with the areas near the Turkiye-Syria border.

He said the Gabar oil field, discovered in 2021 and recognized as the largest oil find in Turkiye's history, has significantly contributed to the national economy, noting that the regional production now adds 2 billion U.S. dollars annually to the country's economy.

When elaborating on work to enhance Turkiye's natural gas production, the minister said that 7 million cubic meters of natural gas is produced daily from the Sakarya Gas Field in the Black Sea, enough to meet the needs of approximately 3 million households.

According to the minister, Turkiye plans to invest 259 billion Turkish lira (approximately 7.11 billion dollars) in the energy sector under the "2025 Investment Program."

For the program, 140.7 billion lira (approximately 3.87 billion dollars) will be allocated to oil and natural gas exploration and production, and 45.8 billion lira (nearly 1.26 billion dollars) will be used to improve natural gas storage and transmission infrastructure, the minister explained. 
New Delhi, March 8 : On the occasion of International Women's Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his greetings to 'Nari Shakti' and started a unique initiative where his social media platforms would be taken over by women, making significant contributions in various fields.

Taking to X, PM Modi posted, "We bow to our Nari Shakti on Women's Day! Our Government has always worked for empowering women, reflecting in our schemes and programmes."

"Today, as promised, my social media properties will be taken over by women who are making a mark in diverse fields!" he further added.

In a shared video message, the Prime Minister emphasised that in India's traditions, the highest regard has always been given to women's respect and dignity.

He highlighted that nations and communities that provide women with greater opportunities for growth will progress at an unprecedented pace.

"In India, today there is a period of women-led development," he stated, adding that government policies and laws are now being designed with a special focus on benefiting women.

He also asserted that the country's 'Nari Shakti' is the strongest pillar of India's vision for a 'Viksit Bharat' (Developed India).

The social media initiative was first announced by PM Modi last month during his 'Mann Ki Baat' address, where he revealed his plan to hand over his social media accounts to inspiring women across the country.

The initiative aims to provide them with a platform to share their stories, achievements, and experiences, encouraging more women to step forward and contribute to nation-building. He also called upon women from all walks of life to participate in this special initiative.

PM Modi further acknowledged that International Women's Day is a momentous occasion to celebrate India's 'Nari Shakti' and recognise their invaluable role in shaping the nation's past, present, and future.

"Respect for daughters has always been a top priority in our culture. Women's power has played an essential role in the Independence movement and in drafting our Constitution," he remarked.

In addition to this digital initiative, the Prime Minister is also in Gujarat's Navsari to mark International Women's Day with 'Lakhpati Didis.'

He will attend the 'Lakhpati Didi Sammelan' at Vansi-Borsi, where he will distribute over Rs 450 crore in financial aid to more than 2.5 lakh women from over 25,000 Self-Help Groups across the state.

During the event, PM Modi will interact with ten selected Lakhpati Didis and honour five of them with certificates, further reinforcing the government's commitment to empowering women economically.
Washington, March 8 : US President Donald Trump has mentioned Taiwan and South Korea, as he argued that the United States lost semiconductor business to foreign countries.

During a press availability at the White House, Trump also renewed his criticism of the CHIPS and Science Act, calling it a "tremendous waste of money." The act was signed by his predecessor Joe Biden in 2022 to boost domestic chip manufacturing through incentives.

"We gradually lost the chip business, and now it's almost exclusively in Taiwan. They stole it from us. They took it from us," he said, underscoring that the business was once dominated by an American entrepreneur -- the late Andrew Grove, former CEO of Intel, reports Yonhap news agency.

He added, "We had the chip business, and now it's all in Taiwan, almost exclusive ... a little in South Korea, but mostly in Taiwan."

The president took a swipe at former presidents who he said allowed the loss of the crucial business to happen.

"I don't blame (Taiwan). I give them credit. I blame the people that were sitting in this seat," he said, "We could have protected that so easily."

His remarks came although Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. has agreed to invest US$100 billion to build advanced chip producing facilities in the United States. The plan is in addition to the Taiwanese tech titan's current $65 billion investment in Arizona.

Trump doubled down on his denunciation of the CHIPS Act. During a congressional address on Tuesday, Trump called for the removal of the act.

"It's hundreds of billions of dollars, and it's just a waste of money," he said.

He claimed that it is hard to qualify to receive subsidies under the act.

"Because they go by race, they go by gender, they go by all sorts of things. Nobody's ever seen anything like it," he said.

He went on to say that although he did not give foreign companies "10 cents," they came "because of tariffs."

"Because they didn't want to pay the tariffs. And they also came because they like the results of the election, because they know that I'm very pro-business and pro-jobs."

Trump's remark on the CHIPS Act has drawn keen attention in South Korea, as under the act, the previous Biden administration agreed to provide grants to two South Korean tech firms, Samsung Electronics Co. and SK hynix, to support their chipmaking investments in the U.S.

a"IANS

na/
New Delhi, March 8 : President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday extended their best wishes on the occasion of International Women's Day, praising the achievements and contributions of women across various sectors.

Taking to X, President Murmu wrote, "Greetings to all on International Women's Day! Today, we celebrate the achievements and contributions of women. We also resolve to make concerted efforts to strengthen the cause of women's rights, equality, and empowerment. Our sisters and daughters are breaking glass ceilings and pushing boundaries."

The President further emphasised the need for collective efforts to support women's growth.

"Let us pledge to support women in their journey, ensuring that no one is left behind as they carve new paths in various fields. Together, we can create a gender-equal world where women and girls can pursue their dreams without fear," she added.

Vice President Dhankhar also took to X to convey his message. "Greetings on International Women's Day! Women are the backbone of our society, driving transformative change with their resilience, dedication, and leadership," he wrote.

Highlighting the importance of women-led development, he added, "A truly empowered society is one where women are at the forefront of growth and decision-making. Let us ever remember that women-led development is a fundamental necessity for Viksit Bharat."

He concluded by urging everyone to "work together to create an inclusive, equitable, and progressive future for women."

In addition to their messages, President Murmu is scheduled to inaugurate a national-level conference at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi under the theme 'Nari Shakti Se Viksit Bharat'.

A mega campaign titled 'She Builds Bharat' will also be launched as part of the celebrations. The event will witness the participation of women officers from the armed forces, paramilitary forces, and Delhi Police, alongside MY Bharat volunteers, Anganwadi workers, ASHA workers, and Self-Help Group members.

Lady officers from various ministries and departments have been invited to join the event, which will also host representatives from international organisations such as the World Bank, UNICEF, UN Women, UNDP, and UNFPA, according to the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
New Delhi, March 8 : Tech giant Google on Saturday dedicated a special doodle to honour visionary females in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) on the occasion of International Women's Day 2025.

International Women's Day is marked annually on March 8 to raise awareness of the issues impacting women all over the world.

The theme this year is "For all women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment". March 8 was first recognised by the United Nations in 1975 to highlight how important women's contributions have been all around the world.

The doodle celebrates the contributions of countless women in space exploration, ancient discoveries, and lab research, as well as how they shaped the world throughout history.

"With our Doodle, we honor visionary women in STEM fields," Google said in a blog post.

"The Doodle artwork spotlights groundbreaking contributions by women who revolutionised space exploration, uncovered ancient discoveries, and pioneered lab research that fundamentally shaped our understanding of physics, chemistry, and biology," the global tech giant added.

Google highlighted that "these achievements represent just a small fraction of women's contributions to science". Despite global advancements, women continue to remain underrepresented in STEM, making up just 29 per cent of the global STEM workforce.

"Their work represents the ongoing progress towards gender equality, yet STEM remains one of the areas where significant gaps still persist," Google said. However, the progress continues as more women across the globe are breaking barriers, challenging stereotypes, and inspiring the next generation to pursue careers in science and technology.

"International Women's Day serves as a powerful reminder: the achievements of women have shaped our world throughout history. And it is because of their collective brilliance that we are able to experience the wonders of the modern world," Google said.

Happy International Women's Day 2025!
Chennai, Mar 8 : Actress Divya Spandana, who is also a former Member of Parliament and a film producer, has welcomed the Karnataka government's decision to cap the prices of movie tickets at Rs 200, across the state.

Taking to her X timeline to express her appreciation for move by the government, Divya Spandana, quoting an article by a leading daily, wrote, "Commendable move by the Karnataka Government to help revive the Kannada film industry. In the start of 2025, 75 odd films released and none have done well- various reasons, one of them being how expensive a movie experience has become for the common man (tickets at 1000, popcorn) tickets capped at Rs 200 will hopefully bring back the Kannada cinema goer to the theatres."

The actress also expressed her appreciation for the government's decision to launch a state run-OTT platform to promote Kannada cinema.

She wrote, "OTT platforms are biased towards other languages and do not buy Kannada films and a state run govt platform is another great step! @siddaramaiah"

It may be recalled that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had, during the course of presenting the budget, announced a number of moves to help the Kannada film industry. Capping the prices of tickets across the state and the launch of a state run OTT platform were just two of them.

One other notable move was granting the 'industry' status to the Kannada film sector which can now enjoy benefits available to sectors under the Industrial Policy.

Meanwhile, rumours doing the rounds in the film industry suggest that Divya Spandana is likely to make a comeback to acting. She was last seen playing the lead in Kodi Ramakrishna's 'Nagarahavu'. Although she played a cameo in Hostel Hudugaru Bekagiddare, she has not taken up any lead role. Now, reports doing the rounds in the industry suggest that she is likely to play the lead in a film by director Yogaraj Bhat. However, there has been no official confirmation in this regard so far.

--IANS

Mkr/

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
New Delhi, March 8 : More than 1 lakh livestock women farmers have been given information about various zoonotic diseases, on the eve of International Women's Day, said the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying on Saturday.

The women were imparted knowledge, via a virtual programme, on clean milk production, and the role of ethnoveterinary medicines in disease prevention by experts and veterinarians.

"Women play a significant role in Dairy cooperative societies (DCS)," said Alka Upadhyaya, Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, while chairing the virtual session.

"The perseverance of women dairy farmers has been remarkable who have been able to organise themselves via Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), Community Linked Farmers (CLFs), and Self-Help Groups (SHGs) where Dairy Cooperative Societies (DCS) were not present," Upadhyaya added.

"While contribution of women to the dairy sector is enormous, they should also focus on availing benefits of central government schemes in the sector," she said, stating that schemes for goat and sheep rearing can help women farmers in getting good returns at low cost.

Citing example of the Covid pandemic, she stated that there is a need to focus on preventing zoonotic dieseases to prevent animal human disease tranmission and loss of productivity.

The virtual session was attended by women across 21 States and UTs. Around 2,050 camps were organised by Village level Entrepreneurs (VLEs).

"Women farmers must focus on the link between animal husbandry practices and public health," said Varsha Joshi, additional secretary, DAHD.

She emphasised the need for hygienic, sustainable practices in the sector and discussed the significance of clean milk production and taking biosecurity measures to prevent the transmission of diseases from animals to humans.

Recently, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the revision of the Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme (LHDCP) with a total outlay of Rs.3,880 crore.

The scheme consists of two components namely National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP), LH&DC; and Pashu Aushadhi has been added to the list.

It is aimed to boost the productivity of the livestock, which is impacted adversely due to diseases like foot and mouth disease (FMD), brucellosis, peste des petits ruminants (PPR), cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), lumpy skin disease, among others.
Chennai, Mar 8 : Actor Sundeep Kishan, whose camaraderie and onscreen chemistry with veteran actor Rao Ramesh in his most recent film 'Mazaka' have come in for praise, says that working with the gifted comedian "was both exciting and challenging." Chennai, Mar 8 (IANS) Actor Sundeep Kishan, whose camaraderie and onscreen chemistry with veteran actor Rao Ramesh in his most recent film 'Mazaka' have come in for praise, says that working with the gifted comedian "was both exciting and challenging."

Sundeep Kishan's latest film, 'Mazaka', has been winning hearts, and one of the highlights of the movie is his dynamic on-screen chemistry with veteran actor Rao Ramesh. The duo's comedic timing and effortless camaraderie have left audiences entertained, adding an extra layer of fun to the film.

Talking about his experience working with Rao Ramesh, Sundeep shared, "Rao Ramesh is an incredible actor, and working with him in a comedy film was both exciting and challenging. His spontaneity and on-the-spot improvisations kept everyone on their toes. Luckily, comedy is one of my strengths. So, I was able to keep up with his energy effortlessly. After a long time, I've done a full-fledged comedy film, and I'm confident the audience will thoroughly enjoy it!"

With 'Mazaka' marking Sundeep's return to the comedy genre, his effortless screen presence and rapport with Rao Ramesh have become a major talking point among fans.

His ability to switch between humour and emotion seamlessly has further solidified his place as one of the most versatile actors in the industry. As the film continues to entertain audiences, their comic duo remains one of its biggest highlights.

Meanwhile, Sundeep is gearing up for his next big-screen outing alongside Sanjay Jason, the son of well known Tamil film actor and politician Vijay. Interestingly, Sanjay Jason, who has studied film production at the Toronto Film Film School and screenwriting in London, will be making his debut as director with this film.

On the OTT front, Sundeep Kishen will be seen in one of the most anticipated web series, 'The Family Man Season 3'. He will also be seen in 'Super Subbu', which is set to bring another intriguing character to life.

--IANS

Mkr/
Chennai, March 8 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is continuing its raids for the third-consecutive day at the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) headquarters and various liquor contractors' offices in Chennai.

Chennai, March 8 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is continuing its raids for the third-consecutive day at the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) headquarters and various liquor contractorsa offices in Chennai.

TASMAC, a state-run corporation, is the sole distributor of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) in Tamil Nadu.

The ED officials have been conducting searches at the TASMAC headquarters, located in the Thalamuthu Natarajan Building, Egmore, along with the premises of major liquor contractors in the city.

Sources within the agency confirmed that raids are also underway at liquor companies owned by DMK leader Jagathrakshakan.

Additionally, the ED is searching the headquarters of SNJ Distilleries on Greams Road, Thousand Lights, and Akkadu Distillersa offices in T Nagar.

Simultaneously, officials have been carrying out searches for the third day at the residence of an MGM liquor contractor on Radha Krishnan Salai.

Similar raids are taking place in Coimbatore at Shiva Distillery in Narasimhanaickenpalayam.

According to sources, these searches are connected to alleged financial irregularities within TASMAC.

The ED has been targeting multiple locations linked to Tamil Nadu Minister V. Senthil Balaji, government contractors, and other related entities.

On March 6, a team of around 20 ED officials arrived in Karur in five vehicles to conduct searches at several locations, including the residences of Mani, owner of Kongu Mess, in Rayanur, Sakthivel, owner of Sakthi Mess, in Gothai Nagar, Athur Branch Road, MCS Sankar, a PWD contractor and a close associate of Senthil Balaji, in Palaniappan Nagar.

It is worth noting that Senthil Balaji was arrested by the ED on June 14, 2023, in connection with a money laundering case linked to an alleged cash-for-jobs scam that took place during his tenure as Transport Minister in the AIADMK government.

Following his arrest, Balaji switched allegiance to the DMK and was appointed Minister for Electricity and Prohibition.

On August 12, 2023, the ED filed a 3,000-page charge sheet against him, accusing him of misusing his official position for personal financial gain.

The charge sheet alleged that Balaji directly obtained illicit funds from criminal activities related to the scam.

The agency claimed that Balaji orchestrated the scam in collusion with his brother R.V. Ashok Kumar, his personal aides, and officials from the Transport Department.

Investigations revealed that despite his denial of ties with aides Shanmugam and Karthikeyan, both had been operating under his direct instructions.

Furthermore, the ED alleged that the scam involved money laundering through layering and integration into the formal economy via cash deposits and third-party associates.

Balajias multiple bail pleas were dismissed by lower courts and the High Court.

However, on September 26, 2024, after spending over a year in jail, he was finally granted bail by the Supreme Court of India.

a"IANS

aal/rad
Kolkata, March 8 : The Kolkata Police have summoned CPI(M)'s youth leader and former state secretary of the Students' Federation of India (SFI), Srijan Bhattacharya, for interrogation regarding the March 1 ruckus at Jadavpur University.

The incident left two students severely injured and hospitalised after they were allegedly and deliberately hit by the vehicle of West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu.

Bhattacharya has been asked to appear at the Jadavpur Police Station on Saturday evening with all available video footage and photographs related to the incident.

Earlier, while addressing the media, he had presented some pictures and video clips to support SFIas claim that the students were injured after being hit by the Ministeras car.

Confirming the police summons, Bhattacharya stated that he would fully cooperate with the investigation.

However, he asserted that he was not present at Jadavpur University on the day of the incident and had only collected photos and videos from social media.

"I will hand over copies of the footage to the investigating officials. But I feel this summons is an attempt to exert political pressure, as the accused persons from the other side have not been questioned even once," he told reporters on Saturday morning.

Meanwhile, Indranuj Roy, the first-year Jadavpur University student who was seriously injured in the incident, is expected to be discharged from the hospital later in the day.

The clash erupted on March 1 when the Minister's vehicle entered the university campus and was allegedly stopped by protesting students demanding immediate elections for the studentsa council.

A scuffle followed, and the agitating students claimed that Basu's vehicle deliberately hit two of them, leading to serious injuries.

Amid the chaos, the Minister also sustained minor injuries and fell ill. He was taken to the state-run S.S.K.M. Medical College & Hospital and discharged later.
New Delhi, March 8 : As part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's unique initiative to empower women achievers, Anita Devi, a resident of Anantapur village in Bihar's Nalanda district, took over his social media account to share her inspiring journey towards self-reliance through mushroom farming.

Anita Devi, who founded the Madhopur Farmers Producer Company Limited in 2016, recalled that her entrepreneurial journey began at a time when the "craze for startups had increased significantly."

Sharing her story on PM Modi's X account, Anita wrote, "Today, I am working to take my family forward through mushroom production. I have not only made my path easier but have also enabled hundreds of women to become self-reliant by providing them with employment opportunities.

"Now, my company also supplies essential farming items like fertilisers, seeds, and pesticides to farmers at affordable rates. The women working with my company are now earning a livelihood with dignity."

She credited the Bihar government's Jeevika Project and the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) for providing her with training in mushroom production, which played a pivotal role in her success.

"My inspiration is to make women 'Atma Nirbhar' (self-reliant). After my training, I helped connect hundreds of women with mushroom farming. Now, my dream is for every woman in my village to stand on her own feet. Following the government's recent announcement of establishing a Makhana Board, I am now exploring opportunities in Makhana production as well," Anita added.

Expressing her pride in empowering other women, Anita Devi wrote, "My greatest joy is seeing the women I work with become self-reliant. I believe that economic independence is key to strengthening women's dignity and social status. When these women achieve something meaningful for their families, it brings me immense satisfaction."

Encouraging women across the country to pursue self-reliance, she added, "If I can achieve this, anyone can. My message to all sisters is to believe in themselves, become self-reliant, and work towards changing their lives and those of their families. If you move forward with dedication and hard work, no power in the world can stop you."

This initiative, announced by PM Modi during his 'Mann Ki Baat' address last month, aims to provide inspiring women with a platform to share their achievements and experiences.

The Prime Minister had encouraged women from diverse backgrounds to participate in this special initiative, reinforcing the importance of their role in nation-building.
BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- China intensified its crackdown on telecom fraud crimes in 2024 as 78,000 people were prosecuted, representing a 53.9 percent rise over the previous year, said a work report of the Supreme People's Procuratorate.

The top procuratorate has worked with the top court and police authorities to formulate guidelines on handling cross-border telecom fraud crimes, said the report submitted Saturday to the annual national legislature session for deliberation.

In one case mentioned in the report, the top procuratorate said it gave instructions to Zhejiang prosecutors on a case involving 39 members of Myanmar-based criminal groups targeting Chinese nationals. 
Mumbai, March 8 : Actor and businessman Raj Kundra, who is also the husband of actress Shilpa Shetty, is celebrating his wife and her efforts on the International Women's Day.

Recently, Raj seized the moment to shower his wife with heartfelt appreciation. He took to his social media, and shared a touching video featuring special moments with his "lady luck". A poignant piece of poetry added depth to the post as it beautifully conveyed his love for her and the profound role she plays in his life.

The poetry, penned by one of Punjab's most celebrated poets, Sony Singh Thulewal, resonated deeply with Raj's emotions. Raj consistently sets the bar high when it comes to husband and family goals, whether it's spending quality time with his kids or making special moments with Shilpa Shetty.

Meanwhile, on the professional front, Raj Kundra recently announced his Punjabi theatrical debut, 'Mehr'. The actor has already begun shooting for the Rakesh Mehta directorial in Mohali, where he will be seen sharing screen space with Geeta Basra.

'Mehr' promises to be a compelling story of love, life, and relationships, with a theatrical release slated for September 5. Additionally, Raj has two more projects in the pipeline, set to be announced soon. With a total of three upcoming films, he is poised to make a significant impact on the evolving landscape of Punjabi cinema.

Earlier, Shilpa joined the 'Taambdi Chaamdi' trend by posting a fun reel on the popular Marathi song 'Taambdi Chaamdi'. In the video, she was dressed in a vibrant outfit and showcasing her signature dance moves. The Reel quickly drew attention not only from fans but also from her husband, businessman Raj Kundra, who couldn't resist adding a playful comment under the post. He asked, "All okay?" sparking a string of amusing replies from fans.

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
Hazaribagh, March 8 : Kumar Gaurav, Deputy General Manager of the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), was shot dead on Saturday morning in the Katkamdag police station area of Hazaribagh district, Jharkhand.

The attack, suspected to be linked to extortion rackets targeting contract works at NTPCas North Karanpura project, has sent shockwaves throughout the region.

Gaurav, who was responsible for coal dispatch operations at NTPC, was en route to his office in Keredari block when the assailants struck. The incident occurred around 9.45 a.m. at a location called Fataha, on the Hazaribagh-Barkagaon-Keredari road.

According to initial reports, criminals on a motorcycle intercepted Gauravas vehicle and fired multiple rounds at him. Apart from the driver, another individual was present in the car. Severely injured, Gaurav was rushed to a hospital in Hazaribagh, where doctors pronounced him dead on arrival.

Kumar Gaurav was the nephew of the late Ram Swaroop Prasad, a former Member of Parliament from Biharas Nalanda constituency. Originally from Ekangarsarai block in Bihar Sharif, Bihar, he was known for his strict oversight of coal dispatch operations, a crucial function within NTPC.

Authorities suspect that the attack was orchestrated by a criminal gang involved in extortion from contractors working on NTPC projects. The North Karanpura project has been a hotspot for such activities, with contractors and officials frequently facing threats.

Senior police and administrative officials swiftly reached the crime scene following the attack.

Authorities have launched an extensive probe to identify and apprehend those responsible. However, the incident has once again highlighted the growing threat posed by organized crime syndicates in Jharkhandas industrial and mining sectors.

This is not the first instance of violence against officials linked to NTPCas North Karanpura project. Nearly two years ago, the general manager of an outsourcing company associated with the project was also shot dead under similar circumstances.
Navsari : , March 8 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on the second day of his Gujarat visit on Saturday, following a series of events in Surat and Silvassa on Friday. On the occasion of International Women's Day, PM Modi arrived in Navsari to participate in the'Lakhpati Didis' programme. The event witnessed the recognition of 41,000 Lakhpati Didis and a total of 1.5 lakh women for their contributions to economic empowerment.

Addressing the gathering, PM Modi extended his heartfelt wishes to women, stating, "I extend my best wishes to all the mothers and sisters on Women's Day. I am the richest person in the world because my account is filled with the blessings of crores of mothers and sisters."

During the 'Lakhpati Didi' program, PM Modi emphasized the importance of women in shaping a progressive India. He recalled his recent visit to the Mahakumbh, where he received blessings from the sacred Ganges, and likened today's event to a grand congregation of maternal power. "Today is dedicated to our women. In our scriptures, women are referred to as 'Narayani' (divine). A developed India is incomplete without the empowerment of women. I feel blessed to be here among so many strong and inspiring women." he added.

As part of his visit, PM Modi also inaugurated two new initiatives -- 'Gujarat Safal' and 'Gujarat Maitri'. These schemes aim to provide direct financial support to women, enabling them to achieve economic independence. Several funds were directly transferred to women's bank accounts under these programs, reinforcing the government's commitment to their upliftment.

PM Modi highlighted the pivotal role of women in building a prosperous nation and encouraged their active participation in various sectors. "Today, we draw inspiration from the strength and resilience of women. Their empowerment is crucial for India's development journey," he remarked.

The 'Lakhpati Didi' initiative is a government program aimed at empowering rural women by helping them achieve financial independence and stability. Launched under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana -- National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), this initiative is designed to uplift women from Self-Help Groups (SHGs) by enabling them to earn at least Rs 1 lakh annually through various skill-based and entrepreneurial activities.

Under this program, rural women receive training in diverse income-generating activities, such as agriculture, animal husbandry, handicrafts, food processing, and small-scale enterprises. The government and associated agencies provide financial assistance, guidance, and market linkages to ensure sustainable livelihoods. By equipping women with the necessary skills and resources, the program aims to transform them into successful entrepreneurs, thereby fostering economic growth at the grassroots level.

The 'Lakhpati Didi' scheme is part of the broader vision of women-led development, where financial inclusion and self-reliance play a crucial role. It aligns with the government's goal of promoting women's entrepreneurship, rural prosperity, and economic self-sufficiency, ultimately contributing to the vision of a Viksit Bharat (Developed India).
New Delhi, March 8 : India's space budget almost tripled in the last 10 years -- from Rs 5,615 crore in 2013-14 to Rs 13,416 crore in 2025-26 -- the government said on Saturday.

According to Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, India's space technology is no longer confined only to the launch of rockets, but is also playing a major role in revolutionising governance by supplementing transparency, grievance redressal and citizen participation.

"In the process, there is reduced scope of corrupt practices, more discipline in observing timelines and less of so called red-tapism," he said while addressing the 'Space-Tech for Good Governance' Conclave here.

The number of space startups has grown from one to more than 300, positioning India as a key revenue generator in the global space market.

India has launched 433 foreign satellites, with 396 of them launched since 2014, generating $192 million and 272 million euros in revenue.

Emphasizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, Dr Singh explained how space technology is playing a pivotal role in bringing ease of living for common citizens through good governance.

The space technology has now become integral to every Indian household, powering various governance services enabled by satellites from the Department of Space, said the minister.

Dr Singh also pointed out that space technology also plays a critical role in national defence, border surveillance, and geopolitical intelligence, contributing significantly to India's security.

The minister underscored the growing significance of India's space sector as an attractive avenue -- not only for startups and livelihood generation but also for transforming the governance practices.

The minister also emphasised space technology's role in India's agricultural sector  one of the major pillars of the economy  stating that it has become an invaluable force multiplier in improving decision-making, weather forecasting, communication, disaster preparedness, early warning systems, urban planning, and security.

Dr Singh noted that India's neighbouring countries increasingly depend on India's satellite systems, further strengthening India's position as a regional space leader.

"Gone are the days when we used to take the lead from others. Now, India sets the cue for others to follow, said the minister, citing the successful Chandrayaan-3 mission, which made India the first nation to reach the southern pole of the Moon.
New Delhi, March 8 : Even as the world celebrates International Women's Day, an 82-year-old woman who was allegedly denied a wheelchair by Air India officials at the Delhi airport suffered a fall and is currently under observation in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a Bengaluru hospital.

The woman Raj Pasricha, the widow of a Lieutenant General, on her way to Bengaluru, suffered a fall after walking for a long distance at Terminal 3 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport, as the airline failed to provide her with a wheelchair that was pre-booked.

Taking to social media platform X, Parul Kanwar, the granddaughter posted that her grandmother "has been in the ICU for two days and the left side of her body is losing strength".

"I post this because I have no choice and because it infuriates me that there is such little value for human life and wellbeing. Air India, you treated my grandmother so poorly, and with such little regard. You should be ashamed," Kanwar said.

Narrating the incident, she stated that upon reaching the airport, they were not allocated a wheelchair for "almost an hour", following which the senior citizen had to walk a considerable distance. But she fell near a counter of the airline, leaving her with a bleeding lip and injuries to her head and nose.

"Not one person stepped in to help. We requested someone to help get first aid - no help," said Kanwar, noting that they even tried to seek help from "Indigo, who incidentally had a free wheelchair but won't share".

After suffering the fall, Pasricha was not even provided first aid. And then, when the wheelchair finally arrived, the elderly woman was made to board the plane without a proper checkup.

The cabin crew administered her with ice packs and informed the Bengaluru airport for medical assistance.

Denying the allegations, Air India in a statement said the senior citizen "had arrived at the departure terminal much later than the recommended 2 hours before departure".

"Due to the unprecedented peak demand at that hour, a wheelchair could not be made available within the 15 minutes that the passenger's relatives spent waiting for it. The claims of the passenger having waited for an hour for the wheelchair are baseless".

While calling the fall of the woman "unfortunate" the airline noted that the "airport doctor on duty immediately attended to her and administered first aid".

The airline added that "additional medical attention was not accepted" by the woman, but "Air India staff were courteous, escorted them from immediate check-in through to priority security check and boarding".

"At no point was the wheelchair or any assistance denied to the passenger. Air India's staff cooperated with the guests through their journey," said the airline.
Chennai, March 8 : The Tamil Nadu Health Department has issued a high alert as mumps cases continue to rise among children in Coimbatore.

Authorities have intensified surveillance and preventive measures after 21 kindergarten (KG) students from a matriculation school in Peelamedu tested positive for the viral infection in the past two days.

Following the outbreak, the school administration declared a holiday until March 12 to curb further transmission.

Health officials from the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation reported that 13 KG students had initially shown symptoms two days ago.

The school management promptly sent them home to prevent the disease from spreading. Health department officials have assured the public that there is no cause for panic.

However, individuals experiencing symptoms of measles, mumps, or chickenpox are advised to seek medical attention at the nearest government hospital immediately.

Mumps is a highly contagious viral disease that primarily affects children but can also infect adolescents and adults.

It commonly causes swelling of the parotid salivary glands on one or both sides of the face, leading to pain and discomfort. Other symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, difficulty chewing, and fatigue.

The virus spreads through respiratory droplets from coughing or sneezing and remains contagious from just before gland swelling begins to up to five days afterwards. Infected individuals should limit contact with others, rest adequately, and stay hydrated until they recover.

While mumps is generally considered a mild, self-limiting illness, it can lead to complications, particularly in unvaccinated children.

A study conducted by the Tamil Nadu Directorate of Public Health (DPH) using data from the Integrated Health Information Portal (IHIP) under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) has highlighted a concerning rise in mumps cases across the state.

According to the study, the incidence rate of mumps per lakh population increased from 0.07 in 2021-22 to 1.30 in 2023-24.

Many cases are believed to be underreported since mumps is not a notifiable disease, and some hospitals do not document cases. Between April 2021 and March 2024, Tamil Nadu recorded 1,281 presumptive cases of mumps, with 56.05 per cent of them occurring in women.

The study found that 70 per cent of cases were among children under nine years old, while 10 per cent were reported in the 10-19 age group. There has been a steady increase in reported cases over the years. In 2021, of around 2,261 cases, Coimbatore accounted for 15 per cent and Dharmapuri 11 per cent.

Meanwhile, in 2022-23, at least 129 cases were reported with Thiruvarur district accounting for 51 per cent, Nagapattinam 11 per cent and Chennai 4 per cent. During 2023-24, the state logged 1,091 cases.

Health experts said that these trends suggest that environmental changes, population dynamics, and variations in vaccination coverage may be contributing factors to an increase in the spread of mumps.

While mumps-related complications are rare, especially in children, doctors emphasise that the risk of severe outcomes can be significantly reduced through vaccination.

India introduced the measles vaccine under the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) in 1985 and later introduced the combined Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccine in 2017 to eliminate both diseases by 2020.

The DPH study recommends making mumps a notifiable disease in Tamil Nadu to enhance monitoring and control efforts. It also suggests incorporating the mumps vaccine into the UIP schedule as per the Union Government's guidelines to prevent further outbreaks.
New Delhi, March 8 : Fulfilling the ruling BJP's flagship Assembly election promise, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday approved a scheme for providing Rs 2,500 monthly financial assistance to eligible women.

The scheme was approved by a Cabinet meeting chaired by CM Gupta, who had called it "Modi ki Guarantee".

The scheme is estimated to benefit 15-20 lakh women between 18-60 years from families with an annual income of up to Rs 3 lakh, with a special focus on Below Poverty Line (BPL) sections.

As per the draft eligibility criterion, a beneficiary should be a resident of Delhi for the past five years and have a bank account linked to a Aadhaar number.

The beneficiaries will be able to register online and the software will have multi-level antecedent verification to keep out "bogus or fake" beneficiaries like the Union government's Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) programme.

On Wednesday, CM Gupta held a dialogue with women at Delhi Assembly to get their opinion on the women's financial assistance scheme and other issues, including security, sanitation, education and women's increased participation in governance.

She said the BJP government is committed to deliver the monthly Rs 2,500 each to women and slammed the AAP for its failed attempt to build pressure on the scheme's timeline. "We will work as per our agenda, they do not need to dictate anything," she said after the meeting.

The suggestions given by women are likely to be incorporated in Delhi Budget 2025-26, scheduled to be presented from March 24-26.

The Chief Minister also launched a WhatsApp number 9999962025 for crowd sourcing ideas for the Budget which will be a first by a BJP government in Delhi after 27 years.

CM Gupta said the objective of public dialogue on the Budget is to develop 'Viksit Delhi' with public cooperation.

Earlier, BJP National General Secretary Dushyant Kumar Gautam hit out at AAP leaders for doubting the BJP government's commitment to launch the women financial assistance scheme.

"The AAP leaders should tell us when will Arvind Kejriwal fulfil his three-year-old promise to Punjab women of giving them monthly financial assistance of Rs 1,000," Gautam said.

-IANS

rch/rad
New Delhi, March 8 : At least 30 startups secured more than $355 million this week, which included three growth-stage and 20 early-stage deals.

This is stupendous growth of at least 355 per cent from the previous week, when the domestic startup ecosystem witnessed $105.87 million in fund-raising by 21 startups.

HR tech platform DarwinBox topped the chart with $140 million in Series D round led by Partners Group and KKR. The round also saw participation from Gravity Holdings.

Edtech platform Leap Finance secured $100 million debt facility from London headquartered-HSBC Bank under its ASEAN Growth Fund. This follows Leap's $65 million Series E equity round led by Apis Partners last month, taking it total fundraise to over $400 million.

Insurtech startup InsuranceDekho secured $70 million, which was co-led by private equity fund Beams Fintech Fund, Japan's Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) and insurer BNP Paribas Cardif, via its insurtech fund managed by European investment major Eurazeo.

Meanwhile, 20 early-stage startups secured funding worth $45.02 million, led by revenue AI platform MaxIQ and enterprise tech startup Beacon.li, among others.

Bengaluru-based startups led with 12 deals followed by Delhi-NCR, Mumbai and others.

Domestic startups raised a total of nearly Rs 13,800 crore ($1.65 billion) in February this year, a 19.5 per cent increase from nearly Rs 11,460 crore ($1.38 billion) in January. The median valuation of these startups in February 2025 stood at Rs 61,216 crore ($83.2 billion).

Over the course of the 2024-25 financial year, Indian startups collectively raised Rs 21,062 crore ($25.4 billion) across 2,200 funding rounds.

Meanwhile, the Indian tech startup ecosystem now ranks second, after the US, in terms of all-time funding raised by companies with women founders, with a total of $26 billion in this space to date. India is home to over 7,000 active women-led startups, accounting for 7.5 per cent of all active startups in the country.
Chennai, March 8 : The ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu has convened a meeting of its MPs on March 9 to finalise its floor strategy for the upcoming Parliament session, which begins on Monday.

In a statement issued on Saturday, DMK General Secretary and state Minister for Water Resources, S. Duraimurugan, announced that the meeting will take place at Murasoli Maran Hall in the party headquarters, Anna Arivalayam, at 10:30 AM on Sunday.

The primary agenda will be discussions related to the ensuing Parliament session.

The DMK, which has been a vocal opponent of the Union governmentas three-language policy and the proposed delimitation exercise, is expected to raise these concerns in Parliament.

The party has consistently opposed any move to impose Hindi in Tamil Nadu, maintaining its long-standing support for a two-language system. Additionally, the delay in the allocation of MGNREGA funds to Tamil Nadu and the denial of flood relief funds due to the stateas non-acceptance of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 will also be discussed.

The party is set to highlight the Samagra Shiksha schemeas funding cut, which it attributes to its refusal to implement the NEP.

The performance of DMK MPs in Parliament has come under scrutiny, especially in light of criticism from Opposition parties, including the newly-launched TVK led by actor Vijay.

In response, the DMK is expected to use the upcoming session to reaffirm its stance and demonstrate its effectiveness in raising Tamil Naduas concerns.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has been vocal about what he calls discriminatory allocation of funds for language development by the Union government.

He pointed out that while Tamil is spoken by 8 crore people, only a74 crore has been allocated for its development.

In contrast, a1,488 crore has been earmarked for Sanskrit, a language spoken by only a few thousand people.

CM Stalin has also extended support to the Tamil diaspora in the United States, who recently protested in Dallas against the three-language policy.

Sharing a news report and a video of the demonstration, he tweeted #VazhgaTamil in solidarity with the protesters.

The Dallas protestors accused the BJP-led Union government of attempting to impose Hindi in Tamil Nadu, which they believe undermines the stateas linguistic identity and two-language policy.

With these pressing issues at hand, the DMK MPsa meeting on March 9 is expected to shape the partyas parliamentary strategy and reaffirm its opposition to policies it sees as unfavourable to Tamil Nadu.
Patna, March 8 : On International Women's Day, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar reaffirmed his commitment to empowering the fair sex.

After inaugurating the 'Nari Shakti Sammelan' at the JD(U) office in Patna, he emphasised that he has been working towards advancing women's rights and opportunities since the beginning of his tenure as Chief Minister.

CM Nitish criticised the previous Lalu-Rabri regime, saying: "The leaders before us did nothing for women. Today, women are progressing in large numbers across all fields."

CM Nitish extended congratulations and best wishes to women across Bihar and India.

"The contribution of women is crucial in the development of any state or country," he said.

He highlighted that the Bihar government has been actively working for women's empowerment, safety, education, and socio-economic development.

The Chief Minister urged people to pledge on Women's Day that they will always strive for women's upliftment.

During the event, women leaders present at the venue, made a strong appeal regarding the upcoming Bihar Assembly Elections 2025 and raised slogans of 'Nitish Again 2025', expressing their determination to see Nitish Kumar as the Chief Minister once more.

The gathering showcased massive support from women, highlighting the impact of CM Nitish's policies on women's empowerment, safety, and education.

Addressing the enthusiastic crowd, CM Nitish congratulated women on their achievements and encouraged them to move forward in every field and take leadership roles.

Besides, he also inaugurated model traffic police posts in Patna. He also visited Rajgir and inspected the wildlife animal hospital at the Zoo Safari in Rajgir. CM Nitish also inaugurated an aviary and the Samrat Jarasangh Monument.
TEHRAN, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Iran on Friday rejected French President Emmanuel Macron's remarks that Russia has used Iranian military equipment against Ukraine.

The repetition of "such baseless and incorrect" accusations by French officials was irresponsible and indicated "their lack of seriousness in restoring peace and stability in Europe and the world," said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei in a statement.

Baghaei emphasized that Iran is not involved in the Ukraine conflict and insists on its principled position of opposing war and ending the conflict through dialogue and diplomatic negotiations.

In an address to his nation on Wednesday, Macron said, "Russia has already turned the Ukraine conflict into a global conflict," and claimed that it has used Iranian equipment.

Ukraine, along with several Western nations, has also accused Iran of supplying weapons to Russia for use in the ongoing conflict, while Iran has repeatedly rejected the accusations as "baseless." 
Dhaka, March 8 : Bangladesh has witnessed a surge in violence against law enforcement agencies under the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government, the country's media reported on Saturday citing details from the police reports.

Bangladeshi police personnel have been victims of mob attacks and the country has witnessed as many as 225 attacks on law enforcement agencies in the last six months, the data revealed.

According to the police headquarters reports, there were 24 such attacks on police in September 2024, 34 in October, 49 in November, 43 in December, 38 in January and 37 in February 2025. Apart from that, local policemen are being subjected to rude behaviour on the streets on a regular basis. There are also several reports of attacks on police to snatch away the accused, Bangladesh's leading Bengali daily 'Prothom Alo' reported on Saturday.

Several videos of police personnel being beaten in and around Dhaka and across the country by student activists and anti-social elements have gone viral on Bangladeshi social media handles over the past few months.

Earlier this week, the video of a Bangladeshi police sub-inspector was circulated widely as he was beaten by around 10-15 people just for signalling motorcycle riders to stop at a police checkpoint.

They attackers not only tore apart the helpless SI's clothes but also took away his wallet, mobile and the official walkie-talkie.

Incidents of mob violence have now become a regular affair in Bangladesh after Muhammad Yunus's interim regime came to power in August 2024 following the fall of the Awami League government led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The country has been pushed towards extreme lawlessness with not only the minorities, especially Hindus, feeling the brunt but also several police personnel.

A report of the United Nations' Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) stated that violent mobs in Bangladesh have engaged in "serious acts of revenge violence", including killings, targetting police and Awami League officials, especially since August 2024.

Massive violence was witnessed throughout Bangladesh after the ouster of Hasina government as mobs stormed and burnt down not only Awami League offices but also numerous police stations.

The Bangladesh Police data revealed that after Hasina's removal from power, 450 out of the 639 police stations were destroyed or damaged. In many cases, the police officers fled or were allowed to leave by their superiors. Some officers were lynched or otherwise killed. Many police officers feared showing up for work, and the police effectively ceased functioning in many places, reports leading Bangladeshi daily 'Daily Star'.

Recently, an agitating mob identifying itself as 'Tawhidi Janata' besieged Dhakas Shahbagh Police Station demanding the release of a man who was detained for harassing a female student of Dhaka University.

Several protest movements have also gripped Bangladesh in recent months due to the degrading law and order situation in the country. Numerous radical outfits and terror organisations, which were banned by the Awami League government, are now taking out rallies, defying all rules and regulations. At the same time, people in Bangladesh have been demanding the resignation of Home Affairs Advisor Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, citing his incompetence and failure to ensure security and safety in the country.
New Delhi, March 8 : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday graced the occasion of the groundbreaking ceremony of Microsoft's proposed India Development Centre (IDC) campus in Noida.

The proposed Noida campus, spanning 15 acres with a 1.1 million square feet built-up area, will serve as a hub for advancements in AI, cloud, and security, further expanding Microsoft IDC's presence in the country.

With the proposed Noida campus, Microsoft will continue its momentum of strengthening India's AI capabilities and supporting engineering talent and digital innovation, the company said in a statement.

"The groundbreaking ceremony of our new Noida campus reflects Microsoft's continued commitment to advancing responsible AI innovation that empowers all communities, businesses, and citizens," said Rajiv Kumar, Managing Director and President, Microsoft IDC.

The proposed facility will attract top talent from India and the world and empower them to innovate across AI, cloud, and security, that will positively impact billions of lives across the planet.

"We deeply appreciate the support of the government of Uttar Pradesh and Noida Authority in making this vision a reality and are grateful to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for gracing the occasion," Kumar added.

The facility will accelerate digital transformation, foster AI skilling opportunities, and strengthen "deep partnership with Uttar Pradesh, and helping India become an AI-first nation."

Microsoft IDC has a strong presence in Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Noida.

Microsoft IDC is the largest R&D centre for the company outside the Redmond headquarters in the US.

Earlier this year, Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella announced several AI partnerships in the country, which includes an MoU with the government's 'India AI Mission' to skill 5 lakh people.

As part of the MOU, Microsoft and India AI together will skill 500,000 individuals, including students, educators, developers, government officials, and women entrepreneurs, by 2026.

They will also establish an AI Center of Excellence, called 'AI Catalysts', to promote rural AI innovation and support 100,000 AI innovators and developers through hackathons, community-building solutions, and an AI marketplace.
Bengaluru, March 8 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has launched an investigation into the sensational case of gold smuggling involving Kannada actress Ranya Rao, the step-daughter of a senior serving IPS officer in Karnataka, sources said on Saturday.

According to sources, the CBI registered an FIR against Ranya Rao based on inputs from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI).

The authorities are suspecting the involvement of an international syndicate of gold smuggling in the case and the DRI has submitted in the court that it's a matter concerning national security.

The DRI had also submitted that it can't divulge details in the open court as the matter is sensitive.

Presently, Ranya Rao is in the custody of DRI and being grilled. The CBI sleuths have already begun investigation in Mumbai and Bengaluru, the sources confirmed.

Meanwhile, sources said the authorities have the video of Ranya Rao present in the marriage of her step-brother, son of senior IPS officer K. Ramachandra Rao in Bengaluru in February.

Ranya Rao is seen in videos participating in the marriage ceremony without hesitation. However, IPS officer Ramachandra Rao claimed that since her marriage four months ago, she was not in touch with his family.

He further claimed that Ranya Rao and her husband Jatin Hukkeri got married in 2024, and since then, they have maintained complete independence and privacy.

"She stopped visiting the family home and we were also not given opportunities to visit them in their new home resulting in a clear and definitive separation between us and them," DGP Rao claimed.

The authorities revealed that the Immigration department categorised Ranya Rao as a frequent traveller to foreign countries. On December 24, 2024, she had gone to Dubai and came back to Bengaluru on December 27.

She visited the US on January 18 and returned to Bengaluru on January 25.

Between February 2 and March 3, Ranya Rao visited Dubai five times. All these inputs have led to a strong suspicion of the presence of a strong international syndicate.

The sources also revealed that considering the huge amount of cash and gold involved in the case, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is also likely to investigate the case.

Kannada actress Ranya Rao aka Harshavardini Ranya, in her statement to the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on the day of her arrest, claimed that she is a freelancer in the real estate sector in Dubai and agreed to smuggle 17 bars of gold.

The DRI officials arrested Ranya Rao after seizing 14.8 kg of gold from her at the Bengaluru International Airport on Monday night.

The agency seized Rs 2.06 crore worth of gold and Rs 2.67 crore in cash from her upscale Lavelle Road flat, where she reportedly paid Rs 4.5 lakh in rent.

Karnataka DGP for Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation, K. Ramachandra Rao, responding to the development of the arrest of his step-daughter, actress Ranya Rao stated on Thursday that he is devastated and caught unaware by the development involving her.
Islamabad, March 8 : Pakistan's capital Islamabad has been put on high alert with authorities closing all entry and exit points to the 'Red Zone' for an indefinite period following a major attack on a check post on the Punjab-Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) border by 15-20 militants in the early hours of Saturday.

Islamabad, March 8 (IANS) Pakistan's capital Islamabad has been put on high alert with authorities closing all entry and exit points to the 'Red Zone' for an indefinite period following a major attack on a check post on the Punjaba"Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) border by 15-20 militants in the early hours of Saturday.

The Federal capital -- especially the Red Zone, which comprises of important government buildings, including the President's House, Prime Minister's House, National Assembly of Pakistan, Senate of Pakistan, Foreign office, the diplomatic enclave, Supreme Court of Pakistan and other important offices -- has been sealed with and all routes leading to it also shut down till further notice.

The threat alert was sounded hours after security forces posted at the Lakhani check post on the border of Punjab and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, came under a major terror attack, earlier in the day.

As per police sources, around 15 to 20 heavily-armed terrorists launched a pre-dawn assault on the checkpoint, using rocket launchers and other heavy weapons.

"The attackers approached the post in small groups from multiple directions but were detected through thermal imaging cameras. The security personnel responded immediately with machine guns and mortar fire, forcing the assailants to retreat," said a Punjab Police official.

The security checkpoint has been targetted by the militants multiple times, including twice this week. Several attempts were made to occupy the checkpoint last year also.

"Punjab Police have so far successfully repelled 19 similar assaults on border checkpoints," said Usman Anwar, Director General of Punjab Police.

"Our vigilant officers have ensured that these elements fail in their nefarious designs," he added.

Since the attack, security alerts have been issued across the province along with the federal capital.
New Delhi, March 8 : Fulfilling the ruling BJP's flagship Assembly election promise, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday approved a scheme for providing Rs 2,500 monthly financial assistance to eligible women under Mahila Samriddhi Yojana and allocated Rs 5,100 crore for this financial year.

The scheme was approved by a Cabinet meeting chaired by CM Gupta and announced by BJP National President J.P. Nadda at an event to mark International Women's Day at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

"I congratulate PM Modi and CM Rekha Gupta that before coming to this event her Cabinet approved the Rs 2,500 per month Mahila Samriddhi Yojana for women in Delhi," he said.

Nadda also reiterated PM Modi's promise to promote women-led development and enlisted the decisions by CM Gupta to improve Delhi women's security by increasing the number of CCTV cameras, increasing the number of Pink PCR vans with women staff, increasing the number of pink toilets and starting one-stop centres for women for filing complaints and legal aid.

While the details of the eligibility criteria were still to be announced, sources said the scheme is estimated to benefit 15-20 lakh women between 18-60 years from families with an annual income of up to Rs 3 lakh, with a special focus on Below Poverty Line (BPL) sections.

As per the draft eligibility criterion, a beneficiary should be a resident of Delhi for the past five years and have a bank account linked to an Aadhaar number.

Most importantly, beneficiaries of the Mahila Samriddhi Yojana should not be enlisted for any other government financial assistance scheme like widow pension.

The beneficiaries will be able to register online and the software will have multi-level antecedent verification to keep out "bogus or fake" beneficiaries like the Union government's Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) programme.

Earlier, Nadda hit out at the AAP government and its leader Arvind Kejriwal for calling his party's CM a "temporary CM".

"PM Modi has given Delhi not a temporary but a tikao (long lasting) CM," he said, recalling how the previous AAP party ill-treated one of its woman MPs and how one AAP legislator let loose his dog on his wife.

Nadda also slammed the Congress saying that it was no different as it failed to focus on women-led development.
Chennai, March 8 : Impressed with the dedication of actor Ajith Kumar who is currently training hard in France for his next car race, director Adhik Ravichandran has now told the star actor that his hard work and perseverance will be rewarded.

On Saturday, director Adhik Ravichandran, who has directed Ajith Kumar's upcoming film, 'Good Bad Ugly', posted a number of video clips that showed Ajith Kumar's intense practice sessions on a car race circuit in France.

Along with the video clips, Adhik Ravichandran, who has already disclosed that he is a fan of Ajith Kumar, wrote, "Your hardwork and perseverance will be rewarded sir. This is such a tough and strenuous sport. The amount of hard work and dedication that you've put is extraordinary. Wishing and praying you to get everything you deserve sir. Love you sir."

Earlier in the day, Ajith Kumar's racing team, Ajith Kumar Racing put out a video clip of the actor clocking 2.11.996 during a practice session at the Paul Ricard circuit in France.

Posting the clip, the team said, "Jump with Ajith for his best time of the day. 2.11.996 on the clock on this very special track. What good improvement after only few sessions of testing!"

Ajith is currently preparing for his next race at the Circuit Paul Ricard, which has a 1.8 km long Mistral straight and elongated track design. What makes the Circuit Paul Ricard stand out is that it is built on a plateau and is very flat.

Meanwhile, fans are eagerly awaiting the release of Good Bad Ugly, which is to hit screens on April 10 this year.

The film is a proper commercial entertainer that will contain all that fans expect in an Ajith film racing sequences, explosive action, punch dialogues and peppy, foot-tapping dance numbers.

Music for the film is by National Award winning music composer G V Prakash. Cinematography for the film is by Abinandhan Ramanujam and editing is by Vijay Velukutty. Stunts for the film have been choreographed by Supreme Sundar and Kaloian Vodenicharov.

IANS

Mkr/
Ahmedabad, March 8 : Leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, addressed Congress party workers and former candidates of local body elections in Ahmedabad on Saturday during Samvaad programme. In his speech, he emphasized the need for the Congress party to reconnect with the people of Gujarat and strengthen its presence in the state's political landscape.

Ahmedabad, March 8 (IANS) Leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, addressed Congress party workers and former candidates of local body elections in Ahmedabad on Saturday during Samvaad programme. In his speech, he emphasized the need for the Congress party to reconnect with the people of Gujarat and strengthen its presence in the stateas political landscape.

During his address, Gandhi expressed his commitment to understanding the concerns of party workers and the people of Gujarat. "I came here to listen to what is in your hearts, to understand your pain," he said.

He acknowledged the challenges faced by the party in Gujarat, where it has been out of power for nearly 30 years, and stressed that merely focusing on elections would not be enough to regain public trust. "Until we fulfill our responsibilities, the people of Gujarat will not elect us. We must first earn their trust," he asserted.

Highlighting the historical contributions of Gujarat to the Congress party, Gandhi reminded the audience about Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel, both of whom played a pivotal role in Indiaas independence movement.

He urged the party to once again become a guiding force for the people of Gujarat, just as it had done in the past.

Gandhi pointed out internal challenges within the party, stating that there are two types of leaders within the Gujarat Congress -- those who are genuinely connected to the people and those who remain distant. He stressed the need to differentiate between the two and take decisive action against those who are not aligned with the partyas core values.

"If we have to remove 10, 15, 20, or even 40 people who secretly work for the BJP, then we must do it," he declared.

He also criticized the current leadership in Gujarat, stating that the stateas small and medium businesses, farmers, and industries were struggling and in need of a new vision. "The current model of governance has failed. The people of Gujarat are calling for change, and Congress can provide that vision," he said.

However, he emphasized that this transformation could only happen if the party re-establishes its connection with the people.

Drawing from his experience in the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Gandhi highlighted how the Congress party successfully connected with the people across India. He urged party leaders and workers in Gujarat to engage directly with citizens, listen to their problems, and build a relationship based on trust.

Encouraging confidence among party workers, Gandhi reminded them that the opposition already holds 40 per cent of the vote in Gujarat. "If we can increase our vote share by just 5 per cent, the entire political equation will change," he said, citing Telangana as an example where Congress increased its vote share significantly.

Towards the end of his speech, he lightened the mood with a humorous remark about Gujaratas hospitality. "Every time I come here, no matter how much I try to control my weight, you take me to restaurants and serve delicious snacks, and I end up gaining a kilo!" he joked, drawing laughter from the audience.

Gandhi concluded his address with a message of determination and unity, vowing to strengthen the party in Gujarat and reconnect with its people. "It is my responsibility to bring back the confidence of our party workers, and I will fulfill that responsibility," he said.
Imphal, March 8 : At least two state transport buses were attacked in tribal-inhabited Kangpokpi and another place in Manipur on Saturday post resumption of inter-district services from Imphal to hill districts after over 20 months, officials said.

A police official in Imphal said that though the buses were escorted by the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), activists of the tribal organisations attacked the buses including one Senapati district-bound vehicle in Kangpokpi.

The activists pelted stones on the buses and in a few places, they put up blockades.

In some places, the security personnel tried to disperse the activists by resorting to lathi-charge and opening fire in the air. The CAPF personnel also fired tear gas shells and resorted to baton-charging, causing injuries to a few protesters, the official said.

He said that the Churachandpur-bound bus reached Kangvai after passing through the Bishnupur district without any obstruction, the official said.

The tribal-dominated Churachandpur and Senapati district-bound buses were moved from Imphal at around 10 a.m. without any passengers, and a large contingent of CAPF personnel escorted the vehicles belonging to government-owned Manipur State Transport Corporation (MSTC). Details of all the incidents from the districts are awaited.

Meanwhile, as per the direction of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the Manipur government on Friday announced the resumption of passenger bus services from Saturday between Imphal and several other districts.

Manipur Chief Secretary Prashant Kumar Singh on Friday evening announced that bus services would recommence on Saturday morning on four routes connecting five districts -- Imphal, Senapati, Kangpokpi, Bishnupur and Churachandpur.

Singh also reiterated that the state government had already announced to start of the helicopter service operation under the Manipur Heli Service on the two routes linking Imphal, Churachandpur and Ukhrul districts.

"People may use the bus and helicopter services for conveyance in the notified routes. In case anyone is found involved in any act disturbing the movement of the MST buses, he or she shall be prosecuted under relevant laws," the Chief Secretary had stated.

In December last year, the state government tried to resume public bus services from Imphal to Kangpokpi and Churachandpur but failed when no passengers out of fear turned up at the MST station at Moirangkhom in Imphal. The major highways in Manipur have remained inaccessible due to ethnic strife between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities since May 2023.

The bus services were resumed from Saturday after Union Home Minister Amit Shah during an all-important review meeting in Delhi on March 1 directed the officials to ensure free movement of people on all roads in Manipur from March 8 and asked for strict action against anyone attempting to create obstructions.

Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Chief Secretary, Security Advisor to the state government, Director General of Manipur police, Home Commissioner, top Army, Assam Rifles, Central Armed Police Forces and intelligence officials were present in the March 1 meeting.

During the meeting, the Home Minister 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.
Jaipur, March 8 : Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje celebrated her birthday among soldiers stationed at the Indo-Pak border. She offered prayers at the revered Tanot Mata temple and performed a Shatru Vinashak Yagna for the protection of soldiers and the security of the nation.

She also wished for the prosperity of Rajasthan.

Expressing her devotion, Raje stated that with the blessings of Tanot Mata, the BJPas support base should continue to grow under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

She also emphasised her commitment to carrying forward the ideological legacy of her mother, Rajmata Vijaya Raje Scindia.

Jaisalmer MLA Chhotu Singh Bhati and Pokaran MLA Pratap Puri Maharaj were present at the event.

Rajeas visit to Tanot was unannounced, but as news spread, BJP workers gathered in large numbers to extend their greetings.

Thanking them, she recalled the Indo-Pak wars of 1965 and 1971, when the Pakistani army attempted but failed to damage the Tanot Mata temple.

Her birthday was celebrated across the state, with various social activities such as feeding cows, distributing fruits to patients, reciting Sundarkand, and honouring women.

Raje arrived in Jaisalmer on Friday, a day before her birthday, and proceeded directly to Tanot by road.

She participated in the evening aarti at the temple and stayed overnight.

On Saturday morning, she performed special prayers followed by a Yagya Havan at Tanot Mata temple.

Notably, Raje had initially planned to visit Jaisalmer and Tanot on Saturday but changed her schedule and arrived a day earlier.

After completing the Yagya Havan, she planned to return to Jaisalmer to meet BJP workers before departing for Delhi.

Raje received a warm welcome from BJP leaders and supporters upon her arrival at the temple on Friday evening. BSF North DIG Yogendra Singh Rathore was also present.

A veteran leader, Raje has served twice as Chief Minister of Rajasthan and has also held ministerial positions at the Centre while representing the Jhalawar parliamentary constituency. Her visit remains a key topic of discussion in Rajasthanas political circles, with many closely watching her next steps.
Tehran, March 8 : Iran has expressed grave concern over escalating violence and insecurity in Syria. Iran closely monitors Syria's internal developments and follows with great concern the reports of violence and insecurity in various parts of the Arab state, said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei.

He made the remarks in response to intense clashes that erupted in Syria's coastal regions over the past 48 hours.

Baghaei stressed the need to ensure security and stability in Syria and create conditions for the peaceful coexistence of all Syrian groups. He also stressed the need to maintain Syria's territorial integrity in the face of Israel's aggression and threats.

Baghaei said that Iran firmly opposes insecurity and violence in Syria and the killing and maiming of the "oppressed" Syrians from any group or tribe, Xinhua news agency reported.

Since Thursday, fierce clashes between Syria's interim government forces and armed opposition groups affiliated with the former government in coastal regions have left nearly 250 people dead.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the clashes marked one of the deadliest escalations since the fall of the previous government last December.

It said that military personnel, opposition fighters, and civilians were among those killed as government forces continued their crackdown on remnants of the former regime's military factions in the governorates of Latakia, Tartous, and Hama.

The clashes erupted after gunmen ambushed military forces, checkpoints and headquarters along the coastline, the Observatory said.

The toll also includes 50 soldiers and officers from Syria's Defence and Interior Ministries and 45 opposition fighters.

The Observatory indicated that additional reinforcements and heavy weaponry have been deployed to key flashpoints as fighting remains ongoing in rural Latakia and Tartous.
Women look for job opportunities during a job fair held for women in Weihai, east China's Shandong Province, on March 7, 2025. Various activities are held across the country to mark the International Women's Day. (Photo by Chen Hongqing/Xinhua)

Women promote agricultural products via livestream during an event celebrating the International Women's Day in Dazhou City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, March 7, 2025. Various activities are held across the country to mark the International Women's Day. (Photo by Deng Liangkui/Xinhua)

Deliverywomen display handbooks on women's rights in Linyi, east China's Shandong Province, on March 7, 2025. Various activities are held across the country to mark the International Women's Day. (Photo by Zhang Chunlei/Xinhua)

Students present flowers to teachers during an event celebrating the International Women's Day at a primary school in Zaozhuang City, east China's Shandong Province, March 7, 2025. Various activities are held across the country to mark the International Women's Day. (Photo by Wang Longfei/Xinhua)

A community worker presents flowers to a volunteer (L) at a bus station in Dongcheng District in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2025. Various activities are held across the country to mark the International Women's Day. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

Women look at women-themed artworks at a museum in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, on March 7, 2025. Various activities are held across the country to mark the International Women's Day. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)

Community workers present flowers to volunteers (1st & 2nd L) near a subway station in Dongcheng District in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2025. Various activities are held across the country to mark the International Women's Day. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

Women attend an event celebrating the International Women's Day with their children at a kindergarten in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, on March 7, 2025. Various activities are held across the country to mark the International Women's Day. (Photo by Fang Dongxu/Xinhua)
New Delhi, March 8 : The Labour Ministry on Saturday urged the platform workers to self-register themselves on e-Shram portal, so that they may be considered for the benefits under the scheme at the earliest.

The gig and platform economy is expanding, offering new jobs in sectors like ridesharing, delivery, logistics, and professional services.

NITI Aayog has projected that the gig economy in India will employ over 1 crore workers in 2024-25, subsequently reaching 2.35 crore by 2029-30.

Recognizing the contribution of the gig and platform workers to the nation's economy, Union Budget 2025-26 announcement has provisions for registration of online platform workers on e-Shram portal, issue of identity cards, and healthcare coverage under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).

The AB-PMJAY health scheme provides a cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation across over 31,000 public and private empanelled hospitals in India.

For early implementation of these Budget provisions, the Ministry of Labour and Employment is soon launching the scheme, and has asked platform workers to register on e-Shram Portal for formal recognition and access to AB-PMJAY benefits.

"As a first step, Ministry requests the Platform Workers to self-register themselves on e-Shram portal, so that they may be considered for the benefits under the scheme at the earliest," it added.

The platform aggregators are also requested to disseminate this information among the platform workers engaged with them and facilitate them to register on e-Shram portal.

Meanwhile, over 30.58 crore unorganised workers have been registered on the e-Shram Portal for receiving benefits under various social welfare schemes of the government.

The e-Shram portal has registered over 1.23 crore workers in 2024, averaging 33,700 enrolments per day.

The e-Shram portal is meant to register and support the unorganised workers by providing them with a Universal Account Number (UAN) on a self-declaration basis.

The e-Shram portal has been integrated with the National Career Service (NCS) Portal. An unorganised worker can register on NCS using his or her Universal Account Number (UAN) and search for suitable job opportunities. A link has also been provided to the workers registered on the e-Shram portal to seamlessly register on the NCS.
Seoul, March 7 : South Korea's state pension fund said on Friday it has recovered about half of its total investment of 612.1 billion won ($423.5 million) in major retailer Homeplus Co., which recently entered a court-led rehabilitation process amid liquidity worries.

The National Pension Service (NPS) originally invested in Homeplus through a fund, including 582.6 billion won in redeemable convertible preferred stock (RCPS), when private equity firm MBK Partners acquired the retail chain in 2015.

RCPS is a hybrid financial instrument that offers investors fixed dividends with the option to convert their holdings into ordinary shares. It also gives the issuing company the right to redeem the shares at a predetermined price or date, reports Yonhap news agency.

The NPS said it has so far recouped 313.1 billion won in RCPS through refinancing and dividends.

"The NPS has not agreed to changes to the terms of RCPS issuance, and the terms remain the same as the time of the initial investment," the NPS said, vowing to do its best to retrieve its remaining investment.

Homeplus entered the rehabilitation process this week after a Seoul court approved the request by MBK Partners, the private equity fund that owns the discount store chain.

The decision came after some local credit rating firms downgraded the company's rating.

Some local companies have suspended or are considering suspending the supply of their goods to retail giant Homeplus, which abruptly filed for a court-led rehabilitation process amid liquidity worries.

Many companies are continuing to supply products to the retailer as there is no clear evidence of an immediate liquidity crisis. However, some suppliers are taking a cautious approach due to concerns that Homeplus would be unable to pay for the delivered goods.

Home appliance giant LG Electronics has suspended shipments of its products to Homeplus, citing rising financial risks. Samsung Electronics is reportedly considering halting its supply to Homeplus.
Mumbai, March 8 : Actor Boman Irani paid a heartfelt tribute to his mother, Jerbanoo Irani on Women's Day.

The 'Jolly LLB' actor spoke about his childhood struggles and education at the ACBSP Region 10 Annual Conference 2025, hosted by WeSchool Mumbai, where he was the Guest of Honour. He reflected on the person who played the most crucial role in shaping himhis mother.

Recalling a cherished childhood memory, Boman talked about a choir performance where his mother watched him with pride. "Life is a stage, and happiness comes when you find your nurserythe place where you truly belong," he said.

He shared that being a shy child with a speech impediment and dyslexia, he rarely spoke, leaving his mother deeply concerned. However, when she saw something different that eveningher son smiling on stage for the first time. "She told me, 'Find your nursery in whatever you do,' and those words shaped my life," he added.

Boman shared that his mother encouraged him to watch films, to learn from them, and to see the world beyond his struggles. He added that movies became his education, his gateway to understanding history, emotions, and the human condition. The 'PK' actor further revealed that more than anything, his mother gave him the greatest gift of allbelief in himself.

Last month, Boman spoke about the absence of his father, and how life came full circle when he became a father himself.

He took to his Instagram handle and shared a string of photos featuring his kids and grandchildren. His post also included the caption, "Life has a way of shaping us through the relationships we haveor the ones we longed for but never got to experience."

"I never had the chance to meet or see my father, and for the longest time, I carried the weight of an absence I could never fill. I never got the chance to know him, to learn from him, or to simply be his son. But life came full circle when I became a father myself. My sons gave me the love I once yearned for, and now, with my beautiful grandkids, I see the power of family in its purest form," he added.

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
Thiruvananthapuram, March 8 : As the world celebrated Women's Day on Saturday, Kerala's Asha Workers' protest entered its 27th day, drawing widespread support from various quarters -- except the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left government.

The protesters, gathered in front of the State Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, are demanding a hike in their monthly honorarium from Rs 7,000 to Rs 21,000, along with retirement benefits and the clearance of pending payments.

The CPI(M)-led Vijayan government has come under sharp criticism not just from the Congress-led UDF and the BJP but from various sections of society. This was evident on Women's Day when numerous organisations expressed their solidarity with the protesting workers.

State Health Minister Veena George, a former journalist under whose department these workers operate, has faced backlash for her dismissive stance. She has also been criticised for falsely claiming that Asha workers in Sikkim do not receive Rs 10,000 as wages, at the same time blaming the Centre for allegedly withholding funds.

However, soon after her statement, BJP leader and former MoS V. Muraleedharan countered her claims, stating that the Kerala government was "lying" about Central funds. He pointed out that of the allocated Rs 914.24 crore, Rs 815.73 crore had been disbursed before January 29, with the remaining amount cleared on February 12.

Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan also challenged George by releasing an official order from the Sikkim government confirming that their Asha workers are indeed paid Rs 10,000 per month.

Many Asha workers, including those affiliated with different political parties, had hoped that before the CPI(M)'s four-day state conference began in Kollam on March 6, Vijayan would take steps to address their demands. However, he has so far remained silent.

A media critic, speaking on condition of anonymity, expressed surprise at the government's handling of the issue.

"They not only failed to resolve the protest but also angered the workers with their dismissive statements. The general sentiment is that CPI(M) sheds crocodile tears when in opposition but turns indifferent in power. Former state minister C. Divakaran's remark that 'if CM Vijayan intervenes, the protest would end in five minutes' speaks volumes. If Vijayan continues to ignore this, CPI(M) will be the biggest loser," the critic observed.

Meanwhile, the Congress-led UDF is keeping its cards close to its chest, with all eyes now on the Assembly session set to resume on Monday.
New Delhi, March 8 : Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said that India has always batted strongly to maintain a healthy relationship with its neighbours and Bangladesh remains no exception.

"India always wants to maintain good relations with its neighbours and Bangladesh is also our neighbouring country. We always try to maintain good relations with our neighbours because (former Prime Minister) Atal Bihari Vajpayee used to say that we can change friends but not our neighbours. So, we would like to maintain good relations with Bangladesh," Singh told IANS in an exclusive interview.

New Delhi has been worried about the deteriorating law and order situation in Bangladesh under the current Muhammad Yunus-led interim government in the country which has been criticised severely for acquitting extremist elements and exonerating many Islamists since the fall of the Awami League government led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024.

"We support a stable, peaceful, inclusive and progressive Bangladesh in which all issues are resolved through democratic means and by holding inclusive and participatory elections. We remain concerned about the deteriorating law and order situation, which has further been exacerbated by the release of violent extremists who were sentenced for serious crimes," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal during a weekly media briefing in New Delhi on Friday.

As Bangladesh slid into abyss following the fall of Awami League government, the Yunus-led regime has been accused of giving a free hand to the Islamist forces in the country and also relaxing comprehensively the policy of mandatory security clearance required for Pakistani citizens seeking visas, thus facilitating easy return of many notorious terror suspects who had earlier fled to the safe havens in Pakistan.

With no end still in sight to attacks on minorities in Bangladesh, particularly on members belonging to the Hindu and Ahmadiyya communities, the MEA on Friday once again highlighted the serious issue and the interim government's botched up investigations that have so far been just an eyewash.

"We have repeatedly underlined that it is the responsibility of the interim government of Bangladesh to protect Hindus and other minorities, as well as their properties and religious institutions. As seen so far, only 1254 out of 2374 reported incidents between August 5, 2024, and February 16, 2025, have been verified by the police. Further, 98 per cent of these 1254 incidents were deemed political in nature. We expect Bangladesh to thoroughly investigate and bring all perpetrators of killings, arson, and violence to justice without making such distinctions," the MEA spokesperson mentioned on Friday.

Last month, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar, during his meeting with Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Advisor Touhid Hossain in Muscat, conveyed that it is important that Bangladesh should not normalise terrorism.

Even though India continues to work towards the normalisation of ties between the two neighbouring countries, the interim government in Dhaka continues to make "groundless accusations" and also target minorities, especially the Hindu community in Bangladesh.

In December, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited Dhaka, conveying New Delhi's concerns, especially those related to the safety and welfare of minorities in Bangladesh, to the top leadership of the interim government.
Mumbai, March 8 : Maharashtra Governor C. P. Radhakrishnan on Saturday said that women are becoming entrepreneurs through self-help groups due to the financial assistance schemes of the Central and State governments, and asserted that fair sex participation is important in achieving the goal of Viksit Bharat 2047.

This is strengthening the economy of rural areas.

In his speech at the state-level programme to celebrate the one decade of the 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' campaign on the occasion of International Women's Day, he said that the contribution of women is important for the country's development.

"Women are at the forefront in every sphere, and in Maharashtra, they hold several key posts including that of the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police. The future of women is quite bright in the country," said the Governor.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said women constitute 50 per cent of the population and if human resources are developed keeping women at the centre, the country will prosper.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has recognised this and hence schemes ranging from 'Lek Ladki' to 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' to 'Lakhpati Didi' are being implemented effectively. Due to the 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' scheme, child marriages have been stopped in many districts of Maharashtra and the incidence of gender discrimination and infanticide has reduced," he said.

The Chief Minister said that the government wants to expand and strengthen the presence of credit societies started by the women beneficiaries of the Ladki Bahin Yojana in the state. He observed that the representation of women will increase in the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies due to reservation by 2029.

He shared the Governor's view that the participation of women will be important in the achievement of Viksit Bharat by 2047.

Minister Aditi Tatkare said that Maharashtra has emerged as the top state in the successful implementation of the 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' initiative.

"To bring women into the mainstream and increase their participation in administration, the special Gram Sabhas have been organised across the state today on the occasion of Women's Day, and they will be organised in the future as well. The department is working to increase the percentage of girls in higher education," she added.

The minister expressed confidence that the state will be at the forefront of increasing the number of girls in the education sector.

She said the government is making efforts to ensure women's progress in the health, industry, economic and social sectors.

Earlier, the Governor and the Chief Minister Fadnavis felicitated 10 outstanding women achievers from the state.

The Governor unveiled the RuPay card with a photograph of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the presence of CM Fadnavis, Minister Tatkare, Maharashtra State Women Commission chairperson Rupali Chakankar and Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik.
Chennai, March 8 : On the occasion of International Women's Day, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced the establishment of Thozhiyar Viduthi, hostels for working women, in nine districts across the state.

The hostels, to be built in Kancheepuram, Erode, Dharmapuri, Sivaganga, Theni, Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Ranipet, and Karur, will be developed at a total cost of Rs 72 crore.

Addressing a gathering at the event, the Chief Minister highlighted the success of existing women's hostels under the Tamil Nadu Working Women's Hostels Corporation Limited (TNWWHCL).

He noted that these hostels have been well-received by working women from various districts and states. Each new hostel will be equipped with 24-hour security, biometric entry validation, Wi-Fi facilities, and purified drinking water through reverse osmosis.

As part of the event, Stalin also distributed 250 GPS-enabled pink autorickshaws to women beneficiaries. These autorickshaws, connected to the police helpline, aim to enhance employment opportunities for women and improve the safety of female passengers in Chennai. The state government has provided a grant of Rs 1 lakh per vehicle to support the initiative.

Additionally, the Chief Minister distributed identity cards to 1,000 members of Women Self-Help Groups (SHGs). These cards will enable SHG members to carry up to 25 kg of their products on public buses, offering them better access to markets. The cardholders will also benefit from the Chief Minister's Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme and receive priority for loans from cooperative societies.

Further benefits include a 5 per cent rebate on purchases at Co-Optex showrooms, discounts on Avin dairy products, and a 10 per cent rebate on service charges at e-Sevai centres.

Financial Assistance for Women Entrepreneurs Reaffirming his commitment to women's empowerment, Stalin announced bank loans for 34,073 SHGs, urging women to utilise the financial support to become successful entrepreneurs. He also praised the contributions of women police officers and SHG members, emphasising the need for a shift in societal attitudes.

"The mindset of male domination must disappear. Women are entitled to all rights, and their progress in workplaces should be encouraged, not ridiculed or denigrated," he stated.

With these initiatives, the Tamil Nadu government continues to strengthen women's safety, economic independence, and social empowerment across the state.

--IANS

aal/dan
New Delhi, March 8 : Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said the people of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) would themselves demand assimilation into India as there were little chances of Islamabad willing to return the stolen part of the Valley.

"The rate at which economic development has taken place and the way India's stature has grown on the world stage, people of PoK have started feeling that their development lies joining a country like India," Rajnath Singh told IANS in an exclusive interaction.

The people of the region will force Pakistan for its assimilation into India, said the Defence Minister, adding, "I believe the people of that region may not even need Pakistan's consent for it."

Rajnath Singh's remarks come close to External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar's statement that the return of the stolen part of Kashmir, which is under the illegal Pakistani occupation, was the final measure to resolve the Kashmir issue

On an earlier occasion, Rajnath Singh said that the Pakistan government calls the people of PoK 'foreigners' while India considers them as its own citizens.

He said in a recent affidavit, the solicitor general of Pakistan called the people of PoK as 'foreigners'.

"We don't call them foreigners. They are our people. Let them come and join us," he said.

He said that "the PoK was part of India, is part of India and will remain its part forever".

He said that Jammu and Kashmir was witnessing a new paradigm of growth under the NDA government and with businesses and growth projects flourishing in the region, it is attracting the attention of not just Pakistan but the whole world.

"Recently, Pakistan flags were taken down in some areas of PoK, this shows the simmering anger in the region," he said.
Canberra, March 8 : An incident involving two Australian Defence Force (ADF) vehicles on Saturday caused a number of ADF personnel to be injured, Australia's defence department said in a statement.

According to the statement, the two vehicles were providing community support to Lismore, a city located in the Northern Rivers region of the state of New South Wales, following ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

"On Saturday 8 March 2025, there was an incident involving two Australian Defence Force (ADF) vehicles that were providing community support to Lismore following ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred. A number of ADF personnel have been injured. The welfare of ADF members and their families is a priority and Defenceas focus is on supporting those involved. Due to the developing nature of the incident, no further information will be available at this time, however Defence will provide further updates when possible," read the statement issued by the Australian Defence Ministry.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) quoted NSW Ambulance as saying that it received the emergency call just after 5 pm local time on Saturday.

ABC reported that 36 people had been injured and were in various conditions. Three of them had been seriously injured.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said in a joint statement that a number of ADF personnel had been injured, some seriously.

"Tragic news out of New South Wales this evening with confirmation a man has died in floodwaters near Dorrigo. Our thoughts are with his loved ones and the community at this heartbreaking time," Albanese posted on X.

The government said that medical assistance is on hand and stressed that this is an ongoing incident.
New Delhi, March 8 : Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has sought to allay concerns raised by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin over the proposed delimitation exercise in 2026, asserting that the process will lead to an increase in seats across all states, including Tamil Nadu.

Speaking to IANS, Rajnath Singh said, "I believe that delimitation should proceed as planned. If MK Stalin has any objections, he is free to raise them. The relevant authorities will deliberate on the matter, and the judiciary will have the final say."

"People should rest assured that, whether for the Legislative Assembly or the Lok Sabha, the number of seats will naturally increase after delimitation in every state. I firmly believe that Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Kerala will also see an increase. The claim that only North India will benefit is not justified," he further told IANS.

Rajnath Singh's remarks came a day after CM Stalin wrote to seven Chief Ministers, urging them to oppose the proposed delimitation exercise, which he termed a "blatant assault on federalism."

"We are forming a Joint Action Committee to ensure that our states are not silenced. Let us stand together -- not as separate political entities, but as protectors of our people's future," Stalin emphasized in his letter.

Earlier Stalin had described delimitation as a looming threat to the southern states. In a lighter vein, he has even suggested that Tamil Nadu's residents have more children to counter the potential reduction in parliamentary seats.

He has often argued that southern states are being penalized for their success in population control and economic management. "We controlled our population, built our economy, and now they want to take our voice away?" he said at a recent public meeting.

At an all-party meeting held a few days ago, Stalin reiterated that Tamil Nadu must prepare for a major struggle to protect its rights and insisted that the upcoming delimitation should not be based on the 2011 Census.
BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- China announced Saturday that it will impose additional tariffs on some products imported from Canada based on the ruling of an anti-discrimination probe.

Effective from March 20, an additional 100-percent tariff will be imposed on imported rapeseed oil, oil cakes, and peas originating from Canada, while aquatic products and pork will be subject to an additional 25-percent tariff.

The decision comes after China's first anti-discrimination probe into foreign countries and regions, which found that Canada's restrictive measures on certain Chinese products have constituted discriminatory restrictions that disrupt normal trade order and harm the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises.

Last year, Canada announced tariff hikes on electric vehicles (EVs) and steel and aluminum products imported from China, prompting the Chinese side to initiate an anti-discrimination probe in September.

Commenting on Canada's restrictive measures, China expressed strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition, stating that such measures disregard facts and World Trade Organization rules, harm bilateral economic and trade ties, and exemplify protectionism.

"China's use of new investigative tools demonstrates the country's determination to take all necessary measures to safeguard national interests as well as legitimate rights and interests of industries," said Zhou Xiaoyan, executive vice president and secretary-general of the China Council for International Investment Promotion, on Saturday.

Zhou further emphasized that the anti-discrimination measure is both legally justified under domestic law and aligned with international legal principles.

In contrast to Canada's decision to impose additional tariffs on certain imports from China without investigation, China's Ministry of Commerce reached its conclusion after a thorough investigation based on extensive materials, data and responses from various stakeholders on both sides, Zhou noted.

Following Saturday's announcement, relevant Chinese industrial bodies voiced firm support for the ruling, calling it a legitimate measure to safeguard the industry's development.

China's EVs are well-received by consumers around the world, including in Canada, and have made significant contributions to global efforts in combating climate change and advancing green transformation, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers said.

Trade and cooperation between the aluminum industries of China and Canada are driven by the needs of businesses along both countries' industrial chains, based entirely on principles of fair market practices, according to the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association.

The China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products called on the Canadian side to maintain trade policy independence and provide a pragmatic, fair, non-discriminatory and predictable environment for companies from both countries to engage in normal trade and cooperation.

"We urge Canada to rectify its wrongdoings immediately, lift restrictive measures and eliminate their adverse effects," a spokesperson of China's commerce ministry said. 
Tehran, March 8 : Iran has rejected French President Emmanuel Macron's remarks that Russia has used Iranian military equipment against Ukraine.

The repetition of "such baseless and incorrect" accusations by French officials was irresponsible and indicated "their lack of seriousness in restoring peace and stability in Europe and the world," said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei in a statement.

Baghaei emphasised that Iran is not involved in the Ukraine conflict and insists on its principled position of opposing war and ending the conflict through dialogue and diplomatic negotiations, Xinhua news agency reported.

In an address to his nation on Wednesday, Macron said, "Russia has already turned the Ukraine conflict into a global conflict," and claimed that it has used Iranian equipment.

Ukraine, along with several Western nations, has also accused Iran of supplying weapons to Russia for use in the ongoing conflict, while Iran has repeatedly rejected the accusations as "baseless."

On Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also said that Russia would view the potential deployment of European troops to Ukraine as direct NATO involvement in the conflict.

Lavrov called the move a "direct, official and undisguised involvement of NATO countries in a war against the Russian Federation" and warned that the presence of such forces in Ukraine would be unacceptable to Moscow.

The remarks came after Macron announced Wednesday that he would consider sending European troops to Ukraine to enforce a peace deal, although he said the troops would not engage in frontline combat.

"This is a threat to Russia," said Lavrov, adding that Moscow sees "no room for compromise" on the issue of deploying European forces to Ukraine.

"This discussion is being conducted with an openly hostile objective," he said.

The foreign minister added that suspending US military aid to Ukraine could help end the conflict quickly.
Chandigarh, March 8 : Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday hit out at the Akali Dal leadership for taking "revenge" from jathedars by unceremoniously removing them.

CM Mann's reaction came a day after the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) removed Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh and Takht Kesgarh Sahib Jathedar Giani Sultan Singh from their posts.

In February, the SGPC removed Giani Harpreet Singh from his post as Jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib.

Rajya Sabha MP and international president of the World Punjabi Organization, Vikramjit Singh Sahney, said the Akal Takht, the supreme temporal seat of Sikhs, must lead by establishing a transparent and rigorous process for the selection and dismissal of jathedars, given the paramount authority of this position in Sikhism.

On a media query, Chief Minister Mann said the unceremonious removal of Akal Takht's jathedar "is unfortunate as now politicians are choosing the religious leaders".

He said the Akalis had indulged in theatrics by apologising for the sins committed by them in full public glare at the Akal Takht. However, CM Mann said jathedars are being "targetted" since they pronounced Akali leadership guilty of their unpardonable sins.

The Chief Minister said out of "vengeance", the Akali leadership is removing the jathedars, which is unwarranted and undesirable.

He said: "This has bruised the psyche of the entire Sikh community and they will never forgive them."

CM Mann said this trend of picking and removing the jathedar from the pocket of these "rejected leaders" reflects the sorry state of affairs.

The Chief Minister said the jathedars are highly revered by the entire Sikh Community and this type of behaviour with them is unwarranted and undesirable.

He said ironically the validity of the interim committee which has removed the jathedars has already expired around a decade ago as SGPC polls have not been held for a long time.

Joining the issue, Member of Parliament Vikram Sahney said the SGPC, the mini parliament of Sikhs, must engage with Sikh organisations, 'singh sabhas', Sikh saints, and gurdwaras worldwide to preserve the dignity and integrity of Akal Takht and all Takhts.

Sahney said the appointment and removal of the jathedars should adhere to strict protocols, mirroring the sacred processes of the Vatican, ensuring the respect and sanctity of these positions as guardians of faith --universal and deeply personal.
New Delhi, March 8 : Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday hailed the Delhi government's decision to launch the Mahila Samriddhi Yojana of giving Rs 2,500 monthly assistance to poor women.

"I would like to thank the Delhi government and also appreciate that the government is fulfilling whatever commitment it made before the elections," Rajnath Singh told IANS, asserting the BJP's reputation for walking the talk.

Hitting out at rival parties that have created a crisis of trust due to their failure to keep their word, the Defence Minister said: "The BJP is the only political party in India that has accepted the crisis of credibility created in Indian politics as a challenge. Whether our government is in any state or at the Centre, we do what we say and this was a commitment and our Delhi government is fulfilling that commitment."

Earlier, on the occasion of the International Women's Day, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta approved a scheme for providing Rs 2,500 monthly financial assistance to eligible women under Mahila Samriddhi Yojana and allocated Rs 5,100 crore annually for it.

The scheme was approved by a Delhi Cabinet meeting chaired by CM Gupta and announced by BJP National President J.P. Nadda at an event on Women's Day.

"I congratulate PM Modi and CM Rekha Gupta that before coming to this event her Cabinet approved the Rs 2,500 per month Mahila Samriddhi Yojana for women in Delhi," he said.

The Cabinet also constituted a four-member committee, under the chairmanship of CM Rekha Gupta for implementation of the scheme. Other members of the panel are PWD Minister Parvesh Verma, Education Minister Ashish Sood and Law Minister Kapil Mishra.

Applications for the scheme will be received through an online portal developed for the purpose, according to a Delhi government statement.

"The scheme will leverage advanced technology to ensure transparency, efficiency, and seamless disbursement of financial benefits. Aadhaar-based e-KYC will be used," said the statement.
Naypyidaw, Mar 8 : Myanmar Prime Minister Min Aung Hlaing, during his visit to Belarus, announced that his country's election is slated for December 2025, or January 2026 at the earliest, state media reported on Saturday.

"Due to electoral fraud in the 2020 general election, we had to declare a state of emergency and temporarily take responsibility for the country. Therefore, we plan to hold a free and fair election soon, under the law," Hlaing told reporters in Belarus, Global New Light of Myanmar reported.

"We are planning to hold the election in December 2025 or at the earliest by January 2026. 53 political parties have already submitted their lists to participate in the election. Regarding the election, we also invite the observation teams from Belarus to come and observe," Hlaing added.

Last month, during a cabinet meeting, Hlaing had said that political parties could only launch their campaigns when peace and stability could be maintained in the region. He stated that the regime has lost large swathes of northern Shan State, Rakhine, Kachin, Kayah (Karenni), Karen, and Chin states and central Myanmar to rebel groups. It has also been conducting airstrikes in 13 regions and states, excluding the Yangon Region.

However, the military junta's election promises received domestic and global condemnation. The election promises are termed as fraud aiming at cementing rule by a military that ousted an elected government, reported local media outlet The Irrawaddy.

Myanmar's military took power in a coup on February 1, 2021 after declaring the results of the November 2020 elections invalid. Country's former leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been held at an unknown location since then and tried in a closed court with no access for observers.

More than 10,000 political prisoners are believed to have been detained by the military junta, and at least 175 have reportedly died in custody, according to the United Nations human rights office.

In 2021, Tom Andrews, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, stated that the junta's arrest and sentencing of Aung San Suu Kyi and thousands of others highlights the relentless assault on the people of Myanmar's right to exercise their civil and political rights.

Marking the fourth anniversary of the military coup in Myanmar last month, human rights experts mourned the loss of thousands of innocent lives at the hands of a brutal military regime asserting that the country remains under siege.

"The juntaas plans, including holding sham elections this year in a backdrop of escalating armed conflict and human rights violations, are a path to ruin," said Andrews.
Bhuj, March 8 : Kunaria, a picturesque village in Bhuj tehsil of Gujarat, once made famous by the Bollywood film 'Lagaan', has earned new renown for its vibrant community and progressive outlook. The driving force behind this transformation is none other than Rashmiben Chhanga, the village's dynamic female Sarpanch, whose unwavering commitment to women's empowerment and sustainable development has led Kunaria into a new era of prosperity.

Under Rashmibenas leadership, Kunaria has become a beacon of change in Gujarat. It is no longer just a normal villagea"itas a modern, thriving community that prioritises environmental sustainability, active female participation in governance, and the well-being of its people.

A village that once saw men dominating local leadership roles, Kunaria now stands as a proud example of how female leadership can reshape a community.

Where many rural areas see women taking a backseat in governance, Kunaria has flipped the script. Rashmiben Chhanga has ensured that women are not just participants but drivers of change. In her tenure, the women of the village have been actively involved in decision-making processes.

The village Panchayat, once male-dominated, now sees more women in leadership roles than men, thanks to Rashmibenas efforts to build awareness and offer training on governance. Women in Kunaria have even been given direct access to employment opportunities under government schemes. Through the MGNREGA programme, 70 per cent of the works, totalling five crores, have been given to women, empowering them with jobs and improving their economic standing.

In addition to the daily work opportunities under MGNREGA, Kunaria offers sewing and candle-making classes for women after hours. The establishment of Sakhi Mandals, womenas self-help groups, has been pivotal in offering women the chance to sell their products during festivals, further contributing to their financial independence. Rashmibenas focus on empowering women has not only changed their lives but has also bolstered the local economy.

One of Kunaria's most groundbreaking initiatives under Rashmiben's leadership is the formation of the countryas first 'Balika Panchayat.' This initiative, supported by Bharti Garwa, Kutch's first female drone pilot was designed to empower young girls and give them a voice in governance. The Balika Panchayat, consisting of 209 girls aged 10-21, operates with its own Sarpanch and has become a platform for the girls to voice their concerns, learn about democracy, and engage in local political processes.

Further breaking ground in gender inclusivity, Kunaria also became home to the country's first Balika Panchayat, a forum dedicated to the issues of adolescent girls. Supported by the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Cell, this innovative council encourages young women to participate in politics and stand up for their rights. The establishment of such an institution reflects Rashmibenas steadfast belief in the power of women and girls to drive change.

Rashmibenas leadership has sparked a cultural shift in Kunaria. The women, once confined to their homes, are now stepping out, engaging in open dialogue, and actively contributing to the villageas governance. This shift has not only empowered women but also brought about important social changes.

The success of Kunariaas transformation lies not just in womenas empowerment, but in its holistic approach to development. In the past six years, the village has planted over 180,000 trees, contributing to environmental restoration and leading to a positive change in the villageas climate. This environmental initiative, alongside other projects such as community halls, a cemetery, and an Anganwadi, has improved the overall quality of life for all its residents.

The progress in Kunaria has not gone unnoticed. Women leaders from across India have visited the village to learn from Rashmiben's innovative approach to governance and empowerment. In 2022, BJP leader Smriti Irani held a virtual dialogue with Kunariaas Balika Panchayat, where a young girl from the village proposed the creation of a nationwide Balika Panchayat. Smriti Irani accepted the proposal, marking the beginning of a new movement for adolescent girls across India.

Rashmiben's tenure as Sarpanch has also seen significant strides in improving the health of the community. Through nutrition kits for women and ongoing monitoring of malnourished individuals, the village has seen a marked decrease in malnutrition rates.
Seoul, March 8 : Hundreds of supporters cheered as impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was released from jail on Saturday, a day after a court cancelled his arrest and allowed him to stand trial without detention over his failed martial law bid.

With Yoon walking out of the Seoul Detention Centre as of 5:48 p.m., about 600 supporters shouted "Yoon Suk Yeol" with claps.

After stepping out of a security vehicle, Yoon walked toward the main gate, waved his hand and clenched his fist in response to the cheers of supporters. He bowed twice to express his gratitude.

Dressed in a dark navy suit, Yoon smiled and thanked his supporters before getting into the vehicle and heading to his official residence in central Seoul.

Upon arriving at the residence at 6:16 p.m., Yoon stepped out of the vehicle again to bow to supporters, who chanted his name.

According to police, approximately 2,000 people had gathered in front of the official residence, Yonhap news agency reported.

At the residence, Yoon had dinner with first lady Kim Keon Hee and his senior aides, according to a presidential official.

On Friday, the court said it approved Yoon's request after determining that his January 26 indictment on insurrection charges, which allowed his detention to be extended, had come hours after the initial detention period had already expired.

The 10-day initial detention period excludes the time documents were sent to a court for a review of whether to issue an arrest warrant, pushing back the deadline of Yoon's detention to around 9 a.m. January 26, whereas the prosecution indicted him shortly before 7 p.m. that day, according to the court.

Yoon's legal team accused the prosecution of delaying Yoon's release, which came 27 hours after the court's decision.

"The president's release is not just about addressing an individual's injustice, but the beginning of a difficult journey to restore the collapsed rule of law in this country," the team said in a release.

The ruling People Power Party welcomed Yoon's release and urged the Constitutional Court to take the court's decision into consideration in the impeachment trial.

"It is a just decision and the party hopes it serves as an opportunity to correct the distorted rule of law," party spokesperson Shin Dong-wook said in a statement.

In contrast, the main opposition Democratic Party strongly criticised the prosecution for exacerbating the nation's crisis with Yoon's release and called for the Constitutional Court to formally impeach him in its upcoming decision.

The top court is expected to decide whether to remove Yoon from office or reinstate him later this month after wrapping up hearings on February 25.
New Delhi, March 8 : The progress made by Ayushman Bharat -- the government's flagship initiative -- in advancing gender equity in healthcare is commendable, said public health experts on International Women's Day 2025 on Saturday.

New Delhi, March 8 (IANS) The progress made by Ayushman Bharat -- the government's flagship initiative -- in advancing gender equity in healthcare is commendable, said public health experts on International Womenas Day 2025 on Saturday.

International Womenas Day is observed every year on March 8. The theme this year is 'For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment'.

"Ayushman Bharat is commendably advancing gender equity in healthcare, with women making up 49 per cent of Ayushman cardholders and 48 per cent of hospital admissions," Poonam Muttreja, Executive Director Population Foundation of India, told IANS.

She added that the scheme has enabled screening of 14.9 crore women in the country for cervical cancer and 10 crore for breast cancer.

"It is remarkable," said the public health expert, whe also noting the challenges. She urged for more investment and better implementation.

"To ensure every woman benefits, we need greater investments and better implementation to improve access, gender-responsive service delivery, and comprehensive reproductive health support, particularly in remote rural and marginali#ed communities," Muttreja told IANS.

Meanwhile, Dr Suneeta Reddy, Managing Director, of Apollo Hospitals acknowledged the strides made in advancing womenas rights globally since 1995.

She called for dismantling systemic barriers that hinder women and girls from achieving their full potential and creating truly equitable and inclusive environments.

"Empowering the next generation is paramount. They are the catalysts for lasting change and must be equipped with the rights, resources, and opportunities to lead and shape the future," Reddy said.

The doctor called for strategic investments in initiatives that promote womenas rights and gender equality.

This "will help ensure that no girl is left behind".

Reddy also urged women leaders to leverage their inherent influence capital and foster a legacy of empowerment and equality for generations to come.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, March 8 : India on Saturday reiterated its consistent support to Mauritius for the restoration of Mauritian sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, in line with its principled stand on decolonization and support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations, as well as its longstanding and close partnership with Mauritius.

"We have supported Mauritius in its stance on its sovereignty over Chagos and this is obviously in keeping with our longstanding position with regard to decolonization and support for sovereignty and territorial integrity of other countries. It is only fitting for us to articulate this support for partners such as Mauritius," Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told reporters in New Delhi ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's State Visit to Mauritius next week.

Last October, India had welcomed the agreement between the United Kingdom and Mauritius on the return of Mauritian sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia, emphasising that the treaty completes the decolonisation of Mauritius.

The agreement meant that Mauritius would assume sovereignty over the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) of Chagos Archipelago, with the UK authorised to exercise the sovereign rights of Mauritius on Diego Garcia.

"Naturally after a new government has taken power in Mauritius, they have taken a relook at some of the provisions. Nevertheless, it is something that is continued to be discussed between Mauritius and the UK. We understand that they have engaged each other quite intensively and have also perhaps arrived a mutually acceptable deal on the subject," said Misri asserting that India continues to support Mauritius and there will be an opportunity perhaps for the current Mauritius leadership to update India during PM Modi's visit about pending issues, if any.

PM Modi will be arriving in Mauritius on March 11 on the two-day State Visit at the invitation of the Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam. He is scheduled to attend the National Day celebrations of Mauritius on March 12 as the Chief Guest. A contingent of Indian Defence Forces, including Indian Air Force's Akash Ganga skydiving team, will also participate in the celebrations along with a ship from the Indian Navy. Prime Minister Modi last visited Mauritius in 2015.

Highlighting that India-Mauritius ties are rooted in shared history, culture, and a very strong and robust people-to-people relationship that goes back several centuries, the Foreign Secretary mentioned that PM Modi will arrive in Port Louis early morning of March 11 and receive a ceremonial welcome on arrival.

During the visit, Prime Minister Modi will call on the President of Mauritius, meet the Prime Minister, and hold meetings with senior dignitaries and leaders of political parties in Mauritius. Prime Minister will also interact with the members of the Indian-origin community, and inaugurate the Civil Service College and the Area Health Centre, both built with Indiaas grant assistance. A number of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) will be exchanged during the visit.

"We have already provided Mauritius with Coast Guard Ship (CGS) Barracuda through a combination of grant and loan assistance. Additionally, through a soft loan, we have provided another platform, the CGS Victory, along with a number of fast interceptor craft. I believe we have been consistently supporting Mauritius with these kinds of assets, and if there is a need for further assistance in this regard, we would be ready to consider those proposals as well," said Misri.

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
Bhopal, March 8 : Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Saturday expressed anguish over crime against girl children, warning that the state government has made a provision to award death sentence to those found guilty of raping girls below 12 years of age.

Addressing an event on 'International Women's Day' in Bhopal, Chief Minister Yadav said crime against women, especially against innocent girls won't be tolerated.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister also cautioned that capital punishment will be awarded to those found involved in forceful religious conversion in Madhya Pradesh.

"I want to make it clear that the government won't tolerate heinous crimes against innocent girl children and forceful religious conversion. Such people don't deserve to live in the human society. Madhya Pradesh government has a provision for the death sentence," Yadav added.

Notably, Madhya Pradesh Assembly in 2017 passed aDand Vidhi (Madhya Pradesh Sanshodhan) Vidheyaka to give harsh punishment to those found guilty of raping girls below 12-year age. The state government has been mulling action to get rid of the infamous tag of being the arape capitala of India.

As per a recent report by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Madhya Pradesh is the state with the maximum number of rape cases in the country. The opposition Congress often targets the ruling BJP government over rising crime against women, especially girl children.

State Congress President Jitu Patwari referring to NCRB data said that more than 65,000 rapes have been reported in the State since 2004. The BJP has been in power in Madhya Pradesh since 2003, barring the 15-month period from December 2018 to March 2020 when Kamal Nath led a Congress government.

Responding to Chief Minister Yadav's statement on forceful religious conversion, Congress MLA from Bhopal, Arif Masood said that he would welcome it if the government takes this initiative. "Several cases related to religious conversions are pending in Bhopal. The government should start giving the death penalty to them, and then we will take the Chief Minister's statement seriously," Congress MLA said talking to IANS.
Dhaka, March 8 : The much-flaunted unity of various political outfits in Bangladesh, which was on full display during the ousting of democratically-elected Awami League government led by Sheikh Hasina in August 2024, seems to be fading gradually.

The violent uprising in Bangladesh saw many political forces coming together to overthrow the Awami League government leading to the formation of the interim government under the leadership of Muhammad Yunus.

However, as the country plunged into further crisis over the last seven months, several political leaders who had earlier backed Yunus are now criticising him openly, especially over the long delay that has been witnessed in holding national elections.

Slamming the current regime, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leaders have stated that despite talking about reforms, the interim government is showing no intent to hold elections and is instead busy fulfilling the agenda of the new National Citizen Party formed by the students, Barta24 reported.

BNP Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has said that if the Election Commission performs its duties efficiently, the general elections could be held between June and July instead of December 2025.

"If there is a delay in the election process, the people will begin to doubt the credibility of this interim government," Rizvi while addressing a gathering in Dhaka on Friday.

"We believe that the interim government is essentially a caretaker government. Therefore, it should be able to conduct a fair election. Any delay in the election process is unacceptable," he added.

Earlier this week, student leader Nahid Islam, who had led the violent protests against the Hasina government and has now formed the National Citizen Party, said that the interim government has been unable to fully ensure public safety, and holding a general election this year will be difficult.

Last month, Mia Golam Parwar, the Secretary General of the radical outfit Jamaat-e-Islami, reiterated his party's demand to hold local government elections before the general elections.

On the other hand, BNP has issued a warning to the interim government not to indulge in any tampering when it comes to holding the national elections. The party claimed that any tactics to postpone national elections in the guise of reforms would lead to intensified protest movements.

Even as the major political parties in Bangladesh remain at loggerheads, the Election Commission of Bangladesh recently stated that it will not be possible to hold local elections before the national elections.

"We are also observing the law and order situation. We all know the morale of law enforcers has been low since August 5. It would not be wise to hold local elections when police morale is still low," leading Bangladeshi newspaper 'Daily Star' quoted one of the country's election commissioners as saying.
BERLIN, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Germany's conservative Union bloc of CDU and CSU and the Social Democratic Party (SPD) on Saturday announced their intention to enter formal coalition negotiations, following the conclusion of exploratory talks.

The exploratory talks, which lasted for over a week after the federal election on Feb. 23, produced a paper outlining the basis for the two parties to form a coalition government.

CDU leader and likely the next Chancellor Friedrich Merz said at a press conference that agreements had been reached in a number of key policy areas including migration, finance, and economic issues.

Regarding migration, the parties agreed on the possibility of rejecting asylum seekers at land borders, as well as strengthened border controls.

They also agreed to reform the social benefits system for the unemployed.

According to the announcements, the two parties would also focus on reducing energy costs to boost the country's economy.

Earlier this week, the CDU/CSU and the SPD announced an agreement on a 500 billion euro (542 billion U.S. dollars) package to provide infrastructure investments, as well as a plan to exempt defense spending from constitutionally enshrined debt brake. 
Riyadh, March 8 : Syria's membership in the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) was reinstated, the OIC announced in a statement on Saturday.

The decision was taken during an extraordinary meeting of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers, convened in Jeddah on Friday to discuss the ongoing Israeli offensive against the Palestinian people and the plans for annexation and forced displacement from their land.

The statement noted that the decision came at Syria's request, and necessary measures will be taken to implement the decision.

The meeting, held at the request of Saudi Arabia, Palestine, and Iran, supported all the OIC resolutions on Palestine and Jerusalem, most recently by the Extraordinary Arab and Islamic Summit in Riyadh last November, Xinhua news agency reported.

Meanwhile, Iran has expressed grave concern over escalating violence and insecurity in Syria.

Iran closely monitors Syria's internal developments and follows with great concern the reports of violence and insecurity in various parts of the Arab state, said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei.

He made the remarks in response to intense clashes that erupted in Syria's coastal regions over the past 24 hours.

Baghaei stressed the need to ensure security and stability in Syria and create conditions for the peaceful coexistence of all Syrian groups. He also stressed the need to maintain Syria's territorial integrity in the face of Israel's aggression and threats.

Baghaei said that Iran firmly opposes insecurity and violence in Syria and the killing and maiming of the "oppressed" Syrians from any group or tribe.

Since Thursday, fierce clashes between Syria's interim government forces and armed opposition groups affiliated with the former government in coastal regions have left at least 147 people dead.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the clashes marked one of the deadliest escalations since the fall of the previous government last December.
Bhopal, March 8 : In a tragic but shocking incident, an elderly man ended his life by leaping into the burning pyres of his grandson and granddaughter-in-law. This tragic incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday in Siholia village, Sidhi district, under the jurisdiction of Bahri police station.

The grandson had brutally axed his wife to death on Friday evening and, overwhelmed with grief and remorse, subsequently took his own life.

Rakesh Bais, the in-charge of Bahri police station and senior officer of the investigation team, informed IANS over the phone that the charred remains of the elderly man, identified as Ramavtar Yadav, were discovered near the pyres of his grandson and grand-daughter-in-law.

Bais further elaborated that Ramavtar's grandson, Abhay Raj Yadav, had attacked his wife, Savita Yadav, with an axe following a domestic dispute and heated argument.

Consumed by remorse, albeit apparently, Abhay Raj then hanged himself the same evening. The last rites for both were conducted around 9 p.m. on Friday after the post-mortem examinations.

On Saturday morning, when family members went to collect the last remains of the bodies, they discovered another body in an almost completely burnt state near the pyres. They immediately raised an alarm and informed the police.

It was then revealed that the senior-most member of the family, Ramavtar, was missing.

It was later confirmed that Abhay Raj's grandfather, Ramavtar, had jumped into the burning pyres of his grandson and granddaughter-in-law, ending his life.

When asked about the possibility of other persons being involved in the incident, Officer Bais ruled it out, stating that Ramavtar's body was completely burnt, which would only be possible if he had jumped into the pyre.

His body has been sent for post-mortem.

The officer added that the police would thoroughly investigate all aspects of the incidents and sequences once they receive the post-mortem report.

According to the villagers, Ramavtar was in shock due to the death of his grandson and granddaughter-in-law. The deceased Abhay Raj and Savita are survived by two children.

Abhay Raj's neighbour told police that the couple often had heated arguments.

Just five days ago, Abhay had severely beaten his wife, Savita.

Abhay struggled with drug addiction, frequently consuming alcohol, even ganja (cannabis), and cough syrup much to Savita's disapproval.

On Friday, the couple had another altercation over the same issue.

When Savita tried to prevent Abhay from entering the house under the influence, he attacked her with an axe.

Abhay's family reported that they discovered the murder and suicide around 11 p.m. on Friday, the police said.

Ramavatar, who had a deep affection for Abhay, was devastated.

A few years ago, another elderly family member had passed away, and his children had also died. This series of tragedies left Ramavatar deeply upset and depressed, as the family member informed the police.
Kohima, March 8 : Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Saturday while participating in a discussion in the state assembly on the 'One Nation One Election' (ONOE) bill refused to make any comment on the issue.

Rio, who is heading the opposition-less United Democratic Alliance (UDA) government, said that it would be improper to make any comment on the 'One Nation One Election' since the bill is still being considered by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) constituted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.

The Chief Minister highlighted various important action points which are to be taken after the bill is passed and the implications of it in terms of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly.

Rio also highlighted in length the simultaneous elections norm from the first general election in 1951 until 1967 and the 1967 onwards. He said that bills were based on the recommendations of an eight-member committee and further the committee had submitted its recommendations to the President.

Rio also rationalised the objective of the bill and said that elections have become expensive and time-consuming.

"During the election imposition of model code of conduct in several parts of the country that are poll-bound puts on hold the entire development programmes, causing disruption of normal public life, impact the functioning of services and also curtail the involvement of manpower from their core activities for deployment for prolonged periods for election duties," he said.

The Chief Minister stated that after fierce debate in Parliament, the Lok Sabha Speaker forwarded the bills to the JPC consisting of 27 Lok Sabha and 12 Rajya Sabha members.

Rio added that the JPC has met twice to discuss the feasibility of the implementation of the Bill, however, the final recommendation is yet to be made. Opposing the 'One Nation One Election' bill, Naga People's Front MLA Achumbemo Kikon stated that the initiative greatly concerns the Nagas and that the introduction of the same would defeat the federal structure laid down by the Indian Constitution.

India is being one of the most diverse countries in the world with multiple ethnicities and diverse history, a one-size-fits-all approach is only wishful thinking and a detriment to the democratic features of the country, he said.

Kikon, also the Secretary General of NPF, emphasised that most of the countrymen live in rural areas where regional parties play a crucial role in the electoral process by addressing the local issues and that the introduction of ONOE would sideline these issues as national parties would mostly address issues of national interest.

He is apprehensive that the use of money, power and government machinery by the national parties will also be rampant if ONOE is implemented.

Speaking on the matter of election expenditure, Kikon said that the reduction in the cost cannot be at the cost of federalism but instead stringent measures should be taken up for regulation of the same.

He argued that while countries like South Africa, Sweden and Belgium have been successful in practising ONOE, implementing the same in India would prove to be a difficult task due to the large population of the country and the complex party-list Proportional System used alongside ONOE.

The NPF leader said that ONOE is a far-fetched reality for Indian electorates for now, and a time will surely come when ONOE will be necessary.

Kikon also reminded the house that the introduction of ONOE would lead to a one-party rule akin to a communist government which would invite chaos and threaten Indian democracy.

The NPF is a constituent of the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) led UDA government, in which BJP is a partner.

The sixth session of the 14th Nagaland Assembly began on March 3 and Assembly Speaker Sharingain Longkumer on Saturday adjourned the session Sine Die.

--IANS

sc/dan
Patna March 8 : Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has expressed his intention to establish a university in Bihar, urging the state government to provide land for this purpose.

"If the Bihar government gives land, we will open a university," he stated while addressing his followers in Patna's Gandhi Maidan on Saturday.

He emphasised that religion is not just about external rituals like wearing dhoti or shaving one's head. Instead, religion means knowledge and wisdom.

If the Bihar government agrees to allocate land, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's proposed university could become a major centre for education, culture, and spiritual learning in the state.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar expressed serious concern over the targeting of Hindus in Bangladesh and appealed to the Indian government to take necessary steps to address the situation.

He dismissed those attacking Sanatan Dharma as fools, comparing their efforts to throwing a stone at the sun. He highlighted the historical resilience of Sanatan Dharma, citing the failed attempts to destroy the Somnath temple.

He urged Hindus to take pride in their culture and not hesitate to openly embrace their religious identity.

Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has raised concerns over the increasing cases of heart attacks among India's youth.

Speaking in Patna, he also questioned the COVID-19 vaccine's role in this trend and advised people to consider ozone therapy as a preventive measure.

On women empowerment on International Women's Day, he stated: "Women should become self-reliant and step forward with confidence. We have launched many schemes, and they should lead in every field," he said, encouraging greater participation of women in all aspects of life.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is currently on a five-day tour of Patna. He is delivering spiritual discourses (Pravachan) at Gandhi Maidan, drawing a large number of followers.

Besides, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Dhirendra Krishna Shastri is also on a five-day tour of Bihar and currently doing Pravachan in Gopalganj district.
Seoul, March 8 : The top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) called for bolstering up the navy's combat power while inspecting the country's major shipyards, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Saturday.

The basic orientation for radically bolstering up the navy's combat power is "to simultaneously push forward with the modernization of water-surface and underwater warships and the further improvement of their operational capabilities," Kim Jong Un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and President of the State Affairs of the DPRK, was quoted as saying.

He stressed the need to decisively enhance the warship-building capacity on the basis of the existing experience and technology and "put spurs to the improvement of overall technical processes," in a bid to build a large number of modern warships of different missions desired by the naval force.

Kim also learned about the building of a nuclear-powered strategic guided missile submarine, Xinhua news agency reported.

The DPRK would "never remain an idle onlooker to the naval and underwater military activities of the enemies," he said, adding that the DPRK will "reliably defend the maritime sovereignty and firmly ensure a security guarantee on the Korean Peninsula and in the region through the important innovations and changes of its naval force and the upper hand in the ever-evolving strength."

The KCNA report did not specify when Kim visited the shipyards.

Last week, the North Korean armed forces conducted a launching drill of strategic cruise missile in waters off its west coast.

The Korean People's Army (KPA) fired two strategic cruise missiles, which travelled 1587 km before hitting target, KCNA said.

The purpose of the launching drill is to inform the "enemies of the KPA's counterattack capability in any space and the readiness of its various nuke operation means, and to demonstrate the reliability of the state nuclear deterrence and make the strategic cruise missile subunits get adept in fulfilling their sudden firing mission," said the report.

It was reported that Kim Jong Un oversaw the launching drill, saying that "it is a responsible exercise of the DPRK's war deterrence to continuously test the reliability and operation of the components of its nuclear deterrence and demonstrate their might."

"It is the responsible mission and duty of the DPRK's nuclear armed forces to permanently defend the national sovereignty and security with the reliable nuclear shield by getting more thorough battle readiness of nuclear force and full preparedness for their use," Kim added.
Bengaluru, March 8 : Describing the gang rape of an Israeli tourist and a local homestay owner as a heinous act, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that the Congress-led Karnataka government is committed to ensuring the safety of tourists.

Taking to social media X, CM Siddaramaiah stated, "The incident of assault and rape on an Israeli citizen and a homestay owner in Sanapur, Gangavati taluk, Koppal district, is a highly heinous act."

"As soon as the incident was reported, I gathered information from the concerned police officials and directed them to conduct a strict investigation and swiftly apprehend the culprits. In connection with the case, the police have arrested two accused individuals and are continuing their investigation," the CM said.

"Our government is committed to ensuring the safety of every individual, including tourists visiting the state. All necessary measures will be taken to prevent such incidents from recurring," CM Siddaramaiah underlined.

Koppal SP Ram L Arasiddi stated in his latest statement on Saturday, "On the midnight of March 6 between 11 p.m. and 12 midnight, five citizens, two foreigners and three from India  of them three were men who were assaulted physically and two were women, who were assaulted sexually. Three men fell into the canal, two survived while the body of one, identified as Bebaas, was found today at the canal."

"Based on the complaint given by the victim, an FIR was registered at the Gangavati Rural police station. Based on the information we had and local information, we arrested two persons today. One of them is Mallesha aka Handi Mallu and the other person is Chetan Sai, both belong to Sai Nagar in the Gangavathi town station," he stated.

"The accused will be further interrogated and produced to the court. All procedures will be followed. If required, we will again take them for police custody," the SP said.

"Regarding all four victims, they have been subjected to medical examination. Necessary treatment has been given to them. One more accused needs to be arrested. We have formed our teams and very soon he will also be arrested," SP stated.

The incident took place on Thursday night when the homestay owner had taken female tourists from Israel, and the US, a male tourist from Odisha and the deceased to the banks of Tungabhadra Left Bank Canal near Sanapura village near Gangavathi town for stargazing.

When the tourists were stargazing on the banks of the Tungabhadra canal, the accused who came to the spot on a bike, approached them on the pretext of asking for petrol and started demanding money from them.

On refusal of money, they attacked the group with stones, pushed the others into the canal, and raped the women.

The 29-year-old homestay owner, one of the victims of the sexual assault, has filed a complaint with the police regarding the incident.

The preliminary investigations revealed that the accused approached the victims on the pretext of asking for money for petrol. The victims gave them Rs 20 and asked them to leave. However, the accused started an argument with them asking for Rs 100 and started assaulting them.

They attacked the tourists and locals, a group of five persons, with stones and hands. They had pushed three men into the canal and sexually assaulted two women, a female from Israel and a local homestay owner.

Two of the accused gang-raped the local homestay owner, while the Israeli national was raped by one of the accused, sources stated. More details are yet to emerge regarding the exact sequence of events and the nature of sexual assault.

The victims were not known to each other and became friends after their arrival at the homestay.
Jerusalem, March 8 : The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement that its Air Force attacked on Saturday suspects attempting to retrieve a drone in southern Gaza.

It added that the drone "was being monitored" by Israel throughout its flight, which had crossed overnight from Israeli territory into Gaza in what is suspected to be an attempt to smuggle weapons.

The IDF did not specify the number of casualties.

Israeli news website Ynet reported that the IDF is investigating what the drone has smuggled into the Strip.

In recent months, there have been several cases of similar attacks against Gazans who collected drones.

On Friday, at least two Palestinians were killed in an Israeli airstrike east of Gaza City, according to Palestinian sources, Xinhua news agency reported. They added that an Israeli drone targeted a gathering of Palestinians in the Shuja'iyya neighborhood, east of Gaza City, with a missile.

Meanwhile, Israeli warplanes on Friday evening carried out more than 20 airstrikes targetting several areas in southern Lebanon, according to Lebanese media and security sources.

The Lebanese National News Agency reported that the aerial assault started at 9:15 pm (1915 GMT), targetting valleys and the outskirts of towns and villages in southern Lebanon, without specifying the casualties.

A Lebanese security source told Xinhua that, the airstrikes were conducted "within approximately 30 minutes, hitting forested areas and valleys located within the districts of Tyre, Nabatiyeh, Sidon, and Jezzine, deep in southern Lebanon."

The IDF said in a statement that it conducted intelligence-based strikes on Hezbollah military sites in southern Lebanon.

It noted that weapons and rocket launchers belonging to Hezbollah were identified in the sites, which "posed a threat to Israel and constituted a blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon."

"The IDF will continue to operate to remove any threat to Israel and will prevent any attempt by Hezbollah to reestablish and rebuild itself," it added.

Since November 27, 2024, a ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States and France has been in effect, ending more than a year of clashes between Hezbollah and Israel, which were triggered by the war in Gaza.
Kabul, March 8 : As the world celebrates the International Women's Day under the theme of 'For ALL Women and Girls: Rights, Equality, Empowerment', international organisations on Saturday emphasised the need to support Afghan women and restore their rights. The UN Women in Afghanistan stated that investing in Afghan women is akin to investing in Afghanistan's future.

Standing in solidarity with Afghan women and girls, Indrika Ratwatte, the Deputy Special Representative of the United Nations in Afghanistan, stated that the organisation is committed to investing in their resilience, empowerment, leadership, amplifying their voices, and advocating for their rights.

UN Women has expressed deep concern over the recent enactment of a morality law by the de facto regime in Afghanistan, which imposes extensive restrictions on personal behaviour, effectively erasing women from public life and granting broad enforcement powers to the morality police.

Over the past three years, since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan, Afghan women and girls have been subjected to more than 70 edicts, directives, and decrees, stripping them of fundamental rights. UN Women data shows that these restrictions are having dire impacts on the lives of Afghan women and girls.

Since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, education has been forbidden to girls aged over 12. As a result of this ban, Afghanistan is now the only country in the world where girls do not have the right to attend secondary school.

A report of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) quoted one women, as saying "We have no right to education, no right to work, no right to even exist freely. They are removing us from society".

Asserting that girls' right to education is non-negotiable, UNESCO took to its social media page on Saturday and posted, "Today, Afghanistan is the only country in the world where girls over 12 are forbidden to learn. 1.5 million girls are deliberately denied secondary education. If the ban continues until 2030, over 4 million girls will be affected."

Meanwhile, Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Afghan Government, stated that the rights of Afghan women in an Islamic society differ from those in Western countries.

"Based on Islamic law and the traditions and customs of Afghan society, all fundamental rights of Afghan women are ensured. However, it should not be forgotten that we discuss women's rights within an Islamic and Afghan society, which has clear differences from Western society and its culture," Hamdullah Fitrat, Deputy Spokesperson for the Afghan government, was quoted as saying by the leading Afghan media outlet TOLOnews in an audio message.
Mumbai, March 8 : The Maharashtra Public Health Department on Saturday said that a total of 12 deaths have occurred so far due to GBS in Maharashtra of which six were confirmed as GBS and six were reported suspected GBS deaths. No new suspected GBS case was reported on Saturday.

According to the department release, 197 patients diagnosed with GBS and 28 cases are suspected GBS cases.

Of these, 46 patients from Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), 95 from newly added villages in PMC area, 33 from Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, 37 from Pune Rural and 14 are from other districts.

Out of these patients 179 have been discharged till now, 24 are in ICU and 15 are on ventilators.

"An autoimmune disorder where the body's immune system attacks the peripheral nervous system. Characterized by muscle weakness, and in severe cases, paralysis," said the release.

The common symptoms of GBS include sudden weakness in hands or legs/ paralysis, trouble while walking or weakness with sudden onset and Diarrhea (for sustained periods).

The department has asked to keep water quality good especially to drink boiled water. Besides, food should be fresh and clean and the avoid aging stale food and partially cooked food (chicken or mutton).

The department has appealed to the citizens not to panic but visit a government hospital in case any symptoms are seen. Citizens should also implement preventive measures.

Citizens should not send water samples for testing by themselves.

For water sample testing and any information related to GBS, contact the respective help lines of Pune Municipal Corporation 020-25501269, 25506800 and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation 7758933017, said the release.
Hubballi, March 8 : The Congress government led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has increased the volume of loans of the state government for the sake of Muslims, alleged Union Minister for Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs Pralhad Joshi.

Speaking to the media in Hubballi on Saturday, he stated that Karnataka's GDP has exceeded 23 per cent, but every individual in the state now bears a debt of Rs 1 lakh.

Joshi criticised the budget for neglecting the regions of Kittur Karnataka and Hyderabad Karnataka (Kalyana Karnataka), calling it a grave injustice.

He accused the state government of crafting a budget solely for Muslim appeasement and vote bank politics.

He claimed that while the central government promotes "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas", the Karnataka Congress government is focused only on "Muslim Vikas".

Referring to the ideals of Buddha, Basavanna, Ambedkar, and Savitribai Phule, Joshi argued that the government claims to uphold social equality but, in practice, is favouring a single community. He accused the Congress of following a "divide and rule" policy.

Joshi questioned the governmentas decision to reserve contracts up to Rs 2 crore exclusively for Muslims, asking why contractors from other communities were being excluded.

He criticised the government's decision to allocate 20 per cent of Karnataka Industrial Development Board (KIDB) and Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) resources to Muslims, questioning the fairness of such a move when land is already scarce.

The government has raised the honorarium for maulvis to Rs 6,000, allegedly using temple revenues. Joshi labelled this as appeasement politics.

The budget includes a Rs 50,000 financial grant for Muslim weddings. Joshi questioned why similar support was not being provided to other communities, asking, "Is Karnataka turning into Pakistan?"

While many areas lack cremation grounds for Hindus, the government has allocated Rs 150 crore for the development of Muslim graveyards, he pointed out.

The state has allocated Rs 50 lakh for cultural programmes of religious minorities. Joshi questioned what kind of culture this referred to.

The government has announced financial assistance of Rs 30-50 lakh for minority students studying abroad. Joshi criticised this, asking why students from other communities were being left out.

The budget includes Rs 150 crore for minority hostels and additional funds for madrasa development. Joshi questioned whether the government was monitoring what actually happens inside madrasas.

While he supported providing education and basic facilities for minorities and backward communities, Joshi argued that offering reservations, contract quotas, and wedding allowances keeps them economically dependent rather than empowering them.

He called for skill development and value-based education instead.
Press Release

March 7, 2025 CHIZ CALLS LAW ON EXPANDED TERTIARY EDUCATION PROGRAM A 'GAME-CHANGER' Senate President Francis "Chiz" G. Escudero hailed on Friday (March 7) the signing into law of Republic Act 12124 or the Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program (ETEEAP) Act, saying this landmark legislation will transform access to higher education for Filipinos, particularly working professionals. "This law addresses a pressing need for flexibility and inclusivity in our educational system. By recognizing the value of prior learning and work experience, we are creating a pathway for individuals to achieve their academic aspirations without having to sacrifice their careers or personal responsibilities," the Senate President said. He thanked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for recognizing the value of this legislation and signing the ETEEAP law at the earliest possible time. "I extend my gratitude to President Marcos for signing this transformative legislation into law. The ETEEAP Act is a game-changer, making higher education more accessible, especially to Filipinos who have gained significant skills and knowledge outside traditional classrooms," the Senate leader said. "As the former chair of the Senate Committee on Higher, Technical, and Vocational Education, I am proud to have championed this measure and witnessed its realization," he added. The law will be implemented with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) as the lead agency, ensuring the proper identification, validation, and equivalency of prior learning and work experiences. He also lauded the role of CHED in upholding the standards of this innovative program. The ETEEAP Act allows Filipino citizens, whether residing in the Philippines or abroad, to apply for equivalency and accreditation, provided they meet the requirements. Applicants must be at least 23 years old at the time of application and have completed a secondary education program. This can be supported by a high school diploma or certifications such as the Philippine Educational Placement Test or the Alternative Learning System Accreditation and Equivalency Assessment. According to Senate President Escudero, he is optimistic that the ETEEAP Act will inspire more policies and programs aimed at fostering inclusive and practical approaches to education, which will lead to a stronger and more competitive Filipino workforce.
TEHRAN, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Iran on Friday expressed grave concern over escalating violence and insecurity in Syria.

Iran closely monitors Syria's internal developments and follows with great concern the reports of violence and insecurity in various parts of the Arab state, said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei.

He made the remarks in response to intense clashes that erupted in Syria's coastal regions over the past 24 hours.

Baghaei stressed the need to ensure security and stability in Syria and create conditions for the peaceful coexistence of all Syrian groups. He also stressed the need to maintain Syria's territorial integrity in the face of Israel's aggression and threats.

Baghaei said that Iran firmly opposes insecurity and violence in Syria and the killing and maiming of the "oppressed" Syrians from any group or tribe.

Since Thursday, fierce clashes between Syria's interim government forces and armed opposition groups affiliated with the former government in coastal regions have left at least 147 people dead.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the clashes marked one of the deadliest escalations since the fall of the previous government last December. 
Bhopal, March 8 : In a deeply distressing incident, a five-year-old child was raped by a fifty-year-old man in Kanhari village of Mehgaon police station area of Bhind district, Madhya Pradesh.

The police swiftly arrested the accused after receiving information from the child's parents and filing a First Information Report (FIR).

A reliable police source informed IANS over the phone that the accused has been apprehended, and further investigation is going on. The accused, a resident of a village in the Rampura police station area of Jalon district, Uttar Pradesh, was arrested under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, as well as sections 376 and 363 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The identity of the accused is yet to be revealed for certain reasons. The arrest was made based on clues provided by the young victim and details given by her parents.

According to the police, the parents reported the incident on Saturday morning, although the crime occurred on the night of March 3-4.

Shakti Yadav the investigating officer and in charge of Mehgaon police station told IANS, that the child's parents were attending a relative's wedding on March 3 when the child went missing around 11.30 pm. The parents searched for her throughout the night.

On March 4, she was found near the doorstep of the relative's house where the marriage was taking place. Someone mentioned that an unidentified person had left her there.

Initially, the incident went unnoticed, but later, the child's physical discomfort and unusual behaviour prompted her parents to inquire further.

The child then recounted her traumatic experience.

The officer explained that upon returning to Mehgaon, the parents immediately reported the incident to the police. The girl was taken for a medical examination, which confirmed the rape. The accused works as a labourer in the field.
Itanagar, March 8 : Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Saturday said that the state government upgraded the erstwhile Special Investigation Cell (SIC) to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), giving it more teeth to deal with corruption in the state government.

Speaking at the inaugural session of the Inter-Tribe Festival-2025, the Chief Minister said that corruption is not confined to the government and its employees; it also exists in a few other areas.

The festival is organised by the influential Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (AAPSU), the state's apex student body. Khandu urged upon the leaders of the AAPSU to retrospect and bring in reforms to cleanse the election process from 'corruption'.

The Chief Minister termed 'corruption' as one of the major hurdles in the functioning of a government as well as any organization. Khandu pointed out that in line with the state government's commitment to check corruption through reforms like the establishment of the State Selection Board and overhauling of the State Public Service Commission, AAPSU needs to bring in reforms to check the 'money factor' in its election process.

"It is an open secret that huge amounts of money exchange hands during elections of student organisations. AAPSU must take a lead by example to check this corrupt practice for a better future for the youths," he said. The Chief Minister also called for introspection by AAPSU leaders on their future beyond AAPSU.

"Yes, many AAPSU leaders of the past made it into politics and became ministers and MLAs. But has any student leader made it into civil services both at the central and state levels ?" he questioned.

Khandu opined that active student leaders should also concentrate on studies and set examples by clearing examinations conducted by UPSC as well as APPSC, which would, he said, will inspire thousands of youths, who are also active in student organisations.

Paying rich tributes to all former AAPSU leaders, especially the founding president and secretary, he revealed that AAPSU was formed in 1972 with the sole objective of resolving the Chakma-Hajong refugee issue.

"AAPSU has been fighting against the permanent residency of Chakmas and Hajongs in Arunachal Pradesh since its inception 53 years ago. But where are we today? Is the issue resolved ?" Khandu questioned.

He asserted that the present state government and the central government are in a position to resolve the refugee issue for good. While maintaining that the grant of permanent residency in the state to the refugees is out of the question, he informed that the state government is earnestly pursuing with the central Home Ministry in this regard.

"We are hopeful of a permanent solution sooner than later," he added.

Congratulating the present AAPSU team for organising the festival in a grand manner with participants from across the state, Khandu marvelled at the grandeur of Arunachal's cultural diversity.

"If each of the 26 major tribes and hundred subtribes were to perform on this platform, three days would be a very short period of time," he observed.
New Delhi, March 8 : The Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) administration, after initially denying permission for Holi celebrations, has reportedly allowed the celebration of the festival of colours on the campus.

The university administration a few days ago refused to give permission to allow celebration of the Holi Milan Samaroh on March 9 in the Non-Resident Students' Centre (NRSC) Hall. The Hindu students of the varsity had urged the administration for Holi Milan Samaroh.

The university, however, in its reply said 'a new tradition cannot be introduced'.

Meanwhile, in connection with the latest development, sources cited Brij Bhushan Singh, provost of NRSC Hall as saying that "any student can come to the hall and play Holi on March 13 and 14 in the NRSC Club".

Singh also said that the NRSC Hall will be open for students for two days so that "they can play with colors and gulal".

According to sources, the varsity has changed its stance by keeping in mind and taking into consideration the sentiments of the students.

It has been learned that there was also a demand in the AMU that students should be allowed to play Holi.

Reportedly, Hindu organisations and political leaders had been also raising questions about the AMU's now-reversed decision.

Recently, a row erupted at the AMU after permission to celebrate Holi Milan inside campus was denied by the authorities.

Some students had also alleged that the administration was discriminating against Hindus.

They had reportedly also threatened to take the matter up with Prime Minister Narendra Modi if permission was not granted.

According to sources, permission was first sought by a student on February 25.

Later, a letter was also written to the top varsity officials, seeking permission for the Holi Milaan festival on March 9.
Patna, March 8 : A speeding truck rammed into a three-wheeler in Bihar's Sitamarhi district on Saturday evening, claiming the lives of four people.

Patna, March 8 (IANS) A speeding truck rammed into a three-wheeler in Biharas Sitamarhi district on Saturday evening, claiming the lives of four people.

The accident took place on Sitamarhi highway due to rash and negligent driving.

The deceased, who was travelling on the three-wheeler, have been identified as Bharat Kumar, Anjali Devi, wife of Bharat Kumar, Rita Kumari, daughter of Bharat Kumar and Satyendra Kumar, the driver of the three-wheeler.

All are residents of Sitamarhi district. After the fatal accident, the truck driver and conductor managed to flee, abandoning the vehicle on the spot.

The district police managed to arrest the truck conductor who was also injured in this mishap. He initially fled from the spot. The truck driver is still absconding and a manhunt has been launched to nab him.

Ram Krishna, DSP of Sadar Range Sitamarhi, stated: "We have arrested the truck conductor and are making efforts to nab the driver. A case has been registered against him for reckless driving amounting to the death of four persons. We have informed the relatives of the deceased about the fatal accident. The victims died on the spot."

The incident led to chaos at the scene, with locals expressing outrage over the lack of road safety. The local residents claimed the truck driver was in a drunken stage at the time of the accident.

The impact of the accident was such that the truck climbed over the auto, trapping all four passengers inside.

Following the accident, Sadar DSP Ram Krishna and a large police force reached the scene immediately. They have rescued the trapped victims from the crushed auto.

The dead bodies were sent for the post-mortem in Sadar Hospital. The local residents are demanding strict road safety measures in Sitamarhi.

The administration ordered an investigation into the accident. Authorities have promised strict action against the guilty driver. The police continue their search for the truck driver.
Bhopal, March 9 : In the case of notorious smuggler Babu Sindhi and seizure of 25,000 kg of narcotics substance, a special court in Madhya Pradesh's Neemuch has delivered its much-anticipated verdict late Saturday evening.

Three smugglers, including the ringleader Babu Sindhi, have been slapped 15-year sentences each, while five others walked free.

Special Judge NDPS Act (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act), Jitendra Kumar Bajolia, pronounced the judgement in the case, which spanned Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

The court found Jaikumar alias Babu Sindhi guilty alongside his accomplices.

The court handed down 15-year sentences and imposed a hefty fine of Rs 2 lakh, ending a four-year trial that had all eyes riveted on the Neemuch court.

On August 27, 2021, the Central Narcotics Bureau (CBN) raided Neemuch's industrial area, seizing a staggering 25,000 kg of narcotics from a warehouse linked to Babu Sindhi.

The raid led to the immediate arrest of Sindhi and his associates, sparking a year-long investigation by the CBN.

In court, the CBN presented a voluminous 1,650-page dossier to document the case.

The defence consul was countered with compelling evidence, unmasking a vast smuggling network masquerading as a poppy seed trade.

Babu Sindhi, earning Rs 30 to 40 lakh daily from the narcotics trade, funnelled his illicit gains into real estate.

With SAFEMA (Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators Act) in place, authorities seized properties worth crores of rupees, registered in the names of Babu Sindhi and his wife.

The court, examining every piece of evidence, confirmed large-scale drug trafficking operations.

Consequently, Babu Sindhi, Rajendra Sharma, and Anurag Airan faced 15-year sentences and Rs 2 lakh fines, with an additional year of imprisonment for defaulting on the fine.

Of the 10 accused, five individuals -- Ashok Dangi, Saurabh Kochatta, Prakash alias Golu Motwari, Pankaj Kumawat, and Kailash Gadiya -- were acquitted due to insufficient evidence.

Constable Pankaj Kumawat, initially dismissed for his involvement with the smugglers, was among those acquitted.

Meanwhile, two accused, Vinod Gurjar and Shivcharan Gurjar, remain at large.

The notorious Babu Sindhi, already in jail for three-and-a-half years, had secured parole using a fraudulent medical certificate.

During this temporary freedom, he orchestrated a violent attack on social worker Ashok Arora.

With his parole revoked, Sindhi now faces the grim prospect of serving his full jail sentence.

Key revelations emerged, as the court identified Babu Sindhi as the kingpin of the smuggling ring.

Despite his defence claiming the warehouse belonged to Kailash Gadiya, the CBN debunked the rental agreement as a forgery, resulting in Gadiya's acquittal.

This gripping case has finally reached its conclusion, with Babu Sindhi and his associates facing the consequences of their actions.
Jammu, March 9 : The Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) unit of the Congress on Saturday expressed concern over the security situation in the Union Territory after three civilians belonging to the Kathua district were found dead in the forest area of the same district three days after they went missing.

In a statement, J&K Pradesh Congress Committee President Tariq Hameed Karra and other senior leaders have expressed concern over the two shocking incidents, one after the other in Billawar area, which reflects the worrisome security and law and order situation in the area.

Expressing sympathies with the families of the victims, Karra along with former MP Chaudhary Lal Singh, Former Minister Manohar Lal Sharma and State Congress District President Pankaj Dogra questioned the L-G administration and the Central government over the prevailing law and order and security situation in the several parts of the district and demanded immediate more effective measures to control the situation.

They demanded a high level investigation into these incidents to bring out the truth before the public and to control the present situation of great fear and sense of insecurity among the residents of the entire pahari belt of the district.

The bodies of three civilians, including a teenager, who went missing while on their way to attend a wedding, were found in Kathua district on Saturday.

The bodies of Varun Singh (15) of Dehota, his uncle Yogesh Singh (32) and maternal uncle Darshan Singh (40) were sighted in Ishu Nallah in Malhar area by drones during a joint search operation by the J&K Police and the Indian Army on Saturday noon.

The victims had gone missing while travelling to a marriage ceremony in Lohai Malhar village of Billawar tehsil on Thursday. They were part of a wedding procession from Dehuta village.

Locals reported sightings of "unknown suspects" in the area earlier this week.

The police is yet to come up with a statement about the actual circumstances which led to the deaths of these three Hindu civilians.
Patna, March 9 : Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey on Saturday inaugurated a statewide free rural cancer screening programme covering 8,387 panchayats in nearly 45,000 villages across all 38 districts in the state.

The event took place at the Prabhat Ranjan Diagnostic and Research Centre in Patna, marking a major step in early cancer detection and treatment.

A dedicated mobile app was also launched to aid the screening process.

As per this initiative, cancer screening will be conducted free of cost in rural areas.

Minister Pandey emphasised the urgency of early cancer detection and the need for awareness programmes in Bihar.

He said that many cases are diagnosed in later stages (Stage 3 or 4), reducing treatment success rates.

Prabhat Ranjan, Director of Prabhat Ranjan Diagnostic and Research Centre, said, "This initiative will work through a cancer screening mobile app. The villagers are informed about the app via Mukhiya (village heads) and Panchayat Samiti members. The app is downloaded on household smartphones to facilitate remote consultations. Live video calls with doctors help identify cancer symptoms early."

"After the detection, further medical investigations will be arranged for suspected cases. The patients will be given free treatment through Ayushman Card and CM Medical Assistance Fund. Early detection has helped many patients become cancer-free," he added.

"Many cancer patients in rural areas avoid disclosing their illness, fearing social stigma. The app enables private consultations, encouraging them to seek treatment. Early detection reduces the burden on Bihar's healthcare system, benefitting both government hospitals and society," he said.

This programme could serve as a blueprint for similar initiatives in other parts of India with high cancer rates.

Alongside the cancer screening program, Bihar's first Sleep Institute was inaugurated to address sleep disorders.

Ranjan said that in the last few years, increasing stress, depression, and lifestyle changes are leading to sleep-related illnesses.

Patients from remote areas struggle to find proper diagnosis and treatment.

The institute will provide specialized courses and research in sleep medicine.

Dr. Rupam, who launched the first private-sector electro-physiological lab in Bihar, highlighted the growing need for sleep disorder treatment.

Bihar's free rural cancer screening and sleep disorder treatment programmes mark significant healthcare advancements.

These initiatives aim to improve early disease detection, break social taboos, and enhance healthcare accessibility for Bihar's 10 crore rural population.
It started with a love letter. In 2020, Morgan Jerkins was looking for ideas for a new novel when a curator at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem sent her a letter, written in 1863. The four-page letter was from an enslaved man, James Tate, living on a plantation in the South, to his wife, Olivia, who resided on another plantation. The handwriting was beautiful, and in it he writes through an intermediary that his master wants him to forget about her and marry someone else, and he wants to reassure her that hes not going to do it, Jerkins says over Zoom from her Brooklyn living room, which is decorated with photos of Josephine Baker, Toni Morrison, and Zora Neale Hurston, whom she calls her literary godmother. When I read that letter, I thought, there it is. I want to write a story about that. A love story. I dont know how its going to end, but in the end, we win.

The letter became a talisman for Jerkins as she worked on Zeal, a multigenerational saga and historical romance, out in April from Harper. The novel, set in postCivil War America, during the Great Migration, and in the present day, centers on Black characterssome related by blood or marriagewho are linked across decades by a love letter written by a Black Union Army soldier, Harrison, to his beloved, Tirzah, whom he searches for after the war.

A self-described history nerd, Jerkins is a journalist, essayist, novelist, and the winner of two National Magazine Awards; her work focuses on Black history and people, particularly Black women, intersectional feminism, and ancestry. Shes the author of three previous books: her 2018 bestselling debut, This Will Be My Undoing, an essay collection about being Black, female, and feminist in white America; Wandering in Strange Lands (2020), in which she traces her ancestors journeys during the Great Migration; and the novel Caul Baby (2021). Together, her books have sold more than 208,000 copies, according to HarperCollins.

Jerkins says she worked overtime to make Zeal an authentic and immersive reading experience. She sought guidance from scholars and linguists of the African American tradition, poured over archival records and maps, and listened to old Blues musicby Bessie Smith, Mississippi John Hurt, and Son Housein order to write dialogue that rang true. This book legitimately whooped my ass, she admits. I put a lot of pressure on myself.

Born in 1992 in Somers Point, N.J., Jerkins was raised by her real estate agent mother; her mother and father, an OB-GYN, never married, which was a source of upset for her. I grew up in the Black church, where marriage was everything, she says. It led to insecurities growing up. A gifted student with an affinity for languagesshe speaks six, including Russian and JapaneseJerkins watched telenovelas in grade school to learn Spanish. My mom would record them when I was at choir practice, she recalls. It got to a point where I was accelerating so quickly that she got me a tutor.

Jerkins was bullied in high school, used writing as an outlet for her anger, and fell in love with the craft. In 2014, she received a BA in comparative literature from Princeton University (while there, she was twice rejected from the creative writing program) and an MFA in writing and literature from Bennington College in 2016. The authorwho has taught at Columbia and Princetonbegan her career writing online and quickly encountered trolls. Its exhausting as a Black woman to give your opinions and to be faced with the most disgusting threats, she says. Black woman rage is profitable, and there are people whove made their money and clout off of pissing people like me off. When I first started, I just wanted to be seen. I still do, but Ill be damned if Ill compromise my emotional safety in the process.

Bad Feminist author Roxane Gay got to know Jerkins in 2017 through her essays and has enjoyed following her career. Its been interesting to watch Morgans growth, Gay says. I think of her as a strong intellectual voice in America right now. We need our best and brightest on the creative front lines. Im incredibly glad to know that Morgan is writing in this time.

Zeal is a layered novel that abounds with secrets and family dramaand, notes Jerkinss agent, Sharon Pelletier, showcases the empathy and compassion that define Jerkins as a storyteller. The narrative opens in 2019, at an engagement party in Harlem, where Oliver, a doctor, gives his fiancee, Ardelia, a Civil Warera love letter thats been in his family for generations. The novel then moves back in time to 1865 and takes up the story of star-crossed Harrison and Tirzah, who lead separate lives after the warin Mississippi and Louisianaunaware of the others whereabouts. Jerkins moves from 1865 to 1912 to 2021 to tell their story (Harrison gets involved with the Freedmens Bureau; Tirzah becomes a teacher) and that of their respective families. She examines the trauma of slavery and the resilience of the human spirit while exploring the enduring power of love against all odds.

Zeal has plenty of romanceand sex. One of my early readers said this is a horny book, and it is, Jerkins says. As someone whos a descendant of the enslaved, for most of my life Ive heard people talk about sex in the form of rape, and its always the master and slave dynamic. I wanted to show the laughter, banter, sex, and elicit affairs, because these are human beings, even if the law didnt deem them as such.

Adenike Olanrewaju, Jerkinss editor, describes the author as a city girl with a Southern softness whos dedicated to showing the fullness of the Black experience. Morgan just really loves Black people, Olanrewaju says. Zeal is a real demonstration of the immense fortitude and depth of the soul of Black people in this country, and Morgan really wanted to get the details right.

Jerkins wrote Zeal over four years and during that process dealt with a bad breakup that deepened her understanding of herself and allowed her to mature as a woman and writer. This is a grown woman book, she says. When you get to the point where you love yourself, and youre proud of who you are, it changes the way you write.

A spiritual person who strives to honor her ancestors and make her parents proud, Jerkins is eager to write more fiction. I want my prose to be as vibrant as I hope I am, she says, and I want more than anything for my work to bring people together. Whatever she writes will feature Black women front and center. Black womanhood is always going to surprise me. As much as there is written, there are still things unwritten. Thats where I come in.

Elaine Szewczyks writing has appeared in McSweeneys and other publications. Shes the author of the novel Im with Stupid.
Click Here to go to PublishersWeekly.com
A deputy to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) attends a group meeting of the delegation of Guizhou Province at the third session of the 14th NPC in Beijing, capital of China, March 6, 2025.

International Women's Day falls on March 8.

At the ongoing annual sessions of China's top legislature and top political advisory body, female lawmakers and political advisors play an essential role in pooling wisdom to boost the country's development. (Xinhua/Xu Bingjie)

National political advisors walk towards the Great Hall of the People for the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025.

International Women's Day falls on March 8.

At the ongoing annual sessions of China's top legislature and top political advisory body, female lawmakers and political advisors play an essential role in pooling wisdom to boost the country's development. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

Deputies to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) walk towards the Great Hall of the People for the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th NPC in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2025.

International Women's Day falls on March 8.

At the ongoing annual sessions of China's top legislature and top political advisory body, female lawmakers and political advisors play an essential role in pooling wisdom to boost the country's development. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

Deputies to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) walk towards the Great Hall of the People for the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th NPC in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2025.

International Women's Day falls on March 8.

At the ongoing annual sessions of China's top legislature and top political advisory body, female lawmakers and political advisors play an essential role in pooling wisdom to boost the country's development. (Xinhua/Zhou Dixiao)

National political advisors from the All-China Women's Federation attend a discussion at the third session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 6, 2025.

International Women's Day falls on March 8.

At the ongoing annual sessions of China's top legislature and top political advisory body, female lawmakers and political advisors play an essential role in pooling wisdom to boost the country's development. (Xinhua/Zhou Dixiao)

National political advisors attend the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025.

International Women's Day falls on March 8.

At the ongoing annual sessions of China's top legislature and top political advisory body, female lawmakers and political advisors play an essential role in pooling wisdom to boost the country's development. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)

Deputies to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) walk towards the Great Hall of the People for the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th NPC in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2025.

International Women's Day falls on March 8.

At the ongoing annual sessions of China's top legislature and top political advisory body, female lawmakers and political advisors play an essential role in pooling wisdom to boost the country's development. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

Sun Yuanhua (C), a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), attends the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th NPC at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2025.

International Women's Day falls on March 8.

At the ongoing annual sessions of China's top legislature and top political advisory body, female lawmakers and political advisors play an essential role in pooling wisdom to boost the country's development. (Xinhua/Li Xiang)

National political advisors attend the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025.

International Women's Day falls on March 8.

At the ongoing annual sessions of China's top legislature and top political advisory body, female lawmakers and political advisors play an essential role in pooling wisdom to boost the country's development. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)

Deputies to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) attend the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th NPC at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2025.

International Women's Day falls on March 8.

At the ongoing annual sessions of China's top legislature and top political advisory body, female lawmakers and political advisors play an essential role in pooling wisdom to boost the country's development. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

Deputies to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) attend the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th NPC at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2025.

International Women's Day falls on March 8.

At the ongoing annual sessions of China's top legislature and top political advisory body, female lawmakers and political advisors play an essential role in pooling wisdom to boost the country's development. (Xinhua/Li Xiang)

Lu Lihua (C), a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), attends the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th NPC at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2025.

International Women's Day falls on March 8.

At the ongoing annual sessions of China's top legislature and top political advisory body, female lawmakers and political advisors play an essential role in pooling wisdom to boost the country's development. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

Deputies to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) walk towards the Great Hall of the People for the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th NPC in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2025.

International Women's Day falls on March 8.

At the ongoing annual sessions of China's top legislature and top political advisory body, female lawmakers and political advisors play an essential role in pooling wisdom to boost the country's development. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei)

Deputies to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) attend the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th NPC at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2025.

International Women's Day falls on March 8.

At the ongoing annual sessions of China's top legislature and top political advisory body, female lawmakers and political advisors play an essential role in pooling wisdom to boost the country's development. (Xinhua/Li Xiang)

National political advisor Wang Yaping talks with another national political advisor before a joint group meeting of political advisors from the Communist Youth League of China and the All-China Youth Federation, the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, and the All-China Women's Federation at the third session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 6, 2025.

International Women's Day falls on March 8.

At the ongoing annual sessions of China's top legislature and top political advisory body, female lawmakers and political advisors play an essential role in pooling wisdom to boost the country's development. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)

Tian Shuxian (2nd R), a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), speaks during a group meeting of the delegation of Hubei Province at the third session of the 14th NPC in Beijing, capital of China, March 6, 2025.

International Women's Day falls on March 8.

At the ongoing annual sessions of China's top legislature and top political advisory body, female lawmakers and political advisors play an essential role in pooling wisdom to boost the country's development. (Xinhua/Lyu Shuai)
Indian pharmaceutical companies may have units abroad as part of distributed manufacturing across various locations, according to industry veterans.

This may come about over the next five to 10 years.

There will be more interdependence between research and development (R&D) and manufacturing facilities, but they may not be in close proximity.

Speaking at the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA) Global Pharmaceutical Quality Summit, Umang Vohra, managing director and global chief executive officer (CEO), Cipla, said manufacturing traditionally used to be concentrated in locations that were economic.

At this point in time, countries are trying to be self-sufficient in pharma and companies and countries are trying to be balanced from a tariff perspective.

So, technology-transfer functions will begin to change because historically we have been used to operating perhaps in one culture and one predominant language.

"And now we are going to see more distributed manufacturing, he said.

It would become important in manufacturing to have a set of people who can work out of multiple geographies, the CEOs felt.

There may be pilot facilities from R&D to manufacturing situated in different countries, depending on availability of talent.

We may begin to see the setting up of some facilities in the US  modular sort of things, Vohra said.

His comments are significant because the United States (US) is looking to impose reciprocal tariffs of 25 per cent on imports of pharmaceutical products.

While no formal announcement has come in this regard, there is widespread anticipation of a potential tariff on Indias pharma exports to the US.

Vohra, however, said the industrys strategic decisions should not be driven solely by current tariff structures.

Current tariff structures can change. A long-term perspective is necessary because by the time a manufacturing facility is established in the US, the existing tariffs may no longer be in effect.

"Furthermore, the financial impact of these tariffs is not very significant, Vohra said.

A senior industry executive who is the promoter of a leading pharmaceutical company said: We dont have clarity on what kind of tariffs, if any at all, will be imposed on exports from India.

"Now India does not have high duties on pharma imports from the US.

"Almost 60 per cent of products do not have any duty, and for some products there is duty in the range 5-10 per cent, he said on the sidelines of the IPA conference.

Local companies have not decided whether they would pass on the increased duty to the US buyer, but that seems to be the most likely outcome of a potential tariff imposition.

Differing slightly with Vohra, Dilip Shanghvi, chairman and managing director (MD), Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, said for manufacturing to work well, one needed to have some minimum volume and consistent production, adding, most of India-made products were in the range of $1-5 and might not justify relocation.

There are tens of thousands of drugs consumed by patients across the world, and Pankaj Patel, chairman, Zydus Lifesciences, said: Almost two-thirds of the world cannot afford these emerging technologies.

"Therefore, India has a great opportunity to play an important role here.

Nilesh Gupta, MD, Lupin, too said India had to focus on developing complex generics, and otherwise even the larger generics market would not grow.

He added that automation and higher efficiencies in running manufacturing plants would also go a long way. We have to chase efficiency and quality.
'While suppression of information is acceptable for the government, the Opposition's efforts at pinning the government and its leaders is labeled anti-national,' points out Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the bhoomi puja of the Bageshwar Dham Medical and Science Research Institute at Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh, February 23, 2025. Photograph: Press Information Bureau

The Maha Kumbh Mela has ended.

Despite being blemished by tragic deaths of imprecise number of poor devotees in search of salvation, we have seen a series of laudatory speeches and statements by leaders holding different offices in the Union and state governments.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi too used an unconnected official function -- the foundation laying ceremony of a hospital being promoted by a religious trust in the Bundlekhand region of Madhya Pradesh -- to make a series of claims and assertions which convey to the event having been a grand success and lauded to the highest degree by the people.

'When we observe this Maha Kumbh,' he started and continued, 'a profound realisation dawns upon us -- it is truly a Ekta Ka Mahakumbh (Maha Kumbh of unity)....(it) will continue to inspire generations to come as a symbol of unity, strengthening the collective spirit of our nation like an eternal stream of nectar.'

A simple question emerges from this: In a multi-religious nation, how can a ritualistic event or festival of one religious community, be presented as a symbol of unity?

By making such an assertion, is not Modi merely propagating the central belief of Hindutva, fiercely disputed by non-adherents of the ideology, that every citizen of this country 'is a Hindu'?

Even if questions are raised ad nauseam, they must be asked: Can a prime minister speak at an official function to further a political belief?

Media reports of the event and Modi's speech after the religious ceremony, however, did not use this claim as its 'news-point'. Instead they focused on an accusation leveled by Modi, against (who else but) the Opposition parties.

The prime minister started with the charge that people have noted that 'a certain section of leaders who mock religion, deride it, and engage in divisive tactics. On numerous occasions, foreign powers also attempt to weaken our nation and its spiritual foundations by lending support to such individuals.

'Those who harbour animosity towards the Hindu faith have, in some form or another, existed for centuries. Those who remain trapped in a colonial mindset persistently attack our beliefs, our temples, our saints, our culture, and our values.

'They show utter disrespect towards our festivals, traditions, and customs. They even dare to cast aspersions upon a religion and culture that are inherently progressive. Their agenda is to fragment our society and disrupt its unity.'

IMAGE: A person is carried on a stretcher after a deadly stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, January 29, 2025. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters

Let us break down the charges sequentially. One, that some sections of leaders (undeniably he is alluding to those from Opposition parties) have (or continually do so) mocked or derided religion and resort to divisive tactics.

Obviously the provocation for Modi to level this allegation is Mamata Banerjee terming the event 'Mrityu Kumbh' and Akhilesh Yadav backing her.

Additionally, Mallikarjun Kharge had charged after Amit Shah's holy dip before multiple TV cameras, that such acts will not 'remove poverty'.

Banerjee had questioned flawed arrangements that led to the fatal human crush while Kharge hurled a barb at a political adversary.

Point number two in Modi's list of contentions: That 'foreign powers weaken our nation and its spiritual foundations.'

On this, Modi's trigger is Donald Trump whose multiple statements on USAID's questionable funding have meant differently on different days and yet no one is certain what the United States president is aiming to state.

Modi is not alone in his use of such tactics. We have seen Trump too making a series of imprecise allegations.

Modi is not the first one from the ideological stable of Hindutva. In the course of the Ram Janmabhoomi agitations, its proponents had first wanted to prove that Ayodhya was Ram's birthplace.

However, news reports appeared in the late 1980s on the Archaeological Survey of India's excavations limiting human presence in the town to the period after events described in the Ramayan epic were believed to have taken place.

These reports established that even if the Ramayan was 'history' not mythology, the events did not occur in the current era's Ayodhya.

Thereafter. the agitations leaders, Lal Krishna Advani downwards, formulated a common answer whenever asked to 'prove' their claim: Ram and his birthplace being Ayodhya (and the site of the Babri Masjid) is a 'matter of faith'.

IMAGE: A man reacts after the deadly stampede in Prayagraj. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters

Populist leaders abhor facts and figures. Not just they themselves, but even their appointees too follow the same path.

On the night of February 15 when the stampede in New Delhi railway station took place, Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena's edited/deleted his social media post over the stampede.

His first post on X accepted that there had been an 'unfortunate and tragic incident of loss of life and injuries', at the station when misinformation and unscheduled decisions of the Indian Railways staff caused panic among anxious passengers heading for the dip at the Sangam.

In barely half an hour he altered this post and it thereafter made no mention of any deaths and the incident was described as 'unfortunate' a term the officialdom uses to avoid describing incidents as 'serious'.

Paradoxically, Modi condoled the deaths in his post. Only thereafter did Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw change the description of the accident in his post from 'sudden rush' to acknowledging the deaths.

Such an admission by the railways minister was only after the prime minister wrote that he was 'distressed by the stampede' and his thoughts were with those 'who have lost their loved ones'.

IMAGE: A man carries his mother as they cross over a barricade after a deadly stampede in Prayagraj, January 29, 2025. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters

Likewise, the Uttar Pradesh government has yet not provided precise and factual information on the stampede in Prayagraj.

While suppression of information is acceptable for the government, the Opposition's efforts at pinning the government and its leaders is labeled anti-national.

Furthermore, Modi said that the Opposition leaders are driven by the objective to 'fragment our society and disrupt its unity'.

The regime has been tardy with data which shows it in a poor light and liberal with those figures that showcase claimed competence.

For instance on the Kumbh, while the state government and chief minister has been prompt in releasing so-called figures of the numbers who have taken the dip and those that braved traffic jams for tens of kilometres, it has not yet provided complete details of the tragedy on the night of January 29 in Prayagraj.

Modi is probably not to be blamed for disallowing truth to come out repeatedly across sectors and subjects.

After all, one of the principal accusations that the Sangh Parivar has hurled without precise data is that there is an Islamist conspiracy underway in India with the objective of rendering the Hindus 'into a minority' in 'their own country'.

This has become particular shallow an allegation given the fastest declining Total Fertility Rate among Muslims.

But probably the most blatant evidence of the Sangh Parivar's dislike for truth or facts and figures is the non-existent Census operations for the year 2021.

This is the first time in the history of census operations in India since they were started in 1872 by the colonial regime that we do have the latest head count despite being half way through the decade.

Is this because the government fears that the data would establish the untruthful figures of fatalities that were put out during the COVOD-19 pandemic? This is just one of the numerous questions which remain unanswered because a populist leader's narratives cannot be woven on the basis of truth and actual data.

Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay is an author and journalist based in Delhi-NCR.

His latest book is The Demolition, The Verdict and The Temple: The Definitive Book on the Ram Mandir Project.

He is also the author of Narendra Modi: The Man, The Times.

Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com
The women's wing of the Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar has written to President Droupadi Murmu, urging her to grant immunity from punishment against one murder as women want to kill the oppressive mentality and rapist mindset.

IMAGE: Women take out a march demanding justice in RG Kar Medical college rape and murder case in Kolkata. Photograph: ANI Photo

Rohini Khadse, the women's wing president of the Sharad Pawar-led party, in the letter written on the occasion of International Women's Day, pointed out the recent gangrape of a 12-year-old girl in Mumbai to highlight rising crimes against women and press for their demand.

We, on behalf of all women, are demanding immunity (from punishment) to commit one murder, Khadse said in the letter, aimed at targeting the state government over the law and order situation in the state.

She also cited a survey report stating that India was the most unsafe country for women as crimes, including kidnapping and domestic violence, were happening against them.

We want to kill the oppressive mentality, the rapist tendency, the inefficiency of law and order We hope our demand will be granted after giving it a serious thought, Khadse added.

Reacting to the letter, Shiv Sena minister Gulabrao Patil said Khadse should tell whom she will murder. However, his party colleague Manisha Kayande offered a more sympathetic view.

Kayande, an MLC, said Khadse is probably talking about killing certain tendencies in some people. This feeling must be stemming from the recent incidents, she said.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said there was a need to filter out leaders and workers from his party who were working for the BJP and warned of strict action, even removals.

IMAGE: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi addresses party workers in Ahmedabad. Photograph: @INCIndia

Addressing party workers on the second day of his two-day Gujarat visit, the party's first job was to separate two groups of Congress workers and leaders  ones who carry the party ideology in their hearts and stand with the public and the others who were cut off from the public, "half of whom are with the BJP".

Gandhi's visit to the state is focused on the 2027 assembly polls, for which he has hinted at a major overhaul in the party's state unit and assured a strong plan to defeat the BJP.

"There are two types of people in the Gujarat Congress leadership and among workers. Those who are honest with people, fight for them, respect them and have the ideology of the Congress in their heart. And the others who are cut off from the people sit far away, do not respect them, and half of whom are with the BJP," he said.

The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said the party's first job should be to filter these two groups, even if it means taking strict action of removing people.

Till the two groups are separated, the people of Gujarat will not believe in the party, he said.

Gandhi said, "For our district, block presidents and senior leaders, the party should find a place in their hearts. They should carry Congress in their blood. Put the issue of winning and losing the elections aside. As soon as we do that, the people of Gujarat would like to join our organisation, and we will open the door for them."

He claimed that the people of the state are trapped, and the diamond, textile and ceramic industry is in shambles.

"Look at farmers of Gujarat. They are screaming for a new vision. The vision of the last 20-25 years has failed, and Congress can provide this vision easily. But this is not possible unless these two types of people are filtered," he said.

He said Gujarat wants to move forward but is unable to see the way ahead, and the Congress is unable to show it the way.

"I am not speaking out of shame or fear, but I want to put this before you  we are unable to show Gujarat the way," Gandhi said.

He pointed out that Congress has been out of power in Gujarat for over three decades, and whenever he visits the state, the discussions revolve around elections.

"But the question is not about elections. Unless we fulfil our responsibilities, the people of Gujarat will not let us win the elections. And we should not ask the people to give us the government till we fulfil our responsibilities. The day we have fulfilled our responsibilities, I can guarantee that all the people of Gujarat will support us," he said.

Gandhi said Congress has not been able to fulfil expectations Gujarat had from its leaders for the last 30 years.

Gujarat gave the Congress its original leadership, way of thinking, fighting and living in Mahatma Gandhi, he said.

"Without Gandhi, Congress would not have been able to get independence for the country," he said, adding that Sardar Patel, one of the five greatest leaders of the Congress, also hailed from Gujarat.

He said there is no shortage of leaders in Congress at the district, block, and senior levels, but "they are chained".

"Our leaders, including me, will have to go amidst the people of Gujarat, listen to their voices, what they expect from me, what we can do for them  for their education, health, and future. We are here to listen to you," Gandhi said.

He said the party could come to power in the state if it manages to increase its vote share by 5 per cent, citing the example of Telangana, where it managed a 22 per cent increase in the vote share.

Gandhi, on the first day of his visit on Friday, had held meetings with party leaders and district and block-level presidents.

The upcoming All India Congress Committee (AICC) session is scheduled to be held in Ahmedabad on April 8-9. It will be held in the state after 64 years.

In the 2022 Gujarat assembly elections, the Congress won only 17 of the 182 seats in the state. However, the party's strength in the House dropped to 12 after the resignation of five MLAs.
Amid multiple efforts to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict and achieve lasting peace, Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov on Friday said Moscow was 'prepared to sit in a trilateral format' for talks.

IMAGE: Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov. Photograph: Amit Sharma/ANI Photo

During an interactive session at the India Today Conclave, he also said the current United States administration, in comparison with its predecessors, was showing the 'right signs' to stop of the conflict.

Asked about US President Donald Trump recently announcing his intention to end the conflict, the envoy sought to draw the broader contours of the position from Russia's perspectives.

"I will put it simply, came Trump, and says -- 'I want a peace deal'. US officials approached us and we had a very good meeting in Saudi Arabia, and we saw that Americans now are prepared to not only listen but also hear. And, we also see (Ukraine President Volodymyr) Zelenskyy and we also see Ukraine, and we also see the Europeans, who continue on that belligerent path. They are speaking about the need for Russia to withdraw, they are speaking about security guarantees, for which NATO membership would be the best option," Alipov said.

The Russia-Ukraine war began in February 2022 and efforts are being made from different quarters to resolve the conflict and achieve a lasting peace.

Alipov said 'they are talking about remilitaristation of Europe' and recently had a meeting.

"Why should we accept these conditions? Plainly speaking, we can go without any peaceful negotiations, we are winning this war, yet we are prepared for the peace deal. We are willing to go fast on this track but the stumbling block is Europe and Ukraine at the moment, it seems. Personally, I don't think the process will go fast," he argued.

On the second Trump administration, the Russian envoy said, "Obviously, the approach of the current US administration, in comparison to its predecessors, is showing the right signs to stop of the conflict in Europe."

Asked if Russia was ready for a meeting between Trump and President Vladmir Putin, he said, "We are ready for that."

He also made a reference to the recent meeting in the Oval Office between Trump and Zelenskyy.

"Zelenskyy was not prepared for a quick process when he went to Washington. Now, he says he is prepared for that," he said.

Asked if Putin was prepared to meet Zelenskyy, the envoy said, "Of course, I believe so."

"The Americans regard him (Zelenskyy) as a legitimate president, I believe, we do not. Yet, we are prepared to sit in trilateral format. We are prepared for that," he said.

On what role Russia was expecting India to play, the ambassador said, "We do not expect anything from India in this regard."

He also highlighted on the old bilateral ties between India and Russia, and said, "We are very optimistic about future of our relationship, remarkable history behind us."

On a question about Russia's position vis-a-vis changing dynamics in India-China relations, Alipov said, "We are in favour of, you know, building confidence between India and China. We don't want to take sides."

"We are willing to help, in any way, if required by both parties," he said.

The Russian ambassador to India also said, "We don't think in confrontations terms, we are thinking in cooperation terms... We want, Europe, Asia, the whole world to cooperate and live on fair terms, with goodwill."
Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have been stranded on the International Space Station since June 2024.

IMAGE: Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore in the Boeing Starliner Mockup at NASA's Johnson Space Center preparing for their flight. Photograph: Kind courtesy Bill Stafford/NASA/Instagram

The two American astronauts -- Sunita 'Suni' Williams -- 'the woman with the wild hair' as described by US President Donald Trump -- and Barry 'Butch' Wilmore will return to earth soon, said National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

The two astronauts have been stranded on the International Space Station since June 2024 as against the originally planned eight day trip -- with two others, NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov.

Suni and Butch will board the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft next week to return to earth.

On March 12, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the Dragon spacecraft will carry four astronauts -- NASA astronauts Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov -- to the ISS.

The rocket will lift off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The flight is the 10th crew rotation mission with SpaceX to the space station, and the 11th human spaceflight as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Programme.

Ahead of Crew-9's return, mission teams will review weather conditions at the splashdown sites off the coast of Florida prior to departure from the space station, said NASA.

William and Wilmore's journey to the ISS would be the most reported space event in recent times mainly because of their inability to come back to Earth owing to problems with the thrusters and a helium leak with Boeing's spaceship Starliner that took them to the ISS.

On Thursday, March 6, 2025, Trump scored a political point against his predecessor Joe Biden, saying the latter left Willams and Wilmore stranded in space.

Trump said he had asked Elon Musk -- who owns SpaceX -- to rescue the two astronauts.

'We love you and we're coming up to get you. And you shouldn't have been up there so long,' Trump added.

Musk in a post on X -- which he also owns -- said: 'The astronauts were only supposed to be up there for 8 days and now have been there for 8 months. SpaceX could have sent up another Dragon and brought them home 6 months ago, but the Biden White House (not NASA) refused to allow it. President Trump asked to bring them back as soon as possible and we are doing so.'

Venkatachari Jagannathan can be reached at venkatacharijagannathan@gmail.com

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- For Zou Bin, 29, the journey from a remote village to the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, the prestigious venue for annual sessions of China's top legislature, has been one of perseverance and dedication.

Ahead of the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), Zou, a construction quality director by trade and NPC deputy by passion, visited an airport construction site in central China's Hunan Province to listen to the concerns of migrant workers.

Since becoming a lawmaker seven years ago, Zou has spent three days every month at construction sites, talking with workers and recording their appeals, and submitted more than 10 suggestions, mostly focused on migrant workers' rights.

FROM BRICKLAYER TO CRAFTSMAN

Raised in an impoverished mountainous village in central China's Hunan Province, Zou started to learn bricklaying in 2011 at construction sites in the provincial capital Changsha, following his father's footsteps to become a migrant worker.

Unlike others who work for speed, he pursued perfection, often redoing walls to meet his own high standards.

His dedication led him to professional excellence. In 2015, he competed in the WorldSkills Competition in Brazil, winning the Medallion for Excellence in bricklaying and making history for China in this field.

Soon afterward, Zou was hired as a project inspector of the Fortune 500 firm China State Construction Engineering Corporation, leading teams and mentoring fellow bricklayers.

Brick by brick, Zou paved his way not only to a true craftsman among construction workers, but also to a grassroots NPC deputy.

VOICE THAT MAKES DIFFERENCE

In 2018, Zou was elected an NPC deputy, the youngest in the Hunan delegation. The then 23-year-old has since been committed to speaking out for migrant workers, a nearly 300-million-strong group in China.

"I was a little excited at first, but then the weight of responsibility made it hard for me to sleep," Zou said. "I cherish the opportunity to be a voice for people like me."

Zou's first proposal to China's legislative session called for better technical education and labor protections for construction workers, a cause that has since become his focus as an NPC deputy.

His efforts paid off. Authorities responded quickly, rolling out large-scale vocational training programs since that year and putting in place the country's first ever regulation on timely wage payments in 2019.

In just one year after the regulation took effect, authorities helped 643,000 migrant workers recover about 6.4 billion yuan (about 893 million U.S. dollars) in overdue salaries and other compensation.

TRANSFORMATION OF MIGRANT WORKERS

Zou was reelected as an NPC deputy in 2023. He became one of the 56 migrant workers that sat in the 14th NPC. The number marks a significant increase from 2008, when three migrant workers first made it into the country's national legislature.

Much more poised and confident, the ardent advocate for migrant workers set out a higher vision in his new term from 2023 to 2028 -- helping migrant workers become professional skilled workers.

His efforts aligned with China's push to empower migrant workers.

According to a guideline issued in 2024, China aims to foster approximately 2,000 national-level master artisans and 60,000 provincial- and city-level master artisans by 2035.

Calling himself "a true beneficiary" of the country's rigorous reforms over the past years, Zou said: "This is an era in which everyone has the opportunity to shine."

At this year's legislative session, Zou prepared a suggestion for further upgrading traditional industries and improving the skills training system for workers, aiming to turn industrious blue-collar craftsmen into skillful technicians.

"I hope that more migrant workers can have a stage to improve themselves," Zou said.

Over the years, Zou has witnessed changes in policies related to migrant workers and improvements of their work and lives. Their problems, such as medical care and schooling for their children, are being addressed step by step.

"I have witnessed real changes," he said. "My goal remains the same -- to make migrant workers a respectable group with a sense of accomplishment and dignity." 
Ukraine is a recalcitrant mule that's been smashed on the nose with a plank of wood.

This colorful image is a paraphrase of a telling remark this week by US special envoy Keith Kellogg summing up Washington's view of Ukraine's rocky road from the bust-up in the White House to new talks with US negotiators in Saudi Arabia.

Kellogg was discussing the US decision to pause military supplies to Ukraine and suspend intelligence cooperation. The aim, he said, was to compel Ukraine to join talks.





"The best way I can describe it is sort of like hitting a mule with a 2x4 across the nose," Kellogg said. "You got their attention."

In other words, Ukraine's biggest military backer has wielded a big stick to get its way, and it seems to have worked.

"The push is to get them to engage in diplomatic activities.... The bottom line is that it's a forcing function to get them to the table," Kellogg said at an event in Washington on March 6.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy heads to Riyadh on March 10 to meet with Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman, followed by talks between Ukrainian and US delegations in Jeddah later in the week.

This view of the dynamic of the last few days, and where it now leaves Ukraine, was shared by one analyst who spoke to RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service on March 7.

"They decided to put pressure on the weakest party," said Yevhen Mahda, a Ukrainian political scientist and director of Kyiv's Institute of World Policy.

"The United States is not just turning the world order upside down. They are demonstrating, you know, a kind of caricature of policy," Mahda said.

The bitterness in these words echoes that heard in comments made by Ukraine's ambassador to London, Valeriy Zaluzhniy, who this week accused the United States of "destroying" the rules-based international order.

Nevertheless, the presence of Ukrainian negotiators in Jeddah next week suggests officials in Kyiv have accepted they have -- right now -- few options. Or, as US President Donald Trump put it, few cards.

Zelenskyy's tone of contrition in recent days also speaks to this.

"Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is regrettable," he tweeted on March 4. "I stand ready to work under President Trump's strong leadership."

Kellogg was sitting right behind US Vice President JD Vance and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio when the Oval Office meeting blew up. "I had a ringside seat," he said, adding that Zelenskyy "misread the room."

"You don't try to challenge the president of the United States in the Oval Office."

While Kellogg's mule quote made some headlines, his other comments offer further insight into how Washington wants things to go from here.

A key first step will be to sign the minerals deal that was supposed to be signed in Washington.

"That is a big deal for us because President Trump is a transactional leader, and transactional starts with economics," he said.

Kellogg suggested -- in broad brush rather than in detail -- that this would be followed by Ukrainian officials setting out their "term sheet" of basic positions. He said Russia had already done this.

"Do we have a term sheet from the Russians broadly? Do we have a term sheet with the Ukrainians? The answer is yes and no."

Mahda, the Ukrainian analyst, complained that Trump was not putting any kind of pressure at all on Russia, "despite the fact that Ukraine is fighting a war for its independence."

On March 7, Trump took to Truth Social to wave some kind of stick at Russia, too.

"I am strongly considering large scale Banking Sanctions, Sanctions, and Tariffs on Russia until a Cease Fire and FINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ON PEACE IS REACHED," he wrote.

"To Russia and Ukraine, get to the table right now, before it is too late," he added.

This framing of the situation as two sides with equal status is clearly painful for Ukrainians. But Zelenskyy's attempt to persuade Trump that his country, as the victim of aggression, has a moral case for support appears to have fallen on deaf ears.

Kellogg said that, instead of acting as Ukraine's ally, Washington would play "an objective interlocutor role."

The fear in Kyiv and many other European capitals is that Washington is not even going to do this -- rather, that it sees its own interests as aligned with Moscow's. This perception has driven European efforts this week to bolster its own defense capabilities.

Zelenskyy appeared genuinely moved by European expressions of support and solidarity at meetings in London and Brussels in recent days. Alongside the now traditional mantra of sticking with Ukraine for as long as it takes, there were announcements that British and French intelligence would try to fill the gap left by the Americans.

But the reality is that this is second-best assistance. It can help Ukraine hold the line for a time, but it cannot quickly replace the kind of US backing Ukraine has had until now.

"We have to understand that European equivalents of (US-made) Patriot missileswon't come quickly, by waving a magic wand," said Mahda.
Pakistan ordered Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders and all illegal foreigners" to leave the country, either voluntarily or through deportation starting on April 1, raising fears among the Afghan community of repression should they return to their homeland.

The Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Program has been implemented since November 1, 2023. In continuation to governments decision to repatriate all illegal foreigners, national leadership has now decided to also repatriate ACC holders, the Pakistani Interior Ministry said in a statement on March 7.

All illegal foreigners and ACC holders are advised to leave the country voluntarily before March 31, 2025; thereafter, deportation will commence on April 1, it added.

The ministry said that sufficient time has been given for the dignified departure of those affected and it pledged that no one will be maltreated during the repatriation process.

The Pakistani government has often blamed militant violence and criminal activity on Afghan citizens, allegations rejected by the extremist Taliban-led government in Kabul.

Islamabad accuses the Taliban of providing a safe haven for extremists linked to Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TPP), also known as the Pakistani Taliban, inside Afghanistan, charges the government in Kabul also rejects.

In late January, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharifs government approved a plan to repatriate ACC holders but did not specify a date.

An Afghan woman in Pakistan told RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal on condition of anonymity that she had fled to Pakistan because the Taliban had violated basic human rights in Afghanistan.

"We call on the government of Pakistan to retract what it has said regarding us at this difficult time," she said.

Qaiser Khan Afridi, spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Islamabad, told Radio Mashaal on March 7 that he is continuing to discuss the fate of Afghans with officials of the Pakistani government.

Pakistan's government in late 2023 launched the effort to repatriate foreign citizens -- the majority of whom are Afghans -- first focusing on foreigners with no legal documentation but now including those with the ACC, a document that had allowed Afghan asylum-seekers to temporarily remain in Pakistan.

When the repatriation program was announced, Abbas Khan, Pakistan's commissioner of Afghan refugees, told RFE/RL that refugees were given ACC documentation in 2016 in an agreement among the governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan and the UNHCR.

"They agreed that those citizens would be gradually returned to Afghanistan. But that did not happen," Khan said.

Pakistan has been a popular refuge for Afghans for decades, beginning during the 1979-89 Soviet occupation. Others fled fighting during the ensuing Afghan civil war and the Taliban's first stint in power from 1996 to 2001.

Millions of Afghans returned to their homeland following the U.S.-led invasion that toppled the Taliban from power.

But after the Taliban seized power again in 2021 amid the withdrawal of international forces, an estimated 700,000 more Afghans left for Pakistan to escape a devastating economic and humanitarian crisis and possible retribution by the Taliban.

According to UN data, more than 800,000 Afghans hold ACC status in Pakistan. Another 1.3 million are formally registered with the Pakistan government and hold a separate Proof of Residence (PoR) card. The statement did not mention the effect on those with PoR status.

The UN has estimated that at the peak, some 3.8 million Afghan refugees were in Pakistan, although Islamabad put the number at above 4.4 million.

Some 15,000 Afghans in Pakistan are awaiting to be approved for resettlement in the United States, although their status remains unclear after President Donald Trump's administration announced that the US Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) would be suspended for at least three months starting on January 27.

With reporting by Reuters
SARAJEVO -- Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik's intensified push for secessionist policies has drawn international criticism after the Republika Srpska president called on ethnic Serbs to quit the federal police force and judiciary.

The call came after the Bosnia-Herzegovina Constitutional Court on March 7 suspended legislation proposed by Dodik that rejected the authority of the federal police and judiciary within the country's Serb-controlled part.

On February 27, the National Assembly of Republika Srpska voted on the laws just a day after the State Court in Sarajevo issued a nonfinal verdict sentencing Dodik to one year in prison and barring him from politics for six years for defying an international peace envoy's order.

Dodik, who denied the charges, was accused of refusing to enforce the decisions of the high representative for Bosnia-Herzegovina, Christian Schmidt, in July 2023.

In response to the ruling, Dodik warned he would "radicalize the situation" in the country.

Leaders in Sarajevo and Bosnia's Western backers have accused the entity's ethnic-Serb leaders of seeking eventual separation from Bosnia, although the leaders have denied the charges.

The United States was quick to respond, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemning Dodik's actions as "dangerous and destabilizing" and urging regional partners to resist such provocations.

"Our nation encourages political leaders in Bosnia and Herzegovina to engage in constructive and responsible dialogue," Rubio wrote on X on March 8.

Washington has already sanctioned Dodik, citing corrupt practices and attempts to undermine the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement, which ended Bosnia's war and shaped its current political structure. More recently, the US Treasury imposed sanctions on individuals and companies linked to Dodik, accusing him of using his position for personal gain.

The European Union said it will send additional peacekeeping forces to Bosnia-Herzegovina as tensions continue to rise between the central government and leaders of the Balkan nation's ethnic-Serb entity.

The European Union Force (EUFOR) on March 7 said it would "temporarily increase the size" of its peacekeeping force in the Western Balkan nation, although it did not disclose specific numbers.

"This is a proactive measure aimed at assisting Bosnia-Herzegovina in the interest of all citizens," EUFOR said in a statement, adding that it remains an "impartial" force in the country.

EUFOR has about 1,500 troops as part of the Multinational Battalion based in Sarajevo and involves troops from Austria, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Moldova, North Macedonia, Romania, and Turkey.

Dodik's supporters, however, have come out in his defense in the past week.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has taken a cautious stance, calling for "wise decisions" to avoid escalating tensions further. Meanwhile, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has openly defended Dodik, arguing that international sanctions against him are unjustified and that his prison sentence is a "political witch hunt."

Russian President Vladimir Putin has also backed Dodik, telling Vucic during a phone call on March 7 that Moscow "expresses solidarity" with the Bosnian Serb leader, according to a Kremlin statement.

The system of government in Bosnia-Herzegovina -- a country of some 3.1 million people -- 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.
Across Siberia and Russia's far eastern regions, more than 120 memorials to participants in the invasion of Ukraine have been installed at a cost of at least 500 million rubles ($5.6 million) over the past three years. Most monuments have been erected in provincial towns and villages, where the majority of Russia's fighters are being recruited from, adding to the hardship prevalent in the country's poorest regions.

One new landmark, in the village of Kara-Khaak in southern Siberia's Tuva region, has been described as "more of a monument to domestic despair and hopelessness than to war." The memorial was first unveiled as a statue of Kara-Sal Belek. The 22-year-old soldier had lost his father at a young age, but was widely viewed as the pride of the village. He was killed in the opening weeks of the Russian invasion. Soon after Kara-Sul's death, his brother Avyral Belek signed up with the Wagner mercenary group from prison. The older brother had been serving an eight-year sentence for murdering his stepfather, whom Avyral caught drunkenly beating his mother. After Avyral was also killed in Ukraine, the memorial to Kara-Sal was expanded to make space for a statue to his older brother.

Authorities in Ulan-Ude, the capital of the southern Republic of Buryatia, aim to erect a "heavenly yurt" to fallen soldiers of the Russian invasion. Buryat photographer Aleksander Garmayev has criticized the project for its expense amid an ongoing conflict. "To erect a monument in Ulan-Ude for 24 million rubles ($268,000) is a ridiculous folly," he said. "With critical supply problems [on the front lines] this money would clearly be put to better use buying drones and electronic warfare equipment." According to Garmayev, soldiers in the trenches "don't care what sort of monument is being sculpted; the issue of equipment and transport is more pressing." Local authorities in Ulan-Ude say the monument has been requested by "wounded soldiers, widows, and the mothers of fallen troops."

When a monument was erected in the Buryatia region to 15 soldiers killed in Ukraine, one wounded Wagner mercenary learned his own name was etched onto the memorial. He was forced to prove his own continued existence in court and his name was eventually erased from his town's newest landmark.

Elsewhere in Siberia, locals have pushed back against monuments to the invasion of Ukraine being placed in prominent places. In eastern city of Chita, nearly 100 residents signed an open letter opposing the installation in the city center of a monument to Russia's "special military operation" -- the official term used by the Russian government for Moscow's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. "There are places for grief, and places for everyday life," the letter declared. "After all, we don't bury our dead under our windows, do we?" After the Chita monument was unveiled, one of the signatories of the letter told RFE/RL's Siberia.Realities that now, "no one is criticizing it; you have to understand it's not safe."

In the Far Eastern town of Magadan, authorities also plan to directly link Russia's sacred memory of World War II to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The proposed memorial there will feature a Soviet soldier passing a banner to a participant in Moscow's attack on its western neighbor.

The monuments to Russia's invasion have been placed mostly on the outskirts of cities, and away from the country's biggest population centers, but that situation may change. "I think that in the future we will start to see good, professional monuments on the main streets of cities," says historian Sergei Chernyshov, "especially if Russia's aggression continues." According to Chernyshov it is "impossible to imagine," any efforts to remove the monuments, even to such a controversial war. "For this to happen, something completely revolutionary would have to take place," he says.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Russia's latest deadly air strikes show Moscow's war objectives remained "unchanged" and called for new sanctions.

"Such strikes show that Russia's goals are unchanged," Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram on March 8. "Therefore, it is very important to continue to do everything to protect life, strengthen our air defense, and increase sanctions against Russia."

Russian air strikes overnight in eastern Ukraine killed at least 20 people in the Donetsk region, according to local officials, with at least 11 deaths reported in the city of Dobropillya.

In his nightly video address, Zelenskyy called the Dobropillya attack one of the most "brutal" of the war and that it was "was deliberately calculated to cause maximum damage."

Russia also claimed that it had retaken three villages earlier captured by Ukraine in its Kursk region, which would represent another setback for Kyiv ahead of any talks.

The attacks came a day after Russia launched a massive missile and drone attack targeting energy and gas infrastructure across multiple regions of Ukraine.

Following the attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, US President Donald Trump on March 7 threatened to impose additional sanctions on Russia, whose invasion of Ukraine is now in its fourth year.

The massive attack -- the 30th such strike on Ukraine's energy infrastructure since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022 -- is part of a broader Russian strategy targeting Ukraine's critical energy infrastructure. In the past two weeks, Russian strikes have repeatedly hit energy facilities in the Odesa region.

Despite Moscow's repeated denials that it has targeted civilian infrastructure, Ukraine and international organizations have called the attacks war crimes, citing deliberate targeting of hospitals, schools, energy facilities, and water supply systems across the country.

Zelenskyy has been calling on his country's allies to press Russia to end the war, with an air and sea truce as the first step.

In an evening address on March 7 before Russia's latest strikes, Zelenskyy said Ukraine wants peace "as soon as possible" and "is determined to be very constructive."

"The theme is clear: peace as soon as possible, security as reliable as possible," he said.

Trump did not go into detail about potential measures. He had spoken a few days after his January 20 inauguration of potentially using "taxes, tariffs, and sanctions" to get Russia to the negotiating table, but no new measures have been announced.

The new comment was one of only a few from Trump in recent weeks about what might be done to bring Russia to the table. It followed tense exchanges between the United States and Ukraine, including a vocal February 28 argument in the White House after which Trump said Zelenskyy was not ready for peace.

Speaking at the White House later on March 7, Trump said he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin wants peace, but suggested he wanted stronger assurances from Kyiv.

"I think both parties want it settled," he said, but "Im finding it more difficult, frankly, to deal with Ukraine, and they don't have the cards."

"In terms of the final settlement it may be easier to deal with Russia, which is surprising," Trump said. He repeated that Russia has been "pounding" Ukraine recently, but said he thinks he understands why.

"I actually think he's doing what anybody in that position would be doing right now," Trump said, adding: "I've always had a good relationship with Putin. And you know, he wants to end the war."



"I think he's going to be more generous than he has to be, and that's pretty good," he said. "That means a lot of good things."

Trump defended his decision this week to suspend military aid to Kyiv and restrict intelligence sharing with Ukraine, saying: "I have to know that they want to settle. If they don't want to settle, we're out of there."

"Ukraine has to get on the ball and get the job done," he said.

A major source of the recent US-Ukraine tension has been Trump's resistance to Zelenskyy's repeated requests for concrete security guarantees for Kyiv in the event of a cease-fire or peace deal. Asked about it in his White House appearance, Trump said, "Before I even think about [security guarantees] I want to settle the war."

Despite the tensions, there is a diplomatic push for peace talks that will see a delegation from Ukraine travel to Saudi Arabia next week to meet with US officials with the aim of working out a framework for a peace agreement.

At the White House event with Trump on March 7, national-security adviser Mike Waltz said he and Secretary of State Marco Rubio would meet with the Ukrainian delegation in Saudi Arabia.

Waltz said he thinks the United States is "going to get things back on track with Ukraine."

In his post on X on March 8, Zelenskyy reiterated Ukraine's determination to do everything to end the war with a "just and lasting peace" as soon as possible.

He also added the Ukrainian delegation in Saudi Arabia will include Ukrainian president's office head Andriy Yermak, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, and deputy Ukrainian president's office head Pavlo Palisa.

Palisa is a former commander of Ukraine's 93rd Brigade Kholodny Yar, the actions of which he was in charge of during the defense of Bakhmut.

On March 7, Sybiha said he had a "constructive call" with Rubio to discuss the upcoming meeting.



"Ukraine wants the war to end, and US leadership is essential for achieving lasting peace. We also discussed ways to advance our bilateral cooperation," Sybiha said in a post on X.

Meanwhile, Bloomberg News reported the United States had vetoed a Canadian proposal to create a task force that would tackle Russias so-called "shadow fleet" of oil tankers in the Baltic Sea. The report cited people familiar with the matter ahead of the G7 foreign ministers meeting on March 11-13 that Canada is hosting in Quebec.
For more than a decade, Syria stood as one of the worlds most isolated nations, battered by civil war, economic collapse, and the unyielding grip of international sanctions.

But on May 14, a dramatic shift unfolded on the world stage as US President Donald Trump met with Syrias new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa -- a former insurgent known under the nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Jolani -- in Riyadh in the first meeting between the leaders of the two nations in a quarter of a century.

The move signals not only a new chapter for the war-torn country, but also a recalibration of regional alliances and power dynamics across the Middle East.

Speaking in the Saudi capital, Trump said the decision to lift sanctions, announced a day earlier, is meant to provide Syria with an opportunity for greatness" as the country seeks to rebuild after more than a decade of civil war and economic devastation.

The sanctions, originally imposed to pressure the government of deposed President Bashar al-Assad, now directly target the Syrian people and hinder the process of recovery and reconstruction, the Syrian Foreign Ministry said after the announcement.

Welcoming Trumps move, the ministry said the sanctions contributed to [Assads] downfall and added that Syrians look forward to the full lifting of sanctions as part of steps that support peace and prosperity in Syria and the region.

Indeed, Damascus erupted in celebration following Trumps announcement, with many Syrians hopeful for economic relief.

"Syria now has a real opportunity to be brought back into the fold of the global economic system," Clara Broekaert, a research fellow at the Soufan Center focusing on foreign interference, told RFE/RL.

"This is not to suggest that the United States should relinquish all leverage -- particularly when it comes to ensuring, for example, the protection of minority rights -- but the existing sanctions regime would not do that and instead punish ordinary Syrians."

A Historic Meeting

The two met briefly in Riyadh on the sidelines Trumps meeting with the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council.

The White House said Trump asked the Syrian leader to normalize relations with Israel by joining the so-called Abraham Accords, which have already been signed by some Gulf Arab states.

He also pushed for Sharaa to deport Palestinian militants and take control of camps holding Islamic State fighters that are currently being run by Kurdish guerillas who are opposed by Turkey.

The last such encounter was in 2000, when then-US President Bill Clinton met with Hafez al-Assad in Geneva.

Trumps meeting with Sharaa signals a thaw in relations and offers de facto recognition of Syrias new leadership, something unthinkable just months ago.

From Insurgent To President

Sharaas ascent to the presidency is a story few could have predicted. Sharaa fought against US forces in Iraq, later founding the Al-Qaeda-linked Jabhat al-Nusra, or the Nusra Front, during Syrias civil war.

Over time, he distanced himself from Al-Qaeda, rebranding his group as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and consolidating power in northwest Syria. In late December 2024, Sharaa led a coalition of rebel groups, many backed by Turkey, in a lightning offensive and seized Damascus, bringing an end to half a century of Assad family rule over Syria.

He then declared the dissolution of all armed factions -- including his own -- and assumed the presidency under his birth name, pledging constitutional reform and a new era for Syria.

Sharaas transformation from insurgent commander to head of state is both remarkable and controversial. While he has worked to project a pragmatic image, promising security for minorities and outreach to the international community, his past continues to raise concerns among Western and Israeli officials.

The insurgent-turned-president has faced challenges controlling factions affiliated with his transitional government. This struggle came into sharp focus in March, when clashes broke out between security forces and gunmen loyal to the fallen government of Iran- and Russia-backed Assad. Rights groups documented hundreds of casualties, including civilians.

Broekaert said that that, despite recent reforms, persistent concerns remain among US policymakers, including sectarian violence in the coastal provinces.

"What I am personally watching closely [is] the integration of foreign fighters into the new security and governance apparatus, she said.

These issues, Broekaert added, continue to fuel skepticism among influential policymakers in Washington regarding the durability and sincerity of these reforms.

Yet, for many Syrians, Sharaa represents a break from decades of dictatorship and the possibility of reconstruction after years of devastation.

"Sharaa has also, frankly, very skillfully positioned his leadership and policy agenda as pragmatic and aligned with key strategic interests of the United States, particularly the containment of Iranian influence," Broekaert said.

Saudi Arabia's 'Pivotal' Role

The dramatic US policy reversal did not happen in a vacuum. Saudi Arabia, under Crown Prince Muhammed bin Salman, played a key role in orchestrating the diplomatic breakthrough.

Trump made his announcement at an investment conference in Riyadh on May 13, explicitly crediting the Saudi crown prince as the driving force behind the decision.

Saudi Arabia, joined by Turkey and several Gulf Arab states, lobbied Washington relentlessly, arguing that engaging with Sharaas government was essential for stabilizing Syria and curbing Iranian influence in the region.

The timing of the announcement coincided with Saudi Arabias commitment of a $600 billion investment in the United States and the signing of a record $142 billion arms deal, underscoring the extent of US-Saudi cooperation.

Noting Saudi Arabia's "pivotal" role, Broekaert said the Saudi crown prince "coupled diplomatic pressure with transactional incentives" to secure Trumps engagement with the new Syrian leadership and to accelerate the lifting of sanctions.

How Will This Impact Other Regional Actors?

Trumps embrace of Syrias new government is reverberating across the region.

For Israel, the move is a source of deep unease. Israeli officials, wary of Sharaas jihadist past and the communal violence that accompanied his rise, fear that US normalization with Damascus could limit Israels freedom of action and embolden hostile actors. There are reports of indirect talks between Syria and Israel, possibly mediated by the United Arab Emirates, but Israeli skepticism remains high.

"It is clear that Israeli influence has diminished on the Trump administrations dealing with Syria," Broekaert said.

For Iran, the developments represent a major strategic blow. The fall of the Assad regime and the rise of a government hostile to Tehran have severed a crucial link in Irans axis of resistance -- its network of regional allies and proxies. Iranian assets in Syria have been seized, and the new government has shown little interest in establishing relations with Tehran.

Russia, too, finds its influence diminished. While Moscow retains military bases on the Syrian coast, the new government has made it clear that Russias future presence will depend on agreements that serve Syrian interests. Russia is now seeking ways to reengage with Damascus, but its leverage has waned.
Russian air strikes overnight in eastern Ukraine killed at least 50 people in the Donetsk region, according to local officials, with at least 11 deaths reported in the city of Dobropillya. The strikes came a day after Russia launched a massive missile and drone attack targeting energy and gas infrastructure across multiple regions of Ukraine.
SYDNEY, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Police in Australia's state of New South Wales (NSW) said in a statement on Saturday that a body has been located during a wide-scale search for a man who was swept into floodwaters in northern NSW on Friday afternoon.

According to the statement, the body is believed to be that of the missing man, though it is yet to be formally identified.

Police said that emergency services were called to a bridge on Friday, after a vehicle being driven across was swept into floodwaters.

The driver, a 61-year-old man, was able to get out of the vehicle and climb into a tree about 30 meters from the riverbank. However, emergency personnel were unable to reach the man before he was swept away.

A search of the area was immediately commenced, which continued on Saturday. About 4.30 p.m. local time on Saturday, the body of a man was located nearby. 
The US decision to restrict intelligence assistance to Ukraine will seriously undermine Kyiv's ability to defend itself against Russia, but it will not spell the end of Ukraine's war efforts, officials and analysts have said.

Washington announced on March 5 that it was placing limitations on intelligence sharing with Ukraine, a move that followed a pause in US military assistance to Kyiv.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe said the new restrictions on intelligence sharing were rooted in US President Donald Trump's concerns over his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy's commitment to peace after a disastrous meeting between the two leaders in the Oval Office last week.

How Is Ukraine Using US Intelligence?

The exact scope, nature, and impact of US intelligence assistance to Ukraine has not been made public. Nor is it clear to what extent intelligence sharing is being paused or in which specific areas it is being suspended.

Two US defense officials told CNN on March 7 that the United States continues to share intelligence with Ukraine to aid in defensive operations but has "scaled back" the provision of intelligence that could be used for offensive strikes against Russian forces.

Several experts and politicians who spoke to RFE/RL said the United States had been providing Ukraine with crucial data -- gathered through sophisticated satellite surveillance, interception of signals, and information from human assets -- about the location and movement of Russian troops and heavy weapons and their intended attacks, among other information.

The US-based Maxar, which provides high-resolution satellite imagery, told Current Time that its Ukrainian clients were facing restricted access to data provided by the United States.

"Maxar has contracts with the US government and dozens of allied and partner nations around the world to provide satellite imagery and other geospatial data," a Maxar spokesperson told Current Time. "One of those contracts is GEGD (the Global Enhanced GEOINT Delivery program), a US government program that provides access to commercial satellite imagery that has been tasked and collected by the US government. The US government has decided to temporarily suspend Ukrainian accounts in GEGD."

Intelligence shared with Ukraine has enabled its military to plan its attacks and operations and get timely warnings against incoming Russian air strikes as well as ground assaults, experts said.

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukrainian cities, including the capital, Kyiv, have been subjected to repeated aerial attacks.

Roman Kostenko, secretary of Ukraine's Parliamentary Committee on National Security, Defense, and Intelligence, said the absence of "vital" US intelligence puts the lives of Ukrainian troops and civilians "under greater danger."

"Can we [still] strike the enemy without external intelligence? Yes, of course. For example, we can strike stationary targets --such as a distant airfield -- that we already know about," said Kostenko, a former military commander, on March 5.

"But [we rely on US intelligence] to see in real time if aircraft are present there, if they are preparing for takeoff to attack Ukraine."

Ukraine also depended on US data to operate US-supplied High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and the US Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), among the most advanced artillery systems in the world.

Experts told RFE/RL that the intelligence pause includes targeting data for HIMARS and ATACMS, which would effectively prevent Ukraine from using them against Russia.

Advanced Systems And Spies

Describing US intelligence as "superior" and "unmatched by any other nation," New York-based Russian intelligence analyst Ruslan Leviev stated the United States possesses an extensive network of reconnaissance satellites, cutting-edge technology, and significantly greater financial resources to invest in its intelligence capabilities.

"When Russian bombers take off toward the border to launch missiles, American intelligence could detect this far in advance. [The United States] might even intercept internal communications from Russia's Defense Ministry, where orders are given to plan flights or launch attacks on specific targets. This means the United States may know about an attack even before the planes take off," Leviev told RFE/RL on March 6.

Leviev, founder of the Conflict Intelligence Team, an independent organization that investigates Russian military activities, also emphasized the United States has "more capabilities" than any other country to recruit agents on the ground.

"It is also evident that the United States has spies embedded within Russia's General Staff, the Defense Ministry, and the presidential administration, providing valuable intelligence," the analyst claimed, adding US intelligence also "intercepts electronic communications, such as e-mails between military personnel and officials responsible for shaping military policy in this war."

Can Ukraine Survive With Less US Wartime Intelligence?

Politicians and experts agree Washington's move to abruptly restrict intelligence assistance will put Kyiv's war efforts in a difficult and more disadvantaged position than before.

But some Ukrainians hope the country can fill the data gap with information provided by other Western allies as well as from its own sources.

France has said its intelligence sharing with Ukraine has not been affected by the US freeze. According to British media reports, the United Kingdom will continue to provide intelligence to Ukraine, although it will not pass on data it has obtained from the United States.

Roman Bezsmertniy, a former Ukrainian ambassador to Belarus, said it is "incorrect" to attribute all the intelligence critical to Kyiv's offensive and defensive operations "solely to US agencies, particularly operational-tactical intelligence."

"France, Germany, Britain, Italy, and Canada have similar intelligence-gathering capabilities. There is no shortage of intelligence, and acquiring such information is not a problem," Bezsmertniy said on March 6.

In a similar comment, Mykola Melnyk, an expert at the Kyiv-based analytical group Leviathan, said the US intelligence pause will not mean a "catastrophe" for Kyiv as long as it has the help of "the quite powerful intelligence structures of countries like Britain and France."

Many experts, however, point out that the intelligence supplied by other Western allies and obtained by Ukraine itself cannot match that of the United States in scope and quality and can only partially fill the gap left by the US pause.

"The information that our US military partners provided us with was very diverse, and at the moment it is difficult to estimate what its absence will cost us," Ukrainian military analyst Serhiy Bezkrestnov said.

"Our armed forces continue to operate with the resources we have now, and we must deal with it. We do not have any other choice," Bezkrestnov said.

RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service and Current Time contributed to this report.
GAZA, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Hamas said on Saturday that there were positive signs regarding negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

Hamas spokesman Abdul Latif Al-Qanou said in a press statement that "the efforts of Egyptian and Qatari mediators are ongoing to finalize the implementation of the ceasefire agreement and initiate negotiations for its second phase, with positive indicators in that direction."

He emphasized Hamas's readiness to engage in these negotiations in a manner that meets the demands of the Palestinian people.

The spokesman also called for intensified efforts to provide humanitarian relief to the Gaza Strip and lift the Israeli blockade.

Meanwhile, Taher al-Nunu, an advisor to Hamas's political bureau chief, announced that a Hamas delegation, led by Mohammad Darwish, head of the movement's leadership council, had arrived in Cairo.

According to al-Nunu, the delegation will hold talks with Egyptian officials regarding the outcomes of a recent Arab summit and ways to implement them.

Discussions will also focus on the necessity of moving forward with the second phase of the ceasefire agreement, al-Nunu said.

A Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo on Friday for talks on implementing terms of the Gaza ceasefire deal and pushing forward negotiations on its second phase, Egypt's State Information Service said in a statement.

A three-phase Gaza ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, brokered by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, took effect on January 19. The negotiations for the second phase of the deal remain stalled after the initial 42-day phase expired on March 1.

Egypt has been intensifying diplomatic efforts to achieve a Gaza ceasefire and advance the strip's reconstruction. On Tuesday, Egypt hosted an emergency Arab summit and proposed a Gaza non-displacement reconstruction plan valued at 53 billion U.S. dollars. 
A retired member of An Garda Siochana and prostate cancer survivor is calling on people to get behind the Irish Cancer Societys Daffodil Day campaign, which takes place on Friday, March 28th.

Since turning 50, Tommie Kenoy from Kilmore always got an annual PSA check-up. In 2019 it was found that his PSA levels were raised. He was sent for a biopsy, which found there were abnormal cancerous cells.

Upon his diagnosis, Tommie called the Irish Cancer Societys Support Line. When I received my diagnosis, I was given two options, surgery to remove my gland or brachytherapy (internal radiotherapy). I called the Irish Cancer Society because there were things I wanted to ask, for example about opting for surgery or brachytherapy, and what the dangers around incontinence might be. I found the support very helpful, and it was very solid friendly advice."

Tommie, now in his 70s, also wants to highlight the importance of early detection. I think men in particular need to be more proactive about their health. My cancer was detected very early and I went in for that one procedure and thats all I needed, thankfully. The quicker we act, the better chance of a cure.

Daffodil Day impacts for County Roscommon.

Hes calling on the community to get behind Daffodil Day this year. 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. When I needed that extra reassurance and support, the Irish Cancer Society was at the end of the phone for me. I would encourage everyone across County Roscommon and the north-west to please get out there on Daffodil Day, March 28th, and show support for those affected by cancer in your local community.

Thanks to the generosity of the public in County Roscommon the Irish Cancer Society was able to provide almost 340 free lifts to bring Roscommon-based cancer patients to their treatment last year; offer over 260 free counselling sessions to people living in Roscommon; provide almost 210 nights of free night nursing care to allow cancer patients in the county to die at home surrounded by loved ones; and cancer nurses were able to have 180 conversations with people living in Roscommon on the Support Line and in its Daffodil Centres.

Irish Cancer Society CEO Averil Power said: 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.

Your generosity on March 28th means patients and their families will have free supports like Counselling, Transport to treatment and Night Nursing services. Every year, communities across Roscommon show up and paint the town yellow in support of cancer patients and their families. Were urging you to stand with cancer patients once again, by going all in against cancer and getting involved or donating this Daffodil Day, March 28th. Your generous support means everyone affected by cancer in Roscommon will have access to the support they need, when they need it most.
Rahul Gandhi Targets Congress Leaders Working for BJP; BJP Calls Him Its Biggest Asset

He stressed the need to eliminate the latter to rebuild public trust.

Ahmedabad: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has issued a strong warning to certain leaders within his partys Gujarat unit, accusing them of secretly working for the BJP. Addressing party workers in Ahmedabad, Gandhi asserted that the Congress is prepared to sack up to 40 leaders if necessary to cleanse the party in the BJP-ruled state, where Congress has been out of power for nearly three decades.

Rahul Gandhis Call for Party Reforms

Advertisement

Speaking at a Congress event, Gandhi identified two factions within the Gujarat Congress: one genuinely connected to the people and the other detached from the public. He stressed the need to eliminate the latter to rebuild public trust.

"If we want to connect with the people of Gujarat, we must separate these two groups. Even if it means removing 10, 15, 20, or even 40 people, we are ready to do that," Gandhi stated.

He also challenged those allegedly working in favor of the BJP, saying, "Those in Congress who are secretly working for the BJP should come out in the open and join them. But remember, the BJP will not have space for youthey will discard you."

Advertisement

Gandhi acknowledged the partys struggles in Gujarat, emphasizing that simply focusing on elections will not be enough. Instead, he stressed the importance of earning the trust of the people by addressing their real concerns.

"Until we fulfill our responsibilities, the people of Gujarat will not elect us. We must first earn their trust," he said.

Ahmed Patels Daughter Speaks Out

Advertisement

Congress veteran Ahmed Patels daughter, Mumtaz Patel, supported Gandhis remarks, stating that his speech gave her the courage to speak openly.

"I have not held any position in the party... I had no role, which is why I am in Delhi. Many people in the party have blocked workers like me due to their personal interests, weakening the party," she said. "I hope Rahul ji has understood the ground reality. Thats why I am speaking up with couragewe want to work for the party but are not given a chance."

BJPs Response: Rahul Gandhi is Our Biggest Asset

Advertisement

The BJP was quick to react, mocking Gandhis comments and calling him their "biggest asset."

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla took a swipe at Gandhi, saying, "He has trolled himself and his party. Rahul Gandhi admits he is unable to win in Gujarat and lacks leadership skills."

Poonawalla also criticized Gandhis analogy comparing Congress workers to racehorses. "Rahul Gandhi says some Congress workers are like racehorses forced to dance at weddings, while others are like wedding horses made to race in competitions. Are your party workers animals?" he asked. "At least call your workers humans."

Rahul Gandhis Vision for Gujarat

During his speech, Gandhi also criticized the current leadership in Gujarat, citing challenges faced by small businesses, farmers, and industries.

"The current model of governance has failed. The people of Gujarat are calling for change, and Congress can provide that vision," he declared.

With Gujarat being a BJP stronghold for nearly 30 years, Gandhis remarks signal an internal shake-up within Congress as it prepares for future elections. Whether these warnings lead to actual reforms within the party remains to be seen.
India, US to Negotiate Bilateral Trade Agreement Amid Tariff Dispute

A successful agreement could set the tone for future economic relations between the two countries.

New Delhi/Washington: India and the United States are preparing to negotiate a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) that could significantly enhance trade ties between the two nations. The move comes as US President Donald Trump pushes for reciprocal tariffs on trading partners, including India.

During a weekly briefing, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal emphasized that the agreement aims to expand market access, lower trade barriers, and strengthen supply chain integration between India and the US.

Advertisement

"Both governments are advancing discussions on a multi-sector Bilateral Trade Agreement to enhance two-way trade in goods and services, reduce tariff and non-tariff barriers, and deepen economic cooperation," Jaiswal stated.

The negotiations follow Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to the US in February 2025, where both leaders agreed to work towards a comprehensive trade pact. Additionally, Commerce and Industries Minister Piyush Goyal met with his US counterparts to accelerate discussions.

A Strategic Move in India-US Trade Relations

Advertisement

A BTA between India and the US could have far-reaching economic implications, considering Indias trade agreements with over 50 countries, including the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement and the South Asia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA).

While India seeks greater market access for its goods and services, the US is likely to push for increased agricultural exports and lower tariffs on American goods. A successful agreement could set the tone for future economic relations between the two countries.

Trumps Tariff Threats and the Need for a Trade Deal

Advertisement

The trade negotiations come against the backdrop of President Trumps recent remarks targeting Indias import duties, particularly in the automobile sector. Addressing a joint session of Congress, Trump criticized India's over 100% tariffs on US auto imports and announced a reciprocal tax policy set to take effect on April 2.

"For decades, the US has been taken advantage of by nearly every country on Earth. We will no longer let that happen. Nations like India, the European Union, China, Brazil, Mexico, and Canada impose significantly higher tariffs on us than we do on them. That is unfair," Trump declared.

The US Presidents protectionist stance and tariff threats have heightened tensions, making the BTA negotiations even more crucial for stabilizing trade relations between India and the US.

Advertisement

As discussions progress, the global business community will closely watch the outcomes of the trade talks, as they could reshape economic engagement between the worlds two largest democracies.
TEHRAN/RIYADH, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has exchanged views on bilateral ties and Gaza with his counterparts from several Muslim Arab states.

Araghchi on Friday met Saudi Arabian, Egyptian, Tunisian, Omani, and Turkish foreign ministers on the sidelines of the Extraordinary Meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in the Saudi city of Jeddah, according to statements released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry on Saturday.

In his meeting with Saudi Arabia's Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, the two sides discussed the latest situation of bilateral ties, highlighting their countries' determination to work towards their leaders' common goal of expanding bilateral relations in all areas.

They reviewed the latest regional and international developments, stressing the need for the Muslim world to tackle different challenges, especially those pertaining to the Palestinian people, and prevent the forceful relocation of Gazans from their homeland.

In early February, U.S. President Donald Trump suggested that the United States would take over Gaza and redevelop it after Palestinians are relocated elsewhere. He made the remarks at a joint press conference at the White House with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

In the other meeting, Araghchi and Egypt's Badr Abdelatty rejected any plan that would lead to the forceful relocation of Palestinians from Gaza.

The two foreign ministers emphasized that strengthening the solidarity of the Muslim world and the international community with the Palestinian people is crucial to ending the occupation and rebuilding the Gaza Strip.

Iranian foreign minister and his Tunisian counterpart Mohamed Ali Nafti underscored the determination of their countries' leaders to improve all-out bilateral relations, stressing that Iran and Tunisia adopted very close positions in support of the Palestinian cause and towards the restoration of the Palestinians' right to self-determination.

They said the OIC meeting in Jeddah conveyed a "decisive and united" message in opposition to any plan to eliminate Palestine, calling on all Muslim states to make serious efforts to prevent the forceful relocation of Palestinians from Gaza, reconstruct the coastal enclave, and bring Israel to justice for its "genocide and war crimes" against Palestinians.

In his meeting with Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi, Araghchi described bilateral relations as "good and deep-rooted," adding that Iran knew no limit to the promotion of ties with Oman and was ready to deepen bilateral relations in all areas of common interest.

The Omani foreign minister highlighted the value and importance of the "good" relations between his country and Iran, noting that the two countries' leaders were determined to expand ties in all sectors.

The two foreign ministers voiced their opposition to the forceful displacement of Gazans to other countries, calling on the regional and Muslim states as well as the international community to stop the "genocide" in Gaza, help reconstruct the Palestinian coastal enclave, and restore the Palestinian people's legitimate rights.

Araghchi and his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan highlighted the necessity to maintain and improve bilateral ties.

Describing the relations between Iran and Turkiye as "excellent," Araghchi stressed that maintaining and protecting the Tehran-Ankara ties were among the responsibilities of the two countries' officials.

Araghchi pointed to the "dangerous" developments unfolding in Syria, underscoring the responsibility of the Arab state's new rulers to protect the security and lives of all Syrian people and groups.

The Turkish foreign minister, for his part, pointed to the "great importance" of his country's relations with Iran, expressing the Turkish leaders' determination to maintain and improve bilateral ties in various areas.

Fidan described it as the Muslim countries' common concern "supporting the Palestinian people's legitimate rights and freeing them from occupation," underscoring his country's efforts to those ends.

The meeting between the Iranian and Turkish foreign ministers came following a minor escalation between Iran and Turkiye after Fidan's criticism of Iran's regional policies late last month, which led to the summoning of the Turkish and Iranian ambassadors by Tehran and Ankara. 
Sculptor Frederic Storck

One of the leading figures of the Romanian interwar generation of artists.

Lo scultore Frederic Storck

Ion Puican, 08.03.2025, 14:00

Bucharest is home to one of the most beautiful museums in Romania: the Frederic Storck and Cecilia Cutescu-Storck Museum, a memorial house that is part of the Bucharest Municipality Museum (MMB). The museum is also an impressive workshop in terms of its architecture and style, and especially for the art collection it hosts. This museum is devoted to two great interwar artists of Romania, husband and wife, key figures of the cultural and academic world of their time.

Sculptor Frederic Storck (1872-1942) was one of the most prominent figures of Romanian interwar art. He was one of the most representative and versatile sculptors. His artistic activity span a long period of time and his works are, with very few exceptions, executed with great skill, very unified and at the same time, very varied.

More details about Frederic Storck from the deputy director of the Bucharest Municipality Museum, Elena Olariu:

Frederic Storck was the son of Karl Storck and the brother of Carol Storck, all great sculptors. He had permanent exhibitions in Romania, but also in Germany, because Frederic Storck completed his art studies in Munich, Germany. He also traveled to Paris, He stayed here for a period of time to further his studies, before returning to Romania. In 1901, one of the most important artistic associations in Romania was founded, Tinerimea artistica  the Art Youth. Storck was a founding member, along with other great Romanian artists. He was active in this association for a very long time, and his most important role was as an active talent scout. In this search for young talented artists, he discovered and tried to promote Cecilia Cutescu, who had stayed in Paris after finishing her studies, alongside her first husband. Over the years, they would get to know each other better, fall in love and get married after Cecilia Cutescus divorce. His activity at Tinerimea artistica also linked this association to Princess Maria, who had become an enthusiastic admirer of Romanian art, and Frederic Storck wanted to attract her as much as possible to this area. In fact, she became the patron of Art Youth. The relationship between Princess Maria and Frederic Storck was special. He was extremely hardworking, had an extraordinary energy and was somehow the soul of these great exhibitions. The connection with the royal family, which continued since his fathers time, was, lets say, crowned with success. Like his father, Frederic Storck created various sculpted portraits of members of the royal family, including one made for King Carol I, but also another splendid one made for Queen Maria. They were recently restored and are exhibited at the Frederic Storck and Cecilia Cutescu-Storck Museum.

Frederic Storcks work is characterized by a harmonious interweaving of elements that are a tribute to classicism with modernist overtones. The artists vision was moderate, with slight stylizations, pursuing elegance of composition, the inner expression and the perfection of the form. Elena Olariu tells us about some of the artists major works:

Frederics fame also brings him important commissions. For example, he created 8 caryatids for the famous Cantacuzino Palace in Bucharest. In 1907, Frederic Storck executed an important commission, two sculptures representing industry and agriculture for the Administrative Palace in Galati and also for the municipality there he created the monument devoted to Mihai Eminescu. In 1930, he was commissioned to sculpt the portrait of Beethoven. He also created statuary groups for the Credit Bank of Romania. So, somehow Frederic Storck, just like his father, actively contributed to the beautification of modern Romanian cities.

In 1906, Frederic Storck became a professor at the School of Fine Arts in Bucharest. He was a methodical teacher who enjoyed great artistic prestige. He instilled in his students respect for drawing, the basic prerequisite for the study of any plastic representation. More about his teaching activity from Elena Olariu:

Perhaps the most important part pf his career was his tenure at the Academy of Fine Arts in Bucharest, where he taught sculpture for decades, being extremely appreciated and loved by his students. He dedicated almost his entire life to this dream of training as many sculptors as possible in Romania. And, indeed, his students loved him greatly for his seriousness, for his extraordinary capacity for work, for his talent and for this willingness to sacrifice himself and give back to the community. (VP)
Posh audiobook brought out by the Casa Radio Publishers in Bucharest

Poet Nina Cassian's voice and poems, remembered

Nina Cassian - Dans

Eugen Nasta, 08.03.2025, 14:00

An audiobook made of a printed book and a CD, Dance, has enjoyed a tremendous success. It includes poems read by Nina Cassian and was re issued by the Casa Radio, Radio House Publishers. The recently-released edition is a substantially updated edition, including poems read by the author and an interview on Nina Cassians work and immigration. The interview was conducted by Radio Romania journalist Emil Buruiana.

The new audiobook was compiled and released in an anniversary context, since in 2024 we marked 100 years since Nina Cassians birthday. Basically, it includes 51 poems Nina Cassian recorded with Radio Romania, between 1959 and 2003. Literary critic Cosmin Ciotlos wrote the foreword, while the author of the illustrations is Tudor Jebeleanu.

An essayist, a translator, a composer and visual artist, Nina Cassian hails from a family of Jewish origin. When she was a teenager, she began frequenting leftist intellectual circles. At the aged of 16 she joined the Communist Youth organization, then an illegal entity. Young Nina Cassian dreamt of absolving the world of all its fundamental antagonisms between sexes, races, peoples, classes.

Her editorial debut occurred in 1947, with a surrealist volume of poems, Scale 1/1. However, in the wake of an ideological attack then the newspaper Scanteia The Spark launched against her, Nina Cassian gradually begam to write avowedly proletarian poetry. After an eight-year-long roundabout, in her own words, Nina Cassian returned to authentic poetry and started writing literature for children as well.

As a translator, she created remarkable Romanian versions of works by Shakespeare, Bertolt Brecht, Christian Morgenstern, Iannis Ritsos and Paul Celan.

A superb poem for children The Tale of Two Tiger Cubs, named Ninigra and Aligru, earned Nina Cassian the Romanian writers Union Prize in 1969. In 1985 Nina Cassian was a guest professor in the United States New York University. When she was there, Nina found out about the arrest and murder in prison of dissident Gheorghe Ursu, a close friend of hers.

In his diary, confiscated by then the Securitate the name of Nina Cassian was mentioned, and so were her political opinions, blatantly anti-Ceausescu. Nina stayed in the United States while her apartment in Romania was confiscated and her books banned from publication and retired from libraries until the collapse of the Ceausescu regime.

In the United States, Nina Cassian published translations of her poetry written in Romanian (Life Sentence), as well as poems she wrote in English (Take My Word for It!, Blue Apple si Lady of Miracles), for which she scooped New York Librarys Silver Lion Prize in 1994.

Nina Cassian spent the last 30 years of her life in New York. There she wrote her memoirs, which she described as a major project of her age and life, a mirror of the stolen and given years. Entitled Memory as Dowry the three volumes were brought out in Romania over 2003 and 2005.

Attending the launch event staged by the Casa Radio Publishers were the curator of the recent edition of the Audiobook entitled Dance, literary critic Cosmin Ciotlos, filmmaker Alexandru Solomon and writer Calin-Andrei Mihailescu.

Cosmin Ciotlos spoke about the longevity of Nina Cassians poetry.

 What I was mainly interested in was how much of Nina Cassian todays Romanian poetry has preserved. And when I say todays I have a broader timespan in mind. It struck me that, for instance, many of the puns in Florin Iarus poetry are legitimately, beautifully, graciously indebted to Nina Cassians poetry. Mircea Cartarescus poems in the volumes A Night at the Opera or The Levant, dedicated to Ion Barbu, do not go straight to Ion Barbu but they pass through Nina Cassians filter.

On the other hand, it struck me that the very young poets of today to an appreciable extent resonate with Nina Cassians poetry. They are a bunch of youngsters I have totally placed my stakes on because they can shake a little bit the way too troubled and way too visceral waters of my generation of poets whom I otherwise hold most dear, but towards whom in no way can I perform an exercise in worship. I mainly have in mind those who publish on the platform known as The Sonnets Mafia, the very young Ioan Coroama, Florentin Popa or Mihnea Balici, they are youngsters on whom, again, I have totally placed my stakes.

That being said, our response to what Nina Casian left behind her as something important in poetry should be far from a mere indiscriminate admiration. It is a poetry that needs to be filtered rationally, it needs to be properly documented, and, at the endpoint of this documentation, apart from the ethical stance we can judge, more or less, we shall soon find out we have interacted with a vivid stylistic formula. A stylistic formula which is still productive, and we do not owe that to Nina Cassians longevity, but to the longevity of Nina Cassians wit. 

A Canadian resident since the late 1980s, writer Calin Andrei Mihailescu met Nina Cassian first in 2 Mai, the Romanian Black Sea resort where she used to spend her summers, and then in New York, decades later.

This is an audiobook, so you can hear Ninas voice recorded on the radio between the late 1950s and the early 2000. And I can say Nina Cassians voice is very high, were we to place her in a pantheon of the great Romanian voices. Hers was an educated voice. It was an extremely clever voice, at one refine and erotic. I got to know better Nina in New York in the last 20 years of her life. There was a time when I went there once a month doing creative writing workshops, alternatively, in Romanian and din English, or in both languages in one single session.

I was doing those workshops together with Nina, who had a bottle of crap whiskey yet it usually was one a one-liter bottle and who was capable of making anyone drink their heads off. Obviously, she smoked more than I do and, believe you me, I really am a smoker. Nina was a diva. A diva living in an apartment, in a relatively crappy block of flats in Roosevelt Island, an island located on East River, where Nina resisted the temptation the jump off, not following the example of Paul Celan or Gherasim Luca, who took their own lives throwing themselves off into the Seine.

Everything was damp in that area, save for her apartment, crammed with magazines, you could find vey many issues of the Literary Gazette and Literary Romania. The famous Paris Match issue of 1968 could also be found there, with an article of General de Gaulles visit to Bucharest.

Filmmaker Alexandru Solomons reminiscing Nina Cassian was also extremely emotional. During the launch event Alexandru Solomon also had a short film screened, a film he had made when he was a teenager. Captured in the shots taken in Vama Veche, there were Nina Cassian and his mother, painter and art history teacher Yvonne Hasan, together with the group of artists they were members of.
March 8, 2025 UPDATE

A roundup of local and international news.

Newsflash

Newsroom, 08.03.2025, 19:23

Court. The Constitutional Court of Romania on Saturday rejected the two contestations against the candidacy of Calin Georgescu to president of Romania. Following deliberations, the Constitutional Court unanimously rejected as inadmissible the contestations filed, as they did not comply with the procedural conditions stipulated in law, the Court said in a statement. The Central Electoral Bureau also received a number of contestations following the submission of his candidacy for presidential elections as independent on Friday. One such move came from the rector of the National School for Political and Administrative Studies, Remus Pricopie, and one of the arguments invoked was the incompatibility of the candidates discourse and behaviour with the democratic and constitutional values of the Romanian state. In December last year, the Constitutional Court of Romania cancelled the presidential elections after noting that the entire election process had been corrupted in favour of Georgescu, a pro-Russian and anti-West extremist. Georgescu is currently under investigation for instigating actions against the constitutional order, initiating and creating an organisation of a fascist, racist and xenophobic nature, promoting the cult of persons guilty of committing genocide and war crimes and initiating and creating an anti-Semitic organisation.

Women. Women made up one third of national parliaments in the European Union in 2024, up by 5.6% compared with 2014, according to data published by Eurostat on Friday. Sweden, Finland and Denmark had the highest number of women in Parliament among EU member states, with 45%, while Cyprus, with 14.3%, Hungary, with 14.6% and Romania, with 19.5%, had the fewest women in Parliament. In 2024, women held 35.1% of the government posts in the European Union, up by 7.4% compared with 2014. Finland has the most number of women in government positions, while Hungary had none, and in Czechia women held 5.9% of government positions. In Romania, women held some 30% of posts in government, up 10% compared with 2014.

Ukraine. Russian president Vladimir Putin has no interest in peace in Ukraine, said the EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on Saturday after Russian strikes overnight left dozens dead and wounded in eastern Ukraine, France Presse news agency reports. We must step up our military support  otherwise, even more Ukrainian civilians will pay the highest price, she added. In Kyiv, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said his country is fully committed to constructive dialogue with US representatives in Saudi Arabia next week and hopes to agree on the necessary decisions and steps. Ukraine has been seeking peace from the very first second of this war. Realistic proposals are on the table. The key is to move quickly and effectively, Zelensky said on social media.

Book fair. Between the 11th and the 13th of March, Romania will take part in the London Book Fair. Poet Ana Blandiana, writer and publisher Denisa Comanescu and actress Oana Pellea are some of the guests of the Romanian Cultural Institute, the organiser of the Romanian stand. The Institutes president, Liviu Jicman, says the countrys presence in the fair is essential, because it is an opportunity to bring the works of the Romanian authors to an extremely important and competitive market, with a global impact. The London Book Fair is considered the second largest event of its kind in the world.
The Week in Review

The main stories in Romania this past week.

The Week in Review

Daniela Budu, 08.03.2025, 14:00

Romanias interim president attends European Council in Brussels

Romanias interim president Ilie Bolojan on Thursday in Brussels called for an increased role from Europe in maintaining peace on the continent, supporting Europe and boosting defence spending. He attended an extraordinary meeting of the European Council where EU heads of state and government promised to support Ukraine in the context of the foreign policy pursued by the US president Donald Trump and to spend more on defence. The EU worked out a defence plan agreed by the leaders of the member states and whose priority is strengthening defence on the eastern flank, from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea. EU states will have at their disposal a fund of 150 billion euros for defence spending. Heres Ilie Bolojan speaking about this plan:

Most certainly, most of this endowment, of these investments, will be focused in this area, and with respect to production, to the consortia, this will be spread out across the entire European Union. I believe this is also an opportunity for our defence industry, for these products to be manufactured in factories in Romania, creating jobs.

Romania said it will not send troops to Ukraine, but is willing to become a regional defence centre providing logistics and support for the troops deployed by other states. Ilie Bolojan:

Romanias presence will be necessary in terms of planning and elements that have to do with the use of our infrastructure, military bases, for example, or other elements of defence infrastructure like ports and airports.

After the summit in Brussels, Ilie Bolojan said Romania cannot double its military spending from one year to the next and recalled that last year, it spent more than 2.2% of GDP on defence, while the European average was 1.9%.

Romania and NATO eastern flank

Romanian interim president Ilie Bolojan on Monday had a telephone conversation with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, saying the North Atlantic Alliance is the main guarantor of Romanias security. He insisted on the importance of the transatlantic relationship and the American presence in Europe, which he views as essential for the security of the continent. Romania continues to contribute to the stability and security of NATOs eastern flank alongside its partners and to support the consolidation of security in the Black Sea region, Ilie Bolojan emphasised. He added that Romania is once again ready to boost its investments in the defence sector. Referring to the situation in Ukraine, he spoke of the need for a fair and lasting peace and the importance of maintaining support for the neighbouring state. Mark Rutte thanked Romania for its contribution as an allied state and for being a member state that acts responsibly, being an important factor of security and stability in the Black Sea area and on the eastern flank.

Romania rejects Russian accusations

The authorities in Bucharest have categorically rejected the claims of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service that the European Union blackmailed Romania into blocking the candidacy of independent candidate Calin Georgescu in the presidential elections in May. Without providing any evidence, the Russian service claims that the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, asked the authorities in Bucharest to ban him from participating in the next election, warning that otherwise she would restrict Romanias access to European funds. The Romanian Foreign Ministry qualifies the accusations of the Russian service as ridiculous and completely unfounded and says they are part of a hybrid campaign to undermine democracy and diminish trust in the authorities. In turn, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu considers the comments of a Russian secret service regarding decisions of the Romanian authorities intolerable. Meanwhile, Georgescu remains under judicial control for 60 days, after judges on Thursday rejected as unfounded his complaint against the measure in the case in which he is being investigated for several crimes. Prosecutors accuse Georgescu of plotting to destabilize Romania with the help of mercenaries led by Horatiu Potra, after the Constitutional Court annulled the results of the first round of the presidential election.

Treason case in Romania

The Bucharest Court of Appeal ordered the preventive arrest of two members of a group formed and developed on the model of a military structure, accused of treason and ties to Russian agents, as well as the placement of four other members under judicial control for 60 days. Radu Theodoru, a retired major general, aged 101, is also being investigated as a suspect in the case. According to DIICOT, the organized crime service, the group aimed to withdraw Romania from NATO, abolish the constitutional order, abolish parties, adopt a new constitution, and change the flag, anthem, and even the name of the country. Investigators also say that the group members requested support from officers at the Russian Embassy and had several contacts with agents of a foreign power, both in Romania and in Russia. In the meantime, the Romanian authorities declared the Russian military attache in Bucharest and his deputy persona non grata. The Romanian Intelligence Service stated that the two had collected information from areas of interest, and supported the anti-constitutional actions of the six Romanians accused of treason. Furthermore, recently, the name of the deputy of the Russian military attache appeared in the criminal file of the former presidential candidate, the pro-Russian extremist Calin Georgescu.
The Indian automotive retail sector witnessed a slowdown in February 2025, with total vehicle sales reaching 18,99,196 units, reflecting a 17.12% decline month-on-month (MoM) compared to January 2025 and a 7.19% drop year-on-year (YoY) from February 2024. Passenger Vehicles (PV) were hit the hardest, with sales dropping by 34.88% MoM and 10.34% YoY, primarily due to weaker demand and inventory adjustments.

Indias passenger vehicle market witnessed a slowdown in February 2025, with total retail sales standing at 3,03,398 units, reflecting a 10.34% decline compared to 3,38,390 units in February 2024. Major players like Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors, Hyundai, and Kia reported negative year-on-year (YoY) growth, while some premium / EV brands like Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) and BYD saw a surge in sales.

Maruti Leads Despite Decline; Mahindra and Toyota Show Stability

 Maruti Suzuki retained its leadership position with 1,18,149 units sold but saw an 11.26% drop YoY, losing nearly 15,000 units compared to last year.

 Mahindra managed to stay in the green with a slight 0.41% growth, registering 39,889 units in sales, thanks to strong demand for its SUVs.

 Toyota continued its steady growth, posting a 4.75% increase with 21,561 units sold.

Declines for Tata, Hyundai, and Kia

 Tata Motors recorded a 15.34% decline, selling 38,696 units.

 Hyundai saw a significant 19.74% drop, selling 38,156 units.

 Kia also faced a 10.16% drop, retailing 18,794 units.

Skoda-VW, MG, and Luxury Brands See Gains

 Skoda-Volkswagen Group registered an 8.33% increase, selling 6,462 units.

 MG Motor India recorded a 16.22% YoY growth, with 4,551 units sold.

 BYD, the Chinese EV maker, also expanded its footprint in India, growing 68.21% with 254 units sold.

 Mercedes-Benz (-6.56%) and Volvo (-53.93%) reported a decline in sales.

 BMW, however, managed 1,138 units, with a slight 0.80% growth.

 Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) saw the highest percentage growth among premium brands, up 50% YoY, selling 435 units.

Struggles for Renault, Nissan, and Citroen

 Renault (-29.70%) and Nissan (-30.68%) continued to struggle, selling 2,523 and 1,706 units, respectively, as their outdated portfolios impacted demand.

 Citroen also reported a 29.09% drop, retailing 407 units.

The 10.34% YoY decline in retail sales indicates a temporary slowdown in the Indian car market, possibly due to economic factors, regulatory changes, and shifting customer preferences. While SUVs remain dominant, buyers are becoming more selective, leading to mixed performances among brands. With new product launches expected in the coming months, the industry will look to bounce back in the second half of 2025.
More budget affordable electric cars have broken cover in Chinese market than rest of the world combined. Toyota bZ3X just went on sale in China and is creating a massive buzz in the market as it is the first non Chinese brand to enter price wars in China. bZ3X is so sought-after, it apparently crashed Toyotas booking system. Lets take a closer look.

Toyota bZ3X Launched

Imagine a Tata Harrier size electric SUV that is starting at a price point of around Rs 13 lakh. Who wouldnt want to buy one, right? Thats exactly the notion around Toyota bZ3X, which just went on sale in China. Offering a vehicle of this size with this much premium equipment at this price point while it packs an electric powertrain has turned out to be a masterstroke by GAC Toyota.

Launched under the GAC Toyota partnership bZ3X electric SUV went on sale in China recently and garnered over 10,000 bookings within the first hour. Influx of traffic was such that it crashed Toyotas bookings system. Toyota bZ3X is offered in 430 Air and 430 Air+ trims with 430 km range from 50.03 kWh battery, 520 Pro and 520 Pro+ trims with 520 km range from 58.37 kWh battery.

The max 610 km range is from top-spec 610 Max trim which packs a 67.92 kWh battery. Prices start from CNY 109,800 (approx Rs 13 lakh) for base 430 Air and goes till CNY 159,800 (approx Rs 19 lakh). Air and Pro models come with 204 bhp single electric motor, while Max model gets a 224 bhp single electric motor.

Specs & Features

Toyota bZ3X measures 4,600 mm long, 1,875 mm wide, 1,645 mm tall and has a 2,765 mm long wheelbase. It has sleek LED lighting elements, large wheels, tough looking body claddings, flush door handles, chrome highlights, charging port on front right quarter panel and a blackened effect for roof and pillars. Theres a bulb on top of the windshield that houses cars LiDAR sensor for autonomous driving features.

Speaking of, Toyota bZ3X packs 11 cameras, 12 ultrasonic radars, 3 mm wave radars and a LiDAR. All these are controlled by Nvidia Drive AGX Orin X system. Other notable elements include 14.6-inch infotainment screen, 8.8-inch instrument screen, 11-speaker Yamaha sound system, ambient lighting, plush interior materials and cavernous space owing to its flexible seating layout.
Zhao Leji, executive chairman of the presidium of the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), presides over the second meeting of the presidium at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 8, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Bin)

BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- The presidium of the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), China's national legislature, held its second meeting Saturday.

Zhao Leji, executive chairman of the presidium, presided over the meeting.

The meeting decided to submit multiple documents to lawmakers for deliberation.

The documents include draft resolutions on the government work report, on the national economic and social development plan report and the plan for 2025, and on the central and local budgets report and the budgets for 2025.

The documents also include a draft decision on amending the Law on Deputies to the National People's Congress and to the Local People's Congresses at Various Levels.

The presidium's executive chairpersons met before the meeting to prepare the documents.

The executive chairpersons meeting was presided over by Zhao, who is also chairman of the NPC Standing Committee. 

Zhao Leji, executive chairman of the presidium of the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) and chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, presides over the first meeting of executive chairpersons of the presidium at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 8, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jie)
JERUSALEM, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Israel will send a delegation to Qatar's capital Doha on Monday to advance negotiations for renewing the ceasefire in Gaza and securing the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas, according to a statement issued by the Israeli Prime Minister's Office on Saturday.

The statement said that Israel had accepted the invitation of the mediating countries, backed by the United States.

Earlier on Saturday, Hamas said there were positive signs regarding negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

Hamas spokesman Abdul Latif Al-Qanou said in a press statement that "the efforts of Egyptian and Qatari mediators are ongoing to finalize the implementation of the ceasefire agreement and initiate negotiations for its second phase, with positive indicators in that direction."

He emphasized Hamas's readiness to engage in these negotiations in a manner that meets the demands of the Palestinian people. 
Paleontologists have described a new genus and species of extinct scorpion from the Early Cretaceous Yixian Formation of China.

Named Jeholia longchengi, the new species lived approximately 125 million years ago (Early Cretaceous epoch).

The scorpions fossilized remains were recovered from dark gray mudstones of the Yixian Formation at Heishangou village, Chifeng city, Nei Mongol, China.

Scorpions belong to the class Arachnida within Arthropoda, with relatively few fossil records, said first author Dr. Qiang Xuan, a researcher at the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology and the Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and colleagues.

The earliest scorpions come from the mid Silurian, and at least some of them have been interpreted as transitional forms from sea to land.

Despite being among the earliest terrestrial arthropods, fossil and living scorpions retain a largely conservative body plan.

Mesozoic scorpions are mainly from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber, whereas compression fossil of scorpions normally deposited in the strata are relatively rare except in the Late Triassic Keuper Sandstone Formation of England and the Early Cretaceous Crato Formation of Brazil.

Three fossil scorpions have been reported from China, including the Miocene scorpion Sinoscorpius shandongensis from Shandong province, the Devonian scorpion Hubeiscorpio gracilitarsis from Hubei province, and the Permian scorpion Eoscorpius sp. from Wuda, Nei Mongol.

Jeholia longchengi was a member of an Early Cretaceous terrestrial ecosystem called the Jehol Biota, which is internationally famous thanks to discoveries of exceptional fossils, including feathered dinosaurs, early birds, diverse mammals and pterosaurs, as well as some arthropod fossils.

The Jehol Biota remains one of the most significant and prolific fossil sites for studying Early Cretaceous life, the paleontologists said.

Despite the numerous fossil species reported, no fossil scorpions have been recorded until now.

The total length of Jeholia longchengi was approximately 10 cm (4 inches)  larger than other Mesozoic scorpions and considerably larger than many living scorpions.

Jeholia longchengi likely preyed primarily on diverse insects, including herbivorous, omnivorous, saprophagous, fungivorous, and predatory species, and possibly even on spiders, frogs and small salamanders, lizards, and mammals, which are common in the Jehol Biota, the researchers said.

We suggest that potential natural enemies of this Cretaceous scorpion include dinosaurs, birds, and mammals according to previously reported food-web model of the Jehol Biota.

However, due to the absence of fossil records of mouthparts, speculations about their feeding habits remain in a preliminary stage.

Betweenness centrality is a metric that quantifies the significance of a node in connecting other nodes within a network, they added.

It assesses the extent to which a node serves as a bridge, playing a pivotal role in linking other nodes within the network.

In the Jehol Biota food web, large scorpions exhibit the highest betweenness centrality among all guilds, underscoring the likelihood that the fossil scorpion may have had extensive ecological interactions with other species in the early terrestrial ecosystem.

Our finding contributes new insights into the complexity of food webs in the Jehol Biota, they concluded.

The teams paper was published in the journal Science Bulletin.

_____

Qiang Xuan et al. First Mesozoic scorpion from China and its ecological implications. Science Bulletin, published online January 24, 2025; doi: 10.1016/j.scib.2025.01.035
Research has shown that young people who face adversity such as traumatic or stressful events during brain development are 40% more likely to develop anxiety disorders by adulthood. But most people who endure these experiences during childhood and adolescence prove to be resilient to these mental health effects.

A new Yale study finds that when this adversity occurs during brain development may affect how susceptible people are to anxiety and other psychiatric problems as adults.

According to the study, published March 5 in the journal Communications Psychology, experiencing low-to-moderate levels of adversity during middle childhood (between the ages of 6 and 12) and adolescence may foster resilience to anxiety later in life.

The researchers found that those individuals who developed resilience to mental health challenges exhibited distinct patterns of brain activation when asked to differentiate between danger and safety, a process that is known to be disrupted in people with anxiety disorders.

"Greater levels of childhood adversity are associated with higher risk of mental health problems in adulthood, but our findings suggest the story is more nuanced than that," said Lucinda Sisk, a Ph.D. candidate in Yale's Department of Psychology and lead author of the study.

"Our findings suggest that a distinct pattern of discrimination between threat and safety cues -- specifically, greater activation of the prefrontal cortex in response to safety -- is linked with lower levels of anxiety, helping us better understand the heterogeneity we see in mental health among people who experienced adversity growing up."

For the study, the researchers assessed patterns of adversity exposure in 120 adults across four stages of development: early childhood, middle childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Using neuroimaging technology, they examined participants' corticolimbic circuitry (a network of brain regions that integrates emotion, cognition, and memory), extracting measures of neural activation as participants viewed cues that signaled either threat or safety. This offered insights into how the process of discriminating between danger and safety is related to exposure to adversity, they said.

The researchers then analyzed the data using a person-centered model which identified cohesive groups among the participants. Specifically, the model identified three latent profiles among the participants: those with lower lifetime adversity, higher neural activation to threat, and lower neural activation to safety; those who'd experienced low-to-moderate adversity during middle childhood and adolescence, had lower neural activation to threat, and higher neural activation to safety; and those with higher lifetime adversity exposure and minimal neural activation to both threat and safety. Individuals in the second profile had lower anxiety than those in the other two profiles, researchers found.

"The people who showed low or moderate levels of adversity exposure in middle childhood and adolescence had statistically lower levels of anxiety than either the first group, which had the lowest levels of adversity overall, or the third group, which had the highest levels of adversity exposure," Sisk said.

The study demonstrates that scientists can parse the variability of mental health outcomes in people who experience adversity while their brains are developing, said Dylan Gee, an associate professor of psychology (with tenure) in Yale's Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) and co-senior author of the study.

It also provides novel insight that will help to identify people who may be at heightened risk for developing anxiety disorders and other psychiatric problems, Gee said.

"This is one of the first studies to show both that the timing of adversity exposure really matters and what underlying neural processes might contribute to risk or resilience to anxiety following adversity," she said. "If the same stressor occurs at age 5 versus age 15, it is affecting a brain that is at a very different point in its development.

"This study provides insight into the sensitive periods when the brain is especially plastic, and children's experiences are likely to have the most impact on their mental health later in life," she added. "It also indicates that the brain's ability to effectively distinguish between what is safe and what is dangerous helps to protect against the development of anxiety disorders following childhood adversity."

Arielle Baskin-Sommers, an associate professor of psychology (with tenure) in FAS is co-senior author on the study. Other study coauthors are Taylor J. Keding, Sonia Ruiz, Paola Odriozola, Sahana Kribakaran, Emily M. Cohodes, Sarah McCauley, Jason T. Haberman, and Camila Caballero, all of Yale; Sadie J. Zacharek of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Hopewell R. Hodges of the University of Minnesota; and Jasmyne C. Pierre of the City College of New York.
Some parts of Hawai'i are sinking faster than others. That discovery, published recently in a study by researchers at the University of Hawai'i (UH) at Manoa, also highlights that as sea level rises, the infrastructure, businesses, and communities in these low-lying areas are at risk of flooding sooner than scientists anticipated, particularly in certain urban areas of O'ahu.

"Our findings highlight that subsidence is a major, yet often overlooked, factor in assessments of future flood exposure," said Kyle Murray, lead author of the study and researcher with the Climate Resilience Collaborative (CRC) at the UH Manoa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST). "In rapidly subsiding areas, sea level rise impacts will be felt much sooner than previously estimated, which means that we must prepare for flooding on a shorter timeline."

Murray and co-authors analyzed nearly two decades of satellite radar data to measure vertical land motion across the Hawaiian Islands. They also developed a high-resolution digital elevation model to accurately map coastal topography. By combining these datasets, they modeled how sea level rise and ongoing subsidence will exacerbate future flooding.

As islands in the Hawaiian chain move farther from the hotspot beneath the Big Island, they very slowly sink due to their own weight. This island-wide subsidence rate is low on O'ahu, around 0.6 millimeters, about the thickness of 10 sheets of printer paper, each year. However, the researchers found localized areas on the south shore of O'ahu where land is sinking nearly 40 times faster, exceeding 25 millimeters per year. The rate and localized nature of the sinking surprised the research team.

"Much of the urban development and infrastructure, including parts of the industrial Mapunapuna area, is built on sediments and artificial fill," said Murray. "We think the majority of subsidence is related to the compaction of these materials over time."

"This rate of land subsidence is faster than the long-term rate of sea level rise in Hawai'i (1.54 millimeters per year since 1905), which means those areas will experience chronic flooding sooner than anticipated," said Phil Thompson, study co-author and director of the UH Sea Level Center in SOEST. "In places like the Mapunapuna industrial region, subsidence could increase flood exposure area by over 50% by 2050, while compressing flood preparedness timelines by up to 50 years."

The shoreline plays a vital role in sustaining Hawai'i's coastal communities, economy, and infrastructure. The researchers found that sinking rates of certain coastal regions have remained consistent over the past two decades, suggesting that subsidence will persistently exacerbate flooding for parts of the island. If subsidence is not accounted for, urban planning and coastal adaptation strategies may underestimate the urgency of mitigation efforts.

"Our research provides critical data that can inform state and county decision-making, helping to improve flood exposure assessments, infrastructure resilience, and long-term urban planning," said Chip Fletcher, co-author, director of CRC, and interim dean of SOEST. "This work directly serves the people of Hawai'i by ensuring that local adaptation strategies are based on the best available science, ultimately helping to protect homes, businesses, and cultural areas."
New research by Flinders University has uncovered a potential marker that could provide valuable insights into the overall health of older adults living in long-term aged care facilities.

Led by PhD candidate Sophie Miller in the College of Medicine and Public Health, the study found that a simple swab from the back of the throat, known as the oropharynx, may offer clues about health challenges faced by aged care residents.

"Our findings suggest that certain bacteria detected in the back of the throat could indicate greater health vulnerability in older adults," says Miller.

Identifying vulnerable individuals in later life has proven successful through measures of physical robustness, such as grip strength and other physical assessments.

However, this study suggests the inclusion of a biological marker, which may provide additional insight into the risk of poor health outcomes in aged care.

"As we age, the community of bacteria and other micro-organisms in our throat changes. Factors like taking multiple medications and having more frequent healthcare visits, which are common in later life, can affect this balance," she says.

"These changes that occur with age may result in physiological shifts that increase vulnerability to diseases and frailty.

The research involved the collection of oropharyngeal swabs from 190 residents of aged care facilities across metropolitan South Australia, and followed their health outcomes over 12 months.

One bacterium, Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), an organism ordinarily associated with infections -- but not in this study context -- was notably linked to poorer health outcomes.

Residents carrying this bacterium were found to be nearly ten times more likely to die within a year compared to non-carriers.

"This discovery suggests the usability of the microbiome as an additional marker of identifying residents who may require extra care or monitoring," Miller explains.

The presence of S. aureus was found to reflect broader health challenges, rather than being linked to any specific infection.

Residents who tested positive for S. aureus tended to have a higher number of health conditions, further supporting the theory that S. aureus carriage might be indicative of overall poor health.

"Importantly, the presence of S. aureus was found to be a stronger predictor of mortality risk than an individual's number of comorbidities -- health conditions that are commonly used to assess the general health of elderly individuals.

"Even after adjusting for factors such as comorbid conditions, medications, and other health data, the link between S. aureus and mortality risk remained significantly high," says Miller.

Senior author Professor Geraint Rogers, Director of the Microbiome and Host Health program at SAHMRI and Matthew Flinders Fellow at Flinders University, emphasises the potential significance of the findings.

"It's fascinating that we see this relationship with S. aureus, even in the absence of any clear evidence of infection," says Professor Rogers.

"This underscores the idea that the presence of certain bacteria, like S. aureus, could be an indicator of general health decline, rather than being directly associated with infection.

"This study marks an important step toward using simple microbial markers to inform healthcare strategies and improve outcomes for aged care residents.

"While the findings are compelling, more research is needed to confirm these results and explore the long-term implications.

"By studying larger groups of residents, we hope to uncover more ways to improve care and support for older adults," adds Professor Rogers.

Further research will be crucial to better understand how these microbial markers could be used alongside traditional assessments to improve overall health outcomes for older Australians.

Acknowledgements: This research was supported by an Australian Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) grant from the Australian Department of Health (GNT1152268). The Australian Department of Health reviewed the study proposal, but did not play a role in study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, or manuscript writing. GBR is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Senior Research Fellowship (GNT119378) and a Matthew Flinders Professorial Fellowship. SLT is supported by an NHMRC Emerging Leadership grant (GNT2008625).
A simple genomics blood test could improve treatment and care for childhood epilepsy, but more investment is needed to make access fair and securely join up the data, finds a new study involving researchers at University College London (UCL) and Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children (GOSH).

The International Precision Child Health Partnership (IPCHiP), operating at sites across the UK, Canada, the US and Australia, has shown that rapid genomic sequencing (rGS) can revolutionise care for children with rare diseases. It can improve diagnoses, enhance treatment plans and allows patients, families and doctors to make more informed decisions.

Rapid genome sequencing is a technique that quickly reads and analyses a person's genetic material by breaking it into small fragments and sequencing them all at once.

Many childhood epilepsies are caused by genetics. With over 1,000 epilepsy genes identified, knowing which (if any) genetic variants are responsible for a child's epilepsy can help to guide treatment and care.

Early detection and diagnosis are important to support children and families as early as possible.

The results from Gene-STEPS, the first project from IPCHiP, are published in npj Genomic Medicine and explore the use of rGS for children with newly-diagnosed epilepsy.

The teams found that not only was rGS feasible from a standard blood test across the four countries' different health systems, it also provided a genetic diagnosis for 43% of children in under three weeks.

Importantly, for 98% of children with a genetic diagnosis there was a significant impact on their treatment, such as a choice of antiseizure medication.

Lead investigator from the UK partner, Dr Amy McTague (UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health and GOSH) said: "It was fantastic to see that we could so quickly advance precision child health in this way in our pilot project. We have learnt a great deal from this process about international collaboration and the need for wholesale adoption of this into clinical care.

"Money spent on child health pays dividends, not just in quality of life for our young people and their families, but in creating a happier and healthier population and communities for the future."

Professor Dame Lyn Chitty, of the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health and Deputy Director of the NIHR GOSH Biomedical Research Centre, said: "This work has shown the power of collaborative research in rare conditions to test and learn from genomics. We now need the data infrastructure to extend this research to other conditions to enable more people access to these advances in genomics. For that to happen, we urgently need investment in informatics and governance to enable data sharing whilst protecting patient confidentiality."

Professor Helen Cross, Director of the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health and co-author of the study added: "This study really demonstrates the power of specialist collaboration. Genomics is providing answers in many rare diseases and changing our approach to treatment. Coming together enables us to test the benefits of treatment in a feasible way, and hopefully result in better outcomes."

When combined, rare diseases affect one in 17 people. Improving the health of those affected by a rare disease is a major global challenge but one that has the potential to be revolutionised by genomics technologies. Genomic screening can improve the understanding and burden of a disease, its underlying causes and help clinical teams decide on the best treatments for success or avoid harsh treatments that won't be tolerated. This is called precision medicine.

Aoife Regan, Director of Impact and Charitable Programmes at GOSH Charity, said:It's incredibly exciting to see the power of genetic sequencing in improving treatment and care for childhood rare diseases. We are proud to support this research, and consider it an excellent example of the importance of global collaboration and working in partnership to accelerate the breakthroughs of tomorrow and transform the lives of seriously ill children across the world."

The next stage of IPCHiP will explore use of similar sequencing for infantile hypotonia (a condition where a baby has unusually low muscle tone, making them appear limp or floppy) in a project called GemStones, run by Dr Giovanni Baranello at GOSH.

The IPCHiP partnership prioritises collaboration and shares innovation across four leading paediatric institutions that incorporate research into all they do. The establishment of rGS across four different healthcare systems required commitment from each institution and their supporting genomics services.

The IPCHiP team are now working together to use innovative approaches to data sharing to ensure patient data is kept safe and secure but learnings from these rare patient cohorts can be shared across continents.

IPCHiP is a collaboration between UCL and GOSH, the Murdoch Children's Research Institute with The Royal Children's Hospital (Melbourne Children's Campus) and the University of Melbourne Department of Paediatrics (Melbourne), and The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto and Boston Children's Hospital.

The UK arm of the study was part-funded by Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity (GOSH Charity) and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) GOSH Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) with support from Young Epilepsy.
Researchers have discovered how antibodies help to protect against contagious bacterial infections caused by Strep A, including strep throat. And the findings are already contributing to efforts to accelerate the development of a Strep A vaccine.

The research, led by Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI), Monash University and the University of Auckland, using the world's only human challenge model for Strep A, has uncovered how antibodies respond to strep throat infections.

MCRI Dr Joshua Osowicki said the research showed the power and potential for the human model to help crack the secrets of Strep A and accelerate vaccine development.

The findings, published in Nature Communications, closely looked at antibodies produced against different parts of Strep A bacteria, comparing blood and saliva results before and after the Strep A challenge. The challenge involved 25 healthy adults in Melbourne who were exposed to a low level of Strep A bacteria in a controlled environment.

"With Strep A being extremely common and every healthy adult having previously encountered it, all the participants had some antibodies against Strep A before the study," Dr Osowicki said.

"We found each person's pre-existing antibodies made a difference to what happened when they were exposed during the challenge. For some of the participants, the mixture of antibodies before the challenge helped to protect them from developing a strep throat infection. Even in those who did develop strep throat, with symptoms like a sore throat and fever, it was clear their pre-existing antibodies made a difference to clinical outcomes."

Importantly, the response to Strep A in the participants resembled those seen in children who will be first in line for a Strep A vaccine.

Dr Osowicki said developing an effective vaccine had been difficult as there were big gaps in our understanding into how humans were protected against Strep A infections.

"The bulk of Strep A research has used animal models but only humans are naturally infected by Strep A," he said. This research helps vaccine developers to answer that key question and proves that we can use our human model to test promising vaccine candidates and explore how they work."

The findings come as Dr Osowicki and his team were awarded a $10 million grant from Wellcome for more research using the Strep A human challenge model to accelerate vaccine development.

Under the grant, Dr Osowicki, alongside MCRI colleagues Dr Hannah Frost and Professor Andrew Steer, will lead an international consortium spanning six institutes across Australia, The Gambia, the UK and New Zealand. The research partners include Monash University, Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, University of New South Wales (Kirby Institute), University of Auckland, and University of Sheffield. The project will also involve major international vaccine developers as part of an advisory group.

Wellcome, a UK-based independent charitable foundation, supports innovative projects to help solve the world's most pressing health challenges, including infectious diseases.

The project will use the MCRI team's Strep A human challenge model in trial participants in Australia and The Gambia to test different ideas about which kinds of immune responses stop people from getting Strep A infections. A vaccine that can produce similar responses should prevent infections across the whole Strep A diseasespectrum.

Strep A infections affect about 750 million people and kill more than 500,000 globally every year, more than influenza, typhoid or whooping cough. Strep A can also cause severe life-threatening infections like toxic shock syndrome, flesh eating disease and post-infectious illnesses such as acute rheumatic fever, rheumatic heart disease and kidney disease.

Strep A vaccine research is one response to the World Health Organization's (WHO) resolution for a global, coordinated response into rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease.

Dr Frost said by developing the world's only Strep A human challenge model, our team had changed the vaccine development landscape.

"With this funding from Wellcome, we will answer some of the biggest and most stubborn questions that are standing in the way of developing, licensing and implementing a successful Strep A vaccine," she said.

"While this was traditionally a long and difficult process, bringing world experts and industry partners together would fast-track efforts to address the unmet global public health need for a safe and effective Strep A vaccine."

Professor Steer said the project could help prevent Strep A related illness and death around the world.

"There is a huge need for the development of a vaccine to reduce the burden of Strep A disease and we are proud to lead this work out of MCRI," he said. Another major benefit of this vaccine would be the reduction of rheumatic heart disease rates globally, a preventable illness that has been identified as a global priority."
TRIPOLI, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Hanna Serwaa Tetteh, UN secretary-general's special representative for Libya and head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), called on Saturday for advancing the status of women and girls in Libya.

"UNSMIL calls upon all relevant Libyan stakeholders to take decisive actions to advance the status of women and girls, ensuring their rights and giving them equal opportunities to contribute to all areas of the economy and make a positive difference," Tetteh said in a statement on the occasion of International Women's Day.

Tetteh also urged supporting and empowering women by "fostering inclusive access to leadership and decision-making spaces."

"Women in Libya, especially those who are involved in the public sphere and political spaces, continue to face significant challenges. Systemic barriers, discrimination, and violence continue to hinder their full and meaningful participation," the statement said.

Tetteh reiterated UNSMIL's support for advancing Libyan women's rights, supporting their meaningful and safe participation at all levels of society, and amplifying their call for protection and inclusion.

Also on Saturday, Libya's Ministry of Women's Affairs called for enhancing the role of women in decision-making positions, protecting their rights, and adopting laws that support women's status and preserve their dignity. 
Urban highways promise to get people to their destinations faster -- and bring them together. But at the same time, they reduce social connections between people within the city, especially at distances of less than 5 km, according to a study involving the Complexity Science Hub published in PNAS.

"In this study, we use the spatial social connections of people within the 50 largest cities in the US to test whether the built environment -- in this case, urban highways -- is indeed a barrier to social ties, as has long been assumed in urban studies. For the first time, we are also finding quantitatively that this is the case," explains co-author Sandor Juhasz. During his postdoctoral fellowship at the Complexity Science Hub (CSH), Juhasz participated in the study.

This barrier effect by urban highways is particularly strong for short distances of less than 5 km (or ca. 3 miles) in all the US cities studied. It only reverses at around 20 km (ca. 12.4 miles) -- above this distance, urban highways tend to help connect places within a city, according to the study. "In concrete terms, this means that if two people live on different sides of an urban highway, it is less likely that there will be social contact between them," says Juhasz, who's now a research fellow at the Corvinus University of Budapest.

"Urban highways, especially those built in the US in the 1950s and 1960s, were entirely geared towards car traffic," explains co-author Anastassia Vybornova from the IT University of Copenhagen. They were intended to shorten the commute to work and make traveling within the city easier. "But this comes at a price, especially over short distances. If someone wants to cross a multi-lane highway, it takes a lot of effort. So highways connect over long distances, but divide over short ones," adds Juhasz.

Effects Quantified for the First Time

A special feature of this study is that, for the first time, the researchers not only described these barrier effects qualitatively, but also quantified them. To do this, the team, led by the IT University of Copenhagen, combined geographical data with location information from online social networks.

The researchers added a second layer to a city map with streets, rivers and, other geographical features: a social network of 1 million X users (formerly Twitter) from 2013. The nodes of this network represent people's estimated places of residence, while the connections represent their friendships on X within the city.

"The fact that the mutual followerships on X reflect real friendships is of course a highly generalized assumption," says Juhasz. "It is extremely difficult to map social connections at this level of detail. There are currently no comprehensive datasets for such analysis -- most, such as public Facebook data, are only aggregated at the zip code level. But to examine the influence of highways, much finer data is needed. It's interesting to see that the barrier effect of urban highways is already detectable in this dataset."

Cleveland Has the Largest Barrier Effect

The average barrier effect of urban highways is highest in Cleveland, a city with particularly high segregation, according to the results of the study.

"In the US, there is a long tradition of highway construction through densely populated areas, which has led to segregation and a decline in local opportunities," explains Juhasz. "Urban planners often used to decide to build highways in such a way that they cut through large, homogeneous neighborhoods or physically separate different population groups -- mostly Black and White communities."

The best-known example is probably Detroit with the 8 Mile Road. "Our measurements clearly show that there is still less social contact there today than would be the case without the highway," adds Juhasz.

In the US, there were already major programs such as the "Reconnecting Communities" initiative, which invested millions of dollars to make urban infrastructure more socially just. "So the problem was recognized, and there were active policies with increasing budgets. But more importantly, this program -- like many others -- was stopped by the new US government a few weeks ago," says Juhasz. This makes studies like this one, which show that urban highways have a significant influence on social connectivity, all the more important, according to Juhasz.
Climate change is rapidly reducing the ability of banana producers to supply one of our favourite fruits.

New research from the University of Exeter, published in Nature Food, has found it will be economically unsustainable by 2080 for many areas across Latin America and the Caribbean to continue growing bananas for export, because of rising temperatures caused by climate change.

Bananas are a key export crop worth $11 billion (8.9 billion) annually and are crucial for the economies of many countries. Yet in just over half a century, 60 per cent of the regions currently producing bananas will struggle to grow the fruit unless there are urgent interventions to tackle climate change.

The study also found that socioeconomic factors, such as labour availability and infrastructure, significantly constrain climate change adaptation. Most banana production occurs near densely populated areas and ports, limiting the potential for relocation to more suitable regions.

Professor Dan Bebber from the University of Exeter led the study and said: "Our findings are a stark reminder that climate change is not just an environmental issue but a direct threat to global food security and livelihoods. Without substantial investment in adaptation, including irrigation and heat-tolerant banana varieties, the future of export banana production looks uncertain.

"Bananas are one of the world's most important fruits, not only for consumers but for millions of workers in producing countries. It's crucial we act now to safeguard the industry against the dual threats of climate change and emerging diseases."

The researchers developed a new method using satellite imagery to map banana production in Latin America and the Caribbean at very high resolution and then estimated the climate under which bananas are preferentially grown. Their findings showed climate change will reduce the best areas for banana growth and yields in many important producer countries, as well as increasing worker exposure to extreme temperatures.

Countries such as Colombia and Costa Rica will be the most negatively impacted as they are expected to become too hot for optimal cultivation. Ecuador and parts of Brazil are among the few areas to remain as important producers, as climate change is projected to be less severe there.

The researchers propose several adaptation strategies, including expanding irrigation infrastructure, breeding heat- and drought-tolerant banana varieties, and supporting banana producers to manage climate risks.

Dr Varun Varma of Rothamsted Research developed the remote sensing algorithms for the work and further assistance was provided by Jose Antonio Guzman Alvarez of the Costa Rican organisation CORBANA, who support the national banana industry.
Transposons, or "jumping genes" -- DNA segments that can move from one part of the genome to another -- are key to bacterial evolution and the development of antibiotic resistance.

Cornell University researchers have discovered a new mechanism these genes use to survive and propagate in bacteria with linear DNA, with applications in biotechnology and drug development.

Researchers show that transposons can target and insert themselves at the ends of linear chromosomes, called telomeres, within their bacterial host. In Streptomyces -- historically one of the most significant bacteria for antibiotic development -- they found that transposons controlled the telomeres in nearly a third of the chromosomes.

"This is a big part of their biology," said senior author Joseph Peters, professor of microbiology. "Bacteria are like these little tinkerers. They're always collecting these mobile DNA pieces, and they're making new functions all the time -- everything in antibiotic resistance is really about mobile genetic elements and almost always transposons that can move between bacteria."

With some technologies not available even five years ago, the researchers identified several families of transposons in cyanobacteria and Streptomyces that, using different mechanisms, can find and insert themselves at the telomere, with benefits for the transposon and their bacterial host. For one, inserting at the end of the chromosome helps the transposon avoid genes for the cell's core functioning, which reside in the middle of the chromosomes; transposons that can target the ends are less likely to disrupt an essential function or cause cell death.

"If you could target the end, you're less likely to knock out something that the host wants, and then these ends, by various systems, are transferred between cells," Peters said. "For any element to survive -- a transposon, bacteria -- they really need to be able to do those two things: They need to not cause too much damage, and they need a way to move to new hosts. By inserting into the telomeres, they're able to do both."

Transposons have been found clustered at the chromosome ends in eukaryotic cells, but this is the first time it's been documented in bacteria with linear chromosomes, and the researchers found that bacterial transposons (versus eukaryotes) use unique mechanisms to control the telomeres.

Transposons are usually flanked by protein-binding sequences that indicate where to excise the DNA element and move it to a new location. In Streptomyces, researchers observed that the transposons at the telomeres were one-sided, with a traditional transposon sequence on one end with the other end being the telomere. This functionally allows the transposon to be the telomere, making it essential to the cell generally.

"What it lets them do is become essential to the host, because they now control the telomere, and if the element got deleted along with this system, the host would die," Peters said.

The researchers found one subfamily of telomere-targeting transposons that coopted a CRISPR system -- normally used by bacteria to defend against viruses -- to target and insert itself into the chromosome ends. This process is further confirmation of previous research in Peters' lab that found transposons using CRISPR systems to move around genomes, opening the potential for a new gene-editing tool that would allow for larger sections of DNA to be inserted than the now widely used CRISPR-Cas9.

"The transposons keep grabbing these systems and coopting them in different ways," Peters said. "In this paper, we explained a new one of these elements using a CRISPR-Cas system to target the telomeres."

The insights -- especially into Streptomyces, which is difficult to manipulate in the lab and accounts for the discovery of many of our antibiotics -- could prove useful for drug development, as transposons drive bacterial evolution and may direct researchers to new antibiotics and other useful products encoded on these transposons.

"Most of life on the planet is microbes, and specifically bacteria," Peters said. "We want to understand how these living organisms function, but then we want to see how we can use these systems for the betterment of humankind."

Co-authors include postdoctoral researchers Shan-Chi (Popo) Hsieh and Michael T. Petassi; doctoral student Richard Schargel; and partners at the University of Geneva, Orsolya Barabas and Mate Fulop.

The research was supported with funding from the National Institutes of Health and the European Research Council.
"Forests are among the most important ecosystems in nature, constantly evolving, yet their monitoring is often delayed," says Rytis Maskeliunas, a professor at Kaunas University of Technology (KTU). Climate change, pests, and human activity are transforming forests faster than we can track them -- some changes become apparent only when the damage is already irreversible.

KTU researchers are proposing innovative technological solutions: an innovative forest regeneration model and a sound analysis system that can predict forest conditions and detect environmental changes in real time.

Forest management today is increasingly challenged by environmental changes that have intensified in recent years. "Forests, especially in regions like Lithuania, are highly sensitive to rising winter temperatures. A combination of factors is causing trees to weaken, making them more vulnerable to pests," says Maskeliunas.

According to the scientist, traditional monitoring methods such as foresters' visual inspections or trap-based monitoring are no longer sufficient. "We will never have enough people to continuously observe what is happening in forests," he explains.

To improve forest protection, KTU researchers have employed artificial intelligence (AI) and data analysis. These technologies enable not only real-time forest monitoring but also predictive analysis, allowing early intervention in response to environmental changes.

Spruce trees are particularly affected by climate change

One key solution is the forest regeneration dynamics model, which forecasts how forests will grow and change over time. The model tracks tree age groups and calculates probabilities for tree transitions from one age group to another by analysing growth and mortality rates.

Head of the Real time computer center (RLKSC), data analysis expert, Prof. Robertas Damasevicius, identifies core advantages of the model: it can identify which tree species are best suited to different environments and where they should be planted.

"It can assist in planning mixed forest replanting to enhance resilience against climate change, as well as predict where and when certain species might become more vulnerable to pests, enabling preventive measures. This tool supports forest conservation, biodiversity maintenance, and ecosystem services by optimising funding allocation and compensation for forest owners," says Maskeliunas.

The model is based on advanced statistical methods. The Markov chain model calculates how a forest transitions from one state to another, based on current conditions and probabilistic growth and mortality rates. "This allows us to predict how many young trees will survive or die due to diseases or pests, helping to make more informed forest management decisions," explains KTU's Faculty of Informatics professor.

Additionally, a multidirectional time series decomposition distinguishes long-term trends in forest growth from seasonal changes or unexpected environmental factors such as droughts or pest outbreaks. Combining these methods provides a more comprehensive view of forest ecosystems, allowing for more accurate forecasting under different environmental conditions.

The model has also been applied to assess Lithuania's forest situation, revealing that spruce trees are particularly affected by climate change, becoming increasingly vulnerable due to longer dry periods in summer and warmer winters. "Spruce trees, although they grow rapidly in young forests, experience higher mortality rates in later life stages. This is linked to reduced resistance to environmental stress," says Maskeliunas.

Forest sounds reveal ecosystem health

Another tool developed by the researchers is a sound analysis system that can identify natural forest sounds and detect anomalies that may indicate ecosystem disturbances or human activity. Sound analysis is becoming an important part of forest digitisation, allowing real-time environmental monitoring and faster response to potential threats.

The model, proposed by KTU RLKSC PhD student Ahmad Qurthobi, is innovative in combining a convolutional neural network (CNN) with a bi-directional long short-term memory (BiLSTM) model.

"CNN recognises and provides features that describe sound, yet it is not enough to understand how sounds change over time. That's why we use BiLSTM, which analyses temporal sequences," explains Maskeliunas.

This hybrid model not only accurately detects static sounds, such as the constant chirping of birds, but also identifies dynamic changes, such as sudden deforestation noises or shifts in wind intensity.

"For example, bird songs help monitor their activity, species diversity and seasonal changes in migration. A sudden decrease or significant increase in bird sounds can signal ecological problems," says Maskeliunas.

Even tree-generated sounds, such as those caused by wind, leaf movement, or breaking branches, can indicate wind strength or structural changes in trees due to drought or other stressors.

Researchers agree that the model could also be adapted for monitoring other environmental changes: "Our model could detect animal sounds such as wolf howls, deer mating calls, or wild boar activity, helping to monitor their movement and behaviour patterns. In urban areas, it could be used to track noise pollution or intensity."

The solution itself is not just an innovation on paper. The sound analysis system easily integrates into the KTU developed smart forest Internet of Things (IoT) -- Forest 4.0.

"The Forest 4.0 IoT devices are like silent guardians of tomorrow's ecosystems, analysing the heartbeat of our forests in real time and fostering a world where technology listens to nature," KTU IoT expert Prof. Egidijus Kazanavicius explains.

Currently, some of the models used by foresters tend to oversimplify complex ecological dynamics and fail to consider species competition, environmental feedback loops, and climate variability. As a result, accurately predicting how forests will respond to different factors remains a challenge.

"This is why these advanced technologies represent the future of forest management," concludes Prof. Maskeliunas.
Producing high-performance titanium alloy parts -- whether for spacecraft, submarines or medical devices -- has long been a slow, resource-intensive process. Even with advanced metal 3D-printing techniques, finding the right manufacturing conditions has required extensive testing and fine-tuning.

What if these parts could be built more quickly, stronger and with near-perfect precision?

A team comprising experts from the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland, and the Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering is leveraging artificial intelligence to make that a reality. They've identified processing techniques that improve both the speed of production and the strength of these advanced materials -- an advance with implications from the deep sea to outer space.

"The nation faces an urgent need to accelerate manufacturing to meet the demands of current and future conflicts," said Morgan Trexler, program manager for Science of Extreme and Multifunctional Materials in APL's Research and Exploratory Development Mission Area. "At APL, we are advancing research in laser-based additive manufacturing to rapidly develop mission-ready materials, ensuring that production keeps pace with evolving operational challenges."

The findings, recently published in the journal Additive Manufacturing, focus on Ti-6Al-4V, a widely used titanium alloy known for its high strength and low weight. The team leveraged AI-driven models to map out previously unexplored manufacturing conditions for laser powder bed fusion, a method of 3D-printing metal. The results challenge long-held assumptions about process limits, revealing a broader processing window for producing dense, high-quality titanium with customizable mechanical properties.

The discovery provides a new way to think about materials processing, said co-author Brendan Croom.

"For years, we assumed that certain processing parameters were 'off-limits' for all materials because they would result in poor-quality end product," said Croom, a senior materials scientist at APL. "But by using AI to explore the full range of possibilities, we discovered new processing regions that allow for faster printing while maintaining -- or even improving -- material strength and ductility, the ability to stretch or deform without breaking. Now, engineers can select the optimal processing settings based on their specific needs."

These findings hold promise for industries that rely on high-performance titanium parts. The ability to manufacture stronger, lighter components at greater speeds could improve efficiency in shipbuilding, aviation and medical devices. It also contributes to a broader effort to advance additive manufacturing for aerospace and defense.

Researchers at the Whiting School of Engineering, including Somnath Ghosh, are integrating AI-driven simulations to better predict how additively manufactured materials will perform in extreme environments. Ghosh co-leads one of two NASA Space Technology Research Institutes (STRIs), a collaboration between Johns Hopkins and Carnegie Mellon focused on developing advanced computational models to accelerate material qualification and certification. The goal is to reduce the time required to design, test and validate new materials for space applications -- a challenge that closely aligns with APL's efforts to refine and accelerate titanium manufacturing.

A Major Leap Forward

This breakthrough builds on years of work at APL to advance additive manufacturing. When Steve Storck, the chief scientist for manufacturing technologies in APL's Research and Exploratory Development Department, arrived at the Laboratory in 2015, he recognized the practice had its limits.

"Back then, one of the biggest barriers to using additive manufacturing across the Department of Defense was materials availability -- each design required a specific material, but robust processing conditions didn't exist for most of them," Storck recalled. "Titanium was one of the few that met DoD needs and had been optimized to match or exceed traditional manufacturing performance. We knew we had to expand the range of materials and refine processing parameters to fully unlock additive manufacturing's potential."

APL spent years refining additive manufacturing, focusing on defect control and material performance. In 2021, the APL team published a study in the Johns Hopkins APL Technical Digest examining how defects impact mechanical properties. Around the same time, Storck's team was developing a rapid material optimization framework, an effort that led to a patent filed in 2020.

This framework -- designed to significantly accelerate the optimization of processing conditions -- provided a strong foundation for the latest study. Building on that groundwork, the team leveraged machine learning to explore an unprecedented range of processing parameters, something that would have been impractical with traditional trial-and-error methods.

The approach revealed a high-density processing regime previously dismissed due to concerns about material instability. With targeted adjustments, the team unlocked new ways to process Ti-6Al-4V, long optimized for laser powder bed fusion.

"We're not just making incremental improvements," Storck said. "We're finding entirely new ways to process these materials, unlocking capabilities that weren't previously considered. In a short amount of time, we discovered processing conditions that pushed performance beyond what was thought possible."

AI Finds the Hidden Patterns

Titanium's properties, like those of all materials, can be affected by the way the material is processed. Laser power, scan speed and spacing between laser tracks determine how the material solidifies -- whether it becomes strong and flexible or brittle and flawed. Traditionally, finding the right combination required slow trial-and-error testing.

Instead of manually adjusting settings and waiting for results, the team trained AI models using Bayesian optimization, a machine learning technique that predicts the most promising next experiment based on prior data. By analyzing early test results and refining its predictions with each iteration, AI rapidly homed in on the best processing conditions -- allowing researchers to explore thousands of configurations virtually before testing a handful of them in the lab.

This approach allowed the team to quickly identify previously unused settings -- some of which had been dismissed in traditional manufacturing -- that could produce stronger, denser titanium. The results overturned long-held assumptions about which laser parameters yield the best material properties.

"This isn't just about manufacturing parts more quickly," Croom said. "It's about striking the right balance among strength, flexibility and efficiency. AI is helping us explore processing regions we wouldn't have considered on our own."

Storck emphasized that the approach goes beyond improving titanium printing -- it customizes materials for specific needs. "Manufacturers often look for one-size-fits-all settings, but our sponsors need precision," he said. "Whether it's for a submarine in the Arctic or a flight component under extreme conditions, this technique lets us optimize for those unique challenges while maintaining the highest performance."

Croom added that expanding the machine learning model to predict even more complex material behaviors is another key goal. The team's early work looked at density, strength and ductility, and Croom said it has eyes on modeling other important factors, like fatigue resistance or corrosion.

"This work has been a clear demonstration of the power of AI, high-throughput testing and data-driven manufacturing," he said. "It used to take years of experimentation to understand how a new material would respond in our sponsor's relevant environments, but what if we could instead learn all of that in weeks and use that insight to rapidly manufacture enhanced alloys?"

New Possibilities

The success of this research opens the door to even broader applications. The recently published paper focused on titanium, but the same AI-driven approach has been applied to other metals and manufacturing techniques, including alloys specifically developed to take advantage of additive manufacturing, Storck said.

One area of future exploration is so-called in situ monitoring -- the ability to track and adjust the manufacturing process in real time. Storck described a vision where state-of-the-art metal additive manufacturing could be as seamless as 3D printing at home: "We envision a paradigm shift where future additive manufacturing systems can adjust as they print, ensuring perfect quality without the need for extensive post-processing and that parts can be born qualified."
BEIRUT, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Despite a ceasefire, the deep scars of the conflict between Isreal and Hezbollah are starkly visible across southern Lebanon, where vast swathes of critical civilian infrastructure have been laid to waste.

Among the most significantly damaged infrastructure is the Wazzani spring water pumping station project -- the largest of its kind in the region. Its destruction has deprived dozens of towns of access to potable water, exacerbating the challenges faced by residents who have just returned after the end of the nearly 14 months of hostilities in November last year.

Wazzani Mayor Ahmed Al-Mohammad described the disillusionment among returnees, whose hope for a return to normalcy was dashed when they found the water pumping station, a lifeline for the community, utterly destroyed.

The mayor noted that the facility had been frequently targeted due to its strategically vital location near the Blue Line, the UN demarcation line between Lebanon and Israel.

Al-Mohammad complained that the repeated Israeli attacks on the pumping project had rendered all repair attempts futile.

Mohammad Ghamloush, an engineer with the South Lebanon Water Establishment, highlighted the staggering loss inflicted on the project.

"Israeli bulldozers leveled the entire site ... the project has been erased," he said. "To restore the water supply, we need to rebuild the entire facility, replace extensive sections of the pipeline network, and install new equipment."

Mohammad Al-Mustafa, a 50-year-old livestock farmer, confirmed the dire consequences of the destruction, emphasizing that the water crisis has become critical, particularly for the many farms and villages that depend on this essential project.

"We've been forced to rely on agricultural wells powered by diesel pumps, which significantly increases our financial burdens amidst an already dire economic situation. Our homes have been reduced to rubble, our livestock has perished, and our orchards have been razed," he lamented.

Adding to the returnees' distress, Al-Mustafa said security concerns remain as Israeli troops threaten to fire at anyone attempting to approach the Wazzani River, which lies a mere 500 meters from his town.

Launched in 2001, the pumping station is designed to serve 40 towns. "Before its destruction, the facility was providing a minimum of 12,000 cubic meters of water daily, peaking at 45,000 cubic meters," said Hashem Haidar, head of the South Council, responsible for assessing damage from Israeli strikes. Haidar urged a dialogue between Lebanese authorities and international stakeholders to facilitate the facility's reconstruction.

A U.S.- and French-brokered ceasefire agreement has been in effect since Nov. 27, 2024, bringing an end to more than a year of clashes between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon triggered by the Gaza war.

Although the agreement mandates a full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory, Israeli forces remain stationed in five key positions along the Lebanese border well past the February 18 deadline, raising serious concerns about the durability and sustainability of the ceasefire. 
Hontiveros to gov't: Assist Filipinos at risk of deportation from the US

Senator Risa Hontiveros on Friday called on the government to assist Filipinos who may face deportation from the United States of America, following the Trump administration's crackdown on immigrants.

"The Philippine government has an obligation to protect all Filipino nationals, wherever they are in the world. Kung may mga Pilipinong tuluyang ma-deport pabalik ng Pilipinas, dapat handa narin ang gobyerno para tanggapin at suportahan sila," Hontiveros said.

The senator also called on the Philippine Embassy in the US and its consulates to allot the appropriate budget, through the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Migrant Workers, in preparation for the possible repatriation of Filipinos.

This statement comes after Hontiveros met with leaders of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA), who shared the plight of Filipinos at risk of being forcibly removed from the US.

APALA highlighted that Filipinos in the US, particularly those without proper documentation, could still avail remedies under US immigration laws. However, their lack of access to appropriate legal assistance may result to being deported without due process.

"Huwag nating hayaang maabuso ang mga kababayan natin sa Amerika. Their rights under US immigration laws should be made known to them and the PH government should help them exercise those rights," Hontiveros said.

"It is the Constitutional duty of the Philippines to safeguard the welfare and wellbeing of overseas Filipinos. Sa panahong talamak ang mga pagbabanta at pananakot sa mga foreigner sa Amerika, sana huwag talikuran ng ating gobyerno ang ating kapwa Pilipino," Hontiveros concluded.
CAIRO/BAGHDAD, March 8 (Xinhua) -- The Arab League (AL) has been following with great concern the security situation in Syria, the pan-Arab body said in a statement on Saturday.

The AL also condemned violence and uncontrolled killing, as well as any external interventions aimed at fueling the internal situation in Syria.

The ongoing developments in Syria require a focus on policies and measures that enhance stability and civil peace in order to thwart attempts at destabilizing Syria and hindering its recovery, the statement added.

Also on Saturday, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry expressed concern over the ongoing security developments in Syria and called for the protection of civilians and restraint from all parties.

Iraq categorically rejects the targeting of innocent civilians, the ministry said in a statement, warning that continued violence will exacerbate the crisis and deepen instability in the region.

The ministry called on all parties to exercise restraint and pursue dialogue to resolve disputes rather than resorting to military escalation.

Following clashes in Syria's coastal Latakia Governorate, which resulted in severe casualties and injuries, Egypt's Foreign Ministry issued a statement Friday night, reaffirming Egypt's support for the Syrian state, its national institutions, and its stability in the face of security challenges.

The ministry said Egypt rejects any move that would undermine the security, safety, and stability of the Syrian people.

At least 237 people have been killed in Syria's coastal region since the latest military escalation began on Thursday, according to casualty figures released by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on Friday.

The war monitor reported that military personnel, resistance fighters, and civilians were among those killed as government forces continued their crackdown on remnants of the former regime's military factions in the governorates of Latakia, Tartous, and Hama.

It marked the deadliest escalation in the country since the fall of the previous government last December, the observatory said. 
JPMorgan Cazenove downgraded Premier Inn owner Whitbread on Friday to neutral from overweight and slashed the price target to 3,000.0p from 4,400.0p as it took a fresh look at European hotel stocks.

The bank said it was reshuffling its preferences within hotels, downgrading Whitbread "on the back of a fragile UK consumer from lower income demographics".

"We become more selective with regards to our preferences, given sustained discrepancy between segments and geographies, further focusing on equity stories combining a solid RevPAR momentum and near-term positive catalysts," JPM said.

As far as Whitbread is concerned, JPM said that while the shares have been weak for over a year now, down around 20%, the UK consumer seems to have deteriorated lately following the UK budget, with particular weakness in retailers weighted into spending from lower income demographics.

Citi lifted its price target on Dowlais on Friday to 72.0p from 58.0p following the companys full-year results earlier in the week.

It said Dowlais had once again demonstrated a solid execution in a very difficult business.

"DWL is making some slow progress on margin improvement, but this is tough in a falling volume environment, as demonstrated by significant restructuring charges and impairments, also impacting free cash and net debt, which remains high," the bank said. "Post FY24 results, we make low single digit changes to our 2025-26E earnings per share estimates to account for the new guidance but raise our TP to 72p from 58p reflecting a better long-term margin outlook (solid execution) and improved cash flow (after portfolio restructuring)."

Citi noted that Dowlais shares have traded near 70.0p since the acquisition announcement with American Axle, which is well below the initial offer value, as AAM shares have also declined.

"We expect the offer continues to support the shares," said Citi, which maintained its neutral rating on the stock.

Analysts at Berenberg raised their target price on consumer goods giant Reckitt Group from 5,177.0p to 5,920.0p on Friday but warned of "risks on all sides" as 2025 unfolds.

Berenberg noted that Reckitt's recently released FY24 showed Q424 group like-for-like sales growth of 4.6%, below visible alpha consensus expectations of 5.5%, driven by price/mix of 2.8% and volumes of 1.8%.

At the divisional level, Berenberg pointed out that hygiene achieved like-for-like sales growth of 5.5%, health was up 2.4%, and nutrition sales were 8.4% higher. Actual group sales of 3.54bn came in roughly 1% below consensus expectations but FY24 adjusted operating margins of 24.5% at the group level were well ahead of consensus forecasts of 23.3%, driving a 5% beat on adjusted operating profits.

For 2025, Berenberg forecasts like-for-like sales growth of 2.8%, down from 5.0%, an FX impact on sales of -2.1%, an adjusted EBIT margin of 25.0%, and net finance costs of 351.0m.

"Our 2025 EPS estimate is unchanged at GBP3.49. Our 12-month price target rises to 5,920p (previously 5,177p), driven by the roll-forward of our DCF model and reflection of lower bond yields (0.2% lower WACC)," said the German bank, which maintained its 'hold' rating on the stock.
On the eve of International Womens Day, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying organized a virtual program to spread 'Awareness on Zoonotic Diseases' through the Common Service Centres (CSC) network. Around 2050 camps organised by Village level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) across 21 States and UTs, joined virtually.

The session was chaired by Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Smt. Alka Upadhyaya. More than 1 lakh livestock women farmer participants were given information about various zoonotic diseases, clean milk production, and the role of ethnoveterinary medicines in disease prevention by experts and veterinarians during the program.

During the session, Smt. Alka Upadhyaya interacted with women livestock rearing and dairy farmers and enquired about the health, vaccination status of their livestock etc. Secretary, DAHD mentioned the significant role women play in Dairy cooperative societies (DCS) and stated that their collective efforts have ensured greater credit facility and expanded customer base manifold.

women farmers in getting good returns at low cost. Citing example of the covid pandemic, she stated that there is a need to focus on preventing zoonotic dieseases to prevent animal human disease tranmission and loss of productivity. She added that the perseverance of women dairy farmers has been remarkable who have been able to organize themselves via Farmer Producer Organisations(FPOs), Community Linked Farmers (CLFs) and Self Help Groups (SHGs) where Dairy Cooperative Societies (DCS) were not present. Smt. Upadhyaya said that while contribution of women to the dairy sector is enormous, they should also focus on availing benefits of central government schemes in the sector. She highlighted that schemes for goat and sheep rearing can helpat low cost. Citing example of the covid pandemic, she stated that there is a need to focus on preventing zoonotic dieseases to prevent animal human disease tranmission and loss of productivity.

Ms. Varsha Joshi, Additional Secretary, DAHD, in her interaction with women farmers focused on the linkages between animal husbandry practices and public health. She emphasized upon the need for hygienic, sustainable practices in the sector and discussed the significance of clean milk production and taking biosecurity measures to prevent the transmission of diseases from animals to humans.
Google Doodle honored International Women's Day, marking the critical role of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The United Nations first recognized this day in 1975 to focus on the importance of women's achievements globally.

In a blog post, Doodle stated, "With our Doodle, we celebrate pioneering women in STEM. The Doodle artwork highlights pioneering work by women who transformed space exploration, discovered ancient findings, and pioneered laboratory research that revolutionized our understanding of physics, chemistry, and biology".

"And these accomplishments are just a few of the many contributions women have made to science", it added.

Even with their achievements, Doodle noted that "STEM continues to be one of the fields where there are still large gaps".

In addition, "Today, women make up only 29% of the world's STEM workforce. But this figure increase bigger each year", stated Doodle.

International Women's Day is a reminder of the contributions women have made over the centuries. "Their collective efforts have shaped the world in which we live today, enabling us to enjoy the achievements and innovations of the modern age", Doodle said.

Women's Day in India was in 1914 in Pune. The day came into prominence during the struggle for independence, where women were an active part of movements and demonstrations. The first celebration ofwas in 1914 in Pune. The day came into prominence during the struggle for independence, where women were an active part of movements and demonstrations.

This year's theme demands action that can unleash equal rights, power and opportunities for all and a feminist future in which no one is left behind. At the heart of this vision is enabling the next generation youth, and especially young women and adolescent girls as drivers of transformative change", United Nations stated.

This year also sees the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, passed in 1995 by 189 nations to promote women's rights. Though much has been achieved, issues such as gender-based violence, economic inequality, and political disenfranchisement remain, highlighting the need for continued worldwide efforts towards equality.
External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar met with Irish Foreign Minister Simon Harris in Dublin and jointly declared that India and Ireland would create a Joint Economic Commission to expand trade, investment, and technology cooperation between the two countries. The move is an important step towards the enhancement of bilateral ties and deeper economic cooperation.

Jaishankar posted the update on social media site X on Friday, saying, "A warm and open meeting with Tanaiste & FM @SimonHarrisTD of Ireland this morning in Dublin. We discussed our bilateral cooperation, including a new Action Plan to reinvigorate ties. Agreed to set up a Joint Economic Commission to increase our trade, investment and technology linkages". The two leaders also discussed major global issues, such as the Ukraine war, West Asia, Afghanistan, and the Indo-Pacific region. Talks were also extended to India-EU collaboration and the significance of multilateralism for dealing with common global challenges.

On the end of his Ireland visit, Jaishankar paid homage to Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore at St Stephen's Green Park in Dublin. He posted on X, "Paid tributes to Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore at the St Stephen's Green Park in Dublin at the end of my visit to Ireland".

Jaishankar subsequently visited Northern Ireland and met with Junior Minister Aisling Reilly and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly. He thanked them for their assistance in the opening of the Indian Consulate in Belfast and discussed ways of deepening cooperation in different sectors. Jaishankar posted, "Nice to meet Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland @little_pengelly and Junior Minister @aislingreillysf tonight in Belfast. Grateful to them for all the support in establishing our Consulate. Explored opportunities for India's enhanced engagement with Northern Ireland, particularly in skills, Cyber, Tech, creative industries and manufacturing".

Jaishankar visited Queen's University Belfast, which has decided to have a campus at GIFT City in Gujarat on Friday evening. Jaishankar also interacted with Indian students studying at Belfast, who said, "Good to visit Queen's University in Belfast this evening. Their proposed campus at GIFT City, Gujarat is the potential that existing connections hold in education. Appreciated meeting the Indian students enrolled in studies currently at @QUBelfast".
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Surat Food Security Saturation Campaign, reiterating the commitment of the government towards providing total food security for the poor. Under the program, he provided benefits under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) to almost 2 lakh deserving beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY).

After a colorful roadshow in Surat, Modi was honored by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Union Minister CR Patil. The campaign will look to increase NFSA and PMGKAY coverage so that no eligible person remains deprived of access to subsidized food grains.

Instituted in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, PMGKAY supplies free, good-quality food grains to economically weaker households. Gujarat has distributed more than 76 lakh NFSA cards to about 3.72 crore individuals. The state government has gone ahead with categorizing the beneficiaries under social security schemes such as the Ganga Swaroopa Aarthik Sahay Yojana for widows, the Vruddh Pension Sahay Yojana for senior citizens, and the Divyang Sahay Yojana for differently abled individuals as priority households under NFSA irrespective of income.

Under PM Modis scheme saturation approach and CM Bhupendra Patels dedication to Antyodaya Kalyan (upliftment of the underprivileged), the Surat District Food Security Saturation Campaign was launched to bring more eligible beneficiaries under the scheme. Special efforts were made to identify marginalized groups, including widowed women, elderly individuals, persons with disabilities, and daily wage earners who were previously uncovered.

The district administration carried out a meticulous survey to map current beneficiaries and find out those who remained left out. Taluka and zonal-level teams operated in mission mode in the last one year to provide holistic coverage. Due to this, almost 2 lakh more beneficiaries have been added, entitling them to regular food security benefits.

According to NFSA provisions, every cardholder is eligible for 5 kilograms of food grains per person per month, both wheat and rice. Gujarat government also offers additional nutritional assistance in the form of subsidized basic food staples. The beneficiaries are given Toor Dal at a50 per kg, Chana at a30 per kg, and Sugar at a15 per kg for Antyodaya Anna Yojana families, whereas Below Poverty Line have access to sugar at a22 per kg. Double-Fortified Salt is provided at a1 per kg with the aim of improving nutritional security.

Also, for festive times such as Janmashtami and Diwali, the state government gives supplementary rations. NFSA cardholders are given 1 kg of sugar per card and 1 litre of double-filtered groundnut oil at a subsidized rate of a100 per litre, which increases food security during the time of celebrations.
On Thursday, comedy icon Bill Murray brought his classic dry humor to Hot Ones  the YouTube series that poses hot questions for celebrities while they eat progressively hotter chicken wings  where he tackled Wings of Death.

The Groundhog Day stars deadpan sense of humor remained unaffected  even as he powered through super-hot wings on the hit show.

The legendary actor stopped by Sean Evans' YouTube show to chat about his new movie Riff Raff, but it was his calm, cool and collected approach to the spiciest wings that stole the show.

At the start of the episode, Murray revealed that he wasnt intimidated by spicy foods, casually mentioning that hes never had an issue with the heat levels at Chinese or Mexican restaurants, even claiming that sriracha is cheating.

While the Ghostbusters star sailed through the spicy challenge, Staten Islands own Pete Davidson, Murrays co-star from Riff Raff  the movie about a former criminals ordinary life that turns upside down when his old family shows up for a reunion  made a surprise cameo toward the end and quickly began to struggle with the heat.

As The King of Staten Island star worked through the wings, Murray effortlessly answered Evans in-depth questions about his career and even showed off a scar from being bitten by a groundhog during the filming of Groundhog Day.

Bill Murray, left, (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP), and Pete Davidson (Staten Island Advance photo), co-star in "Riff Raff." AP/Advance

When asked about his experience participating in SNL50, Murray said the shows hectic pace was akin to high school, saying, Five years, and youre done.

Back to the wings. As Murray breezed through the hot wings, the Bupkis star didnt have the same luck when he joined toward the end of the interview for the final, spiciest wing, proving he couldnt handle the heat.

When it came time for the final wing, Murray jokingly asked, Is anyone else hungry and wanna come in and eat?

Davidson responded offscreen, Is that my cue?

Davidson quickly joined him at the table and explained that his previous Hot Ones appearance was a disaster.

Last time, I was doing so badly, [Evans] let me skip the last wing, Davidson said.

Murray, clearly surprised, asked, Really? Davidson then bravely took a bite of his final wing, only to start shedding tears and gasping for air.

This time around, Davidson struggled more when he appeared on camera to tackle the final wing  a heat level he didnt even face during his solo Hot Ones episode in 2020.

Despite this, Murray stayed by his side, offering support as Davidson tried to power through.
Female staff attend a special ceremony honoring women's contribution to the aviation industry in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa on March 7, 2025. Africa's leading carrier Ethiopian Airlines said on Saturday in a press release that it has operated all-women functioned flights to six destinations across four continents to mark International Women's Day, which falls on March 8. (Xinhua/Michael Tewelde)

ADDIS ABABA, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Africa's leading carrier Ethiopian Airlines said on Saturday in a press release that it has operated all-women functioned flights to six destinations across four continents to mark International Women's Day, which falls on March 8.

The Ethiopian flag carrier held a special ceremony on Friday honoring women's contribution to the aviation industry. The event, which brought together senior Ethiopian government officials, diplomats based in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, and women staff of Ethiopian Airlines, was marked by six flights entirely managed by women, from catering, maintenance, and check-in to lounge services and flight operations.

The all-women-functioned flights departed from Addis Ababa for Athens in Greece, New Delhi in India, Windhoek in Namibia, Sao Paulo in Brazil, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, and Bahir Dar in northern Ethiopia.

Ethiopian Minister of Women and Social Affairs Ergogie Tesfaye said during the occasion that Ethiopian Airlines has become a major institution where women have proven their mettle. She praised the "dedicated" women professionals working across various aviation fields for their "significant contribution" to the continuous growth of Ethiopia's national carrier, thereby enhancing the East African country's reputation on the international stage.

Tesfaye said International Women's Day serves as a call to action toward preventing and eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls, while also tackling the complex economic, social, and political challenges they face.

She called for a renewed commitment to promoting gender equality and ensuring women's meaningful participation as a critical enabler for achieving inclusive and sustainable national development.

According to the Ethiopian flag carrier, the all-women-functioned flights showcase a significant milestone in the airline's ongoing efforts to elevate the presence and participation of women in the aviation industry. It said the initiative envisages a dual aim of acknowledging women aviation experts and inspiring future generations of women in the aviation sector.

Noting that women currently make up about 40 percent of Ethiopian Airlines' workforce across a range of business divisions, the airline said women aviation professionals are "significantly contributing their share to Ethiopian Airlines' overall achievements and development."

Lemma Yadecha, chief commercial officer of Ethiopian Airlines Group, underscored the vital need to promote women's empowerment in aviation, as he emphasized the airline's strong commitment to breaking barriers and creating opportunities for women in aviation.

"We remain committed to supporting, mentoring, and providing opportunities for women to reach their full potential. Ethiopian Airlines is a place where women thrive, excel, and shape the future of aviation," Yadecha said. 

People cut a cake at a special ceremony honoring women's contribution to the aviation industry in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa on March 7, 2025. Africa's leading carrier Ethiopian Airlines said on Saturday in a press release that it has operated all-women functioned flights to six destinations across four continents to mark International Women's Day, which falls on March 8. (Xinhua/Michael Tewelde)

People attend a special ceremony honoring women's contribution to the aviation industry in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa on March 7, 2025. Africa's leading carrier Ethiopian Airlines said on Saturday in a press release that it has operated all-women functioned flights to six destinations across four continents to mark International Women's Day, which falls on March 8. (Xinhua/Michael Tewelde)

Female staff attend a special ceremony honoring women's contribution to the aviation industry in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa on March 7, 2025. Africa's leading carrier Ethiopian Airlines said on Saturday in a press release that it has operated all-women functioned flights to six destinations across four continents to mark International Women's Day, which falls on March 8. (Xinhua/Michael Tewelde)
On Sunday, March 9, the Joan & Alan Bernikow JCC of Staten Island will host its annual Purim Carnival. (Courtesy JCC) COURTESY JCC

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  On Sunday, March 9, the Joan & Alan Bernikow JCC of Staten Island will host its annual Purim Carnival.

The indoor festival will feature activities for kids of all ages, including a bouncy house and other fun inflatables, carnival games, crafts, hamantaschen baking, balloon art, face painting, and giveaways.

The theme for this years costume carnival is royalty, and families are encouraged to wear their best costumes.

The festival is $5 per child for JCC members, or $10 per child for non-members. Adults can attend for free.

Food will be available for purchase.

The festival of Purim commemorates how Queen Esther saved the Jewish people from death at the hands of the kings minister, Haman.

Today, Jews continue to celebrate the joyous holiday by wearing costumes, making noise with groggers (noisemakers), and eating hamantaschen, tasty three-cornered cookies shaped like Hamans hat.

While Purim is a Jewish holiday, the JCC is excited to welcome the entire Staten Island community to join in on the festivities.

The Purim Carnival is one of our favorite traditions to celebrate with the Staten Island community, Orit Lender, CEO of the JCC, said. Were excited for a fun day that brings joy, or simcha, to children and families.

The Purim Carnival will take place at the Bernikow JCC, located at 1466 Manor Road, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

More information can be found at https://www.sijcc.org/purim .

On Sunday, March 9, the Joan & Alan Bernikow JCC of Staten Island will host its annual Purim Carnival. (Courtesy JCC) COURTESY JCC
Pete Davidson is shown filming The King of Staten Island in St. George in this file photo. (Staten Island Advance/Shane DiMaio) Staff Shot

The 2025 New Jersey festival North To Shore is returning this June and will showcase performances at venues across Atlantic City, Asbury Park, and Newark from June 14 to June 29, promising to be even bigger than before.

The lineup showcases music and comedy.

Saturday Night Live star and Staten Islands own Pete Davidson will be doing a show with John Mulaney and Jon Stewart on June 27 at the Prudential Center in Newark. The three comedic icons have performed together before.

For fans of other SNL alumni, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler will also be playing June 22 at the Prudential Center.

Founded by Gov. Phil Murphy and First Lady Tammy Murphy in 2023, the festival is back this year with an emphasis on comedy and live music, branded as Laughs and Jams.

Now in its third year, the festival brings us together to celebrate the qualities that make New Jersey a hub for diversity, creativity, and innovation, said Gov. Murphy. Prudential North to Shore is not just a festival  its an exhibition of everything that makes our state unique, welcoming, and a prime destination for talent and the arts."

Top comedians and musical artists

For two weeks, Asbury Park and Newark will host a variety of performances by top comedians and musical artists at venues throughout the cities.

The event will also feature groups like Bleachers, George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic, Stone Temple Pilots, and Natalia Lafourcade, among many others.

Returning for another year, LL Cool Js Rock The Bells will offer exclusive live performances, a fan festival, and immersive experiences that honor the legacy and evolution of hip-hop.

The HOT 97 Summer Jam will also return, bringing the biggest names in hip-hop to the stage for an unforgettable music experience.

For more details, including the full schedule and ticket information, visit northtoshore.com.

The 2025 lineup

The lineup includes:
The Seamen's Society for Children and Families held its "Hope Gala" on Oct. 25,2024, at LiGreci's Staaten in West Brighton. (Steve White for the Staten Island Advance) .(Steve White for the Staten Island Advance)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  The Seamens Society for Children and Families has announced the launch of its new counseling initiative, Bright Beginnings, aimed at offering comprehensive support to children and families facing mental health challenges.

Bright Beginnings delivers Child and Family Treatment Support Services through tailored counseling and skill-building sessions.

Licensed therapists provide services in multiple settings, such as telehealth, in-home visits, office appointments, and community locations, ensuring accessibility and convenience for all participants.

Our team is thrilled to expand our counseling services through the Bright Beginnings program, allowing us to reach and support even more children and families across Staten Island, said David Gaskin, president and CEO of Seamens Society for Children and Families. Mental health support is a critical need in our community, and this program ensures that families have access to compassionate, high-quality care in a way that meets them where they are.

The program utilizes a child-centered, trauma-informed, and culturally sensitive evaluation process to determine eligibility.

Bright Beginnings represents our commitment to providing accessible and impactful mental health services for children and families in Staten Island, said Dan Barckhaus, senior vice president of programs at Seamens Society for Children and Families. With flexible counseling options available in homes, community spaces, and through telehealth, we are making mental health support more accessible than ever, ensuring every child receives the care they need to thrive.

More on Bright Beginnings

Once enrolled, families receive guidance on understanding mental health conditions and strategies for managing daily challenges.

Therapists work closely with families to develop goal-oriented treatment plans, using a variety of therapeutic approaches customized to each childs developmental and behavioral needs.

Counseling through Bright Beginnings is available to children and youth under the age of 21 who are enrolled in New York State Medicaid and Medicaid Managed Care.

For more information about the program, individuals are encouraged to contact BB@seamenssociety.org.

About Seamens Society

Founded in 1846, the Seamens Society for Children and Families is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring the safety and well-being of children and families.

Each day, Seamens Society serves over 1,250 children and more than 500 families.

The organizations programs provide protection and support for vulnerable children while strengthening families dealing with mental illness, substance abuse, domestic violence, and other issues that can impact a childs safety and future.

Seamens Society takes a trauma-informed, compassionate approach to meet the needs of the diverse communities it serves.
Frankie the FerryHawk high-fives a little leaguer at the the 2023 Mid-Island Little League Opening Day parade ceremony at the Travis complex on Thursday, April 13, 2023. (Staten Island Advance/Jason Paderon) Staten Island Advance/Jason Paderon

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  To honor the memory of a beloved Staten Island artist and community leader, the Staten Island FerryHawks are hosting a blood drive this month, in partnership with the New York Blood Center at SIUH Community Park.

Dedicated to Gail Middleton, who passed away in 2024, the blood drive will take place on Saturday, March 22, from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at SIUH Community Park, located at 75 Richmond Terrace, St. George.

As New York City faces a critical shortage of blood donations, the FerryHawks are calling on the community to come together and help replenish the citys blood supply.

Blood donations are essential to saving lives, and this drive provides an opportunity for Staten Islanders to make a tangible difference.

Pre-registration is encouraged to help ensure a smooth and efficient process. Please visit nybc.org/sponsor and enter the code 72775 to sign up.

Donors are asked to bring a photo ID and to wear a mask, as required by current health guidelines.

The FerryHawks, in partnership with the New York Blood Center, are committed to making this blood drive a success and helping to save lives in memory of Middleton, whose selflessness and community spirit continue to inspire.

View of SIUH Community Park. (Staten Island Advance) SIA

About Gail Middleton

Middleton, a cherished Staten Island resident, artist, and community leader, passed away on July 6, 2024, at the age of 74.

Middleton was known for her devotion to the North Shore community and her passion for environmental conservation.

In April 2024, she was named New Yorks New Yorker of the Week for her dedication to cleaning Fort Wadsworth Beach, where she spent each morning collecting trash and using the finds as inspiration for her art.

Her efforts not only helped protect the local environment but also fostered a sense of connection within the Staten Island community.

Middleton had a unique ability to see beauty in unexpected places, which allowed her to touch the lives of many through her art exhibitions across Staten Island.

Gail Middleton is shown in this 2017 file photo. (Staten Island Advance/Jan Somma-Hammel) Staff-Shot

Unique works of art

One of Middletons most notable projects involved the cleanup of the Islands beaches. Each morning, Middleton would head to the shore to collect discarded debris, which she would then transform into striking collages.

She just decided one day to start cleaning it up because she was tired of seeing all the trash, her son recalled. That was typical of her  when she had an idea, she simply went for it.

This project, titled Flotsam/Jetsam: Ocean Oddities Harvested from Staten Island Shores, was eventually showcased at the Conference House in Tottenville.

As part of her mission to raise awareness about environmental conservation, Middleton also spoke to a local kindergarten class, educating the students about the importance of keeping beaches clean and sharing her creative process.
Medicare began covering telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it is coming to an end on March 31 unless Congress acts. (SDI Productions/Getty Images) Getty Images

Time is ticking as the window for Medicare recipients to access telehealth services comes to close.

Telehealth is the reason why patients covered by Medicare can see their health care provider without going into a doctors office. But after March 31, this will no longer be an option for many, unless Congress acts.

When the COVID-19 pandemic was declared a public health emergency in 2020, the federal government acted swiftly to allow hospitals and health systems to utilize telehealth services, ensuring a fast and effective response to the crisis.

But prior to that, patients had to be in a rural or provider-shortage area and a designated setting, like a physicians office, for telemedicine visits, according to the American Hospital Association. There were also limitations on which providers could offer telehealth services and it required patients to have an in-person visit six months before starting tele-behavioral health treatment and annually after.

The Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) waived these restrictions in March 2020. The Medicare telehealth waivers were later extended through legislation, and was set to end on Dec. 31, 2024.

At the end of 2024, former president Joe Biden signed the American Relief Act, 2025 into law, which included provisions to extend temporary Medicare telehealth coverage waivers for an additional three months.

According to Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island), there is significant lawmaker support for legislation that would extend telehealth for seniors on Medicare.

Telehealth has become a convenient way for senior citizens with transportation and mobility issues to be seen more regularly by doctors to maintain their health and wellness to the best of their ability, Malliotakis said. Our Ways and Means Committee unanimously passed the extension last year and we are hopeful it will be approved by the full Congress before the deadline.

According to the AARP, a poll executed by the organization in January 2024 showed nearly three-quarters of adults 50 and older used telehealth services at least once in the past 12 months.

Patients can receive telehealth services anywhere in the U.S., including at home, through March 31, 2025. Starting April 1, 2025, most telehealth services will only be available to patients in an office or medical facility located in a rural area.

However, some Medicare telehealth services will still be available, even if not in a rural setting, including:
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  The last four months have been some of the deadliest for pedestrians on Staten Island.

In that time, the borough has experienced an alarming number of crashes involving residents being struck by cars while crossing streets or navigating parking lots.

There have been seven pedestrian fatalities on Staten Island since Oct. 31, several of which have occurred on the notoriously treacherous Hylan Boulevard.

For context, four pedestrians were killed on Staten Island in all of 2023, according to Department of Transportation statistics.

The only other year comparable to the last six months is 2015. That year, six pedestrians were killed in a three-month span, representing 54% of the 11 total fatalities that year, during the early stages of the Vision Zero program.

And while notoriously perilous Hylan Boulevard has been the site of several of these fatal crashes, it appears that few, if any, Island neighborhoods can be considered safe for pedestrians.

Man, 80, struck on Hylan in Dongan Hills

Police investigate on Hylan Boulevard at Benton Avenue in Dongan Hills after a pedestrian died on Friday, March 7, 2025. Jan Somma-Hammel

Police identified the pedestrian who was killed Friday morning in a crash along Hylan Boulevard in Dongan Hills as 80-year-old Chaosheng Wu.

Emergency crews responded around 9:30 a.m. along a stretch of the commercial corridor, near Benton Avenue.

Wu, who lived around the corner, was found lying unconscious and unresponsive. He was transported by EMS to nearby Staten Island University Hospital, Ocean Breeze, where he was pronounced dead.

The motorist was traveling northbound on Hylan Boulevard toward Rosebank at the time of impact, police said. The pedestrian was attempting to cross the street when he was struck. The NYPD did not provide further details about the crash.

No charges have been filed, the NYPD said.

Meiers Corners man, 68, killed near Forest Avenue

A pedestrian was killed in a crash in the vicinity of Forest Avenue and Raymond Place on the morning of Monday, Jan. 6, 2025. (Staten Island Advance/Jan Somma-Hammel) Staten Island Advance/Jan Somma-Hammel

Felipe Calyeca Moranchel, 68, of Meiers Corners, died of his injuries after being struck by a vehicle while crossing a West Brighton street the first week of the year.

The pedestrian strike occurred on Monday, Jan. 6, just after 6:30 a.m. in the vicinity of Forest Avenue and Raymond Place, police said.

An investigation by the NYPD Highway Districts Collision Investigation Squad determined that Moranchel was walking on Forest Avenue, crossing Raymond Place in a crosswalk, when he was struck by a car that was attempting a left turn from Forest onto Raymond.

The driver was charged with failure to yield and failure to exercise due care, according to police.

Woman, 37, hit on Hylan in New Dorp

Police rope off Hylan Boulevard near New Dorp Lane after a woman was fatally struck by a car on Oct. 31, 2024. (Photo/LLN NYC) Submitted

On Halloween night at around 10:30 p.m., police responded to a report of a pedestrian struck in the vicinity of Hylan Boulevard and New Dorp Lane in New Dorp.

An investigation by the NYPD Highway District Collision Investigation Squad determined that the victim, Justine Lauren Perez, 37, of New Springville, was walking against traffic while in the left lane of Tottenville-bound Hylan Boulevard when she was hit by a 2012 Nissan Maxima operated by an 18-year-old man.

The Nissan had the green light when it traveled through the intersection of New Dorp Lane and struck Perez, who was allegedly a few feet outside of the crosswalk, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation.

EMS transported Perez to Staten Island University Hospital in Ocean Breeze where she was pronounced deceased.

Annadale mom, 57, struck on Hylan in Dongan Hills

Fifty-seven-year-old Christine Wasnieski of Annadale and her 80-year-old mother were critically injured while crossing the street at Jefferson Avenue and Hylan Boulevard in Dongan Hills on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Paul Liotta) Staten Island Advance/Paul Liotta

On Wednesday, Nov. 13, at approximately 11:45 a.m., 57-year-old Christine Wasnieski of Annadale was taking her 80-year-old mother to a doctors appointment in Dongan Hills when both were struck by a Dodge Ram pickup truck in the intersection of Jefferson Avenue and Hylan Boulevard, according to police.

While her mother survived the ordeal, Wasnieski was critically injured and later succumbed to her injuries after being rushed to Staten Island University Hospital in Ocean Breeze.

A Brooklyn native, Wasnieski had attended several educational institutions, including Mark Twain Intermediate School for the Gifted and Talented and John Dewey High School. She earned her associates degree from Kingsborough Community College and graduated with her bachelors degree from the College of Staten Island.

Sharing two children with her husband Kyle, the family moved to Staten Island 14 years ago. Wasnieski worked as a social worker at United Cerebral Palsy, where her husband said she was an advocate for individuals and made sure they could get the services they were entitled to receive. She just did it out of the goodness of her heart for most people, he said.

Employee, 64, killed on hospital grounds

64-year-old Kathleen Murphy of Willowbrook was fatally struck by a vehicle on the 200 block of Mason Avenue in the vicinity of Staten Island University Hospital on the morning of Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024. (Staten Island Advance) Staten Island Advance

On Wednesday, Dec. 11, at approximately 6:45 a.m., Kathleen Murphy, 64, of Willowbrook, an environmental service worker at Staten Island University Hospital in Ocean Breeze, was heading into work when she was hit by a Volkswagen SUV driven by a 67-year-old man while walking toward the building at 242 Mason Ave. from the parking lot, the NYPD said.

Murphy was just two weeks away from retiring from her job of 25 years and her 65th birthday, sources said, when the crash occurred.

A hand-written letter included in a tribute at the hospitals Ocean Breeze campus remembered her for her infectious kindness and caring nature.

There are many of us that did not know your name but knew who you are because of your kindness and how you would say hello and care about how others are feeling, the letter read.

The driver was charged with failure to yield and failure to exercise due care, police said.

Man, 60, fatally struck by school bus in St. George

A 60-year-old male pedestrian died after being struck by a school bus in the vicinity of Bay Street and Slosson Terrace on Wednesday, Dec.11, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Scott R. Axelrod) Scott R. Axelrod

On Dec. 11 at approximately 4:35 p.m., 60-year-old Carl Calabro of Tompkinsville died after he was struck by a school bus while he was crossing the street during the Wednesday evening rush hour in St. George.

The crash occurred when the 55-year-old driver of the bus turned left onto Slosson Terrace from Bay Street toward the St. George Ferry Terminal, the NYPD said at the time.

Calabro was rushed to Richmond University Medical Center in West Brighton where he later died, according to a police spokesman.

Law enforcement sources said he was crossing in the middle of the street, although his family disputed the account that the victim entered from outside the crosswalk.

Man, 84, dies after Tottenville crash

An 84-year-old man died after being struck by a vehicle while crossing Amboy Road in Tottenville on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Luke Peteley) (Staten Island Advance/Luke Pete

Louis Casale, 84, a grandfather who was fatally struck in his Tottenville neighborhood, loved Staten Island and the friends he made here so much he never wanted to leave.

The crash, which the FDNY said took place on Friday, Dec. 13, just before 7 p.m., unfolded in the vicinity of Amboy Road and Fisher Avenue.

The 84-year-old pedestrian was crossing Amboy Road mid-block between Fisher Avenue and Wood Avenue when he stopped in the southbound travel lane, police said.

It was at that moment he was struck by a 2017 Buick Regal operated by an 80-year-old female and traveling southbound on Amboy Road, police said.

EMS responded to the scene and transported the man to Staten Island University Hospital in Princes Bay.
I consider myself an honorary lesbian, and heres why.

In the years that I have met and become friends with many lesbians, we have NEVER had a disagreement about anything. Not politics, not food, nor economics. We are on the same page with just about everything.

I am also reminded of a supposed conversation between F. Scott Fitzgerald and the love of his life, Zelda, where she informed him that she had sapphic appetites. Supposedly he replied You mean, you like women? So do I!

But other than our admiration and love for women, I share a lot of the same values and goals as my LGBTQ+/Two Spirits sisters. We seem to view the world differently than other people.

A good friend recently remarked that I am not a typical guy. By that, I suppose, she meant that I am not a macho, truck driving, horn blaring, tobacco chewing, red hat wearing, misogynistic dolt.

And, I am not. What I am iscomplicated.

I think it was the influence of all the wonderful women in my life that made me more sensitive to things. Starting with my mother, my aunts, my cousins, and continuing on with my teachers, my girlfriends, my co-workers and friends, each has played a part in constructing the tapestry of my soul and I am forever grateful to all of them. They made me see beyond my own selfish wants and needs and into the broader picture of how what we say, do and think affects not only ourselves but all those around us.

Other cultures recognize that we are both equally parts male and female, but America seems to have a large disdain for those who straddle the fence of sexual identity.

I mentioned Two Spirits, which is a Native American concept that a person can embody the qualities of both genders. Chinese culture gives us the concept of yin and yang, both required to complete a persons interior life. Several artistic professions require an ability to access both your sensitive and your practical selves.

But here in America, we dont see it that way. Noyou have to pick a side. Male or female. Eagles or Patriots. North or South. Gulf Of Mexico or Gulf Of Whatever. No shilly-shallying. No indecision. No questioning. Extremely rigid and inflexible.

I often wonder if this resistance to fluidity speaks more about the people who are against it than the people who support it.

Does it really matter what your neighbor does in the privacy of their own homes? Does it have a direct effect upon your life if your neighbor dates men or women or men and women? Or is the problem that it makes you question your own life choices?

In response to recent actions taken by the government to suppress acknowledgements of LGBTQ+ people, a former Republican operative named Stuart Stevens replied:

When I see the sexual orientation hate come out of the Republican party under the pretext of just being anti-Trans, I am very tempted to name the Republican operatives and elected officials who are closeted gays. Its not a short list.

My problem with this statement is that is infers that being gay is something to be ashamed of. Then I realize that, to some people, it is. Some people are still hanging on to the idea that you must be one or the other, an idea further endorsed by the governments recent proclamation that there are only two genders, one of the most near-sighted and restrictive statements to come out of the White House in many decades.

Of course, Project 2025 also stated that gender is determined at conception, which, scientists tell us, would mean that everybody is female. The government does not seem to have a grasp on this issue. Which isnt surprising. A government that insists that only two genders exist when its blatantly obvious that most of America disagrees with this statement and that science does not uphold it is a government that is so far removed from society that its perpetual gazing into the mirror has only produced the effects that it desires, not the whole and entire truth.

So that may be why I identify so strongly with my LGBTQ+/Two Spirits friends. I see their plight. I see how they are marginalized and dismissed, thought of as expendable and a drain on society. The same was often said about the students that I taught. As a matter of fact, large chunks of money allocated to special education services were cut because the literature referred to older special needs children and their transition to the working world and, somehow, the word transition was thought to refer to transgender people, and so funding was removed becausewellyou know.

Do we really want people who think this way running our government? Or should saner, more sensitive souls prevail? Unfortunately, were going to have to wait at least two more years to find out.

Hold those magnificent grey heads high! Stay Proud!

Comments may be submitted to Talk To The Old Guy on Facebook.
NAIROBI, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Kenya on Saturday called for accelerated action to support women's empowerment and a renewed desire to help women and girls overcome the challenges ahead.

Kenyan Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said it is crucial to support women's leadership in peace and security processes by ensuring that their voices are central to conflict resolution and peace-building.

"Women continue to bear the brunt of internal and external conflicts, with violence and marginalization often targeted against them. As the world faces the challenges of conflict, climate change, and social inequality, amplifying women's voices at the grassroots levels becomes critical," Mudavadi said in a statement issued in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi to mark International Women's Day.

Mudavadi said it is high time that society underscored the growing recognition of the critical role of women in advancing progress in various sectors of socio-economic development.

He said International Women's Day presents an opportunity to collectively strengthen and actualize commitments that have realistic and impactful results that strengthen the growing women's agenda globally.

The Kenyan official called on the private sector, civil society organizations, and development partners to leverage and build on the existing policy and legislative framework in the country to achieve gender equality.

He noted that the government is also using the day to sensitize citizens on the issues related to gender-based violence, noting that the solution lies in robust responses, holding perpetrators accountable, and accelerating action through well-resourced national strategies and increased funding for women's rights movements.

Mudavadi said the alarming escalation of violence against women needs revitalization of commitments, accountability, and action from decision-makers as quickly as possible.

Marked annually on March 8, International Women's Day honors the socio-economic, cultural, and political achievements of women following centuries of systemic marginalization. The 2025 edition was celebrated under the theme "Accelerate Action," highlighting the urgency for swift and decisive efforts to achieve gender parity across all sectors. 
Support the Peninsulas only locally-owned newspaper. Subscribe!

Subscribing annually brings you big savings. We also offer monthly and weekly subscriptions.

Premium Subscription

As low as $8.25 per week

Premium Includes:

-- Access to the Daily Journals e-Edition: a digital replica of our daily newspaper including crossword puzzles, games, comics, classifieds and ads. You can download a digital replica of the Daily Journal for offline reading. You can also clip & download articles or images from the e-edition to share with others The most recent 90 issues are available at any given time.

-- Unlimited access to our award-winning online content

-- Commenting access on all stories as a valued member of the DJ community

-- NEW! Access to our online-only digital crossword puzzle. A new puzzle every day, seven days a week!
Most Academy Award acceptance speeches are filled with thanks to the winners family, agent, colleagues or God  but this week the Oscar-winning director of Anora, Sean Baker, used his to deliver a call to cinematic arms.

Watching a film in the theatre with an audience is an experience; we can laugh together, cry together, scream and fright together, perhaps sit in devastated silence together, and in a time in which the world can feel very divided, this is more important than ever, Baker said.

Please watch movies in the theatre, and lets keep the great tradition of the movie-going experience alive and well.

Aksharaa Agarwal at a drinks function before a Sydney University Film Society screening. Credit: Rhett Wyman

But despite the lingering effects of COVID lockdowns, the proliferation of streamers and the cost-of-living crisis, its an experience Australians are already returning to in droves, with admissions increasing 13 per cent year-on-year in the final quarter of 2024.
A few years ago, my husband and I went on a walking tour in Berlin. It was January, the snow was falling, and we were the only people who turned up for a tour exploring the citys Jewish history. But it proved to be an advantage. Berlin in winter is full of atmosphere and empty of tourists.

My advice? Remember the Rosenstrasse women and take to the streets. Credit: iStock

Towards the end of the tour, our guide took us to Rosenstrasse, a very ordinary street in what used to be East Berlin. He told us we were standing on the site of the old Jewish community centre, which, in a cruel twist, was where people who had been rounded up for transportation to death camps, including Auschwitz, under the Nazis were processed before being deported. Needless to say, most of those people were Jewish. (Rosenstrasses original buildings had been destroyed by Allied bombers towards the wars end.)

Our guide told us that Berlin was never a Nazi town. The Nazi stronghold, he said, was Munich. Cosmopolitan, progressive Berliners regarded the Nazis as vulgar, he said, and as a result they tended to tread more carefully. Nonetheless, by 1943, most of the Jews in Berlin had been rounded up and deported.

Apart from those in hiding, one group remained: the approximately 2000 Jewish men who were married to non-Jewish German women. According to our guide, the Nazis were nervous about arresting these men because of the respectable German hausfraus they had married. Nevertheless, on February 27, 1943, the Gestapo rounded up the men and took them to the notorious Rosenstrasse address.
Ryan and his father, Peter, told The Age the arrangement was still to be worked out and expressed confusion that no member of the Meuleman family was a director of the company controlling the trust, but said that they trusted those in charge. Loading All involved told The Age that two key organisers are running the show  initiating lawsuits, holding the fundraising money, and making decisions about lawyers. They are PR veteran Rohan Wenn, who works by day for independent MPs, and design engineer-turned-amateur-detective Colin Robertson. Wenn and Robertson stress the campaign is about justice for Ryan, not politics, and they will not profit from it in any way, with the Meuleman family the beneficiaries of the trust. Ryan and Peter Meuleman also say the pair have their best interests at heart, and they are regularly in touch on strategy.

More than $235,000 has already been raised through a public GoFundMe, which Robertson said went into a trust to pay for legal action. Anything left over  or crucially, any court payouts won  is intended to go into that trust, which publicly bears Ryans name as the Ryan Meuleman Justice Fund. But the family dont have access to it. Instead, Robertson and Wenn control it through a company they created to act as its trustee: first Bike Boy Scandal Pty Ltd, and now the more discreetly named SRT Lighting. Only Wenn and Robertsons names are on the paperwork. SRT Lighting stands for Strength, Resilience, Truth and Lighting, you know, like shining a light. Its cute, isnt it? Robertson said. He and Wenn told The Age that the idea was for the pair to manage the fund on behalf of Ryans father Peter, who would ensure the money was spent on his sons welfare and the rest of the family. If Ryans successful [in the lawsuits], there may well be substantial sums of money coming to him, said Robertson. Ryan is a very vulnerable young man still. Of course, if he really wanted to say, Stuff that, Im gonna take the cash and buy a high-speed motorcycle, theres really nothing we can do about it.

Peter Meuleman, Ryans father, speaking to the media in 2024. Credit: AAP Asked why a member of the Meuleman family wasnt trustee instead, Robertson said: You can have a person or a company as trustee. Were directors now, but eventually probably Peter will come on. The money still has to go to [the Meuleman family] as the beneficiaries of the trust. Theres nothing murky! Ryan, now 27, told The Age he would like access to any potential money won in court on his behalf, but added: Theyve spoken to me about [the trust], but I dont think thats settled yet. Peter said Ryan was still traumatised from the crash and he trusted Wenn and Robertson, who were across the details. It was hoped that keeping Ryans name off the trust would protect him from huge court costs if he lost his legal fight, Peter said. But he added: My name should be on there at least as a safety net. After The Age spoke with Peter, Wenn told this masthead: Its a non-issue but to make that clear, were happy to put Peter and Ryan or anyone else in the family on the trust. And Peters now agreed to go on the trust to help with the optics.

Loading Earlier Wenn stressed that the money would only flow to the Meulemans and not to any future campaigns run by the Bike Boy crew, many of whom have been involved in other online groups railing against the Andrews government. We gave that family a strategy they didnt know they had, said Wenn. But all this, and [any potential] money, is for Ryans welfare and the family. Battin, who was in late December elected the states Liberal leader, has previously held press conferences alongside the Bike Boy campaign organisers but not worked with the family directly. He broke his recent silence on the case Sunday, after The Age revealed former Liberal treasurer and cash-raising king Andrew Abercrombie, as well as MP Moira Deeming, were lending their help to the campaign.

There are still questions to be answered, said Battin, who is not currently involved. In 2023, he called on the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission to reopen the case, but the watchdog said it had already investigated. Everything that should be reviewed, or could be reviewed, should be reviewed in the future, he said on Sunday. On Saturday, Labor minister Natalie Hutchins said she was astounded by what the Victorian Liberals will raise funds for and expressed concern for the Meuleman family over the fundraising arrangement. I am concerned because victims deserve justice, they deserve to be respected and not manipulated, she told reporters. And unfortunately, weve seen this happen in other cases. Peter said Abercrombie had been helping the campaign since its early days around 2020. I blew him off at first, I didnt want to drag all it up again, said Peter. But [he and] especially Rohan chipped away and won my trust. My main focus is looking after my son.
Thirteen people have been injured, some of them seriously, after two Australian Defence Force (ADF) vehicles crashed near the flood-hit town of Lismore in northern NSW.

Initial reports said 36 personnel were injured, but the ADF later clarified that 13 were injured in the crash at Tregeagle, the ABC reported.

A rescue operation got under way after an army tanker rolled south of Lismore. Credit: Nick Moir

A Defence spokesperson said it was 13 injured, although there were 36 personnel in total on board the two vehicles.

Emergency services were called to Tregeagle, nine kilometres south of Lismore, just after 5pm on Saturday after receiving reports two ADF trucks had collided, police said.
Well give them the tools and the information and theyll make the right decision. Advice about what schools could reopen Monday would be issued on Sunday as, depending on the mode, public transport would begin to come back online. Brisbane City Council buses will be back on the road on Sunday, on a normal weekend timetable, with CityCat and KittyCat services resuming from Monday. Crisafulli said Queensland Rail was a more complicated matter. Theres a lot of assessment work to be done, he said.

Theres debris that needs to be cleared from the track. So thats a number of things. The Gold Coast line, Cleveland line, Sunny Coast line  those assessments will continue and well update Queenslanders tomorrow. Loading Alfred was downgraded from a category 1 cyclone on Saturday morning after it crossed over Moreton Island. By Saturday afternoon, the ex-tropical cyclone was north-east of Brisbane, near Bribie Island, and authorities said millions of people were still at significant risk of flash flooding as the system moved west over land. Power was restored to Gold Coast University Hospital shortly before 4.30pm, Crisafulli said. Emergency generators were also able to restart water treatment centres minutes before they ran out of water.

Crisafulli said the challenge remained flash flooding. Russell Willis and wife Kaye have sandbagged her Graceville home after experiencing floods before. Credit: Dan Peled In an update about noon Queensland time, Seqwater said an earlier notice to conserve water in the Redlands area had now been lifted. The pumping station was returned to service this morning with a large generator operating to help refill the reservoir again ... Seqwater would like to thank the Redlands community for their support while we returned the asset to service.

In recent days, there had been concern about dam releases, but Seqwater said no gated dam releases were occurring, with minimal rainfall in the Wivenhoe, Somerset and North Pine catchments overnight. While there are no gated releases currently occurring, this may change in the coming days, pending rainfall, Seqwater said. Seqwater said as of noon, eight of the 23 ungated dams were spilling excess water. These included Cedar Pocket Dam, Enoggera Dam, Gold Creek Dam, Wappa Dam, Hinze Dam, Leslie Harrison Dam, Little Nerang Dam and Maroon Dam. Energex said the majority of the power outages were on the Gold Coast, with 130,000 properties out, followed by 48,000 in Brisbane, and 48,000 in the Redland Bay area. Wild seas and beach erosion at Miami Beach on the Gold Coast. Credit: Dan Peled

Dozens of people needed help on the Gold Coast overnight, including residents of a Labrador apartment block whose roof was blown off. About 15 people from the unit block had to be evacuated after the Frank Street buildings roof was damaged about 10.30pm. Police said one woman was taken to hospital with minor injuries, with the others taken to the Burleigh Heads Evacuation Centre. Four patients were taken to that hospital about 2.30am after breathing in fumes from a generator inside their Mudgeeraba home. At the Gold Coast Seaway, 107km/h winds had been reported, and significant coastal erosion. Bureau of Meteorology Brisbane manager Matthew Collopy said as the system moved inland, tropical moisture would stream across south-east Queensland.

We are expecting widespread totals of 300 to 500 millimetres, with localised amounts of 800 millimetres-plus possible in some areas of south-east Queensland, particularly again around the southern part of where ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred tracks, he said. Rosalie shopkeepers have prepared for the 250 millimetres of rain predicted to hit Brisbane on Saturday, and up to 150 millimetres forecast for Sunday. Credit: Dan Peled Meteorologist Miriam Bradbury said there was already a lot of flash flooding across parts of the Gold Coast overnight, which was likely to continue through to Sunday. She said there had already been significant river rises in parts of the region. Weve got a number of major flood warnings current through south-east Queensland and much of north-east NSW as those rivers are pushing up in their levels, she said.

Loading Our flood watches are even more extensive and cover much broader parts of south-east Queensland, starting to push inland through northern inland NSW as well. Thats really flagging the risk that as this system moves westwards and inland, taking that rainfall with it, were going to see those totals pushing west as well, filling out those catchments away from the coast. Loading When asked whether the bureau would still categorise the system that crossed into south-east Queensland as a cyclone, given that it had been downgraded, Collopy said it was better to focus on the effects of the weather system.
Sarah Gulyamov was lying on her couch, 37 weeks pregnant with an induction booked for the following day, when her mother mentioned her daughters feet looked bigger than usual.

I looked over my belly and said, Yeah, youre not wrong, Gulyamov, then 35, said.

Sarah Gulyamov with her daughter Mahler, 5, and son Ivar, 3. Credit: Wolter Peeters

Her hands were also swollen, her fingers like sausages.

I thought I could leave this for 12 hours, but my doctor friend said to trust my gut, and Im glad I did, she said.
JOHANNESBURG, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Severe weather events in the second half of February claimed 22 lives and caused widespread damage across various parts of KwaZulu-Natal Province in eastern South Africa, a provincial government official said on Saturday.

In a statement, Thulasizwe Buthelezi, a member of the executive council for cooperative governance and traditional affairs in KwaZulu-Natal, welcomed the National Disaster Management Center's (NDMC) declaration of a National State of Disaster for the province following the "inclement weather events" that afflicted the province from Feb. 16 to 28.

These devastating events caused an estimated 3.1 billion rand (about 170 million U.S. dollars) in damages and resulted in the tragic loss of 22 lives across KwaZulu-Natal, according to the statement.

"Furthermore, the incidents precipitated extensive damage to public infrastructure and private property, and severely disrupted essential services, including water and electricity supply," said Buthelezi.

"We wish to reassure the people of KwaZulu-Natal that the department will work diligently with the NDMC, municipalities, and all pertinent stakeholders to ensure the efficient coordination of response and recovery efforts," he said. "Our unwavering commitment lies in providing support and assistance to all affected communities, and in rebuilding robust and resilient infrastructure."

Buthelezi explained that the declaration of a National State of Disaster for the province would facilitate the mobilization of all organs of the country to enhance support measures, implement contingency protocols, and roll out a multi-sectoral relief and rehabilitation plan to mitigate the disaster's impact.

With further rainfall expected in the coming week, he also urged residents across the province to remain vigilant and adhere to warnings issued by the South African Weather Service. 
NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey says international students are economic assets to be treasured and should not be subjected to visa caps, warning unscrupulous operators in the vocational sector risked damaging the reputation of higher education in Australia.

Mookhey praised the federal governments efforts to crack down on shonky education providers but said international students should not be viewed as a problem to be capped.

NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey says international students will always remain key to the states economy. Credit: Oscar Colman

The federal government last year announced plans to limit international student numbers after it faced acute political pressure to reduce overall migration amid a cost-of-living crunch.

While the NSW treasurer stopped short of criticising his federal counterparts, Mookhey stressed that overseas students remain crucial to the states economy, with international education NSWs second-biggest export after coal.
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

Jacqueline Maley nails it (Conga line of Trump sycophants shows us what weakness looks like, March 2). Trump and his acolytes desperate attempts to project themselves as macho and manly are becoming more laughable by the day. To suggest to a man who is trying to protect his people from an aggressor (which is trying to destroy his country) that he is playing with a below-par deck of cards, and then to take childish offence at his riposte and label him ungrateful is the ultimate insult. Zelensky wins hands-down in the macho stakes and hes not even trying. I bet he doesnt care about the macho image nonsense. He is a man with values. Hes trying to save his country with dignity and bravery. Thats admirable. Kim Williams, Sunrise Beach

President Donald Trump, Elon Musk of the Department of Government Efficiency, and Vice President JD Vance. Credit: AP

Jacqueline Maley bemoans the macho men who grovel to Trump. Billionaire Jeff Bezos, for example, has directed his Washington Post to reject viewpoints that oppose personal liberties and free markets. Integrity and freedom are fast going out of fashion, Maley concludes. So, well done to The Sun-Herald for publishing the opinions of Parnell Palme McGuinness (I misjudged PMs all-too-human vibe, February 23) despite the predictable disdain of many letter writers. Is it not more important than ever to venture outside ones bubble to consider contrary views? Martin OHare, Farrer (ACT)

By surrounding himself with these men, just as the school bully surrounds himself/herself with sycophants, Trump has shown himself to be a weak man with no leadership or statesman-like qualities  qualities sorely needed in the fractured USA of 2025. Lets hope Australias leadership does not become one of the bootlickers. Jennifer Gilder, Bligh Park

Thats freedom

How apposite was the lovely front-page Mardi Gras caption of free to be (Proudly pink for the rainbow parade March 2), with Jacqueline Maleys column quoting Yale historian Tim Snyder. His idea that true freedom refers to freedom to rather than freedom from seems only a utopian ideal in so many parts of a world dominated by ugly authoritarians exercising their lust for power. So, give us freedom from in the first instance and freedom to will surely follow. Helen Lewin, Tumbi Umbi
Former AMP director Trevor Matthews and his wife Michele have sold their prized trophy home in Mosman for almost $30 million.

Matthews, who recently stepped down as chair of the State Insurance Regulatory Authority, and his wife commissioned a complete redesign of the house by Robert Grubb and MacCormick & Associates, with Volker Klemm-designed gardens, some years after they purchased it from the Morgan family for $5.8 million in 2004.

The Mosman home of Michele and Trevor Matthews won the 2015 Master Builders Association award for excellence in housing and pools. Credit:

Yoorana was built by master builder F.S. Hough, and the home won the 2015 Master Builders Association award for excellence in housing and pools.

The five-bedroom, six-bathroom house is located in the prestigious dress circle of the blue-chip suburb, overlooking Balmoral Beach and a mere stroll away from it. It was last guided at $27.5 million-$29.5 million and was marked as sold online this week.
The leader of the free world doesnt believe in the free world and doesnt want to lead it. Such is clear from US President Donald Trumps ugly Oval Office exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his withholding of US military aid, security guarantees and vital intelligence from a democracy fighting for its survival, even as he eases pressure on its authoritarian invader.

This is not the savvy use of leverage to end a forever war. Rather, it is the capitulation of a president determined to do a deal with a dictator, regardless of the cost.

Under the gaze of presidents past, Donald Trump defies the wisdom of those who understood the value of Americas global leadership. Credit: Bloomberg

Franklin D. Roosevelt took the United States into World War II  and into the world  by persuading Americans they had a stake in preventing aggression in Europe and Asia. Every US president since FDR has defined the US national interest broadly. They understood that global leadership enables Washington to embed its own values and interests in the international system.

Donald Trump disagrees with them all.
PHILIPSBURG:--- On Saturday morning, Prisoners at Pointe Blanche Prison were locked in their cells until after midday because no prison guard showed up to work at the facility.

SMN News has been reliably informed that the prisoners at Pointe Blanche Prison were not fed or let out.

The source said even the prison management did not show up on Saturday, leaving the prisoners without basic necessities since they were all locked in their cells on Friday afternoon.

According to information provided to SMN News, the Prisons have been short-staffed for years. Even though several Ministers of Justice have been sworn into office since 2010, not one of them made any effort to recruit more prison guards or to find a solution to the problems facing prison guards who were forced to go on sick leave.

In an invited comment, Minister of Justice Nathalie Tackling said, What transpired at Pointe Blanche Prison this morning is deeply concerning and completely unacceptable. Regardless of their circumstances, every individual is entitled to humane treatment, and I fully understand the frustration and concerns this situation has caused.

The facility has been severely understaffed for years, and while this issue is complex and not easily resolved overnight, it has my full attention. Since taking office, I have been actively working on long-term solutions to improve staffing levels and overall conditions at the prison.

To clarify, I was available and accessible for comment and remain open to discussing these pressing concerns. My focus is on meaningful action, and I will continue working toward the reforms necessary to improve the functioning of our prison system and the entire Justice chain.
Palestinian officials accuse Israeli forces of damaging historic West Bank mosque



Nablus, Palestinian Territories, March 7 (AFP) Mar 07, 2025



Palestinian officials denounced the partial burning of a historic mosque in the occupied West Bank city of Nablus on Friday, which they said had been carried out during a raid by Israeli armed forces.

AFPTV footage from Friday showed Palestinians inspecting the blackened and partially charred interior of the al-Nasr mosque -- a landmark in Nablus' Old City.

Witnesses interviewed by AFP said the military operation took place between 2:00 am and 6:30 am.

When contacted by AFP, the Israeli army did not immediately provide official comment on its operations in the northern West Bank city.

Local religious authorities said a total of six mosques had been targeted.

The destruction came as Muslims marked the first Friday of the holy month of Ramadan.

In a statement, the Palestinian Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs called the damage to the Nablus mosques "a serious attack in its size and timing", and condemned "a systematic plan... in the desecration of our holy sites, mosques and places of worship".

Nablus endowments director Sheikh Nasser Al-Salman denounced "the Israeli occupation's barbaric invasion of Nablus mosques".

In a statement, he accused Israel of "working hard to violate Islamic holy sites and mosques at an accelerated pace".

Israel has been waging a weeks-long offensive in the northern West Bank that began around refugee camps regarded as bastions of Palestinian militancy.

It has since expanded to more areas, displaced tens of thousands of people and saw the first deployment of Israeli tanks in the territory in 20 years.

In a statement, the Nablus municipality condemned Israeli forces' "burning of the al-Nasr mosque, which is considered a historical mosque and an important heritage landmark inside the Old City".

Nablus municipality mayor Husam Shakhshir said Israeli forces had obstructed firefighting crews and prevented them from reaching the scene of the fire.
Switzerland says security bound with that of Europe



Geneva, March 8 (AFP) Mar 08, 2025



Switzerland's security is inextricably linked to that of the wider European continent, the neutral country's outgoing defence minister said on Saturday, warning that geopolitics was currently shifting at a worrying speed.

Viola Amherd, whose successor will be chosen on Wednesday, said Russia's war in Ukraine was having a major impact on landlocked Switzerland's security outlook.

"We live in a time of great uncertainty," Amherd said in a speech to the assembly of delegates of the Swiss Officers' Society.

"The Russian war of aggression is having a significant impact on Switzerland's security environment, and geopolitical upheavals have recently taken on a worrying pace.

"Switzerland's security is inextricably linked to that of Europe. Therefore, in addition to the rearmament of the Swiss army, we have worked intensively to deepen security policy cooperation with the European NATO states and the EU."

Amherd, from The Centre party, has been criticised by the conservative right, who accuse her of having undermined traditional Swiss neutrality during her six years as defence minister.

Switzerland's long-standing position has been one of well-armed military neutrality and the country has mandatory conscription for men.

A key facet of its national identity, Swiss neutrality traces its roots back to 1516 and has been internationally recognised since 1815.

It has refused to send arms to Kyiv or allow countries that hold Swiss-made weaponry to re-export it to Ukraine.

Amherd said the government was investing in strengthening Switzerland's defence capabilities.

The army's budget in 2019 was 4.9 billion Swiss francs ($5.6 billion). It is 5.7 billion francs this year and is expected to reach 9.7 billion francs, corresponding to one percent of GDP, in 2032.

As Switzerland's president last year, Ahmerd hosted the June 2024 Summit on Peace in Ukraine. The joint communique, supported by 95 states, backed a just and lasting peace and upheld Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Parliamentarians will choose on Wednesday between two Centre Party candidates to replace Amherd in the multi-party, seven-member government: Markus Ritter and Martin Pfister.
Security forces taken hostage by Colombian guerillas released: AFP



El Plateado, Colombia, March 8 (AFP) Mar 08, 2025



Twenty-eight police officers and one soldier held hostage in southwest Colombia were released Saturday, according to an AFP team on the ground.

Around noon on Saturday, residents of the community of La Hacienda in the department of Cauca told the detainees that they were free to go.

The men, held since Thursday, collected their riot gear and left along a dirt road, escorted by local residents, AFP saw.

They headed toward the nearby town of El Plateado, where a commission from the state Ombudsman's Office was waiting for them.

The soldiers were detained Thursday after a day of clashes between residents and security forces, part of a government military operation aimed at ending drug-related violence in a region with one of the highest concentrations of coca crops in Colombia.

The government said the officers were being held by a dissident FARC guerrilla group.

As he left La Hacienda, Major Nilson Bedoya, the soldier in the group, said that throughout the ordeal he couldn't help but think of his family.

"My family, my wife, my son, who are waiting for me at home," he said in an agitated voice, as he carried his gear on his shoulder.

Earlier Saturday, Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez in an interview with W Radio threatened to use "the legitimate force of the state" to have the troops released.

Sanchez and other representatives of the government of leftist President Gustavo Petro will meet Saturday with residents of the departmental capital, Popayan, to listen to the locals.

Officials said that on Thursday, guerillas and members of the public confronted and overwhelmed security services who were trying to reestablish state control in two municipalities.

Government images showed gangs pelting a flaming armored vehicle with rocks, and riot police detonating smoke grenades amid a running gun battle.

Petro blamed a FARC renegade faction known as the Central General Staff (EMC), accusing it of "using the civilian population" to attack troops.

The kidnappings were a major embarrassment -- and a stern challenge -- for Colombia's government, which is struggling with its worst unrest in a decade involving spasms of violence in several parts of the country.

Since October, Bogota has been trying to retake control of parts of Cauca from the EMC.

Petro's government is proposing an ambitious crop substitution program to combat the drug trafficking economy, a strategy that locals have denounced as a campaign of "forced eradication" of coca crops.

"We will continue to work for these lands so that people can have a better future," said Bedoya, the soldier. "The peasants were sold the idea that we are their enemies, but we are their best allies," he added.
KIEV, March 8 (Xinhua) -- At least 11 people were killed and 30 others injured in Russian strikes in the town of Dobropillia in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region late on Friday, according to the National Police.

Five children were among the wounded, according to the police.

The attack, which caused fires across the town, damaged eight apartment buildings, a shopping mall and 30 vehicles, said the police.

Dobropillia is about 20 km north of Pokrovsk, a key strategic city that the Russian forces are trying to capture.

Across the Donetsk region, a total of 20 people were killed and 43 others injured in Russian strikes overnight, local authorities said Saturday. 
Iran's Khamenei slams 'bullying' after Trump threats



Tehran, March 8 (AFP) Mar 08, 2025



Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday slammed what he described as bullying tactics a day after US President Donald Trump threatened military action.

"Some bully governments -- I really don't know of any more appropriate term for some foreign figures and leaders than the word bullying -- insist on negotiations," Khamenei told officials after Trump threatened military action if Iran refuses to engage in talks on its nuclear programme.

"Their negotiations are not aimed at solving problems, they aim at domination," Khamenei said.

On Friday, Trump said he had written to Iran's supreme leader, urging new talks on the country's nuclear programme but warning of possible military action if it refuses.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran had yet to receive any letter from the US president by Saturday.

"We have heard of it (the letter) but we haven't received anything," he told state television.

Khamenei accused the bullying powers of deliberately setting new conditions they did not expect Iran to meet.

"They are setting new expectations that they think will definitely not be met by Iran," he said, without naming the United States or referring to Trump's comments.

On Friday, Araghchi told AFP in an interview that Iran would not negotiate under "maximum pressure".

The policy, reinstated by Trump on his return to the White House in January, saw him reimpose sweeping sanctions on Tehran during his first term after abandoning the nuclear accord formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Struck between Tehran and major powers in 2015, the deal had offered relief from sanctions in exchange for limits on Iran's nuclear activities.

Tehran has in recent months engaged in diplomatic efforts with the three European parties to the deal -- Britain, France and Germany -- aimed at resolving issues surrounding its nuclear ambitions.

However on Saturday, Khamenei condemned the three governments for "declaring that Iran has not fulfilled its nuclear commitments under the JCPOA".

"You say that Iran has not fulfilled its commitments under the JCPOA. Okay, have you fulfilled your commitments under the JCPOA?" he asked.



- Peaceful nature -



Khamenei recalled that Tehran had abided by the terms of the JCPOA for a whole year after Trump abandoned it in 2018 before beginning to roll back on its own commitments.

He said there had been "no other way" following legislation by the Iranian parliament.

Iran has since sharply ramped up its enrichment of uranium far beyond the limits set by the JCPOA.

US officials now estimate that Iran could produce a nuclear weapon within weeks if it chose to do so.

Tehran has consistently denied pursuing a nuclear arsenal, emphasising the peaceful nature of its programme.

Officials have always cited a religious decree issued by Khamenei that prohibits the development of such weapons.

Last month, Khamenei reiterated his opposition to negotiations with the United States, calling the idea "unwise" after Trump called for a new nuclear deal.

Khamenei charged that Washington "ruined, violated, and tore up" the 2015 agreement.

In 2019, more than a year after Trump's withdrawal from the JCPOA, Japan's then prime minister Shinzo Abe visited Iran in an attempt to mediate.

But Khamenei firmly rejected the possibility of talks with Washington, saying he did not "consider Trump as a person worthy of exchanging messages with".
MEXICO CITY, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Mexico is negotiating with the United States to avert a 25-percent tariff on its steel and aluminum exports, set to take effect on Wednesday, Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard said Friday.

"We need to reach an agreement on steel and aluminum," Ebrard said at a daily press briefing at Mexico's National Palace.

He contended that Mexico imports more U.S. steel and aluminum than it exports, making the proposed tariffs unjustified.

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Feb. 10 to impose a 25-percent tariff on all steel and aluminum imports, citing a trade deficit in the sector. However, Mexican officials have pushed back, arguing that the United States recorded a surplus of 6.9 billion U.S. dollars in steel and aluminum trade with Mexico in 2024.

On Thursday, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Trump agreed to temporarily delay broader tariffs on Mexican products until April 2. The U.S. president has linked the potential tariffs to concerns over irregular migration and fentanyl trafficking.

Ebrard noted that the tariff suspension applies to Mexican exports that comply with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, covering more than half of bilateral trade. 
"Once progressed to SJP, any defendant can request a hearing in open court, but for those pleading guilty via SJP, including those with mitigating action, are considered by a magistrate. These can be referred back to DVLA but whether or not to do so is a decision taken by the magistrate."
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
With his flag waving in the breeze, he was still clinging to his perch about 15 metres from the ground as the negotiators spoke to him from the top of a fire engine ladder.
NEW YORK, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The Trump administration canceled 400 million U.S. dollars in grants to Columbia University on Friday, citing the school's failure to protect Jewish students from antisemitism on campus, according to a statement on the website of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The decision followed an investigation by a Joint Task Force composed of the Justice Department, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Education, and the U.S. General Services Administration. It stated that the funding cuts to Columbia University were due to "the school's continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students."

The task force was formed on Feb. 3, after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Jan. 29 introducing additional measures to combat antisemitic harassment in schools and on college campuses.

The statement did not specify which grants and contracts would be affected, but it indicated that the cuts would come from the more than 5 billion dollars in grants currently allocated to the university.

Trump threatened in a post on social media Tuesday to pull funding from schools and universities that allow "illegal protests."

"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 the crime, arrested," he said.

Linda McMahon, the newly confirmed U.S. education secretary, issued a statement on the cancellation of federal grants implying that Columbia had not complied with federal anti-discrimination laws.

"Since October 7, Jewish students have faced relentless violence, intimidation and antisemitic harassment on their campuses -- only to be ignored by those who are supposed to protect them," McMahon said in the statement. "Universities must comply with all federal antidiscrimination laws if they are going to receive federal funding. For too long, Columbia has abandoned that obligation to Jewish students studying on its campus. Today, we demonstrate to Columbia and other universities that we will not tolerate their appalling inaction any longer."

Since Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas and Israel have been engaged in a fierce conflict that has killed over 46,000 Palestinians in Gaza and caused unprecedented destruction. The conflict began after Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing Israelis and taking hostages.

Columbia University was at the epicenter of a series of pro-Palestine protests against Israel and the war in Gaza in April 2024. Students set up tents and encampments on the campus lawn, also sparking nationwide pro-Palestine demonstrations that ultimately led to many student arrests.

Samantha Slater, a Columbia spokesperson, said school staff "pledge to work with the federal government to restore Columbia's federal funding."

"We take Columbia's legal obligations seriously and understand how serious this announcement is and are committed to combating antisemitism and ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our students, faculty, and staff," her statement said.

"While initial steps have been taken to address these issues, they are broadly insufficient. This move by the federal government hurts all of us, including numerous Jewish graduate students and workers at Columbia who are supported by federal funding. We hope that Columbia responds accordingly in order to prevent further cuts," student group Columbia Jewish & Israeli Students said in a statement.

The New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) said Friday's announcement of immediate cuts was misusing the law to punish political speech.

"It is unconstitutional and unprecedented, but it is entirely consistent with Trump's long-held desire to silence views with which he disagrees and clamp down on protest," NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman said in a statement. "Protected political speech should not be a basis of punishment, and Title VI must be applied consistently with the First Amendment."

In addition to Columbia, the Trump administration has said the federal government will review Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, New York University, Northwestern University and other prestigious institutions for antisemitism.

The Trump administration is also drafting an executive order to initiate the process of shutting down the Department of Education. 
OTTAWA, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The Canadian government announced Friday that it awarded a contract to Seaspan's Vancouver Shipyards for the construction of one of the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG)'s future polar icebreakers.

According to a news release issued by Public Services and Procurement Canada, the contract valued at 3.15 billion Canadian dollars (2.19 billion U.S. dollar) (before tax) is part of the CCG's fleet renewal plan which is acquiring two polar icebreakers.

The other polar icebreaker is being built by Chantier Davie Canada Inc., said the release, adding that these vessels will strengthen the CCG's Arctic presence, and have greater, more advanced capabilities than the current, most capable CCG icebreakers.

According to Seaspan Shipyards Chief Executive Officer John McCarthy, the company will start construction on this ship next month.

The CCG currently has 18 icebreakers of varying sizes and capabilities, making it the second-largest icebreaking fleet in the world. 
A highly-accomplished young woman working at the Giurgiu County Gendarmerie Inspectorate (IJJ), is standing out among her colleagues through her passion for painting.

"My name is Ramona Elena Ciocoiu, I am 26 years old and I have been working at IJJ Giurgiu for three years. As a child I had an inclination towards this side, to become a gendarme, but my parents didn't see it as a girl's job. At the same time, I liked painting since elementary school, I even wanted to attend the faculty of arts, but it was difficult for me to match those who had specialised high schools, I had no training in the field, just a passion. In my searches I tried to become a teacher and I even attended the Faculty of Letters of the University of Bucharest for two years, but then a competition arose for a position at the IJJ Giurgiu. I prepared a lot, there were seven of us for one position, but I managed to get the job and I joined IJJ Giurgiu, where I deal with marketing and acquisitions. I am very proud that every day I wear the gendarme uniform that I dreamed of all my childhood, it gives me great pleasure to wear the gendarme uniform, it is a great achievement, it was even one of the greatest achievements to enter the Gendarmerie," Ciocoiu told AGERPRES.

She says that this job requires good physical training and gun shooting training. Although in the beginning he did not manage to hit the target, now, through training, she has very good results in the shooting sessions.

"Surprisingly I am also good in this field of training, I really like to shoot a gun, I am also passionate about weapons, I shoot well, sometimes I miss. At first, when I started shooting, I was afraid, I didn't hit the target the first time, but with training, I simply learned (...). I also attended a training course as a gendarme officer and a marketing and procurement course and I work in a field to which I feel I will be dedicated all my life," the young woman added.

In her free time, she focuses on his childhood passion, painting.

"I am also passionate about painting, I discovered the passion in elementary school, but I didn't take it very seriously, because some classmates said that I copy very nicely and my parents didn't really believe me that I made the drawings (...). I don't draw from imagination, but everything I see - landscapes, people - I put on paper immediately. My favourite painter is Vincent Van Gogh. In high school I painted less, because I was preparing for college, but at the age of 20 I started painting again, this time, daylight. Now my parents and friends had seen my talent. I used to draw, start in the morning, follow tutorials and repeat until I formed my hand, I felt the colours, I worked like this from dawn to dusk. I really like oil painting, but also graphics. When I was a child, I, on my own money, bought a small set of pencils, but they were not enough, nor were they so good, and then I saw on the internet a set of oil-based coloured that were very expensive, RON 1,200, and my father, who had now seen how much I like to paint, gave it to me as a gift, it was the most beautiful gift."

Although as a child she wanted to become a painter renown all over the world, now she says that she just wants her work to be appreciated by those around her. She likes to gift her works; she has made paintings for friends, colleagues and even future godparents.

She does not rule out the idea of mounting an exhibition for the gendarmerie.

"All my emotions are in my paintings, I keep all the works, from my first unsuccessful work, as it was, until now. I have several hundred works. I like to make cars and portraits the most, but my favourite is a fantastic landscape, in many colours."

At only 26 years old, she considers herself an accomplished woman, because she loves the job she has chosen equally, and also to paint.

"I love equally being a gendarme and painting, I can't say that one is above the other!", concluded Ramona Elena Ciocoiu.

She is about to get married and says that her future husband, also a gendarme, supports her in everything she does.
The Constitutional Court (CCR) on Saturday rejected wo challenges against the presidential bid of Calin Georgescu, as well as two other challenges against the non-registration of Petru Mindru's candidacy.

"In session on March 8, 2025, the Constitutional Court, as part of its jurisdiction over the observance of the procedure for the election of the President of Romania, considered four challenges Following deliberations, with unanimous votes, the Constitutional Court rejected as inadmissible the challenges filed, as they did not meet the procedural conditions provided by law," reads a CCR press statement.





Featuring on the agenda of the March 8 plenary session of the Constitutional Court were, in addition to the two challenges "against the candidacy of Mr. Calin Georgescu in the elections for the President of Romania in 2025", filed by two people, two other appeals against the non-registration of Petru Mindru's candidacy for the presidency.
Independent presidential candidate Nicusor Dan says that it is not "democratically fair" for the Constitutional Couty (CCR) to be able to stop a candidate from the race, adding that the decision taken last year regarding Diana Sosoaca was legal.





Dan told a news conference in Cluj-Napoca on Saturday that his point of view is that "anyone, except if he or she proposes some unacceptable issues, can run."As for the upcoming election campaign, he said that "things have become very simple, there is a direction that is called in many ways, but in essence it is called Russia, there is a direction that means 'we leave things as they were' and there is a great expectation from Romanians for change with the preservation of the Western direction." The third is the direction in which he believes Romania should go.
Interim first vice-president of the National Liberal Party Ciprian Ciucu said on Saturday that it is "extremely unlikely" that Ilie Bolojan will withdraw his word and run for president in place of Crin Antonescu, supported by the parties in the ruling coalition.

"Mr Ilie Bolojan is an extremely serious man, he realises that any change at the last minute could even bring instability in the coalition. It is very important for us, at this moment, to ensure the stability of the coalition and the governance of Romania. It is extremely important. He gave his word, he signed a document under which we, all of us, together with the Social Democratic Party, the Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR) and the minority group, support Mr. Crin Antonescu. As I know him, it is extremely unlikely that he will retract his word," Ciucu said at a news conference, answering a question on this subject.
ST. LOUIS  Two murder cases set to begin trial this week were dismissed by prosecutors.

Erik Seitz was charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the death of Dennis Bieg, 44, near the River Des Peres in 2023.

Angelo McNeal Jr. was facing second-degree murder and other charges in the shooting of Brian Ware, 51, in the 5400 block of Emerson Avenue in August 2018.

McNeal maintained throughout the case that he wasn't the shooter, said his attorney, Robert Taaffe. Prosecutors had previously dismissed and re-filed the case in 2021.

"They shouldn't have brought it back the first time," Taaffe said.

Both trials were set to begin this past Monday. A spokeswoman for St. Louis Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore's office, Christine Bertelson, declined to provide a reason for the dismissals.

But in general, she said, such decisions are made "after careful consideration by the most senior members of our trial staff" about evidence and various issues including self-defense claims.
ST. LOUIS  The city Democratic Central Committee on Saturday voted to endorse Alderwoman Cara Spencer against Mayor Tishaura O. Jones in the April mayoral election.

The decision marked a rare instance of the party throwing its support against an incumbent Democratic mayor.

Thats a pretty significant development, said Brian Wahby, a former central committee chair and longtime city politico.

Its the latest trouble for Jones, who finished a distant second in Tuesdays four-candidate primary  good enough to make the April 8 runoff, but 35 percentage points behind Spencer.

Spencer, meanwhile, can now tell voters in the heavily Democratic city shes been endorsed by the party's official grass roots. It could also open the door to coordinated campaigning.

Wahby, the former committee chairman, said thats not quite the advantage it once was, when the ward organizations run by committee members were more uniformly robust.

Still, he said, the vote was remarkable. Jones is a former central committee member, and the incumbent mayor, which usually earns some degree of deference.

At least some central committee members were in favor of staying neutral Saturday, too, but it wasn't enough to halt the process.

Spencer got 15 votes, Jones received nine, and two committee members voted present.

Sean Fauss, the committee chair, said those votes for Spencer  and against Jones, the citys first Black female mayor  defied the traditional divides in city politics, coming from both northern and southern wards and Black and white committee members.

The committee, he said, had many of the same complaints as other voters: They were frustrated by the Jones administrations response to the big January snowstorm. They have been concerned about oversight at the citys development agency, under fire for its handling of a North Side grant program. More progressive members have echoed concerns about the citys downtown jail, where a slew of detainees have died in custody and activists have accused Jones of stonewalling watchdogs.

I think there have been a lot of things that have disappointed people, Fauss said.

The committee also voted to endorse Comptroller Darlene Green against former State Rep. Donna Baringer in the comptroller's race.

That race is looking more competitive: Green, in office since 1995, generally cruises to re-election, beating opponents with more than 60% of the vote.

But Baringer, of St. Louis Hills, has proven to be a genuine threat, taking first place in Tuesday's primary with support from 48% of voters to Green's 46%.

Elections for mayor, comptroller and seats on the Board of Aldermen are officially nonpartisan in St. Louis, but Jones, Spencer, Green and Baringer are all avowed Democrats.
OTTAWA, March 8 (Xinhua) -- The nationwide race to choose the next leader of the governing Liberal Party of Canada will conclude on Sunday, and the winner will also become Canada's new prime minister.

Mark Carney is the front-runner to become the next leader of the party to replace Justin Trudeau, who resigned as party leader in January but stays on as prime minister until his successor is chosen.

WHO IS CARNEY?

Carney was born in the town of Fort Smith in Canada's Northwest Territories in 1965, and raised in Edmonton, capital city of Alberta Province.

He graduated from Harvard University with a bachelor's degree, and received his doctoral degree in economics at Oxford University in 1995. He started his career in finance, with rich working experience at Goldman Sachs, before joining Canada's public service.

As governor of the Bank of Canada during the 2008 financial crisis, Carney guided Canada through one of the most turbulent economic periods in modern history.

In 2013, he was recruited as governor of the Bank of England, the first non-British to take the role, leading efforts to support the British economy through Brexit and the economic and political crises that followed.

In 2020, he began serving as the UN special envoy for climate action and finance, helping rally the world to build stronger economies.

On Jan. 16, Carney announced that he is seeking the leadership of the Liberal Party after Trudeau quit the post. Should Carney win the vote, he would become the first Canadian prime minister who has never worked as an elected official.

POLICY CLAIMS

Carney has presented a new economic plan to create higher-paying jobs, improve affordability and strengthen national security.

According to his plan, removing barriers to internal trade would lower prices for consumers by reducing trade costs up to 15 percent and expand the economy by 4-8 percent over the long term.

"We are masters of our own economic destiny," said Carney. "Canada is stronger when it is united, which is why we need to create one Canadian economy instead of 13."

Tariffs imposed by the United States have renewed the urgency to address the long-standing barriers that have fragmented the Canadian economy and reduced opportunities for too many Canadians, said Carney.

In a recent leadership debate, Carney highlighted his experience of leading the Bank of Canada during the 2008 financial crisis when the four candidates expounded their stances on Canada-U.S. relations in the shadow of U.S. President Donald Trump's threats.

"In a situation like this, you need experience in terms of crisis management, you need negotiating skills, but you also need economic expertise," he said.

Carney also promised to invest in infrastructure, such as the highways, rails and ports, to improve Canada's productivity and economic competitiveness.

"By accelerating decision-making on major projects, Canada will be able to lower costs, attract more investment, create more jobs and build the strongest economy in the G7," said Carney.

Trump's tariff threats and remarks on making Canada the 51st state of his country have fueled nationalist sentiment among Canadians. The sentiment has also bolstered the Liberal Party's chances of victory in the upcoming parliamentary elections, with the party showing improved performance in opinion polls.

Two months ago, when Trudeau announced his resignation amid dismal public opinion polls, the risks were high for his party to be swept from power by the Conservatives in an election. 
WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump said Friday he is strongly considering levying new sanctions and tariffs on Russia for its war against Ukraine, floating the possibility of new pressure on Moscow just days after he ordered a pause on U.S. military assistance and intelligence sharing with Kyiv.

Trump, in a post on his social media platform, said he was considering the action based on the fact that Russia is absolutely pounding Ukraine on the battlefield right now.

He added that the prospective sanctions could remain in place until the two sides come to a peace settlement.

The sanctions threat came as Trump faces criticism for increasing pressure on Ukraine to reach a deal while denying Russias responsibility for starting the war with its invasion three years ago.

"To Russia and Ukraine, get to the table right now, before it is too late," Trump added in his post.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said at the Economic Club of New York on Thursday that the U.S. kept its sanctions in place on Russia and will not hesitate to go all in should it provide leverage in peace negotiations.

Over the course of Russias invasion of Ukraine, Joe Bidens administration imposed thousands of sanctions on Russian firms, people and ships as well as a price cap on Russian oil, among other actions.

Bessent called Biden's sanctions on Russian energy "egregiously weak" and "stemming from worries about upward pressure on U.S. energy prices."

"Per President Trump's guidance, sanctions will be used explicitly and aggressively for immediate maximum impact," Bessent said. "They will be carefully monitored to ensure that they are achieving specific objectives."

Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, told reporters Friday there is still a "heck of a lot" of room to put further pressure on the Russian economy through sanctions.

"President Trump is adamant that we need to get everybody to the table, and we could do that with carrots, and we could do that with sticks," Hassett said.

Russia launched overnight attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities with dozens of missiles and drones, officials said Friday, hobbling the country's ability to deliver heat and light to its citizens and to power weapons factories vital to its defenses.

The barrage  which also pounded residences and wounded at least 10 people  came days after the U.S. suspended military aid and intelligence to Ukraine to pressure it into accepting a peace deal pushed by the Trump administration.

The U.S. government said Friday it halted Ukrainian access to unclassified satellite images that were used to help fight back against Russia.

The U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency told The Associated Press the decision reflected the Administrations directive on support to Ukraine, without elaborating. The satellite imagery provider Maxar Technologies confirmed the U.S. government decision to temporarily suspend Ukrainian access.

European Union leaders, mindful they might need to shoulder more of the burden for arming Ukraine and strengthening their own defenses, agreed on a plan Thursday to significantly build up their military spending.

Without U.S. intelligence, Ukraine's ability to strike inside Russia and defend itself from bombardment is significantly diminished.

But Trump, in an exchange with reporters, shrugged off the notion that Russian President Vladimir Putin is taking advantage of the intelligence pause to inflict more pain on Ukraine.

"I think he's doing what anybody else would," Trump said of Putin.

Trump again questioned whether Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is committed to getting a peace agreement to end the conflict.

"It may be easier dealing with Russia, which is surprising, because they have all the cards, and they're bombing the hell out of them right now," Trump said.

Trump will send Secretary of State Marco Rubio, national security adviser Mike Waltz and special envoy Steve Witkoff to Saudi Arabia next week to meet with Ukrainian officials.

Trump, days into his second, nonconsecutive White House term, said targeting Russia's oil revenue was the best way to get Moscow to end its nearly three-year war against Ukraine. He leaned in on the idea that OPEC+, the alliance of oil producing nations, holds the key to ending the war by reducing oil prices.

OPEC+ nations, , which include the oil-rich kingdom of Saudi Arabia, received that push coolly.

Trump has a complicated history with Putin. The Republican president even raised the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election in making the case for why he believes he can trust Putin to not restart his war on Ukraine if a truce is reached.

"Putin went through a hell of a lot with me," Trump told Zelenskyy during last week's contentious Oval Office meeting that led to Trump pausing aid and intelligence with Ukraine. "He went through a phony witch hunt where they used him and Russia. Russia, Russia, Russia, ever hear of that deal?"

Age-related illnesses and treatment options Age-related illnesses and treatment options
The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz operates in the South China Sea in this undated photo. (U.S. Navy)



BREMERTON, Wash.  Naval Base Kitsap would swap the Navys oldest aircraft carrier for its newest under a plan released Friday.

The Navy proposes to replace an older Nimitz-class aircraft carrier at NBK-Bremerton with the next-generation Ford-class aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy, according to a statement from U.S. Fleet Forces Command.

The USS Nimitz, commissioned in 1975 just days after the fall of Saigon ended the Vietnam War, is slated to move from the naval base at Bremerton, which is west of Seattle on Puget Sound, to Naval Station Norfolk, Va., by April 2026.

The Navy on Friday also released a draft environmental impact assessment calling for public comment on the plan to bring the USS John F. Kennedy to Kitsap after it is commissioned later this year. The Navy said electrical and other facilities upgrades at Kitsap would be necessary before moving the new carrier to Bremerton.

USS John F. Kennedy would arrive no earlier than fiscal year 2029, according to the Fleet Forces Command statement.

John F. Kennedy would join the USS Ronald Reagan at Kitsap.

Nimitz to retire

When the Nimitz arrives at Norfolk, it will begin an estimated 12-month Ships Terminal Offload Plan, or STOP, according to Naval Sea Systems Command.

The ship will no longer operate as an active part of the fleet, said Jamie K. Koehler, a command spokeswoman.

But there will be one more deployment before the Nimitz relinquishes its place in the fleet.

In November 2024, the Nimitz was approved as seaworthy and combat-ready following a Navy review in San Diego. That allowed the aircraft carrier to surpass its official 50-year service life for a final deployment.

The Navy wont say which theater of operations that the Nimitz will serve its final mission.

For now, the nuclear-powered carrier is at its homeport on Puget Sound where it returned Feb. 19.

Congress was notified Thursday the carrier was moving to Norfolk, the U.S. Naval Institute News reported Thursday.

Naval Sea Systems Command said the Nimitz would be in Norfolk until the spring of 2027 to offload equipment and materials that can be repurposed.

The ship will then move to HII-Newport News Shipbuilding to begin the estimated 30-month process of removing nuclear fuel and deactivating the carrier.

The company will do the work, though final details of the timeline and completion are still under discussion, according to Naval Sea Systems Command.

The Nimitz, which was named for Adm. Chester Nimitz, has a crew of more than 3,200 and another 2,500 or more when carrying its air wing.

Navys newest carrier

The Navy plans to maintain its congressionally mandated 11 aircraft carriers in the fleet by commissioning the USS John F. Kennedy to replace the Nimitz. The Kennedy is the second of the new $12.9 billion Gerald R. Ford-class carriers.

The proposal to homeport the Kennedy at Kitsap would see the carrier move within the next five years.

The carrier will have extensive sea trials after commissioning before moving to Kitsap if the facility upgrades and environmental safeguards are made in the next several years.

In addition to the Ford and Kennedy, four more Ford-class carriers have been authorized, with each to take the place of an aging Nimitz-class carrier.

The Reagan, the ninth of 10 Nimitz-class carriers, will remain homeported at Kitsap.

Later this month, the ship is going into a 17-month maintenance period at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard at Kitsap. The work includes technological upgrades, hull preservation, and a review of steering and powerplant components, according to Navy plans.

If the work is finished on schedule, the Reagan will be available for deployment by August 2026.
(Gus Schuettler/Stars and Stripes)



Mediterranean Sea, April, 1965: The white-hot exhaust of a departing jet leaves a trail to the sky in a time-exposure photo taken from the USS Saratoga during maneuvers in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Naples, Italy.

Looking for Stars and Stripes historic coverage? Subscribe to Stars and Stripes historic newspaper archive! We have digitized our 1948-1999 European and Pacific editions, as well as several of our WWII editions and made them available online through https://starsandstripes.newspaperarchive.com/
The Pretzel Museum in Erdmannhausern, Germany, has been housed in Emil Huober's original pretzel factory since 2016. Right before the entrance is a sculpture titled "Wheat Ear" by Paul Fuchs, whose double helix represents the pretzel form while the wheat highlights the village's agricultural past. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)



The origins of the pretzel are as twisted as its signature knot.

Sonja Hart, director of the Pretzel Museum in Erdmannhausen, Germany, described the conflicting creation stories that ignite debate over swaths of Europe during a recent tour.

The more widely accepted explanation credits Italian monks during the Middle Ages for inventing the pretzel. Thats in line with its roots in the Latin word brachium, or arm, before its evolution into the German brezel and its English equivalent.

The Alsace region of France also lays claim. And dont forget the Bavarians as they, too, have their own origin story and would feel outraged to be overlooked, Hart warned.

The Swabian legend involves the baker Frieder from the town of Bad Urach, which isnt far from this museum northeast of Stuttgart.

Museum director Sonja Hart demonstrates how to twist the knot for a pretzel using faux dough at the Pretzel Museum in Erdmannhausen, Germany. Visitors wishing to bake actual pretzels must make an appointment ahead of time on a weekday for a cost of 50 euros per group. Other times with baking pretzels are on Jan. 6 and during the museum's ninth anniversary in July. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

Pretzels came to symbolize bakeries, as shown in an exhibit at the Pretzel Museum in Erdmannhausen, Germany. The center left shop sign depicts a "pretzel boy," or those at bakeries who would sell pretzels on the street. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)



All I sought when I arrived was an ode to one of my favorite snacks. I ended up biting off more than I could chew, in a good way.

My love of the pretzel began at a young age, and thankfully, Germany is pretzel paradise. At bakeries I find myself buying regular pretzels, rolls or rods more often than the many, many other bread options available.

The Pretzel Museum is therefore a pilgrimage of sorts for me. It was difficult to see from the road, but a playground piece shaped like the pastry let me know I was in the right spot.

The museum is housed inside Emil Huobers original pretzel factory, which opened in 1950 as the first in the Wuerttemberg region and lasted four years before the company needed a larger space.

The building was converted into a museum more than 60 years later during the villages 1,200th anniversary in 2016.

The exhibits explain how the pretzel became not just a pastry, but also a symbol of the baking profession. A picture of a pretzel on a sign is all thats needed to indicate a bakery.

Meanwhile, the debate on its form is equally as knotty as the claim on its creation.

Explanations point to it resembling either the shape of monks praying or the pose Frieders wife made watching him trying to save his life by creating a new pastry for a duke.

The Pretzel Museum in Erdmannhausen, Germany, houses the artworks of Juergen Roesner like these five. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

This exhibit at the Pretzel Museum shows an old bakery. Included are a scale to weigh the dough, how the dough looks rolled out, a bin to dip the pretzels into the lye solution, a baking rack to store the pretzels and the oven. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

These beer stein on display at the Pretzel Museum in Erdmannhausen, Germany, belonged to bakers. The pretzel featured on both symbolized the baker's craft. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)



But even the shape commonly thought of as a pretzel varies greatly in Germany.

The Baden and Swabian versions are cut on the belly to expose the inner layer, while the Bavarian crust is supposed to break in the oven. The Bavarians, meanwhile, make the dough evenly thick throughout so the arms are larger than their Baden and Swabian counterparts.

This painting from local artist Birgit Stengel hangs on the second floor of the Pretzel Museum in Erdmannhausen, Germany. Stengel's work is inspired by her Swabian homeland and has 40 objects as part of a special exhibition at the Pretzel Museum. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)

The entrance to the Pretzel Museum in Erdmannhausen, Germany, includes this preztel artwork hanging from the ceiling. (Matt Wagner/Stars and Stripes)



Along with such discourse and history, the museum has rooms full of pretzel-themed artwork. On the second floor is a special exhibition by local ceramic artist Birgit Stengel, nicknamed the Pretzel Queen.

The one thing I missed during my visit was a chance to bake pretzels. That isnt an option during regular museum operating hours, which are on weekends, but for an additional fee weekday visitors can have that opportunity by making an appointment.

Or people can show up every year on Jan. 6 and during the museums anniversary events in early July.

Almost right after I left the museum, I was driving through the village of Steinheim an der Murr and saw the twisty telltale sign of a bakery.

I stopped and went inside, yielding to my desire for a pretzel  or two.

Pretzel Museum

Address: Badstrasse 8, Erdmannhausen, Germany

Hours: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays; tours, pretzel baking and childrens birthday parties are available during the week by appointment only.

Prices: 5 euros for adults, 3 euros for reduced categories and 12 euros for a family ticket. Baking opportunities cost 50 euros per group; tours cost 30 euros plus the price admission.

Information: Phone: +49 71448882526; Email: kontakt@brezelmuseum; Online: brezelmuseum.de
Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro addresses the crowd during a rally to commemorate the anniversary of the end of Marcos Perez Jimenez' dictatorship, who was ousted after a popular uprising in 1958, in Caracas, on Jan. 23, 2025. (Pedro Mattey/AFP via Getty Images/TNS)



(Tribune News Service)  Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro is accusing Guyanese President Irfaan Ali of seeking to provoke an armed conflict, likening him to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whom Maduro claims caused the war with Russia.

Maduros comments followed the incursion last week of a Venezuelan patrol vessel into waters that Guyana claims are part of its territory, threatening ExxonMobils offshore operations in the area and triggering a response from the U.S. government.

The Government of Guyana has adopted a war plan against Venezuela. They believe that they will do well in an armed conflict, Maduro said Thursday afternoon on state television. That is why it is correct to call the president of Guyana the Zelenskyy of the Caribbean. He is a true Zelenskyy.

The reference to the Ukrainian president was previously used this week by Maduros Foreign Ministry, which in a strongly worded statement accused Ali of spreading baseless and blatant lies, concerning the incursion of the Venezuelan vessel near the ExxonMobil offshore operations.

Venezuela categorically repudiates the unsubstantiated statements of the President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, Irfaan Ali, who blatantly lies in asserting that units of the Bolivarian Navy of Venezuela are violating the maritime territory of Guyana, the Foreign Ministry said in a press release.

In the face of the threats of conflict launched by the Caribbean Zelenskyy... Venezuela denounces this aggression and ratifies that it will deploy its Bolivarian diplomacy firmly in defense of peace, the sovereignty and dignity of its people, it added.

Guyana said Saturday that a Venezuelan coast guard patrol entered its waters and approached an ExxonMobil vessel in an offshore oil block. This incident heightened tensions between the two countries, which are involved in a century-old dispute over the Essequibo region, a Florida-sized area that comprises more than two-thirds of Guyana.

The naval incursion triggered a stern response from the U.S. State Departments Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, which warned that further provocation will result in consequences for the Maduro regime.

The Zelenskyy reference appears to have been aimed at the United States, following the tense meeting between the Ukrainian President and President Donald Trump last week at the White House, as experts suspect that the Caracas regime deliberately moved towards escalating tensions with Guyana to trigger a shift in U.S. policy towards Venezuela.

In an analysis published this week by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Washington think-tank said several indicators suggest Maduro has focused on the Essequibo dispute both to consolidate support internally and to test the geopolitical waters externally as the Trump administration moves towards hardening Washingtons stance on the regime.

The new administration shift towards readopting a policy of maximum pressure against Maduro became evident last week, when President Trump suddenly announced that his administration would suspend the license that allows Chevron to produce and sell oil out of Venezuela, in what experts agree provides a substantial financial blow to the regimes finances.

Maduros return to the Essequibo dispute comes at a particular crossroads in the evolution of the United States approach to Venezuela, and it is an effort to show Washington that it too can threaten U.S. interests in the region, the centers report said. Maduros assertiveness might be intended to demonstrate that should there be a shift in U.S. policy to a harder stance, that he can sow regional instability that impacts the United States.

The conflict between the two South American countries over the resource-rich Essequibo region has been going for over a century. Tensions escalated after a December 2023 referendum, in which Maduro sought authorization to use military force against the neighboring nation and seize the Essequibo if necessary.

Maduro claimed to have received approval from 98% of voters, despite clear evidence that the regime had tampered with the election results.

Throughout the following year, Maduro repeatedly asserted on TV that the regime would not yield Venezuelas claim over the Essequibo region, which has been under Guyanese control since 1899, thereby keeping the issue alive in Venezuela.

Maduro also issued laws declaring the region as the countrys newest state, boosted Venezuelas military presence near the border and has announced plans to include the Essequibo in the upcoming regional elections to chose its first governor.

Guyana requested on Thursday that the International Court of Justice order Venezuela to cancel the election.

2025 Miami Herald.

Visit at miamiherald.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Chipsets known as graphics processing units (GPUs) are perhaps the most important hardware in generative AI development right now. For the last couple of years, investing in semiconductor stocks has generally been a great idea -- as you're nearly guaranteed some form of exposure to GPUs or data centers.

However, 2025 hasn't gotten off to the best start for chip stocks.

Whether it was drama brought on by Chinese start-up DeepSeek, U.S. President Donald Trump's new tariffs, or lofty investor expectations, many names in the chip realm haven't fared so well this year. From a macro perspective, the VanEck Semiconductor ETF has dropped 4% so far in 2025 (as of March 3). When it comes to specific companies, take Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices, which have seen their stocks decline by 7% and 17%, respectively, so far this year.

While many investors can't seem to look away from Nvidia or AMD, there's another stock that's been caught up in broader selling in the semiconductor landscape -- and I think it's worth buying the dip right now.

Let's explore why now looks like a lucrative opportunity to buy Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE: TSM) stock hand over fist.

Don't underestimate Taiwan Semi's influence in the chip realm

When it comes to brand recognition in the chip market, investors don't need to look much further than Nvidia and AMD. These two juggernauts lead the charge in the GPU revolution. Meanwhile, Broadcom plays an integral role in outfitting data centers with advanced chipware, while Micron Technology's high bandwidth memory storage solutions are increasingly important as AI data workloads get bigger and more complex.

With so many other names dominating headlines and talking points, I wouldn't be surprised if you aren't even aware of Taiwan Semi, or TSMC. The thing is that many leaders in the chip space -- including Nvidia, AMD, and Broadcom -- should credit Taiwan Semi for much of their success.

TSMC specializes in foundry solutions, which is basically a fancy term that means it actually manufactures chips and integrated systems for semiconductor companies. In other words, without TSMC, Nvidia's chip architecture would be more of an idea than a tangible product.

Given how much demand there's been for GPUs over the last couple of years, it shouldn't come as a surprise that Taiwan Semi's revenue and profits are soaring. With that said, I think the company's growth is just beginning to kick into gear.

Many of the "Magnificent Seven" companies, such as Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet, and Meta Platforms, are exploring custom silicon as a strategy to migrate from an overreliance on Nvidia's chipware. These big tech giants, as well as ChatGPT maker OpenAI, are reportedly collaborating with TSMC to help bring their visions to life.
Ethan Hunt also smeared excrement on the walls of a garda station cell.

A drug dealer wore a full-face balaclava during a transaction on a Dublin city centre street but was recognised by gardai when asked to remove the mask.

A court heard Ethan Hunt was caught with a hollowed-out vape full of sedative pills in another incident. He also smeared excrement on the walls of a garda station cell.

Judge John Hughes jailed him for 18 months when he appeared in Dublin District Court.

Hunt (31), a father of three with an address at a city centre hostel, pleaded guilty to charges including possession of drugs for sale or supply and theft.

Dublin District Court heard gardai on duty on OConnell Street on February 4 last year saw a man wearing a full-face balaclava in a suspected drugs transaction with a woman. They asked him to take off the mask and identified Hunt.

The accused then removed five small plastic wraps from his mouth and another from his sock, which contained a combined 160 of heroin.

On February 23 last year, gardai arrested him again in central Dublin after they saw him acting suspiciously, hiding behind trees and bushes in an effort to avoid them.

He was found with a hollowed-out Lost Mary e-cigarette that had 50 benzodiazepine tablets worth 150 inside, as well as another 150 worth of pills in a ziplock bag.

Hunt stole 130 from a man at North Circular Road on April 24, 2024, by grabbing it from his hand and running.

On May 12, 2022, he was caught with 539 of heroin after gardai saw him walking up and down inside the GPO, suspiciously talking to people in the queue.

Hunt also admitted shoplifting alcohol, groceries and clothes. After he was arrested for stealing 33 worth of clothing from Penneys, Mary Street, last September 21, he defecated in a garda station cell and smeared it over the wall.

Three days later, a taxi pulled up at Finglas garda station after he refused to pay a fare. He was intoxicated.

Hunt had started using drugs at the age of 14, progressing to heroin at 19, his lawyer said. He had mental health difficulties throughout his life.

Benzodiazepines and drugs of that nature remained his vice. After release from a lengthy sentence last August, he took a family bereavement badly and went back on drugs.

Judge Hughes gave the accused two consecutive nine-month sentences for the OConnell Street drug-dealing charges and took the rest into consideration.
Brian Jackson (63) of Cherrywood Road, Cabinteely, Co. Dublin was halfway through executing a u-turn on Cromwellsfort Road, Walkinstown when he collided with a motorbike.

A man has been fined and disqualified from driving for two years for careless driving which caused life-changing injuries to a motorcyclist he collided with.

Brian Jackson (63) of Cherrywood Road, Cabinteely, Co. Dublin was halfway through executing a u-turn on Cromwellsfort Road, Walkinstown when he collided with a motorbike which was travelling in the same direction.

When gardai arrived at the scene on December 9, 2019, it was initially believed that the motorcyclist had suffered minor injuries, but it later transpired that he had sustained serious internal injuries and was in a coma for five weeks.

Jackson was convicted at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of careless driving causing serious bodily harm.

He initially faced a charge of dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm, but the jury returned a guilty verdict on the lesser charge, which carries a penalty of two years imprisonment or a fine of up to 10,000. He has no previous convictions.

Read more Man (30s) tasered by armed gardai after shots fired at home

Yesterday, Judge Patricia Ryan noted that the court must sentence Jackson for careless driving causing serious bodily harm, and unfortunately and very tragically, this careless driving resulted in serious bodily harm to the victim.

She noted the victim described in an impact statement how the injuries continue to affect him. He will not ever regain the health he enjoyed before the accident, Judge Ryan said, noting that the collision resulted in life-changing injuries for the victim.

The judge said the injuries sustained by the victim were among the aggravating factors in the case.

Having considered the mitigation, Judge Ryan imposed a fine of 3,000 and a two-year driving disqualification from April 2025.

Judge Ryan said the court had taken into account Jackson's personal circumstances, including that he works outside Dublin, but considered it appropriate that there should a two-year driving disqualification.

Garda Naoise Berry previously told the court that when gardai arrived at the scene, the victim was being helped to his feet and was taken to hospital by ambulance. It was initially believed he only sustained minor injuries, but it later became apparent that he had serious internal injuries.

The court heard the victim was in a coma for five weeks following the accident.

In a victim impact statement, the motorcyclist said he is someone whose life has been irrevocably changed and that he became a casualty due to someone else's carelessness.

He said his sister was asked if she wanted prayers to be said for him on the night of the accident, because his chances of survival were assessed as low.

The victim said he has been through operations, treatments and therapies since the accident. He said he requires daily medication and the accident has also caused an immense financial burden.

He said the accident was emotionally devastating and led to the loss of his independence and the active lifestyle that he knew.

He said he mourns the life he had before and what happened wasn't only a moment in time, but left him with a life sentence due to its permanent impact on his ability to live. He thanked medical staff who saved his life.

Gda Berry agreed with Kieran Kelly BL, defending, that his client was entitled to make the u-turn in that location under the Road Traffic Act, but the jury found he was careless.

It was further accepted that his client was co-operative, that rain the night after the accident made it difficult for gardai to complete a forensics analysis and that an engineer's report was available during the trial.

Mr Kelly asked the court to take into account all the circumstances of this unfortunate and tragic accident.

He said his client was fully insured, taxed and breathlysed at the scene and there were no issues.

Counsel said his client is apologetic and remorseful and a civil case has also concluded, with compensation paid.

He noted that this accident also had an effect on his client and a number of testimonials were handed to the court on behalf of Jackson.

Mr Kelly asked the court not to disqualify his client from driving as he said Jackson is in charge of postgraduate studies at the South East Technical University (SETU) and he needs to drive for work.

In her sentencing remarks today/yesterday (FRI), Judge Patricia Ryan said any compensation paid to the victim in a civil case had no relevance to the current case before the court, adding no compensation could compensate for those type of injuries.

She said the mitigation included Jackson's work record, the absence of previous convictions and that he has not come to other negative garda attention.

The judge directed the fine should be paid within six months.
It is alleged the man broke in to the Mullingar house, warning occupant that she and her family would be burnt out of it unless money was handed over

Donnelly is accused of making an unwarranted demand for money to his alleged female victim by warning her that unless a sum of money was handed over, she and her family would be "burnt out of" their home.

Kane Donnelly (22) was told he is to stand trial accused of breaking into the home of a woman in Mullingar in April 2023 and allegedly threatening her while armed with a butcher's knife.

A Dublin man is to stand trial accused of breaking into a house in a midlands town armed with a butchers knife and warning a woman that she and her family would be burnt out of it.

Kane Donnelly (22) of Huntstown Drive, Mulhuddart, Dublin 15 was formally charged before a sitting of Mullingar District Court over an alleged aggravated burglary at 8 Grange Heights, Mullingar, Westmeath on April 13, 2023.

Detective Garda James Grogan gave evidence of having arrested Donnelly by appointment shortly before 11am.

Kane Donnelly (22) was told he is to stand trial accused of breaking into the home of a woman in Mullingar in April 2023 and allegedly threatening her while armed with a butcher's knife.

He said Donnelly, who was wearing black tracksuit bottoms and a matching zipped hoodie top, made no reply after caution when the four charges were put to him.

Those charges alleged Donnelly entered the home of a named woman while in the possession of a wooden handled butchers knife and during the course of that incident threatened to cause criminal damage which was likely to endanger the life of his alleged female victim and her family.

Read more Man (30s) tasered by armed gardai after shots fired at home

Donnelly was similarly charged with damaging a widescreen TV and front double glazed window panes during an alleged incident in which the Dubliner was also accused of threatening the woman that she and her family would have their house burnt out if a demand for money was not met.

Sgt Sheila Kenny, for the State, said there the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had consented for Donnelly to be sent forward to trial on all four charges, adding the State were willing to accept a signed plea should that arise in due course.

The court was told gardai harboured no objections to bail subject to a number of conditions.

They included orders for Donnelly to reside at his home address and to notify gardai of any change to those circumstances within 48 hours, to sign on once a week at Blanchardstown Garda Station, surrender his passport within 24 hours and to stay out of county Westmeath barring court appearances.

Donnelly is accused of making an unwarranted demand for money to his alleged female victim by warning her that unless a sum of money was handed over, she and her family would be "burnt out of" their home.

He was also ordered to have no direct or indirect contact with his alleged victim and her immediate family, to be contactable on his mobile phone at all times and to have no contact with two other named individuals.

Defence counsel Andrea Callan BL, said there was no need for a disclosure order, pertaining to all relevant State evidence, to be made by the court.

She did, however state that her client, who remained in gainful employment, would be suitably disposed to legal aid given the nature and severity of the charges before the court.

Donnelly was consequently remanded on bail to a sitting of Mullingar District Court on April 10 for the servicing of a book of evidence.
Twenty-seven-year-old Grant Rennie, of Beechwood, Clonbalt Woods, Longford admitted carrying out two daylight shoplifting incidents in Athlone

Grant Rennie was handed down a seven month prison sentence, to run concurrently to an existing 11 month sentence the Scotsman is presently serving, effectively meaning he won't spend any extra time behind bars despite admitting to carrying out two further thefts in Athlone last month.

Grant Rennie (27) came to Athlone with the "specific intention" to steal in order to feed a heroin habit less than 24 hours before he broke into a Longford based Indian restaurant for the second time inside the space of two weeks.

A qualified welder battling a chronic heroin addiction who was jailed after breaking into a Longford restaurant twice inside the space of two weeks and who came to another midlands town less than 24 hours earlier with the specific intention to steal, wont spend a day extra in prison despite carrying out two further raids.

Twenty-seven-year-old Grant Rennie, of Beechwood, Clonbalt Woods, Longford admitted carrying out two daylight shoplifting incidents in Athlone on February 20, 2025, scarcely a day before he broke into Spice India, Ballymahon Street, Longford.

Rennie was handed down a five-month jail term for that offence, a term which was ordered to run consecutively to a further six-month sentence for a second burglary he pleaded guilty to when the Scotsman forced his way into the same restaurant on a date unknown between February 9 and 10.

Sgt Orla Keenan, for the State, gave details of how gardai tracked down and arrested Rennie following both Athlone thefts.

She said the accused first entered McSharrys Chemist, Bellhavel, Athlone, Co Westmeath just before 2:30pm and stole three perfume sets by placing them into a carrier bag.

The total haul amounted to almost 290 with none of the items being recovered, the court was told.

Just over an hour and a half later, Rennie walked into Woodies, Dublin Road, Athlone, Westmeath, this time to steal a Black & Decker drill worth 200. Like the earlier incident, the power tool wasnt recovered with Rennie being later identified by gardai on CCTV and arrested.

Sgt Keenan said the accused had 36 previous convictions, a number of which were for theft related offences.

She said the most recent of those came at a sitting of Longford District Court on February 25 where Rennie was jailed for a total of 11 months for the two burglaries at Spice India in Longford town, the latter of which took place the day after the two Athlone shoplifting incidents.

Defence solicitor Mark Cooney conceded the court was very familiar with his client while revealing how both episodes were absolutely and totally opportunistic in nature.

He came to Athlone specifically with the intention to steal to feed his habit, he said.

He had previously had a heroin addiction and had managed to get off that for a number of years but unfortunately relapsed and was feeding his addition.

Mr Cooney said Rennies demise from holding down a respected position as a welder with a number of companies in Longford to that of a drug addict were issues he was hoping to put to bed during his current incarceration.

To that end, the local solicitor said Rennie had put his name down to access addiction and counselling services in Castlerea Prison ahead of his anticipated release date in November.

Judge Bernadette Owens explained how she had previously sentenced Rennie for the Longford burglary offences, but said the accused deserved credit for pleading guilty on the first occasion the Athlone thefts had come to court.

As such, she sentenced him to seven months in prison for the chemist theft, a term she directed to run concurrently to Rennies existing jail sentence.

The other charge was, meanwhile, taken into consideration.
Martin Cunningham (43) appeared in court yesterday afternoon charged after a digger was allegedly stolen and pursued by gardai in an incident earlier this week.

A man allegedly took the digger and drove off as a number of Garda cars chased behind

A MAN has been accused of stealing a JCB digger and driving it dangerously in an alleged road rampage through Co. Carlow.

Martin Cunningham (43) appeared in court yesterday afternoon charged after a digger was allegedly stolen and pursued by gardai in an incident earlier this week.

He was remanded in custody after no bail application was made on his behalf.

Mr Cunningham, with an address at Crann Cottage, Cloneygal, Co Carlow is charged with unauthorised taking of the JCB at Thomas Traynor Road, Tullow, Co Carlow last Wednesday, March 5.

He is also charged with driving under the influence of an intoxicant, theft, and multiple counts of endangerment of traffic and dangerous driving at locations in Co Carlow and Co Kildare.

Mr Cunningham is further charged with driving without insurance or a licence.

The offences are under the Road Traffic and Non Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.

The accused was brought before a sitting of Dublin District Court, where a garda sergeant handed a certificate containing evidence of his arrest, charge and caution.

Defence barrister James OBrien said his client was not making a bail application and asked for the accuseds next court date to be in Carlow District Court.

Judge Michele Finan remanded the accused in custody by consent to appear in Cloverhill District Court on March 12 and said Mr OBrien could make an application there.

She granted free legal aid, assigning Joe Farrell solicitor after Mr OBrien submitted a statement of the accuseds financial means.

Mr Cunningham, wearing a black jacket and light grey tracksuit bottoms was not required to speak during the brief hearing and has not yet entered pleas to the charges.

After the incident on Wednesday morning, gardai said in a statement: Gardai responded to an incident of theft of a heavy plant machine in Co Carlow this morning. A managed pursuit was put in place to manage the safety of all involved including the public and members of An Garda Siochana. The vehicle was subsequently stopped and a male has been arrested.

Videos circulating online show garda cars and a helicopter involved in the incident and pursuing the stolen digger.
Nicola Corcoran, 43, of Croftswood Park, Ballyfermot, Dublin, was arrested on Friday.

A mother accused of helping a person to fly a drone in a bid to carry cannabis into Dublins Mountjoy Prison has been released on bail but ordered to remain away from the jail.

Nicola Corcoran, 43, of Croftswood Park, Ballyfermot, Dublin, was arrested on Friday.

She was brought before Dublin District Court today.

The woman is accused of assisting a person attempting another individual attempting to fly a drone containing the drug into the prison with the intent it would come into possession of a person there.

She was also charged with possessing cannabis with an unstated value for the purpose of sale or supply. The charges are contrary to the Misuse of Drugs Act.

Garda Michelle Hetherton informed the court there were no objections to bail under several conditions, specifically to stay out of a square area around the prison bordered by Dorset Street and Phibsborough Road.

Defence solicitor Kate McGhee said they had been canvassed and agreed.

Judge Paula Murphy remanded her on 200 bail. She ordered Ms Corcoran, who has yet to indicate a plea, to sign on once a week at her local garda station, provide her phone number to gardai, remain contactable 24/7 and stay away from the prison and its environs.

She is scheduled to appear in court again at a later date. Legal aid has been granted.
Shane Flanagan pleaded guilty to impersonating the same woman online and inviting strangers to either visit violence on her or potentially on two others.

A pervert garda, who pleaded guilty to two charges of inciting men to rape a woman and six counts of endangerment, was himself the victim of a horror assault nine years ago.

On Friday, Shane Flanagan (39), with an address in Ennis, Co Clare, pleaded guilty to impersonating the same woman online and inviting strangers to either visit violence on her or potentially on two others.

The offences took place on dates between November 2018 and 26 December 2020

He further pleaded guilty to a charge of possessing child pornography at his home on 17 January 2021..

Flanagan was previously the victim of a horrific assault in which part of his lip was torn off.

In 2016, Ennis District Court evidence of how he was assaulted in the early hours of May 31, 2015.

Garda Flanagan told the court his attacker behaved like a mad man during the attack.

Garda Flanagan said the man just snapped and got extremely aggressive.

He said that part of his upper lip was ripped off as a result of the surprise assault and he suffered a number of blows resulting in him having teeth loosened at the front of his mouth.

He was later told by hospital doctors that he shouldnt eat solid food for a month.

Appearing before the Central Criminal Court, a now disgraced Flanagan pleaded guilty to inciting a man to rape a woman between 18 November and 20 December 2020, and to inciting another man to rape the same woman between 22 November and 6 December that year.

He also pleaded guilty to impersonating the woman on a fetish website between 20 April and 18 December 2020, and inviting persons unknown to visit violence upon her, thereby creating a substantial risk of death or serious harm to her.

On the same dates and on the same website he admitted impersonating the same woman to invite strangers to go the homes of two others "for the purpose of visiting violence upon the persons therein, thereby creating a risk of death or serious harm to" them.

He also pleaded guilty to impersonating the woman in Facebook communications between 26 November 2018 and 18 December 2020, where he again "invited persons unknown to visit violence upon (the woman), thereby creating a substantial risk of death or serious harm" to her, and between 20 December 2019 and 26 December 2020 to impersonating the same woman on Facebook to again invite strangers to attend the home of two others, putting them at risk of death or serious harm.

Prosecution Barrister Anne-Marie Lawlor SC told the court that the woman wishes to maintain her anonymity, but she had "no difficulty" with Mr Flanagan being identified.

Mr Justice Paul McDermott granted a defence application to extend legal aid to Mr Flanagan for the preparation of a psychological report and requested a probation report.

He also directed the preparation of victim impact reports.

Flanagan was remanded on continuing bail and will be sentenced in June.
Koko backs calls to ban online gambling

Alarmed over the growing exposure of young children to online gambling, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III threw his support behind proposals to ban Philippine inland gaming operator (PIGO) licenses or what is known as e-gambling businesses.

"Online gambling has become so accessible that even e-wallet platforms, which are widely used for digital transactions, provide easy access to gambling sites," Pimentel said.

He stressed that this raises serious concerns, particularly for children who may unknowingly or deliberately participate in online betting.

"Napakadali na ngayon para sa kahit sino, kahit mga bata, na makapasok sa online gambling. Sa e-wallets lang, may access na agad. Wala na tayong kontrol kung sino ang nakakapaglaro," Pimentel said.

If left unchecked, it can result in addiction, academic neglect, and even financial exploitation among young Filipinos, according to Pimentel.

"Hindi natin pwedeng hayaang malulong ang ating mga kabataan sa online gambling tulad ng online casino betting na hindi lang nakakasira sa kanilang kinabukasan kundi nagpapalala rin sa problema ng pagsusugal at mental health," he added.

Pimentel also urged parents to be vigilant and monitor their children's online activities to prevent them from falling into the trap of online gambling.

He further called on the Department of Education (DepEd) to continuously remind students about the dangers of online gambling and to include it in awareness campaigns in schools.

"Dapat maging proactive ang DepEd sa pagpapaalala sa mga estudyante na delikado ito. Hindi ito laro lang, kundi isang patibong na maaaring makaapekto sa kanilang kinabukasan," Pimentel added.
By Patricia Weiss and Ludwig Burger

FRANKFURT (Reuters) -Bayer has told U.S. lawmakers it could stop selling Roundup weedkiller unless they can strengthen legal protection against product liability litigation, according to a financial analyst and a person close to the matter.

Bayer has paid about $10 billion to settle disputed claims that Roundup, based on the herbicide glyphosate, causes cancer. About 67,000 further cases are pending for which the group has set aside $5.9 billion in legal provisions.

The German company has said plaintiffs should not be able to take Bayer to court by invoking U.S. state rules given the federal U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has repeatedly labelled the product as safe to use, as have regulators in other parts of the world.

"Without regulatory clarity (Bayer) will need to exit the business. Bayer have been clear with legislators and farmer groups on this," analysts at brokerage Jefferies said in a note on Thursday, citing guidance Bayer's leadership provided in a meeting.

Bayer, which acquired Roundup under the $63 billion takeover of Monsanto in 2018, said: "We are exploring every possibility to end this litigation." It declined to comment further.

Disclosing glyphosate sales numbers for the first time, Bayer on Wednesday said the product, one of the most widely used weedkillers in U.S. field farming, generated 2.6 billion euros ($2.8 billion) in revenue last year.

"Bayer could reach a point in the future where the company is forced to discontinue the sale of the product in the United States," a person familiar with the matter told Reuters, requesting anonmyity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

As it released fourth-quarter earnings on Wednesday, the company said it was working to "significantly contain" litigation by 2026.

It has repeatedly said it is working with farmers' associations to lobby U.S. federal and state legislators. It is also preparing to again petition the Supreme Court for legal protection, following a failed attempt in 2022.

Bayer, however, has not previously threatened to withdraw the product from the U.S. market, although it replaced glyphosate in U.S. consumer products with different weedkilling substances.

One of the world's largest seeds and pesticides makers, Bayer competes with Corteva, BASF and China's Syngenta.

It is the only glyphosate producer in the United States, where the U.S. farming sector, which also imports cheaper generic glyphosate from China, relies on modified soy and corn that are resistant to its weedkilling effect.
Douglas Smith (53) was attending Dublins Criminal Courts of Justice when he took the victims belongings from a tray

A thief who stole a mans watch, phone and car keys during a security check at a courthouse was a gentle soul who had taken the death of his dog badly, his lawyer has said.

Douglas Smith (53) was attending Dublins Criminal Courts of Justice when he took the victims belongings from a tray as they queued at a scanner at the entrance.

Judge John Hughes jailed him for four months.

Smith, a father of one of James Street, Dublin 8, pleaded guilty to theft, possession of drugs for sale or supply and having stolen property.

Dublin District Court heard he was at the courts on Parkgate Street on December 8, 2023, when he stole a mans 300 watch, phone valued at 350 and car key.

The court heard Smith was coming through security at the front door when the victim put his belongings in a tray to go through a scanner. Smith took the items and proceeded inside, giving them to a woman who took them to the toilets. They were found there and returned to the victim.

Separately, Smith was found to have 80 zopiclone tablets at Castle Street, Dublin 2 on January 26, 2022. On December 24, 2024, he was found in possession of 500 worth of stolen cosmetics on Dame Street.

Smith was a gentle soul and addiction and mental health issues were the source of his offending, his lawyer said. At the time, he lost his dog who had been a great companion to him for 15 years, and took the loss very badly.

Smith was now on methadone. Judge Hughes imposed the prison sentence on the drugs charge and took the others into consideration.
Animal sanctuary owners shock comment revealed as judge shuts down animal welfare operation

Some of the shocking injuries found on animals at Pat Edwards sanctuary

An animal sanctuary boss, convicted of cruelty offences, has been told she can no longer operate any kind of animal welfare operation from her Waterford address.

Pat Edwards of the Deise Animal Sanctuary had an eight month custodial sentence suspended by Judge Catherine Staines at her Circuit Court appeal.

But she was warned this is on the condition she no longer has possession or control of any animals, save for one pet dog, and that she not allow a sanctuary to operate on her premises.

Fresh evidence was heard during the appeal including how fox named Shadow had been confined for six years, ever since he was a cub, in a small barren pen.

And that when he was seized by the ISPCA on 30th June 2023, Edwards had asked: Why would you want him? hes only vermin.

The court heard evidence from Ann Quinn, Superintending Veterinary Inspector with the Department of Agriculture, who described conducting a number of inspections at Deise between February and June 2023.

She said that the conditions on-site were very unsatisfactory and described barren environments, soiled bedding and animals deprived of necessary veterinary attention. In addition to animal welfare concerns, Ms. Quinn highlighted a lack of record keeping and said that the accused was unable to say how many animals were on site.

Some of the shocking injuries found on animals at Pat Edwards sanctuary

Ms Quinn said that she was concerned about defendants unwillingness to comply with instructions.

She also said that records obtained from the defendants own vet demonstrated pervasive failure to follow veterinary advice.

ISPCA Senior Inspector Lacey also gave evidence of being present for six inspections of the premises in the course of which a total of 50 animals were removed.

She told the court how these animals included a Harris hawk with a brass ring embedded in the skin of its leg; a number of buzzards with long-standing injuries, one of which was self-mutilating; a pigeon with an open fracture to its wing with its bone exposed; cats with heavily matted and contaminated coats; owls in barren environments; and pigs with chronic skin conditions that didnt receive veterinary care.

Ms Lacey also spoke of a fox named Shadow who had been confined in a small barren pen for six years, since he was a cub.

When no improvements had been made to his accommodation, he was seized on 30th June 2023.

Pat Edwards speaks to our reporter Patrick last year

Inspector Lacey told how, when the fox was being seized, the accused said: Why would you want him? hes only vermin.

Inspector Lacey said: it was disheartening to hear a sanctuary owner speak in such a way.

Acting for the defendant, Martin Dully BL said that he was instructed to offer an utterly unequivocal and unconditional apology..

His client had pleaded guilty and recognised that there must be consequences, but he suggested that a custodial sentence was neither appropriate nor justified.

He cited Covid as a catalyst for the deterioration in conditions and suggested that huge numbers of animals were dumped at the front door of the sanctuary.

He said that his client couldnt say no and was simply overwhelmed.

Mr Dully described the publicity around the initial court case as having a shaming effect on his client and said that she is now a pariah among some.

Judge Catherine Staines said that the accused had received very significant funding for the operation of the sanctuary.

She said testimonials furnished to the court were very different to a woman who had pleaded guilty and were clearly at odds with the evidence.

She noted that two were from vets who had never visited the Deise sanctuary.

Judge Staines ruled that the original sentence imposed was appropriate but, taking into account the defendants health and no previous convictions, she suspended the custodial sentence for one year on condition that the accused not have possession or control of any animals save for one pet dog, and that she not allow a sanctuary to operate on her premises.

Judge Staines adjourned the matter until 21st March to allow for the rehousing or surrender to the ISPCA of the remaining animals.
The potential street value of all drugs recovered is approximately 300,000.

Two men have been arrested after police discovered a cannabis factory in Co Down.

Detectives from the Police Service of Northern Irelands Organised Crime Unit, assisted by local police, made the arrests after the discovery of the drug operation in Hillsborough on Friday evening.

The potential street value of all drugs recovered is approximately 300,000.

Detective Inspector Kelly said: At approximately 10.30pm, officers carrying out a proactive operation, searched a property in the Sandringham Court area where they discovered approximately 150 cannabis plants along with a large quantity of harvested cannabis and other items, which have since been removed for further examination.

Two men, aged 22 and 32, were arrested on suspicion of a number of offences including possession of a class B controlled drug, possession of a class B controlled drug with intent to supply and cultivating cannabis and are being interviewed by detectives.

Our enquiries are continuing but this operation demonstrates that we continue to be committed to removing drugs from the local community and dealing with organised crime gangs involved in the production and supply of controlled drugs.

Damage has been caused to the property involved and I would urge landlords and letting agents to ensure they obtain appropriate identification when renting out properties and conduct regular checks and report to police anything that causes them concern.

I would ask if anyone has any information about suspected drug dealing in their area to call the non-emergency number 101. Alternatively, information can also be given anonymously to the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111."
The ex-reality TV star turned comedian is now living in Los Angeles where she was caught up in the recent devastating fires.

DUBLIN Wives star Danielle Meagher is hoping a new Irish and UK tour with her comedy show will get her back on her feet following a disastrous several weeks.

The former Botox clinic owner turned comedian is now living in Los Angeles, where she was caught up in the recent devastating fires.

My car was further damaged in the wildfires, and my safety deposit box at the bank went up in flames, with thousands worth of valuables lost, explains mum of one Danielle, whose nickname is Dr Botox.

My beloved Mini Cooper, Margaret, is terminally ill from smoke damage, and in a cruel twist of fate, my skincare inventory is all melted and total write off, so the website is not selling presently.

I cannot talk about itIm devastated. But the LA situation is a total disaster, and if you Google it, youll see that insurance isnt even covering the burned down houses, let alone the bank with my safety deposit box.

Danielle recently released her book Diary of a Botox bitch and believes she her fellow Dublin Wives cast members are cursed following Jo Jordans recent death, which came a year after Lisa Murphys passing, while Virginia Macari has been lately left in a wheelchair after battling for her life when a virus spread from her spine to her brain.

Cast of Dublin Wives - Virginia Macari, Jo Jordan, Lisa Murphy, Roz Flanagan and Danielle Meagher

Former Celebrity Big Brother star Danielle is now planning to bring her comedy show to Ireland for the first time, which she has seen triumph in the likes of The Comedy Store in LA.

Im delighted to say I have announce over 30 shows UK and Ireland dates for confirmed for August and September, kicking off at the Moat Theatre in Naas on August 28, she beams.

I will also be performing at the Edinburgh Fringe run! Im locked in at a prime venue right on Cowgate, performing my one-hour, one-woman stand-up show, Diary of a Botox Bitch for several nights.

After her LA sponsor lost their home and business in the Palisades fire, she is now looking to collaborate with other sponsors, using TikTok and looking to partner with skincare and tea brands as her new show is called Spilling the tea.

I am pivoting rapidly to get back on an even ground which is difficult so after such a horrendous time, she reflects.

Im not looking to make a million bucks, Im just looking to make a million people laugh.

Joan Rivers always said that comedy is like a warm blanket to put around people, unlike reality TV which is like cockroach infestation most of the time with garbage producers.
The main deer hunting season  the Roar - is about to go into full swing, and hunters everywhere are being reminded of the need to identify their target beyond all doubt.

Te Tari Pureke/Firearms Safety Authority, in co-ordination with members of the Recreational Firearms Users Working Group, is running a hunter safety advertising campaign prompting hunters everywhere to be extra sure this Roar.

Te Tari Pureke partnerships and communities director Mike McIlraith said while the campaign offers a number of simple actions related to hunter safety, the core message responds to the risk of mis-identifying a target.

We want all hunters to have a great Roar and for everyone to come home safely.

Hunting deer, whether for food or sport, is an activity enjoyed by many, but we know firearms can be unforgiving.

Thats why we are urging hunters to be 100% sure they have identified their target.

If they have any doubts, then dont shoot.

Hunters shouldnt feel pressured to take the shot  no meat or no trophy is better than no mate.

McIlraith said hunters are lucky to be hunting in a time of high deer numbers in many parts of New Zealand, with lots of opportunities for deer.

This means hunters dont need to be in a rush to shoot the first deer they see, they should take their time, and wait until they see the whole animal.

Keeping themselves and others in their hunting area safe takes more than luck, said McIlraith.

Weve boiled it down to three key reminders for hunters this year  make a plan for your hunt and stick to it; always treat every firearm as loaded; and identify your target beyond all doubt.

Whether they are using optical or thermal imaging devices, they must follow Firearms Safety Rule 4 and identify their target beyond all doubt before firing.

Thats what we mean when we say, be extra sure this Roar.

The Recreational Firearms Users Working Group was formed to help align the important messaging of the various stakeholder groups involved in recreational hunting in New Zealand.

This group consists of Department of Conservation, Federated Farmers of New Zealand, Fish & Game NZ, Game Animal Council, Mountain Safety Council, NZ Deerstalkers Association and the Firearms Safety Authority.

The Roar is the name given to the time of year when hunters target red deer stags which are at their most vocal attracting mates.

Other great resources can be found on:

Te Tari Pureke has a Roar safety webpage

The Mountain Safety Council website  Big Game hunting section

The Game Animal Council of New Zealand - Hunter Safety page

New Zealand Deerstalkers Association
Labours Jan Tinetti has lost education and several MPs have picked up new economic portfolios in leader Chris Hipkins caucus reshuffle.

It comes alongside Hipkins giving his State of the Nation address in Auckland today where he is promising no more games in pledging not to overhaul every coalition Government policy if Labour is elected to power in 2026.

The reshuffle centred around a refreshed economic team led by finance spokeswoman Barbara Edmonds, who was given the new portfolio of savings and investment.

Police spokeswoman Ginny Andersen also received a new portfolio: jobs and incomes.

Long-time MP Peeni Henare was given economic development, the portfolio that was scrapped by the current Government and replaced with economic growth.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins with Simon Bridges, Wayne Brown and Helen Clark at this State of the Nation speech in Auckland. Photo / Dean Purcell

New MPs Cushla Tangaere-Manuel and Reuben Davidson were given Maori economy and science, technology and creative economy respectively.

Tinetti lost education to Willow-Jean Prime, who had been a vocal member of Labour amid the Governments approach to youth crime. Tinetti was given social investment and workplace relations and safety.

Willie Jackson, who had been open about considering leaving politics after the 2023 election, has taken on the meaty portfolio of social development, which had long sat with Labour deputy leader Carmel Sepuloni who was now the partys Auckland issues spokeswoman.

Kieran McAnulty picked up the new portfolio of infrastructure and public investment, while passing local government onto Tangi Utikere.

This experienced, united and formidable team is ready for Government. We will be working relentlessly over the next 18 months as we finalise policy and prepare to take back power in 2026, Hipkins said.

The reshuffle was largely focused on portfolio changes instead of the caucus rankings.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins giving his 2025 State of the Nation speech. Photo / Dean Purcell

However, Edmonds was bumped up to third over Megan Woods. Utikere, who had been prominent while prosecuting the Governments Interislander ferry deal, jumped from 19th to 12th.

Hipkins, giving his address hosted by the Auckland Business Chamber, centred his speech around jobs, health and homes.

Labour will not sell our pristine landscapes for a quick buck. We wont lay off thousands of people, and cripple sectors for the sake of politics. We wont sit idly by watching unemployment grow and families to suffer as a result.

We have listened, and we know what New Zealanders want. Clear on our objectives, Labour will be ready to govern in 2026, with policy development well under way to ensure jobs, health and homes are attainable for all New Zealanders.

He also used his speech to advocate for a more collaborative approach to governing, referencing the coalitions decisions to reverse many of Labours policies.

I am not going to stand here and ask you to give your support to the Labour Party just so we can put everything back in place - and start the merry-go-round again, he said.

And I can assure you we arent going to spend our first year back in government pausing, cancelling, and reviewing everything.

No more throwing the baby out with the bathwater just to make a political point.

Hipkins also described how a future Labour Government would look to move in the same economic direction as Australia, citing their tax system that encourages investment in local businesses and new jobs, not just houses.

Adam Pearse is a political reporter in the NZ Herald Press Gallery team, based at Parliament. He has worked for NZME since 2018, covering sport and health for the Northern Advocate in Whangarei before moving to the NZ Herald in Auckland, covering Covid-19 and crime
The Timeless Summer Tour has been cancelled and put into liquidation three months after being postponed.

A Rotorua ticketholder feeling ripped off after trying for weeks to get her $632 refunded says shes gutted and even less confident of getting her hard-earned money back.

The tour had the same promoter as the cancelled Juicy Fest New Zealand music festival series.

Three companies linked to the events have been put into voluntary liquidation: Juicy Festival Ltd, Timeless Events New Zealand and Timeless Events Australia Ltd.

The Timeless Summer Tour was to feature 80s stars Boy George, Bonnie Tyler and Starship and visit Tauranga, Christchurch, Napier, New Plymouth and Auckland.

It was postponed on December 20 with plans to reschedule for later this year.

An email sent to ticketholders on Friday said the Timeless tour was now cancelled due to matters outside our control.

We have found ourselves in this gut-wrenching position after losing three of our sites on the New Zealand tour. We were sharing the infrastructure at three sites with Juicy Fest New Zealand, but when that event was cancelled it was no longer viable to run these shows.

Fans at the Juicy Fest Tauranga 2024 concert at Mercury Baypark in Mount Maunganui, but the event failed to return this summer.

Organisers had not been to find dates that would work for the majority of the artists so had to cancel. The event was being put into liquidation due to significant expenses incurred.

Liquidators will now take control of the company and will be working through how to best resolve the companys financial obligations, including funds and funds held to be refunded.

Event organisers were gutted by this outcome and regretted any disappointment or inconvenience to ticket holders.

A similar email was sent to Juicy Fest NZ ticketholders, saying it was being put into voluntary liquidation and refunds were in liquidators' hands.

Ticketholders had previously complained of refund delays after the events cancellation in December due to its liquor licence being refused in Auckland.

Ripped off

A Rotorua resident who held a ticket for the Tauranga show, who asked not to be named, said she bought two VIP tickets in September, intending it to be a birthday celebration.

She paid $632.96 for her and her partner to attend the January 17 concert at Mercury Baypark.

[We] were so excited as we both love Boy George and were so disappointed when I was advised via email the concert was postponed.

She waited at first but with no new dates announced, requested a refund from the promoter, and contacted the ticketing agency.

Despite sending 20-plus emails, she was still waiting for concert promoter Glenn Meikle to honour his promise to make refunds.

Its now March, and me and hundreds of other customers  including Juicy Fest concertgoers  are waiting for our money back, I feel were being ripped off.

She said she complained to the Commerce Commission last month and the Disputes Tribunal a few days ago  the latter at a cost of $59.
Every second, more than 8000 people read Wikipedia. Every minute, there are about 350 edits to the site. It's the most-read reference ever.

This, of course, is according to Wikipedia - a sentence that would have been unlikely to appear in an article even a few years ago.

But in a world where Meta has removed fact-checkers and AI gives laughably inaccurate answers, Wikipedia has emerged as a surprisingly reliable and increasingly respected source of information.

"It's comparable if not better than other encyclopedia sources and people have come to realise more recently - because of disinformation efforts and more knowledge about the efforts going on to sort of hijack information on the internet - how reliable Wikipedia can be," says a Kiwi Wikipedia editor Siobhan Leachman.

Axel Downard-Wilke has been editing the site for about 15 years, and he says that in that time, perceptions have changed. In a recent conversation with a visitor to New Zealand, he learned that her German university told students not to use the site.

"I said 'wow, that is really quite an outdated thinking. It's quite common for an institution [to have] had this view say 10 years ago, but it has really shifted quite significantly over the last decade where Wikipedia has become much more accepted as a reliable source.'"

In today's episode of The Detail, Kiwi 'Wikipedians' Leachman and Downard-Wilke explain the process behind editing the site, the checks in place to keep the site factual, and how perceptions of its reliability have changed over the years.

The Wikimedia Foundation is a non-profit that hosts Wikipedia, among other sites. But they aren't responsible for the content. That's the job of some 126,000 'active', volunteer editors around the globe.

Here in New Zealand, there are 480 active editors.

"Anyone can be an editor," says Downard-Wilke.

"It says on the homepage 'welcome to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit'. And it's true. You don't even have to have an account on Wikipedia before you can edit, you can just have a go.

"So how can this possibly work? And I've heard somebody say that Wikipedia is this thing on the internet that in theory cannot possibly work, but in practice it does. And the reason that it does work is that there are so many editors who keep an eye on things that if something crops up that is outside of the rules or shouldn't be there then it gets removed again, and so that's how it regulates itself."

There are also automated processes to keep the site clean.

"There are usually bored teenagers who add the word poo to articles, and it doesn't even need human intervention, so there's automated processes that reliably remove those kinds of vandalism within seconds," says Downard-Wilke.

But 'poo' isn't the big worry when it comes to the site.

There's a long list of examples of misinformation being planted, sometimes by individuals and sometimes by organisations or governments.

"Unlike social media, Wikipedia has quite solid processes in place and so content is supposed to be backed up with reliable secondary sources. So that in itself is a very steep hurdle to overcome for those who try and add disinformation in article."

There are rules about 'edit wars' and processes for solving disputes. When the macron started appearing in more New Zealand newspapers several years ago, Downard-Wilkes was one of the editors here who started introducing it to Wikipedia.

But not everyone agreed with that decision - there was another editor who kept removing the macrons, so eventually the dispute went through a process and was sent to an uninvolved editor in the UK to make the decision.

Despite the fact that there are millions of articles on Wikipedia (nearly 7 million in English alone), Leachman says it's hard for disinformation to hide, even in highly specific corners of the site. She is most interested in biodiversity, and edits articles about endemic moths.

"This is a very niche area for editors to be involved in and the articles could easily have information in them which is not accurate. But because there are people like me who are passionate about those particular areas, we're very careful about watching the page histories and editing those articles. If we spot information like that in there, if you can't back it up, there are processes to be able to revert or remove information that's not accurate."

But even with all these processes in place, she says it's important for readers to stay vigilant.

"You should always check and just be a little bit suspicious of what you're reading and just double check your sources or the sources that the person who [is] presenting you that information is giving you, so that you make sure that you know where the information is coming from."
New Zealands aquaculture industry is set for major expansion under a new government plan aiming to triple its revenue to $3 billion annually by 2035, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced.

Speaking at the Havelock Mussel and Seafood Festival in Marlborough, Jones launched the New Zealand Aquaculture Development Plan 20252030, outlining key strategies to drive growth.

The industry currently generates $760 million annually and employs more than 3,000 people, with expectations that job numbers will double under the new plan.

Ive never been shy about my ambitions for the aquaculture sector. The Coalition Government is supporting marine farmers to flourish, Jones said.

The plan focuses on optimizing existing marine farms, expanding production through open ocean aquaculture, advancing Maori leadership in the sector, introducing new species for farming, and supporting technological innovation.

The government has already taken steps to accelerate growth, including extending marine consents, passing the Fast-track Approvals Act, approving New Zealands first open ocean salmon farm, and investing $11.72 million in a project to boost offshore aquaculture.

Jones also announced a $9.9 million loan from the Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF) to improve Havelock Marina, a crucial hub for New Zealands greenshell mussel industry.

The marina plays a vital role in processing, maintenance, and support services for aquaculture businesses in Marlborough, which produces 60 percent of the countrys aquaculture exports.

Storm events in 2021 and 2022 caused silt to accumulate in the marinas channel, restricting vessel access, creating congestion, and limiting business operations.

The RIF funding will be used to dredge the marina to restore safe, unrestricted access and to construct three replacement jetties to improve resilience against flooding and climate change. The total cost of the project is $19.8 million, with the remaining half funded by Port Marlborough.

The current situation at Havelock is an unacceptable roadblock to growth. This RIF funding will help unlock access to the marina for commercial use as well as provide the local community with an alternative, resilient access, Jones said.

The construction and dredging work is expected to create up to 54 jobs.

Marlborough exports approximately 65,000 tonnes of greenshell mussels and 6,000 tonnes of salmon annually, generating more than $300 million in export revenue.

The government hopes the new aquaculture plan and infrastructure investments will provide a major boost to regional economies and further cement New Zealands position as a global leader in sustainable seafood production.
Europa Press Malaga Saturday, 8 March 2025, 22:02 | Updated 22:20h. Compartir

The province of Malaga has registered 130 emergency incidents throughout this Saturday and since the beginning of storm Jara which has affected practically the whole of the Andalucia region in the south of Spain and which has caused major traffic problems on several roads.

According to 112 Andalucia, the most serious incident so far happened in Marbella where a 70-year-old woman was rushed to the Hospital Costa del Sol after being hit by a tree branch in Calle Juan XXIII street.

Also on the coast, in the town of Mijas, a vehicle was swept away by the current with a person inside, in the river Pasadas in the Atalay area. The man in the car was rescued by a group of friends and is in a good condition.

There have also been several rescues of vehicles without personal injuries reported in the area of the Barranco del Sol ravine in Almogia. Meanwhile, in Ronda, a wall has fallen in Calle Eucalyptus and the adjoining house has been evacuated as a preventive measure.

Additionally, according to information from the DGT's provincial traffic headquarters, the MA-8302 in the municipality of Genalguacil and the A-397, which runs from San Pedro, in Marbella, to Ronda, from kilometre 13 to 38, in Benahavis, are currently closed, in this case due to landslides.

Earlier, the heavy rain caused occasional problems on other roads such as the MA-5403, the N-331 in Antequera and the MA-7304, which runs from Alhaurin el Grande to Cartama.

Highest rainfall recorded

The areas that have recorded the highest rainfall in the last 12 hours in Malaga province were in Tolox, with more than 112 millimetres; in Villanueva de la Concepcion, with 52.3; Coin, with 45.7; and the Santon Pitar area of Malaga city, with 45.1mm, according to data from the Junta de Andalucia's Hidrosur network, consulted by Europa Press.

Likewise, the province's reservoirs have continued to increase their water reserves, as in the case of La Concepcion and Conde del Guadalhorce, which were at 84 and 85% of their capacity, respectively, on Saturday afternoon.

River levels

The rainfall recorded throughout the day has also caused the rivers to rise in various areas. According to Emergencias 112 Andalucia, the Guadalhorce has overflowed its banks in the area of Santa Ana, in Cartama. This river remains at an amber risk as it passes through Bobadilla and yellow at the Aljaima station. The river Grande at Las Millanas is also at an amber level.

The rains have led to widespread cancellations of activities, such as the 8M demonstration for International Women's Day in Malaga city and several flights had to be diverted at Malaga Airport, as well as the temporary closure of facilities such as the Picasso birthplace museum and the Russian Museum.

This Sunday, according to the Spain's state meteorological agency (Aemet), forecast heavy rainfall in Malaga province will cause the yellow weather warning to remain active in the Serrania de Ronda, western Costa del Sol, Malaga city, Guadalhorce valley and Axarquia areas until the end of the day at 11.59pm and it is expected that up to 25mm will accumulate in one hour, which could reach up to 80mm in the first 12 hours. These areas could also be affected by occasional thunderstorms.
Tan Gera and Salim Elhila are cofounders of Decentralized Masters. Courtesy of Tan Gera and Salim Elhila

Salim Elhila founded a crypto company with his friend, Tan Gera.

Last year, the business made $30 million in revenue, and Elhila is now a multimillionaire.

He and Tan spend most days together and travel together with their families.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Salim Elhila, cofounder of Decentralized Masters. It has been edited for length and clarity.

When I was in my early 20s, I quit my job and rented a van. I had been living in Australia at the time for that job and spent three months traveling the country from south to north. It was the ultimate freedom. I could just park the van and sleep wherever I wanted. I realized I desired a life with the freedom to go anywhere, anytime.

Before living van life, I was on track for a traditional finance career. I grew up in France and later Morocco. I studied math and engineering in France and started working in predictive finance after graduation. For six years, I moved up in corporate positions around the globe until I got that job in Australia.

It came with good pay and a nice lifestyle, but the work was making me miserable. I realized that the corporate world, with its strict frameworks, wasn't for me.

I kept traveling and discovered e-commerce

After traveling around Australia, I went to Bali. There, I spotted a guy working on his laptop on the beach. He explained to me that he had an e-commerce company and was able to make about $1,000 a month working from anywhere. That was amazing to me because, with that amount of money, you could live anywhere in Southeast Asia.

Meanwhile, I was running out of money. I returned to my parents' home in Morocco and asked them to borrow 2,000 (about $2,100) to start an e-commerce company. Within a few weeks, I made $10,000 selling phone cases that looked like Gameboys.

The two friends cofounded the company Decentralized Masters. Courtesy of Salim Elhila

I met my business partner, and our company quickly grew

The money was good, but e-commerce wasn't fulfilling to me. I became very interested in cryptocurrencies and asked my networks if anyone knew a crypto expert. That's how I met Tan.

Tan was also running his own successful business at the time. We were both in our mid-20s and spent time exchanging information about business and crypto. Like typical young men, we also partied together. We could vibe personally and professionally, and by the end of the year, we knew we wanted to launch a business.

Our company, Decentralized Masters, came to life in 2022. We teach investors  most of whom have pretty traditional portfolios  about crypto investing. It took off quickly, and last year, we earned more than $30 million in revenue. I'm now a multimillionaire.
Syracuse, N.Y.  A former border patrol agent pleaded guilty to making several women expose their breasts to him while virtually processing their admission into the United States.

Shane Millan, 53, of Jefferson County, pleaded guilty in federal court in Syracuse Friday to two counts of deprivation of rights under color of law, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office in the Northern District of New York.

Millan was stationed at Wellesley Island on the St. Lawrence River in Jefferson County, prosecutors said in court papers.

He was tasked to process immigrants at the U.S.-Mexico border via webcam.

In August 2023, Millan was taking information from a woman in Eagle Pass, Texas who was with her 1-year-old daughter, prosecutors said in court documents. He told the woman that her files showed she had a tattoo on her chest, they said.

The woman said she had no tattoos, according to prosecutors. Millan told the woman to lift her shirt to expose her breasts to show she didnt have a tattoo.

Later in the interview, he made her do the same thing again, prosecutors said. The woman resisted, but Millan told her he wouldnt approve letting her into the country unless she showed her breasts again. She complied.

Ok, he said. " Welcome to the USA."

Later in August, he ordered a womans husband and children in Eagle Pass, Texas to leave the room so he could talk to the woman, prosecutors said.

He twice told the woman to show him she didnt have tattoos on her breasts. After she pulled her shirt down to show the tattoo on her collarbone, he told her to lift her shirt and bra so he could make sure there were none on her breasts.

Prosecutors said he similarly order other female immigrants to expose their breast to him.

Prosectors also said Millan used his computer to research Spanish phrases to compel women to expose themselves or to direct them to lift their shirts higher. One phrase he translated was For the safety of your pregnancy, I will need you to lift your shirt, please.

When he was doing the womens virtual processing for their admission to the United States, he commanded the victims to expose their breasts to him via webcam, prosecutors said.

Millan admitted that he told these women that his requests were for legitimate searches for their admission into the United States, but he knew his demands to see the victims breasts were for his own gratification.

In pleading guilty, Millan admitted that he deprived multiple victims of their Constitutional right to be free from unreasonable searches, federal prosecutors said.

Millan is scheduled to be sentenced on July 7 by United States Magistrate Judge Therese Wiley Dancks. He faces up to two years in prison and a fine of up to $200,000.
Tyjhier performs at the 2025 SAMMYS (Syracuse Area Music Awards) on Friday, March 7, 2025, at the Palace Theater in Eastwood. (Geoff Herbert | gherbert@syracuse.com) Geoff Herbert | gherbert@syracuse.com

If you live in Central New York and love music to the core of your soul, theres no better place to be than the Syracuse Area Music Awards.

The SAMMYS, CNYs version of the Grammys, crowned winners in 13 recording categories at the 2025 ceremony Friday night at the Palace Theatre in Eastwood. The event featured live performances, shout-outs to this years Hall of Fame inductees, and Peoples Choice awards for Best Artist or Band, Best Event or Music Series, Best Academic or Musical Organization, and Best Venue.

But above all, its a vibrant community of local artists gathering to celebrate each other and their passion for music.

I think the music scene in Central New York is one of the most welcoming, kindest (anywhere), said Mira Grimm, winner of this years Brian Bourke award for Best New Artist. The prize includes six hours of recording time from SubCat Studios.

Mira Grimm accepts the award for best new artist at the 2025 SAMMYS (Syracuse Area Music Awards) on Friday, March 7, 2025, at the Palace Theater in Eastwood. (Video still) Video still

Other notable winners include Jess Novak (Best Pop), The Ripcords (Best Americana), Jon Rogalia (Best Country), Root Shock (Best Jam Band), Backyard Wrestling (Best Rock), Karim Lesgooya (Best Hip-Hop), FB (Best R&B), Paper Rabbit (Best Alternative) and CNY Jazz Orchestra (Best Jazz). Nate Gross won Best Blues for the second year in a row.

Nate Gross Band won best blues at the 2025 SAMMYS (Syracuse Area Music Awards) on Friday, March 7, 2025, at the Palace Theater in Eastwood. (Geoff Herbert | gherbert@syracuse.com) Geoff Herbert | gherbert@syracuse.com

Variety was also celebrated with live performances by R&B standout Tyjhier, hip-hop group A Kid Called Danger, ska revivalists The Action! and 70s-80s rock band Alecstar.

Alecstar was inducted into the SAMMYS Hall of Fame on Thursday night, along with Ron Keck, Shiftys, Wilkesbury Brigade, Holly McCoy (Music Educator of the Year) and Matt Forger (Lifetime Achievement).

Alecstar performs at the 2025 SAMMYS (Syracuse Area Music Awards) on Friday, March 7, 2025, at the Palace Theater in Eastwood. (Geoff Herbert | gherbert@syracuse.com) Geoff Herbert | gherbert@syracuse.com

According to the SAMMYS Board, more than 270 recordings were submitted by 182 artists from Syracuse and the surrounding area for this years Syracuse Area Music Awards. An independent panel of music industry professionals and educators from around the country, led by Jim Elenteny, reviewed the submissions and made their selections based on their merit within their genre. Submissions were required to be commercially released between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2024, and available on streaming platforms Apple Music, Spotify or Tidal.

2025 Syracuse Area Music Awards Winners

BEST JAZZ

CNY Jazz Orchestra - If a White Horse From Jerusalem.

BEST AMERICANA

The Ripcords - White Cadillac

BEST JAM BAND

Root Shock - Rise

BEST POP

Jess Novak - WOMAN

BEST BLUES

Nate Gross Band - A Ride With the Devil

BEST OTHER STYLE

Max Scialdone - Somewhere In Paradise

BEST R&B

FB - Love Letter

BEST HIP-HOP OR RAP

Karim Lesgooya - The Lesgooya Mixtape 2

BEST COUNTRY

Jon Rogalia - Spinning Wheels

BEST ROCK

Backyard Wrestling - Jorts

BEST HARD ROCK

Into Shadow - Into Shadow

BEST ALTERNATIVE

Paper Rabbit - Havre de Grace

BEST SINGLE

Mbusi - Lets Fly

BEST NEW ARTIST (BRIAN BOURKE AWARD)

Mira Grimm

COMMUNITY SPIRIT AWARD

315 Thursdays Crew

JACK O BOCCHINO SPIRIT OF THE SAMMYS AWARD

Mike Kohli

PEOPLES CHOICE: LOCAL ARTIST OR BAND

Brass Inc

PEOPLES CHOICE: LOCAL EVENT OR MUSIC SERIES

Oswego Harborfest

PEOPLES CHOICE: LOCAL ACADEMIC OR MUSICAL ORGANIZATION

Camden High School Band

PEOPLES CHOICE: LOCAL VENUE

Good Life Tavern

* * * * *

The SAMMYS have recognized the best artists and albums from the Central New York music community since 1993. For more information, visit syracuseareamusic.com.

See more photos:

Karim Lesgoooya wins best hip-hop/rap recording at the 2025 SAMMYS (Syracuse Area Music Awards) on Friday, March 7, 2025, at the Palace Theater in Eastwood. (Geoff Herbert | gherbert@syracuse.com) Geoff Herbert | gherbert@syracuse.com

Vaporeyes performs at the 2025 SAMMYS (Syracuse Area Music Awards) on Friday, March 7, 2025, at the Palace Theater in Eastwood. (Geoff Herbert | gherbert@syracuse.com) Geoff Herbert | gherbert@syracuse.com

Joe Driscoll and Michael Haegerty accept the Community Spirit Award for the 315 Thursdays music series at the 2025 SAMMYS (Syracuse Area Music Awards) on Friday, March 7, 2025, at the Palace Theater in Eastwood. (Geoff Herbert | gherbert@syracuse.com) Geoff Herbert | gherbert@syracuse.com

A Kid Called Danger performs at the 2025 SAMMYS (Syracuse Area Music Awards) on Friday, March 7, 2025, at the Palace Theater in Eastwood. (Geoff Herbert | gherbert@syracuse.com) Geoff Herbert | gherbert@syracuse.com

The Ripcords won best Americana recording at the 2025 SAMMYS (Syracuse Area Music Awards) on Friday, March 7, 2025, at the Palace Theater in Eastwood. (Geoff Herbert | gherbert@syracuse.com) Geoff Herbert | gherbert@syracuse.com

Paper Rabbit accepts the award for best alternative recording at the 2025 SAMMYS (Syracuse Area Music Awards) on Friday, March 7, 2025, at the Palace Theater in Eastwood. (Geoff Herbert | gherbert@syracuse.com) Geoff Herbert | gherbert@syracuse.com

The Action! performs at the 2025 SAMMYS (Syracuse Area Music Awards) on Friday, March 7, 2025, at the Palace Theater in Eastwood. (Geoff Herbert | gherbert@syracuse.com) Geoff Herbert | gherbert@syracuse.com

Root Shock won best jam band at the 2025 SAMMYS (Syracuse Area Music Awards) on Friday, March 7, 2025, at the Palace Theater in Eastwood. (Geoff Herbert | gherbert@syracuse.com) Geoff Herbert | gherbert@syracuse.com
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.
"What are we going to do, hobble one of our main US runners in that race by breaking up that company? It seems ill-timed to do that."

And the tension for the Trump administration, he added, is that it is engaged in an existential fight with China for the future of key technologies, including artificial intelligence, and Google's parent company is still can be an important weapon for the US.

"The problem is if the Justice Department pursues these pretty wide-ranging remedies, the odds of losing increase."

"The Biden Justice Department proposed what I would call remedy spaghetti against the wall," Chamber of Progress CEO Adam Kovacevich, who previously led Google's US policy strategy and external affairs team, told Yahoo Finance.

Hearings to decide on remedies in this case are slated for April and May. Final recommendations from the government and Google are due to the judge today, giving a Trump-led DOJ one last chance to alter the prior Biden-era suggestion to the judge that Google be broken up.

The final decision on what happens to Google's $2 trillion empire will be in the hands of federal judge Amit Mehta , who ruled last August that Google illegally monopolized online markets for "general search" and "general search text.

Mark Zuckerberg's Meta is up next for trial, starting April 14, versus the Federal Trade Commission.

It is not the only Silicon Valley titan caught in the government's crosshairs. Apple ( AAPL ), Amazon ( AMZN ), and Meta ( META ) are all defending against their own antitrust lawsuits, some of which involve similar claims as the Google case.

"We routinely meet with regulators, including with the DOJ to discuss this case," a Google spokesperson said. "As we've publicly said, we're concerned the current proposals would harm the American economy and national security."

Google's new request to the DOJ, reported earlier by Bloomberg , is based on national security concerns. Google's cybersecurity protections for sensitive data like passwords and digital wallets are integrated across its widely used consumer and business technology products, including Chrome.

One recent plea came from Alphabets Google ( GOOG , GOOGL ). Last week it asked Trumps newly staffed Justice Department to rescind a Biden-era request that a judge force Google to divest its Chrome web browser and essentially break itself up.

Nearly every major US tech giant is defending against government-led antitrust claims, and they are all hoping for a reprieve from their new opponent: the Trump administration.

Story Continues

Googles search case is not the only matter it may need to negotiate with the new DOJ.

It is also a defendant in a US antitrust case that went to trial in a Virginia district court last year on the governments claim that it illegally blocked rivals from the online ad technology market. That case is pending a judges decision.

'Big Tech has run wild'

Antitrust experts have expressed mixed views over whether Trump's antitrust enforcers will go lighter than their predecessors on tech.

And those questions may be even more difficult to answer while Gail Slater, Trumps pick to lead the Justice Department, has yet to be confirmed.

That leaves this week's decision on what to recommend in the Google case to the acting assistant attorney general for antitrust, Omeed Assefi, who is in charge until the Senate signs off on Slater.

"Big Tech has run wild for years," Trump said in a December statement announcing Slaters appointment on his Truth Social platform, "stifling competition in our most innovative sector and, as we all know, using its market power to crack down on the rights of so many Americans, as well as those of Little Tech!"

"I was proud to fight these abuses in my First Term, and our Department of Justices antitrust team will continue that work under Gails leadership," Trump added.

It was Trumps first administration that initially sued Google over antitrust concerns. It was also during Trumps first administration that the FTC sought to unwind Metas (META) acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp, leading to the case that is now set for trial in April.

Mark Zuckerberg at the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th president of the United States on Jan. 20. Photo: Kenny Holston/Pool via REUTERS  via REUTERS / Reuters

Trump's first administration also launched an antitrust investigation into Apple (APPL), leading the Biden administration to sue the iPhone maker last year. That case has not been set for trial.

Trump has sent some mixed messages about how far he wants to go to hold tech firms accountable.

While campaigning, he was asked whether he supported a breakup of Google as an antidote to unhealthy competition in the search engine market. Trump suggested that Googles punishment could be accomplished without forcing it to sell off parts of its empire.

"What you can do without breaking it up is make sure its more fair," Trump said in an Oct. 15 interview. The former president described Googles search engine as "rigged" and expressed concern that consequences for Google in the case could favor China.

Google's CEO Sundar Pichai in December said of Trump that "in my conversations with him, hes definitely very focused on American competitiveness, particularly in technology, including AI."

When asked at a New York Times DealBook summit if Trump's election changes the dynamic for Google's antitrust case, he said, "This is a DOJ case, and the case is already in court," noting that it started under Trump's first term.

President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the Capitol on March 4. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)  ASSOCIATED PRESS

"So I dont have any particular insights into that." The company, he added, will "defend ourselves there."

What remedies it eventually faces could have giant implications for other big names in the tech world.

Apple tried and failed to intervene in Googles case to protect its multi-billion contracts with Google. Those contracts, which a judge could also undo, ensure iPhones and other Apple devices default to Google Search.

Even Google-backed artificial intelligence company Anthropic wants to lighten the consequences for the tech giant.

In a recent court filing, the startup asked the judge overseeing the case to allow it to file a friend of the court brief detailing how limits on Google could impact the race to develop AI.

So far, Trump's DOJ has pushed back on that request, asking the judge to disallow Anthropic from injecting its own views into the dispute.

'I think tech companies will be major winners'

Some of the tech giants are facing a different government foe: the Federal Trade Commission.

That's the case with Meta, where the FTC alleges the social media giant used its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp to stifle competition in the market for personal networking services like platforms such as its own companies, Facebook and Instagram, and third parties like Snapchat.

The FTC has asked California federal district court judge James Boasberg to unwind the two acquisitions based on claims that, under Metas control, they harm consumers.

That trial starts next month.

Amazon also is tangling with the FTC in one of three government-led antitrust lawsuits against it. Two cases are set for trial in 2026. One led by the FTC and 17 state attorneys general is scheduled to kick off in the US District Court for the Western District of Washington in October of that year.

The logo of Amazon Prime Delivery is seen on the trailer of a truck outside the company logistics center in northern France in 2019. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol  REUTERS / Reuters

The suit alleges Amazon illegally inflated prices on Amazon.com by punishing sellers who dropped their prices, and blocking sellers who declined Amazon's fulfillment service from Amazon Prime sales.

Northwestern University law professor Andrew Stoltmann told Yahoo Finance in November that he expected Trump to "neuter" the FTC and strip it of its power to enforce the nations competition laws so that companies with litigation already underway would benefit from lighter consequences.

"I think tech companies will be major winners," Stoltmann said.

Click here for the latest technology news that will impact the stock market

Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance
tasty911 BHPian

Join Date: Jan 2024 Location: Bangalore Posts: 99 Thanked: 707 Times

Short ride in new Chennai Highway





Route map





Thought of wearing my old jacket one last time. Its still functional, but colors have faded. One last time for sake of old memories. After the ride, I realized it provided better ventilation than my current one. So this will stay to ride another day.





The on ramp, while coming from Hoskote and going towards Venkatagirikota.





Morning selfie.





The highway was mostly empty. Few vehicles and no development on the side. The wild grass was blowing in the wind.





Non-operational toll booth.





Fields are abundant on both sides of the highway.





A small temple off the highway. This will get popular over time.

















Few Views of mostly empty road.





Small break for water. It was hot and there are no trees. The new highway is still to acquire a character of its own. Just endless tar, cement and concrete. I would take an old state highway any day.





The exit to KGF. There are very few exits. Between Hoskote and VGiriKota, there are only two exits.





Happy to get off the expressway.

The exit join the Bangarpet  Venkatagirikota highway.





First thing was to stop at a local shop for tea. Nearby, a lady was making bajji. Seeing me devouring them with my eyes, the owner encouraged me to have some. I didnt need more encouragement and helped myself to a plate. I also packed some food for the road from the tea shop.





The owner and his wife who was making the bhajjis.





I was on the NH75. Between Venkatagirikota and Mulbagal, it is more like a back road with lined trees and mango orchards. I stopped at one and plucked a couple for eating later.





The Gulmohar blooms are on their way out. I missed the peak blooms this year.





One thing I love about roads in Andhra and bordering areas is the big rock benches thoughtfully places under shady trees. I found one of those and parked myself for lunch and nap.





Picnic under the tree.





The I lay down looking up and admiring the gnarled trunk of the tree.



A quick nap later, I was back on the road.





At Mulbagal, I decided to go into town and pack myself a biryani. However, on reaching the shop, I found I was too early. The biryani was not ready.



So I headed to Prasad Hotel which is famous for Mulbagal Dosa. Its been a while since I went to Prasad and never so late in the morning. I have never seen the place so empty. Maybe because its late in the morning or due to some new dosa shops opening on the bypass.





Latest price list





Packed a few for myself and home. Happy to say, the quality is as good as it used to me. Definitely worth driving in to town from the bypass.



After than it was straight ride home.



Ride Month : June 2025

Distance : ~190Km Been wanting to ride for a few weeks, but could not get any time. Finally decided to go on a week day and check out the new Chennai highway. It still does not go all the way.Route mapThought of wearing my old jacket one last time. Its still functional, but colors have faded. One last time for sake of old memories. After the ride, I realized it provided better ventilation than my current one. So this will stay to ride another day.The on ramp, while coming from Hoskote and going towards Venkatagirikota.Morning selfie.The highway was mostly empty. Few vehicles and no development on the side. The wild grass was blowing in the wind.Non-operational toll booth.Fields are abundant on both sides of the highway.A small temple off the highway. This will get popular over time.Few Views of mostly empty road.Small break for water. It was hot and there are no trees. The new highway is still to acquire a character of its own. Just endless tar, cement and concrete. I would take an old state highway any day.The exit to KGF. There are very few exits. Between Hoskote and VGiriKota, there are only two exits.Happy to get off the expressway.The exit join the Bangarpet  Venkatagirikota highway.First thing was to stop at a local shop for tea. Nearby, a lady was making bajji. Seeing me devouring them with my eyes, the owner encouraged me to have some. I didnt need more encouragement and helped myself to a plate. I also packed some food for the road from the tea shop.The owner and his wife who was making the bhajjis.I was on the NH75. Between Venkatagirikota and Mulbagal, it is more like a back road with lined trees and mango orchards. I stopped at one and plucked a couple for eating later.The Gulmohar blooms are on their way out. I missed the peak blooms this year.One thing I love about roads in Andhra and bordering areas is the big rock benches thoughtfully places under shady trees. I found one of those and parked myself for lunch and nap.Picnic under the tree.The I lay down looking up and admiring the gnarled trunk of the tree.A quick nap later, I was back on the road.At Mulbagal, I decided to go into town and pack myself a biryani. However, on reaching the shop, I found I was too early. The biryani was not ready.So I headed to Prasad Hotel which is famous for Mulbagal Dosa. Its been a while since I went to Prasad and never so late in the morning. I have never seen the place so empty. Maybe because its late in the morning or due to some new dosa shops opening on the bypass.Latest price listPacked a few for myself and home. Happy to say, the quality is as good as it used to me. Definitely worth driving in to town from the bypass.After than it was straight ride home.Ride Month : June 2025Distance : ~190Km
What just happened? The Trump administration has announced a significant shift in the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, eliminating the preference for fiber Internet infrastructure. This change is expected to redirect substantial funding towards non-fiber technologies, such as Elon Musk's Starlink satellite service, potentially allocating between $10 billion and $20 billion to such providers.

This move marks a departure from the Biden administration's approach, which emphasized fiber-optic networks as the most future-proof and reliable option for broadband deployment.

The BEAD program was authorized by Congress in November 2021, with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) developing rules under the Biden administration. These rules prioritized end-to-end fiber-optic architecture due to its ability to be easily upgraded by replacing equipment at the ends of fiber-optic facilities.

This approach also supports the deployment of 5G and other advanced wireless services, which rely heavily on fiber for backhaul. However, the Trump administration has criticized these rules as overly restrictive and ineffective.

Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick has been vocal about the need for change, stating that the program has not connected anyone to the Internet due to "woke mandates, favoritism towards certain technologies, and burdensome regulations."

The Trump administration is adopting a "tech-neutral" approach to provide Internet access at the lowest cost to taxpayers. This shift includes exploring ways to cut government red tape that slows down infrastructure construction to deliver high-speed Internet access efficiently and effectively.

The decision to end the fiber preference has been criticized by Democrats and advocacy groups. House Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr., accused Republicans of undermining efforts to deploy reliable and affordable broadband, labeling Elon Musk as a "grifter."

The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society expressed concerns that the shift could leave millions with slower and less reliable Internet, as fiber broadband offers faster speeds, higher bandwidth, and symmetrical upload and download speeds, making it ideal for demanding applications like telehealth and gaming.

Despite these concerns, the Trump administration is moving forward with changes, aiming to reduce bureaucratic hurdles and expedite infrastructure construction. Republicans are also proposing legislative changes to eliminate what they see as burdensome conditions imposed by the Biden administration.

Meanwhile, Starlink could benefit significantly from these changes, potentially gaining access to substantial funding through both the BEAD program and other federal initiatives. The Federal Communications Commission could also direct more money to Starlink through universal service programs, although the FCC is not directly involved in the BEAD program.

The shift in policy has also raised questions about conflicts of interest, particularly given Elon Musk's role in the Trump administration. Recent reports suggest that Starlink could take over a $2 billion contract with the Federal Aviation Administration, although SpaceX has denied seeking to replace existing contracts. The FCC's newly appointed chairman, Brendan Carr, has expressed support for Starlink, potentially paving the way for future grant awards.
Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years.TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust

The big picture: A recent analysis of emissions data from the Carbon Majors database has revealed a troubling trend: emissions from the world's largest oil, gas, coal, and cement producers increased in 2023 compared to the previous year. This rise is particularly alarming given the overwhelming scientific evidence linking greenhouse gas emissions to catastrophic global warming.

The data indicates that over 50 percent of these emissions can be attributed to just 36 high-emitting companies, with state-owned enterprises playing a significant role.

In 2023, 93 companies in the database increased their emissions, including 50 investor-owned firms. State-owned enterprises dominated global emissions, with 16 of the top 20 state-owned emitters contributing 52 percent. Chinese companies were particularly prominent, accounting for 23 percent of global fossil fuel and cement-related CO emissions, maintaining their lead from the previous year.

Cement emissions saw a significant rise, with four of the five companies experiencing the greatest relative increases in emissions being cement producers: Holcim Group, Heidelberg Materials, UltraTech Cement, and CRH.

Biggest CO emitters in the fossil fuel industry (2023 data) State owned companies Aramco (Saudi Arabia) 1,839 Coal India (India) 1,548 CHN Energy (China) 1,533 NIOC (Iran) 1,262 Jinneng Group (China) 1,228 Private companies ExxonMobil (US) 562 Chevron (US) 487 Shell (UK) 418 TotalEnergies (France) 359 BP (UK) 347

The Carbon Majors database has been instrumental in advancing climate accountability worldwide. It has been used as evidence in legal cases and regulatory actions, including supporting Climate Superfund laws in Vermont and New York.

The database has also been referenced in efforts to quantify the role of fossil fuel companies in exacerbating extreme weather events and in legal advocacy for potential criminal charges against fossil fuel executives.

The top five state-owned emitters  Saudi Aramco, Coal India, CHN Energy, National Iranian Oil Co., and Jinneng Group  were responsible for 17.4 percent of global CO emissions in 2023. Meanwhile, the top five investor-owned emitters  ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell, TotalEnergies, and BP  accounted for 4.9 percent of global emissions.

If Saudi Aramco were a country, it would rank as the fourth largest emitter globally, while ExxonMobil's emissions are comparable to Germany's.

The dataset, which spans emissions from 1854 to 2023, reveals that 67.5 percent of anthropogenic industrial CO emissions since the Industrial Revolution can be traced to 180 corporate and state-producing entities.

The International Energy Agency has emphasized that new fossil fuel projects initiated after 2021 are incompatible with achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, an increasingly urgent goal as global emissions continue to rise.

To meet the internationally agreed target of limiting temperature rise to 1.5C, global emissions must decrease by 45 percent by 2030. However, with emissions still on the rise, the challenge of mitigating climate change remains daunting.
An experienced software engineer has been convicted of carrying out a cyberattack on his ex-employer, resulting in colossal disruptions and monetary losses.

The developer reportedly deployed malware for the cyberattack in a unique scheme that works like a kill switch.

Software Engineer Sabotages Employer's Systems

According to The Register, the Cleveland federal jury has convicted Davis Lu, a 55-year-old Houston, Texas-based senior software engineer, of knowingly destroying protected computer systems. Lu, who was an employee at Eaton Corporation between November 2007 and October 2019, now risks spending up to 10 years behind bars.

Lu's collapse started in 2019 when a corporate restructuring demoted him, stripping him of job duties and server privileges. This seeming grievance provided the background for a sophisticated cyberattack on his employer.

Malware Attack Cripples Operations

Lu carried out a highly advanced malware attack on Eaton Corporation's production systems on 9 August 2019. Prosecutors confirmed that he created a Java program that would produce an endless loop of non-cancelable threads, consuming resources until the system went down. This effectively shut down employees from accessing their accounts and interfered with business activities.

Agents learned that Lu's user account had run the malicious code on a production server based in Kentucky. Interestingly, he was the lone member of his team who possessed access rights to the infected development machine.

The 'Kill Switch'A Devastating Blow

In a deliberate action, Lu also had a kill switchaptly named "IsDLEnabledinAD" and a nod to his own namethat was activated if his credentials were ever revoked. When he was officially fired on September 9, 2019, this kill switch engaged, locking out tens of thousands of employees around the globe and resulting in widespread financial losses.

More probes revealed that Lu had also authored code intended to corrupt users' files. He had cleverly labeled some of his malicious programs "Hakai" (meaning 'destruction' in Japanese) and "HunShui" (meaning 'sleep' in Chinese), solidifying his intention to destroy the company.

Evidence of Intent: A Digital Trail of Destruction

Officials tracked Lu's web search history and discovered several related to privilege escalation, data erasure, and process hidingmeaning he had planned his attack. Additionally, when he returned his company laptop, forensic analysis revealed he had tried to erase encrypted files, wipe Linux OS directories, and delete two important code projects.

On October 7, 2019, Lu admitted to federal authorities that he was guilty of the system failures at Eaton Corporation. He later changed his mind and pleaded not guilty in court, but one that did not ultimately persuade the jury.

The Eaton Corporation cyberattack might be a wake-up call for companies to improve their cybersecurity systems, particularly when handling employee terminations. Organizations must implement robust monitoring, limit access privileges, and quickly revoke credentials to mitigate such risks.
Altria (NYSE: MO) and British American Tobacco (NYSE: BTI) both have attractively large yields, at 7.4% and 7.7%, respectively. By comparison, the S&P 500 index is only yielding 1.2% while the average consumer staples stock has a yield of roughly 2.7%. There's just one problem: The main product made by these two companies, cigarettes, is in decline. But there's a difference in the rates of decline Altria and British American Tobacco are facing.

Selling smokes is a tough business

Cigarettes were once viewed as cool and it wasn't a stigma to be a smoker. The realization that these tobacco products are addictive and cause cancer changed all of that. And today the business is facing a long-running decline in volumes. This is particularly true in North America, where Altria is focused. But it isn't a trend that's unique to North America, as globally diversified British American Tobacco has been dealing with ongoing volume declines as well.

Image source: Getty Images.

The numbers are troubling. Altria's volume declined 9.7% in 2022, 9.9% in 2023, and 10.2% in 2024. Not only is the rate of decline shocking, but it appears to be getting worse. If this were any other consumer staples company, investors would be running for the hills.

British American Tobacco's global diversification has helped to soften the declines, but they are still a big issue. In 2022 its volume declined 5.1%, in 2023 the drop was 5.3%, and in 2024 it was 5%. The 2023 and 2024 volume numbers exclude the impact of the sale of the company's Russian and Belarus businesses.

For an investor interested in a high-yield stock, it certainly looks like the fundamentals underpinning British American Tobacco's business are stronger given these volume trends. But does that mean you should buy it?

There's only just so long this can go on

So far, both Altria and British American Tobacco have used the same basic game plan to deal with falling volumes: They have been raising prices. That has worked out well, allowing both to support and even grow their dividends despite the fact that their businesses continue to hemorrhage customers. It seems likely that raising prices can only go on for so long before there's an inflection point and the price increases simply make the volume decline speed up. Given the trend at Altria, that time might be now for the maker of Marlboro.

British American Tobacco has the rest of the world to help offset the hit it is taking in the United States, but there's still a notable highlight to consider here. In 2023 the company changed the way it accounts for its U.S. brands, effectively admitting that they are likely to be worthless in a little less than 30 years. That's a massive admission as to the depth of the problem the company, and the industry more broadly, face today.
At least six dead, hospital evacuated in Argentina floods



Buenos Aires, March 7 (AFP) Mar 07, 2025



At least six people have been killed in floods caused by torrential rain in the Argentine port city of Bahia Blanca, local authorities said Friday.

Seven hours of nonstop downpours left the city of 350,000 people -- located 600 kilometers (about 375 miles) south of the capital Buenos Aires -- largely under water, and forced authorities to evacuate the Jose Penna hospital.

Television images showed medical personnel evacuating babies from the hospital's neonatal unit, and the army was deployed to assist in the city's rescue efforts.

In all, around 1,000 people were brought to safety.

Bahia Blanca's airport was closed until further notice.

The provincial government said it was sending helicopters, canoes, ambulances and trucks bearing food, water and equipment to the stricken city.

Argentina's defense and security ministers were en route to the city to assess the situation.
By Joe Cash

BEIJING (Reuters) -China's imports unexpectedly shrank over the January-February period, while exports lost momentum, as escalating tariff pressures from the United States cast a shadow over the recovery in the world's second-largest economy.

The first two months of the year saw the opening salvo of a renewed U.S.-China trade war, with U.S. President Donald Trump imposing an extra 10% levy on Chinese goods, arguing Beijing had not done enough to stem the flow of the deadly opioid fentanyl.

That called time on exporters' efforts to front-load shipments ahead of the curbs while production also slowed as Chinese workers downed tools for the Lunar New Year festival.

Analysts say the slump in imports signals Beijing has begun scaling back purchases of key commodities, as it prepares for four more years of gruelling trade tensions with the second Trump administration.

"The drop in imports is seen across grains, iron ore and crude oil, and could be related to China's own consideration of building strategic reserves," said Xu Tianchen, senior economist at the Economist Intelligence Unit.

"China may have imported too many of them in 2024, and needs to scale back the purchase volume," he added. "This is certainly true for iron ore, as steel production clearly exceeds what is needed by the economy."

Export momentum had up until now been a bright spot for an economy otherwise struggling with weak household and business confidence caused by a prolonged property market debt crisis.

Imports fell 8.4% year-on-year, customs data showed on Friday, missing the 1% growth forecast in a Reuters poll of economists and a 1% uptick in December.

Exports from the largest manufacturing nation rose just 2.3% over the same period, missing expectations for a 5% increase and slowing from December's 10.7% gain.

China's customs agency publishes combined January and February trade data to smooth out distortions caused by the shifting timing of the Lunar New Year, which fell between January 28 and February 4 this year.

"(Slowing exports) may be partly due to the slowdown of export front loading, which was strong late last year to avoid the trade war," said Zhang Zhiwei, chief economist at Pinpoint Asset Management.

"The sharp decline of imports may reflect both weak domestic demand as well as a decline in imports for processing trade," he added.

"The damage of higher U.S. tariffs on China's goods will likely show up next month."

Imports by state-owned enterprises shrank 20.6% compared with a 2.7% rise among private firms, the customs data showed, suggesting the world's largest commodities importer is relying more on stockpiles, given the dominant role of state-backed buyers.
Six dead, hundreds evacuated in Argentina floods



Buenos Aires, March 7 (AFP) Mar 07, 2025



Six people died and hundreds were evacuated in the Argentine port city of Bahia Blanca Friday as torrential rains flooded homes and hospitals, destroyed roads and forced authorities to cut the power.

Eight hours of nonstop rain left the city of 350,000 people largely under water, and forced authorities to evacuate the Jose Penna hospital.

Television images showed medical personnel evacuating babies from the hospital's neonatal unit, and the army was deployed to assist in rescue efforts.

Some 1,000 people were evacuated to safety in the city about 600 kilometers (about 375 miles) south of the capital Buenos Aires.

Municipal officials said six people were confirmed to have died, but the toll could still rise.

The city received more than 400 millimeters of rain in just hours -- equivalent to what it normally gets in a year, "something unprecedented," according to Javier Alonso, security minister for the Buenos Aires province.

"The biggest storm in Bahia Blanca was in 1930, with 175 millimeters. This is almost three times bigger," said Alonso.

Bahia Blanca's airport was closed until further notice, and officials cut off part of the power supply to reduce the risk of electric shocks.

The provincial government said it was sending helicopters, canoes, ambulances and trucks bearing food, water and equipment to the stricken city.

The coast guard was assisting in the rescue with inflatable boats.

"It was raining, and suddenly we saw the street was flooded. About a meter-and-a-half of water came into my house," Flavia Viera Romero, who rescued her children from the deluge, told the LN+ channel.

The city remains on alert from the meteorological service for new storms.
Cyclone Alfred downgraded to tropical low as it nears Australia



Labrador, Australia, March 7 (AFP) Mar 07, 2025



Cyclone Alfred weakened into a tropical low Saturday as it neared the rain and wind-lashed eastern coast of Australia where hundreds of thousands of properties were without power.

The former tropical cyclone lay about 65 kilometres (40 miles) off the coast of the Queensland capital Brisbane, government forecasters said in a final update.

Though now without gale-force winds, the storm was slowly moving towards the coast and delivering intense rain before it was expected to cross over the mainland later in the day.

"Despite its weakening, heavy rainfall is likely to continue over southeast Queensland and northeast New South Wales during the weekend," the bureau of meteorology said.

The rains could still lead to "dangerous and life-threatening" flash flooding along the 400-kilometre (250-mile) stretch of coastline straddling the two states.

One man was still missing after his four-wheel drive vehicle was swept off a bridge into a rain-swollen river the previous day in northern New South Wales.

He clambered out of the vehicle and tried in vain to cling to a branch in the river.

"The man was swept from the tree and seen to go beneath the water where he has not been sighted since," police said in a statement.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said there were "grave concerns" for the man.

"While it has been downgraded, very serious risks remain so it is important that people do not take this downgrading as a reason for complacency," Albanese told a news conference.

"Its impact will be serious and will intensify over coming hours and indeed over coming days."

- Flood warnings -

Rains still pose a threat to engorged rivers across the region, bureau meteorologist Daniel Hayes told AFP, with some rivers approaching major flood levels.

In Lismore -- a northern New South Wales city hit by deadly floods in 2022 -- the Wilsons River might threaten a 10.6-metre (35-foot) protective levee, he said.

"It is still quite possible that it will reach the levee and then go over the top," he said.

A "staggering" number of more than 239,000 properties in southeast Queensland were without power on Saturday morning after winds toppled power lines or blew trees and debris into them, utility group Energex said.

It had been too dangerous for crews to work in some blacked-out areas, Energex Brisbane area manager Chris Graham told national broadcaster ABC.

Another 39,000 homes and businesses were without power in northern New South Wales, regional provider Essential Energy said, warning that floods could complicate repair operations.
Ten dead, hundreds evacuated in Argentina floods



Buenos Aires, March 8 (AFP) Mar 08, 2025



At least ten people were killed and more than a thousand evacuated in the Argentine port city of Bahia Blanca on Friday as torrential rains flooded homes and hospitals, destroyed roads and forced officials to cut power.

Eight hours of nonstop rain left the city of 350,000 people largely underwater, and forced authorities to evacuate the Jose Penna hospital.

Television images showed medical personnel evacuating babies from the hospital's neonatal unit, and the army was deployed to assist in rescue efforts.

Some 1,321 people were evacuated to safety in the city, which is about 600 kilometers (about 375 miles) south of the capital Buenos Aires, according to Mayor Federico Susbielles' office. The national government authorised emergency aid of 10 billion pesos (about 9.2 million dollars).

The city received more than 400 millimeters (15 inches) of rain in just hours -- equivalent to what it normally gets in a year, "something unprecedented," according to Javier Alonso, security minister for Buenos Aires province.

"The biggest storm in Bahia Blanca was in 1930, with 175 millimeters. This is almost three times bigger," said Alonso.



- 'A wall of water' -



Bahia Blanca's airport was closed until further notice, and officials cut off part of the power supply to reduce the risk of electric shocks.

The provincial government said it was sending helicopters, canoes, ambulances and trucks bearing food, water and equipment to the stricken city.

The coast guard was assisting in the rescue with inflatable boats.

"It was raining, and suddenly we saw the street was flooded. About a meter-and-a-half of water came into my house," Flavia Viera Romero, who rescued her children from the deluge, told the LN+ channel.

The city remains on alert from the meteorological service for new storms.

Flood waters reached the wards of the Jose Penna intensive care hospital, one of the main hospitals in Bahia Blanca, forcing the emergency evacuation of patients and staff.

Images on television news and social media showed nurses and doctors with sick babies in their arms fleeing the hospital.

"It was raining and suddenly we saw water in the street. A wall of water about a meter-and-a-half high entered my house," householder Flavia Viera Romero told the LN+ channel.

"We are with my family, we took refuge in the truck," she said.

The streets of Bahia Blanca slope towards the sea, and tidal waters increased the current of the flood, sweeping away vehicles and debris from wrecked homes.

Bahia Blanca has a sad history of climate catastrophes: in December 2023, a windstorm left 13 dead, collapsed homes and caused extensive damage to the city.
36 injured in Australian army truck accident on storm deployment



Sydney, March 8 (AFP) Mar 08, 2025



Two army trucks on a storm aid deployment in eastern Australia collided on Saturday, injuring 36 people, with some rushed to multiple hospitals, emergency services and police said.

Australian Defence Force personnel were injured when the trucks crashed southwest of the flood-prone city of Lismore, New South Wales police said in a statement.

Police sent specialist rescue units to the scene while the state's ambulance service dispatched teams of paramedics including two helicopters, officials said.

"A total of 36 patients was the last count I had," said a spokesman for New South Wales Ambulance, adding that some of the injured were taken to four hospitals.

The spokesman said he was not authorised to give further details of the defence personnel's condition.

After the crash a large army truck lay on its side across a road surrounded by emergency services and army personnel, a photograph of the scene in the Sydney Morning Herald showed.

Some of the troops' injuries were serious, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a joint statement with the defence minister.

"Right now our focus is on the welfare of those involved and their families," they said.

"Our ADF heroes were on their way to help Australians in need."

Australian troops have been deployed to help people cope with the impact of ex-tropical cyclone Alfred, which has lashed a swathe of the eastern coast with heavy rain and powerful winds.

A Defence Department spokesperson said the Australian Defence Force troops were providing "community support" to Lismore after the storm.

"The welfare of ADF members and their families is a priority and Defence's focus is on supporting those involved," the spokesperson said.

Police said a specialist unit would investigate the circumstances of the crash.
Attack on Iran nuclear plant would leave Gulf without water, Qatar PM warns



Dubai, March 8 (AFP) Mar 08, 2025



Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani has warned that an attack on Iran's Gulf coast nuclear facilities would leave countries across the region without water.

In an interview with right-wing United States media personality Tucker Carlson, who is close to US President Donald Trump, the premier said Doha had simulated the effects of an attack,

The sea would be "entirely contaminated" and Qatar would "run out of water in three days", he said.

The construction of reservoirs since then had increased water capacity, he added, but the risk remained for "all of us" in the region.

"No water, no fish, nothing... no life," Sheikh Mohammed added in the interview published on Friday, the same day that Trump said he had invited Iran to nuclear talks.

Alluding to military action, Trump said he would "rather see a peace deal" but that "the other will solve the problem".

Qatar, which sits 190 kilometres (120 miles) south of Iran, relies heavily on desalination for its water supply, as do other Gulf Arab countries in the arid desert region.

Iran has a nuclear power plant at Bushehr on the Gulf coast, though its uranium enrichment facilities, key to building atomic weapons, are located hundreds of kilometres (miles) inland.

Referring to sites "on the other side of the coast", Sheikh Mohammed said Qatar had "not only military concerns, but also security and... safety concerns".

He said Qatar opposed military action against Iran and that it would "not give up until we see a diplomatic solution between the US and Iran".

Tehran was "willing to engage", he said.

"They are willing to get to a level that creates comforts for everybody. And most importantly, they are focused on mending their relationship with the region, and that's something in itself."

Western powers have long accused Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons, which it denies. In 2015, it signed a deal to lift sanctions in exchange for reining in its nuclear programme, but Trump withdrew from the deal in 2018 during his first term.
Argentina port city 'destroyed' by massive rainstorm, 13 dead



Buenos Aires, March 8 (AFP) Mar 08, 2025



Argentina's port city of Bahia Blanca has been "destroyed" after being pummeled by a year's worth of rain in a matter of hours, killing 13 and driving hundreds from their homes, authorities said Saturday.

Two young girls -- who local media said are aged four and one -- were missing after possibly being swept away by floodwaters from Friday's storm.

The deluge left hospital rooms underwater, turned neighborhoods into islands and cut electricity to swaths of the city. National Security Minister Patricia Bullrich said Bahia Blanca was "destroyed."

The death toll rose to 13 on Saturday, up from 10 on Friday, authorities said.

The mayor's office said more casualties were possible in this city of 350,000 residents, located 600 kilometers (370 miles) southwest of the capital Buenos Aires.

The missing girls "may have been carried away by the water," Bullrich told Radio Mitre.

At least five of the victims died on flooded roadways, possibly after being trapped in their cars by fast-rising water.

The storm forced the evacuation of Jose Penna hospital, with news footage and video shared on social media showing nurses and other medical staff carrying babies to safety. They were later assisted by the army.

The downpour, which began Friday morning, dumped more than 400 millimeters (15.7 inches) of rain in the area in just eight hours, "practically what Bahia Blanca gets in an entire year," provincial security minister Javier Alonso said.

"This is unprecedented," he added.



- Scenes of desolation -



Local media showed images of flooded shops and reported overnight looting.

The government has authorized emergency reconstruction aid of 10 billion pesos ($9.2 million at the official exchange rate).

The storm left much of the surrounding coastal area without power. At one point, city officials in Bahia Blanco suspended electricity due to the huge amount of water in the streets.

The number of evacuees on Saturday stood at 850, down from a peak of 1,321, according to the mayor's office.

Bahia Blanca has suffered past weather-related disasters, including a storm in December 2023 that claimed 13 lives. It caused houses to collapse and provoked widespread infrastructure damage.

Heavy rains also fell Friday night in the resort town of Mar del Plata, with officials suspending evening activities and urging people to remain indoors.

Buenos Aires was also hit by the storm but suffered no major damage.
The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

An Amazon delivery driver has been arrested and charged with sexually assaulting a woman and a girl while he was delivering packages in the Los Angeles area, according to the Glendale Police Department.

The driver, Los Angeles resident Fernando Barreto-Hernandez, 24, was identified on Wednesday as a suspect in the attacks, according to KTLA.

One of the alleged assaults took place in late January when the delivery driver approached a woman walking in the L.A. suburb of Glendale and sexually assaulted her, police reported.

Barreto-Hernandez was arrested three days later on unrelated charges stemming from an incident that had occurred in Los Angeles last December.

In that incident, Barreto-Hernandez was accused of sexually assaulting an underage girl while he was delivering packages.

Fernando Barreto-Hernandez, 24, of Los Angeles was arrested this month for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman and a girl while he was working as a delivery driver for Amazon ( Glendale Police Department )

He appeared in court last month for the first alleged assault, and was charged with the Glendale assault following the hearing.

The LA County District Attorney's Office has filed both felony and misdemeanor charges against Barreto-Hernandez for both alleged attacks. Barreto-Hernandez was later released after he posted bond. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The driver has worked for several companies running deliveries, including Amazon, Amazon Flex, and FedEx, according to police.

Detectives believe there may be more victims, and have asked anyone else who may have been assaulted by the suspect to come forward.

Barreto-Hernandez has worked for multiple delivery companies, the city said in a statement. Anyone with information related to the identification of additional victims is urged to contact detectives from the Glendale Police Departments Assaults Unit.
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

Imprisoned crypto fraudster Sam Bankman-Fried reportedly landed in solitary confinement after he praised the GOP in a jailhouse interview with Tucker Carlson in an apparent ploy to win a pardon from Donald Trump.

Bankman-Fried ended up in solitary after he failed to obtain permission for the interview from the Federal Bureau of Prisons, The New York Times reported Friday. The interview took place on a video call in a side room of the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center on Thursday, which was Bankman-Frieds 33rd birthday.

Bankman-Fried appeared to attempt to curry favor with the GOP and Trump in the interview as he told Carlson that he began to turn his back on Democrats years ago and developed a better relationship with Republicans.

I dont think Im a criminal, he also told Carlson at prison, where he noted that fellow inmate Sean Diddy Combs, who has been charged with sex crimes, has been kind to him.

Bankman-Fried was sentenced to 25 years in prison in 2023 after his conviction on seven counts of wire and securities fraud and money laundering in the collapse of his crypto exchange, FTX.

He misappropriated billions of dollars of customer funds deposited with FTX, defrauded FTX investors of more than $1.7bn, and defrauded lenders to his cryptocurrency trading fund Alameda of more than $1.3bn, according to the Department of Justice.

Bankman-Frieds plans for a comeback as FTX was imploding was to go on Tucker Carlsen, come out as Republican, according to notes to himself revealed in an exhibit in the federal case against him.

He and his family have reportedly been stepping up a drive to win a pardon from Trump.

Bankman-Frieds parents, Joe Bankman and Barbara Fried, both Stanford University law professors who are active in the Democratic Party, are consulting with Kory Langhofer, an Arizona lawyer who worked for Trumps 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns, The Times reported.

Theres no indication they have had any contact yet with Trump or with a close adviser, according to the newspaper.

Bankman-Fried told Carlson that he had a change of heart on Democrats.

"In 2020, I was center-left and I gave to Biden's campaign. I was optimistic he would be a center-left president ... [but] I was really, really shocked by what I saw there ... and not in a good direction, he said.

Bankman-Fried claimed he gradually developed a better relationship with Republicans, and underscored his deep pockets at the time. By late 2022 I was giving to Republicans as much as Democrats, he told Carlson.

In another bow to Republicans and Trump, Bankman-Fried co-wrote an opinion piece in The Washington Post last month arguing that Mr Trumps plans for a sovereign wealth fund could help dramatically increase corporate productivity.

As for Combs, who is on the same cellblock as Bankman-Fried, he said: Ive only seen one piece of him, which is Diddy in prison, and hes been kind to people in the unit; hes been kind to me, Its a position no one wants to be in, he added, apparently referring to imprisonment, or imprisonment facing the charges hes facing.

Trump has already pardoned hordes of criminals, including some 1,500 MAGA supporters whom he hailed as patriots who stormed the nations Capitol on January 6, 2021, to overturn the results of the presidential election of Joe Biden.

Dozens of the defendants also had prior convictions or pending charges for crimes including rape, sexual abuse of a minor, domestic violence, manslaughter, production of child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking, according to records.

Some have since been re-arrested for outstanding crimes or new ones committed after their release.

Trump also recently pardoned Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the notorious Silk Road internet drug marketplace. He was serving a life sentence.
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

More than 1,600 people have been put to death in the U.S. in the last half-century. Only three have been by firing squad.

South Carolina is set to make it four Friday evening when it is scheduled to kill Brad Sigmon by firing squad. Idaho is now looking to add to the count, further.

The state - which is home to famous killers such as Chad Daybell and suspects such as Bryan Kohberger - wants to remodel or build a facility to execute its death row prisoners by firing squad. A lack of the lethal cocktail needed in the more traditional injection executions has forced states to find alternative ways to carry out death sentences.

Idahos push to bring back firing squads, has faced backlash. The states major construction union has said it will not participate. Opponents of the method paint it as barbaric.

It has left the state unable to fulfill its hope of returning to firing squad deaths.

What is lawful and what is ethical are two separate inquiries; acting lawfully may not equate to acting ethically, wrote Andrew C Erstad, chair of the Idaho Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, to Governor Brad Little, the Department of Administration and Department of Public Works in February 2024 following a government request for construction bids.

open image in gallery Idaho's execution table. State lawmakers passed a bill in 2023 that allowed firing squads to be used as a backup method to lethal injections ( Idaho Department of Correction )

Building A Facility

The chapter prohibits its 420 members from building facilities related to execution, explained Erstad. Designing spaces intended to end human life is inconsistent with the ideal of upholding human rights.

The Independent obtained a cache of documents through an open records request revealing the difficulties Idaho correctional officials have faced in recruiting designers to build its new firing squad facility after the passage of a 2023 bill cementing the method as a backup to lethal injections.

Idaho Department of Correction Director Josh Tewalt noted the issue in a 2024 letter to staff following the states failed attempt at executing Thomas Creech, a 74-year-old serial killer convicted of murdering five people. Executioners tried putting Creech to death via lethal injection but couldnt establish an IV line after trying eight times. His veins kept collapsing, department officials said.

The states inability to kill Creech, Tewalt noted, prompted questions about using a firing squad as a secondary execution method for Idahos nine death row prisoners  so the department began working to retrofit F Block, our current execution chamber, and accommodate a firing squad.

Those initial efforts were unsuccessful because contractors who would engage in this type of work have expressed their unwillingness to work on a project related to executions, Tewalt admitted, adding, Efforts are ongoing.

Once the state passed the firing squad bill, lawmakers appropriated $750,000 to remodel Idahos execution chamber at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution in Ada County. The total estimated cost ballooned to $1.26 million, with anticipated changes including ballistic glazing and detention doors.

But construction hasnt started yet, a Division of Public Works spokesperson said in an email, claiming the Department of Corrections has held up the renovations.

An IDOC spokesperson confirmed construction has not begun but did not clarify what is causing the delay.

open image in gallery The front of Idaho's F block. The state is considering spending $1.2m to retrofit the facility to accommodate firing squad executions ( Idaho Department of Correction )

Design Difficulties

Department officials havent finalized firing squad policies and procedures, the spokesperson continued, pronouncing the department is now considering the use of a remote-operated weapons system alongside traditional firing squad methods.

No additional details were provided.

So far, at least one company  Okland Construction  has held discussions relating to performing the work, according to emails and an estimate submitted by the firm mentioning an Action Squad space. Okland has a history of building and designing correctional facilities.

However, the company appeared skeptical it could find collaborators to finish the job.

We reached out to several design firms to help and they have all declined, Okland Director Ben Petzinger wrote in an email last year to an IDOC project manager. It doesnt look promising that we would be successful in finding a design/build partner given the American Institute of Architects' stance on designing this part of a correctional facility.

Okland and Petzinger did not respond to emailed requests for comment.

Despite the construction lag, state lawmakers are doubling down on their efforts to make firing squad executions a reality. In February, the state House overwhelmingly passed legislation that would make firing squads Idahos primary way of putting inmates to death. The bill passed the Senate Wednesday and is awaiting Littles signature, bringing Idaho one step closer to being the only state in the nation with such a policy.

Mixed Opinions

During public comments regarding the legislation last month, several Idaho residents voiced their support for the then-proposed bill.

Daniel Murphy, of Boise, suggested Idahoans might even donate the bullets needed for executions.

He quoted Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayors 2017 comments issued as part of a dissent in which she said: In addition to being near instant, death by shooting may also be comparatively painless. Sotomayor made the remarks in response to an Alabama inmate whod requested to be executed via firing squad.

Take six rounds of [5.56x45mm] and eight rifles... The job is complete, continued Murphy.

Speaking in opposition, Kate Lopez, a Twin Falls resident, questioned how firing squad executions would work. As I understand it, death by firing squad requires a hood over the head, restraints on the limbs, targets to the heart, she said. The state must fund the facilities using my taxpayer dollars that I would prefer be spent on education.

open image in gallery Bryan Kohberger enters a courtroom for a hearing in Moscow, Idaho, in 2023. If Kohberger is found guilty and sentenced to death for murdering four University of Idaho students, he could be executed by firing squad

Only four other states  Utah, South Carolina, Oklahoma and Mississippi  allow firing squad executions. Yet, none of the states use them as a primary method. The last firing squad execution was in 2010 in Utah.

Idaho has eight men and one woman on death row. All of the men have been convicted of murder, including Daybell, who was sentenced to death in June for killing his first wife and the two children of his second wife, Lori Vallow.

Robin Row, the only female death row inmate, was convicted of the 1992 arson deaths of her husband, son and daughter in Ada County.

One high-profile accused killer who might join them is 30-year-old Kohberger, who has been charged in connection to the stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students: Ethan Chapin, 20, Xana Kernodle, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21.

On November 13, 2022, , Kohberger allegedly entered the home the three women shared around 4 a.m. and murdered the victims. Latah County Coroner Cathy Mabbutt told reporters each victim was stabbed with a large knife and there was quite a bit of blood at the crime scene. Police discovered the bodies on the victims beds, leading them to think they were asleep when they were attacked.

Kohbergers trial is set to start in August. Prosecutors have said theyll seek the death penalty if he is convicted. On Tuesday, his attorneys filed a 28-page motion insisting he shouldnt be executed because he has autism.

The Future Of Executions

Challenges with renovating the states execution chamber underscore ongoing obstacles to capital punishment. Lethal injection manufacturers are hard to come by out of fear of criticism from the general public. That has led to a shortage of the drugs needed.

Six states  Arkansas, California, Kentucky, Louisiana, Montana and North Carolina  have a de facto moratorium on executions due to challenges with lethal injections. In Idahos case, the state hasnt executed anyone since 2012.

open image in gallery Chad Daybell sits and closes his eyes after the jury's verdict in his murder trial was read at the Ada County Courthouse in Boise, Idaho, in May. Daybell was convicted of killing his wife and his new girlfriend's two youngest kids. He too could face a firing squad in Idaho one day. ( AP )

In some instances, staff members performing executions are inadequately trained or not qualified to perform them, leading to complications, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.

Robin Maher, the organizations director, foresees legal challenges to firing squad executions and has concerns over putting aside resources to make them happen.

They're willing to put that kind of investment into executing people, and I would say, likely, over the objections of many members of the public that would have other uses for those funds, she said, pointing the finger at state lawmakers.

The publics enthrallment with firing squad executions detracts from what she believes are more important questions, such as whether we should be executing people and who are we executing now.

This tremendous fascination with the new methods that are being proposed now and utilized is really a distraction, she said.
(Reuters) -Canada's Alimentation Couche-Tard said on Friday its top executives will visit Tokyo to speak with media about its $47 billion bid to buy 7-Eleven convenience store operator Seven & i Holdings.

Founder Alain Bouchard, CEO Alex Miller and CFO Filipe Da Silva will hold a media briefing from 0200 GMT on March 13.

Couche-Tard, which operates Circle-K convenience stores, said earlier it is in exploratory talks with third parties about a potential sale of U.S. stores to help it gain regulatory approval should it reach a deal to take over Seven & i.

The Canadian company said it has identified a portfolio of U.S. stores and is in talks to "identify possible acquirers".

"We believe there is a clear path to obtaining regulatory approvals of a transaction with 7&i and have made a robust proposal to 7&i about our commitment to doing so," a Couche-Tard spokesperson said.

Seven & i has opposed the takeover bid and said U.S. antitrust law would be a barrier to any deal.

The companies are the top two players in the U.S. convenience store market, with about 20,000 locations between them.

Seven & i on Thursday appointed its first foreign CEO, Stephen Dacus, handing him the task of overhauling its business to fend off the bid.

Dacus said he spoke with Couche-Tard on Thursday and that talks would continue though significant regulatory hurdles stood in the way of any merger, particularly in the United States.

(Reporting by Abigail Summerville; Writing by Rocky Swift; Editing by Edwina Gibbs and Christopher Cushing)
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 Newark, New Jersey, police officer was killed and another was injured in a shooting on Friday night involving a 14-year-old suspect, according to officials.

Detective Joseph Azcona, 26, was fatally shot as he exited his vehicle during a weapons investigation with multi-agency partners.

He didnt get a chance to get out of the vehicle before he was struck, Newark public safety director Emmanuel Miranda said during a press conference Saturday morning.

We are grieving, he added. We are hurting.

A 14-year-old has been arrested and charged with murder, and several others have been arrested for the shooting, officials said.

Newark mayor Ras Baraka condemned the shooters heinous, callous, disregard for humanity and expressed disbelief someone so young could be involved in a shooting.

open image in gallery Suspect is in custody and charged with murder in shooting of New Jersey officer, officials said Saturday ( Newark Police Department )

The community has to do a better job of making sure our children are not handling guns, he said at the press conference.

The incident took place just after 6:30pm near the intersection of Broadway and Carteret, according to the Essex County Prosecutors Office.

Another teenager, also 14, was killed in the shooting, sources told PIX11.

Tonight is one of the darkest days for New Jersey law enforcement in recent memory," State Police Benevolent Association President Peter Andreyev said in a statement on Friday. "One young officer has died, and another is fighting for his life.

open image in gallery Shooting took place during multi-agency weapons investigation, police said ( WABC )

Governor Phil Murphy visited the wounded officer privately on Friday evening.

This is a rapidly developing situation, he wrote in a statement. Please pray for these officers, their families, and all our men and women in uniform who put their lives on the line to keep us safe.

Residents near the site of the shooting in Newarks North Ward said they heard numerous gun shots and saw scores of police cruisers converge on the scene of the shooting, which is located near a White Castle restaurant on a busy commercial street.

I thought they were fireworks, Said Anthony toldThe New York Times. Then all the cops came flying by. Ive never seen something like this.

This is supposed to be one of the safest places in Newark, he added.

The suspect fired around 29 shots during the shootout, unnamed sources told local 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

Transgender women are being moved to mens prisons despite court rulings against Donald Trumps executive order demanding it, according to a report.

Trumps gender ideology order, which he signed on his first day in office, directed the attorney general to make sure males  which he defines as including trans women  are not detained in womens prisons or housed in womens detention centers.

The order also prohibits federal funds from being spent on gender-affirming treatment or procedures for people in custody.

There are roughly 1,200 transgender inmates in the Bureau of Prisons' custody. The agency first started allowing inmates to receive gender-affirming care in 2023.

Federal judges in three separate lawsuits have ruled that the agency cannot withhold inmates medical treatment, and has barred them from moving trans women into mens facilities, citing irreparable harm.

Yet trans women are being moved into mens prisons, reports The Guardian, citing accounts from civil rights attorneys and prisoners.

Protesters fill the Iowa state Capitol in Des Moines last month to denounce a bill that would strip the state civil rights code of protections based on gender identity ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

Seventeen trans women are plaintiffs in the cases.

The Trump administration last month officially rescinded guidelines meant to protect transgender inmates in federal prison, part of the White Houses larger attempts to eliminate all government recognition of trans people.

The Bureau of Prisons will rescind the Transgender Offender Manual effective immediately, stated a memo from the bureaus acting director, William Lothrop, obtained by The Intercept.

One attorney who spoke to The Guardian said she knew of two trans women who had been transferred to a male facility, including one who had already undergone gender-affirming surgeries before her sentence.

Under the Prison Rape Elimination Act, federal officials are to consider sexual assault risk and LGBTQ+ status when deciding where to place inmates. Legal experts told The Guardian that Trumps directive is likely violating the law.

This is incredibly unnecessary and cruel, attorney Kara Janssen, who represents trans women, told The Guardian. Our clients are desperate and scared.

The Independent emailed the agency for comment.

Internal memos seen by The Guardian reveal that officials are now requiring staff to refer to trans residents by their legal names and incorrect pronouns, in addition to denying requests for gender-appropriate clothing accommodations. Trans women can no longer choose to have their pat-down searches conducted by female guards, the newspaper reported.

Another attorney told the outlet inmates were forced to hand over their bras and underwear.

The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit Friday targeting the administrations decision to withhold gender-affirming care on behalf of 2,000 transgender people incarcerated in federal prisons across the U.S.

Since his first day in office, President Trump has singled out transgender people for discrimination, persecution, and erasure from public life, said Li Nowlin-Sohl, Senior Staff Attorney for the ACLUs LGBTQ & HIV Project.

This policy injects politics into the provision of health care for people in custody, putting the ideology of the president over the best medical judgement of the Bureau of Prisons own officials, as well as the rights and lives of incarcerated transgender people themselves.
SmartAsset and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue through links in the content below.

Delaware is a popular state for corporations because it offers business-friendly laws, a specialized court for corporate cases and tax advantages for companies operating outside the state. For businesses incorporated or operating within the state, it's important to understand the Delaware corporate tax rate, its application and the process for filing corporate taxes.

A financial advisor can offer you personalized guidance for your business needs.

What Is the Delaware Corporate Tax Rate?

As of 2025, Delaware's corporate tax rate is 8.70%. This rate applies uniformly, as Delaware does not have a graduated corporate tax system with varying brackets. Instead, all taxable corporate income is subject to the same rate.

In addition to Delaware's corporate tax rate, a franchise tax is levied on entities incorporated in the state, regardless of whether they conduct business there. The amount varies based on factors such as the par value of the companys stock and number of authorized shares.

How Does the Delaware Corporate Tax Rate Work?

The application of Delawares corporate tax rate depends on a corporations activities and presence within the state. Corporations operating inside and outside of Delaware are treated differently:

Domestic corporations: These are companies incorporated in Delaware. They are subject to the states corporate income tax on earnings from business activities conducted within Delaware. Additionally, they must pay the annual franchise tax and file an annual report by March 1 each year.

Foreign corporations: Companies incorporated outside of Delaware but doing business within the state are also subject to Delawares corporate tax rate on income earned in the state. They are not required to pay the franchise tax, but must file a corporate income tax return.

For corporations incorporated in Delaware but operating elsewhere, these are required to pay the annual franchise tax and file an annual report with Delaware.

How to File Your Delaware Corporate Taxes

A business owner looking up steps to file Delaware corporate tax.

Filing corporate taxes in Delaware involves several steps to maintain compliance with state regulations. Here are five general steps to help corporations complete the filing process. A tax consultant can also provide insights into this process.

1. Determine Your Filing Requirements

Before initiating the filing process, its important to understand your corporations specific obligations:
Flexible working, quiet quitting, burnout, the great resignation; the employee landscape has seen a lot of change since COVID.

Theres a lot of evidence to show we are struggling, says Erica Traicos, who runs a people and culture executive development and organisational design consultancy in Melbourne. She believes career breaks (also referred to as sabbaticals) are crucial for our wellbeing. Why?

These days theres nothing wrong with taking some time off work. Credit: iStock

Because humans work for a long time, and people are generally working longer hours than ever.

Intensity of work is one of the key reasons for burnout. Having a break, while it doesnt necessarily solve burnout, does help you connect with who you are and your overall wellbeing. I believe employers can benefit from this, she says.
The ex-tropical cyclone is making its way north-west at a speed of 6km/h and brings intense rainfall. Credit: weatherzone It is only just starting really from a flooding perspective because  for many places [Sunday] is going to be the wettest day, or maybe even into the start of next week, Johnson said. A lot of people might be thinking, Oh theres not too much rain yet, but the rivers are swollen, the catchments are wet, the ground is wet, and were expecting significant rainfall over the next 48 hours or so, so significant flood impacts are still to come and very, very likely. In the 24 hours to 4pm on Saturday, the NSW SES responded to 1117 incidents, including 29 flood rescues, numerous fallen trees, downed powerlines and flash flooding. About 320,000 homes across northern NSW and South East Queensland remained without power on Saturday evening. More than 300 schools in NSWs north will remain closed on Monday.

About 20,000 residents were under evacuation warnings. Flood advice warnings extend as far south as Taree and as far west as Coonamble, north of Dubbo. However, the cyclone continued to weaken in strength as it approached the mainland, with wind speeds dropping to 55km/h, down from a previous high of 155km/h. While the cyclones waning brought a sense of cautious optimism to some residents in Alfreds path, authorities were at pains to stress it could still bring life-threatening risks in the coming days. Speaking from Lismore, NSW Premier Chris Minns said the region was not out of the woods. The rivers are full. The rain is continuing and expected to keep falling in the days ahead, and wind conditions are very high and extreme, particularly on the coast, he said.

NSW Premier Chris Minns and Lismore residents watch the river rise at the Browns Creek Pumping Station. Credit: Nick Moir Loading Lots of communities have had an incredibly stressful week while theyve been waiting for this cyclone to move through. And I want to assure them that the flood response, that the cyclone response, has been for the entire Northern Rivers, stretching down into the Coffs region. NSW SES Assistant Commissioner Nicole Hogan urged people in areas subject to emergency warnings not to become complacent. It is not currently safe for people to return until the warnings are lifted and the threat of heavy rain and flooding has passed, Hogan said.

Alfred hovered about 20 kilometres off Australias east coast for much of Saturday afternoon after it was downgraded from a category 1 cyclone after it struck Bribie Island, north of Brisbane, earlier in the day. Loading It crossed the mainland between Maroochydore and Brisbane at 9pm on Saturday, bringing gale-force winds to many Brisbane residents. On Saturday, major flood warnings were issued for the Tweed, Richmond, Wilsons, Brunswick, Orara, Clarence and Bellinger rivers in NSW. Lismore received more than 132 millimetres of rain on Saturday, on top of Fridays 147 millimetres.

Moderate flooding was occurring at Lismore by Saturday afternoon, and residents were warned to brace for possible major flooding as the evening progressed. However, authorities were hopeful the crucial Wilsons River levee bank would hold. The still-reeling Northern Rivers town was devastated by record flooding in 2022, with floodwaters reaching 14.4 metres. State Emergency Service Commissioner Mike Wassing labelled Saturday D-Day for the state. Today, effectively, is D-Day. Irrespective of the crossing of the cyclone currently in Queensland, were still seeing very strong winds, but more importantly, were still seeing very heavy rainfalls, and therefore river rises, flash flooding and continued inundation of many areas, he said.

NSW Deputy Premier Prue Car said the region was dealing with several disasters at once, with heavy wind, rainfall and subsequent flash flooding. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Saturday morning that residents in the region would experience lasting mental health issues as a result of forecast flooding and evacuations. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has acknowledged the mental health challenges posed by the extreme weather event. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen Some of these communities have copped it time and time again, and that just makes it so tough for people whove rebuilt and recovered and who then find another wave of trauma heading their way along with the cyclone, he said. On Saturday evening, police found the body of a man swept into floodwaters near Dorrigo on Friday.
Insurance customers have already lodged 3000 claims over two days as ex-tropical cyclone Alfred wreaks havoc on homes and businesses.

Insurance Council of Australia chief executive officer Andrew Hall said it was too early to estimate the total insurance bill.

However insurers have received around 3000 claims in the past two days and expect many more thousands of claims as residents return to their homes and understand the full extent of the damage, Mr Hall said in a statement.

An insurance catastrophe has been declared for southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales, triggering priority treatment for affected policyholders and triaging to ensure those hardest hit receive urgent assistance.

We encourage impacted policyholders to contact their insurer to begin the claims process, Mr Hall said.

Insured losses of $2 billion were pencilled in by S&P Global Ratings late last week but fears of a category two system making landfall did not come to pass, with Alfred downgraded to a tropical low before hitting the coast between Brisbane and Maroochydore on Saturday night.

Despite the downgrade, Alfred has caused power outages, flooding and falling debris and more rainfall and wild weather is expected.

Riverine flooding in low lying parts of Lismore on Saturday. Credit: Nick Moir

Ex-tropical cyclone Jasper that hit north Queensland in December 2023 cost $409 million in total, from 10,500 claims.

Cyclone Tracey, which devastated much of Darwin back in 1974, was the costliest cyclone in Australian history, with insured losses of $7.3 billion when normalised to 2023 values.

It was still too early to predict if insurance premiums would rise following the extreme weather event but the council said the increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters was leading to higher costs for customers.

Alfred was moving as a tropical low from Queenslands Bribie Island across the coast and inland towards the states southwest on Sunday.

Forecasters expected the heavy rain and destructive gusts to continue until Monday.

AAP
A Brisbane buyer won the keys to a $1.44 million one-bedroom Sydney apartment at auction on Saturday.

The property with Harbour Bridge views at 76/143 Kurraba Road in Neutral Bay was guided at $1.25 million and last sold for $84,000 in 1985, records show.

Four of seven registered bidders were active. Parties included downsizers from Lindfield and Wollstonecraft, a Byron Bay couple who had a Sydneysider bid on their behalf, and an investor who owns a unit in the block but without a view.

The buyer was from Brisbane and registered halfway through the auction after inspecting the property during the week.
Berlin: Poland will train all adult men for war, the countrys prime minister said, as Warsaw seeks to shore up its defences against Russia.

Donald Tusk told the Polish parliament on Friday that his government would prepare large-scale military training for every adult male in Poland, as well as some women.

We will try to have a model ready by the end of this year so that every adult male in Poland is trained in the event of war so that this reserve is comparable and adequate to the potential threats, Tusk said.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk speaks at the Sejm, the lower house of parliament, in Warsaw, Poland, on Friday. European countries are preparing for a future without the United States in their corner. Credit: AP

The new training regimen would not amount to conscription, with Tusk stressing: [we will] prepare it in such a way that it will not be a burden on people.
The meeting was a potential turning point after the frenetic first weeks of Trumps second term. It yielded the first significant indication that Trump is willing to put some limits on Musk, whose efforts have become the subject of several lawsuits and prompted concerns from Republican lawmakers, some of whom have complained directly to the president. Elon Musk displays his T-shirt reading Tech Support during the first cabinet meeting of Trumps second presidency. This time he dressed up. Credit: Doug Mills/The New York Times Cabinet officials almost uniformly like the concept of what Musk set out to do  reducing waste, fraud and abuse in government  but have been frustrated by the chainsaw approach to upending the government and the lack of consistent co-ordination. Thursdays meeting, which was abruptly scheduled the evening before, was a sign that Trump is mindful of the growing complaints. He tried to offer each side something by praising both Musk and his cabinet secretaries. (At least one, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who has had tense encounters related to Musks team, was not present.) The president made clear he still supported the mission of the Musk initiative. But now was the time, he said, to be a bit more refined in its approach. From now on, Trump said, the secretaries would be in charge; the Musk team would only advise.

It is unclear what the long-term impact of the meeting will be. Musk remains Trumps biggest political financial supporter  just this week his super political action (PAC) committee aired $US1 million ($1.5 million) worth of ads that said, Thank you, President Trump  and Musks control of social media website X has made administration staff members and cabinet secretaries alike fearful that he will target them in public. Loading A scalpel not a hatchet But if nothing else, the session laid bare the tensions within Trumps team, and news of the sharp clashes spread quickly through senior ranks of cabinet agencies after it was over. This account is based on interviews with five people with knowledge of the events. In a post on social media after the meeting, Trump said the next phase of his plan to cut the federal workforce would be conducted with a scalpel rather than a hatchet  a clear reference to Musks scorched-earth approach.

Musk, who wore a suit and tie to the meeting instead of his usual T-shirt after Trump publicly ribbed him about his sloppy appearance, defended himself by saying he had three companies with a market cap of tens of billions of dollars, and that his results spoke for themselves. But he was soon clashing with members of the cabinet. Just moments before the blow-up with Rubio, Musk and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy went back and forth about the state of the Federal Aviation Administrations equipment for tracking aircraft and what kind of fix was needed. Howard Lutnick, the commerce secretary, jumped in to support Musk. Duffy said the young staff of Musks team were trying to lay off air-traffic controllers. What am I supposed to do? Duffy said. I have multiple plane crashes to deal with now, and your people want me to fire air traffic controllers? Musk told Duffy that his assertion was a lie. Duffy insisted it was not; he had heard it from them directly. Musk, asking who had been fired, said: give me their names. Tell me their names.

Duffy said there were not any names because he had stopped them from being fired. At another point, Musk insisted that people hired under diversity, equity and inclusion programs were working in control towers. Duffy pushed back and Musk did not add details, but said during the longer back and forth that Duffy had his phone number and should call him if he had any issues to raise. Loading The exchange ended with Trump telling Duffy that he had to hire people from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as air traffic controllers. These air traffic controllers need to be geniuses, he said. Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins has been dealing with one of the most politically sensitive challenges of all the cabinet secretaries. Musks cuts will affect thousands of veterans  a powerful constituency and a core part of the Trump base. Collins made the point that they should not wield a blunt instrument and cleave off everyone from the VA. They needed to be strategic about it. Trump agreed with Collins, saying they ought to retain the smart ones and get rid of the bad ones. In response to a request for comment from The New York Times, Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said in a statement: As President Trump said, this was a great and productive meeting amongst members of his team to discuss cost-cutting measures and staffing across the federal government. Everyone is working as one team to help President Trump deliver on his promise to make our government more efficient.

Tammy Bruce, a spokesperson for the State Department, responded, Secretary Rubio considered the meeting an open and productive discussion with a dynamic team that is united in achieving the same goal: making America great again. A Department of Veterans Affairs spokesperson said, As President Trump has said, its important to increase efficiency and reduce bureaucracy while keeping in place the best and most productive federal employees. VA is working with DOGE and the rest of the administration to do just that. Emergency units at the wreckage of a plane crash in Arlington, Virginia, near the Pentagon, in January. Credit: Getty Images A Transportation Department official would not comment. Musk, who later claimed on X that the cabinet meeting was very productive, seemed far less enthused inside the room. He aggressively defended himself, reminding the secretaries that he had built multiple billion-dollar companies from the ground up and knew something about hiring good people.
Endless telephone holds. Slower refunds. Bigger budget deficits.

Thats just some of what could be in store for Americans if the Trump administration goes forward with the plans it is reportedly considering to cut the Internal Revenue Services workforce in half, according to tax experts.

The move would not just undo recent efforts to restaff and modernize the IRS but threatens to fundamentally cripple an agency responsible for processing around 270 million tax returns from individuals and businesses each year, both Democratic and Republican former officials told Yahoo Finance.

Even with recent technological enhancements, every internal and external IRS function will be at risk, Charles Rettig, who served as Donald Trumps handpicked IRS commissioner during his first term, told Yahoo Finance in an email. The agency will likely struggle to meet basic levels of service and compliance.

The IRS has already laid off about 7,000 probationary employees as part of Trumps broader effort to slash the federal bureaucracy, raising concerns that they could impair service during this years filing season. But as the New York Times and Associated Press revealed this week, the agencys leaders are now considering a further 50% cut to its roughly 90,000-strong workforce. The IRS did not respond to requests for comment.

Such a reduction would leave the IRS with less manpower than at any time since the 1950s.

David Kamin, an NYU tax law professor who served as economic adviser to former President Joe Biden, said it was hard to picture how the agency would even operate with that level of resources.

We have not had an IRS that is like that in modern times, with the economy we have today and the tax code we have today, he said. But it cant function in any way like weve seen it function.

Read more: Free tax filing: How to file your 2024 return for free

A recovery in staffing and service

During the Biden administration, Democrats sought to rebuild the IRS after a decade in which budget cuts had knocked its staffing down to 1970s levels and audit rates on individual returns fell by more than half. The party included $80 billion in the Inflation Reduction Act to help modernize the agencys customer service and processing systems and beef up enforcement, with the aim of collecting more of the roughly $600 billion Americans fail to pay in taxes each year.

That money helped the IRS fix many of the service problems that cropped up during the pandemic when its phone lines were overwhelmed, and many returns were delayed. Among other steps, the agency hired more customer support representatives, which  at least by its main measure  reduced the wait times on phone calls during filing season from 28 minutes to 3 minutes, and launched an effort to reduce its notorious backlogs by digitizing more paper returns. It also began hiring tens of thousands of more staff, with the goal of significantly increasing audits on the wealthy and large corporations by the tax year 2026.
Prof Kumud Sharma takescharge as V-C of MGAHV





Wardha Correspondent

PROFESSOR

Kumud Sharma, Chairman of the Hindi Department of Delhi University, senior literary critic, media expert and Vice-President of Sahitya Akademi, took charge as the Vice-Chancellor (V-C) of Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya (MGAHV ), Wardha on Friday. On Thursday, as per the order issued by the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India, Prof Kumud Sharma was appointed as the ViceChancellor of the Hindi University. Her appointment will be for a period of five years from the date of assuming charge. The Acting ViceChancellor of the University, Prof Hanuman Prasad Shukla, handed over the charge to her in theViceChancellors office. On this occasion, Registrar,

Prof Anand Patil was present. After assuming charge, she held a meeting with the Dean, Heads of Departments and Directors of the University. President Droupadi Murmu appointed Prof Kumud Sharma as the new Vice-Chancellor of MGAHV. She is currently the Chairman and Senior Professor of the Hindi Department at Delhi University and also the Chairperson of the Management Committee of several colleges. Prof Kumud Sharma has extensive academic experience. She completed her Ph D in 1985 from Allahabad University on the topic Development of National Consciousness in New Poetry.

She received her D Litt degree from Ranchi University in 2002 on the topic Globalisation: The Changing Scenario of Indian Media. She has special interest in modern literature, feminist discourse and media research. She has received many important awards in her academic career. She has been honoured with the Bharatendu Harishchandra Award from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India in 2002 and 2009-10, Sahitya Shri Samman from Delhi Hindi Sahitya Sammelan and Premchand Creative Writing Award. Prof Kumud Sharma has written many important books. Some of her famous books are Bharatiya Sahitya ke Nirmata: Ambika Prasad Bajpayee, Samachar Bazaar Ki Naitikta, Aadhi Duniya Ka Sach, Hindi Ke Nirmata, Vigyapan Ki Duniya, Jansampark Prabandhan, Bhumandlikaran aur Media.

Prof Kumud Sharma has published review articles, articles on social issues and translations of English stories in top newspapers and magazines of the country. Her books are taught in various universities. She has also been the Associate Editor of Sahitya Amrut magazine. Many students have done M Phil and Ph D under her guidance. Prof Sharma has served as an Advisor and member on many committees of Government of India including the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Mines, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Prasar Bharati, NCERT. Prof Kumud Sharma is the first woman Vice-Chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya.
Be available as a domain name if the business will have an online presence

Be distinguishable from other registered businesses in the state

Comply with state naming requirements, which often prohibit certain words or require specific designations (e.g., Inc. or LLC)

Selecting a business name is one of the first steps in incorporation and is essential for branding and legal purposes. This step requires some consideration. The chosen name must:

Limited liability company (LLC) : A hybrid between a corporation and a sole proprietorship, offering liability protection while allowing pass-through taxation. LLCs are distinguished by having fewer compliance requirements than corporations.

S corporation (S-corp) : Similar to a C-corp, but you can avoid double taxation by allowing profits and losses to pass through to shareholders' personal tax returns. The S corporation itself pays no federal income taxes, although profits may be taxed at the state level. It has restrictions on ownership, including a 100-shareholder limit.

C corporation (C-corp) : A separate legal entity that provides strong liability protection but requires corporate tax filings. This, however, means facing double taxation , as profits are taxed at the corporate level and again as dividends to shareholders.

The first step in incorporation is deciding on the appropriate business structure . Each type has specific benefits and tax implications:

Details of the process of incorporation vary by state, but it generally follows these 10 steps.

Incorporating a business creates a legal entity that exists separately from its owners. This separation protects owners' personal assets from business liabilities. For example, if the business takes out a loan and doesn't pay it back, creditors normally won't be able to require owners to repay it from their personal assets. It may also save on taxes and boost credibility with customers, investors and financial institutions.

Many entrepreneurs incorporate their businesses each year to gain legal and financial benefits. The process may seem complicated for those unfamiliar with the requirements. Key steps include choosing a business structure, registering with the state, getting licenses and following tax rules. While some entrepreneurs choose to handle incorporation themselves, working with a financial advisor or a legal expert can help you meet business requirements and set you up for success.

SmartAsset and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue through links in the content below.

Story Continues

Most states allow entrepreneurs to check name availability through the Secretary of States website. If the chosen name is available, it may be possible to reserve it for a limited period before incorporation is finalized.

3. Appoint a Registered Agent

Every incorporated business has to have a registered agent. This individual or entity receives legal documents, government correspondence and compliance notices on behalf of the business. The agent must:

Be a resident of the state where the business is incorporated or a company authorized to operate in that state

Have a physical address (P.O. boxes are not allowed)

Be available during regular business hours

Business owners can serve as their own registered agent, but many opt for third-party services to maintain privacy and ensure compliance with legal obligations.

4. File Articles of Incorporation

Articles of incorporation (also called a certificate of incorporation in some states) is the official document that registers a business with the state. This document typically includes:

Business name and address

Purpose of the corporation

Information about the registered agent

Details about stock shares (for corporations)

Names and addresses of incorporators

The filing fee varies by state, typically ranging from $50 to $500. Once approved, the business is officially incorporated and recognized as a legal entity.

5. Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN)

An employer identification number (EIN) is issued by the IRS and functions like a Social Security number for the business. It is required for:

Hiring employees

Opening a business bank account

Filing corporate taxes

The EIN can be obtained for free through the IRS website or by submitting a paper application (Form SS-4).

6. Create Corporate Bylaws or an Operating Agreement

Corporate bylaws (for corporations) and operating agreements (for LLCs) outline the company's internal rules, governance structure and decision-making processes. These documents typically include:

Roles and responsibilities of owners, directors, and officers

Voting procedures for major business decisions

Guidelines for adding or removing shareholders or members

Rules for distributing profits and handling disputes

While some states do not require these documents for incorporation, having them in place is good business practice. Written bylaws can do much to prevent future conflicts and provide clear operational guidance.

7. Register for State and Federal Taxes

Depending on the business structure and location, additional tax registrations may be required, including:

State corporate income tax

Sales tax permits for businesses selling taxable goods and services

Payroll tax registration for companies with employees

Many states provide online business portals where companies can register for tax accounts and licenses in one place.

8. Obtain Necessary Business Licenses and Permits

Certain industries and locations require additional licenses and permits. These may include:

General business licenses issued by local governments

Professional licenses for regulated industries (e.g., healthcare, legal, financial services)

Zoning permits if operating from a physical location

Businesses must check with local, state and federal agencies about licensing. Many businesses have few or no license requirements. But, checking is essential for compliance with all necessary regulations.

9. Open a Business Bank Account

A business bank account separates personal and business finances, making it easier to track expenses, manage cash flow and comply with tax regulations. Running a business from the owner's personal bank account is possible in some cases but is discouraged. To open an account, banks typically require:

The EIN issued by the IRS

Articles of Incorporation or an operating agreement

A business license (if applicable)

Maintaining separate accounts also reinforces the limited liability protection provided by incorporation. If liability shielding is important, set up business accounts.

10. Comply With Ongoing Filing and Compliance Requirements

Incorporation is not a one-time task. It comes with ongoing compliance obligations, including:

Annual reports filed with the Secretary of State

Renewal of business licenses and permits

Tax filings and estimated payments

Corporate meetings and record-keeping for corporations

Failing to meet these requirements can result in penalties, loss of legal protections or administrative dissolution of the business.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is the Difference Between an LLC and a Corporation?

An LLC is a flexible business structure that provides liability protection while allowing income to pass through to owners for tax purposes. A corporation is a separate legal entity with more complex regulatory requirements, including shareholder meetings, board governance and corporate taxes.

How Long Does It Take to Incorporate a Business?

The timeline varies by state but generally takes one to four weeks. Some states offer expedited processing for an additional fee.

Do I Need a Lawyer to Incorporate a Business?

No, but legal guidance can be beneficial, especially for businesses with multiple owners or complex structures. Many entrepreneurs use online incorporation services to streamline the process.

Can I Incorporate in One State and Operate in Another?

Yes, businesses can incorporate in one state and register as a foreign entity in other states where they conduct business. This may require additional filings and compliance with multiple state regulations.

What Are the Tax Benefits of Incorporating a Business?

Incorporation can provide tax advantages such as deductible business expenses, lower self-employment taxes for certain structures and tax deferral opportunities. The specific benefits depend on the business structure and state tax laws.

Bottom Line

An entrepreneur researching the tax benefits of incorporating a business.

Incorporating a business provides long-term benefits, including legal protection and financial credibility. By following these steps and maintaining compliance with state regulations, entrepreneurs can set up their businesses for growth and success. Working with a financial advisor can help business owners manage tax obligations, optimize financial planning and maintain long-term profitability.

Tips for Tax Planning

A financial advisor can help you create a tax plan for your business. SmartAsset's free tool matches you with vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can have a free introductory call with your advisor matches to decide which one you feel is right for you. If you're ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.

If you want to know how much your next tax refund or balance could be, SmartAsset's tax return calculator can help you get an estimate.

Photo credit: iStock.com/mheim3011, iStock.com/boggy22

The post How to Incorporate a Business: Step-by-Step Guide appeared first on SmartReads by SmartAsset.
Shah targets Stalin on language issueAsks him to impart medical, engg edn in Tamil





RANIPET

AMID

the language row in Tamil Nadu involving the ruling DMK and the BJP-led Centre, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday asked Chief Minister M K Stalin to impart engineering and medical education in Tamil in the state and also paid rich tributes to the Tamil language. Targeting the Chief Minister on the language issue, especially given Stalins opposition to the imposition of Hindi, Shah said the Narendra Modi Government has effected changes and now ensured that the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) aspirants could write the exam in their respective regional languages. Now the PM Narendra Modi Government has ensured that the exam can be written in Tamil too, the Home Minister said, speaking at the 56th Raising Dayof the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF)atRTCThakkolam in this district, about 70 km from Chennai. He further said, 

I appeal to theTamilNadu ChiefMinister to start the engineering and medical education inTamil in the State for the benefit of students. Shahs comments targeted at the CM come in the wake of anintenselanguagerowin the State, where the ruling DMK has been claiming the imposition of Hindi through the National Education Policy (NEP 2020), a charge which the Centre has denied. The State Government has maintained it will only follow the 2- language policy,i.E.Tamil and English. Further, praising Tamil Nadu, Shah said the southern States culture played a vital role in strengthening Indias cultural stream. Be it administrative reforms, attaining spiritual heights, education or the unity and integrity of the nation, Tamil Nadu has reinforced Indiancultureineverysphere, Shah said at the event, which was marked by a spectacular march-past of contingents, yoga display and commando operations. TheTamillanguage,culture, and traditions are priceless jewelsofIndiasheritage,which the entire nation proudly embraces today, Shah said. Further, it was a matter of pride that theCISFThakkolam TrainingCentre,theRajadithya ChozhanRTChasbeennamed in honour of the great warrior and valiant Tamil king of the Chola dynasty, Aditya Chola.
The iShares Russell Top 200 Value ETF (IWX) pulled in $525.1 million in fresh assets Wednesday, representing a 17.5% increase to its nearly $3 billion in assets, according to etf.com daily fund flows data. The value ETF saw strong percentage growth as markets rebounded following President Trump's tariff concessions.

The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) led all ETFs with $2.1 billion in inflows, while Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) attracted $1.7 billion after experiencing outflows the previous day. The iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF (LQD) pulled in $894.2 million, adding 2.9% to its asset base.

On the outflows side, the iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT) experienced the largest outflows at $1.6 billion. The iShares Russell Top 200 Growth ETF (IWY) saw redemptions of $524.5 million.

ETFs recorded total net inflows of $6.8 billion for the day, with U.S. equity funds pulling in $4.8 billion and international equity adding $1.6 billion. Meanwhile, U.S. fixed-income ETFs saw outflows of $90.1 million as investors rotated toward equities following the Dow's nearly 500-point rebound.

Top 10 Creations (All ETFs)

Top 10 Redemptions (All ETFs)

ETF Daily Flows By Asset Class

Net Flows ($, mm) AUM ($, mm) % of AUM Alternatives 8.57 9,848.36 0.09% Asset Allocation -46.02 23,109.90 -0.20% Commodities ETFs 15.86 181,480.56 0.01% Currency -99.27 111,338.11 -0.09% International Equity 1,598.46 1,619,788.97 0.10% International Fixed Income -177.96 278,869.90 -0.06% Inverse 25.39 13,049.12 0.19% Leveraged 738.54 115,844.38 0.64% US Equity 4,779.50 6,579,944.61 0.07% US Fixed Income -90.13 1,622,902.14 -0.01% Total: 6,752.94 10,556,176.07 0.06%

Disclaimer: All data as of 6 a.m. ET the date the article is published. Data are believed to be accurate; however, transient market data are often subject to subsequent revision and correction by the exchanges.
By Tom Hals

WILMINGTON, Delaware (Reuters) - A Delaware judge is willing to consider allegations in a class action lawsuit that Paramount Global's $8 billion sale to Skydance Media should be blocked from closing because it short-changes public shareholders, according to a Thursday court filing.

Paramount's controlling shareholder, Shari Redstone, struck a two-step deal in July to sell her stake in the Hollywood studio as part of the deal with David Ellison's Skydance, a streaming-era upstart. The companies are awaiting regulatory approval for the deal to close.

In January, an investor group known as Project Rise Partners submitted a proposal valued at $13.5 billion to acquire Paramount, but that was rejected by a special committee of Paramount's board.

In response, pension funds for New York City employees that own Paramount stock filed a class action lawsuit in Delaware's Court of Chancery alleging that Paramount's special committee breached its fiduciary duties to the company's public shareholders by not considering the bid from Project Rise Partners.

On Thursday, Chancellor Kathaleen McCormick agreed to expedite the pension funds' lawsuit but declined to issue a temporary restraining order, or TRO, to block the deal because it did not appear the deal was about to close.

"Although plaintiffs have demonstrated harm sufficient to support expedition, there does not seem harm proximate enough to warrant a TRO," McCormick wrote in her eight-page ruling.

McCormick said the companies must notify the pension funds "optimally" five business days before closing so the funds can seek a TRO to block the deal.

Paramount and Skydance did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

As part of the deal, Skydance had agreed to a 45-day "go shop" period that allowed Paramount to solicit and evaluate other offers. That period ended on Aug. 21. If the company chooses another suitor, it must pay Skydance a $400 million break-up fee. The board weighed a competing offer from media veteran Edgar Bronfman Jr., who subsequently withdrew, clearing the way for Skydance Media to take control of Redstone's media empire.

The closing of the Skydance deal is subject to approval by the Federal Communications Commission, and according to McCormick's ruling Paramount said the earliest the deal can close is March 20.

The merger has an April 7 end date, although it can be extended twice by 90 days if FCC approval has not been obtained, according to McCormick's ruling.

(Reporting by Tom Hals in Wilmington, Delaware; additional reporting by Dawn Chmielewski in Los Angeles; Editing by Leslie Adler)
(Reuters) - Las Vegas Sands CEO Robert Goldstein intends to step down from the position when he transitions to a senior adviser role on March 1, 2026, the casino operator said on Thursday.

The Las Vegas, Nevada-based company said it intends to name its Chief Operating Officer, Patrick Dumont, as chairman and CEO upon Goldstein's transition.

Goldstein took over the role of CEO in 2021 and has been a member of the company's board since 2015. A long time veteran in the casino business, he joined Las Vegas Sands in 1995.

He has held prominent roles at The Venetian and The Palazzo Las Vegas, two of the world's best-known casinos on the Vegas gambling strip.

Dumont, who was appointed chief operating officer in 2021, was previously the company's finance chief and has held key positions since he joined in 2010.

(Reporting by Utkarsh Shetti in Bengaluru; Editing by Alan Barona)
Yes  Significant efforts are being made

No  Much more needs to be done

Some progress  But there are still critical gaps

Vote

View Results
By Maki Shiraki, Daniel Leussink and Norihiko Shirouzu

TOKYO (Reuters) -Directors of Japan's third-largest automaker Nissan will discuss potential successors to CEO Makoto Uchida at a meeting on March 11, as his position has become untenable given the worsening performance of the company, three people familiar with the matter said.

Candidates being considered include Chief Financial Officer Jeremie Papin and Chief Planning Officer Ivan Espinosa, one of the people and a fourth person said, but neither are seen as a certainty, especially considering their association with current management missteps.

The next CEO could be installed as a temporary or transitional leader, an option that would give the board more time to find a permanent replacement, the fourth person said.

The people declined to be identified because the information has not been made public. A Nissan representative declined to comment. The March 11 meeting date was first reported by Kyodo News.

Chief Performance Officer Guillaume Cartier also was being considered alongside Papin and Espinosa, the Yomiuri newspaper reported.

Shares of Nissan gained 1.8% in Tokyo, outperforming a 2.2% decline in the Nikkei index.

Uchida's potential ouster follows the collapse last month of talks to merge with Honda.

The carmakers had been discussing a tie-up to create a $60 billion company but those negotiations were soon strained by disagreements, including over the balance of power between the longtime rivals.

The deal was ultimately sunk after Honda proposed making Nissan a subsidiary, Reuters has reported.

There is now speculation that Nissan could look to tie up with Taiwanese electronics company Foxconn, which has a nascent electric vehicle business headed by a former Nissan executive, Jun Seki.

Seki has been mentioned by domestic media as potential successor if Nissan were to tie up with Honda, Foxconn and Mitsubishi Motors through a four-way deal.

The turmoil at the top of Nissan is the latest turn in a long-running drama that was sparked by the ouster of former Chairman Carlos Ghosn in late 2018 and would mean the fourth CEO in less than six years.

While legacy automakers face a profound threat from Chinese EV makers, which have upended the industry with sleek, software-rich cars, Nissan is facing much deeper structural challenges than most rivals, having never fully recovered from the years of crisis and management turnover brought by Ghosn's exit.

For years it focused on volume over value, eroding its brand image. Despite being an EV pioneer with the Leaf, it never enjoyed the boom or profits of Tesla.
This story was originally published on C-Store Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily C-Store Dive newsletter.

Dive Brief:

Parkland Corporations board of directors has initiated a strategic review to find ways to help the company maximize shareholder value, the convenience retailer shared in its full-year earnings update Wednesday evening.

Parkland is exploring numerous options with the review, including mergers, divestitures, acquisitions and even an outright sale of the company, President and CEO Bob Espey said during the companys earnings call on Thursday. Parkland has hired financial advisors Goldman Sachs Canada and BofA Securities to assist with the review.

Parklands retail and fuel businesses have struggled over the past couple of years. The company is already in the process of divesting up to $500 million worth of non-core assets and is exploring a sale of its Florida business as a means to improve its margins. It has also made hundreds of staff cuts since early 2023.

Dive Insight:

Parklands full-year revenue in the U.S.  where it has about 650 c-stores, 200 of which are company-operated  fell from $186 million in 2023 to $168 million in 2024, which was below expectations, the company said in its earnings report. As it has in the past, Parkland pinned its U.S. struggles on unfavorable market conditions causing declines in retail and commercial fuel volumes.

It appears that Parklands board of directors has had enough of these headwinds. The strategic review initiated this week will analyze and evaluate Parklands entire business  not only in the U.S. but in its home base of Canada and in the Caribbean  as its stock price has plunged since early 2024.

We acknowledge that Parkland shares have underperformed and do not currently reflect the intrinsic value of the company, Espey told analysts on Thursday. Initiating a review is appropriate at this time.

Last April, one of Parklands largest shareholders at the time called for a strategic review of the company amid long-term underperformance. Parkland denied the request, saying a strategic review wasnt in the best interests of its shareholders.

Nearly a year later, Parklands executives and its board have changed their minds.

The process will be robust  we're going to look at all options, interim CFO Brad Monaco told analysts on Thursday. We've got world-class advisors that are supporting it.
TOKYO (Reuters) -SBI Holdings denied a Nikkan Kogyo newspaper report that it is negotiating with South Korea's SK Hynix and Taiwan's UMC about collaboration on a chips plant in Miyagi prefecture.

The report is not true, said a spokesperson for the financial firm on Friday.

SBI aims to collaborate with SK Hynix on back-end DRAM processes and with UMC on chips for vehicles, according to the Nikkan Kogyo report, which did not cite sources.

SBI announced in September it was dissolving a joint venture with Taiwan's Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp.

The companies had been seeking government subsidies to build a foundry in northern Japan. SBI said at the time it would consider partnering with other firms on chip-related business.

(Reporting by Sam Nussey and and Miho Uranaka; Editing by Leslie Adler and Tom Hogue)
Shareholders are increasingly showing signs of DEI fatigue as political heat around the issue intensifies across corporate America.

Both champions and critics of diversity, equity, and inclusion policies are again pushing companies this annual meeting season to either bolster or diminish their DEI policies via shareholder proposals. But so far, none of these proposals have garnered support from investors at Apple (APPL), Costco (COST), and John Deere (DE).

And that's not expected to change as more votes are tabulated at more company shareholder meetings in the coming weeks and months, according to experts who follow these votes.

"I don't expect this year that we will see many, if any, get majority support," said Elizabeth Bieber, head counsel for shareholder engagement and activism defense at Freshfields.

"And I would expect that, when we look at the numbers, year over year, that we actually see waning support, regardless of which ideological side the proposal tends to fall on."

As of the end of February, a total of 21 "anti-DEI" proposals and 16 "pro-DEI" proposals were set for a vote this year among publicly traded companies included in the Russell 3000, according to the voting recommendation firm ISS-Corporate.

ISS-Corporate expects the total number of DEI proposals to grow before the end of the voting season in April, although it's too early to know for sure. Last year, Russell 3000 company investors forced votes on 34 total proposals opposed to DEI initiatives and 77 in favor of them.

This years early surge in anti-DEI measures could be a signal that opposition proposals are on the rise, Bieber said.

It could also lead to a rise in dueling DEI proposals going to a vote within the same company, as happened in February at John Deere (DE). Deere shareholders voted down both pro-DEI and anti-DEI measures.

"DEI, as of last year, is certainly one issue where companies were receiving [proposals] on both ends of the ideological spectrum," Bieber said

So far, neither pro- nor anti-oriented measures have gained much majority support. In fact, Bieber said, support levels among S&P 500 companies dropped for both pro- and anti-DEI proposals over the last couple of proxy seasons.

Fordham University School of Law professor Atinuke Adediran said "its coming from all sides.

John Deere tractors at a dealer in Longmont, Colo., in 2017. REUTERS/Rick Wilking/File Photo  REUTERS / Reuters

Adediran  who researches reputation, financial, and social risks related to corporate race policies  expects that most anti-DEI proposals are likely to be turned down, as they were before."
(Bloomberg) -- AT&T Inc. is no longer encouraging employees to wear pins that state their favored pronouns and has canceled a series of LGBTQ-friendly events in the most recent effort by a big company to roll back its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The companys chief diversity officer, Michelle Jordan, is now listed as vice president of culture and inclusion on LinkedIn. Her team has been renamed as well, a person close to AT&T said. The company will no longer fund the Trevor Project, a suicide prevention group for LGBTQ+ youth, or Turn Up the Love, a series of Pride events that partnered with musical artists.

Some of the changes were outlined in a social media post Friday by anti-DEI crusader Robby Starbuck.

The Dallas-based telephone company is cutting back on the external surveys it participates in, such as the Human Rights Campaigns Corporate Equality Index, which measures companies LGBTQ friendliness, the person said. AT&T will end DEI-focused training in favor of leadership development, according to an internal memo reviewed by Bloomberg. It will award contracts based on value, quality and function, while expanding its supplier program to include more small and local businesses.

AT&T employee scholarships will now be open to all, the person said. Past awards had been targeted for minority groups like Hispanic students. The company will also no longer offer preferred pronoun pins in an employee store, according to the person.

President Donald Trump has banned the use of preferred programs in the federal government and has said he may target private companies for illegal diversity programs.

AT&T joins more than two dozen companies  from Amazon.com Inc. to Walmart Inc.  that have made changes to their DEI programs in the face of threats of boycotts, lawsuits and more recently, federal prosecution. The pressure increased after Trumps Attorney General Pam Bondi set a March 1 deadline for a report outlining potential targets among companies and other non-governmental organizations for investigation of DEI practices. The report, if completed, has not been made public. Federal contractors such as Citigroup Inc. , Accenture Plc and Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corp. have announced rollbacks since Trumps inauguration.


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.
US President Donald Trump said that India has agreed to cut tariffs way down after he exposed the Indian government for imposing massive tariffs on American imports.

Speaking at the White House, Trump said, India charges us massive tariffs, massive. You cant even sell anything in India. Its almost it is restrictive. You know, we do very little business inside. They have agreed, by the way. They want to cut their tariffs way down now because somebodys finally exposing them for what they have done.

Our country has been ripped off by all countries Canada, Mexico, India," he added, while addressing the reporters in Oval Office.

#WATCH | Washington, DC: US President Donald Trump says, "...India charges us massive tariffs. Massive. You can't even sell anything in India...They have agreed, by the way; they want to cut their tariffs way down now because somebody is finally exposing them for what they have pic.twitter.com/XwytKPli48  ANI (@ANI) March 7, 2025

Interestingly, Trumps remarks come at a time when Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal is in Washington for trade talks with his US counterpart Howard Lutnick to discuss a multi-sector bilateral trade pact.

This is the third time Trump has brought up the India-US tariff issue in recent days. He has referred to India as "tariff king" and "tariff abuser" in the past. The US president has announced that reciprocal tariffs on countries that impose high tariffs on American imports will start on April 2, in line with his "America First" policy.

Trumps comment came hours after India said it is looking at deepening trade ties with the US including by reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers under a bilateral trade agreement. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India expects an amicable resolution to the issue.

Both the US and India had announced plans to negotiate a multi-sector Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), during PM Narendra Modi's visit in February. The two countries set a target of $500 billion in annual trade by 2030 to narrow the trade deficit.

"Our objective through the BTA is to strengthen and deepen India-US two-way trade across the goods and services sector, increase market access, reduce tariff and non-tariff barriers, and deepen supply chain integration between the two countries, Jaiswal said.

Indias decision to lower tariffs on Bourbon whiskey, wines, and Electronic Vehicle segments, in the Union budget for 2025-26, was seen as a signal to the US that New Delhi is open to cut tariffs in specific sectors.

It remains to be seen if India will escape the reciprocal tariffs being imposed by the Trump administration on April 2.
Hours after US President Donald Trump claimed that India had agreed to cut tariffs "way down", government sources on Saturday claimed that the negotiations for a trade deal had just begun and it would be premature to talk about its details.

In February, both India and the US announced that they had agreed to negotiate the first tranche of a mutually beneficial multi-sector Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) by the Fall of 2025.

Both Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to designate senior representatives to advance the negotiations. "These officers were to work towards increasing market access, reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers and deepening supply chain integration," said sources in the Ministry of External Affairs.

Accordingly, an Indian delegation led by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal visited Washington on March 3-6. The team engaged the US Commerce Secretary, the US Trade Representative and their teams.

Sources said that the discussions on tariffs and other aspects of trade that were highlighted during PM Modis US visit are an ongoing process.

"Obviously, there are specifics which have been mentioned on various issues as part of the negotiation. It is also natural that both countries have their interests and sensitivities. These are legitimate matters for a discussion," they said.

The sources noted that during the first Trump administration, discussions had taken place about a limited trade deal between the two nations. It did not produce an outcome for various reasons.

"Since the discussions have just begun, it would be premature to talk about its details. There is also a context for each dimension, that would reflect the interests of both sides," they said in an apparent reference to Trump's claim that India agreed to bring down tariffs.

"India charges us massive tariffs, you can't even sell anything in India, it's almost restrictive...By the way, they have agreed to cut their tariffs way down now because somebody is finally exposing them for what they have done," the US president told reporters in the White House on Friday.

Earlier this week, Trump had announced reciprocal tariffs on its partners and other nations that impose higher levies on imports from the US.
The Indian Navy concluded a three-month-long mega naval exercise in the Indian Ocean that featured nearly 70 ships, 10 submarines, and over 80 aircraft of different types amid China's increasing maritime activities in the region.

The Theatre Level Operational Exercise (TROPEX) was held from the Strait of Hormuz in the West to the Sunda and Lombok Straits in the East.

The Indian Navy said marked the successful culmination of an intense operational campaign designed to assess the force's operational preparedness and material readiness for combat.

It reaffirmed the Navy's commitment to remain a "combat-ready, credible, cohesive and future-ready force, it said.

The exercise construct included an amphibious exercise (AMPHEX) a joint work-up phase, focused on precise delivery of ordnance on target, cyber and electronic warfare, and a tactical phase.

ALSO READ: India faces big dilemma with Russian, American weapons on offer

The exercise provided a valuable evaluation of the Navys ability to respond to multifarious challenges in a synchronised and integrated manner to defend national maritime security interests, the Navy said.

The exercise achieved a very high level of operational synergy in planning and execution of theatre-level scenarios with the other Services. TROPEX witnessed extensive participation by the units of the Indian Army, Indian Air Force and Indian Coast Guard comprising Sukhoi Su-30, Jaguar, C-130, Flight Refueller and AWACS aircraft, over 600 Infantry troops, and more than 10 ICG ships.

TROPEX 25 marked the successful culmination of an intense operational campaign designed to assess the Indian Navys operational preparedness and material readiness for combat, and reaffirmed the Navys commitment to remain a combat-ready, credible, cohesive and future-ready force, the Navy added.
The eighth and final Missile Cum Ammunition (MCA) barge, LSAM 11(Yard 79), was inducted into the Indian Navy on Friday at the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai. Seven of these MCA barges, designed to support the operational requirements of the Navy, have already been inducted into the force earlier.

The MCA barge, constructed by SECON Engineering Projects Pvt Ltd, will facilitate the transportation, embarkation and disembarkation of articles or ammunition to Indian Navy platforms both alongside jetties and at outer harbours.

With the delivery of this MCA barge, the MSME company has completed the contractual delivery of all eight barges to the Indian Navy, the defence ministry said in a release.

ALSO READ: Indian Army's T-72 tanks set for a power upgrade as govt signs Rs 2,156 crore deal for engines with Russia

These barges have been indigenously designed by the shipyard in collaboration with an Indian Ship Designing firm and successfully model tested at Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL), Visakhapatnam to ensure their seaworthiness.

The ministry said the barges have been built in accordance with relevant naval rules and regulations of the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS).

MCA barges are proud flag bearers of Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiatives of government of India and highlight the Indian Navys commitment to encourage MSMEs, the statement from the ministry read.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on the eve of International Women's Day on Friday, virtually interacted with the crew of Navika Sagar Parikrama II, who are circumnavigating the globe aboard INSV Tarini and hailed the unwavering resilience of the two-member women crew and highlighted the contributions of women to India's defence.

Navika Sagar Parikrama II is an Indian Navy expedition attempting a double-handed circumnavigation of the earth via the three Great Capes. Lt Cdr Dilna K. and Lt Cdr Roopa A. are now heading to Cape Town, South Africa after their previous port of call at Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands.

The defence minister praised the two women for their courage, dedication, and resilience and congratulated them for the remarkable milestones of crossing Point Nemo, the world's most isolated waters and sailing through the Drake Passage, one of the most treacherous water bodies.

On the eve of International Women's Day, I interacted with the amazing crew of Navika Sagar Parikrama II. Their courageous journey aboard INSV Tarini, tackling the immense challenge of circumnavigating the globe, stands as a beacon of Nari Shakti. Their unwavering resilience, pic.twitter.com/M20YzFer2F  Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) March 7, 2025

The minister said the government envisions a gender-inclusive armed force and is encouraging more young women to opt for careers in defence and adventure sports.

ALSO READ: LCA Tejas fighter pilots to be more fierce: DRDO's life life support system to boost their endurance at high-altitudes

According to a defence ministry release, Singh acknowledged the "invaluable role" of women in boosting national security and reaffirmed the governments commitment to expanding opportunities for women in the defence sector.

In a statement, the defence ministry said it has been at the forefront of ensuring greater representation of women in the Indian Defence Forces. "Various initiatives, including permanent commission opportunities, increased intake in the National Defence Academy (NDA) and Indian Naval Academy (INA), and leadership roles in combat and aviation branches, have significantly contributed to a more inclusive force," it said.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) adheres to Marxism-Leninism, which includes dialectical materialism as its philosophical foundation. Dialectical materialism, in essence, views reality as a dynamic process driven by contradictionsopposing forces that lead to change and development.



So, the question is whether CPI(M) uses this framework to justify or defend its own internal contradictions, policy flip-flops, or pragmatic compromises that clash with its stated principles.

Many top CPI(M) leaders generally do not use this theoretical framework in public rhetoric to defend the partys position. Rather, they use it in internal literature while explaining things to cadres. And, quite often, when this internal literature leaks, that leads to controversies.

However, the partys Kerala state secretary, M.V. Govindan, stands out as an exception. At times, he embraces philosophical frameworks, including dialectics, to explain the distinction between the partys position and that of the party-led government. Yet, at other times, he outright rejects any contradiction between the partys ideology and the party-led governments stance.

Govindan often reiterates that Keralas leftist government is the only viable alternative in India. However, since becoming state secretary, he has voiced multiple times that the CPI(M) and the CPI(M)-led government operate on separate tracks, yet he does not see a contradiction. In a recent interview with Manorama News, Govindan reinforced this stance while discussing private capital investments.

Can we use private capital? CPI(M)s vision for social growth and development is distinct. But the Kerala government is not in a position to fully implement that vision, he stated.

Govindan then outlined the theoretical framework guiding the partys approach. However, in the next breath, he acknowledged that the CPI(M)-led government must function within the constraints of the Indian political system. Quoting the late party ideologue and former chief minister E.M.S. Namboodiripad, he explained, What are our limitations? A government elected by securing a majority in a bourgeois economic system cannot implement the full policies and positions of the Communist party.Notably, in the same interview, Govindan reaffirmed his belief that the CPI(M)-led government would return to power in Kerala, reiterating that it remains the only alternative.

Meanwhile, at the ongoing state conference, the CPI(M) has signalled a shift by adopting a policy that leans toward disinvestment in Keralas Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs)a stance the party vehemently opposes at the national level. The CPI(M) has endorsed Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayans proposal to restructure irreparable PSUs through a public-private partnership (PPP) model. We should consider signing agreements with entities willing to manage these institutions under clear conditions, Vijayans policy document stated.

At a press conference on March 7, Govindan confirmed CPI(M)s adoption of this policy. However, in a striking contradiction, Govindan also spoke about party simultaneously passing a resolution against the central governments disinvestment moves. Titled Protect the public sector, the resolution accuses the Modi government of committing treason by privatizing PSUs, essential services, education, and healthcare, while allowing mega corporations to exploit rare minerals and other resources.

Clearly, while the party gears up for protests against the Centre on the issue, it is also backing the LDF governments pursuit of private investment.

Despite this apparent contradiction, Govindan dismissed any inconsistency in the CPI(M)s stance on PSUs. The Nava Kerala policy document focuses on improving PSUs efficiency, not shutting them down. The government is not selling them off. However, we are open to discussing support from private entities to sustain these institutions, he clarified.
Marking International Womens Day, the Delhi cabinet on Saturday approved the Mahila Saman scheme, providing monthly assistance of 2,500 for the women in the national capital. However, the opposition, the Aam Aadmi Party took a jibe at the government and said women in the national capital are staring at their phones awaiting credit messages.

#WATCH | Delhi CM Rekha Gupta reaches the Secretariat ahead of the Delhi Cabinet meeting regarding the proposed Mahila Samman Scheme for Rs 2500 financial assistance to women of Delhi. pic.twitter.com/iIooBQQBc1  ANI (@ANI) March 8, 2025

The Chief Minister Rekha Gupta-led cabinet met on Saturday and approved the monthly assistance scheme for women, one of the key poll promises of the Bharatiya Janata Party during the Delhi Assembly polls. The BJP had promised monthly assistance of 2,500 for women in the national capital if it comes to power. During one of the poll rallies, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had even promised 2,500 would be credited to the account of women in the national capital on March 8, International Womens Day.

         



               2500            pic.twitter.com/m7PYg5ciUn  Atishi (@AtishiAAP) March 8, 2025

AAP had been criticising the newly formed BJP government in the national capital over the promise and had even conducted protests inside the Delhi Assembly demanding the same. On Saturday, Opposition leader Atishi extended wishes to women in the national capital and said, Today all the women of Delhi are staring at their phones waiting for the message of  2500 being deposited in the bank to come on their phone.

The opposition leader even wrote to the Delhi chief minister on Friday, urging her to implement the monthly assistance scheme. In the letter, Atishi said women in Delhi are hoping that the first instalment will be credited to their accounts as assured by the BJP. To give the women of Delhi their due, the funds should be transferred without delay. Every woman in the city is looking towards you with hope," she wrote.
Karnataka Police have arrested two suspects after two women, including an Israeli tourist, were allegedly gang-raped and three male tourists were assaulted and pushed into a canal, resulting in the death of one of them, near Hampi.

"Out of the three accused, we have arrested two and efforts are being taken to nab the third suspect in the case," Koppal Superintendent of Police Ram L. Arasiddi said.

#WATCH | Karnataka | SP Koppal, Dr Ram Arasiddi says, "On the 6th of this month, five persons, two of them ladies and three men, were assaulted by three miscreants. They assaulted three men and sexually abused two females. Based on the complaint given by the victim, we registered https://t.co/mwE1jOAqHm pic.twitter.com/aTjW8PxoXz  ANI (@ANI) March 8, 2025

The arrested accused have been identified as Mallesh and Chetan Sai who both hail from Sai Nagara in Gangavathi town. According to police, they were working as masons.

The incident has stirred up a political storm with the BJP targeting the Siddaramaiah government over the law and order situation in the state.

"It is deeply disturbing to hear about the horrific rape of two women, a foreign national and a homestay owner reportedly from Koppal district, near the Tungabhadra canal," BJP state president B.Y. Vijayendra wrote on X.

"Criminals now act with impunity, unafraid of consequences, even in the immediate aftermath of Hampi Utsava, a festival that honors the grand legacy of the Vijayanagara Empire. The stark contrast between the state's glorious past and its present lawlessness is truly disheartening," he said.

It is deeply disturbing to hear about the horrific rape of two women, a foreign national and a homestay owner reportedly from Koppal district, near the Tungabhadra canal.



Criminals now act with impunity, unafraid of consequences, even in the immediate aftermath of Hampi Utsava, pic.twitter.com/SEbXjx3OG4  Vijayendra Yediyurappa (@BYVijayendra) March 8, 2025

The BJP leader alleged that Home Minister G. Parameshwara, along with the rest of the cabinet, seems more preoccupied with hosting dinner parties than ensuring the security of citizens.

"Even as crimes against women continue to rise across Karnataka, the government remains delusional and indifferent to the pain and suffering of its people. This administration is proving to be a curse on Karnataka," Vijayendra said.

The incident reportedly occurred around 11 pm on Thursday when the Israeli tourist, along with the three male tourists and their homestay operator, were sitting by the left bank of the Tungabhadra Canal near Sanapur Lake.

Among the male tourists, one was from the United States while the other two were from Odisha and Maharashtra.

The homestay operator, in her complaint, alleged that three men on a motorcycle approached them and demanded money. When they refused to pay, the accused assaulted the male tourists, pushed them into the canal and gang-raped her and the Israeli woman.

Of the three male tourists, two sustained injuries and one went missing, whose body was recovered on Saturday morning.
On the occasion of International Womens Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to Nari Shakti, and reiterated that his government has always worked to empower women through several schemes and programmes.

He also said that his social media accounts will be managed by select women achievers for the day.

On International Women's Day in 2020, too, Modi's social media accounts were operated by seven such women achievers. Here is a look at who the chosen women are this year:

R. Vaishali

Vanakkam!



I am @chessvaishali and I am thrilled to be taking over our PM Thiru @narendramodi Jis social media properties and that too on #WomensDay. As many of you would know, I play chess and I feel very proud to be representing our beloved country in many tournaments. pic.twitter.com/LlYTmqE2MQ  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 8, 2025

Vaishali is a chess player, and the sister of chess prodigy and grandmaster Praggnanandhaa. Sharing her journey in a social media post from Modis account, Vaishali encouraged young girls to follow their dreams. She urged parents to support girls, and encourage them to pursue their dreams. Vaishali added that her parents Rameshbabu and Nagalakshmi always supported her and Praggnanandhaa.

Elina Mishra

Space technology, nuclear technology and women empowerment



We are Elina Mishra, a nuclear scientist and Shilpi Soni, a space scientist and we are thrilled to be helming the PMs social media properties on #WomensDay.



Our message- India is the most vibrant place for science pic.twitter.com/G2Qi0j0LKS  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 8, 2025

A nuclear scientist, Elina Mishra is from Bhubaneshwar. She credited her father for her interest in science, which led her to join Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai. She has been working in the field of electromagnetism, accelerator physics and technology.

Shilpi Soni

A space scientist, Shilpi Soni hails from a humble family in Sagar, Madhya Pradesh. She has worked with the DRDO, before moving to ISRO. She is currently working as Associate Project Director for GSAT-22/23 communication payload, and has been part of the ISRO delegation to French Guyana, Kourou for the launch of GSAT.

Anita Devi

  ,                      ,       2016             -        9     pic.twitter.com/DFrQ8sDJd2  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 8, 2025

A resident of Anantapur village in Nalanda, Anita Devi became self-employed in 2016, and set up Madhopur Farmers Producer Company Limited. Through mushroom production, she not only looks after her family but also provided jobs to hundreds of women. The company now provides fertilizers, seeds and pesticides to farmers at cheap rates.

Ajaita Shah

A financially empowered woman is a confident decision-maker, independent thinker, architect of her own future and a maker of modern India! And, our nation is taking the lead in building financially empowered women.



I, @Ajaita_Shah, am really delighted to be handling PM pic.twitter.com/Jx0ony2hwS  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 8, 2025

The founder and CEO of Frontier Markets, Ajaita Shah has been helping women in rural areas mitigate challenges in their life. Her venture has made thousands of women self-reliant through the use of technology. The Meri Saheli App has played a key role in helping rural women become entrepreneurs.

Anjlee Agarwal

Anjlee Agarwal is the founder of Samarthyam Centre for Universal Accessibility, and has been working to improve the lives of people with disabilities. She conducts access audits of places, under the PRASAD scheme, and in public transportation. Agarwal aims to create an accessible and inclusive environment in India.
By Faith Hung and Emily Chan

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan's exports rose more than expected in February as demand for artificial intelligence related technologies got a boost from buyers trying to get ahead of new tariffs proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Exports rose 31.5% compared to the same month a year ago to $41.31 billion, the finance ministry said on Friday, nearly double the 17.0% that was forecast in a Reuters poll. The increase marked the 16th consecutive monthly rise.

Taiwan firms such as TSMC,, the world's largest contract chipmaker, are major suppliers to Apple, Nvidia and other tech companies.

"Some customers made orders ahead of the U.S. tariff uncertainty," the ministry said in a statement, adding business opportunities for new applications of technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) remained solid.

Trump has imposed tariffs on China, Taiwan's largest trading partner, and is considering the imposition of additional tariffs on Taiwan's chip imports.

While the ministry said that tariffs and other geopolitical risks present a fair amount of uncertainty for this year, AI and its applications are accelerating, supporting overall momentum for Taiwan's exports.

The export gains are expected to persist through the first and second quarters, the ministry added.

It expected exports in March to fall 1% and rise 2% year on year.

In February, Taiwan's exports to China rose 27.9%, versus a contraction of 11.72% in the prior month.

Exports to the United States soared 65.6% year-on-year to $11.77 billion, compared with a 0.7% jump in January.

Taiwan's total exports of electronic components climbed 24.6% in February on the year to $14.44 billion, with semiconductor exports up 24.6%.

Imports jumped 47.8% to $34.76 billion, better than economists' forecasts for a gain of 19.2%.

(Reporting by Faith Hung and Emily Chan; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Kim COghill)
Criticising the Congress leadership in Gujarat for the partys poor performance during elections in the state, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said a section of party leaders are idle and are working for the Bharatiya Janata Party.

#WATCH | Ahmedabad, Gujarat: Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi says "...When the Congress party had to face the British, we were looking for leadership everywhere. The British were in front of us; the Congress party represented the people of India, but we did not have pic.twitter.com/MFJwvnYeJu  ANI (@ANI) March 8, 2025

Addressing party cadres in Gujarat, the former Congress president said, "There are two types of people in the Gujarat Congress leadership and workers. Those who are honest with people, fight for them, respect them and have the ideology of the Congress in their heart. And the others who are cut off from the people sit far away, do not respect them, and half of whom are with the BJP.

The Congress leader who is on a two-day visit to Gujarat has been meeting with party office-bearers in the state. Gandhi said while Gujarat is looking for a new vision, a new way ahead, the party is unable to show the way. Gujarat wants to move forward, but, the Congress party of Gujarat is unable to show it the way, he said. He added including him, the party hasnt been able to fulfil the expectations of the people in Gujarat.

Reminiscing Mahatma Gandhi, the opposition leader said it was Gujarat that gave Gandhi to Congress. Gandhi added it has been 30 years since the party last came to power in Gujarat and people of the state will not vote for Congress until it fulfils its responsibilities. We should not even ask the people of Gujarat to bring us to power until we fulfil our responsibilities. I guarantee you that the day we do this, the people of Gujarat will give their support to the Congress party, ANI reported.
Tension prevailed in Manipur's Kangpokpi district on Sunday after a section of Kuki tribes protested against Union Home Minister Amit Shah's directive for free movement across the state from March 8.

A peace march organised by a Meitei organisation also made the situation volatile.

Police fired tear gas as demonstrators clashed with security personnel, and threw stones, leading to injuries. They also set a few private vehicles on fire.

Shah had recently directed security forces to ensure the free movement of people on all routes in the state and called for strict action against those creating obstructions.

According to reporters, the protesters opposing the free movement, burnt tyres along the Imphal-Dimapur highway and tried to stop any movement of state government vehicles.

Meanwhile, the peace march conducted by the Federation of Civil Society Organisations, a Meiety body, was stopped by police at Sekmai on way to Kangpokpi district.

According to police, the procession was stopped as it didn't have permission.

"We are just following orders. We have been told to stop the march. If they want to go, they can go in the state buses arranged by the government," a policeman told news agency PTI.

The FOCS members, however, claimed that insisted that free movement means travel by anybody and that they were just following what Shah's instruction.

"The purpose of the march is to bring peace to the state. If the government is not in a position to allow the free movement of the public, what is the need for making the announcement?," they asked.
Karnataka police have formed special teams to nab a three-member gang who allegedly gangraped two women, including a 27-year-old tourist from Israel in Hampi. Police also recovered the body an Odisha youth who has been missing since the incident, after he was allegedly attacked by the trio.

According to Hampi police, the incident happened on Thursday while the Israeli tourist, accompanied by the homestay operator, and three other male tourists from the United States, Maharashtra and Odisha had gone to the banks of Sanapur Lake for stargazing. Around 11pm, while the tourists were spending leisure time by the banks of the lake, a trio on a motorcycle allegedly approached them.

The 29-year-old homestay operator alleged the trio asked where they could get petrol nearby. When she told them that there were petrol pumps in the locality, the gang asked her for Rs 100. The group refused to pay the money to the accused.

Ired, the accused abused the group in Kannada and Telugu, the victim alleged. The trio later attacked the men in the group and pushed them into the lake, and gangraped the women, police said. According to police, while the tourists from Maharashtra and the US climbed back to the bank, the Odisha youth, identified as Bibash, was missing. Police recovered his body from the lake on Saturday.

Gangavathi rural police have registered a case for extortion, robbery or dacoity with intent to cause death or grievous hurt, gangrape, and attempted murder under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, police said. Ram L. Arasiddi, Superintendent of Police, Koppal, said the investigation is progressing in full swing in the case and immediate action was taken based on the womens complaint. The victims are undergoing treatment at a government hospital in the district.
Even as the Congress party is yet to decide its Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Haryana assembly, there are growing murmurs about Randeep Singh Surjewala being considered for the role of state unit president.

Surjewala is currently holding the post of AICC general secretary, managing Karnataka Congress. According to sources, there are a few senior leaders in Delhi who want to free him from the resource-rich Karnataka and deploy him in his home state, Haryana.

However, all eyes are on whether former Haryana chief minister Bhupender Singh Hooda will throw a spanner in his growing role in Haryana. Sources indicate that Surjewala's elevation in the state may not augur well for the Hoodas, and it might even spell the sunset for senior Hoodas political career.

ALSO READ: Congress yet to arrive at consensus on pick for Haryana opposition leader

A Congress leader said, "If Surjewala becomes the president, he will have his own set of loyalists. Presently, Hooda's team is holding key positions in the state. The leader said if Surjewala is given the position, it will also open the possibility of projecting him as the chief minister face for the next assembly elections.

Congress insiders, meanwhile, reveal that the infighting between the two factions led by Hooda and Selja Kumari (who is currently a general secretary) has delayed the decision on the appointment of the LoP. The rumour mills have it that Hooda may not get the post again. The same factionalism, according to party insiders, is also causing a delay in the decision over the president's post. The current Pradesh president Udhai Bhan is a Hooda loyalist.

A leader close to Surjewala said, "Surjewala is not part of either faction. Whether this will go in Surjewalas favour is yet to be seen.
The Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR) has almost doubled over the past seven years, from 23.3% in 2017-18 to 41.7% in 2023-24, according to the Economic Survey for 2024-25. The latest Union Budget has set the target of 70% female workforce participation by 2047. The growth is great and so is the target. However, juxtaposed to that is also the challenge of an enabling environment for women at workplace. On Womens Day, THE WEEK spoke to Sumita Dawra, secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment, who highlights that laws and guidelines are in place, and their proper implementation is important.  Society will evolve when we all move together  the government, industry, society - we are stakeholders in this and we have to move in tandem.

Edited excerpts:

Reports suggest that the rise in Female Labour Force Participation is largely driven by more women entering the workforce in rural India, where farming is the primary economic activity. Its also the region, which sees high migration to cities for men for employment avenues, leaving women to take care of the farms. Some reports also suggest many of these women are over-qualified for the work. How do you look at this scenario? Are we looking at a scenario of structural unemployment?

I see it differently, as the scenario also shows women and their capability to work.

However, if looking for a job, there are factors, such as their domestic and care responsibilities. The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) data shows that 44.5% of women were out of the workforce due to childcare and other commitments.

Now coming to the jobs in their vicinity. Weve interventions there, such as the Model Career Centres, which connect job seekers to recruiters. They can go to their nearest MCC. For those who are digitally literate, they can go to the National Career Service portal. The NCS is also the place where we have brought in the Skill India Digital Hub, or SIDH. So if a woman in a rural area finds a job in her vicinity but thinks she needs more skilling, she can look up SIDH in the same portal to find which is the nearest skill centre.

So these are some of the interventions we have undertaken.

Despite rules in place, women's safety in the workplace is a constant issue. Is the government planning any interventions there?

We have laws and guidelines in place, proper implementation is very important. Labour is a concurrent subject, and when it comes to the safety of women in workspaces, these have been enabled by law.

So its either the Factories Act or the Shops and Establishment Act. Seven states have made the amendment to either one or both, enabling women with their consent to work the night shift.

So when its notified, the states also notify the precautions that have to be taken  the CCTV cameras, the path to the toilet should be well-lit, their entrance, safe transportation, all these should be in place.

Its also the responsibility of every head of the institution to ensure that its done. And if not, its also the responsibility of the women to bring it to the notice. Today, social media is such a powerful tool, many of the issues and grievances are coming to us through it.

Also, the ownership of society is crucial as we all are responsible. Society will evolve when we all move togetherthe government, industry, society we are stakeholders in this and we have to move in tandem.

Many women also leave the workforce after childbirth due to additional responsibilities. While there are maternity benefits in place, is the government looking at this, such as increasing the days of paternity leave or more flexible work models?

One amendment made to the Maternity Act in 2017 was 26 weeks of paid maternity leave, which is a very good intervention. But in some places, there may be some unintended consequences. These are violations of the law.

We also have to look at family support, especially in rural areas.

Some places have flexible work models, which is very beneficial.

We are currently looking at nurturing the care ecosystem, which is affordable and qualitative.
Ahmed al-Sharaa's forces have allegedly executed 311 Alawite civilians in the coastal Latakia province up from the 162 executions confirmed a day ago, according to reports.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said at least 300 civilians have been killed in "field executions" since Thursday.

Latakia province is the stronghold of supporters of Bashar al-Assad, who was ousted by the Syrian rebels late last year. He also belongs to the minority Alawites who are Shiites backed by Iran.

The General Security Administration seizes piles of various weapons and ammunition in one of the hideouts of the remnants of the defunct regime in Latakia. pic.twitter.com/L88dXmmmNC  Levant24 (@Levant_24_) March 8, 2025

Ahmed al-Sharaa, who earlier went by his nom-de-guerre Mohammed al-Jolani, has ordered a crackdown on Qardaha, the hometown of Assad. Besides Latakia, executions were also reported at the Tartous governorate.

The observatory stated that "311 Alawite civilians were killed in the coastal region by security forces and allied groups" since the clashes started two days ago. Besides the civilians, 93 security personnel and 120 Assad-backed rebels have also been killed. The total death toll touched 524, as of Saturday.

The war monitor alleged that the security forces and pro-government fighters were also involved in "looting of homes and properties." It said most of the executions were carried out by the forces of the defence and interior ministries.

SANA, the state-owned news agency, claimed that the remnants of the Assad regime attacked a national hospital in Latakia, prompting the military to intervene.

Al-Sharaa urged the rebels to put down their arms before it's too late. "You attacked all Syrians and made an unforgivable mistake. The riposte has come, and you have not been able to withstand it," he said a Telegram broadcast.

Videos showed security forces shooting down people at a close range. Footage also showed bodies of civilians piled outside a building as women scream.

Amid conflict in Syria, Israel said it will continue occupation of the buffer zone along the Golan Heights border to "defend against any threat."

Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz slammed the Syrian regime, alleging that al-Sharaa who presented a moderate face after his takeover, has now revealed his true

intentions. He called al-Sharaa "a jihadist terrorist of the al-Qaeda school who is committing horrifying acts against a civilian population."
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Friday formally endorsed Egypts peace plan for Gaza, a key step towards addressing the enduring conflict that has ravaged the region. The endorsement, which came during the OICs emergency summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, reflects a unified stance among the blocs 57 member statesrepresenting over 1.8 billion Muslimsto counter US President Donald Trumps controversial proposal to annex Gaza and displace its Palestinian population. Coming days after the Arab Leagues approval for the plan, the OICs backing amplifies Egypts diplomatic initiative, positioning it as a credible alternative to Trumps vision of transforming Gaza into a Riviera of the Middle East while expelling its residents to Egypt or Jordan.

Egypt, which has historically played a key role in meditating between Arab and Israeli actors is the key driver behind the latest plan to bring peace to Gaza, which has been ravaged by intense Israeli attacks, reducing much of the Strip to rubble. The Egyptian plan focuses on ceasefire at the earliest, which is the key to bring an end to the bloodshed that has claimed countless lives and lakhs of people. Cairo expects Israel to withdraw from contested zones, while urging Hamas and other Palestinian factions to cease hostilities. In exchange, Egypt commits to overseeing the delivery of humanitarian aid including food, medical supplies and rebuilding materials to ease the plight of Gazas two million inhabitants, who have suffered years of blockade and bombardment.

Preparatory meeting of the 20th Extraordinary Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the OIC Member States to address the aggression of Israel against the Palestinian people and its schemes for their displacement from their land and annexation thereof convenes at the OIC pic.twitter.com/qxNnxnZ0bH  OIC (@OIC_OCI) March 7, 2025

The OICs support lends significant weight to Egypts efforts. At the Jeddah summit, leaders praised the plan as a pragmatic and balanced approach to de-escalation, a sentiment echoed by Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, who dubbed it an Arab-Islamic plan. Sudans foreign minister reinforced this optimism, calling it a very positive step. The OIC reiterated the importance of addressing the humanitarian crisis, as basic necessities like power and water are virtually absent. The Islamic bloc also reaffirmed its commitment to the right of self-determination of the Palestinian people, aligning the latest peace plan with the two-state solution as a precondition for permanent peace.

Meanwhile, Egypts strategic position promotes its role as an objective mediator. As it shares the Rafah crossing with Gaza, and with its excellent diplomatic links with Israel, Cairo is uniquely placed to promote dialogue and ensure compliance. It has already initiated shuttle diplomacy, engaging Israeli officials and Hamas leaders to secure their support. The plan unfolds in phases: an initial truce to stop the fighting, followed by prisoner exchange negotiations and eventually broader talks on governance and reconstruction. This gradual approach seeks to rebuild trust, a rare commodity after decades of mutual distrust and violence between the parties.

The timing of the OICs endorsement is critical. Global focus on Gaza has sharpened as aid agencies warn of an impending famine and the collapse of healthcare infrastructure. The Jeddah meeting, chaired by Cameroon Foreign Minister Lejeune Mbella, was spurred by rising tensions and Trumps displacement rhetoric. Mbella advocated a concerted and multilateral approach, insisting that peace depends on the two-state solution. Gambias Foreign Minister Mamadou Tangara, representing the Islamic Summit chair, condemned expulsion proposals as provocative, brutal, and inhumane, especially given recent ceasefire gains. He called for Israels complete withdrawal from occupied territories and denounced its ban on the UN Relief and Works Agency as a breach of international law.

OIC Secretary General Hissein Ibrahim Taha highlighted the plans reconstruction focus, urging a sustainable ceasefire, the return of expelled residents and the preservation of Palestinian territorial unity. The Arab Leagues Cairo summit established a trust fund for Gazas rebuilding, with Egypt seeking endorsement from the European Union, Japan, Russia and China. We aim to make this an international plan, Abdelatty said, highlighting ongoing talks with all parties, including the US.

However, the proposal omits a proposal for Hamas Gazas de facto rulers, to disarm, a sticking point that has led to its rejection by both Israel and the US. State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce labelled it inadequate, citing Gazas uninhabitable state, while Trumps envoy Steve Witkoff offered cautious praise, calling it a good-faith first step.

Challenges loom large. Israel, under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, remains resistant to external mediation and Palestinian statehood, potentially viewing the plan as a concession to Hamas. Internal Palestinian divisions between Hamas and the Palestinian Authority further complicate implementation, though Egypts proposal prioritises immediate relief over reconciliation.

Trumps divisive plan, despite facing widespread rejection, has galvanised regional action. Witkoff estimates Gazas reconstruction would take 10-15 years, suggesting Egypts zoned rebuilding approach warrants discussion. Yet, the US insists on Hamas giving up arms, a demand Egypt sidesteps, possibly as a bargaining chip. Arab leaders hope to leverage their reconstruction role to influence Israel, given Americas reluctance to fund Gazas recovery directly.

The OICs endorsement, alongside Syrias readmission after over a decade, signals a renewed push for Palestinian rights. For Gazas war-weary residents, Egypts plan offers a fragile hope of rebuilding without exile. Whether it can break the deadlock or fade into history depends on the weeks ahead.
Vladimir Putin's forces, with the help of North Korean troops, have made huge inroads in the Kursk region of Russia, which had been occupied by Ukraine since last summer. The North Koreans are supported by well-equipped drone units operated by Russia as well as incessant airstrikes and artillery attacks that provide them cover.

Oleksii, the commander of a Ukrainian communications unit fighting in Kursk, told The New York Times that they are outnumbered by six men against 50 North Koreans in each unit.

Communication between captured North Korean soldiers and Ukrainian investigators continues. We are establishing the facts. We are verifying all the details. The world will learn the full truth about how Russia is exploiting such guys, who grew up in a complete information vacuum, pic.twitter.com/CWcssQjr94  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) January 14, 2025

It is estimated that around 12,000 North Koreans have been deployed in Russia since January. More than 300 of them have been killed and over 2,700 injured as of January. The latest numbers following the Kursk offensive could be far higher.

Controlling Russian territory of Kursk was seen as Kyiv's bargaining chip to negotiate lost territories in its Donbas region as well as its strategy to force Moscow to shift attention away from the Ukrainian frontline. They had secured a bridgehead of 200 square miles surrounding Sudzha town of Russia last year, taking Putin's troops by surprise.

 Footage of the capture of the first North Korean soldier by SOF operators,  RBC-Ukraine pic.twitter.com/uk9KnblyDA  MAKS 24  (@Maks_NAFO_FELLA) February 3, 2025

Hence, a retreat from the Russian land could put Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a disadvantage, especially as US President Donald Trump had halted all financial and military aid to Ukraine recently. The Pyongyang troops have helped Moscow take back more than 60 per cent of the land occupied by Kyiv.

North Koreans and their suicide mission

Ukraine had earlier killed several North Korean soldiers and could only capture two of them alive. This is reportedly because most of the troops sent by Pyongyang kill themselves before they are captured.

Ryu Seong-hyeon, a former sergeant in the North Korean military who defected to South Korea in 2019, told ABC News that the soldiers have been told that their families would be executed if they are caught alive. "It's the biggest shame to be captured," he said.

This fear of losing their loved ones has reportedly made the North Koreans fight ferociously and prepared to die to avoid captivity.

Earlier reports said the North Koreans were struggling to adapt to modern warfare, with troops being chased down by attack drones. Ryu told the outlet that they don't have the training to defend against a drone. "That's why they just die like a dog," he said.

In January, Zelenskyy declared that his forces caught two North Korean soldiers alive. The soldiers reportedly said they want to remain in Ukraine, fearing execution if they are handed over to Pyongyang.

Training and change in tactics

Ukrainian troops have revealed that North Koreans are always deployed in the front lines but unlike earlier they are now trained to fight in the presence of drones. They are also coordinating well with the North Korean artillery units and Russia's elite drone teams, the NYT quoted Andrii, a Ukrainian drone commander, as saying.

In the recent offensive, the North Koreans broke through the Ukrainian lines near the small village of Kurylvka. The soldiers on the Ukrainian side have admitted that there were simply too many North Koreans.

On the Russian side, they have deployed state-of-the-art fibre-optic drones, which cannot be jammed like the regular radio-controlled drones. These drones have helped the Russians and North Koreans to hit Kyiv's supply line, which is the only road connecting Russia's Sudzha to Ukraine.
Ukrainian forces are suffering setbacks in the battlefields of Russias western Kursk region which they had invaded and conquered in August 2024. A critical Ukrainian supply line is on the verge of being cut off which could ultimately lead to them being encircled by the enemy.

The Russian army kept relentlessly attacking Ukrainian defence positions despite suffering casualties in large numbers. This yielded the results they wished for, recapturing slices of Kursk that they lost to a well-executed Ukrainian counter-offensive.

ALSO READ | Revealed: How Ukraine's first strike on North Korean troops in Russia's Kursk took place

Piling further pressure on Kyiv, Russian Generals have redeployed their North Korean allies in the frontlines of Kursk that are witnessing heavy fighting. Pyongyang's "Storm Corps" were withdrawn from combat duty in late January after the inexperienced Asian soldiers became cannon fodder to the enemy. At least a third of the 12,000 "elite" soldiers sent to help Russia were killed in action due to their inability to cope with modern warfare methods.

ALSO READ | How North Koreans on suicide mission are overwhelming Ukrainians with Russian drone support

However, in their second coming, the North Koreans show an improved understanding of drone warfare and guerilla fighting, Ukrainian media said. They are no longer running at the enemy in large numbers but strategically operating in smaller units. The Koreans landed the biggest blow to Kyiv when they broke through defences south of the Kyiv-held Russian town of Sudzha, cutting off a key road, reports said.

Kim Jong-un has sent an additional 3,000 men to support the Storm Corps, mostly sappers, electronic and technical assistance units and infantry units. North Korean Bulsae-4 wheeled missile launchers have also been used in Kursk on their second coming, Kyiv Post said in a report.

If they decide to retreat from Kursk Oblast, Ukrainian soldiers will have to go on foot as vehicular movement is completely out of the picture given how Russia has solidified its positions. While Volodymyr Zelenskyy's camp has confessed that they are on the back foot in Kursk, not much is known about the course of action they will take.
The recent political upheaval in Bangladesh, marked by Sheikh Hasina's fall from power and her reported refuge in India, has further complicated bilateral relations. This development has intensified allegations of Indian interference, and if India continues to shelter Hasina, it could deepen anti-India sentiments in Bangladesh. The perception of India as a big brother undermining Bangladeshi sovereignty could hinder future diplomatic engagement. The way forward is to reshape Indias foreign policy keeping in mind the need to rebuild trust and enhance cooperation.

India can recalibrate its foreign policy toward Bangladesh by engaging all political stakeholders. India should engage with a broader spectrum of political parties in Bangladesh, including the BNP, Jamaat and other opposition groups, to demonstrate neutrality and respect for democratic processes. Over the past 15 years, its interactions have been largely limited to the Awami League, rather than the broader populace of Bangladesh. Secondly, there is a need to address perceptions of interference. By adopting a non-interventionist stance and refraining from supporting any particular political faction, India can counter allegations of political meddling. Thirdly, the focus should be on resolving contentious issues. Proactively addressing water disputes, border security concerns, and trade imbalances would foster goodwill.

Transparent communication on water-sharing agreements, such as the Teesta River dispute, is essential. Fourthly, economic cooperation and regional integration are the need of the hour. India and Bangladesh should work toward more balanced trade relations and enhanced connectivity. India could support Bangladesh's economic growth by investing in mutually beneficial projects. Additionally, revitalizing SAARC or promoting other regional platforms could enhance regional cooperation. Lastly, there should be a focus on respecting sovereignty and public sentiments. India must be sensitive to Bangladeshi public opinion and respect its sovereignty. A partnership based on mutual respect, rather than a hierarchical big brother approach, would be more sustainable.

India and Bangladesh are inextricably linked by geography, history, and cultural ties. While political controversies have strained relations, there is significant potential for cooperation in trade, connectivity, security, and environmental sustainability. For a more stable and productive relationship, India must pursue a more balanced, respectful, and people-centric foreign policy toward Bangladesh. This approach would not only strengthen bilateral ties but also contribute to regional stability and security in South Asia.

India and Bangladesh share a complex and multi-dimensional relationship shaped by geography, history, and regional politics. Since Bangladeshs independence in 1971, which India played a crucial role in supporting, the bilateral ties have fluctuated between cooperation and tension. In recent years, particularly under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League, the relationship has been notably close, but this closeness has also sparked controversies and resentment in certain sections of Bangladeshi society.

Historical context and political dynamics

India supported Bangladesh's independence in 1971, leading to strong historical ties. However, the political dynamics in Bangladesh have significantly influenced bilateral relations. Under the Awami League, led by Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh maintained a pro-India stance, enhancing cooperation in trade, security, and connectivity. However, accusations of India's undue influence in Bangladesh's internal politics have sparked anti-Indian sentiments. These allegations are partly fueled by the perception that India has supported the Awami Leagues prolonged rule, sometimes at the expense of democratic norms. Former Indian President Pranab Mukherjee's writings have also been interpreted as evidence of India's political involvement in Bangladesh, intensifying these sentiments.

Controversies and criticisms

Several contentious issues have marred the relationship like Indias political influence. There is a widespread belief in Bangladesh that India played a role in keeping Sheikh Hasina in power, undermining democratic processes. Time and again there have been concerns about human rights violations during Hasinas regime and there is a sentiment whether New Delhi turned a blind eye to it. India's river-linking projects, like the Tipaimukh Dam, have been a source of contention too due to potential ecological impacts on Bangladesh.

Despite political tensions, economic interdependence between India and Bangladesh has grown. Bangladesh is Indias largest trading partner in South Asia. India has invested in connectivity projects, energy cooperation, and infrastructure development in Bangladesh. However, the trade imbalance, with Bangladesh importing far more from India than it exports, remains a point of contention. Additionally, India's involvement in regional politics is an area that can be re-examined to improve relations not just with the people of Bangladesh but also with the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

(The author is a political and human rights analyst )

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of THE WEEK.
By Lisa Baertlein

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's plan to revitalize the U.S. shipping industry could heap massive costs on ocean transport operators and spawn a new round of supply chain chaos around the world, executives told Reuters.

Trump's administration aims to pay for an American shipbuilding comeback with help from potentially hefty port fees on Chinese-built vessels as well as ships from fleets with China-made vessels, according to a draft executive order seen by Reuters on Thursday.

The levies could hit virtually every ship calling at U.S. ports, foist up to $30 billion of annual costs on American consumers and double the cost of shipping U.S. exports, according to the World Shipping Council (WSC), which represents the liner shipping industry.

"Policymakers must reconsider these damaging proposals and seek alternative solutions that support American industries," WSC CEO Joe Kramek said.

While the stated goal of Trump's plan is to revive the moribund U.S. shipbuilding industry and weaken China's global shipping dominance, the dour outlook from industry executives shows how Trump's pro-U.S. policies can sometimes bring on unintended consequences that run counter to his stated goals.

The plan is a "curve ball" that could be very damaging for ocean carriers and their customers, Jeremy Nixon, CEO of container ship owner Ocean Network Express (ONE), said at S&P Global's TPM container shipping conference in Long Beach, California, this week.

In the near term, ship owners could make fewer U.S. port calls to limit fees. A flood of extra cargo could clog up those ports, making it harder to get imports to retailers and manufacturers and exports on ships, executives said.

The Trump plan could also put pressure on companies to redeploy their global ship fleets so that vessels that weren't built in China are refocused on the United States market - something that could cost time and money, they said.

MSC, world's largest container carrier, could skip smaller ports like California's Port of Oakland - an important gateway for exports of fresh beef, dairy products and almonds - to mitigate the impact, Soren Toft, the company's CEO said at TPM.

Such moves could swamp the nation's biggest ports and freeze out the smaller ones, risking a repeat of early pandemic backups that hobbled global trade flows, executives warned.

"It would be very difficult for us and our partners to absorb it all at once," Beth Rooney, director of the U.S. East Coast's largest port of New York and Jersey, said of the potential volume spike.
With the trade war between the US and China showing no signs of abating, Beijing has urged New Delhi to join hands to counter the power politics.

Addressing his annual press conference in Beijing on Friday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called on the two countries to work together rather than undermine or undercut each other. Stressing that a cooperative partnership between the dragon and the elephant is the only right choice for both the sides, he said that it is the only path that will truly serve the fundamental interests of both the countries.

In an apparent reference to the US, Wang Yi said, As important members of the Global South, we have the responsibility to take the lead in opposing hegemonism and power politics. We must not only safeguard legitimate rights and interests of our countries but also uphold the basic norms governing international relations. If China and India join hands, the prospect of greater democracy in international affairs and the stronger Global South will improve greatly.

China and India, as each other's largest neighbors, should maintain a productive partnership and contribute to each other's success, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Friday.#TwoSessions2025https://t.co/Pc1rZehZck pic.twitter.com/RRVXIMYYC9  CCTV+ (@CCTV_Plus) March 7, 2025

The US recently doubled tariffs on Chinese imports to 20 per cent, as part of the announcement of tariffs on Canada and Mexico, too. Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump, while addressing a joint session of the Congress, had mentioned India alongside other countries while speaking about nations charging higher tariffs on American products. The US and the European Union, too, have applied import levies to Chinese-made EVs.

China, in turn, has announced retaliatory tariffs on Canadian agricultural and food products after Ottawa's tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles and steel and aluminium products.

India and China should be partners in each other's success

Pointing out that 2025 marks the 75th anniversary of India-China diplomatic relations, Wang Yi said, China stands ready to work with India to sum up past experience and forge a fast forward and advance China-India relations on the track of sound and stable development.

Wang, who is a member of the political bureau of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC), also emphasised that the border issues should never affect the bilateral relations between the two countries, in an apparent reference to India stressing the importance of peace at the borders for the development of relations. As two ancient civilisations, we have enough wisdom and capability to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas pending a fair and reasonable solution to the boundary issue.

India and China completed the disengagement process last year after the withdrawal of troops from Depsang and Demchok, in eastern Ladakh. PM Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping then held talks in Kazan on October 23, following which National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Wang Yi held the 23rd Special Representatives (SR) dialogue in Beijing on December 18. On January 26, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri travelled to Beiing and met his Chinese counterpart Sun Weidong.
The US foreign aid freeze announced by President Donald Trump has forced many aid agencies including the United Nations to fire its staff and suspend operations in several countries.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said over nine million people in Afghanistan are set to miss out on health and other essential services due to "severe cuts ".

Guterres added that cash allocations that helped one million people in Ukraine last year have been suspended and funding programs for people fleeting Sudan have also run out among other things.

Many independent NGOs too have cited fund cringe and announced closure of projects.

Also read | US exit from WHO: A crisis or opportunity for global health governance?

However, UN agencies have been trying to revise their operations, seek funding elsewhere and make strategic cuts. UN had urged the US to rethink its decision as well.

The UN High Commission for Refugees's (UNHCR) operations were hit and its "first cost-saving efforts" involved cutting $300 million in planned activities.

At least some of the UNHCR's partner organisations have halted activities that have led to the suspension of services for nearly 1.8 lakh people in Central African Republic, South Sudan and Uganda.

"If new funding is not forthcoming soon, more cuts in direct life-saving assistance will be inevitable," spokesman Matthew Saltmarsh told the Associated Press.

In 2023, the International Organisation for Migration received over 40 per cent of its $3.4 billion budget from the US. Now, with the funding freeze, IOM sent dismissal notices to around 3,000 staff.

Even the US's exit from the World Health Organisation has jeopardised healthcare activities globally. The agency had said that the global measles and rubella lab network is "at risk of collapse".

The US's decision has also affected the global response to Mpox as well. The US contributed $200-$250 million each year to tackle tuberculosis. The slash in funding will be affecting the program, said officials.
As many as 14 people were killed and over 35 left injured in Russian drone and missile attacks on Ukraine's Donetsk and Kharkiv.

Reportedly, eight residential buildings were also reportedly damaged following strikes in Dobropillya in Donetsk.

Also read | Cracks in Trump-Putin relation? US warns of sanctions against Russia as Ukraine war rages

Last night, the Russian army struck the center of Dobropillya in the Donetsk region with two ballistic missiles. After our emergency services arrived at the scene, they launched another strike, deliberately targeting the rescuers. This is a vile and inhumane intimidation tactic pic.twitter.com/IR6D4NOCTT  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) March 8, 2025

Russia has lately stepped up its attacks against Ukraine. Reacting to the wave of missile attacks against Ukraine, United States President Donald Trump on Friday said that his administration is strongly considering imposing banking sanctions, and tariffs on Russia as the war rages.

11 killed and 30 wounded as a result of Russias strike on Dobropillia, Donetsk region.



8 apartment buildings and an administrative building were destroyed. The apartment buildings have been on fire since the night. ~ 30 cars were burned. pic.twitter.com/fdhHH67NI5  Maria Drutska  (@maria_drutska) March 8, 2025

In the Dobropilla region, the missile attack has killed 11 people. "Such strikes show that Russia's objectives have not changed," President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. He urged the nations to help Ukraine strengthen its air defence in order to protect lives.

Also read | JD Vance reveals how his remark triggered Zelenskyy at Oval Office. The rest is history

Trump's remarks against Russia came after its missiles targeted Ukrainian energy and gas infrastructure on Friday.

"Based on the fact that Russia is absolutely 'pounding' Ukraine on the battleground right now, I am strongly considering large-scale Banking Sanctions, Sanctions, and Tariffs on Russia until a Cease Fire and FINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ON PEACE IS REACHED," Trump wrote on social media.

Also read | US destroying world order, says Ukraines UK envoy as Kyiv tries to mend Zelenskyy-Trump relations

The US has been making efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war by striking a peace deal. Trump has been insisting on both leaders to sit together and negotiate terms to end the war.

Meanwhile, Zelenskyy's blowout with Trump at the Oval Office in Washington has hurt Ukraine. Kyiv has been trying to mend the relations since then. Even France and the United Kingdom stepped in to support Ukraine after the White House showdown.

With the US pausing all military aid to Ukraine after the Trump-Zelenskyy meeting in Washington, Kyiv's air defences may be running low on advanced missiles. However, European allies including Germany, the UK, France and the EU have offered Ukraine support.
British defence giants are preparing to move production to a war footing as European governments race to re-arm.

The country's biggest arms manufacturers, including BAE Systems, Babcock, Leonardo UK and Chemring, have said they stand ready to meet an 'unparalleled' surge in demand.

The UK, along with Continental nations, is urgently trying to ramp up its independent defence capability in the wake of President Trump's intervention in Russia's war on Ukraine.

Measures could include running production lines 24 hours a day, bringing workers in over the weekend and investing in expansion  even setting up so-called shadow factories last seen in the Second World War.

Hampshire-based Chemring, which has rebuffed a takeover approach from US private equity firm Bain Capital  wants to expand in the UK and Germany.

The company, which makes bombs and missile defence systems, said it has seen 'unparalleled demand' since the invasion of Ukraine, particularly in its explosives division. It expects the surge to last for at least a decade.

> Defence shares rocket as Europe vows to boost military

Show of strength: The UK, along with Continental nations, is urgently trying to ramp up its defence capability in the wake of Donald Trump's intervention in Russia's war on Ukraine

Leonardo, one of the leading aerospace companies in the UK, makes helicopters for the army.

The Italian-owned business said it stands ready to run production lines at its nine UK sites 24 hours a day if need be.

'There's always the ability to add shifts and bring workers in over weekends,' Leonardo UK's chief executive Clive Higgins told The Mail on Sunday.

'Machines that might be running 12 out of 24 hours  we can ramp that up to 24 hours.'

A spokesperson for Babcock, which makes ships for the Royal Navy as well as armoured vehicles, said that as 'a sovereign British company, Babcock is working very hard to make sure our Armed Forces have the equipment and services they need to protect our nation, both now and in the future.'

The Prime Minister has promised to increase military spending from 2.3 to 2.5 per cent of gross domestic product  a measure of national output  by 2027, and to 3 per cent by the next Parliament.

He said Europe must do the 'heavy lifting' in defending Ukraine as he announced a 1.6 billion deal to supply the embattled nation with more than 5,000 missiles. They will be made by French giant Thales in Belfast, creating 200 jobs.

Companies are on standby awaiting further detail from the Government about what armaments are needed.

BAE Systems boss Charles Woodburn said his firm, which is the biggest defence company in Europe, had 'been scaling up in recent years and is ready to scale up again'.

'We are confident that, given clear demand signals, we can meet the requirement,' he told The Mail on Sunday.

But he called for more guidance from Government, saying 'it will take some time' to fulfil requirements.

Shares in defence companies have soared as investors expect them to profit from the increased demand for arms.

Andrew Kinniburgh, who leads manufacturing group Make UK's defence arm, echoed those sentiments, saying: 'Above all, what UK defence firms require to prepare for increases in demand are firm orders from the Ministry of Defence.'

He added Ministers should fund shadow factories to allow orders to be produced quickly.

These were devised in 1935 in preparation for the Second World War. The then government set up and funded weapons-making sites at car plants, using existing skilled staff to ramp up the rapid production of armaments and planes.
Chinese auto brands are gaining an increasing stronghold on Britain's car market but many drivers still have major reservations and questions they want answering before even considering buying one.

Registration figures for 2024 show a 14 per cent surge in sales of models from the four major Chinese makers now available in the UK: BYD, MG, Omoda and Ora.

These made up 5 per cent of all new cars bought in Britain last year, representing almost 100,000 motors entering the road.

Most are electric vehicles as China continues to reap the reward of investing early - and heavily - in battery tech ahead of European rivals, a move experts predict will bring these brands tremendous success in the next decade.

By the time the UK's ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars comes into force in 2030, Chinese manufacturers are predicted to account for a quarter of the UK's EV market representing 400,000 cars on our roads, according to Auto Trader's Road to 2030 Report.

But with prices typically cheaper than well-known mainstream car firms from Europe, Japan and Korea, should you be seriously thinking about buying a Chinese car now?

We've teamed up with Auto Express to answer the pressing questions you likely have.

This ranges from how ethical it is to own a car built in China, address concerns regarding spyware technology, cover recent insurance issues and explain what makes them so affordable.

Keep your eyes peeled tomorrow when we give a full rundown of which brands are already available in the UK - and which are due to break into the UK market in 2025.

Our guide to Chinese cars: We answer your pressing questions, including how ethical are they, is China using them to spy on us and why are they so much cheaper than European rivals?

Who is most likely to buy a Chinese car today?

Auto Trader, the nation's biggest online car platform, carried out a poll of 3,985 adults earlier this year specifically asking their thoughts on Chinese cars.

The headline finding was that two in five drivers today would consider purchasing a car built by a Chinese brand.

It found the greatest support from the 17-to-34 age group, with 57 per cent of those surveyed attracted by factors including innovative technology and affordability compared to a quarter of over 55s.

And older drivers are generally a lot less accepting of the idea of driving a Chinese car.

The research found two fifths of motorists aged 55 and over are concerned by data security and privacy risks when buying Chinese products, with 43 per cent of the same age group mistrusting the quality of goods.

Ian Plummer, Auto Trader's commercial director, said: 'Consumers' trust in the quality and safety of these new Chinese entrants remains mixed, particularly among older buyers.

'To succeed, Chinese brands will need to focus on reassuring consumers  through strong safety ratings, data security, expert reviews and customer service  that they are as good as the more trusted traditional manufacturers.'

However, other reports suggest there is no generational gap when it comes to appetite for Chinese cars.

Ginny Buckley, founder of Electrifying.com, said a poll of 1,000 visitors to her EV website last year found that 80 per cent of drivers are 'not concerned about where in the world their vehicle is made'.

In a more recent survey, she said 61 per cent of EV owners said they'd be happy to buy from a Chinese brand.

Over half (56 per cent) of potential EV buyers expressed the same view.

One of the biggest reasons Chinese cars are cheaper than European, Japanese and Korean rivals is linked to the subsidies they receive from Beijing. Many Chinese brands are either partially or fully owned by the Chinese government

Why are Chinese EVs so cheap?

'Chinese cars have gained a reputation for being cheap, but this isn't necessarily because they are of inferior quality. There are several factors contribute to their low price tags,' explains Tom Jervis, consumer reporter at Auto Express.

The first is that labour costs in China are far lower than in central Europe.

In August 2023, BYD advertised jobs at its Shenzhen factory with a salary of between 5,000 and 7,000 yuan (555-777) per month, while reports show that base salaries in Chinese car makers' factories can be as low as 260 per month.

'That's more than five times less than what the average UK worker earning minimum wage would make in the same period,' Tom says.

Secondly, Chinese firms have a big advantage using domestic resources.

Almost all of the components and materials used in Chinese vehicles are either manufactured or mined in China, greatly reducing transport and import costs.

Finally, there's the widely discussed - and controversial - issue of subsidies from Beijing.

That's because many of the Chinese brands we already know are either partially or fully owned by the Chinese government.

'The industry is estimated to have received as much as 185billion in subsidies since 2009, helping to keep costs low for consumers,' Tom explains.

To level the playing field, the European Union recently implemented additional import tariffs ranging from 10 per cent to nearly 40 per cent.

Unsurprisingly, companies like BYD and SAIC are keen to reverse these measures.

The United States has gone further, with former President Joe Biden introducing a 100 per cent tariff on Chinese-made electric cars last year, effectively doubling their price.

Meanwhile, the UK has yet to take similar action, making it an enticing market for China's car makers.

These brands have also largely been credited for making EVs more affordable to Britons in recent years.

They generally occupy the sub-30,000 market, offering 29 EVs in this segment in 2025 - up from just nine at the beginning of last year.

Among these 'cheap' electric cars is the Leapmotor T03 (15,995) and Ora 03 (24,995).

However, Auto Trader believes Chinese manufacturers have 'not yet fully flexed their pricing power' in the UK, with many RRP prices lower in their domestic market.

For example, the BYD Dolphin RRP in China can be as much as 10,000 less than the UK.

One of the biggest concerns about Chinese cars is whether it is ethical to own one, especially amidst accusations of human rights abuses and unsustainable mining of precious metals

Is buying a Chinese EV ethical?

Buying an electric car is, for many, a choice of ethics  making sacrifices in some areas to pick the best type of car for our planet.

Accusations of human rights abuses and unsustainable mining of precious metals has led some to question whether purchasing an EV from China is any more ethical than buying a polluting SUV produced on the continent.

Last year, charity Amnesty International evaluated 13 of the world's largest EV makers in terms of their impact on human rights and the Chinese brand BYD was ranked the poorest in this regard, primarily due to limited or no publicly available information on how they identify and address human rights risks in their supply chains.

Geely was another brand to perform poorly.

'This lack of transparency raises concerns about issues such as forced labour, unsafe working conditions and environmental harm,' Tom said.

'It is unclear how these companies therefore take steps to avoid causing human rights or environmental harms or what measures they might take to mitigate harms if they cannot be avoided.'

However, Amnesty also said that 'the ethicality of an EV depends on the practices of the specific manufacturer, not where it's based. While some Chinese manufacturers, such as BYD, scored poorly due to a lack of transparency, non-Chinese companies also have significant shortcomings.'

Are Chinese car makers spying on us? It an extremely contentious issue circulating at the moment

Are Chinese cars spying on us?

One of the biggest concerns with Chinese cars is that they are fitted with spyware technology to gather intelligence on the Western world.

Fears were triggered last year when former Security Minister Tom Tugendhat said that some EVs could 'be easily turned into mobile intelligence gathering platforms'.

Alicia Kearns, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, said: 'There are long-standing concerns about cellular IOT modules [connectivity devices] or SIM cards which enable cars to be tracked and potentially listened to.'

And according to more recent reports, the Ministry of Defence's top brass have been told not to talk in Chinese-made electric cars over fears manufacturers are eavesdropping on top-secret information.

The government department has leased hundreds of Chinese EVs to meet net zero targets, but it is feared inbuilt microphones might be recording and transmitting conversations.

As such, a security notice has been issued across the MoD banning any sensitive conversations from happening inside the vehicles, it has been leaked.

But not everyone is quite so troubled by spyware claims.

Dr Andy Palmer, former chief executive of Aston Martin and operating chief of Nissan, says Britons are wrong to be suspicious of Chinese brands.

'Smart electronics and AI software are a phenomena of our time, and proliferate into almost everything we own. For some, this has raised concern about the growth in Chinese EVs and the risk of spying,' the founder Palmer Energy, supplier of home, commercial and grid scale batteries, said.

'We should be cognisant of the risk but not attribute this only to China and only to EVs.

'The same functions can exist on internal combustion cars, and the risk from phones is probably greater.'

Insurance premiums for some Chinese EVs (including the BYD Seal pictured) sky-rocketed in 2024 on the back of reports of difficulties sourcing parts and knowledge to repair them after collisions

Are Chinese EV expensive to insure? And why were some being written off for minor damage in 2024?

The idea that a brand-new, mass-produced car could be considered 'uninsurable' might seem unthinkable in 2025, but problems with supply chains and a lack of widespread technical knowledge have made things difficult for owners of some Chinese makes and models.

In 2024, This is Money reported that both BYD and GWM Ora owners faced huge issues when insurance companies began writing off the former's Seal saloon and the latter's Funky Cat (now known as the 03) hatchback for even minor damage deemed uneconomical for repair.

This was due to a lack of available parts and expertise to repair them, which in turn sent premiums spiralling for these particular models, with some insurers refusing to cover them at all.

Since then, Chinese car makers have worked to reassure buyers and insurers.

GWM set up its own battery inspection and repair scheme to prevent unnecessary write-offs. Jaecoo told Auto Express that almost all parts for the 7 SUV are available within 24 to 48 hours, and BYD stated that 90% of parts are now available within 48 hours.

'However, while insuring a Chinese car is no longer impossible, it may not be cheap,' Tom warns.

'Research indicates that Chinese models tend to occupy higher insurance groups than their European and South Korean rivals.

'Owners of EVs in general face high insurance costs - Teslas, for example, are notoriously expensive to cover - so this is something to keep in mind,' he said.

Are Chinese cars reliable?

Reliability is difficult to measure, though there are plenty of UK-based surveys of car owners that rank brands by how dependable they've been.

However, given the infancy of so many Chinese makes, most brands haven't been on Britain's roads long enough - or there are not adequate sample sizes of drivers - to provide an accurate impression of reliability.

The only manufacturer that's been on sale long enough to be reported on in surveys is MG - and it hasn't done particularly well in one of the biggest polls of late.

In What Car?'s most recent Reliability Survey conducted in 2024, MG scored lowest marks for dependability against every other volume car maker based on the performance of models up to five years old (dating back to 2019).

This was due to a high fault rate, with 37 per cent of owners saying their had experienced issues with their Chinese cars.

Slow repairs were also a massive issue: three-fifths of faulty MGs were out of action for more than a week as garages struggled to fic them.

The lowest scoring model in its line-up was the MG 4, with a rating of 63.8 per cent, and the MG ZS EV wasnt far behind on 69.3 per cent.

Only the MG5 gained a creditable 92.0 per cent score, What Car? said.

Hundreds of MG 4 owners also contacted us last year about concerns with the vehicle's lane keeping and lane departure warning systems, which have steered drivers into dangerous scenarios for no reason.

Do Chinese car brands offer long warranties?

The established Chinese brands provide British customers with extensive warranties.

BYD, for instance, offers basic cover for six years of 150,000km (93,750 miles), whichever comes first.

However, for the battery itself, the warranty is for eight years and 200,000km (125,000 miles) and a minimum battery health of 70 per cent. This means the battery must retain at least 70 per cent of its capacity over the warranty period or it will be replaced, which is a similar scenario with Tesla.

MGs are covered for seven years or 80,000 miles, though again the battery is considered separately with an eight-year, 100k miles warranty and the same requirement as BYD and Tesla that the battery adheres to 70 per cent capacity during this period.

While these warranties are relatively standard across the market, some may have concerns about whether they will be upheld, especially given the issues around repairs we mentioned previously when discussing insurance costs and write offs.

These will likely be stoked by what happened with US start-up Fisker last year, when the brand filed for bankruptcy in June leaving hundreds of UK owners with vehicles they likely cannot have maintained or repaired.

Tom says that because Chinese brands, such as BYD, produce their own lithium-ion batteries, this should give confidence to buyers that they are able to provide replacement units for the car's most expensive part.

Want to know which Chinese brands are already available in the UK - and which are due to arrive in 2025? Check back tomorrow for our second in-depth dive into Chinese cars.
Thousands of UK savers are braced for battle with one of India's best known Bollywood film groups, after being told that 3.75 million they are owed may not be paid when it falls due.

Eros Media World had agreed to stump up the money tomorrow to long-suffering investors who bought a bond issued by the Indian group on the London Stock Exchange in 2014.

The cash is a fraction of the 50 million that bond holders were owed, but Eros, under the wealthy Lulla family, has wriggled out of paying the money back for years.

Last summer, investors agreed to a new plan, surrendering their bonds to the Lullas in exchange for up to 7.50 per 100 owed (totalling 3.75 million) and a pledge of up to 57.50 per 100 within two years.

Red alert: Bollywood star Deepika Padukone in the film Ram-Leela, one of Eros's releases

The deadline for the first sum falls tomorrow, but Eros has now told bondholders it would pay on time 'or as soon as it has funds available to do so'.

The warning has outraged investors, especially as the Lullas said just last week that they had repaid 43 million of debt in India.

Eros said: 'We're actively working to meet this obligation on Monday as planned. Should there be any delay, which we are striving to prevent, we would engage directly with bondholders and the trustee.'
Fears are growing that the takeover of High Street chemist Boots by a US private equity firm will lead to job losses and shop closures.

Its parent company, Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA), which is listed on the US stock market, is being taken over by buyout barons at Sycamore Partners in a deal worth nearly 18.4 billion.

Boots was bought by Italian billionaire Stefano Pessina in 2007, and since the merger with Walgreens in 2014 he has been WBA's largest shareholder. The 83-year-old's wife, Ornella Barra, 71, is a senior executive.

The 176-year-old firm employs 51,000 staff in Britain across its 1,800 pharmacies and opticians.

Any big job cuts at Boots would be a hammer blow to the retail sector.

Bricks and mortar shops, which have struggled due to online competition, Covid and rising overheads, now face a big rise in employment costs due to Chancellor Rachel Reeves' move to raise employers' National Insurance contributions.

'Bloated': Sources suggest cutting stores could be part of the new owners' strategy

The Centre for Retail Research forecasts that across the sector there will be 17,350 store closures in 2025 and 202,000 job losses.

Sources close to Boots say its network has become bloated, meaning it could be one of the first targets of a cost-cutting strategy under its new owners. The firm announced the closure of 300 shops in 2023.

Sycamore Partners, based in New York, describes itself as a retail and consumer specialist.

Its other investments include fast-fashion brand Hot Topic and it was previously the owner of footwear firm Kurt Geiger.

In an email to Boots staff seen by The Mail on Sunday, Barra said she believed Sycamore was 'the right partner' and that it was 'supportive and confident' in the business.

She said Pessina would remain a significant shareholder and urged employees 'to remain focused on your day-to-day'.

She added the company would continue its strategy of revamping its beauty business, expanding pharmacies into broader healthcare services such as tests and jabs, and improving online shopping and physical stores.

She singled out the much-loved No7 brand for praise, raising hopes its popular serums will be safe under the new owners.

However, Sycamore's record may give staff pause for thought.

Under its ownership, US firms such as department store chain Belk and fashion brand Nine West have filed for bankruptcy.

Matt Parr of the Private Equity Stakeholder Project, a US nonprofit organisation that monitors the sector, said the levels of debt were a 'huge concern', adding: 'Walgreens already has $9 billion (7 billion) in debt.

'Private equity tends to use high amounts of debt in these buyouts leading to high bankruptcy rates.'

Observers say Sycamore may seek to float Boots on the stock market or sell it on.
Insurance is one of those things we know we should have but dont like to spend money on, so finding a way to save is important.

We see ads all the time about bundling home and auto insurance with the same company to save money. But what about renters, can they also save by bundling auto and renters insurance?

Its a great way to save, said Mark Friedlander, director of corporate communications for the Insurance Information Institute. While the type of savings you receive depends on the company, Friedlander says it doesnt matter if its a single-family home, a condo, or a renters policy, its all under that umbrella of home and auto. If you already have an auto policy with a certain insurer, you can bundle and get discounts on both the auto and renters policy.

Learn more: How does car insurance work? The basics explained.

This embedded content is not available in your region.

The average yearly cost of renters and auto insurance

Rates for both renters and auto insurance vary depending on the state you live in.

Learn more: How does your ZIP code affect your car insurance?

According to the latest available data from the Insurance Information Institute, the most expensive average renters insurance premium was $258 a year in Mississippi. The least expensive average premium was $117 a year in South Dakota. The national yearly average was $170, or just over $14 each month.

For auto insurance, New Yorkers paid the most at about $1,511 per year, and North Dakotans paid the least at about $692. The national average price was about $1,062 a year.

Learn more: How to get all the best car insurance discounts

How much is a monthly renters insurance policy?

Since renters insurance is relatively inexpensive, just having it and triggering the multi-policy discount could make it pay for itself.

According to Progressive, their average renters insurance premium is between $13 and $27 per month.

State Farm says their average monthly premium is $13 for $34,000 of renters insurance.

You could literally pay for your renters insurance with the discount you're getting off your auto in most cases, just because the cost of auto insurance today has gone up, Friedlander said. That's a benefit of bundling right there.

Learn more: Car insurance rates are climbing. Here are 4 reasons why and 11 ways to save.

Comparing renters and auto insurance bundle discounts

Most of the nations big insurers promote the bundling of policies, including renters and auto insurance, claiming substantial savings for customers.

State Farm, the company with the most auto insurance policies in the United States, according to Insurance Information Institute data, says having both auto and renters insurance can save you up to $704.

Progressive claims up to 20% savings.

GEICO says bundling can unlock substantial savings. Youll have to reach out to the insurer direcrtly to learn exactly how much.

Allstate promotes bundling discounts for auto and renters insurance on their site, but you will need to plug in some personalized information to get a quote.

USAA says bundling the two types of insurance policies can save up to 10%.

Liberty Mutual says bundling both homeowners and auto insurance policies could save up to $950, but youll need to enter more information on their site to see just how much bundling renters and auto insurance can save.

Learn more: Minimum car insurance requirements in all 50 U.S. states

Why bundling makes sense

The most common bundle is homeowners/renters insurance and car insurance. Some insurers call it multi-policy savings. The amount of savings will vary because of the hundreds of companies offering bundles, Friedlander says.

The auto policy typically costs more in premium because auto insurance is more expensive certainly on average than a renter's policy, he explains. But the bottom line is, it gives you an opportunity to save on both and you're clearly going to see the bigger savings on the more expensive policy.

The discounts can grow if you add other policies like a boat, motorcycle, or life insurance policy.

There could be other combinations. If your insurance company sells all different types of products, you might have other bundling opportunities as well.

In addition to financial savings, there is also the peace of mind of having one company take care of your insurance needs, meaning only one online login or phone call is needed if you want to make payments, file claims, or adjust your policies.

Learn more: Most common types of car insurance explained

When bundling isnt worth it

Convenience alone might not make bundling worth it. Sometimes buying two insurance policies from two different companies is cheaper than the bundling discount would be with one company.

The bottom line is, if you're trying to save, sometimes it pays to get the coverage separately, Friedlander said. It's a pretty straightforward math equation. Where are you going to find the most savings, buying policies separately or bundling and getting a discount on both. You have to weigh what's a better deal.

Managing multiple insurers might not be too tough because of mobile apps and other digital tools to manage accounts.

It's really not that difficult to manage two separate policies, to be honest, Friedlander said. Is it worth it to have everything under one company versus two even if you're paying more, that's an individual decision.

Learn more: Heres how to shop for insurance

Discounts are not guaranteed

How much of these bundling savings actually happens?

Don't assume anything, said Friedlander. The savings is automatic in many cases, but is it 100% guaranteed? No. It's best to check and make sure. All it takes is a simple call to your insurance agent to make sure that you're getting discounts on both policies.

Dont disrupt your discount

Just remember, if you choose to drop one policy for whatever reason, your discount goes away.

While theres a chance making a claim on one policy could impact your discount, GEICO, for example, says, Filing a claim on one policy in a bundle typically does not affect the other policies or the overall discount. However, this can vary by provider, so be sure to discuss specifics with them.

Yahoo Personal Finance

Why renters insurance is so important

Renters insurance usually covers more than just your personal property. It also often has personal liability and living expenses coverage.

The Insurance Information Institute strongly recommends a renters insurance policy, especially since it comes at a low cost.

You are not protected at all inside your rental unit if you don't have it, and many people don't realize that, Friedlander warned. They think they're leasing from a rental company, and they don't really consider their personal property. They think everything's covered. The building is covered by the landlord or the property manager, but in your individual unit, you need your own coverage.

Bottom line about bundling auto and renters insurance

Overall, having both renters and auto insurance with the same company could lower your car insurance rates enough to pay for the renters insurance. Youd save some money and have the peace of mind knowing your personal property is covered.

This article was edited by Tim Manni
Estate agents in prime areas of central London have seen an increase in prospective buyers from the US, including from so-called 'Donald Dodgers' keen to put an ocean between themselves and Trump.

Others, regardless of political affiliation, are simply attracted by a bargain.

For dollar buyers, high-end London property is 43 per cent cheaper than in 2014, according to the latest Wealth Report from estate agent Knight Frank.

In 2024 house prices in Belgravia, Knightsbridge and other posh parts of the capital slipped by 2 per cent, according to separate data from rival agency Savills.

Prices ended the year 20 per cent below their peak in 2014.

Recent buyers of early 19th Century townhouses and de luxe contemporary apartments include American fashion designer Tom Ford.

Bargain buys: In 2024 house prices in areas like Knightsbridge, the home of Harrods, slipped by 2% - attracting US dollar buyers who are getting even more of a bargain

Some of the affluent American home-buyers are buying a second property, but others are making a more permanent move.

A record 6,100 Americans applied to become UK citizens in 2024, a year-on-year rise of 26 per cent.

Post-election US buyers make up one in five of purchasers at The Whiteley apartments in the former department store near London's Hyde Park.

The 139 flats range in price from 1.8 million to 39.5 million.

Americans made up a quarter of those who snapped up a London property worth 15 million or more in 2024, but they do like to negotiate.

A US tech billionaire is said to have bought the Holme  a mansion in Regent's Park nicknamed the White House due to its similarity to the building in Washington.

He paid 139 million, having secured a 111 million discount on the asking price.
No matter which U.S. state you call home, you probably need auto insurance to be roadworthy.

Coverage requirements vary, but every state (save one) requires some form of liability insurance, and some require additional coverage such as personal injury protection (PIP) or uninsured motorist coverage.

Heres a look at which coverage is required by law in each state.

How each type of coverage works

Heres when each type of coverage kicks in and what it covers. Note that these coverages work differently depending on whether youre involved in an accident in an at-fault or no-fault state.

No-fault auto insurance requires you to file a claim with your own insurance regardless of who is responsible for the accident.

Learn more: What is no-fault car insurance and how does it work?

Bodily injury liability

Bodily injury liability insurance protects you financially if youre found responsible for an accident, and the other driver or one of their passengers is injured. This insurance can cover the injured partys healthcare costs, lost wages, or legal counsel if youre sued after an accident. It can also cover funeral costs.

Learn more: What is liability car insurance and how much do you need?

Property damage liability

Property damage liability insurance, the second component of liability coverage, protects you financially if youre at fault in an accident and the other drivers vehicle needs repairs. It can also cover you if you hit an object, like a fence or mailbox.

One of the most common minimum liability limits required by states are $25,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per person; $50,000 in bodily injury coverage per accident; and $25,000 in property damage liability coverage per accident. This is written as 25/50/25 in policies.

Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage

If youre involved in an accident with an at-fault driver who doesnt have enough insurance to cover your vehicle repairs or health care costs, uninsured/underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage helps close the gap. Note that in many states, insurance companies are required to offer UIM coverage, but you can usually sign a waiver to drop or reduce the coverage.

Uninsured/underinsured motorists are generally broken down into two parts, similar to liability insurance:

Uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury

Uninsured/underinsured motorist property damage

It can pay for your medical bills and those of your passengers, as well as repairs to your car after an accident. A few states, such as South Carolina and Texas, may require policyholders to pay a small deductible before UIM coverage kicks in.

Personal injury protection (PIP)

If you live in a no-fault auto insurance state, you may need Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage, also called no-fault insurance. This coverage can pay for your medical bills or those of your passengers, lost wages if you or your passengers are unable to work after the accident, and essential services like childcare or housekeeping. PIP kicks in no matter whos found at fault in an accident.

Medical payments coverage

Medical payments coverage, also called medical expense or Medpay coverage, is typically available in tort states (aka states that arent no-fault). It works similarly to PIP, but its more limited. For instance, Medpay will cover your or your passengers medical expenses but wont cover lost wages or essential services.

Learn more: Most common types of car insurance explained

This embedded content is not available in your region.

States that dont require car insurance

Some form of car insurance is required in all U.S. states except New Hampshire. Florida and New Jersey, which are no-fault states, don't require bodily injury liability insurance but do mandate property damage liability coverage and personal injury protection (PIP) coverage.

Even though car insurance isnt required in New Hampshire, drivers still need to provide proof of financial responsibility in the event of an at-fault accident. While lax coverage requirements may seem like a boon, you could end up paying thousands of dollars out of pocket to cover repairs to someone elses car or pay for their medical care from injuries. If you cant afford to pay these expenses, your license may be suspended. For this reason, having liability coverage is smart, even if its not required in your state.

Minimum car insurance FAQs

How much does minimum coverage cost?

Minimum auto insurance coverage varies in price based on several factors, including the insurance company you choose, your location, the type of car you drive, your driving record, and more. The average cost of a liability-only policy from Progressive ranges from $80 to $157 per month. But that cost could be lower or higher depending on the factors mentioned.

Should I get minimum or full-coverage car insurance?

Whether you opt for minimum or full coverage car insurance depends on your needs and preferences. It makes sense to get full coverage if you drive a newer car. But if your car is older and has high mileage, dropping to a minimum coverage policy could make sense.

Just remember that if you opt for basic insurance that only covers your liability in an at-fault state, be prepared to be financially responsible for repairing or replacing your own car or any medical bills you or your passengers incur.

What happens if I dont have insurance?

Driving without adequate car insurance is illegal in most U.S. states and could result in hefty fines. Car insurance also provides valuable financial protection if youre in an accident, and if you dont have a policy, you could end up paying significant expenses out of pocket.

Lapses in coverage can also be costly since you could be required to file an SR-22. This is a statement of financial responsibility that usually means youll have to pay more for auto insurance or risk having your coverage canceled.

Why do states require auto insurance?

Most states have steep fines or penalties for driving without insurance as a deterrent. Auto insurance financially protects both you and other drivers in the event of an accident. Without it, you can be held personally liable in court for damage and injuries caused in an at-fault accident.

Its important to note that in addition to state laws, lenders also usually require auto insurance to protect the value of the car until youve paid off the loan.

Car insurance banner  Yahoo Personal Finance

This article was edited by Tim Manni

Kaz Weida contributed to this article
Shares of Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. (NYSE:BBVA  Get Free Report) saw an uptick in trading volume on Tuesday . 4,121,809 shares were traded during trading, an increase of 128% from the previous sessions volume of 1,805,219 shares.The stock last traded at $15.12 and had previously closed at $15.10.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages have issued reports on BBVA. Kepler Capital Markets raised shares of Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria from a reduce rating to a hold rating in a report on Thursday, February 27th. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Friday, May 30th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy.

Get Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria alerts:

Read Our Latest Analysis on BBVA

Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria Price Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.16, a current ratio of 1.01 and a quick ratio of 0.27. The businesss 50 day moving average price is $14.23 and its 200 day moving average price is $12.54. The stock has a market capitalization of $88.65 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.39, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.80 and a beta of 1.08.

Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (NYSE:BBVA  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, April 29th. The bank reported $0.47 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting analysts consensus estimates of $0.47. The business had revenue of $10.61 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $9.12 billion. Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria had a net margin of 28.10% and a return on equity of 17.49%. Sell-side analysts forecast that Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. will post 1.59 EPS for the current year.

Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a semi-annual dividend, which was paid on Friday, April 25th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, April 9th were issued a $0.4439 dividend. This is an increase from Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentarias previous semi-annual dividend of $0.11. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, April 9th. This represents a yield of 4.3%. Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentarias dividend payout ratio is currently 39.15%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Alpine Bank Wealth Management bought a new stake in Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria during the first quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Huntington National Bank increased its stake in shares of Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria by 96.7% in the 4th quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 3,616 shares of the banks stock worth $35,000 after purchasing an additional 1,778 shares in the last quarter. Private Trust Co. NA raised its holdings in Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria by 224.7% in the 1st quarter. Private Trust Co. NA now owns 2,607 shares of the banks stock worth $36,000 after purchasing an additional 1,804 shares during the period. Avion Wealth purchased a new position in Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria during the fourth quarter valued at $39,000. Finally, Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. bought a new stake in Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria during the first quarter valued at about $46,000. 2.96% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, SA provides retail banking, wholesale banking, and asset management services in the United States, Spain, Mexico, Turkey, South America, and internationally. The company offers savings account, demand deposits, and time deposits; and loan products, such as residential mortgages, other households, credit card loans, loans to enterprises and public sector, as well as consumer finance.

Recommended Stories

Receive News & Ratings for Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
Kansas City municipal leaders understand that dispensing with a former ally is harder than it might seem to the rest of us plebs on the low-end of the food chain.

To wit . . .

SUSPENDED CITY MANAGER KNOWS "WHERE ARE THE BODIES ARE BURIED" AT CITY HALL AND HIS DEPARTURE MIGHT THREATEN MAYOR Q'S ADMINISTRATION MORE THAN MOST VOTERS UNDERSTAND!!!

Getting rid of him won't be as simple as a council vote given that city hall bureaucrats and a few members of council owe the city manager more than a few favors.

On our end, we'll keep it legal and we won't get into too much detail . . . But consider this:

If an off-handed remark about misleading mostly clueless local media can end with a verdict worth nearly ONE MILLION BUCKS . . . Just think about how many "compromising situations" that the City Manager has been been privy to in his close work with Mayor Q's administration.



Again . . .

We're not gonna speculate . . . But it's not hyperbolic to suggest that the suspended city manager has A GREAT DEAL OF INSIGHT INTO HOW KCMO WORKS and elected officials might not want that perspective shared with the public.

And so . . .

Look for a resignation and golden parachute for Brian Platt if Mayor Q and his allies on the council are able to successfully walk the suspended city manager away from 12th & Oak. If not, our local discourse will get A LOT more interesting in the coming weeks . . . And we might see a few more city hall departures.

Now, here's the official story . . .



Mayor Lucas said Friday the council is evaluating all options available in the city charter to determine Platts future, which could include termination.



Platts suspension came the day after a jury awarded a former city employee more than $900,000 in a whistleblower lawsuit.



The former employee, Chris Hernandez, served as the city's communications director. Hernandez also once worked at KSHB 41 News.



Hernandez said in his lawsuit Platt told him to lie to the media in 2022.



Lucas confirmed the ruling in the lawsuit Wednesday contributed to the reason for suspending Platt. Hernandezs attorneys said they were surprised by the immediacy of the move.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

What is next for City Manager Brian Platt after suspension by Kansas City Mayor, Council Questions remain about Brian Platt's future in Kansas City.

Lucas, sources on future of City Manager position: 'It's hard to tell' Mayor Quinton Lucas says he is unsure if he supports city manager Brian Platt moving forward, one day after suspending the very man he helped hire.

What's next after Kansas City, Missouri, suspended City Manager Brian Platt? Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas said Friday the city council is evaluating all options available in the city charter to determine City Manager Brian Platt's future with the city.

Could Brian Platt be fired as KC's city manager? Rising lawsuit costs give us a clue A top official at City Hall in Kansas City may be forced out in part because of lawsuits filed by former employees, including spokesman Chris Hernandez.

Kansas City Manager Brian Platt has been suspended with pay. How did we get here? Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas announced on Thursday night that City Manager Brian Platt has been suspended from his position. This comes after a whistleblower lawsuit alleged Platt told the city communications department to lie to the media.

Developing . . .
Recent small biz break-ins persist around the metro and this time around local crooks are crossing into a quaint Kansas Village . . . Here's a glimpse at the damage and even more small biz frustration:



This time, however, the crimes happened on the Kansas side of the stateline, in the small community of Westwood. Sadly, this is becoming an all too familiar sight around the metro - the broken windows and shattered glass on the ground.



But, this is the first time the crimes have happened in this Westwood business district.



We kind of want to be a place where people can come and feel like theyre entering a different world, said Max Ledom, owner of Mulligans Country Club . . .



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .
1. A romantic weekend in Quebec City

In October 2024, my wife and I went to Quebec City for a weekend getaway to celebrate our anniversary and her birthday.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW

We stayed at a small boutique hotel inside the historic wall and spent most of the weekend walking Old Quebec  it really does make you think youre somewhere in Europe.

The restaurants are great, shopping at the original (La Maison) Simons was fun, and taking the ferry over to Levis was a great way to view the Chateau Frontenac from the St. Lawrence River. A self-guided tour of the Parliament Building of Quebec and over to the Plains of Abraham punctuated our amazing trip.

 Shawn Keba, Caledon

2. A boat trip to Expo 67

Our family summer adventure of 1967 was a special cruise from Port Dover, Ont., to Montreal for Expo 67.

The experience on board was awesome  and the route from Lake Erie to the St. Lawrence River was a test of our expertise in nautical navigation, and leadership by Dad, our captain.

Attending Expo was awesome. Top of the list? We were introduced to the newest food item in Quebec: poutine, a dish of French fries, cheese curds and brown gravy. It was the best summer cruise, full of happy memories.

 Jane Lindsay, Mississauga

3. An indulgent Charlevoix getaway

In 2007, we took a road trip to the picturesque Charlevoix region. We stayed in Petite-Riviere-Saint-Francois with breathtaking views of the St. Lawrence River. We explored the charming towns of Baie-Saint-Paul, Baie-Sainte-Catherine and La Malbaie, visiting local artists, sampling cheeses at fromageries and tasting ice cider for the first time.

A highlight was hiking through the stunning Parc national des Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Riviere-Malbaie.

The ultimate experience, though, was a whale-watching cruise from Baie-Sainte-Catherine, where we spotted belugas, minkes and even a humpback. Truly unforgettable!

 Judy Castelino, Mississauga

4. A piece of Canada by train

My wife and I were living in Fort Smith, N.W.T., when we made plans to visit our family in Ontario. We drove down the Mackenzie Highway to Edmonton, where we boarded a Canadian Pacific Railway car.

We had a compartment, which provided our own privacy, and had our meals in a dining car. The train stopped at points, giving us the opportunity get some fresh air and stretch. What a wonderful, once-in-a-lifetime adventure!

 Bob and Lois Pilot, Vancouver

5. A northern adventure

For a major change of pace, go to the Arctic! Our flight to Inuvik flew over spectacular territory; our vacation included a drive to Tuktoyaktuk on the Arctic Ocean, crossing the tree line where bears linger on the shoulder looking for berries.

The cuisine is quite non-urban, with a strong Indigenous emphasis. Visiting in spring or autumn is best if you want to avoid 24 hours of night or daylight.

 Bill Eggertson, Almonte, Ont.

6. An affordable jaunt to Newfoundland

In 1977, I had little money but needed a holiday. I flew to St. Johns, N.L., planning to take the bus in stages back to Toronto. I got a ride to Bonavista, the most easterly point I could reach, but they didnt have a hotel.

The RCMP office offered to put me up in a cell for the night, but a lovely lady came forward with an offer for a room with breakfast the next morning.

As the bus only came through once a week, I hopped on the next one out the following day and continued with my trip. It was a very memorable adventure for me.

 Dale Mayerson, Toronto

7. A romantic road trip

My girlfriend lives in North Vancouver, and I live in Toronto. We look for any excuse to get together. In 2022, her 60th high school reunion was in Sydney, B.C. It sounded perfect.

Getting there on public transit was interesting: we took the SeaBus, the Canada Line, a bus to Swartz Bay, the ferry and another bus to Sydney. It took five hours, but we had so much fun.

Our hotel was right on the water with Mount Baker visible in the distance. It was a tiring trip but because we are seniors, we were always offered a seat. How Canadian!

 Pierre Toupin, Toronto

8. An Old Montreal family vacation

Our tradition is to travel to Old Montreal for the Family Day weekend. Its three hours away from our home, so the ride is manageable and it feels like Europe when we arrive.

We find a hotel that allows our car to stay put as we walk or subway everywhere.

A Montreal pass (the Passeport MTL) allows us to visit three different attractions for $56 per pass. This year, we went to the Montreal Science Centre, Montreal Biodome and the Ferris wheel (La Grande Roue de Montreal). During a snowstorm, we went to the BreWskey Taproom to warm up and play board games.

 Laura Brown-Bowers, Belleville, Ont.

9. A brush with Santa Claus on the West Coast

On a family road trip to the West Coast from our home in Toronto, it felt like all there was to do was look endlessly out of the window.

It was 1980, I was 18 and I had just started dating my first serious boyfriend. Every day, I sat in the back seat earnestly writing love letters. Each night, I practiced my audition piece for music camp at the end of the summer  much to the joy of our fellow motel guests.

One day, my dad stopped at a park well known for its prairie dogs.

While we were getting our lunch from the trunk of our car, a gentleman pulled up in an old truck. He looked like a farmer version of Santa Claus. He had seen my violin in the back and wanted to talk music. He handcrafted his own violins and showed one of them to us, playing it briefly to demonstrate its sound. It had a beautiful rich cherry red stain and I coveted it greatly! He asked if I would play him a tune, but I was much too shy, so instead, he played an impromptu concert of classical and fiddle tunes.

There we stood, between his truck and our trunk, in the heat of early afternoon, surrounded by prairie dogs popping out of their holes. Even then, I knew this was one of those lovely unplanned moments, a brief communion between place and people that travellers hope to find, but rarely do.

 Elizabeth Cornish, Horseshoe Valley, Ont.

10. A family affair in Huntsville

Our daughter married a Toronto boy some years ago. They have a house in midtown, two kids and a lake house in Huntsville.

We visit most years and enjoy the place immensely. The people are terrific.

 Anne and Kevin Bryant, Sydney, Australia
Farewell to a funny, brilliant scientist

Photo courtesy of Glenn Shaw

Glenn Shaw chose this photo as the cover shot for his autobiography, Fingerprints on the Moon: My Life in Physics.

Glenn Shaw died on Feb. 28, 2025, in Tucson, Arizona.

The atmospheric chemist was for years a scientist and professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute. He was funny and irreverent and brilliant. Just seeing him approach down the hall made you smile, because you knew youd soon be laughing.

Following is an excerpt of a yet-to-be-published history of the Geophysical Institute. In it, I describe how Shaws interest in everything led to his solving a mystery that involved a strange northern form of air pollution.

In 1971, a 32-year-old atmospheric scientist completed his Ph.D. in Tucson, Arizona. Director Keith Mather was impressed both with the presentation and the interview Glenn Shaw gave at the Geophysical Institute.

Mather called Shaw and reminded him of the recent Prudhoe Bay oil discovery and the wealth about to flow Alaskas way. Shaw chose Alaska over other opportunities. His curiosity led to the discovery of the origins of a strange blob of pollution that visited the far North every spring.

Murray Mitchell was an Air Force officer stationed in Alaska who wrote a paper in 1956 on murky bands on the horizon noticed by pilots who flew over Alaska. He called it Arctic Haze.

Shortly after Shaw reported for his new job at the Geophysical Institute, a colleague from Australia called him and asked if he might go to Barrow (now Utqiagvik), to observe the execution of a scientific mission.

Photo courtesy of Syun-Ichi Akasofu

From left, Joseph Shaw, his father Glenn Shaw, Syun-Ichi Akasofu and Gladys Shaw pose in front of the Syun-Ichi Akasofu Building on the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus.

Shaw said yes. For the first time in his life, he traveled north of the Arctic Circle on the 1.5-hour flight north from Fairbanks.

Shaw carried along a small sun photometer, something he used to measure the number of tiny particulates in the air. Having used the instrument many times in the clear air of Arizona, he thought he might be able to record a world record for air clarity around Barrow, a town of just a few hundred people on top of the world.

Walking just outside of Barrow, Shaw set up his photometer on a block of snow-covered sea ice. He was shocked to find the air contained more dirty particles than the air outside Tucson.

Where is all this haze coming from? he remembered asking people from Barrow. No one, though, had noticed it.

The director of the Naval Arctic Research Laboratory in Barrow helped Shaw charter an airplane so he might determine the source of what Shaw by then knew was called Arctic Haze.

He thought the pollution might be related to oil-industry activities at Prudhoe Bay to the east, but as he got up a few thousand feet, he noticed the faint band of darkish air was ubiquitous and uniform, except being broken up into distinct vertical layers.

Photo by Glenn Shaw

Glenn Shaw stands on the summit of Mount Lemmon in Arizona in the late 1960s to conduct lightning studies for a graduate degree.

I was irritated that I couldnt trace down the source of this strange Arctic Haze, Shaw wrote in his autobiography. I stayed awake thinking of it.

On a follow-up flight, Shaw asked the pilot to fly through the layers of murky air. Using a hand-drawn pump he extended through a window, Shaw pulled air through a paper filter. He removed the filter and held it to his nose. It smelled to him like a coal-fired power plant.

Later on that same trip, Shaw sat down on the back porch of the Naval Arctic Research Laboratory. He stared toward the sun, low in the northern sky over the Arctic Ocean.

Suddenly it came to me very gently, but powerfully, that this is pollution from Russia or Europe, he wrote. It managed to remain in the air because the air is so stable and has so few clouds and removal mechanisms.

Shaw then had a theory about the origin of what he described as a soup of pollutants housed within the polar air mass  an amoeba the size of Africa that hovers over the top of the earth. As the cold air mass drifts around, he thought, it picked up air pollution from one northern part of the globe and escorted it to another.

Photo by Ned Rozell

Glenn Shaw celebrates a retirement with his friends Val Scullion and Carl Benson (standing at back) at the Geophysical Institute in 2014.

Shaw collected more air samples on filter paper from Barrow. Some of them showed elements that indicated the haze particles were indeed emitted by the burning of coal, putting the finger on Russia and eastern European nations. The samples also showed that Arctic Haze arrived mostly in spring, but also in the wintertime.

With Shaws fingerprinting of Arctic Haze, he proved the aerosols had managed to remain airborne for as long as a month, and that aerosol pollution was a worldwide phenomenon. Reporters for the New York Times, London Times, Chicago Tribune and other newspapers interviewed him. A local television station produced a documentary on Shaw and Arctic Haze.

Being an only child, I of course loved all that attention, he later said.

In his autobiography, Shaw remembered when he first came to Alaska, to interview for the job at the Geophysical Institute:

What I noticed most was that the people were friendly and welcoming. There was Carl Benson, asking something about the relevancy of this lidar thing to some glacier on a mountain. There was Neil Davis, asking whether it could probe into the mesospheric layer. There was Al Belon, with his French accent, asking if I could get funding for this research. And there was Sartie Parthasarthy, telling me how he wanted to try and domesticate the yak in Alaska.

I, frankly, had never seen such a bunch of mentally active, half-nutty people. And so that evening I called Gladys (his wife.)

I really would like to come to Alaska, I said to her. These are my kind of people.

Since the late 1970s, the University of Alaska Fairbanks' Geophysical Institute has provided this column free in cooperation with the UAF research community. Ned Rozell is a science writer for the Geophysical Institute.
Welcome Guest! You are here: Home

Convicted of rape, Overseas BJP leader in Australia gets 40-yr jail

Balesh Dhankhar, one of the founders of the Australia division of the Overseas Friends of BJP (OFBJP), has been sentenced to 40-year jail term for raping five South Korean women

Saturday March 8, 2025 4:01 PM , ummid.com News Network

Melbourne: Balesh Dhankhar, one of the founders of the Australia division of the Overseas Friends of BJP (OFBJP), has been sentenced to 40-year jail term for raping five South Korean women.

Balesh Dhankhar was in April 2023 convicted of drugging and raping five women he met through false employment advertisements.

The Australian court has said that this is a heinous crime; this is a beastly tendency. The court sentenced Balesh Dhankhar to 40 years of imprisonment and ordered no parole for 30 years.

"Egregious Sequence of Planned Predatory Conduct"

District Court Judge Michael King said that he was unable to find any New South Wales case with a similar scale of offending, according to 9news.

The offenders conduct was premeditated, elaborately executed, manipulative and highly predatory and demonstrated his desire for sexual gratification came in complete and callous disregard of each victim, he said.

This was an egregious sequence of planned predatory conduct against five unrelated young and vulnerable women over a significant period, he said.

Charges against Dhankhar

Dhankhar faced 13 charges of rape, six of administering an intoxicating substance with intent to enable himself to rape, 17 of recording intimate videos without consent, and three of indecent assault, making him one of the worst rapists in Sydney's recent history.

For these crimes committed between January and October 2018, Dhankhar had been attempting to "have his name suppressed" in the last four years.

When police raided Dhankhar's CBD apartment in October 2018, they found dozens of videos of him having sex with women who would either be unconscious, or struggling.

Dhankhar gave the women -- who were alone, desperate for work and new in Sydney -- wine or ice-cream laced with sedatives.

The sexual assaults were recorded using a camera hidden in his bedside alarm clock and on Dhankhar's phone.

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

Israeli Tourist, Her Guide Raped in Karnataka

An Israeli tourist and her guide, a local woman, have been raped near the Hampi heritage site in Karnataka.

Saturday March 8, 2025 3:21 PM , ummid.com News Network

[Image for representation]

Bangalore: An Israeli tourist and her guide, a local woman, have been raped near the Hampi heritage site in Karnataka.

The incident was reported on Thursday night, Karnataka Police said.

The Police further said that three male tourists  one American and two Indians, were pushed into the Tungabhadra River Canal before the incident. One of them was later found dead.

The Police said the four tourists, including two foreigners, and the woman guide from their resort were relaxing and enjoying music while stargazing near the Tungabhadra canal, across the river from Hampi, when the three bike-borne attackers approached them.

The complainant said that the attackers pushed the male tourists  American Daniel Pitas (23), Pankaj Patil (42) from Nasik in Maharashtra and Bibash (26) from Odisha  into the canal before raping her and the 27-year-old Israeli woman. The police recovered Bibashs body on Saturday.

The local guide in her complaint said the attackers initially asked her to guide them to nearby petrol pump.

When she informed them that there was no station nearby, they demanded cash from the group. The attackers - who spoke Kannada and Telugu - misbehaved with the group and began assaulting them after they refused to oblige them.

An FIR under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) has been registered in the case. These include Sections 309(6) (theft of extortion), 311 (robbery with intent to cause death or serious injury), 70(1) (gang-rape), and 109 (attempt to murder), Police said.

The attackers fled from the scene. A hunt is on for them by a special team of Police.

Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates.

Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic.
'The Invention of the Jewish People' Debunks Key Zionist Myth

Shlomo Sand, a historian at Tel Aviv University, boldly challenges the very foundation of Israels national ideology in his hard-hitting 332-page work The Invention of the Jewish People

Saturday March 8, 2025 6:04 PM , V A Mohamad Ashrof

Zionists cling to and ceaselessly trumpet the beliefreflected in global mediathat Jews form a distinct ethnic group, that Israel is the fulfilment of Gods promise to Abraham, and that the Jews living in Israel today are the direct descendants of King David. A book that throws a wrench into this narrative is The Invention of the Jewish People , published in 2009. (1)

This book sent shockwaves through Israeli academia. Shlomo Sand, a historian at Tel Aviv University, boldly challenges the very foundation of Israels national ideology in his hard-hitting 332-page work. An English translation of Sands book was published in the US and Britain in 2009. The French translation, published by Layard in 2010, was hailed as the best work in modern history and politics. The book has also been translated into Arabic, Turkish, Japanese, and Indonesian, spreading like wildfire across intellectual circles.

Born in Austria in 1946, Sand moved to Israel with his family in 1948.

Origins of Ashkenazi Jews

In the 1920s, shortly after World War I, Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company, published a four-volume work called The International Jew, (2) which argued that only a fraction of contemporary Jews was of ancient biblical Jewish heritage. Of course, Fords work is riddled with anti-Semitic propaganda and has been soundly discredited by scholars. In 1951, Colonel John Beatty, a US military intelligence officer, published The Iron Curtain Over America (3), a 265-page book presenting evidence that Eastern European Jews were of Khazar-Mongol descent and had no genetic connection to the Israelites.

This theory was later expanded upon in The Thirteenth Tribe (4), published in 1976 by world-renowned author Arthur Koestler (1905-1983). Koestler meticulously argued that Ashkenazi Jews were Khazars who converted to Judaism in the 8th century AD in the Caucasus region. He asserted that Ashkenazi Jews had no historical connection to the Jews of biblical tradition, and that European anti-semitism was built on a house of cards sustained by ignorance. One of Koestlers key objectives was to demonstrate that European Jews were not the Palestinian Jews of biblical lore, thus rendering accusations of Christ-killing against Jews as baseless as a mirage in the desert. It is crucial to note that nine out of ten modern Jews belong to the Ashkenazi lineage.

The Khazars, originally from the Caucasus, later migrated westward, settling in present-day Hungary, Ukraine, Poland, Belarus, Lithuania, and Germany. The Jews of Poland, Lithuania, and Romania, who speak Yiddish, are all of Khazar origin.

Sand traces the roots of Eastern European Jewry to the Khazar Empire. (5) In 740 AD, the Khazar ruler Bulan took the plunge and converted to Judaism, with many of his subjects following suit. Jewish history recognizes the Khazar state as a Jewish state in its own right.

Sands Findings

Sand opens his study of Jewish nationalism with a quote from Karl Deiss: A nation is a people who agree on a common error about their origin and who are united in common hostility towards their neighbours. (6)

Nationalist fervour swept through Germany, giving rise to the infamous slogan Germany for the Germans, which marginalized Jews, Slavs, and Roma. At the same time, nationalism gained ground in Italy and Greece, where a shared language and culture formed the backbone of national identity. Sand argues that modern Jewish nationalism was reverse-engineered, influenced by German nationalism in the mid-19th century. (7) It was historian Heinrich Graetz who wove the tale of an ancient Jewish dynasty, the mass expulsion of the Jews, and their centuries-long wandering. (8) This historical fabrication was inspired by German nationalism.

Like other European national groups, Zionists painted a golden past for themselves, claiming an uninterrupted presence since antiquity. (9) Sand argues that the Nazi image of Jews as bloodsuckers was borrowed and repurposed by Zionist thinkers. When Jewish Zionist thought took root in the 1840s, the Greek concept of racial purity was at its core. He suggests that Hitlers genocidal ideology drew inspiration from the racial theories embraced by Zionists.

Graetz coined the term ancient people for the Jews, portraying them as a lost tribe yearning for home after the destruction of Canaan. (10) Later, Moses Hesss 1862 work Rome and Jerusalem: The Last National Question fully reflected the racial ideologies gaining traction in Europe. (11)

Since there is no historical evidence that Jews were forcibly expelled en masse, the idea of their rightful return to Israel falls apart like a house of cards, Sand observes. (12) Jewish conversion was widespread under the influence of Hellenistic culture. (13) The Septuagint, a Greek translation of the Old Testament, was produced as part of this process. The Jewish historian Josephus followed the same agenda. (14) Later, Zionism adopted the Christian narrative of Jewish exile. (15)

Sand dismantles the claim made by scholars like Martin Goodman that Jews discouraged conversion. (16) He further highlights that most ancient Jewish farmers later converted to Islam, a fact even acknowledged by Israels first Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion. (17)

The Fallacy of Zionist Racism

Zionism is built on the flimsy foundation that Jews form a distinct ethnic group. In reality, Judaism has survived through a melting pot of intermarriages and conversions.

Theodor Herzl, the father of Zionism, was not religious, yet he clung to the notion that Jews were an ethnic group. Christian Zionism, too, developed its theology based on this ethnic distinction.

The Zionist movement sprang to life in the 1850s in Central and Eastern Europe, amid a tide of nationalist sentiment stretching from Vienna to Odessa. (18) Nathan Birnbaum, who coined the term Zionism, was an unabashed racist. Other early Zionist intellectuals, including Max Nordau, Martin Buber, Vladimir Jabotinsky, and Arthur Ruppin, wore their racism on their sleeves. (19)

Herzl, though secular, readily embraced the religious notion that Israel was a divine promise to the Jews through Abraham. Under this ideology, any Jew, regardless of nationality, had a golden ticket to Israeli citizenship.

But Who Is a Jew?

From Israels inception, the question of Jewish identity has been a legal quagmire. (20) In 1962, a Catholic priest of Jewish origin sought recognition as a Jew by nationality, but the High Court slammed the door shut on his claim. (21) The 1968 Law of Return declared that only those born to a Jewish mother, converts to Judaism, or individuals without another religious affiliation qualified as Jews. (22)

Israel, despite its lofty claims of democracy, functions as an ethnocracy, Sand argues. (23) Though he does not deny Israels existence, he calls for it to become an open, pluralistic, and democratic state free from the shackles of ethnic, territorial, and mythical claims.

Sand shines a light on Israels systemic human rights violations (24) and envisions a future where all Israeli citizensJewish or Arabare treated as equals. (25) His meticulous deconstruction of Zionist myths lays bare the uncomfortable truth about Israels foundation and policies.

Evaluation of Shlomo Sands Theory

The Khazar hypothesis, which posits that Ashkenazi Jews primarily descend from the Khazarsa Turkic people who converted to Judaism in the 8th centuryhas been a subject of scholarly debate for decades. While Arthur Koestlers The Thirteenth Tribe (1976) popularized this theory, it has not gained widespread acceptance in contemporary genetic research. Recent genetic studies indicate that Ashkenazi Jews possess substantial Middle Eastern ancestry, with varying degrees of European admixture. Sands assertion that 90% of modern Jews are descendants of the Khazars is not supported by empirical evidence. Although the historical conversion of the Khazars to Judaism is well-documented, its genetic impact on Ashkenazi Jewish populations appears to be negligible. The prevailing scholarly consensus maintains that Ashkenazi Jews trace their origins to ancient Israelite populations, with subsequent admixture from European groups over time.

One of Sands most significant contributions lies in his incisive deconstruction of a central tenet of Zionist historiography: the notion of an unbroken, ethnically homogeneous Jewish lineage extending from antiquity to the present. Through rigorous historical analysis, Sand demonstrates that Jewish identity has been shaped by a complex interplay of migration, conversion, and cultural transformation over centuries, rather than by a singular, uninterrupted ethnic continuity. By challenging the nationalist narratives that underpin Zionism, Sand invites readers to critically examine the constructed nature of modern national identities, including that of the Jewish people. His work underscores the fluidity and dynamism of identity formation, offering a counterpoint to essentialist interpretations of Jewish history.

Sand accurately situates the emergence of Jewish nationalism (Zionism) within the broader context of 19th-century European nationalist movements. He highlights the contributions of key figures such as Heinrich Graetz and Moses Hess, who played pivotal roles in shaping modern Jewish historiography and Zionist ideology. Sand argues that Jewish communities expanded significantly through conversion, particularly during the Hellenistic and Roman periods. While there is historical evidence to support the spread of Judaism in the ancient Mediterranean world, conversion was not the sole driver of Jewish demographic growth. Both genetic and historical research suggest a continuity between ancient Israelite populations and modern Jewish communities, alongside evidence of conversions throughout history. Thus, while Sands emphasis on conversion as a factor in Jewish history is valid, it represents only one dimension of a more complex demographic and cultural trajectory.

Sand advocates for the transformation of Israel into a pluralistic, democratic state that guarantees equal rights to all citizens, irrespective of ethnicity or religion. This vision aligns with liberal democratic principles and reflects a commitment to inclusivity and equality. However, its realization faces significant political and ideological challenges within the Israeli context. Sand also critiques discriminatory practices in Israel, particularly those affecting Palestinian citizens and other non-Jewish minorities. Issues such as unequal access to resources, restrictions on land ownership, and the implications of the Law of Return have been extensively documented. Israels definition as a Jewish state has sparked tension between its Jewish and non-Jewish citizens. Critics claim this framework perpetuates systemic inequalities, while supporters argue it preserves Jewish identity and ensures Jewish population security. Sands critique encourages discussion of these competing views, highlighting the tension between national identity and democratic values.

A key strength of Sands work is his clear distinction between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism. While anti-Zionism pertains to criticism of Israeli policies or the Zionist political project, anti-Semitism involves prejudice or discrimination against Jews as a people. This distinction is crucial and is widely recognized in both scholarly and political discourse. By emphasizing this differentiation, Sand contributes to a more precise and informed discussion of contemporary debates surrounding Israel, Zionism, and Jewish identity.

In conclusion, Shlomo Sands work offers a provocative and thought-provoking critique of traditional narratives of Jewish history and identity. While some of his claims, such as the Khazar hypothesis, are not supported by current genetic evidence, his broader arguments about the constructed nature of national identities and the historical fluidity of Jewish communities are compelling. His call for a pluralistic and democratic Israel, alongside his critique of systemic inequalities, raises important questions about the future of Israeli society. Ultimately, Sands work challenges readers to reconsider entrenched historical narratives and to engage critically with the complexities of identity, nationalism, and democracy.

Bibliography

1) Shlomo Sand, The Invention of the Jewish People, (Tr: Yael Lotan), Verso: New York, 2009

2) Henry Ford, The International Jew, Dearborn Publishing Co: Michigan, 1920-1922

3) John Owen Beaty, Iron Curtain Over America, Wilkinson Pub co: Dallas, 1951

4) Arthur Koestler, The Thirteenth Tribe: The Khazar Empire and Its Heritage, Random House: New York, 1976

5) Shlomo Sand, Op. cit, p. 239-249

6) Shlomo Sand, Op. cit, p.1

7) Shlomo Sand, Op. cit, p.11

8) Shlomo Sand, Op. cit, p.62

9) Shlomo Sand, Op. cit, p.73-77

10) Moses Hess, Rome and Jerusalem: The Last Nationalist Questions, 1862 (Bloch Publishing Co: New York, 1918)

11) Shlomo Sand, Op. cit, p.78-81

12) Shlomo Sand, Op. cit, p.134-136

13) Shlomo Sand, Op. cit, p.150-154

14) Shlomo Sand, Op. cit, p.161-166

15) Shlomo Sand, Op. cit, p.255

16) Shlomo Sand, Op. cit, p.250.

17) Shlomo Sand, Op. cit, p.186

18) Shlomo Sand, Op. cit, p.250-252

19) Shlomo Sand, Op. cit, p.256-265

20) Shlomo Sand, Op. cit, p.286-288

21) Shlomo Sand, Op. cit, p.288-289

22) Shlomo Sand, Op. cit, p.289-290

23) Shlomo Sand, Op. cit, p.307

24) Shlomo Sand, Op. cit, p.304

25) Shlomo Sand, Op. cit, p.309-312

[The writer, V.A. Mohamad Ashrof, is an independent Indian scholar specializing in Islamic humanism. With a deep commitment to advancing Quranic hermeneutics that prioritize human well-being, peace, and progress, his work aims to foster a just society, encourage critical thinking, and promote inclusive discourse and peaceful coexistence. He is dedicated to creating pathways for meaningful social change and intellectual growth through his scholarship. He can be reached at vamashrof@gmail.com.]

Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates.

Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic.
Tajikistan, the poorest country in Central Asia and bordering Afghanistan, held parliamentary elections on March 2.

The country has been under the rule of Emomali Rahmon, a former Soviet Union Communist Party official, since 1992.

Rahmons party, the Peoples Democratic Party of Tajikistan, claimed victory in the elections, securing 49 of the 63 parliamentary seats.

The election was marred by a significant lack of international oversight, with Western observers effectively barred from monitoring the vote.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a regional group led by China and Russia, declared the elections transparent, credible, and democratic, with Beijing echoing the same sentiments, praising the election as democratic, open, transparent, and inclusive.

However, these claims are false and do not align with the reality on the ground.

Lack of political competition

Tajikistans elections offered no real political competition. All six parties that participated are aligned with Rahmon.

Over the past three decades, Rahmon has systematically eradicated political opposition, creating a state-run political landscape dominated by his supporters. His government has also cultivated a strong personality cult around him, effectively stifling any dissent.

Freedom House, a prominent human rights watchdog, ranks the Tajik government as one of the most authoritarian regimes in the world.

Rahmon's son, Rustam Emomali, chairs the upper house of parliament, and analysts predict that this sets the stage for a dynastic succession, further entrenching the regime's power.

The Norwegian Helsinki Committee, based in Oslo, describes Tajikistans parliament as a "rubber-stamp body," devoid of any real legislative authority.

Since the government banned the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan in 2015, the country's political opposition has been decimated. The Social Democratic Party (SDP), another opposition group, has failed to secure any parliamentary seats since its formation in 2002, and its leaders have faced persecution.

Repression of opposition and media

After the death of SDP leader Rakhmatillo Zoiirov in May 2024, his deputy Shokirjon Khakimov and several other politicians were detained on charges of plotting to overthrow the government.

Khakimov was sentenced to 18 years in prison in February, with seven other alleged conspirators receiving sentences of up to 28 years.

Khakimovs niece, journalist Ruhshona Khakimova, was also sentenced to 18 years in prison under secretive circumstances, with the charges against her remaining undisclosed.

Voice of Americas sister organization, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), reported in February that the Tajik government has been arresting and imprisoning anyone perceived as a threat to its rule for nearly a decade. Many of these individuals are convicted in closed trials, with their cases treated as state secrets, making it impossible for the public to know what evidence was used against them.

Election oversight: Lack of transparency

The government ensured the election results could not be independently verified.

For the first time since 2000, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) canceled its monitoring mission, citing concerns over the lack of assurance that international observers would be accredited.

OSCE also pointed out the absence of non-partisan citizen observation, as well as the general lack of civil society organizations capable of independently assessing Tajikistans democratic processes.

Steve Swerdlow, a human rights expert focused on Central Asia, told RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service, locally known as Radio Azattyk, that the absence of OSCE observers was an unprecedented move that signaled increasing authoritarianism and a shift toward a more despotic regime under Rahmon.

Additionally, the Tajik government banned Radio Ozodi, the Tajik-language service of RFE/RL, from covering the elections.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) named Radio Ozodi the last remaining independent media outlet in Tajikistan, and their increasing persecution underscores the dire media environment. RSF ranked Tajikistan 155th out of 180 countries in its 2024 World Press Freedom Index.

Despite these restrictions, some regional media outlets reported irregularities suggesting potential voter fraud. Azda TV, citing anonymous witnesses, reported that sick individuals were coerced into voting for the ruling party. Another witness claimed to have seen a person bringing in a stack of passports to vote on behalf of others.

Conclusion: A flawed election

The absence of independent media or monitors left Tajikistan's election results unverified. Rahmons sustained crackdown on political opposition, media freedoms, and civil liberties undermines the possibility of holding free, fair, and transparent elections. Given these conditions, the legitimacy of the election remains highly questionable.
Nearly 100 people died of cholera in two weeks since the waterborne disease outbreak began in Sudan's White Nile State, an international aid group said.

Doctors Without Borders  also known as Medecins Sans Frontieres, or MSF  said Thursday that 2,700 people have contracted the disease since Feb. 20, including 92 people who died.

Of the cholera patients who died, 18 were children, including five no older than 5 and five others no older than 9, Marta Cazorla, MSF emergency coordinator for Sudan, told The Associated Press.

Sudan plunged into war nearly two years ago when tensions simmered between the Sudanese army and its rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces group, or RSF, with battles in Khartoum and elsewhere across the country.

RSF launched intense attacks last month in the White Nile State, killing hundreds of civilians, including infants. The Sudanese military announced at the time that it made advances there, cutting crucial supply routes to RSF.

During the RSF attacks in the state on Feb. 16, the group fired a projectile that hit the Rabak power plant, causing a mass power outage and triggering the latest wave of cholera, according to MSF. Subsequently, people in the area had to rely mainly on water obtained from donkey carts because water pumps were no longer operational.

"Attacks on critical infrastructure have long-term detrimental effects on the health of vulnerable communities," Cazorla said.

The cholera outbreak in the state peaked between Feb. 20 and 24, when patients and their families rushed to Kosti Teaching Hospital, overwhelming the facility beyond its capacity, according to MSF. Most patients were severely dehydrated. MSF provided 25 tons of logistical items such as beds and tents to Kosti to help absorb more cholera patients.

Cazorla said that numbers in the cholera treatment center had been declining and were at low levels until this latest outbreak.

The White Nile State Health Ministry responded to the outbreak by providing the community access to clean water and banning the use of donkey carts to transport water. Health officials also administered a vaccination campaign when the outbreak began.

Sudan's health ministry said Tuesday that there were 57,135 cholera cases, including 1,506 deaths, across 12 of the 18 states in Sudan. The cholera outbreak was officially declared on Aug. 12 by the health ministry after a new wave of cases was reported starting July 22.

The war in Sudan has killed at least 20,000 people, though the number is likely far higher. The war has driven more than 14 million people from their homes, pushed parts of the country into famine and caused disease outbreaks.
Fighters siding with Syria's new government stormed several villages near the country's coast, killing dozens of men in response to recent attacks on government security forces by loyalists of ousted President Bashar al-Assad, a war monitor said.

The village assaults erupted Thursday and continued Friday. Ongoing clashes between the two sides have marked the worst violence since Assad's government was toppled in early December by insurgent groups led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. The new government has pledged to unite Syria after 14 years of civil war.

More than 200 people have been killed since the fighting broke out, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. In addition to around 140 killed in apparent revenge attacks in the villages, the dead include at least 50 members of Syria's government forces and 45 fighters loyal to Assad. The civil war that has been raging in Syria since March 2011 has left more than half a million people dead and millions displaced.

The most recent clashes began when government forces tried to detain a wanted person near the coastal city of Jableh on Thursday and were ambushed by Assad loyalists, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

On Thursday and Friday, gunmen loyal to the new government stormed the villages of Sheer, Mukhtariyeh and Haffah near the coast, killing 69 men but harming no women, according to the observatory.

"They killed every man they encountered," said observatory chief Rami Abdurrahman.

Beirut-based Al-Mayadeen TV also reported the attacks on the three villages, saying that more than 30 men were killed in the village of Mukhtariyeh alone.

Another 60 people were killed in the town of Baniyas, including women and children, the observatory said.

Syrian authorities did not publish a death toll, but Syria's state news agency SANA quoted an unidentified security official as saying that numerous people went to the coast seeking revenge for recent attacks on government security forces. The official said the actions "led to some individual violations and we are working on stop them."

Interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa in a video statement called on armed groups affiliated with the former government to hand over their weapons and for those loyal to the new government to avoid attacking civilians or abusing prisoners.

"When we compromise our ethics, we reduce ourselves to the same level as our enemy," he said. "The remnants of the fallen regime are looking for a provocation that will lead to violations behind which they can seek refuge."

Coastal towns still under the control of Assad loyalists

Overnight, Damascus sent reinforcements to the coastal cities of Latakia and Tartus and nearby villages that are home to Assad's minority Alawite sect and make up his longtime base of support. A curfew remained in effect in Latakia and other coastal areas.

Under Assad, Alawites held top posts in the army and security agencies. The new government has blamed his loyalists for attacks against the country's new security forces over the past several weeks. There also have been some attacks against Alawites in recent weeks, though the new government says it won't allow collective punishment or sectarian vengeance.

As of Friday, the observatory said, Jableh and the coastal town of Baniyas were still under the control of Assad loyalists, along with other Alawite villages nearby and Assad's hometown of Qardaha, in the mountains overlooking Latakia.

One Qardaha resident told The Associated Press in a text message that government forces were firing with heavy machine guns in the town's residential areas. Another said people had not been able to leave their homes since Thursday afternoon because of the intensity of the shooting. Both spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution.

The fighting could stoke more sectarian tensions

Gregory Waters, an associate fellow with the Middle East Institute who has researched Syria's coastal areas, said he doesn't expect the flareup to escalate into sustained fighting between the two sides. However, he said he was concerned it could stoke cycles of violence between different civilian communities living along the coast.

Also, any violations by the security forces sent from Damascus would leave young Alawite men more fearful of the new government  and more prone to take up arms, Waters said.

In Damascus, a crowd gathered in the rain at Umayyad Square to show support for the new government.

"We've had enough of long periods of wars and tragedies," said retiree Mazen Abdelmajeed. He blamed the violence on remnants of the former regime and said Syria's unity must be preserved.

"No one wants a civil war to happen," he said. "We're not against any of the components of the Syrian people.  We're all one Syrian people."

Qutaiba Idlbi, a research fellow at the Atlantic Council think tank, said that apart from the danger of sectarian escalation, the violence had laid bare a "big security challenge for the government in terms of potentially its inability to address multiple security threats on multiple fronts across the country." Armed groups opposed to the new authorities may take note, he said.

Syrian people ask Russia for help

Scores of people gathered Friday outside the main Russian air base in Syria near Jableh to ask Moscow for protection. Russia joined Syria's conflict in 2015, siding with Assad, although it has since established links with the new government. Assad has been living in Moscow since leaving Syria in December.

Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a written statement that Moscow is "closely coordinating efforts with foreign partners in the interests of a speedy de-escalation of the situation."

"We reaffirm our principled position in support of the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic," the statement said. "We expect that all states that have influence on the situation in Syria will contribute to its normalization."

A warning from Turkey

Turkey, which backed the insurgents when Assad was still in power, warned on Friday that the current fighting poses a serious threat to the new government.

"Intensive efforts are underway to establish security and stability in Syria," Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oncu Keceli said in a post on X. "At this critical juncture, the targeting of security forces could undermine the efforts to lead Syria into the future in unity and solidarity."
Hundreds of thousands of people in Australia's Queensland state were without power on Sunday after Alfred, a downgraded tropical cyclone, brought damaging winds and heavy rains, sparking flood warnings.

Some 316,540 people were without power in Queensland's southeast, where the Gold Coast city was the worst-hit area with more than 112,000 without power due to the storm system, energy distributor Energex said in a statement.

The storm reached the Queensland coast on Saturday as a "tropical low" after 16 days as a cyclone, prompting preparations by millions of residents. The state capital Brisbane was spared the brunt of the storm, which was also felt in southern neighbor New South Wales.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Sunday that the "situation in Queensland and northern New South Wales remains very serious due to flash-flooding and heavy winds."

"Heavy rainfall, damaging wind gusts, and coastal surf impacts are expected to continue over coming days," Albanese said in Canberra, in remarks televised by the Australian Broadcasting Corp.

The nation's Bureau of Meteorology said heavy rainfall that could spark flash flooding was developing on Sunday and could impact Brisbane as well as the Queensland regional centers of Ipswich, Sunshine Coast and Gympie, it said.

Damaging winds with gusts of around 90 kph were also possible in the state, the bureau said on its website.

"It is now just a weak low as it continues moving further inland through southeast Queensland, bringing lots of rain," said bureau meteorologist Dean Narramore.

Brisbane Airport reopened on Sunday but posted on X that "ongoing weather may affect the schedule."

Queensland will decide on Sunday on whether around 1,000 state schools, closed due to the bad weather, will reopen on Monday, said state Premier David Crisafulli.

"Where it's safe to do so, schools will reopen with the exception of the Gold Coast, where there remains some significant damage. Power loss and issues with transport," Crisafulli said in televised comments from Brisbane.

"One thing's remained consistent, and that is the community spirit and the resolve," he said.

On Saturday, one man died in floodwater in northern New South Wales, while two Australian defense force vehicles en route to help residents in the city of Lismore were involved in a road collision that injured several officers, officials said.
House Republicans unveiled a spending bill Saturday that would keep federal agencies funded through Sept. 30, pushing ahead with a go-it-alone strategy that seems certain to spark a major confrontation with Democrats over the contours of government spending.

The 99-page bill would provide a slight boost to defense programs while trimming non-defense programs below 2024 budget year levels. That approach is likely to be a nonstarter for most Democrats who have long insisted that defense and non-defense spending move in the same direction.

Congress must act by midnight Friday to avoid a partial government shutdown.

Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, is teeing up the bill for a vote on Tuesday despite the lack of buy-in from Democrats, essentially daring them to vote against it and risk a shutdown. He also is betting that Republicans can muscle the legislation through the House largely by themselves.

Normally, when it comes to keeping the government fully open for business, Republicans have had to work with Democrats to craft a bipartisan measure that both sides can support. That's because Republicans almost always lack the votes to pass spending bills on their own.

Crucially, the strategy has the backing of President Donald Trump, who has shown an ability so far in his term to hold Republicans in line.

Trump praised the bill, writing on X that Republicans have to "remain UNITED  NO DISSENT  Fight for another day when the timing is right."

"Great things are coming for America, and I am asking you all to give us a few months to get us through to September so we can continue to put the Country's 'financial house' in order," he said.

House Republicans' leadership staff outlined the contours of the measure, saying it would allow for about $892.5 billion in defense spending and about $708 billion in non-defense spending. The defense spending is slightly above the prior year's level, but the non-defense spending, the aides said, was about $13 billion below last year.

The measure also will not include funding requested by individual lawmakers for thousands of community projects around the country, often referred to as earmarks.

The bill does not cover the majority of government spending, including programs such as Social Security and Medicare. Funding for those two programs are on auto pilot and are not regularly reviewed by Congress.

The top Democrats on the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, Connecticut Representative Rosa DeLauro and Washington Senator Patty Murray, both issued statements blasting the legislation.

"I strongly oppose this full-year continuing resolution," DeLauro said.

Murray said the legislation would "give Donald Trump and Elon Musk more power over federal spending  and more power to pick winners and losers, which threatens families in blue and red states alike."

Maine Senator Susan Collins, who heads the Senate Appropriations Committee, said the focus must be on preventing a shutdown because closures have negative consequences all across government.

"They require certain essential government employees, such as Border Patrol agents, members of our military and Coast Guard, TSA screeners, and air traffic controllers, to report to work with no certainty on when they will receive their next paycheck," Collins said. "We cannot allow that to occur."

Trump's request for unity appears to be having an effect. Some conservatives who almost never vote for continuing resolutions expressed much openness to one last week.

Representative Ralph Norman said he has never voted for a continuing resolution  what lawmakers often call a CR  but he is on board with Johnson's effort. He said he has confidence in Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency, a team led by Elon Musk, to make a difference on the nation's debt.

"I don't like CRs," Norman said. "But what's the alternative? Negotiate with Democrats? No."

"I freeze spending for six months to go identify more cuts? Somebody tell me how that's not a win in Washington," added Republican Representative Chip Roy, another lawmaker who has frequently voted against spending bills but supports the six-month continuing resolution.

Republicans are also hoping that resolving this year's spending will allow them to devote their full attention to extending the individual tax cuts passed during Trump's first term and raising the nation's debt limit to avoid a catastrophic federal default.

Democratic leaders are warning that the decision to move ahead without consulting them increases the prospects for a shutdown. One of their biggest concerns is the flexibility the legislation would give the Trump administration on spending.

The Democratic leadership in both chambers has stressed that Republicans have the majority and are responsible for funding the government. But leaders also have been wary of saying how Democrats would vote on a continuing resolution.

"We have to wait to see what their plan is," said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York. "We've always believed the only solution is a bipartisan solution, no matter what."

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York said earlier this week that the Democratic caucus would meet and discuss the legislation at the "appropriate moment." But he struck a more forceful tone Friday.

Jeffries said Democrats are ready to negotiate a "meaningful, bipartisan spending agreement that puts working people first." But he said the "partisan continuing resolution" threatens to cut funding for key programs, such as veterans benefits and nutritional assistance for low-income families.

"That is not acceptable," Jeffries said.

Trump has been meeting with House Republicans in an effort to win their votes on the legislation. Republicans have a 218-214 majority in the House, so if all lawmakers vote, they can afford only one defection if Democrats unite in opposition. The math gets even harder in the Senate, where at least seven Democrats would have to vote for the legislation to overcome a filibuster. And that's assuming all 53 Republicans vote for it.
The leader of Yemen's Houthi rebels said on Friday the group would resume its naval operations against Israel if Israel did not lift a blockage of aid into Gaza within four days, signaling a possible escalation from the Houthis after their assaults tailed off in January following a ceasefire in the enclave.

The Iran-aligned movement launched more than 100 attacks targeting shipping beginning in November 2023, saying they were in solidarity with Palestinians over Israel's war with Hamas, a U.S-designated terrorist group, in Gaza.

During that period, it sank two vessels, seized another and killed at least four seafarers in an offensive that disrupted global shipping, forcing firms to reroute to longer and more-expensive journeys around southern Africa.

"We will give a deadline for four days. This deadline is for the [Gaza ceasefire] mediators for their efforts," the rebel group said.

"If the Israeli enemy after four days continues to prevent the humanitarian aid into Gaza and continues to completely close the crossings, we will resume our naval operations against the Israeli enemy," it said.

On March 2, Israel blocked the entry of aid trucks into Gaza, accusing Hamas of stealing the aid and preventing Palestinians from accessing it.

Hamas welcomed the Houthis' announcement on Friday. "The brave decision ... is an extension of the positions of support and assistance that they [the Houthis] provided over the course of 15 months of war ... in Gaza," Hamas said.

The Houthis, who control most of Yemen, also said in February that they will take armed action if the United States and Israel try to displace Palestinians from Gaza forcibly.
Amid a trade picture changing day by day, business owners, industry experts and economists in Colorado Springs are warning of the potentially far-reaching impacts of new tariffs enacted or promised by President Donald Trump.

On Tuesday Trump enacted 25% tariffs on products imported from Mexico and Canada and a 10% tariff on Canadian energy, though he announced some exemptions just days afterward, following widespread concern about global economic repercussions.

Trump this week also doubled the tariff he placed on China in February, up to 20%. Additional tariffs on steel and aluminum products, for all countries, are set to go into effect March 12. And on Friday, the president announced he plans to soon place "reciprocal" tariffs on lumber and dairy imported from Canada. The latest announcement foreshadows a possible escalation of a trade war between the U.S. and its northern neighbor.

The White House has said the president's tariff policy reflects an effort to stifle the flow of illicit fentanyl into the country and stop illegal immigration  one of Trump's top priorities. He has also cited the trade deficit as a reason he imposed the tariffs, as well as a push to encourage U.S. manufacturing and protect American jobs.

With uncertainty about the tariffs and investors worried about their effects, the stock market plunged this week but ended with gains on Friday. On Thursday, Trump announced monthlong exemptions for 25% tariffs on many imports from Mexico and some from Canada, just one day after he granted a monthlong extension of the tariffs for American automakers.

Meanwhile, business owners and consumers are bracing for economic blowback  namely, increases in the cost of food, construction, vehicles, clothing, gas and electronics  and are grappling with uncertainty in the market, experts said.

The Pikes Peak region imports produce and beverages, some shoes, clothing and electronics from Mexico, and China also provides many goods used in the U.S.  particularly electronics, said Bill Craighead, the program director of the University of Colorado Colorado Springs Economic Forum

The Rocky Mountain region is hugely reliant on Canadian oil, he said. Though the U.S. is producing record levels of domestic oil, infrastructure like pipelines and refineries in the Rocky Mountain region is set up to use heavy crude oil from Alberta, so switching to all domestic oil sources in the short run isn't feasible, Craighead said.

"The tariffs will have a significant negative impact both locally and nationwide (and, really, worldwide)," Craighead said in an email. "... For the most part, the price increases won't be dramatic, but, since we're talking about everything from our three most important trading partners being taxed, the small increases will add up."

He pointed to a report from The Budget Lab at Yale, which anticipates the average consumer will lose $1,600-$2,000 in 2024 dollars.

A report released Tuesday by U.S. agricultural lobbying group Farmers for Free Trade and World Trade Center Denver said Colorado businesses could pay an additional approximately $1.4 billion a year on tariffs.

"Higher prices for those consumer items will mean people will have less income left over for other things, like going out to restaurants," Craighead said.

Kevin Shaughnessy, president and CEO of Phil Long Dealerships, said the tariffs will have "potentially troubling impacts" on the automotive industry, as the tax on imports makes it more expensive for consumers to purchase new and used vehicles.

"The No. 1 issue with vehicles is affordability. We're at the edge of what a consumer can pay," he said of the auto industry. "Twenty-five percent of a $40,000 or a $50,000 vehicle is a lot of money."

A complex supply chain means auto parts can travel several times between the U.S., Canada and Mexico before a vehicle is finally assembled. "So tariffs and retaliatory tariffs can really add up," Shaughnessy said.

If people can't afford to purchase new cars, the demand for and price of used vehicles will also go up, he said. People will keep their older vehicles for longer, so they will require more repairs and maintenance. With tariffs on parts imported from Canada and Mexico, the cost of auto repairs will increase.

Sign up for free: Gazette Business Receive a weekly roundup of business news around El Paso County. Sign Up View all of our newsletters. Success! Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. View all of our newsletters. Featured Local Savings

"Hopefully, we'll see some things worked out in the next 30 days," Shaughnessy said of the exemption on auto tariffs.

On the plus side? There is a healthy supply of vehicles in the Colorado market and the impact of tariffs won't be felt immediately when and if they take effect, he said.

For now, the dealer is being cautious about how and when they order vehicles, Shaughnessy said. For example, Phil Long is not ordering vehicles they know will be too expensive for the average customer.

"What's bad for the consumer is bad for us," he said. "We understand the market we are in and typically we know what it should cost to order a vehicle. But, if we order our (vehicles) today and they don't arrive for another three months, we don't know what it will cost when we get it three months later," he said of the tariffs.

The construction and building industry is also expecting cost increases on lumber, steel and other materials, said Vince Colarelli, a Colorado Springs general contractor. His company, Colarelli Construction, has built medical offices, banks, restaurants, hotels and government buildings.

"It's very hard to know (the impact of the tariffs) because I'm not sure there is a lot of certainty about the extent of the tariffs or the timing of the tariffs," Colarelli said. "... We don't know the offset of these tariffs. We don't know whether U.S. manufacturing is going to be able to give price benefits. If we're relying on foreign materials, though, we will see increases in costs."

Market uncertainty has also dampened some enthusiasm the real estate industry saw in the first two months of 2025, he said.

"I think we were all really excited about the prospects of 2025 and there was a lot of real estate activity in these early months. But there has been anxiety about tariffs and the workforce, so we do have clients who are being very measured in moving forward with projects as a result," Colarelli said. "... We will have to see how the market reacts."

Colorado Springs restaurateur Joe Campana said the tariffs have caused him anxiety over the future of his restaurants. Campana owns several restaurants and bars in Colorado Springs, among them Bonny & Read, Stir Coffee & Cocktails, The Rabbit Hole and Shame and Regret, all downtown.

"We like to plan for the future ... and now, we just don't know how to prepare," Campana said.

He has already felt the impact of tariffs on restaurant equipment imported from China and South Korea, he said. The cost of his equipment recently increased from 10% to 15%.

The price of alcohol will also soar, tariffs or not, he said, pointing to Canadian territories that have removed U.S. liquor from their shelves in retaliation for the U.S.-imposed tariffs. Canadians are boycotting American products in favor of those produced in their own country.

As the price of coffee, chocolate, beef and poultry have also increased, Campana and other restaurant owners are left with little choice but to raise their own prices. And it costs them money just to do that; it costs Campana about $200 to $300 to modify his menus, he said.

"We're raising prices. It's all we can do to stay afloat. And once you raise prices, they won't go down," Campana said.

While it's still too early to assess the full impact of tariffs on the Pikes Peak region, the Colorado Springs Chamber & Economic Development Corp. said it is "closely monitoring" the situation. The organization's goal is to collaborate with local businesses to "determine the best steps to mitigate potential economic harm."

The diversity of industries in Colorado Springs and the greater Pikes Peak region means the local economy "remains resilient and robust," Chamber spokeswoman Jayne Mhono Dickey said. "Key sectors such as aerospace and defense, advanced manufacturing, technology and health care provide a strong buffer against adverse market forces."
India said Friday it is working to lower trade barriers with the United States as it tries to reach a bilateral trade deal with Washington this year.

The two countries said after a February White House meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that they will try to reach a deal by fall, aiming to increase bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters Friday the objective of the bilateral trade agreement would be to strengthen and deepen India-U.S. two-way trade in the goods and services sector, increase market access, reduce tariff and nontariff barriers, and deepen supply chain integration between the two countries.

Trump has accused Delhi of imposing unfair trade barriers through high tariffs and has been putting pressure on India to cut duties on U.S. imports. India, for example, imposes tariffs of up to 110% on all car imports.

India charges us massive tariffs. Massive. You cannot even sell anything in India, Trump said Friday at the White House. They have agreed. By the way, they want to cut their tariffs way down now because somebody is finally exposing them for what they have done.

There was no immediate comment from Indian officials.

Conciliatory approach

Analysts say India has adopted a conciliatory approach on tariffs, opting to engage the U.S. in talks as it looks to avoid friction. India already has lowered duties on some imports that will benefit American companies, such as high-end motorcycles and bourbon.

The U.S. is, first of all, Indias largest export market, so we do not want to upset that, said New Delhi-based trade analyst Biswajit Dhar. Then there are other considerations at play. There is a sense that the U.S. is a valued strategic partner, so we dont want trade tensions to upset that equilibrium, also.

While India has been spared tariffs so far from the Trump administration, reciprocal tariffs that Trump has said he will be announcing early next month could affect Indian exports to the U.S. in areas from pharmaceuticals and drugs to auto components. Two-way trade in goods between the countries was more than $129 billion last year, with Indian exports surpassing $87 billion.

Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal visited Washington this week to discuss trade issues with American officials, including Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

During remarks to an Indian television network, Lutnick called on India to reconsider its tariffs in light of the special relationship with the United States.

Its time to do something big, something grand, something that connects India and the United States together, but does it on a broad scale, not product-by-product, but rather the whole thing, he said speaking Friday from Washington to India Today TV.

Defense purchases

He also said India must shift defense equipment purchases away from Russia and buy more from the U.S.

Analysts say purchasing more military hardware from the U.S. could help bridge Indias trade surplus with the U.S., which stood at more than $40 billion last year.

Lutnick also said he wanted India to open its market to U.S. farm exports, which New Delhi has long resisted for fear it will hurt tens of millions of Indias small farmers.

In New Delhi, trade analysts said there is room for India to lower tariffs in several areas outside of agriculture.

I think we can lower tariffs to zero level on most industrial goods, but agriculture we dont want to touch. It is very sensitive, said Ajay Srivastava, founder of the Global Trade Research Initiative think tank in New Delhi. For us, that is not a trade issue but a livelihood issue, with more than 700 million farmers depending on it for their incomes.

Other analysts agree that tariffs on imports of farm products, a key area in which the U.S. wants access, could pose a hurdle for the two countries during negotiations.

Agricultural products are a strict no for India. This will cause unease here and could become a sticking point as they try to clinch a trade deal, trade analyst Dhar said.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said he rejects a U.S. push for talks between the two countries because they would be aimed at imposing restrictions on Iranian missile range and its influence in the region.

Speaking to a group of officials on Saturday, Khamenei did not identify the United States by name but said a bullying government was being persistent in its push for talks.

Their talks are not aimed at solving problems, it is for ... lets talk to impose what we want on the other party that is sitting on the opposite side of the table, he said.

Khameneis remarks came a day after President Donald Trump acknowledged sending a letter to Khamenei seeking a new deal with Tehran to restrain its rapidly advancing nuclear program and replace the nuclear deal he withdrew America from during his first term in office.

Khamenei said U.S. demands would be military and related to the regional influence of Iran.

They will be about defense capabilities, about international capabilities of the country, he said. They will urge Iran not to do things, not to meet some certain people, not to go to a certain place, not to produce some items, your missile range should not be more than a certain distance. Is it possible for anybody to accept these?

Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters, said such talks would not address solving problems between Iran and the West. Although Khamenei did not name any person or country, he said the push for talks creates pressure on Iran in public opinion.

It is not negotiation. It is commanding and imposition, he said.

Trump, in comments to reporters in the Oval Office on Friday, did not mention the letter directly. But he made a veiled reference to possible military action, saying, We have a situation with Iran that, somethings going to happen very soon. Very, very soon.

Trumps overture comes as Israel and the United States have warned they will never let Iran acquire a nuclear weapon, leading to fears of a military confrontation as Tehran enriches uranium at near-weapons-grade levels  something done only by atomic-armed nations.

Tehran has long maintained its program is for peaceful purposes, even as its officials increasingly threaten to pursue the bomb as tensions are high with the U.S. over its sanctions and with Israel as a shaky ceasefire holds in its war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Irans accelerated production of near-weapons-grade uranium puts more pressure on Trump. He has repeatedly said hes open to negotiations with the Islamic Republic while also increasingly targeting Irans oil sales with sanctions as part of his reimposed maximum pressure policy.

Late in August, Khamenei in a speech opened the door to possible talks with the U.S., saying there is no harm in engaging with the enemy. However, more recently the supreme leader tempered that, saying that negotiations with America are not intelligent, wise or honorable, after Trump floated the possibility of nuclear talks with Tehran.
Gert Kuiper was in a bar in Madrid when a newscast announced that his brother had been killed while reporting on El Salvadors civil war.

It was more than 40 years ago, but the memory is still vivid. The next day, he took a train back to the Netherlands. Every newspaper he saw carried a story about the death of his older brother, Jan, and three other Dutch journalists.

It felt like a movie. It didnt feel real, Gert Kuiper told VOA. Could this be my brother in this newspaper? Of course, I knew.

Jan Kuiper had been working on a documentary with the other journalists for the Dutch television station IKON. They were killed on March 17, 1982.

In the years since, legal barriers have prevented accountability. The case underscores both the pervasive nature of impunity in journalist killings around the world and how El Salvador has struggled to grapple with the aftermath of a civil war that lasted from 1979 to 1992.

But now, at 71 years old, Kuiper is closer than ever to achieving what he has long wanted: justice.

In October, Kuiper filed a civil lawsuit against a former Salvadoran military officer named Reyes Mena, whom a United Nations truth commission says orchestrated the killing of the four reporters.

Now 85, Mena has lived in the United States for decades. A district court in Alexandria, Virginia, is deciding whether Kuipers lawsuit will go forward.

That lawsuit is running parallel to a criminal prosecution in El Salvador. In that case, Mena, along with a former minister of defense and former director of the treasury police, are being prosecuted for the killings.

A trial date has not yet been set.

Menas lawyer did not reply to VOAs email. VOA was unable to reach the others named in the criminal case for comment.

An estimated 75,000 civilians were killed during El Salvadors civil war, mainly by U.S.-backed government security forces. Once the war ended, a U.N. truth commission was formed to investigate.

The killing of the Dutch journalists  Kuiper, plus Koos Koster, Hans ter Laag and Joop Willemsen  is among the cases that the truth commission investigated in depth. It was among the most emblematic of the civil war in El Salvador, attorney Daniel McLaughlin told VOA.

McLaughlin works at the California-based rights group the Center for Justice and Accountability, or CJA, which is leading the civil lawsuit in Virginia in partnership with the Washington-based Jenner and Block law firm.

The U.N. commission investigation, which was based on extensive interviews with Salvadorans, concluded in 1993 that Mena was responsible for orchestrating the killings of the journalists.

The journalists were shot dead as they tried to travel to territory controlled by the leftist guerrilla group that was fighting the Salvadoran Security Forces. The truth commission determined that the killings occurred near a military base under Menas command.

For many years, Kuipers family and others fought for justice, without success.

I felt a moral obligation at least to try, Kuiper said. There was a responsibility on my side that I should not accept so easily the fact that [my brother] was murdered.

But a law that provided unconditional amnesty for all crimes committed during the civil war stymied any chance of accountability in El Salvador.

After periods of mass violence, governments sometimes enforce blanket amnesty laws that are presented as a way to move on as a nation. But oftentimes they bury the past, experts say, and a lack of justice can prevent populations from fully reckoning with the past.

El Salvadors Supreme Court struck down the amnesty law as unconstitutional in 2016. The Dutch journalists case marks the first time that high-ranking military commanders will be tried for crimes committed during the civil war.

This case could mean the rupture of historic impunity here in El Salvador, said Oscar Perez, from Fundacion Comunicandonos rights group in San Salvador. There is really no demand for truth and justice in other cases.

Some legal experts told VOA they believe the case has been easier to move forward because the victims are not Salvadorans.

In comparison, justice efforts in the El Mozote massacre  when Salvadoran soldiers in 1981 killed about 1,000 civilians, many of them children  have been stalled for years.

But there is some hope, legal experts say, that the criminal case could open the gates for El Salvador to be able to confront other crimes committed during the war. The aim is that justice in this case is going to push forward justice in other cases, CJA attorney Claret Vargas told VOA.

Kuipers lawyers for the U.S. civil lawsuit say that case is especially important because Mena is unlikely to be extradited to El Salvador for the criminal case, despite an Interpol notice.

The civil case is an opportunity to set the historical record straight, McLaughlin said.

The complaint alleges violation of the Torture Victim Protection Act, which allows families of victims of extrajudicial killings committed abroad to seek justice from the perpetrators, as long as they are subject to the jurisdiction of a U.S. court  as is the case with Mena, who has lived in the United States for decades.

El Salvadors justice ministry, foreign ministry and Washington embassy did not reply to VOAs emails requesting comment. The U.S. Justice Department also did not reply to VOAs email requesting comment.

This case underscores a broader pattern of impunity in journalist killings around the world. Nearly 80% of global journalist killings from the past decade remain unsolved, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, or CPJ.

Killing is the most extreme way of silencing a journalist, CPJs Latin America program coordinator Cristina Zahar told VOA.

But no matter how much time has passed, accountability is always worth it, according to Zahar. When you get justice, even if its 40 years after the crime was committed, youre sending a powerful message, she said.

The U.S. lawsuit is a civil case, so possible penalties exclude a prison time. But for Kuiper, a confession is what he wants most of all.

Its important to fight to the utmost to get an official acknowledgement, Kuiper said. I want official acknowledgement of the fact that they were killed intentionally. Thats what I really want.
The number of monarch butterflies wintering in the mountains west of Mexico City rebounded this year, doubling the area they covered in 2024 despite the stresses of climate change and habitat loss, experts said Thursday.

The annual butterfly count doesn't calculate the individual number of butterflies, but rather the number of acres they cover as they gather on tree branches in the mountain pine and fir forests.

Monarchs from east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada overwinter there. Mexico's Commission for National Protected Areas (CONANP) said that this year, butterflies covered 1.79 hectares) compared to only 0.9 hectares the year before.

Last year's figure represented a 59% drop from 2023, the second lowest level since record keeping began.

After wintering in Mexico, the iconic butterflies with black and orange wings fly north, breeding multiple generations along the way for thousands of miles. The offspring that reach southern Canada begin the trip back to Mexico at the end of summer.

Gloria Tavera Alonso, the Mexican agency's director general of conservation, said the improved numbers owed to better climatic factors and humidity.

Drought along the butterflies' migratory route had been listed as a factor in last year's decline. The impact of changes in weather year after year mean fluctuations are expected.

For that, Jorge Rickards, Mexico director general for the World Wildlife Fund, said "you can't let down your guard" and must continue to expand conservation efforts.

Tavera Alonso credited ongoing efforts to increase the number of plants the butterflies rely on for sustenance and reproduction along their flyway.

Butterflies have not been faring well north of the border. The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation has been counting western overwinter populations of monarch butterflies  a separate population from those that winter in central Mexico  along the California coast, northern Baja California and inland sites in California and Arizona for the last 28 years. The highest number recorded was 1.2 million in 1997.

The organization announced in February that it counted just 9,119 monarchs in 2024, a decrease of 96% from 233,394 in 2023. The total was the second-lowest since the survey began in 1997. And the first countrywide systematic analysis of butterfly abundance in the United States found that the number of butterflies in the Lower 48 states has been falling on average 1.3% a year since the turn of the century, with 114 species showing significant declines and only nine increasing, according to a study in Thursday's journal Science.

Experts say that monarchs face risks across North America in large part due to the reduction in milkweed where the monarchs lay their eggs. The plant has been disappearing due to drought, wildfires, herbicides and urbanization.

In December, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed that monarch butterflies receive protection as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.
U.S. President Donald Trump says he sent a letter to Irans Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, something not immediately confirmed by the supreme leader. Trump made the comments in an interview aired on Friday by Fox Business News. The White House confirmed Trumps comments, saying that he sent a letter to Irans leaders seeking to negotiate a nuclear deal. We talk to Alex Vatanka, a Senior Fellow at the Middle East Institute. He specializes in Middle Eastern regional security affairs with a particular focus on Iran.
Clashes broke out in Greece's two largest cities Friday, as protesters hurled gasoline bombs and flares outside Parliament during a censure motion debate against the government over its handling of a deadly rail disaster two years ago.

Police fired tear gas and stun grenades at the violent protesters and used water cannons when the clashes broke out moments after Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis began speaking at the end of the three-day debate. The government survived the challenge in a 157-136 vote announced late Friday. Inside the assembly, activists in the visitors' gallery threw leaflets down onto lawmakers before being removed by police.

Violence also erupted in the northern city of Thessaloniki.

Mitsotakis' center-right government faced a censure motion over the 2023 train collision that killed 57 people and injured dozens more.

Friday's demonstrations, the third round of nationwide protests held in a week, followed the second anniversary of the Feb. 28, 2023, collision at Tempe in northern Greece.

In a rare display of unity, four center-left and left-wing opposition parties submitted the no-confidence motion, arguing that the government has failed to accept responsibility for multiple rail safety system failures identified by investigators.

"You want to hide the criminal responsibility of the government for the Tempe tragedy,'' Socialist opposition leader Nikos Androulakis told lawmakers, addressing the prime minister. "No Greek citizen will forgive your unacceptable behavior.''

Despite widespread public anger over the Tempe rail disaster, the fragmented opposition has struggled to capitalize on the discontent.

Mitsotakis accused his political opponents of engineering a political stunt, adding, "When I visited the scene of the accident ... it was the most difficult moment of my life."

Relatives of crash victims attended Friday's protest rallies, publicly expressing gratitude to demonstrators.

"People are here because they understand what's going on and they demand justice," Chrysoula Chlorou said at a protest in the central city of Larissa. Chlorou's sister Vasso, 55, was killed in the crash.

She added, "We will stand with everyone who has the strength to raise their voices for the people and we thank them very much."
Thousands of women demonstrated in the streets of Turkish cities Saturday to mark International Womens Day, protesting inequality and violence against women.

On the Asian side of Istanbul, a rally in Kadikoy saw members of dozens of womens groups listen to speeches, dance and sing in the spring sunshine. The colorful protest was overseen by a large police presence, including officers in riot gear and a water cannon truck.

The government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared 2025 the Year of the Family. Protesters pushed back against the idea of womens role being confined to marriage and motherhood, carrying banners reading Family will not bind us to life and We will not be sacrificed to the family.

Critics have accused the government of overseeing restrictions on womens rights and not doing enough to tackle violence against women.

Erdogan in 2021 withdrew Turkey from a European treaty, dubbed the Istanbul Convention, that protects women from domestic violence. Turkeys We Will Stop Femicides Platform says 394 women were killed by men in 2024.

There is bullying at work, pressure from husbands and fathers at home and pressure from patriarchal society. We demand that this pressure be reduced even further, Yaz Gulgun, 52, said.

The womens day events were the first planned public demonstrations since the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, announced a ceasefire last week, bringing hope for an end to a 40-year conflict with the Turkish state.

Crowds in Diyarbakir, the largest city in Turkeys Kurdish-majority southeast, heard a message from the groups imprisoned leader Abdullah Ocalan in which he said the womens issue is bigger than the Kurdish issue.

Gultan Kisanak, a Kurdish politician who was released from prison last year after being convicted of terrorism charges, addressed a rally near the city center. A democratic society that does not accept womens will cannot be built. Therefore, womens struggle for freedom is the cornerstone of our peoples struggle for freedom and peace, she said.

Many women were expected to gather in the evening on the European side of Istanbul for a Feminist Night March despite a ban. In recent years, authorities have blocked efforts by women to demonstrate in Taksim Square, Istanbuls traditional gathering point for rallies.

Nearby metro stations were closed from the early afternoon, and streets, including one of the citys main shopping thoroughfares, were sealed off with barriers.

The Beyoglu district governors office said the ban was enforced to prevent actions that may disrupt public order and social peace.
Russia said Saturday its troops had retaken three villages seized by Ukraine in its Kursk border region, in a fresh setback for Kyiv ahead of talks to try to end the war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday named a high-level delegation including ministers to meet U.S. negotiators in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, seeking to repair ties with U.S. President Donald Trump's administration.

U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff said Thursday that Washington wanted to discuss a "framework for a peace agreement."

"We hope to discuss and agree on the necessary decisions and steps," Zelenskyy said, stressing that Ukraine was "fully committed to constructive dialogue."

But he condemned the "brutal" deadly strikes on eastern Ukraine, saying they proved that Russia was "not thinking about how to end the war."

Trump on Friday threatened new sanctions and tariffs against Russia over its bombardment of Ukraine.

The three-year-long war is now at a critical juncture for Kyiv after Trump suspended U.S. military aid following his public falling-out with Zelenskyy last week.

Ukraine still controls some 400-square kilometers in the Kursk region after launching an offensive last August. Zelenskyy sees this as a possible bargaining chip in peace talks.

But Ukraine's troops in Kursk have seen their position worsen in recent weeks with Russia's army pushing back.

Russia claims gains

Russia's defense ministry announced Saturday the recapture of three more villages: Viktorovka, Nikolaevka and Staraya Sorochina.

According to DeepState, an online military tracker linked to the Ukrainian army, the Russian move followed a "breach" in the Ukrainian defense lines near the town of Sudzha, which is under Kyiv's control.

The advance appears to have cut off the logistics route needed by Ukraine to supply its troops, although Kyiv has not confirmed this.

Russia has already taken back some two-thirds of the territory in Kursk initially seized by Ukraine.

The Ukrainian military General Staff said Saturday that clashes were ongoing amid heavy bombardment with artillery and guided aerial bombs.

Small groups of Russian troops have also mounted attacks in recent weeks into Ukraine's Sumy region bordering Kursk.

But Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation denied reports Saturday of a "massive breakthrough," saying its forces were destroying small groups trying to cross.

Meeting in Saudi Arabia

Full peace negotiations remain a distant prospect, with Kyiv and Moscow making starkly opposed demands. Trump has made settling the conflict a priority since his return to the White House.

But by reaching out to Russian President Vladimir Putin while criticizing Zelenskyy, he has raised fears in Kyiv  and among its European allies  that Trump may try to force Ukraine to accept a settlement that favors Russia.

Senior U.S. and Ukrainian officials are set to meet for talks on the war in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. Zelenskyy also will visit Monday for talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

For the U.S., Witkoff has said he wants to discuss an "initial ceasefire" with Russia and a "framework" for a longer agreement.

Zelenskyy said Ukraine would be represented by officials including foreign minister Andriy Sybiha and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.

In his evening address, he told Ukrainians he was "confident that the meeting will be productive."

Zelenskyy also urged allies to "increase sanctions against Russia" after heavy overnight bombardment in the east and northeast.

A Russian barrage hit the center of Dobropillya in the eastern Donetsk region late Friday, killing 11 people and wounding 40, according to the emergency services.

"Russia is proving literally every day with its cruelty that nothing has changed for them," Zelenskyy said.

He accused Moscow of wanting to "destroy and capture more as long as the world allows them to wage this war."

On Saturday, a strike on the embattled city of Pokrovsk killed a man in his 40s and wounded 2 others, and at least 10 people were killed in multiple strikes on Ukraine's embattled eastern Donetsk region, the Donetsk Governor Vadym Filashkin said. He added that seven others were killed in multiple drone and missile strikes in towns close to the front lines.

Three people died when a Russian drone hit a workshop in the northeastern Kharkiv region, the head of its military administration, Oleh Syniehubov, said. And one additional man was killed by shelling in the region.

More bombs

The latest strikes came after EU leaders, shaken by the prospect of U.S. disengagement, agreed to boost the bloc's defenses.

Putin "has no interest in peace," the European Union's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Saturday, reacting to the latest attacks.

"We must step up our military support  otherwise, even more Ukrainian civilians will pay the highest price," she added.

Zelenskyy said Saturday that Ukrainian and British diplomats had held "highly productive" talks in Kyiv.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the latest Russian attacks were "what happens when someone appeases barbarians," resulting in "more bombs, more aggression."
At least 11 people were killed and 30 wounded, including five children, in Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine's eastern city of Dobropillia overnight, Ukrainian Interior Ministry said on Saturday.

Another three civilians were killed in a drone attack on the Kharkiv region in the northeast, the ministry added. The ministry said Russian forces attacked Dobropillia with ballistic missiles, multiple rockets and drones, damaging eight multistory buildings and 30 cars.

"While extinguishing the fire, the occupiers struck again, damaging the fire truck," the ministry said on the Telegram Messenger.

The ministry published photos of partially destroyed buildings engulfed in fire and rescuers removing rubble from the buildings.

Dobropillia, home to about 28,000 people before the war, is in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, 22 kilometers from the front-line north of the key hub of Pokrovsk, which the Russian troops have been attacking for weeks.

The ministry also said at least three were killed and seven injured in a separate drone attack on Kharkiv region overnight. Ukrainian military said Russia attacked Ukraine overnight with two Iskander-M ballistic missiles and one Iskander-K cruise missile as well as 145 drones.

They said air forces shot down one cruise missile and 79 drones. The military said another 54 drones did not reach their targets likely due to electronic countermeasures.
Recent images of Kenyan Vice President Kithure Kindiki at Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport welcoming Mohamed Hamdan Hemedti Dagalo, the leader of the RSF militia, sparked a diplomatic controversy.

The United Nations implicated RSF in gross human rights violations in Sudan.

Nairobi's summit with Hemedti led Sudan to accuse Kenya of an irresponsible stance in embracing the Rapid Support Forces, a group seeking to legitimize its atrocities. Sudan recalled its ambassador to Kenya and condemned the action, saying that such behavior places Kenya in the category of a rogue state that defies international norms.

This accusation is likely accurate for several reasons.

RSF and Sudanese conflict

The RSF and Sudanese army have been engaged in a brutal civil war since April 2023, resulting in thousands of deaths and displacing more than 12.5 million people. The United States and the U.N. sanctioned both the RSF and the Sudanese military for their roles in these atrocities.

In February 2024, Kenya hosted RSF figures in Nairobi, where they signed a charter to form a parallel government in Sudan. Multiple stakeholders, including the U.S., U.N. and four Arab countries involved in mediating peace  Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait  criticized the move as an attempt to further destabilize Sudan.

Kenya denied accusations of siding with the RSF, saying in a statement that it remained on neutral ground. With its credentials as an enabler of peace in the region and across the globe, Kenya remains at the forefront of seeking solutions to the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, the statement said.

International backlash

The U.S. State Department has voiced concerns about the formation of a parallel government by the RSF, emphasizing that it undermines peace and stability in Sudan. Similarly, on Thursday, the U.N. Security Council expressed grave concern about Kenyas involvement, urging member states to avoid actions that exacerbate the conflict. These actions contribute to Kenyas growing isolation on the international stage.

Regional repercussions

Kenyas involvement in conflicts extends beyond Sudan. In late 2023, Kenya hosted members of the M23 rebel group in Nairobi despite accusations of atrocities in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The M23 has seized key cities in the mineral-rich eastern DRC.

Although Kenya denies any direct involvement, the DRC reacted strongly, recalling its ambassador and expelling Kenyan troops. Additionally, DRC President Felix Tshisekedi boycotted a summit chaired by Kenyan President William Ruto in January 2024.

Human rights violations

Human rights organizations accuse Kenya of violating international human rights norms. Rights watchdogs condemn Kenya for abducting opposition leaders and asylum-seekers and handing them over to authoritarian governments despite the risks of persecution.

Notably, in November 2023, Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye was abducted in Nairobi and later faced treason charges in Uganda. Similarly, in October 2023, Kenya repatriated four asylum-seekers to Turkey, where they risked political persecution.

Conclusion

Kenya, once regarded as a leading mediator in regional conflicts, has been increasingly accused of partisan involvement in crises across Africa. The governments actions, particularly in Sudan and the DRC, suggest that Kenya is no longer perceived as neutral. Its support for the RSF and hosting of the M23 rebels indicate a departure from diplomatic norms.

Furthermore, Kenyas human rights record, marked by the detention and deportation of asylum-seekers and opposition figures, raises significant concerns about its commitment to international law. These actions collectively position Kenya as isolated from international and regional norms, with some analysts now viewing it as a rogue state.
You are the owner of this article.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday appeared to signal that he is ready to take military action on Iran, unless the country agrees to a new deal that would restrain its rapidly advancing nuclear program.

There'll be some interesting days ahead. Thats all I can tell you, he told reporters in the Oval Office Friday.

Trump announced during a Fox Business News interview recorded Thursday night and aired Friday morning that he had sent a letter to Ali Khamenei, telling the Iranian supreme leader that it will be a lot better for Iran if they are willing to negotiate a nuclear deal.

If we have to go in militarily, its going to be a terrible thing for them, he said during the interview.

Trump said the U.S. is down to final strokes with Iran, and signaled he has his sights on the countrys nice oil wells.

We have a situation with Iran that something's going to happen very soon, very, very soon, he said. I'm just saying I'd rather see a peace deal than the other, but the other will solve the problem.

The deal Trump is referring to would replace the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on Iran. The JCPOA is a signature foreign policy achievement of his predecessor, former President Barack Obama. In 2018, during in his first term in office, Trump withdrew the U.S. from the deal.

Details of Trumps new Iran deal are unclear. The White House has not responded to VOAs request to provide the letter or further describe its contents.

The Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations said there has been no confirmation from Khameneis office that any letter had been received.

We have not received such a letter so far, the mission said in a statement sent to VOA Friday.

Commenting on Trumps letter, Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the United Nations secretary-general, said, As a matter of principle, we reaffirm that diplomacy remains the best way to ensure the peaceful nature of Irans nuclear programme.

In that regard, we welcome all diplomatic efforts towards that goal, he said in a statement Friday.

Brinkmanship

Trump is engaging in a classic case of brinkmanship, said Farzin Nadimi, a senior fellow with The Washington Institute. He's trying to raise the stakes with Iran, to compel its leadership to do deals with him.

Early steps that Trump could take might include interdicting Iranian oil tankers to disrupt the countrys remaining lifeline amid crippling sanctions, but that could escalate the situation and trigger an Iranian tit-for-tat response, Nadimi told VOA.

I don't think at this moment the U.S. government is thinking it wants to bomb Iranian oil installations, he added. Initially, I think every focus will be on Iranian air defenses, long-range missile capabilities and the nuclear sites.

On Thursday, Israel's military said it performed a joint air force exercise with the U.S. this week involving Israeli F-15I and F-35I fighter jets flying alongside a U.S. B-52 bomber, in an apparent message to Iran. Israel said the exercise aims to practice operational coordination between the two militaries to enhance their ability to address various regional threats.

Trump campaigned on renewing maximum pressure on Iran, saying that his administration will not tolerate Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon or their support of terrorism in the Middle East and around the world. During his first term, Trump ordered the 2020 airstrike that killed Iran's most powerful military commander, Qassem Soleimani.

However, its unclear why he is ramping up pressure on Tehran now, amid other rapid developments on Washingtons positions in various conflicts, including the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, said Seth Jones, president of the Defense and Security Department at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

This was bound to be a much more aggressive policy than what we've seen, Jones told VOA. But I don't know if there's a clear strategy going forward.

No negotiations under sanctions

Irans Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi dismissed the prospect of nuclear negotiations with the U.S. while Tehran remains under heavy sanctions from Washington.

We will not enter any direct negotiations with the U.S. so long as they continue their maximum pressure policy and their threats, Araghchi said in an interview with AFP on Friday. He added that Tehran is speaking with three European countries, along with Russia and China, [and] other members of the JCPOA.

Trump has spoken more broadly about his desire to eliminate their nuclear weapons, signaling he wants to negotiate denuclearization efforts with China and Russia as well.

It would great if everybody would get rid of their nuclear weapons, he told reporters in the Oval Office Thursday.

VOA's Michael Lipin and Margaret Besheer contributed to this report.
"One and one, please, love," a regular said, leaning on the counter at a pie and mash shop in London's East End.

In seconds, one piping-hot beef pie appeared with a single scoop of mashed potatoes at the G Kelly shop, topped off with parsley sauce known as liquor.

Londoners have been eating this classic Cockney combination since at least Victorian times, but for many years the working-class staple has had a humble reputation among outsiders.

Now a campaign to get pie and mash special protected status is gaining ground, with supporters arguing the dish deserves an official stamp of recognition similar to Parmesan cheese and champagne.

After a British politician took the case to Parliament and won the backing of MPs, campaigners hope to land the label this year.

"'Bout time," said G Kelly customer Daniel Terrance as he tucked into his third pie and mash of the week.

"I just want more," the 39-year-old electrician chuckled, eating the meal with a traditional accompaniment of jellied eels.

Stewed eel water

The first pie and mash eateries began to crop up in London in the 1800s, when street hawkers selling pies teamed up with eel vendors and set up shop near the city's docks.

Over time, a set of rituals has grown up around the dish, from the rapid-fire "one and one" ordering system to the fork and spoon that purists insist on using to eat it.

The pie's flaky crust and soft suet base have been a fixture for generations, but most cooks have agreed to let one old-fashioned practice slide  nowadays, the liquor is rarely made from stewed eel water.

British cuisine has had a hard time shaking off its bad reputation, but backers say pie and mash is worthy of joining hundreds of dishes with official protection in mainland Europe and elsewhere.

The campaigners, among them several pie shop owners, now need to get a recipe for the dish approved by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs so they can secure a Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG) label.

The stamp legally safeguards traditional recipes but differs from badges awarded to foods like Parma ham in that it allows them to be made outside a specific area.

Neil Vening, the fourth-generation owner of the G Kelly family shop, hopes the label can prevent big companies from capitalizing on tradition to pump out substandard pie and mash.

"It's undermining this great heritage we've got," the 33-year-old said, pointing to the black-and-white photos of relatives and staff around the shop, founded by George Kelly in 1939.

'Time warp'

For regular customers who have seen dozens of pie and mash shops close since the dish's heyday, nostalgia is a big part of the appeal.

Gentrification has pushed London's Cockney population farther and farther from the East End, and changing tastes have ushered in a wave of coffee shops and artisan bakeries.

"I like the changes but not every local does," said Leanne Black, who has worked at the shop for 14 years.

The 45-year-old East Ender said many customers love the comfort an old-fashioned pie and mash shop brings.

"It's not just about the food. Some people feel that the world has changed so much, and when they come in here, it's like a time warp.

"It's the smell in here. It's the tables, the cold marble. ... It's everything."

Future-proof pie

Pie and mash's recent history is not just a story of decline, though.

Vening said G Kelly is enjoying a boost as newcomers and tourists eat alongside old-timers.

And East Enders who moved away from the capital have taken the dish with them  dozens of pie and mash shops are now flourishing outside London.

An official status would cement this turnaround, the campaigners argue.

Conservative MP Richard Holden, who took the motion to Parliament late last year, told AFP he wanted to celebrate pie and mash shops like those in his Basildon and Billericay constituency east of London.

"Let's give them the protected status they deserve," he said.
South Sudan's president appealed for calm and pledged his country would "not go back to war," after a United Nations helicopter was attacked and a crew member killed during a Friday rescue mission.

A fragile power-sharing agreement between President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar has been threatened in recent weeks by clashes between their allied forces in the northeastern Upper Nile State.

The U.N. Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said its team was attempting to extract members of the South Sudanese army from the area when its helicopter came under fire, killing a crew member and seriously injuring two others.

A South Sudanese army general and other officers were killed in the failed rescue mission, UNMISS said in a statement, saying the incident might constitute a war crime.

Kiir urged citizens to remain calm, stating: "I have said it time and again that our country will not go back to war. Let no one take law into their hands."

"The government which I lead will handle this crisis. We will remain steadfast in the path of peace," he added.

South Sudan, the world's youngest country, ended a five-year civil war in 2018 with a power-sharing agreement between rivals Kiir and Machar.

But Kiir's allies have accused Machar's forces of fomenting unrest in Nasir County, Upper Nile State, in league with the so-called White Army, a loose band of armed youths in the region from the same ethnic Nuer community as the vice president.

Late Friday, local media reported a statement from Machar's office that condemned the "barbaric act."

Efforts to "restore peace in the region remain a top priority," the statement added, with Machar "continuing to engage all stakeholders to prevent further violence."

"The attack on UNMISS personnel is utterly abhorrent and may constitute a war crime under international law," said head of UNMISS Nicholas Haysom.

"We also regret the killing of those that we were attempting to extract," he added.

U.N. secretary-general spokesperson Stephane Dujarric urged an investigation "to determine those responsible and hold them accountable."

A government garrison in the region was overrun by the rebels Tuesday, the information minister told reporters earlier this week, adding that a general and several soldiers had survived the attack and were still fighting the rebels.

Kiir's government responded with multiple arrests of Machar's allies in the capital, Juba, including Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chol, deputy army chief General Gabriel Duop Lam and Peacebuilding Minister Stephen Par Kuol.

The latter was released Friday, according to his spokesperson.

UNMISS said its evacuation mission was an attempt to end the violence in Nasir County that had caused "significant casualties and civilian displacement."

Regional and Western diplomats warned earlier this week that the events threaten the 2018 peace agreement that ended a civil war that left 400,000 people dead.

"Juba-based leaders must demonstrate their commitment to peaceful dialogue and should put the interest of the South Sudanese people first," said a joint statement from a group of embassies that included the United States, Britain and the European Union.

UNMISS also called on the parties to "adhere to their commitment to uphold the ceasefire and protect the integrity" of the peace agreement.

There also has been criticism of recent political moves by Kiir, described by analysts as attempts to consolidate his position and sideline Machar.

Last month, Kiir fired two of the five vice presidents in his unity government without consulting other stakeholders, and he removed the governor of Western Equatoria State, a member of Machar's movement.

Fears of increased hostilities have grown.

"South Sudan is slipping rapidly toward full-blown war," said International Crisis Group Horn of Africa director Alan Boswell.

He urged the U.N. to prepare peacekeepers to save civilian lives, adding: "We fear large-scale ethnic massacres if the situation is not soon contained."

In Juba, the embassies of Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union delegation condemned the attack in a joint statement and urged dialogue "at the highest level to prevent further violence and loss of life."
Four years ago, Yalda never imagined that she would not be able to continue her education or achieve her dream of graduating from school.

My parents would often talk about the Talibans first rule [in the 1990s], recalled Yalda, who requested that her full name not be used for security reasons. I used to think it was fortunate I wasnt born during those days. Sadly, we ended up experiencing the same fate.

Yalda, who was in 10th grade when the Taliban took over Afghanistan in August 2021, is one of the 1.5 million girls deprived of an education in Afghanistan.

Like most school-age girls, she is now confined to her home.

I think I live in a prison. I am so hopeless, and wish I had not been born a girl, Yalda said.

In addition to banning girls from secondary and university education, the Taliban have barred them from working with government and nongovernment organizations, traveling long distances without a close male relative, and going to parks, public baths and salons.

The U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, in a statement issued on March 8, condemned the progressive erasure of women and girls from public life and called on the Taliban to lift restrictions on Afghan women.

These restrictions are not only violations of human rights but also barriers to Afghanistans progress, deepening poverty and isolation for millions, said UNAMAs statement.

The Taliban rejected the U.N. call, saying that women in Afghanistan are given their due rights in accordance with Islamic Sharia law.

At present, Afghan women reside in a state of complete physical and psychological security, they said.

An Afghan teacher, who did not want her identity to be disclosed for fear of reprisal, told VOA that Afghan women do not feel safe in the country.

We dont have safety. I cant teach anymore. We dont have any future, said the teacher. "We are not considered as equal human beings in this country.

Afghanistan is listed last  177th out of 177 countries  on Georgetown University's global Women Peace and Security Index of inclusion, justice and security for women.

The teacher said that women in Afghanistan are filled with despair, saying that any change by the group is unlikely.

Hoda Jaberian, the UNESCO program coordinator for education emergencies in Paris, called the Talibans restriction a war against women.

She told VOA that womens rights in Afghanistan should remain a top priority for the international community.

This is the responsibility of the international community to ensure that the rights of Afghan women and girls are restored without any delay, Jaberian said.

No country has yet formally recognized the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan.

Adela Raz, a former Afghan ambassador to the United States, told VOA that one of the main reasons for not recognizing the Talibans government is the groups failure to grant women their rights.

She added that, alongside the United Nations, Muslim-majority nations and neighboring countries should pressure the Taliban to respect womens rights in Afghanistan.

The neighboring countries, to an extent, have ties with the Taliban and their position is important to apply pressure on the Taliban to uphold womens rights.

Yalda says that she and other girls in Afghanistan, however, are losing hope.

They [the Taliban] havent changed in the past 3 years. I dont think they will, said Yalda.
U.S. President Donald Trump's administration said it had canceled grants and contracts worth about $400 million to Columbia University because of what it described as antisemitic harassment on and near the school's New York City campus.

Friday's announcement was made in a joint statement by the departments of Justice, Education and Health and Human Services as well as the General Services Administration.

The Trump administration declined to specify the grants and contracts affected or its evidence of antisemitic harassment. The announced cuts would come out of what the administration said was more than $5 billion in grants presently committed to Columbia. Much of the funding goes to healthcare and scientific research but Reuters could not verify the figures.

The announcement of "immediate" cuts was likely to face legal challenges, with civil rights groups saying the contract cancellations lacked due process and were an unconstitutional punishment for protected speech.

Columbia has been at the forefront of a pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel student protest movement that swept across campuses over the last year as Israel's war in Gaza has raged.

The university has said it has worked to combat antisemitism and other prejudice on its campus while fending off accusations from civil rights groups that it is letting the government erode academia's free speech protections.

Columbia protesters, some of whom seized control of an academic building for a few hours in April and set up tent encampments on campus lawns, have demanded the school stop investing in companies that support Israel's military occupation of Palestinian territories.

There have been allegations of antisemitism, Islamophobia and racism in protests and pro-Israel counter-protests. Columbia University Apartheid Divest, a coalition of student groups behind the pro-Palestinian protests, includes Jewish students and groups among its organizers. They say that criticism of Israel is being wrongly conflated with antisemitism. Some Jewish and Israeli students have said the protests are intimidating and disruptive.

"Cancelling these taxpayer funds is our strongest signal yet that the federal government is not going to be party to an educational institution like Columbia that does not protect Jewish students and staff," Leo Terrell, who leads the Justice Department's antisemitism task force, said in the statement. Wyn Hornbuckle, a Justice Department spokesperson, declined to specify the grants and contracts that were cut. Hornbuckle also declined to describe the government's evidence of antisemitism at Columbia. Spokespeople for the other three departments did not respond to questions.

Critics say cuts punish political speech

The university has disciplined dozens of pro-Palestinian students and staff over the last year, in many cases issuing suspensions, and twice called in police to have pro-Palestinian protesters arrested, which was widely criticized by faculty. Samantha Slater, a Columbia spokesperson, said school staff "pledge to work with the federal government to restore Columbia's federal funding."

"We take Columbia's legal obligations seriously and understand how serious this announcement is and are committed to combating antisemitism and ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our students, faculty, and staff," her statement said. Slater did not say if the school was told which grants and contracts had been affected.

The Civil Rights Act's Title VI allows the government to investigate schools that receive federal funding if they are accused of discriminating against people on the basis of religion or national origin, among other protected classes. The New York Civil Liberties Union said Friday's announcement of immediate cuts was misusing the law to punish political speech.

"It is unconstitutional and unprecedented, but it is entirely consistent with Trump's long-held desire to silence views with which he disagrees and clamp down on protest," NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman said in a statement. "Protected political speech should not be a basis of punishment, and Title VI must be applied consistently with the First Amendment."

U.S. Jewish organizations had mixed responses to the announcement.

Brian Cohen, executive director of the pro-Israel student organization Hillel at Columbia, said in a statement he hoped the announcement would be a "wake-up call to Columbia's administration and trustees."

J Street, a Washington-based pro-Israel advocacy group, said there were unacceptable levels of antisemitism at Columbia but that Friday's announcement undercut efforts to fix this.

"This decision is part of the administration's broader attack on academic institutions, and may cause these same institutions to overcorrect" stifling free speech for fear of having all of their funding cut," Erin Beiner, director of the group's student wing J Street U, said in a statement.
Giving a new meaning to the phrase mad scientists, angry researchers, doctors, their patients and supporters ventured out of labs, hospitals and offices Friday to fight against what they call a blitz on life-saving science by the Trump administration.

In the nation's capital, a couple thousand gathered at the Stand Up for Science rally. Organizers said similar rallies were planned in more than 30 U.S. cities.

Politicians, scientists, musicians, doctors and their patients made the case that firings, budget and grant cuts in health, climate, science and other research government agencies in the Trump administration's first 47 days in office are endangering not just the future but the present.

"This is the most challenging moment I can recall," University of Pennsylvania climate scientist Michael Mann told the crowd full of signs belittling the intelligence of President Donald Trump, his cost-cutting aide Elon Musk and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. "Science is under siege."

Astronomer Phil Plait told a booing crowd, "We're looking at the most aggressively anti-science government the United States has ever had."

Rally co-organizer Colette Delawalla, a doctoral student in clinical psychology, said, "We're not just going to stand here and take it."

Science communicator, entertainer and one-time engineer Bill Nye the Science Guy challenged the forces in government that want to cut and censor science. "What are you afraid of?" he said.

U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen challenged the crowd, some in white lab coats if only for show, to live up to the mad scientist moniker: "Everybody in America should be mad about what we are witnessing."

The crowd was. Signs read "Edit Elon out of USA's DNA," "Delete DOGE not data," "the only good evidence against evolution is the existence of Trump" and "ticked off epidemiologist."

Health and science advances are happening faster than ever, making this a key moment in making people's lives better, said former National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins, who helped map the human genome. The funding cuts put at risk progress on Alzheimer's disease, diabetes and cancer, he said.

"It's a very bad time with all the promise and momentum," said Collins.

"I'm very worried about my country right now," Collins said before breaking out into an original song on his guitar.

Emily Whitehead, the first patient to get a certain new type of treatment for a rare cancer, told the crowd that at age 5 she was sent hospice to die, but CAR T-cell therapy "taught my immune system to beat cancer" and she's been disease free for nearly 13 years.

"I stand up for science because science saved my life," Whitehead said.

Friday's rally in Washington was at the Lincoln Memorial, in the shadow of a statue of the president who created the nearby National Academy of Sciences in 1863.

From 11 million kilometers away from Earth, NASA proved science could divert potentially planet-killing asteroids, former NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said. On his space shuttle flight nearly 40 years ago, he looked down to Earth and had a "sense of awe that you want to be a better steward of what we've been given," he said.

The rallies were organized mostly by graduate students and early career scientists. Dozens of other protests were also planned around the world, including more than 30 in France, Delawalla said.

Protesters gathered around City Hall in Philadelphia, home to prestigious, internationally recognized health care institutions and where 1 in 6 doctors in the U.S. has received medical training.

"As a doctor, I'm standing up for all of my transgender, nonbinary patients who are also being targeted," said Cedric Bien-Gund, an infectious disease doctor at the University of Pennsylvania. "There's been a lot of fear and silencing, both among our patients and among all our staff. And it's really disheartening to see."
By the end, the film doesnt feel subversively strange, just self-consciously campy and irritatingly smug. Photo: Lorenzo Sisti/Prime Video

This review was originally published on March 10, 2025 out of the SXSW Film Festival. We are republishing it now timed to Another Simple Favors streaming release on Amazon Prime.

Lets deal with the important stuff first: Blake Lively makes her entrance in Another Simple Favor in a suit, as she must  as she did in 2018s A Simple Favor, showing up to school pickup like an eruption into the upscale suburban setting from a much more interesting movie. But this time, while the heels are still sky high, theyre covered in spiked hardware, as though Livelys character, Emily Nelson, has needed to armor up while away. The outfit is all muted horizontal gray and white stripes, accessorized with a chain belt that jingles as she strides into the Warfield, Connecticut bookstore where Stephanie Smothers (Anna Kendrick) is having a book reading. The effect may be a callback to the beginning of the first film, but more than that, it gives couture convict  a hilariously upscale riff on a prison uniform for a character who was sent to jail for murdering her father and her twin sister, shooting her husband, Sean (Henry Golding), and preparing to kill Stephanie herself, but who has turned up unaccountably free.

The glee of A Simple Favor, which was directed by Paul Feig (who returns for the sequel) and adapted from a novel by Darcey Bell, is that it was just a lot stranger than it needed to be, electrified by undercurrents that turned what was basically a Gone Girl knockoff thriller into something far less predictable. On paper, it was about a lonely mommy blogger whose connection with the towns glamorous outlier took a turn when the latter mysteriously vanished, leaving her son and husband in her friends care. But on the screen, both Emily and Stephanie were utterly unhinged from the start. Stephanie, in her prim sweaters and rictus smile, was such a tightly wound supermom that she looked capable of cutting a bitch long before she decided to turn detective while taking over her friends life. (The movie is one of the few to really lean into Kendricks manic edge.) And Emily was more of a visiting celebrity than a woman who felt trapped in a small town after a more adventurous life in the city, her outlandish outfits smacking of costumes, her whole life looking like a set she of course could leave behind. If the story was about a toxic suburban friendship, the movie itself was about a psychosexual meeting of alarming soulmates.

Before it utterly loses the thread, Another Simple Favor (which premiered Friday at the SXSW Film Festival and will stream on Prime Video May 1st), plays like a perfect escalation of everything that made the original film so pleasurable. Stephanies become a full time true-crime influencer, though a case that went south has led her to ill-advisedly go dark on social media just as the book she wrote about Emily is being published. When Emily glides into that bookstore to announce that shes been released from jail (the movie handwaves this away with a mention of high powered lawyers), is getting married in Italy, and wants Stephanie to be her maid of honor, the characters are as aware of the absurdity of this ask as the movie is. But both Emily and Stephanie know that Stephanie is going to say yes, even before Emily lightly threatens to sue her best frenemy for using her likeness without permission. Stephanie needs Emily, not just for the content  though Emily does mention that the wedding will goose Stephanies subscribers and sales, even if her book agent (Alex Newell) seems a little too excited by the possibility of her client getting murdered. And Emily needs Stephanie because Stephanie is the only person who understands her. You were never nice, she says to the woman who put her behind bars. You were just afraid to be mean.

The nuptials take place on the astoundingly beautiful island of Capri, and the groom is a wealthy, maco mafioso named Dante Versano (played by Michele Morrone of the wildly popular, wildly panned 365 Days movies). The whole leadup to the ceremony is genuinely delicious, not just because of the decadent setting, where Emilys outfits finally make sense, but because the characters all feel freed to sling unapologetically cunty insults at each other about the ridiculousness of whats happening (Jessica Sharzer, who wrote the first script, is joined by Laeta Kalogridis for this sequel). Sean, court ordered to escort his and Emilys son Nicky (Ian Ho) to the wedding, gets wasted and informs Emily that her cavernous vagina was like fucking a windsock in a rainstorm. (Emily, unflustered, introduces Sean to Dante as her baby mama.) Portia (Elena Sofia Ricci), Dantes mom, so loathes Emily that she finds and invites her estranged mother Margaret (Elizabeth Perkins, taking over for Jean Smart), who arrives at the rehearsal dinner shrieking about demon spawn, as well as a random aunt, Linda (Allison Janney). The vibe is somewhere between Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and a drag show, and its tremendously fun until people start dying and the film feels obligated to lean into intrigue.

I have no idea why the police and the Versano family would believe that Stephanie is responsible for Dantes death. But it makes so little sense that it throws everything in the movie permanently off-kilter. The very premise of Another Simple Favor is outrageous, but it follows its own internal logic  at least in the first half. The second, which involves multiple murders, a bumbling FBI agent, and a reliance on a tossed-off line from the first movie, throws that logic out to lead with whims. It doesnt feel subversively strange, just self-consciously campy and irritatingly smug. The tension with which Feig treated his source material is gone, and it starts to seem like literally anything could happen. Which is a shame, because Emily and Stephanie have a joyously dark dynamic, with Emily constantly needling Stephanie about their history (she at one point jokes that if she ends up dead, Stephanie can fuck Dante too), while Stephanie, empowered to let her freak flag fly, gives as good as she gets. Kendrick and Lively have an undeniable chemistry that allows you to buy that these two characters really do like one another, despite the circumstances. But that only matters when those circumstances mean something, and by the end of Another Simple Favor, they dont  nothing matters at all.

Correction: A previous version of this article mistakenly mixed up Emily and Stephanies names. Dont tell Emily.
A mere six weeks ago, Donald Trump again took possession of the Oval Office, even though that seems like a few lifetimes ago.
Eva Osborne

Gaps in national legislation must be addressed to combat the rapid rise of deepfake technologies which are disproportionately impacting women and girls, MEP Maria Walsh has said.

MEP Maria Walsh has written to Minister for Justice Jim OCallaghan to highlight the existing gaps in national legislation, as part of action taken for International Womens Day on Saturday.

There was an estimated 245 per cent increase in deepfakes last year, with approximately 96 per cent of deepfakes being pornographic in nature and women accounting for 99 per cent of victims.

MEP Maria Walsh, full member of the European Parliaments Gender Equality Committee, said: Urgent action at EU and national level is needed to control the spread and impact of deepfakes. I have written to Minister Jim OCallaghan to request the Department of Justice address the gap that currently exists whereby the creation of harmful deepfakes remains largely outside the scope of existing legislation.

As we mark International Womens Day today, we must recognise the new digital and cyber threats facing women in the 21st century. Deepfake images and videos are quick and easy to make, and have the potential to destroy a womans reputation, sense of safety and psychological wellbeing.

While Ireland has led the way through the passing of Cocos Law, which criminalises the distribution of intimate images without consent, much work remains to target the individuals who create harmful deepfakes. I believe there is a credible argument for new legislation that targets these creators, with penalties proportionate to the damage caused.

Under current legislation, the sharing of deepfake intimate images of a person without their consent is covered because of the broad definition of an intimate image contained in Cocos Law.

"However, the creation of an intimate deepfake is not in itself an offence under the legislation; it is the distribution, publishing or threatening to distribute or publish where the offence occurs.

"There is also no legislation that addresses the creation or dissemination of deepfakes in the general sense - such as seemingly innocent but synthetic images, which we have recently seen being created of politicians."
The male leads on opening night  Callum Linnane, Marcus Morelli and Brett Chynoweth  are similarly restrained. The machismo is gestural rather than substantive. Theyre not so visceral and intense as they might be. The anguish is plausible but not the brutality. Of course, the choreography, alien and disjointed as it is, doesnt give them much to work with. There are, however, a few spine-tingling moments. The pas de deux between Ogai and Linnane just before Don Jose kills his rival in love is terrific. Perhaps the most disappointing element of this production is the sound design, with poor-quality canned music jammed between selections from Shchedrin. The pre-recorded stuff is utterly callow and the live orchestra feels underpowered and rather too smooth. The scenic design, featuring large monolithic set pieces that glide silently like tombstones on castors, provides a coherent visual that transforms effectively into a haunted netherworld. Its one of the few really effective elements of this staging. And yet, its a weirdly hollow sort of production. Whatever worthy intentions Inger brought to this project, it was still unsettling to applaud the staged murder of a woman by her ex-partner  on the night before International Womens Day, no less.

Reviewed by Andrew Fuhrman

MUSIC

Ice Cube 

Sidney Myer Music Bowl, March 9 At the bowl, the crowd is sweaty and manic. Its a Sunday night, 31 degrees, with threat of a thunderstorm on the horizon. White guys are throwing gang signs. Two prepubescent boys lean over the fence and try to convince me to give them my wristband. A middle-aged man takes his shirt off and screams Ice Cube in the broadest Australian accent Ive ever heard (Oooiiiis keeeewb). Ice Cube performs at Sidney Myer Music Bowl on March 9, 2025. Credit: Richard Clifford Cube, one of the icons of the golden age of west coast gangsta rap, takes to the stage at 9pm. He descends a staircase alongside hype-man and Westside Connection bandmate WC, surrounded by huge screens showing plumes of smoke, wads of money, rows of palm trees, and clips from his film Friday. There are also two huge inflatable hands, their fingers folded into the westside sign. At the start, the mix is so bad that the lyrics  which terrified suburban parents all through the 90s  are barely audible. Its fixed (sort of) by the time we hit Bop Gun and Check Yo Self (in a remix mashed up with Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Fives The Message): theyre wild and cartoonishly controversial, with all their boasts about murder, money, sex, and weed, but its the delivery that holds the real threat. At its best, its a powerful barrage, a pummelling.

That wild vitriol has hollowed a bit over the decades though. On recent single So Sensitive he rails against pronouns, Karens and how you cant say anything these days, making him sound like the sensitive one (though the line Dont be a pussy all your life, be a dick sometimes made me laugh). Natural Born Killaz (Im an unforgiving, psycho-driven murderer), You Know How We Do It (You dont want to see a G break yo ass like dishes), and Wicked (with a lamentable Aussie Aussie Aussie chant thrown in) all keep the early 90s mood going, but things really pick up when he gives us a suite of songs from his time in NWA. Dope Man, Straight Outta Compton, and Gangsta Gangsta are electric and F--- Tha Police is massive. The wild vitriol of Ice Cubes lyrics has hollowed a bit over the decades. Credit: Richard Clifford Then, a surprise: Cube invites an audience member up. Hes about eight years old, cute as hell, and he wants to do Straight Outta Compton. I run through the words in my head and realise that in less than 30 seconds, this white child will say the n-word in front of Ice Cube and 10,000 fans. He says it, and lives. A relief. After the perfect It Was A Good Day, Cube returns for an encore of Its My Ego from his new album Man Down, and the crowd is sprayed with snow-like foam. 31 degrees and its snowing, and the rapping child is going to be okay. It was a good day.

Reviewed by Will Cox

MUSIC

Kneecap 

170 Russell, March 10 DJ Provais Irish flag balaclava must have seemed like a stroke of genius back in Belfast. Here in the sweat-slick oven of a packed Melbourne dungeon at the sticky end of summer, maybe not so much. But resistance and endurance are pillars of Kneecaps mission. The cheeky-sinister head cosy stays put. Kneecap perform at 170 Russell on March 10, 2025. Credit: Richard Clifford A projected balaclava motif is practically burned into our retinas from the off, as headlines about the Irish-language rap trios unlikely conquest flash through its eyeholes on the screen behind them. Its Been Ages [sic] is a triumphant song of resilience: theyre back to annoy em c---s that hate us, Moglai Bap raps. Ages equals around seven years since Bap and his co-rapper school buddy Mo Chara joined Provai to record C.E.A.R.T.A (its Irish for RIGHTS). They promptly got banned from Irish radio and denounced by random talking heads, sealing their notorious legend.

Much of the song, and most of their set, is in the oppressed language in question: an act of resistance to British colonial tyranny that makes the band itself a profoundly political act. Loading That crucial detail aside, Kneecaps revolution is mostly powered by nothing more scandalous than youthful hedonism and ratbaggery. Amach Anocht is shouted entirely in a language nobody here understands, but the opening line apparently translates to: out tonight and I cant f---I g wait. They may be Catholic to the bone, but MDMA, cocaine, booze and spliff are their sacraments and giving the Garda the finger is their sacred vocation. Your sniffer dogs are shite! Your sniffer dogs are shite! we shout in belligerent unison as another tale of Saturday night rebellion unfolds. The Palestinian and Australian Indigenous causes are woven into the righteous fury early on by support act Miss Kaninna, a fierce First Nations newcomer from Bruny Island whose magnetism, conviction and intensity rivals the headliners.

Flags continue to be waved, slogans are chanted, the Brits are furiously booed on cue and most weirdly, the ongoing non-aliveness of Margaret Thatcher is raucously celebrated. When commanded, smaller people straddle larger peoples shoulders in shocking defiance of OHS regulations to spell out RIGHTS at the top of their lungs. In Irish. At last, as the hyperactive silhouettes of Bap and Chara skip off and the house lights rise, Provai stalks the lip of the stage to remove his dripping balaclava and grab a parting photo of the seething Melbourne resistance for the folks back home. It feels like liberty at last.

Reviewed by Michael Dwyer MUSIC

New Order 

Sidney Myer Music Bowl, March 8 The last time New Order toured Australia was March 2020, a visit cut short by the COVID restrictions that kicked in the day after they played the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. Almost five years later, theyre back in the same venue, and determined to have, and to give, a Fine Time. If New Order have a mantra, its f--- politics, lets dance. Credit: Martin Philbey

That track doesnt make the 19-song set list, but with so many bonafide bangers something had to give. Unfortunately, for the first few songs, its the mix. Everyones come to hear some great indie pop, but what they get is crackle and snap: electrical static makes a total mess of opener Transmission (one of five Joy Division songs to get an airing), while frontman Bernard Sumners voice  never the most forceful of instruments  is completely buried throughout Crystal, Ceremony, Age of Consent and Isolation. New Order frontman Bernard Sumner, with guitarist Phil Cunningham in the background, at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl on Saturday. Credit: Martin Philbey At one point, the crowd is so frustrated that they boo  not the band, but the mix. Were six songs in before the techs finally crack the code. Despite the flaws, the playing has been good, the light show and video backdrops stunning (even if the opening montage of high-board divers does appear to borrow from Leni Riefenstahls Olympia, a curiously provocative nod to the accusations of crypto-fascism that plagued Joy Division and New Order in their early days).

By the time they play Your Silent Face, from the monster 1983 album Power, Corruption and Lies, everything clicks perfectly into place: Sumners melodica, guitar and vocals; the visuals of Los Angeles, a Qantas jet, the band members names (original trio Sumner, Stephen Morris on drums and Gillian Gilbert on synth, with Tom Chapman on bass and Phil Cunningham on guitar); the song a cusp moment in the bands transition from gloomy industrial rock towards clubland reinvention. Loading State of the Nation is next, and at the halfway point of the show were in proper party mode. Sumner makes some claim for the track as a statement song  Slava Ukraini (glory to Ukraine) flashes up on the screen, and the softly spoken singer mutters something about Donald f---ing Trump at the end. But really, world events has never been what New Order are about. If they have a mantra, its f--- politics, lets dance. And in the second half of the show, thats pretty much what people do. Be a Rebel (their most recent track, from 2020), Sub-Culture, Bizarre Love Triangle, Plastic all keep the tempo up, before the obligatory  and obligatorily reworked  Blue Monday brings the biggest cheer of the night. The set finishes with a fantastic rendition of Temptation, and its refrain of tonight I think Ill walk alone, Ill find my soul as I go home lands as a benediction to take into the night.

When they come back for the encore, its with two Joy Division songs, Atmosphere and Love Will Tear Us Apart, both of which serve as tributes to Ian Curtis. It makes for a moving, fitting, and strangely uplifting finale. Its a curious side note that on the other side of the world right now, the bands former bassist is touring as Peter Hook and The Light, playing many of the same songs. Hooks bass lines are so integral to the sound of both acts (for the record, Chapman renders them perfectly) that for my money he has every right to stake his own claim on this legacy. The acrimony between the former bandmates is sad. But if it means the world has twice as many opportunities to hear this incredible catalogue performed live, at least theres some upside for fans.

Reviewed by Karl Quinn PERFORMANCE ART | ASIA TOPA

Fire Drill Scenario 

Arts House, North Melbourne, until March 9 Yes, this show really is a fire drill. The whole experience takes about an hour  if you include all the preliminaries  but, make no mistake, you will be participating in an actual drill.

Theres no twist. No surprising metatheatrical hijinks. No unexpected transformation. We get exactly what the show publicity promises: a run-through of the venues evacuation procedure. Geumhyung Jeong in Fire Drill Scenario at Arts House as part of Asia TOPA. Credit: Gregory Lorenzutti South Korean choreographer and artist Geumhyung Jeong is our compliance officer. She presents us with the floor plan, identifies the exits and demonstrates the paths of egress. It goes on and on  and then we get the drill. So, whats really happening? Why book tickets for a fire drill? Surely its satire? Well, yes, but the humour is so dry it might have passed through a molecular sieve. The point, of course, is to encourage the audience to reflect on the idea of safety and whether the arts are just a small department in the larger cultural edifice of risk avoidance.

Loading But its very deadpan. The only moment of real parody is during a demonstration of fire safety products, which includes a special fireproof basket for lowering pets from burning buildings. Otherwise, Jeong remains machine-like and emotionally neutral throughout. She withholds

her personality while still projecting a kind of weird automaton charisma. To underline her detachment, she has placed a number of homemade robots on display in the centre of the room, which seem to enjoy the performance almost as much as the audience. Is there any skerrick of excitement? Not really, although occasionally, you might notice the way Jeong moves around the room or glimpse the outline of her body beneath the baggy costume.

And theres something about that body  which is the toned body of a dancer  that wants to get out. It wants us to get out, too  and to hell with the designated path of egress. Reviewed by Andrew Fuhrmann THEATRE

The Robot Dog 

Melbourne Theatre Company, Southbank Theatre, until March 21 Many people grow up with siblings  Janelle (Kristie Nguy) grew up with a robotic therapy animal simply known as Dog. When she and her partner Harry (Ari Maza Long) move into her childhood home after the tragic death of her mum Wing Lam (Jing-Xuan Chan)  the cause of which is gradually revealed as the play progresses  Dog is there to comfort her and reveal what her mothers life was like towards the end, provoking complicated feelings of grief, regret and anger in Janelle. Kristie Nguy in a scene from The Robot Dog. Credit: Tiffany Garvie

Hong Kong-born multidisciplinary artist Roshelle Yee Pui Fong and Luritja writer and technologist Matthew Ngamurarri Heffernans collaboration  showing as part of Asia TOPA  is an ambitious play tackling big questions of cultural alienation, grief and the white supremacy of Australias criminal justice system. Its 2042, and if you cant tell by the literal robot dog on set  an impressive mechanical metal creature who lights up, whirrs and speaks  you can tell from Janelles futuristic garb, the way Harry takes calls by wearing newfangled glasses and the constant encroaching of technology on their life. Ari Maza Long and Kristie Nguy in a scene from The Robot Dog. Credit: Tiffany Garvie The house is decked out with Alexa-reminiscent artificial intelligence named Huus, albeit far more sinister. Tensions begin to emerge  between Huus desire to optimise Janelle and Dogs wish to be compassionate with her grief; between Janelles sentimentality for Wing Lams items that cant be valued and AIs hardwired compulsion to assess the assets by price. Compounding Janelles grief is her inability to connect with her Cantonese heritage and, in turn, the memory of her mother  reflected by Harrys inability to converse with his mum in Luritja and his dislocation from his own culture. Theyre presented with language augments, a chip that you can attach to yourself that instantly gives you the ability to speak your mother tongue  both try it on to varying results.

Theres a disconnect between the big ideas of the play and their execution, however. The script can feel stilted at times, and the pat ending resolves threads too neatly. Janelles relationship with her deceased mother is arguably the fulcrum of the play, but the relationship between her and Harry feels curiously thin, as does the characterisation of Janelle herself. Loading Brockmans lighting design bathes the stage in warm etherealness when the spectre of Wing Lam appears and stark white lighting when the AI are talking to one another. Nathan Burmeisters set lovingly conjures a Chinese altar  site of Janelles eventual reconnection with her heritage  and the loss of a person, symbolised by ubiquitous $2 checked bags containing all of Wing Lams possessions. The Robot Dog is most poignant when its mining humour and meaning from its material, whether its in the exploitation Harry faces at work as he becomes the poster boy for his companys futile efforts at reconciliation (via tokenistic gestures like Aboriginal flag muffins), or in the different ways in which Cantonese and Luritja cultures intersect and sit apart from one another.

Reviewed by Sonia Nair PERFORMANCE ART

ButohBar: OUT of ORDER II 

Abbotsford Convent, until March 9

You arrive at ButohBar: OUT of ORDER II to find a concrete forecourt transformed by dreamlike performance art. Walls sidle up to you and glare with disapproval. Masked figures with pendulous sex organs writhe and become entwined. Piles of rubbish skitter in the wind, as wimpled, seemingly heavily pregnant women waft up and down stairs  an echo, perhaps, of the dark history of the Abbotsford Convent as a workhouse for destitute mothers-to-be. Butoh master Atsushi Takenouchi summons the audience in ButohBar: OUT of ORDER II. Credit: Michael Pham By the time youve ordered sake from the bar, Butoh master Atsushi Takenouchi has entered with a drum and begun to sing to a demonic effigy. The ritual summons us inside a space which will transgress and upend all norms of performance. You wont get too comfortable at this nightclub at the end of the universe. Seating is arranged higgledy-piggledy, performance erupts from all corners, and master of ceremonies Yumi Umiumare will even play a whimsical game of musical chairs to keep you on your toes. A scene from ButohBar: OUT of ORDER II. Nobody gets too comfortable at this nightclub at the end of the universe. Credit: Michael Pham

Umiumare has worked in Melbourne for decades, and this collaboration with Japanese and local talent  a follow-up to a sold-out first instalment in 2023  is an anarchic fusion of cabaret, monologue, burlesque, puppetry, choreography and surreal and subversive performance art. Warped visions emerge from the darkness. A wild black avian creature appears with a fibre-optic tongue. A puppet-mother gives birth to a child she dotes upon, dances with and devours, before the kid gives up and re-enters the womb. Female fighters beat each other to death with enormous breasts, as the audience eggs them on. Maude Davey delivers a monologue on art and time. A disgruntled burlesque artist has a striptease sabotaged by Umiumare, who wantonly throws cabbage onstage and eats a raw egg. The grotesque beauty of butoh emerges in a pas de deux between Umiumare and Takenouchi. Their dance theatre is a marriage of death and life, the movement language convulsive and built from an involuntary, trancelike vocabulary attuned to bodily taboo. It feels almost risen from the grave  constructed as it is from spasm and throe and grimace, from bulging eye and lolling tongue. Loading If these figures are already dead, the comical arrival of a Doctor Butoh is much too late, and when she gives us the ChatGPT lowdown on the history and ambit of butoh as an avant-garde form, its really a sly kick at the human impulse to categorise. Butoh has always been a slippery style of experimental performance that resists definition, and it seduces even the good Doctor into its irrational embrace.
Or: Oh, you mean you havent heard about the smashable, crunchy trousseau grape? I mean, like, where have you been all this time? LOL.

Sadly, its often a symptom of a kind of snobbery: Im writing my column this week about obscure, skin-contacted, amber wine fermented in an earthenware vessel buried in the ground in the Jura, just to demonstrate that Im ahead of the game.

Its not always snobbery: theres a real fascination with discovery wines and the genuine desire to tell others about their pleasures. But its also true that those readers who are bored with Barossa shiraz and Coonawarra cabernet could turn their attention to their own backyard; there are hundreds of other interesting wines in this vast country.

First, some context. There are, at a rough guess, 10,000 grape varieties worldwide. In their grape-variety bible, Wine Grapes (Penguin, 2012), Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding and Jose Vouillamoz describe 1368 varieties used for winemaking, most of them not grown in Australia. (Imagine factoring in all the wineries in all the wine regions in all the wine-producing countries: there are an estimated 100,000 wineries worldwide.)

The more Australians travel, the more they discover about the wines and foods of the wider world and the more they want to be able to enjoy them at home. Wine Australia says imports grew from 82 million litres in 2014 to 106 million litres in 2023. Thats nearly 3 per cent a year.

When I began writing about wine 42 years ago, Australians drank a tiny percentage of imported wine: Mateus Rose, Blue Nun, Black Tower, chianti in straw-covered flasks  Now foreign wine is a much larger share of the market and we get all the good stuff as well as the run-of-the-mill. Thats because theres demand for it. I dont see much wrong with that.
The March 8 Edition

Theres nothing like random death to take away the false confidence of This will never happen to me. For federal Finance Minister Katy Gallagher, it hit when she was 26 years old and three months pregnant. Holidaying near Merimbula on the NSW south coast, her fiance, Brett Seaman, was killed while out riding his bike. He was just 33. As Deborah Snow writes in todays cover story, colleagues see her as tough and empathetic, a rare combination in politics that some might attribute to her life experience. Shes also known as a pivotal player in the Albanese government, more central than many outside Canberra realise. As Snow discovers, though, Gallagher has also made enemies, one of whom sees her as the polar opposite of empathetic.  Editor, Katrina Strickland
But Labor only wins this argument if it frames the debate as one about climate change; if its framed as a debate about energy prices, the Coalition likely wins. This is all to do with perceived brand strengths. Labor is seen to be more genuinely concerned about climate and environment. The Coalition is still scarred by its climate-sceptic years under Tony climate change is crap Abbott and Barnaby $100 lamb roasts Joyce. The energy transition in Australia is not proceeding smoothly, but it is proceeding. The share of renewables in Australias total electricity consumption was 17 per cent in 2017. In 2023, it reached 39.4 per cent. In the last quarter of last year it hit a new high of 46 per cent, approaching half the total. And, for the first time, coals share fell below 50 per cent, according to the Australian Energy Market Operator. What does this mean for the governments target of cutting carbon emissions by 43 per cent by 2030? Its pretty much on track, according to the governments Climate Change Department estimates from late last year, which projects that Australias emissions will be 42.6 per cent lower. Peter Duttons nuclear energy plan has been a strong talking point for the Coalition. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

Yet Labors winning political hand on climate is not as strong as these figures suggest. Partly thats because of rising community resistance to big wind projects. Even some pro-renewables teal candidates are baulking at endorsing big new wind installations. Partly because of Labors approvals for new coal and gas mines, the Greens pounce to attack the governments sincerity. Above all, its because power prices have risen so much. The price of wholesale electricity bounded an extraordinary 83 per cent in the last quarter of 2024, compared to the corresponding period a year earlier, according to AEMO. Thatll hurt any governments credibility. And its partly because Labors credibility on almost everything has slumped, along with its overall standing in the electorate. When Albanese was elected, Labor was seen as being better than the Coalition on almost every major area of policy. Today, Labor is seen as better than the Coalition in just two of 18 different policy areas  Indigenous affairs and welfare, according to the Resolve Political Monitor poll. The two major parties are seen as equally good in one other field  healthcare. This is a traditional Labor strength and one its confident of winning back in the election campaign to come. In fact, Albanese aims to make it the dominant theme of the Labor campaign.

On climate change and the environment, Labor is now marginally behind the Coalition in voter perceptions of competence, by 5 points in the Resolve polling. Labor believes it can win on this issue if voter concerns are roused by events, meaning Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Loading On energy  including renewables and nuclear energy  Labor is more substantially behind, by 13 percentage points. Duttons nuclear energy plan has been a strong talking point for the Coalition. Its bold and new, and its commanded a lot of attention. Its been instrumental in internal party management. Its given the Coalitions MPs and senators a unifying plan to advocate, instead of spending three years bickering with each other over whether climate change is crap, and whether to build a new fleet of coal-fired power plants. The nuclear plan is less useful as a practical policy for solving Australias emissions and energy problems. Yes, nuclear plants would be zero emissions. But the timing, for starters, makes the policy irrelevant to the next decades needs.

The Coalition plan doesnt envisage any nuclear power plants operating until 2035 at the earliest. And that assumes all goes smoothly in a plan to be entirely funded by the Australian taxpayer. It also presupposes that plants could be built in states that have shown no interest in lifting their nuclear bans. Loading If Alfred does indeed start a debate about climate change, the Liberals could win the argument if they harness anger at high electricity prices; but theyre in trouble if the debate revolves around climate change and urgent action to cut emissions. Alfred isnt the only cyclone approaching Australias coastline. The other is what the prime minister likes to call the most challenging strategic circumstances since the Second World War. This is a furious twister of forces combining Donald Trumps destruction of the US-led world order with Russian designs on Europe and Chinese Communist Party ambitions to dominate just about everything.

Albanese is trying hard to wish this one away. He may be in the National Situation Room to deal with Alfred, but hes distinctly uninterested in talking about the national situation thats threatening Australian security. He wants a domestic election campaign and is unready for an election fought, in part, on national security. Trump last week said that the European Union was formed in order to screw the United States. After he cut off all assistance to Ukraine, European leaders have concluded that hes serious about cutting all of Europe adrift. Theyve decided that NATO is a dead letter. Loading Germanys incoming chancellor Friedrich Merz has declared the need to make Germany independent of the US. Britain last week brought forward an increase in defence spending. Frances Emmanuel Macron has offered Europe the protection of its nuclear umbrella on the assumption that the US umbrella is no longer reliable. The European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, has declared a watershed moment for Europe. Shes drafted a plan to step up collective defence spending by 800 billion over four years.

In Australia, as the Chinese navy task group completes its circumnavigation of Australia, Dutton has kept open the option of pledging an increase in Australian defence spending. Intelligently, he took this position before the inevitable call from the Trump administration to do exactly that. But Albanese? Hes resolute in claiming that hes stabilised Beijing, that hes done enough to increase defence spending from its current 2 per cent of GDP to his promised 2.4 per cent over a decade, and in dismissing Trump administration calls for Australia to do more in its own defence. This leaves Labor exposed politically and Australia exposed strategically. Even the co-author of Albaneses own defence strategic review, Angus Houston, has called for increasing defence spending to 3 per cent of GDP. Which is it, prime minister? The most challenging strategic circumstances since the Second World War or a terrific time to declare mission accomplished while we wait a decade for US nuclear submarines? Twin cyclones of climate change and hostile forces are approaching. Its not an either/or choice. Leadership demands confronting both.
Thank you for joining us for this election night, where the Liberal party result has been described as a disaster by senior party figures.

Premier Roger Cook and his wife Carly after the victory speech. Credit: Trevor Collens

Labor has retained government in Western Australia, with Roger Cook leading his party to a historic third consecutive election win.

Loading

The result maintains Labors strong grip over the state and gives Cook a mandate to pursue his nearly $6 billion in promises, including controversial projects like the $217.5 million Burswood street circuit and $107 million electric ferry network on the Swan River.

Please come check out our site tomorrow where political reporter Hamish Hastie and journalist Jesinta Burton will provide more analysis of the numbers and the impacts Labors emphatic win will have on this state.
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 I am impatient for Goya in Madrid and Turner in London. I must return to Botticellis Birth of Venus in Florence and what about the Mona Lisa in Paris? The Tate Modern is packed, the Prado is heaving and theres no way around the queues at the Louvre. My art lovers list is getting longer, almost as long as the line for Rembrandts Night Watch at Amsterdams Rijksmuseum, but I wont despair because Ive found a shortcut to Europes artistic masterpieces. Switzerlands largest art museum, the Kunsthaus, feeds the soul. Its Switzerland. The snow-capped alpine country stereotypically defined by clocks, chocolate and cheese is unheralded for a rich cultural heritage, with world-class museums that are blissfully free of crowds. My mission for masterpieces will start with the gold standard in the picturesque banking hub of Zurich, where Switzerlands largest art museum, the Kunsthaus, feeds the soul. Like going to church aerial view of Kunsthaus Zurich. It feels a little like going to church, ascending the monumental staircase in the Pritzker Prize-winning building designed by architect David Chipperfield, to discover a high-calibre collection that spans more than a millennium of art from the Middle Ages to the present.

Advertisement

Van Gogh at Kunsthaus Zurich. Im sitting in the front pew with Monet, Picasso, Munch, van Gogh, Chagall, Giacometti, Warhol, Richter and others when I spot an old friend. Its just the two of us now. Renoir and me. Actually, three of us, if you include The Girl with the Blue Ribbon (c. 1880), as familiar as the tiny gold-framed print that hung on my bedroom wall throughout childhood. The real painting, a breathtaking testament to youth and purity, has a much less romantic story. Renoirs masterpiece is one in a collection of French Impressionist works amassed by a Zurich businessman, Emil Georg Buehrle, a German arms dealer who became Switzerlands wealthiest man during World War II by selling weapons to the Nazis. Its the story of Switzerland, says my guide, recalling details of works thought to have been looted from their original Jewish owners or bought cheaply from desperate sellers fleeing persecution. You cannot avoid being sucked into the vortex of sorrow where art is contextualised with conflict, but Buehrles collection provides a future for the past. The artworks are not guilty. Time is short. Theres a labyrinth of pastel-painted medieval buildings graced with stately beauty in the old town, but they must wait. Cosmopolitan Basel lies about an hour away by train. This lively, compact city on the mighty Rhine River carries serious artistic clout as the site of the worlds most important art festival, Art Basel, yet it remains untouched by mass tourism. Art Basel has grown to become the cornerstone of the contemporary art world. Credit: Basel Tourism I could venture from the city centre into France or Germany, but there are close to 40 museums in Basel. The Kunstmuseum is a private art cabinet that opened in the 17th century  available to the public even before the Louvre  and it is spellbinding as one of the worlds finest collections of works on paper without queues. Much is made of the Picasso works (including one of his Seated Harlequin). In 1967, the museum was about to lose two of them because they were on loan from a debt-ridden private collector who needed to sell. Local art lovers spearheaded passage of a referendum that would enable the city to buy them at a princes sum of just over eight million francs. Picasso was so moved by this display of civic pride that he gave the museum four more artworks.

Advertisement

One of the worlds finest collections of works on paper without queues Kunstmuseum. A tram trundles northwards, away from the city towards the foothills of the Black Forest, to the spectacular Renzo Piano-designed Fondation Beyeler. When I arrive at the most popular art gallery in all of Switzerland, another fine example of civic pride, it is almost entirely obscured by the first-of-its-kind fog installation by artist Fujiko Nakaya. More delightful surprises materialise inside the building, where Miro and de Kooning jostle with Klee and Bourgeois in a kaleidoscopic explosion of top-notch modern and contemporary art. Who knew Giacometti would fit so neatly in front of Bacon, with so little space between them that visitors can only admire the sculptures from behind? Its a new perspective on a country so unfairly derided as boring. The alps are as intrinsic to the Swiss national brand as the Matterhorn on a box of Caran dAche crayons, and mountains are easily reachable from Geneva, under three hours by train from Basel. The park of the Fondation Beyeler in spring. Credit: Mark Niedermann Geneva is the city of diplomats, the richest in Europe, a last gasp of art on my three-city tour. Through a hard-to-find doorway, the lively Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MAMCO) has the genial air of artistic anarchy in an abandoned factory, yet it handles an astonishing collection of more than 6000 works. It is the largest contemporary art museum in Switzerland and a thrillingly raw space for art that will not fail to stimulate dinner conversation.

Advertisement

I wont find pickled shark (Damien Hirst) or rumpled bed (Tracey Emin) but challenging works by American artist Tishan Hsu are every bit as inconvenient for framing with huge, oozy-looking, fleshy-toned magnifications of body bits welded into computer parts. Sometimes theres a whiff of superiority in Switzerland  arguably the best at everything from watchmaking to mountain scenery  but you wont find elitism in the engrossing International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum near the Palais des Nations. International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum. Credit: Getty Images This place cuts deep in a different way. The museum melds the work of humanitarians with artists to highlight the role of the Red Cross in assisting endangered people around the world. Many rooms are filled with startling works that inspire the pressing human need for dignity and survival against the odds. And this is one queue  where unity is a force for good on the global stage  Im happy to join. THE DETAILS Switzerland

Advertisement

Visit

Exceptional art collections under the banner of Art Museums of Switzerland. See myswitzerland.com/en-au Travel

An easy, comfortable network by bus/tram/train with Swiss Travel Pass. See swisstravelpass.com Zurich Stay

A hotel with running shoes borrowed from the reception desk deserves extra points. Rooms from CH360 ($627) a night (in April). See 25hours-hotels.com Eat

Two-Michelin star IGNIV is an unmissable experience if you can get a table. See marktgassehotel.ch/en Basel Stay

Dorint Basel is close to the airport, within easy reach of the centre, next to the Messe Basel fairgrounds. Rooms from CH162 ($282) a night. See https://hotel-basel.dorint.com/de

Advertisement
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 Emmanuel Macron beamed into living rooms across France last week, warning his nation that Europe must be ready for the United States to not remain by our side in the Ukraine-Russia war. It was another astonishing development in a truly consequential past month, as European leaders found themselves plunged into a hostile new era of America moving away from the wider Western alliance, a greater threat coming from Russia, and an increasingly uncertain outlook for Ukraine. In a live broadcast on his official social media channels and carried by news channels on Wednesday, the French president stressed the need for Europe to continue assisting Ukraine and to strengthen its own defence, saying France  the only nuclear power in the European Union  could extend its nuclear deterrent to cover other EU nations. The United States, our ally, has changed its position on this war, is less supportive of Ukraine and is casting doubt on what will happen next, Macron said, adding: I want to believe that the United States will remain by our side, but we need to be ready if that were not the case. The suggestion France could extend its nuclear umbrella over Europe triggered an angry response from Russia, where Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov labelled it a threat and Russian President Vladimir Putin responded by invoking Napoleons failed invasion of Russia in 1812. There are still people who want to return to the times of Napoleon, forgetting how it ended, Putin said, noting also he had no intention of pulling back from land Russia has taken in Ukraine.

Advertisement

The plan could involve French weapons being stationed in other European countries, following a suggestion from Germanys chancellor-in-waiting, Friedrich Merz, who stated Berlin might seek protection under France and Britains nuclear umbrella if the US withdrew from NATO. France would retain control over any decision to use its nuclear deterrent. With the US and Russia holding roughly 88 per cent of the worlds nuclear arsenal, Frances force de dissuasion and the UKs Trident program stand as key elements of European nuclear defence, with both nations possessing sea and air-based launch systems. Journalists listen to the explosive meeting between Trump and Zelensky in the Oval Office on February 28. Credit: AP Hopes for a looming peace deal between Ukraine and Russia were seemingly dashed last week when US President Donald Trump posted a sharp message attacking Volodymyr Zelensky, after his chaotic meeting with the Ukrainian leader in the Oval Office a few days earlier. America will not put up with it for much longer, Trump declared, followed by the news that the US had suspended military and intelligence aid to Ukraine.

Advertisement

Ukrainian firefighters work in Kharkiv following a Russian rocket attack on Friday. Russia has unleashed a furious bombardment at critical Ukrainian infrastructure, after the US decided to withhold intelligence assistance. Credit: AP While the language from Trump and Zelensky has since softened, the suspension of aid and military assistance has triggered warnings that Ukrainian forces could be forced to retreat from the front lines within months. Sir Lawrence Freedman, emeritus professor of war studies at Kings College London, says European states have for years discussed a possible moment when they will depend far less, or even not at all, on America for their security. Some have viewed this prospect with enthusiasm; others with apprehension. None have prepared for it, he says. Now circumstances have conspired to require that they address the challenges posed right away. What will the immediate impact of the US aid freeze be? The pause includes all US equipment not currently in Ukraine, including weapons in transit and at bases in Poland  rockets, anti-tank weapons and armoured vehicles, among other military assistance. About 20 per cent of the military hardware in Ukraine comes from the US, according to Western officials. Some 25 per cent comes from Europe, including the UK, and from other nations. About 55 per cent is funded by Ukraine and comes from Ukrainian production.

Advertisement

Cadets undergo training with American Colt M16A4 assault rifles at the Taras Shevchenko Military Institute in Kyiv region, Ukraine. Credit: Bloomberg Kyivs stockpiles are reasonably healthy for the next few months, courtesy of the final few months of Joe Bidens US presidency when he stepped up weapons deliveries. However, the ongoing freeze on aid will have an immediate impact, with more than $US1 billion ($1.5 billion) worth of arms and ammunition now stuck at the Polish border. According to the Institute for the Study of War, halting US military and financial support risks tipping the balance of the war in Russias favour. The institute says the frontline in Ukraine does not risk imminent collapse, but the effects of the US aid pause will become more acute over time, especially as Russia continues occupying about 20 per cent of Ukrainian territory, primarily in the south and east. Ukrainian emergency personnel work at the scene of a Russian Iskander ballistic missile attack on a residential building in the Kyivskyi district of Kharkiv, Ukraine. Credit: Getty Images Who could make up the coalition of the willing? British officials say 20 countries could join the effort led by the UK and France to form a robust 30,000-member peacekeeping force for Ukraine.

Advertisement

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has suggested he would be willing to send troops, as have the leaders of New Zealand, Ireland, Belgium and Turkey. Canada, Sweden and Denmark may also join. But Poland and Italy have ruled out sending troops and Germany, Spain and the Baltic states are also unlikely to commit. Volodymyr Zelensky shakes hands with Bart De Wever, Belgiums prime minister, at a special European Council meeting in Brussels, Belgium, on Thursday. Credit: Bloomberg Leaders believe the Anglo-French-led force, with accompanying air support, would be able to consolidate the peace and deter Russia from future attacks against Ukraine along the 1000-kilometre front. But Dr Neil Melvin, director of international security at the Royal United Services Institute, says that by making such a security commitment, Europe would have to be prepared to escalate to a full-scale war with Russia in Ukraine, and possibly on a wider front, if its peacekeeping forces come under attack. Despite the talk of peace, Russia will continue to view Ukraine as a target for its expansionist policies and will rebuild its military forces following any agreement, he says. European forces in Ukraine would, therefore, be operating in a hostile and fragile environment with a high risk of becoming involved in combat with Russia at some point.

Advertisement
Various activities held to mark International Women's Day in China

Xinhua) 09:27, March 08, 2025

Women look for job opportunities during a job fair held for women in Weihai, east China's Shandong Province, on March 7, 2025. Various activities are held across the country to mark the International Women's Day. (Photo by Chen Hongqing/Xinhua)

Women promote agricultural products via livestream during an event celebrating the International Women's Day in Dazhou City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, March 7, 2025. Various activities are held across the country to mark the International Women's Day. (Photo by Deng Liangkui/Xinhua)

Deliverywomen display handbooks on women's rights in Linyi, east China's Shandong Province, on March 7, 2025. Various activities are held across the country to mark the International Women's Day. (Photo by Zhang Chunlei/Xinhua)

Students present flowers to teachers during an event celebrating the International Women's Day at a primary school in Zaozhuang City, east China's Shandong Province, March 7, 2025. Various activities are held across the country to mark the International Women's Day. (Photo by Wang Longfei/Xinhua)

A community worker presents flowers to a volunteer (L) at a bus station in Dongcheng District in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2025. Various activities are held across the country to mark the International Women's Day. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

Women look at women-themed artworks at a museum in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, on March 7, 2025. Various activities are held across the country to mark the International Women's Day. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)

Community workers present flowers to volunteers (1st &2nd L) near a subway station in Dongcheng District in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2025. Various activities are held across the country to mark the International Women's Day. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

Women attend an event celebrating the International Women's Day with their children at a kindergarten in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, on March 7, 2025. Various activities are held across the country to mark the International Women's Day. (Photo by Fang Dongxu/Xinhua)

(Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Sheng Chuyi)
Colorados senators and a bipartisan mix of other lawmakers called on the secretary of Defense to provide answers Friday after an investigation that showed the Army is diverting a large portion of money collected from junior service members that should be spent on food.

A Military.com investigation showed that across 11 of the Armys largest bases more than $151 million of $225 million collected from soldiers was not spent on food. The money was deducted from junior enlisted service members paychecks to cover the cost of food on base. At Fort Carson, the investigation showed $22 million was collected from soldiers and $5 million was spent on food during the 2024 fiscal year.

Its unclear what specifically the additional funds taken from soldiers are being spent on, but they do not appear to be going toward feeding soldiers. Major expenses such as dining hall infrastructure and food service worker salaries come from separate funding sources and, when pressed repeatedly by Military.com, Army officials declined to provide additional financial data, the online outlet reported.

The money collected from soldiers is intended to cover the cost of meals at cafeterias and grab-and-go kiosks. The kiosks provide meals at Fort Carson on weekends when the cafeterias are closed. They offer items such as sandwiches, microwavable meals and salads.

The letter called on Secretary Pete Hegseth to provide clarity on how the DOD funds its meals.

If a service member is losing money from their paycheck because they are being given a meal, it is reasonable for them to expect that funding would be used only to cover the cost of providing it, the letter stated.

The investigation also pointed out that the quality of food has been lacking. It found that kiosks often offer foods high in sugar and low in protein. In some cases, including at Fort Carson, dining facilities have also struggled to provide full or well-made meals. Soldiers complain about meals anonymously via the Hots & Cots online app, showing undercooked food or an insufficient quantity.

At Fort Carson, some of the problems around meal quality at the dining halls arose from a rotating schedule. One cafeteria served dinner each month and that created confusion and some difficulty estimating how many soldiers would show up at meal times, The Gazette previously reported. In January, all the cafeterias on the post started serving all three meals on weekdays. The post is also soliciting more feedback on meals, among other changes.

Fort Carson did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the letter.

The lawmakers asked Hegseth if there are barriers to providing nutritious food and if it needs additional resources or authorities to provide it. The lawmakers asked Hegseth to respond by April 31.

Through your experience as a junior officer, you can empathize with the importance of a reliable, nutritious dining facility, and its importance to morale, the letter said.

The letter was signed by Colorado Sens. John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet along with five other senators and 14 congressmen. The mix of lawmakers included 14 Democrats and seven Republicans.
On March 6, Hammond Police Department began investigating a kidnapping that occurred in the parking lot of T-Mobile, located at 1720 W. Thomas St.

During the investigation, HPD learned from a witness that her sister had been abducted by an ex-boyfriend, Jarvis Buchanan, 21, of Baton Rouge.

Buchanan went to T-Mobile to locate his ex-girlfriend. Buchanan then forcefully grabbed her and forced her into the front passenger seat of his vehicle, police said. Buchanan then left the area with the female still in the vehicle.

Detectives determined Buchanan was in the Baton Rouge/Gonzales area. With the help of Tangipahoa Parish Sheriffs Office, East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriffs Office, Louisiana State Police Troop A and Gonzales Police Department, Buchanans vehicle was located near Gonzales.

Louisiana State Police attempted to stop the the vehicle, resulting in a pursuit. The pursuit came to an end in Lutcher, where Buchanan fled on foot into the woods.

The victim was located in the front passenger seat and is now safe. Buchanan had not been caught as of Friday afternoon and is a wanted fugitive, police said.

HPD is asking for the publics help locating Buchanan, who is wanted by HPD for aggravated kidnapping and by TPSO for aggravated criminal damage.

Anyone who knows the whereabouts of Buchanan is asked to contact Detective Corey Morse with the Hammond Police Departments Criminal Investigation Division at 985-277-5758 or morse_cm@hammond.org, the Hammond Police Departments Facebook page or Crime Stoppers of Tangipahoas anonymous tip line at 1-800-554-5245.

Be part of the solution and you may be eligible for a cash reward.
If you have an event you'd like to list on the site, submit it now!

Submit
A Louisburgh councillor has condemned the Department of Agriculture for the ongoing delays in payments under the ACRES scheme.

Cllr Chris Maxwell told last week's meeting of Westport-Belmullet Municipal District that more than 15,000 farmers have been left without their money for the past year.

"[The Department] rewrote the scheme and bamboozled everyone. Farmers spend their money in local communities but they are not having any of it now to spend.

The so-called experts in Dublin are also the ones saying we should all be living in villages and towns. They cant understand our road network and telecommunications is already there, so instead they should be encouraging more housing in rural areas and our services would be made more viable then.

They have all the answers up there in Dublin for us in rural Ireland but they are the wrong answers.
Anthony Joseph Gavaghan, known in the US as Anthony J. Gavigan, was born in the Ox Mountain townland of Claddagh, near Aclare, in January 1861. The life of Anthony Gavigan is remarkable for two reasons: his very humble beginnings and his eventual rise to prominence in America.

Anthony was the third eldest in a family of eleven children who were born and reared in a small cottage surrounded by a poor-quality farm of less than thirty acres. All the children in the family, however, received a comprehensive education and nine of the eleven eventually made their way to work and live in America.

My Native Land

Anthony experienced the death of his younger sister, Bridget, while he was still a teenager, and as the eldest son seems to have felt the weight of her death quite deeply. Around this time also he developed his keen and highly charged political views. Whatever his influences and whatever his motivations, Anthony soon left Ireland with a certain fire in his belly, arriving in New York in 1879. He was nineteen years of age.

In one of his poems, My Native Land, Anthony refers to scenes in Ireland, including evictions, that he may have witnessed as a child. These experiences of his youth seem to have fuelled Anthonys hatred of the British authorities. The following, written by one of his contemporaries, outlines his progress in those early years.

Mr Gavigan began life as a school teacher near Aclare, where he was born. In early life he came to the United States and joined the editorial staff of the 'New York Star', on which he soon became a leader writer and staff correspondent.

His first notable newspaper work was reporting the execution of Louis Riel, the Canadian half-Indian, who led a rebellion against England and tried to drive the Sassenach from Canada.

After serving on various other New York papers, he started and published one of his own after reporting the Sioux Indian war against the United States in 1890-91, during which he entered the hostile lines and interviewed Sitting Bull, chief of the Sioux tribe.

Anarchist and revolutionary

In his work as a journalist, Anthony could be ferocious in expressing his political views, especially on Irish affairs and because of this, he quickly came to the attention of the authorities who described him as both an anarchist and a revolutionary. The anarchist reference likely derived from his interests in promoting workers' rights and the revolutionary reference from his anti-British stance. At one point, his extradition was sought by the British authorities but it was refused by President Chester A. Arthur.

It seems his extradition was sought because of his links with the Invincibles', with which he was closely linked, either as a member or as a supporter. The Invincibles were a militant organisation based in Ireland and active from 1881 to 1883. The group had a radical agenda and was formed with the intent to target those who implemented English policies in Ireland. Anthony, now firmly established as a journalist, continued to write passionately in the New York press on issues regarding Irelands fight for freedom and likely maintained a much deeper involvement.

Anthony Gavigan's poem 'My Native Land'.

Lawyer and literary man

In 1905, Anthony was described as a lawyer and literary man of Washington when he led a delegation of Irishmen prominent in law, statesmanship and science to New York to felicitate the local Gaelic League group over their progress and sacrifice. A detailed pen picture of Anthony that appeared in the Sligo Champion in November 1925 referred to him' as Judge A J Gavigan of Washington. Despite this reference, research cannot uncover any evidence that Anthony was in fact, a court judge, despite the many high-profile legal roles he held. The profile continues:

We next find him serving as Washington correspondent of a New York and New Orleans newspaper, and later, reporting the Spanish-American War. Returning to Washington, he entered Georgetown University, and after a distinguished course in the Law School, graduated with high honours and was admitted to the Bar. He has since practised his profession successfully in Washington and in New York, and was twice appointed Special Deputy Attorney-General of the state of New York to prosecute violations of the election law. His old love, journalism, occasionally bids him leave his law books aside and contribute to magazines and periodicals chiefly on Irish and foreign affairs.

In 1925, Anthony was lauded for drawing attention to unscrupulous American lawyers who claim power of attorney over the wills and bequests of deceased Irish people who became wealthy in America. Rather than dispense the proceeds among relatives back home in Ireland, these lawyers simply took the benefits for themselves. The following appeared in the Irish Independent in February 1925.

Formerly it seems to have been the impression that it was no one's business if a certain number of 'suckers' in Ireland did lose money through the shrewd schemes of unscrupulous power of attorney foundries. A more enlightened understanding of the relations of the individual to his fellow beings has changed all this, thanks to Mr Gavigan.

Kilmactigue

In 1922, Anthony organised the construction of a headstone over the grave of his mother Mary, who died in 1921. Mary was laid to rest in what is now the old graveyard at Kilmactigue. He is referenced on the stone as being responsible for its erection: Anthony J. Gavaghan L.L.B. His beloved sister, Bridget, is also remembered on the stone.

In 1926, showing another side of his personality, Anthony is seen leading a major fundraising event in New York to raise money to help renovate the church in his native Kilmactigue. Anthony was guest speaker at the event and the following is an excerpt from his speech, the complete text of which appeared in the Sligo Champion in October 1926.

This magnificent outpouring of the children of Kilmactigue sweeps me in spirit across the intervening ocean, and in imagination, I stand at the venerable grey chapel wherein we all made our Confirmation and received our first Holy Communion - a church endeared to us by ties of the earliest, tenderest and holiest of all recollections, church sanctified by the labours of the princely Father Tom Loftus, the pure-minded and devoted Father Horan, and the saintly Father James Cullen, all of whom we trust are looking down from their high seats in Heaven upon this audience and sending fervent petitions to the Throne of the Most High that the little chapel, which is now falling into decay, will be saved from utter ruin, and that with your assistance it will be made a fit place to give a permanent home and a shelter to Almighty God.

The date of Anthonys death is unclear but he had passed away by 1938. He is buried in Calvary Cemetery in Queens, close to his younger brothers, Joseph and Henry. This group of brothers were first cousins of my grandfather and I uncovered their life stories while researching Henry L. Gavigan, who had a reputation as a poet. The third brother, Joseph, also had a fascinating life in America  he even survived an assassination attempt - and I will share his story at a later time.
The Colorado State Patrol announced the counties with the highest number of extreme speeders going 20 or more miles per hour over the speed limit.

El Paso County had the most by far, more than doubling the next county on the list.

In 2024 troopers issued 14,477 citations for extreme speeding.

Speeding 25 miles per hour over the speed limit is a criminal misdemeanor traffic offense that carries up to 90 days in jail, fines, court costs, community service requirements and points off the violators driving record, which can result in suspension of driving privileges.

The penalties are greater the higher the speed.

In addition to the dangers they pose, many extreme speeders dont consider the penalties if caught, said Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol, in a press release. Often drivers are also charged with careless or reckless driving in conjunction with the underlying speeding offense. Extreme speeding has heavy consequences.

Featured Local Savings

The top five counties for extreme speeding tickets in 2024 are:

 El Paso County (2,170)

 Douglas County (863)

 Jefferson County (841)

 Fremont County (730)

 Mesa County (685)
Allentown, PA (18103)

Today

Mostly sunny and a bit warmer, but with still comfortable humidity levels. .

Tonight

Mostly clear and milder overnight.
In a tense exchange during a congressional hearing on Wednesday, a Republican from Ohio pressed Denver Mayor Mike Johnston about the release of an alleged Venezuelan gang member last week into the streets and how federal immigration agents scrambled to take him custody.

Mr. Congressman, Johnston replied to U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan during the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Accountability hearing on March 5, we notified them of the release. There were six ICE agents present when he was released so they had enough time to respond and to be present.

Respond where? Jordan pressed the mayor.

To the jail we released him from, Johnston said, adding Denver authorities notified ICE of the release time.

When Jordan categorically asked where Denver released the suspect to the streets or to ICE, Johnston didnt directly answer the question.

What we do, sir, is we released him from our country jail and we coordinate with ICE on that release time and release date so that ICE can come and pick him up from that location.

A video released by Denver authorities showed what happened that Friday. The alleged gang member was released onto the streets outside the county jail, and, upon seeing federal authorities, he ran, leaving ICE agents to chase after him.

On Feb. 28, authorities with the Denver Sheriffs Department notified U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that they would be releasing Abraham Gonzales from jail.

Denver authorities provided ICE about an hours advanced notice of the release.

In the video, an ICE agent follows Gonzales, who takes off running. About six federal agents pursue Gonzales on foot. One agent in the chase draws what appears to be a weapon. At least part of the incident happens outside of the camera shot, before agents subdued Gonzales.

During the March 5 hearing, Jordan said one of the ICE officers got assaulted in that parking lot.

They had to tase the guy, didnt they? Jordan asked Johnston.

Tren de Aragua (TdA) is a Venezuelan prison gang with tentacles in several Latin American countries and the U.S. Authorities have said TdA gang members have been involved in a myriad of criminal activities that include drug trafficking, kidnapping, money laundering, extortion and human trafficking  particularly of immigrant women and girls.

Featured Local Savings

Gang members appear to have infiltrated the U.S. by embedding themselves in with Venezuelans fleeing President Nicolas Maduros oppressive regime. About 8 million have fled the country with more than 500,000 estimated to be living in the U.S.

Denver began seeing an unprecedented number of immigrants arriving in the Mile High City two years ago. Since then, more than 40,000 have come, with about half through Texas Gov. Greg Abbotts busing program aimed at Democratic governors.

Bus, plane and train tickets purchased for onward travel for immigrants suggested about half have stayed  the equivalent of adding a city the size of Golden to the metro area in less than 18 months.

During the congressional hearing, Jordan said Gonzales was apprehended by Border Patrol and released into the country in 2023. Gonzales was later arrested in Denver in March last year and charged with multiple felonies that include aggravated assault, motor vehicle theft and felony menacing.

Gonzales was in custody for nearly a year before Denver authorities released him on last month.

You release him to the streets, Jordan said. Why not release him to ICE?

Jordan argued that Denver should have provided 48 hours notice.

Johnston disputed the characterization that the citys policy shielded people from law enforcement and noted that local officials have worked with federal agents on more than 1,200 ICE detainers over the past seven years.

Lawmakers summoned Johnston and the mayors of Boston, Chicago and New York City to Washington D.C. on Wednesday, when they faced more than five hours of questions for their sanctuary city policies.

Generally speaking, a sanctuary city is one that has established policies discouraging local law enforcement from reporting an individuals immigration status to federal authorities.

During the hearing, U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a Florida Republican, called the failure of these Democratic mayors to cooperate with federal authorities a federal crime and said she would be referring them to the Department of Justice for investigation.

The Johnston administration hired a law firm  capped at $2 million for a year  to help him prepare for the hearing.

You all speak about a broken immigration system, and yet here you guys are aiding and abetting in that entire process, Luna said Wednesday.

Johnston has said publicly several times the city would comply with criminal immigration enforcement, but not with non-criminal cases.
U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Domenico on Friday denied a Denver Public Schools motion for a temporary restraining and injunction order to prevent federal agents from arresting immigrants at or near campuses.

Typically reluctant to issue a ruling from the bench and preferring to give a more thorough explanation of his thinking, Domenico said the extraordinary remedy the district sought was not appropriate.

Domenico said he does not believe that Denver Public Schools met the high burden to favor the districts demands.

I do think the public interest would be harmed by a federal court overturning immigration policy in this way, Domenico said.

Domenico, who was appointed by President Donald Trump in 2017, also raised worries about the enforceability.

If schools and bus stops are included in a protected area, then the entire city would be covered, Domenico said.

He also said he believes the harms Superintendent Alex Marrero raised is speculative based on future activities because no immigration enforcement actions had actually taken place on school property. Those fears, Domenico said, appeared based on a misunderstanding of a perceived guarantee of no enforcement actions in the internal 2021 ICE policy that the Trump administration reversed.

Issued by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas, the memo said that, while enforcement actions in sensitive locations is discouraged, the agency still maintained the ability to conduct such actions.

The memo also stated that the guidance is not intended to, does not, and may not be relied upon to create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law by any party in any administrative, civil, or criminal matter.

Domenico, who was appointed by Donald Trump in 2017, said that, to his thinking, there was little difference between the previous and current policy.

Legally the change is not as significant, Domenico said.

The school district had filed the lawsuit after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents conducted multiple raids in the metro Denver area last month  one within a mile of two schools.

Believed to be the first filed in the country, the lawsuit seeks a return to the status quo.

Featured Local Savings

Upon being sworn in, Trump rescinded the sensitive locations policy, which had been in place in one form or another for more than three decades.

His acting homeland security secretary said the move ensures that law enforcers hands will no longer be tied. The Trump administration instead trusts them to use common sense, the official said. Immigration agents have not been on campuses since the policy was rescinded, school officials earlier confirmed.

Under the policy, federal agents avoided enforcement actions in sensitive locations, such as schools, churches and hospitals. Exceptions included imminent threats to public safety or national security.

In reversing the policy, acting DHS Secretary Benjamine Huffman said the decision empowers the brave men and women in (U.S. Customs and Border Patrol) CBP and ICE to enforce our immigration laws and catch criminal aliens  including murderers and rapists  who have illegally come into our country.

Criminals will no longer be able to hide in Americas schools and churches to avoid arrest. The Trump Administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement, and instead trusts them to use common sense.

At least two lawsuits have been filed by religious organizations against Department of Homeland Security.

District officials claimed in court filings that the raids adversely affected attendance and the mental health of students worried about themselves or family members getting swept up.

Since the rescission, there has been a noticeable decrease in school attendance across all schools, but particularly those schools that are in an area where there is a large population of new-to-country families and where ICE raids have already been occurring, Superintendent Alex Marrero said in his declaration to the court.

New-to-country is the language that school and city officials prefer to refer to the immigrants who arrived in Denver after illegally crossing the U.S. border from Mexico.

District staffers also talked about daily reports of ICE agents near or around schools, as well as enrollment declines by more than a third, according to exhibits attached to the complaint.

Others reported on the amount of time spent addressing issues arising from the recession to include responding to reports of ICE on campus, comforting children and hosting know your rights seminars for students and parents, the exhibits said.

Federal officials argued that the 30-plus year-old policy is hampering their ability to clamp down on illegal immigration by limiting enforcement actions at or near schools.

Such a bar on immigration enforcement at or near schools or bus stops could significantly limit immigration enforcement in Denver, attorneys for ICE said in their response to the districts motion.
Colorado Springs' Parks Department on Friday announced a "phased rollout" for electric bikes that recently gained new possibilities for access through an approved ordinance.

The City Council last month voted to classify Class 1 e-bikes as "non-motorized use"  a controversial decision after more than a year of debate over the technology's legal place on lands under the 1997 voter-approved Trails, Open Space and Parks (TOPS) ordinance, which prohibits motorized vehicles. Class 1 e-bikes are equipped with an electric motor that provides boosts up to 20 mph when the rider is pedaling.

But even with the city's non-motorized classification, e-bike riders who have long awaited legal access to the city's top outdoor destinations are being asked to wait longer.

That was implied by Friday's announcement, outlining "a phased rollout that emphasizes safety and education" starting July 1.

Class 1 e-bikes will be allowed on urban and regional trails  wide paths with paved or gravel surfaces  while the parks department develops rules and explores education and ways of enforcement.

Friday's news release added: "A secondary piece of Phase I may include select open space properties and data collection on the impact and use of e-bikes."

Palmer Park could be one of those properties, Parks Department Director Britt Haley told The Gazette. She mentioned Sondermann Park as another possibility. She also mentioned part of Ute Valley Park  the part not under a conservation easement held by Palmer Land Conservancy.

Over the past year of debate, the conservancy sided with advocates saying voters, not the City Council, would need to amend the TOPS ordinance to allow broad e-bike access. Palmer Land Conservancy also stressed its conservation easements standing alone from any city code.

"Just because you make a change today, it's not going to change our conservation easements. That process still has to come," the conservancy's Steve Harris told the City Council. "We will work with the city, but I don't want anyone coming away thinking when this is passed, you can use an e-bike on our conservation easement properties."

Those properties include Red Rock Canyon, Austin Bluffs and Bluestem Prairie open spaces. Restrictions also apply to Stratton and Blodgett open spaces, officials have said.

Palmer Land Conservancy has stated its support for e-bikes on urban trails, two of which cross conservation easements. Beyond that, the organization in a letter stated its pledge to coordinate with the city.

Featured Local Savings

"The use of e-bikes on single-track hiking and biking trails will require additional time and attention to fully understand the impact of increased use on the landscape itself, and the ability to enforce violations and prepare users for potential conflicts with other user groups," the letter reads.

Long pushing for more e-bike access, Colorado Springs Mountain Bike Association Executive Director Keith Thompson praised the collaboration.

He continued in a statement: "We would add that throughout a full year of citizen input and broad debate, there was never any verified evidence provided that would attribute increases in trail conflict or trail damage to class one bicycles."

While e-bikes have increasingly roamed trails despite posted rules against them, some have worried about their numbers expanding and conflicts arising from the City Council's decision last month. That includes Richard Skorman, a co-founder of the TOPS ordinance and longtime parks advocate.

He applauded the city's phased approach. "I'm glad they're being cautious," he said.

The city should be cautious of more e-bikes on open spaces under conservation easements, said Medicine Wheel Executive Director Cory Sutela. (Harris could not be reached in time for this article.)

"In the short term, I think Palmer is going to be watching very carefully and saying, 'Hey, we have conservation easements on these properties, and you need to make sure people understand that,'" Sutela said.

Haley acknowledged that. "We will need to do a lot of conservation patrols and a lot of education. We know that."

Education on trail sharing and data collection, she said, would be part of the "meticulous reviews" required for each conservation easement.

Meanwhile, advocates would be watching, Skorman said. Some advocates saw legal action as a possibility during the debate about e-bikes being allowed on TOPS properties. Maybe that possibility would reemerge with access beyond urban trails, Skorman said.

"I think there's kind of a wait-and-see attitude out there," he said.

More waiting for e-bike enthusiasts, too.

"It's going to be an ongoing conversation," Haley said. "But I feel like this is a responsible rollout ... The places we understand they can be used first, and we'll keep working on phase two and phase three until we are in a place where we have a final answer across our system."
El Paso County officials and consultants presented options this week to the public to solve worsening traffic issues along Woodmoor Drive, a major artery near Colorado 105 in Monument that funnels traffic to and from Palmer Ridge High School, Lewis-Palmer Middle School, a park-n-ride and other locations with high commuter volume.

The biggest issue the county has identified is a left-turn lane out of Lake Woodmoor Drive onto Woodmoor Drive, which takes traffic onto Colorado 105.

The turn lane already has an "F" grade for serving traffic and has been associated with multiple accidents as drivers attempt to navigate the busy intersection. Traffic projections for 2045 estimate the wait time for the turn at well over 10 minutes at rush hour, a wait engineers say is unworkable and may funnel traffic through neighborhoods seeking an alternative.

"As a whole, the intersection is starting to break down," said Michael Romero, an assistant project manager with Denver-based engineering consultant firm Benesch, at an open house on the project on Wednesday.

The intersection has seen seven crashes in the most recent five years of data, according to the team. Romero said the data, which included some broadside crashes, suggests the left turn is contributing to the most dangerous crashes. Broadside or T-bone crashes are more severe than other types of crashes like a side swipe.

"That's one of the worst crashes you can have," said Benesch project manager John Moschovich.

The solution the county and the firm has come up with to relieve traffic and prevent serious accidents is a roundabout, but where to put it is still under consideration.

Major Colorado Springs road to close overnight next week for lane realignment Marksheffel Road south of Dublin Boulevard and north of Stetson Hills Boulevard will be closed overnight for two nights next week as crews rea

The team said a traffic light was also considered, but the Lake Woodmoor intersection is too close to where Woodmoor intersects with Colorado 105 about 250 feet away.

"If you put a traffic signal right next to another one, it does not operate well," said Moschovich.

Featured Local Savings

The engineers presented three options to the public Wednesday, each with pros and cons. The first would put the roundabout at the Lake Woodmoor intersection, solving the left turning issue but creating the potential for backed up traffic. A roundabout has a similar issue as a traffic light so close to Colorado 105 in projections a few decades out.

"You can't go around the circle if a car is blocking one of the entrances," said Moschovich.

The next option, recommended by the team, would put a roundabout farther down Woodmoor at the entrance of the park-and-ride. That option would require left turners from Lake Woodmoor to travel right to the roundabout, but would sustain projected traffic increases until the end of the 21st century.

"In this scenario, there's absolutely no back up concerns," said Moschovich.

The Benesch team said that option could interfere with wetlands, which border the area where the roadway would need to be expanded.

The last option would put the roundabout even farther past Lake Woodmoor at the intersection of Monument Hill Road. The option, while sustainable for traffic, would increase travel time for drivers hoping to eventually go south out of Woodmoor onto Colorado 105.

"It's a full half a mile away," said Moschovich.

Attendees at the open house had mixed reactions to the plan, with some expressing concerns about how increased traffic would navigate a roundabout as the area develops.

One attendee said they would prefer stronger options for pedestrians trying to cross Lake Woodmoor Drive, which currently does not have a pedestrian crossing or a continuous sidewalk. The current proposal has provisions to put in pedestrian sidewalks on just Woodmoor.

"You're taking your life in your hands to go get a cup of coffee at (Wesley Owens Coffee and Cafe)," said the attendee.

The planning and design phase of the project is expected to take a year to 18 months before construction begins. People can send comments on the proposed designs to woodmoorintersectionstudy@gmail.com.
The World Socialist Web Site spoke with Ian, a postal worker from the north-west of England who is a member of the Postal Workers Rank-and-File Committee (PWRFC). Ian spoke about the USO reform announced by regulator Ofcom and being implemented by Royal Mail and the Communication Workers Union (CWU) through a pilot scheme from February-May.

The Universal Service Obligation (USO) is the statutory requirement that Royal Mail deliver letters to every address in the UK, six days a week, at a uniform price.

Ian explains why a fightback must be organised against the CWUs collusion with the dismantling of the USO, ushering in mass job destruction and further entrenchment of gig economy conditions, described euphemistically as the Optimised Delivery Model (ODM).

The PWRFC is calling for workplace meetings to block Royal Mails USO reform pilot scheme agreed by CWU officials. The pilots are a dress rehearsal for a 300 million cost-cutting drive demanded by new owners EP Group led by billionaire Daniel Kretinsky.

****

WSWS: Documents circulated by the CWU on the Optimised Delivery Model at 37 pilot offices include a table titled, Example route coverage under our proposal. Royal Mail currently has a structured duty pattern where delivery workers are assigned to a walk. How does the ODM change these working practices?

The table of the change to working practices agreed between Royal Mail and the CWU for the USO reform pilots at 37 delivery offices across the UK [Photo: Royal Mail Community/Reddit]

Ian: It will displace postal workers from their usual duties. The CWU now calls walks combined and core. The reduction in workers covering these duties means walks will be lost. ODM will also result in a reorganisation of postal workers duties through a repick. All duties are to be reassigned on a seniority basis to workers. Any workers who are surplus will be deployed wherever is required.

WSWS: The ODM table divides routes into core and combined, with three delivery workers having to perform the work of four. It shows Evie having to do two routes of first class and parcels. How will this impact on workloads?

Ian: The timing of this huge change is happening during a traditional lull in the work. The CWU already claims the workload has been achieved in the first trial office. Many postal workers are already undertaking this type of work but the combined routes are tough to achieve. Many achieve targets by carving the job up: no breaks, no van checks, doorstepping, driving illegally. Workers who do the job properly cannot complete.

The CWU has revealed that the only way the core routes have completed is by having help indoors. They will also be carving the job up. Working illegally is fully condoned and rewarded by allowing workers to go home early. Delivery workers on the latest contracts are being denied their legal right to a break during their working time.

WSWS: How misleading is it that the Optimised Delivery Model refers to alternate day delivery of second class and non-priority letters?

Ian: The core routes are not an alternative day model, and Martin Walsh [CWU Deputy General Secretary] has admitted that. Some mail will be delayed by two days, with the weekend creating the biggest delay. This will result in mail that the customer considers important being delayed in getting to them. Workloads for core duties will be excessive on a Monday and Tuesday.

For example, the table shows that on Saturday four routes of just first-class letters and parcels will be completed by two delivery workers in vans. But what is the impact on workloads?

Workloads for both the core and combined routes will be difficult to achieve in the time workers are given every day. The biggest impact is on workers who will be surplus to requirements as a result of the ODM. There are not enough duties on a Saturday for everyone.

WSWS: With three delivery workers covering four routes, and then two performing four routes on Saturday, what type of job losses do you think are being prepared behind closed doors between Royal Mail and the CWU?

Ian: For a start, ODM reduces jobs by 25 percent. The potential job losses are huge, in the thousands.

We also face the very real attack of a two-tier workforce. ODM is happening whilst postal workers are on two very different contracts. The CWU only seeks an equalisation of contracts, which under the ODM means levelling in a downward direction. Job losses and worse terms and conditions.

WSWS: How is the CWU using the promise of additional Saturdays off to push through this overturn of structured duty patterns? Walsh is talking about improving work-life balance.

Ian: Its smoke and mirrors. The rotation options are fatiguing and regressive. Workers face rota patterns that break up quality time off. It appears that part-time workers will face serious disruption to their working lives. One rota pattern requires part-time workers to work split weeks. It is certainly no victory.

WSWS: How do you respond to the claims by CWU officials that fatigue will be managed and reasonable workloads established?

Ian: The CWU has failed to ensure safe and healthy work full stop. Lip service is paid to basic health, safety and welfare laws. A simple example is the lack of control of manual handling. Workers suffer numerous injuries from the work that could be easily controlled but are badly managed. The work will be no safer under ODM.

WSWS: [CWU leader] Dave Ward speaks about Royal Mail being part of the social fabric, a connection between the postie and the public they directly serve. Does this model sever that connection and push postal workers further down the road of an Amazon-style parcel service?

Ian: ODM is focused on profit. There is no time for the basic interaction between the worker and the customer. Workers are monitored to the second via their handheld PDA devices, so spending time with customers beyond the basic interaction is impossible. The disconnect will only increase with workers who have no familiarity with the routes they are assigned to.

WSWS: What do you think about Ofcoms support for Royal Mails Optimised Delivery Model and the CWUs embrace of USO reform?

Ian: Its a tripartite attack on workers jobs. They are facilitating and empowering each other. Ofcom are the instigators in the drive for profit from letters, IDS [Royal Mail parent group] are the instigators in the drive for profit from parcels, and the CWU fuels the drive for all of the parties involved. Ultimately Ofcom should be stripped of their role in the race for profits. Its not the role of a regulator to create profit by scrapping jobs.

WSWS: Do you see any other way of opposing this without a rank-and-file organisation against the CWU bureaucracy, and how do you see that developing?

Ian: Workers should be alerted to the amount of money that the postal industry creates. Its billions of pounds. Postal workers receive a tiny amount of that money for their labour, and they should be demanding more.

Alongside reclaiming our real share of the billions taken by the major shareholders, we should be fighting for more jobs to create a safe and healthy work environment. Our work is not an unfair financial burden on the company, as claimed by Ofcom. It is a proud and honest occupation that should be generously remunerated.

Postal workers face an immediate future that will result in the destruction of their jobs, and worse terms and conditions.

Workers are not alone in their opposition to the ODM plan. They should organise themselves both inside and outside the CWU. Workplaces can hold their own committees where they should demand their CWU representatives oppose the tri-partite attack on postal workers.

Workers should join the Postal Workers Rank-and-File Committee. No one is alone in opposing this hated new way of working. We can and will stop it.
A CoreCivic detention facility in Mason, Tennessee [AP Photo/George Walker IV]

On January 25, at the San Diego, California border with Tijuana, Mexico, a German tattoo artist and tourist, Jessica Brosche, was detained indefinitely while trying to enter the US through a port of entry.

Brosche was accused of violating the terms of her visa waiver program. This was despite Brosche having her passport, confirmation of her visa waiver, and a copy of her return flight ticket to Berlin for February 15. Brosche was detained by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for days and then transferred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody at the Otay Mesa Detention Center, where she has faced horrific conditions and remains to this day.

Amelia Lofving, who is a friend of Brosche and was traveling with her, was told they were deporting Brosche back to Germany. Lofving explained to KPBS TV in San Diego that a CBP agent told her she would be able to communicate with Brosche again in a few days when she was back in Germany after having been deported.

But after Lofving and other loved ones had not heard from Brosche for over a week, and had been given no information as to where she was, they became extremely concerned for her well-being and appealed for help on social media. By using the Federal Detainee Locator website they were eventually able to track her location to the ICE detention facility in Otay Mesa in Southern California, which is run by the for-profit prison corporation CoreCivic.

Interviews conducted by ABC10 with Brosche and Lofving have exposed the nightmarish conditions faced by victims of ICE. Brosche described how she was held in solitary confinement for nine days. She was isolated and left without a pillow or blanket, in what amounts to a form of torture.

Lofving was able to visit Brosche in custody after 25 days, and explained:

She says it was like a horror movie. They were screaming in all different rooms. After nine days, she said she went so insane that she started punching the walls and then she got blood on her knuckles.

Brosche continued, Its really horrible. I just want to get home Im really desperate.

ABC10 News also spoke to an immigration attorney in San Diego, who explained that in the flurry of the first few weeks of the new presidency, a lot of people were getting turned away that usually wouldnt. They had permission to come in or have been traveling back and forth without issue.

This case has gone viral, with countless examples of people voicing their outrage online over the injustice. One Reddit user said, So, theyve kidnapped someone for profit/ransom. Absolutely disgusting.

The ordeal that Brosche, a German national, is enduring is an expression of broader political trends in the context of the fascist Trump administrations increasing pressure on the European powers. Last month, Trump began threatening the European Union with 25 percent tariffs and claiming that the EU was set up to screw the US.

The aggressive tariffs imposed against Mexico and Canada have already sent shock waves through the international economy, as the political structures and agreements established as part of the post-World War II restabilization of world capitalism disintegrate.

The detention of Brosche comes as well in the context of a ruling class war on immigrants, the spearhead of an unprecedented attack on the democratic rights of the working class. One aspect of this is the detention of people at border ports of entry and their transfer to ICE custody. Currently, nearly 42,000 people are in ICE custody, a majority of them with no criminal history and many facing conditions similar to those endured by Brosche.

The Trump administration is operating under the pseudo-legal pretext that asylum seekers seeking a more stable life or escaping extreme danger constitute a military invasion that requires military solutions. Just at the beginning of this month, the Pentagon ordered 3,000 additional troops to the US-Mexico border, in addition to the 2,500 Marines and 1,600 soldiers deployed to the border last month.

The administration has also begun to compile a database of undocumented immigrants, including children, for the purpose of tracking them down and deporting them. If undocumented immigrants fail to register with this database, they will face criminal prosecution, according to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who said:

They will be fingerprinted. They must announce that they are here. And if they do so, they can avoid criminal charges and fines, and we will help them relocate right back to their home country.

This is amidst a flood of executive orders that constitute an unprecedented attack on everyones democratic rights. Among the most reactionary is an attempt to revoke birthright citizenship, a foundational democratic right established through the second American revolutionthe Civil War that abolished slaveryin which citizenship is a fundamental and irrevocable right belonging to everyone born in the United States.

One example of the dire consequences thus far is the tragic death of an eight-year-old Venezuelan boy in the treacherous waters off the coast of Panama last month, where his vessel sank. This child was part of a group of mostly Venezuelan and Colombian immigrants forced back south from Central America and Mexico, where they could not find refuge due to Trumps intensified immigration crackdown.

As the ruling classes internationally continue their lurch to the right and embrace fascism and dictatorship, the working masses of the world are moving to the left and expressing a desire to fight back. Educators and healthcare workers across the US have pledged to one another in their workplaces and on social media that they will not allow ICE to take their students or patients, with some immigrant rights groups and volunteers patrolling for ICE and Border Patrol agents to warn communities.
Students and community members rally in defense of immigrants at Texas A&M, March 5, 2025.

On Wednesday, March 5, students at Texas A&M University held a protest against President Donald Trumps fascistic assault on immigrants, titled Contra La Jaula de Oro or Against the Cage of Gold. The event, attended by roughly 200 students, reflected widespread anger at the Trump administrations sweeping Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, mass deportations and attacks on democratic rights.

The demonstration was sponsored by several student and community organizations, including the Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA), the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL), Aggies Against Apartheid (AAA), the Council for Minority Student Affairs (CMSA), and the Texas Aggie Democrats. The International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) participated by tabling, handing out flyers, and addressing the crowd, explaining the broader significance of Trumps attack on immigrants as a spearhead for an all-out war on the working class.

While the turnout reflected the immense anger that exists within the student body and the working class toward the Trump administration, there was no perspective presented as to the way forward outside of that advocated by the IYSSE.

Adding to the anger on campus was the university administrations own complicity. A few weeks prior to the protest, Texas A&M sent a campus-wide email declaring that ICE was permitted to enter public campus areas. The announcement effectively gave federal agents the green light to operate on campus, placing thousands of immigrant students and workers in direct danger. The policy underscored the collaboration of university administrations across the countrymany of which are closely tied to the Democratic and Republican partiesin facilitating Trumps mass deportations.

Despite the real opposition among students, the events main organizers sought to contain it within the framework of the Democratic Party and empty rhetoric. Instead of offering a serious analysis of the political situation, PSL members led chants and shouted shame, as if indignation alone would stop the deportations.

The official demands of the event, as laid out in a petition, centered on vague calls to define access policies of all locations on campus, notify students and faculty of ICE activity, and implement policies to limit Immigration Enforcement access on campus. These amounted to little more than an appeal for university administrators to regulate where students and faculty could be arrested and deported. No demand was made to oppose Trumps executive orders, to fight for the abolition of ICE, or to mobilize the working class against the fascistic measures of the administration.

IYSSE member speaks at Texas A&M rally opposing Trump's attack on immigrants

In contrast, the IYSSE provided a serious political perspective on the broader significance of Trumps attack on immigrants. Speaking at the event, IYSSE member Josh laid out the essential political issues at stake:

Trump has ordered the deportations of millions of undocumented immigrants who constitute an essential part of American society and the economy. He has revoked guidelines keeping ICE out of hospitals and schools. He has signed executive orders calling for the deportation of international students who have protested the genocide in Gaza and [the suspension of] birthright citizenship, enshrined in the 14th Amendment. Redefining citizenship to be based on loyalty to the state threatens the rights of all left wing opposition.

Josh warned that these measures are part of a systematic effort to dismantle democratic rights and impose authoritarian rule. The financial oligarchy is making clear it will tolerate no opposition as it accumulates ever greater wealth at the expense of the working class, Josh explained.

But Trump did not emerge out of nowhere. The IYSSE speaker emphasized that his rise is a product of capitalism and the extreme growth of social inequality, which is no longer compatible with democratic rule. Trump has violated the Constitution and is attempting to concentrate power in the executive branch to establish a personalist dictatorship. But Trump did not just fall out of the skyhe is the product of a long process of decay.

At the same time, the IYSSE exposed the role of the Democratic Party in paving the way for Trumps attacks. The Democrats have spent decades implementing the same fundamental policies.

Obama built the concentration camps that Trump is now filling to the brim and deported more immigrants than any other administration to date, Josh noted. Under Biden, the Democrats closed the border and turned away asylum seekers under the same reactionary law that Trump invoked in his first term to put in place his racist anti-Muslim travel ban.

The Democrats refuse to take any action against Trump because they fear mass opposition from the working class more than they fear a fascist dictatorship.

This political exposure provoked an immediate response from the Texas Aggie Democrats, who confronted the IYSSE speaker after the event, claiming, You couldnt have this rally without us. Rather than refuting the IYSSEs exposure of the Democratic Partys role in enabling Trumps attacks, they resorted to attempted censorshipa telling demonstration of their real political function.

Following the protest, the Texas Aggie Democrats sent a message denouncing the IYSSEs criticism of the Democratic Party, writing: Today, members of some organizations on campus took the opportunity to disparage and blame the Democratic Party for any issue imaginable rather than do the work which we were all there for in the first place: to stand up for immigrants and their rights.

They went on to explicitly state their intention to censor political criticism, declaring: This sort of commentary will not be acceptable at future events we are part of particularly at the Free Speech protest tomorrow.

In other words: There will be no free speech at the free speech protest!

The nervous reaction of the Texas Aggie Democrats is telling. The reality is that the Democratic Party has played a central role in paving the way for Trumps attacks on immigrants. Just last month, key Senate Democrats voted to confirm Trumps fascistic nominee for Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, who openly advocates for mass deportations and paramilitary operations against immigrants.

The Democrats overriding concern is that mass protests against Trump could spark a mass movement they cannot controlone that targets not just Trump and the Republicans but the entire ruling class and capitalist system. Their goal is not to fight dictatorship, but to suppress the independent political movement of workers and students against it.

Protests at Texas A&M and across the country are a sign of growing resistance to Trumps fascistic policies. However, if this movement is to succeed, it must be guided by a clear political program that recognizes the source of these attacks: the capitalist system itself.

The Democratic Party and its affiliated organizations like the DSA and Texas Aggie Democrats do not represent a genuine opposition to Trump. They are working to demobilize and disorient opposition. The only way forward is to break with these forces and turn to the working classthe only social force capable of defeating the drive toward dictatorship.

The IYSSE urges all students and youth to take up this struggle. Contact us today to help build the socialist movement on your campus.
Academic staff at Dundee University in Scotland are striking in response to the universitys imposition of 200-500 job cuts, trying to resolve a staggering 30 million deficit. This is up to one sixth of the around 3,000 lecturers and support staff the university employs.

The Scottish government has reportedly offered a 15 million bridging loan, but this does not alter the fundamental issues faced by staff and students.

The Ewing Building, in the city campus of the University of Dundee, Scotland. [Photo by Otsima / Wikimedia / CC BY-SA 4.0

In January, lecturer members of the University College Union (UCU) at Dundee voted by a large majority (74 percent on a 64 percent turnout) in favour of industrial action. Three weeks of strikes involving 450 UCU members commenced February 24 and are scheduled to continue until March 14.

Despite the vote and ongoing action, the UCUs primary demand is for no compulsory redundancies. A UCU flyer for the ballot also called on management to find progressive and fair solutions to financial challenges.

Immediately after the result was announced, Dundee UCU branch secretary Melissa DAscenzio said we are ready to play our part in helping deliver a sustainable future. This is a pledge by the UCU to discuss and then help impose whatever cuts management and the union apparatus deem necessaryprovided only that job losses are pushed through as voluntary.

Another strike ballot at Dundee, this time for Unison members, including IT, administrative, cleaning, security and facilities staff, is also being held, running until March 18. Unison and the UCU didnt co-ordinate their ballots, working to neutralise the tremendous anger among staff and students.

The Dundee UCU (DUCU) has produced a position paper on the dispute, republished in the local press by Carlo Morelli, a leading member of the Socialist Workers Party (SWP) and of the SWP-dominated UCU Left. Morelli is currently standing for the post of honorary secretary of UCU Scotland as part of the UCU Left slate of candidates.

The UCU Left and the SWP have for years systematically worked to maintain the authority of the UCU among lecturers and university staff despite the betrayals and sellouts of the UCU leadership, repeatedly sabotaging opposition to the relentless assault on members pay and conditions.

Morelli outlined how market-driven projectssuch as the controversial Tay Cities Deal, an investment project of the UK and Scottish government and local organisationshave deepened a financial crisis at Dundee to the point where the university might collapse within two years.

He noted that a financial surplus from teaching income has, since the universitys founding in 1967, been able to support research spending. But a recent fall in both international and UK-based student numbers attending Dundee has undermined this. 300 home student places were unfilled last September while falling international student numbers have cost up to 2 million of the expected 12 million 2023-24 deficit.

British universities all face falling international student numbers, primarily because of the vicious scapegoating of migrants by successive governments and obstructive changes to immigration policy.

Dundee is also spending money expanding its ties with China, establishing University of Dundee Enterprises Ltd as a wholly owned subsidiary operating in the country. Any losses this project may sustain still fall on the university which, as of last month, had failed to produce its annual accounts.

Morellis critique of all this, in line with the outlook of the UCU Left as a whole, is merely that it amounts to poor management which can be resolved through transparency and managerial accountability. The UCU Left seek to pressure university authorities in Dundee, and across the sector, to work with them, without challenging in the slightest the overtly capitalist framework that forces such precarious financial practices.

It is not opposed to redundancies in principle, as long as they can be sold as being voluntary. Morelli himself has form on this.

The World Socialist Web Site noted that a fight against job losses at Heriot-Watt University in 2021 was called off by the UCU with the imprimatur of the UCU Left on the basis of a management commitment to make no compulsory redundancies. This was hailed by UCU Scotland President and Socialist Workers Party member Carlo Morelli as a magnificent victoryeven as the Socialist Worker admitted many workers at the university have come forward to take voluntary redundancy.

This allowed Heriot-Watt management to continue its jobs cuts programme. In August 2024, all academic staff in its School of Social Sciences were informed of a restructuring plan including a voluntary redundancy scheme.

The UCU again immediately folded, issuing a response the next day stating, We will support any eligible members who wish to know more about the voluntary redundancy (VR) scheme to ensure that they secure the best possible terms.

The origins of Dundee Universitys crisis, and of the entire university sector, can be traced back to the introduction of tuition fees in 1998 under Tony Blairs New Labour government, paving the way for the reduction of government funding. Fees were subsequently tripled by the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition.

In Scotland, the dual-fee structure employed by the Scottish National Party (SNP)no fees for students based in Scotland and high charges for othershas pushed university authorities to search for alternative sources of income, however risky, and into a heavy reliance on international students, from whom every possible penny is squeezed (up to 38,000 annually). What should be a valuable educational exchange is turned into a profit-driven revenue stream.

Dundee is far from the only Scottish university engulfed in financial crisis. Last year, the University of the Highlands and Islands was reported to be draining money into the sand as it merged some of its widely dispersed small campuses. St Andrews University has a recruitment freeze while the University of Edinburgh and Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen have refused to rule out redundancies.

As the financial pressures mount, Dundee University and many other institutions, have shifted towards offering courses that ever more directly serve corporate needstypically in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and business fieldsat the expense of everything else.

The crisis is UK-wide with many institutions carrying out attacks on their workforces. According to the Office for Students, three quarters of universities are in deficit and one quarter are already shedding staff, adding to the 10,300 jobs lost last year.

Birmingham City University has invited its over 4,200 staff to take severance. Cardiff University has announced plans to shed 400 full-time posts and Durham University intends 200 jobs losses. Newcastle University plans to cut 35 million in costs, including 20 million from its salary bill, threatening 300 jobs; and Belfast Queens University in Northern Ireland has a voluntary severance scheme targeting 270 posts.

This week lecturers at Newcastle University held two days of strike action against the cuts, with a further 12 days planned for this month. Staff at Brunel University in London also walked out beginning 16 days of action, in March and April, to oppose plans to axe 423 jobs.

The ongoing, year on year, strike votes and action by lecturers and non-academic staff across further and higher education are a clear repudiation of a profit-driven system that prioritises short-term financial fixes and corporate interests over the educational needs of society. But these struggles cannot be taken forward under the leadership of the trade union apparatus whose primary goal is the suppression of the class struggle so as to maintain cordial relations with management.

Workers and educators are posed with the necessity to build rank-and-file worker and student committees in every college and university. These must be independent of the trade union bureaucracy in order to challenge the subordination of education to private and corporate wealth and to unify struggles in education with those of every other section of the working class to reclaim the resources looted by the big corporations and the super-rich.
The World Socialist Web Site invites workers and other readers to contribute to this regular feature.

Asia

India: Mettur Thermal Power Station workers in Tamil Nadu demand permanent jobs

Around 1,500 contract workers, including 200 women, from the Mettur Thermal Power Station in Salem district are holding a sit-in protest at the plant which began on February 28. They are demanding permanent jobs. Some had worked at the plant for more than ten years.

Police intervened but failed to convince the workers to end their strike. Workers claimed that the Dravidian Progressive Federation government promised to make their jobs permanent in its election manifesto.

ASHA workers still on strike in Kerala

Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers in Kerala are maintaining an indefinite strike for higher pay and permanent jobs begun on February 10. The health minister cynically claimed that ASHA workers are highly paid compared to their co-workers in other states and threatened to replace with new recruits if they did not soon return to work.

The workers want their monthly wage increased from a meagre 7,000 rupees ($US80) to about 21,000 rupees, a 5,000-rupee pension and withdrawal of the compulsory retirement age of 62. Workers complained that they only receive 4,000 to 5,000 rupees of the current monthly pay.

ASHA workers are involved in the vaccination of children from marginal and poor families, care for patients in outpatient wings, assisting pregnant women, recording births and deaths and many health awareness programs.

Tamil Nadu government schoolteachers and educators strike

The Joint Action Council of Tamil Nadu Teachers Organisations and Government Employees Organisation called a national strike on February 25 to protest false promises of the ruling Dravidian Progressive Federation government. While the government called for the strike be delayed by four weeks, it went ahead after last minute talks failed to reach agreement. There are about 1.1 million government school workers and teachers in Tamil Nadu. They want retention of an old pension scheme and resolution of pay disparity between employees.

Pakistan: Karachi steel workers demand reinstatement

Steel mill workers protested on the National Highway in Karachi on March 1, paralysing traffic for over seven hours. The protest ended after talks between workers and government authorities. The workers were protesting dismissals and the suspension of gas supply to their residential quarters. They demanded to be reinstated and restoration of all utility services to their accommodation.

Bangladeshi brick kiln workers protest kiln closures

More than 500 brick kiln workers demonstrated in Savar on Tuesday by blocking the Dhaka-Aricha Highway. They were protesting the administrations demolition of their brick kilns, leaving thousands of workers unemployed. Workers ended the demonstration after police and army officials arrived at the scene.

A worker from Noor Bricks said, Many of us work here, but our kiln was demolished a few days ago, leaving us jobless. Its not just our brick kilnmany others are being destroyed too. Thats why all the workers have united and come to the streets.

Bangladeshi farmers in Netrokona demand restoration of electricity

Farmers in Netrokona district in northeast Bangladesh demonstrated on Wednesday to demand the immediate restoration of an electricity connection needed to operate an irrigation pump during the ongoing Boro cultivation season. They formed a human chain at a field in Bishwanathpur-Baithakhali village organised by the Elakar Krishok Somaj.

A farmer in the village had installed a pump to irrigate around 20-25 acres of farmland belonging to over 60 farmers in the area. Farmers alleged that in April last year, the electricity connection for the pump was disconnected by the Kalmakanda Rural Electrification Board over an unpaid bill and although the bill was cleared the following month, the connection was never restored.

Sri Lanka: Public sector university non-academic workers protest austerity budget

Public sector university non-academic workers staged a national protest this week against the newly-elected Dissanayake governments first budget.

Hundreds of workers demonstrated outside their universities over the hardship caused by the governments austerity proposals. They carried handwritten placards with slogans such as, Increase salaries immediately, and Stop the cuts in allowances and benefits including MCA.

In June 2024, over 13,000 non-academic public-sector workers began 50 days of industrial action that included a sit-down strike outside the University of Peradeniya and other campuses. They were protesting austerity measures imposed by the previous Wickremasinghe government, as well as salary disparities and the non-payment of various allowances. None of their demands were met.

Australia

BAE shipyard workers in South Australia walk out for pay rise

Over 400 workers from British multinational BAE Systems naval shipyard at Osborn in Adelaide walked off the job for one hour during morning and afternoon shifts on February 25 and again on Tuesday to demand industry-standard pay rates. The workers are covered by three unions, the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU), Australian Workers Union (AWU) and the Communications Electrical and Plumbing Union (CEPU).

The unions have allowed negotiations for a new enterprise agreement to drag on since March last year. In September, workers rejected BAEs proposed enterprise agreement, which included a pay increase of only 9.75 percent over three years. Workers want 6.5 percent annual increases in the three-year agreement to compensate for accepting a real pay cut in their last agreement. Their last pay increase in 2023 was only 2 percent when the consumer price index annualised rate was over 6 percent.

Ship refuelling workers at Fremantle protest low wages

Eight Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) members involved in ship refuelling operations at Fremantle port, Western Australia imposed work bans on Friday in their fight for a pay increase. Teekay Shipping recently won the contract from BP to do ship refuelling at the port.

The MUA claimed that the workers, who were originally employed by BP, are now being employed by Teekay on common-law contracts which cut their annual pay by $10,000.

Nine work bans were imposed on Friday and will remain until April 11. These bans include not operating cranes between 6 a.m. and 5 p.m., no refuelling of ocean liners unless they have been tied up to a wharf for 72 hours and no training of employees and contractors. The MUA is currently negotiating with Teekay for a new enterprise agreement.

Alstom Metronet train-building workers in Western Australia strike for pay increase

Over 40 workers at Alstom Metronets train-building plant at Bellevue in Perth planned to walk off the job on Friday in response to Alstoms refusal to continue negotiations for a new enterprise agreement. Alstom responded by applying for a Bargaining Dispute in the Fair Work Commission.

The Electrical Trades Union and the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union members want a 23 percent pay rise over three years and a 36-hour week. Alstom has only offered a 12 percent pay rise over three years and afternoon-shift loading of 20 percent and rejected all other union claims.

Maurice Blackburn law firm locks out protesting lawyers

About 400 Australian Services Union (ASU) members at the Maurice Blackburn law firm are maintaining industrial action begun on December 12 to demand higher pay and improved conditions.

Lawyers involved in the action informed management on Thursday that they would impose a nationwide day-long ban on billing clients for legal work. Management responded by threatening that the lawyers would not be paid during the ban, an effective lockout. Legal assistants held a national three-hour stoppage on the same day but were not subjected to the lockout threat.

After seven months of failed negotiations for a new enterprise agreement, workers overwhelmingly voted on November 29 to take industrial action. Workers have been holding ad hoc short-duration stoppages since December.

The ASU has called for a 19 percent pay rise over three years, better work/life balance options, and 10 days of reproductive health leave in the new agreement.

The Labor-aligned company has only offered a pay increase of 10.5 percent over three years. Staff on less than $100,000 (60 percent of the workforce) would get a 5.5 percent increase in the first year. The firms original offer included a reduction in leave-loading entitlements.

Nestle confectionary workers in Victoria strike for pay increase

After nine months of failed negotiations, about 450 workers from Nestles confectionary plants at Broadford and Campbellfield in Victoria began industrial action on Thursday to protest the companys low pay offer in its proposed enterprise agreement.

Members of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) and the Communications Electrical and Plumbing Union (CEPU) are striking for one hour at the start of each shift and have imposed work bans on overtime work, weekend work, early starts and late finishes and call-backs. The unions want 8 percent annual wage rises and retention of their current conditions.

Nestle wants annual wage rises limited to just 3.5 percent and to make its maintenance workers adopt new rostering arrangements. It proposes ending three eight-hour shifts and the standard 36-hour work week and move to a 24/7 roster of 12-hour shifts of up to five in a row. Workers rejected this saying it would reduce their take home pay and quality of family life.

The unions want 8 percent annual wage rises and retention of their current conditions. Their previous agreement negotiated by the unions saw wages go backwards relative to cost-of-living increases. Wage increases in their last three-year agreement went up by only 10 percent while the consumer price index over the same period increased by over 14 percent.
Tom Hall replying to audience questions during the IYSSE meeting at Texas A&M University, February 28, 2025.

Last Friday, the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) held a successful meeting at Texas A&M University opposing the mass deportations by the Trump administration. Around 30 people attended, most of whom stayed for further discussion after the meeting ended. The attendees were broadly opposed to both the Trump administration and the Democrats and showed a genuine interest in Marxist, Trotskyist politics.

The meeting was introduced by A&M IYSSE president Josh Andrews, who also introduced the masking policy at the meeting and the movements position on the continued pandemic and attacks on public health. N95 masks and instructions on how to use them where given to attendees at the check-in table for the meeting, and the majority of attendees wore them.

The opening report was delivered by Tom Hall, a writer for the World Socialist Web Site and a member of the Socialist Equality Party (SEP) National Committee. Hall described the preparations for dictatorship by the Trump administration, and its origins in the staggering rise of social inequality. He counterposed the the toothless opposition of the Democrats, whose main difference with Trump hinges on their support for the Ukraine war and supports the aims of his domestic policies, and the opposition from the working class, which is fighting against the attacks on its living standards, jobs and social rights.

Hall stated that in gutting what remained of social programs, Trump was in the process of reducing the capitalist state to the bodies of armed men described by Friedrich Engels.

This was the significance, as he stated, of appointing Elon Musk to head the so-called Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE), as well as cabinet picks like Linda McMahon for the Secretary of Education who are pledged to dismantle the programs which their departments provide.

The massive inequality that lead to such a system where fascistic filth like Trump float to the top of the garbage heap which is American politics was examined. Hall pointed to an article in the Wall Street Journal, Meet the Worlds 24 Superbillionaires, 16 of which are centibillionaires.

The report also exposed the whitewashing of Trump by the Democrats, and in particular the Democratic Socialists of America, with Hall pointing to the role of the DSA-aligned Jacobin magazine, which declared in a recent headline, on day one, Trump wasnt the dictator he promised to be.

Hall called for the formation of rank-and-file committees in factories, workplaces and schools to stop the deportations, and made the point that opposing the deportations was not just a moral question but a strategic one for the working class.

Following the opening report, which was warmly met with a round of applause from the audience, most of those in attendance stayed for the question and answer portion of the meeting which lasted until around 8 p.m.

One student asked about the rise of the far-right in Europe, mentioning the rise of Italian Prime Minster Giorgia Meloni and the Alternative for Germany (AfD) and how these were to be fought. He also asked whether Marxs analysis of capitalism remained relevant, given the domination of finance capital over industrial capital.

Seconding the students pointing to developments in Europe, Hall responded that the Marxist movement had long analyzed the emergence of finance capital as bound up with the emerging objective conditions for socialist revolution. He pointed in particular to Lenins pamphlet Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism.

Hall stressed that the working class is the only social force capable of stopping fascism and that this is the force students must turn to. Hall explained the necessity for an international struggle of the working class against the corporations, which now operate on an overwhelmingly international scale.

War and dictatorship was the [capitalist] solution 100 years ago for the crisis ... the other solution was the 1917 Russian Revolution. Hall stated.

Another student asked about Elon Musks illegal taking of power over large sections of the American government, and asked if those in Texas have an obligation towards direct action.

In his response, Hall emphasized the need, not for individual acts of protest, but for a turn towards the workforce at Musk-owned factories throughout the state. In particular, he stressed that winning Tesla workers at the massive Gigafactory in Austin, which employs around 20,000 people, is a strategic issue.

In response to a question on the activity of rank-and-file committees, Hall pointed to the rank and file committees in the auto industry, USPS and other industries. Hall also pointed out that socialist autoworker Will Lehman received thousands of voteshundreds from Texas workerson a program of building rank-and-file committees independent from the bureaucracies and both political parties, abolishing the UAW bureaucracy, and putting the UAWs resources and all negotiations under workers. A number of committees, such as at Ford and Mack Trucks, have been established at auto plants in the past years.

Hall cited the Railroad Workers Rank-and-File Committees important intervention into the 2022 contract struggle, where workers voted down a contract brokered by the Biden White House and pushed for a national strike in opposition to the sellout union bureaucrats.

One question raised the perspective of the Frankfurt School philosopher Theodor Adorno, the philosopher of the pseudo-left. Demoralized in the aftermath of the rise of Hitler, Adorno repudiated the Marxist positions that the working class is the revolutionary class in modern society as well the central and primary role that economic relations play in determining social thought. Halls response posed the following question to this perspective: If you believe Adorno, then what hope is there for anything?

In response to this, and to another question, the real perspective for defeating fascism was put forward. Hall spoke to the advanced state of the crisis in America, where workers have had enough but dont know what to do, in no small part due to the political vacuum created by the official left, the Democrats, and its pseudo-left satellites such as the DSA, and that workers, many of whom voted for Trump, were angry and suffering from buyers remorse and are looking for a way to fight against this deeply hated administration.

There was also a question as to the Spanish Revolution, and how it failed. Hall pointed to the fatal role of the Stalinists in betraying the revolution and subordinating it to the Liberal bourgeoisie. While its not possible, for length consideration, to reproduce all of the remarks, this author would point readers interested in this question to this article: Eighty-five years since the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War.

The meeting ended up lasting almost an hour beyond its assigned time, during which many attendees expressed their interest in learning more about Trotskyism and the IYSSE. Many bought copies of the IYSSEs literature from its table, including the Socialist Equality Party Statement of Principles and the pamphlet Was there an Alternative to Stalinism in the USSR?
NYPD officers assaulting students at Barnard College [Photo: Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine]

Barnard College administration at New York Citys Columbia University called in the New York Police Department (NYPD) Wednesday after pro-Palestinian students occupied the campus Milstein Library, the second occupation of a university building in a week. Nine students were arrested.

About 50 students had occupied the building around 1 p.m. and posted stickers and banners on the wall calling for the end to expulsions by Columbia University of students who exercise their rights to speak out against the destruction of Gaza and Zionist historical falsification.

They renamed Milstein to Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya Liberated Zone, after the Palestinian pediatrician and director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in the Gaza Strip, who was detained by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on December 27 and remains incommunicado.

The students were demanding that Barnard rescind the expulsion of three students, two for interrupting a class on the history of Israel in January and one for participating in the April occupation of Hamilton Hall (renamed Hinds Hall after 5-year-old Hind Rajab who was killed with six members of her family and two paramedics by Israeli fire in January 2024).

As with the February 26 occupation of Barnards Milbank Hall, the students are demanding a meeting with Barnard President Laura Rosenbury to discuss the expulsions.

At about 4:30 p.m., in a transparent lie, the NYPD claimed that a bomb threat had been made at the building. The NYPD sent no officers from its bomb squad or its Emergency Service Unit, which deploys bomb-sniffing dogs, but instead flooded the campus with dozens of members of its Strategic Reaction Group (SRG), the famous anti-terrorist unit which time and time again over the last 16 months has arrested and brutalized unarmed student protesters throughout New York City. The SRG forced students it had corralled back into the same building which it declared had to be cleared.

On Wednesday, the Barnard Student Government Association (SGA) issued an open letter of protest over the action:

Barnard College has broken a long-standing promise. SGA has been explicitly told by President Rosenbury, in the presence of other senior staff, that the College would never invite the NYPD onto campus. To go against this commitment blatantly violates a precedent that was meant to protect students. Barnard has chosen the repressive path. Any remaining trust between the student body and the administration has been broken after this dangerous decision to use such disproportionate force against students engaging in nonviolent protest  Calling the police is an act of cowardice. Rather than engage in an honest dialogue with our community of care. You have chosen to betray your community.

The letter called for an amnesty for all students connected to the occupation, good faith negotiations and a restructuring of Barnards disciplinary process.

The protests and arrests are only the latest examples of a struggle by students against the policies of universitieswhich are now lining up with the fascist program of the Trump administrationagainst freedom of speech and their institutional support for Israels ethnic cleaning of Palestine.

On March 4, about 30 law students at New York University (NYU) staged an eight-hour sit-in outside of administrative offices on campus to demand a meeting with NYU President Linda Mills to discuss divestment and amnesty for students that had been suspended for participating in pro-Palestine protests on campus. Dozens of campus security were dispatched to bully and photograph the students.

Administrators refused to meet with the group, Law Students for Justice in Palestine, which later issued a statement that drew a connection between the universitys harassment of students, its refusal to divest from investments in companies that support Israel, and the policies of the Trump administration:

We demand that the university, to protect its students and pledge non compliance with the racist xenophobic trump administration and ice  we demand [NYU president] Linda Mills reopen the universitys common spaces, withdraw the police and security personnel who surveil and harass members of our community and grant amnesty for all students and faculty punished for pro Palestine speech.

Later in the day hundreds of students protested the presence of former Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett at Columbias School of International and Public Affairs. Students at the City University of New York also protested the presence of police on campus who have been deployed to intimidate anti-genocide protesters.

A major push by the Trump administration and university administrations has begun to further restrict democratic rights on US campuses. In a pointed message to all educational institutions that receive federal funds, on Friday, four federal agencies, the Departments of Justice, Health and Human Services, and Education, along with the General Services Administration, announced that $400 million in contracts and grants were being cut to Columbia, though which ones were not specified.

This follows a warning on Monday from Secretary of Education Linda McMahon that, Universities must comply with all federal antidiscrimination laws if they are going to receive federal funding. For too long, Columbia has abandoned that obligation to Jewish students studying on its campus. Today, we demonstrate to Columbia and other universities that we will not tolerate their appalling inaction any longer.

In other words, Columbia must see to it that students who speak out against the mass murder and ethnic cleansing in Gaza and the West Bank are arrested, beaten, put under surveillance and expelled. The university has obliged at every turn, but clearly this is not enough for the fascist Trump administration.

In a further warning, particularly to any international students who voice their opposition to American imperialism and the Zionist state, media reports on Thursday announced that Trump is now preparing a reactionary travel ban that mirrors his travel bans of 2017, although the one being prepared appears to be done with more deliberation.

According to information from sources within the administration that has been leaked to the media, individuals from Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen as well as Afghanistan and Pakistan may be barred completely from entering the United States. The 2017 travel bans prompted mass protests at airports around the country.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations warned all workers, students and others in the United States legally from Muslim countries on the list with visas not to leave the country for at least 30 days.
Elevenlabs AudioNative Player

German soldiers load tank howitzers for transport to Lithuania at the Bundeswehr army base in Munster, northern Germany, Monday, Feb. 14, 2022. [AP Photo/Martin Meissner]

Every major European power is accelerating a frantic programme of military rearmament.

800 billion is being made available by the European Union. Germany has announced hundreds of additional billions in defence spending, even before the new CDU-led government of Friedrich Merz takes office.

France is planning to double annual military spending, with President Macron proposing a goal of 5 percent of GDP. He has declared his readiness to bring European allies under Frances nuclear umbrella.

Britain, led by Keir Starmers Labour government, is proposing to put British boots on the ground and planes in the air in Ukraine, as part of a coalition of the willing in alliance with France and other powers.

Every political party and major news outlet is spewing forth lies justifying this explosion of militarism, claiming a moral imperative of defending Ukrainian democracy and the entire continent from Russian aggression and, more absurdly still, invasion.

In a televised address to the nation, Macron declared that peace can no longer be guaranteed on our own continent.  Russia has become and will remain a threat to France and Europe.

The real motivation for the European powers is their realisation that Trumps America First foreign policy, his unilateral discussions with Russia and demands for exclusive access to Ukraines resources threaten to cut them off from the spoils of NATOs war.

The conflict in Ukraine was prepared by a joint European-American campaign of destabilisation, aimed at bringing the country into the clutches of NATO and the European Union and spearheading regime change in Moscow that would open Russias substantial assets to world imperialism.

As the representative of Russias capitalist oligarchy, Putins government was unable to respond to this threat in any other way than the reactionary invasion of Ukraine, just as the NATO powers anticipated.

Had Trump agreed to preserve Europes interests in his discussions with Putin, Berlin, Paris and London would have sought an accommodation with Washington, as demonstrated by the constant overtures to the fascist in the White House by Starmer and Macron.

Amid the tidal wave of hypocrisy unleashed to justify rearmament, Europe is desperately seeking a revival of the July 2021 Memorandum of Understanding between the European Union and Ukraine on a Strategic Partnership on Raw Materials, as the basis for their continued support for Zelenskys right-wing regime.

This memorandum was described last month by Europes Commissioner for Industrial Strategy Stephane Sejourne as providing twenty-one of the 30 critical materials Europe needs as part of a win-win partnership. Indeed, Europe is far more dependent on seizing Ukraines strategic minerals than the United States, and at this point relies almost exclusively on China for its supply.

Acknowledging these real interests, a diplomat from a major European country, speaking anonymously to the BBC, said of Trumps ending military aid to Ukraine, Its certainly one way of focusing our mindsand wallets! Donald Trump is doing us a favour, if we choose to think about it that way.

The dangers raised for the European and international working class are incalculable. Placing European troops on the ground and planes in the air over Ukraine, and even extending a French nuclear umbrella to Germany and other allies, are the real source of the war danger in Europe.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said of Macrons sabre-rattling, If he considers us a threat, convenes a meeting of the chiefs of general staff of European countries and Britain, says it is necessary to use nuclear weapons, prepares to use nuclear weapons against Russia, this is, of course, a threat.

When the European powers speak of the end of the international rules-based order, and blame Trump for this, they are preparing for a return to the pursuit of their own imperialist interests by force of arms. They are now fully aware that doing so involves conflict not only with Russia, but with American imperialism.

Germany, which is leading the way in the rearmament drive, fought two wars in the 20th century against the US. France never accepted its subordination to Washington through NATO, including insisting on an independent nuclear capability and military intelligence structures. Britain chafed against it. Significant sections of the ruling elite have never forgiven America for ensuring their subordination to its dictates following the 1956 Suez crisis.

The scale of Europes ambitions is made clear by the vast sums being prepared for military purposes, which go far beyond what is required for claimed efforts to police an eventual peace settlement in Ukraine. War with Russia under Europes own steam is under discussion.

Moreover, whereas this agenda provides an initial unifying impulse, its pursuit must inevitably intensify competition and conflicts between the European powers themselves.

The burning question before millions of workers and young people is how to stop this mad drive to catastrophe. There is no basis for doing so by relying on any of Europes opposition parties, either on the right or nominal left, or the trade unions.

Just as in the United States, where the Democratic Partys sole substantial disagreement with Trump is over continuing the proxy war in Ukraine and his undermining of NATO, every major party in Europe supports stepped-up aggression against Russia and the push for military independence from the Unites States. It is pursued as a strategic goal whether under Starmers Labour Party, President Macron, or whatever coalition government emerges in Germany.

The sole concern of Europes trade unions is how best to support their own ruling class in Europes escalating trade and military war, including backing protectionist measures against the US and China and the rapid expansion of national defence industries.

Workers and young people must respond with their own call to arms, committing themselves to waging war against war.

That must be based on an understanding of the vast implications of what is underway. All of the claims that war in Europe was a thing of the past, relegated to the 20th century, have been exposed as a fraud. European militarism, presented as an extinct volcano, is once again erupting, posing the threat of catastrophes even greater than those that claimed tens of millions of lives in the two world wars.

The program of war is entirely incompatible with even nominally democratic forms of rule. The ruling elites are once again turning to a program of fascism and dictatorship to enforce militarist policies that are opposed by the vast mass of the population.

The vast sums dedicated to weapons of war mean an assault on the working class deeper than at any time in the past 80 years. Under conditions where strikes, industrial actions and protests are already growing, this will provoke massive struggles by the working class.

The struggle against austerity must be fused with the fight against war. Both can only be taken forward through a frontal assault on the ruling oligarchy, whose rapacious interests dictate the program of war abroad and class war at home.

For decades, the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) has sounded the alarm, warning that a new period of imperialist war is underway. Those warnings have been fully vindicated. They must be acted upon. That means building a unified movement of the working class throughout Europe and internationally, based on the socialist and revolutionary programme that is the only way to stop war and its source, capitalism itself.
A section of the Stand up for Science protest in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, March 7, 2025.

On Friday tens of thousands of researchers, doctors, healthcare workers, students and other supporters of science took part in Stand Up for Science protests mostly in the United States, with supporting protests in Canada, Austria, Slovakia and France.



At more that 120 locations, protesters held handmade signs and spoke out against the attacks on scientific research, public education and public health being spearheaded by the Trump administration. While most rallies drew in a few hundred people, thousands demonstrated in Boston, Massachusetts; Washington D.C. and New York City.

The impulse for the protests stems from the Trump administrations attack on virtually every federally funded scientific endeavor, including climate research, environmental conservation, studies on infectious diseases and more. Thousands of researchers, particularly among those who work to uphold public health have been laid off in order to fund tax cuts for the wealthy, major corporations and war.

The protests are part of a broader movement in the working class that is developing against the Trump administration and its attacks on democratic rights, plans for mass deportations and the dismantling of all social programs in the US in order to channel all of societys wealth to the financial oligarchy.

There is particular disgust among workers and youth at the ongoing cuts in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), now under the auspices of notorious anti-vaccine disinformation purveyor Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is enacting policies that will further the spread of dangerous pathogens, including the flu, measles and COVID-19.

Reporters from the WSWS spoke to protesters at rallies across the country.

In New York City, a theoretical physicist with a group from Rockefeller University, said he works in developing stem cell therapeutics. We do not get paid enough. But the people who stand to suffer from cuts to science are the lower class. The problem crystallized under Trump, but what is going on politically is symmetrical with nascent fascism in the 20th Century. I think at this rally today, it is important that we are focusing on the attack on funding of science. Science is for everybody. Everyone needs to make rational choices about their life, for healthcare, for climate justice. So does government.

Protesters in Pittsburgh hold signs that read, Science Not Silence, on March 7, 2025.

Another protester at the New York City rally said, Its not just scientists that have to unite. Its all the working class. ... The people that are working for the world, we are the ones who care, and its not, you know, the top 1 percent. They are not doing anything for us, and they are the ones in power right now. And we need to take back that power.

In contrast to many attendees, official speakers at the rallies portrayed the current crisis as solely stemming from Trump and Musk, purposely ignoring the fact that far from following the science, it was the Democrats and the Biden administration that dismantled tracking for the coronavirus and encouraged the population to unmask. At essentially every protest, including at the main rally in Washington D.C., speakers advanced the dead-end perspective of pressuring the Democrats by calling your congressperson.



The only political presence that fought for an alternative to the Democrats, based on a scientific appraisal of the class nature of modern society, was the World Socialist Web Site. Supporters distributed thousands of leaflets, making clear, Scientists are experiencing the same process of proletarianization now affecting doctors, teachers and other professionals, and that the only way forward is through building a revolutionary socialist movement against capitalism itself.

Demonstrators at the Stand Up For Science demonstration in New York City on March 7, 2025.

At the New York City demonstration a neuroscientist explained to the WSWS, I work on how the brain processes sensory information, at a very fundamental level. The Trump administration method of move faster and break things might work for private business but not in the NIH (National Institutes of Health). They are misunderstanding science. Science takes time. No one can tell where the next discovery will come from. You cannot make cuts and expect good results. They should cut funding for giant corporations, like BP or Citgo. If they mess with science, we will have a sicker economy.

This did not start with Trump, she added. The Democrats dropped the ball. Their policies got us here. They were not focusing on real needs, real economy, services. So people got angry.

A visiting neuroscience and biology scientist from Dublin, Ireland who came to the New York City rally with a group of fellow researchers from Mount Sinai Hospital said, We need to be able to stand up against fascism. If this attack on research grants had been happening a few months ago, I would not have come to work in New York. I hope the government comes to recognize that what we do is important. The Irish government is not as harsh but they also do not do much funding. The more they do not fund, the more lives that will be lost in the future.

A protester in New York City holds a sign that reads: "Executive orders are not peer reviewed."

Ali, a physics PhD student at New York University working on quantum science, said, Physics was not yet hit like climate science and healthcare, but there is talk of dismantling the CHIP Act. We are here to show support for science. Ultimately, it is useful to go out and show that the politicians must support science.

David, a scientist from University of California, Riverside, told WSWS reporters at the Los Angeles rally, It doesnt matter how comfortable [the rich] are, or how many houses they own, how many super yachts. Its a big contest to them, all they need is more. They always want more and the planet cannot sustain that.

Nobody should be a billionaire, Jen, a scientist from the University of Southern California, told the WSWS, adding, Our government should work by the people and for the people, and weve got to bring down the oligarchy.

In Flint, Michigan, one demonstrator spoke on the far-reaching impacts of Trumps executive orders.

I think that all of the executive orders and all the actions that are being put into place right now to dismantle all these systems really have a far broader impact that a lot of people realize. If you take away education, where is your kid going to go to school? If you take away science funding, how do you expect to receive medical treatment?

An anti-fascist protester in Flint, Michigan, March 7, 2025.

I think people need to get together, and I think they need to utilize the power they do have. Because I think when we come together, we can make a much bigger impact than you might think as an individual. And really, it is not about individualism, like we have to come together, we have to make communities, and we have to build each other up in order to dismantle and recreate the systems that are in place right now.

Asked about the ongoing water crisis in Flint, which was induced by attempts to privatize the citys water supply and has caused numerous health issues for over a decade, she said, I think it just kind of speaks to the fact that the systems are in place to take care of the systems. Theyre not necessarily always in place to take care of the people, and a lot of things fall to the wayside, which is really unfortunate.

A protester holds up a sign reading, Science not oligarchs, at the Capitol in Madison, Wisconsin for the Stand Up For Science rally on March 7, 2025.

I mean, people are not disposable. And it is really upsetting to hear and see how people are being treated, because we are being treated as if we were disposable. I dont think in the grand scheme of things, regardless of your political party, I dont think thats what people want.

Questioned about the impact of Trumps proposed tariffs on workers in Canada, Mexico and the United States and the potential for a joint struggle of workers in North America and internationally, she responded, Oh, absolutely. Ive already signed the general strike card, so Im definitely on board.
Hector Obregon, President of PDVSA meets officials and operators at a gas processing plant in Barcelona, Anzoategui, December 5, 2024 [Photo: PDVSA]

On Tuesday, the US Treasury Department set April 3 as the final day oil giant Chevron will be able to operate in Venezuela, even for maintenance purposes. Licenses for other foreign energy corporations will also be scrapped.

The revocation of oil licenses is a brutal provocation amid heightened military tensions with neighboring Guyana and the United States.

President Donald Trump ordered the Treasury Department to remove all specific licenses last week. Trump, who attempted to overturn the US elections in 2020 and is signing illegal executive decrees daily, said Venezuela has failed to meet democratic standards and respond efficiently to the deportation of migrants from the United States.

The licenses had provided an exemption to several North American, European and Indian companies from ongoing US sanctions on Venezuelan oil and gas that were imposed under the first Trump administration.

Their revocation ends a financial lifeline for Venezuela, with immediate, catastrophic consequences. Chevron produces 242,000 barrels per day, while Spanish Repsol, French Maurel et Prom and Italian Eni produce an additional 83,000 bpd, according to the latest figures available. In total, these firms account for about 30 percent of Venezuelan oil output.

Venezuelan reliance on Chevron for imported diluents to sell its heavy crude oil, technical expertise and resources for maintenance and operation will have a much broader impact. The sector had not recovered after years of declining infrastructure and capacity due to sanctions, mismanagement and corruption.

While private Chinese and Iranian firms are expected to step in, and Caracas has focused on appealing to India for cooperation on energy, China and Russia more broadly have pulled back from operations with Venezuelan oil to avoid further US sanctions.

Oil production has historically been the main source of income for the Venezuelan government to pay for salaries, vital services and imports, including food, medicine and materials needed for production and maintenance.

The decision is only the latest instance in which the Trump administration responds to concessions made by other governments by pushing for more. It follows agreements reached in early February between Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Trumps special envoy Richard Grenell, which included the release of six American prisoners and the resumption of deportation flights to Venezuela.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, however, has insisted that none of these talks will lead to the recognition of Maduro and made clear the ongoing intentions of ousting the Venezuelan government. Washington has continued to recognize US-backed opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as president-elect following elections last July which both Gonzalez and Maduro claimed to have won.

Along with the threats to take back the Panama Canal, control Greenland, invade Mexico and turn Canada into the 51st US state, the Trump administration is looking to assert its domination over the western hemisphere and turn its countries, particularly those with strategic natural resources like Venezuelas oil reserves, into semi-colonies.

The calculation behind these devastating sanctions was to encourage sections of the Venezuelan military and capitalist ruling clique to overthrow Maduro and set up a US puppet state; however, even after the economy was reduced to less than a fifth of its previous size and nearly 8 million people, roughly a third of the population, left the country, this strategy has failed to oust Maduro.

This is due to the unpopularity of the far-right forces sponsored by the United States, who are known for demanding US sanctions and even an invasion, and not the result of popular policies by Maduro. On the contrary, the Bolivarian government has overseen an economic shock therapy to place the entire weight of the crisis on the shoulders of the working class while providing tax cuts and other incentives to foreign capital. A haphazard experiment of partial dollarization to overcome currency depreciation has made the economy much more vulnerable.

Given the failure of past coup attempts, Trump, Rubio and several other top officials have previously endorsed the possibility of a military incursion into Venezuela to overthrow Maduro. However, this could result in levels of destruction, death and economic cost akin to the US-led wars in the Middle East.

The recent decision by Donald Trump to revoke licenses that allowed Chevron to export Venezuelan oil is closely linked to rising tensions with neighboring Guyana.

Guyanas President Irfaan Ali notified the Trump administration and other international allies on Saturday that an armed Venezuelan naval vessel had entered disputed waters that harbor a major offshore oil deposit being exploited by an Exxon-led consortium.

The Guyanese military, which operates in close collaboration with the Pentagon, deployed aircraft and naval vessels, while the US State Department warned on X: Further provocation will result in consequences for the Maduro regime.

Venezuelan Vice-President and Oil Minister, Delcy Rodriguez denounced Ali for telling bald-faced lies indicating that the naval activities took place in disputed international waters. The disputed territory of Guyana Essequibo, she added, belongs to Venezuelan men and women and nobody else, and we will defend it with our lives. Dont even dare, here we have a Bolivarian National Armed Forces, a civic-military-police union that stands up to defend our country.

The nationalist bombast and militarism are signs of a cornered regime. The danger that Caracas makes the reactionary decision to move into the disputed territory and take the bait set up by Washington, similar to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, cannot be discarded.

Rodriguez called Trumps license revocation damaging and inexplicable. But the intensification of efforts to install a puppet regime are not only explicable but the only reasonable expectation from US imperialism and its leader Trump, who models his regime after Hitler.

The Venezuelan ruling clique around Maduro has made clear that it is ultimately dependent upon and subservient to US imperialism and unable to muster a genuine defense against threats of neo-colonial subjugation. These threats, involving economic and potentially military devastation, can only be confronted through the independent mobilization of the working class in Venezuela, in a united struggle with workers of the United States and across the region on the basis of a socialist program.
A vial of a measles, mumps and rubella vaccine is seen in Mount Vernon, Ohio, Friday, May 17, 2019. [AP Photo/Paul Vernon]

An unvaccinated adult from New Mexico died from measles Thursday according to the state health department. It is the second death from the growing outbreak along the Texas-New Mexico border of the highly contagious respiratory disease caused by the measles virus.

A statement from New Mexico health authorities said:

The deceased, an unvaccinated Lea County adult, tested positive for measles after death and did not seek medical care before passing, according to laboratory confirmation from the NMDOH [New Mexico Department of Health] Scientific Laboratory Division, though the official cause of death remains under investigation by the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator.

Lea County is just over the border from Gaines County, Texas, where the measles outbreak is centered. At least 30 cases of measles have been reported in Lea County, including 26 adults and four children under the age of 17.

The age, sex and underlying medical conditions of the person are currently being withheld. New Mexico health officials also did not disclose if contact tracing is underway to identify others who may have been exposed to the virus.

The measles virus is airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. A person can infect others from four days before the rash onset through four days after the measles rash appears.

The virus can stay in the air for two hours in enclosed spaces after an infected person has left. The symptoms start with a cough, runny nose, and eye redness, then progress to fever and a rash that starts on the head and spreads down the body.

In total, 228 cases have been confirmed in Texas and New Mexico, but officials have said the actual number is likely much higher. The first death from measles in 10 years occurred on February 26, when a school-aged child died from the virus in West Texas. The child was not vaccinated against the disease.

Of those infected in Texas, 89 of the cases have been among people aged five to 17, while 64 cases have been among children four and younger and 34 among adults over age 18, with the ages of 11 patients not reported. The majority of those infected had not been vaccinated.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), As of March 6, 2025, a total of 222 measles cases were reported by 12 jurisdictions: Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York City, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, and Washington.

Throughout the expanding public health crisis, President Trumps Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has responded with a mixture of vaccine choice, pseudoscience and indifference. After the child died, Kennedy said that measles outbreaks were common and claimed that two people had already died when Texas officials had only reported one death at the time. He also stated falsely that those in hospital with measles had been placed there for the purpose of quarantine, when in fact they had been hospitalized because of the seriousness of their illness.

In an op-ed on Sunday on Fox News, Kennedy wrote that vaccinations contribute to community immunity from measles and then moved on to emphasize treatments for the disease, saying vitamin A can dramatically reduce deaths.

On Tuesday, during an interview with Fox News, Kennedy claimed that local Texas doctors were getting very, very good results by treating their measles patients with a steroid called budesonide, an antibiotic called clarithromycin, and cod liver oil, a supplement high in vitamins A and D.

Responding to Kennedys health quackery, Tina Tan, MD, a professor of pediatrics at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University, told the online journal Health: None of those are treatments for measles. Measles is a virus, and there are no antivirals that are licensed for treatment of measles.

Tuhina Joseph, DO, pediatric infectious disease physician at Tufts Medical Center, told Health that cod liver oil is a nutritional supplement that may have high levels of vitamins and other nutrients that we need, but it certainly has not been used for measles treatment.

Joseph explained the implications of the distractions being created by Kennedy and others about the measles outbreak, saying:

It [cod liver oil] basically helps your immune system fight measles if youre vitamin A deficient. If youre not vitamin A deficient, then its not going to do anything.

Dr. Tan added:

The concern is there may be some misinformation out there that vitamin A can actually prevent measles infection, which it absolutely cannot do. Vaccination is really the only effective prevention.

The MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) vaccine, when administered in two doses, protects 97 percent of people against measles, 88 percent against mumps and at least 97 percent against rubella (German measles). MMR is used widely around the world, with over 500 million does administered between 1999 and 2004. Before immunization with the MMR vaccine, 2.6 million people died per year from the diseases. By 2012, that number had been reduced to 122,000 deaths, mostly in poor countries.

The outbreak of measles in the US is directly traceable to a reduction in vaccinations, especially along the West Texas-New Mexico border where the deaths have occurred. According to the CDC, while kindergarten vaccination exemptions are on the rise across the US and exceeded 3 percent during the 2023-2024 school year, Gaines County, Texas has one of the highest rates in the country, with 17.62 percent of kindergartners receiving exemptions. In one school district in Gaines County, the exemption rate is 47.95 percent, according to the state health department.

As part of the anti-science campaign against vaccinations, the Trump administration is reviving the unsubstantiated claim that MMR vaccinations are responsible for high rates of autism among children.
In a disturbing escalation of a crackdown on opposition to the Israeli genocide in Gaza, pro-Palestinian activist Hash Tayeh was yesterday served with criminal charges for having publicly condemned Zionism.

Hash Tayeh [Photo: Instagram/@kedzhifotowala]

Tayehs offence was to declare at a public protest in Melbourne last year that all Zionists are terrorists. That is entirely legitimate political speech. The attempt by the authorities to illegalise such statements is a body blow to the most basic civil liberties enshrined in international law, including freedom of speech and expression.

Contrary to the relentless attempts to conflate them, Judaism and Zionism are not equivalent, a point that has been made forcefully by many anti-Zionist Jews and by Tayeh. Zionism is a right-wing political ideology, indelibly associated with the ethnic-cleansing and oppression of the Palestinians and the expansionist imperialist operations of the Israeli state.

If it is deemed illegal to condemn a political ideology such as Zionism as sharply as one wishes, the inevitable question is what is next? Will strident denunciations of fascism, nationalism and other reactionary political trends be deemed beyond the pale? Will statements such as all imperialists are militarists and criminals also be outlawed?

The circumstances of Tayehs charging underscore the extraordinary and despotic character of the attack against him. The statement was made at a protest in May last year, i.e., almost an entire year ago. Tayeh was informed that he was under police investigation last July and was arrested and interviewed several times.

The obvious question is why it has taken the police so long to issue charges, if they actually believe that Tayeh broke a law. His comment was made publicly, in front of thousands of people. Its content has not changed in the ten months between the utterance and the laying of charges.

Then there is the nature of the charges themselves. When it was revealed that police were investigating Tayehs comment in July, it was on the grounds that he may have breached the Racial and Religious Tolerance Act. But Tayeh has not been charged under that act, in a tacit admission by police that he had not violated what are effectively hate speech laws.

Instead, Tayeh has been charged with four counts of using insulting words in public. Legal experts have stated that they have never heard of such charges being levelled over public, political statements. They are generally deployed against people involved in interpersonal arguments or accused of swearing at the police.

Despite the seemingly minor character of the charge, it can carry a prison sentence of two months for a first offence and six months for a repeat infraction.

The clear impression is that Victoria Police had made a decision to charge Tayeh, and worked backwards from there, first attempting to use hate speech legislation, and then when that proved unviable, settling on the use of common criminal law in an unprecedented prosecution.

In comments to the Age, Tayeh denounced the charges. I have never supported the harming or killing of men, women, and childrenno matter their faith or background, he said. Standing against the loss of innocent lives is not just a political stance; it is a moral obligation. Tayeh added: Criticising a regime that commits acts of terror is not a crime. It is a fundamental right, a cornerstone of democracy, and political censorship has no place in Australia.

The prosecution is clearly aimed at chilling speech. The inevitable consequence will be that activists, political figures and ordinary people will think twice about making certain political statements, lest they be dragged into the courts and prosecuted.

There is a particularly concerning element to the targeting of Tayeh, however. He has been the victim of a protracted campaign of threats, intimidation and violence over his opposition to the genocide.

In November 2023, a restaurant belonging to his successful Burgertory chain was firebombed in the Melbourne suburb of Caulfield. Tayeh and others noted that in the weeks prior, its employees had been harassed by Israel supporters because of his stand in defence of the Palestinians.

The Victoria Police immediately and repeatedly declared that the arson was not politically motivated. Only in November last year was it revealed in the press that one of the alleged perpetrators, who is said to have committed the crime for a cash payment, told an informant that the bombing was over the conflict overseas between Palestine and Israel.

Tayehs personal residences have also repeatedly been targeted, including with firebombings. He has described the police responses as unhelpful and indifferent. Instead of investigating the serious violence prosecuted against the pro-Palestinian businessman, the police have been investigating him over political comments made at a public rally.

Sinister questions inevitably pose themselves. Whoever has been carrying out violent attacks on Tayeh has intended to punish and silence him for opposing the Israeli genocide. And the police prosecution is clearly intended to punish and silence Tayeh for the same reason. The police would no doubt claim that is merely a coincidence, but many members of the public may be skeptical.

The investigation into Tayeh appears to have been prompted last year by lobbying from various Zionist activists, who are intensely hostile to the pro-Palestinian businessman.

The timing of the charges is also bound up with the increasingly reactionary political environment that governments and the media have sought to cultivate.

Over recent months, their protracted campaign to brand all opposition to Israeli war crimes as antisemitism has been taken to a new level. Academics and anti-Zionist Jewish leaders have been venomously attacked and threatened. The universities have agreed to a new definition of antisemitism, which potentially outlaws criticism of Zionism and Zionists, along similar lines to the charges against Tayeh.

Last week, a second nurse at Sydneys Bankstown Hospital was hit with serious charges that could carry years of imprisonment, over an exchange he and a coworker had in February with Israeli social media influencer Max Veifer.

The nurses were baited into making stupid and politically backward comments by Veifer, a Zionist provocateur who explicitly defends Israeli crimes, including its murder of civilians. But Veifer has been presented by police as the wounded party, with the nurse charged with using a carriage service to menace, harass and offend the Israeli. The fact that Veifer has admitted he wanted to provoke such a response has simply been ignored.

The witch-hunting atmosphere has been presided over by the Labor Party. As he has backed Israels genocide politically, diplomatically and materially, Labor Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has venomously denounced protesters and has helped to whip-up a confected national crisis around purported antisemitism.

The persecution of Tayeh has been overseen by the Victorian Labor government, which has also introduced sweeping anti-protest laws directed against opponents of the genocide.

While opponents of the Israeli war crimes are the first targets, a far broader precedent is being established. Amid an eruption of imperialist militarism globally, including Australias central role in the US preparations for conflict with China, a framework is being erected for the suppression of all anti-war opposition.

The intensified witch hunt is an indictment of the bankrupt politics that have dominated the pro-Palestinian movement. The Greens and pseudo-left groups such as Socialist Alternative and Socialist Alliance did everything they could to ensure protests were dominated by feckless appeals to the Labor government to end its support for the genocide.

That effectively subordinated the protests to the political forces in Australia most directly responsible for the Israeli war crimes. It covered up the connection between Labors support for the Israeli atrocities and its broader militarist program, associated with AUKUS and the war drive targeting Beijing.

Now, the protest movement has largely collapsed. Earlier this year, organisers announced that protests, which had been held weekly since mid-October 2023, would occur monthly. Despite the complete failure of the perspective of pressuring Labor, that remains the incessant line of the demonstrations.

Lessons must be drawn. The defence of democratic rights and the fight against genocide and war requires a political struggle against Labor, the Liberal-Nationals and the entire establishment. That requires the independent mobilisation of the working class, based on a revolutionary and socialist perspective.

The aim must not be to pressure capitalist governments to end waran impossible taskbut to replace them with workers governments that would implement socialist policies, in opposition to the root cause of war, the profit system itself.
Tropical Cyclone Alfred, the first cyclone in 50 years to cross the southeast coast of Australia, has hit the countrys third largest population centre, affecting nearly five million people in southeast Queensland, including the state capital Brisbane, and northern New South Wales (NSW).

Downed power lines in Ballina, northern New South Wales, March 6, 2025 [Photo: Facebook/Magnus Dean]

Although it was downgraded overnight from a cyclone to a tropical low as it approached the mainland, the weather system still carries risks of intense rainfall and flooding, stretching inland from the battered coast. No deaths have yet been reported, but a 61-year-old man is missing in northern NSW after being lost in flood waters on Friday afternoon.

The full extent of the damage so far is not yet known, but some homes have been severely damaged by fallen trees or had their roofs lifted off by high winds.

More than 300,000 homes have lost power due to the storms, and some could be cut off electricity for a week or more. Around 250,000 of those are in Queensland, making it the biggest power outage in the state in over a decade. At least one major hospitalGold Coast University Hospitalhad to rely on back-up generators.

The worst impacts may be yet to come. The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), the national weather and climate agency, has warned of heavy rainfall, which may lead to flash flooding over the weekend.

The scale of the disaster forced Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to abandon plans to announce an early federal election tomorrow for April 12. Instead, he will spend the coming days posturing as heading the official response, putting off an election until May.

Thousands of homeless people in Brisbane, the Gold Coast and surrounding areas are in danger from extreme rainfall and flood risks, as are working-class people living in flood-prone suburbs, many of whom have been denied or can no longer afford exorbitant insurance coverage.

Evacuation centres have been opened but both the Queensland Liberal National Party government and the NSW Labor government have emphasised that these offer little comfort. NSW Premier Chris Minns, for example, declared:

There are emergency evacuation centres that are located if there are no alternatives. We have to reiterate the message that these are more of a life raft rather than a cruise ship and the priority is to keep people safe during a difficult situation.

Some low-lying areas are already under water, including in the regional northern NSW city of Lismore, where the BOM is warning that major flooding is likely by later today. Parts of the city were devastated by floods in 2017 and 2022, causing immense anger with the lack of the federal and state government preparation and response.

Flooding in Lismore, March 8, 2025 [Photo: Facebook/Magnus Dean]

As in the major floods that affected many of the same areas in 2022, the federal and state government responses have depended heavily on volunteers. Essential infrastructure and emergency services remain chronically under-funded, forcing people to rely on their own efforts.

So far, the largely volunteer-based State Emergency Service (SES) in NSW has responded to over 5,000 incidents, including 30 flood rescues in a 24-hour period. Approximately 20,000 people are under evacuation warnings in NSW, with potentially more expected as rivers continue to rise from heavy rainfall, posing risks of major flooding.

Basic infrastructure problems have developed. The M1, the main interstate highway linking Brisbane to Sydney, has been cut in places south of the Queensland-NSW border, presenting difficulties in transporting food and relief supplies to some areas.

Residents have complained that the 000 national emergency line is not operating in some locations, due to power and communications cuts. That highlights the lack of protective measures since the 2022 floods, after which the federal Albanese Labor government promised a national alert system.

In May 2023, Communications Minister Michelle Rowland and then-emergency management minister Murray Watt pledged that a National Messaging System would be ready by the end of 2024 and would be able to override phone systems, regardless of the carrier, to ensure people received warnings. That has not happened.

Cyclone Alfred originated from a tropical low in the Coral Sea that was detected by the BOM on February 20. The last time a tropical cyclone made landfall so far south was Cyclone Zoe in March 1974. Most cyclones originating from the South Pacific drift away from the Australian mainland due to the typical eastward winds in that region.

The arrival of Cyclone Alfred onto land was repeatedly delayed, as it moved slower than initially expected. This could bring more than expected devastation, as the systems slow-moving pace means it could linger over some locations and bring down even more rain before moving on.

The lack of an adequate civilian disaster force, despite repeated flood and bushfire disasters, was underscored when Albanese announced the deployment of some military troops to assist in the evacuation and deployment of sandbags. Some residents had to buy sandbags due to shortages and long queues to obtain those available.

Beyond immediate inadequate responses, successive Labor and Liberal-National Coalition governments have exacerbated the climate crisis which poses the risk of intensifying the impacts of tropical cyclones. Cyclones require warm waters to form and be maintained; generally, water temperatures of at least 26.5 degrees Celsius (79.7 degrees Fahrenheit) are needed.

Climate change is rapidly warming up the oceans, which in 2024 reached their hottest levels on record globally. Specifically, the Coral Sea, where Cyclone Alfred first formed, had its hottest summer on record, with temperatures 1C warmer than average.

It is far too early to say with any degree of scientific confidence what extent climate change has played in Cyclone Alfreds development. As Australias national science agency CSIRO explained in a March 6 statement:

We cant yet say if Alfreds unusual path and slow speed are linked to climate change. But climate change is driving very clear trends which can load the dice for more intense cyclones arriving in subtropical regions. These include the warm waters which fuel cyclones spreading further south, and cyclones dumping more rain than they used to.

One factor related to climate change that is likely to exacerbate the potential damage of cyclones is rising sea levels. Australian sea levels are approximately 22cm (about 9 inches) higher than levels observed in 1900, so storm surges from tropical cyclones are more likely to reach further inland.

The warmer atmosphere produced by global warming also holds more moisture that can fall as rain. The common figure cited is that for each 1C of additional warming, the atmosphere can hold an average of 7 percent more moisture. Recent research indicates this is a considerable underestimation and could instead be double or even more.

These combined climate effects led to the warnings contained in the latest State of the Climate report from October 2024 of fewer but more intense tropical cyclones. The Albanese government has heightened that danger by approving 10 new coal mines or expansions to existing ones.

Over two years ago, the Socialist Equality Party published a statement on the floods that affected significant areas of Australias eastern Queensland and NSW and caused at least 16 deaths. As the statement documented, even though the rainstorms involved were extreme, this was not simply a natural disaster. The destructive outcomes were the result of profit-driven and cost-cutting political decisions, as well as the refusal of governments, Labor and Liberal-National governments alike, to take the necessary measures to halt climate change.

None of the basic political issues raised in that statementlack of disaster preparation, inadequate and privatised infrastructure, housing development in flood-prone areas, prohibitive cost of disaster insurance, reliance on volunteers and the military, and climate changehave been addressed by governments since.
Japans largest wildfire in decades has been burning in the northeastern region of the country for more than a week. While rain in recent days has appeared to halt the fires spread, firefighters are continuing to bring it under control. Thousands have evacuated and at least one fatality has been reported.

Wildfire near Ofunato, Iwate Prefecture, Japan, March 4, 2025 [Photo: X/watchtowergw]

As of Friday, the fire in Ofunato, Iwate Prefecture had burned 2,900 hectares of land, 9 percent of the citys area. The last major wildfire in Japan of this magnitude occurred in 1975 when 2,700 hectares of land were burned in Kushiro, Hokkaido.

At least 78 homes have been destroyed while 4,596 people were ordered to evacuate. Until yesterday, 1,239 people were staying in 12 evacuation centers. Another 3,055 people were staying with friends and family members. In some cases, evacuees have been forced to live out of their cars.

Approximately 2,000 firefighters and members of the Self-Defense Forces (Japans military) were deployed to fight the blaze.

On Friday, the Ofunato government issued a partial lifting of evacuation orders impacting 957 people living in the citys Akasakicho district. However, evacuation orders remained in place for other sections of the city as firefighters sought to confirm that the fire was no longer spreading.

Toshifumi Onoda, a spokesman for the local fire department, stated on Friday, Aerial reconnaissance this morning has not confirmed any spread of fire, fire reaching buildings, or white smoke. However, firefighters were still checking the forests for smoldering embers to ensure that the fire had been put out.

The fire began on February 26 under dry conditions, in part caused by low snowfall this year. It was the driest winter since 1946, when record-keeping began, the Japan Meteorological Agency stated. A dry-weather advisory had been in effect since February 18. On Wednesday, 26.5 millimeters of rain fell in Ofunato, more than the entire month of February, which saw just 2.5 millimeters of rain, a record low for the month.

Ofunato is located in northeastern Honshu, Japans main island. At least two other wildfires began around the city prior to the latest blaze, including on February 19 and February 25. Both were extinguished, but gave an indication of the danger that existed.

In addition, a large amount of kindling had accumulated on the forest floor in the region, including dry branches and fallen leaves, allowing the fire to spread more easily. Many of the trees are pine, which are highly flammable. Firefighting officials expressed concern that even if flames are extinguished on the tops of trees, embers beneath the kindling could continue to smolder and possibly reignite the blaze.

Akira Kato, an associate professor in forestry at Chiba University, explained to the media that three factors drove the Ofunato wildfire. First, the extended period of dryness the region has experienced this year. Second, the lack of undergrowth management in the forests around the city. He stressed that regular maintenance is necessary to prevent forest fires and to reduce their impact. Finally, the rugged terrain in the region makes it easier for wildfires to spread.

The intensity of the fire has shocked Ofunato city residents and people throughout Japan who believed that such large fires did not occur in humid countries. Kato explained in the Japan Times, There is a big misconception that fires dont occur in humid climates, but this is actually not true, and forest fires can occur anywhere in the world. There are approximately 1,200 reported cases of wildfires in Japan each year, typically between January and May.

Natural disasters cannot be entirely predicted or prevented, but often they are compounded by inadequate planning and willful neglect by capitalist governments. When fires occurred, (nature) was able to properly handle it in a natural cycle, but humans cut down trees and developed forests in various ways, disrupting this cycle, Kato explained. Once weve planted trees and meddled with nature, we need to have a sense of responsibility to continue to maintain it. This includes regularly removing kindling and other materials that can cause fires to rapidly spread.

This basic maintenance, necessary to protect peoples homes and lives, did not take place, with inadequate attention paid to the countrys forests and to safety more broadly.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced on Thursday, during a parliamentary upper house budget committee meeting, that he would apply the Natural Disaster Victims Relief Law to the victims of the Ofunato, claiming Tokyo would offer generous financial support to local governments. Victims, many of whom have had their whole lives turned upside down, will be offered a paltry 3 million yen ($US20,278) to rebuild their homes.

At the same time, the government has repeatedly earmarked record spending for imperialist war against China, including 8.7 trillion yen for 2025.

Wildfires in Japan and around the world are not simply the result of neglect, but the criminal attitude capitalist governments have taken to climate change. Last year was the hottest year on record, with the United Nations World Meteorological Organization confirming in January that temperatures had risen 1.55 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial levels.

This surpassed the 1.5-degree rise that governments had agreed to keep below in the 2015 Paris Agreement. This supposed limit, itself inadequate to protect the environment, is in fact ignored, as the major capitalist powers responsible for climate change base their policies on the profit interests of big business, not science and human need.

Extreme wildfire activity around the globe has more than doubled over the past two decades. Northern and temperate forest regions are particularly affected. This includes Japan, which had its hottest year on record in 2024. Wildfire seasons are also becoming longer as conditions become drier.

Kaitlyn Trudeau, a senior research associate at Climate Central told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that large fires, once rare, are becoming more common as weather patterns shift. Trudeau stated, Climate change doesnt directly start fires, but what it is doing is making the conditions which allow fires to burn larger, faster, and become harder to fight more frequent and severe.

This was highlighted most recently for millions around the world by the devastating wildfires that tore through Los Angeles, California in January. The danger from these fires will not disappear on their own. Addressing them requires a planned economy based on social need, not private profits.
Cross-Strait youth exchanges in technology, culture and education have intensified, according to deputies and members from Taiwan attending China's annual "two sessions."

Deputies to the National People's Congress (NPC) and members of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) emphasized new opportunities for young people from Taiwan on the mainland, noting these as ways to broaden perspectives and strengthen cross-Strait ties.

Yang Yizhou, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and vice president of the All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots, speaks to reporters before the opening of the CPPCC session in the front of the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, March 4, 2025. [Photo by Xu Xiaoxuan/China.org.cn]

The mainland's thriving high-tech industries have become a major attraction for young people from Taiwan. Yang Yizhou, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and vice president of the All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots (ACFTC), noted the growing popularity of AI tools such as DeepSeek.



"People on both sides of the Strait are using it because of its efficiency," he said. "High-tech innovations like this make life more convenient."

Yang also added that many young people from Taiwan are particularly attracted to the mainland's rapid advances in technology. "Companies such as DJI, Huawei, BYD, Douyin (TikTok) and Meituan are gaining significant recognition," he said. "Through them, young people from Taiwan can see the strength of innovation on the mainland and realize the wealth of opportunities available here."

Zou Zhenqiu, deputy to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) and vice president of the ACFTC, stressed the role of digital platforms in strengthening cross-Strait ties.

"New media allows young people from both sides to co-create diverse, high-quality content and foster a more dynamic digital environment," he said, adding that such interactions help build mutual understanding and promote collective progress.

Lin Qing, a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) and vice president of the Taiwan Compatriots Federation of Shandong province, takes an interview during this year's "two sessions" in Beijing, March 4, 2025. [Photo provided to China.org.cn]

The mainland is offering more educational and professional opportunities for youth from Taiwan. Lin Qing, NPC deputy and vice president of the Taiwan Compatriots Federation of Shandong province, said over 30,000 students from Taiwan are studying on the mainland, with more than 1,000 cooperation agreements between universities across the Strait.



Recognition of professional qualifications from Taiwan is expanding on the mainland. Fujian province recently added 10 new professional qualifications, bringing the total to 60. These include home appliance maintenance and electronic equipment assembly, easing entry for professionals from Taiwan into the mainland labor market.

Lin Qing also noted the Cross-Strait Integrated Development Demonstration Zone in Fujian, which has introduced policies to support young entrepreneurs and professionals from Taiwan.

"The mainland offers a vast market and abundant human resources, while Taiwan brings advanced technology and management experience," she said. "By integrating our strengths, we can deepen the complementarity of the industrial chains of the two sides."

She encouraged young people from Taiwan to seize opportunities presented by Chinese modernization.

"With the right combination of macroeconomic policies and their personal strengths, they can forge a path to success in both their careers and businesses here," she said.

Cultural exchanges have also brought young people closer. The animated blockbuster "Ne Zha 2" has sparked enthusiasm among audiences in Taiwan, with some traveling to the mainland to watch it. Yang emphasized how technological advances have revitalized traditional Chinese culture.

"The ability to present our cultural heritage in innovative ways and gain international attention makes us all proud as Chinese," he said.

Yang said that fostering deeper connections between young people across the Strait is crucial to eliminating misunderstanding and strengthening emotional ties. The ACFTC has long facilitated such exchanges, organizing summer and winter camps for youth from Taiwan to experience the mainland's progress firsthand.

The future of cross-Strait relations lies in the hands of young people, Yang said. "By witnessing the mainland's progress and understanding global trends, young people in Taiwan can make informed choices about their future. A united effort on both sides will pave the way for greater development, especially for Taiwan."
If you're plotting to make comedian Gabriel "Fluffy" Iglesias fall in love with you when he headlines the Delaware State Fair this summer  think again.

In a new video uploaded to "The Drew Barrymore Show" YouTube channel on Tuesday, March 4, Barrymore asked Fluffy to spill the beans on his love life.

Fluffy discussed how it was difficult to get into a committed relationship because he has trust issues due to his profession. Iglesias made light of his situation by telling a joke that would've easily worked had he saved it for the crowd at the state fair.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Anytime I have given people an opportunity to get inside [of my personal life], it hasn't ended well. So, I'm very scared. I'm very much guarded," Fluffy explained.

"I tell people like ... you can get really close, but you know, here's my heart [and] there's a wall. And a wall. And a wall. And a wall. And a wall. I'm like the only Mexican who likes walls," Fluffy joked, causing Barrymore and the audience to crack up and applaud.

Gabriel Iglesias has a dog that's almost old enough to drive

Gabriel "Fluffy" Iglesias attends Netflix's Debut of WWE Raw at Intuit Dome on Jan. 6, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. Fluffy will headline the Delaware State Fair on Sunday, July 20.

As if Gabriel "Fluffy" Iglesias wasn't already seen as a teddy bear, the state fair headliner showed an even softer side of his comedic self on "The Drew Barrymore Show."

Iglesias shined a light on his little teenage dog Vinnie, who is almost old enough to drive a car.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A silly moment occurred when Iglesias explained to Barrymore that Vinnie used to travel with him everywhere, but the furry pet has since slowed down. As the comedian was speaking, a photo of Vinnie, standing on a countertop next to a birthday cake, appeared on the screen, and the audience let out a collective "Awwww."

But Fluffy quickly had to set the record straight to let the audience know he wasn't mourning Vinnie.

"He's still alive, relax," Fluffy told the crowd, resulting in laughs. "See, you guys killed him right away!"

32 Delaware cheesesteak shops face off: Round 1 of Munch Madness 2025

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Fluffy explained that Vinnie is 14 years old. Another photo of the pup appeared on screen and it showed Vinnie looking like a bad boy wearing a red vest with a hoodie.

"He was going through his Eminem phase right here," Iglesias commented, tickling the crowd.

Another dog of Gabriel Iglesias got a fancy birthday party

Iglesias also mentioned he had another little dog named Risa, which means laughter in Spanish.

The dog dad said he gave Risa a quinceanera, a special birthday in Latino communities that celebrates a girl's 15th birthday, representing their transition from girl to womanhood. A video played of Fluffy pushing Risa (dressed like a fashion model) in a stylized stroller with flashing lights.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Iglesias said Risa almost lived to 17 and people would "freak out" about her old age.

"Her anger kept her alive," Fluffy joked, drawing extra chuckles from the audience. "Anger's healthy."

How did Gabriel Iglesias get the nickname Fluffy?

Gabriel "Fluffy" Iglesias received his nickname from his mom, even though he hated it at first.

Iglesias told Barrymore his nickname came about many years ago when I called myself fat around my mom. My mom was like, Mijo, youre not fat. Youre fluffy,' the comedian explained.

He didnt like the nickname at first because hed say, Im not a cat! But it stuck after he began using his moms line in a joke and people at shows started calling him "Fluffy."

Delaware State Fair 2025 full lineup: How and when to buy tickets

When will Gabriel Iglesias headline Delaware State Fair?

Fluffy returns to the state fair on Sunday, July 20. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $48-$84.

How much is the Delaware State Fair?

The cost of gate admission is:

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

$10 for adults (ages 13 or older) or $10.50 (online)

$5 for youth (ages 6-12) or $5.50 (online)

Free for kids (ages 5 or younger)

Please be aware that purchasing a ticket to the headlining concert series does not cover gate admission into the Delaware State Fair.

When is the Delaware State Fair?

The 106th Delaware State Fair (18500 S. Dupont Highway, Harrington) spans 10 summer days, starting Thursday, July 17, to Saturday, July 26. For more updates, visit delawarestatefair.com.

If you have an interesting or funny cheesesteak stories, email lifestyle reporter Andre Lamar at alamar@gannett.com. Consider signing up for his weekly newsletter, DO Delaware, at delawareonline.com/newsletters.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Gabriel Iglesias jokes about love life, border wall before state fair
Daylight Saving Time is Sunday, and California and most of the United States are getting closer to spring forward.

Here's what you need to know about Spring Forward this year.

When does the Daylight Saving Time change in 2025 in California, U.S.?

California and other participating states turn clocks forward an hour on the second Sunday in March, during the spring.

Daylight Saving Time ends on the first Sunday of November in the fall of each year. That's when states turn clocks back an hour.

It's hard to wake up the Monday after daylight saving time.

When does time change spring forward for DST 2025?

In the U.S., clocks will officially spring forward at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 9, 2025.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

More: What would daylight saving time ending mean for California? See the time changes

Do I gain or lose an hour of sleep for Daylight Savings Time at 2 a.m. March 9, 2025?

When Daylight Saving Time begins, we lose an hour of sleep: Our clocks "spring forward" and are turned ahead an hour at 2 a.m.

In the fall when DST ends, clocks "fall back" an hour in November. That is when people gain an hour of sleep.

Here are some things to remember for Daylight Savings Time

California residents will have to remember to turn their clocks ahead by an hour before going to bed Saturday evening, with daylight saving time beginning at 2 a.m. Sunday.

The annual "spring forward" exercise means the weekend will be an hour shorter than usual.

As always, fire officials and other health agencies urged people to use the time change as a reminder to check smoke alarms and replace the batteries if necessary. It is also a good time to reset timers on outdoor lights and lawn sprinkler systems.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Some standard rules from fire departments and other officials governing smoke detectors include:

Install smoke detectors on all floors of your home or apartment.

If the devices are hardwired into your electrical system, be sure to have a backup battery-operated smoke detector in case of a power outage.

Mount alarms high on walls, at least four to 12 inches from the ceiling.

Never paint over a smoke detector.

Use a vacuum cleaner to remove lint or dust.

Test the smoke detectors regularly. If the smoke detector "chirps" it is an indication of a low battery, which should be changed.

The Automobile Club of Southern California also traditionally warns morning drivers to be on the lookout for pedestrians, since it will be dark for an hour longer in the mornings.

The time change means California will shift into the same hour as most of Arizona, which does not switch to daylight saving time. Hawaii also stays on its standard time, meaning the islands will be three hours earlier than Los Angeles for the next half year, instead of two hours.

When does Daylight Savings 2025's time change fall back?

Clocks fall back on Sunday, Nov. 2, in 2025.

Why does Daylight Saving Time change at 2 a.m.?

In an interview with Time Magazine, author Michael Downing cited his book, "Spring Forward: The Annual Madness of Daylight Saving Time," to explain how Amtrak and the railroads were the main reason clocks change at 2 a.m. for DST.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

There were no trains leaving the station at 2 a.m. on Sundays in New York City when Daylight Saving Time was established. "Sunday morning at 2 a.m. was when they would interrupt the least amount of train travel around the country, Downing said.

Which U.S. states don't change clocks for Daylight Saving Time?

As of July 25, 2022, the U.S. Department of Transportation noted that only Hawaii and parts of Arizona do not participate in daylight saving time. The Navajo Nation is the lone exception in Arizona.

The territories of American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands also don't participate.

States may exempt themselves from observing daylight saving time by state law, in accordance with the Uniform Time Act.

What time is it in California?

The entire state of California is in the Pacific Time Zone, also known as Pacific Standard Time.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Visit timeanddate.com to see the current time in any city in the state.

What to know about daylight saving time.

What time does the sun rise, and what time does it set in California when we spring forward?

On March 9, clocks will jump one hour ahead.

In San Diego and other parts of far Southern California, that means the sun will rise just a few minutes after 7 a.m., according to Time and Date. The sun will set over San Diego around 7 p.m. throughout March.

In Redding and other parts of far Northern California, the sun will rise at 7:30 a.m. and set at 7:10 p.m. on March 9.

What is the Sunshine Protection Act? When is the U.S. getting rid of daylight savings time?

The Sunshine Protection Act of 2021, which was created to make Daylight Saving Time the new, permanent standard time, was unanimously passed by the U.S. Senate in 2022. However, it didn't pass in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

There is currently no news on when it will be readdressed and then signed into law.

As of mid-February, there's no permanent end in sight to DST.

What is daylight saving time saving? Hint: it may not actually be time or money

Did Daylight Saving Time start because of farmers?

No, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac.

"Many Americans wrongly point to farmers as the driving force behind Daylight Saving Time. In fact, farmers were its strongest opponents and, as a group, stubbornly resisted the change from the beginning," according to Old Farmer's Almanac reporter Catherine Boeckmann.

"When the war ended, the farmers and working-class people who had held their tongues began speaking out. They demanded an end to Daylight Saving Time, claiming it benefited only office workers and the leisure class. The controversy spotlighted the growing gap between rural and urban dwellers," Boeckmann wrote.

USA TODAY and City News Service contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Daylight Savings Time change 2025? Clocks spring forward Sunday
Doris Figueroa always dreamed of having a pink bakery. Her dream became a reality two weeks ago when she and her husband, Camilo Figueroa, opened Abbys Bakes.

The bakery at 723 E. Mountain St., decorated with pink and white flowers, has glass display cases filled with pavlovas, cupcakes and Hispanic desserts such as alfajores, a traditional confection typically made of flour, honey, and nuts.

When Doris Figueroas stepfather moved to Nicaragua, he introduced her to baking, and she fell in love with it.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I started doing it as a hobby. If my family wanted a cake, I would just do it. If it was their birthday, I would make it for them and give it to them, Doris said.

She said that when she started making desserts in the United States, she experienced a kind of culture shock.

In Nicaragua, I used to bake a lot of Hispanic treats. When I moved here, I started to make other things like cheesecakes. I never did a cheesecake before that, she said.

The bakerys menu of desserts reflect the confectionary diversity of American, Nicaraguan and Colombian flavors.

We want to be different and have something for everybody, Figueroa said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She said that after meeting Camilo and working at a restaurant together, she decided to turn her hobby into a business. Camilo supported her and learned to bake from her.

When I met him, I told him I would love to have a bakery of my own. He said, Lets do it. It was so quick, the next day we were working on it, she said.

Camilo Figueroa said that they chose Kernersville in part because he had lived in town before moving to Greensboro with Doris.

Ever since I moved here, Ive loved Kernersville. Im thankful for this town because the people here have always treated us well, and I appreciate that, he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Figueroas said they plan eventually to move to Kernersville to grow alongside their bakery.

Doris mother, Elizabeth Gutierrez, said that she was proud to support the couples business.

Sometimes, parents tell you what to do, but when they met each other, fell in love and decided to open their business, the only thing we could do as parents was support them. We thank God for it, she said.
Every Bucks County resident knows that it's easy to spend a day winding along the river towns along the Delaware, where one can find a plethora of quaint towns, including New Hope and Point Pleasant.

But according to HGTV, one of its most popular destinations is just across the river from New Hope, and is one of the best in the U.S.

The lifestyle channel named Lambertville, N.J., set along the Delaware River, as no. 30 in its recent list of the 50 most charming small towns in America.

The lifestyle channel named Lambertville, set along the Delaware River, as no. 30 in its recent list of the 50 most charming small towns in America.

HGTV noted Lambertville's mix of Zagat-rated restaurants, one-of-a-kind shops, award-winning hotels and bed and breakfasts, and storied history as reasons behind its ranking.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Lambertville day trippers are surrounded by historic digs on their visits, as the city  which dates back to 1705  is full of federal townhouses, Victorian homes and a restored 19th-century train depot.

Firing up grill in Point Pleasant: This new brewery, barbecue joint in Point Pleasant gives a nod to its firefighting past

Plus, said HGTV, Lambertville is the antique capital of New Jersey. It's home to The Peoples Store Antiques and Design Center as well as other antique shops, plus artisan-owned stores and art galleries.

Contact: JIntersimone@MyCentralJersey.com

Jenna Intersimone has been a staff member at the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey since 2014, although she's a lifetime Jersey girl who considers herself an expert in everything from the Jersey Shore to the Garden State's buzzing downtowns. To get unlimited access to her stories about food, drink and fun, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. You can also follow her on Instagram at @seejennaeat and on Twitter at @JIntersimone.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Lambertville NJ named one of the best small towns in the US by HGTV
BRISBANE, Australia (AP)  Flooding rains lashed the Australian east coast even though it avoided the destructive winds of its first tropical cyclone in 51 years, officials said Saturday. One person was confirmed dead and several were injured.

Tropical Cyclone Alfred had been expected to become the first cyclone to cross the Australian coast near the Queensland state capital of Brisbane, Australias third-most populous city, since 1974.

But it weakened Saturday to a tropical low, which is defined as carrying sustained winds of less than 63 kph (39 mph).

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The cyclones remnants crossed the coast late Saturday 55 kilometers (34 miles) north of Brisbane and will continue to track west across the inland bringing heavy rain, the Bureau of Meteorology said in a statement.

The real threat now is from that locally heavy-to-intense rainfall, which may lead to flash and riverine flooding, bureau manager Matt Collopy said.

Cyclones are common in Queenslands tropical north but are rare in the states temperate and densely populated southeast corner that borders New South Wales state.

A 61-year-old man who disappeared in a flooded river near the New South Wales town of Dorrigo was confirmed the first casualty of the crisis when his body was recovered on Saturday, police said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Two military trucks involved in the emergency response rolled over in the town of Tregeagle in New South Wales on Saturday, injuring 13 defense personnel, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Sunday.

One truck left the road and rolled several times into a paddock and the other truck tipped on its side while swerving to avoid a collision.

Of the 32 Brisbane-based military personnel in the trucks, six sustained serious injuries, he said. The injured were taken to hospitals and all were expected to recover, Defense Minister Richard Marles said.

A woman sustained minor injuries when an apartment building lost its roof in the Queensland border city of Gold Coast on Friday, police said. The woman was one of 21 people who were evacuated from the building.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A couple sustained minor injuries when a tree crashed through the ceiling of their Gold Coast bedroom during strong winds and rain on Thursday night, officials said.

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said 330,000 homes and businesses had lost power due to the storm since Thursday. No other natural disaster had created a bigger blackout in the states history. New South Wales reported as many as 45,000 premises without electricity on Saturday. But tens of thousands had been reconnected by late in the day, officials said.

Rivers were flooding in Queensland and New South Wales after days of heavy rain, the meteorology bureau said. The dead man recovered on Saturday was the only fatality among 36 flood rescues carried out by emergency teams in northern New South Wales in recent days, most involving vehicles attempting to cross floodwaters, police said.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  One person was hurt in a crash late Friday night, March 7 in South-Central El Paso, El Paso Police said.

Two vehicles collided at Delta and San Marcial in front of the Chamizal National Memorial.

One person was taken to a local hospital for treatment of their injuries. Police did not say how badly the person was hurt.

A Fire Department spokesman said one person was transported Code 3 (serious injuries).

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Special Traffic Investigations Unit, which looks into crashes with serious injuries or fatalities, was called out to the scene.

The crash happened a little before midnight on Friday night, a Fire Department spokesman said.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
About 100 Russian soldiers used the gas pipeline to reach the positions of Ukraines defence forces near the area of Sudzha on the morning of 8 March.

Source: journalist Yurii Butusov; Ukrainska Pravda source in a unit operating in Kursk Oblast

Quote from the Ukrainska Pravda source: "The enemy used a gas pipeline and came out in area N [the precise location is concealed for security purposes  ed.], up to about 100 people. It was not a surprise, as we knew about this action. But the focus [of the command's attention  ed.] had been shifted to Kurilovka a few days ago [referring to the breakthrough near Sudzha a few days ago ed.].

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Russians had been preparing for this operation for several days, clearing the area with aerial bombs."

Details: Ukrainska Pravda does not know what happened to Russian forces who passed through the pipeline, nor whether they managed to reach Sudzha itself.

When asked why the defence forces did not blow up the pipe, the source said that it was impossible to do so given the limited logistics.

Most likely, this is an underground pipe of the Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhhorod gas pipeline, which until 1 January 2025 was used by Russia to supply gas to Europe through Ukraine. The diameter of one pipe is 1.4 metres.

Background: The Russians broke through the Ukrainian defence line south of Sudzha in Kursk Oblast. The defence forces are trying to stabilise the situation.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Eleven people were rescued from an elevator in a high-rise building on Friday night.

According to Cambridge Fire, crews were called to a building on Education Circle at 6:07 p.m. for an elevator rescue.

Firefighters used pulleys and ropes to rescue 11 people from the blind elevator shaft.

One person was evaluated by medics on scene, and there are no other injuries to report.

Additional information was not released.

II) Elevator Rescue: Eleven people were safely removed from the elevator with one evaluated by medics. No other injuries were reported.

Group 3 on duty. pic.twitter.com/CPRkOJx5C1  Cambridge Fire Dept. (@CambridgeMAFire) March 8, 2025

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
At least 12 people were injured in a shooting at a pub in a Toronto suburb on Friday night, police said.

The victims in the shooting in Scarborough, a district in eastern Toronto, all ranged in age from their 20s to mid-50s, according to the Toronto Police Service.

Six people suffered gunshot wounds, but there were no life-threatening injuries.

PHOTO: Police attend the scene of a shooting at a pub in Toronto, Canada, March 8, 2025. (Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press via AP)

The shooting was reported at 10:39 p.m. local time. Police said they are searching for three male suspects.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

MORE: Woman caught trying to plant explosive devices at Tesla dealership

The Toronto Police Service said they were deploying all available resources to locate and arrest those responsible.

PHOTO: Toronto Police investigate a shooting at the Piper Arms Pub near the Scarborough Town Centre in Toronto on March 8, 2025. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP)

Paul Macintyre, a superintendent with the Toronto Police Organized Crime Unit, called the shooting a "brazen and reckless act" at a press briefing Friday night.

"I am deeply troubled to hear reports of a shooting at a pub in Scarborough," Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said in a statement on social media early Saturday. "I have spoken to Chief Demkiw and he has assured me all necessary resources have been deployed. This is an early and ongoing investigation - police will provide further details. My thoughts are with the victims and their families."

ABC News' Morgan Winsor contributed to this report.

12 injured in mass shooting at pub in Toronto originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
A 14-year-old boy has been arrested and charged with murder in the death of a Newark, New Jersey, police officer, after shots were exchanged between police and a group on Friday night, according to prosecutors.

Joseph Azcona, 26, a five-year veteran of the Newark Police Department was shot during the incident and pronounced dead at the hospital hours later, police said.

A second officer and a suspect were shot, both sustaining non-life threatening injuries, Essex County Prosecutor Theodore Stephens.

PHOTO: In this photo released by the Newark Police Department, Detective Joseph Azcona is shown. (Newark Police Department)

Police officers were investigating possible illegal firearms at around 6:30 p.m. when the shots were exchanged, Stephens said at a press conference Saturday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

MORE: 12 injured in mass shooting at Toronto pub

Four other have also been taken into custody, Stephens said.

PHOTO: Law enforcement officials work at the scene of the shooting in Newark on March 7, 2025. (WABC)

The 14-year-old suspect is also charged with attempted murder and possession with illegal weapons. He suffered non-life threatening injuries, Stephens said.

MORE: Missing woman found dead in suitcase, ex-boyfriend in custody

"Law enforcement officers leave their loved ones everyday and put their lives on the line for the safety and wellbeing of our communities," Essex County Sheriff Amir Jones said in a statement Saturday.

"The egregious acts that took place last night have left a family, a community and the brotherhood and sisterhood of law enforcement devastated and with a void that can never be filled," Jones said.

14-year-old charged with murder of Newark police officer originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
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: Kathryn Elizabeth Ridley. Image courtesy Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum.

We want to remember Kathryn Elizabeth Ridley, 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.
HONOLULU (KHON2)  Honolulu police have arrested a 17-year-old girl for attempted murder following a shooting on the H-2 freeway.

The late-night incident happened on Saturday, March 1, around 9:30 p.m. in the Waipio area of the H-2 freeway.

Ala Moana shooting raises questions over Hawaiis sensitive places law

According to HPD, a male and female were driving south on the H-2 before Ka Uka Boulevard when the suspect in another vehicle fired at the couple, striking the drivers door.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The suspect then fled the scene.

After further investigation, police officials positively identified a 17-year-old female and arrested her without incident.

Police added that no further information will be released due to the suspects age.

Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You

She remains in police custody pending 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 KHON2.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala (WIAT)  The Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit is asking the public to come forward with any information that can lead to the arrest of the person who killed Chanda Fehler in 1987.

Chanda Fehler was a kindergarten teacher at Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary school and a University of Alabama Graduate Student.

June 10, 1957 her car was found in the Riverside Pool parking lot on the University of Alabamas campus. Her door was open and her personal belongings were still inside.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Chanda Fehler was nowhere to be found, until four days later when fisherman found her body in the Black Warrior River.

Her killer was never found.

Well never, ever give up ever, Allison Fehler Sherrill said.

Sherrill, and her two other siblings  Kristin Fehler OConnor, Earnest Fehler Jr, and sister-in-law, Krista Fehler  appeared in the Tuscaloosas VCU press conference room on Friday along side VCUs Captain for the latest in this cold case.

The Sheriffs Office, along with some technologies that weve obtained in the last year, along with our crime scene unit aided with the Department of Forensic Sciences in Montgomery and in Hoover have begun an intensive evaluation of all the physical evidence involved in this case, VCU Captain Jack Kennedy said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Walker County Sheriffs Office page removed from Facebook

Kennedy said that some of the forensic techniques and technology being used are modern state of the art, never used before in Alabama.

Were hopeful that there are going to be leads that come from this testing, Kennedy added.

While the family of Chanda Fehler remain optimistic that justice can finally be served, they also dont want to get their hopes up.

I think we all three feel like were closer today than we ever have been in these 38 years, Sherill said.

Were optimistically trying not to get too excited about is this new technology with the forensics. This did not exist in 1987 or for several years after that, OConnor added.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

While new technology could help finally crack this cold case, VCU still needs help from the public, and Kennedy believes someone, somewhere has answers.

Eyewitness testimony is just as important as forensic evidence, Kennedy said. It has been 38 years since this has occurred, and if there is anyone out there that has any information that has been holding onto it for 38 years  it is now time to come forward with it.

Since Chanda Fehlers murder, investigators believed the killer knew her. While motives cannot be shared because the case remains under investigation, VCU is pleading that others share what they know.

There are people who have personal information about suspects that can help solve crimes, Kennedy said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In 1987, multiple witnesses were interviewed. However, those interviewed said they never heard or saw anything. But Kennedy says conversations the killer had with others in the community could create a lead  even if those conversations did not include a person directly saying they killed Chanda Fehler.

Now is the time to come forward. Now is the time to provide closure for Chanda and her family. Now is the time that any information you provide is worth $10,000, and now is the time to do the right thing, Kennedy said.

Anyone who can provide any information is asked to reach out to VCU Captain Jack Kennedy directly at (205)-464-8692.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS 42.
BEIRUT (AP)  The death toll from two days of clashes between Syrian security forces and loyalists of ousted President Bashar Assad and revenge killings that followed has risen to more than 1,000, a war monitoring group said Saturday, making it one of the deadliest acts of violence since Syrias conflict began 14 years ago.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said in addition to 745 civilians killed, mostly in shootings from close distance, 125 government security force members and 148 militants with armed groups affiliated with Assad were killed. It added that electricity and drinking water were cut off in large areas around the city of Latakia.

The clashes, which erupted Thursday, marked a major escalation in the challenge to the new government in Damascus, three months after insurgents took authority after removing Assad from power.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The government has said that they were responding to attacks from remnants of Assads forces and blamed individual actions for the rampant violence.

Retribution killings between Sunnis and Alawites

The revenge killings that started Friday by Sunni Muslim gunmen loyal to the government against members of Assads minority Alawite sect are a major blow to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the faction that led the overthrow of the former government. Alawites made up a large part of Assads support base for decades.

Residents of Alawite villages and towns spoke to The Associated Press about killings during which gunmen shot Alawites, the majority of them men, in the streets or at the gates of their homes. Many homes of Alawites were looted and then set on fire in different areas, two residents of Syrias coastal region told the AP from their hideouts.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

They asked that their names not be made public out of fear of being killed by gunmen, adding that thousands of people have fled to nearby mountains for safety.

Residents speak of atrocities in one town

Residents of Baniyas, one of the towns worst hit by the violence, said bodies were strewn on the streets or left unburied in homes and on the roofs of buildings, and nobody was able to collect them. One resident said that the gunmen prevented residents for hours from removing the bodies of five of their neighbors killed Friday at close range.

Ali Sheha, a 57-year-old resident of Baniyas who fled with his family and neighbors hours after the violence broke out Friday, said that at least 20 of his neighbors and colleagues in one neighborhood of Baniyas where Alawites lived, were killed, some of them in their shops, or in their homes.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Sheha called the attacks revenge killings of the Alawite minority for the crimes committed by Assad's government. Other residents said the gunmen included foreign fighters, and militants from neighboring villages and towns.

It was very very bad. Bodies were on the streets, as he was fleeing, Sheha said, speaking by phone from nearly 20 kilometers (12 miles) away from the city. He said the gunmen were gathering less than 100 meters from his apartment building, firing randomly at homes and residents and in at least one incident he knows of, asked residents for their IDs to check their religion and their sect before killing them. He said the gunmen also burned some homes and stole cars and robbed homes.

Death toll has multiplied

The Observatorys chief Rami Abdurrahman said that revenge killings stopped early Saturday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This was one of the biggest massacres during the Syrian conflict, Abdurrahman said about the killings of Alawite civilians.

The previous figure given by the group was more than 600 dead. No official figures have been released.

A funeral was held Saturday afternoon for four Syrian security force members in the northwestern village of Al-Janoudiya after they were killed in the clashes along Syria's coast. Scores of people attended the funeral.

Official reports say Syrian forces regaining control

Syrias state news agency quoted an unnamed Defense Ministry official as saying that government forces have regained control of much of the areas from Assad loyalists. It added that authorities have closed all roads leading to the coastal region to prevent violations and gradually restore stability.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On Saturday morning, the bodies of 31 people killed in revenge attacks the day before in the central village of Tuwaym were laid to rest in a mass grave, residents said. Those killed included nine children and four women, the residents said, sending the AP photos of the bodies draped in white cloth as they were lined in the mass grave.

Lebanese legislator Haidar Nasser, who holds one of the two seats allocated to the Alawite sect in parliament, said that people were fleeing from Syria for safety in Lebanon. He said he didn't have exact numbers.

Nasser said that many people were sheltering at the Russian air base in Hmeimim, Syria, adding that the international community should protect Alawites who are Syrian citizens loyal to their country. He said that since Assads fall, many Alawites were fired from their jobs and some former soldiers who reconciled with the new authorities were killed.

Under Assad, Alawites held top posts in the army and security agencies. The new government has blamed his loyalists for attacks against the countrys new security forces over the past several weeks.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

France expressed its deep concern over recent violence in Syria. Paris condemns in the strongest possible terms atrocities committed against civilians on the basis of religion grounds and against prisoners, its foreign ministry said in a statement Saturday.

France urged Syrian interim authorities to make sure independent investigations shed full light on these crimes.

The most recent clashes started when government forces tried to detain a wanted person near the coastal city of Jableh, and were ambushed by Assad loyalists, according to the Observatory.

___

Omar Albam in Al-Janoudiya, Syria and Sylvie Corbet in Paris contributed to this report..
CHEROKEE COUNTY, Texas (KETK)  Smith County Emergency Services District 2 helped save several pets from a recent structure fire in Cherokee County.

Dog taken to veterinary hospital after Longview house fire

On Friday, Smith County Emergency Services District 2 (SCESD2) shared that they assisted Lake Palestine East VFD with a single-wide mobile home fire. When SCESD2 Battalion 1 arrived on scene they found smoke and fire visible inside the home.

Photo courtesy of Smith County Emergency Services District 2. Photo courtesy of Smith County Emergency Services District 2. Photo courtesy of Smith County Emergency Services District 2. Photo courtesy of Smith County Emergency Services District 2.

Several additional crews arrived and the fire was extinguished quickly, according to SCESD2. Firefighters managed to rescue two dogs, a cat and kittens from the fire which was contained to the homes kitchen and living room.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

SCESD2 responded to the scene with their Engine 156, Engine 161, Tender 162 and Battalion 1 crews.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  A scam circulating online is falsely alleging that two local police officers are missing.

The Middletown Division of Police posted to social media Thursday saying social media posts across the country are showing photos and information about Middletown officer Ballinger and Beasley.

The posts claim the officers are missing in several states, including Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Wisconsin and more.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Police alerted the public after being made aware of the false information that both officers are okay and were never missing.

After the initial fraudulent posts on social media, a number of authors edited their posts to remove all information regarding the officers and replace it with either a rental or sale ad.

These bait-and-switch ads aim to either get a deposit for a rental property before the user gets a chance to see the homeor get your personal information, which could lead to identity theft, said police.

Authorities encourage residents to stay vigilant and investigate posts that may seem suspicious.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Do yourself a favor and do some digging before re-sharing the post, said the post. If its legit, you would see it right here on our page or see it on the news wherever you live.

The Better Business Bureau offers tips for online users to understand online scams.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4)  Two people received sentences Friday for trespassing onto a historical site at Canyonlands National Park, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office, District of Utah.

Roxanne McKnight, 39, and Dusty Spencer, 43, of Durango, Colo., were sentenced March 7 for trespassing onto a fenced-off historical site at Canyonlands National Park and disturbing the artifacts on display. The artifacts included an antique horse tack and cabinetry, officials said.

This historic camp was protected by fencing and clear warnings prohibiting visitors from entering the area, which McKnight and Spencer disregarded, the press release from the Attorneys Office states.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Former 2002 Salt Lake City Olympian put on FBIs 10 Most Wanted list, $10M reward offered

McKnight was sentenced to a one-year ban from federal public lands in Utah and one year of probation, officials said. Spencer was sentenced a two-year ban from federal public lands in Utah and two years probation.

Additionally, both McKnight and Spencer have been ordered to pay fines totaling $1,500.

The sentence comes after the defendants pleaded guilty to possessing or disturbing cultural or archaeological resources, and walking on or entering archeological or cultural resource, Class B misdemeanors, the release states.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The National Park Service investigated this case.

No further information is available at this time.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
DENVER (KDVR)  Two Denver strip clubs have filed a federal lawsuit accusing Denver Labor of abusing power and requesting a gag order after the clubs were told that they owe nearly $14 million in restitution and penalties for wage theft.

The Denver Auditors Office said last month that the clubs, the Diamond Cabaret on Glenarm Place and Ricks Cabaret on Stout Street, violated nearly every applicable provision of Denvers minimum wage and civil wage theft ordinances. The office said an investigation into the Diamond Cabaret, which began in May 2023, found that the club stole millions from bartenders, servers, DJs and entertainers as part of its business model. Both clubs are owned by companies that list Corporate Creations Network Inc. as their registered agent.

Previous coverage: 2 Denver strip clubs ordered to pay nearly $14M for wage theft: Auditors office

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Denver Labor said the clubs misclassified dancers as exempt, failed to pay dancers and staff minimum wage, stole money by requiring entertainers to pay fees to work, misclassified workers as tipped food and beverage employees to pay them less than minimum wage, took a share of tips and misclassified DJs and the house mom as food and beverage workers eligible for tips.

On Friday, the clubs filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court against the City and County of Denver, the Denver Auditors Office and auditor Timothy OBrien, Denver Labor, Denver Labor executive director Matthew Fritz-Mauer and Denver Labor Hearing Officer Ellen Kelman. The clubs accuse the city and its agencies of exceeding the scope of their authority under the Denver Revised Municipal Code.

In a Friday press release, the clubs said the lawsuit seeks to stop Denver Labor from its enforcement against the clubs and to request a gag order to prevent Denver Labors further dissemination of falsehoods against the clubs.

According to the release, the lawsuit challenges the city, auditor, and Denver Labors multiple violations of the clubs constitutional due process and property rights.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The clubs claimed that they followed all local, state and federal laws related to 1099 independent contractors and hospitality employees and said they have all received the full amount of their different forms of rumeneration.

Despite this, Denver Labor has falsely alleged this did not occur and therefore the clubs owe back pay and fines, the release states.

FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox

The clubs allege five main abuses of power by Denver Labor, accusing the agency of:

Forcing entertainers to become employees against their will

Illegally accessing employee records through statutory overreach and publicly disclosing confidential entertainer information without consent

Falsely accusing the club managers of stealing tips from entertainers and employees

Omitting actual wages paid to employees, failing to account for employees earned tips and overtime payments, including duplicate entries and incorrect pay periods and inconsistently applied math formulas in calculating its financial claim

Deceiving the public and the media

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In the lawsuits, the clubs accuse Denver Labors Fritz-Mauer of unlawfully initiating the investigation into the clubs.

Denver Labor previously stated that the investigation into the Diamond Cabaret, which led to the investigation of Ricks Cabaret, began because strip clubs are known to have a high risk of wage and hour violations.

Michael Brannen, Executive Director of Communications and Government Relations for the Denver Auditors Office, acknowledged the lawsuit and said, We will let the legal process play out. We stand by the findings of our determinations.

Workers at RCI Holdings-owned businesses should contact us if they feel like their rights have been violated. We will continue to investigate allegations of wage theft and questionable workplace practices at these businesses. Michael Brannen

FOX31 has reached out to the city and others accused in the complaint for comment. This article will be updated.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
Police are searching for two suspects who broke into parked cars and went on a shopping spree using stolen credit cards in Orange County.

The pair is accused of breaking into two vehicles inside a parking structure at Main Street and Mercantile in Irvine.

They took the victims belongings, access cards and credit cards, Irvine police said.

Police are searching for two theft suspects who broke into vehicles and went on a shopping spree using stolen credit cards in Orange County. (Irvine Police Department) Police are searching for two theft suspects who broke into vehicles and went on a shopping spree using stolen credit cards in Orange County. (Irvine Police Department) Police are searching for two theft suspects who broke into vehicles and went on a shopping spree using stolen credit cards in Orange County. (Irvine Police Department)

They used the stolen cards and went on a shopping spree, making over $2,581 in fraudulent charges. Theyre also accused of committing $1,400 in damages and stealing around $5,472 worth of property.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Surveillance images of the male and female suspects were released by police in hopes the public may recognize them.

The female suspect has distinct tattoos of the ghost dog Zero from The Nightmare Before Christmas film, a jack-o-lantern, and a pawprint with the name Bella on her right arm.

Anyone who recognizes the pair or has information on the case is asked to email amena@cityofirvine.org.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  A 20-year-old Cape Girardeau, Missouri has been convicted for a 2023 road rage shooting on I-70 near Oak Grove that left 53-year-old Gary Denham dead.

On Thursday, a Jackson County jury convicted Charles Smith Jr. of second-degree murder, unlawful use of a weapon and two counts of armed criminal action.

On Friday, the jury recommended a total of 47 years in prison, according to the Jackson County Prosecutors Office.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Smith will be sentenced on May 1.

Students family suing Lawrence School District after alleged sex abuse

According to court records, Just before 4:20 p.m. on Wednesday, April 19, 2023, Oak Grove police and the Missouri State Highway Patrol responded to an incident on eastbound I-70 at Oak Grove.

The driver of a white Hyundai Elantra, with Florida registration, and the driver of a green Ford pickup, were reportedly involved in a road-rage incident, during which the driver of the pickup went off the side of I-70 and crashed into a parked vehicle at the Petro Travel Center, according to court documents.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The driver of the pickup, identified as Denham, was found with an apparent gunshot wound and died from his injuries.

Witnesses reported the description of the suspect vehicle. One witness reported hearing a popping noise immediately before Denham went off the roadway.

Another witness reported Smith driving erratically, then overtook and struck Denhams pickup, which caused it to go off the roadway. White paint was evident on the drivers side truck bed of Denhams Ford, according to court documents.

Troopers located Smith later traveling east in Lafayette County. Troopers attempted to stop Smith but he sped away, eventually stopping in a field south of I-70 and ran on foot.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Following an overnight search, Smith was located hiding behind an automotive shop in Sweet Springs and taken into custody. Video surveillance was located and positively identified Smith as the suspect.

Download the FOX4 News app on iPhone and Android

Smith told the highway patrol Denham was driving aggressively, used obscene gestures towards him, and cut him off. Smith said the pickup struck his vehicle multiple times which made him mad, according to court records.

After further questioning, Smith stated he fired a shot at the pickup because he thought his vehicle could overturn and he could be ejected, court records say. Smith said he fired at the pickup without aiming, and that it was intended to be a warning shot. He said he was unaware he struck the victim.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
The government will shut down next Saturday morning unless Congress can rally around a funding measure by the end of the week, setting up the first big legislative spending fight of President Trumps second term.

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is set to move forward with a stopgap measure, also known as a continuing resolution (CR), that will run through the end of fiscal 2025 on Sept. 30.

Its unclear whether the legislation will have the votes to get through both chambers.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Here are the three key groups to watch as the House and Senate prepare to tackle the issue.

Democrats

Johnson may need Democrats to back the measure in the House given the likelihood that some conservative Republicans will vote against it.

The Speaker has a tiny majority and can only afford to lose one GOP vote if all Democrats oppose it, assuming full attendance. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who frequently bucks the party, said last week that he would vote against a clean CR that funds everything in 2025 at 2024 levels for a host of reasons.

Johnson expressed confidence the measure will pass with GOP votes.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I believe well pass it along party lines, Johnson told reporters Thursday morning, but I think every Democrat should vote for the CR.

Because the bill extends existing funding, the legislation will essentially fund the government at the levels set under former President Biden.

But Democrats angered with the efforts by Trump and Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) say they will vote against the measure anyway.

They have specifically pushed for the bill to include language mandating that the administration spend what is appropriated in the upcoming funding bill, which would force the administration to not make DOGE cuts that are not in line with the CR.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

That idea was flatly rejected by Republicans, with House Appropriations Committee Chair Tom Cole (R-Okla.) calling the idea a nonstarter.

Some Democrats in Trump districts who face tough reelection races next year may provide some votes for the bill, which could be crucial if Johnson loses some GOP votes.

In the Senate, at least seven Democratic votes will be needed to get the bill to the presidents desk. If the bill is approved by the House, however, it could be tough for Senate Democrats to reject it, since it would make it easier for the GOP to try to shift blame to the Democrats over a shutdown.

Were not assuming anything. Well going to wait and see what happens, Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said about the possibility of the bill passing the House.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Youre presuming two or three things that I dont [think] you can presume, Durbin continued, noting that their budget resolution passed by a single vote in late February. It still passed. Well see if they can do it again.

Sen. John Fetterman (Pa.) is the lone Senate Democrat to publicly say he will back the bill. He warned his colleagues it would be political malpractice for them to shut down the government, especially over a clean CR bill that the party has clamored for in years past.

House conservatives

The reason that Johnson may need some Democratic votes to pass the legislation is because some House Republicans may vote against it.

And since the GOP controls the White House and House and Senate majorities, division in the House GOP will make it that much easier for Democrats to blame a shutdown on Republicans if the House GOP cant pass a bill on its own.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Many House conservatives oppose CRs on principle. They want to pass appropriations bills through regular order, meaning each separate appropriations bill is considered and amended, regardless of the looming shutdown threats.

This time around, those lawmakers  many of whom are in the conservative House Freedom Caucus  are expressing an openness to passing a stopgap, but noting that they will not make a final determination until they can parse through the particulars.

I havent seen it. I dont know that its a clean CR, so until I see it I really wont have a comment on it, said Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.), a Freedom Caucus member.

I would say that in order to ensure that the presidents agenda is accomplished, we need to ensure that the government maintains its function, he responded when asked if he would be open to a stopgap at this juncture.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Pressed on whether a continuing resolution is the most logical option, considering the calendar, Clyde said perhaps.

It could be tough for Clyde and other conservatives to oppose a CR when Trump supports it. Trump has endorsed the stopgap measure, and he held a meeting with hard-line conservatives to discuss the bill at the White House last week.

We had a great meeting with the president, said Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.), the chair of the Freedom Caucus. The group of conservatives in the office with him all want to support the presidents agenda, and were going to work toward getting that continuing resolution in the form where we can pass it, just like we did last week.

Defense hawks

GOP defense hawks in the House are another important group to watch.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

These members are worried about what the CR could mean for the Pentagon.

In September, defense hawks led by House Armed Services Committee Chair Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) opposed a continuing resolution that stretched into 2025, citing concerns with the lack of an increase in spending for the Pentagon.

This time around, Rogers is leaving the door open  as long as the Pentagon receives the requisite funding.

Im not crazy about it, Rogers told The Hill last week of Johnsons full-year continuing resolution pitch. Ive been told that theyre gonna hold the Defense Department harmless, both financially and with anomalies, and thatll get it out of the House, I dont know how they get it out of the Senate, but Im not leadership.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ive told leadership that I will not support a CR that does not hold the Defense Department completely harmless, both in its budget and with anomalies for new starts, Rogers added.

Asked how his leadership responded, Rogers said: They said that sounds acceptable.

Defense hawks could be an issue in the Senate, too.

Former Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who chairs the subcommittee overseeing defense spending, wrote an op-ed in The Washington Post titled We cannot defeat tomorrows enemies with yesterdays budgets, detailing why a continuing resolution would be harmful to U.S. national security.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The costs of deterring war pale in comparison to the costs of fighting one, McConnell wrote. If Congress is unwilling to make deterrent investments today, then discussion about the urgency of looming threats  particularly the pacing threat of China  carries little weight.

Mike Lillis contributed.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 3-year-old boy was injured after he was shot inside an apartment in Ohio early Friday morning, according to our media partners WBNS-10 TV.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

The shooting happened just before 2 a.m. in the 700 block of Walnut Grove Court.

TRENDING STORIES:

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Columbus Police Sergeant Joe Albert told WBNS-10 that the childs mother said the boy accidentally shot himself.

The boy sustained a gunshot wound to the arm, according to police.

WBNS-10 reported that officers could not find a weapon on scene.

Medics took the child to Nationwide Childrens Hospital in stable condition.

Franklin County Municipal Court Records indicate that the mother told police that Aaron Hughes Jr., 23, was in the apartment but left just before officers arrived.

She said she saw Hughes with the gun before leaving, according to WBNS-10 TV.

A warrant for tampering with evidence has been issued for Hughes.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call the Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-TIPS(8477) or the Columbus Police Domestic Violence Unit at (614) 645-7225.

[SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]




MARINETTE COUNTY, Wis. (WFRV)  A 34-year-old woman who was an inmate at the Marinette County Jail died on Tuesday night in a cell pod.

According to a Marinette County Sheriffs Office release, correctional officers were alerted to a medical emergency for a female inmate in a cell pod on Tuesday around 7:40 p.m.

Wisconsin Department of Justice provides update on officer-involved death in Fond du Lac

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The woman, identified as 34-year-old Kristi Meverden, was found and officers immediately attempted life-saving measures along with Aurora Medical Center  Bay Area EMS and Marinette Emergency Rescue Squad personnel.

All resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful, as Meverden was pronounced dead. The incident is under investigation by Marinette County officials and will be reviewed by the Wisconsin Department of Corrections Office of Detention Facilities.

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.
MIDVALE, Utah (ABC4)  A 36-unit apartment building in Midvale was evacuated early Saturday morning due to a fire, according to the Unified Fire Authority.

Shortly before 12:30 a.m. on March 8, fire crews responded to an alarm at an apartment building located on the 7900 South block of Main Street. Personnel arrived on scene to find heavy smoke coming out of the three-story building, according to Kelly Bird, Unified Fire.

Local police were already on scene evacuating residents, according to Bird.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Sen. Dan Thatcher leaves Republican party for Utah Forward party

The fire reportedly started in a bottom-floor apartment at the end of the building. Authorities believe the fire started due to an issue with a bathroom fan. The fire spread upward, causing damage to two additional apartments directly above  on the second and third floors.

Additionally, a water line broke on the bottom floor, causing six inches of water to flood all 12 units on the floor. It is unknown whether this was related to or caused by the fire, Bird said.

All residents on the bottom floor, as well as the residents of the apartments above the unit where the fire started, have been displaced. The rest of the units sustained varying degrees of smoke damage, according to Bird.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Red Cross is assisting with those displaced. No injuries occurred during this incident.

Sandy Fire, West Jordan Fire, South Salt Lake Fire, and Draper Fire also assisted with this response.

No further information is available at this time.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
A 37-year-old woman was taken into police custody after a 21-year-old man was shot overnight in the Austin neighborhood, Chicago police said.

Shortly before 12:45 a.m. Saturday, a 21-year-old man was involved in a fight with a 19-year-old woman and another person in the 4700 block of West North Avenue.

During the fight, a 37-year-old woman exited a building near the altercation and shot the man to the leg, Chicago police said. The man was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital where he was listed in serious condition, police said.

The older woman was placed into custody and a weapon was recovered from the scene. Detectives were investigating.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA)  Grants worth nearly $3 million from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) are heading to Springfield for lead service line replacements.

Acting Director with Illinois EPA, James Jennings, announced on Friday that an award of $2,890,226 in funding is heading to Springfield to replace lead service lines in the city. The funding is being made available through the EPAs State Revolving Fund (SRF), which provides low interest loan funding for projects focusing on drinking water, wastewater and stormwater.

Lincoln Library offering Passport Application Day

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Additionally, the funding for this project is in the form of principal forgiveness, meaning Springfield will not have to repay any of the money awarded. This is the fourth award the city has received from the Illinois EPA for the replacement of lead service lines.

A total of $5,907,942 has been awarded in previous fiscal years, all of which was received in the form of principal forgiveness.

Making funding available to communities working to remove and replace lead service lines is among the Illinois EPAs highest priorities, Jennings said. This fiscal year, we have reinforced this commitment, with over $120 million prioritized for communities to continue the work of removing the threat of lead leaching into to their drinking water.

Be Alarmed! program bringing awareness to testing smoke, CO alarms in IL

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

With this most recent grant, Springfield is looking to replace approximately 400 lead service lines. Lead is a toxic metal that can accumulate in the body over time, and it can enter drinking water when corrosion of pipes or fixtures happens.

Service lines are the small pipes that carry drinking water from water mains into homes. Many houses built before 1990 may have lead service lines and plumbing fixtures and faucets that contain lead. Getting rid of these lead service lines will help reduce lead exposure for residents.

Under the Water Infrastructure Fund Transfer Act, in State Fiscal Years (SFY) 2017-2023, the Illinois EPA provided $122 million in funding for Lead Service Line Replacement (LSLR) for projects directly related to activities that eliminate or reduce lead from potable water. Specifically, in SFY 2024, the state EPA awarded over $13 million is LSLR funding.

For resources and information on lead in homes, visit the Lead page on the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency website. And to learn more about the Illinois EPAs SRF, check out the Wastewater/Stormwater and Drinking Water Loans section on the same 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 WCIA.com.
A man who escaped a Puerto Rican prison nearly 40 years ago was taken into custody in Florida, according to the Lee County Sheriff's Office.

Jorge Milla-Valdes escaped from a Puerto Rican prison in 1987. The Puerto Rico Department of Justice believed he was living under the name Luis Aguirre.

His criminal history included robbery and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon in Florida's Monroe County, according to the sheriff's office.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The LCSO Fugitive Warrants Unit searched for Milla-Valdes and obtained the original 1986 fingerprints from Puerto Rico, and a set from his criminal history in Monroe County.

PHOTO: In this screen grab of a video, the arrest of Jorge Milla-Valdes is shown, (Lee County Sheriff's Office)

"Latent Fingerprints Supervisor Tina Carver expedited the fingerprint comparison. 15-minutes later -and using finger prints that were taken over 40 years ago- Supervisor Carver was able to match the prints, and confirm that Aguirre and Milla-Valdes was the same individual who had escaped," the sheriff's office said.

MORE: Manhunt for North Carolina inmate who escaped from jail through ventilation system: Sheriff's office

The fugitives unit was informed of the match and Milla-Valdes was taken into custody two hours later in Ft. Myers Shores, according to the sheriff's office.

PHOTO: In this screen grab of a video, the arrest of Jorge Milla-Valdes is shown, (Lee County Sheriff's Office)

"They don't want me. They told me about two times," Milla-Valdes told officers as he was taken into custody, police bodycam footage shows.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Now they do. They changed their mind," an arresting officer responded.

The sheriff applauded his unit's fast response.

"My teams skill is unmatched at every level; even if your crimes dont start here in Lee County, I promise, they WILL end here," Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno said in a statement.

After 40 years on the run, escaped prisoner from Puerto Rico caught in Florida originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
The Pentagon has reportedly marked thousands of photos and online posts for deletion as the Department of Defense works to root out diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the military. But some flagged images have raised eyebrows online.

They include the removal of digital files dedicated to accomplishments of women in the military, the esteemed Tuskegee Airmen and the aircraft that dropped the Little Boy atomic bomb on Japan.

The Associated Press obtained a database, confirmed by U.S. officials, of more than 26,000 images that were flagged because they were deemed to have gone against the anti-DEI push. The AP noted in its report that the total could be higher.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was confirmed in January after Vice President Vance stepped in to break a 50-50 tie vote in the Senate. Days later, the former Fox News host issued a memo outlining efforts at the Pentagon as part of the Trump administrations push to root out DEI programs in federal government.

The AP reported the database underscores the confusion that has swirled among agencies about what to remove after President Trump ordered a sweep of DEI efforts fostered under the Biden administration.

We are pleased by the rapid compliance across the Department with the directive removing DEI content from all platforms, a Pentagon spokesperson told the AP. In the rare cases that content is removed that is out of the clearly outlined scope of the directive, we instruct components accordingly.

Here are five of the items flagged, per the searchable database the AP published:

Enola Gay WWII bomber

At least six photos of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber dubbed the Enola Gay are among the images flagged for removal. The Enola Gay was the aircraft that dropped the first atomic bomb on Japan in 1945. It was named after Enola Gay Tibbets, the mother of the pilot who flew the bomber.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to the AP, the flagging was apparently the result of a broad search for files that included the word gay, in an attempt to quickly remove LGBTQ-positive materials. The database also includes two photos of a member of the military whose last name is Gay.

Reference to fish gender

Images of Army Corps of Engineers biologists appeared in the database, the AP noted, seemingly because it mentioned they were recording data about fish  gender.

The two photos had the tagline Biologists from the Corps work with our partners at the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the National Marine Fisheries Service to improve fish numbers within the basin. They record data about the fish, including size, weight, gender and whether they are hatchery fish or wild fish.

Tuskegee Airmen

Numerous photos of the nations first Black military pilots  the Tuskegee Airmen  who served in a segregated World War II unit were listed in the database. Their efforts in fighting the war have been credited with ushering the eventual integration of the armed forces.

Trailblazing women

Photos of historic milestones of U.S. Air Force Col. Jeannie Leavitt, who was the countrys first female fighter pilot; of the first female Marines; and of World War II Women Air Service Pilots were also marked for removal.

Womens History Month/Black History Month pages

Several web pages and images of cultural celebrations, including Black History Month, Womens History Month and Hispanic Heritage Month, as well as symposiums and other programs to highlight achievements made the purge list, as well.

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.
HONOLULU (KHON2)  The 29th Annual Honolulu Festival is Hawaiis premier Pacific Rim cultural event.

It kicks off on today, March 8 and runs through Sunday, March 9; and its offering a day full of exciting cultural performances, workshops and food experiences.

10 facts about Kelly Slaters $16.5M Hawaii North Shore home for sale

Throughout the day, you and your friends and family can enjoy a wide range of activities, from performances by over 90 cultural groups to interactive workshops.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Whether youre interested in traditional music, hands-on experiences or simply enjoying Japanese delicacies, the Honolulu Festival has something for everyone.

Top things to know about the 29th Annual Honolulu Festival

1. There are cultural performances across three locations: The festival features 91 cultural groups, a significant increase from last year, performing traditional music and dance from Japan, the Pacific Rim and Hawaii. Performances will take place at the Hawaii Convention Center, Waikiki Beach Walks Plaza Lawn on Lewers Street and Ala Moana Centers Center Stage to offer a variety of shows for all ages.

10 things to know about the God Squad: How it impacts Hawaii

2. There are sushi-making workshops: A new addition this year is the Sushi to Me workshop that is offering participants the chance to learn the art of sushi-making from a renowned chef at Sushi Ginza Onodera Hawaii. These hands-on workshops will take place at the Hawaii Convention Center Exhibit Hall at 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. Participation is free but limited to the first 100 attendees.

Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You

3. Sake and Food Fest: For food and drink lovers, the Sake and Food Fest is a must-experience event. This expanded exhibit in the Hawaii Convention Center Exhibit Hall offers samplings of Japanese alcohol, including sake, shochu and awamori (for adults 21 and older). Explore more shops and foods from Japan and enjoy the flavors of the Pacific Rim.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

10 alternatives to an expensive night out with friends: Hawaii budgets

4. Ennichi Corner: Families with keiki can visit Ennichi Corner. Its a special exhibit designed for keiki to enjoy cultural games, crafts and activities. Its a fun way for children to engage with Japanese traditions while learning about the culture.

5. Trade show and art market: Explore more than 200 booths at the Hawaii Convention Center Exhibit Hall, where youll find multicultural exhibits, local crafts, artwork and unique snacks from Japan. Its a great chance to shop for one-of-a-kind items and learn about different cultures.

6. Bon Dance: Experience the tradition of the Bon Dance, Hawaiis first of 2025, with two performances in the Hawaii Convention Center Exhibit Hall: 1212:15 p.m. and 2:202:35 p.m. The Bon Dance is a popular event that invites everyone to join in and celebrate the cultural traditions of Hawaii. Admission is free; click here to reserve your spot(s).

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

7. Japanese Film Festival: For film enthusiasts, the Japanese Film Festival will showcase internationally acclaimed films on the third floor of the Hawaii Convention Center. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Admission is free, and you can find the full schedule of films online.

The 10 most spoken languages in Hawaii

The Waikiki Grand Parade will be on Kalakaua Avenue at 4:30 p.m., and the Nagaoka Fireworks Show begins at 8:30 p.m.

Following a second day of cultural performances, exhibits and activities, the 29th Annual Honolulu Festival comes to an exciting conclusion on Sunday, March 9, with the magnificent Waikiki Grand Parade that runs along Kalakaua Avenue.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The parade begins at 4:30 p.m., and the spectacular Nagaoka Fireworks Show above Waikiki Beach begins at 8:30 p.m.

The festival begins at 10 a.m. and goes through to 6 p.m. It is taking place across three locations in Honolulu: the Hawaii Convention Center, Waikiki Beach Walks Plaza Lawn on Lewers Street and Ala Moana Centers Center Stage.

This years theme, Bridging Cultures, Together for a Peaceful Tomorrow, highlights the festivals mission to promote cultural exchange and understanding through art, food and community engagement.

The 29th Annual Honolulu Festival is supported by the Hawaii Tourism Authority, the City and County of Honolulu and generous corporate sponsors.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

You can click here for more information on the festival. You can follow up to minute updates via their pages on Instagram and Facebook.

Get news on the go with KHON 2GO, KHONs morning podcast, every morning at 8

Its an event that brings the community together to celebrate the rich cultural heritage of Hawaii and the Pacific Rim.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
CARTER COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL)  Debris removal sites have become a staple in our region over the last five and a half months. Carter County is home to the latest site as Knoxville-based Phillips and Jordan begin to clean out the Doe River.

Theres not a word in the English language to put into the magnitude of devastation that East Tennessee saw through this storm, Phillips and Jordan Project Manager Brigham Waginger said.

Phillips and Jordan have been in Carter County for about a month, and Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) communications director Kristin Coulter said theyve already removed approximately 70,000 cubic yards of debris from the Doe River and about 1.4 million cubic yards of debris from waterways across Tennessee.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Just for perspective, a cubic yard is about equivalent to your standard-sized washing machine, Coulter said. So when youre thinking about how much debris were pulling out, I mean, 1.4 million washing machines have come out of the waterways in Tennessee.

Coulter said once the debris is removed from the river, they begin to sort through the different types.

Theyre taking that to a debris management site or a DMS. At the DMS, theyre sorting the debris. The woody debris ends up getting chipped, and then from there, it will either go to a landfill or a positive reuse facility.

Waginger has worked on many projects and told News Channel 11 hes never seen anything like the damage hes seen in our region.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This pure devastation of the magnitude of this storm Ive never seen on any of these projects, Waginger said.

He said the community has welcomed them with open arms. For him and the rest of Phillips and Jordan, its about bringing normalcy back to the area.

Weve been able to help the community get back to somewhat normalcy and to see where the project was at the beginning to where well see it at the end. You know, thats the reward for us, Waginger said.

Both officials were apprehensive to give a completion date on the project and called it a moving target. Both agreed that completion is a long way off.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

More information on all waterway projects can be found on TEMAs 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 WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather.
HAWAII ISLAND, Hawaii (KHON2)  Hawaii Island employees who worked during the COVID-19 pandemic will receive hazard pay.

Arbitrator rules State workers are entitled to hazard pay for pandemic work

Mayor Kimo Alameda signed agreements with the Hawaii Government Employees Association and the Hawaii Fire Fighters Association to fulfill his promise to settle hazard pay fairly with all employees.

Officials said tentative agreements are also being finalized with the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers and United Public Workers.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Mayor Alameda said the agreements recognize the hard work of County employees, especially during tough times.

Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news

Our employees go above and beyond supporting our communities, and we are committed to showing deep respect for their contributions. Importantly, we are also upholding our contractual obligations, ensuring consistency with other jurisdictions, and strengthening our partnerships so that we can move forward together, Mayor Alameda said.

HFFA President Bobby Lee was one of many who thanked Mayor Alameda for his support of public workers.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

They worked really hard during COVID. They werent sitting outside. They were actually responding to COVID cases, dealing with COVID people face to face, Lee said. We appreciate everything Mayor Alameda has done to make this happen.

Check out more news from around Hawaii

County employees will receive 15% hazard pay over two years, which totals about $70 million.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
ABBEVILLE, La. (KLFY)  Police are searching for a man for allegedly possessing $77,000 worth of drugs, authorities said.

Skyler Daniel Briggs, 40, is wanted on charges of possession with intent to distribute Marijuana, Methamphetamine and Oxycodone, as well as distribution of Oxycodone.

The Vermilion Municipal and Sheriffs Narcotics Task Force executed a search warrant Thursday at Briggss home in Abbeville. Briggs was not there, but agents conducted the search in the presence of another adult resident, officials said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Agents found approximately 380 grams of Methamphetamine, approximately 700 Oxycodone pills, approximately 24.5 grams of marijuana and four 1oz. jars of THC wax with a total approximate D.E.A. street value of $77,000.

From left: Skyler Daniel Briggs, $77,000 worth of drugs

Anyone with information on Briggss whereabouts is asked to contact the Vermilion Parish Sheriffs Office or the Vermilion Parish Sheriffs Office Narcotics Unit at 337-740-4501.

Close

Thanks for signing up!

Watch for us in your inbox.

Subscribe Now

KLFY Daily Digest

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 KLFY.com.
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)  A review from the New York Attorney Generals office appeared to clear a Buffalo police officers use of deadly force in a fatal incident last July.

New York Attorney General Letitia James Office of Special Investigation issued a Notification of Investigative Findings regarding the death of Daevon Roberts, who died on July 10, 2024 following an incident with members of the Buffalo Police Department.

Body camera footage of the incident showed Roberts speeding away with Buffalo Police Officer Ronald Ammerman hanging onto the doorframe of the vehicle, with the officer repeatedly screaming, Youre going to kill me. Body cam footage appears to show Ammerman firing several rounds, and both fell out of the car. Ammerman then ran to the car and rescued a 6-year-old, who was in the passenger seat with no seatbelt on.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Roberts was taken to the Erie County Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Upon completion of the investigation into Mr. Roberts death, OSI has concluded that a prosecutor would not be able to disprove beyond a reasonable doubt at trial that the officers use of deadly physical force was justified under the law, the Office of Special Investigation said. A final Investigation Report will follow.

Under New York State law, OSI investigates every death that may involve a police officer or a peace officer. After an investigation is complete, a Notification of Investigative Findings may be released.

Latest Local News

***

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Mark Ludwiczak joined the News 4 team in 2024. He is a veteran journalist with two decades of experience in Buffalo. You can follow him online at @marklud12.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo.
Historians like to play a parlor game called periodization, in which they attempt to define an era, often by identifying it with the individual who most shaped the times: the Age of Jackson, the Age of Reagan. Usually, this exercise requires many decades of hindsight, but not so in the 21st century.

Over the past 25 years, the world has bent to the vision of one man. In the course of a generation, he not only short-circuited the transition to democracy in his own country, and in neighboring countries, but set in motion a chain of events that has shattered the transatlantic order that prevailed after World War II. In the global turn against democracy, he has played, at times, the role of figurehead, impish provocateur, and field marshal. We are living in the Age of Vladimir Putin.

Perhaps, that fact helps explain why Donald Trumps recent excoriation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office felt so profound. The moment encapsulated Putins ultimate victory, when the greatest impediment to the realization of the Russian presidents vision, the United States, became his most powerful ally. But Trumps slavish devotion to the Russian leaderhis willingness to help Putin achieve his maximalist goalsis merely the capstone of an era.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Nothing was preordained about Putins triumph. Twenty years ago, in fact, his regime looked like it might not survive. With the color revolutions in Ukraine, Georgia, and Kyrgyzstan, Russian influence in its old Soviet satellites quickly withered. The threat was that democratic revolution would spread ever closer to the core of the old empire, Moscow, as it had in the dying days of communism. Indeed, as Putin prepared to return to Russias presidency in 2012, after a stint as prime minister, protests swelled in Moscow and spread to other Russian cities, and then kept flaring for more than a year.

[Read: Putin is loving this]

Preserving his power, both at home and abroad, necessitated a new set of more aggressive tactics. Resorting to the old KGB playbook, which Putin internalized as a young officer in the Soviet spy agency, Russia began meddling in elections across Europe, illicitly financing favored candidates, exploiting social media to plant conspiracy theories, creating television networks and radio stations to carry his messaging into the American and European heartlands.

Just as the Soviet Union used the international communist movement to advance its goals, Putin collected his own loose network of admirers, which included the likes of the French right-wing leader Marine Le Pen, the former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, and Trumps former adviser Steve Bannon, who venerated Putin for waging a robust counteroffensive on behalf of traditional values, by claiming the mantle of anti-wokeness. The fact that so many Western elites abhorred him titillated these foreign fans.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Putins objectives were always clear: He craved less hostile leaders in the West, people who would work to dismantle NATO and the European Union from within. Above all, he hoped to discredit democracy as a governing system, so that it no longer held allure for his own citizens. Scanning this list, Im dismayed to see how many of these objectives have been realized over time, especially in the first weeks of the second Trump administration

One of Putins core objectives was the protection of his own personal fortune, built on kickbacks and money quietly skimmed from public accounts. Protecting this ill-gotten money, and that of his inner circle, relies on secrecy, misdirection, and theft, all values anathema to democracy.

[Read: The simple explanation for why Trump turned against Ukraine]

Kleptocrats, in the mold of Russian oligarchy, ardently desire to sock away their money in the relative safety and quiet anonymity of American real estate and banks. Not so long ago, a bipartisan consensus joined together to pass laws that would make it harder for foreign kleptocrats to abuse shell companies to move their cash to these shores. But, as one of his first orders of business, Trump has shredded those reforms. His Treasury Department announced that it would weaken enforcement of the Corporate Transparency Act; his Justice Department disbanded a task force charged with targeting Russian oligarchs and relaxed the Foreign Agents Registration Act, such that Putins allies can hire lawyers and lobbyists without having to worry about the embarrassing disclosure of those relationships. The Trump administration has essentially announced that the American financial system is open for Russias kleptocratic business.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As Putin has sought to impose his vision on the world, Ukraine has been the territory he most covets, but also the site of the fiercest resistance to hima country that waged revolution to oust his cronies and that has resisted his military onslaught. Until last week, the United States served as the primary patron of this Ukrainian resistance. But the Trump administration has surrendered that role, thereby handing Russia incredible battlefield advantages. Because the Trump administration has cut off arms to Ukraine, it will exhaust caches of vital munitions in a few months, so it must hoard its stockpiles, limiting its capacity to fend off Russian offensives. Because the U.S. has stopped sharing intelligence with Kyiv, the Ukrainian army will be without Americas ability to eavesdrop on Russias war plans. All of these decisions will further demoralize Ukraine's depleted, weary military.

Just three years ago, as European and American publics draped themselves in Ukrainian flags, Putins Russia seemed consigned to international isolation and ignominy. For succor and solidarity, Putin was forced to turn to North Korea and Iran, an axis of geopolitical outcasts. But Trump is bent on reintegrating Putin into the family of nations. He wants Russia restored to the G7, and its only a matter of time before he eases up on sanctions that the Biden administration imposed on Russia. And Trump has done more than offer a place among the nations. By repeating Russias own self-serving, mendacious narrative about the origins of the Ukraine war, he lent American legitimacy and moral prestige to Putin.

The Russian leaders rise wasnt uninterrupted, but the ledger is filled with his victories, beginning with Brexit, an event he deeply desired and worked to make happen. That was a mere omen. His populist allies in France and Germany now constitute the most powerful opposition blocs in those countries. Within the European Union, he can count on Viktor Orban to stymie Brussels when it is poised to act against Russian interests. Meanwhile, the European Unions foreign-policy chief claims that the free world needs a new leader, and former heads of NATO worry for the organization's very survival.

[Garry Kasparov: The Putinization of America]

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Putin is winning, because hes cunningly exploited the advantages of autocracy. His near-total control of his own polity allows him to absorb the economic pain of sanctions, until the West loses interest in them. His lack of moral compunction allowed him to sacrifice bodies on the battlefield, without any pang of remorse, an advantage of expendable corpses that Ukraine can never match. Confident in the permanence of his power, he has patiently waited out his democratic foes, correctly betting that their easily distracted public would lose interest in fighting proxy wars against him.

Whats most devastating about Putins reversal of fortune is that he read Western societies so accurately. When he railed against the decadence of the West and the flimsiness of its democracy, he wasnt engaging in propaganda, he was accurately forecasting how his enemy would abandon its first principles. He seemed to intuit that the idealism of American democracy might actually vanish, not just as a foreign-policy doctrine, but as the consensus conviction of its domestic politics.

Now, with a like-minded counterpart in the White House, he no longer needs to make a case against democracy to his own citizens. He can crow that the system is apparently so unappealing that even the United States is moving away from it.

Article originally published at The Atlantic
Photo via Getty Images

A group of 20 attorneys general are suing the Trump administration over mass layoffs of probationary federal employees, which they claim is illegal and is causing irreparable harm to their states.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes joined in the lawsuit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court of Maryland on Thursday.

These mass firings arent about performance  theyre about politics and ideology, Mayes, a Democrat, said in a written statement issued late Thursday. The Trump administrations actions are reckless and illegal.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The attorneys general are urging the federal court to rule that the mass firings are illegal, order that the employees be reinstated, put a stop to similar terminations in the future and identify all of the impacted employees.

SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX

As the Trump administration works to dismantle portions of the federal government, overstepping the constitutional authority of the Oval Office by curtailing funding allocated by Congress, the only meaningful pushback has come through lawsuits challenging the administrations actions. Mayes has already joined with 23 Democratic attorneys general to challenge the Trump administrations actions in seven other lawsuits.

So far, judges have ordered the administration to temporarily halt or reverse its actions in some cases, but have sided with Trump in others.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In this lawsuit, the AGs argue that the firing of approximately 24,000 probationary government employees who worked for various federal departments violated laws and regulations regarding reductions in force, or RIFs, and are therefore illegal.

The rules and regulations surrounding RIFs, or the termination of federal employees due to restructuring or downsizing  not for performance problems  are outlined by the Office of Personnel Management, the same office that ordered the probationary employees be fired.

This campaign has inflicted immense harms on tens of thousands of probationary employees and their families, James Handley, assistant Maryland attorney general, wrote in the suit. It has rendered them jobless without providing any advance notice that might have given them an opportunity to seek other employment or even budget to prepare for the loss of income. As a result, many affected employees and their families are struggling to make ends meet  to pay rent, buy groceries, and care for their loved ones.

Federal laws and regulations require that employees terminated through a RIF be notified in writing at least 60 days prior to the end of their employment; that they be offered other open jobs within the government; and that veterans be given preference to retain their positions or be transferred.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Those notices to employees are supposed to include information about applying for unemployment benefits and social services and notices to states are to include the number of employees terminated, where theyre located and the date of their last day of work.

And when at least 50 employees within the same geographical area are fired at the same time through a RIF, federal law requires notification of the state or district government where those employees worked.

But the Trump administration did none of that, firing thousands of probationary federal employees  those who have been in their positions for one or two years  with no advanced notice.

The attorneys general acknowledged that they dont know the exact number of federal probationary employees fired so far, but estimate that at least 6,000 were terminated from the IRS; 2,000 from the Department of Agriculture; 2,400 from the Department of Veterans Affairs; and 3,400 from the Forest Service, just to name a few of the impacted agencies.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25555392-complaint/

The AGs challenging the mass layoffs claim that their state governments are being irreparably harmed by this process because they are required by federal law to provide support for workers who are subject to mass layoffs, through programs like job placement, training and administration of unemployment benefits.

The Congressionally approved RIF regulations are meant to help the employees, as well as the state agencies bound to assist them, prepare for job losses. Without advance notice, employees dont have time to hunt for new jobs, and the state agencies cant prepare for an influx of workers in need of assistance.

This can have a substantial impact on regional economies where large numbers of employees are fired at the same time, the attorneys general argued.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

At the time the suit was filed, the attorneys general said that their employment agencies had received no notice of the firings at all, even to identify who was terminated and where they are located.

Because of Defendants failure to adhere to the RIF notice procedures, many Plaintiff States have had to scramble and expend additional resources to identify even which agencies have conducted layoffs and which affected employees require support, Handley wrote.

Some federal departments, such as the Department of Treasury, ordered agencies under their direction to fire the probationary employees based on performance. If the thousands of federal employees terminated in the first six weeks of Trumps second term were actually fired because of poor performance, the government would not be required to follow the RIF requirements.

But federal employees fired for performance issues must be informed in writing of the specifics of their underperformance, and the Trump administration didnt do that, either.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Many of the agencies had already determined that their probationary employees were well qualified and performing their jobs well but were ordered to terminate them based on performance anyway, Handley wrote.

Far from providing specifics of supposed poor job performance, many of the employees received termination notices via form letters and emails containing errors, and in many instances failed to include even the employees name or job title.

The mass layoffs have already impacted state governments, putting a strain on their unemployment insurance and job assistance programs, causing longer wait times for other people who recently applied for benefits, the attorneys general claim.

Since Jan. 21, the day after Trump took office, Maryland alone has received unemployment benefit applications from more than 800 former federal employees, compared to 189 during the same time period last year.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

If the federal government claims those employees were terminated for performance, or there is a conflict between the employee and employer over the reason for termination, the state is bound to investigate, which costs money and staff time.

Many Plaintiff States anticipate a significant increase in these disputes given the Defendants chaotic and conflicting messaging around the reasons for terminating probationary employees, Handley wrote.

Several states have put significant time and money into the creation of websites to inform fired federal employees of resources available to help them. Typically, state unemployment agencies would reach out to the terminated employees directly, but because the federal government didnt provide notices, in many cases the states have no idea who those employees are.

The AGs also claim that the layoffs will cause a significant drop in income taxes collected by the states to the tune of millions of dollars  especially in Maryland, where about 250,000 federal employees live.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The states have also been harmed, the attorneys general claim, by the sudden termination of federal employees who served vital functions at the state level. Many of those were employed by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention but worked at tribal and local health agencies helping to curb the spread of infectious diseases.

The arbitrariness of Defendants actions and the indiscriminate nature of the terminations is underscored by the fact that Defendants have had to reverse the firings of individuals fulfilling certain critical functions, such as protecting nuclear weapons and addressing a significant public health threat, Handley wrote.

In addition to Arizona and Maryland, attorneys general from Minnesota, the District of Columbia, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin joined in the suit.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, left, and New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez are among the Democrats filing a lawsuit challenging federal firings. (Photo by Jerod MacDonald-Evoy/Arizona Mirror)

A group of 20 attorneys general are suing the Trump administration over mass layoffs of probationary federal employees, which they claim is illegal and is causing irreparable harm to their states.

Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield joined in the lawsuit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court of Maryland on Thursday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Weve heard from some of these probationary employees whove been fired, and their stories are awful, Rayfield said in a statement. One man working for the IRS office in Portland received his fork in the road letter right before he went into a life-saving cancer surgery. And then he was fired. The stress this has caused federal workers in Oregon and across America is insurmountable.

He joined attorneys general Kris Mayes of Arizona, Raul Torrez of New Mexico and Keith Ellison of Minnesota at a town hall in Phoenix earlier this week to gather stories from Arizonans affected by federal cuts. All four are part of the lawsuit and are planning future events.

The attorneys general are urging the federal court to rule that the mass firings are illegal, order that the employees be reinstated, put a stop to similar terminations in the future and identify all of the impacted employees.

As the Trump administration works to dismantle portions of the federal government, overstepping the constitutional authority of the Oval Office by curtailing funding allocated by Congress, the only meaningful pushback has come through lawsuits challenging the administrations actions.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

So far, judges have ordered the administration to temporarily halt or reverse its actions in some cases, but have sided with Trump in others.

In this lawsuit, the AGs argue that the firing of approximately 24,000 probationary government employees who worked for various federal departments violated laws and regulations regarding reductions in force, or RIFs, and are therefore illegal.

The rules and regulations surrounding RIFs, or the termination of federal employees due to restructuring or downsizing  not for performance problems  are outlined by the Office of Personnel Management, the same office that ordered the probationary employees be fired.

This campaign has inflicted immense harms on tens of thousands of probationary employees and their families, James Handley, assistant Maryland attorney general, wrote in the suit. It has rendered them jobless without providing any advance notice that might have given them an opportunity to seek other employment or even budget to prepare for the loss of income. As a result, many affected employees and their families are struggling to make ends meet  to pay rent, buy groceries, and care for their loved ones.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Federal laws and regulations require that employees terminated through a RIF be notified in writing at least 60 days prior to the end of their employment; that they be offered other open jobs within the government; and that veterans be given preference to retain their positions or be transferred.

Those notices to employees are supposed to include information about applying for unemployment benefits and social services and notices to states are to include the number of employees terminated, where theyre located and the date of their last day of work.

And when at least 50 employees within the same geographical area are fired at the same time through a RIF, federal law requires notification of the state or district government where those employees worked.

But the Trump administration did none of that, firing thousands of probationary federal employees  those who have been in their positions for one or two years  with no advanced notice.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The attorneys general acknowledged that they dont know the exact number of federal probationary employees fired so far, but estimate that at least 6,000 were terminated from the IRS; 2,000 from the Department of Agriculture; 2,400 from the Department of Veterans Affairs; and 3,400 from the Forest Service, just to name a few of the impacted agencies.

The AGs challenging the mass layoffs claim that their state governments are being irreparably harmed by this process because they are required by federal law to provide support for workers who are subject to mass layoffs, through programs like job placement, training and administration of unemployment benefits.

The Congressionally approved RIF regulations are meant to help the employees, as well as the state agencies bound to assist them, prepare for job losses. Without advance notice, employees dont have time to hunt for new jobs, and the state agencies cant prepare for an influx of workers in need of assistance.

This can have a substantial impact on regional economies where large numbers of employees are fired at the same time, the attorneys general argued.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

At the time the suit was filed, the attorneys general said that their employment agencies had received no notice of the firings at all, even to identify who was terminated and where they are located.

Because of Defendants failure to adhere to the RIF notice procedures, many Plaintiff States have had to scramble and expend additional resources to identify even which agencies have conducted layoffs and which affected employees require support, Handley wrote.

Some federal departments, such as the Department of Treasury, ordered agencies under their direction to fire the probationary employees based on performance. If the thousands of federal employees terminated in the first six weeks of Trumps second term were actually fired because of poor performance, the government would not be required to follow the RIF requirements.

But federal employees fired for performance issues must be informed in writing of the specifics of their underperformance, and the Trump administration didnt do that, either.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Many of the agencies had already determined that their probationary employees were well qualified and performing their jobs well but were ordered to terminate them based on performance anyway, Handley wrote.

Far from providing specifics of supposed poor job performance, many of the employees received termination notices via form letters and emails containing errors, and in many instances failed to include even the employees name or job title.

The mass layoffs have already impacted state governments, putting a strain on their unemployment insurance and job assistance programs, causing longer wait times for other people who recently applied for benefits, the attorneys general claim.

Since Jan. 21, the day after Trump took office, Maryland alone has received unemployment benefit applications from more than 800 former federal employees, compared to 189 during the same time period last year.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

If the federal government claims those employees were terminated for performance, or there is a conflict between the employee and employer over the reason for termination, the state is bound to investigate, which costs money and staff time.

Many Plaintiff States anticipate a significant increase in these disputes given the Defendants chaotic and conflicting messaging around the reasons for terminating probationary employees, Handley wrote.

Several states have put significant time and money into the creation of websites to inform fired federal employees of resources available to help them. Typically, state unemployment agencies would reach out to the terminated employees directly, but because the federal government didnt provide notices, in many cases the states have no idea who those employees are.

The AGs also claim that the layoffs will cause a significant drop in income taxes collected by the states to the tune of millions of dollars  especially in Maryland, where about 250,000 federal employees live.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The states have also been harmed, the attorneys general claim, by the sudden termination of federal employees who served vital functions at the state level. Many of those were employed by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention but worked at tribal and local health agencies helping to curb the spread of infectious diseases.

The arbitrariness of Defendants actions and the indiscriminate nature of the terminations is underscored by the fact that Defendants have had to reverse the firings of individuals fulfilling certain critical functions, such as protecting nuclear weapons and addressing a significant public health threat, Handley wrote.

Attorneys general from the District of Columbia, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin also joined the suit.

Arizona Mirror, like the Capital Chronicle, is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Arizona Mirror maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jim Small for questions: info@azmirror.com.

SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
AHOSKIE, N.C. (WAVY)  A 31-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a shooting on Friday afternoon in Ahoskie, North Carolina, that killed one man.

Shortly after 1:30 p.m., the Ahoskie Police Department responded to Peachtree Apartments in the 600 block of Peachtree Street for a shooting.

Upon arrival, officers located a deceased man at the location, later identified as 26-year-old Darvarious Wilson.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Frederick Williams was charged with first degree murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Williams is currently being held at Wake County Detention Center under no bond for the charges.

The Ahoskie Police Department thanked the Hertford County Sheriffs Office, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the Raleigh Police Department for their assistance in 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 WAVY.com.
A new law that requires airlines to report pollutants to the European Union was implemented in January. However, airlines have warned the EU that they're unable to comply with the new mandate yet because the EU hasn't launched its promised reporting system, Reuters reported.

What's happening?

Per EU rules, airlines must track and report pollutants like soot, water vapor, and nitrogen oxides. The EU developed a system called NEATS to collate the data for reporting.

However, the EU hasn't launched NEATS yet, leaving airlines at a loss regarding data collection methods. Reuters reported that the airline industry has until March next year to report its 2025 emissions.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In December 2024, industry groups Airlines for Europe (A4E), the European Cargo Alliance, and the German Aviation Association wrote to the European Commission voicing concerns regarding the deadline and collating data without NEATS.

In the letter seen by Skift, they emphasized that "NEATS is currently unavailable" and that they had no opportunity to develop alternative tools for data collation. Because of this, airlines are "forced to collect their own data" without any clear guidelines on data migration to NEATS once the system becomes available.

According to a European Commission spokesperson, the EU planned to launch NEATS in 2025. With the strict deadline for compliance and NEATS still unavailable, airlines say compliance is impossible without a delay.

Why is the emissions reporting policy important?

The EU requires all airlines operating in Europe to monitor and report their pollution to ensure they stay within their limits and reduce their carbon footprint, according to the European Commission.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Without NEATS, airlines may struggle to comply with the policy, potentially weakening enforcement. This could lead to aviation emissions rising unchecked, contributing to increased air pollution and rising global temperatures.

The aviation industry has difficulty decarbonizing because planes emit pollutants on every flight. This is why they need to uphold policies on tracking and reporting their aviation pollution.

What's being done about it?

According to Reuters, campaign advocates for Transport & Environment find it concerning that NEATS still hasn't been launched, but they don't see it as a cause to delay the policies.

NEATS was supposed to help automate the monitoring of pollution. A4E Policy Director Monika Rybakowska told Reuters that airlines would have to collect thousands of data points per flight without the system.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Airlines will, in any case, need to monitor some data to be fed to the tool," a European Commission spokesperson told Reuters. The spokesperson added that the airlines already have the data available through their monitoring or databases.

With the compliance deadline fast approaching and NEATS still unavailable, airlines are urging the EU to delay the policy. The outcome of this policy issue could affect future emissions policies for the aviation industry.

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.
An Alabama couple has filed suit against the Tennessee Department of Childrens Services and Sevierville law enforcement alleging their two children were illegally taken for nine months after they were wrongly arrested during a traffic stop.

Nicholas and Elizabeth Frye were on a vacation at a Dollywood-area resort to celebrate their youngest childs seventh birthday in February 2024 when they were pulled over after leaving a Walmart parking lot, according to the federal lawsuit.

They were charged with DUI, public intoxication, child abuse and neglect and aggravated child abuse and neglect while their children were held at the police station, the lawsuit, filed Feb. 25, said. The children remained at the station until their grandmother made the trip from Alabama to collect them.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Both parents denied being intoxicated or impaired and claimed police lacked probable cause to pull the family over.

The charges were later dismissed by a local prosecutor and subsequently expunged, according to Aaron Kimsey, a Sevierville attorney representing the family. Kimsey declined to comment further on the lawsuit.

A call to Sevierville government offices seeking comment was referred to the Sevierville Police Department, which did not respond to a request seeking arrest records. A spokesperson for the Department of Childrens Services on Friday declined to comment on pending litigation. Both the city and the police department are named as defendants in the lawsuit.

The lawsuit alleges that police drew Nicholas Fryes blood but failed to immediately test it. When they did, there was no evidence he had been intoxicated, it said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The ultimate blood test results for Nicholas Frye show the absence of drugs and alcohol in their system at the time of the arrest, the lawsuit said.

Both the Frye parents and the Frye minor children have suffered irreparable, permanent and significant mental and emotional anguish, the lawsuit said. The couple have suffered deleterious effects to their reputations, their standing in their community, their occupations, income and other major facets of their lives.

The couple are seeking $15 million in damages for violation of their constitutional rights and $10 million in damages for state law violations.

The lawsuit echoes similar claims made against the Department of Childrens Services and state and county law enforcement following a 2023 traffic stop that led to five young children being placed in foster care for nearly two months.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Bianca Clayborne filed suit last year alleging the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Department of Childrens Services, Coffee County Sheriffs Office and its employees wrongly took the children into state custody.

Claybornes partner was arrested for possession of fewer than five grams of marijuana, a misdemeanor in Tennessee typically resulting in a citation, not arrest. Clayborne was cited and told she was free to leave with her children.

Hours later, the children were later taken from Claybornes side as she waited to bail her partner out of jail. The incident raised questions about whether the couples race  Clayborne, her partner and children are Black  made them a target of unequal treatment while driving through rural Tennessee and drew condemnation from the Tennessee NAACP and Democratic lawmakers. Claybornes federal lawsuit alleging social workers and law enforcement officers illegally tore apart and terrorized Claybornes family remains ongoing.

DCS, the Tennessee Highway Patrol and Coffee County denied wrongdoing in the Clayborne lawsuit.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The agencies named in the Frye suit have not yet filed a legal response.

Its unclear where the two Frye children, identified only by their initials in legal filings, remained during the nine months they were out of their parents custody. The lawsuit contains no reference to the familys race.

Court records note that once the parents were arrested, Sevierville police contacted DCS.

A DCS official, in turn, contacted the Alabama Department of Human Services, which ultimately took custody of the children until they were reunited with their parents.

The lawsuit, which does not name Alabama child welfare officials as defendants, alleged they nevertheless exacerbated the constitutional violation.by precluding the Frye parents from seeing the Frye children.

Lawsuit

SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
The Albanian Cabinet decided on Thursday to shut down TikTok for 12 months, blaming the popular video-sharing platform for inciting violence and bullying, especially among children.

Education Minister Ogerta Manastirliu said officials are in contact with TikTok on installing filters like parental control, age verification and the inclusion of the Albanian language in the application.

Authorities had conducted 1,300 meetings with some 65,000 parents who recommended and were in favor of the shut down or limiting the TikTok platform, the minister said.

The Albanian Cabinet decided to shut down TikTok for 12 months, blaming the popular video-sharing platform for inciting violence and bullying, especially among children. REUTERS

The Cabinet initiated the move last year after a teen stabbed another teenager to death in November after a quarrel that started on TikTok.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

TikTok did not immediately respond to a request to comment on the governments decision.

When Prime Minister Edi Rama said in December they were aiming at closing the social media platform, TikTok asked for urgent clarity from the Albanian government on the case of the stabbed teenager.

On Thursday Rama said they were in a positive dialogue with the company, and that TikTok would visit the country soon to offer a series of measures on increasing the security for children.

When Prime Minister Edi Rama said in December they were aiming at closing the social media platform, TikTok asked for urgent clarity from the Albanian government on the case of a stabbed teenager. AP

The company said it had found no evidence that the perpetrator or victim had TikTok accounts, and multiple reports have in fact confirmed videos leading up to this incident were being posted on another platform, not TikTok.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Albanian children comprise the largest group of TikTok users in the country, according to researchers.

There has been increasing concern from Albanian parents after reports of children being inspired by content on social media to take knives to school, or cases of bullying promoted by stories they see on TikTok.

Rama said they were in a positive dialogue with the company, and that TikTok would visit the country soon to offer a series of measures on increasing the security for children. AP

Authorities have increased police presence at some schools and set up other measures including training programs for teachers, students and their parents.

The opposition has not agreed with TikToks closure and has set March 15 for a protest against the move. It said the ban was an act of intolerance, fear and terror from free thinking and expression.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

TikTok, which is operated by Chinese technology firm ByteDance, has faced questions in many countries and was briefly offline in the United States recently to comply with a law that requires ByteDance to divest the app or be banned in the U.S.

Albanian children comprise the largest group of TikTok users in the country, according to researchers. REUTERS

The app suspended its services in the U.S. for less than a day before restoring service following assurances from Trump that he would postpone banning it.

Earlier this week, the U.K.s data protection watchdog said it was investigating how the app uses the personal information of 13 to 17-year-olds to deliver content recommendations to them.

The Information Commissioners Office said that there are growing concerns around how social media platforms were using data generated by childrens online activity to power their recommendation algorithms, and the potential for young people to see inappropriate or harmful content as a result.
Hundreds of scientists marched under sunny skies in front of federal offices in Los Angeles on Friday as part of a day of nationwide protests against Trump administration policies.

Pushing back against perceived threats to research and science, they bore on-theme signs, including one that read What would Albert do? accompanying a photo of Albert Einstein.

The rally outside the Wilshire Federal Building drew graduate students and professors from USC and UCLA and was held under the banner of the "Stand Up for Science" movement, which drew inspiration from the March for Science that was held in 2017 shortly after President Trump began his first term.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Many scientists once again feel under attack. In a matter of weeks, the second Trump administration has slashed jobs at science agencies  including the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration  pulled the U.S. out of the Paris climate agreement (again), clawed back research papers under review at scientific journals to scrub terms that the political right has railed against, such as "transgender," and terminated funding for global health programs. The administration has also attempted to block grants and reduce funding for research institutions.

Protesters hold up science-related signs to express their discontent. The Los Angeles rally was one of at least 32 Stand Up for Science demonstrations held nationwide on Friday. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

We have seen incredible disarray and attempts to dismantle a very effective research infrastructure in this country. And we have to say, enough is enough, Judith Currier, a professor of medicine at UCLA, said at the demonstration that took place in the shadow of offices for agencies such as the Department of Veterans Affairs.

At least 32 coordinated rallies were held across the country Friday, anchored by a march on the National Mall in Washington that was attended by thousands.

Duke Han, a professor of psychiatry and family medicine at USC, said that although he wasnt as involved in the March for Science movement during Trumps first stint in the White House, he chose to participate in these protests because the level of interference has grown in significance. Science has historically been considered nonpartisan, but events in recent years have galvanized those in the field to speak out.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"A lot of us are trying to figure out what we can do," Han said. "A number of us are becoming more politically active, or politically active for the first time."

For Han, the effect isnt theoretical. He says his institution has become more cautious about giving offers to graduate students. A grant that was supposed to fund research hes involved with to identify early signs of Alzheimers disease is five weeks late. He reached out to contacts at NIH but believes "it's something that's happening above them."

The rally outside the federal building in Westwood drew professors, graduate students and others. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

Several people at the protest said that the money used to fund scientific work pays dividends  and that losing it can have disastrous consequences for biomedical research, pharmaceutical development and more. Younger scientists shared the concern at the event. An international student at UCLA said the reason she came to the United States was for the "great opportunities" for research. "But look at the situation now," said the 21-year-old undergrad, originally from India, who declined to provide her name because of how it might affect her immigration status.

Katherine Karlsgodt, an associate professor at UCLA in the psychology and psychiatry departments, who helped organize the Los Angeles rally, said she was "very upset" by the barrage of changes and concerned about their ramifications.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Alterations to science agency funding, Karlsgodt said, "have the potential to just completely derail scientific research and medical research [and] have a huge impact on universities and university budgets and our ability to train students and do research and basically everything that we do."

Karlsgodt caught wind of the Stand Up for Science effort but was disappointed when she didnt see a local rally on the books. Then some people at UCLA and USC got to talking, she said. One of her students  Dylan Hughes, a doctoral student in the clinical psychology program at UCLA  booked the site and they began trying to spread the word. By the evening before the event, 300 people had RSVP'd.

"This is a really dark time for science and for humanity," said Dylan Hughes, a UCLA graduate student who helped organize the Los Angeles rally, "but there's an energy that we've created here that's really helpful and has the power to change the world." (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

Expressions of anger and alarm intermingled with hope and solidarity at the rally. Sam Cookes "A Change Is Gonna Come" played as scores of attendees mingled and flashed pithy signs to passing cars along Wilshire Boulevard. Honks elicited cheers. A dog in the crowd sported a sign around its neck reading Dogs against DOGE, a reference to the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, headed by Elon Musk, who has led much of the Trump administration's cost-cutting efforts.

Whats now a national movement began as a Bluesky post.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On. Feb. 8, Colette Delawalla, a graduate student in psychology at Emory University, announced online that she was planning a national protest for science, according to the New York Times. It hit a collective nerve, and other scientists quickly hopped on board, evolving into Stand Up for Science.

Behind the rallies are policy goals outlined on the groups website, including ending political interference and censorship; restoring and expanding research funding; and defending diversity and accessibility.

Back in L.A., Hughes, the UCLA doctoral student, who helped spearhead the local event, urged people to take in the moment.

"This is a really dark time for science and for humanity," Hughes said, "but there's an energy that we've created here that's really helpful and has the power to change the world."

The Stand Up for Science movement drew inspiration from the 2017 March for Science. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
NEW YORK  Allies of socialist mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani have launched a super PAC in his support, according to state Board of Elections filings.

The PAC, called New Yorkers for Lower Costs, was formed Tuesday for the purpose of supporting Mamdani with ads and other materials ahead of Junes Democratic mayoral primary, the filings show. There are no records it has spent or received any money yet, and its unclear who exactly is running the PAC, though The New York Daily News was able to confirm its incorporation paperwork was filed by Regina Monge, a progressive political consultant based in Washington, D.C.

Mamdani is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, which has long been critical of the involvement of super PACs in the electoral process since they have no spending limits and serve as a way for rich donors to flood local races with cash. The candidate earned the left-wing groups endorsement earlier this year.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I thought DSA was against dark money, a New York political operative who has worked on various local campaigns told the Daily News after being informed of the new pro-Mamdani PAC. This is interesting. I guess if you cant beat them, join them?

But a source on Mamdanis team said the PAC is a positive sign for the campaign, showing that those in the political sphere believe in Mamdani and see him as a powerful and viable candidate.

Mamdanis mayoral bid has gained traction over the past few months with snazzy social media content and strong left-of-center policy takes. He has campaigned on a promise to freeze rents for rent-stabilized tenants in the city, make city buses free and provide free universal child care.

He has raised more than $3.4 million with public matching funds since his campaign announcement in October  much of that money coming in the form of small-dollar donations, which his team has touted as signs of strong grassroots support.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Queens assemblymember came in third in a recent Quinnipiac University poll, netting 8% of the vote to former Gov. Andrew Cuomos 31% and Mayor Adams 11%.

Monge, the consultant who filed the paperwork for the new Mamdani-boosting PAC, has a history of working for lefty political organizations and politicians.

The Justice Democrats, a political action committee formed by ex-Bernie Sanders staffers that was instrumental in electing Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other progressive members of The Squad, paid Monge nearly $47,000 during the 2024 election cycle for fundraising consulting, records show. More recently, on Jan. 28, the campaign for Jessica Cisneros, a progressive congressional candidate in Texas, paid Monge $3,000 for consulting.

Monge didnt return a request for comment, and a Mamdani representative declined to comment on the PACs formation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Independent expenditures like the new Mamdani PAC arent allowed by law to coordinate with declared candidates theyre supporting.

Super PACs can be a powerful force in mayoral races  offering an avenue for millionaires and billionaires to pour funds into campaign mailers and political ads in support of their preferred candidates.

So far, the only other super PAC thats been filed in the race is in support of Cuomo.

_____
An Alpharetta daycare has officially closed its doors. The Kids R Kids on Webb Bridge Road closed Friday months after a worker was charged with sexually and physically assaulting preschoolers.

Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning said the center closed Friday of their own volition. Kids R Kids Chief Operating Officer Sasha Vinson called it an incident that has shaken our entire organization.

This is the fallout from criminal charges against worker Tulsi Patel. Police say over five days in July 2024, Patel sexually and physically abused 12 three and four-year-old children at the Kids R Kids on Webb Bridge Road. Patel had only been working at the center for two weeks.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Investigators then found similar allegations about Patel from months earlier when she worked at a Cornerstone Schools in Forsyth where they allegations went unreported.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Attorney John Bey represents four of the 12 children Patel is accused of assaulting at Kids R Kids.

They were relieved that this part was done, said Bey of Bey and Associates.

Kids R Kids COO said in a statement we stand by our position that our franchisee took all proper steps to prevent this tragedy from occurring. The statement also said our franchisee did exactly what the State and Kids R Kids International required them to do from beginning to endthey made a prompt report to the Department of Family and Children Service.

But the state denied the centers license application. And the owners withdrew their request for a hearing to appeal the decision.

RELATED STORIES:

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

For the families represented by Bey, they want more.

Really what theyre looking for is systemic change a culture where the videos are reviewed, a culture where teachers value the responses from the children and what has happened to them and theres more communication, said Bey.

Another daycare center where Patel worked, Cornerstone Schools, is still waiting to hear if theyll retain their license after being accused of not reporting allegations of abuse against Patel.

The Department of Early Care and Learning says families affected by this situation are encouraged to connect with child care resources available through DECAL here. Families can access these resources in the following ways:

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

By reaching out to these resources, parents will receive assistance in locating and securing suitable child care options for their children. The Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) provides this service free of charge to ensure that all parents have access to quality child care.

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

You can read Kids R Kids full statement below.
UPDATE: Barbara Weeks was found on Friday after Carrollton Police Department issued a Local Amber Alert in an attempt to locate her.

RICHARDSON, Texas (KETK)  The Carrollton Police Department has issued a Local Amber Alert for 14-year-old girl who was last seen in Richardson on Feb. 28.

Marion County seeks help finding missing woman last seen on Tuesday

Barbara Weeks is described as a 14-year-old white girl with red hair and blue eyes who weighs around 135 pounds and is 54 tall.

Weeks was last seen at 1300 E President George Bush Hwy in Richardson at 6:12 p.m. on Feb. 28. Carrollton PD said she was last seen wearing a black shirt with a black and white striped shirt underneath, black jeans and black shoes.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Anyone who sees Weeks is asked to call 911 immediately or Carrollton PD at 972-466-3333.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Donald Trump wants to get back into the casino business. These days, the onetime owner of the infamous Taj Mahal casino is not interested in slot machines. He is set on a much newer kind of gambling: crypto. Yesterday, the president signed an executive order creating both a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and a Digital Asset Stockpile made up of different kinds of cryptocurrencies. The bitcoin stockpile, which presumably will be the larger of the two, amounts to a virtual Fort Knox for digital gold, Trump said during a crypto summit at the White House earlier today. Never sell your bitcoin. Thats a little phrase that they have. I dont know if thats right or not. Who the hell knows.

There are reasons for governments to stockpile essential commodities. America has a Strategic Petroleum Reserve to protect against disruptions in the global oil market or for use during natural disasters or other emergencies. Chinas strategic pork reserve helps the government keep prices stable, and South Korea recently had to pull from its strategic cabbage reserve during peak kimchi season. But a crypto reserve would serve none of these functions. The ostensible idea is that stockpiling crypto could help drive economic growth and technological leadership, as a fact sheet for the executive order states. But unlike oil or even cabbage, crypto does not serve the core functioning of society. Its a volatile, highly speculative asset with little proven real-world application that regular old U.S. dollars cant already account for. Its hard to think of anything that would be less useful for America to stockpile.

Strategic Bitcoin Reserve is a lofty name for what Trumps executive order actually has done: taking crypto the government already owns and counting it. Over the years, the United States has seized crypto assets as part of criminal and civil proceedings. The current value of bitcoin alone is estimated to be $17 billion. Why Trump seems set on pushing forward with this idea isnt hard to see. The mere existence of something called a crypto reserve could benefit the president. Trump himself has gone all in on the crypto industry of lateeven releasing his own memecoin, $TRUMP. On Sunday, he previewed his executive order on Truth Social: I will make sure the U.S. is the Crypto Capital of the World, he wrote. We are MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Many other powerful members of his administration have crypto ties. That includes David Sacks, a venture capitalist who is now Trumps crypto and AI czar, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. (Sacks has said he sold all crypto holdings prior to the start of the administration; Lutnick has agreed to divest his business interests by mid-May.) Elon Musk has previously indicated that he owns crypto assets, but hasnt publicly addressed possible conflicts of interest since the crypto reserve was announced. I reached out to Musk, the White House, and the Department of Commerce for comment but did not hear back.

A government stockpile could boost crypto prices. In crypto-speak, the ethos of the industry is: Number go up. In plain English, that means pushing the price of crypto assets higher and higher. The way to do that is to find buyers who will pay more, a phenomenon sometimes called the greater-fool theory. Investing in something that is overvalued or intrinsically worthless might be the smart thing to do, if you can eventually find someone on whom to pawn it off at a higher price. A crypto reserve effectively turns the U.S. government into the next greater fool. Trumps executive order also calls for the government to look into buying more bitcoin, a move that could push up the value of crypto. (Trump said that the actions taken to establish the new reserve would not cost taxpayers any money, but provided few details on how this would be achieved.)

Trump already has had an effect on crypto values. In his Truth Social announcement on Sunday, he named five coins that would be included in the stockpile: bitcoin, ether, solana, cardano, and XRP. This is exactly what you would not do if you wanted to efficiently and affordably assemble a government crypto reserve; naming the specific coins that the United States intends to later include in a stockpile should cause the prices to immediately spike. And thats just what happened. The coins Trump mentioned shot up in value. Crypto holders had the chance to make a tidy profit selling off some of their coinsdespite the fact that the stockpile in the end simply included bitcoin and all other crypto assets seized by the government, rendering the details in Trumps posts moot.

Any government that trades in crypto raises concerns about how the currency could be used. Because crypto transactions can be done anonymously, they provide an almost unparalleled mechanism for bribery and corruption. Investing in crypto doesnt mean a nation is using the currency as an illegal back door, but the problem is the difficulty in knowing if it were.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Now that the president has created a crypto reserve, he will want crypto prices to keep risingotherwise the stockpile will be worthless. Driving the prices higher would require a steady stream of positive news. But the good news is already drying up, it seems. Trumps executive order did not go over well with crypto traders, who were hoping that the government would do more than shift around the coins it owns: The price of bitcoin plummeted immediately after the order was announced.

At a certain point, even good news isnt quite good enough. Buy the rumor; sell the news, as the old saying goes. Eventually, the U.S. government will be stuck with a bunch of crypto, searching for ways to drive the price higher and having no one to sell it to. If Trump keeps feeding the crypto hype machine, he may benefitand the rest of us may be stuck with the bill.

Article originally published at The Atlantic
(COLORADO SPRINGS)  In February, we said goodbye to the most decorated K9 in our governments history, K9 Hurricane. Although the American hero has died, his heroic acts arent done yet.

His legacy lives on through retired police and military dogs like K9 Broc.

These dogs are heroes. High-performance athletes that were heroes, said Southern Colorado Officer Brian Kelly, who worked with and takes care of Broc.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Officer Kelly and K9 Broc have found lots of criminals and narcotics in the Pikes Peak Region.

Hes in retirement now. So obviously, he takes advantage of the liberties that are afforded to him, where he can just be a dog, said Officer Kelly.

However, retirement for hardworking dogs like Broc often comes with an unfortunate reality.

They do just a lot of things that are hard on their body. So after they retire, we incur all the costs, said Officer Kelly.

Hurricanes retirement came shortly after being rushed to the ER, all because he put his life on the line to stop an intruder at the White House.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He got picked up all the way (to) head level, six foot, slammed on the ground, punched, kicked. He got beat pretty bad, but he never, never gave up. I watched something with a heartbeat willing to die for me, and that thats the most special moment of my life, said Marshall Mirarchi, Former Secret Service Special Operations K9 Handler.

Caring for Hurricane in retirement couldve been very expensive for Mirarchi, but with the national attention, charities stepped in to cover his veterinary costs.

I got this overwhelming feeling of guilt that, I cant have this special care and treatment and community for my dog, when all his brothers and sisters out there working dont have the same thing, said Mirarchi.

Thats when the non-profit Hurricanes Heroes was born. It provides medical coverage to retired law enforcement and military dogs since the government does not. Mirarchi is headed back to D.C. next week to advocate for a bill that would establish a grant program to help retired federal working dogs get the medical care they need.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A lot of times when these dogs retire, theyre beat up. Theyve been through a lot. They dont make it too long, said Mirarchi. So we try to step in and make sure that the dogs get as many years as they can possibly get because those moments are so special.

Theyve raised almost a million dollars since 2019. If youd like to donate to Hurricanes Heroes, you can pick up his treats at Pet Pantry, and profits will go toward his nonprofit. You can also click here.

Since laying Hurricane to rest, the non-profit has a new sense of purpose to serve the heroes on their wait list.

That was the last thing I said to him before he passed away, that, you know, you served your purpose, your job is completed Were going to all carry on your legacy and your mission,' said Mirarchi. If they could talk, they would be like, Take care of all the other dogs. Keep doing that. So I know thats what he would want.

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.
A U.S. educated economist and former head of Haitis Central Bank assumed the presidency of the countrys embattled transition council on Friday, pointing fingers at the economic elite and blaming the cannibal of chaos Haitians are living in on the countrys collapsing economic system.

That system, Fritz Alphonse Jean said, has fueled immense misery and social inequalities as well as the current gang violence that has a desperate population urgently calling for help.

There are people in politics and in the private sector who have managed to put weapons in the hands of the countrys youth, he said during the handover ceremony at the Villa dAccueil in Port-au-Prince. Today, too many people are being kidnapped, woman are being raped. Many people have lost their lives and property.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Jean replaced Leslie Voltaire, the representative of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristides Fanmi Lavalas political party on the council. He is the third leader of the ruling council to assume the reins of power as part of a rotating presidency. His term will end on Aug. 7.

His leadership of the vexing nine-member Transitional Presidential Council comes at a difficult time. The transition has been marred by turmoil, escalating gang violence and great uncertainty.

U.S. foreign aid cuts risks leaving both the government and the United Nations without the necessary funds to help more than 1 million people who have been displaced by gangs, and the thousands being forcibly returned to the country by the neighboring Dominican Republic and the United States. Meanwhile, an international armed mission led by Kenya is struggling to put down criminal groups amid its own lack of resources and conflicts within Haitis security apparatus.

Late Friday, residents in several Port-au-Prince neighborhoods reporting hearing bombs going off. The sounds were likely detonations from explosive drones that a new Haitian police task force has been dropping on some gang strongholds.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

During his speech, Jean, who served as governor of the Central Bank between 1998 and 2001, stressed the urgency of a rapid intervention by the government, particularly for those living in the West and Artibonite regions. Among his promises: 3,000 new recruits to be enlisted in the countrys small army and police.

Our country is at war today. We must absolutely win this battle, he said, as he called on Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime to refocus the nations finances to a warfare budget.

The council is also grappling with an ongoing corruption scandal and growing disenchantment with the transitional entity, formed last year at the urging of the U.S. and the Caribbean community bloc CARICOM.

A year later the transitional government is struggling to carry out its main task of reestablishing democratic order in Haiti, which hasnt had an election since 2016.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

During his speech, Jean announced a citizens hot line to report abuse and made a list of promises that included returning Haiti to good governance, relaunching the economy and working on holding elections.

Insecurity is paralyzing all sectors of national life. The countrys economy is on its knees, and we must commit to getting things back on track, he said.

Jean studied economics and mathematics at Fordham University and the New School for Social Research in New York before pursuing his professional career in Haiti. During the last transition in 2016, he was briefly named prime minister but was forced to vacate the position after less than a month when lawmakers in the Lower Chamber of Deputies rejected his policy statement on his priorities for running the government.

Now, he steps into a leadership role in a situation where he is among nine so-called presidents in a transition that has been marked by alarming violence, political turmoil and tensions. His own sector, the Montana Accord, is among those that have been calling for a reconfiguration of the transition. The coalition of civil society groups has been critical of the councils governance and has repeatedly called for the resignation of three members implicated in a corruption scandal. The three council members have insisted on their innocence. They are accused of demanding more than $750,000 from the director of the government-owned National Bank of Credit to secure his job.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In a post on X, the French Embassy said it welcomee the transfer of power and the commitments made to strengthen security forces, fight corruption and all forms of trafficking. France will continue to support Haiti toward peace and security.

The French ambassador to Haiti, Antoine Michon, was joined by U.S. Ambassador Dennis Hankins and the head of the Kenya forces, Godfrey Otunge, among others.

More than 42,000 Haitians displaced

The primary task of the council remains restoring security in order to prepare for elections, a point Jean emphasized during his address. But he needs to figure out how to navigate the transition amid rising doubts about whether the panel will be able to pull off elections by Nov. 15 to put a new president and parliament in office by Feb. 7, 2026.

In the last few months alone, clashes between armed gangs and security forces have led to gangs seizing more control of key axis roads and communities. The surge in violence has exacerbated an already deteriorating humanitarian crisis as newly displaced Haitians join others in overcrowded camps where access to clean water and sanitation are limited.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In addition to continuing their repeated assaults against the municipality of Kenscoff in the mountains above Port-au-Prince, gangs have also started to target Saut dEau, in the center of the country. Those attacks alone have led to the displacement of 6,642 people.

In metropolitan Port-au-Prince, ongoing violence since Feb. 14 has forced at least 42,538 people to flee their homes, the U.N. International Organization for Migration said Thursday. The agency described it the largest mass displacements in metropolitan Port-au-Prince since it began tracking the figures.

At least half of the people displaced had lived in the municipality of Delmas, hard hit by recent gang violence.

Vanda Felbab-Brown, a security expert at the Brookings Institution in Washington, said given the weaknesses in both the Kenya-led mission and the Haiti National Police, it is not surprising that the security situation has been deteriorating since October.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Felbab-Brown said the force continues to show weaknesses that go beyond manpower and staffing and equipment, such as tactical operations.

Voltaire, the outgoing head of the council who thanked the security forces in his remarks, acknowledged that more effort is needed to combant violence. He devoted much of his speech, however, to highlighting his accomplishments during the past five months after starting his tenure with the firing of interim Prime Minister Garry Conille and the naming of Fils-Aime, a businessman who had previously applied for the job, as his replacement.

Voltaire also touted his visits to France, the Vatican and Colombia, whose president, Gustavo Petro, later made a historic visit to the city of Jacmel in January; the inauguration of the airport runways in the coastal cities of Jacmel and Les Cayes; and diplomacy efforts to broaden cooperation with Venezuela, Cuba and African nations.

Voltaire also highlighted the arrival of hundreds of additional troops from Kenya, Guatemala and El Salvador during his watch, the naming of government agency heads and the inauguration of an army base, even though it has yet to start training local Haitian troops.
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)  Amid the threat of tariffs from the Trump administration, the Canadian government is boosting security at the border.

The Ministry of Transportation has set up a checkpoint for commercial trucks looking for anything suspicious. The checkpoint is on the Peace Bridge as trucks leave Buffalo and head into Fort Erie.

In addition to this, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said it has boosted patrols at the border as well. A law enforcement source said Canadian patrols have been on the lower Niagara River. Federal agencies said border security is important to police on both sides of the border.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Last month, amid the threat of the tariffs, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised to increase security at the border.

News 4 received this statement from Superintendent Dale Foote, Officer in Charge Border Integrity, of Royal Canadian Mounted Police Central:

Canada and the United States share the longest, safest border in the world. A long stretch of that border with the United States, 2700 km, is shared with Ontario, making border security a key component of public safety for the RCMP in Ontario. Border security is a shared responsibility and top priority for law enforcement organizations on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border.

A secure border helps prevent the smuggling of illicit drugs, firearms, and human trafficking, all of which have direct impacts on both our countries. Strengthening border security reduces organized criminal activity and protects Canadian and American residents from transnational threats.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

While the RCMP has substantially increased our border officers on a 24/7 basis at the Canada-U.S. border to address the needs of our international border, for operational reasons we cannot provide the number of regular members deployed between the ports of entry. The RCMP is continually reviewing its operational priorities to ensure areas are appropriately resourced.

The RCMP remains confident in the ability of Canadian and U.S. enforcement agencies to work together to maintain the integrity of the Canada-U.S. border.

Latest Local News

Jeff Preval is an award-winning anchor and reporter who joined the News 4 team in December 2021. See more of his work here.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo.
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A more than three-year court battle between a property owner, tenants, and Clark County resulted in the tenants having to relocate.

The property became the subject of a February hearing in Carson City to introduce Assembly Bill 211, aimed at targeting problem property owners.



Its been three years, and were still in court, and theres just a handful of tenants left, so theyve almost accomplished their objective, but its still an ongoing problem, Clark County Commissioner Tick Segerblom said. You drive by there and think, Oh my God, how could that be?'



The Apex apartments are located just north of UNLV, a neighborhood that Segerblom represents.



Assembly Bill 211 would allow cities and counties to ask a court for the jurisdiction to become a receiver.



The solution would be obviously for us to step in, manage the property ourselves, fix it up, and keep those 200 people in their unit as opposed to put them on the street, Segerblom said.



By 2025, most of the tenants at the Apex apartments had left. Buildings on one side of the property are boarded up, while buildings on the other side are mostly boarded up aside from the few units that appeared to be occupied.



The 8 News Now Investigators began reporting on the Apex apartments after viewers reached out in 2021. The property had drastically deteriorated since California-based Pro-Residential Services purchased the property in January of that year.



The 8 News Now Investigators learned the property was operating without a license. The county issued a notice of violation.



By 2022, the county filed a lawsuit against the property owners.



The property had become crime-ridden. In addition to four homicides within a year, the county referred to 700 calls for service, a stabbing, 19 shootings, a swat search for a drug house, and 50 burglaries or robberies.



The 8 News Now Investigators also learned the owners had collected more than $300,000 in COVID-19 rental relief money.



A Clark County District Court judge required the owners to provide security on the property and make repairs. The court gave the owners a chance after chance.



A settlement was reached in January, according to a February court filing.



The settlement agreement contemplates that the parties will work together to address issues with the property and, ultimately, Apex will receive a permanent business license upon compliance, the document stated.



The owners are shutting the property down to make repairs, according to the document.



Nicholas Haley, a consumer rights attorney with the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada, represented some of the tenants.



This is anarchy, Haley said. Its sad.



In the end, he said, the property owners appeared to win.



There were very, very severe consequences for the people who lived there, and they had no redress anywhere, Haley told the 8 News Now Investigators. The court was not interested. The landlord was not interested, and the county, to their credit, filed a lawsuit, but even that ended with a slap on the wrist as far as were concerned.



According to Segerblom, Assembly Bill 211, could help prevent what unfolded at the Apex apartments from happening 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 KLAS.
TJ Beers holds a sign to advocate for the rights of people experiencing homelessness outside the state Capitol on April 9, 2024. Beers was homeless for four years and in three states. "I don't know how I survived," he said. (Photo by Claire Stremple/Alaska Beacon)

Over the past two years, nearly 100 homeless Alaskans died on the streets of Anchorage.

This week, Anchorage Democratic Sen. Elvi Gray-Jackson introduced legislation that seeks to codify the rights of homeless Alaskans, including the right to take shelter in a public place as long as doing so doesnt obstruct traffic.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Mine (bill) doesnt say homeless bill of rights, but thats what its basically about, Gray-Jackson said by phone on Friday.

What the bill would do is ensure that individuals experiencing homelessness are not denied access to essential services such as medical care, clean and safe living conditions, and equal opportunities for employment just because theyre homeless, she said.

Last year, a former homeless man-turned-advocate named TJ Beers traveled to the Alaska Capitol to urge lawmakers to pass a homeless bill of rights in order to keep homeless Alaskans from being unnecessarily harassed by civil authorities.

Rhode Island, Connecticut and Illinois have already enacted laws affirming that homeless residents have equal rights to housing, medical care, movement and private property.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Last year, Gray-Jackson said, she wasnt in a position to answer Beers request, but this year, she could make it happen.

When I tell somebody Im going to do something, I keep my word, she said.

Gray-Jackson, a former member of the Anchorage Assembly, said that during her time in that role, she made a point to visit homeless camps because I wanted them to know that Im their legislator, and I represent them too.

Anchorages many homeless encampments are a hot topic in the community, and the city has been in several legal disputes about whether it has the power to remove those encampments.

Gray-Jackson said she doesnt believe her bill would stop the city from clearing camps.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She said she doesnt agree with people who say theyre going to solve homelessness. Instead, she said, what were going to do is mitigate homelessness and make the situation better for all.

SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
PARIS (AP)  At Vivienne Westwoods fall show Saturday, Andreas Kronthaler sent a clear message: rebellion is alive and well. The collection, staged at the Pavillon Cambon, was a riot of irreverence and refinement, merging razor-sharp tailoring with Westwoods signature sense of mischief.

Theres nothing more sexy than a suit, the show notes declared, and Kronthaler took that mantra to heart. Power suiting dominated  oversized blazers draped over silken shirts, trousers slashed into asymmetrical skirts, and trench coats dialed up to near-operatic proportions. A deep navy double-breasted coat, cinched tightly at the waist and paired with a towering felt hat, felt like a playful nod to British aristocracy  if the aristocracy had a punk streak and a wicked sense of humor.

Texture was another star of the show. Chunky winter coats in rough wools clashed beautifully with shimmering metallic hoods and speckled knitwear, while velvet and tulle gowns exaggerated the body with bold padding at the hips and shoulders. Accessories veered into pure Westwood fantasy  furry heels, deliberately clashing socks, and a gilded birdcage handbag, equal parts opulent and ironic.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The collection also served as a personal tribute. Marking his 30 years in London, Kronthaler wove in subtle references to the citys eclectic energy, infusing the lineup with a mix of streetwise edge and historic grandeur. As the final model exited, he stepped onto the runway, bouquet in hand, and flung flowers into the crowd, a celebratory gesture that felt as spontaneous and theatrical as the clothes themselves.

Vivienne Westwoods legacy has always been about challenging expectations. Under Kronthaler, that defiant spirit remains, recharged with a fresh, fearless sense of drama.
The Rupert Lowe fiasco was an accident waiting to happen.

First things first, Rupert, like me, is in politics for one reason and one reason alone. We are both deeply concerned by the state of our country and its direction of travel.

We both entered frontline politics in 2019 when Theresa May had made such a hash of leaving the EU. We stayed in it because, contrary to promises made by Boris Johnson, we did not properly achieve Brexit: Northern Ireland was left behind and Boris hitched us at the regulatory hip to Brussels. Things have only worsened since then, with ever increasing state intervention, record levels of borrowing and taxation and mass immigration coupled with progressive discrimination that is destroying our economy, democracy and culture.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Rupert and I are not in it for personal political advancement. We joined Reform because it was the only hope of breaking with the anti-democratic liberal global order.

Both of us were concerned by Nigel Farages sole control of the party but a letter of comfort on party governance was provided by the then leader, Richard Tice. Collectively we put Reform on the map. When we joined, it was polling at 6 per cent. By the time of the general election, when Nigel appointed himself leader, it was up at 16 per cent. In the end we achieved 14 per cent of the vote, bang in line with our pre-election polling.

With Nigels arrival on the scene Richards letter was set aside. Both Rupert and I privately called for a restructuring and democratisation of the party. Despite public declarations by Nigel that he would do so and claims now that it has been done, Reform is not democratised. It is still completely in Nigels control.

No political party can morph from being a start up to forming a government in the control of and by the efforts of one man. Reforms demands to reinstate British democracy are hollowed by its hypocrisy.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

When my private pleadings to democratise were ignored, I fought a public campaign for the restructuring of Reform, eventually severing my ties with the party because of Nigels reaction to my demands.

What many will not know is that dozens of loyal grassroots members have suffered the same fate as Rupert. Zia Yusufs idea of professionalising the party has involved a setting aside of all that was Reform.

Throughout this period, while agreeing with me, Rupert toed the line. He concentrated on his work as an MP. He is undoubtedly one of the best and bravest members of Parliament. On all the issues that matter he is miles ahead of his colleagues. He even gives over his Parliamentary salary to charity.

Rupert has gained hugely in popularity as people have seen him for what he is, a capable, ideologically sound, hardworking, patriotic man. None of this sits well with Nigel, who thinks the partys entire success is down to him.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

And here is the other difference between Rupert, me and Nigel: Nigel is a political expedient. In the pursuit of power, he has been tacking to the Left. Nigel is on the record saying he is not concerned by the rate of demographic change in the country, he is not in favour of the mass deportation of illegal migrants and he thinks a united Ireland is inevitable, amongst other views which are bound to have affronted Rupert. He has also been recruiting people who should be nowhere near Reform. Charlie Mullins, one such example, was apparently put forward as a Reform candidate, a surprise given that he is an avowed remainer.

It is no surprise Elon Musk saw through Nigel and identified Rupert as the man to lead Reform. Since then, Rupert has had a target on his back.

Is there a way back for Reform? Yes, but it requires Nigel immediately embracing Rupert and taking on board his criticisms. For the sake of the country Nigel should do the right thing. Take Rupert back in the fold, properly restructure the party, build a fantastic team of people to form the next government and get them designing policy. If he needs a scapegoat, there is one thoroughly deserving of the sack: Zia Yusuf.

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.
It's back to typical weather in the Phoenix area this weekend, as sunshine and warmer temperatures take over following the brief relief brought by a storm system on Friday.

The National Weather Service forecast a gradual warm-up, with highs in the low 70s on Saturday, mid-to-high 70s on Sunday, and reaching 84 degrees by Monday.

The warmer temperatures come just in time for the Tempe Spring Festival of the Arts, the annual downtown event celebrating independent artists and the arrival of spring.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Another storm system was set to move through the state next week, bringing some much-needed rain after one of the driest winters in recent memory.

Northern Arizona to warm up this weekend after Friday's storms

Next week's storm system follows a system on Friday that dropped temperatures in Phoenix to the low 50s, bringing much-needed rain to the Valley and triggering a winter storm in northern Arizona, which led to multiple highway closures. Eastbound Interstate 40 near Kingman and northbound State Route 89A between Sedona and Interstate 17 were shut down Friday because of heavy snowfall.

Flagstaff will see a mix of light showers and snow through early Saturday morning before transitioning to sunnier and warmer conditions throughout the weekend. The National Weather Service forecast a high of 41 degrees in Flagstaff on Saturday, 50 on Sunday, and 52 by Monday.

Another storm system to hit the state next week

The National Weather Service forecast that the warmer temperatures will be short-lived, as another storm system is expected to move through Arizona next week, bringing rain back to the Valley and snow to the north as early as Tuesday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Fallout from snowfall: Winter storm closes I-17, I-40, State Route 89A in northern Arizona

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona will warm up briefly for the weekend; rain and snow next week
The United States and Ukraine have reached an agreement to resume US military aid, along with resuming intelligence sharing, the two countries said Tuesday. Ukraine also agreed to a proposed ceasefire in its war with Russia. President Donald Trump had recently halted all future shipments of military aid.

As shipments could begin again soon, CNN looks at what exactly was in the military aid sent by the United States so far, how much was sent and how a resumption could impact Ukraines war efforts.

The US has given $69 billion in military aid

The US is the largest single donor to the war-torn nation, sending at least $123 billion in total aid to Ukraine since Russias full-scale invasion in 2022. Military aid made up $69 billion of that, or 56% of the US total, according to data from the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, a German think tank that closely tracks wartime aid to Ukraine.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ukraine has expanded its domestic production of military equipment including the manufacturing of drones and artillery munitions. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said recently it now produces more than 30% of the equipment and ammunition needed to defend itself.

Zelensky has stated that military supplies from the US cover about 40% of its defense needs, with other  mostly European  allies making up the other approximately 30%.

Europe had rallied behind Ukraine in the days following the disastrous Oval Office meeting, pledging to strengthen its support for Kyiv as US foreign policy shifts away.

What the military assets are

Among the specific equipment sent from the US to Ukraine are air defense systems, drones, rocket launchers, radars, tanks and anti-armor weapons.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The US has been supplying Ukraine with military equipment under the Presidential Drawdown Authority since August 2021 in response to Russia preparing to launch its full-scale invasion. The mechanism allows the president to draw equipment for Ukraine directly from US stocks.

The US has used this method on 55 occasions to provide about $31.7 billion worth of military assistance for Ukraine, according to a report from the State Department.

Stopping the flow of this aid would have been disastrous for Ukraine, with one Ukrainian official warning that the country could have run out of vital artillery shells by May or June.

While the EU intended help fill some gaps, there are some things only the US can provide, for example the Patriot air defense system, which has proven uniquely effective in countering Russian ballistic missiles. The US controls the licensing and the production of that system and its missiles.

The US beats out Europe on supplying heavy weapons

As Ukraines top military aid donor, the US has sent the most howitzers (a type of artillery weapon), anti-aircraft surface-to-air missile systems and multiple launch rocket systems. Meanwhile, Poland has supplied and pledged the most tanks, Kiel Institute data shows.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Heres the status of delivered and pending shipments as of the end of 2024:

It would have been extremely difficult for Ukraines European allies to fill the United States shoes. In 2023, overall military expenditures for the 27 EU member states and the United Kingdom totaled around $388 billion, whereas the US spent $916 billion, or about two times as much. The US also allocated 9% of government spending to defense, which was the highest among NATO countries, according to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

CNNs Ivana Kottasova and Nick Paton Walsh contributed reporting. This story has been updated with additional reporting.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
An artist's rendering of a possible replacement for the Francis Scott Key Bridge, with the Port of Baltimore and the city behind. (Image courtesy Key Bridge Rebuild)

By Jimmy Alexander

The next step in replacing the Francis Scott Key Bridge happened Wednesday, thanks to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District.

The corps issued a permit for the rebuild, which grants the Maryland Transportation Authority the ability to construct the bridge that will reconnect the Interstate 695 Beltway.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The announcement came only three weeks before the one-year anniversary of the day the cargo ship Dali slammed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge and sent it collapsing into the Patapsco River on March 26, 2024. A total of six construction workers were killed in the incident.

Less than one year after the catastrophic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, Baltimore District is proud to have provided fair and efficient permitting efforts to enable the construction of a new bridge, Baltimore District Cmdr. Col. Francis Pera said.

To have both removed the bridge wreckage and issued relevant permits for its reconstruction on this timetable is a testament to our dedicated regulatory branch and our commitment to support an energetic economy across the Mid-Atlantic.

In a press release from the USACE, the regulatory branch stated geotechnical investigations are ongoing, adding that test pile operations, pier demolition and trestle construction are expected to begin over the summer.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In-water construction of the new bridge will begin by early fall 2025. The project will also require similar permit verification from the U.S. Coast Guard, according to USACE.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore spoke to WTOP about the bridge design, which is estimated to cost somewhere in the ballpark of nearly $2 billion and be completed by 2028.

This spring, were going to finish the demolition for the parts of the bridge that were still standing and begin the construction, Moore said.

He showed gratitude to the bipartisan congressional delegation, which he said negotiated that 100% cost share.

Were already beginning the work, Moore said. We plan on getting that bridge on time and on budget.

 As part of Maryland Matters content sharing agreement with WTOP, we feature this article from Jimmy Alexander. Click here for the WTOP News website.
CHICAGO  A homicide and an arson investigation is underway after a man was found dead inside a burning home on the citys West Side on Friday night.

According to Chicago police, the victim was located after officers and fire crews responded to the scene of a fire at a residence in the 2300 block of South Kirkland Avenue in North Lawndale around 8 p.m.

Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines

Officers said after crews had extinguished the blaze, they located a 68-year-old man inside the home. He was later pronounced dead on the scene.

Authorities said the incident has been classified as an arson and homicide investigation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Currently, it is unclear what sparked the fire or what led to the victims death.

LATEST CASES: Missing people in Chicagoland

Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact CPD Area Four Detectives at 312-746-8251 or dial 911.

Those with information that could help authorities in their investigation can also leave a tip at CPDtip.com. Tips can be filed anonymously.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
This Friday, NASA allowed visitors inside the Vehicle Assembly Building and the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building, where the rocket and spacecraft for the Artemis II are coming together.

The side boosters are stacked at the VAB, and the core will be integrated soon.

Elkin Norena with NASAs SLS Resident Management Office told us, The excitements been building up a lot now, with all the hard work getting in here together and then having the crew see it and kind of realize this is what theyre going to be on top of. So, I think were getting to a point that I think were building up to. This is happening. Were going to get there.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Right now, NASAs roughly 10-day trip around the moon is scheduled to lift off no earlier than April 2026.

Canadian Astronaut Jeremy Hansen and NASA Astronauts Christina Koch, Victor Glover, and Reid Wiseman will be the first crew to fly around the moon in over five decades.

Kirk Shireman, the Vice President of Human Exploration for Lockheed Martin told us, " The vehicles extremely complicated and critical, and it has to survive.

Thats to keep people alive. It has to be able to be resilient to face. And so, everything you need to.

To breathe, to eat, to live for, in this case nine days, but really for 21 days has to be in that little, tiny capsule. NASA hopes to roll its moon rocket to the launch pad before the end of the year.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
KILL DEVIL HILLS, N.C. (WAVY)  Blake Vuyovich said he was told his claim on the OxyContin personal injury trust was worth $5 million, but now, hes not so sure, saying the rules have changed just in the past few days.

Its part of the settlement with the billionaire Sackler family of Massachusetts, the founders of Purdue Pharma.

Vuyovich, an electrician, began suffering from pain in 1998.

I had back problems, said Vuyovich, in a Friday morning interview. I was already fused at L4 and L5.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

So his pain management doctor reached for Purdue Pharmas OxyContin.

They were giving them out like Tic Tacs back then, he said. It was branded as a miracle drug.

OxyContin was supposedly non-addictive, but Vuyovichs doctor ramped him up from 60 milligrams a day to 320 milligrams per day. After 10 years of OxyContin, he overdosed and shifted to a different medicine in 2008.

With his attorney, he filed a claim five years ago with the OxyContin personal injury trust that included medical records. He though he had done what was necessary for a valid claim.



Then he got a letter this week, through his attorney, saying more documentation from when he was taking the drug was required.



Theyre asking me for letters, a blank prescription from my pain management doctor, pictures of my medication bottles, he said, and the deadline is March 14.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I called every pharmacy that I ever dealt with, he said, but that probably wouldnt help because he discovered they only keep records for seven years, and Vuyovich stopped taking Oxycontin 17 years ago.

They might as well ask me to grab a unicorn, Vuyovich said. Theres no way of getting this information.

Vuyovich called the trust fund while 10 On Your Side was at his home Friday, and a representative stated they do not have the estimated award amounts ready to give out to people, but confirmed there will be payouts.

Vuyovich said he voted for President Donald Trump, and now hes appealing to the White House.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Mr. President, you say youre out there for the working class people, he said. Well, I was a working class person. I live off of social security now, and this is ridiculous.

North Carolina will receive as much as $150 million from the settlement, and Virginia about $107 million, which will go to individuals, organizations and government 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 WAVY.com.
LIMESTONE COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT)  An Athens man was arrested Friday for possession of child sexual exploitation material, according to court documents.

Court records show that Timothy Swaffer, 30, was arrested by the Athens Police Department.

Documents say Swaffer knowingly possessed with the intent to distribute 10 photos of children exposing [themselves] on electronic devices.

Swaffer is currently being held in the Limestone County Jail, awaiting a judge to set his bond.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com.
More foreign people choose Chinese courts to exercise jurisdiction as the country has strengthened efforts to equally protect parties from both home and abroad, according to a work report of China's top court submitted Saturday to the national legislature's annual session for deliberation.

A number of typical corporate cases involving foreign investment have been concluded in accordance with the Foreign Investment Law, reinforcing China's position as one of the world's most attractive destinations for investment, said the report of the Supreme People's Court.

Since 2013, Chinese courts have closed about 417,000 first-instance civil and commercial cases involving foreign element, covering parties from more than 100 countries and regions, the report said.
HILDALE, Utah (ABC4)  Police in Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Ariz., are currently seeking the publics help in identifying a suspect in an attempted child abduction on Friday.

Police are currently looking for a 2010-2016 light metallic-colored Chrysler Town & Country van, or similar, a joint statement from police reads. See photo below:

Suspect van in attempted child abduction. (Courtesy of Colorado City/Hildale Police)

If you have any information regarding this investigation, please call Colorado City/Hildale Police at 928-875-9170 and reference case number 25HP0402.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

An officer will return your call as soon as possible, the statement reads.

Details on the attempted abduction incident are limited at this time.

This is a developing story. ABC4 will update this post as new information becomes available.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
Attorney General Anthony Brown takes questions from the press in this file photo from Feb. 10. (Photo by Danielle J. Brown/Maryland Matters)

Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown (D) is the lead attorney in a 20-state lawsuit against the Trump administrations mass firing of probationary federal workers, one of two lawsuits Brown joined Thursday  and one of two dozen since Trumps swearing-in.

Thursdays second lawsuit was filed in Massachusetts by eight states, including Maryland, against the Department of Educations decision to suspend, without warning last month, $600 million in grants that states use to train teachers and place them in hard-to-staff schools.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The federal workers lawsuit is the first one in which Brown serves as the lead attorney general. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court of Maryland, alleges that the firings of tens of thousands of employees, including military veterans, were unlawful.

President [Donald] Trumps unlawful mass firings of federal workers are a blatant attack on the civil service, throwing thousands of hardworking families into financial turmoil, Brown said in a statement announcing the suit.

Instead of following the law and notifying states, his administration blindsided Maryland, forcing us to deal with the devastating economic fallout and social consequences., he said of the layoffs. We wont stand by while he disrupts lives and undermines our State, which is why Ive taken legal action to stop these unjustified terminations and protect Marylanders.

The Maryland suit lists several federal agencies that began to fire employees shortly after Trump was sworn into his second term in office on Jan. 20. The suit says Trump signed an executive order that same day instituting a federal hiring freeze and directing agencies to submit a plan to reduce the size of the Federal Governments workforce through efficiency improvements and attrition.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The lawsuit said the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, for example, fired 73 probationary employees and at least another 70 on Feb. 13. Other terminations last month included nearly 2,000 employees at the Department of Energy, at least 2,400 from the Department of Veterans Affairs, 100 from the General Services Administration and about 60 from the Department of Education.

Probationary employees have routinely been targeted because they enjoy fewer job protections than other federal workers. Probationary periods can last up to a year in federal service, and apply to longtime workers who got a promotion as well as to new hires.

Brown, who released a video to explain the suit that was joined by 19 other attorneys general, said that more than 800 of the fired federal employees are from Maryland and have applied to the state for unemployment benefits.

The suit has the support of Gov. Wes Moore (D), who said the 160,000 federal jobs in the state are filled by dedicated patriots who keep us safe, who provide essential services, and whose mission is to serve our people.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Our state would be incomplete without their service, Moore said in a statement Friday. As our state navigates the worst fiscal crisis in two decades, we cannot retreat from our principles, and we cannot afford to let these actions stand.

According to the suit, the Trump administration has failed to follow a federal reductions in force or RIF statute. Those procedures require federal agencies to provide at least a written notice 60 days ahead of time to affected workers and to states before worker terminations can take placce.

Where an agency fails to provide such notice, the employees may not be released, according to the suit.

While the lawsuit to block the Trump administrations firing of probationary federal employees is the first where Brown has taken the lead, its far from his first legal action against the administration. He is one of a number of Democratic attorneys general who have responded with legal challenges to the administrations rapid-fire cuts and program changes.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Beginning on Jan. 21  one day after Trump was sworn in to his second term in office  through Friday, Browns office has joined other attorney generals in seven lawsuits against the administration, according to press releases posted on his office website. Those suits involved anywhere from eight to 22 other states on issues ranging from the federal funding freeze to Trumps attempt to ban birthright citizenship to the access to federal data by billionaire Trump adviser Elon Musk and his U.S. DOGE Service.

Brown has also had a hand in six amicus briefs filed by attorneys general in other groups challenges to the White House, three motions filings and 11 memos or joint statements challenging administration actions or giving guidance to citizens on their rights in the face of the administrations blistering-fast policy changes.

Brown serves as a co-lead on an amicus brief filed Feb. 21 in U.S. District Court of Maryland that challenges two executive orders from the Trump administration dealing with transgender rights: an executive order that says the federal government will recognize only two sexes, male and female, and another that orders institutions that receive federal research or education grants to stop gender-affirming care for transgender people.

They [executive orders] unlawfully discriminate against transgender youth and adults based on their gender identity, and have caused chaos and harm to families across America and interrupted delivery of crucial medical care across the healthcare system, according to the brief.

The suit filed Friday requests the court to rule that the firing of probationary employees is illegal, identify affected employees, reinstate them and stop future terminations of workers.
The maternal aunt of a 22-year-old Harlem man who died in an upstate prison after an altercation with correction officers that is under criminal investigation demanded answers Friday.

Meanwhile, as of Friday afternoon, correction officers were back at work at 11 of the states 42 prisons, an increase of just five since the state offered Thursday night to forgive strikers and make work hour and safety changes.

But Mayreni Lopez barely could contain her emotion about Messiah Nantwis death as she spoke to reporters outside the Adam Clayton Powell State Office Building on 125th St.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I am beyond angry, Lopez said. Messiah was failed. New York State failed him. I was under the impression the state does not exercise the death penalty. When did correctional officers became judges or executioners?

Nantwi died Saturday at Mid-State Correctional Facility in Marcy, N.Y., where he was serving a five-year sentence for gun possession stemming from a 2021 incident in which cops reported he shot at them in the Bronx during a chase. Three police officers shot him up to 27 times, but he survived.

He was also facing murder charges in two homicides in Harlem that took place 27 hours apart in April 2023.

Lopez said Nantwi developed mental health issues after the police incident. Prior to 2021, she described him as a scholar and an athlete whose mind was a sponge.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

New York finished their job, she said. They started it four years ago. They werent successful. That feels personal. I tried, and I didnt have the support I needed. I need immediate accountability. Ms. Hochul, where are you?

Gov. Hochul in a statement Tuesday said, Early reports point to extremely disturbing conduct leading to Mr. Nantwis death. The state police are investigating the incident, which has led to the suspension of 15 officers.

State Attorney General Letitia James recused herself from the case, but in an affidavit, Assistant AG Gregory Oakes wrote there was probable cause that as many as nine officers committed a crime. A special prosecutor, Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick, has been appointed.

Assemblyman Eddie Gibbs (D-Harlem) said he visited inmates at Mid-State earlier this week. Needless to say, the morale was fearful, very low and untrusting, he said. I chatted with the National Guard and they were very disappointed in the actions of the [correction officers].

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In response to the wildcat correction officers strike, Hochul more than two weeks ago posted several thousand National Guardsmen to the prisons.

Gibbs said Messiahs body was at a Utica, N.Y., funeral home. He said the mans ankles and neck may have been broken in the altercation with officers.

Nantwis death was the seventh in prison during the now 19-day-old wildcat strike by prison guards. On Dec. 9, inmates Robert Brooks was beaten to death by correction officers at Marcy Correctional Facility which is just across the street from Mid-State. A grand jury charged 10 officers in that case, including six with murder.

When is enough going to be enough? Gibbs asked, adding he had a collection of 3,000 letters from inmates alleging abuse by officers. Its horrifying, he said. I feel like I am powerless to stop this nonsense.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The assemblyman said he introduced two pieces of legislation this week  one bill would require the state to pay the cost of transporting home the bodies of people who die in prison, and the other would require the state to pay for independent autopsies in deaths that are ruled homicides.

Late Friday, state officials confirmed officers at five more prisons had returned to work after the dramatic Thursday night agreement offered by state Correction Commissioner Daniel Martuscello, who declared, We heard you. The offer required officers to return Friday, threatening it would not be made again.

That means officers at 27 state prisons were still on strike.

The deal was stymied in part by the state Correction Officers Police Benevolent Association, which refused to sign it because its terms were created outside of collective bargaining. The union did not officially back the strike.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Vinny Blasio, a retired correction officer who talks regularly with strikers, said Martuscellos offer went over like a lead balloon.

Officers do not respond well to threats, Blasio said. They are threatened daily  so for public figures to make threat after threat hardens their resolve in my opinion.

Michael Sussman, an Orange County lawyer who is informally involved with the strikers, said he still hoped for an agreement.

What they are complaining about is legitimate, he said. It seems theres a serious schism between the members and the union. Hopefully, the mediator can come back in and come to a solution.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The strike chaos seems to have caused movement in a bill that would make it easier for inmates who are 55 and older or infirm to be released, said activist Jose Saldana. More than 30 state legislators have signed up as sponsors, he said.

Now we have majority support for the bill, he said. The governor seems to have a problem with the age. We know people are dying at 58. If we release them, they can get back and become taxpayers, they help the family and the community, so why wait?

Lopez spoke to reporters after essentially crashing a press conference organized by Rev. Kevin McCall.

McCalls press release said Nantwis father, Patterson Nantwi, 54, and his mother, who was not named, were going to speak to the media.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But in the end, neither the father nor the mother appeared for reasons that were unclear.

McCall said he spoke to Patterson Thursday. It seems like there are internal issues that the family has to work out, he said.

Lopez referred indirectly to those issues. I was pushed away. Unfortunately, he had a parent who pushed us all away, she said referring to Patterson.
Australia is considering joining a group of countries that are prepared to protect an eventual ceasefire of the Russia-Ukraine war, the UK said on Saturday.

Britain and France have been leading efforts to form the coalition of the willing, as the United States long-term commitment to Europes security is now in doubt under Donald Trump.

Sir Keir Starmer, Britains Prime Minister, spoke to the prime minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, this morning, the UK leaders office said on Saturday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He welcomed prime minister Albaneses commitment to consider contributing to a coalition of the willing for Ukraine and looked forward to the Chiefs of Defence meeting in Paris on Tuesday.

European countries have been rushing to boost support for Ukraine as Mr Trump pursues direct talks with Vladimir Putin, Russias leader, to end Moscows three-year-long invasion of Ukraine.

European countries have greenlit a plan to re-arm Europe against the threat of Russia as the war in Ukraine continues - AFP

Several European states have said they would be willing to deploy troops to Ukraine as a security guarantee should the conflict be frozen along current lines.

Key details about the coalition have not been specified, but the grouping was mentioned by Starmer during a summit of European leaders in London last Sunday, which was aimed at guaranteeing lasting peace in Ukraine.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

British officials have held talks with around 20 countries interested in being part of the group, a UK official said on Thursday. The official refused to name the nations but said they were largely European and Commonwealth partners.

Earlier this week, Mr Albanese told journalists that Australia was ready to assist Ukraine, but did not specify what form this assistance could take.

Theres discussion at the moment about potential peacekeeping, he said. From my governments perspective, were open to consideration of any proposals going forward.

With EU leaders shaken by the prospect of US military disengagement in Europe, they agreed to boost the blocs defences at a crisis summit on Thursday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Rallying around Ukraine after Volodymyr Zelenskys blow-up with Mr Trump at the White House last week, European countries greenlit a plan to re-arm Europe against the perceived threat from Russia.

We are moving decisively towards a strong and more sovereign Europe of defence, Antonio Costa, who heads the European Council, told reporters after the talks.

We are putting our money where our mouth is.

Leaders endorsed the European Commissions aim to mobilise about 800 billion (671 billion) for defence spending, committing to examine as a matter of urgency its proposal to provide members with EU-backed loans of up to 150 billion.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The defence plan eases fiscal rules to allow states to spend much more  at a time when Friedrich Merz, Germanys chancellor-in-waiting, is embracing radical reforms to fund the countrys rearmament.

Emmanuel Macron, the president of France, has also called for a defence spending surge and suggested extending Frances nuclear deterrent to European partners.

Trumps pivot away from Americas transatlantic partners comes as he seeks a rapprochement with Russia to end the Ukraine war  raising fears Kyiv could be forced into an unfavourable deal.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
At least 36 Australian military personnel were injured when two army trucks helping storm victims collided on Saturday.

Some of the Australian Defence Force personnel were seriously hurt when the trucks crashed south-west of Lismore, New South Wales.

Police sent specialist rescue units to the scene while the states ambulance service dispatched teams of paramedics, including two helicopters, officials said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A total of 36 patients was the last count I had, said a spokesman for New South Wales Ambulance, adding that the injured were taken to four hospitals.

The spokesman was not authorised to give further details of the injured troops condition, but Anthony Albanese, the Australian prime minister, said some of the injuries were serious.

In a joint statement with Richard Marles, the defence minister, Mr Albanese said: Right now our focus is on the welfare of those involved and their families.

Our ADF heroes were on their way to help Australians in need.

Police are now investigating the cause of the crash.

Heavy rain forecast across Australia

Australian troops have been deployed to help people cope with the impact of ex-tropical cyclone Alfred, which has struck the east coast with rain and powerful winds.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The cyclones remnant is forecast to track west across the Australian mainland in the coming days bringing more heavy rain, Matt Collopy, the manager for the Bureau of Meteorology, said.

The real threat now is from that locally heavy to intense rainfall, which may lead to flash and riverine flooding, Mr Collopy said.

Cyclones are common in Queenslands tropical north but are rare in the states temperate and densely populated south-east corner that borders New South Wales.

A 61-year-old man who disappeared in a flooded river near the New South Wales town of Dorrigo was confirmed as the first casualty of the storm when his body was recovered on Saturday, police 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.
A pair of travelers on a flight from Bangkok that landed at Jaipur Airport in India were caught red-handed trying to smuggle exotic animals into the country, per The Hawk.

What's happening?

The two passengers were intercepted by customs officials, who discovered several exotic snakes, lizards, spiders, and other reptiles in their luggage.

"We checked two bags, on the basis of suspicion, from a flight that arrived from Bangkok. We found nine kinds of wildlife species, which include corn snake, king snake, albino snake, milk snake, and green iguana, monitor lizard, tarantula, red squirrel, and a packet of white mice," Sugriv Meena, principal commissioner of customs in Jaipur, said of the seizure.

Why is this important?

Wildlife smuggling is a serious issue in various parts of the world. It often involves the illegal trade of endangered species, which can lead to the decline or extinction of these precious animals.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Another example had even more dire consequences, as a 25-year-old traveler was caught by police attempting to smuggle nearly 400 exotic animals in a single piece of luggage through Kempegowda International Airport in India. Unfortunately, eight of the Pacman frogs in the luggage died because of a lack of oxygen.

In addition to threatening animal welfare, wildlife trafficking can also destroy ecological balance by introducing invasive species to areas they don't belong. These instances can cause the spread of diseases among both humans and native animals, further underscoring the importance of thwarting smuggling attempts worldwide.

What's being done about this?

The passengers face penalties under India's Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. Meena added that efforts are being made to protect the animals involved in the attempted smuggling.

"We are in touch with Rajasthan wildlife officials and animal quarantine officials, and as per their instructions, we will send the species back to their country of origin," Meena said, per The Hawk.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In addition to authorities around the world working to apprehend those involved in the illegal animal trade, organizations like Earth League International are dedicated to uncovering wildlife traffickers and raising awareness about these crimes. By supporting legitimate conservation programs like this, you would be doing your part to help protect vulnerable species and create a safer future for all.

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.
Christians should avoid Eurocentric prayers in order to be more inclusive, according to guidance from a Church of England diocese.

Parishes in the Diocese of Norwich have been issued with an anti-racist toolkit to ensure they support diversity and inclusion plans mandated by senior clergy.

The guidance tells Church of England priests to avoid asking for Gods help with problems relating only to Europe and Europeans.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The toolkit states that clergy should ensure that intercessions are aligned with the concerns of the congregation and are not entirely Eurocentric.

Prayers of intercession are those in which believers ask for divine help with a particular issue.

The Rev Dr Ian Paul, associate minister at St Nics, Nottingham, criticised the guidance, saying: It seems extraordinary that, in a diocese which is 95 per cent white, money is being spent on this, including a full-time racial justice officer, when parishes are crying out for more clergy.

The guidance for parishes in largely rural East Anglia advises that priests should look to include different languages and topics in the prayers.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The anti-racism toolkit, drawn up by the Norwich Dioceses Racial Justice Action Group, offers an example of an inclusive prayer parish priests could use in their services.

A rainbow people

It calls on God to open our hearts, that we may be bold in finding the riches of inclusion and the treasures of diversity among us.

It adds that congregants come before you, a holy family, a rainbow people.

The guidance suggests that priests could launch a Collect for Racial Justice Sunday, with a specific prayer for the collection imploring: Stir the hearts of your people that, rejoicing in our diversity, we may repent of the wrongs of the past.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Priests looking for further prayer ideas are directed to a website called PrayerCast, which offers ideas for prayers relating to others from Angola to Mongolia.

The independent website also urges visitors to pray for Muslims during Ramadan.

The guidance backed by the Rt Rev Graham Usher, the Bishop of Norwich, also directs clergy to become aware of our biases and privileges.

The Rt Rev Graham Usher, the Bishop of Norwich, has backed the anti-racist guidance - Jason Bye

It advises mono-cultural parishes especially to include printed and digital media reflecting diversity, even if there is no diversity in the parish.

Parishes should also display images that reflect diversity in the Body of Christ.

White supremacist worldview

The toolkit is intended to tackle a white supremacist/Eurocentric worldview that the Church is not immune from.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Guidance states that Christianity itself was spread with the help of racist European ideologies.

The toolkit has been backed by the Rt Rev Dr Jane Steen, the Bishop of Lynn, who wrote in a foreword that the measures were needed to ensure inclusion because our counties are becoming more ethnically diverse.

She added that our hospitals, agriculture and other walks of life are sustained by people whose life began in a different country.

The guidance urges parishes to be prepared for demographic changes in their congregations, stating that: Norwich Diocese is considered very white in terms of population, but the schools are becoming more and more diverse.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Norfolk, covered by the diocese, is roughly 94 per cent white.

The toolkit was drafted in late 2024 to ensure Church of England policy on racial justice was carried out at a local level.

Justin Welby, the former archbishop of Canterbury, claimed that the Church was institutionally racist - Neil Turner for Lambeth Palace/REUTERS

Justin Welby, the former archbishop of Canterbury, claimed that the Church was institutionally racist in the wake of the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests.

The killing of George Floyd prompted the Church of England to create an anti-racist taskforce, which then set out recommendations to address racism and boost diversity.

These include calls to take action over the Churchs involvement in the slave trade, and to address potentially offensive monuments linked to racism and slavery.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Interventions following the taskforces advice have included a stained glass window featuring the merchant and slave owner Edward Colston being removed from the Anglican St Mary Redcliffe church in Bristol.

It was replaced by another window featuring Jesus in a migrant boat.

A spokesman for the Diocese of Norwich said: The racial justice toolkit is part of the Diocese of Norwichs response to the Church of Englands From Lament to Action report agreed by General Synod in 2021. The toolkit contains a wide range of optional resources for parishes and was created by a group largely made up of UKME clergy and lay people.

We are committed to being a Church for all in our communities and this must include people from all parts of society. It is a matter of fact that Anglicanism is a global communion and, as disciples of Jesus, we benefit from the insights of Christians from a range of cultures and experiences.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In Christ, our differences are not erased, but, rather, embraced within his radical love. Every neighbour, regardless of colour, class, or creed, is a treasured human being made in the image of God. Archbishop Desmond Tutu coined the phrase rainbow people to describe how we might live well together and contribute to just and flourishing communities. That is our desire in the Diocese of Norwich.

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.
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  Registered voters in south San Diego County will soon be receiving ballots in the mail for the special election to replace former Board of Supervisors Chair Nora Vargas following her abrupt resignation.

The Registrar of Voters office plans to send out the mail-in ballots to registered voters in the first supervisorial district on Monday, March 10, ahead of the first crop of ballot drop-off boxes becoming available later in the week.

These ballots can be completed and returned either via mail through the U.S. Postal Service or by placing them in one of the more than two dozen drop boxes. Once it is in the mail, people can track their ballot by signing up for the countys Wheres My Ballot? tool.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Meet the candidates running for Vargas Board of Supervisors seat

For District 1 residents who prefer to vote in person, vote centers will begin opening up at the end of March, ten days before the final day of voting on Tuesday, April 8.

The kickstart of voting in the special election will mark the second time South County residents in the first supervisorial district will head to the ballot box in less than a year, having just re-elected Vargas for a second term back in November.

While the Board of Supervisors is technically a nonpartisan body, the race will be decisive in determining majority control. Republicans have the opportunity to take back the reins just four years after Democrats became the majority party in the county for the first time in decades.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Seven candidates are vying for the role: Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre, Chula Vista Deputy Mayor Carolina Chavez, affordable energy consultant Elizabeth Efird, former Imperial County Board of Supervisors Chair Louis Fuentes, Chula Vista Mayor John McCann, San Diego City Councilmember Vivian Moreno, and long-time South County resident, Lincoln Pickard.

As the contest is a special election, should one candidate garner more than 50% of the vote in April, they would win the race outright. If no candidate meets that threshold, the election will move to a runoff between the top two vote-getters in July.

Since the race is at a district level, only residents who live within its boundaries will be eligible to cast a vote in the race.

What to know about the special election for Vargas Board of Supervisors seat

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This includes neighborhoods in south San Diego, such as Barrio Logan, Chollas View, East Village and Golden Hill, as well as the whole of Chula Vista, Imperial Beach and National City. San Diegans can look up their supervisorial district on the Registrar of Voters website.

All residents who are already signed up to vote in the district will be able to participate in the election, but the Registrar of Voters office encourages people to check their voter status before the registration deadline passes on Monday, March 24.

Prospective voters will only be able to participate after that point by casting a provisional ballot at an in-person vote 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 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
When flames erupted in Pacific Palisades on Jan. 7, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass was more than 7,000 miles away, on a diplomatic mission to Africa.

Bass headed home shortly thereafter and was in transit for nearly 24 hours as the fire ravaged the Palisades and surrounding communities.

She and her office have said she was in constant communication during that period. But it's impossible to know exactly what she was communicating, because her messages were not saved, according to a city lawyer.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Her phone is set not to save text messages," said the lawyer, David Michaelson.

Michaelson said that there is "no requirement that a city official or employee save text messages," despite the fact that the citys own document retention policies dictate that most records should be kept for at least two years.

Under state law, "any writing" related to the conduct of government is deemed a public record. On Jan. 10, The Times filed a public records request for all text messages sent or received by the mayor while she was in transit on Jan. 7 or Jan. 8 that mention fire response or her travel plans.

Bass has come under heavy criticism for being out of the country when the fire erupted amid a historically dry winter and forecasts of hurricane-force winds.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Read more: Karen Bass left L.A. for Africa as wind, fire warnings increased. She returned to a burning city

Nearly two months later, on Thursday, Bass' office said it had "no responsive records," without stating whether it was withholding any records or any reasons for not producing the records.

On Friday, responding to questions from The Times, Michaelson said that Bass' phone auto-deletes text messages and has for at least two years.

Los Angeles Administrative Code Section 12.3(b)(6) dictates that most records "shall be retained for a minimum of two years unless a shorter period is otherwise permitted by law or a longer period is otherwise required by law, or unless, consistent with state law, a different period of retention is established by order or resolution of the Council."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Michaelson argued that Section 12.3(b)(6) does not apply to texts, relying on a state attorney general opinion from 1981, long before text messages became a commonplace means of communicating.

"As articulated in an Attorney General opinion, a record that must be retained is made for the purpose of providing future reference," Michaelson wrote in an email. "Texts are ephemeral types of electronic communication, to use Supreme Court words, that afford 'fleeting thoughts and random bits of information' that provide an 'ease and immediacy.' Texts are not intended to provide future reference for the author or recipient let alone a public official record."

The Supreme Court decision cited by Michaelson, however, held that San Jose public officials' text messages on personal phones were public records that had to be disclosed if they related to government business. The state public records act has no specific provisions for document retention.

First Amendment Coalition Legal Director David Loy disagreed with Michaelson's interpretation and argued that the texts should be retained.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Yes, text can be considered ephemeral, just like emails," Loy said. "But as I read the plain language of L.A.'s own administrative code, the city imposed upon itself a more stringent record retention requirement than state law might otherwise require."

Kelly Aviles, an attorney and public records expert who has represented The Times in unrelated litigation, said the explanation offered by Bass' lawyer is flawed.

A mayor does not get to determine what is or is not a public record based on the device used, Aviles said, adding that such logic would invite officials to delete emails and voicemails they deem "ephemeral."

Under the state public records act, Aviles said, "it's the content of the communication, not the method of communication, that is important. If it relates to the conduct of public business, it is a public record that's disclosed."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"The idea that they think they can delete whatever they want, whenever they want, is not in compliance with the law at all," she said.

Aviles also took issue with Michaelson's citing of the city code.

"The city code doesn't trump state law," Aviles said. "The fact that they have an inaccurate understanding of what state law requires doesn't help them."

In response to public records requests, other agencies and public officials have released a multitude of records from the early days of the fire. California law dictates the release of these kind of records, unless there is a specific exemption.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Read more: L.A. officials stop use of disappearing Google Chats, citing Palisades fire

Bass left Accra, Ghana, about 9 p.m. on Jan. 7, or 1 p.m. Los Angeles time, as the fire grew, traveling the first leg on a military plane, where she was able to make phone calls and communicate by text and email.

Early the next morning, she boarded a commercial flight at Washington Dulles International Airport and would have been able to communicate only by email and text before arriving at Los Angeles International Airport at 11:24 a.m. on Jan. 8, according to her itinerary and flight records.

Bass has said that she was on the phone throughout the military flight from Accra to Dulles, and her staff has said she was actively involved in decision-making while abroad. She was also communicating via text message during that leg of her trip, according to at least one public official.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger said Jan. 8 that she had been texting with Bass the night before until 10:30 p.m. Los Angeles time, which would have meant they were texting as Bass flew from Africa to Washington, D.C.

Trust me, shes very engaged. Very engaged, Barger, whose district includes the Eaton fire zone, said Jan. 8 of Bass and her texts.

In response to a public records request from The Times, Supervisor Lindsey Horvath's office released a text message exchange between her and Bass.

At 11:50 a.m. Los Angeles time on Jan. 7, Horvath, whose district includes Pacific Palisades, texted Bass.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Read more: 'Doesnt feel very "locked arms" to me': Texts reveal strain between Bass and Horvath

"Reaching out about Palisades fire. I understand our County Fire Dept is supporting City and our Office of Emergency Management has been in touch with City staff, also. Do you need additional help/ support? Anything you want to put on our radar at this time?" Horvath wrote Bass in a text message that Horvath's office provided in response to a public records request from The Times.

Bass responded at 1:07 p.m. Los Angeles time, or just after 9 p.m. Ghana time, when she would have been on her way back home.

"Thanks for asking I think we are goodI'll call you in the am," Bass wrote.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Times staff writer David Zahniser contributed to this report.

Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Mar. 7BATH TOWNSHIP  The latest version of Ohio's two-year budget bill uses outdated data to calculate the cost to educate a child, according to Bath schools Treasurer Joel Parker.

The proposed budget, introduced by Gov. Mike DeWine in February, phases in the remainder of the so-called Cupp-Patterson school funding formula.

But the bill freezes cost inputs used to calculate how much schools spend to educate a child at 2022 levels, while relying on 2024 property tax valuations and income data to determine how much local taxpayers can afford to contribute.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The formula would effectively decrease the state's share of per-pupil funding to Bath schools, Parker told state Sen. Susan Manchester (R-Waynesfield) during a special visit to Bath schools Friday.

Bath schools spends an average of $12,977 per student, the third lowest in Allen County.

The state's share of per-pupil funding to Bath schools would decline from 50% to 39% by fiscal year 2027, according to estimates Parker shared Friday.

If lawmakers adopt those changes to the formula, Bath schools may need to ask voters for property tax increases "sooner," Parker said.

Potential changes to federal funding if the Trump administration eliminates the Department of Education could be costly too: Bath schools receives about $1.3 million in federal funding for reading instruction, special education and school lunches.

"If (federal funding) goes away," Parker said, "it is flipped over to the local voters."

Featured Local Savings
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  The Baton Rouge Fire Department responded to a duplex fire on Holt Avenue on Friday afternoon.

Upon firefighters arrival, they found a duplex with heavy flames and started working to extinguish the fire while protecting nearby homes. The roof collapsed shortly after the firefighters arrival. The fire spread to two homes in the 800 block of Holt Avenue.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Red Cross was contacted to assist four adults and seven children who were displaced by the fire.

No injuries were reported, according to the fire department.

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.
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  A Baton Rouge man who pleaded guilty in connection to a fatal accidental shooting in 2022 was sentenced Thursday.

Court records show Deangelo Coleman, 29, was sentenced to 30 months of hard labor with credit for time served on a negligent homicide charge. He had originally pleaded not guilty but withdrew his plea and pleaded guilty in October 2024.

According to a Baton Rouge Police Department report from May 2022, Coleman was playing with a handgun inside a home on St. Gerard Avenue when he accidentally fired a shot, striking Kendrick Wilson, 23, in the chest. Wilson did not survive.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Man accused of Baton Rouge double murder apprehended in Concordia Parish

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.
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  Louisiana State Police is looking for a man accused of kidnapping his ex-girlfriend.

According to police, officers with the Hammond Police Department started an investigation on Thursday in connection to a kidnapping.

During the investigation, a witness told HPD officers his sister had been abducted by her ex-boyfriend Jarvis Buchanan, 21, of Baton Rouge. Buchanan is accused of going to T-Mobile in the 1720 block of West Thomas Street to locate the victim. Buchanan reportedly grabbed the victim and forced her into the passenger seat of his vehicle. The two left the area.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Detectives determined that Buchanan was in the Baton Rouge/Gonzales area. Officers found Buchanans car around Gonzales. LSP tried to conduct a traffic stop, but it led to a police chase.

Police said the chase ended in Lutcher and Buchanan fled into the woods. The victim was found in the passenger seat and is now safe.

Buchanan has not been caught at this time and is a wanted fugitive. He is wanted on charges of aggravated kidnapping and aggravated criminal damage.

Anyone with information on Buchanans whereabouts is asked to contact Hammond Police Departments Detective Corey Morse at 985-277-5758 or Crime Stoppers anonymous line at 1-800-554-5245.

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.
A Bay Area rapper was shot after refusing to turn over his watch during an armed robbery late Thursday inside an East Hollywood recording studio, according to police and sources.

Stacey Gilton, who raps under the name "Lil Yee," suffered two gunshot wounds to the chest when an assailant interrupted the performer's recording session and demanded his watch, according to an LAPD source who requested anonymity in order to discuss an open case.

Gilton was taken to an area hospital for surgery and his condition was critical but stable, the source said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

An LAPD spokesman, Officer Drake Madison, said police were flagged down and directed to the scene of the shooting just after 10 p.m. Thursday in the 4500 block of Melrose Avenue. They found the victim, 32, wounded by an assailant who had "fired several rounds at the victim during an attempted robbery," Madison said in a statement.

Read more: Arthur 'King Bobalouie' Moses, who led one of first L.A. Bloods gang sets and sang backup for Delfonics, dies

Officers obtained a brief description of the suspect  a Black male in his mid- to late 20s  who fled the scene in a vehicle in an unknown direction. No arrests had been announced as of early Friday afternoon in the shooting, which police said was not motivated by any gang rivalries.

Police are said to be investigating the possibility that the robbery was a set-up orchestrated by another rapper.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Gilton is a native of the Fillmore neighborhood in San Francisco, proudly touting his roots in a 2022 interview on influential music journalist Jeff Weiss' website. According to the interview, he self-released hit single "War" in 2016; it has racked up nearly 5 million streams on Spotify.

Gilton credited the song with giving him "a platform. It gave me a fanbase" who connected with lyrics about wrestling with grief and mental health.

The shooting is the latest in a string of high-profile shootings and robberies of music artists.

Local icon Nipsey Hussle was murdered outside his clothing boutique in South L.A. in 2019.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In February 2020, rising star Pop Smoke was gunned down in a home invasion after inadvertently posting his location in the Hollywood Hills on Instagram while in town visiting from New York.

And in 2022, three rappers  PnB Rock (born Rakim Allen), Comptons Kee Riches (Kian Nellum) and Inglewoods Half Ounce (Latauriisha OBrien)  were killed in the L.A. area.

Earlier this week, TMZ reported that Le Vaughn  an influencer and the former boyfriend of Gucci Flip Flops rapper Bhad Bhabie  was shot in the hand during an altercation at a strip club near downtown L.A.

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.
WILBRAHAM, Mass. (WWLP)  Friday is the first Friday in the Catholic holy season of Lent which also means a boost in seafood sales for local establishments.

Every year at this time, the demand for fish goes through the roof for businesses like the Big Y in Wilbraham. It is one of the most important times of the year for Catholics.

Where to get the best fish on Fridays during Lent in Massachusetts

From now through Easter Sunday, many Catholics give up eating meat on Fridays. For many Catholics, refraining from meat is a form of sacrifice and penance, acknowledging Jesus sacrifice on the cross.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Growing up we always did it as kids as well, said Stanley Kowalski of Wilbraham. My mom and dad always had fish at home and it was a special day for that.

As a result, many people buy fish or go to seafood restaurants on Fridays during Lent. For Big Y in Wilbraham, the store started to see a rush of customers at their counters.

I mean this is the day to get fish and they have a great sale going on, Kowalski said. Im going to get some salmon here. $8.99.

The store is offering several seafood options like salmon, shrimp, and oysters, but their most popular seller is haddock and cod.

We are very busy right now, Big Y Store Director Derek Kaczowka said. And were going to have fried fish and chip dinners for our customers we make to order. And you could pick that up.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

They expected to fulfill nearly 90 orders by the end of Friday.

We have plenty of fish, plenty of condiments, boxes, plenty of staff, and were just ready to go, Kaczowka said.

The store typically sees six fresh deliveries a week from the North Coast, so they are ready for the high demand expected to come for the next few weeks of Lent.

Lent lasts 40 days and the observance of Lent dates back to the 4th century. Many have given up something, whether its chocolate, TV, or video games.

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.
SOMERS  Thousands of people packed the De Simone Arena on the University of Wisconsin-Parkside campus on Friday night to listen to Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, deride the influence of multimillionaire and billionaire donors in politics.

"The American people want us to end a corrupt campaign finance system," Sanders said to the energetic crowd. "We are not a democracy when billionaires like (Elon) Musk in both political parties can buy elections."

This was the first stop of two in the state as Sanders also had a rally scheduled for Altoona High School in the western part of Wisconsin on Saturday. It's his first time in the state since the 2024 presidential election when he supported Democrat Kamala Harris.

Thousands of people pack De Simone Arena on the University of Wisconsin-Parkside campus in Somers to listen to Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, speak on Friday. Sanders came to rally voters against the Trump administration.

Sanders' visit to Wisconsin brings an additional spotlight to the state Supreme Court race, which already is a high-profile local race.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Although Sanders did not mention her by name, he did allude to liberal Supreme Court candidate Susan Crawford saying she has an extreme idea that maybe women should be able to control their own bodies."

Crawford is going against conservative candidate Brad Schimel in the April 1 election that could determine the ideological balance of Wisconsin's highest court. Abortion and women's health care has been one of the key issues in the race with Crawford being against the state's 1849 law against abortion and Schimel saying "there is no constitutional right to an abortion."

Musk has commented on Wisconsin's Supreme Court race saying on X, "very important to vote Republican for the Wisconsin Supreme Court to prevent voting fraud!"

Sanders called out Musk saying he's "arrogant" for spending millions of dollars trying to influence the race in Wisconsin.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"I want you to think about what it means, if this guy can intervene in a Supreme Court election in one state, you tell me what mayor's, what governor's race, what Senate he cannot buy," Sanders said. "Nobody I know thinks that billionaires should be able to buy elections."

The group Progress 2028, which has received millions of dollars from Musk, has posted fake digital ads in support of Crawford.

More: Wisconsin Democrats to counter Elon Musk's spending in Supreme Court race with seven-figure initiative

Richest citizens are on 'warpath against the working families of our country'

For as long as there have been elections, money has had a significant impact on the outcomes.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In the 2024 presidential election, Musk devoted millions of dollars to helping Donald Trump win back the presidency, and then stepped in to run the newly created Department of Government Efficiency.

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, Vermont-I, speaks to thousands of people packed Friday into De Simone Arena on the UW-Parkside campus in Somers to rally against the Trump administration and billionaire Elon Musk.

It's a level of influence that Sanders abhors and he criticized the Trump administration by saying it is "a government of the billionaire class, by the billionaire class, and for the billionaire class."

"For years I have been talking about how America has been moving toward an oligarchy, well we're no longer moving toward that oligarchy, today we are living in that oligarchy," Sanders said. "The oligarchs, led by Mr. Musk, are on the warpath against the working families of our country."

Millions poured into both campaigns

According to campaign records, Building America's Future and America PAC, supported by Musk, have donated more than $6 million to help Schimel's campaign.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

However when it comes to accepting money from wealthy donors, the Crawford campaign is as willing to receive the financial support as the Schimel campaign.

Liberal millionaire donor George Soros donated $1 million to Crawford and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker donated $500,000.

UW-Parkside sophomore Lucas Hammel, center, holds a sign saying "Thank you President Trump," at a U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders rally on campus on Friday in Somers.

Lucas Hammel, sophomore at UW-Parkside, was born and raised in Kenosha County. He said he didnt understand why Sanders would come to Parkside to have an event.

I find it almost disrespectful, Hammel said. Hes not a senator here, hes not any type of political (figure) here. ... Why is he coming to a state that has nothing to do with him?

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Hammel held a sign that read "Thank you President Trump" outside of the arena with about a dozen other Schimel supporters before going inside to watch the event.

On campus, Hammel said it's difficult for him to have conversations with fellow students about the race.

Im honestly here because I hated how they slandered Trump," Hammel said. "I wish we can go back in time and civilly discuss things instead of swearing at me or getting into an argument where we constantly bicker at each other."

Republican Rep. Bryan Steil, who represents Wisconsin's 1st Congressional District that includes Kenosha County, said in a statement Sanders was on a "fear mongering tour."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"In Wisconsin we want secure borders, control of spending, and boys out of girls sports," Steil said. "I will continue working to deliver meaningful results for Wisconsin families who are still struggling from the policies that President Biden and Sen. Sanders pushed over the last four years."

In a statement, the Schimel campaign said: If the people of Wisconsin want to know which Supreme Court candidate has their best interests in mind, they need not look further than who is campaigning on their behalf. While Judge Brad Schimel is endorsed by over 80 Wisconsin Sheriffs, Susan Crawford is propped up by dangerous liberals like George Soros, Bernie Sanders, and JB Pritzker."

(This story was updated to add new information.)

This story was updated to add a gallery.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Bernie Sanders energizes thousands at UW-Parkside, Wisconsin rally
The late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein (left) and Donald Trump at the Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, in 1997. - Credit: Getty Images

Last week, the White House took a stab at transparency by distributing binders of files related to the late financier and child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein to a number of prominent far-right influencers. The idea was that these people would comb through the material  what U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi had labeled Epstein Files: Phase 1  and share their findings with their millions of followers, demonstrating the Trump administrations commitment to freely sharing information with the American public.

The move backfired completely. What Bondi had teased on Fox News and then released was mostly pages of Epsteins contacts list and flight logs from private jets he used, both of which have been public for years (and in less redacted form). Conspiracy theorists eager to see the so-called Epstein client list, of which there has never been any evidence, called the disclosure a farce and renewed their usual claims of an ongoing coverup. Bondi alleged that FBI agents in the New York field office had withheld more documents, and demanded them in a letter to bureau director Kash Patel.

More from Rolling Stone

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On Monday, she again appeared on Fox News to claim that the agencys headquarters had received a truckload of evidence amounting to thousands of additional documents, which would eventually be published with redactions to protect the identities of victims and possibly for reasons of national security. Meanwhile, the White House reportedly devolved into recriminations around Bondis original stunt and tried to assuage the MAGA loyalists who had used their large online platforms to criticize it.

Its anyones guess as to whether Bondi will ever drop a Phase 2 binder. But if she does, its unlikely to satisfy the rabid Trump supporters who seem to believe there are secret papers that prove their high-profile liberal enemies abused the underage girls whom Epstein lured into his sex trafficking scheme along with his associate Ghislaine Maxwell.

Basically, his telephone directory and flight logs somehow got molded or misconstrued into this idea that theres some kind of a client list, explains Julie K. Brown, whose investigative coverage of the Epstein case for The Miami Herald has won multiple journalism awards. And as far as I know, there is no such thing. Ive never heard in all the hundreds of people that Ive spoken to, the victims, all the court testimony that Ive read  and Im telling you, Ive read almost every single civil lawsuit that was filed, every single piece of discovery that was filed  I have never, ever heard or seen anything referring to a client list.

Despite the likely nonexistence of this fabled list, there are other aspects of the Epstein story that could be clarified in the years to come, should the right materials come to light. Here are a few big lingering questions.

The Circumstances of Epsteins Death

When Epstein died in a Manhattan jail cell in 2019 after his arrest on federal sex trafficking charges, his death was ruled a suicide by hanging. This set off years of conspiracy theories about how powerful individuals connected to him might have ordered him murdered to protect themselves, though none have been substantiated.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Brown says that while the Department of Justice did release their conclusions from an investigation into Epsteins death, identifying serious failures by the staff of New Yorks Metropolitan Correctional Center, they didnt provide the underlying documents. These would presumably include interviews with other inmates, guards, and medics, she explains. The autopsy on Epstein has also not been released. Withholding this material means we dont have full transparency on exactly how Epstein died before facing trial.

What Else the FBI Knew

One way to immediately shed more light on the Epstein saga, Brown says, is for the Federal Bureau of Investigation to unredact the thousands of pages of files from their probes, dating all the way back to 2007, when they took over an investigation of the financier by the Palm Beach police. The FBI has technically released a huge volume of that material on its online vault portal, though with much of it blacked out.

A lot of the redactions, if you really look at those documents, theyre completely unnecessary, she says. They redacted Jeffrey Epsteins own name out of some of those documents. In other words, itll say, We went to [blank] house in Palm Beach, where there were reports the girls were at this persons home  its almost a joke.

Its impossible to say what else in the FBI files, yet they would no doubt offer crucial insight into how law enforcement approached Epstein as a criminal target  including, perhaps, whether they looked into his financial records and how he amassed a net worth of approximately $560 million by the time of his 2019 arrest. If these papers are made public, Brown says, Well get a better feel for who exactly the FBI interviewed and how much evidence they really had back then. But thats not going to put people in jail, even if we do find out those answers.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The vault files could also paint a picture of whether the FBI failed to do its due diligence when it first went after Epstein in 2006, Brown says, or, if they did, that the Justice Department didnt take it a step further and bring [federal] charges. Epsteins lawyers got him a secret non-prosecution agreement for pleading guilty in 2008 to state charges on soliciting prostitution from a minor, and he served barely any jail time.

Part of the reason why all these conspiracies exist is because the government hid the truth all these years, Brown adds. They hid things that they didnt have to hide.

More Details About Epsteins Planes (and Passengers)

The U.S. Marshals Service, thanks to a Freedom of Information Act request from The Miami Herald, in 2019 released some of the forms from their inspections of Epsteins plane as it traveled between New York and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Passenger names were recorded in these reports, but the documents appeared in fully redacted form, concealing details as to who flew with Epstein and when they did so.

The Federal Aviation Administration, meanwhile, has not shared its full records about the travel history of Epsteins various planes over the years.

Epsteins Possible Connections to Intelligence Circles

That Epstein was able to get away with his crimes for so long  and secured his so-called sweetheart plea deal on state charges in 2008 while avoiding federal prosecution  has raised speculation that he was in with some intelligence agency or another that protected him (at least for a while). He liked to tell stories that suggested he was a fixer, consulted world leaders, and knew his way around illegal international markets.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But while Epstein was very well-connected, as Brown notes, there is no conclusive proof that he acted as an asset for U.S. intelligence or foreign powers. Instead, we only have accounts from his one-time associates, like the late fraudster Steven Hoffenberg, who told journalist Vicky Ward in a 2002 prison interview that he remembers Epstein alluding to work on national security issues that required blackmail, influence trading, trading information at a level that is very serious and dangerous. Anecdotes from such sources are, of course, far from conclusive.

What Was on Epsteins Computers and Cameras

There were indications that computer hard drives had been removed from Epsteins Palm Beach and Manhattan homes before law enforcement searches of the respective properties more than a decade apart. Its unknown what might have been stored on them or whether the FBI was able to recover or examine any of these. Computers that police did seize in Florida in 2005 did not yield evidence for prosecution. Its not clear what was on devices obtained by the feds in the 2019 New York raid.

Epsteins properties were equipped with video cameras. Whether any recording have survived is a mystery.

Court Documents From a Sprawling Web of Cases

We dont know what kind of evidence or testimony was presented during two federal grand juries related to Epsteins activities, since those proceedings are secret. We also dont have the evidence from the 2021 trial in which Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted of child sex trafficking (The Miami Heralds FOIA requests for this material have been denied), or the U.S. Virgin Islands civil racketeering lawsuit against Epsteins estate following his death, which was settled out of court. Neither do we have all the government information from a suit that some of Epsteins victims filed against the FBI.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The number and scope of legal proceedings with Epstein at their center, going back almost two decades, are why Brown immediately had doubts as to Bondis promises to deliver maximum transparency in her document drop. I, quite frankly, question whether she understood the case at all, Brown says. The way that she was saying, from the get-go, I have the file on my desk, Im thinking to myself, theres no way she could have the Epstein file on her desk. That file would fill a freaking room.

It just seems to me that she didnt understand from the very beginning how massive this case is, and how many years it spanned, and how many people were interviewed, and how many court cases led to discovery, Brown says. Its not as simple as getting a file on your desk that you decide to just release. Its way bigger than that.

Which is why the people who keep hyping up an all-encompassing Epstein bombshell are bound to be disappointed again and again. Some pertinent facts may still trickle out. Others will remain buried forever. And justice is never really complete.

Best of Rolling Stone

Sign up for RollingStone's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Mar. 7SANTA FE  A push to expand New Mexico's criminal code for violent juvenile offenders appears to be shipwrecked at the Roundhouse with just over two weeks remaining in this year's 60-day session.

A House committee this week tabled a bill backed by prosecutors and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham amid concerns about the rehabilitation of youthful defendants.

The 4-2 party-line vote, with Democrats voting in favor of halting the legislation from advancing, means it's unlikely the bill will be revived before the session ends March 22.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It also left backers fuming, including Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman, who has advocated for an overhaul of New Mexico's juvenile criminal code for months.

"I'm disappointed and frustrated the Legislature is unwilling to update the children's code to reflect what's happening on the streets of Albuquerque and New Mexico," Bregman said in a Friday interview.

"Apparently the Legislature is OK with the status quo," he added. "I'm certainly not."

The bill, House Bill 134, is one of several public safety measures that Lujan Grisham has urged lawmakers to pass during this year's session.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The governor last month signed a crime package that included provisions dealing with school shooting threats, fentanyl trafficking and drugged driving, but the package did not include increased penalties for youthful offenders convicted of crimes like armed robbery and drive-by shootings.

Despite the backing of the governor and Albuquerque's top prosecutor, such legislation has struggled to gain traction at the Roundhouse.

During the Thursday evening meeting of the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee, several Democratic lawmakers expressed concern about extending criminal penalties for juvenile offenders into adulthood.

"We're talking about detaining and committing children," said Rep. Andrea Romero, D-Santa Fe, who cited improved rehabilitation rates for juvenile offenders compared to adults.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But backers of the legislation cited statistics showing juvenile crime rates have increased in recent years, even while FBI crime data shows a recent statewide decrease in overall violent and property crime in New Mexico.

Troy Gray, a deputy district attorney in charge of juvenile crime in the Bernalillo County District Attorney's Office, told members of the committee there was a 57% increase in cases involving juvenile criminal defendants from 2022 to 2023.

"Everybody in this room knows what's happening with juvenile crime," said Rep. Andrea Reeb, R-Clovis, during Thursday's hearing. "We have 13-year-olds committing murder."

Reeb, a prosecutor herself, said in a follow-up interview Friday she had pared back the bill from its initial version in hopes of making it more palatable.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But she said the measure's two Democratic co-sponsors  Reps. Art De La Cruz and Cynthia Borrego, both of Albuquerque  have backed away from the legislation during this year's session. Neither of the two joined Reeb and Rep. Nicole Chavez, R-Albuquerque, in presenting the bill during Thursday's hearing.

In light of the bill being tabled in committee, Reeb and Chavez acknowledged it's unlikely to pass both legislative chambers before adjournment.

"It could very well be too late (for this session), but we're not going to stop trying," Reeb told the Journal.

Chavez, whose son was killed in a drive-by shooting in 2015, described the committee vote as a "kick to the stomach."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Numerous crime-related bills have been assigned during this year's session to the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee. While some measures have passed, many others have stalled, and a total of 56 bills were pending in the committee as of Friday.

That's prompted criticism from Republicans like Rep. John Block of Alamogordo, who accused majority Democrats of passing "weak sauce" crime legislation.

"It's a shame because some people would rather just see the problem continue while other people want to actually solve it," Block said.

As for the governor, Lujan Grisham said Friday she was disappointed the bill would not make it to her desk but indicated she remained hopeful lawmakers might address juvenile violence in other proposals.

"New Mexicans are demanding juvenile justice reform, and I urge lawmakers to answer their call," Lujan Grisham said in a statement.
FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56)  A bill that would regulate cannabis-infused beverages passed on Friday in the Kentucky Senate.

On Friday, senators voted to advance Senate Bill 202 in a 29-6 decision.

The bill spells out what qualifies as a cannabis-infused beverage and sets the limit on the level of cannabinoids a drink can contain to five milligrams. Sen. Julie Raque Adams R-Louisville, who sponsored SB 202, said there are several cannaboid products with non-intoxicating properties that the bill does not limit.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Over 225,000 ineligible voters purged from Kentucky voter rolls

These cannabis-infused beverages are the result of a loophole in the 2018 federal farm bill that reauthorized the growing of hemp in our country, Sen. Adams said. It didnt take long for someone to quickly figure out you can extract the THC and thats the delta-9 and put it in a whole host of products.

The legislature reportedly calls on the University of Kentucky Cannabis Center to research the production, testing, distribution, sale, and consumer effects of cannabis-infused drinks on the community.

Critics of SB 202 said it makes sense for THC and cannabis-infused drinks to be regulated, but questions emerged about the bills effect on Kentuckys economy.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I think that most everyone would agree theres got to be regulations in place, Said Sen. Cassie Chambers Armstrong, D-Louisville, who voted against the bill. Im all for that. I think they should be regulated, taxed and made sure that we continue to put sections in place that only adults are getting these beverages.

Cannabis advocates in the Commonwealth, such as members of Kentucky NORML, said that hemp beverages are currently regulated and approved by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) under state law. Under SB 202, however, the drinks would fall under the authority of the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC).

Banning these products isnt just bad policyits an economic gut punch to farmers, small businesses, and local economies across the state, said Matthew Bratcher, Executive Director of Kentucky NORML, Government Relations Committee member of Hemp Beverage Alliance, and State Regulations Committee for the National Cannabis Industry Association.

Sen. Gary Boswell, R-Owensboro, said products with THC that go over the federal limit should be confiscated.

LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

If you give them an inch, theyll take a mile. Suddenly, the products that exceed the federal law on THC content have flooded our market, Sen. Boswell said. I believe that all these illegal products should be confiscated. No bills perfect.

Next, SB 202 will head to the Kentucky House of Representatives for debate.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV)  A Mississippi Senate Bill seeks to expand the scope of a 2019 law that has struggled to expand job opportunities to Mississippians.

That 2019 law, Mississippi Senate Bill 2781, sought to bar criminal convictions from being a barrier to employment for jobs requiring licensed certification. However, proponents soon argued that shortcomings related to the bills applicability and scope meant that stronger legislation was necessary. The legislatures latest attempt to reinforce the Fresh Start Act in recent years passed in the Mississippi Senate.

Mississippi bill requiring rape kits for hospitals dies

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The 2025 bill is 470 pages longer than the six-page law passed in 2019; still, the two bills cover many of the same things. However, SB 2248 better illustrates how the Fresh Start Act impacts Mississippi law. It also reiterates that the 2019 law supersedes any conflicting laws. This clarity would, in theory, make the original goals of the Fresh Start Act easier to enforce.

Among other things, SB 2248 reemphasizes that licensing authorities cannot use ambiguous terms like moral turpitude or good character when setting qualifications for licensure. Additionally, such authorities must apply a clear and convincing standard of proof when determining if a person with a criminal record is disqualified from licensure.

The provisions of SB 2248 or the original Fresh Start Act do not apply to those convicted of crimes seeking to practice law, nursing or similar professions in Mississippi. One convicted of felonies other than manslaughter or a violation of the Internal Revenue Code would still be unable to practice law in Mississippi if SB 2248 passes.

Senator Daniel Sparks (R-District 5) and David Blount (D-District 29) authored the 2025 legislation. Blount helped to author the 2019 law. The Mississippi House received SB 2248 on February 14. If passed, the law would go into effect on July 1.

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.
A Senate bill that would have turned The Evergreen State College in Olympia into a branch campus of the University of Washington is dead, an official said Thursday.

Evergreens Director of Government Relations, Sandy Kaiser, delivered the news during a daylong Board of Trustees meeting.

The policy cut-off date and the fiscal cut-off dates have come and gone, which means that bills that did not pass out of their committees are essentially dead for the (legislative) session, she said. That means Senate Bill 5424, which would have abolished Evergreen in 2026 in favor of a health sciences branch campus of the University of Washington, will not get a vote.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The legislation, which was proposed by Republican Leader John Braun, aimed to convert the school so that it could be used to address workforce shortages in health care.

The Centralia Republican said that Evergreen is an important part of the community. At the same time, theres a dire need for more health care professionals, he told McClatchy in January.

Kaiser and Evergreen President John Carmichael recently met with Braun, she said, and updated him on Evergreens growing enrollment and its strength in STEM studies. They also talked about expanding health sciences study at the four-year public liberal arts college.

I would call it a constructive meeting, Kaiser said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Prior to meeting with Braun, there also were a series of meetings with other lawmakers, she said.

We are making a strong case for Evergreen, students, staff and faculty, Kaiser said.

President Carmichael, too, made his own case for Evergreen during the meeting. He shared comments he had received from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, an accrediting body for schools in the greater Northwest, including Washington state.

Accreditation is the quality assurance standard for higher education, he said, adding that Evergreens programs are regularly reviewed on a seven-year cycle.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Every year, or every other year, we owe them a significant report, Carmichael said.

He then read aloud to the board the commissions comments on the schools most recent report: When additional materials were requested, the content and quality were exceptional. Our review team considered it a privilege to review the reports, and wants the institution to know that it was excellent, great work.

I think that is just further evidence, if any is needed, that what were doing is is recognized in the larger world, he said.

The Evergreen State Colleges Director of Government Relations Sandy Kaiser addressed the colleges Board of Trustees meeting on Thursday, March 6, 2025.

The Evergreen State College, Saint Martins University announce major anonymous donations

Republican Senate leaders bill would convert The Evergreen State College into a UW campus
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY)  WVUs Childrens Vision Rehabilitation Program and the West Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind in Romney hosted a Cane Quest on Friday, where impaired and blind students from throughout West Virginia came to practice moving through the world using a cane.

The event was a continuation of competition from Thursday when students did a Braille Challenge. Both were hosted at the Wesley United Methodist Church in Morgantown with this years events being the first hosted outside of the West Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind in Romney.

Jazzys Hydrobikes to open permanent location, Jazzys Sweet Spot

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

For both events, qualifying students will get to go to a National Competition sponsored by the Braille Institute in Los Angeles.

Orientation and Mobility Specialist Bethanie Mateer helped organize the event and explained that the students practice navigating the world with their cane in their communities and homes, but once they become adults they are expected to be able to do it everywhere. Todays Cane Quest was a bit more practice towards that end.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
BOARDMAN, Ohio (WKBN)  Boardman senior Ava Commons has officially committed to continue her volleyball career at Westminster College.

A signing ceremony was held at Boardman High School on Friday.

The standout concluded her high school career with the Spartans as a three-year letter winner.

Taking over the role of setter as a junior, Commons posted an impressive career total of 1,225 assists. She added 749 assists per season in her senior year.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

For her efforts in 2024, Commons earned First Team All-District honors as well as First Team All-American Conference honors.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
TOPEKA (KSNT)  A local drive-in restaurant is feeling the love Friday after suffering a break-in overnight.

Rosie Nichols with the City of Topeka told 27 News police received a report of damage around 7:50 a.m. on March 7 at Bobos Drive In at 2300 Southwest 10th Street. The business was reportedly broken into with several windows and a door broken around 2 a.m. on the same day.

Bobos Drive In posted to social media photos of the damage. The more than 70-year-old business reported the act of vandalism, saying staff are working to get everything cleaned up.

Someone vandalized and robbed us last night. We are doing our best to clean up and secure the dining room. Bobos Drive In social media statement excerpt

Dana Chandler found guilty in double-murder trial

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Tricia Marsh, owner of Bobos Drive In, spoke with 27 News about the incident. She described the damage and said the cash register was stolen.

Obviously, it stops operation, its a hindrance, its costly, Marsh said. Im here six days a week and I want to be open for our customers and that was one thing that was upsetting about the whole thing.

Marsh said her business has received an outpouring of support from locals and help from the Topeka Police Department in the aftermath of the break-in. She said another local business, Sowards Glass, stepped in to help fix the broken windows while staff helped clean up the damage.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Unfortunately, it can happen to anyone, Marsh said. Were still here and resilient and were operating today. Were not gonna let anybody stop us from operating our business.

Bobos Drive In isnt just popular locally, it has also appeared on Food Networks Diners Drive-Ins and Dives hosted by Guy Fieri. It appeared in season three, episode nine and was recognized for its classic burgers and fries, along with apple pies made from scratch.

What is the new restaurant coming to west Topeka?

I really just want to thank Topeka, Marsh said. People have come out and said so many positive things. People have been supporting our business and, just today, weve felt a lot of love and people have been coming in and being encouraging to us.

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.

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.
At least 400 people have been killed in northwest Syria after days of clashes between government forces and loyalists of former President Bashar al-Assad marked the deadliest violence since the fall of Assad three months ago.

According to the U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), more than 350 civilians have been killed.

The SOHR framed the killings as a collective act of revenge, adding that women and children were executed by firing squad in the countryside near Tartus, an Assad stronghold.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

NBC News has not independently verified the death toll or methods of execution, and it is currently unclear which groups are involved in the killing of civilians.

In addition, SOHR said that some 50 government troops and 45 Assad loyalists have been killed in the fighting.

Video posted on social media and verified by NBC News showed the bodies of dozens of men piled on a blood-soaked street in the small town of Latakia, another Assad stronghold on Syrias Mediterranean coast.

Women gathered around the bloodied corpses, wailing and clutching the dead. One can be heard sobbing, My dad, my brother, oh, God.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The victims are reportedly from the Alawite community, the small Islamic sect to which the Assad family belongs. Under Assad, Alawites were appointed to key positions in the military and security forces.

NBC News was unable to confirm that the bodies in the video were members of the Alawite community. The SOHR said the vast majority of people killed in the current clashes were from the minority Islamic sect.

The clashes erupted last week near the coastal city of Jableh when government forces attempted to detain a wanted person but were ambushed by Assad loyalists, triggering a wave of retaliatory attacks and two days of intense fighting.

The coastal stronghold of Assads Alawite sect has become a major security flashpoint for interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa as he struggles to assert control three months after his Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group led the overthrow of Assad.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Tensions are especially high in the mountainous coastal region, where government forces are heavily deployed.

In a video statement, Sharaa urged armed groups still loyal to the former government to surrender their weapons. He also called on pro-government forces to avoid harming civilians or mistreating prisoners.

Despite this appeal, the Syrian Observatory reported Friday that Jableh, the coastal town of Baniyas and several nearby Alawite villages  including Assads hometown of Qardaha in the mountains overlooking Latakia  remain under the control of Assad loyalists.

The clashes raise concerns about Syrias stability and Sharaas ability to reunify Syria after 13 years of civil war.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In February, Sharaa appeared to receive a heros welcome during his first visit to Latakia and Tartus. Video showed him waving from a balcony as crowds cheered below.

But the recent violence has raised fears that underlying divisions remain unresolved.

Western nations continue to watch Sharaas rise cautiously, weighing his past ties to jihadist groups like ISIS and Al Qaeda against his efforts to present himself as a reformed leader advocating for an inclusive Syria that represents its diverse religious and ethnic communities.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) condemned Rep. Al Greens (D-Texas) decision to interrupt President Trumps address to Congress on Tuesday while raising what she described as a pimp cane.

Al Green was given multiple opportunities to stand down, to sit down, to behave, to show decorum. And he did not, the Colorado lawmaker said during a Friday appearance on Real Americas Voice.

For him to go and shake his pimp cane at President Trump was absolutely abhorrent, she added.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Green stood up to protest cuts to Medicaid during Tuesdays joint session which resulted in his removal from the House chamber. Lawmakers voted to censure the Texas lawmaker on Thursday with the support of 10 Democrats following the outburst.

Despite some party members veering away from supporting Greens remarks, the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) publicly backed Greens stance.

Congressman Al Greens decision to protest President Trumps words during the Joint Address on Tuesday was one of conscience, and he maintains the full support of our Caucus, CBC Chair Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.) said in a statement.

Americans around the country are showing up to town halls to express their outrage over Republicans complete disregard for the needs of the American people and Congressman Green gave voice to their concerns, Clarke continued.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) has also said he would ensure Democrats were not removed from committee assignments after Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) vowed to undertake the effort against those who sang We Shall Overcome on the House floor following Greens censure.

Boebert, who condemned Greens behavior, notably disrupted President Bidens address to Congress in 2022 alongside Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R).

The Hill reached out to Greens office and the CBC 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.
Former White House national security adviser John Bolton brushed off President Trumps recent threat to impose sanctions on Russia over its continued strikes in Ukraine as peace talks are underway.

In an appearance Friday on CNN, Bolton was asked to weigh in on the issue and how it changes the narrative after Trump had seemingly moved closer to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Invoking his latest spat with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office and criticism hes lavished on the war-torn country and its leader, the former Trump official painted the presidents threat on Russia as hollow.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He did it simply to try and show some kind of balance, given the things he had said about Zelensky and the Ukrainians, Bolton told host Anderson Cooper on CNNs AC360.

I think Putin completely understood that that threat was totally hollow, he added.

Trump signaled on Friday that he was weighing additional sanctions and tariffs on Russia in an attempt to bring Moscow to the negotiation table to end the three-year-long war in Eastern Europe. In his warning, the president claimed Putins military was pounding Ukraine on the battlefield.

In response, he said large scale banking sanctions and tariffs could be imposed until a ceasefire is reached.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

To Russia and Ukraine, get to the table right now, before it is too late, Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Bolton, who also previously served as U.N. ambassador, questioned the strength of the proposed sanctions and taxes, saying I dont understand it.

Last year, the only year we have full statistics, were a little bit less than $3 billion, which is trivial compared to the total volume of U.S. trade with the rest of the world, he said in the interview.

And in fact, in 2021, in other words, the last full year before Russias invasion in 2022, they were about $30 billion, Bolton continued So over this period of time since the invasion, U.S. imports from Russia have already shrunk 90 percent.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He added, So, the tariff thing is effectively meaningless. Banking sanctions, you know, if there are banking sanctions we havent imposed on Russia, Id like to know why not?

Trump administration officials also confirmed Wednesday that the White House paused intelligence-sharing with Ukraine as part of a broader review of assistance to Kyiv, which has been frozen.

Asked how Ukraine can function without such support, Bolton called the move despicable and said Zelensky will likely have to look to other NATO members for support.

This is all part of how Trump does business. Its all personal. I know this is hard to understand that people think theres some policy behind it, but [theres] not, he said, adding that Trump believes that U.S. relations with other countries are embodied in his personal relations with the foreign heads of state.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He thinks Vladimir Putin is his friend. Hes never liked Zelensky, not since the famous perfect phone call in 2019. And this is what youre getting, Bolton continued, calling it a huge mistake for the U.S.

He also claimed the pause will not make Russia more eager to come to the table, placing the blame on Trumps policies that he said are about abandoning Ukraine and taking Russias side.

Bolton countered, Why should they negotiate when Trump gives them everything they want?

Trumps threat of sanctions comes just days before members of his administration are set to meet with Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia to discuss a path toward ending the war. The same administration officials had met with their Russian counterparts in Riyadh last month.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A minerals deal between the U.S. and Ukraine  which includes an exchange of critical minerals for security guarantees against Russia  is still in limbo, after the testy White House exchange earlier this month. Zelensky and Trump have signaled that an agreement is still possible.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  An environmental sciences professor at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) said recent dust storms in the Borderland are occurring at an extreme rate and urges people to treat them as more than just a nuisance.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ive been monitoring the dust levels in El Paso for at least 20 years, and I would say the last week and a half, two weeks, are about the worst set of dust storms that weve had in the last 10 years at least, maybe 20 years or longer, said professor Thomas E. Gill. This has been one of the most intense and thick stretches of dust. It seems like every other day that weve had (dust storms).

Gill said the Borderland might not even be through the worst of it, considering peak dust storm season typically occurs during the month of April.

We still have the vast majority of March left to go, as well as April into May, where we can get these extensive dust storms. So, it does not bode well that it will stop anytime soon. And so, I think we have to keep being prepared. Gill said.

Gill said that while people in the Borderland might be accustomed to these dust storms, he urges them to treat them seriously. He encourages people to change plans, if possible, to avoid the outdoors during dust storms and to wear a face mask outside.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Be aware of any aftereffects to your eyes, to your respiratory tract and so on. Its a nuisance, yes, and here in the Borderland, were used to it, but it does certainly impact our economy and the economy of every place that these particles blow, Gill said.

Gill and other researchers at UTEP, George Mason University, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture published a study last month outlining that dust storms and wind erosion cost the U.S. economy about $154 billion in annual damages.

Study: Blowing dust has $154B impact across country per year

Gill and his colleagues base their estimates on data from 2017, the year with the most complete set of information available and an average level of dust activity.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The study compiled the costs of wind erosion across several sectors of the economy, including health care, transportation, agriculture, renewable energy, and households. Gill said, however, that their study does not even factor in other elements that havent been calculated.

By the time we added these estimates up and we ran the numbers, we were over $100 billion, which really surprised us because we know, in fact, that there are a lot of economic impacts of dust storms that have not been calculated. We know that we didnt even hit all of the costs, and yet its still really high, Gill said.

Gill said the study will help serve as a starting point for him and other researchers to begin expanding and improving data collection, which will allow them to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the effects of wind erosion and dust storms on 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 KTSM 9 News.
Mar. 7Bowdoin College has announced that it will not change its investment strategies following a student referendum calling for a halt to investing in companies that manufacture weapons for Israel.

The decision was made by an ad hoc committee and approved by trustees, and comes less than a month after a five-day student encampment protesting the college's lack of action on a student referendum that called for the college to divest all assets it holds in businesses tied to Israel as a form of protest against the war.

The college has made divestments in the past, including over apartheid in South Africa and fossil fuels, which leaders said was simpler to do at the time because those were direct investments.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Organizers with the group Students for Justice in Palestine launched an encampment inside the student union on Feb. 6, nine months after the majority of Bowdoin students voted in favor of the Bowdoin Solidarity Referendum, which called on the college to issue an institutional statement on Israel's war in Gaza, disclose investments, and not make future investments in companies associated with weapons manufacturing for Israel.

The protest at Bowdoin came less than a year after many other college and university students formed encampments to protest college investments in the war, which has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians and 1,200 Israelis and is in a tenuous ceasefire, with Israel recently cutting off all aid to Gaza. President Donald Trump in recent weeks pulled federal funding for some of those schools, like Columbia University, which he said failed to protect Jewish students. Trump has also threatened to deport or arrest students who participate in pro-Palestine protests.

Despite Trump's threats, students and pro-Palestinian activists rallied on the steps of the University of Maine Orono's Fogler Library Friday afternoon.

The rally, which saw dozens of attendees, was organized by the University of Maine chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace. Protesters held Palestinian flags and carried signs bearing handwritten messages of "SUPPORT STUDENTS NOT GENOCIDE" and "WE WILL NOT BE SILENT," according to photos shared on the group's social media.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Before the most recent protest at Bowdoin, there had been no encampment at the Brunswick school. After students passed the referendum, college President Safi Zaki declined to release an institutional statement at the time, and said she would hear from students about the endowment. In September, she created a committee, made up of trustees, administrators, students and faculty to review the college's investment practices.

"The committee was formed as a result and in the context of the Solidarity Referendum, but (its) mission was broader. It was not charged with addressing the requests outlined in the referendum," a 12-page report of the committee's findings explains. "Instead, the (its) mandate was to develop recommendations to the board of trustees about how Bowdoin should respond to calls for change in the college's investment strategies, about how these strategies should be communicated, and about how Bowdoin should respond to future specific requests regarding the endowment."

On Feb. 28, Zaki and Scott Perper, the chair of the college's board of trustees, authored a letter announcing the results of that committee's work, which included three recommendations: maintaining current endowment investment practices, maintaining the current investment committee structure, and increasing clarity around how the endowment operates.

Regarding divestment, Zaki and Perper wrote that maintaining the college's endowment is critical to funding the operating expenses of the school.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"We understand that some members of our community feel strongly that there are occasions where Bowdoin should use its endowment to try to effect political change," the letter said. "Even if that were practicable, and even in cases where there is more consensus around a particular viewpoint, we would see our obligation differently. We believe that our core mission as a college is to empower our community to learn from one another, and to bring together faculty, staff, and students with differing and diverse expertise and experiences to bear in those conversations."

They also said the complex and outsourced nature of the endowment, which is handled by a variety of third-party fund managers, "makes ongoing disclosure of its holdings an impossibility."

During last month's protest, dozens of students set up tents inside a college building, and received disciplinary warnings from administrators over five days. The remaining students eventually agreed to leave after reaching an "understanding" with administrators.

Eight students who were suspended by the college say those suspensions were lifted on Feb. 23, although Bowdoin has maintained that it will follow through on disciplinary proceedings for all students.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The college has placed the student group Students for Justice in Palestine on temporary suspension. The group did not return emailed questions Friday night about its response to the decision or its future plans.

 Staff Writer Daniel Kool contributed to this report.

Copy the Story Link
If you or someone you know needs help, call the Rape & Sexual Assault Crisis Line 1-888-421-1100.

ELDER COUNTY, Utah (ABC4)  A sitting justice court judge in Box Elder County has been arrested for multiple child sex crimes, according to West Valley City Police.

Kevin Robert Christensen, 64, was arrested Thursday on charges of enticing a minor  first-degree felony sexual activity, two counts of dealing in materials harmful to a minor, enticing a minor  second-degree felony sexual activity, and two counts of attempted sexual exploitation of a minor.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On Feb. 28, 2025, investigators with the FBIs Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force learned that an individual  later identified as Christensen  was communicating with others about sexually abusing children via a chat platform known as KIK.

Former 2002 Salt Lake City Olympian put on FBIs 10 Most Wanted list, $10M reward offered

In reviewing the chats, police found multiple chat threads of interest, court documents state. On Nov. 2, 2024, Christensen allegedly talked with another user who claimed to be a 13-year-old girl. During the chat, police said Christensen engaged in graphic sexual chats with the child, in addition to sending a graphic video to her.

On Sept. 3, 2024, Christensen allegedly communicated with another user who claimed to be a 16-year-old girl. Christensen appear[ed] to receive a picture from the child, the affidavit states, and engaged in graphic sexual conversation with her. Christensen then sent a graphic picture to the child in return, police said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In addition to extensive evidence suggesting that Christensen has communicated with multiple underage individuals online expressing sexual interest, police said Christensen made multiple references to having sexually abused children. Descriptions of these offenses were vivid, detailed, and numerous, the affidavit states.

Those allegations are under investigation at this time.

Christensen is a sitting Box Elder County Justice Court judge, putting him in a position of trust in the community and undermining the confidence of the public in the criminal justice system, authorities said.

Christensen was booked into Davis County Jail on the charges previously stated. No further information is currently available.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Mar. 8GRAND FORKS  Caitlin Devier started as an emergency medical technician and later became a paramedic. She was part of the vital first wave of medical help that arrives in an emergency.

But after EMTs and paramedics provide that initial aid, the connection to the patients typically ends. Devier wanted more, especially after seeing many nurses leave the industry during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It really opened my eyes to want to do more. I really enjoyed patient contacts, but they were so short on the ambulance (staff)," Devier said. "I figured I would go back to nursing school so I could do more and have more of a connection with the patients I had been taking care of."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

So back to school she went, taking advantage of a new program designed to help alleviate a shortage of nurses throughout North Dakota  and one that offered hourly pay and loan forgiveness in return.

Lake Region State College's nurse apprenticeship program  in collaboration with Altru Health System and other health providers in the state  is still new, but one that officials within those organizations and the North Dakota Job Service hope will begin to replenish desperately needed positions at the Grand Forks hospital and throughout the region.

In January, there were 169 registered nurse openings in Region 4  the northeast part of North Dakota  alone, according to statistics from the Job Service's Grand Forks office. Statewide, there are approximately 1,100 registered nurse openings.

After agriculture equipment operators, it's the state's second-highest need. Considering the state's ag need is mostly seasonal, Grand Forks Job Service Workforce Center Manager Dustin Hillebrand said it technically means the nurse shortage probably is the most acute need year-round.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Nationwide, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 193,100 openings for registered nurses each year through 2032, according to a report compiled by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.

"You could pull data for the last number of years and nursing would still be one of the biggest needs for the state," Hillebrand said. "I would say the need is awfully consistent, but there are interesting things happening right now within the nursing industry."

Among them is Lake Region's apprenticeship program, which offers students an opportunity to have the cost of tuition covered while getting paid to gain hands-on experience. It's a 2,000-hour program that students complete with roughly 20 hours per week during the school year and approximately 400 hours in the summer. The students who complete the program are able to more quickly apply their classroom knowledge in a real and practical setting, proponents say. For example, Altru managers say the experience allows students to build confidence, adjust to the work environment and establish relationships with current staff.

In return, Altru and other organizations involved get a commitment from the graduated apprentices, who agree to stay with the company for at least three years.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"This allows the student to apply the skills they are learning in their lab and come on site and get the experience doing that while they are in school," said Cassie Olson, manager of education at Altru.

Doing so, Olson said, helps the students become "more comfortable, competent and confident while they're doing that. They're getting paid, as well."

It reduces orientation and onboarding time, since graduates of the program have already learned the hospital's typical operating practices, procedures and protocols, said Cory Geffre, Altru's executive vice president of hospital operations and chief nursing officer.

"Once they do graduate and achieve their licensure, they can hit the ground running, better and faster than someone who chose another path," Geffre said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Started in 2023, Altru's program is still relatively new. Olson believes would-be nurses have not yet "wrapped their minds around how it works and how it would be beneficial" to their career development.

Today, Melana Howe works in resource development and as corporate liaison at Lake Region State, a two-year state college based in Devils Lake. Her background, however, is in health care; she used that experience to push for LRSC's move into nursing apprenticeships.

"As I was researching academics and higher education in general, apprenticeships kept coming up as a constant theme and community colleges were getting into apprenticeships. Lake Region was not involved at that time," she recalled.

Approximately six years ago, LRSC President Doug Darling gave her the go-ahead to begin developing new apprenticeship programs. It started with a focus on cybersecurity and other tech fields, then moved into nursing.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Lake Region was the first college in the state that actually got into non-traditional apprenticeships  meaning the ones that were not plumbing, electrical or construction," Howe said.

Formed to address North Dakota's nursing shortage, Lake Region's nurse apprenticeship program  created in collaboration with the North Dakota Board of Nursing  was a pilot program for three years before it was federally approved.

"It was about a year and a half ago that the RN apprenticeship was finally approved (federally). It was pushed through by the state of Texas, but we were right behind them. We rolled out probably the first nursing apprenticeships in the country underneath the United States Department of Labor," Howe said, adding that since then, North Dakota has been a consultant for about 35 states as they develop their own nursing apprenticeships.

According to the Lake Region State College website, the program is a collaboration between LRSC and select employers and follows federal regulations set by the U.S. Department of Labor. The nursing apprenticeship program includes a focus on certified nurse assistant, practical nursing and registered nursing.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"If electricians and plumbers can get paid a wage while they're learning in a hands-on job, nursing students should get the same. That's how we designed it and that's how we developed it," Howe said. "... It's slowly moving, but it's new  a brand-new concept in health care, compared to traditional apprenticeships."

Thirteen health organizations are collaborating with LRSC's nurse apprenticeship program, and two more are in the process of joining.

Hillebrand, the Jobs Service Workforce Center manager in Grand Forks, said "it's a great way to get practical experience while also getting classroom experience. It has the potential to really produce some good hands-on nurses."

In 2024, Altru recently had its first two RNs complete the program. The graduates reported "it helped them a lot in school and in the classroom. They felt ahead of their classmates because they were immersed in the environment a lot more than the other students," Olson said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Geffre said the hospital is open to expanding its involvement with Lake Region or other schools.

At present, some 900 nurses (RNs and LPNs) work within Altru Health System, overall. Altru could easily put 50 new nurses to work, he said.

"I would say that nationwide, the nursing shortage is a problem that existed before (the COVID-19 pandemic), but COVID exacerbated it and brought it to the forefront," Geffre said. "... Right now, if you are a nursing student ... you can just about get a job anywhere. So the market is in favor of the nursing student  they have the opportunity to shop for how they want to practice, where they want to practice, what their work-life balance schedule is, what shift they want to be, what specialty they want to work in. Getting someone in the apprenticeship program is a student who probably has a crystal clear idea of where they want to be."

Devier is an example. She started as an EMT in 2017 and moved into a paramedic role in 2019  in fact, she still takes a paramedic shift now and then. Working as a first-responder helped her envision a new career path.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"I wanted to be part of the solution for the shortage of nurses," she said.

Economically, the apprenticeship program made sense.

"Student loans are not easy to pay back for people. Having the ability to have the workplace pay for schooling while simultaneously getting paid while you're at work and on clinicals, it helps. Your clinical weeks, you don't have to work an excess amount of hours and you can really pay attention to your studying. And when you graduate, if you chose to not take out loans ... you can come out close to debt free."

Devier graduated in the middle of May 2024 and passed her nursing boards a few weeks later. She was already at work full-time by June 2.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Because I had been an apprentice on the floor I currently work on, they had me do a shortened orientation. I was on my own after I started full-time, within three or four weeks," she said.

She figures the program saved her at least $8,000 in costs.

Olson  Altru's education manager  wouldn't provide specifics about the pay range, but said it's a "tiered pay scale, and as they complete semesters, they get an increase in pay." An application found online shows a pay range of $22 to $27 per hour for the RN apprentice program at Altru.

The apprentices don't spend their day doing mundane busy work, either. Now as a regular staffer, Devier said her daily work "looks a lot the same as when I was an apprentice."

During the apprenticeship, "you work alongside (full-time professionals) and they look at you as a colleague. ... It allowed me to really learn and grasp how to be a nurse."

The program and the work that followed have been rewarding, Devier said, and she's surprised more students aren't applying to participate.

"Just because of the opportunity it gives you to work and learn while getting your school paid for. I think a lot of it is just mentioned at school, but there isn't a lot of advertisement," she said.

Geffre likens the decision to buying a car.

"If you are a young car shopper and we were going to give you the car of your choice and make the payments while you drive it and pay you to drive it, of course you would take as many of those deals as you have," he said. "The opportunity to try before you buy to be sure it's a good fit for you and it's the direction you want to take your career  why wouldn't everybody take this pathway? It really is a win-win. There is not a downside to it. We minimize the hours, we pay for you to do it, it reduces your orientation, you develop friends at work, your transition to professional practice is easier and smoother and people already know you, trust you and like you. It really is a no-brainer. We're prepared for and willing to expand this program to meet the need, whatever that is."

Olson believes the apprenticeship program is "definitely needed" to address the growing dearth of nurses throughout North Dakota.

"We would love to see it expanded and more students taking advantage of it," she said. "We want people to fall in love with nursing. If they can come to Altru and engage with our teams and assimilate into our culture while they're in school, we would love that."
A Canadian brewery is selling the "Presidential Pack," or 1,461 cans of its Canadian Lager.

It's intended to last the course of President Trump's entire second term.

Some Canadian provinces have pulled US-made alcohol from their shelves in response to Trump's tariffs.

Canada's oldest brewery is leaning into the country's ongoing trade war levied by President Donald Trump.

Moosehead Breweries, located in the province of New Brunswick that's northeast of Maine, said it's now selling the "Presidential Pack," which includes 1,461 cans of its Canadian Lagers. That's one beer for every day of Trump's term, the brewery said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"If the start of 2025 has taught us anything, it's that it will take determination to weather four years of political uncertaintyand what better way to make it through each day than with a truly Canadian beer," Karen Grigg, the breweries' director of marketing, said in a press release.

The case is retailed for $3,490 CAD ($2,428 USD) and is available in three provinces: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Ontario.

Trevor Grant, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Moosehead Breweries, said the "Presidential Pack is something that we as a team have been talking about for a few weeks since some of these challenges with the tariffs and the US administration."

"Obviously, it's a bit of a difficult situation, so trying to maybe have a little bit of fun with it," he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Moosehead Breweries' "Presidential Pack" is the latest act of defiance from Canadians against Trump, who has imposed new tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China. Trump has disparaged Canada's prime minister as a "governor."

President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on Canada this month. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Canada and Mexico's imports were hit with 25% tariffs, while energy imports from China are 20%. Energy imports from Canada also have a 10% tariff. Although the tariffs went into effect on March 4, Trump backtracked days later and said he's granting a one-month tariffs pause on certain goods from Canada and Mexico.

Canada is the US's largest trading partner. Trump has floated the idea of making Canada the 51st US state, which has also garnered ire from Canadians and led them to boycott US-made products. Canadian officials have said Trump's idea is not a joke.

Moosehead Breweries' Grant said Canadian shoppers are looking for locally made products "now more than ever."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"We do think this is a real opportunity for us," Grant said.

He added that Moosehead Breweries operates "in a small community here in St. John, New Brunswick, and we like to stay connected to our community and give back."

"We'd like to see Canadians do the same thing and buy local," Grant said.

The US liquor and spirits industry is already fearing the pushback.

Lawson Whiting, the CEO of Jack Daniel's parent company, said Canadian provinces pulling US-made alcohol from their stores was "worse than tariffs" in an earnings call this month.

"It's literally taking your sales away," Whitling said, adding that the response seemed "very disproportionate" to the 25% tariff.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's announcement that he would impose retaliatory 25% tariffs on $155 billion worth of American goods, the Kentucky Distillers' Association said that decision could have "far-reaching consequences across Kentucky, home to 95% of the world's bourbon."

Andrew Oland, the CEO and president of Moosehead Breweries, called the tariffs a "disappointment" during an interview with CTV News on Wednesday.

"We've always had such a close relationship with the United States, and so it's really sad to see this relationship going in a different direction," he said.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Britain has thwarted the launch of Teslas self-driving car software, limiting key features and further risking the ire of Elon Musk.

Department for Transport (DfT) officials have frustrated plans to legalise advanced driver assistance systems across Europe, according to documents seen by The Telegraph. Teslas full self-driving (FSD) software is leading the car industrys push to automation.

Mr Musk is banking on autonomous driving being the next source of growth as Teslas sales decline amid a political backlash over his support for Donald Trump.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Tesla chief, who has frequently clashed with Sir Keir Starmer in recent months, has said that autonomy will be the main driver of value. Tesla shares have fallen by almost a third this year as it faces sales declines in many of its key markets.

Teslas top lobbyist in Europe left the company in October, hitting out at the slow process that means the technology  introduced in the US in 2020  may not make it to Europe until 2028.

Minutes from the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)  the body that decides new safety rules for vehicles  show that DfT officials raised concerns about plans to approve wide-ranging driver assistance systems.

As originally drafted, the plans would have allowed vehicles to make manoeuvres such as lane changes, junction turns and stopping and starting at traffic lights while motorists had their hands off the wheel.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

However, the changes have now been watered down to restrict the systems to highway moves such as lane switching and to require drivers to keep their hands on the wheel.

In September, UK officials proposed the restrictions, saying: Introducing system-initiated manoeuvres is a significant step which entails a degree of unknown.

Whilst [a driver assistance system] may help in reducing collisions, it may also introduce new safety risks.

They said the technology should instead be introduced in phases.

In January, officials in the UK, Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands put out a request for further evidence on the safety of driver assistance systems, saying: The technological advancements in these systems are promising, but there remain concerns about their impact on driver behaviour, situational awareness and overall safety.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The changes mean that only a basic version of systems such as Teslas FSD are likely to be deployed in the UK and Europe over the next year.

Marc Van Impe, Teslas former head of safety policy, who had overseen discussions on the changes, left the company for Mr Musks SpaceX in October, saying that the slow process impacts Europes competitiveness.

Tesla has sold full self-driving capability as a paid-for upgrade since 2016, and currently charges 6,800 for the feature in Britain, although it has no practical use.

The company said last year it hoped to introduce full self-driving features in Europe during the first quarter of 2025, although Mr Musk recently conceded that was unlikely.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Europe is a layer cake of regulations of bureaucracy, which really needs to be addressed, he told investors in January, saying he was unsure whether Tesla would be able to release the system this year.

The company could seek an exemption to the regulations. Drivers of Fords Mustang Mach-E are able to take their hands off the wheel on motorways in the UK after the company secured an exemption in 2023.

Thousands of drivers in the US are using the FSD system and Mr Musk has said he hopes the cars will be able to drive unsupervised this year, a step to launching a robotaxi business.

Last year, he unveiled a cybercab with no pedals, steering wheel or mirrors which Tesla hopes to start making in 2027.

Despite Tesla branding the system as full self-driving, driver assistance technologies such as FSD are legally different from self-driving systems, where the liability would fall on the company behind the system, rather than the driver.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A DfT spokesman said: The UK has some of the safest roads in the world. With 88pc of all recorded road accidents currently involving human error, advanced driver assistant technology could play a crucial role in reducing accidents and saving lives.

Road safety is our absolute priority, and thats why were working closely with other countries to ensure these new technologies are safe, while harnessing the potential of autonomous vehicle technology to create jobs, power growth and help us deliver our Plan for Change.

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.
MANILA (Reuters) - British foreign minister David Lammy said on Saturday that Britain and the Philippines were committed to a rules-based international order.

Lammy, who is in the Philippines for an official visit, also said both countries have stood together in supporting Ukraine and advocating for a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

"Today, we're charting a new course for our relationship amidst a lot of global volatility, and we must strengthen ties with like minded partners, like the Philippines," Lammy said in a joint press conference with his Philippine counterpart.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Philippines and Britain signed a joint framework agreement to enhance cooperation across multiple areas, including defence, regional security, and climate action, paving the way for deeper collaboration in addressing shared challenges and opportunities.

Lammy and Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo signed the deal, and both underscored their countries' commitment to expanding economic ties and promoting stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

"We are countries that are committed to international law. We are countries that are committed to the rules-based order. We are countries that take our obligations under the UN Charter seriously," Lammy said.

For his part, Manalo expressed his country's appreciation for Britain's "firm support of a free, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific region," adding that both nations have agreed to continue participation and exchanges in joint military exercises.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"We welcome the United Kingdom's Indo-Pacific approach towards a more deliberate engagement in the region, including with the Philippines," Manalo said.

Amid rising tensions in South China Sea and confrontations with China, the Philippines has been broadening its security partnerships while maintaining its long-standing alliance with treaty ally the United States.

(Reporting by Karen Lema; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Kim Coghill)
Seven alleged members of the Bronx street gang Courtlandt Over Everything have been indicted after terrorizing the neighborhood in a series of broad daylight shootings that wounded two innocent bystanders in an attempt to get revenge on a rival gang, the Bronx district attorneys office said.

Between July 22 and Oct. 8, 2024, 18-year-old Ibrahim Kaba, nicknamed Mullet, 21-year-old Chalim Perry, nicknamed Sha EK, 18-year-old Elijah Santiago, nicknamed Eli Drako, and three others whose names are not being released because they were minors at the times of the crimes were involved in four shootings around the Mott Haven and Melrose neighborhoods, wounding two civilians and shooting their intended target in the buttocks  incidents they later rapped about in drill rap videos which they posted online, the Bronx DAs office said Friday.

These defendants put the lives of countless people at risk in senseless episodes of gunfire all in broad daylight, Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark said in a statement. In retaliation for a fatal shooting, they allegedly shot two innocent bystanders as well as their target. They allegedly engaged in a shootout outside a school as children were dismissed. They put the entire community in danger, and they will be held accountable for their actions.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Another alleged gang member, 18-year-old Zaire Flowers, who is known as ZAZA, is still on the loose.

The shootings were in retaliation for the fatal shooting of the father of a Courtlandt Over Everything member by a rival gang, according to the Bronx DA.

On July 22 at around 3:30 p.m., Perry, Williams, Flowers and an unnamed 16-year-old went to the Patterson Houses on E. 145th St. and fired at least nine shots, striking two bystandersa 67-year old man who was hit in the leg and a 30-year-old NYCHA worker who was hit in the arm.

Their intended target, an 18-year-old rival gang member, was shot in the buttocks, the press release said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Police recovered nine shell casings and one live round from the scene, as well as a bullet fragment lodged in an MTA bus that was traveling on Third Ave. and E. 145th St.

About 30 minutes later, Kaba and Flowers went to another NYCHA complex, Melrose Houses on E. 156th St. and released a hail of bullets that sent elderly bystanders fleeing for their lives, according to the D.A.

Afterwards, Perry made a drill rap video in which he explicitly referenced the shooting, and posted it to his social media account, the D.A. claimed.

Months later, on the morning of Oct. 7, Kaba fired several shots at a man on a motorcycle, who then crashed into a parked car near the intersection of Courtlandt Ave. and E. 153rd St. and ran off while Kaba continued to shoot at him, according to court documents.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The next day shortly after 4 p.m. Santiago and an unnamed 17-year-old engaged in a shootout with a rival gang member outside Port Morris School of Community Leadership PS/MS 5X on E. 149th St. as students exited the school, sending them running for cover.

After the last shooting in front of the school, Perry, Santiago and the 17-year-old made another drill rap video about the shootings and posted it on YouTube and Instagram under their respective nicknames, Sha EK and Eli Drako, according to the court documents.

Perry continued to make and post drill rap videos referencing the shootings over the next several months, including one titled Less Than 24hrs (Official Video) in which he bragged about shooting rivals, threatened to harm members of rival gangs and promised to give a gold chain to the first member of Courtlandt to commit a murder, according to the statement from the DA.

The indictment demonstrates the critical work that the NYPD does every day to stop violent gangs that terrorize our communities, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said in a statement. I commend the NYPD investigators and our law enforcement partners for their tireless work to get these dangerous individuals off of our streets and bring them to justice.

They are charged with conspiracy, attempted murder and assault, among other charges.
PITTFIELD, Wis. (WFRV)  The 19-year-old Pittfield man who threatened and shot a person who egged his house in May 2024 will spend three years in prison and pay a $10,000 fine.

Jackson Rego was originally arrested on May 2, 2024, after a reported shooting in Pittsfield around 9:40 p.m. on River Forest Hills Drive. The incident was an isolated event, as Rego shot a then-16-year-old victim, who sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

Green Bay man accused of recording multiple people from outside their homes, including an 11-year-old girl

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Rego was convicted on January 3, 2025, of 2nd degree reckless injury via the use of a dangerous weapon and endangering safety/reckless firearm usage due to no contest pleas.

According to the criminal complaint, Rego and two juveniles messaged on Snapchat, with Rego threatening the two, saying that Victim 1 and Victim 2 are gonna be pouring blood.

The victims in the complaint said that they drove to a Pulaski Kwik Trip and purchased eggs, and decided to go to and throw them at his house, as they went to school with Rego, but did not get along.

Victim 2, the driver of the vehicle shot at, said that Victim 1 threw eggs out of the sunroof of the vehicle, saying that they then noticed Rego standing by the garage with a gun, subsequently followed by a gunshot.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Victim 2 said in the complaint that he immediately accelerated away from the home, before noticing blood on Victim 1s shirt and called the police.

In the complaint, Rego said that he saw eggs lying in the driveway that werent previously there, and he fired warning shots with an AR-15 in the direction of the vehicle, but aimed the gun at the ground.

Wisconsin woman arrested for hitting police squad car with metal baseball bat

Rego will spend three years in prison followed by eight years of extended supervision along with the $10,000 in fines. The AR-15 in the incident was also confiscated by authorities.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

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.
LONG ISLAND (PIX11)  Governor Kathy Hochul issued a state of emergency as Suffolk County battled multiple brush fires reported in Southampton on Long Island Saturday.

Over 70 fire departments and 20 EMS agencies responded to help extinguish the fire.

Air National Guard helicopters dropped water on the flames.

More Local News

One Firefighter was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital due to second-degree facial burns, officials said during a press conference.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Suffolk County FRESs is coordinating the response to three major brush fires on the East End, said Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine in a Facebook post. We are working with the town of Southampton closely and multiple police agencies. The National Guard is also involved in water drops that began some time ago. Sunrise Highway remains closed past exit 58.

At least two roads were closed due to the fire: Sunrise Highway east of exit 62 and Speonk Riverhead Road. Authorities are urging the public to stay clear of the affected areas. Officials said additional road closures may occur as the situation continues to evolve.

The fire

The fire started in Center Moriches and moved toward Quogue around 1 p.m. The fire is 2 miles long and 2 miles wide and about 50 % contained. Romaine said the biggest problem was the wind. It is driving this fire.

Earlier in the day, Gov. Hochul deployed National Guard helicopters to provide air support; she issued the following statement:

Minutes ago, I spoke with County Executive Ed Romaine about the brush fire in the Pine Barrens and informed him that the State of New York is here to provide any resources and support he needs. The New York National Guard has already begun providing air support by helicopter and is coordinating with local law enforcement. I have also deployed personnel from the Office of Emergency Management, Office of Fire Prevention and Control, Department of Transportation, Department of Environmental Conservation, State Parks and the New York State Police to assist Suffolk Countys response to this crisis. Public safety is my top priority, and Im committed to doing everything possible to keep Long Islanders safe. Governor Kathy Hochul

The fire raged in multiple areas on Long Island. One area was near the Francis S. Gabreski Airport, from which the National Guard launched at least one helicopter. At around 1:45 p.m., spokesman Cheran Cambell said in a statement that personnel at the base evacuated as a precaution.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Two commercial buildings were destroyed.

It remains unclear what may have started the fire.

This story comprises reporting from The Associated Press.

Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
NEW YORK (AP)  Fast-moving brush fires fanned by high winds burned through a large swath of land on New York's Long Island on Saturday, spewing thick gray smoke into the sky and prompting the evacuation of a military base and the closure of a major highway.

Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency and said state agencies were responding to the fires around the Pine Barrens, a wooded area that is home to commuter towns east of New York City. She said homes, a chemical factory and an Amazon warehouse were at risk and more evacuations may be needed.

This is still out of control at this moment, Hochul told Long Island TV station News 12. Were seeing people having to be evacuated from the Westhampton area.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Officials said three of the four fires were fully contained, with the fire in Westhampton 50% contained. Two commercial buildings were partially burned, but officials said homes were not in the line of fire.

One firefighter was flown to a hospital to be treated for burns to the face.

Our biggest problem is the wind, Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine said. It is driving this fire.

Videos posted to social media showed flames shooting into the air and columns of black smoke rising above roads.

Air National Guard helicopters dropped water on the flames.

The Town of Southampton issued a warning in the afternoon against starting recreational fires due to the wildfire risk. That came around the time that the videos began appearing.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In a statement, Hochul said the National Guard was providing support by helicopter and working with local law enforcement.

Public safety is my top priority, and Im committed to doing everything possible to keep Long Islanders safe, she said.

In her comments to News 12, Hochul declined to estimate the extent of the flames, saying only that they were growing rapidly.

Rough satellite data indicated that fire and smoke stretched roughly 2.5 miles (3 kilometers) along Sunrise Highway, according to NASAs Fire Information for Resource Management System.

Police closed a section of the highway, which is a thoroughfare to the East End of Long Island.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The fires raged near the Francis S. Gabreski Airport, from which the National Guard launched at least one helicopter. One of the commercial buildings that partially burned was near the airport.

Personnel at the base evacuated as a precautionary measure starting around 1:45 p.m., spokesman Cheran Cambell said in a statement.
BRYANT, Ark.  Being a school bus driver is more than a job for one Bryant School District bus driver, its also her way to provide help to those in need.

Jo Cahill is one to go the extra mile for kids out of the kindness of her heart. Each day after starting her engine she sees a need that needs to be met.

Ive seen kids that get on the bus that dont even have shoes on or socks on in 12-degree weather, she said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Little Rock first responders and community hold parade of support for 7-year-old with cancer

Cahill says she has a monthly budget for giving back.

You give, its going to come back to you, she said.

On Super Bowl Sunday, Cahills intention was to run in the store and run out, but she decided to drive her buggy over to the shoe aisle. There she saw shoes were on sale for $1.

It cant be a dollar for all these amazing shoes, she thought to herself.

Taking advantage of the deal, she cleared the shelf and bought every pair.

God said go and I said, yes, Cahill said.

She said her and a store worker loaded the cart and she remembers the pile of shoes just getting bigger and bigger.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

People were walking past and commenting asking What are you doing? and said, I work in a school district and I drive a school bus and I see a need all the time.

Cahill purchased 75 pairs of shoes and didnt have a plan on where she was going to take them.

I basically was just praying, Lord where am I supposed to take these? she said.

Cahill said she remembered her superintendent Dr. Karen Walters was a part of a Rotary Club that was accepting clothing donations for the Kids Closet.

The Bryant Rotary Club Kids Closet is a community service project thats given free clothes to kids since 2008.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She called me and said would you like some shoes, Pat Baker, who runs the Kids Closet, said.

Baker said it was such a blessing, adding that Cahills donation left them putting up shoes for weeks and weeks.

The Kids Closet is supported through donations from the local people of Saline County and is specifically geared towards those living in Saline County.

Six-year-old basketball superfan from Benton makes viral TikToks with NBA, WNBA players

Cahill said shes been a driver for 10 years and never knew about the Kids Closet.

I was like Aww this is my kind of place. I love this, Cahill described as her reaction to seeing the closet for the first time.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

With each kid coming to get a pair of shoes or going to get on the bus each morning, the mission for both the Kids Closet and Cahill is making sure each student knows they have value.

If you are in Saline County and in need of clothing or would like to donate to the Kids Closet, they are open every Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. If you need to reach out after hours you can call Pat Baker at 870-820-2634.

The Kids Closet is located at Friends in Christ Lutheran Church on 4305 Highway 5 North in Bryant. For more information visit BryantRotary.org.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
UPDATE: The South Carolina Forestry Commission said the burn ban will be lifted for Georgetown County at 8 a.m. Sunday.



GEORGETOWN COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD)  A burn ban continues in Georgetown County this weekend.

The State Foresters Burning Ban remains in effect for Georgetown County this morning. All though the weather is nice, think twice before you light, said Georgetown County Emergency Management in a reminder to residents.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Outdoor burning is prohibited until the ban is lifted. Those who do not comply with the ban may receive hefty fines and/or jail time.

Wildfires that broke out in the county earlier this month have been contained; however, conditions for dangerous wildfires persist in the 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 WCBD News 2.
AUSTIN (KXAN)  A Burnet County jury sentenced a man to 60 years in prison earlier this week for an assault against a family member by choking, according to a news release from District Attorney Perry Thomas office.

In addition to the sentence, 33-year-old Keith Aaron Blundell also has to pay a fine of $10,000, according to the DAs office. Additionally, the prosecution provided evidence show Blundell was previously convicted on two prior felony offenses, which included a conviction for aggravated assault against a family member out of Harris County, the release said.

This case demonstrates this offices commitment to doing everything we can to protect those that have been victims of violence crime, Thomas said in the release.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On June 16, 2024, deputies with the Burnet County Sheriffs Office responded to an address off County Road 304 to check on the welfare of the victim.

The victim showed clear physical signs of having been assaulted, sustaining injuries to her face, head and eyes, the release said.

The injuries to the victims neck were consistent with having been strangled, according to the DAs office. The woman told BCSO she was assaulted and choked until the passed out.

According to the DAs office, Blundell called the victim and urged her not to testify against him in court. Prosecutors played the phone calls during the trial for the jury to hear. The woman did not appear for the trial, the release said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The phone calls, along with the victims previous statements to deputies at the scene of the crime, were sufficient for the jury to find Blundell guilty, the DAs office said.

Blundell faced a minimum of 25 years and a maximum of life in prison, due to his two prior convictions, according to the DAs 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.
TOWANDA, Pa. (WETM)  A Butler, Pennsylvania, man will spend a few years on probation for breaking into a garage in Wysox and stealing a case of beer from a Dandy Mini Mart over the summer.

Nicholas Andrew Bush, 40, was sentenced to 36 months of court-ordered supervision on Feb. 27 after being convicted of evading arrest on foot, criminal trespass and retail theft, according to the Bradford County District Attorneys Office. Bushs sentence stems from two incidents that occurred in June 2024.

Gillett man sentenced for having meth, fleeing police

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A Pennsylvania State Trooper arrested Bush on June 6. The district attorneys office stated that Bush kicked in a garage door on Golden Mile Road in Wysox Township, and this damaged the door and its lock. He then got into an argument with the garages occupants and used foul language. After he was arrested, Bush told authorities that he drank 38 beers earlier in the day.

The district attorneys office says Bush was arrested again that same month for stealing a case of Michelob Ultra beer from a Dandy Mini Mart on Route 6 in Wysox.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Californias congressional delegation urged Congress to approve federal funding to support recovery efforts after the Los Angeles County wildfires devastated communities across the Southern portion of the state.

The severity of these wildfires requires additional coordination and a wider range of long-term federal recovery programs, the bi-partisan group of 47 lawmakers wrote in a Friday letter to the four congressional leaders: Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.).

Therefore, we urge you to expeditiously approve Californias request for a Major Disaster Declaration and to provide all categories of public assistance, individual assistance, and direct federal assistance set forth in the Governors request, they added.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Sens. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) led the effort alongside Reps. Ken Calvert (R-Calif) and Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), the respective chairs of the Republican and Democratic Congressional Delegations.

The California delegation said 40,000 acres were burned while 16,000 structures were destroyed, forcing tens of thousands of residents to evacuate. Property damage and capital losses could total up to $164 billion according to local research.

Newsom sent a letter to Congress in January requesting $40 billion in aid from a number of federal departments to spur redevelopment while noting the investments made to rebuild local communities.

President Trump has long blamed the states Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) for not adequately preparing for wildfires, and administration officials have stated any form of additional federal aid will come with strings.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The federal response is mostly money and so we are going to have strings on the money that we give to California, Richard Grenell, Trumps envoy for special missions, said during an interview with Politico last month.

Congress members were notably divided over how much to contribute to reconstruction efforts in January as legislators prepared for future discussions on the topic.

The California delegation has urged lawmakers to include relief funding for Los Angeles County in its upcoming disaster relief bill.

Just as the federal government has come to the aid of communities impacted by wildfires across the western United States, tornados in the Midwest, ice storms in Texas, or hurricanes in the Southeast, we should once again support the recovery of the impacted families, businesses, and communities in Los Angeles County, the lawmakers wrote Friday.

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.
The Erie County executives A Pathway Home village project continues to progress with collaboration from a California-based organization.

Friday morning, Brenton Davis met with a representative from the California Homebuilding Foundation.

Erie Co. to begin constructing tiny homes to help alleviate homeless population

The non-profit organization offers guidance to students about job opportunities in the trades. California Homebuilding Foundation reached out to Davis after seeing A Pathway Home village gain national attention.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Davis and the representative shared ideas on ways to improve both of their programs.

Close

Thanks for signing up!

Watch for us in your inbox.

Subscribe Now

Daily News

Hes met with the community college, met with our career tech centers. Its being able to take the best of what California has to offer and package up what were doing very well in here in Erie, Davis said.

Usually government creates a process that is outcomes-based. Your county executive comes from the private sector, he understands outcomes and hes all about outcomes so he figures out a way to leverage some federal dollars and match that up with people in the community that need training, said Michael McSweeney, career technical education coordinator for California Homebuilding Foundation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Crews respond to east Erie house fire Friday

McSweeney is planning to make a visit back to Erie this June.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com.
California's lawmakers urged their leaders in Congress on Friday to continue funding federal aid in the wake of the L.A. fires, amid a congressional budget battle and questions about possible conditions being imposed by the Trump administration.

Their letter  signed by all 54 House and Senate members  marks the latest step in a months-long political fight to ensure California keeps getting the money it needs to clean up the destruction and rebuild after the devastating wildfires in January.

"The road to full recovery is long, and while the response from the federal government has been incredibly helpful to date, additional funding and resources will be needed," read the letter sent to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.).

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The request for funds comes as Congress is in the middle of its own budget negotiations. Congress must vote to continue funding the government or risk a shutdown by March 14.

Days after the wildfires exploded across Los Angeles County, President Biden committed the federal government to backing 100% of disaster assistance costs to California through June. The funding, approved through fire management grants and a disaster declaration, is going toward the first phase of recovery, including clearing debris, removing hazardous materials and continuing to pay first-responder salaries.

Read more: Deadline for free fire debris removal in L.A. County is approaching

But whether President Trump will keep Biden's promise  or how Congress decides to address the funding in its budget  remains unclear.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Long before becoming president again, Trump had harangued California, promising to withhold federal aid for wildfire relief. When the L.A. fires erupted days before he took office, California's fears of being left without support materialized.

President Trump speaks with officials during a January tour of Pacific Palisades fire damage. (Mandel Ngan / AFP via Getty Images)

But Trump's first trip as president was to tour the wildfire damage in Los Angeles, where he seemed moved by the destruction he witnessed and pledged to waive or expedite federal permits or possibly tariffs, to speed up the rebuilding process.

Im going to give you everything you want, he told a roundtable of officials and residents. Im going to give you more than any president would have ever given you.

Read more: Ex-officer for L.A. firefighters union faces internal inquiry over charity finances

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Gov. Gavin Newsom, who unabashedly showed his disdain for Trump on the 2024 campaign trail, followed the president's visit to California with a visit of his own to Washington, D.C., with the explicit goal of securing continued wildfire aid.

In a time of need and crisis, people need to see their representatives working together, Newsom said during his visit. I have no patience for people not working together in a crisis.

Newsom again reiterated his needs to leaders in Washington in a letter late last month asking for nearly $40 billion from various federal departments.

Trump and his Republican allies in Congress have floated the possibility of tying future aid to California to certain conditions. Trump's special envoy in charge of the wildfire response, Ric Grenell, said that the future of federal wildfire aid would include restricting the California Coastal Commission, which regulates development along the states coastal zones and protects public access to the beach.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The California lawmakers' letter seemed to nod at the unusual step of conditioning disaster relief aid.

"Just as the federal government has come to the aid of communities impacted by wildfires across the western United States, tornados in the Midwest, ice storms in Texas, or hurricanes in the Southeast, we should once again support the recovery of the impacted families, businesses, and communities in Los Angeles County," the letter read.

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.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP)  Jonah Paul, a California state employee, says he's lucky if he gets home by 7 p.m. when he takes the train two days a week to his Sacramento office  a lengthy commute that's about to become more frequent.

He is among thousands of state employees across the U.S. being pushed back to the office this year  a trend in states led by Democrats as well as Republicans. It's happening in both California and Texas, which together have more than 350,000 public-sector workers.

The roll-back of remote work mirrors the Trump administration's mandate for federal workers and moves by some of the nation's largest corporations including Amazon, JP MorganChase and AT&T.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom's order this week cites concerns about productivity and collaboration. Starting July 1, state workers must be in the office at least four days a week, with exceptions on a case-by-case basis.

The governor's executive order kind of blindsided everybody, said Paul, who is also president of the downtown Sacramento chapter of SEIU Local 1000, the state's largest public sector union. People have been really upset.

There's some evidence that rigid in-office requirements actually make workers less productive, but Republican governors in Missouri, Ohio and Indiana, among others, cited efficiency to justify this pivot away from pandemic-era flexibility.

Indiana Republican Gov. Mike Braun issued his return-to-work mandate one week before President Trumps executive order for the federal workforce.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In Texas, some state employees got emails this week telling them to return to the office full-time as soon as possible after Republican Gov. Greg Abbott instructed state agencies to end remote work.

"Any remote work policies must ensure taxpayer dollars are being utilized efficiently, explained Andrew Mahaleris, a spokesperson for Abbott. With remote federal workers returning to the office where possible, its important that state agencies ensure they do the same.

Other states vary. New York, which also has one of the countrys largest state workforces, allows each agency to set its own rules. And some legislatures, like Wisconsin, have introduced bills to require in-person work by law  an idea shot down by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers.

These return-to-office orders shouldn't lead to massive quitting, but they usually result in top performers leaving first, and recruitment and retention suffer, according to economist Nicholas Bloom at Stanford University.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

States are going to have to increase salaries or fatten up the benefits package in other ways if theyre asking people to forgo this flexibility, said Chris Tilly, a UCLA professor of urban planning who studies labor markets.

While many are anxious, others are already accustomed to the change. More than half of Californias 224,000 full-time employees, such as janitors and highway patrol officers, already report for duty in-person each workday.

Texas pivoted despite a legislative committees findings in February that remote work has had a positive impact, said Myko Gedutis, organizing coordinator of Texas State Employees Union CWA Local 6186. The survey found 80 out of 96 agencies reported improved recruitment and 46 saw improved productivity, while 40 agencies reported no improvement.

Texas state employee Rolf Straubhaar said many are concerned that people with medical needs won't get exceptions.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This can push out employees who, for medical reasons, need to work from home," Straubhaar said.

Paul wakes up around 5 a.m. for the two-hour train ride from his home in Oakland to his employment development job in the state capital. His agency already staggers in-office days due to limited office space, and now his colleagues face more logistical challenges.

There's a physical space constraint that makes this order even more absurd," Paul said. "It's not really realistic to force everyone to come back."

___

Lathan is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
The promise of the first months of the second Donald Trump presidency appears that if it doesnt have huge dollar signs attached to it, Trump cares not at all.

Maybe this can get his attention: Taxpayer commitments to restore the Everglades are more than $20 billion.

Protecting the Everglades and those investments has been supported through bipartisan consensus by generations of elected officials.

Now, with DOGE and President Trumps demands for across-the-board cuts affecting staff, real estate and science, Florida Everglades restoration is falling off the map. Billions of dollars aimed at restoration will go up in smoke unless Trump alters course.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Dozens of jobs have been cut at understaffed national parks and wildlife refuges across the greater Everglades. DOGE operatives are incinerating lease agreements for properties used by hundreds of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employees.

DOGEs actions will strangle the ability of the federal government to complete the restoration work taxpayers and voters demanded and Congress and the state Legislature agreed to.

Trump delegated the day-to-day execution of his big picture to appointees who are, one way or another, connected to Project 2025, DOGE or the Federalist Society.

Over the past month, in the Everglades, great disruption has been triggered in pursuit of so-called government efficiency.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Only a stones throw from Mar-a-Lago, Trump can witness the fallout as his appointees aim a wrecking ball at the nations capacity to respond to environmental crises, modeled by the Everglades.

The Everglades has always been an enormous canvas on which the conflicting interests of commerce and environmental protection are written in broad strokes.

A century ago, Friends of the Everglades founder Marjory Stoneman Douglas and Ernest Coe, an aspiring developer turned Everglades champion, responded to the need to protect the fabled River of Grass.

Public demand helped create Everglades National Park in 1947, a great triumph for Americans.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As the decades passed, the state of Florida, through the South Florida Water Management District, and the federal government, through the Army Corps of Engineers and Department of Interior, began massive engineering and construction projects to restore the Everglades.

Apparently, Trump appears to be ignoring the sacrifice, investment and struggle to restore the Everglades  some 2 million acres reaching across the southern half of Floridas peninsula.

Now come the DOGE measures without any understanding of the resources and talent required to guide Everglades restoration to a safe landing. Their end game is clear as a philosophical matter and ridiculous as a matter of fact: Let the state of Florida control the destiny of the Everglades.

Environmentalists know that progress made to date on restoring the Everglades has resulted from litigation forcing the state of Florida to comply with federal laws.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Yes, the state of Florida has made billions of dollars of investment in the Everglades. No, the state of Florida cannot be trusted by itself to ensure that science is the polestar of restoration.

Tallahassee and the state Legislature have been overrun by lobbyists, lawyers and billionaires who view the environment as expendable.

Instead of imposing layoffs and lease terminations, Trump should double down on Everglades restoration.

There is an urgent need to acquire and restore about 100,000 acres south of Lake Okeechobee before destructive development takes root on sugarcane fields in the Everglades Agricultural Area.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

If safeguarding taxpayer dollars is the goal, theres no better deal for Trump to broker.

In the meantime, call off the DOGE attack. Its unwarranted, inefficient and a dishonor to the nations commitments to our national parks, treasured by all Americans.

Alan Farago serves as conservation chair for Friends of the Everglades, which was founded by Marjory Stoneman Douglas in 1969.






SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  Public safety leaders in the Sioux Falls area are sending a message about one of the dangers of wearing the badge.

Last year, Sioux Falls police officers were assaulted more than 140 times.

Dusty on DOGE cuts: Disruptions we have needed for years

The Minnehaha County Sheriffs Office reported 70 assaults on deputies and correctional officers, including Juvenile Detention Center staff.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Violence against law enforcement is something thats been in the news lately.

In mid-February, shots were fired at law enforcement in Brandon after trying to arrest 43-year-old Abe Boushee, according to the Attorney Generals Office.

Meanwhile, 65-year-old David Yocom is accused of shooting a machine gun at a law enforcement during a recent chase.

On Friday, Sioux Falls Police Chief Jon Thum spoke about an incident just a few weeks ago, although he couldnt offer many details.

One of our officers responding to a call was fired upon by some people, Thum said.

The officer wasnt hurt.

Thum and Minnehaha County Sheriff Mike Milstead called attention to assaults on law enforcement during a press conference Friday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I think its a good reminder that the men and women in uniform, your police officers, Highway Patrol, correctional staff, prison workers, theyre exposed to more danger now than they have been in the past, Minnehaha County Sheriff Mike Milstead said.

We as law enforcement deal with the downstream effects of a lot of societal issues, and the downstream effects right now is the willingness and propensity to use violence against officers and thats alarming for us, Thum said.

Thum highlighted mentorship as one way to interrupt the trend.

Its not going to fix everything, but at least its something, so if youre looking for something you can do try to get involved in the lives of young people. Support organizations that work on these topics, Thum said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Milstead shared a message for parents.

Its hard to be a parent today. Its incredibly hard, and so I think parents could have a huge impact and that is having the ability to say no, having the ability to be your kids parent, not best friend. Why are kids running around at 2:00, 3:00 in the morning with guns in their car? Milstead said.

The best opportunity for intervention is when people are young. It gets harder and harder when people are further entrenched in these issues, Thum said.

Click the links below for information on how to become a mentor.

LSS Mentoring

Teammates Mentoring

Sioux 52

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
As tensions continue between the United States and Canada, some Vermont businesses say they are seeing a rise in trip cancellations from Canadians.

The Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing says, since February, its received roughly 20 calls from Canadian visitors saying they would not be traveling to the U.S. due to Trump administration rhetoric and policies.

People who have reached out have been very kind and courteous, theyve just shared with us that they dont feel like they can support the United States right now, said Heather Pelham, the departments Commissioner.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Pelham says Canadians make up about 5% of Vermonts overall tourism, contributing over $150 million to the states economy. That percentage when broken down, she says, makes up as much as 30% of tourism for northern parts of the state.

At Jay Peak Resort, Canadian visitors make up roughly 50% of its business.

The longer this goes on, and the more this act engenders bad will on behalf of the Canadian audience, the higher the likelihood is that they decide to stay, said Steve Wright, Jay Peaks President and General Manager.

On February 4, Wright wrote a personal message to Canadian visitors on social media acknowledging the difficult time. The post has since gotten thousands of reactions and over 800 comments.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We sent that letter out just to show empathy towards them, not to strike any sort of political chord on either side, said the Jay Peak President, On the Canadian side they were very thankful for us, telling them that we had that empathy and on the U.S. side, everything is polarizing.

Jeff Lawson, who runs the Hello Burlington tourism initiative for the Lake Champlain Chamber, says he has received concerned calls from visitors and lodging partners. February was also the first month in a while, he says, where Quebec did not appear in the top 10% of visitors on their website.

My message to prospective visitors from Canada is twofold, first and foremost is that we understand and respect where youre coming from, he said, Wed also like to stress that Vermont is a little bit of a different piece of the United States and our relationship with Quebec has always been near and dear to our hearts.

Some tariffs are being paused by the Trump administration again until April 2, but it still remains to be seen how those across the border will react to the changes in Washington.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Pelham and Lawson say whatever decision visitors make; Vermont will continue to welcome them with open arms.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
TORONTO  President Donald Trumps tariffs on Canadian goods, coming on the heels of his taunting threats to make the country the 51st U.S. state, are eroding the inherent politeness of Americans northern neighbors and rallying them around their own flag.

Canadians are removing American liquor and California wines from their store shelves. Theyre pulling back on future visits to the U.S. Theyre pushing Buy Canadian to counter higher costs and spite Trump. And they are uncharacteristically brandishing unvarnished anger over what they see as a betrayal by a longtime friend.

I will never visit America again, Angela Qin, a university student, told NBC News as she exited an ice rink in downtown Toronto. You dont stab the back of your friend.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Follow live politics coverage here.

Trump announced 25% tariffs this week on most Canadian imports. His decision a couple of days later to exempt from tariffs about 38% of Canadian goods that comply with the North American trade deal negotiated during his first term sparked more confusion and did little to tamp down contempt for him across the country. His suggestion on Friday that he might hit Canada with new tariffs on lumber and dairy products only fueled the fury.

Canada has been ripping us off for years on tariffs for lumber and for dairy products, Trump told reporters during an event in the Oval Office. He accused Canada of taking advantage of American farmers and threatened to reciprocate with more tariffs as early as today or well wait until Monday or Tuesday.

Its not fair, the president said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

For Canadians, whats not fair is being a good, friendly neighbor only to have that friend turn on you. Now  from the top tiers of the Canadian government on down  the country is seeking to send a message to America.

Our grocery stores are really promoting our Canadian products, and I think a lot of us are buying those products because of this, said Liz Floyd, who noted theres been more national unity in Canada.

At a province-run liquor store in Toronto on March 6, empty shelves where American wines would normally be on display; a sign explaining why the shelves are empty; empty shelves where American whisky would normally be on display next to stocked Canadian whisky.

British Columbia Premier David Eby was more blunt.

Were gonna ensure that the Americans understand how pissed off we are, how unified we are, how committed we are to working as a country to stand up for each other, he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Qin said its hard to separate Americans from Trump, at least for the next four years.

We have been in our comfort zone with America for years, she said. So, this is a chance for us to, you know, be stronger together.

Others interviewed at Toronto City Hall had nothing nice to say about Trump or his tariffs. But ever well-mannered, they stopped short of directing their scorn directly at the American people  even as they warned costs for them will increase too because of Canadas retaliatory moves.

This is going to screw us, and its going to screw you guys, said Chris Peterson, a carpenter from St. Catharines, a city in Ontario across the border from western New York. Pardon my words, but yeah, you guys are  all your prices are going to go up, and all our prices go up.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Canadian government on Friday launched a $5 billion program to help businesses in the country navigate the tariffs and find new markets for their exports.

Provincial governments are taking forceful steps on their own to encourage consumers to Buy Canadian. Ontarios government-run liquor stores sell nearly a billion dollars in American products every year, but they were ordered this week to stop selling American wines and liquor.

We love the U.S., Ontarios Premier Doug Ford said in an interview. This is insanity, and its unfortunate.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford on March 3.

Ford threatened to cut off Canadian electricity sold across the border, which powers some 1.5 million homes and businesses in New York, Minnesota and Michigan.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Thats the last thing I want to do, but President Trump is trying to destroy our country, he said.

Some Canadians support that move  and more.

Were still being too nice, said Peterson. I think we should cut everything up. No electricity for you guys, no wood for you guys, no nothing till he takes every one of those tariffs away.

As for Trumps ambitions to make Canada Americas 51st state, Not a chance, Peterson said. Were not going anywhere. Were Canada.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
A longtime fashion executive refused to hire a talented designer full-time because he is a cancer survivor  and laughed when her stunned longtime friend and right hand told her that her reasoning was a bit discriminatory, a new lawsuit alleges.

Designer John Rangel spent a year helping his friend, Lisa Kulson, a fashion executive with a long history as creative director at major fashion brand Theory, prep for the launch of her new independent fashion line  for free  while he was in between jobs.

But when she finally got financing, Kluson told him she could not hire him as an employee because he had cancer and the investors would not agree to hire someone with cancer, the suit claims  and then fired him days before a scheduled surgery.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She wants a slave, Rangel, 44, said in an exclusive interview with The Post. She wants a person who will work with her 24/7 and yet be paid very little, and that was really shocking to me.

Designer John Rangel, 44, says he was denied a full-time job  and then fired because he is a cancer survivor. Robert Miller

Mr. Rangel trusted his friend and gave her his best work, said his attorney, Julie Salwen of Harrison, Harrison & Associates. She did not live up to his trust.

Kulson did not respond to multiple messages requesting comment on Friday.

Rangel, a Parsons grad originally from the Philippines whose work history includes design director gigs at big industry names like Lane Bryant and Full Beauty Brands, was diagnosed with stage four lymphoma in 2020.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He had been friends and collaborators with Kulson since 2019, and she asked him two years ago if he could bring his talent and experience to help launch her fledgling brand and pitch it to investors, according to the suit filed Thursday in Manhattan Supreme Court.

In 2023, he started working for Kulson without pay, helping her with all aspects of designing her fashion line and building pitch decks  all with the promise that he would be integral to the brand.

Lisa Kulson is a well-known fashion executive who was the longtime creative director for major fashion brand Theory. Penske Media via Getty Images

I believed her so much because shes an amazing designer, and also shes an amazing person, Rangel said.

After a year of working 60-hour weeks, he told Kulson last summer that he needed more steady  and paying  work.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Kulson re-upped her promise, texting him that his role would be right hand/assistant designer/pd [product designer, according to the suit and Rangel.

But once that investor money came in, that promise suddenly disappeared, he said, and Kulson shocked him with a lowball offer of $4,000 a month  adding that her investors balked at hiring a cancer survivor full-time.

Rangel is suing his former longtime friend and collaborator for employment discrimination. Robert Miller

She just casually told me that, Rangel said of the shocking conversation.

Kulson referred to his cancer euphemistically, saying that a full-time offer was off the table because of his health issues, Rangel recalled.

I said: You mean my history of cancer? And she said yes, he told The Post.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

When he pointed out that was a bit discriminatory, Rangel said she just laughed at it.

I felt so small and humiliated, he said. It wasnt easy, because I did so much for her.

But Rangel said he accepted the offer to work as a contractor, a classification his lawsuit contends is illegal since he was working full-time because she continued to promise more money later on.

Lisa Kulson allegedly told Rangel that her investors would not hire him full time because of his history of cancer. David X Prutting/BFA / Shutterstock

Additionally his job description said he had to perform daily clean-up & maintenance, including restroom, and, given his 60 and 70 hour workweeks, his wages  which never included overtime  averaged below the $16 per hour minimum, the suit claims, in addition to other protections and benefits that come with a full-time job.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As a result of her discrimination, Mr. Rangel was not even able to get unemployment after Ms. Kulson fired him two days before he was scheduled for surgery. said Salwen.

His role was not the role it would have been if he hadnt had cancer.

That November, Rangel reminded Kulson of an upcoming surgery after the offices Thanksgiving week holiday. But he was told to stay home and rest by one of Kulsons employees the week before the procedure.

I felt so small and humiliated, Rangel said. Robert Miller

At first, Rangel thought it was a really caring gesture  until Kulson gave him a video call two days before surgery to tell him its not working and fired him.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I have been working tirelessly at the office almost every day of the week, Rangel recalled saying, and he wanted to know why.

Kulson demurred, he said.

The fact that he was going to have surgery seemed to influence the timing of their decision, said Salwen. I cant know whats in their minds, but it seems clear that had an effect on it.

I felt so small, that Im insignificant, that they cant even tell me what was wrong, or give me feedback, he said. As a friend, you would expect that at least. And they thought she was a really, really good person.

The suit is also seeking back wages and unpaid overtime in addition to damages.
TYLER, Texas (KETK)  A candlelight vigil was held on Friday evening for a motorcyclist who lost his life during a crash last weekend in Tyler.

UPDATE: 1 dead, 2 injured after South Broadway Avenue motorcycle crash in Tyler

Dakota Hunter was killed in a crash in the 7900 block of South Broadway Avenue at around 4:45 p.m. on March 1. Tyler Police Department said an SUV turning into the Pizza Hut parking lot collided with two motorcycles, injuring the SUV driver, another motorcycle driver and killing Hunter.

The vigil was held on Broadway Avenue where Hunter lost his life at only 21-years-old. A ceremony was held to remember Hunters life and a cross was planted in his memory.

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.
KANEOHE, Hawaii (AP)  Hawaii's American colonizers once banned the Hawaiian language in schools. Some Native Hawaiians tried to lighten their skin with lye. Many people believed Polynesian voyagers had simply lucked into finding the islands by drifting on logs.

But a canoe launched half a century ago helped turn Hawaiian culture from a source of shame to one of pride, reviving the skill of traveling the seas by decoding the stars, waves and weather. That vessel  a double-hulled sailing canoe called the Hokulea, after the Hawaiian name for the star Arcturus  would even influence the Disney blockbuster Moana decades later.

To mark the anniversary, the Hokulea's early crew members gathered Saturday for ceremonial hula and kava drinking at the Oahu beach where the canoe launched on March 8, 1975, and where they began their first training sails.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Its a vehicle of exploration. Its a vehicle of discovery, Nainoa Thompson, the CEO of the Polynesian Voyaging Society, said in an interview. Its also been our vehicle for justice as Native Hawaiians, as Pacific Islanders, as a very unique, special culture of the Earth.

In 1980, Thompson became the first Hawaiian in six centuries to navigate to Tahiti without a compass or other modern instruments  a span of about 2,700 miles (4,300 kilometers).

Hawaiian culture had long been repressed

Thompson, 71, remembers stories from his grandmother, born less than a decade after the U.S.-backed overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1893. Teachers beat her for speaking Hawaiian, and her uncle tried to wash the brown off his skin with lye.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

When she had children, she didn't teach them Hawaiian.

If her children tried to be Hawaiian, they would get hurt in the new society, Thompson said. And so you have to become something else.

A resurgence of Hawaiian pride and identity starting in the late 1960s and 1970s set off a cultural renaissance. Artist Herb Kane began painting ancient canoes based on drawings from European explorers and got the idea to build a double-hulled canoe with tall, triangular sails similar to those his ancestors had used hundreds of years earlier.

Debunking the drifting log theory

At the time, many people accepted the notion that Polynesians settled islands by accident.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl had theorized that Polynesians arrived from South America, pushed west by the prevailing winds and currents. In 1947, he set out to prove it by floating from Peru on a log raft. He landed in the Tuamotu Islands north of Tahiti and wrote a best-seller.

Heyerdahls theory took hold even though Hawaiians for generations had passed down stories of people who traveled from the distant lands -- including Kahiki, possibly what is today known as Tahiti  by canoe, bringing with them edible plants such as ulu, or breadfruit.

Kane, University of Hawaii archaeologist Ben Finney and Honolulu surfer Tommy Holmes wanted to challenge the drifting log concept. They started the Polynesian Voyaging Society, intent on sailing a canoe to Tahiti without modern instruments.

They needed a navigator. Traditional long-distance voyaging skills had all but disappeared, but a Peace Corps volunteer on the isolated atoll of Satawal in Micronesia told them about Pius Mau Piailug, who had been taught navigation from childhood. Over about a month in 1976, Piailug guided the Hokulea from Hawaii to Tahiti  about the same distance from Hawaii to California.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Some 17,000 people thronged the Tahitian shore to greet them and witness what one crew member called the spaceship of our ancestors.

Former Hawaii Gov. John Waihee was in his 20s then, and a delegate to the 1978 state Constitutional Convention. The Hokuleas success spurred delegates to make Hawaiian an official state language even though few residents still spoke it, he said. They also created the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to improve the well-being of Native Hawaiians.

It helped us believe in everything that we were doing, Waihee said.

Today, two dozen schools have Hawaiian language immersion programs, and Census data show more than 27,000 people in Hawaii, and 34,000 in the U.S., speak Hawaiian at home.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Bringing dignity to the elders

In 1978, an ill-prepared crew set out for Tahiti in poor weather, and the Hokulea capsized just hours after leaving port. Crew member Eddie Aikau paddled his surfboard to get help. The Coast Guard rescued the canoe, but Aikau was never found.

The voyaging society overhauled itself in response, setting clear goals and training requirements. Thompson studied at a Honolulu planetarium and spent over a year under the tutelage of Piailug. In 1980, he navigated to Tahiti.

Thompson said he felt a deep obligation to fulfill Aikaus wish to follow the path of his ancestors and pull Tahiti out of the sea. But he didn't celebrate when the Hokulea got there.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I just went into a quiet, dark place and just told Eddie we pulled it out of the sea, Thompson said. Theres no high fives. Its too profound.

In decades since, the society has sailed the canoe around the Pacific and world, including New Zealand, Japan, South Africa and New York.

It inspired other Pacific Island communities to revive or newly appreciate their own wayfinding traditions.

In Rapa Nui, Chile  also known as Easter Island  islanders have embarked on long-distance canoe voyages. The University of Guam has a navigation program. Similar trends have surfaced in the Cook Islands, French Polynesia, Samoa and Tonga, said Mary Therese Perez Hattori, the director of the Pacific Islands Development Program at the East-West Center.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We come from very, very ancient societies, said Hattori, who is Chamorro, the Indigenous people of the Mariana Islands. Hokulea sort of helped us remind the world of this.

Hollywood makes a blockbuster

Hokuleas influence spread in 2016 when Disney released Moana, an animated film about a 16-year-old girl who learns wayfinding about 3,000 years ago.

Thompson spoke to hundreds on the movie's creative team about wayfinding and the importance of canoes to Pacific culture, said Aaron Kandell, a Hawaii-born writer who worked on the movie.

Kandell, who is not Native Hawaiian, spent a year studying navigation with the Polynesian Voyaging Society during his 20s and incorporated that into the script, including where Moana learns to use her outstretched hand to track the stars and runs her hand in the ocean to feel the currents.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Crew members taught animators about coconut fiber ropes so they would look right when Moana pulls on them, Kandell said.

The Polynesian Voyaging Societys initial plan was to sail to Tahiti once, supporting a documentary, book and research papers. Thompson remembers pushing Hokuleas hull into the water with the crew back in 1975.

It was really a moment  I didnt recognize it  but this was going to change everything, he said.
U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., is backing a federal measure that would allow officials to more forcefully go after criminals trafficking drugs.

Capito said the proposed HIDTA Enhancement Act, if passed by the U.S. Senate and Congress, would stop fentanyl from flowing into West Virginia communities.

The federal measure also would reauthorize the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program which brings together federal and local law enforcement to stop drug trafficking  and provide them with greater resources to cover more activities to enhance fentanyl prevention and seizures, Capito said Thursday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Every West Virginian has been impacted by the opioid crisis, and fentanyl being trafficked into our communities has made the problem exponentially worse, Capito said in a prepared statement. The brave law enforcement officers of HIDTA are working every day to stop illicit fentanyl and other illegal drugs in their tracks. I am proud to introduce this legislation that will continue to support the HIDTA programs mission, provide additional resources to stop the trafficking of fentanyl, and save lives across the country.

Capito said the HIDTA Enhancement Act would specifically:

- Reauthorizes the HIDTA program at $333 million annually through 2030, increasing support for law enforcement efforts to combat drug use and trafficking.

- Increases authorization for competitive grants to $14,224,000 and expands use of funds to include enhanced fentanyl seizure and interdiction activities.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

- Directs collaboration between the attorney general and the executive boards of each designated HIDTA.

- Require a report within the annual National Drug Control Strategy describing the use of HIDTA funds to investigate fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances.

The HIDTA program is administered by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy and supports collaboration between federal, state, and locall law enforcement agencies to reduce drug trafficking and misuse. There are 33 regional HIDTAs across the U.S., covering counties in all 50 states.

In West Virginia, there are currently 24 counties that are designated a HIDTA.

Mercer County was added to the HIDTA back in 2011.
HONOLULU (KHON2)  The State Department of Human Services Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, or CAPTA, report shows five children died last year due to child abuse. Only two of them were on the Child Welfare Services radar.

Among them, 3-year-old Sarai Perez Riviera, whose family, according to the report, received child welfare services. Her mother and mothers girlfriend have been charged with murder.

Woman arrested in connection to manslaughter of adopted child

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

State Representative Lisa Marten has introduced several bills aimed at strengthening child abuse prevention efforts. Marten, along with the Malama Ohana Working Group, is pushing for reforms including more funding and improved training for case workers. But Marten says a solution lies much deeper.

We have far too many of these tragic incidents and we know theres a lot of abuse going on that does not make the news and we dont know about it. And what we have to do is break the cycle of abuse, Marten said.

Attorney Randall Rosenberg, who represents the families of Isabella Kalua, Peter Boy Kema and Geanna Bradley in lawsuits against the state, say these cases follow a disturbing pattern.

Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You

The lawsuits claim that DHS failed to properly monitor these children, allowing them to remain in abusive homes until it was too late.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

What we found, is that removing the children from their biological parents solves the immediate problem, but often theyre placed into a foster home, which is the same or worse than the home that they came from, Rosenberg said.

While reforms are crucial, some say its not enough. The attorney representing the grandmother of Sarai Perez Riviera has filed a lawsuit against DHS.

With the hope that having to pay damages will encourage some change in DHS to prevent cases like this from happening again in the future, said Mark Gallagher, attorney for the family.

DHS said confidentiality laws prevent them from commenting about any of these cases. But the department urges people to report child abuse to Child Welfare Services Hotline at (808) 832-5300 for Oahu residents, and (888) 380-3088 for residents on the other islands, or call 911, even if you have a feeling something is not right.

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.
Carol McNicoll, who has died aged 81, was a pioneering studio potter whose witty, postmodern work transformed the ceramics scene in 1970s Britain.

She belonged to a cohort of women who studied at the Royal College of Art in London, including Alison Britton, Elizabeth Fritsch and Jacqueline Poncelet. Their work was a rejection of aesthetic and technical orthodoxies and became known as the New Ceramics.

Instead of throwing tableware on the wheel or working in an abstract realm of pure sculpture, Carol McNicoll made surreal slip-cast objects that straddled the sculptural and the functional. She treated ceramic history as a resource to be plundered, creating playful, often collage-like works. Sometimes these borrowings were literal, as in her Three-Spouted Teapot (1972), cast from obsolete moulds once used by Royal Staffordshire.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She subverted expectations of the material, casting crumpled paper, fans, flowers or tinfoil with liquid clay to create trompe loeil tableware. Other works were inspired by textiles: Unravelling Vase (1980) appears to unspool, ribbon-like. Tea sets were cast from folded fabric and bowls, while platters and bowls were handbuilt from woven or knitted strips of clay.

Alongside her studies, Carol McNicoll worked as a machinist for Zandra Rhodes. The fashion designer commissioned work from the student, including a set of pink coffee cups with hands for saucers. Id give [Zandra Rhodes] a dinner service; shed give me a frock, she recalled.

In life as in art, she relished playful flamboyance. Her friends included Andrew Logan, the artist and founder of the Alternative Miss World competition, and the architect Piers Gough. In exchange for one of her tea sets, in 1980 Gough redesigned the flat in a former piano factory in Kentish Town, where she would live and work for the rest of her life.

Carol McNicoll (1974) - Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

While studying in Leeds, Carol McNicoll met Brian Eno, of the nascent glam-rock band Roxy Music. The pair had a five-year relationship, during which she designed stage outfits for Eno and his bandmate Andy Mackay  most memorably, Enos high-camp cockerel-feathered outfit of 1972, which is now in the Theatre & Performance Collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum. Carol McNicoll is the only person with work in both the museums theatre and ceramics collections. In 1973, she oversaw the cover design for Enos debut solo album Here Come the Warm Jets, featuring a still-life photograph that includes one of her pieces.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Carol Margaret McNicoll was born on Christmas Eve 1943 in Birmingham to David McNicoll, a Scottish engineer who often worked abroad, and Brigit, nee OKeefe, an Irish Catholic from Co Waterford. Although her mother died when she was 13, Carol McNicoll credited her with her love of kitsch ornamentation, thanks to the neo-baroque churches they frequented together. To her father she attributed her fondness for knick-knacks, due to the many souvenirs he brought home.

After education at convent schools in Birmingham, Carol McNicoll studied for a degree in nutritional science at Solihull College of Technology but dropped out after a term. She found work as a wardrobe assistant at theatres in Birmingham and London in the early 1960s before doing a foundation course at Solihull College of Technology. She then studied fine art at Leeds Polytechnic from 1967 to 1970, focusing on film and pottery.

She applied to both the film and ceramics schools of the RCA and was awarded a Princess of Wales Scholarship to study in its School of Ceramics and Glass from 1970 to 1973. Her work was met with consternation by craft traditionalists, but found an influential champion in the newly formed Crafts Advisory Committee (now the Crafts Council).

In the 1980s her work became more geometric and abstracted, but it never abandoned its connection to function, however vestigial. She also dabbled in industrial design, producing ranges for Next Interiors with her friend Janice Tchalenko, and for Axis Diffusion.

Untitled - Courtesy Richard Saltoun gallery/Estate of the artist

Although brought up in a Tory household, from her teens Carol McNicoll was a committed Leftist and during the 2000s her work became increasingly political. From 2003 until 2011, her fury at the Iraq War found expression through pieces that satirised American military and consumer culture  casts of toy soldiers, guns and Coca-Cola bottles decorate her cake stands and coffee sets of the period.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Carol McNicoll was a lifelong collector of bric-a-brac, which she often cast to create composite artworks. She adored pattern and used both her own and commercially available transfers to decorate her work, alongside brushwork and sgraffito. I am entertained by making functional objects which are both richly patterned and comment on the strange world we have created for ourselves, she said.

In 1999 the art historian Tanya Harrod described Carol McNicoll as easily the most creative person I know. This creativity extended to her home, a shrine to maximalism, with walls, ceilings and surfaces heavily decorated. It was the subject of several magazine features, most recently in The World of Interiors (December 2024). Her personal sartorial style was equally exuberant, consisting of a riotous assemblage of charity-shop finds and homemade garments, always paired with her trademark oversized spectacles.

Carol McNicoll taught at Camberwell School of Art from 1985 until 2001, when she resigned in response to what she saw as the bureaucratisation of arts degrees. That same year, she was shortlisted for the Jerwood Prize for Ceramics. In 2002, with Jacqueline Poncelet, she co-curated Pattern Crazy, an exhibition at the Crafts Councils gallery. The New Walk Museum and Art Gallery in Leicester presented a major retrospective of her work in 2003.

Her work is held by public collections in Britain and worldwide, including the V&A, the British Museum and the Crafts Council in London, the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, and the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Carol McNicoll is survived by her son, Beckett Vester.

Carol McNicoll, born December 24 1943, died March 3 2025

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.
North Pole Records, the label run by Kirks Grocery owner and artist and musician Shane de Leon, releases some strange stuff.

Theres the avant-garde pop stylings of Calgary oddity 36? (their latest excellent record is called Finding Love // Having Autism and youll never guess what its about), de Leons own basement indie rock with Miss Massive Snowflake or the electronic bleating played by Pulse/Spasm/Vapor Trio. None of this is stuff youll hear on the radio, unless your town has some pretty cool DJs.

But last month, North Pole dropped a record that's weird, even by their standards. The first release from punk trio Basement Holocaust is called B.B.H.B.H.C., which stands for Billings Beverly Hills Boulevard Hard Core. The single-sided LP has only three songs, and just one is longer than a minute.

That tune, Girlscouts, is one minute and 12 seconds of pure sound. Before the words even kick in, the first vocals on the track are a half-swallowed scream over a cascading guitar line and booming drums.

Girl Scouts, I dont want your damn cookies! goes the explosive chorus, little more than an enraged yowl.

These guys must have been pretty pissed off, youd think, to record such a scorching takedown of one of Americas largest youth organizations and their main method for fundraising. What did a Tagalong or Samosa ever do to them?

We had sisters who were in the Girl Scouts, explained Cory Vielma, the bands drummer. I think it was probably a jab at them.

I do want their damn cookies! interjected Basement Holocaust guitarist Alex Vota.

Jamie Smith, whose vocals and lyrics you hear on Girlscouts, cant remember what the scouts did to make him so mad. Nobody in Basement Holocaust can. Its been 40 years, after all.

You see, Basement Holocaust were only around for 1985, when the trio were sophomores at Billings West High School. By junior year Vota had moved away and the band splintered into the ether.

But they were really busy in that year. Basement Holocaust only ever played one concert, but they jammed constantly and recorded plenty, at both Vota and Vielmas houses. B.B.H.B.H.C. is culled from those recordings, which lived on tapes that Vielma has held onto for decades.

When they first started playing together, it was all covers. The Clashs Should I Stay or Should I Go was a favorite, as was I Dont Need Society by Dirty Rotton Imbeciles and lots of Sex Pistols songs. But the songs on this record are originals, the lyrics written by Smith, the music hammered out by all three.

It just came out, Vota recalled. It was youth finding its way.

He was a real rocker, but the other two were a little more arty, more into the independent scene. To make music together, the trio had to merge into one, jamming influences into each other until theyd created something new.

Vota was all self-taught, Vielma and Smith were band buddies, where the former played French horn and the latter clarinet. During downtime in class Vielma started hammering away at the drums, which is where he got enough confidence to start playing with a punk band.

I dont want to say his name, but the drums were borrowed from a classmate, Vielma laughed. I went over to his house and said, Hey, were starting a band, I need your drum set. And then I kept it for a year.

We were so into the punk thing, Vota said. We wanted to sink our teeth into it, and just be a part of that cool madness we were hearing from all these bands.

It wasnt easy to track down that cool madness. Punk rock exploded during the Reagan years, but Billings was a small, conservative town. If these three wanted to hear loud, fast, aggressive music, theyd have to look a lot further.

It was hard to be an outside person in Billings in that age, said Smith. It was rough.

Without a punk scene to join, they created their own. Smith, Vielma and Vota (usually with de Leon tagging along  Smith and Vielma remember the exact day they met him, and even though Vota couldnt immediately place the Kirks proprietor, the phrase tallest kid in school was all he needed for recognition to flood back) would mail-order cassette tapes from magazines with names like Maximumrocknroll and Flipside.

The USA Network aired a punk rock variety show called Night Flight that led them down some rabbit holes, and they gobbled up albums by Burning Airlines and put out by the record label Forced Exposure. Theyd plan strategic orders, where each member of the group who could spare some cash ordered a record and then taped it so everyone could have a copy.

A lot of punk labels would advertise other bands, so sometimes youd buy a record and youd see a huge list of other bands and you wanted to see what they sounded like, said Vota. Sometimes youd just pick something and try it out.

This was still a decade before the internet and two decades before social media, so an ecosystem had to exist organically. There was no false vanity, no status symbols, just passion. Nobody was doing anything to look cool on the internet, they were doing it just to do it.

It was completely organic," said Smith, pausing. "I dont know if we were bored necessarily,

We were definitely bored, Vielma interjected, prompting a laugh from the group.

If they were bored, Basement Holocaust at least let them stay busy. The first two songs on B.B.H.B.H.C.  Girlscouts and AWOL, which shows a clear Sex Pistols influence in that its shouty, stompy and political yet incoherent  were recorded live to tape in Vielmas bedroom, which was also the bands rehearsal space.

But they leveled way up once Vota figured out how to use his parents stereo to record multiple tracks, letting the band add, loop and smear sounds, like they were in an expensive studio. It was a very advanced system for a bunch of kids, although with every new track the sound would get muddier and muddier until it all became a cacophonous screed.

They played with that on B.B.H.B.H.C.s last track, the 16-second The Trooper. The screams are still there, so is the boom of the drums and the rip of the guitar. But it sounds like its being recorded through a vacuum cleaner hose, like were modulating out of one reality and into another. Its wild, crazy music, way beyond anything youd expect high school sophomores to dream up.

Which is maybe why they didnt play many shows. Basement Holocaust had only one gig, but it was a doozy  they rocked out at a party held in Theodore Waddells basement.

He doesnt know that though, Smith admitted, referring to Waddell, the Billings-born artist whose work is emblematic of the Montana Modernism movement. The basement show was an illicit party held by Waddells daughter. Without a PA system, they just plugged the vocal mic into the guitar amp.

We had two originals and some covers, Vielma remembered. We did all of our songs like two or three times each.

They were all too young to drive, so someones parent would have had to haul the trio and all their gear. They cant remember who now, but they sure remember how excited they felt being in a dark room where they could share their creations with their friends.

None of them can nail down the exact date and details of Basement Holocausts death. Smith suggests, only semi-jokingly, that it was when Vielma finally had to return his borrowed drum set. But Vota moved away in junior year, and Vielma and Smith started doing their own thing.

Theyre still doing their own thing. Smith lives in Colorado now and has been part of warmly remembered indie bands like Granfalloon Bus and the Lords of Howling. The music he made as Dang Head was once described by the Denver magazine Westword as fall[ing] somewhere between Bill Monroe and Sonic Youth by way of Camper Van Beethoven. Recently hes been collaborating with de Leon again with the band Dusty Tears, who put out music on North Pole Records.

Vielma has lived in Germany for years, working as a video producer and releasing music under the name The Sadnessess. Hes stayed in contact with Smith and with de Leon, but they lost track of Vota after high school. This was way before Facebook, when someone left Billings city limits they might as well have moved to Mars.

For his part, Vota has stayed in the music world. Hes been a longtime member of the influential Denver-based metal band Angellic Rage. Although their charismatic frontman Paul Vee was killed in 2008, theyve morphed into something else, in Votas words. He lives in Spokane now, where his most recent project is called Keep Me Breathing.

These guys are in their mid-50s now, in the midst of careers spent in the arts. This Basement Holocaust release is giving them a chance to look back at the first things they started making, how they observed and interacted with the world when they were in an embryonic state.

We just did it from the heart, man, Vota said. We didnt have any preconceived ideas. We were young punks in a Montana scene that didnt want to have us.

But then again, you look around at the country and start to feel like were not so far off from those emotions these guys felt in the '80s. Maybe Basement Holocaust put out their debut record at the exact right time.

Were a punk rock sleeper cell, Smith joked. We planned this 40 years ago, that when the socioeconomic, political, cultural world reared its ugly head like it did in the '80s, we were going to come back as planned.
LIBERTY, Ky. (FOX 56)  The Casey County Sheriffs Office (CCSO) asked the community for help on Friday to find a missing teen.

According to a Facebook post from the sheriffs office, Harmony Smith, 16, was last seen on Possum Trot Road in Liberty.

 MISSING IN KENTUCKY

Harmony is 5 feet 5 inches tall, weighs 110 pounds, and has brown hair past her shoulders and brown eyes.

Deputies in Casey County wrote on Facebook that Harmony Smith was last seen on Possum Trot Road. (Casey County Sheriffs Office)

Anyone with information that could help find Harmony is asked to call the CCSO at (606) 787-6821 or the Casey County 911 Dispatch Center at (606) 787-9411.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This is a developing story. Stay with FOX 56 News for updates.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News.
A cash-strapped council has spent almost 150,000 prosecuting people accused of silently praying outside an abortion clinic, The Telegraph can reveal.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) council has twice taken costly legal action against pro-life campaigners who it said had breached a buffer zone around the facility in Bournemouth.

In October, the local authority spent 93,000 taking Adam Smith-Connor, an army veteran, to court for refusing to leave a 100 metre area surrounding the BPAS clinic in Bournemouth.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The 51-year-old claimed he was praying silently for his unborn son, who he now regrets aborting 25 years ago.

The army reservist, who served in Afghanistan, was found guilty of breaching a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) following a trial at the Bournemouth magistrates court.

He was given a two-year conditional discharge and ordered to pay 9,000, which represented less than a tenth of the overall cost of bringing the case.

Earlier this week, the council appointed a highly qualified barrister, known as a Silk, to prosecute retired medical scientist, Livia Tossici-Bolt, 64, who silently held up a sign saying here to talk outside the same clinic in March 2023.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Telegraph understands the legal costs associated with that two-day trial are close to 45,000.

Livia Tossici-Bolt, a pro-life campaigner who held up a sign saying here to help at women entering an abortion clinic, has gone on trial for harassment - BNPS

The clinic at the centre of both cases has been targeted by anti-abortion campaigners in the past, and in 2022 the council made it the subject of a PSPO.

Critics including JD Vance, the US vice president, have claimed the measures stifle free speech and lawful protest.

In October last year, a new law was introduced providing a safe access zone around abortion clinics, which makes it an offence for a person to do anything that intentionally or recklessly influences a persons decision to use abortion services, obstructs them, or causes harassment, alarm or distress to someone using or working at the premises.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It means the cost of future prosecutions is likely to be met by the Crown.

But the decision by the BCP council to bring two expensive prosecutions came at a time when it was facing significant financial pressure.

In 2023, officials even discussed turning off street lights, closing splash parks, axing lollipop men and women and reducing library opening times in an attempt to save money.

Last year, the council, which has a Liberal Democrat leader, struggled to manage a 44 million funding gap.

Grossly disproportionate

Jeremiah Igunnubole, the legal counsel for ADF UK, which has supported the legal defence in both cases, said: Its grossly disproportionate for BCP council to have spent nearly 150,000 to prosecute two Christians of good character, for a summary only Magistrates Court matter with a maximum sentence of 1000.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In a free country, citizens shouldnt have to prepare a budget to defend the peaceful exercise of fundamental rights.

Adam Smith-Connor merely prayed silently for three minutes  and Livia Tossici-Bolt simply offered to talk.

Far from amounting to harassment and intimidation, both are peaceful, lawful activities that should be able to take place on any public street in Great Britain.

The councils ideological drive is clear, that they would charge the public purse such exorbitant costs to criminalise particular views.

This is the very antithesis of what it means to live in a democratic society where the free and frank exchange of ideas through conversation should be valued, not penalised. Free speech is truly in crisis in Britain.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A spokesman for BCP council said: In light of the previous high court judicial review brought against the PSPO, and the engagement of counsel, it was necessary for the council to employ a barrister for these cases.

The PSPO covering Ophir Road and the surrounding area, Bournemouth, was introduced following public consultation in 2022 and is in place to protect those accessing or working in medical services at the British Pregnancy Advisory Clinic. The Council will continue to monitor any alleged breaches of this PSPO and take appropriate action when it is deemed necessary.

The verdict in the trial of Ms Tossici-Bolt is due to be handed down on April 4.

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.
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  The Capital Area Transit System has announced that its bus drivers will return to work on Sunday, March 9, and full bus services will resume across Baton Rouge.

After negotiation talks, CATS and the local transit union will go to interest arbitration. This step aims to solve contract issues and help normal operations return, according to a news release.

Officials said they are ready to bring back reliable public transportation for all riders, as the strike ends tomorrow. CATS workers went on strike, demanding a fair contract and improved working conditions.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Were pleased to have our drivers back on the job, and services will return to normal tomorrow, said Theo Richards, CEO of CATS. We appreciate the patience of our passengers and are confident that arbitration will resolve the issues fairly.

CATS and the union will use a neutral third-party arbitrator to resolve contract issues, a news release said. This choice seeks a fair and clear process. It does not aim for a final agreement right now.

Southern University suspends Greek life recruitment after students hazing death

CATS bus services will run on their usual schedules starting Sunday.

For updates on schedules, routes and transit info, passengers can check the official CATS website. They can also download the myStop app for more details.

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.
Earlier this week the Santa Fe County Sheriff's department announced an update in the deaths of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa would come on Friday afternoon.

"Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza will be joined by officials from the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator and the New Mexico Department of Health in a joint news conference to report updates in the death investigation of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa. Santa Fe City Fire Department officials will also be in attendance," the statement read.

During the press conference on Friday afternoon the Santa Fe County Sheriff's department revealed that Arakawa died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a disease carried by rodents - in the case of Arakawa's death, deer mice, according to the announcement.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Police believe Arakawa may have died around Feb. 11. Following that date there was no outward communication from Arakawa and emails she received remained unopened.

Gene Hackman in a scene from the film 'Twice In A Lifetime', 1985. Archive Photos/Getty Images

"Numerous emails were unopened on her computer on February 11. There was no additional outgoing communication from her or known activity after February 11, 2025, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said

Police believe Hackman, meanwhile, died a week later of heart disease, with Alzheimers disease noted as an additional contributing factor. He suffered a cardiac event on Feb. 17 according to his pacemaker, though police believe he may have died on Feb. 18.

A concrete timeframe for their death may be difficult to establish, according to pathologist James Gill, who suggested the "postmortem changes" won't be a good indicator of when the couple died due to the mummification after the bodies started decomposing.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

You're not going to be able to tell from the postmortem changes, because once you get to mummification then all bets are off," he said. "It depends where in the house they were, what were they wearing, all sorts of things can affect the postmortem changes. Once you get to that mummification stage there's nothing to ... be able to distinguish the two deaths time wise.

Related: Gene Hackman's Family Breaks Silence on Cause of Death 'Theories'
WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI)  A Woonsocket man accused of causing a stir at CCRIs Flanagan Campus faced a judge on Friday.

Junior Sage, 48, was arraigned on several charges including four counts of felony assault.

Lincoln police said it all started when Sage got into an argument with two women on a RIPTA bus Thursday afternoon. The women told police that at one point Sage threatened to blow their heads off while pulling up his shirt and showing what appeared to be a gun, Detective Lt. Bradley Stewart said in court Friday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Sage also allegedly threatened to stab the women while holding a knife, according to Stewart.

BACKGROUND: Police ID suspect arrested at CCRI Lincoln campus

When the bus arrived at CCRI and Sage got off, a 911 caller reported there was a man on campus believed to be armed with a gun and a knife. The campus and nearby schools were put on lockdown as police responded.

After getting a description of the suspect from people on the bus, police were able to quickly locate him.

He was searched, which officers located a serrated knife measuring over 3.5 inches on his person, as well as an airsoft gun in his backpack, Stewart said. It should be noted this airsoft gun shoots solid metal projectiles.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Sage was uncooperative, according to Stewart, and denied being on the bus, saying he was dropped off at CCRI by his girlfriend. However, the RIPTA driver made a positive identification for police.

In addition to four counts of felony assault, Sage is also charged with possession of a firearm prohibited, carrying a pistol without a license or permit, obstruction an officer in the execution of duty, and disorderly conduct.

Under Rhode Island Law, air pistols and any other instrument from which steel or metal projectiles are propelled are considered firearms.

Since six of the counts are felonies, no plea was entered at Sages arraignment. His bail was set at $75,000 with surety and he was ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

At the time of his arrest, Sage was on probation for a recent case out of Lincoln. Court records show he pleaded no contest last July to a weapons charge and reckless driving and was given a one-year suspended sentence and one year of probation.

Sage is due back in court on June 16, but the judge said that may change due to the probation violation.

Court records also show that Sage has a criminal record dating back 30 years. The R.I. Department of Corrections told 12 News he served time in the mid-90s for drug possession, then again in 2003 for domestic assault and drug possession.

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 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday launched a webpage listing information about current and former members of its independent vaccine advisory committee, including what it describes as conflicts of interests.

The website was announced by the agency in a post on X late Friday morning.

The new database comes after Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.  whose department oversees the CDC and has postponed or canceled two major vaccine advisory committee meetings in recent weeks  has vowed to increase "radical transparency" at the federal health agencies.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It wasn't immediately clear, however, how the webpage would accomplish that.

Much of the information on the members of the committee, called the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP, is already publicly available, including their previous work on clinical trials. The panel members  pediatricians, epidemiologists, public health experts and geriatricians  are volunteers who are selected by the health secretary, following an application and vetting process, according to the CDC.

The committee regularly meets several times a year to recommend who should get vaccines that are already approved, including the schedule for childhood vaccinations, or review data.

Neither the CDC nor the committee mandate vaccination.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The CDC's new list includes names of members, the dates they served and what the agency describes as conflicts of interests, such as previous work as a principal investigator for clinical trials funded by drug companies or whose institution received a grant from the industry.

Arthur Caplan, head of the division of medical ethics at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City, said the database could be used to sow doubt about the advice given by ACIP, giving a false appearance that members have strong ties to the industry  a belief, he said, long held by Kennedy.

Caplan said, it's nearly impossible to find anyone with this kind of expertise who doesn't have an apparent conflict of interest. Often, he said, they are the ones overseeing research done by drugmakers, but dont own stocks in companies.

The fact that the disclosures are so thorough, he added, should give people confidence.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Many people have conflicts. You'll find huge numbers of them in the Trump administration," Caplan said. "The way you deal with them is not just to say, 'No one can have them.' You have to manage them."

Kennedy himself was grilled about his own conflicts of interest during his confirmation hearing in late January, including his work at the Children's Health Defense, the anti-vaccine nonprofit group he founded, and his involvement with litigation against HPV vaccine maker Merck. Kennedy told lawmakers he would divest his interest in litigation against the drugmaker.

Caplain noted that it's standard practice for ACIP members with industry ties to recuse themselves from participating in certain meetings. The committee chair also calls for conflict of interest disclosures at the start of each meeting.

Taking aim at ACIP

Kennedy has previously criticized ACIP, telling Fox News in February, without citing any data, that almost all members on the vaccine advisory committee have severe, severe conflicts of interest.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Andrew Nixon, a senior spokesperson at HHS, said in an emailed statement that the website is "in alignment with HHS Secretary Kennedys commitment to radical transparency."

"CDC released a tool for Americans to easily access conflicts of interest for ACIP committee members," Nixon said. "Rather than conflicts of interest being buried within meeting minutes, this tool quickly provides the public with ACIP members conflicts of interest."

Still, the move is unlikely to alleviate worries from health experts and lawmakers that Kennedy could disrupt vaccine regulations in the U.S.

It came as no surprise to Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, that the CDC, under Kennedy, took aim at ACIP.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Offit, a former member of the ACIP who has criticized Kennedy in the past, said the website represents Kennedy's "basic belief that Big Pharma has had undue influence on vaccine policy decisions."

"There is not a single shred of evidence showing that is true," Offit added.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Steve Harvey is best known for awarding money to Family Feud contestants or dishing out advice on his radio show.

But in recent years, hes also become a popular target of AI-generated memes, many of which are humorous and seemingly harmless  like depictions of Harvey as a rockstar or seen running from demons.

More sinister actors, however, are using AI-generated versions of Harveys image, voice and likeness for scams.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Last year, Harvey was among celebrities like Taylor Swift and Joe Rogan whose voices were mimicked by AI and used to promote a scam that promised people government provided funds.

Ive been telling you guys for months to claim this free $6,400 dollars, a voice that sounds like Harveys says in one video.

Now, Harvey is speaking up by advocating for legislation and penalties for the people behind these scams  and the platforms hosting them. And Congress seems to be listening; its considering several pieces of legislation aiming to penalize those behind nefarious uses of AI, including an updated version of the No Fakes Act, which aims to hold creators and platforms liable for unauthorized AI-generated images, videos and sound.

The bipartisan group of senators behind the act, including Democrats Chris Coons of Delaware and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Republicans Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, are planning to reintroduce it within the next few weeks, a source familiar with the matter told CNN. It joins other legislation aimed at criminalizing AI-generated deepfake pornography, called the Take It Down Act, which is also before Congress and earned support from first lady Melania Trump this week.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In 2025, Harvey says scams using his likeness are at an all-time high.

I prided myself on my brand being one of authenticity, and people know that, and so they take the fact that Im known and trusted as an authentic person, pretty sincere, Harvey told CNN in an interview at Tyler Perry Studios between filming episodes of Family Feud. My concern now is the people that it affects. I dont want fans of mine or people who arent fans to be hurt by something.

Elijah Nouvelage/AFP/Joe Maher/Getty Images

Celebrities call for action against AI deepfakes

Major recording artists, actors and other celebrities have been caught up in AI scandals over the last two years as the technology rapidly evolves. A woman in France lost $850,000 after scammers used AI-generated images of Brad Pitt to con her into thinking she was helping the actor.

Actress Scarlett Johansson, who has openly grappled with AI imitating her likeness, has also thrown her support behind legislation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

There is a 1,000-foot wave coming regarding AI that several progressive countries, not including the United States, have responded to in a responsible manner, Johansson said in a February statement to CNN after an AI-generated video depicting a phony version of her responding to Kanye Wests antisemitic remarks went viral. It is terrifying that the US government is paralyzed when it comes to passing legislation that protects all of its citizens against the imminent dangers of AI.

Harvey said he also supports the legislation, which has garnered support from the Recording Academy, the Screen Actors Guild, the Motion Picture Association, major talent agencies and some of the biggest names in Hollywood.

Its freedom of speech, its not freedom of, make me speak the way you want me to speak, Harvey said. Thats not freedom, thats abuse. And Congress has got to get involved in this thing, because its going to end up hurting them, too.

Before reintroducing the No Fakes Act, the senators also hope to gain support from online platforms, which would potentially be penalized for hosting that AI content under the bill. The current bill fines platforms $5,000 for each violation  meaning a viral AI creation could quickly add up to millions of dollars in fines. A source familiar with the bill said the platforms would not be brought on at the cost of lower penalties.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Weve been very clear with the platforms who have withheld their endorsement for now that were not going to make any changes unless the folks that were doing this bill for, the folks in the creative industries, are okay with it, a person familiar with the bill told CNN. Were not going to sell them off to try to get the platforms on board.

But critics of the bill, which include public advocacy organizations like Public Knowledge, Center for Democracy and Technology, American Library Association and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, worry the bill as written introduces too much regulation. In a letter to the senators last year, they warned it could endanger First Amendment rights and enable misinformation, while resulting in a torrent of lawsuits.

We understand and share the serious concerns many have expressed about the ways digital replica technology can be misused, with harms that can impact ordinary people as well as performers and celebrities, they wrote. These harms deserve the serious attention they are receiving, and preventing them may well involve legislation to fill gaps in existing law. Unfortunately, the recently-introduced NO FAKES bill goes too far in introducing an entirely new federal IP right.

The startup helping celebrities spot AI deepfakes

The Vermillio program is seen during a CNN interview. - CNN

But as Congress goes through the motions, AI continues to evolve. And celebrities say they feel they are limited in how they can pursue imitators using their likeness  especially anonymous online accounts.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Thats where companies like Vermillio AI come in. The company, which has partnered with major talent agencies and movie studios, uses a platform called TraceID that tracks AI instances of their clients and automates the normally cumbersome take-down requests.

Back in 2018 there were maybe 19,000 pieces of deepfake content, Vermillio CEO Dan Neely told CNN in an interview. Today, there are roughly a million created every minute.

For celebrities, tracking deepfakes can be especially challenging because they can spread so quickly on social platforms. So trying to find them, play this game of Whack a Mole, is quite complex, Neely said.

Neely showed CNN Harveys Vermillio account, which included AI-voice generated chatbots meant to sound like Harvey and fake videos of the TV personality encouraging gambling.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Neely said the companys technology uses a type of fingerprinting to distinguish authentic content and from AI-generated material. That involves crawling the web for images that have been tampered with using large language models, better known as LLMs, which are the building blocks of many popular generative AI services.

An image of you is made up of millions of pieces of data, Neely said. How do we use those pieces of data to go and find that where it exists across the internet?

Celebrities can afford a service like Vermillio. But for other creators, there are fewer resources.

The sooner we do something, I think the better off well all be, Harvey said. Because, I mean, why wait? How many people we got to watch get hurt by this before somebody does something?

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD)  Constituent school boards in Charleston County could soon be a thing of the past.

The Charleston County Legislative Delegation held a meeting Friday morning at North Charleston City Hall to meet with the public to hear their thoughts about eliminating the constituent school boards.

The bill that Ive submitted in the State House would eliminate the constituent school boards, said State Rep. Joe Bustos, who represents District 112.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Several current and former constituent school board members expressed their support for the board, saying they help decide what happens to a student who is referred to for expulsion.

District employees said numerous incidents occurred where students who should have been expelled were allowed back to school by the constituent school boards.

He assaulted a teacher to the point that when the student returned to North Charleston High School, I had to run behind a teacher because he said he quit  because the student was back in the class, said North Charleston High School Principal Henry Darby during Fridays meeting.

Darby added: There was another student who found out one of his classmates had some money and met him at the bus stop, and with a gun, he pistol whipped the young man, took his money, shot in the air, and the student was returned to school.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Bustos said after hearing some of the testimony, he is even more convinced things have to change.

Rep. Bustos said he believes this bill could go before the full house sometime next week, adding that if the Charleston Legislative Delegation approves, it probably would pass and be signed by the governor.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Mar. 7Comcast and the city of Cheney announced this week that they have reached an agreement to expand the availability of high-speed internet to about 2,800 homes and businesses.

"The City of Cheney looks forward to partnering with Comcast to provide another option for high-speed, reliable, secure internet services for our residents and businesses. We appreciate Comcast's desire to invest in our wonderful community," Cheney city administrator Mark Schuller said in a news release.

Comcast is seeking permits to begin construction of the fiber-optic network.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Having fast and reliable internet is super important these days, which is why Comcast is working hard to connect more families and businesses in Spokane County," Rodrigo Lopez, senior vice president of Comcast Pacific Northwest Region, said in the release.

"We're expanding our fiber networks in Chattaroy, Medical Lake, Four Lakes, and now Cheney because these areas are growing. By building the best internet infrastructure now, we're making sure these communities will thrive in the future."

Comcast has also installed more than 10 of what it calls "Lift Zones" in Spokane County. Life zones provide free internet connectivity and access to hundreds of hours of educational and digital skills content, according to he release.

For more information, visit Washington.Comcast.com/Network-Expansion.
CHICAGO  Chicago police are searching for a high risk missing 25-year-old man.

Police said Reynaldo Aguilarte Oviedo was last seen at around 9 p.m. Wednesday, March 5 in the 1700 block of Keating Avenue near the intersection of Grand Avenue and Cicero Avenue.

LATEST CASES: Missing people in Chicagoland

Aguilarte Oviedo is 58, weighs 140 pounds and has brown eyes and black hair. He also has a tattoo of a woman on his chest, according to investigators.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Anyone with information is asked to call Area Five Detectives at 312-746-6554.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
KARACHI (Reuters) - China rolled over a $2 billion loan to Pakistan, the adviser to the finance minister of Pakistan, Khurram Schehzad, told Reuters in a text message on Saturday.

Pakistan is working to strengthen its finances after securing a $7 billion International Monetary Fund bailout in September 2024. The first installment of the loan is currently under review, and if successful, Pakistan will receive an additional $1 billion.

Securing external financing has previously been a key condition for the IMF to approve bail-out deals for the cash-strapped nation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The South Asian nation needs to repay over $22 billion in external debt in fiscal year 2025, including nearly $13 billion in bilateral deposits, Fitch said.

(Reporting by Ariba Shahid in Karachi; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
Mar. 7Following a multi-year investigation, a Cincinnati man has been indicted by a Butler County grand jury on two dozen felony counts, including 17 counts of rape that involve three children, authorities said.

Antwon W. Burns, 41, who lives in the Cincinnati suburb of Forest Park, was directly indicted by a Butler County grand jury this week, according to a report released late Friday afternoon. In addition to the counts of rape, Burns was also indicted on four counts of gross sexual imposition and three counts of intimidation.

Butler County Prosecutor Mike Gmoser wouldn't comment on the ages or genders of the victims. He did say it involves three victims.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Burns will be arraigned next week, though a date has not been set as of Friday afternoon, in Butler County Common Pleas Judge Greg Howard.

If Burns is found guilty on certain charges, he could be in jail for the rest of his life, Gmoser said.

"The allegations are so serious that he is facing multiple life sentences for the conduct that's alleged in this case," he said.

The prosecutor said one of the first allegations, some more than 15 years ago, occurred in Hamilton County, and "there are no statute of limitations issues in this case."

Burns' alleged crimes range from 2009 to 2023, and most of the rape charges involved a child or children, according to the indictment, as do all four gross sexual imposition charges. Rape is a first-degree felony and gross sexual imposition is a third-degree felony.

The indictment does not indicate who Burns allegedly intimidated, but Ohio law says it is a third-degree felony to intimidate an attorney, victim or witness.
The chief executive of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has asked the utility's board to spend around $700,000 on private security for her, citing an uptick in threats after the Palisades fire.

The five-member Board of Water and Power Commissioners will decide Tuesday whether to approve the one-year private security contract for the CEO and chief engineer, Janisse Quinones.

In the wake of the Palisades fire, the DWP received criticism for diminished water pressure in some hydrants and for the Santa Ynez Reservoir sitting empty for nearly a year while awaiting a repair estimated to cost about $130,000.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Read more: This reservoir was built to save Pacific Palisades. It was empty when the flames came

Quinones, who took over as head of the nation's largest municipal utility in May, came under increasingly personal attacks online that assailed her $750,000 salary and denigrated her as a "DEI hire" over her Puerto Rican roots.

She addressed some of the commentary about her background at a DWP commission meeting last month, suggesting that her critics ignored her qualifications in order to fuel an agenda. She highlighted her decades of running emergency management for the U.S. Coast Guard.

"Not only do I have 20 years plus serving this country, I also have a mechanical engineering degree that I graduated with honors. I have two graduate degrees," she said. "And I happen to like to get tough jobs, and this is a tough job."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Quinones salary is in line with top executives salaries at the Omaha Public Power District in Nebraska and the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, according to public records.

A DWP spokesperson said the utility began soliciting proposals for private security to protect Quinones before the Jan. 7 fire. Around that time, companies across the U.S. began boosting security after the CEO of UnitedHealthcare was slain outside a New York hotel in December.

In the days after the wildfire erupted, vitriol against her intensified.

The utility said it "has received numerous threats" to Quinones' personal safety, adding that some "have required direct intervention by law enforcement." The nature of those threats and police "intervention" are unclear. DWP officials did not elaborate, but a spokesperson said: "All threats were reported to LAPD." Los Angeles Police Department officials also declined to disclose any details about the alleged threats.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Read more: New head of L.A. DWP will make $750,000 a year  nearly twice as much as her predecessor

We dont comment on potential threats or ongoing investigations, said Jennifer Forkish, LAPD communications director.

An L.A. County district attorney's spokesperson said that no case has been presented to the office relating to threats against Quinones. A spokesperson for L.A. City Atty. Hydee Feldstein Soto did not answer a question about whether any misdemeanor charges had been filed.

Under the agreement pending before the mayor-appointed DWP commissioners, Quinones would receive protection from Pinkerton Consulting & Investigations, with at least one designated armed security agent and a driver.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The contract, which would permit as much as $703,577 in spending, was issued without a formal competitive bidding process, although the DWP said it received two other proposals that were far more expensive.

The company "will provide security agents trained in personal safety, defensive tactics, travel security, and surveillance on an as-needed basis," according to a memo on the agreement. The company's agents have military or surveillance backgrounds, including in the special forces.

The move to private security partially alleviates a strain on LAPD resources. Quinones initially received protection from L.A. Airport Police after the Palisades fire broke out. She was then provided a detail of LAPD officers who also were protecting then-L.A. Fire Chief Kristin Crowley and LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell.

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.
One of Downtown Jacksonvilles largest employers is one step closer to relocating its employees to office space on the Southside.

On Friday, the Citizens Insurance Audit Committee released its recommendation to move more than 1,000 downtown employees out of the EverBank Building and into an office building on Baypine Road.

Last week we showed you internal documents detailing 41 safety complaints fielded by Citizens Insurance regarding conditions Downtown, including aggressive panhandling and harassment from homeless individuals.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Council Finance Chair Ron Salem (R-Group 2 At-Large) reacted to the recommendation to relocate saying he and other council members were blindsided by the announcement.

Its a massive disappointment for me. Its a failure. The mayor came to the council and we appropriated $120,000 for a lobbying effort. We havent heard anything and boom, today we hear theyre leaving, said Salem.

But theres still one final step before the relocation is finalized.

[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]

Mayor Donna Deegans Administration said its still hopeful the board will reverse course when it meets next week, with additional incentives now on the table to keep the company Downtown.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The City of Jacksonville remains committed to making every reasonable effort to retain this anchor employer. I have spoken to Sheriff Waters, and we will work together to place a JSO stop station in the building for extra security, said the mayors office in a statement Friday afternoon. There is a window still open for Citizens Insurance to remain Downtown. We are hopeful their Board of Directors will reevaluate this decision given the progress thats been made, not only in terms of safety, but also the many exciting projects that are coming out of the ground.

The Citizens recommendation caps off a two-week stretch that brought news of other potential losses Downtown, including the possible cancelation of the Army Corp of Engineers lease in the Prudential building and the potential sale of the Charles E. Bennett federal building.

Given the potential loss of thousands of downtown workers, Salem argued the administration needs to do everything in its power to stop the bleeding.

I think the mayor ought to be visiting every CEO, determining where they are, what are their issues if they have any, and working on solving them, said Salem.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The final decision from the Citizens Board is set to be made next Wednesday.

[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.
Across two meetings, the Lebanon City Council passed two ordinances adding more regulations to specialty smoke and vape stores.

At Tuesdays regular meeting, the council considered an ordinance requested by Ward 3 Councilor Camille Burdine to include vape shops in the citys Heavy Industrial zone and to limit the number of vape shops to one per 10,000 residents within the city limits.

With current zoning, this means vape shops can not open in the downtown area or commercial districts.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As of 2023, Lebanons population was 48,112 people. Using that number, the new ordinance would limit the city to four vape shops. However, the language of the ordinance says The population is determined by the latest completed United States Decennial Census, and the 2020 census listed Lebanons population at 38,431 residents. This reduces the vape store limit to three.

The Planning Commission gave the ordinance a positive recommendation at its Jan. 28 meeting.

Officials say the ordinance does not impact already existing vape stores and only applies to future stores, effectively stopping new stores from opening based on the population ordinance.

Shops must be 500 feet from a school, church or daycare. Shops also must be 1,320 feet from another specialty smoke and vape shop.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

However, the ordinance was written with two exhibits, and according to City Attorney Andy Wright, was meant to pass with either Exhibit A, which rezones vape shops to Heavy Industrial and prohibits operation in certain other zones, or with Exhibit B, which limits the number of stores by city population.

Can we adopt both? asked Ward 1 Councilor Joey Carmack.

Divide the question, replied Wright.

Dividing the question means the ordinance is amended and split into two separate ordinances.

The City of Goodlettsville passed a similar resolution recently, including the population restriction, against the recommendation of its city attorney.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Wright conducted research and spoke to Goodlettsvilles city attorney. who reportedly said if that city gets sued due to the population limitation, theyll cross that bridge when they get to it.

The rezoning option was added to make it more defensible, according to Lebanon Mayor Rick Bell.

The Council voted to separate the ordinance into two and passed both on first reading.

The Council also had a special meeting Thursday to clean up and get the vape store issue passed, according to Carmack.

After discussion, both ordinances passed second reading, as did another ordinance regarding neon or LED signs that are public facing.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The ordinance for the sign limitation reads Only one neon or LED sign per tenant, of a dimension of 14-inch by 7-inch, is only permitted for wall or windows signs. No other neon or LED lights that are public-facing, or facing the right-of-way, are permitted, with some exceptions.

The City Council says this is retroactive and can be enforced for already existing signage.
DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA)  The City of Decatur has announced that it will conduct two prescribed burns next week on two city-owned properties.

The burns will take place on prairie restoration near the Lake Decatur Dam and U.S. Route 51 and on woodland near Star Route Road and Reas Bridge Road. City officials did not give exact dates, as they are waiting for favorable weather conditions, but they did say the burns will happen on separate dates.

$3M from Illinois EPA funding Springfield lead service line replacements

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

They are designed to decrease invasive plant species and to increase prairie diversity and forest health, city Communications Coordinator Ryan Huffer said in a news release. Care will be taken to ensure safety and minimize smoke from blowing towards homes, roadways, or other smoke-sensitive areas. There are absolutely no hazardous materials at these sites and citizens should not be concerned.

Huffer further explained that the burns comply with a chapter in the city code concerning native plantings and burnings by city officials. They also comply with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.

Local authorities and fire officials have been notified that the burns will be taking place. The city will publish the dates of the burns once they know when weather conditions will be favorable.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. 7CITY ALDERMEN continue to sound off on a proposed development in Goffstown, with one at-large member saying he would be "fully in favor" of installing gates to prevent access from Manchester streets if the project is approved in its current form.

As previously reported, the Dubay Group Inc. and Allard Revocable Trust are seeking a variance from the Goffstown zoning board to subdivide a property for the purposes of building 34 lots for single-family homes within the Industrial Zone, which is not permitted per Section 3.11 of the Goffstown Zoning Ordinance.

Manchester officials and residents are keeping an eye on the project because the property is located off Riverview Park Road, on the border between the city and Goffstown.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Access to the proposed subdivision would be off of Phillip Street and Joseph Street Extension  streets located in the Queen City  creating a cut-through in what has historically been a very quiet Manchester neighborhood off Goffstown Road near Mount Calvary Cemetery.

RSA 36:54-58 says if a project has been determined to have regional impact  which this one has  abutting communities and the regional planning commission will be given abutter status and an opportunity to weigh in on the project.

At the March 4 meeting of the city's Board of Mayor and Aldermen, at-large member Dan O'Neil said he and others on the board have heard from residents in the Phillip and Joseph streets neighborhood.

"Alderman (Tony) Sapienza, I think, was serious when he suggested we put a gate on it," O'Neil said. "I just think we've got to send a message to Goffstown that if, in fact, it's the only way in and out, that Manchester intends to put a gate up there, and I'd be fully in favor of that. Those people bought those homes to be in a dead-end neighborhood, and I don't think they deserve this for a project that's not even in the city limits."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Kelly Thomas, alderman for Ward 12, said she spoke to the group behind the project.

"I did let them know that it wouldn't go through in Manchester unless they found a different way out and in," Thomas said. "There are multiple areas to come in and out of, and they're looking into an option of creating a different road. That's kind of where they're at right now."

"Are they saying then they don't need to come through Manchester?" O'Neil asked.

"They're not saying any of that right now," Thomas said. "It was just some conversation on 'What else could you do besides going through that road' type of deal."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

City planner Jeff Belanger said the project is before the Goffstown Zoning Board of Adjustment seeking approval for a change from an industrial parcel to a residential parcel.

"This is kind of the first step of a multi-step process," Belanger said. "So if the Goffstown zoning board approves this variance request, then it's going to go to their planning board and to the Manchester planning board. So there are a number of opportunities for abutters to talk about this, and also for the city of Manchester to exercise regulatory authority over what's going on. They would specifically look at the access issues like, you know, sewer, water, plowing, emergency access, a whole bunch of different issues could come up. And the Manchester planning board could either disapprove the project or approve it with conditions of approval.

O'Neil asked if aldermen would have the right to put a gate up in the area.

"The board does have authority over the right of way, so you could do that, but there's case law on this," Belanger said. "I've worked with the solicitor's office on this over the past week, the creation of a public right of way, which has been there for a while, that provides access to an abutting parcel. This one in Goffstown does create a private right in the abutting parcel, so that property owner has a private property right to use Phillips Street and Joseph Street as access to their property.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"If that were to get taken away, it's possible that there could be damages resulting from that, so it's something to consider if you're considering putting up a gate that would be a discontinuance of a public right of way."

"The plan that we're looking at in our packet, it's two dead ends from Manchester  that seems pretty rare," Sapienza said. "I don't know of any other dead ends that are going to other towns. So that means, if there's a fire in Goffstown, the fire department from Goffstown is going to have to come into Manchester, then go over there?

"That's crazy talk."

A public hearing on the project scheduled for March 4 before the Goffstown zoning board was pushed off to April 1 because only four members of the board could attend.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Maybe they didn't have a road to get to it," joked Alderman Joe Kelly Levasseur.

Goffstown zoning board Chairperson Len Stuart said they are looking to hold the April 1 meeting in a larger venue, possibly Goffstown High School, due to interest in the project.

REACH out

Mayor Jay Ruais and Gov. Kelly Ayotte attended a brief ceremony in the Queen City Tuesday to announce services for survivors of domestic and sexual violence have been transitioned from YWCA-New Hampshire to REACH Crisis Services.

REACH offers free and private help for survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence, stalking and trafficking in Greater Manchester, which includes the towns of Manchester, Deering, Weare, New Boston, Goffstown, Bedford, Auburn, Londonderry and Derry.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The new office expects to serve about 2,000  3,000 people each year.

"What better thing can we say we have done with ourselves than help another human being who needs it?" Ruais said. "Thank you so much for all the work that you do. You truly make a difference in lives and in the city of Manchester."

For more information on REACH, visit www.reachnh.org. Offices at 77 Sundial Ave., Suite 306W are open Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. REACH's 24-hour crisis line is at 603-668-2299.

All REACH services are free and confidential.

Rail trail concerns

A public "Local Concerns Meeting" on plans for the South Manchester Rail Trail Extension will be held March 12 at 7 p.m. in the McLaughlin Middle School cafeteria, 201 Jack Lovering Drive.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The meeting will focus on a proposed multi-use path and other bicycle and pedestrian improvements along Perimeter Road, South Willow Street, Harvey Road and Bouchard Street.

This project will construct the final segment of the South Manchester Rail Trail and connect to the Londonderry Rail Trail, proposed for construction in 2025.

The intent of the meeting is to provide an overview of the project, including funding and schedule, and get input from the public, officials, resource agencies, and abutting property owners on their ideas and concerns relative to existing bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure within the project area.

Data collected during this phase of the project, including insight obtained through this meeting, will help shape design alternatives, which will be presented at a future meeting.

Contact City Hall reporter Paul Feely at pfeely@unionleader.com.
AUSTIN (KXAN)  More economic development, technology and education opportunities could be on the way to Austin.

On Friday, city leaders signed a Friendship Cities Agreement with Greater Manchester, England in the United Kingdom.

City of Austin Mayor Kirk Watson celebrated the milestone alongside Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham who explained why this partnership is a perfect match.

The thing that most ties us together right now is the fact that these two cities and the regions around them right now are the two fastest growing cities in the United States of America and in the United Kingdom. Thats what Greater Manchester has been over the last decade, Burnham said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The agreement requires Manchester and Austin to have continual exchanges for the next two years.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
DECATUR  The first meeting between members of what was to become Broken Brogue was when Brad Holmes, choir director at Millikin University, put together a Celtic music concert.

He wanted me to play pipes on a tune, said Neal Smith, a professor in the School of Music who plays a multitude of instruments, including bagpipes, which he jokingly says he only plays under duress.

Thomas Hagan had just graduated and moved to Decatur, and one of his mentors urged him to join the choir and meet some people that way.

When they found out I was originally from Ireland and grew up with a lot of Irish music, he was like 'Can you help me?' Hagan said.

The brogue, however, is gone, Hagan said with a chuckle, because he came to this country as a child and lost it going to school and hearing American accents all around him. His father's family can trace its Irish ancestry back 1,000 years, he said.

I have friends because people like to talk to my parents, he quipped. He plays guitar, mandolin, banjo and provides vocals for the group.

Hagan knew bodhran player Jeff Elven from church, and the men played a concert there together. They formally formed the band in 2018 and picked up fiddle player Tara Ulis along the way. She has a classical background, but easily learned to do the double stops and Irish jig music.

All the members of the band have Celtic backgrounds and the music, they say, is just fun to play. Ulis' grandmother was Irish, and as she got older and the family took care of her, she'd speak to them in Gaelic. Ulis does not speak Gaelic and had no idea what she was saying.

I would just go 'uh huh,' she said.

Smith took bagpipe lessons with his dad as a child in homage to their Scottish-Irish background and his doctoral dissertation was about playing by ear, so when he decided to learn tin whistle, he learned by ear.

The band did a few gigs, and took the whole project rather casually at first, but after the COVID-19 pandemic, started getting asked to do more and more shows. They've played at festivals, at Allerton Park, and are regulars at Doherty's and BrewWorks. They'll be featured at the Decatur Club's St. Patrick's Day dinner and show, with the Shamrock Academy of Irish Dance from Champaign. Members of Hagan's family, with brogues that aren't broken, he said, will be there to share stories from Ireland, as well.

And while March is, of course, a very busy month with St. Patrick's Day celebrations and shows, the band plays year-round.

We learned after the first couple of years that if we wanted to get better, we had to play all year long, said Hagan. We had the bad habit the first couple of years, that after March, we'd be so tired we wouldn't meet again for months. Then we started to do a couple of things in the summer, and then in the fall, and then it would be St. Patrick's Day season again, and it was kind of a natural progression to realize this could be more serious.

Their show includes traditional Irish music as well as Irish American music like Ed Sheeran covers and other modern artists, and some original music, too.

Hagan said songs like Danny Boy and When Irish Eyes are Smiling are actually Irish American songs, and he had never heard them as a child. It was a bit of a learning curve.

I had to embrace this thing, too, Hagan said. They have their own traditions and it's kind of cool, too.

Recently, someone from South Carolina happened to be in Decatur and heard Broken Brogue play and contacted the director of a festival in that state and urged them to hire the band for that event.

We didn't even send a tape or anything, Hagan said. That was humbling. We showed up and it was a big festival, and it was just by word of mouth.

It's a crazy experience to go to somewhere like South Carolina, where nobody has ever heard of you, and after the show they come up to you and say 'I want to buy your T-shirt,' Elven said.
MADISON, Ala. (WHNT)  The City of Madison has fired the Madison Fire Captain accused of animal cruelty, the City announced Friday.

According to a statement from a City Spokesperson, Brandon Magill has been fired from his role.

Magill was arrested and charged on Feb. 25 and charged with animal cruelty.

Below is the statement from the City of Madison:

The City of Madison has issued a termination notice to Brandon Magill after a comprehensive evaluation of his actions that resulted in animal cruelty charges. This decision upholds the Citys dedication to maintaining the highest behavioral standards within its workforce. As the legal process continues, the City is fully cooperating with outside agencies managing the case.

At the time of his arrest, City officials called his behavior unacceptable and called it deeply concerning.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Initially, Magill was charged with a misdemeanor. However, the Madison County District Attorneys Office has confirmed to News 19 that theyve dropped the misdemeanor and are pursuing a felony charge against him.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com.
(FOX40.COM) The city of Sacramento has awarded $600,000 in support of the MarysvilleDel Paso Boulevard commercial corridor renovation initiatives.

Through the Forward Together Pilot Grant Program, 16 non-profits, businesses and individuals are set to receive funds as well.

City of Sacramento to expand active transportation network

This grant funding represents our commitment to bringing back North Sacramento, said Councilmember Roger Dickinson, who represents the area. This community-led effort will build strength and sustainability through economic revitalization, enhanced community well-being, displacement prevention, increased community engagement, long-term infrastructure investment and local business support.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Managed by the Neighborhood Development Action Team, the program supports the enhancement of multiple projects including housing and community experiences.

Key projects include small business assistance, efforts to celebrate Del Paso Heights and all ages community events.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Drafting the state's budget has been more challenging this year than past years, said Claremore's state senator at a Feb. 28 address.

Sen. Ally Seifried, R-Claremore, said this is due in part to lower revenue from the grocery sales tax cut and potentially higher Medicaid costs.

Seifried  along with Reps. Mark Lepak, R-Claremore, and Derrick Hildebrant, R-Catoosa,  discussed the budget process and other topics at the Claremore Area Chamber of Commerce's Eggs & Issues event.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The three lawmakers shared what they've done at the Oklahoma State Capitol since the legislature convened Feb. 3.

This session marks Seifried's third year in Oklahoma City  she first won election to the state Senate in November 2022. Seifried sits on the Senate Appropriations Committee, which is responsible for vetting state agency budgets and other spending. She said state agencies are asking for $1 billion in increases to their budgets this year.

"That's our job to sort through that," Seifried said. "This is a really difficult budget year, as far as the picture, for a variety of reasons."

One is the state will reap less revenue this fiscal year because of the grocery sales tax cut. The 4.5% tax lapsed Aug. 29, 2024  the Oklahoma Tax Commission calculated the state would lose out on about $239 million in Fiscal Year 2025 and $418 million next fiscal year.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Another is the federal government may require Oklahoma to pay significantly more to offer Medicaid to able-bodied adults. Oklahoma voters approved an expansion to Medicaid to cover more adults in 2020, and since then, the federal government has footed 90% of the bill.

Congress is considering changing the cost split to 60% federal, 40% state. Seifried said that could cost Oklahoma about $600 million annually.

"Our ask to our federal delegation is ... if this were to happen, please don't just make it happen overnight," Seifried said. "We would be able to float it one year, but then the next year not ... it's really different this year trying to figure out a budget."

Lepak is sponsoring a bill that could cut Oklahomans' income taxes but drop the state's FY 2026 revenue by up to $108 million.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

House Bill 1539, co-sponsored by Lepak and Sen. Micheal Bergstrom, R-Adair, would require the State Board of Equalization to compare FY 2025 tax collection to FY 2023's in December. If FY 2025's revenue exceeds FY 2023's by $300 million or more, the state would cut personal income tax by 0.25% across all income levels.

This is the "path" to entirely cutting Oklahoma's 4.75% income tax that Gov. Kevin Stitt spoke about in his State of the State address, Lepak said. He said his is one of several bills moving through the legislature toward this purpose.

"It's an idea that's getting work, and that's probably the headline [of my bills]," Lepak said.

Other items the lawmakers discussed included:

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

 The House of Representatives' new oversight committee structure, which requires each bill to pass two committees before making it to the floor instead of just one. "The idea is a better product, more eyes on something," Lepak said.

 House Bill 1276, Seifried's bid to ban cell phones during the school day. This was the first bill to clear the full House this session. "I think it can really help our students, and it can help our teachers," Seifried said. "I get emails from all across the state saying, 'Please pass this.'"

 House Bill 1076, Hildebrant's "Food Truck Freedom Act." Cities and counties make their own rules for food trucks under state law, but Hildebrant's bill would require the state to promulgate regulations that would apply statewide. "This new bill will have a state licensure," Hildebrant said. "We're still looking for safety and public health ... and the cities still have significant oversight."

 House Bill 2728, the Republican caucus' "Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny" Act. The REINS Act, which received full House approval, would require state agencies to get extra legislative approval for new rules with a fiscal impact of $1 million or more.

 House Concurrent Resolution 1004, adopted by both chambers and on the way to Secretary of State Josh Cockroft's desk for final approval. The consent decree will reduce wait times to treat defendants declared mentally incompetent to stand trial. "The new agreement is being touted as saving the state about $70 million over the previous agreement," Lepak said.
BEDFORD, Ohio (WJW)  A Cleveland man was found dead late Friday afternoon in a vehicle in Bedford, the citys police department announced in a Saturday press release.

Northeast Ohio Pizza Hut robbery suspect arrested in Tennessee

According to Bedford police, officers responded to a shots fired call just before 6 p.m. on Northfield Road near Rockside.

At the scene, police discovered Clarence Houston, 31, of Cleveland, in the driver seat of a black Ford Explorer. He had no signs of life, police said in their press release.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Bedford Fire took Houston to the hospital where he was officially pronounced dead.

12 people wounded by 3 men shooting randomly at Toronto pub customers, police say

Bedford Detectives have been following up on leads since the incident, the release said.

If you have any information about the shooting you are asked to call the Bedford Detective Bureau at 440-232-3408.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Mar. 7The deal negotiated directly between striking New York corrections officers and the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision appears to have had only limited success, with 11 prisons considered "off strike" by Friday afternoon but thousands of COs still off the job at other facilities.

The deal came together Wednesday night into Thursday after the widespread rejection of a mediated deal outlined by DOCCS, union officials and a state-appointed mediator last week. As details of it started to go out to COs, the union that represents those officers said it wasn't properly involved in the negotiations and advised its members against accepting the new deal or returning to work by 6:45 p.m. Friday.

In their memo, union leaders said they were concerned that the deal negotiated with DOCCS would not be legally binding the way last week's consent award would be.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"We are actively working to engage DOCCS and New York State in reopening the consent award process with the mediator," the union letter reads. "This approach would ensure that any resulting consent award is legally binding in court."

A later memo went further, accusing the state leaders of "bullying" the union into signing into the deal.

Sources with knowledge of internal happenings indicate that Gov. Kathleen C. Hochul spoke with union president Chris Summers Thursday night, in a conversation that got testy and involved expletives, and that DOCCS Commissioner Daniel F. Martuscello III went to the union headquarters late that night in an unsuccessful attempt to convince the union to sign on.

Ultimately, the union, the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association, or NYSCOPBA, advised its membership not to accept the deal  a move that prompted some, but not all, of the striking COs to hold the line and reject the deal Friday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Throughout the entire 20-day strike, the union has been at odds with its membership, and COs have quietly raised questions over whether the union can be trusted to protect its members' interests. Those concerns have bubbled for days as the union has stressed it doesn't sanction this strike, but has worked to represent its members' interests in negotiations nonetheless.

One corrections officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, reported that they had accepted the terms of the deal outlined Thursday and returned to work on Friday. That CO was among the handful who had been fired on Sunday after missing 11 shifts or more, but the terms of the deal allowed them to return to work without further penalties and a full restoration of their job and health benefits.

Another officer said there was an ongoing undercurrent of distrust in the union, and that some COs have been discussing a push to build a new union or find new membership writ large  a move that some other officers expressed concerns over, suggesting that changing unions could weaken COs' posture in negotiations with the state.

Still, many COs remained on strike into Friday. Although a solid estimate wasn't available, DOCCS officials said that 11 facilities were back online by Friday afternoon, and on social media the department announced that visitation was back open on weekends for nine facilities starting Saturday. Those reopened facilities include Bedford Hills, Fishkill, Green Haven, Hale Creek, Hudson, Queensboro, Shawangunk, Sing Sing and Taconic.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The facilities considered to be no longer striking Friday afternoon were Bedford Hills, Edgecombe, Fishkill, Green Haven, Hale Creek, Hudson, Marcy, Queensboro, Shawangunk, Sing Sing and Taconic.

Nearly 40 prisons were striking at the peak of the job action, and demonstrations continued at upstate prisons including facilities in Malone.

The next steps remain unclear.

State officials have said this deal was the last chance for striking COs to avoid legal action and further penalties. The state has pursued legal action against roughly 300 COs, named in a civil action filed in state court last week. In a video conference delivered Thursday night, state Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray said that about 1,000 more names had been sent to the state attorney general's office to add to that action.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

State law, called the Taylor Law, expressly forbids most state employees from striking, and allows the state to fine striking employees, suspend health insurance coverage and even pursue jail time for strike organizers.

"Any correction officer or any sergeant who does not return to work tomorrow, the terms will not apply and this deal will not be offered again," Bray said Thursday night. "Specifically, we will not negotiate concerning dismissal of contempt charges again, it is being offered only for those who return tomorrow. We will not again offer employees who have been terminated or resigned the ability to return without discipline."

Bray said those who didn't return to work Friday would be terminated from their positions and would be referred to the AG for legal action.
Coca-Cola Mexico has committed to clean water initiatives in the communities it serves.

As The Pinnacle Gazette reported, Coca-Cola Mexico collaborated with Arca Continental and Grupo Rica to observe World Wetlands Day on Feb. 2. The organizations aim to work together to improve water management and accessibility.

One of the collaborative projects involves developing artificial wetlands for wastewater treatment in Mexico. Using natural filtration systems comprised of sand, gravel, and plants, they aim to eliminate wastewater contaminates in Cihuatlan, Jalisco, and the Mexicali Valley, Baja California.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Wastewater treatment projects like this are significant because they support agroforestry, restore biodiversity, and create economic benefits for residents. The projects incorporate low-energy and low-maintenance solutions without toxic chemicals and focus on environmental conservation.

In addition to these projects, Coca-Cola Mexico launched a program guaranteeing access to clean drinking water in Morelos and Hidalgo schools.

The school project has already benefited over 13,000 students through the use of rainwater harvesting systems and education about responsible water use.

Gov. Margarita Gonzalez Saravia commented on the effort to improve safe water access: "Access to water in schools is essential for the well-being and development of children."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Recent news about Coca-Cola Mexico's water initiatives offers an excellent example of how mainstream brands can greatly impact sustainability. Supporting popular brands engaged in eco-friendly projects demonstrates that their customer base cares about the planet and climate issues. On the other hand, Coca-Cola has been criticized for using a disproportionate total of water in the Chiapas region of the country, and for its plastic pollution more broadly.

Learning about the projects your favorite brands support and aligning yourself with brands that share your passion and mission is crucial to living a sustainable, environmentally responsible life.

The Coca-Cola brand has also made sustainability strides by integrating electric trucks into its delivery fleet. Despite past criticism about the company's role in producing plastic pollution, Coca-Cola has supported the Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup to address floating debris in Canadian waterways.

According to Coca-Cola's website, "Since 2015, we have met or exceeded our goal to return more than 100% of the water used in our finished products globally, on an aggregate level, to nature and communities."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Coca-Cola also stated, "Because we source water locally, we also aim to reach 100% replenishment in each of our more than 200 high-risk locations across the CocaCola system by 2035."

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.
Cockroaches, a mouse infestation bad enough that a restaurant temporarily closed, rodent feces and urine, old lobster gnocchi and other ingredients, employees who didnt wash their hands, kitchen filth and other issues are among violations Kansas Department of Agriculture inspectors discovered during recent food safety and lodging inspections in the Wichita area.

Each week, The Eagle adds to its searchable database of failed inspections from Sedgwick County. Fifteen restaurants, hotels and other businesses were non-compliant with state rules from Feb. 23 to March 1.

Inspectors found few or no violations at more than 50 other businesses deemed compliant with food safety and lodging rules.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Inspections are meant to protect the public from foodborne illnesses and other health risks. Violations are common.

Businesses can fail an inspection if they have too many problems, certain types of violations or issues that cant be fixed right away. Most of the time, they correct issues in front of an inspector. Examples of things that can be addressed immediately are serving food thats more than a week old, employees mishandling ingredients and dirty kitchens.

Sometimes issues take longer to correct, like pest infestations, power outages and plumbing problems.

Its rare, but a business may temporarily shut down over violations.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Places that fail are usually reinspected within 10 days.

The list in this story was compiled on March 5 using information available from the state on that date. The list only contains places in Sedgwick County. You can search food and lodging inspection results elsewhere in Kansas at https://foodsafety.kda.ks.gov/FoodSafety/Web/Inspection/PublicInspectionSearch.aspx.

File

Out-of-compliance inspections

Blue Fin Sake Bar & Sushi, 255 N. Washington in Wichita  Five violations on Feb. 25 during a follow-up inspection. Violations include raw chicken thawing in standing water, ground tuna thawing in intact vacuum packaging which can increase the risk of harmful bacteria growth, an open quart of half-and-half not dated with its package opening date, large bowls were too big for the sink where sanitizing takes place, cooked shrimp held at room temperature was not labeled with the time it was left out. Next inspection: April 25.

Chiang Mai Thai Restaurant, 3141 S. Hillside in Wichita  Nineteen violations on Feb. 26 during a complaint inspection and five violations on Feb. 28 during a reopening inspection. Violations found during the Feb. 26 inspection include an employee washing hands without soap, raw eggs stored above bean sprouts, boxes blocking a hand-washing sink, back exterior door that opens to the alley had a half-inch gap along the bottom where pests can get inside the building, dried rodent droppings throughout the restaurant, rodent droppings among items in utensil storage bin, clean plates and cups were covered with mouse feces, excessive buildup of grime and grease, employee didnt wash hands after touching her face, grease, dust, and other debris covering equipment including coolers and food preparation tables, employee washed her hands at a sink dedicated for another use, rodent droppings inside sugar container, no sanitizer test strips for the dish machine, employee used a soiled towel for drying hands, employees were handling ready-to-eat food with bare hands, several food packages had mouse feces on them, hand-washing sink was being used to store a water pitcher and a paper bag, live cockroach on a sticky trap, excessive fresh rodent droppings throughout restaurant including on counters and food packages, dirty equipment that wasnt being used in corner, garbage piled up outside of building. The restaurant closed voluntarily over the mouse infestation. Violations found during the Feb. 28 reopening inspection include a back exterior door with a half-inch crack that can allow pests inside the building, dried rodent droppings observed throughout the restaurant, buildup of grease and grime throughout restaurant, fresh rodent droppings in the side storage area, puddle of greasy water pooling outside the back door. Next inspection: March 8.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Deanos Grill & Tapworks, 9747 E. 21st St., Suite 101 in Wichita  Five violations on Feb. 27 during a follow-up inspection. Violations include employees using a plastic cup as an ice scoop instead of a utensil with a handle, no paper towels at a hand-washing sink, ice had been dumped in a sink that was supposed to be used for hand-washing only, garlic oil wasnt kept cold enough, food scoop in clean storage was still dirty, a metal container had sticker debris on it which can contaminate other clean dishes. Next inspection: March 13.

Family Dollar, 355 W. 21st St. in Wichita  One violation on Feb. 25 during a follow-up inspection. The water at hand-washing sinks in restrooms didnt get hot enough. Next inspection: April 25.

Georges French Bistro, 4618 E. Central, Suite 50 in Wichita  Eight violations on Feb. 26 during a routine inspection. Violations include several foods in the kitchen line coolers that were too old to serve to customers including shallots and potatoes, several foods in the walk-in cooler were too old to serve to customers including lobster gnocchi and tomato bisque, a raw egg was stored above beverage glasses and drink garnishes, an employee touched crepes with her bare hands, the restaurant had no bodily fluid clean-up plan, no soap or paper towels at kitchen hand-washing sink, the restaurant was not recording sales dates on shellfish shell stock tags which help officials trace the source of foodborne illnesses, the restaurant had no verifiable employee illness policy on site. Next inspection: March 8.

Jacky Chan Sushi, 7820 E. Harry in Wichita  Three violations on Feb. 26 during a modified complaint inspection. Violations include not keeping track of the time sushi rice was removed from heat or refrigeration, rice wasnt kept cold enough, the restaurant had no written procedure for handling and holding sushi rice at room temperature. Next inspection: March 8.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Kentucky Fried Chicken, 611 E. 47th St. South in Wichita  Three violations on Feb. 28 during a follow-up inspection. Violations include water at a hand-washing sink that didnt get hot enough, slow drainage at a kitchen hand-washing sink caused flooding on the floor, kitchen hand-washing sink was overflowing. Next inspection: April 28.

La Chona con Huevos, 3415 E. Harry in Wichita  Five violations on Feb. 26 during its first operational inspection after licensing. Violations include cooked beef and al pastor that were not labeled with their preparation dates, cheese sauce was not heated properly, raw beef stored above ready-to-eat vegetables and pork, old food, green onions were stored in a bag that isnt food grade. Next inspection: March 8.

N&J Cafe & Bakery, 5600 E. Lincoln in Wichita  Three violations on Feb. 25 during a routine inspection. Violations include diced tomatoes and garlic paste that werent kept cold enough, veggie soup had to be thrown away because it wasnt cooled properly, business was not keeping the required records related to yogurt fermentation, dirty food thermometer. Next inspection: March 7.

Park Hill Elementary School, 1500 E. Woodbrook in Derby  One violation on Feb. 27 during a routine inspection. Approximately 30 fresh rodent droppings under shelves and along walls in the dry storage room. Next inspection: March 10.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Quality Inn, 4849 S. Laura in Wichita  Eight violations on Feb. 25 during a complaint inspection. Violations include not keeping records showing carbon monoxide detectors and smoke detectors had been tested every six months, fire extinguishers had no recent inspections, non-functional emergency lights, non-working smoke detectors, no carbon monoxide detector in a closet containing a gas-supplied furnace, standard outlets near sink and water hook-ups in laundry room instead of ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlets, broken latch locks in guest rooms. Next inspection: March 7.

Starbucks, 8008 E. Central in Wichita  Five violations on Feb. 27 during a routine inspection. Violations include no food probe thermometers, dirty blender and food containers in clean storage, bottle of multi-surface cleaner was stored with its nozzle facing cups and lids, no trash can in bathroom, rusted soap dispenser. Next inspection: March 13.

Stone Creek Elementary School, 3012 N. Triple Creek Drive in Derby  One violation on Feb. 25 during a routine inspection. Water at the hand-washing sinks by the dish machine and food line did not get hot enough. Next inspection: March 7.

Supermercado Del Pueblo, 2128 N. Broadway in Wichita  Four violations on Feb. 24 during a follow-up inspection. Violations include multiple small openings in the interior wall that allows pests to enter building, pest feces and urine behind ice machine, a dead mouse observed on the floor under a rack of flour and icing in the bakery area, fresh mouse droppings in several areas including the bakery and storage area behind flour bags and large amounts of feces under equipment, fresh rodent droppings under peanut display, food debris behind equipment in storage and bakery area. Next inspection: April 24.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Taco Shop, 427 N. Hillside in Wichita  One violation on Feb. 27 during a follow-up inspection. Water did not get hot enough at the hand-washing sinks at the drive-thru window and in the mens bathroom. Next inspection: March 9.

Where to complain

If you see problems at a food or lodging establishment, you can file a complaint.

To notify the state about unsavory or questionable conditions anywhere that serves or sells food to the public, email kda.fsl@ks.gov or call 785-564-6767. You can also file a complaint at www.foodsafetykansas.org.

To report an illness you think was caused by a restaurant, food or event where food was served, contact the Kansas Department of Health and Environment at 877-427-7317 or www.foodsafetykansas.org.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Complaints about conditions at hotels and motels can be submitted at www.agriculture.ks.gov/public-resources/comments-complaints/lodging-complaint.

For more information about foodborne illnesses, visit www.foodsafety.gov.

Note: Sometimes addresses listed  especially for mobile vendors and food trucks  are not where food is actually served to the public. Contact those establishments directly for specific service locations.

The violation summaries were compiled and drafted with the help of AI tools. They were fact-checked for accuracy and edited by Wichita Eagle journalists.

Meat in stagnant water, rodent feces, food on floor at Wichita KS restaurants, hotels

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Rotten meat, mouse poop by food, cockroaches, kitchen filth at Wichita KS restaurants

Bathroom biohazard, bugs in alcohol, pork left outside, roaches at Wichita KS restaurants

Old prime rib, cockroaches, mice, bed stains at Wichita KS restaurants, motel & arena
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  Some Oklahomans are breathing a small sigh of relief after Congressman Tom Cole (R-Oklahoma) announced Friday that three federal facilities in the state, including the National Weather Center, will no longer be shut down by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), but concern remains.



In a news release on Friday, Cole said common sense has prevailed and that after working closely with DOGE, three Oklahoma federal facilities have been taken off the DOGE chopping block:

An Indian Health Services facility in Oklahoma City.

A Social Security office in Lawton.

The National Weather Center in Norman.

State Sen. Mary Boren (D-Norman) and State Rep. Jacob Rosecrants (D-Norman), who both represent Norman, say theyre relieved the National Weather Center will remain open.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Leases for three federal facilities in Oklahoma spared from DOGE cuts, Congressman Cole says

Its comforting to know that the constituents in Norman that, you know, Congressman Cole and I share are being listened to, said Boren.

I appreciate the fact that Congressman Cole is not silent, Rosecrants said.

Boren pointed out that its significant for Oklahoma that Cole serves as the U.S. House Appropriations Committee chair.

The whole United States budget will come through his committee, and he gets to decide whats going to be on that committee or not, Boren said.

But, they still remained concerned over other facilities that have not been saved, and over potential future job cuts at the facilities that have been saved.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

There are so many other leases in Oklahoma that are still on the chopping block, and I hope the other congressional delegation is working with Congressman Cole to also get those saved, Boren said.

What about the folks that are still going to lose their jobs if you dont push back against the indiscriminate cuts? said Rosecrants. In the NWS, the National Weather Service and NOAA, theres not any room to make cuts, and its already an underfunded agency.

They also had a message for anyone who shares their concerns.

I think its important for us to encourage elected leaders when they reflect our priorities and values, Boren said. Say thank you to Congressman Cole for what hes accomplished today and to encourage him to stay at it. Dont dehumanize, dont degrade anybody, even in public service.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In his announcement Friday, Cole wrote, All three of these places provide vital and valuable services to Oklahomans, and I am so proud to have advocated for them.

However, there is still no word on whether they will be safe from future job cuts and budget slashes.

News 4 also reached out to Coles office because theres some confusion over exactly what he meant when he said the National Weather Center had been saved.

The National Weather Center building is actually owned by the University of Oklahoma.

However, several federal weather agencies, including the National Weather Service and NOAA, lease space in the building.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

News 4 will report when Coles office provides clarity.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP)  Colombian Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez announced Saturday that 29 law enforcement officers recently kidnapped in the countrys southwest region have been freed.

The 28 police officers and one soldier had been kidnapped Thursday during a violent attack in the El Plateado region.

Sanchez thanked a local community for acting as mediators and pushing for the group's release.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The attack was blamed on supporters of the armed group known as Carlos Patino, whose members are dissidents of the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia who did not subscribe to a 2016 peace deal with the government.

Justice will do its thing, he wrote on the social media platform X.

Sanchez had told W radio earlier that those kidnapped were in good physical condition, were being fed and could move within a confined space.
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  The federal agency charged with managing the Colorado River failed to do its job properly when it excluded a viable option presented by Nevada, Arizona and California, according to documents that surfaced Friday.

The three states that make up the Lower Basin are fighting a critical war for their rights to water from the river. The future of growing cities is in the balance, along with farms, businesses and everyone else in the desert Southwest.

On Friday, a Feb. 13 letter to incoming Interior Secretary Doug Burgum was obtained by 8 News Now, along with a supporting document that argues the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is making a big mistake by refusing to address a known problem with Glen Canyon Dam, which creates the nations second-largest reservoir, Lake Powell.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The dam is unable to release enough water to meet downriver commitments once Lake Powell drops below 3,490 feet elevation. And none of the five alternatives under active study by Reclamation directly addresses that problem, Lower Basin leaders say. The alternative that they proposed was eliminated in Reclamations Jan. 18 decision that marked the agencys handoff from the Biden administration to President Donald Trumps team. The Lower Basin wants Reclamations 54-page memo retracted.

The Great Basin Water Network, a conservation effort headed by Kyle Roerink in Nevada, released the documents.

Kyle Roerink of the Great Basin Water Network talks about his biggest concerns for the Colorado River. (KLAS)

We applaud the fortitude and willingness of Lower Basin leadership to stand up for issues that could have immense impact on the 25 million residents of Las Vegas, Phoenix and Los Angeles, agricultural communities, and ecosystems, Roerink told 8 News Now.

Lower Basin water managers highlighting the River Outlet Works issue at Glen Canyon Dam is unprecedented and couldnt have come at a better time. With such small snowpacks looming large, we need to get serious about what smaller river flows will do to our ways of life. We hope the Trump Administration heeds the calls of the officials on the letter. It is a golden opportunity to do what no other administration has been willing to do, Roerink said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The letter is signed by John Entsminger, general manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority, as well as the chief water managers in Arizona and California. They signed the letter as governors representative of each state.

Of particular concern is the reports complete omission of compliance with the 1922 Colorado River Compact, the foundation of the Law of the River, the letter states.

Additionally, the prior administrations approach to protecting the Lake Powell outlet works by reducing releases from Lake Powell  rather than making infrastructure repairs and improvements  is shortsighted and harms the Lower Basin States by slashing the water available to our farmers, communities, and economies. These profound impacts can be avoided by some combination of straight forward engineering fixes, moving water to Lake Powell from upstream reservoirs when necessary, and temporary reductions in Upper Basin use, according to the letter.

As of Friday, snowpack levels in the Upper Colorado River Basin were at 92% of normal. Snowpack generally peaks in the first week of April. Levels can fluctuate due to warm temperatures and precipitation. The past five days have been among the best for conditions in Upper Basin, with snowpack growing from 85% of normal since Monday. The U.S. Department of Agriculture measures the snow water equivalent (SWE) at 130 SNOTEL monitoring stations in the Upper Basin, with daily updates.

Snow water equivalent (SWE) statistics from the Upper Colorado River Basin updated on Friday, March 7, 2025, show the basin overall (bright blue box at center) at 92% of normal.

Entsminger and his Lower Basin colleagues asked to meet with Burgum to brief him on the situation. In an attachment to their letter, they criticized Reclamation for failing to adequately meet the requirements of the NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) process.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Reclamation didnt disclose how it interprets the Colorado River Compact of 1922, known as the Law of the River. Without that information, states and water managers across the Southwest are left to guess what the federal government will do if Lake Powell drops dramatically again.

Both Lake Mead and Lake Powell dropped to about 25% capacity in 2021. Lake Powell is currently at 34% and Lake Mead is at 35%.

Conservation groups identified the problem at Glen Canyon Dam in August 2022, revealing that the four pipes that make up the River Outlet Works couldnt carry enough water to meet requirements of the Law of the River. Those are the only pipes available when Lake Powell drops below 3,490 feet. It is currently at 3,562 feet.

April 24, 2023  Glen Canyon Dam High-Flow Release (U.S. Bureau of Reclamation)

When snowpack grew to 160% of normal in 2023, Reclamation released an enormous amount of water in a high-flow experiment release through Glen Canyon Dams River Outlet Works. In April 2024, Reclamation said an inspection found damage inside the pipes, yet another problem that Reclamation has at the dam. The high-flow experiment releases havent been repeated since 2023.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Glen Canyon Dam has been a frequent target despite a thriving recreation industry at Lake Powell. Reclamation has staunchly defended importance or the infrastructure that produces power there for the surrounding region.

Lower Basin leaders called on Burgum to direct Reclamation to retract its previously released Alternatives Report and meet with representatives of the Lower Basin States to discuss the technical and legal deficiencies in that report.

They conclude: The Lower Basin States have demonstrated here that Reclamations range of alternatives in the ongoing NEPA process is improperly constrained by Reclamations required assumption to protect elevation 3,490 ft in Lake Powell for every action alternative included for detailed consideration to date. Reclamations own admissions show that options to protect Glen Canyon Dam infrastructure other than a hard-protect elevation of 3,490 ft for Lake Powell may exist but are impermissibly under consideration outside the NEPA process. Reclamations unsupported assumption to protect Glen Canyon Dam infrastructure in only one way impermissibly elevates a narrow, artificially constrained infrastructure protection priority over the congressional purposes for project operation and the requirements of the Compact and 1944 Treaty with Mexico to supply water. Reclamations failure to identify and consider options for the Glen Canyon Dam infrastructure situation in its DEIS will  if not corrected  render the resulting Final EIS and Record of Decision invalid.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Four federal agencies came together in a joint statement on Friday, announcing the immediate cancellation of $400 million in federal grants and contracts to Columbia University over the universitys continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students.

This recent move to cut the universitys funding follows a pro-Palestinian protest Wednesday and another a week earlier, which sent a security guard to the hospital, according to The Washington Free Beacon.

The protests on Columbia campus are nothing new. Since the Hamas-led attacks against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, Columbia University has seen at least eight nationally covered pro-Palestinian protests, with several involving assaults on students and employees.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

From April to June 2024, students set up the Gaza Solidarity Encampment on campus. Then-university president Minouche Shafik authorized the New York Police Department to take the encampment down. NYPD arrested over 100 protesters, but another encampment was erected the following day.

Columbia ended up canceling its university-wide spring graduation, and in August 2024, Shafik stepped down.

BREAKING: Police have entered the encampment at Columbia and are preparing to arrest anyone who wont leave: https://t.co/vs8NC7LSrs pic.twitter.com/iDXsjxRbIy  Steve McGuire (@sfmcguire79) April 18, 2024

In the spring of 2024, pro-Palestinian protests broke out at several universities across the country, including at the University of Utah.

Education secretary says funding cuts should be a warning to all universities

Recently confirmed Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a press release Friday that universities receiving federal funding will be expected to comply with all federal antidiscrimination laws.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Since Oct. 7, Jewish students have faced relentless violence, intimidation, and anti-Semitic harassment on their campuses  only to be ignored by those who are supposed to protect them, McMahon said. She added that Fridays federal funding cuts should be a warning sign to other universities that we will not tolerate their appalling inaction any longer.

Pro-Israel demonstrators gather for the "Bring Them Home Now" rally outside the Columbia University, April 26, 2024, in New York. | Yuki Iwamura

Federal Acquisition Commissioner Josh Gruenbaum commented on the recent funding cuts.

Columbia University, through their continued and shameful inaction to stop radical protesters from taking over buildings on campus and lack of response to the safety issues for Jewish students, and for that matter  all students  are not upholding the ideals of this administration or the American people, Gruenbaum said.

He continued, Columbia cannot expect to retain the privilege of receiving federal taxpayer dollars if they will not fulfill their civil rights responsibilities to protect Jewish students from harassment and anti-Semitism.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The agencys move to cut funding received some support from Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., per his X post. The senator wrote, Columbia pays for its failure, and I support that.

Of Columbias $6.6 billion yearly operating revenue, around one-fifth comes from federal research grants.

Columbia responds, hopes to restore federal funding

We are reviewing the announcement from the federal agencies and pledge to work with the federal government to restore Columbias federal funding, a spokeswoman told the Free Beacon.

Columbia is committed to combatting antisemitism and ensuring the safety and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff, she said.

Student protesters gather inside their encampment on the Columbia University campus, April 29, 2024, in New York. | Stefan Jeremiah

The university also publicly responded to Wednesdays protest, saying the university was aware of a disruption at a library in their affiliated school, Barnard College. The disruption of academic activities is not acceptable conduct. We are committed to supporting our Columbia student body and our campus community during this challenging time, they said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Free Beacon reported that the protest was led by Columbia University Apartheid Divest and Students for Justice in Palestine. During the rally, the protesters gave students Hamas propaganda that justified Oct. 7 attacks.

Video from the protest posted to a pro-Palestine activist account shows footage of the students demanding the universitys administration unexpel four students who were recently banned from campus.

More cuts to come?

The Department of Education, the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services announced on Wednesday they would be looking into antisemitism cases at four other universities besides Columbia.

These universities include Northwestern University, Portland State University, the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.

However, the student resistance does not seem too concerned over funding cuts. In an X post, Friday afternoon, Unity of Fields wrote, The youth at Columbia will not stop resisting. Why should they? The Holocaust in Gaza continues, the university is still embedded in the military-industrial-complex, they are still being brutalized and repressed. As long as this continues, so will resistance to it.
By Bo Erickson and Jonathan Allen

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Columbia University's interim president said the school is working to address the "legitimate concerns" of U.S. President Donald Trump's administration after $400 million of federal government grants and contracts to the university were canceled over allegations of antisemitism on campus.

In an announcement on Friday, the government cited what it described as antisemitic harassment on and near the school's New York City campus as the reason for pulling the funding. The university has repeatedly been at the forefront of pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel student protest movement since the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and subsequent war in Gaza.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"I want to assure the entire Columbia community that we are committed to working with the federal government to address their legitimate concerns," Katrina Armstrong, the university's interim president, said in a late-night message to alumni on Friday. "To that end, Columbia can, and will, continue to take serious action toward combatting antisemitism on our campus."

The Trump administration said the canceled funding is only a portion of the $5 billion in government grants that has been committed to the school, but the school is bracing for a financial hit.

"There is no question that the cancellation of these funds will immediately impact research and other critical functions of the University, impacting students, faculty, staff, research, and patient care," Armstrong said.

Federal funding accounted for about $1.3 billion of the university's $6.6 billion in operating revenue in the 2024 fiscal year, according to a Columbia financial report.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Some Jewish students and staff have been among the pro-Palestinian protesters, and they say their criticism of Israel is being wrongly conflated with antisemitism. Minouche Shafik resigned last year as Columbia's president after the university's handling of the protests drew criticism from pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian sides alike.

The administration has declined to say what contracts and grants it has canceled, but the Education Department argues the demonstrations have been unlawful and deprive Jewish students of learning opportunities.

Civil rights groups say the immediate cuts are unconstitutional punishment for protected speech and likely to face legal challenges.

(Reporting by Bo Erickson and Jonathan Allen; Editing by Donna Bryson and Diane Craft)
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  The Columbus Division of Police is setting an example about growing community relationships to police departments across the continent.

This week Columbus police (CPD) hosted a training about its new and improved strategies to respond to protests, developed through the divisions dialogue team. Police say there were officers from 15 departments nationwide and even some from Canada.

Columbus residents may have seen CPD officers at a protest or community event wearing a light blue vest, which designates them as dialogue officers. Columbus Police Sgt. Kolin Straub said he is excited to hear officers positive feedback from the training and eager to see how they implement the knowledge in their city.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

One dead, one arrested after Pickerington shooting

Were humbled that people want to come to Columbus, Ohio, and learn what weve been doing, Straub said.

Straub said the division formed the states first dialogue team in response to protests in the summer of 2020 centering around police brutality and reform.

Dialogue has been our citys how we have moved forward from 2020, how were trying to move forward from 2020. We looked critically at what we did. We got a lot of feedback about what we did, Straub said.

Straub said the team is not doing enforcement action. Instead, these officers are having genuine conversations with people at these protests.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We hope that these officers that are working with different crowds, different protests, we stress honest dialogue requires honest intent. And they need to come into those conversations with protesters genuinely trying to facilitate their First Amendment Rights, Straub said.

CPD said officers started by teaching the science behind why genuine communication is important, then moved to scenario-based training.

Father behind Laurens Law in Ohio sues disability care facility after eviciton

We just built out this program and its done very well in the sciences, and guided us very well. And were happy to share that knowledge, Straub said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Commander Lawrence Davis oversees community engagement and homeless operations for the Austin Police Department in Texas. He said he was impressed by the training.

I think that the Columbus Division of Police has been so bold, so daring to say that not only are we going to find value in the voices of all of our community members, were going to take it a step further, Davis said. Were going to go out there, find them great and small, and were going to give them a voice, a seat at the table. In fact, were going to find them where they are and meet them at their level. So, that was kind of impressive to me.

Davis said he can think of many situations in his career where this training could have bettered the situation. He said he is looking forward to exploring what he has learned and bringing this back to his department.

I just think that having the courage to touch this thing gives us access to the very thing that communities across the country have already been asking for. And it gives the police departments a pathway to three things: public trust, public confidence and police legitimacy, Davis said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Straub said this team has given the division a better picture of what is actually happening during a protest. He said they better understand the dynamics and are building relationships with the crowd rather than just sitting back and watching.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  Columbus police are working to correct a decade of crime data that was reported incorrectly to the state and to the FBI.

We first told you about this in December; CPD flagged an issue with its reporting system. Now, three months later, NBC4 Investigates is checking on how recovery efforts are going and has found the fix is taking longer than expected.

165,000 cases were not reported to the state, as they should have been, because of an issue with the CPDs record management system. That impacts data that is then sent to the FBI. It does not impact locally reported data, or any investigations and casework.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It matters because it impacts a number that shows how many cases are actually solved, which could impact grant money the division receives. So NBC4 Investigates is tracking the recovery process.

One dead, one arrested after Pickerington shooting

Cases were still reported, they were still investigated. People were charged with crimes, people went to jail, CPD Deputy Chief Time Myers said in December 2024.

The issue started in 2013 with a switch to a more in-depth crime reporting system. When Columbus police shared the error in December, NBC4 Investigates downloaded the state data. This week we did again and analyzed it to see where recovery efforts stand.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

3,674 violent crime offenses have been added to the data from 2013-2023. Thats a little more than a third of the violent offenses CPD says it needs to update. There are now 898 more rape offenses counted in the data.

Of the 32,711 property crime reports that fell through 3,525 have been updated as of Wednesday, with larceny-theft offenses increasing by 1,792. A spokesperson for CPD said there is no estimated timeline for the correction to be completed. You can find a breakdown of where the recovery efforts stand as of March 5 below.

Again, Columbus police have access to every case. This is a statistical issue that impacts things like clearance, or solve rate, and could impact grant money the division receives.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
A Dubai man was arraigned and pleaded not guilty in federal court in Charlotte on Friday, accused of stealing $31 million from people across the U.S. by putting fake pop-up virus warnings on their computer screens, prosecutors said.

Frightened users were tricked into sending hundreds, even thousands of dollars when they called a supposed tech support line to remove the viruses, according to a news release by Acting U.S. Attorney Lawrence Camerons office.

The calls rang to overseas call centers that were in on the scheme, prosecutors said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to an indictment, Bikramjit Ahluwalia and a co-defendant, Andrew Brolese, owned a company in the east African nation of Seychelles that published and sold the malicious pop-ups. They named their company Digital Marketing Support Services.

The pop-ups mimicked fatal system-error screens, also known as blue screens of death, according to the indictment. The pop-ups suggested malware had been installed or included urgent warnings about technical issues related to the victims services, software or devices.

Ahluwalia and Brolese are accused of conspiring with other people unnamed in the indictment to sell the incoming calls to owners of bogus tech support companies, including an unnamed person who owned companies in Charlotte.

The pair are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to damage a protected computer, and wire fraud.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ahluwalia, 39, was extradited from Spain, prosecutors said. He is a dual citizen of the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates who also went by the names Biku, Internetteam 5000, Don Bonsa and Bobby, according to the indictment.

Brolese has been arrested overseas and awaits extradition to Charlotte, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. He is a dual citizen of Italy and Australia, according to the indictment.

Their scheme ran from 2016 to 2021, prosecutors said.

In U.S. Magistrate Judge David Keeslers courtroom, Ahluwalia waived his right to a detention detention hearing and was later booked in the Gaston County jail. His bond information wasnt immediately available.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud each carry a maximum 30 years in prison, money laundering up to 20 years in prison and conspiracy to damage a protected computer five years in prison.

The Cyber Task Force in Nashville, Tennessee, led the investigation. The task force consists of the Nashville FBI office and Knoxville Police Department.

Prosecutors thanked the government of Spain for its substantial assistance arresting and extraditing Ahluwalia, according to Camerons office.

The U.S. Department of Justices Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance securing Ahluwalias extradition, prosecutors in Charlotte said.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (FOX 56)  Its the battle between two schools of thought: Should public education be left in the hands of the federal government or the states?

President Trump has a clear position, which was something he campaigned on, to leave it up to the states.

Linda McMahon became the United States Secretary of Education in a party-line vote on Monday. Now, the possibility of dismantling the Department of Education is one step closer to reality.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Charges pending following reported rape, strangulation of Asbury student

It was very clear that privatizing education and dismantling the department was one of her (McMahons) goals. So that was a little disheartening, said President, Fayette County Education Association, Jessica Hiler.

Those who oppose the executive order by the president to do this say the effects would be detrimental.

Hiler said, Kentucky policy estimates that if the Department of Education closes, we could see a 16% budget reduction in Fayette County Public Schools, which is about $29.7 million from the Department of Education. It could mean 217 educator jobs.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, R-Smithfield, gave her outlook on the issue, saying, We have a shortage of teachers, and theyre all employed by the state. Im not sure how federal funding or the Department of Education at the federal level being shut down would have any effect on that.

A major concern comes from Title I funding for high-poverty schools for nearly 500,000 children in Kentucky.

But Sen. Tichenor said any laws passed by the federal government wont change unless repealed by Congress. She believes redirecting funds at the local level would be more effective.

LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I think its going to look a lot more promising for education as a whole in Kentucky, knowing where our needs are and how we can direct those and serve the needs that we have as a state, said Sen. Tichenor.

Dissolving the Department of Education isnt as easy as the click of the presidents pen, though. It requires congressional approval, which would likely fail without 60 Senate votes.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
An attendee interacts with U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-South Dakota, on Feb. 28, 2025, at a Brandon Valley Area Chamber of Commerce meeting. (Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight)

BRANDON  South Dakotas lone congressman defended some of the Trump administrations mass firings and funding freezes as needed disruptions while acknowledging there are methods that can be improved.

South Dakota Searchlight interviewed U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-South Dakota, on Feb. 28 when he visited the Brandon Valley Area Chamber of Commerce.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Johnson did not know how many federal employees in the state had been fired, or how much federal funding had been frozen or eliminated in the state.

DOGE cuts in SD

This is part of a series on the impact of mass federal firings and funding freezes in South Dakota. For future and prior reporting, see Searchlights DOGE in SD page.

Certainly, we would like the information on employees impacted, Johnson said, and so Im looking forward to getting that information as soon as I can.

He added that funding freezes at the beginning of an administration are not unusual, and that Joe Biden never gave me any of those dollars about how much had been frozen.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Now, I do have the sense that was smaller in size and scope than maybe the funding freezes were dealing with now, but its not the kind of thing the last administration provided either, Johnson said.

The Trump administration, acting through its Department of Government Efficiency led by the worlds richest person, Elon Musk, has fired more than 30,000 federal employees, according to some reports. The administration has also frozen or attempted to freeze or eliminate trillions of dollars worth of grants, loans and foreign aid, sparking litigation from some states and affected organizations.

Waste, fraud and abuse in SD?

Searchlight asked Johnson if he approves of the Trump administrations approach.

I mean, clearly, there have been some disruptions, Johnson said. Now, a lot of these disruptions have been needed for a long time. Clearly this is not exactly how I would have done it. I mean, there are methods that can be improved. And weve been talking with the administration about how they can make things more effective in the weeks to come.

Need to get in touch?

Have a news tip?

CONTACT US

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Regarding the need for the disruptions, Johnson said it was self-apparent.

Cant everybody agree that when youre releasing millions and billions of dollars, there would be waste, fraud and abuse? he said. And that we should look for it?

Searchlight asked Johnson if he could name a specific example of federal waste, fraud and abuse found in South Dakota.

I would tell you I am aware of funding that I just cant understand how that could be beneficial, Johnson said. Millions of dollars was provided to, I think, some protest organizations in the state that I have not seen any real track record of deliverables from those grants.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He added later, I dont want to attack a particular organization.

At the chamber of commerce event, Johnson took questions from attendees. Some expressed concerns about the mass firings. Johnson described them as harsh but necessary course corrections for the country.

These are very standard HR disruptions in the private sector, he told attendees. I get it, they are far less common in the public sector.

Senators react

The offices of Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Sen. Mike Rounds, both Republicans from South Dakota, did not respond to similar questions sent via email to their spokespeople.

Thune recently told CNN that while the objectives of DOGE are right, he would go about achieving the objectives differently.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

DOGE is going about this and doing the big scrub, Thune said. But now that youve got  this is why we worked so hard to get Cabinet people in place  is hand it off to these leaders, these managers, who are going to be making decisions. And I think theyre probably better attuned to the individual programs.

Sen. Mike Rounds recently joined News Nation and said Republicans will do whatever they can to help the president reduce the size of the federal government.

Theyre doing it so rapidly that they are making some mistakes, Rounds said. Where we find them, were going to do our best to repair them.

SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
A national political advisor shared his thoughts on the rat race competition prevalent among some Chinese enterprises and suggested measures to address the issue during an interview with China.org.cn on March 6.

"The essence of 'rat race competition' is often unfair competition," said Zhang Yi, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). He is in Beijing to attend the ongoing third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee.



In the government work report delivered Wednesday, Premier Li Qiang told the audience of lawmakers and political advisors that China will "take comprehensive steps to address rat race competition."

"Rat race competition can have adverse effects on enterprises, industries and even the entire economy," Zhang said. "I believe that comprehensive measures to regulate such competition, proposed by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the State Council, are an important step in promoting the development of a unified national market."

Zhang has been focused on the topic for several years, conducting field surveys and research before presenting his proposals at the annual session. He observed that some firms sell below cost to dominate markets, often resulting in heavy losses  "killing 1,000 enemies at the cost of 800 or more of their own." This harms competition, industries and consumers, as these companies abuse their dominance to disrupt fair practices.

In response, he suggested strictly enforcing laws like the Anti-Monopoly Law, Anti-Unfair Competition Law, and Price Law, while strengthening fair competition reviews and enforcement oversight. Market regulators should focus on key industries, he added, starting with leading firms, to enhance enforcement supervision and compliance guidance.

He also found that leading companies pressure smaller firms in the supply chain, noting that practices like forcing component suppliers to lower prices and imposing extended payment terms to tie up funds are all part of this rat race.

"Some leading companies, in pursuit of their own interests, exploit their dominant position to squeeze upstream and downstream firms, causing or exacerbating operational difficulties and even bankruptcy risks for these businesses," he said. "If a supply chain is unhealthy, it will inevitably impact the chain itself, related industries and even the broader economy."

Zhang also mentioned the abundance of low-priced goods on e-commerce platforms. "These low-price practices often lead to low quality, harming consumer protection and failing to boost consumption. They also hurt suppliers. One consumer goods company I surveyed said they're no longer willing to invest in production, product upgrades or R&D because they're barely breaking even  or even selling at a loss. How can they find the motivation then? These practices are ultimately harmful to consumers and the economy," he said.

In response, he recommended strengthening the role of platforms in addressing rat race competition. Platforms can use big data to profile merchants, products and sales behaviors, establishing a foundation for tackling such practices. A blacklist and whitelist system should be implemented, he said, with repeat offenders of malicious low-price practices or product quality issues added to the blacklist and reported to regulators, while whitelisted merchants could receive preferential online traffic.

"E-commerce platforms should take on the responsibility by participating in comprehensive efforts to address rat race competition," he appealed.

Additionally, including such behaviors as negative factors in corporate credit ratings would discourage such practices, as companies would recognize their harm to company performance, market participation, bidding and financing, the national political advisor said.

Zhang further suggested strengthening public interest litigation by prosecutors against monopolistic and unfair rat race practices. For major industry or public concerns, prosecutors should initiate lawsuits, release typical cases and uphold a fair market environment, to demonstrate the law's punitive and deterrent role.
SOMERS, Conn. (WWLP)  A large greenhouse fire in Somers required major operations from over 20 fire crews in Connecticut and Massachusetts to contain the blaze.

Somers Fire Chief David Lenart said that at 7:38 p.m. on Friday, the fire department received a report of a structure fire at Grower Direct on 164 Hampden Road.

Two-car crash on Boston Road in Springfield leaves one injured

The greenhouse is located near the Massachusetts state line, down the street from Hampden.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Firefighters arriving at the area observed heavy fire that intensified due to high winds. The department faced obstacles in containing and putting out the fire due to a lack of immediate water supply.

Courtesy of the South Windsor Fire Department.

The Somers Fire Department called several mutual aid crews to assist in bringing the fire under control. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) also assisted during the incident to monitor air quality and water runoff.

DEEP ensured that there were no environmental hazards due to the materials within the greenhouse interacting with the flames.

One firefighter was injured as a result of the fire and was brought to Johnson Memorial Hospital. No other injuries have been reported.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Somers Fire Department reported that at approximately 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, fire operations had concluded and the majority of mutual aid crews had departed. Somers firefighters are currently monitoring the greenhouse for hotspots and ensuring that the structure remains stable.

The cause of the fire is currently being investigated, and the fire department said that further updates will be provided as information becomes available.

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.
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Ala. (WIAT)  On Monday, The United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama approved a consent decree in the 60-year-old school desegregation case Stout v. Jefferson County Board of Education.

The agreement aims to bring reforms to Jefferson County Schools that will address the lasting consequences of racial segregation in the district.

The Legal Defense Fund and its co-operating attorney, U.W. Clemon, represented the plaintiffs in this case: a group of Black families in Jefferson County who are fighting to ensure equitable access to education for every student in the district.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I am overjoyed that Judge Haikala has approved a final Consent Decree which will bring about the complete desegregation of the Jefferson County school system, retired federal Judge U.W. Clemon said in a statement. I am a product of the racially segregated and unequal schools of that system. Along with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, it has been my privilege to represent the Black students of that system between 1968-1980 and more recently for the last ten years.

The agreement includes specific actions that will be taken to ensure fair access to education in Jefferson County. These actions include the following:

Expanding the use of majority to minority transfers so Black students have more opportunities to attend better schools.

Requiring the district to implement a robust magnet program to increase opportunities for Black students to access themed schools.

Significant revision of the districts Code of Conduct and Alternative School policies to reduce racially disparate disciplinary programs.

Changes to the gifted program aimed towards combatting the under-identification of Black gifted students.

This is a monumental victory for the families and students of Jefferson County and represents a commitment to the promise of our public education system to ensure that all children can access the fair and inclusive learning environments they deserve, said Arielle Humphries, Assistant Counsel at the Legal Defense Fund. We must express our immense gratitude for our clients and Judge Clemon, who time and time again have risen to this challenge and met it with courage and determination. We look forward to continuing to work with the District, the School Board, and community stakeholders to ensure this Decree is fully implemented and adhered to in the best interests of Jefferson County students.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The case of Stout v. Jefferson County Board of Education was originally filed in 1965 by LDF and local counsel Oscar Adams on the behalf of a class of Black schoolchildren. A federal trial court put a remedial desegregation plan into place in 1971 after several years of litigation. This plan remained in place for over 50 years. The LDF says that, while some progress has been made to reduce the impact that previous segregation had on the school system, much work still needs to be done to ensure equitable and inclusive education access to all Jefferson County students.

Working hand in hand with the superintendent and legal counsel for the Jefferson County school system, we have finally agreed on a plan which will bring about the complete and meaningful desegregation of the school system over the next few years, Clemon said. I thank God for the privilege of representing the Black plaintiffs in this case and I pray that the provisions of the Consent Decree will immensely benefit all the students enrolled in Jefferson County 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 CBS 42.
A former Niagara County lawmaker who was charged in a high-profile 2023 tire-slashing incident has picked up the endorsement of a local political party in his bid to return to public office.

Members of the Niagara County Conservative Party have agreed to back former 12th District legislator and registered Republican Will Collins Sr. in this years election.

Collins, the owner of Collins Accounting and Collins Construction, represented the district as a county lawmaker from 2016 through 2023. He lost his 2023 reelection bid to current 12th District Legislator, Democrat Carla Speranza after being accused that October of slashing a tire on a pickup truck parked outside a bar in Lockport.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Last March, Collins pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree harassment in connection with the case. He was later sentenced to a one-year conditional discharge and ordered by the court to serve 50 hours of community service and pay a $225 fine.

Conservative Party Chairman Joshua Walker said committee members considered Collins body of work as a legislator, not just the incident in question, before making their endorsement.

Borrowing a quote from the television series Ted Lasso, Walker said he and other committee members felt it would be wrong to judge Collins based on his worst day. Walker said party members hope the voting public will take a similar stance as they consider Collins for reelection.

Prior to that moment Will was a fantastic legislator for us, Walker said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Do we think it was a good thing? Obviously not, he added, referring to the tire-slashing incident. Thats never a good thing to do. Do I think somebody should be judged specifically based on one moment in time? No, I do not.

Collins did not return a telephone call made to his office on Thursday. He publicly disclosed plans to seek reelection last month when he submitted a written announcement that was published in the Union-Sun & Journal.

In his announcement, Collins addressed the tire-slashing incident, saying in the heat of the moment, he made a poor decision. He asked voters not to judge him on one out-of-character moment but rather on the entirety of his commitment and dedication to the Lockport community.

I have learned from the mistake that I made that day, and deeply regret letting my emotions get the best of me, he said. I took full responsibility for my actions, did not expect or receive any preferential treatment, and fully owned up to what transpired.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Conservative Party committees endorsement came at the expense of one other interested candidate, Lockport auto repair shop owner and registered Republican Dave Mongielo. He said he interviewed with Walker in hopes of securing the partys backing because he strongly believes in conservative values and bringing common sense to county government.

Mongielo said he considered it disturbing and almost sickening that Walker and other Conservatives chose a former lawmaker who committed a crime that was caught on camera over him.

It goes to show the type of people they want in the committee, he said.

While disappointed, Mongielo said he was not surprised Collins  a politician who has proven his loyalty to the local GOP for years  would get help from the local Conservative Party which he described as being invaded by high-ranking Republican Party officials who hold sway over politics and government from that side of the political aisle.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I feel the Conservative Party was invaded by family members of the Republicans, Mongielo said. They have family members who are registered in the Conservative Party and they have been put on the committee to control the endorsement of public officials.

Its like theyd rather have this criminal than Dave. Im ranked lower than a criminal because I always spoke out against the political status quo, he added.

Walker described Mongielos take on the local Conservative Party as deeply offensive and an absolute joke. He denied the allegation that the countys Conservative Party, which his father founded in 1962, has been infiltrated by Niagara County Republican interests and said Conservatives approved by voters to serve on the committee made the choice they thought was right in the race.

Ive had nobody come up to me and give me any direction one way or another as to how to vote, he said. Do I have a relationship with other individuals? Of course, why wouldnt I?

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Mongielo said he intends to stay in the race and is passing petitions to secure signatures from voters for placement on the ballot in anticipation of a primary race against Collins. 

I dont believe in candidates running unopposed, Mongielo said. I believe in voicing the peoples opinions.

Its going to be a long shot because people dont show up and vote, he added. People dont even know that when you lose the primary, you wont be in the general election. People will say, Oh I will vote for you in the general election. People need to wake up and understand it doesnt work that way. The primary is the important election for a Republican and a Conservative like myself.
Bay State residents are being urged to conserve water, as most of Massachusetts remains in critical or significant drought status after nearly seven months of below-normal precipitation.

State officials on Friday raised the Connecticut River Valley region to a Level 3 Critical Drought status, and also raised the states Western region to a Level 2 Significant Drought status, Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper said in a statement.

That means residents in those areas should be taking shorter showers, running washing machines only on a full load, and not letting water run while brushing and shaving, among other things to save water, officials said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Nearly all of Massachusetts is in a critical drought, one step away from emergency

The recent rain and snowfall are a welcome reprieve from the drought we have been experiencing, Tepper said. However, it has not been enough to replenish our groundwater. As the growing season approaches, it is vital that everyone continues to follow state guidance and local water restrictions to ensure water is available for our essential needs.

Over the past month, most of the state received between 2 to 4 inches of rain and snow which is 1 to 1.5 inches below normal, officials said.

The data collected by the Drought Management Task Force reflects observations made from the start of the drying conditions in August 2024 through the end of February.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Overall, most of the state is in an 8 to 13 inches deficit since last August, with the Cape and Islands at 5 to 8 inches deficit, officials said.

Critical drought conditions have Mass. city calling for shorter showers, less dishwashing

Although there has been an accumulation of snow, freezing temperatures and frozen ground have prevented snowmelt from soaking through, officials said.

Despite temporary surges in streamflow from recent precipitation events, streamflow and groundwater have worsened in nearly all regions, and recharge that typically occurs at this time of the year to reservoirs and groundwater is diminished, state officials said in their statement.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Residents can report dry environmental conditions they are experiencing and submit photos to support state drought monitoring efforts here.

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection will continue to assist communities with managing their water systems, including helping with the use of emergency connections and water supplies, officials said.

The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, or MWRA, water supply system is not experiencing drought conditions, as defined within its individual plan, officials said.

But private well users and other sources of water within the same river basins are impacted by the critical drought conditions.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

All sources of water, regardless of their location or type of withdrawal, ultimately draw from the same river basin. It is important for all users to do their part to conserve water, Tepper said.

Below are the states recommendations for communities and people living and working within a Level 3  Critical Drought and Level 2  Significant Drought zone, including residents using a private well:

For Regions in Level 3  Critical Drought

Residents and Businesses:

Minimize overall water use

Follow state water conservation actions and any local water use restrictions

Monitor total household water use shown on your water bill for sudden increases, which often indicate leaks. Use the MA Home Water Use Calculator tool to evaluate household water use.

Fix any toilet or faucet leaks immediately. Check for leaks in homes and businesses regularly by checking water meters for constant dial movement, using dye tabs to check for toilet leaks, and conducting regular inspections of all pipes and fixtures, including those located in utility rooms, crawlspaces, and other hidden areas.

Use dishwashers rather than handwashing dishes. Run the dishwasher only on a full load.

Aggressively reduce indoor water use by: reducing shower length and consider using a shower timer; running washing machines only on a full load; and not letting water run while brushing and shaving.

Replacing old fixtures and appliances with water-efficient ones. Make sure toilets, faucets, and showerheads are WaterSense labeled

Stop all non-essential water use

Be extra cautious with outdoor fires, grills, and flammable materials

Immediate Steps for Communities/Municipalities:

Provide timely information on the drought and on water conservation tips to local residents and businesses taking advantage of the states library of outreach materials

Enforce water use restrictions with increasingly stringent penalties

Strongly discourage or prohibit washing of hard surfaces (sidewalks, patios, driveways, siding); personal vehicle or boat washing

Establish or enhance water-use reduction targets for all water users, identify top water users and conduct targeted outreach to help curb their use

Short- and Medium-Term Steps for Communities/Municipalities:

Establish a year-round water conservation program that includes public education and communication, taking advantage of the states library of outreach materials

Implement or establish drought surcharge or seasonal water rates

Prepare to activate emergency inter-connections for water supply

Develop or refine your local drought management plan.

For Regions in Level 2  Significant Drought

Residents and Businesses:

Minimize overall water use and be particularly mindful of indoor water use.

Follow local water use restrictions

Fix indoor leaks, such as from toilets, faucets, and showers, which result in more than 60 percent of indoor use;

For larger buildings and businesses, conduct water audits to identify areas of leaks and potential water conservation opportunities.

Immediate Steps for Communities/Municipalities:

Limit or prohibit washing of hard surfaces (sidewalks, patios, driveways, siding); personal vehicle or boat washing.

Establish water-use reduction targets for all water users, identify top water users and conduct targeted outreach to help curb their use.

Short- and Medium-Term Steps for Communities/Municipalities:

Establish a year-round water conservation program that includes public education and communication, taking advantage of the states library of outreach materials.

Provide timely information to local residents and businesses.

Implement or establish drought surcharge or seasonal water rates.

Check emergency inter-connections for water supply.

Develop or refine your local drought management plan.



Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

State agencies will continue to closely monitor and assess conditions across the state, Tepper said.

The Drought Management Task Force will meet again on Tuesday, April 8 at 10 a.m.

For more information on water conservation and what residents can do, visit the EEAs drought and water conservation pages.

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 Capitol in Salt Lake City is pictured at dusk on the last night of the legislative session, Friday, March 7, 2025. (Photo by Alex Goodlett for Utah News Dispatch)

The Utah Legislatures 45-day session came to an end Friday at midnight  capping off a session underscored by a glaring theme: control.

Throughout the session, Republican lawmakers sought to flex their muscles and extend legislative power over a wide span of policy areas  and even over other branches of government.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

They included efforts to exert control over the judiciary. Control over public unions. Control over higher education. Control over transgender students. Control over cities and counties  especially the states Democratic capital of Salt Lake City. Control over voting by mail and elections. Control over energy development. Even control over what kind of flags can or cant fly, not only in classrooms but also on city or county properties.

Some of these efforts succeeded  while others were either watered down through negotiations, were abandoned or did not survive.

Still, the session left Democrats shaking their heads.

Yeah theyve watered down bills, but why do we have the bills in the first place? House Minority Leader Angela Romero, D-Salt Lake City, told reporters this week. Why are we telling Salt Lake City what to do? Why arent we being more of a partner?

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

While efforts to insert legislative influence over various parts of the judiciary eventually resolved in a compromise, Romero said lawmakers this year were not respecting the three branches of government.

Yes, some of the worst bills were fended off, said Rep. Doug Owens, D-Millcreek. But those were not foregone conclusions. There were some hard fights.

Legislative leaders chalked this years conflicts up to a natural result of a form of government thats built to have tension between different branches  rather than an overstep. They argued many of the contentious issues reached common ground through the legislative process, which at times can be messy. And some lawmakers disputed the control concept entirely, saying its only natural for lawmakers to want to exert their legislative power.

I think we pass bills. I dont know how anybody can construe that to (be) control, Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, told reporters.

Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, speaks on the last day of the legislative session at the Utah State Capitol, Friday, March 7, 2025. (Photo by Alex Goodlett for Utah News Dispatch)

House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, said thats the legislative branchs job  to pass laws  and he argued lawmakers worked fully within their constitutional constraints to enact policy, including bills that impacted the judiciary.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We stayed within our constitutional bounds on every issue that was brought forward. These are things that the Legislature has the constitutional authority to discuss, Schultz said. Thats important. Im very proud of the way the Legislature came together  and very proud of the way the judiciary came together on those issues.

Sen. Lincoln Fillmore, R-South Jordan, said he gets this complaint a lot  but he bristled at characterizing the session of one that was underscored by the pursuit of control, saying state lawmakers at times clamp down on local governments not to restrict freedoms, but to enshrine them.

The best kind of local control is an individual and a family, and part of our job is to protect individuals and families from government overreach and interference, either from us or from the locals, Fillmore said. So I always chafe at the framing that if we place limits on the power of political subdivisions of the state government, that that is the Legislature taking control. We are giving individuals the control instead of the government.

But House Minority Whip Jennifer Dailey-Provost, D-Salt Lake City, challenged Fillmores comment, arguing the GOP-supermajority Legislature focused its energy on freedoms for some  not for all.

The Capitol in Salt Lake City is pictured at dusk on the last night of the legislative session, Friday, March 7, 2025. (Photo by Alex Goodlett for Utah News Dispatch)

Theyve paved the way pretty effectively for some people to have a lot of individual liberties but maybe not everybody, Provost said, adding her Republican colleagues like to talk about preserving freedom, but it seems to be targeted to preserve the personal liberties of people who think and look and act and believe and vote like many of the people in this Legislature. And thats not necessarily reflective of the entire state.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

During a sit-down interview with Utah News Dispatch on Friday, Gov. Spencer Cox acknowledged there were some fair criticisms from this years session as it related to control  and he said he did have concerns, especially when it came to moves against the judiciary.

I definitely would have vetoed some of those judiciary bills, Cox said, pointing to at least one in particular  HB512, which would have given legislators a say in judicial retention elections  had it not stalled as it did due to negotiations with the judiciary.

But it didnt come to that.

Thats the process, Cox said. Legislators didnt support that one either. And I think thats a really positive sign of a healthy republic, a healthy democracy and an opportunity for ideas to work their way through and end up in a better place.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

However, Cox added I suspect that I will have some vetoes, though he wouldnt name any.

Lawmakers worked all the way up to their midnight cut off Friday night, capping off their $30 billion budget that included a fifth year of tax cuts totaling $127 million, while passing a grand total of 582 bills. That was yet again one of Coxs biggest complaints.

There are way too many bills. I think I say this every year. But Im saying it again this year, he said. We have to do something differently.

While debating literally hundreds of bills, here are some of the biggest issues lawmakers tackled this year:

Banning collective bargaining for public unions

Arguably the most controversial bill to pass this legislative session was HB267, which prohibits the states public unions from engaging in collective bargaining. Cox signed the bill late on Valentines Day despite mounting calls to veto from thousands of Utahs teachers, firefighters, police officers and other public employees.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The bills sponsors, Rep. Jordan Teuscher, R-South Jordan, and Majority Leader Kirk Cullimore, R-Sandy, tried to strike a compromise with the states public unions, creating an avenue that still allowed them to collectively bargain, with caveats. But the compromise was ultimately abandoned.

Cox, in an interview Friday afternoon, said HB267 stands out as one of the bigger disappointments of the session.

Didnt love the bill, thought we had a compromise, thought that was done, and then it fell apart at the last minute, said Cox, telling Utah News Dispatch that he tried to push for a middle ground with unions and lawmakers, but it never materialized.

So if he didnt like HB267, why sign it?

Let us know what you think...

Just because I dont love a bill doesnt mean I veto it. Im going to sign 100 bills that I dont love, he said, adding that he decided to sign the bill even though he could have let it become law without his signature because he had already told lawmakers in behind-the-scenes negotiations that he would sign it.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The bill takes effect on July 1. After that, a teachers union, for example, would no longer be able to negotiate terms of employment with a school district. Teuscher and Cullimore say it will help protect taxpayer funds while giving a voice to all public employees, not just union members.

Unions beg to differ. The bill was protested at every step this session, and now a coalition of teachers, police officers, nurses and other union advocates plan on launching a referendum to attempt to overturn the law.

Election security vs. convenience

Though there were a whopping 59 bills proposed that would have impacted elections, a flagship bill that carried the most substantial changes was HB300  a bill to require voter ID and to phase out automatic voting by mail by 2029.

The Utah House and Senate gave final approval to HB300 on Thursday after it went through a roller coaster of alterations. It was one of the biggest examples of legislation that started out extreme in the House, but by the time it made it through the Senate it was dramatically scaled back.

Its first iteration would have 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. But by the time it reached final passage, it became a bill that instead would require Utah voters to write the last four digits of their ID on their ballots return envelope beginning in 2026 and slowly phase out Utahs current automatic vote-by-mail system, setting a deadline of Jan. 1, 2029 for Utahns to opt in to receiving a by-mail ballot.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Democrats and pro-democracy groups decried it as setting an unnecessary expiration date on Utahs popular election system that automatically sends ballots in the mail to registered voters, while Republicans supported it as an effort to increase election security while maintaining convenience.

By the end, Cox said he was very supportive of it. While polls show that Utahns are overwhelmingly confident in Utah elections, Cox also said at the same time there has been an erosion of trust in elections.

Gov. Spencer Cox speaks to journalists during the last day of the legislative session at the Utah State Capitol, Friday, March 7, 2025. (Photo by Alex Goodlett for Utah News Dispatch)

The bill also came on the heels of a divisive presidential and gubernatorial election that brought more scrutiny on Utah elections than ever before.

I believe there are people here in Utah who know better, who have lied about elections, and have destroyed that trust in elections, he said. But it doesnt matter who did it or why they did it. It has happened. And so I think its really important for us to help restore trust in elections.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson said even though it was a challenging session, I actually feel like my office did pretty well.

Im very happy to say that we saved vote by mail, Henderson said. Thats a big deal.

From broad attack on the judiciary, to a compromise

One of the most high profile and divisive issues of the session was an onslaught of bills that, in their original forms, would have collectively exerted an unprecedented level of legislative involvement in Utahs judiciary.

Utahs legal community  including even Utah Supreme Court justices  forcefully pushed back. Chief Justice Matthew Durrant even called it a broad attack on the independence of the judiciary.

But after Durrant met personally with Republican legislative leaders, lawmakers and Utahs judiciary struck a deal. The most concerning bill, HB512  which would have given legislators a say in judicial retention elections  would not move forward.

However, another  SB296, which would let the governor and the Senate pick the Utah Supreme Courts chief justice rather than the courts five justices  advanced. The House gave final legislative approval to that bill Friday.

Even though for weeks the judicial bills sucked much of the air out of Capitol Hill, by the end of the session most of the controversy fizzled.

Universities mandated to cut inefficient programs

After an audit revealed that a few programs in Utah public universities were inefficient, enrolling and graduating under 20 students across the entire system, legislative leaders made a commitment to make cuts in some of those underperforming degrees and allocate that funding to expand high-demand programs.

Democrats and even some Republicans worried this would mean a substantial overhaul of liberal arts in Utah schools. There were also members of the minority caucus who agreed with the budget changes that were approved.

I do love the idea that we prepare students for the workforce, but I also am a little bit concerned that were blurring the distinction between a technical college and a university, and what makes a university different, North Ogden Republican Sen. John Johnson said in an appropriations discussion in January.

Ultimately, HB265, which provides instructions to the Utah Board of Higher Education on the reallocation process, establishes a multi-year system to cut 10% of budgets for courses in public colleges and universities. Schools can choose whether to make reductions on staff, or increase operational efficiencies, said Rep. Karen Peterson, R-Clinton, the bill sponsor.

The legislation passed on Wednesday and is waiting for the governors signature to become law.

With schools advocating to limit the size of the reallocations, the Legislature agreed to mandate a $60 million cut in total among all universities and add it to a strategic reinvestment account. Colleges and the Utah Board of Higher Education will now have three years to implement a reallocation plan to get back the ongoing $60 million.

Most Democrats voted against the bill. However, Dailey-Provost whose district includes the University of Utah campus, said that while she still had concerns, she supported it because shes cautiously optimistic that universities will get it right and university leadership will be able to address very real problems, like skyrocketing tuition.

Rep. Sahara Hayes, D-Millcreek, looks on during the last day of the legislative session at the Utah State Capitol, Friday, March 7, 2025. (Photo by Alex Goodlett for Utah News Dispatch)

There was also a big push for unconventional educational paths, with the establishment of a first credential program and state-sponsored expansions on catalyst centers to boost technical education for students interested in trade careers. Both bills passed in the last week of the session.

Locals fought to keep power in energy decisions

With the announcement of Operation Gigawatt last fall, Cox and legislative leaders made public their intentions to pursue a nuclear energy future, promising an energy-heavy session.

While Utah probably wont see the fruits of a nuclear reactor in the next couple of decades, the Legislature passed HB249, the flagship nuclear energy bill of the year. The legislation establishes the Utah Energy Council and sets guidelines for cities and counties to designate electrical energy development zones.

The bill initially had a smooth run, until the Senate updated it to make collaboration between the new council and municipalities on energy projects an option and not a mandate. That was a hard line for cities and counties, said Brandy Grace, chief executive officer of the Utah Association of Counties, since it would have taken away their seat at the table to negotiate land use authority and property tax.

Ultimately, after lengthy discussions, the Senate and House resolved the issue, granting cities and counties their request for a mandate, but denying Democrats quest for representation in the council.

Weve come to the party, we made a good decision, Albrecht told the House before the last vote. Its a great bill, were going to enter the nuclear generation.

But, with the expansion of opportunities for nuclear came limitations for intermittent renewable resources, such as solar and wind. Some of those bill proposals were softened from original stricter versions. Lawmakers ultimately approved HB378, which would levy a substantial tax for wind and solar, while HB241, a bill to remove incentives for solar power projects, didnt get a Senate hearing.

A big proposal drafted during the interim session and meant to address high electricity prices by eliminating how Rocky Mountain Power funds its Energy Balancing Account, a market adjustment fee covered by ratepayers that can be used to make up for the utilitys deferred costs, didnt even receive a Senate committee hearing, despite being one of legislative leaders priorities.

Control over cities and counties, especially Salt Lake City

Every year, lawmakers grapple with how much they should or shouldnt exert their control over localities. But this year, the debate was especially prominent.

Their favorite target? Salt Lake City  the states Democratic capital thats often referred to as an island of blue in a sea of red.

Before the session even started, Cox and legislative leaders made it clear they wouldnt be taking it easy on Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall as frustrations about homelessness, drugs and crime in her city boiled over. In a December letter, they demanded she come up with a plan  or else they would intervene.

Mendenhall answered their call, unveiling a multi-pronged plan and directing her police department to immediately act. Still, Republican lawmakers filed a bill that would have originally taken a forceful stance, threatening to withhold state funds if Salt Lake City leaders didnt formally partner with the state to police camping and drugs.

However, after negotiating with city leaders, HB465s sponsor, House Majority Assistant Whip Casey Snider, R-Paradise, proposed a watered down version that still requires Salt Lake City police to enter into an agreement related to public safety concerns with the state Department of Public Safety by July 1, but without the threat of withholding state funds.

The new version of the bill  which received final legislative passage late Friday night  also included a provision to allow the state to use eminent domain to condemn unincorporated property owned by Salt Lake City for the public use of constructing a new facility on the land for homelessness services.

That eminent domain power could be used to help the city and state site a 30-acre property meant to host a transformative campus to increase Utahs emergency homeless shelter bed capacity by up to 1,200 beds.

In a separate but related effort, lawmakers also exerted pressure on Salt Lake County to jail  and hold  more criminal offenders. HB312, which won final legislative approval on Wednesday, sets limits on when sheriffs can release inmates due to overcrowding, among other provisions.



Salt Lake County leaders were also pressured to raise taxes in order to expand their countys jail capacity, which hadnt been expanded in more than 24 years, all while the countys population has increased by 300,000 people.

Other bills exerted control over Salt Lake City, including SB195, which inserted the Utah Department of Transportations oversight over Salt Lake Citys ability to manage its own streets. And lawmakers even restricted what flags city or county governments can or cant hang on or in their own buildings by passing HB77, which has special implications for Salt Lake City because it hosts the Utah Pride Festival and Pride Parade every year at Library Square.

A crowd holds a pride flag during a LBGTQ+ rights protest at the Utah State Capitol on the last day of the legislative session, Friday, March 7, 2025. (Photo by Alex Goodlett for Utah News Dispatch)

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
(Photo by Aristide Economopoulos/NJ Monitor)

Democrats in the Washington state House on Saturday approved an overhaul of the states system for buying guns.

House Bill 1163 would require a state permit to purchase firearms. Majority Democrats pushed the bill through without any Republican votes. Its a big step forward for the idea, which didnt advance out of committee last year. The bill has attracted stiff opposition from gun owners and others who argue their constitutional right shouldnt require a permit.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But supporters say that the permit system  which about a dozen other states have on the books  would make Washington safer.

We know that this policy works, Rep. Liz Berry, D-Seattle, the bills sponsor, said on the House floor ahead of the 58-38 vote. It will make sure guns dont get into the wrong hands and diverted into the black market where they could be used in crimes, she said.

Rep. Darya Farivar, D-Seattle, said the new requirements will bring a greater sense of safety to neighborhoods like hers, Lake City, where gunshots can be heard nightly.

They keep us up. They confine us to our homes as an unofficial curfew, she said. This legislation will lift that unofficial curfew and let us sleep.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This policy, she said, will ensure that everyone who decides to purchase a firearm understands the capabilities of the machinery. It will ensure people understand that this machinery can rob people of their safety, their freedom and their lives.

In a roughly four-hour debate that ran into the overnight hours Friday and resumed midday Saturday, Republican lawmakers proposed 27 amendments, all but one of which were rejected. Among those defeated by Democrats was a proposed exemption for veterans who received an honorable discharge from any branch of the U.S. armed forces.

Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen, said the bill violates provisions of the state constitution that protect a persons right to due process, privacy and ability to defend themself with a firearm.

This may be the worst bad bill weve seen so far this session, said Walsh, who is also chair of the state Republican Party.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The legislation goes beyond the 10-day waiting period and background checks already enshrined in state law.

Under the legislation, prospective gun buyers would need to first apply for a five-year permit from the Washington State Patrol. To get the permit, applicants must have completed a certified firearms safety training program within the past five years, with exceptions for police officers and active military servicemembers.

The state patrols Firearms Background Check Program would issue the permit within 30 days, or 60 days if the applicant doesnt have a state ID.

If the applicant has completed the safety course, the state would have to issue the permit unless the person is barred from having guns, out of custody on bond awaiting trial or sentencing on felony charges, or the subject of an arrest warrant.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The bill also requires those seeking a concealed pistol license to similarly take firearms safety training.

Prospective buyers can challenge denied applications in court. And the state can revoke a permit if the person no longer meets the conditions. The state patrol would recheck eligibility for existing permit holders each year.

The agency estimates it would receive about 100,000 permit applications annually. Previously, the agency had projected double that.

In 2024, the state patrol got about 250,000 requests for firearm background checks. Of those, troopers denied about 3,400. Approximately half were appealed. Two-thirds of those appeals were successful.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The state patrol says it will cost $13.7 million in the next state budget to handle the new program. The amount rises to nearly $20 million in the 2027-29 budget. Fees collected for fingerprinting and background checks would offset the cost of the new permit-to-purchase program, according to a fiscal analysis.

Rep. Cyndy Jacobsen, R-Puyallup, offered an amendment Friday night to delay the permit system until the state patrol has implemented a program to certify firearm safety courses.

Washingtons bill now heads to the state Senate.

The legislation is the centerpiece in a suite of bills this year aimed at curbing gun violence. On Wednesday, lawmakers in the Senate moved to expand the list of places where Washingtonians cant carry guns.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Under that bill, which the House will now take up, it would be illegal to carry a gun or other weapon in parks where children are likely to be present, state or local public buildings and county fairgrounds. The measure also got no Republican votes.

Other proposals include limiting bulk purchases of firearms and ammunition, requiring gun owners to lock up their weapons in their cars and homes and adding new requirements for gun dealers.

A proposed excise tax on the sale of guns and ammo has stalled.

On a bipartisan note, senators unanimously voted this week to require a year of community custody, a status similar to probation or parole, for unlawful firearm possession convictions.

Correction: This story was updated to correct an earlier headline that said the legislation was passed by the state House.

Reporter Jerry Cornfield contributed to this report.
Cops want to corner a copper crook who broke into a Bronx building, officials said Saturday.

The thief forced his way into a recently constructed building on Prospect Ave. near E. 151st St. in the South Bronx around 1:20 p.m. on Feb. 25 and went through the property, pulling out copper pipes.

He removed about $100 worth of the pricey metal before exiting the building, cops said.

The thief was caught on surveillance footage manipulating the lock on the building to get inside.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The structure was recently constructed, cops were told. The property had been a vacant lot since 1998, according to Department of Buildings records.

Copper is a popular metal sought by scavengers looking for a quick buck since it can be found in most buildings and electrical wiring. The price of copper fluctuates with the market, but was valued at $4.71 a pound on Saturday.

Police said the thief wore a red hat and black hooded sweatshirt and carried a backpack and water bottle at the time of the burglary.

Anyone with information regarding the burglars whereabouts is urged to call NYPD Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.
The human remains found in a wooded section of Delhi Township over the weekend have been identified.

The Hamilton County Coroner's Office determined the remains belonged to 38-year-old Amadou Tall of Cincinnati, according to a news release from Delhi Township police. Tall had been reported missing since May 2024.

Officials said during a press conference Wednesday the remains had likely been in that area since last fall. However, no foul play is suspected in the case.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"The Delhi Township Police and the Hamilton County Coroner's Office would like to express their gratitude for all the tips received during the investigation," the news release said.

The remains were first discovered near the 6800 block of Hillside Avenue on Saturday when people collecting deer antlers in the woods stumbled upon what appeared to be human bones, officials said.

Officers located additional remains when they returned to the area on Sunday with Cincinnati Search and Recovery and EquuSearch Midwest, a volunteer-based search and recovery organization.

Enquirer reporter Quinlan Bentley contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Coroner IDs human remains found in Delhi Township as Amadou Tall
EASLEY, S.C. (WSPA)  A death investigation is underway after an infant was found dead at a home Friday night in Easley.

Around 8:30 p.m., the Easley Police Department responded to a residence on Nations Way for a woman in medical distress. Officials learned the woman had recently given birth.

The woman was taken to a nearby hospital where she remains for medical treatment, officers said.

At the scene, officials found the child deceased with apparent injuries.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Pickens County Coroners Office is investigating to determine the manner of the childs death and will not release the identity at this time.

The SC Law Enforcement Division has also been requested to assist in the death investigation.

7NEWS will continue to update this story as more information becomes available.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS.
AUBURN, N.Y. (WSYR-TV)  Some striking Auburn Correctional Facility employees returned to work on Friday morning, March 7, after the Department of Correction and Community Supervision promised they would not face discipline when they returned, and their health insurance benefits would be restored.

We have guys that had to go back in because their wives are losing cancer treatments over this so now thats the option they had to make. Go back to work or have their wife lose treatment, Dennis Chapman, a resigned Auburn Correction Officer said.

Chapman had nearly 18 years on the job, but on Thursday he turned in his badge and resigned.

Latest local news

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Once it was done felt like a weight was off of me. If the conditions dont change and our employer doesnt take the serious steps most of us dont want to work for them anyway, Chapman said.

Chapman and others on the picket line doubled down on what theyve been saying all along; that this strike is not about the money. They want safer conditions for everyone in the prison, officers, nurses, teachers, and inmates.

Chapman remembers a time when the job of a Correction Officer was coveted.

Im here because I had cousins that had the job. I was selling cars, and they said try this. We dont tell people anymore to try this, he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Correctional employees have repeatedly voiced their frustrations with the Humane Alternatives to Long-Term (HALT) Solitary Confinement Act which was passed in 2021.

According to The Justice Center, the HALT Act does the following:

Strictly limits the type of conduct that can result in segregated confinement sanctions

Limits placement in segregated confinement to 15 days

Requires alternative rehabilitative measures, including the creation of residential

rehabilitation units (RRU) focused on therapy, treatment and rehabilitation

Prohibits the use of segregated confinement for vulnerable incarcerated populations

Establishes guidelines for humane conditions in segregated confinement

Outlines reporting requirements for DOCCS and the Justice Center

Provides due process protections in disciplinary hearings for individuals who are

incarcerated

Chapman explained that the lack of confinement is dangerous for both staff and inmates.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

One of the changes was if an incarcerated person got caught with a weapon. If they wanted to get out of the general population a quick way was to go to the box. They changed it to that now finding a weapon does not qualify, you have to use it, Chapman said.

With this change, Chapman said an inmate would have to use the weapon on someone else in order to be put in some sort of confinement.

If you think these guys are going to kill you, what would you do? Would you take that weapon and go cut somebody? Yes and who are you going to cut? Youre not going to cut one of the gangsters. Youre going to cut the guy thats not affiliated and probably just trying to do his programs and go home to his family whether its a convict or officer.

Chapman said his tipping point came after three different correction officers were spit in the face by the same inmate in less than three weeks. The inmate was only given five days in the Special Housing Unit.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

At what level is going to your job and getting spit on not only acceptable but then when you try to stand up and stop it, they take your health insurance they fire you and they throw you on the street? Chapman said.

While correction employees continue to strike, the National Guard has been deployed to fill in for the workers. As National Guard members passed the picket line in Auburn they were greeted by gratitude from those striking.

Chapman has two sons who are members of the National Guard. They are currently deployed to other prisons in New York State.

They cant believe it, Chapman said. Youve all seen the stories coming out from the guard. Thats every shift for us. That happens every day.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Chapman said that all those on the picket line want to go back to work, but they want to know that they will have safer working conditions when they do.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Child care worker Marci Then helps her daughter, Mila, 4, put away toys to get ready for circle time at the Little Learners Academy in Smithfield, R.I. A new study highlights the high cost of child care. (Photo by Elaine S. Povich/Stateline)

The cost of child care now exceeds the price of college tuition in 38 states and the District of Columbia, according to a new analysis conducted by the Economic Policy Institute.

The left-leaning think tank, based in Washington, D.C., used 2023 federal and nonprofit data to compare the monthly cost of infant child care to that of tuition at public colleges.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The tally increased five states since the pandemic began. EPIs last analysis relied on 2020 data, which showed child care costs outstripped college costs in 33 states and Washington, D.C., said EPI spokesperson Nick Kauzlarich.

The organization released a state-by-state guide on Wednesday showing the escalating cost of child care. Average costs range from $521 per month in Mississippi to as much as $1,893 per month in Washington, D.C., for households with one 4-year-old child, EPI found.

The analysis also found child care costs have exceeded rent prices in 17 states and the District of Columbia.

EPI leaders said child care is unaffordable for working families across the country, but especially for low-wage workers, including those who provide child care.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This isnt inevitable  it is a policy choice, Katherine deCourcy, EPI research assistant, said in a news release. Federal and state policymakers can and should act to make child care more affordable, and ensure that child care workers can afford the same quality of care for their own children.

The organization highlighted New Mexico as a case study on the growing challenge facing families.

There, the average annual cost of infant care exceeds $14,000  or nearly $1,200 a month, the group said. Care for a four-year-old costs nearly $10,000 per year  or over $800 a month.

While experts often consider housing as a familys single largest expense, EPI found New Mexicos annual infant care costs outpace rent by over 10%. Child care is out of reach for about 90% of New Mexico residents, according to the federal governments definition of affordability, which is no more than 7% of a familys income.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Advocates often call for universal preschool programs as a way to provide quality, free child care. EPI noted a 2022 constitutional amendment approved by New Mexico voters guaranteeing a right to early childhood education. That created an annual fund of about $150 million to help subsidize early childhood programs.

New Mexicos investments mark an important step toward affordable child care, but investments like this are needed across the country, EPI argued in a Wednesday blog post.

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.
Rogers County is seeking to purchase what was previously the Oklahoma Department of Human Services' Claremore office.

District 2 Commissioner and Chairman Steve Hendrix said during the commissioners' Monday meeting that the county has made an offer to buy the parcel that contains the building, located at 2020 Holly Road. Hendrix said he could not say how much the county is offering or what the timeline on a possible deal would be.

"Should we be able to close that deal and purchase that property, the plan at this time is to incorporate that facility into the [county's] general remodeling and expansion plans," Hendrix said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to county land records, the 1.49 acres are zoned urban commercial. H&P Construction, Inc. owns the land.

Hendrix said the Oklahoma Department of Human Services occupied the building for years. The department vacated the Holly Road building and moved into a new facility on Blue Starr Drive last July.

Also at Monday's meeting, the commissioners:

 Received 30 bid offers for the Rogers County maintenance building expansion project

Rogers County purchased a former auto repair shop at 327 S. Cherokee Ave. last year to accommodate the Rogers County Maintenance Department. This department and two others will vacate the Rogers County Courthouse in the next year or so as the county performs renovations to the courthouse.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In January, the commissioners chose Lyle Building Group as construction manager for the renovation project. The 30 bids the commissioners received Monday encompassed dirt work, masonry and other tasks needed to retrofit the building for the maintenance department's purposes.

The commissioners voted to award the bid for this project at their next Monday meeting.

 Chose Brazeal Masonry, Inc. to replace a door at the Rogers County jail

A door is rotting at the Amos G. Ward Detention Center, and the Rogers County Sheriff's Office has been seeking a contractor to perform masonry and painting work for this project since last November. The sheriff's office had already hired contractors to demolish the door, replace it and install electric infrastructure.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Jay Yoder, the sheriff's office's maintenance director, provided the commissioners documentation for three masonry bids he'd received over the phone; he said he hadn't obtained three painting bids yet.

Brazeal Masonry, based in Tulsa, offered the low bid of $9,050.

 Purchased right-of-way for two parcels needed to remedy low water crossing

The commissioners approved the two purchases, which total $63,951.80, through a right-of-way company GAMA Adventures, LLC.

This allows crews to replace utilities that run by the low water crossing, located on the Rogers-Craig county line just north of the intersection of South 4310 and East 330 roads. The county plans to replace this crossing with a 140-foot bridge, funded jointly by the federal government and Oklahoma's County Improvement for Roads and Bridges fund.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"We've only got three to buy," said District 1 Commissioner Dan DeLozier. "We've got two on [the agenda], and we still have one we're working on."

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation will begin replacing the bridge this summer.

 Reimbursed General Fund District 1 Cemetery Part Time Salaries fund for storm damage

DeLozier said this reimbursement of $3,162 is the first of a series the county will make in coming months as the Federal Emergency Management Agency reimburses the county for its expenses related to the May tornado.
The Niagara County Departments of Health and Mental Health and Substance Abuse will officially move their Lockport offices this May, getting closer to the area residents they serve.

They are currently located in the 90-year-old Shaw Building at 5467 Upper Mountain Road, which Niagara County lawmakers have been looking to repurpose for some time.

Public Health Director Dan Stapleton said his department would move to 55 Stevens St., Lockport, the former site of a Cornerstone Community Federal Credit Union. The department will rent the location, costing around $187,000 per year.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Currently, the new location is undergoing $500,000 in renovations to offer clinical services like vaccinations and sexual health assistance. Its planned to open in May. Those services previously hadnt been offered in Lockport.

Now you dont have to drive to Niagara Falls, Stapleton said. If we dont make it easier for people to access services, a lot of the time they wont get them.

The other divisions of environmental health, nursing services, emergency preparedness, and children with special needs will also be on the move.

The Department of Mental Health will go to a strip plaza at 475 S. Transit St. The Benderson Development-owned property already has Great Lakes Cardiovascular, DaVita Dialysis, and a Little Caesars Pizza, with buildout for the new site ongoing.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Laura Kelemen, the director of Community Services for the department, said the new location would also be more accessible to Lockport residents, given it is on the edge of the city/town border, is on a major bus route, and near local pharmacies.

Were going to continue to offer outpatient mental health services with integrated substance abuse services, Kelemen said, with this offered to kids as young as age five. The larger meeting spaces would mean an expanded number of group services and youth and family sessions.

The county still owns the Shaw Building. Cazenovia Recovery Systems had proposing to turn it into a 40-unit recovery shelter for women and children in 2022.

Legislator Shawn Foti said the county is soliciting ideas for the Shaw Buildings reuse, not wanting to just sell it to the highest bidder. They have spoken with other county agencies like the Niagara Orleans Regional Land Improvement Corporation about moving in there. Renovation work there would require abatement.

We do intend to move on from the property, Foti said. We just want to make sure the reuse of the property and building is a positive gain for county residents.
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD)  A suspect in a Kalamazoo shooting that happened in a Little Caesars parking lot used his then-girlfriends car in the crime, then abandoned it at an apartment complex and warned her not to drive it for a while, court documents reveal.

Dominique Motton, 20, and Javion Jackson, 18, are charged in the Dec. 3 shooting outside the pizza restaurant on W. Main Street near Northampton Road.

KDPS: 2 men now charged in another egregious shooting

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Before the shooting, two occupied cars were parked next to each other in the lot, according to a probable cause affidavit. The first had five adults inside, while the second had two adults and two children inside.

A black Chrysler 200 with a missing rear bumper then entered the lot and parked next to the first car, the affidavit shows. Within seconds of parking, two males inside the Chrysler began shooting toward the occupied cars, the document says.

Bullets hit three of the adults inside the first car, and the shattering glass injured a fourth adult, court documents say. Both cars were hit with multiple rounds.

Police respond to a shooting on West Main Street near Northampton Road in Kalamazoo. (Dec. 3, 2024)

A photo released by the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety of damage after a Dec. 3, 2024, shooting on W. Main Street near Northampton Road.

Police: 4 injured in shooting in Kalamazoo

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The suspects fled, according to the documents, but license plate readers in the area caught the plate. The Chrysler was found later that evening, abandoned at an apartment complex, the affidavit says.

Video footage from the apartment complex showed another car following the Chrysler into the parking lot, court documents say. The two cars parked in the back near the dumpster, and people were seen cleaning out the Chrysler and taking off its license plate, according to the documents. Then, the video showed everyone leaving inside the other car, abandoning the Chrysler.

Officers tracked the Chrysler back to Mottons then-girlfriend, who told detectives that Motton and Jackson were the occupants of the Chrysler on the day of the shooting, according to the probable cause affidavit.

(The girlfriend) reported that shortly after the shooting she was contacted by Motton and Jackson, both of whom told her that she needed to get her rear bumper fixed as soon as possible, that her car was on the westside of Kalamazoo, and that she should not drive her car around town for a while, the affidavit says.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Detectives said that phone records for both Jackson and Motton showed them in the area of the Little Caesars at the time of the shooting. Ballistics testing confirmed that a gun seized from Jackson was used in the Little Caesars shooting, and ammunition found in Mottons apartment matched ammunition found on the scene, according to court documents.

The two were initially identified as suspects and charged in a separate Kalamazoo shooting, which happened Oct. 26 on Gull Road near Sunnyside Drive; only later were Motton and Jackson charged in connection to the Little Caesars shooting, the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety said. On Wednesday, Motton was arraigned on 18 charges and Jackson on 22  including seven counts each of assault with intent to murder and seven counts each of felony firearm  in the Dec. 3 shooting.

We know that a very small number of people drive the violence in our community, and hopefully this case will be an example to those who are thinking about being a shooter to put the guns down, KDPS Chief David Boysen said earlier this week.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
For U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, almost every day of President Donald Trump's second term has warranted a response.

On Friday, he summed up what he called the Trump Chaos Agenda.

President Trump's fusillade of executive actions and tantrums aimed at our nations longtime friends and allies has unleashed nonstop chaos at home and abroad, Courtney said. President Trump and Elon Musks vindictive onslaught on thousands of federal workers who have been fired without cause is going to result in degraded services to the public at the VA (Department of Veterans Affairs), Social Security offices and Taxpayer Assistance Centers.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He said DOGE, the Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency, has had a particularly unconscionable impact on the federal workforce.

His feckless use of tariffs is driving up commodity prices, such as steel, and is roiling financial markets and driving down consumer confidence, Courtney said, referring to the president. "Now, he and his congressional allies are targeting our nations biggest health care program, Medicaid ...

On Thursday, he participated in a news conference to call out the serious consequences of House Republicans plan to cut Medicaid to pay for tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy.

Republicans voted the week before to pass their budget proposal, which the Congressional Budget Office subsequently found would require severe cuts to Medicaid, the joint federal and state health insurance program for people with limited income and resources.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Speaking at the news conference at Charter Oak Health Center in Hartford, which also featured Gov. Ned Lamont, U.S. Rep. John Larson, D-1st District, and other state officials, Courtney spelled out what he believes is at stake.

Federally qualified health centers, like the one we are at today, are right in the crosshairs, he said. They provide primary care, behavioral health, dental health, and a whole host of other essential services. Medicaid is the workhorse in terms of making sure that the doors stay open and lights stay on because their mission is to treat people regardless of ability to pay. This is about children at birth all the way through the end of life and everywhere in between that's going to be damaged, harmed, and hurt by this proposal. ...

The GOP budget plan, Courtney said, would imperil the health care of 112,966 Medicaid recipients in his district, while 28,150 residents would see their SNAP (food assistance) benefits reduced. For some 22,000 people in the district who receive coverage under the Affordable Care Act, the average premium would climb by $1,560 a year, a 58% increase.

Two days before the news conference in Hartford, Courtney put out a statement following Trump's joint address to Congress. Courtney, who attended the speech with a constituent from Vernon, panned the presidents message.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On the same day the cost of living increased and the stock market tanked because of President Trumps trade war with Canada and Mexico, Americans rightly wanted to know how this upheaval would improve their lives, Courtney said. Instead, Americans got a speech completely detached from reality (and) full of self-congratulations. ... For people like my guest tonight, Marine Corps veteran Gabriel DAlatri, the speech offered no answers.

DAlatri was a probationary federal employee when DOGE laid him off Feb. 20, just five days before he would have gained permanent employment as an Internal Revenue Service project manager, according to Courtney.

At the time, DAlatri was one of nearly 6,000 veterans fired from federal jobs.

Courtney, who handily won election to a 10th consecutive term in November, also pulled no punches a week ago in the wake of Trumps already famous White House meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian president.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

President Trumps out of control outburst in the Oval Office today was an insult to the people of Ukraine who have sacrificed so much blood and treasure defending their freedom and homeland, Courtney said in a Feb. 28 statement. For an American president to rationalize ex-KGB (Vladimir) Putins vicious, lawless actions is a disgrace.

A member of the House Armed Services Committee, Courtney said he still believes there is strong bipartisan support in the country and Congress for backing the sovereignty of the Ukrainian people with strong, enforceable security guarantees ...

President Trump needs to work with our allies and President Zelenskyy to achieve that goal, not engage in public temper tantrums, he said.

b.hallenbeck@theday.com
HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW)  A Florida-based incident management team has taken over operations at the Covington Drive fire, which remains 55% contained eight days after igniting in a Carolina Forest neighborhood, officials said.

This will give SC Forestry Commission firefighters the opportunity to get some much-needed rest and then be available to fight fires back in their home units, the agency said in a news release.

Still holding at 2,059 acres, crews planned to spend Saturday reinforcing firebreaks, suppressing hot spots and patrolling containment lines.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Horry County spokeswoman Mikayla Moskov said earlier in the day operations are moving in a positive direction, with hot spots primarily inside peat within the Carolina Bays wetlands.

South Carolina, Florida and 11 other states are a part of the Southeastern Forest Fire Compact, which allows for firefighting personnel and resources to be shared across state lines, the Forestry Commission said. Activation of the compact is a common practice employed by forestry agencies throughout the south and across the country to bolster firefighting efforts in areas that are experiencing unusually high or otherwise extraordinary fire activity.

South Carolina Forestry Commission firefighters also go to other states, particularly out west, every year to assist on large wildfire incidents that would otherwise overwhelm local resources. All certified wildland firefighters and incident command system (ICS)-trained personnel, regardless of home state or agency, train to the same standards and under the same framework so that they can fall in seamlessly on any incident.

Georgetown and Horry counties remain under a burn ban.

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.
Mar. 7Soil-health farmers and researchers will lead a free workshop focused on incorporating cover crops into a farming operation and seeking to diverse crops this month at Riverland Community College in Austin.

"Cover Crops 101 & Crop Diversity" will be from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. March 17 at Riverland's west campus, 1900 Eighth Ave. N.W., and include a free pizza lunch. This workshop will offer three continuing education credits for those who need them. Main topics will include discussing crop technology and building resiliency in your soil, specifically to corn rootworm and other agronomic pests. Featured speakers are cover crops farmer and seed dealer Andy Linder; soil-health researcher Dr. Ann Journey; cover crops seed dealer and farmer TJ Kartes; and soil scientist and cover crops farmer Steve Lawler of Mower Soil & Water Conservation District.

Funding from the state's Clean Water Fund is supporting the workshop through the Cedar-Wapsipinicon Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Linder, who discusses the economics of soil health and how he does it in a financially sustainable way, farms with his father, Don, near Easton, Minn., where they raise no-till soybeans; no-till and strip-till corn; oats; canning crops; and hay. In 2019, Linder Family Farms was recognized as the state's Outstanding Conservationist of the Year by the Minnesota Association of Soil & Water Conservation Districts.

Under his company Agro Solutions, Linder sells cover crop seeds and performs high-clearance applications of cover crops. Since 2016, the Linders have planted 100 percent of their acres to cover crops every year. They also have greatly reduced tillage on all their acres and, in 2019, started grazing cover crops following their small-grain harvest.

Journey is an agricultural entomologist and soil-health expert who founded EntoVentures. She's an independent soil, wetland and stream health evaluator and environmental educator. She was a soil health coordinator (ACES) with USDA-NRCS in St. Paul from 2016 to 2020 and has conducted ag entomology research at the University of Minnesota. Her research is focused on corn rootworms, and included studies of conventional insecticides, biological control and ecological evaluations of transgenic, herbicide tolerant and rootworm-resistant corn.

Based in Blooming Prairie, Kartes is a seed dealer for Saddle Butte Ag Inc. and a seasoned producer with extensive knowledge on using cover crops, including on land he farms in the area. Kartes has teamed with Mower SWCD numerous times to offer free "Cover Crops 101" sessions.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Lawler is a soil scientist for Mower SWCD and helps run a family farm near Eyota, Minn., where they grow cover crops and allow beef cattle to graze on cover crops. Lawler also is continuing a multi-year study on nitrate movement in groundwater in relation to conventional tillage and the use of cover crops at the Sustainable Answer Acre near Lansing.

Cover crops  such as cereal rye, oats and winter wheat  usually are planted in coordination with regular cash crops like corn and soybeans to temporarily protect cropland from wind and water erosion as well as give living roots to the soil during times when cropland often doesn't have adequate protection, according to the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

Viewed as tools to keep soil in place, cover crops can support healthy soils and cropland sustainability efforts. They can bolster soil health; improve water quality; increase stormwater infiltration in soil; and reduce pollution from ag activities.
CROSS PLAINS, Texas (KTAB/KRBC)  One resident from Cross Plains is now in recovery at Hendrick Medical Center in Brownwood, his life saved by a group of complete strangers when his home went up in flames on the evening of Wednesday, March 5.

One of those strangers, Rachel Titsworth, her husband Colton, and their youngest child were headed from their home in Coleman to watch their other daughter compete in a high school track meet in Rising Star. Rachel says a large plume of black smoke caught her eye just east of Cross Plains, prompting them to turn around and render whatever aid they could.

The house looked vacant, but I was like somebody could be in thereWe turned around, and I jumped out, Rachel said.

They were not the first to arrive on the scene, though no authorities had responded at that time. Rachel says she joined the other civilians, acting quickly to determine if anyone inside the home needed help.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

They couldnt get the door open, so I busted it openI didnt even thinkMy adrenaline was so high that honestly, I didnt even care if something happened to me, said Rachel.

After three tense minutes of pounding on the door with all her strength, Rachel was able to break it open. She was met with thick black billowing smoke pouring from the entrance. While she could not see inside, she continued calling out to whoever might be inside.

I could hear him talking; it was really faint. But he kept saying, Im right here, and I couldnt see, Rachel recalled.

At that point, off-duty Rising Star Volunteer Fireman Jared Horton had happened upon the scene. Though he did not have any gear with him, he rushed into the home and found an elderly man, assumed to be in his 70s, lying on the floor and calling out for help.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The good samaritans joined together to pull the homeowner from the flames until he was safe. Rachel says the man didnt speak much but mentioned that he didnt want to leave; he wanted to stay and watch his house.

I pulled him back towards the highway to get him away from the houseHe was quiet. I think he was delirious from the lack of oxygen. He was just really upset about his house, and he wasnt gonna leave it, said Rachel.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Moments later, the Cross Plains Volunteer Fire Department arrived, along with mutual aid from Rising Star. Cross Plains VFD Assistant Chief Blake Foster said that if not for the intervention of those strangers, the homeowner likely would have perished.

Theres no doubt that they saved that guys life. By the time that we got there, it was not a survivable atmosphere in that house, Foster said.

He explained that once Cross Plains VFD received the call, they could already see the smoke rising as they made their way to the station to get their gear and trucks ready to head out. By the time they arrived, the flames had engulfed the bulk of the house, making entry futile.

We went defensive right off the bat because there was no chance of us going in there to be able to do any goodThey lost everything, said Foster.

As the firefighters worked to keep the flames from spreading, Rachel sat with the homeowner to show support while all his earthly possessions were reduced to ash.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

At least 30 minutes, I sat with him and told him he was gonna be okay that nobody was gonna leave himI dont think he had anybody, so I just didnt want to abandon him, Rachel said.

While Rachel says she has had some minor EMT training, this experience has taken a traumatic toll on her mental state. She explained that she got little to no sleep the following night as the scenario played in her head repeatedly.

It was a crazy experience, but the man is still living, and God is real, said Rachel.

Rachel was asked what she would say to the homeowner if he saw this story.

Yeah. Im just thankful that youre here. and umYoure somebodys grandpa or kid or whatever, Rachel responded through tears.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As of the last update, the homeowner is in stable condition at Hendrick Medical Center in Brownwood. The homeowners living and financial status are unknown. There is no official word on what may have caused the fire or injuries sustained.

Cross Plains VFD turned the investigation of the incident over to the State Fire 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 KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com.
A convicted felon has been found guilty of multiple firearm offenses and is facing prison time, officials said.

Timothy Wilfong, 36, of New Haven, has been found guilty by a jury in New Haven Superior Court on Friday, according to the Connecticut Division of Criminal Justice. The offenses include criminal possession of a pistol or revolver, carrying a pistol without a permit, possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle, interfering with an officer, possession of a controlled substance and improper use of registration.

According to evidence introduced at trial, on Jan. 18, 2024, following information from an informant, New Haven Police Department officers attempted to stop Wilfong as he was operating a white Acura with license plates belonging to a Ford Taurus. When police attempted to address the violation, Wilfong ran from officers in an attempt to avoid arrest.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Police apprehended Wilfong and found a loaded 9mm firearm in a fanny pack around Wilfongs chest. Wilfong is a convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing a firearm, according to officials. Police additionally found a container of cocaine on his person.

Wilfongs sentencing is scheduled for May 1 in New Haven Superior Court.

Stephen Underwood can be reached at sunderwood@courant.com.
NEW YORK  Andrew Cuomo is solidifying support for his mayoral bid among the Brooklyn Democratic Party, an institution whose backing candidates covet despite its deteriorating ability to influence citywide races.

It marks a blow to Mayor Eric Adams, the underdog incumbent who was indicted last September in a federal corruption case that appears to be nearing a conclusion.

The Brooklyn Democrats  a party with internal divisions between longtime moderates and insurgent lefties  did not formally back Adams mayoral candidacy in 2021, but its leader supported him on her own. She also remained one of his most ardent defenders through his legal problems, recently rebuking calls for him to resign.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But that leader, Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, has told several people she is considering backing the former New York governor, according to four people familiar with those discussions.

She did not respond to repeated requests for comment about her plans, instead issuing a vague statement Friday night that said she will be endorsing a mayoral candidate soon.

It notably was not a statement in support of the mayors reelection.

As the largest and most diverse Democratic County Party in New York  and the nation  the Brooklyn Democratic Partys early endorsement of Eric Adams in his first mayoral race largely helped pave the path to his victory, the statement read. Though the party did not officially back Adams in that crowded primary, he received expansive support within its ranks.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Four years later, weve made immense progress from the pandemic, but are now in an unprecedented, unfortunate situation where the Presidential Administration is attacking our city, and its fate lies in the hands of whoever New Yorkers elect as Mayor, the statement continued. Making an endorsement decision will require candidates to address these serious concerns regarding our city.

Her spokesperson would not divulge anything further. A spokesperson for Cuomo, Rich Azzopardi, declined to comment. Adams does not have a reelection spokesperson; others in his orbit did not respond to requests for comment.

The citys five Democratic county organizations used to wield more influence in city politics. But their power has been on the decline as newcomers challenge longstanding leadership. It was Queens party leader Joe Crowley who found himself famously unseated in Congress by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in 2018, for instance.

Even before a likely endorsement from Bichotte Hermelyn, Cuomo has been amassing support from Brooklyn party staples.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Henry Butler, the partys vice chair, endorsed Cuomo last month before he even officially entered the race. Frank Seddio, the partys former leader, who still holds sway in the organization, followed days later. City Council Member Farah Louis, a close ally of her fellow Haitian-American elected official Bichotte Hermelyn, has also endorsed Cuomo for mayor.

If Farah endorsed, I dont see her far behind, one member of the party said of Bichotte Hermelyn.

The county leaders husband, Edu Hermelyn, is a senior vice president at Mercury, a consulting firm working on Cuomos campaign  though a person familiar with the operation said Hermelyn has not personally worked on the account.

Four district leaders cautioned that any endorsement Bichotte Hermelyn makes would be hers alone, not that of the party, since she hasnt called a meeting of the executive committee.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As far as I know, there has not been any discussion about an endorsement process for mayor from the Kings County, Brooklyn Democratic Party, said Butler, the partys vice chair. That has not happened and we are not coming out for Cuomo.

But members of the party continue to individually throw their support behind Cuomo. City Council Member Darlene Mealy and Assemblymember Erik Dilan are expected to announce their endorsements of his campaign Saturday, according to a person familiar with the plan. Mealy is also a member of the partys executive committee, and Dilan endorsed Adams in 2021.

Endorsing Cuomo appears an easy gamble at the moment. Hes led pretty much every poll up to, and during, his first week in the field. Some surveys have shown his negatives are higher than anyone else running to replace Adms except Adams himself, whose approval rating dropped to an abysmal 20 percent in a Quinnipiac University poll this week.

The former governor is making the assumption that Adams is so hobbled he can cut into his base of working-class Black Democrats frustrated by conditions in the city and the mayors ties to President Donald Trump. And early endorsements have shown longtime politicians are willing to move on from the sexual harassment scandal that drove Cuomo from office in 2021  allegations substantiated in an attorneys general report, all of which he denies.

Cuomos rivals have begun to direct their energy almost entirely on bringing him down, focusing on charges he undercut New York City when he was governor. They are hoping a sustained campaign of attacks will loosen his frontrunner grip ahead of the June 24 primary.
Fledgling mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo is being slammed as carpetbagger after it emerged he only registered as a Big Apple voter in the fall  and at the luxury Manhattan apartment where his daughter lived.

The lease for the East 54th Street pad  reviewed exclusively by The Post  shows that Cuomo was the sole signatory on Dec. 13, 2023.

Cuomos representatives told The Post that he lived part-time in the $8,000-a-month ritzy rental complex along with his daughter Cara Kennedy-Cuomo, 30.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The former governor  who split his time living in a Westchester home  started living in the apartment full-time during the fall, about when he registered as a New York City voter in September, his reps said.

Andrew Cuomo has faced accusations hes a carpetbagger in the mayoral race. William Farrington

Cara Kennedy-Cuomo, 30, had lived until recently at a luxury apartment now claimed by her dad as his residence. Hans Pennink

Anyone who doubts Andrew Cuomos authenticity as a true New Yorker has never met or heard him speak, said his spokesman Rich Azzopardi.

New Yorkers know the city is in crisis and Andrew Cuomo is the only one with the experience and the record to help save it.

The carpetbagger slam against Cuomo picked up steam after a Gothamist report this week detailed that Kennedy-Cuomo recently moved from the Midtown East apartment ahead of his long-rumored mayoral run.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The timing of her move and Cuomos voter registration struck many New Yorkers  not least his mayoral rivals  as suspicious and oddly reminiscent of the accusations during the 2021 mayoral race that Eric Adams actually lived in New Jersey.

Adams still won the race, despite the lingering doubts  which were exacerbated by a bizarre tour of his Bed-Stuy property.

This go-round, Cuomos rivals have seized on his arguably tenuous ties to the Big Apple.

The last time Andrew Cuomo actually lived in New York City, there were still payphones every few blocks, said Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani (D-Queens), who is running for mayor. He lies about his record all the time, why wouldnt he lie about where he lives?

Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani is one of several mayoral candidates blasting Cuomos rootlessness. Matthew McDermott

Cuomo was born and raised in Queens, but decamped from the city as his political career took off and eventually took him into New Yorks Executive Mansion.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

His 2021 resignation in the face of sexual accusations  which he denies  raised questions about where hed actually live after leaving the Mansion, given he didnt have any property in his name.

Other Democratic candidates in the crowded mayoral primary piled on to mock Cuomos rootlessness in New York City.

Legally, he may be able to scam his way onto the ballot by living at a relatives apartment, thats OK, said former city Comptroller Scott Stringer, before twisting the knife and accusing the former governor of abandoning the city for suburbia.

Andrew Cuomo hasnt been here, hasnt thought about us. He doesnt get us. He doesnt understand us, he doesnt think about us in the way people who live here every day do.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Current City Comptroller Brad Lander accused Cuomo of forsaking the city as governor.

Andrew Cuomo screwed the city for years  cutting our funding and running our subways into the ground  because he didnt need us for his political ambitions, Lander said. His move here is a sad, desperate attempt to regain relevance that wont work, because everyone knows Andrew Cuomo is in it for himself, not us.

Residents at Cuomos luxury building were tight-lipped about their powerful neighbor. The Oriana

Residents at the luxury building where Cuomo claims his residence and where his daughter had lived had little to say to The Post.

One resident said she had seen Cuomo but hadnt seen his daughter.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I sit out here all the time and Ive been seeing (Cuomo) for ages, she said.

The carpetbagger accusation ultimately might not matter for New York voters, said political operative Ken Frydman.

Bobby Kennedy and Hillary Clinton moved to New York to successfully run for US Senate, he said.

Were still not sure if Eric Adams lives in Brooklyn or Jersey, and hes mayor. For now.

Additional reporting by Haley Brown
Last year, two of the most prolific names in media met. This Monday, Tucker Carlson and Chris Cuomo continue the conversation. Tune in to CUOMO on Monday, 8p/7C to watch.

(NewsNation)  Following up on their meeting last year, Chris Cuomo and Tucker Carlson sit down for part two of their conversation on NewsNation.

Click here to watch Part 1 of Cuomo & Carlson: The Conversation

In Part 1, Cuomo and Carlson discussed recent criticism Carlson received for his interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin, COVID-19, his family and legacy and the pairs often rocky history with each other.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We shouldnt be doing this  Cuomo & Carlson: The Conversation

Cuomo and Carlson discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine, the state of television journalism, the 2024 presidential election and much more.

Despite Carlson and Cuomo being critical of each other in the past, both were let go from partisan cable networks the past few years  Carlson from Fox and Cuomo by CNN.

They also have the same lawyer, Cuomo said, who encouraged them to bridge the gap and talk to each other for personal reasons.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Andrew Cuomo is aiming to supplant New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) as the top centrist candidate in the citys upcoming election, appealing to voter concerns about crime and stressing his leadership bona fides as Adams finds himself mired in controversy.

Cuomo finally entered the mayors race a week ago after months of build-up and immediately jumped in front of the pack as the early frontrunner. Many other candidates have been in the race for months but have mostly stayed in single or low double digits in polling.

The former governor of New York, Cuomo has focused his messaging on his ability to get things done at a time when New York City voters have expressed anxiety about the quality of living and outrage at allegations that Adams engaged in a quid pro quo with the Trump administration over immigration.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Its not just this big grand vision, said Democratic strategist Jon Reinish, who is supporting Cuomo. Its also I am capable and know how to pull the levers of government, involve the private sector, incentivize the private sector to achieve a result that answers a crisis that New Yorkers are experiencing.

Cuomo declared as he launched his political comeback attempt that the city is in crisis and needs effective leadership to ensure that government works. And hes remained steady in that message as hes methodically rolled out his campaign over the past week.

He started his campaign with a 17-and-a-half-minute video detailing his political experience, previously overseeing the New York City Homeless Commission and serving as secretary of Housing and Urban Development, state attorney general and governor. He touted raising the minimum wage, adding gun control laws, being a leader in approving same-sex marriage, protecting abortion rights and executing numerous major infrastructure projects.

Reinish said Cuomo reminding people of his record could make a difference, getting them to recall his successes as governor for more than a decade. While Cuomo has developed a reputation as a moderate, he used the word progressive to describe his past accomplishments and referenced it more than a half dozen other times in the video.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But analysts have said the race will likely be mostly about who can prove themselves an effective leader who can accomplish their goals and keep the city safe, and at least one poll suggests this dynamic could give Cuomo an advantage.

The poll from Gotham Polling & Analytics released last month showed Cuomo clearly leading in the first round of a ranked-choice voting matchup and pulling out a win in the final round with 51 percent to city Comptroller Brad Landers 31 percent and state Assembly member Zohran Mamdanis 18 percent.

The top three qualities that respondents said they wanted in a mayor were strong ethical standards, the ability to manage complex crises and proven leadership experience. A majority said they view Cuomo as a tough leader who can get things done or someone who handled the COVID-19 pandemic and rebuilt infrastructure.

Cuomos best performance came with those 50 and older, and those are also the ones who said they cared the most about public safety and are the most likely to turn out in the primary, said Stephen Graves, the president of Gotham Polling.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

These things are surely known to the Cuomo campaign, he said. This is certainly not his first time in politics, but this is clear that hes going to focus on those issues.

The Hill has reached out to Cuomos campaign for comment.

The state of crime in New York is complicated, with mixed statistics telling the story of some positive and negative trends. Adams has sought to emphasize the successes, but he, Cuomo and other candidates have widely acknowledged a feeling of fear of crime in the city.

While the candidates have recognized that fear, theyve taken different approaches on how to address it. Mamdani and state Sen. Jessica Ramos, who are running on more left-wing platforms, have called for scaling back the role of the police and finding alternatives in certain instances.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

State Sen. Zellnor Myrie, former Comptroller Scott Stringer and Lander all previously leaned more to the left on policing and criminal justice, with Stringer and Lander expressing support for cutting police funding in 2020.

That leaves Adams and Cuomo in the more consistently moderate lane and potentially competing for the same types of voters, but with Adams facing the major stumbling block of ethical questions and concerns about his independence from Trump.

Eric Adams was the kind of one guy who had rejected [defund the police] from day one, said one New York Democrat. He did appeal to moderates, and he appealed, obviously, to the Black and brown communities, but in terms of the actual message and what people were offering 2021 is nothing like 2025.

The Democrat noted that many officials who have endorsed Cuomo, including former state Comptroller Carl McCall, Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) and former Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., are Black or brown. These were communities that were key parts of Adamss victory four years ago.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

They said Cuomo also benefits from his charisma, giving a feeling that hes the candidate to shake up the system even if other candidates have some similar proposals to him. Without him in the race, none of the other candidates against Adams have broken through yet months after they entered.

People often have a very strong opinion about him, they said. But whats interesting is sometimes its beyond the for-or-against, its people that just simply know him. I cannot tell you how many times Ive heard people say, hes a real asshole, but I think thats what we need.

But pollsters warn that even with polls showing him clearly in front, he still must find ways to make gains to clinch the win, which may be difficult.

Mary Snow, an assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll, noted that although Cuomo led by 20 points over his closest competitor in a poll released Wednesday, the 16 percent who said theyre undecided could still swing the race.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

That really indicates that there is opportunity for candidates to grow their support, she said. And the big question is, how is that going to factor into the race? This primary is just a little more than three months away, so its not a ton of time.

Graves said Cuomos goal should be to at least soften some negative feelings about him to get more voters to be willing to place him as their second or third choice in ranked-choice voting. While Cuomo has a big lead in the first round in the Gotham poll, he sees a big drop in how many named him as their second choice.

If you cant get them to vote for you as the first, if you can at least get them to put you on as second, thats almost as good, he said.

And Cuomo may be dogged by continuing questions about the controversies that led to his resignation as governor, including his handling of nursing homes during the pandemic and several accusations of sexual misconduct against him, which he has consistently denied. He appeared to acknowledge mistakes during his campaign launch and said he has learned from them and hopes to show he is a better person because of it.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He then steered his statement back toward his competency.

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, he said.

Reinish said Cuomos focus should be on his record and his vision, but he should be prepared for the questions hell face.

There are questions that people still have, and you answer them calmly, thoughtfully and carefully, and I believe thats exactly what hes going to do, 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 The Hill.
(Photo by Stephen Ausmus/Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture)

Iowas federal delegation is calling for the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide financial relief for turkey farmers impacted by the spread of avian metapneumovirus.

In a letter to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins and Farm Service Agency Acting Administrator Kimberly Graham Tuesday, Iowas U.S. senators and representatives asked for avian metapneumovirus (aMPV), also known as turkey rhinotracheitis, to be classified as an eligible adverse event under the Livestock Indemnity Program. This classification would give farmers who have had many of their livestock die from the disease access to financial compensation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In Iowa, the lawmakers wrote, turkey farmers have reported flock losses between 30% to 50% because of aMPV, killing an estimated 569,700 turkeys in the last year and leading to a loss of $18 million in farm income.

Despite devastating financial shortfalls and supply chain disruptions caused by aMPV, there are currently no federal assistance programs available to offset these devastating losses, leaving many family-owned operations at risk of closure, the Iowa delegation wrote. Without immediate support, the viability of these farmsand the stability of the U.S. turkey industryis in jeopardy.

U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn was the lead author of the letter, saying that support for turkey farmers was needed as the process of vaccine approval and distribution for aMPV is still underway.

The Iowa Turkey Federation thanked Nunn for bringing attention to the impact of aMPV on farm families.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Addressing this crisis is critical to restoring the financial security of our turkey farmers and ensuring a stable supply of turkey for consumers, the Iowa Turkey Federation stated.

U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst also sent a letter to Rollins in February asking for USDA action to stop the spread of the highly pathogenic avian influenza, which has been detected in four Iowa commercial bird flocks in 2025.

Iowa representatives back flood relief bill

Nunn and U.S. Rep Randy Feenstra backed legislation introduced by Rep. Don Davis, D-North Carolina, that would expand the scope of flood-assistance programs to direct funding toward flood protection and flood-prevention infrastructure.

The Flooding Prevention, Assessment and Restoration Act would update guidelines for programs like the USDAs Emergency Watershed Protection, which currently only provides assistance for land restoration to pre-disaster conditions. Feenstra said in a news release that the legislation would provide greater flexibility by allowing these assistance programs to fund repairs and improvements for infrastructure.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Feenstra said that after major flooding in northwest Iowa last summer, many homes, farms, schools and other buildings were left severely damaged.

While we need rapid emergency response to floods, we also need to take proactive measures to protect farmland and our rural communities from devastation and equip our producers with the tools that they need to safeguard their land from excessive water damage, Feenstra said. By acting before floods strike, we can keep our farmland in production, save money in the long run, and help our rural communities mitigate and respond to flooding.

Nunn said in a news release that after the 2020 derecho, Iowa farmers crop losses totalled more than $490 million.

Iowas farmers are the backbone of our nations food and fuel supply, and when disaster strikes, theyre often the first to feel the impact, Nunn said in a statement. Floods and other natural disasters devastate local communities, and this bill will ensure that our rural communities have the resources to restore their land, rebuild their livelihoods, and keep feeding America.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Larry Weber, cofounder and director of the Iowa Flood Center, said in a news release that the legislation would help flood-mitigation efforts in the state.

This bill works progressively to balance the needs of agricultural productivity with flood mitigation and will help protect Iowas valuable farmland and rural communities across the state, Weber said. The proposed legislation aligns with much of the flood centers efforts, and I am strongly supportive of the impact it will have on enhancing flood resiliency efforts in Iowa.

Hinson calls for action on trade crimes by China

U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson reintroduced a proposal to establish a new task force in the U.S. Department of Justice that would focus on investigating and prosecuting trade-related crimes, saying that the measure would help protect American workers and industries from Chinese entities that violate U.S. trade laws.

The Protecting American Industry and Labor from International Trade Crimes Act would appropriate $20 million in fiscal year 2026 if approved for this effort, and require the Attorney General to submit an annual report to Congress on the efforts taken by the DOJ to tackle trade crimes, and how these funds were used.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Hinson said in a news release Friday the legislation will help President Donald Trumps administration tackle trade law violations by Chinese entities.

For decades, Communist China and its subsidiaries frequentlyand purposefullyviolated U.S. trade laws through fraud, duty evasion, and transshipment, Hinson said in a statement. These illicit practices devastate American industryundercutting wages, forcing manufacturers to close their doors, and hollowing out rural communities that rely on these jobs.  American workers have felt pain for far too long because of Communist Chinas malfeasance  now its time for Communist China to face consequences.

The measure was co-sponsored by Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Michigan who chairs the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, and Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Illinois, who serves as the ranking member of the committee.

This bipartisan legislation sends a strong message, in one voice, that the Chinese Communist Party must end its illegal trade practices now, Krishnamoorthi said. From violating the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act to flooding the American market with dumped goods and illegal vape products, this economic aggression has gone unchecked for too long. This legislation will give the Department of Justice the tools it needs to fight back against the CCPs predatory trade practices and protect American workers and companies.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  A man pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 40 years in prison for the murder of a 3-year-old boy in his care and injuring the boys 1-year-old brother back in 2018, the El Paso District Attorneys Office announced on Friday, March 7.

El Paso man charged with death of a toddler from June

The DAs Office said that Adrian Amaya, 31, accepted a plea agreement on Wednesday, March 5. He pleaded guilty to one count of murder and two counts of injury to a child.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The investigation into the death of Remmy Piria, 3, began on June 26, 2018, when El Paso Police were called to check on the children living at a home on the 11500 block of Spencer Drive in East El Paso, the DAs Office said.

The DAs Office said one boy was transported to Del Sol Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

An investigation later revealed the boy had injuries on his chest, back, face, and forehead. Further investigation found the boys 1-year-old brother also had injuries on his face, the DAs Office said.

The DAs Office said Amaya was not related to the boys and had been watching them for their mother while she was at work.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As part of the agreement, Amaya waived all appeals related to his convictions. The paternal grandfather of the boys was present in court for the sentencing and spoke about how the death of Remmy Piria has affected his family, 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 KTSM 9 News.
OZARK, Ala. (WDHN)After over a year of planning, the first-ever Dale County Sheriffs Rodeo is finally here.

The two-day event, happening on March 7 and March 8, will bring some of the Southeasts best cowboys and cowgirls to Ozark to compete for some hardware while raising money for the Dale County Sheriffs Office.

Were excited; you know its been a year in the making, Dale County Sheriff Mason Bynum said. We have been planning meeting after meeting, and today is the day.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The rodeo returned to Ozark for the first time in three years to help raise money for the sheriffs office that lost significant funding when state lawmakers ended the law requiring people to have a concealed carry permit.

Its going to be an action-filled weekend, and we are just looking forward to helping to raise some more money for the Dale County Sheriffs Office, Pro Rodeo Announcer Jerry Byrd said.

The department welcomed the 3R Rodeo Company from Jemison, Alabama, to town.

Theyre the original, the ones that had the rodeo years ago, we got them back in Ozark and are excited to have them back and just being around them and their excitement is contagious, Bynum said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Each night is expected to bring events like calf roping, bull riding, barrel racing, bareback racing, and steer wrestling to Ag-Plus Arena in Ozark.

The competitors are trying to earn a spot in the top 15 in their event by the end of the year to earn a trip to Biloxi, Mississippi, to compete in the Professional Cowboy Association finals.

Every rodeo counts, every dollar counts, and thats what they are here competing for, Byrd said.

The rodeo is expected to bring hundreds of people to the Ozark/Dale County area for the weekend, which could mean more people at local restaurants, shops, and hotels.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Its great for our businesses, Director of the Ozark Area Chamber of Commerce, Rosmarie Williamson said. People will stay in town, and theyll do some shopping, come early that sort of thing, so we absolutely love it for our businesses. 

Admission is $15, and children under the age of five get in for free.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
When one thinks of U.S. Navy aircraft carrier operations in the months leading up to the Battle of Midway, one name that readily comes to mind is Lt. Edward Butch OHare, the F4F-3 Wildcat pilot whose five aerial victories in defense of the carrier Lexington on Feb. 20, 1942, made him both the Navys first World War II fighter ace and its first WWII aviator to receive the Medal of Honor.

Meanwhile, hard on OHares heels in Lexington lore was a Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless team whose activities seemed just as much devoted to fighters as to dive bombers.

John Arthur Leppla was born in Lima, Ohio, on May 7, 1916. After graduating from Purdue University, he enlisted in the Navy in September 1940, and went on to qualify as an aviator with an ensigns commission. In 1941, he joined scout squadron VS-2, flying SBDs from the Lexington.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Lepplas usual back-seater, Aviation Radioman 3rd Class John Liska, was born in Coalville, Pennsylvania, on Aug. 28, 1922.

The first indication that the two were a natural team occurred on March 10, 1942, two days after a Japanese naval force occupied Lae and Salamaua harbors in northern New Guinea, when the Lexington and Yorktown struck back in the first raid of the war by two U.S. carriers.

The surprise attack caught Japanese forces without air support except for eight reconnaissance seaplanes, two of which tried to engage the U.S. bombers until they were brought down by Wildcat fighters.

The U.S. bombers sank a number of Japanese ships, in addition to damaging multiple other vessels.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Of the 104 carrier planes involved in the raid, only one SBD from Lepplas scout squadron VS-2 and its crew were lost to antiaircraft fire.

For their part in the raid, Leppla and Liska were awarded the Navy Cross.

Battle of the Coral Sea

Two months later, in May 1942, the Japanese launched Operation MO, an offensive to seize Port Moresby, New Guinea.

The invasion force was escorted by the heavy cruisers Aoba, Furutaka, Kinugasa and Kako, and the light carrier Shoho. Fleet carriers Shokaku and Zuikaku offered mobile support.

On May 7, 1942, Shokakus and Zuikakus D3A1 dive bombers sank the U.S. destroyer Sims and so badly damaged the fleet tanker Neosho that it was scuttled a few days later.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Elsewhere, however, the Lexington and Yorktown set out to intercept enemy threats. The carriers located Shoho and dispatched 53 SBDs, 22 TBD-1 Devastator torpedo bombers and 18 F4F-3s to eliminate it.

The Japanese light carriers hangar sheltered eight A6M2 Zeros, four A5M4 fighters and six B5N2 torpedo bombers, but it had only one Zero and two A5M4s in the air on combat air patrol when the Americans attacked off Misima Island.

The first Americans on the scene were SBDs of Lepplas scout squadron VS-2, led by Lt. Cmdr. Robert Dixon. As they positioned themselves to dive from 12,500 feet, the first echelon came under attack. Dixon extended his dive brakes, causing enemy forces to overshoot. Two Zeros then went after an SBD crewed by Leppla and Liska, but Liska drove them off with his .30-caliber machine gun.

As a third Zero attacked the SBD in front of him, Leppla briefly rolled, fired and saw the Japanese disengage. He then resumed his dive, registering a near miss with his 1,000-pound bomb.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Their squadron mates, Lt. j.g. William Edward Hall and Seaman 1st Class John Moore, were more successful in bombing the Japanese carrier Shoho.

Although Shoho launched three more fighters, it could not stop U.S. aircraft from landing as many as 13 bombs and seven torpedo hits in less than one hour when it went down  the first Japanese carrier sunk in the war.

As the U.S. planes returned to their carriers, Dixon reported to the Lexington: Scratch one flat top! Signed Bob.

Three SBDs of VS-2 and one from Yorktowns VS-5 were shot down, while their crews claimed a total of five Zeros and one A5M4, though the Japanese denied any air-to-air losses among their fighters.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Leppla was credited with shooting down two Japanese aircraft in 30 seconds, with two more credited to his radioman, Liska. About halfway along the 180-mile flight back to their carrier, the two encountered a Japanese reconnaissance plane, which Leppla shot down.

View on the flight deck of carrier Lexington during the Battle of the Coral Sea. (U.S. Navy/National Archives)

The next day, on May 8, 1942, the Battle of the Coral Sea reached its crescendo.

Shortly before 11 a.m., the Lexingtons radar detected Japanese forces from 64 miles out. With most of their Wildcats escorting the strike on the Japanese carriers, only 17 remained to defend the American carriers, so their numbers were supplemented with 18 available SBDs from the scouting squadrons, including Leppla and Liskas squadron mates, Hall and Moore.

Japanese torpedo bombers had an escort of their own, and three picked out Halls plane. A 20mm round entered his cockpit, wounding Hall in both ankles and nearly severing his right foot.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Still, Hall stayed in the fight, firing at any opponent that passed before his sights.

Noticing Halls plight, Leppla and Liska intervened, with the two claiming four Zeros in the process.

In reality, Japanese forces lost one fighter whose pilot ditched. The SBDs, however, were credited with downing a Japanese D3A dive bomber and five B5N torpedo bombers.

Although the Battle of the Coral Sea ended in a tactical victory for Japan, the U.S. had turned back a major Japanese invasion attempt. Moreover, while Shokaku underwent repairs and Zuikaku replaced its airplane and aircrew losses, Yorktowns damage was repaired in time to join in the decisive U.S. victory at Midway on June 4, 1942.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

After sorting out the air-to-air claims at Coral Sea, Hall was credited with one enemy plane, while Leppla was credited with a Zero and a floatplane destroyed and two Zeros damaged on May 7, followed by two Zeros downed and one damaged on the 8th. Liska was credited with three Zeros.

Their outstanding performance resulted in a gold star in lieu of a second Navy Cross for Leppla and Liska. On Nov. 21, 1942, Hall was awarded the Medal of Honor.

Dauntless ace

Lepplas bellicose attitude led to his being retrained as a fighter pilot. He then rejoined the war with fighter squadron VF-10 on the carrier Enterprise in the Solomon Islands. Also aboard, now with VS-10, was Liska with Lt. j.g. Martin Carmody as his pilot.

While en route to intercept another Japanese carrier task force threatening U.S. Marines on Guadalcanal, Leppla trained under VF-10s commander, Lt. Cmdr. James Flatley Jr., whose experience at Midway led to a change in fighter tactics, from the three-plane formation to the fluid four.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On Oct. 26, 1942, Air Group 10 got to put its months of training into practice when the Enterprise and its sister ship, the carrier Hornet, faced the Japanese carriers Shokaku and Zuikaku and light carriers Zuiho and Junyo off the Santa Cruz Islands.

As U.S. forces headed toward the Japanese fleet, U.S. aircraft passed Japanese planes en route to attack their task force.

Lt. Saneyasu Hidaka, leading nine of Zuihos Zeros to escort Japanese torpedo and dive bombers, let the first wave of Americans pass, but was unable to resist attacking the second.

In the ensuing dogfight, Hidaka and his pilots claimed 14 Americans. In fact, they downed two U.S. planes and badly damaged a third.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Flatley deviated from his escort task only long enough to pick off a nearby Zero. Belatedly entering the fray, Leppla, flying an F4F, and his wingman, Ens. Albert Mead, were credited with three Zeros and certainly got one.

However, Leppla and Mead soon got into an aerial duel with Hidaka during which Leppla signaled that only one of his six machine guns was functioning.

Mead was surprised Leppla didnt assume a beam defense position, but he stuck with his wingman, who he noted seemed to fly straight ahead and I dont believe fired a shot. I shot for both of us and believe I got three.

At that point, Leppla had probably been wounded or killed, while another Zeros fire disabled Meads motor. As he descended, Mead saw Lepplas Wildcat still flying level.

Two of Enterprises SBDs reached the Japanese fleet and damaged Zuiho, while Hornets Dauntless dive bombers scored hits that put Shokaku out of action for months. At the same time, however, Japanese attack planes reached the American task force, and in the ensuing melee, seven D3As dive-bombed Hornet, losing three planes but scoring three hits.

Although the Hornet ultimately sank and the Enterprise was damaged, Japanese forces failed to follow up their tactical victory at Santa Cruz, just as they had at Coral Sea.

Leppla was recommended for a third Navy Cross for his last mission but only received a Letter of Commendation.

Mead credited him with one of the three Zeros hed claimed, making Leppla the closest thing to an SBD Dauntless ace. Although his body was never recovered, he is remembered by a cenotaph in Arlington National Cemetery.

Liska survived the war and lived his final years in Manteca, California. He died on Aug. 12, 2011.

Sources consulted for this report include Japanese Naval Aces and Fighter Units in World War II by Ikuhiko Hata and Yasuho Izawa; The First Team: Pacific Naval Air Combat from Pearl Harbor to Midway by John B. Lundstrom; Duel: SBD Dauntless vs. A6M Zero-Sen by Donald Nijboer; and Stars & Bars: A Tribute to the American Fighter Ace by Frank Olynyk.
DAVIDSON COUNTY  A Davidson County Sheriffs Office deputy shot a man during an arrest Tuesday at a house in the Pilot community outside of Thomasville.

Their names were not released as of press time for todays edition.

The deputy had gone to the house about 11:15 a.m. to serve an arrest warrant. An altercation took place between the deputy and the man, and the deputy shot him, according to the sheriffs office.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The man and the deputy were taken to area hospitals for medical treatment.

Sheriff Richie Simmons said the deputy was injured when he was struck by the man during the altercation, and he was released after treatment.

No information about the severity of the mans gunshot wound was released. Simmons said the man was still in the hospital Wednesday morning, but no information about his medical condition was available.

The address of the house where the incident took place was not released.

The case was turned over to the State Bureau of Investigation, which is standard procedure in a shooting involving a law enforcement officer in North Carolina.
SPRINGFIELD, MO  This Sunday, well partake in our annual ritual of springing forward by moving our clocks ahead by one hour. Itll mark the start of Daylight Saving Time, which results in a time shift that brings an extra hour of sunlight in the evenings. Fans of those later sunsets may want to soak up as much as they can, considering the growing debate over eliminating the annual time change.

Daylight Saving Time (which we equate with the spring, summer, and early fall months) is in effect between the second Sunday of March, and the first Sunday of November. The other portion of the year falls under standard time.

Standard time, with its fewer hours of evening daylight, is the real format of time. Meanwhile, Daylight Saving Time is an artificial shift created to provide more sunlight in the evening hours. In recent years, opponents of the time change have been calling for the return to a standard format year round.

WHY DID WE START CHANGING OUR CLOCKS?

Many people mistakenly believe the practice was started as a way to give farmers more daylight to work in their fields. And while farmers may have benefitted from the extra light, the idea to change the clocks came about as a way to conserve energy. The thought was, having an extra hour of daylight in the early evenings would be one hour less that Americans would be turning on their lights and using electricity.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to the U.S. Department of Defense, a form of Daylight Saving Time was first used in 1918 during World War 1 when resources were in higher demand. The coal and other fuel saved by not generating electricity across the nation during that hour would, in theory, leave more for factories cranking out materials for the war, and for ships and tanks involved with the defense efforts. A secondary benefit would be Americans having an extra hour of light to work or enjoy recreational activities.

Americans returned to standard time after the first World War, but in 1942 it made a temporary comeback for the same reason, to conserve fuel. During this second era, the time shift was called War Time.

In 1966, Congress passed the Uniform Time Act, which created the daylight saving time cycle, and the twice-yearly clock change schedule were accustomed to today.

In 1973, during an energy crisis, Congress passed a law making Daylight Saving Time permanent. However, due to unpopularity with the public, that change was repealed and we went back to the two-cycle format.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The concerns related to wartime resources and energy conservation faded away, but Daylight Saving Time remained a way of life thanks to Americans coming to enjoy the later daylight afforded.

WHY IS DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME SO CONTROVERSIAL?

While Daylight Saving Time has now been in effect for nearly 50 years, the debate over its benefits and drawbacks has continued. Many Americans have come to enjoy longer, sunny evenings in the warmer months to enjoy activities outdoors. However, some health advocates say the process isnt good for our bodies.

Many doctors say standard time matches how our bodies are wired. And while many people enjoy the later light in the evenings that comes with Daylight Saving Time, the practice can affect our natural cycles.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Some studies say the risk of heart attacks and strokes, sleep disturbances, and certain mood disorders increase when the clocks change. There is also evidence suggesting that accidents, such as car crashes, increase in the days following time changes.

Aside from the health effects, some Americans say Daylight Saving Time and the accompanying clock change is inconvenient. Thats because we lose an hour of sleep on the one night our clocks jump ahead (though we gain an hour on the night in November we set them back). For many years, some Americans complained about having to go through the process of physically changing their clocks. But, those issues have largely become a thing of the past with most of our digital devices updating automatically.

Those in support of Daylight Saving Time point to several benefits, namely having more hours of evening sunlight to get work done or enjoy through recreational activities.

While some health studies point out supposed drawbacks of Daylight Saving Time, there is other evidence suggesting the opposite. For instance, many doctors say the later sunlight, and the ability to take advantage of it for recreation or other outdoor activities, helps improve mood and mental disorders.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

There could also be safety benefits to later light. On one hand, some experts say the spring change leads to more car accidents due to peoples lack of focus as their bodies adjust. However, there is also data showing the majority of car accidents, overall, take place in the darkness. That leads some people to ask the question, would having an extra hour of darkness each day year-round lead to more crashes?

ATTEMPTS TO DO AWAY WITH THE TIME CHANGE

Many of the perceived drawbacks to the time change have to do with the adjustment period experienced on and around the day the switch takes place. With that, a lot of people are all for keeping a set schedule for all twelve months. But then the debate becomes, do we make Daylight Savings or Daylight Standard the permanent format?

There have been several attempts to make Daylight Saving Time the year-round standard.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In 2021, Florida Senator Marco Rubio introduced the Sunshine Protection Act. That bill failed to gain traction and never made it out of Congress.

Two other versions of the Sunshine Protection Act were introduced in Congress during the 2023-2024 session. But, those failed as well. A similar bill has been introduced for the 2025-2026 session, but it hasnt made any progress.

Then there is President Trump, who is *for making Standard time earlier nightfall- the permanent way going forward. He posted on Truth Social back in December

The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate Daylight Saving Time, which has a small but strong constituency, but shouldnt! he wrote. Daylight Saving Time is inconvenient, and very costly to our Nation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Considering the speed at which the President has been fulfilling promises and making changes since he returned to office, many Americans wondered if this would be the last year we spring forward. However, on Thursday, Trump announced he would not seek to change the current schedule.

He stated, Its a 50/50 issue, and if something is a 50/50 issue, its hard to get excited about it, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. I assume people would like to have more light later, but some people want to have more light earlier because they dont want to take their kids to school in the dark.

Meanwhile, lawmakers in several states, including Missouri, have introduced bills to keep standard time year round.

So, for now, the great debate over sunlight will continue.

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 KOLR - OzarksFirst.com.
You may be momentarily confused when you wake up Sunday. No, your power didn't go out  the time changed to daylight saving time!

For some, daylight saving time is a sign that spring is on its way. And between the unusually cold periods in Texas this winter and Punxsutawney Phil and Bee Cave Bob both seeing their shadows on Groundhog Day, you might be especially ready for some sunshine and warmer weather.

Here's a breakdown of daylight saving time, its potential end, and the beginning of spring.

When does daylight saving time start in 2025? See when clocks 'spring forward'

Daylight saving time begins on Sunday, March 9, 2025. In the early hours, time will jump forward by one hour from 2 a.m. to 3 a.m. This marks the shift to local Daylight Saving Time (DST).

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Many devices, such as phones and computers, will automatically change to DST, but non-smart devices, such as microwaves and some car radios, as well as any clock with hands, will likely need to be changed manually.

When does daylight saving time 2025 end? See when clocks go back

Daylight saving time ends on Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025. At 2 a.m. clocks will fall back an hour to 1 a.m., granting an extra hour of sleep.

Meaning behind daylight saving time: How does it work?

The start of daylight saving time means dawn and sunset will be an hour later on Sunday, March 9 than they were on Saturday, March 8.

For most Americans, except those in Arizona, Hawaii, and a handful of other places, the start of daylight saving time means losing an hour of sleep on March 9. While standard time allows for more daylight in the mornings during winter months, daylight saving time adjusts for longer days.

What states are getting rid of daylight saving time?

Arizona and Hawaii are the only U.S. states that have never changed their clocks for daylight saving time. The Navajo Nation hasn't either.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands also don't observe daylight saving time.

Daylight saving time was enacted by the Uniform Time Act of 1966, which also allows states to remain in standard time year-round. However, many states are making efforts to remain in daylight saving time instead  which is currently barred by federal law and would require the approval of Congress.

In recent years, states have considered more than 700 pieces of legislation regarding daylight saving time, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. This includes 30 in 2024.

A total of 20 states have passed laws or resolutions to move toward daylight saving time year-round, if Congress were ever to allow it, according to the NCSL. These include:

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Alabama

Colorado

Delaware

Florida

Georgia

Idaho

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Minnesota

Mississippi

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

South Carolina

Tennessee

Utah

Washington

Wyoming

Will Texas lawmakers end daylight saving time?

The practice of daylight saving time has made its way back to debates among Texas lawmakers. After failing in the 2023 legislative session, Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, has proposed a bill that would allow the state to remain in standard time all year as allowed by the Uniform Time Act of 1966. This differs from previous attempts, which have generally suggested states remain in daylight saving time  an act barred by federal law.

"The twice-a-year clock change is disruptive and unnecessary," Zaffirini said in a statement to The Texas Tribune. "Studies have linked these shifts to increased traffic accidents, negative health effects, and decreased productivity."

Texas lawmakers may eliminate daylight savings time. Federal law does not allow states to observe daylight savings time year round.

In 2022, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, R-Florida, made such a proposal with the Sunshine Protection Act of 2023. Although the Senate passed it, the bill stalled in the House.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Its time to lock the clock and stop enduring the ridiculous and antiquated practice of switching our clocks back and forth," Rubio said toward the end of last year.

The opposite happened in the 2023 Texas legislative session, in which Zaffirini and Rep. Will Metcalf, R-Conroe, proposed the state's permanent shift to daylight saving time. House Bill 1422 earned bipartisan support in the House but stalled in the Senate. Metcalf has filed a similar bill this year.

"Texas doesnt need to wait for Washington," Metcalf said in a news release. "By passing HB 1393, well demonstrate leadership and send a strong message that Texans are ready to move forward."

If Zaffirini's Senate Bill 64 is passed and Congress reverses previous rulings against the permanent adoption of daylight saving time, Texas voters could decide which time zone they would prefer to implement year-round.

Does Trump want to end daylight saving time?

In recent years, Congress has faced the opportunity to stop changing clocks. In 2022, the U.S. Senate unanimously approved the Sunshine Protection Act, which would make daylight saving time permanent, however the U.S. House of Representatives did not pass it and President Joe Biden did not sign it.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In December, then-President-elect Donald Trump said he aims to put an end to daylight saving time and make standard time year-round.

"The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate Daylight Saving Time, which has a small but strong constituency, but shouldnt!" Trump wrote on social media site Truth Social. "Daylight Saving Time is inconvenient, and very costly to our Nation."

President-elect Donald J. Trump posted on Truth Social that the "Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate daylight saving time."

When is the first day of spring 2025?

Winter officially ends with the first day of spring on Thursday, March 20, 2025.

When is the longest day of the year in 2025? The shortest?

The longest day of 2025, also known as the summer solstice, is Friday, June 20. Central Texas will get around 14 hours of daylight.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On the flip side, 2025's winter solstice  the shortest day of the year  is Sunday, Dec. 21. Austin will see just over 10 hours of daylight.

The Earth is tilted approximately 23.5 degrees on its axis, and each solstice is dictated by the amount of solar declination, or "the latitude of Earth where the sun is directly overhead at noon," according to National Geographic.

 USA TODAY contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Daylight saving time 2025: Get ready to lose an hour when time changes
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  A large rally was held in downtown Dayton on Saturday for International Womens Day.

It was held on Saturday, March 8, from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Courthouse Square.

The rally celebrated womens progress. It was one of hundreds of rallies organized through Womens March, the national group for Saturday.

New telehealth service expands to Ohio, offers medication-induced abortion options

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Participants brought attention to their thoughts on the current state of womens rights in America. Topics included abortion access, education, gender equality, gender-based violence and equal pay.

Both the Dayton Womens Rights Alliance (DWRA) and District 10 Indivisible for All (DIFA) planned the rally.



DIFAs mission statement is, We will resist intolerance, racism, and authoritarianism through peaceful and powerful means.









Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
The official forecast on March 18, 1925, for parts of Missouri, Illinois and Indiana called for rains and strong shifting winds.

There were no tornado warnings or watches, not even severe storm warnings or watches that day.

A century ago, when weather forecasting in the United States was handled by the primitive Weather Bureau, they had asked police not to use the word tornado in any forecasts. They didnt want to create panic, according to National Weather Service office in Paducah, Kentucky.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But shortly after 1 p.m. on that warm and blustery day, a monster spun up in rural southeast Missouri and, before it ended nearly four hours later, it claimed 695 lives.

The Paducah National Weather Service office has a tribute to those killed and injured and those who lost homes and businesses that day.

The majority of those tornado deaths happened in Jackson and Franklin counties in southern Illinois, where 541 people were killed and 1,423 people were injured in about 40 minutes.

Mary Riseling, Historical Society Tornado Commemoration coordinator in Jackson County, Illinois, said Murphysboro lost 234 people, a record for a single community from such a disaster.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Riseling also said many of the victims were children, killed when the tornado hit their schools. The Longfellow School in Murphysboro lost 12 children. Another 33 children were killed in neighboring De Soto where the two-story brick school fell in on itself.

The St. Louis newspaper quoted one schoolgirl: The walls seemed to fall in, all around us. Then the floor at one end of the building gave way. We all slipped or slid in that direction. If it hadnt been for the seats it would have been like sliding down a cellar door.

I cant tell you what happened then. I cant describe it. I cant bear to think about it. Children all around me were cut and bleeding. They cried and screamed. It was something awful. I had to close my eyes.

The tornado, nearly a mile wide at times, stayed on the ground for more than 200 miles.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Towns were devasted, including 90% of the community of Annapolis gone in Iron County, Missouri, and the community of Gorham wiped out on the east bank of the Mississippi River in Illinois.

Riseling said there are no living survivors of the tornado left, no one with any memory of the storm. In the 1980s, the community asked everyone with a memory of the storm and who was willing to talk about it to record and preserve their stories.

A lot of survivors did not want to talk about it at all, but many did, Riseling said. So they brought them all together, I think it was at the Methodist Church here in Murphysboro, and basically they told their stories. And we videotaped it so we would have it all documented. Weve also been fortunate enough that survivors who werent at that particular meeting wrote down their memories. So Im going to say we have about 20 or 25 firsthand accounts.

A century later, communities in the path of the storm are holding events to remember. Murphysboro plans a remembrance program at 1:30 p.m. in Longfellow Park on the 100th anniversary, March 18, 2025. The Great Tri-State Tornado remains the deadliest tornado to ever hit the country.
The death of a 3-year-old Ohio boy who sustained burns from hot water was ruled an accident.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

The Franklin County Coroners Office released an autopsy report that indicated the boys cause of death was complications of thermal injuries, our news partners WBNS-10 TV reported.

TRENDING STORIES:

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The report stated that the boy sustained second-degree burns to approximately 35% of his body.

News Center 7 previously reported that 45-year-old Laronda Mims of Columbus was charged with one count of involuntary manslaughter and two counts of child endangerment.

Mims was indicted by a Franklin County Judge on Jan. 30.

Officers were called to an apartment complex on Eaton Avenue on Jan. 6 after they received a report of a non-responsive child.

Police found the boy, who was taken to Nationwide Childrens Hospital in critical condition. He later died at the hospital, WBNS-10 TV reported.

Mims was the parent or guardian of the child, according to the indictment.

The Franklin County Prosecutors Office will be moving forward with the current charges. Mims is expected in court on March 26.

[SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]




Chicago police opened a death investigation after a male victim was discovered unresponsive Saturday morning on the ground on the South Side in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood.

Shortly after 10 a.m., a male victim was discovered unresponsive on the ground in the 8100 block of South May Street. He was pronounced dead at the scene, Chicago police said.

Police have opened a death investigation pending autopsy results.
Outside the gates of South Carolinas Broad River Correction Institution on Friday, March 7, 2025, anti-death penalty activist Hillary Taylor read a yellow highlighted passage from a well-worn Bible given to her by Brad Sigmon ahead of his execution by firing squad. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me, she recited to the roughly 40 protesters gathered around her. (Photo by Jessica Holdman/SC Daily Gazette)

COLUMBIA  Outside the gates of South Carolinas Broad River Correction Institution, anti-death penalty activist Hillary Taylor read a yellow highlighted passage from a well-worn Bible.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me, she recited from Psalm 23 to the roughly 40 protesters gathered around her.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Inside the facility, 67-year-old Brad Sigmon had been executed by firing squad. The Bible she read from had been his. He gave it to her days earlier on her final visit to the prison.

Also in the crowd was Randy Gardner, of Taylorsville, Utah.

Anti-death penalty activist Randy Gardner, of Taylorsville, Utah, was among protesters outside Broad River Correctional Institution Friday, March 7, 2025, ahead of the execution of Brad Sigmon. (Photo by Jessica Holdman/SC Daily Gazette)

Before Sigmons death, Gardners brother, Ronnie Lee Gardner, had been the last person executed by a firing squad on June 18, 2010.

This is going to change that, Gardner said.

Gardner said his brother had not allowed his family to be present for his execution.

He knew how bad it was going to be, Gardner said.

In South Carolina, the family of the condemned cant attend an execution.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Gardner said it took weeks for him to be able to look at his brothers autopsy photos. But when he finally did, it drove him to activism. He has traveled the country ever since speaking out against the death penalty.

After his brothers death, Gardner said he had nightmares about other family members being killed and a doctor later diagnosed him with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Thats what I dont want other people to feel, he said.

Like the rest of the protesters, Erin Tyler, of Columbia, came out to show support for Sigmon and his family.

She did not know Sigmon personally but a friend of hers did, prompting her to attend.

He made a horrible mistake, but hes still human, Tyler said.
You may know Oroville as the home of Oroville Dam and Lake Oroville, or perhaps as the closest city to Table Mountain. And while itll always be the childhood home of Erle Stanley Gardner to me, as of Tuesday, it is also now a non-sanctuary city.

What is that? Im so glad you asked.

Its the most grandstanding, virtue-signaling, dumbest idea Ive ever seen come out of the Oroville City Council  and thats saying a lot: I used to attend Oroville City Council meetings as a reporter for the Chico Enterprise-Record.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Opinion

According to reporting from that same paper on Tuesday, City Councilman Scott Thomson drafted a resolution declaring Oroville to be a non-sanctuary city for all criminals in an obvious attempt to thumb his nose at immigrants, whom he clearly conflates with criminals.

But instead of laughing him down, the city council approved it unanimously, affirm(ing) its commitment to work in full cooperation with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, for the apprehension and prosecution of criminals.

In effect, the council directed the Oroville city administrator and police chief to flat out ignore the 2017 California Values Act, which limits local law enforcement from notifying federal agencies like ICE about peoples immigration status.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Passed in 2017, the Values Act is one of the states strongest laws preventing the persecution and deportation of people based on their immigrant status, and stops the federal government from using local and state resources in pursuit of that goal. It ensures that institutions like schools, hospitals and courthouses remain open to everyone, regardless of their resident status  and cops in California cant rat out detainees to the feds.

In a stunning display of bravado over comprehension, Thomson said his resolution was about protecting residents from dangerous criminals who he believes are released back into our communities instead of being turned over to ICE.

Vice Mayor Eric Smith said he believes the California Values Act has unintended consequences of giving people a free pass on crimes (also not true) but suggested an amendment removing the mandate in the resolution that directed city staff and police to ignore it because it had no teeth or power, as one colleague put it.

City Attorney David Ritchie told the council they could do whatever they wanted, but that the resolution wouldnt be legally enforceable. He later refused to tell the reporter from Chico if Oroville could win a lawsuit if city staff ignored the state law. The resolution with the amendment passed unanimously.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Thomsons insistence that if the council were to simply pass the resolution, then it would be protected under First Amendment freedom of speech rights is a disturbing interpretation of constitutional law by an amateur masquerading as a community leader. The councils exploration into disobeying a state law is putting their community at risk for litigation.

Congratulations to the Oroville City Council on wasting everyones time, including their own.
Rep. Marilyn Strickland (D-Wash.) found quite the effective way to prevent conservative commentator Scott Jennings from interrupting her during a joint appearance on CNN on Thursday  and the moment is resonating with many people.

During one point in a segment of NewsNight with Abby Phillip, Strickland discussed President Donald Trump, his billionaire adviser Elon Musk and the mass layoffs and dismantling of federal agencies that the so-called Department of Government Efficiency has directed since Trump took office in January.

All these random cuts theyre making, all these departments that they dont even hardly know very well, are hurting the American people, Strickland said. How is putting veterans out of work lowering the cost of living?

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Jennings then tried to interject, but the congresswoman wasnt having it. She quickly held up her index finger in a gesture to silence Jennings  and it worked. The conservative pundit stopped talking and Strickland continued on with her remarks without missing a beat. (Catch the moment at the 2:20 mark in the video below.)

It was a brief moment, but its significance was loud and clear for many on X, formerly Twitter, who celebrated the gesture.

With one motion, she says oh Im not done, one X user wrote.

That finger, displayed for a millisecond, had Jennings shook, wrote another.

Others reveled in the fact that Jennings  a staunch defender of Trump who is known to engage in contentious debates on CNN  appeared dumbfounded and said it was empowering to watch a woman silence him the way she did.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Kari J. Winter, professor of American studies at the University at Buffalo, told HuffPost that she believes people are celebrating this moment between Strickland and Jennings because were living in a moment where aggression from MAGA folks is so extreme and constant ... and a lot of times Democrats look like deer caught in the headlights.

Winter  whose expertise includes gender, feminism, race, class, slavery, politics of food and literature  said that Democrats are often not responding forcefully and that Strickland delivered a perfect gesture toward Jennings in that moment.

There was so much strength behind it, she said, adding that Strickland used her finger to maintain the floor when a man  and a very aggressive man  was trying to take the floor away from her.

She needed to finish making the point that she was making, Winter continued. I think that was a beautiful, powerful moment, and I would like to see that emulated much more in the country right now.

People against the MAGA movement appreciate seeing folks firmly stand up to right-wingers.

We really need to see more of it, Winter said about gestures like Stricklands on CNN. I really hope that people will realize that the time for courage and strength is now. And too many people are allowing themselves to be intimidated and silenced.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She then said that as was the case with Strickland, who is Black and Korean American  so often it is Black women and women of color who are taking the lead in exemplifying strength and courage.

Winter emphasized that Stricklands gesture wasnt aggressive, and that it was an example of a woman being assertive and asserting her right to occupy her own space, and to use her voice.

Karen Beckwith, a political science professor at Case Western Reserve University, said that Strickland  a former mayor and city councilmember  is an experienced elected official who knows how to hold her own in the face of continued interruption and contentious discussion.

Beckwith, whose expertise includes gender, politics and political movements, told HuffPost that the exchange on CNN reminded her of former Vice President Kamala Harris 2020 vice presidential debate with former Vice President Mike Pence, in which Harris was continually interrupted by him.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She recalled the moment Harris told Pence: If you dont mind letting me finish, we can then have a conversation, OK?

Beckwith said that Harris speaking directly to Pence in a civil tone was an effective technique to hold the floor. The moment highlighted the frequency in which men interrupt and try to silence women, setting the issue of uncivil interruption firmly on the political agenda, she added.

Women deserve the right to stand firm  and the space to speak their minds.

While political panels on cable news networks are known to get testy, with people often interrupting each other, Winter pointed out research has shown that women are more likely to be interrupted than men.

There has been research going back at least til the 1990s that show that men interrupt women a lot more than women interrupt men, she said. So theres that very strong gender dynamic right now.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Jackie Vernon-Thompson, founder and CEO of the From the Inside-Out School of Etiquette, explained to HuffPost that she would generally recommend anyone  regardless of gender  to respond to interruptions subtly and gracefully. But, she added, that there are times a woman must stand firmly and gesture to someone that such behavior towards her is not acceptable.

Vernon-Thompson said that Stricklands gesture to Jennings as he tried to interrupt her conveyed, Not today, sir!

It tickled me a bit, she said.

Winter said that women being intentional about taking up space in political debates and conversations, like Strickland did on CNN on Thursday, is an inspiring and powerful thing that we need to do.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She emphasized that Strickland is an eloquent elected official who has a lot of substantial things to say.

Shes an elected representative, Winter said, she deserves the space to say her piece.

Related...
Gov. Wes Moore (D) in a file photo from January. (Photo by Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters)

The Maryland Democratic Party is calling on state elections officials to open an investigation into an online effort targeting Gov. Wes Moore.

NoMoore.org has used its website and social media presence on Facebook and X to needle the governor over the state budget, taxes and other issues. The Democratic Party, in a 14-page complaint to the Maryland State Board of Elections, questioned whether the effort violates state election laws.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Specifically, No Moore  a shadowy effort disguising itself as issue advocacy with the clear intent to oppose Governor Moores re-election  disseminated campaign material with an incomplete authority line and likely did so without registering with the State Board of Elections, Maryland Democratic Party Executive Director Karen Darkes, wrote in the complaint.

The identities of the organizers remain unknown and the subject of much speculation around the State House.

An email sent Friday to an address listed on the organizations social media accounts elicited an unsigned email response a short time later. We are fully compliant with Maryland law and will register with the appropriate agency when we reach the required thresholds, said the five-paragraph reply, the rest of which was the sort of barbed political snark the site generally employs.

Allen Norfleet, director of candidacy and campaign finance for the state board of elections, confirmed receipt of the Democrats complaint on Feb. 26.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Our office has begun working on the investigation, Norfleet said in an email.

Robbie Leonard, a Baltimore County attorney and Democratic National Committee member from Maryland, chided NoMoore.org on X, telling operators of the site to lawyer up. (Screenshot)

On Friday, Robbie Leonard, a Baltimore County attorney and Democratic National Committee member, posted an article about the elections board complaint.

Ya better lawyer up, Leonard wrote.

Operators of the NoMoore.org account on X responded with a screenshot of the First Amendment.

Social media posts connected to the site are published several times a day. One such post on Friday chided Moore for a lack of fiscal responsibility as he seeks to hire another photographer for his office while Marylands budget deficit is soaring.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Nothing screams FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY like making sure you get his good side, the post continues.

The group describes itself as a grassroots uprising to fight back against the failed tax-and-spend policies of the Moore Administration.

The complaint from the Democratic party was first reported by The Baltimore Sun.

Darkes, in her complaint on behalf of the party, says the No Moore effort crosses lines including advocating for Moores defeat at the ballot box.

Darkes argues that a number posts include comment threads in which the NoMoore account operators call for the governor to be limited to one term. Others include graphics that include Moores image inside a circle with a line through it, indicating he should be defeated in 2026.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Because of that, Darkes argues that the operators of the website must comply with a number of provisions of state elections law.

First, the Democratic Party argues that the advocacy on the site and its social media accounts contains magic words'  specific words calling for an action that then trigger campaign regulations.

As such, Darkes said the operators of the website must post an authority line on their website that shows who owns and operates the site and social media accounts.

Whoever is behind No Moore may claim their activities are issue advocacy not regulated under campaign finance law, Darkes wrote. Howevrer, the section of their slogan No Moore  especially when they state their true intent to keep the governor to one term (to oppose re-election) makes that argument hollow.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A year ago, the Office of the State Prosecutor announced a $2,000 fine against John King for Governor after the Democratic candidate sent campaign emails without authority lines. Kings campaign was fined for its use of an honestmddems email account that disseminated materials against Moore in the 2022 primary, but did not contain authority lines.

Darkes further argues that the anti-Moore group likely crossed spending thresholds that require it to register with state elections officials and report spending as an independent expenditure group.
DENVER (KDVR)  The measles outbreak in Texas has people concerned that the virus may pop up in their communities.

The Denver Department of Public Health and Environment said in a post on X that there is not a measles outbreak in Denver and misinformation about the virus is making the rounds. DDPHE also provided several claims and stated whether they are true or false in a blog on its website.

West Texas reports nearly 200 measles cases. New Mexico is up to 30

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

DDPHE said that measles is an airborne, extremely infectious and potentially severe rash illness. It can be spread when people cough or sneeze.

The claims that DDPHE added in the blog post that are stated as false include:

Measles is just a rash

The outbreak in Texas is over

The measles vaccine caused the current outbreak

Vitamin A prevents measles

The claims that DDPHE stated are true include:

The measles vaccine is effective at preventing measles

You may need to get a booster vaccine if you were vaccinated between 1963 and 1967

You can get the measles vaccine even if you didnt receive it as a child

Getting the vaccine is safer than getting measles

There has been a recent death in Texas from measles

Denver residents who meet certain criteria may be eligible for a free vaccination from DDPHE

DDPHE public health nurses are here to help

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

For a more in-depth look at the information provided by DDPHE, visit the DDPHE 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 FOX31 Denver.
Legislators work in the House Chamber on the last day of the legislative session at the Utah State Capitol, Friday, March 7, 2025. (Photo by Alex Goodlett for Utah News Dispatch)

As in statehouses across the country, Utah saw headline-gripping issues and national debate woven into bills that made their way through the Legislature with different measures of success.

The reality that all politics is national is something Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said he and lawmakers cant escape  even though he told Utah News Dispatch in an interview Friday that he wished that wasnt the case.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I think its very unhealthy for us that all politics is national, but whether I like it or not, its true. It just happens, he said. I like when were focusing more on local issues  but I dont get to make all the decisions. So if there are issues we should fix them, and weve done a good job of that. And if there arent, we should let somebody else work on it.

From immigration bills designed to bolster President Donald Trumps promises for mass deportations, to a fourth year of restrictions on transgender Utahns, to the possibility of Utah becoming the first state in the nation to outlaw fluoride in drinking water systems, these are some of the hot-button bills of the 2025 legislative session.

Gov. Spencer Cox speaks to reporters during the last night of the legislative session at the Utah State Capitol, Friday, March 7, 2025. (Photo by Alex Goodlett for Utah News Dispatch)

Boost to deportations passes while other immigration bills stall

With the Trump administration vowing to carry out mass deportations, lawmakers looked for ways to help the federal government achieve its immigration goals this session.

Among them is a law passed on Friday that requires a judge to impose a mandatory jail or prison sentence for crimes committed by an immigrant who has already been deported, then charged with felony reentry to the U.S; and a bill that would increase the maximum sentence for class A misdemeanors to one year.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Per federal law, if an immigrant, regardless of their legal status, serves at least 365 days in jail or prison, deportation proceedings are automatically initiated upon their release. Lawmakers say the bill, which only applies to violent misdemeanors, will lead to more deportations.

SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX

But critics worry that since the federal government is already deporting immigrants, whether theyve committed crimes or not, the bill will disproportionately impact those living in the country legally.

And despite a focus on immigration policies this year, several bills that were touted leading up to the session ultimately died. That includes:

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

An attempt to require Utah companies with more than 15 employees to verify their employees immigration status through the E-Verify system (current Utah law puts that threshold at 150).

A proposed tax on wire transfers to foreign countries if the sender does not have a valid state ID or visa.

And a bill allowing law enforcement to impound a vehicle if the driver does not have a license, a response to what lawmakers said is an increase in migrants who lack legal status on Utah roads.

Another year targeting trans Utahns, pride flags

For the fourth year in a row, Republican lawmakers passed legislation targeting the LGBTQ+ community. One new law will require transgender students at public universities to live in dorms corresponding with their sex at birth and orders the Utah Board of Higher Education to create a compliance plan for universities to follow.

HB269, which has been signed by Cox, followed an incident at Utah State University where a mother of a student complained to the school because her daughter was sharing a common space with a transgender resident assistant, who had been randomly assigned to live in the dorm.

The bill elicited intense emotions among the queer community, who said during public comment and protests they felt discriminated against.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The LGBTQ community is so tired, said Rep. Sahara Hayes, D-Millcreek, the Legislatures only openly gay member, during a House floor debate. We are so tired of being scared every year when this body meets because we dont know how were going to be targeted. We dont know how our loved ones and our families are going to be targeted, but its starting to feel inevitable that it will happen.

A crowd gathers during a LBGTQ+ rights protest at the Utah State Capitol on the last day of the legislative session, Friday, March 7, 2025. (Photo by Alex Goodlett for Utah News Dispatch)

Another bill, HB77, bans pride flags from being displayed in classrooms and all government-owned property. Rep. Trevor Lee, R-Layton, repeatedly told lawmakers throughout the bills journey that the legislation was aimed at ensuring political neutrality, but critics of the bill blasted Lee for taking away certain freedoms of expression.

Its important that our communities and our teachers are able to focus their skills on where it matters. Whether its their community or their classroom, our state government should not have the ability to violate these freedoms of speech, Anna McNamer, a middle school teacher, told lawmakers during a committee hearing on the bill. Our government should not be able to give us a list of appropriate or correct flags to display at any time in a secular education setting.

Other bills like HB521, which would have banned public funding for transgender medical procedures and likely would have impacted University of Utah Healths Transgender Health Program, stalled during the session.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Through it all, several protests and demonstrations took place to show solidarity and support for the LGBTQ+ community during the 45-day session.

As part of a growing national trend cracking down on transgender inmates, lawmakers passed a bill this year that prevents the states county jails and two prisons from administering cross-sex hormone treatment and any kind of gender-affirming surgeries for adult inmates. People who started treatment before incarceration would be allowed to continue it.

Let us know what you think...

According to the Utah Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees health care in the states two prisons, there are currently 33 Utah inmates receiving hormone replacement therapy  29 transitioned from male to female, and the remaining four transitioned from female to male. The Department of Corrections houses approximately 6,300 incarcerated individuals, according to its website.

Inmates at the states prisons are already not allowed to undergo cosmetic or elective surgeries.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The bill, HB252, would also require all minors in a detention center to be housed in accordance to their sex assigned at birth, while prohibiting the use of puberty blockers. It also prevents sexual relations between staff and people housed in juvenile detention centers (people up to 25 years old are sometimes housed in these centers).

Utah takes on MAHA

Another nationally charged issue that crept into this years session was the Make America Healthy Again movement, popularized by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

A bill by Rep. Kristen Chevrier, R-Highland, would direct Utahs Department of Workforce Services to request a waiver from the federal government in order to prohibit the purchase of soda with the use of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. An early version of the bill also would have blocked candy purchases.

More than once, Chevrier told her colleagues that the bill was one way lawmakers could facilitate DOGE efforts.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This is a common-sense proposal, one that is being considered by at least a dozen other states this year, and one that will be well received by the Trump administration, but also by anyone whos concerned about the overall health of our nation, she said during a House floor debate.

HB403 passed the House and Senate and is awaiting the governors signature.

Rep. Walt Brooks speaks with Rep. Val Peterson on the last day of the legislative session at the Utah State Capitol, Friday, March 7, 2025. (Photo by Alex Goodlett for Utah News Dispatch)

No more added fluoride to drinking water

Lawmakers also approved a ban on a practice that has been more aggressively targeted in conservative circles  adding some extra fluoride to public water systems.

There were lengthy debates with the public split over freedom of choice and whether the health implications of adding fluoride to water were positive or negative. Ultimately, the ban prevailed.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

HB81, which would prohibit adding fluoride to public water systems, passed this session and is only waiting for the governors signature, which could make Utah the first state in the nation with a blanket fluoride ban. The final vote blurred party lines.

Fluoride can occur naturally in water, but U.S. municipalities have added extra for decades because of its ability to fight tooth decay. However, opposition to fluoride has been a trend around the country, particularly amid growing skepticism toward science and public health measures in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dentists, especially in vulnerable communities, say they have seen dramatic decreases in decay, but critics have long questioned whether the substance is safe, even in the relatively low levels water systems use.

Rep. Stephanie Gricius, R-Eagle Mountain, the bill sponsor, cited a court decision ruling the Environmental Protection Agency should take action to address potential health risks associated with high levels of the mineral in drinking water. The court didnt require a specific action, though. It just asked the agency not to ignore the issue.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

However, the bill wouldnt necessarily prevent Utahns from getting access to fluoride if they choose so, since the legislation would also allow pharmacists to prescribe it for easier access.

Planned Parenthood courses blocked from schools

While Utah saw fewer bills this year related to abortion care and access as the states near-total ban continues to be held up in court, one bill rose up targeting Planned Parenthoods education courses.

With HB233, Rep. Nicholeen Peck, R-Tooele, wanted to ban Planned Parenthood educators from public schools. She successfully pushed it all the way through the House and Senate, arguing elective abortion providers shouldnt be teaching in schools.

Along mostly party-line votes, both the House and Senate gave final legislative approval to that bill Friday night. It now goes to the governor for consideration.

In response Kathryn Boyd, president & CEO of Planned Parenthood Association of Utah, issued a statement expressing disappointment but adding the organizations sexual health education resources arent going anywhere.

Planned Parenthood Association of Utah educators have provided medically accurate, age-appropriate health education for more than 50 years, and we wont stop now, she said. Even if we can no longer teach in public schools, we will still be here for our community, offering expert health education to those who need it.

House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, works on the last day of the legislative session at the Utah State Capitol, Friday, March 7, 2025. (Photo by Alex Goodlett for Utah News Dispatch)

A year of crime and public safety bills

Amid heightened nationwide conversations about crime and public safety, a number of bills  both successful and unsuccessful  sought to increase penalties, create new offenses, crack down on espionage, and create new guidelines for law enforcement and first responders.

HB87 creates a new criminal penalty for trafficking fentanyl, or a fentanyl-related substance. The law makes it a first-degree felony for anyone caught with more than 100 grams of the synthetic opioid.

SB180 directs law enforcement officers to disclose when they use artificial intelligence, while requiring departments around the state to create an approved policy concerning artificial intelligence use.

Inspired in part by Ruby Franke and the infamous case of child abuse, SB24 creates a new crime in Utah statute called child torture. Now, child abuse that is exceptionally cruel or exceptionally depraved would be prosecuted as child torture, and require mandatory prison time.

HB430 is aimed at curbing espionage on Utah military installations, designating bases as off-limits for food delivery services. Lawmakers say foreign nationals, posing as food delivery drivers, have been trying to access military bases around the country to conduct surveillance.

HB405 created new mandatory minimum sentences for human trafficking, a first-degree felony. Now, anyone guilty of the crime will face a minimum of 10 years in prison; if the victim is younger than 14 years old, the minimum sentence would be 15 years.

HB65 expands the list of cancers tied to service as a firefighter and makes cancer screenings more available for firefighters.

As the session progressed this year, it was clear the House and Senate had their differences. A number of crime and public safety-related House bills ultimately failed in the Senate, and vice versa. That includes:

HB143 would have established a week in February where Utahns could buy firearm safety equipment, like a gun safe or trigger lock, without having to pay sales tax.

HB133 would have made a number of incremental changes to the states gun laws. But controversy over allowing 18-year-olds to open carry a loaded firearm ultimately sank the bill in the Senate.

HB132 was intended to curb unintentional shootings, creating a misdemeanor offense for adults who fail to secure their firearms if their children then go on to use the firearm in a crime.

The Utah Domestic Violence Coalition lobbied for $1.4 million in annual funds for various domestic violence shelters and service providers, and an additional $260,000 to help law enforcement conduct exams for victims in strangulation cases.

The Capitol in Salt Lake City is pictured at dusk on the last night of the legislative session, Friday, March 7, 2025. (Photo by Alex Goodlett for Utah News Dispatch)

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
DECATUR TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD)  A driver who was found with a bottle of alcohol on his lap was taken into custody after he tried to flee from officers and ended up crashing his car, deputies say.

It happened around 4:25 a.m. Friday in the area of County Road 352 and County Road 669 in Decatur Township. Deputies were called to the area for an occupied car that was parked in the travel lane of County Road 352, according to a release from the Van Buren County Sheriffs Office.

The Decatur Police Department made initial contact with the driver, a 39-year-old man from the Lawton area who was found in the drivers seat with a bottle of alcohol in his lap, according to the sheriffs office.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

When officers told him to exit the vehicle, they say he refused and instead put his vehicle in drive and tried to get away.

A short chase followed. Ultimately, deputies say the driver crashed his car on the 36000 block of County Road 669, which is in the area of County Road 352. He was taken into custody.

After the man was checked out at the hospital, he was jailed for operating while intoxicated and fleeing and eluding, according to the sheriffs office. His name was not released Friday.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET)  Deputies with the Kern County Sheriffs Office were serving an emergency protective order prior to the fatal deputy-involved shooting at Virginia Avenue Park on Tuesday.

Officials said deputies were dispatched around 2:30 p.m. to a sexual assault investigation regarding a minor, according to a sheriffs release issued Friday.

Upon further investigation, deputies determined an emergency protective order was needed.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The order was granted and deputies discovered the suspect, Homero Rosales Corona, 42, was at Virginia Avenue Park on Virginia Avenue.

The deputies arrived at the park at about 6:36 p.m. and Rosales Corona flagged down the deputies. Rosales Corona then made contact  and picked up a shotgun.

Deputies retreated and ordered Rosales Corona to drop the gun in English and Spanish.

Rosales Corona refused and raised the gun at them, according to KCSO. The deputy-involved shooting then occurred.

After life-saving measures were performed, Rosales Corona was pronounced dead at the scene at about 7:17 p.m., according to sheriff officials.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Homicide detectives assumed the investigation.

Body-worn camera footage will be released at the end of the investigation.

Anyone with more information regarding the case is asked to contact the Kern County Sheriffs Office at 661-861-3110.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
PORTLAND TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD)  Deputies say a woman suffered minor injuries and a man was arrested Friday in a shooting in Portland Township.

Around 12:45 p.m., deputies responded to a mobile home community on the 7000 block of E. Grand River Avenue, east of S. Keefer Highway, for a reported shooting, according to a release from the Ionia County Sheriffs Office. A woman had called 911, telling dispatchers that she had been shot in the head by a man who she lived with, the release says.

The woman, 32, suffered minor injuries to her head and face, deputies say. Investigators on scene learned that she had been injured from fragmentation (stemming) from a firearm being discharged in her direction, but she was not actually hit by any bullets, according to the sheriffs office. She was treated on scene but did not want to go to the hospital, deputies say.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Alongside the Michigan State Police and Portland Police Department, deputies set up a perimeter and told the suspect to exit the trailer. But deputies say the suspect  described as a 39-year-old Portland man  tried to escape through the back of the trailer.

There, he encountered a K-9 deputy. As the deputy held the suspect at gunpoint and told him to stop, a team of officers moved in and took the man into custody, the release says.

After obtaining a search warrant for the home, deputies found guns, methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia inside, according to the sheriffs office.

The man was arrested on assault and gun charges, deputies say. His name was not released Friday.

If you know anything, youre asked to contact the Ionia County Sheriffs Office at 616.527.5737 or Silent Observer at 616.774.2345.

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.
Mar. 7A Derry man who supplied Lawrence-area drug dealers with large quantities of fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine was sentenced this week in Boston to six years in prison, according to prosecutors.

Cote Colby, 29, of Derry was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley to six years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Boston.

Colby was indicted in April 2023 along with three others in a drug trafficking conspiracy, prosecutors said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

An investigation began in September 2022 into a drug trafficking organization distributing fentanyl, fentanyl pills, cocaine base and methamphetamine, including counterfeit pills containing fentanyl in the Merrimack Valley areas of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, prosecutors said.

"The investigation identified Colby as a significant drug distributor for the organization, making thousands of dollars per transaction," prosecutors said in a statement.

During the investigation, Colby distributed narcotics to several cooperating witnesses in numerous controlled purchases, according to prosecutors. Authorities estimated that Colby is responsible for distributing approximately 422 grams of pure methamphetamine and 26 grams of fentanyl, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

The case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make neighborhoods safer for everyone.

The operation also was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location.
DES MOINES, Iowa  Des Moines Public Schools announced in a press release in February that it will be pausing its Central Campus Agriscience program for a year.

While enrollment in the Agriscience program has declined, Central Campus is taking a forward-thinking approach by temporarily pausing the program for one year. During this time, school leaders will convene a steering committee  including students, parents, community members, and agriscience partners  to redesign the curriculum. The reimagined program will prepare students to tackle global agricultural challenges and develop innovative solutions. Des Moines Public Schools

LSI cuts 28 employees, resettlement program after government funding pause

Current and formers students of the agriscience program showed up to a school board meeting this past Tuesday to voice their concerns about the program pause.

Trinity Barth, a former Central Campus Agriscience program student, was at the meeting and said that a pause on the program would have lots of downsides.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Its also going to put a pause on our annual plant sale, which is where we get most of our funding for, say, local, state and national trips, and also purchasing animals. And pretty much everything else that we do in the Agriscience program is paid for by that sale, Barth said.

Metro News:

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to who13.com.
A $2,500 grant to help low-income seniors pay assessments for condominium repairs.

Exemptions from inspections and reserves for buildings under six stories.

Authorizations for condo boards to take out loans to pay reserves.

These are just a few of the ideas that lawmakers have submitted in response to Gov. Ron DeSantis call to help elderly condo unit owners on fixed incomes keep their homes as maintenance and insurance costs skyrocket.

Related Articles

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

None of the bills are guaranteed to make their way through the Florida Legislature over the next two months. So far, only one  a proposal to restrict state grants for storm hardening to buildings three stories and higher  has been heard by a committee.

After DeSantis made his request in September, some legislative leaders said they were opposed to bailing out condo owners, arguing that they spent years waiving reserve funding instead of anticipating inevitable repairs.

A year after the collapse of the 12-story Champlain Towers South condominium in Surfside that killed 98 people, the Legislature enacted a new law eliminating the option to waive full funding of reserves for budgets approved after Dec. 31, 2024.

It also required all condominium buildings three stories and higher that are at least 30 years old to undergo Milestone Inspections to detect structural problems that need immediate attention, and Structural Integrity Reserve Studies to develop roadmaps for future maintenance and expenses.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Many elderly condo unit owners have reported that monthly maintenance fees, insurance costs and special assessments tied to the new rules have increased by hundreds of dollars, threatening their abilities to remain in their units.

Many of the bills introduced this year seek ways to help those homeowners deal with the rising costs. Nearly all of the bills would force substantial changes to how condominiums are operated in Florida.

The South Florida Sun Sentinel asked several stakeholders to weigh in on the bills potential impacts.

$2,500 grant proposal for low-income seniors

Dawn Munera, a real estate broker for Pembroke Pines-based Essential Realty Solutions, said she supports the $2,500 grants proposed in a bill filed by Broward County Senate Democrat Rosalind Osgood but says they should not be limited to low-income seniors.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Every senior should get the grant, Munera said. While they may have an income that might not meet the low-income threshold, they are on a fixed income with health issues or other life emergencies that could potentially wipe them out, she said.

Condo unit owners in higher tax brackets also face challenges, such as assessments that in some instances well exceed $50,000 per unit, Munera said. They cant sell their multimillion-dollar condos because of these assessments. Buyers dont want to take on units with assessments and sellers cant meet their bottom line if they pay the assessments.

Owners who decide to rent rather than sell are often stuck with rents dropping exponentially, she said. Those rent payments often cant cover owners mortgages, condo association fees, taxes, insurance and assessments. Some sort of relief should be afforded to them as well, she said.

But $2,500 wouldnt go far toward paying assessments of $30,000 to $50,000, says David Kim, a community association attorney at the Boca Raton office of Schwartz Sladkus Reich Greenberg Atlas LLP. Still, he said, its something, and any little bit can help owners on fixed incomes.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The idea sounds great but too many questions linger, said John Cadden, a former real estate banker and investment adviser who is now a managing principal of the Condominium Advisory Group, with offices in Chicago and Atlanta.

Among them: Who makes the grant underwriting decision? How much money is going to be appropriated? And what is the potential amount of money that will be needed? Cadden said. It seems like a good political platform, but not something that actually is going to have a large impact in most cases.

Citizens eligibility would be barred if no reserve study completed

A bill filed by Rep. Vicki Lopez, a Republican from Miami-Dade County, would prohibit state-owned Citizens Property Insurance Corp. from insuring condominiums that have not obtained a milestone inspection report or a reserve study from purchasing policies from state-owned Citizens Property Insurance Corp.

Michael Mayoral is a Coral Gables-based attorney whose firm, Perez Mayoral P.A., represents homeowners in disputes with condo and homeowner associations. He said the bill, which proposes a long list of other changes, would be a powerful enforcement mechanism for condo safety because it also proposes requiring condos to maintain adequate insurance, regardless of whats in a condos governing documents.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

If completing a reserve study becomes a requirement for obtaining coverage from Citizens, its likely private market carriers will follow suit, he said.

Condo boards could finance their reserves

Lopezs bill would also enable governing boards of condos to obtain loans and levy special assessments to make repairs without seeking approval of their full memberships.

Kim said allowing boards to take out loans without unit owners approval could subject the boards to undue burdens or pressures because they could be held responsible if the loans are not repaid.

Cadden warned that owners could fight back by recalling board members or voting in new members who would refuse to rectify the long-term repair issues.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Mayoral said removal of the requirement to secure approval from unit owners for loans or assessments would eliminate owners ability to reject necessary funding. But it would also kill significant checks and balances, he said.

Many associations struggle with contractor pricing and scope decisions, and this could lead to runaway assessments that financially devastate owners, particularly seniors on fixed incomes, he said.

A separate bill by Sen. Jennifer Bradley, a Republican from north central Florida, would require unit owners approval before boards could obtain loans to cover reserve requirements.

Condominiums could invest reserves

Bradleys bill also would authorize creation of investment boards consisting of at least two governing condo board members and two unit owners.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The board would adopt rules for invested funds and an investment policy statement that addresses risk, liquidity, authorize investment classes and mixes and limitations on authority relating to investment transactions. Then they must hire an adviser to invest the condominiums reserve money.

The bill would ban anyone related by affinity or blood to any board member, unit owner or reserve study provider from serving as an investment adviser.

Rather than placing such a burden on volunteers, Ken Reid, a condo owner in Boca Raton, said a better idea would be to pool all reserve funds in the state into a large fund that will be invested in safe securities, bonds and certificates of deposit, much like a pension fund.

The money would earn interest or dividends, and each association could tap into the reserves to pay for needed repairs.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Reid said the advantage to his idea is the investing decisions are made by qualified professionals, who have a fiduciary responsibility to get a return and not lose money in the markets, not (association) board volunteers.

The ability to offset costs by generating passive income could be a real benefit for associations, Mayoral said, if the state imposes stricter guardrails such as minimum standards for diversification and limitations on the types of investments that could invite mismanagement by advisers.

Cadden says the idea of allowing condominiums to invest reserve funds makes no sense to him because no matter how many guardrails are put in, there is still a risk of losing money on any investment.

Exempting buildings under six stories from inspection and reserve requirements

Munera said she supports another Osgood bill that aims to increase from three to six stories the height of condo buildings required to perform structural integrity inspections and fully fund their reserves. Associations controlling buildings under six stories would be able to choose whether to order inspections and fund reserves.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A House version of the bill was filed by Bruce Hadley Antone, a Democrat from Orange County.

Buildings less than six stories high dont experience the same structural stresses as high-rise buildings, she said. All of the inspection and funding requirements will create such an ongoing financial strain to owners of smaller condo buildings, she said, theyll never stabilize financially.

Cadden says the change would not be prudent because many properties that are less than six stories have just as much deferred maintenance as taller buildings.

He added, The main point is that allowing any condo association to have the power to arbitrarily set reserves has not been a good practice.

Mayoral, meanwhile, concurs that many buildings under the limit still house substantial numbers of units and residents.

Large five-story structures face the same maintenance challenges  erosion, concrete spalling and other structural issues  as taller buildings.

Pilot program would monitor for crime, fraud, and corruption

A proposal by Miami-Dade Republican Sen. Ileana Garcia would create the Condominium and Homeowners Association Economic Crime, Fraud, and Corruption Investigation Pilot Program to address a beef commonly voiced by condo unit owners  that complaints submitted to the Department of Business and Professional Regulation take too long to investigate and are too often dismissed without appropriate scrutiny.

The bill proposes a long list of reforms and would work in conjunction with creation of an homeowner association ombudsman to serve alongside the existing condo association ombudsman.

Homeowners would submit allegations of wrongdoing to the program, which would investigate them and, if merited, forward them to the ombudsmen.

Governing boards would not be able to require homeowners to pay fines or attorneys fees for violations that are corrected prior to a hearing, and fines could not be aggregated for the purpose of creating a lien against a parcel.

Mayoral said the proposal would be a major step forward toward protecting homeowners from some of the worst abuses by HOA boards.

Florida has more HOAs and condo associations per capita than any other state, and with that comes endless disputes  many of which start small but quickly turn into serious financial burdens for homeowners.

Stopping boards from stacking fines to create liens, he said, closes a loophole that HOAs have used to push people toward foreclosure.

The bill strengthens the complaint process and creates real oversight  something thats been badly needed for years.

But regarding proposals to create the pilot program and add an HOA ombudsman, Cadden asks, Is there really going to be enough resources to properly make this effective?

And Kim questions whether creating more options to accuse and investigate board members for alleged crimes will increase the difficulty associations face in recruiting board candidates.

Its long been termed a thankless position, which at times it is, but will (the proposed pilot program) cause individuals to stay away from director positions? That could pose a problem.

Many more proposals

In addition, these condo-related bills have also been filed prior to the 2025 legislative session:

My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Project  (Sen. Tom Leek, Rep. Vicki Lopez, Rep. Christine Hunschofsky)  Would restrict participation in My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Project to condos three stories or higher and require that buildings include at least one residential unit. Would also reduce the necessary percentage of unit owners needed to approve participation in the program from 100% to 75%. The Senate version cleared its first hurdle on March 3, getting a 10-0 vote in the Banking and Insurance Committee.

Homestead exemption increase  (Sen. Blaise Ingoglia)  Proposes adding to the 2016 general election ballot a proposed amendment to the state constitution increasing the exemption for all levies to $75,000.

Flood risk disclosure  (Sen. Jennifer Bradley, Rep. Christine Hunschofsky)  Would require landlords to disclose known flooding risks to prospective tenants at or prior to execution of rental agreements with one year or longer terms. Tenant may terminate the rental agreement if the landlord fails to provide disclosure and a flood causes a substantial loss or damage to the tenants personal property.

Citizens rate increase cap  (Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez, Rep. Jim Mooney Jr.)  Would limit annual rate increases for Citizens policies to 10% in counties where the Office of Insurance Regulation determines there is not a reasonable degree of competition. Currently, only Monroe and Miami-Dade counties fall under this definition. Would also add flood insurance exemption to Citizens-insured properties with a Zone X flood risk classification or a structure elevated at least one foot above the flood zones minimum base flood elevation.

Resilience districts  (Sen. Erin Grall)  Would enable condo associations to establish resilience districts to create ways to fully fund the condos reserves, make structural changes or other improvements that would otherwise require assessing unit owners. The districts would be able to borrow money and issue bonds, certificates, warrants and notes, charge, collect and enforce fees, and levy taxes and special assessments.

Unit owners rights to vote in recall elections  (Sen. Kristen Aston Arrington)  Would prohibit suspension of unit owners voting rights in elections held to recall board members. Would also add additional rules to condo associations, including a requirement that condo associations pay legal bills of unit owners who initiate recall actions if the governing board appeals and loses.

Ron Hurtibise covers business and consumer issues for the South Florida Sun Sentinel. He can be reached by phone at 954-356-4071 or by email at rhurtibise@sunsentinel.com.
A look back at local, national and world events through Deseret News archives.

On March 8, 1917, protests against food rationing broke out in Petrograd (now St. Petersburg), triggering eight days of rioting that resulted in the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II and the end of the Russian monarchy.

The protests started over lack of food. The result was the demise of the Romanov family. Five years of civil war and revolution followed, and in 1922, the USSR was born.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

When the riots broke out, Nicholas instructed the city commandant to take firm measures and sent troops to restore order. It was too late. The government resigned, and the Duma, supported by the army, called on the emperor to abdicate.

At Pskov on March 15, with fatalistic composure, Nicholas renounced the throne  not, as he had originally intended, in favor of his son, Alexis, but in favor of his brother Michael, who refused the crown.

Thus ended the 300-year reign of the House of Romanov.

Nicholas was detained by the provisional government. It was planned that he and his family would be sent to England, but instead, mainly because of the opposition of the Petrograd Soviet, the revolutionary Workers and Soldiers Council, they were removed to western Siberia.

Drama in Russia over the previous week was described in great detail in this front page of the Deseret News on March 15, 1917.

In the early hours of July 17, 1918, the prisoners were all slaughtered in the cellar of the house where they had been confined.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Since then, searches for the bodies of the family, exact details of their final days and discovered artifacts have been prime fodder for unsolved mystery shows, documentaries and books and magazine articles.

Even more than 110 years ago, the news of the changing of power in Russia was important to Deseret News readers. Here are stories from Deseret News archives about the abdication, the Romanovs and other historical events:

This week in history: Nicholas IIs coronation celebrations took a tragic turn

This two-pictures combo shows Nikolskaya Tower of the Moscow's Kremlin photographed in November 1917, left, and in October 2017, right. In this left photo, taken in November 1917, people walk past Kremlin's Nikolskaya Tower after it's been damaged by artillery shelling during the revolution fighting in Moscow, Russia. In this right photo, taken on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2017, Chinese tourists make selfies as others walk past Kremlin's Nikolskaya Tower at the Red Square in Moscow, Russia. | Russian State Documentary Film and Photo Archive via Associated Press; Ivan Sekretarev, Associated Press

Romanov dynasty a hot potato

Impact of the Russian religious revolution

Chorus highlights relationship of Russian artists, politicians

Archaeologist says hes found remains of 2 Romanov children

This week in history: The Bolsheviks and the Mensheviks split

Deseret News archives: Mighty USSR formed on this date in 1922
SEOUL, South Korea  Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was released from prison on Saturday, deepening political divisions in the key U.S. ally as he faces insurrection charges over his failed attempt to declare martial law.

South Korea, one of the most vibrant democracies in Asia, has been in political turmoil since Dec. 3 when Yoon, citing anti-state forces, declared martial law before rescinding the order six hours later after lawmakers voted to reject it.

Yoons conservative supporters have latched on to his arguments as well as his unsubstantiated claims of election fraud, strongly echoing the dynamic between President Donald Trump and supporters who say he has been wrongly persecuted by a corrupt judicial system. South Koreans have even adopted symbols and slogans associated with Trump, waving Stop the Steal signs at rallies.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Television footage showed Yoon, 64, waving, clenching his fist and bowing to supporters waving South Korean and American flags as he walked out of the detention center in Seoul, before a convoy of black police vehicles returned him to his presidential residence.

I would like to express my gratitude for the courage and determination of the Seoul Central District Court judges in rectifying this injustice, he said in a statement as he was released.

I deeply thank the many citizens who have supported me despite the cold weather, as well as our future generations who have stood by us, he said.

Yoon added that he was heartbroken by the death of a supporter who had set themself on fire in protest.

Yoon supporters waving South Korean and American flags at a rally near the presidential residence in Seoul on Saturday.

Lawyers for Yoon said the ruling confirmed that Yoons detention was problematic both procedurally and substantively.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We deeply realize how difficult it is to restore the rule of law once it has collapsed, they said. From now on, a new journey begins.

Yoon, who is currently suspended from office, was originally arrested on Jan. 15, making him the first sitting South Korean president to be detained on criminal charges. He still faces an insurrection trial as well as a separate trial to determine whether to uphold his December impeachment by lawmakers in the opposition-controlled parliament.

The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials, the investigative agency responsible for Yoons arrest, expressed regret over his release.

The main opposition Democratic Party called Yoons release an act of surrender and said Yoon was striking a victorious pose like a triumphant general as he left the detention center.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This is the shameless attitude of a man who refuses to acknowledge that he remains an indicted suspect on charges of leading an insurrection, said Cho Seung-rae, the partys chief spokesperson.

South Korea is severely polarized between conservatives and liberals, and Yoons release was galling for opponents such as Park Hyun-min, a university student.

He declared martial law, paralyzed the operation of the government, and then exploited loopholes in an unprecedented law, framing the detention as a mistake from the beginning and using that as an excuse to get out of prison, Park said in a phone interview. Its cowardly.

Kang Min Woo, who was demonstrating in support of Yoon near city hall, said he was exulted by Yoons release.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This just is a beginning to deal with anti-state forces, Kang, a 30-year-old office worker, said in a phone interview.

Kang said he hoped Yoons release would pressure the Constitutional Court to overturn his impeachment, noting that Yoons approval rating has rebounded in recent weeks. The court is expected to rule later this month.

But for the moment, Kang said, I am getting ready to move over to the presidential residence to greet the president.

Beomsu Jo reported from Seoul, Stella Kim reported from Los Angeles, and Jennifer Jett reported from Hong Kong.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
A detector dog has led biologists to an exciting sighting in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Slater, a McNab shepherd, found a rare fledgling that had never been spotted in the preserve before, reported ABC News.

Slater is a member of Hawaii Detector Dogs, an organization that trains dogs to locate invasive and endangered species on the Hawaiian islands.

Heard but rarely seen, the endangered band-rumped storm petrel, known as akeake in Hawaiian, is a small, brownish seabird with a white band on its rear. Biologists have known of its existence since the 1990s but have rarely encountered the species in person. However, recently, Slater was able to detect a nest buried underground in the lava of Mauna Loa, the largest volcano in the world.

The program manager for the Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park's natural resources division, Sierra McDaniel, told ABC News that the "cryptic species" has been difficult to spot, especially since the populations began to decline.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

McDaniel told ABC News that prior to the 1980s and '90s, the seabird had a "wide" nesting range on the Big Island. However, human development wiped out a significant portion of the bird's habitat, causing severe population declines. Other threats to the bird species include predators, such as cats, non-native barn owls, and mongoose.

"It's such a big deal that we've now been able to partner with these dogs that can really help us out and find where these birds are nesting so that we can protect them in that super-vulnerable time period," McDaniel told ABC.

Within just two days, Slater was able to detect the nest and lead his handler to the rare seabird.

By working with detection dogs, biologists in Hawaii are able to better study and preserve the biodiversity of the island's unique species. Locating their nesting sites and protecting the preserve from predators are the first steps in ensuring the akeake populations can recover.

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.




Originally appeared on E! Online

Investigators into Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa's deaths are shedding light on how the couple's dog, who was also found dead at their New Mexico home on Feb. 26, could have died.

Hackman's cause of death has been determined as hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease with Alzheimer's as a significant contributing factor, officials said in a March 7 press conference. Investigators believe he passed away around Feb. 18 due to the readings on his pacemaker.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Meanwhile, authorities said Arakawathe Oscar winner's wife of over three decadesdied of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a severe respiratory illness ransmitted through rodent excrements. Her date of death has been established to be sometime around Feb. 11, the last time she was seen alive on surveillance footage.

While an official cause of death for the couple's Australian Kelpie mix Zinna has not been confirmed, it is possible that the 12-year-old animalwho was discovered in a closed kennel near Arakawa's bodydied of dehydration and starvation, according to New Mexico State Public Health Veterinarian Erin Phipps.

However, it is highly unlikely that Zinna died from the same disease that killed Arakawa, according to officials. As Phipps put it, "Dogs do not get sick from hantavirus."

"These viruses are zoonotic," she noted, "meaning they are transmitted from animals to humans."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Phipps added that the risk of exposure in Hackman and Arakawa's home was "low, similar to other well-maintained houses in New Mexico," but that investigators did "identify signs of rodent entry" in other structures on their property.

"Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is a rare disease caused by hantaviruses, but a small number of human infections are found every year in New Mexico," she said. "This is a serious disease."

For a look back at Hackman and Arakawa through the years, keep reading...

More from E! Online

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Given the timelines presented," she told reporters, "it is a possibility."

Officials also noted that given Hackman's "advanced state" of Alzheimer's, a neurodegenerative brain disorder, it was "quite possible that he was not aware" of his surroundingsincluding that Arakawa had died or that Zinna was in a crate.

According to authorities, Zinna had also received an unspecified medical treatment prior to Hackman and Arakawa's passing.

"We know from our investigation that on February 9, 2025, she picked up Zinna from Gruda Veterinary Hospital," Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza shared at the press conference. "There was a procedure that was done with the dog, which may explain why the dog was in a crate at the residence."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Necropsy results for Zinna are pending, per Mendoza.

Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images

However, it is highly unlikely that Zinna died from the same disease that killed Arakawa, according to officials. As Phipps put it, "Dogs do not get sick from hantavirus."

"These viruses are zoonotic," she noted, "meaning they are transmitted from animals to humans."

Phipps added that the risk of exposure in Hackman and Arakawa's home was "low, similar to other well-maintained houses in New Mexico," but that investigators did "identify signs of rodent entry" in other structures on their property.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is a rare disease caused by hantaviruses, but a small number of human infections are found every year in New Mexico," she said. "This is a serious disease."

For a look back at Hackman and Arakawa through the years, keep reading...

1965

Image/Getty Images





1969

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images





1971

Getty Images





1974

Tony Korody/Sygma/Sygma via Getty Images

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement





1976

Fairchild Archive/WWD/Penske Media via Getty Images





1986

Donaldson Collection/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images





1988

Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images





1988

Mario Ruiz/Getty Images

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement





1989

Purschke/ullstein bild via Getty Images





1991

Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images





1992

Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images





1993

Margaret Norton/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement





1993

Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage





1993

Avalon/Getty Images





1995

TriStar Pictures/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images





1996

Ron Davis/Getty Images

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement





1996

Jan Jarecki/Penske Media via Getty Images





2000

Tim Boyle/Newsmakers





2001

Takashi Seida/Heightened Productions Inc. via Getty Images





2001

LUCY NICHOLSON/AFP via Getty Images





2003

Vera Anderson/WireImage





2003

Chris Haston/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images





2005

Evan Agostini/Getty Images



For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (ABC4 Utah)  This Womens History Month (March), ABC4-CW30 (Good4Utah) recognizes the remarkable ideas, work, and contributions of women in our community. Throughout March, watch ABC4 News at 6:00 p.m. every Tuesday to learn more about a women in our area doing things to lift up others and the world around them.

This week we honor Samira Harnish, Founder and Executive Director of Women of the World, a Utah-based nonprofit providing support and assistance to forcibly displaced women and their families from around the globe who now call Utah home.

You can learn more about Samira and Women of the World at WomenofWorld.org.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Thank you Samira for all you do to help others and our community. Congratulations!

To learn more about ABC4-CW30s Remarkable Women Campaign, click here.

Close

Thanks for signing up!

Watch for us in your inbox.

Subscribe Now

ABC4 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 ABC4 Utah.
Work is underway with U.S. officials to "accelerate peace," President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an evening address on March 7.

Ukrainian and U.S. delegations are preparing to meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days following a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Zelensky that ended in a heated argument on Feb. 28.

"The agenda is clear  peace as soon as possible, security as reliable as possible. Ukraine is committed to the most constructive approach," Zelensky said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A minerals deal that was poised to be signed on Feb. 28 is likely among the topics both sides are discussing.

"Next week there will be a lot of work here in Europe, with (the U.S.) in Saudi Arabia  we are preparing a meeting to accelerate peace and strengthen the foundations of security," Zelensky said.

Ukraine continues to work with its allies who want to see peace in the embattled nation, the leader added.

"Today, throughout the day, the most intensive work to date has been ongoing with President Trump's team at various levels  with many phone calls," Zelensky said.

A White House official on March 3 announced a pause on U.S. weapons aid to Ukraine following the Feb. 28 meeting between Trump and Zelensky.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Critics have argued an extended pause in military aid to Ukraine could have a devastating effect on Ukraine's fight against Russian aggression.

"I do not think we should be pausing our efforts. Its the Ukrainians who are shedding blood," Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee Susan Collins said.

Read also: As Trump courts Russia, Europe gears up for a new world order

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
A lawsuit over DEI funding in Erie County ended with a seven-figure settlement.

Erie Countys Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Commission, known as Diverse Erie, will be getting $1.5 million.

Diverse Erie sues Brenton Davis for refusing to release over $1 million in ARP funding

According to an attorney for Diverse Erie, that funding from the American Rescue Plan was approved by council council in January 2024 but withheld by County Executive Brenton Davis.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The suit was filed late last year. Davis has to release the money within seven days of a judges approval. Thats expected 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 WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com.
Jim Ambrose holds up a childhood picture of himself, when he was living as a girl and going by Kristi. - Credit: Channel4 Television/Courtesy of SXSW

Jim Ambrose was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in 1976 with what he describes as a body that was really upsetting to my parents and my doctors. Though medical tests determined that he was perfectly healthy, his doctors seemed more concerned about what was between his legs: either a really, really small penis, or a really large clitoris, Ambrose explains.

Genetic testing came next. The results showed that he had XY chromosomes  indicating he was male. Thats when a local urologist advised his parents to put him through the first of two surgeries in order to make him look more like a girl.

More from Rolling Stone

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

[The doctors] were like, Look, we cant raise this baby as a boy, Ambrose tells Rolling Stone. Would it be able to stand to pee? Were gonna clear out the male reproductive organs and clear out the phallus and were going to raise it as a girl.

This was considered the standard treatment for babies born with differences of sex development (DSD), previously described as being intersex. In some hospitals in the U.S. and around the world, it still is. Doctors presented these surgeries to parents as their childs best hope for a normal life, without discussing the long-term implications of permanently altering their body  and, in many cases, their gender  at a time before theyre able to provide consent or assent.

After the surgery, Ambroses parents named him Kristi, and their doctor told them to keep the truth to themselves. They were prescribed the awful trinity of shame, secrecy, and isolation, Ambrose says. My mom made sure not to have anybody change my diaper. There was a lot of anxiety around my body and who might see it.

Ambrose grew up wearing dresses and feeling loved. My parents raised me as best they could, he says. They sent me to school, they clothed me, they gave me shelter, and they loved the little girl that they saw me as and wanted to raise me to be. While theres no scientific evidence that reinforcing a surgically achieved gender actually works, the prevailing idea at the time was that it was possible.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This is the focus of a new documentary, The Secret of Me, which premieres March 9 at the South by Southwest film festival in Austin, Texas. The film explores the history of these medically unnecessary genital mutilation surgeries and their lasting psychological impact through the lens of Ambroses experience. It marks the directorial debut of British filmmaker Grace Hughes-Hallett, the producer of the 2018 documentary Three Identical Strangers. The award-winning film tells the story of three identical triplets who were intentionally separated at birth and adopted into different families as part of an undisclosed experiment, and reunited later in life with heartbreaking repercussions.

Production on The Secret of Me began in 2021, after Hughes-Hallett first learned of the surgeries done on infants with DSD from her brother, an adult urologist (He doesnt do these surgeries, I might add, she clarifies) who heard about them at a conference. He told me that theres now a lot of adults who are very unhappy with these surgeries, Hughes-Hallett tells Rolling Stone. That sounded very interesting to me, so I Googled it, and started sort of going into a wormhole on this subject, and quite quickly came across John Money.

Money, a medical psychologist at Johns Hopkins University who believed that nurture was more important than nature when it came to gender identity, was the chief proponent of these surgeries. He spent the 1950s and 1960s researching human sexual behavior, but was handed the case study of a lifetime in 1967, when he convinced the parents of David Reimer, a baby boy who lost his penis to a botched circumcision, to allow their child to undergo what he called sex reassignment. This involved surgery constructing female-passing genitalia, then raising him as a girl. Money also put the child, named Brenda, and their identical twin brother, Brian, through years of psychological and sexual abuse, masquerading as research.

His experiment was an indisputable failure: in spite of his upbringing as a girl, Brenda always felt like a boy and endured a childhood of torment. Yet Money published his findings, fraudulently claiming that his work was a resounding success. This cemented his position as a leader in his field, and his sex reassignment protocol as the standard treatment for babies born with DSD.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Secret of Me delves deeper into Moneys experiments and the impact they had on the Reimer twins. I knew [Money] was of the past, but theres a present to this story, Hughes-Hallett says. So I spoke to quite a few intersex people. I also spoke to doctors who have done and are doing the surgeries. But it was speaking to Jim  I immediately connected with his story, and thought that the way to tell the wider story is through Jim.

At first, Hughes-Hallett planned to include the stories of multiple intersex people, but then came to realize that a single narrative would be a stronger film and decided to focus on Jim. As it turned out, Ambrose was a fan of her work. In 2018 I saw Three Identical Strangers, and thought, Wow, these people really get the themes of secrecy, isolation, manipulation of children and families, he says. And about midway through, I remember thinking, If these people called, I would take that call. So when [Grace] called [in 2021], I was like, Yeah, Ill definitely talk to you.

BACK IN BATON ROUGE IN the 1980s, Ambrose was being raised as a girl, according to the standard treatment plan for children born with DSD, as devised by Money. There was some fantastical idea of being able to imprint the gender at an early age, and that it will stick, Ambrose says. She will be the little girl. She wont be able to give you babies right out of her vagina, but shell marry a man, and shell have a vagina constructed, and the man will be able to have sex with this vagina, and then everything will be OK.

Around age 12 or 13, Ambroses mother pulled him aside and told him that hed have to start taking pills that would make him look more like other girls, and informed him of the surgery shed have in a few years to create a vagina. [She said] Youre gonna grow breasts, and hopefully youll grow taller  it was really about the phenotypical female characteristics, he says. It was all about carrying off the illusion. The pills worked. Then, during winter break of his freshman year of college, he was admitted to Childrens Hospital New Orleans for a vaginoplasty.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

At this time, Id never had a boyfriend, Ambrose says. I had never had a sexual interaction with a boy. In fact, by that point, I was already on to my second girlfriend, and she wasnt, like, When are you going to get a vagina so we can have proper sex? She didnt give a shit.

Around a year later, Ambrose was in a feminist studies class, catching up on the assigned reading, when he came across an essay on the medical construction of gender on intersex infants. Reading through the essay, it hit me, Ambrose says. I think, This is me. This is what happened to me.

His medical records confirmed his suspicions.

Soon after that, Ambrose connected with intersex activists, including one who contacted him in December 1997 with some news. She called me and said, Go to the nearest magazine shop and buy Rolling Stone  you have to read this, Ambrose says.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It was an article by John Colapinto titled The True Story of John/Joan. The feature told the true story of the Reimer twins and the years of medical, physical, psychological, and sexual abuse they experienced at the hands of Money. Five years after the article was published, Brian died from a drug overdose at the age of 36. Two years later, David died by suicide.

While academics and intersex activists had been familiar with Davids story, it had now reached a mainstream audience. It blew up with Colapintos Rolling Stone article, Ambrose says. Basically, everything that I learned [about David Reimer] was from that article. It also provided activists with a new entry point to the discussion on intersex issues. It gave tremendous context to people, Ambrose says of the article. You could start using it as shorthand: the John/Joan case. You could start using that in presentations and conversations. You could actually start out by saying, Are you familiar with the John/Joan case?

It was also right around that time when Ambrose first started telling his story in public. He moved to San Francisco and worked in a bookstore and as a bike messenger, while volunteering with the Intersex Society of North America. Ambrose began working with a team of doctors in Oakland who actually listened to him and took his medical needs seriously. At one point, I just said, I want this vaginoplasty out, he says. So I got that removed in an attempt to decolonize my own body.

Ambrose stopped taking estrogen around age 20. [It was] an act of defiance, an act of rebellion, an act of fuck you, he says. But the fallout is that when you castrate  or you rip out ovaries, or testes, or ovotestis, or reproductive organs  you medicalize a child for the rest of their life. After three or four years without estrogen, a bone scan revealed that Ambrose had developed osteopenia  a precursor to osteoporosis.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

For the sake of his bones, his doctor told him hed either have to start taking estrogen or testosterone. He chose testosterone. It was much less about I am a man now, and I am going to take testosterone, and my pronouns will be honored, and I will wear these clothes, and Im going to tell everybody at work, he explains. It was much more about not going back on estrogen.

After several years on the frontlines fighting for the rights of intersex people, Ambrose started to burn out. I kept doing the public speaking and activism and writing and traveling and speaking and things like that, he says. Then I kind of just hit a wall of inexplicable depression, and I really had to step away around 2015 and 2016, which really broke my heart.

Now, Ambrose is sharing his story again in The Secret of Me. When Hughes-Hallett learned of Ambroses experience with the John/Joan Rolling Stone article, it solidified her plans to center the documentary on his story. The fact that Jim actually picked up a copy of Rolling Stone and learned about the John Money Story himself, as a storyteller, I was like, Oh, thats perfect, because then I dont need to crowbar that story in  it exists organically in Jims journey, she says. In addition to hearing from Ambrose directly, the film features interviews with Colapinto, the urologist who performed Ambroses surgery, intersex activists, and archival footage of Money, who died in 2006.

When work on The Secret of Me began, Ambrose had been retired from activism for several years. When I was first approached by Grace, it was my understanding that there would be more people  that Id be on the screen for five minutes as part of an ensemble, he says. I still remember the phone call where Grace was like, We want the story to be you. I remember thinking, Gosh, I would have said no if she had come to me right away.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But then he started thinking. I work at a university with some pretty progressive people; Im not going to lose my job, Ambrose says. I have an incredibly supportive partner who Ive been with for a long time, who knows me and loves me fiercely. I have a family that loves me and supports me. So I thought with all of this privilege, Im obliged. If I have the opportunity to tell people my story, so they feel less alone in this world, then thats worth everything.

Hughes-Hallett believes that telling this story is especially important in the current political climate. Im glad that this is coming out now and not last year, actually, for that reason, because its even more important to get the message out there and to make sure people see this and understand what its actually about, she says. She hopes the film raises awareness of the surgeries performed on infants with DSD and their far-reaching implications.

My ambition was to get create a narrative that was interesting and edge-of-your-seat and fast-paced enough to keep todays very distracted, impatient audience engaged for 90 minutes, and hide that education within that strong narrative, so that people leave thinking, Wow, I just watched a story that blew me away. And also, oh, wow, shit. Didnt know that. OK, I know that now, Hughes-Hallett says.

Ultimately, Ambrose wants viewers to come away from the film with a better understanding of kids with DSD, knowing that theres nothing disordered or wrong about them.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Theres nothing about their bodies that threatens the world, he says. Theres nothing about their bodies that threatens themselves or their families. They are not problems or mistakes to be fixed. The intended erasure is damaging to the child, and to the families and the people that love them. Bodily autonomy and self-determination are subjects that are important to everyone, and when theyre not honored  and when theyre not addressed and respected  it destroys lives.

For more information on intersex issues, get in touch with interACT, an organization that works to empower intersex youth and advance the rights of all people with innate variations in their physical sex characteristics.

Best of Rolling Stone

Sign up for RollingStone's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Money from the U.S. Department of Education, whose new leader backs calls for its closure, pays for a variety of functions in the Palm Beach County School District.

President Donald Trump was expected to sign an order as soon as Thursday, March 6 that starts the process of putting newly confirmed Education Secretary Linda McMahon out of a job by dismantling the department.

But media outlets reported on a draft form of the order that put off the announcement, according to POLITICO. To abolish the department fully, Trump would need Congress. And two Republican U.S. senators, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, weren't so sure about his plans.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Department of Education actually has some functions that we think are important, Murkowski, R-Alaska, said. I support it.

More: Loss of U.S. Education Department money could affect half of Palm Beach County students

Here's a closer look at how that money is used in a Florida K-12 school district:

Title I: Help for schools with more low-income students

Title I: The district got $58 million in 2024-2025 to help it educate the roughly 100,000 students who attend schools with a high-percentage of low-income students. That money is used to help pay for teacher professional development, encourage parental involvement, curriculum, instructional and technological supplies, to provide for extra time for teachers to work with students, for attendance programs and community engagement.

Title II: Recruiting teachers

Title II: The district got $7 million in 2024-2025 to help it recruit, train, retain and mentor teachers.

Title III:

Title III: The district got $4.5 million in 2024-2025 to help it educate students learning English. According to a state summary, Title III money provides "academic and linguistic support through additional bilingual staff, supplemental instructional materials, and language acquisition software."

IDEA: Help for students with autism, speech issues, other disabilities

IDEA: The district got $48 million to help it educate students with some form of disability. The range of those disabilities is large, including students who are autistic, have hearing, speech or vision limitations, intellectual or emotional disabilities, physical or learning disabilities and those with traumatic brain injuries. IDEA money is used to provide technical and instructional support, staff development and encourage parental involvement.

Source: Palm Beach County School District

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Federal Department of Education money: What does it pay for in K-12
NORTH HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH)  Sarge, the dog who was set to be euthanized to the dismay of many local advocates, may have a chance at life, according to a statement released by The Animal Haven shelter on Saturday.

Animal advocates protested outside Animal Haven on Friday, arguing that a no-kill shelter should not be euthanizing the dog.

Less than a day after a protest, Animal Haven has released a statement detailing the incident with a volunteer that led to reports of Sarges planned euthanasia.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Cheshire advocates protest alleged mistreatment at animal shelter

On March 5, a volunteer who had regularly visited Sarge was attacked by the dog without provocation and required reconstructive surgery for injuries to her face, the statement said.

The statement says that Sarges sudden change in demeanor couldve been caused by rabies.

Veterinary experts recommended euthanasia to examine Sarges brain for rabies, so the victim could be appropriately treated.

The victim is currently being treated for rabies, meaning Animal Haven is no longer required to euthanize Sarge immediately, according to the statement.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Sarge does need to be quarantined for at least 10 days to see if he exhibits signs of rabies. If he does, he must be euthanized, according to Connecticut State Law.

Animal Haven affirms that even if Sarge does not show signs of rabies, the will be looking for another shelter to home him.

We hope to find another shelter willing to accept him that has the facilities and trained staff necessary to handle Sarge appropriately without danger to other animals or human beings, the statement read.

At this time there is no update to Sarges condition, or his 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 WTNH.com.
The Department of Government Efficiency, headed by multi-billionaire Elon Musk, has claimed more than $600 million in lease savings across the country by terminating federal building leases.

More than $17 million of that is on 23 buildings DOGE claims to have terminated in Georgia, the largest being the 120,000 square foot CDC building in Atlanta.

DOGE's claims are posted to its 'Wall of Receipts' on its government website, where it shows total value of the expenditures and savings created from selling off the property.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The 'Wall of Receipts' also lists more than 5,500 canceled federal contracts and grants, but the site is vague in displaying which contracts and grants are being terminated. Many of the grants are listed as Department of Education, Department of State, the EPA and USAID, with DOGE claiming $10 billion in savings from the cancellations.

Multiple fact checks of the agency's previous cost savings statements have shown inflated estimates that fall short upon review.

Here's what we know so far about government cuts and layoffs and which Georgia offices have reportedly been shuttered due to DOGE decisions.

Look up in the sky: A total lunar eclipse will be visible next week over Georgia. Here are the best viewing spots

Which federal agencies are impacted by DOGE in Georgia?

The Centers for Disease Control is the hardest hit by the federal cuts, with $2,473,060 claimed to be saved by terminating the lease on the 119,812 square-foot building.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Forest Services in Atlanta is the other million-dollar savings, according to DOGE, as it loses a 49,617-foot building that is listed as saving $1,399,770.

Several concerning cuts involve the Bureau of Prisons, the Small Business Administration, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, National Resources Conservation and the Government Accountability Office.

The Government Accountability Office is a non-partisan watchdog group that monitors the government for the safety and freedom of Americans.

"GAO examines how taxpayer dollars are spent and provides Congress and federal agencies with objective, non-partisan, fact-based information to help the government save money and work more efficiently," its website notes.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Bureau of Prisons holds accountable that prisons are run and operated in a professional manner to provide humane care for inmates.

"We protect public safety by ensuring that federal offenders serve their sentences of imprisonment in facilities that are safe, humane, cost-efficient, and appropriately secure, and provide reentry programming to ensure their successful return to the community," claims the Bureau of Prisons website.

The Energy Regulatory Commission monitors interstate transmission of electricity and natural gas while the NRC is key to protecting air quality, safe water, forests, soil, wildlife and it provides scientific research for agriculture.

Taco Bell Menu: What is a Queso Crisp Taco? Taco Bell announces new items and old favorites back on the menu

DOGE real estate terminations in Georgia

Government Agency Location Square Feet Claimed Savings CDC Atlanta 119,812 $2,473,060 FDA Atlanta 17,000 $446,286 FTC Atlanta 8,360 $223,483 Allowance for President Carter* Atlanta 7,682 $128,233 Social Security Admin. (SCA) Columbus 1,632 $51,023 SCA Gainesville 17,844 $506,527 SCA Vidalia 10,133 $228,757 SCA Brunswick 9,856 $215,383 SCA Thomasville 11,150 $289,139 Forest Service Atlanta 49,617 $1,399,770 IRS National Savannah 15,492 $427,511 Fish & Wildlife Atlanta 35,330 $738,357 Small Business Admin. Atlanta 27,526 $634,642 Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Duluth 8,574 $184,341 IRS National Macon 14,039 $241,967 OSHA Savannah 4,606 $97,739 Geological Survey Norcross 38,395 $559,009 National Resources Conservation Griffin 3,772 $30,810 Employment Standards Administration Savannah 1,848 $39,214 Government Accountability office Atlanta 22,296 $487,199 Office of the Secretary Atlanta 3,354 $77,081 Bureau of Prisons Atlanta 34,146 $863,726 Office of the Secretary Atlanta 25,422 $665,692 TOTAL $17,322,567

What is DOGE?

Trump signed an executive order on his first day in office that rebranded the U.S. Digital Service, an arm of the executive branch, into the Department of Government Efficiency. Officially, it's the U.S. DOGE Service Temporary Organization.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Musk was later made a "special government employee."

Multiple Democratic state attorneys general sued, challenging Musk's authority and arguing his power to access data and make cuts to government funds violates the Constitution. The Appointments Clause says Congress must approve executive branch officers.

Trump had previously referred to Musk as the leader of DOGE, but a key change to DOGE leadership was announced after a filing in the suit said the world's richest man isn't in charge or an employee of the department, instead serving as a senior advisor to the president.

The judge declined to keep Musk from accessing sensitive records.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Recently, Amy Gleason was named the acting DOGE administrator.

How much has DOGE saved? Do DOGE cuts add up?

As of Monday, March 3, the Wall of Receipts listed $105 billion in total savings that translates to $652.17 per taxpayer. Full fact checking of the March 2 update is not yet complete.

So far, DOGE has announced massive cuts that haven't held up under review. Some later get rolled back. It's drawn criticism from both sides of the political aisle.

DOGE has an unprecedented opportunity to cut waste and bloat, Nat Malkus, a researcher at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank, wrote in a blog post. However, the sloppy work shown so far should give pause to even its most sympathetic defenders.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In mid-February, the agency touted $55 billion in savings to taxpayers. The largest error in accounting on the "Wall of Receipts" inflated $8 million to $8 billion. But canceled contracts, real estate leases and grants actually accounted for $16.5 billion.

Musk also said they ended 89 research contracts at the Education Department costing $881 million. Later, DOGE adjusted that to $489 million. Analysis from New America, a left-leaning think tank, analysis determined the total was closer to $278 million.

Ryne Dennis is the Deep South Connect Team Editor for Gannett/USA Today. Find him on X @RyneDennis and email at rdennis@onlineathens.com.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: How much does DOGE claim to have saved in terminated leases in GA?
Two staffers from Elon Musks DOGE team flew to California in late January in a botched bid to release water from a major pump system during the Los Angeles wildfires, CNN reports.

After pressuring the Bureau of Reclamation to turn on pumps at the Jones Pumping Plant near Tracy, California, Tyler Hassen and Bryton Shang reportedly took it upon themselves to rectify the situationeven though the facility was designed to send water to farmers in Californias Central Valley, rather than Los Angeles.

The real goal of the journey, however, seemed to be for the pair to take a photo of themselves turning the taps back on. Unfortunately, their mission quickly fell apart.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Shang was not an official federal employee at the time, so could not access the facilitys control room. Hassen, meanwhile, was thwarted by the pumps being offline due to a planned power outage. Instead of throwing in the towel, however, the DOGE staffers posed for a pic in front of a map of the plant, congratulating the Bureau for getting the pumps back online.

Congratulations to the Administration and DOIs Bureau of Reclamation for more than doubling the Federally pumped water flowing toward Southern California in < 72 hours. Was an honor for the DOGE team to work with you. Great job! @Interior @usbr pic.twitter.com/V68cw48BwU  Department of Government Efficiency (@DOGE) January 28, 2025

Experts criticized the entire endeavor as unnecessary and wasteful, given that California is facing a looming dry season. In the wake of DOGEs visit, President Donald Trump ordered the U.S. Army Corps to release 2.2 billion gallons of water from two dams in Central California, which caused flooding in the farmlands. Regardless, Trump celebrated the releaseclaiming it would help avert future tragedies.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  The Department of Government Efficiency lists two federal offices in Charlotte among the 748 terminations in a widespread effort to shrink the federal workforce and reduce government spending.

While DOGE officials claim the cuts yield nearly $468 million in savings, the totals and details of the cancellations have not been confirmed.

One of the centers impacted is the United States Geological Survey office on Tyvola Road. Its home to the South Atlantic Water Science Center  Charlotte. Local scientists provide water information for Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

New EPA guidance says spending items greater than $50,000 must get approval from DOGE

According to the agencys webpage, their research topics include groundwater and surface-water quality and movement, hydraulic and hydrologic modeling, and estimating water-use for human and ecological needs.

Queen City News called the location director who was unable to confirm or deny any changes due to DOGE actions. He deferred the questions to USGS regional media contacts. They did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

This office on Fairview Road houses the EPA Criminal Investigation Division.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services officials said they would not expect any immediate impact to services.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The USGS building does not contain any County monitoring equipment nor any of the servers upon which we store data, said a Mecklenburg County spokesperson. If local USGS staffing is reduced, Storm Water services will need to re-evaluate the impacts on data quality as we use data from USGS gauges. We are in contact with local USGS staff to determine other impacts this action may have.

Charlotte Water officials say they do not have any direct projects with USGS.

The Water Science Center employees 146 employees, according to its website. It is unclear if any of them were transferred, laid off or fired by USGS or DOGE. Queen City News crews witnessed employees going in and out of the building Friday afternoon.

DOGE officials claim the annual lease for the location is $104,520. However, the cancellation of the lease is listed to yield $0 in total savings.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to the Associated Press, nearly half of the terminated leases are not expected to save any money. The list includes properties in nearly every state, including courthouses, offices and a parking garage.

The other location in Charlotte potentially closing due to DOGE action is the Environmental Protection Agency office on Fairview Road in SouthPark.

The USGS South Atlantic Water Science Center is based off Tyvola Road.

Its a field office for the EPA Criminal Investigation Division. The enforcement program pursues individual and corporate defendants who have committed serious environmental crimes.

Crimes include illegal dumping of waste, emissions into the air or discharges into U.S. waters. Law enforcement officials also investigate associated crimes such as false statements, fraud and conspiracy.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Communications officials for the EPA said they had not been contacted by any DOGE or government agent about a divestment in the Charlotte property. They told Queen City News they had no knowledge of any impact to the office or work.

An employee at the Charlotte office said they had not received any notice from a supervisor or other agency about a canceled lease.

The Fairview Road location reportedly has a $67,647 annual lease. DOGE claims canceling the lease amounts to $146,568 in total savings.

Its unclear how many EPA CID employees based in Charlotte may be impacted by the potential cut. Firings, layoffs or transfers were not reported on the wall of receipts.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

DOGE declares it terminated leases at 22 locations in North Carolina. The total savings amounts to $3,414,203. Queen City News was not able to verify that number with any government agency or third-party sources.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
FRACKVILLE  The federal Mining Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) office is slated to be closed by Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), but beyond that little is known about its future.

The termination of the lease on the office at 954 Mall Road is listed online in under the Real Estate section on the DOGE website.

The annual lease on the property is $132,547, with an estimated savings of $55,228, according to DOGE.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The owner of the property, located in a strip mall near the former Big Lots store, is not listed on the DOGE site.

The U.S. Department of Labor, of which MSHA is a part, referred inquiries to the U.S. General Services Administration.

The Mine Safety and Health Administration office in Frackville is set to have its leased terminated by DOGE, pictured Friday, March 7, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)

A spokesperson said GSA, which oversees leasing of property for federal agencies, is reviewing all options to optimize the utilization of federal government buildings.

Our space consolidation plan is to terminate many soft term leases, a GSA spokesperson said. 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.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A spokesperson said GSA supports the return to office of federal employees, while seeking to take advantage of stronger private/government partnerships in managing its workforce of the future.

Neither the GSA or DOL would discuss whether employees of the Frackville office will be furloughed or transferred to other MSHA offices.

Mining equipment sits on Gilberton Coal Company property, Friday, March 7, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)

As of March 5, DOGE listed 748 lease terminations totaling 9.5 million square feet with estimated savings of $468 million.

In what it calls a mass modification, or Mass Mod, DOGE plans to close 24 federal offices in Pennsylvania.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Railroad Retirement Board office in Scranton is on the list with an annual least cost of $32,369 and a total projected savings of $70,133.

GSA says it is reviewing all options to optimize its footprint and use of buildings.

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, a spokesperson said.

In many cases, GSA says, it will allow for an increase of space utilization and the obtaining of improved terms.

Under provisions of the Federal Mine Safety Act of 1977, MSHA implements health and safety measures in the mining industry regardless of the size, number of employees or commodities mines, its website says.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

When the agency was created in 1977, 242 miners died in accidents that year across the country. In 2022, the number of annual fatalities dropped to 29, MSHA reports.

State Rep. Tim Twardzik, R-123, Butler Twp., said he hopes the mine safety initiative will continue after the Frackville office closes.

We need to keep our mines safe, said Twardzik, who plans to reach out to mining operators to get a better understanding of MSHAs program.

The Frackville office, Twardzik said, is centrally located for the areas anthracite industry. Its staff conducts lab work, and the office has special equipment for reviewing mine safety operations.

Twardzik believes the MSHA office might be one of several in the complex. Based on DOGEs estimated annual savings of $55,228, the lease of the 5,125-square-foot office works out to be $10.73 per square foot, about the market rate for a building of its type, Twardzik said.
The former lead prosecutor on Mayor Eric Adams federal corruption case admitted in private text messages that it was plausible that the former Manhattan US attorney who indicted Hizzoner had a political motive, the Justice Department revealed in a bombshell filing Friday.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and Principal Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove cited the text messages from AUSA-1  Hagan Scotten  in a filing with Manhattan federal court Judge Dale Ho in arguing that the case against Adams should be dismissed, but with the door left open to future prosecution.

[US Attorney-1] obviously has political ambitions, and I think suggesting we doubt that just costs us credibility, Scotten allegedly wrote to his team at the Southern District as they prepped a Jan. 22 letter from ex-US Attorney Danielle Sassoon addressing an op-ed written by her predecessor, Damian Williams, about the Adams case.

Adams is fighting for his political future  and his freedom. AP

Scotten, a Republican ex-Army soldier known as one of the offices rising star conservatives, further wrote that it was pretty plausible that Williams had a political motive in bringing this case, according to the DOJ.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

AUSA-1 explained that he hoped to distance the SDNY prosecution team from US

Attorney-1, enough that [Judge] Ho and [President] Trump will know we dont approve of what he did, but not so much that we magnify the scandal, the filing continued.

Scotten couldnt immediately be reached for comment on Friday night.

He resigned last month instead of complying with a DOJ order to drop the case against Adams.

Any assistant US attorney would know that our laws and traditions do not allow using the prosecutorial power to influence other citizens, much less elected officials, in this way, Scotten wrote in a blistering resignation letter.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

If no lawyer within earshot of the President is willing to give him that advice, then I expect you will eventually find someone who is enough of a fool, or enough of a coward, to file your motion, he fumed.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and Principal Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove cited text messages from AUSA-1  Hagan Scotten  in a filing acknowledging that the case against the mayor should be dismissed. AP

Scottens resignation letter is quoted in the filing.

Commenting on Sassoons letter regarding the Williams op-ed, another assistant US attorney  identified as AUSA-3  argued in an email, I think we want to create distance between those prosecutors and the US Attorney.

Another member of the SDNY prosecution team  AUSA-4  added, I agree that we should create some space from [U.S. Attorney-1], but I also think we should avoid anything that looks like us fighting with [U.S. Attorney-1] (which would be counterproductive).

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Scotten also pushed back on a suggestion from AUSA-4 that in its response to Williams op-ed the SDNY should note Adams was wrong about his claim that our prosecution is motivated by [U.S. Attorney-1s] political interests.

I know that none of us were motivated by [U.S. Attorney-1s] political aspirations, but I dont think any of us know for sure what motivated [U.S. Attorney-1], Scotten wrote.

As US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Williams oversaw high-profile prosecutions of both Democrats and Republicans, including former Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ). He also scored the conviction of crypto fraudster Sam Bankman-Fried, who donated tens of millions of dollars to mostly Democrats.

The DOJ filing characterized Scotten as someone who was as aggressive and careerist as Williams.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Trump administration cited a July 18, 2024 message between Scotten and AUSA-2 about efforts to exclude a defense witness in the case

AUSA-1 remarked that an invocation is better than [l]etting him come in and refuse cross, the filing states.

On Sept. 5, 2024, AUSA-3 texted Scotten: We did a lot of gymnastics around the influence point in the Adams indictment, maybe making him the one exploiting the corrupt relationship works better.

The DOJ filing comes after former US Solicitor General Paul Clement recommended that Adams case be dismissed with prejudice  eliminating any chance of a future prosecution  in order to remove appearances of political taint and to swat down the notion that the mayor is beholden to Trump.

Scotten, seen at left in a courtroom sketch, spoke of the US Attorneys political ambitions in a note to his team. AP

Ho tasked Clement with arguing against the DOJs stance that the case should be dismissed without prejudice  meaning it could later be revived  since Adams defense team effectively took the same position at a recent hearing.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Proposed amici have seized on false claims by SDNY to suggest that the Motion involves some kind of improper quid pro quo, the DOJ said, arguing in favor of leaving the case open to future prosecution. These arguments are frivolous to such an extent that they only serve to reveal the underlying improper political motivations of their proponents.

Blanche and Bove note that Adams swore under oath that he had no other agreements with the government, unwritten or otherwise, and that nothing else was promised to induce his consent to the Motion.

Alex Spiro and William Burck, attorneys for Adams, argued that the emails and texts highlighted in the DOJ filing mean it is Game over for the case.

When it takes gymnastics  in the words of the prosecutors who brought this meritless case  to find a crime to pin on Mayor Adams, we should all be worried about our rights, the attorneys said in a statement.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We have said all along this was a political hit job masquerading as a prosecution  the prosecutors own words now reveal they thought the decision to prosecute this case likely was politically motivated, they added.

The prosecutors were playing games with peoples lives. Game over.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice is investigating after a 26-year-old man was shot and killed by a Fond du Lac sheriff's sergeant, who believed the man had a firearm, but was actually holding a BB gun, according to authorities.

According to the state's DOJ, Jesus Armando Mendez Berry contacted the Fond du Lac County Sheriff's Office on Feb. 24 to report he had a felony warrant for his arrest and wished to turn himself in. Authorities also received a call from a citizen who reported a person matching Mendez Berry's description displaying what a caller described as a handgun in his waistband, a statement from the DOJ says.

Deputies located Mendez Berry in the 6300 block of Cherrywood Drive in the town of Fond du Lac a short time later, officials said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Mendez Berry refused to follow repeated commands to show deputies both of his hands and one of the deputies fired a non-lethal weapon, like a stun gun, according to the DOJ.

"Shortly after, Mr. Mendez Berry was holding what deputies believed to be a firearm," the DOJ said. Then Fond du Lac County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Andrew Kohlmann discharged his gun at 6:22 p.m., striking Mendez Berry, according to the DOJ.

But following a scene examination, it was determined that Mendez Berry was holding a Gamo 430 CO2 Pellet/BB handgun, authorities said.

Gamo 430 CO2 Pellet/BB Handgun

Mendez Berry was transported to a nearby hospital where he died, the DOJ said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Kohlmann has eight years of law enforcement experience. He has been placed on administrative assignment, per policy.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Fond du Lac authorities shot, killed man holding a BB gun, DOJ says
The Justice Department is in the early stages of investigating the major egg producers over soaring egg prices, source familiar with the matter told ABC News.

Department investigators are looking into whether the major egg companies are sharing information about supply and pricing, possibly contributing to price increases, the sources said. Egg producers, including the industry's trade association, have said the soaring prices are due to the avian flu.

The investigation is being run out of the Antitrust Division of the Justice Department and won't necessarily lead to any legal action.

PHOTO: The logo for the Justice Department is seen before a news conference at the Department of Justice, Aug. 23, 2024, in Washington. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP)

MORE: Video Egg prices will rise more than 40% this year: USDA

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Last month, a group of Democratic lawmakers, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., called on the administration to provide specifics on how it plans to lower food prices for families.

"To make food more affordable, you should look to the dominant food and grocery companies that have made record profits on the backs of working families who have had to pay higher prices," they wrote in the letter to President Donald Trump. "These companies often exploit crises like pandemics and avian flu outbreaks as an opportunity to raise prices beyond what is needed to cover rising costs."

Egg prices have doubled since January 2024 -- and have skyrocketed over the last year. Wholesale shoppers like small businesses were paying over $8 for a dozen eggs last week. The latest Department of Agriculture report released on Friday said the national average wholesale price of eggs had dropped significantly to $6.85 per dozen.

Emily Metz, the president and CEO of American Egg Board, which represents egg producers nationwide, said any suggestion that egg price increases are due to price gouging is a "misreading of facts and reality."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Make no mistake. Egg farmers are price takers, not price makers, on the egg market, and that market is responding to the uncertainty and chaos bird flu is causing," she said. "Eggs are subject to the economic laws of supply and demand. The tight egg supply caused by avian influenza, coupled with 23 consecutive months of high sales volume, has created a perfect storm in egg markets."

PHOTO: A sign alerting customers of a price increase in eggs hangs inside a bagel store in the Queens borough of New York, Feb. 27, 2025. (Shannon Stapleton/Reuters, FILE)

MORE: $70,000 more a year for eggs: How price hikes are hurting small businesses

Farm Action, a farm advocacy organization that has publicly called on officials to open an antitrust case, said in a statement on Friday citing sources at DOJ that the agency had started an investigation.

"We applaud the Department of Justice's action to address the skyrocketing price of eggs," it said. "Every American has felt the financial pain caused by the power of the monopolistic egg industry.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"While avian flu is real, it is no excuse for the price being charged at the grocery store for one of the country's staples," it added. "While Farm Action's analysis demonstrates likely antitrust abuses by the dominant egg-producing corporations, the DOJ has the legal authority to take the deep dive into the industry that is required to get to the bottom of this abuse, and they have the power to bring justice on behalf of the American people."

The egg industry has consolidated over the decades, with Cal-Maine Foods emerging as the largest U.S. egg producer and is one of the few publicly traded companies, having acquired other brands. It has reported rising profits from the rise in egg prices, and its stock has gained about 50% over the past 12 months. The next four largest egg producers are privately held, so their financial data are not public.

Cal-Maine Foods reported in a recent Securities and Exchange Commission filing that the company's gross profits are up 342% through the second quarter of fiscal 2025 versus the previous fiscal year.

During the last spike in bird flu from 2022 to 2023, the company also reported more than tripling its gross profit compared to the prior year. In the company's 2024 annual report, Cal-Maine Foods partially attributed its $3.1 billion in sales and $1.2 billion in profit to the "significantly higher average egg selling prices."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"The increases primarily resulted from significantly higher average egg selling prices, primarily due to the reduction in egg supply caused by HPAI and higher grain and other input costs, as some of our egg sales prices are based on formulas related to our costs of production," the company disclosed.

However, in 2023, Cal-Maine lost a jury trial and had to pay millions over a price-fixing scheme. Cal-Maine Foods could not be reached for comment.

PHOTO: Eggs are for sale at a grocery store in Lyndhurst, New Jersey, on Feb. 4, 2025. (Ted Shaffrey/AP, FILE)

MORE: Video USDA: Egg prices could increase 41% this year

Even as consumers begin to see the wholesale price of eggs decline, Karyn Rispoli, managing editor of Expana, a firm that surveys and tracks the price of eggs, told ABC News that grocery shoppers may not see that decline reflected in the retail price of eggs as companies and retailers try to recoup some of their losses from the bird flu.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"In the aftermath of [the 2022 outbreak], as the market corrected and came down substantially, retailers were then holding shelf prices higher to try and recapture some of the margin that they had previously forfeited," she said.

Warren wrote in a letter to Trump in January that "egg producers and grocery stores may leverage the current avian flu outbreak as an opportunity to further constrain supply or hike up egg prices to increase profits.

"The country's largest egg producer Cal-Maine reported a significant jump in gross profits between the first and second quarters of fiscal year 2025 while hiking the price of eggs," she added.

"Cal-Maine's CEO acknowledged that the company's higher-than-estimated net income for Q2 'reflect[s] higher market prices, which have continued to rise this fiscal year as supply levels of shell eggs have been restricted.' Translation: the egg company and its shareholders are making higher profits while Americans shell out more for grocery staples," Warren wrote.

-ABC News' Luke Barr, Peter Charalambous and Michael Pappano contributed to this report.

DOJ investigating major egg producers amid soaring prices: Sources originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
STILLWATER, Okla (KFOR)  New details are being released on an audit at the Oklahoma State University.

As reported by NonDoc, an internal audit revealed $41 million in funds from the legislature to OSUs Medical Authority were not handled properly from July 2022 to January 2025.

Dollars were spent and not for the restricted funds that they were designed for, said Jennifer Callahan, member of the OSU/A&M Board of Regents and chair of Governance Task Force.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Stain on the legal profession: 54 OU Law alumni ask Dean to fire Connie Smothermon

On Friday, Callahan explained the timeline leading up to the audit and says it started with a tip from an OSU employee about how funds at the Innovation Foundation were being used.

Callahan says she was asked to be on the Board of the Innovation Foundation, but never officially attended a meeting because of concerns over its governance structure and failure to comply with the open meetings act.



In January, she made the motion to freeze funding for the Innovation Foundation.

The audit revealed that over $11 million was transferred to the foundation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Innovation Foundation only generated 2 percent of its revenue independently, 95 percent was derived from taxpayer funds. The financial stability of the Innovation Foundation was increasingly unstable and to not have acted as we did in January, more funds could have been diverted had it not been stopped, said Callahan.

In a statement to the Tulsa World, Dr. Shrum defended the transactions, I am not a lawyer, and I relied upon the same legal advice that the Board of Regents were given.

Shrum insists that no money is missing and that no laws were broken and that the funds were only used on education and research.

Regent Callahan addressed that claim.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Youd probably have to see what was actually communicated to the regents before you decide responsibility, said Callahan.

She also confirmed that the audit states $1 million was used for salaries within the Innovation Foundation.

Callahan says the Innovation Foundation is working to reimburse the money.

The audit says state law was broken and OSU could be put at financial risk.

I dont think it should affect funding this year because, you know, wed hate to make a decision based on half the facts. We dont know all the facts yet, so are we concerned? Yes, said Sen. Lonnie Paxton, (R-Tuttle).

Callahan also announced today that a new CFO has been hired to help with transparency.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She also hinted there is the possibility more reports might come out in the future.

Full statement from Dr. Shrum:

I have been asked to comment on news articles about the release of an internal audit performed on behalf of the Oklahoma State University Board of Regents. I only received a copy of this audit yesterday by reading a news article. Most importantly, there is absolutely no money missing. No state money has been taken. All of the money is still in OSU account and was spent on delivering education and research per the mission of the university. Second, as President of the University, I utilized the legal counsel of the board of regents. The transfer of funds from OSUMA to OSU was approved by the board of regents with input from legal counsel. The research institutes and structure of the Innovation Foundation was presented to the Board of Regents on multiple occasions and the regents have representation on the board of the Innovation Foundation. Third, I do not have any knowledge that any law were broken. To my knowledge, absolutely nothing was done that was wrong or inappropriate. My training is as a physician, I am not a lawyer, and I relied upon the same legal advice that the Board of Regents were given. Any inference that anything was done wrong, based on everything that I know during my tenure as President, is simply not accurate, Shrum said. As you may know, I am currently on a sabbatical and no longer the President. I am currently acting only as a mother, wife and grandmother of my new grandson. Dr. Kayse Shrum

The OSU/A&M Board of Regents has a responsibility to ensure the financial integrity and oversight of its member institutions and has procedures in place to fulfill that responsibility. The board and OSU administration are committed to transparency and to taking swift action that protects the universitys commitment to students. Regent Jennifer Callahan, Governance Review Task Force Chair

OSU remains focused on its land-grant mission to provide accessible education, conduct groundbreaking research, grow the states workforce, and deliver high-quality health care for Oklahomans. Newly appointed Interim President Dr. Jim Hess is taking swift action, along with the OSU/A&M Board of Regents, to address these matters. Dr. Hess has underscored that while the financial decisions and transactions which occurred are concerning, they were isolated and do not impact OSUs overall financial foundation, which remains the strongest among Oklahomas institutions of higher education. Lance Latham, OSU Chief Communications Officer OSU-State-Fund-Audit-Report-3-5-25Download







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 KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
American politics has become deeply erotic. Often, this manifests as love  as when Elon Musk recently tweeted, I love Trump, as much as a straight man can love another man. In his recent address to Congress, President Donald Trump said: People love our country again, it is very simple. He extolled the faith, love and spirit of the American people, who will never let anything happen to our beloved country.

To say that Trump is an erotic leader does not mean he is sexy. Rather, the point is that he provokes. Trump inflames the emotions  whether you love him or hate him. He is the kind of person about whom it is nearly impossible to remain indifferent. He arouses rather than enlightens.

Opinion

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The erotic element shows up in various ways. Fealty and devotion of the Muskian sort are obviously forms of love. Nepotism and cronyism are erotic ways of distributing power to faithful friends and family members. In such arrangements, it does not matter whether things are fair or reasonable, nor does it matter whether people are good. Rather, what matters is love and connection.

Trumps currency is making American politics a game of seduction and power  a spectacle driven by passion. Part of this is public performance. As Trump was berating Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy the other day, he said, This is going to be great television. The play of passion is enthralling and compelling: you cant look away.

In a comment on the Zelenskyy episode, Canadian novelist Stephen Marche suggested we are witnessing rule by performers, and what he calls histriocracy, the rule of the histrionic,  the melodramatic, theatrical or emotional. Indeed, Trump is a master of spectacles, and he knows how to keep us watching.

The erotic art of arousal can be useful in business and in politics. But it is quite different from a more sober-minded or rational approach to the world.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The distinction between the erotic and the rational is as old as Plato, who worried that unbridled eros (sexual love or desire) would destroy a good city, and that passion would undermine justice. He warned that when eros rules a city (or a soul), it is like being drunk or mad. The rule of the erotic leads to lawlessness, frenzy and tyranny. Plato hoped rationality could control the passions, but he knew that eros was a powerful force.

Sober-minded folks view political discourse as an earnest discussion of justice, virtue and truth. Rational politics is sincere, honest and moderate. In the Platonic government, careful thinkers would deliberate using logical arguments that rest upon a bedrock of first principles and unassailable truths

Passionate politics is different. It values histrionic performances that elicit emotional responses. Here, the participants seduce and cajole with the goal of achieving popular acclaim  which is, after all, a kind of love. The erotic approach rejects sedate sincerity in favor of impassioned public displays of power and affection. Erotic politics is more interested in glory than in goodness, and it encourages inspiring fantasy rather than dull deliberation.

Political eros is chaotic and unreasonable. Sometimes, it even becomes vulgar and obscene. The risk that passion will become excessive is part of what makes it exciting and fun. Thats why sober-minded rationalists dont understand its allure and worry that the excitement of eros will lead to dangerous excess.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

John Adams once warned about the overbearing popularity of great men. He said, Ambition is one of the more ungovernable passions of the human heart. The love of power is insatiable and uncontrollable.

Adams and the other Founding Fathers created a system of checks and balances to restrain the erotic element. Rationalists like Adams think that laws should rule, rather than love. They view passionate personalities as dangerous, and in need of restraint.

Eroticism sees such sober rationalism as boring and shallow. Typically, devoted lovers remain enamored of their charismatic champion  despite their flaws and lawlessness  and because of his passion. Indeed, those flaws may make this figure more beloved.

In erotic politics, people are wedded to the person of the leader, warts and all. This astounds sober-minded defenders of virtue and the rule of law. But in erotic politics, it makes perfect sense to remain devoted to the beloved, since love is love, no matter what.

Andrew Fiala is the interim department chair of Fresno State Universitys Department of Philosophy.
President Donald Trump announced Friday evening that Hamtramck Mayor Amer Ghalib will be his next ambassador to Kuwait.

Trump made the announcement on his Truth Social account, saying Ghalib had helped him win Michigan, which has the highest percentage of residents of Middle Eastern descent among states.

"I am pleased to announce that Amer Ghalib will be the next United States Ambassador to Kuwait," Trump said. "As the Mayor of the City of Hamtramck, Michigan, Amer worked hard to help us secure a Historic Victory in Michigan. ... I know he will make our Country proud in this new role. Congratulations Amer!"

Former President Donald Trump met with Hamtramck Mayor Amer Ghalib in Michigan on Sept. 17, 2024, before Trump's town hall in Flint, Michigan. Ghalib met last year in Hamtramck with Trump's former national security adviser, Michael Flynn.

Ghalib, 45, had endorsed Trump in September and the following month, Trump came to Hamtramck to rally with the mayor and other supporters in the Muslim community, part of his extensive outreach to Arab Americans in Michigan. Ghalib spoke at some other Trump rallies, including his last campaign rally in Michigan, where he said Trump "will protect our democracy." A Muslim immigrant from Yemen, Ghalib was elected in November 2021, becoming the first non-Polish mayor in the history of Hamtramck.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Last month, Ghalib said he was running for reelection as mayor, saying that Trump endorsed him. But Ghalib hinted he may be tapped for another role, telling the Free Press that Trump "supports me taking a dual role here and there."

Ghalib is an outspoken supporter of Palestinians and has said he disagreed with Trump's proposal to have people leave Gaza. He supported the city's moves to divest from Israel and rename a major street as Palestine Avenue.

More: Hamtramck mayor Amer Ghalib announces reelection campaign, says Trump supports him

But he supports the GOP's positions on social issues, praising Trump for eliminating a third gender option and removing LGBTQ+ Pride flags from State Department buildings, saying that Hamtramck was a pioneer in doing that. Hamtramck city council voted in 2023 to remove Pride flags and other political and social flags from government buildings after contentious debates.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In his statement, Trump noted Ghalib's education, writing: "Amer earned his M.D. from the Ross University School of Medicine, and continues to serve his community as a proud healthcare professional."

Hamtramck mayor Amer Ghalib speaks during a ceremony for the renaming of Holbrook Street in Hamtramck to Palestine Avenue on Thursday, March 7, 2024, at the corner of Holbrook Street and Gallagher Avenue. The city council voted in December to approve the change. It is the first time in Michigan history a street has been renamed in support of Palestinians.

In 2021, a spokeswoman for the parent company of Ross University said Ghalib did not receive a degree from Ross University School of Medicine. It's unclear if Ghalib has since earned a medical degree from the university. Messages left with officials at the university were not immediately returned Friday. Ghalib did not return a voicemail seeking comment.

Nominations for ambassador require Senate confirmation. If he is confirmed and leaves Hamtramck, the next mayor of the city would be Hamtramck Mayor Pro Tem Khalil Refai. The city council voted in January for Refai to replace Councilman Abu Musa as mayor pro tem.

More: LGBTQ and faith communities struggle for unity in Dearborn, Hamtramck

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Before he ran for mayor, Ghalib was active in issues related to Yemen, which has been mired in a civil war for years. He is part of the Sunni community and often meets with mosque leaders for community outreach. Sunni Islam is the dominant religion in Kuwait and among its rulers. Ghalib once reportedly referred to Saddam Hussein, who invaded Kuwait in 1990, as a martyr, according to the conservative Middle East Forum. The U.S. and its allies invaded Iraq the following year to free Kuwait from Hussein's rule.

Hamtramck has the highest percentage of immigrants among all cities in Michigan, many of them with roots in Yemen and Bangladesh. Ghalib has been courted by Republican leaders in Michigan as well, with State House Speaker Matt Hall and 2022 gubernatorial GOP nominee Tudor Dixon recently meeting with him.

Trump's pick of Ghalib was praised by Hassan Aoun, a Republican activist in Dearborn, who called Ghalib "a dedicated public servant and a strong leader, always prioritizing his community. His leadership in Hamtramck has been inspiring."

Contact Niraj Warikoo: nwarikoo@freepress.com

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Donald Trump picks Hamtramck Mayor Amer Ghalib for Kuwait ambassador
LUFKIN, Texas (KETK)  The Family Crisis Center of East Texas is hosting a food drive until March 31 to benefit the survivors of domestic violence abusers and their families.

Concern, fear and alarm: East Texas nonprofits worried about federal fund freeze

The agency provides support for women, men and children who need crisis intervention to prevent family violence and sexual assault through education and community awareness.

Photo courtesy of the Family Crisis Center of East Texas.

The deadline for food items to be dropped off is March 31 at any outreach office between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Highly requested foods include:

Pastas

Snack foods

Cookies

Trail mix

Muffins

Tomato products

Chili

Sloppy Joe mix

Canned Peas

Canned Beans

Tuna

Canned chicken

Syrup

Peanut butter

Kool-Aid

Plastic food storage

Womens History Month: How The Apple Gal went from small kitchen to big success

Safehouses found in different locations of East Texas will act as drop-off locations for the food drive. The various safehouses contribute three meals a day and snacks to an average of 30 people daily and the contributions keep their plates full year-round.

The agency services the following counties. Each is open for 24 hours:

Houston County

Nacogdoches County

Polk County

Sabine County

San Augustine County

San Jacinto County

Shelby County

Trinity County

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The organization has an Amazon Wishlist. Donated items will be sent right to 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 KETK.com | FOX51.com.
JOPLIN, Mo.  The Joplin Chamber of Commerce is launching a new legislative update series.

You know, the ability now, for very little money to purchase an app or a program where you can create an image of someone that looks just like them, sounds just like them, saying whatever, and they didnt really say that, said Mo. Rep. Ben Baker, (R).

Artificial intelligence and the challenges it represents are top of mind for Missouri state Rep. Ben Baker.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Hes helping to kick off a new legislative update series in Joplin called Donuts and Delegates.

I think were already behind, but if we dont keep up with it legislatively, its going to be theres going to be a lot of repercussions of that, I think, in a negative way. So I think its something that were going to have to really be on top of as a legislature, said Baker.

Baker and state Representative Lane Roberts spoke about everything from government efficiency and taxing broadband grants to changes in state spending vs federal funding.

Theres so much happening at the federal level right now, and the consequences as such, might be good or bad. We just dont know yet. Itll probably be next year before we start to feel the impacts of those budget decisions, said Mo. Rep. Lane Roberts, (R).

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He adds that they are trying to ease some of the unique workplace challenges that have developed in just the last few years.

Life has changed in our country, particularly since COVID and the ability of people to work, the access to child care that facilitates their ability to work has been impacted by all that. So I think were interested in doing things to make sure that we get as many barriers out of the way as we can, said Roberts.

The Donuts and Delegates series replaces the single Eggs and Issues event the Joplin Chamber has hosted in the past.

They will hold three more sessions featuring other lawmakers in the next few weeks.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com.
GENEVA COUNTY, Ala. (WDHN)  A driver was seriously injured in a crash on Saturday morning in Geneva County.

Officials say the crash happened at around 2:35 a.m. when a driver drove into a tree and got trapped inside the vehicle.

The crash happened in the 300 block of W. Reeves Street in Malvern.

Photo of crash (Courtesy: City of Slocomb Fire-Rescue)

Officials say they were able to get the driver out of the vehicle safely and transport the driver to a local hospital. The driver is in serious condition.

Photo of first responders on the scene (Courtesy: City of Slocomb Fire-Rescue)

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency is in charge of the investigation

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDHN - wdhn.com.
The Russian authorities have reported that drones have attacked an oil refinery in Leningrad Oblast.

Source: BBC News Russian; Leningrad Oblast Governor Alexander Drozdenko

Quote from Drozdenko: "A UAV attack on Kirishi Refinery in the Kirishi district was repelled. Air defence downed one drone on approach, while another was destroyed over the facility's territory."

Details: Drozdenko stated that debris had damaged the external structure of one of the facility's storage tanks, but "the consequences have been dealt with".

Kirishi Oil Refinery is an oil refinery located in the town of Kirishi in Leningrad Oblast.

It had already come under a drone attack a year ago.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Drones have reportedly struck the town of Starodub in Russia's Bryansk Oblast in an overnight attack on March 7.

Starodub is located about 169 kilometers (105 miles) from the regional capital of Bryansk and about 32 kilometers (20 miles) from the border with Ukraine.

Six drones attacked the industrial facility in Starodub, according to local governor Alexander Bogomaz. A military food ration factory was targeted in the overnight attack, local officials claimed.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ukraine's "Peklo" drones hit the factory, local media reported.

Seven explosions were heard and a fire broke out in the military factory following the strikes, locals claimed.

"A production facility is on fire on the territory of one of the processing plants. Residents have been evacuated from the nearest houses to ensure safety," Bogomaz said.

Ukraine regularly strikes military targets on Russian territory in an effort to reduce Russia's fighting power in its war against Ukraine.

Read also: We will adapt  Ukraines soldiers say after US intel cut

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Drones of Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) attacked an oil refinery in Russias Leningrad Oblast on the night of 7-8 March.

Source: Ukrainska Pravda source in DIU

Details: According to the source, a group of UAVs attacked the Kirishnefteorgsintez company in the Kirishi district of Leningrad Oblast.

Local news outlets reported that the explosions at the facility occurred at around 06:00. The attack reportedly damaged at least one of the company's tanks. The information about the attack was confirmed by the so-called governor of the region.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to the source, Kirishnefteorgsintez is a significant company in the Kremlin's oil refining industry and is involved in supplying Russian occupation forces.

Quote: "Despite everything, Defence Intelligence of Ukraine continues to destroy the aggressor's hydrocarbon industry, depriving the Russian military machine of its vital system."

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson is in Sioux Falls and spent part of his day touring the local Veterans Community Project of Sioux Falls village.

These tiny homes designed for veterans looking to get back on their feet are still fairly new to the community, but have already made an impact.

Time warp: What was happening when KELOLANDs Captain 11 debuted in 1955

We have six residents right now. We have three more in the queue that were about to house, and then weve got five more that should be done in the next few months that we can house five more veterans, Veterans Community Project of Sioux Falls executive director, John Holter said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On Friday Johnson went to see what resources veterans in the program are given upon arrival.

Im just blown away. I mean, this is a place where these veterans are going to be able to heal. Theyre going to be able to stabilize, and theyre going to be able to get a plan for how to move toward permanent housing, Johnson said.

During his visit they discussed how important community support is, in addition to the physical supplies like food and a kitchen.

When youve got somebody who has served their country, its sometimes traumatized because of their service to our country, helping them get back to where they need to be. Thats not easy. Thats a journey, Johnson said. And its going to require the VA. It is going to require, community resources. Its going to require incredibly generous donors and volunteers that have made something like this happen. Thats how were going to do right by these folks.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Holter says the organization does not receive streamline government funds.

Making donations and volunteer work the main force behind continuing its mission.

Almost all the work here gets done by volunteers, and we line up several volunteer days a week. And if you contact us, you can do everything from frame a house, to write thank you notes to almost anything in between, Holter said.

The organization looks to have at least five more tiny homes built and ready to go by this time next 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 KELOLAND.com.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP)  Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears is used to facing formidable obstacles in her political campaigns, and her bid to be Virginias next governor is no exception.

The Jamaican immigrant, Marine veteran and devout Christian will first need to win the Republican primary in June at a time when her party has been taken over by President Donald Trump and his Make America Great Again movement. Then Earle-Sears will have to woo moderate and independent voters in the November general election as Democrats look to tie her to Trump's overhaul of the federal government, an effort that has many Virginians worried about their future.

The shifting landscape in Washington is already impacting some voters in the densely populated counties of northern Virginia, where if you don't work for the government, you probably know someone who does. But Earle-Sears, who has long defied conventional wisdom on what it means to be a conservative in Virginia, says she is up to the test.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Life is a fight, she said in a recent interview, and we shouldn't be surprised by a fight.

Still, this fight has grown more complex.

Before February, Earle-Sears was in line to face one potential GOP challenger, an outsider who had only raised $126 for his campaign, compared with more than $2 million for the lieutenant governor. Then Dave LaRock, a former state delegate, announced he would run, pledging to cull state government through a Virginia Department of Government Efficiency that mirrors Elon Musk's DOGE in the Trump administration.

Soon ex-state Sen. Amanda Chase joined the race. At this point, however, it is unclear whether LaRock or Chase will gather enough signatures to qualify for the primary ballot by next months deadline.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

With the Republican president staying quiet so far about his preferred candidate, Chase quickly reminded voters that Earle-Sears has kept her distance from Trump and his political movement in the past.

Our current announced Republican nominee is a Never Trumper who has really never come out and embraced our President, President Donald J. Trump, Chase wrote in her campaign announcement.

In case that wasn't clear enough, she later added: We want a Trump candidate for governor."

The Earle-Sears campaign doesnt seem worried: Challengers can enter the race, but the outcome will be the same  victory, her campaign said in a statement.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Recent history may not favor Virginia Republicans this election season. Every time a new president has been elected since 1977, the following year Virginia has voted in a governor from the opposite party.

Trump, who is praised by Earle-Sears' rivals, has never carried Virginia in his three presidential campaigns. Virginia Democrats have begun tapping into voters demonstrated antipathy toward the president and are criticizing the lieutenant governor for defending Trump's spending cuts, arguing she and other Republicans support the White Houses unilateral sweeping away of federal jobs.

But Earle-Sears is promoting herself as a politician who has overcome obstacles that some said were insurmountable.

As a Black Republican, she said, she defies misconceptions about who should belong to what party. And while Virginia's 400-year history might cast doubt on the prospect of a Black woman holding statewide office, Earle-Sears broke that barrier.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Taped to the wall of her office, Earle-Sears had written out Biblical verses next to reminders of such determination: Come and do the impossible, Winsome. Come and endure the impossible, Winsome. Come and believe the impossible, Winsome. Lining the walls of her office suite are framed photos of the first African American members elected to the Virginia General Assembly during Reconstruction and of Coretta Scott King.

In some cases, the lieutenant governors unvarnished attitude toward politics has led her to unexpected victories. That happened, for example, when she ousted a 10-term Democrat in the House of Delegates at the outset of her political career. Earle-Sears had spent just half the amount of money in the left-leaning district. In 2021, nearly two decades after she last held political office, Earle-Sears became the first Black woman elected statewide.

She's had setbacks, too. She was handily defeated by U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott, a Democrat, in a 2004 race for Congress. When she ran for the U.S. Senate in 2018 as a write-in candidate, she got less than 1% of the vote.

Its definitely the case that being a Black woman makes you a double minority, and being a Black Republican woman would make you a triple minority, said Ernest McGowen, a political science professor at the University of Richmond. He added: "You may be able to bring a kind of life experience that maybe some in the party have not had. But you also have to confront some of the misconceptions and deep-seated notions that some members of your party may have.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Virginia is one of two states picking a new governor this year and is also one of the top states for federal jobs. Trumps agenda will undoubtedly play a role in voter attitudes as he continues to winnow and entirely eliminate agencies. Roughly 300 federal workers and 100 government contractors already applied for unemployment during the first three weeks of February in Virginia, according to the state's labor secretary, George Bryan Slater, and those numbers are expected to grow.

Still, there are some divides in the Virginia Republican Party over loyalties to Trump.

LaRock joined the Stop the Steal rally near the White House on Jan. 6, 2021, though he has said he did not participate in the violence at the Capitol on that day. Chase, who has described herself as Trump in heels, was censured by the state Senate in 2021 after she seemed to voice support for people who had rioted in the nation's capital on Jan. 6.

Earle-Sears had not cozied up to Trump in recent years.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In 2020, she co-chaired a group called Black Americans to Re-elect President Trump. But after the 2022 midterms, she said Trump was a liability and suggested it was time for the party to move on. In her 2023 memoir, Earle-Sears commended Trump's policies during his first term, but she said, "For the good of the nation, I do not think he should run again in 2024. Last August, she said she would vote for him, according to Lynchburg's News and Advance.

Trump has criticized Earle-Sears, posting on Truth Social, his social media platform, in 2022: Never felt good about Winsome Sears. Always thought she was a phony. Now I find out she is.

Earle-Sears says she is undeterred.

Im a Christian, and so thats where I go to for guidance," she said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

___

Olivia Diaz is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
East Lyme  The Zoning Commission has scheduled a March 20 public hearing on a 400-unit senior living complex and medical facility being proposed for Niantic.

The scale of the project has raised concerns among some residents concerned about overdevelopment.

If approved, the project would redevelop land on Dodge Pond, developer and architect Eric Pelletier said Thursday.

Approval requires an amendment to town zoning regulations, creating what the town calls a floating special use district" to allow development of elderly housing, medical and assisted living facilities on Pennsylvania Avenue and Dodge Pond.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"I'm excited for it," Pelletier said of the hearing. "We've been working on this for quite some time."

Pelletier said he plans to build 144 condominiums, 72 apartments, a 150-bed assisted living facility and 32 "family lodging" pre-furnished apartments on the 38-acre site, which is now occupied by about three houses and a barn belonging to the Trakas family. The number of units has been reduced from a year ago, when they totaled about 450.

Pelletier said the units will have a view of Dodge Pond, which is on the same land as the proposed complex. It's across the street from the Oswegatchie Hills Nature Preserve. He said he developed the plan with the local environment in mind.

At a Zoning Commission meeting last spring, project attorney William Sweeney said the site will drain into Dodge Pond, adding work would be done to drain more into Little Dodge Pond.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Greg Decker, stewardship director for the Friends of Oswegatchie Hills Nature Preserve and certified master wildlife conservationist, speaking as a resident of East Lyme, lives between the preserve and the parcel proposed for development. He said his property acts as a land corridor for wildlife, and he frequently sees animals enter the Dodge Pond parcel.

Decker mentioned the delayed Oswegatchie Hills housing development project off Calkins Road, saying that development and the Dodge Pond project mean local wildlife is under increasing pressure.

"I'm very concerned about the effect on wildlife, Decker said Friday.

Commissioner Norman Peck has said in the past that he expects public opposition to the project, pointing to a survey where residents said they feel the town is overdeveloped. Pelletier said Thursday public reaction has been largely positive.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Pelletier said there was a delay in filing the zoning application because he was dealing with medical issues.

Pelletier said the community benefits because the project fills a need for more senior housing while nearby properties can connect to the sewer line the site will need, built at his expense.

The on-site medical facility, while largely for residents of the property, will have outpatient care open to the public, Pelletier said. He added a shuttle service will bring residents to downtown Niantic, potentially benefitting the village's businesses.

The March 20 hearing is the first for the text amendment. After this step, Pelletier said, he will need Inland Wetlands Agency approval. He said he expects the permitting process to take another 12 months or so.

j.lakowsky@theday.com
The City of East Moline will hold its State of the City Address on Thursday, March 27 at the Bend Event Center from 12 to 1:30 p.m. Doors open at 11:30 a.m.

It will be held in conjunction with the East Moline  Silvis Rotary Clubs weekly meeting.

Mayor Reggie Freeman will bring together government officials, business owners, civic leaders and residents to reflect on the accomplishments from 2024 and to preview plans for East Moline for the current year.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The event is $25 per person and includes a menu of glazed grilled chicken breast, mashed potatoes, and corn with salad and a roll. If you need menu accommodations, contact East Moline.

You may pay in advance with credit card (309-752-1599), request an invoice, or pay at the door with cash/check. RSVP by March 24 to emsecretary@eastmoline.com or 309-752-1599.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI)  Spreading a little kindness can go a long way.

Thats why an East Providence couple has made it their mission to care for those who are down on their luck.

Carl and Maureen Sweeney launched their Hope & Faith Drive out of their home back in 2011.

It started with their granddaughter, who was 11 years old at the time. The Sweeneys wanted to teach their granddaughter the importance of giving back.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We sat down and came up with an idea  hope that everybody would get food, and faith that it would happen, Carl said. It just took off from there.

Though the Hope & Faith Drive started with providing food and meals to families in need, it has since branched out to to include clothes and toys, as well as sentimental gifts like prayer blankets and kindness envelopes, which contain uplifting letters.

The Sweeneys regularly team up with schools, senior centers, businesses and civic organizations to ensure that no one goes without.

12 News was there as Silver Spring Elementary School students assembled lunches for those staying at the Emmanuel House, a homeless shelter in Providence.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Each bag has a personal note and message written on it, Carl said. Not only do they have food for that night, but can also see what the kids wrote on [their bags].

Madeline Alexander, a fifth-grader at Silver Spring, told 12 News she loves giving back and was thrilled to be a part of the process.

I enjoy this because were helping people who need things that they dont have, Alexander said. They dont have the basic necessities that other people do.

Zachary Sousa echoed that sentiment.

It means a lot to me, the fourth-grader said. I really like helping other people and it just warms my heart.

For Carl, its heartbreaking to see others struggling to provide food and clothes for themselves and their families.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I got a picture sent to me once of a kid that had sneakers that were duct-taped together, he recalled. That alone will give you the goosebumps.

He will never forget the day he delivered food to three young children.

I had tears in my eyes, Carl said. We were going home to have whatever we wanted to eat, and they were all excited. They couldnt thank us enough.

That inspired me to do more, he added.

When asked what inspires her, Maureens answer was simple.

To try and be kind, she said. When I wake up, I want to do one thing thats kind for somebody and not expect anything in return.

Maureen described the Hope & Faith Drive as her purpose in life.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I just want to make a difference and show that Im on this earth for a reason, she said.

Carl added that he plans on giving back for as long as he possibly can.

People say to me, When do you find time to rest?' he said. I say, Ill rest when Im in the box. Theres a lot of work to be done.

Anyone interested in donating to the Hope & Faith Drive can do so by emailing the Sweeneys or messaging them on 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:

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Close

Thanks for signing up!

Watch for us in your inbox.

Subscribe Now

This Week in Good 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.
EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI)  East Providence Police Chief Christopher Francesconi and Deputy Chief Barry Ramer have both decided to retire.

Francesconis last day will be in the first week of April, the city announced Friday. Ramer doesnt have a specific date yet, but is retiring in the near future, the city added.

It has been an absolute privilege to serve this truly special community for the past 25 years, Francesconi said. The city of East Providence welcomed me as a young police officer and a new resident.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Francesconi began his role as chief after he was appointed by Mayor Bob DaSilva in 2021. He started as a patrol officer in 2000 and before becoming chief served as a sergeant, lieutenant, captain and deputy chief.

Ramer, who has been with the department since 1993, was appointed to his current position by DaSilva in 2021. Before becoming deputy chief, Ramer was a patrol captain, detective sergeant and patrol sergeant.

After more than 31 years of service, I reflect on my time here with immense gratitude and pride, Ramer said. As a graduate of East Providence High School and a former resident for over 35 years, it has been a true honor to serve and protect this incredible community.

DaSilva said that a search for replacements is underway and he hopes to fill the positions as soon as possible.

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.
EASTHAMPTON, Mass. (WWLP)  Families in Easthampton headed to their local fire department to get their cars inspected, regarding their car seats.

Many wanted to double check how their car seats were placed inside their cars.

All to make sure they were properly installed.

Those interested can find a Car Seat Inspection Site near them here.

Even during small trips, its important to have car seats installed the right way and make sure everything works well. Unfortunately, we know thats not always the case, says Mandi Summers, Coordinator of Massachusetts Child Passenger Safety Program.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Saturday, the Northampton Police Department is expected to host a similar event from 9 am to Noon.

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.
This week we learnt that a Ghanaian woman won the right to remain in Britain as the wife of an EU national  even though neither she nor her husband were present at the wedding, held in Ghana. Elizabeth Owusu married Tamba Dumbar Matrui by proxy just 12 days before the UK left the European Union.

The marriage wasnt legally registered until four months later, which led a lower tier tribunal to rule that she was not entitled to stay.

That decision was then overturned by an upper tier tribunal, which ruled that the proxy marriage was recognised in law and that registration at the same time as the marriage ceremony wasnt mandatory.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This is only the latest strange immigration ruling exposed by The Telegraph in recent weeks, which have raised questions about how Britains immigration tribunals work  or dont work.

The modern system of immigration tribunals began in 1969, when adjudicators were set up to hear immigration appeals. This was turned into a two tier tribunal in 2010.

The lower tier handles initial appeals, while the upper tier deals with appeals on points of law relating to the lower tribunal and also judicial reviews. It only costs 169 to apply and 847 for the final hearing.

In many cases, such as an unmarried couple from El Salvador who claimed they couldnt be sent home because of the danger of local gangs, applicants are successful on human rights grounds.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In that case, Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), on the right to family life, enabled the girlfriend to remain even though she cant speak English and isnt self-sufficient.

The judge ruled that the couples desire to stay together outweighed the public interest in immigration control. Human rights law is especially important in the UK because the Human Rights Act (1998) incorporated the ECHR rights into domestic law, so going to the court in Strasbourg isnt necessary.

Sometimes tribunals even impinge on Parliamentary sovereignty, such as the upper tier ruling that allowed a Gazan family of six to join their brother in Britain, even though they were not eligible for any refugee scheme or visa, allowing them to leapfrog the usual rules on entry to the UK.

That creates a precedent that anyone overseas who is in danger but has family in Britain could seek to come here, whether they are eligible or not.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Although there are cases where the tribunals self-correct, such as the upper tier tribunal that ruled that a lower tier tribunal was wrong that an Iraqi drug dealer was too Westernised to be deported, these are all too often the exception. That has led to calls to either curb the tribunals or to rule out judicial review in deportation cases altogether.

The problem with that, is that doing so would in many cases be ruled as infringing the human rights of those who want to appeal. The ECHR does allow for rights to be derogated in some scenarios, such as national security.

However, when the Blair government tried to do that on counter-terrorism powers, the derogation was ruled against. It seems unlikely that judges would be any more amenable when it comes to immigration.

To curb the excesses of the tribunal system and regain control of our borders, it will require leaving the ECHR and repealing the Human Rights Act. Much like the European Union, it is impossible to reform these from the inside.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Therefore, we need to regain our sovereignty and return to Parliament as the source of the law, which will in turn allow for the effective reform of the immigration tribunal system and an immigration system which works for Britain.

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.
(Bloomberg) -- Edison Internationals Southern California utility has 465 miles of unused power lines like the one accused of sparking Januarys deadly Eaton Fire and is now weighing whether some should be removed, the parent companys CEO said.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Lawyers suing the company allege that an idle line taken out of service in 1971 briefly became re-energized on Jan. 7, creating an electric arc that sparked the blaze. Edison Chief Executive Officer Pedro Pizarro said the company often keeps such idle lines in place, rather than taking them down, in case that route for electricity is needed again. Removing the equipment could cause some of the property easements for those power lines to lapse, he said.

They give us optionality, Pizarro said Friday during an interview at Bloombergs Los Angeles bureau. Were the kind of company that has to think in decades.

More than half of the idle lines  about 250 miles  run through areas at high risk of wildfires, he said. All are regularly inspected and maintained, he said. Edison is now evaluating whether some should go, although Pizarro said I think it is unlikely that wed take them all down.

Utilities across the US West face mounting scrutiny over devastating fires that have sparked near their power lines. In just the past few years, electric providers from Hawaii to Texas have been blamed for igniting blazes that caused billions of dollars in damages. Its a major risk that will persist in a warming world thats contributing to devastating droughts.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Dozens of lawsuits allege Edisons equipment started the Eaton Fire, which tore through the middle-class community of Altadena and killed 17 people. On Wednesday, Los Angeles County and two cities sued the company to recoup damages from the blaze. State fire officials, however, have not yet announced a cause for the fire, and their investigation could take months to complete.

LA Fire Victims Are Suing Utilities. Whats at Stake?: QuickTake

If its found to have caused the Eaton Fire, Edison may face billions of dollars of liability exposure. The company is eligible to tap a $21 billion, state-created insurance fund to help utilities avoid bankruptcy. As the lawsuits against Edison mount, however, investors increasingly worry the fund will be depleted.

Pizarro said Friday that utility customers should contribute more money to the fund, with shareholders on the hook if the company is found to be imprudent, echoing a position already taken by the CEO of Californias largest electricity supplier, PG&E Corp. The fund was established in wake of PG&Es 2019 bankruptcy, with half of the money coming from utility shareholders and half from customers.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Even if the initial spark for the Eaton Fire came from Edisons power line, other factors  including high winds and home construction in a high-risk area  contributed to the devastation, Pizarro said.

Theres just so many things that come together to create a catastrophe, and utility shareholders cannot finance all of that risk for society, he said. The spark alone did not create the catastrophe.

--With assistance from Brian Eckhouse and Maxwell Adler.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2025 Bloomberg L.P.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  A Tennessee bill that would increase physical activity requirements for elementary students aims to have a positive impact on children, but some educators are worried about how theyd implement the proposed changes.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Scott Cepicky (R-Culleoka) and Sen. Joey Hensley (R-Hohenwald) would increase the recess requirement for elementary students from the current 15 minutes per day and 130 minutes per week, to 40 minutes per day.

In addition, the proposed legislation would require middle and high school students to receive 90 minutes of physical activity, or unstructured play outside per week, not including their traditional physical education courses.

 Have breaking news come to you: Subscribe to News 2 email alerts 

The studies that are there that I have show unequivocally that more recess time leads to better socialization of our students, less distractions in the classroom, less disciplinary actions, better teacher satisfaction, and lastly, what were all looking for is better academic success of our students, Rep. Cepicky said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

While that may be true, JC Bowman, executive director and CEO of Professional Educators of Tennessee, told News 2 some educators are worried there isnt enough space at the school or time in the day to implement the increased physical activity the bill would require.

Theyre not going to be able to balance this, Bowman said. Theyre going to have to take some things away, and I dont know what those things would be.

Bowman suggested reducing some of the state-mandated testing requirements, which another bill in the legislature would do, to make time for more recess.

Read the latest from the TN State Capitol Newsroom

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Some educators are also worried how they would manage required recess time at middle and high schools.

Theyre going, Who is going to supervise these kids, and where are they going to go? Are they all going to be walking the halls? We only have one gymnasium, so its going to be difficult to implement, Bowman said.

Bowman believes high school students should receive course credit for the increased physical activity requirement, and he hopes lawmakers consider eliminating some of the states testing requirements to make time for more recess.

Bowman believes students need more physical activity, but he worries the bill will cause problems if it passes in its current state.

 Read todays top stories on wkrn.com

Its going to be a challenge, and I think the logistical side of this was not considered by legislators, Bowman said. Well be back next year to hear the complaints, and were going to hear parents file complaints. I predict well see a lot of school districts ask for waivers on meeting this requirement.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The bill will be debated in the House Education Committee Tuesday. The Senate version will go to the floor 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 WKRN News 2.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE)  Hes a star of the ABQ BioPark, having lived there for decades.

Now, Albert the Asian elephant has a new lease on life, after a lengthy treatment for tuberculosis. I think theres been a little more pep in his steps, so to speak, shared curator of elephants and primates Amber Alink.

Story continues below

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

At 26 years old and 10,000 pounds, Albert the bull elephant is officially free of tuberculosis nearly two years after starting treatment inside the BioPark. So fortunately we never saw any clinical symptoms of illness. We just detected it on the routine screening, continued Alink.

Albert was diagnosed in June 2022 by park staff who did a test during a routine trunk washing. TB is highly transmissible, and could have threatened the other elephants at the park. So it can be exhaled out from their lungs and thats how its spread, said Alink.

Following Alberts diagnosis, staff crafted a rigorous antibiotic treatment plan, So we treated with three different antibiotics that he received. Each treatment he was treated four to five times a week.

Park staff say an elephants large size and slow metabolism make the treatment process lengthy and uncomfortable. We wouldnt have been able to successfully treat Albert if we didnt have that deep bonding commitment with him and with our animal care team. The fact that our animals participate in their own health care is just a testament to the deep bond and care that our staff provide for him, expressed Alink.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Throughout his treatment, Albert showed no symptoms of illness, underscoring how important it was that caretakers caught it early. We witnessed that this morning with him being really active out on habitat today. You know, hes a joy to watch and I know that visitors really enjoy getting to see Albert specifically, concluded Alink.

The BioPark is continuing to monitor Albert for any signs of TB. No other elephants have tested positive for the disease.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Since Donald Trump took office, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has been on a mission to fight waste, fraud, and abuse in the government. DOGE also has an X account highlighting the actions it is taking to allegedly help taxpayers save money.

In late February, DOGE's X account sent out a message reporting it had ended a contract with a San Antonio non-profit called Family Endeavors, claiming that by having HHS terminate the contract, theyd saved taxpayers over $215 million per year.

Don't miss

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Endeavors, however, claims it was fulfilling its mandate, and that its contract was not an example of fraudulent spending. The non-profit issued a statement, saying that any claims of corruption or mismanagement are baseless.

So, what exactly happened, and what was the contact DOGE put an end to?

Nonprofit paid millions to operate empty facility

According to the DOGE post, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) was paying around $18 million per month to Endeavors to run a facility in Pecos, Texas, that was intended for use housing unaccompanied migrant children. However, at the time, the facility was sitting empty.

DOGE officials felt that paying millions per month for an unused shelter wasnt the best use of taxpayer money  especially as it noted the occupancy of national licensed facilities is now below 20%  so it ended the contract.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Endeavors, however, believes it was acting within the scope of its obligations and that the service it was providing was a valuable one that was in line with its obligations. In an interview with News 4 San Antonio, a source from Endeavors shared that the shelter had been occupied from March 2021 to March 2023, and again from September 2023 to February 2024, over which time it served 40,000 unaccompanied minors.

When the government stopped using the shelter in March 2024, Endeavors said funding was still needed to pay all the expenses associated with keeping the shelter ready to be used again at any time  like its lease, medical facilities, vaccine refrigeration and the hundreds of cameras required for security.

It also said federal officials were on site daily, and that the federal government decided which locations should be used as shelters for migrants and not the nonprofit itself.

Regardless, the contract has now come to an end so Endeavors work with the government on this issue is halted, at least for now, along with payments to the nonprofit.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Read more: Jamie Dimon issues a warning about the US stock market  says prices are 'kind of inflated.' Crashproof your portfolio with these 3 rock-solid strategies

Is there a conflict of interest?

The DOGE post on X didnt just focus on the emptiness of the facility. It also aimed to highlight the connections Endeavors had with the Biden administration in order to cast doubt on whether the contract was on the up-and-up in the first place.

The X post stated that, A former ICE employee and Biden transition team member joined Family Endeavors in early 2021 and helped secure a sole-source HHS contract for overflow housing from licensed care facilities. As a result, Family Endeavors cash and portfolio of investments grew from $8.3M in 2020 to $520.4M in 2023.

While this might seem like a conflict of interest, Endeavors statement indicated the nonprofit had been serving migrant families under contracts with the government since 2012 and that it was just one of 15 organizations contracting with the government in 2021 to try to help house migrants.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Our selection was based on our proven experience, capacity, and more than a decade of performance, the nonprofit stated.

Evidence of a connection with former government officials alone isn't, by itself, evidence of corruption or wrongdoing, so readers of DOGE and Endeavors statements can draw their own conclusions from the competing facts.

It's worth noting, though, that Musk's companies SpaceX and Tesla have been awarded $18 billion in federal contracts since 2015  although those contracts were largely awarded under the Biden administration. Still, some have questioned whether Musk himself may have a conflict of interest in determining what contracts will be cut as they believe it's unlikely his own companys contracts will be on the chopping block  unlike the contract with Endeavor.

What to read next

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
President Donald Trump makes his fifth visit to Palm Beach bringing along Elon Musk on Air Force One
EDITORS NOTE: The Independent Tribune planned to cover the debate in-person, but the reporter was told that the media would not be allowed to attend. Instead, the reporter watched a video recording of the debate, which was broadcast from the Cabarrus County Citizens Against Tax Hikes & For Government Transparency Facebook group.

In a tense and at times contentious Cabarrus County Republican Chairmans debate Thursday night, challenger Holly Edwards criticized incumbent Lanny Lancaster for his divisive leadership, while he accused her of seeking the position out of spite following her primary loss last year.

Lancaster also took some credit for House Bill 271, which sought to make municipal elections partisan.

The debate was held two weeks before 536 local delegates will attend the Cabarrus County Republican Convention on March 20 at the Cabarrus Arena & Events Center to elect the county leadership, which will guide the party over the next two years.

The back-and-forth discussions, held at the Republican headquarters in the space above the Cabarrus Creamery, were mostly civil, except for a few moments, especially when Edwards brought up her 2024 primary election and the yellow flyers that were distributed.

She filed an election protest after she narrowly lost the House District 73 Republican primary in March to Jonathan Almond. He defeated her by 586 votes.

Former N.C. Rep. Kevin Crutchfield filed a similar protest after he lost reelection to Brian Echevarria.

Edwards, former chair of the Cabarrus County Board of Education, claimed the Cabarrus County GOP leadership unfairly influenced the outcome of her race by encouraging voters to support candidates that were not endorsed by the Republican Party membership.

She alleged that yellow We the People flyers, which featured a sample ballot encouraging specific candidates, were heavily promoted by certain Republican candidates in the run-up to the primary election and distributed to people as they prepared to vote.

Both the Cabarrus County Board of Elections and the North Carolina State Board of Elections denied her protest appeal, though she received a letter from the North Carolina Republican Party, which acknowledged the issues she raised regarding alleged misconduct were of significant concern.

Edwards brought up the yellow flyers again during the debate, noting that Cabarrus GOP leadership should be neutral during the primaries and any sort of favoritism violates the local partys plan of organization.

This is about returning integrity back to the primary process, Edwards said. The yellow flyers have always been part of general elections, she added, not the primaries.

Lancaster, who has served as chair numerous times over the years, fought back against her accusations.

I dont have a clue what shes talking about, he said, noting that he never endorsed any candidates during the primary.

(Lancaster also told The Independent Tribune, shortly after Edwards filed her protest last year, that he never endorsed any candidates.)

Ive been doing this for 30 years. If you think Im dumb enough to endorse in the primary, the state would have been ringing my phone off the hook, Lancaster said, noting that he fully understands the rules.

Lancaster added that the Cabarrus County GOP had nothing to do with any handouts in the primary.

He then went a step further, and argued that Edwards running for the chair position had nothing to do with her wanting to lead the Cabarrus County Republican Party.

This has everything to do with the fact that she lost the primary, Lancaster said to raucous applause. She is mad that she lost the primary and she wants to take over the Republican Party.  That is not healthy for our organization.

When asked what makes a good party chair, Edwards used the opportunity to criticize Lancaster by saying that the ideal chairperson should be someone who instills confidence, encourages others and unifies the party, which is something that, in her view, Lancaster has not done.

We have a lot of people that do not feel that we are unified, Edwards said. I see a lot of hostility thats coming out that Im not sure what that really is all about.

Later in the debate, Edwards summed up the current state of the Cabarrus GOP leadership by saying: So divisive, so divisive, so divisive.

I dont know why we have to tear down, target, take off candidates and people that have represented this Republican Party far longer than some of the people that are in the audience, Edwards said.

Edwards is one of the co-founders of Cabarrus Republicans Unified-One CabCo, a new political organization created a few weeks ago that is committed to being a voice for all Republicans in the county.

Lancaster accused the slate of at-large members affiliated with Cabarrus Republicans Unified-One CabCo of having supported Democrats in the past.

If we vote in her slate, we have moved back 10 years, Lancaster said. We dont want to do that.

Wanting partisan municipal elections

Lancaster, when asked by the moderator where he stands on House Bill 271, which would make municipal elections partisan, revealed that he encouraged N.C. Rep. Brian Echevarria to craft such legislation.

Im the one that wanted it filed, Lancaster said about the bill, because in the chairman of the Republican Partys eyes, all elections are partisan.

The first thing I wanted him to do when he went to Raleigh was to make our elections in Cabarrus County partisan across the board, Lancaster added, noting elections for Cabarrus County Board of Education were recently made partisan.

Echevarria introduced HB 271 on Monday, but, after hearing from people who both supported and opposed it, he announced on Wednesday he was pulling the bill, suggesting the topic could potentially become a referendum for residents to vote on in the future.

Following a dominant November, when Republican candidates swept all the local races (including the first partisan school board race), Lancaster wondered why people would not want Republican leadership across the board, including, he noted, the mayor of Concord.

Edwards agreed that voters should be able to know the political positions of candidates running for office, but thought Echevarria should have secured more of a buy-in from the public before introducing the bill.

Going forward

Edwards spoke at length about finding ways to court unaffiliated voters, the largest voting block in the county.

She acknowledged that the Cabarrus GOP has not done a good enough job of broadening its appeal to the unaffiliated voters.

We have missed some opportunities to bring people that have the U to us and to listen to what we have to say to maybe get that U changed to an R, she said.

We cant grow our party inside our box, Edwards noted later in the debate.

In her closing remarks, she again highlighted the need for people to feel more included.

Weve got to have people that are going to be leading with integrity and making sure that everybody is supported, Edwards said.

Lancaster said he was confident in his approach as chair and the direction the party has been going.

The bottom line is, Im not going to change much of anything if Im elected chairman again, Lancaster said. Im going to do the exact same thing we just did. Im going to support Republicans, Im going to support good Republicans, and were going to win elections.
LONDON (AP)  Traffic around the Palace of Westminster in London came to a standstill for much of Saturday as emergency crews tried to reach a man who climbed the Big Ben tower holding a Palestinian flag.

Negotiators were lifted up on a fire brigade ladder platform several times before eventually talking him down. The barefoot man, who appeared to be staging a protest on a ledge several meters (yards) up Elizabeth Tower, which houses Big Ben, stepped off the building and onto a cherry picker after a long conversation with negotiators. He got into a waiting ambulance.

Officials said tours of the Houses of Parliament were canceled because of the incident.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Westminster Bridge and a nearby street were closed for much of the day and several emergency services vehicles were at the scene as crowds looked on. Police also blocked off all pedestrian access to Parliament Square.

The Metropolitan Police said earlier that officers received reports about the man around 7 a.m. Saturday and were working to bring the incident to a safe conclusion" alongside firefighters and ambulance services.

A small group of supporters shouted Free Palestine from behind a police cordon nearby.
Like other terms such as freedom or love, empathy is generally something of a hurrah word; people agree that, whatever it is, it is a very good thing. Recent decades have witnessed burgeoning literature on empathy. Simon Baron-Cohen, professor of developmental psychopathology at the University of Cambridge, suggested in 2001 that it was a panacea: any problem immersed in empathy becomes solvent. The Australian philosopher Roman Krznaric spoke in 2015 of an empathy revolution that has excited compassion for the humanitarian transformation of society, reforming institutions, extending rights, and deepening relationships. Perhaps most famously, Brene Brown, author of several New York Times bestselling books, has championed the power and importance of empathy in dealing with shame and feelings of inadequacy, in works such as I Thought It Was Just Me (But It Isnt).

Empathy is not an unchallenged good, however. Over the past few years there has been a growing movement opposing the privileged place the term enjoys in much Western psychology, ethics, and political thought. In his 2016 book, Against Empathy: The Case for Rational Compassion, psychology professor Paul Bloom questioned the supposed virtue, arguing that empathy dangerously distorts judgment and can even encourage cruelty toward those deemed to threaten its objects. Following the October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas, for example, many people angrily tore down posters of the Israeli hostages, while others expressed their indignance at footage and reporting of the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza: in war, empathy can be a zero-sum game, and as we respond in empathy to our favored side we can become calloused to suffering on the other.

The challenge to empathy has gained its greatest traction among critics of progressivism, who argue that empathy has been a tool of emotional manipulation by the left. Christian commentator Allie Beth Stuckeys Toxic Empathy: How Progressives Exploit Christian Compassion (2024) and Canadian professor Gad Saads forthcoming Suicidal Empathy both argue that empathy has produced and been used to advance bad policies on issues such as immigration. In his recent interview on the Joe Rogan Experience, Elon Musk declared that the fundamental weakness of Western civilization is empathy. Considering the value placed upon empathy by many liberals and progressives, the political salience of much of the current discussion should not be surprising.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Pastor and theology professor Joe Rigneys latest book, The Sin of Empathy: Compassion and Its Counterfeits, adds to this growing array of voices against empathy. The subject of empathyand the rhetorical framing of it as a sinhas been prominent in Rigneys writing for several years now, from his 2019 article The Enticing Sin of Empathy and his 2020 interview with Doug Wilson, The Sin of Empathy.

Rigney considers the term empathy in two senses: the first referring to the natural dynamic of emotion-sharing and the second to the excessive and overpowering form of this passion. The sin of empathy relates to the second of these senses; Rigney often refers to this as untethered empathy. An example of such untethered empathy might be the experience of watching a movie or reading a novel in which you find yourself profoundly connecting with a character, only to come to a sudden realization of how your absorption in their feelings and perspective has totally distorted your field of moral vision, blinding you to the objective character of their actions and the harmful effect they were having on other people. Writers of shows like Breaking Bad have wrestled with the way that many in their audience have identified with a villainous protagonist.

Rigney discusses appeals to empathy as forms of emotional manipulation in churches and in politics. The privileging of empathy allows people to hold groups hostage to their feelings, when people are unwilling to say or do anything that would offend or hurt them. Christians came to implicitly adopt the subject logic of victimhoodIm hurt, therefore, you sinnedand thereby succumbed to the tyranny of the sensitive, Rigney writes. As Christians and their leaders internalize high sensitivity to (claims of) hurt feelings, they allow themselves to be steered by appeals to empathy, with little reference to truth or the actual good. Indeed, Rigney claims that many conservative Christians operate as if they had a little progressive on their shoulder, constantly ensuring that everything they do is ordered around progressive sensitivities (which are weaponized for progressive ends). One could compare this to a situation in a family where one members thin skin or sharp temper causes all others to tiptoe around them, ordering everything they do around that members unreasonable sensitivities. If anyone were to stand up to that family member, the rest of the family might turn on them. Such empathy is a rigged game, Rigney argues, as it is very selective in its choice of objects and inexorably leads towards progressive ends.

Rigneys is, unlike those of Bloom or Friedman, a highly politicized account of empathy. He argues that the fetishization of empathy is the common denominator in the conflicts surrounding all things woke and that the success of wokeness can largely be traced back to the elevation of empathy over all other considerations. His account is also a very gendered account, for which much of wokeness is downstream of feminism. As most writers on the subject note, often favorably, empathy is generally much more pronounced among women. For example, Baron-Cohen, the Cambridge professor, wrote in 2003 that The female brain is predominantly hard-wired for empathy. The male brain is predominantly hard-wired for understanding and building systems.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Empathy has its limits and liabilities, many of which Rigney observes. This is especially the case when empathy is treated as the north star for justice, truth, goodness, and for the crafting of policy. However, Rigneys rhetorical handling of empathy as a sin, his focus upon feminism as the root problem, and his more dismissive posture to work such as Brownsmuch of which deals with the transformative potential for women of well-ordered emotional connectionresults in a position that, even against his declared intentions, tends to devalue womens ways of engaging while privileging mens.

In the vibe shift that we are supposedly living through, strong resistance to appeals to empathy have been emboldened (for instance, J.D. Vances viral I dont really care, Margaret response). However, with such responses have also come open celebrations of cruelty, callousness, gross insensitivity, and schadenfreude. For instance, one will certainly not arrive at a sane immigration policy with an overdependence upon the dictates of the instinct of empathy, yet taking delight in or wilfully hardening your heart to the distress of women and children being deported is perverse and spiritually destructive. Likewise, it is easy to countenance all sorts of evils (jokes about sexual abuse in prisons being one example of many) against persons or groups classed as criminals. Rigneys sin of empathy rhetoric has been taken up by several who argue that we should properly hate or harden our hearts. Rigney neither adequately registers nor addresses some of the dangers here, nor does he guard against some foreseeable abuses of his sin of empathy position.

Sin of empathy rhetoric is certainly provocative. It sparks controversy, helps marketing, and is serviceable as a slogan (movements are often animated by provocative slogans with esoteric rationalizations that polarize responsesabolish the police on the left, for example, and blue lives matter on the right). Consider the difference between the following expressions that someone might use: the sin of empathy, the sins of empathy, sinful empathy, and disordered empathy. The first implies to most that empathy isat least ordinarilysinful in and of itself. The second implies that empathy can, at least on occasions, produce bad fruit, and the third that empathy, at least in some forms, can have a sinful character. The fourth implies that empathy is a good thing, yet can be twisted. Each expression conveys something different and Rigneys choice of terms seems to have sacrificed precision and illumination for provocation.

Indeed, the sin of empathy discourse needs to be approached in light of the radical impoverishment of our modern emotional language. The historian of emotion Thomas Dixon observes the shift from a formerly sophisticated, highly structured, and typically theological account of our psychology, which distinguished between categories such as passions, appetites, desires, and affections and the large array of species of feeling within them (see, for example, the deadly sins and their corresponding virtues), to the dominance of the flattened-out, largely unordered, and secularized category of emotions. (See, for example, the few simple emotions portrayed in the Pixar film Inside Out.) As such a paradigm has gained popular traction, the subtle variations of an emotional lexicon that employed many terms such as rage, wrath, resentment, and fury has been subsumed to the basic emotion of anger. One might here wonder whether empathy might be getting the same treatmentthat is, turning into a simplistic denominator for the motives of left-leaning politics, as people on the left have often attributed right-leaning politics to the emotion of anger.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Rigneys book addresses some of the contemporary inclarity surrounding our emotional language and identifies some of the ways this compromises our judgment and disorders our societies. The powerful role played by free-floating sensitivity to the feelings of others in contemporary society and politics should be a matter of concern and attention: Rigney has definitely chosen a worthy topic. He seeks to introduce various distinctions and categories that will enable his readers to interpret and order their emotions more thoughtfully, and to resist some of the ways that emotions detached from virtue can be exploited. But his analysis swings too clumsily and wildly. By developing his positive account overmuch against the narrow foil of more left- and female-coded abuses of empathy, he is unable to give emotional connection its dueproper use is seldom best framed by accounts that focus upon abuse.

Nor does he engage carefully and charitably with the claims of the advocates of empathy, many of whom make crucial distinctions, present necessary controls, and situate empathy within a broader framework for which reason has a crucial role to play. For instance, Krznaric, the Australian philosopher, writes:

Empathy and reason are not polar opposites, as critics like Bloom would have us believe, but rather mutually reinforcing ideals on which we can build a more humane civilisation. Indeed, it is the gut wrench of empathy that wrenches open the door of our common concernand only then does reason have a chance to wedge it open with laws and rights.

More careful and receptive interaction with such voices might have tempered and deepened Rigneys account of empathy, although perhaps at the expense of its direct appeal to those looking chiefly for a diagnosis of the emotional pathologies of the contemporary left.

The recovery and development of a fuller, richer, and more precise psychological language is a crucial task. We are ill-served by the typical vagueness of terms such as empathy. The complex realities that are entangled in such a term need to be carefully separated, distinguished, and analyzed; This is not a Gordian Knot to be cut with recklessly flailing terms like sin. A less partisan engagement with empathyand other termscould equip us all in understanding, articulating, and cultivating both our inner lives as individuals, as well as our communities and societies. The threat of emotional manipulation is real, yet avoiding such risks is not our primary task: the principal duty that falls to us is rightly ordering our own hearts. Tenderheartedness comes with its liabilities, but, while guarding against such abuses, it is what we all must cultivate.

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.
An emperor penguin's unexpected arrival on an Australian beach has sparked curiosity and concern as the species faces growing threats from environmental changes.

What's happening?

As reported by Euronews, a surfer in Denmark, Southwest Australia, came across an emperor penguin looking malnourished and disoriented on a beach  about 3,500 kilometers (roughly 2,174 miles) from its native Antarctic habitat.

Weighing approximately 50 pounds, well below the healthy range for his species, Gus was taken in by wildlife rehabilitator Carol Biddulph and her team.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Belinda Cannell, a research fellow at the University of Western Australia, explained that emperor penguins have previously visited New Zealand. However, she had "no idea" why Gus traveled to Denmark.

Dee Boersma, professor of biology at the University of Washington, believes that Gus traveled in search of food. In addition, record-low sea ice levels in the Antarctic could have played a factor in displacing the penguin.

Why is this penguin's appearance important?

The fact that an emperor penguin made it to Australia at all is an anomaly, but it also points to a much bigger issue.

While experts don't believe Earth's overheating was the direct cause of Gus's detour, emperor penguins as a whole are struggling to survive as warming temperatures threaten the sea ice they depend on for breeding and feeding.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The disruption of their habitat isn't just a crisis for the species  it signals broader shifts in marine ecosystems that could ripple out in ways that impact food security and global economies. Declining fish populations due to changing ocean conditions could hurt fisheries that millions of people rely on for income and nutrition.

If pollution continues at current levels, scientists predict that by 2100, many emperor penguin colonies will be extinct. Their disappearance would be another sign of ecological instability that could ultimately harm human communities, as disruptions in the Antarctic food chain affect everything from krill populations to the fish industries that supply markets worldwide.

Do you think America could ever go zero-waste? Never Not anytime soon Maybe in some states Definitely Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

What's being done about penguin habitats?

Conservationists are working to protect species like the emperor penguin through habitat preservation, carbon reduction efforts, and rescue initiatives like the one that helped Gus recover.

Some organizations are using satellite tracking to monitor emperor penguin populations, helping researchers understand migration patterns and the impact of a changing climate. Others are pushing for stronger protections for Antarctic waters, ensuring that critical breeding and feeding grounds remain intact.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

While large-scale policy changes are needed to prevent the worst outcomes, individuals can also make a difference. Supporting sustainable seafood choices and advocating for environmental protections can help slow the damage.

These kinds of initiatives show that action, no matter how small, can help preserve fragile ecosystems while protecting the industries and communities that depend on them.

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
As Naperville considers the future of its electric grid, an array of energy procurement options was presented to a special meeting of the citys Public Utilities Advisory Board Thursday night.

The presentation marked the next step in Napervilles exploration of how the city will keep the lights on for residents in 10 years time and beyond when the contract with its current electricity provider, the coal-heavy Illinois Municipal Electricity Agency (IMEA), is set to expire.

Between the presentation  given by Philadelphia-based consultant Customized Energy Solutions  public comment and board questions, the meeting lasted nearly four hours.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

No recommendations or decisions were made Thursday.

There is another special board session scheduled for April 8. At that meeting, the Naperville Environment and Sustainability Task Force (NEST) will be presenting another viewpoint for the city to consider, one that paints a picture of Napervilles future electricity supply that is both environmentally and fiscally responsible, NEST leaders say.

Customized Energy Solutions is expected to send a final procurement recommendation in a letter to board ahead of next months meeting, according to city staff. Discussion and feedback from Thursday will be factored into the consultants recommendation.

Ultimately, information received  from both Customized Energy Solutions and NEST  will help the board make a procurement recommendation to the Naperville City Council.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Naperville has been grappling with the fate of its electric supply for more than a year now. Though Naperville still has a decade left under its contract with IMEA, the agency has given the city until April 30 to decide if it wants to extend its contract out to 2055.

With that in mind, the council in December hired Customized Energy Solutions to lay out alternatives to IMEA and how they measure up to what the agency currently offers the city.

Naperville, unlike most other municipalities in Illinois, provides electricity to taxpayers as a local service, rather than residents relying on an investor-owned utility such as Ameren or ComEd. To do so, the city purchases energy from IMEA, a joint action agency that offers an already assembled power supply to members at a wholesale price.

As it charted possible paths forward, Customized Energy Solutions broadly offered two directions the city council could take: tackling energy procurement on its own or continuing to procure through some kind of joint action agency.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

For the former, the consultant gave three options. If Naperville chose to determine its own electric supply, it could buy energy directly from the market, contract out for power generation, or possess and operate its own generation assets  or some combination of all three, said Ann Yu, a vice president with Customized Energy.

Each of the three choices come with their own set of benefits and drawbacks, Yu said. Generally, though, the go-it-your-own approach would give Naperville more autonomy over its electric supply. However, it would also put the city at a greater risk of being on the hook for any fluctuations in the market, Yu said.

Itd be the opposite should Naperville continue on with IMEA or some other joint action agency: less risk but, in turn, less autonomy.

Whatever path Naperville takes, Yu emphasized that as you transition from fossil fuel resources to renewables, there is going to be a cost increase, regardless of whether youre doing it with IMEA or youre doing it yourself.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Thats because as more entities make the transition towards clean energy, the demand for a greater capacity of renewables will rise, affecting prices, she said.

Ahead of Yus report, 11 speakers addressed the board to express concerns with an IMEA contract renewal, inquire about Customized Energys findings and encourage decision makers to prioritize the environment in any final verdict. Meanwhile, the board spent more than two hours on questions, asking Yu for more clarity on everything from cost projections to the impact different energy mixes would have on the citys greenhouse gas emissions.

Discussions Thursday and those due next month arent the only conversations for the board to consider as it gears up to advise council.

Customized Energy Solutions report comes a week after IMEA gave its own presentation to the board.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

At the boards Feb. 27 meeting, three IMEA staff members provided an overview of where the agencys services, power supply resources and sustainability goals currently stand  with an undertone of lobbying for a contract extension.

At the core of IMEAs presentation was the assurance that the agency has a vision to reach a net-zero carbon emissions energy portfolio by 2050 but that doing so will take time, agency staff said.

I think that as a nonprofit entity, we are trying to transition in an economic and affordable manner, said Staci Wilson, IMEAs director of government affairs. It is truly a time of transition. If we could make this happen today, we would do it today.  There will be fossil fuel, not necessarily just coal, but fossil fuel on the grid for some time to come.

The bulk of IMEAs current energy portfolio comes from non-renewable sources. The agency owns a 15% stake in the Prairie State Generation Station, a massive coal-fired power plant in southern Illinois that in 2023 released 12.4 million tons of heat-trapping carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. IMEA also owns a 12% stake in the Trimble County coal plant in Kentucky, according to the agencys website.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

More than a year ago, though, IMEAs board of directors  composed of representatives from member municipalities  approved a sustainability plan outlining a more renewable-driven path forward for the agency. Ten pages in all, the plan was developed by a working group of IMEA board members, including Naperville.

It includes a roadmap detailing IMEAs steps to decarbonization over the next two and half decades.

IMEA staff revisited those steps last week. Benchmarks include a battery storage study poised to take place this year, a 45% reduction in CO2 emissions from Prairie State by 2038, Prairie State and a unit at Trimble County shutting down by 2045, and full retirement of Trimble County in 2050.

The plan does not say in detail how the agency will make up for resources lost through decarbonizing but does note that IMEA is committed to exploring new and innovative technologies and promises annual reports on the progress of sustainability efforts.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Also important to charting a path forward is knowing who the agency will be serving long term, Wilson said to the board. Thats because most renewable projects IMEA would enter into are long-term ventures and developers need certainty to proceed, she said. Thats the value in lining up contract extensions, agency staff say.

As of last week, 25 members had signed contract extensions, Wilson said.

Over the prospect of Naperville waiting to renew, IMEA Vice President and General Counsel Troy Fodor said, You do not have a contract option. He added that, Of course, youre a member of IMEA and were going to do everything we can to serve you and to give you every option that we can to come along later, but the risk is that waiting could make service more expensive.

The citys current contract with IMEA doesnt have a provision that says, Hey, we dont have to sign up until 2030. It doesnt say that, Fodor said. It never did, and it never will and it was not intended to be that way.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Another factor agency staff emphasized in their sales pitch was that IMEA projects rates to significantly decrease by roughly 25% in 2035, when bonds issued to help finance Prairie States construction in the 2000s are paid off.

After their presentation, agency staff fielded questions and comments from board members concerning costs, the citys current contractual obligations, ongoing efforts to procure renewable resources and the optics of not just acquiring energy from but being an investor in coal-fired power plants.

While I know people are frustrated and want us to move faster, Wilson said, having some thermal in your resource plan will help you get through some of these volatile years so that  the innovation and some of these new technologies should begin to develop and become more cost-effective. And (then) were able to take advantage of them at that time. Most of them are not there yet.

Asked by board Chair Louis Halkias whether there would be a change in CO2 emissions to the atmosphere if Naperville does not renew its contract and if we make any difference, Wilson replied no.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I think the simple answer is that whether Naperville is with IMEA or not, Prairie State will still be running, she said. And even if IMEA wasnt with Prairie State, Prairie State would still be running.

tkenny@chicagotribune.com
President Donald Trump snapped at a reporter who asked him about Marco Rubios blow-up at Elon Musk at a Cabinet meeting.

Trump insisted Thursdays closed-door meeting was completely harmonious, despite reports that Musk and the secretary of state had clashed in a tense back-and-forth.

No one clashed, I was there, Trump shot back at a reporter who asked him about the reports on Friday, before chastising him: Youre just a troublemaker, and youre not supposed to be asking that question.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The president then shifted to a more threatening tone, asking, Who are you with? When the reporter identified himself as an NBC journalist and continued pressing about the meeting, the president cut him off, Thats enough.

Speculation has swirled over whether Trumps patience with Musk has finally worn thin after reports suggested Trump had sided with Rubio in the latters alleged spat with the billionaire.

Elon Musk and President Donald Trump in the Oval Office. / Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

The New York Times reported, that during the meeting, Musk accused Rubio of having fired nobody, except perhaps a staff member from the Department of Government Efficiency.

Rubio shot back, boasting about layoffs at the State Department and asking sarcastically if he should rehire workers so he could fire them again.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Rubio had reportedly been angry with Musk since the latter gleefully gutted the U.S. Agency for International Development, an agency that is supposed to be under Rubios control.

A heated exchange reportedly ensued in which Musk implied that Rubio was not good for much else other than TV.

But in response to the reporters questions on Friday, Trump claimed: Elon gets along great with Marco.

Trump reportedly stepped in to end the scuffle, which unfolded in front of approximately 20 other officials, defending Rubio as someone who has a lot to deal with and was doing a great job.

At the same meeting, Musk also apparently clashed with other officials, who took issue with the billionaires rash and chaotic methods. Trump later publicly signaled that he was putting a leash on Musk, announcing that, moving forward, DOGEs cuts would be made with a scalpel rather than a hatchet.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  Officials said Friday a joint development at the Port of Little Rock will make the area more attractive to industry.

A joint announcement between Entergy Arkansas and Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce officials said an 875-acre industrial megasite has received Select Site certification. Officials said a Select Site provides shovel-ready sites meeting predetermined criteria to satisfy requirements by consultants and companies.

Port of Little Rock officials say potential international tariffs could have big impact on Arkansas

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The area is located in the southwest section of the port.

President and CEO of the Little Rock Regional Chamber Jay Chesshir said the program was initiated with help from Rep. French Hill (AR-2nd District) in 2016 by meeting with Federal Aviation Administration officials to have a VOR navigation antenna moved.

In 2016, I called Rep. French Hill requesting help in scheduling a meeting with the FAA to discuss relocating the VOR Cone at the Little Rock Port, Chesshir said. As a past Chairman of the Little Rock Regional Chamber, Rep. Hill understood it was essential to the future economic growth of the central Arkansas region.

Port of Little Rock gets $500,000 for infrastructure improvements

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Chesshir said that the initial meeting led to a process ending with the Friday announcement.

That was the first step in a decade-long journey in partnership with Bryan Day and the Little Rock Port Authority to study this site, acquire the property, build the infrastructure, and take the site to market, which we are officially doing today [Friday], he said.

Thanks to unprecedented investment from Mayor Scott and the Little Rock City Board of Directors, with infrastructure support from Judge Barry Hyde and the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, this is the largest certified industrial site in central Arkansas and is well-suited for a large manufacturer who needs access to interstates, rail and port facilities, plus adjacent land for suppliers, Chesshir added.

European production company announces move into the Port of Little Rock, 500 jobs, $100 million investment

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Additional information on the Select Site program, including other Select Site locations in Arkansas, can be found at ArkansasSiteSelection.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 KARK.
SUNFLOWER COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV)  An inmate who escaped from the Mississippi State Penitentiary (MSP) was captured in Sunflower County on Friday, March 7.

According to the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC), Nevin Whetstone was captured with the help of local, state, and federal authorities.

Tampering charge dropped for man accused of killing Jimmie Jay Lee

Officials said he escaped from Parchman on Tuesday, March 4.

Nevin Whetstone (Courtesy: MDOC)

Whetstone is serving a life sentence for capital murder committed in Lee County and one year for escape from the Sunflower County Jail. 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.
FORT MYERS, Fla. (WFLA) An escaped prisoner from Puerto Rico was arrested in Lee County after 40 years on the run.

According to the Lee County Sheriffs Office, Puerto Rico authorities reached out to the sheriffs office about an escaped prisoner who could be living in Lee County.

Jorge Milla-Valdes escaped from a Puerto Rico prison in 1987, and authorities believed he was living under the name Luis Aguirre.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Deputies said Milla-Valdes had a criminal history under the name Luis Aguirre that included robbery and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon in Monroe County.

LCSO Fugitive Warrants unit began searching for Milla-Valdes and obtained his fingerprints from 1986 in Puerto Rico as well as the fingerprints from his criminal history in Monroe County.

Latent fingerprint supervisor Tina Carver took the two fingerprints and within 15 minutes, she was able to match the prints, confirming that Milla-Valdes and Aguirre were the same person.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

After the positive match, the Fugitive Warrants unit was able to locate Milla-Valdes in Ft. Myers Shores and he was taken into custody on Friday, deputies said.

Thanks to the hard work and determination of my Fugitive Warrants Unit and Latent Fingerprints Supervisor Tina Carver, a positive fingerprint identification was made within MINUTES. My teams skill is unmatched at every level; even if your crimes dont start here in Lee County, I promise, they WILL end here, said Sheriff Carmine Marceno.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
FORT MYERS, Fla. (WFLA) An escaped prisoner from Puerto Rico was arrested in Florida after 40 years on the run.

According to the Lee County Sheriffs Office, Puerto Rico authorities reached out to the sheriffs office about an escaped prisoner who could be living in Lee County, Florida.

Jorge Milla-Valdes escaped from a Puerto Rico prison in 1987, and authorities believed he was living under the name Luis Aguirre.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Deputies said Milla-Valdes had a criminal history under the name Luis Aguirre that included robbery and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon in Monroe County.

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy arrested for assault in Texas

LCSO Fugitive Warrants unit began searching for Milla-Valdes and obtained his fingerprints from 1986 in Puerto Rico as well as the fingerprints from his criminal history in Monroe County.

Latent fingerprint supervisor Tina Carver took the two fingerprints and within 15 minutes, she was able to match the prints, confirming that Milla-Valdes and Aguirre were the same person.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

After the positive match, the Fugitive Warrants unit was able to locate Milla-Valdes in Ft. Myers Shores and he was taken into custody on Friday, deputies said.

Thanks to the hard work and determination of my Fugitive Warrants Unit and Latent Fingerprints Supervisor Tina Carver, a positive fingerprint identification was made within MINUTES. My teams skill is unmatched at every level; even if your crimes dont start here in Lee County, I promise, they WILL end here, said Sheriff Carmine Marceno.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Kaja Kallas, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, has said that Russia's recent missile strikes on Ukraine demonstrate Russian leader Vladimir Putin's lack of desire for peace.

Source: Kallas on X (Twitter) on 8 March

Details: Kallas noted that Russian missiles continue to strike Ukraine, causing more deaths and destruction.

Quote from Kallas: "Once again, Putin shows he has no interest in peace. We must step up our military support  otherwise, even more Ukrainian civilians will pay the highest price."

Russian missiles keep relentlessly falling on Ukraine, bringing more death and more destruction.



Once again, Putin shows he has no interest in peace.



We must step up our military support  otherwise, even more Ukrainian civilians will pay the highest price.  Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) March 8, 2025

Background:

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On the evening of 7 March, the Russians struck the centre of Dobropillia in Donetsk Oblast. At least 11 people were killed and 30 others were injured.

On the night of 7-8 March, the Russians attacked a civilian company in Bohodukhiv, Kharkiv Oblast, with a drone, killing three people and injuring seven others.

On the evening of 7 March, the Russians again launched a large-scale drone strike on Odesa, and fires broke out in the city.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
You are here: World

 Flash

A Chinese commerce ministry spokesperson said on Friday that the U.S.'s decision to impose an additional 20-percent tariff on imports from China under the pretext of the fentanyl issue is groundless.

The spokesperson made the remarks in response to a related query.

"It is typical protectionism, unilateralism and bullying practice," the spokesperson said, citing a recently released white paper titled "Controlling Fentanyl-Related Substances -- China's Contribution."

China urged the United States to correct its wrongdoings and to address its own fentanyl issue in an objective and rational way, instead of scapegoating others, the spokesperson added.

China released the white paper on Tuesday, which introduces the country's commitment, work and progress in controlling fentanyl-related substances.

The country has established complete legal and administrative systems for scheduled precursor chemicals, overseeing their production, sales, purchase, transportation, import and export, said the spokesperson.

To intensify the oversight of fentanyl-related substances exports, the Ministry of Commerce, in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Security, has enforced stringent export licensing requirements and international verification protocols for precursor chemicals, including five types of precursors of fentanyl-related substances, according to the spokesperson.
Ukraines allies in Europe are rushing to fill the void left by the Trump administrations decision to pause its intelligence sharing with Kyiv. It isnt going to be easy.

The U.S. has provided Kyiv with everything from signals intelligence, satellite imagery and targeting data used to strike Russian positions during the three-year war.

Now, it will likely fall to other intelligence heavyweights within the NATO alliance  Britain, France and to an extent Germany  to pick up the slack. But they are unlikely to be able to replicate the scope and scale of the sprawling U.S. intelligence community.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Im not sure that European countries can really bridge this gap, said a European official familiar with the capabilities of allies, who was granted anonymity to speak candidly about the continent's security arrangements.

The U.S. intelligence community, which spans 18 agencies, vastly outguns any of its European counterparts, particularly in the realms of satellite technology and analytic capacity.

Its really a matter of mass, said Jim Townsend, who served as deputy assistant secretary of defense for Europe and NATO during the Obama administration. We have more analysts and more systems and in some ways, some more exquisite systems.

The pause on intelligence sharing has added to the distress in Europe over how to fend off Russia as the Trump administration has been increasingly conciliatory toward Moscow and antagonistic toward Ukraine  including halting arms transfers to Kyiv.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Confusion reigned in the wake of the announcement on Wednesday, with Ukraines defense minister acknowledging on Thursday that the country had not yet received details on how intelligence would be restricted. The European official said Thursday that it was still puzzling how far the ban extended.

The U.S. intelligence relationship with Ukraine has been carefully nurtured over a decade. Washington has a broad range of tools at its disposal, from signals and human intelligence to satellite capabilities, that have played a decisive role in alerting Ukraine about Moscows plans to invade in 2022, and defending against the onslaught of Russian missiles.

The National Security Council declined to comment when asked about the scope of the pause on intelligence sharing, and whether it applied to information that could be used for defensive purposes.

Turning off intelligence is the most damaging and hostile decision, said Camille Grand, former assistant secretary general for defense investment at NATO. Cuts in weapons supply will take a few months to have a massive impact and can be partially mitigated by the Europeans. If the intel denial is not a pause, it will have consequences in the short term, he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement



NATO allies have been discussing how to handle the U.S. announcement of the intel-sharing pause with Ukraine. One person familiar with those discussions said NATO members are not prohibited from sharing some U.S intelligence with Ukraine, though such sharing could be very limited, as allies dont want to jeopardize existing relationships with Washington or one another.

One NATO official emphasized that the American suspension of arms shipments and intel sharing with Ukraine is being described to allies as a temporary measure until Washington sees some movement in talks to end the war, and they are under no pressure from the Trump team to reduce or curtail their own work with Ukraine on either intelligence sharing or arms shipments.

Still, the Daily Mail reported Wednesday that the United States had ordered the U.K. to stop sharing American intelligence previously cleared to be shared with Ukraine. (A British official declined to comment on the reporting.)

Frances Armed Forces Minister Sebastien Lecornu said Thursday that French intelligence was sovereign and that the country would continue to share intelligence with Ukraine. He did not provide details on what sort of intelligence France is sharing with the Ukrainians.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The effects of the U.S. intel halt are already being felt.

U.S. satellite company Maxar, one of the leading providers of commercial satellite imagery to Ukraine, has blocked Ukraines access to its services, which are used by Ukrainian troops to study the terrain of the battlefield and plan strikes on Russian positions.

In a statement, Gia DeHart, a spokesperson for Maxar, said that the U.S. government has suspended Ukrainian access to the companys Global Enhanced GEOINT Delivery program, which is provided under a U.S. government contract.

Without U.S. intelligence, the Ukrainians also have far less real-time, over-the-horizon knowledge of Russian military formations, movements and logistics.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We now have less information about what's happening on the other side of the front line, said Mykola Bielieskov, an analyst with Ukraines National Institute for Strategic Studies. We have some of our own indigenous capability from human intelligence sources, but U.S. intelligence was very valuable in keeping us informed, he said.

Ukraine is particularly worried about any interruption in warnings about Russian missile attacks.

With anti-ballistic missile defense every second is important, Bielieskov said. You need military-grade satellite intelligence to detect a missile launch.

On average since the start of the war, Russia has fired 24 missiles a day at Ukraine. There are lulls, possibly due to Moscows production challenges, but there are days when up to a hundred missiles can be launched targeting critical infrastructure and residential areas in Ukraines cities.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This is going to impact our cities and could result in mass destruction, said Ukrainian lawmaker Maryana Bezuhla, who until recently served on the parliamentary defense and intelligence committee.

The intelligence sharing pause will also deprive the Ukrainian armed forces of targeting data when firing U.S.-supplied HIMARS rockets. We can still fire them but were shooting half-blind, Bielieskov said.

Asked if any European countries can substitute for the now-suspended intelligence, Bielieskov, said only partially, fully no.

The intelligence pause is already fueling longer-term questions in Europe as to whether the continent can continue to rely on U.S. military and intelligence support to underpin its security.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Konstantin von Notz, chair of the German parliaments intelligence oversight committee, is calling for the establishment of a European spy network, cautioning that the continent can no longer continue to rely on U.S. intelligence support.

We need a European intelligence cooperation format  call it Euro Eyes  to ensure that strong states can exchange information swiftly and securely on clear legal grounds, von Notz said in an interview with POLITICO published Friday. There is no way around increasing our own intelligence capabilities in the future.

Jack Detsch contributed to this report.
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT)  Shoppers could be checking out and leaving the grocery store with more money in their pockets.

The state was already set to lower the grocery tax if it met revenue goals this year, but HB 386, introduced Wednesday, would automatically lower the grocery tax from 3% to 2%.

HCS expected to ask federal court for partial release from desegregation order

The change is something nonprofit leaders said would make a big difference, despite the seemingly small numbers.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Everybody has to eat, its not optional, Chris Sanders with Alabama Arise said. And its wrong to tax people on groceries, a basic necessity of life. We all would benefit from this further reduction.

Alabama is one of only 10 states in the nation that still imposes a grocery tax. Alabamians, like lifelong Huntsville resident Liz Butler, said the rising costs of food are stretching them thin.

Being a senior, you know, we pay a lot of attention to what we spend on groceries, Butler said. You just have to cut back. I just think it would be a great idea if the prices could go down, however it takes to do it.

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.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Nonprofit leaders pushing for the change said the bipartisan support is motivating.

The legislation that was introduced this week has nearly half of the House members signed on as co-sponsors, Sanders said. Thats an incredibly encouraging sign.

The tax cut would save shoppers $246 million, but Alabama schools could be at a loss. The House Ways and Means Education Committee determined schools would lose $121.6 million in funding from this tax cut.

Some argue there are better ways to fund schools than taxing groceries.

We are committed to continuing to work with policymakers, with people across the state to find a responsible, sustainable solution to get rid of the grocery tax and find a better way to fund education across our state, Sanders said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The grocery tax cut comes in a package of four bills from Representative Danny Garrett, proposing various tax cuts. All the bills are out of committee and back on the House floor. They could pass as soon as March 18.

The grocery tax cut would go into effect on Sept. 1 if passed.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Former CIA Director John Brennan joins The Weekend to discuss Donald Trumps decision to freeze intelligence sharing with Ukraine.
The Trump White House has taken its attempt to seize direct control over the entire executive branch to a new level and laid out a startling legal rationale for the move in a previously unreported email obtained by TPM. If successful, Trump would be making a dramatic end run around the Senates advice and consent power for certain appointed positions.

Trumps wide-ranging effort to bring independent agencies firmly under his control provoked a dramatic confrontation this week at the DC office of the U.S. African Development Foundation. The White House Presidential Personnel Office and elements of Elon Musks DOGE team moved to oust the board of USADF and purported to install a new acting chairman of the board, a step that legal experts tell TPM is unlawful.

The full extent of the confrontation at USADF became public when the president of the independent agency filed a lawsuit Thursday trying to block the White Houses assault on its independence. The lawsuit refers to a Feb. 28 missive to USADF management from the White House Presidential Personnel Office claiming to appoint Pete Marocco  a Trump official known for helping strangle USAID from within  as acting chair of USADFs board.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

TPM has obtained the email in question, which contains the broadest assertion of presidential power over independent agencies yet made by the second Trump administration. In it, Trent Morse, deputy assistant to the President and deputy director of presidential personnel at the White House, stakes out a legal position that would undercut the Senates power to confirm new officers at agencies like USADF, experts say. Trump, Morse asserted, would have the inherent authority under Article II to appoint acting officials without going through the Senates process of advice and consent.

Anne Joseph OConnell, a professor at Stanford Law School, called the argument so much more of an executive power claim than a lot of what theyve done.

Why have a confirmations process? she told TPM. We wouldnt need a confirmations process  and thats written into the Constitution.

The Trump White Houses move against USADF, whose board refuses to recognize Maroccos appointment as legal, set off alarm bells within the legal community.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

While the Senate has broad advice and consent powers, Congress has delegated some of its confirmation authority to the executive branch. Legislators have done so via a series of vacancies acts, the first of which was passed in 1792.

The most recent vacancies act, passed in 1998, exempts several independent agencies from its provisions, meaning that, in those cases, the Senate retained control over the ability to confirm appointments to the boards of these agencies. USADF is one of the excluded agencies.

In recent years, conservative lawyers and judges have pushed the envelope on the presidents ability to remove officials at independent agencies. But the question of whether the president can appoint new officials where Congress has not delegated the authority to do so via a vacancies statute is untested, in part because it contravenes centuries of practice.

To Nicholas Bednar, an associate professor of law at the University of Minnesota Law School, Trumps assertion marks a break with both tradition and bedrock legal principles.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Here what you have is a President whos saying, well, the positions vacant, so Im allowed to temporarily appoint someone to that position without advice and consent of the Senate, but thats not how this works, he said. It would effectively just be a runaround on Congresss ability to check who the President wants in office.

In the email, Morse asserts that given the Presidents inability to supervise the activities of the Board-less USADF, he has inherent authority to designate an acting Chairman of the Board.

From there, the Trump official says that because the USADF is exempted from vacancies reform legislation, and because there is no mechanism in the statute that created USADF for appointing an acting official, he then faces a gap in his inherent authority.

Therefore, the President currently has no way of ensuring the agency is running, or complying with his executive order, unless he directs an temporary official using inherent authority under Article II, the message reads. On behalf of President Donald J. Trump, Peter Marocco has been temporarily appointed acting chairman and board member of the USADF.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

To OConnell, the Stanford law professor, the implications of the Trump White Houses power grab are extremely broad.

The White House did not define what it intended temporary to mean in the email, she noted, and such an appointment could last the entire term. Nor did it say if it believed it would apply to every agency that is exempted from federal vacancies legislation.

OConnell said that the White Houses line of reasoning could create an opening for the Trump administration to bypass the Senate and install commissioners and board members at agencies like the Securities and Exchange Commission, the National Labor Relations Board, and the Federal Election Commission.

That will be taking a lot of power away from the Senate power that is grounded in the Constitution and power that they have protected statutorily because they excluded these agencies from the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, she told TPM.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Anna Kelly, White House deputy press secretary, told TPM in a statement that the administration had reduced USADF to its statutory minimum in order to comply with a Trump executive order.

Entitled bureaucrats like Ward Brehm are only demonstrating why independent agencies must be held accountable to officials elected by the American people, Kelly said.

The full text of the Morse email:
The COVID-19 pandemic is in the rearview mirror for many people, despite the fact that the virus still kills hundreds every week and could surge again if another mutated strain comes along, as witnessed multiple times in the last five years. Still, infections are at relative lows lately thanks in part to acquired immunity from infections and vaccines. Indeed, record-breaking vaccine development played a big role in keeping the SARS-CoV-2 virus at bay.

Vaccine skeptics have long-since leveraged the rapid roll out of mRNA vaccines to add fuel to heated arguments surrounding vaccine safety. As a result, a growing share of the public is wary of getting vaccinated with both mRNA and other kinds of vaccines. Yet, despite the fact that their developmental process has been unfolding over decades and these vaccines were subject to the same safety standards as others, political figures continue to push forward unvalidated research to take aim at mRNA vaccines, with serious health consequences.

Those sentiments are being reflected at the state level, too. Earlier this week, Iowa lawmakers advanced a bill that would prohibit the administration of mRNA vaccines, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also called for a permanent ban on mRNA vaccine mandates. Last month, Kentucky lawmakers introduced a bill that would make it illegal to give mRNA vaccines to children and would remove vaccine mandates by schools, hospitals and employers while an Idaho regional health department banned COVID vaccines in October.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Last month, researchers from Yale University published a study, which has yet to be peer-reviewed, on the preprint server medRx, which rapidly circulated online among vaccine skeptics. The study said a small group of patients reported lingering symptoms similar to long COVID  including brain fog, fatigue, tinnitus and sleep issues  after receiving the Pfizer or Moderna mRNA COVID vaccine. (Four patients also received the Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine which does not use mRNA.) It was quickly circulated online and used to support anti-vaccine conspiracies and misinformation.

But experts urged caution when interpreting these results before the study can be verified and peer-reviewed. For one, the study used a small sample size, with only 42 people (and 22 healthy control subjects) self-identifying their symptoms, explained Dr. E. John Wherry, the director of the Institute for Immunology and Immune Health at the University of Pennsylvania, who was not involved in the research.

When you do studies where you are comparing one cohort to another, there needs to be some rigorous criteria for who is included in a cohort, Wherry told Salon in a phone interview. From what I can tell, this is self-identified and it is unclear what exactly that means.

Because it is a preprint study that has not been peer-reviewed, the authors acknowledged in a press release that their findings needed to be validated. One author told STAT News that the data is not ready to be used in clinical decision-making. The corresponding authors of the paper did not respond to Salon's requests for comment.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This study is early-stage and requires replication and validation, they wrote in the paper. We emphasize the critical task of discerning between meaningful results and random fluctuations in the data.

Sometimes, reported side effects from medical interventions do turn out to be statistical noise. During the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, for example, early research showed the risk of miscarriage seemed to be elevated among pregnant women who got the vaccine two consecutive years in a row. This was captured in safety surveillance data and further examined by other research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which found the signal in the earlier studies to be a false alarm.

On the other hand, other safety signals that appear have led to the removal of certain vaccines from markets. For example, the first rotavirus vaccine was withdrawn in 1999 when researchers detected an increased risk of intussusception, a rare type of bowel obstruction, for children who received the vaccine.

Want more health and science stories in your inbox? Subscribe to Salon's weekly newsletter Lab Notes.

Any medical intervention carries the risk of side effects and vaccines, just like common medications like acetaminophen or aspirin, can sometimes harm people, said Dr. John Moore, a microbiology and immunology professor at Cornell University, who was not involved in the study. Some side effects from the COVID vaccine, like menstrual cycle changes and cardiac issues like myocarditis, have been reported in a small proportion of the population receiving shots. But it is important to weigh these risks with the protective benefits the vaccine provides as well  after all, viruses cause harm too.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

There is a generally acknowledged myocarditis side effect to the mRNA vaccines, predominantly in young men, and it's invariably in the States been non-fatal, Moore told Salon in a phone interview. No one disputes that, but COVID-19 infections cause far more significant and far more prevalent cases of myocarditis and pericarditis.

Sources emphasized how important it is for doctors and researchers to be guided by patient experience and to explore any potential symptoms that patients report after a COVID-19 vaccine. After all, many patients with long COVID, Lyme disease, and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), among other chronic disease conditions, have fought for recognition within a medical system notorious for dismissing or ignoring their experience.

Yet as it stands, post-vaccination syndrome  which the authors use to describe the symptoms reported by patients in this preprint study  is not an official diagnosis that has been recognized by medical authorities. Overall, COVID vaccines, including those that employ mRNA, are considered extremely safe.

When you start analyzing tens of millions of vaccinations for COVID-19, you start to see side effects that pop up at the level of one in a million, Moore said. You have to balance that against, per some estimates, between hundreds of thousands and millions of people whose lives were saved in the United States alone by COVID-19 vaccination.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Still, studies like this fall into precarious circumstances, where researchers often find themselves stuck between a rock and a hard place of trying to follow the data and not fuel a growing mistrust in the medical system. It is a task increasingly difficult to accomplish with political leaders like the secretary of the Department of Health & Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a known vaccine critic, encouraging vaccine skepticism.

This preprint study recently exploded on social media, where it was shared by Joe Rogan, Alex Berenson and Elon Musk. Two of the authors, described as independent researchers in this paper, are involved with a vaccine injury advocacy nonprofit called React19. One co-author is also suing AstraZeneca over symptoms she experienced after being vaccinated.

As Dr. Adam Gaffney, an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and a pulmonary and critical care physician at the Cambridge Health Alliance wrote in a STAT News editorial, some of the co-authors seem to be motivated by a genuine desire to give a voice to a community of patients who are experiencing real suffering. Yet there are still too many unanswered questions to draw any conclusions about the study.

[A] closer look at the basic approach and assumptions undergirding this research, the inclusion of vaccine critics among the co-authors, and the patient-led paradigm from which it emerged all shed serious doubt on the studys conclusions, Gaffney wrote. In this age of surging anti-vaccine and anti-science sentiment, harm will likely follow.
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL)  Members of the Wichita Falls community are once again crying out for justice for 2-year-old Jason Wilder McDaniel after the capital murder conviction of the man found guilty of his death was overturned on appeal.

James Irven Staley, III, in the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center in Fort Worth (Photo credit: Josh Hoggard, KFDX/KJTL)

James Irvin Staley, III, 42, of Wichita Falls was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole nearly two years ago, on March 13, 2023. Hes been serving that sentence in the Bill Clemens Unit of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in Amarillo.

On March 6, 2025, almost a year after Staleys appeal was submitted, the Second Court of Appeals in Fort Worth reversed his conviction and remanded a new trial.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

PREVIOUS STORY: James Staleys capital murder conviction reversed on appeal

The memorandum opinion and a concurring opinion from the appellate justices of the Second Court of Appeals, made publicly available on March 7, sheds more light on why Staleys conviction was reversed.

Appeal challenged affidavit used to obtain key evidence

According to the appellate brief, filed by high-profile appellate attorney Keith Hampton, Staleys case for an appeal of his conviction stemmed from a failure by the Wichita Falls Police Department to produce an adequate search warrant or affidavit to obtain such.

As a result of that affidavit, several devices were seized from Staleys home almost two weeks after Wilders death, including Staleys cell phone and a Mac Mini computer.

Wilder McDaniel, who was found dead inside the home of James Staley in 2018 (Photo courtesy McDaniel family)

A later search of the Mac Mini unearthed a disturbing video filmed on a GoPro of Staley slapping the child with full force while he was asleep on Staleys couch, arguably the most shocking evidence admitted during Staleys trial

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to Hampton, who argued the appellate case on March 12, 2024, the video never should have been admitted into evidence because it violates the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

READ MORE: James Staleys appeal submitted after oral arguments

This was negligence at its worst, Hampton said during his oral arguments on March 12, 2024. The incompetence is unusual This is the worst affidavit that I think any court will ever see.

Appellate court agrees with Staleys argument

According to the Second Court of Appeals memorandum opinion, the appellate justices agreed with Staley.

James Irven Staley, III, in the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center in Fort Worth (Photo credit: Josh Hoggard, KFDX/KJTL)

We agree that the warrant affidavit lacked probable cause for the seizure and search of his electronic devices and that the trial court should have granted his motion to suppress the evidence discovered on those devices, the opinion said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The appellate justices continued, saying the affidavit does not allege any factual connection between the offense under investigation and any of Staleys electronic devices.

In their opinion, the justices of the Second Court of Appeals called the GoPro video taken from Staleys Mac Mini shocking, its impact undeniable, adding that it would elicit a visceral reaction in anyone.

READ MORE: James Staley appeal calls key trial evidence unconstitutional

The justices opined that they could not determine beyond a reasonable doubt that the error of allowing the video to be admitted into evidence didnt contribute to Staleys capital murder conviction.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It is difficultimpossible, reallyfor us to imagine that it was not a contributing factor in the jurys deliberation, the memorandum opinion said.

Appellate Justice publishes concurring opinion

Justice Brian Walker with the Second Court of Appeals also published a concurring opinion, in which he asserted that while he agreed with the majority opinion from the appellate court, he wanted to point out some items he believed were important.

James Irven Staley, III, in the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center in Fort Worth (Photo credit: Josh Hoggard, KFDX/KJTL)

In his concurring opinion, Justice Walker first quoted former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, who once famously said, If youre going to be a good and faithful judge, you have to resign yourself to the fact that youre not always going to like the conclusions you reach.

The reality is that following the law sometimes leads to results that are seemingly unjust, Justice Walker said. One might rightly argue that is the net result of the conclusion reached in this case.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Justice Walker said in his concurring opinion that the 14th Amendment requires that all searches and seizures be reasonable and that a warrant may not be issued without probable cause, adding that the appellate court has a responsibility to uphold the Constitution.

Legal precedent is unequivocal in this matter, and we are duty bound to follow it regardless of how unfortunate the result may be, Justice Walker opined. The law is the law, and we are duty bound to follow it.

Reversal doesnt mean Staley is innocent, justice says

Justice Walker said that even though the appellate court agreed that the search warrant affidavit was inadequate, the justices dont lack sympathy for Wilder McDaniel or his loved ones.

WATCH: Wichita County District Attorney John Gillespie talks James Staley trial

James Irven Staley, III, in the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center in Fort Worth (Photo credit: Josh Hoggard, KFDX/KJTL)

On the contrary, my heart breaks because of what happened to this innocent young child, Justice Walker said. It was impossible for me to review the record in this case without it invoking serious emotion. I believe that I truly speak for all of us on the court in saying that we are very sorry for the victim and his family.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Justice Walker was clear in his concurring opinion that the reversal of Staleys conviction is not an announcement from the appellate court of Staleys innocence.

The majoritys holding does not mean that Staley is innocent, that the impermissibly seized evidence does not shed light on his possible guilt, or that there will not be enough evidence for the State to prosecute him, Justice Walker said. Any rational legal observer would predict that this case will almost certainly end up in another jury trial.

Prosecutor says hes only begun to fight

John Gillespie, Wichita County District Attorney, said he doesnt agree with the Second Court of Appeals decision.

Im extremely disappointed with the Second Court of Appeals decision to reverse James Staleys conviction, and I disagree with the decision, Gillespie said. The fight isnt over, this is only the beginning.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

READ MORE: Appeals court should confirm Staleys conviction, prosecution says

John Gillespie discussing capital murder trial of James Staley (Photo credit: Josh Hoggard, KFDX/KJTL)

Gillespie said he intends to file a petition for a discretionary review with the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the highest criminal court in the state, and request that Staleys conviction be reinstated.

If we cannot get the conviction reinstated, then well try the case again and get him a second time, Gillespie said. Ive only begun to fight.

According to the Texas Department of Criminal Justices online inmate records, Staley is still incarcerated at the Clemens Unit, however, the record now shows Special Information For Scheduled Release.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As of the publication of this story, Staleys release date from prison has not yet been set.

This is a developing story. Stick with Texomas Homepage for updates 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 Texomashomepage.com.
A Niagara Falls man is one of seven people charged in a 130-count indictment, accusing them of running a large-scale fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine trafficking ring in Western New York.

An investigation led by the Office of the New York Attorney Generals (OAG) Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF), along with Falls Police Department Narcotics & Investigations Division (NID) detectives and agents from the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) resulted in the seizure of nearly a kilogram of cocaine, over half a pound of methamphetamine and over one ounce of fentanyl, valued at more than $33,000, along with more than $4,000 in cash.

Dismantling dangerous drug trafficking networks is essential to keeping our communities safe, Attorney General Letitia James said. These individuals sold a variety of deadly narcotics, including fentanyl, across Western New York, and now they are being brought to justice.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Those charged in the indictment were Kenneth Pringle, 50, of the Falls, Dion Anderson, 44, Ronnie Dupree, 47, Antwain Jackson, 48, David Vaughn, 26, all of Buffalo and Devan Huntington, 30, and Sabrina Leeper, 50, both of Jamestown.

The indictment charges Pringle and his six co-defendants with multiple counts of criminal sale and criminal possession of a controlled substance. They are all also charged with second-degree conspiracy.

All the charges in the 130-count indictment are A or B Class felonies.

If convicted on the top counts of the indictment, Pringle faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, Dupree faces a maximum sentence of 24 years in prison, Anderson faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and Jackson, Huntington, Leper, and Vaughn each face maximum sentences of 10 years in prison.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The indictment describes Dupree as the central figure in the trafficking network. Dupree is accused of purchasing large quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine from Pringle, Anderson, Jackson, and others.

Dupree and Jackson reportedly traveled from the Falls and Buffalo to Jamestown to meet customers and make sales. Anderson reportedly sold cocaine out of his home in Buffalo and provided cocaine to Vaughn and others.

A search warrant, executed at Andersons home in November, led to the recovery of over half a pound of cocaine, a scale with cocaine residue, and more than $4,000.

Local law enforcement said the investigation included court-authorized wiretaps that captured conversations between the defendants. Detectives said Pringle and the others frequently utilized coded and cryptic terminology in an attempt to disguise their activities.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

For example, cocaine was referred to as soft, hard, or girl, while fentanyl was described as food or boy, and methamphetamine was called cream.

The arraignment of these seven individuals, who continuously flooded our upstate neighborhoods with illicit and synthetic drugs, shows the determination we have when targeting those drug trafficking organizations poisoning our communities, DEA New York Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino said. We are thankful to the New York Attorney Generals Office Organized Crime Task Force and the Niagara Falls Police Department for their partnership in keeping our neighborhoods safe and drug-free.
By Brendan Pierson

(Reuters) -Families of transgender teens and LGBT advocacy groups on Friday said that U.S. health agencies had violated a court ruling that blocked them from enforcing President Donald Trump's executive order halting federal funding to healthcare providers that offer gender transition treatments to people under 19.

The plaintiffs said the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services violated the ruling by issuing a memo to healthcare providers on Wednesday that it "may consider" terminating federal grants if they provide transgender healthcare to minors, including puberty blockers, hormones or surgery for the purpose of gender transition.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Two other health agencies also sent out the memo, which used the same title as Trump's order, Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation, on Thursday.

The CMS memo came the day after U.S. District Judge Brendan Hurson in Greenbelt, Maryland blocked the administration from cutting off funds to healthcare providers to enforce Trump's order, or another executive order barring the use of federal funds to "promote gender ideology." Hurson extended his earlier temporary ruling for as long as the lawsuit is pending.

The plaintiffs said on Friday that the new memos attempted to get around Hurson's order by telling providers that funding may be cut off in the future, rather than cutting it off immediately, but would nonetheless immediately harm families by intimidating hospitals into stopping the treatments.

"That conditional phrasing changes nothing," the plaintiffs said in their motion. "The notices are designed to inflict on plaintiffs precisely the same immediate harm as the Executive Orders in precisely the same way: through the (renewed) threat of revocation of funding."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

They asked Hurson to enforce his earlier ruling by ordering the agencies to withdraw the memo.

CMS and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

In addition to the lawsuit by the families and LGBT rights group PFLAG, the Democrat-led states of Colorado, Minnesota, Oregon and Washington have also sued over the Republican president's orders.

U.S. District Court Judge Lauren King in Seattle, who is overseeing that case, last week issued a preliminary injunction in the states' favor. Unlike Hurson's nationwide order, her ruling is limited to enforcement within the four states.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Both judges, who were appointed by Trump's Democratic predecessor Joe Biden, agreed with plaintiffs that Trump's orders exceeded his authority to control federal funds and illegally discriminated against transgender people.

More than half of the 50 states have passed laws or policies that ban transgender healthcare for minors, some of which have been blocked or overturned by the courts. A challenge to Tennessee's ban has been heard by the U.S. Supreme Court, whose ultimate ruling could determine the legality of such bans.

(Reporting by Brendan Pierson in New York, Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi and Cynthia Osterman)
Dozens of people gathered outside of the Miami Township Police Department to protest an officer-involved shooting on Saturday.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

As previously reported by News Center 7, Jayden Stephenson was shot and killed by Miami Township police at a home on Sawgrass Drive on Feb. 19.

Jayden needed help. He needed to go to the hospital for evaluation. And the police were unwilling to help with that, one protester told News Center 7.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

>>PHOTOS: Family members, community protest deadly officer-involved shooting in Miami Township

Family and community members in attendance held signs that read Justice for Jayden, 7 minutes is not enough, Mental Health Matters and more.

TRENDING STORIES:

The Miami Township Police Department released body camera video and the 911 call for this shooting last week.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

>>WATCH: Body camera shows moments leading to deadly police shooting in Miami Twp.

In a 911 call, a woman told dispatchers that her son, Stephenson, had threatened the family with a knife. She also said she believed her son was struggling with mental health issues.

Body camera video showed officers initially speaking with Stephenson, who was sitting inside with a knife, from the front door of the home before going inside.

Alan Statman, a lawyer representing Stephensons family, said the 21-year-old only had a small box cutter from his job in his hands.

Video shows officers telling Stephenson to drop the knife multiple times. Police previously said officers gave him that command 29 times through the seven minutes leading up to the shooting.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Stephenson eventually stood up and walked toward the staircase of the home. At that point, officers deployed a taser and a bean bag gun which did not stop him from running upstairs into a locked bedroom.

Officers followed him upstairs and kicked in the door. Stephenson was found lying on the ground in a connecting bathroom.

From there, police used a taser and bean bag gun again on Stephenson. He got up and moved toward officers, at which time at least one officer fired their gun at him, hitting and killing him.

According to a previous News Center 7 report, Stephensons family does not believe the shooting was justified and their lawyer thinks it was absurd.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Im going to tell you that if he had a gun, hed still be alive today, Statman said. They wouldnt have gone in that house. They would have called a SWAT team. They would have brought in a negotiator, a crisis manager, and it would have been a long, drawn-out process before something like this would have happened.

The family said Friday that he had been dealing with mental health issues, but did not pose a threat to himself or his family.

Five officers were placed on paid administrative leave pending the completion of the investigation by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

A spokesperson for the township told News Center 7 that they cant release further information as the Ohio BCI investigation is ongoing.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We hope this brings awareness... and that people, the police need better training, better education on mental health, on what theyre supposed to do, what theyre able to do. Or people with mental health training needs to go with the police on runs. And we hope this somehow brings some kind of justice for Jayden, one protestor said.

News Center 7 will continue to follow this story.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

[SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]




COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  A Columbus family is doing everything they can to support their eight-year-old boy as he recovers from a brutal dog attack.

The boy is Oscar Koon, and hes soon to be nine years old and has a younger sister. Loved ones say they have their moments like most siblings, but Oscar is a great big brother.

They have a really, really sweet relationship and love each other very much, and shes been talking about him non-stop, cant wait to see him, said Rebecca Hook Katona, Oscars aunt.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The kids were playing outside earlier this month in their North Linden neighborhood when two dogs from another house attacked Oscar.

He loves animals, and I think thats been something thats just made this situation even harder is to think that his love for animals could be jeopardized in any way, Hook Katona said.

Community plan aims to revitalize Eastland Mall property

Police shot both dogs, and an officer rushed Oscar to the hospital. At the time, he was in extremely critical condition. Hook Katona said the eight-year-old has traumatic injuries to his face. She also said he is still heavily sedated.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Her sister and brother-in-law, Oscars parents, have been playing his favorite playlist in the ICU room at Nationwide Childrens Hospital.

The way they live their lives is so altruistic, and they genuinely just live to serve other people and people around them, no one, no one deserves to have this happen to them, but they deserve it least of all, Hook Katona said.

She said the plan is to decorate the hospital room with cards and messages of support that have been received. Messages can be shared with Oscar and his family through the hospitals website. The family has also set up a CaringBridge which includes ways to support Oscars family.

Neighbors, community members, everybody at the hospital has been amazing. The officer who made just a lifesaving decision to put Oscar in his cruiser and take him to the hospital, all of these people are the reason he is going to live and hes going to thrive. Its just going to be really different, Hook Katona said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Oscar has shown some positive signs recently, and the family is hopeful for more, according to Hook Katona. She said theyre also hoping to be able to communicate with him through touch in the coming days.

Hes so beautiful and I think that he is going to thrive, we really believe that, he just has like such a light in his spirit, its infectious and people want to be around him, kids and adults want to be around him and nothing about this can change that, she said.

The owner of the dogs will face several charges, including failure to confine a previously designated dangerous dog, according to the Columbus City Attorneys Office. Franklin County Animal Care and Control told NBC4 that because the investigation into the March 2 attack is still going on, charges have not been filed yet.

Records show this is not the first incident involving the owner of the dogs. Criminal charges were filed against him for a dog bite in 2024, according to animal control. Animal control said that the incident involved a different dog than the ones from the recent attack.

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.
After a Mexico-bound Sun Country flight from the Twin Cities diverted to El Paso earlier this week, FBI officials said that the security concern that caused the plane to land in Texas stemmed from a hoax by two young children on the flight.

The online statement said that after a threatening handwritten note was found on the plane Wednesday saying You Are All Going to Die, Help Me, it was reported to Sun Country personnel on the airliner and resulted in the unscheduled landing.

The U.S. Attorneys Office of the Western District of Texas will not press charges against the children, said the statement by FBI Special Agent in Charge John Morales.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The FBI thanked the 156 passengers on board Flight 593 to Mazatlan for their patience as they investigated the circumstances behind the reported safety concern.

The Sun Country passengers departed El Paso for Mazatlan on Thursday, the airline said.

Related Articles
When you go to the supermarket to buy a rotisserie chicken (watch out for this red flag), or when you pick up a choice beef cut from the butcher or grocery store, you can be reasonably sure that those meat products won't make you horribly sick. Due to the nature of these things, the chances aren't zero, exactly, but they're low enough that you can go food shopping without needing to update your last will and testament. This is because the places that supply your food are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration -- which has been around for long enough that it's easy to take for granted. But, it's important to take stock and appreciate what we have. To do this, it is worth looking back at what the meatpacking industry was like before the FDA. The short answer: It was pretty bad!

Even in ideal conditions, meatpacking is pretty gnarly; we're talking about slaughtering animals and butchering their bodies, after all. But in the early days of the 20th century, when the Industrial Revolution was in full swing, meatpacking plants were something close to hell on earth. The facilities were spattered with blood and guts, rotten meat was packaged and sold, rats were ground up into sausage, and meat processing was conducted mere feet away from filthy latrines. All of this was brought to light by the muckraking author Upton Sinclair, who horrified America and spurred change -- albeit not necessarily the kind of change he hoped for.

Read more: American Burger Chains Ranked From Worst To Best

Upton Sinclair Wrote The Jungle To Highlight Worker Exploitation

Pulitzer-winning author and muckraker Upton Sinclair posing. - Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division [LC-DIG-ggbain-06185]/George Grantham Bain Collection

Upton Sinclair was a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, a muckraking journalist, and an ardent socialist. You may know him as the author of "Oil!" This novel formed the (very) loose basis of Paul Thomas Anderson's classic film "There Will Be Blood." Or you may know him from his doomed 1934 campaign for Governor of California, which became an important plot point in David Fincher's film "Mank." But, you most likely know him for "The Jungle," a 1906 novel that exposed the horrors of the meatpacking industry in America and set into motion events that led to the founding of the Food and Drug Administration.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Despite the book's lasting legacy, food safety was, at best, a secondary concern for Sinclair. After immersing himself in the world of meatpacking plants in Chicago, Sinclair wrote the novel to highlight how badly workers were being exploited -- sickened by unsanitary conditions, they nonetheless had to work grueling hours for little pay or otherwise face eviction. However, his book also contained memorable passages that depicted the horrific conditions present in meatpacking plants. While fiction, this piece of work clearly indicated that the unregulated nature of food manufacturing was a serious issue.

Americans Were Scandalized By The Novel

The letters "FDA" under a magnifying glass. - Ihar Halavach/Shutterstock

"The Jungle" inspired disgust and outrage from the American people and most of it was focused on the unsanitary nature of the meatpacking plants. One famous scene, where a giant vat of lard is processed and sold while containing the flesh of drowned workers, was especially shocking. (Upton Sinclair heard about this second hand, and no one was able to verify that it actually happened.)

Eventually, the outcry reached the point where somebody had to do something about it. While there was a mutual enmity between Sinclair and President Teddy Roosevelt, Roosevelt agreed to send inspectors to Chicago meatpacking plants -- which, even after having been cleaned and prepared in advance, were so vile that one inspector swore off meat altogether unless it came from a nearby farm.

The Meat Inspection Act passed in 1906. Then, later that year, the Pure Food and Drug Act was passed. This act eventually led to the formation of the Food and Drug Administration and, over time, improved sanitary conditions at meatpacking plants. So, if you're ever frustrated by all the red tape, remember that the regulations set by the FDA are there for a reason. Were it not for the FDA, eating some recalled food would be the least of our problems.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

For more food and drink goodness, join The Takeout's newsletter. Get taste tests, food & drink news, deals from your favorite chains, recipes, cooking tips, and more!

Read the original article on The Takeout.
Its been over a month since President Trump signed executive orders cracking down on immigration, intending on finding and deporting undocumented workers.

Immediately after his inauguration, the president began taking action toward his promise of mass deportations. While reports of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) showing up at a business in New Jersey and outside a school in Chicago spread, restaurants have also become a target.

TODAY.com spoke with several restaurant owners and workers  some U.S. citizens and some undocumented immigrants  on the condition of anonymity. These industry folks requested to remain anonymous for fear of becoming a target and either being investigated or arrested themselves, or of putting their staff and colleagues in danger.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I typically take the train to work, and I can see that people feel unsafe, one undocumented New York City-based restaurant employee tells TODAY.com. Now we have to be careful on the street or on public transport, we have to always be alert.

Honestly, I feel safe being at work. Working has helped me to be less stressed, he continues. The stress is only when I am on the street.

A New York City restaurant owner, who is a citizen, tells us about an employee who stopped riding the bus to work and started using a rideshare service to avoid accidental run-ins with ICE agents rumored to be waiting at bus stops.

Two other restaurant owners and one chef across two U.S. cities  all of whom are citizens  tell TODAY.com that theyre a part of different group chats filled with neighboring food business owners. Theyve said chat members will alert the group of any ICE sightings.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Were in a group thread in (our neighborhood) and its a community thread where all restaurant, bar and cafe owners and management are kind of sharing information, and that came up, one chef-owner at a multi-city restaurant chain says. ICE was spotted a week and a half ago in one of the streets, so someone took a photo of the ICE agents and then shot a message, and so we were, so we knew what was going on.

Carolyn Richmond, chair of the hospitality group at Fox Rothschild (which represents restaurants, hotels and other businesses) and chief labor council of the NYC Hospitality Alliance (a nonprofit that advocates for the citys restaurant and nightlife industry) says that, as of Feb. 14, she was not aware of any ICE raids in NYC restaurants.

Though reports in and around other cities persist, with The Philadelphia Inquirer recently reporting the arrest of Celal and Emine Emanet, owners of the Jersey Kebab restaurant in Haddon Township, New Jersey, and The Kansas City Star reporting that 12 of another restaurants employees were arrested after ICE allegedly came in looking for a child sex offender. According to the Inquirer, the Emanets legally immigrated to the U.S. from Turkey in 2008 and have been awaiting a decision on their application for legal permanent residency since they filed in 2016 after their visas expired.

Emine Emanet remains in ICE custody and Celal Emanet is on an Alternative to Detention (ATD), each pending removal proceedings, an ICE spokesperson told NBC News. ICEs ATD program, which began in 2004, uses technology and case management to ensure alien compliance with release conditions, court hearings and final orders of removal.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Speaking about NYC specifically, Richmond tells TODAY.com, This has been a horrible few weeks of rumors and a game of telephone.

Weve heard all sorts of rumors from ICE is downtown, ICE is in the neighborhood, theyve already gone into restaurants or retail provisions to ICE agents were spotted somewhere else, she adds. I think, by and large, everything we heard were rumors and just people getting particularly nervous.

And while she says restaurateurs shouldnt fear that ICE will storm into their restaurant during a busy service, she has been working to make sure business owners are well-equipped with the information they need to keep their employees safe.

On Feb. 7, the NYC Hospitality Alliance held a webinar that provided information on the difference between an ICE raid and an ICE audit, and to provide a refresh for members on the I-9 process. Richmond says more than 500 people attended the virtual meeting.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The multi-city restaurateur we spoke with adds that once his teams were able to hear from lawyers and implement some sort of protocols to keep their employees safe  labeling the kitchen and offices as private areas  things calmed down a bit.

So we got into action and kind of told our staff what they should do if ICE shows up, he tells TODAY.com. So our staff, Hispanic staff, were worried, but once we put some protocol in place, they felt a lot more at ease.

We have always been dedicated to maintaining a respectful and legally compliant workplace, and we continue to support our employees in every way possible, Abraham Merchant, CEO of Merchants Hospitality, which owns and operates restaurants, tells TODAY.com. That means staying informed, offering resources, and reinforcing the strong sense of community that makes the restaurant industry so special.

Know your rights

Shortly after the raids began this year, know your rights campaigns started to circulate throughout the country, including in major cities like Chicago, and advocates say it has helped people avoid unlawful arrests. These campaigns consist of flyers  both physical and digital, usually in multiple languages  clarifying rights people living in the U.S. have when it comes to ICE showing up at businesses, homes or even attempting to make arrests out in public.

Together we Thrive: Know Your Rights, Immigration Forum for Families and Allies in Rockville on Jan. 28, 2025.

While posting these pamphlets everywhere possible might seem like overkill to some, Richmond explains why its important to keep them in circulation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We are a country that was built on immigrants, Richmond says. We have employees from all over the world here, there are workplaces where you could have 10, 15 languages spoken in a business, so there are certainly, at the micro level in the tri-state area, an acute concern about the people  new immigrants  that may not be aware of the rights they are afforded in the United States.

An executive chef at a casino resort restaurant in New Mexico says hes been seeing the flyers on his social media feeds. However, he adds, Nothing super serious is kind of affecting our day to day.

The chef says prior to the election, there was a lot of joking among staff that they would have to get married in order to stay in the U.S., but after Jan. 20, that kind of chatter has slowed. Instead, the concerns hes seeing are about employees family members or their own ability to easily cross the border.

Being a border state, theres a lot of travel back and forth between here in Mexico, the chef tells TODAY.com. So there is definitely some fear when some employees go back there, or, you know, like, Hey, Im taking a two week vacation  I might need three weeks if I have trouble coming back, those kinds of things.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

At the time of the interview, he said he hadnt yet reached a period where employees are not showing up or are calling out.

But that hasnt been the case for everyone. In New York, a two-location restaurant owner, says he had two line cooks who reported being stopped by ICE agents and then halted communication with their employer.

I have had two staff members who, theyre like, Im stopped by ICE, Im currently discussing with my lawyer, they recommend that I do not go outside, and I havent heard from them, so I have no idea what happened to them, he says. At the time of the interview, the owner estimated it had been two or three weeks since he had heard from his employees. Is it possible it was a totally innocuous way to quit? I mean, great, that would be a great scenario  I hope thats the case, and that hes fine. But it also could be something else  something thats very scary.

Ultimately, he says whats happening now is going to shake up the food industry at large in a way many folks might not realize.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The truth here that, you know, that side doesnt want to acknowledge, is that these people are doing all the jobs you dont want to do, he says. Theyre really difficult.  But yet, you know, people want to demonize (undocumented workers), and they dont ever want to admit, or ever want to acknowledge, that this is the system they have put in place. And they dont want these jobs.

And obviously this is going to be felt in a lot of ways really soon, he adds. Prices are going to go up for everyone.  this is all gonna trickle down to consumers.

He emphasized that undocumented workers are the backbone of the nations economy and called back to the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic when restaurant workers  including those who were undocumented  were deemed essential workers and still had to show up in person in order to get a paycheck.

I, as a chef, was getting the first round of vaccinations along with doctors and emergency responders, he says. Like, that makes no f---ing sense, but its apparently because were the most important part of this nations economy, right? Were the foundation of it and people are  unwilling to learn how it really operates, and they expect artificially cheap food because its been cooked by people, by immigrants, whose flavor has been grossly undervalued.





This article was originally published on TODAY.com
TUCUMCARI, N.M. (KRQE)  Court records are revealing more about what happened before and after Jaremy Smith, a fugitive from South Carolina, shot and killed New Mexico State Police Officer Justin Hare a year ago. A new court document laid out why the federal government believes Smith should spend the rest of his life behind bars with no possibility of getting out.

Story continues below

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Smith pled guilty to federal kidnapping and carjacking charges in January, and as has been reported by KRQE News 13, Officer Hare wasnt his only victim. Smith killed South Carolina paramedic Phonesia Machado-Fore and stole her car. New court documents say she was kidnapped and taken to a location 20 miles from her home where she was shot with a gun stolen from her roommate and left for dead. Cell phone data places her car and phone as well as two phones belonging to Smith at the scene.

Smith drove back to the victims house and stole six guns selling them for $1,500 to pay for his upcoming trip to Albuquerque to meet up with an ex-girlfriend. But the stolen car got a flat tire near Tucumcari and Officer Hare showed up to help. Court documents say Smith shot Hare three times with the stolen gun and was seen on lapel video trying to turn off the cruisers lights. They believe Smith accidentally sent out the distress signal that led police to the stolen car.

Smith dumped Hare on a frontage road, shot out the police lights on the cruiser, and took off. The officer was still alive when NMSP found him. He died less than an hour later at a hospital.

The Office of the United States Attorneys said that since Smith has been accused of the two incidents of premeditated murder, as well as his nearly 20-year criminal history, it should be enough for a judge to follow the plea agreement, and sentence Smith to life behind bars without the possibility of parole.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Smith will be sentenced in his federal case on April 21. These charges are only related to the death of Officer Hare. Hes still facing state charges in New Mexico as well as charges in South Carolina for the other 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 KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos.
princeton  Only one week after a federal disaster was declared for Mercer, McDowell, Wyoming and Mingo counties, more than $1 million in federal assistance has already been approved for victims of the Feb. 15 flood.

Thats according Gov. Patrick Morrisey and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

FEMA said more than $1 million has been approved in one week for 1,134 households in the four-county area that was included in President Donald Trumps federal disaster declaration. That declaration allows for Individual Assistance for impacted families living in Mercer, McDowell, Mingo and Wyoming counties.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Thanks to state efforts and the hard work of FEMA and the Trump administration, over $1 million in individual assistance has already been approved for West Virginians affected by the floods, Governor Patrick Morrisey said in a prepared statement Friday. I encourage those in the designated counties to continue to apply for assistance and connect with the Disaster Recovery Centers for any help needed through the process.

Reaching this milestone has been a team effort, FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Mark OHanlon added in a prepared statement. FEMA is here and working side-by-side with our West Virginia partners to ensure our mission is done quickly and efficiently. I want to thank our state and local partners, because FEMA could not have reached this milestone without them. We will continue to push forward and support the people of West Virginia who were impacted by the February 15 storm.

A county-by-county breakdown of those funds and the number of citizens assisted by FEMA to date per county wasnt immediately available Friday.

A FEMA Disaster Recovery Center is currently open at the Lifeline Church of God on Oakvale Road in Princeton to assist residents of Mercer County impacted by the Feb. 15 flood. A second Disaster Recovery Center opened Friday at the Bradshaw Town Hall in McDowell County.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Residents can visit a Disaster Recovery Center to apply for FEMA assistance, update their application, or learn more about other resources available. Staff from federal, state, and local agencies are staffed at the centers to help victims of the Feb. 15 flood.

In a statement Friday, FEMA said additional Disaster Survivor Assistance teams also are on the ground in the four impacted counties, walking door-to-door to share information and help residents apply for FEMA assistance.

Lawmakers in neighboring Virginia, including U.S. Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Va., U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, D-Va. and U.S. Senator Mark Warner, D-Va., are asking the president to also declare a federal disaster for Southwest Virginia as well, including for Tazewell, Buchanan, Bland and Giles counties.

The Feb. 15 flood caused widespread damage across both states, particularly in McDowell County.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Grounds that were already saturated due to previous rain combined with melting snow and a torrential rainfall on the morning and afternoon of Saturday, Feb. 15, led to widespread flooding across the two-state region.

In addition to visiting a Disaster Recovery Center, individual impacted by the flood in McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, and Wyoming counties can also apply for assistance online by visiting www.disasterassistance.gov, using the FEMA mobile app, or by calling 1-800-621-3362.

Contact Charles Owens at

cowens@bdtonline.com
KENTUCKY (FOX 56)  Februarys devastating floods are a sad reality many Kentuckians are still coming to terms with.

On top of that, scammers are trying to take advantage of victims.

Somerset mother accused of setting sons home on fire with pizza boxes, took dog to watch it burn

We do see scams and bad actors that come out into a disaster area directly after an event happens, said FEMA spokesperson Craig Browning. And its very unfortunate that they try to take advantage of people who have already lost everything.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Thats why FEMA is warning people of these potential scams, saying if something seems too good to be true, it likely is.

In most cases, they are looking for some type of financial contribution or some type of money to be taken for some type of service given, Browning added.

He said FEMA representatives will never charge applicants for disaster assistance, inspections, or help in filling out our applications.

According to a FEMA press release, if a FEMA inspector comes to your home and you did not submit a FEMA application, your information may have been used without your knowledge to create a FEMA application. If that happens, youre asked to tell the inspector you did not apply for FEMA assistance; that way, the inspector can submit a request to stop furthering the application process.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Also, if you did not apply for assistance but received a letter from FEMA, youre asked to call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. The helpline will then submit a request to stop further processing of that application.

If youre unsure if the person knocking on your door is with FEMA, Browning said there are a few things you need to do.

Do not give away any of your personal information to also include your application number in the event that you applied for federal assistance.

LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He also told Fox 56 that all FEMA employees have their federal IDs on them at all times, and if someone is refusing to show identification, then close your door.

And call your local law enforcement agency and let them know. They can come out and verify that these folks are truly with FEMA or theyre not with FEMA and then handle it from there.

Aside from immediately reporting a scam to local law enforcement, you can also report it to the Kentucky Attorney General.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP)  Female students on Saturday marked International Women's Day in Serbia by leading the daily street protests against corruption, and thousands later joined a separate student-led rally pressuring the populist government.

Riot police deployed at a bridge over the Sava River in Belgrade to stop several farmers on tractors from reaching the city center where the protest rally was under way at a central square.

No incidents of violence were reported and the protesters later joined the farmers.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The female students earlier said they wanted to send a message decrying widespread violence against women in the Balkan country. In the northern city of Novi Sad, women protesters pelted a municipal building with eggs in protest over what they described as a sexist remark by a senior official.

University students in Serbia are behind almost daily rallies that started after a concrete canopy crashed down in November at a railway station in Novi Sad, killing 15 people.

Many in Serbia believe that the huge concrete construction fell down because of poor renovation work fueled by government corruption. Street demonstrations have become a challenge to populist President Aleksandar Vucic.

The students carried a banner reading: Women in front rows," heading the marching column that passed through central streets in Belgrade and by the building hosting the state prosecutor's office.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The protesters held 19 minutes of silence, instead of the 15 held normally for the 15 victims of the canopy crash. The additional four minutes were dedicated to the four women killed in domestic violence in Serbia this year.

I am here to support all women around the world, all mothers and fighters, and students of course," said Slavica Djajic, a resident of Belgrade.

The protesting university students have insisted on full accountability in the canopy fall, a call that has garnered widespread support among citizens who are largely disillusioned with politicians and have lost trust in state institutions.

Student-led rallies have drawn tens of thousands of people, becoming among the biggest ever in Serbia, which has a long history of anti-government protests. Vucic has described the rallies as a Western-orchestrated ploy to oust him from power.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The next big rally is planned on March 15 in Belgrade and Vucic alleged that they will try to achieve something with violence and that will be the end. He added that many (demonstrators) will end up behind bars accused of criminal acts.

All student-led protests in the past months have been peaceful, while incidents were recorded of opponents driving their cars into protest blockades or attacking the protesters.

The populist leader and his right-wing Serbian Progressive Party have held a firm grip on power in Serbia for over a decade, facing accusations of stifling democratic freedoms despite formally seeking European Union entry for Serbia.

Authorities have indicted 16 people over the canopy collapse, but many doubt that the actual culprits will face justice.
Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) criticized leaders at Columbia University for allegedly allowing antisemitic rhetoric to spread throughout campus, which has resulted in the institution being stripped of $400 million in federal grants.

Columbia let antisemitism run amok to cater to lunatic fringe and paid provocateurs. Leadership allowed those assholes to take over the campus and terrorize Jewish students, Fetterman wrote in a Friday post on social platform X.

Now, Columbia pays for its failure and I support that.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Earlier in the day, the Department of Justice, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Education and the U.S. General Services Administration said they would revoke funding over the continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students.

The campus was a hot spot for pro-Palestine protests after the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, sparked discourse in the region.

A spokesperson from the university said Columbia is reviewing the matter and working to address the federal governments concerns.

We are reviewing the announcement from the federal agencies and pledge to work with the federal government to restore Columbias federal funding, the spokesperson said in a statement.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We take Columbias legal obligations seriously and understand how serious this announcement is and are committed to combating antisemitism and ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our students, faculty, and staff.

Fetterman has long been critical of the demonstrations at the university and urged Columbias former president to resign over protesters tent encampments across the New York City school grounds.

I fully agree with the White House  these protests are antisemitic, unconscionable, and dangerous. Add some tiki torches and its Charlottesville for these Jewish students, Fetterman wrote in a statement last year.

To @Columbia President Minouche Shafik: do your job or resign so Columbia can find someone who will, he continued.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Minouche Shafik, the universitys former president, resigned four months later citing herself as the subject of threats and abuse.

The Trump administration has pledged to crack down on students, immigrants and universities that are complicit in antisemitic expressions.

Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said Friday the department will rescind funds from institutions found to be out of compliance with antidiscrimination laws.

Since October 7, Jewish students have faced relentless violence, intimidation, and anti-Semitic harassment on their campuses  only to be ignored by those who are supposed to protect them, McMahon, who was recently confirmed, said in a statement. Universities must comply with all federal antidiscrimination laws if they are going to receive federal funding. For too long, Columbia has abandoned that obligation to Jewish students studying on its campus. Today, we demonstrate to Columbia and other universities that we will not tolerate their appalling inaction any longer.

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.
Finland's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has condemned the Russian strikes on Kharkiv Oblast and the city of Dobropillia in Donetsk Oblast, along with a missile attack targeting Ukraine's energy infrastructure earlier on Friday, 7 March.

Source: Finland's Foreign Ministry on X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda

We condemn Russias attacks in Ukraines Eastern city of Dobropillia & Kharkiv region and attacks against Ukraines energy infrastructure earlier on Friday.



The suffering of Ukrainians needs to stop. Ukraine deserves a just and lasting peace in accord with International law.  MFA Finland  (@Ulkoministerio) March 8, 2025

Details: The Finnish Foreign Ministry condemned the Russian strikes on Dobropillia and Kharkiv Oblast, as well as the strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure on Friday, 7 March.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"The suffering of Ukrainians needs to stop. Ukraine deserves a just and lasting peace in accord with International law," the Finnish Foreign Ministry tweeted.

Background:

Bridget Brink, US Ambassador to Ukraine, also commented on the latest series of attacks without directly referencing Russia.

Latest reports indicate that 11 people were killed and 40, including children, were injured in a Russian strike on the centre of Dobropillia in Donetsk Oblast.

In addition, three people were killed and seven injured in a Russian attack on Kharkiv Oblast overnight.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
A fire chief in Greene County was placed on leave after an internal complaint sparked an investigation into alleged misconduct, according to records obtained by News Center 7.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

As previously reported by News Center 7, Miami Township Fire and Rescue Chief Denny Powell was placed on paid administrative leave during a Board of Trustees special meeting on Jan. 28.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Miami Township Trustees Board Vice Chair Marilan Moir and Trustee Dan Hollister voted during the special meeting. Trustee Board Chair Chris Muncher did not attend.

TRENDING STORIES:

News Center 7 obtained the formal complaint, which said Powell reportedly called the firefighter at approximately 9:09 p.m. on Dec. 31, 2024.

During the alleged call Powell sounded mean and sounded like he was raging, the complaint reads.

Powell reportedly accused the firefighter of going to the Board of Trustees about payroll issues.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The firefighter said they were talking to Captain Nathaniel Ayers about the payroll issues while one of the trustees was walking through the firehouse.

According to the complaint, Powell allegedly told the firefighter, Well you just made things worse for yourself.

The firefighter asked what Powell meant, and he allegedly said When the trustees are in the building you need to keep your (expletive) mouths shut, according to the complaint.

The firefighter reported that Powell repeated that phrase four times during the call.

The alleged phone call lasted approximately nine minutes, according to the complaint.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Additional information on the payroll issues was not immediately available.

As previously reported by News Center 7, Brossius, Johnson and Griggs law firm was selected to handle the investigation and prepare any necessary charges in connection to the complaint.

The board appointed Ayers as the temporary active assistant chief.

News Center 7 will continue to follow this story.

[SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]




Kitty Sopow, a former social scientist with the National Weather Service based in Nome, stands in front of a structure where weather balloons are released into the atmosphere twice a day to send back vital weather data, including atmospheric pressure, humidity and wind. Part of her duties was maintaining these structures and ensuring the balloons were released properly. This photo was taken moments after Sopow heard from a friend she was on the list to be fired in February 2025. (Photo courtesy of Kitty Sopow)

Federal workers across Alaska regions, agencies, and areas of expertise have been fired as part of the Trump administrations Department of Government Efficiency cost-cutting efforts, leaving many in a state of uncertainty, frustration and limbo.

Three of those former employees spoke with the Alaska Beacon about the work they did, the experience of losing their positions and their insights into how the job losses will impact Alaska.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Kitty Sopow is one, fired from her job with the National Weather Service based in Nome.

She was given warning of her impending termination  a complete surprise after more than four years with the agency. The next day, a Bering Air plane carrying 10 people went missing.

So they needed me, she said. They didnt fire me.

Everybody was able to be in the incident command center and ask questions to the meteorologist, she said, recalling that day. Because there was a storm coming, and there was literally only a handful of hours in which the helicopters could be utilized safely before there was like a four-day weather storm. So, Im not going to not do that work. Thats what Im here for.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

There were no survivors. The plane, Bering Air Flight 445, was found southeast of Nome in the Norton Sound. The cause of the crash is still being investigated.

Im living in the Arctic by myself. All I know is my work is telling me Im fired, not fired, fired, not fired. Meanwhile, the price of eggs is like 30 bucks, and theres airplanes falling down around me.

 Kitty Sopow, former National Weather Service social scientist

Sopow is a trained anthropologist, and worked as a social scientist with the National Weather Service, which she described as a community liaison role. For the last four years, shes worked in offices across the state including Metlakatla, Anchorage and Nome, coordinating between meteorologists with the forecast offices, and community groups, research scientists and other public offices to best communicate weather information. I really, really need to stress to the American people and the government and NOAA and Elon (Musk): Weather is a social product. Forecast is a social product. The reaction to weather is a social product, she said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She said in the days after the crash, her supervisor said they could correct her status as a probationary employee and at-risk for termination. She was mistakenly identified as still being an intern with the Pathways Program, an initiative to incentivize college graduates to pursue careers in federal service. But it was unclear if correcting that status would keep her from being fired. She and other agency employees spent days in limbo, wondering if theyd be fired, as well as evicted from federal housing.

The amount of chaos that we all went through, even those of us who didnt get let go, was brutal, she said. An incredible lack of communication, that was just ping-ponging us.

By mid February, Sopow had had enough. Im living in the Arctic by myself. All I know is my work is telling me Im fired, not fired, fired, not fired. Meanwhile, the price of eggs is like 30 bucks, and theres airplanes falling down around me, she said. Im feeling like I just need to run. And so I did. I literally did.

Within days she packed all her belongings, and moved to Montana with her boyfriend and his family. She is planning to apply to a doctoral program at the University of Montana to continue her education in applied anthropology and climate risk communications. She was already planning to apply as a federal employee, and so the firing is further complicating that process.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

While there are still employees within rural stations of the National Weather Service, Sopow said the mass firings are a major loss in local knowledge.

What were now losing is the ability for a person whos familiar with the region, who has been to Nome, has been to Kotzebue, and recognizes, This is a drift, This is what that piece of coast looks like, and This is what infrastructure is missing there. she said. Because, remember, a lot of these weather emergencies happen because of lack of infrastructure to support it. Yes, climate change is impacting the coast, and yes, we are also impacting the coast, but its all together.

Sopow said the loss in federal housing, especially in rural areas where there are severe housing shortages, is a shock for many  and added to that is the loss of health care coverage.

The people that are losing their jobs  they still have kids, they still have to insure them. Now, COBRA is going to be so expensive, she said, referring to a federal program allowing temporary extension of employer-health insurance. At least give us something. I didnt even get a severance package. I just got let go.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The number of employees cut in Alaskas National Weather Service offices is unknown, but dozens were terminated in mass cuts across the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency on Feb. 27. Across all agencies, an estimated 1,378 federal employees with probationary status were expected to be fired in Alaska, among up to 200,000 nationwide.

Kayleigh McCarthy is a former federal employee and wildlife biologist with the U.S. Forest Service, who worked summer seasons at the Anan Wildlife Observatory near Wrangell, in Southeast Alaska.

Kayleigh McCarthy, left, and a colleague observe bears while on the job at the Anan Wildlife Observatory on Aug. 9, 2021, captured by photographer Nathaniel Wilder (Photo by Nathaniel Wilder, courtesy of Kayleigh McCarthy)

She had a degree and a passion for biology and conservation, and worked her way up starting in 2021 from a Student Conservation Association internship, to a temporary then permanent seasonal employee, developing her knowledge around the Anan site  known as a unique opportunity for viewing both black and brown bears.

Bear viewing is pretty overwhelmingly popular with a lot of the cruise ships or other tourists that come through, McCarthy said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Every summer season, she worked with a staff of three, for up to 10 hours per day, with eight days on and six days off, staffing the observation deck, answering questions, and preventing direct run-ins with bears.

So we would watch out for any bears that the guests couldnt see, letting them know whether they had to wait, and wait for a bear to cross, or whether it was all clear for them to come on up to the deck, she said.

The viewing deck could sometimes pack up to 60 visitors on busy days. Occasionally, the job did include pulling people away from the railing when they were getting too close to bears, reminding them to not lean over, she said. Or try and pet the bears or anything like that.

Beyond crowd control, McCarthys role included monitoring the bears and wildlife area, administrative tasks, and maintaining the facility, everything from trail maintenance to packing out the viewing decks toilet tank, which was a glamorous part of the job, she said sarcastically, but an essential one.

A black bear squeezes under the main viewing platform at the Tongass National Forests Anan Wildlife Observatory on Aug. 2, 2018. The observatory is located 30 miles southeast of the town of Wrangell. Anan Creek has the largest run of pink salmon in Southeast Alaska, which supports the high density of black and brown bears. (Photo by Paul Robbins Jr./U.S. Forest Service)

The experience inspired her to pursue a masters degree in wildlife biology and conservation from the University of Alaska Fairbanks in 2024, with a particular focus on the Anan Observatory site. My bosses at the site were, like, Well, we really havent had a research project done since the 1990s, she said. Especially because the site got quite a makeover within the last few years. They got a brand new deck. They got a brand new photo blind and staircase to go down to it.  And so they knew that there was going to be pressure to probably increase the visitor capacity at the site, she said. Because of all that money that was put into the site.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

McCarthy was in classes in Fairbanks when the firing news came down on Feb. 16. Like many other workers, the letter from the Office of Personnel Management cited performance issues, which she said was untrue. Heartbroken, angry, upset, she said of processing the news. It really hit pretty hard to actually receive that termination letter and to know that it was official.

She said her masters thesis research will continue, and she hopes to contribute that work to the future management of the site. On a personal level, she had also hoped to eventually put down roots in Wrangell, where she met her boyfriend, who was born and raised there, and continue her career there. But all that is up in the air now.

Its a job at a place that I really love, with people who I really care about, doing work that I think is important, she said. I cant even count how many times Ive had guests at the site say, Thank you so much for what youre doing. Your work is so important. We really appreciate you being here, she said. And so its not just that I feel that its important, but clearly those who come and visit also think that its important to have these public lands, to have these experiences, to connect people with nature like this.

Aaron Lambert is a former federal employee with NOAA Fisheries, a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency, based in Juneau.

The waters of the federally managed Cook Inlet EEZ Area, from a sport fishing boat off the coast of Ninilchik on May 29, 2023. (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)

He has a masters degree and specialized training for his role as a fisheries management specialist, with a focus on salmon forecasting and in-season management. He analyzed the salmon runs in the federal waters of the Cook Inlet, a new federally managed fishery after more than a decade of litigation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In that role, he looked at all five species of Pacific salmon running through the inlet, their abundance and their numbers returning to reproduce, to ensure future stocks. And while Kenai River sockeye are bountiful, the chinook runs are declining as well as coho, and so theres a careful balance for both state and federal fisheries managers in deciding catch limits for fishers. And these are all things that are taken into consideration when youre doing a stock assessment, he said.

It was a perfect job. It fit my salmon knowledge, my forecasting knowledge, Lambert said. I have a 6-month-old daughter whos in daycare in the bottom of the federal building, so I could go down and see her over lunch. Yeah, it was all around a perfect job.

He was midway through the winter process of presenting models and recommendations to the federal regulatory agency, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, gathering public comment and feedback, when the news of the firings came down.

Essentially, I spent the last few weeks just waiting for an email to come and, you know, youre reading the news and the Internet, he said. And they started doing weekly all-hand meetings to try to give information out. But things were changing so quickly, even from the morning to the afternoon, that it was hard for them to really share much information that was really meaningful.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Finally he got a termination email from Vice Admiral Nancy Hann on Feb. 27, citing guidance from the Office of Personnel Management and his probationary status, which read in part, the Agency finds that you are not fit for continued employment because your ability, knowledge and/or skills do not fit the Agencys current needs.

Its ridiculous, he said. I was hired specifically because I have a unique skill set, in salmon forecasting and in-season management, and everybody through the top of my chain of command at the regional office recognized that my skills were very needed there, that my knowledge was very specialized and needed, and that my performance has been exceptional . So its hard to accept, yeah.

Sockeye salmon heading to spawning grounds swim up the Kenai River on Aug. 17, 2008. (Photo by Kentaro Yasui/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

Lambert said in the meantime, hes found temporary work in a state fisheries management position in Juneau. And fortunately his daughter is able to stay enrolled in daycare at the federal building.

But without his role, he said itll leave more work for other staff in the agency. So me not being there, essentially, next year, the stock assessment will be conducted by, well, if they do it, itll be conducted by someone else who will be pulled off a different project, essentially, he said. I was also about to start working on fisheries disaster declarations and other policy work.

Across the federal fisheries of Alaska, from the Bering Sea to the Gulf of Alaska, he said the loss of fisheries scientists and managers is immense, both for the staff and for the entire fishing industry. Whether its in-season managers who are actually directing those fisheries, or people writing policy and setting the TACs, he said, referring to the total allowable catches. That could all be impacted as well. So whether or not those fisheries proceed, or if they do, sometimes theyre using the previous years harvest specs (specifications), so that could impact sustainability in the future.

Lambert said he plans to pursue an appeal, and possibly litigation. He added that despite the stated goal of efficiency by the Trump administration, its making peoples lives harder.

It feels like there is an active dismantling of federal processes. And instead of creating efficiencies and making things work better, this is adding a lot of work and stress to people there, and these are all people who work insanely hard, have very little downtime, and really love their jobs and really believe in the NOAA mission, he said.

You hear the administration talk about how people never check their emails and arent really working, he said. These are the hardest-working people Ive ever met.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
The National Institute of Health, the worlds largest public funder of biomedical research, fired 1,200 employees as part of the Trump administrations cost-cutting bureaucratic overhaul. Current and former NIH employees told Fortune the firings and freezes have disrupted workplace productivity and jeopardized the careers of the terminated scientists, who have scant options for appeal or private sector job opportunities.

Katrina Le Blanc spent Valentines Day evening refreshing her email on her work computer, waiting to be fired.

She began her job as a policy analyst at the National Institute of Healths Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke in Denver last June, and was a probationary employee. Her supervisor had warned her that managers were being asked to submit lists of probationary staff to the Office of Personnel Management for firinga looming dark cloud hanging over her institute since early February, she said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

OPM, which reports to the White House, sent out a memo on Jan. 20 asking agencies to send in a list identifying all probationary employees. About three weeks later on Feb. 14, OPM requested agencies terminate probationary workers by Feb. 17.

Le Blanc had heard and read about other agencies getting rid of scores of workersand sure enough, just days before Feb. 14, Le Blancs supervisor told her to pull her personnel file information, which included documentation needed to claim unemployment, just in case she received bad news.

On Valentines Day, lab leadership pulled all their employees into a meeting to relay the update: They had received word from the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the NIH, that all probationary employees were on a list, and the majority would be axed.

Then the waiting began.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Leading up to everything that evening, there was still a part of me that was like, Well, you know, maybe there's a chance it won't be me, Le Blanc told Fortune. Then as the night went on, that began to dwindle and dwindle and dwindle.

By the time she received the email outlining her termination on Feb. 15, Le Blanc was numb. It was kind of like going through motions that weren't really happening to me, she said, describing the five stages of grief.

Le Blanc emailed her colleagues her best wishes and farewells before losing permissions to her accounts on Feb. 18, leaving her with few coworkers with whom to make sense of the firing, and few hopes of finding another job that aligned with her niche research background or that had much meaning to her.

Le Blancwho has a PhD in molecular medicine and has worked for nearly 16 years in public healthwas one of about 70 people in her neurological disorders department and of nearly 1,200 probationary employees in the NIH axed as a result of President Donald Trumps sweeping firings, which the president and his backers justify as an effort to cut back on government spending. Those NIH workersfrom chiefs of staff to recent PhD graduates to program directorsare among 30,000 federal employees swiftly terminated in the first months of Trumps administration, Axios reported.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Along with the firings, the NIH announced billions of dollars in cuts to biomedical research. The agency said slashing funding for indirect research costs would save it $4 billion annually. At the direction of the White House, the NIH also pulled funding for research pertaining to transgender people and diversity, equity, and inclusion in the scientific workforce, as Nature first reported. Grants for studies on climate change and a funding allotment for Chinese universities also came under scrutiny.

The NIH, the worlds largest public funder of biomedical research, oversees nearly $48 billion in research conducted by about 300,000 scientists. The research carried out there has helped develop artificial organs, vaccines, cancer interventions, and therapies to help kids with nut allergies down spoons of peanut butter. Its research is also crucial to private-sector innovation: The agency has funded and is assessing the efficacy of Apple Watchs ability to detect atrial fibrillation, a stroke warning sign, for instance.

Federal workers at the NIH, many of whom have doctorates and years of training in specialized fields, worry about more than just losing vital disease research. They say their research is hyper-specific and that finding a private-sector job would require them to find positions that are approximations of their expertise, or ones for which they are overqualified. While some are pursuing appeals and lawsuits, or holding out hope they will be reinstated, they also doubt their ability to do science in a work environment beset by waves of chaos. Even if a job was waiting for them on the other side of the mass firings, some arent so sure theyd take it back.

A lot of people are starting to be like, this was my dream job, and I don't want to go back to it, Le Blanc said. And I'm kind of getting to that point, too.

Psychological torture

Learning about her fate through political announcements and Elon Musks social-media posts was psychological torture to Le Blanc.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She said her supervisor tried to soften the blow of her eventual firing. He told her management was required to cite a reason on termination letters for the firings: either performance, or misconduct. Management chose performance, but her supervisor said there was no truth in the selection. Le Blanc told Fortune she received a glowing review just weeks prior to her termination. Fortune viewed the performance review of another probationary NIH employee who was fired for performance reasons and saw she received a score indicating she exceeded expectations.

Le Blanc still remains in a liminal space in some regards. Her firing was effective on March 14, according to her termination letter viewed by Fortune, but she is unable to access any accounts or complete any work. She still has her government ID badge and computer and has not heard anything from human resources. When she calls HR, she said, she is told the mailbox is full. Le Blanc said she is still getting paychecks and cannot accept any new employment until after March 14.

But the mass firings have disrupted NIHs research, according to other workers. An employee in a lab developing brain-computer interfaces said her labs principal investigator (PI)who has Title 42 designation, which requires his contract be renewed every few yearswas put on unpaid leave last month before being reinstated this week by the acting NIH director.

During his leave, the labs equipment and specimens, which include a couple hundred mice regulated by animal welfare body the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science, were overseen by new personnel, often a member of another lab juggling their own teams responsibilities. People who are not super familiar with our work now have to be suddenly in charge of our animals, the anonymous employee, whose identity is known to Fortune, said in an interview.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Some workers have had their abilities to order lab material frozen and their paid travel to conferences cancelled, according to the employee. Other federal workers have complained Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency eliminated thousands of federal workers credit cards and capped spending on some cards to $1.

No swift justice, but a protracted appeals process

Federal workers who are fired can appeal their dismissal to either the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) or the Merit System Protections Board (MSPB), a federal body charged with protecting federal workers from political retaliation or discrimination. Workers can allege they were subject to illegal discrimination or dispute charges of poor performancebut they need to move fast.

Le Blanc, like many of her former colleagues, appealed. She opted to submit a complaint through the OSC, which she said has less narrow jurisdiction than the MSPB for probationary workers. She argued the federal government needed to give a reason to fire probationary employees and failed to do so. But she expects her case to remain in limbo.

The probationary term used to describe fired employees is a misnomer, workers told Fortune. It typically applies to workers whove started a new job or changed job titles within the prior year or twoincluding many who were recently promoted, but have decades of tenure in their agency or the government, according to NPR. There are hundreds of thousands of these workers across the government, the outlet reported.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

HHS, NIH, and OPM did not respond to Fortunes requests for comment.

OPM spokesperson McLaurine Pinover has previously said, "The probationary period is a continuation of the job application process, not an entitlement for permanent employment.

Though many employees have reviews saying they were high performers, a termination marked with a poor performance allegation is a death knell for future public-sector job prospects. The performance deficits cited in the firings are listed in a workers Standard Form 50 (SF-50), which remains in their personnel files and viewable to prospective employers within the federal government, likely jeopardizing their chances of getting a new public sector job, employees told Fortune.

The MSPB was non-functional during Trumps first administration. Trump did not appoint the key board officials necessary for the body to reach the quorum required to hear employee appeals, and from Jan. 7, 2017 to March 2, 2022, the MSPB could not vote or review any petitions. Trump is using the same playbook in his second term: He fired Cathy A. Harris, one of the five heads of the watchdog group, in February. A federal judge ruled the action illegal on Tuesday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The MSPB is currently functional. Trump fired OSC head Hampton Dellinger on Feb. 7, and Dellinger has decided not to pursue a legal battle against the presidents decision.

In the past two weeks, the MSPB has seen an avalanche of petitions. Five months ago, the board typically received about 100 petitions every week. From Feb. 16 to 22the week following many terminations1,804 petitions came in. The week after, it got 2,178 more, a 20-fold increase of its typical quota. To put the numbers in perspective, the petitions already received by the MSPB exceed the backlog it accumulated during nearly five years it was non-functional, which ended in March 2022.

View this interactive chart on Fortune.com

Its crucial for an employee appealing their firing to do so within 10 days of their dismissal. That way, an employee could be eligible for back pay if their firing is deemed unjustified, according to Nate Brought, former director of the NIHs Office of the Executive Secretariat, who resigned last month because he disagreed with the agencys direction.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The lengthy appeal process is bad for both the governments coffers and fired employees. Back pay accrues interest, which the federal government must pay, but fired federal workers who win their appeals may not have access to it for years.

It's really a tragedy for the federal employees, because people dont have any sort of swift justice for illegal firings, Gregory McGillivary, a labor lawyer representing federal workers in a class-action lawsuit alleging privacy violations, told Fortune.

Notching legal victories

Other federal workers are seeking legal action through different channels. McGillivary and other labor lawyers argue the federal government's mass firings are illegal because reductions in force (RIFs) must follow a certain set of procedures, including dismissing term employees (those working on a fixed contract) before probationary employees, and giving workers 60 days notice.

The Trump administration has argued OPM did not order employees to be fired, but simply suggested it. "Asking is not ordering," Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelsey Helland said in court last month.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But some officials and judges have agreed with McGillivarys reasoning. Harris, the MSPB chair, ordered the reinstatement of an estimated 5,000 to 6,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture employees who were fired after Feb. 13, saying she had reasonable grounds to believe the firing violated a law outlining required personnel practices, which can include abuse of authority or threats to public health or safety.

A federal judge in the Northern District of California ruled on Feb. 27 that OPM did not have the authority to fire federal employees outside its agency.

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, Judge William Alsup said. It can hire its own employees, yes. Can fire them. But it cannot order or direct some other agency to do so.

That particular ruling did not reinstate fired federal employees, but OPM did revise its guidance in an updated memo, saying each agency determines the firings of their own probationary employees.

Its not yet clear what this means for Le Blanc. But other public-health workers, including about 180 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention employees, were reportedly reinstated just two weeks after they were fired. The CDC personnel are from two fellowships: a two-year training for recent graduates interested in joining the public health workforce, and a lab program for professionals with doctorates.

A future disaster waiting to happen

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser joined 21 other attorneys general last month in a lawsuit against the HHS and NIH "for unlawfully cutting funds that support groundbreaking medical and public health research at universities and research institutions across the country." Its a small consolation for Le Blanc, who believes Denvera liberal tech haven nestled in purple state politicshas few meaningful job opportunities in public health.

Le Blanc weighed the benefits of being reinstated with the bleak prospects of finding a private-sector job.

My husband was, like, Would you go back with all of this? Le Blanc said. If it was just the job, I totally would, but with the way the administration is, the quality of life would be probably terrible.

For now, her agency is still under an order to slash headcount.

According to a memorandum sent by the Office of Management and Budget and OPM, which no longer appears on its website, agencies must submit by March 13 lists of full-time employees, including senior staff, that they can cut and state the costs those cuts would save.

Le Blanc asked herself, would she return to her lab only to risk being fired again?

But beyond trying to find ways to get a paycheck, workers are worried about the future of their science. Rehiring for labs can take years, one NIH employee told Fortune. Other employees work with young graduate students or fellows who, beyond having their contracts not renewed, are losing faith in scientific institutions.

The NIH does not make advancements in biomedical research for Republicans or for Democrats or for Americans, former NIH official Brought said. The entire world benefits from what we do.

We are risking an entire generation of medical professionals, researchers, and scientists for petty political bullshit, he added. And it's a future disaster waiting to happen.

If you're a federal worker with a tip, or if you'd like to share your experience, please contact Sasha Rogelberg on Signal @sashrogel.13.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
Firefighters undertake a prescribed burn at the Upper Applegate Watershed near Medford, Oregon on Thursday, April 27, 2023. Such burns can help reduce the risk of large wildfires. (Kyle Sullivan, Bureau of Land Management/Flickr)

This article was first published by High Country News.

Successfully fighting a wildfire requires more than people digging line or cutting fire breaks with chainsaws. It also involves people who call grazing lessees to tell them to evacuate their cows, provide food for firefighters in the field and map the resources that the firefighters need to protect. People filling all these positions were recently terminated on one national forest  a problem that spans forests across the West.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We lost the whole suite of support, a Forest Service fire management officer, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retribution from their employer, told High Country News. It is leaving us woefully unprepared for fire this summer.

Elon Musks so-called Department of Government Efficiency claimed that firefighters were exempt from its purge of at least 2,000 employees from the U.S. Forest Service along with 800 others from the Bureau of Land Management on Valentines Day and Presidents Day weekend. Hiring freeze exemptions exist for critical health and safety positions, meaning wildland firefighters, U.S. Department of Agriculture spokesperson Audra Weeks told High Country News via email.

But public-land management employees say this is not the whole story, because it leaves out collateral-duty firefighter positions.

These are the employees whose primary job isnt fire. Maybe they work on trail crews, or study soil, or communicate information with the public. But many of the people in these non-fire positions also train to earn and maintain certifications  colloquially called red cards  that qualify them for helping with wildfire fighting. Collateral duty firefighters make up a significant portion of the wildland firefighting force, the fire management officer said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The scope of the problem became clear Thursday. More than 75% of the recently fired probationary employees nationwide had red cards, according to testimony provided by Frank Beum, a retired regional forester and board member of the National Association of Forest Service Retirees, during a Senate Agriculture subcommittee hearing. Beum said these collateral fire duty positions are the backbone of fire suppression and prescribed fire. Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., called the situation an emergency.

Everyone keeps saying, Well, were not firing firefighters, the fire management officer said. But thats not the truth either. It takes a village to fight fire.

Some of these crucial employees may, at least for now, be getting their jobs back. An independent federal board, the Merit Systems Protection Board, ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees the Forest Service, to temporarily reinstate almost 6,000 employees on March 5, because there were reasonable grounds to believe the terminations were illegal. We have not had any direction/interpretation from anyone on the court decision, the fire management officer told HCN on the evening of March 5.

But those positions may still not be safe, as the Trump administration has repeatedly called for massive workforce reductions in the federal government and is exploring other, potentially legal, options to do that. Furthermore, the temporary reinstatement is only for 45 days. Immediately after the order, current Forest Service employees said they were still in the dark as to what this means, while fired employees took to social media to say that they had yet to be offered their jobs back.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A Region 1 Forest Service employee in Montana who asked for anonymity to protect their job said that 30% of their district staff were terminated. Many of them had red cards or worked other fire support jobs without them. In a busy season, we would definitely be leaning on those people that were terminated, they said. They could help with evacuations, post information at trailheads, shuttle people or supplies to a trailhead, or take stuff back and forth to the airport for helicopters to deliver to on-the-ground firefighters.

Federal firefighting on public lands in the U.S. works like this: Resources rotate as the fire season progresses regionally. For example, Western firefighters and support teams are currently being sent to the East Coast and Texas, where wildfires are burning. Theyll head to the Southwest in the spring, and then, in the late summer and fall, theyll go to the Northwest. Normally Id have a couple (people) down in Texas right now helping out, the fire management officer said.

But because they no longer have all those red-card-holding, collateral fire-duty workers, there arent enough people available to respond to a local fire if the primary firefighters are gone. I dont see us having the ability to help outside of our own forest nearly as much as we have in the past, they said. During the Senate hearing on Thursday, Beum said 1,000 Forest Service employees  including many who worked on wildfires incident management and command teams, hand crews, operations, logistics and more  took the administrations deferred resignation offer, further crippling the Forest Services ability to fight fire.

All of this could have a cascading effect this summer, if forests are forced to keep their primary firefighters close to home and larger fires in other regions are unable to summon the usual number of shared resources. Severely understaffed districts may also require employees to stay in the area to complete basic functions. We might be spending more time cleaning toilets, building trails or whatever we need for the district that usually is done by those other people, the Region 1 employee said. If we have a busy fire season locally or nationally, were not going to have the support that were accustomed to.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Though snow is still on the ground in many parts of the West, the effects of federal directives are already being felt. The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation in Washington rely on Bureau of Indian Affairs funding to employ tribal members as wildland firefighters. According to reporting by Stateline, Trumps freeze on federal hiring has halted the onboarding process for those staffers.

The Bureau of Land Managements fire resources are also being impacted by the mass layoffs. A BLM employee who works in fires and fuels planning, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retribution, said most if not all the employees in BLM field units are red-carded and able to contribute to local fire response. Its common for these employees to work as resource advisors, protecting species, cultural items and other natural resources from wildfire and fire-suppression activities.

The timing of the government chaos and uncertainty couldnt be worse, the BLM employee said: The disruption happening at this time of year is taking attention away from fire season preparation.

And a busy fire season is already stacking up. The National Interagency Fire Centers Predictive Services has forecast above-normal temperatures for the Southwest and Great Basin starting this month, meaning these regions have an above-normal potential for wildfires. Meanwhile, above-average potential for wildfires in Alaska is expected to start in April, and come May, Southern California is predicted to have increased potential for wildfires, too.
The Russians launched another large-scale drone attack on Odesa on the evening of 7 March, causing fires in the city.

Source: State Emergency Service of Ukraine

Quote: "Fires broke out as a result of the large-scale drone attack on Odesa. A warehouse with agricultural machinery, a service station building, a car shop, solar panels stored in an open area and a four-storey industrial building caught fire."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Details: The State Emergency Service reported that critical infrastructure had also been affected.

Early reports indicate that there were no casualties.

        .

:  pic.twitter.com/EVNJeZeFWb     (@ukrpravda_news) March 8, 2025

Firefighters extinguishing fire

Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine

Firefighters extinguishing fire

Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Fire appliance

Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine

Background:

On the morning of 7 March, Ukraine's largest private energy company DTEK reported that Russia had launched destructive attacks on DTEK's energy infrastructure in Odesa Oblast for the fourth night in a row. It was the sixth attack in the last two and a half weeks.

Russian forces attacked Odesa Oblast on the night of 5-6 March, hitting an energy facility, damaging a residential building and an office building and injuring two people.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
ROWAN COUNTY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  A firetruck was damaged after it was smashed into while responding to a vehicle fire in Salisbury, according to the Millers Ferry Fire Department.

Just after midnight Saturday morning, Millers Ferry crews responded to a commercial vehicle fire near mile marker 80 on I-85 south in Salisbury. While they were operating, a vehicle struck the firetruck causing significant damage.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Officials say the truck was actively working on the vehicle fire when it was struck by another car. One person was reportedly pinned in the vehicle and received medical attention. No fire personnel were hurt during the incident, the fire department said.

Local law enforcement is working to determine the circumstances of the collision. Queen City News reached out to the Millers Ferry Fire Department for more details on the vehicle fire and the status of the firetruck that was involved in 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 Queen City News.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)  It was a full house at SMARTS in Youngstown for Marchs First Friday celebration  this one centered around celebrating young artists.

I think it really provides a great opportunity for people to get a little taste of all the different things happening around Youngstown, all the different creative people that are here, said Adam Lee, Chair of the downtown Youngstown Partnership.

Youngstown Playhouse and Ballet Western Reserve were there, plus the SMARTS rock band.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Assistant Director Abbie Twyford Wilson said its important for people to see all the arts programs available under one roof.

We know that funding for arts programs in schools is lacking in a lot of ways. So a lot of these organizations help fill those gaps, especially here at SMARTS. We offer all five creative outlets  music, theater, art, dance and creative writing, Twyford Wilson said.

Sort of a mutual benefit of bringing people under the spaces that they have maybe not been to in a long time or ever at all, Lee said.

There was also an improv comedy team. Its the only one based in Youngstown and has been running for over seven years. Theyll put on their 100th show later this month.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Creative Director Paul Dahman says its important to introduce kids to new forms of the arts.

I got introduced to acting and performing when I was little and I was bitten by the big and have been doing it ever since. To be able to kind of introduce the next generation to that kind of stuff is very exciting, Dahman said.

Next months first Fridays will be at OH WOW. Itll be held outdoors again in May.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP)  The Holyoke Police Department arrested five suspects on Thursday in connection to an ongoing investigation into open-air drug dealing in the city.

Holyoke Police Chief Brian Keenan and Mayor Joshua Garcia said that these arrests are the result of a multi-agency operation to halt drug activity specifically in and around the area of Soucy Park.

The Holyoke Police Department Narcotics/Vice Unit, DEA Springfield Resident Office, Western Massachusetts FBI Gang Task Force and the Hampden District Attorneys SAFE Unit conducted their investigation into the Soucy Park area on Clemente and Spring Street on Thursday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Traffic stop leads to discovery of firearms, drugs in Raynham

Holyoke police said officers conducted surveillance around the park early Thursday morning observing what was believed to be drug-related activities. At approximately 10:50 a.m., a truck arrived in the area and the driver spoke to the suspect, who was later identified as 32-year-old Gilberto Rodriguez-Sanchez of Holyoke.

When the truck left, officers followed and a traffic stop was conducted on Cabot Street. Officers found 14 bags of heroin and fentanyl in the truck and the driver, 64-year-old David Pierce of Holyoke, was arrested.

Police said that at around 11:10 a.m., Holyoke Detectives observed Rodriguez-Sanchez allegedly engaging in another drug transaction. The suspect walked to a vehicle on Hamilton Street and drove away, and officers conducted a traffic stop on Race Street.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Four bags of heroin were seized from the driver, 36-year-old Sergey Tikhonchuk of Westfield, who was then arrested.

Officers then approached Rodriguez-Sanchez and placed him under arrest near the entrance to Soucy Park. Members of law enforcement seized approximately 100 bags of heroin and a dozen vials of suspected powder cocaine.

Additionally, Task Force officers were able to arrest two other suspects. Johnny Ortiz, 61, of Holyoke was arrested inside the park when cocaine was found on his person, as well as 47-year-old Angel Villanueva of Holyoke for an outstanding arrest warrant.

Courtesy of the Holyoke Police Department.

Id like to thank our officers, regional and federal partners for working together with the ultimate goal of removing drug activity from our parks, Chief Keenan said. Mayor Garcia and I want to restore our open spaces, so our residents and children can enjoy them without having to encounter drug dealers. Our officers and Task Force partners will continue to make every effort to improve the quality of life for our residents.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Gilberto Rodriguez-Sanchez is charged with:

Distribution of a Class A Drug

Possession with the Intent to Distribute a Class A Drug

Possession with the Intent to Distribute a Class B Drug

Possession of a Class A Drug

Possession of a Class B Drug

Arrest Warrant

David Pierce is charged with:

Possession of a Class A Drug

Sergey Tikhonchuk is charged with:

Possession of a Class A Drug

Johnny Ortiz is charged with:

Possession of a Class B Drug

Angel Villanueva is charged with:

Arrest Warrant

Local News Headlines

WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP.
This week, in a committee room in Washington, DC, witnesses observed what may turn out to be one of the greatest vindications in the history of medical science. Jay Bhattacharya, a professor of medicine, economics and health policy at Stanford University, appeared before a Senate nomination hearing en route to confirmation as director of Americas National Institutes of Health (NIH). Hollywood would struggle to come up with a more stunning story arc for this mild-mannered hero.

During the Covid pandemic, the man who is about to become the most senior health official in the United States was a pariah. In October 2020, along with two distinguished colleagues, Martin Kulldorff of Harvard and Sunetra Gupta, a professor of theoretical epidemiology at Oxford, Jay Bhattacharya published the Great Barrington Declaration.

The trio argued that lockdown would cause irreparable damage and made the case for focused protection; the elderly and the infirm would be sheltered while younger, healthier people got on with their lives (no social distancing, no masks, no quarantine) and built up immunity in the population. The manifesto proposed the lifting of restrictions which were plain silly (shutting childrens playgrounds, limiting exercise outdoors) and others which were deeply damaging (closing schools, cancelling hospital appointments) or merely economically disastrous (paying healthy people to stay at home, suspending hospitality and transport).

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In an interview with The Telegraphs Planet Normal podcast, in 2021, Bhattacharya warned of an unseen mental health crisis. Lockdown, he said, would come to be viewed as the single biggest public health mistake of all history in terms of the scope of the harms that its caused.

For daring to challenge the global groupthink, Bhattacharya endured vile personal attacks and censorship. Twitter suppressed the visibility of his posts while Google and Facebook, acting on requests from the Biden administration, no less, buried any mention of Great Barrington.

Four days after the declaration was published, Francis Collins, then the head of NIH, wrote an email to Anthony Fauci, who led Americas Covid response, warning that Great Barrington seemed to be getting a lot of attention and that there needs to be a quick and devastating published take-down of its premises. Bhattacharya, Gupta and Kulldorf, he sneered, were fringe epidemiologists.

Collins seemed to be casting himself as the infallible pope of science and Jay Bhattacharya was the heretic who must be burnt at the stake. Well, from next week, that heretic takes the popes job. Karma rarely gets much sweeter.

Jay Bhattacharya about to become the most senior health official in the United States

Five years on, Americans are getting to grips with the fact that Great Barrington was pretty much spot on, and the lawsuits are flying. Lockdown has indeed had horrific and indelible consequences. We can all see that, cant we? Developmental delay in infants, a mental health epidemic, poorer exam results, lethal waiting lists for hospitals which closed their doors to non-Covid cases, a spike in avoidable cancer deaths, difficulty coaxing people back to work, not to mention economic catastrophe (a deafening 450 billion was printed to pay for furlough, PPE and other measures. On this the British political class are silent).

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In the US the reckoning is huge. The guilty men are being named and the former heretic Bhattacharya is elevated to the highest office. But here in the UK we are still mired in delusion and denial.

Take Sunday, which is the official Covid Day of Reflection. Its billed as an opportunity to come together to remember those who lost their lives since the pandemic began and to honour the tireless work and acts of kindness shown during this unprecedented time. The heart sinks. While those who lost loved ones to Covid deserve our sympathy, many who died were already in Gods waiting room and could just as easily have been carried off by flu. The day sounds like another opportunity to wallow in soft-focus sadness when what is called for is a tough, hard-headed appraisal of how our pandemic response led to tragic consequences for the living, and what we must avoid  like the plague, funnily enough  in future. We do not need a day of quiet reflection: Britons should look back in anger.

In stark contrast to the USs determined uncovering of pandemic mistakes and lies, the UKs Covid Inquiry, led by Baroness Heather Hallett, seems glacial, myopic, evasive and absurdly expensive (its on track to cost more than 200 million, although some say half a billion is more realistic, with a stupefying 55 million set to be squandered on up to 150 lawyers).

Where other countries got their Covid reports done and dusted years ago (Lady Halletts Swedish counterpart, Mats Melin, had completed his final report four months before the terms of reference for the UK hearings had even been agreed), our inquiry has taken on an Alice Through the Looking Glass pointless perversity. How painstakingly it confirms its own prejudgments and prejudices while studiously avoiding anything contentious.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The core question the British public may have hoped to have answered was whether the staggering costs of the Governments population-wide interventions outweighed the benefits. With some nine million people now economically inactive in the UK, upwards of 7.5 million languishing on hospital waiting lists, and marked rises in obesity, mental health issues, alcohol-related deaths, substance abuse and disability all traceable back to 2020  dont we have to ask: Seriously, was it worth it?

With Sweden standing by her decision to avoid draconian mandatory lockdowns and restrictions on personal liberty, a view which the Swedish inquiry called fundamentally correct (albeit indicating that certain venues should have been closed earlier), an influential (bipartisan) Congressional report on the pandemic emphatically concluded: The prescription cannot be worse than the disease, such as strict and overly broad lockdowns that led to predictable anguish and avoidable consequences.

Academic papers suggest only a negligible benefit of lockdown in terms of saving lives. So why is the UK inquiry dodging those critical issues altogether?

From the outset, Lady Halletts inquiry has largely accepted the necessity of unprecedented, authoritarian interventions in a country we were told was facing an existential threat to its entire population. (The fact we knew quite early on that Covid was a remarkably age-stratified virus, with the risk of death to the elderly a thousandfold what it is to the young, is never mentioned. The average age of death in Italy, where the European chapter of the pandemic began as garment workers returned from China after the holidays, was 82.4 years. Not much different from the average life expectancy for a British man.)

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

There was no real argument as to whether, for good and obvious public health reasons, these measures had to be contemplated, said Hugo Keith KC, lead counsel to the inquiry, to Michael Gove on the topic of lockdowns. They were matters of life and death. So there wasnt really a thesis and an antithesis position here, Mr Gove. All the public health advice on a public health crisis was pointing in one direction.

Unfortunately, that is a typically smug, complacent contribution to this inquiry. It also happens to be untrue. The UKs pre-existing pandemic plan never featured lockdowns because everyone knew how ruinous they would be. (Granted, the plan was based on an H2N2 influenza pandemic, but both viruses spread rapidly and kill by causing acute respiratory illness.) Also, in science, there should always be a thesis and an antithesis.

When he gave his evidence, the then prime minister, Rishi Sunak (who became alarmed as chancellor at the vertiginous and mounting bills), was shot down in flames when he had the temerity to reference a study that suggested more quality-adjusted life years would be taken by the first lockdown than the virus itself. I dont want to get into Quality Life Assurance models [sic], sniffed Hugo Keith, betraying a surprising lack of familiarity with a standard public health assessment metric which is used to weigh costs for every single medical treatment. But not Covid.

Those of us who tried to flag up likely adverse consequences during lockdown were often called granny killers and Covidiots. But the real idiots were working for the government. Take the issue of masks. For many parents, few interventions caused more distress than the requirement that children cover their faces all day at school. You would think such a major intervention, imposed on children at a point when the vast majority of adults were not subject to similar strictures, would have been rigorously assessed by the government, wouldnt you? But a Freedom of Information Act request made by the UsForThem parenting group subsequently revealed that the government failed to carry out a risk assessment for its masks in class mandate until 17 months after the policy was imposed on children. Scandalously, it emerged much later that the decision to force children into masks was, in part, the result of Downing Street not wanting to be seen to be outdone by Nicola Sturgeon (who shamelessly exploited the crisis to score points at Boriss and Westminsters expense). Getting children to cover their faces was never wholly about following the science, it was politics.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Numerous academic papers show there was no statistically significant benefit to mandating masks in schools, so the inquiry, as part of its Module Two investigations into non-pharmaceutical interventions, might have at least examined that awful policy. Instead, in one of the most astonishing exchanges to date, Lady Hallett was puzzled when Sir Peter Horby, an esteemed epidemiologist, indicated that masking of the public was hardly a straightforward decision. Im sorry, Im not following, Sir Peter, said Lady Hallett. If theres a possible benefit [to masking], whats the downside?

On the Covid Day of Reflection, we must surely marvel at the fact that the person heading up the Covid Inquiry doesnt even understand the precautionary principle which is such a key part of medical science.

Last month, as the runaway gravy train turned its attention to the vaccine rollout, Lady Halletts inquiry declared itself not competent to contemplate the safety or risk benefit of the Covid jabs. It denounced the very notion that such questions might serve a legitimate purpose  ...my Lady, purred Hugo Keith, you may think that the exercise of pronouncing the last word on the commerciality or efficacy and safety of specific vaccines may serve little purpose  before confidently declaring that our Covid vaccines were entirely effective and the vaccine rollout an undoubted success, and that, apparently, across all age groups and even while a class action against AstraZeneca for deaths and serious injuries suffered from its jab sits before UK courts, it is beyond any doubt that the life-saving benefits of the UK Covid-19 vaccines vastly outweighed the very rare risk of a serious side effect. Indeed, according to Mr Keith, the Covid vaccines offered us the promised land, no less. Nothing to see here, folks.

That will be no consolation to Gareth Eve, whose wife, 44-year-old Radio Newcastle broadcaster Lisa Shaw, died of complications from the AstraZeneca jab months after Denmark and other countries stopped their rollout of the AZ jab amid fears over rare cases of blood clots. A reluctance to see the shine taken off the British scientific miracle may account for the slowness to remove the jab from the market here. An increased risk of myocarditis and pericarditis from mRNA Covid vaccines, acknowledged by the British Heart Foundation and the British Medical Journal citing a global study, and other serious side effects suffered by a number of people, should also have been a subject for intense scrutiny. As it would be if such horrific problems were caused by medication for any other disease. But not Covid.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A certain amount of secrecy and error during a major health crisis is forgivable in a way that two years of official mendacity and state authoritarian overreach is not. At this distance, it can be hard to believe how readily the British people submitted to measures which ranged from the patently ridiculous (sitting down to eat a Scotch egg in a pub was Covid-secure in a way standing at the bar was not) to the egregiously unethical (free pizza and beer if you get jabbed).

Penny Mordaunt, then MP for Portsmouth North and subsequently leader of the House of Commons, recalls going into No 10 to seek clarification over the rules for weddings. Why, Mordaunt inquired, could a bride and her father travel maskless in a car to the wedding but had to wear masks when they were walking down the aisle (and why was the bride not allowed to throw her bouquet?)? No one could give her any reason for the rules. They were literally making it up as they went along.

In Module Two, which looked at high-level decision making, the inquiry might have asked how and why whole swaths of age-old structures and safeguards designed to ensure good and rational governance, particularly in emergencies, were jettisoned. It could have probed how a group of four men  Johnson, Gove, Sunak and then health secretary Matt Hancock  making highly consequential policy decisions via deletable WhatsApp messages, could possibly have been consistent with the Nolan principles of transparency, objectivity and accountability. And it should, at the very least, have pondered how decades of ethical principles, and the Moral and Ethical Advisory Group, an entire committee of government-appointed experts, were apparently demobilised by ministers when they became incompatible with political ambitions.

But, even as other countries seek to undo and reverse the most outrageous ethical overreaches of the pandemic era (the US has reinstated members of the military discharged due to vaccine mandates; Italy has scrapped its fines for Covid vaccine opponents), all of these topics were left undisturbed by our inquiry. Instead, legions of costly legal minds became engrossed in Downing Street tittle-tattle and who ate a piece of cake and who used a four-letter word to which colleague.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The long list of topics judged too hot for the inquiry to handle has grown with each Module. When Michael Gove broached the possibility of the virus being man-made in a lab in Wuhan (a likelihood first raised by Sir Richard Dearlove, former head of MI6, on Planet Normal in June 2020, and now regarded by the FBI and CIA to be pretty certain), he was abruptly cut off by Hugo Keith, the topic apparently too divisive for the inquiry to touch. Incidentally, the UKs Sir Jeremy Farrar, former director of the Wellcome Trust and member of Sage (the overwhelmingly Left-leaning scientific advisory group), is suggested by the US House Report on the Coronavirus Pandemic to have been heavily implicated in the suppression of the Wuhan lab leak theory. Does the UK inquiry think this has any possible bearing on the reliability of Sir Jeremy as a witness? Not that weve noticed.

Indeed, Farrar is one of many home team scientists whose illustrious expertise and infallible credentials the inquiry has positively salivated over. Have you throughout your professional career served as a chair on a multitude of advisory bodies, for governments and global organisations? Have you received a plethora of honours from a number of governments, institutes and entities? asked Hugo Keith during Sir Jeremys evidence session in June 2023. The Rev Collins in Pride and Prejudice was never more fulsomely ingratiating to Lady Catherine de Burgh than was Mr Keith to Sir Jeremy.

Such sycophantic sucking-up stands in sharp contrast to the attitude displayed towards those whose perspectives present an unwanted challenge to the favoured pro-lockdown narrative. Who can forget the rude grilling of Carl Heneghan, professor of evidence-based medicine at Oxford and also an emergency care doctor who was going in and out of care homes throughout the pandemic so actually knew what he was talking about? Reflecting bitterly on his character assassination, Heneghan now says he was naive to assume the inquiry wished to establish the truth.

Prof Neil Ferguson, chief architect of the mathematical modelling on which the UKs lockdown response was predicated (Swedish scientists were incredulous when one Ferguson forecast said that, if no measures were put in place, deaths over the following two years could reach more than 500,000.), had previously achieved some notoriety for his alarmist forecasts on bird flu, swine flu, foot and mouth disease and BSE. Yet he was welcomed to the witness box as a world-leading specialist in this field, and later thanked profusely for his hard work by a fawning Lady Hallett.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Oddly, there was no allusion to Ferguson breaking the lockdown rules he had inspired when he had his mistress over for the afternoon. Perhaps we should just thank our lucky stars that Neil Ferguson is one of the few lockdown masterminds who havent received a knighthood or another prestigious gong, although you wouldnt put anything past them. An irony to mull over on the Covid Day of Reflection.

That Ferguson was not asked a single question about his potential conflicts of interest may strike some as surprising. The inquirys lawyers seem either to have been unaware, or just uninterested in the fact, that a month after Fergusons seismic March 2020 paper concluded that an intensive intervention package [i.e. lockdown] will need to be maintained until a vaccine becomes available, Imperial College reportedly received 22.5 million in funding from the government for vaccine research and development.

This unwholesome pattern has been repeated time and again as the lead lawyers have declined to cross-examine senior officials about their potential conflicts of interest. Hence, no curiosity was shown in Sir Jeremy Farrars post-pandemic appointment to the job of chief scientist at the World Health Organisation, which was shamelessly in the pocket of China during the pandemic and continues to rebut suggestions that Covid originated in a Chinese lab.

No comment was made about the fact that the cuddly Sir Jonathan Van-Tam, a little over a year after stepping down as deputy chief medical officer and head of the Vaccine Task Force in March 2022, was handed a plum job by the newly enriched vaccine manufacturer Moderna.

Jonathan Van-Tam told The Telegraph that he found it difficult to re-adapt to normal life after the war front of 16-hour working days during the pandemic

While American politicians and civilians are demanding accountability through the courts, the British failure to conduct meaningful reckonings leaves whole areas out of bounds for the inquiry, and hides vital facts from the public.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

How is it that even now, half a decade later, with the UK all but bankrupt, recession looming and national debt skyrocketing, there has been no scrutiny of how it came to pass that Parliament, within the space of a single day, waved through the Contingencies Fund Act 2020, allowing the government to spend, beyond its existing budgets for the year, an additional 266 billion of public funds with no advance parliamentary scrutiny. According to former Supreme Court Judge Jonathan Sumption (one of the most eloquent lockdown sceptics), this departed from a 150-year-old constitutional principle that Parliament should control how public funds are spent.

How is it that, at a time when the United States passes an executive order restoring free speech and ending federal censorship  Government censorship of speech is intolerable in a free society  we have an inquiry which has anchored its analysis to a presumption that the only commentary capable of being labelled misinformation or conspiracy theory was that which challenged official public health messages or was critical of the governments policies?

So, my Lady, we have asked a number of organisations, the DHSC, NHS England, UKHSA, to explain how the UK government tackled Covid vaccine mis- and disinformation and we will be looking at the work of the Counter Disinformation Unit and the Rapid Response Unit. What did they do to address these real problems? mused Hugo Keith when opening Module 4.

Heres a thought, Hugo: how about asking what various secretive units, working behind the scenes, did to manipulate public opinion and behaviour, silencing and blackening the names of reputable people in a McCarthyite witch hunt which had no place in a country with a proud tradition of free speech? We still do not have full transparency about the work of the Counter Disinformation Unit (since, thanks to a sleight of hand that will fool no one, renamed the National Security Online Information Team), the Rapid Response Unit, the 77th Brigade, SPI-B and the Behavioural Insights Team (colloquially known as the Nudge Unit).

But the British people are hungry for accountability. Some 42 per cent say they want the Covid Inquiry to consider the use of behavioural psychology in influencing public opinion during the pandemic and 40 per cent want restrictions on the media examined, reflecting widespread concern over whether the actions of Ofcom and the main broadcasters and social media platforms compromised freedom of speech. Is it any wonder the UK has so swiftly slithered from a high-trust to a low-trust society?

How can we possibly hope to restore trust in public health, and in authority more generally, when the inquiry instinctively assumes all covert operations were simply wonderful and not in the least bit sinister, and so many critical topics are out of bounds? How can we hope to convince people to follow future public health recommendations without confronting the dramatic exaggeration of risk and the deliberate stoking of anxiety which Laura Dodsworth forensically exposed in her landmark book, The State of Fear: How the UK Government Weaponised Fear During the Covid-19 Pandemic?

How wrong it looks now to have depicted lockdown sceptics as the dangerous subversives when they were, in many cases, simply stating the time-honoured principles of epidemiology and virology? It was lockdown which was the aberration.

Failure to engage candidly with the events which undermined trust in the first place is now having serious, even lethal, consequences. With childhood immunisations significantly down compared with pre-pandemic levels and MMR vaccine (for measles, mumps and rubella) coverage at its lowest level since 2009-10, one statistic stands out: the last UK vaccination with coverage exceeding the World Health Organisations 95 per cent target was the 5-in-1 vaccine at age five years, in 2020-21. Parents seem to have understandably been spooked by the procedurally unprecedented decision of the four joint chief medical officers (CMOs) of the UK to override the Governments vaccine advisory experts (the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation) and push ahead with the mass Covid vaccination of healthy 12- to15-year olds  despite it being a novel, under-tested jab that no healthy child needed (so it was all risk and no benefit).

To the extent that the Covid Inquiry has engaged with this sorry episode at all, it has only been to endorse the CMOs decision as straightforward, justified, unremarkable and ethical, conveniently ignoring the astonishing fact that official public records indicate that an ethical assessment of this critical and controversial decision was never undertaken.

On the Covid Day of Reflection, please let us pause to gasp at the fact that the inquiry had not planned originally to examine the impact on children at all. The terms of reference were only changed to include a separate childrens module thanks to furious campaigning by UsForThem and others. But that module is the eighth out of 10 to be heard  if we are lucky  some time later this year, risibly late for kids who half a decade ago (half a lifetime for many of them) saw their lives so grievously derailed.

No group was hurt more during the pandemic than children, hit indiscriminately by mass school closures, their well-being and their futures jeopardised by rounds of further, often baseless interventions: padlocked playgrounds preventing kids running around in Covids worst enemy  fresh air  the Rule of Six (full marks for anyone who can remember the minutiae of that random absurdity!), the bubble policy; all now acknowledged to have had negligible impact on reducing transmission but cumulatively taking a sledgehammer to childhood.

Millions of children are still living with pandemic impacts today: the 1.5 million failing to speak at an age-appropriate level; the little ones turning up to start school in nappies, the one in four persistently absent from school; the quarter of a million waiting for mental health support, the rise in anxiety and depression among young people who spent formative years away from their peer group .

Heres another devastating statistic for the Covid Day of Reflection. In the first month of lockdown alone, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children saw a 1,493 per cent increase in abusive head trauma, an early signal of the haunting abuse to be suffered by hundreds of children during the pandemic: Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, Star Hobson, Finley Boden and Jacob Crouch are just four of the children now known to have been murdered during that period, hidden from view by abusive parents when routine safeguarding checks were suspended.

Interest payments on our gargantuan, lockdown-fuelled national debt in December 2024 and January 2025 alone (8.3 billion and 6.5 billion respectively) were roughly equal to the amount judged necessary for the educational recovery programme in 2021 by recovery tsar Sir Kevan Collins  an amount which was rejected out of hand by the Conservative government.

The chief economist of the World Bank has described the closure of schools as the biggest mistake of the pandemic and, God knows, there are plenty to choose from. Many would agree. Yet to the extent that the inquirys Module One interim report on pandemic preparedness talks about schools at all, it speaks of school closures as a tool of pandemic management rather than a historic blunder to be avoided at all costs. Bear in mind, Sweden never closed schools for under-16s at all. Anders Tegnell, who led its pandemic response, said he thought Swedish youngsters were vulnerable enough already without suffering that additional misery. Would that Sir Chris Whitty or Sir Patrick Vallance had been capable of the compassionate wisdom and foresight shown by Tegnell and Jay Bhattacharya.

There was no more vocal advocate for children during the pandemic than Bhattacharya. He described school closures as the single biggest generator of inequality Ive seen in my lifetime from a single policy. With characteristic quiet eloquence, during his confirmation hearing earlier this week, he said: Dissent is the very essence of science If confirmed, I will establish a culture of respect for free speech in science and scientific dissent at the NIH.

In light of Jay Bhattacharyas glowing redemption and new eminence across the Atlantic, what possible justification can there be for the UK inquirys failure to call his Great Barrington colleague Prof Sunetra Gupta, a staunch but sensitive critic of population-wide interventions? We can only assume that the unequivocal and damning opinions in Prof Guptas witness statement  We betrayed the Precautionary Principle by adopting a strategy which was certain to cause harm but whose benefits were entirely unclear  were considered way too honest to be given a public airing.

Sunetra Gupta, aka the Queen of Flu, is a woman of great dignity, who has suffered appalling brickbats from ignoramuses in silence, although she does occasionally send terse, withering verdicts on the inquiry. Hugo Keith has said a great many factually incorrect things, the professor observed, but one I remember (because many scientists also got this wrong) is that you cant get herd immunity if you lose immunity to infection. This is absolutely not true  it is in my first-year lectures to undergraduates. Take that, Mr Keith!

On the Covid Day of Reflection, the British people should be aware that one of their greatest living epidemiologists  a woman who has forgotten more about coronaviruses than the entire cast and crew of the Covid-19 inquiry ever knew  sits in Oxford, excluded and irrelevant, while experts who presided over lockdown  the single biggest public health mistake of all history in terms of the scope of the harms that its caused  are listened to and lauded.

The UKs Covid Inquiry will probably not report till 2027, a full seven years since the start of the pandemic: the last and the worst of any countrys inquiries. And the most expensive. No worthwhile lessons will be learnt  not if they can possibly help it.

On the Covid Day of Reflection tomorrow, each of us will have our different thoughts and memories. A good one, maybe, would be to remember that, on June 12 2020, the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (Amendment) (No 4) Regulations 2020 were laid by the secretary of state for health in Parliament without scrutiny. This executive fiat allowed bookmakers shops to open their doors, but kept childrens playgrounds closed, swathed with tape like a crime scene with notices threatening dire consequences if anyone had an illicit go on the swings. So small, dingy, poorly ventilated shops, often frequented by wheezing, elderly men, could open to allow the gambling industry to take punters money; but little children at zero risk from the virus still werent allowed to run around and enjoy a bit of entirely safe fun out of doors.

Follow the science  seriously? How did we let it happen? What possessed us to sacrifice our young? Perhaps that is what we should reflect on, above all else.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
BURRILLVILLE, R.I. (WPRI)  An investigation is underway after a volunteer fire station in Burrillville went up in flames Friday evening.

Pascoag Fire Chief Michael Dexter said firefighters were called to the Wallum Lake Fire Station after a passerby reported that the building was on fire.

The flames ripped through the buildings roof, which collapsed onto the lone fire engine parked inside. Dexter said the engine appears to be in OK, though firefighters havent had a chance to inspect it yet.

No one was injured and the cause is unclear at this time.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Wallum Lake Fire District is made up of volunteers and the station is situated on Eleanor Slater Hospitals Zambarano campus. Dexter said Wallum Lake regularly works alongside Pascoag while also servicing the hospital.

The roof of a small fire station garage on Wallum Lake Rd in Pascoag/Burrillville has caved in after a fire. A fire engine still sits inside the building right now. Firefighters from surrounding communities are here assisting. @wpri12 pic.twitter.com/wdrSiZFyvg  Corey Welch (@CoreyWelch) March 7, 2025

Dexter told 12 News its rare, but not unheard of, for a volunteer station to catch fire.

Its different here because its a volunteer fire department, Dexter said. There was nobody here when the fire started.

Dexter said the fire station is sentimental to the firefighters who volunteer there, especially after their longtime chief passed away last year.

Its truly the members that run this fire department, Dexter said. We tried to save as much as we could of their memorabilia.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This one building is all they have, he continued.

Dexter said the Pascoag Fire Department will be servicing the hospital until the Wallum Lake station is back up and running.

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

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.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said he would continue to pursue an investigation against Andrew and Tristan Tate, influencer brothers who were accused of human trafficking in Romania.

Fleeing our jurisdiction will not stop Floridas ongoing criminal investigation, Uthmeier wrote in a Friday statement on X.

We will continue working with our law enforcement and partners around the world to fight human trafficking and sexual abuse, he added.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Andrew Tate said Thursday he was leaving the state for Las Vegas after describing Uthmeiers investigation as absolute communism.

He and his brother, who have dual citizenship in the U.S. and UK, deny the criminal allegations which previously carried travel restrictions for the two brothers. The brothers have denied the allegations against them.

Thank you Florida, you were very welcoming. See you in a few years <3, Andrew wrote in a post on X.

The first thing the manager of the hotel in Vegas said: Sorry about Florida treating you that way when you first came home. They let everybody down. Your hotel suite is comped, he wrote in a separate post.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The two arrived in the Sunshine State to the dismay of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and Rep. Bryron Donalds (R-Fla.) who condemned their past behavior.

Florida is not a place where, where youre welcome with that, with that type of conduct in the air, and I dont know how it came to this, we were not involved, we were not notified, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) told reporters last week.

Donalds echoed those sentiments.

I think those allegations have to be fully investigated, and then we go from  we go from there. The key thing is, we dont tolerate the trafficking of women, or frankly, the abuse of women. We do not tolerate that, Donalds said on Tuesday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A Florida man impersonated a vendor used by Lackawanna Countys Arts and Culture Department and stole nearly $60,000 from the county, according to the county district attorneys office.

Michael Anthony Patrylo, 23, of Oviedo, was arrested Friday by Oviedo Police Departmentofficers, Lackawanna County District Attorney Brian Gallagher said.

The countys Arts and Culture Department informed the district attorneys office in February 2024 about two invoices totaling $56,689 to L&A Tent Rentals of New Jersey for tent rentals for the 2023 Lackawanna Winter Market. A representative from L&A Tent Rentals contacted Arts and Culture Department Director Maureen McGuigan and told her there were two outstanding invoices, Detective Colleen Catanese wrote in a criminal complaint.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

After communicating with an individual who identified himself as Steve Campbell from the vendor, she sent the money electronically to an NBKC Bank account held by the rental company in December 2023. However, the real Campbell later told McGuigan they dont have an account with that bank and didnt receive the money, she wrote.

Catanese obtained bank records through a search warrant that revealed the account McGuigan sent the money to belonged to Patrylo. She also discovered the $56,689 deposit made that January and withdrawals from the account later that month to Uber, Doordash, a Delta flight ticket from John F. Kennedy International Airport to Orlando International Airport, a vacation rental, UPS, a cryptocurrency platform and travel insurance companies

Catanese charged Patrylo with felony counts of theft, theft by deception, receiving stolen property, forgery and criminal use of a communication facility. He is awaiting extradition to Lackawanna County from Florida to be arraigned on the charges, Gallagher said.

If convicted, he faces up to 47 years in prison, a $95,000 fine and a term of supervised release following imprisonment, Gallaghers office said in the statement.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The county filed an insurance claim to recoup the stolen taxpayer money and paid the real vendor that provided the tents, county officials said last year. County systems were not hacked, they said.

Forgery, fraud, and theft of public funds erode public trust and divert resources intended for our community, Gallagher said in a statement announcing the charges. Our office is committed to aggressively investigating and prosecuting these types of offenses against our county.
Mar. 8Austin's newest tire center has opened its doors.

After nearly a year of construction and development, Les Schwab Tire Center, located at 1901 Fourth Street NW, opened for the first time on Wednesday.

The nine linear bay store is one of the largest Les Schwab locations in the Midwest and brings with it not just an aim to work for the customer but the community as a whole.

"We're very heavily based in the community," said Cody Bouma, store manager. "A majority of our store locations are in smaller towns. We're very focused in trying to give back as much as we can."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As a company, Les Schwab has been in business for over 70 years and started when the namesake of the business, Les Schwab, bought a tire franchise in Prineville, Oregon in 1952. Since then, the company consists of 581 stores, including the Austin location.

One of the things Schwab believed in the most was valuing both the customer and employee.

"One thing that Les Schwab, from day one, has always held true is you take care of customers, you take care of your employees and then you take care of profits," Bouma said. "Take care of those first two things, the third thing will organically grow and you don't have to worry about it."

To that end, the new tire center offers a line of services to the customer including wheels, tires, suspension, alignment and oil changes. Bouma said that the only things it doesn't do is engine work, exhaust work and electrical.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Vehicles of many shapes and sizes are included in this service from cars and trucks up to semis, agriculture vehicles and heavy industrial vehicles.

While the regular, every-day vehicles are handled in one of the nine bays, heavier work like semis are done beneath a canopy on the north side of business.

The Austin location features 11 employees, not counting Bouma and the assistant manager, hired out of over 175 applicants.

As to why Les Schwab decided on Austin for a location, Bouma said it really came down to the community itself.

"(Les Schwab) really likes to see that community engagement because that's something we're big in," he said. "It's nice to go into a community that is already supporting each other."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

To that end, Les Schwab is looking to build connections with community organizations. Already it's contributed a sponsorship to the Austin Bruins and it's hoping to be able to support Austin's schools as well.

While the company has stated that it is excited to be in Austin, it got off to something of an auspicious start with Wednesday's blizzard. However, Bouma said the location took the chance to go out into the community and see what they could do.

That included offering free services to the employees of surrounding businesses for things like tire rotations and inspections, even offering to pick up the vehicle and bring it back when it's done.

"If we're going to stand here and do nothing, we're going to give free service and help some people out," Bouma said. "A lot of people didn't know we were open. It was a good way for word to spread that we are ready to go and help the community."

A grand opening celebration will be held March 21-22, with a ribbon cutting on March 21 and if the weather cooperates, food vendors will be on hand as well.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WWTI)  A 53-year-old Jefferson County resident that was a U.S. Border Patrol agent has pled guilty on Friday after he was accused of making women expose their breasts while processing their admission into the United States.

In an announcement from the United States Attorneys Office, Shane Millan pleaded guilty to a pair of counts of deprivation of rights under color of law.

Border Patrol Agent accused of conducting unreasonable searches on women

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In the announcement, Millan admitted that, while acting under color of law as a Border Patrol Agent, he willfully deprived multiple victims of their constitutional right to be free from unreasonable searches when, during virtual processing concerning their admission to the United States, he commanded the victims to expose their bare chests to him via webcam. Millan further admitted that he told these women that his requests were for legitimate searches incident to admission into the United States, but he knew his demands to see the victims breasts were for his own gratification.

Sentencing is scheduled for July 7 and he could face up to two years in prison and a fine of $200,000.

A defendants sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant is charged with violating, 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 WWTI - InformNNY.com.
A Denver rideshare driver convicted of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a dozen women passengers was sentenced Friday to a prison term of 290 years to life, prosecutors said.

John Pastor-Mendoza sexually assaulted the women between 2018 and 2022, while posing as the rideshare driver his victims had requested, Denver District Attorney John Walsh.

Pastor-Mendoza was convicted by a jury in October on 30 criminal counts, including of kidnapping and sexual assault.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I stand before you today as a survivor of a true monster, victim Rachel Perry told District Judge Karen Brody at Fridays hearing, NBC affiliate KUSA of Denver reported. I was taken in March of 2019. Since then, life has never been the same.

In some cases, Mendoza assaulted the women in his vehicle, and in others, drove them to another location where he assaulted them, Walsh said.

Walsh praised the courage of the victims.

"Pastor-Mendoza victimized 12 women in a calculated, cruel and contemptible series of crimes over four years, Walsh said in a statement. "Judge Brodys severe sentence is entirely appropriate."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Pastor-Mendoza said Friday that he was innocent, the station reported.

"I never laid a hand on anybody. I wasnt raised like that," he said.

Pastor-Mendoza, who had worked for Lyft, was arrested Aug. 19, 2022.

Some of the women reported to police that they hailed rides after drinking, mostly at bars, and awoke to being sexually assaulted, police said in an arrest warrant affidavit.

DNA evidence helped confirm that the same suspect was involved, police said in the warrant.

Perry and other victims spoke after the sentencing.

"I survived a monster  we all did," she said. "And today, I feel like we got justice."

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (FOX 56)  Matt Bevins adoptive son has filed a protective order against the former governor and his estranged wife, Glenna.

According to court records, the protective orders were filed on Friday in a Jefferson County Court.

RELATED:

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As a result, court documents show that the former governor has been ordered to surrender any guns that he owns.

In an interview with the Kentucky Lantern, Jonah revealed that he was the adoptive son the Bevins allegedly abandoned at a Jamaican troubled-teen boarding school.

11:11 Media Impact has been diligently working to protect and advocate on behalf of the American boys removed from Atlantis Leadership Academy in Jamaica. These boys, including Former Governor Bevins son, were taken into the custody of Jamaica after experiencing horrific abuse and have since been returned to the United States, and placed in alternative more appropriate placements. It is our understanding that Noah is safe and we will continue to look out for the welfare of all children who experience institutional child abuse and neglect. 11:11 Media Impact

Jonah, now 18, told the Kentucky Lantern that hes now living on his own in Utah, working part-time construction jobs and finding temporary places to live, receiving no assistance from his adoptive family.

LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A 2024 London Times investigation took an unexpected turn, revealing that former Gov. Matt Bevins adopted son was one of the three boys left behind when the Atlantis Leadership Academy (ALA) dismantled, a school that promised the ideal environment for healing.

Instead, several staff members were arrested in connection with the reported abuse students endured.

Jonah told the Kentucky Lantern hed once attempted to escape, only to return and be brutally beaten.

I was bleeding from my nose, mouth, he said. They made me clean it up with a mop. They made me clean up my own blood.

Read more of the latest Kentucky news

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Bevin couple filed for divorce in July of 2024, the former governor even being barred from his estranged wifes home. The case was eventually sealed by a Jefferson County judge.

A protective order hearing has been set for March 19.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  A former Milwaukie Police sergeant turned himself in to authorities Friday after being accused of possessing child pornography.

Jon Paul Foreman, 57, was indicted on March 5 by a Clackamas County grand jury on charges of first-degree encouraging child sex abuse (7 counts) and first-degree attempted encouraging child sex abuse (2 counts).

The investigation into Foreman began in Jan. 2024, when Clackamas County Sheriffs detectives received a tip from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and launched an investigation regarding child sexual abuse material.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Officials identified Foreman as a possible suspect and contacted him. After Milwaukie police were notified of the investigation against Foreman, he was placed on leave.

According to the Milwaukie Police Department, Foreman officially resigned from his position on Feb. 28, 2025.

After further investigation, Foreman was indicted on Tuesday and turned himself in to the Clackamas County Jail Friday evening, where he is being held without bail, authorities said.

The Milwaukie Police Department released the following statement on Foremans indictment and arrest:

These allegations are deeply troubling. As a department dedicated to community safety, accountability, and respect, we hold ourselves to the highest professional and ethical standards. Any conduct that violates the law is entirely unacceptable and does not reflect the values of our membership, who strive to serve the Milwaukie community with distinction.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Milwaukie Police Department remains committed to full cooperation with the ongoing legal process. As this is an active investigation, we are unable to provide additional comment 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 KOIN.com.
FORT PIERCE  A former resident of St. Lucie and Palm Beach counties was found guilty Tuesday in the death five years ago of a 37-year-old diver who got caught in a boat propeller off Riviera Beach and drowned, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida.

Dustin McCabe, who was 49 on Thursday, was convicted by a federal jury of seaman's manslaughter in the death of Mollie Ghiz-Flynn on March 29, 2020. Ghiz-Flynn and her husband Sean Flynn were residents of Melbourne when she died, the Palm Beach Post reported.

This photograph of Millie Ghiz-Flynn and her husband Sean Flynn was taken as the Southern Comfort headed out for a diving excursion on March 29, 2020. Hours later, Ghiz-Flynn died in a boating accident.

Convictions

McCabe, now of Ocala, was also found guilty of lying to the U.S. Coast Guard, and additionally, of COVID-19 relief fraud. McCabe faces up to 10 years in prison for manslaughter, up to five years for lying and up to 20 years for wire fraud.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Sentencing is scheduled for June 12 before U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon. Attempts to reach McCabe or McCabe's lawyer were unsuccessful Saturday.

Southern Comfort

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, McCabe bought a 48-foot boat in early March 2020, named it Southern Comfort, and lied on Coast Guard forms that he was going to use the boat for recreation.

He really intended to use the boat to make money by taking people scuba diving, federal prosecutors said. McCabe retrofitted the boat for that purpose, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

On the day before Ghiz-Flynn's death, McCabe took people scuba diving twice, federal prosecutors said. The boat malfunctioned more than once, federal prosecutors said, including during the pickup of a diver.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The port-side propeller started spinning even though the engine was in neutral, prosecutors said, sucking the diver toward the propeller. The diver barely escaped injury, prosecutors said.

The boat Southern Comfort on the dock March 29, 2020, just after Mollie Ghiz-Flynn died in a boating accident.

Another malfunction

The following day during a dive at Breakers Reef, located off the coast from the Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach County, the boat malfunctioned again, according to the Palm Beach Post and prosecutors.

As Flynn and Ghiz-Flynn were boarding Southern Comfort following a dive, the propeller sucked Ghiz-Flynn toward it, according to the Palm Beach Post and prosecutors.

Ghiz-Flynn got caught in the propeller. It cut and mangled her, keeping her under water, and she drowned, federal prosecutors said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

More: Indiantown at risk of losing nearly $1 million in revenue because of a filing delay

More: Brightline talks between Martin County, Stuart deadlock over philosophical differences

Further missteps

Following the woman's death, McCabe was prohibited from operating Southern Comfort, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. But prosecutors said McCabe applied for COVID-19 relief money through the paycheck protection program, which was meant to help small businesses survive the economic downturn caused by the pandemic.

McCabe claimed his business was active, prosecutors said, and he filed fraudulent payroll records and fake tax documents to support his claim.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Keith Burbank is TCPalm's watchdog reporter covering Martin County. He can be reached at keith.burbank@tcpalm.com and at 720-288-6882. Reporting by former longtime Palm Beach Post staff writer Eliot Kleinberg contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Former South Florida man convicted Tuesday in scuba diver's death
Former UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace believes that Donald Trump is sending the wrong messages to Vladimir Putin about ending the Russo-Ukrainian war.

Source: Wallace in an interview with the BBC, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Wallace's comments come after the US increased pressure on Ukraine to reach a peace agreement with Russia by denying it access to vital satellite imagery and halting military aid.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Quote from Wallace: "What I think is the saddest part of what we are witnessing at the moment from the White House is that the messaging is all wrong. The messaging seems to be from Donald Trump 'I will bully Ukraine and I will give hope to Russia'."

More details: Wallace, who served as defence secretary in the previous government from 2019 to 2023, said this is not the right message to send if the goal is to push Russia back or "make Putin think he better come to the table".

Background:

John Bolton, former National Security Advisor to Donald Trump, believes that the US president's threats of sanctions against Russia are empty and says that Trump is supposedly trying to demonstrate a balance with regard to Ukraine and Russia.

On 7 March, Trump said that he was considering imposing wide-ranging sanctions and tariffs on Russia over its ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Trump said that it was easier for him to deal with Russia than with Ukraine in terms of resolving the war.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
ROME (AP)  Pope Francis is responding well to the treatment for double pneumonia and has shown a gradual, slight improvement in recent days, the Vatican said Saturday. But his doctors have decided to keep his prognosis as guarded, meaning that hes not out of danger yet.

The 88-year-old pope, who has chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed as a young man, has remained stable, with no fever and good oxygen levels in his blood for several days, doctors reported in a Vatican statement.

The doctors said that such stability as a consequence testifies to a good response to therapy. It was the first time the doctors had reported that Francis was responding positively to the treatment for the complex lung infection that was diagnosed after he was hospitalized on Feb. 14.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Francis worked and rested during the day on Saturday, as he entered his fourth week at Romes Gemelli hospital with his condition stabilized following a few bouts of acute respiratory crises last week.

In order to record these initial improvements in the coming days as well, his doctors have prudently maintained the prognosis as guarded, the statement said.

In his absence, the Vatican's day-to-day operations continued, with Cardinal Pietro Parolin celebrating Mass for an anti-abortion group in St. Peter's Basilica. At the start, Parolin delivered a message from the pope from the hospital on the need to protect life, from birth to natural death.

In the message, dated March 5 and addressed to the Movement for Life, which seeks to provide women with alternatives to abortion, Francis encouraged the faithful to promote anti-abortion activities not just for the unborn, but for the elderly, no longer independent or the incurably ill.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Later Saturday, another cardinal closely associated with Francis' papacy, Canadian Cardinal Michael Czerny, presides over the nightly recitation of prayers for Francis. Czerny then returns on Sunday to celebrate the Holy Year Mass for volunteers that Francis was supposed to have celebrated.

Francis has been using high flows of supplemental oxygen to help him breathe during the day and a noninvasive mechanical ventilation mask at night.

Francis was hospitalized Feb. 14 for what was then just a bad case of bronchitis. The infection progressed into a complex respiratory tract infection and double pneumonia that has sidelined Francis for the longest period of his 12-year papacy and raised questions about the future.

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
A North Jersey developer who was found guilty of bribery, fraud and obstruction of justice alongside Sen. Bob Menendez has been sentenced to three years in prison for a separate federal banking case.

After years of postponements and a plea agreement that was tossed out after he was charged in connection with the Menendez case, Fred Daibes pleaded guilty in September to one of the original 14 counts in a federal indictment that alleged he circumvented loans through a bank he founded and later led as chairman.

He was sentenced on Friday in Newark to 37 months that will run concurrently with his seven-year sentence related to the Menendez case and must pay a $300,000 fine, said Daibes' attorney, Lawrence Lustberg.

Story continues below photo gallery.

Lustberg said he and his client are "pleased" with the sentence, adding that Daibes will not have to serve any additional time. The prosecution had asked for some of the sentence to be consecutive to the New York sentence.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Menendez was sentenced in January along with two New Jersey businessmen convicted on related federal charges in U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York.

Menendez, 71, along with Edgewater developer Daibes and Egyptian American businessman Wael Hana, were convicted in July on charges related to a scheme in which Menendez and his wife, Nadine Arslanian Menendez, were found to have received, among other things, cash, gold bars and a luxury car in exchange for his using his political influence.

Fred Daibes, a developer from Edgewater, New Jersey, arrives for sentencing on federal bribery and corruption charges at federal court in lower Manhattan on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025.

Menendez was convicted on 16 federal felony counts related to a bribery scheme and sentenced to 11 years in federal prison.

U.S. District Judge Sidney Stein sentenced Daibes to seven years in prison. He will also face a $1.75 million fine. Hana was sentenced to more than eight years in prison and faces a $1.3 million fine.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The original indictment said Daibes and Michael McManus, the chief financial officer of Edgewater-based Daibes Enterprises, used others  not named in charging documents  to secure millions of dollars in loans. The loans were used for Daibes' benefit without the knowledge of the bank or regulators at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., prosecutors said. The activity, documents show, occurred from 2008 through 2013.

The trial was postponed more than 10 times in the last eight years, and McManus and Daibes had original guilty pleas thrown out after the Menendez indictment in 2023.

The federal judge accepted Daibes' September guilty plea, which cited a 2008 memo for a $1.8 million nominee loan from Mariner's Bank that falsely identified the borrower and the source of repayment. The line of credit was actually for Daibes, who funded the repayment, court records show. The other 13 counts were dismissed.

McManus, 67, pleaded guilty in September to "an information charging him with misprision of a felony, that is, the misapplication of the proceeds of the $1.8 million loan issued by Mariners Bank."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He was sentenced at the same time as Menendez in Newark to a $15,000 fine and one year of probation.

Fred Daibes' connection to Sen. Bob Menendez

Daibes was found guilty last July on seven charges of bribery and obstruction of justice. Prosecutors said he bribed the senator with cash and gold bars to benefit his business dealings with Qatar.

Daibes, however, has since filed a second new trial request after the office of the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York discovered that it had again uploaded evidence to the jury that should have been excluded.

The prosecution argued during the nine-week trial that the envelopes of cash and kilogram bars of gold worth $60,000 each were not just out of the goodness of their hearts.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

During his banking indictment, prosecutors said the senator recommended that President Joe Biden nominate a U.S. attorney whom he believed he could influence in Daibes' favor.

The U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York alleged Menendez was multitasking for Daibes  by also publicly praising Qatar to entice a Qatari sheik to invest in a property Daibes owned. In exchange, Daibes gave Menendez bribes in the form of cash and gold bars, documents show.

The initial indictment made it appear as if Daibes had made payments solely to get Menendez to intervene in a bank fraud case against the developer. Besides making calls to the U.S. attorney, Menendez was sending text messages to the potential Qatari investor on behalf of Daibes at the same time, prosecutors said during the trial.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ developer Fred Daibes sentenced to 3 years for federal bank fraud
Allegheny County employees can now take classes at a local community college.

On Friday, County Executive Sara Innamorato announced that tuition at the Community College of Allegheny County will be free for county employees interested in developing their careers.

The new deal is part of Innamoratos first executive order. She said it is an important step in improving conditions for the local workforce.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On my first day in office, I intentionally decided to set a tone for my administration about workforce and announced increased pay for workers at the bottom of our salary scale, increase vacation days, remove barriers to entry and improve other benefits. But that was just the beginning. If we want to deliver world-class service to the people of Allegheny County, we need a comprehensive approach to improving and strengthening our workforce, said County Executive Innamorato. We surveyed our workers and heard from thousands of them in the process about what is working and what could be improved at the County. In response, Im signing my first Executive Order today and ordering several measures to attract, strengthen, and retain talent.

CCAC is reducing the cost of tuition by 50% and Allegheny County pays the other half.

The Community College of Allegheny County is excited to partner with Allegheny County to offer its employees access to more than 130 programs of study across nine career paths. We are dedicated to working closely with Allegheny County employees to provide the educational resources they need to achieve their career goals and we are grateful to County Executive Innamorato for the countys continued support and investment in CCAC, said CCAC President Dr. Quintin Bullock.

The announcement was made on Employee Appreciation Day.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The county manager will provide details on how to take these classes to Allegheny County employees ahead of the 2025 Summer Academic Term.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
Mar. 7Two testing clinics will be held in Manchester next week, after a person who spent time at the Families in Transition Adult Shelter and the 1269 Cafe tested positive for tuberculosis, state health officials said Friday.

Jake Leon, the director of communications with the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), confirmed one adult has been diagnosed with tuberculosis. DHHS said the patient spent time at both the shelter and 1269 Cafe "while infectious."

"The individual is receiving treatment and is no longer in the shelter or community organization environments," Leon said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A vehicle with lettering on it for the New Hampshire Metropolitan Medical Reserve System was observed outside the 1269 Cafe at 456 Union St. on Thursday.

1269 Cafe is home to a warming shelter for homeless individuals at the site.

State health officials said anyone who visited these facilities from Oct. 1, 2024, through Jan. 31, 2025, could have been in contact with the individual, and testing is available to find out if they were exposed to the bacteria that causes TB.

The testing clinics will be held at 1269 Cafe Tuesday, March 11, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and Wednesday, March 12, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"While not everyone who comes in contact with a person who has TB gets sick, we are recommending that people who were at one of the two facilities between October and January get tested to see if they were infected," Deputy State Epidemiologist Dr. Elizabeth Talbot said. "Getting tested can provide peace of mind and help prevent sickness and the spread of TB."

State health officials said on average 12 people are diagnosed with tuberculosis in New Hampshire each year, and DHHS initiates a disease investigation for each one.

There is no cost to get tested at these clinics, officials said. Testing involves drawing a blood sample, which will be sent to the DHHS Public Health Laboratories to determine if TB bacteria is present.

People who believe they may have been exposed can also contact their primary care provider to request TB testing. Anyone without a primary care provider can call 211 to establish care.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

TB is caused by a bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which typically infects the lungs. When a person with infectious TB coughs or sneezes, tiny droplets are released into the air. The bacteria spreads when someone breathes in these droplets.

Symptoms of active TB disease include unexplained weight loss, night sweats, fever, and a persistent cough that can last for weeks or longer.

Anyone who might have been exposed to TB and develops these symptoms should contact DHHS at 603-271-4496 as soon as possible.
WARREN, Ohio (WKBN)  A parent is the most important person in a childs life. Its important to take some time and talk with children about not using drugs or alcohol. A local group has some ideas for making that discussion easier.

A survey done last year of Trumbull County students shows the average age of their first e-cigarette use among 6th graders was at age 10.

The children are telling us themselves that theyre using it earlier than we think, and thats why the importance of our toolkit and why we specifically have one for elementary school, said Lauren Thorp, project director for Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASP).

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The tool kit was put together to help parents talk with their elementary school students about the dangers of vaping, marijuana, drugs and alcohol. There was also a project that found children whose parents talked to them about drugs were 50% less likely to use them.

We talked to parents, and parents say I want to talk to my child about drugs, but I dont know what to say, and I dont want to say the wrong thing, Thorp said.

So, the ASAP coalition put together the toolkit to spark those conversations and give parents talking points. A middle school and high school version is coming. Right now, the toolkit geared to elementary school is out and contains two books because the discussion is different at each level.

You know, my kids only in first grade, or my kids only in second grade, I dont need that. So, thats one of the reasons we found it important to break it out so we can say, No, this one is specifically for your child, and yes, this is why you need to have those conversations now, Thorp said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The toolkit is available electronically on the Trumbull County Mental Health and Recovery Board website and their social media pages. If you want a physical copy, reach out to the board located at 4076 Youngstown Road SE, Warren.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
FRONTENAC, Kan.  Freeman Health System broke ground Friday on a hospital being built on the north side of East 600th Avenue and the east side of U.S. Highway 69.

Freeman President and CEO Paula Baker called it a historical event for both the Joplin-based health care system and for Southeast Kansas.

Youre going to see soon, construction crews are going to begin transforming this 55-acre soybean field into Freemans newest full-service hospital, Baker told the crowd of about 75 people in a small gravel parking lot. Located just minutes from downtown Pittsburg, our new 50-bed hospital will cover 170,000 square feet. Freemans investment in this project is conservatively $168 million. Additionally we expect the hospital to create 500 to 1,000 new jobs in the Pittsburg and Frontenac areas. Thats going to be a very big boost for the economy.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Baker said Freeman already has a robust presence in Southeast Kansas.

We already have several primary care clinics, an outpatient surgery center, a freestanding MRI, a comprehensive oncology program, a specialty clinic with over a dozen physicians represented, a physical rehab center and more, Baker said. We also currently are very proud that we have clinics right here in Frontenac. All of these services have been established so that residents of Southeast Kansas have access to the medical care that they so richly deserve. Im so excited just thinking about the new hospital and all that it will contain.

Freeman announced plans for its Freeman Southeast Kansas Hospital in August 2023 and announced the location last summer. Since then, the city of Frontenac and engineers for the hospital have been working on getting utilities to the site and other steps needed to start construction.

The construction process will take place over approximately 24 months in three simultaneous phases, Baker said. The first phase, site development, utilities and roadways, and you see a lot of evidence of that today when you look over the field. The second phase will be construction of an ambulatory surgery center and on the second floor well have a medical office building for our physicians. Then the third part is construction of the main hospital structure. But keep in mind these will be done simultaneously so youll see many things coming together at once.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The hospital also will support the soon-to-open Freeman Fort Scott emergency room and 10-bed inpatient facility.

Baker commended Frontenac city officials including Mayor Steve Morrison and City Manager John Zafuta for their foresight in planning the utility upgrades needed to provide water, sewer and other services the hospital needs.

Morrison said the city started tearing down its historic 1908, 75,000-gallon Home of the Raiders water tower on Thursday, which will be replaced by a much larger water tower to better serve the area.

We already have the water and sewer lines out there for development, Morrison said Friday. For the hospital, well have to bring out more water and sewer lines to facilitate the hospital but its nothing we cant handle. The plans have been in the works for years to incorporate this area into the community. So its well positioned to have the hospital meet with our infrastructure.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Morrison said excitement is very high among Frontenac residents.

Theyre welcoming it, theyre embracing it and its a very great thing for this area of Frontenac, he said. We also have a housing district thats going to be built out here and the houses will be very close to the hospital. The ability to have someone go away to school then come back home and have a job here is something were really looking forward to.
Whats gotten into Rep. Jim Costa lately?

Fresnos longtime congressman, who turns 73 next month, is on a feisty streak. His recent votes, official statements and social media posts are more spirited and conspicuous than usual.

Now in his 11th two-year term on Capitol Hill following 24 years in Sacramento  an uninterrupted run of public service and election victories that dates to 1978  Costa is a paradigm for measured, mild-mannered politicians.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The conservative-ish Democrat doesnt say anything rash or controversial, doesnt do anything rash or controversial, very seldom casts rash or controversial votes, and generally maintains a low national profile.

Opinion

Costa blew his own cover Wednesday by being one of 10 Democrats who joined the Houses slim Republican majority in voting to censure Rep. Al Green of Texas, who was ejected from the chamber for interrupting and heckling President Trump during Tuesdays state of the union address. The resolution passed 224 to 198.

The 10 Democratic defectors were harshly criticized for their Trump-friendly votes on social media and from progressive groups. Including one called Indivisible, whose co-executive director Ezra Levin labeled them cowardly and unacceptable.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Rep. Green had the spine to call out Trumps blatant lies, Levin said. Thats the kind of Democratic leadership we need  not tone-policing, not pearl-clutching, and certainly not pretending this is a normal presidency.

Costas X account got bombarded with negative replies (the parlance is getting ratioed), and a thread entitled Jim Costas political career in Fresno has to end appeared on Reddit.com. In response, the congressman released a statement saying he agrees with Green that Trump doesnt have a mandate for his wrecking-ball approach to reduce government spending but disagrees over disruptions during official proceedings of the United States Congress.

We need to focus instead on the Presidents distortions of the facts, Costa added. As Democrats, our focus should remain on the critical issues that matter to the American people.

My statement on the latest vote in the House. pic.twitter.com/75LauBQPiB  Rep. Jim Costa (@RepJimCosta) March 6, 2025

Speaking of those, Costa also helped Trump get a legislative win as part of his administrations broader crackdown on illegal immigration by supporting the Laken Riley Act. The new law directs federal agents to detain undocumented people accused, arrested or convicted not only of violent offenses but also relatively minor ones such as burglary, theft, larceny, or shoplifting.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Costa was among six California Democrats and 46 overall to vote yes on the hardline policy including fellow San Joaquin Valley congress members Rep. Adam Gray and Rep. Josh Harder.

Sharp rebukes of Trump policies

While aligned with the Trump administration and Republicans on those particular votes, Costas recent press releases and social media posts tell a different story.

The first sign of a more feisty, spirited Costa came after the Border Patrol began conducting immigration raids in Kern County and elsewhere in the Valley. Costa provided local media with the best information about ongoing sweeps and criticized the mass deportations of undocumented residents.

Breaking families up is not the American way, Costa said at a Jan. 11 press conference in southeast Fresno. And spreading fear to hard-working people who are contributing every day ... is not the way to deal with fixing our border.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

For Costa, who isnt known for an economy of words, that qualifies as succinct.

On Jan. 23, after Trump mass pardoned the 1,500 criminals and clowns that stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, Costa sounded as impassioned as youll ever hear him in a 7-minute House speech denouncing the decision.

This was not a peaceful protest as some have tried to portray it, including President Trump and Speaker Johnson, said Costa, one of 25 House members trapped inside the gallery while rioters pounded locked doors and shattered glass windows.

The photos and videos that weve all seen make it clear this was no lovefest. It was a violent insurrection attempt to try and overthrow a fair and free election.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Since then, Costa has issued statements pressing the Trump administration for answers about his sudden water release orders from Tulare County reservoirs, supporting 5,000 federal employees in his district that were sent letters asking them to resign and imploring Trump to halt the 25% tariffs on building materials from Mexico and Canada.

Congressman Jim Costa shares a laugh with Venancio Gaona during the Martin Luther King Jr. Unity March in front of Fresno City Hall on Jan. 15, 2024. / El congresista Jim Costa se rie con Venancio Gaona durante la Marcha de Unidad de Martin Luther King Jr. frente al Ayuntamiento de Fresno el 15 de enero de 2024.

A betrayal of Ukraine and democracy

Costa saved some of his strongest language for a Feb. 24 press release denouncing Vladimir Putins aggression in Ukraine as well as the U.S.s vote against the United Nations resolution condemning Russia.

This is a betrayal of Ukraine and of democracy itself, Costas statement said. Putin is a war criminal, and this vote undermines our commitment to justice and global unity.

While its well-known Costa is a member of the House Committee on Agriculture and tends to focus on farming and water issues, he also (since 2019) serves on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and its Europe subcommittee. This aspect of Costas job isnt as covered by Fresno media, but he has close ties in the war-torn country formed during four visits over the past six years.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This split between agriculture and foreign affairs is reflected in the campaign contributions Costa received during the 2023-24 election cycle. His largest financial support came from the crop production & processing industry ($170,600) followed by pro-Israel lobbies ($141,472) including $136,472 from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, according to OpenSecrets.org.

Costas November election victory, by 5.2% over Republican challenger Michael Maher, was his narrowest margin since 2014. Thats despite running in the redrawn 21st Congressional District, which based on voter registration should have been more favorable to Democrats than the one Costa represented between 2013-23.

By casting Trump-friendly votes on the censure and Laken Riley Act while scolding Trump for his executive orders and policy decisions, Costa appears to be pitching to both sides of the plate. But far be it from me to question the strategy of a politician with his winning streak among Fresno voters.

Costa has been in public service for so long he practically blends into the tapestry. But as recent weeks have shown, he is still capable of standing out.
Frozen mac and cheese bites sold in Arizona and nationwide have been recalled due to potential metal contamination, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The recall affects more than 4,200 packages of Three Cheese Mac and Cheese Bites produced by Feel Good Foods. The products were sold at Arizona retailers, including Sprouts Farmers Market, AJs Fine Foods, and Whole Foods, according to the manufacturer's website.

The impacted products had a best-by date of 6/19/26, Lot Number: 24354AV1, and 06/20/26, Lot Number: 24355AV1, both with a UPC number of 899039002808.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

They came in an 8-ounce (224-gram) yellow carton and contained nine bites per case, according to the FDA recall.

The recalled product could contain metal objects in the food, according to the FDA.

The recall was voluntarily issued on Feb. 2 and later classified as a Class II recall. This designation indicates that consuming the affected product could lead to temporary adverse health effects, with a low risk of serious health consequences.

Those who had the products in their freezer should return them to the place of purchase for a refund.

Reach reporter Rey Covarrubias Jr. at rcovarrubias@gannett.com. Follow him on X, Threads and Bluesky @ReyCJrAZ.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: What we know about frozen mac and cheese bites recalled nationwide
Mar. 7Kids in Londonderry and Bedford are showing up for first grade already behind, teachers and administrators say.

As two of the three remaining New Hampshire school districts that don't offer full-day kindergarten, school officials hope enough voters on Tuesday pass the $9 million project in Londonderry and a $364,692 warrant article in Bedford.

The contrast in price is indicative of the need for additional building space in Londonderry, whereas Bedford already has enough classrooms after a decline in enrollment and would be converting the current half-day program to full-day.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Last year, Londonderry's $34.2 million plan fell 232 votes short of reaching the required 60% approval last year. That proposal included significant building expansion.

"Our kids would get 103 extra days of school compared to what they're getting now, which is gigantic," Londonderry Superintendent Dan Black said. "What we see year in and year out is we're catching up our first graders and second graders. They're behind. We're below national and state norms, and we're just spending so much effort in the early grades to catch them up."

Bedford sees the same problem, Assistant Superintendent Tom Laliberte said.

"What we have found over the last six years, data shows that students who are entering grade 1 after a full-day program increase their reading proficiency by 44% compared with the students entering grade 1 after a half-day program. So, we're seeing a sharp increase in students' performance who have been in a full-day program," Laliberte said during the school district deliberative session last month.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Teachers have reported more children are entering kindergarten straight from day care rather than preschool, and many more first graders need additional services like speech therapy than in the past, Bedford Superintendent Michael Fournier said last month.

District comparisons

This school year, New Hampshire has 10,872 pupils enrolled in public kindergarten, including 217 in Londonderry and 186 in Bedford, according to the state Department of Education. Both towns have planned for increases because they expect more families to opt in if their tax dollars pay for "free" full-day programs, officials said.

Bedford and Londonderry share many demographic similarities and have the fourth- and fifth-largest school enrollments in the state behind Manchester, Nashua and Derry. If voters reach the 60% threshold for approval, that would leave School Administrative Unit 19, which covers Goffstown and New Boston, as the only remaining district without full-day kindergarten. There are 166 public half-day kindergartners in SAU 19.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Timberlane, which has a comparable enrollment to Goffstown's district and also serves more than one community, has a ballot measure to add the existing tuition-based kindergarten programs in Atkinson, Danville, Plaistow and Sandown to the regional school district's jurisdiction.

Timberlane's consolidation would be the first step toward offering taxpayer-funded, full-day kindergarten in the future, officials said at their school deliberative session this year. The district's towns have more than 100 kindergartners this year.

Londonderry's latest plan

Londonderry's Special Warrant Article 2 asks voters to approve a 15-year bond for just over $9 million to add two modular classrooms each to the South and North elementary schools and four modular classrooms to Matthew Thornton School, and move the school district's office to the Moose Hill School.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The school day for kindergartners would more than double to 6 1/2 hours, adding approximately 675 more hours per school year for instruction, school officials said.

If approved, officials said, the estimated tax impact for 2025-26 would be 4 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value or about $28 more in taxes for a home valued at $700,000. The tax impact goes up to 12 cents per $1,000 in the future, or about $84 more for a taxpayer who owns a home valued at $700,000.

"These modular units will go on a concrete base, not just set on blocks or in the parking lot. The ones we looked at have a lifespan of 40-plus years. They are built as well as any block, brick and steel building today," Londonderry School Board Chairman Bob Slater said at last month's deliberative session.

School Board member Tim Porter said over the life of the bond, taxpayers could potentially save $2.4 million because they would no longer lease their administrative office space, would get more state funding for kindergarten, and would have fewer bus runs because right now, all kindergartners go to Moose Hill and not their designated elementary schools.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Black said it will also be more convenient for parents with multiple school-age children. And, depending on future enrollment, adding modular classrooms instead of permanent structures would allow more flexibility for the district.

Londonderry's School Board and Budget Committee both unanimously recommended full-day kindergarten.

To see the Londonderry ballot, visit londonderrynh.gov/news and scroll down to find the link for sample ballots.

Full-day K in Bedford

Bedford's Special Warrant Article 2 calls for spending $364,692 to expand from half-day kindergarten to full-day classes at all three elementary schools.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

If approved, the impact for taxes for a home assessed at $700,000 would be an additional $42, or 6 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value, officials said.

View the Bedford ballot at bedfordnh.org/513/Sample-Ballots.

dpierce@unionleader.com

dpierElection day

Local elections will be held this Tuesday. Londonderry voting is from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the high school gym.

Bedford and Goffstown voters will cast ballots from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at their respective high schools.

For Timberlane district and other SAU or community voting hours and locations, consult your town or school district's website.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

If you are registering to vote, consult the Secretary of State's website at sos.nh.gov for new regulations for voter identification and verification because a new law went into effect since the November general election.

dpierce@unionleader.com
The funding bill House Republican leaders released on Saturday does not avert cuts for doctors who treat Medicare patients  a blow to Republicans who had pushed for the changes that also could risk alienating members whose support will be needed to pass the legislation.

Rep. Greg Murphy (R-N.C.), who co-chairs the GOP Doctors Caucus, said in recent months that Republican leadership was open to including the policy in the bill to keep the government funded through September, and that Trump administration officials had assured it would be addressed. Five health industry lobbyists, granted anonymity to share details of private negotiations, were also anticipating it would be a part of the funding measure to avoid a shutdown after March 14.

Murphy said in an interview its inclusion would be a line in the sand necessary for his support. A Murphy spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment about whether the lawmaker was still adhering to that position.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Speaker Mike Johnson can only afford to lose two votes on his side of the aisle if all Democrats band together and oppose the government funding bill, a position the minority party could ultimately take.

Two lobbyists aware of the closed-door negotiations said the patch for doctors was ultimately not included amid broader concerns among Republican leadership that adding more than standard extensions of programs would open the door to more demands for other policies to be attached.

But the legislation released Saturday, which would hold most current spending levels through the end of the fiscal year, is far from clean": It would boost spending for illegal immigrant deportations while cutting money for a variety of non-defense programs. In some cases, Republican leaders are seeking to completely zero out funding for a slew of priorities  many of which had previously been subject to earmarks personally requested by lawmakers. Its not clear how leadership will justify the exclusion of one policy provision when other priorities are getting addressed.

The doctors' pay fix would have prevented further cuts from going into effect that would slash deeply into salaries for doctors providing Medicare services based on an outdated formula. It was part of a larger health care overhaul package set to pass as part of a year-end government funding bill in December. Then-President-elect Donald Trump and Elon Musk complained that bill was overly broad, and the package got scrapped.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Members of both parties warn the stakes are high for not addressing this issue quickly: Decades of payment reductions in Medicare have put physician practices in difficult financial straits, doctors groups say  meaning they could be forced to close their practices and reduce access to care.

But while though there is no relief for doctors, the stopgap funding bill would  as expected  include an extension of eased telehealth rules until September, avoiding a potential disruption in access to care if adopted.

Those relaxed telehealth rules were first introduced by the Center for Medicaid Services during the Covid-19 pandemic when physical doctor offices were closed. Congress has extended those telehealth rules several times, but a permanent solution has remained elusive.

The stopgap bill would also extend hospital-at-home waivers that enable facilities to offer more care at home. It would, as well, extend funding for community health centers, alongside a delay in funding cuts to safety-net hospitals.

The Affordable Care Act called for such cuts, expecting such hospitals wouldn't have to offer less care without getting paid as millions more got covered through the law, but Congress has never let them go into effect.
SPRINGDALE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA)  Following significant cuts to the Federal Victims of Crime Act funding, NWA Center for Sexual Assault predicts a domino effect impact on healthcare systems.

The NWA Center for Sexual Assault provides emergency crisis support for adult victims of sexual assault, as well as community outreach programs for those more at risk for sexual assault in Northwest Arkansas.

They are our only advocacy center that provides adult sexual assault services in all of Northwest Arkansas, said forensic nursing manager Kacie Parrish.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Parrish has worked as a forensic nursing manager for Mercy Hospital in Northwest Arkansas in collaboration with NWA Center for Sexual Assault and two other organizations overseeing medical components and managing teams of forensic nurses who respond to exam needs for those centers.

NWA Center for Sexual Assault faces funding crisis

According to the Arkansas Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Arkansas has the second-highest rape rate in the country, with over three thousand cases reported in 2022.

NWA Centers Taylor McKinney said federal cuts will likely create a community-wide healthcare crisis as local hospitals partner with the organization to perform exams on survivors.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Thats going to clog up the healthcare system even further, said McKinney. And the hospitals just dont have the capacity to handle all of the cases that we alleviate from.

As highly trained forensic nurses with a specific skill set, Parrish said it takes around three to five hours to perform exams and documentation properly, which usually follows a quick medical screening at emergency departments before sending the survivors to the center.

If that isnt possible, then youre going to have these patients taking up a room for five or more hours. And thats going to be one less room for a stroke patient, heart attack trauma, anything like that, said Parrish.

She said that this would create a backup through the emergency department.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Knowing firsthand about the centers aid to the NWA healthcare system, Parrish said that none of the hospitals nor emergency departments in the region have staff able to perform sexual assault exams on the same level as nurses through the center.

If the center were to not exist and we couldnt provide exams through that center, people would have to be going to the emergency department for sexual assault exams, said Parrish.

She said she believes the quality of exams will go down, the comfort between the nurses and the patient will go down, and the billing of sexual assault care will go up, overall causing a decrease in patient outcomes.

They have advocates that are following up and providing counseling services and helping these patients, these survivors get orders of protection and things like that, said Parrish. And so, without that, there will probably be less follow through, definitely less connection to services but also these patients are going to receive hospital bills.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Along with counseling services and orders of protection, Parrish said the center also provides medication, labs, and exam services without billing.

With patient outcome concerns, emergency department backups, and unwanted bills, Parrish says she is worried and scared about what will happen once her nurse team is scattered among different hospitals.

This is a group of nurses who are performing all of the sexual assault exams in Northwest Arkansas, right? Whenever you divide that up between emergency departments, what is it going to look like to get a really competent, really experienced sexual assault nurse? said Parrish.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
A teenager studies at home. (Stock photo by FG Trade via Getty Images)

Imagine a school of nearly 23,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade, with thousands of teachers. There are no licensing requirements for any of the teachers who work at this school, and families who send their children are given state funding to attend. There are no curricular requirements, and they can spend the money on virtually anything they want. There is an expectation that all students are learning core subjects and skills in reading, writing, and math, but there is no way to determine if this is actually happening for each student, and there are no requirements to assess any educational outcomes.

The governor recently stated, It is difficult to accept  heres a check, go do what you want, in reference to increasing the base student allocation for public education in a recent press conference. And based on those comments, it would be hard to imagine this is the very system he seeks to expand  Alaskas homeschool programs  which accounts for nearly 20% of the student population in the state.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

While some homeschool families are diligently educating their children, resulting in positive outcomes, others dont engage at all in the professional work of teaching a student basic skills. But this isnt immediately obvious, as homeschool students have the lowest test participation rates in the state and no assessment requirement of any kind. Anecdotally, as an elementary school principal, I see the majority of students that enroll in neighborhood schools after homeschool need significant remediation due to a lack of state-provided structure. In this way the state gets a poor return on their investment as they are paying for the same service two times.

Imagine a third grader entering their community school for the first time: the excitement of the classroom, the social interactions with peers, the joys of classroom activities and community building circles. And then the student quickly realizes there is something off. You see, this particular student did not know all their letters while all their peers were reading. Luckily, we have a data and accountability system to identify, monitor and support a student when they are so far below their peers. And this story is not unique. It happens every single year. We are so glad when families realize on their own that their children are falling behind and choose to seek out more support, but many parents do not even know how far behind their children are because there is no measuring stick required.

Every year we commit massive resources to these students, and in most cases, we are able to make significant gains in closing the learning gap over the course of a couple years. The vast majority make tremendous growth  a testament to the high-quality instruction they receive! But not without a cost. The cost comes in many ways. First, when they come to the neighborhood school, we are held accountable in our AK STAR testing data for the time they were not making progress in the homeschool setting. Second, the amount of time required in a one-on-one or small group setting with an Interventionist teacher is significant to catch a student up. Third, it holds everyone back in a general education classroom, causing further inefficiencies negatively impacting all student outcomes.

Not only are homeschool programs held to a lower standard when it comes to training  there is none  they also are exempt from nearly all the things the state requires neighborhood schools to do. The Alaska Reads Act is optional and anyone who has compared Individualized Education Programs from homeschools to neighborhood schools knows that disabled homeschooled students receive a fraction of the help.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Sen. Shelley Hughes in the Senate minority caucus press conference on Feb. 13 touted Tennessees homeschool program as an example of a direction to go, where they provide a bigger government giveaway of $7,000 with $0 going to school district correspondence programs. But Tennessees system isnt remotely similar to Alaskas. Tennessee statutes provide many more restrictions and substantially higher accountability than the senator has proposed. In Tennessee, homeschool parents are required to have at least a high school diploma, students are required to take standardized tests administered by a professional testing service, parents must maintain and report attendance records to the local school district, students must have a minimum of four hours of instruction per day, and if they are not making progress, they are required to enroll in a school, to name just a few.

In the current regulatory structure in Alaska, homeschools are in a race to the bottom. The program that enrolls the most students wins, and the winner in this case has the lowest student success. Make no mistake, homeschool programs are cash cows for districts. Parents will choose to enroll their children in the program that has the least requirements and accountability, and as a result, Alaskans are getting a very poor return on their investment, while doing a disservice to thousands of children.

One cost effective way to improve educational outcomes is simple; maintain the same expectations for both homeschool programs and neighborhood schools, including standardized tests, and incentivize homeschool programs to increase their standards instead of decrease them. This way we ensure Alaskans are getting the best return on their investment. And yes, I agree wholeheartedly with the governor on two things: Stop writing a blank check to 20% of our education system that has no measurable educational outcomes and make some desperately needed policy changes to eliminate the inefficiencies the current homeschool structure creates for the entire system.

SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Andy Robertson of Sand Rock has been appointed the new dean of workforce development at Gadsden State Community College, replacing Alan Smith, who recently moved into the role of vice president for capital projects, community relations and workforce development.

Andy is a dedicated educator and passionate advocate for career technical education, Smith said. He has excelled in his previous positions at Gadsden State and brings a wealth of experience to his new role. He is well poised to lead the Colleges efforts in technical training and workforce development.

A 2003 graduate of Gadsden State, Robertson earned an Associate in Applied Science in Electronic Engineering Technology. He credits his two-year degree with helping him achieve success in his career.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I am where I am today thanks to my two-year degree from Gadsden State, Robertson said. I am proof of the direct impact the hands-on education can have on peoples lives.

Robertson later earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Jacksonville State University in 2013 and a Master of Science in Education from Athens State University in 2024.

He began his career at Gadsden State in 2015 as an instructor of Electronic Engineering Technology at Gadsden States Ayers Campus in Anniston. Prior to that, Robertson worked for five years as a service engineer and briefly taught in the Pell City school system. Robertson became the colleges workforce development coordinator in 2020 and also served as the division chair of Applied and Engineering Technologies at the Ayers Campus.

During his tenure at Gadsden State, Robertson helped develop two apprenticeship-style programs: the Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education and the Consortium of Machining Education Training. Both initiatives provide students with hands-on experience in partnership with industry leaders. He has also expanded the colleges offerings by introducing several short-term certificate programs, including Additive Manufacturing and Mechatronics Advanced Automation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As dean, Robertson will oversee the Workforce Development Division, which includes specialized training, certifications and skill development for local industries. He will also manage the Skills Training Division, adult education and continuing education.

Im incredibly excited to take on this new role and continue the great work weve started in workforce development, Robertson said. My passion for workforce development and career technical education comes from firsthand experience with the transformative power of skilled trades and education. One of the most rewarding aspects of my career has been seeing students complete a workforce program and immediately secure a job that provides stability and a path to success.

Robertson said that a technical education benefits more than just individual students.

They strengthen families, businesses and entire communities, he said. Seeing someone build a better future for themselves and their family is what makes this work so meaningful to me.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Looking ahead, Robertson aims to make Gadsden State a premier hub for workforce training in the region. He plans to align programs more closely with local industry needs and expand opportunities for apprenticeships, internships, and co-op placements to provide students with real-world training in high-demand fields.

The role of Gadsden States workforce development programs is crucial in meeting the needs of local industries and businesses, Robertson said. We provide industry-specific training that ensures students are equipped with relevant skills to thrive in todays job market. By strengthening our connections with local employers, we can build a skilled workforce that drives economic growth in the region.

Robertson is also focused on overcoming regional workforce development challenges, such as skills gaps, labor shortages, and access to training. He plans to expand flexible learning options, including evening and online courses, to make workforce training more accessible.

I plan to expand flexible learning options like evening and online courses to make workforce training more accessible to a wider audience, he said. We will continue working closely with employers to identify skill gaps and develop targeted programs to bridge them, ensuring that students graduate with the skills employers are looking for.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Robertsons contributions to Gadsden State have been recognized with several accolades, including the Chancellors Award for Administration in 2024 and the Eugene Prater Exceptional Achievement in Teaching Award in 2019. He is a graduate of the Faculty Development Institute, the Gadsden State Leadership Academy and Leadership Calhoun County. In July 2024, Business Alabama magazine featured Robertson in its Movers and Shapers spotlight.

Now, as dean, Robertson hopes to further elevate the colleges reputation through partnerships and workforce development initiatives.

By partnering with Gadsden State, businesses can create a skilled talent pipeline, upskill and retain existing employees and help strengthen the local economy, he said. Lets work together to build the workforce of tomorrow, today.
For nearly a century, International Womens Day has recognized the contributions and legacies of women across the world. This years theme, Accelerate Action, underscores the urgency of breaking down systemic barriers and biases that women face, including lower pay, unequal access to resources, and discrimination. At the current pace, full gender equality wont be reached until 2158, more than five generations from today, according to the World Economic Forum.

In Gary, four women arent waiting. At a special event Wednesday hosted by Edgewater Health, they were recognized for overcoming barriers related to health inequities affecting women and Black families.

The event was part of Edgewater Healths Mind, Body & Spirit series, a monthly program that brings in speakers to discuss physical health, mental wellness, nutrition, and emotional well-being. LaTanya Woodson, director of community health education for Edgewater Health, emphasized that real health care goes beyond doctors visits  its about treating the whole person.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

These components work together to shape our identity and determine our overall health. When individuals and families come to Edgewater for services, it reinforces our mission to care for the whole person, Woodson said.

Addressing the stigmas associated with mental health has always presented challenges, especially in Black and brown communities, where misconceptions often stem from a lack of knowledge.

That philosophy was reflected in Edgewaters honorees, who have each taken a unique approach to improving community health while remaining united in their mission to uplift women and families.

Dr. Shawnise Carter, owner of HealthyCare HomeCare LLC, provides home care assistance across Northwest Indiana. As a mother of five and an author, she believes self-care is just as essential as caregiving. Take care of your health, your wealth, and yourself, she said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Merry Green, president of MGPG Events Inc. and executive producer of the Black Womens Expo, has spent decades creating platforms for Black women in business. She spoke about the challenges of securing investment for Black-owned businesses and the importance of economic self-sufficiency. Her keys to success? Be like Nike  just do it.

Jess Kern, founder of Raindrops Rising, turned personal trauma into advocacy, building an organization that provides legal aid, relocation services, and support for survivors of sexual violence across Indiana. A trafficking survivor and mother of four, she shared the quote that drives her mission: Turn your pain into purpose.

Yajaira Ruiz, first lady of Iglesia Cristiana Pentecostes in East Chicago, said she has experienced a shift in womens equality across the ministry, church, and workplace. She continued that during a teaching trip to India, only two women were teachers out of the class of 22. Despite this, her class treated her with respect, and were open to her mentorship.

I have to say that theres much work to do, she said. Lets continue to do what we need to be doing in order to hopefully one day find oneness, equality, and togetherness.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

During the panel, the women continued on how they take care of their physical and mental well-being to prevent burnout and depletion.

What makes me a strong woman is that I set goals for myself, and I know that there will be challenges while trying to achieve those goals, but its really just the determination, Carter said, adding that her support system  including her mother, who was in the audience  helped immensely.

Agreeing with the point of needing a healthy support group, Kern draws from the lessons of her past to help guide her and her childrens future as a role model.

As I said before, I am a trafficking survivor, she said. And when you come from a space like that, the world and everyone in it throws you away.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But now, she says, she doesnt take no for an answer and forges on as she advocates for other women, takes care of her children as a role model, and empowers others.

My mom taught me to not take no for an answer. My mom taught me to do something about it, and if my kids say that about me, thats my fulfillment. Thats my fulfillment as a woman whos a mother, she continued.

Ruiz shared steps that she has proudly taken to support her mental health.

I take care of my mental health. I have gone to a therapist, psychologist, and counseling, and Im not ashamed to say that, she said, which was met with cheers from the room.

The women closed the discussion by honoring the spitfire women who had shaped their lives. Ruiz spoke of her mother, the first woman in generations of their family to break barriers, overcoming domestic violence and stage three cancer to inspire those around her. Green reflected on her late sister, Ruby, who was like a mother to her and a constant source of support.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Looking ahead, the panelists called for a renewed commitment to advancing gender equality, urging the next generation to carry the torch forward.

Lets continue to take action  whether its big or small, lets do it, Ruiz said. Lets come together and lets do it.  Love will unite us, and in oneness, we will thrive.

The post Garys Edgewater Health Celebrates International Womens Day appeared first on Capital B Gary.
New Mexico officials have announced what led to the deaths of Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa.

Hackman died of hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with Alzheimers disease as a significant contributory factor, Dr. Heather Jarrell, chief medical investigator for the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator, announced in a March 7 press conference.

"He was in a very poor state of health. He had significant heart disease, and I think ultimately that is what resulted in his death," said Jarrell, who performed Hackman's autopsy.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Arakawa died of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which is caused by hantavirus, a rare infection primarily spread by rodents through their urine, saliva, and droppings, Jarrell revealed.

Tests showed that Hackman did not test positive for hantavirus.

Hackman's autopsy showed no findings of trauma and showed "severe heart disease," including multiple heart surgeries, evidence of prior heart attacks and changes to the kidneys due to high blood pressure.

Examination of Hackman's brain showed advanced Alzheimer's disease.

Based on the findings, authorities have concluded that Arakawa died before her husband. Arakawa's emails and text communications ceased on Feb. 11, said Jarrell. Hackman is believed to have died around Feb. 18.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The update on the couple's causes of death comes after Hackman and Arakawa were found dead in their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on Feb. 26.

The bodies of Hackman, 95, and Arakawa, 65, were discovered by two maintenance workers visiting the property, authorities said. Hackman was found in a room near the kitchen and Arakawa, a classical pianist, was found lying on her side in the bathroom. One of their dogs was also found dead, while two other dogs were found alive.

Their causes of deaths were not immediately determined, and the Santa Fe Sheriffs Department said initially in a statement that no foul play was suspected.

However, in a subsequent Feb. 28 press conference, Santa Fe Sheriff Adan Mendoza said investigators were not ruling it out and described the deaths as suspicious.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Mendoza also said the pair seemed to have been deceased for quite a while. He noted in the press conference that Feb. 17 was the last day Hackmans pacemaker had recorded an event, meaning that day was likely his last day of life.

Authorities launched an investigation into the deaths to determine whether there were any signs of a carbon monoxide leak at the property. Officials also performed an autopsy and toxicology reports.

Did Gene Hackman test positive for carbon monoxide poisoning?

Hackman and Arakawa both tested negative for carbon monoxide poisoning in their autopsies.

The Santa Fe City Fire Department also conducted testing and did not locate any signs of a carbon monoxide leak or poisoning, according to the search warrant.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that can be emitted by appliances or engines. When too much carbon monoxide builds up in an unventilated space, it can lead to tissue damage or death, according to the Mayo Clinic.

What else did the investigation find?

Two police deputies investigated the scene and found Arakawa lying on her side on a bathroom floor. A space heater was found near her head and an open prescription bottle was found on the bathroom countertop with scattered pills nearby, according to a search warrant obtained by NBC News.

Hackman was found deceased in a room near the kitchen, wearing sweatpants and slippers and with a walking cane nearby, leading the deputies to suspect the actor had suddenly fallen, according to the search warrant.

One dog, believed to be the couples Australian kelpie mix, Zinnia, was also found dead in the bathroom closet. The couples two other dogs, Bear and Nikita, meanwhile, were found alive on the property, according to the Associated Press.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Officials noted in their search warrant that when Arakawas body was discovered, she showed obvious signs of death, body decomposition, bloating in her face and mummification in both hands and feet.

Hackman also showed obvious signs of death, similar and consistent with his late wife, officials said.

During their initial search of Hackmans and Arakawas property, authorities did not find any signs of forced entry or evidence that any items were disturbed, stolen or out of place, according to the search warrant.

The front door was found insecure and opened by the two maintenance workers, leading officials to determine that the circumstances around their deaths were suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation, according to the search warrant.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As part of the investigation, authorities are analyzing personal items retrieved from the home, including a monthly planner and two cell phones, according to the Associated Press.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
Legendary actor Gene Hackman died of heart disease most likely a week after his wife, Betsy Arakawa, died from the effects of hantavirus, a disease linked to rodents that can cause respiratory failure in rare cases, New Mexico state officials said Friday.



Hackman, 95, and his wife, classical pianist Betsy Arakawa, 65, were found dead last week after a maintenance worker arrived at the couple's rustic home spread out over 12 acres on a picturesque perch a few miles outside Santa Fe, New Mexico. When the worker arrived, no one answered the door, so he peered into a window and saw Arakawa "on the ground unresponsive through a window," Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza told reporters during a press conference last week.



The "unusual circumstances" of their deaths led investigators to execute a search warrant, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza told reporters this week. It also prompted international speculation about how the couple, and one of their three dogs, Zinna, a 12-year-old Australian Kelpie mixed-breed, died.

Related: Audit Reveals L.A.s Failure to Track Billions in Homelessness Spending, Raising Accountability Concerns

Animal Rescue Inc. founders with "Gene" the German Shepherd that wandered onto a Baltimore movie set where Gene Hackman "it's most famous adopter" was filming "The Replacements" with Keanu Reeves. Hackman adopted the German Shepherd, one of two dogs that survived after the actor and his wife died in Santa Fe in February. Animal Rescue Inc. Facebook

New Mexicos chief medical examiner, Dr. Heather Jarrell, explained at a press conference in Santa Fe on Friday that the two-time Oscar winning actor had advanced Alzheimers disease, which she called a "significant contributory factor," which could explain why he didn't call for help when his wife died roughly a week earlier. An autopsy noted there were no acute findings of internal or external trauma on his body.



Its hard to get into the frame of mind of what was happening at the time, Mendoza told reporters Friday. When asked if Hackman may have been found in the mudroom as he prepared to leave for help, the Sheriff answered, I dont know if well ever have the answer to that question.

Related: This Is Paris Hilton: Activist

Arakawa, Jarrell said, died of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which is caused by exposure to rodent droppings. Deer mice in New Mexico have been linked to the rare ailment.



She was spotted running errands in town on Feb. 11, but there was no activity on her phone after that date, leading Jarrell to believe she likely died that day. Her body was found on the floor of a bathroom in the couples home. The dog was found in a crate in the bathroom closet, officials said, but her cause of death was not immediately known.
Law enforcement officials are sharing new details related to the sudden death of Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa.

On Friday, March 7, the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office held a press conference to reveal new information about the investigation, including the cause of death for both Hackman and his wife.

SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox

The press conference was by lead investigator Adan Mendoza and officials from the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator and the New Mexico Department of Health. Members of the Santa Fe City Fire Department were also present.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Dr. Heather Jarrell, who performed the autopsy on Hackman, confirmed the causes of death for both Hackman and Arakawa.

According to Jarrell, Hackman's cause of death has been ruled as cardiovascular disease, with advanced Alzheimer's disease being a "significant contributory factor."

His autopsy examination and full-body postmortem CT scan showed "severe heart disease, including multiple surgical procedures involving the heart, evidence of prior heart attacks, and severe changes of the kidneys due to chronic high blood pressure."

Arakawa is said to have died from natural causes, specifically, Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Hackman tested negative for Hantavirus.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The press conference, which was held at local police headquarters and streamed live on Facebook, also revealed new details regarding the timeline for the deaths of Hackman and his wife.

According to data derived from Arakawa's phone activity, authorities suspect Arakawa's last known cell phone activity was on Feb. 11, but more phone records are still pending.

Information taken from Hackman's pacemaker leads authorities to believe that he died on or around Feb. 18.

Due to the timeline provided, authorities said it is possible that Hackman was alive in the home for several days after Arakawa had died. Details regarding his state of mind during that time are unclear.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Jarrell insisted that Hackman was in a "very poor state of health" at the time of his death, though she said, "I'm not aware of what his normal daily functioning capability was."

Friday's press conference also revealed new details regarding the couple's dog that was found deceased in the home near Arakawa's body. According to Jarrell, it is "a possibility" that the dog died of starvation considering the timeline of the deaths.

She confirmed that dogs do not get sick from Hantavirus.

The new information comes about a week after investigators said the couple was likely dead for several days before they were discovered by a maintenance worker. Police also unveiled a "very important" piece of "evidence" in the case: a pill bottle found at the scene, which Mendoza described last week as "something of concern" until ruled out.

Related: Another Gene Hackman Family Member Breaks Silence About Negative Theories Over His Death

Police also said last week that they were "pretty confident theres no foul play just based on the lack of evidence of foul play." But they "of course are not ruling that out."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"The autopsy results, the official results, are going to help steer us in the right direction. That could change and were not ruling that out," Mendoza said. "This is an open investigation, its a couple of days old, so were putting together the timeline and were trying to look at all the evidence."

Sante Fe Fire officials previously revealed that their investigation didn't find high levels of carbon monoxide, the toxic gas Hackman's daughter believed would ultimately be discovered as the cause of death for the couple and one of their beloved dogs.

Next: Gene Hackman and Wife Betsy Arakawa Seen During Final Public Appearance Year Before Death
For years, actor Gene Hackmans doting wife Betsy Arakawa would do whatever she could to help keep him healthy, whether it meant wearing a mask everywhere she went or encouraging him to stay fit by riding his bike or doing yoga on Zoom.

In late February, the couple was found dead in their New Mexico home, a heartrending end to the life they shared. Arakawa, 65, died of hantavirus and days later, Hackman, 95, died of heart disease, the New Mexico medical investigators office revealed Friday.

Authorities, working to lay out a timeline of what happened, said Hackman had Alzheimers disease and may have not realized he was alone in the days before he died.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Clues as to what the couples life looked like before their tragic deaths could be gleaned from their last interactions with loved ones. Close and longtime friends of the couple say they seemed to be in good health at their most recent encounter.

Last time we saw them, they were alive and well, Daniel Lenihan told CNNs Erin Burnett last week. Barbara, Lenihans wife, said she had last seen Arakawa a few weeks ago at a home decor shop the two had opened together in Santa Fe.

They were so delightful to be around, Barbara said, adding how proud Hackman and Arakawa were of each other. Probably never seen a couple that got along and enjoyed each other so much.

Using evidence gathered from their home, authorities pieced together what they now believe happened, answering many of the questions behind what began as a mystery.

Investigators believe she died first

Arakawas last known interactions were on February 11. She had a short email exchange with her massage therapist that morning and later visited a Sprouts Farmers Market, CVS pharmacy and a dog food store before returning to her gated community at around 5:15 p.m., Santa Fe Sheriff Adan Mendoza said Friday. After that, there was no other known activity or outgoing communication from her, the sheriff said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Numerous emails were unopened on her computer on February 11, Mendoza said.

Arakawa died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare disease that results from infection through contact with rodents, according to Dr. Heather Jarrell, chief medical examiner for the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator. Pills found scattered on the bathroom floor near Arakawas body were prescription thyroid medication and not related to her death, Jarrell said. Zinna, one of the animal-loving couples dogs, was found dead in a crate in the bathroom near her body.

Based on the circumstances, it is reasonable to conclude that Ms. Arakawa passed away first, Jarrell said.

What Hackmans days looked like after his wife of more than 30 years left his side has yet to be fully pieced together, but the end came in a matter of days.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease took the acting legends life, likely on February 18 when his pacemaker last recorded his heartbeat, according to Jarrell. The device recorded Hackman was experiencing atrial fibrillation, an irregular heart rhythm.

Santa Fe County deputies remain outside the house belonging to Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa where the couple was found dead. - Roberto E. Rosales/AP

His body was discovered on the ground near the kitchen, with a walking cane and sunglasses next to him, on February 26.

Authorities said he was in a very poor state of health. Hackman had advanced Alzheimers disease, which was a significant contributory factor in his death, and it was possible the actor was not aware his wife had died several days earlier, Jarrell said.

Alzheimers, a brain disorder caused by damage to nerve cells in the brain, begins with mild memory loss and can lead to the inability to carry out daily activities, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The disease, estimated to affect nearly 7 million Americans, was the seventh-leading cause of death in the US in 2022, according to the CDC.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As people advance in the sequence of their Alzheimers disease, they become more and more reliant on a caregiver, Dr. Jonathan Reiner, medicine and surgery professor at George Washington University, told CNNs Sara Sidner Friday night.

Its unclear whether Arakawa was his primary caregiver or if Hackman had other caregivers. If Arakawa was his principal caregiver, she would be responsible for giving Mr. Hackman his medications, for cleaning him, for helping him to the bathroom and for feeding him, Reiner said. With Arakawas sudden death, one can see how, sadly, that could lead to his death, he said.

Other findings paint a grim picture of Hackmans last days. Investigators have found no signs Hackman was communicating with anyone. They also did not find any food in his stomach, which means he had not eaten recently, the medical examiner said.

Some questions may remain unanswered

Officials said it is going to be hard to tell if Arakawa was feeling sick in the days leading up to her passing. It is possible she had been ill for weeks before she died, though Arakawa did not appear to be sick or struggling in surveillance camera footage captured on February 11.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She was walking around, she was shopping, she was visiting stores, Mendoza said of the surveillance video. My detectives didnt indicate that there was any problem with her or struggle of her getting around.

The CDC has been notified of the case of hantavirus authorities said led to Arakawas death, according to New Mexico State Public Veterinarian Erin Phipps. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome does not spread from person to person.

Symptoms can take up to two months to show up after contact with an infected rodent, often starting with fatigue, fever and muscle aches that can develop into coughing and shortness of breath within a few days. More than a third of people who develop respiratory symptoms may die from the disease, according to the CDC.

Health officials searched the couples property for signs of rodents, Phipps said. They found the risk of exposure inside the home was low, but they did find evidence rodents had entered other structures on the property.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Authorities are also awaiting necropsy results to determine how the couples kelpie mix died. Starvation could have been a cause of death but officials are still unsure, Phipps said, noting that dogs do not get sick from hantavirus. Zinna underwent a procedure on February 9, which could explain why the dog was in a crate, according to Mendoza. The couples other two dogs were found alive and had been able to go in and out of the house through an open door, authorities said.

As they work to complete a timeline surrounding the high-profile deaths, investigators are still searching Hackmans and Arakawas cell phones for information that could shed light on their locations or other communications they had before they died.

Were pretty close to the timeline, Mendoza said at a Friday news conference, noting the investigation will remain open until a few more loopholes are finalized.

I think a lot of the questions have been answered, Mendoza said. We are waiting on the cell phones, but (it is) very unlikely that the cell phones are going to show anything else.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Neither Hackman nor Arakawa had any internal or external signs of trauma, the medical investigator said. Both also tested negative for Covid-19, influenza and other common respiratory viruses, she said.

A postmortem CT examination on Hackman showed severe heart disease, including multiple surgical procedures involving the heart, evidence of prior heart attacks and severe changes to the kidneys due to chronic high blood pressure, she said.

Chief Medical Examiner Heather S. Jarrell speaks during a news conference to provide an update on the investigation into the deaths of actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa in Santa Fe, New Mexico. - Sam Wasson/Sipa/AP

A love story spanning three decades

Hackman and Arakawa met while she was working part-time in a California fitness center, according to a 1989 New York Times Magazine story. Hackman, then 59, had enjoyed three decades as a successful actor in Hollywood, while Arakawa was a classic pianist who found her love of music growing up in Hawaii.

They share a two-bedroom adobe house on a wide brown plain outside Santa Fe, the story stated of their residence at the time. He paints and sketches, solitary hobbies, and tools around in one of his two pickup trucks.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Hackman and Arakawa married in 1991. The pair enjoyed watching DVDs that my wife rents; we like simple stories that some of the little low-budget films manage to produce, he told Empire in 2020.

Barbara Lenihan told The New York Times Arakawa also helped her husband in his literary pursuits, typing up longhand written versions of his books on the computer, while also assisting with edits and sharing her opinions about the characters.

She was very involved with what he did, Lenihan said. She made it very possible for him to do it.

Because of their health concerns following the Covid-19 pandemic, friends had seen less of the couple in the last few years, according to Lenihan.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Arakawa took measures like masking to ensure her husband wouldnt get sick. Until a year ago, Hackman was still riding his bicycle and Arakawa had him doing yoga and different things at home on Zoom and trying to stay very fit, she said.

Betsy was a wonderful wife. They were very close, and she was a good cook and really, really took good care of him, Lenihan said. They ate very well. He had had a triple bypass, maybe around (age) 60, and hed been in really good health since then, and Im sure she was one of those factors.

Daniel and Barbara Lenihan described the couple as very easy people to get along with.

When the pair would host the Lenihans at their home, Hackman would often ask Arakawa to play classical pieces on the piano, and she was equally supportive of his accomplishments, Barbara Lenihan said. They loved to travel and were well-liked in their community, she said.

The couple also shared a love of animals. While Hackman was filming The Replacements in Baltimore in 1999, two stray dogs wandered onto the set. Hackman took them to a shelter, where one of them was named after him. Later, Hackman and Arakawa adopted the dog named Gene.

Daniel Lenihan said hell remember Hackman as an interesting, funny, very intelligent man, while his wife described Arakawa as clever and witty and fun.

CNNs Lisa Respers France, Elizabeth Wolfe, Alaa Elassar, Rebekah Riess, Elise Hammond and Tori B. Powell contributed to this report.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
After the discovery of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa's bodies, the couple's cause of death has finally been revealed.

However, more shocking details regarding the duo's passing were unveiled, including the timeline of their deaths.

Investigations are still ongoing into the deaths of Gene Hackman, Betsy Arakawa, and their dog, after authorities initially stated there was "no foul play" suspected.

Betsy Arakawa May Have Died Seven Days Before Gene Hackman

Guerra Jr/The Grosby Group / MEGA

On Friday, a medical examiner announced the cause of death of Hackman and Arakawa, two weeks after the elderly couple's bodies were discovered in their home, where they lived with their three dogs, one of whom was also found dead.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As reported by The Blast, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Heather Jarrell revealed that Hackman died on February 18 because of hypertensive atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with Alzheimer's being a contributing factor.

Arakawa, on the other hand, is said to have died of Hantavirus, a fatal virus transmitted by mice, on February 11.

This means that Hackman was likely alive at their home for several days with the dead body of his wife of 30 years.

The couple, Hackman, 95, and Arakawa, 65, were found dead on February 26. At the time of this discovery, authorities claimed they suspected "no foul play."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

However, the deaths quickly became described as "suspicious" when investigations went into full swing.

Santa Fe County Sheriff Initially Shared The Couple May Have Passed 'Days' Before Their Bodies Were Found

News Licensing / MEGA

During an appearance on the Friday morning episode of "Today" on February 28, the sheriff of Santa Fe County, New Mexico, Sheriff Adan Mendoza, shared information about the deaths of Hackman and Arakawa.

Mendoza stated that the timeline between when they died and when their bodies were discovered could possibly be several days or even weeks.

"It's very difficult to put a timeline together even with the help of the office of the medical investigator," Mendoza informed the public during the show, per the New York Post. "Just based on their body and other evidence on the body, it looked  it appears [that they were deceased for] several days, even up to a couple of weeks."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

At the time of the discovery of the bodies, both Hackman and Betsy had started showing signs of body decomposition, otherwise known as mummification, supporting the sheriff's statement that they had been dead for a while.

Additionally, the couple had not been seen for weeks by members of their community, further lending credence to the sheriff's belief, which has now been confirmed by a medical examiner's report.

The 911 Call That Alerted The Authorities Of Gene Hackman And Betsy Arakawa's Bodies

MEGA

TMZ released audio of the 911 call that led to the discovery of the couple by the police.

According to the news outlet, a caretaker could be heard frantically telling the dispatcher that he had seen two bodies that weren't moving, pleading for help to be sent to the actor's Santa Fe mansion in New Mexico.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The caretaker, believed to be one of the two maintenance workers called Roland Lowe Begay and Jesse Kesler, reportedly became tearful as they shouted "Damn" several times during the call.

The caller is said to have stood outside and looked through a window while reporting the incident to the dispatcher.

At a point, he noted that "[it's] a female and a male probably. I don't know, sir. Just send somebody up here really quick."

Gene Hackman Once Revealed His Fear Of Dying

Luis Guerra/The Grosby Group/ MEGA

After Hackman's death was announced, a short video resurfaced in which the actor discussed his fear of dying.

The 2004 clip featured Hackman in an interview with Larry King as he spoke about how he had undergone angioplasty, a surgery intended to open up narrowed or blocked arteries.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Hackman also talked about suffering "heart problems," including "severe angina" 12 years earlier, and when King asked him if he worried about his health, he admitted that he feared dying.

"I try to take care of myself. I don't have a lot of fears. I have the normal fear of passing away - you know, I guess we all think about that, especially when you get to be a certain age," Hackman said, per the Daily Mail.

He added, "I want to make sure that my wife and my family are taken care of. Other than that, I don't have a lot of fears."

Why Gene Hackman Retired From Acting In 2004

CAMERA PRESS/Pat Lyttle/MEGA

The two-time Oscar winner and his wife, Arakawa, began living a somewhat reclusive life after the legendary actor retired from Hollywood in 2004 at age 74 for health reasons. The duo have been married since 1991 but rarely made public appearances.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Following his retirement, Hackman relocated from Los Angeles to New Mexico. He told Empire Magazine in a 2009 interview that his health was the major reason why he decided to end his acting career.

"The straw that broke the camel's back was actually a stress test that I took in New York," Hackman said. "The doctor advised me that my heart wasn't in the kind of shape that I should be putting it under any stress."
HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW)  Georgetown Countys outdoor burn ban lifts at 8 a.m. Sunday, but the restriction will stay in place in Horry County, officials said.

Originally issued statewide on March 1 to ease the strain on firefighting personnel and law enforcement, it was lifted last week for 44 of the states 46 counties.

Forestry Commission officials said the Georgetown County ban is being lifted thanks to improving weather conditions, increased confidence in containment of the Arcadia Plantation Drive Fire near Georgetown and return of personnel from Carolina Forests Covington Drive fire.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Underlying conditions, however, still warrant the need for caution on the part of those who choose to conduct outdoor burning, as drought and elevated fire risk are expected for the rest of March continuing through April, the commission said in a news release.

Those planning to conduct outdoor burning of residential yard debris or prescribed burns must still notify the Forestry Commission before doing so.

Notification procedures as well as mandatory precautions for conducting burns may be found on the SCFC website: https://www.scfc.gov/protection/fire-burning/

* * *

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.
COLUMBUS,Ga (WRBL)  Senate Bill 120 did not advance on Crossover Day. Georgia House of Representatives Minority leader Carolyn Hugley says whenever theyre able to stop a bill that would adversely affect the community, it is considered a win.

Senate Bill 120 was a bill that would have banned all public schools, colleges, and universities from engaging and operating DEI programs. This bill did not advance on Crossover Day.

Minority Leader Carolyn Hugley says she is happy her colleagues in the Senate decided not to put the bill forward.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Hugley says, It was really going to be a step back. And I continue to say that we cannot embrace hare and put hate into our laws because we know what that looks like and weve already been there before, and Georgia deserves better than that.

Though the bill did not advance on Crossover Day, it is still alive and could be revisited later in the year.

The revisiting would require the author finding a similar code section in a House bill, script it out, and send it back for the house to agree or disagree on.

Hugley says revisiting legislation is usually difficult as more legislation is introduced.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Anything can happen, and a bill can say its about mom and apple pie in the subject, but it could be totally different, Hugley explains

We are in a moment where things can change drastically, if not for ourselves, for those who are coming along after us, Hugley says. And so, it is ourmoment to be involved or be engaged, to be alert to request or I should say, to demand of those who represent us to look out for the best interests of the communities that they have when we look at it.

WRBL has reached out to Republican lawmakers and are still awaiting responses.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
A lawmaker with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) says he has taken legal action to prevent special parliamentary sessions that are being convened to push through a massive spending plan enabling defence and infrastructure investments.

Following German elections last month, the conservative bloc (CDU/CSU) and the Social Democrats (SPD) have agreed in preliminary coalition talks on a 500 billion ($542 billion) spending plan, as well as reforms to Germany's strict budget rules.

The plans require a two-thirds majority to alter Germany's constitution - a result that will be far harder to secure once the incoming parliament takes up work.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Instead, the conservative bloc led by Friedrich Merz and the SPD hope to push through the plan in the outgoing parliament with the help of the Greens, who are still part of the current caretaker government led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Until the new Bundestag convenes, the old parliament is considered to have a quorum and the authority to make decisions.

Bundestag President Barbel Bas scheduled the sessions for March 13 and 18 - a decision which the AfD challenged on Friday, calling on Bas to cancel them by Monday or else face legal action.

Constitutional challenge

Wirth said in a press release that the Constitutional Court must clarify what an outgoing Bundestag is allowed to decide between the federal election and the constitution of the new Bundestag.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He said his complaint included a request for an urgent decision, adding that four other AfD lawmakers supported the move. According to the lawsuit published by Wirth, the plaintiffs see their parliamentary rights as being violated.

Attempt at settlement

AfD deputy leader and legal adviser Stephan Brandner told dpa that Wirth had acted unilaterally. "Of course, anyone can file a lawsuit as they wish," Brandner said. "But we consider this to be the less certain route."

Going directly to the Constitutional Court risked a refusal by the court to hear the case, on the basis that an attempt at resolution should have been made first.

Friday's letter to Bas aims to demonstrate to the court that the AfD faction in parliament had tried to resolve the matter amicably.
A lawmaker with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) says he has taken legal action to prevent special parliamentary sessions that are being convened to push through a massive spending plan enabling defence and infrastructure investments.

Following German elections last month, the conservative bloc (CDU/CSU) and the Social Democrats (SPD) have agreed in preliminary coalition talks on a 500 billion ($542 billion) spending plan, as well as reforms to Germany's strict budget rules.

The plans require a two-thirds majority to alter Germany's constitution - a result that will be far harder to secure once the incoming parliament takes up work.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Instead, the conservative bloc led by Friedrich Merz and the SPD hope to push through the plan in the outgoing parliament with the help of the Greens, who are still part of the current caretaker government led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Until the new Bundestag convenes, the old parliament is considered to have a quorum and the authority to make decisions.

Bundestag President Barbel Bas scheduled the sessions for March 13 and 18 - a decision which the AfD challenged on Friday, calling on Bas to cancel them by Monday or else face legal action.

Constitutional challenge

Wirth said in a press release that the Constitutional Court must clarify what an outgoing Bundestag is allowed to decide between the federal election and the constitution of the new Bundestag.

He said his complaint included a request for an urgent decision, adding that four other AfD lawmakers supported the move. According to the lawsuit published by Wirth, the plaintiffs see their parliamentary rights as being violated.
Bruno Kahl, President of the Federal Intelligence Service (BND), suggests that Russia is considering testing NATO's collective security guarantees and that this risk will increase if the fighting in Ukraine stops in the near future.

Source: Bruno Kahl in an interview with Deutsche Welle, as European Pravda reported with the reference to dpa, a German news agency

Details: Bruno Kahl believes Russia will likely want to test the unity of Western countries and the effectiveness of Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which provides that an attack on one of the NATO member states is considered an attack on all of them.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Quote from Bruno Kahl: "We very much hope this is not true and that we will not be put in the difficult position of it being tested. However, we must assume that Russia wants to test us, to put the unity of the West to the test."

Details: The BND president says that the timing and probability of such a "test" are directly related to how events in the Russo-Ukrainian war will continue to develop.

Kahl noted that if the war ends before 2029-2030, Russia will be able to become a threat to Europe more quickly.

"It is also possible that a concrete threat or blackmail attempt from Russia against Europeans could occur earlier than previously calculated. An early end to the war in Ukraine would enable the Russians to direct their energy where they actually want it, namely against Europe," said Bruno Kahl.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The head of intelligence says Russia hopes that the future world order will be similar to that of the 1990s, that the Russian "sphere of influence" will expand further west, and that, in the most desirable scenario, the United States will withdraw its troops from Europe.

Background:

On 4 March, the German parties CDU/CSU and SPD, which are negotiating the formation of a government led by Friedrich Merz, agreed on a multi-billion dollar package of defence and infrastructure financing on credit.

All defence expenditures exceeding 1% of GDP will be exempt from debt restrictions.

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius announced a "historic day" for the Bundeswehr and Germany.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Berlin (dpa) - Russia intends to test Western unity, especially with regard to NATO's collective defence clause, according to Bruno Kahl, the head of Germany's BND intelligence service.

In an interview with Deutsche Welle broadcaster, he said Russia was considering testing the reliability of NATO's Article 5, which states that an attack on one ally must be treated as an attack on all.

"We very much hope this is not true and that we will not be put in the difficult position of it being tested. However, we must assume that Russia wants to test us, to put the unity of the West to the test," Kahl said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The timing of a Russian test of NATO's collective defence clause depends on the course of the war in Ukraine, according to Kahl.

If the war ends earlier than 2029 or 2030, this would enable Russia to use its technical, material and personnel resources to build up a threat against Europe sooner, he noted.

"It is also possible that a concrete threat or blackmail attempt from Russia against Europeans could occur earlier than previously calculated," Kahl said.

"An early end to the war in Ukraine would enable the Russians to direct their energy where they actually want it, namely against Europe."

Kahl said Russia envisions a future world order resembling the situation in Europe in the late 1990s, with NATO's protective presence pushed back and Russia's sphere of influence expanding westward  ideally without an American presence in Europe.
German Development Minister Svenja Schulze warned on Saturday that women and girls around the world are facing increasing challenges, rather than seeing International Women's Day as a cause for celebration.

"Women and girls have no reason to celebrate today, instead they must fight. Because attacks on women's rights have increased worldwide, just like misogynist propaganda and politics," Schulze said in Berlin.

She highlighted the dangers of reduced international funding for women's empowerment programmes, calling it a major threat to global development.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"When girls are denied education, entire societies suffer. When they lack access to contraception, rates of unwanted pregnancies and maternal mortality increase," Schulze noted.

She added that forced child marriages rob young girls of their future and dignity.

According to Schulze, the decline in funding for women's support programmes and institutions is partly due to decisions made by the new administration of US President Donald Trump.

The US government had made it clear that it aimed to reduce funding for women's empowerment, education and health services as a matter of policy, she said.
The German opposition parties have slammed the results of the exploratory talks between the conservative CDU/CSU bloc and the Social Democrats (SPD) on forming a government.

Instead of solving structural problems, the parties want to do as they did in previous centre-left governments and pour money into everything, Green party leader Franziska Brantner said in Berlin on Saturday. "That is poison for our country."

Co-party leader Felix Banaszak emphasized: "We are further from an agreement today than we have been in the last few days."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavarian sister party the Christian Social Union (CSU) are likely to need the votes of the Greens to pass the security package they agreed on a few days ago.

They had agreed to relax the debt brake for higher defence spending and to create a debt-financed special fund of 500 billion ($528 billion) for infrastructure.

The changes, which require a two-thirds majority, are to be decided by the existing Bundestag. The new Bundestag, elected on February 23, has different majorities and would make it more difficult to pass.

Specifically, the Greens are accusing the CDU and SPD of wanting to finance their election promises with these new funds instead of using the money for actual improvements.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"We see that the 500 billion are obviously not supposed to be used for additional infrastructure projects, but for election promises, pensions for mothers and commuter allowances," said Brantner.

It was "depressing" that climate protection does not play a role, Banaszak added.

AfD charges that Merz is breaking promises

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) charged that CDU leader Merz, the country's likely next chancellor, has already broken his electoral promises and caved to demands from the Social Democrats, given the exploratory coalition talks' results.

In return for "breaking his election promises and surrendering to the SPD's debt madness, Friedrich Merz has only received vague promises and formulaic compromises in migration policy, full of reservations and backdoors," AfD parliamentary group leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla said on Saturday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The outlined social and economic policy plans bear "the signature of the SPD, the loser of the election," Weidel and Chrupalla asserted.

"Outdated socialist recipes like 'industrial electricity pricing' and e-car subsidies create neither prosperity nor economic growth; they accelerate the decline of the planned economy and deindustrialization," they added.

They charged that the CDU betrayed its voters, opened the floodgates to debt and damaged the constitution "for this miserable result."

"This exploratory paper is an agreement to the detriment of Germany," the AfD leaders added.

The Left: CDU&SPD working against the majority

Germany's far-left party, The Left, sees the exploratory agreements between the CDU and SPD on the way to coalition talks as working against the interests of most citizens.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"At best, there is a 'business as usual' option. The majority of society can only stand by and watch as politics is made over their heads and against their interests," parliamentary group leaders Heidi Reichinnek and Soren Pellmann charged on Saturday.

"Key issues such as housing, health, strengthening families, equal living conditions in East and West or affordable food are discussed in passing or not even mentioned. Concrete measures or major projects in these areas are sought almost in vain."

The fact that at the same time it was announced that there is a great need for consolidation suggests that this will affect the weakest in society, they added.

"This extremely problematic prioritization is supplemented by a blank cheque for rearmament and a special fund whose contents nobody knows  and on top of that, its legitimation is highly questionable from a democratic point of view," the heads of the left-wing faction criticized.
The German parties negotiating the country's new government have reached an agreement in their exploratory talks and concluded the discussions, conservative bloc leader Friedrich Merz said on Saturday.

Merz's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavaria-only sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU) will now move to form a government with the Social Democrats (SPD) of outgoing chancellor Olaf Scholz, with Merz expected to take the top job.

A joint paper should be the basis for coalition negotiations, which could begin next week if necessary, Merz said. He has set the goal of concluding negotiations by Easter.

The CDU/CSU won the parliamentary elections on February 23 with 28.5%. The SPD came in third with 16.4%, behind the far-right Alternative for Germany, which took 20.8%.
The leaders of Germany's conservative bloc and the Social Democrats (SPD) have announced media statements for 3 pm (1400 GMT) on Saturday, raising hopes of a breakthrough in their preliminary talks on forming a new coalition government.

Party leaders Friedrich Merz of the Christian Democrats (CDU), Markus Soder of their allied Bavaria-only Christian Social Union (CSU) as well as Lars Klingbeil and Saskia Esken, the co-leaders of the SPD, plan to step before the media.

No further details were given.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The parties began exploratory talks on forming a government just over a week ago, following German elections on February 23.

Once the exploratory talks have successfully concluded, it paves the way for the actual coalition talks to begin.
Germany's conservative bloc and the Social Democrats (SPD) said they agreed on the importance of enhancing the country's defence capabilities both domestically and internationally, during their exploratory talks that concluded on Saturday.

Negotiators for the conservative CDU/CSU bloc and the SPD announced the parties reached an agreement on key issues, with a joint paper forming the basis for coalition talks, which could start as early as next week.

They committed to taking a proactive role in Europe and collaborating with EU partners to strengthen the European Union's defence capabilities. "Germany remains firmly supportive of Ukraine," the negotiators jointly stated.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Friedrich Merz, the leader of the alliance of his Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavaria-only Christian Social Union (CSU) sister party, is largely seen as becoming Germany's next chancellor.
Marlar, an elephant cow at Germany's Cologne Zoo, gave birth in the early hours of Saturday to a healthy calf, a strong little bull who is yet to be named.

Both mother and baby are doing well, with the birth going smoothly without any complications, according to zoo director Theo Pagel.

"This once again shows how beneficial births within the family group are. We do it in Cologne just as in the wild," Pagel noted.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The calf's father is Tarak, an elephant bull born at Hanover Zoo in northern Germany in 2005. The gestation period for elephants is nearly 22 months, and Marlar's pregnancy lasted exactly 663 days.

The zoo now houses 11 Asian elephants, including Sarinya, who was born there in June 2023. Another calf is expected by the end of the year, with the zoo looking forward to having a thriving elephant nursery once again.

Spanning two hectares, the zoo's elephant park is home to these endangered animals. Asian elephants face significant threats in the wild, making the birth a significant event.

This year, Cologne Zoo is celebrating its 165th anniversary, and with more than 10,000 animals from 800 species, it attracts over 1 million visitors annually.
By Andreas Rinke, Vera Eckert and Matthias Williams

BERLIN (Reuters) -German election winner Friedrich Merz's conservatives and the Social Democrats (SPD) concluded preliminary talks on forming a coalition government on Saturday, promising to get tough on illegal migration, support industry and boost the economy.

Chancellor-in-waiting Merz wants to form a coalition by Easter, which falls on April 20 this year. He has warned it was "five minutes to midnight" for Europe to fend for itself against a hostile Russia, with the U.S. under President Donald Trump no longer seen as a reliable ally.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The two parties were racing for a deal before next week when they hope to push a loosening of Germany's borrowing limits through parliament to revive growth in Europe's largest economy and boost military spending.

"There is an enormous urgency, especially with regard to the Bundeswehr (military) budget," Merz said.

In Germany, where coalitions are the norm, governments are typically formed in two phases, with parties first holding exploratory talks and then entering into formal coalition talks.

Merz's conservative CDU/CSU bloc and the SPD have haggled over issues such as migration and welfare payments, coming together after a bruising election campaign.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In his opening remarks, Merz promised tougher measures to tackle illegal migration, promising to act along with other European Union members.

He also said Germany should be targeting 1%-2% economic growth and lower energy costs to help businesses.

"In coordination with our European neighbours, we will reject people at our shared borders, including asylum seekers," Merz said.

"We want to take all legal measures to reduce irregular migration overall. We will massively expand border controls from the first day of our joint government, and we will also significantly increase the number of rejections with these border controls," he added.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

MIGRATION SUCCESS STORIES

Merz's tougher stance on migration and security reflects a changing political landscape, where the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has surged to become the country's second-largest party.

Lars Klingbeil, the co-leader of the SPD, said Germany needed more migration success stories and bring down illegal migration at the same time.

Markus Soeder, a Merz ally and powerful head of the southern state of Bavaria, said there would be reforms to welfare payments, including withdrawing money from those who can work but choose not to.

Germany's economy has contracted for two years in a row and its car industry has struggled. A joint policy paper issued alongside Saturday's statements included support for e-mobility and preventing penalties if carmakers exceed CO2 emission standards.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Attention will also now turn to the outgoing parliament, where lawmakers will debate a 500-billion-euro ($542 billion) infrastructure fund and changes to state borrowing rules known as the 'debt brake' from March 13.

The Bundestag lower house will vote on the measures on March 18 before the formation of a new parliament on March 25, where both moves could get blocked by an enlarged contingent of far-right and radical left lawmakers.

The measures, which jolted markets, represent a tectonic spending shift in a country better known for its frugality and mark a rollback of rules imposed after the 2008 global financial crisis that many see as an outdated fiscal straitjacket.

Merz and the SPD crucially need support from the Greens party to pass the measures, and Merz on Saturday said there would be intensive talks with the Greens next week.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But Green Party leaders said on Saturday they were "far from agreeing". Co-head Franziska Brantner said: "We see that the partners in the coalition talks want to fill their coffers in good time to be able to fund their election promises."

($1 = 0.9232 euros)

(Reporting by Andreas Rinke, Vera Eckert, Holger Hansen; writing by Matthias Williams, editing by Sharon Singleton, Angus MacSwan and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  Rochester Regional Health and Girl Scouts of Western New York hosted a seminar Saturday morning on stroke education at Rochester General Hospital on Portland Avenue. More than 20 Rochester Girl Scouts will earn the RRH Stroke Superstar patch by learning what to watch out for when it comes to strokes and how to call for help.

(WROC photo/ Trinity Wilson)

The number one thing I want them to learn, is how to live a healthy lifestyle to prevent strokes, but also learning how to spot and recognize a stroke and take action, because you never know if theyre with their grandparents or something like that. You never know  you could be out on the streets and see somebody experiencing a stroke and save a life, said Angelina Wronski, RN and Stroke Coordinator for RRH.

The Girl Scouts will get a behind-the-scenes tour of the hospital to get an in-depth look at imaging technology and laboratory work. In the end, the Girl Scouts will get a visit from Mercy Flight Central who will be landing a helicopter on RGHs helipad.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States suffers a stroke. Since 1990, incidences of strokes in people ages 49 and under have increased. According to healthcare workers, children are often present when a caregiver experiences a stroke, making it essential for people of all ages to recognize the signs and know how to engage Emergency Medical Services when times call for 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 RochesterFirst.
GREENVILLE, S.C. (WSPA)  A contractor was rescued by firefighters Tuesday after being stuck 35 feet in the air for two hours.

According to the City of Greenville, the rescue happened around 6 p.m. on Brookforest Drive.

Although its been several days, neighbors said they are still shaken up.

It wasnt just a regular limb, said neighbor Gloria Thompson. It was like a tree.

Firefighters with the Gantt District Fire Department said an independent contractor was cutting down a large tree in someones yard when a limb fell on top of him, trapping him and crushing his leg.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He was just in pain and screaming, Thompson continued. It had gotten so bad one time he started the chainsaw. He was going to cut his leg off. I saw him start up the chainsaw and yelled No, no. Stop. Please. Just be still.'

Thompson said she was the one who made the 911 call.

Officials said the incident was unusual. Multiple agencies helped to complete the rescue.

They were trying to get the truck into the backyard. They had to go to the neighbors yard and back the truck in and it wouldnt work, Thompson reflected. They had to call another one. When the other one came, it got in the driveway where the tree was being cut up.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Neighbors said the man was stuck for two hours.

Once they got up there, they tied him off, Thompson recalled. The limb stopped moving and he started screaming. They sent paramedics up to give him something to calm him down, said Thompson.

Fire crews with the Greenville City Fire Department and the Gantt Fire Department arrived with ladder trucks, but needed a saw technician to help with the rescue.

Luckily, Sam Cajina with the public works department was able to communicate in Spanish and precisely cut the limb so the contractor was freed.

Thompson said she had never seen anything like this before.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ive been more concerned about him, and I was wanting to get to the neighbors to check on him. I havent seen any movement up there since Tuesday, but once I get to find out hes doing good then Ill be good, said Thompson.

The contractor was taken to the hospital for his injuries. His condition 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 WSPA 7NEWS.
Going to have to have it: Real ID deadline is two months out

Editors Note: You may use a passport instead of a Real ID. 

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  Oklahomas transportation officials are urging Oklahomans with summer travel plans to make sure they have their Real ID before an upcoming May deadline.

The federal government has set a May 7, 2025, deadline to get a Real ID for Americans who want to fly domestically, visit a federal building, or a military base. The deadline for Oklahomans to become Real ID compliant has been pushed back multiple times since the Real ID Act was passed in 2005.

We absolutely are starting to see a spike in traffic, said Service Oklahoma CEO Jay Doyle. Which we anticipated and were really encouraged by as well.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Deadline to get a Real ID quickly approaching

According to Service Oklahomas website, more than 2,000,000 Real IDs have been issued to Oklahomans. The website includes a Real ID Checklist and location information for Service Oklahoma Licensing offices or operators where people can go to apply. If youre under the age of 18, you have to bring a parent or guardian with you.

News 4 asked Doyle if there is any indication the deadline will be pushed back again.

So from what weve been told is May 7 is going to be the deadline, in air quotes a little bit, said Doyle.

Doyle used air quotes to describe the deadline because enforcement plans throughout the federal governments different agencies, buildings, or organizations may vary. Doyle said he also doesnt want the process to overwhelm Oklahomans who havent applied for their Real ID yet.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Its not as burdensome as I think people think it is, said Doyle. Use our Real ID checklist. Most of the documents you already have, its really not that challenging.

Heres what youll need to bring with you to one of over 200 licensing locations across the state to get a Real ID:

Proof of identity (e.g., birth certificate, passport).

Proof of Social Security number (e.g., Social Security card, W-2).

Proof of Oklahoma residency (e.g., utility bill, lease agreement).

Document that supports name change if youve been married or divorced.

Note: Some locations only take cash payments.

The whole process should take about 15 or 20 minutes of actual processing time, said Doyle.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

News 4 spoke with multiple Oklahomans at Will Rogers World Airport on Tuesday, who said they already had their Real IDs.

They said it was a pretty painless process, and are encouraging Oklahomans who plan on traveling to get theirs.

I dont even necessarily remember the process, which makes me think it was pretty easy, said traveler Connor McGinnis. Youre going to have to have it, so, I dont know why you would wait.

Service Oklahoma will be holding Season Saturdays starting March 8 through September to help serve more Oklahomans during extended hours. The following locations in Oklahoma City and Tulsa will be open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

OKC Metro:

OKC Classen (6015 N. Classen Blvd., Building 4).

OKC I-240 (728 E Interstate 240 Service Road).

Tulsa Metro:

Broken Arrow (1635 S Main Street).

Tulsa Eastgate (14002 E 21st Street).

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
President Trump says representatives of his administration will tour Fort Knox to make sure the nations gold reserve is there. Meanwhile, Elon Musk has speculated that the gold may have been compromised. Former Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin is one of very few people who has been inside Fort Knox and says visiting the facility is a very secure process. Bevin does agree with auditing the gold there, but disagrees with the idea of a livestream as Musk has suggested.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 seven-month funding patch released by House Republicans Saturday would add billions of dollars in spending for deportations, veterans health care and the military while cutting an even greater amount of funding for non-defense programs.

The measure, crafted by Speaker Mike Johnson in coordination with the White House, reflects President Donald Trumps top policy priorities and heightens a confrontation with Democrats ahead of a Friday midnight shutdown deadline.

Trump on Saturday urged Republicans to back the legislation: "We have to remain UNITED  NO DISSENT  Fight for another day when the timing is right. VERY IMPORTANT," he wrote on Truth Social.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

House Democratic leaders have already declared themselves firmly opposed to the GOP-written stopgap. They spent weeks trading offers with Republicans to clinch a bipartisan government funding deal before House GOP leaders decided to pivot to the patch through September, which would give Trump substantially more leeway to shift federal cash.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, the Houses top Democratic appropriator, called the funding patch a power grab for the White House, warning that the bill would allow Trump and his chief efficiency adviser Elon Musk to steal from the American people.

Senate Democrats, meanwhile, have been more cautious. If Johnson can get the bill through the House, at least seven of them will need to support it in order to avert a shutdown. The Republican-friendly provisions embedded in the newly released bill could fuel Democratic opposition.

GOP leaders said that the bill would increase defense spending by about $6 billion over current budgets, while non-defense funding would fall by a total of about $13 billion. It fulfills a Trump administration request for additional ICE funding to help carry out deportations. The stopgap also maintains a freeze on more than $20 billion in special IRS funding.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Senate Appropriations Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-Wash.) called the House Republican bill a slush fund that gives Trump and Musk more power to pick winners and losers. She called instead for Congress to pass a short-term funding patch to buy time to finish bipartisan negotiations.

To fulfill conservative demands to cut non-defense funding, Republican leaders are seeking to zero out funding for a slew of programs  much of which had previous been subject to earmarks personally requested by lawmakers.

The bill, for instance, does not renew $40 million in fiscal 2024 funding for more than 70 programs that help children and families. Most had been requested by Democratic senators, but not all: Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith previously secured $250,000 for a group that works to prevent child abuse in her home state of Mississippi and GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski requested more than $5 million to help fund homeless shelters and prevent child abuse in Alaska.

Also forgone are $890 million in grants for health care facilities and equipment. Again, the fiscal 2024 funding had been distributed on a bipartisan basis: GOP Sens. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma, Roger Wicker of Mississippi were among those who requested funding for clinics and hospitals in their states.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Bipartisan emergency preparedness and disaster mitigation projects funded through $293 million of earmarked FEMA dollars are also not renewed, as well as $116 million in Small Business Administration funding and $107 million in workforce development projects. Clean water projects, law enforcement grants and tribal assistance are also targeted in the bill.

The impact on the previously funded projects could be uneven. Some of last years earmarks are no longer relevant, since they were for one-time projects. One provision deleted under the bill is $17.5 million in funding for improvements to the museum in Abilene, Kansas, honoring former Republican President Dwight Eisenhower. That project was secured by Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) last year.

The spending package does not contain an expected bipartisan provision that would reverse cuts to doctors pay in Medicare. Thats a significant blow to physicians groups, including many House GOP doctors, who have argued that the reductions are based on a formula that doesn't account for rising costs of care.

Even before the bills release, Democrats called the stopgap a blank check for the president, since it does not contain the earmarks ensuring federal funding goes to certain projects in their districts or the hundreds of pages in guidance Congress includes alongside regular funding bills. It also gives the Trump administration new start power to begin military programs Congress hasnt approved.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

GOP leaders briefed House Republicans on the funding plan Saturday morning. They confirmed earmarks would be stripped in the package, with the bills text indicating they would have "no legal effect" going forward. Some fiscal hawks also raised concerns that the plan did not reduce spending enough, according to two people granted anonymity to describe the private call.

Johnson and Trump have spent weeks already trying to convince hard-right holdouts to vote for the spending patch  something hard-liners generally never support. They have argued they need the rest of the fiscal year to formulate a plan to codify sweeping cuts being undertaken by the Department of Government Efficiency initiative.

"Great things are coming for America, and I am asking you all to give us a few months to get us through to September so we can continue to put the Countrys 'financial house' in order," Trump reiterated in his Saturday posting.

The speaker aims to pass the bill as soon as Tuesday with Republican votes only, and then jam the Senate by adjourning the House and putting the onus on Democrats across the Capitol to back a plan they loathe. Referring to the Senate minority leader, Johnson argued on Friday that any lapse in government funding would be a Chuck Schumer shutdown if Democrats dont help Republicans clear the Senates 60-vote threshold.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Democrats are not the ones interested in finding a reasonable solution to fund the government, a House Republican leadership aide told reporters on a call Saturday, accusing Democrats of using government funding as a weapon to stop the Trump administrations agenda.

It's going to be a tough choice now for Democrats to decide if they want to be the ones to shut down the government, something that they've long opposed, added the aide, who was granted anonymity to describe GOP leaders thinking.

As expected, the bill doesnt include any additional disaster aid to address the recent California wildfires or hurricane victims. Nor does it address a looming debt ceiling deadline.
n expectant mom waits at a health clinic with her 1-year-old daughter. Republicans in multiple states are introducing bills to grant embryos and fetuses the same rights as children. (Photo by Angel Valentin/Getty Images)

As state legislative sessions grind on, conservative lawmakers around the country have filed a new batch of bills that would grant legal rights to fetuses and fertilized embryos.

Lawmakers in at least eight states  Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Texas  have considered bills to go even further, to punish women who seek abortions.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Most of these states have already banned abortion. But new criminalization bills would allow women to face homicide charges for obtaining abortions. The bills would classify an embryo or fetus as an unborn or preborn child who can be a victim of homicide. Many of the bills would repeal parts of state laws that explicitly exempt women from being punished for seeking abortions.

If we truly believe in the equal humanity of the preborn, then our laws must uphold that truth in practice, Idaho state Sen. Brandon Shippy, a Republican, told fellow lawmakers while introducing his bill in February. The bill would allow women who seek abortions to be prosecuted under the states homicide laws.

Justice requires accountability for intentional actions, Shippy said. To exempt any group from accountability actually undermines the laws integrity and diminishes the value of the life being protected.

Shippy did not answer requests for comment.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Most lawmakers, including Shippy, admit this type of legislation is a long shot. His bill is sitting in an Idaho Senate committee, although the chambers Republican leaders have indicated they wouldnt move it forward. But similar bills are still pending in five other states  Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, South Carolina and Texas.

Meanwhile, conservative lawmakers in several states are introducing less punitive bills that are structured around the same legal concept: fetal personhood.

A longtime cornerstone of the anti-abortion movement, fetal personhood is the idea that a fetus, embryo or fertilized egg has the same legal rights as a newborn. If the law considers fetuses to be people, then abortion should legally be considered murder.

But experts and reproductive rights advocates have long warned of the legal chaos that could result from fetal personhood laws, with potential implications extending far beyond abortion.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In some ways its a hornets nest, said Rebecca Kluchin, a history professor at California State University, Sacramento, whose research has focused on fetal personhood efforts. If you establish fetal personhood, it raises all of these questions. Do you recognize a fetus on your taxes? How do you calculate the census? What do you do about miscarriages? What about alimony? It is really messy.

And this year, less than two months after voters approved a state constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right to abortion, a Republican legislator introduced a fetal personhood bill that would put the question on the ballot again in 2026.

If the bill is approved by two-thirds of the state legislature, the question would ask Montanans whether they support amending the state constitution to grant full rights to all people at any stage of development, beginning at the state of fertilization or conception.

The measure passed out of committee last month along party lines.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

At a legislative hearing, Montana residents expressed concern that a personhood ballot measure would not only outlaw abortion but also eliminate access to in vitro fertilization and expose women who miscarry to possible criminal prosecution. An estimated 10% to 20% of known pregnancies end in miscarriage, though the percentage is likely higher for all pregnancies, since many losses happen before a woman knows shes pregnant.

Do you recognize a fetus on your taxes? How do you calculate the census? What do you do about miscarriages? What about alimony? It is really messy.

 Rebecca Kluchin, researcher and professor at California State University, Sacramento

Defenders of such legislation have downplayed its impact on IVF and insist that states have a duty to protect all life.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

For those of you who believe that a human life begins at conception and deserves legal protection, because the right to life is the foremost of unalienable rights, I dont see how any of us could be satisfied with having a law on the books that does not actually protect human life beginning with the biological beginnings of human life, which is fertilization, South Carolina Republican state Sen. Richard Cash told fellow legislators in February while introducing his bill.

Critics also worry criminalization bills could drive medical providers out of state and cause women to delay seeking medical care over fear of being punished for pregnancy complications. They say personhood language could even threaten individuals end-of-life decisions, such as do not resuscitate directives, which are often used by people with terminal illnesses.

Child support and tax credits

Many personhood bills are not, at face value, about banning abortion. Yet they ultimately could have the same effect. Some experts say that any attempt to weave fetal personhood language into state law could set the stage for stricter abortion laws.

A new Ohio bill would let taxpayers claim conceived children as dependents on their taxes. And Republican lawmakers in Kansas introduced a bill to guarantee child support payments to mothers from the moment of conception.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

These bills often look, on their face, like theyre trying to be helpful to pregnant people, said Carmel Shachar, faculty director of the Health Law and Policy Clinic at Harvard Law Schools Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation. But oftentimes the way theyre drafted, theyre almost impossible to take advantage of.

For instance, Georgias Department of Revenue has interpreted the states anti-abortion law as allowing residents to claim a fetus with a detectable heartbeat as a state tax deduction. But the maximum tax savings is only about $150, according to the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center. And because its a deduction, rather than a refundable tax credit, its not available to many families with low incomes.

At least 19 states  either through state law, criminal statutes or case law  have declared fetuses at some state of pregnancy to be people, according to a 2023 report from Pregnancy Justice, a nonprofit that conducts research and advocates for the rights of pregnant people, including the right to abortion.

Fetal personhood language in state law has allowed prosecutors to press murder charges for the killing of a fetus after the killing of a pregnant woman in multiple states, including New Hampshire and Oklahoma. Laws also have allowed women in several states to be prosecuted for child endangerment for substance use while pregnant.

Anti-abortion discord

Historically, anti-abortion laws that carry criminal and civil penalties have targeted abortion care providers, such as physicians. Yet bills that would allow broader criminal prosecution of abortion are not unheard of; theyve popped up over the years in conservative-led states, such as North Dakota.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But they arent widely popular, even within the anti-abortion movement.

In February, a representative from the North Dakota Catholic Conference spoke against a Republican-sponsored fetal personhood bill that would add unborn child to state laws relating to murder, assault and wrongful death lawsuits. The conferences co-director told lawmakers that while his group opposes abortion, it doesnt support punishing women who seek one. The bill made it to the House floor, where it eventually failed.

Theres a real division in the pro-life movement, said Kluchin, the history professor. To some folks, abortion is murder, so anyone who commits abortion, whether a provider or pregnant person, should be accused. But most of the pro-life movement doesnt go that way. Their thought is, how can you be compassionate if you accuse a woman of murder? Thats not going to get the general public on your side.

Many lawmakers proposing the homicide bills acknowledge theyre unlikely to garner widespread support, even among their fellow conservatives.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But its a way to say, Here are my pro-life bona fides, Kluchin said. Im not sure it matters that it isnt going to get out of committee.

This story was originally published by Stateline, which 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.
Republicans are pushing to enact DOGE cuts via "rescission."

That's a procedure under which Congress approves spending cuts made by the president.

It wouldn't be easy, especially with the GOP's slim majorities in the House and Senate.

If you're following DOGE, you may have begun to hear an unfamiliar word: Rescission.

That's the name for the type of bill that a growing number of GOP lawmakers, eager to assert control over Elon Musk's machinations in the executive branch, are hoping that President Donald Trump will send to Congress. It allows the president, if he can get a bare majority of both the House and Senate to agree, to rescind unspent funds that Congress already approved.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ask Republicans about it, and they'll tell you that it's about "codifying" DOGE's efforts and ensuring that a future Democratic president can't just roll everything back.

"We don't want a repeat of 2021, where another administration comes in, reverses everything on energy, spending, the whole nine," Republican Rep. Barry Moore of Alabama told BI. "If we don't codify some of this stuff, then it's extremely likely that somebody down the road would reverse that."

There's another key reason they're pushing for rescissions, however: Much of the spending cuts that Musk and the Trump administration have been making may be illegal under the Impoundment Control Act, or ICA, a Nixon-era law that Trump has vowed to challenge in court.

The ICA allows for rescission votes, which makes the proposition attractive to lawmakers like Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, who told BI last month that it would be "messier" for Trump to challenge the law.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"It will likely be challenged in court, and it'll go through a lot of different court deliberations 'til we finally get to what the conclusion is," Paul said. "Rescission won't be challenged in any way, and it's a much cleaner way of doing it."

That doesn't mean enacting DOGE cuts through rescissions would be a simple matter.

Things could get messy really quickly

Republicans already have a lot to do, legislatively, over the next several weeks and months.

Government funding runs out at the end of next week, and there are serious concerns that a shutdown could happen. Then there's the matter of passing a reconciliation bill, which could include significant cuts to Medicaid while enacting new tax cuts.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Rescissions would be yet another party-line legislative priority for Republicans  one that could fail, as it did when Trump tried to get Congress to rescind $15 billion in 2018.

Assuming Democrats unanimously oppose rescissions, given the party's broad opposition to DOGE, Republicans can currently only afford to lose one vote in the House and four votes in the Senate.

With a growing number of Republicans on Capitol Hill pushing back on DOGE cuts that have affected their states, there's reason to believe some of them aren't willing to vote to make them permanent.

"You know, we all want to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse, "Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a moderate Republican from Pennsylvania, told BI. "But we have to do it with compassion. We have to be smart about it."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

If Republicans aren't able to pass rescissions, it's unclear what happens next, with courts still ruling on the legality of the firing of federal workers and Trump's freezing of federal funds.

And that's not even considering DOGE's shuttering of agencies like USAID and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, both of which were created by Congress.

"All that does is cut spending," Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina said of rescissions. "It doesn't really codify policy."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox called for a more coordinated approach to the states tough-on-crime streak as the 2025 legislative session came to a close.

Lawmakers introduced a record 86 bills this year increasing criminal penalties  far more than at any other point in the past decade  with over half of them becoming law.

The sheer numbers ... are a little bit overwhelming, Cox told the Deseret News on Friday night. Thats why I honestly think you do have to take a holistic approach, and that can happen next session.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Before the session even began on Jan. 21, House Republicans began introducing a slate of new bills to address the public safety impacts of historic immigration, persistent chronic homelessness and growing numbers of sexual offenses.

These are very real problems the legislature is responding to, Cox said. The reality and perception of increased criminal activity must be addressed  but it will be much more effective, and less costly, if criminal enhancement efforts advance an overall vision of how criminal justice needs to change in the state, Cox said.

Im not sure what were going to end up with at the end of the day, except maybe having to build a new prison, Cox said, because if you keep stacking these things and adding them up, and every one might make sense, but how do they work in conjunction?

A few years ago, the Legislature embarked on a yearslong mission to bring about comprehensive criminal justice reform, Cox recalled. This may have swung the pendulum too far one way, Cox said, and he wants to make sure lawmakers dont swing it too far the other way by not coordinating their efforts.

A belt buckle awarded to Gov. Spencer Cox from Utah's Rural Caucus sits on his desk while answering questions during an interview with the Deseret News on the last day of the 2025 legislative session, in his formal office at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Friday, March 7, 2025. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News

This session, House lawmakers passed through the Senate immigration bills enhancing criminal penalties for fentanyl distribution, human trafficking and gang recruitment; homelessness bills enhancing penalties for drug use in shelters and prohibiting syringe exchange programs in certain areas; and sexual assault bills enhancing penalties for repeat sexual offenders and creating new offenses for sexual abuse using virtual reality.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Senate Majority Leader Kirk Cullimore, R-Sandy, told the Deseret News that Senate leadership went through each of the criminal enhancement bills at various points during the session to determine whether they were necessary, effective or overly broad.

We were really careful this session, Sen. Mike McKell, R-Spanish Fork, said, making sure that we werent enhancing too much. ... But you know those really egregious crimes where we were a little deficient, we did in that case where it was appropriate.

Some bills  including proposals enabling police to impound cars of unlicensed drivers and expanding immigration enforcement for employers  reached dead ends despite extensive conversations with stakeholders.

While others, like a bill that would make immigrants convicted of some misdemeanors eligible for immediate deportation, faced serious revisions to narrow their scope before they passed through the Senate.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Steve Burton, a criminal defense lawyer, and the president of the Utah Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, pointed out that increasing the severity of punishment is a far less effective deterrent to crime than increasing the swiftness and certainty of law enforcement responses.

But Burton credited the Legislature for working hard to balance its approach despite the record number of criminal enhancement bills.

The Legislature made a more concerted effort than ever to try to identify ways to to be more targeted in their penalty enhancements, Burton told the Deseret News. But the problem is, when so many penalty enhancements are introduced in the first place, its difficult, even when its targeted, to keep the balance between being tough on crime and being smart.

House Law Enforcement Chair Ryan Wilcox, R-Ogden, said he recognizes that criminal enhancements are generally a one way ratchet but he said there have been real increases in crime, particularly related to new technologies, that require new criminal justice remedies.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

To counter the surge in penalty enhancements, which Wilcox acknowledged has been out of whack, Wilcox ran and passed a bill this session that would require state agencies to consider which criminal penalties under their purview are not needed.

Cox calls vote by mail reform brilliant

During a Friday night press conference, Cox told reporters that he thought this sessions bicameral election reform compromise bill was brilliant.

A voter holds a mail-in ballot in Provo on Friday, Nov. 4, 2022. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News

Following a contentious 2024 election cycle and two critical audits, House leadership proposed a bill, HB300, that would require ballots to be returned in-person with photo ID  fundamentally altering Utahs mature vote-by-mail system.

But extensive negotiations with Senate leadership yielded a bill that would maintain most features of mail-in ballots but would require voters to place four digits of a state ID on their ballots, to opt-in by 2029 to continue receiving a ballot in the mail, and to get their ballot to county clerks by 8 p.m. on election night to be counted.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

While Cox criticized those who spread inaccurate claims about mass fraud in Utah elections, he said steps are needed at the state level to ensure even election skeptics can trust the system.

Im concerned about the erosion of trust in elections, Cox said. We get the best of both worlds. We still have vote by mail for those who want to vote by mail. We have more security for those who are using vote by mail.

Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson, who serves as the states chief elections officer, spoke wearily of the 59 election bills introduced this session. Her office worked with countless bill sponsors to make sure changes were improving the election process and not decreasing access.

The biggest accomplishment?

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We saved vote by mail, Henderson said. Utahns love vote by mail. They trust vote by mail. They prefer vote by mail. Theres always things that we can be doing to improve the process, improve security, improve access and make voting better.

In his review of the 2025 legislative session, Cox said the state had returned to pre-COVID-19 levels of spending and that despite the difficulty of a 45-day legislative work window, the different chambers and branches of government exemplified good process.

Cox touted the issues his office has led out on that the Legislature passed, including first-in-the-nation regulations for social media company data-sharing, app store accountability for young users and prohibitions on cellphones in school classrooms.

On the two priorities of his second term  increasing affordable homes by 35,000 units and doubling energy production over the next decade  Cox pointed to bills facilitating condo ownership and funding for nuclear energy development.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT)  Mental health in Alabama continues to be a top priority for Governor Kay Ivey. Thats why she was selected as the keynote speaker at the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabamas annual forum Friday.

During her remarks, the governor said shes been trying to keep a strong hand in making sure the state is getting more mental health resources.

She said it is more than a personal challenge, which is why all of these professionals statewide gathered today.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Courts pave way for medical cannabis to launch in Alabama

Mental health is a situation that a lot of people face, and they dont know what to do or who to trust, Ivey said. Its important that we spread out our efforts and resources and Im proud that parker has taken up this issue as well.

Governor Ivey says shes glad PARCA is engaged in these issues.

It takes all of us to be alert to the symptoms and know where to refer people who need help, Ivey said.

The governor spoke with reporters after her remarks. When asked about what will happen to education and research in Alabama, she said she is closely monitoring the situation and backs President Donald Trump in his decisions.

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 CBS 42.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein said those on Medicaid in the state are at risk of losing essential health care as budget negotiations continue in Washington. While at an event at clinic just north of Uptown, Stein sided with Congressional Democrats, arguing a budget proposed by Republicans will require hundreds of billions of dollars in funding to be cut.

The reason why its really important to have these conversations today is because Congress is talking about cutting hundreds of billions of dollars out of Medicaid, he told a group gathered at Care Ring, a nonprofit medical provider based in the Queen City.

Republicans need to cut Medicaid to hit budget savings target, CBO finds

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Stein and his Health secretary, Dr. Devdutta Sangvai, said the proposal could reduce health care access for more than 3 million people in North Carolina who cannot afford to pay for heath insurance on their own.

Individuals wont have access to everything from basic dental care, seniors in nursing homes wont have access to care, average working North Carolinians wont have access to primary care, wont get their prescriptions, said Sangvai. Its going to impact everybody.

This week, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found that it would be impossible to slash the $2 trillion the GOP wants to cut without touching Medicaid. Local Republicans, including U.S. Rep. Tim Moore, have said the budget bill he has voted for will not touch important Medicaid programs, most recently rejecting claims by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education that individual education programs would be impacted.

There is not an effort up here to cut off school lunch programs, theres no effort to take away Medicaid for disabled kids, nobodys going to do that, said Moore. Im not going to do that, nobody wants to do that.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Stein is not convinced, and told media on Friday he has sent the states DC delegation a letter outlining his concerns.

We need everybody in North Carolina who cares about peoples health to contact their congressperson, contact their United States senators, he said.

The Hill reports more votes on the budget are expected to take place in DC sometime next week.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
PROCLAMATION

By the Governor of Alabama

WHEREAS, the state of Alabama recognizes the importance of honoring and commemorating the 250th anniversary of the founding of our nation; and

WHEREAS, the events of 1775 that began the revolution the year before independence was declared are significant moments that signaled the creation of a national identity and unity of purpose that transcended national geographic, cultural and societal divides; and

WHEREAS, on the evening of April 18, 1775, with impending hostile action from the British Army in Boston, Massachusetts, Paul Revere and William Dawes along with other alarm riders undertook a perilous ride to alert everyone in the countryside of the coming danger; and

WHEREAS, preceding their departure from Boston, a prearranged signal was set in the Old North Church steeple to ensure that the message got out and did not solely rely on just one or two alarm riders; and

WHEREAS, the two lanterns that were the signal were immortalized in Henry Wadsworth Longfellows poem Paul Reveres Ride as One if by land, and two if by sea and have become an enduring symbol of American vigilance, perseverance and preparedness in the face of adversity; and

WHEREAS, we are reminded, 250 years later, that the call for unity and the call to serve each other is no less relevant today than it was then; and

WHEREAS, a national initiative has been proposed by the United States Semiquincentennial Commission that two lights be displayed in public spaces across the country for all to see marking that significant anniversary in April 2025 and the beginning of the 250th anniversary commemorations leading up to the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 2026; and

WHEREAS, that state of Alabama supports and encourages community events that promote patriotism, unity and reflection on our shared history;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Kay Ivey, Governor of Alabama, do hereby endorse the national

initiative and proclaim Friday, April 18, 2025, as Two Lights for Tomorrow Day

In the state of Alabama and encourage reflection on the idea that all these historic events were endeavoring toward one common goal: the chance to embrace our God-given rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Given Under My Hand and the Great Seal of the Office of Governor at the State Capitol in the City of Montgomery on the 6th day of March 2025.

Kay Ivey, Governor
Dozens of Oklahoma charter schools stakeholders heard Gov. Kevin Stitt during a conference on Friday champion school choice and emphasize the role quality education plays in the state's economic success.

The governor addressed a group of charter school administrators, board members and authorizers on Friday during the second day of the inaugural Oklahoma Charter Schools Conference.

He called education the driver of innovation, and the key to securing the American dream for the next generation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"For decades, education in America was a system that prioritized bureaucracy over students. Well, not anymore," Stitt said. "You guys are leading the way in that we believe in parents having the power to make decisions about their child's education. A ZIP code should never determine a child's destiny."

Stitt touted the state's Parental Tax Credit program that nearly 8,000 Oklahoma families took advantage of for spring 2025. The program was approved by legislators in 2023, and was officially launched that December. Under the program, any family whose children attend private schools can claim between $5,000 and $7,500 annually, with priority given to families with household incomes of $150,000 or less.

"Rich people already have school choice," Stitt said. "They can send their kids anywhere they want. Now, every single family in Oklahoma has the ability to do the exact same thing."

More: Over 5,000 Oklahoma City Public Schools students doubled their projected growth in reading

Nearly a quarter of private school tax credits went to wealthy Oklahoma families

A mandated report released by the Oklahoma Tax Commission revealed that about 21% of the tax credits issued as part of the program for spring 2025 went to families making more than $250,000.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

During the conference, the governor criticized Tulsa Public Schools' decision to close its campuses for over 300 days during the height of COVID-19.

"These parents would tell me, they would say, 'Governor, it is not fair. I'm in Tulsa Public Schools, and my son, or my daughter, is not learning how to read right now on Zoom. We don't have good internet connection at the house. I have to go to work during the day,'" Stitt said.

These conversations struck a nerve, Stitt said, which is why he wanted open transfers. The Education Open Transfers Act went into effect in 2022, which took a month-long open transfer window that occurred in the summer and stretched to the entire calendar year.

During the 2021-22 school year, 59,755 Oklahoma students were enrolled in charter schools, according to a report by the Oklahoma State Department of Education. That's down nearly 27% from the previous academic year, but a massive increase from 6,923 students in 2011.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Stitt referenced a 2023 study from Harvard University, which ranked Oklahoma No. 6 among 36 states for the academic success of its charter schools, according to test score data from 2009 to 2019.

"You don't have the ability to bond like the public schools. Some of your facilities aren't quite as nice as the public schools. We're trying to narrow that gap for you in our Legislature," Stitt said. "If you know a Senate or a House member, I'll give you a whole list of things and call them to tell them to do OK? That's one of them."

"I believe that rising tides lift all boats. Charter schools and private schools are not a threat to public education. They actually encourage competition."

US Supreme Court's plans to hear Oklahoma religious charter school case

The governor also boasted the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to hear arguments on April 30 over a legal case that could lead to the establishment of the nation's first religious online charter school, based in Oklahoma.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In January, the court consolidated two petitions that had been filed, one by the Statewide Charter School Board and one by St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School, after the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled last year that the boards predecessor must rescind its contract with St. Isidore due to constitutional issues.

"Why does the government stand in the way to say that I can't put my faith in my children?" Stitt said. "I mean, it's just common sense. It's religious freedoms. Don't let people spin you into thinking this is somehow a controversial issue, because government should not stand in the way of businesses or excluding any kind of religious organizations from public programs just because they're faith based."

To close his speech, Stitt said the state is fighting for ensuring that every child has the best shot at success, and thanked the charter schools stakeholders for their work.

"If we continue down this path, expanding choice, driving innovation and putting parents in the driver's seat, Oklahoma will be the model for the entire nation," Stitt said. "We'll be the state where students are thriving, where businesses are flourishing and the American dream is alive and well."

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Gov. Kevin Stitt champions school choice at charter schools conference
The U.K. government has cut in half the subsidies it will give to a large power plant while also warning the plant to clean up its act or face large fines.

As reported by The Guardian, Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire, England, has been told by the government that it will play a much smaller role in providing electricity to the country moving forward and as a result has had the subsidies it receives cut in half. This reduction will go into effect between 2027 and 2031, and the government estimates it will save consumers around 170 million ($214 million) a year.

The plant, which runs on biomass, has also been told it must use 100% sustainable wood after being caught out importing wood chips from U.S. and Canadian forests, which is far from sustainable. The government threatened "substantial penalties" if the power plant does not comply, per The Guardian.

The United Kingdom is working to decarbonize its electricity grid by 2030. As part of this effort, the final coal power plant in the country shut its door in September, and the nation's renewable energy has surged. According to the National Grid, in 2023, renewable sources generated 51% of the country's electricity, peaking at 87.6% on Jan. 4, 2023.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Massive growth in renewable energy is expected globally by the end of the decade, as it could provide close to 50% of the world's electricity demands, according to the International Energy Agency.

An increase in renewable energy production is good for people and the planet because it helps reduce the amount of dirty energy produced by burning coal, gas, and oil. This will help cut harmful pollution that is impacting people's health and causing the planet to heat up.

The U.K. government released a statement about this big decision, writing, "Our central projections show that, on the right terms and in a much more limited role than today, biomass generation at Drax is the lowest cost option, including when compared to gas-fired power stations, for bill payers during this period," per The Guardian.

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.
Mar. 7GRAND FORKS  Exactly one year after an 18-year-old fatally stabbed a stranger during a fistfight, the teen was ordered to spend the next 40 years of his own life behind bars.

"Never in a million years would I think of myself doing something like this," Cazmere Haskins said to the packed courtroom just before his sentence was handed down Friday morning, March 7.

His loved ones gave statements echoing that sentiment: this was not Haskins, this was not his behavior, they would never have expected to end up here today, defending his character and pleading for leniency.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Traci Thompkins, Haskins' mother, tearfully addressed the family of the victim, 24-year-old Anfernee Lenoir Economy, a young father from Langdon.

"That's my baby over there," Thompkins said, gesturing to her son seated across the courtroom.

She struggled to get through her statement, explaining that she wasn't trying to make excuses, but she truly believed if certain things hadn't happened in the time leading up to the murder, the crime never would've occurred.

"Cazmere struggled with mental health since he was about 3," Thompkins said. "At the time this took place, I had some problems with (my children's) health insurance."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She couldn't get their medications; she couldn't afford it.

"I failed, because I couldn't get what they needed," Thompkins said. "I firmly believe that had he been on his medication like he was supposed to be, he would've never left my house that night."

It was said in court that what brought the two groups together outside a Grand Forks apartment complex at 3 a.m. that night was the belief that a romantic partner had been unfaithful. The tension seemed to be solely between Economy and another man, though only Haskins used a weapon and was subsequently charged in connection with the death, according to court statements.

Haskins' older brother asked him to accompany him that late night, Thompkins said, so he did.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"He didn't know those people," she said. "He didn't know any of them."

But he stabbed one of them in the torso, leaving him to bleed out on the pavement.

"Anfernee has a 5-year-old son," Norm Economy, the victim's father, said during his impact statement. "He doesn't understand where his dad is. ... I want you to make sure that you understand that your actions will always have an impact for everyone in our family, and a 5-year-old boy will one day ask the question, 'How did my dad die?' "

Many of Economy's family members spoke prior to the sentencing, some  including his father  expressing forgiveness toward Haskins, some asking for the harshest punishment available and others still expressing both feelings.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"I support the prosecutor's request for you to spend 40 years in prison," the victim's mother, Linda Economy, addressed Haskins. "My son's life is worth at least that much. And I don't want any other family to have to live through this nightmare."

But she also agreed Haskins should have the possibility for parole, because she believes everyone needs hope for the future and something to work toward. She said she prays that Haskins will take time in prison to reflect and repent for his actions.

"I believe in a God who forgives those who ask, and redeems even the worst stories," she said. "As a young child, Anfernee turned his life over to God and reinforced that commitment as a teen. Perhaps his death will not be in vain, if it can somehow serve as a path toward God for you."

Haskins said he feels deep regret and shame for his actions, and though he knows he can only apologize so many times, he told everyone he was really, truly sorry for what he did.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"It is and will be my biggest mistake in my life," he said.

Haskins asked not for forgiveness, but for a chance at forgiveness. He implored the judge for leniency  a chance to rehabilitate himself.

Judge Jason McCarthy, after listening to Haskins' own statement, told him he was right about one thing: his actions were stupid.

"What really concerns the court is that you're the person who brought a hunting knife to a fight at 2 in the morning, when people should be sleeping," McCarthy said. "You're the person who, afterwards, bragged about it on social media and sent a video of the knife, and about how tough you are because you stabbed someone."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

That was stupid, he said, and showed a level of immaturity he has not seen in a long time.

"At the same time, that is somewhat your saving grace  your young age," McCarthy said.

Though the brain doesn't fully develop until around the mid-20s, most people Haskins' age know not to stab someone and then brag about it online, he said.

"You've really left me with no option," McCarthy said. "If you had been any older, Mr. Haskins, it would have been a no-brainer life without parole. You'd never get out."

But he instead sentenced the young man to 60 years with 20 suspended, leaving 40 years to serve in prison  more than twice the amount of time he has been alive. After release, he will be on supervised probation for three years.

Because Haskins pleaded guilty to his crime, Class AA felony murder, he waived his right to an appeal of this decision.
Two years after a rail disaster in central Greece that left 57 people dead, the opposition failed in its attempt to bring down the government with a no-confidence vote on Friday.

The opposition had accused the Cabinet of conservative Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis of covering up the causes of the fiery crash in Tempi, south of Mount Olympus, where a passenger train and a freight train collided head-on.

The government survived the vote with 157 lawmakers backing it and 136 voting against it, the parliamentary leadership said late on Friday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A recently issued independent report denounced the dilapidated condition of the rail network. It also highlighted serious shortcomings in the investigation of the accident.

The families of the victims suspect that the huge explosion meant the freight train was carrying an undeclared flammable hazardous substance. The veracity of the accusation remains unclear.

Last week, on the second anniversary of the accident, hundreds of thousands took to the streets demanding answers, marking the largest protests in Greece's history.

On Friday, tens of thousands rallied once more as the no-confidence vote unfolded. In Athens, clashes broke out between masked demonstrators and the police in front of parliament.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The parliamentary debate on Friday was intense, with opposition leader Nikos Androulakis accusing Mitsotakis of "criminal" responsibility for the accident.

In response, the prime minister accused the opposition of overlooking global geopolitical challenges and attempting to destabilize the country for political gain.

Mitsotakis promised to modernize the Greek railways by 2027.
GREENE COUNTY, Ala. (WIAT)  A Greene County woman was killed in a crash involving a tractor-trailer Thursday evening, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.

Breighana Evridge, a 33-year-old from Forkland, was fatally injured when the Honda CR-V she was operating hit head-on with a tractor-trailer. The crash happened around 6:05 p.m. on U.S. 43 about one mile south of Forkland.

Louisiana man struck by vehicle in Greene County

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Evridge, who reportedly was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected from the CR-V. She died at the scene.

Troopers with the ALEA Highway Patrol Division are investigating the crash.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS 42.
By Tom Little

NUUK (Reuters) -As Greenland's general election approaches, a candidate campaigns for access to better healthcare on the vast island, recounting his personal journey of beating cancer after having to travel to Denmark from a remote town to undergo treatment.

"It's always about the budget ... I want to have the human before the economy or the budget," Justus Hansen, 57, a candidate for Greenland's centre-right Demokraatit party said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

While independence has taken centre stage in Greenland's election debate after renewed U.S. interest in the island, healthcare has long been a core issue, with vast distances and shortage of staff making it costly and difficult to give Greenlanders access to the care they need.

Hansen said he went to the hospital in his hometown of Tasiilaq on the eastern coast of Greenland, after feeling exhausted.

He was sent home after an initial consultation, he said, and when he returned after a week's time, he insisted on having his blood sample taken, which revealed a high level of infection.

"I have lost a lot of my own friends and family to cancer because they get diagnosed too late," Hansen said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He was eventually sent to Nuuk from Tasiilaq - a journey across the ice cap of more than 680 kilometres (423 miles), involving travel by plane and helicopter - as the capital is the only place where Greenlanders can get a CT scan.

There, in January last year, he was diagnosed with renal cancer. "I felt terrified. It's like a death sentence for me because my own mother died of cancer," he said.

Hansen said he had to wait six weeks in Greenland after being diagnosed with cancer before he could go to Denmark for treatment.

Hansen spent three months in Copenhagen for his first treatment, and returned to Denmark for two further periods of two months respectively to receive treatment after he was diagnosed with lung cancer in October.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Now, free of cancer, his experiences have fuelled his campaign for more doctors in Greenland's regional hospitals, improved healthcare in remote areas, and the installation of CT scanners in every regional hospital.

While Hansen feels strongly about Greenland becoming independent, he is cautious about a swift transition.

"We have to have more educated people," he said. "Also, the economy will have to be much stronger than it is today before we can even talk about independence."

(Reporting by Tom Little in Nuuk, writing by Louise Breusch Rasmussen and Isabelle Yr Carlsson, Editing by Louise Heavens)
GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP)  Its been about three weeks since Greensboro Police Chief John Thompson hosted the last of a series of community meetings.

After 2025 started off with a rash of violent crimes, he wanted to hear from the community.

Thompson laid out strategies the police department is exploring to work with the community to tackle the issue. Instead of just reacting to crime, the department is shifting its focus to prevention, and that means getting the community involved.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Unfortunately, we just had our ninth homicide of the year, Thompson said.

The numbers tell the story. Homicides are creeping back up. Greensboro saw a major drop in homicides from 74 in 2023 to 43 in 2024.

This year, there have already been nine homicides.

Thompson says there is one common theme in many of the violent crimes.

Three or four of our homicides this year. We know there is a relationship between the individuals involved  Thats very challenging because policing relationships is not something that theres a model for thats effective. We dont police behind closed doors. We dont  typically get involved in those relationships until a crime occurs or something happens, Thompson said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Greensboro police said community involvement is critical to reversing the trend. This year to date, there have been 75 violent crime arrests.

Since January, the Greensboro Police Department has held a series of community conversations to listen and learn. Many people shared in these meetings that they want more opportunities to interact with officers.

Were looking at our process and our policies and our procedures and the reporting to see how we can make some changes  Maybe we could free up officers a little sooner so they can make that community connection. If we can decrease that time on the call  we have more time to engage the community, GPD Assistant Chief M.J. Harris said.

Greensboro police plan to take cues from other cities, like Omaha, Nebraska, and their Omaha 360 program. Its a model that brings police, local organizations and social services together weekly to discuss ways to address crime.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

They think Greensboro could benefit from a similar approach.

What is really unique about this program and what I really appreciate is the fact that it is not a police driven program. This is a program where the police department has a seat at the table, but they have the same seat as every other community-based organization, community member or anybody else thats in the room to help address violent crime, Thompson said.

Thompson said they are most concerned about the 18 to 25 age group. He said the GPD is looking into ways it can work with community organizations to reach this group.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
 Flash

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday strongly condemned all violence and called for an end to hostilities after the latest escalation killed at least 237 people in Syria.

Guterres is concerned about the recent clashes in Syria's coastal areas, including reports of extrajudicial killings and civilian casualties, Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN secretary-general, said during a daily briefing.

The UN chief strongly condemns all violence in Syria and calls on the parties to protect civilians and cease hostilities, Dujarric said.

Guterres is alarmed by the risk of escalating tensions among communities in Syria at a time when reconciliation and peaceful political transition should be the priority, Dujarric said. "After 14 years of conflict, Syrians deserve sustainable peace, prosperity and justice."

At least 237 people have been killed in Syria's coastal region since the latest military escalation began on Thursday, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, on Friday.

The Observatory reported that military personnel, opposition fighters, and civilians were among those killed as government forces continued their crackdown on remnants of the former regime's military factions in the governorates of Latakia, Tartous, and Hama.

It marked the deadliest escalation in the country since the fall of the previous government last December, the Observatory said.
Mar. 7West Texas Gifts of Hope invites the community to join them for a special Groundbreaking Ceremony at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, March 19. This milestone event marks the beginning of a new addition to Hope House, designed to provide additional lodging for cancer patients undergoing treatment in the Permian Basin. The ceremony will take place at Hope House, 700 West 1st St., and it is free and open to the public.

Brenda Medlock, Executive Director of West Texas Gifts of Hope, will discuss the organization's continued mission to support cancer patients and how this expansion will impact the lives of those in need of lodging and care during their treatment journey.

"Our goal is to ensure that no cancer patient has to worry about where they will stay while receiving treatment," Medlock said in a news release. "This expansion will allow us to provide a safe, comfortable place for more patients and their families, reducing financial and emotional burdens during a challenging time."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Blake Little, the President of the Board for West Texas Gifts of Hope, will discuss the impact of Hope House on the community and the importance of this expansion for cancer patients.

"This expansion is a crucial step in continuing our mission," Little said in the release. "Hope House is more than just lodging; it represents hope, care, and a strong support system for those fighting cancer."

West Texas Gifts of Hope is dedicated to enhancing the lives of cancer patients by providing essential services to ease the burdens of treatment. Through Hope House, the nonprofit offers free lodging to patients and their families, ensuring they have a place to stay near medical facilities. The organization also provides meal programs, transportation assistance, prescription cost relief, care packages, and cosmetic services like wigs to help patients maintain their confidence.

By expanding Hope House, West Texas Gifts of Hope continues its commitment to making a meaningful difference in the lives of those facing cancer. For more information, visit www.westtexasgiftsofhope.org.
Mar. 7LAKE ANDES, S.D.  Efforts to turn an unused stretch of railroad into a hiking and biking trail continued this week as an advocacy group for the project and the South Dakota Department of Transportation held a series of meetings seeking public feedback on the project, which would transform a 75-mile stretch of tracks into recreational infrastructure.

Members of the public trickled into the Lake Andes Community Center Thursday morning for the sixth of eight scheduled open houses held in communities along the proposed trail, which could potentially run as an unbroken recreational trail from Tabor to Platte along the old railroad line built by the Milwaukee Road in 1900.

Some are for it, and some have concerns. But officials associated with the project want to hear it all.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"(Some landowners along the proposed project) have some legitimate concerns in many cases," Larry Lucas, co-chair of Friends of Tabor to Platte Rail to Trail, a non-profit spearheading the development proposal, told the Mitchell Republic at the meeting. "(But) we're willing to work on those issues with them if at all possible."

The group has been working on making the trail a reality for the past few years, promoting the hiking and biking option as a potential boost to local economies, an improvement to the overall quality of life for residents, an appreciation enhancer for South Dakota's rural environments and a public safety improvement by giving walkers and cyclists a dedicated space to exercise away from busy state highways.

The trail, proposed to be built with a trail bed 10 feet wide, could run for 75 miles near nine South Dakota communities.

Lucas said even as a proponent of the project, he is listening closely to worries. But he said the potential for having a positive effect is high. The economic impact that could trickle down to communities from visitors utilizing the trail is one part, but there are others as well.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"There are people we've connected with that want to do trail rides in multiple states. There are people that would come and do this, and then there are people that want to come up and camp nearby," Lucas said. "And another part of it is fitness. There are a lot of people that aren't really healthy and have chronic diseases like diabetes, and recreation will help that, mentally and physically."

At one time, the group planned a

demonstration project along a portion of the line

to show the project's potential. But at a December 2021 meeting with the South Dakota Railroad Board, which owns the rail corridor, the group withdrew that request and instead decided to pursue a feasibility study to gather information, including a focus on potential landowner concerns.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

That study is being jointly funded by Friends of the Tabor to Platte Rail to Trail and the federal Transportation Alternatives Program, which is administered by the South Dakota Department of Transportation. During the study, a team will analyze the feasibility of converting the rail corridor to a trail, as well as other topics, including financing, support versus opposition and technical issues, such as what improvement would need to be made along the corridor, such as bridges and road crossings.

Lucas said his group is funding the study through a federal $250,000 Transportation Alternatives Program grant, for which his organization currently is working on raising its 18% matching portion.

Potential issues with the trail include livestock producers who have land on both sides of the tracks and how splitting that land would affect their operations, such as the need for crossings and road access. Another concern is

landowner protection against liability lawsuits.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Concerns vary from landowner to landowner, including Karen Hanan, a resident of Wagner who was at the Lake Andes meeting Thursday talking with officials about increased traffic and potential drainage issues along her property.

"I maintain the ditch where the railroad is, and I'm concerned about the traffic it's going to bring past my house. And yet, I'm a big walker, so the idea of the trail is very enticing," Hanlan said. "(But) I have an issue with flooding in the corner, and I don't know if this will make it worse by them putting in culverts or if it will actually help me. I lost a lot of trees in the tree belt six years ago when it was so wet when I was building the house, and I don't want to lose any more."

A former longtime resident of Minnesota, Hanlan cherishes the rural, isolated nature provided by South Dakota, but understands the appeal of the project. She plans to keep an eye on the project's progress.

"I'm for it, and kind of not so for it," Hanlan chuckled.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Steve Gramm, a SDDOT study manager, told the Mitchell Republic that the meetings have been fairly well-attended, drawing around 20 members of the public at each 90-minute stop over three days. He said the feasibility study results would be broken down by the Friends group, and they would decide how to proceed.

But the department of transportation is listening, too, he said.

"We're trying to see both sides of the story, even those that are kind of sitting on the fence or neutral on it right now. They still have questions. So we're just trying to provide what we can right now," Gramm said. "But what we are really hoping for is to get input back."

Lucas said the results of the feasibility study should be available in a tentative form in the next couple of months, with the final report likely coming in August. Results should provide a window looking into how to proceed, including an estimation on total cost of constructing such a trail, or if it is more feasible to break up the 75-mile trail into smaller sections to avoid landowner conflicts.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The results will be parsed by a strategic advisory team made up of representatives from townships, local community mayors and members of the Friends group, including Lucas. They'll look at the benefits, but also the big picture, including landowner issues, he said. If they decide to proceed, they will need to seek approval from the South Dakota Railroad Board.

The Friends group is working on raising the final part of its matching portion for the study grant, but depending on the results, they could start looking for larger fundraising opportunities to build portions of the trail, including more grants or potential corporate sponsorship or support from area towns.

Any support in determining the best course of action, from positive feedback and donations to criticism and concern is welcome, Lucas said. The group will work for the best outcome of all parties, he said.

"We're not out there to trespass on anybody's property or to take anybody's property. That is not our objective," Lucas said. "We have some property the state owns and (hopefully) we can use it for a purpose, because it's not being used right now. It probably hasn't been used for 50 years."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

More information, including access to both the public and landowner surveys and the materials that were available at the informational meetings, can be found on the SDDOT website at

dot.sd.gov/projects-studies/studies/special-studies/tabor-to-platte-rail-to-trail-feasibility-study.

More information on the Friends of Tabor to Platte Rail to Trail organization can be found at

www.tabortoplatterailtotrail.com.

Surveys, which can also be found at the above SDDOT website, can be submitted through March 23.
A Gaza Strip reconstruction plan, drafted by Arab nations, has gained backing from key European countries as the foreign ministers of Germany, France, Italy and Britain issued a joint statement calling it a "realistic path."

In the statement published on Saturday, the ministers said the proposal sets out "a realistic path to the reconstruction of Gaza and promises  if implemented  swift and sustainable improvement of the catastrophic living conditions for the Palestinians living in Gaza."

"Recovery and reconstruction efforts must be based upon a solid political and security framework acceptable to both Israelis and Palestinians, which provides long term peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians alike," it continued.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Egypt, which borders Gaza, is seeking international support for the approximately 90-page proposal, positioning it as an alternative to controversial ideas previously suggested by US President Donald Trump.

Trump has floated a vision of turning Gaza into a "Riviera of the Middle East" by "resettling" the roughly 2 million Palestinians who live there in Arab countries. Trump's remarks sparked outrage in the Arab world and beyond.

"We are clear that Hamas must neither govern Gaza nor be a threat to Israel any more," the statement read. At the same time, the ministers support a "central role" for the Palestinian Authority, which currently only governs the West Bank.

In conclusion, the ministers stated: "We urge all parties to build on the plans merits as a starting point."
A Gaza Strip reconstruction plan, drafted by Arab nations, has gained backing from key European countries as the foreign ministers of Germany, France, Italy and Britain issued a joint statement calling it a "realistic path."

In the statement published on Saturday, the ministers said the proposal sets out "a realistic path to the reconstruction of Gaza and promises  if implemented  swift and sustainable improvement of the catastrophic living conditions for the Palestinians living in Gaza."

"Recovery and reconstruction efforts must be based upon a solid political and security framework acceptable to both Israelis and Palestinians, which provides long term peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians alike," it continued.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Egypt, which borders Gaza, is seeking international support for the approximately 90-page proposal, positioning it as an alternative to controversial ideas previously suggested by US President Donald Trump.

Trump has floated a vision of turning Gaza into a "Riviera of the Middle East" by "resettling" the roughly 2 million Palestinians who live there in Arab countries. Trump's remarks sparked outrage in the Arab world and beyond.

"We are clear that Hamas must neither govern Gaza nor be a threat to Israel any more," the statement read. At the same time, the ministers support a "central role" for the Palestinian Authority, which currently only governs the West Bank.

In conclusion, the ministers stated: "We urge all parties to build on the plans merits as a starting point."

What is the Egypt-led proposal?

The Egyptian plan outlines a phased approach over five years, beginning with clearing the massive amounts of rubble in Gaza, followed by the construction of both temporary and permanent housing.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The estimated cost stands at around 50 billion ($54 billion), though funding commitments from Arab nations, international donors or institutions remain unclear.

The proposal also envisions a Palestinian technocratic body overseeing Gaza during an initial six-month transitional phase.

The ultimate goal is for the more moderate Palestinian Authority, led by President Mahmoud Abbas, to assume full control. However, Israel has repeatedly rejected this scenario.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  A local business owner is recognizing International Womens Day a day early with a special giveaway.

Tulips are a sure sign of spring. But today, theyre serving a deeper purpose, celebrating a specific day on the calendar.

Organization planning Womens Day protest

As many people know, tomorrow is International Womens Day, Thomas Faini said.

Faini is the CEO at Thomas James & Bechtold Jewelry, where they celebrate International Womens Day each March by handing out flowers to women.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

My wife is from Poland and its very popular in the European countries, Faini said. Some of my employees are European and we got that from them as well, plus our company is actually dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary so we just thought it made sense to actually honor women on this day.

Very special holiday in my old country, Mirko Spirich said.

Spirich is one of Fainis employees, originally from the former Yugoslavia.

Flowers everywhere, on the street, in the store, and its really, really nice, Spirich said.

The tradition started locally in 2023, with Faini recruiting members of a USD fraternity to give away hundreds of tulips. Today, the college students helped hand out 500 tulips.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Dogs with Jobs

So, we get the tulips, we honor the women, we have the gentlemen pass them around and the ladies love it, Faini said. Its just kind of a way of honoring women for all the contributions they do in our lives.

Its really touching to just kind of make it a surprise flower. Its so sweet to just be oh, wow, thank you, thats so sweet, Sioux Falls resident Elizabeth Zokaites said.

Zokaites says a lot of people may not be aware of International Womens Day, make this a simple but important gesture.

It also coincides with Womens History Month, so I think its just such a sweet gesture, Zokaites 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 KELOLAND.com.
When Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found in their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, speculation over what could have been the cause of their deaths was rife. The authorities quickly ruled out foul play; the actors daughters suspected a possible carbon monoxide leak. Within days, US reporting revealed Arakawa had been found in the bathroom near a countertop scattered with prescription pills (they were later found to be thyroid medication, and are said to have played no role in her death).

Few could have predicted, though, that autopsies would eventually reveal Hackman died of heart failure a week after his wife, who had contracted hantavirus, a potentially life-threatening rodent-borne disease.

Hantavirus will likely have been unknown to most people in the UK before this week, though in the US its more common. In America, there are often signs telling people to beware of hantavirus in hotspot areas. A group of zoonotic diseases (meaning they can, in rare cases, spread from animals to humans), hantaviruses are carried in some mice, rats and voles, and tend to spread through their urine.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Skip to

What is hantavirus?

Hantaviruses are a group of viruses that circulate in rodents. The types of hantavirus you could be exposed to will differ depending on where you are in the world, as certain species of rodent carry certain strains of hantavirus. This also means the symptoms will differ in the small number of humans who contract the virus, as different strains cause different immune responses.

In America, there are several types of hantavirus  some are more dangerous to people than others, says Professor Malcolm Bennett, an expert in zoonoses from rodents at Nottingham University. In Eurasia, he says, one of the most common hantaviruses is known as Seoul virus because it was first found in rats in Seoul during the Seoul Olympics.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Seoul virus (which affects the kidneys rather than the lungs when contracted by humans) is found in brown rats worldwide. Thats the one we have in the UK, he says. There are other hantaviruses found in the UK in voles, but they dont seem to infect people. And most of these viruses dont cause disease in people  [they] dont jump species.

Rodents carrying hantavirus are infected for life, though if you had a pet rat or mouse which was infected (which is possible  it isnt only wild rodents that carry the disease) it wouldnt be obvious they had it as the rodents themselves dont tend to be symptomatic. It is most often found in wild rodents, though, and tends to appear in clusters. Youll suddenly have a hotspot, explains Bennett, as the virus circulates in breeding areas.

How do you catch hantavirus?

If a rodent is carrying the virus, it could be contractable via their urine. If a pet rat or mouse has the virus, you could catch it when clearing out their cage as the dried urine becomes an aerosol when you sweep it up. What is more likely (and much more so, Bennett says, in America than in Britain) is that you would be exposed to the urine of a wild rodent when clearing out, say, a shed or a basement. You might be sweeping out a shed and the dust blows up and you inhale that, he says.

In America, where its still relatively rare  as of the end of 2022, just 864 cases of the virus had been reported since the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began tracking it in 1993  hantavirus tends to be carried by deer mice, says Dr Chris Smith, a consultant virologist and lecturer at Cambridge University. [Deer mice] are common in certain geographies, including various places in the US.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The mice shed the virus in faeces and urine. When people clear it up, the viral particles become airborne and are breathed in, causing hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

Regular exposure to the virus will make it more likely you will contract it. You need to be frequently infected before you get [the] disease, says Bennett. The more constant your exposure the more likely you are to become infected. Its like Covid  if youre with lots of people who have it, youll get it.

Thats not to say that if youre exposed to the virus you will definitely fall ill. Surveys suggest that more people have been infected and have antibodies than have knowingly had [the] disease, he says.

Does hantavirus exist in the UK?

The only form of hantavirus found in the UK that can infect humans is the Seoul virus, says Bennett. It is found in brown rats  both wild and (very occasionally) pet ones. [It can] get to pet rats through contamination from wild rats, he says, adding: not every wild rat has it.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Still, it is extremely rare that the virus will be contracted by humans at all. And you couldnt, its important to note, get it from house mice. Weve never found any viruses in house mice, he says. Nor have experts found hantavirus in voles or wood mice.

Ive been part of groups that have been out and looked and we find hantaviruses in some wild voles, but theyre the ones which dont seem to infect people.

What are symptoms of hantavirus?

If a human contracts hantavirus, the symptoms will differ depending on which strain you have been in contact with, which also depends on where in the world you are. In the US, the most common reaction is a pulmonary syndrome  a potentially fatal condition which affects the lungs. The CDC says symptoms of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome usually begin to show one to eight weeks after coming into contact with an infected rodent. Your lungs fill up with fluid and its a very high mortality rate, says Bennett. The virus begins with flu-like symptoms, but the deterioration can be pretty rapid, he says, as the capillaries in the lungs begin to leak. You die because there is an immune reaction to the virus in your lungs.

The form of hantavirus most common in Europe and Asia tends to affect the kidneys. Seoul virus causes a renal syndrome  usually, according to the CDC, coming on one to two weeks after exposure. Initial symptoms begin suddenly and include intense headaches, back and abdominal pain, fever and blurred vision.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Its possible to have a mild case which clears up quickly, in which case you would likely never know you had contracted the virus. But if you fell seriously ill, Bennett says, it would be clear that you had some kind of kidney infection, so your GP would simply test your blood, send it off and discover the hantavirus.

When caught, doctors will treat the symptoms of the virus. Most often, this will just involve supportive care, such as hydration. In the most severe cases, this could mean intubation for a pulmonary syndrome, or dialysis for a renal syndrome.

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.
Just over a week after the actor Gene Hackman and his pianist wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead alongside their dog in their Santa Fe, New Mexico, home, authorities revealed what led to their shocking demise.

Hackman, 95, died of cardiovascular disease, with Alzheimers disease as a significant contributory factor, about a week after his wife, 65, died of pulmonary syndrome from a relatively rare infection: hantavirus.

Heres everything you should know about the virus.

How do you catch hantavirus?

Hantavirus is transmitted from rodents to humans, mainly when someone comes into contact with the feces of an infected animal. More rarely, people can contract it if scratched by an infected rodent. In New Mexico, where Arakawa died, the virus is commonly found in deer mice.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Hantavirus is not known to spread between humans in the United States. There have been some claims of human-to-human transmission in Argentina and Chile, but a 2022 study could not find any evidence of that.

Most transmission occurs around the patients residence or workplace, Erin Phipps, the New Mexico state public health veterinarian, said at a press conference Friday.

Actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, at the 60th Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California, in 2003. via Associated Press

How dangerous is hantavirus, and what are the symptoms?

Hantavirus should be taken very seriously, Phipps noted

This is a serious disease. Forty-two percent of these infections here in New Mexico were fatal, she said.

Heather Jarrell, the chief medical examiner investigating Hackmans and Arakawas deaths, said people will experience symptoms one to eight weeks after exposure.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Hantavirus infection is characterized by flulike symptoms consisting of fever, muscle aches, cough, sometimes vomiting and diarrhea that can progress to shortness of breath and cardiac or heart failure and lung failure, she said at Fridays press conference.

How common is hantavirus, and where is it most prevalent?

Hantavirus is not common, but human cases are documented every year in the U.S., officials said Friday.

A small number of human infections are found every year in New Mexico, Phipps said. Over the past five years, New Mexico has confirmed between one and seven hantavirus infections in humans each year. Through the end of 2024, we have identified 136 infections over the past 50 years in New Mexico residents, five of these in Santa Fe County.

Data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that New Mexico had the most hantavirus cases in the country from 1993 to 2021. Case counts are also significant in Colorado, Arizona, California and Washington state.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Jarrell said Arakawas case doesnt appear to be part of a larger outbreak.

This is not an unusual case, she said. We get cases every year, unfortunately. So were not seeing any indications of any abnormal or unusual patterns.

Warning signs for the hantavirus are posted throughout Curry Village at California's Yosemite National Park in 2012. San Francisco Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers via Getty Images

How do you avoid hantavirus?

Its important to be cautious when you know youre coming into contact with rodent feces, Phipps said.

Hantavirus can be transmitted to people through rodent urine, droppings or saliva, she said Friday. So it is important to take special steps when cleaning up after rodents. Avoiding contact with or breathing in aerosolized rodent urine or feces, especially in a poorly ventilated area, is key.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

People should use gloves and a well-fitted N95 mask when cleaning rodent-infested areas, and open windows and doors for at least 30 minutes beforehand, Phipps said. They should also use a 10% bleach solution or a commercial disinfectant, let it sit for five minutes and then clean the area with paper towels, she continued.

They should then throw the paper towels away in a covered garbage can that is regularly emptied before removing their gloves, she said, wash their gloved hands with soap and water or with a disinfectant, and then, after removing the gloves, wash their hands again with soap and water.

Theres one way its important not to clean, she warned.

Its important to never sweep up or vacuum mouse droppings, since this can spread particles up into the air, Phipps cautioned.

Related...
(WJW)  A New Mexico medical examiner revealed on Friday afternoon that Gene Hackmans wife, Betsy Arakawa, died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare disease where up to 40% of all cases are fatal, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

What is hantavirus?

The viral disease, also called HPS, is spread by infected mice and rats. Humans can get HPS by eating, drinking or coming into contact with the feces, urine or saliva of infected rodents, the clinic reported.

According to medical experts, the virus quickly spreads and replicates, weakening blood vessels in the lungs and damaging the heart.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Elon Musk tells Republican lawmakers hes not to blame for federal firings

When your cells and organs cant get enough blood, your body goes into shock, reads the clinics website. If your body goes into shock, you can quickly experience organ failure and die.

How common is it in the US?

The United States started tracking HPS in 1993. Between then and December 2020, there have been only 833 cases recorded, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Four rodents native to North America carry the disease, including deer mice, white-footed mice, rice rats and cotton rats, according to the clinic.

Officials said most U.S. cases have been reported west of the Mississippi River.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to the Ohio Department of Health, although deer mice live in Ohio, there have been no known HPS cases reported in the state.

What are the symptoms?

There are three stages of infection with different symptoms to look out for, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

In the first stage, incubation, patients could have HPS without noticing any signs of the infection. Officials said this stage can last up to eight weeks.

In the second stage, patients will notice flu-like symptoms such as a fever, chills, fatigue, muscle and stomach pains, nausea, diarrhea, a dry cough, headaches or dizziness. They also might develop a rash. This stage can last an additional two to eight days, officials said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In the third stage, about four to 10 days after the earliest symptoms, patients will experience serious conditions like internal bleeding and fluid in the lungs. Officials said these symptoms are severe and can lead to life-threatening organ and respiratory issues.

How do I keep myself safe?

Medical experts said HPS is rarely contagious among humans, but they urge the public to take precautions when coming in contact with wild mice or rats.

The Cleveland Clinic suggests staying away from wild rodents and their droppings.

Global humiliation: Singer gets help after drunken performance

The clinic recommends wearing gloves and using disinfectant when cleaning up mouse or rat droppings. Also, dont use a broom to sweep them up, since that can send infected particles into the air.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Anyone who has been in recent contact with these animals and starts feeling sick should reach out to their health care provider.

Learn more about the disease at the Cleveland Clinics 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 Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
Actor Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa pose for a portrait in 1986 in Los Angeles, California. - Credit: Donaldson Collection/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

When Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman and his classical pianist wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead on the floor in different rooms of their New Mexico home last week, investigators set to work unraveling the mystery of what happened.

On Friday, they said testing determined Arakawa, 65, died from a rare respiratory illness caused by hantavirus, possibly as early as Feb. 11. They said Hackman, 95, succumbed to heart disease and advanced Alzheimers disease, most likely days or even a week later, on Feb. 18.

More from Rolling Stone

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The revelation immediately raised questions about what exactly hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is and how people can protect themselves from contracting it. Officials said Friday they believe Arakawa contracted hantavirus from a rodent infestation in a structure somewhere on the couples property, but not inside their well-maintained home. According to the CDC, people get hantavirus from contact with rodents like rats and mice, especially when exposed to their urine, droppings, and saliva.

Hanatavirus infection is characterized by flu-like symptoms consisting of fever, muscle aches, cough, sometimes vomiting and diarrhea that can progress to shortness of breath and cardiac or heart failure and lung failure. This occurs after a one to eight-week exposure to excrement from a primarily particular mouse species that carries hantavirus, Dr. Heather Jarrell, New Mexicos chief medical examiner, said at a press conference Friday. She said initial flu-like symptoms can last roughly three to six days before they transition to a pulmonary phase where people suffer from fluid in and around their lungs.

At that point, a person can die very quickly, within 24 to 48 hours, roughly speaking, without medical treatment, Dr. Jarell said. Its not uncommon to find someone down on the floor as part of a terminal collapse, so to speak, and that may very well have been what happened to Mrs. Hackman. (Officials said Friday that Arakawa visited a CVS pharmacy on Feb. 11, the last day she was known to be alive. They didnt know if she had reported any symptoms or purchased any related medication.)

Its got a fairly high mortality associated with it, especially if its not diagnosed, Dr. Scott Lindquist, lead epidemiologist with the Washington State Department of Health, tells Rolling Stone. While infections are rare, people need to know what the disease is so they can report possible exposure if they start to feel sick, he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A lot of times we dont initially think of hantavirus, and people dont disclose, Hey, I was cleaning out a rodent infestation in the house or the garage. So, a lot of times its fatal, Lindquist said. According to Dr. Jarrell, the mortality rate for the hantavirus strain in the Southwest is about 38 to 50 percent.

While theres no specific treatment for hantavirus, early intervention can save lives. Really, its supportive care  the use of a ventilator, maintaining your blood pressure, having fluids, doing a balance between severe pulmonary involvement and keeping the patient alive, Lindquist said.

Dr. Erin Phipps, New Mexicos Public Health Veterinarian, said Friday that while rare, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome remains an ongoing threat to public health. A small number of human infections are found every year in New Mexico. Over the past five years, New Mexico has confirmed between one and seven hantavirus infections in humans each year, she said. We have identified 136 infections over the past 50 years in New Mexico residents, five of these in Santa Fe County. This is a serious disease. 42 percent of these infections here in New Mexico were fatal.

According to the CDC, 94 percent of reported hantavirus infections in the U.S. have been west of the Mississippi River. As of the end of 2022, 864 cases of hantavirus disease were reported in the U.S. since surveillance began in 1993.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Experts say the best way to prevent an infection is to avoid contact with deer mice and their urine and droppings.

Whenever theres a rodent infection, our advice is you really should wear a mask, gloves and clean up with a bleach solution, Dr. Lindquist says. Wipe it up with a moist cloth and dispose of it in a bag, and try not to aerosolize it [with a vacuum or sweeping].

He said its also essential to avoid rodent infestations in the first place  that means sealing up spaces where rodents can enter a home or garage and cleaning up any food thats easily accessible and might attract mice.

You can safely clean up an infestation, Dr. Lindquist said. The point is, dont just rush in and aerosolize. Dont get Shop-Vac out. Dont sweep it and aerosolize it without any protective equipment on.

Best of Rolling Stone

Sign up for RollingStone's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Originally appeared on E! Online

Gene Hackmans wife Betsy Arakawa died under unlikely circumstances.

After the coupleas well as one of their three dogswere found dead in their Santa Fe home Feb. 26, New Mexico Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Heather Jarrell shared that the two-time Oscar winners wife passed away from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome during a March 7 press conference.

Arakawa, who was 65, is believed to have died Feb. 11, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said at the presser. She was seen running errands at a grocery store, a pet food shop and a pharmacy earlier in the day before surveillance footage showed her returning to the home she shared with Hackman.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

After her return, numerous emails in her inbox were left unopened despite having active correspondence in preceding days, according to Mendoza. He added that there were no outgoing messages sent from that point on, leading investigators to surmise she died sometime around then.

Given the uncommon nature of Arakawas illness, here are the key details to know about the condition.

What are the symptoms of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome?

People with HPS may experience flu-like symptoms including fever, muscle aches, headache, vomiting and diarrhea, health officials said at the press conference. If permitted to progress, the disease can cause more serious issues like lung tissue damage and fluid build-up in the lungs, leading to difficulty breathing, heart failure and lung failure.

Is hantavirus pulmonary syndrome common?

HPS is considered extremely rare. Authorities in New Mexico have confirmed between one and seven human infections in the state in each of the last five years, while the CDC reported 864 total cases in the U.S. between 1993 and 2022.

Is hantavirus pulmonary syndrome fatal?

HPS can be fatal if untreated, according to the American Lung Association. In the Southwest specifically, the mortality rate of the hantavirus strain in the region is roughly 38 to 50 percent, health officials said at the press conference.

How can I avoid hantavirus?

Most transmissions occur around the residence or workplace, according to New Mexico State Public Health Veterinarian Erin Phipps. The virus can be avoided by not having contact with or breathing in rodent urine or feces.

More from E! Online

How did Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa die?

Hackman died of heart problems and Alzheimers disease around Feb. 18, a week after Arakawa died of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. According to authorities, the actor likely didnt know he was living in their Santa Fe home with her dead body for a week due to his brain condition.

What is hantavirus pulmonary syndrome?

Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a rare infectious disease that can lead to life-threatening lung and heart issues, according to the Mayo Clinic. It can be caused by several strains of hantavirus, which are most commonly carried in North America by deer mice.

How are hantaviruses transmitted?

Hantaviruses are transmitted from animals to humans through rodent urine, droppings or saliva. Transmission between humans has not been recorded in the U.S., per the Mayo Clinic. The health effects can occur one to eight weeks after exposure, Jarrell said at the press conference.

Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images

What are the symptoms of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome?

People with HPS may experience flu-like symptoms including fever, muscle aches, headache, vomiting and diarrhea, health officials said at the press conference. If permitted to progress, the disease can cause more serious issues like lung tissue damage and fluid build-up in the lungs, leading to difficulty breathing, heart failure and lung failure.

Is hantavirus pulmonary syndrome common?

HPS is considered extremely rare. Authorities in New Mexico have confirmed between one and seven human infections in the state in each of the last five years, while the CDC reported 864 total cases in the U.S. between 1993 and 2022.

Is hantavirus pulmonary syndrome fatal?

HPS can be fatal if untreated, according to the American Lung Association. In the Southwest specifically, the mortality rate of the hantavirus strain in the region is roughly 38 to 50 percent, health officials said at the press conference.

How can I avoid hantavirus?

Most transmissions occur around the residence or workplace, according to New Mexico State Public Health Veterinarian Erin Phipps. The virus can be avoided by not having contact with or breathing in rodent urine or feces.

Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images

It is important to take special steps when cleaning up after rodents, she explained at the press conference. It is important to use gloves and a well-fitting N95 mask when around or cleaning rodent infested areas, and to open any windows or doors for at least 30 minutes beforehand to increase ventilation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Spray the area thoroughly with a 10 percent bleach solution or a commercial disinfectant, let it sit for five minutes and then clean with paper towels that you immediately dispose of, she said.

Before removing gloves, wash your gloved hands with soap and water or with a disinfectant. And then, after removing gloves, wash your hands again with soap and water, Phipps added. It's important to never sweep up or vacuum mouse droppings, since this can spread particles up into the air.

Did Gene Hackman also have hantavirus pulmonary syndrome?

While Arakawa tested positive for HPS, Hackmans cause of death was determined to be hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), also known as hardening of the arteries. Additionally, advanced Alzheimer's disease was a significant contributing factor. He tested negative for hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

Can dogs get hantaviruses?

Although one of the couples dogs was found dead in their Santa Fe home Feb. 26, authorities said dogs cannot get hantaviruses. Their pet is undergoing more testing to determine the cause of death.

For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App
Weeks after beloved actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their New Mexico home, their cause of death was finally revealed by investigators. Both died of natural causes, nearly a week apart, with investigators determining that Ms. Arakawa likely passed away first due to complications from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

The disease may not be familiar to many, as it is fairly rare. According to the Mayo Clinic, it is found largely in states west of the Mississippi River, including in New Mexico where the couple lived. The primary carrier is the deer mouse, with the disease spreading to people via inhalation of the virus via disturbed rodent droppings or nesting material.

"When hantaviruses reach the lungs, they invade tiny blood vessels called capillaries, eventually causing them to leak," the Mayo Clinic says. "Your lungs fill with fluid (pulmonary edema), resulting in severe dysfunction of the lungs and heart.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

New Mexico typically reports several hantavirus cases each year, with the New Mexico Department of Health releasing a bulletin about the disease last February. A map from the CDC shows all cases in the United States through 2022:

Mice tend to try to enter buildings to find shelter, so it is important to seal up homes and other structures, said State Public Health Veterinarian Erin Phipps, DVM, MPH, in the release. While there is no specific treatment for HPS, the chances of recovery are better when medical attention is sought early, and the healthcare provider is informed about any environmental contact with rodents.

Related: Investigators Pinpoint Exact Dates Gene Hackman and Wife Died

Once someone is infected with the hantavirus, treatment options are limited. As such, experts recommend taking precautions in situations where one might come into contact with mouse droppings or urine, such as in sheds or cabins or when cleaning out long-unused buildings.

The couple lived on a large, rural property in New Mexico, although Arakawa's exact method of exposure is unclear.
Hours after President Donald Trump told reporters in the Oval Office where he publicly berated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy the week before that his administration is "doing very well with Russia" and "it may be easier dealing with" Russian President Vladimir Putin than Ukraine, the Russian military launched a series of deadly missile and drone attacks, killing dozens of civilians.

"This is what happens when someone appeases barbarians," Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on X. "More bombs, more aggression, more victims."

This is what happens when someone appeases barbarians. More bombs, more aggression, more victims. Another tragic night in Ukraine.  Donald Tusk (@donaldtusk) March 8, 2025

According to the BBC, at least 25 people died as a result of the missile attacks.

Last night, the Russian army struck the center of Dobropillya in the Donetsk region with two ballistic missiles. After our emergency services arrived at the scene, they launched another strike, deliberately targeting the rescuers. This is a vile and inhumane intimidation tactic pic.twitter.com/IR6D4NOCTT  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) March 8, 2025

"After our emergency services arrived at the scene" of the first wave of missiles, Zeleneskyy wrote on X, Russia "launched another strike, deliberately targeting the rescuers."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I actually think [Putin is] doing what anybody else would do, Trump told reporters at the White House Friday afternoon. He wants to get it ended.

This week, the Trump administration suspended weapons shipments to Ukraine and stopped sharing satellite intelligence with the nation.

In a Truth Social post earlier Friday, Trump attempted to pressure Putin with sanctions.

Based on the fact that Russia is absolutely pounding Ukraine on the battlefield right now, I am strongly considering large scale Banking Sanctions, Sanctions, and Tariffs on Russia until a Cease Fire and FINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ON PEACE IS REACHED. To Russia and Ukraine, get to the table right now, before it is too late. Thank you!!! Trump wrote. Russia attacked Ukraine hours later.
BONNER SPRINGS, Kan.  Although spring is rapidly approaching, it is not exactly swimming season  that is, unless its for a really great cause.

The 37-degree water at Lake of the Forest in Bonner Springs didnt stop dozens of people from taking a Penguin Plunge to raise money for Happy Hearts Working on Saturday morning.

The organization gives adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities an opportunity to work or volunteer in the community.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

See the latest headlines in Kansas City and across Kansas, Missouri

There are nine adults in the program and each of them works at local businesses and schools, including The Glass Cat Restaurant in Bonner Springs.

The work doesnt just offer them a paycheck, though. It also gives them a real sense of purpose.

Its important because they feel like they have a purposeful life, said Carol Farnsworth, founder of Happy Hearts Working.

They can live purposefully and inclusively within the community, just like a typical adult, just like all of us. Isnt that what we all strive for?

Speaking of striving for something, one of Happy Hearts associates, Ryan Riedesel, told FOX4 that the organization has given him a number of opportunities through his new job at Joes Kansas City BBQ. This includes, of course, eating some delicious food and being able to save for a car.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Happy Hearts Working started in 2019, and Saturday mornings Penguin Plunge is helping the organization raise money for a new semi-independent living facility in Bonner Springs.

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy arrested for assault in Texas

Some of our clients will have an opportunity to live independently; to really be a part of the community, and to be able to do the same thing that their peers do, and thats really important to them, Happy Hearts supervisor Mary Miller said.

Living in [Bonner Springs], we have a wonderful transportation system, she continued. Theyll be able to utilize that transportation system, get to work possibly, be a part of the downtown community, and were just very excited.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

You can visit happyheartsworking.org for more information or to make a donation.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Mar. 7LIMA  A Harrod man turned down a plea deal Friday that included 25 years in prison, 15 of which would be mandatory in his case involving drug trafficking.

Appearing in Allen County Common Pleas Court, Mark Ruvoldt, 33, is facing four counts of aggravated drug trafficking, which are first- and second-degree felonies, and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, a first-degree felony. His indictment also includes a fifth-degree felony count of aggravated drug possession, but Chief Assistant Prosecutor Kyle Thines said Friday that charge is going to be dismissed.

The charges stem from Ruvoldt allegedly selling methamphetamine between Jan. 25 and March 31, 2024, presumably to a confidential informant, as Ruvoldt's attorney, Assistant Public Defender Stephen Chamberlain, previously filed a motion to require prosecutors to disclose the identity of the informant.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Judge Terri Kohlrieser will also rule on a motion filed by Chamberlain to suppress any statements Ruvoldt made to police as he said Ruvoldt was not properly advised of his amendment rights.

Ruvoldt is being held in the Allen County Jail on a $250,000 bond. A jury trial is scheduled to begin March 31.

Featured Local Savings
At the North Compound, I visited the Harry Tunnel Monument. This monument is a tribute to the Great Escape, which inspired the 1963 film The Great Escape, starring Steve McQueen, James Garner and many others. On the Harry Tunnel Monument are the names of the 76 prisoners if war who attempted to escape through the tunnel. The names in black are the individuals who were recaptured and executed for trying to escape. The blue names are those who were recaptured and sent back to POW camps. The green names are the three who successfully escaped.

Among the blue names is Bob Nelson, whose son, Patrick Nelson, attended the 80th anniversary of the Long March. When I asked how he felt being in his fathers footsteps on this trip, Patrick Nelson said, It was very emotive when we set off. I really did have to picture in my mind those guys (who) set out and left in the middle of the night in the freezing cold without any proper clothes and not knowing what was going to happen next.

In the north compound of Stalag Luft III, prisoners dug a tunnel they named Harry to escape. The tunnel was 330 feet long, descended 30 feet, and had a diameter of only 2 feet. Construction of Harry and two other tunnels began in May 1943. The second tunnel, Dick, was discovered by the Nazis that summer, while the third, Tom, was used to store supplies for the construction of Harry. The prisoners used wood from their beds and huts to build the tunnels, and they removed the excavated dirt by filling their pockets and scattering it around the campgrounds.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The objective was for 200 men, in groups of 30, to escape through the tunnels. From there, some would head toward the railway, and others would travel by foot. As they attempted to exit through the tunnels, however, an Allied raid in Berlin caused a power outage that left the men in complete darkness. Seventy-six men managed to escape, but four were immediately captured. Others, disguised as German civilians, continued their journey. Unfortunately, many did not get far and ended up back in POW camps, where they faced interrogation. Tragically, on Hitlers orders, 50 of the escapees were executed.

Bob Nelson was a flight lieutenant in the Royal Air Force. His story began in North Africa, where his assignment was a mission to bomb Tobruk, Libya. Unfortunately, he failed to return to base in Egypt when one of the engines of his Wellington aircraft seized and caught fire. While the rest of the crew managed to bail out of the plane, Nelson was unable to do so and crashed into the Sahara Desert, ultimately falling into the hands of the Nazis. The Germans flew him over the Mediterranean Sea, traveling through Greece and several other locations, before ending up in Stalag Luft III. Before the war, Nelson had worked as an engineer, which enabled him to contribute significantly to the Great Escape project. He was pivotal in designing the air pumps and the trolleys used to transport dirt and equipment throughout the tunnels.

After Bob Nelson escaped through the tunnels, he and another POW evaded capture for two days outside the camp. However, local farmers found them while they were attempting to hide in some straw inside a barn and used pitchforks to scare them out. Those same farmers then took them to Halbau, Germany, now known as Iowa, Poland. Halbau was one of the first stops during the 80th anniversary commemoration. Following this, Nelson and a few others were interrogated by the Gestapo for about three weeks. Eventually, Nelson and the rest were sent back to Stalag Luft III.

Patrick Nelson was able to visit the Harry Tunnel Monument and see his fathers name engraved on it. He explained that he had heard his fathers stories throughout his life, and the experience was profoundly moving for him. After participating in the march to commemorate his father, Patrick could better envision what his father and the other soldiers endured  the darkness of the night, the cold of winter and the starvation they faced. He believed that the soldiers realization that the war was almost over was crucial in keeping their spirits up. Patrick also discussed the significance of the Great Escape and the Long March, which many people are unaware of.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Im really delighted to see that it has been commemorated with this march, which will help secure its future. Im glad that I can pass this knowledge down to my son, he said.

Kate Dean was another participant in the Long March commemoration. She and a few of her family members walked to honor her grandfather, Albert Henry Comber, who served as a flight lieutenant navigator in the Royal Australian Air Force. He managed to escape from several prisons in Italy before the Germans captured him and sent him to Stalag Luft III. He was also an artist, which allowed him to forge identification documents for soldiers in the camps.

Just as he prepared to escape through the Harry tunnel, Nazi guards caught Comber. Dean said learning about her grandfathers experiences made her feel proud of him and empathetic toward the trauma he endured. Her motivation for participating in the commemoration was to honor him, deepen her understanding of his life, and connect with other families whose fathers and grandfathers faced similar journeys. She aims to raise awareness of soldiers facing these challenges while serving their countries. When asked what people should know about these topics, Kate Dean replied, A lot of people know about the Great Escape and not so much about the Long March.

Kenneth McCaleb established the McCaleb Initiative for Peace to provide opportunities for students such as Raylyn Downey and me to visit places affected by war. The initiative aims to foster a better understanding of the experiences of those who lived through these conflicts and how society worked to bring them to an end.

Editors note Kylee Trevarrow is a senior at Missouri Southern State University who will graduate this spring with a bachelors degree in history and a minor in anthropology. She recently traveled to Germany and Poland to participate in an event commemorating the Long March of 1945 with her professor, Steven Wagner, and a classmate, Raylynn Downey. The opportunity was given to them by the McCaleb Initiative for Peace at MSSU. This initiative was established in 1998 by Kenneth McCaleb and his wife, Margaret Baughman McCaleb, to examine the causes of war and discuss ways in which war can be prevented. Since its establishment, the initiative has provided many students with the chance to travel to sites of past wars, study the devastation they caused, and report their findings to promote peace and help prevent future wars. McCaleb was one of the prisoners of war who survived the 62-mile Long March. During this trip, the MSSU group had the chance to meet the family members of several of these POWs and learn the stories of their fathers and grandfathers. This is the third article in a series on their trip.
The Hawaii Rainbow Wahine opened up Big West Conference play against Long Beach State on Friday.

Hawaii got off to a quick start as they scored 2 runs in the first inning with help from a deep sacrifice fly and a walk with bases loaded.

In the 4th inning, Hawaii led 2-1, but in the bottom of the inning Chloe Borges added one more to their total with a solo homerun to centerfield.

In the 5th inning, Liliana Thomas hammered a 2-run homerun to centerfield to put UH 5-1.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Hawaii would score 1 more run in the 5th inning and would go on to win 6-1.

The Rainbow Wahine are now 1-0 in Conference Play and 15-9 overall. Next up is a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 2:00pm against Long Beach 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 KHON2.
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT)  Ten years ago, a federal court told Huntsville City Schools it had failed to provide all its students equal educational opportunities.

In that federal order, a court laid out all the ways the school system was not equitable for minority students, including Student Assignment, Equitable Access to Course Offerings & Programs, Extracurricular Activities, Faculty, Transportation, Facilities and Student Discipline.

HCS says that it has made progress in some of those areas, specifically in faculty, facilities and extracurricular activities  and it wants the court to alter its order. Because of this, HCS has a motion for release and brief for support of that motion drafted.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The system is currently looking for feedback on its brief in support of its motion for release in these areas. You can submit feedback on the Huntsville City Schools website.

Following the review of feedback, the earliest the board can vote on whether to file the motion with the court is March 25. If the board decides to authorize the filing of the motion for release at that meeting, counsel will file the Motion, Brief in Support of the Motion, and supporting evidence with the Court sometime soon after.

Then, if the court agrees that HCS has made progress, the district will be partially released from the order, but the court will maintain supervision over student assignment, equitable access to courses and student discipline.

The system currently has partial unitary status on transportation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

March 11 will mark 62 years since the desegregation lawsuit was filed by parents at five different Huntsville City Schools, including Sonnie Hereford.

In September 2023, U.S. District Judge Madeline Hughes Hakala said the city schools no longer had to provide regular reports on the systems progress in hiring black administrators and faculty. The judge cited the progress that has been made since the 2015 order was issued and she said she expected Huntsville City Schools good faith efforts to comply will continue.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
As the bird flu outbreak in California dairies appears to be slowing, a study by researchers at UC Merced found that San Joaquin Valley dairy workers are feeling unprotected and unprepared in the fight against the virus.

Moreover, many of the workers interviewed as part of the study believed their employers placed a higher value on the health of dairy cows than theirs.

When this illness (bird flu) happens with the cows, the bosses are more interested in the animals than our health, said a worker in the study identified as Manuel.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Researchers with the UC Merced Community and Labor Center worked with Valley Voices, a nonprofit community-based organization located in Kings County, to interview 30 dairy workers from four counties: Kings, Fresno, Tulare and Merced.

The workers interviewed ranged in age and did different types of work on the dairy, including milking, feeding, calving, vaccinating, moving cattle, cleaning barns, caring for sick cows and disposing of carcasses.

The principal investigator, Jennifer E. Cossyleon, said the goal of the study was to examine the experience of dairy workers during the outbreak and how it might help curb the spread of the illness to animals and humans in the future.

Since the outbreak hit California dairies in August, the bird flu has affected a majority of the states nearly 1,000 dairies, causing operators to quarantine their herds in an attempt to mitigate the outbreak. Dairy workers on the front lines also started to get sick with mild flu-like symptoms.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

There have been 38 reported human cases; all but two are dairy workers.

New cases of the bird flu in dairies and poultry have started to slow, state officials said Wednesday during a joint informational hearing of the Senates Agriculture Committee and Senate Health Committee.

Dr. Erica Pan, the director of the California Department of Public Health, told the committee members there have been no new human cases since January.

Bird flu safety precautions at dairies

Still, UC Merced researchers discovered some troubling trends during the outbreak, including some workers not being provided personal protective equipment (PPE), sharing of PPE without sanitizing it, taking soiled gear home with them after their shift, being discouraged from wearing PPE and not having soap or water available at work.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Workers also raised concerns about not being given a full explanation as to why they needed to wear PPE.

They were learning about bird flu from other workers, or in chat groups, said Cossyleon, an associate research professor. They were piecing things together on their own.

Workers in the survey said the information about bird flu and PPE varied from dairy to dairy. One worker, identified as Samuel, said his employer would regularly hold talks with his workers. During one of the sessions they discussed health and safety protocols, including the use of face masks, hand sanitizer, gloves, boots, glasses and overalls.

Another worker said his employer made it clear that the health and safety information was for workers as well as the animals.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The worker, identified as Fernando, recalled his employer saying: Cattle. There will always be cattle. You are what is important and I need you to use PPE. Dont think that this is for my animals. You use it for you, because I want to return to milk my cows tomorrow.

The study also found that workers tended not to complain about the lack of PPE or needing to take time off to see a doctor because they feared being fired. If a worker was undocumented, the fear of speaking out or taking time off was worse.

Study recommendations for dairy industry

Dairy industry officials said their farmer members are working with the California Department of Public Health and other local health departments to distribute 4.6 million pieces of PPE. They have also worked to develop an outreach and education campaign to dairy workers.

Anja Raudabaugh, chief executive officer of Western United Dairies, said the industry has increased its biosecurity measures, including footbaths and more tire and vehicle washes at the dairy as well as a mandatory testing program for dairy cattle and bulk tank testing.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Our dairy workers are part of our family and we have worked extremely hard to build awareness about signs and symptoms of the virus, both in cows and humans, Raudabaugh said in an e-mail to The Fresno Bee.

Using our partnerships with local health departments, encouraging people to use the PPE and also to feel comfortable reporting to the local health department is part of ensuring a trusting relationship with our family and communities.

Authors of the study recommended several policy additions including:

 Require employers to provide supplemental paid sick leave for testing, vaccination or medical monitoring.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

 Make bird flu testing available for dairy workers.

 Require employers to share any known bird flu illnesses or symptoms with employees.

 Increase investment in the enforcement of workplace health and safety standards.

 Reward employers who meet and exceed compliance standards.
(PUEBLO, Colo.)  The Pueblo Police Department (PPD) is asking the community for help locating a missing woman.

According to PPD, 34-year-old Katie Henson has been known to frequent the Rawlings Library in the 100 block of East Abriendo Avenue.

Courtesy: Pueblo Police Department

PPD asked anyone with information on Hensons whereabouts to call police at (719) 553-2502.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Video display of questions the House working group on hemp asked at the end of their three-day workshop on March 6, 2025 (Photo by Mitch Perry/ Florida Phoenix)

The combined Florida House workgroup formed to study the hemp industry concluded its final meeting Thursday with two main conclusions:

They agreed they did not want to make any moves that might kill what has emerged as a multi-billion-dollar industry in the Sunshine State.

But they also determined that Florida has to change the status quo in regard to how the product is regulated.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The 24-member group, chaired by Escambia County Republican Michelle Salzman, was charged by House Speaker Danny Perez to gain knowledge and understanding of the subject matter and not to make legislative recommendations.

The panel heard testimony, some of it jarring, from industry experts, regulators, and entrepreneurs.

Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, whose department oversees the hemp industry, kicked off the meetings this week when he said that while the hemp market is complicated, the facts surrounding it arent.

From my experience, the debate and advocacy often does not rely on the facts, he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX

Federal law defines the hemp plant as having less than 0.3% THC, the primary psychoactive ingredient in cannabis.

Hemp can produce cannabinoids that have intoxicating effects similar to THC in cannabis. But while medical marijuana is strictly regulated in Florida since it became legalized years ago, hemp isnt, leading to repeated claims heard this week that the landscape for the product was essentially the wild, wild west.

Im not a huge regulation guy, but I think its an area where we need more regulation  , said Southeast Republican Rep. Toby Oberdorf. You can have a bag of gummies from hemp thats actually stronger than a bag of gummies from THC, which we legalized here in the state of Florida with a prescription.

Collier County House Republican Yvette Benarroch inspects illicit hemp products seized by the Dept. of Agriculture on March 5, 2025 (Photo by Mitch Perry / Florida Phoenix)

Central Florida Republican Richard Gentry said what concerned him most was the proliferation of hemp-derived THC-infused drinks now being sold in stores like ABC Fine Wine & Spirits, the largest liquor store chain in Florida. Those drinks are not alcoholic but are still intoxicating.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Chas Bailes, president and CEO of ABC Fine Wine & Spirits, told the committee that his stores have begun stocking those drinks due to consumer demand over the past six months. The maximum dosage in the drinks sold in his stores is 10 milligrams of THC. Some beverages on the market can contain as much as 100 milligrams.

In shock

Surprising public testimony came from a testing lab owner who said his recent testing of hemp-derived products found a majority of them above that 0.3% THC limit.

George Fernandez is founder and CEO of Modern Canna Labs, a Lakeland laboratory contracted with the Florida Department of Agriculture to test cannabis and hemp products. He testified that over the past two quarters, his lab tested 50 out of 53 flower hemp samples from different smoke/hemp shops across the state that were over the 0.3% Delta 9 THC limit. All told, out of the 111 hemp samples his lab tested, 64% failed (a total of 71).

He added that he also found contaminants in these products.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Perhaps most alarming, 49 out of 111 (44%) of the samples failed for pesticides. Sixteen of the samples (14%) failed for microbials, and five out of the 111 samples (or 4.5%) failed for heavy metals.

Im in shock right now, Salzman responded.

Fernandez said that a lot of the products sold in Florida are tested by out-of-state laboratories, using different testing processes and parameters. I think labs here are held to a higher standard, he said.

The 2018 U.S. farm bill legalized hemp production, creating a large new industry in Florida (and across the country). It led to the development of products like Delta-8 and other cannabinoids derived from hemp plants. Thats led to states across the country enacting their own regulations over the past few years, in some cases banning all intoxicating hemp products period.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Dr. Gillian Schauer with the Cannabis Regulators Association appeared remotely from Colorado to give lawmakers a detailed view of how different states are working to regulate the product. She listed some questions that legislators need to consider: What kind of market do you want for cannabinoids? Which cannabinoids do you want consumers to have access to? Should there be limits on the amount of intoxicating cannabinoids they can purchase in a serving? Should they tax the product?

Im not a huge regulation guy, but I think its an area where we need more regulation ... . You can have a bag of gummies from hemp thats actually stronger than a bag of gummies from THC, which we legalized here in the state of Florida with a prescription.

 Rep. Toby Oberdorf.

Polk County Republican Sen. Colleen Burton pushed through proposals to regulate hemp in both the 2023 and 2024 legislative sessions. The 2023 bill was stripped of the provisions that the hemp industry decried but did include a prohibition on the sale of hemp-extract products intended for human ingestion to anyone under 21. It also required that packaging of such products not be considered attractive to children.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In 2024, the Legislature passed a bill (SB 1698) that banned all Delta-8 products in the state and restricted Delta-9 THC levels in hemp products to 5 milligrams per serving and 50 milligrams per container. Gov. DeSantis vetoed the measure last June following heavy lobbying from the hemp industry.

But the governor said in his veto letter that he was encouraging the Legislature to reconsider the topic during the 2025 session.

Sensible, non-arbitrary regulation will provide businesses and consumers alike with much-needed sensibility  safeguarding public health and safety, allowing legitimate industry to flourish, and removing bad actors from the market, he wrote.

For the third year in a row, Burton has filed comprehensive legislation regulating hemp (SB 438) which includes limiting the amount of THC to 5 milligrams per serving and 50 milligrams per container and limiting THC-infused beverages to no more than 5 milligrams per unopened can or bottle.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Duval County Democratic Sen. Tracie Davis has filed her own version, as well, which would limit the amount of THC to 2 milligrams per serving and 20 milligrams per container. Meanwhile, Republicans Hillary Cassel (HB 601) and Dana Trabulsky (HB 1597) have filed corresponding measures in the House.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Shondiin Silversmith

Arizona Mirror



Say her name! Emily Pike! was shouted repeatedly as hundreds of people gathered outside a church in Mesa for a vigil to honor and support the family of San Carlos Apache teen Emily Pike, who was murdered in February.



We have to say her name, Gail Pechuli said.



Pechuli, the familys spokesperson, said it was important because the family wants people to share Emilys story. She said seeing the large crowd show up in support of Emily has touched their hearts.



It gives them a lot of hope at a time where they need comfort and strength, she said, and the family understands Emily is now part of MMIW.



The family has been inundated with support  and requests to use Emilys story to raise awareness for MMIW, the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women that the family, like so many others, now finds itself an unwilling part of.



Signs reading Justice for Emily Pike and No More Stolen Sisters stood out among the hundreds of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people gathered on March 6 at Encounter AZ church in Mesa for a candlelight vigil for Emily.



The family and supporters sat inside the sanctuary. At the same time, hundreds gathered outside as speakers shared their condolences, sang songs in honor of Emily, and discussed the beauty of the community coming together to raise awareness about the ongoing MMIW crisis.



In the midst of tragedy and sorrow, something good should come out of this, Pechuli said. Thats what gives the family hope.



Emily was a member of the San Carlos Apache Tribe, and her family lives on the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation in southeastern Arizona.



At the time of her disappearance, the 14-year-old was living in a group home in Mesa. She was last seen on the evening of Jan. 27 near Mesa Drive and McKellips Road, according to the Mesa Police Department. Two days later, the police issued a poster for Emily, listing her as a missing or runaway juvenile.



A month after she went missing, the Gila County Sheriffs Office reported that Emilys remains were found on Feb. 14 outside of Globe, in a remote area off of U.S. Route 60.



A memo from the sheriffs office that was leaked on social media reported that there were visible face and head trauma, but the cause of Emilys death was undetermined.



It remains an active homicide investigation, and GCSO is collaborating with several agencies, including the San Carlos Apache Tribal Police Department, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

A memorial honoring San Carlos Apache teen Emily Pike can be seen at the intersection of Mesa Drive and McKellips Road in Mesa, the location where she was last seen in January. (Photo by Shondiin Silversmith, Arizona Mirror)

Emilys tragic death has put a spotlight on the harsh realities of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples epidemic that has impacted Indigenous communities for generations, but has only recently drawn attention outside of Native communities.



Indigenous children are disproportionately overrepresented in the child welfare systems not only in Arizona but in the United States generally, according to the 2024 Interim Progress Report by Arizonas Missing and Murdered Indigenous People Task Force.



Indigenous children make up nearly 11 percent of the children placed in out-of-home care as of June 30, 2024, according to statistics from the Arizona Department of Child Safetys Semi-Annual Child Welfare Report from September 2024.



Children placed in group homes are more likely to run away than if they were placed in foster homes or kinship placement, according to the welfare report.



The Arizona Missing and Murdered Indigenous People Task Force highlights that the DCS report does not include tribal nations in its data breakdown, making it impossible to quantify the impact on Indigenous communities.



This is a glaring gap because Tribes are not notified, and they are likely in locations where a tribal child might be found and potential partners to help recover missing and runaway children, reducing the likelihood of exploitation or trafficking, the task force report states.

Hundreds of people gathered for a candlelight vigil at the Encounter AZ church in Mesa on March 6, 2025, to honor San Carlos Apache teen Emily Pike and raise awareness about the ongoing Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples crisis. (Photo by Shondiin Silversmith, Arizona Mirror)

When Emily went missing, Pechuli said it took a week before the family was notified by San Carlos Tribal Social Services.



She was labeled as a runaway, Pechuli said. The family believes that is why the group home, the group home supervisor and tribal services did not act right away.



They said that she was going to come back, she said. She has no place to go. Shes 100 miles away from home, shes gonna come back, and the family wasnt notified until a week later.



Emilys family did not know what had happened or that nothing was being organized to find her. Then, a few weeks later, they were told that her body had been found.



They identified her through dental records, but they came to the house to get DNA from the mother, Pechuli said. Now, the family is waiting for the coroner to release the young girls body so they can begin the burial services.



The familys priority is to get the remains back and have Emily come home one more time, Pechuli said. The family plans to lay her to rest in a burial place near their home in San Carlos.

Indigenous women wore red and had a red handprint across their mouths in support of MMIW during the March 6, 2025, candlelight vigil in honor of San Carlos Apache teen Emily Pike, who was killed in February. (Photo by Shondiin Silversmith, Arizona Mirror)

Pechuli said that a lot of the major news coverage surrounding Emilys death has focused on her death, how she was a runaway and lived in a group home. Very little has been written about who Emily was.



She was more than that, Pechuli said. She had a lot of hope in her.



Emilys mother, Stephanie Doseoa, said her daughter loved cats, and she would always have a cat around their home in San Carlos.



She was a happy girl, Doseoa said. She liked to brighten everyones day.



Doseoa said it has been very emotional to see so many people gather to support Emily, and it is hard for her to take it all in.



It took me a lot of strength to come here, she said of the vigil hosted in honor of her daughter.



Doseoa said she is thankful for everyone who has shown their support for her daughter and the support for all missing and murdered Indigenous people.



I want justice for my daughter, she added, expressing hope that, with so many people raising awareness, it will help her daughters case and others.

Shiloh Ashley from the Cheyenne Ricer Sioux Tribe stands along the roadside church, holding the sign No More Stolen Sisters during the candlelight vigil in honor of San Carlos Apache teen Emily Pike at Encounter AZ in Mesa on March 6, 2025. (Photo by Shondiin Silversmith, Arizona Mirror)

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

What happened to Emily has resonated with many people across Indian Country and has put out calls of action to raise awareness about the ongoing Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women crisis.



Shiloh Ashley from the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe attended the vigil and held a sign along the roadside that read: No More Stolen Sisters.



Ashley said she attended the vigil to support the family and raise awareness for MMIW, but Emilys story also resonated with her since she experienced foster care as a teenager.



Its so heartbreaking, Ashley said. Emily was so young, and what happened to her highlights the vulnerability Indigenous people face.



Its really scary, she added. My heart hurts for her and her family and all the other people that go through this in Indigenous communities.



The San Carlos Apache Tribe said in a statement that their community is mourning Emilys tragic death.



This is a terrible loss for the teenagers family and our tribe, they stated.



Pechuli said that the tribe has never experienced this type of loss before and it has left many tribal members in shock after all the details came out.



It hurts a lot of people on a lot of levels because she was a part of our tribe, she said.
SPRING HILL, Fla. (WFLA)  The Hernando County Sheriffs Office arrested one of its own deputies Friday after investigators said the deputy pointed a gun at a woman during a domestic dispute.

Deputies met with the victim at a home in Spring Hill shortly after receiving a call around 7 a.m. Friday morning regarding a domestic disturbance involving a firearm.

Missing teen lured to mans home was killed, dismembered: St. Pete police

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The woman told investigators Deputy Michael McNeeley, 23, had pointed his weapon at her during an argument over domestic issues.

McNeeley was still at the scene when deputies arrived and was arrested on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill and domestic battery, according to the sheriffs office.

He was taken to the Hernando County Detention Center, where, as of Friday, he was being held without bond. Officials said McNeeley resigned from his position shortly after his arrest. The sheriffs office did not say how long he had been with the department.

I share in the concern of our citizens for the safety and well-being of domestic violence victims, Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis said in a statement following the incident. I am deeply disappointed in the actions of former Deputy McNeeley.

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 WFLA.
Del. Jheanelle Wilkins (D-Montgomery), left, receives flowers Thursday from Eric Carpenter-Grantham after the House unanimously approved legislation named after him. They are joined by Carpenter-Granthams mother, Linda. (Photo by William J. Ford/Maryland Matters)

It started with a conversation between a mother and her son about interacting with police in the wake of the May 2020 death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.

It ended Thursday with cheers and applause as first one chamber of the General Assembly, then the other, gave unanimous approval to Erics ID Law. It would require that the Motor Vehicle Administration place a butterfly logo above the words hidden disability on drivers licenses, identification cards, even moped licenses, for people with a nonapparent disability.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

People like Eric Carpenter-Grantham, who sat in the House gallery with his mother, Linda, anxiously waiting for approval of the bill.

Not only did House Bill 707 receive unanimous approval, in a rare occurrence, a rousing applause and a few cheers cascaded across the House floor. When Del. Malcolm Ruff (D-Baltimore City) stood up to request a vote change on another bill, he yelled, Congratulations, Eric!

On the same day across the hall, a Senate version sponsored by Sen. William C. Smith Jr. (D-Montgomery) passed unanimously. The bills now must be approved by the other chamber before they can be sent to the governor for his signature. A spokesperson for Gov. Wes Moore (D) would only say that the office reviews all bills sent to the governor and will announce the bills he plans to sign a few days ahead of each scheduled signing ceremony.

A sample of a Maryland drivers license with a butterfly that represents the hidden disability logo. (Courtesy of Linda Carpenter-Grantham)

A person with a nonapparent disability, according to the bill, would include anyone with developmental and intellectual disabilities that are not immediately noticeable.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Eric Carpenter-Grantham, 20, who has autism, said in an interview after the House adjourned the butterfly represents hope, peace, freedom and change. He said the butterflys colors represent all hidden disabilities.

The bill would require the MVA to establish public outreach efforts about the availability of the disability emblem. The legislation also requires that the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission work with the State Police and other interested stakeholders to implement law enforcement training on interacting with those who have an invisible disability notification on a drivers license, ID card, or moped operators permit.

A fiscal note shows it could cost about $75,000 for one-time vendor cost to redesign the cards.

Linda Carpenter-Grantham said in an interview Thursday the work started with that conversation with Eric after the George Floyd.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Me being concerned as a mom, should he be stopped by law enforcement. How that could turn out and they not know he has autism, which is an invisible disability, she said. The possibilities of him being hurt, harmed or killed was scary for me.

They began grassroots efforts to push for legislation. Legislation was introduced last year, but didnt make it out of a Senate committee and missed a House deadline.

Shortly after the session ended in April 2024, the Carpenter-Grantham family reached a nationwide audience to talk about Erics ID Law with an appearance on Foxs Sherri Shephard Show. A few months later, in July, the family appeared on ABCs The View.

The family lives in legislative District 20 in Montgomery County, the area represented by Smith and Del. Jheanelle Wilkins (D), who serves as lead sponsor of the House version along with Del. Kym Taylor (D-Prince Georges), who was in the audience of The View for the familys appearance.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Linda and Eric Carpenter-Grantham greeted Wilkins after Thursdays House vote and presented her with flowers.

Thank you for all that youve done. You are amazing, Linda Carpenter-Grantham told Wilkins.

Yall did this, Wilkins said. That unanimous vote was the result of all the work you [accomplished].

Eric Carpenter-Grantham currently attends Montgomery College with a passion for politics and ministry. He plans to attend the University of Maryland, College Park, to work toward a bachelors degree in physical science and possibly ministry to become a pastor.

He said his family would be proud, especially his father, Lamont Skeet Grantham.

Carpenter-Grantham said that having a bill named for him is just an honor, and its not only history for me and my mom, but for our family, and to my father, who passed away one month ago from today, Eric Carpenter-Grantham said Thursday. I know he is so, so proud.
With tornado season approaching, Oklahomans are preparing by cleaning out storm shelters and checking their weather radios.

The Sooner State is in the heart of a group of states traditionally labeled "Tornado Alley," along with Texas, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado and South Dakota. But in recent years, weather experts have noticed a potential shift in the states where tornadoes occur most often.

And this year, a team of long-range experts from AccuWeather are predicting the highest risk of tornadoes is east of Tornado Alley, in the Mississippi and Tennessee valleys.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

More: What to expect from Oklahoma weather in spring 2025

Why is the risk of tornadoes moving east of Tornado Alley?

While Tornado Alley has been shifting east over the last 50 years, AccuWeather says "Tornado Alley roared back to life in 2023 and 2024."

But this year, Pastelok said a concentration of severe thunderstorms in areas east of Tornado Alley could return due to "a large and persistent area of high pressure" expected to park over the Southwest, limiting storms in part of the Plains.

More: When does tornado season officially start in Oklahoma? What to know about the 2025 season

"Exceptionally warm water temperatures in the Gulf will also have a strong influence on severe weather in the Southeast," AccuWeather said.

How is climate change impacting tornado season?

While the number of tornadoes annually hasn't changed much since the 1970s, AccuWeather reported severe weather outbreaks are happening more often. Also, more tornadoes are occurring outside of the traditional spring severe weather season.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson, a climate expert, said this could be thanks to Earth's changing climate.

"Our warming atmosphere can hold more moisture, unleashing intense rainfall rates that can trigger dangerous flash flooding," Anderson said. "As water temperatures continue to increase in the Gulf, warmer air with more moisture can be forced northward into the Southern states ahead of a cold front, providing an extra boost of energy for severe thunderstorms that can produce tornadoes."

More: Will storm chasers need a license in Oklahoma? Here's what a proposed bill would regulate

Research is ongoing into how a warming climate could affect tornado trends in the U.S., but Anderson said it's clear that "extreme weather and billion-dollar disasters are happening more frequently as our climate continues to warm."

How many tornadoes will happen in the U.S. this year?

According to AccuWeather's long-range experts predictions, 1,300-1,450 tornadoes could spin up across the U.S. this year. That's less than the preliminary count of 1,855 tornadoes that occurred in 2024.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But last year's tornado count nearly set a national record, being the second-worst year for tornadoes on record in the United States. The high number was driven by a surge of tornadoes that spun up in May thanks to hurricanes, in addition to a tornado outbreak in late December.

How many tornadoes did Oklahoma have in 2024?

Oklahoma set a state record for most tornadoes in 2024, though the data looks different depending on the source.

According to AccuWeather, Oklahoma reported 91 tornadoes in 2024.

But the National Weather Service recorded 152 tornadoes in Oklahoma during the same year, a record over 2019's 149 tornadoes.

Which states saw the most tornadoes in 2024?

According to AccuWeather's count, Texas saw the most tornadoes in 2024 with 169 tornadoes.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The top five rounds out with Nebraska and Iowa reporting 131 tornadoes each, followed by Illinois and Missouri. However, this doesn't address the discrepancy between AccuWeather and the National Weather Service's tornado counts for Oklahoma.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Where is the highest tornado risk this year? Hint: Not Tornado Alley
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS)  The Highland Neighborhood Association will tackle two trashed out lots on Saturday.

According to a Facebook post, on Saturday morning, March 8, the HNA will clean up part of the Highland area near Kings Highway. Organizers are asking volunteers to meet at 10:00 a.m. in the Brookshires Parking lot at Kings and Highland.

318 Food Fest to bring flavor and fun to Shreveport

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

They say from 10 a.m. until noon, they will clean the lot east of Wendys facing Kings Hwy and the lot on west side of Brookshires (next to their dumpster).

HNA says they will provide grabbers, gloves, bags, water. The city will provide a garbage truck to haul away our bags.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that crucial talks with a delegation from the United Kingdom were held in Kyiv on 8 March.

Source: Zelenskyy on X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda

Details: Zelenskyy noted that a "highly productive" meeting of the diplomatic teams of Ukraine and the United Kingdom had taken place in Kyiv on Saturday, 8 March.

"We discussed our joint steps that can bring peace closer and accelerate diplomatic work. I am grateful for the support. Ukraine is determined to do everything as soon as possible to end this war with a decent and lasting peace," he tweeted, providing no further details.

Background:

On 2 March, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed plans for a "coalition of the willing" to ensure the implementation of any peace agreement on Ukraine, with London playing a key role in it.

Later, it was unofficially reported that the UK had held talks with about 20 countries that had expressed their willingness to join these efforts.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Unlike President Donald Trump, Gov. Hochuls motto is Youre hired!

Hochul is recruiting federal workers fired by the Department of Government Efficiency to fill roughly 7,000 state jobs  adding hundreds of millions of dollars in yearly taxpayer costs to an already bloated payroll that has grown by billions on her watch.

The federal government might say Youre fired, but here in New York, we say Youre hired, Hochul, boasted in a Feb. 25 video announcing the recruitment drive.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She doubled down Monday, announcing the launch of digital billboards featuring the Statue of Liberty telling commuters New York Wants You! at Washington D.C.s Union Station and Manhattans Moynihan Station.

Gov. Kathy Hochul holds up a brochure Monday for her new campaign to fill roughly 7,000 state jobs, which is aimed at recruiting federal workers axed by the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency. James Messerschmidt

The taxpayers-be-damned campaign comes as the states workforce has already surged 6% under Hochul.

There were 223,760 full-time equivalent employees excluding public authorities on the payroll as of October  up from 211,042 two years earlier, according to data compiled by the state comptrollers office.

Total payroll for last year was unavailable, but it was on pace to well exceed the $19.3 billion for 2023 and $18.2 billion for 2022 during Hochuls first full year as governor.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Among the jobs up for grabs are a $173,664-a-year chief of staff for the Office of Cannabis Management; a $156,224 spot for chief diversity officer for the Office of General Service; and a pair of gender violence prevention specialists at the Office for the Protection of Domestic Violence, which can pay as much as $106,454.

There were 223,760 full-time equivalent employees on the state payroll as of October  up roughly 6% from 211,042 two years earlier. Donna Grace/NY Post Design

Roughly 100,000 federal workers have been laid off or accepted buyouts since Trump returned to the White House in January. Its part of a much larger series of budget-slashing moves DOGE says have already saved taxpayers $105 billion with the top cuts coming from such as agencies as the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Department of Education.

Hochul  who is already battling Trump over his desire to eliminate NYCs congestion pricing toll system  took aim at DOGE boss Elon Musk and his clueless cadre of career killers Monday, claiming they know nothing about how government works, who it serves, and the tireless federal employees who keep it running.

White House spokesman Harrison Fields fired back: Leave it to the failed New York State bureaucracy to stack their payrolls with more bureaucrats, at the expense of the abused taxpayers of New York. Growing the public sector is not President Trumps definition of job creation.

Billboards advertise Hochuls new push to hire fired federal workers. Governor.ny

Ken Girardin, director of research for the nonprofit think tank Empire Center for Public Policy, called the job blitz Albany politics as usual, saying the governor is simply bowing to powerful public employee unions, who want the jobs filled so the flow of dues wouldnt be disrupted.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Gov. Hochul wasted a golden opportunity, he said. The state workforce had shrunk significantly amid COVID, due to retirements and slow hiring. It was a perfect chance to reorganize the state workforce.

State Assembly Minority Leader William Barclay (R-Pulaski) said, Once again, we see that expanding the size and cost of government is a foundational principle for Democrats, but its going to be difficult trying to convince people to move to the most unaffordable state in the nation.

Hochul spokesman Sam Spokony defended the hiring push, saying the governor has worked tirelessly to restore the state workforce to pre-pandemic levels the past few years, and this latest effort is no different.

New Yorks new slogan to recruit federal workers fired by DOGE. James Messerschmidt

[It] will attract individuals with transferable skills and experience who suddenly find themselves looking for work, he added.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Frank Morano, a Republican running for a NYC Council seat representing Staten Islands South Shore, said Hochuls campaign is a good reason why New York needs its own version of DOGE.

Adding fired federal workers with no civil service requirement to an already bloated state payroll is not only fiscally reckless, frankly, its the exact reason we need an agency like DOGE in our state and our city, he said.

New Yorkers are tired of virtue-signaling politicians like Gov. Hochul wasting their tax dollars on useless programs and political posturing.
FLOYD, N.Y. (WSYR-TV)  The Oneida County Sheriffs Office was called to a crash involving two Holland Patent Central School District buses on Rickmeyer Road in the Town of Floyd around 3 p.m. on Friday, March 7.

One bus being driven by 57-year-old Michael Page from Stittville was carrying three students. Another bus being driven by 58-year-old Jean Marsden from Holland Patent was carrying two students.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The bus being driven by Page appeared to have crossed into the path of the bus being driven by Marsden and the two buses collided in a head-on crash, said the sheriffs office.

Marsden was pronounced dead at the scene. The two students on Marsdens bus and Page were taken to the hospital.

None of their injuries seem to be life-threatening, according to the sheriffs office.

The three students on Pages bus were treated at the scene and released to their parents.

Names of the students will not be released due to their ages, the sheriffs 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 WSYR.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  A homecoming celebration was held Saturday for Dansville native, Ryan Corbett, who was held captive by the Taliban after being arrested in Afghanistan in 2022.

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (far right) sits next to Ryan Corbett, his wife and two of his kids during Saturdays homecoming celebration at Dansville High School. Rep. Tenney championed alongside Corbetts wife over the years for his release after she said he was wrongfully detained in Afghanistan. (WROC/Ryan Hermenet)

Ive never seen so much strength, courage matched with so much gratitude from this family. I mean, they really are a symbol of what we should be and aspire to be as people, as Americans, as citizens of this great town, and were just so proud, Congresswoman Claudia Tenney said on Saturday during his celebration.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ryan Corbett lived in Afghanistan for 11 years until the Taliban returned to power in 2021. A spokesperson for the Corbett family said that in August 2022, he returned to Afghanistan to pay and hold trainings for workers of the small business he started when he was detained.

Over the last 30 months, especially since being free, I found out whats most important to me, Ryan Corbett began on Saturday. So many of you: Friends who have advocated for me and have worked for my release. So many others from both the Biden and Trump administrations who made this possible  I am amazed and humbled by all of that. My lovely wife who worked from day one to day 893. And when we said our vows 21 years ago, we had no idea what for better or for worse could mean, and now we know.

Corbett said that during his time in captivity, he was held in a basement facility and was allotted limited contact with his family for more than two years.

Lying on my mat and staring at the ceiling  I used to promise myself that if I ever got home, there are certain things I wouldnt take for granted again. Isnt it a wonderful thing to be alive and free, and a wonderful thing to have friends and family that love you, and a wonderful thing to have a life of purpose and meaning, he continued. I was lied to and threatened regularly, I was under constant video surveillance, I was moved from place to place with handcuffs and a hood, I wasnt allowed to talk to my family for eight months. People ask me now how did you survive that? And all I can say is, Gods strength and taking things a day at a time  sometimes an hour at a time.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Corbett was freed in a prisoner exchange this year on Jan. 21.

I admit that I was a little nervous how you all would respond when you found out what was going on in our lives. But your reaction was deeply moving and touching, Anna Corbett, his wife, said. Although we know there is a long road ahead of us toward full recovery, we are grateful for all that we have learned and all of the amazing people weve gotten to know through this.

Saturdays celebration took place at Dansville High School.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst.
JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @STARADVERTISER.COM As a Honolulu Festival first-day tradition, about 560 Hawaii students from 14 schools had the opportunity Friday to interact with cultural performers from Japan and other Pacific Rim nations. The students engaged in fun, hands-on cultural activities with the performers and learned about their dances, songs and traditions. Lunalilo Elementary third graders, including RJ Achusky, front, learned how to bon dance from members of the sister city Edogawaku Bon Dance Team at the Hawai i Convention Center.

1 /3 JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @STARADVERTISER.COM As a Honolulu Festival first-day tradition, about 560 Hawaii students from 14 schools had the opportunity Friday to interact with cultural performers from Japan and other Pacific Rim nations. The students engaged in fun, hands-on cultural activities with the performers and learned about their dances, songs and traditions. Lunalilo Elementary third graders, including RJ Achusky, front, learned how to bon dance from members of the sister city Edogawaku Bon Dance Team at the Hawai i Convention Center.

JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @STARADVERTISER.COM Lanakila Elementary third grader Ariyah Dameron-Aranton learned Japanese calligraphy Friday from Shiori Nakamura, left, of Doshisha University in Japan, at the Hawai i Convention Center.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

2 /3 JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @STARADVERTISER.COM Lanakila Elementary third grader Ariyah Dameron-Aranton learned Japanese calligraphy Friday from Shiori Nakamura, left, of Doshisha University in Japan, at the Hawai i Convention Center.

JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @STARADVERTISER.COM Jon Itomura, right, talked about Japanese mikoshi Friday to Lanakila Elementary third graders during the first day of the 2025 Honolulu Festival at the Hawai i Convention Center.

3 /3 JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @STARADVERTISER.COM Jon Itomura, right, talked about Japanese mikoshi Friday to Lanakila Elementary third graders during the first day of the 2025 Honolulu Festival at the Hawai i Convention Center.

JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @STARADVERTISER.COM As a Honolulu Festival first-day tradition, about 560 Hawaii students from 14 schools had the opportunity Friday to interact with cultural performers from Japan and other Pacific Rim nations. The students engaged in fun, hands-on cultural activities with the performers and learned about their dances, songs and traditions. Lunalilo Elementary third graders, including RJ Achusky, front, learned how to bon dance from members of the sister city Edogawaku Bon Dance Team at the Hawai i Convention Center.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @STARADVERTISER.COM Lanakila Elementary third grader Ariyah Dameron-Aranton learned Japanese calligraphy Friday from Shiori Nakamura, left, of Doshisha University in Japan, at the Hawai i Convention Center.

JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @STARADVERTISER.COM Jon Itomura, right, talked about Japanese mikoshi Friday to Lanakila Elementary third graders during the first day of the 2025 Honolulu Festival at the Hawai i Convention Center.

The 29th annual Honolulu Festival kicked off Friday with private educational school tours at the Hawai i Convention Center, offering more than 550 students from 14 schools across Oahu a hands-on cultural experience. Students interacted with performers from Japan and other Pacific Rim nations, engaging in traditional dances, songs and activities.

The festival opens to the public today and runs through Sunday with a variety of performances, events and cultural showcases throughout Ala Moana Center and Waikiki. Additional exhibitions are at the convention center.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ted Kubo, president of the Honolulu Festival Foundation, said this years turnout is the largest since before the COVID-19 pandemic. Previously, the festival attracted around 700 to 800 students, and Fridays event welcomed approximately 560 students from across the island.

Starting today, anyone under 18 can enter the exhibition hall for free, a move Kubo said reflects the foundations commitment to education.

Its wonderful to see their eyes being very curious and experiencing these different kinds of cultures,  Kubo said. This is one of the core values of the festivals foundation : educating children on cultural exchange, which we believe leads to world peace.

Hawaii already offers many opportunities for children to experience diverse cultures, Kubo added. However, interacting directly with performers from Pacific Rim countries, including Japan and Australia, provides a deeper, more personal understanding of different cultures, traditions and heritage.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

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.

The educational tours were free for participating schools, and all performers and cultural groups volunteered their time at no cost.

Mari Masuno, a third grade teacher at Lunalilo Elementary School, said her 41 students were super excited  to attend the educational school tour.

They are looking forward to learning more about different cultures that shape our community and our country,  Masuno said. Last year we had cultural performances, and students really enjoyed discovering different traditions. It aligns with our curriculum, which focuses on understanding cultural roots, so were really excited to be here.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Lunalilo Elementary, located in the McCully area, incorporates cultural education into its curriculum, including a dedicated teacher who introduces students to Japanese traditions. The school is home to a diverse student body, including many from different Pacific islands.

There are so many different cultures here, and our students are used to learning alongside classmates from various backgrounds. Theyve developed an appreciation for cultural differences,  Masuno said.

She added that festival activities last year included cultural games and dance performances, which helped students recognize similarities between their own traditions and those of other cultures.

When students learn about different cultures, they see connections to their ownspecial foods, unique celebrations and traditional attire,  Masuno said. They begin to understand that while every culture has its own unique beliefs and ways of celebrating, there are also many common threads that bring people together.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Lunalilo Elementary third grader Ezrael Temblor Ala pai, 8, said that while he is Filipino, Chinese and Japanese, he doesnt know much about his cultural heritage because it isnt often discussed at home. Instead, he learns about different traditions mostly at school.

I learned about Chinese New Year, and I also like Japanese culture, like Girls Day,  Ezrael said.

He added that he was excited to watch performances at the festival, including Japanese and Mexican dances, as a way to expand his knowledge of different cultures and share what he learns with his family and friends.

Ibuki Teramoto traveled from Japan with a group of 29 artists to showcase the traditional art of Japanese calligraphy. The group specializes in writing names in kanji, transforming them into intricate and meaningful characters.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Within the first hour of the festival, Teramotos team created approximately 150 personalized nameplates (kanban ) for students.

I was very excited to hear one boy say, Thank you for an excellent kanban,  and that made me and my team very happy,  Teramoto said.

She noted Hawaiis strong Japanese presence and hopes that children with Japanese heritage will deepen their connection to their roots, learning more about their culture and traditions.

I hope many people, especially children, become interested in learning to read Japanese, understanding the culture and speaking the language with their families or friends at school,  Teramoto said. I want to help spread Japanese culture.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Gordon Walker, a dance instructor for a Cuban performance group, said his team volunteered to perform Friday to introduce students to the art of dance. The group focused on Rueda de Casino, a Cuban-style dance that involves synchronized movements in a circle.

Its really important to us,  Walker said. A lot of us were exposed to dance when we were younger and we want to pass it on to the younger generations. The kids were so excitedgetting up, dancing and moving around.

Lanakila Elementary School teacher Jacquelin Ho led a group of 50 third graders to the Honolulu Festival to learn about different cultures and the connections Hawaii shares with other countries, including its sister cities in Japan.

We have a lot of students whose ethnic backgrounds trace back to China, Japan, Southeast Asia, the Philippines and Vietnam and many Pacific Islands, including the Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Samoa,  Ho said. This quarter, theyve been learning about human geographywhy people immigrate to different placesand exploring their own cultures. This festival is a perfect opportunity for them to experience different traditions and interact with people from around the world.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Divine Suyat, 9, a third-grader at the Liliha area school, said she often learns about her Hawaiian heritage, including hula, which she occasionally practices at school.

Im excited to watch people dance hula at the festival and also learn about other cultures and different dances,  she said.
A Bedford County charter school will close its doors this summer.

HOPE for Hyndman Charter Schools class of 2025 will be its final graduating class, with the school at 130 School Drive, Hyndman, set to close in June.

School administrators and trustees announced the decision in a letter to parents this week, saying the school was no longer sustainable due to declining enrollment and rising costs.

This decision was based entirely on our financial situation, school leaders wrote in the letter. This was an extremely difficult and heartbreaking decision to make.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A message left for HOPE for Hyndman CEO Bridgette Emerick was not returned Wednesday. School leaders met with parents Tuesday evening in the schools cafeteria to explain the decision and outline steps moving forward.

In the letter, school leaders wrote that all activities for the 2024-25 school year will occur as planned, including the schools prom, graduation ceremony, senior trip and spring concert.

We will complete this school year, school leaders wrote. Classes, testing and all planned events will still take place.

HOPE for Hyndman was founded as a public charter school in 2011 after Bedford Area School District announced plans to close its Hyndman High School in the small borough in southwestern Bedford County.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Hyndman parents concerned about the closure formed the charter school that year and have, at times, hosted more than 300 students in the kindergarten- to 12th-grade school.

In their letter, school leaders told parents they will work with families to help ease students transitions back to their school districts in the fall. Some of the schools surrounding districts are Somerset County public schools.

Berlin Brothersvalley School District Superintendent Tom Podpora said fewer than a handful of students from that district are attending HOPE for Hyndman this year.

Well welcome them back with open arms if they decide to attend Berlin, he told The Tribune-Democrat Thursday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The district certainly has the room, Podpora said. He said the addition of three or four more students wouldnt be much different than when a new family moves into the district with several kids.

In Pennsylvania, charter schools are funded on a per-pupil basis, with public school districts required to send an annual funding amount similar to that home districts student allotment from the state.

Unlike the Hyndman school, which has educated students in classrooms as a brick-and-mortar school, many state charter schools operate as cyber-education providers with online lessons.

Pennsylvania Department of Education press secretary Erin James said Thurday that the department has contacted HOPE for Hyndman leaders to offer assistance during the transition.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A checklist of procedures is required any time an organization decides to end its charter, James said. Requirements include a public closure hearing and steps to ensure that students records are properly updated and transferred to the students next schools, the list shows.

When a charter school plans to close, the Pennsylvania Department of Education offers technical assistance and resources, James said. The school will need to work with its authorizer, the Bedford Area School District, as part of this process.
JACKSON COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN)  A man faces several charges following a standoff involving multiple Middle Tennessee law enforcement agencies.

Jackson County dispatch received an emergency call Thursday from a woman who said she was being assaulted by her boyfriend. Though she was able to get away with her child and take shelter in a nearby camper, the Jackson County Sheriffs Department said she warned responding deputies that the suspect, Robert Kail of Washington state, was in possession of a high-powered rifle, shotgun a handgun [sic] and that he was extremely irate.

CRIME TRACKER | Read the latest crime-related reports from across Middle Tennessee

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Kail reportedly refused to exit the residence, turning off all lights in the house. Eventually, officers were able to get the woman and her child to safety where they relocated for the night. Throughout the night, Kail allegedly threatened law enforcement officers with firearms. Officers with the Gainesboro City Police Department and the Tennessee Highway Patrol were called to assist, as was the Putnam County Sheriffs Office and Putnam County SWAT.

Friday morning, Putnam County SWAT executed a search warrant for the residence and deployed special weapons and tactics that led to Kails removal from the residence.

 Read todays top stories on wkrn.com

Kail faces six counts of aggravated assault on law enforcement officers and resisting arrest, according to the Jackson County Sheriffs Department. As of publication, Kail is in custody on a $165,000 bond.

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.
Mar. 7dbeard @dominionpost.com MORGANTOWN  School security guard legislation continues to wend its way through the Legislature, with a bill blending House and Senate versions earning unanimous House Judiciary Committee approval on Friday.

HB 2164 will now head to the House floor. It's the third iteration, blending House Education's version with SB 450, which passed out of Senate Education and has been sitting in Senate Finance (in the early part of each session, the respective finance committees hold agency budget hearings and bills needing financial review pile up in the queue).

The Hose provisions say public and charter schools, along with private and religious schools, may employ school safety officers. SSOs must be former law enforcement officers and may carry firearms. They may detain but not arrest a suspect.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The hiring school must cover the equipment costs and provide insurance coverage. The bill prescribes training for the SSOs.

In a new bill section, it brings in the Senate's West Virginia Guardian program. This allows public schools, including charters (private and religious schools do not appear n this section), to contract with a former law enforcement officer to provide Guardian services.

The powers are essentially the same as for an SSO. Adding this to the House version gives schools a choice of bringing on an officer either as an employee or as an independent contractor.

One change from SB 450 is HB 2164 cuts a provision providing qualified immunity from civil and criminal liability for the school and the Guardian. In substitutes an insurance requirement.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

For both SSOs and Guardians, this is an option for a school, not mandatory.

Last year, the competing House and Senate approaches went to conference committee on the last day of the 2024 session but went unresolved before the session adjourned and both bills died.

On Friday, Delegate Michael Hornby, R-Berkeley and a bill co-sponsor, said they've worked hard on this for the past two years. "It's about time we address this so that we can protect our kids."

Delegate Keith Marple, R-Harrison, said every school in his county has a resource officer, and that officer is always the most popular adult in the school. They have good rapport with the kids and the kids will come to them to share any problems they're having at school or at home.

"They've been able to rescue some kids from dangerous situations in their homes, " he said.

The bill now heads to the House floor.
Mar. 7MORGANTOWN  The Senate bill to ban ranked choice voting breezed through the House of Delegates this week, passed overwhelmingly on Friday and will soon head to the governor's desk.

SB 490 prohibits ranked choice voting  RCV  in local, state or federal elections. It defines ranked choice voting  generally abbreviated as RCV  as occurring in rounds where losers are eliminated until one candidate scores a clear majority.

RCV is used statewide in Alaska, Hawaii and Maine. RCV is prohibited in Idaho, Montana, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Senate passed SB 490 on Tuesday. The House received it on Tuesday and immediately took it up for first reading without any committee reference. It reached third reading on Friday.

On the House floor on Friday, it was said that the bill doesn't apply to internal party processes  a provision explicitly mentioned in the corresponding House bill, HB 2683, which was sidelined to the House inactive calendar when it reached second reading.

However, given that SB 490 explicitly states what elections it applies to, the consensus is that it effectively exempts internal party elections, Delegate Kayla Young, D-Kanawha, said RCV isn't used anywhere in the state. "This is a waste of time. We're not helping people here. I'll be a no."

Judiciary chair JB Akers, R-Kanawha, said the bill is a proactive measure, to keep RCV from taking effect here.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Delegate Mike Pushkin, D-Kanawha, pointed out that the blue chairs at all the delegates' desks  purchased during the chamber renovation completed before the 2024 session  were chosen from among a group of candidates by ranked choice voting.

It worked well for that, he said, and it can work well in an election with a crowded slate of candidates. It can also promote civility, where a candidate doesn't want to alienate another candidate's voters and jeopardize a chance of being at least a second choice.

"We're banning something that we don't have, " he said.

Supporting the bill, Delegate Larry Kump, R-Berkeley, said, "For sure and for certain, ranked choice voting is a Rube Goldberg political scheme." RCV primaries are often called jungle primaries. "Ranked choice voting will confuse voters in West Virginia and undermine confidence in election integrity."

The vote was 87-9, with all opposition votes from Democrats.
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  Hundreds of job seekers lined up outside Southwestern College in Chula Vista on Friday for a chance at one of the 800 positions available at the soon-to-open Gaylord Pacific Resort and Convention Center.

Some applicants arrived as early as 3 a.m., hoping to make a strong first impression at the job fair, hosted by the San Diego Workforce Partnership.

As of 4 p.m. Friday, organizers say they had processed about a thousand applicants and are expecting many more as the hiring fair continues.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ive been looking for a new job ever since last year, said Reginald Jackson, 24, who dressed to impress in hopes of landing a front desk position. I feel like Im a good people person, so I feel like front desk would be right up my alley.

A luxury resort in California recently banned kids. Is that legal?

Others are hoping to apply their specialized skills.

I work in the med spa, said Annalisa Soto, an esthetician. I do facials, waxing  stuff thats relaxing for you and self-care.

The Gaylord Pacific Resort, set to open in May along the Chula Vista Bayfront, will feature multiple amenities, including 12 restaurants. The hotel is seeking to fill roles in food and beverage service, housekeeping, banquet services and other hospitality positions.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Theyve got a lot of positions for food and beverage, for front desk, for stewarding, for banquet servers, housekeeping, said Marian Daryaie of the San Diego Workforce Partnership.

The majority of the new hires will likely come from the South Bay area, a development Chula Vista Mayor John McCann said will be a boost to the local economy.

I grew up in Chula Vista and it used to be all industrial, McCann said. Now were going to have a peoples bayfront. Were going to have three times as many hiking and walking trails, were going to have a new park, and were going to have great jobs and a hotel people can enjoy.

Beyond job creation, McCann said the Gaylord Pacific project is expected to generate tens of millions of dollars in new revenue for the city.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As mayor, I want to make sure I take a portion of that money and invest it back into our infrastructure, especially in our older communities, he said.

The resorts hiring team is looking for candidates with a positive attitude, whether they have years of hospitality experience or are new to the industry.

We are looking for passionate, service-minded individuals, said Peter Borum, director of marketing for Gaylord Pacific. It doesnt matter if you are just getting started or have years of experience in the hospitality industry. Come with a great attitude and a smile to show youre the type of person wed love to put in front of our guests or work with behind the scenes.

For Jackson, the opportunity to work for such a well-known company is exciting.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Working for a company like this, an organization like this, is big, he said.

San Diegos largest rummage sale takes place at Balboa Park this weekend

The job fair continues through the weekend and will be held again next Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

For those looking to attend the fair, hiring managers say a few steps must be taken before arriving at Southwestern College in person. Candidates must first apply online through the resorts website and register for a specific hiring fair date once the application is complete.

Upon arrival at the job fair, people are asked to bring two confirmation emails: one showing completion of the application and one showing the hiring fair registration.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Candidates who have not completed both steps may not be eligible for an interview and could be turned away, the resort says.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
By Timour Azhari

(Reuters) -More than 1,000 people have been killed in two days of clashes between gunmen and security forces linked to Syria's new Islamist rulers and fighters from Bashar al-Assad's Alawite sect in the country's coastal region, a war monitor said on Saturday.

The casualties included 745 civilians, 125 members of the Syrian security forces and 148 fighters loyal to Assad, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Reuters could not independently verify the reports.

Rami Abdulrahman, the head of the observatory, said the widespread killings in Jableh, Baniyas and surrounding areas in Syria's Alawite heartland amounted to the worst violence for years in a 13-year-old civil conflict. The victims included women and children from the Alawite minority, he said.

The new ruling authority on Thursday began a crackdown on what it said was a nascent insurgency after deadly ambushes by militants linked to former president Assad's government.

Several dozen members of the security forces have been killed in heavy clashes with militants, a Syrian security official said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Officials have acknowledged violations during the operation, which they have blamed on unorganized masses of civilians and fighters who sought to support official security forces or commit crimes amid the chaos of the fighting.

A defence ministry source on Saturday told state media that all roads leading to the coast had been blocked to stop violations and help return calm, with security forces deploying in streets of coastal cities.

The source added that an emergency committee set up to monitor violations would refer anyone found not to have obeyed the orders of the military command to a military court.

The reported scale of the violence, which includes reports of an execution-style killing of dozens of Alawite men in one village, puts into further question the Islamist ruling authority's ability to govern in an inclusive manner, which Western and Arab capitals have said is a key concern.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Assad was overthrown last December after decades of dynastic rule by his family marked by severe repression and a devastating civil war.

Syria's interim president, Ahmed Sharaa, while backing the crackdown in a televised address late on Friday, said security forces should not allow anyone to "exaggerate in their response ... because what differentiates us from our enemy is our commitment to our values."

"When we give up on our morals, us and our enemy end up on the same side," he said, adding that civilians and captives should not be mistreated.

FAMILY AND FRIENDS IN MOURNING

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Syrian Facebook on Saturday was filled with images and obituaries of people from the coastal area being mourned by family and friends who said they had been killed.

Abdulrahman, a leading critical voice against the Assad-led government who documented its alleged killings for more than a decade, said: "This is not about being pro or against the former Assad regime. These are sectarian massacres that aim to expel the Alawite population from their homes."

The defence ministry and internal security agency said on Saturday they were trying to restore calm and order and prevent any violations against civilians in the coastal region.

Six residents of the coastal region said thousands of Alawites and Christians had fled their homes since Thursday, fearing for their lives.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Several hundred, mostly women and children and elders, sought refuge at a Russian Mediterranean military base at Hmeimim in Latakia, according to footage from the scene and two people familiar with the matter.

Abdulrahman and four people in the coastal region who spoke on condition of anonymity said killings, looting and burning of homes had continued overnight in Baniyas and in surrounding villages.

Reuters could not independently verify the assertions.

(Reporting by Timour Azhari in Beirut, Suleiman al-Khalidi in Amman and Damascus Bureau; Editing by Sharon Singleton, Timothy Heritage, Angus MacSwan and Daniel Wallis)
Hundreds of protesters gathered Friday afternoon on the grassy Halifax Mall in downtown Raleigh to champion the value of scientific research.

The rally was one of more than 30 planned Stand Up for Science 2025 events nationwide, from Washington, D.C., to San Francisco, to counter sweeping Trump administration actions attendees say have hamstrung critical, and at times life-saving, work.

My husband and I have come out here to show our support for science, for researchers, and to show that science and research is not something you can just push away, said Katherine Sivek, a language instructor from Zebulon who last year was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrigs disease.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Seated in a motorized wheelchair, Sivek held a sign that emphasized the importance National Institutes of Health funding has had on her treatment at Duke Universitys ALS Clinic.

Hundreds attend the Stand Up for Science rally at Halifax Mall in Raleigh, N.C., Friday, March 7, 2025. The rally was one of over 30 rallies across the country to protest Pres. Donald Trump and Elon Musks cuts of scientific funding and what they consider anti-science orders.

NIH is the nations largest public funder of scientific research. In 2024, it awarded North Carolina researchers just shy of $2 billion across 2,822 projects, according to the NIH. While North Carolina is the ninth most populated state, it was sixth in NIH funding last year.

Duke and UNC-Chapel Hill combined to receive more than half the states total funding.

Since Donald Trump took office, the agencys grant approval process has stalled. The administrations 15% cap on indirect NIH grant payments for facilities and administrative costs, which is being challenged in court, would mean large medical institutions like Duke and UNC get hundreds of millions of dollars less each year.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Speakers at the Stand Up For Science rally included local researchers, nonprofit advocates and U.S. Rep. Deborah Ross, a Wake County Democrat. Signs held throughout the crowd rebuked cost-cutting efforts by billionaire Elon Musk, who has led the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency.

Hundreds attend the Stand Up for Science rally at Halifax Mall in Raleigh, N.C., Friday, March 7, 2025. The rally was one of over 30 rallies across the country to protest Pres. Donald Trump and Elon Musks cuts of scientific funding and what they consider anti-science orders.

I dont care if theyre not your political party, you need to contact members of Congress and tell them the consequences of these cuts, Ross told a small number of rallygoers after addressing the full crowd.

Stephan Moll, a blood clot expert in UNCs Division of Hematology, said he attended the rally to promote scientific veracity.

Its this introduction into the thinking of people that science and truth doesnt really matter, he said. That you make something up, and if you repeat it many times, then people think maybe that is a truth.
BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungary and the United States will agree on an economic cooperation package that will help the Hungarian economy and could offset the effect of possible U.S. tariffs, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Saturday.

Orban, a long-time supporter of U.S. President Donald Trump, said that the economic package would expand on the already existing political alliance between Hungary and the United States.

The Hungarian PM said that such an economic agreement would help Hungary even if a trade war between the U.S. and the European Union breaks out.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

U.S. President Donald Trump said last week that his administration would soon announce a 25% tariff on goods from the EU, which the Republican leader said had been created to "screw" the United States.

"Hungary will suffer losses [in a trade war], just like all European Union member states. We do not yet know its extent, but we can be sure that it will happen," Orban said at the annual conference of the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

He added that Hungary has a good chance of reaching an agreement with Washington, and that the package needs to be able to restrict or entirely negate the effect of a possible trade war within Hungary.

Hungarian officials are already negotiating the renewal of a tax treaty between the two countries that was terminated by the previous American administration, Orban said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Other elements of the agreement will help Hungary to "offset, at a national economic level, the losses caused by U.S. tariffs imposed on Europe and will provide compensation both in monetary and real economic terms."

Although Central and Eastern Europe's direct trade exposure to the U.S. was limited, growth prospects were likely to be hit through the German car sector if the 25% tariffs proposed by Trump come into effect, S&P Global Ratings told Reuters.

(Reporting by Anita Komuves; Editing by Sharon Singleton and Louise Heavens)
For Ukrainians, more than three years into Russias full-scale invasion, the war isnt just being fought in the trenches. Its in the museums, and in the cultural heritage they seek to preserve.

Amid the continuing onslaught, the countrys historical centers  which, one could argue, hold the cultural identity of Ukraine  have struggled. Heritage sites have been damaged; museums have been looted; artifacts have been stolen. And these catastrophes arent random  legal experts and historians claim Russia intentionally targets artistic and cultural sites as a way to eradicate Ukrainian identity.

Even if we have an advantage on the battlefield, but they destroy all our museums, burn all our books, will we be able to remain Ukrainian? asked Halyna Chyzhyk, a legal expert working to protect Ukraines remaining cultural sites. What will we have left?

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Politically, Ukraine has also seen its largest ally, the US, see-saw from backing its cause to diplomatically aligning with Russia, as US President Donald Trump attempts to rush a peace deal. Meanwhile, Russia has continued its offensive, launching its largest drone attack of the last three years on the eve of the wars anniversary.

Still, Ukrainian art historians and museum directors are doing everything they can to retrieve stolen works and protect what remains.

As of January, UNESCO has verified damage to 476 cultural properties  ranging from cathedrals to museums, monuments and libraries. The Ukrainian Heritage Monitoring Lab puts the toll higher, telling CNN that in its 128 expeditions it has reliably documented more than 1,200 damaged cultural heritage sites and cultural infrastructure across the country. As Chyzhyk, and countless cultural industry experts have said, many sites have been directly targeted and destroyed by Russian forces, not just collateral damage.

Death-defying evacuations

As the war grinds on, historians and museum workers have begun taking evacuation measures into their own hands.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Historian Leonid Marushchak, co-founder of NGO Museum Open for Renovation, has evacuated almost 2 million artifacts  paintings, sculptures and so on  as Russian forces continue to target and desolate museums around the country.

Among the evacuated exhibits was a stone sculpture of a lion, which may be up to 1,000 years old. It was stored at a museum in Bakhmut, a town captured by Russians after heavy fighting that lasted for more than six months.

Hundreds of UNESCO sites have been damaged during the three-year full-scale invasion, including this church in the village of Mala Komyshuvakha, Kharkiv region. - Ihor Tkachov/AFP/Getty Images

I couldnt sleep because of this lion, Marushchak said. When the city was almost destroyed and even museum walls were falling down, we went there to get that lion out.

For many historians and museums, documenting the destruction is a significant part of the restoration process. Crimes have to be recorded while there are still traces of them, said Vasyl Rozhko, founder of the Ukrainian Heritage Monitoring Lab.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As an example, he used a church built in the 1860s in the northern village of Vyazivka, which sustained some damage in the attacks in 2022 and collapsed less than a year later. The team made a 3D model of the church, and later a laser scan. But while deciding how exactly to save the structure, the church collapsed. The only thing left was that 3D model, Rozhko said.

Some objects can stand (after damage) but some cannot, he added. And if we dont document and record them, we wont even know what to save.

For others, preservation looks a little different. At the Khanenko Museum in Kyiv, one of the biggest art museums in the country, director Yulia Vaganova and her team have determined that the only way to save the collection  comprised primarily of art from other Western European countries, not Ukraine  is to show it.

A visitor admires the work "Virgin and Child," dating from the 6th century, from Kyiv's Khanenko Museum, on display at the Louvre in Paris. - Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP/Getty Images

Sometimes, that means transferring the artwork to other museums in Europe. In 2023, for protection, Vaganova transferred 16 works to the Louvre, which briefly showcased five of them as an exhibit. At the Royal Castle in Warsaw, 37 works from the Khanenko are also on display.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In the museum, we asked ourselves: What should we do? And who are we as a museum? What is our work during the war? And if we were just a storage facility, we would probably just have to close down, Vaganova said. But a museum is always broader than just preserving works.

Show of support

Still, showcasing an exhibit is different now than before the invasion. Every two weeks, curators select one small item from the collection and show it for one day, before packing it up and moving it back to safety. For a museum housing 25,000 works, presenting just a single item is a downsize. But it also gives the curators a chance to highlight something that may have gone overlooked before the invasion. And the audience has responded.

You can see how much people miss the collection. You can see how longingly and sometimes tenderly they appreciate that the museum is open, that they can come here, Vaganova said. There is a lot of support, warmth and tenderness in this, but also fragility.

The empty halls of Kyiv's Khanenko Museum. The permanent exhibition was evacuated after the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. - Nastya Telikova/Global Images Ukraine/Getty Images

At any point, she explains, the museum can be targeted. Their collections are vulnerable, and the team may not be able to secure everything. Even for a museum of mostly international works, its existence is part of Ukrainian heritage, Vaganova said.

I sat on the floor in the empty storage rooms and cried

Other museum bosses are still on a mission to retrieve tens of thousands of artifacts stolen early on in the full-scale invasion.

Director of the Kherson Art Museum, Alina Dotsenko, was left devastated after around 10,000 artifacts were looted in the early months of war. - Wojciech Grzedzinski/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

A few months before February 24, 2022, founder of the Kherson Art Museum Alina Dotsenko and her team happened to have packed away the sites entire collection, to prepare for restoration work on the building.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But seven months later, in October 2022, a different kind of invasion occurred. Groups of museum workers from Russian-occupied Crimea found out about the hidden collection and loaded about 10,000 of the museums artifacts and works into trucks and drove them away.

Weeks later, after Kherson was liberated by the Ukrainian army, Dotsenko visited the once-full and methodized storage facilities. There were only empty racks left.

A Kherson Art Museum worker shows one of the remaining works left: a painting of Vladimir Lenin. - Wojciech Grzedzinski/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Im not touchy, Dotsenko says, recalling the moment from years prior. But I just slid down the wall, sat on the floor in the empty storage rooms, and just cried.

Just like that, the Kherson museums once robust collection dwindled to just about 3,000 artifacts.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Dotsenko tracked down some of the works thanks to pictures from a journalist showing the same trucks unloading at a museum in Crimea. When Dotsenko and her team claimed theft, the Crimean museum said it was trying to preserve the collection, Dotsenko said.

Dotsenko still has the documents detailing the Kherson museums stock. Those records have allowed her and her team to uncover exactly what and how much was taken. Theyve hidden the remaining collection and helped open criminal cases for the rest, she said, but theres little else she can do.

We are working for this every day, Dotsenko said. And I dont know how it will end.

Workers remove the statue of Ukrainian philosopher Hryhorii Skovoroda after Russian bombing of the Hryhorii Skovoroda Literary Memorial Museum in May 2022. - Ricardo Moraes/Reuters

Such retrieval attempts arent just a way to preserve valuable history. In some ways, the aim is to preserve Ukraine itself.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In 2022, the historic home of Hryhorii Skovoroda  a famous Ukrainian poet and philosopher  was destroyed in a missile strike, along with the museum of his work. The home, located in a tiny village and not nearby any obvious military targets, has been considered an act of cultural vandalism.

Recalling that attack, Chyzhyk said these offenses are of great symbolic importance. The goal doesnt seem to be any particular monument or structure, she said. Instead, the goal is seemingly destroying as many historical and cultural artifacts as possible, even the ones that only matter to small communities. Even if they cant kill the people, Chyzhyk said, they can kill the very things that make them Ukrainian.

An impossible task

However, fully protecting any of the artwork is impossible, said Vaganova. You cant just move a museum from the east, which borders Russia, to the west. There arent huge storage facilities; no bunkers with doors big enough for thousands of priceless art to be contained. Wherever you store the art, she said, it could still be bombed.

The Khanenko Museum in Kyiv is now eerily empty, bar a few wrapped statues. - Nastya Telikova/Global Images Ukraine/Getty Images

Even if a museum diligently evacuates its work, there can still be damage, added Rozhko. Some of them arent packed well or accounted for; there can also be deterioration.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Often, such evacuation can be even more harmful than being in the occupied territory, he said.

In short: Theres no correct answer; no handbook dictating the exact right way to preserve an entire countrys cultural history. If you hide the works, like Dotsenko, they can be found and stolen. If you evacuate them, they can be damaged. If you leave them, they could be destroyed.

There is no right solution to this case at all. It simply does not exist, said Vaganova. And this is, of course, the nightmare of every museum director.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
CINCINNATI, Ohio (WDTN)  The Cincinnati Reds have named former Dragon and All-Star Hunter Greene as the 2025 Opening Day starting pitcher against the Giants.

It marks the second Opening Day nod for Greene, who started against the division rival Pirates in 2023.

At just 23 years old, Greene was the clubs youngest Opening Day starter since 1980.

Your 2025 Opening Day Starter, Hunter Greene pic.twitter.com/gib97M9om4  Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) March 7, 2025

Greene was 9-5 with a career-best 2.75 ERA in 2024, during his All-Star and Cy Young candidate campaign.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Reds and Giants will meet on Thursday, March 27 at Great American Ball Park to open the 2025 season.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
MONROEVILLE, Ohio (WJW)  A Monroeville Local Schools teacher has been arrested and charged with rape, according to the Huron County Sheriffs Office.

Holly Bauer, 42, of Monroeville, was taken into custody on Friday after the sheriffs office finished its six-month investigation, the department said in a press release.

Courtesy of Huron County Sheriffs Office

The Huron County Sheriffs Office investigation led to the execution of multiple search warrants and subpoenas that resulted in the collection of evidence from social media platforms, electronic service providers and other sources, the sheriffs office said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

NE Ohio couple charged after hundreds of living and dead rats found inside home

Investigators said the alleged incidents occurred between early 2022 and late 2023.

Bauer was booked into the Huron County jail. She faces a felony count of rape, according to the sheriffs office.

The dedication of our deputies and investigators ensures that those responsible for such offenses are held accountable, the sheriffs office continued.

Officials said Bauer was suspended from her position at Monroeville Local Schools before her arrest. FOX 8 reached out to the district for 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 Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden has released a detailed timeline regarding the arrest of Erick Lopez-Hernandez.

Lopez-Hernandez was arrested on February 20, following a shooting incident involving the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.

He is charged with attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill. Despite an initial inquiry to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, no detainer was issued until February 28, which later expired on March 2 without any action from ICE.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ive been saying it repeatedly. This case is a clear example that the current deportation process is failing, Sheriff McFadden said.

On February 20, after being hospitalized due to a shooting involving CMPD, Lopez-Hernandez was arrested on outstanding warrants. An initial arrest query was sent to ICE at 1:43 p.m., and ICE confirmed his previous deportation in 2023 but did not issue a detainer at that time.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Suspect charged following officer-involved shooting at south Charlotte QuikTrip

On February 28, ICE issued a detainer at 7:35 a.m., and later that day, Sheriff McFadden received an email from ICEs Atlanta Field Office requesting notification upon Lopez-Hernandezs release.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The detainer expired on March 2 at 7:35 a.m., with no pickup attempt by ICE. Sheriff McFadden suggested ICE charge Lopez-Hernandez with Re-Entry After Deportation, a federal crime under 8 U.S.C. 1326.

On March 6, ICE informed MCSO that the case was being presented to the Assistant U.S. Attorney for criminal prosecution. Despite the outcome, ICE expected notification upon any release.

By March 7, Sheriff McFadden checked for any new detainer or federal warrant but found none. He reiterated that MCSO would not hold detainees without proper judicial authorization, citing the need for a new detainer or warrant to comply with state law.

Sheriff McFadden has called for comprehensive immigration reform, highlighting the burden placed on local authorities by federal immigration policies. He emphasized the need for judicial oversight and proper legal documentation for detentions.

VIDEO: Suspect charged following officer-involved shooting at south Charlotte QuikTrip
The ICT Newscast for Friday, March 7, a discovery in a Canadian landfill, Leonard Peltier speaks out and a new step for food sovereignty. Check out the ICT News on YouTube or this episode and more.

Human remains are discovered in the Prairie Green Landfill near Winnipeg. Relatives of missing and murdered Indigenous women speak out. APTN has this report.

Graham Lee Brewer of the Associated Press was granted an exclusive interview with Leonard Peltier in North Dakota. The American Indian Movement activist spent nearly 50 years in prison, in connection with the murder of two FBI agents in South Dakota.

ICTs Kevin Abourezk talked with Brewer about the interview.

Mystery lovers are gearing up for the next installment of Dark Winds. Sandra Schulman has this interview with actress Jessica Matten--about her role and new projects.

After seven years of influencing media, policy, and public perception, illuminative is closing its doors.

The Big Sky Documentary Film Festival features Indigenous and youth voices.

Naloxone, or Narcan, can save a life in drug overdoses. The Lincoln, Nebraska Indian Center hosts a training.

View previous ICT broadcasts here every week for the latest news from around Indian Country.

ICT is owned by IndiJ Public Media, a nonprofit news organization. Will you support our work? All of our content is free. There are no subscriptions or costs. And we have hired more Native journalists in the past year than any news organization  and with your help we will continue to grow and create career paths for our people. Support ICT for as little as $10. Sign up for ICTs free newsletter.
Is this your deputy?

That was one of the many questions asked by an Idaho woman before she was forcibly grabbed, picked up, dragged and removed from a chaotic legislative town hall event in Coeur dAlene on Feb. 22 by four unidentified men dressed in plain clothes.

In widely circulated videos that have garnered international attention, Teresa Borrenpohl was seated in the Coeur dAlene High School auditorium as she pointed at a man dressed in gray pants, a plain black zip-up and an earpiece. Borrenpohl asked Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris if the unknown man worked for him.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Norris didnt answer her.

And despite continual pleas from the Post Falls resident and others in the crowd, none of the men identified themselves as they dragged her body across the floor and out of the crowd, with Norris at one point saying that it doesnt matter who the men are, according to footage reviewed by the Idaho Statesman.

The Idaho Republican Party announced Friday its support for the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee. Its the first time the states Republican Party has addressed the high-profile incident since it occurred nearly two weeks ago.

In a statement, the organization said newly released police bodycam footage and videos from the event provided a clearer picture of what transpired, adding that the security personnel were professional and clearly identified.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Idaho Republican Party condemns the hecklers veto as an assault on reason, not a defense of rights, the states Republican Party said in a news release. Choices matter, and some have questioned the KCRCCs actions without addressing the conduct that necessitated them  clarity requires both sides of the story.

The KCRCC has carried this burden with resolve, and we stand with them, the news release added.

Borrenpohl is seen held against the ground after a Feb. 22 Legislative Town Hall, hosted by the KCRCC, turned volatile.

But video footage posted by the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee doesnt show any of the security guards wearing uniforms or items that visibly identify them as security. And under the city of Coeur dAlenes code, they were expected to be easily identifiable as security guards.

In the summer of 2024, the Coeur dAlene City Council amended its municipal code to better regulate the licensing of security agents  including adding language that requires security agents to wear uniforms that clearly state security on the front and back of their uniforms.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The men who detained Borrenpohl were later identified by the Coeur dAlene Police Department as employees of Lear Asset Management, a private security firm that operates throughout the northwest.





But none of the men who detained Borrenpohl  which included Lear Asset Management CEO Paul Trouette  wore uniforms that identified them as security agents. The other men were identified as Christofer Berg, Jesse Jones and Alexander Trouette, according to the Coeur dAlene Press.

All the men were wearing green or dark pants with zip-up jackets, but none of their jackets bore security labels, though one mans jacket had Velcro attached to it on the front and arm where a patch could have been placed.

Trouette, of Hayden, told the Coeur dAlene City Council when members voted last year to amend the city code that his companys uniforms have giant patches on the back of their uniforms and lettering on the front that identify employees as security, according to a recording of a city council meeting reviewed by the Statesman.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Its very large, very bold, Trouette said.

Lear Asset Management didnt respond to a request for comment or several questions sent by the Statesman via email.

Borrenpohl  who has since hired an attorney  told an officer with the Coeur dAlene Police Department following the detainment that none of the men identified themselves and refused to tell her who they were, according to footage posted by the KCRCC.

As far as Im concerned, I have random men accosting me in a public space, Borrenpohl told the officer, though the officer later told her that the men did identify themselves but that Borrenpohl didnt hear them.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Since then, city leaders have quickly responded to the incident: Coeur dAlene police announced they were investigating the incident. The citys prosecuting attorneys office moved to dismiss a citation for battery against Borrenpohl. And Lear Asset Management?

The city of Coeur dAlene revoked its business license for violating the citys municipal code. Coeur dAlene Police Sgt. Jared Reneau told the Statesman in a phone interview that specifically the mens uniforms were in violation because they werent identifiable as security.

Thats a big problem for us, he said.

There were some other problems, including the guards failure to notify the Coeur dAlene Police Department about Borrenpohls alleged crime, Reneau added. He said that if the agents believed she was trespassing because she didnt leave the event when asked, the men could have called the police before doing anything, and officers could have intervened if needed.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Coeur dAlene High School, which is north of downtown, is within the citys police departments jurisdiction and not the Kootenai County Sheriffs Office. While sheriffs have jurisdiction over the entire county, typically anything within a city falls to the corresponding police department, and the sheriffs office will respond if asked. Despite this, Norris  who directed members of Lear Asset Management to remove Borrenpohl  told the Coeur dAlene Press that it wasnt the Coeur dAlene Police Departments place to intervene in the incident.

They dont have jurisdiction, he told the Press. They would not have come into a private event held at the high school, and the person who secures the location gets to set the protocols of what occurs.

The Kootenai County Sheriffs Office wasnt involved in the event, according to a news release from the agency. Kootenai County Lt. Jeff Howard said in a phone interview that the reason Norris was in attendance was because hed been asked by the event organizers to lead the Pledge of Allegiance.

There will be an outside independent investigation to decide whether Norris violated any agency polices, Howard told the Statesman, adding that the investigation was prompted since there has been a lot of outcry over the way Borrenpohl was removed. Norris requested the investigation, Howard added.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Its not yet known who will handle the outside investigation, but Howard said it would fall to a neighboring law enforcement agency aside from the Coeur dAlene Police Department since they are handling the criminal investigation.

Howard said its not uncommon for private security to detain someone, but it becomes a problem when it gets out of hand.

Thats why we have all these other investigations going on, he said.

Community members protested the actions of Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris at a recent town hall.

Private security doesnt have special privileges

Theres no real difference between a private security officer and a private citizen, Duke Law Professor Ben Grunwald told the Statesman, though he said specifics can vary state by state, and some states might give security officers more authority.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Dont take that to mean that private security officers dont have real power, Grunwald said. This is kind of a not-so-well-known fact, but private citizens actually have a fair amount of powers that are a little bit like what police officers can do.

In a lot of states, private citizens have the right to a citizens arrest, he added. That is the thing that we sometimes see on TV, or maybe it doesnt seem like a real thing  but it is a real thing.

This is the case in Idaho. Private security agents arent given special privileges, and under state law, they have the same rights as private citizens: the ability to make a citizens arrest.

Under Idaho law, a private citizen can arrest someone when a public offense was committed or attempted in their presence or when someone has committed a felony in or out of their presence, and the citizen has reasonable cause to believe the person committed the crime.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This doesnt include misdemeanor-level crimes that happened outside of someones presence, as police arent even able to arrest someone for those types of crimes unless they saw it happen or they have a warrant, according to a 2019 Idaho Supreme Court ruling.

In the case of a citizens arrest, Grunwald said a private citizen can use a reasonable amount of force to restrain someone until law enforcement arrives, but if that citizen ends up being wrong about whether the other individual committed a crime, that citizen might be exposing themselves to a lot more liability.

Speaking broadly in very big general terms, they are exposing themselves to more potential liability than police, either through criminal sanctions or civil sanctions, Grunwald said.

Citizens should feel safe at public events, Coeur dAlene School District says

The Kootenai County Republican Central Committee, in a statement, said it informed the town halls attendees that the event was a private event and that any disruptors would be asked to leave. People were heard cheering or jeering during the event, and the KCRCC said Borrenpohl interjected seven times.

The First Amendment does not protect the right to interfere with others freedoms, and Borrenpohls behavior crossed this line, the committee said in a statement. They added that she has disrupted other meetings and alleged that her actions align with a broader pattern of Democrats targeting similar events.

In one video that starts just before the incident begins, the events emcee, Ed Bejarana, reprimanded people for speaking out.

You folks who are just popping off with stupid remarks, you are not taking into account the people sitting next to you, Bejarana said onstage in the video. Theres a bunch of people that came here to hear them.

Borrenpohl then yelled multiple times over him from the crowd and asked, Is this a town hall or a lecture? The video then pans to Norris, who leaned across the aisle, gesturing at Borrenpohl to come with him. Various attendees can be heard clapping or booing while Bejarana is in the background saying, Get them out.

If you cant be civil, then get out, he added.

Norris then turned toward the stage before going back to Borrenpohl and telling her to Get up or be arrested, the video showed. Its unclear in the video whether Norris ever told Borrenpohl what shed be arrested for, but when Coeur dAlene police officers arrived, he requested that she be arrested for trespassing, the Coeur dAlene Press reported.

We respectfully informed the sheriff that, since this was an open to the public event, we are not going to arrest anyone for trespassing, Coeur dAlene Police Chief Lee White told the Press. That would be inappropriate.

White told the Press that its not appropriate to forcefully remove someone from a town hall for speaking out of turn, adding that they have to respect everybodys First Amendment rights, regardless of what side of the aisle you happen to sit on.

Body camera footage posted on Facebook by the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee, though, showed the Coeur dAlene police officer who initially cited Borrenpohl inform her that they could have charged her for trespassing or disorderly conduct.

We were able to kind of talk the sheriff off the ledge a little bit, the officer told Borrenpohl, according to the footage.

Coeur dAlene Mayor Woody McEvers, along with the citys council members, backed the chief, stating in a news release that the citys leaders have had a long history of strongly supporting human rights, civil rights and dignity for all. The Coeur dAlene School District  which signed off on the event  chimed in, stating that it unequivocally condemns any action or rhetoric that denies someone their constitutional rights.

Any person attending a public event in a public building should feel safe and able to participate without fear of being verbally or physically disrespected, assaulted or mistreated, the district said in a news release.

The Coeur dAlene School District said its schools are open to community groups to hold public events, and officials granted the Kootenai County Republican Central Committees request to host the February town hall. But the district added in the release that at no point was the event represented to them as a private meeting and that if it had been, the request wouldve been denied.

The behavior displayed at the town hall does not align with the districts expectations for respectful and constructive public discourse, the release said. Additionally, the conduct of many adults at the meeting does not model productive civil engagement for our students, our community, our state and beyond.
House Speaker Mike Moyle, left, and Sen. Kevin Cook, right, argue during a March 7 meeting of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee (Clark Corbin/ Idaho Capital Sun)

A dispute over changes to the Idaho Legislatures budget setting and voting procedures erupted publicly into a tense disagreement that played out during a committee meeting at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise on Friday.

The dispute reached a boiling point about 40 minutes into the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committees 8 a.m. meeting Friday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, or JFAC, is a powerful legislative committee made up of 10 members each from the Idaho House of Representatives and Idaho Senate.

JFAC generally meets daily during the legislative session and is responsible for setting every budget for every state agency and every department.

Whether its funding for public schools, raises for state employees, improvements to state parks, funding for Idaho Department of Health and Welfare programs or pay for state wildland firefighters, JFAC takes the lead in deciding where the states money is spent and who gets what.

SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Tensions were already high during a 7:30 a.m. pre-JFAC meeting on Friday that a reporter with the Idaho Capital Sun attended.

That tension ratcheted up again after JFACs regular meeting began at 8 a.m.

While debating a $2.5 million spending authority request for a multiyear federal grant the Idaho Commission on Libraries received, several JFAC members publicly disagreed over the committees voting procedures.

JFAC voted as one committee for years, but that changed about two years ago

For decades, JFAC voted as one committee.

But before the 2024 legislative session, committee co-chairs Rep. Wendy Horman, R-Idaho Falls, and Sen. Scott Grow, R-Eagle, announced major changes to JFACs voting and budgeting procedures.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

One of the changes, which was detailed in a February 2023 letter signed by Grow and Horman that was obtained by the Idaho Capital Sun, changed how JFAC votes are tallied and counted.

Idaho Legislature Budget and Policy Analyst France Lippett gives a presentation to the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee at the State Capitol building on Jan. 23, 2024. JFAC co-chairs Sen. Scott Grow, R-Eagle, (center) and Rep. Wendy Horman, R-Idaho Falls (right) are leading the meeting. (Otto Kitsinger for Idaho Capital Sun)

The letter states that members of the House and Senate Republican leadership determined JFAC would still use the joint voting procedures that had been used for decades, while also announcing the votes of House and Senate committee members separately.

If a bill receives majority support from the joint committee and does not receive majority support from the House or Senate committee, the bill will be sent to the house from which the majority of members did not vote in the affirmative, the February 2023 letter states.

This exact scenario came up Friday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Sen. Cindy Carlson, R-Riggins, made a motion to approve fiscal year 2026 budget enhancements for the Idaho Commission on Libraries that zeroed out all funding for the Digital Access for All Idahoans grant.

Last year, JFAC approved the spending authorization for the first year of the grant, and the Idaho Commission on Libraries sent out intent to award letters to more than a dozen local and remote libraries in Idaho. The grant is intended to help improve digital access to Idahoans who face barriers to accessing the internet. Much of the funding would benefit seniors 60 and over, Idahoans who live in rural communities, veterans, people with a disability and people with low income.

The grant money was going to pay for laptop and desktop computers across the state, including at the Burley Public Library, Challis Public Library, Plummer Public Library, Payette Public Library, Middleton Public Library and Prairie River Public Library.

However, Carlson said she looked into the grant and opposed it because it contains elements of DEI, diversity equity and inclusion. Opponents of the grant said it could be used to benefit people whose first language is not English, or people who do not speak English.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The 10 House members serving on JFAC gridlocked in a tie 5-5 vote, while the 10 members of the Idaho Senate serving on JFAC voted 6-4 to approve Carlsons motion.

The overall vote among all JFAC members was 11-9 in favor of Carlsons motion.

Horman, the Idaho Falls Republican who serves as JFAC co-chair, announced the motion failed because it did not receive a majority of the votes from both the 10 House members serving on JFAC and the 10 Senate members serving on JFAC.

After Carlsons motion gridlocked JFAC House members 5-5, Horman announced the motion failed. Horman did not send the Idaho Commission on Libraries bill to the House, the chamber where it failed to receive a majority of the votes.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

At that point, Sen. Kevin Cook, R-Idaho Falls, said he thought the bill did pass, noting the overall vote in JFAC was 11-9.



The majority did pass this bill, Cook told Horman. Eleven is the majority, so it did pass and it should go to the House (of Representatives) first, based on the letter on Feb. (10), 2023.

Horman disagreed.

Senator, the motion has failed, therefore there is nothing to send to the House, Horman told Cook.

Almost immediately, Sen. Jim Woodard, R-Sagle, spoke up and started to address Horman.

Madam Chair, were going to have to shut this down, Woodward said.

As Woodward was beginning to say, Were going to follow different rules Horman announced that she was putting the committee at ease, which brought the meeting to a halt.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Horman then banged her gavel once and indicated she wanted to discuss things in her office.

Horman told the Sun disagreements over budgets and procedures are part of the legislative and budget-setting processes. But she said some JFAC members were speaking out Friday without first being recognized by her as the committees chairwoman.

It is never in order for a committee member to speak without being recognized by the chair, Horman told the Sun. I welcome a robust discussion, but speaking without being recognized by the chair is never in order.

After Horman banged her gavel Friday, JFAC ground to a halt for eight minutes without any action.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

During that time, the Idaho in Session service that was providing live streaming coverage of the meeting cut audio from the committee room and began piping in music over the feed. The feed can be controlled in the committee room, by legislators or student pages assisting legislators.

House Speaker Mike Moyle, left, and Rep. Dustin Manwaring, center, talk during a Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee meeting March 7. (Clark Corbin/Idaho Capital Sun)

Meanwhile, the video feed shifted coverage from the dias where Horman and Grow sit to a shot of the seated audience that was watching the meeting in person.

For eight minutes, the public watching streaming video coverage had no idea legislators were arguing in the committee room.

However, a reporter from the Idaho Capital Sun and a reporter with Idaho Education News were in the room.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Shortly after the meeting went at ease, a couple of JFAC members appeared to go to Hormans office to meet.

Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Moyle, R-Star, who is not a member of JFAC, entered the JFAC committee room and began having a heated discussion with Cook and Rep. Dustin Manwaring, R-Pocatello, which lasted several minutes.

At one point Moyle and Cook were pointing at each other and arguing loudly as Rep. Sonia Galaviz, D-Boise, attempted to calm people down.

As for the Idaho Commission on Libraries budget enhancements, a separate motion intending to approve the grant funding also failed on a tie 5-5 vote, leaving the status of the budget in limbo.

Horman said JFAC will take the committee up at a later date.

Cook warned that if the budget doesnt advance some of last years money that was already approved might have to be clawed back. He also expressed concerns about cybersecurity.

Potentially adding to the uncertainty over how JFAC operates, some voting procedures JFAC uses appear to have changed in the last few days.

The procedures utilized Friday over the tie vote appeared to be different from the procedures JFAC initially used just a week earlier, on Feb. 28. When multiple Idaho Department of Correction budgets failed to receive a majority among the 10 Senate members serving on JFAC on Feb. 28, staffers and Grow initially tried to send those budgets to the floor of the Idaho Senate  the chamber where the budgets failed to receive a majority.

However, JFAC did not end up sending those Department of Correction budgets to the Senate and instead took them up again and passed two of them on Wednesday, including a $1 million request for body-worn cameras for correction staffers.

Speaker of the Idaho House discusses dispute over rules and procedures

It wasnt clear what Moyle and Cook said to each other Friday, but Moyle later told the Sun it involved disputes over budgets and voting.

Remember, JFAC is actually two committees, Moyle told the Sun. Its the Finance Committee from the Senate and the Appropriations Committee from the House. If (a bill) doesnt pass with the majority of the committee members on one body or the other, then its a failed motion. Theres really no bill to send (to the floor). Think about if a bill doesnt get the majority in the Senate State Affairs Committee, they cant send it to the floor. So the problem that we had with JFAC in the past, bills that have not passed that one committee or the other have been sent to the floor. That was the debate today because you saw a motion that passed one body, one committee, but not the other committee.

Need to get in touch?

Have a news tip?

CONTACT US

Moyle told the Sun he hopes to come up with rules and procedures everyone can agree to during the interim after the 2025 legislative session adjourns.

One of the issues with JFAC is the committee has not published the rules and procedures that govern JFAC. Instead, Horman said the committee is operating based on precedent.

During the Idaho Legislatures Dec. 5 organizational session leading up to the 2025 legislative session, the Idaho Senate and Idaho House took a different approach to rules.

Senate President Pro Tem Kelly Anthon, R-Rupert, made a motion to adopt the Senate rules and the joint rules of the Idaho Senate and Idaho House.

But House Majority Leader Jason Monks, R-Meridian, made a different motion. Monks only adopted the House rules, not the joint rules.

On Friday, Moyle told the Sun that was deliberate.

The problem with the joint rules, and thats part of the problem in JFAC, is the way the rules are written, Moyle told the Sun. Its Rule 11, which says that when joint committees meet like JFAC, that the chairman shall be (from) the Senate, and were not going to give up the ability to set agendas and share the chair. Basically, and thats the problem.

Moyle said he is interested in revisiting the rules.

When the Sun asked Moyle if there are discussions about completely breaking JFAC into two totally separate committees, Moyle said yes.

Theres been talk about that, Moyle said. Theres been talk about doing rules specifically for both those committees operating. But if you do that, you would have to have a rule change specifically for them, and it requires two-thirds of both bodies. So thats the problem. Thats what we need to meet in the interim and see if we can come up with something everybody can agree to when it comes to rules because there are some who want that joint committee to operate differently than others.

Since Tuesday, when the Idaho Senate passed a major income tax bill championed by Moyle, its been clear that the Idaho House has picked up the pace and is conducting two floor sessions a day to work toward adjourning the legislative session by the unofficial target date of March 21, in just two weeks.

Meanwhile, JFAC has fallen behind. On Friday, legislative staffers announced JFAC will not meet Monday in order to give bill drafters more time to write up several of the remaining budget bills.

JFAC has passed bare-bones maintenance of operations budgets for nearly all state agencies and departments. But dozens of other budget enhancements and supplemental funding requests, including the Idaho Commission on Libraries budget enhancements, budgets for some Medicaid programs, foster care, public defenders and vocational rehabilitation have not been finalized or passed.

The Sun asked Moyle on Friday if legislators are applying pressure to adjourn the session without addressing all of the budget enhancements and supplemental funding requests.

When the base budgets are done, we dont have to pass (the enhancements), thats what theyre telling me, Moyle said. I dont know if thats true. I think theres some important enhancements that we need and want, and I think that we need to look at those. But you know, theres some conflicts or differences in what those ought to be. You saw that today, you know, and thats why we have this process. You know, the Senate wants one thing, the House wants another. They need to work together to come up with a compromise. And that is what you saw happening today.

Horman also said some legislators want to end the session without providing funding for all of the budget enhancements and new spending requests.

That has never been our intent with changing processes, to prevent the enhancements from moving forward, Horman told the Sun. Some members would like to see no additional spending beyond the maintenance budgets, but that was never the goal of this transition. Our commitment is to bring those forward to the extent we can get agreement on them.

JFAC Feb 23 letter

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
CHICAGO  President Donald Trump is cutting funding for a program that farmers and food pantries say is vital to combating hunger in Illinois.

As of Tuesday, the Trump administration stopped reimbursing Illinois for a program that paid farmers to send food to state organizations that feed the needy.

Theres going to be a piece that affects the farmers, because we can no longer buy the product from them, and the other side is that we arent going to have as wide of a selection of fresh produce, dairy and protein that were going to be able to give our neighbors that are food insecure, Rooted for Good Executive Director Heather Edwards said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines

Illinois food banks and farmers are the latest to feel the impact of the Trump administrations drastic funding cuts and shifting policies.

Well be ending the flagrant waste of taxpayer dollars, Trump said during his joint address to Congress on Tuesday night.

The Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA) uses federal funds to buy fresh food from farmers and send it to food banks around the state.

As one of the farmers, and trying to run a farm business, one of the big impacts for us is, its really thrown us into a spot of, Do we plant the crops and hope the money comes through, because right now, you know, weve already started all of our tomato seeds to plant for this summer, so it leaves us with a lot of uncertainty, Mighty Greens Farm owner Katie Palomares said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The LFPA was recently notified by the Trump administration that there would be no reimbursements after Jan. 19, 2025. the day before Trump took office.

The cuts are part of a massive effort by the Trump administration to make the government smaller and more efficient, but farmers say it is having the opposite effect.

The chaos around What do we do, how do we plan? So I feel less efficient now because I dont know how to plan for the future and the future of this program. So its caused more chaos and inefficiency than anything else, Palomares said.

The USDA originally approved $43 million in grant funding for the state, but Illinois will be missing $17.8 million that it had been promised.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Everythings planned. You know its not like you can switch on and off, Mei Shao, the owner of Sunny Oaks Farm in Sycamore, said. You cant cut across the board. As a farmer were already very struggled, we need to deal with natural disasters, you know we need to deal with labor. And with this cut were going to actually waste a lot of money.

Cutting funds for these programs is a slap in the face to Illinois farmers and the communities they feed. The Trump Administrations refusal to release grant funds doesnt just hurt farmers in the program, it devastates our most vulnerable, food-insecure communities relying on meat, fresh produce and other nutritious donations, Governor JB Pritzker said ina statement on Tuesday:

According to Pritzker, the cuts are part of $2 billion in expected federal funding that is being withheld from Illinois under 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 WGN-TV.
JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV)  Amid ongoing focus related to jobs held by foreigners, a recent analysis provides perspective on how many jobs immigrants have in Mississippi.

USAFacts defines immigrants as foreign-born residents who became U.S. citizens, are authorized to work in the U.S., or are undocumented residents. Nationally, they make up 16.8% of the total working-age population and roughly 18% of the overall workforce. In Mississippi, those percentages are 2.9% and 3.4%, respectively. The state has the smallest share of immigrants in its overall workforce nationally.

Immigrant workers in Mississippi are overrepresented in a variety of fields, including leisure, hospitality and construction. The immigrant share of the workforce for these industries was disproportionally higher compared to even national averages.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In 2023, there were about 75,300 immigrants in Mississippi. This translates to about 2.6% of residents. In the United States, the foreign-born population grew more than 4% between 2019-2023. In Mississippi, it grew more than 23% during the same period. Still, the United States has a much higher share of foreign-born residents, at 14.3% of its overall population.

Whats the importance of H-1B visas in Mississippi?

Mississippis labor force participation rate has been among the lowest nationally for several years. The rate among Mississippis immigrant population is 12% higher than the native-born population.

Many workers apply for a work visa, another focus of political controversy in recent months. Before the immigrant worker applies for a work visa, the prospective employer must effectively sponsor them to work there. This is done through a Labor Condition Application (LCA). Most job openings related to H-1B Visas relate to higher education or healthcare in Mississippi.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Many H-1B workers go on to obtain permanent residency. This process, called Labor Certification, is also done by the employer.

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.
Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was released from prison Saturday after a court ruled his detention over insurrection charges was invalid.

The conservative president faces charges for his December effort to impose martial law that thrust the country into chaos. The South Korean parliament separately voted to oust Yoon on Dec. 3 with a 204-85 vote.

Footage shared online shows the impeached president leaving the prison on Saturday, raising his fist and bowing to his supporters who met him with cheers. He was arrested and indicted in January.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Yoons release comes after the Seoul Central District Court approved the presidents appeal against his arrest. The court ruled Friday that prosecutors held him in detention too long before indicting him and cited questions about the legality of investigations into the president.

In a Saturday statement from his legal team, Yoon said he appreciates the courage and decision by the Seoul Central District Court to correct illegality. He also thanked his allies and asked those participating in a hunger strike in protest of his impeachment to stop, The Associated Press reported.

South Korean prosecutors opted not to appeal the Friday court decision as law allows them to continue to hold a suspect while pursuing an appeal, even after an arrest is canceled by the court.

The liberal opposition, which led the impeachment effort, condemned the prosecutors move and Yoons release, according to the AP. The partys spokesperson Cho Seung-rae urged the Constitutional Court to dismiss Yoon to avoid further public unrest and anxiety.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The upper court is still considering whether to formally dismiss the impeachment and reinstate Yoon as the nations leader. If the court upholds the impeachment, an election will be held to find his successor within the next two months.

The Seoul courts decision does not change or affect the insurrection charges under deliberation by the Constitutional Court, but it does mean Yoon will be free while standing trial.

Yoon apologized for his brief martial law decree, but later doubled down and defended the move, arguing the liberal party obstructed his political agenda.

He dispatched troops to surround the parliament after the decree was put in place. Lawmakers were able to get past the military blockade and later voted to reject the move. The Cabinet lifted the decree a few hours later.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Investigators have alleged Yoons decision amounted to rebellion, which if convicted could result in him facing the death penalty or life imprisonment.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
South Korea's impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, who faces accusations of an attempted coup and abuse of power, was released from jail on Saturday, the South Korean news agency Yonhap reported.

Yoon left the Seoul Detention Centre after a court had ordered his release the previous day, the agency reported.

The South Korean leader was detained in mid-January and is expected to stand trial on insurrection charges over his imposition of marital law in December. If convicted, he could face a lengthy prison sentence.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The National Assembly impeached him on December 14. The Constitutional Court is currently reviewing his impeachment, with a decision expected as soon as the end of next week.

If the impeachment is upheld, new elections will be held within 60 days.

Yoon's declaration of martial law, in early December last year, was seen as an attempt to crack down on his political opponents. It was short-lived but plunged South Korea into political turmoil.

The crisis has severely damaged South Korea's international reputation and stalled the country's economic growth.

At the time, Yoon claimed the opposition was infiltrated by communist forces, although no evidence has supported this accusation.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  A man from Independence, Oregon was sentenced to 7.5 years in prison after authorities said he physically assaulted a one-month-old baby in his care.

Steven William Hartman, 29, was sentenced by a Polk County judge after pleading guilty to first-degree assault involving a child under six, the Polk County District Attorneys Office said.

Hartman was also sentenced to three years post-prison supervision.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He is not eligible for a reduced sentence or early release due to the Measure 11 mandatory minimum sentencing 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 KOIN.com.
NEW YORK  The independent lawyer tasked with presenting arguments to Manhattan Federal Judge Dale Ho as he weighs tossing the case against Mayor Eric Adams on Friday recommended permanent dismissal of the charges, in part finding that even the appearance of the Justice Departments motion creating a conflict for the mayor is deeply troubling.

Last month, the DOJ asked Ho to dismiss the case without prejudice  meaning it could be brought again  to avoid it interfering with Adamss reelection campaign and so that the mayor could assist the Trump administrations immigration enforcement aims unimpeded, among other factors. That provision touched off widespread criticism.

Paul Clement nodded to those concerns in his filing.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A dismissal without prejudice creates a palpable sense that the prosecution outlined in the indictment and approved by a grand jury could be renewed, a prospect that hangs like the proverbial Sword of Damocles over the accused, Clement wrote.

Even the appearance that the prospect of re-indictment would cause public officials to be more attendant to the executive branch than to constituents is deeply troubling and raises serious accountability concerns, he later wrote. A dismissal without prejudice fuels those concerns by expressly preserving the possibility of re-indictment.

After Adams agreed to those terms at a court hearing, the judge appointed Clement to file arguments testing the motion to give him another side to consider, including what would happen if he denied the DOJs motion. Clement served as solicitor general from 2005 through 2008 under President George W. Bush.

Clement said if Ho were to deny the governments motion, he could not constitutionally force prosecutors to proceed with the case, which could end up seeing a dismissal made necessary anyway by them neglecting to make it ready for trial on time.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The special attorney said the judicial branch had a vital, but limited, role in determining whether a case brought by the executive branch should be dismissed, and that all roads to be explored, including the separation of powers principles constraining the judges options lead to dismissal with prejudice.

Prosecutorial discretion can play an important role in promoting individual liberty. No matter how clearly someone has violated a federal criminal statute, neither the courts nor the citizenry can compel the executive to initiate a criminal prosecution, he later wrote.

The governments dismissal motion, filed by Trumps acting No. 2 at the DOJ Emil Bove, ignited a legal and political firestorm, with Ho facing calls to appoint a special prosecutor from former federal judges, legal scholars, and ethics experts.

The DOJ motion came after the Manhattan prosecutors who had been handling the case withdrew from it or quit rather than obey orders to ask Ho to dismiss it, at which point it was transferred to Washington, D.C.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The interim chief of the Southern District of New York prosecutors office, former Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon, who resigned, in a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said prosecutors were preparing to file more charges against the mayor that would accuse him of trying to hide his crimes from the FBI and ordering others to do the same, which Adams has denied.

Sassoon told Trumps new AG that she couldnt satisfy the order to drop the case given the dangerous precedent it would set and said it stemmed from what amounted to a quid pro quo between the mayor and the Trump administration, one that would see Adams let off the hook in exchange for giving the Trump administration free rein to carry out its policy objectives.

The veteran federal prosecutor, a Republican who last year secured the conviction of prolific crypto conman Sam Bankman-Fried, was one of at least seven DOJ staffers to step down in Manhattan and Washington, D.C. after the people Trump has placed in charge of the federal governments law enforcement arm intervened in the case. Adams has cited their protest resignations in his bid to get the case permanently dismissed.

The former federal judges who wrote to Ho after the motion, calling on him to hand the case to a special prosecutor, said, The Justice Department seeks to use this Court as the fulcrum for its leverage against Mayor Adams. If so, the Court should not allow it.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Adams, his attorneys, and Trumps DOJ leaders have denied the existence of a quid pro quo, claiming the issue of the mayor being able to assist in Trumps immigration crackdown was discussed as a matter of national security.

Clements recommendation is good news for the mayor. After the DOJs dismissal motion, the mayor separately asked Judge Ho to dismiss the case with prejudice  ergo, kill it for good  arguing that DOJ staffers who quit rather than stand by the effort to absolve him of charges had engaged in prosecutorial misconduct and destroyed any presumption of innocence he had. Ho has also ordered briefs from the DOJ due Friday opposing that effort, should it choose to stick to its effort to retain the possibility of refiling the case in the future.

Adams has pleaded not guilty to bribery, wire fraud, conspiracy, and two counts of soliciting contributions from foreign nationals in the indictment filed in September. It accuses him of peddling his political influence to wealthy Turkish officials and businessmen starting a decade ago when he was Brooklyn borough president.

The feds say Adams accepted luxury travel and hotel stays worldwide and solicited illicit campaign donations from his foreign benefactors that were funneled through U.S. citizens. Adams partly repaid the bribes by forcing FDNY officials to sidestep safety precautions to prematurely open a Midtown skyscraper housing Turkeys consulate in time for a visit by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to the case.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As the legal saga drags on, Adams has refused calls to resign. Four of his deputy mayors quit, whom hed installed to boost trust in his office after his indictment, and Gov. Kathy Hochul announced plans to install new guardrails that would ramp up oversight of his office. Hes facing a growing crowd of competitors in this years mayoral race, including former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, who announced their bids this week.

The mayors job approval ratings have hit an all-time low, with a Quinnipiac University poll released this week showing only 20% of voters are happy with the job hes doing, and 56% think he should resign.

_____
(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 Trump said India has signaled its readiness to make deeper tariff cuts, after he ramped up pressure on the country to lower trade barriers that he has said unfairly penalize American businesses.

Theyve agreed  by the way, they want to cut their tariffs way down now, Trump said, while delivering remarks on the US economy late on Friday. India charges massive tariffs that mean the US does very little business inside, he said.

Indias commerce ministry didnt immediately respond to a request for a comment on the remarks outside of regular business hours.

Preserving Indias access to the US market is a priority for Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he seeks to shield his country from reciprocal duties Trump has indicated will take effect next month.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Trade between the two countries grew to $127 billion in 2023, making the US Indias largest trading partner and putting pressure on New Delhi to strike a deal. The two leaders have agreed to boost trade to $500 billion by 2030.

Modis government has already made numerous concessions to the Trump administration in recent weeks in a bid to smooth over relations. Among the efforts was a wide-ranging reduction in tariffs on products including high-end motorcycles and whiskey, and pledges to buy more US energy and weapons.

Indian officials have also discussed reducing duties on cars, some agricultural products, chemicals, critical pharmaceuticals, as well as certain medical devices and electronics, Bloomberg News reported last month.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

2025 Bloomberg L.P.
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS)  The Ingham County Prosecutors Office will not pursue criminal charges in the December 2024 shooting death of 36-year-old Deandre Luckeyconcluding that the man who shot and killed him did so in self-defense.

On Dec. 29, 2024 at around 10:40 p.m., officers from the Lansing Police Department were dispatched to the 4900 block of Belle Chase Blv for a reported shooting. Officers found Luckey and a 25-year-old man with gunshot wounds when they arrived.

Luckey was found outside of an apartment complex with several gunshot wounds to his upper body, and was taken to McLaren Greater Lansing via ambulance. There, he died of his injuries. The other man, who police found in an apartment, was taken to Sparrow Hospital and was treated for a gunshot wound to the chest.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Detectives from LPD and the Michigan State Police investigated the incident.

According to Ingham County Prosecutor John J. Dewane, surveillance video from outside of the apartment building shows Luckey attacking the other man while armed with a pistol in an attempt to rob him. During the altercation, Luckey shot the man in the chest. In response, the manalso armedshot Luckey three times in the upper chest.

Under Michigan law, a person has the legal right to use deadly force when necessary to protect themselves. The Ingham County Prosecutors Office concluded that the man who shot Luckey acted in lawful self-defense,an d the office will not pursue charges against him.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WLNS 6 News.
An inmate  implicated in the killings of two people at the same Sacramento County prison  is now accused of a third homicide at the facility as it grapples with repeated safety concerns following a riot this week which left multiple people hospitalized.

A Sacramento County jury convicted Tyler Yates of murder after Nathan Marcus, 33, was stabbed to death in 2022 at California State Prison, Sacramento. He is also accused of killing Jonathan Rude, 39, last month during an attack on the exercise yard. That case is still pending.

Prison guards conducted a security check Friday when they found Yates cell mate stabbed to death. Officers rendered medical aid to the victim, Jake Kennedy, and called 911, according to a news release from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Kennedy was taken to the prisons triage and treatment area where a paramedic pronounced him dead at 7:04 a.m., the news release said.

Investigators found one improvised weapon at the prison, often called New Folsom. This is the second homicide the prison has reported this year, which includes the attack on Rude.

Kennedy was accused of conspiring with Yates to kill Rude last month, CDCR said.

Kennedy, 32, came to New Folsom from San Bernardino County on Feb. 6, 2020. He was sentenced to six years in prison for carrying a concealed dirk or dagger. He was sentenced to an additional four years in prison on Jan. 9, 2023, after he assaulted a prisoner who suffered great bodily injuries, according to the CDCR.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A prison riot involving 40 inmates broke out Wednesday, called a mass casualty incident by authorities. Six people suffered wounds, and five prisoners were taken to UC Davis Medical Center or Mercy San Juan Medical Center.

No staff members were injured in the riot or in Fridays homicide, according to the CDCR.

Yates first came to New Folsom from San Diego County in 2017. He was sentenced to serve eight years in prison for first-degree burglary and assault likely to cause great bodily injury.

The investigation into Fridays homicide is ongoing.
(KRON)  A Salinas Valley State Prison inmate was sentenced to 25 years to life for sexually assaulting a nurse on prison grounds after he told her he needed sexual help, announced the Monterey County District Attorneys Office on Friday. The full incident was captured on surveillance video.

Oakland man arrested in San Jose police retail theft operation

Tyrone Owens, 41, was sentenced as a third-strike offender, under Californias Three Strikes Law, for the attack which occurred almost two years ago on March 23, 2023, said D.A. Jeannine M. Pacioni. Owens was already serving a seventeen-year sentence for a separate, but similar incident, the D.A.s office confirmed.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The D.A. said Owens was walking in a facility of the prison yard when he confronted the nurse, identified as Jane Doe, asking for help. While the victim was responding, Owens told her he needed sexual help, then chased, grabbed her, and tried to put his hand down her pants, said Pacioni. Jane Doe was able to break free from Owens before prison guards showed up to intervene.

Owens will not begin his life term until he completes his previous sentence which started in 2019.

The Monterey County District Attorneys Office said Investigative Service Unit officers from Salinas Valley State Prison assisted in the case.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
PINEHURST  A collaborative meeting regarding the Cooperative Innovative High School was held Feb. 28 in Van Dusen Hall on the campus of Sandhills Community College, 3395 Airport Road.

The purpose of the meeting was to review steps that have led up to the Collaborative High School concept, how the funding was obtained and how the team expects to execute the plan over multiple phases related to academics and future space moving forward.

Presentations were made by Ashlee Ciccone, who said that there are 10 students who have already applied when applications only became available Feb. 28.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She shared that she has visited all interested eighth graders in the district as well as at charter, private and home schools. She believes talking to the parents is important to the process in finding the right students who will thrive in this small high school environment and be successful.

In addition, Provost Rebecca Roush, Executive Vice President David DJ Farmer and President Alexander Sandy Stewart from Sandhills Community College shared information related to increased enrollment of high school students, course curriculum pathways and opportunities and steps to design and construct a facility.

The first class will start this fall by welcoming a freshmen cohort on the second floor of Van Dusen Hall with an anticipated inaugural class of 70.

Staffing, courses, meals and transportation will be provided by the school system. The advanced planning phase is underway with an expected report to the SCC Board of Trustees in April.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Board will have options to consider for site placement, size, scope and projected costs of any building projects.

The next phases will be design and eventually construction, with the goal of completion by Fall of 2027.

While those phases are taking place, the second floor of Van Dusen Hall will host at least the first two cohorts of students, expected to be around 70 apiece.

This concept will be like the efforts at Sandhoke Early College High School in Hoke County, but serve a different population of students while offering additional experiences on campus and in the classrooms.

By the students junior and senior year, they will start integrating classroom and hands-on experiences within the college environment with the potential of earning an associates degree as a super senior if they wish.
The state ferry Tacoma, shown here in Seattle, would have been the next to be dry-docked under an electrification plan championed by former Gov. Jay Inslee. Inslee said he understands why the new governor put that on hold. (Photo by Tom Banse)

One ferry rider with more than a passing interest in the course corrections for Washington State Ferries announced this past week is former Gov. Jay Inslee.

The three-term Democrat is back at home on Bainbridge Island after vacating the governors mansion in January to its new occupant, Gov. Bob Ferguson. Inslee was paying attention on Thursday when Ferguson pressed pause on a ferry electrification project that the former governor championed.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ferguson and the state ferries chief said they would indefinitely postpone further conversions to rechargeable battery propulsion of the states largest ferries. The first diesel guzzler to be converted into a plug-in vessel  the Wenatchee  went $36 million over budget and fell far behind schedule.

We have to electrify these boats. They are a significant part of our pollution portfolio in our state, Inslee reacted in an exclusive interview with the Standard. But we also have to maintain public support and confidence in what were doing here.

Inslee said he was unwilling to criticize his successors decision. We only get one governor at a time, he said. I wish him well.

Gov. Jay Inslee addressing the Washington Legislature for the last time on Jan. 14, 2025. The former governor now says hes talking with national nonprofits about job possibilities and would have more to share on his plans in the coming weeks or months. (Photo by Jacquelyn Jimenez Romero/Washington State Standard)

For his part, Ferguson explained that he was driven by pragmatism to suspend the jumbo ferry overhauls. The move keeps more vessels in the water providing service until WSF can acquire new ferries. After the 202-car Wenatchee returns to the fleet sometime this summer, Ferguson said the beleaguered ferry system will be fully restored to pre-pandemic levels, except for a long-suspended Sidney, British Columbia route.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Reducing Washingtons carbon footprint is important to people in the state and is certainly important to me, Ferguson said during a news conference at the downtown Seattle ferry terminal. But right now, we have to balance a lot of priorities. For me, the priority right now is restoring full service as we had in 2019.

In the Friday interview, Inslee said the Legislature should set a firm date in the future to restart the conversions of the remaining two Jumbo Mark II-class ferries so that the Wenatchee isnt left alone as a kind of electrified white elephant ferry.

On a related matter, Ferguson and his predecessor are in alignment about proceeding with the in-progress national bid solicitation for up to five new hybrid-electric car ferries capable of carrying 160 cars each. But the first of those brand new plug-in ferries probably wont join the fleet before 2028 or 2029.

As to Inslees plans for his next act, he reiterated what he said in exit interviews early this year that hes not ready to retire at the age of 73. Inslee said hes currently weighing and negotiating possible roles with about six national nonprofits. He said it was too soon to name names, but they all have to do with the clean energy economy.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I do know that Ill be fully engaged in that. I believe it is the central challenge of our time, Inslee said.

Some of the roles entail a leadership position and others would have him be more like an eminent speaker or part-time spokesman, he added.

Im not goofing off, the former governor assured his interviewer, promising to make an official announcement of his new role or roles in the coming weeks or perhaps months.
Efforts to put an end to rhino horn trafficking are being foiled by one of the hotbed countries for the illegal practice: Vietnam. Fortunately, the nation's lack of cooperation is not being ignored; representatives were taken to task on the international stage in early February 2025, according to Mongabay. But will the increased scrutiny be enough to make a difference?

What's happening?

The Standing Committee of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) held its annual meeting in early February 2025. At the meeting, the topic of rhino horn trafficking was discussed, and an increasingly tired issue came to the fore.

For years now, pressure has been put on Vietnam to improve its enforcement measures and its reporting methods regarding rhino horn trafficking. This included sharing samples of seized horns with the South African Rhino DNA Indexing Systems (RhODIS).

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Ideally, everyone should be sharing samples of seized rhino horn with South Africa," Jo Shaw from the NGO Save the Rhino says.

Unfortunately, Vietnam is not necessarily the only nation that's slacking in its rhino-protecting duties. In fact, Taylor Tench of the Environmental Investigation Agency claims that most rhino horns are never shared with RhODIS.

Why is stopping rhino horn trafficking important?

Putting an end to rhino horn trafficking is a key component to protecting these beautiful endangered creatures. While there are other threats to the rhino population  like plastic pollution  poachers are by far the greatest.

A shocking 96% of African Black rhinos were poached between 1972 and 1996. This was largely done to satisfy consumer demand for rhino horns. Vietnam (along with China) was the largest market for the product, and that remains true even today.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Knowing this information, it's fairly clear why it's important not only to trace seized rhino horns but also for Vietnam to be an active participant in the practice.

What's being done to protect the rhinoceros?

It's heartbreaking to know that the rhinoceros is threatened largely by the greed and materialism of humans. However, there are other humans out there who may be the biggest reason the beautiful species survives.

Conservationists in Africa have been working to protect the critically endangered eastern black rhino. In July 2024, they were amazed and delighted to find a baby black rhino in the wild.

A trail camera provided Indonesian conservationists with an equally shocking discovery in August 2024. Footage revealed a critically endangered Javan rhino and its calf walking through Ujong Kulong National Park.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

These amazing discoveries are the result of tireless conservation efforts. It's important to remember that while some people are willing to extinguish an entire species for profit, others dedicate their lives to ensuring that they survive.

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.








VIRGINIA BEACH  A crowd of roughly 100 people holding politically charged signs and shaking tambourines showed up for an International Womens Day protest Saturday at Town Center.

The rally was one of thousands of events held around the world focused on womens rights, equality and empowerment. Attended by mostly women of all ages from across Hampton Roads, the protest included tongue-lashings of Republican President Donald Trump, adviser Elon Musk and U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans, who represents Virginias 2nd District.

Bianca Keipe, 35, of Chesapeake organized the two-hour event, International Womens Day  Unite & Resist in Virginia Beach, on social media. Participants initially met in front of Kiggans office on Constitution Drive. They marched around the block to Virginia Beach Boulevard, where they faced busy Saturday traffic along the citys main thoroughfare.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Several protests have been held at Kiggans office over the past few weeks. The common theme: Constituents want the GOP congresswoman to take a stand against some of the Trump administrations policies.

On International Womens Day, were taking to the streets to fight back against the fascist takeover, the event description online said. Join us to defend our rights, our bodies, and our future. No permission needed  just show up and bring others.

Keipe said the goal was just being able to speak out about democracy, showing that we do still have a voice and getting like-minded people together.

Protesters shouted Jen Kiggans do your job, Womens rights are human rights, and Hey, hey, ho, ho  Donald Trump has got to go.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Dozens honked their horns as they drove past the crowd, energizing the demonstrators who cheered and raised their signs higher.

Madeline Gilmore, 68, of Norfolk attended with her sisters.

I cant just sit back and be idle about womens rights, said Gilmore, adding that wages and health care are among her concerns.

She participated in a segregation protest as a teenager in the early 1970s, and wasnt sure what to expect Saturday. Gilmore happily accepted a tambourine from another protester and joined the chanting crowd.

At first, I was a little timid, then I started screaming, she said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Amy Logue, 43, of Virginia Beach held an empowered women sign.

I wanted to show my kids and my community that I wasnt quietly complicit, Logue said. We need to speak up now before it gets harder to protect our rights.

Stacy Parker, 757-222-5125, stacy.parker@pilotonline.com
Female science communicators are taking social media by storm in 2025. These aren't your average content creators, and their numbers aren't average either.

This year, out of the top 50 STEM influencers on FeedSpot's media database, no less than 41 spots went to accounts with women presenters. Across TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, female science communicators are drawing millions of followers with their wit and wisdom.

You might already know of Emily Calandrelli, Katie Mack, Emily Graslie, Dianna Cowern aka Physics Girl, Ali Ward, or Simone Giertz, but in honor of International Women's Day, it's worth sharing some up-and-coming sci-com stars that might not yet be on your radar.

Nancy Bullard aka Mrs. Bea

Of all the women included in FeedSpot's top STEM influencers, second place overall went to Mrs. Nancy Bullard, aka Mrs. B  a charming, laidback science teacher from North Carolina who has amassed around 650,000 followers on Instagram, just over a million followers on YouTube, and 3.4 million on TikTok.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This isn't simply another channel for school science fair experiments, although there are plenty of those, too, from fireworks in a jar to marshmallow catapults and underwater candles.

One of Bea's most viewed videos on TikTok, at 13.4 million, is of her handling real human brains as she explains the process of organ donation. In another viral video, she handles her very own placenta  with blue gloves of course.

Hannah Fry aka fryrsquared

Across the pond in the United Kingdom, mathematician Hannah Fry is answering the big questions in science, like, "Are numbers actually real?", "Is it possible to avoid hangovers?", and "What do Barbie and Ken have in common with a fruit fly?"

Fry makes challenging scientific subjects accessible and practical for everyone, even if mathematics was never their strong suit in school.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

During an interview several years ago, when Fry was asked why girls should study science and maths, she replied, "You have to realize that being female at the moment is a superpower. Everything is willing you forward, and I think that there has never been a better time to want to get into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics."

As of 2025, Fry is the Professor of the Public Understanding of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge. You can follow her on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.

Alexis Nikole Nelson aka the Black Forager

It's been two years since the American forager and vegan cook Alexis Nikole Nelson received the 2022 James Beard Award for Best Social Media Account, and since then, her TikTok account has grown from 3.3 million to 4.4 million followers.

Nelson is not a formally trained scientist, but her passion for finding wild food in the "VERY untamed wilderness of scenic Ohio" is sure to inspire any budding naturalist. Her lessons, like "gathering prickly pears without ruining your life", aim to teach others about the amazing plants they are surrounded by, and to elevate the Black and Indigenous roots of foraging.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

From identifying poisonous plants or making dandelion wine or seawater pickles, Nelson's effervescent lessons will have you seeing and tasting your surroundings in a whole new light.

You can follow Nelson's teachings on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.

Kirsten Banks aka AstroKirsten

Down under, astrophysicist Kirsten Banks has her followers looking up while they look down at their phones. With a PhD in astrophysics, Banks discusses all things space with her followers, and she brings a unique perspective to her social media.

As a proud Wiradjuri woman, Banks is following in the footsteps of her Aboriginal ancestors  who are known as the 'earliest astronomers'.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"In Australia alone there are more than 250 Indigenous groups that have used the stars for the last 65,000 years, and their knowledge is still exercised to this day," said Banks in a TED Talk from 2020.

Her favorite Aboriginal constellation is known in the Wiradjuri language as Gugurmin, the Celestial Emu, which is outlined in the Milky Way. Its position in the night sky is used to determine the right time to go looking for emu eggs.

You can follow Banks on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.

Xyla Foxlin

Xyla Foxlin is cool. There's really no more succinct way to describe her. A mechatronics engineer, pilot, rocketeer, woodworker, and 'creator of chaos' with a passion for the arts, Foxlin has a "disdain for the way engineering is taught in schools", and she is determined to inspire others to make things any things really  whether it be a Christmas tree rocket, or a foam version of yourself.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Foxlin isn't constrained by the idea of usefulness; learning and having fun is more than enough for her.

"My big thing is that femininity and engineering are not mutually exclusive. I'm still the only one in a dress at design reviews or the only one wearing all pink in the shop. We should be teaching our girls that it's OK to like princesses and power tools," she told Cleveland Magazine in 2017.

You can find Foxlin on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.

Happy scrolling this International Women's Day!

Related News
Protesters gather at Pershing Square in Downtown Los Angeles during a march on International Women's Day on March 8, 2025. Credit - Jen OsborneGetty Images

For International Womens Day, which falls annually on March 8, people across the world are celebrating with a variety of tones. Some festivities are commemorating the achievements of women, others are protesting in an effort to end gender inequalities and gender-based violence.

In Bangkok, women took to the streets and marched, equipped with banners, as did activists in Berlin. Meanwhile, across the U.K., some women marked the day by participating in sunrise swims.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Across the U.S., Womens Marcha network born out of Trumps first presidency and dedicated to building a base of feminist activismand affiliates organized marches to mobilize and celebrate their Unite and Resist call to action.

According to Womens March executive director Rachel OLeary Carmona, the goal of the day is to help people build community and practice democracy, particularly at a time when democratic resistance to President Donald Trump's Administration presents as fractured.

People attend an International Women's Day demonstration at Oranienplatz in Berlin, Germany, on March 8, 2025. Emmanuele ContiniGetty Image

This was seen most plainly at Trumps congressional address on Tuesday, during which varying responses from Democratsincluding some congresswomen who were dressed in pink to denote their disapproval with how Trumps policies affect women and families, other members of Congress wearing blue and yellow in solidarity with Ukraine, and some lawmakers who walked out of the speech in protestshowed a fragmented and broad messaging from the left.

Carmona says that just because the left has different priorities and goals, does not mean they cannot be united in their fight against what she describes as authoritarianism. And Carmona sees these International Womens Day actions as a moment to practice this unity.



Just because different folks are building different things, does not mean that everyone is not running in the same direction, Carmona says. I think the country is fragmented across the board some people are focused on feminism, some are focused on immigration rights. But when [people] just say, Oh, the left is fractured. I think that is how they stop people from building power.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Womens Marchwhich held a worldwide protest the day after Trumps first Inauguration Day in 2017was seen as a heavily unifying force during Trump's initial term, bringing an estimated 500,000 marchers to Washington, D.C. and over 4 million throughout the United States. Carmona calls the first march historic and the tip of the spear of resistance. The iconography of the original march and its message lives on.

A demonstrator holds a sign while gathering on the National Mall during the Women's March on Washington in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2017. Eric Thayer/BloombergGetty Images

However, these are different times.

We are eight years later. Two presidential terms later. We're post-COVID, post-Jan. 6, [2021], post-Dobbs, she says. [We have] struggled to meet the moment, as so much of the moment has changed.

Womens March has worked to rebrand along with the times. In the years after 2017, the network faced internal fractures with concerns that participants were overwhelmingly white and accusations of anti-semitism.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Now, Womens March is keen to revive its unifying X-factor amid Trumps second term, attempting to meet the moment with multi-racial, intersectional, and multifaceted activism.

This means welcoming back previous activists and participants, but also breathing life into the cause with new voices. Ashley Parys and Kailani Rodriguez are two first-time organizers who spearheaded International Womens Day 2025 events in their respective cities.

For Parys, organizing in the Boston area has been a whirlwind, but she says that women who have led marches in the past have helped her find her footing. She says shes grown from a baby activist to someone who will continue to show up for Womens March in the future. Ahead of the big day, the Womens March Boston action website page logged close to 1,500 RSVPs.

A woman speaks to a group of demonstrators as they attend the International Women's Day march on March 8, 2025 in New York City. Kena BetancurGetty Images

People [emailed me] saying theyre going to bring buses of women of all ages to the protest, Parys says.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Rodriguez, 19, graduated high school in 2023 and organized a debut Womens March in her small town of Port Angeles in Washington State. When she looked for Womens Day actions to participate in, the closest one she could find was in Seattle, which is a few hours away.

She began organizing a more local action only a few days ahead of the big day, and ended up receiving hundreds of messages from prospective attendees and others hosting similar activism sessions.

I wasnt expecting this to happen. I wasnt expecting to be the one in charge of itit just fell into my lap, Rodriguez says, noting that she has received a lot of support from older generations.

For Carmona, International Womens Day 2025 is about people like Rodriguez and Parys helping their community practice democracy, and in doing so, practicing democracy themselves.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

What we're trying to do is help folks build community. Give folks a chance to organize something in their communities at a time thats not a trigger moment, because things get very heightened inside of a moment of a Supreme Court decision that doesn't go our way, or a right that's been stripped, she says. We want to build relationships [now] so that when the time comes, we're able to be with each other in principled struggle.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
On Friday afternoon, the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Department put the rumor mill to rest when they finally shared their findings about how Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa died in their New Mexico home. But several questions still remain, including exactly what caused the death of the couples beloved dog Zinna.

Based on their investigation, authorities concluded that Arakawa died on February 11 from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, an infectious disease that is typically carried by deer mice. Hackman is believed to have died a week later, on February 18, of heart disease, with Alzheimers noted as an additional contributing factor. Zinnas death, however, is a bit harder to determine.

Related: Cause of Death for Gene Hackman, Betsy Arakawa Revealed

While authorities are still awaiting necropsy results on the pooch, a 12-year-old Australian Kelpie mix, New Mexico State Public Health Veterinarian Erin Phipps has suggested that dehydration and starvation are two likely causes of the dogs death. Given the timelines presented, it is a possibility, she said at Fridays press conference, according to CNN.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Though Phipps could not completely rule out Zinna being exposed to hantavirus, the infection that led to Arakawas untimely death, she deemed it extremely unlikely, as Dogs do not get sick from hantavirus.

These viruses are zoonotic," Phipps added, "meaning they are transmitted from animals to humans.

Zinna was one of Hackman and Arakawas three dogs, and the only one who died with them. Her body was discovered in a closed kennel in the same bathroom where Arakawa was found, only 10 to 15 feet from her owner. The reason Zinna was crated versus free-roaming the home appears to be the result of a recent medical procedure.

Related: Gene Hackman Friend Announces Update On His Dogs

We know from our investigation that on February 9, 2025, [Arakawa] picked up Zinna from Gruda Veterinary Hospital, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza shared on Friday. There was a procedure that was done with the dog, which may explain why the dog was in a crate at the residence.

Hackman and Arakawas two surviving pups, a German shepherd named Bear and a shepherd mix named Nikki, are currently being looked after by Joey Padilla, a friend of the couple who owns Santa Fe Tails, a local boarding facility. In a recent interview with ABC News, Padilla said the dogs "are safe and adjusting. He also confirmed that he will continue to look after the dogs until I get word on what Betsy's wishes for these dogs are.
Industry leaders and elected officials push for a law that would allow the year-round sale of higher blends of ethanol across the country. (Photo by Cami Koons/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird and attorneys general from 15 other states, including South Dakota, have penned a letter to members of Congress, urging them to support legislation that would allow the year-round sale of an ethanol-blended fuel.

The letter, and commodity groups in Iowa, said the expansion of the ethanol market would help farmers and liquid fuel producers, and lower the cost at the pump for American consumers.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The current Clean Air Act allows the sale of 10% ethanol blended fuels, but ag and liquid fuel industry leaders are pushing for wider acceptance of a 15% blend known as E15, sometimes seen at the pump as Unleaded 88.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency allows for the sale of E15 for lightweight vehicles made after 2001, but restricts the sale during the summer months. EPA, however, has granted waivers in the past to allow for summer sale of E15, and some Midwestern states, including South Dakota, will have access to year-round E15 beginning April 28.

The letter calls on Congress to pass the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act of 2025 to amend the Clean Air Act to allow 15% ethanol blends. The bill has been supported by ethanol and petroleum industries.

Addressed to U.S. House leaders Mike Johnson and Hakeem Jeffries and Senate leaders John Thune and Chuck Schumer, the letter also pointed to executive orders declaring a national energy emergency and establishing a national energy dominance council as a reminder of the executive branchs support for the issue.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

President Trump has already taken bold action to support year-round E15 and unleash American energy greatnessa stark contrast to the Biden EPA, Bird said in a press release about the letter. Now, were calling on Congress to follow President Trumps lead and grant permanent, nationwide access to E15 gasoline.

Iowa Corn Growers Association President Stu Swanson thanked Bird for her long-time advocacy and support of the issue.

Passage of year-round E15 will provide consumers access to a cleaner burning, cheaper option at the pump, while putting dollars back in the pockets of American farmers through increased corn demand, Swanson said in a press release. Iowa corn farmers are ready to provide homegrown, more affordable energy solutions to all Americans.

The National Corn Growers Association also submitted a letter on behalf of nearly 9,000 corn growers from across the country, urging congressional leaders to pass the legislation amending the Clean Air Act.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to the association, year-round availability of E15 would result in increased corn demand of about 2.3 billion bushels per year and provide an opportunity to curb the weakening farm economy.

A legislative solution for consumers to access year-round E15 comes at no cost yet would provide critical support to our nations energy sector, overdue relief to American families, and necessary economic security to rural communities, the letter on behalf of corn growers read.

The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association also pushed for the legislation at its annual conference in February, with attendees signing a letter addressed to Thune and Johnson.

IRFA Executive Director Monte Shaw said the AGs letter shows the widespread support of the higher ethanol blend across the country.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Consumers in all 50 states deserve to save 15 to 20 cents a gallon with E15, Shaw said in a statement. Corn farmers deserve a growing market during these difficult times. And we can accomplish those things without requiring oil refiners to comply on a state-by-state basis. But that takes action from Congress.

Shaw said Congress must put year-round E15 in the upcoming continuing resolution, the budget lawmakers must pass by March 14 to avoid a partial government shutdown.

Lets see this over the finish line, Shaw said.

Attorneys general from Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, and West Virginia signed on the letter.

Iowa Capital Dispatch is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Iowa Capital Dispatch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Kathie Obradovich for questions: info@iowacapitaldispatch.com.
Irans Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei rejected President Donald Trumps request to negotiate a new nuclear agreement, saying Saturday that the country would not submit to bullying governments.

Trump revealed this week that he was seeking to strike a new deal with the Iranian regime, telling Fox News Maria Bartiromo that he wrote Khamenei a letter calling for an agreement to stop the countrys rapidly advancing nuclear weapons program. The president separately told reporters Friday that were down to the final strokes with Iran, warning vaguely of the possibility of an armed conflict if the country did not meet his demands.

But the veiled threats did not seem to faze Iranian leaders.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Addressing an assemblage of senior officials in Iran Saturday, Khamenei said the country would definitely not accept negotiation demands from bullying governments. He did not mention Trump by name.

The insistence of some of the bullying governments for negotiations is not for the purpose of solving problems, rather for the purpose of dominance and to impose their own expectations, Khamenei said in Farsi. The Islamic Republic of Iran will definitely not accept their expectations.

The supreme leaders response came after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi immediately dismissed Trumps proposition, saying Friday that Iran would not return to the negotiating table until the U.S. lifted its maximum pressure sanctions policy.

Araghchi told reporters on Saturday that Iran had not yet received Trump's letter.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Trump in his first term unilaterally withdrew from a nuclear deal between Iran and other nations, imposing harsh sanctions in a maximum pressure campaign that severely weakened the Iranian economy. The president reimposed the sanctions campaign last month, targeting the countrys oil exports in an effort to dry up funds for its nuclear program.

Iran has ramped up its enrichment of uranium to near weapons-grade levels, prompting repeated warnings from the International Atomic Energy Agency that the country is dangerously close to reaching nuclear capacity.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Irans supreme leader has attacked Donald Trumps bullying tactics after he threatened military action if it did not engage in a nuclear weapons deal.

The US president had written to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Irans supreme leader, urging new talks on the countrys nuclear programme or face possible military action if it refuses.

They are setting new expectations that they think will definitely not be met by Iran, Khamenei said, without naming the US or referring to Mr Trumps letter.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Some bully governments  I really dont know of any more appropriate term for some foreign figures and leaders than the word bullying  insist on negotiations.

Mr Trumps first term in office was marked by a particularly troubled period of relations with Tehran.

In 2018, he unilaterally withdrew the US from Irans nuclear deal with world powers, leading to sanctions hobbling Irans economy.

Iran retaliated with attacks at sea  including one that it likely carried out and that temporarily halved Saudi Arabias oil production.

Mr Trump subsequently ordered the attack that killed Qasem Soleimani, Irans top general, in a Baghdad drone strike in January 2020.

Mr Trumps first term in office was marked by a particularly troubled period of relations with Tehran - AFP/Roberto Schmidt

Iran has long maintained its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes, even as its officials increasingly threaten to pursue the bomb as tensions rise over the fighting in the Middle East.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

US intelligence agencies believe that Iran has yet to begin a weapons programme, but has undertaken activities that better position it to produce a nuclear device, if it chooses to do so.

Mr Trump reinstated his policy from his first term of maximum pressure on Iran upon returning to the White House in January.

Under this policy, the US in 2018 withdrew from the Iran nuclear accord formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The JCPOA, set between Tehran and Western powers in 2015, had offered relief from economic sanctions in exchange for limits on Irans nuclear activities.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Tehran has in recent months engaged in diplomatic efforts with three European countries  Britain, France and Germany  aimed at resolving issues surrounding its nuclear ambitions.

On Saturday, however, Khamenei also slammed the three European countries for declaring that Iran has not fulfilled its nuclear commitments under the JCPOA.

US officials now estimate that Iran could produce a nuclear weapon within weeks if it chose to do so.

You say that Iran has not fulfilled its commitments under the JCPOA. Okay, have you fulfilled your commitments under the JCPOA? the Iran supreme leader said.

In 2019, more than a year after Mr Trumps withdrawal from the JCPOA, Shinzo Abe, Japans then premier, visited Iran in an attempt to mediate between Tehran and Washington.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But Khamenei firmly rejected the possibility of talks with the US, saying he did not consider Trump as a person worthy of exchanging messages with.

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.
Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said calls for negotiations by bully states are aimed at dominating others, not resolving issues, after US President Donald Trump urged him to reach a nuclear deal.

Trump told Fox News this week that he had written a letter to Khamenei, adding there are two ways Iran can be handled: militarily, or you make a deal. I would prefer to make a deal, because Im not looking to hurt Iran.

I said, I hope youre going to negotiate, because its going to be a lot better for Iran, and I think they want to get that letter  the alternative is we have to do something, because you cant let them have a nuclear weapon, Trump added.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It remains unclear if Khamenei received the letter, but his comments, without directly referencing Trump, amount to a pointed rejection of the pressure.

The insistence on the part of some bully states on negotiations is not to resolve issues, but to dominate and impose their own expectations, Khamenei said on Saturday, as cited by Iranian state media outlets.

The Islamic Republic of Iran will definitely not accept their demands, Khamenei added during a meeting with heads of the three branches of government in Tehran.

During his first term in office, Trump withdrew from the Obama administrations nuclear deal with Iran and ordered a US-led strike on Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani, drawing the ire of Tehran.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Since his return to power, Trump has revived his maximum pressure campaign on Iran, an effort to isolate the country economically and diplomatically.

The president has previously said he wants to enter talks for a new deal with Iran, but the message from Iran has been mixed, with Khamenei saying last month that talks with the United States were not smart.

Iran has long insisted its nuclear program is peaceful.

Earlier this week, during a meeting with US officials in Saudi Arabia, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Russia has offered to participate in nuclear talks between the US and Iran.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
TEHRAN, Iran (AP)  Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said he rejects a U.S. push for talks between the two countries because they would be aimed at imposing restrictions on Iranian missile range and its influence in the region.

Speaking to a group of officials on Saturday, Khamenei did not identify the United States by name but said a bullying government was being persistent in its push for talks.

"Their talks are not aimed at solving problems, it is for ... lets talk to impose what we want on the other party that is sitting on the opposite side of the table.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Khameneis remarks came a day after President Donald Trump acknowledged sending a letter to Khamenei seeking a new deal with Tehran to restrain its rapidly advancing nuclear program and replace the nuclear deal he withdrew America from during his first term in office.

Khamenei said U.S. demands would be both military and related to the regional influence of Iran.

They will be about defense capabilities, about international capabilities of the country. (They will urge Iran) not to do (certain) things, not to meet some certain people, not to go to a certain place, not to produce some items, your missile range should not be more than a certain distance. Is it possible for anybody to accept these?

Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters, said such talks would not address solving problems between Iran and the West. Though Khamenei did not name any person or country, he said the push for talks creates pressure on Iran in public opinion. It is not negotiation. It is commanding and imposition, he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Trump in comments to reporters in the Oval Office on Friday did not mention the letter directly. But he made a veiled reference to possible military action, saying: We have a situation with Iran that, somethings going to happen very soon. Very, very soon.

His overture comes as both Israel and the United States have warned they will never let Iran acquire a nuclear weapon, leading to fears of a military confrontation as Tehran enriches uranium at near weapons-grade levels  something only done by atomic-armed nations.

Tehran has long maintained its program is for peaceful purposes, even as its officials increasingly threaten to pursue the bomb as tensions are high with the U.S. over its sanctions and with Israel as a shaky ceasefire holds in its war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Irans accelerated production of near weapons-grade uranium puts more pressure on Trump. Hes repeatedly said hes open to negotiations with the Islamic Republic while also increasingly targeting Irans oil sales with sanctions as part of his reimposed maximum pressure policy.

Late in August, Khamenei in a speech opened the door to possible talks with the U.S., saying there is no harm in engaging with the enemy. However, more recently the supreme leader tempered that, saying that negotiations with America are not intelligent, wise or honorable, after Trump floated nuclear talks with Tehran.
By Parisa Hafezi

DUBAI (Reuters) -Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Saturday that Iran will not be bullied into negotiations, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump said he had sent a letter to the country's top authority urging Tehran to negotiate a nuclear deal.

In an interview with Fox Business, Trump said, "There are two ways Iran can be handled: militarily, or you make a deal" to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

At a meeting with senior Iranian officials, Khamenei said Washington's aim was to "impose their own expectations," Iranian state media reported.

"The insistence of some bullying governments on negotiations is not to resolve issues. ... Talks for them is a pathway to have new demands, it is not only about Iran's nuclear issue. ... Iran will definitely not accept their expectations," Khamenei was quoted as saying, without directly mentioning Trump.

In response to Khamenei's comments, White House National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes reiterated almost word for word the choice of negotiations or military action that Trump said he had presented to Iran.

"We hope the Iran Regime puts its people and best interests ahead of terror," Hughes said in a statement.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

While expressing openness to a deal with Tehran, Trump has reinstated a "maximum pressure" campaign that was applied during his first term as president to isolate Iran from the global economy and drive its oil exports to zero.

During his 2017-2021 term, Trump withdrew the United States from a landmark deal between Iran and major powers that had placed strict limits on Tehran's nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.

After Trump pulled out in 2018 and re-imposed sanctions, Iran breached and far surpassed those limits.

U.N. nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi has said that time is running out for diplomacy to impose new restrictions on Iran's activities, as Tehran continues to accelerate its enrichment of uranium to near weapons-grade.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Tehran says its nuclear work is solely for peaceful purposes.

Khamenei, who has the last say on Iran's key policies, said there was "no other way to stand against coercion and bullying".

"They are bringing up new demands that certainly will not be accepted by Iran, like our defence capabilities, missile range and international influence," he was quoted as saying.

Although Tehran says its ballistic missile programme is purely defensive, it is seen in the West as a destabilising factor in a volatile, conflict-ridden Middle East.

Tehran has in recent months announced new additions to its conventional weaponry, such as its first drone carrier and an underground naval base amid rising tensions with the U.S. and Israel.

(Writing by Parisa Hafezi; additional reporting by Matt Spetalnick and David Brunnstrom in Washington; Editing by Sharon Singleton, Timothy Heritage and Leslie Adler)
Israels ambassador to Britain has accused a leading university of providing a platform for Hamas propaganda by hosting a book launch.

Tzipi Hotovely has called for the London School of Economics (LSE) to cancel a talk about the book Understanding Hamas: And Why It Matters, on Monday, warning it would grow support for the terrorist group among students.

Its synopsis describes the Palestinian terrorist group as a widely misunderstood movement whose involvement in a just resolution of the Israel/Palestine conflict will be critical.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In a letter to Larry Kramer, the president of the LSE, Ms Hotovely wrote: I am deeply concerned that the event is providing a platform for Hamas propaganda  a terror organisation proscribed under United Kingdom law.

I worry that by promoting such a book, which sympathises with and justifies the survival and existence of Hamas, will only serve to grow support for a brutal terror organisation among your students and beyond.

She expressed sincere hope that you will reconsider allowing the event to go ahead.

The book says: Israeli claims about what happened on Oct 7 have since been proven to be false

The Home Office has already pre-warned the events speakers that they will face the full force of the law if they praise Hamas at the book launch.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In her letter Ms Hotovely drew attention to one passage in the book which appeared to deny the Oct 7 attacks.

It reads: Israeli claims about what happened on Oct 7 have since been proven to be false. They have been proven even to be deliberate lies designed in order to justify what the Israelis were going to do as a revenge attack on Gaza, which we were seeing happening for the past eight months nearly.

Another passage in the book argues that demonisation efforts against Hamas impede diplomacy and keep the [Palestinian] populations suffering colonial rule or military occupation trapped for decades in devastating conflict at the hands of their far more violent and heavily armed oppressors.

The book claims the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has been subjected to intense vilification.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Branding it as terrorist or worse, this demonisation intensified after the events in southern Israel on Oct 7, 2023.

Tzipi Hotovely writes that the past 17 months have been deeply traumatuc to Jewish people in the UK and around the world - Ronen Zvulun/Reuters

Ms Hotovely said going ahead with the talk will put Jewish students at risk as she called for it to be cancelled.

She told Mr Kramer: Your Jewish and Israeli students will be feeling anxious and fearful for their own safety at this moment in time.

The past 17 months have been deeply traumatic to Jewish people in the UK and around the world. Indeed, cases of reported anti-Semitic incidents rose by 148% last year  with university campuses specifically seeing a rise in anti-Jewish and anti-Israel hatred.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ms Hotovely, who has served as Israels ambassador in London since 2020, told the LSEs president: The university should not be endorsing this event, let alone organising it through its Middle East Centre. Nor should the university allow this event to go ahead on its premises. Therefore, I encourage you to cancel the event.

Hamas releases Eli Sharabi, an Israeli hostage held in Gaza following the Oct 7 attacks in 2023 - Abdel Kareem Hana/AP

Hamas has been a proscribed organisation in Britain since 2021.

Expressing support for a proscribed terrorist organisation is illegal under Section 12 of the Terorrism Act 2000.

An LSE spokesman said: Free speech and freedom of expression underpins everything we do at LSE. Students, staff and visitors are strongly encouraged to discuss and debate the most pressing issues around the world.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We host an enormous number of events each year, covering a wide range of viewpoints and positions.

We have clear policies in place to ensure the facilitation of debates in these events and enable all members of our community to refute ideas lawfully and to protect individuals rights to freedom of expression within the law. This is formalised in our Code of Practice on Free Speech and in our Ethics Code.

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.
(Reuters) - Israel will send a delegation to Qatar's Doha on Monday to advance ceasefire negotiations after accepting an invitation from the mediators, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said in a statement on Saturday.

(Reporting by Alexander Cornwell; Editing by Leslie Adler)
Israel said that it would send a delegation to Qatar on Monday in an effort to advance the negotiations around the ceasefire in Gaza, while Hamas reported positive signals in talks with Egyptian and Qatari mediators on starting negotiations on the truce's delayed second phase.

The statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office gave no details except to say it had accepted the invitation of U.S.-backed mediators. Hamas spokesman Abdel-Latif al-Qanoua also gave no details. Talks on the second phase should have started a month ago.

There was no immediate comment from the White House, which on Wednesday made the surprise confirmation of direct U.S. talks with Hamas.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Over the past week, Israel has pressed Hamas to release half of the remaining hostages in return for an extension of the first phase, which ended last weekend, and a promise to negotiate a lasting truce. Hamas is believed to have 24 living hostages and the bodies of 34 others.

Israel last weekend cut off all supplies to Gaza and its more than 2 million people as it pressed Hamas to agree. The militant group has said that the move would affect the remaining hostages as well.

The ceasefire has paused the deadliest and most destructive fighting ever between Israel and Hamas, sparked by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. The first phase allowed the return of 25 living hostages and the remains of eight others in exchange for the release of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

Israeli forces have withdrawn to buffer zones inside Gaza, hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians have returned to northern Gaza for the first time since early in the war and hundreds of trucks of aid entered per day until Israel suspended supplies.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Before their weekly rally in Tel Aviv, relatives of hostages appealed to U.S. President Donald Trump, who met with eight former hostages on Wednesday.

Mr. President, a return to war means a death sentence for the living hostages left behind. Please, sir, do not allow Netanyahu to sacrifice them.
By Nidal al-Mughrabi

CAIRO/JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israel and Hamas signaled on Saturday they were preparing for the next phase of ceasefire negotiations, as mediators pushed ahead with talks to extend the fragile 42-day truce that began in January.

Hamas said there were "positive indicators" for the start of the ceasefire's second-phase talks but did not elaborate.

Israel also said it was preparing for talks. "Israel has accepted the invitation of the mediators backed by the U.S., and will send a delegation to Doha on Monday in an effort to advance the negotiations," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A delegation from Hamas is engaging in ceasefire talks in Cairo with Egyptian mediators who have been helping facilitate the talks along with officials from Qatar. They aim to proceed to the next stage of the deal, which could open the way to ending the war.

"We affirm our readiness to engage in the second-phase negotiations in a way that meets the demands of our people, and we call for intensified efforts to aid the Gaza Strip and lift the blockade on our suffering people," Hamas spokesman Abdel-Latif Al-Qanoua said in a statement.

In a later statement reporting its delegation's meeting with the head of Egypt's general intelligence agency, Hassan Mahmoud Rashad, Hamas affirmed the group's approval of forming a committee of what it described as "national and independent" characters to run Gaza until elections.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi earlier said Cairo 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.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

His remarks came during the Arab summit which adopted Egypt's alternative reconstruction plan for Gaza, as opposed to U.S. President Donald Trump's "Middle East Riviera" vision.

Even as diplomacy continued, an Israeli airstrike killed two Palestinians in Rafah in southern Gaza on Saturday, medical sources said.

The Israeli military said its aircraft struck a drone that crossed from Israel into southern Gaza and "several suspects" who tried to collect it in what appeared to be a botched smuggling attempt.

The strike came after an Israeli drone strike killed two people in Gaza on Friday. The Israeli military said it attacked a group of suspected militants operating near its troops in northern Gaza and planting an explosive device in the ground.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Gaza ceasefire deal that took effect in January calls for the remaining 59 hostages in Hamas captivity to be freed in a second phase, during which final plans would be negotiated for an end to the war.

The first phase of the ceasefire ended last week. Israel has since imposed a total blockade on all goods entering the enclave, demanding that Hamas free the remaining hostages without beginning the negotiations to end the Gaza war.

Fighting has been halted since January 19 and Hamas has released 33 Israeli hostages and five Thais for some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. Israeli authorities believe fewer than half of the remaining 59 hostages are still alive.

Israel's assault on the enclave has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities. It has also internally displaced nearly Gaza's entire population and led to accusations of genocide and war crimes that Israel denies.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The assault began after Hamas-led Islamist fighters raided southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

(Reporting by Nidal Al Mughrabi and Alexander Cornwell; Writing by Menna Alaa El-Din and Hatem Maher; Editing by Angus MacSwan, Chizu Nomiyama and Leslie Adler)
MUMBAI (Reuters) - A man was killed and an Israeli female tourist and Indian woman were gang-raped by three men in an attack late on Thursday near a popular UNESCO World Heritage site in southern India, local police said on Saturday.

The Indian man and two women were stargazing with two other male tourists in the town of Hampi when the three men attacked them following an altercation over money, police superintendent Ram Arasiddi told Reuters over the phone.

The assailants pushed the men into a river canal before raping the women, he said. Two of the men, including an American, survived, and the third man's body was recovered on Saturday morning.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Police have arrested two of the men accused of the attack and were carrying out further investigations, Arasiddi said.

Attacks on women in India gained international attention last year after the brutal rape-homicide of a junior doctor at a hospital in the eastern city of Kolkata, sparking national outrage and protests over a lack of safety for women.

(Reporting by Dhwani Pandya; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
ROME (AP)  The Italian government approved a draft law that for the first time introduces the legal definition of femicide in the countrys criminal law and punishes it with life imprisonment.

The move, announced on the eve of International Women's Day on Saturday, aims at tackling a shocking string of killings and violence targeting women in Italy through strengthening measures against gender-based crimes like stalking and revenge porn.

The proposal, agreed on late Friday, still needs to go through parliament and must be approved by both chambers to become law.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This is an extremely significant bill, which introduces the crime of femicide in our legal system as an autonomous crime, punishing it with life imprisonment, said conservative Premier Giorgia Meloni, who strongly backed the initiative.

It introduces aggravating circumstances and increases sentences for crimes including personal mistreatment, stalking, sexual violence and revenge porn, she said in a statement.

While the center-left opposition welcomed the move, it stressed that the new law only tackles the criminal aspect of the problem, while leaving economic and cultural divides unaddressed. Recently, femicide has emerged as a systemic problem deeply entrenched in Italys patriarchal culture, with some violent incidents renewing debate on gender-based crimes.

Particularly striking was the killing of Giulia Cecchettin, the 22-year-old university student brutally stabbed by her former boyfriend Filippo Turetta in November 2023. Last December, Turetta was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Recent studies show that, while killings have been declining in the Mediterranean country, the rate of femicides tends to be stable or only slightly decrease, while remaining strictly linked to the family or the emotional sphere of the victims.

Official data by the Italian Interior ministry recorded 113 femicides in 2024, of which 99 committed by relatives, partners or ex-partners.

Women rights organization Non Una di Meno  which every year organises rallies across Italian cities and a one-day strike to mark International Women's Day  was very critical about the draft legislation.

It's a propaganda move, said activist Serena Fredda, while marching with thousands of people in the center of Rome. This is a government that tends to multiply crimes and forgets that, despite the increase in penalties, there is no real deterrence.

Fredda noted that femicide is only the tip of the iceberg: we must work to eliminate discrimination that hit women from school to work.
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD)  Jaleesha Allen is working to encourage others and shine light on a new pageant system as the 2025 Mrs. Illinois Black United States.

Allen said she was motivated to participate in the pageant system because of the principles.

Scholarship, mentorship, sisterhood, leadership and community impact, she said. And thats what its all about. What impact can we make in a community as black women.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Allen is hosting a prom dress giveaway for a senior Peoria student as her community impact project. To learn more about the giveaway and follow Allens journey to the national title click here.

She will compete for its national title on Juneteenth in Maryland. To learn more information about the Black United States pageant system holding titles for Teen, Miss, Ms. and Mrs. click here.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CIProud.com.
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  Protesters gathered outside the Miami Township Police Department Saturday in support of a 21-year-old killed by police this February.

Jayden Stephenson, 21, was fatally shot on Feb. 19. Police officers were called to his home on Sawgrass Drive by his mother, who told 911 he had a knife.

The officers found Stephenson in the living room holding a boxcutter. According to Miami Township, the officers spent seven minutes trying to de-escalate and initially used less-than-lethal tactics to attempt to subdue him.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He ran upstairs and locked himself in his mothers room. Officers kicked down the door, then tased and shot him.

Body Cam Footage of the incident can be viewed at the link below.

Family vows own investigation after viewing bodycam of Miami Twp police killing son

A protestor who wished to remain anonymous spoke with a member of the 2 NEWS team at the event.

Jayden was suffering from a mental health crisis. The family reached out for help from the police, and the police arrived. Seven minutes later, they shot and killed Jayden. Jayden needed help, said the protestor.

She continued.

He needed to go to the hospital for evaluation, and the police were unwilling to help with that. People with mental illness are disproportionately killed when theyre in mental health crises, and what they need is help and not police, she said. The police are in a position to protect and serve, and part of that is to bring people who have mental health crises to the hospital for doctors to evaluate them.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The protester then explained what the police presence was like after the call. She alleged the police refused to fill out an involuntary admission forum for Stephenson.

Christy called for help for Jayden, who was suffering from mental health issues. He needed to go to the hospital. The family had been pleading for him to go to the hospital. The police told him they were going to take him to jail instead of the hospital. They told the family the pink slip, which is an involuntary admission for it, that the police could fill out was useless and then they were not going to fill one out for him, she said. Five police officers arrived in protective gear and shot a 120-pound, 21-year-old kid four times.

The protesters said more mental health awareness and education should be present in police training.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com.
Vice President JD Vance claims he was confronted by pro-Ukraine protesters in Cincinnati on Saturday while out walking with his three-year-old daughter, who became increasingly anxious and scared by their shouts, he said.

Today while walking my 3 year old daughter a group of Slava Ukraini protesters followed us around and shouted as my daughter grew increasingly anxious and scared, Vance wrote on X.

I decided to speak with the protesters in the hopes that I could trade a few minutes of conversation for them leaving my toddler alone. (Nearly all of them agreed.), he continued.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It was a mostly respectful conversation, but if youre chasing a 3-year-old as part of a political protest, youre a s*** person, he added.

But protesters say Vances account is a fabrication, and that they had spontaneously passed by the vice president on their way to a nearby protest.

A nearly three-minute video from the incident appears to show Vance surrounded by Secret Service while protesters ask him about Russias war in Ukraine and the withdrawal of U.S. support.

"We think it's in the best interest of our [own people] and frankly in the best interest of the Ukrainians for the war to stop, Vance says in a video shared with Ohio news outlet WCPO.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Vance also says Russia certainly invaded Ukraine in 2022, contracting President Donald Trumps latest comments blaming Ukraine for the invasion.

Protesters tell him people are dying and the administration is selling out the people of Ukraine.

With respect, maam, I disagree, Vance says. I think that what were doing is were actually forcing a diplomatic settlement.

Today while walking my 3 year old daughter a group of Slava Ukraini protesters followed us around and shouted as my daughter grew increasingly anxious and scared.



I decided to speak with the protesters in the hopes that I could trade a few minutes of conversation for them  JD Vance (@JDVance) March 8, 2025

Vance has become the target of protesters in support of the U.S. defense of Ukraine against Russias invasion, now in its fourth year, after he seemingly provoked a disastrous Oval Office meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The vice president was seen by many as instigating an attack on Zelensky  who questioned what the administration meant by diplomacy with Russia after Putin defied ceasefire agreements  that quickly escalated into a shouting match in front of the worlds media, leading to international condemnation.

As the United States withdraws support for its ally, Russia has stepped up attacks on Ukraine. There were demonstrations in support of Kyiv on Saturday in Europe and in Washington, D.C.

Not everyone was sympathetic to Vances post.

Tim Miller, of The Bulwark, wrote: Dozens are dead in Ukraine because you stopped giving them the intelligence that protected the country from bombs so you can probably handle some yelling in a free country boss.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

When [congressman Ro Khanna] brought up children JD accused him of emotional manipulation, Miller wrote. Two weeks later hes using his 3 year old as a shield for the disastrous policies hes implanting. Keep it.

Journalist John Harwood wrote: If you endanger a group of immigrants by telling outrageous lies about them, or withhold intelligence to make it easier for Russia to kill innocent Ukrainians, you're a s*** person.

This is not the first time Vance has been confronted by demonstrators since the Zelensky meeting. The vice president and his family were also greeted by angry protesters on vacation in Vermont, who told him to go ski in Russia.

Ahead of Vances visit and before the Oval Office drama, Republican Gov. Phil Scott issued a statement Thursday welcoming Vance and his family to the state. He asked Vermont residents to do the same, even if they have political differences with the vice president.

I hope Vermonters remember the vice president is here on a family trip with his young children and, while we may not always agree, we should be respectful, the statement said.
Trump's Social Security playbook

If you watched Donald Trumps joint address on Tuesday night, you might have caught his latest tall tale about Social Security fraud and the millions of deceased Americans collecting checks every year.

Trump alleged nearly 16 million people over the age of 100 have been receiving Social Security payments, including 130,000 supposedly over 160 years old, and even one person listed at 360.

The truth? The people Trump referenced arent receiving checks  theyre simply still in the Social Security Administrations (SSA) database. This is a known issue, flagged repeatedly by inspectors general, but fixing the records would cost millions. And critically, it has nothing to do with benefits actually being paid out.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Heres what the real numbers show:

According to the SSAs former inspector general, just 0.84% of benefits from 2015 to 2022 were improper. Most of those were overpayments to existing recipients  not checks sent to the deceased or ineligible.

In December 2024, as one look at the SSAs beneficiaries chart will show you, just 89,106 people over age 99 received Social Security retirement benefits  not the nearly 16 million Trump claimed.

But this isnt just another case of Trump stating incorrect facts. Weve seen this playbook before. Just as Trump worked to sow doubt about the legitimacy of an election, hes now trying to undermine confidence in Social Security  suggesting its corrupt, mismanaged and in need of drastic intervention.

Here are some real facts about Social Security: as highlighted by former Social Security Commissioner Martin OMalley, the Social Security Administration has never missed a benefit payment in its existence; over 73 million people depend on those payments; and 66% of Republicans believe Social Security needs more funding.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The question is: Will Democrats meet this moment? Trump may be underestimating just how much Americans  Republicans and Democrats alike  value this program. After all, Social Security isnt just a policy issue. Its a lifeline. And its an argument I hope Democrats put some real money behind.

A highlight for Democrats: Sen. Slotkin's response

Delivering the official rebuttal to a joint congressional address is often seen as an extremely risky, even cursed, task. Just ask Secretary of State Marco Rubio (whose midspeech lunge for water became a viral sensation) or Sen. Katie Britt (whose awkward kitchen-table performance left many puzzled). Even Sen. Elissa Slotkin acknowledged the so-called curse before giving this years response.

But Slotkins remarks proved to be a highlight of the evening for Democrats. She made it clear Trump has done nothing to further his goal of lowering prices for consumers. She focused on rebuilding the middle class and expanding national security, rather than cozying up to dictators abroad.

And she didnt just attack Trump  she offered a contrast. One grounded in an understanding of how Democrats need to prioritize working people to win in states like Michigan.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Will it be enough to break the so-called response curse for future Congress members? No, and Im sure most members still wouldnt touch that speech with a 10-foot pole for a long time. But Slotkin showed exactly why shes a rising star in the Democratic Party.

Tune in Monday for the final episode of The Blueprint with Jen Psaki

Ken Martin, who led the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party before taking the reins at the DNC, says its time for Democrats to stop playing it safe. On this weeks episode, he has no time for niceties.

Martin made the case that Democrats need to start playing dirtier  not by lying or spreading disinformation, but by throwing real punches and using every tool available to fight back. He also called out Speaker Mike Johnson for dodging town halls, exposed Trumps Social Security backtracking, and showed a very  lets just say  different side of himself than I expected from our many past interviews.

Subscribe here for the full conversation.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
NEWARK, N.J. (AP)  A 14-year-old shot and killed a police officer and wounded another Friday evening in New Jersey, authorities said, in a chaotic scene that witnesses described as seeing officers running down a busy street before they heard a volley of a dozen or more gunshots.

The slain officer, 26-year-old Joseph Azcona, was part of a team of Newark police detectives and federal agents that had gone to capture a suspect in an illegal weapons sting when the officer was fired on in his vehicle, authorities said.

He didnt even get a chance to step out of the vehicle before he was struck, Emanuel Miranda, Newark's director of public safety, told a Saturday morning news conference with Newark's mayor and top prosecutor.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Miranda called Azcona a true hero.

The other officer who was struck was hospitalized with injuries that were not expected to be life-threatening, authorities said. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka called the shooting a heinous, callous disregard for humanity" and that officers had gone to the scene knowing that "grave danger was possible."

Police took five people into custody, including the 14-year-old who was charged with murder, attempted murder and possession of illegal weapons, Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stevens II told the news conference.

The 14-year-old was shot and hospitalized with injuries that were not life threatening, Stevens said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Stevens did not identify the boy or the other four people in custody who he said were undergoing questioning by investigators Saturday. Stevens and Miranda gave few other details about what led police to the group that fired on Azcona, the ensuing police response or the shootout.

One gun was recovered, Stevens said. It and officers' guns were being evaluated to determine which of them were fired and how many shots were fired, he said.

Azcona. a five-year veteran of the Newark police force, was promoted to detective two years ago and assigned to an intelligence unit that was the best of the best, Miranda said.

Azcona and the other officer were shot around 6:37 p.m. in the area of Broadway and Carteret after the team of detectives and federal agents went to investigate a report of illegal firearms activity, authorities said. Witnesses said they heard a string of gunshots after they saw officers running down the street on a commercial strip between a McDonalds and White Castle restaurants near the Passaic River.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Witness Randy Mejia told WCBS-TV right before he heard gunshots that he saw officers running.

It sounded like a car accident and it went boom, boom, boom, Mejia said.

The wounded officers were taken to University Hospital in Newark, where Azcona was pronounced dead around 2:30 a.m., Stevens said. Azcona's mother, father and brother were at the hospital to see him and grieve after the shooting, Miranda said.

Police declined to identify the officer who was wounded.

Baraka expressed frustration that society hasn't figured out a way to prevent a 14-year-old with a firearm from shooting at police.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We just have to do a better job. I have to do a better job. Our families have to do a better job. The community has to do a better job at making sure that our children are not handling guns in the street, shooting at police officers, Baraka said. This is not a police problem. This is our problem. This is our collective problem.

___

This story has been corrected to show that Joseph Azcona was 26, not 25.
When Mary Cooper downsized her home, she brought boxes of her late mothers belongings to her new home. Sorting through them after the move, Cooper, 81, discovered an artifact  a library book 99 years past due.

I was looking through the books and found one about (building) toys for boys and girls, Cooper, who lives in Berkeley Township, New Jersey, told CNN. I thought, Thats a neat book. Maybe my son would like it  he loves to build things.

But Coopers son isnt the only one with an interest in craftsmanship: Her grandfather, Charles Tilton, who had originally checked out the library book, was a boatwright and carpenter.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

When Cooper opened the book Home-Made Toys for Girls and Boys by A. Neely Hall, she realized it was checked out in March 1926 from the Ocean County Library system in New Jersey  the year before Tilton died.

The book, published in 1911, is a manual of illustrated instructions for simple toys made from wood, metal and household items.

He had a little girl, my mom. I figured he would want to build her some toys, Cooper said.

While Cooper doesnt have any personal memories with her grandfather because he died before she was born, her mother often shared stories about Tilton. She remembers her mother saying he built her toy wooden sailboats, which Cooper later donated to the Bay Head Historical Society in New Jersey.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

When Cooper found the book, she knew it was time to return it.

New Jersey woman returns her grandfathers library book 99 years overdue - WPVI

I thought, I dont have grandchildren, and my kids are getting older. Even if my son took it, I didnt know what theyd do with it, she said. I figured it belongs to the library.

Walking into the Toms River branch of the Ocean County Library, Cooper did not know what to expect but hoped the library would want the book back. She never imagined the excitement it would stir, especially in light of the library systems centennial date approaching in September.

Cooper was also worried the library would charge her a late fee, which staff joked would have added up to $18,000 if they still charged fines, according to CNN affiliate WPVI.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I said, I think you want to look at this book. So, (the staff member) took it, Cooper said. And then she goes, Oh my God, this book is almost 100 years old. She said, Dont move. Dont go anywhere.

What a serendipitous thing to happen, that during our 100th year is when this book got returned, Sherri Taliercio, the Ocean County Librarys spokesperson, told WPVI. Divine intervention, it really is.

Cooper spent the next few hours digging into her grandfathers ancestral records and flipping through the book with library staff.

At one point, Cooper recalled, they came across an image of a boat in the book  the same toy boat her grandfather had made for his daughter and Cooper had donated to the historical society.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She believes that connection is why her mother held onto the book for so many years.

At least 10 people came over and wanted to see the book and touch it, she said, including the librarys janitor.

Now, the book is on display for anyone to view with other mementos, kept in a locked case at the library in Toms River, WPVI reported.

Its finally in its home for years to come, Taliercio said.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Mobsters, a mysterious man with an umbrella, Ted Cruzs dad  and aliens.

Conspiracy theories about the assassination of President John F Kennedy on that fateful day on November 22, 1963, have swirled for decades. But experts agree that the imminent release of the long-awaited JFK files, along with unreleased documents about the killings of Robert F Kennedy and civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr, is unlikely to quell the paranoia surrounding any of their murders.

President Donald Trumps deadline for officials to submit a plan for the release of the files is this weekend, according to the executive order he issued 43 days ago.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

That's a big one, huh? Trump said as he signed the order in January. A lot of people have been waiting for this for years, for decades.

While conspiracy theories have implicated 214 individuals and 44 organizations in John Kennedys murder over the years, doubts also remain over the killings of RFK and King after their families remain unconvinced the true culprits were convicted.

As the deadline for the release of the files looms, The Independent revisits some of the outlandish and more compelling theories out there:

John F Kennedy assassination  Dallas, November 22, 1963

President Kennedy and the First Lady ride in the motorcade minutes before his assassination in Dallas in November 1963 (Dallas Morning News/Public Domain)

The widely accepted theory

Positioning himself from a snipers perch on the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository building, former marine Lee Harvey Oswald fired multiple shots that killed Kennedy.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Two days later, nightclub owner Jack Ruby shot Oswald during a prison transfer, killing him.

One year after the assassination, President Lyndon B. Johnson assembled and tasked the Warren Commission to investigate. The commission, along with the FBI and other governmental probes, concluded that Oswald acted alone. The theory was widely accepted.

Multiple gunmen and the umbrella man

Lee Harvey Oswald pictured shortly after his arrest. The Warren Commission found he acted alone in killing the president (AFP/Getty)

Things started to unravel when a Select Committee on Assassinations argued in 1979 that there was a high probability that two gunmen fired at Kennedy, with one of them being situated on an area known as the grassy knoll.

Kennedys own nephew, RFK Jr, himself a keen conspiracy theorist, has said that he believes there was more than one man behind his uncles murder.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The theory that a second shooter was situated on the knoll was disproved by several technical recreations, including by the National Academy of Sciences, which concluded: Reliable acoustic data do not support a conclusion that there was a second gunman.

Within the multiple gunmen theory came another about a mysterious figure holding a black umbrella on the day of the assassination. Curious, as the sun was shining that day. There was speculation that the umbrella contained a dart gun which was shot into Kennedys neck, giving his fellow assassins time to kill him while he was immobilized. In Oliver Stones controversial 1991 film JFK, the umbrella man featured sends signals to the other assassins.

It turned out that the umbrella man, sat on the far right side at the scene of the assassination, brought it with to heckle Kennedy (Richard Oscar Bothun/Wikimedia Commons)

The umbrella, exhibit 405, is demonstrated to the House Select Committee on Assassinations in 1978 (National Archives/YouTube)

The umbrella in question was exhibit 405 in the House committees probe in 1978, where its owner, Dallas life insurance salesman Louie Steven Witt, revealed its true purpose  to heckle Kennedy.

When asked by staff counsel to the committee Robert Genzman whether the umbrella ever contains a gun or weapon of any sort, Witt replied: This umbrella? No.

CIAs retaliation over failed operation

The failed Bay of Pigs CIA invasion in Cuba ordered by Kennedy in 1961 to overthrow Fidel Castros government led some Americans to link the intelligence agency to the presidents murder.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In 2017, the release of classified papers detailed plans that Kennedys administration and the CIA developed to kill Castro, including one where they would give the keen diver an exploding seashell or contaminated diving suit.

The CIA conspiracy theory surrounds the failed operation to overthrow Fidel Castros government (AFP via Getty Images)

When the assassination attempt on Castro failed, some believe that the tension between the CIA and Kennedys administration led the agency to retaliate by ordering the hit. The CIA has repeatedly denied the conspiracy.

Kennedys nephew, RFK Jr, is one believer of the CIA theory. The evidence is overwhelming that the CIA was involved in the murder and in the cover-up, he told a podcast in May 2024, while on the campaign trail before he defected to Trump.

Former mobster who claims he is the true assassin

During a 25-year stint in prison for the attempted murder of two Chicago police officers, former mobster James Files converted to Christianity and owned up to a previous murder  the assassination of Kennedy.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The 83-year-old insists that he was situated behind a fence on the infamous grassy knoll and took the fatal shot, he told The Times of London.

Former mobster James Files claims he is the real JFK assassin. He made the confession while in prison for killing two cops (@DocoCentral/Youtube)

His claims have been widely disregarded, but he maintains that he was working with a team of mafia hitmen, allegedly trained and recruited by the CIA. He told the newspaper that his debrief with CIA handlers ten days after the killing is buried in the agencys files.

Even the former mobster doesnt think that the files will unearth anything new. The government tells a lie, they have to live the lie. I dont think Trump will get any further than whats already been disclosed, Files told the outlet. The CIA has lied to the American public for 61 years. Does anyone really think the CIA is going to say, Were sorry, we lied to you? A hundred years from now they will still say that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone and there was no conspiracy.

Ted Cruzs dad and aliens

Trump was at the center of the wild conspiracy theory that Ted Cruzs dad, Rafael Cruz, was linked to Kennedys assassination.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

During the 2016 presidential campaign, Trump peddled a photograph published by the National Enquirer tabloid that last year was confirmed to be made up. The fake photo showed his then-rivals father, a Cuban immigrant, with Lee Harvey Oswald in New Orleans in 1963 handing out pro-Fidel Castro pamphlets.

Ted Cruz with his father Rafael Cruz, who was linked to Kennedys murder by a tabloid which was then shared by Donald Trump (Getty Images)

His father was with Lee Harvey Oswald prior to Oswald's being  you know, shot. I mean, the whole thing is ridiculous, Trump said on the campaign trail. I mean, what was he doing  what was he doing with Lee Harvey Oswald shortly before the death? Before the shooting?

Trump didnt apologize for pushing the conspiracy theory.

From one baseless theory to another, aliens were responsible for the murder of Kennedy, according to the late conspiracy theorist Milton William Cooper, because the president was about to expose his knowledge of a secret martian base on the moon to Congress.

Martin Luther King Jr assassination  Memphis, April 4, 1968

Martin Luther King Jr on the balcony of the Lorraine motel in Memphis, Tennessee, before his assassination in 1968 (Glasshouse Images/Shutterstock)

MLK was the target of a wider plot

The death of King has been investigated by the authorities five times since he was murdered on the Lorraine motel balcony in Memphis, Tennessee.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

While Congress, the Justice Department and district attorneys conclude that James Earl Ray was responsible for Kings death, the civil rights leaders own family vehemently disagrees.

In March 1997, one of King's two sons, Dexter Scott King, visited Ray in prison and said he thought he was innocent. He died in prison the following year.

Until the day she died in 2006, Kings widow Coretta believed there is abundant evidence of a major high level conspiracy, she told a 1999 press conference. The Mafia, local, state and federal government agencies, were deeply involved in the assassination of my husband...Mr Ray was set up to take the blame.

To the family and many others who lived through the civil rights struggle of the 1960s, the idea of such high-level government involvement in an assassination plot was not fanciful. King knew the FBI had been operating against him. On November 18, 1964, J. Edgar Hoover, the director of the FBI, had publicly denounced him as the most notorious liar in the country.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This all laid the groundwork for the idea that King was the target of a much bigger plot, according to his family, the Washington Post reported in 2018.

The King family never believed that Martin Luther King Jr was murdered by James Earl Ray (Getty)

Even those investigating the case admitted Rays version of events kept changing and theorized that he may have had help, but poured cold water on the idea that it was an inside job.

Im not saying he didnt have help, John Campbell, who investigated the case, told the newspaper. But he didnt have the FBI, the CIA, the Memphis police or the mafia.

Sharpshooting Memphis police officer fired fatal shot

No one has championed Rays innocence more than William Pepper, a civil rights activist and attorney who continued to investigate the case after Ray died.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Pepper has tracked down witnesses in Memphis to support his theory of what he believes really happened that day.

That J. Edgar Hoover used his longtime assistant, Clyde Tolson, to deliver cash to members of the Memphis underworld, that those shadowy figures then hired a sharpshooting Memphis police officer, and that officer  not Ray  fired the fatal shot, the Post reported, outlining Peppers theory.

Segregationist presidential candidate and the Ku Klux Klan

Another theory put forward by the House Select Committee on Assassinations in 1979 speculated that Ray killed King for a $50,000 bounty, offered by the supporters of presidential candidate George Wallace, a segregationist. The committee could never prove it.

Authors Stuart Wexler and Larry Hancock, meanwhile, argued in a book The Awful Grace of God that the Ku Klux Klan of Mississippi issued the bounty. FBI files of the KKK were examined by the committee but they found no evidence that these organizations had anything to do with the assassination.

Robert F Kennedy assassination  Los Angeles, June 5, 1968

Robert F Kennedy speaking shortly before his murder at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles moments after winning the California presidential primary (AP)

Killer was hypnotized

Five years after the death of his brother, Robert Kennedy had just delivered a victory speech after winning Californias Democratic primary and had momentum in primary season.

In the kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, Kennedy was fatally shot.

Sirhan Sirhan was convicted of the murder and jailed in 1969, but he has claimed to have no memory of what happened.

Sirhan, a Palestinian, had emigrated to the U.S. from Jordan and admitted to the crime during the trial. In the aftermath of the killing, Sirhan said he was angry at Kennedy for his support of Israel. But Sirhans testimony changed on numerous occasions and his legal team argued at one point that he had been hypnotized.

Sirhan Sirhan is arrested for the murder of Robert F Kennedy in 1968. He was refused parole in 2024 (Getty Images)

The second shooter theory

Kennedys son, RFK Jr, believes Sirhan is innocent.

RFK Jr, who was 14 when his father was murdered, met Sirhan in Californias Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility just outside of San Diego in 2018 and became convinced of his innocence during their three-hour exchange.

I went there because I was curious and disturbed by what I had seen in the evidence, RFK Jr, now Trumps health secretary, told the Washington Post at the time. I was disturbed that the wrong person might have been convicted of killing my father.

RFK Jr believes the theory that there was a second shooter, implicating security guard Eugene Thane Cesar in a 2023 television interview. In 1990, Cesar said that he had gone to the Ambassador Hotel that night with the intent to kill Kennedy, but that Arab fellow shot him before I could.

Writing in The Independent last month, former intelligence officer John Kiriakou said that the files set to be released Sunday could shed light on the second gunman theory.

Sirhan fired eight shots at Kennedy with an eight-shot revolver. But Sirhan was in front of Kennedy when he began shooting. And Los Angeles County Coroner Thomas Noguchi testified that the fatal shot came from behind Kennedy, at a distance of between one and three inches, Kiriakou writes.

Furthermore, a 2006 forensic analysis of a recording of the shooting found that between 10 and 13 shots had been fired. In 2008, John Pilger, the Australian documentary-maker, who had been covering the Kennedy campaign, witnessed his assassination and maintained he had seen a second gunman.

Kiriakou said it is unlikely that the declassified documents will provide a smoking gun.

But what we do expect, he said, is that the documents will at least shed some contemporaneous light on one of the most important and tragic events in American history.
NEW YORK (PIX11)  Jim Walden, who is running as an independent candidate for New York City mayor, joined PIX on Politics to discuss his campaign.

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.
This story first appeared in and was reported by the Kentucky Lantern.

A judge has entered an emergency protective order against former Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin sought by his adopted son, Jonah Bevin, now 18, directing him to have no contact with Jonah until the matter can be heard in court.

The order does not include Glenna Bevin, Jonahs adoptive mother, but directs her to appear at the March 19 court hearing.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In a statement to the court, Jonah alleges his adoptive parents, Matt and Glenna Bevin, abandoned him in a brutally abusive facility in Jamaica last year and sought to send him to Ethiopia, his birthplace, last month after he went public with his allegations in an interview with the Kentucky Lantern.

I now believe they were trying to get me to disappear, Jonahs statement said.

The Bevins, who are divorcing, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The order bans Matt Bevin from any contact or communication with Jonah pending the hearing and requires he remain at least 500 feet away from him. It also requires Bevin to temporarily surrender any firearms in his possession within 24 hours to the Jefferson County sheriff.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In his interview, Jonah said that at the Jamaican facility, he endured several months of severe beatings, death threats, waterboarding and being buried in sand before Jamaican child welfare authorities shut down the Atlantis Leadership Academy in early 2024, citing abusive conditions. They removed eight youths, all Americans.

Jonah and child advocates who worked to relocate the youths have said the Bevins declined to act on his behalf or return him to the United States. As a result, he for a time ended up in the custody of the Jamaican child welfare system.

It is a startling turn of events involving the former Republican governor who campaigned on improving the states adoption and foster care system and his wife, who as first lady, made child welfare her primary focus.

LOUISVILLE, KY - MAY 20: Gov. Matt Bevin (R-Ky.) speaks at the National Rifle Associations NRA-ILA Leadership Forum during the NRA Convention at the Kentucky Exposition Center on May 20, 2016 in Louisville, Kentucky. The convention, which opened today, runs until May 22. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Matt Bevin, as a candidate and later governor, often mentioned the Bevins adoption of four children from Ethiopia, including Jonah, took them to public events along with the couples five biological children and posted frequent photos on social media.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Jefferson Family Court Judge Angela Johnson granted the order Friday just a few hours after Jonah, who traveled to Louisville with child advocacy lawyer Dawn J. Post Thursday, filed the petition in Jefferson County.

Johnson also is the judge handling the pending divorce case of the Bevins,

Jonah also filed a police report Thursday with Louisville Metro Police, alleging he was abandoned in Jamaica by the Bevins.. A final copy of the report is not yet available.

Post, who specializes in what she calls broken adoptions, said they are hoping the report will prompt authorities in Kentucky to consider criminal charges in the case.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to Kentucky law, abandonment occurs when a parent or guardian deserts the minor in any place under circumstances endangering his life or health and with intent to abandon him. It is a Class D felony, the least serious, and carries a penalty of one to five years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000,

Jonah, in his statement, also details multiple incidents of abuse and neglect he said involved him after the Bevins adopted him at age 5 and a group of three siblings from Ethiopia in 2012. He said he was slapped, struck and grabbed and at one point assaulted by someone connected to the family.

Jonah, said he was last homeless in Utah after he turned 18, said in the statement he would like to return to Kentucky but is afraid to do so because without court protection.

Due to the nature of the threats, abandonment and neglect, I have reasonable cause to believe that further harm may occur without the issuance of an immediate protective order, his statement said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Post has said she is working to find a more suitable placement for Jonah.

In his first public comments since he left the Jamaican facility in February 2024, Jonah told the Kentucky Lantern last month he experienced brutal beatings and other mistreatment at the Atlantis Leadership Academy, which promoted itself as the perfect location for healing.

It was one of several residential facilities his parents sent him to, starting at age 13 he said.

After Jamaican authorities removed the youths from Atlantis, Jonah said the Bevins made no effort to come to his aid, leaving him in custody of that countrys child welfare system.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Advocates for the youths said they were unable to reach the Bevins to arrange his return to the United States.

Jonah said he and two other boys at Atlantis, also Black and both adopted, were the last to leave Jamaica after their adoptive families took no action to help return them.

At that point, I didnt think nobody cared about us  especially the Black kids, he told the Kentucky Lantern.

Adopted at age 5 from an Ethiopian orphanage, Jonah said that after turning 18, he was living on his own in Utah with no support from the Bevins, who are wealthy and live in Anchorage, an affluent enclave east of Louisville. He said he was living in temporary housing, supporting himself with part-time construction work.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

At the Jamaican facility, conditions including beatings, waterboarding, threats, ridicule and food deprivation are alleged in more than a dozen federal lawsuits pending in Florida against Atlantis, and its affiliates. Jonah is not among former residents who have filed the lawsuits but is considering joining the litigation, Post said.

Among defendants in the lawsuits against Atlantis are the facilitys founders, Randall and Lisa Cook, a husband and wife who have not responded to any of the lawsuits.

Randall Cook allegedly fled the jurisdiction of Jamaican law enforcement authorities in April 2024 to escape prosecution, one of the lawsuits said. It said multiple former staff members are facing criminal charges of abuse and neglect in Jamaica.

The Cooks could not be located for comment and the Atlantis phone number does not work.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Jonah, in an interview, described a violent beating from facility staff after he attempted to escape three days after his arrival at Atlantis in December 2023.

I was bleeding from my nose, mouth, he said. They made me clean it up with a mop. They made me clean up my own blood.

After that, I was getting beaten every day.

He and seven other youths, all but one under 18, would remain there until Jamaican child welfare authorities conducted a surprise inspection in February 2024, removing them.

Jonah said that he and two other youths, all Black and all having been adopted in the United States, were abandoned by their families and placed in custody of Jamaican child welfare authorities.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He and Post said that lawyers for Atlantis and some parents appeared at court hearings in Jamaica arguing that the youths were exaggerating or lying about the abuse and that the facility should be reopened. That effort failed and Jamaican authorities began working to try to get the youths home.

Bevin, a Christian conservative, served as governor from, from late 2015 through 2019 before he was defeated in his bid for a second term by current Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat.

As governor, Bevin promoted adoption and called for sweeping improvements to the state child foster and adoption system he said had obstructed the Bevins effort to adopt a child in Kentucky.

Then-Gov. Matt Bevin and his now estranged wife Glenna Bevin talked on KET in 2017 about their experiences with adoption.

During his 2015 campaign, Matt Bevin was highly critical of Kentuckys adoption system and said in a 2017 interview on KET his desire to reform it was the driving reason I made the decision to run.

Matt Bevin said in the KET interview the introduction of four adopted Black children who spoke no English into his household went smoothly.

It has been a very, very seamless transition, Bevin said.

But Jonah had a different recollection, telling the Kentucky Lantern that he as early as age 8 didnt feel like he fit into the household, struggling to master English and trying to overcome learning disabilities. He said he clashed with others in the home, including Glenna Bevin, whom he said was largely in charge of overseeing the children.

I was getting in trouble, he said. When I couldnt speak English, if I did something wrong, I couldnt understand.

At age 13, Jonah said the Bevins sent him to what would be a series of out-of-state residential facilities for youths before he wound up at Atlantis in Jamaica in late 2023. He said he was taken there in handcuffs by a transport team hired to move him from a residential center in Utah.

Jonah Bevin and his lawyer Dawn J. Post in Louisville, March 7, 2025.

Conditions at Atlantis first reported last year in the Sunday Times of London, attracted international headlines after celebrity hotel heiress Paris Hilton flew to Jamaica in April to aid the youths as part of her advocacy work to reform what she calls the troubled teen industry that victimized her. She has created a foundation, 11:11 Media Impact to promote her advocacy.

Jonah said he had no idea of Hiltons celebrity or advocacy but was grateful for her support and the attention generated by her visit.

Post, who said she specializes in working with children from broken adoptions, said the problem is more widespread that people realize and that a for-profit industry has developed purporting to help such youths, It includes consultants, who help parents identify facilities, transport teams that take youthssometimes forciblyto such places and loosely regulated residential facilities, some outside the United States.

Meanwhile, she said a Gofundme account she started to help support Jonah is doing well, with more than $13,000 raised in just a few week. He already has used some of the proceeds to buy clothes and other necessities, she said.
Nearly a third of the projects that are to be done with use-tax revenue have been completed by the city of Joplin.

A presentation on the status of the 45 action plan programs and initiatives that are funded or partly funded by that tax will be given Monday at a work session of the City Council.

Members of the Action Plan and Implementation Oversight Committee have been meeting since January 2022 after voters approved collection of the use tax in November 2021. That group, led by former Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce President Rob OBrian and City Manager Nick Edwards, has given input into the projects, asked questions and made suggestions for them, as well as monitoring the progress.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The presentation Monday will provide residents with information on how much the use tax has collected and how it has been disbursed among the various city sales tax funds so that some portion of it goes into many city projects and needs. It has even contributed to hiring of some additional positions so that there are more city workers to carry out the action plans as well as regular city functions.

Since collection of the tax started in early 2022, it has brought more than $17 million into city coffers that went toward things such as hiring and equipping park rangers, adding positions and contributing to equipment purchases for police and fire departments and to neighborhood improvements.

Residents will be provided with information about things such as the effort to clear deteriorated houses and the construction of replacements, a home repair program that has paid for some exterior home repairs in several income-restricted neighborhoods, and the future commitments for spending that are aimed at overall improvements across the city and its services.

Future projects also will be discussed.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The creation of programs and projects to bring improvements started with a listening tour conducted by the city manager in 2020, in which residents expressed concerns about declining neighborhood conditions and housing, homelessness, economic development needs, traffic congestion and quality of life.

A City Council retreat later that year resulted in the council adopting a strategic plan with specific goals set. Those are to improve community appearance, address declining neighborhoods, increase economic opportunities, address homelessness, reduce crime and increase safety, and create and grow resilient revenue.

Use-tax funds have helped finance work on those goals. Some city American Rescue Plan Act grant funding also has been used for those purposes, the city manager told the oversight committee at a meeting Wednesday.

The council meeting starts at 5:45 p.m. Monday on the fifth floor of City Hall, 602 S. Main St.
HOUSTON (AP)  A federal judge has awarded nearly $2 million in damages as part of a civil lawsuit after concluding an FBI agent was negligent when he fatally shot a kidnapped Texas man during a botched rescue attempt in 2018.

The family of 47-year-old Ulises Valladares filed a lawsuit in Houston federal court alleging their loved one had been helpless as he was bound and blindfolded when FBI agent Gavin Lappe shot him shot in January 2018 as authorities entered a home where the man was being held.

The FBI agent had told investigators he only fired when he thought a kidnapper had grabbed his rifle after the agent broke a window to get inside and didnt know he was shooting Valladares, who had lived in suburban Houston.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But in a 10-page judgment issued on Monday, U.S. District Judge Kenneth Hoyt in Houston found that Lappe was negligent, even grossly negligent, in his response during the rescue attempt, and he was the sole cause of Valladares death.

Hoyt wrote that Lappe fired at a silhouette in the window without knowing who he was shooting at and did so when there was no direct threat to him or another agent who was nearby.

The judgement by Hoyt was first reported by the Houston Landing website.

Lappe was protected against the lawsuit through qualified immunity. But the case was allowed to proceed against the federal government.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorneys Office in Houston and an attorney for Lappe did not immediately return emails seeking comment.

Hoyt awarded nearly $2 million in damages to Valladares mother and son.

Former Houston police Chief Art Acevedo had previously said the agents explanation for why he shot the hostage is not supported by evidence reviewed by police investigators.
Morgan Geyser, the now-22-year-old who was committed to a Wisconsin psychiatric facility following the stabbing of her best friend in 2014, is set to be granted conditional release from the Winnebago Mental Health Institute, where she has spent the past seven years.

In 2017, Geyser confessed to stabbing her friend Payton Leutner in 2014 after luring her into the woods in an attempt to impress the fictional supernatural character Slender Man. Geysers co-defendant, Anissa Weir, was convicted of the same crime and released from the same psychiatric facility in 2021. At the time of the attack, all three girls were just 12 years old.

Geyser had previously been sentenced to 40 years in the facility, the maximum sentence allowed, while Weir had been sentenced to 25 years from the date of the crime.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Geyser initially sought conditional release back in 2022, arguing that she was no longer a risk to the public. But as recently as April 2024, a judge ruled that she remained a danger to the public and could not be released. Judge Michael Bohren explained that Geysers credibility was in question due to the changes in her story over the years regarding her motive for the attack, and until that credibility is resolved, the risk [to the public] is high.

However, in January, Judge Bohren ordered Geysers release after experts testified that she had made progress during her time at the facility. Shes done what shes supposed to do, said Bohren. She appears to have a good attitude.

Geysers freedom momentarily hung in the balance after the psychiatric facility discovered her communications with a man outside the facility, as well as reading material she had accessed during her treatment. According to Deputy District Attorney Abbey Nickolie, the material she was reading had themes of sexual sadism and murder and the sale of human organs on the black market. Geysers lawyers pointed out that everything she was reading had already been vetted by authorities.

The Slender Man myth began life as a meme posted on the Something Awful forums in 2009 as part of a Photoshop contest. As a result, there is no single canonical depiction of the character, although he is usually depicted as an unnaturally tall humanoid with zero facial features, dressed in a black suit.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The meme, which would have otherwise remained an exclusively online phenomenon, gained international recognition following the 2014 stabbing of Leutner. Geyser and Weir, who had developed an obsession with the figure, claimed that they were afraid Slender Man would kill their families if they did not kill Leutner.

Despite being stabbed 19 times and suffering life-threatening injuries, Leutner survived, telling ABC in 2019, Ive come to accept all of the scars that I have. Its just a part of me, She continued, I dont think much of them. They will probably go away and fade eventually.
Following a flurry of motions by both the defense and the Commonwealth, Judge Beverly Cannone imposed a gag order on all attorneys in the Karen Read murder trial on Friday.

In her ruling, Cannone says statements made outside of court could taint the jury pool ahead of Reads retrial in April.

Cannone references comments defense attorney Alan Jackson made to Boston 25 News and other media outlets in her decision.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Cannone says she will not impose sanctions on the defense for previous statements to the media.

Breaking: Judge Beverly Cannone has imposed a gag-order on Karen Read's lawyers but denies Brennan's motion to sanction the defense.



Here's the order: pic.twitter.com/YVbMB4nu1P  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) March 7, 2025

The announcement comes as Reads lawyers filed new exhibits to get her case dismissed for extraordinary governmental misconduct.

The defense also requested to add controversial blogger Aidan Kearneys attorney to the team, but Cannone quickly denied that request.

Read is accused of hitting John OKeefe, her boyfriend at the time, 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

Judge Beverly Cannone will rule on the motion to dismiss ahead of Reads trial scheduled in April. Jury selection for the trial is expected to begin on April 1.

Karen Read tells her story in exclusive one-on-one interview: Ive been framed

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
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KRON)  A Santa Cruz County juror who served for the trial of Madyson Maddy Middletons killer says the cases outcome fails to ensure justice for the 8-year-old murder victims family.

Adrian Gonzalez, 25, was 15 years old when he raped and murdered the little girl. Since the shocking 2015 killing, he has served nearly a decade in juvenile detention centers.

Joan Hoyt, also known as Juror No. 5 during the trial, was one of twelve jurors who decided that Gonzalez is still too dangerous to be released from custody. The jury reached a verdict in February, blocking Gonzalezs release until 2026. Under Californias juvenile justice law, Senate Bill 1391, he will have a new chance for freedom every two years.

Madyson Maddy Middleton

After listening to more than three months of testimony about Gonzalezs crime, rehabilitation history, and psychological profile, Hoyt said Californias political leaders need to reform SB 1391 to keep offenders like Gonzalez locked up for life.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The spirit of the law was probably in a very good place. I dont think we should be over-prosecuting juveniles as adults. However, the fact that there are zero exceptions to this law, is flawed. I think its really obvious that this law is flawed. The state legislature, Im calling for them to say hey  lets change it, Hoyt told KRON4.

SB 1391 specifies that, under no circumstances, can a 14 or 15-year-old offender be put on trial, punished, and incarcerated as an adult. When he murdered Maddy, Gonzalez was four months away from his 16th birthday.

Madyson Maddy Middleton (Photo via Santa Cruz Police Department)

Santa Cruz County District Attorney Jeff Rosell told KRON4 that SB 1391 is the worst piece of legislation I have ever seen. Gonzalezs case is a stark example of why Californias law must change, the district attorney said after the jurys verdict. There needs to be changes in the law. I think weve seen, for the first time, that citizens of our community  are outraged, Rosell said.

Judge Denine Guy said Gonzalez will be transferred from Santa Cruz County to a Sonoma County juvenile detention center.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I cant believe thats where hes going, Hoyt told KRON4. This is a 25 year old man, who we just said is very dangerous to the community, (and) we are now sending him back to a juvenile facility with teenagers?

Cases as exceptionally severe as Gonzalezs case should be excluded from falling under SB 1391, Hoyt said. A 15 year old . who kidnapped, raped, tortured, and murdered an 8 year old, thats clearly an exception, Hoyt said.

Adrian AJ Gonzalez (File Photo By Michael Macor/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)

For his trial, Gonzalez took the stand and retold, in grisly detail, why he decided to rape his young neighbor in their apartment complex at the Tannery Arts Center. He lured the 8-year-old girl into his mothers apartment with promises of ice cream.

Gonzalez testified, She was serving herself (ice cream) on the kitchen counter. I grabbed her, picked her up, put duct tape on her mouth. She was screaming, resisting. She was kicking her legs, trying to get up, and trying to fight back. I had my hand on her mouth and neck to choke her. Maddy was choked until she fell unconscious.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

After the sexual assault, I decided to kill Madyson because I wanted to hide what I had done to her, Gonzalez testified. I put her in the garbage that we had in the apartment to hide her body. I grabbed a knife in the kitchen to stab her in the neck.

Deputy District Attorney Tara George said sex offender treatment programs and therapy sessions that Gonzalez received in custody fell far short. Juvenile centers are unfit to deal with someone like Gonzalez, George said.

During closing arguments, George said Gonzalez wore a mask that was meant to trick us into believing hes safe  into believing hes rehabilitated. Secrets, callous, lack of empathy  thats all innate in him. He hid who he was (in 2015), and hes hiding who he is now.

After the verdict was read, for the first time in years a judge allowed the media to record video of Adrian Gonzalez. He is wearing the blue shirt. @kron4news pic.twitter.com/phlO1CDQcb  Amy Larson (@AmyLarson25) February 20, 2025

One reason why Gonzalez is still dangerous, according to George, is his lack of empathy and remorse. He hasnt shed one tear, George said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Maddys mother attended the lengthy trial.

Hoyt said serving on the jury was one of the hardest things Ive ever had to do. You cant un-see these things. From a mental health standpoint, Im hurting. I cant even imagine Maddys mom having to sit through this, and then having to do this in two more years.

Jurors were barred from conducting their own research into the history of Gonzalezs case and SB 1391 during the trial.

Timeline of Adrian Gonzalez case

July 26, 2015: Gonzalez kidnapped, sexually assaulted, and murdered Maddy at the Tannery Arts Center in Santa Cruz. He joined volunteer search teams pretending to look for the missing girl and he passed out fliers. He was arrested a day later when police found the girls body.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

July 29, 2015: District Attorney Jeff Rosell made the decision to charge Gonzalez as an adult.

2018: The California State Legislature drafted and voted in favor of Senate Bill 1391, requiring all offenders between ages 14-15 to remain in the juvenile system. Despite opposition from district attorneys, law enforcement agencies, and victims rights groups, then-Governor Jerry Brown signed SB 1391 into law that year.

February 2021: The California Supreme Court ruled that SB 1391 was constitutional and upheld the law.

One of the bills co-sponsors, Michael Mendoza of the National Advocacy Anti-Recidivism Coalition, said in 2021, Youth have a unique capacity for transformation. Youth should be treated as youth by our justice system. Healed communities are safer communities, and we know firsthand how individuals can change their lives and future trajectories if allowed age-appropriate care.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Frankie Guzman of the National Center for Youth Law said in 2021, California honors the value and potential that all 14- and 15-year-old children possess to learn from their mistakes and grow to become healthy, productive members of our society.

May 2021: Gonzalez pleaded guilty to kidnapping, raping, and murdering Maddy. He entered the Department of Juvenile Justice.

2023: DJJ closed and Maddys killer was sent to a Secure Youth Treatment facility in Sonoma County.

2024: Gonzalez aged out of the juvenile system when he turned 25 in October. The Santa Cruz County Probation Department asked the district attorney to file a petition to extend Gonzalezs time in custody, believing that he would be physically dangerous to the public if released.

Maddy loved wolves. To honor her memory, a local resident brought their wolf-like dog to a protest outside the Santa Cruz courthouse on July 22, 2024. (KRON4 Photo)

November 2024: The jury trial began.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

February 2025: Jurors reached a verdict declaring Gonzalez would be too dangerous if he was freed from custody.

Deputy District Attorney Tara George, said, The entire community felt the loss of Maddy Middleton in 2015, and the effects of the crime are still felt. Adrian Gonzalez poses as much danger to our community today as he did the day the crime was committed. The verdict of the jury demonstrates that members of this community will not permit him to be released until he no longer poses a danger.

Gonzalez was transferred back to Sonoma County where he is currently living in a Secure Youth Treatment facility with teenagers.

2026: Under SB 1391, Gonzalez will either be freed from custody, or the entire legal process will be repeated every two years with a new trial.

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.
(Bloomberg) -- The US Justice Department has opened a preliminary probe into a recent surge in egg prices across the country, according to a person familiar with the investigation.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The investigation, which is being conducted by the departments civil antitrust enforcers, focuses on whether companies including Cal-Maine Foods Inc. and Rose Acre Farms Inc. have colluded to boost prices or limit supply, said the person, who asked not to be identified discussing a confidential probe.

A dozen large eggs in the Midwest cost an average of $8.41 wholesale as of Feb. 28, a record high and an increase of more than 200% from a year earlier, according to the US Department of Agriculture.

The surge has hit consumers wallets and become a political talking point for President Donald Trump and his detractors amid the worst-ever bird flu outbreak in the US, leading to the death of more than 130 million birds since 2022. The spike in prices has drawn scrutiny from lawmakers and industry watchdogs.

A representative for the Justice Department declined to comment. Its civil antitrust probe may end without any accusations of wrongdoing.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Representatives from Cal-Maine Foods and Rose Acre Farms, the nations top egg producers, didnt immediately respond to requests for comment.

The investigation started under the Trump administration and is in initial stages, according to the person.

Under former President Joe Biden, the DOJ investigated mergers in the egg market, the person said. During his administration the DOJ also increased Chicago-based staff for the antitrust division to boost the departments focus on agriculture markets.

Farm Action, a group that began pushing Washington to look at egg prices three years ago, praised news of the Trump administrations move.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It does seem like more is going on than just the avian flu, the groups president, Angela Huffman, said in an interview Friday.

On Thursday, Democratic US Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island told USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins hes concerned the Trump administration isnt doing enough to address the problem.

Since President Trump took office, the price of a dozen eggs has nearly doubled, and the administration fired several employees working to combat avian flu, Reed wrote in a letter to the USDA chief. While the administration has since announced a new effort to rehire those employees and invest in solutions, it must do better to coordinate an effective response that actually results in lower prices for Americans.

Capitol Forum earlier reported on the probe.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

--With assistance from Michael Hirtzer.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2025 Bloomberg L.P.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Justice Department on Friday celebrated its decision to drop a federal lawsuit against a Louisiana petrochemical plant accused of worsening cancer risks for residents in a majority-Black community, saying the dismissal showed that officials are delivering on President (Donald) Trumps promise to dismantle radical DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) programs and restore integrity to federal enforcement efforts.

The dismissal Wednesday of the two-year-old case underscored the Trump administration's commitment to eliminate ideological overreach and restore impartial enforcement of federal laws,'' Justice said in a statement.

At the same time, the Environmental Protection Agency withdrew its formal referral of the case to the Justice Department. The agency said the action aligns with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldins pledge to end the use of environmental justice as an enforcement tool that Zeldin was too often used to advance liberal ideological priorities.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Dismissal of the case unraveled one of former President Joe Bidens highest-profile targets for an environmental justice effort aimed at improving conditions in places disproportionately harmed by decades of industrial pollution. Bidens EPA sued the Denka Performance Elastomer plant in early 2023, alleging it posed an unacceptable cancer risk and demanding cuts in toxic emissions of cancer-causing chloroprene.

The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Louisiana and was formally withdrawn Wednesday.

The action is one of a series the Trump administration has taken as it moves quickly to reverse the environmental justice focus of Bidens administration, placing roughly 170 environmental justice-focused staffers on administrative leave. Dropping the Denka case relieves pressure on a company that has spent years fighting federal lawsuits and investigations over its impact on public health.

Denka, based in Japan, bought the former DuPont plant in LaPlace, Louisiana, a decade ago. Its located near an elementary school in a community about 30 miles outside New Orleans.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The site produces neoprene, a synthetic rubber that is found in products such as wetsuits and laptop sleeves. The Justice Department sued the company in early 2023, accusing it of emitting unacceptable levels of chloroprene, a chemical that may be especially harmful to children. A judge had scheduled a bench trial for April.

Dismissal of the case reflects the Justice Department's renewed commitment to enforce environmental laws as Congress intended  consistently, fairly and without regard to race, said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson, who oversees the departments Environment and Natural Resources Division.

Zeldin, a former Republican congressman who took over the EPA in late January, said the dismissal was a step toward ensuring that environmental enforcement is consistent with the law. While EPAs core mission includes securing clean air for all Americans, we can fulfill that mission within well-established legal frameworks, without stretching the bounds of the law or improperly implementing so-called environmental justice.'

Denka said the dismissal was long-overdue and ends litigation that it said lacked scientific and legal merit. The lawsuit was a draining attack on our business," the company said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The focus should be on the real-world data that shows no adverse health effects, even at substantially higher emission levels, the company said in a statement.

The governments lawsuit said air monitoring showed that long-term concentrations near the Denka plant are as high as 15 times the amount recommended for long-term exposure to chloroprene.

The EPA under Biden issued a related rule aimed at reducing industrial pollution that gave Denka a fast deadline to lower its emissions. The company said it was being singled out and other manufacturers were given far more time to comply. The company also said the plant has significantly reduced its emissions in recent years, since the sale was completed in 2015. The company won an extension of its deadline.

The Denka plant is located in an industrial stretch of Louisiana from New Orleans to Baton Rouge that is officially called the Mississippi River Chemical Corridor. Its known informally as Cancer Alley for the high incidence of cancer among residents who live near the industrial corridor, which has about 200 fossil fuel and petrochemical operations. The area accounts for about 25% of the petrochemical production in the United States.
The Allegheny County Sheriffs Office is celebrating a job well done for one of its K9s.

K9 Woody is retiring after eight years of work. He is a 50-50 Belgian Malinois and Shepherd mix who joined the force with Deputy Eric Quatman in 2017.

Woody helped arrest fugitives and find discarded weapons used in violent crimes.

His colleagues said he was also a community ambassador who spent a lot of time meeting with children and other residents.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I am extremely grateful for and proud of the body of work that Woody put together over his career, said Sheriff Kraus. He and Eric have been a perfect match and Woodys contributions to the safety of the residents of this county are too numerous to mention.

Officials said he will now live a life of leisure with naps and playtime.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  Its almost time for the time to spring forward during daylight savings time.

Warmer weather, some greenery and flowers, said Larry McMullen about what hes looking forward to.

Springing forward means that we lose an hour of sleep and shift an hour of sunlight into the evening. Its also around the time when efforts to either end or make daylight savings time permanent resurface.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

President Trump indicated he may not push to end daylight savings time.

Its a 50/50 Issue and if something is a 50/50 issue its hard to get excited about it, he said.

Americans have been changing the clocks twice a year for decades. Congress formally established daylight savings time with the Uniform Time Act of 1966. Bills at the state and federal level have been introduced but none have made it far.

I assume people would like to have more light later but some people want to have more light earlier because they dont want to take their kids to school in the dark, continued Trump.

The practice is intended to maximize daylight during the summertime. However, people are split on the issue.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I love the extra hour of sunshine, said Kaye Murray.

I just bought some fresh new flowers, theyre going to love it.

Not much, because I am retired, said Chris McMullen.

So it doesnt matter what time of day I get up nothing changes for me.

Personally, I think we could just stick on one time and just go with it. I dont see the benefit so much, said Larry McMullen.

Im a school teacher for one thing and its just a big adjustment after coming back from that weekend to lose like that and its like that in the fall too when it changes, said Dediee Smithson.

Under the Uniform Time Act, states can exempt themselves from observing daylight savings time. However, states do not have the authority to choose to be on permanent daylight savings time. Congress would have to change federal law for that to happen.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In the US, every state except Hawaii and Arizona observes daylight savings time, which runs from March 9 to November 2.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
Kansas City dollars will close a funding gap to kickstart redevelopment of Parade Park Homes, the historically Black-owned former housing cooperative on the east side with over 1,000 new units of housing with a focus on affordability.

The City Council approved a funding package on Thursday from multiple sources for the first phase of the project, which will add 480 units of housing, including:

A $12 million loan from the Housing Trust Fund for affordable housing that will be paid back over six years, replenishing the fund. The fund currently has about $20 million in the bank.

$2 million from city funds for demolition of dangerous buildings.

Directing the city manager to find financing with an estimated present value of $3.9 million.

Supporting an application for $5 million to the Central City Economic Development board, which would have to approve the application separately.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Gavriel Schreiber, general counsel for the mayors office, told officials earlier this week that the funding represents the City Council walking the walk with an investment in areas of the city that deserve it with safe, dignified housing that everyone in the city deserves.

This is a crown jewel of Kansas City  of Kansas Citys east side, and historic parts of Kansas City that have historically been under-invested in and underrepresented, he said.

A rendering of the planned reconstruction of the Parade Parks Homes in the 18th and Vine Jazz District.

Construction could begin in the summer. The first phase of the $300 million project will include a mix of apartments, flats and townhomes in various sizes at more affordable levels.

Forty-two of the units will be for residents making up to 30% of the area median income; 48 units will be for residents making up to 50% of the median income; 150 units will be for residents making up to 60% of the median income; while the remaining 240 will be for residents making between 60 and 80% of the median income.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 50% median income would be $51,550 for a family of four.

Plans have been in the works for years to redevelop Parade Park Homes, one of the countrys oldest Black-owned housing co-ops until 2022. The complex, in the 18th and Vine Jazz District, faced high vacancy rates and poor conditions in some units in recent years, and community leaders have pushed to find a way forward.

Flaherty & Collins Properties and Twelfth Street Heritage Development Corp. took ownership of the site last spring, and the city approved plans in the fall. Current residences will be demolished and replaced with mixed-use commercial space, new amenities and a mix of housing units at various price points, including market-rate units, affordable units and senior housing.

There were 164 households in Parade Park when ownership changed and relocation is underway. The 510 existing townhomes will be demolished, and the three-phase redevelopment project includes protections for tenants from displacement and rights to return to the new units with priority.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Mayor Quinton Lucas said in a statement that the funding ensures Kansas City will continue to honor Parade Parks legacy while also creating modern, affordable housing that keeps this community intact and thriving.

Parade Park Homes represents both Kansas Citys heritage and our future, and I am proud and honored to be the mayor privileged to ensure this historically Black neighborhood will be strong for generations to come, Lucas said.

Officials announced earlier this year that the Parade Park project received $15.5 million from the federal government from a senior housing grant.

Developers sought funding from the Missouri Housing Development Commission this year but did not receive it.
A Pittsburg, Kansas-based railroad equity company this week announced it has agreed to purchase a mid-Michigan regional hauler that runs from Ann Arbor to northern Michigan.

Watco Railroad Company Holdings announced on Thursday that it has reached an agreement to purchase Great Lakes Central Railroad, "the largest Class III regional railroad in Michigan with approximately 400 miles of track stretching through central and northern Michigan."

"We are committed to honoring the history of the GLC and building upon our strong partnership with the Michigan Department of Transportation and our valued customers, Watco CEO Dan Smith said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The agreement will enhance Watcos presence in the state of Michigan, the company said, complementing services provided by Watcos Grand Elk and Ann Arbor railroads.

Watco did not disclose the purchase price in the press release or say when the transfer of ownership would take place. It said line operations will begin pending approval by the Surface Transportation Board, which has jurisdiction over railroad rate, practice, and service issues and rail restructuring transactions, including mergers, line sales, line construction, and line abandonments.

An undated image of a Great Lakes Central Railroad locomotive.

Here's what we know about the deal.

What is Watco?

Watco calls itself a "full-service supply chain solutions company."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"We provide rail, transloading, terminal and port, and logistics services. Our privately owned company, headquartered in Pittsburg, Kansas, has nearly 5,000 team members and has been recognized by Forbes and Newsweek for our outstanding culture," the company website says.

Watco was founded in 1983 and now owns and operates a network of short line railroads, terminals, and ports throughout North America and Australia.

The company operates 62 railroad companies, including Grand Elk Railroad and Ann Arbor Railroad in Michigan.

AAR operates primarily in southeast Michigan from Ann Arbor to Toledo. Grand Elk has about 300 miles of track in southwest Michigan and portions of the Upper Peninsula.

What is Great Lakes Central Railroad?

Great Lakes Central Railroad is based in Owosso and its rail lines run north from Ann Arbor to Cadillac, with branches to Thompsonville, Traverse City, and Petoskey, Watco said in the release.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Great Lakes Central Railroad has been a vital part of Michigans transportation network and both my father, Louis P. Ferris Jr., and I have been deeply passionate about its role in connecting industries and communities, GLCR President and CEO Jennifer Ferris said in a release. With Watco as a longtime partner since 2013, we are confidentthey will honor the legacy we have built while continuing to serve Michigans industries and communities with the same dedication and excellence.

GLC covers about 420 miles of track serving 15 Michigan counties, the GLC interchanges with the CSXT, Mid-Michigan Railroad, Huron and Eastern Railway, Canadian National, and Watcos Ann Arbor Railroad, which provides connectivity to Norfolk Southern.

The GLC ships a range of commodities, including soybeans, corn, and other agricultural products, fertilizers, plastics, and LPG. The company says it handles about 48,000 annual shipments and "help(s) our partners transport over 24,000 carloads annually."

What is a Class III railroad?

The Surface Transportation Board has divided the freight railroads into three categories based on their operating revenue.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association, those categories are:

Class I railroads: annual operating revenue over $489.9 million.

Class II railroads: annual operating revenue between $39.2 million and $489.9 million.

Class III railroads: annual operating revenue of less than $39.2 million.

How many railroads are there in Michigan?

A map of Michigan railroads.

According to the Michigan Department of Transportation, there are 29 railroads operating in Michigan, most of which are small, regional companies. Michigans rail system has approximately 3,600 miles of rail corridors.

Four of the seven Class I railroads operate in Michigan. The system carries about 17% of all the states freight tonnage and 21% of the commodities by value.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The system also supports three intercity passenger-rail routes.

"Watco has a long history of working with the Michigan Department of Transportation through its two other short line railroads in Michigan, said Peter Anastor, MDOT Office of Rail director. We look forward to growing our strong partnership with Watco in preserving and enhancing critical rail service in Michigan, while providing excellent service to customers along the state-owned rail corridor between Ann Arbor and northern Michigan."

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Owosso, Michigan, railroad purchased by Kansas company. What it means
Karen Read, the Massachusetts woman who said she was framed in a far-reaching law enforcement conspiracy after authorities accused her of fatally running over her police officer boyfriend, is scheduled to return to court for a retrial next month on charges of second-degree murder and other crimes.

But her lawyers have been busy in the lead-up trying to get most  if not all  of the widely watched case thrown out.

In back-to-back hearings Wednesday, her lawyers claimed in state court that she was the victim of extraordinary governmental misconduct," while in federal court they argued that retrying two of the charges, including murder, amounts to double jeopardy.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A separate investigation into alleged misconduct by the state police trooper who led the investigation into the death of Boston police officer John O'Keefe is ongoing.

In addition to second-degree murder, Read was charged with motor vehicle manslaughter while driving under the influence and leaving the scene of a collision causing death after prosecutors said she backed her Lexus SUV into O'Keefe on Jan. 29, 2022, and left him for dead outside the home of a then-Boston police sergeant.

Karen Read and John O'Keefe.

During a nine-week trial last summer that concluded with the judge declaring a mistrial, Read's defense team alleged that the sergeant and others were likely responsible for the death and conspired to frame Read in O'Keefe's killing.

In a partially redacted filing unsealed last week in Norfolk County Superior Court, lawyers for Read asked for all charges to be dismissed. Read was severely prejudiced after authorities appeared to have altered or withheld security video that captured what the attorneys have described as a crucial piece of evidence  a tail light on Reads SUV, according to the filing.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

During Reads trial, prosecutors alleged that the tail light shattered when she backed her vehicle into O'Keefe. The broken light contained OKeefes DNA, prosecutors said.

But Reads defense team has said the video, which was recorded at the police facility where the SUV was taken once in custody, shows the tail light was not damaged until it reached the facility in Canton, Mass.

During Wednesday's state court hearing, defense attorney Alan Jackson described the alleged misconduct as a pattern that warranted dismissal, NBC Boston reported.

Special prosecutor Hank Brennan rejected those claims, saying there was absolutely no evidence of tampering. It is unequivocally clear that piece of the tail light is missing well before that car ever gets to Canton, he said, according to the station.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Superior Court Judge Beverly Cannone, who presided over the first trial, did not rule on the matter from the bench.

In a separate hearing Wednesday, Reads lawyers asked a federal judge to dismiss the murder charge and a second allegation, leaving the scene of a collision causing death, over what they described as a mistake made by Cannone after the mistrial was declared.

The defense sought to have the charges thrown out after they say two jurors told the attorneys that the panel would have acquitted Read of the crimes. Cannone denied the request, saying theyd never reached a verdict in open court.

But Cannone never polled the jury to determine if they had come to a decision on any of the allegations, one of Read's attorneys said Wednesday. Nor did the defense have a chance to question jurors in an effort to ensure fairness and impartiality, NBC Boston reported.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

An assistant district attorney responded that such a fact-finding process could compromise the jury, and nothing in the states constitution required Cannone to have taken the steps described by the defense.

The judge overseeing the matter said he would take the matter under advisement, according to NBC Boston.

Read's retrial is scheduled to begin April 1.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Editor's Note: This interview is part of an ongoing Star series highlighting Kansas Citians from historically under-represented communities and their impact on our region. The series builds on The Star's efforts to improve coverage of local communities. Do you know someone we should interview? Share ideas with our reporter J.M. Banks.

Daniel Edwards grew up immersed in the sights and sounds of construction  the scent of sawdust and the hum of machinery hauling lumber. From the age of five, he regularly accompanied his grandfather, a construction worker, to Albert Tamm Lumber Co. (now known as Eastside Lumber) to pick up supplies.

What started as childhood curiosity laid the foundation for a surprising future.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

After graduating from Missouri University of Science and Technology with a degree in architectural engineering, Edwards returned to Kansas City. At that time  a young college graduate  he never imagined he would one day own the very lumber yard that had shaped his youth.

Along his career journey, Edwards became aware of a critical gap in affordable housing options for middle-class families in the urban core of Kansas City. With his wife, Ebony Edwards, as his business partner, he began acquiring land and devised a plan to expand the lumber yard into a processing facility capable of manufacturing housing materials, or what is more commonly known as prefabricated homes using quality materials and then constructing them on Kansas Citys East Side.

Inspired by the housing boom Kansas City experienced after the Great Depression, Edwards hopes to create affordable homes by controlling the materials and the production process and making the houses he builds more affordable for local residents.

Recently Edwards sat down with The Kansas City Stars culture and identity reporter, J.M. Banks to talk about being one of the few Black lumber yard owners, the Kansas City housing market and his mission to create more homes in the metro.

Banks: Can you begin by telling me about your early life and upbringing?

Edwards: Ive been in this field all my life. My grandpa was a builder and moved here from Arkansas. He moved to the East Side and he grew up building new construction homes, rehabbing and taking care of properties on the East Side.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I would just hop in the truck with him every day and would end up heading up to the Tamm Lumber Yard. We would go there every day just to reload more product and then we would hang out there. That was pretty much all I remember from the time I was five or six years old to graduating high school. He told me to go into architectural engineering and I did that.

I went to Rolla, came back home and wanted to know what makes the East Side so different than every other place in Kansas City. I remember I wanted to run for office back in the day and somebody came up to me and told me that there were plenty of Black people in politics but how many Black people were there in real estate development? That really got me thinking and I wanted to do something.

Can you tell me about your work?

What really separates the East Side from a lot of these other areas is they have developers and they have people with capital who understand how to do projects and get deals done.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

So we went in 2016 and started buying land and currently have around 25 acres. We went to Albert Tamm, who was the owner of Tamm Lumber and we made a deal and I bought the lumber yard in 2020.

The business is called Robert Wiley Material Supply but we do business as Eastside Lumber. It is a huge turn of events being the guy purchasing to being the guy who owned the company.

So now that we understand how to run a lumber yard we found that the biggest opportunity or hole in the market is that Kansas City needs a minimum 60,000 homes and we build less than 112 homes in the urban core a year in new construction as a city. So we were like what if we can take our lumber yard and turn it into a manufacturing facility for houses? We might have the potential to be the largest home builder in Kansas City and then well also be the largest material supplier in KC by just building out our own neighborhood.

Are there many Black owned lumber yards in Kansas City?

I can say through my research I am one of probably five Black-owned lumber yards in the country. The business is usually generational and passed down through the family. It is hugely capital intensive and some months I am moving $1 million in material out of the door. Its also expensive to run and operate. We walk into places and people see that we own a lumber yard and they are quite shocked.

What is your plan for getting more homes built on Kansas Citys East Side?

Right now we are pivoting all of our operations over to becoming a prefab manufacturer and they call it off site manufacturing for onsite construction. So that means that we will build all the walls, all the floors, all the roof panels, everything it takes to build a home interior, exterior. Then we transport them and we would erect it on the job site. So the construction process goes from being a six-week installation to being a two day install. We increase the quality because we control the supply chain so we can purchase better materials.

Have you begun building and if not when do you plan to start?

We completed our first demonstration home so now that weve done that, were moving to this new model of just focusing fully on how do we automate and manufacture this high quality product. We are raising a $50 million fund and we got our first $10 million in commitments secured. We are working to close April 30th so our goal is to get the first 500 homes produced in the first four years.

What are the challenges that you face in your career?

People think because were on the East Side, were doing housing for a bunch of poor people. Its hard to raise capital and cut through the noise to just focusing on we just need quality homes on the East Side versus just more homes to warehouse poor people. So the biggest misconception that we have is that just because of the location we want to build at, people automatically think that its not an economically viable business model and thats the biggest challenge that weve had to overcome.

How do you feel your work impacts the community around you?

So ideally our goal is to build 20,000 homes on the East Side over the next 10 to 15 years. Were actually looking at this more as a housing economic engine versus it just being people need homes. Were trying to figure out how to turn the production of housing into a business model versus just being another place to live.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Kansas City built 77,000 homes between 1932 to 1964, right after the Great Depression. Less than 1% of those homes went to Black communities, so that also means that less than 1% of the economic development went to Black communities. Were just trying to go back and duplicate the same model that happened back in 1932 to 1964 of just building a ton of homes year after year. Housing in the urban core creates jobs, stable families and all that stuff starts to help the school systems and other institutions.

What is the most fulfilling part of your work?

I get to do this with my wife and she is my business partner. I get to pass it down generations to my kids and keep it within the family. The success of the East Side is a big thing as far as development and economics.

Do you have a personal motto or philosophy that guides you?

God dam action. So that is D-A-M and not D-A-M-N. That comes from a biblical story of God damning up the Jordan River for the children of Israel to walk across on dry ground. Based on the simple belief that Joshua had to help his people get what God promised them, so God dam action for me is I just have to have enough faith to believe that what Im doing is what God has told me to go do.

What are your organizations goals for the future?

We would love Eastside Lumbers to become a manufacturing and production district. I also want to see us do what they call mass timber, which is taking pieces of wood and gluing them together into these bigger structures. I think by year 10 to try to get up to maybe 15,000 homes

What advice would you give to someone who is looking to follow the same career path as yourself?

I would say collaborate versus compete. I have something that I can offer and I cant do all this work alone so you will need to find people to partner with and collaborate.

For more stories about culture and identity sign up for our free On The Vine newsletter at http://KansasCity.com/newsletters.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said Friday a settlement has been reached in his lawsuit that accuses a Maplewood man of engaging in a deceptive pattern through his five nonprofits and one for-profit business  all of which have government-sounding names  as a means to sow confusion for his own gain.

The consent judgment, filed Friday in Ramsey County District Court, dissolves David Singletons nonprofits named in the Jan. 30 lawsuit and bans him from incorporating or serving as an officer or director of nonprofits in the future. It also bans Singleton from advertising that his for-profit business, Midwest Arbitration and Special Conciliation Authority Inc., can provide legal services.

In addition, Singleton must pay back the $5,000 the lawsuit says he took from a New Ulm, Minn., woman as payment for legal services he could not legally provide.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A judge will need to sign off on the settlement.

Singleton, 55, is the founder and president of the nonprofits Minnesota Civilian Public Safety Commission Inc., DWI Prevention Services Inc., and Minnesota Police Reserve Officers Association, and president of League of Minnesota Human Rights Commissions, and United Criminal Justice Reform Commission.

The lawsuit maintained that none of the organizations abided by the requirements of the Minnesota Nonprofit Corporation Act, and used images, words and verbiage to confuse and mislead Minnesota citizens as to the organizations affiliation with a government agency.

Singleton also used one of his nonprofits websites to direct Minnesotans to his for-profit legal consulting business, despite not having a license to practice law in Minnesota or any other state, according to the lawsuit, which alleges violations of the Consumer Fraud Act and Deceptive Trade Practices Act.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It is deeply disappointing when nonprofits are used to deceive, as this risks undermining public trust in charitable organizations generally, Ellison said in a Friday statement. Fear of trickery should never stand between Minnesotans and contributing to a cause they believe in.

Singleton will be liable for an additional $100,000 if he violates any condition of the agreement.

He did not respond to a request for comment on the settlement Friday, and an attorney is not listed in the court file.

Complaints from government agencies

The attorney generals office said its charities division began investigating Singleton, his organizations and business after receiving complaints from government agencies, including the Minnesota Department of Human Rights.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The agency said that Singletons similar-sounding League of Minnesota Human Rights Commissions name and government images on its website confused people into contacting the League for help when they meant to contact the state agency.

The lawsuit said the investigation found violations of the Minnesota Nonprofit Corporation Act for failure to perform any activities that meet the organizations nonprofit purpose, lack of board of directors, no annual board meetings, failure to maintain financial records, and breaches of an officers fiduciary duties.

In March 2022, a Minnesota Civilian Public Safety Commission commissioner opened a Capital One credit card for the nonprofit and added Singleton as an authorized user.

Singleton made over 60 purchases on the card, most of which did not appear to have a nonprofit purpose, including purchases at liquor stores, drug stores, restaurants and gas stations, the lawsuit alleges. After payments on the account stopped for eight months, the account was suspended and Capital One referred the account to its recoveries department with a balance of $1,480.77.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The lawsuit also alleges deceptive solicitation of donations by using names, verbiage and images to create confusion of a government affiliation.

Until the attorney generals office began its investigation, Singletons Civilian Public Safety Commission used the website mncivilianpublicsafety.org to advertise itself, displaying images commonly associated with government agencies, including a picture of the Minnesota State Capitol and Minnesota state seal.

Midwest Arbitrations Facebook page, meanwhile, showed Singleton wearing what appeared to be a judges robe.

Related Articles
Have you ever thought about moving to Europe?

Life has bogged you down a little. Your job may get boring. Are you feeling the drag of burnout? Try something different, have a new experience, and mix things up.

But the biggest problem? Youre a physician.

Fortunately, physicians in the U.S. enjoy some of the highest salaries in the world. There is no need to worry about searching for a new job in a foreign country where you would likely be paid much less than your current job. Simply keep your well-paying job in the U.S. and structure your travels around a modified work schedule.

How does a person move to Europe but maintain their practice as a physician in the United States?

It may sound crazy. You must think it would be impossible to coordinate such an adventure, especially considering your medical practice and all the scheduling demands that accompany your busy life as a clinician. It sounds absurd.

I thought so, toountil I did it.

The adventure of a lifetime

I took my family of five (my wife and three children) to Europe for over a year and continued with my medical practice back in the States! It wasnt easy to turn this concept into a reality. It was a massive undertaking that required months of planning and coordinating. I will not sugarcoat it for you: The process was time-consuming and stressful. But in the end, the result was well worth all the effort and headaches.

Heres what we gained while living abroad as a physician:

A once-in-a-lifetime adventure: We embraced a unique opportunity to escape the daily grind and explore life from a new perspective.

We embraced a unique opportunity to escape the daily grind and explore life from a new perspective. Explored iconic landmarks: Immersed in countless destinations, from famous landmarks to hidden gems.

Immersed in countless destinations, from famous landmarks to hidden gems. Cultural immersion: We experienced diverse traditions, languages, and lifestyles that broadened our worldviews and enriched our family bonds.

We experienced diverse traditions, languages, and lifestyles that broadened our worldviews and enriched our family bonds. Culinary delights: Every stop was a chance to savor local cuisinedelicious, authentic meals that added to the joy of discovery.

Every stop was a chance to savor local cuisinedelicious, authentic meals that added to the joy of discovery. Shared unforgettable moments: From spontaneous adventures to quiet family evenings, we created memories that will last a lifetime.

From spontaneous adventures to quiet family evenings, we created memories that will last a lifetime. An immersive educational experience: My kids learned a new language and were exposed to a variety of new cultures in a way that cant be taught in the classroom!

This experience changed my life in ways I never imagined possible. I have zero regretsonly one lingering thought: Why didnt I do this sooner?

My background

I am a board-certified and residency-trained ER doctor practicing in the private sector for about ten years. I completed a four-year ER residency and then started the grind of work immediately after residency. My wife is currently not working, so all of our income comes from my clinical work as a physician. If we wanted to move to Europe, I had to find a way to continue working clinically to maintain our same lifestyle.

Earning a physician wage in the U.S. vastly differs from the wages physicians command in other countries. For example, according to GPT, the average ER doctor working full-time at 37.5 hours per week in Europe earns about $13,000 per month.

Can you relate?

ADVERTISEMENT

Does this sound familiar? My story sounds similar to yours. We studied extremely hard during our undergraduate and medical school studies. This is followed by intense training and challenging residency conditions where we make little more than minimum wage. After residency, we finally go out into the real world as attending physicians, where we grind away for the next 30+ years of our lives in a profession that starts to feel like it has lost its allureall while struggling with cumbersome EMRs and documentation requirements, ridiculous insurance companies, demanding patients, and overbearing administrators. It is no surprise that over half of U.S. physicians are feeling burnt out!

There are many physician burnout solutions, but travel is one of the best, so Im sharing my story.

Why Im sharing my story

I hope this story inspires other doctors to reimagine whats possible in their careers. Maybe it isnt moving to Europe; maybe it will be volunteering with Doctors Without Borders or another volunteer organization. Perhaps you want to change your clinical practice so that you can pursue another hobby or career. Or maybe you are simply tired of the grind and need to change. Whatever it is, I just hope to provide you with some inspiration.

If you have ever considered making a significant change and want to leap from the hamster wheel that has become the practice of medicine in the U.S., please follow along with me as I share my experience.

What about you?

Have you ever thought about making a significant change?

Maybe you dont want to be a U.S. physician living in Europe but have other aspirations.

Whats holding you back?

Work-life balance for physicians is difficult. Take control today. Set a plan.

Are you ready to reimagine your life in medicine?

In this blog series, I will take you through the details of my adventure. I am going to start at the beginning and explain how we came up with this crazy idea and move into some of the details of how I adjusted my clinical practice to accommodate my adventure.

What did my work schedule look like? What do you do with your home, your car, your pet? I will talk about the visa process. Then, I will discuss logistics, such as what to take with you, how to find a home to rent, and how to handle health care. Do you need a car? Where do the kids go to school, and how do you manage the travel? Are you looking for some travel hacks when flying internationally? Well, I have a few that I will share!

There is a lot to cover, and I am excited to share my story, so please follow along with me. I hope my story will inspire you to do something unique and different. I dont have all the answers, and every situation differs, but I know that going on this adventure was one of the best decisions I have ever made!

Benjamin Stone, DO is an emergency physician and the director of physician engagement, Contract Diagnostics.

Discover more perspectives on physician compensation by exploring the Contract Diagnostics blog or connecting on social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.

The Contract Diagnostics team offers comprehensive consulting services tailored to physicians and their families, addressing employment contracts and compensation structures. Our expertise spans contract physician compensation, schedules, benefits, and more.

Our mission is to establish a central resource where physicians can access information, consulting, and coaching to navigate the intricacies of employment contracts and compensation structures, ensuring equitable remuneration.
(NBC)  Dateline is on Friday with an all-new two-hour episode and it is a blockbuster interview.

Correspondent Keith Morrison has the first-ever television interview with the convicted killer known as Mommy Doomsday. Lori Vallow is sentenced to life without parole for, among other crimes, the murders of her two children in Idaho. Vallow is now in an Arizona jail awaiting another murder trial.

Here is a preview of Morrisons report:

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

KEITH MORRISON: Youre the most hated mom in America.

LORI VALLOW: I heard that.

KEITH MORRISON: Are you misunderstood?

LORI VALLOW: Absolutely.

We met Lori Vallow at a womens jail in Maricopa County. You remember the case, right? Who can forget it?

LORI VALLOW: The media loves to take tragedies and turn them into crimes. I had a lot of tragedies in a row.

Perhaps she would finally tell us why. Why her children are dead? And her ex-husband? And her lovers wife?

LORI VALLOW: Are you keeping track?

KEITH MORRISON: Oh yeah.

Were all those awful events launched by a bit of pure chance? Or something far more intentional?

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

KEITH MORRISON: Im asking you a question, Did you watch your children die?

LORI VALLOW: Thats a very sad question.

She made the decision to meet me for an on-camera interview  because 

LORI VALLOW: Youve heard a lot of stuff Keith, but what I tell you will be the truth.

Watch Dateline: Lori Vallow Daybell, the Jailhouse Interview Friday at 9 p.m. on NBC4.

About Dateline

Dateline NBC is the longest-running series in NBC primetime history and is in its 33rd season. Dateline is anchored by Lester Holt and features correspondents Blayne Alexander, Andrea Canning, Josh Mankiewicz, Keith Morrison and Dennis Murphy.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The stories range from compelling mysteries to powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. When major news breaks, they go to the scene, putting the pieces together to bring the viewer the full picture. And in every story they tell, they help the real people who lived the events share their journeys with the viewer.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
COLBERT COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT)  A Kentucky man indicted for rape in 2024 has been given additional charges after being transferred to the Colbert County Jail, jail records show.

43-year-old Justin Stephens, of Kentucky, was arrested in October 2024, and charged with second-degree rape, traveling to meet a child for sex and enticing a child to enter a vehicle or house.

LCSO: Investigation leads to seven arrested for selling THC vapes to children

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Court documents show Stephens called a Lauderdale County school to check out a 15-year-old girl. Stephens claimed to be the girls father and that she needed to be checked out of school.

Sergeant Casson with the Lauderdale County Sheriffs Office said Stephens had been messaging with the girl for a while. Casson said the girl was using a phone she was not supposed to have.

Court documents state that the schools security cameras caught the girl leaving school around 9 a.m. and entering a black Dodge truck. The documents state Stephens took the girl to an abandoned residence in Florence.

Security footage from the school shows her returning back to school around 2 p.m. that day.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The girls father told investigators he found a phone in her room. He said she had never had a phone before so he and the girls mom began questioning her.

City plans to spend $2.5 million on new sand volleyball courts at John Hunt Park

The parents looked through the teenagers phone and found various messages and photos between the girl and Stephens.

Srgt. Casson said the two used an app called wakie. Casson said it is a chatting platform that allows people to talk to strangers. Casson said that when the girls father saw everything, he called the police.

Stephens was arrested at a VA hospital in Ohio and was transported to the Lauderdale County Detention Center on a bond of $365,000.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Records show he was indicted on January 17, and on March 7, a Lauderdale County Circuit Court Judge granted that Stephens be transferred from the Lauderdale County Detention Center to the custody of the Colbert County Sheriffs Office.

Florence Fire & Rescue crews respond to morning house fire

Once in the Colbert County Jail, Stephens was given additional charges. According to jail records, Stephens now is charged with:

First-degree rape

Second-degree rape

Two counts of electronic solicitation of a child

Second-degree sodomy

Interference with custody

Two counts of travelling to meet a child for unlawful sex act

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He is currently listed in the jail view without bond. News 19 has reached out to learn more about his additional charges and will update the story as more information becomes available.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com.
TYLER, Texas (KETK)  KETKs Annabelle Tuggle talked to Datelines Keith Morrison about their new 2-hour-long episode featuring the first ever televised interview with convicted killer known as Mommy Doomsday.

Couple charged with murder of kids in strange doomsday case

Lori Vallow Daybell is currently serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole for the 2019 murder of her two children and conspiracy to murder Tammy Daybell, the wife of her future husband Chad Daybell.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Chad was also convicted for conspiring to murder Tammy and the murder of Loris children, Tylee Ryan, 16, and Joshua JJ Vallow, 7. Hes currently waiting to be executed on death row.

Lori is now on trial in Arizona for conspiracy to murder her former husband, Charles Vallow, in 2019, along with conspiracy for the attempted murder of her nieces former husband, according to NBC.

In a preview of the upcoming Dateline episode with Loris interview, she explained why she and Chad will be exonerated from their charges.

I have seen things in the future that Jesus showed me when I was in heaven, Lori said. And we were not in jail, and we were not in prison, and they were still in the future, from now.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Morrison told Annabelle that this was one of the strangest interviews ever.

The conversation with her was, boy, that was about the strangest interview ever, wacky and going in all kinds of different rabbit holes, Morrison said. She was by turns aggressive and flirtatious and seemed angry sometimes and funny other times and trying to make jokes. It was really exhausting by the time it was done.

According to Morrison, Lori had something in mind when she agreed to be interviewed.

She had something she wanted to say, Morrison said. She was determined to fill the entire 90 minutes we were given with a long, shaggy dog tale. It was going to lead up to the notion, well, Ill let you see our program to see what her idea was.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Lori Vallow Daybell: The Jailhouse Interview will air in full at 7 p.m. tonight on KETK.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 virus that killed Betsy Arakawa, the wife of Gene Hackman, is a relatively rare but devastating threat without a vaccine, treatment or cure.

Hantaviruses, a family of pathogens, are spread by rodents, mostly mice, and excreted in the animals saliva, droppings and urine.

In New Mexico, where Arakawa and Hackman lived, the most common carrier of hantavirus is the deer mouse, a small creature with a white underbelly, large eyes and oversize ears.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Its a horrible disease, said Dr. Jeff Duchin, a retired public health officer in Seattle who helped characterize the first known outbreak of the disease in the U.S. in 1993. Its not uniformly fatal and its not always severe, but the fatality rate is still thought to be up to 40%, which is really high.

Arakawa, 65, died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, and Hackman, 95, died a week later of hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, officials said Friday. Alzheimers disease was a significant contributory factor in Hackmans death.

What are the symptoms?

In the U.S., when a person is infected, the virus often causes fatigue, fever and muscle aches, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some people dealing with the infection, called hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), can have headaches, dizziness, chills and stomach problems.

Initially, theres nothing specific that would tell you you have hantavirus. You could think you have Covid or influenza, or just a really bad community acquired infection, Duchin said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Dr. Scott Roberts, an assistant professor at Yale School of Medicine, said symptoms can take up to eight weeks to present after an exposure. Its very possible this is missed, he said.

In the most severe cases, hantaviruses can progress to the lungs and cause a dangerous respiratory disease. Symptoms include coughing, shortness of breath and fluid in the lungs.

The fatal, rapidly progressive pulmonary illness can come on very quickly, in hours. That, itself, can become fatal on a very short timeline, Duchin said.

In its late stages, he added, the illness causes a drop in blood pressure  leaky blood vessels  and that causes fluid to seep into the lungs and tissues and makes it very difficult to get oxygen and lowers the blood pressure, which is usually the cause of death and severe illness.

A transmission electron micrograph of the Sin Nombre hantavirus.

How common is hantavirus?

The disease was first characterized in the United States in 1993 after an outbreak in the Four Corners area of the Southwest by a team of CDC staffers including Duchin and local New Mexico clinicians. Fourteen people ultimately died in the outbreak.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Prior to 1993, this virus was not known and there was no other recognized hemorrhagic fever virus in the U.S., said Duchin, who was part of the CDCs Epidemic Intelligence Service in 1993. Young, healthy people were dying from this rapidly progressive pulmonary disease with no other explanation, which really set off alarm bells.

There have been 129 cases of hantavirus confirmed in New Mexico since 1993, according to the CDC. More than 860 cases of hantavirus were reported nationwide from 1993 to 2022.

Theres not much we can do  no vaccine, no treatment, its supportive care, Roberts said. The best way to treat this is prevention.

How do people get the disease?

The disease is most frequently reported in the western United States, and particularly the Southwest, where deer mice are common.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Thats where it circulates in the animal population. Thats where animals get infected and humans follow, Roberts said.

People tend to get hantavirus when they disturb droppings or urine from mice in the dusty corners of barns, cabins or outbuildings near forested land, including during cleaning.

The New Mexico Department of Health assessed the risk from hantavirus inside Hackman and Arakawas home as low but found evidence of rodents elsewhere, Erin Phipps, the state public health veterinarian, said at a news conference Friday.

We did identify signs of rodent entry in other structures on the property, Phipps said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Its unclear how Arakawa contracted the disease.

If cleaning up living spaces after a rodent infestation, Phipps said it is important to wear gloves, use an N95 respirator, open windows and rely on disinfectants.

Other steps should also be taken, Phipps said, including avoiding contact with or breathing in aerosolized rodent urine or feces, especially in a poorly ventilated area.

Never sweep up or vacuum mouse droppings, since this can spread particles up into the air, she said.

The hantavirus family is also a concern in Europe and Asia, where a different version of the virus is spread by other rodent species, and can cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS).





This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Officials said Friday that Betsy Arakawa, the wife of Academy Award-winning actor Gene Hackman, died of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome last month in the couples home in New Mexico.

Hantavirus can infect humans through contact with rodents  most commonly through the deer mouse in the United States  especially when exposed to their urine, droppings and saliva, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It does not spread from person to person.

In the US and other parts of the Western Hemisphere, a hantavirus infection can cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare disease that can severely affect the lungs.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Between 1993 and 2022, 834 cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome were reported in the US, primarily in Western states, CDC data shows.

New Mexico has had more reported cases of hantavirus than any other state, and about 41% of those patients died from the disease. A virus called Sin Nombre is the most common hantavirus in the Southwestern US, said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Because there are limited treatments for the disease, the best protection is to avoid contact with rodents and to be safe when cleaning up rodent habitats, according to the Mayo Clinic.

If its very dusty, and they get in and are cleaning up around where the contaminated environment is, they can cause little clouds of dust and then inhale those viral particles, Schaffner said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Symptoms can take up to two months to show up after contact with the virus, often starting with fatigue, fever and muscle aches that can develop into coughing and shortness of breath within a few days. Some people with the disease may also have headaches, dizziness and chills, as well as nausea or other abdominal problems.

The deer mouse is the most common transmitter of hantavirus in the US. - Smith Collection/Gado/Archive Photos/Getty Images/File

Because it affects the lungs, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome can cause breathing difficulties, and some patients may require breathing support such as intubation. More than a third of people who develop respiratory symptoms may die from the disease, according to the CDC.

Some symptoms of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome may be mistaken for the flu or other respiratory diseases, making possible rodent exposure an important factor for health care providers to be aware of and consider.

The CDC recommends that individuals seek emergency care immediately if hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is suspected because the disease can advance rapidly.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

After a phase of flu-like symptoms that can last about three to six days, patients can transition to a new phase in which they develop fluid in and around their lungs, Dr. Heather Jarrell, chief medical investigator at the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator, said at a news conference Friday.

And at that point, a person can die very quickly, within 24 to 48 hours, roughly speaking, without medical treatment, she said.

There is no specific treatment for hantavirus infection, according to the CDC. Supportive care, including rest, hydration and supplemental oxygen, can help.

Physicians who practice in the Southwest are aware of it, and of course, the treatment for those illnesses is symptomatic and supportive care, because we dont have a specific anti-hantavirus antiviral, Schaffner said.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
A month after the 2017 Tubbs fire, a Santa Rosa, Calif., resident finally returned home to one of the handful of houses still standing amid a field of destruction. They turned on their kitchen faucet and smelled gasoline.

It was an immediate red flag for Santa Rosa Water, which quickly sent over technicians to test the tap. In the water, they found benzene, a known carcinogen  a discovery that sent shock waves through the scientific and water safety world.

In Santa Rosa, the contamination investigation would expand from a single household to the entire burn area.

The neighborhood of Coffey Park was leveled in October 2017 after the Tubbs fire swept through Santa Rosa, Calif. (Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press)

As devastating urban wildfires continued to increase in frequency in the American West, the problem would reappear  in Paradise, Calif.; in Colorado; in Hawaii; and finally in L.A. County's Pacific Palisades and Altadena. All the while, scientists, regulators and local utilities raced to figure out what was happening and how to keep residents safe.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

By the time the Eaton and Palisades fires broke out in January, scientists and the state could hand the affected utilities a playbook on how to restore safe water for their customers. The lessons learned helped the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, which serves Pacific Palisades, restore safe drinking water to all its customers just two months after the fires erupted  compared to an entire year in Santa Rosa.

Yet, the Altadena utilities are still fighting to restore safe water. And, as with the Tubbs fire, the recovery has still been tinged with persisting scientific debates and uncomfortable unknowns.

We are in a sort of brave new world as we shift into this reality of increasingly more urban wildfires, said Edith de Guzman, who researches water equity and climate adaptation policy at UCLA. We have impacts that we're not really even sure how to measure or monitor.

Read more: Inside the battle to restore drinking water in Altadena and Pacific Palisades

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Benzene wasnt the only contaminant in Santa Rosas and L.A. County's postfire water. Scientists are still debating which chemicals utilities ought to test for and which, given the costly and timely process of analyzing for dozens of chemicals, can go unchecked.

And, while scientists have studied the danger of long-term exposure to trace amounts of contaminants such as benzene in drinking water, less is known about the short-term risks of high exposure through day-to-day activities, such as showering and running the dishwasher.

The dangers of benzene

After the smoke settled in Altadena and Pacific Palisades, the local water utilities quickly issued do not drink and do not boil orders, under the advice of the state regulator  the State Water Resources Control Boards Division of Drinking Water.

Workers with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers clear debris from a house in Altadena after the Eaton fire. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

The orders are designed to limit dangerous exposures to benzene, found in plastic and treated construction wood as well as wildfire smoke. Over decades, drinking or breathing it in can increase the risk of developing leukemia and other blood cancers.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

While boiling water can kill off the typical non-fire contamination suspects, pathogens, it doesnt work for benzene. And, with a lower boiling point than water, benzene can easily enter the air when water is heated up.

Consequently, the state has developed best practices to keep residents safe, including not only avoiding drinking or boiling the water, but also avoiding hot showers, hot tubs and clothes dryers.

However, scientists warn that these recommendations are not yet based on any comprehensive science. Reams of research link long-term small exposures of the contaminant to cancer risk. Few studies explore the potentials of short, intense household exposures.

Right now, theres no chemical modeling, mathematical modeling or any exposure assessments that have been conducted to determine the answers to [these] questions, said Andrew Whelton, a professor of civil environmental engineering at Purdue University and a leading researcher in the field of postfire water safety.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Read more: Scientists urge caution after a carcinogen is detected in water in fire-stricken areas

In California, while the maximum allowed level of benzene in drinking water is 1 part per billion, the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment says the concentration needs to be as low as 0.15 ppb to confidently say there will be no long-term chronic health effects. For the short term, the Environmental Protection Agency deems exposure to over 200 ppb for longer than one day dangerous.

In the aftermath of the recent fires, utilities in L.A. County have found levels as high as 190 ppb in Altadena and 71.3 ppb in the Palisades. However, after the Tubbs fire, Santa Rosa found levels as high as 40,000 ppb .

After Santa Rosa Water first tested its customers kitchen faucet, the utility, along with the Division of Drinking Water and the EPA, launched a full investigation into the contamination of the drinking water of the affected area, and the results were unlike anything that had been seen before.

A fire hose lies abandonded in Santa Rosa after the Tubbs fire in October 2017. (Jonathan Copper / Associated Press)

We did a lot of research in the start to see if any other agency had experienced this, said Jennifer Burke, director of Santa Rosa Water. We did not find anything anywhere.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

What Santa Rosa Water found  not in the literature, but in its own backyard  was that a whole range of potentially dangerous chemicals lurked in the water. The discovery has helped guide postfire recovery since.

The other toxins

Santa Rosa Water first tried to figure out how a contaminant such as benzene could have entered the water. The utility looked into whether nearby underground gasoline storage facilities could have been compromised, or if benzene was present in the soil, but found no compelling evidence. Then, a hypothesis emerged that would later be borne out in the lab and testing data from water systems postfire across the West.

Parts of Santa Rosas water system had lost pressure during the blaze as firefighters tapped into hydrants, residents ran hoses to protect their properties and damaged connections spewed water into the street. As the water level dropped, leaving higher elevations dry, it created a pressure void in the system. To fill that void, experts theorized, the open connections began to suck toxic ash, soot and smoke into the pipes.

It meant the contamination had the potential to quickly spread far beyond one home. And wildfire smoke carries much more than just benzene. In it is every household toxic chemical that could have burned. Its a reality that poses a daunting task for scientists and utilities.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We're chasing after a growing and an increasingly complex reality of living in the modern world, where we're creating all of these new chemicals all the time, De Guzman said.

Among the complex sea of chemicals scattered through postfire burn areas, water safety experts have settled on a few groups of the most concerning contaminants based on their risks to humans and their presence in the Tubbs and Camp fires in California, the Marshall fire in Colorado and the Maui fires in Hawaii.

Shown are the remains of a home destroyed by the Marshall fire in Louisville, Colo., in 2022. (Jack Dempsey / Associated Press)

During previous fires, some experts argued testing for benzene alone was sufficient, saying the chemical, which time and time again has exceeded safe levels most often in postfire systems, acts as a good indicator for whether other chemicals may be present.

However, with mounting evidence of other contaminants lurking in water systems postfire, even without benzene present, it's an increasingly rare position.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Most now argue that utilities ought to test not only for benzene, but at least the rest of its immediate family, called volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. Others say they should also test for VOCs less-aggressive cousins, semi-volatile organic compounds, or SVOCs.

With higher boiling points than VOCs, SVOCs are less likely to evaporate, but still pose an inhalation and ingestion risk. SVOCs are not necessarily less toxic to humans.

Some VOCs and SVOCs  such as the chemical responsible for the smell of pine in trees and car fresheners  are essentially harmless. Others, such as benzene, are toxic to humans.

I don't think [benzene] should be viewed as a perfect, comprehensive indicator, but it's very much a good start, said Chad Seidel, an environmental engineering research affiliate at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and president of Corona Environmental Consulting, which assisted in the Marshall fire recovery. I will say this: It is dramatically better than what the responses have been, say, not that long ago  maybe more than five years ago, where nobody was doing any of this.

Homes are left in ruins by the Camp fire in Paradise, Calif., in 2018. (Noah Berger / Associated Press)

In practice, many postfire water safety experts argue that to confidently say water is safe for customers, utilities cannot rely on benzene alone.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

There is no evidence that benzene is an indicator of contamination.  It simply isnt, Whelton said. Unfortunately, that misinformation has traveled and continues to travel into decision-makers' opinions.

In 2023, the California state Legislature codified postfire testing for benzene into law. While only benzene testing is required, the states Division of Drinking Water recommends that utilities test for the full range of VOCs  and the state, at times, has called benzene an indicator for other contaminants.

For the Paradise Irrigation District, although testing for the full suite of VOCs can take slightly longer and cost a fair bit more, it was a pretty obvious choice (even amid pushback at the time from the Division of Drinking Water and the EPA).

We decided to go above and beyond, said Kevin Phillips, district manager with the Paradise Irrigation District, because we wanted to give  our customers the utmost confidence that there were no other VOCs present in there.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Yet many customers, living with cold showers and bottled water for months on end, remain frustrated with the lengthy process and uncertainty of whether their water is safe. Its why many water safety experts and utilities that have experienced postfire recovery have urged the L.A. County utilities to remain as transparent as possible.

The last thing any water system wants is  to create some urban myth that the water in this certain water system is not safe, said Kurt Kowar, director of public works for Louisville, Colo., which was devastated by the Marshall fire. That can always stick with you, and if you cant be transparent and generate trust through recovery, I think that would be a disservice to the community  if they dont trust their water provided for the rest of their life.

The Paradise Irrigation District created an interactive online map of its entire system and the location of every test taken. And the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power created an online dashboard a month and a half after the fires listing the number of VOC detections in each of its zones in the Palisades fire burn area and the levels detected.

Meanwhile, the smaller Altadena utilities, with limited personnel and resources, have been regularly posting joint updates to their websites outlining their recent testing, affected streets and the highest benzene levels found.

But none of the L.A. County utilities have posted the full testing data with exact locations. Part of the communication problem is a lack of guidance and assistance from the state, said Gregory Pierce, director of the UCLA Water Resources Group.

That said, thanks to their much better understanding of the water contamination problem than in previous fires, the L.A. County utilities have been optimistic about returning service far faster than they would have been a decade ago.

How water systems recover

Once Santa Rosa Water understood the problem it had on its hands, it started by aggressively flushing its system  opening up hydrants and valves to purge water through the entire network of pipes, hoping the released water would take the contaminants with it. While it worked for many areas within the burn area, the hardest-hit region proved difficult. By the time the city had gotten to flushing, benzene had bound itself to the pipes.

Santa Rosa was forced to replace not only service lines to individual homes, but some of the main lines along the street as well.

State water engineers are shown damaged equipment in Altadena on Feb. 12. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

The L.A. County utilities have been betting on flushing alone. Its a strategy that seems to have worked  in part because they knew what steps to take earlier than utility companies in previous wildfires.

In the Palisades, full service has already been restored. The Altadena utilities have made significant progress and remain hopeful theyll be able to restore safe water much faster than the year it took Santa Rosa and the eight months it took Paradise.

A month after the fires, LADWP hesitantly and optimistically said it hoped to restore safe drinking water to the Palisades by the end of February. It succeeded in doing so two months after the fires  only a week later than the estimate.

How can you get your customers back to their homes with the utilities they need? It is a heroic effort to pull those things off, Seidel said. I applaud those people that are willing to step up and pull off what it takes to do those things. It's not easy.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
At 10:51 A.M. on the morning of Jan. 7, Councilmember Traci Park was at City Hall for the very first City Council meeting of 2025 when she felt her cell phone buzz and glanced down to clock Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowleys name. Her stomach knotted. I knew in my heart and in my gut that something was really wrong, she says.



Earlier in the day, shed left her Venice home and had an eerie feeling that something sinister was about to happen when she met the whipping Santa Ana winds. The first female LAFD chief was about to confirm Parks suspicions: A brush fire had erupted in Pacific Palisades, and it was spreading fast.

Related: This Is Paris Hilton: Activist

Park dashed out of City Hall  leaving City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson, who was now acting mayor, since Karen Bass had left Los Angeles on a diplomatic mission to Ghana three days earlier  to finish the meeting. She headed west on the 10 toward the Pacific Coast Highway and Will Rogers State Beach, where Crowley and other state and city officials were staging an emergency command center to deploy resources that would mount the brave and Sisyphean battle against seemingly endless wildfires for weeks.



When she got there, the scene was already apocalyptic. Sparking embers were flying into her eyes. The daylight was muted by an enveloping thick black smoke that glowed orange. It felt like the dead of night because of the smoke, Park remembers. It was hideous. There was a river of what looked like lava ripping down the hillside at a rate of speed that was terrifying.



In this chaos, panicked Palisades residents fled the fast-moving flames, many on foot, toward the Pacific Ocean  abandoning their cars and homes in a desperate race to safety. Five of Parks staffers were still in the burn zone, pounding on doors and pleading with residents to Get out! Cell phone service was nonexistent. As night fell, Park began to panic about her people  three of whom where only two days into the job  until she spotted them huddled together, covered in black soot, walking down the PCH.

Related: L.A. Woman: Eva Longoria Fights For Her Community on Film and on the Ground

She broke into a run and embraced them, just as the fire jumped the PCH and began eating its way down the Malibu coastline. A neighborhood every bit as big as Manhattan was devoured, leaving nothing but a creepy skyline of charred chimneys and steel staircases behind. The command center was moved to Malibus Zuma Beach.



Tens of thousands of Parks constituents from the Palisades were now homeless. Refugees. Park worked the phones to corral her contacts: Hotel owners. Restaurateurs. Anyone and everyone who could offer a room, or a meal, or a dollar. She worked with L.A.s Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara to set up workshops to help fire-affected residents with the complicated claims process. She took calls from friends who lost everything. She demanded help from President Trump when he showed up four days into his term, and he acquiesced.



She cried  and pulled herself together  and sometimes cried again. But her focus is clear: Fighting for those who lost everything. And praying for the 12 lives lost in the Palisades and 17 souls who perished in Altadena. This, after all, is her native city.
Villages in the greenbelt are to be stripped of protections against excessive development under Angela Rayners house-building drive.

The Deputy Prime Minister has published plans that would remove the block on unrestricted sprawl around rural settlements.

Under her proposed changes, villages would no longer be designated as historic, which grants them extra safeguards.

The Tories said the changes, disclosed by Ms Rayners department at the end of last month, will bulldoze Britains villages and accused the Deputy Prime Minister of waging war on the countryside.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It comes as Ms Rayner prepares to unveil new reforms this week, which will block councillors from intervening in all but the biggest developments.

She is expected to overhaul the rules so planning committees cannot try to block projects below a certain size, which is expected to be between 10 and 100 homes.

The changes would heavily impact villages, significantly reducing the ability of residents to block piecemeal additions to their neighbourhoods.

Villages no longer built-up areas

Officials at the Housing Department have also published guidance on how planners should approach decisions on greenbelt developments.

It tells them how they should interpret five key criteria  or purposes  that determine whether land be designated as part of the greenbelt.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Under the current rules, councils across England consider villages large built-up areas alongside towns, which means they have been protected by the rules that ban unrestricted sprawl in the greenbelt to stop settlements merging together.

But the new guidance says villages should not be considered large built-up areas and the rules relate to the merging of towns, not villages.

The guidance also makes a clear distinction between historic towns and villages, which have previously been treated as one and the same by planners.

Bulldozing Britains villages

Kevin Hollinrake, the shadow housing secretary, said the changes represented yet another spiteful move in Labours war on the countryside.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He warned: Angela Rayner has ripped up planning protections for every village in the greenbelt across England.

It is appalling that this has been slipped out with no consultation and no statement to Parliament. Be under no illusions, Labours planning laws will bulldoze Britains villages.

The guidance has been issued amid warnings Ms Rayner is unlikely to hit her target of delivering 1.5 million new homes by the end of the decade.

As part of her house-building drive the Deputy Prime Minister is freeing up planning laws to allow swathes of new development across the greenbelt.

She has created a new category of greybelt land  such as disused car parks and wasteland  that councils will have to release for new housing.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Tory analysis has found that Labour is making 133 local authorities across England carry out a review of all the greenbelt land in their area.

The reviews are likely to result in those councils reclassifying swathes of greenbelt as greybelt, paving the way for the land to be built on.

Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to put builders not blockers first and deliver more affordable homes for young people priced out of the housing market.

Labour has already announced plans to water down the powers that local planning committees have to oppose new developments.

Ms Rayner is also planning to build a generation of new towns across England in a move that she says will deliver hundreds of thousands of homes.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But the Deputy Prime Minister was dealt a blow last week as planning approvals for new houses dropped to their lowest level in a decade.

Britain is experiencing the steepest slump in house building since the financial crisis, builders said, with only 242,610 approvals issued in England last year.

A Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesman said: We are clear that councils should build on brownfield land first, and any grey belt development should prioritise previously developed land, such as disused car parks and petrol stations, that no longer adequately serves the long-established Green Belt purposes.

Our reforms will continue to protect our natural landscapes as we deliver 1.5 million homes this Parliament and vital infrastructure that local communities need.

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.
MATTOON, Ill. (WTWO/WAWV) Lake Land College is now giving students more flexibility with their classes than ever before.

Lake Land College announced in a news release Friday that it will be offering HyFlex style classes to students. The HyFlex format will allow students to attend classes in three different ways, either in-person, live online, or online recorded classes. The classrooms are outfitted with high-tech streaming equipment that will allow remote students to engage live in class from anywhere they can connect to the internet. Students who cant make their class time will also now have the option of watching a recorded class later.

The school said the new HyFlex format is part of their focus on leveraging innovative opportunities for accessible education. Lake Land College began investing in this style of classes in 2021 during the pandemic, starting when the board of trustees approved the installation of equipment in 24 classrooms. Now the school has expanded this technology to 30 classrooms and is being implemented in the Colleges extension centers in Effingham, Marshall, and Pana.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

HyFlex is a tool to bridge education and life, Lake Land College President Josh Bullock said. So many of our students balance their education while holding jobs or raising families. This format ensures students dont have to choose between education and personal obligations, because they have the freedom to attend classes in a way that works around their schedules.

Rural King launches scholarship with EIU and Lake Land College

The courses available in the HyFlex format for the 2025 Fall Semester are:

Introduction to Business

Principles of Econ 1

Weather and Climate

Elementary Spanish 1

History/Culture of Nonwestern Civilization

History of the U.S. 1

Strategies for Success

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The full Lake Land College course schedules for Summer and Fall 2025 are available at this link.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
In the past 50 years, cancer in many cases has morphed from a certain death sentence into a chronic illness. However, cancer is unlike other chronic conditions. There are hundreds of different cancers, classified by where they start in the body and how their cells behave. To turn cancer from an acute, life-ending illness into a chronic one, we now understand that cancer must be treated with a targeted, personalized approach. Cancer research and advancements in treatment will continue to evolve and play a critical role in reducing cancer mortality rates.

Looking ahead in 2025 and beyond, cancer care will become even more targetedand in turn, more complexas innovations aim at prioritizing each patients unique circumstances. Community oncologists will need more resources to manage these rapid developments in care, along with further investment in solutions that help patients navigate their cancer journey.

The era of personalized cancer treatment

In my 20 years of treating patients as an oncologist, I have watched cancer care evolve in three dramatic waves. As an oncology trainee, my treatment choices were primarily restricted to cytotoxic drugschemotherapy that harmed good cells along with bad, causing severe toxicity along the way.

The first revolution in care that I witnessed involved biologic therapy. Antibodies were used to target molecules on cancer cells, leading to more effective, less toxic treatment. Since patients tolerated this treatment better, they could be on therapy for years, thereby prolonging their lives without the added side effects.

With the biologic therapy revolution in full swing, I have witnessed a second revolution in care focused on immune therapy. As we have learned how to harness the bodys immune system to fight cancer, we have seen tremendous improvement in outcomes across almost every cancer type. One of the most groundbreaking forms of immune therapyCAR-T therapyinvolves taking a patients own immune cells, reprogramming them in a lab to more effectively recognize and attack cancer, and then re-infusing them into the patient. Even though hundreds of patients now undergo CAR-T therapy every day, we have much to learn. Hundreds of clinical trials in the U.S. alone are investigating the use of CAR-T cells for a wide range of cancers.

The third revolution in care came with the concept of precision oncology, where we search for each cancers unique driving forceits set of mutations that can be targeted for the best outcomes. Over the last decade, we have learned a tremendous amount about the basic biology of cancer. Today much of the focus is on identifying the specific biological targets, such as the mutated gene or the biology of the proteins on the cancer cell. Researchers then develop a treatment plan that matches the cancers molecular profile. Unlike traditional chemotherapy, which indiscriminately kills healthy cells and cancer cells, precision oncology helps determine the right treatment for the right person at the right time for their specific cancer.

This shift from harsh, broad-based cytotoxic therapy to precision oncology has highlighted how the genetics of both the patient and the cancer itself can be used to treat cancer. This approach has resulted in sharp drops in cancer mortality and improvements in patients quality of life and health outcomes.

The challenge with delivering the right treatment to the right patient

What do these innovations in care mean for the day-to-day practice of oncology? Cancer care is getting more complicated. These enormous strides in genomics and precision medicine are improving survival rates, but the inherent complexity in care has widened the divide in health outcomes depending on where treatment is received.

Research suggests that cancer outcomes are significantly better at the National Cancer Institute-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers, yet only 20 percent of cases are treated at those institutions. One contributing factor to this disparity is geography: One in six Americans lives in a rural area. Approximately 66 percent of rural counties have no oncologist, requiring many patients to take time off work, spend limited resources, and travelsometimes hundreds of milesto receive care.

Clinical advances in cancer are evolving rapidly, making it challenging for community oncologists to keep up. With research progressing so quickly, the challenge is getting these new therapies to the right patient at the right time. Much of the research comes from large academic institutions that have cancer subspecialists with expertise in a specific type of cancer. Yet, community oncologists provide about 80 percent of cancer care in the U.S., treating a wide variety of malignancies. There is a significant opportunity to connect patients with subspecialty expertise to review cases, confirm diagnoses, and ultimately inform optimal treatment paths, including the latest clinical trials.

To bridge this gap, we are seeing an increased adoption of digital health solutions, including services like remote case reviews that enable greater collaboration between community oncologists and cancer subspecialists from academic research centers. These services help provide more equitable access to specialized expertise because cost and the inability to travel to these centers present barriers to the best cancer care.

ADVERTISEMENT

Making care more patient-centered

With so much focus on new targeted treatments, it is important not to treat oncology care as a technological arms race but instead recognize that cancer is a profoundly human journey. Patients need assistance managing the enormous financial burden that comes with a cancer diagnosis, resources to promote their mental well-being, and support into survivorship to help them re-enter the workplace or their daily lives. These aspects are equally as important as the type of treatment in impacting the patients survival and recovery.

As we head into 2025 and beyond, I remain optimistic about the future of cancer care. Collaborations and partnerships will play a key role in ensuring patients receive the care they need. The remarkable breakthroughs we are seeing in innovative treatments and precision medicine, as well as the greater focus on meeting the needs of patients at all stages of their cancer journey, are promising. The continued development of solutions that help patients access the most appropriate treatment, regardless of where they reside, and more importantly, offer a personalized approach throughout the entire cancer journey, will be instrumental in improving cancer care and achieving optimal outcomes.

Yousuf Zafar is a hematology-oncology physician.
For weeks now, the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency has dribbled out information that showed it wanted to close federal facilities and lay off government employees across the nation.

Then, two days ago, the DOGE website listed 15 federal facilities in Oklahoma, including the National Weather Center in Norman and the U.S. attorney's office in Muskogee that were set to have their leases canceled.

On Friday, things changed.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

With political pressure building  both in the state and across the country  two members of Oklahoma's congressional delegation announced that at least four of those facilities that were set to have their leases canceled will, in fact, remain open.

In a news release sent out Friday afternoon, 4th District U.S. Rep. Tom Cole, R-Moore, said the leases of the National Weather Center in Norman, the Social Security Administration Office in Lawton and the Indian Health Services Office in Oklahoma City would not be terminated.

More: Sen. James Lankford challenged some federal office closings in Oklahoma

U.S. Rep. Tom Cole shown here in June, said the National Weather Center, Lawton Social Security Administration office and the Indian Health Services Office in Oklahoma City, will remain operational.

After working closely with DOGE and the Administration, I am thrilled to announce that common sense has prevailed, as the National Weather Center in Norman, the Social Security Administration Office in Lawton, and the Indian Health Services Office in Oklahoma City will remain operational in Oklahoma. All three of these places provide vital and valuable services to Oklahomans and I am so proud to have advocated for them, Cole said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Cole serves a chairman of the powerful House Appropriations Committee.

His statement follows one made Thursday by U.S. Sen. James Lankford. During an interview with members of the Oklahoma media, Lankford said Muskogee's U.S. attorney's office would not have its lease canceled.

Were trying to find out, is this a storage unit connected to this office, or is it the office? Lankford said. We followed up and said, where are the U.S. attorneys going to be? And they have now said, hey, thats not actually going to be canceled.

U.S. Sen. James Lankford, shown here in November, said Muskogee's U.S. attorney's office would not have its lease canceled.

The messages from Cole and Lankford could go a long way to help reduce tension and stress building about the possibility of a facility being closed and its employees being laid off.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The U.S. Attorneys Office of Eastern Oklahoma built a 33,119-square-foot building at 520 Denison St. on the Arrowhead Mall parking lot in 2014. The office was expanded after the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in the McGirt v. Oklahoma case.

Because the Eastern Oklahoma District covers 26 counties, including Muskogee, Cherokee, Rogers, Wagoner, Pittsburg and McIntosh, the office handles many criminal cases involving Native American tribal members, and following the high court's ruling many expected the workload to increase.According to the DOGE website, the Muskogee U.S. attorneys office has an annual lease cost of $1,272,005.

What other Oklahoma facilities were listed to have their leases canceled?

The lease cancellations appear to be part of a systematic effort outlined in a Feb. 26 Office of Management and Budget memorandum. The document, which provides guidance on agency workforce reduction and reorganization plans, calls for a reduced real property footprint as agencies implement the DOGE initiative.

The memo instructs federal departments to close and/or consolidate regional field offices to the extent consistent with efficient service delivery while working to achieve reduced budget topline targets.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The other facilities and the estimated savings from the terminated leases listed on the DOGE website include:

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Broken Bow, $30,612

Bureau of Indian Affairs, Carnegie, $2,798.

Office of Surface Mining and Regulation Enforcement in Tulsa, $745,987.

Bureau of Indian Affairs in Pawnee, $156,171.

Bureau of Indian Affairs, Seminole, $184,770.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Oklahoma City, $133,605.

Bureau of Indian Affairs, Watonga, $38,573.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Oklahoma City. $20,113.

International Trade Administration, Oklahoma City, $22,990

Bureau of Indian Affairs Office, Pawhuska, $166,134

Department of Housing and Urban Development, Tulsa, $109,426

Speaking from his office in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, Lankford said hes trying to find fact from fiction on the federal Department of Government Efficiency's terminated office leases in Oklahoma. Lankford said he is challenging some of the closings, as well and having the ability to say, Hey, this is not an office that can just close.

He said hes trying to do a person by person check on who is getting terminated. He did not agree with terminating people based on blanket criteria, because people will need to be rehired for the same positions other people were fired for because that position is actually needed.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In Oklahoma alone, five Native-serving offices are now being affected by the lease terminations, though the impact varies. A spokesperson for the Kiowa Tribe told KWTV-9 the BIA office in Carnegie had been empty for multiple years, making the cancellation merely a formality.

In Seminole, however, seven employees reportedly lost their jobs when that office was shuttered earlier this month, with phone lines now disconnected.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma lawmakers fight back against DOGE call to close NWS, services
Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

A large fire erupted at a critical infrastructure facility in Zaporizhzhia Oblast following a Russian drone attack, regional Governor Ivan Federov said on March 8.

As a result of the strike, gas supplies have been limited in the region, Federov added.

Russia has regularly launched missiles targeting various regions of the country. Russian forces have continuously targeted Ukraine's critical infrastructure as Russia continues to test Ukrainian resolve in the harsh winter months.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Amid the U.S. pause on sharing intelligence with Kyiv, the New York Times reported on March 5, citing undisclosed U.S. and Ukrainian officials, that the pause affects warnings against Russian drones and missiles striking Ukrainian military and civilian targets.

0:00

/

1

No information was immediately available on the full extent of the damage, or whether any casualties were sustained in the attack. No details were provided on the location of the facility.

Multiple explosions were heard between 10:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. local time, amid the reported threat of Russian drone attacks. Russian forces separately launched missiles towards eastern regions of the country on the evening of March 8.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The attack on Zaporizhzhia Oblast comes just one day after Russia launched a mass strike against various regions of Ukraine targeting energy and gas infrastructure across the country. In the attack, Russian missiles struck critical infrastructure in Ternopil, Poltava, and Ivano-Frankivsk oblasts.

Zaporizhzhia Oblast, situated on Ukraine's front line, is the target of near daily Russian drone, missile, and glide bomb attacks.

Read also: Russian mass missile attack targets critical infrastructure across Ukraine

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
A large-scale fire covering a total area of 400 square metres broke out at the territory of private business in the city of Zaporizhzhia at around 02:00 on the night of 7-8 March due to the fall of debris from a Russian drone.

Source: State Emergency Service of Ukraine

Details: The State Emergency Service reported that the fire had engulfed a welding workshop and auxiliary structures.

Building on fire

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine

Firefighters extinguishing fire

Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine

In addition, the blast wave damaged two cars parked nearby.

No casualties have been reported.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Authorities are looking for help in identifying two people seen near a trail where a man was murdered late last month.

According to the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, the victim, 66-year-old Cuauhtemoc Garcia, was shot to death while walking on the Coyote Creek Bikeway in Cerritos on Feb. 25 around 12:30 p.m.

The Coyote Creek Bikeway is 5.8 miles long, and according to Metrolink  which has a webpage offering riders information on trails near train stations  the trail is immensely popular with road bikers, trail runners and walkers.

Authorities are looking for help in identifying two people seen near a trail where a man was murdered on Feb. 25, 2025. (LASD) According to the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, the victim, 66-year-old Cuauhtemoc Garcia, was shot to death while walking on the Coyote Creek Bikeway in Cerritos on Feb. 25 around 12:30 p.m.

No further details surrounding the circumstances of Garcias murder were released; however, LASD did include a photo of two people  a man and a woman  who were seen in the area at the time of the murder and are requesting the publics help in identifying them.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Man dead after 4 suspects try to rob him of his chain in South Los Angeles

Anyone with information is urged to contact LASD Homicide detectives Louie Aguilera or Yoon Nam by calling 323-890-5500.

To submit an anonymous tip, call Crime Stoppers (1-800-222-8477) or visit www.lacrimestoppers.org

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
A family-owned business at the Lathrop Food Plaza is left to rebuild after a crash destroyed its food trailer.

Darryn and Brandon Agsalda, the brother duo and co-owners of the Agsalda Food Company, say they are devastated as their business is more than just a jobits a passion.

Both brothers quit their full-time jobs, worked countless hours, and saved money to make this dream a reality during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

From malasadas, a Hawaiian pastry made from small, deep-fried dough with a cream filling, to spam musubi with spam, rice, and seaweed salad, the food company brings a taste of Hawaiian culture to the small community of Lathrop.

Until recently the brothers were recently hit with a significant setback.

I got a call from my brother saying that pretty much our food trucks done, Brandon Agsalda recalls.

Its a phone call no business owner wants to receive after a driver crashed through a fence at the Lathrop Food Plaza around midnight on February 25, leaving a trail of damage in their wake.

We have oil pretty much everywhere on the walls because they hit our corner [which is where the] deep fryer [was at], Agsalda said. They pretty much bent the frame of the truck and pretty much tore our gas lines and our fire suppression systems.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Agsalda says just about everything inside their only food trailer is destroyed.

I mean, for starters, this business does pay for me and my brothers bills, my familys bills, [it also] pays for our mortgages, and pretty much it took away thousands, Agsalda said.

He says they are now waiting on a police report to start the recovery process.

Thats the only way our insurance companies can communicate what we can do as a whole, as a business. Our business insurance does want to take care of us, but at the same time, we need more information, Agsalda said.

In the meantime, the brothers are staying hopeful about the situation and relying on their faith.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Were trying to do it to the point where it doesnt affect us mentally because, you know, from something that can change your whole world, 180 this is something that happened to us, says Agsalda. But you know, in the grace of God, this is why we are who we are, because I feel like me and my brother can push through anything.

But its their customers who he says make it all worth it in the end.

You know, people say that people from Hawaii live with aloha and with that. We want to give that like family oriented feel when you come here, said Agasalda. We want to know what youve been up to; we want to know how youve been and all. So [we can] serve you great food on the along side of that.

The owners of Agsalda Food Company tell FOX40 News they are open to catering gigs and small orders on their social media pages. For now, they are using their kitchens at home.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

They also set up a GoFundMe page to help offset the cost of reopening their food truck.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI)  A state lawmaker is once again pushing to arm campus police at public colleges statewide after Thursdays incident at the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI).

Rep. William OBrien introduced legislation that would require both Rhode Island College (RIC) and CCRI to arm their officers. This is the seventh time that OBrien has put forth his proposal to arm campus police officers.

The University of Rhode Island (URI) is the only public college in the state that has armed its campus police officers.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

To not have [campus officers] properly equipped is a crime, in my opinion, he said.

This comes after an armed suspect prompted a lockdown at CCRIs Flanagan campus in Lincoln. Junior Sage was taken into custody after he threatened two women on a RIPTA bus with a knife and what appeared to be a gun, according to police.

Police said Sage got off the bus at CCRI, and a 911 caller reported seeing a man on campus who was armed with a gun and a knife. Officers tracked down and arrested the 48-year-old with the help of witnesses.

Sage is facing a number of charges, including four counts of felony assault, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, carrying a pistol without a permit, disorderly conduct and obstruction of justice.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Students were ordered to shelter in place for nearly an hour until officers determined the campus was safe.

OBrien believes this incident should serve as a wake-up call.

He could have done a lot of damage, OBrien said. Minutes and seconds count, especially when youre dealing with someone [armed with] any type of weapon.

OBrien said right now, campus police officers at CCRI and RIC are not adequately prepared for these types of situations.

Since we already have them on duty, why not use them properly? OBrien said. We should always prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Thats not what were doing right now.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Rhode Island State Police are now reviewing what happened at CCRI in an effort to identify ways to improve public safety and communication on campus.

Both colleges have pushed back against OBriens proposal in the past by citing concerns with operational costs and requirements.

CCRI is part of a public higher education system that includes RIC and is governed by the Council on Postsecondary Education, according to a spokesperson.

There will be many conversations with the council, our partners in higher education and the R.I. General Assembly in the coming days and weeks regarding best practices and what is best for our college communities, the spokesperson explained.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

CCRIs interim president Rosemary Costigan stressed that the safety and well-being of students, faculty and staff is a top priority.

We are committed to learning from this incident and strengthening our emergency preparedness, she wrote in a letter sent out Friday.

OBrien urged CCRI and RIC to take action before tragedy strikes.

We cannot keep ignoring this problem by hoping a campus attack will not occur in Rhode Island, he said, adding that he hopes the colleges will come to their senses and do whats necessary to protect students, faculty and staff.

OBriens legislation has been referred to the R.I. House Judiciary Committee. He expects his proposal will be taken up sometime within the next month.

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.
France is leading the way in addressing toxic "forever chemicals," moving to ban their use in cosmetics, clothing textiles, and ski waxes.

These per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances do not break down in the environment and have been linked to fertility problems, developmental delays in children, and increased cancer risk. They have been found in human bodies, the environment, and, in one case, all rainwater samples tested.

Next year, products with PFAS cannot be manufactured, imported, or sold in the country, which is the second ban after Denmark's in 2020 to "progressively ban PFASs from various everyday products: food packaging, clothing, footwear and cosmetics," Le Monde reported. Maine did the same.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Nonstick cookware escaped the ban, and some protective clothing used by civil professionals is exempt. The newspaper noted that food packaging will be regulated by the European Union.

"In a relatively short space of time, two and a half years, thanks to the mobilization of members of parliament, [nongovernmental organizations], scientists and investigative journalists, a subject that was under the radar has made its way into the public debate, to the point where France now has one of the world's most ambitious laws on PFAS," said Nicolas Thierry, a member of parliament with The Ecologists and the bill's rapporteur, per Le Monde.

Additionally, industrial companies that pollute waterways will have to pay for expensive water treatment costs starting a year after the law takes effect. Large polluters such as Arkema, Solvay, and BASF will be the first subject to fines of 100 ($104) per 100 grams of PFAS. The money will go to water agencies to help them remove forever chemicals such as trifluoroacetic acid, which "everyone's drinking," according to one environmental consultant.

The companies will have five years to halt the discharge of PFAS into water.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"According to estimates by France's leading public water company, the decontamination bill could amount to 'billions of euros,'" Le Monde stated, with a forever chemicals expert pegging the figure at 12 billion ($12.45 billion).

The law also includes directives about publishing and updating PFAS monitoring stats and contamination maps.

In January, nearly 100 European environmental and health organizations wrote a letter to the European Commission to demand the end of "the worst pollution crisis in human history." They said that the industry for decades has "knowingly allowed toxic chemicals to contaminate our bodies, our water, our food, and our air while concealing safety risks from the public and authorities."

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.




Maryland has introduced a bill requiring its Department of Agriculture to ban certain pesticides, including PFAS, or "forever chemicals," according to CBS News. This bill may cause some worry about the impact on lawn treatments, but are fewer chemicals in our environment necessarily a bad thing?

There's more than meets the eye with this proposed bill.

President Donald Trump temporarily halted proposed Environmental Protection Agency limits, affecting protections under the Safe Drinking Water Act set for 2027, as noted by CBS News. This rollback prompted Maryland to introduce legislation to limit harmful chemicals at the state level.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown stressed the importance of the regulations, telling CBS News that "this rule permits water systems across the country, including here in Maryland, to regulate and treat these harmful substances."

Environmental advocate Adrienne Esposito of the Citizens Campaign for the Environment expressed concern, saying, "This is really a tragic setback for water protection throughout America." In response, according to CBS News, Maryland joined 17 other states in defending stronger regulations to remove forever chemicals from drinking water.

Chemical contamination isn't limited to lawn treatment. Companies have used PFAS in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals and as a water repellent in everything from nonstick cookware to clothing since the 1940s.

The problem? PFAS can take hundreds or even thousands of years to break down, seeping into groundwater and contaminating drinking water, which may lead to serious health risks.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But here's the good news  if House Bill 386 passes, the Department of Agriculture will distribute the list of prohibited chemicals by January 2026, and they will be banned by June 2028 for use on residential lawn care and schools and health care facilities.

The ban on these chemicals and PFAS means a safer environment and cleaner water for us all, and it will have a greater positive impact than we can imagine. Brown summed up the importance of this effort by telling CBS News: "By making our drinking water cleaner, this policy safeguards the health of not only our generation but also our children and grandchildren."

Do you think the government should ban gas-powered lawn tools? No way Definitely Only certain tools I don't know Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

For those opposing the bill, lawmakers have noted they are not singling out farmers with this ban, according to WMDT. However, some landscapers and veterinarians in the state have raised concerns about the ban potentially having negative effects on the efficacy of products, increased costs, and the usage of parasiticides to treat pets. However, research has already suggested that pet owners should pay attention to active ingredients in flea treatments to avoid toxic chemicals.

In regard to the potential benefits, according to WMDT, toxicologist Linda Birnbaum said: PFAS "are readily absorbed through the skin, creating a dangerous occupational hazard for farmers and farm workers exposed to PFAS in pesticides used in the field, in the air, and when produce is handled."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

And if you're concerned about how this may affect your lawn care, don't worry  plenty of safe and natural alternatives can keep your lawn beautiful while protecting the environment.

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.
TOPEKA (KSNT)  The widow of a Kansas man who died in an accident at an Evergy power plant and won multi-million dollar wrongful death lawsuit against a Texas-based contractor has refiled the case in Kansas after a Texas court dismissed the original case.

Jesse Henson, 45, of Manhattan, and a co-worker, Damien Burchett, 45 of Overbrook, died from steam burns suffered when they were investigating a loss of power at the Jeffrey Energy Center plant near St. Marys in June of 2018.

In 2021, a Texas jury found Team Industrial Services, a Texas-based subcontractor to Westar Energy (which is now called Evergy), was 90% responsible for their deaths. The jury awarded Hensons widow $222 million in damages.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Team Industrial Services appealed the judgement. In May of 2024, a Texas appellate court dismissed the case after ruling it should have been tried in Kansas instead of Texas.

Hensons family filed the case in the U.S. District Court of Kansas on Monday. They allege Team Industrial Services is to blame for the deaths, accusing the company in their lawsuit of gross negligence..

The family has requested the new trial take place in Kansas City, Kansas.

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.

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 KSNT 27 News.
LAUDERDALE COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT)  The Lauderdale County Sheriffs Office said several people have been arrested for selling THC vapes to children.

According to the sheriffs office, during the past several months, the Lauderdale County Drug Task Force and the district attorneys office have been flooded with calls about children using, abusing and overdosing while using reported THC vapes.

1 airlifted to hospital following two-vehicle wreck in Laceys Spring

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

LCSO said these calls came from parents of school-aged children, government officials, school resource officers and other people.

The drug task force, along with the Florence Police Department, LCSO and the DAs office opened an investigation into the distribution of these vapes to children.

During the investigation, LCSO said multiple controlled purchases of THC vapes were made from several gas stations and smoke shops in Lauderdale County. The purchased vapes were sent to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences.

The reports from ADFS revealed that the THC vapes were a controlled substance.

Athens man charged with 10 counts of possession/intent to distribute child sexual abuse material

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

During the search of the businesses, agents located more vapes containing controlled substances, small amounts of Methamphetamine (ICE), drug paraphernalia, pipes used for smoking Methamphetamine, a green leafy substance believed to be a controlled substance (Khat) and a large amount of pills that require a prescription (Viagra).

(Photo: Lauderdale County Sheriffs Office) (Photo: Lauderdale County Sheriffs Office) (Photo: Lauderdale County Sheriffs Office) (Photo: Lauderdale County Sheriffs Office) (Photo: Lauderdale County Sheriffs Office) (Photo: Lauderdale County Sheriffs Office)

On Friday, search warrants were executed at three locations and LCSO said officers went to three additional locations to arrest those who had sold the vapes to minors.

LCSO said officers and deputies went to the following locations with search/arrest warrants:

Haddocks One Stop 11500 Hwy 20, Central

Buckeye Smoke Shop 4213 Huntsville Road, Florence

Valero 3506 Cloverdale Road, Florence

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

King Vape 2801 Mall Road, Florence

Chevron 4408 Hwy 157 Underwood-Petersville

Florence Smoke Shop 2520 Mall Road, Florence

The following people were arrested in this investigation:

(Photo: Lauderdale County Sheriffs Office)

Akram Yahya Ghazali, 27, of Florence. Ghazali was charged with Unlawful Distribution of a Controlled Substance and Sell/distribute Psychoactive Cannabinoids to Minors.

(Photo: Lauderdale County Sheriffs Office)

Ahmad Abdulraqib Kaid, 22, of Florence. Kaid was charged with Unlawful Distribution of a Controlled Substance and Sell/distribute Psychoactive Cannabinoids to Minors.

(Photo: Lauderdale County Sheriffs Office)

Brooke Natasha Kelley, 43, of Florence. Kelley was charged with Unlawful Distribution of a Controlled Substance and Sell/distribute Psychoactive Cannabinoids to Minors.

(Photo: Lauderdale County Sheriffs Office)

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

FNU Sunil, 26, of Florence. Sunil was charged with Unlawful Distribution of a Controlled Substance and Sell/distribute Psychoactive Cannabinoids to Minors.

(Photo: Lauderdale County Sheriffs Office)

Abdulsalam Qais Mohammed Qasem, 39, of Florence. Qasem was charged with Unlawful Distribution of a Controlled Substance and Sell/distribute Psychoactive Cannabinoids to Minors.

(Photo: Lauderdale County Sheriffs Office)

Autumn Rayne Meyers, 22, of Florence. Meyers was charged with Unlawful Distribution of a Controlled Substance and Sell/distribute Psychoactive Cannabinoids to Minors.

Also arrested was Omer Ahmed Saleh Aljalal. Aljalal was charged with Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

City of Madison terminates fire captain accused of animal cruelty

LCSO said it also obtained a warrant for Shaif Yahya Ghazali, 34, of Florence, for two counts of Unlawful Distribution of a Controlled Substance and two counts of Sell/distribute Psychoactive Cannabinoids to Minors.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
LE MARS, Iowa (KCAU)  A Le Mars man has been found guilty of murder for the choking death of another man.

On Friday, a Plymouth County jury found Reese Harms, 25, guilty of second-degree murder and attempted murder for the death of Michael Roy Gomez, 44, of Merrill. Both counts are class B felonies.

Reese Harms Courtesy Plymouth County Sheriffs Office

On Jan. 19, 2024, authorities were called to an assault took place at a Le Mars apartment. Upon arrival, Gomez was found not breathing on the bedroom floor. Life-saving measures were taken, and Gomez was taken to a local hospital under critical condition. He later died on Jan. 23, the Le Mars Police Department said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Court documents stated Harms claimed he choked Gomez after being hit, but a witness said that Harms started choking the victim after Gomez said something that made Harms mad.

1 killed in standoff in western Iowa

Harms pleaded not guilty to the charges in February 2024. His lawyer asked the court that the attempted murder charge be dismissed, but his request was denied.

A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
KYIV (Reuters) -At least 14 people were killed and 37 wounded, including five children, in Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine's eastern city of Dobropillia and a settlement in Kharkiv region overnight, the Ukrainian Interior Ministry said on Saturday.

Russian forces attacked Dobropillia with ballistic missiles, multiple rockets, and drones, causing damage to eight multi-storey buildings and 30 vehicles, according to the ministry. The assault resulted in the deaths of 11 people, including five children, and left 30 others wounded.

The ministry also reported that three civilians were killed and seven wounded in a separate drone attack on the Kharkiv region in the northeast.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Such strikes show that Russia's objectives have not changed. Therefore, it is crucial to continue to do our best to protect lives, strengthen our air defences, and increase sanctions against Russia. Everything that helps Putin finance the war must collapse," President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Facebook.

On Friday, Russian forces damaged Ukrainian energy and gas infrastructure in their first major missile attack since the U.S. paused intelligence sharing with Ukraine, piling pressure on Kyiv as President Donald Trump seeks a swift end to the war.

The pause in U.S. military aid and intelligence may undermine Ukraine's air defences as it runs low on advanced missiles and struggles to track attacks as effectively, military analysts say.

Dobropillia, home to about 28,000 people before the war, is in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, 22 kilometres (13.67 miles) from the front line north of the key hub of Pokrovsk, which the Russian troops have been attacking for weeks.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

FIGHTING CONTINUES

Amid U.S. efforts to sit Kyiv and Moscow at the negotiating table, the sides continue to engage in active hostilities in an attempt to gain an advantage.

A tank at Surgutneftegaz's Kirishi oil refinery, one of Russia's largest, was damaged by falling debris during a major Ukrainian overnight drone attack, local official said.

Russian forces, for their part, have in recent weeks stepped up efforts to eject Ukrainian troops from Kursk, when Kyiv's forces staged a lightning incursion over the border and seized a swath of Russian territory in last August.

The Russian Defence Ministry said on Saturday its troops retook three villages in the Kursk region from Ukrainian forces.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Reuters could not independently confirm the battlefield report.

(Reporting by Pavel Polityuk; additional reporting by Lucy Papachristou and Guy Faulconbridge, Editing by Kim Coghill and Louise Heavens)
The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, the Idaho Legislature's powerful budget committee, meets daily during the legislative session. (Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun)

In an effort to help Idahoans follow major bills, resolutions and memorials through the legislative process, the Idaho Capital Sun will produce a legislative notebook at the end of each week to gather information in one place that concerns major happenings in the Legislature and other news relating to state government. To receive the full extent of our reporting in your inbox each day, sign up for our free email newsletter, The Sunrise, on our website at idahocapitalsun.com/subscribe/.

Here is our quick rundown of the major happenings during the ninth week of the Idaho Legislatures 2025 session.

Idaho Legislatures budget committee sets revenue projections for fiscal year 2026

Less than 24 hours after the Idaho Senate passed a major income tax cut bill that reduces state revenue by $253 million and weeks after the Idaho Legislatures budget committee passed the maintenance budgets for all state agencies, the committee ultimately decided how much money the state has to work with to fund departments and public services for fiscal year 2026.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A projection for the states revenue forecast was set Wednesday  the 59th legislative day of the 2025 session  by the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, or JFAC.

The budget committee voted 16-2 to set the revenue projection for fiscal year 2026 at $6.4 billion, a 6.8% increase above the level in the current fiscal year 2025 budget.

Thats the same $6.4 billion revenue projection that the Idaho Legislatures Economic Outlook and Revenue Assessment Committee recommended in a Jan. 9 letter to JFAC members.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE

But during the second week of the 2025 legislative session, JFAC members discussed and then voted down two proposed revenue projections on Jan. 16. Since then, JFAC set and passed bare bones maintenance of operations budgets that combine all state agencies and departments into about 10 bills. JFAC went on to consider dozens of other budget enhancements for state agencies, and Republican legislative leaders proposed tax cuts that, when combined, would reduce state revenue by more than $400 million.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But until Wednesday morning, there was no revenue projection in place to show how much money the Idaho Legislature has to build its 2026 budget around.

The budget committees cochairs, Rep. Wendy Horman, R-Idaho Falls, and Sen. Scott Grow, R-Eagle, said the senators and the representatives on the committee needed time to work through disagreements on the projections.

As you know, we try to work things out  not just here on the floor  but try to get folks to agree to things, Grow said during Wednesdays JFAC meeting. And we havent had any success getting that agreement so we figured we just better go ahead (today) and try to give it our best shot and try to go for it.

A few minutes later, Sen. Janie Ward-Engelking and Senate Minority Leader Melissa Wintrow, D-Boise, cast the only two votes against the revenue projection on Wednesday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This is the wrong way to do our budgets, Ward-Engeking said. Weve done a lot of actions in this committee. Weve sent our maintenance budgets out. Weve looked at tax reduction, or tax cuts and revenue reduction, before we set our revenue projection and I dont believe thats the right way to do budgets. I believe this revenue projection should have been set at the beginning of the session, and then we work towards that number in everything that we do and the spending and in the tax reductions or the tax cuts.

Legislators have set a target adjournment date for March 21, just two weeks from now.

Little signs bill that takes away local control on mask mandates

Sponsored by Sen. Brian Lenney, R-Nampa, and Rep. Robert Beiswenger, R-Horseshoe Bend, and signed into law by Idaho Gov. Brad Little on Tuesday, House Bill 32 prohibits local governments, health districts and school districts from mandating that an individual must wear a mask or face covering to prevent the spread of an infectious disease.

The government mask mandate ban law has a few exceptions, allowing face mask requirements in certain job settings where masks are required and are needed to perform required job duties, such as in health care, work with hazardous materials, or industrial settings where respiratory protection is vocationally required.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Little advocated for local control of mask mandates throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and never instituted a statewide mask mandate to combat the coronavirus.

The bill takes effect immediately through an emergency clause.

Legislation of interest during the ninth week of the 2025 session

House Bill 345: Co-sponsored by Rep. Jordan Redman and the chairmen of the Legislatures Health and Welfare committees, the bill would require the state to seek work requirements for able-bodied Idahoans on Medicaid, and to give Idahoans eligible for Medicaid expansion access to tax credits to buy insurance on Idahos health care exchange. The Idaho House voted 61-9 along on party lines Thursday to pass the bill. It now heads to the Senate State Affairs Committee and may be taken up in the coming days of the session.

House Bill 243: Co-sponsored by Reps. Barbara Ehardt, R-Idaho Falls, and Rod Furniss, R-Rigby, the bill would repeal age-based child-to-staff ratios for child care facilities in Idaho law. The Senate Health and Welfare Committee advanced the bill on Wednesday to the full Senate for consideration with a recommendation that it pass. It is on the Senates third reading calendar and may be taken up in the coming days of the session.

Senate Bill 1101: Sponsored by Sen. Melissa Wintrow, D-Boise, the bill would clarify and add guidance to Idaho coroners roles in death investigations. The Senate Health and Welfare Committee advanced the bill on Thursday to the full Senate for consideration with a recommendation that it pass. It is on the Senates third reading calendar and may be taken up in the coming days of the session.

House Bill 290: Sponsored by Rep. Dori Healey, R-Boise, the bill would transfer decision-making authority about vaccination requirements for children attending day cares and schools from the Department of Health and Welfare to the Idaho Legislature. The Idaho House passed the bill 49-21 on Wednesday. It now heads to the Senate Health and Welfare Committee, where it may be heard in the coming days of the session.

House Concurrent Resolution 16: Sponsored by Rep. Jordan Redman, R-Coeur dAlene, the resolution would create a legislative committee to study Idahos property insurance market. The resolution, introduced in the House Health and Welfare Committee on Thursday, is in response to Idahos destructive wildfire seasons and dozens of insurance companies pulling out of the state. It may come before the committee for a full public hearing in the coming days of the session.

House Bill 231: Sponsored by House Majority Leader Jason Monks, R-Meridian, the bill would increase the tax credit Idahoans receive on groceries from $120 to $155. The Idaho Senate voted 30-3 on Wednesday to pass the bill. It now heads to the governor for final consideration.

Senate Bill 1001: Sponsored by Sen. Brian Lenney, R-Nampa, the anti-SLAPP (which stands for strategic lawsuits against public participation) bill aims to protect free speech and curtail frivolous lawsuits. The Idaho House voted 70-0 to pass the bill on Wednesday. It now heads to the governor for final consideration.

House Bill 362: Sponsored by Rep. Barbara Ehardt, R-Idaho Falls, the bill would prevent elected officials in state or federal positions from simultaneously serving in elected city, school or highway district positions, with some exceptions for rural areas. The House State Affairs Committee advanced the bill Friday with a recommendation that it pass. It may be taken up by the full House in the coming days of the session.

ProgressRpt

What to expect next week



Senate State Affairs Committee

House Joint Resolution 4: Sponsored by Rep. Bruce Skaug, R-Nampa, the resolution seeks voter approval to amend the state constitution to give the Legislature exclusive authority to legalize and regulate marijuana and other drugs. The House voted 58-10 to pass the resolution on Wednesday. It now heads to the committee, where it is on the agenda for Monday for a full public hearing.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Senate Bill 1141: Sponsored by Sen Codi Galloway, R-Boise, the bill bans unauthorized public camping or sleeping on public property in Idaho and prohibits political subdivisions from allowing it. It provides exceptions for designated recreational areas and certain state lands. It was introduced by the committee on March 3, and it is on the agenda for Monday to be back before the committee for a full public hearing.

Quote of the week



Idaho families and businesses need and deserve to keep more of their hard earned money. It is the right thing to do. Idahos continued strength comes from our focus on good government and the Idaho taxpayer. I appreciate my partners in the Legislature for sharing our goal of prioritizing tax relief while taking care of the needs of a growing state. As we continue to deliver historic tax relief, we must ensure our budget balances as the Idaho Constitution requires.  Idaho Gov. Brad Little, on signing the largest income tax reduction in state history into law through House Bill 40

Social media post of the week

Photo of the week

Idaho business owner, founding executive director of The Idaho 97 Project and U.S. Navy veteran Mike Satz (center) speaks to a crowd of protestors gathered in front of the Idaho Statehouse on March 4, 2025, in Boise. The noon gathering was organized by Idaho50501, a group formed by volunteers who connected through Reddit to push back against the Trump administrations policies and executive orders relating to immigration, LGBTQ+ issues, the firing of federal workers and the administrations cuts through DOGE, or the Department of Government Efficiency, among other issues. (Christina Lords/Idaho Capital Sun)

How to follow the Idaho Legislature and Idaho Gov. Brad Littles work during the session

Here are a few tools we use to track the Legislatures business and how to let your voice be heard in the issues that matter most to you.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

How to find your legislators: To determine which legislative district you live in, and to find contact information for your legislators within that district, go to the Legislative Services Offices website and put in your home address and ZIP code. Once youve entered that information, the three legislators  two House members and one senator  who represent your district will appear, and you can click on their headshots to find their email address and phone number.

How to find committee agendas: Go to the Idaho Legislatures website, legislature.idaho.gov, and click on the all available Senate committee agendas link and the all available House committee agendas link on the right side of the website.

How to watch the legislative action in committees and on the House and Senate floors: Idaho Public Television works in conjunction with the Legislative Services Office and the Idaho Department of Administration through a program called Idaho in Session to provide live streaming for all legislative committees and for the House and Senate floors. To watch the action, go to https://www.idahoptv.org/shows/idahoinsession/Legislature/ and select the stream youd like to watch.

How to testify remotely at public hearings before a committee: To sign up to testify remotely for a specific committee, navigate to that committees webpage, and click on the testimony registration (remote and in person) tab at the top.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

How to find state budget documents: Go to Legislative Services Office Budget and Policy Analysis Divisions website https://legislature.idaho.gov/lso/bpa/budgetinformation/.

How to track which bills have made it to Gov. Littles desk and any action he took on them (including vetoes): Go to the governors website https://gov.idaho.gov/legislative-sessions/2025-session/. You can scroll down to the bottom of the site and enter your email address to get alerts sent straight to your inbox when the page has been updated.

Reporting from Idaho Capital Sun journalists Clark Corbin, Mia Maldonado and Kyle Pfannenstiel contributed to this legislative notebook.

SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
WACO, Texas (FOX 44)  For the first time ever, Waco will be hosting the Brick Convention, an event where LEGO enthusiasts of all ages can marvel at the works of dozens of talented LEGO artists. This weekend, the community will have the opportunity to view incredible LEGO creations, including models inspired by pop culture, architecture, and more.

Among the featured artists is AC Pin, a LEGO builder who has been crafting with the iconic plastic bricks for 25 years. His journey started with a Star Wars piece, and today, he is known for his intricate designs and mastery of the craft.

I didnt realize that my early creations, like this particular seed hanger, would attract so much attention, Pin recalled. In fact, LEGO even asked my permission to feature it in their Lego Star Wars: The Visual Dictionary book.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

From that book appearance to having his work showcased in the LEGO House in Denmark, Pins passion for LEGO has opened doors to incredible opportunities. It all started as a hobby, and now Im being invited to shows around the world, he said, reflecting on his journey from casual builder to recognized LEGO artist.

Fellow builder Robert Rodriguez, who has been creating with LEGO for ten years, is excited to have the convention come so close to his hometown of Temple, Texas. Im very excited because Im actually from Temple and theres no conventions relatively close.

Rodriguez has built models of ancient Roman landscapes, towering skyscrapers, and more. As he continues to explore the world of LEGO, he looks forward to seeing where the hobby takes him next.

Both Pin and Rodriguez encourage attendees to tap into their own creativity by starting with a simple LEGO set.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I hope that it inspires them to buy a set and just try it. I mean, if youre not a Lego fan, just buy a said that fascinates you, Rodriguez said, expressing his hope for attendees.

Lego is a hobby that kind of expands and has so many themes that you can pick your spot, Pin added. But if you like cars or just plain collecting the sets, its all good,

The event will provide a unique opportunity for LEGO lovers to connect, share their passion, and perhaps even inspire the next generation of master builders.

For more information on the Brick Convention, including event details, you can click here.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KWKT - FOX 44.
Gump logic: Forrest Gumps mama was right  stupid is as stupid does.

And this weekend, we will spring forward for daylight saving time. There is no saving daylight  we are shifting daylight  its profoundly stupid. Join us tonight in hope that this idiotic practice may soon stop.



ICYMI: For those that dont know, ICYMI is how the cool kids say In case you missed it.

Our interview with DJ Daniel, the 13-year-old cancer survivor and now youngest member of the Secret Service, hit a nerve in America. If you havent seen it, and even if you have, click here for a smile heading into your weekend.



Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Sibling shoutout: The smarter and more talented Vittert child  aka my sister, Liberty  is out with a must-read in The Hill.

Why DOGE is and will remain popular, even if its cuts are small, she headlines.

Liberty joins us tonight with what the establishment fails to understand. Hint: The rest of America hates the establishment because they blame the establishment for screwing them.



Credit due: The exhausting news cycle will miss a major Trump victory for those of us who believe in moral clarity.

Trump ordered 400 million in federal dollars to be withheld from Columbia University because of their repugnant acceptance and protection of the pro-Hamas types.

Any Hope

This week underscored the Democrats problem  not that there isnt a leader or plan, but that there is no hope for one.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Look back: Democrats face some of the same problems that Republicans did after 2012 and some of the same Democrats faced after 2016.

Learn from the past: Looking back provides Democrats with few answers. 2012: The post-Mitt Romney loss told Republicans to try and build a broad coalition of minorities  they needed to soften their stance on immigration to attract Hispanic voters. 2016: Trump won by promising to build a wall on the southern border. 2016: Out of Democrats 2016 loss came a party built on resisting Trump and competing on who could win the diversity Olympics. 2020: Kamala Harris dropped out before Iowa. Elizabeth Warren and Corey Booker proved terrible candidates. The most centrist among them won by promising not to be Trump  the pandemic helped. Be smart: Biden tapped into a movement against the craziness of Trump during 2020.

Look forward: Democrats must now figure out the path forward. Do they listen to Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa.? Fetterman posted on X, criticizing his fellow Democrats for their resistance strategies. Click here to see.  Or the far left that says they should resist Trump and Republicans more. Sunny Hostin earlier today on ABCs The View: The Democrats are not meeting the moment. It is very clear that Medicaid is on the table, it is very clear that Social Security is on the table, it is very clear that people will die. The Baby Boomers, the civil rights generation, they knew what they had to do. They were willing to fight and die for their rights. This generation of Congress? They are not meeting the moment! This is an existential crisis!

Must read: Peggy Noonan writes in The Wall Street Journal, Stop listening to your consultants. They know the Democratic Party but not America. Theyve always had the media in their pocket, and its made them lazy and lacking in insight. Keep going to town halls in small and medium-size towns and listen, listen, listen.

Must watch: Tonight, former Democratic congressman Dean Phillips and current congresswoman Jennifer McClellan, D-Va., speak about the path 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 NewsNation.
To the editor: Columnist Jonah Goldberg came close to understanding why President Trump is trying to force something, anything he can call a peace agreement between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky ("Heres the key to understanding Donald Trumps approach to the Ukraine war," March 4). Goldberg stopped mere inches from explaining Trumps obsession with being a key player in any such agreement. Trumps insistence that Zelensky cave is motivated, in my view, by 15-year-old events, when then-President Barack Obama was given the Nobel Peace Prize. It appears that Trump is quite willing to promote continuation of a war that kills thousands, until such time when he can claim to have stopped it. Then he can also claim the Nobel Peace Prize. His ego and insecurities know no bounds.

David L. Burdick, Ridgecrest

..

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

To the editor: Is it possible that Goldberg is on to something? Breaking news: Trump is angling for the Nobel Peace Prize and another cameo on the cover of Time magazine. He is only interested in transactions that will benefit him.

Robert Impellizzeri, Moorpark

The writer is a retired U.S. Army colonel.

..

To the editor: Goldbergs surprisingly excellent column is 100% correct. Trumps approach to life has always been, just say. He has never cared about true or false, or right or wrong, or the Constitution or the laws. Dont forget, he told the Georgia secretary of state to find 11,780 votes  another form of "just say."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Goldberg doesnt say what we should do about all this. I suggest that House Democrats prepare and present accurate and persuasive motions for impeachment  and loudly and constantly talk about them  but I welcome other ideas.

Mike Holtzman, San Luis Obispo

..

To the editor: Goldberg deserves a tip of the hat, but not a hats-off, on his column on the Ukraine war and Trumps vanity ("Whether Russia invaded Ukraine is not a complicated question. Why say it is?" Feb. 25).

While rightly raising serious questions about the presidents character and purpose, and the subsequent confusion and obfuscation in the ranks, as officials do the tap dance, Goldberg doesnt disappoint, as he quickly shifts gears to go after his own boogeymen: the Biden administration and the Democrats.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Questions of false equivalency might be raised at this point, such as condemning Hitlers brutality and then quickly jumping to the failures and faults of the Weimar Republic (Germany's democratic government from 1919 to 1933). Whatever faults the Weimar Republic had dim in comparison to the naked evil of Nazism.

And whatever faults the Biden administration had  and the Democrats still have  also pale in comparison to the brutal dismantling of Americas government, even as the administration parrots Putins lies, both of which are designed to enhance Trumps portfolio.

Goldberg can never resist a chance to reach across the aisle and lambaste the Democrats and scold Biden, as if that could soften the hideous mess mushrooming in the GOP. I wish he would state the case of the corrupt GOP, express his disappointment, and leave it at that.

The Rev. Tom Eggebeen, Pasadena

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
JOPLIN, Mo.  Liberty Utilities officials met with customers Friday night (3/7) at Missouri Southern to answer questions and address issues and complaints.

The town hall-style forum was facilitated by Missouri State Senator, Jill Carter.

More than 50 customers were in attendance  and many of those who spoke were upset about billing problems.

Tim Wilson, Liberty President (Central Region Electric) acknowledged the issue, attributing most of the billing problems to software upgrades and system updates.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Customers were able to sit down and get some help from customer service representatives, and many were eager to do so.

I hope this brings increased awareness about issues going on. They said because it was last year, they didnt know if they would be able to resolve anything, but just kind of letting somebody know that it (billing) seems weird and it doesnt seem like it is legit, said Liberty Utilities customer, Becky Kropf.

We look forward to making improvements and we look forward to finding ways to work with our customers and help them, said Liberty Utilities Communications Director, Kelli Price.

More transparency is important to build relationships, and so thats at the heart of everything that I do. I want our community to know and understand whats going on so that when decisions are made, they are just as informed as we are as policymakers, said Missouri State Senator, Jill Carter, a Republican from the 32nd District.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Fridays meeting comes after the Missouri Public Service Commission ordered its staff to investigate Libertys practices.

The commission is scheduled to release a progress report late next month.

Liberty officials say they will continue to hold public meetings to help meet the needs of their customers.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
There's a new-ish ear-piercing business at the Kenwood Towne Centre with a backstory you probably haven't heard anywhere else.

Rowan is located on the mezzanine level of the mall. If you walk by the spot, which opened in March between Kate Spade and Kendra Scott, you'll see bright colors, bold patterns, lots of pink and sleek accessories.

But there's more to it. Unlike other piercing places, Rowan hires licensed nurses to pierce ears. Perhaps more atypical, Rowan used to not have any storefronts. Instead, nurses would travel to customers' homes to pierce their ears.

Advertisement Advertisement

Now, roughly six years after the company was launched, Rowan opened their first Ohio store in Kenwood.

A view of the Rowan store inside Kenwood Towne Centre.

What is Rowan?

CEO and founder, Louisa Schneider, started Rowan based on her own personal experience. When her daughter was born about nine years ago, she wanted a "safe" and "medically approved" way to get her baby's ears pierced. Her pediatrician didn't pierce, and she didn't feel comfortable getting her daughter's piercing at a mall. So, the idea for Rowan was born.

According to Schneider, Rowan focuses on safety by hiring licensed nurses to perform piercings and only selling hypoallergenic earrings. The store attracts people of all ages.

"Often mom and daughter are getting a piercing together," she said.

Why licensed nurses?

Taea Perz, Rowan manager, walks the store inside Kenwood Towne Centre.

"People feel safe with nurses," Schneider said. "There's a lot of anxiety around a piercing, and they are trained to handle that." Schneider got the idea to work with nurses after speaking with her family members, many of whom are medical professionals. They told Schneider they often are asked to pierce ears.

Advertisement Advertisement

To Schneider, that makes sense.

Nurses receive training on how to handle blood-borne pathogens or what to do if someone faints from seeing a needle.

"There are things that occur around a piercing because it is a medical procedure, that are going to be much, much, much better served by a medical professional," Schneider said.

Why did Rowan used to bring nurses to people's homes?

A view inside Rowan.

For Schneider, the idea of piercing ears at home emphasized that Rowan uniquely hires nurses to pierce ears.

"The idea of going into people's homes and performing a very intimate medical procedure or service was really common to nurses," she said. Think of nurses who provide at-home care.

Advertisement Advertisement

There was also a practical reason. Rowan was a new business. It was also an unusual idea. Schneider was hesitant to put up the money to establish a brick-and-mortar before she knew if her business concept would work.

Ultimately, Schneider ditched the model due to logistical scheduling challenges. Customers sometimes wanted the nurses to be flexible on their arrival time, she said, but the nurses couldn't be flexible because they might only be doing this gig part-time. Rowan opened its first storefront in 2019 on Manhattan's Upper East Side.

Should you really get your ears pierced by a nurse over a professional piercer?

Some Reddit users have expressed skepticism over getting your ears pierced by nurses. After all, nurses aren't taught how to pierce in school. Doesn't that mean you should stick with a professional piercer?

Schneider understands this skepticism but pushes back on it. She said Rowan trains nurses and does so according to criteria from the Association of Professional Piercers certification. Rowan also has a "technical standard," Schneider said. For a nurse to pierce at Rowan, they must complete a certain number of piercings and complete them well. Schneider added Rowan nurses receive in-depth training on piercing the ear  since that's the only body part customers can get pierced at Rowan.

Advertisement Advertisement

So, next time you visit the mall, are you ready to get that double helix piercing you've always wanted?

Fremina Purackal speaks with Shawn Gibson and Hannah Barber after they made a purchase at Rowan.

This story was updated to add a video.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Kenwood mall shop fights ear piercing anxiety with licensed nurses
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY)  The West Virginia Alliance for STEM and the Arts hosted a screening of Small Town Universe at WVU Friday night as part of its new STEAM Stories series.

Small Town Universe delves into themes of love, loss, resilience, hope, scientific discovery and the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, all set in Green Bank, home to the renowned large telescope within the radio quiet zone.

Prior to the screening, 12 News spoke with Marshall University Masters Student and Physics Graduate Assistant Ellie White on if she believes theres life beyond our universe.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I dont know the answer and Im trying to find out and a lot of my colleagues are trying to find out and were really excited to see whats coming next in the next few years, what we might find. Were searching harder than ever, which means we have better chances than ever finding something and so Im just delighted to be a part of that, White said.

This exclusive screening, co-sponsored by the West Virginia University Departments of Physics and Astronomy, English and the Center for Gravitational Waves and Cosmology, was free and open to the public.

Directed by Emmy-nominated Katie Dellamaggiore, the film premiered at the 2024 Cleveland International Film Festival at the Mimi Theater, where it won the Global Health Award. That day was also when the total solar eclipse happened in 2024, which Dellamaggiore described as perfect.

WVU student leader concerned after Trump threatens illegal protests on college campuses

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I knew nothing about radio astronomy at all. I knew that was astronomy before making this film, Dellamaggiore said. I learned how radio astronomy works, why it matters what were looking for, what we know, what we dont know, and that the search for extraterrestrial intelligence is actually like a legitimate field of science. That was something I wasnt fully aware before.

After the screening, attendees delved into a discussion on community, compassion and our place in the universe. Dellamaggiore joined a panel of local scientists, scholars and experts to take the conversation beyond the cosmos.

The really cool thing about like seeing a film in person with people like this as opposed to just watching it at home on your TV is that like you get to talk about it afterwards. And so, for me like I know the process of being creative doesnt stop like when I finish the film its like it continues by actually sharing it with people and seeing their reactions and having conversations and so like this is as much my favorite part of the process as making a film, Dellamaggiore said.

The film will have screenings at more locations across the Mountain State over the next several months. Dellamaggiore hopes to have the film seen nationwide at science centers and planetariums.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The importance of a facility like Green Bank is just, it would take me an hour to list all the reasons why thats important but you know kind of sums up to a couple different areas you have education, engineering, science, and the economy, White 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 WBOY.com.
The Oak Creek Police Department confirmed Lillian Asala was found safe March 7. She'd been missing since March 1.

Lillian Asala, the 13-year-old girl missing since March 1, has been found safe by the Oak Creek Police Department.

In a brief statement Friday, March 7, the department confirmed Asala was located. Police declined to make any further statements as they are still considering this an active investigation.

We will release further information on this investigation when we can, Oak Creek police said on its Facebook page. Thank you to the community for the outpouring of support to Lillian, her family and the police department.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Asala had been missing since 4:30 p.m., Saturday, March 1 from the area around South Pennsylvania and East Forest Hill avenues in Oak Creek.

Police said there is no active threat to the community.

Contact Erik S. Hanley at erik.hanley@jrn.com. Like his Facebook page, The Redheadliner, and follow him on X @Redheadliner.

This story was updated to add a video.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Lillian Asala, 13-year-old missing in Oak Creek since March 1, found safe
Mar. 7LIMA  A Lima man pleaded guilty to vehicular assault and driving while impaired Friday after causing a serious injury crash in June.

Leroy Harris Jr., 44, took a plea deal that lowered the vehicular assault charge from a second-degree felony to a fourth-degree felony. A pre-sentence investigation was ordered before sentencing on April 8, and prosecutors reserved the right to be heard at sentencing.

Allen County Common Pleas Judge Terri Kohlrieser explained that Harris could receive a non-mandatory prison term of six to 18 months and a mandatory license suspension of one to five years on the vehicular assault charge. He could receive mandatory jail time of 10 days up to six months, a mandatory fine and a mandatory license suspension of one to seven years on the OVI charge.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Since Harris' charges were lowered, his attorney, Assistant Public Defender Megan McLean, asked for Harris' bond to be lowered from $50,000 to an own-recognizance bond. Kohlrieser agreed but ordered Harris to wear an ankle monitor and have a curfew because she was concerned about him being a flight risk due to information contained in a prior pre-sentence investigation from another case.

According to a crash report written by the Ohio State Highway Patrol, at around 2:19 a.m. on June 24, Harris was traveling southbound on Interstate 75 near mile marker 126 when he traveled off the right side of the roadway, striking a ditch and a fence, causing him to overturn and come to rest partially in a river.

Harris and the passenger of the vehicle, identified as Breanna Todd, 31, of Lima, were taken by Bath EMS to Lima Memorial Hospital. Harris was listed as having possible injuries and Todd was suspected to have serious injuries.

A blood alcohol test was given to Harris and resulted in a value of .159, according to the report.

Featured Local Savings
Mar. 7LIMA  A Lima man's bond was lowered from $500,000 to $100,000 Friday in a drug possession case in the Allen County Common Pleas Court.

Dametrious Brown, 27, is facing two counts of aggravated drug possession  which are second- and third-degree felonies, both with one-year firearm specifications  and a third-degree felony count of having weapons under disability after officers found 85 grams of methamphetamine, psilocin/psilocybin and a gun at 642 E. Third St., a residence that Brown said he stays at often.

Brown's attorney, Assistant Public Defender Stephen Chamberlain, said Friday that co-defendant Jaquan Rogers was being held on a $100,000 bond, so he requested that Brown's bond be lowered. He also mentioned there was a question of ownership of the drugs because they were found in a common area of the house, and the gun was located in a room Brown didn't have access to.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Judge Jeffrey Reed will also soon rule on a motion filed by Chamberlain to suppress Brown's statements made to law enforcement because Chamberlain said Brown wasn't properly informed of his rights.

Reach Charlotte Caldwell at 567-242-0451.

Featured Local Savings
Longtime Nebraska State Eduction Association lobbyist Herb Schimek, left, is shown with his wife, former State Sen. DiAnna Schimek of Lincoln. (Courtesy of DiAnna Schimek)

LINCOLN  Retired Nebraska lobbyist Herb Schimek is being remembered around the Capitol as someone who cared deeply about teachers, whom he represented over more than three decades.

Schimek, the long-time lobbyist for the Nebraska State Education Association and husband of former State Sen. DiAnna Schimek of Lincoln, died Feb. 25. He was 86.

Teacher at heart

Herb Schimek was known around the Capitol for being a shrewd negotiator and reliable partner once the negotiating was done. (Courtesy of DiAnna Schimek)

A former history teacher, he worked as the chief lobbyist for the NSEA  the state teachers union  from 1975 to 2009. He then was hired by the Omaha Westside school district, which he represented until fully retiring in 2015.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A bear of a man, former colleagues said he was a dogged advocate for providing adequate pay and benefits for teachers.

Every single benefit that teachers have  they may or may not know why they have it  was largely due to Herb Schimek, said Brian Mikkelsen, NSEAs political director who considered Schimek a mentor.

Schimek was born in the central Nebraska village of Elba. He earned bachelors and masters degrees at what was then Kearney State College.

It was there that he met his future wife, whom he dated briefly before his expected college graduation in the spring of 1962. But he found out he was one credit short of graduating, and Schimek had to remain in Kearney over the summer to take a swimming class, his wife said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

That allowed the romance to continue, one that led to marriage in 1963 while both were teaching in Lyman, Colorado.

One rule

The Schimeks, who are both Democrats, had a strict rule: While DiAnna served in the Legislature (from 1988 to 2008) Herb would not lobby her, and she would not sponsor education bills or serve on the Legislatures Education Committee.

Instead, Sen. DiAnna Schimek focused on other issues, including sponsoring the bill that created the states unique system of awarding electoral votes, which led to the possibility of Democrats winning the blue dot in the Omaha area.

Former State Sen. Bob Wickersham, who headed the Legislatures Retirement Systems Committee, said he worked out many problems with the states defined benefit pension plans with Schimek. The agreements that were made on the teachers plan, Wickersham said, served as a template for solidifying retirement plans for state troopers and state judges.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Once something had been agreed to be done, Herb kept his word, Wickersham said. I didnt have to worry about quibbles down the road.

Experience helped

Lobbyist Bill Mueller, who represented school districts, said he often worked issues alongside Schimek, who used his experience as a teacher to educate legislators.

He was a giant of a man who spoke softly, but when he did, people listened, Mueller said.

Karen Kilgarin, the long-time spokeswoman for the NSEA and a former state senator, said Schimek was the first person she talked to when she decided, at age 22, to run for the Legislature.

He used to call me Red, said Kilgarin, who has red hair. He kind of had a gruff, little rough exterior, but he had the softest, kindest heart.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Schimek served as president of the boards of Nebraska Public Radio, the Nebraska Educational Television Network and the National Association of Political Directors in Education. In 1990, Kearney State, now the University of Nebraska at Kearney, honored him with its Distinguished Service Award.

Besides his wife, he is survived by two sons, Samuel and Saul, Sams wife Suzanne Grachek, two brothers, Al and Bob, and several nieces and nephews. A celebration of life is being planned early this summer.

SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
ASHTABULA  First Baptist Church of Ashtabula, located at 4353 Park Avenue, is celebrating 200 years with a worship service Sunday.

The executive director for the American Baptist Churches of Ohio will be delivering the worships message and greetings.

Ashtabula County Commissioner Casey Kozlowski will attend the service, and bring a proclamation to celebrate the churchs 200 years of service.

First Baptist Church of Ashtabula Secretary Barbara Renn said local pastors will come to speak, as well.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

After the service, there will be a luncheon.

The church was founded on Jan. 5, 1825 by Ashtabula Baptists who had been attending church in Kingsville, Renn said.

We call Kingsville our mother church, and were the daughter, she said.

Renn said the Ashtabula Baptists did not want to travel far and cross the river for services, so decided to build a church of their own.

There was about 39 people, so they started over in North Park, she said.

One of the founders of the church was Amos Fisk, who came from Connecticut with his family in 1810. Fisk donated land for the church, and paid for its construction.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to church records, Fisk was involved in the abolitionist movement, founding a local Anti-Slavery Society chapter in 1833.

The church was destroyed by fire in 1898, and rebuilding work began in 1900.

That rebuilding saw the creation of the churchs present Sunday school room and chapel.

Renn said more was built onto the church in later years.

In 1913, they started building the sanctuary, she said.

It was completed in 1915, Renn said.

Thats where the sanctuary is today, she said.

Sundays service is not the only anniversary celebration, Renn said.

Theres a committee planning events, she said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The church will have an open house May 17, which will include carnival activities, food and church tours.

In January, the church had a service to kick off the year and mark its official anniversary.

The first Sunday, they went through the history, they read it and showed pictures, Renn said. That was a really nice service.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI)  As businesses begin to acknowledge the presence of artificial intelligence and embrace it, some local colleges are starting to take note.

Rhode Island College (RIC) is now the states first college to offer a bachelors degree in artificial intelligence.

They really want to understand about this tool thats out there now, Dr. Tim Henry, an associate professor at RIC whos helping design the program, told 12 News.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

ALSO READ: RI leaders, advocates push for Freedom to Read bill at State House

And its not just RIC recognizing the potential of artificial intelligence. Bristol Community College (BCC) is offering an associates degree beginning this fall semester, which is a first for Massachusetts.

A lot of it is more focused on critical thinking, like how would you use a tool like this in order to impact a particular process or service that an employer may have so that is what were really teaching here, Dr. Steven Frechette, an associate professor of cybersecurity at BCC, explained.

Both colleges are joining a growing list of higher education institutions that offer degrees focused on AI. According to Henry, just last year the National Science Foundation put out a study that said there were 14 of these programs throughout the country.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The concept of AI has been around for years, being used in technologies such as the iPhones Siri or Amazons purchase recommendations, but businesses really began to take note once generative AI such as ChatGPT entered the spotlight.

AI is sort of descending like a fog into businesses so rapidly, businesses are thinking about how to use AI, Frechette said.

Henry said that because of this trend, his graduates right now need to understand how to use it in the workplace.

RICs program currently has 14 students enrolled, and they expect the number to increase in future school years.

NEXT: Electric seaglider begins crewed trials in Rhode Island waters

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.
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV)  Federal workers have been dismissed from their jobs in waves across the country in the past several weeks, including in Coastal Georgia.

WSAV spoke with several of those workers from the Savannah area who have already lost their jobs or are living with the fear of that prospect every day.

I was actually with some of the other archaeologists in our department that also got let go, and one of them was like hey you better check your work phone, I just got fired. This is at like 10:00 at night. So, it was after hours, Joshua Herrin, a former archaeologist with the USDA, said. So, I went and checked my work phone. Sure enough, I was let go also. None of our supervisors were CCed. There was no, Hey, you know, you have 30 days to vacate. It was Hey, this is your last day, youre done working.'

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Herrin said he, along with almost his entire department, have been let go.

It was also stated that our performance did not indicate the need to keep us in the position or something, he said. All of us have glowing performance reviews. None of us have a negative performance review. So, that was nonsense.

Abrupt firings like Herrins are keeping those who are still employed on edge as well.

You kind of dont know what to expect from day to day, Sonya Schunior, a current employee at the DHA, said. Things change from day to day. Even from the start of the day to the end of the day, you may get several emails that say three different things from three different supposed agencies. It drives your anxiety, anxiety-driven.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Some are scared to even talk about their situation without the fear of being next.

It has been put out not just within my agency, but with other agencies as well that Ive seenmake sure youre not speaking out, make sure that youre not saying anything negative about the organization, that you are not giving any information, an anonymous federal employee with the Veterans Administration, said. So, theyre really trying to keep us quiet.

Those WSAV spoke with all said they can empathize with cutting wasteful spending, but if or when their positions are cut, there will be serious ripple effects.

You see a loss of occupational safety, Schunior said. When youre dealing with things like jets and fighter jets, even something like putting an ordinance on the jets. You want to make sure that those guys are following regulations. You want to make sure theyre safely doing their job.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Herrin posed the simple question, When did we become the enemy?

Its park rangers, archaeologists, scientists, biologists, so many people that deal with things that protect our national forests, protect our national parks, protect our environment, he said. When those regulations go away and theres just free reign to gut our national parks, public green spaces, we cant really go 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 WSAV-TV.
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  Archbishop Carroll High School is celebrating St. Patrick this weekend with a festival.

Saturdays events will run from noon to 11 p.m. Activities include Leprechaun Land, dancers, and games. There will be an Irish dinner of corned beef, Irish stew and soda bread available for purchase.

The timetable of events is as follows:

Noon to 12:30 p.m. McGovern Irish dance, on the main gym stage

Noon to 1:30 p.m. Spill the Wine, at the heated tent stage

1 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Richens/Timm Academy of Irish dance, on the main gym stage

1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Magic show with Ranger Vic, in the cafeteria Fiddlers Corner

2 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Nugent School of Irish dance, on the main gym stage

2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. the Hathaways, at the heated tent stage

3 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Dwyer School of Irish Dance, on the main gym stage

3:30 to 4 p.m. Legend of St. Patrick storytelling, in the cafeteria Fiddlers Corner

4 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Celtic Academy of Irish dance, on the main gym stage

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Where to find Lent fish fry events in the Miami Valley

4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Ludlow Creek, at the Heated tent stage

5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Carroll jazz all-stars, on the main gym stage

6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Dublin cornet band, on the main gym stage

6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Cryin Out Loud, at the heated tent stage

heated tent stage

7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Band 5, in the auxiliary gym

8 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Carroll musical Mary Poppins teaser, on the main gym stage

9 p.m. to 11 p.m. Ithika, at the heated tent stage

9 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Carroll talent show winners, on the main gym stage

For more information on the events 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 WDTN.com.
SULLIVAN COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL)  In Tennessee, DNA samples are only taken from those charged with some felonies. However, state Rep. John Crawfords new bill would require them for all felonies.

According to House Bill 473, anyone arrested for a felony would have a buccal swab, a swab taken from inside the cheek, for use in future cases.

They would give a DNA sample when they are booked in the jail, Crawford said. Just like they have to get fingerprints, they have to get their picture taken.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Crawford said his reasoning for creating the bill stems from a Kingsport cold case that was solved in 2024 following DNA testing.

It was 27 years he got away with murder, and he probably thought he was good for life, Crawford said. But by having that DNA sample on record with the technology and the things we have now, then we finally got satisfaction for that family.

Richard Frazier, captain of criminal investigations with the Sullivan County Sheriffs Office, said the bill could prevent other cases from becoming cold.

Especially if they get arrested again for any type of felony and their DNA is ran, Frazier said. Hopefully itll give a hit and then itll pop up on our radar and we can go start the investigation with them.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

There is opposition to the bill. Defense attorney Gene Scott said the bill is a violation of privacy.

Its overly intrusive to take peoples DNA just because theyre accused of something, Scott said. It goes against the presumption of innocence. And I dont think anybody should be okay with it.

The bill would also allow for the sample to be considered a condition for release, which Scott also opposes.

To think that its constitutional to say, Were going to take essentially the very essence of your selves from you just because youre arrested, if you want to make bond,' Scott said. This is not right.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Crawford said provisions are written into the bill if the felony charges are dropped.

If theyre acquitted or the charges are dropped or theyre found innocent, Scott said. Then everything is destroyed like it never happened.

The bill is set to go before the House Judiciary Committee on 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 WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather.
Country

Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Canada Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cuba, Republic of Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Dominican Republic Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Haiti, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Jamaica Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Mexico, United Mexican States Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu US Virgin Islands Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland United States Minor Outlying Islands United States of America 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
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  Montgomery County residents gathered at the Dayton Metro Library Saturday to meet with County Commissioner Mary McDonald.

McDonald hosted an open forum for residents to discuss local issues and the present and future of their county.

This is part of a series of commissioners office hours where residents get to share concerns, ask questions and engage in meaningful conversations directly with the commissioners.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Were opening up the opportunity for the public to come out and speak with me about things that theyre concerned about, things that I might be able to support them, said McDonald. Direction I may be able to share with them. But really, just to keep our hands on the pulse of people in our community.

Formerly the mayor of the City of Trotwood, McDonald began her first term as Montgomery County commissioner earlier this year.

McDonald said having these sit downs with residents is very important to her.

This is a challenging time for people, and they need to know that their leaders are here for them more than just during election time, that theyre there for them all the time, she said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She said that she wants to continue the forums.

We plan on being in various municipalities throughout the year, keeping our doors open to be able to have conversations with them, to be able to help in any way that we can address any concerns that they have, and making sure that were accessible to people, said McDonald.

On Saturday, residents raised concerns about economic development, housing and voting.

Just if theres growth and development in the communities that they live in and just how the county commission works with supporting them and making sure that those needs are being met, said McDonald. So were able to share those things with them today and connect them to the various places in the county that they can get service and they can get support.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

McDonald said they plan on making these forums a monthly thing, the next one is set for April 12 at the Dayton Metro Library main branch.

The Office Hours dates, locations and times are as follows:

Saturday, March 8, noon to 1 p.m., Miami Township Branch

Saturday, April 12, noon to 1 p.m., Main Library, Conference Room 1B

Saturday, May 10, noon to 1 p.m., Kettering-Moraine Branch

Saturday, June 14. noon to 1 p.m., Huber Heights Branch

To learn more about the Dayton Metro Library click here or call (937) 463-2665.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Effingham resident Judy Repking attended President Donald Trumps Joint Address to Congress on Tuesday.

Repking is the Legislative Chair for the Effingham Area Right to Life and Chair of the Bishops Pro-Life Committee. She has been involved with pro-life organizations for more than 20 years.

The Bishops Pro-Life Committee is under the umbrella of the Effingham Area Right to Life, where both hold meetings at Catholic churches during the third week of the month.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

When she started attending Right to Life meetings, they were led by a woman named Loretta Koester, also known as Mrs. Jack Koester since there were two women named Loretta Koester. When Koesters health started to decline in 2016, Repking took over.

She recalls getting the invitation from U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, on Feb. 24. Her husband, Paul, received the phone call.

We were both just blown away, she said. When I got home from work, Paul said  We got an invitation to attend the State of the Union in Washington, D.C. Should we go? And were like, Yeah. I dont care what it costs. Were going.

Both she and her husband traveled to Washington, but only she was invited to attend the speech.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

They had been to D.C. before since their son lived there, but theyd never been to the Capitol.

On Tuesday morning, Bost gave them a tour of his office and the Capitol. They also attended a Veterans Affairs meeting.

[It] was a joint hearing, the House and the Senate, regarding the VA, and that was very interesting to see that because Mike is the chairman on the House side for that committee, said Repking. And we have a son whos a veteran, so it was very interesting to sit in on that.

Later that evening, she and Bost went to the Capitol to watch Trumps speech. They sat in the gallery, straight back from Trump.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It was just very cool watching the people being brought in, said Repking. She explained how they brought in the Supreme Court justices first, then the military generals and then the cabinet members before, lastly, Trump.

It was a privilege and an honor to be able to see these people who are running our country, said Repking. I have great trust in them, and it was just really cool to be in the same building and to listen to everything that has been accomplished and everything that can be to come. Very, very honored to be able to witness the State of the Union.

Repking has always wanted to visit the Capitol and the White House, so this was the perfect opportunity for her.

We didnt hesitate to say yes, she said. I think its great that he is trying to cut our waste. Theres fraud  everywhere, and theres just a lot of things that can be done to trim our government. And I appreciate him securing the borders, as well. That is important to the security of our country, to the safety of our citizens.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She commented on some of the different executive orders Trump discussed during his speech, like announcing that there are two genders and boys should not be participating in girls sports.

Your identity in a sport is based on your biological identity, not who you think you are. I think thats important to protect women in sports, for sure, she said. I dont believe in having minors transitioned because  God created us as we are, male and female, and when you try to change that, nothing good comes of it.

However, she doesnt agree with the executive order Trump is trying to pass where those who kill police officers should receive the death penalty because it goes against the Right to Life movement.

God gave us life, and it is God and God alone who will take that life away from us, said Repking. Any time man tries to interject his rules and laws, thats just wrong  I totally believe in a long-term sentence, life in jail, but not death.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Her favorite line of the speech was: Our message to every child in America is you are perfect the way God made you, because it summarizes the Right to Life movements message.

Life is precious from the moment of conception til natural death, said Repking. God created each one of us with unique talents and gifts and we can all learn and grow from one another.

Bost presented the Repkings with a Congressional Record, which recognizes their pro-life advocacy.

I was totally blown away when he gave this to us, said Repking.
ANDERSON  Several area residents spoke against a proposed rate increase for the Anderson Water Department.

The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission conducted a public hearing Thursday on the citys proposed rate increase to finance up to $130 million in infrastructure improvements.

The citys water rates have increased twice in the past 25 years.

As proposed, the rate for a residential customer using 4,000 gallons per month would increase in five phases.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The current rate is $24.95 per month and, if approved by the state regulatory commission, would climb to $47.58 per month in 2029.

Large customers of the water utility will see an increase from $117,772 monthly to $434,171 starting in 2029.

The IURC will receive testimony from the Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor on March 20; rebuttal testimony from the city is scheduled for April 16, with another hearing set for May 8.

A final decision is expected in the fall.

Residents that testified they were concerned about the amount of the rate increase and the citys plans to build a new water treatment plant in the south of Anderson and new wells.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

My water rights are being impacted, Amy Gustin said.

Gustin said the citys water utility currently has existing debt of $12 million through 2035 and anticipates $8 million in annual debt to fund the project.

She asked the IURC to delay making a decision because of the considerable debt.

People have wells, Gustin said. Those wells will be impacted.

Cheryl McKinney asked commission members to consider the people of Anderson, which she said is not a wealthy community.

Gary Louderback said Anderson wants to drill new wells that will impact the aquifer providing water to residential customers.

The community is not what it used to be, he said. The industry is gone and there is an aging population.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Sonja Dalton said she objects to the drilling of new wells in southern Madison County, adding that existing wells would be compromised.

I dont have the money to pay for a new well, like many of my neighbors, she said. I would like to see a better plan for this community.

Last year the Anderson City Council approved $130 million in bonds over the next three years.

The council has already approved $9 million in American Rescue Plan funds, and the Anderson Redevelopment Commission is providing $19 million toward the project.

All the work is scheduled to be completed by September 2029, with work on the initial phase starting later this year.

Both Anderson and the town of Pendleton have submitted applications with the IURC to increase the service areas for their respective water utilities.
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS)  After the Islamic Center of East Lansing was forced to close its doors just days into Ramadan, a local business owner stepped in to help.

A water leak seeping onto nearby electrical equipment caused the mosque to lose power Wednesday, and the mosque has closed until further notice as crews work to fix the problem.

However, Ehab Awad with Best Furniture learned about the news through social media and took action, opening the doors of the store in Waverly to Muslims as a safe space for them to pray during the holy month of Ramadan.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

6 News spoke to many community members who say they are grateful for the alternative mosque.

A lot of these people wouldnt have a place to go and worship, especially in this holy month. So, you know, we were very happy to hear that there is an alternative, says Ahmed Sufyan.

Without the temporary space, many of them would have prayed at home.

Actually, I wouldve prayed at home. My dad is an advent Muslim. He loves to come every Friday, and I dont think he wouldve had it any other way, says Vernita Payne.

Vernita Payne

Ahmed Sufyan

Sufyan and Payne were just two of the hundreds of Muslims who flocked to the store after the East Lansing mosque was forced to close. Sufyan says it is important for followers of Islam to do their prayers during the holy month.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Part of it is to hear Fridays sermon, and you know, missing out on that would be unfortunate, says Sufyan.

At first, mosque leaders asked people to pray at home or at the Lansing mosque. However, after Awad learned about the situation online, he decided to take action.

We know the importance of the holy month of Ramadan, right? Were talking about over 1,000 people who gather for prayer, right? So, we decided to go ahead and provide over 12,000 square footage, right? To continue to do what we do, says Awad.

As a practicing Muslim himself, Awad says he knew he had to do somethingand his business always opens its doors for the community.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

That is there for our community without discriminating, and supporting all demographics, says Awad. All community members.

Leaders of the Islamic Center of East Lansing say the mosque is closed until further notice, bu they will be handing out to-go boxes for Iftar at their alternative location.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
BOARDMAN, Ohio (WKBN)  In honor of International Womens Day, a self-defense studio in Boardman hosted a free workshop for women.

The Bender Academy of Self Defense hosts six-week workshops for women and free classes like this twice a year.

The goal is to make women more aware of their surroundings while teaching them how to enforce boundaries and keep themselves safe if necessary.

Its really a lot about a female learning how to carry yourself confidently. Unfortunately, in our society, women are kind of taught to act and behave and to speak and think a certain way. So what Im hoping we can do through our training is teach them a little bit different way to do it, owner Micah Bender said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Bender adds his goal is to give women knowledge so they become a much harder target of human trafficking.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 Small Business Administration (SBA) announced it will relocate six of its regional offices out of often-called sanctuary cities, arguing that the existing locations are bad for small business communities and not complying with federal immigration law.

The SBA will move the offices from Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, New York City and Seattle to less costly, more accessible locations that follow immigration laws and better serve the business communities, agency Administrator Kelly Loeffler said Thursday.

Today, I am pleased to announce that this agency will cut off access to loans for illegal aliens and relocate our regional offices out of sanctuary cities that reward criminal behavior, Loeffler said in a statement.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We will return our focus to empowering legal, eligible business owners across the United States  in partnership with the municipalities who share this Administrations commitment to secure borders and safe communities, she added.

The announcement did not share which new locations the regional offices will move to.

The term sanctuary cities usually refers to municipalities that decline to cooperate completely with federal detention requests related to undocumented immigrants, according to Britannica. They have been criticized regularly by GOP lawmakers.

During a Wednesday House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing  featuring Boston Mayor Michelle Wu (D), New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D), Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (D) and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston (D)  Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) told them she would criminally refer them to the Justice Department for upholding sanctuary city measures.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

You all speak about a broken immigration system and yet here you guys are aiding and abetting in that entire process, Luna said.

Trump said last year that, if elected president, he would call on Congress to pass legislation to ban sanctuary cities.

As soon as I take office, we will immediately surge federal law enforcement to every city that is failing, which is a lot of them, to turn over criminal aliens, and we will hunt down, capture every single gang member, drug dealer, rapist, murderer and migrant criminal that is being illegally harbored, Trump said during a rally in Wilmington, N.C., in September.

Loeffler also said on Thursday that businesses will not be able to obtain SBA loans if their owners are not in whole or in part American citizens.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Under President Trump, the SBA is committed to putting American citizens first again  starting by ensuring that zero taxpayer dollars go to fund illegal aliens, Loeffler 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.
CRANSTON, R.I. (WPRI)  The Rhode Island Division of Sheriffs are mourning the death of a longtime member.

The agency announced on social media that Deputy Sheriff Sergeant Scott Alexander died after battling a illness for the last two months.

Alexander served in the Division of Sheriffs for 23 years, according to the agency, and was promoted to sergeant in June 2024. He was a firearms and taser instructor, the agency said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We join his wife, Kerrie, in mourning his passing and our hearts and prayers go out to his family and friends, the agency said. We hope they can find some peace and comfort during this time of sorrow and loss. Please keep Sergeant Alexanders memory, his family, friends, and colleagues in your thoughts as we all grieve his untimely passing.

We want to thank our law enforcement partners for the support they have offered our Division and Sergeant Alexanders family during this time, they continued.

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.
Former Benton County sheriffs Captain John Hodge loved learning, loved life and loved helping other to help themselves.

Hodge, 76, died suddenly Thursday following a brain aneurysm, said his wife of 52 years, Debbie, and son Parker Hodge.

John was born in Pendleton and moved to Kennewick when he was 4.

After graduating from Kennewick High School, his career serving the public started in the late 1970s. He was a reserve officer with the Benton County Sheriffs Office before he fully joined the department in 1979, kicking off a 27-year law enforcement career.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

At the time, the countys population was less than half what it is now, and the sheriffs office worked out of a two-bedroom house, Debbie recalled.

Over his career, John Hodge worked as a patrol officer and then a detective before holding command positions, including heading up the patrol division, the detectives and then the jail.

John Hodge

His love of learning often intersected with his job, said his wife. At one point, then-Sheriff Jim Kennedy wanted the office to get an airplane to help search for drug operations. He was tasked to do the research into the federal program that would allow them to get a plane.

He then needed to learn how to fly the plane, so he got his pilots license, she sad.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

His work sometimes followed him to unexpected places. Debbie said she was out with him at the mall sometimes when a person he arrested would greet him kindly.

He told her, I try to be as respectful as they will allow me to be, and tell them that he didnt like it any better than they did.

Normally, this attitude would calm people who were agitated.

John initially resisted becoming the head of the jail initially, but eventually he took over the position, and helped lead the remodel. He made sure to focus on making the facility as technologically advanced as he could, and brought all of the departments in to make sure it was designed functionally.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He retired from law enforcement in 2005, but his wife wasnt ready to leave her job. So for the next 10 years he worked as a Ben Franklin Transit driver.

He left that spot in 2016 when his wife retired.

He briefly considered returning to the sheriffs office to lead it after a tumultuous period under former Sheriff Jerry Hatcher.

Once youre involved in law enforcement, its kind of like being involved in a family, he told the Tri-City Herald during an interview about his possible run for sheriff.

Debbie said he appreciated and may have been a little relieved when the job went to now Sheriff Tom Croskrey.

Travel, learning and the outdoors

John loved learning and served on the Kennewick School Board for six years starting in 1995.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He also considered it important to donate to causes that allowed people to help themselves, such as Habitat for Humanity.

He was a very intelligent man. He loved to research things, said his wife. He was deeply involved in all three of his kids lives and deeply proud of their achievements.

He also enjoyed hunting, fishing and travel. That included trips through Montana and to Seattle and Orlando.

He enjoyed the outdoors. It didnt matter if he caught anything. It was the experience of being outdoors that he enjoyed, she said.
LONGVIEW, Texas (KETK)  This week marks ten years since DaCoreyan Blankenship was murdered in Longview and his case remains unsolved.

Longview mother of shooting victim expresses frustration over investigation

His family is making a plea to the community to help find the murderer.

All we want is justice for my son, DaCoreyans mother, Sheila Blankenship said.

On March 3, 2015, Blankenship was found on the 800 block of Aurel Boulevard with several gun shot wounds.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He was running from down that way, the street towards here and he collapsed in the middle of the street, DaCoreyans cousin, Archila Richardson said.

Longview residents found his body in the middle of the road and called 911. Blankenship later died at a hospital.

He was just a lot of fun, a fun person to be around. To know him is to love him and I loved him because I knew him, DaCoreyans great aunt, Carlene Watts said.

His family said DaCoreyans bubbly personality and loud suits could light up a room. Richardson said she cant imagine anyone wanting to hurt him.

Family member identifies victim in Longview fatal shooting

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Its very disheartening and heartbreaking and inexplicably disappointing when you know that whoever did this is still around here, Richardson said.

His family has grown frustrated with the Longview Police Department since the beginning of the investigation into DaCoreyans murder.

I feel that they could have collected more information from the people that were around. I also think that they could have used access to the resources that they had. I think they could have done more, Richardson said.

In the first two months of 2015, six people including Blankenship were shot to death in Longview, three are still unsolved.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Troubling because its like our kids dont have a future. These kids are growing up without fathers, a community member said back in 2015.

The Longview Police department investigated 15 homicides that year. It was the citys highest one-year homicide total in the last decade.

Hand in hand, community voices concern, calls for action

Somebody knows, somebody knows. Somebody knows what happened, Watts said.

DaCoreyans son was two-years-old when his father died. Family members said he looks and sounds just like his father and is asking his family what happened to his dad that night.

He asks and questions, but I dont have the answers for him, Blankenship said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Longview PD said the investigation is ongoing but without any new information the case has gone cold.

If anybody has any information, please, please get the information out, Blankenship said.

Family members believe its been too long with out answers, but its the right time to do the right thing. Anyone with information into DaCoreyans murder can call the Longview Police Department at 903-237-1199.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
In her first-ever media interview, Lori Vallow Daybell expressed no remorse for the murder of her children and said she feels great acting as her own attorney in the upcoming trial over the fatal shooting of her estranged husband.

During an often combative 90-minute interview at an Arizona jail, Lori, 51, told Dateline that she was falsely accused and convicted in the 2019 murders of Joshua JJ Vallow, 7; Tylee Ryan, 16; and her husbands previous wife, Tammy Daybell, 49.

Lori said that she and her husband, Chad Daybell, who was also convicted in the three murders, will be exonerated because Jesus showed her the future and they were not incarcerated.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

After I get exonerated, maybe Ill go on Dancing With the Stars and you can come, she said to NBCs Keith Morrison.

Photo collage in blue, black, and white with a cropped photo of Lori Vallow-Daybell in the center. Cropped images of a memorial fence and the Vallow-Daybell home lie on either side of the center image. (Macy Sinreich / NBC News; Getty Images; AP)

Chad, 56, self-published end times-themed novels and claimed to have had near-death experiences that allowed him to see the past and future and into the spirit world.

During his 2024 trial, prosecutors said he labeled victims dark or zombies before they were killed.

Chad was sentenced to death after his May conviction in an Idaho courtroom on charges of murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and insurance fraud. Lori was convicted separately in 2023 of murder in the deaths of her children and conspiracy to commit murder in Tammys killing. She was given multiple life sentences without the possibility of parole.

Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow.

Our theme was, This is about money, sex and power, Madison County Prosecuting Attorney Rob Wood said of prosecutors approach in Daybells' case. There were all these tangential religious issues, but it really was about money and sex and trying to control people who were in the way that they called obstacles.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

They got rid of them, and they profited from that, Wood told Dateline.

Investigators said that they suspect Loris now-deceased brother, Alex Cox, likely killed Tylee, JJ and Tammy. They believe he tried to fatally shoot Brandon Boudreaux, the estranged husband of Loris niece, and he admitted killing Loris estranged husband, Charles Vallow, on July 11, 2019.

Joshua Vallow and Tylee Ryan.

Cox described the shooting as an act of self-defense, according to an interview he gave to police at the time. But to Doug Hart, a former FBI agent who investigated the killings, Cox was a cold-blooded killer.

He was the one who was willing to do anything for his sister and ultimately anything for Chad, he told Dateline.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In the months before his death, Charles filed for divorce from Lori and told authorities that he believed she might try to kill him. According to body camera video of the conversation he had with police in Gilbert, Arizona, he said that his wife had come to view herself as a resurrected being and a god.

She said, Youre not Charles, he told police. I dont know who you are or what you did with Charles  but I can murder you now.

Lori met her new husband, Chad, at a religious conference in Utah in 2018  a meeting she described to Dateline as amazing.

I recognized him spiritually, Lori said. And he recognized me spiritually, that we had known each other for eternities.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Days before his killing, Charles discovered his wife was having an affair with Chad and sent an email to his wife, Tammy, saying he had disturbing information about their respective spouses, law enforcement documents in the case show.

Lori Vallow Daybell listens as the jury's verdict is read at the Ada County Courthouse in Boise, Idaho, on May 12, 2023.

After her estranged husbands fatal shooting, Lori contacted the company linked to his $1 million life insurance policy and learned she was no longer the beneficiary, according to a text message she sent to Chad.

In the message, which was introduced as evidence at Loris murder trial, she appeared to refer to Charles as Ned and said hed probably changed the policy in March  before we got rid of him.

Its a spear through my heart, she said, according to the text.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Cox, Loris brother, died in December 2019 of what the Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner said was a pulmonary embolism. In 2021, a grand jury indicted Lori on a charge of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in connection with her estranged husbands death.

That charge has since been upgraded to first-degree murder.

Lori was also charged with conspiring to kill Boudreaux, her nieces estranged husband who also lived in the Phoenix area, and will be tried separately on that charge. She has pleaded not guilty in both cases.

In her interview with Dateline, Lori cited the upcoming trial and declined to discuss the text message or other details related to the upcoming cases.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Did you watch your children die? Morrison asked at one point.

Thats a really sad question, she responded, adding: I was not there.

Seven weeks after her estranged husbands death, Lori moved with JJ and Tylee from Arizona to an apartment in Rexburg, Idaho, that was a short drive from Chads rural property.

The children vanished that September, and their remains were found nine months later on Chads property. JJ had been buried in a pet cemetery, prosecutors said at trial, while Tylee was dismembered and burned in a fire pit.

In her interview, Lori denied that her new husband identified the children as dark, saying that was a narrative that youve been running.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In an interview last year with her older son on Scar Wars, his podcast, Lori implied that her daughter might have killed her son accidentally and, filled with grief, then taken her own life.

It must be nice and easy to blame my dead little sister for everything, the older sibling, Colby Ryan, told Dateline. Thats all lies.

On Oct. 19, 2019  weeks after the disappearance of JJ and Tylee  Chad and his son dialed 911 to report that they had found his then-wife, Tammy, dead at their home, a recording of the call shows.

Tammys death was initially attributed to natural causes, but investigators later exhumed her body and conducted an autopsy that found she died by asphyxiation. Chad and Lori married weeks after Tammy died and received a nearly half-million-dollar life insurance payout connected to the death, prosecutors said at Loris trial.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In her interview with Dateline, Lori asserted her innocence in Tammys death, saying they proved in court that she died of natural causes.

Lori is now set to stand trial in Charles killing. A judge ruled in December that she can act as her own attorney  a process she described to Dateline as a great but difficult thing to do.

Jury selection is scheduled to begin March 31. A trial date has not been set for Boudreauxs case.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Lori Vallow Daybell, an Idaho woman who was sentenced to life in prison in 2023 for the murders of her two youngest children, is speaking out from prison on "Dateline" in her first television interview about her conviction.

Vallow Daybell tells veteran host Keith Morrison on the episode of "Dateline" airing on March 7 that she believes she and her husband, Chad Daybell, are innocent of the crimes.

I will be exonerated," she said in an excerpt of the show. "We will both be exonerated in the future.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Vallow Daybell was found guilty in May 2023 of killing her two youngest children, daughter Tylee Ryan, 16, and son Joshua "JJ" Vallow, 7, whose remains were found buried in shallow graves on the property of Vallow Daybell's husband, Chad Daybell, police in Rexbury, Idaho, said. She initially pleaded not guilty.

Lori Vallow Daybell stands and listens in an Idaho courthouse on May 12, 2023, as she is convicted of the murders of her two children and conspiracy to murder her husband's ex-wife.

Vallow Daybell was also convicted of conspiring to kill Tammy Daybell, the ex-wife of Chad Daybell, who is Vallow Daybell's fifth husband.

Chad Daybell was found guilty of three counts of first-degree murder in 2024 for the deaths of the two children and his ex-wife. He was sentenced to the death penalty in June 2024 and is currently on death row.

Idaho prosecutors portrayed Chad Daybell as an author consumed by thoughts of the apocalypse who referred to people as zombies and dark spirits.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Lori Vallow Daybell's ex-husband, Charles Vallow, referred to similar doomsday sentiments when he filed for divorce from her in February 2019. Vallow wrote in court documents filed in Arizona that his wife believed she was a god sent to lead people during the second coming of Christ, and he was concerned for his own safety and the safety of his children.

The story of how Vallow Daybell's family believed she got hooked on doomsday beliefs is the subject of a Netflix true-crime series, Sins of Our Mother, which premiered on Sept. 14, 2022.

When is Keith Morrisons interview with Lori Vallow?

The two-hour special titled "Lori Vallow Daybell: The Jailhouse Interview" will air at 9 p.m. ET on March 7 on NBC.

The episode also features interviews with retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent Doug Hart, and Sheriff Ron Ball, the former lead detective for the Rexburg Police Department, which investigated the murders. Detective Ray Hermosillo, co-lead for the Rexburg Police Department, also speaks about the case.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Lori Vallow Daybell's son, Colby Ryan, also talked with Morrison about his relationship with his mother.

This is the seventh "Dateline" broadcast featuring the story of the Daybells. Morrison also reported on the story for the popular "Dateline" podcast "Mommy Doomsday."

What does Lori Vallow Daybell and her son say on 'Dateline'?

In an interview from prison, Vallow Daybell told Morrison that she believes she and her husband, Chad Daybell, will be freed from their convictions.

"I will be exonerated," she said. "We will both be exonerated in the future.

Morrison asked her why she thinks that will happen.

"I have seen things in the future that Jesus showed me when I was in heaven," she said. "And we were not in jail and we were not in prison.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Morrison also spoke with Vallow Daybell's son, Colby Ryan, about his reaction to the gruesome murders of his siblings.

I guess I was always a very positive, see-the-best-in-people kind of person. And then I watched someone that I knew my entire life do what she did," he said. "And it just changed the way I view people.

"The way that my sister was treated was with hate. Thats not even human to do what they did to her (body), after.

On June 13, 2020, the Rexburg Police Department confirmed that two sets of human remains discovered on Chad Daybells property located in Fremont County, Idaho, were the bodies of the two children.





Lori Vallow Daybell.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
A Los Angeles County inmate died after another inmate allegedly attacked him on Friday morning, officials said.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation identified the victim as 39-year-old Joshua L. Peppers.

Investigators said it was around 7:20 a.m. when the homicide suspect, identified as Terrance B. Shaw, 42, attacked Peppers on the Facility C patio at the state prison in L.A. County (LAC).

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Officials said staff immediately responded and used chemical agents and non-lethal weapons to quell the attack.

Details are limited, and officials did not immediately provide further information about the attack, but the departments release noted that officers recovered an improvised weapon from the scene.

Officers began performing life-saving measures on Peppers and activated 911. Peppers was soon taken to the prisons triage and treatment area, and then to an outside medical facility.

According to the departments release, a hospital doctor pronounced Peppers dead at 8:03 a.m.

Joshua L. Peppers (deceased) is seen on the left and homicide suspect Terrance B. Shaw is seen on the right in these undated mugshots. (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation)

Shaw has been placed in restricted housing pending an investigation by the LAC Investigative Services Unit and the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office, said the department. The Office of the Inspector General has been notified, and the Los Angeles County Coroner will determine Peppers official cause of death.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Officials said no other injuries were reported.

To facilitate the investigation, the department said officials have limited movement on the patio where the attack happened.

Peppers was received from San Bernardino County on Sep. 26, 2017, to serve nine years for second-degree robbery as a second striker with an enhancement for inflicting great bodily injury, officials said.

The release added that on July 24, 2019, Peppers was sentenced to six years, and four months for second-degree robbery as a second striker with enhancements for the use of a firearm and inflicting great bodily injury.

As for Shaw, the department said he was most recently returned from parole with a new sentence from Monterey County on Nov. 17, 2023, to serve 14 years and four months.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Officials said Shaw was sentenced for assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury as a second striker, conspiracy to commit crime as a second striker, battery with serious injury as a second striker and possession/manufacture of a deadly weapon by a prisoner as a second striker, an in-prison offense.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP)  A death row inmate in Louisiana who is scheduled to become the first person in the state to be executed using nitrogen gas has asked for his capital punishment to be carried out using a more humane method.

Attorneys for Jessie Hoffman Jr. argued against the capital punishment method of nitrogen hypoxia in a Baton Rouge federal court on Friday.

The hearing occurred a week after Hoffman filed a lawsuit seeking to block his March 18 execution date, when nitrogen will be pumped into a mask strapped onto Hoffman, who was convicted of the 1996 execution-style murder of Mary Elliott in New Orleans.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Among their arguments, Hoffman's attorneys said nitrogen hypoxia is cruel and unusual punishment under the U.S. Constitution and infringes on Hoffman's freedom to practice his religion, specifically Buddhist breathing and meditation exercises. They also argued the method, which involves an industrial, full-face mask, will ignite and worsen his diagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder and claustrophobia, causing mental torture.

The execution protocol lacks transparency, they argued, noting that under the policy Hoffman's attorneys do not fall under the list of required witnesses to the execution.

Death by firing squad and medical-aid in dying, taking an oral solution of drugs mixed with apple juice, are alternative execution methods that would be more humane, Hoffmans attorneys said.

The only execution methods for carrying out capital punishment listed in Louisiana law are nitrogen hypoxia, lethal injection and electrocution. For nearly two decades, the state has faced legal battles and challenges procuring drugs for lethal injection.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Attorneys for the state say nitrogen hypoxia has proven to be successful in Alabama, noting the method is seemingly painless and an approved method under Louisiana law.

Additionally, Republican officials including Gov. Jeff Landry and Attorney General Liz Murrill say the state is long overdue in delivering justice that has been promised to the families of victims.

The last execution in Louisiana was 15 years ago, when the state used lethal injection to put to death Gerald Bordelon.

After Louisiana's Republican-dominated Legislature added nitrogen hypoxia to the list of methods to carry out capital punishment last year, officials saw a path to resume executions.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Murrill told The Associated Press last month that she expects at least four people will be executed this year. There are 56 inmates on Louisianas death row.

Louisiana is following in the footsteps of Alabama, which has executed four people with nitrogen gas. If Hoffman's capital punishment is carried out as scheduled, Louisiana will become the second state to use the method.

Officials say Louisiana's execution protocol is nearly identical to Alabama, where an inmate is strapped to a gurney and forced to breathe pure nitrogen gas through a mask placed on their face, depriving them of oxygen.

Each inmate put to death using nitrogen in Alabama has appeared to shake and gasp to varying degrees during their executions, according to media witnesses, including the AP.

The reactions are involuntary movements associated with oxygen deprivation, state officials have said.
A death row inmate slated to become the first person to be put to death by nitrogen gas in Louisiana is seeking to halt the execution, citing constitutional concerns over the controversial killing method.

Jessie Hoffman is set to be executed March 18, but his attorneys are asking a judge for a preliminary injunction to prevent it due to the secrecy of how the execution will be carried out.

The inmate will present his arguments during a hearing on Friday, during which he is expected to testify.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Hoffman was convicted of first-degree murder in the 1996 rape and murder of 28-year-old Mary Molly Elliot.

Hoffmans lawyers say that he was informed Feb. 20 that he will be killed using nitrogen gas, but state officials have not yet provided a detailed execution protocol, which the lawyers say is necessary to meet his constitutional rights.

The State wants to roll out this new gas protocol but keep it hidden from the public and even from the man they seek to kill, Samantha Kennedy, executive director of the Promise of Justice Initiative, who is representing Hoffman, told NewsNation.

Jessie Hoffman has a right to know how hes going to be killed, and we have a right as his attorneys to be able to determine if its going to be a constitutional.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill has defended the states decision to utilize nitrogen hypoxia, a method used to suffocate a person by denying them oxygen and allowing them to only inhale nitrogen gas.

On March 18, 2025, the State of Louisiana will execute Hoffman by nitrogen hypoxia for Mollys murder. We have and will continue to vigorously defend the States obligation to carry out this sentence and bring justice to the family and friends of Molly Elliot, Murrill said in a statement.

Murrill told Nexstar affiliate WVLA that she hasnt personally spoken to the victims family.

History of nitrogen gas executions in the US

The countrys first execution using nitrogen gas was carried out last year in Alabama, which has now been used to execute four people in the state. If Hoffmans execution doesnt get halted, Louisiana will become the second state to utilize the method on death row inmates.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

All of the men executed in Alabama using nitrogen shook or gasped to varying degrees on the gurney as they were being put to death, according to media witnesses, including The Associated Press.

Rev. Jeff Hood, the spiritual advisor for Kenneth Smith, who was the first person to be killed using nitrogen, witnessed his execution and called it a slow, painful means of torture.

Smiths execution was the most violent thing that I have ever witnessed or engaged with, Hood told Catholic news outlet OSV. It was absolutely  incredibly disturbing to see a human being suffocated to death.

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall has maintained the method as painless and humane.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

After convicted murderer Alan Miller settled a lawsuit against Alabama over the use of nitrogen gas in 2024, Marshall stated, The resolution of this case confirms that Alabamas nitrogen hypoxia system is reliable and humane.

Alabamas nitrogen executions prove even more how untested this method is, Kennedy said.

Its impossible to know if somehow Louisiana Department of Corrections has fixed all the problems that happened in Alabama, where every single time they killed people with gas, it was absolutely a torturous, gruesome, horrific experience, she said.

Jessie Hoffman and the public have a right to know what is the process that Louisiana is engaging in, and  if theyre upholding everyones constitutional rights, Kennedy added.

Which states allow for the use of nitrogen gas in executions?

Currently, four states allow nitrogen gas executions: Louisiana, Alabama, Oklahoma and Mississippi.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

An Arkansas bill that would allow nitrogen on death row inmates passed the state House on Tuesday and will now advance for a full vote.

Louisiana had paused executions for 15 years due to an inability to secure lethal injection drugs, but with a nitrogen gas execution protocol finalized last month, the state has been eager to proceed.

For too long, Louisiana has failed to uphold the promises made to victims of our States most violent crimes, but that failure of leadership by previous administrations is over, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said in a statement.

Louisiana scheduled two executions on consecutive days in March, but inmate Christopher Sepulvado, who was scheduled to be executed one day before Hoffman, died on Feb. 23 of an illness.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Hoffman had initially challenged Louisianas lethal injection protocol in 2012 on the grounds that the method was cruel and unusual punishment.

U.S. District Judge Shelly Dick dismissed the lawsuit in 2022 because the state had no executions planned but reopened the case last month, saying that the scheduled executions were extraordinary circumstances that warranted more scrutiny.

A three-judge panel of the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a stay in Dicks ruling while it considers an opposition from Murrill.

The Associated Press contributed to 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 The Hill.
Scientific researchers at the "Stand Up For Science" rally at the Louisiana State Capitol on March 7, 2025 (Piper Hutchinson/Louisiana Illuminator)

A crowd of Louisiana scientists gathered Friday at the State Capitol to protest the Trump administrations proposed research funding cuts.

The gathering of over 100 professors, students and other researchers was part of a nationwide Stand Up for Science demonstration, with scientists from across the country walking out of their labs in defense of their profession.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In his first weeks in office, President Donald Trump and his administration have made drastic moves to upend how science is funded. The White House has paused funding for many scientific projects believed to be related to diversity, equity and inclusion and proposed slashing resources for administrative costs related to research funded by the National Institutes of Health.

[The administration is] throwing the regular conduct of science into chaos, and so its extraordinarily detrimental, Ravi Rau, an LSU physics professor of more than 50 years, said in an interview.

The group, some of them clad in long white lab coats, held signs with slogans such as Science Makes America Great, Defunding science is defunding the future and Defunding U.S. science gives China the win. They also sung out chants like no science, no future.

Their protest came with a warning: Any loss of funding for American research would have catastrophic impacts for the United States global standing and for local economies across the nation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

While the Trump administrations federal funding cuts are largely on pause amid ongoing litigation, universities are preparing for the possibility of major reductions in government research dollars. LSU could lose $12 million if the administrations proposed cut to indirect costs for National Institutes of Health grants are allowed to go into effect and would lose tens of millions more if other agencies followed suit.

Any major loss in federal research funding would ultimately impact the economy, as each dollar spent by universities on research has a ripple effect. One report found each dollar spent on NIH-funded research has an economic impact of $2.46 dollars.

Louisiana universities have active NIH grants worth about $300 million, creating an economic impact for the state of over half a billion dollars. Hundreds of millions of more grant dollars went to hospitals and other organizations in the state.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Loss of federal grants also risks the pipeline that educates graduate students to take jobs in academia and in private industry. Many graduate students, both those seeking masters degrees and Ph.Ds, have their salaries and tuition covered by federal grants, as well as the research they conduct in pursuit of their degree.

By threatening the sources of research funding, were harming our own economy, and were restricting our own workforce, said Sam Bentley, a geology professor at LSU. Most people can agree, regardless of political bend, that sensible economic growth and having a highly trained, successful workforce is really important.

LSU geophysics professor Brandon Shuck holds a protest sign at the Stand Up For Science rally at the Louisiana State Capitol on March 7, 2025. (Piper Hutchinson/Louisiana Illuminator)

Brandon Shuck, a professor of geophysics at LSU, warned that the loss of workforce development could impact the oil and gas industry in Louisiana, one of the states legacy industries.

Offshore drilling involves complex technology, Shuck said, and requires highly-trained scientists like those educated in his department to prevent disasters like the Deepwater Horizon explosion that killed 11 rig workers.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The 2010 accident off the coast of Louisiana was the largest marine oil spill in world history, releasing approximately 134 million gallons of crude into the Gulf of Mexico.

We learned a lot from that scientifically about why that happened and how we could prevent it, Shuck said. So we need science in order to do these things. And I think if we dont have a steady pipeline of scientists in Louisiana, the state will suffer from that.

Students at the rally expressed fears their futures are evaporating in the heat Trump is putting on universities.

Cullen Hodges, a biological sciences Ph.D. student, said the hiring freezes universities have implemented amid the uncertainty in federal funding has made him fearful for how he will provide for his 7-year-old daughter.

LSU Biological Sciences PhD student Cullen Hodges at the Stand Up For Science rally at the Louisiana State Capitol on March 7, 2025 (Piper Hutchinson/Louisiana Illuminator)

I am going to be competing against so many people for the few remaining jobs in a country that has demonstrated a complete lack of respect or regard for the dignity of scientists, Hodges said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It seems that I am swimming upstream against the current, and they just dammed the river, he added.

While critics have argued federal funding should not go to scientific research that does not have direct applications, the scientists gathered on the steps all agreed that there is no applied research without basic science.

Investing in that research now is necessary for the applied science of the future, Jonathan Snow, a geology professor at LSU, said in an interview at the rally. While the value of basic scientific research may not be readily apparent to the public, scientists are in agreement that this research is necessary for life saving discoveries and other scientific breakthroughs.

Basic science basically won World War II, Snow said. Basic science drove innovation in all kinds of war-making technologies, from radar to the atomic bomb.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

None of those were commercial products for before the war  they were all developed out of academic scientific enterprise, he added.

Beyond the economic impact, protesters raised concerns about how attacks on academia impact the fabric of American society.

Rau, the physics professor, said universities have played a key role throughout history in preserving knowledge necessary for Western Civilizations existence.

Without research and the preservation and dissemination of knowledge, society cannot thrive and may struggle to survive, Rau said.

Theyre certainly risking our society, he said of the Trump administration. Theyre certainly risking our country and its stature within the society.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
A man wanted in Michigan was arrested by Lebanon Police in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

License plate readers alerted officers to a vehicle associated with the male fugitive from Michigan. LPD conducted a traffic stop, where they confirmed the driver had an active warrant for a probation violation.

Thomas Laws Jr, 44, was arrested without incident and also charged with driving on a suspended license.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On Monday, March 3, Mt. Juliet Police arrested a woman wanted for shoplifting at HomeGoods in February.

License plate readers alerted officers when the 37-year-old Memphis woman entered Mt. Juliet via Lebanon Road.

She was also wanted on a felony shoplifting warrant issued on Sunday from Franklin, TN, police.

Mt. Juliet Police arrested a woman Thursday morning after a vehicle was spotted unlawfully parking in a handicap spot.

A 33-year-old woman from Memphis was arrested in the Target parking lot after the parking violation was seen by MJPD.

She also has a warrant in Shelby County for aggravated burglary and vandalism.
DES MOINES, Iowa  Lutheran Services in Iowa is cutting their resettlement program and 28 employees due to an unpaid $1.5 million in government funding.

Following Trumps executive order ending refugee travel and cutting funding to resettlement programs, LSI continued the work. LSI welcomed more than 100 refugees in late December and was determined to complete their 90 days of resettlement assistance.

Lutheran Services in Iowa is a non-profit organization which receives government reimbursement for the work they do. LSI says they havent been reimbursed for the past several months of work.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We have not been reimbursed for services that were rendered late October, November, December and early January, which is about $1.5 million, said Renee Hardman, LSI CEO and President. Each month that we have employees still doing this work, it amounts, and it keeps accumulating and so at some point we have to make a decision.

Following the completion of the last 90-day resettlement period at the end of April, 28 employees and the resettlement program are being cut. Hardman says this was done to make sure the organization could continue with other projects.

Iowa effort to stop pipeline encouraged by new South Dakota law

The refugee work that we do is not ending. Its the resettlement piece thats ending, said Hardman. So, we are going to go with reckless abandon to continue to serve the refugee community and ways that were able to do so.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

LSI will continue other refugee programs such educational services, childcare, Global Greens, and career pathway assistance.

Hardman says that helping refugees get through their first 90 days isnt all it takes, she says if refugee programs continue to struggle and close, refugees will have a tough time acclimating.

Youre going to find more people not able to sustain affordable housing. Youre going to have more people not able to navigate certain systems that were used to with the help of us. so, I really feel that theres going to be an impact on how these refugees live here in Iowa and navigate Iowa, said Hardman.

In response to this and other changes, LSI is hosting a virtual townhall to update the community. On Thursday, March 13 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., people can tune in for a discussion on organization changes, challenges LSI is facing, and a questions and answer session.

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.
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  Mayor Quinton Lucas says he is unsure if he supports city manager Brian Platt moving forward, one day after suspending the very man he helped hire.

The suspension comes a day after a whistleblower lawsuit led to a nearly $1 million verdict against the city in a lawsuit filed by a former employee.

We have to take urgent action; we have to take swift action, said Melissa Robinson

These situations are never easy, but our duty is always to the people of Kansas City and making sure they trust us, Lucas said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

President Trump to sign order for FIFA 26 White House Task Force

The bottom line is that Brian Platts job is in jeopardy and to a degree his bosses are weighing in.

Those are taxpayers dollars that we are using, theres real stories its not just a line on the budget theres real stories behind those settlements and those cost.

The revelations in the latest lawsuit the city is on the hook for are long and detailed by former communications director Chris Hernandez. He says Platt told him to lie to the media about something Platt claims was a joke.

A jury sided with the fired employee and levied nearly a million dollars in damages the city will soon have to pay.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

None of us support lying or misleading the media I think it was Mr. Platts Testimony that he saw it as a joke or something of that sort, notwithstanding the individual facts of that case thats something Kansas City will never support, Lucas said.

Robinson tells FOX4 that the citys liability from settlements and lawsuits has ballooned by millions of dollars since 2020.

Platts time in the city managers office has not always been smooth. In 2023, civil rights leaders called for his firing because they believed his administration oppressed black people and had a culture of racism.

Furniture Mall of Missouri to open new store in Kansas Citys Northland

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Deputy City Manager Kimiko Gilmore will fill the role of City Manager of Kansas City.

Ive known Kimiko for probably decades now and known her when she was at Swope Community Builders. Shes always been fair, shes smart, strategic. Shes a friend of the community, she is someone who has a history here.

A source inside city hall late Friday afternoon said Its hard to tell, when asked if Brian Platt would still have a job in two weeks. A decision on Platts fate will come on March 20.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
KILGORIS, Kenya (AP)  I am worth defending! a group of girls chant as they each take up a fighting stance.

They are about to practice combat techniques. And no, they are not part of a martial arts club. They are Maasai girls living at a boarding school in Transmara in western Kenya, which doubles up as a rescue center for teens who have escaped early marriage and female genital mutilation.

We learn how to protect ourselves, how to protect our bodies, said Grace Musheni, 14, who has been living and studying at the Enkakenya Centre for Excellence since 2023.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The center was set up in 2009 by Kakenya Ntaiya, a Maasai woman who was subjected to genital cutting herself. It doesnt just offer a safe haven for girls at risk of early marriage: it also provides a free high school education as an incentive for parents to allow their daughters to stay in school instead of undergoing the cutting ritual that is still common for Maasai girls between the ages of 8 and 17.

Once a girl is circumcised, she is considered an adult and ripe for marriage, meaning an abrupt end to childhood and education for many.

Most child marriages are caused by poverty in families, Musheni explains. Because of this poverty, you can get that a parent can allow their daughter to be married by an old man  because the family can be paid.

While Ntaiya was unable to escape genital mutilation herself, she convinced her father to allow her to continue her education, and she now holds a Ph.D. in education from the University of Pittsburgh and multiple awards for her work.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I am a beneficiary of proper education and I really wanted to show my community how important it is to empower women and girls, she says.

Although Kenyan law prohibits genital mutilation and marriage below age 18, both are still practiced, especially in rural areas where education levels remain low. The 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey by the government found that 56.3% of women with no education had undergone genital mutilation, compared to 5.9% of women who had studied past secondary school.

Girls education apparently has an impact on gender-based violence too, with 34% of Kenyan women surveyed saying they were victims of physical violence, a figure that drops to 23% for women with education.

But that is still alarmingly high. So on top of providing education, the Enkakenya Centre partners with Im Worth Defending to teach combative self-defense skills. Its not so much so that they can physically fight potential abusers - although they could  but it teaches them to be assertive in all areas of their lives.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We train them with basic principles of assertiveness and boundary setting, which includes verbal and physical techniques, says Amelia Awuor from Im Worth Defending. These skills instill confidence to speak up against violations or fight off physical threats.

The training gave 14-year-old Rahab Lepishoi power to speak up for other girls. During a recent visit to her older sister, she learned that the girls in the village were about to be circumcised, including an old childhood friend. I told her about the dangers of FGM and to come with me to my home to avoid (it), Lepishoi says.

She is following in the footsteps of her educators, who visit remote communities in Transmara every year to raise awareness about genital mutilation, early marriage and the importance of education. Now when I go to a place, I apply that skill of assertiveness and confidence. I educate my friends, so that when they meet with a boy, they will be confident and say what they mean, says Lepishoi.

The self-defense classes also offer some protection against sexual abuse, which can end up trapping many in violent marriages. When a girl reports to her parents that she has been abused, it is common for the parents to force the girl to marry the man that abused her, said Musheni.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Purity Risanoi, 15, has been at the school for five years. Her mother is a widow and raised her five children alone, but cultural pressures from her community remain. My family is still very traditional, she says. When a girl grows up, she is expected to get married and she cannot choose who to marry.

Her solution? Keep studying. One day, she wants to be a lawyer.

Musheni meanwhile dreams of a career as a software engineer. She wants to come back here and use technology to uplift her community. Girls can achieve great things, she says. I want to inspire others to chase their dreams.

___

The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. The 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.

___

For more on Africa and development: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-pulse
As Donald Trump guts the programs and agencies behind some of America's greatest scientific achievements and fires the people responsible for those achievements and working on new ones, scientists across the country from every discipline took to the streets in protest to "stand up for science." Update: After Trumps address to Congress, the White House pushed back on the idea that the president errantly referred to making mice transgender when some people suggested he may have meant tra
Comedian Bill Maher roasted President Trump on his show Friday night, claiming Trumps joint address to Congress was entrenched with lies.

Im bored with that s! OK? This is what he does. Its  I just take everything with a grain of salt, Maher said during an episode of Real Time with Bill Maher.

He cited Trumps suggestion during the Tuesday evening speech that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had a low approval rating, following a contentious spat between the world leaders in the White House over a week ago, as an example.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

If he says Zelenskys approval rating is 4 percent, its 57.2, he told the panel of guests, which included former Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and ex-White House staffer Alyssa Farah Griffin.

Its like, you know, dog years. If somebody. If somebody says the dog is four. Oh, the dog is 28, he continued, according to a clip highlighted by Mediaite. So do you agree we should stop obsessing about his lies?

Griffin, a co-host on ABCs The View, seemingly agreed with the host, adding that the presidents speech was filled with false information with the intent of riling up his supporters.

To be honest, as much as that speech drove me crazy. A lot of people were really happy with it, she continued. He threw a lot of red meat to his base. He rattled off things that his voters love and never mind the lies about Social Security and so on.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Trumps ex-staffer added, He gave them a lot of what hes not trying to reach the other side because he doesnt need to anymore.

The presidents speech was filled with a slew of fiery moments, which led several Democrats to protest in their own way. Many, including Reps. Jasmine Crockett (Texas) and Maxwell Frost (Fla.), left the chamber mid-address or held up signs, while Rep. Al Green (Texas) was escorted out after yelling at Trump about Medicaid cuts and later censured for the outburst.

Despite their disapproval of the presidents remarks, snap polls showed that most Americans enjoyed the speech.

In the days following the joint address, Republicans have slammed Democrats for being disrespectful and breaking decorum  while claiming the party refused to acknowledge Trumps accomplishments since returning to office.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I realize there is absolutely nothing I can say to make them happy or make them stand and smile or applaud, Trump told the crowd Tuesday night.

I could find a cure to the most devastating diseases. A disease that would wipe out entire nations or announce the answers to the greatest economy in historyand these people sitting right here will not clap, will not stand, and certainly will not cheer for these astronomical achievements, he said.

Several Democrats have also come out against the protesters within their party, and 10 voted with Republicans to censure Green.

There is a certain level of decorum and civility that should be adhered to on the floor. If Democrats want Republicans to adhere to those standards, then we have to make sure our own colleagues adhere to the same standards, Rep. Laura Gillen (D-N.Y.) told NewsNations The Hill on Thursday, in defense of her vote.

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.
McLENNAN COUNTY, Texas (FOX 44)  A man accused of stabbing his girlfriend is in jail after attempting to flee from authorities.

McLennan County Sheriffs deputies responded to a call in the 1600 block of Telephone Road in Lorena at approximately 9:28 p.m. Thursday regarding an unknown situation. The call taker reported hearing a woman screaming Dont kill me.

Deputies arrived and discovered the victim was being chased by her boyfriend, indentified as 52-year-old Jason Tate. The victim was found with multiple stab wounds and informed deputies that Tate fled into a nearby field.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Sheriffs deputies  along with the offices Air 1, the Waco Police Departments K9 Unit, and a Waco PD drone operator  initiated a search for Tate after containment was set in the area where Tate was last seen by deputies. The drone operator detected a heat signal in the overgrown field, prompting the deployment of deputies and the Waco PD K9 unit into the area.

Tate was apprehended by Sheriffs deputies and the Waco PD K9 unit after a brief search. He was transported to Baylor Scott & White for medical clearance and was later booked into the McLennan County Jail on a charge of Aggravated Assault  Family Violence. His bond is set at $100,000.

Woman held in parking lot hit-and-run

The victim who survived the attack is in stable condition and is expected to recover from her injuries.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This investigation is ongoing. The Sheriffs Offices Criminal Investigations Division is continuing to gather information.

We are proud of our patrol deputies and their collaboration with the Waco Police Department to quickly resolve this incident. Cody Blossman, McLennan County Sheriffs Office

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KWKT - FOX 44.
GALLATIN, Tenn. (WKRN)  While many people are mourning the death of a woman in Gallatin, authorities are trying to track down her husband, whos wanted for homicide and reportedly considered armed and dangerous.

The Gallatin Police Department said officers responded to a home at approximately 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, March 6 after a relative found Lisa Drakes body. Law enforcement described the incident as a domestic shooting death.

Officials initially said they wanted to find Little Page Drake III for a welfare check and information about the situation, but a few hours later, they announced he had active warrants for criminal homicide. He has yet to be found.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Man wanted for homicide after deadly shooting reported in Gallatin

On Friday, March 7, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) added Little  who was Lisas husband, according to loved ones  to the states Most Wanted list, saying he should be considered armed and dangerous.

Authorities said the 57-year-old is believed to be driving a black 2007 Honda Ridgeline truck with Tennessee license plate 727BNDY. The TBI described Little as 5-feet 9-inches tall, 165 pounds, and bald with brown eyes.

Little Page Drake III and the vehicle he was last seen driving (Courtesy: Gallatin Police Department)

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

CRIME TRACKER | Read the latest crime-related reports from across Middle Tennessee

Meanwhile, some of Lisas friends said the mother and grandmother was not only dedicated to her family, but she was also beloved in the community.

Every time I saw her, she always talked about her kids; she always talked about her grandkids, longtime friend Pamela Cohen said. We laughed about how many grandkids we hadShes just such a good soul.

Others talked about how kind Lisa was to everyone she met, adding that she never met a stranger. For her family and friends, she left a legacy of love.

 Read todays top stories on wkrn.com

Police said Thursdays shooting appeared to be the result of a domestic situation. However, no additional details have been released about the case, including where in Gallatin the shooting took place.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

If you see Little or have any information regarding his whereabouts, youre asked to call the TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND or Gallatin Police Department Investigator Jody Starks at 615-452-1313, ext. 3264. A reward of up to $2,500 is being offered for information leading to Littles arrest.

For anyone in a crisis, help is out there. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
LUFKIN, Texas (KETK)  The Lufkin Police Department has arrested a man they said is connected to multiple recent robberies.

5 arrested in Canton after attempted burglary

At around 10:40 a.m. on Friday, Lufkin PD officers responded to a reported robbery at Western Finance on S Chestnut St. An employee had reported that a man reaching into his pocket was demanding money and had stated that he didnt want anyone to get hurt.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Lufkin PD said the man left the business after the employee gave him the money he was demanding. While officers were at Western Finance getting a description of the man and his vehicle, another robbery attempt was reported from Covington Credit on Wednesday Frank Ave.

The officers started searching the area and then found a matching silver Ford Explorer near an apartment complex on S John Reddit Dr. A man matching the description from the Western Finance robbery was then found in a nearby apartment, according to Lufkin PD.

Antonio Jerome Mitchell, 46 of Alto, was then arrested and interviewed by Lufkin PDs Investigations Division. Lufkin PD said the division was able to secure a confession from Mitchell for Fridays robbery at Western Finance and the attempted robbery at Covington Credit.

Because of the officers keen observation and rapid action, Mitchell was apprehended shortly after the incidents, a Lufkin PD post said. The patrol teams quick response prevented further escalation, demonstrating their commitment to keeping our community safe.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Lufkin PD said Mitchells description matched the description of the person who robbed Payment One Financial on Brentwood Dr. on Feb. 28. Officials added that they believe Mitchell is connected to a recent robbery in Alto as well.

LPD is proud of its patrol officers for their vigilance and rapid response in spotting and apprehending the suspect, and equally impressive is the work of the Investigations Division. All four incidentsthree in Lufkin and one in Altoremain under active investigation as LPD continues to ensure all details are thoroughly examined. The department extends its gratitude to the public for their cooperation. The Lufkin Police Department remains steadfast in its mission to protect and serve, and this successful operation is a testament to the skill and dedication of our officers. Lufkin Police Department.

Mitchell is currently being held in the Angelina County Jail on two counts of aggravated robbery.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com.
Police arrested the wrong person during the search for a driver facing negligent homicide charges in a crash that happened in Cheat Lake in January, reports say.

Kevin C. Lataille of Fayette County was found dead inside his submerged vehicle in Cheat Lake in January.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Body, vehicle recovered from lake in West Virginia; Fayette County divers provide support

Charges were filed against Sukhjinder Singh, of New York. Singh is a tractor-trailer driver who is accused of knocking Lataille and his vehicle off a bridge and into the lake while driving recklessly in hazardous winter weather conditions.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Semi driver accused of causing wreck that killed local man found dead in West Virginia lake

On Wednesday, the Monongalia County Sheriffs Office said Singh had been arrested in Phoenix, Arizona.

According to our affiliates at WBOY, the man arrested in Arizona was not Singh. The sheriffs office told them the man had a similar name and similar features. That man is no longer in custody.

WBOY reports the real Singh was taken into custody on Thursday in California.

Channel 11 has reached out to the Monongalia County Sheriffs Office for clarification and has not heard back.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  Memphis Police are searching for the suspect who they say assaulted a cashier while trying to rob a Family Dollar store in Cordova.

The attempted robbery happened at 3:10 p.m. on February 28 at the Family Dollar on North Germantown Parkway near Woodchase Drive.

MPD: Passenger jumps out of stolen car, leads officers to driver

According to police, the suspect waited in the check-out line while the cashier counted money behind the register. Police say that when the cashier opened the safe, the suspect jumped the counter.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Memphis Police say the suspect assaulted and threatened the clerk and tried to get into the safe. Police say that at one point the suspect tried to pull the clerk to the back of the store. The clerk was able to get away and the suspect fled the scene on foot.

Memphis Police released surveillance footage of the incident on Friday, March 7.

Police say no arrests have been made. Anyone with information is asked to call CrimeStoppers at (901) 528-CASH.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
OCONEE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA)  Deputies arrested a man for 19 charges related to child sex crimes that allegedly occurred between 2019 and 2025.

According to the Oconee County Sheriffs Office, William Franklin Galbreath was arrested Friday for the following charges:

12 counts of second degree criminal sexual conduct

5 counts for second degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor

2 counts of second degree assault and battery

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Detectives started investigating the 57-year-old in January, when Oconee County deputies received from Tennessee law enforcement regarding a minor that Galbreath allegedly assaulted.

Investigators were also made aware of a second minor victim that Galbreath may have sexually assaulted.

Deputies said evidence found during the investigation showed that Galbreath assaulted the first victim in 2019, and from 2022 to 2025.

Galbreath, officials said, also assaulted the second victim between 2024 and 2025.

The sheriffs office said the investigation into Galbreath is ongoing at this time.

Galbreath was arrested on Friday and remains at the Oconee County Detention Center.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS.
Norwich  The city man charged with spray painting swastikas, along with the word Trump, at several locations here last month may have been expressing anti-Trump sentiment, police reports show.

Police investigating anti-Semitic graffiti reported at three different locations on Feb. 21 tracked a suspect to a home at 93 Briar Lane, where they confronted 40-year-old David Dionne on Feb. 28. While Dionne refused to speak to police, his roommate was asked by police about Dionnes mindset and why he might have committed the acts of vandalism.

The homeowner stated, recently (Dionne) was upset and crying about the direction the country is going. (Dionne) expressed really strong anti-Trump sentiments and asked the homeowner, what do we do? What is our outlet to fight this tyranny? according to the affidavit for his arrest warrant.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Public records show Dionne is an unaffiliated voter in Groton.

Dionne, who police said was found with cans of spray paint and clothing with paint stains, is charged with two counts of third-degree criminal mischief and one count of second-degree breach of peace. He is free on a promise to appear in court April 8.

Police said he spray painted swastikas and the word Trump at three different locations, including the Interstate 395 overpass and in the middle of Old Salem Road.

Dionne told police he assists Fitch High School in Groton with theater plays and the paint is used for theater sets. Police spoke to the school resource officer at Fitch, who in turn talked to the schools theater teacher who stated the accused does assist but all paint for theater productions is purchased and maintained by the school  according to the affidavit.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Dionne could not be reached for comment. Groton School Superintendent Susan Austin said Dionne is not an employee of the school district.

Dionne was not charged with a hate crime, such as intimidation based on bigotry or bias. Norwich Police Chief Patrick Daley said investigators searched the criminal statutes which are a bit scattered, and after consultation with the states attorneys office could not find any that would apply.

Legislature to consider hate crime bill

State lawmakers are currently considering a bill pitched by Gov. Ned Lamont that would consolidate and heighten penalties for physical hate crimes in the state. The proposed bill, HB6872, would, among other things, consolidate various crimes often considered hate crimes into their own chapter of the states penal code. No actual category for hate crimes exists in state statutes. A public hearing on the bill is scheduled for Monday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In written testimony submitted in favor of the bill, Connecticut Hate Crimes Advisory Council Co-chair Amy Lin Meyerson said the bill makes it easier for police, attorneys, and judges to find, understand, and enforce hate crime laws, to better protect the citizens of Connecticut under our hate crime laws, and to prevent further harm to victims and their communities from bias-motivated crimes.

Hate crimes, specifically anti-Semitic crimes, have been on the rise in Connecticut and across the country in recent years. Anti-Defamation League Connecticut reported in January that reported incidents peaked in 2023 with 574 hate incidents in the state, a 450% increase over five years. Antisemitic incidents, such as spray-painted swastikas, increased 670% over the past four years, the ADL reported.

Rachel Levy, executive director of the Jewish Federation of Eastern Connecticut, said she was aware from police that Dionne might have been left leaning and condemned his method of getting the publics attention. The Jewish community has been on high alert, Levy said, since 2018, when a a gunman killed 11 people and wounded six others at the Tree of Life Congregation synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

At that time, the Jewish community decided on a national level to start increasing security at all synagogues. Its expensive but we feel like we cant live any other way. The doors are locked. There are armed guards at many of our institutions. This is our reality, Levy said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

While the incident in Norwich turned out to be a man who was really confused, Levy said she takes incidents of antisemitism in all forms seriously because its happening in more places.

It makes us feel like were not safe in our own neighborhoods, she said.

The Jewish Federation of Eastern Connecticut has a committee working with local high school students because were seeing this in our schools and its despicable, Levy said.

Witnesses or victims of bias or hate crimes in the state can report crimes at: https://reporthate.ct.gov.

g.smith@theday.com
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  Agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested a man in Las Vegas described as a political refugee.

Vardan Gukasian, 47, reported and blogged from his Las Vegas apartment up until two weeks ago.

He is now in an ICE facility in Henderson, waiting to see a judge, and his supporters say his case is a matter of life or death.

If Mr. Gukasian ends up being in Armenia, his chance of survival decreases to zero, Vardan Hakobyan, one of his supporters, told 8 News Now.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Supporters describe Vardan Gukasian as a free speech advocate. He has tens of thousands of followers on social media, but since his arrest, his voice has gone silent.

According to supporters, the 47-year-old was inside his apartment with his mom, when ICE agents showed up and took him to the Henderson Detention Center.

In a statement, an ICE spokesperson said, Gukasian was arrested by ICE officers on Feb. 20 and placed into custody for his immigration proceedings. He entered the United States on Feb. 19, 2022, and failed to depart under the terms of his admission.

An Armenian newspaper said in 2023 an international warrant was issued for his arrest and the Armenian government asked the US to extradite him.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Gukasian was reportedly charged with extortion, calls for violence, and contempt of court. But his supporters said hes being charged for criticizing the Armenian government.

Absolutely, no doubt, Vardan Hakobyan said.

Gukasian saw a federal judge on Monday, Mar. 3, where people held up signs outside the downtown Las Vegas federal courthouse. They also attended his hearing.

Supporters said this case is about freedom of speech.

A decision will be made by the judge. If its against Vardan Gukasian, its against Armenian people who wish to live in an independent country, Hakobyan said.

Gukasian is scheduled to see a federal judge again Monday, Mar. 10, and his supporters plan to attend.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

ICE reports all undocumented immigrants to receive legal due process when theyre being deported, and officers carry out removal decisions approved by a judge.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
BURRILLVILLE, R.I. (WPRI)  A 63-year-old man from Massachusetts died after he was discovered on a Burrillville hiking trail with a sizeable tree branch on top of him Friday afternoon.

Burrillville police said the man was hiking on Nipmuc Trail. The victims family went looking for him after he didnt return home and found him around 4:30 p.m. unconscious on the trail under a branch.

High winds across the region on Friday knocked out power, uprooted trees and even blew a roof off of a building.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Police said the incident is under investigation but no foul play is suspected. The Rhode Island Medical Examiners Office is looking into what caused the victims death.

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

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.
Mar. 7LIMA  An offer was put on the court record Friday to resolve the case of a Lima man charged with burglary and drug possession in the Allen County Common Pleas Court.

In the deal, defendant Scott Crum would plead guilty to an amended charge of burglary  which lowers the felony from the first-degree to the second-degree  and a fifth-degree felony drug possession charge that he was indicted on.

The offer expires in a week. Another pretrial was scheduled for March 14 and a jury trial is set to begin March 25.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to a narrative by Lima Police Detective Sgt. Steve Stechschulte provided in court documents, on Dec. 26, a person, whose name was redacted from documents, was asleep in his bedroom in the basement of his father's house when he was woken up by the sound of a door and Crum, 62, allegedly standing in the basement holding a crowbar.

Crum said the person's dad, Jeremy Blauvelt, sent him. He asked his dad through FaceTime if he sent someone, and he said he didn't but recognized Crum. When Crum was identified, he left the house. He broke a window to gain entry into the residence, Stechschulte wrote. Officers later found the crowbar in Crum's car.

"There were several items including a PlayStation game that had been placed in a duffle bag that was removed from Jeremy's bedroom and left in the living room. Additionally, there was a stereo receiver that was left on the basement steps that was disconnected and removed also to be stolen," Stechschulte wrote.

Crum is being held in the Allen County Jail on a $250,000 bond.

Featured Local Savings
Pittsburgh police are investigating a deadly overnight shooting in the citys Homewood North neighborhood.

Public safety officials say a man was killed and another taken to a hospital in critical condition after a shooting at a home on Mount Vernon Street between North Homewood Avenue and Sterrett Street.

Officials say two people were taken to police headquarters for questioning.

The investigation into the shooting is ongoing.

This developing story will be updated as Channel 11 learns more.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
Two men have been arrested in connection with the death of a man who was fatally shot while trying to stop a catalytic converter theft in Inglewood, authorities said.

Homicide detectives with the Inglewood Police Department arrested Wilver Alberto Rabanales, 40, and Jose Christian Saravia Sanchez on Thursday evening after executing a search warrant at a motel in Cudahy, authorities said. Sanchez's age has not been released.

Both suspects were booked at the Inglewood jail, police said. Rabanales is being held on $2-million bail and is due in court on Monday, according to the L.A. County Sheriff's Department inmate log. Bail and appearance information for Sanchez could not be immediately established Friday night.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Juan "Johnny" Sanchez, 48, was shot in the 1000 block of North Chester Avenue in Inglewood around 3:22 a.m. on Feb. 25. He was trying to prevent two men from stealing a neighbors catalytic converter when one of them shot him in the chest, police said.

Police launched a search for the suspects, who were captured on surveillance camera fleeing in a gold Toyota Camry with tinted windows and a sunroof. The department later said that the community provided important help in identifying the two suspects.

Juan Sanchez's family described him as "a devoted husband, a loving father, a proud grandfather, and a cherished friend to so many" in a GoFundMe campaign, which had raised more than $44,500 as of Friday.

"He was the kind of person who always put others before himself, offering a helping hand, a listening ear, or a smile that could brighten even the darkest days," the post states. "His strength, wisdom, and generosity were the foundation of his family, and his loss leaves a void that can never be filled."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Catalytic converter theft is a growing problem in Southern California, as thieves target the emission-control devices for high-value metals such as platinum, palladium and rhodium.

Read more: Catalytic converter thefts in California: Why they are everywhere, and how you can protect yourself

Thefts can be difficult to thwart, as it takes only minutes to steal the devices, making it tough for police to catch people in the act. And, once taken, the devices are nearly impossible to track to a specific car.

To combat the problem, police departments have started hosting free events where drivers can get unique identification numbers etched into their converters. In 2023, the Los Angeles City Council voted to make it illegal to possess an unattached catalytic converter without proof of ownership.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Read more: Inglewood police seek suspects in death of man who tried to stop catalytic converter theft

Through the first half of 2024, 2,113 catalytic converters were stolen in Los Angeles, according to data the Los Angeles Police Department released last year. The figure does not include Inglewood or unincorporated parts of Los Angeles County.

In one notorious incident, General Hospital actor Johnny Wactor was fatally shot in downtown Los Angeles last May as he approached several men trying to remove a catalytic converter from his car, police said. Three months later, prosecutors charged four men in connection with the crime.

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 man was killed and two other people injured in a Russian attack on the city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast on Saturday, 8 March.

Source: Vadym Filashkin, Head of Donetsk Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram

Quote: "The Russians killed a man born in 1977 and injured two people in Pokrovsk.

A house was damaged."

Details: Filashkin added that eight people had been injured in the Russian bombardment of the city of Kostiantynivka on Saturday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"The attacks on Kostiantynivka left three people injured and damaged eight houses, five high-rise buildings, a shop, two power lines and two gas pipelines. In addition, I'd like to remind you that the Russians injured five other people in Kostiantynivka in the morning," he wrote.

Previously: Earlier, it was reported that seven people had been injured in Russian attacks on Kostiantynivka on Saturday.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) The State Attorneys Office will be seeking the death penalty against a man who is charged with killing and dismembering an elderly victim.

Joseph Schiliro is charged with first-degree murder in the death of a 71-year-old man after he and Silviano Christman, 31, killed and dismembered the victim before burying him in a Valrico backyard, according to the SAO.

Joseph Schiliro

Christman will be charged with the crime once he has been extradited to Hillsborough County from New York.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Schiliro was hired by the victim to help him run errands and do daily tasks because of the victims advanced terminal illness, the States Attorneys Office said.

Schiliro also stole tens of thousands of dollars from the victim to fly Christman down to help in the murder.

The State Attorneys Office said surveillance footage showed both men with the victim at a pizza restaurant hours before investigators believe the murder happened.

Surveillance video also showed both men purchasing items from numerous hardware stores including a saw that was used to dismember the victim.

I cannot fathom how anyone could commit this heinous act against a defenseless, elderly victim. We believe a jury should decide if this defendant should be sentenced to death for these cruel acts, said State Attorney Suzy Lopez

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Christman will be extradited to Hillsborough County to face first-degree murder 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 WFLA.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  The man accused of stabbing a woman in 2019 and leaving her to die on a Charlotte side of the road pled guilty to his charges last week, according the Mecklenburg County District Attorneys Office.

Ty-Lek Hamilton, now 25, pled guilty to second-degree murder and robbery with a dangerous weapon. Superior Court Judge Carla N. Archie sentenced him to 25-31 years in prison for the second-degree murder charge and a consecutive sentence of roughly five to 7 1/2 years in prison for the robbery charge.

Electrical malfunction sparks house fire in southwest Charlotte: CFD

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In May 2019, officers with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police said they found 19-year-old Audeja Sutton at the intersection of Bending Branch Road and Denbur Drive with multiple stab wounds. She was taken to the hospital where she later died.

The District Attorneys Office convicted 21 defendants during recent administrative court sessions in Superior Court held the week of Feb. 24. The cases were prosecuted by the Mecklenburg County District Attorneys Homicide and Habitual Felon Teams.

Others convicted after their pleas were:

Samuel Childers, 50, three counts of felony breaking or entering and being a habitual felon. 77-105 months in prison.

Derek Rhodes, 46, felony larceny. 20-33 months in prison.

Steven Dubose, 39, felony flee to elude arrest with a motor vehicle. 15-27 months in prison.

Michael Dugger, 38, three counts of felony larceny. Two consecutive sentences of 14-26 months each.

Cameron Fleming, 26, assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury and possession of a weapon by a prisoner. 44-65 months in prison.



Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
FALL RIVER, Mass. (WPRI)  Police are investigating after a man was stabbed in Fall River Friday evening.

Fall River Police Lieutenant Matthew Mendes told 12 News officers were called to the Cottell Heights apartments off Pleasant Street for reports of a man suffering from a stab wound to the chest.

The victim was rushed to the hospital with serious injuries, according to Mendes. Its unclear if anyone is in custody 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:

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.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  A man was convicted of three counts of attempted murder for shooting at police officers during a confrontation in 2021, authorities said.

Joshua William Degerness was indicted by a grand jury on multiple charges in December of 2021, just days after he was involved in a traffic stop conducted by Portland police officers that turned into an exchange of gunfire.

WATCH: Car tied to Martin Family pulled from river

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On December 11, 2021, a police officer tried to pull Degerness over for a traffic stop. However, he fled in his vehicle. The officer then encountered Dergerness again and pursued him, and the suspect crashed into a tree.

Officers gave commands to Degerness in an effort to arrest him, but he was uncooperative and refused to exit his vehicle. Pepper spray was deployed and Degerness pointed and fired a handgun at police officers, the Mulntomah County District Attorneys Office said in a release.

The three officers who had been shot at fired their handguns in return.

Degerness sustained gunshot wounds and survived his injuries, the DAs office said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Degerness is scheduled to be sentenced on the afternoon of April 3 for the three first-degree attempted murder 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 KOIN.com.
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  Detectives are trying to identify a man who used a fake ID to steal gold bars on Thursday.

Around 10 a.m. on the 14900 block of Aire Place, the suspect approached a UPS driver. According to the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office, he claimed a package was his before allowing the UPS driver to check his identification.

Credit: Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office

Later, it was discovered that the I.D. was fake.

Police said the suspect was last seen in a blue four-door vehicle.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

If anyone has any information about the individual, they should contact the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office at 813-247-8200.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. 7Less than two months after JetBlue finally arrived in Manchester, Airport Director Ted Kitchens announced his departure.

Kitchens on Friday said he would leave his post as director of aviation at the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport next month.

Kitchens guided the airport through the pandemic and brought in new airlines in recent years.

"I have accomplished the goals that I had when I arrived six years ago: the airport is financially stable; we have been able to attract new air service for the airport, as exemplified by the recent commitment made by JetBlue; and to build organizational resiliency that enabled us to not only survive the pandemic, but to come out of the period in a stronger situation," Kitchens said in his resignation letter to city officials.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

His last day will be April 4.

Kitchens was the highest-paid city employee, earning nearly $250,000, in fiscal year 2023.

At a ceremony to celebrate JetBlue's inaugural flight from Manchester in January, JetBlue President Marty St. George credited Kitchens with landing the airline after a quarter century of previous airport directors wooing JetBlue.

"I will say that I've been through multiple airport directors, multiple durations of trying to decide if Manchester made sense, and I give Ted credit for closing the deal," St. George said.

Mayor Jay Ruais praised what Kitchens has accomplished for Manchester.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Kitchens "has attracted five airlines, constructed a 64,000-square-foot cargo warehouse used by Amazon that created 300 full-time jobs for Manchester residents, tripled the amount of federal funding for capital development projects, diversified airport revenue streams, and restructured 70% of its long-term debt," the mayor said in a statement.

"His tenure will be most remembered for bringing JetBlue to the airport, along with its $48 million investment," Ruais said.

Kitchens said he plans to "pursue new horizons and turn the airport over to new management to build upon the sound foundation that exists."

During a recent interview with the New Hampshire Union Leader, Kitchens talked about the airport's successes in drawing new airlines.

"I think that overall '24 was probably the best year of growth for the airport since the early 2000s when Southwest was making massive investments of their aircraft into the market and growing the market from '98 until 2005. And I think those were the glory years as everybody likes to refer to them," Kitchens said in a recent interview.
Mar. 7The Manchester Planning Board has approved an application for a 19-home subdivision across 31 acres of wetlands near the Londonderry town line, despite opposition from nearby homeowners.

During a public hearing last month on plans submitted by Bryant Road Development LLC for the Whispering Woods subdivision, residents in the area called the proposal "beyond ludicrous" for proposing 19 single-family buildable lots on 31.04 acres that are currently undeveloped wetlands.

The vote Thursday night to approve the application was 5-3.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The subdivision would include a 28-foot-wide road that loops back in on itself, with access off South Ridge Drive.

"The roadway will be city-owned; it will meet city standards," Brent Cole, owner and principal engineer of Granite Engineering LLC, told Planning Board members. "The roadway will have municipal water, private sewer, underground electrical, natural gas and a closed drainage system."

A wetland runs through the middle of the property, with other smaller wetlands throughout the parcel. The project proposes subdividing the parcel into 19 parcels and the construction of 2,770 feet of roadway through the property, accessed from South Ridge Drive. Stormwater from the roadway will be managed through ponds throughout the property (bioretention ponds, surface sand filter and infiltration pond).

The proposed roadway crosses the wetland in two locations, where 48-inch reinforced concrete pipes are proposed to maintain connectivity of the wetland. Stormwater from the site moves through the wetland to an adjacent unnamed stream and ultimately discharges to Cohas Brook.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

During a public hearing on the application, several residents raised concerns about the project. Luke Roberge, a native of Manchester and South Ridge Drive resident for 20 years, said water pressure in the area at times is "nonexistent" and said adding that many homes would be "beyond ludicrous."

"At the end of Bryant (Road), some years ago, we lost a home. It burned down to the ground because of lack of water pressure," Roberge said. "What would happen if we had that many more homes in our community? Disastrous."

Prior to the planning board meeting Thursday night, Jonathan Golden, the city's senior planner, told members he'd reached out to the fire department regarding the house fire mentioned.

"The house burned down in 2013, 2014," Golden said. "Most firefighters at that time are retired, but from what I hear, the house was pretty far along in terms of the fire. So there wasn't much that could be done, in addition to the pressure."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Golden also requested information from Manchester Water Works regarding water pressure.

"They get complaints about water pressure, water flow, water quality, every day," Golden said. "This area has lower water pressure, as many do throughout their system."

Golden said Water Works reported 826 Bryant Road has approximately 54 pounds per square inch (psi) pressure at the first floor, which is "ample" for Manchester.

"The guide is, the average is 40 psi, which they try to provide," Golden said. "They're allowed as low as 20 psi if the customer signs a waiver. Thirty psi is the lower limit without having the customer having to sign a pressure waiver. They can also buy booster pumps for each individual house if they have low pressure. So the water pressure in Bryan and South Ridge Drive falls within the requirements."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to Golden, Water Works reported the pressure provided will be "adequate" for the 19-lot subdivision, and that it's located downhill from the water main serving the site.

"So it's an issue with grade and elevation, not with the size of the water main coming into the neighborhood," said Bob Gagne, a member of the planning board.

Golden also addressed concerns raised by residents about irrigation and low water pressure while showering and watering lawns at the same time.

"Manchester Water Works requires customers to irrigate between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., which most customers do not do," Golden said. "Taking a shower while doing laundry, while running your irrigation, also reduces your home pressure."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Planning board member Stephen Meno said he thinks "it's a shame" that the applicant's original application, which would have retained the development to the eastern side of the wetlands, didn't proceed at the zoning board level.

"I think it would have been a more environmentally friendly application but with the application before us, I see no concerns in the sense that it does meet the subdivision regulations," Meno said.

Planning Board Chairman Bryce Kaw-uh said he drove through the area.

"I personally didn't find that the character of the neighborhood would be changed in any significant way," Kaw-uh said.
Three men indiscriminately opened fire inside a pub in Toronto on Friday night, injuring 12 people before fleeing the scene, authorities said.

The gunmen entered the Piper Arms Pub in the district of Scarborough just before 10:40 p.m., wearing masks while firing an assault rifle and two handguns, according to police.

Im happy to report, by the grace of God, that theres been no fatalities, Toronto Police Superintendent Paul MacIntyre told reporters at the scene of the attack, which he said was captured in surveillance video that left him and other officers horrified.

Three men allegedly shot up the Piper Arms Pub in Scarborough just before 10:40 p.m. Friday before fleeing in a vehicle, police said. A Toronto police vehicle is seen in February. NurPhoto via Getty Images

Weve seen a lot of shootings over the years, a lot of video  but tonights shooting, these guys just looked at the crowd and opened fire. It was horrible, he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Of the 12 people taken to hospitals, six suffered non-life-threatening gunshot wounds. The victims range in age from their 20s to mid-50s. A motive was not immediately known, he said.

MacIntyre told the Toronto Star that if I were a betting man, he would guess that the guns came from across the United States-Canada border.

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, speaking at a Saturday morning press conference, said shes deeply troubled by the violence and that she is closely monitoring the situation with police.

We dont know at this point whats the motive, we also dont know where the suspects are at this point  police may or may not, but Ill leave the police to comment, she said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A police spokesperson told HuffPost late Saturday morning that there were no updates they could share.

The pub was celebrating its opening night when the violence unfolded, according to the businesss website and local reports.

Patrons were enjoying food and drink inside the establishment at tables and booths when the shooting abruptly broke out, MacIntyre told reporters.

When you walk in, its kind of eerie. The drinks are still on the table. The food is still on the table. Peoples purses, shoes are still in there, he said, describing the scenes aftermath.

The suspects are believed to have fled the scene by vehicle. A conclusive description of that vehicle was not immediately available, MacIntyre said.

Related...
JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV)  With recent focus statewide and nationally on social safety net programs, any changes could impact hundreds of thousand of Mississippians.

Some in Congress are skeptical that roughly a trillion dollars in cuts could be afforded without taking out substantial funding from programs like Medicaid. Though Mississippi has not expanded Medicaid, the majority of Mississippians and their families are impacted by that or similar programs.

Below is an overview of three major programs that most residents rely on now or will in the future.

Medicaid/Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP)

Enrolled: 602,825 residents

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The federal-state health care insurance program helps pay for health care for low-income people. Each state determines eligibility and the full scope of services covered. The federal government reimburses a portion of the states expenditures.

Since October 2024, more than one in five residents has relied on Medicaid or CHIP. Since 2013, enrollment has decreased by over 5% statewide. Moves to expand Medicaid have stalled in the legislature this session.

Jeffries: Republicans are lying about Medicaid cuts

Medicare

Number: 640,993 residents

The federal health care insurance program is for people aged 65 and over and for the disabled. Eligibility is largely based on qualifying to receive Social Security. It helps Americans pay for hospitalization charges, stays in skilled nursing facilities, physicians charges and associated health costs.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Since September 2024, a record number of Mississippians have relied on the various iterations of Medicare. About 100,000 more people use Medicare in Mississippi than they did in 2013.

Social Security

Beneficiaries: 691,612 residents

Social Security provides monthly benefits to an eligible worker and family members when the worker elects to start receiving retirement benefits or when they die or become disabled. The workers lifetime earnings largely determine their benefits.

The number of those who rely on the program is based on the latest data from December 2023. There are roughly 60,000 more Social Social Security beneficiaries in Mississippi since 2013. Roughly two-thirds of all beneficiaries are retired.

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.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WIAT)  This weekend marks sixty years since Bloody Sunday, when hundreds crossed the Edmond Pettus Bridge in Selma to fight for voting rights. The Southern Poverty Law Center honored those who lost their lives Friday with a wreath laying, marking the start of the Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee weekend.

History forgotten is history repeated, said Tafeni English-Relf, the director of the Alabama office of the SPLC. We honor and we share the story so that people know how far weve come and just all of the significant gains that weve made as a country when we all come together.

The SPLC wants the younger generations to take away the message the march continues from the 60th anniversary of Bloody Sunday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

What we saw back then, 60 years ago, is that the power is with the people, and that has not changed, said Congresswoman Nikema Williams.

Williams filled the congressional seat of the late John Lewis, the man who began the wreath laying commemoration for those who lost their lives during the Civil Rights Movement. Williams says no one can fill the shoes Lewis left behind.

He showed me the way and so I know what my work is and I know my obligation to this next generation to pick up the mantle and take it one step further, Williams said.

The congresswoman says while the fight may not be as explicit as it was 60 years ago, there are still fights for freedom and justice. Williams says the wreath laying Friday was a revival ceremony for her and a commitment to her work ahead.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A lot of people will tell you what young people arent paying attention to or what young people are not doing, but we have proof right here in Montgomery, Alabama as young people are leading the march over to the State Capital so that they can do the call to action, said Williams. Because its not just about a commemoration, its about the work that continues and the young people are continuing that work.

University of Alabama senior Nila Segobin is part of the generation picking up this mantle.

We are the reason, we are the people who need to get out there and make a change, Segobin said.

Segobin says while this is her first time being on the frontlines of advocacy, it wont be her last.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Being here and knowing that I can do this again and again, over and over again, and get more people, she said. Its like I can bring two more people, I can bring three more people, so one voice is just a start.

Segobin says its been a great impact on her to be in Montgomery and see firsthand the legacy of the Civil Rights Movement.

A lot of people just talk about the march, and they dont talk about what happened afterwards or even what goes on afterwards, so just being here and knowing the aftermath of everything makes you want to be more advocate to different things, said Segobin.

1987 Tuscaloosa Cold Case seeks new leads through forensic testing and $10,000 reward

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

SPLC President and CEO Margaret Huang says the aftermath is a continued fight for justice and freedom.

The most important thing is for everyone to feel they actually have a personal stake in this. Were not doing this for one group of people, were doing this for all Americans, Huang said. We recognize that everyone in this country has rights that need to be respected and we want our government, our civil rights protections, to apply to everyone.

Huang says 60 years ago, the 40 martyrs showed courage when facing death knowing they stood for a just cause fighting for voting rights for everyone. She wants to see people come this weekend to remember what the fight is about.

The conversation about Civil Rights in 2025 is not the same conversation that it was in 1965, but weve also seen attacks, said Huang. Weve seen attacks on the ideas of inclusion and diversity. Weve certainly seen attacks on people calling for equal justice under the law and we recognize that were at a moment of peril.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The SPLC hopes people are inspired at events happening all through the weekend. A march across the Edmond Pettus Bridge in Selma will take place this Sunday. You can find information on the Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee events at the link HERE.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS 42.
Despite all the deep-sea expeditions and samples taken from the seabed over the past 100 years, humans still know very little about the oceans deepest reaches. And there are good reasons to learn more.

Most tsunamis start with earthquakes under or near the ocean floor. The seafloor provides habitat for fish, corals and complex communities of microbes, crustaceans and other organisms. Its topography controls currents that distribute heat, helping to regulate Earths climate.

Marie Tharp, born in 1920, was a geologist and oceanographer who created maps that changed the way people imagine two-thirds of the world. Beginning in 1957, Tharp and her research partner, Bruce Heezen, began publishing the first comprehensive maps that showed the main features of the ocean bottom  mountains, valleys and trenches.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As a geoscientist, I believe Tharp should be as famous as Jane Goodall or Neil Armstrong. Heres why.

Traversing the Atlantic

Well into the 1950s, many scientists assumed the seabed was featureless. Tharp showed that it contained rugged terrain, and that much of it was laid out in a systematic way.

Her images were critical to the development of plate tectonic theory  the idea that plates, or large sections of Earths crust, interact to generate the planets seismic and volcanic activity. Earlier researchers  particularly Alfred Wegener  noticed how well the coastlines of Africa and South America fit together and proposed the continents had once been connected; Tharp identified mountains and a rift valley in the center of the Atlantic Ocean where the two continents could have been ripped apart.

Thanks to Tharps hand-drawn renditions of the ocean floor, I can imagine a walk across the Atlantic Ocean bottom from New York City to Lisbon. The journey would take me out along the continental shelf. Then downward towards the Sohm Abyssal Plain. Id need to detour around underwater mountains, called seamounts. Then Id start a slow climb up the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a submerged north-south mountain range.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

After ascending to 8,200 feet (2,500 meters) below sea level to the ridges peak, I would descend several hundred feet, cross the ridges central rift valley and proceed up over the ridges eastern edge. Then back down to the ocean floor, until I began trekking up the European continental slope to Lisbon. The total walk would be about 3,800 miles (6,000 kilometers)  almost twice the length of the Appalachian Trail.

Mapping the unseen

Born in Ypsilanti, Michigan, Tharp studied English and music in college. But then in 1943 she enrolled in a University of Michigan masters degree program designed to train women to be petroleum geologists during World War II. Girls were needed to fill the jobs left open because the guys were off fighting, Tharp later recalled.

After working for an oil company in Oklahoma, Tharp sought a geology job at Columbia University in 1948. Women couldnt go on research ships, but Tharp could draft, and was hired to assist male graduate students.

Tharp worked with Bruce Heezen, a grad student who gave her seafloor profiles to draft. These are long paper rolls that show the depth of the seafloor along a linear path, measured from a ship using sonar.

An illustration of Marie Tharps mapping process. (a) shows the position of two ship tracks (A, B) moving across the surface. (b) plots depth recordings as profiles, exaggerating their height to make features easier to visualize. (c) sketches features shown on the profiles. The Floors of the Ocean, 1959, Fig. 1

Starting with a large blank sheet of paper, Tharp marked lines of latitude and longitude. Then shed carefully mark where the ship had traveled. Next shed read the depth at each location off the sonar profile, mark it on the ships track and create her own condensed profile, showing the depth to the ocean floor versus the distance the ship had traveled.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

One of her important innovations was creating sketches depicting what the seafloor would look like. These views made it easier to visualize the ocean floors topography and create a physiographic map.

Tharps careful plotting of six east-to-west profiles across the North Atlantic revealed something no one had ever described before: a cleft in the center of the ocean, miles wide and hundreds of feet deep. Tharp suggested that it was a rift valley  a type of long trough that was known to exist on land.

Heezen called this idea girl talk and told Tharp to recalculate and redraft. When she did, the rift valley was still there.

Another research assistant was plotting locations of earthquake epicenters on a map of the same size and scale. Comparing the two maps, Heezen and Tharp realized that the earthquake epicenters fell inside the rift valley. This discovery was critical to the development of plate tectonic theory: It suggested that movement was occurring in the rift valley, and that the continents might actually be drifting apart.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This insight was revolutionary. When Heezen, as a newly-minted Ph.D., gave a talk at Princeton in 1957 and showed the rift valley and epicenters, geology department chair Harry Hess replied, You have shaken the foundations of geology.

Tectonic resistance

In 1959 the Geological Society of America published The Floors of the Oceans: I. The North Atlantic by Heezen, Tharp and Doc Ewing, director of the Lamont Observatory, where they worked. It contained Tharps ocean profiles, ideas and access to Tharps physiographic maps.

Some scientists thought the work was brilliant, but most didnt believe it. French undersea explorer Jacques Cousteau was determined to prove Tharp wrong. Sailing aboard his research vessel, the Calypso, he purposely crossed the mid-Atlantic Ridge and lowered an underwater movie camera. To Cousteaus surprise, the film showed that a rift valley existed.

Theres truth to the old cliche that a picture is worth a thousand words and that seeing is believing, Tharp observed in a 1999 retrospective essay.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

What could have created the rift? Princetons Hess proposed some ideas in a 1962 paper. It postulated that hot magma rose from inside the Earth at the rift, expanded as it cooled and pushed two adjoining plates further apart. This idea was a key contribution to plate tectonic theory, but Hess failed to reference the critical work presented in The Floors of the Oceans  one of the few publications that included Tharp as a co-author.

Marie Tharp in July 2001. Bruce Gilbert, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory

Still surveying

Tharp continued working with Heezen to bring the ocean floor to life. Their collaboration included an Indian Ocean map, published by National Geographic in 1967, and a 1977 World Ocean Floor map that is now held at the Library of Congress.

[Get our best science, health and technology stories. Sign up for The Conversations science newsletter.]

After Heezen died in 1977, Tharp continued her work until her death in 2006. In October 1978, Heezen (posthumously) and Tharp were awarded the Hubbard Medal, the National Geographic Societys highest honor, joining the ranks of explorers and discoverers such as Ernest Shackleton, Louis and Mary Leakey and Jane Goodall.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

[Understand new developments in science, health and technology, each week. Subscribe to The Conversations science newsletter.]

Today ships use a method called swath mapping, which measures depth over a ribbon-like path rather than along a single line. The ribbons can be stitched together to create an accurate seafloor map.

Left. Detail of Canary Islands from Marie Tharps physiographic map of the North Atlantic. Right. Modern swath mapping depiction of the same area. Colors indicate depth. Vicki Ferrini, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.

But because ships move slowly, it would take one ship 200 years to completely map the seafloor. An international effort to map the entire ocean floor in detail by 2030 is under way, using multiple ships, led by the Nippon Foundation and the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans.

This information is critical to beginning to understand what the seafloor looks like on a neighborhood scale. Marie Tharp was the first person to show the rich topography of the ocean floor and its different neighborhoods.

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: Suzanne OConnell, Wesleyan University

Read more:



Suzanne OConnell 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.
MARION COUNTY, Texas (KETK)  The Marion County Sheriffs Office is seeking assistance in finding a missing woman last seen on Tuesday.

One year since his disappearance: Search for missing Tyler man Harley Morris continues

Sherri Woods was reported missing on Wednesday after she was last seen on Tuesday at around 3 p.m. walking towards FM 729 and Hurricane Creek, which is located on the north side of Lake O the Pines in Marion County.

Courtesy of the Marion County Sheriffs Office

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Woods is described as being 5 feet tall and weighing roughly 100 pounds. She was last seen wearing a blue shirt and red pants and was with her reddish-brown dog named Bear.

Since receiving the missing person report, Marion County deputies have conducted ground searches with assistance from volunteers and the K9 unit. Drones have also been equipped with thermal imaging and cameras.

The case remains an open investigation and anyone with any information is encouraged to contact Investigator Chuck Rogers or the Marion County Sheriffs Office at 903-665-3961.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
UPPER WEST SIDE, Manhattan (PIX11)  Mark Ruffalo, Matthew Broderick and Laurence Fishburne are among a list of top actors rallying to protect a landmark church on the Upper West Side.

Celebrities will stand alongside residents and elected officials protesting against the sale of the West Park Presbyterian Church to developers. The rally kicks off with live music at 11 a.m. on Saturday at The Center at West Park.

More Local News

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Romanesque Revival-style church was built between 1883 and 1890 and was named a New York City Landmark in 2010 by the Landmarks Preservation Commission.

According to its preservation website, church leaders in the 1880s advocated for ethnic inclusion and later played a role in the civil rights movement as well as the anti-Vietnam War and the anti-nuclear arms movements in the 1960s.

More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State

In more recent years the West-Park Presbyterian Church served as the original site of the West Side Food Pantry and Gods Love We Deliver. The church has also been a champion of same-sex marriage rights.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In April 2022 the churchs owners applied for hardship due to the structure needing about $50 million worth of repairs. Had it been approved the church would have been demolished however the move was protested by Ruffalo among other celebrities like Matt Damon, Amy Schumer and Common.

As previously reported by The New York Times, the hardship application was rescinded in January 2024.

Owners of the West Park Presbyterian Church say the congregation is nearly bankrupt from the cost of upkeeping the building and are now seeking to sell the structure to an affiliate of Alchemy Properties.

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.
Mar. 7MITCHELL  The Mitchell City Council approved a $6,500 design contract with DesignArc Group during its regular meeting on Monday, March 3 to present two cost estimate options to address melting snow leaking though the roof of the Mitchell Activities Center ice arena.

The DesignArc Group services include plans for cost estimates for a second roof and an option for a membrane skin, both to go over the existing roof. The council will have to decide the best course of action between the options after the design estimates come back.

It's typical to see water running down the facility's walls, said Mitchell Parks and Recreation Director Kevin Nelson.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"It has filled pails from spots coming from above, even to the point where those pails are larger pails where they put drains on them to be able to empty them into other pails, to not have to carry back and forth and have it drip," Nelson said.

The roof has leaked since shortly after the $2.8 million

second ice rink was added to the Mitchell Activities Center

by Puetz Build and Design in 2013. Snow accumulates on the roof and then melts when temperatures rise above 32 degrees, causing the water to drain through the roof.

Rather than having one continuous roof, the original Mitchell activities building roof and the new ice arena roof are at different levels, according to Nelson. This has caused snow and water to penetrate the building.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"And it can happen when frost or snow is thawing up there, there's those little infiltration points, snow can be blowing into those areas and get further into the crevices and cause other issues where you think, 'Well, we must have a new leak,' and that may not even be the case," Nelson said.

During the council's regular meeting on March 3, City Administrator Stephanie Ellwein brought supplemental budget requests before the council to approve designating funds for city projects, including the ice arena roof.

Rough estimates to address the roof ranged from $800,000 to more than $1.5 million during the council discussion, but Ellwein's designated funds request saw opposition from Mitchell City Council President Kevin McCardle.

"I think we should wait for the design architects, then we'll know what DesignArc Group tells us. Otherwise, you're approving something you don't know you're approving," McCardle said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Council member John Doescher questioned whether the roof is still under warranty, and if the responsibility for fixing it should fall on the architect that designed the roof or the contractor who installed it.

"Even if we had a warranty, all the work that's been done to it would probably have voided whatever warranty we had, because a different contractor came and worked on that," Mitchell Mayor Jordan Hanson said.

City Attorney Justin Johnson told the council there was a settlement with Puetz Build and Design in relation to the ice arena.

"At that time the issue that we were looking at was functionality of the air handling system and things like that. We were dealing with condensation issues inside the ice arena," Johnson told the Mitchell Republic.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The city paid Mueller Lumber $149,000 to repair the ice arena roof in fall 2020. Mueller addressed persistent leaking where the original building connects to the south addition, which holds the second ice rink. The roof was installed without a vapor barrier, according to then-Public Works Director Kyle Croce.

"When we were at this point of seeking reimbursement for all the investigation and repairs, we were right up against the statute of limitations for filing a claim, and at the time, that's not the way that the city council and the mayor wanted to go with it," Johnson said.

Puetz gave the city an informal reimbursement of $9,500 in February 2019, according to Johnson. The statute of limitation for claims is six years.

In May 2024,

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

the city received a $120,342 settlement from Puetz

in regards to damages at the Mitchell Indoor Aquatic Center incurred from the nine-month long repair work done between 2022 and 2023. Puetz built the $8 million aquatic center in 2018 following a special election. The pool cracks were discovered within the warranty timeframe.

The DesignArc Group fee includes both structural and architectural services. Any future professional services will be brought before the council for consideration. The initial $6,500 fee does not include construction management services.

"Nobody's excited about that expense  putting even more money into the same type of repair. To have something done the correct way, now that'll be good to get it behind us," Nelson said.
Editors Note: This clip with K9 Bax is from July 5, 2023

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo.  The Maryland Heights Police Department (MHPD) announced that its retired K9, named Bax, has been diagnosed with stomach cancer in a Facebook post today.

Bax worked with the department for over seven years before retiring in July 2023.

Close

Thanks for signing up!

Watch for us in your inbox.

Subscribe Now

Daily News

In honor of his service with MHPD, Bax will take his Walk of Honor as a final goodbye on Monday, March 10, the post announced.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Maryland Heights Police Department is welcoming the public to attend this event, and it will take place at 10:30 a.m.

It will begin at the government center on Millwell Drive and conclude at Bridgeton Animal Hospital on McKelvey Road.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
CONCORD, N.H. (WWLP)  Two Massachusetts men have been arrested in connection with a months-long investigation regarding fentanyl and methamphetamine trafficking.

Five arrested in Holyoke during multi-agency drug investigation

The New Hampshire State Police said that on Thursday, troopers arrested two suspects during a traffic stop in Concord after observing suspicious activity.

The suspects were identified as 28-year-old Kelvin Diolisel Lopez Perez of Dorchester and 23-year-old Christopher Antonio Guzman De Los Santos of Dedham. Troopers seized over two pounds of methamphetamine, approximately 400 grams of fentanyl, and an illicit firearm.

Courtesy of New Hampshire State Police. Courtesy of New Hampshire State Police.

Kelvin Diolisel Lopez Perez was charged with:

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Controlled sales of fentanyl greater than 5 ounces

Controlled sales of methamphetamine greater than 5 ounces

Christopher Antonio Guzman De Los Santos was charged with:

Controlled sales of fentanyl greater than 5 ounces

Controlled sales of methamphetamine greater than 5 ounces

Felonious use of a firearm

Both men were held pending arraignment scheduled on Thursday in Concord District Court.

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.
Kumquat trees, as explained by the South China Morning Post, are traditionally a popular part of celebrating the Lunar New Year in Vietnam and China. They are a symbol of luck and good fortune and are ubiquitous in living rooms and office lobbies throughout the region.

But this year, a massive typhoon severely affected the harvest of the popular trees. This led to wild price swings, kumquat trees that don't look as attractive as usual, and tons of unsold inventories, according to The New York Times.

What's happening?

In September, Typhoon Yagi ravaged Vietnam, flooding farmland that grows the popular trees, CNN reported. But natural disasters aren't the only effects of the changing climate in the area.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The crops were already being negatively affected by higher-than-usual temperatures and lower-than-average rainfall. Because of the harsh growing conditions, supply was limited, which raised prices. One farmer estimated he lost 40% of his kumquat trees to the winds and rain of Typhoon Yagi, per the Times.

And customers seemed disappointed by the kumquats that were harvested. The lack of water and high heat made the citrus fruits unattractive. They complained the fruits were smaller and weaker than usual. This led to wild price swings as vendors lowered prices in a desperate attempt to sell their stagnating inventories.

Nguyen Van Loi, a kumquat trader in Hanoi, summed it up, per the Times, saying, "One of the worst years in my 10 years of trading."

And kumquats weren't the only fruit affected by these harsh weather patterns. Bananas are also an important, symbolic part of Lunar New Year celebrations. Prices rose exorbitantly as their supply was also severely diminished by Typhoon Yagi and harsh weather conditions.

Why is a poor kumquat harvest a bad sign?

The overheating planet continues to wreak havoc around the world. Periods of intense drought and heat give way to violent storms, creating disasters for farmers everywhere. The dangerous conditions can lead to decreased food supplies around the world. This can also lead to unsustainable costs, as evidenced by the kumquat situation in Vietnam.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Of course, it's not just Southeast Asia that is being negatively affected. Scientists in Europe just sounded the alarm that massive amounts of farmland are in danger. And potato farmers in Pennsylvania have found increased temperatures are devastating their crops.

Do you worry about how much food you throw away? Definitely Sometimes Not really Never Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

What's being done to boost crop production?

Despite the dire conditions and forecasts, there is much that can be done. Scientists around the world are working on potential solutions, such as drought-resistant crops and ultraviolet lights that kill harmful fungi attacking our food.

Individuals can also make a difference by voting for politicians who are dedicated to addressing the fundamental problems plaguing our planet. This means policies focused on switching from traditional dirty energy sources, including oil and gas, to clean energy sources, such as wind and solar.

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency Saturday as dozens of fire departments and the National Guard worked to extinguish multiple wildfires that broke out on the South Shore of Long Island, scorching the Pine Barrens and spreading for miles along the Sunrise Highway.

The governor announced shortly before 5:30 p.m. that she was issuing a State of Emergency as Suffolk County fights brush fires in the Pine Barrens. Southampton also declared a local state of emergency, according to WABC.

I have spoken to @ExecEdRomaine and offered any necessary State resources, she wrote on social media, referring to the Suffolk County executive director. She added that National Guard helicopters were assisting from the air as multiple state agencies worked on the ground.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

An hour earlier, Hochul said the blazes  exacerbated by strong winds  had already destroyed one or two homes, according to News 12 Long Island. Multiple other structures, including a chemical factory and Gabreski Airport, appeared to be in danger as well.

Sunrise Highway was closed in both directions from Exit 55 to Westhampton Beach as more than 80 fire crews and Blackhawk helicopters worked furiously to battle the blazes, according to Suffolk County Police. Additional roads were being shut down as the fire threatened to jump across the highway.

Billowing smoke took over much of the island and could be seen across Long Island Sound as far as Connecticut. Videos posted to social media showed flames shooting into the air and thick, gray clouds dominating the sky.

By 6:30 p.m., three of four blazes  first reported around 1 p.m. in Center Moriches  were said to be fully contained, while a Westhampton fire was 50% contained.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Shortly before 7 p.m., New York Attorney General Letitia James tweeted about the blazes.

My heart is with our communities on Long Island as they navigate todays brush fires, and Im grateful for all the first responders working to put these fires out, James said. Follow guidance from local officials and stay safe.

Hochul said she had deployed personnel from multiple agencies, including the Office of Emergency Management, Office of Fire Prevention and Control, Department of Transportation, Department of Environmental Conservation, State Parks and the New York State Police.

Public safety is my top priority, and Im committed to doing everything possible to keep Long Islanders safe, Hochul said.

The Daily News has reached out to Hochuls office for additional information.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

With News Wire Services
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  Uncertainty has grown as President Donald Trumps administration has laid off hundreds of federal employees across multiple divisions. The rapid-fire cuts have left municipalities and states, including Metro Nashville, scrambling to understand the impact.

Our money  we paid! Hands off SSA! a crowd of people chanted Thursday outside Nashvilles Social Security office.

VIDEO: Rally outside Nashville, TNs Social Security office

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

If these offices are shut down and employees fired, what happens to the next family thats in crisis? a member of the crowd questioned.

The worries about Nashvilles branch of the SSA came after the Department of Government Efficiency had updated its Wall of Receipts, which is a list of government contracts, grants and real estate the department is cutting, or plans to cut, to save federal tax dollars.

As of publication, Nashvilles SSA office is still in operation. However, the 4,133 square-foot facility was on DOGEs list.

These closures and firings are not just about numbers on a budget sheet, one woman said during Thursdays rally. Theyre about people.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On Friday, Mayor Freddie OConnell addressed concerns about Social Security and doubled down on the citys commitment to seniors.

While were seeing uncertainty in federal commitment to supporting seniors here locally, were re-doubling our commitment to ensure that aging Nashvillians can do so as comfortably and securely as possible, OConnell said.

In the same breath, the mayor also addressed how federal funds could impact Nashville after the Trump administration issued a memo wanting to freeze trillions of dollars in grant and loan payments. The freeze would leave state and local government programs in limbo.

The impact that were seeing right now across the county for related support include estimates from the Center for Nonprofit Excellence in Middle Tennessee showing that 396 non-profits are currently at risk of losing funding equaling $1.5 billion, OConnell said.

 Read todays top stories on wkrn.com

This week, a federal judge blocked the administrations plans in 22 states and the District of Columbia. Tennessee was not on the list.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I honestly dont know how were going to grapple with it if we see very large amounts of federal funding go suddenly missing across a whole set of demands of policy in Nashville, OConnell said.

As of publication, the future of Nashvilles SSA office is unclear.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Mar. 7Pre-trial hearing set for March 17

Beleaguered Coal Grove Mayor Andy Holmes was in Ironton Municipal Court on Thursday morning, where he pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from a hit and run collision that escalated to a fight with police officers before he was arrested on Saturday, March 1.

Holmes was arraigned in the Ironton Municipal Court and didn't speak, except once, which is normal during arraignments when the defendant's attorney does most of the talking.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Judge Kevin Waldo explained the charges against Holmes, which include a hit/skip violation, a third-degree misdemeanor which carries a maximum penalty of 60 days in county jail, operating a vehicle while impaired which carries a maximum penalty of six months in county jail and assured clear distance ahead.

Holmes pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Holmes was represented by attorney Richard Nash. Waldo asked Nash if he had discussed with court staff about setting up a date for a pretrial hearing.

"Not yet," Nash said.

Waldo asked about setting that hearing for March 27.

"Mr. Holmes, do you think you can be here on that day," Waldo asked.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Yes, sir," Holmes replied. The hearing was set for that day.

Waldo said it was his understanding that a special prosecutor "on some other matters that they are anticipating filing. I have no control over that. I do not know when that will be, I do not know what those charges will be brought before the court. We will deal that possibly by the 27th."

Holmes' bond was set at $1,500 on his own recognizance.

Holmes was instructed to fill out the bond paperwork at the clerk's office and the hearing came to an end.

The case began just after Saturday just after midnight with a report of a hit-skip accident in the 3600 block of South Third St.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to a report from the Ironton Police Department, 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 officer stayed at the site of the crash and the other went to search for the GMC.

Dispatch called to tell the officer that OnStar had reported a crash in the area and gave the information of the vehicle involved, including 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.

Officers were let into the home and found Holmes in bed with blood coming from a head wound.

According to the police report, the officers 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.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to the police report, 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.

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 into custody, but Holmes continued to aggressively pull away, according to the report.

According to the police 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.

Holmes was examined by EMS for his head wound and then was taken to the Lawrence County Jail.
HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW)  A Federal Emergency Management Agency reimbursement program will help dozens of agencies battling the Covington Drive Fire to recoup costs, Gov. Henry McMaster announced Friday night.

His office said that South Carolina secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant that allows local, state and tribal agencies responding to apply for 75% reimbursement of eligible fire suppression costs including air tankers, bulldozers and additional crews.

And on Saturday, Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette had plans to spend the morning in Conway and Myrtle Beach, meeting with first responders and state Forestry Commission officials.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The 2,059-acre wildfire inside Carolina Forest sparked on March 1.

* * *

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 dangerous mental patient who believed he was the King and Queen of Ireland was recaptured after a violent escape from an Orange County hospital earlier in the week.

Christopher Morgan was nabbed about 20 miles from the Garnet Health Medical Center in Middletown, when an eagle-eyed onlooker spotted him Friday outside a Port Jervis gas station around 9 a.m., the New York State Police said.

Authorities received a slew of tips from worried locals after Morgan made his dash for freedom Thursday afternoon  which happened to be his 40th birthday, according to court documents.

Christopher Morgan escaped from an Orange County hospital on his birthday. New York State Police

The kooky runaway allegedly attacked a 74-year-old hospital worker  leaving her needing multiple stitches  and then snatched her badge during the daring escape, according to cops and News 12.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Surveillance footage caught a bearded Morgan sprinting in the hospitals hallway.

Police warned the public to stay away from him.

If you see Morgan, do not approach him, cops wrote on Facebook hours after he got away.

Weeks earlier, he allegedly made bomb threats against several police departments and a Wallkill army recruitment station, according to court documents.

Morgan claimed he was the King and Queen of Ireland, creator of the American Flag during a bizarre phone call to an army recruitment center from the Behavioral Unit at the Garnet Health Medical Center on Feb. 22.

Christopher Morgan allegedly made bomb threats weeks before his escape. New York State Police

Morgan  who was diagnosed with schizophrenia  also said he was 700-2,000 years old during the call while making the threats.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Hours later, Morgan confessed to a psych employee and said he was upset that police killed Queen Elizabeth and he wanted revenge.

New York State Police had a temporary extreme risk protection order against him following the threats  which barred him from possessing any guns.

He was slapped with robbery charges for Thursdays escape and charged with making a terroristic threat relating to last months phone calls.

Morgan was arraigned Friday in Middletown County Court and held on $250,000 cash bail.
PINE VALLEY, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI)  A traffic stop last weekend on Interstate 8 at the Campo Border Patrol Checkpoint resulted in the seizure of nearly 200 pounds of methamphetamine.

The incident occurred around 8:51 p.m. when agents pulled over a truck traveling westbound on I-8, U.S. Customs & Border Protection said in a news release Friday.

Border agents conducted a search of the vehicle, finding 35 foil-wrapped packages of meth weighing 198.33 pounds, according to CBP. The estimated street worth of the drugs was $436,300.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The driver of the vehicle and narcotics were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration for federal prosecution, while Border Patrol seized the truck.

Gene Hackmans wife died of hantavirus. Is the virus in San Diego County?

The U.S. Border Patrol is a 24/7 law enforcement agency focused on protecting our homeland, said San Diego Sector Acting Chief Patrol Agent Jeffrey D. Stalnaker. The actions that Border Patrol agents take to keep these deadly drugs off our streets save lives throughout the U.S.

The San Diego Sector has seized 906 pounds of cocaine, 345 pounds of methamphetamine, 19 pounds of heroin and 157 pounds of fentanyl this fiscal year, per CBP.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

To report suspicious activity to the U.S. Border Patrol, contact 911 or San Diego Sector at 619-498-9900.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (WTNH)  A Mexican woman was sentenced to three years in federal prison Friday for her involvement in a plot to smuggle people into the U.S. and extort them under the threat of violence.

Porfiria Maribel Ramos Sanchez, a 47-year-old Mexican citizen last residing in Vernon, arranged along with her mother, Maria Del Carman Sanchez Portero, to smuggle Mexican nationals into the U.S.

Connecticut State Police warn residents of scam call circulating

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The victims would have to turn over a property deed as collateral before leaving Mexico, then had to pay a fee ranging from $15,000-$20,000 once they arrived in the U.S.

Victims who spoke to Hartford Police and the FBI starting in Sept. 2022 said that after arriving in the Hartford area, they were told that they would have to pay approximately $30,000, plus interest. They would also have to pay Sanchez, Ramos, and their co-coconspirators for rent, food, gas, and utilities.

Victims were usually not provided an accounting of what they owed. If they failed to make regular payments, or a satisfactory amount, they faced financial threats to themselves and their family members in Mexico.

Investigators have identified 19 victims of this scheme so far. Multiple victims were minors, with at least two being smuggled into the U.S. unaccompanied by a relative or legal guardian.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ramos has been detained since her arrest on Oct. 5, 2023. On Oct. 4, 2024, she pleaded guilty to conspiracy to encourage and induce, bring in, transport, and harbor aliens. She was ordered to pay restitution of $574,608.

As a condition of her plea agreement, Ramos and her husband agreed to sell a house they owned at 74 Burnside Avenue in East Hartford, which was used to facilitate this criminal offense. However, in violation of her plea agreement, Ramos did not inform the government of the pending sale and sold the house in November 2024 to a relative of her husband for $75,000 less than its appraised value.

Ramos faces immigration proceedings when she completes her prison term. Sanchez pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
On Wednesday morning, Jose Guadalupe Jaimes dropped off his son at a middle school in Trenton, his children said. Moments later, the immigrant father driving a work van was approached by three vehicles with their lights flashing. Agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, some with guns drawn, hopped out to arrest Jaimes, 55, who now sits in St. Clair County Jail, the latest ICE arrest in Michigan that has unnerved immigrant advocates.

Born in Mexico, Jaimes has lived for 30 years in the U.S., starting his own painting business that supports his wife and five children. Now, they're scrambling to find out what may happen to him and how they will continue their lives without his support, both emotionally and financially. Records show Jaimes was booked in St. Clair County Jail, but with no criminal charges and an immigration hold. He appears to have no criminal record or cases pending in Wayne County courts, records show.

"We just want him back home," one of his sons, Hector Jaimes, told the Free Press. Hector is a junior at a college in Tennessee, who drove eight hours back home Wednesday after hearing of his dad's arrest from a Facebook post. "We're worried about him."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The arrest was made outside Arthur Middle School in Trenton after Jaimes had dropped off his eighth grade son, who was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, a type of autism. Hector said his father had a work permit obtained a few years ago and documentation to live in the U.S.

A spokesman for ICE told the Free Press that he had been "ordered removed by an immigration judge in 2014." The spokesman said that ICE officers arrested Jaimes on Wednesday, describing him as an "an illegal alien from Mexico."

He "remains in ICE custody pending the outcome of his immigration proceedings," the ICE spokesman said.

The case will now be handled by federal immigration courts.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Jaimes and others like him are placed into removal proceedings in immigration courts that are administered by the Justice Departments Executive Office for Immigration Review, an official said. The office is an agency within the Justice Department, separate from the Department of Homeland Security, which ICE is a part of.

"My dad went to go drop off my brother to his middle school" at about 8 a.m., explained Hector, who has spoken with his father from jail after his detainment. "And he saw a truck there parked ... he turned around the corner, and that's where the three cops stopped them. Dad said, they pulled out guns on him."

Hector said the family didn't know he was detained until about 10:30 a.m. from a post on a Downriver community group on Facebook. After hearing about it, Hector drove all the way from Tennessee, where he studies at Tusculum University.

Some nearby residents went to Arthur Middle School to ask officials whether they could alert the family that Jaimes had been arrested by ICE, but they said they could not guarantee they would do that, according to Hector.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

More: Policing and immigration enforcement policies in Michigan debated amid Trump's crackdown

"My brother and my sister went to the school," to ask them why the school did not notify the family he had been arrested. "They said they didn't notify us that it happened because they didn't want to assume which family it was, and then it (might) be the wrong family," Hector said.

Deborah Rhoades, principal of Arthur Middle School, and Trenton Schools Superintendent Douglas Mentzer did not return emails from the Free Press seeking comment.

The arrest of Jaimes outside a school comes at a time of debate over whether federal immigration agents should target what are called "sensitive locations" such as schools and churches. Under previous administrations, those areas were off limits for ICE, but in January after Donald Trump took office, his administration rescinded that policy. Last week, a federal judge blocked enforcement of Trump's move targeting churches. Regarding enforcement at schools, a hearing was set to be held Friday after a lawsuit was filed challenging the order.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Hector said his father's arrest brings back bad memories of his grandfather being arrested by federal agents when Hector was 5 years old.

"He took the wrong turn at the Canada bridge" entrance, Hector said, recalling boyhood memories. "My grandpa also didn't do anything (wrong criminally). ... We were just crying. ... It kind of feels like the same thing going on again, but it's our dad this time."

Hector said that he's hearing about others being arrested by immigration agents in other Downriver cities like Melvindale and Lincoln Park, and in southwest Detroit, areas with sizable immigrant communities.

State Sen. Darrin Camilleri, D-Trenton, said in a statement to the Free Press that he is "appalled" that Jaimes was detained by ICE.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"I just spoke with his family, and they are heartbroken," Camilleri said. "To make matters more infuriating, his family says he has a work permit and ID to be here. It is a moral failure that our schools, places of worship and other community spaces are being used to tear families apart and spread fear and chaos across our country."

'Immigrants make America great': Rally in southwest Detroit seeks end to deportations

Jaimes owns Lupes Pro Painting, a business he created after working for years for others. When he told a previous employer he was leaving to start his own business, they doubted he would succeed, but his hard work paid off, Hector said.

Jaimes is a gregarious and talkative man who likes to strike up conversations with people and was supportive of his family's needs.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"He is always smiling," Hector said. "He's a family person. He's always trying to give us everything ... that he never had while he was young."

The family says it's unfortunate immigrants without criminal records like his father are being targeted since they contribute to society with their business and taxes.

"Show some sympathy, because there's too much hate in the world right now," he said.

His arrest was first reported by WXYZ-TV. His daughter, Anna Jaimes, told the TV station: "He's just a hard worker. ... He doesn't deserve none of this. I think he's always just trying to do good stuff and work hard and take care of his family."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The case of Jaimes brings back fears among some immigrants in metro Detroit that arose during Trump's first term. Like Jaimes, Jorge Garcia, of Lincoln Park, was an immigrant father from Mexico who also lived in the U.S. for 30 years before he was deported in January 2018. He was stuck in Mexico for about two years before being allowed to return.

A rally was held earlier this week in southwest Detroit in support of immigrants, asking ICE not to target them. An ICE spokesman said in response: While U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement respects the rights and civil liberties of all individuals, ICE, through its congressionally assigned criminal and civil immigration enforcement authorities, arrests aliens who commit crimes and have violated our nations immigration laws. All aliens in violation of U.S. immigration law may be subject to arrest, detention and, if found removable by final order, removal from the United States, regardless of nationality."

On Friday, the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Eastern District of Michigan said that prosecutors have charged 46 immigrants since January who were accused of being unlawfully present in the U.S. and other alleged crimes.

Contact Niraj Warikoo: nwarikoo@freepress.com

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Jose Jaimes of Michigan arrested by ICE outside Trenton middle school
The Michigan Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Heres a look at March 7, 2025, results for each game:

Winning Daily 3 numbers from March 7 drawing

Midday: 2-4-6

Evening: 3-6-9

Check Daily 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Daily 4 numbers from March 7 drawing

Midday: 4-5-7-8

Evening: 3-9-7-0

Check Daily 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from March 7 drawing

02-07-25-28-36, Lucky Ball: 08

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Poker Lotto numbers from March 7 drawing

AD-7C-10C-9D-7H

Check Poker Lotto payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Fantasy 5 numbers from March 7 drawing

07-10-11-18-28

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

08-17-27-28-35

Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Daily Keno numbers from March 7 drawing

05-11-15-16-17-26-29-30-38-42-44-49-51-53-54-65-66-67-69-73-74-80

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 7, 2025
After months of Michigan's often brutal winters, longer lasting sunlight during the day is a sure sign spring is near.

And come Sunday, when daylight saving time begins and the clocks spring forward at 2 a.m., the sun will shine even later. It has been a yearly tradition in Michigan since 1973, when the state first began observing daylight saving time. Each year, the clocks move forward an hour in March and fall back an hour in November.

One lawmaker in Michigan, however, wants voters to decide whether the state should stick with the practice. Senate Bill 126, introduced by state Sen. Thomas Albert, R-Lowell, would place a question on the November 2026 ballot in Michigan asking voters to decide whether the state should continue to observe daylight saving time.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Is switching to daylight saving time worth the headaches? Does it have any valid reason for continuing in this day and age? I personally would say no, but obviously opinions differ. We should let the people of Michigan decide once and for all, Albert said in a statement. SB 126 has 11 bipartisan co-sponsors.

In the U.S., daylight saving time traces back to World War I, when Congress passed the Standard Time Act in March 1918. At the time, proponents argued workers would have more sunlight time for recreation. There are stories of daylight saving time originally being intended to give farmers more hours of sunlight to work their fields, but farmers actually made up some of the strongest voices against the Standard Time Act in 1918, according to a 2016 New York Times article.

Daylight saving time: Love it or leave it? Tell us in a letter to the editor at freep.com/letters

It's not the first time a lawmaker in Michigan has opened debate over the value of observing daylight saving time  legislators have introduced bills to stop the practice in recent sessions, although the measures haven't advanced. In order for voters to get a say, SB 126 would need to pass each chamber of the Legislature and be signed into law.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Michigan voters have decided on daylight saving twice before. First, in 1968, a measure to observe daylight saving time was narrowly rejected by voters  falling short by 490 votes out of 2.8 million cast, according to a 1972 Ann Arbor Times article. In 1972, voters opted to observe the practice, adding Michigan to the list of states participating in daylight saving time.

Currently, Hawaii and Arizona (with the exception of the Navajo Nation) are the only states in the U.S. that don't observe daylight saving time.

From Nov. 2022: We're setting our clocks back again, so look to the western U.P. for inspiration

Contact Arpan Lobo: alobo@freepress.com

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan lawmaker wants voters to decide on daylight saving time
IRONDALE, Ala. (Trussville Tribune)  Mayor James D. Stewart, Jr. and the Irondale Chamber of Commerce welcomed MicroFlex to the city on Tuesday during the grand opening of its new complex in Irondale.

The new hybrid facility consists of four buildings housing 38 customizable, multi-function units that can be used as offices, storage spaces, showrooms, gyms, or even fulfillment hubs for e-commerce businesses.

Each unit offers 1,000 to 1,500 square feet of space for small businesses, entrepreneurs, and individuals seeking a personal hobby space, and over 80% of the units have already been rented.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Alabama minor jailed with adults pre-trial in violation of federal law

MicroFlex is a new venture led by Andy Sink and John Thomas, the founders of Birmingham-based OWN Alabama.

What the market wants and needs has changed, Sink said last year.

Business is so much more fluid than it used to be. Were finding all types of businesses are looking for flexible arrangements and space they can affordably and quickly adapt to their individual needs.

The Irondale campus is MicroFlexs first ground-up project, and the company is also developing spaces in Auburn/Opelika, Birmingham, and Huntsville.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS 42.
An apartment building in Midvale caught fire Saturday just after midnight, damaging a number of units and forcing evacuations.

Firefighters were dispatched about 12:25 a.m. to the Calaveras Apartments at 7940 S. Main Street, adjacent to the Midvale Precinct of the Unified Police Department, according to Kelly Bird, of the Unified Fire Authority.

Police and first responders saw heavy smoke and began evacuating all 36 units of the building, calling for the Red Cross of Utah to help with displaced tenants, Bird said, with units from Sandy, West Jordan, Draper, and South Salt Lake helping.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Authorities don't know, as of Saturday morning, how many units were occupied or how many residents were displaced

No one was injured, but three units were damaged by fire with smoke damage across many of the units, and the bottom 12 units were flooded after a water line appeared to have ruptured.

According to Bird, the fire likely started in the ceiling fan of a bathroom, spreading through the ceiling and walls into the two apartments above it. No details were given on the estimated cost of damages or the timeline for residents to return to the affected apartments.
Mar. 7LAKE JUNALUSKA  Eric Spirtas, the Canton mill's new owner, shared his vision for his latest acquisition with 105 attendees at Haywood County Chamber of Commerce's Issues and Eggs event Wednesday, a vision that includes the possibility of setting aside some land for protection against flooding.

And he is still open to suggestions.

Spirtas held the crowd captive as he described his journey toward acquiring the 185-acre mill site, various downtown Canton buildings and land parcels across the county, including Lake Logan and its dam.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"There will be enhanced green space, new building opportunities and hundreds of jobs," he said.

After sharing his experiences as a tomato pie and chili contest judge where he met dozens of Haywood residents to chat with about their ideas for the property, Spirtas gave an overview of flooding at the Canton mill through the years. Becoming a bit emotional at the most recent devastation in the community, he vowed to do his part to prevent future flooding.

He said he is working with regulatory officials and others to devise the best way to do that.

"I'm prepared to work with FEMA to do what past owners couldn't do  give up five to 20 acres," he said, explaining ways to protect the river and make the mill and community less susceptible to flooding.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He encouraged all to check into Denver's Red Rocks Amphitheater that touts both its natural history and event location features.

For now, Spirtas is working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to take the steps that will give the site a clean bill of health when finished. That includes pumping out several concentrated spots of black liquor, which will be run through the onsite wastewater treatment system. He also is working to address several fuel oil spills.

Spirtas emphasized the underground contamination found during the recent environmental testing predated the Pactiv Evergreen years.

"They did a good job of keeping the chemicals clean," he said, speaking of a concrete substrate that helped immensely. "The contamination is from Champion."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Many of the structures on the mill site will be demolished, something that's the new owner's specialty.

"I can wreck anything in a month," he told Lisa Johnson in response to a question on the development timeline.

But there are other considerations such as coordinating with environmental regulators, figuring out the right master plan for redevelopment and then implementing the plan.

Multi use

There are varying plans and potential uses for each area of the 185-acre site. There's the distribution center that has manufacturing potential; the large quantity of energy available from both natural gas and electricity that could be ideal for data centers needed to power the burgeoning artificial intelligence sector; recreational potential along the Pigeon River; a large number of land tracts and downtown buildings such as the former post office and mill administration offices.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Then there's the landfill where former mill waste was deposited that has to be continually monitored under environmental requirements. Spirtas found a way to quickly monetize the asset and is using it as a private facility that accepts flood waste from both inside and outside the county.

Two Banks has contracted with DH Griffin, another demolition company, to work on the Canton project to get things rolling since other projects are keeping him too busy, Spirtas said.

He's working with the nationally acclaimed landscape architect Tom Woltz, who lives in Waynesville, along with Andrew Fox of N.C. State College of Design's Coastal Dynamics, and Dan Rasmussen, economic development coordinator. He also has a grant writer on staff.

"I would like town, county and state support," he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Lake Logan

Spirtas got more than just the mill site property in his purchase. He's also now the owner of Lake Logan, the dam and land under the lake. What will happen to the lake and dam is unknown.

Lake Logan Conference and Retreat Center surrounds the lake and would be impacted by any decision Spirtas makes regarding the body of water and dam  particularly if the dam ceases to exist and thus so does the lake.

Spirtas said he has had a discussion with the bishop of the Episcopal diocese that owns the property surrounding Lake Logan.

The lake was built by Champion in the 1930s to supply water to the Canton mill during times of drought. The company built an executive retreat around the lake where national figures such as the late President Richard Nixon and the late Rev. Billy Graham were entertained.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

When the Champion employees purchased the mill, the Episcopal Diocese of WNC purchased the retreat acreage, while the surrounding timber lands came under state and federal ownership.

Spirtas told the group he had a conversation with the Episcopal bishop about creating and marketing riverfront property where the lake is now located.

"This is just the beginning," Spirtas told the group. "Someone here might have an idea, and I'd like to hear it," he said.

He encouraged those with possibilities he could consider to contact him at eric.spirtas@spirtasworldwide.com.
MILLERSBURG, Ky. (FOX 56)  Millersburg police and deputies with the Bourbon County Sheriffs Office (BCSO) arrested a Millersburg man on Thursday night after he allegedly stole medical supplies from a Family Dollar.

The Millersburg Police Department posted on Facebook that just before 7 p.m. on Thursday, local law enforcement responded along with the Bourbon County Fire Department to the Animal Hospital of Millersburg following reports of an unknown problem in the area.

Amish buggy rear-ended on Kentucky highway injures 5

The department said that a caller told officers that Calven Gallimore, 26, of Millersburg, allegedly entered the animal hospital with a bleeding hand and told the staff he needed a bandage before quickly leaving.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The MPD wrote that Gallimore allegedly drove through two portions of chain link fencing in the yard of a nearby residence before parking at a Family Dollar across the street.

When workers at the Family Dollar saw Gallimore pull into the parking lot, they reportedly locked the door, Millersburg officers said.

Gallimore forced entry into the business, which caused damage to the door, the MPD wrote. Gallimore then retrieved medical items from within the store and opened the packages.

Law enforcement officers met Gallimore in the Family Dollar parking lot. He allegedly showed several signs of being intoxicated and told officers he had combined alcohol with prescription medication.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

An initial breath test allegedly revealed that Gallimores blood alcohol level was 0.168, over twice the legal limit.

Calven Gallimore, 26, was lodged in the Bourbon County Detention Center on Thursday. (Millersburg Police Department)

Gallimore was taken to the Bourbon Community Hospital for medical clearance before being lodged in the Bourbon County Detention Center.

LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:

He was charged with two counts of first-degree criminal mischief, theft by unlawful takingshoplifting, failure to maintain insurancefirst offense, and driving under the influence of a motor vehiclefirst offense.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The shoplifting investigation remains ongoing by the MPD.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
In response to the recent firings of thousands of federal workers, veterans and advocates held a rally Friday evening at the Zablocki VA Medical Center in Milwaukee.

Labor organizers from AFGE, Wisconsin Federation of Nurses & Health Professionals, Milwaukee Area Labor Council and Wisconsin SEIU were among the groups that took part.

About 2,400 workers have been fired from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in recent weeks, and a newly released memo revealed plans to slash the VA workforce by as many as 83,000 people. Workers, including disabled veterans, have already lost their jobs at Wisconsin VA medical centers.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The VA will not spare any departments in the cuts and "will move aggressively" to make the changes, VA Chief of Staff Christopher Syrek said in the document. That's led to more exhaustion, paranoia and uncertainties among VA employees, who have expressed worry that their roles are being examined under a microscope.

Many of the VA medical centers across Wisconsin already struggled with understaffing ahead of the Trump administration. Now, once a week, it's been strongly recommended they send emails to the VA and the Department of Government Efficiency enumerating the tasks they did during the last week, which cuts into the time they have with patients and assisting colleagues.

Vietnam War veteran Art Handel attends a rally in response to federal workers being terminated outside of the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center on Friday. Workers from the VA are among those on a national level who have lost their jobs.

Michele Malone, president of Local 3 AFGE representing employees at Zablocki VA Medical Center in Milwaukee, has filed grievances over the 10 employees terminated in February. She hopes to see similar actions in Wisconsin that have been made in California after a federal judge there blocked the Trump administration from its mass firing of probationary employees, a group that represents new hires.

Protesters attend a rally Friday in support of federal workers who have been terminated at the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center, 5000 W. National Ave., in Milwaukee.

"The union is not going to stop fighting," Malone said. "We're not just going to take it. We're holding this rally to make the public aware of what's happening."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In addition to the firings at Zablocki, more than a dozen VA workers were laid off in Madison. Jobs have also been cut at the VA in Tomah.

"The VA will always provide veterans, families, caregivers and survivors the health care and benefits they have earned," Pete Kasperowicz, a Veterans Affairs spokesman said in a statement to the Journal Sentinel. "But we're also making major improvements to strengthen the department, including redirecting billions of dollars from non-mission, critical efforts to health care, benefits and services that directly support VA beneficiaries."

The firings are part of the effort by President Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk to radically shrink the federal workforce. Musk, the wealthiest man on Earth, heads DOGE.

Malone hopes that raising awareness can get through to some of the federal agency leaders.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Put our veterans first. Veterans fought for us, they put their lives on the line for us," Malone said. "When they come home, they need to know that we'll take care of them. We should be trying to make life easier for every one of them."

A protester holds a sign backing veteran health care at rally Friday at the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center in Milwaukee in support of federal workers who have been terminated.

Congresswoman says lawmakers prioritize defense but not veterans

U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore spoke at Friday's rally outside the Zablocki VA Medical Center, where she reminded the several hundred attendees that this hospital originated over 150 years ago as one of President Abraham Lincoln's last pieces of legislation before he was assassinated in 1865.

"Every time I stand on these hallowed grounds of the VA, it's hard not to just burst into tears," the longtime Democratic Milwaukee congresswoman said.

Moore said legislators are so easily willing to give "gargantuan amounts of money to the defense budget," but "when it comes to funding the veterans, it's like we're asking the veterans to hold out a tin cup and beg the government to care for them."

U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore acknowledges veterans attending a rally outside of the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center in Milwaukee on Friday. A crowd of several hundred turned out to support federal workers who have been terminated at the VA and nationally.

Due to the actions of Musk and DOGE, Moore said no Democrats in Congress will vote for legislation funding the government through September. The Republicans can only afford to lose a few votes in their party or the legislation will not pass and the government will shutdown after March 14.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"They will not get one single vote from a Democrat, not one, and they have a razor-thin majority," Moore said.

"Let me just tell you this, a third of the federal workforce are comprised of veterans who have come home to serve us as civilians. We ain't standing for it. ... We deserve no less. We are all veterans. Veterans are the lifeline for our country ... this the wrong time to be messing with our veterans."

Kasperowicz said many people are complaining about the change being made to the VA, and "many are using rumor, innuendo and disinformation to spread fear in the hopes that the department will just keep doing the same thing it has always done."

"But we have an obligation to make Veterans Affairs work better for the veterans, families, caregivers and survivors we are charged with serving, and that is what we will do," Kasperowicz said.

Nurse says cuts only hurt veterans

Monica Luecking-David is nurse at the Milwaukee VA and a chapter president for the Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals. She said the Zablocki Hospital has long dealt with understaffing and now more cuts will make it more difficult to care for veterans.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Every nurse knows this, every veteran know this," Luecking-David said. "Everyone who loves a nurse or a veteran knows this."

The staff at the hospital cares for over 62,000 veterans annually with a staff of about 4,500 people.

Monica Luecking-Davis, representative from the nurses union, speaks at rally Friday in front of the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center in Milwaukee, in response to federal workers being terminated. "Quality health care is a critical need for our veterans," said Luecking-Davis, a nurse at the VA.

"We can barely keep up," Luecking-David said. "Who do you think suffers when nurses are tired?"

Luecking-David added frontline workers like facilities management, housekeepers and food service workers served during a pandemic and some multiple decades through different leadership.

"The most concerning part is that when the 10 workers were fired last week, local leaders did not know this was coming," Luecking-David said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Our communities, and us workers, care more about the veterans than anyone else does and that's why we won't turn our back on the veterans, and we will continue to fulfill a commitment that our country made to them.

"Our current mission is to fulfill President Lincoln's promise to care for those who have served in our nation's military.

"We owe them this. We owe them."

This story was updated to add new information.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee VA workers, supporters rally after recent firings
MINEOLA, Texas (KETK)  A Mineola man was sentenced to more than 17 years in federal prison on Friday for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, a press release said.

More than 30 people sentenced for Angelina County meth trafficking ring

According to Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin Jr., Van Zandt County law enforcement officers searched a property on Feb. 28, 2023 and discovered around 205 grams of methamphetamines.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Bobby Wayne Land, 48 of Mineola, reportedly admitted to possessing the methamphetamines in order to distribute them to other individuals, McGlothins office said in a press release.

Land was sentenced to 210 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Jeremy Kernodle on Friday. A press release added that a co-defendant, Preston Mitchell Wilson, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison on Jan. 17, 2025.

The case against Land was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Jackson and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Grand Saline Police Department, the Canton Police Department and the Van Zandt County Sheriffs Office.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com.
Mar. 7---- Contegrity Group of Little Falls, Minnesota, will serve as the construction manager for the renovation of a former bank building in downtown Montevideo for

Family Services.

The Chippewa County Board of Commissioners at its meeting March 4 unanimously approved a proposal from the firm to serve in that role. Nine firms had provided proposals to the county. Representatives of four of the firms  Marcus Construction of Willmar, Breitbach of Elrosa, Gehrtz of Fargo, North Dakota, and Contegrity  interviewed with a County Board building committee one day earlier.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Contegrity was recommended as top choice. The company offered the lowest bid at a total of $72,500 based on estimates for a total construction of $2.5 million to renovate the buildings. Estimated costs from the interested construction management firms ranged to $468,094.

Both Commission Chairman Bill Pauling and Commissioner Matt Gilbertson, who were part of the interviews, said that they felt all four of the firms were very well-qualified and would work well with the county. The low bid offered by Contegrity, its past work experience with the county, and its current work in the area, including the

government center project, were all factors in recommending it for this project, the two commissioners said.

The commissioners said the interviews with the firms also left them both optimistic that the county can accomplish the project within its projected $2.5 million estimate for construction. Representatives of the firms had toured the facility, and indicated they felt it was a good building and could be adapted to the county's needs, according to discussions at the meeting Tuesday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The county, working with Contegrity, will need to select an architect for the project before bidding on remodeling work can go forward. Pauling emphasized that he felt it was important that concept plans for the project be tweaked anew before an architect is selected.

The commissioners approved the purchase of the building for $262,000 in December. It offers just over 18,000 square feet on two floors. It will be remodeled to accommodate approximately 47 employees.

Keeping down the overall cost has been a driving factor in discussions on the project. In the previous two years, the county obtained separate analyses for renovating the building from two firms, Klein McCarthy Architects and Wold Architects and Engineers.

Wold Architects estimated that a "limited" remodeling would cost $3.1 million and a larger scale project would cost $7.6 million. One year earlier, Klein McCarthy estimated costs ranging from $3.6 million to $6.4 million, depending on the extent of remodeling.
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS)  A missing Shreveport man whose family reported him missing was found dead on Friday.

According to the Shreveport Police Department, the family of Bobby Joe Smith, reported him missing after he had not been seen for some time. Police say the family was concerned for his well-being, and shared that Bobby suffered from dementia and liver cancer, both of which required medication.

A missing persons flyer was created and distributed to local media, and later, the Louisiana State Police issued a statewide bulletin in hopes of locating him.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

SPD says on Friday March 7, at approximately 1:37 PM, Shreveport Police officers were dispatched to a residence at 728 Christopher Street for a deceased person call. The homeowner, who lives out of town, had returned to check on her property when she discovered Bobby Joe Smith deceased on her couch.

The Caddo Parish Coroners Office responded to the scene and found no signs of foul play.

Bobbys passing brings a heartbreaking end to the search. Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
BROOKHAVEN, Miss. (WJTV)  Lawyers from the Mississippi Center for Justice (MCJ) filed their appearance to represent a former FedEx driver, who said he was shot at by a father and son while delivering packages in Lincoln County in 2022.

The Daily Leader reported the MCJ took on DMonterrio Gibsons case following the suspension of his former attorney from the practice of law.

Former FedEx driver speaks out after charges dismissed against father, son

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Gregory and Brandon Case were charged with attempted first-degree murder, conspiracy and shooting into the vehicle driven by Gibson, which did not have a FedEx logo. Gibson was not injured during the encounter.

Earlier this year, a judge dismissed all charges against the Cases.

A mistrial was declared in August 2023 after Investigator Vincent Fernando, with the Brookhaven Police Department, left out crucial evidence during the pretrial. The Daily Leader reported Judge David Strong stated in his order that defendants alleged numerous intentional discovery violations made by Fernando.

Gregory Case, the father, center, and Brandon Case, the son, right, speak with an attorney, Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023, at the Lincoln County Courthouse in Brookhaven, Miss. Both men were indicted for conspiracy to murder, attempted murder and shooting into a motor vehicle in relation to a January 24, 2022 shooting at a Black FedEx driver. (Hunter Cloud/The Daily Leader via AP) DMonterrio Gibson, right, and his mother, Sharon McLendon, await the start of the trial of two white men charged in an attack on Gibson, a FedEx employee who was making a delivery, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2023, in Brookhaven, Miss. The judge declared a mistrial of the men who were charged with attempted first-degree murder, conspiracy and shooting into the vehicle driven by Gibson. (Hunter Cloud/The Daily Leader via AP) Brookhaven Police Department detective Vincent Fernando, looks around the Lincoln County courtroom while testifying Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023, in Brookhaven, Miss., at the trial of two white men who are accused of chasing and shooting at a Black FedEx driver who had dropped off a package at a home. On Thursday, Aug. 18, 2023, the judge declared a mistrial in the case. (Hunter Cloud/The Daily Leader via AP)

Fernando was later fired by the Brookhaven Board of Aldermen.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

MCJ attorney Rob McDuff told the newspaper, With the criminal case now effectively over, the civil lawsuit is the next avenue to seek accountability for this violent attack.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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.
GREENVILLE, Miss. (WJTV)  A Greenwood man was sentenced for an August 2024 knife attack on a U.S. Postal carrier, while the carrier was delivering mail.

Chief U.S. District Court Judge Debra M. Brown sentenced Cordero Moore, 36, to serve a 70-month jail sentence. Brown also sentenced Moore to post-incarceration court supervision for three years.

Mississippi Center for Justice will represent ex-FedEx driver in case

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On August 5, 2024, prosecutors said Moore chased down the carrier while waving a knife and forced the carrier to enter a local business for her safety. Moore was later arrested in possession of two knives.

This defendant made a violent, cowardly attack on a female postal employee who was just hard at work performing her duties, said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. It is ludicrous that this dedicated letter carrier should have to fear for her life while simply doing her job, and we appreciate the collaboration of our law enforcement partners in holding the line against such conduct.

This case was investigated by the Greenwood Police Department and U.S. Postal Inspector Charlie Tutor.

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.
(Michael Loccisano/Getty Images).

My mom wanted us out of that school, says a young woman named Kayla from the St. Louis area. But the Normandy district was fighting to keep us there.

Kayla and her mom were bumping up against a hard reality that many Missouri families have faced: The state has one of the strictest systems of residential assignment for public schools in the country.

For the last several months, my organization Available to All has been studying enrollment laws and policies in Missouri. Our new report  Show-Me the Way Out  reveals that it is often very difficult for Missouri children to enroll in any public school other than one assigned to them based on their address, even if that school is unsafe or failing.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It was genuinely terrible being in that school, remembers Kayla. I was continuously bullied from kindergarten right through the 7th grade.

She says that the teachers in her school acted as if they were powerless to stop the bullying. But when Kayla tried to transfer out of the district, the Normandy Schools Collaborative tried to block her.

They needed Normandy to agree to let me go, she recalls.

District boundaries in Missouri are strictly policed. Last year, St. Louis Public Radio ran a story about the efforts of the Hazelwood School District to crack down on what one official described as educational larceny. That year, Hazelwood launched 2,051 residency investigations and removed hundreds of students found to be attending its schools while living in another district.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But strict residential assignment is also enforced via attendance zone boundaries within school districts.

At coveted Hale Cook Elementary School in Kansas City, the attendance zone map mirrors the pattern on the racist redlining map from the New Deal Era. Back in the 1930s, the federal government drew maps of many cities, marking as red or yellow areas of town that were hazardous or declining. These areasoften home to many people of color and immigrantswere blocked from receiving federal housing assistance.

Modern-day school boundaries often have the same exclusionary effect.

Even in rural areas, the results can be perverse.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In Cape Girardeau, students in even-numbered homes on certain blocks of Sprigg Street are assigned to a school where about 70% of fourth graders score proficient or better on English language arts. Students in odd-numbered homes are excluded and sent to a struggling school instead.

As a result of this strict residential system, middle- and lower-income families often cannot afford to attend the best public schools, which are often located in the most expensive areas.

After struggling to get all the approvals for a transfer to nearby Pattonville, Kaylas family eventually had to leave Normandy altogether and move to Pattonville, despite much higher rents.

I started working, says Kayla, who was then still a teenager, so I could help my mom with the higher rent. But it was worth it to be in a place where I could learn, instead of being afraid of getting hit.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As the Missouri legislature debates different options for open enrollment in the public schools, lawmakers should consider how the state can best fulfill the promise made by the U.S. Supreme Court in the historic Brown v. Board of Education ruling from 1954. In that ruling, Chief Justice Earl Warren wrote that the public schools must be made available to all on equal terms.

They should also consider best practices from other states. School districts and public charter schools should be required by state law to enroll children from outside of the district (or outside the attendance zone) when there is available space. If necessary, school finance policies should be tweaked to make this workable.

Wisconsin, for example, has a robust system of cross-district open enrollment, and Oklahoma and Ohio both have effective systems of within-district open enrollment.

Parents should also be given procedural protections, such as the right to appeal an enrollment denial, as states like Arkansas and California provide. And every public school should be required to hold back a small percentage of its seatsperhaps15%for students who live outside the attendance zone or district. Such reserve clauses have been used for magnet schools in Nebraska, as well as charter schools in Maryland.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Missouris future depends on ensuring that every child, regardless of zip code, has access to high-quality education. Without meaningful reforms that expand and strengthen access to educational options, Missouri will continue to deny generations of students the opportunity to reach their full potential.

No child should be locked out of the best public schools because of exclusionary laws and policies. It literally saved my life, says Kayla about her transfer to Pattonville. Other kids deserve that option too.
JOPLIN, Mo.  The Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce has launched a new legislative series.

You know, the ability now, for very little money, to purchase an app or a program where you can create an image of someone that looks just like them, sounds just like them, saying whatever, and they didnt really say that, said Mo. Rep. Ben Baker, R.

Artificial intelligence and the challenges it represents are top of mind for Missouri State Representative Ben Baker. Hes helping to kick off a new legislative update series in Joplin called Donuts and Delegates.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I think were already behind, but if we dont keep up with it legislatively, theres going to be a lot of repercussions of that, I think, in a negative way. So I think its something that were going to have to really be on top of as a legislature.

Baker and State Representative Lane Roberts spoke about everything from government efficiency and taxing broadband grants to changes in state spending versus federal funding.

Theres so much happening at the federal level right now, and the consequences as such might be good or bad. We just dont know yet. Itll probably be next year before we start to feel the impacts of those budget decisions, said Roberts.

He adds that they are trying to ease some of the unique workplace challenges that have developed in just the last few years.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Life has changed in our country, particularly since COVID, and the ability of people to work, the access to child care that facilitates their ability to work, has been impacted by all that. So I think were interested in doing things to make sure that we get as many barriers out of the way as we can, said Roberts.

The Donuts and Delegates series replaces the single Eggs and Issues event the Joplin Chamber has hosted in the past. They will hold three more sessions featuring other lawmakers in the next few weeks.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com.
Overgrown grass, sewage leaks out in the parking lot and an uptick in crime led West Mifflin police to turn over the problems of Mon View Heights to the District Attorneys Office.

Raccoons, rats in peoples dwellings and as well as for a whole weekend there was no water to over 400 residents. This was horrendous, said Phil DiLucente who is the West Mifflin Solicitor.

That led to felony charges including criminal conspiracy against Jonathan Liani, Mark Silber, and Frederick Schulman.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Mon View Heights owners facing more charges, DA says they are linked to other nuisance properties

In court Friday  Shulman waived his hearing and in a turn of events Lianis charges were dropped as he testified for the commonwealth that he only did the accounting for Mon View and didnt have a role in the actual facility.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> DA Zappala stepping in to help with deplorable conditions at Mon View Heights Apartments

He was only on a signatory account as a backend bookkeeper much like you would authorize a paycheck company to execute your checks, once that came to light it was obviously he had no culpability in any of the alleged criminal behavior, said Fred Rabner who is Lianis Attorney

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Liani walked away a free man, but also a victim, as he testified that Silber the owner of Mon View still owed him $250,000.

He and his family feel blessed to have this very sad chapter of his life ended, Rabner said.

That left hours of testimony against Silber. The police chief told the court gun violence is up in this apartment complex, the fire chief said the hydrants dont have water pressure if there was a fire. The code enforcement officer detailed all the violations and issues stating nothing was fixed since Silber and Shulman purchased the property in 2023.

The two are linked to at least 11 other nuisance properties in the region according to the District Attorneys Office.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The defense firing back presented hundreds of checks paid out for utilities, pest control and other companies stating it was proof of work being done. The attorney further pointed out that more than half of the units werent even inspected and that evidence shows the prior owners also faced violations.

The Commonwealth had nearly a dozen witnesses to call in this case and only got about halfway. The hearing will pick back up on March 28th

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
MONCKS CORNER, S.C. (WCBD)  A man who worked as a babysitter in several Lowcountry areas and is the center of a multi-agency sextortion investigation has been charged with additional child sex crimes by the Moncks Corner Police Department, the agency announced.

Moncks Corner detectives obtained additional arrest warrants for 25-year-old Brandon Brill, who remains in custody at the Al Cannon Detention Center. He is charged with three extra counts of criminal sexual conduct with a minor in the third degree amid the ongoing investigation.

After the investigation was revealed following Brills Feb. 19 arrest, three minors came forward to report that Brill had assaulted them in Moncks Corner, according to the police agency.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Captain Lee Mixon, Interim Chief of Police, emphasized the importance of awareness and reporting, stating, Our hearts go out to the children and families impacted by these incidents. Parents must educate their children on reporting abuse or inappropriate touching of their private areas by individuals who seek to prey on the innocent.

Anyone with information about the case against Brill or who believes they may have been a victim is urged to contact Detective Corporal Katheryn Salvo at 843-719-7930 or email her at k.whetstone@monckscornersc.gov.

Initially, Brill was charged with three charges of sexual exploitation of a minor, criminal solicitation of a minor, and felony sexual extortion by Mount Pleasant officers and ICE agents.

The investigation against him began when authorities began investigating a minor who was being extorted for child sexual abuse material images. Officials said he had been a private babysitter since at least 2021 and was employed by a local daycare in 2022.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Between 2023 and 2025, Brill advertised babysitting services on Facebook and Nanny Lane.

On Feb. 27, the Isle of Palms Police Department announced they charged Brill with one count of criminal solicitation of a minor and one count of disseminating obscene material to a minor under 12 years old.

Those charges stem from an incident in Feb. 2024 where a mother told police she found inappropriate and sexually explicit text messages on her juvenile sons phone.

Isle of Palms investigators determined Brill to be the suspect in that situation.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
EAU CLAIRE  A Mondovi man was convicted Friday of OWI homicide and possessing child pornography.

Kenneth W. Van Meter, 42, pleaded guilty at a status hearing in Eau Claire County Court to homicide by intoxicated use of a motor vehicle, and he pleaded no contest to two counts of possessing child pornography. The child pornography convictions carry a mandatory minimum of three years in prison, while an OWI homicide conviction carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison. A total of 13 other charges of possessing child pornography were read-in and dismissed.

Judge Beverly Wickstrom ordered a pre-sentence investigation, and she set sentencing for May 29. Wickstrom left a $750,000 cash bond in place.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The OWI homicide conviction stems from a May 2023 crash at Clairemont Avenue and Fairfax Street.

Authorities say the crash took place when Van Meters vehicle slammed into a car driven by Tammy Jarecki, who had stopped in the eastbound lanes at the stop light. The impact was so violent it pushed Jareckis car across the intersection and into two traffic posts. It burst into flames, killing Jarecki.

The criminal complaint says Van Meter had a blood-alcohol level of 0.342 more than four times the legal limit. According to responding officers he didnt know where he was after the crash.

After the crash investigators seized Van Meters cell phone. Thats a common step since authorities want to know whether use of a phone contributed to the crash. But its what they found on the phone that led to the second case.

After reviewing the phones contents, investigators found evidence of child pornography. They sought a new search warrant specifically for that offense, and eventually found numerous downloads, videos and images that showed children being abused, and they were able to identify one of the children shown.
Dozens of people belonging to a religious minority community in Syria have been executed amid clashes between supporters of ousted President Bashar al-Assad and the security forces of the new government, a monitoring group reported on Friday.

The head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Rami Abdel-Rahman, said his UK-based monitor had documented the execution of at least 90 civilians from the Alawite sect, to which al-Assad belongs, by government forces in Syria's coastal area.

Abdel-Rahman told dpa "horrific massacres" have been committed in the Syrian coastal region against the Alawites. In the town of Baniyas alone, 60 were killed, including 10 women and five children, he said. An eyewitness in Baniyas told dpa there was total chaos, with people scared and confined to their homes.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"We are all terrified," he said on condition of anonymity. Speaking in a shaky voice, he said, "Innocent people who were not armed were shot dead either in their homes or outside their homes in front of their families."

He added that a prominent sheikh who was 90 years old was also shot dead.

Since Thursday, some 50 fighters from the new Syrian forces were killed and 45 from the Alawite militant forces, Abdel-Rahman said.

Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani vowed punishment for those involved "in this great betrayal" in a post on X.

Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who commanded an Islamist-led rebel alliance that toppled al-Assad in December, called for unity in a televised address on Friday evening.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He reaffirmed the country's resilience, declaring that Syria has moved forward and will not take a single step backwards.

He called on the militants "to fully obey the military and security leaders, and to immediately evacuate the sites ... so that the military and security forces can complete their work to the fullest extent," he said.

He also called on the forces still loyal to al-Assad to surrender their weapons "before it is too late."

Geir Pedersen, the United Nations special envoy for Syria, said he was "deeply alarmed" by the escalating violence.

In a statement, he urged all parties to refrain from actions that "could further inflame tensions" and risk destabilizing the country.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"While the situation remains fluid and we are still determining the precise facts, there is clearly an immediate need for restraint from all parties, and full respect for the protection of civilians in accordance with international law," Pedersen said.

The fighting in the coastal province of Latakia, a stronghold of the Alawite sect, is the deadliest since al-Assad's overthrow.

The violence erupted after a string of attacks and ambushes blamed on al-Assad's armed supporters targeted forces of the transitional government on Thursday.

A field commander in the government forces stated that major confrontations began early Friday following the arrival of large military convoys in Latakia.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Anas Khattab, the head of Syria's General Intelligence Service, wrote on X that "initial investigations showed former military and security leaders affiliated with the defunct regime are behind the planning of these crimes."

Spokesman for the Defence Ministry Hassan Abdel-Ghani said the government troops had made swift progress on the ground and reimposed control in the areas where the attacks against security forces had taken place.

He warned that anyone who refuse to hand over arms to the state authorities will face a "firm and uncompromising response."

Armed groups linked to the former regime remain active in several towns and villages in the mountainous coastal region.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The state-run Syrian News Agency SANA said in response to the escalating violence, authorities in the coastal provinces of Tartus and Latakia have extended an ongoing curfew until Saturday morning.

A power outage on Friday hit most parts of the Latakia province due to sabotage attacks unleashed by al-Assad's loyalists, according to SANA.

Syria's new leadership has been endeavouring to re-establish security in the country ruined by civil war that broke out following a 2011 pro-democracy uprising against al-Assad's rule.

Syrian army forces head to the villages of the Latakia countryside and the Syrian coast with heavy weapons to fight against the fighters linked to Syria's ousted leader Bashar al-Assad. Around three months after the overthrow of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad, heavy clashes have erupted in Syria between his supporters and fighters from the transitional government. Moawia Atrash/dpa
Hundreds of civilians from Syria's Alawite religious minority have been killed in cold blood as the country is roiled by its worst violence since the overthrow of long-time dictator Bashar al-Assad around three months ago, a monitor reported on Saturday.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has documented the deaths of 88 more citizen, bringing total of those killed in executtions to 428 since the outbreak of attacks against security and military forces on Thursday.

The observatory's head, Rami Abdel-Rahman, expected the toll to exceed 1,000 and called on Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who led the ouster of al-Assad, to intervene to stop what he described as "massacres and displacement" of the Alawites.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The monitor reported atrocities against civilians in several parts of the region, including 60 executions by firing squads in the Mediterranean city of Baniyas.

"The young men were liquidated in a way not different from the operations carried out by the security forces of the former [al-Assad] regime, in a collective act of revenge," added the UK-based monitor that relies on a network of activists inside Syria.

One resident in Baniyas said fear and terror were rife, especially among the Alawites. There are many transgressions and killings based on sectarian affiliation. There are also thefts," he told dpa on condition of anonymity for security fears.

Clashes erupted on Thursday in Syria's coastal region after transitional government forces were targeted in a string of attacks and ambushes blamed on al-Assad's armed supporters.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Gripped by fears of more massacres as security forces search for insurgents, many Alawite families have left their villages in the coastal region seeking safer places, the observatory said.

The fighting has left more than 200 people dead on both combatant sides, in the war-torn country's deadliest violence since al-Assad's overthrow in December, the monitor reported on Saturday.

The death toll over the past two days has resulted in 93 deaths among government forces and 120 among the armed attackers, it added.

Street clashes are ongoing in the coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus.

Latakia is a stronghold of the Alawite sect to which al-Assad belongs.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Al-Sharaa, who commanded the Islamist-led rebel alliance that toppled al-Assad, vowed Friday that anyone who commits abuses against civilians will be severely punished.

Still, he did not mention reports of civilian executions.

Syrian state news agency SANA, citing a defence source, reported on Saturday that an emergency committee had now been formed to refer violators of the military command's orders to the military court.

Authorities have closed the roads leading to the coastal region to "control violations, prevent transgressions, and gradually restore stability to the area," the source said, without elaborating.

Since al-Assad's overthrow, Syria's new leadership has been pushing for the lifting of sanctions imposed during his rule and trying to re-establish security in the country ruined by a long civil war.
More than 1,000 people, among them more than 745 civilians, have died in massacres and fighting that has gripped Syrian coastal areas since Thursday, Rami Abdel-Rahman, the head of a Syrian monitoring group, told dpa on Saturday.

The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), which has been documenting violence in Syria since 2011, spoke of massacres in more than 20 locations in the Latakia, Tartus and Hama governorates.

Abdel Rahman said among those killed were 125 members of the General Security Directorate, the Ministry of Defence, and allied forces.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He added that 148 fighters from the remnants of the former regime and their loyalists from the coastal region were also killed.

Activists and witnesses described the situation as "tense and deteriorating by the minute," in Syrias coastal regions, with widespread power and water outages affecting rural Latakia.

The disruptions have also led to communication blackouts in several areas, further isolating residents.

The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported a complete power outage in Latakia province following damage caused by attacks from remnants of the former regime of Bashar al-Assad.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

SANA, citing the media office at the Ministry of Electricity, said the total power outage on Saturday evening was caused by damage sustained by the 230 kV high-voltage transmission line and parts of the electrical infrastructure following the attack, which it said was part of the former regime's terrorist operations in the region.

Specialized teams are currently assessing the damage to substations and transmission lines before starting repair operations, the ministry told SANA.

It said efforts are underway to restore power gradually and as quickly as possible, despite the complex security challenges in the area.

The Observatory said that amid the worsening crisis, bakeries have ceased bread production and supermarkets have stayed closed, making it increasingly difficult for families to secure basic food necessities.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to Abdel-Rahman, the Latakia Governorate recorded the highest number of victims.

He said the Syrian coastal region and the mountains of Latakia have witnessed tragic events, with sectarian and regionally motivated executions claiming the lives of hundreds of civilians, including women and children.

SOHR said young men were executed in ways reminiscent of the brutal operations previously carried out by security forces under the regime of Basher al-Assad, in what appeared to be an act of collective retaliation.

The forces under Syria's now interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa deposed Assad some three months ago.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On Saturday afternoon, Syrian government forces entered the city of Qardaha, located in Latakia province, following 48 hours of intense clashes with remnants of the former regime.

"After 48 hours of fighting against remnants of the former regime, our forces have taken control of the city and have begun extensive search operations," sources close to the close to the General Security Directorate told dpa.

Qardaha holds great symbolic significance for loyalists of the former regime, as it is the birthplace of the al-Assad family, which ruled Syria for over 54 years.

Earlier in the day, government forces fully secured Jableh, a key stronghold of the former regime in the coastal region. With control over the most significant cities in the Syrian coastal area, government forces are now advancing toward rural areas in Tartus, Latakia, and Hama provinces.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Syrian military command has declared a state of high alert and maximum readiness across all military forces amid escalating security and battlefield tensions in multiple areas.

According to informed sources, all military units have received orders to be on immediate standby and to respond based on developments on the ground.

One resident in Baniyas said fear and terror were rife, especially among the Alawites. There are many transgressions and killings based on sectarian affiliation. There are also thefts," he told dpa on condition of anonymity due to fear for his safety.

Clashes erupted on Thursday in Syria's coastal region after transitional government forces were targeted in a string of attacks and ambushes blamed on al-Assad's armed supporters.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Gripped by fears of more massacres as security forces search for insurgents, many Alawite families have left their villages in the coastal region seeking safer places, the observatory said.

Syrian state news agency SANA, citing a defence source, reported on Saturday that an emergency committee had now been formed to refer violators of the military command's orders to the military court.

Inside the capital Damascus, residents told dpa, there was heavy deployment of security personnel and security checkpoints were scattered all over the city.

Authorities have also closed the roads leading to the coastal region to "control violations, prevent transgressions, and gradually restore stability to the area," the source said, without elaborating.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Since al-Assad's overthrow, Syria's new leadership has been pushing for the lifting of sanctions imposed during his rule and trying to re-establish security in the country ruined by a long civil war.

Syrian army forces prepare a missile to fight against the fighters linked to Syria's ousted leader Bashar al-Assad. Around three months after the overthrow of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad, heavy clashes have erupted in Syria between his supporters and fighters from the transitional government. Moawia Atrash/dpa
Fighting in Syria between government forces and insurgents loyal to deposed president Bashar al-Assad has left more than 200 people dead on both sides, in the war-torn country's deadliest violence in months, a monitoring group reported Saturday.

Clashes erupted on Thursday in Syria's coastal area after a string of attacks and ambushes - blamed on al-Assad's armed supporters - targeted transitional government forces.

The death toll from the fighting over two days has resulted in 93 deaths among government forces and 120 among the armed attackers, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Saturday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The fatalities could further rise, according to the UK-based monitor that relies on a network of activists inside Syria.

Street clashes are ongoing in the coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus.

Fighting near two hospitals in Latakia, the capital city of the province of the same name, left casualties on both sides, the observatory said.

Latakia province is a stronghold of the minority Alawite sect to which al-Assad belongs.

Dozens of Alawites have been reportedly executed amid the clashes, the worst since al-Assad's ouster in December.

The observatory reported Friday that some 160 civilians, including women and children, had been killed in Syria's coastal area.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Most such deaths resulted from executions carried out by the government security forces, it added.

Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who commanded an Islamist-led rebel alliance that toppled al-Assad, vowed that anyone who commits abuses against civilians will be severely punished.

Still, he did not mention reports of civilian executions.

Since al-Assad's overthrow, Syria's new leadership has been pushing for the lifting of sanctions imposed during his rule and trying to re-establish security in the country ruined by a long civil war.
More than 700 people, including more than 500 civilians have died in massacres and fighting in the new escalation in Syrian coastal areas, Rami Abdel-Rahman, the head of a Syrian monitoring group, told dpa on Saturday.

The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), which has been documenting violence in Syria since 2011, spoke of massacres in more than 20 locations in the Latakia, Tartus and Hama governorates.

Abdel-Rahman said the Latakia Governorate recorded the highest number of victims.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He said the Syrian coastal region and the mountains of Latakia have witnessed tragic events, with sectarian and regionally motivated executions claiming the lives of hundreds of civilians, including women and children.

SOHR said young men were executed in ways reminiscent of the brutal operations previously carried out by security forces under the regime of Basher al-Assad, in what appeared to be an act of collective retaliation.

The forces under Syria's now interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa deposed Assad some three months ago.

On Saturday afternoon, Syrian government forces entered the city of Qardaha, located in Latakia province, following 48 hours of intense clashes with remnants of the former regime.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"After 48 hours of fighting against remnants of the former regime, our forces have taken control of the city and have begun extensive search operations," sources close to the close to the General Security Directorate told dpa.

Qardaha holds great symbolic significance for loyalists of the former regime, as it is the birthplace of the al-Assad family, which ruled Syria for over 54 years.

Earlier in the day, government forces fully secured Jableh, a key stronghold of the former regime in the coastal region. With control over the most significant cities in the Syrian coastal area, government forces are now advancing toward rural areas in Tartus, Latakia, and Hama provinces.

The Syrian military command has declared a state of high alert and maximum readiness across all military forces amid escalating security and battlefield tensions in multiple areas.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to informed sources, all military units have received orders to be on immediate standby and to respond based on developments on the ground.

Earlier SOHR said the total of those killed in executions had reached 428 since the outbreak of attacks against security and military forces on Thursday.

Abdel-Rahman expected the toll to exceed 1,000 and called on Syria's interim President al-Sharaa to intervene to stop what he described as "massacres and displacement" of the Alawites.

"The young men were liquidated in a way not different from the operations carried out by the security forces of the former [al-Assad] regime, in a collective act of revenge," added the monitor that relies on a network of activists inside Syria.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

One resident in Baniyas said fear and terror were rife, especially among the Alawites. There are many transgressions and killings based on sectarian affiliation. There are also thefts," he told dpa on condition of anonymity due to fear for his safety.

Clashes erupted on Thursday in Syria's coastal region after transitional government forces were targeted in a string of attacks and ambushes blamed on al-Assad's armed supporters.

Gripped by fears of more massacres as security forces search for insurgents, many Alawite families have left their villages in the coastal region seeking safer places, the observatory said.

Syrian state news agency SANA, citing a defence source, reported on Saturday that an emergency committee had now been formed to refer violators of the military command's orders to the military court.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Authorities have closed the roads leading to the coastal region to "control violations, prevent transgressions, and gradually restore stability to the area," the source said, without elaborating.

Since al-Assad's overthrow, Syria's new leadership has been pushing for the lifting of sanctions imposed during his rule and trying to re-establish security in the country ruined by a long civil war.

Syrian army forces prepare a missile to fight against the fighters linked to Syria's ousted leader Bashar al-Assad. Around three months after the overthrow of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad, heavy clashes have erupted in Syria between his supporters and fighters from the transitional government. Moawia Atrash/dpa
Students are led to their classroom by a teacher at Yung Wing School P.S. 124 on March 7, 2022, in New York City. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)

In only 24 hours, more than 3,000 Pennsylvanians studying to become educators applied for a stipend of up to $15,000 to fund their required semester of in-classroom training. But unless lawmakers act, many will not receive them  essentially meaning they will work for free.

Student teacher stipends are life-changing for the aspiring educators who receive them, Aaron Chapin, President of the states largest teachers union, the Pennsylvania State Education Association, said in a statement. Over the past year, I have met student teachers who are sole providers for their families and could never have completed their student teaching without the financial security that comes with receiving a stipend.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The student teacher stipend program, aimed at increasing the number of educators in the commonwealth, began last year with $10 million in funding. While thousands applied, only hundreds were able to receive funding. Later, during budget negotiations, the program received an additional $20 million, though it was still not enough to cover many applicants.

This year, Gov. Josh Shapiro is proposing $40 million for stipend funding. Lawmakers, however, will have to agree to the figure during budget negotiations.

The Pennsylvania State Education Association says to fully fund the program and provide stipends for all eligible student teachers, the state will need to provide at least $50 million. Thats based on the roughly 4,000 applicants who applied for the 2024-2025 school year.

Applications are still open on the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agencys website. The funding will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis to qualifying, full-time student teachers who are enrolled in an approved program and maintain a grade point average of at least 3.0.

Though its unclear whether lawmakers will appropriate enough money to fund additional applicants, the teachers union is still encouraging prospective student-teachers to apply.
(Reuters) - Syrian security forces and affiliated gunmen killed more than 340 civilians, the vast majority of them from the Alawite minority, over the last two days, Rami Abdulrahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told Reuters on Saturday.

Syrian state media on Thursday cited an interior ministry source as saying "individual violations" had occurred during a government operation to crack down on militants linked to the ousted Assad regime and said it was working to address the incidents.

Reuters could not independently verify the reports.

(Reporting by Timour Azhari; Editing by Sharon Singleton)
March 8 (UPI) -- Federal workers with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are being offered buyouts from the agency as part of President Donald Trump's efforts to reduce the government workforce.

The HHS buyouts are termed Voluntary Incentive Payments and range up to $25,000, Bloomberg reported, citing an internal email to employees from the Office of Personnel Management.

Employees can accept the offer during a window that opens Monday and closes Friday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The offer is being extended to a "broad population of HHS employees," according to Bloomberg.

Employees must be at least 50 years old with a minimum of 20 years service time to be eligible, according to the report. Employees of any age with 25 years or more service time are also eligible.

The HHS buyouts are termed Voluntary Incentive Payments and range up to $25,000, Bloomberg reported, citing an internal email to employees from the Office of Personnel Management. File Photo by Annabelle Gordon/UPI

In February, the Office of Personnel Management offered buyouts of eight months of pay and benefits. Roughly 3.3% of the federal workforce, 75,000 employees, had taken the deal.

Trump is making a major push to shrink the number of federal employees. The Department of Government Efficiency or DOGE, headed by Elon Musk, has been tasked with eliminating what the Trump administration views as excess.

President Donald Trump is making a major push to shrink the number of federal employees. File Photo by Chris Kleponis/UPI

In late February, federal employees began receiving weekly emails instructing them to list their accomplishments in the past week. Those emails come from the same Office of Personnel Management as the HHS buyout offers.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Federal agencies have fired thousands of employees since Trump was inaugurated in January.

The Department of Government Efficiency or DOGE, headed by Elon Musk, has been tasked with eliminating what the Trump administration views as excess. Photo by Leigh Vogel/UPI

Earlier this week, 120 employees previously put on probation from their jobs with the Department of Labor were reinstated, Bloomberg Law reported.

"It's our understanding that this decision affects about 120 employees, most of whom had been placed on administrative leave," American Federation of Government Employees spokesman Tim Kauffman told Bloomberg in an interview.

This week, Trump also publicly told Musk to use a "scalpel" rather than "hatchet" when it comes to future federal cuts.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On Friday, attorneys general from Washington, D.C. and 19 states filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration seeking to reinstate federal employees that were fired or placed on probation.

A group of 20 attorneys general filed suit against the Trump administration over its firing of federal workers.

Attorneys general sought a court order Thursday that would reinstate terminated probationary employees, who were either
The U.S. National Parks system saw a surge of visitors in 2024, marking its biggest year yet and besting a record previously set in 2016. That was great news for many parks, including the newly crowned most-visited park in the country. But the perennial favorite that fell down to second place did so for a tragic reason.

The Blue Ridge Parkway, which spans parts of Virginia and North Carolina, is almost always the most-visited National Parks Service site in the United States. This year, it was dethroned by Golden Gate National Recreation Area in California, which saw a nearly 15 percent surge in visitors this year, reaching 17.18 million total.

While that was great news for Golden Gate, the Blue Ridge Parkway saw its visitor numbers decline slightly from 2023. Portions of the iconic roadway were badly damaged when the remnants of Hurricane Helene smashed into the Appalachian Mountains back in September.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

While much of it was up and running soon after, some spans remained closed for months, with repair work still ongoing in certain areas. As such, visitors missed out on prime autumn leaf peeping season, leaving it at a disadvantage when it came time to calculate year-end visitor numbers.

Hopefully, 2025 will bring renewed interest in the parkway as it comes back to life following the devastating tragedy.

Check out the full list of top National Parks Service sites for 2024 below:
A 21-year-old woman who drowned her baby in a Bloomington hotel bathtub before throwing his body in a dumpster has been sentenced to over 30 years in prison.

Esperanza Harding has been sentenced to 32 years (384 months) in prison after she was convicted on one count of 2nd-degree intentional murder in the death of eight-month-old Mateo Harding.

The sentence is an upward departure from the presumptive sentence under the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines, according to the Hennepin County Attorney's Office. Harding previously entered a guilty plea on Dec. 20, 2024.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Harding has 366 days of credit for time served.

Harding's co-defendant in the case, 19-year-old Edwin Trudeau, also entered a guilty plea to aiding an offender, accomplice after the fact on Feb. 24. He's scheduled to be sentenced in early May.

After initially claiming to police that her child died at Children's Hospital in Minneapolis, Harding later admitted the baby died at the hotel on Feb. 28, 2024, according to a criminal complaint.

In a subsequent interview with Bloomington police, Harding said she was dating Trudeau, "who did not like her child" and wanted her to give him up for adoption.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

After she had drowned the child, she texted Trudeau, describing herself as "a monster for what she had done" and asking him "how to get away with it."

Esperanza Harding.Hennepin County Jail

Per the court documents, Harding told investigators that she packed the body in a backpack and threw him into a dumpster in the hotel parking lot.

"My thoughts are with Mateos family today," Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said.

"This was a heartbreaking case and while Ms. Harding is being held accountable, it does not return Mateo to his family or offer him the life he should have had the chance to live."
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  Police say a man who had been driving a stolen vehicle for months was arrested Thursday after officers spotted a fake Mississippi tag.

Police said they tried to pull over the driver of the 2020 Nissan Maxima at Raleigh LaGrange and Rock Ridge Roads, but he turned into a nearby neighborhood.

According to police, the driver, later identified as Christopher Miller, 33, also let out a passenger and continued driving.

Christopher Miller (SCSO)

Police said the passenger immediately stopped for them and showed them a Facebook picture of Miller. They said the passenger told them Miller had just picked him up from his home.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Miller was located about two blocks away and was taken into custody. He was charged with theft of up to $10,000.

MPD said the Maxima was reported stolen in Memphis in October. The value of the car is $8,600.

Miller is being held on a $20,000 bond and has a court date 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 WREG.com.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  The trade war between President Donald Trump and Canada is reaching into Michigan after Ontario announced it would impose a tariff on Canadian-produced electricity flowing into the state.

But what, if anything, would this do to electric bills in Michigan?

The chairman of the Michigan agency that regulates public utilities in the state, including electrical power, told News 8 that customers of the bigger utilities, Consumers Energy and DTE Energy, should notice little, if any, difference in their electric bills.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Most of the electricity we consume is actually generated and dispatched under firm contracts in Michigan, and so I dont think that there would be direct increases, but there could be some indirect increases, MPSC Chairman Dan Scripps said.

Ontario will tariff electricity going to Michigan, 2 other states

The MPSC said tariffs could lead to higher prices for customers of smaller electrical utilities in Michigan that depend more on the wholesale market.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has said the states of New York, Minnesota and Michigan would face 25% tariffs on electricity that flows from that province. He said the tariffs would be implemented on Monday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Trump originally imposed 25% tariffs on most imports from Canada and Mexico Tuesday, but Thursday put them on pause for a month.

The MPSC chairman said most of the electricity that flows from Canada through Michigan isnt used here  its not actually keeping your lights on.

Theres very little that actually gets purchased in the state of Michigan, even though theres a fair amount that flows through the state, Scripps said.

Trump threatens tariffs on Canadian dairy, lumber products as soon as Friday

He said its part of the bigger electrical grid, flowing south through Michigan, into Ohio and back into Canada, known as the Lake Erie Loop Flow. If Canada were to actually cut off its supply of electricity, it could hurt the power grid, Scripps said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

If theres an actual disruption  and Ive seen those threats as well, that they would sever electricity ties with Michigan and other points of connection in the U.S.  that, I think, would take away a layer of redundancy, making us a little bit more vulnerable, and that can have a big impact, Scripps said.

Its not just if they stop, the lights go out in Michigan, he continued. Its really about overall grid resilience and an extra layer of security that would be taken away.

A disruption could increase the risk of power outages, he said.

In August 2003, the Lake Erie Loop Flow was disrupted in North Americas largest blackout, stretching from southeast Michigan through Ontario, northern Ohio and east into New York City. It left 50 million people in the dark.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Even though its unlikely, the consequences could be significant and we would rather avoid that if we can in any way, Scripps 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 WOODTV.com.
This is a KFF Health News story.

Researchers racing to develop bird flu vaccines for humans have turned to a cutting-edge technology that enabled the rapid development of lifesaving COVID shots.

There's a catch: The mRNA technology faces growing doubts among Republicans, including people around President Donald Trump.

Legislation aimed to ban or limit mRNA vaccines was introduced this year by GOP lawmakers in at least seven states. In some cases, the measures would hit doctors who give the injections with criminal penalties, fines, and possible revocation of their licenses.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Some congressional Republicans are also pressing regulators to revoke federal approval for mRNA-based COVID shots, which President Donald Trump touted as one of the signature achievements of his first term.

MORE: Moderna awarded $590M to help accelerate development of mRNA-based bird flu vaccine: HHS

The opposition comes at a critical juncture because vaccines using mRNA have applications well beyond avian flu and COVID. They hold the promise of lifesaving breakthroughs to treat many diseases, from melanoma to HIV to Zika, according to clinical trials. The proposed bans could block access to these advances.

MRNA is found naturally in human cells. It is a molecule that carries genetic material and, in a vaccine, trains the body's immune system to fight viruses, cancer cells and other conditions. An advantage of mRNA technology is that it can be developed more quickly to target specific variants and is safer than developing a vaccine made from inactivated virus.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Right now, if we had a bird flu pandemic, we would have a shortage of the vaccine we need," said Michael Osterholm, director of the University of Minnesota's Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy. "The one thing that could save us is mRNA vaccine. The challenge would be if mRNA is banned. This is truly dangerous policy."

PHOTO: A vile of a COVID-19 vaccine made by Pfizer is held up at a CVS Pharmacy in Eagle Rock, Calif., Sept. 14, 2023. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

The pushback conflicts with innovations championed by Trump. He assembled tech tycoons at the White House just after his inauguration to announce Stargate, a $500 billion artificial intelligence initiative that could help transform cancer treatment by creating tumor-targeting mRNA vaccines. The fledging partnership between Oracle, SoftBank Corp. and OpenAI, co-founded by Elon Musk, envisions leveraging AI in part to improve health outcomes. Patients would undergo blood tests and AI would be used to find cancer.

Scientists would examine the DNA and RNA (RNA and mRNA serve different functions in a cell) of a specific patient's tumor to create a vaccine to teach that person's immune system to target and destroy cells driving cancer growth.

"Imagine early cancer detection, the development of a cancer vaccine for your particular cancer aimed at you, and have that vaccine available in 48 hours," Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison said at the White House event.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Scores of mRNA clinical trials for cancer vaccines are underway and some have shown dramatic results, cutting the risk of death and recurrence roughly in half for certain patients. In research led by the Yale School of Medicine, for example, patients with advanced kidney cancer remained cancer-free about three years after an mRNA-based treatment in an early-phase trial.

But some politically conservative doctors, lawmakers, and researchers question the safety of mRNA vaccines, especially COVID shots made with the technology. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. unsuccessfully petitioned the FDA in 2021 to rescind approval for COVID shots and called them "the deadliest vaccine ever made" -- a controversial statement that has been refuted.

Now that he's newly confirmed as Health and Human Services Secretary, Kennedy is poised to oversee federal approvals of vaccines, with the power to shape policy such as immunization schedules and appoint vaccine opponents to committees that advise on the approval of shots.

MORE: Personal vaccine may reduce risk of pancreatic cancer returning after surgery, small study finds

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Bloomberg reported late last month that Trump administration health officials were reevaluating a $590 million contract for bird flu shots that the Biden administration awarded to Moderna as part of its push to examine spending on mRNA vaccines.

HHS and White House spokespeople didn't return emails seeking comment.

Support for an mRNA ban is coming from other sources too. In February, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., said on X that the "FDA should immediately revoke approval of these shots," and Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) is leading an investigation into the safety of the vaccines. Trump in February signed an order to strip federal funds from schools that require covid shots for attendance.

Vaccine skepticism has become pronounced among Republicans since the pandemic. Four in 10 Republicans who responded to a KFF poll published in January said it was "probably" or "definitely true" that "more people have died from covid-19 vaccines than from the virus itself." Just a quarter of Republicans reported holding that view in 2023.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The effort is also finding traction at the local level. A district health department outside Boise, Idaho, last year banned its health department from administering COVID-19 vaccines, and local lawmakers in Franklin County, Washington, passed a resolution in February against mRNA vaccines.

The ABCs of mRNA

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends COVID vaccines for anyone 6 months and older, especially seniors and people who are immunocompromised. About 29 million doses had been administered to adults in the 2024-25 season in retail pharmacies and doctors' offices through Feb. 8, based on federal data.

Given as a shot, mRNA enters muscle cells and teaches them to produce a spike protein found on the surface of a virus. The body's immune system then targets the spike protein, priming it to identify and fight the virus -- in this case, the coronavirus that causes COVID. The body's cells then break down the mRNA and remove it, according to federal health researchers.

PHOTO: President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Mar. 6, 2025. (Al Drago/Pool/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)

More than 13 billion covid vaccines had been administered worldwide as of August 2024.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Researchers say the vaccinations saved countless lives -- estimates for the first year alone go as high as 19.8 million -- in the throes of a pandemic that had hospitals ordering refrigerated mobile morgues and deliberating over which patients to put on ventilators. Two University of Pennsylvania scientists credited with developing the mRNA technology behind the shots were awarded the Nobel Prize for medicine in 2023.

The FDA says the COVID vaccines are safe, with fewer than one in 200,000 vaccinated individuals experiencing a severe allergic reaction or heart problems like myocarditis or pericarditis, and the agency notes that "inaccurate information about these vaccines, particularly the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, continues to circulate."

While many people hadn't heard of the mRNA platform until the COVID shots were rolled out, it was discovered in the 1960s. The first mRNA flu vaccines were tested in mice in the 1990s. A clinical trial involving direct injection of mRNA to fight cancer occurred in 2008. Clinical trials involving the COVID mRNA vaccines involved tens of thousands of volunteers.

Reviews of mortality data showed "no unusual patterns of death were detected that might suggest a potential safety concern," based on a September 2024 report by a technical working group that provided guidance to the CDC.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But those calling for a ban on all mRNA vaccines say there is a dearth of long-term safety data, and they say covid vaccines by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna were hastily approved without proper vetting. They assert without strong evidence that the vaccines cause serious injuries to the heart, nerves and immune and reproductive systems, and can lead to cancer.

The vaccine has been linked to rare cases of heart inflammation and inflammation of the sac surrounding the heart, although the severity has varied and most patients fully recovered, the CDC says.

"The allegations are beyond reason," said Anne Schuchat, a career scientist who worked on COVID and who twice served stints as acting director of the CDC. "The mRNA COVID vaccines were extensively studied after use and do not have those problems."

MORE: New initiative launched by WHO to develop mRNA bird flu vaccines

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"I'm concerned about the whole mRNA technology. I don't trust anything that fools the body," said Stephanie Seneff, a computer scientist and anti-vaccine activist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "I'm really glad people are waking up and realizing it's not the thing to do anymore."

Vaccines generally work by tricking the body into producing antibodies to fight illnesses.

Pfizer spokespeople didn't return an email seeking comment. A Moderna spokesperson, Chris Ridley, said legislative efforts to ban or restrict mRNA medicines are largely driven by misunderstandings about their safety profile and mechanism of action. While mRNA-based shots do not modify DNA, for example, that misconception is frequently cited in support of restrictions, Ridley said.

"If enacted, these measures could hinder important research and limit patient access to innovative treatments, potentially delaying life-changing medical advancements," Ridley said in a written statement.

Networks of Opposition

Groups opposed to the mRNA technology have built a vast and well-funded legal, marketing, and social media network. Members hold conferences to discuss strategies, fund lawsuits against vaccine mandates, and produce reports on the covid vaccines.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As for state legislative efforts, measures introduced this year have varied and their progress has been mixed. Montana's measure, for instance, was blocked. Idaho lawmakers in February held a hearing on its bill, which calls for a 10-year moratorium on mRNA vaccines. Idaho's proposal, likely to be amended, as well as Iowa's and Montana's have featured criminal penalties for providers who administer all or certain mRNA vaccines. In addition, some state bills, such as legislation in Pennsylvania and Tennessee, focused on the use of the vaccine in livestock and food production.

Various bills are pending in the Texas Legislature to restrict mRNA vaccines in both livestock and humans. South Carolina's pending bill would require anyone administering certain COVID mRNA vaccines to inform patients that the shot is contaminated with fragments of "bacterial plasmid DNA."

PHOTO: Ken Paxton, Texas Attorney General, speaks with the media at the U.S.Supreme Court, February 26, 2024, in Washington. (The Washington Post via Getty Images)

COVID mRNA shots may have minute amounts of residual DNA from production processes but they are heavily degraded and pose no risk, according to the Global Vaccine Data Network, which evaluates vaccine safety concerns.

Speakers at some legislative proceedings have included representatives from Children's Health Defense, an activist, anti-vaccine group founded by Kennedy.

The Florida surgeon general in January called for a halt in the use of covid mRNA vaccines. And in Texas, Attorney General Ken Paxton in January moved to appeal a lawsuit he filed claiming Pfizer misrepresented the safety of its mRNA shot.

Efforts to restrict the shots have raised the profile of groups such as the Independent Medical Alliance, which advocates for mRNA-based COVID vaccines to be withdrawn from the market.

"We should stop it and test it more before we move forward," said pediatric cardiologist Kirk Milhoan, a senior fellow at the alliance.

MORE: What to know about the next generation of COVID-19 vaccines

Groups opposed to mRNA shots are pointing to a recent study to urge more caution. Yale University researchers reported in February that they found spike protein still circulating in a subset of individuals with a debilitating, post-vaccination condition. Some of the individuals who experienced chronic illness after getting the shots had detectable levels of spike protein more than 700 days after vaccination. This study was small -- 42 participants -- and not peer-reviewed.

Its findings also don't show the spike protein is a health risk or a cause of vaccine injury.

"It's an initial, provocative study in which you can't draw conclusions," said William Schaffner, past medical director of National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. "This is one of the most widely used vaccines around the globe. It's the furthest thing from an experimental vaccine."

But what this growing pushback shows, according to some researchers, is that distrust isn't coming only from fringe groups anymore.

"There are truly amazing mRNA cancer vaccines out there," said Kate Broderick, chief innovation officer at Maravai LifeSciences, which works on vaccine development. "My fear as a scientist is that it's been tainted in the public."

MRNA vaccines now face attacks from some in the GOP originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP)  A restaurant in Holyoke held a fundraiser on Saturday for the upcoming St. Patricks Parade.

Mrs. Mitchells Public House hosted a fundraiser in collaboration with the St. Patricks Committee of Holyoke, donating 20% of all food orders to the upcoming parade.

Who won Holyokes Battle of the Bars?

Families sat down for pancakes and bacon, all to support one of the citys largest events. 22News spoke with the President of the Parade Committee, who told us how much the restaurant has supported the cause.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Orla has been a supportor of our crew for many, many years, said Parade Committee President John Beaulieu. With the breakfast she does during Road Race weekend, parade weekend. We really, really appreciate her and her family for stepping up and doing this.

Orla Mitchell opened this location just one year ago, serving Irish classics Tuesday through Sunday.

One of the members of this years Colleen Court described what it meant to bring the community together just before the parade.

It definitely is a very exciting time and its great to see so many familiar faces come out and support this one fundraiser for the Parade Committee, said Abigail Huebner of the Colleen Court. And just being a part of it is so great, seeing everybody here.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In just two weeks, 400,000 people will line the city streets to watch floats roll down the streets of Holyoke. While the parade is the main attraction, Holyoke Colleen Court member Erin ODonnell said theres something else to cherish about March 23.

I think its really more of the experience of going to the parade than it is watching the actual parade, ODonnell said. Its just fun to come together as a city and celebrate our Irish culture.

For those who wont be attending in person, you will be able to watch full coverage of this years Holyoke St. Patricks Parade here on 22News.

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.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  A coalition of 38 state attorneys general and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) have submitted a revised final proposal for a solution for what they call Googles illegal monopoly over internet search engines.

According to Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, who leads the multistate coalition with Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, they have proposed a final package of remedies that will restore competition to the benefit of consumers nationwide. The proposal is a revision of a previously submitted final judgment from November, according to Skrmettis office.

The coalition has worked closely with the DOJ to offer what the enforcers believe is a comprehensive, legally sound proposal that promises to tear down barriers to entry and invite renewed innovation and consumer benefits in the monopolized markets, according to a release from Skrmettis office.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

TN lawmaker files bill to require DNA collection for all felony arrests

We proved Google violated antitrust law in an epic federal trial, Skrmetti said. Now its time to solve the problem. Todays proposed final remedies package holds Google accountable for its search monopoly and protects consumers by promoting competition.

The package of remedies includes a ban on all search-related payments to distribution partners, including Apple and Android partners. Google would also be required to divest Chrome, with the possible divestiture of Android if the initial set of remedies prove less effective than anticipated or if Google fails to comply with the decree.

The state plaintiffs would further be entitled to preliminarily review Googles future financial interests in online search and generative AI competitors for a limited period of time to ensure Google cannot use the same monopolistic playbook with new technologies, according to Skrmettis office.

 Read todays top stories on wkrn.com

Finally, the decree would deny Google of its continuing exclusive control of ill-gotten gains by requiring the company to share targeted portions of its search index, user, and ads data with its competitors for a limited period of time. The revised proposal takes a more refined approach to the sharing of these types of data, accounting for important privacy considerations, according to the release.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A hearing on the proposed remedies is currently scheduled to begin April 21 and conclude by May 9, according to Skrmettis office.

The full proposed list of remedies can be viewed online 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 WKRN News 2.
ERWIN, Tenn. (WJHL)Paige Capo, a company that has been manufacturing capos in Michigan for over 35 years, has relocated to Erwin.

Capos are small devices that clip on stringed instruments like guitars, banjos and mandolins to hold down the strings and change their pitch.

JP Metcalf, owner and president of Metcalf Professional Services, recruited Paige Capo to Erwin.

Bays Mountain, Brickyard aiming to make parks more inclusive

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I was introduced to this family at the end of last year, right about the time Helene came through, Metcalf said. And we were discussing possibilities to assist their company at the time. And so I just invited them here, and we toured the area, looked at the buildings, a couple of buildings for local locations, and over time, we developed a relationship, and they decided this was where they wanted to do business.

Metcalf said this music company is well-suited for the region.

This product is used on stages such as the Super Bowl, CMA Awards, Grand Ole Opry and theres theres several others. So this area is a perfect fit for that, where we have the Birthplace of Country Music. We have all the music programs at ETSU, we have the Unicoi County High School Bluegrass Program.

Paige Capo became operational in Erwin on March 3 and already has four employees. Metcalf said some employees had lost their jobs due to Hurricane Helene.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Early on thats already a positive for the county. But we look to add many more jobs, again, depending on how well the business does. And the business model shows right now about 20 employees that we would expect to bring on.

Metcalf says having this unique company in Unicoi County helps recruit other businesses and people to the area.

Brian Paige, the founder of Paige Capos, and his family relocated to Unicoi County to run the business.

Hes known throughout all the music genres for this product, Metcalf said. Hes very popular in that, so its good to have him living here. Well start seeing him around Unicoi County very soon.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Amanda Delp, the Unicoi County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, believes having Paige Capo in Erwin is an exciting economic investment.

We are extremely appreciative of Mr. Metcalf and his unwavering commitment to Unicoi County and his dedication to industrial recruitment and job expansion here in Unicoi County, Delp said. He has worked diligently over the past several months and has been a champion of Unicoi County for a number of years, bringing jobs and growth to our community.

Delp said this sparks more industry for Unicoi County after Hurricane Helene.

This announcement is not just bringing jobs and employment to our community, but its bringing the hope and the recovery that we have needed for several months now. And this is beginning to write that new chapter for the town of Erwin and Unicoi County after the flooding.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Metcalf agrees and said hes telling others about how Unicoi County is trying to bounce back stronger.

The flood definitely is part of our past and in our history, but we dont want it to define our future, Metcalf said.

Metcalf told News Channel 11 that he is also working on recruiting a metal fabrication company for Unicoi County.

We have a lot of local manufacturers in the Tri-Cities who could use their services. So Im working right now to help them get contracts because thats not only going to be jobs, thats actually going to be some skilled labor and some good paying jobs.

To learn more about Paige Capo and their products, you can check their 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 WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Elon Musk squabbled during a Cabinet meeting at the White House on Thursday, sources told the New York Times. Duffy was reportedly frustrated that Musk and DOGE had tried to cut air traffic control employees. Duffy also rebuffed Musks claim that air traffic controllers were hired from DEI initiatives.

Elon Musk and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy reportedly had a testy exchange in a White House meeting Thursday about the conditions of the Federal Aviation Administrations equipment and its air traffic controllers, according to the New York Times.

Duffy said the DOGE team was trying to lay off air traffic controllers, and asked what he was supposed to do while dealing with multiple recent plane crashes.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In January, 67 people died after an American Airlines flight collided in midair with a military Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River near Washington, D.C. In February, an air ambulance crashed in Philadelphia shortly after takeoff, killing seven, and two small planes collided in midair over southern Arizona, killing two.

Musk called Duffys comments about layoffs a lie, sources told the Times. Duffy maintained his stance, saying he heard from the DOGE team directly.

Musk demanded the names of people who had been fired, prompting Duffy to fire back that there were no names because he blocked the terminations.

Duffy also rebuffed Musks claim that people hired from diversity, equity, and inclusion programs were working in control towers.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The interchange concluded with President Donald Trump telling Duffy that he needed to hire MIT graduates as air traffic controllers, saying they need to be geniuses, the report said.

The FAA, Transportation Department, and U.S. DOGE Service didnt immediately respond to requests for comment.

On Friday, Duffy posted on X applauding Trump and the DOGE team, saying that the Cabinet meeting was productive. DOGE is doing incredible work helping agencies identify inefficiencies as well as advising us as we work on the critical upgrades to our air traffic control system, he wrote.

Duffy added that the DEI Department at the FAA was eliminated on day 2.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency have raised the ire of other officials during their cost-cutting endeavor. In the same Cabinet meeting Thursday, Musk and Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly traded verbal blows about staffing.

Later in the meeting, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins said that Musks cuts will impact thousands of veterans. According to the Times, Collins emphasized that they should not make massive layoffs. Trump agreed, saying that the VA needs to keep the smart ones and get rid of the bad ones.

As President Trump has said, its important to increase efficiency and reduce bureaucracy while keeping in place the best and most productive federal employees, a VA spokesperson told Fortune in a statement. VA is working with DOGE and the rest of the administration to do just that.

The airing of grievances among the Cabinet members helped curb DOGEs cost-cutting spree. At the meeting, Trump said that DOGE and Musk will only advise, and that staffing decisions will be up to the secretaries.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The President's approach of a scalpel versus a hatchet and better coordination between Secretaries and DOGE is the right approach to revolutionizing the way our government is run, Duffy wrote on X.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Elon Musk engaged in a heated argument during a Cabinet meeting at the White House on Thursday, sources told the New York Times. Rubio was reportedly frustrated that Musk and DOGE slashed USAID, an agency Rubio oversaw.

In a meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House on Thursday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the worlds richest man Elon Musk exchanged verbal jabs at each other, the New York Times reported.

With Musks Department of Government Efficiency busy slashing the federal workforce in recent weeks, the billionaire told Rubio that he has not done enough with his own staff.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Musk said Rubio hasnt fired anybody, then quipped that the one person the Secretary of State fired was a DOGE staffer, sources told the Times.

Rubio had been privately furious with Musk for weeks, the report added, after DOGE effectively shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development, which was under Rubios oversight.

In the meeting, Rubio could no longer hold his tongue.

He pointed to the more than 1,500 State Department officials who opted for early retirement in buyouts, suggesting they counted as layoffs, then asked if Musk wanted to rehire those people to make a public demonstration of firing them again.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Rubio then went on to present his plans for reorganizing the State Department.

Musk took to the offense and belittled Rubio, telling him he was "good on TV," an implication that he isn't good at anything else, according to the Times.

President Donald Trump played bystander during the back-and-forth, then defended Rubio by saying he is doing a great job.

Trump went on to say that Rubio has a lot on his plate, as hes always traveling and on TV, adding that he has an agency to run, the report said. He concluded by emphasizing that everyone needs to work together.

Amid multiple federal lawsuits against the cost-cutting endeavor, Trump said that he supports DOGE, but that its time to take a more refined approach.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Trump said DOGE and Musk will only advise, and that staffing decisions will be up to the secretaries.

As President Trump said, this was a great and productive meeting amongst members of his team to discuss cost cutting measures and staffing across the federal government. Everyone is working as one team to help President Trump deliver on his promise to make our government more efficient, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fortune in a statement.

The U.S. DOGE Service and the State Department did not immediately respond to Fortunes request for comment.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
An Islamic centre that described Jews as arrogant and some women as shackles and vessels for children is facing an investigation by the charities watchdog.

The Charity Commission has opened an assessment of the Bedford Islamic Centres activities, after it received complaints it is abusing its charitable status by promoting extremism through its social media and organised events.

It could lead to a full investigation into claims it is promoting anti-Semitism and misogyny, with the charitys trustees facing questions over the way it is allowed to operate.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

One post on the Bedford Islamic Centre (BIC) Facebook page warns Muslims against pride and arrogance, which it says is the way of the Jews.

Another cites a translation of the Prophet approvingly as stating: May the curse of Allah be upon the Jews and the Christians, for they took the graves of their Prophets as places of worship.

A screenshot of a 2014 Facebook post warning followers of the arrogance of Jews

The charity has also been accused of misogyny after it published extracts of a sermon by an Islamic caliph on its Facebook page describing what he maintained are the three types of women, in contrast to the three types of men.

The first type of woman is the chaste, Muslim, gentle, loving and childbearing woman, the second a vessel, she does nothing more than bear children and the third, a shackle who Allah puts her around the neck of whomever he wills.

A screenshot of the sermon posted on the Bedford Islamic Centres Facebook page

The BIC has also been accused of promoting sermons by the controversial preacher Abu Usamah At-Thahabi on its YouTube channel.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In one sermon in which he appears to condemn the Governments counter-extremism programme Prevent, titled Under Surveillance, Mr Abu Usamah claims these people are trying to eradicate al-Islam, and says the policy of the UK is against us.

In 2023, a 2.2 million government grant to the Green Lane Masjid in Birmingham was suspended after the National Secular Society (NSS) raised concerns over sermons by preachers including Mr Abu Usamah, which appeared to express misogynistic, homophobic and antisemitic views.

Mr Abu Usamah has said his words have been cherry picked and taken out of context by critics of Islam.

Another post published on BICs Facebook account warns of the Dangers of Music, which it says is haram [forbidden by Islamic law]. The NSS says the charity appears to associate music with Shaytaan [satan]. A separate post advertises a weekly session on black magic and jinns [demons].

An advert for a weekly session on black magic and jinns [demons]

Last year, the Charity Commission began assessing complaints about another Islamic charity, East Birmingham Central Masjid, for promoting belief in black magic and ruqyah, an Islamic form of exorcism which has led to safety concerns.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In a separate case not related to the East Birmingham Central Masjid, Hossam Metwally, an anaesthetist, was jailed for 14 years in 2021 after leaving his partner Kelly Wilson in a coma when he injected her with drugs during a ruqyah ceremony.

The NSS, which campaigns for the removal of the advancement of religion as a charitable purpose, reported BIC to the Charity Commission on the grounds of its activities breaching the statutory requirement that charities operate for the public benefit and pose a risk of serious harm to beneficiaries, in particular vulnerable beneficiaries.

Completely farcical

Alejandro Sanchez, a spokesman for the NSS: The Bedford Islamic Centre openly espouses wanton antisemitism and misogyny. Any suggestion that it is acting in the public benefit is completely farcical.

At a time when social cohesion is already fraying, it is perverse that the public purse is subsidising BIC to sow division and hatred.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The advancement of religion as a charitable purpose is allowing faith groups to spew extremism with impunity. It must be urgently reviewed.

Charity Commission sources said: Charities must not allow their premises, events or online content to become forums for hate speech against any community. If such issues arise we will, within our regulatory remit, deal with them robustly.

A spokesperson for the charities watchdog said: Following concerns raised with us about Bedford Islamic Centre, we have opened a regulatory compliance case to gather more information. We will be engaging with trustees as part of this case.

BIC declined to comment when approached by The Telegraph.

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.
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP)  Israel said that it would send a delegation to Qatar on Monday in an effort to advance the negotiations around the ceasefire in Gaza, while Hamas reported positive signals in talks with Egyptian and Qatari mediators on starting negotiations on the truce's delayed second phase.

The statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office gave no details except to say it had accepted the invitation of U.S.-backed mediators. Hamas spokesman Abdel-Latif al-Qanoua also gave no details. Talks on the second phase should have started a month ago.

There was no immediate comment from the White House, which on Wednesday made the surprise confirmation of direct U.S. talks with Hamas.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Over the past week, Israel has pressed Hamas to release half of the remaining hostages in return for an extension of the first phase, which ended last weekend, and a promise to negotiate a lasting truce. Hamas is believed to have 24 living hostages and the bodies of 35 others.

Israel last weekend cut off all supplies to Gaza and its more than 2 million people as it pressed Hamas to agree. The militant group has said that the move would affect the remaining hostages as well.

The ceasefire has paused the deadliest and most destructive fighting ever between Israel and Hamas, sparked by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. The first phase allowed the return of 25 living hostages and the remains of eight others in exchange for the release of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

Israeli forces have withdrawn to buffer zones inside Gaza, hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians have returned to northern Gaza for the first time since early in the war and hundreds of trucks of aid entered per day until Israel suspended supplies.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Before their weekly rally in Tel Aviv, relatives of hostages appealed to U.S. President Donald Trump, who met with eight former hostages on Wednesday.

Mr. President, a return to war means a death sentence for the living hostages left behind. Please, sir, do not allow Netanyahu to sacrifice them.

Muslim countries reject moving Palestinians from Gaza

Also on Saturday, foreign ministers from Muslim nations rejected Trump's calls to empty the Gaza Strip of its Palestinian population and backed a plan for an administrative committee to govern the territory to allow reconstruction to proceed.

The foreign ministers gathered in Saudi Arabia for a special session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to address the situation in Gaza. The OIC has 57 nations with largely Muslim populations.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

They supported a plan to rebuild Gaza put forward by Egypt and backed by Arab states, including Saudi Arabia and Jordan.

Without mentioning Trump, the ministers' statement said that they rejected plans aimed at displacing the Palestinian people individually or collectively  as ethnic cleansing, a grave violation of international law and a crime against humanity.

They also condemned policies of starvation they said aim to push Palestinians to leave, a reference to Israel's cutting off all supplies to Gaza.

Trump has called for Gazas population to be resettled elsewhere permanently, so that the United States can take over the territory and develop it for others. Palestinians have rejected calls to leave.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The ministers at the OIC gathering supported a proposal that an administrative committee replace Hamas in governing Gaza. The committee would work under the umbrella of the Palestinian Authority, based in the occupied West Bank. Israel has rejected the PA having any role in Gaza, but hasn't put forward an alternative for postwar rule.

The foreign ministers of France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom said in a joint statement that they welcome the Arab initiative for a Gaza reconstruction plan, calling it "a realistic path. They added that Hamas must neither govern Gaza nor be a threat to Israel anymore, and they support the central role for the PA.

Early Saturday, an Israeli strike killed two Palestinians in the southernmost city of Rafah, the Health Ministry there said. The Israeli military said that it struck several men who appeared to be flying a drone that entered Israel.

Israels military offensive has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to Gazas Health Ministry, which doesn't say how many of the dead were militants.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Hamas attack in October 2023 killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, inside Israel and took 251 people hostage. Most have been released in ceasefire agreements or other arrangements. The militants also hold the remains of a soldier killed in the 2014 war.

___

Follow developments at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
Foreign ministers from Muslim nations on Saturday rejected calls by U.S. President Donald Trump to empty the Gaza Strip of its Palestinian population and backed a plan for an administrative committee of Palestinians to govern the territory to allow reconstruction to go ahead.

Meanwhile, Hamas reported "positive signals" in talks with Egyptian and Qatari mediators in Cairo on starting negotiations on the delayed second phase of its ceasefire deal with Israel. Spokesman Abdel-Latif al-Qanoua gave no details, but said the group is willing to start talks and its delegation has been discussing the means to do so.

The foreign ministers gathered in Saudi Arabia for a special session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to address the situation in Gaza while the 7-week-old ceasefire has been thrown into doubt. Its second phase is meant to bring the release of remaining hostages, a lasting truce and full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The gathering threw its support behind a plan to rebuild Gaza put forward by Egypt and backed by Arab states, including Saudi Arabia and Jordan, aimed at countering Trump's call. The OIC has 57 nations with largely Muslim populations.

Without specifically mentioning Trump, the ministers' statement said they rejected "plans aimed at displacing the Palestinian people individually or collectively  as ethnic cleansing, a grave violation of international law and a crime against humanity."

They also condemned "policies of starvation" that they said aim to push Palestinians to leave, a likely reference to Israel's cutting off all supplies to Gaza in the past week as it presses Hamas to instead extend the ceasefire's first phase.

The OIC also reinstated Syria as a member. Syria was removed from the OIC in 2012 over then-President Bashar Assad's brutal crackdown on opposition protests. After 14 years of civil war, Assad was ousted in December by Islamist-led insurgents who have created a transitional government.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The ceasefire in Gaza that began in mid-January brought a pause in Israel's campaign of bombardment and ground offensives aimed at destroying Hamas after its Oct. 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel. The ceasefire's first phase, which ended last weekend, saw the release of 25 Israeli hostages and the bodies of eight others in exchange for the freeing of nearly 2,000 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

But Israel has balked at entering negotiations over the terms of the second phase. Instead, it has called for Hamas to release half the remaining hostages in return for an extension of the first phase and a promise to negotiate a lasting truce.

Since Sunday, Israel has barred all food, fuel, medicine and other supplies from entering Gaza for its more than 2 million people, demanding Hamas accept the revised deal.

At the same time, Trump has called for Gaza's population to be resettled elsewhere permanently so the United States can take over the territory and develop it for others. Palestinians have rejected calls to leave.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The ministers at the OIC gathering supported an Egyptian-backed proposal that an administrative committee replace Hamas in governing Gaza. The committee would work "under the umbrella" of the Palestinian Authority, based in the West Bank. Israel has rejected the PA having any role in Gaza, but has not put forward an alternative for post-war rule.

The foreign ministers of France, Germany, Italy and Britain said in a joint statement that they welcome the Arab initiative for a Gaza reconstruction plan, calling it "a realistic path." They added that "Hamas must neither govern Gaza nor be a threat to Israel anymore" and they support the central role for the PA.

Under the ceasefire, Israeli forces have pulled back to a zone along Gaza's edges. Early Saturday, an Israeli strike killed two Palestinians in the southernmost city of Rafah, the Health Ministry there said. The Israeli military said it struck several men who appeared to have been flying a drone that entered Israel.

Israel's military offensive has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which doesn't say how many of the dead were militants.

Hamas' October 2023 attack killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, inside Israel and took 251 people hostage. Most have been released in ceasefire agreements or other arrangements. Hamas is believed to still have 24 living hostages and the bodies of 34 others.
BANGKOK (AP)  Four years after seizing power from the elected administration, the head of the military government declared Myanmar will hold a general election within 10 months, state-run media reported Saturday.

Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing said Friday the election will take place either in December or January 2026 at the latest, according to the Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper. He announced the dates in a press conference while on an official visit to Belarus, one of the few allies of Myanmars military government, saying that 53 political parties have already submitted their lists to participate in the election.

However, Min Aung did not mention exact election dates.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The announcement comes as Myanmar is roiled by a civil war in which the army has been forced onto the defensive against pro-democracy militants as well as ethnic militias seeking autonomy in much of the country.

The army takeover from Aung San Suu Kyis elected government in February 2021 has been met with widespread popular opposition, triggering armed resistances, and large parts of the country are embroiled in conflict. The ruling military has since said an election was the primary goal but has repeatedly pushed back the date.

The plan for a general election is widely seen as an attempt to normalize the militarys seizure of power through the ballot box and to deliver a result that ensures the generals retain control.

Critics have already said the military-planned election will be neither free nor fair because there is no free media and most of the leaders of Suu Kyis National League for Democracy party have been arrested. Suu Kyi, 79, is serving prison sentences totaling 27 years after being convicted in a series of politically tainted prosecutions brought by the military.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The countrys current security situation poses a serious challenge to holding elections, with the military believed to control less than half the country. The military government had previously said the election would be prioritized in areas under its command.

In October, the military attempted a census that it said was to compile voter lists for a general election, but data from only 145 of 330 townships was successfully gathered. In a published report, the military government said the areas where the census could not be completed included towns controlled by ethnic armed forces and pro-democracy guerrillas.

The National Unity Government or NUG, Myanmar's main opposition organization, said it intended to prevent the military-held election through nonviolent means.
Given Nashvilles booming tourism industry, short-term rentals (STRs) are a hot topic of discussion.

In 2023, STRs accounted for 11% of overnight lodging bookings in Davidson County, with a year-over-year projected increase of 2.4%.

At this trajectory, the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corporation (NCVC) anticipates that over 1.3 million annual visitors will utilize short-term rentals by 2026.

The STR segment is projected to continue expanding significantly throughout the U.S., potentially exceeding an $81 billion market size within the next decade.

Why many visitors tend to choose short-term rentals in Nashville

Whether we like it or not, tourism continues to be a leading economic driver for our city and its local businesses. Accordingly, we cant discount the vital role STRs play in generating visitor spending. Understanding that role is essential for grasping the impact STRs have on our city, its economy and the future of tourism.

The living space in one unit of the Printers Alley Lofts, a short term rental property in downtown Nashville, featured on the Nashville Downtown Partnership's 2024 Home Tour on April 21, 2024.

Visitors often choose STRs because of the value they offer relative to hotels. For example, a one-bedroom STR apartment in Music Row often charges the same nightly rate as a similarly located hotel room, while offering desirable amenities like more living space, a full kitchen and in-suite laundry.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In addition to offering guests more value, STRs allow business and leisure travelers to immerse themselves in the local culture, exploring neighborhoods that are off the beaten path.

I can personally attest to the importance STRs play in allowing visitors to experience Nashville's many wonderful neighborhoods. Before I moved here, I would often book an STR for a week at a time in Germantown, East Nashville or Music Row. During those stays, I discovered what an incredible place Nashville is to live, and how much it has to offer outside of Broadway. By allowing visitors to stay like a local, STRs play an important role in attracting future residents to our city.

STRs are a business that help sustain and grow economic activity

It's worth noting that Nashvilles STR market generates income not only for property owners, but for local businesses. Many STRs are in neighborhoods that lack a significant hotel presence, like Wedgewood Houston. These neighborhoods all have restaurants and attractions that benefit tremendously from short term guests.

For example, a guest staying for three nights might dine out five or six times. Conversely, a typical local might eat out once or twice during that period. The additional spending visitors inject into neighborhoods helps sustain the business that enliven those neighborhoods. And given the many recent restaurant closures, protecting our local businesses has never been more important.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

And believe me, operating an STR is a business. Contrary to popular belief, managing a STR requires substantial effort  guest communication, property maintenance and cleaning demand a lot of time and resources, and can be a significant source of stress for owners. Imagine having a group check out with another group checking in later that day and having your cleaners no show, and you'll have an idea of what I'm talking about.

This is where property management companies like AvantStay can be so valuable. In addition to taking care of the critical functions, AvantStay connects our guests with community events and activities. They build relationships with businesses to offer exclusive discounts, VIP experiences and custom packages. These kinds of services help entwine our guests stays with local businesses, which further supports the neighborhoods in which these STRs operate.

Nashville's tourism sector continues to grow and thrive

While some argue that STRs threaten the fabric of local communities, its important to recognize that they also promote economic diversity.

They allow homeowners to earn supplemental income, helping to offset rising living costs in a rapidly growing city. The reality is that many STRs are owned not by out-of-state developers, but rather by local investors who are committed to honoring the things that make Nashville such a great place to live and visit.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In 2023, the NCVC reported that Nashville hosted a "record 16.8 million vistors." That figure is expected to be 17.1 million in 2024 and 17.4 million in 2025.

The future of tourism in Nashville is promising.

The key will be finding equilibrium  ensuring that tourism thrives while maintaining the culture and charm of the city. As regulations evolve, continuing the dialogue between city officials, residents and STR operators will be crucial in creating a sustainable tourism model that benefits all of us.

Mark McGinley is CEO of M Cubed Developments, which has developed and owns six short-term rental buildings (and counting) in Nashville, all managed by AvantStay. McGinley has over a decade of experience in developing commercial real estate properties and focuses on building properties specifically for short-term use.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Short-term rentals offer options to Nashville visitors | Opinion
National Grid crews are continuing to restore services after gusty winds knocked power to parts of Massachusetts.

National Grid has over 750 field personnel responding to power outages caused by downed limbs, trees, and poles, the aftermath of damaging winds that moved across Massachusetts Friday and will continue throughout Saturday.

Wind gusts in some areas topped 60 mph, causing damage to power lines as limbs, trees and poles were impacted from the powerful winds.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Our crews are deployed across Massachusetts and will work around the clock to repair and restore the power systems until every customer has their electricity back, said Shaun Vacher, Vice President of Electric Operations, New England. Losing your power at any time is frustrating, and were working hard to restore service as quickly and safely as possible.

National Grid has restored power to more than 20,000 customers in Massachusetts since high winds swept through the state. Restoration work is continuing as conditions are deemed safe.

As of 10:30 a.m., approximately 1,600 customers in Massachusetts were without power, concentrated in Middlesex and Essex counties.

National Grid is offering the following safety tips:

Customers Should Stay Connected:

Report power outages at www.nationalgridus.com or call 1-800-465-1212.



Use your mobile device to track outage information and storm-related safety tips through National Grids mobile site, accessible at www.ngrid.com/mobile.



Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram; we post all the latest storm and restoration updates.



Track outages and estimated restoration times at www.nationalgridus.com/outage-central



To stay connected during storms and outages, text to 64743 using any of the below commands.

REG to sign up for text alerts OUT to report an outage SUM followed by your town, county, or state to get a summary of outages in your area HELP for the complete list of commands





Stay Safe:

Never touch downed power lines and always assume that any fallen lines are live electric wires. If you see one, report it immediately to National Grid or your local emergency response organization.



Power problems can sometimes interrupt public water supply systems or disable well pumps, so its an excellent idea to keep a supply of bottled drinking water handy, as well as some canned food.



People who depend on electric-powered life support equipment, such as a respirator, should let National Grid know. To register as a life support customer, call the companys Customer Service Center at 1-800-322-3223.



Check on elderly family members, neighbors, and others who may need assistance during an outage.



Electric Safety:

If you use a generator to supply power during an outage, be sure to operate it outdoors. Before operating generators, disconnect from National Grids system by shutting off the main breaker located in the electric service panel. Failure to do this could jeopardize the safety of line crews and the public.



If you lose power, turn off any appliances that were on when the power went off, but leave one light on so you will know when power is restored.



Gas Safety:

If you suspect a natural gas leak:



Get Out - All occupants should leave the house immediately. Do not use the telephone or light switches for any reason.



Call Us  After leaving the house and reaching a safe environment, call the National Grid 24-hour gas emergency numbers:



New England:1-800-640-1595



Stay Out - Do not return to your home until National Grid tells you it is safe.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

For more safety tips, visit the link here.

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
EU countries that share a border with Russia are moving to withdraw from international bans on cluster bombs and landmines as they seek to build up deterrence.

Donald Tusk, the Polish prime minister, has said he is in favour of abandoning the Ottawa Convention, the 1997 treaty forbidding the production, use and storage of anti-personnel mines. He also suggested Poland may exit the Dublin convention, which applies to cluster munitions.

It came as Lithuania formally withdrew from the Dublin convention on March 6 and said it was considering an exit from the Ottawa treaty, while Finland is considering similar measures.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Finland shares a long, porous land borders with Russia, which is not an Ottawa signatory, and would become the front line of a Nato-Russia conflict, if one were to break out. Poland and Lithuania share a border with Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave.

The move has deeply alarmed human rights groups, who described it as a disastrous and unprecedented development that would pose long-term harm to civilians.

Donald Tusk also suggested Poland may exit the Dublin convention, which applies to cluster munitions - Omar Marques/Getty Images Europe

But Mr Tusk and Karolis Aleksa, the deputy defence minister for Lithuania, said they were taking necessary steps to protect their countries from aggression by Russia.

Many countries, including Britain, enforce bans on cluster munitions and anti-personnel mines because they do not always detonate on impact. This means they can pose a threat for many years after a conflict has ended.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Anti-personnel mines, such as the leaf mine, can be as small as a mobile phone, making it relatively easy to drop hundreds, if not thousands, of them over a large area by aircraft.

In some cases, landmines contain a self-destruct mechanism to avoid a situation where they remain on the battlefield long after the conflict  but even those are prone to malfunction.

European Nato members have been urgently exploring ways to toughen up security, such as major investment in defence projects, amid fears that they can no longer rely on US security guarantees under the Trump Administration.

This has raised questions over international treaties that ban weapons such as mines and cluster munitions, which some see as necessary evils in order to protect countries from a potential future Russian invasion.

Cluster bombs have a dud rate of around 20 per cent, meaning huge numbers could remain on a battlefield for years - CLODAGH KILCOYNE/REUTERS

Russia uses all the instruments available in a conventional war, and this shows that we need to take action to ensure effective deterrence and defence, Mr Aleksa told AFP news agency this week. Withdrawing from the convention gives us the opportunity to increase the effectiveness of our defence against large-area targets, he added.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Mr Tusk, a former president of the European Council, said: [I] will recommend a positive opinion for Poland to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention and possibly from the Dublin Convention.

Lets face it: its not something nice, nothing pleasant. We know that very well...the problem is that in our environment, those we may be afraid of, or those who are at war, they all have it, he said.

Russia, along with the United States, China, India and Pakistan, are not signatories of the Ottawa Convention.

Amnesty International said cluster bombs had a dud rate of around 20 per cent, which meant that huge numbers could remain on a battlefield for years or even decades.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Lithuanian parliaments decision to leave the Convention on Cluster Munitions is a disastrous and troubling shift, said Dinushika Dissanayake, a senior researcher at Amnesty.

This move abandons the global consensus aimed at minimising civilian harm during armed conflict and undermines decades of progress on eliminating the production, transfer and use of inherently indiscriminate weapons.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said this week: Lithuanias withdrawal is unprecedented, as no state has ever denounced a global humanitarian treaty. The ICRC deeply regrets that Lithuania has not heeded the call issued by states parties in September 2024, urging it to reconsider its decision.

It added that such weapons posed a particularly strong threat to children.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Children are often drawn to unexploded cluster munition remnants resembling toys, making them particularly vulnerable. According to the latest Cluster Munition Monitor, nearly half of all casualties from cluster munition remnants in 2023 were children, it said.

In November 2024, Alexander Stubb, the president of Finland, noted that Ukraine relies heavily on landmines and drones to repel Russian forces, amid the debate on leaving conventions on mine and cluster bomb usage.

The starting point is that our greatest security threat is Russia, and this threat must be addressed one way or another. The world is very different now compared to when we joined the Ottawa Convention, he 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.
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  Dayton is less than 80 days away from the arrival of the NATO Summit, and representatives from the conference made their final walkthroughs this week.

After spending the past week touring Dayton and experiencing the sights and sounds firsthand, NATO officials said they are very excited to return to the Gem City in May with their delegates as they view the city as a prime spot to host.

This is going to be an absolutely fantastic session here in Dayton, said Helen Cadwallender, NATO PA Head of Conference Service Department.

NATO Parliamentary Assembly

Downtown explored. Meeting rooms booked. Restaurants dined at. Now they plan to share their experience in the city with those delegates when they arrive back home.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Its one of the biggest events were going to host and its been really well organized, said Sebastien Botella, NATO PA Head of Operational Management.

I think everyones going to be very impressed with how youre going to transform these venues, said Cadwallender.

The work for the City of Dayton will continue the next two months, but Dayton Mayor Jeffrey Mims Jr. expressed confidence the city is equipped to handle the large influx of more than 600 delegates and support personnel coming downtown, saying that the city responded when they heard NATO was coming.

Since that time, we had another six hotels that we had built in Dayton just for you, he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Were going to have to prepare for more visitors coming to Dayton just because of the great time that we know theyre going to have.

After the Montreal experience, security is at the forefront of planning. Jason Galanes, chief of staff for U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, said local and state agencies will be handling a large part of it, with the federal government taking a more advisory role in lieu of providing funding or personnel.

Everybody is involved in this part of the security aspect, said Galanes, and were working with also our federal partners in terms of assistance that they can provide anything that theyre aware of that could try to disrupt the conference.

One attendee tidbit revealed Friday: Earlier in March, an invitation to attend had been extended to President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The NATO Parliamentary Assembly runs Friday, May 23, through Monday, May 26, with arrivals set for Thursday, May 22.

The NATO Parliamentary Assembly runs Friday, May 23, through Monday, May 26, with arrivals set for Thursday, May 22.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
When Karl Krotke-Crandall, a specialist in Russian-Holocaust genocide studies, joined Northern Arizona University as an assistant teaching professor in 2023, he was surprised to discover a box of untouched audio recordings from Holocaust survivors, preserved in the library.

"What was a collection of historical audio tapes doing hidden in Flagstaff?" he remembered wondering when he first discovered the untapped archive. "There was a degree of mystery to it."

Krotke-Crandall, alongside several student interns from NAU's Honors College, has spent the past two years beginning to unravel that mystery.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

What he uncovered was a collection of 80 cassette tapes containing 52 personal oral histories, primarily from Holocaust survivors. The collection was accompanied by a piece of paper that read 'Delaware Valley Holocaust Committee,' a group he and his students are still working to learn more about.

None of the recordings had been previously archived.

"Audio-cassettes have a shelf-life, and these recordings would not have survived much longer," said Krotke-Crandal, who said most of the survivors on the tapes shared their stories in the 1980s. "These individuals shared their stories with the intention that they would be heard. That is why it is so critical that collections like these are preserved."

The collection featured several remarkable accounts, including an interview with Leon Poullada, a former U.S. ambassador and investigator for the Nuremberg trials, who recounted his experience prosecuting Nazis for war crimes. In one recording, Poullada details his interview with Hermann Goring, one of the most powerful figures in the Nazi Party.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The majority of the interviews, however, were with Holocaust survivors, many of whom were living in Arizona when their stories were recorded. Krotke-Crandall noted that very few of the survivors in the collection are still alive today.

"Genocide was a political action"

Becca Sandhu, a sophomore at NAU's Honors College double majoring in political science and media, joined Krotke-Crandall in transcribing the extensive oral histories.

"Coming into this internship I had a little knowledge of the Holocaust and genocide, but nowhere near the extent of my understanding now," said Sandhu. While she used to think of political science and Holocaust studies as separate areas of focus, the project has shown her how deeply interconnected the topics are.

"At the end of the day, genocide was a political action, propagated through a political campaign and legislation," she said. "That understanding has really broadened my perspective."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She was also deeply moved by the diverse experiences shared in the Holocaust survivor accounts. One individual was just an infant when Hitler came to power and was taken to a convent by their parents to ensure survival. Another was 12 years old when the Nazis rose to power and was sent to live with relatives in the United States to escape the war.

"Every person's story is different, even though they all come from the same event," said Sandhu, who finds herself on the edge of her seat while transcribing these decades-old cassettes.

"With every new story, you never know what is going to happen next," she said. "That's the most interesting part."

The project has left her feeling deeply connected to the historical storytelling process. "I'm hearing their stories, but they'll never know I'm the one who listened," she said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Today, all of the recordings have been digitized, and NAU students are actively transcribing, labeling, and organizing the content. Once the project is complete, the collection will be transferred to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., where it will be accessible to the public.

Krotke-Crandall ensured that NAU students remain involved throughout the process, allowing it to serve as an ongoing educational experience.

"The individuals who sat for these interviews did so with the intention that history not repeat itself, that this never happen again," said Krotke-Crandal. "It is our responsibility to preserve these voices so they are not lost to history."

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: NAU digitizes forgotten Holocaust survivor recordings for DC museum
The U.S. Navy has proposed to station the new USS John F. Kennedy aircraft carrier at Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton in 2029.

The USS JFK is proposed to replace the USS Nimitz which is currently homeported at NBK-Bremerton and is scheduled to be decommissioned next year, according to the U.S. Navy.

The Navy says NBK-Bremerton will begin electrical upgrades in 2026 to support the newer generation USS JFK.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The USS Nimitz was commissioned in 1975 and has been deployed to conflicts around the world. It is the Navys longest-serving aircraft carrier and has been homeported in Bremerton since 2015, according to the U.S. Navy

The USS John F. Kennedy is the second aircraft carrier to honor the 35th president and has yet to be commissioned. The original USS JFK was decommissioned in 2007, according to the U.S. Navy




CANTON, Ohio (WJW)  A Stark County couple is facing animal cruelty charges after authorities discovered horrific conditions inside their home, which included hundreds of living and dead rats.

On Wednesday, Canton police and health inspectors executed search warrants at the home of 45-year-old Billy Jack Park on Wertz Avenue SW after receiving a complaint about rats inside and outside the house.

The condition of the house was very severe, you could smell the house from the street. There was multiple feet of feces, urine and hair, Canton City Prosecutor Katie Erchick Gilbert said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Video: Truck crashes through Westlake gas station, pinning customer under cooler

Investigators say they found hundreds of rats, both living and dead, three injured dogs, two turtles and two pet birds co-existing in the filthy environment.

Based on the cruel and inhumane conditions, police arrested Park. His girlfriend, 41-year-old Kristie Hatton, was already in jail, after being arrested in connection with a domestic incident at the home.

The Humane Society took custody of the traditional companion animals and the rats were taken by an animal welfare organization called Pipsqueakery.

The rats were very dehydrated and had visible injuries and were not in very good shape, so they will rehab them all and then adopt them out, said Erchick Gilbert.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Billy Jack Park and Kristie Hatton are now facing animal abuse charges, which include allegations that they violated Goddards Law, the statute named after legendary FOX 8 Meteorologist Dick Goddard.

They face seven felony counts for the mistreatment of the dogs, turtles and birds, and prosecutors are trying to determine if the rats that the two suspects considered pets will also be covered by Goddards Law.

15-year-old Alex Holloway shot, killed in East Cleveland

By having these animals, these pets in these conditions, you are causing serious physical harm to your animal and you cant do that, said Gilbert.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

During the search of the home, authorities also found the remains of dead animals in jars of formaldehyde.

They also discovered human bones in a box in a bedroom, but have determined there was no foul play involved because one of the residents purchased the remains.

Apparently and I did not know this until this week, you can purchase on the internet human bones. It is not illegal to do so, at least in the state of Ohio, said Gilbert.

Park and Hatton are being held in the Stark County jail, and we are told additional charges in the case are likely.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Gov. Jim Pillen is greeted by members of the Nebraska Legislature during his annual State of the State speech. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

LINCOLN  Gov. Jim Pillen successfully pressured Nebraska lawmakers to discuss a bill early next week that would alter how the state awards Electoral College votes for president after multiple efforts fell short in recent years.

During Thursday mornings legislative session, Pillen took to social media, on X, and urged his supporters to contact senators on the Government, Military, and Veterans Affairs Committee to advance Legislative Bill 3 to the full Legislature.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

That bill would return the state to its previous system of awarding all five of its electoral votes for president to the winner of the statewide popular vote.

Passing Winner Take All is a priority for President Trump, and it is mine as well, Pillen posted on X. He added that the committee was preventing the full Legislature from giving it fair and open consideration.

Committee schedules discussion

By the end of the day, State Sen. Loren Lippincott of Central City, who filed LB 3 and made it his priority bill for the session, said the committee would hold an executive session on Monday morning, as first reported by the Lincoln Journal Star.

Lippincott told the Nebraska Examiner on Friday that he is grateful for the opportunity to try and get Nebraska back to the same rules as the rest of the country.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The committee also will consider a proposed amendment to the state constitution from State Sen. Myron Dorn of Adams, allowing voters to decide whether to change to winner-take-all.

It would take five votes to advance either measure out of the eight-member committee, but a senator could attempt to pull a bill out of a committee if it ends up in gridlock.

Our governor, U.S. senators, our secretary of state, treasurer and auditor serve the whole state and are elected by the whole state, Lippincott said. The U.S. president also serves the whole state and should be elected by the popular vote of the whole state.

Nebraska is just one of the two states  Maine is the other  that parcel out some electoral votes by the winner in each of the states congressional districts. The approach, adopted in Nebraska in 1991, has led to Democrats claim a single electoral vote from the Omaha-based 2nd Congressional District three times  in 2008, 2020 and 2024.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Nebraska Democrats have dubbed the 2nd District the Blue Dot. The Nebraska Democratic Party has called this bill an attempt to suppress the voices of Nebraskans and will work hard to ensure this bill fails.

The states Republicans have pushed for winner-take-all for decades, but the effort has gained steam since Trump expressed support for the initiative during his 2024 campaign.

Difficult path for passage

Its unlikely Lippincott has the 33 votes needed to overcome a promised filibuster, which could grind the Legislature to a halt, at least for a time. However, the latest push likely signals that Pillens political future with Trump could depend on whether he can deliver winner-take-all.

With Trump back in the White House and his grip on GOP politics strengthened, people in Pillens orbit have said he wants to keep Trump from endorsing if Trump donor and friend Charles Herbster jumps into the Republican primary for governor in 2026. Pillen defeated Herbster in the 2022 GOP primary for governor despite Herbster having Trumps endorsement.

The Nebraska Governors Mansion in Lincoln. (Rebecca S. Gratz for Nebraska Examiner)

Pillens 11th-hour push for winner-take-all in 2024 was killed by former State Sen. Mike McDonnell of Omaha. He decided not to support it, saying he didnt want to disrupt the money and attention that presidential politics brings the Omaha area.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Now, his no vote is a part of a controversy in his bid for Omaha mayor.

Two months before the 2024 presidential election, Pillen held a meeting on winner-take-all at the Governors Mansion with at least two dozen Republican state senators about securing support and trying to convince holdouts. Trump even called some of the holdouts.

The Trump factor

Pillen told senators the importance of Trump winning the election and securing all of Nebraskas electoral votes, as national polls at the time showed a tight race between Trump and the Democratic nominee, former Vice President Kamala Harris.

Harris ended up winning the 2nd District, but Trump won Nebraska statewide. He also won the swing states and the popular vote.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Lippincott said earlier this session that he felt more optimistic about his latest attempt to change how the state awards electoral votes, because term limits and elections had changed the faces in the Legislature, and there is no presidential election this year.

During the hearing for LB 3, some rural Republicans shared concerns about losing their voice under winner-take-all if the state becomes more urban and Democratic over time.

Committee member State Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha, said the bill would diminish the value of the votes of some voters.

This week, Lippincott said Nebraska was following a trend when it implemented its district-based electoral system, but it didnt catch on and put us out of step with the nation.

If it was such a great idea, why isnt the rest of the nation following suit? he asked.

SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Happy Saturday! Heres another edition of my weekend column for WPRI.com  as always, send your takes, tips and trial balloons to tnesi@wpri.com and follow me on Twitter, Bluesky and Facebook.

Close

Thanks for signing up!

Watch for us in your inbox.

Subscribe Now

Nesi's Notes

1. Governing Rhode Island and Massachusetts is, today, almost entirely a Democratic Party project; for the first time in over a century, no Republican holds high office in either state. So Democrats need to look in the mirror and reckon with why they cant seem to make major headway on the big problems that hold back the region: unaffordable housing, anemic population growth, bloated project costs, high energy bills, perennial budget deficits, and more. Thats why every elected Democrat should pick up a copy of Why Nothing Works, the new book by Browns Marc Dunkelman that is getting a lot of national buzz. We Democrats are the party of government. Government isnt working. And that is a reason for people to vote against us, Dunkelman said on this weeks Newsmakers. [W]e need to focus on what is our product, which is a functioning government that improves peoples lives in ways that they can see, touch and feel. Dunkelmans book is partly meant as a corrective to The Power Broker, Robert Caros immensely influential 1974 Robert Moses biography, which showed how Moses wielded nearly unchecked power in New York to bulldoze entire neighborhoods. We dont want to go back to the mistakes of that age, Dunkelman said. But he argues the pendulum has now swung too far, making it nearly impossible to efficiently build things like housing, power lines, or high-speed rail. We should be, as progressives, the government efficiency folks, he said. We should be the ones calling out bureaucracies that arent delivering.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

2. Marc Dunkelmans book is one of a trio of high-profile new releases that all examine why Democratic elected officials, particularly in blue states, struggle to execute these days. The others are Stuck, by Atlantic deputy executive editor Yoni Appelbaum, and Abundance, by the NYTs Ezra Klein and the Atlantics Derek Thompson. All three focus heavily on housing as a prime example of governmental failure in the modern era. Appelbaum was in Providence this week to speak at Brown, and before the event he laid out his argument during a roundtable with reporters. Noting that blue states stagnation is also shrinking their political relevance in national elections, Appelbaum said, Blue jurisdictions are waking up to the fact that they have become their own worst enemies.

3. Governor McKee made his 2026 reelection bid official on Monday with a two-minute campaign launch video  released a full 18 months before next years gubernatorial primary. To put the timing in perspective, his predecessor Gina Raimondo waited to launch her reelection bid until barely three months before the primary. The kickoff was so low-key that the R.I. Democratic Partys email newsletter made no mention of it Friday. But our political analyst Joe Fleming sees a clear rationale. I think a lot of people have not been convinced that he was going to run again, Fleming said on this weeks Newsmakers, adding, I think its hurt him as far as raising money. Still, Fleming doesnt count McKee out, noting that he could conceivably win the Democratic nomination in a two-way race with just 60,000 votes, based on typical turnout. Only a week ago, Fleming released a poll commissioned by the Rhode Island AFL-CIO that showed 48% of voters think the state is headed in the wrong direction, a clear red flag for the incumbent. But the governor had a more positive spin on that number, telling my colleague Kate Wilkinson, When you start to get less than half the state of Rhode Island saying were headed in the wrong direction, thats progress. Regardless, with 18 months to go before the balloting, there are a host of unknowns that could still affect next years race for governor. One is House Speaker Joe Shekarchi, who up to now has mostly been a McKee ally, but who could certainly make the incumbents life more difficult if he wants to help nudge him out of the race. (It didnt go unnoticed that Shekarchi put more distance than usual between himself and McKee at Tuesday nights Rhode Map Live event.) Another wild card will come June 6, when RIDOT is scheduled to announce how much the new Washington Bridge will cost and how long it will take to build. Will voters have sticker shock?

4. Speaking of the Washington Bridge, an increasingly pressing question is whether the Trump administration will actually agree to provide the $221 million in federal grants that Pete Buttigieg awarded for the project during his final months in office. We learned this week, via a letter from Governor McKee to U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, that federal officials still havent put their signatures on the award documents. Weve already been in contact with [Duffy], McKee told my colleague Alexandra Leslie on Thursday. Im setting up a call, a direct call with him, and Ill be able to fill in a little bit more information after that call. Asked Friday if the call had taken place yet, the governors office would only tell Tim White, This is in process. Stay tuned.

5. The dais at the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce legislative luncheon will be missing some familiar faces next Wednesday. Senate President Dominick Ruggerio remains in rehab at Fatima Hospital following his recent bout of pneumonia, and as of Friday was scheduled to be released on either the day of the luncheon or the day after. Finance Committee Chair Lou DiPalma will join Majority Leader Val Lawson in representing Senate Democrats, alongside Senate GOP Leader Jessica de la Cruz. But the House will only be represented by Democrats  Speaker Shekarchi and Majority Leader Chris Blazejewski  after GOP Leader Mike Chippendale announced the House Republicans would all skip the annual event, a perennial on the State House calendar. Chippendale described the Chambers leadership as 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. Laurie White, the Providence Chambers longtime president, called the decision unfortunate in an interview with the Currents Nancy Lavin. 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,' she said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

6. Mayor Smiley is again warning Providence residents to brace for a tax hike.

7. There is so much news coming out of Washington that its challenging to quickly summarize it all, even if you try to keep the focus local.  An agency posted a list indicating plans to sell federal buildings in New Bedford and Fall River, then deleted it; some local leases are also being cancelled.  U.S. District Chief Judge Jack McConnell again ruled in favor of the states in the court fight over the funding freeze, drawing praise from AG Neronha, who is among the leaders on the plaintiff side. . Senator Reed has so far voted for only two cabinet nominees, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll; Senator Whitehouse has voted for five, most recently U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.  Reed also signed an unusual bicameral statement from eight top Democrats in Congress that accused President Trump and Elon Musk of imperiling national security.  Congressman Keating and Congressman Amo both tried to redirect a Europe subcommittee hearing about Turkey to discuss the war in Ukraine.  Congressman Magaziner filed legislation he says would bar Trump from seizing Canada, Panama or Greenland.  The status of federal funding for Rhode Island-based nutrition nonprofit Edesia led to a fight on social media between Musk and Pod Save America host Jon Favreau.  The presidents address to a joint session triggered a mostly party-line vote to censure Congressman Al Green for interrupting; the regions four congressmen all voted no.  Governor Healey got a national spotlight from the NYT over her response to the new administration.  What will next week bring?

8. Theres a lot of news about local newspapers at the moment. The biggest development is at The Providence Journal, where Gannett is shutting down the Kinsley Avenue printing plant this weekend and shifting production to New Jersey. (TV cameras wont be allowed inside to document the final press run, Gannett told us Friday.) Another change is happening in the Blackstone Valley, where the Call & Times announced it is ending its Monday edition and will only print five days a week going forward; the paper was created less than two years ago by the merger of the Woonsocket Call and the Pawtucket Times. The Call & Times corporate owner, Rhode Island Suburban Newspapers, is also now merging the North Kingstown Standard-Times and the East Greenwich Pendulum into one paper, the Standard-Pendulum. On a more positive note, new Beacon Media publisher Joy Fox just finished a major technology upgrade that helped the company refresh the design of the Warwick Beacon, Cranston Herald and Johnston Sun Rise.

9. People in the news  former Rhode Island U.S. Attorney Zach Cunha is now practicing at Nixon Peabody  Congressman Amo is in Texas today to speak at SXSW  Joe Powers easily won reelection as Rhode Island GOP chairman  Housing Secretary Deborah Goddard removed acting from her title after winning Senate confirmation  Tom Kane is finishing his term as president of the R.I. Association of Democratic City & Town Chairs; Erich Haslehurst is running to succeed him  Providences Timothy J. Walsh has been named the new chairman and CEO of audit giant KPMG  the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence is still waiting for the Vatican to announce a new bishop, so former Bishop Thomas Tobin celebrated the cathedrals Ash Wednesday Mass  Roger Williams University School of Laws David Logan is a main character in this New York Times deep-dive about the future of American libel law  the AP has named Kimberlee Kruesi as the wire services new reporter in Rhode Island; shes currently stationed in Nashville  condolences to the family and friends of former state tourism director David DePetrillo, who has died at age 78.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

10. The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth has always stood out for its Brutalist architecture; if youve never been there, picture Boston City Hall. At a time when the president is targeting Brutalism from the White House, what lies in store for the Dartmouth campus? Ben Berke has a great piece examining that here.

11. Times Jamie Ducharme investigates why more young adults are getting cancer.

12. We are gearing up for a big celebration at the end of the month, when WPRI 12 will mark our 70th anniversary on the airwaves. As part of the preparation, weve been spending a lot of time digitizing old news footage from our archives  my fellow Attleboro natives will get a real kick out of this video of the city in 1986. From the same year, Rhode Islanders may also enjoy this newly unearthed Jack White story covering the late Bruce Selyas swearing-in.

13. Speaking of WPRI, have you downloaded our new 12+ smart TV app yet? You can watch our newscasts live and find all our latest stories on demand. Its really slick  try it out today.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

14. Set your DVRs: This week on Newsmakers  Why Nothing Works author Marc Dunkelman. Watch Sunday at 5:30 a.m. on WPRI 12 and 10 a.m. on Fox Providence, or listen on the radio Sunday at 6 p.m. on WPRO. You can also subscribe to Newsmakers as a podcast via Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. See you back here next Saturday.

Ted Nesi (tnesi@wpri.com) is a Target 12 investigative reporter and 12 News politics/business editor. He co-hosts Newsmakers and writes Nesis Notes on Saturdays. Connect with him on Twitter, Bluesky 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:

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

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.
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A proposal in the Nevada Legislature would create a searchable database to see if someone has multiple domestic violence-related convictions to their name.

Assembly Bill 162 from Republican Assem. Toby Turek is modeled after a similar registry in Texas.

Domestic violence survivor shares story as advocates push for change at Nevada Legislature

The bill, Alessandras Law, is named after Alessandra Barlas who was murdered in California at age 27.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Michelle Afshar, Barlas best friend and member of the Alessandra Foundation, spoke on behalf of the bill during a committee hearing Friday.

By the time we learned of his past criminal behavior, Alessandra was already gone, Afshar said. I cant say with certainty that an online conviction database or record portal would have prevented Alessandras murder, but I do know it would have given us and her circle of friends vital knowledge.

People in the registry would have at least two prior misdemeanor convictions over seven years.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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)  Options for tenants dealing with problem property owners in Nevada are limited, according to a consumer rights attorney.

Nicholas Haley of Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada said current options can be costly and result in a legal battle.

It certainly is a challenge as far as being a tenant, Haley told the 8 News Now Investigators.

Haley said failure by a property owner to provide essential services specified in state law as heat, air-conditioning, running water, hot water, electricity, gas, and a functioning door lock could be a basis to withhold rent.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Failure by a property owner to provide habitable conditions, meaning in compliance with health, safety, and sanitation codes may prompt a tenant to withhold rent, but the money must be deposited with justice court.

If youre withholding rent, the landlord is probably going to give you a non-payment notice. And nobody wants to have that. Even if youre right, you dont want to have to go to court and fight this and deposit rent with the court which is required. In fact, if you deposit rent with the court and you need some other housing in the interim, how are you going to pay for it? Most people cant afford two rents at one time, Haley said. There are some other avenues you can pursue as well. Potentially you can rip up the lease and move on elsewhere but then you would have a fight with your landlord after that and moving is expensive in its own right so while there are options, they are all onerous in one way or another if you are a tenant.

Haley said there needs to be an option where a tenant can seek repairs without facing a nonpayment notice or court battle.

Maybe some system of a commissioner or some kind of simplified process that can deal specifically with these types of issues and there is certainly a lot of them, Haley said. This is a widespread issue in the Clark County area so I do think that some more effective means or specialty court in dealing with this would be very reliable.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

John Dudley, a tenant at Avenue 965 near UNLV, said he did not have a working toilet or hot water for weeks, and could not get answers from the property owner, Texas-based Nitya Capital. However, Dudley did not withhold rent because he did not want to face a legal battle.

Las Vegas housing nightmare: No working toilet, no hot water

Im paying for a place that Im not being able to use, Dudley told the 8 News Now Investigators.

Amanda Nelsons family of seven did not have water service in their rental home for weeks. Nelson said she did withhold rent and then received eviction notices.

$10K bill, 5 kids, no water service: Las Vegas family fights eviction

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Literally the day after Christmas, we went to court, Nelson said.



Just hours after the 8 News Now Investigators first shared the familys story, water service was restored. However, the court battle is expected to continue.



To find out more about tenant and property owner rights, 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 KLAS.
What the hell were we thinking? Five years ago, we were sliding towards the most expensive mistake ever made by a British government, a mistake that led to our financial ruin, the annihilation of our basic freedoms and the obliteration of public trust.

Never before had our civil liberties been so blatantly disregarded. We were subjected to house arrest on the basis of unsupported conjecture, our property rights were violated, our freedom of expression repressed, even our ability to leave the country denied.

Where were all the human rights lawyers when they were needed? Where were the Doughty Street types, so vocal in their defence of illegal migrants, convicts, and terrorists? The one time that there truly was a national human rights violation, they were cheering it on.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Meanwhile, the British state told lie after lie after lie. Just three weeks! Facemasks are dangerous! One more month! Facemasks are essential! Squash the sombrero! Young people are at risk! Just two more weeks! Wait for the vaccine! Wait for the second vaccine! Your jab protects others! Its the third shot that really works! Dangerous new variant! One last lockdown! Just three more weeks!

As we approach the fifth anniversary, we dont like to admit that we destroyed our economy, took away part of our kids childhoods, permanently aggrandised the state and indebted ourselves for a generation  all for nothing.

Because we dont want to accept such horrifying truths, we reach for excuses. We could only work on the basis of best-guess models, we tell ourselves. We followed the science as it stood. Who knows how much worse things might have been had we not locked down?

Im afraid these justifications are, as the saying goes, pure cope. The careful protocols of our own scientific advisers, as well as of the World Health Organisation (WHO), counted for nothing when set against hysterical newspaper headlines, panicky opinion polls and feverish rants by Piers Morgan.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Five years ago this Tuesday, Jenny Harries, then the deputy chief medical officer, gave an illuminating, though now neglected, interview. It was not neglected at the time. On the contrary, it took place in No 10, and the interviewer was the prime minister himself, Boris Johnson.

Dr Harries  who has since become Dame Jenny, and been put in charge of the UK Health Security Agency  was impressively level-headed. She explained that, for most people, it really is going to be quite a mild disease.

She advised against wearing facemasks unless told otherwise by your doctor. She explained why Britain, unlike many countries in Europe, was not banning large meetings or sporting events. There was, she reminded us, a plan in place, and it provided for the gradual spread of the disease through the population in a way that would not overwhelm hospitals. Try to suppress the spread too vigorously, she said, and there would be a peak later on (which, indeed, is exactly what happened).

Dr Harries was absolutely right, but she was only repeating the global consensus. A little earlier, the WHO had looked at lockdowns and concluded that they were not demonstrably effective in urban areas. Its researchers had carried out a study of 120 US military camps during the 1918 Spanish flu epidemic, and found no statistical difference between the 99 camps that had confined men to quarters and the 21 that had not.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As recently as 2019, the WHO had declared that lockdowns as a response to respiratory diseases were not recommended because there is no obvious rationale for this measure, and there would be considerable difficulties in implementing it.

Dr Harries knew all this. And so did Boris, who spoke what was, in retrospect, the most telling line of the entire interview: Politicians and governments around the world are under a lot of pressure to be seen to act, so they may do things that are not necessarily dictated by the science, he said. Dr Harries responded that she was proud that Britains response had remained scientific.

Five days later, Boris took to the airwaves to tell people to stop non-essential contact and travel. A week after that, we were in lockdown (a term borrowed from prison, which I held out against using for as long as I could). What changed? Well, on March 16, Neil Ferguson and the team at Imperial College published an apocalyptic report based on modelling that estimated that if no measures were put in place deaths over the following two years could reach more than half a million.

Why was Ferguson taken seriously? A quick Google search would have revealed that he had a history of making ludicrously alarmist claims, including over BSE and swine flu. His study, far from being a cutting-edge simulation, was a rehash of a model he had published in 2006 using rough and ready estimates (home quarantine would mean a 75 per cent reduction in contacts with a 50 per cent compliance rate, social distancing would mean a

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

75 per cent reduction in outside contacts, offset by a 25 per cent increase in at-home contacts, and so on).

The grisly truth is that we wanted to believe Ferguson. Although we sometimes now imagine that Boris wrenched our freedoms from our unwilling hands, it was the other way around. We have forgotten the Go Home Covidiots banners, the terrified phone-ins, the YouGov poll showing that 93 per cent of voters wanted a lockdown.

Not for the first time, people were demanding, against all reason, that their politicians do something  anything.

The pioneering psychologist and anthropologist Herbert Spencer had observed the same phenomenon in response to a cholera outbreak in 1851:

Citizens look grave and determine to petition Parliament about it. Parliament promises to consider the matter; and after the usual amount of debate, says, Let there be a Board of Health. Whereupon petitioners rub their hands, and look out for great things. They have unbounded simplicity, these good citizens. Legislation may disappoint them 50 times running, without at all shaking their faith in its efficiency.

Then again, in times of plague, citizens are driven by intuition rather than logic.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Human beings, like most mammals, are wired to be hyper-sensitive to disease. And so we reasoned backwards from our instincts, even as data came in that utterly disproved Fergusons model.

According to Fergusons forecast of March 2020, Sweden, which refused to lock down, should have suffered between 66,000 and 90,000 Covid fatalities by late summer. In the event, by the end of August, Sweden had recorded just 5,800 Covid deaths. Infections peaked and fell there in line with the countries that imposed lockdowns, and Sweden eventually came through, not only with an intact economy, but with one of the lowest (on one measure the lowest) excess mortality rate in Europe.

But, by then, no one wanted to look at numbers that challenged their prejudices. We were already in the grip of the sunk costs fallacy, and weve been stuck there ever since, unwilling to accept that the indignities and enormities we suffered were for nothing.

Suffered? No, we suffer them still. The tax hikes, the devaluation of our savings, the uncontrollable national debt  these things were inescapable consequences of paying people to stay home for the better part of two years. The rise in conspiracy theories, the belief that the world is run by Davos illuminati who aim to phase out cash, inject us with microchips and conscript us into the Ukrainian army: that came directly from the lies that we were told in 2020, above all the nonsense about vaccinating young people to prevent transmission.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

For years to come, Britain will be poor, indebted and repressive because, in early March 2020, no one (with the exception of one brave Sunday Telegraph columnist, modesty forbids, etc) wanted to stand in the way of a stampede. We did this to ourselves.

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.
Editors note: A previous version of this story misstated that a 14-year-old suspect was dead. The story has been updated.

NEWARK, N.J. (PIX11)  A police officer was killed and another was injured in a shooting in Newark Friday evening, sources said.

The shooting happened in the area of Carteret Street and Broadway around 6:37 p.m., according to the Essex County Prosecutors Office.

More Local News

The suspect fired around 29 shots, sources said. Additional information on what led up to the incident wasnt available.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The officer who died was 26 years old, sources said.

The injured officer is fighting for their life in critical condition, according to the New Jersey State Policemens Benevolent Association.

We here at the NJ State PBA are heartbroken to share that an officer from Newark PD has made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty, and another officer is currently fighting for their life in critical condition. Please keep their families, fellow Newark PD officers, and our entire New Jersey law enforcement community in your thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time, the New Jersey State Policemens Benevolent Association said in a statement.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy released a statement following the shooting.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I have been updated on an incident that took place in Newark earlier tonight involving two officers that were shot. This is a rapidly developing situation. Please pray for these officers, their families, and all our men and women in uniform who put their lives on the line to keep us safe, Murphy said.

Finn Hoogensen is a digital journalist who has covered local news for more than six years. He has been with PIX11 News since 2022. See more of his work here.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
AUSTIN (KXAN)  Former Houston mayor and current U.S. Congressman Sylvester Turner (D-Texas) died suddenly Wednesday morning at age 70, his family announced. Turner served as a member of the Texas House of Representatives for almost 30 years before becoming Houstons mayor from 2016 to 2024.

Turner was elected in November to fill Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lees seat representing the 18th Congressional District, and his term began in January. He was not up for reelection until late 2026.

Texas congressman and former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner dies

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Turner was at the Capitol on Tuesday night for President Trumps address to a joint session of Congress. He suffered a medical emergency following the address and was hospitalized Tuesday night but later released. He died at home in Washington D.C. on Wednesday morning.

On Wednesday, hours after Turners passing, Gov. Greg Abbott ordered all flags statewide to be flown at half-staff until March 8th in his honor.

Texas has lost a longtime leader and dedicated public servant with the death of Congressman Sylvester Turner of Houston. As a mark of respect for his public service as state representative, mayor, and congressman, it is fitting that flags be lowered to half-staff in his honor, Abbott said in a statement.

On Thursday, the Texas House of Representatives voted unanimously to allow Turner to lie in honor at the Hall of the House of Representatives at the Texas State Capitol on March 13 and 14 next week. He will also lie in state at Houston City Hall on March 11, the city of Houston announced Friday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As far as his congressional seat, its in the hands of Abbott. Turners seat will need to be filled by a special election under Abbotts discretion.

State law does not set a deadline for Abbott to make the official announcement for a special election. But, once he calls it, the law requires him to schedule it on a Tuesday or Saturday within about two months of the announcement, if its to be held as an emergency election.

If it will not be held as an emergency election, the contest will be held at the next regularly scheduled election, which in this case would be the first Saturday in May. During this period before the special election, the congressional district remains without direct representation and Turners seat will stay empty.

Because it would be a special election, no primary election would be required, and it would go to a runoff if no candidate got more than 50% plus one of the votes.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The 18th Congressional District is known for producing some of the most prominent Black lawmakers in Texas history, including Barbara Jordan, the first Black woman elected to Congress from the south. It covers several key Houston neighborhoods, including downtown, East Downtown Houston, Third Ward and Fifth Ward. The district also extends northwest through parts of the Heights and Acres Homes, reaches up to the George Bush Intercontinental Airport, and encompasses a portion of northeast Houston and unincorporated Harris 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 KXAN Austin.
Las Vegas(KLAS)-Women are making their mark in construction, bringing fresh ideas, leadership, and expertise to an industry thats evolving every day. Nigro Construction, a local commercial construction company celebrating 40 years in Las Vegas is proud to be a part of that change. Caitlin Johnson and Heather Cassel from Nigro Construction joined us, sharing how the company is championing women, opening doors, and fostering an environment where they can thrive.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Brandi Hess, a graduate student at the University of New Mexico, described how federal funding cuts affect her research during a rally outside the New Mexico Legislature on March 7, 2025. (Photo by Austin Fisher / Source NM)

For University of New Mexico graduate student Brandi Hess, the Trump administrations cuts to federal grant funding for research have completely disrupted her neuroscience research and thrown her academic career into jeopardy.

For the last two-and-a-half years, Hess and her mentor have been studying repeated traumatic brain injuries, and they found a connection between them and patients behavioral and cognitive deficits.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The work was funded by the Initiative to Maximize Student Development, which provides young biomedical researchers with doctorate fellowships, financial and peer support.

But in early February, the National Institutes of Health announced it would stop paying research universities and medical schools for facility and administrative costs. Hess said she submitted her grant renewal at the beginning of February but, as of Friday, it was still sitting on someones desk because the National Institutes of Healths grant review panels remain suspended, despite legal rulings blocking the order.

Hess joined other scientists and advocates outside the Roundhouse on Friday afternoon to highlight sciences role as a public good, and to push back against Trumps attack on diversity in scientific research.

Without the grant, Hess cannot actually sign the contract to join the laboratory where she and her mentor would have conducted their research. She said the news made her feel awful.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ive been having to scramble for alternative mentors, Hess told Source NM in an interview. She said she was told if she doesnt find a new one by May 1, she may have to take a leave of absence from the program.

The event was called Stand Up for Science 2025 and coincided with a rally in Washington D.C. and 30 other cities across the U.S.

In the past month, federal agencies have unlawfully fired researchers, censored scientists work and cut spending at the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Energy, said Nina Christie, a postdoctoral research fellow at UNMs Center for Alcohol, Substance use and Addictions.

Were seeing an executive branch that is hell-bent on making sure that science does not include people that they dont like, Christie told the crowd gathered outside the Roundhouse. We say no.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Christie said the research threatened by the cuts improves agriculture, and treatments for heart disease and substance use disorder, for example. Science saves lives and creates jobs, she said.

Christie said she moved to New Mexico to reduce suffering caused by substance use, and helped organize the event on Friday because of an existential threat to scientists work and public health.

Its existential, its real and its coming from our own government, she said. Whether you directly feel it or not, we all live in a world where we have benefited from science.

If not for science, there wouldnt be lifesaving treatments for cancer, heart disease, suicide, genetic disease and substance use, Christie said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A lot of people will think it doesnt affect them, and it will, Hess said. This has real-world consequences: Your family members that have to take metformin, your family members that are under cancer treatment, your family members that have heart disease. All of those treatments came from science, and progress will stop if funding stops.

Scientists and advocates gathered outside the New Mexico Legislature as part of Stand up For Science 2025, a series of protests across the U.S. on March 7, 2025. (Photo by Austin Fisher / Source NM)

Cleared the floors

The Senate voted 27-10 to pass Senate Bill 507, which would increase the penalty for carrying a concealed firearm without a permit from a petty misdemeanor to a misdemeanor, while reducing the number of course hours required to get a permit.

Senate Bill 20, which would raise taxes on cigarettes and other tobacco products, and direct the income into a Nicotine Use Prevention and Control Fund, passed the Senate in a 25-14 vote.

The Senate, without debate, unanimously voted in favor of Senate Bill 274, which would raise the thresholds for state agencies and local governments to sell property without state approval.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The House passed House Bill 54; House Bill 449; House Bill 405; House Bill 156; House Bill 289; House Bill 323; and House Bill 137. The chamber was still debating House Bill 9, known as the Immigrant Safety Act, as of press time. Afternoon committees were delayed to the evening.

Bill watch

The Senate Education Committee passed an amended version of House Bill 297, which would open up more ways for teachers to be certified in computer science education; House Bill 193, which would expand the Legislative Education Study Committees scope of work to the entire public education system; House Bill 238, which would allow secondary school teachers to count more professional work hours toward instructional hours; and House Bill 260, which would prohibit some kinds of physical restraints of students in schools, including chemical restraint, mechanical restraint, prone restraint and seclusion without continuous line-of-sight supervision.

The Senate Finance Committee passed Senate Bill 170, which would make electric utilities eligible for money out of the Public Project Revolving Fund so they can more quickly build infrastructure for expanding businesses; and a substitute version of Senate Bill 376, which would cut health care premiums paid by state workers while fixing a budget shortfall in their insurance plan.

The Senate Judiciary Committee passed Senate Bill 213, which would require motorists to yield to transit buses when they merge into traffic from a designated bus stop.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Senate Rules Committee passed Senate Memorial 13, which would ask state agencies to use more citizen science projects.

The Senate Indian, Rural & Cultural Affairs Committee passed Senate Bill 374, which would create three new trust funds to help land grants pay for infrastructure.

The Senate Tax, Business and Transportation Committee passed a substitute version of Senate Bill 168, which would levy a tax on travel insurance; Senate Bill 230, which would raise the maximum fees that can be charged by notaries; Senate Bill 364, which would allow people with work authorizations from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to work as police officers; and a substitute version of Senate Bill 383, which would allow the city of Roswell to levy a sales tax to pay for repairing infrastructure damaged by floods.

The House Tax and Revenue Committee passed House Bill 330, which would, in part, create the land grant-merced and acequia infrastructure trust fund; and House Bill 357, which would require the Health Care Authority to establish rules for excluding gross receipts taxes for Mi Via Waiver recipients.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The House Education Committee unanimously passed House Bill 532, which would require school districts to create water safety guidance for students before each school year.

The committee also tabled Senate Bill 242, the Advancing the Science of Reading Act, sponsored by President Pro Tempore Mimi Stewart (D-Albuquerque), after two and a half hours of questions. Committee members brought concerns over the cost of materials and professional development, inclusion of dual-language learning, academic freedom at the university level and the ramifications of disallowing balanced literacy over structured literacy.

Rep. G. Andres Romero (D-Albuquerque), voiced frustration over the fact that the bill did not go through the Legislative Education Study Interim Committee before the session and said he could not promise the bill would be rescheduled for a hearing.

I will say, too, the pressure thats been put on members, and the tactics that have been employed on members, is to me, unacceptable, Romero told the bill sponsors. Calling around, getting different folks to call, triangulate, have side conversations is very, very troubling to me.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The House Tax and Revenue Committee passed House Bill 330, which would, in part, create the land grant-merced and acequia infrastructure trust fund; and House Bill 357, which would require the Health Care Authority to establish rules for excluding gross receipts taxes for Mi Via Waiver recipients.

The House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee passed House Bill 402, which requires that dental provider information be loaded into payment systems in a timely manner and reimbursements be released when delays happen; House Bill 554, which would require zoning authorities accommodate accessory dwelling units in residential zoning districts, as well as multifamily residential housing within commercial zoning districts; House Bill 343, which would require healthcare providers to screen for substance-exposed newborns at birthing facilities and have plans for safe care before these babies are discharged; and House Bill 416, which proposes changes to public employee pensions.

The committee also passed House Memorial 40, which proposes studying the feasibility of creating a state office of peace; House Memorial 34, which proposes the New Mexico Supreme Court convene a taskforce to study gaps in services available to victims of domestic violence and to make recommendations for addressing them; and House Memorial 27, which proposes having an interim committee develop a proposal for an exception to the Anti-Donation Clause to allow the state to use funds for public assistance services.

The House Health and Human Services Committee passed Senate Bill 417, which proposes changing the parameters for defining parenthood when a child is conceived through assisted reproductive methods, and House Bill 542, which would establish the Childbirth Income Tax Credit. The committee also rolled House Bill 531, which proposes the creation of a Santa Fe College of Osteopathic Medicine escrow fund; and House Bill 534, which proposes requiring the Children, Youth and Families Department to use autobiographical storytelling as a trauma-informed strategy when working with children, indefinitely at the request of the sponsors, to be worked on during the interim.

Workin the weekend

The Senate Tax, Business and Transportation Committee will meet at 9 a.m. on Saturday in Room 311.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Senate is expected to convene at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

The Senate Judiciary Committee will meet on Saturday afternoon after the Senate floor session.

The Senate Finance Committee will meet at 11 a.m. on Saturday.

SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
A rumor circulated online in early March 2025 that Apple "quietly removed" International Women's Day from appearing on its calendar app on iPad, iPhone, MacBook and other devices running on the company's operating systems. The globally celebrated day falls annually on March 8.

In an example of users sharing the rumor, on March 4, a verified Threads user posted (archived) of Apple, "Why did you take International Women's Day off the calendar?" Other users also shared the rumor on Apple's community forums, Bluesky, Facebook, a media blog, Reddit, Threads, TikTok and X.

Also, on March 7, Distractify published an article featuring the headline, "Apple Quietly Removed International Women's Day from Its Calendar App  Why?" The story displayed a link to a Substack blog article from influencer and journalist Liz Plank, who posted, "Apple quietly removed International Women's Day from their calendar. Not loudly. Not with a press release. Just a little silent, cowardly delete." Later, Plank or someone else removed the Substack story, with the page displaying the notice, "Page not found."

This image referenced Plank's Substack blog article.

However, no evidence indicated Apple removed International Women's Day from its calendar app, nor did any data show the company featured the day on its calendar in recent years. A spokesperson for Apple said by email that the matter involved a misunderstanding, and that the company did not previously feature International Women's Day  or Women's History Month, also occurring in March  on its standard calendar.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Screenshots showing Apple's calendar app from March 2023 and March 2024, for instance, did not display any special recognition for International Women's Day.

Distractify and Plank did not yet return requests for comment. This article will be updated should they respond.

Users shared this rumor  and a similar claim about Google  weeks following U.S. President Donald Trump's second inauguration. Multiple tech leaders, including Apple CEO Tim Cook, Google CEO Sundar Pichai and others, attended the ceremony in Washington, D.C. Users drew parallels between actions taken by Trump's new administration regarding ending initiatives involving diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), and the purported removals of International Women's Day from both Apple's calendar app and Google calendar.

Changes to Google Calendar

Separate from Apple, on Feb. 12, Google issued a news release on its official blog, The Keyword (archived), about changes to holidays displayed with the standard calendar included with Google, for example the removal of an entry for Black History Month  a special celebration occurring annually in February.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The statement's authors sought to clarify information about changes they said they made to the calendar in "mid-2024," long before Trump's victory in the 2024 presidential election:

Some years ago, the Calendar team started manually adding a broader set of moments in a wide number of countries around the world  things like cultural celebrations, teachers days and many more. We got feedback that many other events and countries were missing, and it just wasn't feasible to put hundreds of moments in everyone's calendars  so in mid-2024 we made the decision to simplify and show only public holidays and national observances from timeanddate.com. Contrary to some of the comments on social media, this was not something we did just this year.

The authors also mentioned Google celebrated Black History Month and Lunar New Year in other ways, despite the observances no longer appearing on its standard calendar.

A spokesperson for Google did not answer the question of whether the company previously featured International Women's Day in its calendar, instead sending a link to the aforementioned news release.

A YouTube video recorded in 2022 showed Google calendar displaying the words "First Day of Black History Month" on Feb. 1 and "First Day of Women's History Month" on March 1, with no observance mentioned for International Women's Day on March 8. The question of whether the women's day ever appeared on Google calendar remained unclear.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Juneteenth, a federal holiday commemorating a moment marking the end of slavery in the U.S., still appeared on both Apple's calendar app and Google's calendar, for June 19, 2025. Former President Joe Biden signed legislation establishing the federal holiday in June 2021.

Sources:

"Celebrate the Year of the Snake with Google." Google, 29 Jan. 2025, https://blog.google/outreach-initiatives/diversity/happy-lunar-year-snake/.

"Clarifying Some Changes We Made in Calendar." Google, 12 Feb. 2025, https://blog.google/feed/google-calendar-changes-cultural-moments/.

Dalke, Allison. "Using Google Calendar to Schedule Team and Customer Communication." YouTube, 25 Feb. 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZtj15b14Ys.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Freking, Kevin. "Biden Signs Bill Making Juneteenth a Federal Holiday." The Associated Press, 17 June 2021, https://apnews.com/article/biden-juneteenth-federal-holiday-9bb62a3448376e05d87ac79cf27970d2.

Grant, Nico. "Google Calendar Deletes Women's History Month and Other Cultural Events." The New York Times, 12 Feb. 2025, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/12/technology/google-black-history-womens-history.html.

"How You Can Celebrate Black History Month with Help from Google." Google, 1 Feb. 2025, https://blog.google/outreach-initiatives/diversity/black-history-month-2025/.

Ibrahim, Nur. "The Origins of Juneteenth." Snopes, 19 June 2024, https://www.snopes.com//articles/467188/juneteenth-origins/.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"International Women's Day Is a Celebration and a Call to Action. Here Are Things to Know." The Associated Press, 7 Mar. 2025, https://apnews.com/article/international-womens-day-march-protest-f3d414a859b2b2548c7423735a4f645f.

NBC New York Staff. "International Women's Day: What You Need to Know." NBC New York, 7 Mar. 2025, https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/international-womens-day-what-to-know/6177477/.

Swenson, Ali. "Trump, a Populist President, Is Flanked by Tech Billionaires at His Inauguration." The Associated Press, 20 Jan. 2025, https://apnews.com/article/trump-inauguration-tech-billionaires-zuckerberg-musk-wealth-0896bfc3f50d941d62cebc3074267ecd.

"Which US Companies Are Pulling Back on Diversity Initiatives?" The Associated Press, 7 Mar. 2025, https://apnews.com/article/dei-diversity-equity-inclusion-companies-lawsuits-2193ef0a864db968e6934f971f78e8f2.
When a hurricane or tornado starts to form, your local weather forecasters can quickly pull up maps tracking its movement and showing where its headed. But have you ever wondered where they get all that information?

The forecasts can seem effortless, but behind the scenes, a vast network of satellites, airplanes, radar, computer models and weather analysts are providing access to the latest data  and warnings when necessary. This data comes from analysts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, known as NOAA, and its National Weather Service.

Atmospheric scientists Christine Wiedinmyer and Kari Bowen, who is a former National Weather Service forecaster, explained NOAAs central role in most U.S. weather forecasts.

When people see a weather report on TV, what went on at NOAA to make that forecast possible?

A lot of the weather information Americans rely on starts with real-time data collected by NOAA satellites, airplanes, weather balloons, radar and maritime buoys, as well as weather stations around the world.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

All of that information goes into the agencys computers, which process the data to begin defining whats going on in different parts of the atmosphere.

NOAA forecasters use computer models that simulate physics and the behavior of the atmosphere, along with their own experience and local knowledge, to start to paint a picture of the weather  whats coming in a few minutes or hours or days. They also use that data to project seasonal conditions out over weeks or months.

NOAAs data comes from many sources to provide a more complete picture of developing climate and weather conditions. Communities and economies rely on that constantly updated information. NOAA

When severe weather is on the way, the agency issues the official alerts youll see in the news and on your phone.

All of this analysis happens before the information reaches private weather apps and TV stations.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

No matter who you are, you can freely access that data and the analyses. In fact, a large number of private companies use NOAA data to create fancy maps and other weather products that they sell.

It would be extremely difficult to do all of that without NOAA.

The agency operates a fleet of 18 satellites that are packed with instruments dedicated to observing weather phenomena essential to predicting the weather, from how hot the land surface is to the water content of the atmosphere. Some are geostationary satellites which sit high above different parts of the U.S. measuring weather conditions 24/7. Others orbit the planet. Many of these are operated as part of partnerships with NASA or the Air Force.

Some private companies are starting to invest in satellites, but it would take an enormous amount of money to replicate the range of instrumentation and coverage that NOAA has in place. Satellites only last so long and take time to build, so NOAA is continually planning for the future, and using its technical expertise to develop new instruments and computer algorithms to interpret the data.

NOAAs low earth orbiting satellites circle the planet from pole to pole and across the equator 14 times a day to provide a full picture of the year twice a day. The agency also has geostationary satellites that provide continuous coverage over the U.S. NOAA

Maritime buoys are another measuring system that would be difficult to replicate. Over 1,300 buoys across oceans around the world measure water temperature, wind and wave height  all of which are essential for coastal warnings, as well as long-term forecasts.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Weather observation has been around a long time. President Ulysses S. Grant created the first national weather service in the War Department in 1870. It became a civilian service in 1880 under the Department of Agriculture and is now in the Commerce Department. The information its scientists and technologists produce is essential for safety and also benefits people and industries in a lot of ways.

Could a private company create forecasts on its own without NOAA data?

It would be difficult for one company to provide comprehensive weather data in a reliable way that is also accessible to the entire public.

Some companies might be able to launch their own satellite, but one satellite only gives you part of the picture. NOAAs weather observation network has been around for a long time and collects data from points all over the U.S. and the oceans. Without that robust data, computer models and the broad network of forecasters and developers, forecasting also becomes less reliable.

Analyzing that data is also complex. Youre not going to be able to take satellite data, run a model on a standard laptop and suddenly have a forecast.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

And theres a question of whether a private company would want to take on the legal risk of being responsible for the nations forecasts and severe weather warnings.

NOAA is taxpayer-funded, so it is a public good  its services provide safety and security for everyone, not just those who can pay for it.

If weather data was only available at a price, one town might be able to afford the weather information necessary to protect its residents, while a smaller town or a rural area across the state might not. If youre in a tornado-prone area or coastal zone, that information can be the difference between life or death.

Is climate data and research into the changing climate important for forecasts?

The Earths systems  its land, water and the atmosphere  are changing, and we have to be able to assess how those changes will impact weather tomorrow, in two weeks and far into the future.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Rising global temperatures affect weather patterns. Dryness can fuel wildfires. Forecasts have to take the changing climate into account to be accurate, no matter who is creating the forecast.

Drought is an example. The dryness of the Earth controls how much water gets exchanged with the atmosphere to form clouds and rainfall. To have an accurate weather prediction, we need to know how dry things are at the surface and how that has changed over time. That requires long-term climate information.

NOAA doesnt do all of this by itself  who else is involved?

NOAA partners with private sector, academia, nonprofits and many others around the world to ensure that everyone has the best information to produce the most robust weather forecasts. Private weather companies and media also play important roles in getting those forecasts and alerts out more widely to the public.

A lot of businesses rely on accuracy from NOAAs weather data and forecasts: aviation, energy companies, insurance, even modern tractors precision farming equipment. The agencys long-range forecasts are essential for managing state reservoirs to ensure enough water is saved and to avoid flooding.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The government agency can be held accountable in a way private businesses are not because it answers to Congress. So, the data is trustworthy, accessible and developed with the goal to protect public safety and property for everyone. Could the same be said if only for-profit companies were producing that data?

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: Christine Wiedinmyer, University of Colorado Boulder and Kari Bowen, University of Colorado Boulder

Read more:



Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Christine Wiedinmyer is the CIRES Associate Director for Science. CIRES is a CU Boulder research institute that has a cooperative agreement (grant) with NOAA called the Cooperative Institute for Earth Systems Research and Data Science, CIESRDS. Wiedinmyer's funding is primarily from NOAA, which supports more than 400 CIRES CU Boulder employees.

Kari Bowen is the Science and Administration Manager. CIRES is a CU Boulder research institute with a cooperative agreement (grant) with NOAA called the Cooperative Institute for Earth Systems Research and Data Science, CIESRDS. Bowen's funding is from NOAA, which supports more than 400 CIRES CU Boulder employees.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Friday that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has identified two criminal leakers within its ranks and will refer them to the Department of Justice for felony prosecutions.

We have identified criminal leakers within @DHSgov and are preparing to refer these perpetrators to the @TheJusticeDept for felony prosecutions. These individuals face up to 10 years in federal prison, she wrote in a post on the social platform X along with a video message.

We plan to prosecute these two individuals and hold them accountable for what they have done, Noem announced in the video, saying that they leaked the departments operations and put law enforcement officials lives at risk.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The names of the individuals have not been revealed.

Last month, Tom Homan, President Trumps border czar, said Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions in Colorado were hindered after a raid was leaked, allowing the targets to escape.

Everybody can agree to that, but when they get a heads-up that we are coming, its only a matter of time before our officers are ambushed, he added, according to The Associated Press. Their job is dangerous enough. So we are going to address this very seriously.

ICE officers were still able to carry out some arrests. The agency has been actively documenting its deportation efforts through social media.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Hill reached out to DHS 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.
HIGH POINT, N.C. (WGHP)  There is a big debate about what to do about cellphones in schools, and lawmakers are involved.

There is now a proposal to make it a state requirement for every district to come up with a policy that would ban cell phone use in the classroom.

The parents FOX8 spoke with said the idea is great for getting the kids to focus. Its complicated because they want to be able to get in touch with their kids if they need to.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I think it is a whole new battle that teachers and parents and lawmakers are going to have to work together on to figure out, and I dont know if that will be an easy thing to do, said Meaghan Eller from High Point.

Some districts, schools and even teachers already have a policy in place to put away the phone.

While in the classroom, yes  If they want to have them between classes, reach out to their parents, that is fine, but during class time, it should be strictly attention to the teacher, said Christopher Dalton from Lexington.

If signed into law, it would be up to the districts to implement and enforce their cell phone policy.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I dont think cell phones should be in school, however, teachers are going to need more support to police that every single day, Eller said.

Republican North Carolina Senator Amy Galey from Alamance County helped sponsor the bill.

We need to support teachers in their goals to maintain order, Galey said.

Currently, Guilford County Schools do not have a district-wide policy, but schools are allowed to set their own. The Alamance-Burlington School System also allows each school to figure out what is best for a cellphone policy.

Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools just implemented a district-wide policy this school year that says all wireless communication devices need to be off and kept away during the school day for middle and elementary students, and high schoolers can use them during lunch only.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The goal of this bill is to set a standard across all schools in North Carolina, get the kids to focus and reduce distractions.

The NC Senate passed the bill earlier this week with a 41-1 vote. Now, it heads to the North Carolina House, which also has a similar bill.

Galey expects there could be some version of the two bills on the governors desk very soon. If signed off, the policies would need to be in place at the start of next school year.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX8 WGHP.
North Korea has released its first pictures of a nuclear-powered submarine under construction, which could dramatically change the security calculus in the region.

State media released a bulletin on Saturday with photos of dictator Kim Jong-un visiting a North Korean shipyard that is said to build military vessels.

On the visit, Kim learned about the building of a nuclear-powered strategic guided missile submarine as part of the countrys important goals  for building the country into an advanced maritime power, the bulletin said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The release of the pictures comes before the US and South Korea are due to begin their annual Freedom Shield joint military exercises, which start on Monday and run until March 20.

North Korea has ramped up criticism ahead of these drills, as it does each year, with state media saying they deteriorate circumstances in the Korean Peninsula.

On the shipyard visit, Kim learned about the building of a nuclear-powered strategic guided missile submarine, according to state media - KCNA/KNS/AFP

Neither a date nor a location were disclosed with the photos, and it is not possible to independently confirm North Koreas claims about its defence capabilities, given the secretive kingdoms blockade of independent media.

Experts, however, believe the language that state media used in its announcement indicates that the submarine would carry nuclear-capable weapons.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The naval vessel pictured appeared to be a 6,000-ton-class or 7,000-ton-class submarine that could carry 10 missiles, Moon Keun-sik, a South Korean submarine expert, told the AP.

It would be absolutely threatening to us and the US, Mr Moon told the news agency.

Bringing a nuclear-powered submarine into service would significantly increase North Koreas threat as it could deliver underwater missile launch capability, which is challenging to detect.

This could heighten tensions with longtime rivals the US and South Korea, with which North Korea is technically still at war. Though fighting ceased in 1953, the two countries never signed a peace treaty.

A nuclear-powered submarine would bring North Korea the capability to launch missiles from underwater - KCNA/KNS/AP

Generally speaking, nuclear submarines  dubbed the stealth service  can travel deep underwater, relatively undetected for weeks or even months at a time.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A number of countries, including the US, UK, France, Russia, China, India and Pakistan have the capability, or have been developing such weapons systems.

How North Korea manages to fund its nuclear weapons and missile programme remains mysterious, given that its economy has been hit by heavy sanctions for many years.

Still, Pyongyang has ploughed ahead, finding funds to develop new weapons systems despite UN Security Council sanctions, and despite the fact that much of the population often goes hungry.

Russia, however, has been a longtime security partner for North Korea, and analysts have suggested Moscow may have assisted in the project.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

North Korea, for instance, sent 11,000 troops in November to fight on behalf of Russia in its invasion of Ukraine. North Korean troops were placed on the frontlines, but taken off within months after suffering heavy casualties.

China, too, has acted as a crutch for North Korea in a number of areas, from economic to security arenas, partly as a way to keep its smaller but bombastic neighbour in check.

Mr Moon, who teaches at Seouls Hanyang University, said North Korea may have received Russian technological assistance to build a nuclear reactor for the submarine in return for supplying conventional weapons and troops to support Russias war efforts against Ukraine.

He also said North Korea could launch the submarine in one or two years to test its capability before its actual deployment.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Kim has emphasised a wish-list of advanced weapons systems, including nuclear-powered submarines, solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles, hypersonic weapons, spy satellites and multi-warhead missiles.

Since 2016, North Korea has held a number of underwater-launched ballistic missile tests, though they were conducted from the same 2,000-ton-class submarine, which has a single launch tube.

Experts, however, have viewed this as a test platform, rather than an operational vessel.

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.
VERMILION, Ohio (WJW)  A man who Vermilion police said was a suspect in an armed robbery at a local Pizza Hut was arrested in Tennessee this week.

According to a press release on the Vermilion Police Departments Facebook page, on Feb. 28 a man walked into the restaurant on Liberty Ave., displayed a firearm and demanded money from the employee at the counter.

Toll road text scams: How to know it isnt legit

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Police said the man made off with $96.

Officers responded to investigate the scene, canvas the area and collect digital evidence which included some surveillance videos. Through that, police were able to identify a suspect vehicle.

Throughout the past week, Detectives have used multiple different investigative techniques to narrow down the search for the suspect. A suspect was developed and was then positively identified by an eyewitness to the robbery, the press release stated.

After that a probable cause affidavit and warrant were presented to a judge and a warrant was signed for the suspects arrest. The warrant and the vehicle information were then entered into the nationwide database, police said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On Friday March 7, police in Knoxville, Tennessee initiated a traffic stop on the suspect vehicle. The suspect, identified as Michael E. Cothern, 37, from Toledo, was a passenger in the vehicle and was taken into custody.

Cothern was in possession of a firearm at the time of the arrest. Cothern was transported to jail and will await extradition back to Vermilion (Lorain County) for prosecution, the release said.

Huron County teacher arrested, charged with rape: Sheriffs office

Cothern is facing an aggravated robbery charge. He also has an outstanding felony warrant through the Ohio Parole Authority, police said. He is also facing several charges in Knoxville.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Even with the arrest, police are asking anyone with further information regarding this incident, to contact Det. Sgt. Holmes with the Vermilion Police Department at 440-204-2445 or sholmes@cityofvermilionohio.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 Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (DC News Now)  The budget talks on Capitol Hill are raising concerns that Medicare and Medicaid will be gutted.

Republicans need to slash $880 billion from government programs to pay for President Donald Trumps proposed tax cuts. But a new report just out from the Congressional Budget Office says lawmakers can only cut $135 billion without impacting Medicare or Medicaid.

For so many families in the DMV who rely on Medicare or Medicaid coverage, theyre fearful of what these funding cuts will mean. Some said their coverage is so limited already, so any changes could be devastating.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Prince Georges County councilwoman helping laid off federal workers

I dont know what [my family] would do, said Mary Lee Ruby, whose grandson had a brain bleed at birth and now requires complete care. Medicaid covers his daycare. Its really important that his mother be given the break when he goes to the daycare center during the day, and she gets a chance to do some of the things she has to do.

Meanwhile, Michael Thomas, whose son has intellectual and developmental disabilities, said his Medicaid waiver allows him to live in a group home with 24-7 care.

He can have support from care attendants who are well-trained, who understand that, and hes still within his community, Thomas said. Any reduction or elimination of that would be devastating.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ruby and Thomass stories are just two of many, and central to the roundtable discussion they attended hosted by Rep. Don Beyer (D).

Beyer said hell fight the proposed cuts and called on Virginians to share their stories hoping that public opinion can sway his colleagues on the Hill and at the White House.

Rather than talking about cutting further, we should be looking from top down nationally as to how we can provide even more support within the disability community, Thomas said.

Data reviewed by DC News Now shows nearly 2 million people in Virginia were enrolled in Medicaid in February 2025, including more than 800,000 low-income Virginians.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

If there were cuts to Medicaid, especially at this scale thats being talked about, it would it would truly devastate the safety net, said Dr. Basim Khan, CEO of Neighborhood 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 DC News Now | Washington, DC.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WSPA)  A Greenville County man became the first person in state history to be executed by a firing squad Friday and the first in the United States in 15 years.

The capital punishment sentence of Brad Kieth Sigmon was carried out tonight in pursuant with the Supreme Court and South Carolina state law, Chrysti Shain, a spokesperson with the South Carolina Department of Corrections, said during a press conference after the execution.

Its an uncommon form of capital punishment across the country. Friday at 6:05 p.m., South Carolina convicted killer, Brad Sigmon, was executed by a three-person firing squad. He was pronounced dead by a medical examiner at 6:08 p.m.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The curtain opened, and he looked towards his attorney who was on the front row of the witness. They kind of had an exchange. I couldnt tell because his mouth was covered what they were mouthing back and forth to each other but it looked like he was just saying he was okay to his attorney, said Jeffrey Collins, Associated Press reporter.

Jeffery Collins was one of the three media witnesses who were inside the Capital Punishment Facility. He said they watched it unfold from behind a bullet-proof window. The three members of the media sat alongside Sigmons lawyer, his spiritual advisor, three family members of the victims, a representative from the 13th Circuit Solicitors Office, and a member of the sheriffs office.

The moments, Collins recalled, were tense.

At that point, his arm tensed up when he got shot. There was kind of this brief moment of tensing, Collins explained.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Witnesses said the process from start to finish happened in less than ten minutes, which is a significantly shorter amount of time than what is needed for lethal injection or electrocution. The curtain obstructing the witnesses view of Sigmon was opened at 6:01 p.m. Shots were fired simultaneously at 6:05 p.m. by three, unnamed volunteers from the Department of Corrections. At 6:06 p.m. the witnesses said a medical examiner checked Sigmons pulse, and by 6:08 p.m., he was pronounced dead.

Sigmon was sentenced to death row in 2002 for the brutal beating deaths of his ex-girlfriends parents, David and Gladys Larke, and for an attempt to kidnap his ex-girlfriend that happened a year prior.

On Friday, his final statement called for an end to the death penalty. It was read aloud by Chrysti Shain, the spokesperson with the Department of Corrections, during a press conference afterward.

I want my closing statement to be one of love and a calling to my fellow Christians to help us end the death penalty. An eye for an eye was used as justification to the jury for seeking the death penalty. At that time, I was too ignorant to know how wrong that was. Why? Because we no longer live under the Old Testament law but now live under the New Testament. Matthew 5:38-39 says, You have heard that it has been said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth but I say unto you that you do not resist an evil person. Whosoever shall smite me on the right cheek, turn to him the other one as well. Romans 6:14, For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are no longer under the law but under grace. Nowhere does God in the New Testament give man the authority to kill another man. That is why the Bible is divided into the Old Testament and the New Testament. Remember the words of Jesus, John 7:19, Did not Moses give you the law? Yet none of you keep with the law. We are now under Gods grace and mercy. Brad Sigmon wrote as his final statement before his execution.

Its just a sad day, said Elder James Johnson, anti-death penalty advocate and CEO of the Racial Justice Network. We feel the sadness in the air.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Friday afternoon, protestors gathered outside of the Broad River Correctional Institute holding signs with messages depicting an end to the process along with photos of Sigmon.

Remember the victims but not with more killing. I think that rings true at every execution, said Hayden Laye, anti-death penalty advocate.

Governor McMaster and all of them will have to stand before God one day for that they do. If theres any doubt in their mind, they should not go ahead with this execution or any execution of this kind in America, said James.

Sigmons legal team hoped for a last-minute reprieve but late Friday afternoon, the U.S. Supreme Court declined his request to hear the case, and Governor Henry McMaster denied clemency.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In an interview, Sigmons lawyer said he chose the firing squad method over lethal injection and electrocution. He was the fourth person executed by the process in the United States since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976, according to the Associated Press.

The three other firing squad executions happened in Utah.

Sigmons legal team said the choice of firing squad was not easy but felt it was the least inhumane.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS.
A nurse has been charged failing to provide necessary care to 27-year-old Hardel Sherrell, who died in Beltrami County Jail in 2018.

On Friday, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced his office had filed a criminal complaint against Michelle Skroch.

People gathered on University Avenue to demand justice for Hardel Sherrell on July 29, 2020.Credit: Fibonacci Blue via Flickr

Skroch is the former nursing director of MEnD Correctional Care, which has since closed. She faces one count of second-degree manslaughter and two counts of criminal neglect in connection with Sherrells death.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to the criminal complaint, Skroch failed to properly care for Sherrell while he was in her care from Sep. 1 to Sep. 2 of 2018. Shes accused of failing to provide Sherrell the most basic nursing care, including checking his vitals.

Sherrell was reportedly showing signs of Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare autoimmune disorder.

A review by a correctional healthcare expert found that Skrochs actions demonstrated a tremendous breach in the standard of care, according to Ellisons office.

Skrochs nursing license was revoked in 2023.

I am grateful there will finally be some accountability for my sons death, Del Shea Perry, Sherrells mother, said in a statement, but whatever sentence Michelle Skroch gets, it will never be the life sentence I got when my child died in Beltrami County Jail.
NUTTER FORT, W.Va. (WBOY)  Although Flag Day is celebrated on June 14, first graders at Nutter Fort Primary School got a jumpstart on the patriotic festivities.

With school out of session on June 14, the Clarksburg and Nutter Fort Lions Club hosted the event, which has become an annual tradition. The goal: to teach first graders the significance of the American flag.

A total of 175 students learned the meanings behind the stars and stripes, the colors of the flag and where West Virginias star is located on the flag. They were also taught the proper etiquette when handling an American flag.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Al Cox, a member of the Clarksburg Lions Club, said its important to introduce these lessons at an early age.

I think every child should be exposed to the flag, the symbolism of the flag, and what it stands for, Cox said. Its great to do this at an early age in first grade. The presentation is very elementary, and they seem to enjoy it. It helps them start on the path of becoming true, loyal American citizens.

Harrison County official addresses concerns about air quality at Simpson Elementary School

Jennifer Oliverio, principal of Nutter Fort Primary School, said the event also reinforces the connection between the school and the community.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We want the students to know that our community is part of our school, Oliverio said. When the Lions Club comes in to do presentations and read to the students, they see that we are all part of the same community.

After the presentation, each student received an American flag and a flag fact sheet. The students then surprised the Lions Club members by singing patriotic songs while waving their flags.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
A Manhattan banker raped a 25-year-old woman at her apartment while calling her a fking bitch and telling her you had this coming, prosecutors said.

Mark Harris, 38, was arraigned on rape and sexual abuse charges in Manhattan Criminal Court Thursday for the alleged Feb. 25 attack inside the womans Midtown apartment.

Prosecutors said that Harris  who works in energy and infrastructure finance at Investec  pulled the victims pants down before he held her down against a mattress and raped her.

Prosecutors said, Mark Harris, 38, raped a 25-year-old woman at her apartment while calling her a fking bitch and telling her you had this coming. MattGush

The victim tried fighting off the sexual predator by repeatedly pleading for him to stop before she was able to kick him off of her, according to the criminal complaint.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As he left the apartment, Harris allegedly degraded the victim by calling her a fking bitch before telling her that she deserved the attack.

You had this coming, Harris sneered, according to prosecutors.

Harris is free on $150,000 cash bail, which was requested by prosecutors.

His attorney, Jason Goldman, said in a statement that Harris is innocent and expects the case to be dropped.

Unfortunately, we live in a world where somebody like Mr. Harris  an accomplished professional who would never so much as contemplate this crime  can be arrested on the uncorroborated word of an unhinged individual, Goldman said.

Harris was arraigned on rape and sexual abuse charges Thursday, the same day of the alleged attack. Obtained by the NY Post

Our investigation has already revealed evidence which exonerates Mr. Harris. He is innocent, the case will be dismissed, and if theres any hope for society, his reputation will not be ruined by this sanctionably false report.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Harris lives in a two-bedroom, two-bath apartment in the swanky Brooklyn Point building in Downtown Brooklyn, where a recent listing for a similar unit sold for $2.6 million.

Harris spent 11 years at Japanese powerhouse bank SMBC where he served as the director of structured and project finance before joining SMBC Nikko Securities in 2022, according to his LinkedIn profile.

He then joined Investec, an international banking company, working as a bookrunner on deals in the US, his profile said.

Investec did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Harris is due back in court on March 11.
NEW YORK (PIX11)  Are you searching for your next job opportunity?

The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation is hosting a job fair on Wednesday, March 12 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

More Local News

Representatives from different divisions, including Maintenance and Operations and Park Enforcement will be on site to present available job opportunities.

The job fair will be held at the Highbridge Recreation Center at 2301 Amsterdam Avenue in New York.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

To register, click on this link and fill out the online form.

Ben Mitchell is a digital content producer from Vermont who has covered both local and international news since 2021. He joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of his work here.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
Former Education Secretary Arne Duncan issued President Trump a warning over plans to shutter the Department of Education, decrying you break it, you own it.

Duncan, in an interview with CNNs John Berman on Friday, was asked about a reported executive order Trump is expected to sign that will give newly minted Education chief Linda McMahon the greenlight to begin dismantling the department. Despite the order not being unveiled Thursday or Friday, the Obama-era official claimed the move could create a bureaucratic nightmare.

Folks like Trump are sort of cowards at heart, and so its hard to tell what will happen, Duncan told Berman. If they just simply move parts of the Department of Education to other agencies  to Treasury, to HHS, to Labor, whatever  what you just have is a bureaucratic nightmare.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

You know when you walk into stores and they say You break it, you own it? If banks start to fall apart in D.C. because they have moved things around, they are going to own it, he continued. And its something theyre not going to want to see happen if they start to take away educational opportunity away from vulnerable children.

McMahon confirmed Friday that Trump is still expected to move forward with the plan. A draft order obtained by multiple outlets directs the secretary to dismantle the department as much as she can without congressional approval  which is necessary to completely abolish an agency.

She added that control over educational institutions would be up to the states if the department were fully shuttered.

Duncan, wearing an Education is a Human Right shirt, seemingly laughed off the administrations argument.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ill be the first guy to say mission accomplished. He can put that banner up, the former chief said, referring to Trumps claims that states should control their own education. Because guess what? Thats already where the action is  Everything he says is so dishonest. So disingenuous.

As you know, 90 percent of K-12 funding is already at the state and local level, he added. So that action is already at the states.

What the Education Department does, according to Duncan, is provide additional resources for the most vulnerable children. He went on to list some main priorities, including providing access to high-quality pre-K schooling, feeding hungry children at lunch time, providing quality education for kids who live below the poverty line or in rural communities, assisting English-language learners, providing accommodations for 7.5 million children with special needs and offering Pell Grants for young adults to attend college.

If he starts to touch resources, hurting our most vulnerable young people, where their only chance in life is to get a great public education [and] go to college, its going to be a major, major backlash and hes going to wake up mama bear and papa bear at home, Duncan told Berman.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

You can lie to parents about a lot of things, but if you start taking away opportunities from their children  he better watch out, he said.

After tapping McMahon to lead the department, Trump made it very clear that he wanted her to put herself out of a job. Since being confirmed by the Senate earlier this month, she has largely stuck to that goal and sent out a final mission to employees after taking the post.

The administration, primarily Trumps Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has already cut more than a billion dollars of education contracts. The move, which DOGE argued cuts woke wasteful spending, has prompted others to sound the alarm on educational research and learning outcomes for students.

Duncan told NewsNation in an interview last month that he didnt believe Congress would vote to nix the department.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Thats not going to happen, he said at the 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 The Hill.
FRANKLIN COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM)  Police have arrested a man who has been wanted in multiple states for over a year in Franklin County.

According to a Facebook post from the Franklin County Sherriffs Office, after a year and a half of pursuit, fugitive Brett Davis is in custody. The post says the Franklin County Sheriffs Office apprehended Davis inside an apartment attic in Blue Ridge Summit, bringing an end to his attempts to evade justice.

The post says Davis was wanted in Delaware and Maryland on multiple charges, including motor vehicle theft, fleeing and eluding, assault, criminal mischief, disorderly conduct, and various drug and firearm offenses.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Close

Thanks for signing up!

Watch for us in your inbox.

Subscribe Now

Breaking News Alerts

If youre a fugitive in Franklin County, know thiswe will find you, said Franklin County Sheriff Benjamin H. Sites, per the post. These types of operations are dangerous and complicated; however, deputies are dedicated to keeping this community safe, and work tirelessly with any agency to bring criminals to justice.

Davis is currently being held at the Franklin County Jail, awaiting extradition to Delaware and Maryland, the post 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 ABC27.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  As threats to end the Department of Education continue, U.S. Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH) discussed the importance of literacy and public education Friday in a reading event for local elementary schoolers.

Beatty visited Woodcrest Elementary School as part of Read Across America week where she read stories aloud to students and celebrated learning. She spoke with NBC4 after the event, where she said she loved seeing the excitement among students.

She also said the Department of Education is crucial for schools like the one she spoke in today, and she hopes the administration backtracks threats to cut the department. Beatty said Congress  not the White House  has the power to fund and sustain the Department of Education. She said she is certain the effort to close the department will end up in court.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I think its important to say to little children, and especially little Black children, that we will not let this administration illegally do away with the Department of Education, Beatty said. We will not let him cut veterans programs and housing programs, and so we wanted to stand in solidarity.

Sen. Bernie Moreno on tariffs, education and immigration

As part of that solidarity Beatty also stood by Rep. Al Green (D-TX), saying his actions were appropriate. Green was censured this week for his protest during President Donald Trumps address to Congress this week, marking a formal condemnation of his actions. Beatty was not one of the 10 Democrats who joined Republicans in favor of the censure.

Beatty also said Democrats in Congress are learning about federal office closures and layoffs at the same time as their constituents  after the notices have already gone out. She said federal workers are swarming Congressional phones about the flurry of layoffs.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The phones are ringing off the hook, people are scared, people want to know if they are going to get paid, they want to know what happens to them next, Beatty said. When you look at these offices and the individuals that are working in these offices, they are the lifeline to many of these programs.

Beatty also condemned Republican colleagues as childish for not standing up against calls to repeal the bipartisan CHIPS Act or Elon Musk-backed DOGE cuts. She said Musk is not elected and not confirmed, and she feels the administration is not putting people first.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
ITOMAN, Japan  Takamatsu Gushiken turns on a headtorch and enters a cave buried in Okinawas jungle. He gently runs his fingers through the gravel until two pieces of bone emerge. These are from the skulls, he says, of an infant and possibly an adult.

He carefully places them in a ceramic rice bowl and takes a moment to imagine people dying 80 years ago as they hid in this cave during one of the fiercest battles of World War II. His hope is that the dead can be reunited with their families.

The remains of some 1,400 people found on Okinawa sit in storage for possible identification with DNA testing. So far just six have been identified and returned to their families. Volunteer bone hunters and families looking for their loved ones say the government should do more to help.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The military lab that identifies fallen troops decades after WWII

Gushiken says the bones are silent witnesses to Okinawas wartime tragedy, carrying a warning to the present generation as Japan ups its defense spending in the face of tensions with China over territorial disputes and Beijings claim to the nearby self-governing island Taiwan.

The best way to honor the war dead is never to allow another war, Gushiken says. Im worried about Okinawas situation now.  Im afraid there is a growing risk that Okinawa may become a battlefield again.

An island haunted by one of the deadliest battles of World War II

On April 1, 1945, U.S. troops landed on Okinawa during their push toward mainland Japan, beginning a battle that lasted until late June and killed about 12,000 Americans and more than 188,000 Japanese, half of them Okinawan civilians. That included students and victims of mass suicides ordered by the Japanese military, historians say.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The fighting ended at Itoman, where Gushiken and other volunteer cave diggers  or gamahuya in their native Okinawan language  have found the remains of what are likely hundreds of people.

Gushiken tries to imagine being in the cave during the fighting. Where would he hide? What would he feel? He makes a guess about the age of the victims, whether they died by gunshot or explosion, and puts details about the bones in a small red notebook.

Gushiken and other volunteer cave diggers  or gamahuya in their native Okinawan language  have found the remains of what are likely hundreds of people killed in the Battle of Okinawa. (Hiro Komae/AP)

After the war, Okinawa remained under U.S. occupation until 1972, 20 years longer than most of Japan, and it remains host to a major U.S. military presence to this day. As Japan enjoyed a postwar economic rise, Okinawas economic, educational and social development lagged behind.

Gushiken says when he was a child growing up in Okinawas capital, Naha, he would go out hunting bugs and find skulls still wearing helmets.

A slow search for remains

Nearly 80 years after the end of World War II, 1.2 million Japanese war dead are still unaccounted for. Thats about half of the 2.4 million Japanese, mostly soldiers, who died during Japans early 20th-century wars.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Thousands of unidentified bones have been sitting in storage for years waiting for testing that could help match them with surviving families.

Gushiken says the governments DNA matching efforts have been too little and too slow.

Of the estimated 188,140 Japanese killed in the Battle of Okinawa, most of their remains had been collected and placed in the national cemetery on the island, the health ministry says. Around 1,400 remains found in recent decades sit in storage. The process of identification has been painfully slow.

It was only in 2003 that the Japanese government started DNA matching after requests from the families of the dead, but tests were limited to the remains found with teeth and manmade artifacts that could provide hints to their identities.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In 2016, Japan enacted a law launching a remains recovery initiative to promote more DNA matching and cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense. A year later, the government expanded the work to civilians and authorized testing on limb bones.

Gushiken shows a tooth of someone believed to have died during the Battle of Okinawa towards the end of World War II in 1945. (Hiro Komae/AP)

In all, 1,280 remains of Japanese war dead, including six on Okinawa, have been identified by DNA tests since 2003, the health ministry said. The remains of around 14,000 people are stored in the ministry mortuary for future testing.

Hundreds of American soldiers remain unaccounted for. Their remains, as well as those of Koreans mobilized by the Japanese during the war, may yet be found, Gushiken says.

Locating and identifying decades-old remains have become increasingly difficult as families and relatives age, memories fade, artifacts and documents get lost, and the remains deteriorate, says Naoki Tezuka, a health ministry official.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The progress has been slow everywhere, Tezuka said. Ideally, we hope to not just collect the remains but return them to their families.

The burden of history

Japan is undertaking an accelerating military buildup, sending more troops and weapons to Okinawa and its outer islands. Many here who have bitter memories of the Japanese armys wartime brutality view the current military buildup with wariness.

Washington and Tokyo see the strong U.S. military presence as a crucial bulwark against China and North Korea, but many Okinawans have long complained about noise, pollution, aircraft accidents and crime related to American troops.

Okinawa today is home to more than half of the 50,000 American troops stationed in Japan, with the majority of U.S. military facilities on the small southern island. Tokyo has promised to relocate a U.S. Marine Corps air station that sits in a crowded town after years of friction, but Okinawans remain angry at a plan that would only move it to the islands east coast and may use the soil possibly containing the remains for construction.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Gushiken says the Itoman caves should be protected from development so that younger generations can learn about the wars history, and so searchers like him can complete their work.

Like him, some Okinawans say they fear the lessons of their wartime suffering are being forgotten.

Tomoyuki Kobashigawas half-sister Michiko was killed soon after she got married. He wants to apply for DNA matching to help find her. Its so sad.  If she would have lived, we could have been such good siblings.

The missing remains show the governments lack of remorse over its responsibility in the war, Kobashigawa says. Im afraid the Okinawan people will be embroiled in a war again.

Yamaguchi reported from Tokyo.
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  Dozens gathered at the Oklahoma State Capitol for a Stand Up for Science rally.

Lawmakers in attendance urged the crowd to take action.

Stand Up for Science Rally. (KFOR)

My first message is to get angry, said Democratic Representative Jacob Rosecrants (D-Norman).

Science matters. Lets just start with that, said Democratic Representative Andy Fugate.

The rally was held in conjunction with others nationwide, sounding the alarm about a slash in funding by the Trump administration for science research.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Leases for three federal facilities in Oklahoma spared from DOGE cuts, Congressman Cole says

Oklahoma is no stranger to severe weather, which is why some protestors came to make their voices heard.

I have so many friends and loved ones who are in the weather service, who are currently looking at losing their jobs, said Nicole Giuliano.

Other families showed up to fight for medical research grants.

My daughter Thora is seven years old and she has mitochondrial disease

that was not even discovered till five, ten years ago and theres no cure for it, said Rob Ramer.

According to a Washington Post report, the cuts are not just financial. The U.S. National Science Foundation is omitting certain words from grant applications and research projects that dont align with the Presidents executive orders.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Flagged words include minority, women, male dominated, exclusion, gender, and ethnicity.

Any time we squelch speech, we run the risk of running afoul of the First Amendment, said Rep. Fugate.

Another scientist at the rally believes theres a much bigger agenda.

Whenever a fascist movement takes over, one of the first things they do is they attack educated people, said Nick Brooke.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
BAMBERG COUNTY, S.C. (WJBF)  One person is dead after an early morning crash in Bamberg County.

According to South Carolina Highway Patrol, the crash happened around 5 a.m. Saturday on US 78 near McKenna Lane, about 1.5 miles west of Denmark.

Troopers say the driver of a 2010 Hyundai Accent was heading west when the vehicle ran off the right side of the road, hit a mailbox, then veered back onto the road before running off the left side and striking a tree.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The driver, the only person in the car, died at the scene.

The Bamberg County Coroners Office will release the victims name. 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 WJBF.
DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA)  One person sustained minor injuries in a Decatur structure fire Friday night.

On March 7 at approximately 9:17 p.m., the Decatur Fire Department was dispatched to 1963 N 31st St. for the report of a structure fire. They also received reports of one injured occupant who had escaped the structure. Upon arrival at 9:21 p.m., fire responding crew Engine 4 found heavy fire showing from a detached garage.

City of Decatur announces two controlled burns for next week

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Fire crews immediately went into action, with Engine 4 deploying a hose line to begin suppressing the majority of the flames. Additional units arrived soon after to help with water supply and fire attack efforts.

The roof collapsed shortly after the crews arrived due to the heavy fire. This resulted in the firefighters having to battle the flames from outside the structure.

The fire was declared under control at 10:33 p.m. Following this, extensive overhaul operations were performed by all responding units to make sure the fire was completely put out and to prevent any rekindling.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation. One occupant inside the structure had minor injuries and was evaluated by paramedics. The occupant refused transport to the hospital and any medical treamtent.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Assisting agencies on scene included the Decatur Police Department, Abbott Ambulance and the Central Illinois Regional Dispatch 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 WCIA.com.
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS)  One man was killed, and another was seriously injured in a crash last night in Clinton County.

The Clinton County Sheriffs Department reports that deputies were dispatched to a one-vehicle crash on Wright Rd. near Kinley Rd. in Lebanon Twp. at approximately 11:55 p.m. Friday.

After an initial investigation, deputies found that a vehicle traveling northbound went off the road and hit a tree, pinning the two occupants inside.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The driver, a 28-year-old man from the Perrinton area, was transported to U of M Health-Sparrow Hospital in serious condition.

The passenger, a 47-year-old man from the Maple Rapids area, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Sheriffs Office says 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 WLNS 6 News.
One Newark police officer was killed and another is fighting for his life in critical condition after a shootout with a 14-year-old suspect Friday evening, according to reports.

Shots rang out around 6:30 p.m. near a White Castle and McDonalds where the teen was hanging out with friends, ABC7 reported, citing the Essex County Prosecutors Office.

One Newark police officer was killed in a shootout with a 14-year-old boy on Friday evening. Christopher Sadowski

A second officer is fighting for his life in critical condition after the shooting. Christopher Sadowski

Shots rang out around 6:30 p.m. near a White Castle and McDonalds where the teen was hanging out. For the New York Post

According to ABC7, both officers were hit in the flurry of bullets and were taken to University Hospital. Christopher Sadowski

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The young gunman allegedly fired a total of 29 shots at officers, sources told PIX11.

Both officers were hit in the flurry of bullets and were taken to University Hospital, ABC7 reported.

The injured officer is in critical condition and is fighting for their life,

.

There are conflicting reports about the status of the teen, with PIX 11 sources saying he was killed, while ABC 7 reported he was taken into custody.

The suspect was hanging with a large group at the fast-food restaurants just before the incident, but it is not clear what led to the shootout, according to ABC 7.

I have been updated on an incident that took place in Newark earlier tonight involving two officers that were shot, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy wrote on X.

An officer at the scene where two other police officers were reportedly shot  one reported to be fatal  on Broadway near Carteret Street in Newark, NJ. Christopher Sadowski

A location near Carteret and Broadway in Newark where the shooting took place. For the New York Post

The scene where two police officers were reportedly shot on Broadway near Carteret Street. For the New York Post

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This is a rapidly developing situation. Please pray for these officers, their families, and all our men and women in uniform who put their lives on the line to keep us safe.

The New Jersey Fraternal Order of Police also commented on the senseless shooting.

Multiple people were taken into custody in connection to the shooting. Christopher Sadowski

The FOP New Jersey State Lodge, is saddened to announce that two brave, hero police officers, of the Newark Police Department were shot in the line of duty this evening. One Officer has made the ultimate sacrifice. More information to come, the agency wrote on X.

Newark Police have taken multiple people into custody in relation to the shooting, ABC7 reported, citing sources.

The Post has reached out to the Newark Police Department and Essex County Prosecutors Office for comment.
Utahs public lands have been highly debated for over a decade with the state and federal governments playing tug-of-war over who should control them. Amid the noise of political posturing, we risk losing sight of what is important: No matter who governs these public lands, what truly matters is how they are cared for.

The Utah Legislature has doubled down in recent years. In 2025, House Speaker Mike Schultz prioritized public lands, affirming against federal oversight.

That message was followed by HCR12, a resolution introduced by state Rep. Steve Eliason, urging Congress to create a framework allowing states to assume operational responsibility for federal lands. Supporters cite efficiency; opponents fear weakened conservation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But the real concern isnt just about governance but stewardship. Utah is home to world-class recreation, vital mineral resources and vast open spaces. The federal government has shown they will protect these lands, as they have for decades. How would our public lands be managed under state control?

The states push for control

In 2024, the governors office launched the Stand for Our Land campaign, advocating for more state control over public lands. This intensified after the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Public Lands Rule prioritized conservation alongside commercial uses. Utah leaders opposed it, citing restrictions on rural economies, while conservation groups argued it protected ecosystems and balanced priorities.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected Utahs petition to assume control over federal lands. Gov. Spencer Cox reaffirmed Utahs commitment to challenge constraining BLM politics by stating that it remains able and willing to challenge any BLM land management decisions that harm Utah.

Utahs federal delegation is also taking up the fight. On Feb. 11, Rep. Celeste Maloy introduced the Western Economic Security Today (WEST) Act in the U.S. House of Representatives, which seeks to repeal the BLMs Public Lands Rule.

Balancing conservation and power

While this debate is framed as a struggle for authority between state and federal governments, the real concern is how the lands are managed. Utah leaders stress stewardship, but history reflects development over conservation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Utah already manages 3.3 million acres of land through the School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA), which is designed to generate revenue for public schools, juvenile services and miners' hospitals (this amount is down from the original 7.4 million that was allocated at statehood). SITLA leases land for industries to fund education, which comes at the expense of conservation. This raises concerns about state control and how it prioritizes development over preservation.

The federal government controls nearly 70% of all Utah land  and for good reason. Managing 22.8 million acres, which includes overseeing wildfire prevention, tourism, maintenance and other infrastructure, costs $247 million annually, per a 2014 report. The federal government has more resources to support those costs compared to the state budget.

Challenges with federal oversight

There are valid concerns about federal control. Bureaucracy slows even widely supported projects. An example is the Bonneville Shoreline Trail, an ambitious 280-mile trail planned to connect central Utah to the Idaho border, offering a way to engage with Utahs natural beauty. By crossing BLM land, forest and private land, the BST faced years of delays until 2022 legislation alleviated restrictions.

The BST shows that states streamline projects, but large-scale control is another concern. While the BSTs success highlights efficiency, it must not come at the cost of conservation.

Commitment to conservation

At the heart of the debate, this isnt about who should own the land. Utahs protected lands are more than a political play  they are recreational spaces, ecosystems and cultural landmarks iconic to Utah. Whether managed by federal or state government, what matters is a promised commitment to stewardship that prioritizes preservation, conservation and long-term responsibility. From Utahs red rock canyons to alpine forest, millions of visitors come near and far to visit our great state. If conservation is not prioritized, irreversible damage could come to pass under the banner of industry and growth.

Stewardship isnt just about preserving the past; its about curating a future where Utahs lands remain beautiful and public for generations to come, in the great state we call home.
With stocks tumbling, the Supreme Court rebelling and his DOGE prince overreaching, Donald Trump was left with little choice.

In public, he denied watching the stock market, thanked the chief justice, and demanded a round of applause for Elon Musk.

Like a character in a Shakespeare play, Trump on Tuesday milked the acclaim of his court, celebrating his achievements and his right to rule.

Then he called in his courtiers to pivot in plain sight.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The cracks were beginning to show, and the master showman was all too aware that no amount of front could overcome bad ratings in the economy. It was, after all, the reason many people voted for him.

Those close to him say Trump has an uncanny ability to sense impending unpopularity and switch on a dime. Hes not just a political attack dog. Hes a survivor.

In his first term, Trump blamed the economic downturn on the pandemic, with some justification.

But not this time. The state of the nation after six weeks and Trumps pivot was as much carnage as it was change.

And now reality is beginning to bite.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The only surprise inside his Cabinet over the presidents response was the stealth with which he carried it out.

As popular as it remains with Trumps base and, indeed, with many Republicans in Congress, Elon Musks cavalier chainsaw antics were beginning to backfire. Town hall protests were building, at least before the GOP leadership banned them, and the mistakes, always inevitable with things moving so quickly, were becoming embarrassing.

Donald Trump is moving into a new period of his presidency. / Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

DOGE memos were fast being dismissed as junk mail rather than sinister messages of intent.

There was pushback from Congress, with Republicans wanting some involvement, if not control, in which federal services were being cut.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Musk was never going to be Polonius to Trumps Hamlet; the president still needed his dirty work done.

Musk let fly at Marco Rubio and transportation chief Sean Duffy at the Cabinet meeting, according to The New York Times. Doug Collins, head of veteran affairs, also complained about the DOGE approach. In past weeks, perhaps the president would let it go. This time, he stood up to show everyone who the real boss was.

Musk reportedly told Rubio he had fired nobody and the secretary of state hit back to ask sarcastically whether 1,500 state staffers who took the buy-out package counted.

It was a telltale moment for everyone in the roomand the president came down on Rubios side.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Trump left his Cabinet in no doubt during their behind-doors meeting. Musks wings were clipped. The First Bromance wasnt dead, but Big Brother had asserted his authority.

On Wednesday, the morning after Trump offered his self-satisfied speech to a joint session of Congress, there was another setback that could have lasting consequences for his ambitions. The Supreme Court, carefully assembled to reflect Trumps conservatism, voted against the administration by 5-4 in a key case questioning whether Musk had ridden roughshod over democratic controls to freeze $2 billion in foreign aid payments.

With court challenges to DOGE decisions arriving thick and fast at the White House door, the decision couldnt have come at a worse time for a president who had already said publicly he would abide by the decisions of the judiciary.

This was a problem he couldnt fix with a hard stare or a thump of the fist. It would take more time.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The next morning would come the coup de grace. While denying to reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday that he had seen the plunging stock markethes ALWAYS watching the marketsthe president also moved swiftly to calm his jittery pals on Wall Street by delaying his punitive tariffs on both Mexico and Canada.

Insiders say he had no intention of making the reversal until hours earlier when he could see the way the markets were dropping.

Trump has already signed more than half the number of executive orders (87) that Joe Biden did in the four years of his presidency (162).

But signs are that the shock and awe period of Trumps second term may be over as his administration gets down to the serious business of making at least some of his signature statements stick.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The demolition ball has given way to the surgeons scalpel.

Trump is taking the chainsaw to his chaotic first 45 days in the Oval Office to see where the chips may lie.

While the jobs report on Friday was marginally below expectations, he could reasonably expect the unemployment figures to sour once the federal lay-offs he has ordered kick in.

The Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell helped do what Trump could barely manage and calm the markets on Friday, saying that the economy was in good shape during a period of elevated uncertainty. Hardly a roaring endorsement.

While Trumps Cabinet may be empowered for now, free from Musks yoke, they must know they could yet be the Rosencrantz and Guildenstern of the story, sacrificed for the greater glory of the president who would be king.
We have come together to stay together: Uddhav

> <

21:37 GST rates will come down further: Sitharaman Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said the GST rates will come down further and the work on rationalising tax rates and slabs has almost reached a finale. She said that the revenue neutral rate (RNR) has come down from 15.8 per cent at the time of the launch of GST on July 1,... Read more >

20:49 Bajrang Dal storms Haridwar college over Iftar party Bajrang Dal workers on Saturday stormed the Rishikul Ayurvedic College in Haridwar in protest against some Muslim students organising an Iftar party on the campus and inviting outsiders to it. Police placated the right-wing workers, who left but not before creating a ruckus and... Read more >

20:48 Women should carry knife, chilli powder for safety: Maha min Representative image Maharashtra minister Gulabrao Patil on Saturday suggested that women should carry knives, chilli powder along with lipstick in their purse for self-protection. Speaking at an event in Jalgaon to mark International Women's Day, the senior Shiv Sena leader also highlighted the... Read more >

20:15 1 dead, 25 injured in fresh clashes in Manipur Representative image One protester was killed while 25 others, including women, were injured in clashes between Kuki demonstrators and security forces in different parts of Manipur's Kangpokpi district on Saturday, officials said.The deceased has been identified as Lalgouthang Singsit. The 30-year-old received bullet... Read more >

19:33 Give immunity to women to commit 1 murder: NCP-SP Representative image The women's wing of the Nationalist Congress Party-SP has written a letter to President Droupadi Murmu, urging her to grant immunity from punishment to women for committing one murder in view of atrocities against them. Rohini Khadse, the women's wing president of the Sharad Pawar-led... Read more >

19:30 Smuggling bid thwarted along India-Bangla border; 1 killed A Bangladeshi national was killed and a Border Security Force jawan was injured on Friday as the border protection force thwarted a smuggling bid along the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal, a spokesperson said.The incident took place in the early hours of Friday near the Khalpara village in... Read more >

18:52 82-yr-old AI passenger falls after wheelchair delay Faced with a complaint that the non-availability of a pre-booked wheelchair resulted in the fall of an elderly woman passenger at the Delhi airport, Air India on Saturday said wheelchair or assistance was not denied to the passenger at any point in time and that first aid was given... Read more >

18:43 VHP objects to Himachal govt's decision to use temple money in schemes Vishwa Hindu Parishad's central general secretary Bajrang Lal Bagda on Saturday strongly objected to the Himachal Pradesh government's decision of using temple money in government schemes. Terming it as an attack on Hindu temples, he said the VHP and the Hindu society will not... Read more >

18:26 Death penalty for religious conversion of girls: MP CM Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said on Saturday that his government would make a provision for the death penalty for religious conversion of girls, along the lines of punishment for rape of minors.Yadav made the announcement at a programme organised in Bhopal to mark International... Read more >

17:29 High degree of collusivity: Army chief on Pak, China In a veiled reference to China and Pakistan, Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi on Saturday said there is a high degree of collusivity, which must be accepted. What it means, as far as I am concerned, the two-front threat is a reality, he said in response to a question on proximity between... Read more >

17:20 'Jab We Met': Shahid, Kareena reunite on IIFA 2025 stage Bollywood stars Shahid Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor Khan on Saturday shared the stage at the press conference for the 25th edition of the International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA) Awards. The actors, who co-starred in films such as 36 China Town, Chup Chup Ke, Fidaa and Jab We Met,... Read more >

16:31 ED seizes business jet at Hyderabad airport in money laundering case Representative image The Enforcement Directorate has seized a business jet parked at the Hyderabad airport as part of a money laundering investigation against a Hyderabad-based company and its promoters who allegedly duped numerous investors in a Rs 850 crore Ponzi scam, official sources said on Saturday.The money... Read more >

16:29 Javed Akhtar's message to Shami amid roza row Days after cricketer Mohammed Shami was criticised for not observing roza (fast) in the month of Ramzan during the ICC Champions Trophy semi-final match against Australia, veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar voiced his support for the bowler asking him to pay no attention to reactionary bigoted... Read more >

15:46 Delhi cabinet approves Rs 2,500 for women The Delhi Cabinet has approved an allocation of Rs 5,100 crore for implementing the Mahila Samriddhi Yojana, under which women in the national capital will receive Rs 2,500 each per month, BJP national president J P Nadda announced on Saturday.Speaking at an event in New Delhi on the occasion of... Read more >

15:32 Need to filter out Cong leaders who work for BJP: Rahul Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said there was a need to filter out workers and leaders from his party who were working for the BJP.Addressing party workers on the second day of his two-day Gujarat visit, Gandhi said people of the state will not vote for his party till it fulfils its... Read more >

15:30 NTPC official shot dead in Jharkhand's Hazaribagh An NTPC official was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Jharkhand's Hazaribagh district on Saturday, police said.The deceased was identified as Kumar Gaurav (42), posted as deputy general manager (dispatch) at NTPC's Keredari coal mines project, they said.The incident happened near Fatah Chowk... Read more >

14:59 IAF transport plane overshoots runway at Bagdogra, no casualty An AN-32 transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force overshot the runway while landing at Bagdogra airport in north Bengal, a Defence official said here on Saturday.There was no casualty in the accident that occurred on Friday, he said.An inquiry into the accident has been initiated by the IAF... Read more >

14:29 Delhi women are staring at phones: Atishi's dig at BJP Referring to a poll promise by the Bharatiya Janata Party, Leader of Opposition Atishi on Saturday said that women in Delhi are waiting for Rs 2,500 to be credited to their accounts. In a video on X, Atishi said, During election campaign, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised Rs 2,500... Read more >

13:54 RIL Stock Up Nearly 4% Because... Reliance Industries (RIL) stock jumped 3.18 per cent to 1,249 on the BSE on Friday, March 7, 2025, after various brokerages upgraded it with a target price (TP) of up to 1,600 per share.The countrys most valued listed company was the biggest gainer among the Sensex stocks, while the... Read more >

13:21 Amid row, AMU says students can play Holi 'freely' Amid demands for allowing Holi celebration on Aligarh Muslim University campus, its administration has decided that students can do so freely at the Non-Resident Students Centre Hall, an official said. A controversy erupted a few days ago after members of a right-wing group accused the... Read more >

13:12 Twin earthquakes hit Nepal, no casualties reported On Saturday morning, Nepal's earthquake measuring centre reported twin tremors of mild intensity in two separate areas. However, there were no immediate reports of any damage caused by the earthquakes. An earthquake measuring 4.1 magnitude on the Richter scale hit Baglung district,... Read more >

12:43 T'gana tunnel collapse Day 15: Still no trace of workers Rescue operation was underway at a brisk pace inside the partially collapsed SLBC project tunnel in Telangana on Saturday as cadaver dogs deployed to locate human presence identified two possible spots.The rescue personnel have been removing the silt at the locations identified by the... Read more >

12:39 RBI Grants Only 1 Year Extension To IndusInd Bank CEO The Reserve Bank of India has granted only a one-year extension to Sumant Kathpalia, MD and CEO, IndusInd Bank. This is despite the bank's board requesting a three-year reappointment. This marks the second consecutive time that the RBI has approved a shorter tenure instead of a full... Read more >

12:14 EV Sales Skid 2% In Feb Electric vehicle sales fell 1.9 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) and 18.2 per cent month-on-month (M-o-M) to 139,026 units in February, according to data from the Federation of Automobile Dealers Association (Fada).While all four categories of EVs registered double-digit M-o-M decline in sales,... Read more >

11:49 Modi interacts with 'Lakhpati Didis' on Women's Day Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday interacted with beneficiaries of 'Lakhpati Didi' scheme in Gujarat's Navsari district, on the occasion of International Women's Day. Modi, who attended the 'Lakhpati Didi Sammelan' at Vansi Borsi village, also disbursed Rs 450 crore in financial... Read more >

11:03 Women take over PM's X handle to tell their story Two women scientists on Saturday took over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's social media account to share their work and experiences with their countrymen on International Women's Day.Earlier on February 23, as a special gesture, PM Modi said that on Women's Day (March 8) he would hand over his... Read more >

10:44 114 weapons recovered by security forces across Manipur In a series of operations, security forces have recovered 114 weapons, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), grenades and ammunition across Manipur after the expiry of a two-week period for voluntarily surrendering looted and illegally held arms in the ethnic strife-torn state, an official... Read more >

10:36 Israeli tourist among 2 women raped near Hampi Two women, including a 27-year-old Israeli tourist, were allegedly gang-raped while stargazing on the banks of Sanapur Lake near Hampi, police said on Saturday.The incident occurred around 11 pm on Thursday when, after dinner, a 29-year-old woman operator of the homestay, where the Israeli... Read more >

10:12 Pakistan asks Afghan Citizens to leave by March 31 The Pakistan government has set March 31 as the deadline for Afghan Citizen Card (ACCs) holders to leave Pakistan voluntarily as part of a plan to repatriate all illegal foreigners, according to an official document.The document, purportedly leaked to the media on Friday night, indicated that the... Read more >

09:22 Abu Azmi writes to Speaker, requests revoking suspension Maharashtra Samajwadi Party chief Abu Asim Azmi on Friday accused the media of 'maligning' him by 'misrepresenting' his statement on Aurangzeb, requesting Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar to revoke his suspension.In a letter addressed to Narwekar, Azmi maintained that he was not at fault in this... Read more >

08:46 Somebody finally exposing them: Trump attacks India United States President Donald Trump on Thursday (local time) attacked India's tariffs regime, saying it is next to impossible to sell anything to India because of the 'high tariffs'.In a nationally televised address, Trump focused on the tariffs his administration will be putting in effect... Read more >

01:03 Minor fire on platform wall at Churchgate station in Mumbai A minor fire broke out on a wall at a platform of Churchgate railway station in south Mumbai on Friday night due to a short circuit, officials said. The blaze erupted on platform number one of the station around 11 pm, a fire brigade official said. No one injured in the fire, he... Read more >

00:26 Restaurant menu cards must be in Marathi: Sena-UBT leader to Mumbai collector File image A Shiv Sena-UBT functionary has written to the Mumbai city collector demanding that menu cards in restaurants and eateries should be in Marathi. In his letter, the Uddhav Thackeray-led party's 'upvibhag pramukh' Krishna Pawale claimed restaurants and eateries in other states give preference... Read more >
President Trump took to Truth Social on Monday to announce April tariffs on all imported food, framing the move as a boon to U.S. farmers who will produce even more product for domestic consumption. But the MAGA movement is revealing a gap in its economic logic, and it will cost U.S. consumers and producers dearly.

Consider the video posted by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr., wherein the Make America Healthy Again leader pledged to work in coordination with the Department of Agriculture to ban all agricultural chemicals and pesticides used for farming if theyd been restricted overseas.

Americans love to cite Europe for policy experiments, but not everything that happens on the old continent should be treated as secret knowledge which Americans lack.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As a journalist covering European agriculture, I witnessed the sharp decline of farm profitability in the European Union. More than 5 million farmers have gone out of business there over the last two decades. Europe leads the world in restrictions on the use of herbicides such as atrazine, which was banned in 2004. Neonicotinoid insecticides were then limited in 2013.

As new taxes on diesel were introduced atop fertilizers restrictions and the pesticide bans, farmer protests shut down roadways in London, Paris, Berlin and parts of Poland over the last two years. Manure was sprayed on government buildings and cities shut down, forcing regulators to reassess. Its not hard to imagine how a U.S. copycat movement could spring up under similar conditions.

Europe regulates using the precautionary principle in all things, including agriculture. In practice, it means regulators dont need to prove that a chemical is directly having adverse effects  mere suspicion is enough to justify a ban.

To obscure the economic losses, Europe spends twice as much on farm subsidies per acre compared to the U.S., and associated programs make up over a third of the entire EU budget.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Farmers in Europe are seriously struggling. Productivity is down, farmers are stuck relying on subsidies to make a profit and navigate the regulatory labyrinth.

It didnt used to be this way. A 2004 USDA report showed that the U.S. was underperforming Europe on crop productivity, but today this has flipped, with the exception of wheat.

This fully coincides with Europes hesitancy to adopt modern technology, including crop protection chemicals and genetic engineering, which remains illegal in the EU.

America has made itself great by basing its food production system on innovation and a light regulatory touch. We need to stay grounded in the basics, and that means recognizing that feeding millions of people is about scalability, accessibility and price.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Americans arent just richer than the rest of the world because they make more nominal dollars; its also because their purchasing power is greater. Households in the U.S. spend less of their disposable income on food than Europeans, despite also spending less of their tax dollars on subsidizing farmers.

Pesticides dont have a good reputation, in no small part due to environmental lawyers such as RFK Jr. But they do go through rigorous safety testing in the U.S. and overseas. Glyphosate, for example, the weed killer most targeted by Kennedys anti-modern farming narrative, remains legal even under the EUs rigorous regulatory framework.

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins appeared on Fox Business in February to bemoan the former Biden administrations inability to bring food prices under control, because of the increase in prices for inputs. Rollins was right  the increase in prices for synthetic pesticides and fertilizers inflates food prices.

Now imagine the cost of banning those inputs.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

There is nothing wrong with scrutiny of any chemical solution we use to produce food, but after decades of scientists holistically reviewing these products, it is past time to realize RFK Jr.s position is rooted more in nostalgia than science. And nostalgia will not feed the world.

Bill Wirtz is a senior policy analyst at the Consumer Choice Center, where he focuses on agriculture and trade in the European Union and North America.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Even though their last names are pronounced the same, Jeffrey Sachs and David Sacks are not related. What does unite them is their revulsion over the senseless slaughter in Ukraine.

There is a good chance that you have not read or heard about the horrific casualty numbers emanating from the war in Ukraine, because many media sites  and almost all the elites pushing to fight to the last Ukrainian  tend to ignore them or sweep them under the rug. After all, whats a million or more human beings killed or wounded when you are seeking to use the people of Ukraine as cheap, disposable pawns in a proxy war against Putin and Russia?

And just who believes the conflict between Russia and Ukraine to be a proxy war? None other than Secretary of State Marco Rubio. In an interview on Wednesday, Rubio directly stated what so many have assumed for the last three years: Its been very clear from the beginning that [President Trump] views this as a protracted, stalemated conflict. And frankly, its a proxy war between nuclear powers  the United States, helping Ukraine, and Russia  and it needs to come to an end.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Many believe the war could have come to an end soon after it started. One who does is Jeffrey Sachs.

At the end of last month, the Columbia professor and former advisor to three U.N. Secretaries-General  delivered to the European Parliament an address on the horrors and the futility of war in general, and especially in Ukraine, titled The Geopolitics of Peace.

Sachs makes many critically important points about Ukraine  the folly of NATO expansion; the 2014 overthrow of Ukraines president; the continual mistakes and provocations made by the Obama and Biden administrations; and his hour-long plea with Biden National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan to avoid war by publicly declaring that NATO will not enlarge to Ukraine.

According to Sachs, although Sullivan answered they could not say that publicly, he assured Sachs there will be no war.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

To that, Sachs stressed during his remarks to the EU Parliament: These are not very bright people. Im telling you, if I can give you my honest view, theyre not very bright people. They talk to themselves. They dont talk to anybody else. They play game theory.

One person who agrees with Sachs on much of this is David Sacks, a billionaire entrepreneur who is now the White House AI and crypto czar. Sacks has been one of the most powerful and consistent voices screaming out for both an end to the war in Ukraine and for full accountability.

During an interview with Jesse Watters on Fox News, Sacks said, I think that Zelensky has powerful motivations not to make peace  He basically says the war needs to go on forever. And I think theres good reasons for that in his mind. Number one, if the war is over, he loses power, right?  And hell be vulnerable to political retaliation from his political opponents. He needs this war to justify his rules. So I think thats number one is, if he gives up power, his own safety is at risk. Number two is the gravy train here. I mean, weve been sending hundreds of billions of dollars over to Ukraine. And these Ukrainian elites there, these oligarchs have been feasting on that money. And Zelensky is at the top of that pyramid. And that whole grift ends if the war ends.

Many might find Sackss words shocking, but many others believe they should have been spoken months or even years ago. Perhaps the reason they have not is that most of the media and the elites immediately signed up with Team Ukraine.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Once they did, seemingly most negative stories about Ukraine  reports of more than 1 million killed or wounded; the offer of a very early ceasefire; off-shore bank accounts; connections to organized crime; and full accountability of the billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars being spent on the country; or the exponentially increasing chances of triggering World War III  were off the table and not to be investigated. Why?

Going back to the remarks from Jeffrey Sachs, we might have an answer. Said Sachs, I used to be a member of the Democratic Party. I now am a member of no party because both are the same anyway. The Democrats became complete warmongers over time.

Is the Democratic Party now the warmonger party? One that believes in and instigates forever wars for their own interests? Be those interests a proxy war; an unhinged hatred of Trump which then welds Trump to Putin; helping various defense contractors or international organizations enrich themselves via the slaughter of young Ukrainians and Russians; or simply a giant board game played by wealthy elites thousands of miles from the battlefields.

No matter the answers, 1 million men, women and children have been killed or wounded for absolutely nothing. Jeffrey Sachs and David Sacks have just called out that obscenity in very public ways. They should be applauded.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Douglas MacKinnon is a former White House and Pentagon official.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 measles virus now spreading across Texas and other states doesnt care about political posturing. But when two deaths occur  the first fatalities in a decade  and our health secretary responds with a jumble of pseudoscience and platitudes, weve reached a moral crossroads in public health.

In a March 2 Fox News op-ed, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. began with a promising nod to vaccine efficacy, stating they protect children and bolster herd immunity  language that briefly aligned with decades of scientific evidence. Yet within paragraphs, he undercut this stance by framing vaccination as a matter of personal choice, a phrase often used in anti-vaccine playbooks. Worse, Kennedy inflated the relevance of vitamin A supplementation, a clinical recommendation for patients in underresourced areas of the world, creating false equivalence between proven prevention and situational treatment.

A day later, as cases in West Texas passed 150, Kennedy took to X, calling the outbreak a top priority after initially dismissing its severity. But his belated urgency rang hollow without concrete actions or a clear directive to vaccinate  a glaring omission given that 97% of cases occurred in unvaccinated individuals. By March 4, during a Fox News interview, any pretense of scientific rigor collapsed. Kennedy touted unproven remedies like budesonide (a steroid prescribed for asthma) and cod liver oil (which has both vitamins A and D), dangerously implying these could substitute for immunization. This descent from tepid endorsement of vaccines to promotion of pseudoscientific alternatives occurred over just three days, all while measles cases continued to rise. Each statement threatens to erode public trust, potentially transforming what should have been a clarion call for vaccination into a master class in dangerous ambiguity.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In 1963, when the first measles vaccine emerged, parents surely wept with relief. This wasnt just another shot  it was liberation from a pathogen that had filled pediatric wards with children gasping for air, their lungs ravaged by pneumonia, their brains swollen with encephalitis. By 2000, the U.S. declared measles eliminated. Today, that triumph is crumbling not because the virus evolved, but because we seem to have forgotten its wrath.

Measles doesnt slink quietly through back alleys; it explodes like wildfire in a dry forest. A single cough in a grocery store can infect dozens, the virus lingering airborne for two hours, seeking unvaccinated hosts. Before vaccines, it killed 2.6 million people annually, often infants. The MMR vaccine, introduced in 1971, became a shield: two doses offering 97% protection, saving 60 million lives globally since 2000. Yet here we are in 2025, watching the erosion of herd immunity. One in five measles patients will be hospitalized; one in 1,000 will develop brain-swelling encephalitis. Contrast that with the vaccines 1-in-1 million risk of severe reaction  a statistical whisper versus measles roar.

Behind these figures are human faces: a Texas nurse intubating a toddler whose parents believed natural immunity myths; a grandmother in Idaho, newly widowed after her immunosuppressed husband caught measles at a pharmacy. This isnt hypothetical. Its happening now, fueled by misinformation that festers in policy voids. When leaders like Kennedy tout vitamin A as a solution  a tactic meant for malnourished regions, not affluent suburbs  they divert attention from the real defense: vaccines.

Public health cannot thrive in an America where pro-vaccine voices mock hesitancy as ignorance, while skeptics dismiss science as dogma. Measles reminds us: Viruses exploit division.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

To Secretary Kennedy: I implore you to lead with the clarity you showed when, however briefly, you acknowledged vaccine safety.

To my colleagues in the medical field, I implore us to find ways to fight misinformation without alienating the misinformed.

And to all Americans: Remember that 1960s measles wards, filled with children gasping for air, disappeared not because of vitamins, but because of vaccines. Our shared survival depends on rejecting false equivalencies and embracing what works. The next childs life hangs in the balance.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
The tragic irony is that while President Trump has moved to ramp up deportations and use the military to secure the Southern border, he wants to offer a gold card and a pathway to citizenship to anyone who pays $5 million to the government and is willing to invest in the U.S.

According to Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, the gold card dreamers will have to go through vetting, of course, to make sure they are wonderful world class, global citizens.

They can come to America, he said. The president can give them a green card, and they can invest in America, and we can use that money to reduce our deficit. Its the art of the deal. The move, experts say, would require the approval of Congress, but who cares?

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A foreigner can buy citizenship for far less than a condo in Trump Tower. Sounds good, but how many $5 million fees does Trump expect to collect? The amount wont mean much when compared to a federal deficit of $1.8 trillion and a national debt of $36.2 trillion and rising.

What is galling is the hypocrisy of it all. And what about immigrants who dont have the big bucks? They are condemned to a hard-knock life. In a move blatantly abridging Fifth Amendment rights, Trump wants to create a registry for immigrants in the U.S. to submit their personal information or face fines and prison time. Immigrants who fail to register could be fined up to $5,000 and sentenced to up to six months in prison.

An undocumented immigrant who may have lived, worked and paid taxes in America for decades is given a choice  either register and be deported or dont register and risk being arrested, imprisoned and later deported. Is Immigration and Customs Enforcement so ineffectual that Trump needs to paint a target on the back of every migrant as the best means of enforcing immigration law? There are between 11 and 14 million undocumented immigrants in this country, and the $5 million price tag is far beyond the reach of most.

Trump is ignoring Congress, where he holds a razor-thin majority. The new registration requirement provides for federal criminal penalties by executive fiat. This is a form of criminal legislation which, as the Constitution makes clear, only Congress can do.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The move to criminalize illegal presence in the U.S. would enhance the Trump administrations touted efforts to toughen immigration laws. Previously, immigrants here illegally were committing an administrative offense and could be detained and deported, but werent considered to have committed a crime.

Aliens in this country illegally face a choice, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated. They can return home and follow the legal process to come to the United States or they can deal with the consequences of continuing to violate our laws. Some choice!

What happened to Americas heart? Have we forgotten that we are a nation of immigrants? What has become of Give me your tired, your poor, the Emma Lazarus paean to freedom emblazoned on the base of the Statue of Liberty?

Trump has revised the Lazarus poem to Give me your oligarchs, your rich.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The president ordered the government to set up the Hobsons choice in a day-one executive order. The next day, the Justice Department ordered U.S. attorneys offices to give priority to prosecuting cases involving an immigrants failure to register.

Local prosecutors may end up resigning rather than wasting the formative years of their careers working on failure to register cases, rather than more challenging and higher profile cases, such as drugs, bank robbery and business fraud, as well as official corruption. But instead they are ordered to prioritize the pursuit of misdemeanants  the housekeepers, the workmen, the refuse collectors who have failed to register. When I was a federal prosecutor, we used to refer to such small-potatoes cases as bulls, to be filed at the back of the cabinet.

When American was gearing up for war in 1940, Congress created an immigrant registry to catch suspected communists. For years, the government saturated the airwaves warning all immigrants, including permanent residents, to register annually at local post offices. The system fell into disuse by the 1960s, when the government decided it was too costly and provided little benefit. There is no report of a single communist who turned himself in. Trump plans to return to arcane provisions of immigration law that have proved impractical to enforce.

Trumps revived registry requires anyone in the country illegally without government interface, such as an application for asylum or a work permit, to come take the fatal step forward. The administration has ginned up a registration form for the occasion and given people 30 days to complete it.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Immigrants who overstay their visas or are in deportation proceedings wouldnt need to register, as the government already has their contact data, though they would be required to submit any changes of address. Migrants by inclination may prefer to move around more than citizens or permanent residents.

President George W. Bush created a similar immigration registry after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, when he made men and boys from Muslim-majority countries submit photographs and fingerprints to the federal government. Tens of thousands of people, innocent of any involvement with terrorism, registered under that program, and were later arrested and deported. Do you think any dyed-in-the-wool terrorist would have come forward?

What is astonishing is not that Trump wants to do this; what is astonishing is that any rational agency of government is willing to follow his lead and implement such ill-conceived policies.

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.

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.
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  Dozens of students and staff stood up for science on Friday afternoon after recent cuts across several agencies have left them worried for the future.

A rally was held outside the National Weather Center in Norman with a large group of people worried about layoffs and research funding cuts that they said could directly impact the safety of Oklahomans.

I think theres been a lot of reckless use of government authority to close down agencies that have that have been doing good work for years, said Eli Bridge, a biology professor at OU.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Bridge said hes concerned the federal actions might influence things like funding, environmental protections and his students future.

We have the best interests of this country at heart, and were working as hard as we can to secure clean environment and good weather data so we dont get trapped by tornadoes, all that kind of stuff, said Bridge. I am worried for their futures, but I also have worries for the immediate future, I mean its tornado season now.

Leases for three federal facilities in Oklahoma spared from DOGE cuts, Congressman Cole says

News 4 has not been able to confirm the number of firings at the Norman office, however students said their fellow classmates have been axed.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I have a few friends, before the administration switched over that were not able to pursue their work, that they were wanting to continue here. Of course, theres been all of the probationary employees fired within the past week. We lost so many people and for days it was all anybody in the building can talk about, said Amelia Urquhart, an OU student.

Students hope the peaceful show of support will help ensure science research being done here continues.

I think its encouraging and its really uplifting because theres been so much worry, so much anxiety and its nice to see that we are doing something to try to fight back and stand up for ourselves and keep our ability to do the lifesaving work that we do, said Urquhart.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
CAMDEN, Ark.  From birth to patients final moments, Ouachita County Medical Center has been there, but in recent years, theyve had to do less with less.

Ouachita County Medical Center CEO & President Peggy L. Abbott admitted the hospital is operating in crisis mode as they cannot bring in enough money to cover the almost $90,000 cost of daily operations.

We have already cut so deeply over the past five years. We dont have a lot of areas that we can continue cutting and still operate, Abbott stated.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Little Rock youth prevention programs dealing with cuts

Costs have escalated as the reimbursement rates have stayed the same Abbott explained. Supplies like the medical gloves are triple what they were pre-pandemic.

Registered nurse Diane Isaacs has been with the hospital for 49 years. She said insurance companies are also taking deeper cuts.

We can have our charges cut anywhere from 40-85%, Isaacs stated.

There is not a retail business in Arkansas or in America who can continue operating with those kinds of cuts, Abbott added

One way to get larger reimbursements is through a Critical Access Hospital designation. Ouachita County Medical Center meets every requirement for it except distance. The hospital must be at least 35 miles away from an existing critical access hospital. Dallas County Medical Center is 32 miles away.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Senator Tom Cottons office is working to get a waiver according to State Representative Wade Andrews (R-Camden). Andrews is unsure if every service at the hospital can survive into the future.

There is a fine balancing point in trying to figure out whats profitable (and) how many needed services can we keep, Andrews explained.

Ouachita County Medical Center has already eliminated its urgent care center, health clinic, and sleep lab along with 26% of its workforce through attrition over the last five years.

Ive dedicated so much of my life here to be able to watch this hospital grow rather than slow down, and we need all these services here, Isaac said

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

List of Social Security Administration offices DOGE is closing in Arkansas

Another way of operating is becoming designated a rural emergency hospital, but that would come with downsides like only allowing them to keep patients up to 24 hours which often is not enough time for those who are very sick or need surgery.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
COLUMBIA TWP, Pa. (WETM)  An Owego woman could see more than a year in jail after she was convicted for neglecting a vulnerable person in her care, according to information from the Bradford County District Attorneys Office.

Desiree Lee Rolls, 27, was sentenced to a minimum of 119 days to a maximum of 18 months in the Bradford County Correctional Facility for the conviction of endangering the welfare of a care dependent person, a third degree felony.

Athens woman sentenced nearly two years in jail for assault/DUI charges

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Police investigated Rolls after complaints were sent to the state troopers regarding her care of an aged person in Columbia Township, Pennsylvania.

The DAs office said Rolls was being paid by Caregivers of America to provide for the victim, including helping clean, shop for groceries, bathing, and other tasks around the house.

Rolls was found not to be living up to her responsibilities as the Bradford County Area Agency on Aging found the victims house infested with filth and bed bugs, the DAs office said.

The victim was eventually admitted to the hospital, which led to the investigation into Rolls.

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.
Two Macomb County residents accused in a murder-for-hire plot, discovered through recorded jail conversations were sentenced this week after pleading guilty to a lesser offense in Macomb County Circuit Court.

The plot was discovered after an attorney in a divorce case filed a Freedom of Information Act for transcripts of one of the suspect's calls at the county jail.

Aaron Muterspaw, then 36, of Warren and Carmen Marchetti, then 35, of Chesterfield Township  who dated in high school  were charged in April after the plot was brought to the attention of the sheriff's office in late 2023.

A look inside at a jail cell in the old and unused portion of the Macomb County jail on Friday, July 19, 2024. The new jail, the Central Intake and Assessment Center, will be built and complete by mid-2027 at a cost of $228 million.

Each was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit homicide-solicitation of murder and malicious use of a telecommunications service. Marchetti also faced one count of homicide-solicitation of murder.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

At their arraignments in circuit court in January, both pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of conspiracy to assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder, according to online court records.

The original charges against Muterspaw and Marchetti were dismissed.

Marchetti was sentenced Thursday to three years of probation; one day in the county jail with credit for one day served; impulse control training; six months on a GPS tether; 30 days of community service, and to continue mental health treatment, among other terms, according to online court records.

The records indicate Muterspaw was sentenced to three years of probation; two days in the county jail with credit for two days served; impulse control training; 90 days on a GPS tether, 15 days of community service and other terms. His sentencing review is set for Sept. 16.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Attorneys for Muterspaw and Marchetti did not return messages seeking comment.

More: Family of Pontiac mother, 2 kids who died in frozen field sue Oakland sheriff's deputies

More: Defense calls 2 witnesses in trial of Monroe County woman charged in Swan Boat Club crash

Authorities previously stated in news releases that Muterspaw was locked up on a drunken driving charge from Warren. He was communicating by jail phone with Marchetti, with their conversations discussing hurting or killing her soon-to-be ex-husband.

Authorities indicated the conversations were discovered when the attorney made a FOIA request for recordings of Muterspaw's phone calls.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Muterspaw was in jail from May 1-Sept. 26, 2023, after pleading guilty in the drunken driving case, the prosecutor's office stated in a release last year. While he was in jail, Marchetti allegedly asked him to have her soon-to-be ex-husband killed. Muterspaw acknowledged her request and said he would facilitate the murder for her, according to the prosecutor's office release.

Dawn Fraylick, communications director for the prosecutor's office, previously said Marchetti asked Muterspaw if he knew of someone who wanted work and that she would pay well, the work being apparently to kill her soon-to-be ex-husband. He said he knew people who could do it for her, Fraylick had said.

Contact Christina Hall: chall@freepress.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @challreporter.

Support local journalism. Subscribe to the Free Press.

Submit a letter to the editor at freep.com/letters.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 2 sentenced to probation in murder-for-hire plot in Macomb
CBS News' parent company, Paramount Global, has filed a pair of motions seeking to dismiss President Donald Trump's $20 billion lawsuit against the news organization.

The president filed the lawsuit in October 2024 accusing CBS News of aligning itself with "partisan and unlawful acts of election and voter interference." Trump was specifically referring to edits made during a 60 Minutes interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris in the run-up to the 2024 presidential election.

In the first motion, Paramount Global called the president's lawsuit an affront to the First Amendment and is without basis in law or fact. The media conglomerate added that Trump seeks to punish a news organization for constitutionally protected editorial judgments they do not like.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The second motion states that the First Amendment protects CBS News' editorial judgement, which is considered non-commercial speech and thus lies outside the scope of the Lanham Act and the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act.



The motions to dismiss were filed on Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, where Trump's lawsuit was initially filed. That court has come across as providing favorable verdicts for conservatives in the past.

CBS News publicly released an unedited transcript of its 60 Minutes interview in February after the Trump-appointed FCC head Brendan Carr lodged an official request for the unedited transcript as well as the camera feeds.

[The transcript is] consistent with 60 Minutes' repeated assurances to the public that the 60 Minutes broadcast was not doctored or deceitful, CBS News noted on its website.

In its lawsuit, which was initially pegged at $10 billion, Trump's legal team alluded to CBS News engaging in deceitful editing, saying: CBS used its national platform on 60 Minutes to cross the line from the exercise of judgment in reporting to deceitful, deceptive manipulation of news.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Paramount Global is in the final stages of completing its merger with Skydance Media. Paramount head Shari Redstone is reportedly eager to see the lawsuit settled to ensure that the deal proceeds.

In a New York Times report, Owens stood by 60 Minutes' work, saying: The company knows I will not apologize for anything we have done.
A San Bernardino pastor and onetime city council candidate was arrested this week on suspicion that he swindled longtime friends and a nonprofit corporation tied to another church out of more than $230,000, according to federal authorities.

Terrance Owens Elliott, who was arrested Thursday, has been charged with 11 counts of wire fraud, according to the U.S. attorney's office in Los Angeles. The 60-year-old Crestline resident has pleaded not guilty and is free on a $9,000 bond.

Elliott's federal public defender did not immediately respond to a request for comment Saturday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to the indictment, from October 2019 to February 2023, Elliott  representing himself as working in the San Bernardino city government and being involved with the police department  defrauded several longtime friends.

Read more: San Bernardino County duo accused of stealing $2.1 million in pandemic-era unemployment benefits

Elliott allegedly convinced one friend, identified only by her initials, M.C., to place inheritance money into a trust that he would establish and administer. He claimed that she would lose her Medicare and Social Security benefits if she received the inheritance directly, according to the indictment.

The trust, for which Elliott was co-trustee, provided that the money would be used for M.C.s financial needs during her lifetime and for her funeral expenses, according to the indictment. Any remaining property would pass to M.C.'s three children upon her death.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

When Elliott opened a bank account in the trust's name, he allegedly listed only himself as a trustee and gave the bank a fraudulently modified copy of the trust agreement that listed him as having sole power to make payments from the account, according to the indictment.

Elliott allegedly wrote checks and made online transfers to a church  identified only as Church A  that werent permitted under the trust agreement. According to the indictment, he also used trust money to purchase postal money orders to pay the churchs rent.

Some of the money also allegedly went toward Elliott's personal expenses, including repair of a Chevrolet truck, Nike sneakers, a piano, clothing and an extended warranty for a motorcycle.

Read more: California anti-poverty activist accused of defrauding investors out of more than $145 million

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Elliott also allegedly gained access to M.C.s account at a different bank and transferred around $27,164 worth of some of her monthly Social Security payments to the church, according to federal authorities.

When M.C.'s family asked Elliott about the trust account or for bank statements, he "lulled them into compliance by getting upset and telling them that everything was under control," according to the indictment.

After M.C. died, Elliott allegedly tricked another individual  identified as W.H.  into paying a little more than $8,600 for funeral expenses, falsely claiming that he needed a judge's authorization before money in the trust account could be released.

Elliott allegedly defrauded four victims, including M.C. and W.H., out of a little more than $150,200, according to the U.S. attorney's office.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Read more: Inland Empire trio plead guilty in $1.2-million COVID-19 unemployment fraud

Another alleged scheme began in June 2021, after authorities say Elliott advised W.H. on selling a house. After the home was sold, Elliott suggested that W.H.'s corporation lend M.C.s trust $65,000, falsely claiming this would avoid capital gains tax from the sale, according to the indictment.

The indictment alleges Elliott prepared a loan contract between the corporation and the trust and told W.H. that he would transfer $65,000 from the corporation to the trust account and that the trust would repay it with 10% annual interest. He also allegedly convinced W.H. to give him several signed blank checks from the corporation's bank account.

Elliott allegedly used one of the blank checks to make an unauthorized transfer of $16,000 to Church A, according to the indictment. Elliott allegedly transferred $49,000 to the trust, but never repaid any part of the $65,000 loan.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In another alleged scheme, which authorities say ran from September 2018 to June 2021, Elliott used his relationships with a church, identified only as Church B, and its board of directors to help manage litigation expenses and other costs involving them and an entity identified only as Nonprofit Corporation A.

According to the indictment, Elliott allegedly lied to the nonprofit and Church Bs board of directors that the nonprofit owed money to W.H.s corporation for services related to a lawsuit against them. As a result, the nonprofit issued approximately 32 checks to the corporation, which Elliott allegedly later deposited in a bank account that he controlled.

Read more: A smashed Polaris Slingshot, friends inside the CHP. How investigators unraveled an insurance plot

Elliott allegedly defrauded the nonprofit out of around $23,300.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In total, authorities say Elliott's schemes cost victims approximately $238,563.

The San Bernardino Sun reported that Elliott ran for a city council seat in 2022  a bid that was not only unsuccessful, but brought to light criminal convictions and civil lawsuits against him.

If convicted, Elliott could face up to 20 years in federal prison for each count.

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 40-day boycott of Target began this week, timed to coincide with Lent and referred to as a corporate fast to protest the companys recent DEI rollbacks.

On Jan. 24, the retailer announced that it was scaling back its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, a strategy it previously referred to as Belonging at the Bullseye. The rollback includes the elimination of three-year diversity, equity, and inclusion goals, transitioning the supplier diversity team into the supplier engagement team with an increased focus on small businesses, and stopping all participation in external diversity surveys, including the Human Rights Campaigns Corporate Equality Index.

Target is just one of several major companies that have recently walked away from previous DEI commitments, particularly after President Donald Trumps active opposition to diversity and inclusion policies in both the public and private sector. But the company has become a poster child for the corporate flip-flop on DEI in part because it was once such a vocal supporter of those initiatives.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

One of the boycotts lead organizers, Rev. Jamal Bryant, the senior pastor at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church located just outside of Atlanta, spoke with Fortune about his ambitions for the action, leveraging the power of Black consumers, and follow-up boycotts.

Target declined to comment for this story.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Fortune: Why are you calling for this boycott?

Rev. Jamal Bryant: I feel as if the African-American community has been disrespected after loyal consumerism. Black people spend upwards of $12 million a day, and so for the company to turn its back on us is an insult at the highest level.

What are the goals of the boycott?

Several things. One is that they would invest some of the profits from Black dollars into Black banks. Second, Target has locations on 23 [college] campusesnone of them are HBCUs [Historically Black Colleges and Universities]. So for them to partner with 10 HBCUs. Three: they made a commitment to George Floyds family that after his death; they would invest $2 billion into Black businesses. And the fourth is that they would reinstate their DEI initiatives.

What kind of coalition are you working with?

[The boycott] is led completely by Black churches and Black pastors across the country. It is not me, by myself, by a long shot. Theres the Baptist National Baptist Convention, the AME Church, AME Zion Church, Church of God in Christ. Most of the mainline Black denominations are in support and are pushing it.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Weve partnered with the U.S. Black Chambers. To date, 130,000 people have signed the commitment. Every person who has signed has received a digital directory of 300,000 Black businesses around the country that they should patronize in lieu of Target.

A lot of companies are rolling back their DEI initiatives. What made you want to call out Target specifically?

They are publicly traded, so we were able to get a demographic sense of the spending. There were so many that we should just focus on one at a time. So Target will be the first, not the only, nor will it be the last.

What will you do at the conclusion of the boycott?

At the conclusion of 40 days, we'll be able to have a clear indicator of what was the economic impact felt by Target.

Have you heard from Target about the boycott?

We've not heard from Target.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

If Target were to go back and reinstate their DEI initiatives, are you hoping that it may serve as a model for other companies?



Absolutely. Thats the hope and the intention. Black people have a $2 trillion worth of spending power. Whenever it is targeted, it will always be impacted. So I think that this will send a clear shot across the bow that we are focused and we're intentional about our spending being respected.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
PAW PAW, Mich. (WOOD)  A woman has been arrested after she allegedly wired thousands of dollars from a bank account to pay for her own bills, deputies say.

In November, the Portage Police Department was investigating a fraud complaint after Child Care Resources reported several unauthorized transactions from the bank account. The investigation revealed that over $27,000 was used to pay bills for 34-year-old Danielle Taylor.

Taylor, who is from the Lawrence area, worked for the Cedar Street location of Paw Paw Schools, the Van Buren County Sheriffs Office said. Part of her job was opening mail, which sometimes included checks from Child Care Resources. Taylor was able to access the checking account and routing numbers to make payments for her vehicle insurance and mortgage.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The sheriffs office said Taylor confirmed with detectives that she worked for Paw Paw Schools and that she sorted mail and opened envelopes containing checks for her job. The district told News 8 that Taylor hasnt worked for the district for nearly a year.

A warrant was issued for her arrest. The sheriffs office said she is currently being held in the Van Buren County Jail, and a significant bond amount is being requested.

Taylor was previously convicted in Kalamazoo County for similar offenses, the sheriffs office said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Van Buren County Sheriffs Office at 269.657.3101, Crime Stoppers at 1.800.342.7867 or Silent Observer at 269.343.2100.

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.
Intimidating text messages are popping up on cell phones all over metro Atlanta threatening the receiver to pay up or be penalized.

The texts not only mention Peach Pass, but they also link to a website with a web address that is nearly identical to the real Peach Pass website and even looks like the real thing if you click the link.

Theyre getting very creative. Theyre actually using a portion of our domain, mypeachpass.com, which of course is how our customers are able to access their accounts, but theyre adding letters and other characters behind it, said Peach Pass spokesperson Ericka Bayonne.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

In just a week since Channel 2 Action News Investigates warned about the scam toll texts, the scheme has already gotten more sophisticated with the scammers even stealing Peach Pass logos and images to make their fake website look legitimate.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We would never, and I say this emphatically because I really want customers to understand, Peach Pass will never send you a text message asking for your personal information, your banking information, Bayonne.

At the Peach Pass customer service center in downtown Atlanta, Channel 2 Consumer Investigator Justin Gray met Creshon Saunders.

Saunders went in person to the Peach Pass office to check on her account, after receiving a text warning her that she could face severe penalties or even legal action if she did not pay an unpaid toll bill.

MORE FROM 2 INVESTIGATES:

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Im like, this is kind of suspicious. Ive never gotten a text from Peach Pass before. So, I ended up calling the Peach Pass office and she said, immediately, thats a scam, Saunders said.

Just a week ago, a Channel 2 Action News Investigates story reported on the rise of these toll texts.

Hundreds of you commented on our Facebook post.

One viewer wrote, I believe every cell phone owner in America has gotten some form of this text!!

Peach Pass is reporting the illegal use of their copyrighted logos and images on the fake websites to investigators at the FTC and FBI. And they have put an alert about the scam texts on their website.

You can protect yourself by just simply, dont click it. We say dont click. It is a trick, Bayonne said

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
CUMBERLAND COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM)  The owner of a central Pennsylvania roofing company was charged after the Attorney Generals Office said he let children work in dangerous environments.

Despite telling Samuel Lapp, 47, of Liverpool, multiple times of the dangers of letting children do roofing work, he still had two children work on buildings without safety equipment, the charging documents filed Wednesday in Magisterial District Judge Kathryn Silcoxs office from the AGs Office shows.

NTSB releases preliminary report on Philadelphia air ambulance crash

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Lapp is the owner of S&L Roofing, Gutters and Siding LLC, a home improvement business located in Perry County.

Prior to criminal charges being filed, Lapp was fined more than $60,000 in 2023 for safety violations by the Department of Labor. OSHA also cited the company in 2015 for other safety violations.

Four private criminal complaints were also filed by the Dept. of Labor, charging Lapp with summary charges under the Child Labor Act. In those complaints are 18 counts that include minors working in hazardous occupations, particularly roofing, investigators said. Lapp was found guilty but has not responded or made payment for the violations, according to the AGs office.

Close

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Thanks for signing up!

Watch for us in your inbox.

Subscribe Now

WHTM Daily Digest

According to the charges, the children were working on second-story buildings at worksites in Dauphin and Cumberland counties from October 2022 through April 2023. One of the work sites was a two-story apartment complex in Susquehanna Township along Alessandro Blvd.

The children were working full days, without equipment and sometimes without supervision, the charges filed allege.

A letter was sent to Lapp by the AGs Office after it started its investigation into him in March 2024, stating that if he continued to use children as laborers for roofing jobs he would be charged. Days after, a letter from Lapp stating No Valid Contract, Return to Sender/We do not want contact with you, written in red ink, was received by the AGs Office.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It was instructed that if the Dept. of L&I or police had any more contact regarding Lapp to alert the AGs Office.

The charges show Lapps children were spotted working on a second/third-story apartment complex roof located along Brent Creek Blvd. in Silver Spring Township in June 2024 without safety equipment.

Besides multiple violations, OSHA officials who went to the worksite saw the youngest child lose their footing and slide three feet down the roof, almost falling off, investigators said. OSHA then immediately took action and tried to talk with Lapp, who was reportedly uncooperative.

It would be a sad day, Lapp said to the OSHA Area Director who confronted him about what he would do if the kids fell, the charges state.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Lapp faces charges of endangering the welfare of children and recklessly endangering another person.

A preliminary hearing has yet to be scheduled.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Steven Grattan

Associated Press

BOGOTA, Colombia  Indigenous leaders from the Peruvian Amazon who are calling for the government to stop oil and gas projects in their territory took their case to an international human rights body on Tuesday.

The leaders presented evidence of the impact of oil and gas exploration at a hearing before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. They said the projects violate Indigenous rights by threatening their land, health and food security and are in breach of international obligations that require Indigenous groups to be consulted.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Indigenous leaders are represented by the Interethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Rainforest, or AIDESEP. The group argues that the projects also pose risks to uncontacted Indigenous groups and also noted specific impact on Indigenous women.

During the meeting, the Peruvian government said it is a democratic state which respects law and guarantees human rights to all its citizens and that it is committed to strengthening it.

But Julio Cusurichi Palacios, a member of AIDESEPs Board of Directors from the Madre de Dios region of the Amazon said the government "have stated things that are not in accordance with what is happening in reality."

The rights of Indigenous peoples are not being respected, the contamination of our rivers and territories continues, there are threats to uncontacted Indigenous Peoples, more regulations that make environmental standards more flexible, and oil and gas lots continue to be promoted, he told The Associated Press after the hearing.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The government denied most of the claims made by the Indigenous groups and did not reply to APs requests for comment.

Recent reports have found that the Peruvian government continues to auction Indigenous lands for oil and gas exploration. Approximately 75 percent of the Peruvian Amazon  home to 21 Indigenous groups  is covered by oil and gas concessions, many of which overlap with Indigenous territories, according to the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs.

I believe this situation has been getting increasingly worse," Cesar Ipenza, an environmental lawyer who took part in the hearing, told AP. There's a policy of promoting extractive activities in highly vulnerable areas, especially in the Amazon.

He added that the impact on the environment and the lack of communication with Indigenous groups is already evident, but the Peruvian state claims that everything is fine and that there are no problems with oil and gas activities.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The commission has asked the Peruvian government to provide written responses to the claims, focusing on their protocols for handling oil spills and supporting affected communities. Joint data from several Peruvian organizations has documented 831 oil spills in the Peruvian Amazon.

There are at least 20 uncontacted tribes in Peru that live in the most remote, uncontacted regions of the Amazon rainforest, according to Survival International, an advocacy group for Indigenous peoples.

Survival International told AP the recent appearance of dozens of uncontacted Mashco-Piro people near logging concessions inside their territory, and subsequent deadly encounters between logging workers and the Indigenous people, underline just how vulnerable these groups have become.

Because theyve failed to get redress in Peru, Indigenous organizations there have turned to international fora like the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, said Teresa Mayo, Peru researcher for Survival International.

They want the Commission to force Peru to abide by the international laws and treaties its signed up to, rather than ignore those aspects which it finds inconvenient.
(PUEBLO, Colo.)  A petition has been submitted to recall Pueblo Mayor Heather Graham, claiming fiscal irresponsibility and failure to address critical issues, among other grounds.

According to the petition, which was submitted to the City on Tuesday, March 4, some electors in the City of Pueblo are unhappy with Mayor Grahams performance in the Office of the Mayor, and are calling for a recall election and a mayoral replacement election to be held.

The petition alleges numerous failures and omissions on the Mayors part, including stripping funding from nonprofits, retaliation against opposition using police and fire department staff, and allowing illegal ordinances to be proposed, causing costly legal consequences for the city. The petition also claims Graham spends extensive time on social media during council meetings.

Full list of grounds cited in the petition for recall:

Failure to show fiscal responsibility with the Citys budget, $2M acquisition/remodel of a 650 Dittmer Ave, proposing $1,000/sq. ft + facility projects, giving extravagant raises to and/or hiring unnecessary staff. Stripping funding away from nonprofits while simultaneously squandering taxpayer money. Failure to reduce crime down to comparable statewide levels. Using police and fire department staff to retaliate against small business owners and others who oppose her. Disregard for historic preservation. Allowing illegal ordinances and practices to be proposed, leading to costly legal expenses. Failure to address Pueblos critically unhoused population crisis, dispersing people from encampments into downtown and residential areas without a plan or adequate shelter in place. Ordering demolition in a contaminated EPA Superfund site without regard to public health or applicable laws. Spending extensive time on social media (Facebook, etc.) during City Council meetings. Failure to address fuel pricing and the monopoly thats causing Puebloans to pay approximately 40-50 cents/gallon more than surrounding cities. Refusal to listen to her constituents complaints and suggestions. Proposing a grocery tax on Pueblo residents who are already struggling with record level food costs.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The City confirmed to FOX21 News that the City Clerk and Law Office have until Monday, March 10 to review and approve the petition before it can be circulated for signatures.

Mayor Graham issued a statement on the petition, which can be read below:

The electors are the sole and exclusive judges of the legality, reasonableness and sufficiency of the removal on the grounds assigned for recall. Last time I checked, cleaning up the City, addressing homelessness, reducing crime and bringing transparency and accountability to government is what I was overwhelmingly elected by 65% of the vote to do, and it is what I will continue to do for the next 2.5 years. I take exception to the false information being presented to the electors and I encourage the community to do your research. Mayor Heather Graham

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Phoenix homicide detectives are asking the community for help with any potential information regarding a woman found dead near 23rd Avenue and Van Buren Street Wednesday morning.

On March 5, officers responded to an injured person call near 2300 West Van Buren Street and discovered a woman lying on the sidewalk with "obvious signs of trauma."

The woman, identified as 43-year-old Brandy Thornton, was pronounced dead at the scene. No suspects have been identified at this time.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Community members are strongly encouraged to call Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS or 480-TESTEGO and provide an anonymous tip with any information." Sgt. Brian Bower with Phoenix police said in a statement regarding the ongoing investigation.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix police seek public's help in murder of woman near downtown
Mar. 7A man with connections to the area died by suicide in Massachusetts, reportedly shooting himself in front of police on Friday morning at a transit station, after facing charges related to child sexual exploitation in another state.

Jeremy Gudorf, 33, who lived in Xenia until 2023, had a warrant for his arrest after skipping a court date stemming from child sexual exploitation charges in Huntersville, North Carolina.

On Friday morning, law enforcement approached Gudorf while he was in his vehicle that was parked near a transit station north of Boston before Gudorf pulled out a gun and "abruptly shot himself," police said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Gudorf, who was also a JetBlue pilot, had been arrested Feb. 21 at Boston Logan International Airport after U.S. Customs and Border Protection found a previous warrant for him following a standard review of a flight manifest of a Boston to Paris flight.

Gudorf was detained by Massachusetts State Police before being arraigned the next day in the East Boston District Court for second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor for service, as reported by the local station WCVB. A judge granted him $10,000 bail and ordered Gudorf to appear in North Carolina on Feb. 25.

Another warrant was issued for Gudorf after he failed to appear in court in North Carolina, where the alleged crime had occurred.

The criminal investigation began in October 2024 after investigators with the Huntersville Police Department in North Carolina received a CyberTip from the National Center on Missing and Exploited Children.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Police obtained a search warrant for Google, leading to the identification of the source of the reported images, Huntersville police said in a statement. In late 2024, Google complied with the warrant and provided the necessary records to law enforcement.

Based on the evidence gathered, Huntersville police got an arrest warrant for Gudorf on felony charges of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor.

At the time the crime was committed, records indicated Gudorf resided in Huntersville, North Carolina. Gudorft later relocated out of state during the investigation and before police identified him as a suspect.

After shooting himself Friday, Massachusetts State Police troopers attempted to render first aid to Gudorf but he was later declared dead.
The Pine Hills community is working together to stop gun violence once and for all after a town hall meeting at Kingdom Church.

The community held a meeting with the mission that would make them safer in their community. The meeting focused on addressing violence, demanding accountability, and pushing for greater transparency from law enforcement.

Ideas discussed included forging a partnership with the Orange County Sheriffs Office, creating a community safety alert system for immediate threat notifications, and exploring the possibility of establishing Pine Hills as an independent municipality to gain greater control over local policies.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Organizers also spoke about hoping to establish a research initiative in partnership with the Orange County Sheriffs Office. The proposal includes independent investigations, policy recommendations, and community engagement for the research.

Organizer also said the research initiative should have the authority to conduct independent investigations into allegations of:

Excessive force

Racial profiling

Civil rights violations

Police misconduct and corruption

Benign neglect

What does this proposed partnership look like?

The research initiative will operate independently of law enforcement agencies and will benefit both community and the agency by:

Providing constructive oversight and reform

Helping to implement research-based policing strategies

Gaining access to law enforcement data for analysis

Fostering mutual respect that may lessen defensive pushback

Offering proactive solutions that can cut down on lawsuits and public crises

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The town hall meeting was held nearly two years after a deadly shooting claimed three lives in Pine Hills, further underscoring the communitys demand for action. Dylan Lyons, a 24-year-old Spectrum News 13 reporter, and 9-year-old TYonna Major died in a shooting in Pine Hills, on February 22, 2023. The shooting also injured TYonnas mother, Brandi Major, and a Spectrum News photographer, Jesse Walden.

The family of TYonna Major attended the meeting, sharing heartfelt memories of her life and making it clear that violence will no longer be tolerated. Their presence served as a stark reminder of the devastating impact of crime and the urgent need for change.

The Orange County Sheriffs Office said crime rates in Pine Hills, including homicides, robberies, and burglaries, have declined since 2012.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. (FOX 56)  A Thursday afternoon traffic stop in Laurel County led to deputies finding a gun hidden inside a vehicles floor, along with counterfeit pills and money.

The Laurel County Sheriffs Office (LCSO) posted on Facebook that just before 1 p.m. on Thursday, members of the Laurel County Drug Interdiction Task Force (LCDIT) pulled over a vehicle driven by Eric Brock, 38, with passenger Ariel Saylor, 22.

Amish buggy rear-ended on Kentucky highway injures 5

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

During the traffic stop, the sheriffs office wrote that investigators could smell marijuana inside the vehicle.

While drug interdiction task force members searched the vehicle, court documents show Saylor was allegedly seen throwing a bag of money underneath it.

During a search, law enforcement reportedly found glass smoking pipes, counterfeit pills, a large amount of meth, cash, and a hidden pistol.

The Laurel County Sheriffs Office shared a photo on social media of drugs and cash found during a traffic stop on Thursday. (Laurel County Sheriffs Office)

Brock and Saylor were both arrested and lodged in the Laurel County Correctional Center on Thursday afternoon.

LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Brock was charged with:

First-degree trafficking in methamphetamine, second offense

First-degree trafficking in fentanyl

Trafficking in fentanyl derivativesfirst offense

Third-degree trafficking in a controlled substancefirst offense

Possession of drug paraphernalia

Possession of fentanyl

Not keeping a prescription-controlled substance in a proper containerfirst offense

Possession of a handgun by a convicted felon

Second-degree possession of marijuana

Saylor was charged with:

First-degree trafficking in more than two grams of methamphetaminefirst offense

Possession of drug paraphernalia

Not keeping a prescription-controlled substance in a proper containerfirst offense

Third-degree possession of an unspecified controlled substance

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

An investigation into the drug investigation remains ongoing.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News.
PINSON, Ala. (Trussville Tribune)  The Pinson City Council approved a franchise agreement with Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative to install a fiber optic cable for broadband internet through part of the city.

According to Nathan Prewett with the Trussville Tribune, representing the cooperative was Marlon Williamson, executive vice president of business development. He explained that they were given a middle mile grant from the state to begin a project of installing a 155-mile route of fiber.

It was one of many grants that the state has done but for us when it was engineered and designed the goal was to get from Marshall County all the way south to Trussville, which it was all engineered and designed to pass as many underserved or unserved anchor institutions, Williamson said said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He explained that the project is a two-year commitment, specifically February of 2026. Approximately 50 miles of the 155 goal has been finished, he said. The next phase is from Oneonta to Pinson.

The agreement allows the company to run the route through public right-of-ways. Most of the cable will be buried. In Pinson the route proceeds along Highway 75, through the downtown area and along Highway 79.

Williamson added that the route is required to be open access network. With three different conduits that it has one will have transport fiber. If a third party were to express an interest in offering broadband the cooperative is obligated to give access.

The agreement was approved unanimously.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

City of Pinson holds public hearing for new proposed subdivision

Later in the meeting, Roberts gave his report in which he addressed the wildfires that occurred on Tuesday in which the Alabama Forestry Commission reported a record number of 181 fires from that day to Sunday and expressed his gratitude for the response of the local fire districts.

I was extremely impressed, Roberts said. I cannot state this any more strongly with the professionalism and the inner cooperation that took place between the various districts.

He also pointed out the role of the sheriffs department and the forestry service.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Several from the fire districts were present at the meeting, including Center Point Fire District Battalion Chief Chris Horn. He reported that Pinson had 18 fires during that time. He then said that in February there were 22 fires.

Though some rain has occurred it has not quite alleviated the dry conditions in recent times and so the public is reminded that no outdoor burning is allowed. He expressed his thanks to the Palmerdale and Glenwood Departments, as well as the Fultondale department and the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office.

There were 42 firefighters on the ground, he said.

Ive told yall this again and again, its not about territories but about what we do for our living, Horn told the council.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Palmerdale Fire Chief Taylor Hancock spoke afterwards and pleaded with the public to avoid outdoor burning, noting an increase of people do so after the recent rains. In particular, people are burning limbs.

And thats whats causing it, he said. Especially in these high-wind environments right now. Its causing fires to run away where they cant control them and they end up having to call us.

Glenwood Fire District Chief Rocky Bell echoed Horns earlier words.

They know they can call, well come. When we call, theyll come. Its all about the community, not just districts, he said. Thats pretty much all.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Pinson City Council meets on the first and third Thursdays of every month at City Hall on 4410 Main Street. Live-streamed meetings can be seen on the citys Facebook page.

Nathan Prewett can be reached at nthomasp6@gmail.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 CBS 42.
A plea was made and accepted Friday in the animal cruelty case against a Westwood Independent School District teacher.

According to Anderson County District Attorney Allyson Mitchell, Emily Benner pleaded to Class A cruelty to non-livestock on Friday, Feb. 28, in the County Court of Law in Judge Jeff Dorans court for her role in stitching up a cat in the presence of her WISD Agriculture Class.

Benner was represented by attorney Stanley Sokolowski.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Mitchell said Benner, who is not a licensed vet technician, will be on deferred adjudication probation for six months, follow all standard terms and fees of probation and perform 35 hours of community service.

Based on the evidence, the cruelty to non-livestock was the appropriate charge, Mithcell said. Ms. Benner is being held accountable for her choices that day. Animals play an intricate role in our lives. They are our companions, confidants, and should be loved unconditionally.

In October, Mitchell said she presented the case against Benner to the Anderson County Grand Jury for it to decide whether the case was a felony case or a misdemeanor, and it was recommended as a Class A misdemeanor for cruelty to non-livestock animals.

You can go to the grand jury on recommendations, but you are bound to do what they say, Mitchell said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Mitchell then filed the case with the County Court at Law in Judge Durans court.

Brenner was arrested by the Westwood ISD Police Department on Aug. 25, 2024, and booked into the Anderson County Jail and bonded out the same day. Her bond was set at $7,500.

Benner was a teacher in the Westwood High School Agricultural Animal Science Career Technical Education program.

Benners arrest affidavit states that around 10:30 a.m. Aug. 24, 2024, Westwood ISD Chief of Police Mike Hoyt was sent a video of Benner directing students to perform a medical procedure on a live cat. The affidavit states Hoyt observed in the video Benner and several students in a classroom setting holding down a cat on a table while she instructs a student several times to staple the cats abdomen as the other students continue to hold down the cat.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The affidavit states the cat was not sedated and was screaming in pain during the procedure.

Benner posted pictures of the event herself on her own social media page Aug. 23, 2024. Benners pictures showed hands holding down a cat that had its abdomen stapled closed. The post had a tag that stated, Vet Med got awesome hands on learning this morning! We were able to staple back ripped open stitches.

Westwood ISD released a statement on Aug. 26, 2024: The procedure amounted to animal cruelty, and we want to make it absolutely clear that our district takes such matters extremely seriously. We deeply regret the distress this incident has caused, particularly to our students who were involved or witnessed it. This behavior is not in line with the values and standards we uphold within our district, and we are committed to taking immediate and decisive action to address this issue."

Westwood ISD Public Relations Coordinator Britni Calzada also said the district takes these matters seriously and the safety of students and staffing comes first and foremost.

The district has not indicated whether Benner is still employed or has been put on administrative leave.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced plans on March 7 to implement large-scale military training for all adult men to strengthen the countrys reserve forces.

In a speech to the Sejm, Polands parliament, he noted that this initiative was in response to growing security threats from Russia.

If Ukraine loses the war or if it accepts the terms of peace, armistice, or capitulation in such a way that weakens its sovereignty and makes it easier for (Russian President Vladimir) Putin to gain control over Ukraine, then, without a doubt  and we can all agree on that  Poland will find itself in a much more difficult geopolitical situation, Tusk said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He also said that he would like to increase the size of the Polish army from the current amount of 200,000 soldiers to 500,000, noting that Russias army has around 1.3 million soldiers and Ukraines has around 800,000.

"We will try to have a model ready by the end of this year so that every adult male in Poland is trained in the event of war, so that this reserve is comparable and adequate to the potential threats."

Poland has been a key ally of Ukraine since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, providing extensive military aid, including tanks, heavy equipment, and ammunition.

Read also: Ukraine signs LNG deal with Polands Orlen amid Russian attacks

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has indirectly reproached the United States for its recent actions in the Russo-Ukrainian war following yet another Russian attack on Ukrainian cities that caused civilian casualties.

Source: Tusk on X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda

This is what happens when someone appeases barbarians. More bombs, more aggression, more victims. Another tragic night in Ukraine.  Donald Tusk (@donaldtusk) March 8, 2025

Quote from Tusk: "This is what happens when someone appeases barbarians. More bombs, more aggression, more victims. Another tragic night in Ukraine."

Background:

On Friday, Trump claimed that he wants "to stop deaths" while commenting on Washington's suspension of aid supplies to Ukraine.

Latest reports indicate that 11 people were killed and 40, including children, were injured in a Russian strike on the centre of Dobropillia in Donetsk Oblast.

In addition, three people were killed and seven injured in a Russian attack on Kharkiv Oblast overnight.

American news magazine Time reported that the US decision to halt the transfer of military intelligence to Ukraine allowed Russia to advance in a key area of the war zone, resulting in the deaths of numerous Ukrainian soldiers in recent days.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
DENVER (KDVR)  A Colorado woman was arrested after she reportedly pointed a gun at another driver in Commerce City on Thursday while seven kids were in the vehicle with her.

The Commerce City Police Department said Friday that a witness reported the incident after she allegedly pointed the gun during a road rage incident near 96th Avenue and Highway 2. Police said that seven children, each under 10 years old, were in the vehicle at the time of the incident.

Adams County resident chases his own car after it was stolen in front of his home

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The witness provided license plate information and the police department said it quickly found the suspect. The woman, who CCPD identified to FOX31 as Colleen Carmona, was arrested during what police described as a high-risk traffic stop. Her gun was confiscated.

According to police, the woman is facing charges of felony menacing and child abuse.

Court records show she was booked in the Adams County Detention Facility on Thursday and is being held on a $5,000 cash surety bond.

The police department was unable to immediately provide FOX31 with further 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 Queen City News.
WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)  Dozens of police and emergency crews taped off a crime scene, and a man was sent to the hospital after a shooting in Wilkes-Barre Saturday afternoon.

The Wilkes-Barre City Police Department says they were called to the area of Schiels Family Market on Hanover Street at 2:10 p.m. for a reported aggravated assault stemming from an argument between one man and one woman.

When police arrived, they found the man on Hanover Street suffering from an apparent gunshot wound, and he was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Police also found the woman near the Schiels Family Market parking lot and detained her.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Local and state police could be seen investigating and putting up crime scene tape as emergency crews blocked off the area.

Several yellow evidence markers could be seen in the parking lot of the store as police gathered around the entrance.

Report It!

Authorities say the scene was secured pending processing by the State Police Forensics Unit.

The Detective Division of the Wilkes-Barre Police Department responded to the incident to perform an initial investigation with the help of the Luzerne County Detective Division.

On Facebook, Schiels Family Market says their staff and customers were safely evacuated, and the store will reopen on Sunday at 7:00 a.m.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Luzerne County District Attorneys Office and the Wilkes-Barre City Police Department Detective Division are investigating the incident and ask anyone with information on the incident to call Wilkes-Barre Police Detective Division Commanding Officer Liutenant Matt Stash at (570)208-0911.

28/22 News will bring you the latest information as it becomes available.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PAhomepage.com.
Detectives with the Porter County Sheriffs Department are investigating a report of a subject who was found deceased by railroad tracks in Liberty Township on Friday, according to a release.

We believe this is an isolated incident and there is no ongoing threat to public safety, Sgt. Ben McFalls, the departments public information officer, said in the release.

The identity of the subject is not being released pending identification and notification of family.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Deputies were called around 12:45 p.m. to the railroad tracks between County Road 150 West and County Road 200 West about a subject who was found deceased. Officers confirmed the subject had passed and detectives arrived to process the scene, McFalls said.

The Porter County Coroner was contacted and an autopsy will be conducted at a later

date.

Police did not have additional information to release late Friday afternoon.
Editors Note: The Montgomery County Department of Police has released updated information on the location of the shooting.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now)  Montgomery County police have launched a homicide investigation after a man was shot to death in broad daylight in Silver Spring on Saturday.

According to the Montgomery County Department of Police (MCPD), at around 11:05 a.m., officers responded to the 2700 block of Fairdale Terrace for a reported shooting. This is a one-minute drive from Fairland Elementary School.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

At the scene, they found a man in a parking lot with apparent gunshot wounds to his body. He was pronounced dead there.

(Courtesy: Tim Pruss- MyDrone.Pro) (Anthony Deng/DC News Now) (Anthony Deng/DC News Now)

Police said the mans body will be taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to conduct an autopsy and officially determine the cause and manner of death.

House fire in Burtonsville leaves 2 displaced

In a press conference, Carlos Cortes with the MCPD said that officers are working to locate any witnesses and are asking neighbors to check their surveillance cameras to see if the shooting was captured on video.

Cortes added that as of Saturday afternoon, no suspect description was available.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the person that died here today, he said.

The mans identity will be released after authorities notify the next of kin, 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 DC News Now | Washington, DC.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Police have arrested a man from Battle Ground who is accused of multiple instances of animal cruelty, including causing the death of five dogs.

Andre Terwilleger, 35, is facing charges connected to dogs found at his alleged former residence in the 2100 block of Southwest 5th Avenue, the Battle Ground Police Department said.

The animals were first discovered on Nov. 15, 2024, when officers came to the home in response to a call.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Man who shot at 3 police officers convicted

Upon arrival, officers detected a strong odor emanating from the garage area. Further investigation led to the discovery of nine abandoned dogs, five of which were tragically deceased. The four remaining dogs were found in a severely malnourished state and in need of urgent medical attention. The surviving dogs were immediately transported for emergency veterinary care, and all are expected to survive, the Battle Ground Police Department said in a press release.

Polices five-month-long investigation ultimately identified Terwilleger as the alleged person responsible for the nine dogs. The investigation was assisted by the Humane Society of Southwest Washington and the Animal Legal Defense Fund, officials said.

Couple who owned Portland limo business gets 5 years for stealing $34 million from client

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Battle Ground police issued a warrant for Terwillegers arrest on Thursday and also reached out to the public for assistance in locating him. What followed was over 1,000 social media shares as well as tips, which led to Terwillegers arrest on Saturday morning, police said.

Terwilleger is accused of seven counts of first-degree animal cruelty and two counts of second-degree animal cruelty.

Anyone with information about this case in general is asked to contact Battle Ground police.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
DENVER (KDVR)  A woman was arrested after she allegedly pointed a gun at another driver in Commerce City on Thursday while seven kids were in her vehicle.

The Commerce City Police Department said Friday that a witness reported her to police after she allegedly pointed the gun during a road rage incident near 96th Avenue and Highway 2.

Adams County resident chases his own car after it was stolen in front of his home

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Police said that seven children, each under 10 years old, were in the vehicle at the time of the incident.

The witness provided license plate information and the police department said it quickly found the suspect. The woman, who CCPD identified to FOX31 as Colleen Carmona, was arrested during what police described as a high-risk traffic stop. Her gun was confiscated.

According to police, the woman is facing charges of felony menacing and child abuse.

Court records show she was booked in the Adams County Detention Facility on Thursday and is being held on a $5,000 cash surety bond.

The police department was unable to immediately provide FOX31 with further details.

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.
Following Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbans announcement that a nationwide poll is to be held on Ukraines EU membership, Polish Foreign Minister Radosaw Sikorski has been wondering how the rest of the EU would vote on Hungarys EU membership.

Source: Sikorski on X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda

Quote: "Hungary plans to hold a referendum on Ukraine's future EU membership.

Id be interested to see the results of an EU referendum on the membership of Orban's Hungary."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Background:

On Friday, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced that a national consultation on support for Ukraine's EU membership will be held in Hungary.

Orban has also complained that Europe's support for Ukraine is becoming increasingly expensive since the US changed course.

On Saturday, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto accused Poland of "obstructing Donald Trump's peace plans".

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Elon Musk is emerging as a new star in Democratic ads and fundraising appeals, as politicians from Virginia to Wisconsin try to seize on the tech billionaires role in slashing the federal government to motivate their voters and donors.

A leading Democratic outside group recently launched ads in nearly two dozen House races that seek to paint vulnerable GOP incumbents as willing to cut spending on health care for children and the elderly to benefit billionaires such as Musk. The ads from House Majority Forward show images of Musk wielding the chainsaw that he held aloft last month during the annual Conservative Political Action Conference as he celebrated pursuing steep spending cuts through the Department of Government Efficiency.

The Tesla CEO also has a starring role in a digital ad campaign from the Virginia House Democratic Caucus that seeks to expand the partys narrow majority in the state House of Delegates. And hes featured in new commercials that back the liberal candidate running for an open judicial seat in Wisconsin in an election that could change the ideological balance of the states Supreme Court.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The advertising blitz tests whether Musk  whom Forbes pegs as the worlds richest person  will prove a political liability for Republicans as he continues to take a leading role in chopping the federal workforce and shuttering parts of the government.

He makes for a very convenient boogeyman, said Lynda Tran, a Democratic strategist and former Biden administration official. Hes driving the vast majority of headlines right now. Whether you want to or not, his name is on your lips because hes taking up so much of the oxygen in the room.

Recent polling suggests that Musk is an unpopular messenger for the administrations cost-cutting moves  particularly among the Democratic voters that the party needs to turn out in off-year elections in places such as Virginia. The governors seat and state legislative contests are on the ballot in the Commonwealth this year, and elected officials there are grappling with the fallout of DOGE-driven cuts to the states sizable federal workforce.

Fifty percent of respondents in a Marist/NPR/PBS national poll conducted in late February had an unfavorable view of Musk, compared to 39% who had a favorable opinion.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A separate poll from Quinnipiac University found, overall, that 55% of voters think Musk has too much power in making decisions affecting the US.

The poll also revealed a stark partisan divide: Among Democrats, 96% said Musk had too much power; only 16% of Republicans felt that way.

Some Americans see the tech CEO as the face of somebody who fired their uncle or shifted their cousins factory overseas, said Jesse Ferguson, a Democratic strategist. Musk is now the image of the incredibly wealthy billionaires who have a major role in the Trump administration.

Musk did not respond to a CNN inquiry. On Tuesday, during his joint address to Congress, Trump publicly thanked Musk, who had a prime seat in the gallery, for his work to identify and end appalling waste. Some Democratic lawmakers protested during Trumps speech, including Texas Rep. Al Green, who was censured by the House this week for his actions.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As millions of Americans witnessed on Tuesday night, the Democratic Party is grossly unaligned with the American people and fundamentally unserious, Harrison Fields, a White House spokesman, said in an email in response to a CNN inquiry about the anti-Musk ads. Poll after poll shows that the mission of DOGE is widely supported, and Democrats need a reality check.

But in one sign of the growing backlash over the deep cuts and Musks high-profile role in them, Trump this week imposed new limits on Musks authority, telling Cabinet members that they are in charge of staffing changes at the agencies they lead. The president also called for more precision in the federal cost-cutting moving forward, saying the government would use a scalpel rather than a hatchet.

Musk as fundraising, turnout tool

In Wisconsin, Musk  who spent nearly $300 million to elect Trump and Republicans in last years federal elections  is poised to play an outsized role in the race to fill a single open seat on the seven-member state Supreme Court.

Musks political action committee, America PAC, has spent $3.2 million through Thursday afternoon to aid the conservative candidate in the race, Brad Schimel, and hit the liberal contender, Susan Crawford, state records show. Another group that Musk has financially backed in the past, Building Americas Future, has spent another $2 million on advertising and mailers in the race.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The April 1 election, which is expected to break national spending records for a judicial contest, will determine whether liberals retain their 4-3 majority on the court. A Schimel win would flip the court in this perennial swing state to conservatives.

The court will decide whether a 19th century law banning most abortions can be enforced and could weigh in on a slew of other issues, including whether to overturn a 2011 law that ended most collective bargaining rights for Wisconsin public-sector employees and a legal challenge brought by Musks electric-vehicle company Tesla to a law that prohibits carmakers from owning dealerships in the state.

Groups supporting Crawford have begun to hit back with their own ads featuring Musk. The Wisconsin Democratic Party has launched a seven-figure campaign that includes commercials, town halls and a People v. Musk website

This screenshot illustrates how the "A Better Wisconsin Together Political Fund," which supports a liberal candidate in a state Supreme Court race, is portraying billionaire Elon Musk in its advertising. - From A Better Wisconsin Together Political Fund/Facebook

Another group supporting Crawford, A Better Wisconsin Together Political Fund, is running ads that accuse Musk of causing chaos in Washington and attempting to buy the Wisconsin court seat.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

For its part, Crawfords campaign has run Facebook ads that seek to use Musks spending in the race to boost donations. One ad asks for money to help Crawford fight back, fast against the billionaires investments.

Crawford campaign spokesman Derrick Honeyman said donors have stepped up. In a single week, the campaign took in more than 36,000 individual grassroots donations  outpacing the 30,000 individual contributions that Crawford had received between launching her campaign last June and the start of February.

Crawford also has the support of billionaires in her race. Financier George Soros and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker are among the recent donors to the Wisconsin Democratic Party, which has transferred money to Crawfords campaign.

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, Schimel campaign spokesperson Jacob Fischer said in an email to CNN.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In Virginia, meanwhile, Democrats are hoping their Musk-focused advertising will sway voters as residents start to feel the impact of his efforts to pare down the federal workforce.

Musk is taking a chainsaw to their lives and livelihoods, and decades of public service in many cases, said state Delegate Dan Helmer, who chairs campaign efforts for Virginias House Democratic caucus and represents an outer suburb of the nations capital.

Last year, Virginia was home to more than 144,000 federal civilian workers, according to a tally by the Congressional Research Service.

Democrats, who currently control 51 seats in the state House of Delegates to Republicans 49, are seeking to tie Musk to vulnerable Republican incumbents. The Democrats targets include 12 GOP state lawmakers, eight of whom serve in districts that Kamala Harris, the 2024 Democratic presidential nominee, prevailed in last year, Helmer said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Harris won the state overall, but Trump made gains in 2024 on his performance in 2020 and 2016.

Emphasizing Musk is a way of communicating with people who supported Trump, but are uneasy about (federal) cuts, said Kyle Kondik, the manager editor of Sabatos Crystal Ball political newsletter at the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia.

But there are potential downsides to a Musk-focused campaign for Democrats.

The risk of going after Musk in politics is that he has an unlimited bank account, said a strategist who works with Democrats. Does going after him increase his incentive to throw more money in?

Early focus on midterms

Earlier this week, House Majority Forward  the nonprofit arm of the leading super PAC working to elect Democrats to the House in next years midterms  began running ads that accuse Republicans of failing to deliver on campaign promises to reduce the prices of basic goods and of planning to cut healthcare spending to benefit wealthy people such as Musk.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The ads seek to link the lawmakers to Musk and a recent vote by House Republicans to push forward the presidents agenda  including extending Trumps first-term tax cuts  through a budget process.

The House GOP spending framework seeks to find $880 billion in healthcare and energy savings over a decade. Although health policy experts say a logical target for savings would be Medicaid, Republican leaders and Trump insist they do not support direct cuts to Medicaid benefits and would find savings by tackling waste, fraud and abuse.

More than 1 in 5 Americans have health insurance through the federal program.

The new Democratic ads accuse Republicans of planning to kick individuals off Medicaid to give the rich tax breaks. The National Republican Congressional Committee, the campaign arm for House Republicans, argues that misrepresents the broad benefits of Trumps tax proposals.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Democrat Party is upstream without a paddle  they have no message, no agenda, and no support, NRCC spokesman Mike Marinella said in a statement about the latest ads from Democrats. Now theyre running the same playbook of resorting to shameless fearmongering and outright lies because theyre trying to hide the fact that they just voted to raise taxes on hardworking Americans.

CNNs David Wright contributed to this report.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Sen. Nick Charles (D-Prince George's), left, chats with At-Large County Councilmember Calvin Hawkins at Election Night watch party in Largo. Hawkin on Friday conceded the county executive's race to Aisha Braveboy. (Photo by William J. Ford/Maryland Matters)

Its unofficially official: Prince Geroges County States Attorney Aisha Braveboy will be the Democratic nominee in Junes special election for the next county executive.

At-large County Councilmember Calvin Hawkins conceded Friday, after initially refusing to do so in the wake of Tuesdays special primary election. Official results wont be known until at least Wednesday, when provisional ballots will be counted, according to County Election Administrator Wendy Honest-Bey said in an email Thursday. But Hawkins said in a statement that, After reviewing the information shared by the Prince Georges County Board of Elections, I see no path to victory.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Congratulations to Aisha Braveboy on her victory in the Democratic primary. I look forward to working alongside her in moving our County forward, his statement said.

Unofficial results posted Friday evening showed Braveboy with 36,952 votes, 46.6% of the crowded Democratic field, followed by former County Executive Rushern L. Baker III with 15,111 votes and Hawkins with 13,100 votes. County Council Chair Jolene Ivey  who pulled out of the race three weeks ago  still managed to finish fourth, with 7,904 votes.

Hawkins had been endorsed by former county executive and now U.S. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D), while Braveboy touted the endorsement of Gov. Wes Moore (D).

The rest of the Democratic field was state Sen. Alonzo Washington, with 3,933 votes; Tonya Sweat, with 1,149; Ron Hunt, 543; Marcellus Crews, 424; and Albert Slocum, 158.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Braveboy will face off against the Republican nominee in a June 3 special election. No winner had been declared among the GOP candidates Friday, when Jonathan White led with 1,211 votes to Jesse Peeds 1,123 votes and George E. McDermotts 936. Because of Democrats overwhelming voter registration advantage in the county, the winner of the Democratic primary is largely considered the favorite to win the general election.

Braveboy, in a statement Friday from the group Progressive Maryland, said she is ready to get to work building a county that uplifts every resident, strengthens our economy, and ensures fairness in every part of our government.

Voters in Council District 5 also voted Tuesday for a replacement for Ivey, who was elected to an at-large seat last fall. Former school board member Shayla Adams-Stafford declared victory in the Democratic primary, with 4,262 votes, just under half the total. She was followed by Ryan Middleton, with 2,428 votes; Kendal Gray with 487; Theresa Mitchell Dudley with 594; and Christopher Wade, with 346. Cheverly Mayor Kayce Munyeneh had pulled out the race, but still got 116 votes.

Republican candidate Fred Price Jr. ran unopposed and will face the winner of the District 5 Democrats primary on June 3. The winners of the county executive and council races will serve out the remaining two years left on the terms for those seats.

Advocates very confident about prescription drug board

A Senate committee passed a slightly different version of a House bill that would expand a state boards authority to help bring down prescription drug costs  but not so different that the bills supporters are worried about its future.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Thursdays vote by the Senate Finance Committee came two weeks after the full House considered and passed its own version of the Prescription Drug Affordability Board bill. The differences are not big enough to throw the bill off its current momentum, said Vincent DeMarco, president of Maryland Health Care for All.

Were thrilled about the Finance committee action, DeMarco said Friday. They passed a very strong bill that gives the board the full authority it needs to make high cost drugs more affordable to everyone.

Senate Bill 357, sponsored by Sen. Dawn Gile (D-Anne Arundel) and Sen. Brian Feldman (D-Montgomery), would expand the authority of PDAB, which is currently tasked with finding ways to reduce the cost of prescription drugs on the states health plan, saving some taxpayer dollars in the process.

The bill would expand the boards authority to set what are called upper-payment limits on prescription drugs in the commercial market. Doing so would limit how much drug purchasers could spend on certain medications, which supporters hope would result in savings for Marylanders.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Finance Committee on Thursday adopted House amendments to its version of the bill to exclude certain federal programs from upper payment limits and ensure that the boards actions do not conflict with federal rebate programs or Medicaid.

But the committee added an amendment to add three members to the already large 26-person PDAB stakeholder council  representatives of the rare disease community, of oncologists and from a patient-advocacy organization. The committee also increased some reporting requirements in the year after the board issues an upper payment limit on a drug, to ensure that there are no significant adverse effects on patient access or out-of-pocket costs as a result of the boards actions.

Despite its creation in 2019, PDAB has not yet brought down the costs of any prescription drug under its current authority, leading some lawmakers to believe it is premature to expand the boards scope this session. The Finance Committee voted 7-3 for the bill, with Republicans opposed, setting the stage for a Senate floor vote next week.

Despite some dramatics and partisan fighting, the House voted Feb. 22 to approve House Bill 424 on party-line vote of 94-38.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This year were making great progress, DeMarco said. We feel very confident that the full Senate will pass the bill next week.

Court ruling is latest  maybe final  twist in Wicomico council, executive feud

The Appellate Court of Maryland ruled this week that Wicomico County Executive Julie Giordano did not follow proper procedures when she appointed a county official in 2023, and that the council was subsequently within its rights to cut funding for the position.

The Wednesday ruling by a three-judge panel of the appeals court was a reversal of a Wicomico County Circuit Court ruling that had found Giordano was in the right and the council erred. And it apparently ends almost two years of legal and political feuding between the council and the executive  Giordano said she does not intend to appeal.

Its also largely moot: The county official in question, Assistant Director of Administration Matthew Leitzel, submitted his resignation last month, and his last day on the clock was Friday. And the appeals court went out of its way to say in its ruling that even though it found that Leitzel had not been properly confirmed for the job, he still is entitled to his salary until the effective date of our mandate from the June 26, 2023, date of his appointment.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Its ridiculous it went this far, said Giordano, who said it seems like county officials are now moving in a good direction. Council President John Cannon said Friday that the case was nothing more than a mistake.

The legal beef turned on the interpretation of section 315(A) of the county charter, which deals with executive appointments. The charter says the executive has six months after taking office to make appointments, it lists the offices that are subject to council approval and the process for submitting them. It also says that if the council has not acted on a nomination within 45 days after the candidate has been submitted to the council at its legislative session, that person is considered appointed to the job.

In April 2023, Giordanos office asked for an executive session to discuss Leitzels appointment. After that session, the council said it was not inclined to move forward on Leitzels appointment, but took no official action. The next day, Giordano sent an email asking the council to reconsider, but it did not respond.

Two months later, Giordano appointed Leitzel, noting that the 45-day timeline in section 315(A) had passed. The council cited the same section, arguing that the executives request for a closed-door session was not the same as a submission at a legislative session, so Leitzel had never been nominated as far as the council was concerned.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The council voted 6-1 against Leitzels appointment the next day, and subsequently cut funding for his position. Giordano vetoed the budget cut, which the council overrode. Ten days later, Giordano went to court.

In November 2023, a Wicomico County Circuit judge sided with Giordano, saying the procedures in section 315(A) were ambiguous but that her April request to the council was sufficient to start the clock, and that Leitzel had the job 45 days later. Because he had the job, the council could not eliminate his salary under the charter, the judge said.

The appellate court did a 180 Wednesday, ruling that Giordanos nomination of Leitzel did not meet the legislative session requirement of section 315(A), that Leitzel was not subsequently entitled to the job and that the council could cut his salary, since the position was not officially filled.

Each side accused the other of unnecessarily digging in its heels. After two years of squabbling, however, everybody appears to agree on one thing: Matthew Leitzel is a great guy. Giordano said he was an amazing addition to the county, and Cannon praises him personally.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I dont find Mr. Leitzel at fault at all, Cannon said Friday. I think hes been an innocent victim in all this.

 This story was updated on Saturday, March 8, to correct Calvin Hawkins vote total.
The Pontiac mother accused of abandoning her children in a house of squalor for years got her $250 million bond reduced to $50,000 Friday  though she still won't be getting out given what her lawyer disclosed in court.

"Nobody has the money to post bond for her," defense attorney Cecilia Quirindongo-Baunsoe told the judge, adding the mother can't afford it, either  not given the $800 a month she allegedly made working for the state before her arrest.

"She has a pay stub," said Quirindongo-Baunsoe, who declined to offer specifics about the mother's job, saying only that it was through the state of Michigan, and that it still left her indigent.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

That's one of several new details that surfaced at Friday's court hearing about Kelli Bryant, the embattled mother at the center of what authorities have called one of the most horrific cases of child abuse in Oakland County history.

Kelli Bryant, 34, of Pontiac, was charged on Feb. 19, 2025, with three counts of first-degree child abuse for allegedly abandoning her three young children, and forcing them to live in squalor alone for five years.

Bryant, 34, is charged with first-degree child abuse for allegedly deserting her children  ages 12, 13, and 15  and forcing them to raise themselves for four years in a house of horrors: The toilet didn't work. Feces filled the tub and rooms. Garbage piled 4 feet high. Two children slept on pizza boxes.

Defense: Mom had job, stable residence, no criminal history

Since her arrest on Valentine's Day  when the children were rescued from a townhouse on Lydia Lane  little has been known about the mother's life. Here are some new details that her lawyer shared at her bond hearing Friday:

Bryant has no criminal record, or history of drug or alcohol abuse.

On the day her children were discovered and police contacted her, she paid for a Lyft and went to the Oakland County Sheriff's Office, where she turned herself in.

She has an undisclosed mental health condition, a medical diagnosis that she needs infusions for, and was also supposed to have surgery before her arrest to address internal bleeding.

She has a stable residence in Pontiac and has lived in the city her whole life. Her parents and siblings also live in the area.

New judge finds $250 million bond unreasonable

At her arraignment last month, 50th District Judge Ronda Fowlkes Gross set Bryant's bond at $250 million  an amount that stunned many in the legal community as it ranked among the highest in the country, according to multiple bond agencies. The judge said she believed the mother was a flight risk and danger to the community, and, set the high bond out of concern that the mother may try to stop her children from cooperating with authorities from jail.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

At Friday's bond hearing, the new judge on the case  50th District Judge Cynthia Thomas  expressed similar concerns, though concluded the initial bond was excessive.

"The purpose of the bond is certainly not to punish," Thomas said, adding that with a few exceptions, "the law is very clear ... a criminal defendant is entitled to a reasonable bond."

She added: "The current bond amounts to a denial of bond."

More: Pontiac mom held on $250 million bond. Her kids lived in squalor for years alone, cops say

And so Thomas gave Bryant a $50,000 cash bond  an amount that, she concluded, accomplishes the purposes of bond: to make sure a defendant doesn't flee and returns to court, and to protect the public.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Walker also said that she shares some of the concerns expressed by the previous judge  that Bryant may try to intimidate her children to stop them from cooperating with authorities. So she set conditions on her bond, should Bryant get out, including: She may not have any contact with any child under 18; no contact with her children, and no personal contact, phone calls, or text messages with anyone who is caring for her children.

"Ms. Bryant," the judge warned, "be aware that if you violate any condition of release, you would be subject to arrest without a warrant and may have your bond forfeited, revoked, new conditions imposed, in addition to any other penalties if you are found in contempt of court.

Prosecutor: Don't believe the mom  'She has a history of concealing and deceiving,

Assistant Oakland County Prosecutor Kanika Ferency took issue with much of the information about Bryant's life that came out in court Friday, including claims that she had a job with the state, suffers from mental health issues, and has people willing to take her in should she be released on bond. She said there's been no documented proof of those claims, and that the prosecution doesn't view the mom as a "reliable source of information."

Ferency scoffed at the claims that Bryant has health issues that require her to be out of jail.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I would be hard-pressed not to address the reason why were here today, Ferency said. The reason were here today is because defendant did not provide her own children, the victims here, with basic medical care, basic needs, for years, and this irony of her condition right now is not lost on me, and it seems like she had and is being treated appropriately at the clinic at the county jail.

Ferency also questioned Bryant's alleged job with the state, saying there's been no confirmation of that.

What the People can confirm," Ferency said, " is that Ms. Bryant abandoned the victims in this case in an unlivable residence where several rent payments lapsed.

Ferency also challenged Bryant's claims that she has community support  specifically, someone to take her in should she post bond.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She has a history of deceiving those who were attempting to support her for years, Ferency said. It is difficult for me to imagine that all of her beliefs about her alleged support systems have completely changed within two weeks of her being in custody. And, honestly, it does feel self-serving, Your Honor.

To the chagrin of Bryant's defense lawyer, the judge gave the mother a cash only bond. The defense wanted a surety bond  which means the person posts only a percentage of the bond.

Shes a Pontiac resident. Shes been here her whole life," Quirindongo-Baunsoe said. "And I think if she wanted to flee the state or go somewhere, shed have done that already.

The judge disagreed.

Contact Tresa Baldas: tbaldas@freepress.com

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Pontiac mom's $250 million bond reduced in squalor case
Pope Francis is responding well to the treatment for double pneumonia and has shown a gradual, slight improvement in recent days, the Vatican said Saturday. But his doctors have decided to keep his prognosis as guarded, meaning that hes not out of danger yet.

The 88-year-old pope, who has chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed as a young man, has remained stable, with no fever and good oxygen levels in his blood for several days, doctors reported in a Vatican statement.

The doctors said that such stability as a consequence testifies to a good response to therapy. It was the first time the doctors had reported that Francis was responding positively to the treatment for the complex lung infection that was diagnosed after he was hospitalized on Feb. 14.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Francis worked and rested during the day on Saturday, as he entered his fourth week at Romes Gemelli hospital with his condition stabilized following a few bouts of acute respiratory crises last week.

In order to record these initial improvements in the coming days as well, his doctors have prudently maintained the prognosis as guarded, the statement said.

In his absence, the Vaticans day-to-day operations continued, with Cardinal Pietro Parolin celebrating Mass for an anti-abortion group in St. Peters Basilica. At the start, Parolin delivered a message from the pope from the hospital on the need to protect life, from birth to natural death.

In the message, dated March 5 and addressed to the Movement for Life, which seeks to provide women with alternatives to abortion, Francis encouraged the faithful to promote anti-abortion activities not just for the unborn, but for the elderly, no longer independent or the incurably ill.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Later Saturday, another cardinal closely associated with Francis papacy, Canadian Cardinal Michael Czerny, presides over the nightly recitation of prayers for Francis. Czerny then returns on Sunday to celebrate the Holy Year Mass for volunteers that Francis was supposed to have celebrated.

Francis has been using high flows of supplemental oxygen to help him breathe during the day and a noninvasive mechanical ventilation mask at night.

Francis was hospitalized Feb. 14 for what was then just a bad case of bronchitis. The infection progressed into a complex respiratory tract infection and double pneumonia that has sidelined Francis for the longest period of his 12-year papacy and raised questions about the future.

___

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

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
ALBANY, N.Y. (WWTI)  A 42-year-old Potsdam man was sentenced to federal prison earlier this week for receiving and distributing child pornography.

According to the United States Attorneys Office, John Huckabey was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison on Thursday, March 6.

Former Border Patrol agent pleads guilty to civil rights violations

Authorities said that Huckabey used social media apps to download and distribute the illicit content. Officials also said that he admitted to sending the material in order to meet a child with the hopes of having a sexual relationship.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

When Huckabey is released from prison, he will need to complete 25 years of supervised release and have to register as a sex offender.

Huckabey will also have to pay $9,000 in restitution to his victims.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
John Harris, president and CEO of Prairie Public Broadcasting, speaks March 7, 2025, during a legislative committee hearing about state and federal funding for the organization. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)

Prairie Public supporters are urging Senate lawmakers to defeat a bill that removes taxpayer support for North Dakotas mainstay public broadcasting organization.

But even if House Bill 1255 is defeated, Prairie Public would still need to convince lawmakers to add state funding back into a budget bill.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Jorin Johnson, R-Fargo, passed the House on a 48-41 vote in February after two House committees recommended the bill be voted down. The bill would prohibit state officials from using state or federal tax dollars to support the organization.

A Senate State and Local Government Committee hearing Friday was the first time members of the Senate had the opportunity to weigh in on the matter.

Johnson told state senators that Prairie Public wont need to close its doors because of the loss of $1.2 million in state funding. He added it could even be a good thing for the organization because he believes donors would rally behind the organization to keep it funded, just without state tax dollars.

The original mission of PBS is no longer accurate with the explosion of digital media, streaming services and content creators, Johnson said. Theres an abundance of free, or low-cost content, available online making public broadcasting redundant.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Gov. Kelly Armstrongs preliminary budget included a recommendation of nearly $2.9 million for Prairie Public during the 2025-27 biennium, including about $1.7 million in one-time funding to assist with transmitter maintenance and replacement.

The funding is typically in the budget for the Office of Management and Budget. House lawmakers removed those dollars from the budget bill after they approved House Bill 1255.

Johnson said Prairie Public has $36.2 million in assets, about $16.8 million in reserves and is one of the largest charitable gambling beneficiaries in the state.

I think they are doing OK, he said. No one can convince me that Prairie Public wont survive without state dollars.

Rep. Jorin Johnson, R-Fargo, speaks March 7, 2025, during a committee hearing on prohibiting Prairie Public from receiving state and federal taxpayer funding. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)

Johnson added, if Prairie Public starts to flounder, representatives could come back during the 2027 legislative session and petition to have funding reinstated.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

John Harris, president and CEO of Prairie Public Broadcasting, told lawmakers he agreed with Johnson that the funding loss wouldnt force the nonprofit to close, but it would affect local programming.

The national programming will continue, but what (news director) Dave Thompson does, what we do for the local community with our educational team going out and providing professional development, those are the things that will go away, Harris said. We would become a pass-through for the national feeds is what would happen as we start losing money and our resources.

Johnson also criticized Prairie Public for taking steps to purchase a bar in West Fargo as a charitable gambling site, arguing they shouldnt need state money if they were looking into that purchase.

Harris said they didnt follow through with the bar purchase, but they were looking into security for their charitable gambling site so a bar owner couldnt just sign another charity to conduct gambling and cut them out.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It (gaming) is up and down in any given year, he said. Weve lost three sites in the last year-and-a-half-or-so because one changed hands and a couple closed.

Harris said the company operates 39 radio and television towers in the state that range from 200 feet to 1,000 feet in height and those towers reach about 98% of all North Dakotans for free. He added that some towers hold emergency warning sirens and weather equipment that benefit residents with their operations and data.

Recently, Harris said Prairie Public installed a new tower in Minot that cost $3.5 million.

Sen. Judy Lee, R-West Fargo, a Prairie Public donor, said she cant imagine ignoring the good Prairie Public Television has done over decades.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I think its really important that we have that available to everybody and I would not want to jeopardize that, Lee said.

More than 170 people submitted written testimony to the committee with the vast majority in opposition to cutting taxpayer support.

Paul Nyren of Garrison, N.D., testifies March 7, 2025, in favor of taxpayer support for Prairie Public Broadcasting. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)

Paul and Ann Nyren drove from Garrison to testify during the hearing. They shared how their daughter learned sign language from Prairie Public childrens programming and was able to communicate with a couple they met at a mall food court.

She signed something to them and I didnt know she even had that skill, Paul Nyren said. They signed back and she was so excited that she was able to use this knowledge that she had learned through childrens programming.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He said children being excited to learn through programming is an important thing to protect, which is one of the reasons his family supports Prairie Public.

The committee did not take immediate action.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE

SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD)  A prayer vigil was held by South Carolinians for an Alternative to the Death Penalty in light of Brad Sigmons execution in Columbia Friday night.



South Carolinians for alternatives to the death penalty spoke Friday night against capital punishment and prayed for Sigmon and others affected by the death penalty. Their message is it is an outdated and ineffective punishment that fails to recognize the divine image in all of humanity



We want to take this time to remember to brad thats not to diminish the lives that brad took brad is very open about what he did and very remorseful and we want to honor those lives as well, said Rev. Bryan Pigford, a pastor at Cokesbury United Methodist Church.

Sigmon became the first inmate in the U.S. to choose death by firing squad since 2010.

In a news conference following todays execution, three eyewitnesses set the scene for the first firing squad death in South Carolinas history.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement



You did see a small red stain it was regularly shaped like an oval; it looked like his chest rose and fell 2 to 3 times after the shots taking deep breaths, said Jeffery Collins, a witness with the associated press)

Jeffery Collins has witnessed all three methods of execution in the state and described the difference in a firing squad.



It was instantaneous, the time from the shots being fired to the time death was declared. It was a little over 2 minutes so its just a much quicker method and because of that when the shot is fired everyone in the room flinches, said Collins.

South Carolinians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty have been holding prayer vigils for each inmate who has been sentenced to death row in the state. There have been 3 inmates executed in South Carolina since the state resumed executions in September of last year.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement



The groups goal is to bring light to the injustice that they say capital punishment represents, and to speak about the lives lost to the death penalty, as well as the lives lost for which they were sentenced.



As long as the state insists on putting people to death for crimes, were going to be here shining a light saying that capital punishment isnt a form of justice its really more of a form of state sponsored vengeance and its certainly not vetted out in a fair and equitable way, said Pigford.



The state supreme court has been issuing death warrants every five weeks. Two more inmates are currently out of appeals, and they will also get to choose between lethal injection, the electric chair, or firing squad.

The group plans to continue to hold prayer vigils until the penalty is taken out of practice.

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 WCBD News 2.
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) Public service employees who are part of a federal loan forgiveness program could be at risk of having to pay back their student loans if their work doesnt align with the presidents agenda.

A lot of these people work for, for NGO organizations, for nonprofit organizations that engage in illegal or what we would consider to be improper activities, White House Staff Secretary William Scharf said.

President Donald Trump plans to sign an order directing the Education and Treasury Departments to look into whos part of the program and what they do.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It comes days after Education Secretary Linda McMahon was sworn in to lead a department the president wants to dismantle.

Were clearly not doing something right, McMahon said.

McMahon says she supports the presidents mission.

He believes as do I, that the best education is closest to the student, McMahon said.

President Trump says states know whats best for students, not the federal government.

Theyre going to do a lot better than somebody sitting in Washington, D.C. that couldnt care less about the pupils out in the Midwest, Trump said.

Democrats in Congress are against shutting down the Department of Education.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy says it would hurt schools that rely on federal funding.

Nobody in America wants the destruction of public education, Murphy 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 Queen City News.
About two dozen election bills have been introduced in Idaho this legislative session, a total that signals fewer questions around voting across the state compared to past years.

Since the 2020 election, far more election bills have typically been introduced, according to Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGrane and legislative archives. Right out of the gate in 2023, House Bill 1 revised laws around auditing elections. Now, some of the desire for election integrity has fallen off because of outreach and because President Donald Trump won, McGrane, a Republican, told the Idaho Statesman.

The November election, a combination of the results but also how we ran it, answered a lot of peoples questions, he said by phone. For a healthy number of Idahoans, they seem to have moved on  elections just isnt at the top.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Idahos elections are safe, McGrane said.

This sessions election-related bills range from giving the attorney general the ability to investigate and prosecute election crimes to requiring a unique identifier on each ballot. Another would require anti-fraud measures like a hologram design on ballots. Other bills focus on checking voter rolls or underscoring that only citizens can vote (which already is the law).

So far, House Bill 310, which also requires certain anti-fraud measures, is one of the closest to becoming law. The bill passed the House, advanced out of the Senate State Affairs Committee and awaits a full vote on the Senate floor.

Rep. Joe Alfieri, R-Coeur dAlene, sponsored at least three of the election security bills, including the proposed law to grant the attorney general power to investigate election crimes. The Attorney Generals Office declined to comment, citing pending legislation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Alfieri still had some questions, but said hes confident in what were doing and he doesnt see cause for concern in Idaho elections

When you move into a neighborhood, if its a low crime neighborhood, that doesnt mean you dont put locks on the doors, Alfieri told the Statesman.

Idaho is ranked 28th in conservative think tank The Heritage Foundations election integrity scorecard, Alfieri said. Alfieris goal is to improve the Gem States position, he said. (McGrane said he agreed with the goal.)

Rep. Steve Tanner, R-Nampa, who sponsored at least two of the other election bills this session, didnt return a request for comment.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In a House committee hearing this week, Rep. Jaron Crane, R-Nampa, said that House Bill 339, which aims to check voter registrations, codifies the process that the secretary of state already follows.

The bill advanced to the House floor with a committee recommendation to pass it.

There is no evidence of widespread fraud in recent elections, according to The Atlantic, but many officials like Trump have falsely claimed and without evidence that the 2020 election was stolen. Some of those lies have been costly: In 2023, Fox News settled with Dominion Voting Systems in a defamation lawsuit, paying almost $800 million to avoid trial, according to The Associated Press.

Idaho officials have expressed confidence in state elections before, the Statesman previously reported. For example, outspoken 2020 election denier Mike Lindell, CEO of MyPillow, in 2021 claimed that results in the state were manipulated to help former Democratic President Joe Biden.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

That election, Trump won almost 64% of the vote in Idaho.

Idaho investigated and determined the claims were untrue. The state later billed Lindell for the cost of disproving him, along with sending a cease and desist letter, according to previous Statesman reporting.

Do we believe theres integrity in Idahos elections? Absolutely, Chad Houck, former chief deputy secretary of state, said at the time.
WESTFIELD, Mass. (WWLP)  Market 32/Price Chopper collected donations from January 19th to February 15th for American Red Cross Disaster Relief at all its supermarkets across six states, including Massachusetts to aid those impacted by the California wildfires.

Donations came in through Price Choppers registers from customers who opted to round up their change with a total of $63,338.77 raised, The supermarket added $10,000, bringing the total donation to $73,338.77 that will go directly to help people in the fire-impacted communities.

The Palisades and Eaton wildfires destroyed more than 15,000 structures in the Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Altadena, and Pasadena, most of them homes. Thousands more were damaged, and over two dozen people lost their lives.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The recovery will take years, if not decades, and will cost tens of billions of dollars. Over this time, the victims are in need of significant support. To donate, visit the American Red Cross online.

California governor asks Congress for nearly $40 billion for Los Angeles wildfire relief

The American Red Cross is operating disaster recovery centers and providing emergency shelter, meals and snacks, emotional support, and financial assistance.

At Market 32/Price Chopper, we believe in stepping up in times of crisis, and we are grateful to our customers for standing alongside us in support of the American Red Cross California Wildfire Fund, said Blaine Bringhurst, Market 32/Price Chopper president. Compassion and shared humanity connect us, no matter the distance. The destruction and devastation are difficult to comprehend, and were incredibly proud of these results and the impact this funding will have in supporting those who have endured great loss.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

When thousands of Southern Californians faced the devastating loss of their homes and communities, the American Red Cross was there meeting their urgent need for food, shelter, and mental health services, ensuring no one had to face this heartbreak alone, said Kevin Coffey, Regional Chief Executive Officer, American Red Cross Eastern New York Region. We are so grateful to Market 32/Price Chopper and their customers for their generosity and ongoing support for our critical mission. Their support ensures we can be there for our neighbors in need 24/7, bringing hope and healing when needed most.

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.
WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  A D.C. homeowner is hoping to amplify LGBTQ+ voices after a pride flag was taken from his front yard and broken early Thursday morning.

Michael Evans, a 20-year resident of the Foggy Bottom neighborhood, caught a glimpse of the vandalism on his home surveillance camera after waking up Thursday.

When I looked at it, I was just reviewing things, and I was really kind of shocked, said Evans. Because we had been without power initially, my first thought, because they were dressed in like a raincoat, I thought, oh, this must be a Pepco [utility] person, and I quickly realized it wasnt.

Evans said he is not surprised someone snatched one of his pride flags from his lawn, saying he thinks people are emboldened to discriminate against the queer community given new political fights over LGBTQ+ issues.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Kennedy Center releases list of performance cancellations in the spirit of transparency

The video shows someone approaching Evans front door at 2:45 a.m. Thursday, mere feet from where he spends his days composing music on his living room piano.

After picking up one of Evans flags, the unidentified person walked onto the sidewalk, turned around and drove the rod of the flag into a plant pot, breaking it.

The sound was loud enough to be captured on surveillance video roughly 20 feet away.

Homophobia and hatred, Its just there. If this person is having an episode or is angry at gay people, this is the kind of thing we see, you know, where, yeah, not just take it, but break it, said Evans. Let people know that, you know, theyre destroying this stuff. I mean, thats the message that I got.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Evans said he hopes by sharing the video, including to the app Nextdoor, he can send a message to other queer people.

Keep an eye out, you know, be vigilant. Dont not put stuff out. I think I even mentioned in the post, as soon as it happened, I put two fresh flags out and ordered 12 more. So, you know, if thats what you got to do, thats what you got to do. As long as Im here, those flags will be there, he said.

Evans says hes in the process of filing a police report. City code says punishments for damaging personal property include a fine and potentially up to 180 days in 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 DC News Now | Washington, DC.
LARGO, Md. (DC News Now)  As the Trump administration continues to decrease the size of the Federal government, officials in Prince Georges County are taking steps to help those workers impacted.

District 6 Councilwoman Wala Blegay is spearheading a program that will give laid-off workers the opportunity to sign up for help.

One thing we are a bit nervous about with so many workers being laid off is  are they able to pay rent or going through foreclosure? And now food is expensive, and so we are just trying to help and we give money to our nonprofit partners to help during these times. So we are doing all we can to help as many people who are struggling, Blegay said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Montgomery County man unknowingly rents stolen car in Arizona

Councilwoman Wala Blegay says she is working with a number of non-profit organization partners who are doing what they can to assist laid-off workers.

Blegay says anyone who wants to sign up for help can fill out the form or contact her office or the Prince Georges County Council. Last week Blegay held a virtual Federal worker forum to assist workers.

There are 100 laid off workers in District 6 and 73,000 workers living in the 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 DC News Now | Washington, DC.
JOHNSTOWN, Pa.  A man who federal prosecutors say was a leader of a cross-country narcotics ring that brought drugs into Johnstown has pleaded guilty in federal court to violating narcotics laws.

Mikal Davis, 47, of Philadelphia, could spend the rest of his life in prison, federal prosecutors said.

Davis pleaded guilty to three counts of a superseding indictment that initially involved dozens of people after the ring was busted in 2021, Acting U.S. Attorney Troy Rivetti announced in a press release Thursday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The U.S. Attorneys Office said a wiretap was used to uncover Davis drug activities, which involved moving drugs from supply hubs in Philadelphia, New Jersey and California to Johnstown.

Davis, who led the drug trafficking organizations activity in Philadelphia and Johnstown, was one of the targets of a federal wiretap and was intercepted obtaining quantities of the drugs that he distributed to others, the U.S. Attorneys Office said in the press release.

Accompanied by distributors below him, Davis frequently traveled between Philadelphia and Johnstown with drug shipments that were stored and processed at stash houses throughout western Pennsylvania for distribution, the U.S. Attorneys Office said.

U.S. District Judge Marilyn J. Horan presided over the plea hearing.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The court was told that, from around April 2019 to July 2021, Davis conspired with accomplices with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and more than one kilogram of heroin. Thats the equivalent of more than 11 pounds of cocaine and more than two pounds of heroin.

Davis also conspired to distribute at least 400 grams of a fentanyl mixture, at least 50 grams of methamphetamine and 28 grams or more of crack, the U.S. Attorneys Office said.

And in at least one case, Davis arranged with a California supplier to have parcels of drugs mailed to Johnstown for distribution, the office said. Another shipment prior to Davis 2021 arrest involved a large supply of drugs from New Jersey, federal prosecutors said.

Horan scheduled sentencing for June 26. The law provides for a total sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $10 million, or both  but prior criminal history, acceptance of guilt and other factors are also weighed to determine a defendants sentence, federal guidelines show.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting the case.

A Johnstown man, Kevin Johnson, 39, also pleaded guilty to a federal drug conspiracy charge related to crack cocaine sales over a four-month period in 2021, federal prosecutors said.

Johnson, one of 31 people initially indicted alongside Davis, could receive up to 40 years in prison for the crime, prosecutors said.

The Federal Bureau of Investigations Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation that led to Davis arrest in 2021.

They were assisted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Internal Revenue Service  Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and eight state or local agencies  the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General; state police; the Cambria County and Indiana County district attorneys offices; the Cambria County Sheriffs Office; and Johnstown, Cambria Township and Indiana Borough police.
LOWER EAST SIDE, Manhattan (PIX11)  Curbside outdoor dining became a New York phenomenon during the depths of the pandemic five years ago, and restaurants were allowed to continue operating their outdoor dining sheds until late last year.

Now, as a new, revised dining shed situation begins, featuring only seasonal permits, a group of activists held a deceptively rebellious protest against the new rules limitations.

More Local News

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

They ate lunch outdoors, in a dining area that theyd set up in two parking spaces.

The organizers of the protest lunch, an organization called Open Plans, called it a guerilla cafe. Even though it was just a few dozen people eating outdoors, it was, like guerilla warfare, a quick, small-scale campaign against the authorities. In the case of the pop-up cafe, city authorities ban curbside outdoor dining from December through March.

The guerrilla cafe defied city ordinances, and customers widely approved.

Carrie Stacey sat with her daughter and other relatives at a table that had been placed in the street, near the curb, in place of parking spaces.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Community building is better than parking a car, Stacey said after finishing her coffee.

Matt Carsello was eating a sandwich at the other table in the street in front of C&B Cafe, which hosted the pop-up cafe protest.

That cars not full, Carsello said, pointing from his table that was in a parking space to a car that was looking for one. Thats like one driver, one passenger. And theres like six, seven, ten people sitting here, alone.

The eaterys owner, Ali Sahin, said Open Plans had contacted him to host the in-the-street protest.

I dont understand why it cannot be year-round, he said about outdoor seating. His cafe has no seating inside, so curbside seating gives him seating capacity, and potentially more revenue, he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The co-executive director of Open Plans, which organized the protest, acknowledged that from 2020 to 2024, the four years that year-round outdoor dining was allowed, there were problems. Sara Lind said that some of the dining sheds attracted rats and other vermin, as well as excess trash and noise problems.

However, she said, the new city regulations on outdoor dining cracked down on those issues. What they didnt get right, Lind said, was restricting outdoor dining from April through November.

This point was echoed at a news conference that Open Plans hosted on Friday afternoon in the temporary curbside eatery. City Comptroller Brad Lander was among those in attendance. He said that his offices research showed that while around 12,500 restaurants participated in outdoor dining from 2020 through 2024, only a fraction of themabout 3,500applied for the new, calendar-restricted permits.

According to the comptroller, only 50 of those new applications have been approved so far.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Open Plans said that having year-round dining access would provide an incentive for more eateries to participate in the program.

Lind, the co-executive director, said that the timing is right.

They fixed the problems of the temporary program, she said. Lets just have it year-round.

The citys Department of Transportation is tasked with enforcing outdoor dining rules, but in a statement, a DOT spokesperson pointed out that his department did not create the rules and cannot revise them.

The New York City Council passed a permanent outdoor dining program with a series of requirements that elongated the approval process and established seasonality for roadway operations, the statement began. Despite these barriers that are outside of NYC DOTs control, it continued, the agency has cut through this bureaucracy by granting conditional application approvals so the vast majority of participating restaurants can hit the ground running when the roadway outdoor dining season starts on April 1st.

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.
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  Potential cuts to the federal workforce could potentially be felt in the Miami Valley, especially at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, and some local residents are making their opposition known.

Organizers of and participants in Fridays event outside the base, sponsored by the Greene County Democratic Party, wanted to make sure they were seen by base workers on their commute from the base.

We can come out here and show them that they are valuable members of our community and that were willing to stand here and fight for them in the cold because theyre a valuable part of our community, our economy, said Kim McCarthy. We dont want to see massive cuts here that will impact us greatly.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Passing vehicles honked, and workers on their way home whooped and hollered out their windows. Two base personnel crossed Route 444 to shake hands with the protesters, telling them they appreciated their efforts.

Protesters said they plan to be at the same spot off State Route 444 next Friday, March 14, at the exact same time.

Wright Patterson Air Force Base did not respond to 2 NEWS request for comment.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com.
ISTANBUL (AP)  Women took to the streets of cities across Europe, Africa, South America and elsewhere to mark International Womens Day with demands for ending inequality and gender-based violence.

On the Asian side of Istanbul, Turkey's biggest city, a rally in Kadikoy saw members of dozens of womens groups listen to speeches, dance and sing in the spring sunshine. The colorful protest was overseen by a large police presence, including officers in riot gear and a water cannon truck.

The government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared 2025 the Year of the Family. Protesters pushed back against the idea of womens role being confined to marriage and motherhood, carrying banners reading Family will not bind us to life and We will not be sacrificed to the family.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Critics have accused the government of overseeing restrictions on womens rights and not doing enough to tackle violence against women.

Erdogan in 2021 withdrew Turkey from a European treaty, dubbed the Istanbul Convention, that protects women from domestic violence. Turkish rights group We Will Stop Femicides Platform says that 394 women were killed by men in 2024.

There is bullying at work, pressure from husbands and fathers at home and pressure from patriarchal society. We demand that this pressure be reduced even further, Yaz Gulgun, 52, said.

Women across Europe and Africa march against discrimination

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In many other European countries, women also protested against violence, for better access to gender-specific health care, equal pay and other issues in which they don't get the same treatment as men.

In Poland, activists opened a center across from the parliament building in Warsaw where women can go to have abortions with pills, either alone or with other women.

Opening the center on International Womens Day across from the legislature was a symbolic challenge to authorities in the traditionally Roman Catholic nation, which has one of Europes most restrictive abortion laws.

From Athens to Madrid, Paris, Munich, Zurich and Belgrade and in many more cities across the continent, women marched to demand an end to treatment as second-class citizens in society, politics, family and at work.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In Madrid, protesters held up big hand-drawn pictures depicting Gisele Pelicot, the woman who was drugged by her now ex-husband in France over the course of a decade so that she could be raped by dozens of men while unconscious. Pelicot has become a symbol for women all over Europe in the fight against sexual violence.

Thousands of women marched in the capital Skopje and several other cities in North Macedonia to raise their voices for economic, political and social equality for women.

Organizers said only about 28% of women in the country own property and in rural areas only 5%, mostly widows, have property in their name. Only 18 out of 100 women surveyed in rural areas responded that their parents divided family property equally between the brother and sister. The rest were gender discriminated against within their family, they said.

In Nigeria's capital, Lagos, thousands of women gathered at the Mobolaji Johnson Stadium, dancing and signing and celebrating their womanhood. Many were dressed in purple  the traditional color of the women's liberation movement.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In Russia, the women's day celebrations had a more official tone, with honor guard soldiers presenting yellow tulips to girls and women during a celebration in St. Petersburg.

German president warns of backlash against progress already made

In Berlin, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier called for stronger efforts to achieve equality and warned against tendencies to roll back progress already made.

Globally, we are seeing populist parties trying to create the impression that equality is something like a fixed idea of progressive forces, he said. He gave an example of " large tech companies that have long prided themselves on their modernity and are now, at the behest of a new American administration, setting up diversity programs and raving about a new masculine energy in companies and society.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Marchers in South America denounce femicides

In South America, some of the marches were organized by groups protesting the killings of women known as femicides.

Hundreds of women in Ecuador marched through the streets of Quito to steady drumbeats and held signs that opposed violence and the patriarchal system.

Justice for our daughters! some demonstrators yelled in support of women slain in recent years.

In Bolivia, thousands of women began marching late Friday, with some scrawling graffiti on the walls of courthouses demanding that their rights be respected and denouncing impunity in femicides, with less than half of those cases reaching a sentencing.

___

Kirsten Grieshaber contributed to this report from Berlin.
PROVIDENCE  Sometimes, when the mighty presses began to roll at The Providence Journal, you could feel our Fountain Street building shudder.

It was a humbling reminder that we writers and editors were just parts of a manufacturing business producing the key source of printed news in Rhode Island since 1829.

I felt even more humbled during the September 1987 opening of our new $60 million production plant on Kinsley Avenue. It was a festive day with crowds celebrating The Journals future as a pillar of the "press"  in both meanings of the word.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Except now, after a run of 196 years, the tradition of printing The Providence Journal here in town is coming to an end.

Our paper edition will continue, of course  were still committed to that  but the presses will be out of state.

The reason is technical. The Kinsley Avenue plant has been going strong, printing not just The Journal but papers from Hartford and New London, Connecticut; Worcester, Fall River, New Bedford, Cape Cod and others in Massachusetts. Yet those once-new 1987 presses featured a groundbreaking water-based technology that didnt catch on.

The sole supplier of its essential plates is about to stop making them. As our parent company, Gannett, explained, its an insurmountable supply chain issue.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The printing operation for The Cape Cod Times moved to an in-state press in Auburn in February.

And so, before the presses fall silent after March 9, I went to Kinsley Avenue to say goodbye to some of the 130-plus folks whove been the heart of the physical paper, many of them for decades.

Newsprint runs through The Providence Journal's A press.

Key players in The Journal's historic run

Bob Hamilton  the longtime manager there who is as much a friend to his staff as a boss, because that's the culture  brought me to the humming, high-ceilinged pressroom.

What a place.

Its like a movie scene with thousands of fresh papers zipping up conveyor belts. Of course, theres also the smell of ink, no doubt close to what Benjamin Franklin experienced plying this same printers trade in nearby Boston around 1720.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Bob, now 63, has been a Journal guy since age 18, and it will be hard for him to say goodbye.

This is home, he told me. And also a family legacy  Bobs dad worked at The Journal for 42 years, and his wife, Phyllis, is a veteran administrator at both the newsroom and the press building. Like many, Bob first spent years as a delivery truck driver, hitting 160 stops each day between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. dropping bundles of papers at stores as well as corners for carriers.

Because of the noise, we retreated to the nearby break room, where I met Norm Dinerman. Now 62, hes another longtime pressman who started in his teens. When I asked him to join us, he said in a minute  he had to make sure a run of a Hartford Courant section was looking good. You see that priority a lot here  whatever goes out the door has to be top quality. Plus, explained Norm, its a complex operation, and you need to stay focused. Things can go sideways pretty quickly.

Norm soon came back, sat down, and talked of growing up in Scituate on a chicken farm with 18,000 laying hens, yet he was ready for a change after finishing school.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Journals production facility was a sought-after job with good pay and benefits, but you had to be ready for the hours. Norm worked nights for 32 years, from 7 p.m. to 3:30 a.m., which is when the presses roll for a morning paper. There were a lot of holiday shifts, too  newspapers dont take those off. Indeed, The Providence Journal is the countrys oldest continuously published daily, having never missed an edition.

The guys in the pressroom are proud of that, and yes, they are almost all guys, but theres one long-serving woman.

Well get to Sherrie in a minute.

'Stop the presses' memories

I asked Bob and Norm if either was there the times someone shouted, Stop the presses. Both nodded. It happened during the Station nightclub fire, and on some elections.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The digital version of stopping the presses happens frequently today, but online  you just push the update button, a bit easier than replating multimillion-dollar presses.

David Randall takes his lunch break on the paper rolls in the press room. Randall, a 22-year veteran of the printing facility, starting taking his break among the paper rolls after the plant's cafeteria was shut down during COVID.

The Kinsley Avenue plant is still going strong producing more than a half dozen papers, but Bob and Norm said it used to be as busy with just The Journal, the presses needing three eight-hour shifts to print all sections of the 300,000 circulation Sunday ProJo.

Norm told me The Journal was so anticipated a source of news that when the presses were on Fountain Street, cops would stop by during the early hours to grab the new days first copies. Buddy Cianci often sent his driver over, too, and once, the mayor himself came riding up on a police horse to Fountain Street to get a copy around 2 a.m.

When I asked Bob and Norm what theyll miss the most, they said the lifetime friendships. Its the kind of job workers stick with, and both have watched colleagues go from single to married to parents to grandparents.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

When you got this job, said Norm, you started here, you finished here.

History repeats for a 'pressroom orphan'

Sean OConnor, 53, is another longtime pressman whose career shows whats happened to the newspaper business. He worked at out-of-state production facilities that all ended up closing, which is how he came to Providence  as a pressroom orphan. A lot of folks at Kinsley have similar stories  having gravitated here from shuttered press operations in Boston, Worcester and Cape Cod.

And now its about to happen again.

But Sean has been proud to be part of The Providence Journal. His dad worked here, too, living in the Fountain Street pressroom for a week during the Blizzard of 78.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Seans one regret is that he was hoping to mark the papers 200th anniversary in four years.

I thought that would be a romantic way of closure, he said. But they just missed.

Bob and Norm will likely retire, but Sean has to figure out a new career. He smiles and says hes got twin daughters heading to college next year, so the bills will keep coming.

A lot of folks dont realize that the pressroom is not the biggest part of a newspapers factory. Bob took me down a corridor to show me the larger operation. Its called the mail room but not like what you picture with a clerk slotting envelopes. The one at Kinsley is a massive space, 200 feet long with 85 workers running insert machines and bundling up the papers. There are forklifts and mammoth newsprint rolls the size of VW bugs.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Larry OBrien, longtime mailroom supervisor, is 67 with 49 years at The Journal. Its a family business for Larry, too, his dad having worked here for decades.

I asked Larry how hes doing with the closure.

Sad in a way, he said. Im a newspaper guy. I bought my house, raised my kids, all on newspapers. He smiled and added: Not bad for a kid from Pawtucket.

He remembers a stop the presses moment, too  when President Ronald Reagan was shot.

Larry also has some Blizzard of 78 war stories  after getting stuck behind abandoned cars on his truck route down Smithfield Avenue, he found shelter at the home of one of his carriers, whose dad was a cop.

Newspapers, printed, cut and folded snake their way from the printing presses to the mailroom where they will be sorted, bundled and shipped out for delivery.

But if ever there was a time people counted on the paper, he said, it was then. So the next day, Larry trudged to The Journal and was part of a team who made it to North Attleboro to buy a half-dozen snowmobiles to help deliver papers.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He was glad to have found the job.

You either went to the gas company, the electric company or The Providence Journal, said Larry. Those were the major employers.

The 'queen bee' in a man's world

And now lets get to Sherrie Rasmusson-Mann, longtime pressroom supervisor with 38 years at The Journal. She was the only woman in the printing operation until another came aboard a few years ago.

I asked Sherrie what her title is.

Queen bee, she told me. But technically, its pressman.

Sherrie Rasmusson-Mann, a longtime pressroom supervisor with 38 years at The Journal facility, checks for errors at the start of an evening press run.

Were there other women who came and went before her?

I was the first and only woman in the pressroom for 30 years, she said.

For real?

Oh yes. Dirty job, I guess. If youre inside a press cleaning it, youre definitely taking a shower before you get in your vehicle and go home.

But she loved the job.

I supported my family with it, said Sherrie, who for a stretch was a single mom with two kids.

She began here at the bottom, doing cleanup and fetching ink and paper. That job was referred to as flyboy but officially called specialty worker.

Sherrie then spent three years as an apprentice, quickly breaking through what might be called the ink ceiling, becoming a full-fledged pressman.

Pressman Scott Laroche loads half-size paper rolls to splice onto newsprint paper in the A press for an evening run of The Providence Journal newspaper.

She grew up in Woonsocket, daughter of a truck driver dad and factory-worker mom, beginning at The Journal at age 21. Soon enough, she began pushing to get into the pressroom  it was unionized and paid good wages.

But she had to prove herself as a woman.

It was hard, she told me. It was a mans world. But it didnt matter what job they threw at me, or if I got dirty. Once they realized I was one of them and willing to do the work, they accepted me.

Now, as supervisor, shes known for obsessing over quality.

Im a big stickler, said Sherrie. My men sometimes got upset at me, but I want the paper to look perfect. Its pretty much pride.

She knows the stories she prints often mean a lot to readers.

Those pictures were someones daughter or mother or friend, Sherrie said, and theyd want to save it.

Sherrie and her current husband, Ken Mann Jr., met as Journal colleagues, the two marrying 10 years ago. Ken is now now a machinist at the production facility and will likely take a job at a printing plant in Auburn, Massachusetts, owned by Journal parent Gannett, as will others here.

But Sherrie, at age 60, wants to focus on her granddaughter, who lives with them and is still in high school.

Lately, during the facilitys final homestretch, shes been working 4 p.m. to 3 a.m. four times a week. But shes used to it, having done late shifts her entire 38 years.

Thats the business, said Sherrie.

It will be nice to have a more normal schedule in retirement, but shell miss her Kinsley Avenue family, and being part of The Providence Journal.

The others told me the same, Norm Dinerman saying that pressman is a noble trade that indeed is shared historically with Ben Franklin.

Thats always resonated with me, Norm said.

Let me close with a personal message to the production facility folks.

We in the newsroom are well aware you have long played an even bigger role than us in creating the daily printed newspaper  and bringing our words to life.

Thank you for that a thousand times. It was an honor to have you as colleagues.

I hope itll mean something, as the Kinsley Avenue presses reach their end, that with this story, youll at last be able to put out a paper with you yourselves in it.

I know youll make it look good for our readers.

mpatinki@providencejournal.com

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Reflecting on printing the news as Providence Journal press closes
OAKLAND, Calif. (KRON)  Ahead of next weeks economic development summit in Oakland city leaders on Friday were presented a snapshot of a key report that will help drive the citys economic policies. The Oakland City Council requested the talk as it manages through a $129 million budget deficit.

Economist Adam Fowler said that when it comes to bolstering the economy in Oakland,

the citys immediate focus should be on public safety and perception, increasing retail foot traffic, and keeping big and small businesses in the town.

Tony! Toni! Tone! guitarist DWayne Wiggins dies

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

You had a Target downtown, right? Is it there? Its not there anymore, said Fowler. Like, I would, to the extent you could talk to somebody there, be like, thats why. Like, Target is a good sales tax driver.

Crime and the common view that Oaklands streets are not safe is driving companies away, according to Fowler, who also said the citys transient occupancy, sales and business tax revenues have significantly decreased since 2019.

What used to be kind of an active city center, a brand, a creative brand, is still very much sucking wind when we look at the metrics from the macroeconomic standpoint, Fowler continued.

Fowler spoke at the Oakland Chamber of Commerces Economic Institute. On Friday, during a special meeting with the city council, he shared findings of the annual economic indicators report that will be presented at next weeks economic development summit.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Youre very unique in terms of the largest cities in the state, you have the lowest taxable sales activity, Fowler said.

Fowler said fewer people are flying in and out of Oakland Airport and fewer are staying in the hotels that have chosen to keep their operations in Oakland.

I heard just their safety, safety, safety. Thats what I heard through everything you said. And, messaging. Perception turns into reality, said Oakland City Councilmember Ken Houston.

Right now, the perception is Oakland is not safe to visit, shop or raise a family. The economic indicators report says that needs to change in order for Oakland to balance the budget.

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.
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Publix is not only one of America's most beloved grocery stores, it is also one the most trusted grocery stores in America. The grocery chain was founded by George W. Jenkins in Winter Haven, Florida in 1930 and is the largest employee-owned company in the United States as of this publication. With almost 1,400 stores across the Southeast, Publix isn't the largest grocery chain in the U.S., and while that might seem like a bad thing when it comes to response time, the chain's average size is actually a benefit. This is especially true when it comes to recalls which Publix has faced numerous of in the past few years.

Publix is extremely thorough when it comes to ensuring that it handles any and all foods that are not fit for consumers to purchase. The company closely monitors recalls as well as food safety warning announcements so that it can then quickly post any that affect its products to its website and keep shoppers informed. In addition, when a recall impacts its products, Publix has its employees quickly remove them from shelves at affected stores. In spite of all these precautions, Publix has still been caught up in multiple food recalls that have caused its customers to become alarmed and, in some cases, sick. This article will spotlight recalls that affected millions in recent years.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Read more: The Ultimate Ranking Of Pickle Brands

Genova Canned Tuna Products (2025)

Genova Yellowfin Tuna in Olive Oil - Amazon

In February 2025, a recall at Publix involved two products, one of which was the Genova canned tuna product line. The Food and Drug Administration announced that Tri-Union Seafoods, a manufacturer and distributor of canned seafood, was voluntarily recalling the canned tuna after being informed by its supplier that the "easy open" pull tab on the lid of some of its products were defective. The flaw had the potential to compromise the product's seal, causing it not only to leak but potentially be contaminated with clostridium botulinum  a sometimes fatal kind of food poisoning.

After finding out that the recall affected products it sold in stores, Publix made an announcement regarding the recall and pulled the canned tuna from its shelves. The affected items from the grocer included Genova Yellowfin Tuna in Olive Oil Four-Pack, with the "Best if Used By" date December 13, 2027 and January 21, 2028, and the Genova Solid White Tuna in Olive Oil, with the "Best if Used By Date" December 12, 2027.

At the time of writing, there have been no illnesses in connection with the recall documented. However, symptoms of clostridium botulinum can include noticeable fatigue, weakness, vertigo, blurred vision, abdominal swelling, and other issues. The sickness also has the possibility of progressing, causing weakness in the neck and arms and potentially impacting the respiratory and lower body muscles. The symptoms typically appear within 12 to 36 hours after exposure.

Live, Shell-On Oysters (2025)

Oysters with the shell on - mikeledray/Shutterstock

The second recall that affected Publix in February 2025 was for live, shell-on oysters. On February 4, the Louisiana Department of Health announced that it had closed Area 3  located east of Lake Borgne and north of Eloi Bay  of a molluscan shellfish harvesting area and ordered a recall of oysters harvested from that area since January 10, 2025. The reason behind the recall was that fifteen people became sick, with two even being hospitalized, with norovirus-like symptoms after consuming oysters harvested from that area at New Orleans restaurants between January 15 and January 31. At the time of writing, there have been 266 illnesses reported to the state's health department with cases in Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and North Carolina.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Publix announced the recall just two days later, letting consumers know which live, shell-on oysters from its store's seafood display cases were affected based on their "Best By" dates. However, the post did not specify in which stores the contaminated oysters were available.

Norovirus is typically referred to as the "stomach flu" due to it causing vomiting and diarrhea. The symptoms of the virus usually begin 12 to 48 hours after exposure and last one to two days. As of February 25, 2025, the Louisiana Department of Health had reopened most of the oyster harvesting in Area 3. However, it left parts of it closed as the molluscan shellfish are being reconditioned until the environmental conditions meet requirements set by the National Shellfish Sanitation Program.

Organic And Baby Carrots (2024)

A bowl of baby carrots - Daniela Duncan/Getty Images

In November 2024, Grimmway Farms issued a voluntary recall on organic whole and baby carrots that affected products sold by Publix. The items from the grocer included the one pound bag of GreenWise Baby Carrots, with the expiration date of October 26, 2024, and the one and 25 pound bags of GreenWise whole organic carrots, with the expiration date of October 23, 2024.

The companies recalled the produce due to it being contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli which can cause severe and even fatal infections in young children, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention officially announced the end of the outbreak on December 18. From the outbreak, there were a total of 48 illnesses and one death reported across 19 states. Of those cases, 20 led to hospitalizations, and one person developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, which can lead to kidney failure. As of that announcement, the FDA was working with Grimmway Farms to remedy the situation and put up safeguards for the future.

Waffle Products (2024)

Publix's buttermilk waffles - Publix

In October of 2024 TreeHouse Foods announced a recall of its frozen toaster waffles, Belgian waffles, and pancake products that were distributed throughout the United States as well as Canada. While the recall as a whole did consist of pancake and waffle products, the affected Publix products only included its 12.3-ounce Buttermilk Waffles, its 12.3-ounce Homestyle Waffles, its 13.75-ounce Belgian Waffles, and the Greenwise 7.4-ounce organic Multigrain Waffles.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

These products were recalled due to them possibly being contaminated with listeria monocytogenes which can cause serious and even fatal effects in children, the elderly as well as those with a weakened immune system. For others it can cause symptoms such as a high fever, severe headaches, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. The infection can also cause pregnant women to have miscarriages and stillbirths.

Luckily, there were no illnesses reported in connection with the recall despite it spanning nationwide and to Canada. All of the affected products came from one manufacturing facility.

Emerald Kettle Glazed Walnuts (2024)

A bag of Emerald Kettle Glazed Nuts - Walmart

In August 2024, Publix stores in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, and North Carolina were directly affected by a recall issued by Flagstone Foods LLC., the manufacturer of Emerald Nuts, for its 6.5-ounce bag of Emerald Kettle Glazed Walnuts with a specific lot code and the best by date of June 28, 2025. The recall was announced after shoppers in Florida stated that they found peanuts, almonds, and pecans in packets labeled Emerald Kettle Glazed Walnuts.

Publix customers who purchased the walnuts were told to not to open the product and that their options were either to discard the product or return it to the grocer for a full refund. Due to the products containing multiple undeclared allergens the Food and Drug Administration categorized the recall as a Class II severity which on the FDA's website is described as "a situation in which use, or exposure to, a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote." Fortunately for Publix and Flagstone Foods there were no reports filed of anyone becoming ill or getting injured from this recall.

Baby Arugula (2024)

a bowl of arugula - Ermak Oksana/Shutterstock

Green Life Farms issued a voluntary recall in June 2024 for it's four-ounce clear plastic containers of baby arugula that were available at certain Publix stores as of May 31, 2024, with a "Sell By" date of June 15, 2024. The company made the announcement after routine testing one batch of its arugula turned up signs of the presence of Salmonella. The announcement posted to the FDA website stated that the company took immediate corrective action, adding that no other harvests were contaminated.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Shoppers who purchased the contaminated baby arugula were advised to bring it back to the Publix location where they bought it for a refund. People who have contracted a Salmonella infection typically experience diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after consuming the tainted food and are sick for about four to seven days. Unfortunately, particularly severe cases may require hospitalization. However, this was another recall where the grocer was able to breathe easy after as there was no reported sickness linked to it.

Apple Juice (2024)

Someone holding a Martinelli's apple juice - The Rusted Root / Facebook

Publix swiftly responded to a recall issued by Martinelli's in April of 2024 for one lot of its apple juice due to high levels of inorganic arsenic, posting about the recall on its website and informing its consumers before other retailers that were also affected. The Maryland Department of Health was the one who discovered that the arsenic levels in the apple exceeded the FDA's industry action level, which it lowered from 23 parts per billion to just 10 parts per billion in June of 2023. Unfortunately, for Martinelli's samples from a production lot from March 2023, the state's department of health tested came back with an inorganic arsenic level of 11.6 parts per billion  1.6 parts per billion higher than the actionable level. The lot consisted of 1-liter bottles with the best by date of March 9 or 10, 2026 and was distributed to stores between March 13, 2023 and September 27, 2023.

As part of Publix's duty to its consumers and their safety it quickly spotted the recall and informed its shoppers. Whether it was due to both companies' speedy management of the recall or just a stroke of luck, there were no illnesses reported in connection with the apple juice's high levels of arsenic.

According to the FDA, exposure to inorganic arsenic can cause cancer, diabetes, adverse birth outcomes as well as cardiovascular and neuro-developmental effects. Unfortunately, it's impossible to remove arsenic completely from the environment food supply which is why it sets action levels.

Barbecue Sauce (2024)

Publix's Carolina-Style Mustard BBQ Sauce - Publix

Over the years, there have also been condiment recalls that affected millions, one of which was Publix Deli Carolina-Style Mustard Barbecue Sauce sold only at Publix locations. Ventura Foods issued a recall for the sauce in January 2024 after it was discovered that the sauce contained Publix's Traditional Sweet & Spicy Barbecue Sauce, which may have contained anchovy. This known allergen that was not listed on the sauce's label and could have posed a possibly life-threatening risk if someone with that allergy consumed the barbecue sauce and experienced an allergic reaction. Fortunately, no one reported any such reactions from the recalled product.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The recall focused on Publix Deli Carolina-Style Mustard Barbecue Sauce with a April 8, 2024 "Use By" date. The sauce was sold at Publix stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Publix quickly removed all of the affected sauce from its stores in these states, and any shoppers who purchased a product that had the impacted expiration date were told to throw it away or bring it back for a refund.

Spinach (2023)

A bowl of spinach - Smit/Shutterstock

Publix faced another recall due to listeria monocytogenes in December 2023 when, according to the FDA, a test "...yielded a positive result for listeria monocytogenes in a single randomly selected package of spinach." It was the Florida Department of Agriculture who tested the Fresh Express-branded leafy green and discovered the bacteria. The recalled spinach was sent to stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia, and had the  at the time already expired, used by date of December 14, 2023.

As with other recalls, Publix quickly removed the packages from its shelves and inventory when the recall was issued. Publix also posted on its website to inform customers of the recall and let them know that the affected products had been used as an ingredient in its famous 'Pub Sub', pizzas, burrito bowls, platters, and even the self-service salad bar from December 5 to December 14, 2023. It also stated that the chicken tacos for two that the retailer sells with the sell by date of December 8 through December 18 were impacted. Despite the recall touching so many of Publix products, the retailer was once again blessed with good fortune as no one reported having any symptoms from the contaminated spinach.

Egg Custard Pie (2023)

Publix's Egg Custard Pie - Publix

Publix had to issue its own voluntary recall in November 2023 when batches of its egg custard pie that were sold at stores in Monroe, Miami-Dade, Broward or Palm Beach counties might have been mistakenly switched with coconut pies. The disguised pies that would have had an undeclared allergen were available at the stores between October 20, 2023 and November 16, 2023. When Publix found out about the possible packaging mishap it quickly removed the baked goods from all of its store shelves.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"To date, there have been no reported cases of illness," said Publix Director of Communications Maria Brous in the FDA announcement that was released. "Consumers who have purchased the product in question may return the product to their local store for a full refund."

It seems that Publix has gotten lucky in the past, since most of its recalls have resulted in no one getting sick. However, multiple recalls adding up over several years, as well as blatant mistakes like this, may have made some customers weary, especially those with a coconut allergy in this case.

Stone Fruit (2023)

a container of peaches also known as stone fruit - ekrem sahin/Shutterstock

November 2023 was a stressful time for Publix: Not only was it dealing with its own recall on its egg custard pies, but it also had products impacted by the HMC Farms nationwide and international recall of peaches, plums, and nectarines. These items were sold in Publix and other stores from May 1 to November 15, 2022 and May 1 to November 15, 2023 and were recalled due to being contaminated with listeria monocytogenes.

The stone fruit was sold in bags as well as individual pieces. Although the affected fruit was not being sold in stores at the time of the recall, there were concerns that shoppers may have frozen the fruit for use at a later time, which was why it was pertinent that consumers be informed of the recall.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This was one recall where, unfortunately, the CDC did receive reports of 11 illnesses across seven states which consisted of 10 hospitalizations and, sadly, even one death. The outbreak of listeria monocytogenes was investigated by the FDA and CDC, which confirmed that the listeria strain found at the facility where the stone fruit was packaged was the same strain that was causing illnesses. The CDC ruled that the outbreak was over in January 2024.

Bagged Vegetables (2021)

Cut up pieces of butternut squash - HannaTor/Shutterstock

Just two years before the stone fruit recall, Publix had to launch a recall for some of its Publix Steam In Bag products with a certain butternut squash ingredient because they also had the possibility of being contaminated with listeria bacteria. The retailer announced the recall after it was notified about a product recall from its supplier of the ingredient, Pero Family Farms Company.

The affected products included Publix Steam In Bag Green Bean Butternut Squash, Publix Steam In Bag Season Butternut Medley, and Publix Steam in Bag Butternut Brussel Pecan sold from January 3, 2021 to January 14, 2021. The retailer acted fast and removed any potentially contaminated products from its stores and offered refunds to shoppers who had purchased the items, the retailer's Communications Director Maria Brous said in the recall announcement. This was one possible listeria outbreak where, fortunately for Publix its customers, there was no reported sickness or death.

Holiday Cookie Platters (2020)

Holiday cookies on a tray - Flavia Morlachetti/Getty Images

To the shock and disappointment of some of its Floridian customers, Publix discontinued its hurricane cakes in 2023 after deciding it didn't want to make light of the natural disasters anymore. However, we are sure some customers  specifically ones with nut allergies  wished that the retailer discontinued its Holiday Cookie Platter instead after an issue with the company's packaging process caused a recall of the product in 2020 due to an undeclared nut allergen.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

George DeLallo Co., who makes the platters, recalled the cookies after they were distributed and sold in stores in seven states, including Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia, with labels that did not disclose pecans as an ingredient. The Publix locations in the Florida counties of Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, Broward, and Monroe were somehow not affected by this recall. Luckily, none of Publix customers became sick from this recall but that doesn't mean that those with nut allergies have forgiven and forgotten.

Chicken Strips (2019)

Publix's crispy chicken fritters - Instacart

The Takeout determined that the best frozen chicken tenders were Target's Good & Gather which, fortunately for Good & Gather loyalists, was not included in the Tyson Foods recall of chicken strips in 2019. The recall for the ready-to-eat chicken strips was originally issued in March 2019 due to concerns that they were tainted pieces of metal and included 69,000 pounds of affected chicken strips. However, in May, Tyson expanded the recall to include 11.8 million pounds of chicken strip products spanning 11 brands, including Publix's store brand.

The contaminated chicken-strip products were produced at one location from October 1, 2018 through March 8, 2019, and had the "Best By" dates of October 1, 2019 through March 7, 2020. The Food Safety and Inspection Service received six complaints from consumers about the discovery of metal pieces in their chicken strips, with three even alleging that they were orally injured from the trace contents. The Publix stores impacted by the recall were located in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.

For more food and drink goodness, join The Takeout's newsletter. Get taste tests, food & drink news, deals from your favorite chains, recipes, cooking tips, and more!

Read the original article on The Takeout.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is reportedly considering a truce in Ukraine if certain conditions are respected, Bloomberg reported on March 7.

Russian and U.S. officials met in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 18 for preliminary talks regarding ending Russia's war against Ukraine and restoring bilateral relations. Russian officials have repeatedly offered ultimatums to Ukraine rather than concessions for negotiations.

Russia is open to a temporary peace settlement in Ukraine if progress will be made towards a final peace plan, Bloomberg reported citing people familiar with the matter.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Kremlin insists on organizing the framework of a pottential peacekeeping mission in Ukraine. This includes deciding what countries would take part in a peacekeeping force, a person familiar with the topic told Bloomberg.

Russia first voiced its openness to a conditional truce at the Saudi Arabia summit on Feb. 18 between top U.S. and Russian officials, various people told Bloomberg asking not to be named.

For armed fighting to stop there needs to be a clear understanding of a final peace plan, it's structure, and its principles, two people with an understanding of the matter said to Blooomberg.

On March 4, President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed a truce in the sky and sea as well as prisoner of war (POWs) releases as a first step to establishing peace.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

U.S. and Ukrainian officials are due to meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days following a White House meeting between Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump on Feb. 28 that ended with a heated arguement between the two leaders.

On March 7 Trump said he is considering implementing sweeping sanctions and tariffs against Russia until a ceasefire and peace plan is reached.

The U.S. leader also accused Ukraine of being more difficult to deal with than Russia, despite acknowledging "Russia is bombing the hell out of Ukraine."

Read also: Russias history of violating ceasefire agreements in Ukraine

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Weekend Outlook: A cold front will move across Alabama on Saturday setting off a few showers in the afternoon. Highs will be around 70. More widespread rain and storms arrive Saturday evening and continue overnight as an area of low pressure moves across the state Lows will be in the lower to middle 40s.

The low will move east into Georgia on Sunday with clouds and showers wrapping around the backside of the system. It will be cooler with high temperatures in the middle to upper 50s.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Daylight Saving Time: Are you ready to lose one hour of sleep Saturday night? Yep. It is that time of year for Daylight Saving Time. Turn your clocks AHEAD one hour at 2 AM on Sunday.

Next Weeks Outlook: We start the week with plenty of sunshine and warmer temperatures as high pressure moves east across Alabama. Highs will be in the 60s on Monday but climb into the middle 70s Tuesday through Wednesday. A cold front moves through Wednesday night into Thursday with showers and storms. Right now, severe weather is not expected. The rain will linger into Thursday, but it stays in the 70s. Friday will be partly cloudy and warm with highs in the upper 70s. A stronger cold front arrives Saturday into Sunday with thunderstorms. Some could be strong to severe. The models are still not certain about the timing, so expect changes to the forecast. Highs will be in the 70s.

Be sure to follow the CBS 42 Storm Team:

Follow Us on Facebook: Chief Meteorologist Dave Nussbaum, Meteorologist Michael Haynes, Meteorologist Alex Puckett, and Meteorologist Jacob Woods.

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 CBS 42.
A low pressure system has moved into Arizona this afternoon. Bringing isolated to scattered rain and snow showers across northern, western, and central New Mexico. The heaviest snowfall will move in later this evening and overnight. The heaviest snowfall is expected in northwest and northeast New Mexico. On Saturday the snowfall will lighten but remain heavy over the mountains. Icy roadways and closures are possible along mountain passes an interstates. The National Weather Service has also issued several Winter Weather Advisories and Warnings for the anticipated snowfall. These alerts will be in place through Saturday March 8th.

Strong southwesterly flow has been bringing strong wind gusts to southern New Mexico. Though not as strong as we have seen earlier in the week. Gusts could reach upwards of 50 mph.

The low pressure system will move out of the state by Sunday afternoon. Making way for a high pressure system to move into the four corners. This high pressure system will bring a rapid warm up Sunday afternoon. It will also bring sunnier and calmer weather through early next week. Another potential storm system could be moving into New Mexico through the middle to end of next week.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos.
SPARTANBURG, S.C. (WSPA)  A rally is being held in Barnet Park in support of Ukraine.

The rally is being held by the Upstate Family Baptist Church. All proceeds will go to the Protez Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to providing prosthetics and medical care for Ukrainians affected by the Russia-Ukraine war.

The rally is offering food and activities for participants, including a special concert. Attendants will also get a chance to speak with Ukrainian soldiers and hear their stories.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The rally is expected to last 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 WSPA 7NEWS.
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL)  Following Elon Musks comments about privatizing the United States Postal Service, one local group is encouraging people to rally behind the workers.

The National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 1227 will have a rally to oppose USPS Privatization on March 23 from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. at 5310 Southwest Parkway.

A release from the organization stated that privatizing the USPS threatens the consistent service that rural and low-income communities rely on. It also said that it would raise shipping rates, destroying small businesses that rely on e-commerce.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The rally will allow people to learn how privatization would negatively impact rural and low-income communities and businesses, hear from local speakers and postal workers, receive tools on how to contact legislators and advocate for USPS, and show their support for the future of USPS.

For more information, visit their Facebook event page.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Texomashomepage.com.
Federal workers are protesting mass firings and workplace policy changes with subtle acts of dissent.

The resistance follows workforce cuts and demands from Trump, Musk, and the White House's DOGE office.

Workers are using snarky emails, pronouns, and legal action to counter the administration's policies.

First came the spoons, and then the staplers  subtle dissent is rippling through federal government offices in the era of cost cutting under Trump.

In response to a host of wide-ranging orders from President Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and the White House's DOGE office, federal workers are displaying pride flags, flaunting their pronouns, and sending snarky emails. As one said, it's all about "malicious compliance."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"I just go back and forth over which is worse: giving them what they want (an excuse to fire us) or kowtowing to their illegal bullshit," the federal worker told BI, referencing Musk's threat to workers who don't list their week's accomplishments in an email.

Business Insider spoke to 10 federal workers about the ways they're pushing back, granting them anonymity to protect their jobs. While some publicly booed leaders in meetings, others said they're trying to be subtle about their dissent because they aren't always sure which of their coworkers or bosses agree with them.

It's illustrative of the rift that's broken open in recent weeks as the administration has spearheaded efforts to terminate thousands of federal workers, cut federal funding to key programs, and change the way remaining employees do their jobs. The federal employees BI spoke to said they've found comfort in banding together and making statements on the job whenever they can.

The first signs were workers embracing a spoon symbol as a contrast to the "fork in the road" offered by the government, which tried to incentivize workers to leave under a deferred resignation program. A meme of a stapler referencing the cult-classic movie "Office Space" and daring someone to "come and take it" circulated online. And then there's good old-fashioned unionizing.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"This convinced me to join the union at my agency right away, and convince four coworkers to join too," a longtime federal worker said, adding that DOGE has been the "best thing" to ever happen to union membership.

Booing, ignoring emails, and sharing pronouns

BI heard it from dozens of federal workers in recent weeks: They didn't like the emails asking them to list their accomplishments from the past week. A worker at the Office of Personnel Management, the agency that sent the Musk-inspired email, said that information sharing is "huge" among the federal workforce right now  including "ways to write your stupid bullet points."

One employee said that at a NASA town hall, workers booed a director who didn't have clear guidance on how to respond. A Department of Defense worker said, "A lot of people reported the emails as phishing."

While many federal agencies told workers that they were not required to respond to the first email, OPM sent a second email a week later  and some agencies shifted to requiring responses. A Health and Human Services worker was one of a few who said they'll continue to refuse to respond.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Several workers described protests against the administration's new policies regarding DEI and gender, as workers were asked to strip pronouns from their email signatures. Some NASA workers have been introducing themselves with their pronouns during town halls and company meetings, the NASA employee said, and some have pushed back on the agency taking down "gender neutral" signs on restrooms by putting their own signs up. One worker at the Social Security Administration said that while they can't include "she/her" in their email signature, they can still wear a button that says it.

"As soon as DEI stuff came down in the offices, it went up in our cubicles," the SSA worker said. "I know I went out and bought a Trans pride flag for my cubicle as soon as they made us only list male/female."

The NASA worker said that while they suspect there might be "DOGE sympathizers" in upper management, most of their coworkers are "pretty upset and have no problem asking about how to deal with DOGE." An OPM worker said they are being careful because they assume they're being monitored but that everyone they know has been "uniformly appalled." One Department of Defense worker said a coworker tried challenging them to a fight after overhearing them discuss their Trump-related fears.

"I try to be conscious about who I voice my opinions around," they said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Potential legal action has also helped some employees resist the administration's changes. The OPM worker said that discussing how to file appeals with other employees has been unifying, and the HHS worker is hopeful that there will be further class actions to counter "the emotional distress, hostile work environment, and harassment."

Unions for federal workers filed a lawsuit on February 19 to block the Trump administration's firing of probationary federal workers, or workers who have typically been on the job for under one year. American Federation of Government Employees President Everett Kelley said in a statement that the administration "has abused the probationary period to conduct a chaotic, ill-informed, and politically-driven firing spree."

But for now, workers are engaging in moments of pushback: One federal worker is using their email signature to resist, signing off every email with a quote on the limits of OPM's power.

And the HHS worker is doing the most prudent thing for their career: "I've been trying to work business as usual," they said. "But I've also been applying to other jobs."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from BI.

Have a tip? Contact these reporters via email at jkaplan@businessinsider.com or asheffey@businessinsider.com or via Signal at julianakaplan.33or asheffey.97. Use a personal email address and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely.

Read the original article on Business Insider
NEW JERSEY (PIX11)  New polling from Fairleigh Dickinson University gave us some early insight on who voters are looking into in the race for New Jersey governor.

Democratic voters weighed in on the candidates favorability.

More Local News

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka leads the pack with 43%, followed by Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop and U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, the only three to eclipse 30% favorability.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The other candidates, U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer, state Sen. Steve Sweeney and Sean Spiller, scored in the 20s.

In addition to topping the favorability list, the Newark mayor also led the way in name recognition.

Baraka joined PIX on Politics and discussed why he believes his campaign is resonating among voters.

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.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyys contentious Oval Office meeting with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance didnt just highlight a debate over geopolitics. It also kicked off an argument over clothes.

Why dont you wear a suit? asked Brian Glenn, a correspondent for the conservative Real Americas Voice network, prompting a smirk from Vance. Youre at the highest level in this countrys office, and you refuse to wear a suit.

But the criticism of Zelenskyys lack of traditional tie-and-jacket attire misses an obvious question: Why does he dress like that? As it turns out, the black tactical gear he wore to the Oval Office  much like his now-iconic olive-green fleeces and combat boots  is part of a growing visual shift in Ukraine, marked by the wars impact on the clothing industry and the militarys now central place in Ukrainian culture.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I spoke to Illia Ponomarenko  a Ukrainian journalist who has covered the war, written for the Kyiv Post and The Kyiv Independent and authored I Will Show You How It Was: The Story of Wartime Kyiv  about the real meaning behind Zelenskyys style. The clothes are more than clothes, he said. They are part of a culture of people who are involved in this war.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Theres a lot of discussion in the U.S. about whether Zelenskyy should wear a suit on diplomatic trips. But the discourse is almost always filtered through American eyes. From a Ukrainian perspective, why do you think he dresses the way he does?

Zelenskyys clothes are sending a soft, anti-elitist message. When he meets with prominent figures and power brokers, his clothes are basically asking, what are you about? Are you about the business of saving lives, or are you about fancy protocols? Even when he meets with kings, he dresses in a way that represents the average Ukrainian involved in this war effort. So its a message to say, Ive come to the corners of power as a representative of my humble people.

The war has undoubtedly reshaped many industries in Ukraine, including clothing production. How has the conflict influenced the way Ukrainian brands approach technical and military apparel?

As you know, Ukraine has been at war with Russia and its armed proxies for over a decade now. When this conflict was in its early stages in 2014, the Ukrainian military was in a very poor condition. So resistance depended on the response from everyday people, such as cab drivers and IT people, who self-organized into volunteer battalions. These people bought clothes from hunting supply shops and military surplus stores, just so they could get some equipment and go fight. Naturally, the demand produced supply.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

With time, new companies were started to supply people with better equipment. Many of these tactical clothing producers are veteran-owned businesses producing clothes in Ukraine for Ukrainians. This includes companies such as M-TAC for tactical gear and Talan for boots. The growth of this tactical clothing industry rose out of the spirit of the time, which is to say the self-organizing forces to defend Ukraine. The clothes are more than clothes; they are part of a culture of people who are involved in this war.



A friend of mine who works as a war photographer in Ukraine told me that it was somewhat unpopular to wear tactical gear in civilian life prior to 2014, but that has changed since the war. How did the average Ukrainian see this style of clothing before this conflict?

We must understand that 2014 [the year Russia invaded Crimea] was a watershed moment for this country, not just for its trajectory, but how people see military service members. In some ways, 2014 marked the end of a long, sad period when the Ukrainian military was deeply neglected, under-financed and mistreated. The image of the average Ukrainian soldier was laughable. Wearing military gear at the time may have signaled that you came from a poor family and didnt have many prospects in life.

After 2014, the image of the military improved, partly because the government instituted a series of large-scale reforms to rebuild the nations defense systems. The image of the average Ukrainian soldier now is much different, largely because so many people have gotten involved in the war effort or know someone who has, and thus theyve seen the price of freedom. The military now is one of the most trusted institutions in Ukrainian society, so the uniform represents something different. Plus, service members are better outfitted and equipped today, so they also look different.

Are there distinctions between what people can wear depending on how theyre involved in this effort?

Yes, theres a distinction for camouflage. As a civilian, youre not supposed to wear something with camouflage  you can wear any type of solid color, including navy, black, olive green, but not camouflage. It would be considered dishonorable, like stolen valor. Camouflage is a symbol of you being an actual soldier.

For his meeting with Trump, Zelenskyy wore what looked to be a black tactical quarter zip with the Ukrainian trident and black pants. I think for the average American, they see this as casual clothing, not necessarily military clothing. Can you describe how these elements related to the military?

Yes, Zelenskyy prefers to wear clothes from Ukrainian brands, such as M-TAC. The thing about M-TAC is that they produce clothes that could also be considered casual, such as sweatshirts and hoodies. But some of these clothes are also the things youd wear in war zones. These are the same clothes you might wear with body armor and a military combat jacket. When I working as a war reporter, I had a sweater that was pretty close to what Zelenskyy wore during that meeting. I also had a police-style jacket with lots of pockets. Both of these are things I wore underneath my body armor. There are a million variations of how someone can combine clothing for a war zone. What Zelenskyy wore could have been easily worn by someone in the military.

What is the meaning of the Ukrainian trident?

Its one of the key national symbols and the official Ukrainian coat of arms. This specific one with three prongs derives from 1,000 years ago, with Prince Volodymyr the Great, who introduced Christianity to Eastern Slavs. Hes considered to be one of the greatest rulers of Kyiv and predecessors of Ukraine. That was his sign.

Ukrainian men of fighting age havent been able to leave the country during this conflict. For those who are able to secure exemptions and go abroad, Ive heard theres some sensitivity around what you post online. If youre able to go out of the country, youre careful not to post photos online, lest people resent you for it. Do you feel Zelenskyy wearing tactical gear abroad is a way for him to signal to people back home that hes not on vacation  hes doing things for the war effort?

I think thats true. Zelenskyy represents a large community of people who are actively involved in things necessary for the war and security effort. In Ukrainian society, theres a strong emphasis on equality. People dont care about status and wealth, but common cause. When Zelenskyy travels abroad, it wouldnt be very nice of him to wear very expensive suits, such as Ralph Lauren or whatever.

But his clothing is also a message for people beyond Ukrainians. His clothes pose a question: Are you ready to look beyond dress protocols and talk to someone who represents humble soldiers who are doing heroic things every day? Are you ready to step down from the heights of your protocols and talk about real-life issues, such as saving the country and lives of people?


If the last general election taught us anything, it is that the public does not like political parties that engage in constant infighting.

The never-ending civil war that came to define the last Conservative government resulted in the loveless, though large, Labour majority that Britain is saddled with today. Im acutely aware of this, which is why Reform UK has devoted so much time and effort since July to building a unified national party machine.

Now, thanks to one of our MPs, Rupert Lowe, unloading a barrage of criticisms against our operations and its main actors, that sense of unity has been dented.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The truth is that Mr Lowe has made some excellent interventions over the past eight months and helped to stimulate public debate on a range of pressing issues facing the country.

What many people may not have realised, however, is that in that time he has also managed to fall out with all his parliamentary colleagues in one way or another. We did our best to keep a lid on things but, in the end, containment strategies invariably fail.

One clear example of the type of difficulty that I have in mind occurred in the chamber of the House of Commons just as Parliament was about to enter the Christmas recess.

It was the last parliamentary debate of the year. Mr Lowe, who represents Great Yarmouth, asked Mike Kane, the transport minister, a question about the MV Ruby, a damaged cargo ship which had docked in his constituency while carrying hundreds of tonnes of the potentially explosive fertiliser ammonium nitrate.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Mr Lowe was unhappy with the answer that he received from Mr Kane and, at the end of the debate, he crossed the floor to make his feelings known.

A confrontation ensued. Heated language was heard. The ministers shoulder was pushed. In the end, the Serjeant at Arms had to step in to calm things down between the two parliamentarians. Commenting on Mr Lowes conduct later, Mr Kane told GB News that the anger displayed towards me clearly showed a man not in charge of his own faculties. Nobody in Reform UK said anything publicly about what had happened. Instead, we carried on.

Yet the fact is that, sadly, there have been too many similar outbursts from Mr Lowe, often involving the use of inappropriate language, to the despair of our chief whip, Lee Anderson. I have been surprised and saddened at this behaviour. Certainly, I never saw anything like it in the European Parliament in 2019 when I was the leader of the Brexit Party and Mr Lowe was an MEP colleague.

Last week, the chairman of Reform UK, Zia Yusuf, showed me two letters sent by female members of staff to our party headquarters. Each letter contained an accusation of workplace bullying involving Mr Lowe. One of the incidents in question is alleged to have taken place within the parliamentary estate.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As a responsible political party, Reform UK has a duty of care to every single member of staff, whether they are employed by us directly or indirectly. With that in mind, I believe that our chairman was entirely right for Reform to appoint a KC to conduct an independent inquiry. It is inconceivable that we could simply ignore such allegations.

Whether this turn of events prompted Mr Lowe to use a newspaper interview this week to launch a political attack against me, I cannot say. All I do know is that Mr Yusuf was presented with complaints which he could not simply disregard. That is not the way of Reform UK.

But lets pretend for a minute that Mr Yusuf had turned a blind eye to what the letters allege. Can anybody imagine what sort of a storm Reform UK would be facing now if it transpired that this unfortunate situation had been dealt with by trying to play it down or, worse, sweep it under the carpet?

I am certain that to have done nothing would have been considerably worse for everybody concerned: the two women who claim they are the victims of workplace bullying; Mr Lowe; Mr Yusuf in his capacity as party chairman; and the reputation of Reform UK. Trust is the cornerstone of politics, after all.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

For now, we must wait and see what findings the parliamentary authorities reach. We must also wait to hear what the KC who has been tasked with looking into these matters has to say.

Until we know more, I must return to the crucial job of getting 1,500 vetted Reform UK candidates out into the field for the local and mayoral elections on 1 May. It is essential that they stand for public office with a united team foursquare behind them.

If Britain is to thrive, we must rid the country of this socialist government. That is why I believe that Reform UK matters more now than it has ever done before. That is why it is so important that our party  and every single one of its representatives  behaves responsibly at all times. Nothing less will do.

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.
Threat actors with the ransomware gang Akira listed the Renton school district on their leak site in August 2023, with a threat to leak 200 gigabytes of stolen records, including medical information.

Information about a cyberattack at the district is limited  aside from data breach notices in several states. In a breach notice to the Maine attorney generals office, the district disclosed that it suffered a hacking incident. On Aug. 3, the district experienced a network disruption that rendered its systems inoperable due to a sophisticated cyber-attack. Nearly seven months later, on Feb. 29, 2024, school officials began informing individual victims that their Social Security numbers had been exposed in the breach.

In a disclosure to the Washington state attorney generals office, the district acknowledged that 771 state residents had their information stolen, including their names, Social Security numbers, banking information, dates of birth and health insurance and medical information. The total number of affected individuals, according to the disclosure in Maine, was 30,373.

School officials couldnt be reached for comment.
Republicans broke ranks with President Donald Trump and his anti-trans crusade to join Democrats in tanking two extreme bills in Montana.

Trust the parents to do whats right and stop these crazy bills that are a waste of time, GOP Rep. Sherry Essmann urged her party on the House floor before the vote on a bill that sought to ban drag shows and pride parades.

We should be working on property tax relief and not doing this sort of business on the floor of this house and having to even talk about this, Essmann said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Her call to ditch the relentless anti-trans fearmongering sharply contrasts with Trumps recent slew of executive orders and statements attacking transgender peoples rights. He has made attacking drag a personal missioneven hijacking the bipartisan Kennedy Center in order to ban drag performances.

But the sponsor of the bill, Republican State Rep. Caleb Hinkle, who called being transgender a fetish, couldnt rally enough support within his own party. Thirteen Republicans flipped to the Democrats to defeat the bill 55 to 44, signaling frustration among some Republicans with their partys anti-trans agenda.

Even more Republicans flipped sides to kill a bill that sought to remove transgender children from their parents. It was defeated 71 to 27.

The Republican-controlled House may have been persuaded by two Democratic transgender representatives, SJ Howell and Zooey Zephyr, who gave impassioned speeches condemning the bills.

Montana State Representative Zooey Zephyr as a guest on The View. / Lou Rocco/Getty Images

Put yourself in the shoes of a [child protective service] worker who is confronted with a young person living in a stable home with loving parents, who is supported and has their needs met. And they are supposed to remove that child from their home and put them in the care of the state? Howell asked her fellow lawmakers.

A total of 696 bills targeting transgender people are currently being considered across 49 states, and 18 bills have been passed, according to a Trans Legislation Tracker.
(PETERSON SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo.)  Peterson Space Force Base said reservists are returning from a deployment in Africa on Friday, March 7.

The reservists are part of the 302nd Airlift Wing, who were deployed four months ago to support the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) along with other partners and allies.

According to Peterson Space Force Base, AFRICOMs mission is countering malign actors and transnational threats, responding to crises, strengthening African security forces and promoting regional security, stability and prosperity.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The 302nd Airlift Wing consists of 1,400 personnel and consists of the 302nd Operations Group, 302nd Maintenance Group, 302nd Mission Support Group, 302nd Aeromedical Staging Squadron, and other subordinate groups.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Grand Living at Indian Creek in Cedar Rapids. (Photo via Google Earth)

A Cedar Rapids assisted living center has been fined $7,500 for a resident death that occurred six months ago.

State inspectors report that on Aug. 24, 2024, a 94-year-old male resident of the Grand Living at Indian Creek assisted living center was found on the floor of his apartment, bleeding from a head wound. He was taken to an emergency room, where doctors closed the wound with nine staples in his head.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

After the resident returned to the facility, the staff was tasked with checking on him every 30 minutes. On the morning of Aug. 27, 2024, the man was found on the floor again, bleeding from a leg injury and complaining of hip pain. The floor was covered with feces and urine, inspectors reported.

The caregiver who found the man later explained she had not checked on him for roughly two hours because she had been busy assisting other residents, inspectors alleged. The man died 48 hours later.

In a separate incident reported by state inspectors, a 77-year-old male resident of the home lost his balance on Jan. 31, 2025, fell backward, struck his head on the floor and immediately become unresponsive. The man was transferred to the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics with severe head injuries, fractured ribs, and fractured vertebrae. State records give no indication as to whether the man survived the fall.

The two residents lived in the Grand Living at Indian Creek memory care unit that is designed for residents with dementia, according to state records.
TRINITY COUNTY, Texas (KETK)  Trinity County suffered from excessive flooding in 2024, which left most of the county underwater. Residents can now comment or appeal the 2025 updated safety flooding measures.

In May, residents were displaced from their homes and property was destroyed. Water levels were high and several residents needed to be evacuated. Weve never had 24 inches of rain in two days before, Trinity County Sheriff Wallace said.

Preliminary flood risk information and updated Flood Insurance Rate Maps are available for the public to review provided by FEMA, local and state officials. Preliminary data provides the public an early look at their home or communitys projected risk to flood hazards. The community has reviewed the maps but before they are finalized, residents will have 90 days to appeal or comment.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

To submit an appeal, residents must include technical information such as hydraulic or hydrologic data to support their claim. Hydrologic data is the study or science of transforming rainfall amount into quantity of runoff, while hydraulic data is the study or science of the motion of liquids in relation to disciplines such as fluid mechanics and fluid dynamics.

Displaced alligators on the move in Trinity County after storms

FEMA will notify residents after all comments and appeals have been resolved. To review the preliminary maps or submit appeals and comments, people can visit their local floodplain administrator. Specialists are available by telephone at 877-FEMA-MAP (877-336-2627) or by email at FEMA-FMIX@fema.dhs.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 KETK.com | FOX51.com.
Concerns over urban animal violence against people are emerging again, as reports of human injuries sustained from wild animals in various cities have residents of both places pleading with local officials to provide more safeguards against potential future attacks, according to the Pinnacle Gazette.

What's happening?

During the early months of 2025, reports of unprovoked animal attacks on humans in cities have increased. These reports are specifically of note in Toronto, Canada, and Tallahassee, Florida, where residents have called police, convened protests, alerted their local leaders at town hall sessions, and more.

In late January, Toronto dog owners gathered at a local park to share stories about their dogs' encounters with wild coyotes and demanded "urgent action" from city officials, CTV News reported. This gathering took place following a nine-day stretch that month which featured 13 coyote attacks against dogs, with at least three fatal encounters having occurred in recent months.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"It's only a matter of time before they attack children," said Ruby Kooner, a local whose dog was killed by a coyote in December 2024. "Does a kid have to be snatched before we care? I think solutions are needed before that happens."

Meanwhile, in early February, Tallahassee police hunted down five dogs accused of attacking a person, per Yahoo News.

"Officers arrived to locate a victim with serious, but non-life threatening injuries from being bitten by several dogs," a Tallahassee Police Department incident alert stated on social media. "Witnesses described seeing 4-5 dogs conduct the attack. The dogs ran before law enforcement arrived on scene."

Why are wild animal attacks on humans important?

The uptick in attacks is a reflection of a sad reality related to climate change as well as human destruction of animal habitats.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"This is a man-made problem because we destroyed their habitat," Kooner said, per CP24. "These coyotes have lost their food source. They're desperate and they're in survival mode."

Additionally, the combination of those diminished habitats alongside increasingly sprawling city populations and decreasing natural resources due to the changing climate has the potential to make human-wildlife conflicts more common, as the BBC, Evolutionary Applications, and Science reported. Thankfully, they are still relatively rare, but at the rate both the overheating of the planet and capitalism are progressing, that may change at some point.

What's being done about animal-on-human crime?

In the case of Toronto, authorities have been very responsive to the spate of coyote attacks on their citizens.

Ausma Malik, a local councillor, says she has been working closely with animal services since first learning about the attacks and is advocating for increased patrols in downtown areas to manage the coyote population, per CTV News.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She is also encouraging locals to be vigilant and alert the proper authorities with photo or video evidence of dangerous animals, a response the Tallahassee Police Department has also encouraged of its own citizens.

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.
Residents of a small New Jersey town have had their taps turned off after toxic pollution was discovered in their groundwater. The situation has escalated to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, according to NJ Spotlight News.

What's happening?

Hundreds of household wells are being tested in Washington Township, a semi-rural settlement where immense levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances  a family of chemicals better known as PFAS  have been found in the drinking water since 2019, NJSN reported.

The emergency response began with the state's Department of Environmental Protection, but it asked the EPA to step in as the severity of the problem became clear. Several dozen taps have now been shut off, and those residents are being supplied with bottled water, per NJSN.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to the outlet, officials estimate that pollution in the area began in the 1950s, when a textile mill used PFAS to make waterproof and stainproof products. This process generated toxic sludge, and when the mill ran out of space to store the waste, it partnered with a farmer who spread the sludge over 50 acres of fields until the mid-1970s. Up to 14,000 gallons of sludge were plowed into the soil and seeped into the groundwater from there.

Since then, the original contamination has spread through underground channels into 372 identified properties, though the EPA guesses the total span is larger, NJSN reported.

"It just kind of kept growing," Margaret Gregor, an EPA coordinator for the site, told the outlet. "They just kept finding more."

Why is groundwater pollution important?

PFAS are bad news, in more ways than one. Exposure has been linked to serious health effects, such as higher cancer risks, reproductive issues, and developmental delays in children.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Likewise, Warren County crop growers and cattle raisers are concerned that the contamination may impact their livelihoods. Locals also fear the pollution could have reached the nearby Musconetcong River, a cherished source of fishing and recreation.

"Not only is it an environmental issue, it's an economic issue," Tom Dallessio, executive director of the Musconetcong Watershed Association, told NJSN. "We need to make sure we protect that."

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.

What's being done to clean up the area?

The EPA is first assessing the problem via two phases of water testing. One will hone in on the wells closest to the original polluted farmland, and the second will expand south from there to the Musconetcong River. The goal is to finish all sampling by this summer, NJSN explained.

If a well tests above the federal PFAS standards, the agency will send bottled water to that household, cover the cost of a new water filtration system, and in some cases, help expand water pipelines to connect homes with the pollution-free statewide water system.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This involvement from the EPA is possible because the Biden administration listed common PFAS under the federal Superfund law just months ago. That allows the agency to treat the situation as an emergency, access more funds, and even take legal action to recover costs from responsible parties. After testing is completed, the area may be designated as an official Superfund site, which would open more doors for remediation.

"This is one of the first sites like this in the country for PFAS that's being pursued by EPA," Dave Rosoff, another coordinator on the project, told the outlet.

Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE)  The next steps in the downtown Knoxville parking overhaul is underway as the city offers a grace period for some of the changes. Most of the parking meters are now gone and prices will be going up soon as the City of Knoxville executes a new parking plan.

One of the new pieces of that plan is a discount on parking for people who work in the downtown area that rely on surface lots and garages on a day to day basis. One person we spoke with who works in the downtown area said she parks at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum every day and walks into town for work.

MORE: Cashless payments for Downtown Knoxville parking to begin with grace period

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I usually dont mind the walk if its in the nice months but we know thats only a couple of months out of the year, said Mollie Anderson. For the most part, its either in the dark at night or in the cold which is a hassle and not my favorite thing.

She and her coworkers get an allowance through their employer for parking. However, it does not pay for the full amount. One way the city will try to help downtown workers is by offering a discounted rate for downtown workers that meet certain criteria.

I mean the discount would be nice. I know that one of the issues Ive run into is even if I wanted to park downtown, they run out of passes for downtown employees, Anderson said. Ive tried to get a spot in State Street before and its maxed out. I think its about $80 a month, so its pricey. A stipend or whatever they are going to do might help some people but for me. Id rather pay the $20 and walk a little bit.

These Downtown Knoxville streets will close to vehicle traffic every weekend in 2025

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

For others who may not work downtown but do enjoy the nightlife, they have concerns over the new mobile payments and how secure the site or app will be.

I understand that obviously parking is an issue in downtown. For me personally, the more mobile we get, Im concerned about hacking, said Knoxville resident Sandra Nunez. Are they going to hack into my credit card? Is it going to be the correct QR code? Is someone else going to get my money? But I understand that parking is an issue and we need to somehow solve it.

Nunez said she enjoys coming downtown and as the roll out continues she will be keeping an eye on when the changes fully take effect.

We are all just kind of watching it and obviously with spring break coming up and summer coming up and all these tourists coming into town, I feel the tourists need to be prepared and aware of it, she said. I would hate for them to either get towed or fined and not leave with the best memory of being in Knox, because we are a great little city.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

 See more top stories on WATE.com

A small handful of cars were towed Friday night inside the pedestrian zone. One of which was parked over top one set of bollards along Union Avenue. With the new stadium officially opening up in the next month, Nunez and Anderson are hopeful the new pricing will not deter people from coming downtown.

Some of the biggest changes will be in the price to park in the two and four hour zones. Those prices will rise anywhere from $0.30 to $2.00 depending on the zone. Garage parking will remain free on nights and weekends except for the Market Square Garage which will have a flat $3.00 rate on Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Click here for more information on the new rates.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
MSNBC fired Joy Reid despite her ratings being on their way up, figures obtained by the Daily Beast reveal.

The Black anchors 7 p.m. show, The ReidOut, was abruptly canceled late last month as part of a wider shake-up which also saw a series of non-white anchors stripped of their shows by the liberal-leaning networkprompting Rachel Maddow, its highest-profile journalist to blast the moves on her own show.

MSNBCs leaders have avoided saying why Reid, 56, was canceled and declined to comment to the Daily Beast.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But the Beast has obtained the audience ratings compiled by Nielsen which are used by news networks to assess the success of their shows and the people appearing on themand they show no signs that Reid was experiencing an audience plunge out of line with her MSNBC co-stars. In fact she and all the other primetime line-up were on an upswing in February.

Joy Reid's ratings were actually going up before she was fired, exclusive figures obtained by the Beast show. / Photo Illustration by Elizabeth Brockway/The Daily Beast/Getty

Reid did not respond to requests for comment. Her final show was last Monday, and she has since launched a Substack. On Thursday she told subscribers that Substack had declared it a bestseller and promised she would speak to them after a wild and crazy time.

Reids show will be replaced in April by former The Weekend hosts Symone Sanders-Townsend, a former Biden White House official; former Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele; and commentator Alicia Menendez.

Since Reids cancellation, MSNBC has hired Politico reporter Eugene Daniels (who was already a contributor) and Washington Post reporter Jacqueline Alemany as co-hosts with Jonathan Capehart of a new show called Weekend. The network also said it plans to hire 100 journalists. Ayman Mohyeldin, one of the other three non-white anchors to lose a namesake show, will host an evening edition of The Weekend with two other panelists.

Joy Reid. / MSNBC

The figures for Reid show that between January and June 2024, Reid was the lowest-rated primetime host on MSNBC. She averaged about 1.29 million viewers during the first six months of the year, trailing her 6 p.m. lead-in Ari Melbers The Beat by about 250,000 viewers (1.54 million) and behind Chris Hayes 8 p.m. All In by about 150,000 viewers (1.44 million).

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But Reids ratings spiked throughout July and August 2024, nearing an average of 2 million viewers in August and beating both Melber and Hayes. During those months her program was often preempted by panel coverage of the Democratic and Republican conventions. Jen Psakis Inside with Jen Psaki airs at 8 p.m. on Mondays, and her show beat Reids averages in July.

Still, The ReidOut retained momentum through September and October, beating her averages from the first half of the year. It beat Inside with Jen Psaki and Alex Wagner Tonight, which aired at 9 p.m. Tuesdays through Friday and was also canceled. Wagners show had not been since since January when Rachel Maddow went to five nights a week for the first 100 days of the Trump administration. She was not fired but will remain with the network as a correspondent.

Reid also beat her 7 p.m. competitor at CNN, Erin Burnett Outfront, in the advertiser-coveted 25-54 demographic. Reid captured 158,000 viewers in the demo between January 2024 and the election, 28 percent of the audience share, while Outfront captured 151,000 viewers in the demo, or 26 percent. That was roughly the same percentage margin that All In beat Anderson Coopers Anderson Cooper 360 at the 8p.m. hour for the same period.

MSNBC's hosts Ari Melber (right) and Chris Hayes (left) whose shows were before and after Reid's had ratings performances similar to hers. They were not fired. / MSNBC / Virginia Sherwood/MSNBC via Gett

Throughtout the period, Fox News was dominant, titan, capturing a near-majority of the audience share in both total viewers and the demo before the election then almost 70 percent of both categories since the election.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ratings for every MSNBC primetime host declined in the period after the election, but Reids drops do not appear substantially more than her peers. Melbers total-viewer ratings were down 42 percent (1.552 million vs. 903,000) between Nov. 6 and the end of February from their 2024 pre-election ratingsas were Reids (1.421 million vs. 825,000). Hayes saw a 45 percent decline in that same period (1.496 million vs. 820,000).

In the 25-54 demo, Melber was down 51 percent (156,000 vs. 77,000), while Hayes was down 50 percent (166,000 vs. 83,000). Reid, however, was only at 47 percent (158,000 vs. 84,000), as was Psaki (146,000 vs. 77,000). Maddow and Laurence ODonnells drops were less than 40 percent.

Reids ratings were the lowest of any MSNBC primetime host in February, and she averaged fewer viewers than the three hours of Melber and Nicolle Wallace that preceded her. Reids exit also came just as a reported one-year contract extension ended.

Over the last three years, she was also down 20 percent from the previous 7p.m. anchor, Chris Matthews. The former MSNBC host and current occasional guest left the network over accusations of making inappropriate comments towards female guests.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Reid, who in 2020 became the first Black woman to host a primetime cable news show, often walked a different path than her primetime peers on the network.

Reid was feted days after her firing at the Essence Black Women in Hollywood Awards, but has not passed public comment on being forced out. / Leon Bennett / Getty Images for ESSENCE

She said last summer she wanted to keep Hitler out of the White House, and she often stoked outrage among MAGA commentators online. News executives have since frowned on such languageCNN CEO Mark Thompson told anchors including Cooper and Jake Tapper in January to avoid any pre-judgment of Trump on Inauguration Day, according to Status .
Three days of clashes in Syria have left more than 700 people dead in the worst bout of violence since the Assad regime was ousted last December, according to a war monitoring group.

The fighting began on Thursday and ended early Saturday, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, when Sunni Muslims loyal to the new regime launched a spate of revenge killings against members of Bashar al-Assads minority Alawite sect.

The organisation estimates that 532 Alawite civilians were killed in the attacks.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The overall toll on Thursday reached 745, after fighting killed 93 members of the new governments security forces and 120 pro-Assad fighters, according to the Observatory.

The killings followed clashes sparked by the arrest of a wanted suspect in a predominantly Alawite village, the Observatory reported.

Syrians demonstrate in support of the new interim government following the ousting of the Assad regime - Mahmoud Hassano/Reuters

Under Assads rule, his Alawite minority sect made up much of the regimes support base, and was largely protected by his regime.

But when the regime fell in December, fears grew over how the Alawites might be treated under the new interim government and Ahmad al-Sharaa, its de facto leader and head of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the rebel faction that overthrew Assad.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This latest round of clashes now pose a serious challenge for the interim government that is seeking to stabilise Syria, cement relations with new allies around the world, and find partners to invest in the reconstruction after 13 years of brutal civil war.

The Alawite heartland has been gripped by fear of reprisals for the Assad familys brutal rule, which included widespread torture and disappearances.

The Observatory and activists released footage showing dozens of bodies in civilian clothing piled outside a house, with blood stains nearby and women wailing.

Other videos appeared to show men in military garb shooting people at close range.

Experts have warned about the fragile nature of the transitional Syrian state, particularly in terms of overcoming deeply-held divides - Anadolu

Residents speaking to the Associated Press (AP) said that many Alawites homes had been looted, and then set on fire.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In Baniyas, one of the towns that suffered the most violence, people said bodies were left unburied on the streets, in homes and on roofs. Gunfights prevented residents from removing the dead for hours.

Witnesses said that some Alawites were killed in their shops and homes, and that the killings were in retaliation for the crimes committed during the Assad regime.

It was very bad, Ali Sheha, 57, a resident of Baniyas, told the AP. Bodies were on the streets.

He said gunmen had gathered less than 100 metres from his apartment building, and were shooting at random in the area. He also said that they were checking residents IDs to confirm their religion and sect before killing them.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Samir Haidar, a 67-year-old Baniyas resident, told the AFP news agency that two of his brothers and his niece were killed by armed groups that entered peoples homes.

He managed to escape to a Sunni neighbourhood, but said: If I had been five minutes late, I would have been killed ... we were saved in the last minutes.

Hassan Abdul Ghani, Syrias defence ministry spokesman, said the security forces had reimposed control over areas that had seen attacks by Assad loyalists.

It is strictly forbidden to approach any home or attack anyone inside their homes, he added in a video posted by SANA.

Security forces have reimposed control over areas that saw attacks by Assad loyalists, according to Hassan Abdul Ghani - Bilal Al Hammoud/Shutterstock

Experts have long cautioned about the fragile nature of the transitional Syrian state, particularly in terms of overcoming deeply-held divides in the country.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Haidar Nasser, a Lebanese MP who holds one of two seats allocated to the Alawite sect in the countrys parliament, said that people were fleeing Syria for Lebanon, but did not have exact numbers.

He also said that many people were sheltering at the Russian air base in Hmeimim, Syria, on the western coast, and that many Alawites faced discrimination after the fall of the Assad regime.

He said that many had been fired from their jobs, and former soldiers who reconciled with the new government were killed.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  Protestors with stand up for science gathered outside the Rochester Museum and Science Center.

Its part of a national organization calling on policy makers and institutions to uphold integrity of science and protect it from funding and job cuts.

Those marching could be heard chanting waving signs with cars honking in support of the gathering.

Science saves lives, science is our future. We cannot have the funding cuts from the federal government the way theyre being proposed. Its simply wrong. Its wrong for America, participant Connor OBrien said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She added her call is to action is to contact your local representatives and make your voice heard.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET)  Card skimming has been a problem in Kern County for years.

In 2023, we learned about a case in Arvin, where three Romanians allegedly placed a skimmer at the cash register at La Mexicana Market.

This incident was reported by our sister station Telemundo Bakersfield two years ago.

Police didnt reveal the names of the men, saying the suspects provided false identifications, but later confirmed two of the defendants, Trofin Tudor Constantin and Stanciu Razvan Alexandru, were from Romania. They disappeared while awaiting trial, forfeiting their bail.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The third man was never identified.

They face felony charges of conspiracy to commit a crime and a misdemeanor for possessing a skimmer.

Warrants are out for their arrests.

Although there are many similarities to the EBT thefts, there is no direct link, but there are linked to crimes in Visalia and Santa Maria.

Confirming local law enforcements statements that skimming suspects arrested in Kern County often operate statewide.

In Visalia, both Constantin and Alexandru face felony charges of burglary and conspiracy.

Visalia reports also mention three suspects working together, but doesnt name the third man. The Visalia crime happened just a day after the men were caught with the skimmer in Arvin.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On the same day they allegedly placed the skimmer in Visalia, police say they went to Santa Maria and did the same thing. Reports detail three men placing a card skimmer on a debit card reader.

The same operation, in three cities, in a span of two days. Each with the same modus operandi as the EBT thefts that has cost California taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.

Like the alleged Kern County EBT thefts, all the defendants are from Romania, further solidifying our evidence of the sophisticated card fraud allegedly done by Romanians.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
MIAMI  President Donald Trumps threats of tariffs and sanctions to Russia as leverage to negotiate a ceasefire with Ukraine may be a welcome pivot that draws some attention away from the administrations recent support for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

It may also move the focus away from the flak that Secretary of State Marco Rubio  known for his hard-line policies against Russia and its backing of communist and socialist countries such as Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua  has been taking as the countrys top diplomat.

After Trump and Vice President JD Vance excoriated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a heated televised exchange from the Oval Office, and following Trumps assertions that Ukraine  not Russia  started the war, the Cuban American secretary of state has been criticized by Americans who condemn Putins invasion of Ukraine as well as Russias longstanding involvement with some Latin American countries.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

One letter to the editor in the Miami Herald, his hometown newspaper, questioned how Rubio can sleep at night" now that hes anxious to partner with Russia, which recently sent oil to Havana to keep that socialist states engine running. Another letter lambasted Rubio for sitting in the Oval Office as his tangerine-tinted Caudillo (strongman) paid tribute to and openly embraced Russian President Vladimir Putin. Fidel Castro once did the same with Nikita Kruschev in 1961.

Asked for comment, the State Department referred NBC News to recent remarks Rubio made on ABC News, Fox News and CNN, in which hes insisted that Trumps goal is to get Russia and Ukraine to negotiate a peace agreement and an end to a war that has gone on for three years and cost thousands of civilian lives.

All the president is trying to do here is figure out if theres a path towards peace. We have to engage both sides, the Russians and the Ukrainians. And we asked the Ukrainians not to sabotage it, Rubio told Fox News following Trumps exchange with Zelensky at the White House.

The role of secretaries of state is to carry out their presidents foreign policy agenda. But the White Houses Russia policy stands in contrast to Rubios. A foreign policy hawk who served on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the Select Committee on Intelligence, Rubio has been a staunch opponent of the Kremlin and a defender of Ukraine, and has often criticized Russia for its involvement with other countries.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

After Russian warships visited Cuba last summer, then Sen. Rubio, along with fellow Florida Sen. Rick Scott, introduced a resolution condemning Cubas government, stating that the world is bearing witness to the multiple ways the Castro/Diaz-Canel regime has served as a puppet for Communist China, Iran, and most recently Russia.

Like Rubio, many Cubans as well as exiles from Venezuela and Nicaragua see Russia not only as an aggressor against Ukraine, but as a regime with strong alliances to the governments they fled.

For Anamely Ramos, a well-known Chicago-based activist and art historian who came from Cuba three years ago, the Trump administrations recent overtures toward Russia worry her.

She said its a delicate topic for many Cubans because they dont have all the information yet, but its worse to remain silent.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

My role, as a Cuban and defender of human rights is to insist on certain demands with Cuba policy in mind, regardless of which party is in power, said Ramos. The softening with Russia affects us and, as activists, we cannot take this out of our sight, not even for a second.

After the 1959 revolution, Cuba became a major ally of the Soviet Union and depended on them for subsidies and military support. The 1962 Cuban missile crisis  when the Soviet Union placed missiles in Cuba, just 90 miles from U.S. soil  brought the two superpowers to the brink of nuclear conflict. Russia has continued aiding Cuba, most recently with oil shipments as the island is mired in economic crisis, and its also helped the leftist authoritarian governments of Nicaragua and Venezuela.

Some pro-democracy activists in the U.S. dont take issue with the administrations Russia policy.

Trump is trying to end a war where there has been great loss of life on both sides, said Ernesto Ackerman, president of the group Independent Venezuelan-American Citizens, who is a Trump supporter. What he wants is to achieve peace between these two countries, he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Others wanted to make clear they supported Rubio, but were worried about the governments recent overtures toward Russia.

Carolina Barrero, who moves between Madrid, Washington, D.C., Miami and New York as the director of the organization Ciudadania y Libertad (Citizenship and Freedom), said for Cubans like her its an honor to have Marco Rubio serve as secretary of state and they want him in that role. But she said shes concerned about the strengthening alliance between the U.S. and Russia.

Most Cubans are conscious of who Vladimir Putin is and the threat he represents because of the history we have had, Barrero said.

The Trump administration has toughened its policies toward various Latin American countries, too: it revoked a license that allowed Chevron to pump oil in Venezuela, returned Cuba to the state sponsors of terrorism list, slapped tariffs on Mexico and threatened to take back the Panama Canal.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On the other hand, the administration ceased offensive cyber operations against Russia and ended efforts to seize assets of Russian oligarchs.

It looks a little suspicious and the secretary of state has a hard time explaining why, said Eduardo Gamarra, a professor of politics and international relations at Florida International University.

If Rubio has presidential aspirations, he needs to make the best of the current situation, according to Gamarra.

Imagine a situation where Rubio is able to preside over a peace process. That almost guarantees Rubio a huge political bump, he said.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
LONDON  The Haydee Guesthouse, with its worn-out carpets and grandmotherly Victorian facade, makes for an unlikely base for Russian-backed high-stakes espionage.

But for years, the guesthouse in Great Yarmouth, a run-down resort town on Britains east coast, played host to a freelance spy ring orchestrating cross-continental honeytraps, kidnappings and murder plots targeting high-profile dissidents and sensitive military sites.

The details, which seem pulled straight from a spy novel, unfolded in British courts last week after three Bulgarians  members of a Russian ring operating from their base in the United Kingdom  were found guilty of conspiracy to spy.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Gabriela Gaberova, 30, a beautician tapped to carry out honeytraps; Katrin Ivanova, 33, a lab assistant who was also found guilty of possessing identity documents with improper intention; and Tihomir Ivanchev, 39, a painter-decorator and Gaberovas former partner, made up the ragtag group of amateur operatives who managed to carry out espionage operations for the Kremlin on what prosecutors described as an industrial scale.

Their handler, a fellow Bulgarian named Biser Dzhambazov, called himself Mad Max and doubled as a medical courier as well as a knot in the spy rings tangled romantic subplot.

Dzhambazov lived with Ivanova before ending their long-term relationship after developing feelings for Gaberova. When police raided the beauticians northwest London flat in February 2023, they found Dzhambazov and Gaberova in bed together.

Their ringleader was a fifth Bulgarian, Orlin Roussev, part spy, part IT specialist, who adopted the name Jackie Chan in messages to his sidekick, Dzhambazov.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Roussev and Dzhambazov both pleaded guilty to espionage charges following their arrest in 2023. A sixth Bulgarian, a mixed martial arts fighter code-named The Destroyer, real name Ivan Stoyanov, also admitted to spying for Russia.

Meanwhile, Roussevs minions  whom he named after the yellow characters from the Despicable Me animated series  denied the charges.

Vanya Gaberova, 30, was found guilty of conspiracy to spy at the Central Criminal Court following a trial.

Instead of being part of the cartoon villain Grus scheme, these defendants were real-life operatives working for the Russian intelligence service, also named GRU.

From 2020 to 2023, the gang carried out a series of chaotic and often disorganized covert missions, one of which targeted Christo Grozev, an investigative journalist renowned for exposing Russian involvement in the poisoning of MI6 double agent Sergei Skripal with the Novichok nerve agent in Salisbury, England, in March 2018.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The group tracked his movements across Austria, Montenegro and Spain, even considering a honeytrap, with Gaberova potentially involved in the scheme.

In 2022, they surveilled Roman Dobrokhotov, a journalist critical of Russia, with discussions of a possible kidnapping. Telegram messages show the group followed him from Budapest to Berlin before losing him at passport control.

In another bizarre plot, the group planned to spray the Kazakh Embassy in London with what Britains Crown Prosecution Service described as large quantities of fake pigs blood. They also schemed to create a false opposition group to stage a protest outside the embassy and feed the sham information about the fake group to Kazakh intelligence in order to boost Russias image.

The group also tracked Kirill Kachur, a former Russian official, in Montenegro, planning a kidnapping. They surveilled a U.S. military base in Stuttgart, Germany, focusing on Ukrainian forces. Additionally, they conducted covert operations against former Kazakh politician Bergey Ryskaliyev, attempting to access his residence and gather intelligence.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Investigators uncovered a trove of over 200,000 messages between the operatives, as well as spy equipment worth tens of thousands of dollars, including cameras hidden in pens and ties, and videos showing the group surveilling specific sites of interest.

In addition to espionage, the group was implicated in broader Russian efforts to influence foreign political climates and destabilize rival nations.

Orlin Roussev, 47, Bizer Dzhambazov, 43, and Ivan Stoyanov, 32, previously pleaded guilty to spying offenses.

The three defendants will be held in custody until sentencing in May.

Commander Dominic Murphy, head of Scotland Yards SO15, which deals with state threats, said it was one of the U.K.s largest espionage investigations of the last 15 years.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Prosecutors said the group was directed by alleged Russian agent Jan Marsalek, an Austrian national who had contact with Russian intelligence agencies.

The shadowy former chief operating officer of Wirecard, who is wanted in Germany and subject to an Interpol red notice, had fled to Russia, where he allegedly ran the Bulgarian network.

Marsalek and Roussev discussed the kidnapping and murder of both Grozev and Kachur, who had worked for the Investigative Committee of Russia until falling out with the Kremlin.

Gaberova, Ivanchev and Ivanova claimed they didnt know whom they were working for, or that they were lied to by their superiors.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This prolonged activity also undermined the security and safety of the UK, the Crown Prosecution Service said in a statement, and there can be no doubt that each of the defendants knew exactly who they were spying for.

Russia has been linked to numerous covert operations in the U.K. in recent years as part of its broader efforts to undermine Western security and influence global politics.

In 2022, a 55-page report from the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament said the the country is a target of Russian disinformation, and described Russian influence in Britain as the new normal.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Russian missiles killed at least 23 people in a second night of heavy strikes on Ukraine, a stark toll the Polish Prime Minister described as the result of appeasing barbarians.

The attacks come as the Ukrainian war is at a critical point, with the United States having halted military aid and intelligence sharing with Kyiv as part of efforts to pressure it into accepting a peace agreement. The move has left Ukraine even more vulnerable to Russian attacks.

This is what happens when someone appeases barbarians, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on X Saturday. More bombs, more aggression, more victims. Another tragic night in Ukraine.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Russian strikes on the eastern city of Dobropillia killed 11 people and wounded at least 50  including seven children, in attacks that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said were deliberately calculated to cause maximum damage.

It was one of the most brutal strikes, a combined one, Zelensky said in his nightly address on Saturday. He described a double strike on Dobropillia, where the second one hit just as rescue workers arrived on scene to attend to the victims of the first.

On Friday, after threatening Russia with sanctions to force through a ceasefire, US President Donald Trump said that his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin was doing what anybody else would do in taking advantage of the current battlefield dynamics.

The White House also has suspended Ukraines access to commercial satellite imagery purchased by the US government through the company Maxar, spokespeople for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and Maxar said Friday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ukrainian authorities said that more people could be trapped under the rubble in Dobropillia, with at least eight residential buildings in the area damaged in the attack.

Zelensky accused Moscow of thinking not about how to end the war, but about how to destroy and capture more as long as the world allows the war to continue.

He said Kyiv continued to actively communicate with European countries and was in constant contact with the American team to coordinate efforts to end the war.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a call with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on Friday and told him Trump was determined to end the war as soon as possible and emphasized that all sides must take steps to secure a sustainable peace, the State Department said.

A resident walks past the site of a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Odesa, Ukraine, on Saturday. - Nina Liashonok/Reuters

Zelensky has said he will meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia next week ahead of negotiations between Kyiv and Washington. After that, his team will stay in Saudi Arabia to work with our American partners, he added.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Local officials said on Saturday that over the past day, Russian attacks had killed at least 23 people and wounded more than 50 in eastern and southern Ukraine.

In addition to those killed in Dobropillia, Russian attacks elsewhere in Donetsk killed nine others and wounded 13, according to local authorities.

Separately, a drone attack in the eastern Kharkiv region also killed three people and injured seven, Ukraines emergency service said, while five people were injured in attacks on the southern Kherson region, according to local officials.

Ukraines air force said it had shot down 79 out of 145 drones launched by Russia overnight, while 54 drones did not reach their target.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Russia also used at least three missiles in its attack, the air force said, adding that it shot down at least one of the projectiles.

The attacks came just days after a deadly Russian airstrike on Kryvyi Rih, the hometown of Zelensky.

Under pressure in Kursk

Meanwhile, Ukraine is under severe pressure in the Russian region of Kursk and may soon lose a key logistical support route to its forces, according to Ukrainian and Russian military bloggers, after the arrival of fresh North Korean troops bolstered Russias offensive operations inside its own borders.

Ukraine launched a shock incursion into Kursk in August  the first ground invasion of Russia by a foreign power since World War II  in the hope that it could divert Russian troops from eastern Ukraine and improve its hand ahead of potential ceasefire negotiations.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Although the invasion may have slowed Russias offensive in Ukraine, Kyiv has since lost about half of the territory it once occupied in Kursk. Moscow has called in foreign reinforcements and deployed some 12,000 North Korean troops to the region, according to Ukrainian officials and Western intelligence reports.

This week, military bloggers from both countries have warned that Ukraines hold on the territory is more tenuous than at any point since it launched the incursion, with Moscows forces entering Ukraines Sumy region and threatening to cut off Kyivs troops in Kursk.

This story has been updated with additional information.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Ukraine's General Staff has stated that the situation in Russia's Kursk Oblast remains under the control of Ukrainian forces and that reports of a large-scale Russian breakthrough of Ukraine's border in Sumy Oblast are false. Additionally, Russian special forces, which had earlier attempted to infiltrate Ukrainian positions in the town of Sudzha via a gas pipeline, are suffering "enormous" losses.

Source: press service for Ukraine's General Staff in a comment to Ukrainska Pravda

Quote: "Reports of a large-scale breakthrough of the Ukrainian state border by Russian troops are false. The enemy is still operating with sabotage and reconnaissance groups and small infantry units of several people in the areas of Novenke and Zhuravka in Sumy Oblast. They are attempting to establish a foothold on Ukrainian territory to expand the combat zone but are gradually being crushed.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In addition, the enemy combined sabotage and assault groups have moved along a gas pipeline branch to gain a foothold in the outskirts of the town of Sudzha in Kursk Oblast. At present, Russian special forces are being tracked down, blocked and destroyed. The enemy losses in Sudzha are enormous".

Details: The General Staff reported that heavy fighting continues in Kursk Oblast. The situation remains challenging but under the control of the Ukrainian forces command.

The most severe Russian assaults occurred between Korenevo and Sudzha, as well as in Novoivanovka, Malaya Loknya and south of Sudzha.

The Russians sent out their most combat-ready groups for the attacks, including the marines (177th Regiment and 810th Brigade), airborne troops, the Akhmat Battalion, a Chechen armed formation fighting on the Russian side and the 1427th Regiment. North Korean mercenaries, totalling up to two battalions, were also deployed in the battle.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Our command has a clear overview of the situation and is taking the necessary steps to strengthen the resilience of the defence. To stabilise the situation, reserves from the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are being deployed. As a result of these actions, enemy units have suffered significant losses," the General Staff noted.

Background:

On 7 March, it was reported that Russian troops had broken through the Ukrainian defence line south of Sudzha in Kursk Oblast. Ukrainian defence forces are trying to stabilise the situation.

On the morning of 8 March, about 100 Russian troops crossed a gas pipeline to infiltrate the positions of Ukrainian defence forces near Sudzha.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
March 8 (UPI) -- The Russian military killed at least 25 and injured at least 40 during airstrikes launched against the Donetsk area of Ukraine late Friday and early Saturday.

Two ballistic missiles killed at least 11 when they struck eight residential apartment buildings and a shopping center in Dobropillya, the BBC reported.

"Last night, the Russian Army struck the center of Dobropillya in the Donetsk region with two ballistic missiles," Zelensky said Saturday morning in a post on X.

Last night, the Russian army struck the center of Dobropillya in the Donetsk region with two ballistic missiles. After our emergency services arrived at the scene, they launched another strike, deliberately targeting the rescuers. This is a vile and inhumane intimidation tactic... pic.twitter.com/IR6D4NOCTT Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) March 8, 2025

"After our emergency services arrived at the scene, they launched another strike, deliberately targeting the rescuers," Zelensky said. "This is a vile and inhumane intimidation tactic often used by the Russians."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Zelensky said 11 were confirmed dead and more than 30 injured, including five children.

He said eight five-story apartment buildings, an administrative building and a fire truck were damaged.

Russian drones killed at least nine and wounded at least 13 more in additional strikes in the Donetsk region on Friday and Saturday, followed by drone strikes that killed at least three and injured at least seven in Bohodukhiv in the Kharkiv Region of Ukraine.

Another drone attack targeted civilian and energy infrastructure targets in Odessa, raising the death toll to 25 with at least 40 injured among all of the Russian air strikes Friday and Saturday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Such strikes show that Russia's objectives have not changed," Zelensky said. "Therefore, it is crucial to continue to do our best to protect lives, strengthen our air defenses and increase sanctions against Russia.

"Everything that helps [Russian President Vladimir] Putin finance the war must collapse."

The air strikes occurred a day after the United States ceased sharing military intelligence with Ukraine, including access to satellite surveillance imagery, ABC News reported.

"In accordance with the [Trump] administration's directive on support to Ukraine, NGA has temporarily suspended access to the Global Enhanced GEOINT Delivery system, or GEGD, which is the primary portal for access to U.S. government-purchased commercial imagery," a National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency spokesperson told ABC News Friday in a statement.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ukraine continues to have access to the Starlink satellite global communications system.

Polish President Donald Trusk called the attacks the consequence of efforts to appease Russia.

"This is what happens when someone appeases barbarians," Trusk said Saturday in a post on X. "More bombs, more aggression, more victims. Another tragic night in Ukraine."
Russian forces launched multiple strikes on Dobropillia, a city in Donetsk Oblast, late on March 7, resulting in casualties and injuries, according to the head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration.

At least 11 people have been killed and 30 injured, Donetsk Oblast Governor Vadym Filashkin initially reported, noting that more people could be trapped under the rubble. Some eight apartment buildings have been damaged, the official statement said.

Later in the day, he updated the number of wounded to 47. Seven of those injured were hospitalized in Dobropillia while three were evacuated to Dnipro. Among the wounded were seven children.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On March 8, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced in his evening address that the number of injured people rose to 50.

"It was one of the most brutal strikes, a combined one. The strike was deliberately calculated to cause maximum damage," Zelensky said. "Russia proves with its cruelty that nothing has changed for them in Moscow. They are thinking not about how to end the war, but about how to destroy and capture more as long as the world allows them to keep waging this war."

Donestk Oblast declared a day of mourning in response to the attack, which was "one of the most brutal in recent times," Filashkin said.

Dobropillia is located 94 kilometres northwest of Russian-occupied Donetsk, the administrative center of the oblast.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"At least 8 five-story buildings, a shopping center, shopping pavilions, and 30 cars were damaged or destroyed. Some of the buildings burned down almost completely," Filashkin wrote on Telegram.

The United States Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink called the news "horrible," in a post on X and wrote, "The civilian population continues to bear the brunt of this war."

First responders have been dispatched to the site of the attack and search and rescue operation were ongoing as of 4:30 pm.

U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to halt intelligence sharing with Kyiv has sparked concerns in Ukraine that Russian missile strikes could now strike the cities without prior warning.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The New York Times reported on March 6 that the freeze on intelligence sharing could hinder vital alerts about incoming Russian drones and missiles.

Trump made the announcement amidst a sharp decline in relations between Kyiv and Washington, as he pressures Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to agree to his proposed peace talks with Russia.

Shortly after the freeze on March 5, a Russian Iskander ballistic missile struck a hotel in Kryvyi Rih, killing four people and injuring at least 30, hammering home what's at stake when Russian missiles are not intercepted.

Read also: We will adapt  Ukraines soldiers say after US intel cut

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
A Russian drone strike on a meat processing plant in Kharkiv Oblast killed three civilians and injured seven others, Governor Oleh Syniehubov said on March 8.

A fire broke out on the site after four Shahed drones struck the plant around 2 a.m., Syniehubov wrote on Telegram. The three civilians killed were all men, according to the Telegram post.

Overnight, Ukraine's Air Force reported 145 drones and decoy drones were launched from Russia. Two ballistic missiles and a cruise missile were also launched.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Also overnight, a strike on Donetsk Oblast killed 11 and injured 30 people.

A halt on intelligence sharing from the United States has raised fears that Ukraine's ability to issue vital alerts about incoming Russian and drones may be harmed.

However, the U.S. continues to share some intelligence with Ukraine to assist with defense operations, but not for attacks on Russian troops, CNN reported on March 7.

Read also: US shares intelligence with Ukraine for defense, not for attacks on Russian troops, CNN reports

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Experts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) have pointed out that in the absence of US aid to Ukraine, the Russians are intensifying their offensives on the battlefield and increasing the power of combined missile and drone strikes to exhaust Ukraine's air defence and adapt to innovations in electronic warfare.

Source: ISW

Details: On the night of 6-7 March, Russian forces launched one of their largest-ever missile and drone strikes against Ukraine. As they continue to refine their tactics, Russian forces are adjusting strike packages to overwhelm Ukraine's air defences by increasing the number of Shahed and decoy drones in each attack.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This was the largest combined strike since November 2024.

ISW suggested that, starting in autumn 2024, Russian forces began to increase the number of Shahed UAVs and decoy drones in their strike packages, likely as a response to Ukraine's successful electronic warfare innovations.

Quote from ISW: "Russia has likely leveraged the increased production of Shahed drones to increase the total number of drones launched in each strike package.

Russian forces launched an average 83.4 drones per strike package in January 2025, an average of 139.3 drones per strike package in February 2024, and an average of 128.8 drones per strike package from 1 through 7 March.

Russian forces have only sporadically included missiles in the January, February, and March 2025 strike packages, and the 67 missiles launched in the 6 to 7 March strike series is a larger amount than in previous missile strikes this year."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Details: ISW noted that in the strike on the night of 6-7 March, Russian forces probably boosted the number of Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles and Kh-101/Kh-55 cruise missiles to maximise damage to key targets in Ukraine. Meanwhile, the large number of Shahed drones, decoy drones and Kalibr cruise missiles were likely deployed to detect and overwhelm Ukrainian air defences and mobile fire groups.

"Russia will likely take advantage of the suspension of US military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine to intensify its long-range strike campaign and deplete Ukrainian air defence missiles," ISW said.

ISW believes US intelligence has played a significant role in supporting Ukraine's early warning system against Russian strikes and its suspension is likely to affect Ukraine's ability to respond swiftly to the evolving Russian strike packages.

Quote from ISW: "Russia also likely intends to force Ukraine into quickly depleting its supply of Patriot air defence interceptors  which Ukraine relies on to defend against Russian ballistic missiles  during the pause in US military aid and intelligence sharing to maximise the damage of subsequent strikes.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ukrainian forces will likely have to be more selective in intercepting strikes as their stock of interceptors decreases with no resupply on the horizon, and successful Russian strikes against Ukrainian energy facilities will likely have lasting effects on Ukraine's ability to generate power for defence industrial base and civilian use."

Details: ISW pointed out that Russian forces are ramping up offensive operations in specific frontline areas, likely aiming to take advantage of both immediate and longer-term impacts on the battlefield following the cessation of US aid to Ukraine.

In recent weeks, Russian forces have intensified their efforts on the Kupiansk, Chasiv Yar, Toretsk and Velyka Novosilka fronts, while continuing their attempts to drive Ukrainian forces out of Kursk Oblast and capture the city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast.

Quote from ISW: "Russian forces previously leveraged Ukrainian materiel shortages prompted by a delay in US aid in spring 2024 to make significant advances in Donetsk Oblast and launch an offensive operation into northern Kharkiv Oblast, and the Kremlin likely intends to exploit expected Ukrainian materiel shortages to make additional gains if the suspension of US military assistance persists."

To quote the ISW's Key Takeaways on 7 March:

Russian forces conducted one of the largest ever missile and drone strikes against Ukraine on the night of 6 to 7 March as Russian forces continue to adapt strike packages to overwhelm Ukraine's air defence umbrella by increasing the total number of Shahed and decoy drones in each strike.

Russian forces began increasing the number of Shahed and decoy drones in strike packages in autumn 2024, likely to adapt to successful Ukrainian electronic warfare innovations.

Russia will likely take advantage of the suspension of US military aid to and intelligence sharing with Ukraine to intensify its long-range strike campaign and deplete Ukrainian air defence missiles.

Russian forces are further intensifying offensive operations in select frontline areas likely in order to capitalise on any immediate and longer-term battlefield impacts of the cessation of US aid to Ukraine.

Russian forces recently advanced into northern Sumy Oblast for the first time since 2022  when Ukrainian forces pushed Russian forces from significant swathes of Ukrainian territory following the initial months of Russian advances. Russian forces likely intend to leverage limited advances into Sumy Oblast to completely expel Ukrainian forces from Kursk Oblast among other objectives.

Russian forces also recently intensified offensive operations aimed at seizing Chasiv Yar and attacking Kostiantynivka  the southernmost settlement of Ukraine's fortress belt in Donetsk Oblast.

Russian officials continue to explicitly reject making any concessions in future peace negotiations or accepting any US, European, or Ukrainian peace proposals.

Lithuania's intelligence services assessed that Russia may have the capabilities to conduct a limited campaign against one or several NATO countries within three to five years, an assessment that is consistent with ISW's assessments about Russian efforts to restructure and prepare its military and society for a future conflict with NATO in the medium to long-term.

The United Kingdom issued Ukraine's first tranche of revenue generated from frozen Russian assets.

Russian forces recently advanced in Sumy Oblast and near Borova, Chasiv Yar, Toretsk, and Pokrovsk.

The Kremlin continues to leverage its "Time of Heroes" programme to fill government positions with veterans of its war in Ukraine as part of a long-term effort to militarise Russian society and form a new cadre of loyal Russian officials.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
(Reuters) -Russian troops have launched a large-scale offensive to retake swaths of the western Kursk region from Ukrainian forces, war bloggers and a senior Russian commander said on Saturday.

Ukrainian troops stormed into Russia's Kursk region last summer, taking chunks of territory in an unexpected lightning attack more than two years after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine.

"In all directions of the Kursk section of the front, all units have launched a large-scale offensive," Major General Apti Alaudinov, commander of a Chechen unit fighting for Russia in Kursk, said on Telegram. "The enemy is abandoning its positions."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Reuters was unable to verify the situation on the battlefield. Ukraine's military did not immediately comment.

Open source maps showed this week that Ukraine's positions in Kursk have deteriorated sharply and its troops are nearly surrounded by Russian forces.

The precarious situation for Ukraine follows a pause in U.S. military aid and intelligence sharing with Kyiv as U.S. President Donald Trump puts pressure on Kyiv to agree to a ceasefire with Moscow.

Pro-Russian war blogger Two Majors said on Saturday Russian troops had begun an assault on Sudzha, a town about six miles (9.5 km) from the border with Ukraine, and that the situation for Ukrainian troops there was "close to critical".

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Major General Alaudinov said Russian airborne brigades, motorised rifle regiments and the Akhmat special forces were taking part in "fierce battles" and "our guys are moving forward very well".

Russian troops recaptured three villages in Kursk - Viktorovka, Nikolaevka and Staraya Sorochina - from Ukraine on Saturday, the defence ministry said. Reuters could not independently verify its report.

(Writing by Lucy Papachristou; Editing by Sharon Singleton and Timothy Heritage)
Russia struck the Donetsk region in Ukraine on Friday, killing at least 11 and wounding 30 people according to Ukraines officials, hours after President Trump threatened to impose sanctions on Moscow in an effort to drive ceasefire negotiations.

Last night, the Russian army fired two ballistic missiles at the center of Dobropillya in the Donetsk region. After our services arrived at the scene, they launched another strike, deliberately targeting rescuers. A vile and inhumane tactic for intimidation that the Russians often resort to, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote in a Saturday post on Telegram.

Unfortunately, 11 people have died so far. My condolences to their families and friends. More than 30 more people were injured, including 5 children, he added.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On Friday, Trump floated the Russia sanctions in an effort to bring the Eastern European country to the negotiation table to end its war with Ukraine.

Based on the fact that Russia is absolutely pounding Ukraine on the battlefield right now, I am strongly considering large scale Banking Sanctions, Sanctions, and Tariffs on Russia until a Cease Fire and FINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ON PEACE IS REACHED, Trump posted Friday on Truth Social.

To Russia and Ukraine, get to the table right now, before it is too late, he added.

The Kremlin attacks also come just a few days after Trump revoked U.S. intelligence sharing with Ukraine, limiting their ability to detect incoming missiles with satellite drones following a heated exchange with Zelensky in the Oval Office last Friday. The administration also paused U.S. military aid for the country.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Zelensky said Fridays assaults show Russia is still fully engaged in their war efforts despite talks of peace.

Such strikes show that Russias goals are unchanged. Therefore, it is very important to continue to do everything to protect life, strengthen our air defense, and tighten sanctions against Russia, he wrote in the Telegram post.

Everything that helps [Russian President Vladimir] Putin finance the war must break down, he added.

Republicans have urged Trump to re-engage in intelligence sharing, which they say the lack of hurts Ukraines warfighting ability and undercuts the countrys leverage in talks with Russia. But the president maintained that he was finding it more difficult to deal with Ukraine than Russia in the Oval Office on Friday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I think he [Putin] wants to get it stopped and settled and I think hes hitting them harder than hes been hitting them and I think probably anybody in that position would be doing that right now, Trump told reporters.

Despite the Russia, Russia, Russia hoax Ive always had a good relationship with Putin. He wants to end the war, the president added. And I think hes going to be more generous than he has to be.

Trump touted a letter from Zelensky on Tuesday as a clear showing of the countrys intent to smooth over relations with the leader after their public spat but has not addressed whether the U.S. would revive the information trade off or military support.

U.S. leaders are expected to meet with Ukraines officials this week in Saudi Arabia to resume peace talks and discuss the future of their minerals deal that was supposed to be signed last Friday.

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.
KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  Russia launched heavy aerial attacks on Ukraine for a second night Saturday after the United States stopped sharing satellite images with the Ukrainian government, officials said. At least 22 people have been killed.

The U.S. decision to withhold intelligence and military aid came on the heels of a tempestuous White House visit last week by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. President Donald Trump is trying to pressure Ukraine into accepting a peace deal with Russia.

Without U.S. satellite imagery, Ukraines ability to strike inside Russia and defend itself from bombardment is significantly diminished.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This is what happens when someone appeases barbarians," Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on X Saturday. "More bombs, more aggression, more victims. Another tragic night in Ukraine.

At least 11 people were killed in multiple strikes on a town in Ukraine's embattled eastern Donetsk region late Friday, and another seven people were killed in four towns close to the front where Russian troops have been making steady advances, said regional Gov. Vadym Filashkin. Three others died when a Russian drone hit a civilian workshop in the northeastern Kharkiv region, emergency service officials reported. One man was killed by shelling in the region.

Filashkin declared a day of mourning Saturday and warned that more victims could still be found in the rubble.

Russia fired two ballistic missiles into the center of the front-line town of Dobropillya, then launched a strike targeting rescuers who responded, according to Zelenskyy. Forty-seven people, including seven children, were injured in the attack.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It is a vile and inhumane intimidation tactic to which the Russians often resort, he said.

Just 24 hours before the attacks, Russia hit Ukrainian energy facilities with dozens of missiles and drones, hobbling its ability to deliver heat and light to its citizens and to power weapons factories vital to its defenses.

Trump says Putin is doing what anybody else would

When asked Friday if Russian President Vladimir Putin was taking advantage of the U.S. pause on intelligence-sharing to attack Ukraine, Trump responded: I think hes doing what anybody else would.

Zelenskyy did not mention intelligence-sharing Saturday, but said he welcomed Trump's proposal Friday to impose large-scale banking sanctions and tariffs on Russia until a ceasefire and final peace settlement is reached.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Everything that helps Putin finance the war must be broken, the Ukrainian president said.

Zelenskyy also said he and other high-ranking Ukrainian officials would travel to Saudi Arabia later this week to discuss proposals aimed at ending the war. In a post on X, he wrote that he was scheduled to meet with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday, but that only his team would remain in the country to meet with U.S. officials.

Ukraine has been seeking peace from the very first second of this war," he wrote. Realistic proposals are on the table. The key is to move quickly and effectively.

A barrage of missiles and drones

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ukraines air force reported Saturday that Russian troops launched three Iskander missiles and 145 drones over the country overnight. The bombardment contained a mix of attack and decoy drones intended to confuse air defenses. One missile and 79 drones were shot down, while 54 more drones were lost without causing damage, the Ukrainian air force said.

Meanwhile, Russian troops shot down 31 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 26 over the countrys Krasnodar region, Russias Defense Ministry said Saturday.

Falling debris from one drone sparked a blaze at the KINEF oil refinery in Russias northern Leningrad region, local Gov. Aleksandr Drozdenko said in a statement. No casualties were reported.

___

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This story has been edited to correct that Tusk is the prime minister, not the president of Poland, and to clarify the details of Zelenskyys scheduled meeting with Saudi Arabia.

___

Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
The State Emergency Service of Ukraine reported on the morning of 8 March that the death toll from Russian strikes on the city of Dobropillia in Donetsk Oblast had risen to at least 11, with another 30 people injured.

Source: State Emergency Service of Ukraine

Details: The Russians struck the centre of Dobropillia in the evening. At least 11 people were killed and another 30 were injured.

The State Emergency Service added that eight five-storey residential buildings, an office building and 30 cars had been damaged. Fires broke out in residential buildings and the office building.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Quote: "While the fire was being extinguished, the occupiers launched another strike (presumably with a Shahed drone), damaging a fire appliance.

Despite the threat, firefighters continue to work. The fire has been contained in 20 flats and three fires covering a total area of 190 square metres have been extinguished."

Firefighters extinguishing fire

Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine

Firefighters extinguishing fire

Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine

Firefighters extinguishing fire

Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine

Background: Five civilians were killed and nine others injured as a result of Russian attacks in Donetsk Oblast on 7 March.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!




In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, firefighters tackle a blaze following a Russian rocket attack in Dobropillya, Donetsk region, Ukraine, on Saturday, March 8, 2025. Credit - Ukrainian Emergency ServiceAP

KYIV, Ukraine  Russia launched heavy aerial attacks on Ukraine for a second night Saturday after the United States stopped sharing satellite images with the Ukrainian government, officials said. At least 22 people have been killed.

The U.S. decision to withhold intelligence and military aid came on the heels of a tempestuous White House visit last week by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. President Donald Trump is trying to pressure Ukraine into accepting a peace deal with Russia.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Without U.S. satellite imagery, Ukraines ability to strike inside Russia and defend itself from bombardment is significantly diminished.

This is what happens when someone appeases barbarians," Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on X Saturday. "More bombs, more aggression, more victims. Another tragic night in Ukraine.

At least 11 people were killed in multiple strikes on a town in Ukraine's embattled eastern Donetsk region late Friday, and another seven people were killed in four towns close to the front where Russian troops have been making steady advances, said regional Gov. Vadym Filashkin. Three others died when a Russian drone hit a civilian workshop in the northeastern Kharkiv region, emergency service officials reported. One man was killed by shelling in the region.

Filashkin declared a day of mourning Saturday and warned that more victims could still be found in the rubble.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Russia fired two ballistic missiles into the center of the front-line town of Dobropillya, then launched a strike targeting rescuers who responded, according to Zelenskyy. Forty-seven people, including seven children, were injured in the attack.

It is a vile and inhumane intimidation tactic to which the Russians often resort, he said.

Just 24 hours before the attacks, Russia hit Ukrainian energy facilities with dozens of missiles and drones, hobbling its ability to deliver heat and light to its citizens and to power weapons factories vital to its defenses.

Trump says Putin is "doing what anybody else would"

When asked Friday if Russian President Vladimir Putin was taking advantage of the U.S. pause on intelligence-sharing to attack Ukraine, Trump responded: I think hes doing what anybody else would.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Zelenskyy did not mention intelligence-sharing Saturday, but said he welcomed Trump's proposal Friday to impose large-scale banking sanctions and tariffs on Russia until a ceasefire and final peace settlement is reached.

"Everything that helps Putin finance the war must be broken, the Ukrainian president said.

Zelenskyy also said he and other high-ranking Ukrainian officials would travel to Saudi Arabia later this week to discuss proposals aimed at ending the war. In a post on X, he wrote that he was scheduled to meet with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday, but that only his team would remain in the country to meet with U.S. officials.

Ukraine has been seeking peace from the very first second of this war," he wrote. Realistic proposals are on the table. The key is to move quickly and effectively.

A barrage of missiles and drones

Ukraines air force reported Saturday that Russian troops launched three Iskander missiles and 145 drones over the country overnight. The bombardment contained a mix of attack and decoy drones intended to confuse air defenses. One missile and 79 drones were shot down, while 54 more drones were lost without causing damage, the Ukrainian air force said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Meanwhile, Russian troops shot down 31 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 26 over the countrys Krasnodar region, Russias Defense Ministry said Saturday.

Falling debris from one drone sparked a blaze at the KINEF oil refinery in Russias northern Leningrad region, local Gov. Aleksandr Drozdenko said in a statement. No casualties were reported.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
Editor's note: This article has been updated to reflect comments made by the press service of the Kursk military command to the Kyiv Independent on the ongoing situation near Sudzha.

Russian and North Korean troops have launched an attack on the Ukrainian-held town of Sudzha in Russia's Kursk Oblast, the Ukrainian battlefield monitoring group DeepState and Yury Butusov, chief editor of the news site censor.net, reported on March 8.

Multiple Russian pro-war Telegram channels claimed on March 8 that Russian troops have launched a large-scale offensive in Kursk Oblast and are storming Sudzha.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The press service for Kursk military command told the Kyiv Independent that "the most large-scale assault operations by the enemy have occurred in the direction from the settlement of Korenevo toward Sudzha, as well as in the areas of Novoivanivka, Mala Loknya, and south of the city of Sudzha."

"The situation remains difficult but is under the control of our command," the statement to the Kyiv Independent read, adding that Russian forces were sustaining "heavy losses" in the region.

"The enemy has deployed its most combat-ready units for these assaults," the statement added, noting that North Korean soldiers formed two of the battalions currently attacks the front line.

Russian forces have recently intensified efforts to break through to Sumy Oblast and cut off logistical routes of the Ukrainian salient in bordering Kursk Oblast.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Russian forces have destroyed Ukrainian troops' logistics in Kursk Oblast, and Ukrainian soldiers face the risk of encirclement, a Ukrainian soldier and a medic deployed in the region told the Kyiv Independent on condition of anonymity on March 7.

Amid reports earlier this week that Russian troops are trying to break through the Russia-Ukraine border in Sumy Oblast, the statement denied the claims, adding that small reconnaisance groups infultrating Ukrainian territory "are gradually being eliminated."

Butusov wrote on Facebook on March 8 that Russian troops had used a gas pipeline to approach Ukrainian positions in Sudzha in Kursk Oblast. He added that the troops are being "liquidated."

DeepState confirmed that Russian troops had tried to attack Sudzha through a pipeline but reported that the results of the operation are unknown.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to DeepState, North Korean troops are rapidly advancing near Sudzha, acting as the main offensive force and also bearing the heaviest casualties.

The situation in the buffer zone in Kursk Oblast continues to intensify and requires immediate decisions from the (Ukrainian) command, Butusov said.

Kyiv has sought to maintain its position in the Russian border region as leverage for possible peace talks.

Ukraine launched a surprise cross-border incursion into Kursk Oblast in August 2024. After six months of fighting in the region, Russian troops have regained control of about 64% of the territory in the region, the Russian military claimed.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Read also: Ukraine considers Kursk withdrawal amid fears of encirclement of 10,000 troops, Telegraph reports

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
The Russians struck a civilian business in the city of Bohodukhiv in Kharkiv Oblast with a drone at around 02:00 on the morning of 8 March, killing three people and injuring seven others.

Source: Oleh Syniehubov, Head of Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram

Quote: "Sadly, one person was killed; their charred body was recovered from under the rubble. An expert examination is ongoing."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Details: In addition, seven more people were injured.

Syniehubov added that a search and rescue operation is ongoing.

Updated: Later, Synehubov clarified that the death toll had risen to three. All of them were civilian men.

It was reported that the strike had hit the premises of a meat processing plant, causing a fire and damaging production workshops and garages.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
(FOX40.COM)  Sacramento International Airport announced three nonstop flights on Southwest Airlines from Mexico, Tucson, and Baltimore.

Video above: Southwest travelers seek financial help after cancellations and delays

According to a statement from SMF, the company will have a daily redeye flight to Baltimore offering passengers a new route to the East Coast. On March 8, Southwest will start its service to Puerto Vallarta and Tucson while increasing the frequency of flights offered to Los Cabos.

We are excited to offer more cities and routes across the United States and Mexico, said Cindy Nichol, Director of the Sacramento County Department of Airports. These routes support our business community and leisure travel sectors with more options.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

SMF will continue to expand its nonstop offerings by strengthening its role as a key gateway for travelers in Northern California, said a spokesperson from SMF.

Stockon police ask horse owners for help in protection of the city

Officials from SMF said that on March 1, Southwest started to fly to Orlando, Florida, and will increase the frequency of that flight until becomes daily in May. Southwest has recently entered into a partnership with Icelandair with Baltimore as a shared getaway.

A spokesperson from SMF said that by July the airport will offer more than 196 daily nonstop flights on 12 domestic and international carriers to allow travelers to go to 36 destinations across the globe.

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 FOX40 News.
(FOX40.COM)  Many people gathered at a Sacramento church on Thursday to honor and celebrate media icon Alvin Big Al Sams.

Big Al passed away at the age of 55 and was known for his bigger-than-life personality and his love for the journalism industry.

The ceremony was held at the center of Praise Ministries Cathedral in Sacramento which is the same place of worship Big Al would attend. Family and friends who attended the ceremony shared some memories.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Every time we saw each other, it was nothing but love. He came even. I think I have pictures of him at my birthday parties and stuff, said friend Alita Turner.

Stockon police ask horse owners for help in protection of the city

We did a lot of events together, especially Fashion Week, said friend Clemon Chares.

Big Al started his media career when he was a teenager with Pacific News Service in San Francisco and then lit up the radio waves beginning in the late 1990s.

A fan of Big Als radio show who attended the service said, I would just stand there, and I would just sit there smiling.

Big Al then transitioned over to the TV industry and worked on the FOX40 live show Studio 40.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Turner said, What you saw on TV is what you got. He was the most I dont think I have ever seen Al mad never never seen him be rude. Nothing. He was a gentle big teddy bear.

Big Al was a radio host, TV reporter, producer, and content creator, been a pillar of the community and media industry for over 25 years.

Always exciting to see him on the air, Charles said. The love that he gave. And he loved Sacramento and the people of Sacramento.

His dedication to the community spanned far beyond helping local charities and supporting the youth. Charles said, You know, hes one of the guys you think about, but constantly, you know, and hes definitely constantly thought of.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Turner said, Rest in peace, Big Al.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
The Better Business Bureau warns that scammers are calling New England parents, posing as representatives of legitimate SAT and ACT test prep organizations like the College Board. Alarming to many parents, the callers know their childrens names and where they go to school.

The BBBs Paula Fleming told Boston 25 News its received reports across Massachusetts. Fleming says its a common scam this time of year, when many students are preparing to take college entrance exams.

To date, weve had hundreds of scam reports, Fleming said. Parents are told that their children have requested test preparation materials, and they have information in regard to their childs name, their age, and their high school address. It makes it extremely believable.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Fleming says scammers can often find information about students through social media and other websites.

We all live in a digital world where its very easy to find this information online, she said.

In complaints to the BBB, victims say the callers are convincing. Scammers usually say the student checked a box or filled out a form at school requesting test preparation materials. Scammers tell parents the materials are free so long as everything is returned in 30 days. However, before materials can be sent, a credit card is needed in the event they are not returned.

Victims say their cards were immediately charged, usually around $250, and the test materials never arrived.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Fleming says the scam works because it preys on parents who simply want their children to succeed. Scammers are betting parents will believe their student took the initiative to request study materials and wont take the time to double-check.

Critically, Fleming says none of the reputable SAT or ACT prep courses will call and ask for a credit card over the phone.

Its important to note that the College Board would never ask for financial information over the phone or use pressure tactics to get the information, Fleming said.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
ANDERSON  A trial has been set for July in the case of Larry Savage, who faces a felony charge of destroying or misplacing a ballot.

Savage appeared in Madison Circuit Court Division 6 Friday, and Judge Mark Dudley set a trial date of July 28 as the second choice on that date.

His attorney, Brandon Townsend, said both sides couldnt reach a resolution in plea negotiations.

Im innocent and my attorney will prove it, Savage said in a statement following the hearing.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Savage, 51, was charged last year with the felony count and a misdemeanor charge of theft after removing ballots from a test of the countys voting machines on Oct. 3.

He called the charges a political witch hunt.

The testing of the voting machines is conducted through the Voting System Technical Oversite Program hosted by Ball State University.

According to a probable cause affidavit filed by David Peterson with the Indiana State Police, it was discovered that two of the test ballots were missing.

Upon reviewing surveillance video, staff members observed Savage folding the two ballots and placing them in his pocket before he left the Madison County Government Center.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A few moments after taking the ballots, on the video Savage is observed whispering to Katherine Callahan. Savage then posted on Callahans Facebook page that the test was three ballots short.

Savage said at the time of his arrest that he didnt realize he couldnt take the ballots that were labeled sample.

State law requires that all ballots used during testing be sealed.

A search warrant, including his cellphone, was served on Savage at his residence.

Savage told investigators he took the ballots but believed they were sample ballots and not intended to be counted.

A search of Savages cellphone showed he texted Callahan asking if anything was said about the ballots he took.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Callahan texted Savage to let him know officials were looking for the ballots.

I had three, how can they be one short? Savage responded.

During the serving of the search warrant, Savage told investigators he believed they were sample ballots.

Savage said he didnt ask if he could take the ballots while at the courthouse.

Savage lost a bid to be mayor of Alexandria in 2019. He also lost in the 2023 primary for an at-large seat on the Anderson City Council; and last year he lost in the primary for the Republican Party nomination in the 5th Congressional District.
NAMIBIA (WKRG)  Nearly 8,000 miles away from the Port City, you will find Dr. Laurie Marker and the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Namibia  a country in Africa.

Dr. Marker has spent over 50 years studying cheetahs and trying to help keep the endangered cats from going extinct.

Mobile County Sheriffs Office sets reward to find person responsible for Chance the dog

To save cheetahs, we do a variety of different programs, which include research, education and conservation, Dr. Marker said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Dr. Marker created CCF about 35 years ago in Namibia  the cheetah capital of the world  to help save the animals for future generations.

There are only about 7,000 cheetahs left in the world today, so they are Africas most endangered big cat, Dr. Marker continued.

One issue affecting the cheetah population is the illegal wildlife pet trade, which primarily comes from the Horn of Africa.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Although Im based here in Namibia, we have a second base, which is up in Somaliland, which is a breakaway country from Somalia, Dr. Marker said. There, the cats come up from Ethiopia and Somaliland, and theyre poached as cubs and sold into the illegal pet trade.

Dr. Marker continued by saying they have over 100 cheetahs that they have rescued from the trade at their research center in Somaliland.

We often get cubs in, mostly, and if you get a cub in, and its a tiny cub that has to be on a bottle, it probably will not be able to go back out into the wild because its too habituated and used to people, Dr. Marker said.

Later this month, Dr. Marker will come to Mobile for the Educational Travel Conference to discuss the importance of cheetahs and other animals in Africa living in the wild.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On March 20, she will be spending time at the Gulf Coast Zoo in Gulf Shores where two cheetahs made it their home in July 2024.

Theodore fire leaves 4 people homeless

There are many ways to get involved with CCF, including donating to the cause, joining their Facebook page and volunteering at the research center.

More information can be found on the CCF website.

Watch the full interview with Dr. Laurie Marker below.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5.
Homeless programs funded by the city of Los Angeles are essentially a black hole when it comes to oversight and the tracking of outcomes, a court-ordered, independent audit has found.

The report, released on Thursday, was conducted by Alvarez & Marsal, a global consulting firm. It looked at four years of homeless services managed by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) from June 1, 2020, through June 30, 2024.

A&M said it was stymied by information gaps and incomplete data that hindered its ability to gauge the results of approximately $2.3 billion in homeless spending over that time period.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Such gaps in documentation complicated efforts to track expenditures comprehensively, highlighting the need for more accurate recordkeeping within LAHSAs financial and performance oversight processes, A&M said in its executive summary.

Two homeless people rest in the shade of a tree at MacArthur Park during a heatwave Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent)

In many instances, auditors found that independent contractors operated under vague arrangements and haphazard bookkeeping, and the money they received couldnt be properly accounted for.

In one example, A&Ms team found inconsistencies with the exit rate of homeless individuals into permanent housing during the 2023-24 fiscal year.

A sample of sites reported a median permanent housing exit rate of approximately 22.0%, whereas 47.8% of exits resulted in a return to homelessness, exceeding the rate of exits to permanent housing, the report stated.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Auditors also found that LAHSA frequently approved payments to contractors before verifying that services were provided.

Responding to the report, Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez labeled LAHSA a modern-day Titanic.

The audits findings confirm what Ive repeatedly warned aboutbillions have been wasted on homelessness without oversight, accountability, or results, Rodriguez told KTLA on Friday. For over a year, Ive pushed legislation to end this failed arrangement, while my colleagues have stalled for more than a year, pouring taxpayer dollars into a system and programs that continue to fail.

The L.A. Times obtained a statement from LAHSA blaming the siloed and fragmented nature of our regions homeless response for the accountability issues.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The audit was ordered by U.S. District Judge David O. Carter and stemmed from a 2020 lawsuit filed by the L.A. Alliance for Human Rights. The Alliance, comprised of local business owners and residents, asserted that the city failed to protect public health and safety by allowing rampant homelessness.

The suit was settled in 2022, but the group has accused the city of not living up to the terms, which included providing more beds and housing.

On her first day in office in 2022, Mayor Karen Bass declared a state of emergency on homelessness and launched her hallmark Inside Safe program. Among its goals is to dramatically lower the cost of building affordable and temporary housing, get people off the streets and provide them with various services.

According to the programs website, nearly 3,900 homeless individuals have moved indoors since the mayor took office, and 878 have found permanent housing. The latest point-in-time count identified more than 45,000 people living on the streets of L.A. in 2024.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Mayor Bass insists the audits findings validate her work.

A rat sniffs the hand of a sleeping man experiencing homelessness in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

The broken system the audit identifies is what Ive been fighting against since I took office, Bass said. We still have work to do, but changes weve made helped turn around years of increases in homelessness to a decrease by 10%  the first one in years.

The point-in-time count did, in fact, note a drop in homelessness in the city from 2023 to 2024, from 46,260 individuals to 45,252. Countywide, the numbers were largely unchanged at 75,000.

California Governor Gavin Newsom, who once threatened to withhold homeless funds from cities and counties that didnt show progress, has also pushed for greater accountability.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This (audit) reaffirms the states prior findings that local governments need to do a better job of tracking homelessness spending, Tara Gallegos, a spokesperson for Newsom, told KTLA. Thats why Governor Newsom has implemented new, strict accountability measures to increase accountability and ensure every dollar is spent effectively.

Gallegos directed the public to visit accountability.ca.gov to track statewide spending on homelessness and affordable housing.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
MAHONING CO., Ohio (WKBN)  In the aftermath of the car accident that claimed the lives of a mother and her teen son in Springfield Township, school officials immediately called on a crisis response team to help teachers and students deal with grief.

Angela Brown, 44, and Jason Daff, 15, died in the two-car crash on State Route 170 Monday evening.

Watch: Community gathers at Springfield Fine Arts Night to honor, support local family

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In times of crisis, it takes a true team to handle it. The ESC of Eastern Ohios Crisis Response Team is seldom summoned but serves a prime purpose in situations like this.

I know that I, at East Palestine, used it three times and its nothing more than a phone call, said Boardman Superintendent Chris Neifer.

The group of about 40 to 50 counselors across Mahoning and Columbiana counties is trained specifically to offer disaster support.

What we would respond to is if there was an act of violence at a district, if there is a staff death, if there is a student or multiple student death, said Ashley Mariano, ESC of Eastern Ohios prevention coordinator.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Read next: Local schools wearing blue to support Springfield family affected by recent tragedy

The unit is only used a handful of times each year but was called into action this week following the deadly crash.

The training that they have is specifically about grief and crisis response. Its about promoting psycho-education, normalizing what grief looks like at different ages and stages, Mariano said.

The team was born during the All-Ohio Counselor Conference back in 2017 where counselors across the state recognized a need for specialized support in times of crisis.

Mariano says being trained in crisis support is different than traditional counseling, focusing on collaborating with in-house staff already available and short-term triage for grief. That gives way to long-term resources, if necessary.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Its a warm handoff. Its not just, Hey, call these agencies. Its, these therapists are trained in these things and theyre ready for you to call, Mariano said.

School officials say the assistance is invaluable, helping students and staff cope with and navigate through the situation at hand.

Whether its group support for grief or taking care of a teacher who needs ten minutes in a classroom, any of those types of situations, theyre just there to help and support, Neifer 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.
Astronomers have discovered a black hole so mind-bogglingly large, trying to get a grasp of how big it really is could induce an existential crisis.

The black hole measures a whopping 36 billion times the mass of the Sun, making it  if the observations are confirmed  one of the biggest black holes ever spotted, as Live Science reports.

To put that into perspective, Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole scientists believe is lurking at the center of the Milky Way, only has a mass of around one million times that of our Sun. A current contender for the largest black hole to have been discovered is TON 618*, which scientists believe is between 40 and 60 billion times the Sun's mass, located some 18.2 billion light-years from Earth.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The latest, still-unnamed black hole is lurking within a system of two galaxies dubbed the Cosmic Horseshoe, first discovered in 2007 in the constellation Leo.

As detailed in a yet-to-be-peer-reviewed paper, an international team of researchers suggest that the existence of a monstrous, supermassive black hole could explain the Cosmic Horseshoe's unusual appearance.

In astronomical observations, the system forms a halo of light known as an Einstein ring. As the famed physicist Albert Einstein predicted in 1915, gravitational lensing causes the light from the system's more distant galaxy to be warped by an even more massive galaxy, dubbed LRG 3-757, in the foreground.

In other words, the scientists suggest the foreground galaxy may be warping the fabric of space-time due to the enormous black hole lurking at its center.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

To get to that conclusion, the researchers examined data collected by the Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer spectrograph located in the Chilean Atacama Desert, as well as observations taken by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope.

LRG 3-757 on its own is absolutely huge, with 100 times the mass of the Milky Way. But to account for the observed warping, the team concluded that an "ultramassive black hole" would have to lurk at its center.

While we can only guess as to how or why it got so huge, astronomers are looking forward to getting some answers with the help of the European Space Agency's Euclid space telescope.

The mission was designed to create a "map of the large-scale structure of the universe across space and time by observing billions of galaxies out to 10 billion light-years, across more than a third of the sky," per the agency's website.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This map could shed more light on dark matter, the mysterious stuff that scientists believe holds the structures of the universe together.

"The Euclid mission is expected to discover hundreds of thousands of lenses over the next five years," the researchers wrote in their paper. "This new era of discovery promises to deepen our understanding of galaxy evolution and the interplay between [normal matter] and [dark matter] components."

More on supermassive black holes: Scientists Turned the James Webb to Examine Black Hole at Center of Our Galaxy and Saw Something Wild
When scientists first mooted the idea of bringing back the mammoth, it was met with raised eyebrows and widespread incredulity among the scientific community.

Now, with the creation of the first woolly mice, the unthinkable might soon become a reality.

On Tuesday, scientists at Colossal, the US biotech start-up, announced they had engineered mice with golden shaggy fur and the ability to withstand the cold, in a test run to see if the traits could be transferred successfully to mammals.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The company is now so confident it can bring back the mammoth in the next few years, that it is already in talks with governments across the world to find a suitable habitat for the creatures to roam.

Dr Beth Shapiro, the chief science officer at Colossal, said: The ultimate goal is to have these animals live in the wild somewhere.

Weve been talking to several different state governments and national governments about where they might go for the early stages.

We need to have animals in an environment where we can very carefully watch them, make sure that theyre healthy for some time, before they are actually released into the wild.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Were still early in the stages of figuring out exactly where they will go. They lived throughout the central part of North America, even into Mexico.

They dont necessarily need to be in the Arctic, although if we make them cold tolerant, then probably theyll be happiest somewhere colder.

Colossal also wants to resurrect the dodo, which it intends to rewild on Mauritius, the original home of the flightless bird that was hunted to extinction in the 17th century. Discussions are ongoing with the Mauritian government.

Dr Shapiro, an evolutionary molecular biologist, joined Colossal in 2024 from the University of California, where her team was the first to sequence the dodo from a specimen in the Oxford University Museum of Natural History.

Colossal has already successfully created woolly mice - Colossal Biosciences via AP

I did my PhD at Oxford, and I would walk by that dodo sample every day when I was going to our ancient DNA lab, she added.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Eventually I got permission to take a sample and figured out that a dodo is a type of pigeon and its closest living relative is something called a Nicobar pigeon, which is a really beautiful bird.

Were trying to identify what DNA sequences we need to change if were going to take a Nicobar pigeon and turn it into a flightless, big headed, pretty freaking cool dodo.

But were also working with government and nonprofit organisations on Mauritius to develop plans for rewilding, because one of the things that we need to do with a dodo is have a safe place for it to be released into the wild.

Birds are trickier to bring back than mammals because they cannot be cloned. Instead, scientists need to come up with a different way of passing edits on to the next generation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The technique they are working on involves using a needle to suck primordial germ cells  which will become sperm or eggs  from a developing Nicobar pigeon embryo so they can edit them with dodo genes in the lab.

The edited germ cells can then be put into a surrogate bird which does not make its own germ cells, and so will be then passed on to an embryo.

There is no date yet for resurrecting the dodo, but the mammoth may be just a few years away.

Mammoths share 99.5 per cent of their genes with Asian elephants, so bringing them back is largely a case of finding missing genetic traits linked to cold adaptation, such as long shaggy coats and fat storage.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The idea was first put forward by Harvard geneticist Professor George Church in 2008, who had become interested in attempts to sequence the mammoth genome by Swedish scientists.

The genome was finally fully sequenced in 2015 and in the same year Churchs team successfully copied some woolly mammoth genes into the genome of an Asian elephant.

At the time, Church predicted that the animal could be resurrected by the end of the decade, however progress stalled until he founded Colossal in 2021 with entrepreneur Ben Lamm, which has brought millions of dollars of investment.

Dr Shapiro said: When the company was launched, they said they hoped to see the first mammoth in 2028, and I think our team is on track to be able to create cells and embryos by 2027 sometime.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

After that, we have a 22 month gestation period, and thats just a lot of stuff that could happen thats completely out of our control. There are a lot of unknowns in there, and some of it is just biology. And biology is hard.

The woolly mice success paves the way for multiple genetic traits to be introduced to Asian elephant DNA, and resurrect the mammoth, which died out around 10,000 years ago.

Dr Beth Shapiro, chief science officer at Colossal, says the companys research could help modern elephants, too - Heathcliff O'Malley

We put all the genetic edits together for the first time which is something that were going to have to do if we want to change an elephant genome into a mammoth genome, or a Nicobar pigeon genome into a dodo genome, said Dr Shapiro.

Weve confirmed our hypotheses that these are the genes that we want to target for the mammoth project.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Elephants have a 22 month gestation, and it takes another more than a decade to reach sexual maturity, so it is not feasible to test genetic edits out on real animals until scientists are sure they will work. They are also an endangered species.

Mice, on the other hand, have a 20 days gestation, so researchers can tell quickly if their work has been a success. But the mice are still well looked after.

We didnt just go ahead and shove mammoth genes into a mouse, added Dr Shapiro. We know these genes have been studied in the past and are associated with healthy mice that can live and thrive in a normal environment.

Theyre well treated. At Colossal, they have these cute little runs and wooden houses that they can hide in and things like that. Ben really likes them, so they get superstar treatment.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

While the mammoth and dodo might get all the attention, the team is also working on resurrecting the Tasmanian tiger (thylacine) and has future plans to bring back a giant bear from the Ice Age and a five foot tall beaver.

Although bringing back animals from extinction has echoes of Jurassic Park, the team at Colossal hope that the techniques they are pioneering could uncover lost genetic traits from the past and ensure that no species alive today need ever go permanently extinct.

The company has also been focusing on endangered animals such as the vaquita, a porpoise which is also one of the most threatened marine species on the planet, the northern white rhino, which is on the brink of extinction, and the pink pigeon, a rare species found in Mauritius.

And resurrecting the mammoth might also save the elephant.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Dr Shapiro added: If we create elephants that are able to live in habitats outside of their natural zone, by making them better adapted to living in cold places, then this means that we can have more habitats that we might be able to protect, that are available to elephants as well.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
In a recent study, researchers discovered that they could identify individual leopards by their "sawing" roar alone, per Mongabay. Leopards make a low-frequency sound that resembles sawing wood, hence the term.

The researchers set up cameras paired with microphones to monitor and identify the leopards. They studied the sounds using bioacoustics, defined by Wildlife Acoustics as "the production, transmission, and reception of animal sounds in nature."

When playing back the recording, they were able to identify individual leopards with 93% accuracy. Jonathan Growcott, one of the study's authors, told Mongabay that this was "an important first step towards using bioacoustics in the conservation of leopards."

According to the IUCN Red List, leopards are a vulnerable species with a declining population. Since leopards are solitary, mobile creatures, identifying individuals (rather than groups) is crucial to their conservation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Scientists usually identify them by their spot patterns via cameras set up in their habitats. However, cameras don't always work.

Paolo Strampelli, a conservationist at the University of Oxford, told Mongabay that there are some areas where cameras are at a "high risk of theft." Bioacoustics, using well-hidden microphones, is the perfect solution.

Saving leopards from extinction is part of the larger battle to preserve biodiversity. Humans, too, rely on biodiversity for resources like water, food, medicine, etc. According to Conservation International, "The food, commercial forestry and ecotourism industries could lose US$338 billion per year if the loss of biodiversity continues at its current pace."

Luckily, scientists all over the world are putting their heads together to save vulnerable species. Pygmy hogs had a recent comeback in their native India, and the night parrot, once thought to be extinct, was rediscovered in Australia.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"The rich data this provides could push science ahead and help us understand ecosystems and landscapes in a much more holistic way," Growcott 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.
Hundreds of people gathered at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on Friday afternoon to protest President Trumps recent cuts to government spending on research institutions.

The Trump administration has taken steps to disrupt operations at the countrys top federal research institutions since late January, freezing grants issued by the National Institutes of Health and issuing executive orders on sex and gender and diversity, equity and inclusion. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention scrubbed its health data from its site in order to comply with those orders.

Most recently, the administration issued a policy to cut government funding to the National Institutes of Health by reducing the amount of grant funding that can go toward overhead costs.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

NIH is the largest biomedical funder in the world and spent $35 billion on grants for research last year alone. About $9 billion of those funds went toward indirect costs like fees associated with facility maintenance and compliance and administrative worker salaries.

NIH capped the indirect cost rate at 15 percent of a total grant. Many universities and research institutions in the past have used 30 percent to 60 percent extra in their grant funding to cover these expenses.

Researchers have decried the move, arguing that lowering the indirect cost rate will halt life-saving research on illnesses like cancer and Alzheimers disease.

I love my country, and Im worried about my country right now, said Francis Collins, former head of the NIH, to a sea of protesters waving signs that read science prevents brain worms, divide cells not countries, or literally trying to cure multiple sclerosis but okay.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

One person carried a globe with a paper affixed to it stating, save me while another in the enormous crowd carried an American flag turned upside down, a sign of distress among sailors that has now become a symbol of right-wing protest.

Collins was one of lengthy lineup of speakers that included Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md), former NASA Administrator and Sen. Bill Nelson, Rep. Bill Foster (D-Ill.) and former television personality and scientist Bill Nye.

Speakers also included former federal scientists, lay scientists, students, health care workers and disability advocates admonishing Trump and his Cabinet, and particularly Elon Musk and his work as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

All had the same point: Attacks on science are attacks on Americans.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

While moving fast and breaking things might be an appropriate mantra for Silicon Valley  Lets go with first, do no harm, said Collins. Six days ago, Collins stepped down from his position at NIH without giving an explanation for his departure.

Fridays rally was seen as a sort of revival of the March for Science, which took place during Trumps first term in the White House. A series of satellite protests across the country took place while people gathered in Washington.

Collins stressed that a robust funding for scientific research and agencies is needed now more than ever given the growing concern around H5N1 bird flu, the measles outbreak in the Southwest and a mystery disease plaguing the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The U.S.s bird flu response was interrupted during the early weeks of Trumps second term after the Department of Agriculture reportedly accidentally fired staffers working on a response to the outbreak. The agency is now trying to rehire those people.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Meanwhile, a second person died this week from the measles in New Mexico. An outbreak in Texas along New Mexicos border has infected roughly 150 people, most of whom are unvaccinated.

When you defend science, you are defending the health and welfare of the American people, said Van Hollen.

Nye, commonly referred to as Bill Nye the Science Guy, urged lawmakers to stand up for science, bashing the Trump administrations attempt to suppress references to climate change. He suggested there should be legal safeguards to prevent political interference with research and that scientist should be able to communicate their findings freely.

Science is part of the American story, he said. If the United States is to lead the world, science can not be suppressed.

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.
Who doesn't love love  especially when it's good for the environment?

A thrilling discovery in the South Downs National Park brings renewed hope for biodiversity in Britain. Conservationists have spotted a female greater mouse-eared bat in disused railway tunnels in Sussex, potentially offering a mate for what was believed to be the last surviving member of its species in the U.K., according to the BBC.

The greater mouse-eared bat was officially declared extinct in Britain in 1992 before a surprising rediscovery when a single male appeared in 2002. With no sightings recorded in 2024, many feared the species had disappeared from British soil forever.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This remarkable finding creates fresh optimism for establishing a breeding population. Conservationists have ringed the female bat for future identification and continue monitoring the area for additional greater mouse-eared bats.

"The finding of a female is rewarding and a remarkable discovery which brings huge hope for this species," explained Daniel Whitby, a bat ecologist working on the project, per the BBC article.

The return of these rare mammals benefits people and our ecosystem in meaningful ways. Bats serve as vital pest controllers, with a single bat consuming thousands of insects nightly, reducing the need for harmful pesticides in agriculture. They're also important pollinators for many plants that provide food and medicine.

Preserving habitats for endangered species such as the greater mouse-eared bat supports a more resilient ecosystem that can better withstand climate challenges, ultimately creating healthier environments for humans and animals alike.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"By providing suitable roosts, restoring habitats and reducing anthropogenic threats such as artificial light and noise, this species might just stand a chance of recovering," Whitby said, per the BBC article.

This discovery joins other recent U.K. conservation successes, including animals returning to rewilded Hackney Marshes in London and innovative monitoring of seal populations using artificial intelligence and drones along Norfolk's coast. Each recovery represents another small step toward restoring balance to our natural world. Stay tuned for more updates regarding the burgeoning relationship between these two greater mouse-eared bats.

Wondering how you can be part of the climate solution? Check out The Cool Down's guide to taking local action in your community.

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.
The Great Lakes are some of the most beautiful water bodies in North America. However, residents might say they are far less lovely now, given the health concerns swimmers might face from microplastics.

What's happening?

The outdoor advice website Advnture recently raised awareness of the dangers of hard-to-see contaminants.

Per the site's report, the Great Lakes Science Advisory Board recently released an analysis in response to concerns about how microplastics carry "negative ecological, human health and socioeconomic impacts."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The reporting focuses on ecological impacts of managing the lakes, but the conclusions suggest that anyone eating fish from the lakes could be exposed to high levels of microplastics. The situation is reportedly worse in Lakes Ontario and Michigan, which have a lot of visitors.

While the board did not point out a risk for swimming, Advnture indicated a concern for those entering the water as well, as scientists have separately linked microplastics with a risk for entering the body through consumption, inhalation, or skin contact (especially through sweat glands and wounds), citing microplastics as associated with long-term ailments like colon cancer, infertility, and respiratory issues.

The board's report did not directly look at human health impacts and focused on ecological ones, though it follows that people who eat fish from the Great Lakes should be especially cautious, as "the microplastic levels in Great Lakes fish are among the 'highest reported worldwide,'" per the report.

Why is this concerning?

The Great Lakes are popular recreation destinations and local treasures, but this report puts the Great Lakes's reputation at stake, potentially harming people's connectivity with nature and painting a worrying picture for the future of the tourism industry.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Even though 80% of shoppers want products from sustainable companies, per a Business of Sustainability Index report cited by The Plastek Group, the news report highlights how pervasive plastic has become in our society.

Unfortunately, plastics are mostly derived from dirty fuels, and they don't fully degrade on a meaningful timescale  though larger plastics do break down into microplastics. Scientists are finding these in soil and water, which raises further questions about whether our food and water supplies have become contaminated with dangerous levels of microplastics.

What's being done about microplastics?

Governments around the world are taking action to clean up plastic pollution, including the U.S. state of California and the European Union. Additionally, many researchers are working on solutions to remove microplastics from water.

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.

You can also take action to avoid contributing to the growing problem of plastic pollution. Swap those single-use plastic products for reusable plastic-free alternatives. Volunteering for community cleanups can also help keep community recreation areas pristine.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Editor's note: A previous version of this article attributed the board's report with concerns around microplastic exposure from swimming, but while the board's report did mention how organisms can absorb microplastics through their tissues, it did not express this concern for human swimming. The article has been updated to indicate this as a side concern due to studies suggesting microplastics can enter the human body through skin contact, particularly through sweat glands or wounds, and not as a concern expressed by the report itself.

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.
SCOTLAND  The Scotland school superintendent is recommending a budget for Scotland Elementary School with no increase, but with the possibility that two teachers will not be returning next year.

The school serves pre-kindergarten through sixth grade, and seventh through 12th graders from town either attend the regional Parish Hill Junior/Senior High School or area magnet, vocational or special education programs.

We have unfortunately had a small dip in enrollment, Superintendent Valerie Bruneau said. Our sixth grade class is a larger class by Scotland standards, with 18 students, and they will go to Parish Hill next year. We do not have 18 incoming students, so with this dip, we need to reduce staff.
Hello, its the weekend. This is The Weekender 

President Trumps attempt to unilaterally withhold foreign aid. Thats $2 billion that had not only already been allocated by Congress, but the work for which had already been completed; the plaintiffs were literally asking the government to pay its bills.

It was an easy case, but a big test nonetheless; if the Supreme Court greenlit that hokum, what wouldnt they allow? Justice Samuel Alito wrote a furious dissent, reframing the payment for work done as a sudden $2 billion tax levied on the unsuspecting public by a tyrannical district court judge.

Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined the liberals  prompting a particularly gruesome and predictable backlash to the latter from the MAGA online.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

That shaky coalition, a sporadically institution-preserving Roberts and a sporadically independent Barrett plus the liberals, seems increasingly likely to be the only potential check on the Trump administration. But the Courts biggest tests are still to come  and are heading its way quickly.

In the lower courts this week, unlawfully fired members of the National Labor Relations Board and the Merit Systems Protection Board were reinstated by federal judges. Both decisions have already been appealed to the circuit court. Judge Beryl Howell, the presiding judge in the NLRB case, acknowledged during oral arguments that shes merely a speed bump en route to the Supreme Court.

Those cases will determine whether independent agencies will be allowed to keep existing at all, or whether the entire executive branch will come under Trumps direct power. Those decisions could bring the unitary executive theory to life, a conception of an all-powerful presidency that the right has been pushing since the Reagan administration. Roberts, who has led the charge in weakening agency protections, will likely have to recreate the federal funding coalition for the agencies to have a chance at survival.

Thank you again, I wont forget it, Trump told Roberts, captured on a hot mic at his address to Congress this week. But the Court isnt willing to greenlight all of the most extreme expressions of his lawless agenda  at least not yet.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

 Kate Riga

Heres what else TPM has on tap this weekend:

Khaya Himmelman reports on House Democrats efforts to pin NYC Mayor Eric Adams down on specifics about the Trump Justice Departments attempts to dismiss the criminal case against Adams and a reported agreement between Adams and the Trump administration.

Kate Riga outlines what were watching as the nation careens toward a government shutdown: both on the degree to which Democrats are willing to exercise what little power they have to rein in Musk and Trump, and in just how much of their power congressional Republicans allow the co-presidents to hoard for themselves.

Emine Yucel outlines President Trumps swift reversal this week when it appeared, at least momentarily, that he was publicly putting new limits on Elon Musk.

Lets dig in.

Eric Adams Refused To Answer Dems Questions About Reported Convos With Trump

Testifying before the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday alongside other sanctuary city mayors, New York City Mayor Eric Adams was grilled by fellow Democrats about his criminal indictment and an ongoing effort by the Justice Department to drop federal corruption charges against him.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Adams, expectedly, refused to engage with questions about his case or a reported agreement with the Trump administration while the case is ongoing. As it stands now, the Department of Justices effort to dismiss the case is still pending.

But throughout this weeks hearing, Democrats pressed Adams on whether he had entered into a quid pro quo with the Trump administration to have his case dismissed in exchange for his cooperation in carrying out the administrations immigration agenda in New York City.

Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) was the first to bring up a possible quid pro quo on Wednesday, asking Adams outright if he was selling out New Yorkers to save yourself from prosecution? Adams responded by saying: there is no deal, no quid pro quo, and I did nothing wrong. Adams has said that before, including in court.

Adams repeatedly responded to Democrats questions about the case by saying that out of deference to U.S. District Judge Dale Ho, who is presiding over Adamss corruption case, he would not answer questions about the matter.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

And anything dealing with this case out of deference to Judge Ho, whos now addressing it, Im going to refer to his actions, Adams told Garcia.

Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA) similarly asked Adams if he had ever discussed his case with anyone in the Trump administration. Adams, again, refusing to address the question specifically, simply said he would not talk about the case, out of deference to Judge Ho.

Later in the hearing, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) asked Adams if he knew if his attorneys had met with anyone in the Trump administration in a January 31 meeting to discuss dropping criminal charges against him. In response, Adams said, again: this case is in front of Judge Ho and out of deference to the criminal justice process that he would defer to him.

In response to the questions from Democrats, Trump administration border czar Tom Homan, in a post on X attempted to defend Adams, saying the mayor is trying to protect New Yorkers from violent illegal aliens, and calling some of the questioning from Democrats simply disgusting.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

 Khaya Himmelman

If You Like TPMs The Weekender, Join Us

One of the ways you survive 25 years as a digital media organization is through evolving and adapting to meet the needs of your audience. This is quite a different endeavor than making changes as a company to appease advertisers or social media algorithms. TPM never pivoted to video, we never ditched our front page, and we arent laying off reporters and replacing them with AI. Other outlets can take a chance on every perceived silver bullet that comes along, but well keep focusing on doing good journalism and being a good place to work.

The Weekender is one such evolution to better serve our readers. Were a small shop and longtime readers will know that for many years, the site sort of just shut down on Saturday and Sunday as our staff was off. But, we knew that readers wanted something TPM-y to read while having a Saturday morning coffee. We also had an inkling that readers might want something a little lighter, that puts a bow on the week that was. Thus, The Weekender was born.

Were able to offer The Weekender as a free product  like the Morning Memo and Where Things Stand  because of support from our members. Weve tried to construct a journalism ecosystem at TPM that benefits the most people because, while we obviously need revenue to produce journalism, its in everyones best interest for that journalism to reach as many people as possible each and every day of the week.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Five years ago when I spoke with Josh Marshall for our 20th Anniversary celebration package, he said, I can really say the company is in better shape than its ever been.. Well I can really say were in even better shape now  thanks to our members. Thats why were in the market for another reporter. So, we hope youll join TPM. Our commitment to you is as that as we grow, so will our value to you.

 Joe Ragazzo

Guide To The Shutdown

As we head into next week, Fridays shutdown deadline fast approaches. Much Hill coverage will have a familiar, horse-racey tone: Will the shutdown happen? How will Reps. X, Y or Z vote? Rep. Z just came out of Speaker Mike Johnsons (R-LA) office, and heres what she said.

We at TPM are going to be very focused on different elements of the shutdown.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

For one, its the first real chance Democrats will have to exert some leverage. Continuing resolutions are subject to the filibuster, so the government will shut down unless a handful of Senate Democrats join the Republicans. If Democrats help Republicans avert a shutdown  without iron-clad guarantees that Trump and Elon Musk will stop illegally dismantling the federal government, with enforcement mechanisms and short deadlines to ensure these famous liars keep their words  the many were cooked lamentations will take on real weight.

Second, there are reasons that Trump and Republicans are pushing so hard for a one-year continuing resolution  a stopgap that would prolong the levels established under the Biden administration. For one, they likely dont want the fight of doing usual appropriations, which is arduous and hard and demands compromise. But for another, the White House is requesting anomalies or additions to a truly clean CR. Rather than going through Congress (the Pentagon gets $x  $x of that to this project, $x of that to this department, etc.), an unallocated pot of money just goes to the Pentagon  a slush fund for Musk and Pete Hegseth.

Democrats are pushing for a much shorter continuing resolution to avert the shutdown, then getting back to work on the regular order of appropriations.

Next week will be revelatory, both on the degree to which Democrats are willing to exercise what little power they have to rein in Musk and Trump, and in just how much of their power congressional Republicans allow the co-presidents to hoard for themselves.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

 Kate Riga

Inside TPM: Nicole Lafond

If you want to understand the inner workings of TPM, theres really no better person to seek out than Nicole.

In addition to overseeing and authoring Where Things Stand and The Weekender, Nicole is TPMs deputy editor who works with all of our reporters. Nicole first came to TPM as an editorial intern back in 2014 and then returned in 2017. So, suffice to say, she has seen a lot. Did you know she once worked at the Daily Caller and I thought she might be some kind of plant infiltrating TPM? We discuss that (she wasnt, obviously.) How has TPM evolved to cover Trump II? We talk about that. Whats the philosophy behind The Weekender and Where Things Stand? She explains. Do you watch Rings of Power? We do, and we talk about it. So check it out, its a good one!

 Joe Ragazzo

Words Of Wisdom

Were gonna be watching them. And Elon and the group are gonna be watching them. And if they can cut, its better. And if they dont cut, then Elon will do the cutting.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Thats President Donald Trump saying billionaire Elon Musk actually will make spending cuts to federal agencies if the heads of those agencies or Cabinet officials fail to do so themselves.

Just hours before this statement, Trump held a meeting with his Cabinet secretaries, telling them staffing decisions will be left up to them  not Musk and DOGE. He walked that back with the above remarks almost immediately.

And this wasnt even the first time this week a similar contradiction surfaced.

During his joint address to Congress on Tuesday, Trump introduced Musk as the leader of DOGE, crumbling weeks of White House efforts to convince the media, the public and the courts of the opposite. That mishap, of course, was the best part of that 100-minute long speech for plaintiffs and lawyers challenging the constitutionality of DOGEs rampage through the executive branch.

 Emine Yucel
Mar. 7SANTA FE  At 19 years old, when Edwin Jesus Garcia Castillo had one foot on the U.S. side of the border and one foot on the Mexican side, he couldn't pull himself to cross. And that was before knowing cartel members would kidnap him multiple times in Mexico, and he'd end up back in the U.S. seeking asylum and ultimately helping hundreds of immigrants in a New Mexico detention center understand their rights.

When federal officials released him from detainment to await his asylum hearing with his family in Tennessee, he was happy. But he also had to leave behind about 300 men in what he described as an unsanitary and inhumane facility, none of whom spoke English.

"Even dogs at dog shelters get treated better," Garcia Castillo said, tears in his eyes.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The House on Friday, after a three-hour debate, voted 35-25 to pass the Immigrant Safety Act, which would bar public bodies from entering into or renewing agreements to detain immigrants for civil violations.

The bill would shut down the three private detention centers in New Mexico  in Torrance, Cibola and Otero counties  that operate via intergovernmental service agreements between local counties and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

ICE held Garcia Castillo at the Torrance County Detention Facility.

Now 26, Garcia Castillo's life has been a grueling one  but also one where he's made it out alive. Not everyone can say the same, said Jessica Inez Martinez with the New Mexico Immigrant Law Center.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The duo is working together to advocate for immigrant-related legislation in the Roundhouse, some of which have failed time and time again. But, Martinez said, the efforts carry a heavier consequence this year because of the mass deportations the Trump administration has promised.

"This bill is our ability to disentangle ourselves from this very corrupt scheme that exists," Martinez said, "because we know that private companies are using our local governments to bypass procurement processes so that they can sign these intergovernmental service agreements without ... disclosing conditions."

New Mexico has five times more detention center bed space per capita than the average state, according to Martinez. The state's three detention centers have the capacity to hold 2,000 people and all are full, according to the Immigrant Law Center.

"We are basically putting our people up on a platter for this laboratory for cruelty," Martinez said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Rep. Rod Montoya, R-Farmington, on the floor, failed to amend the bill to institute an automatic repeal of it after 30 days in the event that a federal employee, agency or entity notifies a loss of federal dollars as a result of the Immigrant Safety Act.

He specifically brought up the loss of Medicaid money, which New Mexico relies heavily on. Bill sponsor Rep. Andrea Romero, D-Santa Fe, rebutted the amendment by saying the Trump administration could use a slew of reasons to take money away from New Mexico, not just HB9.

Rep. Stefani Lord, R-Sandia Park, said she feared a loss of jobs and economic dollars, an argument that's come up in past years of the bill's debates.

Garcia Castillo said valuing money over human lives is what "crosses the line between humans and animals.""Life is precious, he said. "You only get one."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Martinez brought up the case of Roxana Hernandez, a transgender immigrant who sought asylum from Honduras. On May 9, 2018, Hernandez requested admission into the U.S., according to ICE. She died on May 25 after about two weeks in detainment.

Immigrant advocacy groups attributed the death to medical neglect while in detainment, though ICE said it provided thorough medical services. Martinez said Hernandez could've died as a result of deportation for her identity as a trans woman but ended up dying in the U.S. anyway seeking safety.

Martinez said it's reflective of the bill's changed name this year. Formerly known as the "Dignity Not Detention" bill, it's now dubbed the Immigrant Safety Act.

"The facility made 50 cents at the time (from Hernandez)  it's an average of 50 cents per day per detainee. They made like $5 on her life to be complicit in her death," Martinez said. "And so when we're talking about the economic impacts, I think it's important to acknowledge that they're not generating a whole lot of money, yet that has outweighed the cost of human life."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Martinez said the bill is on a strong legal footing, as specific as possible to uphold in court. HB9 heads to the Senate now, where the bill has failed to pass multiple times in the past.

"The real question of this bill is much deeper: Now that we know that immigrants are under siege, will New Mexico take the stance to protect immigrants?"

Other immigration protection bills are also making their way through the Roundhouse, including a measure to bar the state and political subdivisions from using public resources to help identify and arrest immigrants without legal status residing in the U.S. The legislation, Senate Bill 250, passed the Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee on a 5-4, party-line vote Wednesday, much to the dismay of Republicans who said it's unjust to enforce some laws and not others.

"We must resist mass deportation to continue protecting belonging in New Mexico," said Sen. Angel Charley, D-Acoma.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

'We're not criminals, but we are in a jail'

Garcia Castillo was born in Chihuahua, Mexico. His parents legally immigrated to the U.S. when he was about 1 year old, and he obtained a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program status.

Six years ago, Garcia Castillo was arrested in Tennessee on an accusation of domestic assault. Despite his accuser dropping the charges, the court held him on a misdemeanor for provocative actions and sent him to a Louisiana detention center for several months. A judge ultimately revoked his DACA status and deported him.

Garcia Castillo recalled what a change of worlds it was to physically cross into Mexico, a country he hadn't been to since he was a baby.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"I remember that I got to the borderline and I didn't want to cross. ... I had one foot on one side and the other foot on the other side, and then an immigration officer was walking towards me, yelling at me that he was going to have me arrested for illegally crossing if I didn't get the other foot on the other side.

"And one of the people ended up grabbing me and pulling me. I entered, and I remember the sun hit me differently. The air hit me differently," he said.

A few days later, cartel members kidnapped him. His parents paid a ransom for his release, around half a million pesos, but before Garcia Castillo could leave, he was forced to watch the torture of a competing cartel member from Chihuahua, where he was on his way.

"They told me when I get to Chihuahua to make sure I let them know that this is a cartel they don't want to mess with," Garcia Castillo said. "I still have dreams about that to this day. I still hear that man screaming, and it's something that will be with me forever."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He said the person who escorted him to Chihuahua upon his release was a federal police officer.

Garcia Castillo said he ended up getting kidnapped by cartel members three times during his four years living in Mexico, targeted for having American money and a relatively good-paying job in Mexico. The final time, he escaped on U.S. soil, where he asked border officials for asylum.

He spent a few days in a shelter in El Paso, Albergue las Carpas, before officials transferred him to New Mexico's Torrance County Detention Facility.

His recounted experience there reflects that of 2022 reports from the federal Office of the Inspector General: staffing shortages, delayed access to medical care, unsafe and unsanitary facility conditions and insufficient access to legal services.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Garcia Castillo said, as someone who spoke English and relatively understood immigrants' rights, he became a sort of advocate for those who didn't know any better  people who were being deceived into signing English documents for their deportation, people who hadn't been outside in months because of the staffing issues.

"A lot of these people that I met were doctors, were lawyers, were painters, were mechanics, were chefs, kids in universities, kids in high school. I met a father and son. I met two brothers. I saw a lot of older folks and (people from) different countries," he said. "Met two men from China that were fleeing because they didn't want to be the religion that their country was trying to make them be or just their sexual orientation that wasn't accepted."

The best thing he did, Garcia Castillo said, was save five men, all around his dad's age in their late 40s or early 50s, from committing suicide.

"We're not criminals, but we are in a jail," Garcia Castillo said.

"It's just really hard because people are coming to this country to help them to live a better life, to live a safe life, and the first thing (the U.S. does) is ... lock them up, make them go through these processes. It breaks them down, mentally and physically," he added.

He spent 14 days at Torrance before officials released him pending an asylum court hearing in July.

"When I left, I was happy because I was going to see mom and dad, brother and sister. And at the same time, it was really hard because I was leaving a lot of men behind," he said.

A lot of immigrants are afraid of persecution if they speak up about their experiences, Garcia Castillo said, but he's not.

"I don't have any fear anymore," he said. "I lost that a long time ago."
OCONEE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA)  Five individuals were arrested for drug charges last week in Oconee County while deputies searched for a murder suspect.

Authorities said the arrests occurred during the execution of search warrants in relation to locating 18-year-old Daeshawn Marquiz Wilson, of Seneca. Wilson was arrested Monday, March 3, for the murder of Jimmy Ramey, who was found shot to death in a wooded area near Wilsons family property on Wednesday, Feb. 26 in Anderson County.

After Rameys body was located, deputies responded to the Utica Mill Hill area where it had been reported that Wilson was last seen. A search was performed on an address on Humbert Street. At the residence, deputies located almost five pounds of marijuana and a quantity of a controlled substance.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

22-year-old Daylyn Christopher Kennel, of Seneca, was charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana and possession of a controlled substance. 21-year-old Isaiah Lee Matthew Smalley, of West Union, was also charged with possession of a firearm after a gun reported stolen was also found at the home.

Deputies said Smalley was taken into custody after a traffic stop Wednesday afternoon on Blue Ridge Boulevard at Frontage Road near Seneca. The traffic stop was conducted on a possible suspect vehicle. Authorities said Smalley was the passenger in the vehicle, while 26-year-old Benjamin Cornilus Lattimore, Jr., of Anderson, was the driver.

During a search of the vehicle in the traffic stop, almost 44.1 grams of marijuana was seized, along with other evidence. A child was also located inside of the vehicle and was turned over to a family member.

Both men were charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A second traffic stop due to a possible suspect vehicle occurred during the evening on Blue Ridge Boulevard at Keowee School Road in the Bountyland Community. During a search, deputies found almost 51.9 grams of marijuana in a bag.

The passenger, 20-year-old Antonio Moleke Montana Pasco, of Georgia, fled from the traffic stop but was later apprehended. He was charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana. The sheriffs office learned that Pasco had warrants for aggravated assault in Georgia.

A hold was placed on Pasco by the Stephens County Sheriffs Office.

The driver of the vehicle, 20-year-old Tyler Benjamin Robinson, of Seneca, was also charged with simple possession of marijuana due to the marijuana in Pascos possession being found in the car he was operating.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

All five arrestees were released on bond after they were booked into the Oconee County Detention Center on Feb. 26.

Pasco was extradited to the Stephens County Sheriffs Office after he was released from Oconee County according to deputies.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS.
The Seattle-based non-profit SCM Medical Missions is preparing to send a shipping container of medical supplies to Gaza.

Volunteers helped to pack wheelchairs, walkers, blankets, and other medical supplies on Friday.

Rita Zawaideh with SCM Medical Missions says the organization puts together a wishlist for what they would like to donate and people from around the country send in their donations.

She said that the supplies will be shipped to Jordan and a non-profit there handles the delivery to Gaza.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

They need whatever help they can get...we are all just humanitarians and we believe in the survival of the world, she said.

SCM Medical Missions says the shipment will take about 45 days to reach its destination in Gaza.
The arrest of General Gabriel Duop Lam, a senior figure in South Sudans main opposition party, has been labelled a grave violation of the 2018 peace agreement that ended the countrys five-year civil war.

The opposition Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) condemned on Thursday March 6 the detention of Lam and other key officials, all allies of Vice-President Riek Machar, whose rivalry with President Salva Kiir led to the devastating conflict in 2013.

Machars spokesperson, Puok Both Baluang, stated that the SPLM-IO was unaware of the whereabouts or conditions of their detained officials. Baluang expressed the oppositions determination to avoid escalation but called on peace partners to demonstrate political will to prevent a return to war. Despite these calls, government spokesperson Michael Makuei defended the arrests, claiming the opposition figures were detained for conflict with the law. He reassured the public that South Sudan would not return to war.

The arrests come amid growing tensions, including clashes between government forces and the White Army militia in Upper Nile state. This militia, which fought alongside Machars forces during the civil war, has reportedly seized a strategic town near the Ethiopian border. The ongoing violence has raised fears that it could undermine the fragile peace deal, with experts warning that the country risks sliding back into war unless the situation is addressed by South Sudans leadership.
A 14-year-old suspect accused of gunning down two New Jersey police officers, killing one of them, has been charged with murder in connection with the deadly shootout in Newark on Friday night.

The gun battle erupted just after 6:30 p.m. at Carteret St. and Broadway, near a McDonalds and a White Castle burger place not far from the Passaic River, according to the Essex County Prosecutors Office.

The teen gunman reportedly fired off more than two dozen shots as officers closed in, fatally striking 26-year-old Det. Joseph Azcona. He responded to the area as part of a Newark intelligence team seeking suspects in an illegal weapons investigation, police said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He didnt even get a chance to step out of the vehicle before he was struck, Emanuel Miranda, Newarks director of public safety, told reporters during a news conference Saturday.

A second officer, who has not been identified, was also hit and critically wounded in the flurry of gunfire, authorities said. Both officers were rushed to University Hospital, where Azcona, a five-year veteran with the force, was pronounced dead just after 2:30 a.m.

We here at the NJ State PBA are heartbroken to share that an officer from Newark PD has made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty, The New Jersey State Policemens Benevolent Association said in a statement.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said the second officer remained hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries and was listed in stable condition as of Saturday afternoon. He also condemned the violence in Newark as a heinous, callous disregard for humanity.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In total, five people have been arrested so far, including the 14-year-old suspect, who has been charged with murder, attempted murder and possession of illegal weapons, Essex County Prosecutor Theodore Stephens II told reporters.

The teen was also shot during the exchange and is receiving treatment for injuries, which are not believed to life-threatening.

The four others were in custody on Saturday and being interviewed by police and the prosecutors office, Stephens said. None of the suspects names have been released.

Few other details have been provided about the encounter, including what occurred in the moments leading up to the shooting. Witnesses reported hearing an explosion of gunfire after they spotted officers running down the street along a commercial strip between a McDonalds and White Castle in Newark.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Gov. Phil Murphy confirmed in a social media post Friday night that he had been updated on the shooting. He asked for prayers for these officers, their families, and all our men and women in uniform who put their lives on the line to keep us safe.

Murphy and his wife later paid a private visit to the hospital where the officers were taken, according to his communications director.

Attorney General Matthew Platkins office was also closely monitoring the situation.

With News Wire Services
The second suspect wanted in the slayings of a Fort Worth rapper and his 5-year-old daughter at a Forest Hill car wash has been arrested.

Jakobie Russell, 21, was booked into the Fort Worth city jail about 5 p.m. Friday and then transferred to the Tarrant County Jail later Friday evening, jail records show.

Russell turned himself in to U.S Marshals with the help of his attorney, according to a statement from Forest Hill police.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Russells arrest comes one day after the other suspect in the capital murder case, 24-year-old Adonis Robinson, was arrested in a town outside Houston. Robinson was arrested in Livingston by Fort Worth police and the Texas Rangers.

Robinson will be transported to Tarrant County in a few days as extradition documentation is pending, according to Fridays statement.

The two men are accused in the Monday shooting deaths of Ronnie G$ Lil Ronnie Sibley and his daughter Rmani Sibley.

Police have not commented on a motive for the shooting, but security camera video from Slappys Express Car Wash appears to show the two gunmen targeted Sibley.

This is a developing story. For the latest updates, sign up for breaking news alerts.
Utah Sen. John Curtis is co-sponsoring the bipartisan No Hezbollah in our Hemisphere Act with Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev, which would put pressure on Latin American countries to cut ties with Hezbollah.

The bill requires the State Department to determine whether Latin American countries are terrorist sanctuaries and imposes restrictions on officials who currently support Hezbollah.

Bill sponsors say Hezbollah has built an extensive network in Latin America and uses the region for terrorism, organized crime and drug distribution.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Hezbollah is directly responsible for the murder of hundreds of Americans, Sen. Curtis said. For too long, this Iranian-backed terrorist group has used Latin America as a safe haven for illicit financing, recruitment, and other criminal activitiesfueling drug trafficking at our southern border and posing significant threats to our national security."

Curtis added, My legislation with Senator Rosen directs the United States to take action on Hezbollahs alarming presence in Latin America to help keep us and our allies, including Israel, safe from their terrorist ambitions.

Sen. Rosen similarly described Hezbollahs long presence in Latin America. This is a threat to U.S. national security and cannot be tolerated, she said. Thats why Im proud to introduce this bipartisan bill to make clear that we will not accept countries turning a blind eye to Hezbollahs harmful actions.

How would the No Hezbollah in our Hemisphere Act work?

The bill lays out steps for the Secretary of State to follow.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

First, the proposed legislation requires the U.S. Secretary of State to demand that Latin American governments stop exemptions for Hezbollah supporters, work to greylist entities cooperating with terrorist groups and determine whether regional governments have the resources necessary to investigate terrorist activities.

Argentinas model for terrorist designation should be used as a blueprint by these countries, it says.

Foreign government officials who do not comply with the legislation would face visa bans and travel restrictions when coming to the U.S. Further, if an official has an active visa to the U.S. and continues to support Hezbollahs activities, their visa would be revoked immediately unless they take verifiable steps that show their connection with Hezbollah is severed.

Few countries in the region have designated Hezbollah a terrorist organization or placed significant restrictions on its operations, and some countries even openly provide it with material support, Tyler Stapleton, the Director of Government Relations and FDD Action, said in the bills press release.

The American Jewish Committee also endorsed the bill Friday morning on X, saying it would protect Jewish populations not only in the U.S, but in Latin American countries as well.
Both of Arizonas Democratic U.S. senators are urging the Trump administration not to close the Phoenix office that handles federal services for 53 tribes in the West, including 20 in the state.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs Western Regional Office in Phoenix is among a list of at least nine Arizona locations targeted for closure by President Donald Trumps Department of Government Efficiency, according to a list prepared by Democrats in the House Natural Resources Committee.

Sens. Ruben Gallego and Mark Kelly wrote a letter Thursday to the General Services Administration, which serves as the governments landlord, asking to reverse this decision and provide clarity about how the decision to close this office was reached.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We are very concerned that this office closure is the latest in a long string of arbitrary attacks on the fundamental functions of the federal government, their letter continued. The federal government is at serious risk of failing at its most basic obligations, including breaking long-held promises to tribes.

They asked GSA to respond by March 21.

The Phoenix office, at 2600 N. Central Ave., is only part of the Arizona offices that Democrats fear will be shuttered as part of DOGEs sweeping, nationwide downsizing efforts.

Others include the office near Montezuma Castle in Camp Verde and an environmental monitoring office that serves national parks in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Six of the targeted offices are located in the northeastern Arizona district of Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz. Two are in the downtown Phoenix district of Rep. Yassamin Ansari, D-Ariz. One is in the Tucson district of Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz.

Here are all the Arizona offices and their expected termination dates:

BIA office, Airport Terminal Building, 3401 E. Airport Loop, Show Low, Jan.6.

BIA Law Enforcement Office, 400 Pipe Springs Road, Fredonia, June 30.

National Park Service main facility, 353 W. Middle Verde Road, Camp Verde, April 6, 2026.

NPS Corner of Trails office, 6400 N. U.S. Highway 89, Flagstaff, Aug. 31.

NPS Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot National Monuments office, 527 S. Main St., Camp Verde, Aug. 31.

NPS Southern Arizona Office, 3636 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, date to be determined.

NPS Southern Colorado Plateau Network, 930 N. Switzer Canyon Drive, Flagstaff, Sept. 30.

BIA Western Regional Office, 2600 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, Aug. 31.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Ecological Services Field Office, 201 N. Bonita Ave., Tucson, Aug. 31.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Sens. Ruben Gallego, Mark Kelly want Indian Affairs office kept open
HAWAII KAI, Hawaii (KHON2)  Concerns are rising in east Oahu after several feral cats were shot at the Hawaii Kai park and ride.

A local rescue CEO said seven felines were targeted since February, six have died and the Hawaiian Humane Society is now pushing for cameras in the area.

Cats shot, laws soft: Calls for stricter Hawaii cruelty penalties

Leilani Ng runs a local trap and neuter organization in Kalihi and said bodies of five feral cats with suspicious wounds were found around the Hawaii Kai park and ride since Feb. 2. A sixth injured cat was taken into the Hawaiian Humane Society where it had to be euthanized in mid-February.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Get news on the go with KHON 2GO, KHONs morning podcast, every morning at 8

The pathology report on the X-ray showed metal, shrapnel and and stuff throughout her body, Ng said. Its hard to say. It could be a BB, it could be a pellet, it could be a bullet.

Ng then caught a seventh cat that had been targeted on Feb. 27  a 4-year-old male named Panda which had apparently been shot through the head.

He had a projectile that entered through his eye and out of his lower left jaw, Ng said on Pandas injuries.

Panda is expected to make a full recovery aside from losing his left eye.

Animal cruelty cases opened after four cats shot in Hawaii Kai

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Its a heinous crime. Its, I couldnt imagine someone shooting an animal. We are the voice for the animals. And to do that, that person needs to be tried and put away, said HHS Field Services & Response lead investigator C. Fragozo.

Local rescue organizations and HHS said the recent shootings speak to the need for surveillance cameras at the park and ride and said they are pushing to get them installed soon. They ask that the public help out by being their eyes and ears in the meantime.

We have no identity. We have no leads on a suspect. Thats why were going to try to push to get cameras out here so we can get those leads, get law enforcement involved and then capture the suspect, Fragozo said.

Like park and rides, state lookouts, things like that. Anywhere that people knowingly congregate because then it deters other things besides animal cruelty and things being shot, Ng said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

City officials said there are no current plans to install cameras at the park and ride, Honolulu police opened a second degree animal cruelty investigation and asked any witnesses to call 911.

Check out more news from around Hawaii

Because you never know. The next animal that could be dead could be yours, Ng 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.
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD)  Beginning on Monday and through most of the summer, a South Peoria street will be closed to through traffic as part of the Combined Sewer Overflow control project.

South Steubenville Street between West Widenham and West Kettelle streets will close beginning Monday at 7 a.m. The work is expected to last through the summer, said Nick McMillion, a spokesman for the citys Public Works Department.

Additionally, the following streets will be closed at Steubenville:

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Widenham

West Smith Street

West Johnson Street

West Martin Street

West McBean Street

Kettelle

For years, runoff from a large rain event would combine with sewage and flow into the river instead of the citys treatment plant. The problem had City Hall and the federal government at odds since the 1980s.

Referred to as a combined sewer overflow, the sewage contributes to elevated bacteria levels in the river and poses health risks.

In December 2020, the city and the federal Environmental Protection Agency entered into a consent decree where the city agreed to spend more than $100 million to fix the aging system over an 18-year period. In return, the EPA agreed to not ley millions in fines against Peoria.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

For more information, go to the citys website regarding CSOs.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
princeton  New software allows computers to draw up 3D patterns for womens wear, but area businesses offering wedding dresses, prom dresses and other attire still need people who actually know how to sew.

A local textile industry consultant and womenswear designer, Reid Miller of Princeton, said she is doing a survey with local businesses and artists who work with textile products to find out what they need to help grow their businesses.

Miller said that by addressing shared business needs identified in the survey, the project hopes to grow the textile industry in Mercer County and create more jobs and opportunity, particularly for young people and caregivers who need jobs they can do from their homes. Reid stopped at Bridal Central near Princeton and spoke about the survey.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

One survey goal is to understand the needs of local businesses using textiles, she said. Some may need employees who are trained to sew and others may need help with challenges such as marketing.

Im going to be surveying a bunch of different businesses in the community, Miller said. From that were going to look at what comes out of that survey and see what are the common needs between these businesses. And then what groups do we have in the community and the region to help address those needs.

Mercer County businesses working with textiles could need help with marketing or using e-commerce, she said.

Basically were linking what the business needs are with what is available in the community, what we can bring to help solve those needs and the only relevance that will help my business hopefully as well, but Im not here as a business owner. Im here as a textile advocate.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Miller said she is learning to use computer software that creates 3D patterns for clothing.

That is a business to basically make custom-fit womens wear clothing for clients who are not in the community mostly, Miller said. Its mostly providing a product that is like custom-fit blouses, for example, for women. And I use a really interesting 3D pattern-making software. West Virginia University is training me on how to use this software and were basically working on creating a more valuable product, something thats custom fit as a way to create sewing jobs in the community.

Miller said she would love to see other textile businesses use the software.

I think that theres not a lot of businesses that are aware of this software, so one of the potential ideas is Im training young people in the vocational school (Mercer County Technical Education Center) to use these softwares, she said. Business owners tend to be really busy around here so they dont a lot of time to learn new softwares; so were thinking of an upcoming workforce of young people who know how to use these softwares and who know how to sew and that could help lift the industry up.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

While computer software makes 3D patterns, businesses still need people who know how to sew.

Sewing still has to be done with human hands, Miller said. If we cant sew things, we cant do anything with the textile industry.

Finding people who know how to sew, aside from retirees and the older generations, is becoming difficult.

Thats a big need thats coming up because theres not a whole lot of people who know how to sew at this point, Miller said.

The owners of Bridal Central, Taylor Bosley and her mother, Ginger Harvey along with seamstress Lisa Lambert were participating in Millers survey. The boutique expanded earlier this year when two businesses merged.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I had owned Hillbilly Grace Boutique and then my daughter and I purchased Bridal Central Jan. 1, and so we kind of merged the two, Harvey said. Were in it together.

Bosley worked at Bridal Central while attending college and saw the need for people with sewing skills. Lambert works constantly on sewing garments.

Lisa stays busy year around, Bosley said. She hates to turn anybody away, but theres nowhere to send them unless they have a grandmother that still does it or an aunt who does it or a mother.

Its very hard and she tries to help everybody, but shes only one person, Harvey said. She tries to get some help, but cant find anybody who knows how to do it.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Miller said she has been working with Accelerate Princeton, a program of the WV Community Development HUB and the ACT Now Coalition. The project is a partnership with the Princeton and Bluefield Economic Development Authorities and the Mercer Street Grassroots District.

Textile businesses, textile artists and others working with fiber or fabric can participate in the survey by going to https://shorturl.at/eDibp on the internet.

Miller said that she plans to share survey results in late spring on the Facebook page WV Textile Makers.

Contact Greg Jordan at

gjordan@bdtonline.com
Morocco reiterated its commitment on Thursday to collaborating with African stakeholders and international partners to address climate challenges and bolster Africas climate sovereignty.

Morocco remains ready to work closely with African and international partners to strengthen climate resilience, ensuring that Africas climate sovereignty contributes to peace, security, and development, the Moroccan delegation, which holds the Councils presidency for March, told the Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU PSC).

The Moroccan delegation emphasized that the Kingdom, under the leadership of King Mohammed VI, is committed to fostering an integrated African model for climate resilience and security. This ambition is at the core of Moroccos approach, based on unity, collaboration, and enhanced collective capacities to turn climate threats into opportunities, the delegation noted.

Morocco has launched several Africa-focused initiatives to promote homegrown climate solutions, including the Initiative for the Adaptation of African Agriculture (AAA) and the Initiative for Security, Stability and Sustainability (SSS). These programs combine food security, social stability, and environmental sustainability, demonstrating Moroccos commitment to long-term climate resilience.

The delegation also highlighted the launch of three Climate Commissions during the African Action Summit, held on the sidelines of COP22 in Marrakech in 2016. The commissions include the Sahel Commission, chaired by Niger; the Commission of Island States, chaired by Seychelles; and the Congo Basin Commission, chaired by Congo. These platforms aim to provide holistic and sustainable responses to climate challenges while promoting sustainable development across the continent.

Morocco further called for stronger advocacy with AU partners to secure sustained, predictable, and sustainable financing tailored to Africas specific climate challenges.

In this regard, the delegation urged investment in African-led initiatives focused on agricultural adaptation, natural resource sustainability, human capital stability, and institutional security.
On International Womens Day, Dr. Solanges Vivens story of going from a young girl facing chronic illness in Haiti to becoming a successful business owner in the U.S. is an inspiration for women with a dream.

Dr. Solanges Vivens journey from a young girl in Haiti to a successful healthcare business owner in the United States has been a testament to the resilience of women around the world.

Long before she gained recognition as the founder of a Vital Management Team, Long Term Care, Inc., a multimillion-dollar nursing home management company, which she sold in 2018, she was simply Solanges, an Afro-Caribbean girl born and raised in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Growing up in the city with her mother and father, Dr. Vivens often looked to them for help as she navigated rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic autoimmune disease that causes joint pain. Her father, who had never attended school, created remedies that relieved her pain just as local doctors were able to do.

I was really crippled, she told theGrio in an interview. I couldnt sit. I was in pain constantly.

Her fathers knowledge of science was a testament to the natural intelligence Dr. Vivens believes Haitians havean intelligence that she saw in herself as well. However, at 19, she was urged by her parents to leave her community amid the rise of the Tonton Macoutes, a Haitian Creole term for the paramilitary and secret police force created by Haitis president at the time, Francois Duvalier, also known as Papa Doc in 1959. The Tonton Macoutes marked nearly thirty years of dictatorship and harsh rule that lasted until 1986.

I graduated school in June and in July, I was exiled, she tells theGrio. They said, You better not come back.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Arriving in America as a teenager and non-English speaker in 1965 on a two-month visa, Dr. Vivens found work as a seamstress at a factory in Manhattan, a skill she learned from her mother through sewing dolls and doll clothes as a child. Each skirt she sewed at the factory earned her a nickel.

After one factory, she worked at another in the Garment District, sewing zippers onto suitcases. Later on, she was able to find work as a hospital aide, while her immigration lawyer focused on obtaining documents proving she was able to work and live in the United States. To Dr. Vivens, this symbolized a beautiful freedom in America: the right of immigrants to exist and thrivea right she believes is no longer granted to immigrants today.

America used to take care of its own, Dr. Vivens conveys. America understood that immigrants make this America we live in today.

Through her lawyer, she found work with a wealthy familyan opportunity that changed the trajectory of her life.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I knew they were the haves, and I knew I was a have not, she tells theGrio. And I pledged to myself and God that one day I would become a have.

Dr. Vivens did just that.

She earned a bachelors degree in nursing from Long Island University, became a registered nurse, and completed a masters degree in Health Services Management at Georgetown University. With over 20 years of experience managing nursing homes, she eventually co-founded a company with two partners. After buying them out, she became the sole owner of Vital Management Team, Long Term Care, Inc, one of Washington, D.C.s top geriatric nursing facilities.

The main secret to her success was her and her husband living below their means so that she could accomplish her dreams. For her, that was owning the company she co-founded.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We lived like we had nothing, Dr. Vivens reflects.

Now that Dr. Vivens has experienced the highs of business success, shes moved into media, creating Vivens Media Group. She is the author of Educated Girl, Empowered Woman: The Art of Living with Grace, Joy & Dignity, a memoir for every woman on the path to self-discovery and empowerment, and she hopes to create a movie adaptation of her book, Girls Can Move Mountains: Rewriting the Rules of Female Entrepreneurship.

Dr. Vivens also has been working on a documentary about her relationship Saint Solange, who she shares a name with, and is exploring opportunities to find a distributor.

From a young Afro-Caribbean girl battling a chronic autoimmune disease to a determined 19-year-old immigrant in the United States who became an ambitious business owner dedicated to helping others with their health challenges, Dr. Vivens is enjoying her well-earned retirement. She aspires to empower all women with her story of courage and her message of hope.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We as women take care of people every dayand we forget we exist, she tells TheGrio. The first thing I ask women to do is look in the mirror. Love the girl in the mirror. Let her know you will do anything to protect her because if you dont protect her, she cant protect anyone else.

More must-reads:
Miami-Dade County Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz announced Friday she is offering some reprieve to drivers who have been hit with school bus camera tickets.

The action follows an investigation by the Miami Herald and the nonprofit Tributary newsroom, which revealed that the tickets were being issued in error.

The Herald/Tributary investigation found that many Miami-Dade drivers were ticketed by the school districts bus safety program though theyd done nothing wrong. They were were driving on the opposite side of a raised median from a stopped school bus. Thats legal, but they got the $225 ticket anyway.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The investigation also found that when those same drivers tried to fight the violations, they were stuck in limbo waiting for a court date that never came. Often drivers would just pay the fine.

Cordero-Stutz on Friday posted on the social media platform X that she was suspending these violations.

Urgent Update on Bus Camera. I have immediately suspended enforcement of all citations that relate to median violations. Stay tuned for further updates.

The school bus safety program is a collaboration between the school district, the Miami-Dade Sheriffs Office and BusPatrol, a private company that administers the program.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Capt. Ryan Howett, who oversees planning and special projects for the Miami-Dade sheriff, told the Herald that drivers should email SSCP@MDSO.com if they feel they were given a violation in error.

After a contract hastily signed by the school district kickstarted the program last year, BusPatrol installed cameras on all Miami-Dade school buses to catch motorists in the act of illegally passing a school bus with its stop-arm extended. Since then, the program has issued tens of thousands of $225 violation notices. Revenue numbers provided by the school district indicate the program is flagging more than 407 paid violations per day, seven days a week, generating a staggering $19.5 million in the first six months of the program.

Superintendent Jose Dotres issued a memo last Friday instructing Ivan Silva, the chief of Miami-Dade Schools Police to work with the county sheriffs office to fix the citation review process.

The Miami Herald reached out to the sheriffs office and the school district for clarification on whether the suspension applied to violations going forward, or if it would be applied retroactively to drivers who had already received a notice of violation. They have not yet replied.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Steve Randazzo, the chief growth officer of BusPatrol, also would not elaborate. Youre going to have to ask [the sheriffs office], he replied. As always, we support the enforcement decisions around citation issuance made by the law enforcement agency since they have the sole discretion in this area.

Also this week, a class action was filed against BusPatrol on behalf of Miami-Dade drivers who say they were not given due process when fighting their tickets.

As of Dec. 19, 120,000 drivers had received violation notices in Miami-Dade County for illegally passing extended school bus stop arms. The courts have received more than 1,000 notices from people who tried to contest their citations, but so far no drivers have been given a chance to make their case in front of a judge.
At least 12 people have been injured in a shooting at a pub in Toronto that left blood all over the floor as three suspects remained on the run hours later.

Police said they received numerous emergency calls after three men fired randomly into the venue in the district of Scarborough in the east of the Canadian city on Friday night.

Officers are still hunting for three male suspects, Toronto Police said early on Saturday, following the incident near Progress Avenue and Corporate Drive at around 10.40pm local time. The force added that one suspect wearing a black balaclava was seen fleeing the scene in a silver car.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Police described shot pubgoers surrounded by broken glass and blood all over the floor when officers arrived on the scene, according to local media.

Superintendent Paul MacIntyre, unit commander of the organised crime enforcement unit, said purses and shoes were scattered around the pub, while food and drinks were still on the tables, reported the Toronto Star. Its kind of eerie, he said.

The senior officer said CCTV footage showed revelers enjoying a Friday night like any other at the bar, before gunshots were heard and people were seen falling to the floor and ducking for cover.

He added that blood was also found in the basement, where some people had hidden.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

None of the victims  who range in age from their twenties to mid-fifties  suffered life-threatening injuries, police said in a post on X, adding that six of those injured have gunshot wounds. The remaining six victims were hurt by flying and broken glass.

During a news conference at the scene, Supt MacIntyre said: "One male was armed with what appears to be an assault rifle, the other two males were armed with handguns, and they walked into the bar, they produced their guns and they opened fire indiscriminately on the people sitting inside.

Police arrived at the scene and found 12 people suffering from various injuries (Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press via AP)

Police arrived at the scene and found a dozen people suffering from various injuries, with Supt MacIntyre calling the victims "extremely lucky" not to have suffered fatal injuries.

The motive was not immediately clear, Supt MacIntyre said, calling the shooting "a brazen and reckless act of violence that's really shaken our community and the city itself".

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Supt MacIntyre said he and other officers were "horrified" by what they saw on a security video, adding: "These guys just looked at the crowd and opened fire.

Officials warned the public to stay away from the area.

I am deeply troubled to hear reports of a shooting at a pub in Scarborough. I have spoken to Chief Demkiw and he has assured me all necessary resources have been deployed. This is an early and ongoing investigation - police will provide further details. My thoughts are with the  Mayor Olivia Chow  (@MayorOliviaChow) March 8, 2025

It is troubling because of the magnitude of the shooting and the number of people hurt, Mayor Olivia Chow said at a press conference Saturday morning.

Police are still looking to determine a motive for the shooting.

Our investigation will tell us whether or not this pub was targeted for a particular reason, MacIntyre said Saturday. Maybe somebody was inside that somebody didnt like. Maybe somebody had a beef with the business. We dont know.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said the department had his full support as they bring those responsible to justice.

My thoughts are with the victims and their families, and Im praying that all those affected by this terrible shooting make a full recovery, he added in a statement on X.

Toronto police are calling on the public to submit any information related to the shooting.

We are urging anyone with information, video footage, or eyewitness accounts to come forward and assist in this investigation, the department wrote in a statement on Saturday.

Employees and bystanders near the shooting expressed their shock at the sudden outburst of violence at the pub, which was celebrating its opening weekend.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ive been here a couple of times for training and today was supposed to be my first shift, pub employee Pooja Reddy told the Toronto Star. Its very shocking and I feel very bad for whatever happened. They were just sitting there eating. They did not deserve to have a fate like that.

Lemaun Bailey-McIntosh, who was out shopping near the crime scene on Saturday, said it was a miracle that nobody got killed in the shooting.

Pedestrians were walking by, [people were] having a good time on a Friday night, and just to see something like this, it's terrible," they told the CBC.

Fridays gunfire came the same week the city of Toronto released statistics for the first two months of this year showing 17 shootings had taken place, a 26 percent decrease from the same period in 2024.

Over the last week, three people have been wounded in four shootings clustered at sites related to the towing industry.
TORONTO (AP)  A dozen people were injured in a shooting at an eastern Toronto pub in what police called a reckless act of violence by three men who entered the bar and fired randomly without warning.

Superintendent Paul MacIntyre of the Toronto Police Service said that authorities received numerous emergency calls reporting a shooting at the Piper Arms around 10:40 p.m. Friday.

A preliminary investigation determined that three males entered the pub and began shooting at customers, MacIntyre said during a news conference at the scene. There were no immediate arrests.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

One male was armed with what appears to be an assault rifle, the other two males were armed with handguns, and they walked into the bar, they produced their guns and they opened fire indiscriminately on the people sitting inside, MacIntyre said, adding that there were no fatalities.

Police arrived at the scene and found 12 people suffering from various injuries. The victims were transported to local hospitals and six were confirmed to have gunshot wounds that were not life-threatening, MacIntyre said, calling the victims extremely lucky. The remaining six victims were hurt by flying and broken glass.

The motive wasn't immediately clear, MacIntyre said, calling the shooting a brazen and reckless act of violence thats really shaken our community and the city itself.

MacIntyre said that he and other officers were horrified by what they saw on a security video.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

These guys just looked at the ground and opened fire," he said.

Shortly after the shooting, police said that a suspect wearing a black balaclava was seen fleeing in a silver car and was still at large after the shooting. People were being warned to stay away from the area.

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said she had spoken to Police Chief Myron Demkiw and was told all necessary resources had been deployed.

It is troubling because of the magnitude of the shootings and the number of people hurt, and I dont want to speculate as to the why and how, Chow told reporters Saturday morning at a news conference.
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH)  A gunshot victim who arrived at a hospital was shot on the 300 block of Huntington Street on Friday evening in New Haven, says police.

At around 5:42 p.m., a ShotSpotter notification paired with multiple emergency calls alerted officers to Huntington Street where they located numerous shell casings, but found no victim.

Later that evening at 6:13, Yale New Haven Hospital notified police that a 34-year-old resident of the city arrived by private vehicle suffering from a gunshot wound.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The victim is said to have non-life-threatening injuries.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call detectives at 203-946-6304 or leave an anonymous tip at 866-888-8477.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com.
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS)  A Shreveport firefighter was transported to the hospital to be evaluated after experiencing a medical condition while fighting a house fire on Friday, March 7, 2025. This is the latest in a string of vacant house fires in the city.

CenterPoint Energy uses new tech to detect methane leaks in Shreveport

The fire in the 1800 block of Myrtle Street was reported at 12:41 p.m. Crews from Fire Station 4 arrived within three minutes. They reported smoke and flames coming from the home and quickly extinguished the flames.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

More than two dozen firefighters were dispatched to the fire. Investigators are working to figure out what caused the home to catch fire.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTALnews.com.
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS)  The Highland Center in Shreveport is in phase two of transforming into a vital lighthouse for supporting residents during weather disasters, with backup power, water, and emergency support through the Community Lighthouse project.

The Highland Center is a nonprofit organization that offers free tax filing, emergency support, neighborhood wellness programs, career readiness programs, and more.

We are working towards getting backup power and backup response in any kind of disaster. Weve been working really closely with our partners at Caddo Parish North Louisiana Interface. So, part one is almost complete. We have our backup power, solar panels on, water roof up there, and today, were doing part two, which is getting backup water through a water well, explains the Highland Centers executive director, Madison Poche.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Highland Centers roof is lined with solar panels, providing backup power for the community.

Additionally, Poche says the water well is 175 feet deep underground. Once operational, it will be available for residents to use during emergencies. She hopes the Highland Centers Lighthouse project is accessible to as many people as possible.

So definitely our plan is to make sure that neighborhood-based Disaster Response Hub is in as many neighborhoods as possible. So right now were starting with pilot projects to kind of the east and the west parts of town. But we want to make sure that anyone can be within a 15-minute walk or a 15-minute drive of basic power and water necessities, says Poche.

Galilee Church $500K funding measure postponed, Lighthouse Project

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Highland Center shared on social media: About four years ago, as the snow was melting, water pressure was restored after some residents lost access to water for up to two weeks. We have been collaborating with partners to develop a better plan for future crises, which includes water wells at the Community Lighthouse pilot project sites, Morning Star Baptist Church of Shreveport, and the Highland Center.

Poche says Community Lighthouses are essential for neighbors to help each other during natural disasters so that first responders can focus on more significant emergencies.

Neighbors can be prepared to help other neighbors. So our first responders in a natural disaster, in a really big emergency, can, you know, prioritize 911 calls. We can be taking care of each other when small issues like keeping a medical device charged, or keeping your medicine cold, or just having clean drinking water, before these smaller issues become nine on one calls, says Poche.

So I hope it builds our capacity to take care of ourselves and take care of each other and to be a stronger part of our community, use the disaster response plan.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This project has secured vital support from the American Rescue Plan disaster response funds through Caddo Parish and substantial private backing from the North Louisiana Interfaith Coalition.

Poche underscores the Highland Centers Water Well is currently not operational.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU)  A local church is asking for help finding the culprit who did serious damage to their parking lot.

Bethel Baptist Church, located on Gordon Drive, was notified on Tuesday that a large vehicle pulled into their parking lot, leaving behind a mess. Eventually, the lot could not handle the weight and crumbled.

DoubleTree by Hilton in Sioux City now taking reservations

According to a police estimate, $20,000 in damages was done to the asphalt. Due to the high cost, pastor Mark McGlohon says they are not able to afford repairs.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The only way that we will be able to handle something like this will be to take out a second loan, McGlohon said. And you know, were barely making ends meet now, so to take out a second loan, you know, how are we going to pay it back? So its put us in quite a bind.

While figuring out how to afford repairs, the church is facing another issue: finding a new way for the seniors to safely make it into the church.

Our older people normally would get in their car and drive down and they were able to go in. Now, theyre not able to even go down there for classes and everything McGlohon said. So the seniors and the people that are handicapped, thats got me concerned. So that certainly is, I think, one of the bigger needs.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Spencer businesses awarded $747k in flood recovery grants

As of now, police have ruled some possible causes for the incident but have not found the responsible party. Residents with information are asked to reach out to the Sioux 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 SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports.
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU)  As preparations for Easter begin, Friday fish fries are again popping up at Catholic churches across Siouxland.

Having our annual Lenten fish fry, starting [Friday] and runs until April 17, said Glenn Sedivy, financial secretary with the Knights of Columbus South Sioux City. Weve been doing this for probably close to 30 years.

This is our 39th annual fish fry, said Father Brad Pelzel with Mater Dei Perish in Sioux City. The gentlemen here have been doing this for a long time.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Organizations have been serving up fish for so long that they know just how long it will take them to prepare for the big day.

Siouxland church seeking justice for damage done to parking lot

We start on Wednesday during the day getting the fish ready, Sedivy said. Thursday, we get the coleslaw ready, the potatoes, and then every Thursday evening theres a group of us, [we] get together to prepare everything and get the bread packaged.

They started preparing yesterday to get the fish cut and ready, and then today they would have been started setting up the tables at about 2:00, Pelzel said.

Fish is at the center of this Lent tradition, but theres also something for everybody.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We serve fried pollock or baked pollock along with fried shrimp and then mac and cheese for the kids, Sedivy said. We also have a cheesy potato coleslaw and a dessert.

Weve got a salad bar, Pelzel said. Weve got fish, both fried, baked. Weve got a few that have gotten potatoes, or weve got French fries, or weve got macaroni and cheese for the kids.

Some organizations say its not just an event for Catholics to attend. It has become more of a social gathering, where people of all denominations bring their friends and family to have a good time.

DoubleTree by Hilton in Sioux City now taking reservations

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I remember my first time coming here, but my grandmother used to say that when I came here, I used to get a big plate of fish and eat it, fish fry participant Isaiah Laffin said.

The Knights of Columbus say they look forward to sharing the proceeds each year with the community.

We help with community projects, Sedivy said. We provide funding to not only the local Catholic churches, but our council includes Dakota and Dixon and part of Thurston County.

If you missed out on the fish fries this week, youll still get your chance. The Knights of Columbus will be servings fried fish every Friday until April 17.

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.
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

Like many anxious parents, Beth Spektor spent the last few weeks fretting over how to protect her infant daughter from the first deadly measles outbreak to hit the U.S. in a decade.

Her 9-month-old was too young for the first dose of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, typically given to American toddlers shortly after their first birthday.

But when her New Jersey mommy WhatsApp group started buzzing about an early bonus dose of MMR for babies, Spektor decided to ask her pediatrician for one anyway.

"I was assuming she would say, 'It's up to you,' or 'It's not a bad idea,' something a little less definitive," the mother said.

Instead, the doctor urged her to take the extra jab, a move they recommended to all infant patients after three linked cases were reported in their region.

"[The doctor] said she was hoping that [U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.] would change the schedule to recommend that all babies over 6 months get the bonus dose," Spektor said.

That's unlikely, experts say. Despite the current outbreak, measles is still rare in the U.S., and while MMR is safe for babies as young as 6 months, it's more effective in toddlers. Most pediatricians still recommend holding off until a child's first birthday, with a few narrow exceptions.

Meanwhile, Kennedy has spent this week touting codliver oil and steroids, alongside a tepid endorsement of vaccines.

Yet even as record numbers of parents now delay or decline inoculation, pediatricians and public health experts said they've seen a surge in requests for bonus doses following the death of an unvaccinated six-year-old in West Texas last week.

When reports of an infected Orange County, California, infant carrying measles through Los Angeles International Airport began to circulate Friday, that curiosity turned to panic in some households.

"There has been a noticeable increase in parental concern about measles, particularly among those who plan to travel with young children or who have infants in daycare," said Dr. Priya R. Soni of Cedars Sinai Medical Center, an assistant professor of pediatric infectious diseases. "Some parents are requesting early MMR vaccination, which is an appropriate strategy in certain high-risk situations."

So-called "zero" or "supplemental" doses of MMR have long been recommended to jet-setting infants who will travel to countries such as Ireland, Sri Lanka or the Philippines before their first birthday.

While most people survive a measles infection, the disease kills more than 100,000 children every year worldwide, leaves an additional 60,000 children blind and thousands more with permanent brain damage.

The grave risks are why early shots are also given to babies living near domestic outbreaks. The Texas Department of Public Health is currently recommending bonus doses for infants in six counties, including Gaines, where the largest outbreak emerged.

"It's one of the most contagious illnesses that we know about," said Dr. Meghan Martin, a pediatric emergency medicine doctor at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg, Fla., who helps explain infectious diseases to her 2.3 million followers on TikTok.

Martin got her own daughter a bonus dose before a visit to New York during a measles outbreak there in 2018. But she said most parents should forego it unless their babies are headed to a high-risk country or live in an outbreak region.

Dr. Eric Ball, a pediatrician in Orange County and chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics' California chapter, said he recommended bonus doses to his patients in 2014, during the height of the Disneyland outbreak. But with no active outbreak in the area, he is advising patients to wait.

But some doctors said they were open to early vaccinations even for infants whose daycare classmates travel abroad, as well as families in communities where many parents avoid or space out vaccines.

"I actually recently had a conversation with a parent [who said], 'We're moving our almost one-year-old to a place with a lot of vaccine hesitancy, so we'd like to do an early MMR,'" said Dr. Nelson Branco, an assistant clinical professor of pediatrics at UCSF, who sees patients in Marin County. After searching the local kindergarten vaccination rate, "I said, 'It's not strictly recommended, but I would give it if you'd like.'"

Doctors agree early jabs aren't as effective as later ones, which is why they don't count toward the two-dose series all children need for kindergarten.

That hasn't deterred some pro-inoculation parents on TikTok and Reddit from trading tips on how to snag extra shots for trips to Disney World, even as anti-vax parents smear them as toxic and deadly on the same comment threads.

"Looking through posts [on Reddit], I kept seeing it," said Angela Owens, a first-time mom in Maryland who underwent a stem cell transplant in 2022 and had not yet gotten a replacement MMR when she got pregnant. "Continually seeing those posts, it's like, 'Am I worried enough? Am I worried too much?'"

Doctors said their experience was the same in clinic.

"I'll be in one room, and I'll talk to a patient for 30 minutes to convince him to get one vaccine, and I'll go to the next room and have someone who is eager to give their kids an extra bonus vaccine," said Ball, the Orange County pediatrician.

The practice of handing out bonus doses gave some experts pause.

Dr. Paul Offit, a pediatrician and director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, said it reminded him of the early days of the COVID vaccine, with part of the country refusing vaccination and part of the country collecting so many shots they "should have had a Pfizer loyalty card."

"The benefits of waiting until 12 months of age is greater than the largely theoretical risk that you're going to be exposed to someone with measles," even in a daycare setting where a baby might be exposed to other children who are traveling internationally, he said.

Babies get their earliest "vaccines" from their mothers, in the form of blood proteins that pass through the placenta in the third trimester. Those maternal antibodies protect infants while their immune system matures. But they can also blunt the effects of the measles vaccine, neutralizing the weakened virus before the baby's body mounts a response.

"There's not a simple formula," said Dr. William Moss, executive director of the International Vaccine Access Center at Johns Hopkins. "If you wait longer, a higher proportion of children will develop a protective response. We're weighing that with the child's risk of getting measles."

In places where measles is common, the World Health Organization recommends the first vaccine at 9 months, when the vast majority of infants will develop immunity. Where it is rare, the recommendation is between 12 and 15 months, when nearly all children will.

"There were some very early studies ... that did suggest children who got an early first dose of the measles vaccine had less of a response to a later dose," Moss said. "My take on that literature is that it was flawed and there were a number of subsequent studies that did not demonstrate that."

But newer studies have complicated the picture in another way, he said.

The current guidelines were developed at a time when many mothers had immunity from measles infections. Now, most have immunity from the vaccines themselves. Though babies still inherit these maternal measles antibodies, they're weaker and wane sooner than those from wild-type measles, studies show.

The World Health Organization has supported earlier inoculations in some cases, noting in 2020 that babies in countries such as the U.S. "may become susceptible to measles well before the age of vaccination, but they may also be more likely to develop protective immune responses when vaccinated."

Babies often get measles from school-age siblings, meaning as vaccine hesitancy spreadsincluding the practice of spacing or delaying vaccinesso does danger.

"We're seeing a lot more kids in practice that are not being vaccinated," said Martin, the Florida doctor. "Maybe only 85% of [2-year-olds] I see in practice are vaccinated, which is concerning."

She and other experts agreed that the best defense for babies is for everyone else to get their shots on time.

"The bottom line message is people should be vaccinated," Moss said. "If enough of the general population is vaccinated, we will protect infants from getting measles through herd immunity. That's what's worked."

2025 Los Angeles Times. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
When an election concludes, and a politician enters Downing Street as Prime Minister for the first time, they rapidly learn two things. The first is that politics is not just a clash between Left and Right, but between Westminster and Whitehall. The second is that Whitehall often wins.

Sir Keir Starmer began his term with what appeared to be high hopes for the Civil Service, seemingly convinced that simply dropping the confrontational tone adopted by the Conservatives would be enough for the Rolls Royce of the British state to purr into life. Within months, however, he was publicly bemoaning that too many in the public sector were comfortable in the tepid bath of managed decline. We are now seeing the results of this epiphany.

Cabinet Office Minister Pat McFaddens scheme offering underperforming civil servants cash to quit is set to spearhead a drive to cut bureaucracy across the state. This is clearly welcome: far too many within the public sector are evidently comfortable with its current underperformance, and the civil service headcount has been allowed to swell beyond reason. Equally, initiatives to introduce pay-by-results schemes and to week out underperforming senior officials are clearly positive.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

They still, however, leave a great deal further to go. They will only reduce headcount by 10,000 or so, coming nowhere close to reversing the post-pandemic hiring boom that saw over 100,000 added, and will not address the more fundamental problems bedeviling the relationship between Ministers and their departments. To tackle these, Sir Keir should be willing to entertain far more radical reforms.

It is of note that these first steps appear to take direct inspiration from Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency in the US, which offered a voluntary redundancy scheme that quickly saw a large number of departures. Sir Keir should not be afraid to lean into these Trumpian instincts, to learn from the approaches taken overseas, including in Singapore and Australia, or to step beyond trimming headcount to larger reforms.

The principle that the Government should govern seems simple but in 21st Britain is little short of revolutionary, requiring a wholesale reshaping of the civil service. In particular, the relationship between ministers and their departments should see the former function with powers akin to those of CEOs, dismissing the incompetent and ensuring that their orders are carried out. The outdated Northcote-Trevelyan structures should also be reformed, potentially allowing for political appointments. It is not an immutable rule of political life that power lies with unelected bureaucrats rather than Westminster, but a choice. Britain should choose otherwise.

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.
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  Alissa Harrison accepted her brother Trevors diploma on March 7 after he was tragically killed by a stray bullet on Feb. 15.

The 27-year-old was returning from Home Depot with plumbing supplies for a job when he was shot while driving through the intersection in the 4600 block of Fairfields Avenue. He had been working for a man with dementia at the time of his death.

He had recently completed his studies at ITI Technical College, where he earned an associates degree in Drafting and Design Technology and was set to graduate at the top of his class. His sister Alissa accepted the diploma on his behalf during the ceremony.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He was a hard worker, a smart kid, a shining star thats been extinguished now by pure evil and hatred, his father, Travis, told Louisiana First News.

Family seeks justice after son killed by stray bullet: Its a parents worst nightmare

Police have no suspects or motive in the shooting, and the investigation is ongoing. The Harrison family is asking anyone with information to come forward or contact Crime Stoppers at 225-344-STOP.

Latest News

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Louisiana First News.
The sister of a man who was fatally shot by an Orange County deputy in early February is speaking out.

Jose Luis Lopez-Lopez was killed after he called 911 to report a burglary at his home on Castle Street. He was 26 years old.

Deputies say when they arrived, they saw in a window that Lopez-Lopez was fighting with a man in the kitchen. This man was his co-worker who reportedly climbed in through a window unannounced.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to the arrest affidavit. deputies yelled at Lopez-Lopez at drop a knife they thought he was holding, believing he would hurt the other man. A deputy then shot him in the head.

The affidavit states investigators found no knife at the scene.

Lopez-Lopezs family says they are still trying to figure out what happened and why. Through a translator, his sister, Araceli Lopez-Lopez, said they are still trying to wrap their heads around his death.

If only they would have acted differently. We want justice. We have our family here. Anybody can tell you were humble people, she said.

The co-worker, 25-year-old Cristian Duran Contreras, is facing charges of burglary and second-degree felony murder.

Lopez-Lopezs funeral was held Friday in Mexico.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
UPDATE: SATURDAY 3/8/2025 12:13 p.m.

(DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo.)According to CSP, the initial call said multiple vehicles were stranded on southbound I-25 near Woodmoor Drive. When CDOT responded, they found no obstructions on southbound I-25 but several on northbound I-25.

CSP stated that 9 semis and one car were stuck due to the ice. Trucks put down sand to improve road conditions, and CDOT responders followed one semi and two vehicles with bald tires up a hill.

UPDATE: FRIDAY 3/7/2025 6:20 p.m.

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) said that as of 6:09 p.m., southbound I-25 lanes were back open to traffic.

ORIGINAL STORY: Lanes of southbound I-25 closed north of Monument due to stalled vehicles

FRIDAY 3/7/2025 6:06 p.m.

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) said three lanes of I-25 heading southbound are closed due to stalled vehicles on Friday, March 7.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to CDOT and the Colorado State Patrol (CSP), multiple vehicles have stalled on I-25 southbound north of Palmer Divide Road, and CSP said there were some slide-offs from the interstate.

Courtesy: Colorado Department of Transportation Courtesy: Colorado Department of Transportation Courtesy: Colorado Department of Transportation Courtesy: FOX21 News Photojournalist Sean Scott Courtesy: FOX21 News Photojournalist Sean Scott Courtesy: FOX21 News Photojournalist Sean Scott Courtesy: FOX21 News Photojournalist Sean Scott

CDOT cameras show stopped traffic in both northbound and southbound lanes. Alternate routes are strongly encouraged, and if you must travel in the area, take it slow and watch for slowing traffic.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado.
Thousands of protestors gathered on March 7 in more than 40 cities across Slovakia targeting the government of Prime Minister Robert Fico, Slovak media Aktuality reported.

In Bratislavas Freedom Square, protesters chanted shame and called Fico a traitor, declaring that Slovakia is Europe.

Fico's government has faced criticism for its perceived alignment with Russian interests, and his administration has repeatedly criticized Western aid to Ukraine.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Demonstrators accused Fico of distancing from the European Union, and for strengthening ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"Robert Fico chose Putin, Slovakia chooses Europe," the protest organizers said.

Protesters also condemned remarks by Ficos chief advisor, Erik Kalinak, who recently suggested that Russias defeat of Ukraine would give Slovakia a reliable neighbor.

Numerous large-scale protests have occurred in Slovakia in the past few months following Ficos remarks and visit in Dec. 2024 with Putin in Moscow. In Jan. 2025 hundreds of thousands of protestors took to the streets, chanting similar slogans including Enough of Fico.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Read also: As protests engulf Serbia, President Vucic looks for support East and West

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WDTN)  A smoothie bar business is set to open its first Dayton area location at a busy Washington Township shopping center.

Better Blend is preparing to open in Washington Park Plaza at 689 Lyons Road in Washington Township. The location is currently on target to hold an April 5 grand opening.

Wesley Kohler, owner of Better Blend Washington Township, said the location was chosen because of its proximity to schools and venues involving exercise.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

From a starting point, it was just a good spot to pick from, said Koehler. Just like a good neighborhood, good schools. Its central to Miamisburg, Dayton Christian and Centerville. And then also our location is right next to Planet Fitness and Goldfish Swim School and the Washington Township Rec Center.

Isaac Hamlin, CEO of Better Blend said the business offers smoothies and acai bowls. The items may taste like its bad for you, but Hamlin said its the opposite, as the company has macronutrients in mind.

Everythings going to be high protein, high vitamins, minerals, low in calories, carbs, sugars and fats, said Hamlin. And were able to do that with flavors that tastes like indulgences, but theyre still good.

According to Hamlin, the companys mission is to bring healthier options to people.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Were just here to help make the better moment started because we wanted to help people eat healthier, said Hamlin.

Better Blend offers customers a rewards program, where consumers can earn 10 points for every dollar spent. It also offers catering for people to consider healthier options.

The companys nearest location is in Mason, but is also in the process of adding a location in West Chester.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
At 11 a.m. Friday, residents throughout Marion County heard the familiar whine of a tornado siren. No need to batten down the hatches, though  it was just a test.

Indianapolis can expect to hear the siren tests every Friday at 11 a.m., a representative for Marion County Emergency Management confirmed.

If there's a chance of severe weather happening at the same time as the test, the test will be cancelled.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Except for the weekly Friday drill, the sirens only go off when there's a tornado warning. The city formerly activated sirens ahead of severe thunderstorms, too, but reversed course on that policy in 2024.

How to tell the difference between a watch and a warning in Indiana

A tornado warning means a tornado has been spotted in the area. A tornado watch means the conditions are ripe for one.

More: Here's the most Indiana way to tell the difference between a tornado watch and a warning

If you hear a tornado siren when you're outside, seek shelter immediately. Check for current information on local television, radio or social media sources. Remain indoors until the weather's passed.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

There have been more than 1,500 tornadoes in the Hoosier State since 1950, according to the Indiana Department of Homeland Security.

More: Indianapolis tornado sirens will only sound during warnings

How to prepare for tornado season

Marion County residents can register for emergency alerts by texting MESAINDY to 67283. Those who prefer to receive notifications through voice calls or email can sign up at Smart911.com.

Indiana's Department of Homeland Security recommends building a disaster kit to prepare for an emergency. The kit should have at least three days' worth of drinking water and food, a flashlight, first aid supplies and a weather radio.

A week of weather education

Next week marks Severe Weather Preparedness Week in Indiana, thanks to a proclamation by Gov. Mike Braun. Between March 9-15, the National Weather Service Indianapolis will make several daily social media posts about different emergency readiness topics.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

At 10:15 a.m. on Tuesday, the NWS will team up with state agencies and nonprofits to conduct a statewide drill of communications systems. Sirens won't sound then, but radio and TV will be briefly interrupted. Should severe weather strike at the same time, that test will be postponed to Wednesday, NWS meteorologist Andrew White said.

Here are the daily NWS preparedness topics for the week.

Sunday: Weather Ready Nation: Creating communities that are educated and ready for severe weather events.

Monday: Severe Weather Outlooks and Watches: Public safety agencies' and media's roles during severe weather outlooks and watches.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Tuesday: Severe Weather Warnings and Tornadoes, Statewide Tornado Drill Day: What to do when a warning is issued. Schools, businesses and homes throughout Indiana are encouraged to practice their tornado responses.

Wednesday: Other Types of Severe Weather Hazards: It's not just tornadoes. Indiana's also vulnerable to blizzards, high winds and hail, among other threats.

Thursday: Flooding: Indiana experienced 76 flooding or heavy rain events in 2022, according to the governor's proclamation. This day will focus on handling this sudden hazard.

Friday: Response and Recovery: Partners' roles during an ongoing disaster and in the days, weeks and months after.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Saturday: Recap of Severe Weather Preparedness Week: An overview of themes and tips reviewed throughout the week.

Ryan Murphy is the communities reporter for IndyStar. She can be reached at rhmurphy@indystar.com.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: March 9-15 marks Severe Weather Preparedness Week in Indiana
The Social Security Administrations acting commissioner recently acknowledged that "DOGE people are learning and they will make mistakes, but we have to let them see what is going on at SSA," according to the Washington Post. Meanwhile, the report added that cuts to staff, spending and operating systems are already delaying the processing of claims.

Acting Social Security Administration Commissioner Leland Dudek privately admitted that Elon Musk's team of cost-cutters will trip up, sources told the Washington Post.

In a meeting Tuesday with senior staff, legal-aid attorneys, and advocates, the agency's interim chief acknowledged that the Department of Government Efficiency are "outsiders who are unfamiliar with nuances of SSA programs," according to the report, which cited detailed notes taken by someone at the meeting.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"DOGE people are learning and they will make mistakes, but we have to let them see what is going on at SSA," Dudek said. "I am relying on longtime career people to inform my work, but I am receiving decisions that are made without my input. I have to effectuate those decisions."

The Social Security Administration didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

President Donald Trump has vowed not to cut benefits but has claimed massive fraud. Musk also raised concerns about his plans for the safety net after he said tens of millions of dead Americans are receiving Social Security checksa claim the Associated Press debunked.

And last week, he added to fears when he called Social Security a Ponzi scheme and described the federal government as one big pyramid scheme.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In a separate message to SSA staff obtained by the Post, Dudek said the agency has been operating on autopilot for too long, creating inefficiencies.

We have spent billions annually doing the same things the same way leading to bureaucratic stagnation, inefficiency, and a lack of meaningful service improvements. It is time to change that," he wrote last Saturday, adding that the agency would outsource "nonessential functions to industry experts."

Dudek plans to cut 7,000 jobs as part of the Trump administrations broader push across the federal government to slash staffing levels and trim costs. But SSA has already seen a number of departures at senior levels, including regional commissioners and top leadership.

Meanwhile, Trump's nominee to lead the agency, Fiserv CEO Frank Bisignano, awaits Senate confirmation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

SSA employees told the Post that DOGE-led cuts to staff, spending and operating systems are already sowing chaos and delaying the processing of claims, including reviews of disability claims and hearings before administrative law judges.

In addition, wait times for customer service on phones lines have grown to hours with one regional office forced to take calls from two-thirds of Indiana. Handling all the calls means staff haven't been able to process retirement claims, according to the report.

And DOGE's spending freeze on government credit cards has prevented some offices from paying their phone bills.

The US DOGE Service didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Its just chaos, people are terrified, and no one knows anything, including our supervisors, one employee told the Post, while another worker with 30 years of experience warned, "No one really knows what theyre doing, no one has answers, and at some point, something is going to break."

Of particular concern is the 65-year-old programming language known as COBOL, which is used at SSA and at other federal agencies.

COBOL is no longer taught to recent engineering hires at SSA, sources told CNN, and long-tenured IT staff with experience dealing with the fragile systemas well as the numerous software workarounds that keep it runningare at retirement age.

Former Social Security Commissioner Martin OMalley, who headed the agency during the Biden administration, told CNBC last week that cuts have already led to IT outages, which he predicted will become more frequent and last longer each time until theres a total failure.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ultimately, youre going to see the system collapse and an interruption of benefits. I believe you will see that within the next 30 to 90 days," he said, adding that people should start saving now before payments stop.

Charles Blahous, a senior research strategist at George Mason Universitys Mercatus Center and a former public trustee for Social Security, told Fortune on Monday its unclear whether the SSA staff cuts are more likely to result in an interruption of benefits or an increase in improper payments.

Thats because claims for Social Security disability payments involve more hands-on work compared to retirement benefits, which are more efficient, he explained.

Its not obvious to me where the choke point will be, Blahous said in an email. If the reduced staff err on the side of making sure all claims are processed, improper payments will likely rise. If instead the reduced staff prioritizes preventing improper payments, the risk of processing delays would increase.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
The Social Security Administration said it is reinstating a plan to recover 100% of overpayments to beneficiaries.

This erases a policy the agency had changed last year after dozens of people complained that taking those monthly benefits away was leaving them financially strapped and for some even homeless In a statement, SSA said late Friday that it will increase the default overpayment withholding rate for Social Security recipients to 100% of a persons monthly benefit, the same level that it had in place before last years reform.

9 investigates, along with COX Media stations across the country, and KFF Health News has been investigating the overpayments.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We found that many of the overpayments were caused by government accounting mistakes and of no fault of the beneficiary.

For 18 months, we have worked to get their accounts straighten out.

That included a push for change in how the overpayments were collected. Because of public backlash on overpayment recovery, the agency capped the withholding rate for someone who had been overpaid at 10% of the persons monthly benefit.

But now, the SSA said it will start claiming 100% of benefit checks to cover new cases of overpayments, while the withholding rate for people with overpayments before March 27 will remain at 10%, as will the rate for overpayments for Supplemental Security Income, a program for low-income seniors and disabled Americans.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The SSA writing, People who are overpaid after March 27 will automatically be placed in full recovery at a rate of 100% of the Social Security payment,The agency is required by law to claw back overpaid benefits.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
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:

Noise playback. Credit: Humanities and Social Sciences Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1057/s41599-025-04645-x

A team of cognitive neuroscientists and acoustic engineers at Adam Mickiewicz University, in Poland, has found no evidence that wind turbine noise causes mental impairment. In their study, published in the journal Humanities and Social Sciences Communication, the group conducted experiments exposing human volunteers to various noises and measured a range of impacts.

Over the past several years, several groups and individuals around the world, most particularly in the U.S., have conceived of the idea of something called "wind turbine syndrome"a theory that suggests noise from windmills can cause mental illness, or other health problems such as cancer. To date, such claims have not been backed up by research or any other type of proof. In this new effort, the research team in Poland sought to find out if there is any merit to the theory.

The researchers recruited 45 students at a local university who listened to various noises while wearing devices that measured their brainwaves. The researchers intentionally chose young volunteers because prior research has shown they are more sensitive to noise than older people.

None of the volunteers were told the purpose of the study. They were also kept in the dark regarding the source of the noises they heard. Each was exposed to normal traffic noise, silence and windmill noise. None of the volunteers could identify the source of the windmill noise; most described it as some sort of white noise.

Schematic overview of the study design. Credit: Humanities and Social Sciences Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1057/s41599-025-04645-x

Additionally, none of them reported the noise from the windmills as any more bothersome or stressful than the traffic noise. No evidence of mental health issues was found during testing. The researchers were also unable to detect any measurable difference in brain waves as the volunteers listened to the two types of sounds.

The research team says that listening to windmill noise in the short term does not appear to pose a mental health threat. They acknowledge that their results cannot be generalized, but propose that longer-term exposure to windmill noise is unlikely to cause mental health problems, either.

More information: Agnieszka Rosciszewska et al, Cognitive neuroscience approach to explore the impact of wind turbine noise on various mental functions, Humanities and Social Sciences Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1057/s41599-025-04645-x

 2025 Science X Network
KENTUCKY (FOX 56)  Nearly 300 soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division have been deployed to the U.S. southern border.

According to an announcement on Thursday, the soldiers will reportedly join military forces there and work with the Department of Homeland Security as well as customs and border protection agencies.

LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In January, several soldiers stationed at Fort Campbell had been deployed following an executive order from President Trump declaring a national emergency.

The division posted on Facebook that soldiers will be based in three locations: Fort Huachuca, Arizona; Fort Bliss, Texas; and Joint Base San Antonio, Texas.

The Soldiers of the 101st Division Sustainment Brigade are always ready to answer the call, and this mission is no different, said Col. Josh Porter, 101 DSB commander. Their expertise in logistics and support will be critical in ensuring the success of border security efforts. I have full confidence in their professionalism, dedication, and ability to execute this mission with the highest standards of excellence in service to the American people.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News.
SOMERSET, Ky. (FOX 56)  A Somerset mother has been accused of lighting her sons house on fire using pizza boxes.

According to the Ferguson Police Department, patrol officers were dispatched around 2:50 p.m. on Thursday to the 600 block of Soard Street for a house fire.

Read more of the latest Kentucky news

Officers noted that flames were coming from the roof of the home, and a neighbor advised that the homeowners werent there but that 64-year-old Renee Whitehead had been staying there with her son.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

An initial investigation revealed that the fire started in the kitchen by using the electric range to ignite pizza boxes, per court documents.

Whitehead reportedly admitted to police during an interview that she had set the house on fire using the stove and a piece of cardboard in the kitchen, then fed the fire with pizza boxes.

She also allegedly told police she set her Harlan County apartment on fire last week.

LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:

After she set the home on fire, Whitehead reportedly took her dog to a nearby home and watched the dwelling burn.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Whitehead was booked in the Pulaski County Detention Center on second-degree arson and first-degree criminal mischief 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 56 News.
AUSTIN (KXAN) Theres a homeless encampment in southeast Austin that is drawing concern from people who live nearby.

Its located just off William Cannon Drive and Bluff Springs Road, right across the street from a neighborhood.

The property

The property is filled with trash, open flames, drug paraphernalia and many tents where people are living. For months it has continued to grow with no signs of slowing down.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We do recognize that this specific property is posing some challenges to the community, said David Gray, the City of Ausin Homeless Strategy Officer.

KXAN reached out to the city to find out why the camp remains and what is being done to get the people living there off the streets and into programs that can help them.

So we have worked with the code enforcement department to do cleaning at the property, Gray said. I have had outreach staff go to the property to see if anyone at the property is willing to take us up for offers on shelter. No one yet has taken us up yet on that offer.

Homeless camp fires raise concerns during freezing weather

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

More than two months ago, KXANs Jala Washington reported on the property, highlighting concerns people had about open fires and the general safety for people living nearby. When KXAN cameras returned in March, we saw even more people and trash on the property, as well as open drug use.

KXAN asked Gray what happens if someone staying in one of these camps refuses help?

Our philosophy is, if someone says no the first time, that is ok, we are going to come back the next day, and the next day, and we are going to keep on coming back and let them know that we see you, we value you and that these are real opportunities to help you get you off the street, Gray said.

Gray said this property is private so it can be a challenge to clean up. KXAN is working to get a hold of the property owner to find out if they are aware of the issue.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to the Travis County Appraisal District property search the owner is listed as MT Properties LLC out of Wilmington, Delaware.

KXAN asked the city if it has been in contact with the property owner, but we have not heard back.

KXAN has also requested 911 and 311 calls for the property, but that request is still pending after more than a week.

Shelter space

Gray said there is only one shelter bed for every five people that need assistance.

Last year we had more than 24,000 people make contact with one of our homeless providers, Gray said.

Gray said on any given night there could be 6,000 to 6,500 people sleeping unsheltered on the streets.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The city has invested millions of dollars into what are meant to be temporary shelters, places like the Northbridge and Southbridge shelters.

Bridge Housing is a hybrid of emergency shelter and transitional housing to serve the target population. It features short-term housing and supportive services, with the goal of helping people achieve self-sufficiency or to access available permanent housing options.

KXAN asked the city if it tracks how many people have entered bridge shelters, but then end up back on the streets.

More than 100 people relocated from camps to Austin homeless shelters

The city tells KXAN that 431 clients exited the Housing-Focused Encampment Assistance Link (HEAL) shelters in 2024. The city said 102 clients went to negative destinations (streets, other shelters, or jail) in 2024. Fifty-three clients exited HEAL shelters to unknown destinations in 2024.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

HEAL is a program in Austin that connects people experiencing homelessness to shelters and housing resources.

Returns to homelessness does happen unfortunately however our positive success rate here in Austin is higher than the national average, Gray said. I think last time I checked 92% of people who graduate from our programs, we do not see those folks come back into the Homeless Management Information System.

Mental health and addiction

Low bed space is one challenge, but many of the people facing homelessness also struggle with mental illness and addiction.

We know it is a problem with this population, we do have substance use programs, harm reduction programs and other services for folks that are looking to get clean, Gray said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Gray said reporting any issues with drugs is still the best thing to do.

If people in the area see any concern related to public safety on the property, please call 911 and report that activity, because that helps the city and in our case with the private property owner, to compel the private property owner to take action, Gray said.

But people tell KXAN they are doing that. One person who wanted to stay anonymous, lives near a different encampment in east Austin,. He said he has called 311 and 911, and its discouraging to see no changes.

I have probably called a dozen times, but I probably should have called 40 times, the man said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The man said abandoned properties near him have become a place where drugs are being used, bought and sold in plain sight.

There was fire and police because we had an overdose on the street and that is becoming essentially a weekly thing here, the man said.

Gray said they have cracked down on the sale of drugs near and around shelters.

We worked a couple of instances last year with Austin Police Department, where we knew there were drug dealers, preying on people experiencing homelessness  some of those operations in abandoned structures, Gray said. We were able to identify those structures for APD and work with their task force to eliminate those nuisances from communities.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The shelters dont allow drug use and have a zero tolerance policy.

Our clients know if you use drugs in our shelters, if you bring drugs into our shelters, or if you manufacture drugs in our shelters, or in our housing projects, you will get kicked out, Gray said.

The man KXAN spoke to said more should be done for those struggling with addiction and mental health, or there needs to be a crackdown on the people supplying the drugs.

My understanding is that if people want to get access to the resources, they have to be sober, the man said. So it does not surprise me that the people you see most often, the regulars, per se, are folks that are using drugs.

Perspective from the streets

KXAN spoke with Dixie Clanton who has been experiencing homelessness for about a year and a half in Austin.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He said he has reached out about getting into a shelter, but it can be a long and difficult process. He said it is hard to access resources when living on the streets, because many people live far away from the main facilities.

Clanton said a lot of the larger camps attract those who prey on the people who suffer from addiction and thats why he stays away from them.

He said the majority of the people he knows access homeless resources, and he knows about a few success stories. However, he said there are also people who dont want to leave the streets.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Brad Sigmon, a convicted double murderer, has been executed by firing squad in South Carolina. It was the first execution by firing squad in the United States since 2010, the first ever for South Carolina and only the fourth since the reinstitution of capital punishment in the U.S. in 1976.

Sigmon, who at 67 is the oldest person to be executed in South Carolina, chose firing squad over the two more common methods of lethal injection or electric chair, and was pronounced dead at 6:08 p.m. ET on Friday.

Sigmon was convicted of the 2001 murders of his ex-girlfriends parents, who were bludgeoned to death. He also kidnapped his ex-girlfriend at gunpoint, but she managed to escape.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In a statement shared by his lawyer, Sigmon said, I want my closing statement to be one of love and a calling to my fellow Christians to help us end the death penalty.

One of Sigmons lawyers, Gerald Bo King, explained that Sigmon felt that death by firing squad was his only choice, after the states three executions by lethal injection inflicted prolonged and potentially torturous deaths on men he loved like brothers," and the state failed to provide assurances about the quality of the drugs that would be used in a potential lethal injection.

King explained, Brad only wanted assurances that these drugs were not expired, or diluted, or spoiledwhat any of us would want to know about the medication we take, or the food we eat, much less the means of our death.

Both South Carolinas Republican Governor, Gov. Henry McMaster, and the U.S. Supreme Court declined to halt Sigmons execution.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Following his clients execution, King said in a statement, Brads death was horrifying and violent. It is unfathomable that, in 2025, South Carolina would execute one of its citizens in this bloody spectacle.

South Carolina reinstated the death penalty in 1974. In 2021, after a decade with no executions, the state legislature authorized the use of the electric chair and firing squad, in addition to lethal injection. One execution by firing squad was previously halted by the state Supreme Court in 2022 and an injunction against the use of the electric chair or firing squad issued as they violated the states constitutional prohibition against cruel, unusual, and corporal punishments.

The death penalty is legal in 27 U.S. states and at the federal level, making the U.S. just one of three OECD member countries that retain the death penalty (the other two are Japan and South Korea, the latter of which has not carried out an execution since 1997). Globally, it is still legal in 56 countries, while 112 have abolished it entirely, including Canada, the U.K., Mexico, EU member states, and Australia.

According to the Death Penalty Information Center, the number of new death sentences issued in 2024 climbed to 26. Public support for the death penalty remains at a five-decade low of just 53 percent. In December 2024, then-President Joe Biden commuted the death sentences of 37 men on federal death row, while North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper commuted the sentences of 15 men on the states death row.

In 2019, the Trump administration announced its decision to resume executions for federal crimes, and under President Donald Trump, 13 federal inmates were executed. On the first day of his second term, Trump issued a memorandum rescinding former Attorney General Merrick Garlands moratorium on federal executions.
(NewsNation)  South Carolina on Friday executed convicted murderer Brad Sigmon by firing squad after the death row inmate called for the end of capital punishment through a written statement that was read to witnesses.

It was the first time in 15 years that a firing squad had been used in the United States, and the first time for South Carolina.

Sigmon, 67, was convicted of killing his ex-girlfriends parents in 2001. The execution was carried out Friday evening about 6:05 p.m. local time after Gov. Henry McMaster declined to grant clemency to Sigmon.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Witnesses at the execution in Columbia say marksmen fired in unison at Sigmon, who was wearing a hood and strapped to a chair with a red target over his heart. He reportedly was wearing a black jumpsuit and black shoes.

The inmate was pronounced dead at 6:08 p.m., said Chrysti Shain, spokeswoman for the South Carolina Department of Corrections. She said the inmates last statement, read to witnesses, called for the end of the death penalty.

Social Security Administration offices DOGE, Elon Musk is closing

I want my closing statement to be one of love and a calling to my fellow Christians to end the death penalty, Sigmon said, according to the statement.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Sigmon had selected firing squad over the electric chair or lethal injection. His attorney, Gerald Bo King, told NewsNation earlier that Sigmon avoided lethal injection because the last three procedures in South Carolina were botched.

So, Mr. Sigmund was in the position of having to choose between the firing squad, which has never been used in South Carolina, hasnt been used in the United States in 15 years, or the prospect of dying for over 20 minutes while strapped to a gurney, while (his) lungs fill up with fluid and blood, King said. And having seen this happen with three men that he knew very well  men considered brothers  that was not a choice that he could bring himself to make.

In addition, King said his client didnt have enough time or information to choose the most humane way to end his life.

The last time Sigmon talked to King was Thursday afternoon. Hes made peace with what will happen to him, NewsNation was told.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Some family members of the victims, David Larke and Gladys Gwendolyn Larke, will be in attendance to watch this execution get carried out, including their grandson, Ricky Sims.

Hes going to pay for what hes done, Sims said to the Greenville News. He took away two people who would have done anything for their family. They were the rock of our family  They didnt deserve it.

The last time someone was put to death by firing squad was in 1985 by the state of Utah. That was for Ronnie Lee Gardner, who was sentenced to death in the killing of attorney Michael Burdell.

How long should you keep tax return records?

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Randy Gardner, brother of Ronnie Lee Gardner, is now against the death penalty. In an interview with NewsNation, he recalled what it was like that day that his brother was executed, as well as the media circus that surrounded that Utah prison.

Randy Gardner is now against the death penalty.

Why do we kill people who kill people that show the killing is wrong? Its to me, its a real moral issue, and I think it should be for everybody, Gardner said. Why would someone want to kill somebody else?

Todays execution marks the sixth one thats planned over the next three weeks in America. The other states that will be carrying out these executions include Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Florida using a variety of methods including lethal injection and, in the case of Louisiana, death by suffocation from a gas chamber.

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.
South Koreas President Yoon Suk Yeol, who lawmakers voted to impeach over his declaration of martial law, has been freed from detention after prosecutors decided not to appeal a court decision canceling his arrest.

Yoon remains suspended from his duties and still faces ongoing criminal and impeachment trials.

He was seen bowing to cheering supporters, who were waving Korean and US flags, as he walked out of the detention center in Uiwang on Saturday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I would also like to express my deep gratitude to the many citizens who have supported me despite the cold weather, as well as to our future generations, Yoon said in a statement following his release.

His release came after Seoul Central District Court on Friday canceled his arrest warrant based on technical and legal grounds. The Seoul Detention Center confirmed to CNN earlier on Saturday that they received a letter from the Seoul prosecutors office ordering his release.

Yoon has been in detention since January when he was arrested on charges of leading an insurrection  one of the few criminal charges the president does not have immunity from.

His December 3 decree threw South Korea into turmoil when he banned political activity and sent troops to the heart of the nations democracy  only to reverse the move within six hours after lawmakers forced their way into parliament and voted unanimously to block it.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Lawmakers have since voted to impeach him and he is now waiting for the countrys Constitutional Court to decide whether he will be removed from office permanently or be reinstated.

His impeachment trial is separate from the criminal charges he faces.

His release means that Yoon can now await the impeachment verdict, expected to come in coming weeks, from home instead of in detention.

South Koreas main opposition party leader Lee Jae-myung, said Friday that the court ruling does not clear Yoon of allegations he destroyed the constitutional order through an unconstitutional military coup.

This story has been updated.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
South Koreas impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol was released from prison on Saturday, a day after a Seoul court cancelled his arrest to allow him to stand trial for rebellion without being physically detained.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  South Koreas impeached conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol was released from prison on Saturday, a day after a Seoul court canceled his arrest to allow him to stand trial for rebellion without being detained.

After walking out of a detention center near Seoul, Yoon waved, clenched his fists and bowed deeply to his supporters who were shouting his name and waving South Korean and U.S. flags. Yoon climbed into a black van headed to his presidential residence in Seoul.

In a statement distributed by his lawyers, Yoon said that he appreciates the courage and decision by the Seoul Central District Court to correct illegality, in an apparent reference to legal disputes over his arrest. He said he also thanks his supporters and asked those who are on hunger strike against his impeachment to end it.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Yoon was arrested and indicted by prosecutors in January over his Dec. 3 martial law decree that plunged the country into huge political turmoil. The liberal opposition-controlled National Assembly separately voted to impeach him, leading to his suspension from office.

The Constitutional Court has been deliberating whether to formally dismiss or reinstate Yoon. If the court upholds his impeachment, a national election will be held to find his successor within two months.

The Seoul Central District Court said Friday it accepted Yoons request to be released from prison, citing the need to address questions over the legality of the investigations on the president. Yoons lawyers have accused the investigative agency that detained him before his formal arrest of lacking legal authority to probe rebellion charges.

The Seoul court also said the legal period of his formal arrest expired before he was indicted.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Yoons release came after prosecutors decided not to appeal the decision by the Seoul court. South Korean law allows prosecutors to continue to hold a suspect while pursuing an appeal, even after his or her arrest is canceled by a court.

The main liberal opposition Democratic Party, which led Yoons Dec. 14 impeachment, lashed out at the prosecutors decision, calling them henchmen of Yoon, a former prosecutor general. Party spokesperson Cho Seung-rae urged the Constitutional Court to dismiss Yoon as soon as possible to avoid further public unrest and anxiety.

At the heart of public criticism of Yoon over his martial law decree was his dispatch of hundreds of troops and police officers to the National Assembly after placing the country under military rule. Some senior military and police officials sent to the assembly have testified that Yoon ordered them to pull out lawmakers to thwart a parliamentary vote on the decree. Yoon has countered that he aimed to maintain order.

Enough lawmakers eventually managed to enter an assembly hall and voted unanimously to overturn Yoon's decree.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Investigators have alleged Yoons martial-law decree amounted to rebellion. If hes convicted of that offense, he would face the death penalty or life imprisonment. Yoon has presidential immunity from most criminal prosecutions but that doesn't cover grave charges like rebellion and treason.

Yoon has said he didnt intend to maintain martial law for long as he only attempted to inform the public of the danger of the Democratic Party, which obstructed his agenda and impeached many senior officials and prosecutors. In his martial law announcement, Yoon called the assembly a den of criminals and anti-state forces.

South Korea's conservative-liberal divide is severe, and rallies either supporting or denouncing Yoon's impeachment have divided Seoul streets. Experts say whatever decision the Constitutional Court makes, the division is certain to worsen.
By Jihoon Lee

SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol walked out of a detention centre on Saturday after prosecutors decided not to appeal a court decision to cancel the impeached leader's arrest warrant on insurrection charges.

Yoon, 64, remains suspended from his duties, and his criminal and impeachment trials continue over his short-lived imposition of martial law on December 3.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Seoul Central District Court cancelled Yoon's arrest warrant on Friday, citing the timing of his indictment and questions about the legality of the investigation process.

"I would like to thank the Central District Court for their courage and determination in correcting the illegality," Yoon said in a statement.

As he left the facility, a relaxed and smiling Yoon, in a dark suit with no necktie, stepped out of his car, waved, raised his fist and bowed to cheering supporters waving South Korean and U.S. flags.

His lawyers said the court decision "confirmed that the president's detainment was problematic in both procedural and substantive aspects," calling the ruling the "beginning of a journey to restore rule of law".

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Prosecutors could not immediately be reached for comment.

The main opposition Democratic Party criticised the prosecutors' decision for "throwing the country and people into crisis", and urged the Constitutional Court to remove Yoon from office as soon as possible.

In his impeachment trial, the Constitutional Court is expected to decide in coming days whether to reinstate or remove Yoon.

On Saturday, some 55,000 Yoon supporters rallied in Seoul's main districts, while 32,500 people demonstrated against him near the Constitutional Court, Yonhap news agency reported, citing unofficial police estimates.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The public, however remains largely anti-Yoon, with 60% of respondents saying he should be removed from office and 35% opposing removal, according to a Gallup Korea poll on Friday.

Before the prosecutors' decision, hundreds of Yoon supporters also protested in front of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office.

"I was very sorry that he couldn't come out quickly, and it was a hard time for me to wait, but it was very much worth the wait," said Lee Heoung-ok, a 62-year-old supporter who waited for Yoon's release at the detention centre.

Shim Ye-rin, 27, said: "I saw him walking out on his own feet and greeting his supporters. It was a little bit ridiculous to me because it seemed like something that couldn't happen in a democratic society, something that was outside of common sense."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Yoon, the first South Korean president to be arrested while in office, has been held at the Seoul Detention Centre, located in the city of Uiwang, 22 km (14 miles) south of Seoul, since January 15.

(Reporting by Jihoon Lee, Additional Reporting by Ju-min Park, Joyce Lee, Dogyun Kim, Heejung Jung and Jisoo Kim; Editing by Kim Coghill, William Mallard and Angus MacSwan)
A panel of CNN guests agreed that President Donald Trump s hostility toward the United Statess mild-mannered neighbor to the north has gone beyond parody.

The war with Canada  it boggles the mind, co-host Abby Phillip said on Saturday mornings broadcast of CNNs Table for Five.

Its a South Park idea! journalist and TV personality Toure quipped. To go to war with CANADA?! This is NOT a serious concept!

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Conceding that Trumps recent geopolitical escapades could have been ripped from the famously-filthy animated serieswhich featured a war between the U.S. and Canada in a 1999 movie, South Park: Bigger, Longer & UncutPhillip stressed that many in Canada have taken the presidents latest threats seriously.

The Canadians, you know there was some reporting this week that they believe Trump really is actually trying to destroy and take over their country, she said. For real, not in a South Park episode but in real life in 2025.

Trump has repeatedly said he would like to annex Canada as the 51st state and referred to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as governor. Under pressure from Canadian leaders, Trudeau asked King Charles to stress Canadas sovereignty to the American president in a meeting earlier this week.

This is something so profoundly screwed up that its gonna have blowback for all of us for a really long time, former CNN political analyst John Avalon fumed.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Fellow commentator S.E. Cupp followed up by remarking that the Canadian people are just so nice.

And no offense to the Canadians, theyre also irrelevant to us, really, she said. They mind their business. They never threaten us!
NAIROBI (Reuters) - Increased violence and political friction in South Sudan threaten its fragile peace process, a United Nations rights body said on Saturday, days after the arrests of several officials allied to the country's vice president.

Earlier this month, security forces loyal to President Salva Kiir arrested two ministers and several senior military officials allied with Riek Machar.

The arrests have raised fears for the future of a 2018 peace deal which ended a five-year civil war between forces loyal to Kiir and Machar that cost nearly 400,000 lives.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"We are witnessing an alarming regression that could erase years of hard-won progress. Rather than fuelling division and conflict, leaders must urgently refocus on the peace process, uphold the human rights of South Sudanese citizens, and ensure a smooth transition to democracy," Yasmin Sooka, chairperson of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan, said in a statement.

The arrests followed heavy clashes in recent weeks in the strategic northern town of Nasir between national forces and the White Army militia, a loosely-organised group mostly from the Nuer, Machar's ethnic group.

Government spokesperson Michael Makuei said the arrests were made because the Machar-allied officials are in "conflict with the law". He has accused forces loyal to Machar of collaborating with the White Army and attacking a military garrison near Nasir town on March 4.

Machar's party has denied the accusations.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On Saturday, the National Security Services intelligence agency said it had arrested and detained several people "believed to have verified links to the military confrontation in Nasir and another nearby town. It did not give the total number of arrests or their identities.

Makuei did not immediately respond when sought for comment on the rights commission's statement.

On Friday, a South Sudanese general and dozens of soldiers were killed when a U.N. helicopter trying to evacuate them from Nasir came under attack, the government said.

(Writing by George Obulutsa; Editing by Ammu Kannampilly and Angus MacSwan)
A southeastern Missouri man was convicted of murder Friday after fatally shooting a 53-year-old man in a road rage incident in 2023.

A Jackson County jury convicted Charles J. Smith, Jr., 20, of second-degree murder, unlawful use of a weapon and two counts of armed criminal action. Smith, who lived in Cape Girardeau, shot Gary L. Denham of Oak Grove before leading police on a 17-hour manhunt.

The shooting took place on Interstate 70 near Oak Grove on April 19, 2023. Oak Grove Police and the Missouri State Highway Patrol responded around 4:20 p.m. to reports of a car accident, according to court documents.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Police found Denhams green Ford pickup truck crashed into a parked car at a travel center, with a bullet hole in the pickups drivers side door. Denham was evacuated to a hospital with a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the hospital the same day.

Witnesses described seeing an act of road rage involving the pickup and a white Hyundai sedan, according to court documents, saying they heard a popping noise coming from the sedan before watching it strike the pickup truck.

Police later saw the white Hyundai  driven by Smith  in Lafayette County and attempted to pull the car over, according to court documents. Rather than pull over, Smith led responding officers on a chase east on I-70 into Saline County, where he swerved into a field after police disabled the Hyundai.

Smith abandoned the car and ran away, leaving behind a traffic ticket with his name on it, according to court documents. After a widely publicized manhunt, police got a tip that Smith had been seen at a convenience store in Sweet Springs, where they arrested him behind a nearby auto shop around 10 a.m. April 20.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

After his arrest, Smith told investigators that Denham had made obscene gestures toward his car, according to court documents. He admitted to shooting at Denhams car, court documents read, saying he intended the bullet as a warning shot.

Born in Kansas City, Gary L. Denham worked as an electrician for IBEW Local 24 for more than 20 years, according to his obituary. Denham had many hobbies, the obituary reads, including fishing, cooking, working in his yard, watching birds and movies and listening to music. He was also active in the First Baptist Church of Oak Grove.

However, relatives wrote, the primary joy of Denhams life was by far his family. Denham is survived by his wife, Cindy, and two sons, along with many extended family members.

Garys #1 priority was his family and he loved spending time with them, the obituary reads. They referred to him as their Superman.

Smith was originally held on a $250,000 bond but was later deemed ineligible for bond, according to court records. A sentencing hearing for Smith has been scheduled for 1:30 p.m. May 1 in Independence criminal court.
A San Bernardino County man suspected of possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material injured himself while he was trying to destroy evidence, officials announced Friday.

The Redlands Police Department said officers arrested the suspect, Alexander Wine-Duchateau, 26, on Thursday at his mobile park home in the 13000 block of 5th Street in Yucaipa.

According to police, Wine-Duchateau hurt his fingers trying to drill through a hard drive while detectives were executing a search warrant at his home. He declined medical treatment.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The department noted that before the search, detectives removed several people from the home. Police did not immediately provide information on the other occupants.

During the search, detectives seized multiple electronic devices on which investigators later found over 100 files of images of child sexual abuse.

Officers arrested Wine-Duchateau and, as of Friday evening, were holding him at the West Valley Detention Center for possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material and destruction of evidence.

This investigation is part of an ongoing operation by the Internet Crimes Against Childrens regional task force known as Online Guardian 2.0 to crack down on the sexual exploitation of children online, said the department in a release.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Anyone with further information regarding this case or incidents of Child Sexual Abuse is asked to contact Redlands Police Detective Dale Peters at 909-798-7659.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
A Southern California church pastor was arrested for allegedly stealing over $230,000 through wire fraud schemes targeting friends.

Terrance Owens Elliott, 60, of Crestline, also known as Tony Elliott, was arrested Thursday and charged with 11 counts of wire fraud, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office.

Elliot is a pastor at a San Bernardino church and a one-time political candidate for the San Bernardino City Council. He is accused of committing several con jobs targeting long-time friends and a nonprofit tied to another church, officials said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to the indictment, Elliott reportedly told victims he worked in the San Bernardino city government and was involved with the San Bernardino Police Department.

His first victim was a friend, identified only as M.C. in court documents. Elliot allegedly convinced the woman to put her inheritance money into a trust that he would manage and administer. He falsely claimed she would lose her Medicare and Social Security benefits if she received the inheritance directly, prosecutors said.

He prepared a trust agreement and appointed himself as a co-trustee. He reportedly opened a bank account in the trusts name and gave the bank a false copy of the agreement stating only he had the sole power to make payments from the account.

He then wrote checks and made online transfers to a church, identified as Church A. He also used the funds to buy postal money orders to pay the churchs rent. The rest of the money was allegedly used for personal expenses including buying Nike sneakers, a piano, clothing, vehicle repairs, and an extended warranty for a motorcycle, court documents said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Elliott is accused of obtaining access to M.C.s account at a different bank where he made around $27,164 in unauthorized transfers of her monthly Social Security payments to the church.

When the victims family asked Elliott about the trust account or asked for bank statements, he lulled them into compliance by getting upset and telling them that everything was under control, court documents said.

When M.C. died, prosecutors said Elliott targeted a second victim, identified as W.H., into paying around $8,615 for M.C.s funeral. He falsely claimed he needed authorization from a judge before money from the trust account could be released.

Through this scheme, Elliott defrauded four victims, including M.C. and W.H., out of at least $150,263, officials said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In a separate scheme from June 2021 to February 2023, Elliott advised W.H. on selling a home. After W.H. sold the home, Elliott suggested the victims corporation loan M.C.s trust $65,000, falsely claiming this would help W.H. avoid paying capital gains tax from the sale.

He prepared a loan contract and told W.H. he would transfer $65,000 from the corporation to the trust account and the trust would repay the loan with 10% annual interest. He also allegedly convinced W.H. to provide several signed blank checks from the corporations account.

Instead of honoring the contract, Elliott used a blank check to make a transfer to Church A. He never repaid any part of the $65,000 loan and instead, reportedly spent most of the money on personal expenses, prosecutors said.

From September 2018 to June 2021, Elliott used his relationships with the churchs board of directors to help manage litigation expenses and other costs involving a different church, Church B, and a nonprofit.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Elliott reportedly lied by claiming the nonprofit owed money to W.H.s corporation for services provided involving the litigation against them. The nonprofit issued around 32 checks which Elliott deposited into an account he controlled, defrauding around $23,300.

In total, he is accused of swindling around $238,563 through these schemes, prosecutors said. He was charged with 11 counts of wire fraud. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison for each count.

The case remains under investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Authorities believe there may be additional victims who have yet to be identified.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call the FBI at 310-477-6565 or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.

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.
March 7 (UPI) -- The spacecraft that will carry the next crew of astronauts to the International Space Station has arrived at the launch pad at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The Crew Dragon Endurance spacecraft is scheduled to launch no earlier than March 12 and will shuttle the Crew-10 astronauts aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The arrival of the module at the Florida launch pad signifies progress for SpaceX, which experienced delays getting it ready for launch.

NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Takuya Onishi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov will be on board and are scheduled to be in space for at least six months. They will replace the Crew-9, including astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, who arrived at the station last June for a 10-day stay but had to remain aboard the ISS when the Boeing Starliner sent to retrieve them was deemed unsafe to bring them back to Earth.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Crew-10 is scheduled to perform research, technology demonstrations, and maintenance activities aboard the microgravity laboratory, according to NASA. Crew Dragon Endurance is slated to stay docked for about a week before bringing the Crew-9 astronauts home.

Crew-10 is currently set to launch at 7:48 p.m. EDT on March 12. It will chase the orbiting ISS for roughly 14 hours until it catches up and prepares to dock. Endurance is tentatively set to dock with the space station at approximately 10 a.m. on March 13.
SPENCER, Iowa (KCAU)  Under a new grant program so far, nearly three quarters of a million dollars has been handed out to Spencer businesses affected by the severe flooding last June.

According to the Spencer Economic Development Corporation (SDEC), Spencer businesses have been awarded a total of 38 Commercial Business Assistance Grants as of March 7, 2025. The grant money adds up to $747,000.

Sioux City property tax hike expected next year

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We appreciate the businesses and their teams that have reinvested into Spencer, SEDC President Philip Ramstack said in a statement. SEDC is honored to support the businesses that call this community home.

The Commercial Business Assistance Grants are for local businesses that needed to replace equipment, furniture and inventory that was lost during the flooding. They do not apply to structural damage and costs, and nonprofits are not eligible.

United Way of Siouxland celebrates campaign raising $2.9M

Applications opened Feb. 3 and will close April 1 or when funds run out, whichever comes first. The expenditures must be incurred by June 6, 2025, the SEDC says.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Spencer businesses can apply by clicking here.

The SEDC is partnering with the City of Spencer to provide this 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 SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports.
(WKBN)  On Saturday night, well move our clocks one hour forward. The Ohio State Fire Marshal says its also a good time to take a look at your smoke detectors.

Working smoke alarms are essential to homes and saving lives. Three out of five fire deaths happen in homes with either no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.

The Ohio State Fire Marshal urges people that smoke alarms should be taken care of. Time change weekends are great reminders to start this simple process.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

To maximize your homes fire safety, the state fire marshal recommends taking a three-step approach to making sure smoke alarms are in proper working order:

Replace batteries in all smoke alarms in the home. Some smoke alarms, however, have sealed batteries that should not be replaced.

Test alarms to ensure they are properly sounding. This can be done by simply pressing the alarms test button.

Make sure alarms have not exceeded their expiration date. Expiration dates can be found on the back panel of the alarm. Smoke alarms should be replaced every ten years.

Its also a great time to go over your familys fire escape plan and know what to do in case a fire starts in your 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 WKBN.com.
Mar. 7A Springboro elementary student who made a threat Thursday aboard a school bus is facing discipline.

The student involved was immediately removed from the bus before departing Dennis Elementary School, Principal Terrah Hunter said in a message to families of students on the bus at the school near the Springboro High School and Junior High School campuses at 1695 Main St.

"While we cannot share specific disciplinary actions, please know that appropriate measures are being implemented and we are working in partnership with the Springboro Police Department," Hunter wrote.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A police call for service report only referenced a juvenile complaint and did not provide any details.

District officials declined to release information regarding the nature of the threat, whether a weapon was involved and the age and grade level of the student, citing the ongoing investigation.

There were no reports of injuries.
About 300 people assembled in front of the University of Montanas Main Hall on Friday to protest the Trump administrations recent indiscriminate slashing of government science and federal university funding.

Organized by UM professors and local activism groups, various professors and scientists spoke to the crowd about the importance of science. At the same time, nationwide, people flocked to over 150 Stand Up for Science events in America and Europe, from Hawaii to Paris.

Stand Up for Science has three main priorities. First: end censorship and political interference in science. Recently, the Trump administration has been scrubbing any federal research or information related to topics the administration opposes, such as gender transition. Second: secure and expand scientific funding. This would mean reinstating fired federal scientists and rescinding the administrations efforts to slash National Institutes of Health funding to university research. Third: defending diversity, equity and inclusion in science. DEI has found itself in the crosshairs of the Trump administration, which has threatened to cut federal funding to any universities with DEI programs. In response, UM has changed the names of its DEI programs, though according to university spokesperson Dave Kuntz, this has not been accompanied with any actual program content changes.

Scott Samuels, a UM biochemistry professor who helped organize the event, said that science is vital to driving Montanas health and economy, especially since the state has a lot of scientific research.

Theres really top-notch, high-impact research going on, Samuels told the crowd, referencing research labs in Missoula, Hamilton, Great Falls and beyond.

Science is essential to the American way of life, UM environmental studies professor Len Broberg said at the event.

Broberg referenced many local examples of science at work, such as the cleanup of mining waste from the Clark Fork River and the management of local elk and trout populations for hunting and fishing

Clearly science benefits us all in our daily life, Broberg said. Its not always clear what lines of scientific research will end up productive. For that reason, we need to support all science.

UM biomedical professor Andrea Stierle recalled participating in the 2017 March for Science, and brought her poster from that event to show the crowd.

We had hoped we would never need it again. And yet here we are, Stierle said.

Stierle spoke about the scientists of the past who brought new understanding from evolution to penicillin.

We stand on the shoulders of giants and giantesses, Stierle said. There are people in this audience today that will be the giants for future generations to stand on, given the chance, given the funding.

UM chemistry professor Chris Palmer spoke to emphasize the importance of science in Americas response to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the development of disinfectants and vaccines.

Andrea Vernon from UMs career success office also spoke to the crowd with career advice for students worried about their prospects thanks to the staff cuts.

When we get discouraged, when we get frustrated, just remember the passion that brought us to this career in the first place, said Sarah Certel, a UM biology professor.

Vicky Watson, a UM professor of environmental studies, expressed worry about deep cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Speakers urged those assembled to contact their representatives and connect with their communities to emphasize the importance of science.

Afterward, the protesters hoisted signs and chanted as they circled the Oval, led by Cyrus Gertz, a student with Stand Up Fight Back Missoula. Signs ranged from statements in support of science to criticisms of Elon Musk, the billionaire special government employee whos been behind many of the recent firings and cuts.

Tiash Losser, a first-year UM biochemistry student, said she hasnt personally felt repercussions from the funding and staffing cuts yet, but has heard about the impacts from older peers and community members. She felt an obligation to stand up for science.

Science is something that is very important to me, Losser said.

Pam McSloy and Kathy Montagne are retired, but both worked in scientific fields, and decided to attend the protest.

Im really furious about funding cuts, Montagne said.

Federal funding affects every hospital, McSloy said. Research done in universities trickles down as applied science.

McSloy expressed worry that the cuts would affect rural areas in Montana, which depend on federal funding to keep clinics open.

Artists Patricia and Tim Thornton expressed concern about recent threats to Medicare, which would affect their health care.

Im really concerned about the environment, Patricia said.

Alina Cansler, an assistant professor at UM studying fire science, is already seeing an impact of the Trump administrations cuts on the federal partners she works with to help predict and prevent wildfires.

Its greatly impacted our ability to get our projects done, Cansler said. We need those partnerships.

The event only started coming together on the Monday of the week of the protest, with coordination between Samuels, various local activism groups, and the national Stand Up for Science organization. But people at the rally reported hearing about it from various sources  McSloy and Montagne heard about it from Resist Montana, while Patricia Thornton heard about it from someone at her ukulele club. Samuels and Lucy Hicks, who also helped bring the event to Bozeman and Helena, both expressed surprise at the turnout.

A lot of people look at Montana as a red state, Hicks said. But theres a lot of hope here."
SPRINGFIELD, Mo.  A grand jury issued an indictment to a Springfield couple who are accused of sex crimes involving a minor.

According to a press release from the Department of Justice, a married couple Justin Curtright, 40, and Christin Curtright, 32, are facing indictment charges including:

Coercion and enticement of a minor, which carries a 10-year mandatory minimum prison sentence

Conspiracy and transportation of a minor in interstate commerce to engage in criminal sexual activity, which also carries a mandatory 10-year minimum prison sentence

Three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, which each carry 15-year mandatory minimum prison sentences.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

If convicted, the Curtrights face a maximum punishment of life in prison.

According to the press release, in May 2024, Justin Curtright and the victim met on an online group chat. The victim used an alias and said she was 18 when she was actually 13 years old. Their conversations allegedly began to turn sexual and eventually Justin sent explicit videos of himself to the victim.

Christin joined the group chat and the couple allegedly conducted sexually explicit acts on camera while video chatting with the victim, despite her admitting she was only 13 years old.

On July 24, 2024, the Curtrights met the victim near her home in Virginia and drove her back to Missouri. In the three days before the police were involved, the Curtrights allegedly sexually assaulted the victim at their apartment.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Springfield Police found the victim hiding in the back of a closet in the Curtrights bedroom. She had a debit card and false ID that Justin gave her, which represented her as Justins 15-year-old daughter.

Investigators seized the Curtrights phones which allegedly held recordings of them sexually exploiting the victim.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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)  The Springfield Museums received a large sum of money through the ARPA fund.

This funding is being called the foundational to the next phase of the Science Museum`s evolution into a hub for STEM learning.

The Springfield Museums received half a million dollars in ARPA funding thanks to the help from Congressman Richard Neal to help fund transformative and essential upgrades to the Springfield Science Museum.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

President and CEO of the Springfield Museums, Kay Simpson said with these funds, they were able to move forward on a number of initiatives. One of the biggest being a new HVAC system. She said their old system had been causing problems for decades and it is not only a vital part of the museum for the visitor experience, but they also care for collections and live animals.

The other thing we were able to do, which is pointing to the future, is we purchased two animatronic dinosaurs, which are now prominently displayed in our welcome center, and that is really foreshadowing the future because we want to completely reinvent our dinosaur experience here at the museums, Simpson says.

Simpson said many of the projects they were able to accomplish arent glamorous and therefore are normally hard to fundraise for. Other upgrades include new carpeting, upgraded lighting and electricity.

She also mentioned these upgrades and additions to the science museum are part of their larger goal to turn the science museum into a hub for STEAM and STEM learning for the entire region.

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.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  A Multnomah County bridge that has been closed for several months due to emergency repairs has finally re-opened.

The county announced drivers, cyclists and pedestrians were safe to use the Stark Street Bridge on Thursday. A wall beneath the structure in the Columbia River Gorge partially collapsed in mid-September, forcing officials to abruptly close it to address the damage.

WATCH: Station wagon possibly tied to Martin Family cold case pulled from Columbia River

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to Multnomah County, the collapse occurred as a result of several vehicle crashes over the last decade. During repairs, officials said crews learned the opposite side of the wall was at risk of collapsing  and there were also holes as deep as eight inches in the bridge deck.

Stark Street Bridge after partial wall collapse (Courtesy Multnomah County) Stark Street Bridge after partial wall collapse (Courtesy Multnomah County)

They determined repairs would span across six months. The county reported that engineers, biologists, historical resource experts and a contractor worked to resolve the issue both on time and under the estimated budget of $1.9 million.

Due to the emergency nature of the project, permitting processes which typically take over a year were accelerated, Multnomah County Project Manager Sara Jeffrey said in a statement.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

What time will sun set in Portland after clocks change for Daylight Saving Time?

Officials noted that locals in Corbett and other parts of East County were most impacted by the repairs, as there are few alternative routes in that location. Multnomah County District 4 Commissioners thanked the community for enduring the closure that serves as a critical connection to other areas.

The county will highlight the repair project at an event on Monday at 12:45 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 KOIN.com.
Utah Sen. Dan Thatcher announced he was leaving the Republican Party on Friday, the last day of the legislative session, becoming the first state lawmaker to join the Forward Party.

The former Republican from West Valley City has often voted against his party since entering office in 2011, particularly on issues related to individuals who identify as LGBTQ. This week he bucked his party on multiple votes concerning criminal enhancements and K-12 curriculum.

Thatcher told reporters gathered at the state Capitol that he has grown more alienated from his party in recent years as he believes the GOP has become more alienated from the average Utahn.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

There is a growing disconnect between the public that were supposed to represent and your representatives, Thatcher said.

Thatcher said the core reason for this divide is how candidates are selected. The Forward Party is a third-party organization with a platform that focuses on election processes like ranked choice voting that the party claims decrease partisanship and promote problem solving.

Thatchers announcement came shortly after he engaged in a standoff on the Senate floor with Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, who refused to recognize Thatcher for comment after Thatcher called out a fellow lawmaker by name.

During Senate media availability on Friday, Adams wished Thatcher well and Majority Leader Kirk Cullimore, R-Draper, said this is a decision Thatcher had been considering for a while.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I think its healthy. We have different ideas, Adams said.

There is some precedent for Utah Republican senators flipping parties. In 2016, former state Sen. Mark Madsen joined the Libertarian Party.

Adams and Senate Minority Leader Luz Escamilla, D-Salt Lake City, both said their parties will not caucus with Thatcher, meaning they will not include him in private policy meetings.

In a statement issued by the Forward Party, the partys founding co-chair, Andrew Yang, a former Democratic candidate for U.S. president and New York City mayor, said that American politics needs more independent thinkers.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It takes courage to step forward and truly lead, Yang said. Sen. Thatcher continues to demonstrate his morals through the leadership hes showing today, and we couldnt be more proud that hes joining Forward.

The Forward Party has been active in recent Utah elections, endorsing Michelle Quist for Utah Attorney General in 2024. However, the party has not had a member in the state Legislature until now.

On Friday, Thatcher expressed disappointment for bills passed this session by his colleagues that would add security measures for vote by mail and that would amend the citizen ballot initiative process.
CUMMINGTON, Mass. (WWLP)  State and local leaders came together to celebrate Cummingtons Community One Stop for Growth grant award.

The money Cummington got is going to support a major project that will help the town grow further.

Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll and Economic Development Secretary Yvonne Hao joined state and local officials to celebrate the town of Cummington receiving $400,000 from the Community One Stop for Growth program. It will help the town renovate their former Berkshire Trail Elementary School into a space for town offices, a childrens library, community events and more.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This one Stop for Growth program was designed to think about how do you turn ideas and dreams into projects and action items, stated Lt. Gov. Driscoll. So many of our tiny towns and rural places have lots of geography and lots of roads, but not a lot of people. So the formula didnt work in their favor. Thats just one example of the way we know that the investments that we make, the state partnership is so important.

The event also celebrated all 49 grantees of the Rural Development Fund under the Community One Stop for Growth program. This program helps rural towns like Cummington to receive targeted resources to advance local priorities and unlock economic opportunity.

A total of more than $10 million in awards went to these grantees.

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.
ILLINOIS (WCIA)  Illinois State Police is stressing the importance of Scotts Law after a big number of violations last year, but they said the numbers are looking better now.

The law, also known as the Move Over Law, requires drivers to slow down and get over when driving past stalled vehicles with flashing lights. Last year, there were 27 Scotts Law violations resulting in crashes, and that number was a recent high. There were 10 violations only three months into 2024. So far this year, there have been three.

Vehicle rolls over, 3 hospitalized out of caution in Champaign

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

One State Police trooper said the goal is always zero, but a downtrend is an encouraging sight.

I like to tell people that when we have to create a website to have a database to track troopers getting hit, it is a problem and it needs to stop, said State Police trooper Josh Robinson. Its also completely preventable, just like distracted driving. Its a choice we make, and that probably is a large contributing factor to these crashes, is people arent putting 100% focus on whats in front of them and theyre not paying attention.

Last years recent high of 27 marked a six-crash jump from 2023.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
He calls it Stellas Great Adventure.

With those words, Kipling resident Mike Shefka described how his Australian Shepherd, a rescued dog hes cared for since last July, recently ran away while Shefka was in the hospital for triple bypass heart surgery.

Mikes son, Daniel, and a friend took care of Stella while Shefka was away, but the red merle decided to take off after a few days later when Daniel took her to his shop on Owens Road.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She was on the run for 33 days in the Angier area with over 20 sightings, Shefka said. His grandson Tyler set up a Facebook page and Daniel set up an account on the Neighborhood app that showed where Stella was seen over that period of time.

One woman said Stella stayed overnight on her back porch with her dog for two days. That was during a rainstorm, Shefka said.

Stella was eventually seen on camera in an event barn at 381 Mabry Road and a trap was set.

Daniel Shefka said the barns owner, Mike Lyon, set up a trail camera and spotted her. Food was set out for three nights in a row, and Stella was seen coming and going.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On the fourth night, they put out a trap with food but didnt set the trap. Stella came, ate the food and left. The fifth night the trap was set, but Stella didnt step on the pressure plate so she was not caught.

On the sixth night, she stepped on the pressure plate since it had been overlaid with cardboard, which was Lyons idea.

Daniel Shefka went to the barn and retrieved her in the cage trap and took her to his dads residence shortly after 3 a.m. on Feb. 27.

Once she was in her home, Stella was released from the trap and leapt at her caretaker.

She knocked me down on the couch licking me, Mike Shefka said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Daniel Shefka felt bad about losing his dads dog. I was very determined, very hell bent on getting the dog [back], he said, noting he drove around the Angier neighborhood many times, knocked on doors and handed out his business cards.

A woman who finds lost pets, Erin Eaton, helped the Shefkas by giving them advice and let them use a trap from her business, K9s On Call Missing Pet Services in Linden.

Without her and the community, we never wouldve got her back, Mike Shefka said of Stella.

Now that shes back, Stella is a lot calmer than she used to be, he said.

It took three baths to get Stella clean, Mike Shefka said, noting she actually gained two pounds during her great adventure.

He smiled recalling a visit to Wendys restaurant in Lillington on Sunday, March 2. A woman at the drive-thru recognized Stella. Thats the dog from the internet! he remembers her saying when he drove up in his 1996 Ford pickup.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  The Greece Police Department released footage of one of the suspects involved in a car robbery, which led to a woman getting hit by her car.

The incident happened at the Dewey Avenue Walmart Saturday after 1 p.m. Officers said the victim was walking back to her Kia in the parking lot when she noticed two men inside trying to steal it. She reportedly tried to intervene when the men struck her with the vehicle before taking off.

The victim was taken to the hospital where she was expected to survive her injuries, according to police.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Kia was later found crashed into two parked cars at a Lake Avenue gas station with help from the License Plate Reader System, according to Greece Police. Rochester Police, who assisted in the investigation, noted two fuel pumps were damaged at the gas station in the aftermath of the crash.

NYSCOPBA announces lawsuits after negotiations ended poorly with state

Officers said no one was in the parked vehicles at the time of the crash, and the damaged fuel pumps did not pose any danger.

Despite a thorough search conducted, including the use of a New York State Police helicopter, the suspects have yet to be found. On Monday, they released surveillance footage that appears to show one of the suspects running.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As the investigation continues, anyone with information is asked to call 911, the GPD tip line at 585-581-4016, or you can email GPDTips@GreeceNY.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 RochesterFirst.
CLARKSBURG, W.Va.  Here are some of the top stories this week on the WBOY 12News Facebook page.

The Monongalia County Sheriffs Office said authorities in Arizona arrested the wrong man in a fatal bridge collision by Cheat Lake.

FirstEnergy plans to decommission and replace power plants in Monongalia and Harrison counties.

West Virginia law enforcement have begun a campaign targeting seat belt usage in the state.

The West Virginia University rifle team won its 17th Great America Rifle Conference Tournament title.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A Bruceton Mills resident will represent the United States in the Special Olympics in Italy.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Mar. 7SANTA FE  A push to incentivize market treatment and reuse of brackish water is now halfway through the Roundhouse.

The executive-backed Strategic Water Supply Act, proposed in House Bill 137, passed on a 57-4 through the House on Friday. It would allow the state to enter into contracts with or award grants to projects that treat and reuse brackish water  652-1,303 trillion gallons of which exist in New Mexico, according to the Environment Department.

The bill when first introduced included the treatment and reuse of produced water, or wastewater, from oil and gas operations. But legislators removed that provision and are only focusing on the saline water component to help appease some policymakers and environmentalists.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"We have tried to listen to legislators who have had deep concerns," said bill sponsor Rep. Susan Herrera, D-Embudo.

Herrera also declined to block a Republican amendment to the bill to ensure people can and have time to protest against brackish water reuse projects.

This year's $10.8 billion budget proposal sets aside $40 million for the strategic water supply program, should the legislation pass. It also appropriates $19 million for the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology to conduct aquifer mapping and $4 million for New Mexico State University to continue studying water reuse and treatment technology and projects.

The appropriation is $35 million less than the bill initially sought. The Strategic Water Supply Act began as a $500 million bill last year, and legislators have since watered it down to accommodate concerns around the feasibility of the program.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The state can get started with $40 million, said Rebecca Roose, infrastructure advisor to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.

"We would like to see more of an investment in this area," she told the Journal after the bill's passage. "We think the need is there. We think the opportunity and potential is there."

Roose added that although produced water isn't a part of the Strategic Water Act anymore, the state is committed to continuing to work this year and beyond "on getting the regulatory provisions in place and continuing to invest for treatment and reuse."

The executive's office could come back for legislative market incentives in the future, she said, or the market could take off on its on once the regulations are in place.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"We won't know for sure until we get there," Roose said.

Lujan Grisham said in a statement Friday afternoon that the legislation is a "forward-thinking approach" to managing water.

"By developing New Mexico's brackish water resources, we're charting a new course that balances economic opportunity with responsible stewardship of our freshwater supplies," she said.

The four votes against the bill came from Democratic Reps. Marianna Anaya, Dayan Hochman-Vigil and Patricia Roybal Caballero, all of Albuquerque, and Angelica Rubio of Las Cruces.
Missoula's mayor launched an ambitious five-month plan to find housing for homeless people staying at the Johnson Street Shelter as the city announced plans to close the facility by late summer.

The plan was announced during a Friday afternoon press conference with Missoula Mayor Andrea Davis, top city officials and four city councilors.

Earlier on Friday the city announced it would close the Johnson Street Shelter in August, which has operated the last four years as a winter and year-round shelter and cost $1.8 million to operate in fiscal year 2025.

The city plans to partner with nonprofit United Way of Missoula to spend up to $400,000 to find housing for roughly 150 people who are currently using the shelter on a nightly basis before it closes permanently. Davis said while United Way and the city will foot some of the bill, much of that $400,000 will be solicited through donations.

"At the end of the day, the solution to homelessness is housing," Davis said. "That is where I want to see the city to put its resources and our community put its resources, too."

In what is known as a "housing sprint," the city hopes to help pay for rent deposits, help people reunite with families and help get people struggling with substance abuse into treatment, ultimately getting them into permanent housing.

Davis acknowledged that it is unlikely they'll be successful in getting everyone who stayed at Johnson Street into housing in that timeline.

"We are realistic that 150-160 people are likely not going to find permanent housing by August," Davis said. "That's why we are helping connect people with permanent rental housing."

The city of Missoula and Missoula County voted to continue funding the Johnson Street Shelter through August 2025. Much of the money that has funded the shelter over the last few years came from federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars allocated to the city during COVID, which have run dry.

Davis said sometime in February the city decided it would not have enough funding to keep the shelter open and began exploring alternatives.

New plan builds on veteran housing effort

Davis said the city's "housing sprint" is based on the "Housed for the Holidays" sprint they recently completed, which used roughly $30,000 in grant funding to directly rehome veterans.

The city said they successfully housed 12 over 60 days, and said the plan to find housing for those at Johnson Street will be a larger-scale operation using similar methods.

"We are basing on that model that we piloted over the holidays and some other factual research that we have seen from other places that we can get people connected to the resources," Davis said.

That plan starts with the goal of rehousing 30 people at Johnson Street each month staring in April. The city will use United Way's Housing Solution Fund, which the nonprofit has maintained for years to help get residents extra support when short on rent.

Susan Hay Patrick, the executive director of United Way of Missoula, said the plan is still being developed, but generally includes helping people get into housing and reconnecting them with family, which includes purchasing bus tickets when necessary.

"We know that we are landing the plane as we are building it, there are a lot of unknowns, but I think that those of us in the houseless leaders group believe that we have to try something," Hay Patrick said.

The housing solutions fund has already helped 2,000 Missoulians since 2021, Hay Patrick said.

City Councilor Mike Nugent told the press that the process might not be perfect, but the effort will hopefully create a short-term improvement to the homeless situation while shelter beds decrease with the loss of the Johnson Street facility.

"We haven't had this situation where we have kind of given this five-month runway to say, 'Hey, we aren't going to have as many beds available, but we are investing in resources to connect with people,'" Nugent said.

Davis noted that finding housing for the homeless might look vastly different depending on a person's situation.

Some people living in the Johnson Street Shelter already have a full-time job and might just need help with a rental application, while others need more comprehensive help and could require more funding and support.

At the press conference, Davis asked the Missoula community for support and said they'll be asking for donations in the coming months to help fund the housing sprint. Davis declined to tell the press the maximum amount of money the city will be pitching in on the effort.

"We know we will be able to achieve that ($400,000), we've got some dollars that we believe we will be able to add, but we know there have private sector folks that are ready, and it is a request that I have of the community to start helping contribute to this," Davis said.

Davis said the process will not be perfect and the city will look to readdress its strategy as the housing sprint gets underway.
HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH)  At the state Capitol on Friday, lawmakers heard testimony on two bills that would have an impact on law enforcement patrolling Connecticut roadways.

One bill aims to crack down on occurrences of so-called street takeovers. Connecticuts cities and towns have seen a proliferation of the takeovers, which typically involve dozens of motor bikes and other vehicles recklessly occupying entire streets. Street takeovers have alarmed local officials, who have in turn encouraged lawmakers to empower law enforcement with additional tools to go after those who perpetuate the roadway disturbances.

Man killed in crash on Route 15 in Meriden

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Lawmakers have proposed suspending the licenses of those involved and doing more to take the vehicles used in street takeovers off the street for good.

It gives municipalities more ability to do certain things with the vehicles being used in them when they seize them, State Rep. Greg Howard, a Republican member of the legislatures Judiciary Committee, said of the proposed bill. What they dont want to do is auction them off back into the communities, so this gives them the opportunity to destroy them.

Justin Elicker, the mayor of New Haven, testified before the Judiciary Committee. He told lawmakers the street takeover legislation would be very, very helpful to us.

State Sen. Gary Winfield, the Judiciary Committees co-chair, said updates to the states laws are necessary to combat street takeovers.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As folks may know, we have some laws on the books, but they dont seem to take care of that problem, Winfield said.

While Democrats like Winfield and Republicans like Howard generally agree on the need to do more to crack down on street takeovers, they disagree on another bill that would impact law enforcement on Connecticut roadways.

Winfield is a proponent of a bill to limit so-called non-safety traffic stops. In other words, Winfield and many of his fellow Democrats want to add to existing restrictions on the reasons police may cite when pulling a car over. Notably, the non-safety traffic stops bill would stop police from pulling over a car with one inoperable headlight.

Winfield said the changes would prevent individuals from being engaged by police simply because they cannot afford to repair their headlight.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

If you had the money, we would just let you drive right on by, Winfield said.

But Howard characterized the non-safety traffic stops bill as just the latest in a string of proposals intended to tie the hands of law enforcement.

What it does is it sends another message to 9,000 law enforcement officers in Connecticut that your legislature, the voice of the people, doesnt want you out stopping cars, Howard said, arguing that a lack of enforcement has led to a particularly deadly span of years on state roadways.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.  The return to Earth of Boeings Starliner astronauts stuck on the International Space Station inched closer as their replacements arrived to Florida for their relief flight next week.

The quartet assigned to the SpaceX Crew-10 mission arrived to KSC having flown into the former space shuttle landing facility Thursday afternoon. They are slated to climb aboard the Crew Dragon Endurance and launch from KSCs Launch Pad 39-A atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 as early as 7:48 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday.

NASA astronauts take up two of the four seats with commander Anne McClain and pilot Nichole Ayers. Theyre joined by mission specialists Takuya Onishi with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Their arrival to the ISS will mean the Crew-9 members will be able to fly home. That includes NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who flew up to the space station on Boeing Starliners Crew Flight Test mission last June, but were left behind on the ISS when NASA opted to send Starliner home uncrewed for safety reasons.

NASA then opted to line up their ride home as part of Crew-9, which flew up in the Crew Dragon Freedom last September with only two members  NASA commander Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, leaving room for Williams and Wilmore for the trip back.

While Hague and Gorbunov will have spent less than six months on board, Williams and Wilmore, who were originally expected as short as an eight-day stay, have already been in space for more than nine months.

McClain was the lone astronaut to speak upon landing. She said her crew has been in constant contact with Crew-9.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Were ready to high five them, bring them home in the coming weeks, she said.

She also took an almost defensive stance about the importance of the space station, which recently was the target of an Elon Musk tirade on its utility, calling for it to be deorbited as soon as 2028.

Were not just flying up to space, just to fly up to space, right? We are going up to work on the International Space Station, she said. The International Space Station is our massive orbiting National Laboratory. OK? And up there we conduct hundreds of scientific science experiments every single day.

She pointed out this is now the 25th year the ISS has been continuously crewed, and it has stood for unity among countries over the years.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The International Space Station is really an asset for humans all across the world. It provides us a unique vantage point for which we can observe our own Earth. It provides us a unique environment for science investigations like in microgravity and in harsh conditions with radiation, she said. But I want to say that the International Space Station really operates under the mission of that NASA set forward, which is to be for the benefit of all. This is not for the benefit of our crew. Its not for the benefit of any one country. It is for the benefit of all.

She pointed out how daily lives have benefited such as research on Parkinsons disease, cancer, Lasik surgery, osteoporosis and more.

She also called out leaders who threaten the unity the ISS represents.

If you want to go fast, you go alone. If you want to go far, you go together, she said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It is far easier to be enemies than it is to be friends, and it is far harder to build partnerships and build relationships than it is to break them, she said. You can break them in a day.

She concluded by defending the mission of the ISS in the face of its detractors.

Its easier to critique than it is to participate, she said. The success of these programs rely on leaders of character from all countries, all walks of life, all agencies, all badges, all companies, leaders of character, visionaries who wake up every single day and work on a long-term plan for the benefit of all of us.

_____
Warming global temperatures are making it easier for salmonella to spread, according to new research.

What's happening?

The University of Surrey-led study found that changing weather conditions like warmer temperatures and higher humidity were driving salmonella outbreaks. The Weather Channel summarized the paper, which used 16 years of data from the UK Health Security Agency and compared it with more than a dozen weather factors.

"The study highlights how weather plays a significant role in salmonella outbreaks and provides a valuable tool for predicting future risks and tailoring interventions, particularly in the context of climate change," lead author Laura Gonzalez Villeta told the news outlet.

Why is this study important?

Salmonella is a foodborne illness that can lead to symptoms like diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, strains can sometimes lead to infection in urine, blood, bones, joints, or the nervous system, resulting in severe disease.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But salmonella is not the only health threat on the rise due to an overheating planet. For instance, the research team previously linked changing global weather patterns to dangerous diarrheal illness.

Plus, extreme weather like drought, heatwaves, and flooding across the globe are creating favorable conditions for mosquitoes to thrive and could help spread viruses like Zika and malaria to higher latitudes and altitudes, according to the World Mosquito Program.

In fact, the organization called 2024 the worst year on record for global dengue cases, and 50 locally acquired cases of the disease popped up in Florida following Hurricanes Milton and Helene, thanks to the standing water that turned parts of the state into a mosquito breeding haven.

While weather has always existed, The Weather Channel explains that an overheating planet is leading to more extreme weather.

What's being done about extreme weather?

We can't stop natural disasters from occurring, but we can try to reduce their impact on communities by curbing the overheating of our planet. The best way to do this is to reduce our dependence on dirty energy.

Tokyo, which is requiring most new buildings to have solar panels, is among a number of cities that are helping to address the problem. Likewise, a New York law will require all Lyfts and Ubers to be EVs by the year 2030.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

You can help by changing the way you get around  walk more, ride your bike, and take public transit when possible.

Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
RICHMOND HEIGHTS, Mo.  Maplewood Richmond Heights Middle School families received an email today, letting them know that violence in any form has no place in MRH schools.

A substitute teacher is in jail after he allegedly struck an 8th-grade student in the hallway on Friday.

Teenagers say they were surprised when a substitute teacher allegedly took a swing at one of them.

Close

Thanks for signing up!

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Watch for us in your inbox.

Subscribe Now

Daily News

You could have sent him to the office, says the unidentified mom of a 13-year-old boy. You didnt have to put your hands on a kid.

The 8th-grade students mom, who did not want to appear on camera, says she got a call telling her that her 13-year-old son was allegedly struck and it was caught on camera.

He didnt even report it at all, says the alleged victims mother. My son waited all the way until the end of the class and then reported it later on in the day. It made no sense.

Maplewood Richmond Heights School District Director of Operations, Michael Dittrich, sent an email to 7th and 8th grade parents Friday regarding the incident.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A first-time substitute teacher, employed by Kelly Services, physically struck an 8th grade student, Dittrich wrote.

KMOX to trade FM frequencies later this month

The student suffered no serious physical harm, and the teacher was removed from campus.

Who wants to pull up to the school because somebody is putting their hands a grown man, said the mother. My sons 13.

Maplewood Police told FOX 2 that the school district immediately notified the school resource officer.

Police are not releasing a name but confirming a male suspect was taken into custody.

The MRH School District is telling families the school resource officer is conducting an investigation along with other members of the Maplewood Police Department.

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.
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD)  A new addition to the Peoria Fire Department is right where he wants to be.

Cristian Alanis-Mata, 22, is the first graduate of the apprenticeship program that was started by the PFD two years ago. He joined the program right out of high school, and has flourished since.

He has such a great personality and he works so hard and hes so open minded, Fire Chief Shawn Sollberger said, and I know that its an extreme example, like not every person or every apprentice is going to be that, but that you can use Christian as an example, that he is a success story. And those type of traits can help you in this industry be more successful.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Alanis-Mata graduated from Dunlap High School, and is proud to give back to the area that brought him up.

I was born and raised here, Cristian said. I want to do something that would benefit my community, and it just puts a smile on my face knowing that Im doing this today.

He also said that he hopes more people in the community with an interest in firefighting are able to explore the program.

Its just an honor, he said. I worked my butt off to be here, and Im glad that shows today and Im able do something like this and hope that, you know kids out here, teenagers and adults have the same opportunity that I took because its the right route for sure.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Something that he learned is how important strength is to the job.

Strength is a very key component to being on the fire service when it comes to lifting ladders, carrying victims, carrying the tools up flights of stairs, Alanis-Mata said, but also cardio, being able to do high-driven strength activities for a long period of time.

It is in the departments contract that they are required to workout for an hour a day.

Alanis-Mata is looking forward to starting his paramedic program with the department soon as well.

I didnt think Id be doing that just starting out, he said. But, you know, doing the apprenticeship and seeing how much EMS was [involved] and how interested I was in it, I realized I want to do a lot more.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

When the program started, only 3 spots were available, and the age range was only 18-21 years old. Now, the department has additional funding in their operations budget to expand from 3 to 6 apprentice spots. The age range was expanded to 17-25 years old now as well.

Chief Sollberger said the department has received 17 applications for the apprenticeship program, and will be conducting interviews with the candidates this month.

PFD is also working with Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth to seek additional grant funding for the program.

To read more about the requirements to be an apprentice for PFD, click here.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CIProud.com.
HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  Sumner County Schools closed all of their campuses Friday to allow their staff to take part in active shooter training.

Fridays event is believed to be the first time every staff member in the district joined together for one collective training session; thats roughly 5,000 people  from teachers, to custodians, to principals and bus drivers  sitting in for an interactive, informative lecture on safety.

The program was led by the Nashville-based security consulting firm Defend Systems.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I was doing what I needed to do: High school student in Sumner County uses CPR training to save mans life

We have found that the difference is made when the people in the building know what to do, explained Tracey Mendenhall, the vice president for Defend Systems. Were not about traumatizing our teachers; we are about empowering them to know, what do I do, what part do I play if something bad happens where I am.

School Resource Officers (SROs) will take the teachings back to their respective schools and work with the staff to unpack what they learned.

This just gives us an opportunity to be able to review everything that we do, and to ensure that were evolving with each situation to make sure that were a step ahead, said Lt. Chris Vines, who leads the Sumner County Sheriffs Office SRO Division.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This was one training that left me feeling like it was equipping people. It wasnt just telling you scary things and saying good luck, said Katie Brown, Sumner County Schools Director of Safety. It is actually giving you the skills and the knowledge to feel more confident that you are able to make the right decisions and keep people safe (during a shooting).

Tennessee bill to let school districts deny undocumented students narrowly passes Senate committee

Many parents or district members have wondered whether this training was in response to the January shooting at Antioch High School.

School officials told News 2, repeatedly, it was not.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The board of education and the Sheriffs office have been planning this for quite some time. In order to bring 5,000-plus employees together, it takes awhile to work through schedules and calendars to get a date set, said Lt. Vines.

The school district said theyre constantly adapting and looking to improve their safety protocols. That includes something as simple as doorknobs.

I think (its) one of the most powerful tools to keeping kids safe, because if the door is closed and locked, then kids are in a safe space, detailed Brown.

One safety concern News 2 has heard from local teachers: school shooters are almost always current or former students.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

If the threat is inside the building already, if the threat is a student who knows the safety protocols, how do you prepare for something like that? asked News 2s Sam Chimenti.

 Read todays top stories on wkrn.com

Again, Ill say that closed and [a] locked classroom door is still the number one barrier thats keeping kids safe, answered Brown. But, we also like to rely heavily on the prevention end, and the awareness end. We want kids that are safe for themselves, and for their classmates.

It is more often than not an inside person, said Mendenhall. So, we can do all kinds of security on the exterior of our buildings SROs are a part of our solution but if people in the building dont know what to do, and dont know how to respond or where to put their kids, then were missing the boat. Thats what weve missed.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

What really changed for us was 2023 [Covenant] in Nashville, and so, that made it to where we needed to know what happened, because if our program isnt working theres adjustments that need to be made, added Mendenhall.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 Supreme Court denied a death row inmates last-ditch effort to avoid execution Friday night, clearing the way for the first execution by firing squad in the United States in 15 years.

Brad Sigmon, 67, who was convicted in 2002 of murdering his ex-girlfriends parents, chose the firing squad method instead of electrocution or lethal injection.

The justices rejected his emergency motion to stave off his imminent execution in a brief order without any noted dissents.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The order paves the way for South Carolina to carry out the firing squad execution as scheduled at 6 p.m. EST Friday, unless Sigmon receives a last-minute reprieve from Gov. Henry McMaster (R), who signed the law allowing for firing squad to again become a method of execution.

A jury sentenced Sigmon to death after he confessed to murdering David and Gladys Larke, the parents of Sigmons ex-girlfriend, Rebecca Barbare. Sigmon struck the parents with a bat multiple times in their home and later attempted to shoot Barbare, who escaped.

His conviction and sentence have been upheld by multiple courts, including South Carolinas top court. Sigmons latest appeal revolved around claims that the states compressed election timeline and arbitrary denial of information violates his due process rights.

If his execution is not stayed, he will be put to death without this Court having reviewed his claims, and without a reasonable opportunity to exercise the state-granted right to choose the least inhumane method of execution available to him, Sigmons public defenders wrote in the application.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In court filings, the states attorney general office urged the high court to deny Sigmons application, saying he waited until the eve of his execution to raise his arguments.

Sigmon brutally murdered his ex-girlfriends parents two decades ago, and he has litigated claims ever since, including how he might be executed for the past four years. If courts give him more delays, he will always have more claims. But at some point, the delays must end, the state wrote.

The Supreme Court rarely spares death row inmates from execution. Since the start of its term in October, the full court has rejected 10 such emergency applications.

On its normal docket, however, the court late last month agreed to give death row inmate Richard Glossip a new trial after Oklahoma no longer stood behind its prosecution because of withheld evidence.

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.
CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officers were serving several warrants at a northeast Charlotte home on Friday evening when a shooting left a suspect dead and two officers injured.

CMPD said officers arrived around 4:30 p.m. in the 12000 block of Headquarters Farm Road, near the Mecklenburg-Cabarrus County line, and were seen swarming the entire block by 5 p.m.

The suspect was reportedly pronounced dead at the scene and two officers each were transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

CMPD said officers perceived an imminent deadly threat and discharged their service weapons engaging with the subject. Both officers are now placed on administrative leave, per standard department protocol.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Chief Johnny Jennings told reporters that the officers were serving a warrant on a suspect they were searching for. He was thankful the officers had minor injuries.

They were forced to take a life this evening, and nobody wants to have to go through that, Jennings said. Officers know their jobs are dangerous. You have to continue to learn, be more vigilant. Some people want to respond by using deadly force. Officers are well-trained and equipped to respond appropriately. Its never a call you want to get as a police chief.

The neighborhood where the shooting occurred has homes valued in the high $400,000 range and beyond $500,000, Mecklenburg County tax records show.

Were not here for anything other than to serve that warrant, Jennings said. This is an isolated incident and does not reflect on this community. I dont think its a reflection on the community at all.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Internal Affairs Bureau will conduct a separate but parallel investigation.

Representatives from CMPDs Operations Command, Homicide Unit, Medic and the Mecklenburg County District Attorneys Office also responded. The investigation is active and ongoing.

This is a Developing Story . Check back for updates

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.
Explainer: What drives the success of China's whole-process people's democracy?

Xinhua) 10:10, March 08, 2025

BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The ongoing "two sessions" in China have once again put the global spotlight on the country's unique democratic model -- whole-process people's democracy.

With the world in a moment of reckoning on the so-called Western liberal democracy, the Chinese practice is attracting more attention, not least thanks to the country's remarkable development.

So what is its secret of success? Observers from across the world have offered their answers.

EXTENSIVE PARTICIPATION

Whole-process people's democracy integrates democratic practices at all government levels and policymaking stages -- election, consultation, decision-making, implementation and oversight.

It is embodied most obviously in the "two sessions" -- the annual meetings of China's top legislature, the National People's Congress (NPC), and the top political advisory body, the National Committee of the CPPCC (Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference), said Anna Malindog-Uy, vice president of the Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute, a Manila-based think tank.

The NPC serves five-year terms, with deputies elected by lower-level people's congresses. The current 14th NPC has 2,929 deputies, its Standing Committee announced on Feb. 25.

Of the more than 2.77 million deputies in service nationwide, around 95 percent work in county- and township-level people's congresses, and they are directly elected on a one-person-one-vote basis. The latest elections involved over 1 billion voters, marking the world's largest grassroots democratic exercise.

"These meetings, as we understand it, are the culmination of a profound process of dialogue and debate that occurs at the level of every community, every municipality, every county, prefecture, region and province," said Michael Campbell, ambassador of Nicaragua to China.

Since the annual session of the top legislature is so important, are all NPC deputies officials of the Communist Party of China (CPC)? The answer is no.

They come from various regions and sectors and represent people from all ethnic groups and all sectors of society, including workers, farmers, officials, intellectuals, CPC members, members of other political parties, and non-affiliated patriots.

"So, in my understanding, the key aspect of whole-process people's democracy is ensuring broad participation, allowing the legislative body to hear voices from different sectors of society. That, I believe, is its core essence," said Zhang Wei, associate dean of the School of Law at Singapore Management University.

Women and grassroots workers, including migrant workers, are seeing greater representation in the NPC. The proportion of women deputies surpassed 26 percent in the 14th NPC, up from 22 percent in the 10th NPC, and the number of migrant worker deputies grew from 3 in 2008 to 56 in 2023.

"The deputies come from different regions, ethnic groups, sectors and social groups," Malindog-Uy said. "Whatever is discussed in the two sessions, it comes from the process of representation of different ideas and voices of the Chinese people."

COMPREHENSIVE AGENDA

"The term 'whole-process' suggests that democracy is not a one-time event but a continuous mechanism where the people participate in governance at multiple stages," said Jimmy Yab, president of the China-Africa Francophone Observatory.

As an important stage in the process, the "two sessions" feature consultations, deliberations and decision-making on issues ranging from national legislation to daily matters.

Modernizing China's socialist legal system has been a key focus of the two sessions. Over the past year, the Standing Committee of the NPC has reviewed 39 legislative proposals, with 24 passed, including 6 new laws and 14 amendments.

Elderly and child care has also been a key priority. In 2024, China launched 26 measures to boost the "silver economy" and enhance elderly well-being, leading to the establishment of 2,254 new elderly care facilities in 386 cities. At the same time, the country strengthened its child care support policies, offering increased subsidies for child care centers across the nation.

"China knows that there can be no democracy without meeting the basic needs of the people. The Chinese practice of democracy is wholesome, where everyone is taken care of and everyone's needs are looked after," said Stephen Ndegwa, a Kenyan expert on international issues.

Local "two sessions" are also key platforms for practicing whole-process people's democracy. In addition, the NPC has set up 54 grassroots legislative outreach offices nationwide, fostering direct interaction with grassroots communities and channeling unfiltered voices to the national legislature.

"The whole-process people's democracy is starting from the grassroots up to the highest level, where a lot of consultation goes on. So there are no gaps in the process," Ndegwa added.

FOR ALL PEOPLE

While Western democracy often focuses on elections, democracy in China aims to solve real problems for the people, noted Naing Swe Oo, senior advisory board member of Myanmar Institute of Strategic and International Studies.

"I think China's concept of whole-process people's democracy presents a different model of governance compared to Western liberal democracy. It is outcome-driven, which means that its legitimacy is measured by improvements in people's livelihoods," he said.

During the 2024 NPC session, deputies submitted a total of 9,235 suggestions, which were assigned to 213 organizations to be processed. By Nov. 26, all had been fully processed and responded to, said the NPC Standing Committee.

"This whole-process people's democracy China is carrying out aligns with the goal of putting the people at the center. It enables them to decide and feel that they are the protagonists of the historical process that is taking place in China and the beneficiaries of the transformations that are happening," said Argentine sociologist Marcelo Rodriguez, director of the Hector P. Agosti Center for Marxist Studies and Training.

At the 2024 NPC meeting, a proposal was made to enhance charging and battery swap infrastructure for new energy vehicles, in a bid to address widespread concerns regarding charging challenges and range anxiety.

Data from the China Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Promotion Alliance showed that by the end of 2024, charging infrastructure in China exceeded 12 million units, up 49.1 percent year-on-year. Additionally, highway service areas installed 35,000 new charging piles, reaching 98 percent coverage nationwide.

"I have been visiting China since 2003. Over the past 22 years, I have witnessed significant improvements in the lives of the Chinese people in terms of education, food and infrastructure. Prosperity is evident everywhere," said Al Mamun Mridha, secretary general of the Bangladesh China Chamber of Commerce and Industry. "This is where I see democracy."

(Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Sheng Chuyi)
DENVER (KDVR)  A 24-year-old suspect who attempted to evade police in his car and on foot was arrested in connection to a deadly shooting in Denver on Thursday.

On Friday, the Denver Police Department said Rafael Acosta-Hernandez was arrested and is being held on investigation of first-degree murder.

1 dead, 1 arrested after shooting on Speer Boulevard, Denver police pursuit

Denver police said the arrest stemmed from a deadly shooting at 12:18 p.m. Thursday in an alley west of the 2600 block of North Zuni Street. Originally, police said the shooting was near the 2700 block of Speer Boulevard but investigators determined the shooting occurred on Zuni Street.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The area is a few blocks away from the Mile High Stadium parking lots.

When officers arrived in the alley, they found a man suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. He was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

A preliminary investigation found that the victim and Acosta-Hernandez were involved in a verbal exchange that escalated into a shooting. Investigators said there may have also been a conflict between the two a week prior.

Following the shooting, witnesses told police that Acosta-Hernandez was seen driving away from the scene. Officers located Acosta-Hernandezs vehicle near West 26th Avenue and North Federal Boulevard, which is about half a mile away from the original shooting scene.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Download the FOX31 App: Breaking news alerts & Pinpoint Weather

Denver police said officers engaged in a brief pursuit that ended near West 20th Avenue and North Federal Boulevard. Following the pursuit, police said Acosta-Hernandez fled on foot.

A secure perimeter was established and Acosta-Hernandez was located and arrested thanks to assistance from Denver polices SWAT unit and K-9 unit.

The investigation is ongoing. The Denver Office of the Medical Examiner will release the victims identity at a later date.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
Police say two days before the suspect shot at an officer and shattered the front door of that checking cashing business, he shot up into a business in Gwinnett County and attempted to rob someone.

Nearly two months after this chaotic scene, less than one mile away from The Battery, investigators identified the man who they say shot at a Smyrna Police Officer after the man attempted to rob a check cashing business.

They started shouting to say put your gun down, put your gun down, witness Grace Bako said.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

We didnt know what was going on as we got here, one witness told Channel 2 Action News Cobb County Bureau Chief Michele Newell.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Attempted armed robbery, criminal damage, aggravated assault and several other charges have been filed against Trevelon Hogges.

According to the arrest warrant, police say Hogges pointed a loaded gun at an employee here inside Ace Cash Express. Police say he tried to steal money from the safe before he shot up the front door and side windows.

When our officer arrived on scene they encountered a male subject there was gunfire that was exchanged resulting in an officer involved shooting, Lt. Meredith Holt of the Smyrna Police Department said.

TRENDING STORIES:

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Police put everyone on alert as they looked for a man who they said was armed and dangerous. They shut down streets and evacuated a nearby gas station.

Hogges got it away.

Now, Hogges is in the Gwinnett County Jail for crimes he is accused committing there before and after this officer involved shooting in Cobb County.

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS)  The Ovid Police Department says a man they are searching for was spotted in Dimondale on Friday. If you see him or the vehicle police believe him to be driving, do not attempt to make contact. Instead, call 911.

The man was initially wanted for questioning by the department, though they did not disclose why. Police say he was seen on surveillance video stealing a truck from the Michigan Milk Producers Association in Ovid at around 9:40 a.m. Thursdaywhich was spotted in Dimondale on Friday. The truck is described as a white 2015 Chevy Silverado with an American Flag sticker on the back and a license plate of EUF0577.

(Photo: Ovid Police Dept.) (Photo: Ovid Police Dept.) (Photo: Ovid Police Dept.)

PREVIOUS: Ovid Police lift Shelter in Place order, suspect has left area

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to OPD, a resident called 911 to report that someone stole Amazon packages off of her porch. The above photos were taken from surveillance cameras outside her home.

Police describe the man as 511 tall and of a thin build, wearing a dark green coat with a black strip under the arm that was in the truck when it was stolen. While police initially thought he was armed with a knife, police now say he may have a gun.

(Photos: Ovid Police Dept.)

The search for the man led Clinton County Dispatch and the Ovid Police Department to issue a shelter-in-place order Thursday morning, though it was lifted by noon that same day when police believed he had left the area.

(Photo: Ovid Police Dept.)

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
(EL PASO COUNTY, Colo.)  Several suspected members of the Tren de Aragua (TdA) Venezuelan gang have been arrested in El Paso County, according to the El Paso County Sheriffs Office (EPSO).

EPSO said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) notified Sheriff Joseph Roybal the first week of March that it had identified, located, and arrested several members of the prolific Venezuelan gang in his jurisdiction.

My Office is already collaborating with our federal partners at the FBI, DEA, ATF, and ICE to ensure dangerous criminals, regardless of their citizenship status, are removed from the streets and held accountable, said Sheriff Roybal following the arrests in El Paso County.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

WATCH BELOW: DEA RMFD on Tren de Aragua, cartel activity in the Denver Metro area

In addition to this weeks arrests in El Paso County by ICE, the Drug Enforcement Administrations Rocky Mountain Field Division (DEA RMFD), has also been cracking down on suspected members of both TdA and the Sinaloa Cartel across Colorado.

The DEA RMFD said arrests like these have removed 130,000 fentanyl pills off the streets, in addition to guns and a fake DEA badge from an alleged drug trafficker, who the DEA believed was using the badge to steal drugs from other criminals.

TdA, which began as a prison gang in Venezuela, has since spread across South America and into the continental U.S. According to the DEA RMFD, it has suspected TdAs involvement in serious crimes in Colorado, including drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, prostitution, and human trafficking.

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.
JASPER COUNTY, Miss. (WHLT)  Several suspects were found guilty or pled guilty in connection to a human trafficking case in Mississippi.

On January 27, 2024, Jasper County deputies began investigation a human trafficking and sexual battery case involving a juvenile female. They said she was being traded to obtain drugs for sex.

Investigators identified the seven suspects as Chris Lowe, Lindsey Lowe, Kenny Gregory, TJ Page, Kevin Page, Jason McCullum and Alisa Lovett.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Mississippi pastor, deacon charged with embezzling church funds

According to investigators, Chris Lowe would trade the victim for methamphetamine to Kenny Gregory, TJ Page, Kevin Page and Jason McCullum. The five suspects were charged with human trafficking and sexual battery. Lindsey Lowe was charged with child abuse, and Alisa Lovett was charged with lustful touching of a child.

Authorities said all seven subjects were indicted.

TJ Page (Courtesy: Jasper County District Attorney)

Chris Lowe pled guilty to sexual battery, human trafficking and child abuse. TJ Page was found guilty of human trafficking and sexual battery. Kevin Page pled guilty to human trafficking and sexual batter. Jason McCullum pled guilty to human trafficking and lustful touching of a minor. Kenny Gregory pled guilty to human trafficking and sexual battery.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

After the jury returned their verdict, Judge Stan Sorey sentenced TJ Page to life in prison plus 30 years.

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.
Sweden will provide 22.5 million Swedish kronor ($2.2 million) to support Ukrainian women, the Swedish Embassy in Ukraine announced on March 8.

According to the embassys post on X, the funding aims to empower women in Ukraine and support their contributions to the countrys defense and recovery.

On March 8, we pay tribute to the Ukrainian women who bravely defend their country, and all of Europe, as military and humanitarian workers, entrepreneurs and political leaders, the post said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The funding initiative will be through UN-Women, the embassy added.

This comes soon after Sweden announced a military aid package to Ukraine worth over $1.2 billion, on Jan. 30.

It was Sweden's largest tranche of military assistance since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.

Read also: Norway to increase aid for Ukraine to $7.8 billion in 2025

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Sweden is allocating about 2 million to develop opportunities for women in Ukraine.

Source: Swedish Embassy in Ukraine on X (Twitter) on International Women's Day

"Today, Sweden is launching a new support to UN Women Ukraine in the amount of SEK 22.5 million to promote the empowerment of women in Ukraine," the embassy said.

"We pay tribute to the Ukrainian women who bravely defend their country and Europe as military and humanitarian workers, entrepreneurs and political leaders," the statement said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In 2025, Sweden will chair the board of the UN Women platform, which oversees projects on gender equality and the development of opportunities for women around the world.

Background: On the third anniversary of the full-scale war, Swedish officials announced plans to provide Ukraine with air defence systems worth US$113 million.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
ZURICH, Switzerland (AP)  Swiss police said Saturday they had solved a kidnapping involving two dogs and a demand for ransom of 1 million Swiss francs (about $1.135 million).

Zurich police said that two Bolonka dogs were stolen from the home of a 59-year-old man in Schlieren near Zurich last week, while the dog owner was away.

When the man returned, the dogs were gone and he found a letter demanding money to release the small dogs.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Instead of paying the ransom, the man, who was not identified by name in line with Swiss privacy rules, called the police.

In the course of the investigation, police on Thursday arrested a 30-year-old Norwegian man at Zurich Airport who police said was strongly suspected of being involved in the theft.

Following further leads and cross-European cooperation, police in Poland then detained a 38-year-old suspect and discovered the kidnapped Bolonkas, which they returned safely to their owner on Friday.

Swiss police said the Norwegian is in custody in Switzerland and authorities in Poland are further investigating the Polish suspect.

A Bolonka is a toy breed of dogs bred in Russia and sold for up to a couple of thousand dollars.
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP)  A towering figure in cinema for decades, retired actor Gene Hackman spent his final years in seclusion with his wife, living with heart disease and Alzheimer's, authorities said Friday.

An investigation into the deaths of Hackman and his wife, 65-year-old Betsy Arakawa, paint a tragic picture of the 95-year-old Oscar-winner's last days before he succumbed to heart disease, one week after Arakawa died from a rare disease called hantavirus.

Here are some takeaways:

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Hackman may not have realized his wife died a week earlier

Mr. Hackman showed evidence of advanced Alzheimers disease, New Mexico chief medical investigator Dr. Heather Jarrell said. He was in a very poor state of health. He had significant heart disease, and I think ultimately thats what resulted in his death.

All signs point to their deaths coming a week apart, Jarrell said, adding, Its quite possible he was not aware she was deceased."

Dr. Michael Baden, a former New York City medical examiner, said he believes Hackman was severely impaired because of Alzheimers disease and unable to deal with his wifes death in the last week of his life.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Couple lived a secluded life and were not found for days

When Hackman and Arakawa were found, the bodies were decomposing with some mummification, a consequence of body type and climate in Santa Fes especially dry air at an elevation of nearly 7,200 feet (2,200 meters).

Santa Fe Sheriff Adan Mendoza described the couple as a very private family, which presented difficulties in determining a timeline in their deaths. Hackman had no food in his stomach when he died, meaning he hadn't eaten recently, but he wasn't dehydrated, Jarrell said.

Investigators have not found any indication Hackman tried to contact anyone after Arakawa died, Mendoza said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

All of us that knew him should have been checking on him, said Stuart Ashman, co-owner of Artes de Cuba gallery. He cherished his encounters with Hackman at a local Pilates exercise studio, where they used to swap stories.

I had no idea. ... Its just really sad," Ashman said. "And that she died a week before him. My God.

Hantavirus believed to be the cause of Arakawa's death

Arakawa likely died Feb. 11 from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare disease spread by infected rodent droppings. She had gone out that day to run errands and stopped at a grocery store, pharmacy and pet store before returning to their home in a gated neighborhood.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

How Arakawa contacted hantavirus is unknown, but signs of rodents were found by investigators in some of the buildings on the couple's property, authorities said. Jarrell said it's possible Arakawa was showing symptoms of the virus, similar to flu symptoms, before she died.

The virus can cause a severe and sometimes deadly lung infection. While hantavirus is found throughout the world, most cases in the U.S. have been found in western states.

Hackman had retired from a celebrated acting career

Hackmans long career included roles as villains, heroes and antiheroes in dozens of dramas, comedies and action films. Aside from appearances at awards shows, he was rarely seen on the Hollywood social circuit. Hackman and Arakawa eschewed fame and made Santa Fe their home decades ago, like many other artists.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He met Arakawa, a classical pianist, at a California gym in the mid-1980s. They moved to Santa Fe by the end of the decade. Their Pueblo revival home sits on a hill with views of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.

In his first decades in New Mexico, Hackman was often seen around the state capital and served on the board of trustees for the Georgia OKeeffe Museum from 1997 to 2004. Hackman kept a tight circle of friends and didnt go out much, but he was sometimes spotted downtown.
The Mumbai Press Club has strongly criticised the Maharashtra governments decision to establish a media monitoring centre, calling it an act of surveillance disguised as an effort to curb misinformation. The move, which aims to track news coverage across print, television, digital and social media, has raised concerns about press freedom and governmental overreach.

According to a government resolution (GR) outlining the initiative, the centre will categorise news content as positive or negative concerning the government. The Mumbai Press Club warns that such a classification system, lacking clear definitions, poses a significant risk of conflating legitimate criticism with misinformation.

This initiative effectively grants the government the power to determine what constitutes positive and negative reporting, the Mumbai Press Club stated. There is a real danger that any form of critique will be labelled as negative, thereby stifling journalistic independence.

Critics argue that this could lead to profiling and targeting of media outlets or journalists who express dissenting views. The Press Club emphasised that such measures act as an indirect warning to media organisations, discouraging them from publishing stories that may be deemed unfavourable by the administration.

A major concern highlighted by the Mumbai Press Club is the governments assumption of the role of sole arbiter of truth. Drawing parallels with the union governments previous attempt to establish a fact-checking unit (FCU) to identify fake and false content on social media an initiative recently struck down by the Bombay High Court the press club reiterated the judiciarys stance that such policies infringe upon freedom of speech and create a chilling effect amounting to censorship.

When a significant portion of news coverage revolves around the government and its policies, allowing the administration to dictate what is truthful and what is not represents a clear conflict of interest, the statement continued. Instead of imposing its own narrative, the government must have the courage to confront inconvenient truths.

The Maharashtra government has yet to respond to the backlash, but media professionals and civil rights activists have joined the call to reassess the monitoring centres mandate. The Mumbai Press Club insists that upholding press freedom is essential for democracy and urges the government to reconsider its approach to media oversight.
For most Catholics in late medieval England, confession was an annual affair undertaken during Lent. Lines were long, and priests and penitents alike were impatient to get it over with. Pastoral realism therefore demanded that the confession be kept within manageable dimensions, wrote the Irish historian Eamon Duffy in 1992. In a time-honoured formula the penitent was to be brief, be brutal, be gone.

James M. OToole, a church historian at Boston College, finds that well into the 20th century, American Catholics held to that same formula. Though they confessed more frequently than their 14th-century counterparts, they were encouraged to be just as brief and brutalto think of themselves as accuser, prosecutor, and witness in their own two-minute trials, while the priest, acting as mediator for God, played judge. Confession was a serious matter, and for a long time, OToole argues in a new book titled For I Have Sinned, the Rite of Penance stood at the center of what it meant to be an American Catholic.

Then, in the 1970s, confession collapsed.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

OToole offers several theories for why. The first is speed: Priests heard confessions throughout the week, but the highest traffic times were Saturday afternoons, when they could be confined to the box for as long as six hours. During those long hours, in which they often heard more than 100 confessions, priests rarely got a break. Many of them came to regard those who held up the line by chatting or enumerating every little venial sin an annoyance. That attitude, OToole records one woman saying, often made penitents feel like the priest was too busy to make them feel properly reconciled to God. And so people decided to become too busy for the priest.

Another theory is the relative severity of Catholicism prior to the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s. Until that point, the church placed a much greater emphasis on sin, especially mortal sin (defined in the Baltimore Catechismthe primary teaching text of the time as a grievous offense against the law of God). Catholics were encouraged to consider most of their wrong actions mortal sins, under the supposition that where damnation is concerned, better safe than sorry. And in the confessional, priests were taught to ask penitents questionsbasically, to interrogate themto determine if their offenses were grievous. It was an uncomfortable routine for all involved. It was made worse by the fact that much of what was confessed was repetitive or trivial (I talked in church). In this sense, OToole writes, confession may have been a victim of its own success: Americans went so often and said so little of consequence that they came to see it as unimportant.

Neither of these theories is all that convincing on its own. After all, the conditions OToole describes had pertained to confession pretty much since the Council of Trentin the 1500s. It is unlikely that one generation of Catholics would throw them off without some novel influence. Indeed, OToole makes a better case for the sacraments collapse when he discusses the arrival of the birth control pill in the mid-1960s. The Food and Drug Administration approved the first oral contraceptive at a time of acute instability in the church. The Mass was being rewritten and, with it, all of church practice was up for reconsideration. Lay Catholics who never would have dared to contravene their priests now openly defied the church after it declaredtoo late, some saidthat it opposed all forms of artificial contraception. It didnt help that many American priests, worried about upsetting parish harmony, sided with their parishioners and tacitly endorsed their defiance. We didnt harangue on birth control, OToole records one priest admitting, because we sensed people didnt believe it.

The confusion over the churchs position on birth control in effect devalued its authority on all questions of morality. If ecclesial authorities could disagree, so could common laymen. The definition of a sin, long understood as the churchs jurisdiction, now became a matter of open interpretation. When lay Catholics made their own determinations, they were more likely to err on the side of leniency to themselves. Add into the mix popular nations of Freudian psychologyin which human agency is deemphasized in favor of the unknowable workings of the subconsciousand it becomes clear why so many people decided that pouring out their shameful souls in a dark box on Saturday afternoon was an outmoded practice, best left in the past.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

OToole notes that the new form of the Mass, introduced by 1970, very likely gave some Catholics the mistaken impression that the sacrament had been enfolded within the Mass itself and that to confess outside of Mass was redundant. (For non-Catholics: the phrase I confess, to Almighty God . . . is said at every Mass.) He also points out that the introduction of face-to-face confessionas opposed to the conventional confessional where there is a screen between priest and penitentin that same time period coincided with a massive spike in priestly sexual abuse. The new arrangement, designed to make the sacrament more approachable, in fact only made the spiritually vulnerable easier targets for a malignant priest. OToole explains in grim detail how many sexual abuse cases began in this newly configured confessional, where the priest, unencumbered by the traditional screen, had full access to his victim. Face-to-face confession may not have directly contributed to the sacraments decline, but it certainly perverted its purpose.

But most immediately, OToole argues, the churchs attempts to keep up with midcentury intellectual trends are what hastened confessions decline. By the mid-1960s, many seminaries had in various ways incorporated Freudianism into their curricula. Notions of collective guilt and public morality were in vogueall to the detriment of the sacrament. Confession had always depended on penitents ability to identify specific wrongful deeds that they themselves had done, to describe these in a few words, and to express their sorrow, OToole writes. It might very well be a step forward to encourage them to think of sin as an enveloping smog, whose destructive effects were subtle. But how could individuals take their own personal share of responsibility for smog?

The answer of course is that it is impossible. If collective sins against the environment are mortal, then should we confess starting our cars in the morning? Or what about a shopper who buys lettuce picked by non-union migrant workersis the purchase a sin against justice? The problem with placing more emphasis on the big, abstract evils that plague society is that, for most people, it becomes very easy to write off ones own peccadilloes in the face of such overawing wrong. Contemporary man, said one priest, quoted by OToole as summing up the attitudes of the day, is more liable to think of war before he thinks of masturbation as an example of sin.

These attitudes still prevail today, in the church and elsewhere. It is much easier to confess other peoples sins, loudly and in public, than it is to admit ones own shortcomings, even in private. And easier even than that is to look around at all the evil in the world and declare the situation hopelessin effect to repudiate sin on the basis that everything is sin. OToole concludes For I Have Sinned with a lament that, in losing the sacrament, American Catholics have lost a larger framework for thinking about how we behave with one another, both personally and collectively. That observation could be expanded more widely, even to non-Catholics: When there is no agreed-upon right and wrong, there may as well be no right and wrong at all.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

OToole proposes that the church adopt a new form of confession, more attenuated to contemporary morality. I have to wonder, though, if it is less the sacrament and more the morality that is in need of reform. After all, when sin is taken seriously, it is much easier to be realistic about human nature.

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.
The Taliban issued a message on International Womens Day, saying Afghan women live in security with their rights protected, even as the U.N. condemned ongoing employment and education bans.

Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021, they have barred education for women and girls beyond sixth grade, most employment, and many public spaces. Last August, the Vice and Virtue Ministry published laws that ban womens voices and bare faces outside the home.

The Talibans chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid released a statement on his official X account, without specifically mentioning International Womens Day, which is celebrated on March 8.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He said the dignity, honor, and legal rights of women were a priority for the Islamic emirate, the term used by the Taliban to describe their government.

Afghan women lived in security, both physically and psychologically, he added.

In accordance with Islamic law and the culture and traditions of Afghan society, the fundamental rights of Afghan women have been secured. However, it should not be forgotten that the rights of Afghan women are being discussed within an Islamic and Afghan society, which has clear differences from Western societies and their culture, said Mujahid.

Also Saturday, the U.N. renewed its call for the Taliban to lift the bans.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The erasure of women and girls from public life cannot be ignored, said Roza Otunbayeva, the head of the U.N. mission in Afghanistan. We remain committed to investing in their resilience and leadership, as they are key to Afghanistans future.

Alison Davidian, special representative for U.N. Women Afghanistan, said the world could not accept a future for Afghan women that would never be tolerated elsewhere.

Our response to their erasure is a test of our commitment to women and girls everywhere, said Davidian. We must stand with Afghan women as if our own lives depend on it  because they do.

The Taliban remain isolated from the West  and without international recognition as the countrys official government  because of their restrictions on women and girls.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Afghanistan Journalists Support Organization said 893 women were currently employed in the media sector. That's a drop from 2,756 who were working before 2021, according to Reporters Without Borders.

There were nine provinces where there were no women in the media industry, the Afghan support organization said. The declining participation of female journalists, driven by the Talibans discriminatory policies, signalled a concerted effort to erase women from the media landscape, it said.

On Friday in Paris, UNESCO hosted a high-level conference on women and girls in Afghanistan. Participants included Hamida Aman, the founder of the women-only station Radio Begum, Fawzia Khoofi, a parliamentarian from the former Western-backed government, and rights experts including Richard Bennett, who is barred from entering Afghanistan.

In an apparent dig at the event, the spokesman for the Vice and Virtue Ministry Saif ul-Islam Khyber said recent international conferences held under the name of womens rights exposed the hypocrisy of certain organizations and European Union foundations.
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  Tampa Bay is not immune to the Trump Administrations effort to reduce the federal workforce.

On Friday, U.S. Rep Kathy Castor met with about a dozen former federal workers in Tampa who were given termination letters. One of them is Michael Slattery, who was given a termination letter on Valentines Day.

Lake Wales Big Dog Outpost closes, citing costs and economic uncertainty

My termination letter said that it was due to performance, when I have a performance review that says thats not the case, Slattery said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Slattery worked as a scientist with the U.S. Geological Survey in St. Petersburg from August 2024 to last month. Slattery was hired to research and pass along crucial data, like forecast models, to local and state officials before and after storms. It was a position that was scheduled to last four years. Congress created and funded Slatterys job, among others, following Hurricane Ian in 2022.

I was doing it alongside other people, but I was the only with the role of communicating to the stakeholders though, Slattery said.



This week, President Donald Trump responded to concerns that some firings were happening too quickly, which forced some reinstatements.

When we have good people, those thats precious, thats very important that we want them to keep the good people, Trump said.

The office of Rep. Castor sent a statement following Fridays meeting:

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Today, Rep. Kathy Castor convened a roundtable discussion with federal workers, including some recently terminated as part of Donald Trump and Elon Musks efforts to dismantle the federal government. Rep. Castor was joined by Democracy Forward to discuss ongoing litigation related to the wrongful termination of thousands of workers across the country, including in Tampa Bay. The workers  some deemed essential by their supervisors only to be terminated by DOGE  represented MacDill AFB, NOAA, HHS, USDA, and USGS. Two of the employees were Veterans that served our nation in uniform. They shared their stories with Rep. Castor, expressing deep frustration and confusion as Musk and Trump continue to demean the work they devoted their lives to.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna also sent a statement:

Unfortunately, too many federal workers have abused their positions, doing little work while receiving good pay and excellent benefits. With $37 trillion in debt, America simply cannot afford to employ absent or negligent workers. I support this initiative but let me be clear: hard-working federal employees who are meeting their job expectations should not be worried about termination. With that said, me and my office are committed to advocating for anyone who may have been wrongly fired. I have the utmost confidence that President Trump wants to eliminate systemic waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal government  not its best and brightest workers.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
A Russian dissident only discovered that he was being targeted by a UK-based spy ring when he read his name in the news, The Telegraph can reveal.

Kirill Kachur was being hunted by a team of Bulgarian spies tasked with kidnapping him and sending him back to Moscow, either dead or alive, for a price of 700,000.

In his first interview, given over an encrypted line while still in hiding, the lawyer told The Telegraph he had only found out he was a target of their plot when he read his name in the British press.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

His story can be told for the first time after the spy minions who were following him on the ground were found guilty at the Old Bailey on Friday.

They had been tasked to hunt for Mr Kachur by Jan Marsalek, the fugitive boss of the German payments processing company Wirecard, who was running the operation on behalf of the Russian secret services, the court heard.

Mr Kachur evaded the team but said that he still feared for his life as the international arm of Russias Federal Security Service (FSB) has long tentacles, with agents in every country.

They used foreigners such as the Bulgarian spy ring so that if they were detained they could not reveal the inner workings of the FSB or give evidence against their agents, he explained.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

His concerns were echoed by Commander Dominic Murphy, the head of the Metropolitan Police Counter-Terrorism Command, which led the investigation. He said that as the UK becomes a more hostile environment for Russian spies, they had seen an increasing threat from the use of proxies such as the Bulgarians to carry out their espionage.

Katrin Ivanova, Tihomir Ivanchev and Vanya Gaberova were on Friday found guilty of spying for Russia - Metropolitan Police/PA Wire

During a three-month trial at the Old Bailey, jurors heard six plots outlined in which Orlin Roussev, who was running the spy ring from a guest house in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, discussed with Marsalek plans to kidnap and even kill enemies of the Kremlin, including Mr Kachur.

The 33-year-old said he left Moscow in February 2021 after being falsely accused of bribery and being told that both the FSB and Vladimir Putin wanted him dead.

While on the run he received a lot of information that they wanted to kill me and were following me, and then in November 2023 he read in the newspapers that he was a target of the spy ring being operated from UK soil.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Mr Kachur tried to contact the Metropolitan Police in order to give evidence at the trial, but his lawyers received no response until days before the jury retired.

The truth must be revealed, and the law restored, he told The Telegraph. I want to make a statement as a lawyer and as a person to explain why they tried to kill me, and I want it to be made public because only publicity can save me.

It is also important to help the investigation to punish people, because the Bulgarians may not say why all this happened, but I understand that the FSB leadership and Putin personally were hunting me, and the real criminals and organisers are in Russia.

The Bulgarian spy ring had been tasked with finding him in Montenegro in September 2021. Marsalek told Roussev that Mr Kachur was corrupt and they wanted to find him and kidnap him.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We dont mind if he dies by accident, but better if he manages to find his way to Moscow, Marsalek wrote in messages seen by The Telegraph. But of course itd be bad if we lose him.

The team used sophisticated surveillance techniques, including placing a fake rock with a camera hidden inside it outside his wifes flat and tracing the location of his mobile phone.

But Mr Kachur said that the allegations against him were fabricated charges used as an excuse to persecute him after he investigated oligarchs close to the Russian president.

He also has a long-standing conflict with the FSBs Sixth Service, which does the bidding of the government, which started early in his career when he was working at the Investigative Committee of Russia, the countrys anti-corruption agency.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I always worked according to the law and justice and avoided carrying out illegal orders from the leadership, he said. But the Investigative Committee of Russia works in such a way that it is effectively controlled by the FSB, and orders on serious matters are given only by the FSB.

Therefore, I always made sure that everything was done within the law, and often found myself under pressure from corrupt FSB generals, who, for a combination of reasons, decided to liquidate me and fabricate criminal cases against me because I was very intractable and often went against their criminal will.

Before he was forced to flee, Mr Kachur had set up in private practice. But he again found himself at odds with oligarchs who were being protected from criminal prosecution by Putin when representing a businessman who alleged he was the victim of an assassination attempt.

In Moscow, Mr Kachur has been charged in absentia with embezzlement and bribery. But he has not allowed it to silence him, he revealed, and has given evidence to the Russian parliaments upper house which detailed how FSB officers torture people, that they receive bribes of hundreds of millions of dollars from oligarchs.

Jan Marsalek, who tasked the spies to hunt for Mr Kachur - Der Speigel Syndication

But for Putin, it may be Mr Kachurs political actions that are the biggest thorn in his side.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Before he left Moscow, he and his Peoples Liberation Front movement had gathered 50,000 signatures on an ultimatum addressed to Putin calling for an end to corruption.

In November 2023, Mr Kachur was designated an enemy of the Russian state who was said to be working in the interest of the West. He said he had many friends in high places in Russia who told me that the FSB was hunting me all over the world  either directly or through their agents, that they would either kill me or kidnap me and bring me to Moscow.

I received these threats in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. I still receive them now. There were different groups that wanted to carry out these threats, he said. I learnt that [Marsalek] first targeted me from the newspapers. I dont know who he is. I suspect that he is one of the agents recruited by the FSB.

I want to emphasise that the arms of the Fifth Service and the Sixth Service of the FSB Internal Security Directorate are very long and large, and they have many agents recruited all over the world. Thats why I dont know who he is. And Ive only read about him in the media. But I understand where it comes from, I understand who the organiser is.

Mr Kachur said the kidnap operations against him were ordered by the Fifth Service of the FSB, which runs operations abroad and is very dangerous.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Because they have agents in every country, people are recruited through consulates, diplomatic missions and commercial companies, Mr Kachur explained through an interpreter. They have many agents in every country.

They either act directly through existing agents or force them to recruit new agents, as was the case with the Bulgarian spies, at least I think so in terms of the Bulgarians. They do it through the hands of other people.

Roussevs team, who are facing jail when they are sentenced in May, are thought to be just one team of Russian proxies operating in Britain.

As Mr Murphy explained: The reality is this wont be the only activity Russia is conducting here in the UK, and we have seen other disruptions here in recent months.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It is a truth about the Kremlins international operations that Mr Kachur knows only too well as his life is still at risk and he remains in hiding.

Its a very mild word, risk. I feel hyper-risk, he said. I take very serious measures to protect myself, very serious, because the risk is extremely high.

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.
PLATTSBURGH  The uncertainty surrounding President Donald Trumps 25% tariffs on Canada casted a dark cloud over the North Country Chamber of Commerces Annual New York State Legislative Forum Thursday morning.

To show just how well our business community in the North Country understands our connection with Canada, 97% declared that tariffs must be avoided by Canadian goods crossing the border: 97%. When do you get 97% on anything? Chamber President Garry Douglas said to a large crowd at the Butcher Block.

Our business community understands that a mistake is being made, a very serious mistake.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

At midnight Tuesday, the United States imposed 25% tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico. On Thursday afternoon, Trump then imposed a delay on all products from Mexico and Canada that are covered by the USMCA free trade treaty until April 2.

However, before Trump announced the delay, potential repercussions from the presidents tariffs left many at Thursdays chamber breakfast concerned about Clinton Countys economy because of its shared border and close relationship with Canada.

The forum, which gathered state leaders Assemblyman Billy Jones (D-Chateauguay Lake), State Sen. Dan Stec (R,C-Queensbury) and Assemblyman Matt Simpson (R-Lake George), gave all three a chance to address the tariffs as well as answer any other questions on Albany-related topics including the budget.

I am fully against the tariffs, Jones said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We, as a region, are going to see immediate impacts on this.

Jones, chair of the New York-Canada Relations Committee, said he has been helping to educate his state colleagues on the effect tariffs would have on not only the North Country, but New York as a whole, for the past few weeks.

Youre talking about tariffs coming at 25%. That is going to have a direct cost on your businesses, Jones said.

Because we are so intertwined with Canada, its going to have a direct cost on the residents here in the North Country. Theres no if ands or buts about it. Its just going to happen, that is a fact, when it costs you more to get equipment, parts, anything, goods, services, agriculture, construction, anything that we get, a lot of that comes from our friends and neighbors to the north so they cant eat that cost.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Hopefully, with some good negotiation, we could get this removed.

Stec said its unfortunate the issues that caused the tariffs could not be controlled sooner to prevent them from happening. The issues, Stec said, being the flow of fentanyl from Canada over the Northern border into the United States as well as the high illegal immigration traffic.

So he (Trump) feels its necessary to dial it up a notch. Hes done that, he campaigned on that, so nobody in the room should be surprised that were here, he said.

Fortunately, theres a lot of people that are working behind the scenes to make sure that everyone understands the stakes and whats the moving parts here. Its a complicated issue, and the light at the end of the tunnel is that the president sees the movement that hes requiring on our borders to address the illegal migration.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Simpson, while concerned about the economic impact, said just the threats of tariffs has had a negative impact on the relations between the two countries and its citizens.

Theres some anti-American, anti-Canadian sentiment that is going to have a cost above and beyond the tariff, Simpson said.

Im not going to pretend that I understand whats happened at the national level. Im hoping that at the end of the tunnel, at the end of this whole thing, and its going to be a cost to all of us, that somehow we can come back even stronger and better than we were before, because Ive seen the eagerness on both sides of the border to work together here with our businesses.

CHILD CARE

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Beyond tariffs, other issues raised at Thursdays breakfast included child care.

Plattsburgh YMCA CEO Justin Ihne asked Jones, Stec and Simpson about child care and what can be done to lower the costs of it for families; for example, he said it costs $13,000 to $15,000 a year for one child at the YMCAs full-day program.

Ihne said access to child care is an important aspect of attracting workers to the area.

Jones said child care is economic development and its something the Assembly is looking at making investments in in the upcoming budget.

This comes along another vein of the housing. So we put a bunch of money into child care, but oftentimes it doesnt go to where it really needs to go in some of our rural and Upstate areas, and looking for a bigger investment in that for Upstate, is what my colleagues and I are pushing in our conference, he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

So yes, we are continuing to make those investments. I know all about child care, I know how expensive it is, I know just trying to find a provider, at times, thats another thing.

Stec said theres six times as much demand as there is supply and recognized the need for more child care centers in the state. However, hes heard from other colleagues that opening and maintaining a child care center was often deemed too difficult due to the strict state regulations.

I know the governor, in the budget, were heading in the direction of universal pre-K and I think those are good investments to push that age down where were getting more involved, he said.

Because, as you point out, it is absolutely an economic driver. If you dont have child care, youre hurting your workforce. So I think thats something that has a lot of bipartisan support.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Simpson said Gov. Kathy Hochul has proposed an increase in the child care tax credit up to $1,000 as well.

Which will help, he said.

LEGISLATION IN BUDGET

Scott Hite of Livations Wine and Spirits in Peru said he was concerned New York could include a law in its budget this year that emulates one in Colorado that allowed grocery stores to sell wine.

Hite said in two years, 400 businesses like his closed due to the legislation.

Jones said its not in the budget right now and made it clear he would not support it if it was.

In general, when people hear it, theyre like, Hey, thats a great idea, he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But our independent liquor stores have gone through the ABC laws. Theyve done everything. Theyve done the steps, and theyve abided by these forever, and a lot of times, these are locally, family-owned businesses that are in our communities.

Stec said he also wouldnt support that kind of law. He said in general, he doesnt like how much policy makes its way into the budget each year.

To your point, anythings on the table at budget time, so it can easily find its way in there. So thats something worth pointing out, he said.

Simpson would not back such a law either.

Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, he added.
TAYLORVILLE, Ill. (WCIA)  A Taylorville man was hospitalized and taken into custody for a DUI after he drove into a house Thursday evening.

At 7:36 p.m., the Taylorville Police Department told WCIA they received a call about an incident where a vehicle struck a house near the intersection of N Cherokee and E Esther Streets, and that the driver of the vehicle and the occupants of the house were in a verbal argument as a result of the crash. Taylorville officers arrived on scene roughly one minute after the call was received.

Decatur man sentenced to more than five years in prison for child pornography possession

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to Taylorville Police, the driver of a black pickup truck, identified as David Blevins, 45 of Taylorville, sustained head injuries, but remained in stable condition on scene. Blevins was then taken into custody for four citations, and a local ambulance transported him to HSHS St. Johns Hospital in Springfield to further evaluate his injuries. Nobody inside of the residence was injured as a result of the incident, and Blevins was the only occupant inside the vehicle.

Blevins was cited for the following charges:

DUI for any amount of drug

Unlawful possession of cannabis by driver

Failure to reduce speed

Improper traffic lane usage

Police cleared the scene at 9:03 p.m. At the hospital, Blevins was read a warning to motorist for DUI, as is typical protocol for this situation. He was then issued a notice to appear in court for April 1 and was effectively released from custody. His condition is unknown at this time.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In the course of the collision, Blevins struck an Ameren electrical line, which warranted Ameren Illinois arriving on scene to check for possible damages. Other assisting agencies included the Taylorville Fire Department and a local ambulance.

At this time, there is no estimate on the cost of the damages to the house in Taylorville.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
WILSON COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN)  The subject of a Silver Alert out of Wilson County has since been found safe in Lebanon, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

 Have breaking news come to you: Subscribe to News 2 email alerts 

Frank Melton, 81, was last seen in Lebanon Friday, according to the TBI.

(Courtesy: TBI) (Courtesy: TBI) (Courtesy: TBI)

The TBI added that Melton could be driving a 2014 white Toyota Camry.

 Read todays top stories on wkrn.com

Melton has a medical condition that may impair his ability to return safely without assistance, the TBI said in a social media post.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

If you see him, call 1-800-TBI-FIND.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
OCONEE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA)  A teenager is facing multiple charges in relation to two separate investigations at the same Upstate auto dealership.

The Oconee County Sheriffs Office announced that 18-year-old Trenton Porter, of Asheville, was booked into the detention center Tuesday for reports of vehicle break-ins on Clemson Boulevard.

The first investigation was initiated on Monday, Dec. 30. According to an arrest warrant, Porter broke the windows of six vehicles in an attempt to start them. A 2018 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 was also reported stolen from the dealership.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On Friday, Jan. 31, deputies once again responded to the dealership. It was reported that a key box had been broken into and some vehicle keys were stolen. Authorities also noted that one of the buildings windows was broken into for access.

Based on evidence obtained during both investigations, investigators identified the suspect as Porter and charged him with two counts of malicious injury to property, grand larceny, second-degree burglary and petit larceny.

The teen was located and arrested in Cleveland County, NC while in possession of the Camaro.

Porter was transported Tuesday to the Oconee County Detention Center on a $72,125 bond.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The investigation remains ongoing by the OCSO.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  Baton Rouge Police Department detectives are investigating a fatal shooting that killed a 14-year-old boy late Friday night.

The shooting occurred around 10:21 p.m. at an apartment complex located in the 5900 block of Cadillac Street. Authorities say an unknown assailant or assailants fired multiple shots into the residence, striking Derrick Dorsey multiple times. BRPD said Dorsey succumbed to his injuries at the scene.

Police have not yet identified any suspects, and the investigation remains ongoing.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Southern University student charged in hazing death case

Anyone with information about the shooting is urged to contact the Violent Crimes Unit at 225- 389-4869 or provide anonymous tips through Crime Stoppers at 225-344-7867.

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.
Mar. 7An Austin 18-year-old arrested and charged with felony firearm possession has been found to have a connection to the 16-year-old accused of killing Opoka James Bot Lob Nathanael and injuring one other in February.

Owyn Enrique Raul Bellikka was in Mower County District Court for a first appearance Friday morning and is currently being held in Mower County District court on $250,000 bail or bond with no conditions and $25,000 with conditions.

The connection comes from data obtained by an Austin Police Department detective from a cellphone seized during the investigation into the Feb. 15 shooting death of Nathanael.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to the court complaint, the cellphone was recovered from the back of the vehicle in which Nathanael was shot. Photos and video taken from the phone allegedly show the juvenile charged in the February shooting brandishing a .45 handgun

Other video and pictures showed the juvenile and others possessing and firing handguns while also having text conversations about firing handguns.

A text conversation just five days before the fatal shooting on Feb. 10 to a "Crowyn" included three photos of the gun handled by the juvenile as well as the juvenile asking "U had got the bullets."

Responding texts show Crowyn responding by saying he was pulling up and "let me come in."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Two days later, on Feb. 12, Cowyn sent the juvenile a video in which the video taker appears to be the juvenile who is sitting in the passenger seat of the vehicle. The video was focused on the gun that appears to be the same weapon from days previous before the juvenile steps out and fires five rounds on the side of the road.

Then, turning to the vehicle, the juvenile appears to hand the gun to Bellikka, who reaches out across the interior of the car and shoots the gun three more times out of the open door of the passenger side.

The detective and an officer went to the location the phone was tracked to near 31st Street NW north of 12th Avenue NW and south of 20th Avenue NW in Austin and discovered six .45 bullet casings.

On March 6, Bellikka was arrested in the 700 block of Ninth Avenue SW, but declined to speak to law enforcement.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to the complaint, Bellikka was previously adjudicated delinquent for second degree assault with a dangerous weapon in July of 2023.

The Mower County Attorney's Office is attempting to move the case of the juvenile charged with second degree murder to be charged as an adult. He was arrested just hours after the fatal shooting took place in the 1100 block of Fifth Avenue NW.
NEWARK, New Jersey (PIX11)  A 14-year-old boy has been charged with murder and attempted murder in connection with the death of a police officer who was shot in killed in Newark on Friday night, officials said.

The Essex County Prosecutor offered an update on the investigation on Saturday morning. He confirmed the death of 26-year-old police officer Joseph Azcona who spent five years on the job.

More Local News

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Azcona was coming out of his vehicle near Carteret Street and Broadway around 6:37 p.m. on Friday when he was shot and killed, according to authorities. Another police officer was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

We here at the NJ State PBA are heartbroken to share that an officer from Newark PD has made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty, and another officer is currently fighting for their life in critical condition, the New Jersey State Policemens Benevolent Association said in a statement.

More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State

Five people have been taken into custody, the prosecutor said. The 14-year-old also faces charges of illegal weapons possession.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Police were called to the location in Newark for a report of illegal activity, officials said during the press conference. As officers arrived the suspect fired around 29 shots, sources said.

Cops returned fire, injuring the 14-year-old who was later taken into custody.

It was not immediately made known what led up to the incident. Authorities are still continuing to investigate.

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.
WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  Police said that a teenage boy was taken to the hospital after a shooting in D.C. Friday evening.

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) said that a call came in shortly after 7:45 p.m. for a shooting in Northwest.

MPD closed the 3700 block of Georgia Ave. from Spring Road to Quincy Street NW for the investigation.

Two Prince Georges County students die due to flu

Officials said that the teenager was conscious and breathing when they took him to the hospital.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

There was no lookout as of Friday evening.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Two 13-year-old girls were charged with multiple felonies this week after seriously injuring another student with a Stanley cup during a fight at a Delaware middle school, officials said.

Delaware State Police responded to the incident at Calvin R. McCullough Middle School in New Castle on Feb. 28. Its investigation revealed that the two students struck another 13-year-old girl multiple times in the head with a metal Stanley cup.

A 12-year-old boy was also involved in the fight and struck the victim with his hands, according to police. He was charged with a misdemeanor offense.

Calvin R. McCullough Middle School in New Castle, Del.

The students were separated by school staff and the victim was transported to an area hospital to be treated for "serious injuries to her head."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Both girls were charged with three felonies  second-degree assault, second-degree conspiracy and possession of a deadly weapon  as well as a disorderly conduct charge.

Colonial School District said the students facing criminal charges will also face disciplinary actions, and the district is cooperating with authorities.

"Violence in the Colonial School District is never condoned," a district spokesperson said in a statement. "Administrators are in touch with the families involved in this unfortunate incident."

Both teenagers turned themselves in this week, and were released to their guardians on $7,500 bonds after being arraigned by New Castle County Family Court.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
The Telegram messaging app has been blocked in two regions controlled by the Russian Federation due to concerns that it could be used by "enemies".

Source: Kremlin-aligned Russian news agency TASS

Details: The app is currently unavailable in Dagestan and the temporarily occupied Ichkeria (Chechnya). [The Chechen Republic, also known as Chechnya, is a federal subject of the Russian Federation; the Ukrainian parliament has recognised it as the temporarily Russian-occupied territory of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria  ed.]

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Yuri Gamzatov, Dagestan's Minister of Digitalisation, claimed that Telegram is often used by "enemies", citing the riots at Makhachkala airport as an example.

"Telegram needs to reconsider its approach to content moderation, as extremist materials often avoid blocking," said Anton Nemkin, a member of the Committee on Information Policy at the State Duma [lower chamber of the Russian parliament].

Nemkin argued that the blocking was a necessary measure, as the app was "actively used to coordinate unrest".

Meanwhile, Dagestan authorities have suggested that Telegram could be unblocked in the future.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD)  People around the country Friday rallied to stand up for science.

One of those joining the movement was U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, who spoke against cuts to research staff at the Ag Lab in Peoria.

Durbin, the states senior senator, stood outside the Ag Lab, formally known as the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research to urge people to speak out against the cuts to the facility as well as others nationwide.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Im calling on all of the major farm groups in Illinois and farmers as well to stand up for the Ag Lab in Peoria, the Illinois Democrat said.

Durbin also called on U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood, a Peoria Republican, to advocate for the roughly 20 workers who were laid off last month from the research facility.

I hope Darin LaHood supports this lab, and I hope hell support the men and women who work here, Durbin said.

Ethan Roberts leads the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) local 3247. Thats the union that represents more than 80 workers at the Ag Lab.

Roberts said the Merit System Protection Board, a federal agency that provides a safeguard for federal employees, ruled Wednesday the thousands of workers laid off from the USDA must be reinstated within five days and provide proof to the board that they have done so.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He said what it would mean to have the employees who were let go from the lab back to work.

Theyll be able to resume the very important projects that they were working on, for one, he said. It would also be a great morale boost for the building because then we know that, at least legally, we have the protections that we were guaranteed on our side, that instead of worrying about our jobs every day, we can actually do our jobs.

When WMBD last spoke to Roberts immediately after the initial layoffs, he expected more employees to be terminated in the weeks following his interview. He said none have been let go since.

If the employees return to work, there would most likely be, Roberts said, reduction in force, which he described as a highly complex and very specific procedure outlined in statute on how federal employees are supposed to be terminated in mass.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The MSPB asked for the names of the thousands of terminated workers, and the U.S. Office of Special Counsel asked for a 45-day stay for the employees, which would allow them to legally work and fulfill a legal layoff.

Hampton Dellinger issued a statement on the U.S. Office of Special Counsel website explaining the counsels move to ask for the stay.

OSC requested this stay because the thousands of probationary terminations at USDA appear to have been carried out in a manner inconsistent with federal personnel laws, Hampton said.

Dellinger has since ended his legal appeal after his firing by President Donald Trump.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Roberts explained what this could mean for the employees of the Ag Lab.

Theres no Office of Special Counsel person in place, and whoever is going to replace him will be appointed by the Trump administration, which does not give me hope that the permanent decision as to whether or not these employees should be reinstated will be in favor of the employees, he said.

Last month, we spoke with Dr. Jeannie Klein-Gordon, who was a research plant pathologist at the Ag lab before she was laid off. She expressed her worry in the press conference today about what the layoffs could mean on the grand scale of science.

If we dont stand up now and stop whats happening here and elsewhere, Im personally afraid that our America that is home to what I truly believe is the best in the world for agriculture and science will be no more, Klein-Gordon said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We also spoke to Bri Walker, a secretary at the lab who was also laid off. She said in the presser that the lab is much more than just the work that is done there.

The Ag lab produces not only an economic value for Peoria in terms of the research it does, the partnerships formed and the technology transfers, but in inspiring the next generation of scientists, Walker said.

Walker also noted how crucial science is for the future of the country.

The American people cannot continue to live prosperous, productive lives without science, and science cant continue without the next generation of scientists.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A reduction in force typically and legally requires a 90-day notice.

We have reached out to Congressman LaHoods office for comment and have not yet heard back.

This is a developing story.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CIProud.com.
LOVELAND, Colo. (KDVR)  A Colorado Tesla dealership was the target of crime yet again.

Tesla in Loveland, at 1606 N. Lincoln Avenue, has been hit with vandalism, incendiary devices, spray painting and arson, now five times since late January. The latest attack was early Friday morning.

Just after midnight, we had a call of an arson or fire at the Tesla dealership. Our officer arrived in under two minutes, noticed the fire, and immediately extinguished it, said Chief Tim Doran of the Loveland Police Department. The presumption is that the attempt was made to break the glass of the building itself in order to place the incendiary device inside the building. That did not work.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

These are the 10 best seafood restaurants in Denver, according to Yelp

LPD also reports that several occupants inside Tesla at the time were put at risk. The building and several vehicles were also damaged by what appeared to have been thrown rocks.

Its really troubling when one particular business is targeted. We recognize that the heart of this community is in supporting the businesses that are here, said Doran.

Similar incidents occurred on Jan. 29, Feb. 2, 7th and 24. The incident on the 24th resulted in the arrest of 40-year-old Lucy Grace Nelson, who LPD said was recently released on a PR bond from federal charges. LPD said Nelson is not believed to have been involved in Fridays incident.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Its incredibly difficult to safeguard our community when there is no sense of a repercussion for lawlessness, said Doran. I think there is a broader problem in the United States. Were not only here in Loveland; its across the U.S., and Im really proud of the law enforcement partners that I have around the country that are all working around the clock solve their cases as well.

LPD said there are some consistencies on the incendiary devices found at Tesla.

They are generally filled with gasoline, lit with wicks and we have seen that they can be extremely dangerous to those that are nearby, said Doran. There were some people we needed to interview and videotapes to review. I think we are going to get our subject.

Denvers Blue Moon RiNo brewery announces closure date

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Tesla has not yet responded to FOX31 for a statement. If you have any information or were a witness, LPD asks you to call them on their tipline at 970-962-2032 or the Larimer County Crime Stoppers at 970-221-6868.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
AUSTIN (Nexstar)  Despite not directly discussing legislation, the Texas House Delivery of Government Efficiency (Texas DOGE) committee met for more than 12 hours in their inaugural session. Heres a partial recap of what they discussed.

Introduction to the Texas DOGE Committee

Before taking any testimony, Chair Giovanni Capriglione, R-Southlake, started to discuss his vision for the upstart committee.

Texas DOGE Committee Chair Giaovanni Capriglione, R-Southlake, chats with State Rep. Briscoe Cain, R-Deer Park, before the inaugural meeting of Texas DOGE on March 5, 2025. (Nexstar Photo/Adam Schwager)

We will not be passive observers. We will be enforcers of accountability now, Capriglione said. Our work will be thorough. Public hearings will shine a light on failures. Legislative proposals will emerge from this committee to drive reform. Investigations will hold bad actors accountable. We are here to advocate for the taxpayer, the small business owner, the retiree on a fixed income and the Texan who depends on public services that are too often compromised by mismanagement and negligence.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Vice Chair Salman Bhoijani, D-Euless, laid also laid out how he hopes Texas DOGE will operate.

As the eighth largest economy in the world, with the climate of innovation and doing more with less, Texas can lead the way in responsible, efficient government, ensuring tax money is being responsibly should be a bipartisan goal, he said. But let me be clear, my focus is not about cutting essential services or devaluing hard working public servants. Im here to work with you, not against you, to improve how we serve Texans.

Texas Sunset Commission

The first agency to testify in front of the committee was the Texas Sunset Commission, who the Texas DOGE Committee will have direct oversight over.

Sunset Commission Executive Director Eric Beverly started with prepared remarks, noting how the agency provides oversight similar to what DOGE is tasked with doing. He said in their 48 years of operation, theyve abolished 42 agencies and programs, saving taxpayers a billion dollars since 1985.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Sunset has resulted in less regulation, improved agency performance and greater government accountability, Beverly said. Theres no doubt that the face of state government looks different today due to the sunset process.

Texas Department of Information Resources

Next, the committee heard from the Department of Information Resources (DIR) Executive Director Amanda Crawford. DIR impressed the committee with the scale at which they help government agencies, from state agencies down to school districts, secure cheap software and technology assistance.

Crawford estimated the DIR has saved Texas taxpayers at least $376 million in cost avoidance through securing cooperative contracts  using their leverage as a large collection of organizations to negotiate better deals.

Department of Information Resources Executive Director Amanda Crawford testifies in front of the DOGE Committee on March 5, 2025. (Texas House of Representatives)

Crawford also highlighted areas where DIR has helped moved government services online through Texas.gov, saving taxpayer money.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

DIR has returned to the general revenue fund 193 million through the Texas.gov program, and issued nearly six million in rebates to our customers over the last five years, Crawford said. For example, renewing a drivers license online means Texans dont have to drive to a location wait in line, resulting in savings of around $57 per person and at least two hours of their precious time. In addition, utilizing texas.gov online services can free up state employees to complete other essential duties, saving agencies time and money.

One aspect the committee discussed was to require smaller, local government organizations  like cities, school districts, special purpose districts  to use cooperative contracts. State agencies are already required to do so, but its optional for other government entities.

Why arent they using you, State Rep. Briscoe Cain, R-Deer Park, asked.

Its more than likely they dont know, Crawford responded.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Should they be made to use you, Cain asked. Would the taxpayers be happy? Would they save a lot of money?

I think they would save a lot of money, Crawford explained.

Texas Space Commission

The committee heard from Gwen Griffin, the chair of the new Texas Space Commissions Board of Directors. Griffin talked about the need for Texas to lead the way in Americas reintroduction to space.

Resources that can benefit our lives, such as helium-3 are abundant on the lunar surface. Its very rare here on Earth. We need to learn how to mine them and bring them back to Earth for the benefit of humanity, Griffin said.

Committee members were excited to hear about the new advancements in space exploration, but showed some concerns about potential conflicts of interest in contract awards. Within their board of directors are representatives from SpaceX, Lockheed Martin, Boeing and more.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It just concerns me, because it looks like you received applications, 281 applications [for] $3.4 billion, but almost 20% of the grants given were people on your board, State Rep. Ana-Maria Ramos, D-Richardson, said.

State Rep. Ana-Maria Ramos, D-Richardson, looks down during the first DOGE Committee meeting on March 5, 2025. (Nexstar Photo/Adam Schwager)

We disclose to our chief compliance officer and our executive director if we do have a conflict of interest, Griffin said. We never see those applications, we do not vote or speak about those applications if we are conflicted in our open meetings. Therefore were not involved in that process should we be conflicted.

Griffin also clarified that the grants are not going to members of the board, but the companies theyre affiliated with.

Further installments of the DOGE Committee Recap will be published leading up to their next hearing on March 12.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
ST. LOUIS  Police say they have arrested a third person in connection to the death of Colin Brown, a CBC student who was shot and killed by a stray bullet while riding in a car on Interstate 55 on Nov. 27, 2024.

Diamond Baucom, 27, was charged with first-degree murder, first-degree assualt and three counts of armed criminal action.

Diamond is the sister of Donovan Baucom, who was indicted in January on the same charges. Garret Jordan was also believed to be the second suspect in relation to the shooting.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Investigators claim it was Diamonds car that was used in 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 FOX 2.
A 17-year-old boy is the latest person to be arrested in connection with a shooting that killed a 5-year-old girl and a 19-year-old man in Americus, Georgia.

On Friday, March 7, Farley Arthur Watts III, 17, was arrested and charged with felony murder, aggravated assault, and theft by receiving stolen property in connection to 5-year-old Peyton Brielle Roberts death.

In addition to Roberts, another victim was shot and killed on Saturday, Feb. 8.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Jotavis Roshon Leverette, 19, was hospitalized in critical condition after the shooting but later died from his injuries.

Watts was arrested on Hosanna Circle in Americus by the GBI, the Americus Police Department, and the Sumter County Sheriffs Office.

Watts is the third suspect arrested in connection with the deaths.

On Feb. 13, GBI agents arrested NyTavion Smith, 20, and charged him with aggravated assault and felony murder.

On Feb. 10, the GBI arrested Ricky Martin, 19, of Americus, and charged him with felony murder, aggravated assault, and aggravated battery.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

TRENDING STORIES:

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  A threat last month that shut down the main business district area of Ruidoso for hours came from Europe, Ruidoso Police said.

On Feb. 23, Ruidoso Police responded to a business along the 2300 block of Sudderth Drive in Midtown Ruidoso in reference to a reported bomb threat.

UPDATE: Ruidoso Police find no bombs in Midtown area

Officers secured the area and evacuated people from the business and surrounding businesses, Ruidoso Police said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Sudderth Drive, which is the main street through Ruidoso, closed from Country Club Drive to Center Street from about 2 p.m. that day until nearly 6 p.m.

Officers were not able to substantiate any threats and the area was reopened.

Detectives from the Ruidoso Police Department began working with the FBI to try to determine where the call originated from.

With assistance from the FBI, detectives were able to determine that the call came from Europe, Ruidoso Police said.

This was the second instance of a bomb threat at the same location; the first one happened on Sept. 20, 2023, Ruidoso Police said. In that instance, the call also originated in another country.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

UPDATE: Ruidoso High inspected, ruled clear of any threats

This past week, Ruidoso High School was evacuated. The school was cleared of any threats and class resumed the following 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 KTSM 9 News.
Daylight Saving Time is here and if you forget to change your clocks at 2 a.m., you can't blame us for not warning you.

So what is DST? When does the time change? Does Daylight Saving Time end in 2025?

Here's what you need to know about Daylight Saving Time in 2025:

When is the Daylight Saving time change 2025 in USA?

Participating states turn clocks forward an hour on the second Sunday in March during the spring. Daylight Saving Time ends on the first Sunday of November in the fall of each year and that's when states turn clocks back an hour.

When does Daylight Savings time change 2025 spring forward?

In the U.S., clocks will officially spring forward at 2 a.m. Sunday, March 9, 2025.

Do I gain or lose an hour of sleep for Daylight Savings Time at 2 a.m. March 9, 2025?

We lose an hour of sleep when the clocks "spring forward" and are turned ahead at 2 a.m. for one hour when Daylight Saving Time begins.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In the fall when DST ends, clocks "fall back" an hour in November. That is when people gain an hour of sleep.

It's hard to wake up the Monday after daylight saving time.

Why does Daylight Saving Time change at 2 a.m.?

In an interview with Time Magazine, author Michael Downing cited his book, "Spring Forward: The Annual Madness of Daylight Saving Time," to explain how Amtrak and the railroads were the main reason clocks change at 2 a.m. for DST.

There were no trains leaving the station at 2 a.m. on Sundays in New York City when Daylight Saving Time was established.

"Sunday morning at 2 a.m. was when they would interrupt the least amount of train travel around the country, Downing said.

When does Daylight Savings 2025 time change fall back?

Clocks fall back on Sunday, Nov. 2 in 2025.

What time is it in Indianapolis?

Visit timeanddate.com to see the current time in Indianapolis.

Why does the time change in Indiana?

Daylight saving time is meant to provide extra sunlight during the spring, summer and fall seasons, but in Indiana, there's a very complicated past with DST. While Indiana has spent some time without switching clocks, Hoosiers currently turn their clocks forward an hour in the spring and back an hour in the fall.

Which U.S. states don't change clocks for Daylight Saving Time?

As of July 25, 2022, the U.S. Department of Transportation noted that only Hawaii and parts of Arizona do not participate in daylight saving time. The Navajo Nation is the lone exception in Arizona.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The territories of American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands also do not participate.

According to the website, states may exempt themselves from observing daylight saving time by state law in accordance with the Uniform Time Act, as amended.

What to know about daylight saving time.

When does Daylight Saving Time end permanently?

Despite the Sunshine Protection Act being unanimously approved by the U.S. Senate in 2022, there is no permanent end in sight.

The bill was not signed into law by the U.S. House of Representatives, citing other priorities that needed to be addressed before tackling DST, according to The Hill. Thus, the bill has not been signed into law by President Joe Biden.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.) told The Hill in July that efforts to find a consensus for Daylight Saving Time continue to fall flat with an emphasis on geographical issues rather than political party lines.

"The problem is that a lot of people say to me, Oh, we should just have, you know, we shouldnt switch back and forth, we should just have standard or daylight saving, but then they disagree over which one to enact," Pallone told The Hill.

"And so thats the problem. We need a consensus that if were gonna have one time, what is it? And I havent been able to get a consensus on that."

A 2023 version of the Sunshine Protection Act sat idle in the House of Representatives for the entire year.

Is Donald Trump going to permanently end Daylight Saving Time in 2025?

Trump was asked when he plans to get rid of the time change Thursday, according to Newsweek.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Ok, are you ready? So, this should be the easiest one of all, but it's a 50-50 issue," Trump responded.

"And if something's a 50-50 issue, it's hard to get excited about it. I assumed people would like to have more light later. But some people want to have more light earlier because they don't want to take their kids to school in the dark."

President Donald Trump previously had not set a date but declared through social media platform Truth Social that he would eliminate Daylight Saving Time  which would also require approval from Congress:

"The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate Daylight Saving Time, which has a small but strong constituency, but shouldnt! Daylight Saving Time is inconvenient, and very costly to our Nation."

Elon Musk X / Twitter poll asks US opinion if Daylight Saving Time change was cancelled

A poll by Elon Musk on X / Twitter with more than 21 million views asked the question: "If daylight savings time change is canceled, do you prefer:"

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

An hour earlier

An hour later

If daylight savings time change is canceled, do you prefer  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 5, 2025

Chris Sims is a digital content producer for Midwest Connect Gannett. Follow him on Twitter: @ChrisFSims.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: When does 2025 daylight savings time change start? Clocks spring forward today
Angela Rayner owes the country an apology. Last year she smeared people concerned about two-tier justice as conspiracy theorists. But under new sentencing guidelines that appear biased against men, white people and Christians thats exactly what we now have.

From April 1 judges will be compelled to issue a pre-sentence report  the first step to a non-custodial sentence  for women, transgender people, the neurodiverse, ethnic minorities and faith minority communities. Its now unarguable: we have two-tier justice under two-tier Keir.

Yes, the council is independent, but Labours fingerprints are all over it. The Sentencing Council is one of many unaccountable bodies  from the Climate Change Committee to Natural England  that were created by New Labour. The Justice Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, had a representative at the meeting where it was agreed.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In response to public outrage shes backtracking, but her plan still means we will have two-tier sentencing rules for at least a year. This is an affront to democracy and the foundational principle of equality under the law that should outrage us all. Starmer readily invokes the rule of law when it suits his political preferences, but he is yet to utter a word in response to this.

I will not let this stand and have personally initiated legal proceedings to judicially review this decision on the grounds its discriminatory. If Labour wont act to prevent it, the Conservatives will table amendments to the law.

But the problem goes well beyond this incident, as shocking as it is. The illiberal cultural revolution has now spread to the most sensitive part of the British state. The Bar Standards Board, the body that regulates barristers, wants to introduce a positive duty to act in a way that advances diversity, equality and inclusion, enforceable by a disciplinary tribunal. The Board has made clear that being non-racist is not enough  barristers must be positively anti-racist and eliminate systems, structures and cultures which inhibit racial equality.

The purposeful ambiguity of what systems, structures and cultures are at fault gives licence to freewheeling activists to put forward whatever barmy policy they want. In any other walk of life  and we see it time again elsewhere, such as in Civil Service  identity-based hiring would be unfair and wrong, but when justice is at stake its downright dangerous, too.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The DEI agenda is uninterested in actually promoting equality. Its oblivious to the radically different outcomes of different ethnic groups, instead lumping them together solely on the basis they arent white and affording them special status. It doesnt help to advance the life chances of a child born in an impoverished broken home. It does nothing to break down class barriers or help rural communities which the evidence shows have poorer prospects.

There is no other explanation other than the fact DEI is a respectable Trojan horse for anti-white discrimination. The same people who believe that white people were uniquely evil in world history are seeking to punish their descendants by redistributing opportunities away from them. And this belief is so profound to their ideology that they are willing to pursue it at the expense of the integrity of British justice.

Growing up in Wolverhampton in the 1980s, I saw racism up close and the pain it caused. Despite the progress we have made, there is more to do. The way to correct this injustice is to treat people with equal dignity, not to attempt to engineer society with more discrimination.

Atop the Old Bailey stands the Lady Justice. She wears a blindfold, because justice must be blind. Those we entrust with dispensing justice would do well to remember that. Anti-white racism, as any other inversion of equality under the law, can have no place in our criminal justice system nor anywhere else in our society.

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.
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP)  Actor Gene Hackman died of heart disease a full week after his wife died from hantavirus in their New Mexico home, likely unaware that she was dead because he was in the advanced stages of Alzheimers disease, authorities revealed Friday.

Hackman, 95, and Betsy Arakawa, 65, were found dead Feb. 26. In the days that followed, mystery swirled around the deaths as authorities ruled out foul play, and immediate tests for carbon monoxide poisoning were negative.

Then authorities in New Mexico released the causes, proposing a simple but tragic theory for the deaths: Shortly after Arakawa's death from a rare infection, Hackman died of the nations leading killer  heart disease  apparently unable to seek help after his wife died.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I believe they really discovered what truly happened in this case," said forensic pathologist Dr. Victor Weedn, who was not involved in the investigation. It seemed such a great mystery to the entire nation.

Here's a timeline of events surrounding the couple's deaths:

Feb. 11

Arakawa's last known activities happened this day. She emailed with a massage therapist in the late morning, visited a grocery store in Santa Fe in the afternoon, then went to a pharmacy and a pet food store, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said.

At 5:15 p.m., Arakawa entered the gated community to the home she shared with Hackman. Mendoza said investigators found no other communication or activity by Arakawa after Feb. 11, which they believe to be the day of her death. The medical examiner said she may have been experiencing symptoms of hantavirus before her death.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Feb. 17-18

Hackmans initial pacemaker data revealed cardiac activity Feb. 17. Subsequent pacemaker investigation showed an abnormal rhythm of atrial fibrillation Feb. 18, the last record of heart activity.

Based on this information, chief medical examiner Dr. Heather Jarrell said it is reasonable to conclude that Hackman probably died around Feb. 18.

Feb. 26

A maintenance worker who showed up to do routine work at the house could not get inside and called a security worker, who spotted two people on the ground inside the home, Mendoza said. The worker called 911 and told an operator he did not know if they were breathing. He and another worker later told authorities that they rarely saw the homeowners and that their last contact with them had been about two weeks prior.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Police found Hackman in an entryway and Arakawa in a bathroom, as well as a deceased dog in a closet.

Arakawa had picked up the kelpie mix named Zinna from Gruda Veterinary Hospital on Feb. 9 after a procedure was done, according to the sheriff. He said the hospital visit might help explain why the dog was found dead. A necropsy is being done on Zinna to determine the cause of death, he said.

Two healthy dogs were found on the property  one inside and one outside.

Feb. 27

Autopsies were done on Hackman and Arakawa. Detectives wrote in a search warrant that the couple and the dog had been dead for some time when the maintenance worker discovered their bodies.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Feb. 28

Preliminary autopsy results didn't reveal causes of death but showed Hackman and Arakawa were not killed by carbon monoxide poisoning, the sheriff said. The initial autopsies also found no external trauma to either body.

March 7

Authorities reveal causes of death for Hackman and Arakawa. Jarrell said both deaths were from natural causes.

Hackmans death was tied to heart disease with Alzheimers disease contributing. Authorities linked Betsy Arakawas death to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare but potentially fatal disease spread by infected rodent droppings.
Tennessee lawmakers on Wednesday voted to advance a bill that would require public K-12 and charter schools to verify student immigration status and allow them to bar children who cannot prove they lawfully reside in the United States unless they pay tuition.

The 5-4 vote by the Senate Education Committee came despite the Legislatures own fiscal analysis, which said the proposed legislation may jeopardize federal funding to the state and to local governments and violate the federal Civil Rights Act, which specifically prohibits discrimination based on national origin in programs receiving federal dollars. Three Republicans joined the committees sole Democrat in voting no.

Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter

Immediately after the vote was cast, shouts of so shameful and thats trash erupted inside the hearing room. Others, including school-age children in attendance, streamed out of the room in tears.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The bill (HB793/SB836) by Sen. Bo Watson, a Hixson Republican, and House Majority Leader William Lamberth, a Portland Republican, says that local school districts and public charter schools shall require students to provide one of three forms of documentation: proof of U.S. citizenship, proof the student is in the process of obtaining citizenship or proof they have legal immigration status or a visa.

Students who lack one of the three forms of documentation could then be barred by their local school district from enrolling unless their parents paid tuition.

Watson, the bills sponsor, said he brought the measure in response to the increasing cost to the state of providing English-as-a-second-language instruction.

Remember, we are not talking about people who are here lawfully, Watson said. What Im trying to discuss here is the financial burden that exists with what appears to be an increasing number of people who are not lawfully here.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In response to a question from Sen. Raumesh Akbari of Memphis, the sole Democrat on the panel, Watson said he had received no formal request from any school official to introduce the measure.

In an official capacity, this is one of those issues people do not talk about, Watson said. This is a very difficult bill to present. It is very difficult to have all these eyes on you.

In an unofficial capacity at numerous events, have people mentioned this problem to me? Absolutely, Watson said.

Akbari responded: Im from the largest school district in the state. I have not had those conversations.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I am offended by this legislation, Akbari said. I find that it is so antithetical to the very foundation of this country.This is saying that babies  you start school at five years old  that you do not deserve to be educated.

The bills sponsors have acknowledged the measure is likely to face a legal challenge if enacted. The proposed legislation, they have said, is intended to serve as a vehicle to potentially overturn the Supreme Courts Plyler v. Doe decision, which established a constitutional right to a public school education for all children. The 1982 decision was decided by a 5-4 vote, Watson noted.

Many 5-4 decisions taken to the court today might have a different outcome, Watson said.

The proposed legislation is part of an unprecedented slate of immigration-related bills introduced in the Tennessee legislature this year as Gov. Bill Lee and the General Assemblys GOP supermajority seek to align with the Trump Administrations immigration policies.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Lee last month signed into law legislation to create a state immigration enforcement office to liaise with the Trump administration, create distinct drivers licenses for noncitizens and levy felony charges at local elected officials who vote in favor of sanctuary policies.

Among nearly three dozen other immigration-related bills still being considered is one to require hospitals that accept Medicaid payments to report on the immigration status of their patients. Another bill would open up charitable organizations, including churches, to lawsuits if they have provided housing services to an individual without permanent legal immigration status and that individual goes on to commit a crime.

Following Wednesdays hearing in the Senate Education Committee, hundreds congregated in a hallway of the Legislature, chanting education for all and pledged to return as the bill winds through the committee process.

The bill instills fear and hopelessness in these students, said Ruby Aguilar, a Nashville teacher who testified against the bill during the hearing. Education is not merely a privilege, it is a shared human right every child should have access to.

Tennessee Lookout is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Tennessee Lookout maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Holly McCall for questions: info@tennesseelookout.com.
A "brazen" mass shooting at the opening night of a Toronto, Canada, pub left 12 people wounded when three gunmen walked into the bar and "opened fire indiscriminately," according to Toronto police.

Police Superintendent Paul MacIntyre called the incident a "brazen and reckless act of violence" and described the chilling scene.

"When you walk in, it's kind of eerie. The drinks are still on the table. The food is still on the table. People's purses, shoes are still in there," MacIntyre said in a briefing. "It's a pub with nobody inside. It's eerie...There's a lot of damage on the walls...There's blood all over the floor." He said people were lying on the floor and sitting in booths when officers arrived. Other people ran to the basement, MacIntyre said.

Paul MacIntyre, Superintendent in the Organized Crime Enforcement Unit, spoke to reporters near the scene of the mass shooting at Piper Arms Pub early Saturday morning.



@KGLautens pic.twitter.com/xTTHOehADU  Toronto Star (@TorontoStar) March 8, 2025

The three masked gunmen carried an assault rifle and handguns, according to MacIntyre. The motive is not clear, and the suspects are at large, MacIntyre said in the videotaped police briefing.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"They walked through the bar and they produced their guns, and they opened fire indiscriminately on the people sitting inside," MacIntyre said.

It was a lot of popping, probably 20 plus. It was just like pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop. It just wouldnt stop, a witness told The Toronto Star. I hit the deck.

Six of the injured people suffered gunshot wounds, although no one died, police wrote in a statement. The victims range in age from 20s to mid-40s, and there are three male shooting suspects, Toronto police say. The other injured people suffered injuries from broken glass, he said.

12 people injured in a mass shooting at Piper Arms restaurant near Scarborough Town Centre in #Toronto. Injuries range from Critical Life-threatening to minor. @TorontoMedics @Toronto_Fire @TorontoPolice @MayorOliviaChow pic.twitter.com/lawYPZjmfz  JCE (@freetorcam) March 8, 2025

"We've seen a lot of shootings over the years, a lot of video, you get inured to it to a certain extent, but tonight's shooting, these guys just looked at the crowd and opened fire," MacIntyre said. "It was horrible." He said police are "leaving no stone unturned."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"TPS deploying all available resources to locate & arrest those responsible," police wrote. The mass shooting occurred at Progress Avenue and Corporate Drive at 10:39 p.m. on March 7.

Three masked gunman entered the pub and cowardly and indiscriminately fired on celebrants at the opening of Piper Arms on Progress Avenue, Councillor Michael Thompson wrote in a statement. Police will spare no efforts to apprehend the callous people who inflict such horror on regular residents doing regular things in our community.
Dalia Cusnir takes a moment to compose herself in the relative peace of Tel Avivs central library.

Outside, in what has become known as Hostages Square, a large crowd chants a mixture of angry slogans and mournful songs as the last hours of Israels ceasefire deal with Hamas slip away.

Inside, Dalia prepares to answer that simplest yet hardest of questions: how are you?

Tonight its particularly hard. Less than two hours ago, Hamas released a propaganda video shot in the tunnels of Gaza showing her two beloved brothers-in-law, Iair and Eitan Horn.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Iair, 46, was released on Feb 15, but Eitan, 38, never made it onto the list of hostages to get out under the first phase of the deal.

Set to emotional music and with liberal use of reverberative echo, the video lingers on the brothers as they hug and sob uncontrollably in the moments before they were torn apart.

Do you want me to leave my little brother to die, cries a desperate-looking Iair down the camera, presumably directed at the Israeli government, presumably on his captors orders.

Eitan, for his part, says: Sometimes I am fine and not fine. But here, he adds, pointing to his head, I am not fine, before breaking down in tears again.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Dalia lets out a long breath. The family had known the video would come.

But still, It was a big shock, she says. Its a sign that things are getting too late. Its like a desperate person is drowning and with his last voice is calling on us, but we cannot help.

Naturally on the stocky side, Eitan does not look quite as gaunt as some of his fellow hostages.

But it is the blotchy spots on his arm that causes Dalia the greatest concern.

For years now, the community organiser has suffered from a rare and serious skin condition that requires daily medication to keep under control.

Without it, he could develop sepsis at any minute, which would most likely be fatal.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The video showed his arms full of wounds. He should be taking antibiotics, proper hygiene and avoiding humid places, and we know hes not getting any of those, says Dalia.

We all saw the images on Oct 7 2023. Hamas slaughtered, they burned, they abducted, they raped. Its the same people who are holding him.

People gather in Hostages Square to watch a live stream of the funeral of the Bibas family - Shutterstock/Abir Sultan

Torture is a word that has increasingly entered Israeli public discourse since the latest batch of hostage releases began in mid-January.

Mostly, the hostages have kept their counsel, with hints and suggestions of what they endured emerging via family members such as Dalia.

Despite this, we are learning enough to know that the torture took many forms, denial of basic healthcare, including for those wounded in the massacre of Oct 7, being one of them.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Eliya Cohen, the 26-year-old who was freed late last month, endured crude surgery to dig a number of bullets out of his leg without anaesthetic, according to reports.

Alon Ohel, who was chained to Mr Cohen for much of the time, went into captivity with an eye wound which, his family believes, has never been properly treated.

Like Eitan, he did not make it onto the first-phase hostage release list. As things stand, there is no second phase.

According to Dalia, Iair Horn is still not seeing well, despite never having needed glasses before, a hint that his eyesight might be permanently damaged as a result of (nearly) 500 days of poor light.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She and others have talked about their loved ones learning to walk again, having been cramped for so many months.

Then there were the beatings.

In an interview last week that shook Israels political establishment to its foundations, recently released hostage Eli Sharabi described suffering broken ribs from the attacks, which he said were closely linked to comments made by hard-Right Israeli ministers who endorsed harsh treatment of Palestinian prisoners.

Hostage Iair Horn is released by Hamas - Reuters/Ramadan Abed

We knew they were watching it [the news], he told Channel 12. Every responsible utterance, the first ones to suffer from it are us.

Mr Sharabi, who only learnt that his wife and daughters had been murdered upon his release, directed specific criticism at Itamar Ben-Gvir, the former national security minister, for his comments.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The ultra-nationalist refused to apologise. This week, he said he was proud of remarks and accused the former hostage of echoing Hamas propaganda.

To what extent was torture in the traditional sense  the deliberate imposition of pain  widespread, and what forms did it take?

Sagui Dekel-Chen, for example, still has scars from wounds inflicted during an interrogation by Hamas, his family has suggested.

But, for the most part, we simply dont know, because those who may have suffered it are unwilling to discuss it publicly, or even, in some cases, behind closed doors.

Hes not talking about specific torture, says Dalia of Iair. Weve been told not to ask about it and to respect that.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He still has Eitan there. He believes that every incorrect word might be used to damage Eitan.

Despite the murkiness around this question, we are learning from multiple released hostages that the mere method of physical restraint was often torture enough.

Dalia Cusnir holding a picture of her brother-in-law Eitan Horn - Quique Kierszenbaum

Eyal Kalderon, the cousin of Ofer, who was released on Feb 1, spoke to The Telegraph at the protest in Tel Aviv on March 1.

In the beginning he was held by both legs and cuffs in a cage, he said. It was a very tiny cage and he shared it with one other, Yarden [Bibas, husband and father to the murdered Shiri, Ariel and Kfir].

Mr Sharabi described in his TV interview the excruciating pain of the restraint methods initially used by Hamas.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

During the first three days my hands are tied behind my back, my legs are tied with ropes that tear into your flesh, he recalled.

I remember not being able to fall asleep because of the pain.

Prof Hagai Levine, the medical adviser to the Hostages Family Forum, said: We know that they were locked, shackled, which is very traumatic for people.

We know some were cuffed upside down. From the legs down. Any kind of torture that you can imagine. Its literally hell.

Excruciating as this sounds, it seems that the most prolific form of torture  not to mention the easiest for the Hamas captors to inflict  was the pain caused by starvation.

Freed hostage Omer Wenkert reacts to supporters following his release from captivity - Getty/Amir Levy

Indeed, Mr Sharabi said that, for him, it was worse than the broken ribs.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

For months, a small bowl of pasta or a piece of pitta bread was the norm  perhaps 200-300 calories a day, a fraction of what an adult requires to stay healthy.

The tunnels echoed to the sounds of hostages moaning in pain from the hunger. Even obtaining an extra dried date from the guards became a major victory as the months dragged on.

It was the shockingly emaciated state of Mr Sharabi, Ohad Ben Ami and Or Levy as they were released on Feb 8 that first woke Israel up to the full horror of the hostages starvation.

But, from the testimony of others, it seems that this was a rare PR blip from Hamas, which generally took care to feed those slated for release more, to give a better impression to the outside world.

Speaking of his cousin again, Mr Kalderon said: In the month before [his release] they started to give him more food. And so he went out in a bit better shape.

Boredom was a torture all of its own, and prompted a range of coping mechanisms.

Ofer said he didnt realise how many songs he knew the words to, said Mr Kalderon. He sang so many songs to Yarden. It helped keep his mind positive.

Israeli hostages family members and supporters hold a protest - Shutterstock/Matan Gola

Others formed fiercely close and protective friendships.

Mr Sharabi talked about swiftly adopting the younger Alon Ohel, and constantly being together for long periods meant he knew everything about him and his family.

But, again, these comforts came with a sting in the tail. When Mr Ohel learnt that his friend was to be released without him, it prompted panic, a moment of hysteria. Despite being happy that the older man was being released, it took him 15 minutes to calm down.

Viki Cohen, whose now 20-year-old son was the only survivor from an Israeli tank crew that was overrun on Oct 7, said she had heard from released hostages that the young man talked a lot about his family, while in captivity.

He missed us very much and believes we will do everything we can to bring him back.

For many hostages abducted from the melee of Oct 7, its the torture of not knowing if their loved ones were alive or dead.

Mr Sharabi, we now know, went 15 months without knowing that his close family were all dead.

Yarden Bibas, similarly, only found out about the appalling fate of his wife and two children after he was released and their bodies were returned by Hamas.

It appears that Hamas also used ambiguity over whether individual hostages would be released as a form of abuse.

Israeli citizens salute as the bodies of hostages arrive for identification - Shutterstock/Matan Golan

Prof Levine said: They were told you are going to be released and they are not released, so they dont know what to believe.

They were told that family members were murdered or not murdered  they dont know.

Overall, returned hostages have shared a feeling best summed up by Ofer Kalderon.

He described it as being buried alive, said his cousin. He didnt see the light for all of this period.

Apart from terrorists, he didnt see anyone apart from rats or spiders.

Back in Israel, the torment continues. How a person even begins to rehabilitate after such experiences is a massive question.

But, as loved ones are finding out, some of the released hostages are not prepared even to start while their friends remain in the tunnels.

Iair is not willing to start rehabilitation, said Dalia. He says Im going to start, but Ill do it when Eitan and all the rest are back.

He keeps saying, they have no time, they have no time  trust me, Ive been there.

Eyal Kalderon says something very similar.

He [Ofer] cannot start his process of healing until everybody is out, he said.

Treading a delicate path

Adding to the anguish of the newly released is the dilemma of how best to campaign to get the others out: to reveal to the world the full horror of the conditions; or to keep quiet for fear of antagonising Hamas and making things worse for those still captive?

Most, it seems, are treading a delicate path, but leaning towards the latter.

That is why Mr Sharabis intervention last week was so momentous  it even appeared to rattle Benjamin Netanyahu sufficiently to offer an extremely rare apology.

Those who believe in a more muscular approach hope that it will be a turning point, that others will come forward and recount their ordeals in detail, creating a wave of disgust strong enough to force the government into accepting the strategic compromises that would come with a proper second-phase agreement.

Last week, Iair Horn, Mr Sharabi and others visited Donald Trump in Washington for a meeting in the Oval office.

The meeting appeared to move the US president so much that within hours he had issued a warning to Hamas stating that this was its last chance to release the remaining hostages: Shalom Hamas means Hello and Goodbye.

Many in Israel hoped the visit would prevent the drift back to all-out war that could spell disaster for the remaining 24 living hostages.

At the very least, it may have provided a smidgen of distraction for Iair.

He says you think Im here, you look at me, but Im not, his sister said. My soul, my body and my mind is in Gaza. Please release me.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
RAYNHAM, Mass. (WWLP)  Massachusetts State Police arrested several occupants of a vehicle in Raynham this week during a traffic stop in connection to possession of illegally owned firearms and drugs.

State Police reported on Thursday that a trooper assigned to the Middleborough Barracks stopped a vehicle on Route 44 in Raynham due to excessive window tint. The trooper went to speak with the driver and passengers, and noticed that the vehicle was filled with smoke smelling of burnt marijuana.

Two drivers charged in deadly pedestrian crash in Chicopee

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Inside the vehicle, the trooper also saw a bag in plain view containing a substantial amount of marijuana and a bottle of tequila. When receiving identification from all occupants of the vehicle, it was discovered that all of them were under the age of 21.

State Police said that the trooper then removed the driver and passengers from the car to search for further illegally possessed contraband.

Courtesy of Massachusetts State Police.

Ammunition, a shotgun with a defaced serial number, a small amount of cocaine, and scales associated with distribution of illegal substances were found within the vehicle. A loaded pistol was later found as well.

All occupants were placed under arrest. The identities of the suspects have not been released.

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.
The director's chair has a new occupant at the Greater Quad Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Jesse Noriega took the helm in mid-February, after being a board member for the last four years. He takes over for Janessa Calderon, who stepped down from the position in October 2024, citing a desire to spend more time with family.

Noriega's family has a rich history in the Quad-Cities, he said. Two of his great-uncles, Frank and Joe Sandoval, moved the family to Silvis to work on the railroad.

"Historically, my family has been here, I won't say, since the beginning, but since the Quad-Cities really started," he said. "They lived in the boxcars and then Hero Street for years."

Noriega himself started his professional career at what was then the Lady Luck Casino, and stayed on as it transitioned into the Isle Casino Hotel Bettendorf.

"And when the Isle bought Rhythm City (Casino), I was there for that transition and went back and forth and helped operate with both properties from time to time," he said.

At the time, Noriega was working as the operations manager for the casino until he moved on to a new position with the Quad Corporation, a debt collection agency based in Davenport. As the director of operations and compliance, the role gave Noriega first-hand experience with balancing finances and running operations effectively.

Four years ago he joined the Hispanic Chamber after meeting the previous director at a business mixer. Calderon asked him to consider joining and pitched the new direction she was attempting to steer the Chamber in as the world climbed out of the COVID era.

"She had told me how the Chamber had really lost a lot of members and a lot of board members during COVID, because you couldn't have as many (events)" he said. "She was looking at changing the dynamic and she wanted to push it more towards multicultural (business), to bring more unity in the Quad-Cities."

The Chamber grew quietly and in 2022 was awarded a $55,000 grant from the grocery chain Meijer. Noriega said this accomplishment is the one he is most proud of, considering the chain doesn't even have a store in the area. The closest one is in Rockford.

The Quad-Cities was one of 17 Hispanic Chambers in the Midwest to receive a share of the $1 million the grocery chain handed out that year in support of its mission to support diversity in business.

"Them giving us that huge grant shows that we are being noticed by not just the Quad-Cities, but the outlying communities that were taking note of us," Noriega said. "That's the big thing, because the more we can spread the word, the more we can help some of these businesses that don't think they have help in their smaller communities."

In his new role as executive director, Noriega said his focus is going to be on spreading the word and recruiting more members, and not just in the Quad-Cities area. The Chamber, based in Moline, is the only Hispanic Chamber from Chicago to Des Moines and has room for members in those communities and every one in between, he said.

One of the new initiatives Noriega is looking to bring to the Chamber is an ambassador team that will go into the community to introduce the Hispanic Chamber and help bring in new members. Focusing on the Iowa side, Noriega is hoping to reach businesses from Muscatine and North Liberty to Iowa City.

While ambassadors work on that, Noriega is working on his own goal of bringing in bigger businesses to create more of a balance and diversity in the Chamber. The membership is strong, he said, but right now mainly relies on small business.

"What I'm doing is trying to get them to help support some programs and do some programs with us that the smaller companies can take advantage of that they just don't have right now," he said. "It's harder to do those programs if I only have small companies, because I can't ask for much from them because they're struggling to make it right now and focusing on making sure they have staff and the small things that are a big difference right now."

Wednesday, Noriega established a theme for 2025: Strength in Diversity, Power in Business.

"I think that diversity in businesses is the huge thing. All these people from different backgrounds that do different things don't even realize how much they can help another business," he said.

Whether its better rates for dumpsters or a new vendor for a product, the power in differing opinions, view points and the diversity of the industries can only strengthen businesses in the end, he said. Small business owners already help one another on a small scale, he said, but with the help of the Chamber, Noriega is hoping to further and amplify those connections.

"People that don't have them yet don't understand, so that's what scares a lot of aspiring business people to want to start one because they're afraid and don't know that there's actually so much help out there," he said. "I want to show everybody that they don't need to be afraid to start. There is definitely help out there and there's a lot of people that want to see everybody succeed."
Since Russia began its full-scale invasion more than three years ago, the demands on social services have multiplied. Millions are internally displaced, the number of people with disabilities has risen by 10%, and more than 13,000 children have been orphaned. Populations who were already vulnerable are often hit harder by the burdens of war.

At the same time, it has become difficult to provide services in large swathes of the country because of Russian strikes and fighting. The government is facing a budget deficit in the tens of billions as the country covers mounting defense costs to pay for its survival, leaving most social services  like other non-defense expenditures  to be paid for by international donors.

Oksana Zholnovych was appointed Ukraines social policy minister in July 2022, shortly after the full-scale invasion began.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Kyiv Independent recently spoke with her about how the war has affected her work, what she predicts will be the biggest challenges for the ministry after the war ends, and disability services in Ukraine today.

Oksana Zholnovych, Ukraines social policy minister. (Courtesy)

Editors note: This interview has been translated from Ukrainian and edited for length and clarity.

The Kyiv Independent: Can you tell us about how the war changed the work of the Social Policy Ministry? What have been the biggest challenges?

Zholnovych: Obviously, the challenges have changed significantly. But the group of people who need support has stayed with us.

At the same time, theres a huge number of internally displaced people  almost 4 million  and the number of people with disabilities has risen by 300,000.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We immediately realized that we had to transform almost all of our tools. To expect transformations after victory would be too late; the entire social system would fall to pieces.

Everything we are doing now is aimed at radically improving the system and creating new stable mechanisms that will work efficiently and more effectively after the war.

The Kyiv Independent: When you think about the future, what do you see as the main post-war focuses that your ministry should be preparing for?

Zholnovych: The very first focus is to help people balance their mental health. Each of us is under a lot of stress.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Some are fighting, some are waiting for relatives to return from the war, and some have already lost them and live in grief. Some went abroad to protect their family, and theyll return and will need to be reintegrated. Some lost their homes and have been forced to completely rebuild their lives from scratch in a new place.

Weve already formed 200 Resilience Centers. Its important for us that in each community, there is this center where people will feel theyre not alone. Theyll understand how to cope with their pain and will form new support circles. In this way, we strengthen societal cohesion.

The second is to work with people with disabilities. Today, unfortunately, only 16% of people (in Ukraine) with disabilities are employed, while in the European Union, its 50%.

To rebuild, we will need a large number of human hands and resources. We need them now for defense, too.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

More young people have disabilities now. Young, active people who dont want to just receive some small financial support and stay at home. We need to provide them with socialization, work, and employment so that they continue to feel socially engaged.

The third focus is demographic strategy. To rebuild, we will need a large number of human hands and resources. We need them now for defense, too.

Weve approved a demographic strategy and will implement it step by step in terms of returning Ukrainians, stimulating the birth rate, and improving the lives of our people.

The fourth focus is undoubtedly older adults, one of the largest groups. We are an aging nation, and we need to help them have decent lives in retirement.

The Kyiv Independent: Have you noticed any changes in the attitudes of Ukrainians towards those with disabilities?

Zholnovych: It's a really complicated process. The most difficult thing is changing stereotypes.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On the one hand, we see that people have begun to talk much more about a barrier-free environment, that public institutions should be equipped so that people with disabilities can enter, and that public transport should be available for people with disabilities.

But we still see cases when, for example, neighbors oppose building a ramp to a building.

There is still a lot of stigma against people with mental disorders. We still have a lot of work to do in this area.

But I see very positive trends. For the military, the issue of accessibility and barrier-free environments is critical. They understand that they or their brothers may find themselves in such a situation.

Ukrainian military veterans work out in a gym in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Jan. 13, 2025, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Tetiana Dzhafarova / AFP via Getty Images)

Ukrainian soldiers undergo treatment at a rehabilitation center for psychological trauma in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Oct. 2, 2023. (Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

The Kyiv Independent: Ukraine has come under criticism by human rights groups for placing orphans and children and adults with disabilities in institutions. One of the requirements for Ukraines integration into the EU is ending this practice. How is your office handling this issue?

Zholnovych: We adopted a resolution (in Nov. 2024) in which we very clearly stated that every child should grow up in a family environment, and that has prompted big changes.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It's not just looking at children who are already in boarding schools and finding them adoptive parents or foster families but also understanding why those children end up there. Prevention is important.

Looking at poverty, weve significantly digitized programs aimed at supporting people in poverty, housing and communal subsidies, and rental subsidies for internally displaced people.

And now were working on creating basic social assistance. Were also improving social support because, in many cases, a social worker is needed to help a family escape poverty.

Weve (also) offered a whole range of support for families that have a child with a disability.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Were introducing an early intervention service from the first days when it is discovered that a child is disabled, weve launched a pilot program to expand inclusive education for children with complex disorders who arent yet covered by education, and weve introduced a supported accommodation service for those with disabilities who are over 18.

Were still working on providing mechanisms so parents understand that if their child has a disability, then their path will be secured, and theres no need to send them to a boarding school.

The Kyiv Independent: International adoptions are on hold, but domestic adoptions are still ongoing. What trends has your ministry seen?

Zholnovych: This past year, we set a record for children adopted by Ukrainians. Theres more empathy. Peoples desire to provide love to a child who has lost their parents is growing. I consider this our small victory.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We also strengthened tools so that children, if theyre temporarily removed from their family, even for a short time, dont end up in a boarding school but immediately go to a foster family.

Maria Chupinina hugs 1.5-year-old Alisia, who has Down syndrome, as she fosters sick and disabled children deprived of parental care due to the Russia-Ukraine war in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Nov. 23, 2023. (Ozge Elif Kizil/Anadolu via Getty Images)

We added a paid assistant for these families, increased their salaries, and gave them the opportunity to rest, because this wasn't happening before. Weve already increased the number of foster families by a third.

We already have positive results from the actions weve started, but were at the beginning of the road.

The Kyiv Independent: Since the full-scale invasion, the budget for your ministry has been paid for by international donors. How does that affect your operations?

Zholnovych: All the funds we earn as a state, theyre all directed to support the military and defense. None of our soldiers are paid for with international expenses.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But the social services remain uncovered (by Ukrainian funds).

Pensions are provided at the expense of domestic taxpayers because we have a pension fund, but the support of people with disabilities, the low-income, children from orphans, other different types of support, these are international resources.

Its very important that the people who help us understand that we are grateful for this support. Without it, a large number of people simply would not be able to survive.

We understand that international support is not easy now; there are no additional sources of resources, so our budget is at about the same level as last year.

We try to use these resources responsibly, not just consuming them but also using them for transformations  to break old, ineffective mechanisms and create new ones that are high-quality and will strengthen our social policy after the war.

Read also: Opinion: Accessibility in Ukraine remains elusive as Russias war reveals systemic failures

The Power Within  order the Kyiv Independents first-ever magazine now.

pre-order now

The Power Within Book

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Three transgender people incarcerated in federal custody sued the Trump administration and the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Friday in a class action lawsuit over new policies restricting their access to gender-affirming care.

The complaint, filed Friday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, challenges one of President Trumps executive orders and a BOP directive to end treatments, including hormone therapy and surgery, for trans inmates diagnosed with gender dysphoria.

Trumps Jan. 20 order, which he signed during his first hours back in office, proclaims the government recognizes only two sexes, male and female, and broadly prohibits federal dollars from being used on what he and his administration have called gender ideology.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The order instructs Attorney General Pam Bondi and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem to move transgender women held in womens facilities to mens prisons and directs BOP officials to halt the use of federal funds for gender-affirming care. Three federal lawsuits seek to stop the Trump administration from moving trans women to mens facilities.

A BOP memo issued Feb. 21 instructs officials to comply with Trumps order by preventing transgender inmates from purchasing any items that align with transgender ideology, such as chest binders and hair removal devices, and mandating prison staff to refer to trans individuals using only pronouns that correspond to their biological sex. A second memo issued Feb. 28 bars BOP funds from being used on transition-related care.

Two transgender men and one transgender woman in their mid-30s and early 40s are leading the challenge to Trumps order and the new BOP policies. All three, serving sentences in facilities in New Jersey, Minnesota and Florida, were diagnosed with gender dysphoria by BOP medical providers and have either had their hormone treatments suspended or were told they will be suspended soon.

The lawsuit, which covers roughly 2,000 transgender people incarcerated in federal prisons nationwide, argues that denying them their treatment violates the Eighth Amendments prohibition on cruel and unusual punishments.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

By denying Plaintiffs and putative class members medically necessary treatment for their gender dysphoria, Defendants have caused and will continue to cause them harm by withholding effective treatment for an objectively serious medical condition, states the lawsuit, filed on the plaintiffs behalf by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Transgender Law Center.

The Supreme Court has held for nearly half a century that denying incarcerated people medically necessary health care is a violation of their constitutional rights, and federal prisons offered gender-affirming care for trans inmates under the first Trump administration.

Courts have held time and again that the Constitution requires that prisons provide incarcerated people with medical and mental health care, said Corene Kendrick, deputy director of the ACLU National Prison Project. President Trumps executive order categorically banning all gender-affirming care for transgender people in federal prisons is just as unconstitutional as categorically banning chemotherapy for incarcerated cancer patients or insulin for people with diabetes.

The issue also played out on the campaign trail last year, with Trump slamming former Vice President Kamala Harris over her past support for gender-affirming care for transgender people who are in prison or immigrant detention.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Trans people arent pawns in an ideological battle  theyre people who deserve access to critical medical care like everyone else, said Michael Perloff, a senior staff attorney at the ACLU.

Spokespeople for the White House and BOP did not immediately return a request for comment.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL)  Whether its happening on the other side of the country, somewhere else in Texas, or right in our communities, Digital Producer Mariana Vela takes a look at the stories currently generating the most interest on social media.

Social Rundown: Cheeto bags filled with meth and happy National Cereal Day

The stories that were trending on Friday, March 7, 2025, included:

Turks & Caicos travel caution advised

Due to increased crime in the Turks and Caicos islands, travelers are advised to exercise caution, as the islands have limited resources for investigators. Visitors are also advised to enroll in the Smart Traveler Program.

Space X Launch out of Texas

The catastrophic breakup of Space Xs launch out of Texas could be seen from the Bahama Islands, which are more than 1,200 miles away. When the spacecraft reached nearly 90 miles, that was when problems hit. This caused it to be its second failure in a row.

Penny Press Machines

Many of us grew up with the penny press machines placed in shopping malls, museums, or amusement parks, but they could now be a thing of the past as President Trump has signed an executive order that would halt the making of new pennies.

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 Texomashomepage.com.
RANDOLPH COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP)  A local farmer who depends on federal funding to keep his business running is in limbo.

Cattle are the real money makers at Ozark Akerz Regenerative Farm in Randolph County.

Owner Mike Hansen says he had plans to expand his farm with a federal grant provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Its a grant he was awarded in 2024 when he signed a contract.

Worth $60,000  Its not inexpensive to fence 65 acres off, Hansen said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In January, Hansen received a memo stating their grants were no longer being processed due to a federal freeze.

Its a freeze that led Hansen to use some of his retirement money to keep his business afloat.

If you dont uphold your end of the contract, its called a breach of contract  Legally, were owed this. A lot of other farms are owed it. I know  28 other farms in North Carolina that are waiting for payments that were promised, Hansen said.

Keith Sexton is the vice president of the Board of Carolina Farm Stewardship Association and says the livelihoods of farmers who depend on these federal grants will impact everyday consumers.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I dont think we want to live in that future because we all like to eat. Because if farms close, were going to see food price rise dramatically, Sexton said.

While farmers wait for an update from the USDA, Hansen hopes the federal grants are unfrozen sooner rather than later.

Thats going to impact everything on a farm. Those farms are owned by families, and those families are going to lose those farms, Hansen 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 FOX8 WGHP.
Mar. 7A judge declared mistrials this week in the trials of two men charged in the 2024 killing of a homeless woman they allegedly caught burglarizing a car outside their Albuquerque apartment.

Prosecutors say they plan to retry Joshua Dominguez, 24, and David Haro, 49, who each face second-degree murder and other charges in the death of 34-year-old Sarah Dimas.

Second Judicial District Judge David Murphy had not scheduled a new trial for either man on Friday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A third co-defendant, Destiny Marquez, 22, Dominguez's girlfriend and Haro's daughter, pleaded guilty in November to charges of second-degree murder and tampering with evidence in Dimas' death.

Marquez faces 16 years in prison. Her sentencing has not been scheduled.

Joseph Sullivan, Dominguez's attorney, said the judge declared a mistrial for Dominguez on Tuesday after prosecutors presented inadmissible evidence to the jury.

Nancy Laflin, spokeswoman for the 2nd Judicial District Attorney's Office, said the inadmissible evidence was included in a PowerPoint slide, but the judge found that "it was not intentionally included in the slide."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The judge declared a mistrial for Haro because "there was an issue with a juror," Laflin said. Haro's attorney, Keren Fenderson, did not respond to a voicemail seeking comment.

Albuquerque police responded to a 911 call shortly before 3 a.m. on March 15, 2024, and found Dimas' body on Broadway NE, just south of Interstate 40, with stab wounds to her torso, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court.

Dimas was living on the streets at the time and police were unable to identify her for weeks after her death, prosecutor Christine Jablonsky said in opening statements.

Before the killing, Marquez and her boyfriend, Dominguez, had returned home to Haro's apartment in the 300 block of Indian School NE after delivering food for Uber Eats when Marquez saw Dimas removing items from Dominguez's Honda CR-V, Jablonsky told jurors.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A violent 70-second encounter followed after Dominguez, Marquez and Haro followed Dimas a short distance, ending in Dimas' beating and stabbing death, she said.

The encounter was recorded on security video viewed by jurors in opening statements Monday. The video shows a chaotic scene as three figures beat, kick and stomp on Dimas.

Prosecutors allege Marquez picked up a knife and stabbed Dimas during the fight. Dominguez, Haro and Marquez then picked up scattered items and drove away.

Sullivan showed jurors a different security video that he said showed Dominguez following Dimas, then turning and walking away. Sullivan said Dominguez was trying to convince Dimas to return items stolen from his car before Dimas threatened him with a knife.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Dominguez then "disengaged" and walked away, Sullivan said.

Dominguez then saw Marquez driving toward Dimas in the Honda CR-V, causing him to turn and follow the car, Sullivan said. Dominguez realized that Dimas was armed with a knife and followed his girlfriend to protect her, leading to a violent encounter with Dimas, he said.
MEDFORD, Mass. (WPRI)  An energetic family dog gave Massachusetts State Police troopers a run for their money as she dodged oncoming traffic on a Medford highway Friday morning.

Troopers were called to I-93 South near Exit 22 to investigate reports of a loose dog running on the highway.

Roxy and Trooper Kaleigh Finigan. (Courtesy: Massachusetts State Police)

Police said the dog, named Roxy, had already run nearly three miles against oncoming traffic.

Trooper eventually caught up to Roxy near Roosevelt Circle, where she was spotted hiding under a parked tractor-trailer.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She was eventually corralled and brought to the Medford Barracks where she reunited with her owner.

She is a beautiful animal who we are happy to see safely reunited with her family, Massachusetts State Police wrote in a social media post.

Police said Roxy took off after strong wind gusts blew open a door in her owners home.

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

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.
Chinas foreign minister has warned that Donald Trumps America First policy could mean a return of the law of the jungle.

There are more than 190 countries in the world, said Wang Yi. Should everyone stress my country first and obsess over a position of strength, the law of the jungle would [rule] the world again.

Smaller and weaker countries would bear the brunt first, and international norms and order would take a body blow.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Beijing has recently cast itself as a stable, reliable partner and player on the world stage, in contrast to Donald Trumps bombastic, unpredictable US administration.

In two months at the White House, Mr Trump has upended decades of foreign policy and soft power, and moved towards cutting entire government departments. His decisions have rippled around the globe and set other countries scrambling to respond.

Mr Trump has withdrawn the US from several multilateral organisations and climate agreements, suspended most foreign aid, and broke with allies and precedent to vote against a United Nations resolution condemning Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

Washington appears to be moving rapidly in its attempts to push Russia to agree on a peace deal by sidelining Ukraine, in a move that Beijing alluded to as bullying.

Wang Yi, Chinas foreign minister, pictured on Friday as he made his remarks about America First - Ng Han Guan/AP

For China, the USs global retreat is a golden opportunity to increase its influence by filling the void.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This was reflected in Mr Wangs remarks, which referred to the US several times as a major country, though he did not mention Mr Trump by name.

A big country should honour its international obligations and fulfil its due responsibilities, Mr Wang said. It should not put selfish interests before principles, still less should it wield its power to bully the weak.

Despite Mr Wangs rhetoric, Beijing has so far refused to use its political and economic leverage to push Russia to halt its invasion. It has also thus far refused to publicly criticise its northern neighbour for its war on Ukraine.

Mr Wang also reiterated Beijings stance that it would resolutely counter the US in an escalating trade spat.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

China has continued to puff its chest at Washington, and its Western allies, in recent weeks sending a flotilla of warships to the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand, in a show of power to demonstrate its military can operate far afield.

Kate Almquist Knopf, the Republican political appointee who headed USAids Africa bureau under George W Bush, warned last week that the US pulling out of its global commitments presented China with an opportunity.

China stands to benefit immensely from the strategic opportunities the US leaves behind, Ms Knopf told The Telegraph.

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.
Republicans are raising concerns about what the Trump-backed strategy to stave off next weeks government shutdown threat could mean for defense programs for the next six months.

President Trump this week touted a clean, six-month continuing resolution (CR) as one that would allow Republicans to focus more on advancing their tax agenda while effectively freezing spending this year for government programs. But some Republicans are raising the alarm about what the freeze could mean for the military as lawmakers brace for the release of text this weekend.

I dont like it, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a spending cardinal, told The Hill on Thursday. I think we need an anomaly or a supplemental.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Top GOP funding negotiators in the House have said there will be add-ons, known as anomalies, for defense in the legislation, which leaders expect to unveil this weekend. Among the proposals Republicans have discussed are funds for already authorized pay increases for junior enlisted military personnel and changes to allow more spending flexibility.

The only anomalies were doing are basically anomalies from the administration, House Appropriations Committee Chair Tom Cole (R-Okla.) told reporters this week without offering specifics. But he said some of the changes are aimed at giving the administration the ability to deal with issues like defense.

But he also said Republicans wont be adding extra money and that lawmakers would be staying within the limits that we have.

I have some of my friends, and they are my friends in the Senate that want to put millions of extra dollars. We cant do that, he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Sen. Mitch McConnell (Ky.), the former head of the GOP conference and chair of the subcommittee that oversees annual defense funding, wrote in The Washington Post on Tuesday that a truly clean extended stopgap set at fiscal 2024 levels would be a recipe for disaster.

A truly clean, full-year, continuing resolution at the level set for FY2024 would mean no new starts on critical programs the military needs to adapt to a rapidly changing battlefield, such as directed-energy drone and missile defenses, he wrote.

McConnell, who opposed Trumps nomination of Pete Hegseth to lead the Defense Department, also called it alarming that the Pentagons senior-most civilian leaders arent saying more about the need to raise the defense budgets topline  or the looming, self-inflicted harm to readiness and lethality that would come from failing to pass new, full-year defense appropriations for the first time in memory.

For those opposing a CR, a particular fear lies in the lack of new program launches, known as starts, which means fewer new capabilities in the hands of warfighters years down the line.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

That would force the United States to fall behind its adversaries, they argue, given that they wouldnt be able to quickly respond to evolving threats, unanticipated events and emerging technological opportunities.

That issue was laid out in a nearly 400-page report to Congress, delivered in March 2024, in which a commission on reforming defense planning and budgeting recommended allowing new-start programs in certain cases when the Pentagon is operating under a CR.

The CRs generally include a provision prohibiting new start activities, which can slow efforts to insert innovative technology in both new and current programs, the report says.

Such a carve-out would be valuable amid the backdrop of Chinas increasingly malign activities in the Indo-Pacific region, where it has threatened to bring Taiwan under its control and been involved in territorial disputes in the South China Sea. More recently, Chinese warships have been circumnavigating Australias coastline for more than three weeks and holding wargames near New Zealand, two unprecedented developments that have rattled the U.S. allies.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

While Beijings military spending remains the second-largest behind Washingtons, it has the worlds largest navy, an air force that only slightly lags behind the U.S. militarys, and is in the midst of the biggest military buildup since World War II, with particular focus on advancing its nuclear weapons systems.

Should the Pentagon be forced to stretch fiscal 2024 funding levels through the rest of this year, that would mean no money or authorization for 168 new programs  many of which are required to outcompete China in space and cyberspace, McConnell said.

The costs of deterring war pale in comparison to the costs of fighting one. If Congress is unwilling to make deterrent investments today, then discussions about urgency of looming threats  particularly the pacing threat of China  carries little weight, he argued.

Lawmakers have had to pass two continuing resolutions to keep the government afloat in fiscal 2025.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But lawmakers on both sides say a stopgap through the end of the fiscal year for defense programs would be unprecedented. Theres also concern that an extended stopgap would give the Trump administration more discretion on funding.

There has never been a full-year CR for the Department of Defense because it is so large and so complex, Sen. Chris Coons (Del.), top Democrat serving alongside McConnell on the defense subcommittee, told The Hill on Thursday.

There are so many moving pieces that to give the president the scope to reprogram tens of billions of dollars all over the place at will, is to hand away the core responsibility of Congress to actually appropriate, Coons said, adding that the anomalies are requesting an enormous amount of discretion that I think, given whats happened in this first month, is unwise.

Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) was pressed by reporters Thursday over whether she is advocating for the stopgap currently being crafted to allow for new starts.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

New starts are very important, but they should be new starts that either the House or the Senate has authorized in their bills, Collins said. What I dont want is a big slush fund of money that a department head decides what the new starts are going to be without authorization from Congress.

But she also warned if the coming plan does not allow for new starts, lawmakers risk delaying submarine production, the contracts for destroyers, all sorts of contracts wont be signed, and that will hurt essential programs.

House Republicans are expected to take swift action on the coming stopgap plan next week as lawmakers stare down a March 14 shutdown deadline. But Cole and other GOP negotiators have signaled openness to both sides continuing discussions toward reaching a bipartisan funding deal for individual funding bills for fiscal 2025.

Right now, the best thing is to assure government funding all the way through September 30, Cole said. Theres no chance of an interruption, but the Speaker wants to continue to negotiate. We still think a deal is better than a CR. But we are going to nail down the CR.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Democrats have come out in strong opposition to the Republican stopgap plan, however, instead pushing for a short-term funding patch, with the goal of both sides hashing out updated funding bills for the rest of the fiscal year. That means GOP leadership could face challenges in pushing through its stopgap plan next week with Republicans razor-thin majority.

But as some Republicans have raised the need for anomalies for defense programs, others say theyre also keeping an eye out on the potential price tag.

I talked to the president about it, Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) said Thursday, after noting he hasnt yet said he was on board with the plan. I just got some questions. Is it truly going to be clean? Is appropriations going to add a bunch of amendments for the Pentagon?

Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) also said this week that he supports supplements to the CR to help defense programs but stressed the importance of government funding being frozen at current levels.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Im happy to give defense some of those anomalies again, so long as the overall spending level is staying flat, he told The Hill on 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 The Hill.
Amidst uncertainty and a loss of consumer confidence, President Trump has floated the idea of putting a large tariff on Canadian dairy. This as reports say Elon Musk and Secretary of State Marco Rubio clashed in the Oval Office Wednesday, something Trump denies occurred. Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., discusses egg prices, tensions in the Trump administration, and more.
Following Vladimir Putins 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Donald Trump, still reeling at his failed January 6 coup, marveled at the Russian dictators audacity. As he himself described it, Trump watched the events unfold with a certain awe: This is genius, he recalled thinking, Putin declares a big portion of the Ukraine Putin declares it as independent. Oh, thats wonderful. He added that the move was very savvy. Only later, facing criticism from his own party, did he admit that Russias violation of Ukraines sovereignty was appalling.

Yet, since taking office, Trump hasnt even been willing to offer that level of mild rebuke. Of late, the president has been rather sympathetic toward Putin in ways that seem to go well beyond establishing a working negotiating relationship. During his Oval Office ambush of Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week, Trump expressed the strange notion that Putin went through a hell of a lot with me, including a phony witch hunt  as if Putin in some way had suffered from the American investigation into obvious  and well-documented  Russian efforts to interfere in the 2016 election. Even after calling Zelenskyy a dictator, Trump refused to use the term for Putin. And while hes had no problem referring to the influx of undocumented immigrants as an invasion, his administration has backed off using such language to describe Russias actions in Ukraine, as if the war was some sort of misunderstanding rather than an act of territorial aggression. When asked directly about the wars beginning and if Russia had invaded, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth equivocated, telling a Fox News host that it was a very complicated situation.

Its not. Nor has it ever been. Russia attacked Ukraine because Putin has territorial ambitions and nothing more. Putin proved way back in 2008, during the brief Russo-Georgian War, that hes willing to invade other nations on false pretenses. When he attacked Georgia and quickly took over some of that nations lands, the world collectively shrugged, giving the (real) dictator the green light to do it again in Crimea in 2014. Interestingly enough, when he was asked about Crimea shortly before that invasion  in 2013  Putin claimed that the situation there was completely different than in Georgia because there had been no declaration of an independent nation  right before he orchestrated one in order to invade. Then, in 2022, using lies about Nazi leaders and yellow journalism to accuse Ukraine of atrocities, he justified yet another invasion. Last year, in his State of the Nation address, Putin rewrote history to justify that act, blaming the West for provoking the war. Yet the Trump administration is bending over backwards not to blame Putin.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We have to ask ourselves: Why is the Trump administration so unwilling to acknowledge basic truths in order to accommodate the worlds most lethal villain?

Well, part of the answer may be found in Trumps address to Congress on Tuesday. The two key lines that seemed to go largely unnoticed were:

We didnt give [the Panama Canal] to China; we gave it to Panama, and were taking it back.

And I think were going to get [Greenland]  one way or the other, were going to get it.

The first line seems right out of Putins playbook, laying the foundation that the United States was somehow cheated and may have no choice but to take land and resources away from a foreign nation. Putin argued that Crimea had to be taken back because he too understands how to tap into peoples anger. The notion of taking back is a strong one  think, for instance, how slogans about taking back the UK caused it to leave the EU.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Like Trumps arguments about Greenland, Putin has also claimed that annexing certain territories  including Ukraine  is necessary for Russian security and world security, declaring that enduring international order is possible without a strong and sovereign Russia.

Trump is using the same logic: Whatever makes the United States stronger is better for the world, and if we have to invade certain places to make that happen, we may just do that. If we turn Gaza into an American Riviera, its all for the better, Trump argues, even if it comes at the cost of thousands of Palestinian lives and the utter destruction of Palestinian culture.

Its difficult, then, for Trump to criticize Putins rationales for invasion when hes using similar rationales himself. Trump is building a monument of grievance so that he can use it to justify any actions he may take.

The US has done such things before, of course. We provoked the Mexican War, but found an excuse to say it was the Mexicans  then took about a third of their country away. (Now Trump is provoking a trade war on the same grounds, blaming for Mexico somehow starting it.) We found similar justifications for taking Hawaii, Guam, the Philippines, and Puerto Rico. We also justified, in one way or another, all of our violations against Native American tribes.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Everyone in their right mind should be questioning Trumps motives, yet questioning is also something Trump is trying to get rid of, once again emulating Putin. The Russian dictator has cracked down on dissidents, removed all in the government he deems disloyal, and has infiltrated universities to make sure theyre teaching an ideology that suits his needs. Sound familiar? In her takeover of the GOP leadership, Lara Trump insisted that all members of the GOP refuse to recognize the legitimacy of the 2020 election; Trump and Musk have sent their DOGE minions to weed out any potential dissent within the government; Trump took over programming at the Kennedy Center, to stop it from being too woke; and Trump has been threatening to withhold funding from universities that do things he doesnt like, such as DEI initiatives, and has now started sending in task forces to ensure that the speech of students is thoroughly regulated. Recently, Barnard College expelled students it said had taken their free speech too far because they had committed crimes  however nonviolent  in the process of exercising it. Once again, justifications that meet a predetermined end.

Insist that territorial expansions are about security, demand loyalty, crush dissent, and make up the facts as you go. Of course Trump wont criticize Putin: theyre both reading from the same script.
New York colleges and universities are freezing hiring and warning that President Trumps federal cuts endanger the very existence of their research programs.

On Thursday, SUNY convened 14 schools in a letter to the New York Congressional Delegation against drastic slashes to medical research. The universities included Columbia, NYU, Cornell, CUNY, Rochester and Syracuse, among others who receive significant funding from the National Institutes of Health.

Without continued support for academic research, most universities would be unable to sustain their research programs, the letter warned.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In total, over $3.5 billion in grants last year contributed to initiatives that are  quite literally  helping cure cancer and leading to the discovery of the next medical breakthrough that will change the world, it continued. This funding directly impacts your constituents.

NIH is looking to cap the indirect costs associated with medical research, such as for staffing or lab facilities. The plan is currently on hold by the courts after close to two dozen states and organizations representing universities and research institutions sued to reverse the cuts.

Trump has also threatened to withhold federal funding from schools that maintain diversity programming or are believed to have failed to protect Jewish students from harassment. On Friday, the administration made good on the presidents threat, pulling $400 million in federal contracts from Columbia. The stop-work orders are expected to include the universitys grants from the federal health department, which is the parent agency of NIH.

The letter did not reference Trump by name. But for many of the signatories, it marked the first time college presidents spoke out publicly against his policies.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In recent weeks, both Columbia and Cornell have implemented hiring freezes university-wide or at their medical programs. Columbias pause extends to travel reimbursements and events, such as attending medical conferences, while the freeze at Cornell has some carveouts for positions deemed mission-critical by top administrators.

Together with all of American higher education, Cornell is entering a time of significant financial uncertainty, read the Feb. 27 announcement, which cited the potential for deep cuts in federal research funding, among other factors.

At Stony Brook, a SUNY campus on Long Island, research benefitting 9/11 responders, patients with Lyme disease, and people at risk of developing dementia are all at risk of being decimated if the cuts go through. But the school has already started to feel the budget squeeze.

We have not had to announce a freeze formally, but we are seeing those types of impacts, said Kevin Gardner, vice president for research at Stony Brook.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The way these cuts have happened have been quite sudden. We cant  with the values we hold dear as an institution  terminate a graduate student or a post-doc with zero days notice. So we have one training program [that lost federal funding], so were paying that from the institution. But we cant do that for everything.

At the CUNY Graduate Center, stop-worked orders have been issued for projects funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development, which the presidential administration has sought to dismantle, and other non-NIH-funded projects on research topics related to diversity and gender.

But the graduate centers president Joshua Brumberg, who sits on a NIH grant review panel, warned that delays to the approval of new research are already taking a toll.

Thats going to prevent the evaluation of proposals, which means funding decisions will be delayed, which means research will be delayed, Brumberg said.

On top of the threats to research funding, Brumberg added the uncertainty has impacted the personal well-being of all the people that are involved in the research enterprise. And by just worrying about it, that takes away from the goal of the research, which is to cure societal ills.
New York colleges and universities are freezing hiring and warning that President Trumps federal cuts endanger the very existence of their research programs.

On Thursday, SUNY convened 14 schools in a letter to the New York Congressional Delegation against drastic slashes to medical research. The universities included Columbia, NYU, Cornell, CUNY, Rochester and Syracuse, among others who receive significant funding from the National Institutes of Health.

Without continued support for academic research, most universities would be unable to sustain their research programs, the letter warned.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In total, over $3.5 billion in grants last year contributed to initiatives that are  quite literally  helping cure cancer and leading to the discovery of the next medical breakthrough that will change the world, it continued. This funding directly impacts your constituents.

NIH is looking to cap the indirect costs associated with medical research, such as for staffing or lab facilities. The plan is currently on hold by the courts after close to two dozen states and organizations representing universities and research institutions sued to reverse the cuts.

Trump has also threatened to withhold federal funding from schools that maintain diversity programming or are believed to have failed to protect Jewish students from harassment. On Friday, the administration made good on the presidents threat, pulling $400 million in federal contracts from Columbia. The stop-work orders are expected to include the universitys grants from the federal health department, which is the parent agency of NIH.

The letter did not reference Trump by name. But for many of the signatories, it marked the first time college presidents spoke out publicly against his policies.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In recent weeks, both Columbia and Cornell have implemented hiring freezes university-wide or at their medical programs. Columbias pause extends to travel reimbursements and events, such as attending medical conferences, while the freeze at Cornell has some carve-outs for positions deemed mission-critical by top administrators.

Together with all of American higher education, Cornell is entering a time of significant financial uncertainty, read the Feb. 27 announcement, which cited the potential for deep cuts in federal research funding, among other factors.

At Stony Brook, a SUNY campus on Long Island, research benefiting 9/11 responders, patients with Lyme disease, and people at risk of developing dementia are all at risk of being decimated if the cuts go through. But the school has already started to feel the budget squeeze.

We have not had to announce a freeze formally, but we are seeing those types of impacts, said Kevin Gardner, vice president for research at Stony Brook.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The way these cuts have happened have been quite sudden. We cant  with the values we hold dear as an institution  terminate a graduate student or a post-doc with zero days notice. So we have one training program (that lost federal funding), so were paying that from the institution. But we cant do that for everything.

At the CUNY Graduate Center, stop-work orders have been issued for projects funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development, which the presidential administration has sought to dismantle, and other non-NIH-funded projects on research topics related to diversity and gender.

But the graduate centers president Joshua Brumberg, who sits on a NIH grant review panel, warned that delays to the approval of new research are already taking a toll.

Thats going to prevent the evaluation of proposals, which means funding decisions will be delayed, which means research will be delayed, Brumberg said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On top of the threats to research funding, Brumberg added the uncertainty has impacted the personal well-being of all the people that are involved in the research enterprise. And by just worrying about it, that takes away from the goal of the research, which is to cure societal ills.

_____
A firing squad chair, left, was added to South Carolinas execution chamber in 2021 after state law mandated the method as an option. The states electric chair sits under a cover. More than a dozen states are considering bills on capital punishment. (South Carolina Department of Corrections)

Even as President Donald Trump and other national Republican leaders push to expand the use of capital punishment, some GOP-led states are moving in the opposite direction.

In an executive order he signed his first day in office, Trump directed the U.S. attorney general to seek the death penalty for all crimes of a severity demanding its use. In two specific circumstances  when a law enforcement officer is murdered or when the defendant accused of a capital crime is an immigrant in the country without legal status  the government will pursue the death penalty regardless of other factors.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Biden administration in 2021 had imposed a moratorium on federal executions.

Additionally, Trumps order directs the U.S. Department of Justice to help states obtain lethal injection drugs, though it remains unclear how it will do so. The order also instructs the attorney general to encourage state attorneys general and district attorneys to pursue capital charges for all eligible crimes.

Trumps order applies only to federal crimes. Each state has its own death penalty laws for state crimes.

But growing anti-death penalty sentiment in the states may limit the impact of Trumps directive. From proposed moratoriums to repeal efforts, state lawmakers are debating the future of capital punishment amid concerns over wrongful convictions, racial disparities and high costs. Crime experts question the death penaltys effectiveness as a deterrent, while some religious lawmakers say it is inconsistent with their opposition to abortion.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The death penalty in this country is dying for reasons that an executive order cannot fix, Corinna Lain, a law professor at the University of Richmond, told Stateline.

[Trumps] executive order will be a mirror revealing where the American people stand on the death penalty.  People that want to go there anyway will be emboldened, and in other places, it will inspire resistance, said Lain, who also is the author of the upcoming book Secrets of the Killing State: The Untold Story of Lethal Injection.

In conservative Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky and Ohio, Republican lawmakers have introduced bills to abolish the death penalty. In Georgia, the House earlier this month approved a bill that would prevent the execution of people who have intellectual disabilities. The measure, which lowers the burden of proof for intellectual disability claims and introduces a pretrial hearing on whether a defendant is intellectually disabled, now moves to the Senate for consideration.

And a GOP-sponsored bill in Oklahoma would pause all pending executions and prevent new execution dates from being scheduled.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

However, another bill in Oklahoma would make people living illegally in the U.S. who are convicted of first-degree murder eligible for the death penalty. And some states, including Iowa and New Mexico, are considering bills that would expand capital punishment by making the murder of a police officer eligible for the death penalty. Both states have abolished capital punishment, but there have been multiple attempts over the years to reinstate it for specific crimes.

In Iowa, state Sen. Dennis Guth, a Republican, said the bill was introduced at the request of the family of Algona police Officer Kevin Cram, who was shot and killed in 2023 while trying to serve an arrest warrant.

Guth, one of the bills sponsors, argued that reinstating the death penalty for certain crimes could provide closure for a victims family and close friends, and that in this case it might keep others safe in the long run.

Its good to have a deterrent that makes people pause and consider their actions before committing a crime, Guth said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Florida also enacted a law earlier this year mandating the automatic imposition of capital punishment for people living illegally in the U.S. convicted of capital crimes, including first-degree murder and child rape.

The death penalty in this country is dying for reasons that an executive order cannot fix.

 Corinna Lain, death penalty expert and law professor

Meanwhile, other states are focusing on execution methods. Lawmakers in Idaho approved a bill that could make it the first state to use the firing squad as its primary execution method. Arizona lawmakers are considering a bill to allow execution by firing squad, and legislators in Arkansas, Nebraska and Ohio are weighing bills that would add nitrogen gas hypoxia as an execution method.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

So long as capital punishment remains the law in Ohio, it should be followed, and duly enacted sentences should be carried out to provide victims families with the justice and finality they deserve, Ohio state Rep. Brian Stewart, a Republican who sponsored the bill to add nitrogen gas as an execution method in the state, said in a news release.

A Gallup poll conducted in October found that 53% of Americans support the death penalty for convicted murderers  the lowest level of support since the early 1970s. Young adults also are significantly less likely than older generations to favor capital punishment, the poll found.

However, in a Gallup poll conducted in October 2023, 81% of Republicans said they supported the death penalty, a percentage that has remained fairly constant for 25 years. Only 32% of Democrats said they supported capital punishment. Sixty-eight percent of Republicans said they believe the death penalty is applied fairly, while only 28% of Democrats did.

Since 2009, seven states  Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Mexico and Virginia  have legislatively abolished the death penalty, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Twenty-seven states allow the death penalty, but four  California, Ohio, Oregon and Pennsylvania  have paused executions, according to the Death Penalty Information Center, a nonprofit that studies capital punishment. The group does not take a position on the death penalty, but it is critical of how it is carried out.

Some states have struggled to carry out executions, with delays ranging from difficulties obtaining lethal injection drugs to pauses put into place after botched executions. In response, some states have turned to alternative methods, including nitrogen hypoxia and firing squads.

There are 14 remaining executions scheduled for this year, although two are in Ohio, where there is a pause. They include South Carolinas upcoming execution by firing squad  the states first and the first in the United States in 15 years.

Since the mid-1990s, the number of new death sentences imposed in the United States also has dropped dramatically, from 316 in 1996 to 26 in 2024, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This drop in death sentencing speaks volumes of the future of the death penalty because today's death sentences are tomorrow's executions, Lain said.

Proposals in Indiana and Oklahoma

In Indiana, a Republican-authored House bill, which garnered bipartisan support, would have abolished the death penalty and commuted all existing death sentences to life without parole. It included a provision allowing defendants facing life without parole to petition for a review of intellectual disability. But the bill did not receive a committee hearing, which is what happened to a similar Democratic-sponsored bill in 2019.

Supporters of the current measure argued that capital punishment fails to deliver justice.

Thats all capital punishment is  it's the transferring of pain. It's not the completion of healing, said Demetrius Minor, the national manager of Conservatives Concerned, a group advocating for a reexamination of capital punishment. Minor advocated for the bill.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Meanwhile, a GOP-authored bill in Indiana that would expand death penalty eligibility also failed to advance. Under that bill, obtaining or performing an abortion would be first-degree murder, punishable by death.

In Oklahoma, a Republican-authored Senate bill would temporarily halt executions while a task force reviews the states death penalty practices. The bill has been sent to committee but has yet to receive a hearing. Last year, a similar proposal stalled on the House floor.

The bill would pause all pending executions, prevent new execution dates from being set and establish a five-member task force to assess whether the state has implemented the changes recommended in a 2017 review.

The bill also would suspend all statutes related to the death penalty until it is repealed, though it would not vacate existing death sentences.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We can't prevent the execution of innocents, and we know for a fact in other states that we have executed innocent people, Brett Farley, the state coordinator of Oklahoma Conservatives Concerned, told Stateline. Farley also is the executive director for the Catholic Conference of Oklahoma.

If we believe that all life is sacred, as conservatives, then how can we justify executing someone that might be innocent or perhaps even is 100% guilty? Do they not have an opportunity for redemption? Farley said.

Since 1973, 200 former death row prisoners have been exonerated nationwide, including 11 from Oklahoma, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.

It remains unclear how Trumps executive order urging states to impose the death penalty will influence state leaders, particularly as some Republican lawmakers have called for a more cautious approach.

A lot of the rhetoric were seeing out of the Trump administration is mostly political because its what folks think the Republican base wants to hear, Farley said. But at the same time, we're seeing Republican legislators in a number of states push back on that and say, No, we need to hit the pause button here.

Future of capital punishment

Even in states that still allow the death penalty, logistical and legal challenges persist.

Lethal injection is beset by a number of problems, and those problems are actually insurmountable, Lain told Stateline. States cant get the drugs, while the pharmaceutical companies dont want to sell them the drugs. States also cannot get qualified medical people to carry this out.

Legal battles over execution protocols and wrongful convictions also continue to influence policy decisions and public perception.

Trumps order came just days after former U.S Attorney General Merrick Garland withdrew the federal Department of Justices protocol for federal executions, which permitted single-drug lethal injections using pentobarbital. Garlands review raised concerns about the drugs potential to cause unnecessary pain and suffering, particularly lung damage that creates the sensation of drowning.

The first Trump administration carried out 13 federal executions  the most under any modern president. Since then, Trump has repeatedly advocated for expanding capital punishment, particularly for drug traffickers. His new administration could reinstate the pentobarbital protocol.

In December, Tennessee announced it would begin using pentobarbital but initially refused to release its new execution manual. The Tennessee Department of Correction eventually released a redacted version in January, revealing plans to administer a single 5-gram dose.

The new manual contains only a single page on lethal injection chemicals, with no specific instructions for testing, storing and administering the drugs. It also removes the requirement that the drugs come from a licensed pharmacist.

The departments commissioner also now has the authority to deviate from the protocol whenever deemed necessary.

Fifteen states, including Alabama, Florida, Mississippi and Texas, have previously used pentobarbital in executions, while at least four others  Kentucky, Louisiana, Montana and North Carolina  have plans to use it, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.

Although executions in the U.S. are at a historic low, the states that still carry them out have increasingly shrouded the process in secrecy  particularly how and where they obtain lethal injection drugs. Many states, including Tennessee, argue that this secrecy is necessary to protect those involved in the execution process.

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.
Editors Note: Washington Week With The Atlantic is a partnership between NewsHour Productions, WETA, and The Atlantic airing every Friday on PBS stations nationwide. Check your local listings, watch full episodes here, or listen to the weekly podcast here.



Donald Trumps unpredictable economic policies have rattled the markets and prompted warnings of a possible recession. Panelists joined on Washington Week With The Atlantic to discuss new warning signs that indicate a negative impact on U.S. and global economics.

This week, the president announced yet another reversal for tariffs on Mexico and Canada, now saying that he would be pulling back the policies. The reasons for why hes imposing these tariffs keep shifting, Michelle Price said last night. At some point, the confusion for businesses is going to be worse than the tariffs themselves.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Joining the guest moderator and staff writer at The Atlantic, Franklin Foer, to discuss this and more: Dan Balz, a chief correspondent at The Washington Post; Eugene Daniels, the chief Playbook and White House correspondent at Politico; Michelle Price, a White House reporter for the Associated Press; Kayla Tausche, a senior White House correspondent at CNN.

Watch the full episode here.

Article originally published at The Atlantic
Angela Watts started a Rapid City-based job as senior curator for the U.S. Department of Interiors Indian Arts and Crafts Board in December. She was one of the thousands of federal employees abruptly fired by the Trump administration in February. (Seth Tupper/South Dakota Searchlight)

There arent many people in the U.S. who do what Angela Watts does.

There were fewer than 13,000 who worked in museum curation in 2023, according to the most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Only 330 of them were federal, state or local government employees.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

From mid-December until Feb. 14  a day of mass firings across the federal workforce  Watts was one of them.

Watts expertise is in a specific type of curation: Native American art. That background helped her earn the job of senior curator for the U.S. Department of Interiors Indian Arts and Crafts Board, a little-known division that promotes Native American art and artists, preserves that art and its cultural heritage for the public, and polices counterfeit Indigenous artwork presented as authentic.

The board operates the Sioux Indian Museum in Rapid City, as well as the Museum of the Plains Indian in Browning, Montana, and Southern Plains Indian Museum in Anadarko, Oklahoma.

Watts job was in Rapid City, which is geographically centered among the three locations, has the biggest population, and has the Journey Museum, which houses the Sioux Indian Museum. Watts moved to South Dakota in the middle of winter, she said, to start a job that felt perfect for someone with a specialty in tribal art curation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

You go into museum work to serve communities, and so to be able to contribute to work thats helping communities in Browning and Anadarko and Rapid City, and helping support Native American artists, all of that was really exciting, Watts said. I cared about the mission, but it was also a really good move for me career-wise. And so it kind of felt like a win-win.

Federal job cuts

The winning feeling didnt last long.

On Valentines Day, Watts was among the thousands of probationary (newly hired) federal employees across the U.S. dismissed from duty, ostensibly for performance issues or their relative inexperience in public service.

Those firings and thousands of others since the start of the second Trump administration came by way of the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, an entity created through an executive order and led by the worlds richest person, Elon Musk.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Its unclear how many federal employees in South Dakota were impacted by the administrations moves to shrink the federal governments 2.3 million-strong workforce.

Around 10,000 federal employees lost their jobs nationwide in the Feb. 14 purge, and around 30,000 have lost them so far. The administration sent buyout offers to federal employees before then, and later said 75,000 people took them.

The Indian Arts and Crafts Board and its three museums are a blip on Interiors budgetary radar compared to the 20,000 employees working in some capacity on the 85 million acres of land managed by its National Park Service. The park service lost around 1,000 employees in the Feb. 14 downsizing.

Journey Museum Executive Director Conor McMahon formerly held the job Watts was hired for. At its largest, McMahon said, he had around two dozen coworkers nationwide with the Arts and Crafts Board. Its a really unique federal agency, he said, and one that fills an important role.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

They do work that is not duplicated by any other government agency, and is not done in the private sector, McMahon said. The easiest way to think of it is that they are an economic development agency for Native American artists.

Probationary, but not inexperienced

Watts hadnt been with the government long enough to have an official performance review.

I didnt actually have any bad feedback on my progress to that point, she said.

Watts may have been new to the position, but a case for inexperience would be difficult to make.

Her first high school job was in a museum in Salt Lake City, where she grew up. She has a graduate degree in museum anthropology and an undergraduate minor in Native American art history. Before taking the job in Rapid City, she spent 17 years at the Spencer Museum of Art at the University of Kansas.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Her specialty there? The preservation, cataloging and, when necessary, repatriation of Native American arts and artifacts.

People hear the word probationary and they think that its some kid who just finished school as their first job or something like that, Watts said. But this was a job I had been working toward for literally my entire career.

She applied in August, accepted in October and moved to Rapid City from Lawrence, Kansas, to start the job shortly before Christmas.

Museum getting by on less

Another board employee, Travis Braveheart, whose duties included leading tours for school children, was also let go by Interior on Feb. 14. While McMahon was chief curator, he hired Braveheart as an intern for the board.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Braveheart did well, especially in his outreach role, and had recently secured a full-time position as a museum technician. He was the only Lakota employee of the Sioux Indian Museum.

Watts, meanwhile, came to a long-open position with what McMahon called a strong and needed skill set.

Losing them, losing her, is a real loss to both the Indian Arts and Crafts Board as well as the Sioux Indian Museum, and for the Journey Museum, McMahon said.

Just one of the boards three employees at the Rapid City location remains.

Its unclear what the losses mean for the Journey Museum long-term. Without Braveheart, McMahon said, it will be a lot more difficult to get Native American kids through the door for tours, during which theyd learn about their own history. In the near term, it will mean longer hours for the employees who remain.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Hes saddened that the federal job cuts have sliced into part of Rapid Citys cultural history. The Sioux Indian Museums first exhibitions highlighting living Native American artists opened in the 1960s and 70s and featured the work of artists including Oscar Howe, Arthur Amiotte and Don Montileaux.

They would go on to become probably the three most famous Native American artists in South Dakota, McMahon said. And so I think that just shows the importance of these federal programs, these federal museums, and federal investments in our local arts, culture and economy.

South Dakota Searchlight is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. South Dakota Searchlight maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Seth Tupper for questions: info@southdakotasearchlight.com.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Republicans in Congress have long been intent on countering America's rivals and spreading U.S. influence abroad. But when President Donald Trump spelled out a sharp turn from that approach in his recent address to Congress, lawmakers in his party couldn't help but stand and applaud.

Moves toward a neutral position on the war between Russia and Ukraine. Tariffs on trading partners and allies. Cuts in foreign military and humanitarian aid.

More is sure to come as Trump sweeps Washington with his America First agenda. "Were going to protect our citizens like never before, he told Congress.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Those ideas have produced some of the most dramatic moments in the early part of his second term, none more so than the Oval Office clash involving Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Some Republicans who were not shy about countering Trumps foreign policy ideas during his first term are overwhelmingly standing by him now. It shows not only Trumps ability to impose his will on his party, but also the extent to which he is ushering in a potentially generational shift in global alliances and power.

Honestly, its a completely different way of looking at the world, said Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis. How do we avoid having enemies and how do we turn even unfriendly adversaries into no worse than friendly rivals.

Still, in the weeks since taking office, Trump has handled foreign policy with unpredictable starts and stops.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Twice he has pledged to implement tough tariffs on Mexico and Canada, only to pause them. He has suggested the U.S. should take ownership of Gaza, Greenland and the Panama Canal, only to have his administration distance itself from such notions. And he has berated Zelenskyy, paused military aid to Ukraine and engaged in friendlier relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Here's how members of Congress navigated Trump's foreign policy moves this past week:

The Oval Office blowup with Zelenskyy

The open display of animosity between Trump and Zelenskyy had many Republicans on edge as they began the week.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., who is chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, repeatedly declined to speak to reporters about the exchange.

Another senior Republican who had previously been supportive of Zelenskyy, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, seemed to make a dramatic shift. After a deal to give the U.S. access to Ukraine's mineral riches fell apart, Graham suggested that the Ukrainian president should resign.

Then, as Zelenskyy and Trump raised the prospect of revived talks, Graham praised the deal as an implicit security guarantee for Ukraine because it would give Trump a business incentive for ensuring that Russia does not continue to take Ukrainian territory.

President Trumps a business guy. You got to make business, Graham said, adding that the America First policy was a hybrid from the GOP's days of Reagan Republicans.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I see it as a reevaluation of traditional alignments, a outside-the-box-view of talking to traditional foes, but the reason I support it is because I think this hybrid approach is actually smart, Graham said.

Other Republicans who are opposed to Ukraine aid were delighted to see Trump sour on Zelenskyy.

What were seeing, which is a bit of a shock to the system, is a president thats prioritizing American interests, said Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo.

The president's address to Congress

The only part of Trump's address to Congress on Tuesday night that drew more applause from Democrats than Republicans was when the president spoke of how the U.S. had sent billions of dollars in military aid to Ukraine. On the Democratic side of the House chamber, members unfurled a small Ukrainian flag and wore scarfs of blue and gold.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On the Republican side, displays of support for Ukraine were hard to find. A few members wore lapel pins with the American and Ukrainian flags.

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., who was one of the only GOP lawmakers to defend Zelenskyy this past week, said he was wearing the pin to send the message that I support Ukraine and that I think that Vladimir Putin is a liar. And the minute that we think theres any redeeming quality from him, weve made a mistake.

Wicker, who also wore a pin Tuesday, said during a committee meeting that day that he hoped to heaven" that Trump and Zelenskyy would reenter talks and that friends decide to move on" after conflicts. As Trump spoke of Ukraine that night, Wicker sat on the edge of his seat.

Its time to end this senseless war, Trump said, adding he wanted to speak to both sides.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A new generation of advisers

Republicans are not just worried about the future of Ukraine.

During a Senate hearing, Republican hawks such as Wicker and Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas closely questioned Elbridge Colby, Trumps nominee for the top policy job at the Pentagon, about his ideas, which in the past have included a drawdown of military aid to Ukraine, a greater tolerance for Iran obtaining nuclear weapons and softening the U.S. position that it would help defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion.

Wicker also questioned Colby on whether he agreed with recently hired Pentagon advisers such as Michael DiMino, who has argued for reducing U.S. involvement in the Middle East, or Andrew Byers, who is in favor of a less confrontational approach to China.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Colby laid out his view that the U.S. cannot currently afford to be involved in countering multiple adversaries. But he also seemed to placate the senators by suggesting Iran could become an existential threat to the U.S.

Democrats repeatedly pressed Colby to say that Russia had started its war by invading Ukraine. Colby declined to do so, saying that the Trump administration was in a delicate negotiation with both countries.

Democrats try to rally support for Ukraine

As Trump changed America's position on the war in Ukraine. Democrats took to the Senate floor Wednesday evening to try to pass a series of resolutions declaring U.S. support for repelling Russia's invasion and decrying alleged war crimes by the Kremlin.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, who heads the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, objected, blocking the resolutions. He said he agreed with the sentiment, but that it was unhelpful to the negotiations underway.

Everybody wants the same outcome and that is to have peace in Ukraine," Risch said. "There is one man on this planet, one man that can make that happen, and that is Donald J. Trump.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent who led the Democrats' effort, responded by saying he had hoped Republicans could have agreed on rebuking Putin.

Mr. Putin, you started this terrible war, Sanders said. "You're acting illegally. You're acting barbarically. Stop that war."
The cryptocurrency industry flocked to Washington on Friday for the White Houses first-ever crypto summit, where President Trump and his Cabinet made clear the war on crypto is over in Washington.

The summit brought together industry experts, pro-crypto lawmakers and administration officials, marking a notable moment for the digital assets space as it looks to reach mainstream acceptance.

My administration is working to end the federal bureaucracy war on crypto, which was really going on pretty wildly during Biden, Trump said during remarks at the summit Friday afternoon.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Under the [Biden] administration, regulators strong-armed banks  I mean, they really did  they strong-armed banks into closing the accounts of crypto businesses and entrepreneurs, effectively blocking some money transfers to and from exchanges, and they weaponized government against the entire industry, the president continued.

Crypto executives and advocates have argued the Biden administration shuttered its doors to the digital assets space and chose to instead pursue probes into various cryptocurrency exchanges and firms.

Since Trump was sworn into office, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has closed several of the investigations into cryptocurrency firms, many of which were represented at the summit, including Coinbase and Ripple.

The SEC also created a task force on crypto as the regulator prepares to change the direction of regulation of the space.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

David Sacks, the White Houses artificial intelligence and crypto czar, called out cryptocurrency Gemini co-founders Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, who said earlier in the day it was more likely they would end up in jail than the White House a year ago.

We never thought that wed get attacked the way we did in our backyard after trying to do the right thing for so many years and always trying to raise the bar with respect to regulation, Cameron Winklevoss said during the roundtable. Its truly wonderful to see how things have changed and how the pendulum has swung back in the way it has.

Trump touted his executive order, signed a day earlier, which created a strategic bitcoin reserve and separate digital assets stockpile for newer cryptocurrencies. The president called this a virtual Fort Knox, in reference to Americas gold reserves.

Under the order, the reserve will be established with bitcoin that was already seized by federal law enforcement during financial crime investigations.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The stockpile will do the same with other newer digital assets like Ripple, Solana or Cardano that are already in the governments possession.

Trump and Sacks emphasized this will not come at the expense of taxpayers, a concern raised by some in the industry earlier this week.

The Treasury and Commerce departments were also ordered to explore new pathways to accumulate bitcoin holdings if it does not cost taxpayers anything, along with a full audit of the federal governments digital asset holdings.

The estimated 200,000 bitcoin being placed in the reserve will not be sold off as part of a long term strategy to maximize the value.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The U.S. was once believed to have 400,000 bitcoins in its possession through seizures, but about half of it was sold off in an ad hoc manner over the past 10 years, a senior administration official told reporters Friday.

Based on bitcoins current value, the U.S. lost out on an estimated $17 billion by selling off the assets over the past decade.

The layout for a separate bitcoin reserve comes after the Trump administration faced backlash earlier this week from some in the industry who argued bitcoin is the only suitable coin for a reserve given it is the oldest and most popular cryptocurrency.

Trump slammed the Biden administration for selling some of the crypto holdings, though it is not immediately clear when these holdings were sold.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

From this day on, America will follow the rule that every Bitcoin knows very well, never sell your Bitcoin, Trump said. Thats a little phrase that they have. Is it right? Who the hell knows.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the moves are preparing the U.S. to be a leader in digital asset strategy as the administration undoes many of the Biden administrations crypto policies.

The Biden administrations actions did nothing other than punish innovators, he said.

Bessent said the Treasury Department will be working with the comptroller of the currency and the IRS to amend all guidance and put a lot of thought into the stablecoin regime.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We are going to keep the U.S. the dominant reserve currency in the world, and we will use stablecoins to do that, Bessent added.

Trump also laid out a potential timeline for digital asset legislation, telling the roundtable he expects to see such measures on his desk before August recess.

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) and Rep. Bryan Steil (R-Wis.) were at the roundtable. Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), who introduced a measure last session to establish a strategic bitcoin reserve, noted she was sick and not able to attend. She has hinted she will have a crypto-related announcement next week.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
(This March 8 story has been corrected to show that Kristofcak works on civil litigation, and is not a prosecutor, in paragraph 12)

By Sarah N. Lynch and John Kruzel

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The head of a key U.S. Justice Department task force that combats drugs and organized crime was fired on Friday, amid a move by President Donald Trump's administration to purge or sideline career officials.

Adam Cohen, who was director of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, in a social media post said he had been fired by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, Trump's former criminal defense attorney who was confirmed to the department's No. 2 role by the U.S. Senate on Wednesday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Cohen's firing came just 18 hours after Blanche released a memo that Cohen had helped him draft which announced that the task force he led would be playing a new leading role in combating illegal immigration, as part of an initiative dubbed "Operation Take Back America."

"It was a shock," Cohen wrote of his firing on LinkedIn, noting he had been meeting regularly with leadership to discuss violent crime initiatives.

"Putting bad guys in jail was as apolitical as it gets," he wrote. "My personal politics were never relevant. Not until yesterday."

Cohen's firing is one of the latest examples of the Trump administration removing or sidelining career Justice Department officials, who typically keep their positions across presidential administrations.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Also on Friday, three assistant U.S. attorneys in the Southern District of New York, including two who were involved in prosecuting the corruption case against New York Mayor Eric Adams, were placed on administrative leave, according to an internal email by acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky that was seen by Reuters.

The three attorneys' removal comes after eight Justice Department attorneys in Washington and New York resigned in protest after refusing to file a motion to dismiss the corruption charges against Adams.

The email identified the prosecutors involved in Adams' case as Celia Cohen and Andrew Rohrbach.

"We were given no notice, nor asked for our views on this decision, with which I disagree," Podolsky wrote.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"On that case and others, Celia and Andrew did the right thing, for the right reasons, in the right way - every single day."

The third, Alex Kristofcak, who works on civil litigation, was also placed on leave in response to comments he made on social media, the email said.

In those comments, Kristofcak criticized Washington, D.C.'s interim U.S. attorney, Ed Martin, after he warned Georgetown University Law School that he would not hire its students unless the school removed diversity, equity and inclusion from its curriculum.

"This is a grotesque abuse of power," Kristofcak wrote of Martin.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"I am so sorry for my colleagues in DC who have this thug of a boss."

A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Southern District of New York declined to comment.

Other career department officials were also fired Friday, including pardon attorney Liz Oyer and Bobak Talebian, who oversaw the handling of Freedom of Information Act requests.

(Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch and John Kruzel)
Witnessing the questionable appointments and mean-spirited actions of the second Trump presidency, even people who voted for him might now be asking, Whats this guy and his administration really about? The answer is alarming.

There has always been a contingent in America not onboard with the liberating ideas of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution.

They dont believe in democracy, separation of church and state, and the intrinsic equality of people. Instead, they believe that wealthy, white, Christian men are superior and hence should own and run the world. Plantation owners of the antebellum South epitomized this patriarchal worldview.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The shenanigans of these oligarchs (rule by the few) contributed to the Great Depression and hence paved the way for the social reforms of FDR: Business regulations, redistribution of wealth, minimum wage, Social Security, growing the economy from the middle out The American society prospered tremendously, while the oligarchs fumed.

In their quest to regain power, these plutocratic (rich) oligarchs have exploited peoples racial and gender concerns  such as Nixons Southern Strategy. The Republican Party was merged with the Christian Right (circa 1980), and then Newt Gingrich ushered in the GOP tactics of deception and character assassination.

Racism, sexism, and disdain for the poor are implicit in the oligarchs ideology, many of whom also want to impose their fundamentalist Christian views on all. They aspire to do away with peoples rights, Medicare, Social Security, etc. Moreover, religious stories are to replace science in schools. This is their true agenda.

But to be fair, most Republicans do not share the extreme views of those who have hijacked their party, and the modern rise of the oligarchs was substantially aided by the radical over-wokeness on the American left.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Nevertheless, if youre female, brown, black, unbelieving, LGBTQ, or poor (or even middle class) youre to know your place in the new authoritarian society. Businesses are to operate free of consumer and environmental protection. Anti-monopoly legislation is to be discarded and taxes on the wealthy greatly reduced.

When this radically conservative movement lost to Obama (a black man) in 2008, the oligarchs and fundamentalists went berserk! They created the Tea Party, not only to attack Democrats but to slay the remaining Establishment Republicans who still believed in the Constitution.

The current unhinged actions of DOGE are not to improve governmental efficiency, but instead to attack government per se, for our government promotes civil rights, business regulations, and separation of church and state. In short, the federal government stands in the way of the MAGA agenda and is, therefore, its enemy.

Lining up billionaire businessmen at his recent inauguration, Trump made clear the oligarchic nature of his ambitions. Moreover, Trump sees himself as the head oligarch, making him an autocrat (dictator). This new king has deep admiration for menacing tyrants, such as Vladimir Putin, who seems to, shockingly, have control over Trump.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

All governmental departments, including the military, now belong to Trump and are his personal weapons. In typical autocratic fashion, hes exceeding his Constitutional powers and recklessly replacing skilled professionals with zealot loyalists. The rule of law is clearly under assault.

The public will suffer, as will America in general, as Trumps damaging domestic policies, disregard for international agreements, and incessant bullying force our allies to turn away. America is losing the moral compass that has rallied the world with us since WWII. NATO, the worlds premier organization for maintaining peace, might fracture. Were rapidly becoming a weaker nation in a more dangerous world.

Many people assume well have an opportunity to vote the autocrat and his kleptocratic (stealing) oligarchs and theocrats out in future elections, but dont count on it. Such people dont believe in free and fair elections in which they can be removed from power.

Mark Mansperger of Richland, WA., is a professor of anthropology. His research includes cultural ecology, societal development and political economy. The views presented in this column are his own.
On a day when he threatened Moscow with sanctions over its heavy bombardment of Ukrainian positions, US President Donald Trump expressed understanding for Russian President Vladimir Putin's current approach in the Ukraine war.

"I actually think he's doing what anybody else would do," Trump said on Friday when asked whether Putin was taking advantage of the current suspension of US military aid to Kiev.

"Probably anybody in that position would be doing that right now," the US president added.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Trump again emphasized his "good relationship" with Putin and claimed that the Russian president wants "to end the war," adding: "I think he's going to be more generous than he has to be."

Asked why his administration was no longer providing Ukraine with defence funds and what would happen when those funds ran out, Trump replied: "Because I have to know that they want to settle. I don't know that they want to settle. If they don't want to settle, we're out of there because we want them to settle. And I'm doing it to stop death."

US firm blocks Kiev's access to satellite images

Meanwhile, the US technology group Maxar has blocked Ukraine from accessing its satellite images. The US government has decided to temporarily suspend Ukrainian access to the Global Enhanced GEOINT Delivery satellite imaging service, the US company told dpa.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Previously, several users speaking on condition of anonymity had confirmed the access block to the Ukrainian military blog Militarnyi. The block applies to both government and private accounts.

The background to this is the temporary halt by the US of sharing intelligence information with Kiev, according to Militarnyi.

In the wake of a tense meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Trump at the White House a week ago, the US government not only suspended military aid but also the provision of intelligence for the time being.

Militarnyi said Maxar was probably the leading provider of commercial satellite imagery for users in Ukraine especially for pinpointing Russian troop movements or examining damage to key sites both in Russian-occupied territory and in Russia itself.

Kremlin responds to EU defence plans

In response to the European Union's newly announced rearmament initiative, Russia has signalled plans to bolster its own defence.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"All this militarization is directed primarily against Russia," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday, according to the Russian news agency Interfax.

Moscow views the EU's initiative as a potential threat and will take necessary steps to safeguard its security, he added.

The EU's decision to ramp up military capabilities came during an emergency summit on Thursday.

A key proposal discussed was the ReArm Europe plan, introduced by the European Commission earlier this week, which aims to mobilize nearly 800 billion ($867 billion) to beef up EU defences.

Casualties from Russian shelling in Donetsk region

At least five people have been killed due to Russian shelling in the town of Dobropillya in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk. A further 15 were injured, the governor of the region, Vadym Filashkin, posted on Telegram.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He said that three attacks resulted in damage to four multi-storey residential buildings, and rescue teams were searching for additional victims.

Filashkin urged remaining residents of the area to flee to safer regions. The front line runs approximately 20 kilometres south of the mining town.

Reports: Russia attacks Ukrainian port city of Odessa

Russia appears to be intensifying its airstrikes on Ukraine, with the port city of Odessa coming under fire again, local media reported late on Friday.

The drone attack targeted the city's energy supply and civilian infrastructure, according to reports from Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform and Russian state news agency TASS, citing regional officials.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The attack caused significant damage, including fires at an industrial building and a petrol station. It remains unclear whether there are any casualties.

Moscow targets power and gas in Ukraine

Russia launched a wave of attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure overnight from Thursday to Friday. Ukrainian authorities said early on Friday that missiles and drones struck power and gas facilities across multiple regions.

The Ukrainian air defence reported that Kalibr guided missiles, launched from ships in the Black Sea, had been used.

Zelensky later reported on Telegram that Russia had launched nearly 70 missiles at Ukraine, causing damage in the Odessa, Poltava and Ternopil regions.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Officials said at least five people were injured in the eastern city of Kharkiv. Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said on Telegram that both an infrastructure facility and a nearby residential building were struck.

Terekhov said that rescue workers were searching for more victims under the rubble of the partially collapsed apartment building, adding that six people had been rescued so far.

The western region of Ternopil also saw damage from the attack, with gas supply disruptions reported. However, no fatalities or injuries were reported in the region, military governor Vyacheslav Nehoda said on Telegram.

Ukraine has been defending itself against Russia's full-scale invasion for more than three years.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

During this time, Russia has systematically targeted Ukraine's energy infrastructure, destroying more than half of the country's electricity generation capacity.

Zelensky: Russia must be forced into peace

Zelensky accused Russia of showing a lack of interest in peace in light of the latest massive aerial attack.

"Today, this Russian attack on our energy system and civilian facilities was as routine for Russia as ever, as mean and cynical as ever, as if there had been no attempts by Ukraine and the world to end this war," Zelensky said in his daily address on Friday evening.

Ukraine, on the other hand, is interested in a swift peace. Zelensky emphasized, "And every day, new Russian strikes and reality itself prove that Russia must be forced into peace."
President Trump signed an executive order on Friday to exclude nonprofits that he says engage in the subsidization of illegal activities from the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.

The executive order states individuals employed by organizations whose activities have a substantial illegal purpose shall not be eligible for public service loan forgiveness.

PSLF is a student loan program that lets those in government positions such as police or teachers, along with those working with nonprofits, to receive debt forgiveness after making 10 years of consecutive payments.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Instead of alleviating worker shortages in necessary occupations, the PSLF Program has misdirected tax dollars into activist organizations that not only fail to serve the public interest, but actually harm our national security and American values, sometimes through criminal means, the executive order reads.

The order directs the eligibility of the program to be limited for those in nonprofit positions. It also tasks the newly confirmed Education Secretary Linda McMahon with redefining the term public service in a way that excludes those that have a substantial illegal purpose, including helping violate federal immigration law as well as supporting terrorism and child abuse, among other issues listed in the order.

A Trump staffer said the problem with the loan program is that some nonprofit employees work at organizations that engage in illegal, or what we would consider to be improper activities supporting, for example, illegal immigration or foreign terrorist organizations or otherwise law-breaking activities.

This executive order will direct your Department of Education and Department of the Treasury to basically bring about modifications to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program in order to ensure that people who are engaged in these sorts of activities cant benefit from a program thats really not intended to support those sorts of things, the staffer added.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

PSLF began in 2007 under the College Cost Reduction and Access Act. More than 1 million borrowers have received debt forgiveness through the program.

The changes to PSLF come as borrowers are not able to access applications for income-driven loan repayment methods, as it has been temporarily taken down by the Department of Education.

It has been a complete 180 for borrowers from the Biden administration, which gave out a record number of student loan forgiveness, including from PSLF.

The prior administration abused the PSLF Program through a waiver process, using taxpayer funds to pay off loans for employees still years away from the statutorily required number of payments, Trumps Friday order reads.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
President Trump tapped Walt Nauta, a Navy veteran and his co-defendant in Special Counsel Jack Smiths classified documents case, for a seat on the Naval Academys Board of Visitors on Friday.

Our GREAT United States Naval Academy needs a new Board of Visitors. I am pleased to announce that an incredible group of Patriots will serve on the Board Walt Nauta, Sean Spicer, Doc Ronnie Jackson, and Derek Van Orden, the president wrote in a Friday post on Truth Social.

Together they will ensure continued Greatness for the Academy, he added.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Nauta previously served as Trumps body man and accompanied the leader during numerous visits to his Mar-a-Lago estate where Trump was accused of storing classified documents. Nauta was indicted for allegedly violating the Espionage Act and related offenses.

Smiths case against the president was thrown out in July 2024 while charges against Nauta and property manager Carlos De Oliveira were dismissed by the 11th Circuit appeals court last month.

Trump promised to ultimately pardon the co-defendants upon re-election if they were convicted of crimes related to documents at the Florida resort according to court filings.

Stanley Woodward, who represented Trumps former aides in the classified documents case, was appointed to the White House legal team in January.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Nautas newest appointment from the president comes almost a month after Trump fired the Board of Visitors for four military service academies, citing woke ideology. The entitys main objective is to oversee student life on the campus of military institutions.

Spicer was re-appointed to his post at the Naval Academy after the Biden administration encouraged him to resign in 2021. He will now serve alongside Nauta, Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas), former United States Navy officer, and Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.) who is a former Navy SEAL.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
How much longer can we go on regarding the United States as an ally? Last week, Donald Trump stopped the provision of intelligence information to Ukraine, thus leaving it blind to incoming missile and drone attacks from Russia. This is effectively an act of aggression against a country which the UK and the rest of Europe certainly do regard as an ally. The ramifications are devastating.

We  along with other member states of Nato  have (or had) a mutual defence arrangement with the US which involved intelligence sharing. The anglophone countries, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK and the US, have a separate intelligence-sharing operation  the Five Eyes agreement  which is generally considered the most effective security network in the world. The US government has now unilaterally withdrawn its acceptance of what had been the agreed policy of these agencies. This has to be seen as a breach of the mutual trust and shared objectives of those alliances.

More recent is the advent of the Aukus agreement binding the UK, Australia and the US into a tripartite network of security and support. (It became apparent last week that President Trump had never heard of this.) Aukus was regarded as a major breakthrough in guaranteeing a free and open Indo-Pacific which should be a significant concern for the US.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

What is left of that now that the American administration feels free to make arbitrary unilateral decisions to abandon or reverse the policies that would once have been common ground between the member states? To put it bluntly, can the US now be regarded as a safe partner in any negotiated international security undertaking?

If the American president is deliberately choosing to damage the ability of a nation which we unambiguously regard as friendly to defend itself against an invading enemy, can we trust the US government with the security information which we would once have expected to share in our mutual interest?

Must the US now be regarded, not just as an unreliable ally, but as an unfriendly power and a danger to the West? Has its government, for whatever whimsical, personality-driven reasons, simply decided to support the traditional enemy? The American talk show host, Bill Maher, joked last week that the Cold War was back but the last time, the White House was on our side. Which gets to the heart of it, of course.

The Trump argument would be that anybody can be on our side so long as their actions are helpful to our interests. And that means specifically to Americas interests  even when they conflict with those of the West at large. Whose side he is on is a matter of day-to-day strategic calculation  moral standards, historic loyalties and common political values have no weight.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Supposedly this is all to do with putting Americas economic advantage above everything: particularly in regard to the unfair share of the expense that the US has provided to Natos military funding in return for which  to hear Trump tell it  it has received nothing in return. Like many of the Presidents pronouncements, this is factually wrong.

The first and only time that Natos Article Five collective defence provision has been enacted was in response to the 9/11 terror attacks on the US which resulted in French and British troops being sent into Afghanistan. It is true that the US supplies a disproportionate percentage of the financial backing for Nato but it is not true that it has never received anything in return.

Trump gambles on the US never really needing the collective protection of Nato because, as he frequently puts it, we have an ocean between us and the threat of European conflagration. Let the Europeans huddle together for reassurance and mutual help. The US under his cynical leadership can play anybody against anybody in whatever way suits its immediate circumstances.

If you do not believe that his message is as ruthless and amoral as this, I suggest that you listen to what he is saying and take him at his word. You may argue that his words change from one day to the next. That is true  but it only serves to make him even more unreliable as a security partner.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

There is a real risk that Old Europe, with its super sophisticated and rather devious view of world affairs, will over-interpret the Trump phenomenon: he is not more complicated and impenetrable than he appears. On the contrary, his interpretation of the world and Americas future in it are very, very simple. He is like the comic book character Lex Luthor, an egocentric, megalomaniac businessman who uses his vast corporation to be, in turns, both antagonist and ally to the forces of the Good.

But most significantly, the one consistent theme in his varying diatribes is his bond with Vladimir Putin which appears to be unsusceptible to doubt. Even his new threat of sanctions against Russia means little because it is framed in the context of bringing a peace which would disadvantage Ukraine. If the West takes this seriously  as it should  then it must conclude that, for the moment, the US is not a reliable partner or a safe confidant for intelligence purposes.

So where does that leave Old Europe? Is it an antiquated irrelevance in this new world which is to be run by the triumvirate of superpowers - the US, Russia and China? This is what Trump clearly believes. He seems not to have noticed that Russia (and to a lesser extent China) is in an economic and demographic doom cycle. But what about that critical question: does Europe still matter? Can it still be a force in this new ruthless world?

You bet it can. Because the British and European way of life is the one most people in the world long for. Europe has learned from its history with its terrible events  and come to terms with it. Its particular mix of old culture and new social attitudes is what draws everyone from the poor of the developing world, to the super rich oligarchs of Russia and the Hollywood stars of the US to these shores. Hold on to that.

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.
As an American teenager who grew into a semblance of political consciousness during the height of George W. Bushs War on Terror, it was easy to notice how the post-9/11 period corroded our political culture and our grasp of decency in ways from which we have never truly recovered. One thing Ill never forget is how so many people in the United States lost their minds over Iranians who once chanted a Death To America jingle.

To this day, too many members of the U.S. media and political elite still believe bombing Iran is a rational policy. Imagine, if you will, that in 2002, Iranian leaders had gone a step further and, with grins on their faces, had repeatedly and openly propagandized about annexing large swaths of American territory, thus putting millions of our citizens under their rulers authority.

How do you think our nation would have responded, collectively, to that unrealistic threat? Would we have a shred of patience for anyone telling us not to worry about it?

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Our many millions of neighbors to the north are hearing similar threats today from our new president, Donald Trump. They are not laughing it off.

Of course, Iran is on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, and is a markedly less powerful nation than the United States. The Canadians share a border with the U.S. and are currently being menaced by a profanely imperialistic leader who not only keeps trying to destroy the Canadian economy with large tariffs for nonsensical reasons, but who also controls the mightiest military on the planet  and he keeps talking about taking over their country and referring to Canada as the 51st state.

The excuse that hes giving for these tariffs today of fentanyl is completely bogus, completely unjustified, completely false, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Tuesday, responding to Trumps latest salvo in his buffoonish trade war on Mexico and Canada. What he wants is to see a total collapse of the Canadian economy, because thatll make it easier to annex us.

Whenever I press senior Trump advisers, other administration officials, and Republican sources close to the White House about the presidents threats against Canada, I am typically told that its just Trump being Trump, and that Im being a hysterical leftist. Or, Im told that the president is once again doing his Art Of The Deal-style diplomacy, and that theres a method to the reality-TV-grade madness. Other times, I get an earful about how Canadas prime minister is the real problem, and that finding offense in Trumps words is a whiny waste of time.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On occasion, Ill get a moment of candor that gives away a larger game, even if the comment is to be taken with some grain of irony.

Donald Trump should not accept Canada as the 51st state; it should obviously be a territory, says one Trump administration official, who notes that making Canada a state would likely add so many liberal voters that it would risk tipping the Electoral College in the Democratic Partys direction. (U.S. territories, like Puerto Rico, are not allowed electoral votes for the presidency.)

There are numerous reasons why Trump and his governments pervasive blathering about turning Canada into the 51st state shouldnt be dismissed as a Madman Theory-negotiating tactic, or as performative MAGA trolling. During a private phone call last month, according to a Friday New York Times report, Trump told Mr. Trudeau that he did not believe that the treaty that demarcates the border between the two countries was valid and that he wants to revise the boundary. He offered no further explanation.

Lately, Trump  a man who would never try to do anything world-historically rash like ending democracy in America  has told every news camera that would listen and broadcast his message to the world that he would like to rule Canada, one of the U.S.s most vital allies. Its not just Trump blurting it out: This has become the position of the United States federal government; his White House press secretary and his Homeland Security secretary are now, too, calling Canada the 51st state.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Canada could do a lot more. Canada has been taken over, Bret, by Mexican cartels, top Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro, bizarrely, told Fox News host Bret Baier on Wednesday, attempting to justify Trumps tariffs. (At least Trump White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt practically admitted the tariffs are about forcing Canadas annexation.)

The president and his senior administration officials may have been talking about our partner on the northern border, but the invocation of the U.S. fentanyl crisis and violent Mexican drug kingpins as justification for reckless economic decisions potentially spells far more doom and pain for our neighbors to the south.

For years, Trump and numerous heavy hitters in the Republican Party elite  at think tanks, in Congress, and now within the highest levels of his second administration  have moved the idea of invading and bombing Mexico from the fringes of right-wing fantasy and into the GOPs mainstream. Its in proposed legislation. The policy papers have been written. Trump campaigned on it during his successful reelection bid.

President Trump is committed to calling them a terrorist organization and using the full might of the United States special operations to take them out, Trumps border czar and immigration-crackdown ringleader Tom Homan said in November.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Whether or not Trump ultimately sends in a single troop or launches a drone strike on Mexican soil within the next 200 weeks, it would be criminally negligent of the Mexican government to view this talk as an empty threat. The Republican Party, not just its bloviating leader, has made it abundantly clear that they believe they can violate Mexican sovereignty in spectacularly violent ways, if and whenever they feel like it. The justifications they cite, of course, are the drug cartels and fentanyl.

How is the average Canadian supposed to process the fact that the new Trump administration is now consistently wielding those exact same justifications when discussing economic war on Canada and a desired territorial takeover of their country? The fact that the U.S. federal government is squawking in one loud, highly irritating voice  in your name and mine, and doing so on our taxpayers dime  that it would like to obliterate the national sovereignty of our longtime friend and ally to the north is in and of itself a scandal.

Not a troll, or a joke, or mere bluster  a scandal.

Ever since Trumps rise in 2015  during a decade-long political career that has only grown more fascistic and lawless with age  it has become standard practice for too many members of the elite ranks of the media and political class to describe various Trump outbursts or actions as little more than a distraction from the real issues. This includes but is sadly not limited to pundits and politicos insisting that the presidents recent announcement that he considers himself THE KING is a frivolous distraction, even as Trump and his lieutenants have been deploying everything in their arsenals to grant him the powers of one.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Indeed, it would be easier to dismiss Trumps cartoonishly imperialistic talk of conquering Canada, a country of roughly 40 million souls, if this werent occurring against the backdrop of an administration working to impose its degenerate MAGA incarnation of American imperialism on a war-torn European nation.

Over the past 10 years, a hallmark of Trumpist propaganda has been that The Donald is a new kind of Republican on foreign policy: Hes no neocon, hes not Bush or Cheney, he is ending endless war, he wants his own version of peace through strength. That propaganda has always been bullshit, and only further revealed itself to be just that during his first administration  when Trump escalated the war in Afghanistan and refused to end it, as President Joe Biden finally did.

The second presidency of Donald The Dove has further inflamed that contradiction, as Trump and his senior officials seek to bully the Ukrainian government into signing over access to its valuable fossil fuel and mineral resources, as the nation continues to suffer under a brutal Russian invasion. It is a uniquely depraved shakedown, and demonstrates that Trumps primary interest in the Russia-Ukraine conflict is to join Vladimir Putin in a joint mission to divvy up the spoils of war.

Closer to home, the Canadians can all watch this play out on the evening news. Will U.S. Marines be marching on Quebec next week? No, probably not.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

And yet, the damage is already done. Canadians are experiencing the same politics of extortion and harassment that Trump has unleashed on Ukraine.

It is, or at least it should be, a damp stain on our national conscience, and your average outraged Canadian is responding rationally. If anything, its the American public that should be taking Trumps depravity more seriously. We allowed this to happen.

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.
President Donald Trump has threatened to impose yet another set of tariffs on Canadathe latest twist in a saga that has seen the president repeatedly institute and then delay sweeping taxes on close allies.

A day after offering a partial one-month reprieve on the 25 percent tariff on all goods from Canada and Mexico, Trump declared Friday, Canada has been ripping us off for years on lumber and on dairy products.

He added that the U.S. would be matching Canadas existing 250 percent tariff on dairy, although he equivocated on when the tax would go into place.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

We may do it as early as today, or well wait until Monday or Tuesday, the president said. Were going to charge the same thing. Its not fair. It never has been fair, and theyve treated our farmers badly.

Trump has made trade wars with Canada, Mexico, and China a central part of his early-term agenda.

Donald Trump listens to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during a meeting at the White House on Oct. 11, 2017. / AFP Contributor / AFP via Getty Images

However, a White House official seemed to undercut Trumps latest threat.

Discussions with Canada continue, an unnamed official told NBC News. While we dont have any specific actions to preview at the moment, the president is always ready to take action to save American lives from the scourge of illicit drugs flowing over our borders and shore up our border security.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Trump has cited fentanyl trafficking as the reason for levying steep tariffs against Americas neighbors, although less than 1 percent of fentanyl seized entering the U.S. comes through the northern border; 98 percent comes from Mexico.

Outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau fired back at Trumps tariffs as they were introduced this week, before the president rolled them back for another month.

Now, 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 on Tuesday. We two friends fighting is exactly what our opponents around the world want to see.

He added that Canada, which had already retaliated with new tariffs against America, would also challenge the legitimacy of the taxes at the World Trade Organization. Canada and the U.S. have a free trade agreement.

The threat appeared to work, as the tariff roll-back that soon followed reverts the taxes on products protected by the three-way agreement between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
John Bolton, former National Security Advisor to Donald Trump, believes that the US president's threats of sanctions against Russia are empty and says that Trump is supposedly trying to demonstrate a balance with regard to Ukraine and Russia.

Source: Bolton on air on CNN, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Bolton said that both Trump himself and Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin are well aware that the US president's threats to impose sanctions and tariffs against Russia are "totally hollow".

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Quote from Bolton: "He [Trump] did it simply to try and show some kind of balance, given the things he said about Zelenskyy and the Ukrainians."

Details: Analysing Trump's threats, Bolton noted that Russian imports to the US in 2024 totalled just under US$3 billion, which is insignificant compared to the volume of US trade with the rest of the world.

He emphasised that during the full-scale invasion, the volume of Russian imports to the United States has fallen by 90%. He added that tariffs therefore do not make any sense.

Regarding potential new sanctions, Bolton noted that Russia has successfully learnt to circumvent restrictions, especially financial ones.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"I think Putin completely understood that that threat was totally hollow," he concluded.

Background:

On 7 March, Trump announced that he was considering imposing wide-ranging sanctions and tariffs on Russia over its ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Trump also said that it was easier for him to deal with Russia than with Ukraine in terms of resolving the war.

In addition, he explained why he had stopped delivering military aid to Ukraine.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Unpredictability has long been one of President Donald Trumps strongest assets. The uncertainty that follows is one of his most confounding.

From the financial markets to foreign capitals, a fresh sense of Trump-inspired whiplash reverberated across the globe this week, raising questions about whether his decisions on trade, Ukraine aid or the federal workforce are rooted in strategy or impulse.

Look, our countrys been ripped off by everybody, Trump said Friday. That stops now.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The seventh week of his presidency was scripted to be something of a triumphant one, with a prime-time address to a joint session of Congress intended to rally Republicans around his agenda. But the week was instead dominated by what Trump did, not simply what he said, particularly in reversing course on tariffs.

A day after imposing them on Canada and Mexico, he pulled back, acquiescing to the nations top automakers by granting a one-month reprieve.

A day later, his decision to backtrack again by delaying even more Mexico-Canada tariffs sent the financial markets into a downward state of confusion.

Im not even looking at the market, Trump said Thursday in the Oval Office, an assertion that drew eye rolls from his advisers and admirers alike.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Whether or not Trump was looking at the stock market, the market was looking at him  wiping out most of the gains made since the November election.

For all the planning that Trump and his advisers engaged in during their four years out of power  preparing a raft of executive orders, writing detailed plans to dramatically reshape the federal workforce and more  the first week of March also presented a fresh reminder that all presidents rise or fall on how they respond to challenges outside of their immediate control.

For Trump, that appears most evident when it comes to the economy and the war in Ukraine, where his efforts to bring an end to the war begun with Russias invasion have come with the US softening support for Kyiv and warming up to Moscow.

If the on-again, off-again action on tariffs sent stocks tumbling and executives scrambling, it did not appear to bother Trump.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Indeed, by Friday, the president had veered yet again, threatening a new 250% tariff on Canadian dairy that had gone unmentioned by himself or anyone else in their hours of interviews and press conferences on tariffs over the previous week.

The dairy issue is one the president raised directly with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a telephone call this week that, in his words on Truth Social, ended in a somewhat friendly manner.

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during a news conference about the US tariffs against Canada on March 4, 2025 on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, as Foreign Minister Melanie Joly (L) and Minister of Finance and Intergovernmental Affairs Dominic LeBlanc look on. - Dave Chan/AFP/Getty Images

As it turns out, the quotation marks around somewhat were doing a lot of work. The call, at moments, became highly contentious, officials told CNN, as the leaders exchanged profanity and raised voices to make their points.

There may have been some pent-up anger involved. Trudeau had been trying to get ahold of Trump for days before new 25% tariffs were set to go into effect, but his calls were not being returned.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

By the time Trudeau emerged to directly inform Donald that his tariffs were a very dumb thing to do, it was clear the relationship between the men was toxic and generally irreparable.

White House officials took umbrage at the casual reference to the president by one of his counterparts and already began looking to a time in the near future when Trudeau will no longer be prime minister.

Trumps call with Trudeau did not immediately result in a reprieve on tariffs, but by the following day he had relented, signing an extension until April on the new duties.

Measuring Musks influence

Fresh tensions emerged this week at the White House over Elon Musk and his work at the Department of Government Efficiency as agencies scramble to finalize their reorganization plans before March 13, the next phase of its effort to layoff federal employees and shrink government.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Several members of the Cabinet have complained about a lack of autonomy inside their agencies as they grapple with Musks efforts to reshape the bureaucracy. Republicans on Capitol Hill, responding to outrage from their constituents, also voiced concern about deep cuts in their communities and the chaotic fallout.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been among the Cabinet members who have bristled at some of the actions taken by DOGE, officials told CNN, in concerns he has shared with his former colleagues in the Senate.

The State Department was among the agencies that instructed its workforce to disregard Musks demand for employees to justify their jobs by replying to a government-wide email detailing five things they accomplished during the week.

In a closed-door meeting this week, where Trump instructed his Cabinet to keep all the people you want, everybody that you need, Rubio and other Cabinet members tangled with Musk over competing visions to cut government, officials told CNN. On Friday, Trump downplayed any disagreements, which were first reported by The New York Times.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

No clash, I was there, youre just a troublemaker, Trump said, referring to a reporter in the Oval Office who asked about the meeting. Elon gets along great with Marco, and theyre both doing a fantastic job. There is no clash.

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), delivers remarks during a Cabinet meeting held by President Donald Trump at the White House on February 26, 2025, in Washington, DC. - Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Trump has made clear that he endorses the broader vision embraced by Musk, who was among the small clutch of advisers who boarded Air Force One on Friday evening to join the president at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

Uncertainty about Ukraine

The raging conflict in Ukraine has frustrated the president after his self-imposed deadline of ending it within a day of taking office came and went.

He has mostly vented his resentment at Ukraine, including during last weeks fracas in the Oval Office that resulted in President Volodymyr Zelensky being asked to leave the West Wing.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

After the dust-up with Zelensky last week, some Trump officials privately doubted there was any way to repair the leaders relationship. Many of Trumps top supporters publicly suggested Zelensky should step down. And on Monday, the White House said it was pausing military assistance to Kyiv, with it later emerging that intelligence sharing had been partially paused too.

But behind the scenes, American officials had been back-channeling with Zelensky and his team, stressing the importance of stabilizing relations with the White House sooner rather than later, urging the Ukrainians to get talks back on track before the presidents speech to Congress.

President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meet in the Oval Office at the White House on February 28, 2025 in Washington, DC. - Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Among those who reached out to Zelensky was Trumps Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg, a source familiar with the discussion said. The warning was quickly followed by a conciliatory post from Zelensky on X Tuesday morning in which he called the Oval Office meeting regrettable.

The efforts seemed to work.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

By Tuesday evening, Trump sounded open to reconciliation. He happily read aloud that mornings message from Zelensky during an address to Congress. By Thursday, talks had been arranged between American and Ukrainian officials for next week in Saudi Arabia.

He felt that Zelenskys letter was a very positive first step, Trumps Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said Thursday. There was an apology, there was an acknowledgement that the United States has done so much for the country of Ukraine, and a sense of gratitude.

On Friday, Trump also flashed anger at Russia, however briefly, writing on Truth Social that he was ready to impose new sanctions if Moscow continued pounding Ukraine.

But the moment seemed fleeting. Hours later in the Oval Office, he asserted Russian President Vladimir Putin held all the cards in the conflict, and said it was understandable why he was hitting Ukraine so hard.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

That was more in line with Trumps typical rhetoric, at least over the past month, which has heavily favored Moscow and sometimes even mirrored the Kremlins talking points, all while disparaging Ukraine and its leader.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Search giant Google still faces a potential breakup under President Trump's administration.

The Department of Justice on Friday reaffirmed a proposal that a court force the tech company to sell off its popular Chrome browser to restore competition.

The federal government made the demand last year after a federal judge ruled in a landmark antitrust case that Google maintained an illegal monopoly over internet search.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Read more: An 'industry behemoth.' Inside the federal government's efforts to break up Google

"Googles illegal conduct has created an economic goliath, one that wreaks havoc over the marketplace to ensure that  no matter what occurs  Google always wins. American consumers and businesses suffer from Googles conduct," the Justice Department said in a court filing.

The revised proposal left in place most of the solutions suggested by the department under the Biden administration, presenting a hurdle to Google as it tries to push back against a breakup.

DOJs sweeping proposals continue to go miles beyond the Courts decision, and would harm Americas consumers, economy and national security, Google spokesperson Peter Schottenfels said in a statement.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Mountain View, Calif., company in December proposed restructuring its business contracts with mobile device manufacturers and wireless carriers. Google also said it plans to appeal the antitrust ruling by Judge Amit Mehta of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

The government said that it wants Google to divest Chrome because doing so would "allow rival search engines the ability to access the browser that for many users is a gateway to the internet." The Department of Justice also proposed other solutions, such as requiring Google to display a choice screen on every Google browser when a user hasnt selected a default search engine.

The department made some changes to its proposed solutions. For example, the government is no longer seeking the mandatory divestiture of Googles AI investments.

Google and the government are scheduled to present their arguments on proposed solutions before the court in April.

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.
With President Donald Trumps return to the White House and his pledge to deport millions of unauthorized workers along with Border Czar Tom Homans promise to run the largest deportation effort in history regardless of cost, along with a public promise that worksite enforcement is coming back in a big way I think its safe to say employers can expect greater worksite enforcement actions and employment verification audits in the near future.

A recent study by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy estimated that the number of undocumented immigrants working in the U.S. is between 7 million and 8 million with an estimated payroll of nearly $280 billion. This represents almost 5% of the total U.S. workforce. Tennessee is currently one of 23 states that mandate some form of E-Verification for employers and currently requires any employer with 35 or more employees to E-Verify all new hires.

If you meet this threshold and are not actively enrolled in E-Verify its highly recommended that you do so. This creates a detailed database within the Department of Homeland Security that employers can easily access to ensure and prove compliance, a likely starting place for any audit. For employers with less than 35 employees, the compliance requirement is Form I-9.

Presidential administrations approached immigration enforcement differently

The Immigration and Reform Act of 1986 established the I-9 requirement, and in 1997, E-Verify began as a pilot program available to states on a volunteer basis. Tennessee began phasing in E-Verify in 2012 and passed the Tennessee Lawful Employment Act (TLEA) in 2017, with additional legislative changes made as recent as 2023.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Mandating E-Verify at a federal level continues to be a hot topic in Washington. Previous presidents have varied in border and immigration enforcement, with George W. Bush focusing on workplace raids and Barack Obama moving more towards I-9 audits and employer fines.

The first Trump administration saw an increase in both, with I-9 audits quadrupling. The Biden administration focused more on the exploitation of undocumented workers by employers. With the current unemployment rate in Tennessee being 3.6%, which is considered low from most economic perspectives, quickly replacing any employee may prove costly and difficult. Penalties can also be severe for those proven to have knowingly hired workers not eligible for employment in the U.S.

Opinion: Tennessee immigration bill criminalizes officials for votes of conscience

In addition to fines, violations for hiring at least 10 non-eligible employees within a 12-month period can result in imprisonment of up to five years and the loss of a business license, depending on the severity of the violation. These laws are on the books, but how aggressively they will be enforced moving forward is still one of the unknowns.

How employers can protect themselves and their workplaces

The sudden loss of workers can disrupt operations, customers, suppliers, and, ultimately, the profitability of any business. While mass deportation may prove costly and complex, Tennessee employers should be discussing processes and compliance, record keeping, and be prepared defend any work site practices currently in place.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Remember, Boarder Czar Homans stated goal is to go after the worksites, not just the primary employer or contractor. Any audit should include third-party vendors or 1099 employees working on site.

These are six proactive suggestions for Tennessee employers

Review E-Verify and I-9 verification policies

Provide training to HR teams to ensure compliant, non-discriminatory hiring practices

Audit existing employee files

Confirm compliance with any third-party vendor with workers on-site

Prepare an audit or worksite enforcement response plan

Discuss policies and practices with legal counsel

Jeff Bates

The coming months will reveal precisely how committed President Trump is to his deportation campaign promises, but his stated goal to increase and bring back jobs to the U.S. beckons the need to find a realistic balance between campaign promises and economic growth.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

What this will look like is anyones guess. But its safe to say that Tennessee employers should begin proactively preparing.

Jeff Bates is president and managing partner of TA Staffing, a Tennessee based staffing and recruiting firm. With a deep understanding of employment-related matters, he has extensive experience in navigating complex issues such as E-Verify, workers' compensation and unemployment insurance.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Take proactive steps to comply with immigration law | Opinion
ANKARA (Reuters) - High-level delegations from Turkey, Jordan, Syria and Iraq will meet in Amman on Sunday to discuss security cooperation and regional developments, a Turkish diplomatic source said on Saturday.

Last month, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said that the four countries would take steps toward jointly combating Islamic State in the region and they aimed to hold a first meeting on the issue in Jordan.

Foreign ministers will attend the meeting as well as defence ministers or military chiefs, and heads of intelligence organisations of the four countries, the Turkish diplomatic source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The officials will discuss cooperation in the areas of security, combating terrorism and organised crime, as well as regional developments, the source added.

Since the ousting of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December, Western and regional countries have warned of a possible resurgence of Islamic State.

Thousands of members of the militant Islamist group are being held in prison camps in northeast Syria, guarded by the U.S.-allied Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Turkey regards the SDF and the YPG militia which spearheads the group as terrorists, and says the prisons must be handed over to Syria's new leadership and the YPG should disarm.

(Reporting by Huseyin Hayatsever; Editing by Kim Coghill)
Two adults and five children, previously reported missing out of Fitchburg, have been found in Texas.

According to Fitchburg police, Ruth Encarnacion and Isael Rivera were located and taken into custody in Whitney, Texas. The five children who had been reported missing are also safe and are currently in the custody of Texas Child Protective Services.

Encarnacion and Rivera are both wanted on five counts of custodial kidnapping of a minor by a relative, according to the Fitchburg Police Department.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On Thursday, police announced that they were trying to track down Encarnacion, Rivera, and the kids they live with, including 10-year-old Alexandra Rivera, 9-year-old Alejandro Rivera, 5-year-old Alonzo Rivera, 4-year-old Abigail Rivera, and 9-month-old Adonis Rivera.

Law enforcement launched an investigation into the familys whereabouts after receiving a missing person report for Encarnacion on Monday. The Department of Children and Families then reported her five children missing on Wednesday.

The Fitchburg Police Departments Bureau of Criminal Investigation worked tirelessly the past several days to bring this ordeal to a successful resolution, Fitchburg police said in a release. We would like to thank our many law enforcement partners that assisted, including the Massachusetts State Police, the Worcester County District Attorneys Office, the United States Marshals Service, and the Hill County (Texas) Sheriffs Office.

The Worcester County District Attorneys Office and the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families are currently working with authorities in Texas to arrange for everyone to be returned to Massachusetts.

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
LANCASTER, Ohio (WCMH)  Authorities have released the identities of two people who were killed in a fire at a Fairfield County mobile home park on Saturday morning.

The Fairfield County Sheriffs Office says Juanita Shaeffer, 81 and Michael Shaeffer, 56 were found inside the residence on the 2400 block of Columbus-Lancaster Road.

Both were taken to a local hospital where they later died.

Greenfield Township Fire Chief Brad Smith said firefighters responded to reports of a mobile home on fire at 6:53 a.m. off of Columbus-Lancaster Road NW. There, crews saw visible flames and smoke from the home, and were alerted to possible victims inside. During a search, firefighters located two victims, who were both pronounced dead at a nearby hospital between 7 a.m. and noon.

Authorities say the cause of the fire is under investigation, but foul play is not suspected.

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.
Two men were arrested in connection with the theft and ransom of two dogs in Switzerland, police said Saturday.

The dogs' owner, a 59-year-old Swiss man, returned to his apartment in Zurich's Schlieren neighborhood on Feb. 24 and found that his two Bolonka dogs had been stolen, Swiss police said in a news release. The thieves left a blackmail letter demanding 1 million Swiss francs, or about $1,135,271, to release the dogs.

The American Kennel Club describes Bolonka dogs as a friendly, affectionate breed of toy dogs. The small dogs are a member of the Bichon family and were bred as house pets. The cost to buy a Bolonka puppy is between $1,500 and $3,000, according to sales listed by the AKC.

An example of a Bolonka puppy. / Credit: iStock / Getty Images Plus

The dogs' owner, who was not been identified, called the police, who began investigating the theft. On Thursday, they arrested a 30-year-old Norwegian man at Zurich Airport. Police said the Norwegian man was about to leave the country. He is now in custody in Switzerland, police said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Further investigations led police to Poland. Investigators determined that a 38-year-old Polish man was "presumably involved in the theft." Polish police arrested the man on March 5. Further investigations will be handled by Polish police, officials said.

Polish police found the two dogs at the home. The dogs' owner traveled to Poland and regained custody of the canines on Friday.

Eye Opener: Russia rejects ceasefire deal

U.S. Army soldiers accused of selling classified materials to China

Canadians show their displeasure with President Trump
Two people were injured in an overnight shooting in Boston.

According to Boston police, around 12:25 a.m. on Saturday officers responded to a reported shooting at 25 Kingston Street.

Upon arrival, officers located a 36-year-old male victim suffering from a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. Boston EMS transported him to a local hospital for treatment.

While officers and investigators were on the scene, a second victim, a 33-year-old male, arrived at a local emergency room with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

During the search of the area, officers also discovered a firearm.

At this time, no arrests have been made, and an investigation is on going.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
Editors note: A version of this story appeared in CNNs Wonder Theory science newsletter. To get it in your inbox, sign up for free here.

Each time a robotic explorer launches from Earth, it faces innumerable challenges  any of which could cut the mission short.

California-based asteroid mining company AstroForge shared on Thursday that its Odin spacecraft, which ventured to space a week and a half ago with Intuitive Machines Athena lunar lander, met an untimely end.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The probe was heading for an asteroid to scout for the valuable resource platinum. But Odins team said the vehicle is likely tumbling through space, with little hope of restoring communications.

Space is hard, and every bold mission adds lessons learned. This week, a tale of two lunar landers demonstrates why scientists and engineers always expect the unexpected in the saga of space exploration.

Defying gravity

The Blue Ghost lander's shadow can be seen on the surface of the moon, with Earth in the background. - Firefly Aerospace

On March 2, Firefly Aerospaces Blue Ghost lunar lander touched down on the moon, making it the second private sector company to execute the feat.

Photos showcasing the spacecrafts dramatic shadow on the lunar surface and its feet within moon dust confirmed the missions success.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Cedar Park, Texas-based company has since shared a video of the landers nail-biting descent just north of the moons equator.

Blue Ghost will spend the next week collecting samples, drilling into the subsurface and capturing high-definition imagery.

Lunar update

The Athena lander also made it to the moon, after descending near the lunar south pole on Thursday in hopes of conducting a water-finding mission.

Initially, Intuitive Machines was scrambling to determine the spacecrafts orientation. But images from Athenas suite of cameras helped confirm that the mission ended prematurely, with the lander lying on its side inside a crater.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The lander is 820 feet (250 meters) from the target landing site of Mons Mouton, a flat-topped mountain, the Houston-based company said.

Before powering down, Athena briefly operated and transmitted data, making it the southernmost lunar landing and surface operations ever achieved, according to the company.

Back to the future

Meet the woolly mouse, genetically modified to have several woolly mammoth-like traits.

Engineered by Colossal Biosciences, the mice have curly whiskers and hair that grows three times longer than that of typical lab mice.

Colossal is attempting to resurrect mammoths and other extinct creatures, and the mice will enable its team to test links between specific genetic sequences and physical traits that enabled the giants to endure bitterly cold environments, according to the private Dallas company.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But the new study doesnt address whether the modified mice are actually tolerant of the cold, said Robin Lovell-Badge, head of the Stem Cell Biology and Developmental Genetics Laboratory at The Francis Crick Institute in London.

As it is, we have some cute looking hairy mice, with no understanding of their physiology, behaviour, etc, Lovell-Badge said via email.

Force of nature

The adventure of the worlds biggest iceberg, known as A23a, may have come to an end after it spent five years wandering the Southern Ocean near Antarctica and, for a time, spinning around an undersea mountain.

The megaberg, weighing 1.1 trillion tons (nearly 1 trillion metric tonnes) and slightly smaller than Rhode Island, ran aground on the island of South Georgia in the southern Atlantic Ocean.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Nutrients stirred up by the grounding and from its melt may boost food availability for the whole regional ecosystem, including for charismatic penguins and seals, said Andrew Meijers, an oceanographer at the British Antarctic Survey.

Now, scientists are trying to predict what will happen to A23a next, and what impact the iceberg will have if it splits into pieces.

A long time ago

Researchers study the markings left by ancient human ancestors, who used elephant and hippopotamus bones to create tools 1.5 million years ago. - CSIC

Archaeologists have uncovered a cache of tools that ancient human ancestors crafted from elephant and hippopotamus bones 1.5 million years ago in Olduvai Gorge, known as the Cradle of Humankind, in Tanzania.

The unexpected discovery makes these the oldest known bone tools by about 1 million years. The 27 bone fragments appear to have been systematically sharpened and shaped using stone.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Researchers believe our early human ancestors took the same sophisticated techniques they used to make stone tools and applied them to carefully selected limb bones from large animals.

The finding suggests that hominins were capable of critical thinking and innovative craftsmanship, but scientists are still trying to figure out who exactly made the tools.

Explorations

Let your curiosity ascend to new heights with these stories:

 For the second time this year, SpaceXs megarocket Starship exploded midflight during a test mission, disrupting air traffic and raining down flaming debris that was captured on video by onlookers in the Caribbean.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

 The narwhal is often called the unicorn of the sea because of its signature spiral tusk. Now, scientists have recorded the first video evidence revealing some surprising ways the Arctic whales use their tusks, including for playful behavior.

 The twin Voyager probes are each turning off a science instrument to conserve power and prevent both historic missions from ending within a few months.

Like what youve read? Oh, but theres more. Sign up here to receive in your inbox the next edition of Wonder Theory, brought to you by CNN Space and Science writers Ashley Strickland, Katie Hunt and Jackie Wattles. They find wonder in planets beyond our solar system and discoveries from the ancient world.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
(Reuters) - Authorities in two Russian regions have blocked the Telegram messenger because of concerns that the app could be used by enemies, a regional digital development minister was quoted as saying by the TASS state news agency on Saturday.

Dagestan and Chechnya are mainly Muslim regions in southern Russia where intelligence services have registered an increase in militant Islamist activity.

"It (Telegram) is often used by enemies, an example of which is the riots at the Makhachkala airport," said Yuri Gamzatov, Dagestan's digital development minister, adding that the decision to block the messenger had been made at the federal level.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Gamzatov was referring to an anti-Israel riot in Dagestan in October 2023, when hundreds of protesters stormed an airport to try to attack passengers arriving on a plane from the Jewish state. No passengers were injured, and authorities have prosecuted several people over the incident.

News of the plane's arrival had spread on local Telegram channels, where users posted calls for antisemitic violence. Telegram condemned the attack and said it would block the channels.

Telegram did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the blocks in Russia.

Based in Dubai and founded by Russian-born Pavel Durov, the messenger has nearly 1 billion users and is used widely in Russia, Ukraine and other former Soviet republics.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Moscow tried but failed to block Telegram in 2018 and has in the past demanded the platform hand over user data. Durov is under formal investigation in France as part of a probe into organised crime on the app.

Gamzatov, the minister in Dagestan, said Telegram could be unblocked in the future, but encouraged users to switch to other messengers in the meantime.

(Writing by Lucy Papachristou, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
On March 4, nearly 800 people gathered at the Shawnee State University Vern Riffe Center for the Arts to celebrate as some of the most talented students in music joined the legacy of thousands that came before them to perform in the 82nd Annual Scioto County Honors Music Festival.

According to South Central Ohio Educational Service Centers Sharee Price, the concert was a success, with a great turnout from the community showing support for area students and their passion for music.

The participants in the Jr. High Honors Band, High School Honors Band and High School Honors Choir work hard alongside their music directors and guest conductors to put on an amazing performance every year, Price said. The festival, coordinated by Prices employer, serves as both an entertaining evening and an opportunity to recognize the achievements of those involved with the concert.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

After months of planning and preparation, a total of 179 students participated in the concert this year, with performances from the Jr. High Band, the High School Band and the High School Choir. 11 local school districts were involved in the festival, including Bloom-Vernon, Clay, Green, Minford, New Boston, Northwest, Oak Hill, Portsmouth City, Valley, Washington-Nile and Wheelersburg.

Three guest conductors were invited to run rehearsals and lead the students through their performance.

Dr. Peter Allen Haley, who currently serves as interim director of Choral Activities and assistant professor of Instruction for Choral Music Education at Ohio University, conducted the High School Honors Choir. Brent Hunt, current band director at Tates Creek High School in Lexington, Kentucky, conducted the High School Honors Band. Lastly, Levi Dalton, the current band director at Russell Independent, in Russell, Kentucky, conducted the Jr. High Band.

Being part of the Honors Music Festival provides a unique opportunity for young musicians to develop their skills by performing at a higher level, receive feedback from expert conductors, and connect with other musicians Price said. We are fortunate to have such a wonderful and professional venue for this event. The acoustics in the Eloise Covert Smith Theater at the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts is first class and the staff is wonderful!

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A highlight of the evening was when two senior students received particular recognition, each receiving a $1,000 music scholarship to be applied toward tuition at the college or university where they will continue to study music. To win these awards, these students were required to audition and were selected by a panel of music directors participating in the festival.

This years scholarship recipients are Laurianne DeAtley and Nathan Cooper, both from Valley High School. DeAtley plans to attend Asbury University to pursue a career in Music Education, with the hopes of one day becoming a vocal music or general music teacher. Cooper plans to study Music and was recently accepted into the University of Cincinnati  College Conservatory of Music. He aspires to have a career as a professional musician and one day open his own instrument repair shop.

The Scioto County Honors Music Festival is a longstanding tradition with the goal of providing students with opportunities to learn from those who have established themselves as accomplished individuals in the field of music, Price said. It also brings our local community together to observe the efforts of our students and the benefits of music education on their continued growth.
CAMPBELL, Wis. (WFRV)  Two convicted felons from western Wisconsin who were reportedly involved in a string of thefts were arrested after a traffic stop found alleged stolen merchandise, meth, and a loaded gun.

According to the Campbell Police Department, a vehicle that was recently involved in a string of thefts in southwestern Wisconsin was spotted by Onalaska Police Officers in a Walmart parking lot around midnight on March 7.

3.5 mile pursuit through Fond du Lac ends with four flat tires, drivers arrest

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Officers conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and talked with the driver, 40-year-old Austin Rieks, and his passenger, 41-year-old Carli Wittenberg. During the stop, it was discovered that Rieks and Wittenberg had allegedly just left a Walmart with stolen merchandise.

Austin Rieks (Campbell Police Department) Carli Wittenberg (Campbell Police Department) K9 River (Campbell Police Department)

A K9 was called in and it alerted to the odor of narcotics, leading to a search of the vehicle. During the search, officers reportedly found the stolen merchandise, drug paraphernalia, methamphetamine, and a loaded gun.

Officers say that Rieks and Wittenberg, who are both from La Crosse, are convicted felons, which disallows them from possessing firearms.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Wisconsin woman arrested for hitting police squad car with metal baseball bat

Both were booked into the La Crosse County Jail on the following charges:

Austin Rieks Operating While Revoked Bail Jumping Retail Theft Possession of Firearm by Felon Probation Violation

Carli Wittenberg Retail Theft Possess Drug Paraphernalia



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.
TYLER, Texas (KETK)  Tylers Growing with Our Community initiative has plans to expand after securing additional funding through the Texas Reads Grant awarded by the Texas State Library Commission.

SFA students given opportunity to become leaders on campus

With the shared goal of fostering literacy by connecting families through reading, the Tyler Public Library will use the funds to install little free libraries while touring different apartment complexes that house low-income families. Town Parc and Rose Valley are the next apartment communities the library will visit.

Courtesy of the Little Free Library

They will be supplied with books to get started so the community can borrow and return books at their leisure, with support from library staff for routine maintenance.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

SFA announces new basketball coach

During community visits, families will learn about graphic novels or folktales before getting the chance to create their own stories.

Afterwards, guests will be given a tour of the mobile library, break for lunch, before binding the stories they created together. Tyler Transit will be available for guests that need assistance with transportation.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
U.S. Army AH-64 Apache attack helicopters are now flying in Iraq carrying Israeli-made Spike NLOS (Non-Line Of Sight) missiles. This appears to be the first time Army AH-64s have deployed to an active conflict zone with these weapons. Spike NLOS offers significantly greater reach against targets on land and at sea, as well as enhanced employment flexibility, over the AGM-114 Hellfires and AGM-179 Joint Air-to-Ground Missiles (JAGM) that are also in the arsenal of Army Apaches.

The Army released a set of images of an AH-64 assigned to the 101st Airborne Division armed with Spike NLOS missiles at Erbil International Airport in Iraqs northern semi-autonomous Kurdish region earlier today. All of the pictures were taken on March 5. Erbil is a major hub for U.S. military operations in Iraq and elsewhere in the region.

A US Army AH-64 Apache assigned to the 101st Airborne Division seen carrying Spike NLOS missiles in Iraq on March 5, 2025. US Army/Staff Sgt. Vincent Levelev

The U.S. Air Force had previously released pictures showing a C-17A Globemaster III cargo plane delivering AH-64s from the 101st Airborne Divisions 101st Combat Aviation Brigade to an undisclosed location in the Middle East last month.

An AH-64 assigned to the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division seen being unloaded from a C-17 cargo plane at an undisclosed location in the Middle East in February 2025. USAF/Airman 1st Class Sarah Ortega Corona

The Army also released pictures recently showing Spike NLOS-armed Apaches assigned to the 12th Aviation Brigade taking part in Exercise Allied Spirit 25 in Germany. At least one of those images looks to have been subsequently taken offline for unclear reasons.

A Spike-NLOS-armed AH-64 assigned to the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade in Germany. US Army

Spike NLOS has been in service with the Israel Defense Force (IDF) since the 1980s. The missile, which is fired from ground and aerial platforms from a rectangular launch canister, has been improved upon multiple times since then. The current generation version can hit targets up to 20 miles away, according to manufacturer Rafael. For comparison, the variants the Hellfire and JAGM that the Apache can also fire have maximum ranges under 10 miles, but normal engagement distances are usually closer than that. Hellfires and JAGMs with tripled and doubled ranges, respectively, have been tested.

A promotional image showing what the Spike NLOS missile looks like after launch with its pop-out wings and tail fins in their deployed positions. Rafael

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Spike NLOS also offers a multi-mode guidance system that can hit fixed targets based on a set of coordinates or be employed using the man-in-the-loop (MITL) control method. In the latter mode, the operator sees what the missile does throughout the entire course of flight via an infrared camera in the weapons nose, and can manually make fine adjustments in the terminal phase. With the exception of the millimeter wave radar guided AGM-114L Longbow Hellfire, all known Hellfire variants are laser guided. JAGM features laser and millimeter wave radar guidance. Spike NLOS can also loiter for a short period of time while the operator looks for targets. The ability to hit targets behind cover is also a major feature of Spike NLOS.

As TWZ has previously explained:

This gives Spike-NLOS incredible accuracy, even against moving targets, and enables it to find its mark in bad weather or in parts of the battlefield obscured by smoke and dust, which could disrupt traditional laser or imaging seeker systems. As the weapons name implies, it also offers a way for the launch platform to engage targets beyond-line-of-sight, while also remaining as hidden as possible, especially when coupled with targeting information from off-board platforms. It also offers the operator a greater ability to more significantly shift the weapons point of impact, even very late in flight, should circumstances on the ground change, such as the sudden appearance of innocent bystanders in the target area. The weapon can even be used to search for and kill targets of opportunity far from where the launch platform is located. Regardless, the missile offers the launch platform huge flexibility and a big boost in survivability.

The Army has already demonstrated the potential value of these capabilities in earlier testing. In August 2019, an Apache hiding on one side of a 1,600-foot-tall mountain at Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona hit a surrogate for a Russian-made Pantsir-S1 point air defense system on the opposite slope with a Spike-NLOS. The helicopter remained largely concealed from and out of range of this simulated threat the entire time. An unspecified unmanned aircraft was used to first spot the target and then observe the strike.

The Army has also successfully demonstrated the ability of an Apache to destroy a small boat with a Spike NLOS, something TWZ was first to report.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The picture of the AH-64 with the Spike NLOS missiles in Iraq also shows that the helicopter has the Manned-Unmanned Teaming-Extended (MUMT-X) system mounted on top of its rotor mast. MUMT-X is a communications and data-sharing array primarily designed to allow Apache crews to control uncrewed aircraft like the MQ-1C Gray Eagle, as well as pipe in the feeds from their sensors. This, in turn, can help Apaches find and target enemy forces, as well as just improve their overall situational awareness and avoid threats. You can read more about MUMT-X here.

Whether or not the MUMT-X system can play any role now in the employment of Spike NLOS is unknown. The AH-64 in Iraq armed with these missiles also has a bucket-style antenna for the Spike control datalink on its left stub wing. This has been a standard feature on Israeli Apaches that carry Spike for decades.

Close-ups of the Spike NLOS-armed Apache in Iraq showing the datalink installed on the left stub wing. US Army

One of the 12th Combat Aviation Brigades AH-64s taking part in Allied Spirit 25 with a datalink likely associated with Spike-NLOS on the outboard pylon on its left stub wing. This helicopter also lacks MUMT-X. US Army

A Spike NLOS-armed US Army Apache seen during testing with the datalink installed on its right stub wing. This helicopter also has the Longbow mast-mounted radar rather than the MUMT-X system. US Army

Exactly when the Army began fielding Spike NLOS operationally on its AH-64s is unclear, but the service had previously said it expected to reach that milestone by the end of last year. The Army had decided to field the missile on a limited basis as an interim solution to a requirement for a Long Range Precision Munition for its Apaches back in 2020.

The Army is still looking into other options, including air-launched loitering munitions, to expand the ability of its Apaches to engage targets at extended ranges. Concerns about increasingly more capable and longer-ranged air defense threats have been a major driver behind these efforts. The ongoing war in Ukraine has provided particularly good examples of the continuing value of attack helicopters, but also of their vulnerability on modern battlefields. The U.S. Marine Corps is now working to extend the lethal reach of its AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters for many of the same reasons.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

With Spike NLOS, the Army has already given its Apache fleets, including ones now flying in Iraq, the ability to very accurately attack targets much further away than they could previously.

Contact the author: joe@twz.com
VMPL New Delhi [India], March 8: "Vision for AI-driven agriculture by 2025 underscores the transformative potential of this technology to ensure food security, uplift rural livelihoods, and combat climate change," quotes Dr. PS Gahlaut. Agriculture has long been the backbone of India's economy, supporting nearly half of its workforce and contributing significantly to its GDP. However, the sector faces persistent challenges, including erratic climate changes, declining soil fertility, inefficient resource management, and outdated farming practices. As we step into 2025, artificial intelligence (AI) emerges as a transformative force poised to revolutionize Indian agriculture and address these challenges. Dr. PS Gahlaut, an eminent voice in agricultural innovation and the Managing Director of Indian Potash Limited, envisions AI as a key enabler for sustainable farming in India. Highlighting its potential, Dr. Gahlaut states, "Precision agriculture leverages AI-driven tools to monitor, analyze, and manage farm operations with pinpoint accuracy." He further explains, "This technology enables farmers to detect crop diseases and pest infestations early, optimize irrigation and fertilizer use based on real-time data, and monitor soil health for balanced nutrient management." By enhancing crop yields while minimizing resource wastage, precision agriculture addresses critical issues such as water scarcity and excessive chemical use, paving the way for sustainable farming practices. Climate-Smart Farming AI plays a pivotal role in addressing climate variability, a significant challenge for Indian farmers who rely on unpredictable monsoons and are increasingly vulnerable to extreme weather events. "AI-powered weather prediction models provide hyperlocal forecasts, enabling farmers to make informed decisions about planting, harvesting, and protecting crops from adverse weather. Additionally, AI can model climate change scenarios and suggest adaptive strategies, such as crop diversification and the adoption of drought-resistant crop varieties, to ensure long-term resilience," quotes Dr. PS Gahlaut. Supply Chain Optimization India's agricultural sector suffers from significant post-harvest losses due to inefficiencies in the supply chain. AI applications in logistics optimize routes, reduce transit times, and predict demand trends, ensuring that farmers receive fair prices for their produce. "Furthermore, AI-enabled digital marketplaces directly connect farmers to buyers, bypassing middlemen and increasing profitability. These platforms enhance market transparency, allowing farmers to access larger networks of buyers and sellers," mentions Dr. Gahlaut. Smart Farm Machinery AI is transforming farm equipment, making it smarter and more efficient. Autonomous tractors, AI-enabled harvesters, and robotic planters are becoming increasingly accessible to Indian farmers. These innovations reduce manual labor, save time, and ensure precision farming tailored to specific crop and soil needs. With AI integration, machinery adapts to the unique requirements of each farm, enhancing productivity without overburdening natural resources. Policy Support and Farmer Education: The widespread adoption of AI in agriculture depends on supportive government policies and farmer education. Subsidizing AI technologies, investing in rural internet connectivity, and fostering public-private partnerships are crucial steps to accelerate AI penetration in agriculture. Equally important are training programs that empower farmers to adopt AI tools confidently. Localized apps in regional languages and user-friendly interfaces help bridge the digital divide, ensuring inclusivity and widespread adoption. Ensuring Sustainability AI-driven farming practices inherently promote sustainability by optimizing the use of inputs like water, fertilizers, and pesticides, thus reducing environmental impact while enhancing productivity. AI also supports organic farming by monitoring soil and crop health without synthetic inputs, catering to the growing demand for eco-friendly produce. Challenges and the Road Ahead While the benefits of AI in agriculture are undeniable, challenges persist. High costs of AI technologies, lack of digital infrastructure in rural areas, and data privacy concerns are significant barriers to adoption. Addressing these issues requires collaborative efforts from the government, technology companies, and agricultural organizations to create a conducive ecosystem for AI integration. While concluding, PS Gahlaut mentions, "Vision for AI-driven agriculture by 2025 underscores the transformative potential of this technology to ensure food security, uplift rural livelihoods, and combat climate change. By integrating AI across the agricultural value chain, India can achieve a sustainable and resilient farming future." The collaboration of stakeholders--farmers, technologists, policymakers, and researchers--will be crucial in shaping this journey. AI is not just a tool but the cornerstone of an agricultural revolution that will define India's progress in the years ahead. (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)
Mar. 7Two illegal immigrants arrested in Butler County have been convicted on federal charges related to immigration and firearm crimes, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Ohio.

The cases include illegal immigrants who reentered the United States after previously been deported on felony charges.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, illegally reentering the United States is punishable by up to 2 years in federal prison, and up to 10 years if the offender as a prior felony conviction, or multiple prior misdemeanor convictions of certain types. If they had been convicted of an aggravated felony, that defendant faces up to 20 years in prison.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

On Tuesday, Edgar Palomares-Ventura, 38, of Mexico, pleaded guilty in federal court to illegally reentering the United States after he had been deported from the United States in 2022 from Texas. Agents discovered Palomares-Ventura in West Chester Twp.

The Mexican national has previous convictions in the United States, including trafficking marijuana in Hamilton County, and federal convictions in Ohio and Kentucky for visa, permit and passport fraud, as well as aggravated identity theft.

On Wednesday, Brayan Castaneda-Juarez, 32, admitted to illegal possessing a firearm, and anyone with no legal status in the United States is prohibited to possess a gun. He had been previously removed from a Port of Entry in Texas after a December arrest at Jungle Jim's in Fairfield.

Jungle Jim's International Market loss prevention employees stopped Castaneda-Juarez as he attempted to shoplift. Fairfield police officers were dispatched and discovered a 9mm pistol in a bag that Castaneda-Juarez was carrying. He was later arrested by ICE officers.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

These cases are being prosecuted as part of the Southern District of Ohio Immigration Enforcement Task Force, which dedicates agents, attorneys and other staff to investigating and prosecuting immigration violations.

The Southern District of Ohio represents more than half of the state's county in the Cincinnati, Columbus and Dayton divisions.

Friday's announcements of arrests and convictions come a day after Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones said he received the first U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees under a new federal contract.

The Butler County Sheriff has been a strong advocate in pushing illegal immigrants out of the country, including posting a sign that reads "Illegal Aliens Here" at the county jail.

Other cases include a 35-year-old attempting illegal reentry into the United States when he was one of four in a vehicle driven by a 21-year-old, and a 47-year-old El Salvadorian national with no legal status who had been deported three times.
A naturalized Virginia resident said he's questioning his vote for President Donald Trump after agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained him this week when they were looking for another person on a deportation order.

Jensy Machado said he's a U.S. citizen and provided NBC 4 Washington documentation of his legal status.

Machado was driving to work Wednesday with two other men when he was stopped by ICE agents near his home, he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Confused by the scene, Machado said he didn't know what was happening and why agents surrounded his pickup truck.

They just got out of the car with the guns in their hands and say, 'turn off the car, give me the keys, open the window,' Machado told Telemundo 44s Rosbelis Quinonez, who first reported his story. Everything was really fast.

According to Machado, the agents said the name of a man who had a deportation order, someone who had given Machados home address.

Machado told them that wasnt his name  he didnt know anyone by that name  and offered to show them his real ID-compliant Virginia drivers license.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

They didnt ask me for any ID, Machado said. I was telling the officer if I can give him ID, but he said just keep my hands up, not moving. After that, he told me to get out of the car and put the handcuffs on me."

An agent then asked Machado how did he get into the U.S. and if he was awaiting a court date or if he had a pending immigration case.

"And I told him I was an American citizen," Machado said. "He looked at his other partner like, you know, smiling, like saying, can you believe this guy? Because he asked the other guy, Do you believe him?

Machado said he was uncuffed and immediately released after showing his drivers license.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The two men with him were taken into custody. He does not know why.

News4 and Telemundo 44 have both contacted ICE for comment and are awaiting a response.

Machado said the experience shook his faith in Trump's immigration enforcement efforts.

I was a Trump supporter, he said. I voted for Trump last election."

Machado said he thought the Trump administration would "just go against criminals, not every Hispanic looking, like, that they will assume that we are all illegals.

Thats what theyre doing, now, Machado said. Theyre just following Hispanic people.

Immigration lawyers advise residents and citizens to always keep ID with them.

This story was first published on NBC 4 Washington.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
A United States citizen living in Northern Virginia is reconsidering his support for President Donald Trump after an encounter in which he said he was handcuffed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

Jensy Machado was driving to work on Wednesday with two other men when he was stopped not too far from his home in Manassas, he told Spanish-language news outlet Telemundo 44. The outlets sister station, NBC4 Washington, covered the story in English.

Machado said his pickup truck was surrounded by agents, one of whom walked up to him with a gun in his hand and asked about a man Machado had never heard of.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The agents were looking for a man Machado did not know, but who had claimed he lived at Machados address, he said.

Machado was placed in handcuffs and grilled about his legal status, he told the news outlet.

I told him I was an American citizen, and he looked at his other partner like, you know, smiling, like saying, Can you believe this guy? Because he asked the other guy, Do you believe him? Machado said.

NBC4 verified that Machado is a U.S. citizen. He was released after showing agents his drivers license, he said. The two men who were with him were taken into custody, he told the outlet.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

An ICE spokesperson confirmed in a statement sent to HuffPost that Machado was stopped by officers from the agency on Wednesday.

ICE encountered an individual who matched the description of the subject of an operation while conducting a targeted enforcement action, the spokesperson said. ICE officers engaged the individual to verify his identity based on reasonable suspicion, including a likeness to the description of the target.

The spokesperson added that officers immediately determined not to detain Machado after confirming he was not the person they were looking for, and was not subject to removal.

The experience has made Machado reconsider his stance on Trump.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I voted for Trump last election, Machado told Telemundo 44, adding that he believed the administration would be going after criminals.

He didnt think immigration authorities would be targeting every Hispanic-looking person or assuming we are all illegals. But now, he said, ICE agents are just following Hispanic people.

Democratic Virginia Rep. Don Beyer shared Machados story on X, stating, The man is a Trump voter, but says he is reconsidering his support after he was targeted for being Hispanic.

Machados account comes amid the Trump administration committing to a series of aggressive immigration enforcement policies. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem posted on X earlier this week that she accompanied ICE in raids across the Northern Virginia area.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In January, ICE mistakenly detained a U.S. veteran In New Jersey. The same month, Navajo Nation leaders raised concerns over reports of Indigenous people being questioned or detained by federal law enforcement over immigration status in Arizona and New Mexico.

Related...
A technology breakthrough will allow Britain to transform its stockpile of plutonium into nuclear fuel instead of burying it underground, ministers have been told.

Moltex, a start-up developing a reactor that can consume radioactive waste, has proven for the first time that it can recycle spent fuel from a power station  potentially providing a new method for disposal.

The company says the process can be adapted to accommodate the large amounts of nuclear waste currently stored at Sellafield, Cumbria, including a stockpile of around 140 tonnes of plutonium.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Following the breakthrough, Moltex is preparing to hold talks with the Government about building a potential waste-to-fuel reactor in Cumbria.

It comes after ministers confirmed plans to bury the plutonium stockpile underground permanently, triggering an outcry from industry insiders who said they were throwing away a gold mine that could power nuclear reactors for decades to come.

The Government insists permanent disposal is the only realistic option that addresses concerns about the security risks posed by the plutonium  which can be used to make nuclear weapons.

But Rory OSullivan, Moltexs chief executive, said his companys game-changing advancement offered an alternative to disposal.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The UKs plutonium stockpile could potentially power four of his firms molten salt reactors for up to 60 years, he said, providing around 2 gigawatts of firm power  enough to supply more than 3m homes.

Mr OSullivan told The Telegraph: The process can almost certainly take plutonium in, technically there is no real barrier to doing that.

This wasnt on the UK Governments radar, previously. So we very much look forward to discussions with policymakers and technical leaders about how this changes the economic viability going forward.

He added, however, that there were key concerns about proliferation that would need to be addressed in the UK or anywhere else plutonium was used.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The security considerations of doing that are obviously not immaterial, he said. You need to make sure it is handled safely throughout the lifecycle.

Calls for UK and US to cooperate on nuclear energy

The news came as a separate report called for a new atom bridge partnership between Britain and the US, which would see the countries work together on nuclear energy projects such as small modular reactors (SMRs).

The research by consultancy group Stonehaven found the two countries could place joint orders for SMRs to create a larger and more stable supply of work for manufacturers, while also recognising each others regulatory standards.

Under the deal, the UK and US could cooperate across the entire life cycle, from fuel supply, to spent fuel disposal and plant decommissioning, the report said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The report is understood to have been sent to officials in multiple Whitehall departments and to have attracted interest from several ministers.

A foreword by Josh MacAlister, a pro-nuclear Labour MP who has since taken a junior role in the Cabinet Office, said: The first research project to design an atomic bomb in 1941 was initiated in Britain and the findings were quickly shared with their allies across the pond.

The US and UKs innovation and collaboration won the war and changed the world forever.

Harnessing the same spirit of collaboration, innovation and friendship that began in the 1940s, Britain and America must strike a deal that will speed up deployment of new nuclear, reduce costs and reap huge economic benefits for both countries.

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.
Ashland, Ky.  For the second year in a row, UK Kings Daughters has been named one of the Best Places to Work in Kentucky by the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, the Kentucky Society for Human Resource Management and ClearPath Mutual Insurance Company. Only 100 companies throughout the Commonwealth earned the Best Places to Work distinction in 2025.

Companies are selected for the honor based on an assessment of the companys employee policies and procedures and the results of an internal employee survey. The evaluation and selection process is managed by the Workforce Research Group, an independent research organization based in Houston, Texas.

Being recognized as one of the 2025 Best Places to Work in Kentucky is a testament to the unwavering dedication and spirit of our team at UK Kings Daughters, said Jamie Parsons, Vice President of Human Resources. This accolade reflects our collective commitment to fostering a culture of excellence, empathy, and innovation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

As an organization, Kings Daughters values the well-being and professional growth of every team member. Our team members are at the heart of everything we do, and their passion for providing exceptional care and support to our community is what truly sets us apart, Parsons added. Together, we are not just a workforce; we are a family united in our mission to improve the health and lives of those we serve.

The winner rankings will be announced during an awards ceremony in May. For more details about Best Places to Work in Kentucky, visit www.bestplacestoworkkentucky.com.
Ukraine's forces are considering a withdrawal from Kursk, with 10,000 Ukrainian troops at risk of encirclement after Russia broke through key defense lines and disrupted supply chains, The Telegraph reported on March 8.

The Telegraph's report comes as several recent media reports warn that Ukraine's occupation of Russian territory in Kursk is increasingly at risk of encirclement after Russian breakthroughs.

Ukrainian troops speaking on the condition of anonymity told the Kyiv Independent on March 7 that Russia had destroyed their supply chains for ammunition and food and they faced encirclement. One said the breakthrough happened in the last few days.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A source in President Volodymyr Zelensky's office told Time that operations in the Kursk region have been most affected by the recent halt in intelligence sharing from the United States.

The United States stopped its intelligence sharing on March 5 as U.S. President Donald Trump escalates his pressure on Ukraine ahead of expected peace talks.

A withdrawal ahead of peace talks would be a severe blow to Ukraine's bargaining position. Zelensky has said that Ukraine's occupation of Kursk is likely to play a crucial role in potential future negotiations.

According to the Telegraph, North Korean troops played an important role in the offensive that destroyed supply lines in Kursk.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Up to 12,000 North Korean troops were deployed to Kursk Oblast last fall to support Russian forces in countering a Ukrainian incursion launched in August 2024. After a January report that North Korean troops had pulled back, they were reportedly redeployed to Kursk last month.

Ukraine launched a surprise cross-border incursion into Kursk Oblast in August 2024, capturing around 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) and marking the first foreign invasion of Russia since World War II. After six months of fighting in the region, Russian troops have regained control of about 64% of the territory in the region, the Russian military claimed.

Read also: Ukrainian troops logistics in Kursk Oblast destroyed, face risk of encirclement, sources say

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Two diesel trains were disabled in Russia as a result of Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) operations, a military intelligence source told the Kyiv Independent on March 8.

According to the HUR source, a train being used for transporting weapons and military equipment from Russia to occupied Ukraine was destroyed on the night of March 5-6 in the city of Voronezh. Another train was set on fire early on Feb. 19 the Orekhovo-Zuyevsky district of Moscow's region.

The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify these claims.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Voronezh is located approximately 465 kilometers (289 miles) south of Moscow and around approximately 279 kilometers (173 miles) northeast of Kharkiv.

Ukrainian military intelligence and partisans within Russia have claimed responsibility for destruction of Russia trains multiple times in December, including two trains set ablaze near Moscow and the destruction of a train in Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia.

Read also: Trumps increasing support for Russia leaves Zelensky with fewer options to secure U.S. backing

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Drones attacked an oil refinery in Russia's Leningrad Oblast overnight on March 8 in an operation carried out by Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR), a HUR source told the Kyiv Independent.

According to the HUR source, the drones attacked the Kirishinefteorgsintez enterprise in the Kirishsky district of Russia's Leningrad Oblast.

Alexander Drozdenko, governor of Leningrad Oblast, said on Telegram that Russian air defense shot down one drone as it was approaching and the other was shot down overhead.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"When the debris fell, the external structure of one of the tanks was damaged," he said, adding that there were no victims.

The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify either party's claim.

The oil refinery is located more than 800 kilometers from the border of Ukraine and is one of the largest oil refineries in Russia.

Ukraine's ability to strike deep in Russian territory has been threatened by the recent end to military intelligence sharing from the United States.

The United States stopped its intelligence sharing on March 5 as U.S. President Donald Trump escalates his pressure on Ukraine ahead of expected peace talks. CNN reported that while some information sharing has continued for defense operations, Washington does not want to be seen as supporting strikes on Russian troops.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ukraine has regularly used long-range drone strikes to target Russia's oil refinery facilities, as energy exports have been a key source of funding for Russia's invasion. The attacks have caused some facilities to significantly scale back production.

Read also: We will adapt  Ukraines soldiers say after US intel cut

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani expressed his gratitude after hosting nine women ambassadors and high commissioners to India at the Khavda Adani Renewable Energy Park and Mundra's Special Economic Zone (SEZ). Taking to social media on International Women's Day, Gautam Adani highlighted the diplomats' appreciation and insights regarding the local women contributing to these large-scale projects. He described their words as "truly uplifting" and reaffirmed the importance of breaking barriers to shape a better future. In a social media post Adani said "Our family was honoured to host nine inspiring women ambassadors and high commissioners to India. I am grateful for their visit to Khavda's Adani Renewable Energy Park & Mundra's SEZ. Their praise and advice for the local women driving these projects were truly uplifting. On Int'l Women's Day, here's to breaking barriers and shaping a better future!". A delegation of women Ambassadors and High Commissioners from nine nations visited Khavda and Mundra in Gujarat to witness the Adani projects, where renewable energy is a cornerstone of environmental stewardship. Ahead of International Women's Day, the envoys visited the world's largest renewable energy park, run by Adani Green Energy in Khavda, Gujarat, and India's largest commercial port, operated by Adani Ports and SEZ Limited, in Mundra. The envoys were amazed to see women professionals and engineers contributing to India's industrial, economic and energy transformation, underlining the growing role of women in shaping the country's future. Adani Green Energy, India's largest renewables company, is developing the world's largest clean energy plant. Built across 538 square kilometers, it is five times the size of Paris and almost as large as Mumbai. The delegation comprised of women Ambassadors and High Commissioners from countries like Indonesia, Lithuania, Moldova, Romania, Seychelles, Slovenia, Lesotho, Estonia, and Luxembourg. While speaking with ANI, the envoys shared their insights on visiting the sites of the projects in Gujarat, which left them all 'impressed' and said that it was a learning experience about how the company is helping India advance towards its zero-emissions goals. Ina Krisnamurthi, Ambassador of Indonesia to India, while speaking with ANI, said, "This is an amazing visit for us, not only me as a person or an Ambassador. But as Indonesia , as a country that has a very deep rooted relationship with Adani group." She added, "Adani has invested in Indonesia for a long time, so this visit has been very enlightening and very important for us to understand where India stands now and where Adani is now. So it's been an amazing visit. Hospitality is excellent." Emphasising the collaborative efforts between their countries and India to foster cleaner and greener solutions for the region and beyond, the Envoys of Lithuania and Seychelles underscored the importance of sustainable energy and said that there is a lot that can be learned from the Adani group in terms of large-scale expansion to achieve a 'win-win collaboration' between countries. Diana Mickeviciene, Ambassador of Lithuania to India to ANI, said, "I am participating in this great visit because the business developed here is relevant to my country, Lithuania. We have solar technologies and ports, and we look forward to establishing contacts for cooperation." She said, "I was inspired by what I saw. A couple of things stand out: the 'scale' and 'sense of mission'. It is a very strategically placed objective. Using a landscape which is barren and developed to make it useful to the country in strategic ways. The high-level technology that we saw was outstanding." Highlighting India's strides in clean energy, the Ambassador of Estonia to India appreciated India's industrial development and said that the country is 'well equipped' to use renewable energy. "We had an excellent and magnificent experience here. It was impressive to see the scale of the Khavda. I knew that it was big. We also have solar plants in Estonia, but I didn't imagine it to be so big. It's extremely important that we are now using renewable energy. India is very well equipped. In northern countries like Estonia, we don't have as much sun, and we don't even have as much wind as India. So, we are struggling a little bit with those challenges. But it is very impressive to see that solar energy has been put into use to this extent", added Ambassador Marje Luup. (ANI)
The US paused intelligence sharing with Ukraine and cut its access to satellite imagery this week.

A Ukrainian lawmaker told BI that it will leave Kyiv dangerously vulnerable to Russian air attacks.

The moves follow the Trump administration's decision to pause military aid to Ukraine.

KYIV, Ukraine  President Donald Trump's decision to sever critical assistance this week hurts Ukraine's ability to see the battlefield clearly, leaving it in the dark on larger Russian troop movements and vulnerable to bombardment.

The US pause on intelligence sharing and restrictions on Ukraine's access to crucial satellite imagery is expected to seriously impact the country's ability to defend against Russian missile attacks, a Ukrainian lawmaker told Business Insider in Kyiv on Friday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Serhiy Rakhmanin, a member of Ukraine's parliamentary committee on national security, defense, and intelligence, said that this decision will also impact Kyiv's ability to monitor Russian troop and equipment movement in the rear.

Being able to see shifts in the battle lines and buildups is crucial to mounting a proper defense. Intel and satellite imagery also enable deep offensive strikes.

US officials confirmed earlier in the week that Washington had stopped sharing intelligence with Kyiv. The move followed Trump's decision to pause the flow of military aid to the war-torn country after a deeply contentious Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Russian bombardments of Ukrainian cities have caused significant destruction. Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Governor Serhiy Lysak via AP

Then, on Friday, the Trump administration suspended access to satellite imagery by Ukrainian accounts. Maxar, a leading US satellite imaging company that provides services to Kyiv, said that it was affected by the move.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Weapons get the most attention, but intel is vital. "Intelligence is one of the most important things that Ukraine has received from the United States," said Rakhmanin, who spoke to BI through a translator. He added that "the most sensitive issue" for Kyiv is the ban on using satellite data.

"This creates problems, particularly in obtaining information about missile attacks. It significantly weakens the capabilities of the air defense system," Rakhmanin said. "The United States has provided information obtained from satellites, including Maxar data."

Maxar is contracted with the Global Enhanced GEOINT Delivery (GEGD) system, a major portal that can share access to US-purchased commercial satellite imagery with allies and partners. The company said that the American government had temporarily suspended Ukrainian accounts in GEGD.

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, which is part of the Department of Defense, confirmed the move and said that it acted "in accordance" with the Trump administration's orders.

Satellite imagery, including from commercial satellite companies, has been beneficial to Ukraine, offering insight into the battlespace. Satellite image (c) 2023 Maxar Technologies.

Access to satellite imagery is important for Ukraine, as it allows the country to plan strikes, track Russian military activities, and assess damage to infrastructure. It also gives the world unprecedented visual access to the three-year-long conflict.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The full extent of the US pause to intelligence sharing and military aid is unclear, but Ukrainian lawmakers and officials like Rakhmanin are hopeful that Kyiv's booming defense industry and European countries could help to fill some of the gaps in both spaces.

Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to Zelenskyy, told BI earlier this week that the US aid freeze could most crucially affect his country's air defenses. Insufficient interceptor missiles, coupled with a limit on Kyiv's ability to properly collect information about air attacks, could be a severe issue in defending cities from Russia.

"The restriction on intelligence is particularly problematic in countering missile attacks, monitoring the Black and Azov seas, and tracking troop and equipment movements deep within Russian

territory," Rakhmanin said.

The Trump administration's approach to the war in Ukraine has so far been drastically different from that of the Biden administration, which pledged more than $65 billion in security assistance after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Under the previous administration, the US provided a range of weapons and aid to Ukraine, but that has dried up under the new Trump administration. AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky

Trump officials have expressed skepticism about continued US support for Ukraine, with the president pushing for a swift end to the war, even if it's a poor deal for Kyiv.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

At the end of February, tensions boiled over after Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated Zelenskyy at the White House over peace talks with Russia on unfavorable terms. The US then abruptly moved to pressure Kyiv by pausing military aid and intelligence sharing.

In his Tuesday address to a joint session of Congress, Trump said, "It's time to end the senseless war." BI reached out to the White House for comment on the expected impact of reduced support but did not receive a response.

Conflict experts at the Institute for the Study of War, a US-based think tank, warned on Friday that Moscow will likely take advantage of Trump's decision and intensify its strike campaign against Kyiv. Officials said on Saturday that Russian attacks killed at least 20 people overnight.

"For front-line and near-front-line operations, we can still manage without US support," Rakhmanin said, "but for more strategic efforts, their role remains crucial."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Ukrainian power engineers have restored power to more than 46,000 households over the period from 7 to 8 March.

Source: press service for Ukraine's Energy Ministry

Details: Power engineers have restored power to 46,855 households that were disconnected from the grid due to hostilities.

"We urge consumers to use electricity rationally, especially during peak consumption hours in the morning and evening. This helps reduce the strain on the grid," the press service said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The water level in the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant pond remains adequate to sustain the plant's operations.

Background: On 8 March, Russian forces struck an energy facility owned by DTEK, Ukraines largest private energy company, in Odesa for the seventh time.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
LONDON (Reuters) - The number of Britons who think Prime Minister Keir Starmer is doing a good job has risen as he steps up his role in diplomacy over the war in Ukraine, an opinion poll showed.

Starmer met U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on February 27 and hosted talks involving Ukraine's president and European leaders on March 2. He has played up his role as a go-between while also trying to protect Britain from U.S. tariffs.

An Ipsos UK poll for The Times newspaper showed 30% of Britons now think Starmer is doing a good job as prime minister, up from 23% last month, although 45% said he is doing a bad job.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ipsos carried out its polling online from March 4 to 5.

Starmer met Trump in Washington one day before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy clashed in the Oval Office with the U.S. president, who has upended U.S. policy on Ukraine.

European leaders agreed at their talks in London last Sunday to draw up a peace plan to present to Washington, and European Union leaders on Thursday backed plans to spend more on defence.

The Ipsos poll showed 44% of Britons think government spending on defence should be increased, even if this means extra government borrowing, higher taxes or less money to spend on other public services - a rise from 42% in February.

Ipsos interviewed 981 adults aged 18-75 across Britain.

(Reporting by James Davey, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
Mar. 7Students and pro-Palestinian activists rallied on the steps of the University of Maine's Fogler Library on Friday afternoon, despite threats by President Donald Trump against "illegal protests" on college campuses.

The rally, which saw dozens of attendees, was organized by the University of Maine chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace. Protesters held Palestinian flags and carried signs bearing handwritten messages saying "SUPPORT STUDENTS NOT GENOCIDE" and "WE WILL NOT BE SILENT," according to photos shared on the group's social media.

"We're setting an example that vague threats from the white house won't make us comply, and hopefully UMS admin will follow our lead!" the group wrote in a post.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by @umainejvp

The group also plans to offer comment before the University of Maine System's board of trustees at its meeting Monday morning.

The university system believes in the right to free speech, and seeks to uphold the Constitution's guarantees of free expression, "provided those activities do not violate the law, threaten public safety or disrupt our universities' ability to operate," Samantha Warren, spokesperson for the University of Maine System, said in a written statement.

She added that the right to protest also comes with a responsibility to listen.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Even when they have been protesting actions taken by our system's leaders, we're proud that protests at our public universities have been peaceful and we have confidence that members of our campus communities will continue to demonstrate respect for one another and for the rule of law," Warren said.

The demonstration came days after Trump warned on social media that universities allowing "illegal protests" would lose their funding, without providing details on what types of demonstrations would be considered illegal.

"Agitators will be imprisoned/or permanently sent back to the country from which they came," Trump posted Tuesday on social media. "American students will be permanently expelled or, depending on the crime, arrested."

Copy the Story Link
Police arrested a suspect with a weapon at a West Price Hill school Friday, school officials said.

The incident occurred during school dismissal at Western Hills University High School, also known as West High, according to an email that Principal Carlos Blair sent to families and staff Friday afternoon.

According to the email, West High students had engaged in a physical fight with the suspect. Cincinnati police's school resource officer and school staff members "immediately" intervened and discovered the suspect with a weapon. The school resource officer ultimately arrested the suspect.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

No students or staff members were injured, the email said.

Blair did not identify the suspect but referred to them as an "unauthorized individual with a weapon." He also did not identify the type of weapon the suspect was wielding.

Cincinnati Public Schools officials did not immediately respond to The Enquirer's request for further information. Cincinnati police could not provide further comment at this time, but according to Blair's email, they are investigating the incident.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: 'Unauthorized individual' with weapon arrested at West High
Much has been said and written about the special relationship between Britain and the United States. It was in this week in 1946 that Winston Churchill defined that term, principally through the bonds of military partnership.

His view, one our Government shares, was that the uniquely close bonds between our Armed Forces  serving together, fighting together and at times dying together  make our nations safer and more secure.

Much has changed since 1946 but our militaries remain the foundation for our partnership. And following a very good meeting with Secretary Hegseth in Washington, we both say that our unique relationship is as strong as ever. We will continue to collaborate closely on military operations, exercising, intelligence gathering and the development of advanced technologies.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Securing a lasting peace in Ukraine and strengthening both our militaries and the Nato alliance were the focus of our talks. We discussed the UKs leadership role  bringing together European allies as we step up on European security and build a coalition of the willing to help secure peace in Ukraine. Secretary Hegseth acknowledged that President Trump has called on us to take a lead on European security, and we have done just that. Were in full agreement that we must continue the push for peace in the days ahead. And that peace must last, allowing no return to Russian aggression.

In Washington, I had the privilege of spending time with serving and former members of US and UK Armed Forces at a reception to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the US Marine Corps. As I said at that event  the comradeship between the US Marines and our Royal Marines is a reminder of the unbreakable bond between our nations.

Weve seen Britain at its best in recent days, when the Prime Minister convened European leaders to strive for a permanent peace in Ukraine that ensures its future sovereignty and security. We saw it when the Chancellor awarded a 2.2 billion loan to the Ukrainian government to keep its courageous forces in the fight, which will be paid back using profits generated on sanctioned Russian sovereign assets.

And we saw it again when we agreed a 1.6 billion deal to make 5,000 advanced air defence missiles for Ukraine. It means Ukraine can protect critical national infrastructure, such as their hospitals, roads and energy grid from Russian onslaught. And it means Britain gets 200 new high-skilled, well-paid jobs at one of our leading defence manufacturers.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Our Governments commitment to discharging our first duty  to protect our nation and people  is absolute. Its the foundation of our Plan for Change. In opposition, we went to the British public with a manifesto commitment that if elected we would increase defence investment to 2.5 per cent of GDP. Eight months into government, we announced the biggest sustained increase in defence investment since the Cold War. We confirmed this boost to defence spending three years earlier than anyone expected, and now say Britain will invest 3 per cent of GDP in defence during the next parliament.

This isnt just a crucial move for our national security in the face of increasing global threats, it means defence will be an engine to drive economic growth across the UK. Thats why you saw Keir Starmer speaking with workers and apprentices at Cammell Laird on Merseyside on Thursday, committing to turn this increase in spending into good jobs and fast-growing businesses up and down the UK. The Prime Minister, Chancellor and I are all determined to make that happen.

As global threats increase, our national security and our economic security are both at stake. From deepening our US-UK relationship, to striving for peace in Europe and ensuring the benefits of increasing defence investment are felt here at home, Britain is committed to leading from the front to secure our future.

John Healey is the Defence Secretary

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.
Idaho state Rep. Barbara Ehardt, R-Idaho Falls, walks away from the lectern after presenting a piece of legislation to the House State Affairs Committee on Jan. 7, 2025, at the State Capitol Building in Boise. (Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun)

Idahoans elected to state or federal offices  including the Idaho Legislature  would be banned from simultaneously serving in elected city, school or highway district positions, under a bill state lawmakers advanced to the House on Friday.

House Bill 362, by Rep. Barbara Ehardt, R-Idaho Falls, would automatically vacate local elected offices that officials hold when they swear into elected federal, statewide, or legislative offices.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ehardts bill is a modified version of a similar bill she brought last year, House Bill 497. That bill narrowly passed the House, by one vote, but did not advance in the Senate.

The Idaho House State Affairs Committee advanced the bill to the House floor Friday.

This change will ensure that whoever, whatever office were serving in, were giving our attention to that office. We are serving  the office in which were elected, and we are doing the best for that group of citizens  without any weighted or divided attentions, Ehardt told the committee.

Several state legislators have served in local offices while in the Idaho Legislature, which is a part-time Legislature that typically only meets during the first few months of the year.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But the new bill offers several exceptions to the automatic vacancy trigger for officials from small communities, such as for elected positions in:

Cities with a population of less than 1,000 people;

School districts with less than 500 students enrolled; and

Highway districts located primarily in a county with a population less than 10,000 people.

The House State Affairs Committees two Democrats  Reps. Brooke Green, D-Boise, and Todd Achilles, D-Boise  voted against advancing the bill.

Idaho state Rep. Todd Achilles, D-Boise, reads over materials prior to the Jan. 7, 2025, meeting of the House State Affairs Committee. (Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun)

Achilles argued the bill violates multiple constitutional protections and will be challenged in court. If the bill passed, he said the Legislature would lose the perspectives of local communities.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

And by restricting this to certain cities or school districts or highway district based on their size, this creates an unequal application of the law, which violates the Equal Protection Clause  by treating similarly situated office holders differently based on this arbitrary definition of what is a small or a large community, Achilles said.

If passed into law, the bill would take effect July 1, 2026.

SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Boeing machinists take to the picket line in front of Boeings Paine Field facility as IAM District 751 workers began their strike on Friday, Sep. 13, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Photo by Ryan Berry/Washington State Standard)

Workers in Washington moved a step closer to gaining access to unemployment insurance during strikes, after a bill that would extend the benefits passed the state Senate on Friday.

Under Senate Bill 5041, workers would become eligible for unemployment benefits on the second Sunday after a strike begins, plus a one-week waiting period. Unemployment insurance would also open up to people blocked from working by employers through lockouts  a tactic that can be used to pressure employees during labor negotiations.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A similar bill won approval in the state House last year, but failed to receive a vote in the Senate.

Labor unions are among the bills backers. Supporters say the legislation would help ensure striking workers can afford necessities such as food and rent. They also argue that dragging out negotiations is becoming a more common bargaining strategy for employers. This can leave striking workers in a weakening position as they go without pay and their finances erode.

Affordability is the number one issue for Americans right now, said the bills sponsor, Sen. Marcus Riccelli, D-Spokane, adding his legislation is about making sure people who do important jobs and important work have good benefits, good pay, safe work conditions.

The Senate approved the bill on a 28-21 vote, with Democratic Sens. Mike Chapman, D-Port Angeles, and Lisa Wellman, D-Mercer Island, joining Republicans in opposition.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

New Jersey and New York already have similar laws in place. Oregon state lawmakers are debating legislation this year that would offer unemployment benefits to striking workers there.

Business groups and Republicans are opposed to the Washington bill. Theyve argued that the change would result in higher costs for businesses and is potentially unfair to employers and workers not involved in labor disputes.

Were putting our businesses at a great disadvantage by passing this bill, said Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima. We truly are. Were just driving them out of this state. Were making it impossible for them to operate here and be successful.

A Boeing factory worker strike last year that stretched nearly two months underscored concerns about extended walkouts that could lead to unemployment insurance expenses piling up. But labor advocates say strikes lasting more than two weeks are rare.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The version of the bill the Senate approved included an amendment from Riccelli that would limit unemployment benefits for striking workers to 12 weeks. Normally, unemployment insurance is available for up to 26 weeks over a year.

A proposed amendment from Senate Minority Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, that wouldve changed the time limit for benefits to four weeks, failed by one vote. Five Democrats joined Republicans in supporting the proposed change. Last years bill contained a four-week limit.

Riccellis amended bill also calls for the availability of benefits to striking and locked-out workers to expire after 10 years. The bill would take effect on Jan. 1, 2026.

Unemployment insurance is funded by state and federal taxes that employers pay. A sudden surge in claims can drain a states unemployment trust fund and drive up tax rates. Taxes individual companies pay rise to cover resulting costs as more of their employees tap unemployment. This would be the case for employers whose workers are on strike.

Reporter Jake Goldstein-Street and editor Bill Lucia contributed to this report.
Tracy Frankel held a sign on Saturday that read I will not go quietly back to the 1950s during the Unite and Resist Rally in West Hartford that saw hundreds turn out in support of womens rights on International Womens Day.

The West Hartford resident said that over the last 43 years in the workforce, she has seen many positive changes for women, but she also believes theres plenty to still fight for.

I think many younger women dont realize that in the 1970s and prior, women couldnt get credit cards, couldnt own a home, couldnt manage their own bodies and had no control over their own destiny, Frankel said. Im tired of having to continue to make signs, but we still have a long way to go.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Frankel said she wants to make her voice heard and is dissatisfied with the 2022 Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which upended over 50 years of precedent on reproductive rights. She said that recent Supreme Court rulings feel like years of progress are being rolled back.

I have a daughter-in-law and granddaughter and Im going to keep fighting until I die, Frankel said. I think all people are equal, and I cant stand to see whats going on with immigrants, racism and the misogyny we have right now. I hope this activates the younger people because we cant take for granted how far we have come when they could quickly overturn our rights in an instant.

Frankel, along with hundreds of others, showed up outside West Hartford Town Hall to attend the rally on Saturday morning, holding signs and chanting This is what America looks like! and Womens rights are human rights!

The rally, part of a nationwide demonstration in states across the country on International Womens Day, is part of the Womens March movement. Several speakers highlighted the event including U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz, West Hartford Mayor Shari Cantor and other public officials who spoke on what the day means to them personally.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Each and everyone can do something like this and everyone needs to speak up and speak out, said rally organizer Clare Neseralla. I cant say this is all just about womens issues, as there may be a lot of other political issues discussed as well. But we are coming together to raise our voices on International Womens Day.

Officially recognized by the United Nations in 1977, International Womens Day is commemorated in different ways and to varying degrees in places around the world. Protests are often political and rooted in womens efforts to improve their rights.

International Womens Day is both a global celebration and a call to action marked by demonstrations around the world ranging from combative protests to charity runs. Men are also encouraged to participate and get involved.

Theres a lot of men here, too, and we absolutely want men to also come out and support us because we need allies, Bysiewicz said. But its so important to be out here today and were so lucky to have great leadership here in West Hartford.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Many in the crowd wore the signature pink hats that became a well-known symbol of the resistance to Donald Trumps policies during his first term in office. Many others raised signs denouncing Elon Musk and the Trump administrations policies toward reproductive rights, science and vaccines, LGBTQ+ rights and the mass firing of federal workers under the Department of Government Efficiency.

Im concerned enough to drive up from the southern part of the state today, said Dave Hill from Essex. I have a 30-year-old daughter and Im concerned for her living in this world. Im supporting not only her but all the women in my life and in the country.

Hill, who was among dozens of men in attendance at the rally, said he believes its important to be an ally for women during a time when he sees womens right as being vulnerable under the Trump administration. Hill along with several friends wore the same hats they wore to the Womens March in Washington D.C. on Jan. 21, 2017, which remains one of the largest single-day protests in U.S. history.

We have been abused and persecuted for so long and we are tired of taking it, said Bristol resident Briana Gardner. Its very important to be here because women and girls from birth have been taught that we need to be uniform, subservient and quiet. But thats not true, we can be loud and be in positions of power and hold our truth.

Stephen Underwood can be reached at sunderwood@courant.com.
Time has reported that the US decision earlier this week to suspend the transfer of military intelligence to Ukraine has helped Russia advance along a critical part of the front line, leading to the deaths of many Ukrainian soldiers in recent days.

Source: Time, citing five senior Western and Ukrainian officials and military officers

Details: "As a result of this pause, there are hundreds of dead Ukrainians," one of the officers told Time in an interview in Kyiv on Friday, asking not to be named.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"The biggest problem is morale. Its really causing an advantage for the enemy on the front line," he added, because the Ukrainian Armed Forces are forced to fight without some of the best weapons systems, not because of Russian attacks, but because of the US attitude.

The media outlet writes that this has had the most acute impact on Ukrainians in Russias Kursk Oblast, where the armed forces are trying to hold on to a strip of territory they seized during an offensive last August.

Quote: "President Zelenskyy sees that region as a critical source of leverage in any future peace talks with the Russians. His aim is to trade parts of the Kursk area for Ukrainian land that Russia has occupied."

More details: However, after the US stopped sharing intelligence, the Russians advanced rapidly in Kursk Oblast in an attempt to cut Ukrainian supply lines to the region, according to military officers and fresh battle maps created by Deep State, an open-source intelligence outlet.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A source in the Zelenskyy government confirmed that operations in Kursk Oblast have been hit hardest by the loss of access to US intelligence. Ukrainians have lost the ability to detect the approach of Russian bombers and other aircraft as they take off in Russia. As a result, Ukraine has less time to warn civilians and the military of the risk of an impending airstrike or missile.

The loss of US intelligence has also impaired the ability of Ukrainian forces to conduct long- and medium-range strikes against Russian targets.

These capabilities are now paralysed without access to information from US satellites.

Background:

On 4 March, it became known that Trump had decided to suspend all military aid to Ukraine, including that which was already on its way.

On 5 March, it was revealed that intelligence sharing, including that related to Russian missile launches, had also stopped.

Commenting on the suspension of aid supplies to Ukraine, Trump said he "wants to stop the deaths".

On 7 March, CNN stated that the United States continued to share intelligence with Ukraine that could help its troops defend themselves rather than attack the Russian occupiers.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
VMPL New Delhi [India], March 8: With a focus on fostering collaboration amongst stakeholders across the globe, delegates from 30+ countries joined in for an evening of innovation and startups at Vanijya Bhawan, on Thursday. The organizing committee members of Startup Mahakumbh supported The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), showcased the expanse of the landmark event at a glittering event, which was aimed at igniting a new era of global innovation. With international collaboration at the heart of the Indian startup ecosystem's growth, key delegates from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Ambassadors to the Argentinian and Azerbaijan's Embassy, Head of the Economic and Innovation Department of Italy, Head of International Cooperation from Mexico, among many other attended the event. The event, spearheaded by India's foremost Startup Ecosystem Leaders and led by FICCI in collaboration with ASSOCHAM, IVCA, nasscom, Bootstrap Foundation, and other key industry stakeholders, with support from the National Startup Advisory Council (NSAC), DPIIT, Startup India. With a sector-focused approach, across 11 pavillions - AI, Deeptech & Cybersecurity, HealthTech & BioTech, AgriTech, Climate Tech, Incubators & Accelerators, D2C, FinTech, Gaming & Sports, B2B & Precision Manufacturing, Defence & Space Tech and Mobility - the event will create immersive spaces for knowledge exchange, mentorship, and real business opportunities. Speaking on the sidelines of the convivial evening, Sanjiv, Joint Secretary, DPIIT, said, "The Indian startup ecosystem has positioned itself as a formidable force across industries worldwide, and with Startup Mahakumbh - the largest congregation of startups globally - will help in bridging the gap to foster connections with stakeholders transcending borders." Arti Bhatnagar, Additional Secretary and Financial Advisor, DPIIT, Startup India said, "This evening marks a significant milestone in India's startup journey, where global collaboration takes center stage as thought leaders, investors, and innovators from over 30 countries joined hands to foster deeper connections and exchange knowledge. As we move towards building a self-reliant and innovative Viksit Bharat by 2047, such engagements will play a crucial role in driving India's entrepreneurial ecosystem to new heights on the global stage." Amardeep Singh Bhatia, Secretary, DPIIT, said, "By bringing together key global stakeholders, we are not just showcasing the immense innovation happening in India but also forging meaningful collaborations that will drive the future of entrepreneurship for the whole world." Expressing his views, Sanjeev Bikhchandani, Co-founder and Executive Vice Chairman, Info Edge signed off as he said, "Startup Mahakumbh embodies India's dynamic spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship, helping Indian startups scale internationally. By inviting global innovators to explore the limitless opportunities in Bharat, is a powerful signal of the shared vision we hold for a truly interconnected startup landscape." About Startup Mahakumbh Startup Mahakumbh is a first-of-its-kind event bringing together the entire startup ecosystem of India including startups, investors, incubators and accelerators, and industry leaders from several sectors. The event is led by FICCI, ASSOCHAM, IVCA, NASSCOM and Bootstrap Advisory & Foundation; and supported by SIDBI, GEM, ECGC and DPIIT Startup India. The second edition of Startup Mahakumbh is set to make a grand return in 2025, building on the tremendous success of its inaugural edition. The flagship startup event was an extraordinary success, attracting over 48,581 business visitors engaging with 1306 exhibitors including finest startups, soonicorns, and unicorns, from 26+ states and 14+ countries. It also hosted 300+ incubators and accelerators and 200+ leading angel investors, VCs, and family offices. For more information, visit www.startupmahakumbh.org. Media Contact: Soumitra Maity - Soumitra.maity@mslgroup.com (+91 7042808985) (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 United States has told its allies that it does not plan to participate in military exercises in Europe, according to reports.

The move, the latest in Donald Trumps pivot away from the bloc, would see America pull out of exercises beyond those already scheduled for this year.

The withdrawal concerns exercises that are on the drawing board, according to Swedish newspaper Expressen.

It means that Nato countries will be forced to plan exercises without the participation of the US military, the largest in the alliance.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Mr Trump has repeatedly criticised Nato countries for not meeting the current goal of spending two per cent of GDP on defence, arguing that the disparity puts an unfair burden on the United States.

On Friday, he warned that the US may not defend Nato allies who do not meet the spending target as part of a major shake-up of the alliance.

Mr Trump told reporters: When I came to Nato, when I first had my first meeting, I noticed that people werent paying their bills at all, and I said I should wait till my second meeting.

And I did. And I brought that up, and I said, If you dont pay your bills, were not going to participate. Were not going to protect you.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

And when I said that, as soon as they said that, it was amazing how the money came in, the money came in, and now they have money. But even now, its not enough. They should be paying more.

It has also been reported that the Trump administration is redrawing Nato engagement in a way that favours member countries with higher defence spending.

The president is said to be considering prioritising military exercises with member countries that are spending the set percentage of GDP on their defence, officials told NBC.

British troops practising an assault during Operation Steadfast Dart in Romania in February - Andrei Pungovschi/Getty Images

Nato has to pay more, Mr Trump said in January after taking office. Its ridiculous because it affects them a lot more. We have an ocean in between.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Telegraph reported on Friday that Mr Trump is also considering pulling US troops out of Germany and redeploying them to Eastern Europe.

He is understood to be weighing up withdrawing some 35,000 active personnel and moving them to Hungary.

Meanwhile, as high-level talks in Saudi Arabia are due to start next week, Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Ukraine is fully committed to constructive dialogue with the US.

An aerial view of a trench warfare exercise during Natos Operation Steadfast Dart - Paul Grover for The Telegraph

Ukraine has been seeking peace from the very first second of this war. Realistic proposals are on the table, the Ukrainian president said in a post to X.

Mr Zelensky said that he would visit Saudi Arabia for talks with the kingdoms crown prince, but would not stay on for talks with representatives of the US government.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ukraine has been put under unparalleled pressure by the US, which this week suspended military aid and intelligence sharing.

Mr Zelensky is still yet to meet Mr Trump since their disastrous White House meeting sparked a geopolitical crisis.

Mr Trump doubled down on his criticism of Mr Zelensky on Friday, saying it may be easier to work with Moscow than Kyiv on efforts to end the three-year war.

The White House was contacted for comment.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
CEOs of leading American steel companies sent a letter to President Trump on Friday, urging him not to provide any exceptions or exclusions to the planned steel tariffs set to go into effect on March 12.

The letter, obtained by NewsNation, has been signed by the CEOs of companies such as US Steel Corp., Cleveland-Cliffs and Nucor.

The letter said that the steel tariffs enacted by Trump in his first term were welcome but that subsequent negotiations opened the door to renewed increased import volumes, diluting the programs effectiveness.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The result was a weakened U.S. steel industry exposed again to the global steel oversupply crisis, the letter adds.

The CEOs told Trump in the letter that his Feb. 10 proclamation reinstating a uniform 25 percent tariff across the board is the right response to this global challenge.

We urge you to resist any requests for exceptions or exclusions and to continue standing strong on behalf of American steel, the letter said.

The CEOs said this move would revitalize the American steel industry, which they called a matter of national security.

The Trump administration is seeking to revive policies enacted during the presidents first term to include a 25 percent tariff on all steel imports.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, the European Union, Ukraine and the United Kingdom were exempt from the taxes on steel and aluminum imports during the first Trump administration. This time around, the administration has argued their exclusion prevented the tariffs from being effective.

Trump is also planning to raise his original 10 percent tariffs on aluminum imports from 2018 to match the 25 percent duty on steel. The policy will be imposed on all countries across the globe, unlike his prior directive.

The presidents proposed tariffs across industries have cause international uproar, with some global leaders calling it a trade war. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has called the tariffs dumb while Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum warned of retaliatory tariffs. Trump delayed the taxes set to hit Mexico until 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 The Hill.
By Kanishka Singh

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a call with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot about "bringing an end to the Russia-Ukraine war," the State Department said on Friday.

KEY QUOTE

"The Secretary emphasized President Trump's determination to achieve, through negotiations, a just and lasting peace, and stressed the United States will continue working with France towards this end," the State Department said in a statement.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

French President Emmanuel Macron recently met U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House.

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT

The U.S. president has said he wants to bring the Ukraine war, launched by Russia when it invaded its neighbor more than three years ago, to an end. Trump has also said Europe must take more responsibility for its security.

CONTEXT

Trump has paused military aid and intelligence sharing to Ukraine to pressure Kyiv to accept a ceasefire deal after an explosive Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy a week ago.

While European leaders rallied to Zelenskiy after his clash with Trump, their approach to the Russia-Ukraine war and Europe's security remains highly dependent on the U.S. president.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Trump has also said that he is "strongly considering" imposing sweeping sanctions, including ones on banking, and tariffs on Russia until a ceasefire and peace agreement is reached with Ukraine.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh and Ismail Shakil; Editing by Chris Reese and Chizu Nomiyama)
By Nate Raymond

(Reuters) -The U.S. Department of Labor has reinstated about 120 employees who were facing termination as part of the Trump administration's mass firings of recently hired workers, a union said on Friday.

The American Federation of Government Employees, the largest federal employee union, said the probationary employees had been reinstated immediately and the department was issuing letters telling them to report back to duty on Monday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"It's our understanding that this decision affects about 120 employees, most of whom had been placed on administrative leave," Tim Kauffman, a union spokesperson, said in a statement.

A letter to one employee reviewed by Reuters advised the department would "use the remainder of your probationary/trial period to determine if your appointment is in the best interest of the public."

The Labor Department and White House did not respond to requests for comment.

The Labor Department employees were reinstated a day after U.S. President Donald Trump told his cabinet members that they, not Elon Musk, had the final say on staffing and policy at their agencies.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Musk and his team at the Department of Government Efficiency have been tasked by Trump to slash the size and cost of the federal bureaucracy. To date about 25,000 workers have been fired, and another 75,000 have taken a buyout, out of the 2.3 million federal civilian workforce.

Trump on Thursday, though, said while it was "very important that we cut levels down to where they should be," agencies should use a "scalpel" rather than a "hatchet" for job reductions.

A day earlier, the Merit Systems Protection Board ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture to temporarily reinstate nearly 6,000 probationary employees, while the board considers a challenge to their firing.

The board hears appeals by federal government employees when they are fired or disciplined. Probationary workers typically have less than a year of service in their current roles, though some are longtime federal workers.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Skye Perryman, whose liberal legal group Democracy Forward is challenging the firings, on Friday welcomed the Labor Department's decision to reverse course on terminating probationary employees.

"Every other agency should follow their lead and put these workers back on the job immediately," she said in a statement.

(Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama, Chris Reese and Cynthia Osterman)
I'm not sure you grasp how offensive that headline "Canada can be a US state, but we're gonna need some syrup" (Detroit Free Press letter to the editor, March 2) is to all Canadian readers of this paper.

I understand that it's a letter written tongue-in-cheek and some may find it humorous. But to keep it on the front page for days and days is rubbing salt into a wound.

So I propose that you publish my letter with this Headline: "US may become 11th province but its going to require a lot of apologizing."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

(Editors note: Done.)

Ernest Poortinga

Ann Arbor

A hockey puck with the Canadian flag is seen at a National Flag of Canada Day ceremony, one day before the official observance of Flag Day, on the Rideau Canal Skateway in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Feb. 14, 2025. REUTERS/Patrick Doyle

Save Michigan's Red Flag gun laws

It is with great dismay that I see that the new Michigan House of Representatives has targeted for repeal the Extreme Risk Protection Order laws, passed into law by the State of Michigan in 2023.

Background: Here's how Michigan's red flag gun law works

Statistics are already showing that the law has potentially saved lives, making sure that families have a legal way to petition for the removal of firearms from family members who, after a determination by a judge, were found to be a danger to themselves or others.

We can't ever completely prevent gun violence, but we can take measures to make it more rare. We can have fewer children shot at splash pads. We can have fewer children shot at in their schools.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This action is clearly political. I would think that the one thing all Michiganders could agree on is that we'd like fewer people to get shot.

Jonathan Gold

Novi

Submit a letter to the editor at freep.com/letters and we may publish it online and in print.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: US can be 11th Canada province but it'll require a lot of apologizing
Finding and disposing of mines lurking on the sea floor is dangerous and difficult work.

The US Navy wants robotic crawlers capable of descending to nearly 2,000 feet underwater to do this.

The service's request goes well beyond existing tech built by contractors like Textron.

One of the nastiest threats in naval warfare are mines. Crude, cheap and packed with explosives, bottom mines lurk on the seabed like aquatic IEDs, where they are harder to detect and sweep than floating mines.

That has been the tough and deadly work of ships, helicopter-towed sleds and specially trained techs. Now the US Navy has a new vision: a robotic crawler. And with the growing threat of sabotage to underwater cables and pipelines, an automated crawler could potentially be useful in protecting maritime infrastructure.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Navy envisions a small unmanned vehicle that weighs no more than 150 pounds, according to a December Navy Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) solicitation which seeks ideas from industry. The "Maritime Expeditionary Response Crawler" would be fitted with a variety of payloads, including short-range sensors, manipulator arms, and equipment to disrupt mines and other underwater explosives.

The crawler would both be autonomous and controlled by human operators via a tether. The vehicle "must be capable of conducting operations in water depths over 600 meters [1,968 feet] while also capable of transit on the ocean surface for a distance of at least two nautical miles to a georeferenced point where it can autonomously submerge to the seabed," the SBIR specified.

The crawler would be a standoff system that allows human operators to remain a safe distance from any mines. Once the crawler dives to the seabed, it would release a tethered buoy with a radio transmitter connected to the mothership.

The dull, dirty and dangerous task of sweeping for mines would be autonomous. "Supervisory autonomy to reduce cognitive burden to the operator is desired," the SBIR said. However, operators would have "supervisory control and situational awareness for detection, reacquisition, and render safe or neutralization tasks to enable clearance of naval mines and other underwater explosive-laden threats."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The crawler must be capable of operating "in different sediment and seabed types (e.g., rocky, flat sand, silt, etc.) and must be stable on the seabed in dynamic sea states and currents." Though bottom mines are typically laid in shallow waters, the SBIR only mentions an ocean environment rather than rivers.

Naval mines have always had an aura of being sneaky and malicious weapons. They date back to medieval China, though David Bushnell  an 18th-century American inventor  is credited with inventing the modern variety during the American Revolution. Historically, a common variety has been moored mines that are attached by cable to an anchor on the seabed, which allows the mine to float at a specified depth. The crudest form is a contact mine that detonates when it touches a passing vessel  usually any kind of vessel, military or civilian, which is what makes mining so indiscriminate.

A naval mine was intentionally detonated for training during a 2023 NATO maritime exercise in the Baltic Sea. Bernd von Jutrczenka/picture alliance via Getty Images

Bottom mines are even sneakier. They are "influence" weapons, laying quietly on the seafloor until triggered by a ship's magnetic field, the acoustic signature of its propellers, or the pressure the vessel generates in the water. While moored mines can also be fitted with these actuators, bottom mines are harder to detect.

In addition to being harder to detect via sonar amid the clutter on the sea floor, bottom mines also tend to have larger explosive charges than moored weapons. Because their explosive energy has to travel upwards to reach a ship or submarine above, "bottom mines tend to work in relatively shallow water (less than 164 feet)," according to the Strauss Center for International Security.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Several nations field air-launched or submarine-launched bottom mines, including Russia's MDM and the US Navy's Quickstrike, and China's Chen series. Significantly, Chinese military journals suggest a preference for bottom mines. Based on Soviet minelaying experience in World War II, Chinese experts concluded that anchored mines "have low reliability due to current and waves," according to American defense analyst Lyle Goldstein. "By contrast, bottom mines are said to be more reliable, harder to find, and much more difficult to sweep."

Navies have already turned to robots as a cheaper and safer alternative to crewed minesweepers. The US Navy, for example, has just awarded a $106 million contract to Textron for semi-autonomous boats to clear mines. The SeaFox, an expendable torpedo-like drone made by the German contractor Atlas Elektronik, was deployed by the Royal Navy as far back as 2001.

But a robotic underwater crawler is something else. The US Navy SBIR only mentions mines and underwater explosives as the goal of the robotic crawler project. But such a vehicle would seem useful against sabotage of undersea cables and pipelines. Nations worry about the vulnerability of undersea infrastructure and the difficulty of protecting facilities that might be 300 feet below the surface.

Russia and China have allegedly employed ships to drag anchors along the ocean floor, cutting telecommunications cables. The most serious underwater incident was in September 2022, when explosions damaged the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 underwater pipelines, which transported natural gas from Russia  via the Baltic Sea  to Germany, where it was distributed to Western Europe.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

There are various theories as to the Nord Stream culprit, but these incidents have spurred NATO to deploy surveillance drones and sensors to protect underwater infrastructure in the Baltic and Mediterranean Seas. A robot minesweeping crawler would be the next logical step.

Michael Peck is a defense writer whose work has appeared in Forbes, Defense News, Foreign Policy magazine, and other publications. He holds an MA in political science from Rutgers Univ. Follow him on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Read the original article on Business Insider
The U.S. continues to share some intelligence with Ukraine to assist with defense operations, but not for attacks on Russian troops, CNN reported on March 7, citing two anonymous defense officials.

According to the sources, Washington aims to avoid being seen as directly supporting strikes on Russia. However, the U.S. is not withholding information that could enhance Ukraine's defensive capabilities.

The significant cutting back on U.S. intelligence sharing to Ukraine is part of the Trump administrations position to pressure Kyiv into quick negotiations with Russia.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The sources also confirmed that Starlink, which the Ukrainian military relies on, is still operating in Ukraine as before.

Starlink is owned by SpaceX, a company belonging to billionaire Elon Musk.

Musk, a key ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, has drawn scrutiny at home and abroad over his repeated inflammatory comments regarding Ukraine.

Read also: We will adapt  Ukraines soldiers say after US intel cut





Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated in a telephone conversation with Ukraines Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on Friday that Donald Trump is determined to end the war in Ukraine as soon as possible.

Source: US Department of State, as reported by European Pravda

Quote from the US Department of State: "The Secretary [of State] underscored President Trump is determined to end the war as soon as possible and emphasised that all sides must take steps to secure a sustainable peace."

Background:

Earlier, it was reported that Ukraines Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha had discussed the upcoming Ukraine-US negotiations in Saudi Arabia with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said the talks between Ukraine and the US in Saudi Arabia next week will focus on bilateral relations and the path to peace in Ukraine.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the work currently underway with US President Donald Trumps team is "the most intensive to date".

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
By Kanishka Singh

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a call with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on Friday and told him President Donald Trump was determined to end the Russia-Ukraine war as soon as possible, the State Department said.

KEY QUOTE

"The Secretary underscored President Trump is determined to end the war as soon as possible and emphasized that all sides must take steps to secure a sustainable peace," the State Department said in a statement after the call.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Rubio held a separate call to discuss the war earlier in the day with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, according to the State Department.

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT

The U.S. president has said he wants to bring the Ukraine war, launched by Russia when it invaded its neighbor more than three years ago, to an end. Trump has also said Europe must take more responsibility for its security.

CONTEXT

Trump has paused military aid and intelligence sharing to Ukraine to pressure Kyiv to accept a ceasefire deal after an explosive Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy a week ago.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

While European leaders rallied to support Zelenskiy after his clash with Trump, their approach to the Russia-Ukraine war and Europe's security remains highly dependent on the U.S. president.

Trump has also said that he is "strongly considering" imposing sweeping sanctions, including ones on banking, and tariffs on Russia until a ceasefire and peace agreement is reached with Ukraine.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh and Ismail Shakil1; Editing by Sandra Maler and Cynthia Osterman)
Silvassa (Gujarat) [India], March 8: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first phase of the 450-bedded Namo Hospital in Silvassa, Dadra and Nagar Haveli. The Rs. 460 crore facility is a state-of-the-art healthcare institution, designed to provide advanced medical services to the region. The Prime Minister also launched multiple public welfare projects worth over Rs. 2,500 crore, including new hospitals, schools, and critical infrastructure initiatives aimed at enhancing public services and healthcare accessibility.

During his visit, PM Modi reviewed the 3D model of the upcoming hospital, appreciating its modern medical infrastructure. A significant highlight of the event was the demonstration of Misso, India's first indigenously developed AI-powered robotic system for knee replacement surgery, presented by Meril's CEO, Vivek Shah.

"At Meril, we are committed to developing innovative, world-class technologies that not only enhance surgical precision but also improve clinical outcomes and patient recovery. Misso represents a proud milestone in India's journey towards self-reliance in advanced medical technology," said Mr. Vivek Shah, CEO, Meril.

This cutting-edge technology is poised to revolutionize orthopedic surgeries in India, offering greater precision and improved patient outcomes.

The Prime Minister expressed keen interest in the innovation and technological advancements driving India's healthcare sector. He emphasized the importance of indigenous medical technology in making high-quality healthcare more accessible. The launch of Namo Hospital marks a crucial step in strengthening India's medical ecosystem and reaffirms the country's commitment to world-class healthcare infrastructure.

Meril is a leading global medical device manufacturing company based in India that has been pivotal in establishing India as a leader in the global medical devices industry. The company's strong focus on research and development (R&D) and commitment to quality have allowed it to offer cutting-edge medtech solutions in more than 150 countries. Additionally, Meril has a large presence in India with wholly owned subsidiaries in the USA, UK, Europe, Middle East, Africa, Brazil, South America, Australia & Asia.

With its strong commitment to innovation and quality, Meril has transformed healthcare in India and created significant footprints across the globe. Through global partnerships and the use of advanced technology, the company prioritizes quality and adherence to international standards, fostering a thriving R&D environment. Meril's efforts have effectively established India as a center for medical device innovation and production.

(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.)
Utah now joins several other states in setting legislation to protect children featured in their parents social media content after the Legislature passed a bill to set financial and other protections for kids featured in online content.

HB322 would help to protect children financially, but would also allow children featured in content to have it deleted after they turn 18. The bill also sets up financial protection for child actors in traditional media.

On Friday, the last day of the 2025 legislative session, HB322 passed through its final vote in the Senate unanimously. It will now go to the governors desk for his signature.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The bills sponsor, Doug Owens, D-Millcreek, said this bill is important because of the high number of influencers and content creators in Utah. A large portion of those creators produce family oriented content.

One of these influencers is MyKayla Skinner, who came into the public eye at a young age as a gymnast. Skinner, a former University of Utah star, retired from gymnastics after competing at the Summer Olympics in 2021, then turned her focus to social media.

Skinner and her husband Jonas Harmer have produced content together, including YouTube videos, and they now have a 16-month-old daughter named Charlotte. Their daughter is frequently included in their online content.

We use social media kind of as almost like a journal, we just post about whats going on in our lives, whats happening, especially with Charlotte, Harmer said. Its nice that so many people can see it, because our friends and family and MyKaylas fans can see what were up to.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Harmer and Skinner said they both support setting protections for children who are featured in content. They also shared that they have had a mostly positive experience with featuring Charlotte in their social media content.

Owens added that this bill focuses on situations where the family is making a lot of money from online content and that is largely dependent on children being in the content.

Financial protections for children in social media

The bill sets up a system for children to be financially compensated if they are featured in monetized social media content. In order for parents to be required to pay their kids, the child has to be in at least 30% of the content and making $20,000 a year. The parents also have to be clearing $150,000 a year after expenses.

I kind of think thats awesome, Skinner said. If a parents gonna sit there and use their kid for social media and making money, its like their kids are being used and not getting anything from it.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Skinner added that it is a hard issue though because some people could see it as theyre making this content so that they can earn a living and take care of their children with the money they earn.

Owens said he wanted it to be flexible to work for different families, so the bill provides three different ways for the children to be paid. There are two free market methods, and if those methods dont work for them, there is a backup formula to calculate how much the children should be paid.

We are trying to keep a lot of flexibility but have a core of protection for the kid, Owens said.

Harmer shared that he and Skinner already have a bank account set up for their daughter, so when she is featured in sponsored content or they monetize any content she is in, they put a portion of that into the account.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I think its awesome, Harmer said about setting these financial protections for children in social media. We definitely subscribe to that. I think thats a great idea."

Providing a take down right for kids featured in social media

HB322 would make it so children who are featured in content can have specific pieces of content taken down after they turn 18. This can be for content that they feel is embarrassing or harming to their reputation.

The bill also provides a court process in case there is a disagreement between the person trying to take down content and the person who put up the content.

Well, its only fair that they should be protected financially and then if they find something embarrassing, I think you should have the right to take it down if you change your mind about how other people put you on social media, Owens said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Harmer and Skinner shared that as Charlotte gets older it will be her decision whether or not to be featured in their social media content. Skinner added she understands that social media isnt for everyone.

Wed love for Charlotte to be a part of it and have her approval, and not just post things without her consent, right? I dont ever want her to be posted in something that she doesnt like or doesnt agree to, she said.

MyKayla Skinner Harmer is pictured with her husband, Jonas Harmer, and their daughter Charlotte in this family photo. | Rebeca Price

Protections for child actors in traditional media

The bill also provides protections for child actors who work in traditional media such as film, television or commercials. There are 10 other states that have similar statutes covering child actors.

Under HB322, after a child makes $40,000 a year the parent will be required to put 15% of that into a trust.

What other states have passed similar legislation?

Illinois was the first state to pass legislation to protect children featured in social media content, per CNN.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In 2023, Illinois passed a bill that requires parents to put aside a portion of earnings from online content based on the percentage of content the child is featured in. Like with Utahs HB322, it only applies if the child is featured in more than 30% of the content in a year.

Minnesota followed Illinois in 2024 and passed similar legislation, according to Axios.

In September, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed two pieces of legislation to help set protections for children featured in social media content.

One of the bills, SB 764, establishes financial and legal protections for minors featured in monetized online content by mandating their parent or guardian set aside a percentage of their earnings in trust accounts, according to CNN.

The other piece of legislation, AB 1880, expands Californias decades-old Coogan Law, to now include children who are employed as online content creators.
A crowd gathers during a LBGTQ+ rights protest at the Utah State Capitol on the last day of the legislative session, Friday, March 7, 2025. (Photo by Alex Goodlett for Utah News Dispatch)

Utahns did not sit idly by as lawmakers worked to pass bills affecting the lives of groups like the LGBTQ+ community and public sector union members. Instead, these groups and their supporters showed up in numbers at times reaching the thousands to make their voices heard throughout Utahs 45-day legislative session.

On Friday, the last day of the session, three separate demonstrations took place  one in support of federal funding for science and two in support of LGBTQ+ rights.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX

Demonstrators at Utahs Capitol this session also had their eyes on the federal government. Scientists, researchers and students showed up in a nationally organized Stand Up for Science demonstration to speak out against federal funding cuts to the National Institute of Health that the Trump administration is trying to impose.

This work is inherently beneficial to everyone, and de-prioritizing it by making funding decisions that negatively impact us is a decision that will continue to be felt for years, Kailey Mahoney, a masters student at the University of Utah, said during the event.

Utahs unique landscape was a focal point for several speakers at the event, with one calling Utahs national parks under attack. The Trump administration has begun the process of firing 3,400 U.S. Forest Service Workers and, according to reporting from The Salt Lake Tribune, at least 17 Utah national park workers have been fired.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Were not going to let that slide. We are not going to go down without a fight, James Carter, a science communicator and social scientist, said. We are going to stand up for science today and going forward every day.

Darci Stone holds a sign during the Stand Up For Science protest at the Utah State Capitol on the last day of the legislative session, Friday, March 7, 2025. (Photo by Alex Goodlett for Utah News Dispatch)

An hour later on Friday, self-described Salt Lake City drag entertainer Veronika DaVil independently organized a demonstration for the last day of the session. They also led a similar demonstration at the beginning of the session when HB269, which has now been signed into law, was being introduced. The law requires students to live in dorms that align with their biological sex and faced harsh criticism from the LGBTQ+ community, who called it discriminatory and harmful.

Starting on the south steps of the Capitol, dressed in a shimmery, rainbow pantsuit, DaVil led a group of around 100 people into the building to the rotunda steps outside the House chamber, where people chanted, listened to speakers and put on an impromptu fashion show.

Hate is taught, and (lawmakers) are choosing it over and over and over, DaVil said. We gathered the first day of the legislative session because we knew there would be anti-trans and anti-queer laws, and guess what  there were a lot.

A group of drag queens walk down the stairs during a LBGTQ+ rights protest at the Utah State Capitol on the last day of the legislative session, Friday, March 7, 2025. (Photo by Alex Goodlett for Utah News Dispatch)

In response to both House and Senate passage of HB77, a bill that if signed by Gov. Spencer Cox would ban pride flags from being displayed in K-12 classrooms and on all government buildings, the Utah Pride Center later Friday unfurled a 200-foot pride flag outside the Capitol.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Troy Williams, executive director of Equality Utah, told protesters that even though HB77 did pass, there were other bills killed including one that would have banned public funding for transgender medical procedures and another that would have stigmatized the work of drag queens.

Williams added that individuals can still wear pride flags in classrooms and made a promise to protesters.

We are not giving up this work. We will work, whether we have to go to the court or whatever mechanism, he said. I promise you all that the pride flag will fly downtown at City Hall during the (Pride) festival.

A crowd holds a pride flag during a LBGTQ+ rights protest at the Utah State Capitol on the last day of the legislative session, Friday, March 7, 2025. (Photo by Alex Goodlett for Utah News Dispatch)

The queer community wasnt the only group outraged at lawmakers this year.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Public union members vehemently opposed HB267, a bill that bans public sector unions, like those representing police, firefighters and teachers, from collective bargaining. Cox signed the bill into law on Feb.14 despite pleas from union members for the Republican governor to veto it.

Union members made their voices heard by showing up to committee meetings, shouting outside of the Senate floor and filling the rotunda in large numbers.

Now, members of the newly formed Protect Utah Workers coalition are attempting to run a referendum on HB267, which they can do if a bill did not receive two-thirds majority support from both the House and Senate.

Utah was also not exempt from national public outcry against the Trump administration and Elon Musk. On Feb. 5, around 700 people gathered to protest Musks insertion into the federal government, deportation efforts, abortion care bans, restrictions on LGBTQ+ rights, racism, fascism, and Trump himself.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

When asked about this demonstration, House Minority Leader Angela Romero, D-Salt Lake City, told reporters at the time that activism must be followed by voter participation.

I think its important that people peacefully protest. I think its their right, this is the peoples house, Romero said. I think its important for people to show up for that, but also they need to show up to the polls.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY)  The Virginia Beach community is continuing to pour out support for Officers Cameron Girvin and Christopher Reese after they were shot and killed in the line of duty, including students and staff at Virginia Beach City Public Schools.

Kempsville High School raised money for the officers families and collected supplies to deliver to the Fourth Precinct, where the slain officers were assigned.

Kempsville Elementary and Kempsville Middle supported the effort, which included cards in support of the police. Students at Kempsville Middle School additionally signed a poster supporting their school resource officer, a member of the Fourth Precinct.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Students at First Colonial High Schools Legal Studies Academy crafted handwritten notes to thank people who sent donations to the Virginia Beach Police Foundation after the tragedy.

Staff at several schools even wore blue on Feb. 28 in support of police.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Donations are being accepted for the families of the officers at the Virginia Beach Police Foundation.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com.
In February, David Casem was reeling from an unexpected government crackdown against his company, a startup that helps its users place calls over the internet. The Federal Communications Commission had accused Telnyx of inadequately vetting customers that had used its service to make scam robocalls targeting the FCC itself.

Normally, a tech executive like Casem would pay or negotiate the proposed fine of nearly $4.5 million and have his business put under a microscopea major threat for a small startup. But with President Trump in office, Casem decided to fight.

The Trump administration is staunchly anti-regulation, with the President even personally lauding companies that have fought lawsuits brought by their regulators.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The change in attitude in Washington from President Biden has emboldened executives like Casem to do the same. It didnt matter that Trump's own appointee, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, had overseen the enforcement action against Telnyx.

So Casem hired lobbyists and political consultantsincluding P2 Pathway Public Affairs, the influence shop that Elon Musk hired for his own political action committee, America PAC, to help elect Donald Trump. He then flew to D.C. to rally support and find allies in the Capitol.

Last week, Telnyx publicly responded to the FCC and demanded that it rescind the proposed fine. In his response, Casem proclaimed that Telnyx is a victim of the type of unjust, regulation-by-enforcement we got used to seeing in the Biden administration and called the case exactly the kind of lawfare the President has promised to stop.

The company cited two Trump executive orders, one that called for transparency and the elimination of surprise in federal enforcement actions and another calling for the elimination of unconstitutional regulations.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Our hope is that it makes it to Chairman Carr's desk and he sees that it's inconsistent with the President's agenda, it's inconsistent with his record, and it ends up being rescinded, and we can move on, Casem tells Fortune.

An FCC spokesman declined to comment.

Some companies have already found success in pushing back against regulators in the month and half since Trump took office. Just recently, the Securities and Exchange Commission said it would withdraw several lawsuits it had filed under Biden against crypto exchanges for operating as unregistered securities exchanges or lack of proper investor protections. Most notably, the walkback included industry giant Coinbase, which had undertaken an extensive public campaign to challenge the claims against it.

But while these companies may have set a precedent, Telnyx is setting the stage for a wave of what could come next: Direct appeals to President Trump and his agenda.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I've never seen anything like this in my life, Kevin Werbach, a law professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania who was previously counsel for new technology policy at the FCC, tells Fortune about the fight Telnyx took public last week. But I expect it will become more common over the next four years, he added.

Robo-calling

Telnyxs battle with the FCC stems from a robocall scam by unknown individuals that had targeted officials at the FCC, as well as some of their family members. On Feb. 6, 2024, the FCC says more than a dozen of its staff and some of their family memberswhich Telnyx says included Chairman Carr, Commissioner Nathan Simington, and former Chairman Ajit Paiwere called on their personal and work numbers, receiving a prerecorded voice message. At least one of them was apparently asked to send $1,000 in Google gift cards to avoid jail time for their crimes against the state.

In early February, a couple weeks after Commissioner Carr had been appointed chairman by Trump, the FCC moved against Telnyx. The commission sent a Notice of Apparent Liability, or NAL, saying thatwhile it had not yet conducted a formal investigationTelnyx apparently failed to verify the identity of its customer that placed the scam robocalls, and proposed a nearly $4.5 million fine.

Casem said he was shocked by the action, and had been under the impression the FCC was investigating the robocallers themselves, not his company. We followed all their rules, he said, adding: We were doing what we would think to be best-in-class fraud detection on our side.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Neither party knows who engineered the robocalls. The people behind the two accounts used fake names, emails with domains based out of Edinburgh, Scotland, and listed addresses in Toronto that were associated with a Sheraton hotel.

Since last month, Telnyx has hired groups like S3 Group and Mercury to help contact and appeal to Trump administration officials, the FCC, and the Office of Management and Budget, according to Casem. He says Telnyx feels emboldened, because its arguments are in line with what Trump has put out there.

I think it's certainly more likely to be effective in this administration, because what we're saying is entirely consistent with the president's agenda, Casem says, adding: So would we have taken this approach if there was a Harris victory? I mean, there would be no [executive orders]. Things would be a little bit more difficult.

What remains to be seen is whether such an approach will work, or merely inflame the situation with Chairman Carr and the FCC. Certainlyif Telnyx can successfully get the action droppedit will make a statement to other companies that run afoul of regulators.

If the FCC acts in favor of Telnyx, it would be irrational for other firms not to adopt the same approach, Werbach says.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL)  Don Davis joined the Army to help him pay for school, but his short stint in the military set him up for a lifetime of service to others.

I wanted to go to ETSU and didnt have any money, and it was very cheap back then to go to school, and they suggested I go talk to the recruiter, Davis said.

Davis joined the Army in 1959 and worked in the armored division, helping to get supplies to the frontlines. But then there was an accident.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I was riding in the back of a deuce and a half truck, big truck, and it ran off the road in a ditch and I flew into the side and busted my head, said Davis. I can still feel it right there. Its got a little ditch in my head.

He had to stay back while the rest of his division went to Turkey and ultimately, Vietnam.

They put me in a training thing. That was a personal finance. So I had an administrative job after that, Davis said.

He got out and finished school at East Tennessee State University using the GI Bill and was working at Eastman. He moved his way up and retired from the Chemical Company after 31 years.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I got retired. I said, Well, Ive got to find something to do,' Davis said. I knew the Red Cross people, [and] had done a little bit work with them anyway, and so that started disaster work going to Florida, Texas mostly the coast hurricanes.

Davis has been all over working with The Red Cross, but when Helene hit, he used his experience in his home region as the lead volunteer for getting information to elected officials.

That is very hard work, Davis said. Red Cross does a beautiful job of responding to any kind of disaster or a home fire that you may have, are sheltering during Hurricane Helene.

Davis also has a hobby of woodworking, which led to him having two dulcimers at the Country Music Hall of Fame. He was volunteering with the Red Cross for tornado recovery when he met another veteran couple who were also helping. They had a connection to the museum and said it was in need.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

So I said, Well, I think I can make them. I got the wood and all that stuff,' Davis said. Its pretty neat.

The dulcimers are used at the Taylor Swift Education Center. Davis also uses his woodworking skills to help other organizations, including the YMCA in Kingsport, where he also volunteers.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  A veterinarian charged with stealing a dog that she says she rescued has refused a plea deal offered by the Kent County Prosecutors Office.

Amanda Hergenreder, a vet with a practice north of Flint, wants to let a jury decide if shes guilty of misdemeanor larceny for refusing to return a dog that belonged to a man whos homeless.

Veterinarian charged with stealing dog of homeless Grand Rapids man

The dog on Nov. 3, 2024. (Courtesy Amanda Hergenreder)

Hergenreder was in Grand Rapids for a veterinary conference Nov. 3 when she spotted what she thought was a neglected  and potentially abandoned  dog tied to a U-Haul truck on Eastern Avenue south of 28th Street. There was no owner in sight.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

After calling Grand Rapids police for guidance, Hergenreder took the dog home with her to the east side of the state, where she says she diagnosed and treated the elderly pit bull mix for a severe urinary infection, removed a rotten abscessed tooth and named him Biggby. Shed found the dog near a Biggby Coffee on Eastern.

Hergenreder acknowledged to Target 8 that workers at the drive-thru coffee shop told one of her colleagues that the dog belonged to a homeless man. According to a police report, a Biggby worker told officers that she told Hergenreders colleague that the homeless man would be back to retrieve it.

On Thursday, the veterinarian appeared in 61st District Court in Grand Rapids for the first time.

Is there any offer to place on the record? District Court Judge Angela T. Ross asked of Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Nicole Sorci.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Sorci said Hergenreder could plead guilty to misdemeanor larceny, serve probation, work with the homeless community for a certain number of hours and return the dog to its owner.

Hergenreder declined.

Her attorney, Miles Greengard, told Target 8 the veterinary code of ethics required that his client take action on that day in November.

She saw a dog that had a rotted tooth, Greengard told Target 8 in an interview following Thursdays hearing. She saw a dog that was severely malnourished and didnt have water. She saw a dog that could not even stand. She had an affirmative ethical obligation to make sure that dog had received medical care.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Greengard said that same ethical code prevents his client from returning the dog to what she believes will be future suffering and pain.

Greengard noted in his motion to dismiss that Hergenreder agreed twice in early December to give the dog back.

Hergenreder only failed to return Biggby after learning from a (Kent County Animal Control) supervisor that there would be no investigation of Biggbys living conditions with (its Grand Rapids owner), wrote Greengard in his motion.

Biggby the dog under the care of Amanda Hergenreder. (Courtesy Amanda Hergenreder)

Amanda Hergenreder speaks with News 8.

Reports from Kent County Animal Control show officers responding to previous complaints determined that the dog was not neglected or abuse.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I located the dog on scene, who was laying in the sun, wrote an animal control officer who responded to a complaint on Oct. 25, days before Hergenreder spotted the dog she named Biggby. The dog appeared to be okay.  No signs of cruelty/neglect. Unfounded.

In July 2024, a caller to animal control reported that the dog was loose.

Hes limping, said the caller. He looks like hes starving, and he can barely walk.  Hes got the leash broken off and everything.

The dogs owner, Chris Hamilton, previously told Target 8 he never neglected or abused the dog he called Vinny.

To me, its a crime, said Hamilton, referring to Hergenreders actions. Its not about making sure that the dogs okay or anything. I had my dog 15 years. Never neglected him and you know, we loved each other. I mean, I felt like I lost part of my body after that, never felt the same after losing him. I just want my dog back. Thats all I want.

Vinny the dog under the care of Chris Hamilton. (Courtesy Julian Arizola) Vinny the dog with Chris Hamilton in 2019. (Courtesy Julian Arizola) Chris Hamilton speaks with News 8.

Hamilton said hed left Vinny tied to the U-Haul while he walked to a gas station on 28th Street.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The 57-year-old acknowledged that hes currently homeless but said he and Vinny always find a safe place to sleep. Sometimes, its Hamiltons vehicle. Other times, its a business with a kind owner, the couch of friends and family or a hotel room.

Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker told Target 8 in a previous interview that the case was not complicated.

You dont have a right to just take something because you feel somethings wrong, said Becker. You dont just take matters into your own hands. Thats for this case or any other case. You dont just take things into your own hands and do whatever you want.  Obviously, the jury will have a right to hear the case and make a decision based on the facts and evidence.

Judge Ross set the jury trial for May 15, but shell hear arguments April 1 on the defenses motion to dismiss.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It is clear that Hergenreder was worried about breaking the law and only acted after she felt she had received proper assurances from GRPD that she was NOT breaking the law, wrote Greengard, Hergenreders attorney, in his motion.

Hergenreder called GRPD seeking guidance before she took the dog.

I cant give you advice or anything like that, but, um, just do what you gotta do, the said the police intern who answered the phone.

Hergenreder asked if she could get in trouble for taking the dog.

I mean, if I were to give you any advice or anything like that, um, which I technically cant, the intern reiterated, I would state the neglect the dog was in and that you thought it was abandoned.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Jennifer Kalczuk, public information officer for the Grand Rapids Police Department, defended the interns handling of Hergenreders phone call.

The intern who answered the call was not on scene and had no way to determine the condition of the dog, only what was being relayed to him by the caller, Kalczuk wrote in an email.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 same day Geslain Luma, a 29-year-old Haitian immigrant, learned he was granted temporary protected status to remain in the United States was the same day President Donald Trump announced plans to cut the program short.

Figuring out his future with the end of TPS gives me a headache, Luma said.

For more than 15 years, TPS has allowed thousands of Haitians to work legally in the U.S. and avoid deportation while their homeland grapples with political instability, gang violence and economic hardship.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Since the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in 2021, armed gangs have gained control over much of Port-au-Prince, creating a power vacuum that has made governing a challenge and fueled further violence, homelessness and starvation. More than 5,600 people were killed and 1,400 were kidnapped amid gang conflicts last year, according to the United Nations. The violence has rendered 1 million people homeless in Haiti, forcing many into makeshift shelters and exacerbating the countrys economic challenges.

But with the Trump administrations decision to end TPS by August 2025, an estimated 500,000 Haitian immigrants living in the U.S. face an uncertain future, forced to decide whether to stay and fight for legal status or prepare for a return to a country in crisis.

People walk past a car set on fire by armed gangs in Port-au-Prince, Haiti in 2024.

Neither the White House nor the Department of Homeland Security responded to a request for comment.

In and around New York City, where at least 160,000 Haitian people live, Brooklyns Haitian community has formed deep roots while also sharing fears of deportation. Evangelical Crusade Christian Church in the Flatbush neighborhood has served as a sanctuary for Haitian immigrants for at least five decades, providing a range of services, including food pantries, wellness events and legal assistance.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The community is worried, said the Rev. Samuel Nicolas, the churchs senior pastor. For over 15 years, these individuals have built their lives here, believing TPS would eventually lead to permanent residency. Now, they are watching that hope slip away.

Many fled the country after a devastating earthquake struck Haiti in 2010, killing more than 200,000 people and leaving an estimated 1.3 million people homeless. In the aftermath, people arrived in the U.S. and gained TPS protection, seeking stability that allowed them to rebuild their lives. But the program was never meant to be a permanent solution.

Abigail Desravines, a 35-year-old Haitian immigrant, came to the U.S. following the earthquake.

Desravines said TPS allowed her and her sister to build a life in the U.S., and she eventually earned a green card.

The conditions were getting worse and worse, Desravines recalled. Family members in the U.S. were calling, asking what we were going to do. We told them we wanted to come here for school because I could not stay in Haiti for school. I lost classmates. There was a lot of loss.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Desravines said TPS allowed her and her sister to build a life in the U.S., and she eventually earned a green card. Despite the protection it offered, Desravines said living under TPS still involved hurdles and instability.

People think TPS is a free pass, but its not, Desravines said. You have to keep renewing, pay fees and live with the fear that it could end at any time. Its not an easy path.

On top of paying fees, some colleges require TPS holders to pay tuition out of pocket like international students, she said. Even though we lived in the U.S. for years, some colleges did not allow us in-state tuition.

Downtown Port-au-Prince in 2010 after a powerful earthquake destroyed the Haitian capital.

Desravines parents remained in Haiti while she and her sister lived with extended family and continued their education. While adjusting to life in the U.S., the sisters quietly shouldered the burdens of work, studies and immigration uncertainties, without adding further stress to their parents as they dealt with the earthquakes aftermath.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

My parents had their own struggles, she said. We had the opportunity to come to the U.S., and we did not want our parents to worry. But it affected us emotionally, and it did affect our grades.

The end of the program will create a disruption, as many TPS holders have jobs, attend school and are parts of their communities.

For those now facing the threat of deportation, the prospect of returning to Haiti is daunting. The country remains plagued by instability, and Nicolas said he believes sending people back under these conditions is inhumane.

Haiti is not in a place where people with TPS or those under humanitarian programs can return, he said. Haiti is being overrun by armed groups and the infrastructure is barely functioning.

Figuring out his future with the end of TPS gives me a headache, Luma said.

Luma, the new TPS recipient, said he has also applied for asylum and holds a work permit, which is valid until 2029. However, his legal status is not guaranteed  in 2027, a judge will decide his asylum claim.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

When you appear before a judge, you never know what decision they will make, so TPS would have been an extra layer of security in a difficult situation, he said. Luma said he was concerned for friends and relatives who rely solely on TPS.

A person with only TPS works, buys a car, buys a house, and now all their documents will expire, he said. They have no choice but to self-deport because theres no way to live without legal documents.

Many immigrants send money for food, education and health care to their families in Haiti, Nicolas said. If they are deported, that financial support will disappear, worsening Haitis humanitarian crisis.

Pigeons fly in the air over a Haitian flag and Toussaint Louverture painting in the Little Caribbean neighborhood of Brooklyn borough in 2021.

Nicolas said the deportations will also have a social and economic impact in the States.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Haitians are part of the fabric of New York, he said. They fill our churches, they work in jobs others wont take, they contribute to our economy. If TPS ends, it wont just be a Haitian problem, it will be a New York problem and a national problem.

Immigrant advocacy groups are calling for legislative action to protect TPS holders, pushing for a pathway to residency for those who have lived in the U.S. for years. A group of organizations filed a lawsuit Monday seeking to block the Trump administrations attempt to end TPS for Haitians early. Nicolas said he hopes Congress steps in to provide relief, or that Trump has a change of heart.

My hope is that our president will have a compassionate heart and recognize that Haiti is not a place these people can return to, he said. Where would they go? What infrastructure is in place for them? If we call ourselves a nation built on Christian values, then we must act with compassion.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Commonwealth Catholic Charities, a faith-based nonprofit that works with immigrant and refugee populations in Hampton Roads, Richmond and Roanoke, laid off 26 people and ceased a refugee resettlement program in the wake of sweeping federal cuts and executive orders.

The organization has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on things such as direct support and rental assistance for refugees that will not be reimbursed by the federal government, and must now rely more heavily on donations to assist families who have already relocated to Virginia.

The last month has been pretty nightmarish, said Kristen Larcher, the nonprofits director of the Refugee and Immigration program. We have received several executive orders, notices of suspension or termination of contracts that have pretty much changed our entire operation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The organization has resettled about 1,500 individuals in the Newport News area since 2018.

When refugees flee violence, persecution or war in their home countries to seek safety in the United States, the process can take years. They often wind up in a second country of asylum while they await a lengthy vetting process. The people Catholic Charities helps have been granted visas to travel to the U.S. and promised assistance to find housing and employment.

Until about a month ago, the refugee resettlement program at Catholic Charities worked like this: Before refugees arrived in Virginia, the organization would procure housing and supplies, making sure the fridge was stocked.

Then, staff would pick up refugees from the airport and begin an intensive acclimation process, which lasts 90 days. That meant meetings with a case manager. Health screenings. Pre-employment training and job interviews. Financial literacy training. English and cultural orientation classes. In the background, staff was coordinating transportation, helping people look for jobs and booking interpreters.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

I can imagine its a whirlwind for a new refugee, said Larcher. All these things were trying to do to educate and just prepare them for life here.

That intensive case management, called the reception and placement program, has been totally suspended as a result of federal policy changes.

The first came in January, when President Donald Trump issued an executive order suspending the United States Refugee Admissions Program. That effectively barred new refugees from entering the country, except at the discretion of the Secretary of State and Secretary of Homeland Security, who could agree to admit new people on a case-by-case basis. While the suspension is supposed to be reviewed every 90 days to determine whether it should resume, the practical effects meant Catholic Charities was no longer able to take in new refugees, ending the cyclical nature of the program.

Related Articles

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Then the nonprofit, which is contracted through the U.S. Department of State and Office of Refugee Resettlement, received notice that federal funding for programs for new refugees was paused. That means no federal money was coming in to reimburse ongoing services with the resettled families already living in the state. As of Friday, the organization said it will not receive roughly $750,000 in reimbursement on expenses for direct client support, rental assistance and staffing costs.

Were paying out a lot, Larcher said. Were helping refugees with rent. We are buying them food and clothing, and were not able to get that funding reimbursed.

Catholic news outlets reported the State Department canceled its contract on Feb. 27 with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the national agency for Commonwealth Catholic Charities. That has meant the elimination of the reception and placement program.

Vice President JD Vance has been critical of the Catholic Churchs involvement with immigration advocacy and refugee resettlement efforts, suggesting that bishops cared more about their bottom line than humanitarian efforts. Trump has said the refugee resettlement pause is necessary to ensure refugees are appropriately assimilated and that taxpayer money is not wasted.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Since October, Commonwealth Catholic Charities has taken on 96 cases, a total of 378 people coming from countries such as Afghanistan, Eritrea, Syria and Ukraine. The nonprofit is still assisting 60 families while they look for work.

The federal announcements have meant a lot of scrambling, Larcher said, including emergency fundraising efforts to make sure existing refugees in the program are getting basics met, such as rent and utilities.

So far, the organization has raised $280,000 to pay for rent for all new arrivals through March. They hope to raise an additional $120,000 to cover rent through April and May. About $41,000 of the anticipated funding gap affects refugees in Hampton Roads.

After the initial 90 days, Catholic Charities provides other less intensive support for refugees for up to five years, after which they can apply for citizenship. That aid includes support services such as ESL classes, food pantries and immigration assistance. Under new federal policy, the 90-day case management program is terminated; the other support services are ongoing.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Despite that funding and that program suspension and termination, we cant not continue to take care of refugees that have just come that were assigned to us, Larcher said. These are individuals who are going to be part of our community, and we recognize in solidarity with them that were all part of one human family.

No one the organization currently works with will go homeless or hungry, Larcher said, but its clear the nonprofit cant continue operate as is. In addition to laying off 26 staff members, a move that the organization said was necessary to continue to pay for direct assistance for new arrivals, refugees using the nonprofits services are on a much more condensed timeline to become fully independent. The layoffs accounted for about 15% of the organizations total workforce, and more than half of the refugee resettlement team.

Though a Supreme Court decision last week upheld a requirement to have Trump resume payments for aid work already done, the administration signaled to faith-based charity groups that receive millions of dollars from the government every year that that time is over.

Kate Seltzer, 757-713-7881, kate.seltzer@virginiamedia.com
pearisburg, va.  The Virginia State Police is investigating a fatal single-vehicle crash in Giles County, Va. which involved two Mercer County residents, according to a press release Friday.

The crash occurred around 4:10 p.m. Wednesday on Route 460 in Giles County, according to Matthew Demlein, public relations coordinator for the state police.

A 2024 Kia Sorrento was heading westbound on Route 460, a half-mile east of State Line Road, when the Sorrento went off of the right side of the road, struck an embankment and overturned, Demlein said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The vehicles driver, Sandra K. Preservati, 76, of Princeton died at the scene, Demlein said. She was wearing a seatbelt.

A passenger in the vehicle, Richard C. Preservati, 74, suffered serious injuries. He was wearing a seatbelt.

The crash remained under investigation Friday, Demlein said.
NewsVoir Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 7: Aditya Birla Housing Finance Limited ("ABHFL"), a wholly owned subsidiary of Aditya Birla Capital, India's leading diversified financial services company, has launched 'Khushi', a customised home loan offering for women borrowers to help them on their path to homeownership. For many women, owning a home symbolizes independence and financial security. 'Khushi' makes this aspiration a reality by offering flexible financing solutions tailored to diverse needs, with loan amounts ranging from Rs. 5 lakh to Rs. 1 crore. The initiative integrates ABHFL's existing offerings, such as Pragati Home Loan and Micro LAP, ensuring wider accessibility for women from all walks of life. Some of the key benefits include: - Express Loan Sanction - Customized solutions tailored to individual needs - Unique 'Track My Loan' feature - 100% digital onboarding and doorstep service Speaking on the initiative, Mr. Pankaj Gadgil, MD & CEO, Aditya Birla Housing Finance, said, "We believe true empowerment starts with financial independence. Today, we are proud to introduce 'Khushi' as a symbol of our commitment to this year's International Women's Day theme of Rights, Equality, and Empowerment for women. By removing financial barriers, we are simplifying homeownership and making it more accessible to help our women borrowers take full control of their financial future with confidence." With 'Khushi', ABHFL continues to uphold its brand promise of delivering a 'Happy Home Loan Journey,' placing customer-centricity at its core. More than just a financial product, 'Khushi' is a testament to progress, empowerment, and the indomitable spirit of women striving for independence. For more details, please click on the link- 'Khushi' Customised Home Loans. Aditya Birla Housing Finance Limited ("ABHFL"), a subsidiary of Aditya Birla Capital Limited is a fast-growing housing finance company ("HFC") in India. ABHFL is registered with the National Housing Board (NHB) as a non-deposit accepting housing finance company and commenced operations in October 2014. As of December 31, 2024, ABHFL manages assets under management of over Rs. 26,714 Crore. ABHFL has significantly expanded its footprint to 161 branches as of December 31, 2024. This is reflected in its long-term credit rating of AAA (Stable) by CRISIL, ICRA & India Ratings, and short-term credit rating of A1+ by CRISIL, ICRA & India Ratings. Aditya Birla Capital Limited ("ABCL") is a registered Core Investment Company ("CIC') and the holding company of the financial services businesses. Through its subsidiaries/JVs, ABCL provides a comprehensive suite of financial solutions across Loans, Investments, Insurance, and Payments to serve the diverse needs of customers across their lifecycles. Powered by over 59,000 employees, the businesses of ABCL have a nationwide reach with over 1,482 branches and more than 200,000 agents/channel partners along with several bank partners. As of December 31, 2024, Aditya Birla Capital Limited manages aggregate assets under management of over Rs. 5.03 Lakh Crore with a consolidated lending book of over Rs 1.46 Lakh Crore through its subsidiaries/JVs. Aditya Birla Capital Limited is a part of the US$66 billion global conglomerate Aditya Birla Group, which is in the league of Fortune 500. Anchored by an extraordinary force of over 187,000 employees belonging to 100 nationalities, the Group is built on a strong foundation of stakeholder value creation. With over seven decades of responsible business practices, the Group's businesses have grown into global powerhouses in a wide range of sectors - from metals to cement, fashion to financial services and textiles to trading. Today, over 50% of the Group's revenues flow from overseas operations that span over 40 countries in North and South America, Africa, Asia, and Europe. For more information, visit www.adityabirlacapital.com (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.)
Editors note: This story has been updated to more accurately reflect the 2022 study findings.

Reproductive freedom and gender-affirming care would be enshrined in the states Constitution under a proposed Democrat-backed amendment thats dividing lawmakers along party lines.

Republicans have lodged fierce objections to Senate Joint Resolution 8204, alleging that the suggested amendment would effectively allow abortions up to birth and gender surgeries for kids at any age.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Thats not the case, says the resolutions prime sponsor.

State Sen. Vandana Slatter, a Bellevue Democrat, said SJR 8204 just adds whats already in state law into the Washington Constitution.

I do think its important, as a health-care professional, that it be the right information that people get, Slatter said. And that deeply concerns me, that that is not accurate.

Slatter filed SJR 8204 earlier this week. As of Wednesday, it had attracted co-sponsor support from 27 of her Democratic colleagues.

The proposed amendment says the state cannot interfere with or deny a persons fundamental right to an abortion, to use contraception or assisted-reproductive technology, or to be free from discrimination based on pregnancy outcome.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

It also says the state cant intervene in someones decisions over gender-affirming care.

If passed out of the Senate and House with a supermajority, it would still need to go before voters, whod have the final say.

Senate Minority Leader John Braun told McClatchy Tuesday that his caucus has grave concerns about the joint resolution.

I mean, the current law is access to abortion up until viability, the Centralia Republican said during a March 4 media availability. This basically allows abortion up until the day of birth. Thats something many people feel goes in the wrong direction.

Abortions in Washington can be performed until fetal viability, generally 24-26 weeks into pregnancy. They can also be used to protect the pregnant patients health or life.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Deputy House Minority Leader Chris Corry said abortion has been legal in the state since voters passed it through an initiative decades ago.

I think this is more of a publicity stunt than anything else, the Yakima Republican said of the proposed amendment. But I will say the addition of some of the gender-affirming care for children is rightfully concerning, and obviously I think thats a no-go for most Washingtonians.

Typically transgender youth dont receive gender-affirming surgeries before they turn 18, according to the Human Rights Campaign. At Seattle Childrens Gender Clinic, gender-affirming medical care can be accessed only by youth who have begun puberty and with parental consent, except when the patient is an emancipated minor.

In addition to being a lawmaker, Slatter is a clinical pharmacist. She firmly believes that health-care decisions should be private and that Washingtonians should be free to choose their reproductive and gender-affirming care.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She said the joint resolution is needed given recent actions at the federal level and across red states nationwide.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January aimed at barring federal funding for gender-affirming care for trans youth under 19. Its a move that Washington Attorney General Nick Brown promptly challenged in federal court.

Slatter said that transgender health care in the state is delivered in an age-appropriate, evidence-based way. In one study published in 2022 and conducted at Seattle Childrens Gender Clinic, transgender youth receiving gender-affirming care such as hormones or puberty blockers had lower odds of depression and suicidality.

Decisions surrounding such care are made in consultation with doctors and parents, Slatter said: Just like health care for all other people, were proud of those laws.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She also described Washington as a frontier state where transgender and non-binary folks can live openly.

Im hoping that this resolution shows people that even though we have really strong protections in Washington state, Slatter said, we stand ready to protect those and to support people in their privacy and their freedom.
Milwaukee police were called to Cristo Rey Jesuit High School after tensions rose after a meeting Friday morning in the aftermath of a former security guard accused of filming teenage girls in a locker room being charged.

A regularly scheduled school board meeting was held at 8 a.m. but students and parents say tempers flared after no new information was given to them and that they thought the school's interim principal, Patrick Bader, showed no empathy for students.

The first 20 minutes of the meeting were set aside for parents and students to voice their comments and concerns. After 45 minutes, the school said the dialogue was no longer constructive, and no progress was being made, so the board ended that portion and proceeded to the closed session part of the meeting.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Cristo Rey said to ensure the safety and security for everyone in attendance at Fridays meeting, the Milwaukee Police Department was asked to be onsite starting at 7:30 a.m. MPD confirmed they were called to the school at 8:22 a.m., for reports of individuals refusing to leave.

Everyone eventually left without any incident, police said.

"At Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Milwaukee, our first priorities are always the physical, emotional, and spiritual safety and security of our students," the school said a press release to Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "We remain deeply committed to providing a safe educational environment for our students and to protecting their privacy."

Cristo Rey said school counselors are available for students and they are looking into third-party credible sources to provide additional counseling services for students.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Fernando Bustos, 41, of Greendale, was terminated in early February for performance reasons, according to Cristo Rey. On March 3, Bustos was charged with a felony count of invasion of privacy with a surveillance device regarding an incident where a victim is under 18 years old.

The criminal investigation is currently focused on six students shown on the footage, according to Cristo Rey. Those families have been notified by police.

"Unfortunately, we cannot comment on this matter further because there is an investigation that remains in progress," Cristo Rey said.

Parents said Cristo Rey did not try to answer their questions during the school board meeting

One parent of a student at Cristo Rey, Anakaren Lija, said the school board and Bader didn't try to answer their questions at the meeting.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Lija said the school didn't inform parents about the incident until after the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's article about Bustos was published Monday.

"The girls just started getting really upset with the principal," Lija said. "And they started snapping at him and they were trying to express themselves about what the principal said the first couple of first days, like 'Keep your head down,' 'Don't talk and do your work' or that he was 'praying for Bustos.'"

Parents and students told the Journal Sentinel they were abruptly stopped during the open discussion portion of the meeting. During this incident, Bader was said to have walked away from people as they still spoke, which caused students and parents to become upset.

Cristo Rey said Bader left when the student and parent comment portion of the meeting ended.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Videos of the incident were shared rapidly on social media and to the Journal Sentinel.

"The kids were really upset, the girls were really upset, because they don't feel like they don't care about their feelings, like, OK, they want us to pray for him, but who's going to pray for us? Who's gonna pray for the situation?" Lija said. "They just wanted the girls to forget about it and not talk. They just walked away like cowards. We want the administration fired because they didn't do their job the right way and we don't feel safe, the kids are not safe here with them."

About 60 parents were present during the meeting, according to Lija.

A student walkout began after the meeting. Cristo Rey said based on school policies, students are required to receive permission from their parents to leave the school if they choose to do so before school dismisses so that parents are aware of where their children are.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A communication from Cristo Rey was sent out to all parents letting them know they could pick up their students at a time Friday that would work best for them.

Several parents told the Journal Sentinel that during the week school staff discouraged students from speaking to the media about the situation.

Cristo Rey said this was an unfortunate misunderstanding. The school said they asked students to refrain from making inappropriate or bullying comments on social media to other students.

One student, Mariabela, who declined to provide her last name, said she's frequently in the locker room as she participates in multiple sports, and feels like the school is not showing empathy to the students.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"It hurts just how they broke our trust like that," she said. "And the fact that we wanted to hear from our principal, we wanted him to at least apologize or anything. He couldn't even look at us in our eyes without walking away."

A student at Cristo Rey started an online petition about the incident

A student at Cristo Rey, Lala Flores, started an online petition about the incident and what she says is the school's lack of transparency to the community.

"In the locker rooms of Cristo Rey High School, where I had always believed was a sanctuary for privacy, a severe breach has occurred recently," Flores wrote in the petition. "This intrusion not only shatters the trust the student body had in the school but also raises grave concerns about the inherent security measures."

The petition had 460 signatures as of Friday night.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Finally, the school must be held accountable for this lapse in security, and steps to rebuild trust with the students and parents should be implemented without delay," the petition concluded.

Students and parents are planning to meet with Voces de La Frontera to help the community as the case moves forward, Lija said. The Journal Sentinel reached out to Voces de La Frontera for comment, but did not immediately hear back.

Bustos turned himself in on March 5. He was released on a $750 cash bond, but was not yet formally booked into the Milwaukee County Jail. He is due back in court on March 13.

Contact Adrienne Davis at amdavis@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @AdriReportss.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Outrage over hidden camera at Cristo Rey school in Milwaukee
Editor's Note: This story was compiled from questionnaires submitted to each Claremore City Council candidate.

Claremore voters will choose April 1 who will occupy three contested seats on the Claremore City Council.

Five seats are up for election: one four-year seat in each ward and a two-year seat in Ward II.

The candidates for Claremore City Council are:

Ward I: Melissa Cottom (incumbent) and Kristi Saul.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ward II (2-year): Brian Callender (incumbent) and Michael Barone.

Ward II (4-year): Justin Michael (incumbent).

Ward III: Jonathan Bruckerhoff and Mark Peek.

Ward IV: Lindsey Erwin (incumbent).

Julie Dermody, secretary of the Rogers County Election Board, said Michael and Erwin will not appear on the April 1 ballot. No candidate opposing them means they win re-election by acclamation.

Ward IMelissa Cottom

Cottom has represented Ward I on the council for two years. Cottom said during her term, she has supported city infrastructure projects such as road repairs, improvements to the Claremore Mountain Bike Trail and reconstructing Claremore's water treatment plant.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Cottom said she first decided to run for city council because she wants to make a tangible difference in Claremore, and there's still more work to do.

"I am running for re-election to continue building on the progress already made and to tackle the new challenges that lie ahead, especially in areas like affordable housing, planned growth and local economic development," Cottom said. "I would love to see our kids grow up here and stay here."

City council members work part-time in their elected role; in her day job, Cotton handles fishing equipment at the Zebco warehouse in Claremore. She is a mother of 6 and grandmother of 17, as well as a mentor at RoCo Fit.

Kristi Saul

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Saul, a Ward I resident who has lived in Claremore 15 years, said she is running for council because she loves her city and feels it's her responsibility to serve her community.

"I'm choosing to serve in the role of city council as that is an avenue to support our community in oversight and decision making," Saul said. "I believe it is important for members of the community to be informed and for there to be opportunities for the voices of the community to be heard."

Saul is the co-founder of the Post Institute, which offers materials and services to caregivers of children with early-life trauma. Saul said she is semi-retired from this role, which she said has brought her great joy.

Saul said she is a fair-minded, practical person. She said she will make decisions based on her faith and what residents of Ward I want.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ward II (two-year term)Brian Callender

Callender has served on Claremore City Council since 2013  he said he's seen the good, bad and ugly during his tenure. He said he first decided to run for office because he was tired of complaining about how the city was operating.

"Just like I told my children, 'You can't complain unless you are willing to do something about it,'" Callender said.

He said one of his greatest accomplishments on the council is hiring City Manager John Feary, who he said has brought a whole new outlook to Claremore. He said Feary has served as a wonderful steward of Claremore residents' tax dollars, and he is seeking re-election so he can continue to work with Feary to improve residents' lives.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Callender said he and his wife, Bridget, have lived in Claremore for 30 years and raised their two daughters here. The Callenders ran Heat Wave Tanning in Claremore for 20 years before closing it in 2022.

Michael Barone

Barone lives in Ward II and works in the Tulsa warehouse of LDF, a beverage distributor. Barone  originally from Lancaster, California  said he moved to Claremore from Las Vegas two years ago.

"I decided to run to give some fresh ideas and from a working-class individual that hasn't grown up in Claremore," Barone said.

Council seats are officially nonpartisan; Barone said he is a Republican who has been involved with grassroots Republican politics since he moved to Oklahoma. He said he supported President Donald Trump before his 2016 presidential bid.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He said he's also been in Toastmasters, an international organization with local clubs that foster public speaking skills.

Ward IIIJonathan Bruckerhoff

Bruckerhoff works as a quality assurance inspector at MST Manufacturing in Claremore. He said his 25 years in the workforce have equipped him with strong communication skills and qualified him to coordinate projects and use resources efficiently.

Bruckerhoff said he was born in Claremore and has lived here most of his life.

"I love my hometown and hope to take part in the serious decisions affecting it," Bruckerhoff said.

He said if elected, he wants to help small businesses continue to flourish in Claremore, foster a family-friendly environment and help the city progress into the future without losing sight of its heritage.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Mark Peek

Peek is a retired electrical engineer who moved to Claremore three years ago. Peek said he decided to run for council because he wants to be more engaged in the community and champion transparency in government.

"I have done a fair amount of charitable work in my past and felt that helping a wider base via local government would be a good idea," Peek said. "I do see an opportunity for the citizens of Claremore to become more aware of what government is doing, what has been accomplished and what the future plans are."

He said he is conservative and possesses a strong work ethic.

In his spare time, Peek said his favorite hobby is riding his motorcycle. He said he's ridden in every state but Hawaii.
A pro-Palestine protester has scaled the Elizabeth Tower at the Palace of Westminster.

Emergency services were called to the Houses of Parliament at around 7.24am on Saturday to reports a man had scaled the Elizabeth Tower, which houses Big Ben.

Footage circulating on social media shows a barefoot man standing on a ledge several metres up holding a Palestine flag.

Bridge Street, which is at the north end of Westminster Bridge, is closed to allow the emergency services to deal with the incident, police confirmed.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A tower ladder has been deployed to remove the man from the tower while other clips online show him holding a mobile phone.

The man had scaled the building in his bare feet, which were visibly bleeding - James Manning

A Met Police spokesman said: At 7.24am on Saturday March 8 officers were alerted to a man climbing up the Elizabeth Tower at the Houses of Parliament.

Officers are at the scene working to bring the incident to a safe conclusion. They are being assisted by the London Fire Brigade and the London Ambulance Service.

A spokesman for London Fire Brigade (LFB) said: Firefighters are responding alongside the Metropolitan Police Service to reports of a person scaling the Palace of Westminster.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Crews from Lambeth, Chelsea, Soho and Islington fire stations have been deployed, LFB added.

Emergency services were called to the scene to rescue the man - James Manning

Tours at the parliamentary estate have now been cancelled.

A Parliamentary spokesman said: We are aware of an incident on the Parliamentary Estate this morning, which is being handled by the Metropolitan Police, assisted by the London Fire Brigade and the London Ambulance Service.

Parliament takes security extremely seriously, however we do not comment on the specifics of our security measures or mitigations.

As a result of this incident, tours of the Parliamentary Estate today have unfortunately had to be cancelled.

Police block marches

Police have blocked an upcoming pro-Palestine march from gathering near a synagogue in central London.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Protesters targeting the BBC were planning to gather outside Broadcasting House in Portland Place on Saturday.

Police said they have now imposed conditions under the Public Order Act to prevent the rally from gathering in the area as it risked causing serious disruption to a nearby synagogue on a Saturday, the Jewish holy day, as congregants attend Shabbat services.

The Met said it recognised the important rights of people to protest and we have no wish to limit those, unless to prevent serious disruption.

It added: Accordingly, we have identified an area reasonably close to Portland Place where the assembly can take place.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The protest, which has been organised by Palestine Pulse, IJAN, XR for Palestine and others, has been advertised with a 1pm start time.

It comes after 12 people were charged in January after pro-Palestinian protesters allegedly breached conditions as they marched from a rally in Whitehall to Trafalgar Square.

The Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) demonstration, which went ahead on Jan 18, was adjusted to be a static rally after police curtailed organisers plans for a march past the BBC and near a synagogue.

Thousands of demonstrators, including Jeremy Corbyn, the former Labour leader, and John McDonnell, the partys former shadow chancellor, marched towards Trafalgar Square from Whitehall after speeches were made at the rally.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Met later announced that 77 people had been arrested.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
A Waterford woman on the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women has been working to help improve the mental health of Ukrainians affected by the three-year-long war that started with Russia's invasion of the country in 2022.

Nancy Butler, a longtime local financial adviser, author and motivational speaker, said she got the idea to bring together women's groups from throughout Ukraine to discuss mental health issues when she heard during a commission meeting about the extraordinary toll the war was taking on the country's female population.

She said the idea was immediately embraced by Ukrainian women's groups, and just last month dozens of them gathered on Zoom to talk about programs that have helped women who feel isolated, threatened and under a tremendous amount of pressure as much of the male population has been forced to fight a war to save their democracy.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The biggest problem of mental health of women in Ukraine, in my opinion, is burnout," said Natalia Gnatyuk, who heads the Sustainable Development Fund for the Ukrainian Sustainable Development Academy, U-SDA, in a western region of the country called Khmelnytskyi, in an email response to questions. "Three years of full-scale Russian invasion devastated Ukrainian settlements, especially small towns and villages. The entire burden of supporting the front, supporting the family, the elderly and people with disabilities fell on women."

In an earlier Zoom interview Feb. 25 from her home in Ukraine, Gnatyuk said the sessions Butler helped set up Jan. 6 were very powerful, and she has been busy forming new partnerships as a result, especially around sustainable development and recovery.

"It was our first time when we have such international cooperation," she said via Zoom. "It's nice to create new partnerships."

Gnatyuk equated the mental health service delivery system in Ukraine today with the idea that "whoever took the first coat is the doctor."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But she said the recent Zoom conference, which brought together many different regions of Ukraine, pointed to the need to form a new social ecosystem based on partnerships within certain geographic areas, rather than the traditional institutional approach that tends to erect walls based on different mental health categories.

"In Ukraine today there are many organizations that provide assistance by dividing people into categories and this, in my opinion, is the wrong path, since by communicating with people with similar traumas, we have no chance to get out of this circle of problems," Gnatyuk said. "In this case, multifunctional teams are more flexible and sustainable. They help a person gradually find their unique place, restore, helping others."

Gnatyuk said women's mental health issues in wartime can be affected by the loss of loved ones, of course, but there are also myriad other issues, including everyday problems with apartment repairs, medical care, and the stigma of mental disorders. Some women fear giving birth to children in the middle of a war, and for female students the isolation of distance learning and lack of socialization can negatively affect mental health.

"Emotional stress plus physical exhaustion lead to disruptions in the nervous system," Gnatyuk said. To combat this, she added, "The most effective are emotional reset programs, collective cultural and educational activities. Constructive and productive communication in support groups. Formation of local multifunctional teams capable of organizing social support for ALL who need it."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Women's groups in Ukraine, she added, are currently trying to collect success stories to focus on how people can change their lives in a positive direction. One methodology, she said, focuses on helping women transition from the "survival" paradigm to a "creation" paradigm as a way to take control of their lives.

Gnatyuk said her country is aware of the current political situation that indicates the United States is withdrawing support for her country, but believes it was predictable even if it's a wrong turn for both Ukraine and the United States.

"We in Ukraine are now forming an image of the future world order," she said. "We are convinced that within the American people there are many capable cells that will not wait for political decisions, but will make their own correct decisions in the direction of partnership and interaction at the basic level."

She said ordinary Americans are now helping the most to bolster Ukraine's spirit. Nancy Butler, who has been a leader among women locally with such groups as Safe Futures and the Women's Network of Eastern Connecticut, said she was glad to be able to put a spotlight on the women of Ukraine as the war drags on.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Right now, when heads of state cannot agree and provide peace and security to humanity, the role of personal connections becomes especially relevant," Gnatyuk said. "The formation of communication at the level of 'person-person,' 'group-group,' the implementation of micro-projects, daily activities, even if small, are the key to our common stability. And the more of them there are, the better.

l.howard@theday.com
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?
Mar. 8SPIRIT LAKE RESERVATION  On March 8, 2024, Isaac James Hunt left his father's St. Michael, North Dakota, residence and vanished without a trace. A year later, his family is still wondering what's being done to find out what happened.

Hunt's cousin, Cherise Robertson, told the Grand Forks Herald it's been a difficult year, as family and friends are largely in the dark about the investigation.

"We keep in contact with the FBI agent who works with us (on the reservation), and it's just nothing new," she said. "Nobody's been brought in, nobody's been questioned yet."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Though Robertson understands that law enforcement has to keep much of that information concealed to protect the investigation, she believes her family would have heard if suspects were taken into custody.

"This is a small reservation," she said. "We just hear about everything that happens here. People like to gossip."

Gossip has been the main reason why, for almost a year after her cousin's disappearance, his family has remained mostly quiet. Hunt, 28, disappeared just two months after

Jemini Posey vanished

from the same reservation. The two have a connection  Hunt's brother, D'Angelo Hunt, is the father of Posey's young daughter.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A vigil marking the one-year anniversary of Isaac Hunt's disappearance is scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday, March 8, at the Fort Totten Wellness Center. While planning this event, Robertson was appreciative that the community has been supportive.

"We did receive a lot of offerings for help and all that, so that was nice to see, because we weren't shown much compassion all throughout the last year," Robertson said. "(The rumors and harassment were) just a lot to deal with. You know, we're going through the same situation, too. We just didn't understand why it had to be that way. Both of their lives matter."

In light of a

Tuesday, March 4, shooting in St. Michael

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

that left two dead and one in critical condition, "our reservation is in need of a lot of healing right now," she said.

Robertson's family is working to heal from another unexpected loss, as within months of Hunt's disappearance, his mother, Melissa "Missy" Desjarlais, died from the cancer she fought for 12 years.

Desjarlais spent her last days questioning what happened to her firstborn son. The family prays she got closure, reuniting with him in her death,

according to her obituary.

"My aunt's not here anymore to speak up for him, or be his voice," Robertson said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

So Robertson speaks up for him now.

"Despite the situation, we hope that he's remembered as the outgoing person he was  especially with his family," she said. "He loved his family. He loved his kids."

She said Hunt was just starting to better himself, largely for the benefit of his four children, and had been working at the casino prior to his disappearance. Robertson doesn't believe he could have left by choice, but admits he had problems with being too trusting of others.

Hunt is 5-foot-9 and Indigenous, with brown eyes and black hair. When he was last seen, he weighed 180 pounds, according to

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

the state missing persons database.

The

Spirit Lake Missing Persons

Facebook page says Hunt has a scar above his lip and tattoos on his neck and arm. He has an ace of spades and Superman tattoos on his neck, and the names "Angelita" and "Adam" tattooed on his arm. When he disappeared, he was wearing dark blue jeans, white Nike shoes, a gray Reebok pullover hoodie, a black jacket, a white Adidas hat and diamond earrings.

Updates regarding searches for Hunt, which are expected to resume with warmer weather, will be posted on the missing persons Facebook page.
PNN New Delhi [India], March 8: On International Women's Day 2025, we celebrate the incredible women who are redefining what it means to succeed. These leaders are challenging conventional norms, breaking down barriers, and paving the way for future generations to follow. From trailblazing entrepreneurs to social activists and visionaries in every field, these women are not only achieving greatness but also transforming the very definition of success. Their stories inspire and empower others to embrace leadership, resilience, and innovation, creating a world where women's contributions are recognized, valued, and celebrated. 1. Aruna Dey : Co-Founder and CLO of Assessli Aruna Dey is a dynamic leader and the Co-Founder and CLO of Assessli, the pioneering Behavioural Tech company redefining artificial intelligence with real-time personalization. With expertise in AI, genomics, and personalized learning models, Aruna has made significant strides in integrating human meta-data, including genomic, neuropsychological, and behavioral data, into Assessli's AI driven solutions. Her innovative vision focuses on capturing real-time behavioral data across domains such as education, medicine, human resources, and finance, providing hyper-personalized solutions as unique as human DNA. Aruna's leadership at Assessli highlights her commitment to leveraging technology to understand human complexity, breaking new ground in adaptive AI and personalized intelligence. Her work exemplifies the spirit of International Women's Day, showcasing the powerful impact of women in technology and leadership roles. 2. Diksha Deo : Promoter & Chief of Artificial Intelligence at DIKSHA ONE app Diksha Deo, Promoter & Chief of Artificial Intelligence at DIKSHA ONE app, is revolutionizing facility management with cutting-edge AI-driven solutions. With over 20 years of experience in Software Architecture, she has emerged as a visionary leader, redefining how businesses manage people, processes, and properties through technology. Under her leadership, the DIKSHA ONE app has become the industry-leading AI-powered facility and infrastructure management solution, trusted by top organizations across multiple sectors, including Manufacturing, IT, Healthcare, Hospitality, and Real Estate. The app automates and optimizes large-scale operations while prioritizing security, compliance, and data privacy, being ISO 27001-certified, GDPR-compliant, and DPDP-compliant. It helps organizations streamline EHS (Environment, Health, and Safety) compliance, achieve ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) goals, and generate BRSR (Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting) reports with ease. Diksha Deo's user-centric approach ensures that ground staff can leverage AI for intelligent decision-making, driving both sustainability and innovation in the facility management industry globally. 3. Rishina Bansal & Navin Desai : Founders & Directors Of Archish Fertility & IVF Archish Fertility, founded by Rishina and Navin, is one of India's only embryologist-run fertility chains, offering hope and support to couples on their parenthood journey. With over 15 years of experience, Archish operates five state-of-the-art centers across Bangalore, providing advanced fertility treatments such as IVF, ICSI, egg freezing, and holistic male fertility solutions through their innovative Andro 360 program. The clinic combines cutting-edge technology with a compassionate, patient-centered approach, ensuring personalized care for each individual or couple. Archish's commitment to transparency, ethical practices, and holistic care fosters trust and empowers patients throughout their fertility journey. By integrating the latest medical advancements with empathy, Archish Fertility has become a trusted name in helping families grow, delivering the highest standard of care and optimal outcomes. Their unwavering dedication to supporting patients through every step of the process sets them apart as a leader in the fertility healthcare space. 4. Smrati Bisen : Merchant Navy officer at Chevron and Commercial manager at Maersk Tankers Smrati Bisen is a distinguished Merchant Navy officer with over 15 years of experience in the maritime industry. An alumna of BITS Pilani, she hails from the picturesque town of Balaghat in Madhya Pradesh. Growing up surrounded by nature has deeply inspired her commitment to sustainability. Her professional journey commenced at Chevron, where she navigated the complexities of LNG vessels and obtained her Captain Certificate of Competency. During her time at Chevron, Smrati's dedication to safety and operational excellence earned her multiple safety awards, underscoring her unwavering commitment to high safety standards. After her successful stint in LNG operations, Smrati transitioned to commercial management at Maersk Tankers, where her exceptional contributions were recognized through an appreciation award. Her diverse experience has equipped her with a robust understanding of maritime operations, commercial dynamics, and safety protocols, establishing her as a versatile asset in the maritime sector. Driven by a passion for sustainability, efficiency, and promoting safety within the industry, Smrati continues to leverage her skills and expertise to make meaningful contributions to the maritime field. She is dedicated to advancing best practices and fostering a culture of environmental responsibility within the sector, aiming to inspire the next generation of maritime professionals. 5. Dr. Rati Chadha Kakade, founder of Dent Heal Dr. Rati Chadha Kakade, with over 14 years of invaluable experience as a Prosthodontist, is a well-known and respected figure in dentistry. She is the founder of Dent Heal, which has its centres for advanced dentistry nestled in prominent areas of Mumbai in Bandra, Juhu, and Prabhadevi; where she and her team have been providing top-notch dental care for over a decade. Leveraging advanced technology and techinques, they provide optimal outcomes and utmost patient comfort. With a meticulous approach and a keen eye for perfection she is renowned for her expertise in cosmetic and implants dentistry, she has been trusted by film stars, models to take care of their smiles. Each patient receives personalized attention, with Dr. Rati's unwavering dedication ensuring that their dental health journey is nothing short of exemplary. In the hands of Dr. Rati Chadha Kakade, dentistry becomes an art form, where every smile crafted reflects her commitment to excellence and patient well-being. Her vision is to make advanced dentistry affordable and accessible to as many people as possible. 6. Sneha Jain : Director and Co-Founder of Bay leaf Salons Sneha Jain is a dynamic entrepreneur and former banker with 12 years of experience in the financial sector, including a notable stint at Deutsche Bank. In 2016, seeking a career path that would allow her to balance motherhood and professional aspirations, Sneha ventured into entrepreneurship. Partnering with Gouri Nagpal, she co-founded Bay Leaf Salons, a chain of beauty and wellness salons in Mumbai. With a passion for business and a commitment to excellence, Sneha and Gouri built Bay Leaf from the ground up, transforming it into a thriving brand. Today, Bay Leaf Salons operates 10 outlets across Mumbai, known for its top-notch services, innovation, and customer satisfaction. Under their leadership, the brand has become a hallmark of quality and trust in the beauty industry. Sneha's entrepreneurial journey is a powerful testament to resilience and determination, proving that with the right vision, women can truly have it all--balancing both professional success and personal life. 7. Swati Saksena Jha : Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer of SSA Compliance Services LLP Swati Saksena Jha, a leader in regulatory compliance and strategic business management. With an Executive degree in Management from IIM Lucknow, she combines legal expertise with business acumen to effectively address complex challenges. Known for her strategic planning and relationship-building skills, Swati has made significant contributions to labour law and compliance. A Certified POSH Trainer and Investigator, she is dedicated to creating safe workplaces for women, having trained over 12,000 employees through awareness sessions and workshops. Her work in drafting Anti-Sexual Harassment policies and conducting investigations highlights her commitment to gender equality in the workplace. Swati has also pioneered an AI framework to streamline labor law and compliance processes, making traditional tasks more efficient. In addition to her professional work, she serves on the advisory board of No Hungry Child, an NGO in Bengaluru, and is a board member at Lizmotor Mobility, supporting child hunger relief and mobility solutions. (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)
Mar. 8President Donald Trump once again delayed imposing tariffs on Canada and Mexico on Thursday, but local businesses are still worried about the consequences if the taxes take effect in the coming weeks.

Sam Lee owns Chop Chop, located at 910 W. Lodi Ave., and the aluminum containers he uses to hold takeout orders are imported from China.

Lee said a case of 1,000 containers costs about $150. Trump's proposed tariffs could add another 10% to the cost over the next few weeks, and another 10% after April 2.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"Last year, everything went up in price," he said. "But then Trump won (the election), and said 'I'll do better. Everything's going to go back to normal.' I said I'll keep the same prices, let's see how it goes. And now? This tariff stuff ... I don't know."

Lee said he prefers to use aluminum containers because they keep your food warm for as long as two hours, and the sauces he uses in his dishes will not ruin the material like it does to paper or cardboard takeout boxes that other businesses use.

He added that he orders his containers from China because there are very few domestic distributors, and those that do produce the the units are more expensive.

Despite the potential for his costs to increase, Lee said he thought Trump did the right thing.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"It's not fair," Lee said. "A lot of countries tax a lot of money. Some are as high as 100% or 200%."

Trump announced on the day of his inauguration that he intended to impose tariffs on Canada Mexico and China on Feb. 4.

He delayed the levies against the former two nations for a month on Feb. 3 after the countries pledged sending troops to their respective borders with the U.S. to help curb illegal immigration and the flow of drugs across the border.

However, the 10% tariff against China went into effect as scheduled.

Last Thursday, Trump said the levies would go into effect on March 4, and they did, as all three nations had 25% tariffs enacted against them.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But on March 6, Trump again delayed the tariffs against Canada and Mexico, stating they would go into effect April 2.

Throughout his 2024 campaign, Trump ran on the pledge that he would impose tariffs, telling his supporters that foreign nations pay the fees for goods coming into the country.

Tariffs are typically charged as a percentage of the price a buyer pays a foreign seller, and are collected by Customs and Border Protection agents at 328 ports of entry across the country, according to pbs.com.

"It is importers  American companies  that pay tariffs, and the money goes to the U.S. Treasury," the outlet reported. "Those companies typically pass their higher costs on to their customers in the form of higher prices. That's why economists say consumers usually end up footing the bill for tariffs."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, the government collected around $80 billion in tariffs and fees, compared to the $2.5 trillion that comes from individual income taxes and the $1.7 trillion from Social Security and Medicare taxes, PBS reported.

Trump's tariffs are also worrying those who export their products, like many of Lodi's winemakers.

In response to the president's tariff's Canada announced it would be removing all American-made alcoholic beverages from store shelves, denying revenue streams to winemakers, breweries and distilleries.

According to Trading Economics, the United States exported more than $300 million worth of spirits to Canada last year, as well as $422 million worth of wine and $41 million in beer.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"The tariff issue is complicated and nuanced," Lodi Winegrape Commission Executive Director Stuart Spencer said. "Canada is our number one export market, and removing California wines from the shelves is a real problem. We have several wineries that do a lot of business in Canada and this a big concern."

And it isn't only the alcohol vintners produce that will be impacted, Spencer said, adding that historically, the majority of winery packaging supplies are imported from Europe, Mexico, and China.

The potential tariffs on those products will increase costs for most vintners, he said, and depending on the product, it is not always easily sourced domestically.

"Our farmers are feeling the ground shifting beneath their feet," Rep. Josh Harder, D-Tracy, said. "I'm deeply concerned about how this escalating trade war will increase costs and cut off market access for our local growers. Our economy depends on exporting our world class crops  we need a return to stability, not another fight that we cannot afford."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

San Joaquin County Supervisor Steve Ding said he sees the tariffs on Mexico and Canada as an opportunity for California growers.

He noted that when he worked for Rep. Richard Pombo decades ago, the Congressman was opposed to international trade deals such as NAFTA and believed that such deals decimated local asparagus and tomato growers.

Ding says if the tariffs go through, Americans will have to source locally, which will lead to fresher, higher-quality food on the shelves that will be healthier for residents and boost the local economy.

The changes can be scary, he said, but there are also opportunities.

"It can give you a little bit of heartburn," Ding said of the proposed changes. "People don't like change."
By Anna Mehler Paperny

SASKATOON (Reuters) - Like a growing number of formerly incarcerated Indigenous people, Marvin Starblanket's life is still governed by Correctional Service Canada rules.

They determine where he sleeps (a halfway house instead of at home with his partner and children), when he clocks in for the night (10 p.m.), whether he drinks alcohol (he is prohibited), and the job he pursues.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The rules did not stop Starblanket, who is 42, from getting a pair of gray-scale tattoos on the backs of his hands: Good on the right, in curly script set against bars of heavenly light; and "Evil," against a smokily stylized skull, on the left.

"Who wins?" he muses. "Depends which one you feed."

Starblanket, a member of the Mistawasis First Nation, has led a life shaped by crime and substance use. He's nearing the halfway point of a five-year supervisory order imposed after his most recent prison stint - just under six years for the hold-up of a convenience store with a Taser.

When Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took office a decade ago, he pledged "a total renewal of the relationship between Canada and Indigenous peoples." His Liberal Party committed to implementing recommendations from a government commission, which included eliminating within 10 years the over-representation of Indigenous people in custody.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

With Trudeau due to step down as Liberal leader on Sunday, that overrepresentation has worsened. Indigenous people, who comprise 5% of Canada's population, account for about one-third of federal inmates - compared to just over one-fifth in 2015.

High rates of Indigenous imprisonment are a problem in several Western nations. In the United States, Indigenous people are incarcerated at double the rate of Americans overall, according to the Prison Policy Initiative, a non-profit think tank. In Australia, incarceration rates are 15 times higher for aboriginal peoples.

In Canada, the problem has defied attempts by the Liberal government to address it.

For this story, Reuters spoke to 50 people involved in Canada's criminal justice system - lawyers, advocates, prison staff and former prisoners. They pointed to the imposition of post-release conditions on Indigenous people, a higher rate of parole denials and the use of mandatory minimum sentences, as playing an important part in their rising rates of incarceration.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The sharply higher supervision orders that Reuters is reporting for the first time were four times the rate of increase for white people.

Previously unreported Correctional Service data, obtained by Reuters through a freedom-of-information request, showed the number of Indigenous people in Canada subject to these strict conditions once they have completed prison sentences rose 53% during the decade ending in 2023-2024.

Trudeau's office and Canada's justice ministry did not respond to requests for comment. In 2022, Trudeaus government repealed mandatory minimum sentences for some drug and weapons offenses, though they remain for other crimes.

Long-term supervision orders in Canada are meant to address rare cases of people who pose a risk to the public. Similar measures are used in the United States and United Kingdom, where they are generally used for sex offenders.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Some experts and former prisoners, including Starblanket, recognize there are benefits to such oversight.

"The longer periods of supervision bring with them more resources such as drug treatment and psychological counselling, said Shabehram Lohrasbe, a doctor who assesses people in the criminal justice system, including those being considered for dangerous or long-term offender designations. But if they breach any of their conditions, or are seen as a risk, "he's back in the can," Lohrasbe said.

'SYSTEMIC RACISM'

Lawyers and advocates told Reuters that Indigenous people may be seen as riskier because of higher rates of poverty, instability and untreated mental illness and disabilities; they may also be more prone, because of these factors, to build up lengthy rap sheets of less-serious violent offenses.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Indigenous people account for over a third of Canadian prisoners under such supervision orders, 328 out of 959 people, the data showed - slightly above their share of the prison population.

Once released under supervision orders, Indigenous people may struggle to stick to conditions because of socioeconomic gaps, such as high rates of unemployment in their communities, homelessness, substance use and past trauma, according to Leonard Marchand, Chief Justice of British Columbia and a member of the Okanagan Indian Band.

The Correctional Service data showed Indigenous people are overrepresented among those breaching the conditions of long-term supervision orders, putting them at greater risk of returning to jail. The bar for reincarceration is low: a former offender under a supervision order may be sent back to prison for 90 days if their parole officer believes they pose an "unmanageable risk" to the community.

It kind of sets up an opportunity where you served your time but you're still not free, said lawyer Rob Dhanu, who has dealt with many such cases.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Advocates say better risk assessments that consider social circumstances could help steer Indigenous people away from supervision, and easier access to psychological treatment and Indigenous cultural programs might keep them from falling back into crime or substance use.

We need to look at what works and what doesn't work, said Jonathan Rudin, program director of Aboriginal Legal Services, a service provider. And jail, generally, has not worked for Indigenous people.

Indigenous people are more likely to be incarcerated at every stage of their encounter with the criminal justice system, the data show. Before trial, they are more likely to be denied bail; and on conviction, they are more likely to be held in maximum security units - where there is limited access to rehabilitative programs that are often a prerequisite to gaining parole.

Indigenous people are more likely than white people to be denied full parole - even when their parole officer recommends it, according to Parole Board of Canada data obtained through a freedom-of-information request and analyzed by Reuters with the help of University of Toronto criminologist Anthony Doob.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Crown-Indigenous Affairs Minister Gary Anandasangaree acknowledged Canada has an Indigenous incarceration problem.

"There's more than sufficient evidence to suggest that there is systemic racism within the correctional institutions, as well as the criminal justice system, that have often led to over-incarceration of Indigenous people," he told Reuters. He cited the governments work to eliminate some mandatory minimum sentences and said the justice system needed to give more weight to Indigenous offenders health needs and social history.

The opposition Conservative party, in a tightening race with Liberals ahead of a federal election this year, has adopted a hard line on crime. It has pledged to keep "violent criminals where they belong - behind bars," Larry Brock, Shadow Minister for Justice and Attorney General, said in a statement to Reuters.

Brock did not comment on the overrepresentation of Indigenous people in prison. But he noted that Indigenous people themselves are often the victims of crime.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

HISTORY OF TRAUMA

More than 30 lawyers, advocates and judges said that poverty and inter-generational trauma - when damaging events visited on one person transfer to their descendants and then snowball - stack the deck against Indigenous people.

Starblanket was five when his father died by suicide in police custody. Around the same time, according to court documents, Starblanket was abused by a male relative.

He was seven when he and his four siblings were taken into foster care after his mother, who was doing sex work at the time, was jailed for the manslaughter of a violent client, according to court transcripts. She was eventually pardoned.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Starblanket shuttled between his mother's place and 15 foster homes in the Saskatoon and Regina areas, according to testimony in the court record.

Starblanket's mother Beverley Johnston said she apologized to her children for what they went through.

"I felt bad for them that they ended up in foster," she told Reuters.

A Statistics Canada study published last month found higher rates of physical and mental illness, economic hardship and homelessness among Indigenous people who spent time in government care as children. Indigenous children comprise more than half of all children in foster care in Canada.

At 16, Starblanket was criminally charged for the first time with robbery and assault after following his victim off a bus and heading-butting him twice, according to court documents. "I committed a senseless crime," he says.

He was sentenced in 1999 to 13 months in custody.

Four days before Starblanket was sentenced, Canada's Supreme Court issued a decision declaring the mass incarceration of Indigenous people "a crisis." It urged the judicial system to take Indigenous people's circumstances into account, including substance use or family breakdown.

Starblanket's sentence was the first of 23 violent convictions, mostly for robberies and assault, many when he was drunk or using meth or cocaine, according to court records. He was convicted of punching his mother; biting and attempting to strangle a former partner; cutting a woman's chin with a broken beer bottle; punching a hotel clerk; robbing two teens of $16.50.

In 2014, he and a woman were convicted of robbing a convenience store and threatening the clerk with a Taser, according to court records.

Three years later, Starblanket, then in prison, was designated a dangerous offender - someone who could be imprisoned indefinitely. The ruling cited a pattern of violent behavior and "a likelihood of causing injury or inflicting severe psychological damage on other persons."

Marchand, the Chief Justice of British Columbia, said the standardized risk assessments used in dangerous offender decisions factor in prior convictions and substance use, but do not account for the circumstances of Indigenous people. He did not comment on Starblanket's case.

RELEASE

Starblanket's lawyer, Mike Nolin, appealed the dangerous offender designation and in 2019 the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal ruled the sentencing judge did not adequately consider the possibility of treating Starblanket for substance use and antisocial personality disorder. The dangerous offender designation was overturned.

Starblanket was released from prison in 2022 - but placed under a five-year supervision order.

After his release, Starblanket moved in with his partner under orders not to drink or do drugs, to attend treatment, and not to travel. The couple's child, Anastasia, turns two on April 1.

Fourteen months into his long-term supervision order came what Starblanket calls the slip: He did meth.

He told his parole officer, knowing he would fail a drug test. His parole officer ordered him to move to the halfway house - a facility providing housing, meals and some services for people on day parole or supervision orders. Starblanket is required to check in three times a day.

For Starblanket, the restrictions grate - especially not being able to live at home with his family. But he also says he sees the support they can provide. He worries about how he will adjust when his long-term supervision order is up in November 2027. Above all, he wants to rebuild his life and avoid a return to prison.

"I don't want to be asking for permission forever," Starblanket said. "And I won't be."

Once free, he wants to go to university to study psychology, he said. He says he wants to be a voice for other Indigenous people caught up in the justice system. Maybe run a halfway house himself someday.

(Reporting by Anna Mehler Paperny; Editing by Caroline Stauffer and Suzanne Goldenberg)
The sentencing hearing for a Wichita man convicted of murdering the stepdaughter he later made his common-law wife was cut short on Friday after he claimed his lawyers failed to present important evidence at his trials.

Larry Ingram, 44, also had been convicted of raping his other former stepdaughters.

He told the judge that he gave vital information to his attorneys before he was tried by jurors, but for some reason they chose not to use it. Ingram had multiple lawyers before his rape trial in December and his murder trial in January. He alleged Friday in court that their omissions led to ineffective legal representation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The comments came during part of the sentencing hearing where defendants often apologize to victims, plead for leniency and make other statements that may influence a judges decision about what punishment to hand down. Ingram has maintained his innocence throughout, saying in court Friday: I am being convicted of a crime I did not commit.

Sedgwick County District Judge Tyler Roush promptly ended the sentencing hearing and told Ingram that he would appoint a new lawyer to represent him and investigate the ineffective assistance of counsel claims. At some point in the future, a hearing will be scheduled where his previous lawyers will be called to testify and the alleged deficiencies argued.

Larry Ingram Jr., at the time of his December 2023 arrest

But Roush said he would need to find an attorney who had time to sift through a substantial amount of information, including trial transcripts, in the two sizable cases.

Often defendants make claims that their lawyers failed to effectively represent them as part of their appeals, after convictions and sentencings happen. Roush said in court that handling Ingrams claims before his sentences were imposed would shorten the time his cases spent in appeals.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Jurors convicted Ingram in January of second-degree reckless murder and violating a protective order in the Dec. 21, 2023, shooting death of his stepdaughter and common-law wife, 23-year-old Deniq Jasmine Ingram, at their northeast Wichita apartment after she got up in the middle of the night to pump breast milk for their newborn son. Ingram told police the shooting was a terrible mistake, that he reached for a Glock 10mm handgun and fired into the dark after he heard a noise and Deniq didnt answer when he called out for her. She died from a single gunshot wound to her left breast.

Deniq Ingrams family has claimed that Ingram killed her on purpose to prevent her from testifying at a sex abuse trial where he was ultimately convicted of 17 crimes, including raping and molesting her sisters for years while they were children and he was married to their mother. The sexual abuse resulted in at least three pregnancies that the girls were forced by Ingram to abort, the abused sisters have testified in court.

Ingram is facing multiple life sentences in the rape case plus additional time and as many as 42 years in the murder case. Before Ingrams sentencing hearing was ended early Friday, prosecutors asked the judge to run all of the sentences back to back while Ingrams lawyers argued for simultaneous prison terms.

Contributing: Michael Stavola of The Eagle

Deniq Ingram was killed on Dec. 21, 2023, at her north Wichita apartment. In this photo, she is posing after getting dressed up for prom in 2018. Her stepfather who became her common-law husband was convicted of murder.

Wichitan fatally shot stepdaughter he considered his wife. Jurors agree it was murder

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Wichitan accused of murdering stepdaughter-turned-wife is guilty of sisters rapes

Abuse charges and a fatal shooting: Stepfather-now-husband accused in Wichita womans death

Best in class, best in sports: Family remembers young woman killed in north Wichita
Betsy Arakawa appeared to go about her normal routine in early February.

She ran errands around Santa Fe while wearing a face mask. She visited a Sprouts grocery store, CVS pharmacy and a pet store while emailing her massage therapist, officials said.

Investigators now believe she died two days later on Feb. 11. Her body was later found in the bathroom of the home she shared with her husband, actor Gene Hackman. Prescription pills were scattered on a nearby countertop.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Hackman, 95, appears to have lived inside the home for several more days, succumbing to heart disease and Alzheimers disease. He was found in another room with a walking cane and a pair of sunglasses by his body. Officials believe he died on Feb. 18.

Their bodies were discovered Feb. 26 by maintenance workers at their home in the Santa Fe Summit housing community.

Read more: 'Just a regular guy': Gene Hackman enjoyed a quiet, simple life in Santa Fe, until tragedy struck last week

The tragic revelations, made Friday by authorities in New Mexico, resolve many questions raised by the unusual deaths.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Hackman had lived in Santa Fe for years, giving up the Hollywood glitz for a quieter life of painting, community events, bike riding and Pilates with his classic pianist wife, friends said. His health appeared to be declining in recent times, and Arakawa was caring for him, some friends said.

What do we know about Hackmans death?

Heather Jarrell, chief medical examiner at the medical investigators office, performed the autopsy on Hackman and said his brain showed advanced Alzheimers disease as well as blood vessel changes in the brain secondary to chronic high blood pressure.

He was in a very poor state of health. He had significant heart disease, and I think ultimately that is what resulted in his death, Jarrell said.

When asked whether Hackmans Alzheimers disease prevented him from being able to tell if his wife was dead, Jarrell could not say.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Read more: Gene Hackman died of heart disease, his wife of hantavirus days earlier, officials say

I think that question is difficult to answer, but I can tell you that he was in an advanced state of Alzheimers, and it is quite possible that he was not aware that she was deceased, Jarrell said.

What about Arakawa?

Investigators pieced together Arakawas last days through surveillance footage and emails, according to Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza.

She picked up her dog from a veterinary hospital on Feb. 9. Then she was seen on surveillance footage on Feb. 11 at a local Sprouts supermarket around 3:30 p.m. and a CVS Pharmacy shortly before 4:30 p.m., according to investigators.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

She stopped at a pet food store and shortly before 5 p.m. returned to her neighborhood and activated the remote control to open the gate to her subdivision. Earlier in the day, Arakawa wrote to her massage therapist over email. There was no email activity on the following day, according to officials.

Though Jarrell did not pinpoint exactly where Arakawa contracted hantavirus, they did note that it is transmitted by rodent droppings or saliva, and characterized by flu like symptoms, fever, muscle aches, cough, vomiting and diarrhea.

Read more: Emotional 911 call follows discovery of mummified bodies of Gene Hackman and wife

Erin Phipps, New Mexico state public health veterinarian, said there were signs of rodent entry in some structures on the property.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Roughly 38% to 50% of people in the Southwest who are infected and experience respiratory symptoms die from the disease, officials said.

What do we know about how the couple was found?

They were found by a pair of maintenance workers in their housing community shortly before 2 p.m. on Feb. 26.

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 said he was looking through a window at two bodies lying on the floor inside.

The caller can be heard on the 911 audio telling the dispatcher that he could see what appeared to be two motionless bodies inside the house. Shaken, he repeatedly says damn and urges authorities to rapidly respond.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

No, they are not moving. Please send someone out here quick, the caller says.

Hackmans body was found on the floor near the kitchen and a mudroom, 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.

Read more: Gene Hackman, two-time Oscar winner, found dead with his wife and dog in Santa Fe home

The positioning of the couples bodies indicated that they may have suddenly fallen, according to the affidavit.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A dog was found dead inside the home while two other dogs were alive on the property and able to enter and exit the residence through a door at the back. The dogs cause of death is unknown.

Officials later revealed that they removed medication to treat high blood pressure, Tylenol and a medication to treat the thyroid, according to court records.

What do we know about hantavirus?

The condition is rare but deadly  with a mortality rate between 38% and 50% among those infected in the American Southwest, Jarrell said.

Hantaviruses are a family of viruses spread by rodent feces, saliva and urine, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most hantaviruses found in the United States can cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Read more: What is hantavirus, the rare disease that killed Betsy Arakawa, Gene Hackman's wife?

People can contract the syndrome by breathing in the air when cleaning up after rodents. It can also be spread by touching contaminated objects and then touching your nose or mouth, getting bitten or scratched by an infected rodent or eating food contaminated with hantavirus, according to the CDC.

Phipps noted that Arakawa and Hackmans home had a low risk of exposure to hantavirus, but said there were signs of rodents in other structures on the property. She said that, in the last five years, New Mexico has confirmed one to seven hantavirus cases annually.

A total of 122 cases and 52 deaths were reported in New Mexico between 1993, when surveillance began, and 2022, the most recent year for which the CDC has data publicly available. California reported 78 cases and 24 deaths in that same time span.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The California cases include a hantavirus outbreak at Yosemite National Park in summer 2012 that infected visitors staying in tent cabins. Of the 10 people who were infected, eight experienced hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, five required intensive care with ventilatory support, and three died.

The deer mouse is the most common vector of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in the U.S., according to the CDC.



Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
BELOIT, Wis. (WTVO)  Police are searching for 47-year-old Rebecca Osmond, of Beloit, who disappeared on a trip to Florida, according to her family.

Beloit Police said Osmonds family last had contact with her on February 22nd.

Authorities said her family reported that her phone is off, which is unusual.

The family told police they believed she arrived in Tampa, Florida via an Amtrak train on February 24th.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Authorities in the Florida area have been notified, police said.

Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to contact 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 MyStateline | WTVO News, Weather and Sports.
These are the worst  and wokest  judges in New York City when it comes to protecting the public from violent suspects.

These criminal court jurists set violent offenders loose ahead of trial at an astounding rate  with some springing alleged perps more than 80% of the time, according to a Post analysis of pretrial detention data from the Office of Court Administration.

The analysis looked at 96 judges who handled a minimum of 25 cases in the first six months of 2024 where the top charge at arraignment was a violent felony. Nearly all such cases are still bail-eligible, even after radical criminal-justice reforms were enacted by Albany lawmakers in 2019.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

One of the citys most egregious practitioners of this junk justice is Queens Criminal Court Judge Wanda Licitra, who only set bail five times and had no suspects held in pretrial detention in 34 violent felony cases spanning January to June 2024, the latest available data.

Licitra even set loose a feces fiend accused of smashing poop into a straphangers face on a subway platform  who cursed her out in court to boot.

The Post analyzed pretrial detention data from the Office of Court Administration. Jack Forbes / NY Post Design

Judges like that, we call them judges who drink the Kool Aid, because instead of them focusing on the actual situation, theyre drinking the Kool Aid of bail reform, one veteran criminal defense attorney who has repeatedly gone before Licitra told The Post.

Such jurists broad ideological slide toward opposing incarceration is endangering New Yorkers lives, said Hannah E. Meyers, a fellow and director of policing and public safety at the Manhattan Institute.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Many of these judges are letting out dangerous people even when they know those people are dangerous and theyre failing to be responsible in those situations and safety of others, she said.

Judges have bemoaned their hands are tied when deciding to set bail, citing how New York is the only state where jurists only can weigh whether a person will return to court, with zero consideration for whether theyre a public safety threat.

Yet criminal defense attorney Thomas Kenniff, who ran as a Republican against Alvin Bragg for Manhattan district attorney, stressed there are many ways to justify holding a violent perp on bail.

Even when you cant rely on the public safety criteria because of the dysfunctional laws in the state [to set bail], chances are you can get there some other way.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

An OCA spokesperson said the administration does not comment on bail decisions, but said judges have discretion in making bail decisions in accordance with the law and based solely on an individualized assessment of a defendants risk of flight.

None of the following judges responded to requests for comment.

Judge Wanda Licitra caused a stink when she released Frank Abrokwa, 37, who was accused of assaulting a woman on the subway by pushing poo into the victims face. DCPI

Judge Wanda Licitra, 65

Queens Criminal Court

Freed 29 out of 34 accused violent felons, 85%

Appointed by then-Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2021, she has gained notoriety among prosecutors and defense attorneys alike for springing violent accused criminals.

Last year, the ex-Legal Aid Society attorney cut loose at least two perps charged with first-degree assault with a weapon and second-degree robbery resulting in physical injury, respectively, without bail  only for the pair to be rearrested for violent felonies, according to OCAs pretrial data.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Shes letting them all out, one longtime defense attorney said.

In February 2022, Licitra caused a stink when she released Frank Abrokwa, 37, who was accused of assaulting a woman on the subway by pushing poo into the victims face.

Even though Abrokwa snarled at Licitra, Fk you, bitch in her courtroom, Licitra let him go during an early proceeding.

By September 2022, she also ordered the release of a 56-year-old man who was being held on Rikers Island due to his inability to pay a $500 bail, citing the jails violent conditions. The man, who had bail set for allegedly violating an order of protection, had open cases for drunk driving and assault, according to New York Focus.

Judge Valentina Morales has been nicknamed Judge Let-em-go.

Judge Valentina Morales, 46

Manhattan Criminal Court

Freed without bail a migrant who allegedly slashed a man in 2023

Another de Blasio appointee, Morales has been nicknamed Judge Let-em-go among law enforcement officials for her notorious leniency.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Between January and June 2024, Morales let 83 alleged violent felons out of 101 walk without bail, including recidivist vagrant Eric Taylor, who already had been convicted on two felony charges and nearly two dozen misdemeanors.

Taylor had been charged with bail-eligible felony assault for allegedly throwing a shopping bag filled with heavy objects at a 24-year-old woman walking to work in Union Square in January 2024, leaving her with a black eye, a cut above her eyebrow, and a concussion.

Morales also previously set Venezuelan migrant Walter Almachi Leal free without bail in October 2023 after he allegedly slashed a mans arm with a broken beer bottle in Times Square. The alleged victim needed 20 stitches for his injuries.

You take the oath as a judge to protect and serve, one cop with nearly 20 years said. Clearly shes not when it comes to criminals.

In the first half of 2024, Judge Robert Rosenthal let perps go without bail 67% of the time. X @RRForCivilCourt

Judge Robert Rosenthal, 63

Manhattan Criminal Court

Sprung violent robber who went on sexual assault spree the next day

Elected to Manhattan Civil Court in 2019 but assigned to criminal court, Rosenthal let perps go without bail in the first half of 2024 a staggering 67% of the time.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Then, in January, the onetime de Blasio appointee made headlines after he cut loose on supervised release Jason Ayala, who had been charged with violent robbery charges.

The very next day, Ayala, 37, allegedly went on a twisted sexual assault rampage, abusing a 12-year-old and 14-year-old as well as three women in the span of 30 minutes. The case is still pending.

All of the arrests were for forcibly touching intimate parts and endangerment. He shouldnt have been out on our streets the next day doing that, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch told The Post at the time.

The mother of the 14-year-old victim was outraged by Rosenthals record: Its concerning because it doesnt seem like the judge is for the innocent people  hes for the person doing the crime, she said.

Judge Marva Brown, 43

Manhattan Criminal Court

Freed 54 out of 87 accused violent felons, 62%

Brown has only been on the bench for 14 months, but in that short tenure has sprung at least 54 violent maniacs  a number of whom have reoffended.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The ex-Legal Aid attorney, was elected to Brooklyn Civil Court in November 2023 but has overseen Manhattan criminal cases, infamously let loose Amira Hunter without bail after she was caught on camera bashing a subway cellist over the head with a metal water bottle in February 2024.

Weeks later, Hunter was nabbed for allegedly shoplifting at Nordstrom in midtown.

Earlier this year, she also sprang a subway nutter on a bail-eligible sexual abuse charge  only for the psycho to allegedly push an unsuspecting rider into a moving train at a Washington Heights station.

You dont have to be a criminal justice expert to know that setting violent recidivist criminals loose on our streets puts New Yorkers in real danger, MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber previously told The Post.

Judge Eugene Bowen cut accused violent felons loose in 87 out of 113 cases he oversaw between January and June 2024. ballotpedia.org

Judge Eugene Bowen, 49

Bronx Criminal Court

Sprung alleged gun-toting migrant squatter without bail

Bowen, who was elected to Manhattan Civil Court in 2022 but is now assigned to Bronx criminal cases, sparked outrage in 2023 when he released two men who allegedly bashed a cop after the officer asked them to put out their cigarettes at a subway station  despite prosecutors asking for $10,000 cash bail.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Bowen continued to cut accused violent felons loose in a staggering 87 out of 113 cases he oversaw between January and June 2024.

In April 2024, the jurist let go on supervised release an accused gun-toting migrant, Hector Desousa-Villalta, who was one of six busted for allegedly squatting and dealing drugs out of a Norwood multifamily home.

Desousa-Villalta had an open case linked to August 2023, when he allegedly shot a fellow migrant during an argument over a woman in Yonkers, police officials said.

Bowen also let two other migrants walk without any restrictions ahead of their trial, one of whom was previously arrested in September 2023 and indicted for possession of a loaded firearm, police officials said.

Additional reporting by Tina Moore
HONOLULU (KHON2)  A North Shore woman has been arrested and indicted for the death of her adopted daughter. Honolulu police say the girl was a victim of child abuse.

Court documents show an Oahu grand jury indicted 39-year old Sina Pili Friday on three counts, including manslaughter, in connection with the death of her adopted daughter.

Its the second indictment of its kind in less than a week.

I will say it again, child torture is incideous, said Lt. Deena Thoemmes, Honolulu Police Department. It is gradual, calculated and systematic. And intended to break its victims completely.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Family member of dead Kapolei toddler files lawsuit against state

Pili was arrested on March 7 on a grand jury bench warrant for manslaughter, endangering the welfare of a minor and persistent nonsupport.

On Dec. 22, 2023, Honolulu police and firefighters responded to a report of an unresponsive female at a home in Laie.

Upon arrival, first responders found Azaeliyahs adoptive father attempting to administer life-saving care to her body, who said she fell in the shower.

Firefighters then took over before bringing her to an area emergency room where she was pronounced dead.

Before Azaeliyah was taken to the hospital, the responding officers observed bruising to her body, Thoemmes said. Azaeliyahs adoptive parents told officers that they did not know how she got the bruises but that they could have came from her sports.

Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You

Officials said responding police officers found Azaeliyah with bruises to various parts of her body, including her face.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

After extensive testing, review of medical records and investigative findings, the forensic pathologist determined that the cause of Azaeliyahs death to be multiple injuries from child abuse and the manner of death to be homicide, Thoemmes said.

Lt. Thoemmes added Azaeliyah suffered from extensive bruising, some of which penetrated the skin and could be seen reaching the diaphragm, multiple abrasions from her head to her legs, wounds to the nose, internal injuries likely from strangulation and more.

Police say Pili had 4 other foster children. They were taken by Child Welfare Services after Azaeliyah died.

The Department of the Prosecuting Attorney said Pili will be in HPD custody pending transfer to Circuit Court for Arraignment on March 13.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Check out more news from around Hawaii

Anyone who may see a child in need of help should call the Child Abuse Reporting Line at (808) 832-5300. For neighboring islands, call (888) 380-3088.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
UPDATE: The name of the woman and additional details were released in a criminal complaint. Click here for the latest.

WHITE HALL, W.Va. (WBOY)  A woman was arrested after allegedly hitting a White Hall police officer with her car and then fleeing the scene.

According to the Marion County 911 log, a report of an auto-pedestrian accident at the Tygart Mall Loop in White Hall came in just after 8 p.m. on Friday. A Marion County 911 official confirmed to 12 News that a White Hall police officer was struck by a silver vehicle but was not transported for any further treatment.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Kidnapping suspect threatened to take victim to middle of nowhere West Virginia and shoot her, deputies say

The car and its owner were located and one woman was arrested, but a name could not be provided. 12 News has reached out to the White Hall Police Department for more information.

The White Hall Police Department, the Marion County Sheriffs Office and West Virginia State Police responded to this 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 WBOY.com.
VMPL Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 8: This Women's Day, Reveal Lasers transcended traditional celebrations, spearheading a transformative healthcare awareness campaign that directly addressed the critical needs of women in Mumbai. In a powerful collaboration with renowned medical experts, Dr. Soma Sarkar (Dermatologist) and Dr. Preeti Shirkande (Gynaecologist), the initiative brought essential knowledge and practical advice on women's health directly to the community of Triratna Bhavan, with association with Florian Foundation, Mumbai Hulchal and Mauli Shakti Foundation by Bharat Sarkar dedicated to social upliftment. Recognizing the often-overlooked health concerns of women across diverse backgrounds, Reveal Lasers India, an event designed to break down barriers to healthcare access and foster open dialogue. The initiative aimed to empower women with the knowledge and confidence to prioritize their well-being, challenging the societal norms that often relegate women's health to the back burner. Dr. Soma Sarkar, a leading dermatologist, captivated the audience with her insightful presentation on skin and hair care. She emphasized the importance of understanding individual skin types and adopting personalized routines to achieve optimal health. Dr. Sarkar debunked common misconceptions surrounding skincare and hair care, providing practical tips and advice that resonated with the audience. Her session empowered women to take control of their aesthetic well-being, fostering a sense of confidence and self-care. Dr. Preeti Shirkande, a respected gynaecologist, addressed critical women's health concerns, creating a safe and supportive environment for open discussion. She shed light on various gynaecological issues, emphasizing the importance of regular check-ups, early detection, and proactive management of reproductive health. Dr. Shirkande's informative session empowered women to understand their bodies and seek timely medical attention, breaking down the stigma surrounding women's health issues. The event's core message resonated deeply: women's health is not a luxury, but a fundamental right. Mr. Kuntal Debgupta, CEO of Reveal Lasers India aimed to challenge the culture of silence that often surrounds women's health concerns, encouraging women to prioritize their well-being and seek professional medical advice. The presence of esteemed medical professionals underscored the importance of seeking expert guidance and dispelling the notion that women must endure health issues in silence. By partnering with Social Societies, Reveal Lasers demonstrated their commitment to reaching diverse communities and making a tangible impact on women's lives. The event served as a bridge between healthcare providers and the community, ensuring that vital medical information reached those who needed it most. This initiative was not just a one-day event; it was a step towards fostering a culture of proactive healthcare and empowering women to take charge of their well-being. Reveal Lasers' Women's Day initiative served as a powerful reminder that true empowerment stems from good health. By providing access to expert medical advice and fostering open conversations, they contributed to building a healthier and more equitable society. This initiative highlighted that investing in women's health is an investment in the future of our communities. (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)
A woman who was abducted as a toddler in Connecticut more than 25 years ago has been found in Mexico, police said.

Andrea Michelle Reyes, who is now in her late 20s, was located living in Puebla by Detective Kealyn Nivakoff of the New Haven Police Department's special victims unit, according to a news release.

Reyes was 2 years old and living in the care of her father when she was abducted in October 1999 in New Haven by her mother, Rosa Tenorio, who did not have custody of her, according to police.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children put out a bulletin about Reyes that said she is now 27 years old and included a photo of her as a toddler. The post noted that Reyes has a birthmark on her forehead, a lazy right eye and a right leg issue and that she may need medical attention.

Her mother was believed to have fled with her to Mexico, and her father went to Mexico multiple times to search for her but did not have any contact with her, police said.

The case had gone cold until Nivakoff began reinvestigating the abduction in 2023. She used interviews, search warrants and social media to determine Reyes was living in Puebla after being taken to Mexico by her mother, police said.

Nivakoff was able to get in contact with Reyes in Mexico. She determined Reyes was the kidnapped girl from 1999 by using the DNA testing company Othram to confirm her relationship with her father.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Her father, who requested anonymity for privacy reasons, has now established contact with his daughter for the first time in decades. An arrest warrant for Tenorio, 53, remains active in the U.S., but she is believed to be living in Mexico, police said.

This case reflects the hard work of our officers and detectives. While cases may have investigative leads exhausted at the time, no cold case is ever truly closed, New Haven Police Department Chief Karl Jacobson said in the news release. We remain committed to resolving every cold case and this is a perfect example of that effort.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
Storm Eowyn recently swept across Ireland, causing widespread destruction and leading to massive power outages. It was the region's most powerful windstorm in decades, with winds reaching a record-breaking 183 kilometers per hour (114 mph).

While around 768,000 Irish citizens scrambled to adapt to a world without power, Margaret Gallagher of County Fermanagh calmly carried on with her normal routine; the 83-year-old pensioner has lived her entire life in a 19th-century cottage with no power or running water.

The 200-year-old cottage was purchased by Gallagher's grandfather in 1887, according to The Sunday Times. It not only has no power and no running water, but it was also built with no nails. It's even more amazing, then, that the vicious storm couldn't manage to sweep away her family home.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Gallagher battened down in a chair pressed up against the door of the cottage on the night of the storm. With her was a robin she brought in from its nest on the cottage's thatched roof. With the devastating wind gusts bearing down on her home, all she could do was sit and pray.

"I sat up all night and a good bit of the next day, and I prayed for the country, I prayed for myself, I prayed for everyone," she explained to The Times.

Apparently, someone was listening because the storm passed over and the cottage still stands. And while Gallagher's neighbors struggled with the prolonged loss of electricity, she was there to light the way thanks to her more-than-old-school lifestyle.

"I suppose I'm a different animal altogether," she says. "I was raised with very little, I need very little and I thank God for what I have. Less is more sometimes."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Gallagher's story raises an interesting question: "What exactly do we need to survive?"

For many of us, electricity and running water can seem like the absolute baseline, yet for this 83-year-old woman, neither is necessary at all. She's totally content with and grateful for her off-the-grid lifestyle. Meanwhile, that same lifestyle saves her tons of money, protects her from power outages, and minimizes her environmental impact.

We don't necessarily need to forgo electricity and running water entirely to save money and protect the planet. For example, signing up for community solar or washing your clothes in cold water can reduce both your utility bills and your environmental impact.

And if Margaret Gallagher is an indication, then making small adjustments and sacrifices does not necessarily mean you're losing anything at all.

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.






UPDATE: According to an updated Facebook post Purvis was safely located.

ESCAMBIA COUNTY, Fla. (WKRG)  Deputies in Escambia County, Florida are looking for a woman whos been missing since Ash Wednesday.

According to a Facebook post Friday afternoon, deputies are looking for 53-year-old Melissa Purvis. They say she was last seen Wednesday in the 4000 block of Idlewood Drive. Purvis is described as 56 with brown hair, with a red tint and blue eyes.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The post says Purvis may be in danger but does not specify any more than that.

Purvis may be driving a four-door 2011 Honda Accord with a Florida license plate 18EKUD. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Escambia County Sheriffs Office. Their number is 850-436-9620.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo.  A woman who left 13 dogs in a car overnight in Springfield pleaded guilty to 13 counts of animal abuse on Monday, March 3.

Macey Casteel mugshot (Courtesy: Greene County Sheriffs Office)

According to online court records, 31-year-old Macey Casteel of Pittsburg, Missouri was sentenced to 90 days in Greene County jail with a suspended execution of sentence and two years of supervised probation.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Hours after 911 call, 10 puppies died after being left in car overnight: What happened?

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Casteel was arrested in July 2024 after Springfield police found 13 puppies inside a car in a parking lot near the Friends Karaoke Bar, 10 of whom ended up dying due to heat-related illness.

Court documents state Casteel was traveling to Oklahoma to sell the puppies and stopped in Springfield for the night. Casteel told police she was sleeping at a friends house when she remembered the dogs in her car in the parking lot, but her friend refused to take her there. When she returned to the lot later that morning, she was met with local police officers who had found her vehicle.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOLR - OzarksFirst.com.
Just days after President Donald Trump addressed Congress to lay out plans for his "unrelenting" agenda, the Women's March plans to hold a protest across all 50 states on International Women's Day.

The organization's Unite and Resist National Day of Action on March 8  a protest it is holding to "build grassroots, community efforts to resist fascism" and "protect women's freedoms"  will take place at May Day Plaza (301 Cedar Ave.) outside May Day Books in Minneapolis between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

The protest is scheduled less than a week after the president promised to crack down on what he termed "illegal protests" on college campuses. Trump's social media post said colleges, schools, or universities that allow these protests would lose federal funding. "Agitators will be imprisoned," he wrote without defining what is illegal about the protests or how the action wouldn't violate protestors' freedom of speech.

Women's March Minnesota

The Women's March event on March 8 is one of many protests that have taken place since Trump took office for his second term less than two months ago, including a protest at the Capitol in St. Paul in early February and many boycotts of companies that activists have viewed as acquiescing to Trump's demands on ending diversity policies.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"They are coming for our schools, our public health systems, our jobs, our reproductive freedoms, our rights, our families, and our futures. This is a full-scale attack on our democracy," Rachel OLeary Carmona, Executive Director of Womens March, said in a statement. "Now is not the time for division. We cannot afford to create barriers to entry for those ready to fight and resist. Together and in every state across the country, we will find common ground, build power, and stand as one."

The organization, a nonprofit founded in 2017, says it expects thousands of participants in its day of action.

Related: President Trump threatens to stop federal funding to universities that allow 'illegal protests'
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WKBN)  A man who worked for a company in Beachwood was found guilty by a federal jury of sabotaging his employers computer system.

Investigators say that 55-year-old Davis Lu, of Houston, had been working as a software developer for a company headquartered in Beachwood for over a decade when a corporate realignment in 2018 reduced his responsibilities and system access.

It was at that time, that Lu began sabotaging his employers computer systems and by August 2019, he had introduced malicious code that caused system crashes and prevented user logins. He also deleted worker profiles and implanted a kill switch that would lock out all users if his credentials in the companys directory were disabled.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Lu was terminated in September 2019 and when his credentials were disabled, the code he had written impacted thousands of users globally.

Lu named some of his code with words like Hakai  a Japanese word meaning destruction and HunsShui  a Chinese word meaning sleep or lethargy.

His actions cost his employer hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses, prosecutors said.

Luy was convicted of intentional damage to protected computers. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

A sentencing date has not been set 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 WKBN.com.
Syria is teetering on the brink of all-out civil war, once again, as fighting rages between the new regime in Damascus and fighters loyal to the deposed President Bashar al-Assad. The last few days have seen heavy fighting in the coastal region, with reports of dozens of the Alawite minority having been executed by Syrian security forces.

The current violence in Syria is the worst since the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) brought down the Assad regime in December and installed an Islamist transitional government.

Search and sweep operations by Syrian government forces, in an effort to track down fighters loyal to the deposed Bashar al-Assad regime in Latakia, Syria, on March 7. Photo by Zettin Kasm/Anadolu via Getty Images Anadolu

According to the U.K.-based Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR), around 125 civilians have been executed by government security forces in northwest Syria over the past two days. This is part of a larger total  around 240 people  who have been killed in the same period, including 100 Syrian security forces and 15 civilians at the hands of Assad loyalists. Many more have been injured.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The SNHR documented large-scale field executions of men and young adults, without any clear distinction between civilians and combatants, in northwest Syria.

The Syrian-based Step news agency has reported that government-aligned forces had killed about 70 former regime fighters, while more than 25 others were captured in Jableh and the surrounding areas.

NEW  a day of *very* serious hostilities in #Jableh, #Latakia, triggered by attacks by #Assad loyalists.



13 interim gov't forces killed, plus loyalists. A helicopter gunship deployed & DMO forces dispatched from #Damascus tonight as fighting continues. pic.twitter.com/lbvf9wFQOG  Charles Lister (@Charles_Lister) March 6, 2025

Thousands have chosen to surrender their weapons and return to their families, while some insist on fleeing and dying in defense of murderers and criminals, Col. Hassan Abdul Ghani, a spokesman for Syrias defense ministry, warned the Assad loyalists. The choice is clear: lay down your weapons or face your inevitable fate, he added.

A rocket is fired as authorities extended the curfew in the cities of Latakia and Tartus in northwest Syria on March 7. Photo by Abdulvacit Haci Isteyfi/Anadolu via Getty Images Anadolu

In a statement yesterday, Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa also called on armed groups affiliated with the former Assad regime to lay down their arms.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

When we compromise our ethics, we reduce ourselves to the same level as our enemy, he said in a video address. The remnants of the fallen regime are looking for a provocation that will lead to violations behind which they can seek refuge.

The fighting has been centered in the cities of Latakia and Tartus, in the coastal region, where curfews have been imposed. The first reports of fighting were in the town of Jableh, in Latakia province, where Assad-loyalist militants ambushed Syrian security forces.

NEW | Insurgent cells continued to attack Syrian interim government personnel across Latakia and Tartous provinces as Syrian forces deployed to re-impose security over the coastal region. (1/6) pic.twitter.com/dGF75wo2ZX  Critical Threats (@criticalthreats) March 8, 2025

At least one video, verified by the BBC, shows a body being dragged behind a car in Latakia.

Earlier, BBC Verify confirmed two videos that showed a body being dragged behind a car in Latakia. pic.twitter.com/5KlQMV5yYm  Wladimir van Wilgenburg (@vvanwilgenburg) March 7, 2025

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a U.K.-based war monitoring group, has described gunmen ambushing government forces, targeting checkpoints and headquarters along the coastline. Reports suggest that gunmen have taken control of some military zones in the coastal region after they launched attacks out of the Latakia mountains. In particular, parts of the towns of Qardaha and Baniyas are said to be under the control of Assad-loyalist forces.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Another video, also verified by the BBC, shows fighting further inland, in the city of Homs. This footage shows gunmen firing automatic weapons at a building, after which a fire starts inside.

NEW  this is #Homs tonight, where #Assad loyalists opened fire on protesters chanting in support of the interim government.



GSS forces responding.



Tense & high-stakes night underway in #Syria. pic.twitter.com/V92IIdpwip  Charles Lister (@Charles_Lister) March 6, 2025

In response to the escalating violence, the Syrian government has deployed thousands of troops to northwest Syria and has attacked Assad loyalists with helicopter gunships, drones, and artillery.

Aerial view of a tank being transported by fighters with the new Syrian government in Baniyas, Syria, on March 7. Photo by Ali Haj Suleiman/Getty Images

Government forces launched a major operation in the town of Qardaha, Latakia province, on Friday, Syrian state media reports. The Syrian Ministry of Defense says its troops are targeting buildings and hills around the town where former regime fighters are hiding out.

Overall, the campaign by the anti-government forces seems to have been fairly well planned.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A video released by one former Assad regime officer shortly after the offensive began described it as Operation Coastal Shield. He also called upon Syrias various sects to rise against the government in Damascus.

The coastal region is the main stronghold of Syrias Alawite minority, to which the Assad family belongs. The region has also been traditionally pro-Assad. Since the fall of the former leaders regime, Alawite activists have said that their community has been subjected to violence and attacks, especially in rural Homs and Latakia.

A fighter with the new Syrian government rides on a tank in Baniyas, Syria, on March 7. Photo by Ali Haj Suleiman/Getty Images Ali Haj Suleiman

The violence against the Alawites has now intensified, including apparent revenge killings.

The SNHR says that in the town of al-Mukhtariya, in Latakia province, around 40 civilians were executed together in a single location. Videos  which have not been independently verified  show bodies dressed in civilian clothes piled on top of one another as well as gunmen executing seemingly unarmed men.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Syrian interior ministry has admitted that some individual violations have taken place. This, they say, is the result of people heading toward the villages being attacked by Assad loyalists. The ministry has not claimed responsibility for any of the alleged executions.

There was always a major risk that more intense fighting would break out again after the fall of the Assad regime, and its not a surprise that, now that its happened, the focus is on the coastal region.

Fighting between the new Syrian governments forces and the forces loyal to Bashar al-Assad on the outskirts of Jableh, Latakia countryside, on March 7. Photo by Mohamad Daboul / Middle East Images / Middle East Images via AFP MOHAMAD DABOUL

Clearly, this area provides the interim president with a major security challenge.

However, there are problems elsewhere in the country, too.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In recent days, there have been growing reports of violence in the south of Syria, where government forces have clashed with Druze forces. The young Syrian regimes tensions with other rebel factions, such as the Kurds, remains an issue too, among a litany of others. Complex alliances also complicate things further. Turkey, who strongly backs the new government and is outright hostile to the Kurds, and the U.S., who has backed Kurdish forces, makes the situation even more murky. Israel is also occupying more land in Southern Syria for its buffer zone, as it is becoming increasingly wary of the new government.

Extraordinary  this interim gov't fighter was shot in the head at long distance in #Latakia.



The bullet somehow lodged only in the outside of his forehead. pic.twitter.com/wH7mUDC8dq  Charles Lister (@Charles_Lister) March 7, 2025

There is also now a question of whether Russia or another power might step in to try and help the new regime in Damascus militarily. Turkey is already engaged in these efforts, but not anywhere near fully using the might of its regular forces. For Russia, such an arrangement would likely be made to try and secure continued access to its military bases in Syrias coastal region. Much of Russias forces have been withdrawn from the air base at Khmeimim and the naval base in Tartus. However, the future of both remains uncertain.

Russias ability to step in as it did for Assad a decade ago is questionable, with all focus being on the war in Ukraine. But the strategic importance of both bases is great. While providing the new government with economic backing and other assistance could secure these facilities, that would only be as long as the current regime remains in power. As such, reengaging militarily may be seen as necessary in order to ensure their survival. Its also worth noting that these facilities are in the same areas hardest hit by the resistance fighting right now, which is a vulnerability, especially considering the drawdown in Russian forces there.

The idea that Russia could fight for the very people it bombed mercilessly for many years on Assads behalf is darkly ironic, but not totally alien to a region where allegiances can shift with the sands.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

A potential Russian deal with the new Syrian regime remains speculative for now, and Moscow may well prefer to wait and see what happens next. If the current government in Damascus is eventually toppled, it may then be able to strike some kind of a deal with whatever polity is left over.

Another image of search and sweep operations by Syrian government forces in Latakia, Syria, on March 7. Photo by Zettin Kasm/Anadolu via Getty Images Anadolu

Whatever the case, Russia prizes access to these two bases, and there have been recent reports that Moscow is still trying to strike a deal that would ensure continued access.

For now, it remains unclear exactly how substantial the ex-regime factions in Syria actually are and whether they could eventually threaten the integrity of the new government. There are other flashpoints, too, including in the southeast, which has seen an incursion by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) as part of wider Israeli military efforts against Syria.

At this point, however, the spiraling violence in the coastal region is a huge concern and could yet spill over into something like an all-out civil war.

Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com
Mar. 8The chief of the Miami Twp. fire department, which serves Yellow Springs, is suspended amid an investigation into alleged misconduct including mishandling of payroll, according to documents obtained by the Dayton Daily News.

Fire Chief Denny Powell was suspended by the Miami Twp. board of trustees on Jan. 28, following a complaint by a firefighter alleging that Powell called him while drunk and cursed at him.

A reporter left a message for Powell at a phone number listed for him in available records, but was unable to reach him for comment.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to the complaint, obtained this week by the Dayton Daily News, Powell called the firefighter around 9 p.m. on New Year's Eve, sounding "like he was raging."

According to the complaint, Powell is alleged to have accused the firefighter of going to the Miami Twp. trustees "about payroll," and said "You just made things worse for yourself."

When asked by the firefighter what he meant, Powell allegedly responded "When the trustees are in the building, you need to keep your (expletive) mouth shut."

This last phrase was repeated multiple times throughout the nine-minute phone call, according to the complaint.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Documents obtained by the Dayton Daily News indicate that there have been several complaints against Powell and other firefighters, mostly filed in 2024, though one dates back to 2022. Multiple allege that Powell interacted with them while drunk, and one indicates that Powell engaged in retaliation for complaints earlier that year.

"This is why no one comes forward with issues," the complainant wrote.

Others allege that the department has "constant payroll issues," and one alleges that Powell lost the department a grant renewal due to negligence.

Powell served as interim fire chief from August 2023 until he became fire chief in May 2024.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Trustees became aware of discrepancies in pay among firefighters in late 2023, Miami Twp. Trustee Don Hollister told the Dayton Daily News Friday.

Hollister said the discrepancies were due in part to the transition of the department from a volunteer force to a paid force, similar to fire departments across the country.

"What I've seen of the variations in pay, I don't see those as necessarily conscious or intentional," Hollister said, adding that the "interpersonal habits and dynamics of (the department) are still changing."

In the last few months, trustees have adopted standard pay scales and compensation rates for firefighters, policies and procedures, and retained a consultant, Hollister said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Powell remains on administrative leave.

Trustee Marilan Moir declined to comment. Trustee Chair Chris Mucher did not return a request for comment Friday.

During their regular meeting on Feb. 3, township trustees had a brief spat in which Mucher expressed he was "disappointed" that the complaint was immediately taken to legal counsel instead of to trustees, minutes show, while trustee Moir said taking the complaint to the trustees had previously resulted in retaliation against employees.

"I was also sad and disappointed to find out that I was not apprised of this move," Mucher said. "The matter was immediately handed over to our legal department, without any consultation, for a full investigation."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Mucher added he will not be participating in votes on the matter "because I have no background information," he said.

"There is no background information  there's simply a complaint," Moir said in response. "The proper procedure is that somebody can bring a complaint without it being taken directly to the person that they're grieving against. ... I therefore protected the employee by taking it directly to counsel."

"Thank you very much," Mucher said. "You are wrong on all counts."
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  $25 million dollars of the states budget is being given to Rochester in an effort to address the poverty crisis in the city.

Rochester is getting the most out of a $50 million investment that could help upwards of 1,500 families.

The Monroe County Department of Human Services will use the money to create programs similar to those in New York City. Young moms and renters in Rochester are among the groups who may be eligible for cash, rent subsidies and support on how to manage their finances.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Its very expensive to be pregnant and to really make sure that you bring the baby to term. And in Rochester, specifically, especially for black and brown moms who are who are poor, but in general, black mothers, they have really terrible maternal outcomes, right? Theres a very high maternal morbidity rate, Aqua Porter said.

Executive Director Aqua Porter with the Rochester Monroe Anti-Poverty initiative says a new monthly cash incentive program from the state will support pregnant women in receiving essential care for themselves and their babies early in their pregnancies. Starting within 180 days of their expected delivery date, up to 200 eligible pregnant women in specific Rochester zip codes may receive $1,000 each month for up to two years.

This program will help to provide, you know, some money for moms, and also I think they get some case management support, some health care referrals, and so all those things can make significant differences in the health outcomes of both the moms and the babies. So, its really important, Porter said.

A Mobility Mentor Program will also provide up to 1,200 eligible families with support to create life plans and focus on long term economic goals. Porter said its a way to give new opportunities.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Lets say that you decide, for instance, that you want to go back to school, or maybe like you want to get your license. [] If you just had a little bit of help, you could it would get you over the over the hump, Porter said.

Porter said the effort is aimed at those who are extremely low income and called the money coming to the county a confidence booster for struggling families.

The ability for people to really thrive is limited when youre always poor and youre always under a stressor that makes it hard, Porter said. I think some of these things are things that we can help. We can start to ease some of those burdens for families and for adults.

Rochester Mayor Malik Evans released a statement within the Governors announcement, saying we are giving the residents of Rochesters poorest neighborhoods the investments they deserve.

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 RochesterFirst.
OP Jindal University Sonipat (Haryana) [India], March 8: To mark the International Women's Day (IWD 2025) O.P. Jindal Global University will host a three-day National Convention on Women in India titled Towards Equality, Emancipation, and Empowerment, at its campus in Sonipat from 8-10 March, 2025. The Convention will bring together diverse and distinguished voices on women and gender spanning across fields of academia, industry, civil society, public administration, media, arts, and literature. In her Keynote Address, the Guest of Honour Hon'ble Justice Ranjana P. Desai, Former Judge, Supreme Court of India, and Chairperson, Press Council of India said, "It is the duty of every citizen of India to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women. Supreme Court, I can say that I was a part of that institution once, there are several judgments which have brought this women's right to equality, in effect, judgments that women and then there are several legislations like women's right to equality. So, there is a robust legal favour which can help women receive enforcement of their right to equality. We can't deny that women in India were victims of these restrictions imposed by society. These restrictions were the outcome of long cultural interpretation. Earlier, women have been vulnerable and dependent on men. A lack of education further increased their dependence. Today we have women in all spheres: as judges and lawyers, entrepreneurs, Chief Ministers, soon the first Indian female Supreme Court Chief Justice, and even astronauts! We have had women Prime Ministers across all South Asian Countries. But we have to make sure that our sisters in the villages and rural areas are not left behind and it is our duty to ensure that they also get access." The Inaugural Address was delivered by Shallu Jindal, Chairperson, Jindal Foundation at the Inaugural Session on the theme "Equality, Emancipation and Empowerment", who stated that, "We must recognize and celebrate the immense contributions of women to our nation's history, economy and society that has enabled us to visualize a world of equality, emancipation and empowerment. The freedom struggle was not just a fight for independence from colonial rule. It was also a fight for the recognition of women's voices in shaping the nation leaders and that women are equal partners in nation building. The legacy of Indian women freedom fighters lives on in every young girl who dares to dream, in every woman who challenges societal norms, and in every entrepreneur who wants to build a future of possibilities. Equality, empowerment and emancipation are not just ideas, but realities for every woman in India, we must also acknowledge the pioneering women who contributed to the drafting of the Indian constitution. In today's India, women are leading corporations, serving in senior governance roles, driving innovation, arguing before the various courts of law and revolutionizing social change. The rise of women in STEM business, sports, law, policy, making and arts is a testament to the changing landscape of our country. However, all is not achieved, and challenges persist. Women's labour force participation remains far below its actual potential. Gender gaps in wages and discrimination in leadership recruitment still exist. Women cannot be treated merely as placeholders to satisfy diversity and inclusivity quotas. We need to be the builders of inclusive spaces where doors are open to for women who want to pursue their professional goals along with their personal lives." Guest of Honour Professor Christiana Ochoa, Dean and Herman B Wells Endowed Professor, Maurer School of Law, Indiana University, in her special address said, "The expansion of access to education, the growing participation of women in public life, and the evolution of economic opportunities have fundamentally reshaped the status of women in societies around the world. In the United States, the increase in women's access to higher education over the last century is directly tied to their rise in leadership positions across politics, business and civil society. According to the World Bank, every additional year of education for a girl increases her future earnings by up to 20% women with extra degrees earn 74% more over their lifetime compared to those with only a high school diploma. the percentage of women in senior management roles in India has reached 36% surpassing the global average, 32% Indian women entrepreneurs are now are now leading start-ups, bringing barriers in traditionally male dominated industries and contributing to India's status as a rapidly growing economy. The parallel between our two countries illustrates a broader truth. When women gain access to education, they become change makers in politics, business and society, whether the United States, India or elsewhere in the world, education serves as the foundation upon which equality, emancipation and empowerment are built. The Founding Vice Chancellor of O.P. Jindal Global University, Prof. (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar highlighted the importance of gender equality and said, "Officially recognized by the United Nations in 1977, International Women's Day has a new global context and resonance in both the developed and emerging economies. The growing international women's movement, which has been strengthened by four global United Nations women's conferences, has helped make the commemoration a rallying point to build support for women's rights and participation in the political and economic arenas. India, too has major strides in ensuring equity, equality, access, economic and social justice for women. Gender-based discrimination is widespread in areas such as home, workplace, education, healthcare, and political decision-making, among others. As the world gets progressively entangled in geopolitical crises, power imbalances, grave human rights violations and climate change, the greatest solution to mankind is to invest in the empowerment and emancipation of women. In fact, the UN Report on 'Progress of Sustainable Development Goals 2023' states that "A continued failure to prioritize SDG 5 (Gender Equality) will put the entire 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in peril." The Global Gender Gap Report 2024 reveals that it will take 134 years to reach full gender parity - which is roughly five generations beyond the 2030 Agenda target." The National Convention on Women in India: Towards Equality, Emancipation and Empowerment is being organized with the spirit of bringing together a multitude of voices, experiences, and insights to create a platform that can be a catalyst for driving meaningful change. In view of the theme for IWD 2025, "Accelerate Action", the National Convention will reflect on the journey so far in gender justice and forge pathways for the work that remains to be done. The Convention will not only explore and examine the systemic and structural challenges that women face but will focus on seeking concrete and actionable solutions for mitigating these challenges. It is imperative that we take urgent and immediate measures to dismantle structures that perpetuate gender inequality and build systems that are inclusive, supportive, and equitable. This is a mission that requires combined efforts, solidarities and coalitions bringing together diverse voices and perspectives. Solidarity and intersectional approaches are critical to fostering meaningful change and addressing the needs of gender-diverse individuals whose experiences often remain on the margins of mainstream discourse. Towards this end, politicians and democratic representatives, leading female experts, media personalities, lawyers and legal luminaries and many more will congregate at JGU over panel discussions, fireside chats and keynote addresses. These include a deep discourse on politics and governance with Members of Parliament from Rajya Sabha Ms. Priyanka Chaturvedi, Dr. Fauzia Khan, Ms. Rekha Sharma with Dr. Sasmit Patra. A session on Gender Equality in Entrepreneurship will include Ms. Benu Sehgal, Chief Operating Officer Splendor Lifestyle Products; Ms. Shruti Swaroop, Chief Executive Officer, International Inclusion Alliance; and Ms. Gauri Vatsa, Honorary Trade Commissioner, India Africa Trade Council. Yashasvini Jindal, Advisor, JSP Group Advisory Services Pvt. Ltd. and Member, Governing Council, O.P. Jindal Global University will present her views on the theme Forging the Future: Women, Leadership, and Legacy in a Changing World. To discuss and demonstrate the impact of education, a session titled Empowering through Education: Challenges, Best Practices and the Way Forward will include Mrs. Pia Singh, Director, Board of DLF Limited and Chairperson, DLF CSR Committee; Ms. Manvinder Kaur, Principal, Presidium School; Ms. Rekha Krishnan, Principal, Vasant Valley School; Mr. B. Mahender Reddy, Chief Executive Officer, Sancta Maria, International School. To address the urban and rural divide in India, a special session will be held with Anganwadi workers too. In the session on higher education and role of women, Dr. Madhu Chitkara, Pro-Chancellor, Chitkara University; Dr. Syeda Hameed, Former Member, Planning Commission of India; Prof. (Dr.) Ananya Mukherjee, Vice Chancellor, Shiv Nadar University; Prof. (Dr.) Bijayalaxmi Nanda, Principal, Miranda House; and Prof. Christiana Ochoa, Dean and Herman B Wells Endowed Professor, Maurer School of Law Indiana University will review the significance of education. Popular culture like cinema and literature are often called the mirror of society and its realities. Towards this end, a special session will be held with renowned film- maker Mr. Ronnie Screwvala, Founder UTV, Producer and Co-Founder upGrad on the theme, "Women in Cinema". Geeta Chandran, Bharatanatyam Dancer and Vocalist; Ms. Kirti Jain, Former Director, National School of Drama; Prof. Sukrita Paul Kumar, Poet Critic and Academic; and Ms. Gurmeet Sangha Rai, Conservation Architect and Heritage Management Specialist will discuss "Women in Literature and Arts: Past, Present and the Future". The three-day Convention will conclude with a keynote address on the theme "Towards an Inclusive Future and a Gender Just World" by Ms. Anupriya Patel, Hon'ble Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare. The introductory remarks were made by Professor (DR.) Upasana Mahanta Dean, Admissions & Outreach O.P. Jindal Global University and the Concluding Remarks were given by Professor Dabiru Sridhar Patnaik Registrar O.P. Jindal Global University (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by OP Jindal University. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
YORK COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM)  The York VA is undergoing a $2.8 million expansion project.

The VA says it will expand specialty care including x-ray services, audiology, orthopedics, acupuncture, cardiology, general surgery, and much more.

It will also reduce travel for veterans in the county who currently travel to Lebanon for care.

Construction began last December and is expected to wrap up by the end of the summer.

Get daily news, weather, breaking news and alerts straight to your inbox! Sign up for the abc27 newsletters here

Last year, the York VA Community Clinic served more than 8,000 veterans.

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.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is cautiously optimistic about a meeting on Tuesday in Saudi Arabia between his negotiating team and US representatives on ending Russia's war against his country.

"Realistic proposals are on the table," he wrote on X on Saturday.

"The key is to move quickly and effectively."

Zelensky said that "Ukraine has been seeking peace from the very first second of this war," and his country is committed to constructive dialogue.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

US special envoy Steve Witkoff had previously announced the talks.

The Ukrainian side will be represented at the talks by his chancellery chief Andrii Yermak, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, Zelensky said.

Zelensky confirmed his long-known plan to meet with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia on Monday. The Gulf nation is also being discussed as a possible location for a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin at a later date.

Ukrainian diplomats in Kiev also held talks with representatives of the United Kingdom, Zelensky said, adding that diplomatic efforts should be intensified.

"Ukraine is determined to do everything to end this war with a just and lasting peace as soon as possible," Zelensky wrote on X.
President Volodymyr Zelensky announced his delegation to represent Ukraine in upcoming talks with the U.S. in Saudi Arabia on March 8.

Along with Andriy Yermak, Zelensky's chief of staff, Zelensky wrote on X that Ukraine will also be sending Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, and Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Pavlo Palisa.

Zelensky wrote that he would travel to Saudi Arabia on March 10 and would meet with the Crown Prince, while the Ukrainian military and political delegation would stay for a meeting with the American team the following day.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The U.S. delegation will reportedly include U.S. President Donald Trump's envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz.

The scheduled talks come amid rising tensions between Ukraine and the United States, as U.S. President Donald Trump escalates pressure on Zelensky to expedite a peace process.

The tensions culminated in a confrontation during a meeting in the White House Oval Office on Feb. 28 after Zelensky had flown to the U.S. to sign an mineral and natural resources agreement with the U.S. After being insulted by Trump and his Vice President JD Vance, Zelensky returned to Ukraine without signing the deal.

Since that meeting, the United States has ended its military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine, resulting in significant troop losses on the frontlines. The losses have been particularly sharp in the Kursk region that Ukraine has occupied since August 2024, where ten thousand troops are now facing encirclement.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz suggested on March 5 that Trump may lift the pause on military aid once peace negotiations are arranged and confidence-building measures are taken, Reuters reported.

Read also: Miniature universes: The personal spaces of women at war (Photos)

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Volodymyr Zelensky will not attend high-level talks between Ukrainian and US negotiators next week, he said on Saturday as he insisted his country was fully committed to peace talks.

The Ukrainian president said that he would visit Saudi Arabia for talks with the crown prince on Monday, but would not stay to meet representatives of the US government, instead leaving his aides for talks aimed at ending the war.

Ukraine has been seeking peace from the very first second of this war. Realistic proposals are on the table, Mr Zelensky said in a statement posted to X, formerly Twitter.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The delegation that will meet the US team includes Andriy Yermak, the presidents chief of staff, Andriy Sybiha, the foreign minister, Rustem Umerov, the defence minister, and Pavlo Palisa, a top military official, Zelensky said in his post.

On our side, we are fully committed to constructive dialogue, and we hope to discuss and agree on the necessary decisions and steps, he wrote.

Volodomyr Zelensky said he would not stay on in Saudi Arabia to meet the US delegation himself - Nicolas Tucat/Getty

But as Mr Trumps US administration pushes Ukraine to come to the negotiating table by cutting off military aid and intelligence-sharing, Russia appears to have stepped up its attacks.

Ukraine is reportedly under increased pressure to retreat from its bridgehead in the Russian region of Kursk.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Ukrainian troops stormed the area last August, taking swathes of territory in an unexpected lightning attack more than two years into Vladimir Putins war.

But on Saturday, a senior Russian commander and war bloggers said Moscow had launched a large-scale offensive to retake the region.

In all directions of the Kursk section of the front, all units have launched a large-scale offensive, Maj Gen Apti Alaudinov, the commander of a Chechen unit fighting in Kursk, said on Telegram on Saturday. The enemy is abandoning its positions.

He claimed that Russian airborne brigades, motorised rifle regiments and Akhmat special forces were taking part in fierce battles and our guys are moving forward very well.

Marco Rubio (centre) and other US officials met Sergei Lavrov, Russias foreign minister, in Saudi Arabia last month for peace talks which sidelined Ukraine - Evelyn Hockstein/AFP via Getty

Russia recaptured three villages in Kursk  Viktorovka, Nikolaevka and Staraya Sorochina  from Ukraine on Saturday, its defence ministry claimed.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Two Majors, a pro-Russia war blog, said on Saturday that Russian troops had begun an assault on Sudzha, a town about six miles from the border with Ukraine, although conflicting Ukrainian reports suggested an assault on the town had been repelled.

The Telegraph was unable to verify the situation on the battlefield, and as of Saturday night, Kyiv had yet to comment on them.

Ukraine still controls some 150 sq miles of Kursk, after launching a cross-border offensive last August, but the Russian advances are increasing the risk of its 10,000 troops there being encircled.

If Ukrainian forces are not able to restore the situation quickly, this could be the moment where the Kursk salient begins to finally close into an encircled pocket, Pasi Paroinen, the military analyst, told Reuters.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Russian air strikes took a heavy toll on civilians overnight, with a drone attack killing 11 people and wounding 40 in Dobropillia, in Ukraines eastern Donetsk region.

It was apocalyptic, resident Iryna Kostenko, 59, told the AFP news agency. First there was a dull sound in the night, she said. Then the little market at the foot of her building exploded. Several of Ms Kostenkos neighbours died in the attack, she said.

Russian missiles struck Dobropillia in the Donetsk region, on a night in which air strikes are thought to have killed 25 in Ukraine - Andriy Dubchak/Frontliner/Getty

Separately, three people were killed and seven others wounded in a drone attack in the town of Bogodukhiv, according to Oleg Synegubov, the military head of the eastern Kharkiv region.

Throughout Ukraine, at least 25 people were killed in Russian attacks, officials said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In one instance  said Oleksandr Prokudin, governor of Kherson  a 54-year-old man was killed by a drone dropping explosions on a civilian car.

Russia fired two missiles and 145 drones at Bogodukhiv, Ukraines air force said.

Mr Zelensky said on Saturday that further Russian strikes prove they are not thinking about how to end the war and that he is grateful to all the leaders, diplomats from partner countries, and civil society figures who support Ukraine.

In a message on X on Saturday evening, Mr Zelensky said 11 people had died in a strike in the city of Dobropillya.

He added: Russia continues to prove with its cruelty, day after day, that nothing has changed for them in Moscow - they are not thinking about how to end the war, but how to destroy and capture more while the world allows them to continue. Of course, we are doing everything we can to protect lives.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

David Lammy condemned the latest Russian strikes as abhorrent.

In a post on X on Saturday evening, the Foreign Secretary said: This barbaric aggression only strengthens our resolve to Stand With Ukraine.

Donald Tusk, the prime minister of Poland, described the latest Russian attacks as what happens when someone appeases barbarians. He said appeasement resulted in more bombs, more aggression.

Putin has no interest in peace, Kaja Kallas, the European Unions foreign policy chief, said on Saturday. She added that we must step up our military support.

The air raids came after Donald Trump threatened new sanctions and tariffs on Russia but said it might be easier to work with Moscow than Kyiv on efforts to end the three-year-long war.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Also on Saturday, a Swedish newspaper reported that the US had told European allies it would not take part in the planning of joint military exercises from 2026 onwards.

Mr Trump has repeatedly criticised Nato countries for not meeting the current 2 per cent spending goal, arguing that the disparity puts an unfair burden on the US.

On Friday, he warned that the US might not defend Nato allies who did not meet defence spending targets, part of a major shake-up of the alliance.

The White House was contacted for comment.

04:44 PM GMT

This blog is now closed

Our live coverage is now ending.

04:06 PM GMT

Trump mulling relocating troops from Germany to Hungary

Donald Trump is considering pulling US troops from Germany and redeploying them to Eastern Europe.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Telegraph understands that the president is considering redeploying troops from Germany to Hungary, which has maintained a close relationship with Russia.

Mr Trump is weighing up withdrawing some 35,000 active personnel out of Germany in a move that would further sour US-Europe relations.

Read the full story here.

02:59 PM GMT

Putin party hands meat grinders to dead soldiers mothers

Local officials from Russias ruling party have caused controversy by presenting mothers of soldiers killed in Ukraine with gifts of meat grinders, an appliance widely used to describe Russias brutal tactics on the front line.

The United Russia party in the northern Murmansk region posted photos on social media showing officials smiling as they visited bereaved mothers with gifts of flowers and boxed meat grinders for International Womens Day on Saturday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The post included a message thanking the dear mums for their strength of spirit and the love you put into bringing up your sons.

Some online commentators called the gesture as shameful and inappropriate. The Russian word for meat grinder, myasorubka, has the same double meaning as in English.

The party defended itself against the online backlash, saying critics were making callous and provocative interpretations of its gifts.

02:44 PM GMT

US to stop planning for joint military exercises: Swedish media report

The US military no longer wants to take part in the planning of military exercises in Europe, according to Swedens Expressen newspaper.

The US has informed allies of its decision, which will apply for military exercises from 2026 onwards, the newspaper reports.

Expressen speculates that the decision will mean that US troops either will stop participating in joint exercises with European troops, or they will only do so in small numbers.

02:10 PM GMT

Europe needs to ramp up arms production, says Nato head

Higher European defence budgets and a ramp-up of production by military equipment industries are necessary to secure Europe, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said in a German newspaper interview.

We will need to spend more to keep ourselves safe, Rutte told German Sunday newspaper Welt am Sonntag (WamS).

But we also need to quickly ramp up our defence production on both sides of the Atlantic...for far too long, we have produced far too little.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization includes much of Europe and also the United States and Canada.

Ammunition, ships, tanks, jets, but also satellites and drones were needed, Rutte said.

02:03 PM GMT

Ukraine fully committed to dialogue with US, says Zelensky

Ukraine is fully committed to constructive dialogue with US representatives in Saudi Arabia next week and hopes to agree on the necessary decisions and steps, Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday.

Ukraine has been seeking peace from the very first second of this war. Realistic proposals are on the table. The key is to move quickly and effectively, Zelensky said on social media network X.

Today, a highly productive meeting took place in Kyiv between the diplomatic teams of Ukraine and the UK.



We discussed our joint steps that could bring us closer to peace and accelerate diplomatic efforts. I'm grateful for the support. Ukraine is determined to do everything to  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) March 8, 2025

On our side, we are fully committed to constructive dialogue, and we hope to discuss and agree on the necessary decisions and steps, he added.

Zelenskiy said he would visit Saudi Arabia next week and after his meeting with the Crown Prince on Monday, Ukrainian diplomatic and military representatives would stay for a meeting on Tuesday with the U.S. team.

01:53 PM GMT

Two Russian regions block Telegram app over security fears

Authorities in two Russian regions have blocked the Telegram messenger because of concerns it could be used by enemies, a regional digital development minister was quoted as saying by the TASS state news agency on Saturday.

Dagestan and Chechnya are mainly Muslim regions in southern Russia where intelligence services have registered an increase in militant Islamist activity.

It (Telegram) is often used by enemies, an example of which is the riots at the Makhachkala airport, said Yuri Gamzatov, Dagestans digital development minister, adding that the decision to block the messenger had been made at the federal level.

Gamzatov was referring to an anti-Israel riot in Dagestan in October 2023, when hundreds of protesters stormed an airport to try to attack passengers arriving on a plane from the Jewish state. No passengers were injured, and authorities have prosecuted several people over the incident.

Gamzatov said Telegram could be unblocked in the future, but encouraged users to switch to other messengers in the meantime.

01:40 PM GMT

Three civilians reported dead in Kharkiv drone attack

A Russian attack with Shahed-type drones killed three people and injured seven more at a meat processing factory in the Kharkiv region early on Saturday, local governor Oleh Syniehubov has stated.

Writing on Telegram, Syniehubov said that the Russian drones hit the factory in the town of Bogodukhiv, damaging the building and nearby garages.

01:05 PM GMT

Russias push for bridgeheads could leave Ukrainian city split like Berlin

Russia occupied Kherson early in its invasion in February 2022 and formally annexed the region in September that year before withdrawing in the face of a Ukrainian counter-offensive.

It continues to hold roughly 70 per cent of the region that lies on the eastern bank of the river, meaning Kherson region will face de facto partition if a ceasefire freezing the front line is agreed.

Such a freeze would entail a heavily militarised border akin to that between East and West Germany during the Cold War, or a Korean-style armistice line and could leave the city of Kherson split like Berlin.

Oleksandr Prokudin, the governor of Kherson region, told the Telegraph that Amphibious operations on the Dnipro river escalated sharply after Donald Trump came to power in November, and that Russian commanders were told to seize what they could to be used as a bargaining chip in negotiations.

Read the full story here.

12:25 PM GMT

Overnight bombings result of appeasing barbarians, says Polish PM

Donald Tusk, Polands prime minister, has issued a strong implicit rebuke of Donald Trumps recent attempts to push Ukraine into peace talks with Russia.

This is what happens when someone appeases barbarians. More bombs, more aggression, more victims. Another tragic night in Ukraine, he wrote on the social media platform X.

This is what happens when someone appeases barbarians. More bombs, more aggression, more victims. Another tragic night in Ukraine.  Donald Tusk (@donaldtusk) March 8, 2025

12:18 PM GMT

A paramedic treats a civilian injured by Russian bombardment

Paramedics treat injured civilians after a Russian aerial bombardment in the city of Kostiantynivka, Ukraine, on March 08, 2025. - Anadolu

Paramedics treat injured civilians after a Russian aerial bombardment in the city of Kostiantynivka on Saturday. - Anadolu

11:49 AM GMT

Starmer welcomes Australias possible support to Coalition of the Willing

Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke to his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese by phone on Saturday and welcomed his commitment to consider contributing to a Coalition of the Willing for Ukraine, a Downing Street spokesperson said.

Additionally, Starmer looked forward to the Chiefs of Defence meeting in Paris on Tuesday to discuss the crisis, the spokesperson said in a statement.

11:35 AM GMT

Canadian volunteer on front line in Donbas

April Hugget near a front line in Donetsk region, Ukraine March 7, 2025. - Inna Varenytsia/REUTERS

Pictured is Canadian medical instructor April Hugget, 36, conducting a medical exercise near the frontline in the Donetsk region on Friday.

Hugget left her three children home in Canada and came to Ukraine as a volunteer in 2022, when Russias full-scale invasion broke out, and she underwent training as a combat medic and joined the Ukrainian Armed Forces in December 2024.

The exercise was conducted with servicemen from the Alcatraz Battalion of the 93rd Kholodnyi Yar Separate Mechanized Brigade, who were previously Ukrainian prisoners who signed up under a new law granting them amnesty in exchange for army service.

11:24 AM GMT

Putin has no interest in peace, says EU foreign policy chief

Vladimir Putin has no interest in peace, the European Unions foreign policy chief said on Saturday, after overnight strikes by Moscows troops killed 14 people in Ukraine.

Russian missiles keep relentlessly falling on Ukraine, bringing more death and more destruction. Once again, Putin shows he has no interest in peace. We must step up our military support - otherwise, even more Ukrainian civilians will pay the highest price, Kaja Kallas said on X.

10:42 AM GMT

Ukraine deploys French fighter jets for first time

The Ukrainian air force said it had deployed French Mirage fighter jets - delivered to Ukraine last month - for the first time to repel Russias aerial onslaught on its energy infrastructure.

Ukrainian energy facilities in the Black Sea region of Odesa and the central Poltava region were damaged.

Handout photograph taken by the Ukrainian Air Force on March 7, 2025 shows a French-made Mirage-2000s fighter jet shooting down a Russian KH-101 cruise missile as seen from the cockpit at an undisclosed location in Ukraine. - AFP

10:33 AM GMT

Residents react to Russian air strike

People hug a crying woman near a damaged residential building following a strike in Dobropillia, Donetsk region, on March 8, 2025, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. - TETIANA DZHAFAROVA/AFP

10:10 AM GMT

Situation for Ukrainians in Kursk very bad

After Russias army made significant gains in the Kursk region this week, military analyst Pasi Paroinen told the Reuters news agency the situation for Ukrainian soldiers in the bridgehead is very bad.

If Ukrainian forces are not able to restore the situation quickly, this could be the moment where the Kursk salient begins to finally close into an encircled pocket, he said.

Several analysts have warned that Russia is attempting to encircle the thousands of Ukrainian soldiers holding Russian territory in the Kursk region, which they have held since last summer.

In its latest update on Friday, the Institute for the Study of War said that Russia likely had a plan to cut off a major road and thus complicate any retreat by Ukrainian forces.

09:39 AM GMT

Video of aftermath of Russian airstrike in Donbas

09:35 AM GMT

Moscow retakes three villages in Kursk region

Russian troops retook from Ukrainian forces the villages of Viktorovka, Nikolaevka and Staraya Sorochina in Russias western Kursk region, the TASS state news agency reported on Saturday, citing the defence ministry.

Reuters could not independently confirm the battlefield report.

The Russian army has been fighting to eject Ukrainian troops from Kursk since last August, when Kyivs forces staged a lightning incursion over the border and seized a swath of Russian territory.

09:27 AM GMT

Zelensky to fly to Saudi Arabia for peace talks

Next week, Volodymyr Zelensky is due to fly to Saudi Arabia on Monday for talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

That meeting will come a day before Ukrainian officials are set to hold fresh talks with their US counterparts on bring the war to an end.

After meeting with Prince Mohammed, Zelensky said his team will remain in Saudi Arabia to work with our American partners.

Ukraine is most interested in peace, he added.

The Ukrainian leader said the first steps to establishing real peace should be stopping both Russian and Ukrainian aerial and naval attacks.

This latest proposal builds on growing rhetoric from Kyiv, Washington and Moscow on halting the war.

The Kremlin has previously ruled out a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine.

09:03 AM GMT

Rubio tells Ukrainian counterpart all sides must work for peace

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a call with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on Friday and told him President Donald Trump was determined to end the war as soon as possible, the State Department said.

The Secretary underscored President Trump is determined to end the war as soon as possible and emphasised that all sides must take steps to secure a sustainable peace, the State Department said in a statement after the call.

08:57 AM GMT

Russian refinery damaged in drone attack

A tank at one of Russias largest oil refineries has been hit by falling debris from a Ukrainian drone strike

The local governor in the region of Leningrad said that a drone was shot down over the refinery resulting in damage to the external structure of one tank.

The incident took place at Kirishi oil refinery, which is located around 100 miles to the south-east of St Petersburg

One of the top two refineries in Russia, it refines about 17.7 million metric tonnes of Russian crude, or 6.4% of the countrys total per year.

Air defences shot down one drone on approach, the other was destroyed over the territory of the enterprise, Alexander Drozdenko, governor of the Leningrad region, said on Telegram.

08:47 AM GMT

Strikes show Russian objectives are unchanged, says Zelensky

Zelensky on Saturday said that the latest Russian air strikes that killed at least 11 people demonstrated that Russias objectives remained unchanged and new sanctions were needed.

Such strikes show that Russias goals are unchanged. Therefore, it is very important to continue to do everything to protect life, strengthen our air defence, and increase sanctions against Russia, Zelensky wrote on Telegram about Friday nights strikes.

At least fourteen people were killed overnight in a Russian drone attack in the east of Ukraine, with a further thirty injured, Ukraines interior ministry has stated.

Five children are reported among the injured in the overnight strike on the city of Dobropillia.

The ministry said Russian forces attacked Dobropillia with ballistic missiles, multiple rockets and drones, damaging eight multi-storey buildings and 30 cars.

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 on Saturday renewed calls for stronger sanctions against Russia, emphasizing the need to protect lives and bolster air defences in response to continued attacks.

Following a Russian air raid on a mining town in eastern Ukraine that reportedly killed at least 11 people late on Friday, Zelensky wrote on Facebook: "Such attacks show that Russia's goals have not changed."

"That is why it is crucial that we continue to do our best to protect lives, strengthen our air defences and tighten sanctions against Russia."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Following the recent suspension of US military aid to Ukraine, experts suggest that Russian President Vladimir Putin is seizing the opportunity to accelerate his war objectives.

A key goal is to gain full control over the contested regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, which remain partially occupied by Russia troops.
It has emerged that three officials, in addition to Andrii Yermak, Head of the Ukrainian President's Office, will travel to Saudi Arabia to meet with their US counterparts.

Source: Ukrainska Pravda sources close to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's team; President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on X (Twitter)

Details: The Ukrainian officials in question are Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Yuliia Svyrydenko, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, and Pavlo Palisa, Deputy Head of the Ukrainian President's Office.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The key focus of the talks is expected to be an agreement on minerals and the restoration of relations with Washington following the last meeting between Presidents Zelenskyy and Donald Trump, which ended in a public spat.

Updated: Zelenskyy later confirmed he would meet with Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, on Monday, 10 March. Afterwards, four Ukrainian officials  Yermak, Sybiha, Defence Minister Rustem Umierov and Palisa  will stay in Saudi Arabia for talks with the American delegation.

Quote from Zelenskyy: "On our side, we are fully committed to constructive dialogue, and we hope to discuss and agree on the necessary decisions and steps. Ukraine has been seeking peace from the very first second of this war.

Realistic proposals are on the table. The key is to move quickly and effectively."

Background:

Next week, the Ukrainian and US delegations will hold talks on the Russo-Ukrainian war in Saudi Arabia.

A Ukrainian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP that Yermak will lead the Ukrainian delegation, which may also include Defence Minister Rustem Umierov.

Media reports suggest that the US will be represented by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and US Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff.

American news outlet Axios reported that the meeting will take place on Wednesday, 12 March.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
What is the best internet provider in Rhode Island?

Verizon Fios is our pick for best internet service provider in Rhode Island, with its 100% fiber-optic internet reaching 80% of the state, near-Gigabit upload and download speeds, competitive pricing and customer-friendly service terms. J.D. Power has also ranked Verizon Fios first in customer satisfaction in the East region for over a decade.

Cox is another solid choice for home internet in Rhode Island and is available just about everywhere in the state (except Block Island and Prudence Island, where only satellite internet is available). Availability is Cox's biggest advantage over Verizon Fios, but it also boasts the highest internet speeds in the state at 2,000Mbps, though the symmetrical upload speeds of 2 Gigabit fiber are quite rare to find for non-business customers.

Both providers have a starting price of approximately $50 per month, but you'll get a slightly faster connection with Verizon Fios. Local provider i3 Broadband has a lower starting price of $40 per month, but it's only available to about 5% of state addresses.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement

Aside from Verizon Fios, Cox and possibly i3 Broadband, wireless internet from Verizon 5G Home Internet and T-Mobile Home Internet are the only other practical internet options in Rhode Island. If you can qualify for the mobile bundle discount with either, it would be the best source of cheap internet in the state.

Our methodology

CNET considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in Rhode Island across several categories. Our evaluation includes referencing a proprietary database built over years of reviewing internet services. We validate that against provider information by spot-checking local addresses for service availability. We also do a close read of provider terms and conditions and, when needed, will call ISPs to verify the details.

Despite our efforts to find the most recent and accurate information, our process has some limitations you should know about. Pricing and speed data are variable: certain addresses may qualify for different service tiers, and monthly costs may vary, even within a city. The best way to identify your particular options is to plug your address into a provider's website.

Also, the prices, speed and other information listed above and in the provider cards below may differ from what we found in our research. The cards display the full range of a provider's pricing and speed across the US, according to our database of plan information provided directly by ISPs. At the same time, the text is specific to what's available in Rhode Island. The prices referenced within this article's text come from our research and include applicable discounts for setting up automatic payments each month  a standard industry offering. Discounts and promotions might also be available for signing a term contract or bundling multiple services.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement

To learn more about how we review internet providers, visit our full methodology page.

Best internet providers in Rhode Island

Source: CNET analysis of provider data

What other internet options are there in Rhode Island?

Verizon (Fios and 5G Home Internet), Cox and T-Mobile Home Internet are the main broadband options available in Rhode Island. Local provider i3 Broadband offers cable internet service to Warren, Bristol and the surrounding areas, but total coverage only reaches around 5% of Rhode Island households, per the FCC.

Satellite internet from Hughesnet, Viasat and possibly Starlink is available throughout the state, but with cable, fiber and fixed wireless connections covering all Rhode Island addresses except Prudence Island and Block Island, theres no need to resort to the slow speeds and limited data that come with satellite internet.

Internet breakdown by city in Rhode Island

It's hard to cover the broadband options of an entire state and give individual cities the attention they deserve. That's why we also compile lists of the best internet providers in cities across the US, including those in Rhode Island. We check internet connection types, max speeds and cheapest providers. Check back later if you dont find the city youre looking for below. We're working on adding more locations every week.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement

Getty Images

Cheap internet options in Rhode Island

Unless you qualify for a mobile bundle discount with Verizon or T-Mobile, i3 Broadband has the cheapest internet plan in Rhode Island, starting at $40 per month for speeds up to 250Mbps. Service from Verizon Fios and Cox starts as low as $35 but will eventually rise to $50 per month.

What's the cheapest internet plan in Rhode Island?

Source: CNET analysis of provider data

How to find internet deals and promotions in Rhode Island

The best internet deals and top promotions in Rhode Island depend on what discounts are available during a given period. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.

Rhode Island internet providers, such as Cox, may offer lower introductory pricing or special for a limited time. Many, including Verizon Fios and i3 Broadband, run the same standard pricing year-round.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement

For a more extensive list of promotions, check out our guide on the best internet deals.

How fast is Rhode Island broadband?

Recent Ookla speed test data shows that median download speeds in the state are faster than any other in the nation at 257Mbps. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.) Thats much higher than the national average of 213Mbps among all US states and Washington, DC and faster than Florida (240Mbps).

Verizon Fios, Cox and i3 Broadband offer gigabit service in Rhode Island with speeds up to 940Mbps or higher, which, when combined, cover a third of the state. Download speeds up to 1,000Mbps may also be available from Verizon 5G Home Internet in a small portion of the state, with upload speeds topping out at 75Mbps.

Fastest internet plans in Rhode Island

Source: CNET analysis of provider data

Whats a good internet speed?

Most internet connection plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you're looking for an internet plan that can accommodate videoconferencing, streaming video or gaming, you'll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here's an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for various applications, according to the FCC. Note that these are only guidelines; internet speed, service and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.

Advertisement Advertisement

For more information, refer to our guide on how much internet speed you really need.

0 to 5Mbps allows you to tackle the basics: browsing the internet, sending and receiving email and streaming low-quality video.

5 to 40Mbps gives you higher-quality video streaming and video conferencing.

40 to 100Mbps should give one user sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.

100 to 500Mbps allows one to two users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming.

500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Rhode Island

Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it's impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. Our approach is to start by researching the pricing, availability and speed information, drawing on our own historical ISP data, the provider sites and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.

In addition, we review the FCC's website to check our data and ensure we consider every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look at sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power, to evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP's service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes. All information provided is accurate as of publication.

Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:

Advertisement Advertisement

Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds? Do customers get decent value for what they're paying? Are customers happy with their service?

While the answer to those questions is often layered and complex, the providers who come closest to "yes" on all three are the ones we recommend. When selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, though we also factor in things like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively straightforward. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and consider real-world speed data from sources like Ookla and FCC reports.

To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.

What is the final word on internet providers in Rhode Island?

Your internet options in Rhode Island will likely come down to Verizon Fios or Cox, although a small portion of the state may also choose cable internet from i3 Broadband.

Verizon Fios is easier to recommend thanks to the 100% fiber connection, faster upload speeds and better perks, including free equipment rental, unlimited data, no contract requirements and signup bonus offers. Not all Rhode Island residents are serviceable for Verizon Fios, however. Cox has the availability advantage, extending coverage to nearly every address in the state.

Advertisement Advertisement

Those looking for an alternative to Verizon Fios or Cox may want to consider fixed wireless internet from Verizon 5G Home Internet or T-Mobile Home Internet. Verizon has potentially faster speeds, up to 1,000Mbps, available in select areas, but T-Mobile has better coverage in Rhode Island.

Internet providers in Rhode Island FAQs

What is the best internet service provider in Rhode Island?

Verizon Fios presents the best overall value of any internet provider in Rhode Island. As the largest fiber internet provider in the state, Verizon Fios offers significantly faster upload speeds and better reliability than cable internet service from Cox or i3 Broadband. Verizon Fios also offers free equipment rental, unlimited data and no contract requirements  perks that are not fully available from Cox or i3 Broadband.

Is fiber internet available in Rhode Island?

More than 75% of Rhode Island households are serviceable for fiber-optic internet, according to the most recent FCC data. While Verizon Fios is by far the largest fiber ISP in the state, Cox also has a small and growing fiber presence in Rhode Island.

What is the cheapest internet provider in Rhode Island?

Local cable provider i3 Broadband has the cheapest internet in Rhode Island with service starting at $40 per month for speeds up to 250Mbps. T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet are potentially cheaper options, with service available for $40 and $35 per month, respectively, but only when bundled with a qualifying mobile service. Otherwise, both providers start at $50 monthly, the same as Verizon Fios and Cox.

Which internet provider in Rhode Island offers the fastest plan?

i3 Broadband offers max download speeds of up to 1,000Mbps in Rhode Island. Verizon 5G Home Internet also advertises maximum speeds of up to 1,000Mbps, although actual speeds will vary. Gigabit service from Verizon Fios goes all the way to 2,000Mbps, and maximum upload speeds are much higher than Cox or i3 Broadband, up to a symmetric 2,000Mbps.
Support Local News Reporting

Journalists at the Yakima Herald-Republic bring you timely, in-depth and credible local news. Your generous donation supports their work.
NewsVoir Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], March 8: Heritage Foods Limited, a leading dairy company offering milk and value-added dairy products, reaffirms its commitment to women's empowerment in India's dairy sector. On this International Women's Day, the company proudly celebrates the role of women farmers and women franchisees, who are integral to its direct milk procurement network. The company procures its milk through village levels procurement centres which are run by Rural entrepreneurs as franchisees. Today, nearly 40% of our Village level procurement centres are run by women entrepreneurs. Heritage Foods also prioritizes and promotes of women dairy farmers. While most of the milk produced are by women farmers, Heritage Foods has registered nearly 60,000 women farmers, where money is directly paid into their bank account. Heritage Foods catalyses this rural transformation by injecting nearly 200Cr of easy-terms loans to these village level entrepreneurs, a large part of which goes to women dairy farmers, which is in line with the company's objective of empowering women and farmers. Some of the other Women-Centric Initiatives by Heritage Foods: - Structured capacity-building and leadership programs to equip women with essential business and technical skills. - Encouraging women-led leadership by appointing them as Heritage Procurement Representatives (HPRs), ensuring greater decision-making power in dairy procurement. - Nearly 100 out of the 400+ 'Heritage Happiness Points' or sales & distribution franchisee units, which is the fastest growing distribution channel for the company are run by women entrepreneurs, who are strongly demonstrating that they can be help build consumer connect for the brand, in a male dominated industry. In a massive campaign, involving hundreds of company associates, Heritage Foods felicitated more than 1400 of these women entrepreneurs on the occasion of Women's Day, for their excellence and contribution to the dairy sector. Brahmani Nara, Executive Director, Heritage Foods Ltd., stated, "Women are the backbone of India's dairy sector, shaping its future with resilience and innovation. At Heritage Foods, we don't just support women-we empower them to lead. By enabling financial independence, skill development, and leadership, we are driving lasting change. When women succeed, families prosper, communities grow, and the nation thrives." Heritage Foods continues to enhance women's participation in dairy farming through proactive initiatives that drive long-term impact. By organizing village-level meetings, the company encourages more women to take on leadership roles within the sector. Continuous training and mentorship programs equip women with the skills needed to build and sustain successful dairy enterprises, while structured market linkages enable them to maximize their earnings and business potential. Through these efforts, Heritage Foods is fostering a more equitable, self-reliant, and resilient rural economy. With a steadfast focus on gender inclusion, Heritage Foods is empowering women in agriculture, reinforcing their role as key drivers of India's dairy industry, and paving the way for a more equitable and prosperous future. Heritage Foods Limited (NSE: HERITGFOOD; BSE: 519552), founded in the year 1992, is one of the India's leading value-added and branded dairy products companies. It has a presence in the cattle feed business through its subsidiary, Heritage Nutrivet Limited (HNL). Heritage Foods' milk and milk products, such as Curd, Ghee, Paneer, flavored milk, among others, are consumed by more than 1.5 million households in 17 states across India. Heritage Foods enjoys strong brand affinity with its consumers and is primarily known for its product authenticity, quality and freshness. It also enjoys long-term relationships with over 0.30 million farmers and has a vast distribution network across the country, comprising 7,200+ distributors and agents. The Company is ESG responsible and has a total renewable energy generation capacity of 11.70 MW from both Solar and Wind for captive consumption within its dairy factories. (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.)
Bollywood actor Farhan Akhtar, known for his strong advocacy on social issues, teamed up with the Maharashtra Cyber Police on Friday to launch a helpline number dedicated to assisting victims of cyberbullying and online abuse. Maharashtra Cyber Cell teamed up with a non-profit organisation, Brush Of Hope, to launch the helpline number for cyberbullying victims. Speaking at the launch event in Mumbai on Friday, the 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara' actor emphasized the need for vigilance against cyber crimes and highlighted the importance of taking the right measures to combat online threats. "In today's time, one of the biggest criminal syndicates is of cyber crime. So, we all have to be vigilant and have to help each other. The Brush Of Hope (NGO) has started a very good initiative, especially for children - who have a habit of taking risks while growing up and think that nothing will happen and it's a matter of courage. So, sometimes, they fault at it." He continued, "Sometimes they make such mistakes that because of the mishap, you can harm yourself. So, 'Brush For Hope' is a very nice initiative. I have come in support of that, so I hope that through us and our friends, we should raise the awareness." Farhan was also questioned about celebrities turning into victims of cyberbullying, to which the actor said that such incidents can happen to anyone. He said, "They are also human beings, and it can happen to anyone. I would say, the kind of structure which is made by Maharashtra Cyber Cell and the helpline being initiated by Brush Of Hope, that is very heartening to see. I'm glad there are all these tools out there because of which kids - girls or boys, men and women, they could gain access to help." On the work front, Farhan Akhtar recently produced the film The Superboys Of Malegaon alongside Zoya Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani. It was released in the theatres on February 28. The movie follows the journey of Nasir Shaikh, an aspiring filmmaker from the small town of Malegaon, as he pursues his dream of making movies with his friends despite numerous obstacles. Starring Adarsh Gourav, Vineet Kumar Singh, and Shashank Arora, the film is inspired by a true story and highlights the struggles and triumphs of three friends who, unable to afford to go to Mumbai, work together to make their dream of filmmaking a reality. (ANI)
On the occasion of International Women's Day, bollywood actor-politician Kangana Ranaut said that it is important for women to recognise their inner strength and never consider themselves less than anyone in society. Taking to X, she wrote, "On this international women's day my message to all the women out there is, don't let anyone convince you that you need to fit in to men's shoes or compete with other women. No. You don't need to be like anyone else, there is a Shakti waiting in you to be unravelled and unleashed. Just focus on that, be kinder, be curious, be more of yourself, be more of a woman." "Remember everyone in this world is hoping to receive the love and grace of a woman, remember even you as a child all you needed was your mother, be that source, radiate more, love more , give more, just be more of a woman. You are a goddess , every one needs you and you are more than enough, you are everything...#WomensDay2025," she added. https://x.com/KanganaTeam/status/1898193782891225190 President Droupadi Murmu, in her message on the eve of International Women's Day, observed every year on March 8, extended her greetings to all women across the country. "On the occasion of International Women's Day, I extend my heartiest greetings to all sisters and daughters," the President's Secretariat said in a release. "International Women's Day is an occasion to honour the achievements of women power and their unique contribution to the country and society. Women are the foundation of our family, society and the nation. Women have successfully carved out their identities in diverse fields, despite facing adversities and challenges", President Murmu said. "However, much needs to be done to improve women's socio-economic conditions. Let us all pledge to create a society where every woman feels safe and has equal opportunities to advance. I congratulate all women achievers and wish them a bright future", she added. International Women's Day is celebrated on March 8 globally. It is a special day dedicated to celebrating women's accomplishments, promoting awareness about gender equality, and fighting for a more equitable society. (ANI)
New Delhi: An X user posted the long, harrowing tale of how her 82-year-old grandmother, the widow of a Lt General, is in the ICU following a fall at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi on March 4 after Air India allegedly denied her a wheelchair that was pre-booked.

Parul Kanwar took to the social media platform and posted a detailed account of the events that unfolded at the airport. She claimed that for their travel back from Delhi to Bangalore, they had booked a wheelchair for her grandmother in advance, which was also confirmed by the airline. However, when they reached the airport, she was allegedly not allocated a wheelchair.

Kanwar added in the post that after waiting for around an hour, with no other option in sight, the senior citizen woman, with the assistance of a family member, walked slowly across three parking lanes.

While she managed to enter the airport, she fell in front of the Air India premium economy counter, Kanwar wrote in the post.

Her post read, Expectation from Air India staff was for the family member to go to the MI room and get medical aid. Finally, the wheelchair arrived, and she was promptly boarded without a proper checkup with a bleeding lip and injury to her head and nose. On flight crew did help with ice packs and called ahead to Bangalore airport for medical aid, where she was seen by a doctor and given 2 stitches.

Kanwar claimed, She has been here 2 days under observation for potential brain bleeds. My mother and father watch as doctors pump her with medication, and her left side loses strength. From where we stand, its a long road ahead of pain and recovery which she did not deserve.

Kanwar also shared that a complaint has been filed with the DGCA and Air India.

In response to the womans post, Air India acknowledged the incident, stating, Dear Ms. Kanwar, we are concerned to note this and wish Ms. Pasricha a speedy recovery. Wed like to connect with you over a call in this regard and request you share your contact number and a convenient time via DM.

Kanwar responded, Done, but do not call me without due diligence and investigation on your end. Not interested in excuses.

The airline later followed up, saying, Dear Ms. Kanwar, we sincerely wish your grandmother a speedy recovery. We are actively working on the concern and assure you that we will share the complete details at the earliest."
Faced with a complaint that the non-availability of a pre-booked wheelchair resulted in the fall of an elderly woman passenger at the Delhi airport, Air India on Saturday said wheelchair or assistance was not denied to the passenger at any point in time and that first aid was given immediately.

The incident happened on March 4 at the Delhi airport, and the passenger later boarded the flight to Bengaluru.

In a post on X, the granddaughter of the 82-year-old passenger said her grandmother was treated poorly by the airline and claimed that she was not allocated a wheelchair for almost an hour.

As per the post on March 7, the passenger managed to enter the airport on foot, but still, no wheelchair or assistance was provided, and she suffered a fall.

Issuing a detailed statement after investigating the incident, Air India on Saturday (March 8) said the family members accompanying the passenger had reported at the PRM (Person with Reduced Mobility) desk located near Air India's ticketing office less than 90 minutes before the scheduled time of departure to request a wheelchair.

"Due to the unprecedented peak demand at that hour, a wheelchair could not be made available within the 15 minutes that the passenger's relatives spent waiting for it," the airline said, adding that the claims of having waited for an hour for the wheelchair are baseless.

The granddaughter also mentioned in the post that complaints were lodged with the aviation regulator DGCA and Air India and are awaiting action.

According to Air India, at no point was the wheelchair or any assistance denied to the passenger, and the airline's staff cooperated with the guests throughout their journey.

"On their own accord, the passenger decided to walk along with those accompanying her. She unfortunately suffered a fall in the airport premises," the statement said.

The airline also mentioned that Delhi airport officials and the airport doctor on duty immediately attended to her and administered first aid.

Elaborating further, Air India noted that the airport doctor's offer for additional medical attention was not accepted, and the family members insisted on continuing their travel to Bengaluru.

While noting that, as requested by the family members, its staff escorted the passenger for further medical attention at the Bengaluru airport premises, the airline also said it has reached out to the passenger's family.
The newly formed Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP)-led Delhi government is expected to launch its highly anticipated Mahila Samriddhi Scheme on Saturday, the occasion of International Women's Day 2025 (March 8).

During the Delhi Assembly election campaign, this scheme was one of the main commitments outlined in the manifesto by the party. Earlier, BJP MP Manoj Tiwari also confirmed that the registration for the scheme would begin on March 8. While the government is yet to chalk out the details regarding eligibility and documentation, the scheme will offer Rs 2,500 per month to the eligible women of Delhi.

As this scheme aims to empower the economically weaker section of women, it is likely to be announced at the Mahila Diwas programme to be attended by BJP president J P Nadda in JLN stadium on Saturday, as per PTI sources. Further, a cabinet note on the BJPs poll promise of the Mahila Samriddhi Scheme may be presented before the Delhi cabinet meeting headed by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta for approval on the same day. The cabinet is likely to discuss the guidelines and eligibility criteria of the scheme before giving its nod, as per PTI.

What Is The Eligibility Criteria?

Here are a few likely eligibility criteria for women to avail the benefits of the Mahila Samriddhi Scheme in Delhi:

Age: According to PTI sources, women aged 21-60 years will be eligible.

Income: They must have an annual income of not more than Rs 2.5 lakh.

Other Financial Assistance: They must not be receiving other financial aid from the government, as per media reports.

Employment: They must not be government employees.

What Documents Are Required?

Although the official list of required documents for the Mahila Samriddhi Scheme is not out yet, here are some documents that may be needed-

Ration Card

Address Proof

Aadhar Card

Registered Mobile Number

Bank Account Details (linked with Aadhar Card)

How To Apply?
Steven Knight, the creator and screenwriter of the hit crime drama TV series 'Peaky Blinders,' hinted that the upcoming spin-off film of the franchise may have a theatrical outing ahead of its arrival on the Netflix streaming platform, reported Deadline. Steven shared an update on the filming of the Peaky Blinders spin-off movie and expressed his wish to see it on the big screen before its release on Netflix. In an interview with Playlist, Steven Knight said, "We wrapped (filming) on December 13th. We've got Barry Keoghan, Tim Roth, Rebecca Ferguson, and obviously Cillian Murphy and Stephen Graham. And I have to say, it is mind-blowingly good. I really want the Peaky fans who have been a big part of this to be watching it all together in one building. The communication has all been virtual, but I do want this to be in cinemas so that people can sit there together and watch this thing happen," quoted Deadline. Netflix has not shared any announcement regarding this yet. The movie is directed by Tom Harper, who previously directed several episodes of the series. Although much of the plot remains undisclosed, the movie is being described as "an epic continuation of the multi-award-winning gangster saga, set in the lawless streets of Birmingham in the 1900s," according to Variety. Production on the film began in September, and fans got an exciting glimpse of Cillian Murphy back in character as Tommy Shelby. Steven Knight wrote the script for the "Peaky Blinders" film and is co-producing alongside Murphy, Caryn Mandabach, and Guy Heeley. The executive producers include Tom Harper, David Kosse, Jamie Glazebrook, Andrew Warren, and David Mason. Excited about the film, Murphy said in an earlier statement, "This is one for the fans." Variety reported this. His show, Peaky Blinders, culminated with season six in 2022, shortly before the Irishman went on to star in Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer, which won him an Academy Award. His portrayal of Tommy Shelby in the show helped him achieve global fandom. Earlier, Steven also confirmed that the upcoming Peaky Blinders spin-off film will not mark the end of the franchise, suggesting that it could continue with more seasons. (ANI)
Koppal: Two women, including a 27-year-old Israeli tourist, were allegedly gang-raped and assaulted while stargazing near Hampi, police said on Saturday. Three male tourists who were with the women were also assaulted and pushed into a canal and one of them was found dead, they said.

"Out of the three accused, we have arrested two and efforts are being taken to nab the third suspect in the case," Ram L Arasiddi, Superintendent of Police of Koppal, told PTI. As the opposition BJP in Karnataka flayed the Congress government over the incident, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah assured that his government is committed to providing protection to everyone, including tourists, coming to the state.

The arrested have been identified as Mallesh and Chetan Sai. Both aged 21 years hail from Sai Nagara in Gangavathi town and work as masons. The incident occurred around 11 pm on Thursday. After dinner, a 29-year-old homestay operator, along with the Israeli tourist and three male tourists, was sitting by the left bank of the Tungabhadra Canal near Sanapur Lake, playing the guitar, enjoying music, and stargazing.

Among the male tourists, one was from the United States, while the others were from Odisha and Maharashtra. According to police, in her complaint, the homestay operator alleged that while they were stargazing and playing music, three men who came on a motorcycle approached them, asking where they could get petrol. When she informed them that there were no petrol pumps nearby and suggested they get it from Sanapur, the accused demanded Rs 100.

"Since the homestay operator did not know them, she told them they had no money. When the men repeatedly insisted, one of the male tourists from Odisha gave them Rs 20. After that, the three men allegedly started arguing and threatened to bash their heads with stones," the complainant stated in the FIR.

When the group refused to give them more money, the accused, who spoke Kannada and Telugu, started abusing them. They then allegedly raped the homestay operator and the Israeli tourist and pushed the three male tourists into the canal, a senior police officer said.

"Two of the accused beat the homestay operator, while the third aggressively pushed the three male tourists into the canal. The three accused also hit the homestay operator, leaving her seriously injured," the FIR added. The accused dragged her to the side of the canal, where one of them strangled her and removed her clothes. Two of them beat and raped her. They also snatched her bag, stealing two mobile phones and Rs 9,500 in cash, according to the FIR.

Similarly, one of them dragged the Israeli tourist and raped her. The accused fled on a motorcycle after the assault, the complainant alleged. Of the three male tourists, two sustained injuries and another went missing, whose dead body was recovered on Saturday morning.

Based on the complaint, a case was registered at Gangavathi Rural Police Station under sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita that deal with extortion, robbery or dacoity with intent to cause death or grievous hurt, gang rape, and attempted murder, police said. The two women are undergoing treatment at a hospital.

Taking to social media platform 'X', Siddaramaiah termed the inicdent as a "most heinous act". "As soon as the incident was reported, I obtained information from the relevant police, conducted a thorough investigation, and instructed them to quickly identify the culprits," he said.

"Our government is committed to providing protection to everyone, including tourists, coming to the state. All necessary measures will be taken to ensure that such incidents do not recur," he assured. Hitting out at the ruling Congress, Karnataka BJP President B Y Vijayendra alleged that despite the rise in crimes against women across the state, the dispensation remains "delusional and indifferent" to the suffering of its people.

Sharing news report about the incident on 'X', he said, "It is deeply disturbing to hear about the horrific rape of two women, a foreign national and a homestay owner reportedly from Koppal district, near the Tungabhadra canal. Criminals now act with impunity, unafraid of consequences, even in the immediate aftermath of Hampi Utsava, a festival that honors the grand legacy of the Vijayanagara Empire. The stark contrast between the states glorious past and its present lawlessness is truly disheartening."

He further alleged that instead of focusing on governance and public safety, Home Minister G Parameshwara, along with the rest of the cabinet, seems more preoccupied with hosting dinner parties than ensuring the security of citizens.

"Even as crimes against women continue to rise across Karnataka, the government remains delusional and indifferent to the pain and suffering of its people. This administration is proving to be a curse on Karnataka," he alleged.
Google Doodle commemorated International Womens Day 2025 by shining a spotlight on the remarkable achievements of women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). Despite persistent gender disparities, women now make up 29% of the global STEM workforcea number that continues to grow annually.

Recognizing the importance of this global day, first acknowledged by the United Nations in 1975, Google paid tribute to female pioneers who have shaped the modern world. The Doodles artwork highlighted women who have made revolutionary strides in space exploration, archaeological discoveries, and laboratory research, transforming our understanding of physics, chemistry, and biology.

Bridging the Gender Gap in STEM

Google emphasized that while the contributions of women in STEM have been groundbreaking, significant gaps remain. STEM remains one of the areas where gender disparities persist, Google noted in a blog post. Despite these challenges, the increasing presence of women in these fields signals progress in the fight for equality.

The Doodle also underscored the broader significance of International Womens Day, serving as a powerful reminder of the invaluable role women have played throughout history. Their collective achievements have shaped the world we live in today, driving the innovations and progress that define the modern era, the post further stated.

A Look at Womens Day in India

In India, International Womens Day was first observed in 1914 in Pune. The day gained prominence during the countrys struggle for independence, with women actively participating in protests and movements, further solidifying their role in shaping the nations history.

2025 Theme: Empowering the Next Generation

The United Nations announced this years theme as a call to action for a more inclusive future, emphasizing the need for equal rights, opportunities, and power for all. A key focus is on empowering the next generationparticularly young women and adolescent girlsas changemakers for lasting societal transformation.

This year also marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a landmark agreement adopted in 1995 by 189 countries to advance womens rights. While significant progress has been made over the past three decades, challenges such as gender-based violence, economic disparity, and underrepresentation in politics persist.

As the world celebrates International Womens Day 2025, the recognition of womens contributions in STEM serves as an inspiration for future generations, reinforcing the importance of breaking barriers and striving for a more equitable world.
In a significant action against subversive activities, Sopore Police have attached property worth Rs 38,91,250 belonging to two proclaimed offenders in connection with an ongoing investigation.

Police, in a statement to the media, said that Police Station Sopore attached 4 kanals and 9 marlas of orchard land under Survey No. 21-23/829, valued at Rs 21,13,750, belonging to Irshad Ahmad Reshi, son of Ali Mohammad Reshi, resident of Yamberzalwari.

"Additionally, 2 kanals and 5 marlas of orchard land, worth Rs 17,77,500, under Survey No. 383 and 157, belonging to Bashir Ahmad Mir, son of Mohammad Subhan Mir, resident of Harwan Bomai, were also attached." Police said.

This action is linked to Case FIR No. 28/2008, registered under Sections 2/3 of the Enemy Agents Ordinance (EMCO), 120B, 121 IPC, and 7/24 of the Arms Act. The attachment was executed under Sections 82 and 83 of the CrPC by a joint team of police and revenue officials, following approval from the competent authority.

Authorities stated that this step is part of an ongoing crackdown on individuals involved in unlawful activities. Sopore Police reaffirmed their commitment to countering national security threats and ensuring regional peace and stability.
Kerala Lottery Results Saturday 08-03-2025 LIVE: The Kerala Lottery Department, on behalf of the Keralan government, announces the "KARUNYA KR-696" Lucky Draw Result today Karunya Kr-696, March 08, 2025. The draw will be held at Gorky Bhavan near Bakery Junction in Thiruvananthapuram. The Kerala Lottery Result 2025 for "Karunya KR-696" will feature 12 series, with changes in series possible each week. A total of 108 lakh tickets are available for purchase weekly. The ticket prices may vary. Check the Karunya KR-696 results right here to see if youre the first-place winner of 80 Lakhs. Stay tuned to this website for the live update of Kerala Lottery Karunya KR-696 results today.

Kerala Lottery Result 08-03-2025 Mar: FULL LIST OF WINNING NUMBERS FOR KARUNYA KR-696 Draw

LUCKY NUMBER FOR 1ST PRIZE OF RS 80 LAKHS IS: KJ 264145

LUCKY NUMBER FOR 2ND PRIZE OF RS 5 LAKHS IS: KF 743075

LUCKY NUMBERS FOR 3RD PRIZE OF RS 1 Lakh ARE: KA 778605 KB 289307 KC 621258 KD 292059 KE 624211 KF 426416 KG 224931 KH 437411 KJ 115310 KK 973952 KL 661731 KM 879786

LUCKY NUMBERS FOR CONSOLATION PRIZE OF RS 8,000 ARE: KA 945869 KB 945869 KC 945869 KD 945869 KE 945869 KF 945869 KG 945869 KH 945869 KK 945869 KL 945869 KM 945869

(For The Tickets Ending with The Following Numbers below)

LUCKY NUMBERS FOR 4TH PRIZE OF RS 5,000 ARE: 0317 0470 0807 0847 1654 1954 2333 2753 3276 3387 3522 3725 5181 6670 7604 8673 9255 9307

LUCKY NUMBERS FOR 5TH PRIZE OF RS 2,000 ARE: 0289 0307 0734 4298 5970 6058 8114 8480 9083 9742

LUCKY NUMBERS FOR 6TH PRIZE OF RS 1,000 ARE: 0248 0924 1441 2239 3028 3647 3987 6906 7335 7568 8303 9088 9180 9186

LUCKY NUMBERS FOR 7TH PRIZE OF RS 500 ARE: 0138 0373 0498 0616 0649 0697 0753 0878 0966 1059 1172 1428 1576 1964 2073 2194 2351 2398 2585 2588 2604 2667 2783 2928 2937 3094 3308 3779 3825 3994 4383 4404 4419 4646 4691 4705 4717 4925 4985 5064 5110 5150 5207 5360 5406 5426 5639 5668 5716 5907 6119 6239 6290 6313 6745 6752 6849 6897 7098 7148 7161 7262 7306 7453 7467 7596 7680 7773 7865 8204 8250 8354 8414 8475 8569 9289 9326 9463 9612 9852

LUCKY NUMBERS FOR 8TH PRIZE OF RS 100 ARE: 5945 3153 6503 5262 8116 5162 4241 0617 9812 9517 4434 4479 3610 7601 8613 1725 1691 5603 3835 6054 9495 0060 4264 1420 9687 8648 5559 1399 2052 6318 7747 4756 0935 7964 1998 1053 1326 5711 4683 3375 0851 6186 4398 1956 2225 5415 7517 2465 7940 2331 9546 9686 8958 2935 9262 5042 6096 5035 4267 6804 6179 4217 9977 6914 5852 8467 6510 7992 7488 5468 1723 0947

KERALA LOTTERY RESULT 08-03-2025 March TODAY: KARUNYA KR-696 LOTTERY PRIZE DETAILS

1st Prize: Rs 80 Lakhs

2nd Prize: Rs. 5 lakhs

3rd Prize: Rs. 1 Lakh

4th Prize: Rs. 5,000

5th Prize: Rs. 2,000

6th Prize: Rs. 1,000

7th Prize: Rs. 500

8th Prize: Rs. 100

Consolation Prize: Rs. 8,000

(NOTE: Lottery can be addictive and should be played responsibly. The data provided on this page is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as advice or encouragement. Zee News does not promote the lottery in any way.)
As over 1.5 lakh women gathered in a Gujarat village for Prime Minister Narendra Modis Lakhpati Didi programme on Saturday, around 2,500 female police personnel took charge of security, ensuring the mega event proceeded smoothly.

In the first such initiative in the country, the entire security cover for the event venue at Vansi Borsi village in the Navsari district was provided by women police officers and constables to mark International Womens Day.

Their male peers were deployed for parking and traffic management services, said officials.

Women police personnel were in charge of security at every step during the programme  right from Modis arrival at the helipad till the conclusion of the event, during which Modi addressed a sea of women, interacted with beneficiaries of the Lakhpati Didi scheme, and felicitated them with the Lakhpati Didi certificates.

Women police personnel have made the security arrangements for the Lakhpati Didi program, said Additional DGP Nipuna Torwane, who supervised the work of the all-women team.

Since this is a very high-level programme, all precautions have been taken for its security. From constabulary to higher-ranking officials have been making arrangements, carrying out rehearsals and giving point-to-point briefings over the security arrangements for the last three days, she said.

As many as 2,145 women police constables, 61 women inspectors, 187 women sub-inspectors, 19 women deputy superintendents of police, 5 women superintendents of police, and a deputy inspector general-rank official handled the security from the front, officials said.

An official release quoted State Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi as saying that the decision to make women in charge of security at such a high-profile event would be a milestone not only in Gujarat but in the entire country in policing and law and order.

This initiative will give a strong message to the world on International Womens Day, and it will also convey how women play an important role in making Gujarat a safe and secure state, Sanghavi added.

The minister said this would be a historic initiative in India concerning law and order.
Mumbai: On the occasion of International Women's Day, bollywood actor-politician Kangana Ranaut said that it is important for women to recognise their inner strength and never consider themselves less than anyone in society.

Taking to X, she wrote, "On this international women's day my message to all the women out there is, don't let anyone convince you that you need to fit in to men's shoes or compete with other women. No. You don't need to be like anyone else, there is a Shakti waiting in you to be unravelled and unleashed. Just focus on that, be kinder, be curious, be more of yourself, be more of a woman."

"Remember everyone in this world is hoping to receive the love and grace of a woman, remember even you as a child all you needed was your mother, be that source, radiate more, love more , give more, just be more of a woman. You are a goddess , every one needs you and you are more than enough, you are everything...#WomensDay2025," she added.

On this international womens day my message to all the women out there is, dont let anyone convince you that you need to fit in to mens shoes or compete with other women. No. You dont need to be like anyone else, there is a Shakti waiting in you to be unravelled and  Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) March 8, 2025

President Droupadi Murmu, in her message on the eve of International Women's Day, observed every year on March 8, extended her greetings to all women across the country.

"On the occasion of International Women's Day, I extend my heartiest greetings to all sisters and daughters," the President's Secretariat said in a release.

"International Women's Day is an occasion to honour the achievements of women power and their unique contribution to the country and society. Women are the foundation of our family, society and the nation. Women have successfully carved out their identities in diverse fields, despite facing adversities and challenges", President Murmu said.

"However, much needs to be done to improve women's socio-economic conditions. Let us all pledge to create a society where every woman feels safe and has equal opportunities to advance. I congratulate all women achievers and wish them a bright future", she added.

On International Women's Day, President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated a National Conference on the theme Nari Shakti Se Viksit Bharat in New Delhi, organised by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. The President highlighted that a better environment for girls to move pic.twitter.com/OZLplrHntK  President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) March 8, 2025

International Women's Day is celebrated on March 8 globally. It is a special day dedicated to celebrating women's accomplishments, promoting awareness about gender equality, and fighting for a more equitable society.
Mumbai: Harman Baweja-led Baweja Studios is set to make its Tamil debut with the much-anticipated drama "Perusu".

Baweja Studios has joined forces with Karthik Subbaraj and Kaarthekeyen S' Stonebench Films for their Tamil debut.

Stone Bench Films is known for its innovative and genre-defining films such as "Jigarthanda Double X", "Mercury", and "Rathnam". The banner has consistently championed thought-provoking storytelling and unconventional narratives.

Talking about the project, Harman Baweja stated, "Tamil cinema has always been home to some of the most compelling and boundary-pushing storytelling. At Baweja Studios, we are committed to backing solid content, and Perusu is the perfect film to mark our entry into this dynamic industry. Partnering with Karthik Subbaraj, Kaarthekeyen S and their team at Stone Bench, who share the same passion for disruptive and engaging narratives, made complete creative sense right after Mrs found a home in the audiences' hearts. We believe Perusu will not only entertain but also set new benchmarks in the comedy-drama space."

Kaarthekeyen S, Producer/CEO of Stonebench Films added "We are excited to partner with Harman Baweja and Baweja Studios and welcome them to the Tamil Industry. With 'Perusu' as our first partnership we are confident that we will both have a winning start as this movie will be a complete laugh-a-minute entertainer. With Vaibhav and Sunil collaborating for the first time and with social media sensation Niharika NM making her debut the film is a solid comedy entertainer. We look forward to more collaborations with Baweja Studios in creating innovative content that Stonebench Films has always been known for. We are hopeful and confident that they will find this partnership fruitful too."

Touted to be a laughter riot, "Perusu" stars Vaibhav Reddy, Niharika NM, Sunil, Chandini, Redin Kingsley, and Karunakaran in significant roles.

Directed by Ilango Ram, the project is expected to reach the cinema halls on March 14.

Beyond "Perusu", Baweja Studios' exciting lineup includes "Dil Ka Darwaza Kholna Darling", "Boy From Andaman", and "Ikhwan".
New Delhi: Canadas intelligence chief, Daniel Rogers, will visit India in mid-March to attend an annual intelligence gathering as reported by WION. Rogers, the director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), was appointed in February. He has over two decades of experience in national security and intelligence and previously served as Deputy National Security and Intelligence Advisor to the Canadian Prime Minister.

The intelligence gathering in India is hosted by the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS). The event has been held annually since 2022. This year, the UK will be represented by its National Security Advisor Jonathan Powell. Other participants include intelligence chiefs from Indias Western partners, West Asian nations such as Saudi Arabia, and representatives from Russia.

The agenda focuses on counterterrorism and global conflicts. Last year, intelligence representatives from 25 countries attended the event.

India-Canada Diplomatic Ties

The visit comes at a time when India-Canada relations remain tense. Ties worsened in 2023 after former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India of involvement in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India denied the allegations and accused Canada of sheltering Khalistani extremists.

In May 2024, Canadian authorities arrested four Indian nationalsKaran Brar, Kamalpreet Singh, Karanpreet Singh, and Amandeep Singh. They were charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy in Nijjars killing. Nijjar was designated as a terrorist by India and was known for his Khalistani separatist activities.

Diplomatic ties suffered further in October 2024 when India withdrew its High Commissioner Sanjay Verma and expelled Canadas acting High Commissioner Stewart Wheeler.

Justin Trudeaus Resignation

Trudeau resigned on January 6, 2025, after a decade in office, opening the possibility of improved relations. Canadas Liberal Party will announce a new leader this Sunday. The winner will serve as Prime Minister until the next federal election.
External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar met Irish Foreign Minister Simon Harris in Dublin and announced that India and Ireland will set up a Joint Economic Commission. The aim is to strengthen trade, investment, and technology ties between the two countries.

Jaishankar shared the update on social media platform X on Friday. "A warm and open meeting with Tanaiste & FM @SimonHarrisTD of Ireland this morning in Dublin. We discussed our bilateral cooperation, including a new Action Plan to reinvigorate ties. Agreed to set up a Joint Economic Commission to increase our trade, investment and technology linkages," Jaishankar wrote.

He added that both leaders also exchanged views on global issues, including the Ukraine conflict, West Asia, Afghanistan, and the Indo-Pacific. Discussions also covered India-EU cooperation and multilateralism.

As his visit to Ireland came to an end, Jaishankar paid tribute to Rabindranath Tagore at St Stephen's Green Park in Dublin. "Paid tributes to Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore at the St Stephen's Green Park in Dublin at the conclusion of my visit to Ireland," he posted on X.

Jaishankar in Northern Ireland

During his official visit to Northern Ireland, Jaishankar met Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly and Junior Minister Aisling Reilly. He thanked them for their support in establishing the Indian Consulate in Belfast and discussed ways to strengthen ties in various sectors.

"Nice to meet Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland @little_pengelly and Junior Minister @aislingreillysf this evening in Belfast. Thanked them for all the support in setting up our Consulate. Discussed possibilities for deepening India's engagement with Northern Ireland, especially in skills, Cyber, Tech, creative industries and manufacturing," he wrote on X.

Later on Friday evening, Jaishankar visited Queens University in Belfast, which is set to open a campus in GIFT City, Gujarat. He also interacted with Indian students studying there.

"Good to visit Queen's University in Belfast this evening. Their upcoming campus in GIFT City, Gujarat is an example of the potential of ties in education. Appreciated the interaction with Indian students currently studying in @QUBelfast," he posted.

Jaishankar was in Belfast to inaugurate the Indian Consulate. He said the consulate will serve the Indian community and enhance cooperation in trade, technology, business, and education. "The Consulate will serve the needs of the Indian community, while also exploring further cooperation in trade, technology, business and education," he said on X.
Washington: US President Donald Trump slammed India's tariff policies, calling them excessively high and unfair. He claimed that selling products to India is nearly impossible due to these high import duties.

Speaking from the White House in a televised address, Trump claimed that India has now agreed to lower its tariffs significantly. He attributed this to increased scrutiny of India's trade practices.

"India charges us massive tariffs. Massive. You can't even sell anything in India," Trump said. "They have agreed, by the way; they want to cut their tariffs way down now because somebody is finally exposing them for what they have done."

Trump's comments come as the US prepares to introduce reciprocal tariffs on countries that impose high levies on American goods. The new tariffs, set to take effect on April 2, will be a major shift in US trade policy.

Earlier, in a speech to the US Congress, Trump had criticized India's tariffs on automobile imports, saying they exceed 100%. He reiterated that the US will impose reciprocal tariffs on countries with high duties.

"Under the Trump administration, you will pay a tariff, and in some cases, a rather large one. Other countries have used tariffs against us for decades, and now it's our turn to start using them," Trump said. "India charges us auto tariffs higher than 100 per cent."

The new US tariffs are expected to have a significant impact on global trade. Countries affected by these measures may have to reassess their tariff policies.

In February, Trump had announced 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico and an additional 10% on goods from China.

Meanwhile, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has expressed hope for stronger trade ties with India. Speaking at the India Today Conclave, he emphasized the need for India to open its agricultural market.

"The Indian market for agriculture, it has to open up," Lutnick said. "The good thing is your government truly understands your market, and we understand ours. And the key is to find a balance."

Lutnick suggested that India could adopt smarter strategies such as quotas or limits while negotiating with the US. He stressed the importance of thoughtful discussions to ensure a fair trade deal.

The US and India are currently working towards a bilateral trade agreement, expected to be finalised by the fall of 2025. Both nations aim to expand their economic relationship, with a goal of increasing bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030.

India's Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal was in the US this week to continue negotiations on this agreement. Both Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have committed to advancing trade discussions and strengthening economic ties between the two nations.

(With ANI inputs)
The film, directed by AL Vijay, marks the two actors' reunion after almost a decade since their 2015 hit, Tanu Weds Manu Returns.

The actress took to her Instagram to share the news along with a picture with the team as they wrapped up filming.

The picture showed Kangana wearing a pink saree with a golden border, a white robe draped over her shoulders, and a red bindi with sindoor as she posed with director A.L. Vijay and other crew members, flashing a victory sign.

Along with the picture, the 'Queen' actress added a caption that read, "Today wrapped filming of my upcoming thriller with some of my fabs #alvijay @actormaddy @tridentartsoffl See you in the cinemas."

R Madhavan also took to Instagram to re-share his excitement and wrote, "Congratulations.. so much fun shooting this one once too.. lovely unit and adorable team .. rock it as usual @kanganaranaut.."

The film, which was announced in 2023, is said to be a pan-India thriller.

Meanwhile, Kangana was recently seen in the film 'Emergency' which was released on January 17, 2025. The film revolves around the period of emergency declared by Indira Gandhi from 1975 to 1977, a controversial and transformative chapter in Indian political history. (ANI)
Riddhima Kapoor recalled her meeting with Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, and said that it was a big day for her as she had waited 10 years to meet him. The fashion designer had met PM Modi in New Delhi in December last year to invite him to the celebration of legendary actor-filmmaker Raj Kapoor's 100th birth anniversary. During the ongoing silver jubilee celebrations of IIFA 2025 in Jaipur, Rajasthan, Riddhima said, "It was an amazing experience. He is magnetic. It was nice to meet him. I had waited for 10 years and it was a big day for me." Riddhima's husband Bharat Sahni also chipped in and shared an interesting detail of the gift presented by his wife to PM Modi. He said, "She made something for him 10 years ago, which she gave as a present. It was touching." Members of the Kapoor family including Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Karisma Kapoor, Neetu Kapoor, and Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, were present during the interaction. During their brief meeting, PM Modi shared his admiration for Raj Kapoor's lasting influence on Indian cinema and spoke about the power of films in their era. He recalled an incident involving veteran leader LK Advani and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. "I remember the impact of films in those days. It was during the Jana Sangh era, and there was an election in Delhi. After the party lost, Advaniji and Atalji said, 'What should we do now?' Then they decided, 'Let's watch a movie.' They went to watch Raj Kapoor's 'Phir Subah Hogi'," the Prime Minister had said. PM Modi also fondly recounted another memory involving Ranbir Kapoor's father, the late Rishi Kapoor. "When I was in China, a song by your father was being played. I told my colleagues to record it on their phones, and I sent it to Rishiji. He was so delighted by it," he stated. The Prime Minister also spoke about Raj Kapoor's role in establishing Indian cinema's global influence long before the term "soft power" became popular. (ANI)
The Indian Railways has decided to equip women personnel of the Railway Protection Force with chilli spray cans. This non-lethal yet effective tool will help women RPF personnel tackle challenging situations swiftly, particularly while safeguarding female passengers traveling alone or with children, ensuring safer train journeys for women passengers. This innovative move reflects Indian Railways' strong commitment to gender inclusivity, women's empowerment, and enhanced security across its vast network. By providing chilli spray cans, women RPF personnel will have an additional layer of security, allowing them to deter threats, respond to incidents of harassment, and handle emergencies effectively -- especially in sensitive areas like isolated stations, running trains, and remote railway locations where immediate backup might not be available, as per a release. Backing this initiative, the Director General of RPF, Manoj Yadav, stated, "The initiative aligns with the Prime Minister's vision of empowering women and ensuring safer public spaces. Indian Railways has consistently introduced several measures to improve the travel experience for women passengers. Our women RPF personnel stand as symbols of strength, care and resilience. By equipping them with chilli spray cans, we are enhancing their confidence and operational capability while sending a clear message that passenger safety -- especially the safety of women -- is our highest priority." One such impactful policy has been the deliberate induction of more women into the RPF. The RPF proudly boasts the highest proportion of women (9 per cent) among all Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), the release said. Many of these women RPF personnel are part of the 'Meri Saheli' teams, whose core responsibility is to ensure safe journey for women travellers. Over 250 'Meri Saheli' teams interact with nearly 12,900 female passengers daily, offering both security and reassurance. The role of women RPF personnel extends far beyond security. They frequently assist female passengers in distress, including expectant mothers who go into labour during train journeys. Under 'Operation Matrishakti', women RPF personnel have helped 174 women safely give birth onboard trains in 2024 alone, ensuring privacy, dignity, and timely medical aid. During major events like the Mahakumbh, RPF's women personnel worked tirelessly alongside their male counterparts, offering prompt assistance to thousands of women pilgrims who arrived for the holy dip at Prayagraj. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated the free benefit distribution under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) for over two lakh beneficiaries in Surat as part of the Surat District Food Security Satisfaction Campaign. The Prime Minister stated, "The 'Surti Spirit,' known for its dedication to work, charity, and public service, was evident today in the efforts to uplift the deprived and poor sections of society. Through the Food Security Satisfaction Campaign, Surat has taken a significant step toward ensuring proper nutrition and food security for its needy citizens. This initiative reflects the spirit of true fulfillment, not just appeasement." At the event organized by the State Department of Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs, the Prime Minister distributed benefits under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) to the elderly, Divyangs, and 'Ganga Swarupa' mothers and sisters, who are recognized as 'Priority Households' (PHH) under the state government's pension assistance scheme. This initiative strengthens food and nutritional security for the most underprivileged families, reaffirming the government's commitment to social welfare, a release said. During the event, the PM, accompanied by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil, greeted the assembled crowd. As a symbolic gesture of the PMGKAY benefits, the Prime Minister, Chief Minister, and other dignitaries distributed grain kits to the beneficiaries. Praising the district administration's initiative to collectively distribute benefits under schemes like the Ganga Swarupa Aarthik Sahay Yojana, Old Age Pension Yojana, and Divyang Sahay Yojana alongside PMGKAY, the Prime Minister emphasised the importance of proactive governance in reaching beneficiaries directly, ensuring that no needy person is left behind. He highlighted that delivering benefits without discrimination fosters true inclusivity. He further stated that this campaign proves that when a scheme is designed with the right intent and policies, it effectively uplifts the poor and the needy. The Prime Minister affirmed that in New India, no poor household should face an unlit stove or go to bed hungry. He emphasised that the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) became a lifeline for millions of impoverished families during the hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic. Even in the post-pandemic era, the scheme ensures that no poor family goes hungry, significantly strengthening food security for the underprivileged. He further reiterated the central government's commitment to providing adequate nutrition to every family and making India free from anemia and malnutrition. Addressing the large gathering at the event, organised with the spirit of Antyodaya, the Prime Minister commended the Surat administration's survey, which ensured that elderly individuals, Divyangs, and Ganga Swarupa women receiving monthly pension assistance were not excluded from free food benefits. He hailed this initiative as a remarkable example of Antyodaya in action, expressing confidence that it would inspire other districts to enhance their efforts toward the welfare of the poor. The Prime Minister further highlighted that Surat, a city home to people from all parts of the country, stands as a true symbol of unity in diversity, embodying the spirit of a 'Mini India.' Known for its entrepreneurial drive, Surat has long been a city that values hard work and creates opportunities for growth and prosperity. Lakhs of migrants from across India have fulfilled their aspirations for a better life here. Among the essential needs of food, clothing, and shelter, food remains the most fundamental, and Surat has built a reputation as a city that not only provides sustenance but also lays the foundation for a secure and prosperous future. With over 81 crore beneficiaries, the Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana has emerged as the world's largest food security program. Proudly recognizing this achievement, the Prime Minister described the initiative as a testament to the values of humanity and social justice. He emphasized the central government's unwavering commitment to food security, announcing that the scheme has been extended for another five years from January 2024. This extension will continue to benefit approximately 81 crore beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) across the country, further strengthening the government's resolve to eliminate hunger and malnutrition. Reflecting on the 'unjust conditions' under previous governments, the Prime Minister pointed out that five crore fraudulent ration cards existed, enabling food meant for the poor to be diverted by invisible profiteers. He emphasized that his government eliminated these fake cards and achieved 100% digitization of ration cards nationwide, ensuring transparency and efficiency in the food distribution system. He also mentioned that the successful implementation of the 'One Nation, One Ration Card' policy now allows beneficiaries to access food grains anywhere in the country. This has significantly benefited eligible migrant workers and employees living in Surat from other states, ensuring they receive food security at their doorstep. Concluding his address, he extended his best wishes for a prosperous future to all beneficiaries. On this occasion, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel underscored Prime Minister Modi's unwavering commitment to ensuring that no poor or marginalized individual goes hungry. He highlighted that the Prime Minister's deep concern for food security led to the launch of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), which has provided free food grains to millions, significantly enhancing the lives of the underprivileged. Emphasizing the importance of the Food Security Satisfaction Campaign, the Chief Minister stated that since assuming office, the Prime Minister has remained dedicated to prioritizing the welfare of the poor, underprivileged, and oppressed, ensuring their upliftment through proactive government policies. The Chief Minister noted that under the Prime Minister's leadership, all welfare schemes have been centered around the poor and marginalized sections of society. He pointed out that initiatives like the PM Jan Dhan Yojana, PM Ujjwala Yojana, PM Awas Yojana, PM Jan Arogya Yojana, PM SVANidhi, and PM Matru Vandana Yojana have significantly improved the standard of living and empowerment of the poor, lifting 25 crore people out of poverty in the last ten years. The CM further stated that by ensuring access to adequate housing, food, and healthcare, the PM has genuinely empowered the poor. His efforts have not only lifted people out of poverty but also equipped them with the resilience and resources to overcome it. To support self-reliance among poor and middle-class artisans, the Prime Minister launched the PM Vishwakarma Yojana. Additionally, for daily wage earners, street vendors, and small traders in urban areas, he acted as the guarantor for bank loans up to Rs 50,000. The CM concluded that the PM has set a remarkable example of inclusive development by actively involving all sections of society in the nation's progress. Welcoming the Prime Minister, Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil lauded his thoughtful initiative of renaming physically and mentally challenged individuals as 'Divyang,' honoring their inner strength and abilities. He praised the government's inclusive efforts to extend the Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana to Divyang individuals, elderly citizens, and Ganga Swarupa mothers, ensuring they receive free food grains. He also emphasized the importance of empowering Divyang individuals by providing high-quality support, enabling them to achieve financial independence and lead dignified lives. He highlighted that before 2014, the budget for Divyang welfare was Rs 565 crore, which has now increased to Rs 1,275 crore, reflecting the government's strong commitment to their upliftment. He further noted that job reservations for Divyang individuals in government employment have been increased from 3 per cent to 4 per cent while higher education reservations have been raised from 3 per cent to 5 per cent. Additionally, to improve accessibility in transportation, 709 railway stations, over 80 national and international airports, and more than 10,000 bus stations have been equipped with essential accessibility features, ensuring greater ease of travel for Divyang individuals. During the event, the Prime Minister was presented with a wooden idol of Maa Annapurna, crafted using GI-tagged Sadeli wooden art, along with a traditional zari-worked 'khes,' reflecting Surat's rich heritage. In an inspiring gesture, he signed paintings created by Divyang artists, acknowledging and encouraging their artistic talent. Kunvarji Bavaliya, Minister of Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs; Kanubhai Desai, Finance Minister; Bhikhusinh Parmar, Minister of State for Food and Civil Supplies; Harsh Sanghavi, Minister of State for Home; Mukesh Patel, Minister of State for Forests and Environment; Praful Pansheriya, Minister of State for Education; and Kunvarj Halpati, Minister of State for Tribal Development. Also in attendance were MPs Shri Mukesh Dalal and Prabhu bhai Vasava; Rajya Sabha MP Govind Dholakia; District Panchayat President Bhavini Patel; Mayor Dakshesh Mavani; MLAs; Chief Secretary Pankaj Joshi; Secretary of Food and Civil Supplies; District Collector Saurabh Pardhi; Police Commissioner Anupam Sinh Gehlot; District Development Officer Shivani Goyal; Resident Additional Collector Vijay Rabari; District Supply Officer DD Shah; along with several dignitaries, officials, beneficiaries, and citizens. (ANI)
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma laid the foundation stone for the Pontoon Bridge connecting Mojoli and Rani Chapori and the electrification project for Rani Chapori. The CM said a conventional bridge is not feasible as the area is accessible only by boat, and transporting goods remains a major challenge. Hence, the Pontoon bridge is being constructed to ensure year-round connectivity. He said that the 250-metre-long, 3-metre-wide bridge, costing Rs 1.50 crore, would support loads up to three tonnes. He said that the bridge would be operational for eight months annually and is expected to be completed within 40 days. The Chief Minister said that the region currently lacks electricity connectivity. While solar power has been utilized to some extent, he noted that access to a regular power supply would significantly enhance agricultural productivity. The CM added that a decision has been made to provide electricity to Rani Chapori through an eight-kilometre high-tension (HT) line and a 25-kilometre low-tension (LT) line. The project, with an allocation of Rs seven crore, includes the installation of five 63 KVA and five 25 KVA transformers, covering nearly 4,000 bighas of land, he said. He stated that the initiative would extend electricity to both Rani Chapori and Nehali Char and is expected to be completed within two months. He reiterated the government's commitment to ensuring electricity supply in remote and char (riverine) areas and highlighted that similar projects have been implemented in Amarpur, Jonai, and Kamalpur char areas of Sadiya. Additionally, the CM said that the Agriculture Department is actively working in Rani Chapori, introducing bubble dryers to assist farmers in drying crops. He added that farmers have also benefited from schemes like the Kisan Samman Nidhi and access to high-quality seeds. Sarma stated that the establishment of the PepsiCo plant in Nalbari has encouraged agricultural production. He noted that the company has introduced a special variety of potato seeds, benefiting over 5,000 farmers. He highlighted that the government is working towards establishing banks specifically to support mechanised farming, providing access to modern agricultural machinery. He added that if the farmers of Rani Chapori expressed interest, they would receive the necessary support from the government. To address water shortages during the rabi crop season, he said that additional deep tube wells would be installed if required. He also mentioned that efforts are underway to convert the region into a revenue village, facilitating land ownership rights for residents. Once the necessary procedures, including objections and hearings, are completed, land allotments would be provided. He emphasised that several key issues in Rani Chapori have already been resolved in recent days and assured that the government would continue working for the region's development. He also expressed his appreciation to the Power Department, APDCL, and the Public Works Department (Roads) for their efforts in swiftly executing these projects. The event was attended by Minister of Power Prasanta Phukan, APDCL Managing Director Rakesh Kumar, Special Commissioner & Special Secretary of the Public Works (Roads) Department Chandan Sarma, District Commissioner Sumit Sattawan, President of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Guwahati Metropolitan District Tapan Das, along with other dignitaries. (ANI)
The grand halls of Bikaner House have come alive with a dynamic fusion of tradition and modernity, showcasing the finest works of both celebrated and emerging artists. Two parallel exhibitions, Windows to the Gods and Echoes Within, organised by Kalakriti Art Gallery, have opened here for the general public. While 'Windows to the Gods' predominantly features the mythologically rich and intricate works of R Giridhara Gowd, along with the abstract spiritual explorations of Sachin S. Jaltare, 'Echoes Within' presents a curated selection of emerging and established artists. With over 50 paintings on display, R Giridhara Gowd's work forms the core of 'Windows to the Gods'. Drawing from his deep study of Indian temple art, sculpture, and miniature painting traditions, his works reinterpret ancient epics using natural pigments and traditional techniques. "My father was a Telugu pundit, and we used to draw the music on the board while he explained the stories behind it," Gowd recalls. "That was my beginning in art." After studying at Baroda and travelling through India, he returned to his native region to explore the lost techniques of Indian painting. His latest works focus on the Ramayana, particularly the figures of Rama and Hanuman. "Rama is a man of society--one word, one weapon, and one woman. That means an ideal person who has to teach, being a divine," he explains. Hanuman, in contrast, represents devotion: "He was born as a man but became divine by surrendering to the spiritual path." The exhibition is open for public viewing at Bikaner House, New Delhi, from March 7 to 12. Gowd's exploration of the Dashavatara (ten incarnations of Vishnu) through the Navarasas (nine emotions) brings a new depth to his storytelling. "For instance, Krishna and Radha represent sringara rasa (beauty and love), while Vamana blessing Bali embodies karuna rasa (compassion)," he shares. His commitment to natural pigments, extracted from minerals and processed using traditional methods, ensures his work remains deeply tied to India's artistic heritage. In contrast, Sachin S. Jaltare's 16 exhibited works offer an abstract interpretation of spirituality, particularly focusing on the interplay between Shiva and Shakti. "Capturing Shiva and Shakti is very difficult," Jaltare explains. "Shiva is space, the entire space. And what is space? Space is all abstract. So, I started exploring figures and abstract together." Jaltare, who transitioned from a corporate career to full-time painting, views his art as an exploration of energy and existence. "There are many layers of our existence," he reflects. "The body is there, the breath is there. The mind is there. Subtler than the mind is memory. Then intellect, ego, and finally, the self--which is nothing but energy. That's how everything is." Having painted for over 30 years, Jaltare initially worked with landscapes and figurative art before shifting toward the themes of Shiva and Shakti. "The universe is vast, and I cannot put it on a single canvas," he says. "But that energy inside me keeps the process going." Rekha P. Lahoti, the owner of Kalakriti Art Gallery, has been instrumental in curating these exhibitions. "This is the third edition of Windows to the Gods because the conversation never ends--there's always more to explore," she says. "Sachin's works are deeply abstract, while Giridhara's are rooted in scriptures and tradition." Meanwhile, Echoes Within, displayed on the top floor, brings together 13 contemporary artists, each presenting their inner reflections through various mediums. "It's called Echoes Within because it reflects what artists think from within," Lahoti explains. As the exhibition opens in Bikaner House, it highlights Delhi's significance as a cultural and artistic hub. "Delhi has always been a capital for art, along with Mumbai," Lahoti notes. "We have had strong collector interest in the past, and we're looking forward to the response here." At its core, Echoes Within explores the intricate relationship between material, tool, and language. It raises questions about the transformation of ideas into notation, memory into record, and record into transmission. The exhibition features works by Ajay Lakhera, Bhaskar Rao Botcha, Divya Pamnani, Dhruti Mahajan, Dushyant Patel, Debi Prasad Bhunia, Keerti Pooja, Om Soorya, Rachana Badrakia, Ritesh Bhoi, Sangam Vankhde, Srinivas Pulagam, and Sumanto Chowdhury. Each artist brings a unique voice, offering audiences an opportunity to immerse themselves in the echoes of material, memory, and process-where every layer reveals a deeper resonance within the self. For visitors, 'Windows to the Gods' and 'Echoes Within' offer a journey into the spiritual, the mythical, and the deeply personal. "Both artists (Giridhara and Sachin) have different styles of work, but one common factor is 'mythology.' On one hand, you are talking about the Ramayana and Mami's Ramayana, while on the other, you are discussing 'Shakti.' Overall, the exhibition is incredibly beautiful. The artists have tried to highlight certain aspects, and in my opinion, they are such renowned artists that when you look at their work, understand their concepts, and see their perspectives, you feel a connection," said a curator, who came for the exhibition. (ANI)
Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai asserted that the party's signature campaign promoting the three-language policy would transform the fate of Tamil people. He announced that the BJP aims to collect one crore signatures by May 31 as part of the initiative. "The signature campaign advocating three-language policy organised by BJP will change the fate of every Tamil person. We have fixed May 31 to complete one crore signatures," said Annamalai while speaking to reporters on Friday. Earlier, former Telangana Governor and BJP Leader Tamilisai Soundarajan was stopped by police in her attempt to carry forward the BJP Signature Campaign in support of the National Education Policy in Chennai. Tamilisai Soundararajan, BJP State President K Annamalai, and others participated in the campaign questioning DMK's opposition to the three-language policy under NEP. The BJP leader Soundararajan questioned why children are denied the opportunity to study another language which will open new job opportunities BJP state president Annamalai claimed that police have "arrested" Tamilisai Soundararajan and said the party will not back down. Annamalai accused DMK of "making" Tamil a commercial language for sixty years and allowing the trilingual policy only in private schools. He added that People have understood the "drama" of DMK and CM Stalin and there's a massive support for the trilingual policy. "The double role of the DMK, which has been making Tamil a commercial language for sixty years and allowing the trilingual policy only in private schools, is being exposed today. The public is starting to realize the drama of the DMK and is seeing the massive support for the trilingual policy, and the Chief Minister MK Stalin is reeling in fear. As a result, the democratic signature movement is being blocked and arrested." Annamalai wrote on X. Annamalai said the state's BJP will not back down over these "illegal" arrests. "The Tamil Nadu BJP will not back down in fear after all this arrest spree. We will go to every house in Tamil Nadu. How many people can you arrest illegally, Chief Minister? The National Education Policy provides quality education and the opportunity to learn multiple languages in government schools for free to the children of your party's cadre of volunteers. Why are you blocking that?" Annamalai wrote. Notably, the Tamil Nadu government has strongly opposed implementing the New Education Policy (NEP) of 2020, raising concern over the "three-language formula" and alleging that the Centre wants to 'impose' Hindi. (ANI)
Maharashtra Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Abu Asim Azmi on Friday accused the media of "maligning" him by "misrepresenting" his statement on Aurangzeb, requesting Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar to revoke his suspension. In a letter addressed to Narwekar, Azmi maintained that he was not at fault in this matter. "The media tried to malign me by misrepresenting my statement, so I humbly request that my suspension be withdrawn as I am not at fault in this matter," he said. The Maharashtra SP chief clarified that he was followed by mediapersons, who asked him for his reaction to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma invoking Aurangzeb while criticising Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. "On March 3, media representatives followed me while leaving the hall. Outside the hall, they asked me the question that the Chief Minister of Assam compared Rahul Gandhi to Aurangzeb. In this context, I quoted Meena Bhargava's article and said he helped the temples," Azmi said. "No statement has been made about Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. I showed respect for them. My image has been tarnished by attributing to me words which I didn't speak," the letter read. He highlighted that his statements about Aurangzeb were based on "historical facts" and that India was a golden sparrow during that time. He said that Aurangzeb and Chhatrapati Shivaji were not fighting for religion, but for power and land. "During the time of Aurangzeb, India's borders reached Brahmadesh and Afghanistan and people had a lot of gold in their homes and there was a golden age in India. I have said that Aurangzeb was a good administrator while quoting the above historical facts. Aurangzeb and Chhatrapati Shivaji or Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj were not fighting for religion but for power and land. I do not believe in caste and religion discrimination," Azmi said. "I have not made any objectionable statement about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj or Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. I have great respect for both the above great men," he added. (ANI)
Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva attacked the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over its failure to fulfill promises of transferring rupees 1000 to the women of Punjab. Speaking to ANI on Friday, Sachdeva sought an answer from the Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, Atishi, regarding the delay in providing rupees 1000 to women in Punjab by the AAP government, even after the government had been in power for 37 months. This comes after AAP leaders criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday for not implementing the financial aid scheme of providing rupees 2,500 per month to women in Delhi. Hitting back, Sachdeva said, "Instead of asking us for a day's account, Atishi should answer us about the rupees 1000 for those 37 months. The government has been formed in Punjab for 37 months--where is the money? There is an AAP government there; why don't you speak on that? Why is Arvind Kejriwal acting dumb, and why doesn't Bhagwant Mann speak on this? Why don't you speak after announcing Rs 1000 for the sisters of Punjab?" Further attacking AAP leaders, he added, "It has only been a few days since our government was formed, and governments do not run with urban Naxalism. Governments run by rules and law. Our Chief Minister and our ministers are looking after the work." He also stated that the newly formed BJP government in the national capital is taking time to fix the corruption system. He promised that every poor woman in Delhi would receive money under the Mahila Samriddhi Yojana. "It is taking time to fix the system of corruption and fill those pits, but I still say that every poor woman in Delhi will get money under the Mahila Samriddhi Yojana. This is the commitment of the Bharatiya Janata Party, and we do what we say. So wait and see when the time comes. I will show it to you," he added. Earlier, Aam Aadmi Party leader and Delhi MLA Gopal Rai criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday for not fulfilling the promises made before the Assembly elections, urging the Delhi government to implement the financial aid scheme of providing Rs 2,500 per month to women in Delhi, also called the Mahila Samriddhi Yojana. "Before the elections, BJP had promised, so the people of Delhi want the budget to be prepared based on that. The first guarantee was to give women of Delhi Rs 2,500, and they had said that by 8th March, women would get the financial aid in their accounts," Gopal Rai told ANI. Atishi had earlier, along with AAP MLAs and volunteers, staged a protest against the BJP-led Delhi government on this issue. Notably, in the run-up to the Delhi Assembly elections, BJP had promised a cash transfer scheme--the Mahila Samriddhi Yojana--to transfer rupees 2,500 to the accounts of all women in the national capital. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday paid tribute to 'Nari Shakti,' recognizing the strength and contributions of women on the occasion of International Women's Day. In a post on X, PM Modi announced that his social media platforms would be taken over by women from diverse fields, showcasing their achievements on the occasion. "We bow to our Nari Shakti on #WomensDay! Our Government has always worked for empowering women, reflecting in our schemes and programmes. Today, as promised, my social media properties will be taken over by women who are making a mark in diverse fields!" the Prime Minister said. Earlier on February 23, as a special gesture, PM Modi said that on Women's Day (March 8) he would hand over his social media accounts, including X and Instagram, to a select group of inspiring women for a day during which they could share their work and experiences with their countrymen. In his address in the 119th episode of Mann Ki Baat, PM Modi said that these women, who have excelled in various fields, will use the platforms to share their achievements, experiences, and challenges with the nation. "This time, on Women's Day, I am going to take an initiative which will be dedicated to our women's power. On this special occasion, I am going to hand over my social media accounts like X and Instagram, to a few inspiring women in our country for one day. Such women have achieved success in different fields, have innovated, and made a distinct mark for themselves in different fields. On March 8, they will share their work and experiences with the countrymen," he said. "The platform may be mine, but their experiences, challenges and achievements will be discussed there," the Prime Minister added. PM Modi invited women to participate in this special initiative via the NAMO App and urged them to spread their messages globally. "If you want this opportunity to be yours, then through the special forum created on the NAMO App, become a part of this experiment and spread your message to the whole world through my X and Instagram accounts. So on this women's day, let us celebrate and respect the indomitable power of women," he said. (ANI)
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla inaugurated an exhibition by the National Commission for Women in Parliament House Annexe depicting women members of the Constitution Assembly on Saturday, the occasion of International Women's Day. Speaking to the media, Birla asserted that these women not only contributed to the framing of the Constitution but also played a role in various fields of the society. "Indian women have made a huge contribution, from the freedom struggle to making India prosperous to the economic and social transformation of India. Today, in the Indian Parliament, we remember those 15 women who struggled for the country's freedom, who played a key role in the framing of the Constitution, and whose exceptional knowledge and contributions in various fields of society stand as a testament to their legacy," he said. "This is why today, the rights of equality, justice, and the right to vote in the Constitution exist, thanks to the special role these women played, which continues to inspire us all," the Lok Sabha Speaker said. Meanwhile, to mark International Women's Day uniquely, the Central Railways is operating a Vande Bharat Express with an all-women crew for the first time. The Vande Bharat Express (22223) sourcing from CSMT (Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus) CSMT to the destination of Shirdi has an all-women crew today, including the loco pilot, assistant loco pilot, train manager, TCs and train Hostesses. Speaking to ANI, the Chief Public Relations Officer of the Central Railways said that they have taken same initiative in a goods trains also and will try to continue this initiative in other Vande Bharat trains too. Swapnil Nila, the CPRO of Central Railways, said, "Indian Railways has always tried to make things easier for women. In this same initiative, on the occasion of International Women's Day, the CSMT-Shirdi Vande Bharat is running with an all-women crew of Indian Railways, including the loco pilot, assistant loco pilot, train manager, TCs and train Hostesses. We would also try to take the same initiatives on other Vande Bharat trains too. On this occasion, the Central Railways' goods train also has all its crew members women." Taking to social media post on X, the Central Railways called it a "proud and historic moment" which is celebrating the strength, dedication, and leadership of women in Indian Railways. "HISTORIC MOMENT! For the first time ever, a Vande Bharat Express is being fully operated by an all-women crew, departing from CSMT on this #InternationalWomensDay! Train No. 22223 CSMT - Sainagar Shirdi Vande Bharat Express left CSMT today with an all-women crew: Loco Pilot & Assistant Loco Pilot, Train Manager & Ticket Examiners, On-Board Catering Staff. A proud moment celebrating the strength, dedication, and leadership of women in Indian Railways!" the social media post reads. (ANI)
Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's scheduled address at a gathering during the 'Lakhpati Didi' program in Navsari, Gujarat, today, on the occasion of International Women's Day, Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi said that more than 1.5 lakh women would participate in the event in an unprecedented move. Gujarat Police informed that the entire responsibility of security arrangements of the event will be on the women's force and police personnel. Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi said, "On the occasion of International Women's Day, PM Modi will address a gathering during the "Lakhpati Didi" program. In this historic event at Navsari, a big arrangement has been made. More than 1.5 lakh women will participate in the event. Gujarat police have made a unique arrangement. The entire security would be enforced by women officials. From ADGP to constable, everyone will be women." He further said that the preparations have been going on for a long time. "All the officers have made very good preparations. The planning has been done in a detailed way," he added. On 8th March, on the occasion of International Women's Day, Prime Minister Modi will participate in the Lakhpati Didi programme in Vansi Borsi village in Navsari district and interact with the Lakhpati Didis. He will also felicitate 5 Lakhpati Didis with Lakhpati Didi Certificates. The Prime Minister will launch the G-SAFAL (Gujarat scheme for Antyodaya Families for Augmenting Livelihoods) and G-MAITRI (Gujarat Mentorship and Acceleration of Individuals for Transforming Rural Income) programme of the Government of Gujarat. The G-MAITRI scheme will provide financial assistance and handholding support to Startups which are working for creating a conducive environment for rural livelihoods. G-SAFAL will provide financial assistance and entrepreneurial training to SHG women of Antyodaya families in two Aspirational districts and thirteen Aspirational Blocks of Gujarat. Earlier, PM Narendra Modi on Saturday paid tribute to 'Nari Shakti,' recognizing the strength and contributions of women on the occasion of International Women's Day. In a post on X, PM Modi announced that his social media platforms would be taken over by women from diverse fields, showcasing their achievements on the occasion. "We bow to our Nari Shakti on #WomensDay! Our Government has always worked for empowering women, reflecting in our schemes and programmes. Today, as promised, my social media properties will be taken over by women who are making a mark in diverse fields!" the Prime Minister said. (ANI)
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said that Nari Shakti in India is breaking barriers, rewriting history and shaping a brighter future for the country. In a post on X, on the occasion of International Women's Day, Sitharaman's office said that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's transformative policies and initiatives, women are being empowered with equal opportunities, financial independence, and a stronger role in nation-building. "Nari Shakti in India is breaking barriers, rewriting history and shaping a brighter future for the country," the post on X reads. "Guided by Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri@narendramodi's vision, transformative policies and initiatives are empowering women with equal opportunities, financial independence, and a stronger role in nation-building," it added. https://x.com/nsitharamanoffc/status/1898218758973341927 Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday paid tribute to 'Nari Shakti,' recognizing the strength and contributions of women on the occasion of International Women's Day. In a post on X, PM Modi announced that his social media platforms would be taken over by women from diverse fields, showcasing their achievements on the occasion. "We bow to our Nari Shakti on #WomensDay! Our government has always worked for empowering women, reflected in our schemes and programmes. Today, as promised, my social media properties will be taken over by women who are making a mark in diverse fields!" the Prime Minister said. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also conveyed his wishes saying, "On the International Women's Day, I express my deep appreciation for the immense contributions of India's Nari Shakti in building and strengthening our nation. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, the government remains steadfast in its commitment to empowering women across all spheres of life." After PM Modi said that on Women's Day he would hand over his social media accounts, including X and Instagram, to a select group of inspiring women for a day during which they could share their work and experiences with their countrymen, several women achievers including Elina Mishra, a nuclear scientist and Shilpi Soni, a space scientist helmed the PM's social media properties on Women's Day. (ANI)
Showcasing Nari Shakti in the Armed Forces, Col Ponung Doming is commanding the highest task force of the Border Roads Organisation and has set the highest standards, inspiring woman to be a part of the coveted group. In a post on X, the Ministry of Defence, Government of India, said, "Meet Col Ponung Doming, the first woman officer to command the world's highest Border Task Force, stationed above 15,000 feet in the Northern sector. A true trailblazer in the Indian Army, her leadership at such an extreme altitude is a testament to the unwavering strength, resilience, and growing role of women in the #ArmedForces." "Her journey inspires countless young women to dream big and serve the #nation with pride," the Ministry of Defence further said. Col. Ponung Doming said that she was presently commanding the highest task force of Border Roads Organisation at 15,300 feet in Ladakh. Col. Ponung Doming said, "My team takes care of highest motorable road in Ladakh Umling La at 19,024 feet. Now, we are constructing a road even higher than Umling La. We work in the condition and altitude where temperature plummet up to -20 to -25 degrees celsius. Our morale is always high. I always wanted to be an officer and serve the nation. Army was best for me. Army means discipline, unity and fitness. i feel for my country and there is no better way to express it aloud." "On International Women's Day, I wish to say dream big, be determined, be disciplined, be strong and committed to your goal. Nothing can stop you then," she added. Earlier Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday paid tribute to 'Nari Shakti,' recognizing the strength and contributions of women on the occasion of International Women's Day. In a post on X, PM Modi announced that his social media platforms would be taken over by women from diverse fields, showcasing their achievements on the occasion. "We bow to our Nari Shakti on #WomensDay! Our Government has always worked for empowering women, reflecting in our schemes and programmes. Today, as promised, my social media properties will be taken over by women who are making a mark in diverse fields!" the Prime Minister said. (ANI)
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday interacted with people at her residence as they gathered to meet and greet her. People gathered at CM Gupta's residence and extended their wishes by giving small plants and bouquets. She also attended a program on International Women's Day 2025 at Fortis Hospital Delhi. Speaking at the program Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said, "We started the 'Save the Daughter' campaign, and today, we have reached the 'Empower the Daughter' campaign. We must focus on making daughters self-reliant. There should be no difference between sons and daughters. As a father figure, Modi Ji has given great respect to this daughter, and I am thankful for it. If we provide someone with good health, consider their life improved," Rekha Gupta added. By introducing the Ujjwala Yojana, Modi Ji has uplifted women." The Delhi Chief Minister also praised PM Modi for uplifting women through the Ujjwala Yojana, adding, "Today, with the double-engine government in Delhi, we are providing excellent healthcare services in all Delhi hospitals. Government hospitals should have good facilities so that people do not need to rush to private hospitals. Thousands of Jan Aushadhi Centers have been opened across India." Rekha Gupta assured that "We will work to ensure that people in Delhi receive the most affordable healthcare services. Healthcare centers will be opened for the elderly and women." She criticized the previous government, stating, "The previous government hastily launched projects that were not useful and wasted crores of rupees belonging to the people of Delhi." She concluded, "Now, the Delhi budget will be presented, and all the suggestions we receive regarding healthcare will be included in the budget." The Delhi cabinet is likely to meet on Saturday regarding the proposed Mahila Samriddhi Yojana, which would provide financial assistance worth Rs 2,500 to women residing in the national capital, sources said on Friday. According to sources, the government is expected to announce the scheme at an event today. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday chaired a high-level meeting with officials on the Delhi budget. State Environment and Industry Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa was also present at the meeting. Gupta said earlier that the budget session will begin on March 24, and the budget will be tabled by the newly formed government between March 24 and 26, in which the government will strive to take suggestions from all sections of society. Addressing a press conference in the national capital earlier, Chief Minister Gupta emphasised that the budget will be a 'Viksit Delhi' budget, prioritising Delhi's development. "The Viksit Delhi Budget 2025-26 will be presented between March 24 and March 26. The government will strive to take all sections of society along for the development of Delhi, incorporating their suggestions," the Chief Minister said. (ANI)
Himachal Pradesh PWD Minister Vikramaditya Singh has urged Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal Khattar, to reconsider and relax the criteria fixed in the Urban Challenge Fund for city redevelopment. Singh met Union Minister Khattar in New Delhi on Friday evening. The Himachal Pradesh Minister requested that criteria be fixed on a 90:10 basis for the State, keeping in view its hilly terrain. He said that due to tough geographical conditions and a small population, the state's cities do not match the criteria fixed in the Urban Challenge Fund. Vikramaditya Singh informed the Union Minister that the State has launched "one state one portal: citizensewa" under the National Urban Digital Mission. He demanded Rs 70 crore for the successful implementation of the scheme for five years. He added that the funds allocated by the state government for its implementation from its own resources will be exhausted by March 2025. The Himachal Minister also demanded Rs 3.28 crore for clearing liabilities under the National Urban Livelihood Mission. He also requested for sanctioning special funds for the construction of parking and Urban infrastructure development for Himachal Pradesh. Union Minister Manohar Khattar assured him of all possible assistance to the State. Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman, while presenting the Budget 2025-2026 in the Parliament, said that the Government will set up an Urban Challenge Fund of ` 1 lakh crore to implement the proposals for 'Cities as Growth Hubs', 'Creative Redevelopment of Cities' and 'Water and Sanitation' announced in the July Budget. She further added this fund will finance up to 25 per cent of the cost of bankable projects with a stipulation that at least 50 per cent of the cost is funded from bonds, bank loans, and PPPs. The Budget has proposed that a National Geospatial Mission will be started to develop foundational geospatial infrastructure and data. Using PM Gati Shakti, this Mission will facilitate modernization of land records, urban planning, and design of infrastructure projects. (ANI)
Delhi Police on Saturday conducted a verification drive against illegal immigrants at Jai Hindi Camp in the national capital's Vasant Kunj area. Speaking to ANI, Sub-Inspector Ravi Malik said that during the verification process they ask people for their identity proofs for verification and all their details are verified. He added that if someone is found suspicious, their ID proofs are sent to their concerned districts for verification. "We ask for all their ID proofs for their verification. If we find anyone suspicious, their ID proofs are sent to their concerned districts for verification. If we find someone living here illegally, they are deported... All their details are verified..." the police official said. Earlier, on March 6, the Delhi Police also conducted a verification drive to identify illegal Bangladeshi immigrants living in the Sangam Vihar area. In January this year, Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena directed the police to launch a special mission to identify Bangladeshi immigrants living in the national capital. A resident of the Sangam Vihar told ANI that the police personnel had asked her when she was moved to the area. "I am from Kolkata and have lived in Delhi for the last year. The police asked me when I moved here...They checked my Aadhar card," she said. Earlier this week, at a meeting of the top officials of the Delhi Police, it was decided to intensify the measures to identify and deport illegal immigrants from Bangladesh as part of a drive against those staying illegally in the country. The LG had directed the Delhi police to launch an outreach program through print and social media to generate public awareness on the importance of verifying employees/domestic help and workers, including construction labour, in the interest of their own security. "Resident Welfare Associations/Shopkeeper Associations may also be sensitized about the need for antecedent verification before employment. For those employers who are providing employment, accommodation or shelter to such illegal immigrants without antecedent verification, suitable legal action may also be initiated," the LG's letter in January to the Delhi Police Commissioner read. In February this year, Delhi Police apprehended 16 people suspected of staying in India illegally. The officials said that the people were found overstaying in India without a valid Visa. They were produced before the Foreign Regional Registration Office (FRRO), which ordered their deportation. Accordingly, they were sent to a Detention Centre. (ANI)
Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], March 8: Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi addressed party workers in Ahmedabad on Saturday during the Samvaad program. He emphasized that the Congress party must first fulfill its responsibilities before asking people for votes. During the Samvaad program, Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said, "It has been almost 30 years since we have been in power here. Whenever I come here, there are discussions on Assembly elections of 2007, 2012, 2017, 2022, 2027...But the question is not about elections. The people of Gujarat will not make us win the elections until we fulfil our responsibilities...We should not even ask the people of Gujarat to bring us to power until we fulfil our responsibilities. I guarantee you that the day we do this, the people of Gujarat will give their support to the Congress party." He highlighted the role of Gujarat in shaping India's freedom movement as he said, "...When the Congress party had to face the British, we were looking for leadership everywhere. The British were in front of us; the Congress party represented the people of India, but we did not have any leader. From where did the leader come? The leader came from South Africa. Who was Mahatma Gandhi and who gave him to us? South Africa did not give him. Gujarat gave our original leadership to the Congress party and that leadership gave us the way to think, the way to fight, the way to live." "Without Gandhi ji the Congress party would not have been able to get freedom for the country and without Gujarat, Gandhi ji would not have been there...If we were shown the way, our organisation was shown the way, India was shown the way, Gujarat was the one that showed us the way," Rahul Gandhi said. "Congress has five biggest leaders, out of which two was given by Gujarat," Gandhi added. Rahul Gandhi criticised the Congress Party and himself, said.."Gujarat is stuck, it is unable to see the way, Gujarat wants to move forward. I am a member of the Congress party and I am saying that the Congress party of Gujarat is unable to show it the way, and I am not speaking with shame, I am not speaking with fear, I want to put this before you whether it is our workers, whether it is Rahul Gandhi, whether it is our general secretary, whether it is our PCC president, we are unable to show the way to Gujarat. Till date, the expectations of Gujarat from us, from me, from our PCC president, from our in-charge in the last 30 years, we are unable to fulfil them..." He also spoke about Gujarat's economic situation. "The backbone of Gujarat is small traders, small and medium businesses, entrepreneurs. They are struggling. Farmers are shouting for a new vision. Congress can provide that vision, but first, we need to strengthen our organization," he added. Talking about Congress's electoral strength, he said, "The opposition has 40 percent of the vote in Gujarat. We only need a 5 percent increase to win. We increased the vote share by 22 percent in Telangana. It can be done here too, but without filtering the party, it won't happen." Rahul Gandhi urged Congress workers to reconnect with the people and assured them of his commitment. "I want to understand Gujarat, I want to build a relationship with the people of Gujarat. Confidence is inside you; my job is to bring it out," he said. (ANI)
Parul Kanwar, a X user said that her 82-year-old grandmother was injured at Delhi Airport after Air India allegedly failed to provide a pre-booked wheelchair, causing her to walk before collapsing. In a post on X, Parul Kanwar accused the airline of "negligence, and explained how her grandmother, the widow of a decorated lieutenant general, faced hardships even after booking a wheelchair in advance. "For our travel back from Delhi to Bangalore on 4th March 2025, we booked a wheelchair for my 82-year-old grandmother well in advance--confirmed by the airline. Upon reaching the airport, she was not allocated one," Parul wrote on X. "With no other option, this old lady slowly made her way across 3 parking lanes at T3 New Delhi, on foot with assistance from a family member. She managed to enter the airport on foot; still, no wheelchair or assistance was provided, she added. https://x.com/parulkanwar/status/1897747832183947329 Parul further alleged that no Air India staff offered assistance, forcing her family to arrange medical help on their own. When a wheelchair finally arrived, the airline allegedly boarded her without conducting a proper medical check-up, despite visible injuries, including a bleeding lip and wounds to her head and nose. The flight crew provided ice packs and informed the medical team at Bengaluru airport, where she received two stitches upon arrival. "She fell in front of the Air India premium economy counter. Not one person stepped in to help. We requested someone to help get first aid--no help," Parul said on X. "Expectation from Air India staff was for the family member to go to the MI room and get medical aid. Finally, the wheelchair arrived, and she was promptly boarded without a proper checkup with a bleeding lip and injury to her head and nose. The flight crew did help with ice packs and called ahead to Bangalore airport for medical aid, where she was seen by a doctor and given 2 stitches," she added. The situation worsened after the flight, as the elderly woman had to be admitted to the ICU due to concerns over potential brain bleeds. "Today, I sit here typing this from the ICU. She has been here 2 days under observation for potential brain bleeds. My mother and father watch as doctors pump her with medication, and her left side loses strength. From where we stand, it's a long road ahead of pain and recovery, which she did not deserve," she said. The family has filed complaints with DGCA and Air India, demanding accountability. Air India responded amid public outrage and claimed that at no point was the wheelchair or any assistance denied to the passenger "The said passenger, travelling with her family members, had arrived at the departure terminal much later than the recommended 2 hours before departure. Family members accompanying the passenger had reported at the PRM(Person with Reduced Mobility) desk located near Air India's ticketing office less than 90 minutes before the scheduled time of departure to request for a wheelchair. Due to the unprecedented peak demand at that hour, a wheelchair could not be made available within the 15 minutes that the passenger's relatives spent waiting for it. The claims of the passenger having waited for an hour for the wheelchair are baseless, " an Air India spokesperson said. "On their own accord, the passenger decided to walk along with those accompanying her. She unfortunately suffered a fall in the airport premises. Upon noticing the incident, officials of the Delhi Airport, as well as the airport doctor on duty immediately attended to her and administered first aid. We understand that the doctor's offer for additional medical attention was not accepted and the guest's family members insisted on continuing their travel to Bengaluru. Through this process, Air India staff were courteous, escorted them from immediate check-in through to priority security check and boarding. The passenger was also provided all possible care during the flight from Delhi to Bengaluru," the spokesperson added. The Airline further claimed that the family was provided an excort and taken for further medical attention on reaching the Bengaluru Airport "Upon reaching Bengaluru, as requested by the family members, the guest was escorted by our staff for further medical attention in the Bengaluru Airport premises, and later also escorted until the drop-off point. At no point was the wheelchair or any assistance denied to the passenger. Air India's staff cooperated with the guests through their journey. We have reached out to the guest's family and pray for her wellbeing." the Air India spokesperson said. (ANI)
Leader of Opposition in Jammu and Kashmir Sunil Sharma hit out at Chief Minister Omar Abdullah over his statement that a Union Territory with an assembly is the "worst form" of government, and said that the Chief Minister is stressed that there is no place for him in this democracy, where his workers get a free hand for corruption. Sunil Sharma said, "Democracy in this state has ended terrorism, stone-pelting, hooliganism, brought transparency, financial reforms. Omar Abdullah is stressed that there is no place for him in this democracy, where his workers got a free hand for corruption and causing disturbance. It was his government where the district president was made the district commissioner, and the tehsil president was made the tehsildar. If we expose him, he will not be able to stay here." Earlier, CM Omar Abdullah on Friday said that a Union Territory with an assembly is the "worst form" of government in the country, adding that the country should either have only states or only UTs. "I still maintain that a UT with an Assembly is by far the worst form of government in the country. I have no hesitation in saying this. There should only be two systems in this country- either you have a UT without Assembly or a state," the J-K CM said addressing a press conference in Jammu. He further said that the Budget is the love letter to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. "I don't expect anything but criticism of this Budget from the Opposition...This Budget is a love letter to the people of Jammu and Kashmir," Omar added. He said that the government's effort has been to present a budget that benefits the people and makes their daily lives easier. "I am fully aware that after 2018, once again, the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly has witnessed the presentation of the state budget. Along with that, I also realise that this is the first time in the state's history that the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, in the capacity of the finance minister, has presented the budget. Our effort has been to present a budget that benefits the people and makes their daily lives easier, accelerating the pace of development. We never claimed that everything would be achieved in one budget. I am not saying everything is done, but we have laid down a blueprint for the next five years," Omar added. The Chief Minister said that, "We want a vibrant press in J-K. The Press Club in Jammu is operational, but the Srinagar one is not. We will take steps to re-operationalise the Srinagar Press Club." He further said that the state government are formulating a new hydropower policy. "It is currently at the formulation stage in the Power Department. The framework of the policy is ready. Its aim is to focus on growth and transmission and distribution," he added. The Jammu and Kashmir CM said that the government will try to get the southern film industry to come to J-K. "We will try to get the southern film industry to come to Jammu & Kashmir to shoot their films. This will help us attract more tourists from south India," Omar Abdullah said. (ANI)
Himachal Pradesh Leader of Opposition (LoP) Jairam Thakur has strongly criticized the state Congress government over a series of recent issues, including the alleged leak of the Class 12 English paper, utilization of temple funds, and the reduction of the budget session duration. The Himachal Pradesh School Education Board recently postponed the Class 12 English exam after a mix-up led to the question paper being opened on the day of the Class 10 examination. While the board clarified that the paper was not technically leaked, the mishandling led to widespread confusion and stress among students. Jairam Thakur expressed his deep concern over the incident, blaming the state government for gross mismanagement. "The fact that a Class 12 paper was opened during a Class 10 examination shows the lack of seriousness in the current government. This has caused immense stress to lakhs of students and their families, especially when the career of Class 12 students is at stake," he said. He further emphasized that such incidents reflect the declining state of education in Himachal Pradesh under the current government. "This government has failed to perform in every sector, and now it has come down to jeopardizing the future of students. Imagine the mental agony these children and their parents are going through. It is highly unfortunate," Thakur added. The LoP demanded that the government take immediate corrective measures and announce a new exam date without further delay. Responding to the state government's recent notification to utilize temple trust funds for government schemes, Jairam Thakur expressed strong opposition. The Deputy Chief Minister had stated that the temple funds could be used for developmental purposes, sparking a major political debate. "The Deputy Chief Minister seems unaware that the notification allowing temple funds for government use was issued by their own department. If he disagrees with it, he should resign on moral grounds." He further alleged that the government's intentions toward temple funds had always been suspicious. "When our government was in power, we never misused temple funds. We only utilized a limited 15% of the funds strictly for the welfare of cows and for temple administration. Now, they are eyeing the temple's gold and silver. This is unacceptable," he remarked. Thakur warned that diverting temple funds could lead to severe backlash from devotees and the public. The former CM also criticized the Deputy Chief Minister for suggesting that the BJP government had used temple funds for the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. "It is shameful to politicize the contributions made for the Ram Temple. Every devotee, including those from Himachal Pradesh, willingly contributed to this divine cause. Using temple funds for the temple's construction is a noble act, not a crime," Thakur said. On the upcoming budget session scheduled to begin on March 10, Jairam Thakur criticized the government for intentionally reducing the session duration to avoid discussions on critical issues. "The government is deliberately shortening the budget session to evade discussions on crucial topics like the deteriorating health infrastructure, rising drug abuse, corruption, and the poor condition of the education system. This is highly undemocratic," he said. The BJP leader pointed out that the delay in salaries for outsourced employees and pension payments for senior citizens and differently-abled individuals are alarming concerns that the government is unwilling to address. "Six months' pension has not been disbursed to the elderly, disabled individuals, and widows. Employees are struggling without salaries, and the government has diverted central funds meant for development into paying salaries and pensions. This level of mismanagement is unprecedented," Thakur alleged. Amid his criticism of the government, Jairam Thakur also took a moment to extend his wishes on International Women's Day. He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership in empowering women and highlighted various initiatives launched during the BJP government in Himachal Pradesh. "Our government introduced schemes like the Grahini Suvidha Yojana, provided 50% fare concession in buses for women, and started marriage assistance for daughters of poor families. We always prioritized women's empowerment, and I am proud of our contributions," Thakur said. He also acknowledged the recent Women's Reservation Bill passed in Parliament under Prime Minister Modi's leadership, ensuring 33% reservation for women in legislatures. "This historic decision will pave the way for greater participation of women in decision-making processes," Thakur remarked. Jairam Thakur also expressed his gratitude to Union Health Minister and BJP National President, Jagat Prakash Nadda, for his recent two-day visit to Himachal Pradesh. Nadda inaugurated several major health infrastructure projects, including a PET scan facility, Amrit Pharmacy, and a viral research lab at AIIMS Bilaspur. "JP Nadda contribution to the health sector in Himachal is commendable. The new PET scan and other facilities will reduce the burden on patients who previously had to travel to Delhi or Chandigarh. This is a significant milestone in improving healthcare in our state," Thakur noted. Jairam Thakur reiterated his demand for accountability from the government, urging them to act responsibly and address the concerns of students, devotees, and the general public. (ANI)
The Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai's St Thomas Mount witnessed a grand passing out parade on Saturday, marking the commissioning of 169 new military officers, including 24 women. This special event celebrated the completion of their rigorous training, preparing them to serve the nation. Lieutenant General Johnson P Mathew, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (CISC), was the reviewing officer for the Parade. A total of 169 officer cadets with 133 men, 24 women, 12 from five foreign countries were commissioned into various Arms and Services of the Indian Army, embodying the spirit of duty and sacrifice. Additionally, five Foreign Officer Cadets and seven Foreign Officer Cadets (Women) from five Friendly Foreign Countries successfully completed their training, fostering bonds of camaraderie and cooperation across international borders. The drill of Officer Cadets marched to martial tunes left the audience spellbound. Lieutenant Karan Trivedi said, "Today, I've been commissioned into the Parachute Regiment. First of all, I want to thank all the instructors here at the academy who have trained and guided me to become a competent leader and officer. A special thanks to my parents, who are here today to witness this passing-out parade. Their love and upbringing have played a huge role in making me who I am today. "I was born and raised in a village, and I had no knowledge about the armed forces. But over time, I met some people who helped me understand what it means to be an officer and how to join the armed forces. It is through the guidance of many people that I have reached this point, and I'm deeply grateful to each and every one of them," Trivdedi said. The Passing Out Parade was reviewed by Lieutenant General Mathew Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, Johnson P Ati . The Reviewing Officer, in his address, lauded the Officer Cadets and OTA staff for their exemplary achievements, exhorting the newly commissioned officers to uphold the cardinal military values of 'Selfless Service to the Nation' and steadfast pursuit of excellence in all endeavours. Following the parade, the Pipping Ceremony symbolized a solemn vow as newly commissioned officers, adorned with the gleaming insignia on their shoulders, pledged allegiance to the Constitution of India and committed to safeguard the nation at all costs. Speaking to ANI, Lieutant Soni Bisht, a Veer Nari said, "I studied at Army Public School and later graduated from JNV Jodhpur. After that, I taught at the APA school. Just a month after my marriage, my husband, who was in the Kumaon Regiment and from the Singari unit, tragically passed away in a road accident. It was a very difficult time for me, my family, and my in-laws. But I believe that no matter what your goal is, you should stay focused on it. That focus, determination, and consistent effort will help you overcome anything in life." "At that time, both my parents and my in-laws were emotionally very low. But I knew that if I let myself fall, they would fall too. So I made sure to stay strong in front of them. I decided to focus on my SSB preparation. I had great mentors who helped me a lot. At the academy, it was extremely tough for me physically and mentally, but my platoon commander, battalion commander, and even the commandant were all there to guide and help me. I saw my husband's dedication and passion towards his work," Bisht added. The newly commissioned officers, donning their ranks and regimental accoutrements, swore allegiance to the country and the Constitution of India as they stepped out of the portals of the Officers Training Academy, committed to 'Serve with Honour' to safeguard the Honour of the country. (ANI)
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav extended greetings to women on International Women's Day on Saturday and handed over the charge of his office in Bhopal to women to mark the occasion. Women police officers are looking after the security arrangements of the Chief Minister and women are handling the responsibility from driver to Officer on Special Duty (OSD). "I extend my best wishes to all the women of the country on the occasion of International Women's Day. Culture of India is women-dominated and that is why we call our country Bharat Mata. On the occasion of women's day, today all the responsibilities of my office, including driving to security, have been handed over to women. I have some women-centric programs to attend today. The state government is also running many schemes which will improve the lives of our sisters and will become an ideal example in women empowerment," CM Yadav told ANI. A woman, who had the responsibility of driving the vehicle of the Chief Minister, Irshad Ali said that she felt proud to have the opportunity to drive the CM's vehicle and she would execute her responsibility smoothly. Another woman taking care of security of the CM Yadav, DSP rank officer Bittu Sharma said, "On the occasion of women's day, I have been appointed as Carcade Officer of CM Security. I have been following this responsibility for the last 4-5 years. I am happy that the CM has given us this responsibility." Sub Inspector Archana Tiwari, who received the responsibility of PSO to CM said that it would be a great experience to be with the Chief Minister throughout the day on women's day. "I will have a good experience today and I believe it (responsibility as PSO) is the biggest gift for us on Women's Day. We consider it as my honor that I have been appointed as PSO of the CM. I will work with sir in all programs throughout the day. It is a matter of pride for us," Tiwari said. Inspector Kanchan posted in CM security also expressed her pleasure and said that it was a matter of great honor for women officers that CM expressed confidence in their abilities and gave them the responsibility of working with him throughout the day to manage their security arrangements. They are feeling very proud. (ANI)
Mahindra Last Mile Mobility Limited (MLMML) is set to expand the Mahindra WE (Women Entrepreneurs) Hunnar initiative to multiple cities, following the success of its pilot program in Bengaluru, According to Mahindra, this initiative, launched in July 2024, aligns with MLMML's vision of inclusivity and positive change through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts. The program was implemented in collaboration with Lok Bharti Education Society as the training partner. Marking International Women's Day, MLMML celebrated the achievements of the women beneficiaries who have been trained under this initiative. A total of 245 women were equipped with skills across three key courses: three-wheeler (3W) and four-wheeler (4W) driving, customer care executive training, and electric vehicle (EV) repair and maintenance. The program has successfully trained 52 women to drive three- and four-wheelers, empowering them with the necessary skills and resources to secure sustainable livelihoods and financial independence. Additionally, MLMML played a vital role in facilitating the licensing process and, in collaboration with financial institutions, provided loan opportunities to support these women in their entrepreneurial and employment journeys. Beyond driving, 185 women have been upskilled as customer care executives, and eight women have been trained in EV repair and maintenance. The hands-on training covered electric three-wheelers, general EV education, and financial consultation. Many of the trained women have already secured employment, creating long-term career prospects. Suman Mishra, MD & CEO of Mahindra Last Mile Mobility, highlighted the impact of the initiative, stating, "The Mahindra WE (Women Entrepreneurs) Hunnar initiative is our commitment to creating equitable access to mobility and livelihoods. By empowering women through skill development and entrepreneurship, we are fostering a more inclusive and sustainable future." She further emphasized, "True progress is only possible when both men and women work together, share opportunities, and contribute. At Mahindra Last Mile Mobility, we are committed to empowering women equally--whether as entrepreneurs, engineers, or drivers--ensuring they have the same opportunities to shape the future of mobility. Our Mahindra WE (Women Entrepreneurs) program is a testament to this and celebrates their resilience, as well as unstoppable spirit." Mahindra Last Mile Mobility Limited (MLMML), a subsidiary of Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd (M&M), is India's leading electric small commercial vehicle manufacturer. The company produces award-winning EVs such as the Treo range, Zor Grand, and e-Alfa. MLMML offers a diverse portfolio of electric, petrol, CNG, and diesel last-mile mobility three- and four-wheeler passenger and cargo vehicles. Its EV portfolio, including the ZEO 4W SCV, is complemented by the high-performance and fuel-efficient Alfa and Jeeto range of vehicles. (ANI)
In a sharp attack on the Tamil Nadu government, BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan said on Saturday that the real women's day celebration would be to root out the DMK government and bring in a coalition government including the BJP in 2026. Speaking to ANI, the BJP leader claimed that the girl child in Tamil Nadu is not safe. "I thank the Prime Minister for selecting Vaishali (Chess grandmaster) to handle his social media. Since girl child studying in Tamil Nadu are not safe, the real women's day celebration will be to root out DMK government and bring in coalition government including BJP in 2026. Our oath today is to root out the DMK government," Tamilisai said. Earlier on Thursdya, Tamilisai Soundarajan was stopped by police in her attempt to carry forward the BJP Signature Campaign in support of the National Education Policy in Chennai. Tamilisai Soundararajan, BJP State President K Annamalai, and others participated in the campaign questioning DMK's opposition to the three-language policy under NEP. The BJP leader Soundararajan questioned why children are denied the opportunity to study another language which will open new job opportunities. "Why the government children are denied studying another language which will give them ample opportunities for jobs or further studies? We want the NEP to be followed so that the same education system is followed in the central board examinations, state board examinations, as well as in the government board examinations...," she said. BJP state president Annamalai claimed that police have "arrested" Tamilisai Soundararajan and said the party will not back down. Annamalai, taking to X, claimed, "The Tamil Nadu Police have arrested Dr Tamilisai, former Governor of Telangana and Puducherry, who was leading a signature campaign on behalf of BJP Tamilnadu in Chennai today in support of the National Education Policy, which provides poor and vulnerable children with quality education and the opportunity to learn their preferred languages." Annamalai accused DMK of "making" Tamil a commercial language for sixty years and allowing the trilingual policy only in private schools. He added that People have understood the "drama" of DMK and CM Stalin and there's a massive support for the trilingual policy. The Tamil Nadu government has strongly opposed implementing the New Education Policy (NEP) of 2020, raising concern over the "three-language formula" and alleging that the Centre wants to 'impose' Hindi. Tamil Nadu CM Stalin has urged the people to "rise" to defend the state in a fight against the delimitation of constituencies and the three-language policy. Stalin criticised the three-language policy, saying that it had resulted in the Centre withholding the state's funds and that delimitation would now 'affect' the state's representation. (ANI)
Following the row over implementing the three-language policy in Tamil Nadu, Congress leader P Chidambaram said that unless the two-language policy is successful, discussing the three-language policy is redundant. P Chidambaram said, "Three languages should be taught in schools. No state in India is implementing the three language formula. Perticularly in Hindi speaking states, it is effectively a one language formula. The common language is Hindi, the official state language is Hindi, the medium of instruction is Hindi, and the subject they study is Hindi. If at all another language is taught, it is Sanskrit. Very few government schools have English teachers. And there is no question of a Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam teacher. He further said that in Tamil Nadu, there are 52 Kendriya Vidyalayas which are run by Central Government. "The medium of instruction is English, and they teach either Hindi or Sanskrit. They do not teach Tamil. In the Central government KV, there is no three-language formula. Successive governments in Tamil Nadu for the last 60 years have adopted the two language formula. Tamil as a medium of instruction and English as a second language. But there are a number of private schools that offer Hindi. CBSE schools, ICSE schools offer. Nobody is preventing a child from learning Hindi," he further said. He said that there is also the Dakshin Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha which was established by Mahatma Gandhi almost 100 years ago. "Lakhs of children voluntarily study Hindi in Tamil Nadu. In government schools, there are two languages, and in rural parts, even that is not taught properly. We are saying to make a success of the two language formula. The New Education Policy accepts that the second language will be English. Make of success of English teaching before talking about third language," he added. Earlier, Chief Minister Stalin lashed out at Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and stated that he faced the consequences of reviving a fight he would never win. CM Stalin said, "The tree may prefer calm, but the wind will not subside. It was the Union Education Minister who provoked us to write this series of letters when we were simply doing our job. He forgot his place and dared to threaten an entire state to accept #HindiImposition, and now he faces the consequences of reviving a fight he can never win. Tamil Nadu will not be blackmailed into surrendering." "The biggest irony is that Tamil Nadu, which rejects NEP, has already achieved many of its goals, which the policy aims to reach only by 2030. This is like an LKG student lecturing a PhD holder. Dravidam does not take dictations from Delhi. Instead, it sets the course for the nation to follow," he further said. He further alleged that amid the row over the imposition of the three-language formula the BJP had become a laughing stock in Tamil Nadu. "Now the BJP's circus-like signature campaign for the three-language formula has become a laughing stock in Tamil Nadu. I challenge them to make this their core agenda in the 2026 Assembly elections and let it be a referendum on Hindi imposition. History is clear. Those who tried to impose Hindi on Tamil Nadu have either been defeated or later changed their stance and aligned with DMK. Tamil Nadu will not tolerate Hindi colonialism replacing British colonialism," he added. "From the names of schemes to awards to Union government institutions, Hindi has been imposed to a nauseating extent, suffocating non-Hindi speakers, who are the majority in India. Men may come, men may go. But even long after the dominance of Hindi is shattered in India, history will remember that it was DMK that stood as the vanguard," he further added. (ANI)
New Delhi [India], March 8: Fortis Hospital Shalimar Bagh on Saturday organised an Equality Walkathon to mark International Women's Day and promote gender equality. The walkathon started at around 7:00 AM and ended at around 9:00 AM. It brought together around 400 participants from various backgrounds to walk in support of equal opportunities, rights, and recognition for women. The event's theme was "Accelerate Action for Gender Equality", and the participants carried banners and placards to spread awareness and encourage meaningful discussions around gender equality. The walkathon was followed by a Women's Empowerment Program, which included discussions and activities focused on recognising and supporting women in different fields. The chief guest at the event was Chief Minister of Delhi Rekha Gupta, who delivered the welcome address. The program also witnessed a panel discussion with doctors which focussed on challenges related to women's health, workplace equality, and the importance of inclusive growth. Speaking at the event at Fortis Hospital Shalimar Bagh to commemorate International Women's Day, Chief Minister of Delhi Rekha Gupta thanked the Fortis management and advocated for building a strong and healthy ecosystem in Delhi. She said, "Delhi should become the most developed health centre in the country. Every citizen should get convenient medical services, and no one should be deprived of the right treatment. Reiterating the government's message of Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao, Beti Badhao, I would like to say that the society must progress by prioritizing the education of daughters--not just for their academic growth, but also for their overall well-being." "Women are the backbone of our society, contributing tirelessly across diverse fields--be it healthcare, education, business, or public service. They should prioritise their health and overall well-being. Together, let us build a future where gender equality is not just a goal but a lived reality," Gupta said. Speaking at the program, Dr Ashutosh Raghuvanshi, MD & CEO, Fortis Healthcare said, "Women play a pivotal role across all sectors, and their contributions to healthcare are invaluable--bringing expertise, empathy, and innovation to patient care. Yet, women continue to face unique health challenges and systemic barriers in the workplace. At Fortis Healthcare, we are committed to fostering an environment of equality, where women are empowered to lead and excel. Inclusive growth is not just a vision--it is a necessity for a healthier, more equitable future. By recognizing and supporting women, we strengthen our communities and pave the way for lasting progress." Deepak Narang, Facility Director, Fortis Hospital Shalimar Bagh said, "Women are integral to every sphere of life, and their contributions in healthcare are particularly profound--offering care, innovation, and leadership." "Addressing women's health challenges and ensuring workplace equality are essential steps toward building a stronger, more inclusive future. We are committed to fostering an environment where women can thrive, breaking barriers and shaping the future of healthcare. Inclusive growth empowers us all, and by supporting women, we uplift entire communities," Narang said. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday emphasized the significance of empowering women in the development of rural India, stating that his government at the center has given top priority to women's rights and new opportunities over the years. Addressing a public gathering after launching various schemes, including G-SAFAL and G-MAITRI, in Gujarat's Navsari on the occasion of International Women's Day, Prime Minister Modi said that women's participation in important positions in the country has increased rapidly since 2014. The Prime Minister mentioned that when the country got its new Parliament, the first bill passed was related to 'Nari Shakti.' "When the country got its new Parliament, I passed the first bill related to Nari Shakti. What's even more empowering is that a woman from a tribal background, our President, signed that bill. Gandhi Ji used to say that the soul of the country lives in rural India. Now, I add that the soul of rural India lies in the empowerment of rural women. That is why our government has given top priority to women's rights and new opportunities for women," he said. The Prime Minister stated that women are excelling in all fields in the country. "Whether it is politics, sports, judiciary, or the police, women are leading in every field and dimension of the country. Since 2014, the participation of women in important positions in the country has increased rapidly. Since 2014, the highest number of women have become ministers in the central government, and there has been a significant increase in the presence of women in Parliament as well," PM Modi said. Referring to the event in Navsari, PM Modi said, "Here in this event, we can see the power of women. Women have taken full responsibility for this event. The policemen and officers deployed for the security of such a large event are all women. From constables, SPs, DSPs to senior officers, the security here is being handled by women. This is an example of women's power." "When I meet all of you, my belief gets stronger that the resolve of a developed India will be fulfilled, and women's power will play a big role in it," he added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also emphasized that respecting women is the first step toward a nation's development, and in this spirit, Bharat has now taken the path of women-led development. (ANI)
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday said that the BJP-led government in the national capital will fulfill all its promises. Addressing an event on the occasion of International Women's Day, the Delhi CM said that she will work for the welfare and security of women. "Today, the sisters from North to South and from Gujarat to Northeast are extending their congratulatory messages. Women from different fields are happy," she said. "The only government that approved a 33 percent reservation is Narendra Modi's government. We will work for the welfare and security of women. We will deliver everything that we have promised. We will work to enhance the security of women. We have built pint toilets in Delhi," she added. Praising her party for giving due respect to women workers and leaders in the organization, she said, "I have received a lot of things. We got the respect that we used to dream of. We got that respect. We reached a stage where we could express our feelings." "When I reached this position after fighting many elections, I gained the temperament through which I could do welfare work for the country. When I worked for this organization, I came to know that it is a big family," the Delhi CM said. She further stated, "Many organizations used to talk about women's rights, but they did nothing. There is only one party that delivered what it promised, not only talking about women-led development but also delivering a women-led government." "Today, our party and leadership have made it possible that if the country's budget is presented by Nirmala Sitharaman, then Delhi's budget will be presented by Rekha Gupta," she added. Union Minister and BJP President JP Nadda, and Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva also attended the 'Mahila Divas Program' on the occasion of International Women's Day. Speaking on the occasion JP Nadda said, "I not only bow to women on Womens Day but also want to express my gratitude to the women of Delhi for helping the BJP government come to power in Delhi. This victory would not have been possible without the support of Matra Shakti." "Today, our government's focus is on women-led development and Prime Minister Modi is taking the country forward with the aim of women empowerment. Modi ji said that when women empowerment develops, the world develops. That is why Bharatiya Jana Sangh and Bharatiya Janata Party have always moved forward by considering women empowerment as their fundamental principle," he added. (ANI)
The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), in association with the Association of Direct Selling Entities of India (ADSEI), organized a National Women Entrepreneurs Conclave at the Indira Gandhi Stadium, New Delhi, on Saturday. This event was attended by over 10,000 women entrepreneurs and was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Pushkar Singh Dhami. CAIT Secretary General and BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal made an announcement, stating that CAIT, in collaboration with ADSEI and other trade bodies across the country, under the mentorship of its Advisor & former Union Minister Smriti Irani, will economically and socially empower five lakh women entrepreneurs in the next year. Addressing the gathering, Uttarakhan CM Pushkar Dhami praised CAIT and ADSEI initiatives in fostering women's entrepreneurship and reaffirmed that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP is committed to empowering women across all sectors. The conclave also witnessed the presence of former Union Minister Smriti Irani, who extended her best wishes on the occasion of International Women's Day. She highlighted the vital role of women in India's economic landscape and expressed her gratitude towards all men who contribute to women's financial empowerment, ensure social respect, and foster a safe and supportive environment for them. The President of ADSEI Dr Sanjeev kumar said, "Today marks a historic milestone as we celebrate the incredible spirit and determination of women entrepreneurs at the National Women Entrepreneurs Conclave. This mega event, organized in collaboration with CAIT, is a testament to the growing role of women in India's entrepreneurial ecosystem. With over 10,000 participants, we are witnessing a powerful movement towards financial independence and self-reliance. ADSEI remains committed to empowering women entrepreneurs and fostering an inclusive, growth-oriented business environment." This initiative will integrate key government schemes such as 'Lakhpati Didi' and other flagship programs of PM Modi, ensuring financial independence for women entrepreneurs. The program will be powered by the Common Service Centre (CSC) of the Ministry of Electronics & IT (MEITY) to facilitate digital and financial inclusion. (ANI)
Officials said the jet was allegedly owned by Amardeep Kumar, the prime accused in an alleged Rs 850 crore 'Falcon scam. '

According to officials privy to the ED's action, Kumar and an accomplice used the aircraft to flee to Dubai on January 22.

Investigators confirmed Kumar as the beneficial owner of the jet, which was purchased in 2024 for USD 1.6 million (Rs 14 crore) via Prestige Jets Inc.

The ED claims that proceeds from the Falcon Group's Ponzi scheme were diverted to purchase the jet.

Upon landing in Shamshabad, officials said, the jet was seized, crew members were questioned, and the ED team recorded a close associate's statement.

The Falcon group allegedly collected Rs 1,700 crore from investors, promising high returns through a fraudulent invoice discounting investment scheme. Out of the total funds collected, Rs 850 crore was repaid, but 6,979 investors were left unpaid.

Key executives, including Amardeep (Chairman and MD) and others, remain absconding.On February 15, the Cyberabad police arrested Pavan Kumar Odela (VP ) and Kavya Nalluri (Director of Falcon Capital Ventures) in connection with the scam. (ANI)
Congress leader P Chidambaram expressed his fear that if delimitation is conducted, Southern states will lose 26 seats in the Lok Sabha, and their voices will not be heard. P Chidambaram said, "Delimitation is a serious issue. It was frozen in 1971. A census taken after 2026 will lead to delimitation, followed by re-determination of the seats. According to our calculation, if it is redistributed according to current population of states, and the state's numbers are changed our southern states which have 129 seats will come down to 103. The five southern states will lose 26 seats, whereas the populous states where population is growing will gain seats, especially UP, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan." He further said that the Southern states have stabilised their population. "Northern states have not stabilised the population and it will take time to stabilise. With 129, our voices are not heard in Parliament. In 103 it will become worst. We are opposing delimitation and re-determination based on current population. Tamil Nadu will lose 8 seats if 543 constituencies are divided according to the current population," he further said. He said that the central government must start a dialogue on delimitation. "Despite the Constitution saying that in 1977, we froze the population according to 1971. India's population will not be stabilised in 2026 and in another 30 years. The idea is to start a dialogue. The central government can't say that there will be no reduction. Even if Tamil Nadu's seats are at 39 and in UP it increases, whose voices will be heard? Southern states will lose their voice," he added. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has called for a joint effort from various political parties to raise their voices against Delimitation, calling for a Joint Action Committee meeting on March 22 to be held in Chennai, inviting representatives from various political parties to join against the "blatant assault on federalism." "First JAC meeting in Chennai on March 22, 2025. Let us stand together not as separate political entities but as protectors of our people's future," MK Stalin wrote in a post on X. (ANI)
"Shree Somnath Mahadev Temple is a center of faith as well as a unique symbol of glorious Sanatan tradition. Today, I worshiped at First Jyotirlinga Lord Shri Somnath Mahadev and prayed for the welfare and prosperity of the countrymen," Shah posted on X.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched various developmental works in Navsari, Gujarat.

Addressing the gathering on the occasion of International Women's Day, he expressed his gratitude for the love, affection, and blessings from the mothers, sisters, and daughters present in large numbers, extending his best wishes to all the women of the country on this special day.

The Prime Minister highlighted the launch of two schemes, G-SAFAL (Gujarat scheme for Antyodaya Families for Augmenting Livelihoods) and G-MAITRI (Gujarat Mentorship and Acceleration of Individuals for Transforming Rural Income), today in Gujarat.

He also mentioned that funds from various schemes have been directly transferred to women's bank accounts and congratulated everyone on this achievement.

PM Modi mentioned that today was dedicated to women, expressed his gratitude to all, and proudly stated that he considers himself the wealthiest person in the world, not in terms of money but because of the blessings of crores of mothers, sisters, and daughters.

"These blessings are my greatest strength, capital, and protective shield", he emphasised.

Underlining the increasing opportunities for women at various levels of society, government, and large institutions, the Prime Minister remarked, "women are excelling in every sector, be it politics, sports, judiciary, or police".

PM Modi noted that since 2014, women's participation in important positions has increased significantly, mentioning that the central government has seen the highest number of female ministers, and the presence of women in Parliament has also risen. (ANI)
As the row over constituency delimitation intensified, Union Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Saturday questioned Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin's call for a Joint Action Committee (JAC) meeting on delimitation, alleging that Stalin's opposition was an attempt to "cover up" his "corruption and failure." "This is his (MK Stalin's) attempt to cover up his misdeeds, corruption, and failure," Joshi told ANI. He said there was no need for a committee since there was no delimitation commission. "What is the need of this committee when there's no delimitation commission so far, no terms of references?" Joshi asked. Accusing Stalin of "talking nonsense things," he said that Union Home Minister Amit Shah has assured that the number of Parliamentary and Assembly seats would not be curtailed. "The Home Minister himself has assured that there will be no reduction in the number of MP or MLA constituencies. Why talk nonsense things despite knowing that?" Joshi said. Stalin called for a joint effort from various political parties to raise their voices against delimitation, calling for a JAC meeting on March 22 in Chennai and inviting representatives from various political parties to join against the "blatant assault on federalism." "First JAC meeting in Chennai on March 22, 2025. Let us stand together not as separate political entities but as protectors of our people's future," MK Stalin wrote in a post on X. Earlier today, Stalin also wrote to the Chief Ministers of seven states, both from National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ruling states and otherwise, to join him in the "fight against this unfair exercise." He has written to Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, Telangana CM Revanth Reddy, Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi, and heads of all political parties in those respective states to join him. Calling upon state units of national parties and regional parties to send senior representatives for the JAC, he tagged the Bharatiya Janata Party, Congress, Telegu Desam Party, Jana Sena Party, AITC, Janata Dal, Aam Aadmi Party, Akali Dali, Communist Party of India (Marxist), CPI, AIMIM and multiple other state units for the meeting. Meanwhile, Congress backed CM Stalin's stance on delimitation. However, the party has not yet confirmed whether they will join the JAC meeting on March 22. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh opposed any move to penalise states that have successfully implemented family planning measures in the context of delimitation and language policy and underscored the importance of linguistic diversity, saying that any form of 'linguistic imperialism' is unacceptable. Ramesh emphasised that states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu, which pioneered population stabilisation, should not be disadvantaged in terms of parliamentary seat allocation. In his letter to other CMs, Stalin pointed out that the previous delimitation exercises were conducted in 1952, 1963, and 1973, but they were frozen by the 42nd Amendment in 1976 until the first census after 2000. The freeze was extended in 2002 until the census after 2026. However, with the 2021 Census delayed, the delimitation process might happen earlier than expected, potentially affecting states that have controlled their population and achieved better governance. The Chief Minister stated that if the exercise is based on population after 2026, states with better population control would face a reduction in parliamentary representation, which he called unjust. He also stated that the Union Government has not clarified the matter, only offering vague assurances. (ANI)
On the occasion of International Women's Day, Tripura Police, in collaboration with Ramthakur College, launched the Naari Suraksha Aur Samman Campaign in Agartala on Saturday to promote women's safety and empowerment. As part of the initiative, women took charge of traffic management, demonstrating their ability to ensure public safety and discipline. Students from various departments of Ramthakur College actively participated in the event. They stood at traffic signals, distributing awareness leaflets to pedestrians and drivers, urging them to be cautious and respectful towards women. Special emphasis was placed on engaging women and young girls, educating them about self-safety measures and their rights. The event was further supported by the Director of Skill Development, who joined the awareness drive. Workshops on women's safety were conducted in schools and colleges, ensuring that young girls were equipped with knowledge about their rights and protective measures. A key highlight of the campaign was that, for the day, women traffic personnel were assigned to manage the entire traffic system of Agartala city. Additionally, young school and college girls actively participated by distributing leaflets and raising awareness about road safety and gender respect. Additional Superintendent of Police (Traffic) Sudhambika R said they were trying to raise awareness among women, providing them with safety guidelines and conducting workshops in schools and colleges. "Today, on the occasion of International Women's Day, we have organised a campaign on women's safety and respect in collaboration with the Tripura Police Department. The Director of Skill Development is also present with us. We are raising awareness among women, providing them with safety guidelines, and conducting workshops in schools and colleges," he said. Sudhambika said that young girls from schools and colleges were invited to participate in managing the entire traffic system in Agartala. "As part of today's initiative, on March 8, we have arranged for women to manage the entire traffic system in Agartala city. Additionally, we have invited young girls from schools and colleges to participate. They are distributing leaflets and spreading awareness about road safety and the importance of respecting and protecting women," the officer added. Trina Dey, a student of Ramthakur College from the Department of Commerce, said that the students distributed leaflets at the traffic signals, advising people to stay aware and cautious. "Today, March 8, is International Women's Day. We were brought here from various departments of Ramthakur College to witness how women manage traffic today. We were given leaflets, which we distributed while standing at the traffic signals. As we handed out the leaflets, we advised people to stay aware and cautious. We specifically approached women and girls, giving them leaflets and spreading awareness about women's empowerment," Dey said. (ANI)
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Saturday announced a provision for the death penalty for those involved in the religious conversion of women in the state. CM Yadav made this announcement on International Women's Day while addressing a program at the Kushabhau Thackeray International Convention Center in Bhopal. He emphasised that his government will not tolerate misconduct or conversion and will ensure that those involved in religious conversion face the death penalty. When asked about the provision of capital punishment for those involved in religious conversions, the CM said, "Our government will not tolerate conversion and misconduct. For criminals or those who are involved in religious conversion, we will ensure that they get the death penalty." However, Congress leader Arif Masood has questioned CM Yadav's announcement, stating that he should first clarify what constitutes forced conversion. Masood also pointed out that the government has failed to take action in cases of missing girls in Bhopal. "First, the Chief Minister should clarify that forced conversion. Also, there are missing girls in Bhopal. Recently, a girl from Itkhedi went missing, and her family has been in trouble for the last three days. He (CM Yadav) speaks about strict action, but still, he is not able to find her and the accused. If he starts action in such matter, then we will welcome the decision; else, they often make announcements," Masood told ANI. It's worth noting that the Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, 2021, already prohibits unlawful conversion from one religion to another by use of misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, or any other fraudulent means. The Act also provides for punishment, including imprisonment and fines, for violators. The Chief Minister also highlighted his government's commitment to women's empowerment, transferring Rs 1,552.73 crore to over 1.27 crore women beneficiaries under the Ladli Behna Yojana and Rs 55.95 crore to over 26 lakh eligible women beneficiaries under the Gas Cylinder Refill Scheme. "On the occasion of International Women's Day, I would like to say that our government is very strict in cases related to misconduct with women therefore a provision of capital punishment was made in the state. Our government will not spare criminals who misbehave with women, such people have no right to live. Additionally, those who will be involved in religious conversion, our government is going to make provision of death penalty to them too under The Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act. Our government will neither tolerate misconduct nor conversion," CM Yadav said while addressing the program. After the program, the Chief Minister told reporters, "A joint event of the three departments which include Women and Child Development, Police and Rural Panchayat was organized in which many new schemes were presented along with the progress report of our schemes...On this occasion, monthly aid of Laldi Behna Yojana was deposited in the accounts of women beneficiaries with a single click. Also, over Rs 55 crores were transferred in the accounts of women beneficiaries under the Gas Cylinder Refill Scheme." He further emphasised that apart from the schemes, the state government is providing reservation to women in government jobs. His government is ready to do whatever is required for women empowerment in the state. (ANI)
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday termed the Hampi rape incident a "heinous crime," and directed the police officials to take immediate action against the accused. Two women, including an Israeli national, were allegedly raped by three men near the Hampi heritage site in Karnataka's Vijayanagara district on the night of March 6, Koppal Police said on Saturday. "The horrific assault and rape of an Israeli national and a homestay owner in Sanapur, Gangavati taluk, Koppal district, is a deeply heinous crime," Karnataka CM posted on X. Karnataka CM said that the police have arrested two accused, and further investigation is underway. "As soon as the incident was reported, I directed the concerned police officials to take immediate action, conduct a stringent investigation, and swiftly apprehend the culprits. The police have already arrested two accused and are continuing the investigation," he added. He further said that the Karnataka government is committed to "ensuring the safety of every individual, including tourists visiting our state." "We will take all necessary measures to prevent such incidents from recurring," he said. Congress MP GC Chandrashekhar called the Hampi rape incident "unfortunate," and said that the state will take action against the culprits. "This is unfortunate. This should not have happened. We condemn it. Our government will definitely take action against the culprits," Chandrashekhar said. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said that the police are investigating the alleged Hampi rape case and the action will be taken as per the law. "I came to know about this yesterday. Two people have been recovered, and one has to be recovered. They had gone there at midnight for star watching. Police are investigating. We will take action as per the law," Shivakumar told reporters. Sowmya Reddy, President of the Karnataka Mahila Congress, said that the Karnataka government is taking steps to ensure security and safety. "I have not heard about this incident but I just want to say that in the last 11-12 years since the BJP government has come to power at the Centre, crimes against women have increased, women have become unsafe, so we demand equality, we demand security, we demand equal opportunity and I really want to say that the Karnataka government is taking steps to ensure security and safety," Reddy said. According to police, a 29-year-old homestay operator, three male tourists, and an Israeli tourist had gone to the Tungabhadra Canal near Sanapur Lake for stargazing. They were sitting near the canal, playing guitar and stargazing, when the accused approached them and asked where they could get petrol. "On the night of March 6, after dinner, we decided to go and watch the stars at night. We took our scooters and rode to the bank of the Tungabhadra Canal, near Durgamma Gudi, near Sanapur Lake. While we were watching the stars and playing the guitar, around 10:30 pm, three men approached us on a motorcycle, asking for petrol in Kannada," the homestay operator alleged. She told them that there was no petrol station nearby and that they could find petrol in Sanapur. One of the three men suddenly demanded 100 rupees. "Since they did not know us, I told them that I did not have any money with me. However, as they repeatedly insisted, one of the male tourists gave them 20 rupees," the complainant said. When they refused to give them more money, the accused started arguing and threatening them with stones. Two of the accused allegedly assaulted and raped the homestay operator and Isrraeli tourist, while the third pushed the male tourists into the water canal, she said. According to the FIR, two of the accused assaulted the homestay operator, and the third man aggressively pushed the three male tourists into the canal. The accused also hit her with stones. "I was seriously bleeding...Two of the accused joined forces and dragged me to the side of the canal. One of them strangled me and took off my clothes. One by one they forcibly beat me and raped me," the homestay operator alleged in her complaint. She further said that the accused also snatched her bag and took away her two mobile phones and Rs 9500 in cash. Similarly, one of the accused dragged the Israeli tourist away and raped her. "While we were screaming and crying, the three men left with their motorcycle," she alleged. She also mentioned that the accused spoke Kannada and Telugu and that she might be able to recognize them. Based on their complaint, a case has been registered at Gangavathi Rural Police Station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023, including charges of attempt to murder, robbery, and rape. Koppal Superintendent of Police Ram Arasiddi said that two suspects have been arrested in Gangavathi in connection with the case. "On March 6, five people - two women and three men - were attacked by three miscreants. The attackers assaulted the three men and sexually abused the two women. Based on the victims' complaint, we have registered a case of attempted murder, robbery, and rape," SP Arasiddi said. "Based on the information provided, we have arrested two suspects, Sai Mallu and Chethan Sai, both from Gangavathi. A third accused is still at large, but we have identified him and will catch him soon," he added. The police were further looking into the case. (ANI)
The study is prepared by DPIIT in collaboration with the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH under the Indo-German Development Cooperation project, "Climate Friendly Green Freight Transport in India (Green Freight Project)", the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said in a release on Saturday.

The study highlights key insights and strategies to enhance women's participation in India's logistics sector.

The study assesses the current status of women's participation in India's logistics sector, analyzes key challenges hindering their inclusion, and recommends policy measures to enhance gender diversity in the rapidly growing logistics industry, which is projected to reach USD 380 billion by 2025.

Speaking at the release event, Amardeep Singh Bhatia emphasized the study's significance in the context of the National Logistics Policy and the government's vision for women-led development.

"As we move towards Viksit Bharat, under the guidance of the Prime Minister, the one thing that will take the country forward is women-led development. Ensuring women's participation in high-growth sectors like logistics is not only a matter of equity but also an economic necessity," he stated.

Bhatia further highlighted the pivotal role of education in transforming perceptions and empowering women.

"The capability of women is equal to that of men; what is needed is a shift in mindset. Women may have different requirements, which the workplace infrastructure and ecosystem must be able to provide," he added.

The study identifies both supply-side challenges, such as gender disparities in education and skill training, and demand-side barriers, including workplace culture and infrastructure limitations.

It suggests a three-tiered approach involving interventions at the ecosystem, industry, and firm levels to create a comprehensive framework for change. (ANI)
According to police, the attached property, a single-story residential house valued at Rs 18 lakh, belongs to Mohammad Rafeeq Sheikh, a resident of Mazhama.

The action was carried out under Section 68-F of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in connection with a case registered under Sections 8/21 of the NDPS Act at Police Station Magam, they said.

The case involves the seizure of a commercial quantity of contraband--50 bottles of Codeine Phosphate--from the possession of the accused, police said.

Police also urged the public to support their efforts by reporting any information related to illegal drug activities to the concerned authorities. (ANI)
The operation, based on intelligence from the BSF intelligence wing, marked the second successful joint operation of the day.

According to BSF (Punjab Frontier) PRO, the authorities set up an ambush when they noticed two suspected persons coming on motorcycles at around 2:20 PM. After a brief chase, one of the smugglers was captured while the other managed to escape.

As this happened, the authorities recovered one packet of suspected heroin weighing 506 grams, a smartphone, three ATM cards, and a Bajaj Platina motorcycle from the apprehended smuggler. The packet that had narcotics was wrapped in yellow colour adhesive tape, and a steel ring was attached to it, indicating that the consignment was dropped by a Pakistani drone.

The apprehended smuggler has been identified as a resident of Saidpur Village in Amritsar. This successful apprehension and recovery took place near Village Jasraur, under the jurisdiction of Bhindi Saidan police station.

Meanwhile, the authorities launched another search operation following the revelations made by the apprehended smuggler.

The joint ambush party tacked down and apprehended the second smuggler from Avan Basu village at around 3:30 PM.

Both individuals were in police custody, and an investigation was ongoing to unfold their links to Pakistan-based narco-smuggling networks. (ANI)
The Ministry of Labour and Employment stated that the gig and platform economy is expanding and offering new jobs in sectors like ridesharing, delivery, logistics, and professional services.

The Ministry said NITI Aayog has projected that the gig economy in India will employ over one crore workers in 2024-25 and subsequently reach 2.35 Crores by 2029-30.

Recognizing the contribution of the gig and platform workers to the nation's economy, Union Budget 2025-26 announcement has provisions for (i) registration of online platform workers on e-Shram portal, (ii) issue of identity cards, and (iii) healthcare coverage under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).

The AB-PMJAY health scheme provides Rs 5 lakhs per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization across over 31,000 public and private empanelled hospitals in India.

For early implementation of these Budget provisions, the Ministry of Labour and Employment is soon launching the scheme.

As a first step, the Ministry requests that the Platform Workers self-register on the e-Shram portal so that they may be considered for the scheme's benefits as soon as possible.

The Platform aggregators are also to disseminate this information among the platform workers engaged with them and facilitate them to register on the e-Shram portal. (ANI)
The ITEC Executive Capacity Building Programme on Human Rights, organised by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs for senior functionaries of the National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) of the Global South, concluded on Saturday, the NHRC said in a release. NHRC, India Chairperson Justice V. Ramasubramanian, addressed the valedictory session in the presence of Members Justice Bidyut Ranjan Sarangi, Vijaya Bharathi Sayani, and Secretary General Bharat Lal. The programme, which began on March 3, saw the participation of 35 senior functionaries from 11 NHRIs of Madagascar, Uganda, Timor-Leste, DR Congo, Togo, Mali, Nigeria, Egypt, Tanzania, Burundi, and Turkmenistan. It also included interactive sessions with eminent persons and domain experts, and participants were exposed to various aspects of civic and political rights, as well as socio-economic and cultural rights enjoyed by the people of India. During the 6-day programme, speakers included NHRC Chairperson, Members, Secretary General V K Paul, NITI Aayog member, Rajeev Kumar, Former Chief Election Commissioner of India, Yugal Kishore Joshi, Mission Director at NITI Aayog, and Ambassador Asoke Kumar Mukerji, former PR of India to UN, Chris Garroway, Economist and Development Coordinator, United Nations, Manoj Yadava, former DG(I), Surajit Dey, former Registrar (Law) and Anita Sinha and D K Nim, former Joint Secretaries of the NHRC, according to a statement from the NHRC. The NHRC statement read that the programme was also enriched by the sharing of experiences by the participating senior functionaries of various NHRIs. In his closing remarks, the NHRC Chairperson, Justice V Ramasubramanian, expressed his heartfelt gratitude to all attendees. He emphasised that free exchange of knowledge is the foundation of a better world, stating that humanity has the power to create a just and harmonious society on Earth. Citing the Rig Veda, he underscored the importance of welcoming noble thoughts from all directions and reiterated that the ultimate aim of all human endeavors is to enhance the quality of life for all. He reflected on the universal essence of humanity, drawing parallels between the unity of mankind and the singularity of gold despite the multitude of jewels it forms. Concluding his address, he reminded all participants that the highest virtue is to be a good human being. Reiterating his remarks in the inaugural session, the NHRC, India Chairperson said that platforms like ITEC provide an opportunity to share and exchange each other's rich cultural diversity and human rights values, to think and find ways on how best to address the ever-emerging human rights challenges. NHRC, India Member, Justice (Dr) Bidyut Ranjan Sarangi, acknowledged the participants' dedication to human rights advocacy and applauded their enthusiasm and commitment to meaningful change. He reaffirmed the NHRC India's commitment to strengthening future collaborations with NHRIs worldwide. Quoting the philosophy of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" (The World is One Family), he emphasised NHRC's vision of fostering global solidarity in protecting and promoting human rights. NHRC India Member, Vijaya Bharathi Sayani, expressed gratitude to all participants for their valuable contributions, recognising their engagement and willingness to share insights. She emphasised the Commission's commitment to continuous learning and collaboration and extended warm wishes for International Women's Day, underlining the importance of gender equality and human rights for all. Before this, NHRC India Secretary General Bharat Lal commended all attendees for their active participation. He highlighted the significance of cooperation among the countries of the Global South, emphasising their shared values and mutual learning opportunities. He also discussed the signing of potential Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with interested countries to deepen this collaboration. Notably, he offered the NHRC's knowledge and experience in strengthening human rights in their countries, including advanced complaint redressal system software, for robust grievance redressal mechanisms and further strengthening human rights enforcement. The participants also got the opportunity to visit iconic places like Pradhan Mantri Museum, Humayun Tomb, Taj Mahal, Delhi Haat, etc., to have an exposure to India's rich cultural heritage. NHRC India Director Lt Col Virender Singh, the course coordinator, applauded the active engagement of participants and the invaluable exchange of knowledge throughout the programme. Vikram Harimohan Meena, SSP, co-course coordinator, emphasised the role of law enforcement in human rights protection, advocating greater synergy between policing and human rights organisations. (ANI)
On the occasion of International Women's Day, a significant publication of the Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice, titled "The Life and Contributions of the Women Members of the Constituent Assembly" is being formally released. This scholarly work is a comprehensive tribute to fifteen distinguished women who played an instrumental role in drafting the Constitution of India but whose contributions have largely remained unrecognized in mainstream historical and legal discourse. According to a release by the Law Ministry, the book meticulously documents the contributions of these pioneering women, including lawyers, social reformers, and freedom fighters, who navigated and overcame entrenched structural barriers within a predominantly male-dominated political framework. Despite facing adversities, these women emerged as key voices in the Constituent Assembly, significantly influencing deliberations on fundamental rights, social justice, gender equality, and democratic governance. This publication aims to bridge the historical gap by offering a detailed analysis of their speeches, debates, and legislative interventions, thereby highlighting their substantive influence on key constitutional provisions. The book also highlights the broader historical framework, tracing the evolution of women's constitutional aspirations from establishing the Women's Indian Association in 1917 to the eventual realization of political representation in independent India. The book offers insights into the historical context by exploring the trajectory of women's political participation in public life in pre-independence Bharat, the framing of the Constitution for an independent country, and the journey thereafter. This volume provides an in-depth account of the contributions of fifteen distinguished women who shaped India's constitutional landscape. Ammu Swaminathan was a vocal advocate for gender equality in constitutional provisions, ensuring that women's rights were duly recognised. Annie Mascarene played a key role in discussions on federalism and state integration, reinforcing India's unity in diversity. Begum Qudsia Aizaz Rasul, the only Muslim woman in the Assembly, stood as a staunch advocate for secularism, arguing for an inclusive national identity. Dakshayani Velayudhan, the first Dalit woman in the Assembly, fearlessly opposed untouchability and fought for the rights of marginalized communities. Durgabai Deshmukh was instrumental in shaping social welfare policies and promoting women's education, contributing to India's early framework for social justice. Hansa Jivraj Mehta played a crucial role in drafting India's fundamental rights, ensuring that gender justice remained at the core of constitutional debates. Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, a pioneering stateswoman, was the architect of India's public health policies and laid the foundation for modern healthcare in the country. Sarojini Naidu, called the "Nightingale of India", was an eloquent advocate for civil liberties, leaving a lasting impact on India's democratic ethos. Sucheta Kripalani, who later became India's first female Chief Minister, was a prominent voice in the Assembly and championed labour rights and governance reforms. Vijayalakshmi Pandit, a distinguished diplomat, strongly supported international cooperation and India's role in global governance. The book further examines the contributions of other notable women who played an indispensable role in shaping India's democracy and constitutional ideals. A compilation of key interventions by these women underscoring their vision for an inclusive and egalitarian India. The release of this volume is timely, given the ongoing discourse on women's leadership and representation in national and global governance. It stands as an essential resource for legal scholars, historians, students, and citizens keen on understanding India's constitutional history and the integral role women played in its formation. (ANI)
The exercise showcased multiple aircraft, helicopters, para jumpers, and specialized operations to enhance interoperability with the Indian Army Special Forces and the Navy.

The training exercise included Combat Rubberised Raiding Craft drops, para jumps, and helocasting (jumping from an aircraft into water) using An-32 and C-130 aircraft.

The exercises were witnessed by National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets in Shillong, who observed the operations firsthand.

Sharing details of the training on X, the IAF wrote, "IAF executed combat operations training at Umiam Lake, Shillong, featuring Combat Rubberised Raiding Craft drops, para jumps, and helocasting from An-32, C-130 aircraft, and Mi-17 helicopters."

https://x.com/IAF_MCC/status/1898387170823479772

"These missions enhance interoperability with Indian Army Special Forces and were witnessed and admired by NCC cadets in Shillong," added the IAF.

Earlier on March 5, sources mentioned that a high-level committee of the Defence Ministry accepted the IAF's requirement for getting new multirole fighter aircraft for the service to enhance its fighting capabilities.

The acceptance of the IAF requirement is learnt to be part of the report submitted by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh to the Defence Minister on 'Capability Enhancement of IAF'.

The sources said that, as per the discussions during the Committee meetings, the Indian Air Force would prepare the statement of case for acquiring capabilities, and the Defence Ministry would work towards getting the required approvals at different levels in a time-bound manner.

The committee submitted the recommendations to the government when the US was pushing for selling its single-engine F-35 fifth-generation fighter aircraft while the Russian side was offering its Su-57 fifth-generation fighter.

The Committee has identified key thrust areas and made recommendations for implementation in the short, medium and long term so as to achieve the desired capability enhancement goals of the lAF in an optimal manner. (ANI)
On the occasion of International Women's Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday engaged in a conversation with the Lakhpati Didis in Navsari, Gujarat, to highlight the significance of women's empowerment and their contributions to society. The Prime Minister remarked that while the world celebrates Women's Day today, in our traditions and culture, it starts with the reverence for the mother, 'Matru Devo Bhava.' "For us, every day of the year is 'Matru Devo Bhava'," he added. One of the Lakhpati Didis shared her experience of working with the Shivani Mahila Mandal, where they engage in beadwork, a cultural craft of Saurashtra. She mentioned that they have trained over 400 sisters in beadwork, with other sisters handling marketing and accounting tasks. The Prime Minister inquired if the marketing team travels outside the state, to which she confirmed that they have covered almost all major cities in India. The participant highlighted the success of another Lakhpati Didi, Parul Behen, who earns over 40,000 rupees, and acknowledged the achievement of the Lakhpati Didis. PM Modi expressed his dream of creating three crore Lakhpati Didis and believed that they could reach five crores. Another Lakhpati Didi shared her journey of producing syrup from mishri (sugar candy) with 65 women, achieving an annual turnover of Rs 25 to 30 lakhs. She mentioned that the government's platform has enabled them to support helpless women and educate their children. She further informed about their efforts and said that they have even acquired vehicles for their marketing activities. The Prime Minister added that it didn't matter to him whether he was a chief minister or a prime minister. Sharing her experience, another Lakhpati Didi assured that she would be a crorepati by working hard in a few years. She thanked the Prime Minister for showing them the path to success. A Drone Didi, sharing her experience, said that she is earning around Rs. 2 lakh. The Prime Minister responded with an experience about a lady who does not know how to ride a bicycle but is a drone pilot. The woman, who trained in Pune, Maharashtra, added that her relatives and friends refer to her as a 'pilot'. She thanked the Prime Minister for giving her an opportunity to be a drone didi and, in turn, a lakhpati did today. PM Modi said that drones were now an identity for every village. The Prime Minister then interacted with a Bank Sakhi who does a monthly operation of around Rs. 4 to 5 lakh. Another woman expressed her desire to make other ladies also Lakhpati Didis like she has become. The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of entering online business models and assured government support to upgrade their initiatives. He highlighted that many women are earning at the grassroots level, and the world should know that Indian women are not just confined to household work but are a significant economic force. PM Modi remarked that rural women are playing a crucial role in India's economic strength. He observed that women quickly adapt to technology, sharing his experience with the Drone Didis who learned to operate drones within three to four days and practiced sincerely. He highlighted the inherent strength of women in India to struggle, create, nurture, and generate wealth. PM Modi expressed his belief that this strength would greatly benefit the country. A Lakhpati Didi is a Self-Help Group member who earns an annual household income of Rs 1,00,000 or more. This income is calculated for at least four agricultural seasons and/or business cycles, and the average monthly income exceeds Rs 10,000, so it is sustainable. The Lakhpati initiative facilitates diversified livelihood activities by ensuring convergence across all Government departments/Ministries, the Private sector, and Market players. The strategy includes focused planning, implementation, and monitoring at all levels. (ANI)
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Saturday stated that consensus and dissent are the strengths of democracy, but planned disruption in Assemblies and Parliament are detrimental to democratic values. Addressing the public representatives and other dignitaries at the launch of the 'Constitution Club of Rajasthan', he said that the Legislative institutions must become centres of discussion and dialogue to ensure accountability to the public. The Lok Sabha Speaker remarked that the Constitution Club is not just a building but a platform to guide democratic discourse, thoughtfulness, and policy-making. He added that Democracy is not confined to elections but advances through continuous dialogue and consensus. Birla said that the club would elevate policy-making and good governance to new heights. He mentioned that the concept of the Constitution Club in Delhi was conceived in 1947 during the drafting of the Constitution, when the need for a platform for informal discussions and policy dialogues was felt. Birla noted that the club in Rajasthan will also become a centre for democratic dialogue and debate, providing legislators with an opportunity to openly discuss ideas, policies, and governance. Observing that the Constitution of India is not just a compilation of laws but a guide for the entire world, Birla said that over the past 75 years, many transformative changes have occurred under its guidance. Saying that meaningful dialogue and healthy debates must take place in Parliament and assemblies, Birla emphasised that personal allegations and deliberate disruption are against the core spirit of democracy. He expressed hope that the Constitution Club of Jaipur would become a platform for meaningful discourse and consensus between the ruling and opposition parties. Om Birla stated that the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly has always been a guiding light for Indian Democracy. He noted that the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly has passed many exemplary legislations. He referred to former Vice President Late Bhairon Singh Shekhawat and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, stating that Rajasthan has always enriched democratic traditions. On the occasion of International Women's Day, Birla highlighted the glorious history of women in Rajasthan. He praised the leadership provided by women as legislators, ministers, and chief ministers, stating that it has brought about positive changes in the state. The event was also attended by Chief Minister of Rajasthan Bhajanlal Sharma, Speaker of Rajasthan Vidhan Sabha Vasudev Devnani, Union Minister of State for Agriculture Bhagirath Choudhary, MPs, MLAs, and other dignitaries. (ANI)
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Saturday underlined the crucial role women play in the progress of any society, while addressing a state level Mahila Samman Samaroh organised on the occasion of International Women's Day in Panchkula. "When women progress, they uplift their families, strengthen society, and drive the nation's growth," the Haryana CM said. Saini expressed his firm belief and pride that in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a Developed India by 2047, the greatest contribution will come from the mothers, sisters, and daughters of this nation. Haryana Assembly Speaker, Harvinder Kalyan; Women and Child Development Minister, Shruti Choudhry, and Health Minister, Kumari Arti Singh Rao were also present during the programme, according to a statement from the Haryana government. While extending his greetings on International Women's Day, CM Saini announced several key initiatives for women's welfare, these include increase in the leave granted to the women employees on special days. He announced that regular women government employees in Haryana will now receive 25 annual leaves instead of 20. Similarly, women employees deployed under Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam (HKRN) were previously entitled to 10 annual leaves, but now, they will receive one additional leave every month, increasing their total leave entitlement to 22 days per year.| The Chief Minister also announced that women in Haryana will be provided interest-free loans of up to Rs1 lakh to establish dairy units. He shared that under the Mahila Kirshi Virdhi Yojana, the government is committed to providing interest-free loans to women from farming families for activities such as livestock rearing, beekeeping, poultry farming, dairy farming, and other agricultural enterprises. Saini virtually inaugurated 44 new Anganwadi centers across the state and laid the foundation stone for Bal Bhavan in Charkhi Dadri. He also launched three key portals to enhance governance and welfare services, namely the Domestic Violence Complaint Registration and Monitoring portal to streamline reporting and tracking of domestic violence cases, the MIS Portal for Aapki Beti-Hamari Beti to improve the scheme's implementation, and the Supplementary Nutrition programme (SNP) Demand and Supply portal to ensure efficient monitoring of nutritional supplement distribution. CM Saini said that gender equality is not just a women's issue but a responsibility for society as a whole. He said that when women are given the opportunity to move forward, the entire society progresses. He further added that when women receive respect, opportunities, and equal rights, it leads to the creation of an empowered nation. Speaking on the occasion, Assembly Speaker Harvinder Kalyan said, "our daughters are filled with immense talent, and today, they are excelling in every field." He acknowledged that the government has taken several concrete steps to provide a safe environment for women and girls, but stressed the need for collective action from everyone in this regard. He said that to raise awareness about legislative matters, the Haryana Vidhan Sabha, in collaboration with the Lok Sabha and the state government, will organize conferences for women and students in the coming times. (ANI)
National Conference (NC) President Farooq Abdullah on Saturday reaffirmed his confidence that Jammu and Kashmir (J-K)'s statehood will be restored, saying that the Indian government is "bound by the promise" made in Parliament. "The statehood will happen. The government of India will have to give us statehood. They are bound by the promise they made in Parliament when I was a member. They will have to uphold that promise," Abdullah told reporters in Jammu. Abdullah had also reiterated his commitment to statehood restoration on March 6, saying, "Inshallah, statehood will come soon. It will come." Meanwhile, J-K Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary strongly criticized former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti over her remarks on the region's political situation. "Mehbooba Mufti can say anything because she is the reason for the destruction of J-K. If J-K has lost its statehood and special status, it is because of her," Choudhary said. On March 3, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha addressed the budget session of the J-K assembly, where he mentioned that the union government remains committed to restoring full statehood to J-K. "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," he said. "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 added. The restoration of Article 370, the reinstatement of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood, and the implementation of the autonomy resolution were key promises in the National Conference's manifesto for the J-K elections. In August 2019, the Central Government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, repealed Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, effectively ending the special status given to Jammu and Kashmir. (ANI)
Manoj Kumar, Chairman of Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) stated that a national-level exhibition was organised at Prayagraj during the Mahakumbh from January 14 to February 27, 2025. As a result of PM Modi's 'Khadi Revolution,' the exhibition recorded historic sales of Khadi products worth Rs 12.02 crore. He added that the exhibition featured 98 Khadi stalls and 54 village industry stalls, which collectively recorded sales of Rs 9.76 crore in Khadi and Rs 2.26 crore in village industry products. To strengthen the 'New Khadi for New India' movement, Kumar distributed 2,050 bee boxes, honey colonies, and toolkits to 205 beekeepers across six states via a video conference from KVIC's Rajghat office in Delhi. While addressing the distribution program, KVIC Chairman Kumar highlighted that in alignment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of spreading the 'Sweet Revolution' across villages, the 'Honey Mission' has been initiated to distribute bee colonies and bee boxes to beekeepers. Addressing the artisans, Chairman KVIC recalled that in 2016, from Banaskantha's Deesa in Gujarat, PM Modi had called for a 'Sweet Revolution' alongside the 'White Revolution.' Inspired by this, KVIC launched the 'Honey Mission' in 2017, under which more than 20,000 beneficiaries have so far received two lakh bee boxes and bee colonies. He further noted that in the 75th episode of 'Mann Ki Baat,' the Prime Minister had discussed the benefits of bee farming, emphasising that apart from honey, bee wax is also a major source of income. According to a release issued by the MSME Ministry, Bee wax is in high demand in the pharmaceutical, food, textile, and cosmetic industries. Therefore, more and more farmers should integrate bee farming with their agricultural practices, as it will not only increase their income but also add sweetness to their lives while making the country self-reliant in honey production. In his address, Chairman KVIC highlighted the achievements of the Khadi sector over the past 10 years, stating that sales of Khadi and village industry products have increased fivefold, from Rs 31,000 crore to Rs 1,55,000 crore. The sales of Khadi garments alone have surged six times, from Rs 1,081 crore to Rs 6,496 crore, while 10.17 lakh new jobs were created in the last financial year. He also mentioned that the income of Khadi artisans has risen by 213 per cent in the past decade, with over 80 per cent of employment in the sector being generated for women. The event was attended via video conference by beneficiaries of the Village Industries Development Scheme, as well as officials and employees from KVIC headquarters in Mumbai and Delhi. (ANI)
President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday emphasized the crucial role of women in shaping the nation's future and said that Viksit Bharat is only possible when women can participate in the workforce without bias or barriers. "The perception that women will prioritize family over work must be challenged--because raising future generations is a shared societal responsibility. True progress lies in creating an environment where every girl can pursue her dreams without fear or restriction. Empowering women is not just about fairness; it is about building a stronger, more developed nation," President Murmu said. The Government of India celebrated International Women's Day with a national-level conference on the theme "Nari Shakti Se Viksit Bharat" #SheBuildsBharat, organized by the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. It was inaugurated by the Hon'ble President of India, Droupadi Murmu, in the gracious presence of Minister of Women and Child Development, Annpurna Devi, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Law and Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Minister of State for Women and Child Development, Savitri Thakur, and other dignitaries. A short film on women-led development was screened, showcasing inspiring stories of women who are shaping India's progress. This was followed by the release of the book 'The Life and Contribution of the Women Members of the Constituent Assembly', published by the Legislative Department. Adding a cultural dimension, a special performance by the Sangeet Natak Academy celebrated the diverse and rich contributions of women in different works of life. The session culminated with a keynote address by the President of India, emphasizing the significance of women-led development and inclusivity. Annpurna Devi, Union Minister of Women and Child Development, reiterated the government's commitment to gender equality. She remarked, "Today, our daughters are soaring high in the sky, conquering land and water with their energy and strength, upholding the honor of the Indian tricolor and raising the flag of hope. We are witnessing their power and capabilities in every field. From this platform and across the country, wherever my eyes go, I see glimpses of Ujjwala, Asha, Sukanya, Samriddhi, Vandana, Suraksha, Lakhpati, and Drone Didi." "Give women the freedom of education and expression so they can achieve holistic development. Women empowerment cannot be achieved solely through government policies and schemes. It is a social responsibility that we must fulfill both individually and collectively," she said. Union Minister of State for Law and Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal stressed the importance of legal frameworks supporting gender equality. He said, "The Constitution gave Indian women the right to vote right from Independence. Our legal and policy reforms aim to create a more inclusive society where women's rights are safeguarded, and their voices are amplified". The event featured a High-level plenary session with distinguished Union Ministers and leaders reflecting on India's progress in women-led development and global lessons. This was followed by three technical sessions that brought together renowned women leaders from STEM, business, sports, media, and governance. These technical sessions were held simultaneously and witnessed active participation from both panelists and attendees. The Minister of State, Savitri Thakur, highlighted the government's initiatives for financial inclusion, stating, "Women's participation in the economy is essential for national progress. Through financial literacy and entrepreneurship programs, we are ensuring their economic independence. A woman's true strength lies in the spirit of a mother. With courage in her heart and wisdom in her choices, she must banish fear, embrace confidence, and achieve her dreams!" The event witnessed enthusiastic participation from women across the nation, including women officers from the armed forces, paramilitary forces, and Delhi Police, as well as My Bharat volunteers, Anganwadi workers, ASHA workers, Self-Help Group members, and Sanitation sainiks. Women Members of Parliament and female officers from various ministries and departments were also present, further adding to the event's significance. (ANI)
The Israeli embassy partnered with Bennett University and the FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO) to host a first-of-its-kind Research Symposium on financial literacy, investment behaviour, and gender at Federation House, New Delhi on Friday. As per the official statement, the event stands as an innovative research initiative that sheds light on the intersection of financial literacy, technology, and policy in advancing economic inclusion, particularly for women and youth. Despite increasing digital access and economic growth, women's participation in financial markets remains a global challenge. The event served as a pioneering platform for experts, policymakers, and academics to discuss innovative solutions and foster international collaboration. Fares Saeb, Deputy Ambassador of Israel, emphasised the shared commitment of Israel and India to financial empowerment. He said, "Empowering women through financial literacy is not just an economic goal--it is a global necessity. Both Israel and India recognize the importance of ensuring that financial knowledge and investment opportunities are accessible to all, particularly women. By leveraging media, technology, and strong bilateral cooperation, we can build a more inclusive financial future where everyone has the tools to thrive." Gauri D Chakraborty, Times School of Media and Chairperson, Bennett University Women Development Cell, highlighted the pivotal role of media in financial education and said, "Academia -industry interface is the hallmark for a progressive approach to redefining education. Our attempt as media practitioners and research scholars is to probe meaning-making of 'agency' especially financial aspects of the empowerment discourse. The aim is to create strategic action-oriented outcomes from the symposium like modules which can be included in school and higher education curriculum on personal finance, technology adoption and access, investment prudence for women within the all-encompassing term of 'media and digital literacy." Reinforcing the importance of industry leadership, Joyshree Das Verma, President of FICCI FLO, stressed the need for collective action: "More than just understanding numbers, financial literacy equips women with the confidence and knowledge to make informed financial decisions, creating long-term benefits for themselves, their families, and society. At FLO, we are committed to bridging the gender gap in financial participation by fostering education, accessibility, and opportunities for women to become active investors and decision-makers. This symposium is a vital step toward building a more inclusive financial landscape--one where women have the tools to thrive, contribute, and lead. Investing in financial literacy programs for women is not just about individual empowerment; it is a strategic investment in the economic growth and social progress of our nation." As per the statement, the conference featured a high-impact panel discussion on 'The Influence of Technology and Marketing on Democratising Investment Access for Women', where experts delved into the role of digital tools, media narratives, and policy frameworks in shaping financial inclusion. The symposium underscored the commitment of India and Israel to fostering financial resilience and inclusivity through knowledge-sharing, technological innovation, and collaborative policymaking. The statement underscored that as the world moves towards a more digital and interconnected economy, equipping women with financial skills remains a crucial step in building sustainable and equitable economic growth. (ANI)
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met his Irish counterpart, Simon Harris and said both the countries have agreed to set up a Joint Economic Commission to "increase trade, investment, and technology linkages." The EAM shared the details through a post on X on Friday. "A warm and open meeting with Tanaiste & FM @SimonHarrisTD of Ireland this morning in Dublin. We discussed our bilateral cooperation, including a new Action Plan to reinvigorate ties. Agreed to set up a Joint Economic Commission to increase our trade, investment and technology linkages. Exchanged views on the recent developments in our respective regions and globally, including the Ukraine conflict, West Asia, Afghanistan and the Indo-Pacific. Also spoke about India-EU cooperation and multilateralism," the EAM said https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1897987105340473656 Towards the conclusion of the Irish leg of his visit, Jaishankar paid tribute to Rabindranath Tagore's bust statue at St Stephen's Park in Dublin. He wrote on X, "Paid tributes to Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore at the St Stephen's Green Park in Dublin at the conclusion of my visit to Ireland." https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1897989003342749755 He also met senior ministers of Northern Ireland during his official visit and also paid a visit to the Queen's University in Belfast. During his visit to Belfast, the EAM met Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, Emma Little-Pengelly and Junior Minister Aisling Reilly. He thanked them for the support in setting up of the Indian Consulate in Belfast and discussed the myriad of opportunities to deepen India's engagement with Northern Ireland. In a post on X he said, "Nice to meet Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland @little_pengelly and Junior Minister @aislingreillysf this evening in Belfast. Thanked them for all the support in setting up our Consulate. Discussed possibilities for deepening India's engagement with Northern Ireland, especially in skills, Cyber, Tech, creative industries and manufacturing." https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1898072503572111826 Later on the Friday evening, the EAM paid a visit to the Queen's University in Belfast which will set up a campus in GIFT City, Gujarat and also interacted with the Indian students studying there. "Good to visit Queen's University in Belfast this evening. Their upcoming campus in GIFT City, Gujarat is an example of the potential of - ties in the education. Appreciated the interaction with Indian students currently studying in @QUBelfast." https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1898101331036140026 EAM was in Belfast to inaugurate the Indian Consulate. In a post on X he said, "The Consulate will serve the needs of the Indian community, while also exploring further cooperation in trade, technology, business and education." (ANI)
US President Donald Trump said that he has authorised Elon Musk to bring back American astronauts- Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore who have been stranded at the International Space station since June last year. Speaking to media persons at the Oval Office about the two astronauts on Friday, Trump said, "We love you (astronauts), and we're coming up to get you, and you shouldn't have been up there so long. The most incompetent President in our history has allowed that to happen to you, but this President won't let that happen. We're going to get them out. We're coming up to get you. I've authorized Elon, because, you know, they've been left up there. I hope they like each other. But they've been -- maybe they'll love each other. I don't know. They've been left up there." Speaking about Sunita Williams, Trump said, "And I see the woman with the wild hair, good, solid head of hair she's got. There's no kidding. There's no games with her hair. But, and you know, there's a danger up there, too. They can have some failures up there. That would be very bad. You've got to get them out. So I've authorized Elon a week ago. I said, you know, we have two people up there that Biden and Kamala left up there. And he knows it very well. I said, are you equipped to get him? He (Elon) said, yeah, he's got a starship. And they're preparing it right now." Trump said that he would greet them once the two astronauts returned. "Well, when they come back, I'll greet them. How about that? No, no, we're going to get them out. I've authorized Elon Musk to go and get them. And he's prepared to do so." The two astronauts have been stranded since June 2024 when an issue was found with Boeing's Starliner capsule, which returned without them, the New York Post reported. As per the New York Post, Musk's SpaceX in September launched a Crew Dragon capsule to rescue the pair and it docked at the space station, but NASA opted to stall its return. It noted that NASA said in December the two astronauts would have to wait for yet another SpaceX rescue vehicle to arrive with replacement scientists "no earlier than late March," and then would have to go through an unspecified handover period before finally departing. (ANI)
The talks also explored possible collaboration in niche technologies and operational training between both countries.

The Indian Army's ADG of Public Information wrote on X that India and Japan held the 7th Army-to-Army Staff Talks (AAST) in New Delhi from 06 to 07 March 2025. Focus areas of the talks included the annual Defence Cooperation Plan, Exercise Dharma Guardian, military education, domain expert exchanges, exploring collaboration in niche technologies and operational training."

The ADG also informed that the Japanese delegation was briefed on Indian Army's United Nations Peacekeeping Operations and the training being conducted by Centre for UN Peacekeeping.

"They also had an insightful interaction with the Indian Army think tank CLAWS (The Centre for Land Warfare Studies) on a host of geostrategic issues." ADG PI added.

https://x.com/adgpi/status/1898208959233929274

Meanwhile, 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. (ANI)
Rushan Abbas, Executive Director of Campaign for Uyghurs, attended the UK Parliament's Iftar at Westminster Hall, where she briefly spoke with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer about the ongoing repression of Uyghurs in the Xinjiang region. According to World Uyghur Congress report, the event saw the participation of senior British officials such as Lord Speaker John McFall, Speaker Lindsay Hoyle, Lord Tariq Ahmad, Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, and Deputy Speaker Nusrat Ghani, providing a significant platform to raise awareness of the Uyghur crisis. World Uyghur Congress stated that during her conversation with Prime Minister Starmer, Abbas condemned China's efforts to suppress the reality of the Uyghur genocide, accusing the Chinese government of orchestrating a large-scale blackout campaign to divert international attention. She also mentioned that her sister, Gulshan Abbas, remains imprisoned. Abbas stressed that the genocide against Uyghurs is a present-day atrocity being overlooked by the global community. In a post on X, the World Uyghur Congress stated," The Chair of the Executive Committee of the World Uyghur Congress Rushan Abbas attended the UK Parliament Iftar event at the historic Westminster Hall, where she had a brief opportunity to speak with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer about the Uyghur issue." Earlier, Rushan Abbas, Executive Director of Campaign for Uyghurs, condemned China's recent announcement about completing the deepest vertical well in Asia, located in Xinjiang's Tarim Basin. She criticized the project, labeling it part of China's broader colonial agenda aimed at exploiting the Uyghur homeland. Abbas's statements reflect growing international concern over China's treatment of Uyghurs and its economic and political ambitions in the region. The Uyghur population in China, mainly in Xinjiang, endures intense repression, such as mass incarcerations in "re-education" camps, forced labor, extensive surveillance, and the suppression of their culture. Authorities focus on restricting Uyghur religious practices, language, and customs under the pretext of counterterrorism measures, resulting in significant human rights abuses and global criticism. (ANI)
Chinese authorities conducted a raid on a Protestant "house church" in Anhui province during a nationwide security crackdown coinciding with the annual National People's Congress in Beijing, as reported by Radio Free Asia(RFA). Police and local authorities raided the Xinyi Village Church in Huainan city, Anhui, detaining nine members, including Pastor Zhao Hongliang, the RFA reported. Four men, including Zhao, are currently under "criminal detention," while the other five were released on bail. According to RFA, local officials from the neighborhood committee and the religious affairs bureau have taken over the church premises, and police continue to intimidate its congregation, according to the report. Since 2017, under President Xi Jinping, officials have been conducting a nationwide crackdown on religious activities and venues associated with Muslims, Christians, and Tibetan Buddhists, the RFA reported. Protestant churches are permitted to operate only if they are part of the government-approved Three-Self Patriotic Association. The "three selfs" refer to self-governance, self-support, and self-propagation--essentially rejecting foreign influence--while "patriotic" emphasizes loyalty to the Chinese government, as reported by RFA. China has numerous unregistered "house churches" across the country, which are frequently raided by authorities, though some "Three-Self" churches have also been targeted at times. Radio Free Asia further reported that a Protestant pastor named Chen, familiar with the Anhui case, explained that this action was part of the heightened security measures during the National People's Congress in Beijing. He stated, "The parliamentary sessions began on March 5, so the controls have become stricter. Things are very tight for churches... with state security police regularly harassing them and issuing warnings." A directive from the religious affairs bureau in Huainan's Panji district, dated February 26, stated that the government had assigned officials to oversee a task force managing Xinyi Village Church as part of an effort to "strengthen the standardized management of religious sites." "They will enter the church to carry out necessary work until the church's internal management is properly established," the notice stated. (ANI)
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the country is "continuously" working with its partners, including the US and Saudi Arabia, to ensure peace and strengthen security. In a post on X, Zelenskyy said that "a lot of work" will be done with its partners to "accelerate" peace with Russia. "We continue working with partners who seek peace just as we do, focusing on the necessary steps. Next week, there will be a lot of work here in Europe, with the U.S., and in Saudi Arabia - we are preparing a meeting to accelerate peace and strengthen the foundations of security." Zelenskyy wrote on X. "Today, intense work with President Trump's team has been ongoing at various levels - numerous calls. The topic is clear - peace as soon as possible, security as reliably as possible. Ukraine is fully committed to a constructive approach," he added. Earlier, US President Donald Trump said he is "strongly considering large-scale banking sanctions and tariffs" on Russia until a "ceasefire and a final peace settlement agreement" with Ukraine is reached. In a post on Truth Social on Friday, Trump wrote, "Based on the fact that Russia is absolutely "pounding" Ukraine on the battlefield right now, I am strongly considering large-scale Banking Sanctions, Sanctions, and Tariffs on Russia until a Cease Fire and FINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ON PEACE IS REACHED." "To Russia and Ukraine, get to the table right now, before it is too late," he added. Meanwhile, according to Al Jazeera, Ukraine and the United States have indicated they will meet in Saudi Arabia next week to discuss a framework for ending Russia's war. Zelenskyy said on Thursday that he would travel to Saudi Arabia on Monday for a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman before bilateral talks with US officials. US envoy Steve Witkoff confirmed he would meet Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia, signalling that he would discuss an "initial ceasefire" and a "framework" for a longer agreement, as per Al Jazeera. Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the talks would take place in the Red Sea city of Jeddah. Notably, after a fiery exchange with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on March 1, Trump suspended military aid and intelligence sharing with Kyiv. Trump used some strong words during his media interaction with Zelenskyy, telling the visiting leader that he "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. (ANI)
In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) reiterated the UAE's firm support for Syria's stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.

Furthermore, the UAE expressed solidarity with the brotherly Syrian people, and its support for all endeavours aimed at fulfilling their aspirations for security, peace, and dignity. (ANI/WAM)
Imran Mir, President of the Muslim League N Youth Wing for Gilgit Division, has raised serious concerns over the ongoing electricity crisis in the town of Jaglot in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit Baltistan(PoGB). According to Mir, the region has been facing severe power outages since the beginning of Ramadan. No electricity is available during Sehri or Iftar, as reported by Markhor Times, creating immense hardship for local residents. In a statement, Mir demanded that those responsible for the electricity supply in the region "correct their Qibla," urging authorities to refocus their efforts on resolving the power issues that have been plaguing Jaglot for weeks. He pointed out that the electricity system has deteriorated drastically since the replacement of Shahid, the Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO), and has called for urgent intervention, Markhor Times reported. According to Markhor Times, the situation in Jaglot has worsened, with transformer failures occurring on a daily basis. Residents have lodged numerous complaints about the frequent breakdowns, noting that the damaged transformers are being sent to Gilgit for repairs but often fail to return. Despite this, there continues to be a marked shortage of electricity, leading to frustration among the community. Mir emphasized that the erratic power schedule, which changes daily without any clear explanation, has added to the confusion and distress of local residents. Markhor Times reported that he described the situation as "drama after drama," questioning how long the people of Jaglot will be forced to endure such unreliable service, especially during the sacred month of Ramadan. The concerned leader has urged senior officials, including the Chief Secretary of PoGB, the Director-General of Anti-Corruption PoGB, the Commissioner of PoGB, and the Assistant Commissioner of Sub-Division Jaglot, to take immediate notice of the situation and address the growing electricity crisis. Locals are hopeful that these authorities will act swiftly to restore a stable and reliable power supply to the region. (ANI)
The Pakistan government has asked Afghan nationals living in Pakistan to leave the country by March 31, ARY News reported. According to ARY News, Pakistan's Ministry of Interior has asked Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders to leave the country themselves otherwise, they will be deported from April 1, The Afghan nationals will be deported from April 1st, the ministry said in a statement. Earlier, reports of Pakistan planning to evict Afghans had emerge,d but this is the first the Interior Ministry has officially confirmed the development, ARY News reported "Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Program (IFRP) is being implemented since November 1, 2023. In continuation of the government's decision to repatriate all illegal foreigners, national leadership has now decided to also repatriate ACC holders," the interior ministry said in an official handout. "All illegal foreigners and ACC holders are advised to leave the country voluntarily before March 31, 2025; thereafter, deportation will commence from April 1, 2025," the statement added. The ministry stated that it had provided sufficient time to Afghan nations to leave the country. "It is emphasised that no one will be maltreated during the repatriation process and arrangements for food and healthcare for returning foreigners have also been put in place." "Pakistan has been a gracious host and continues to fulfill its commitments and obligations as a responsible state. It is reiterated that Individuals staying in Pakistan will have to fulfill all legal formalities and abide by Pakistan's constitution," it said. Earlier, a coalition of human rights organizations and refugee advocacy groups has urged the Pakistani government to halt the forced expulsion of Afghan migrants, citing violations of international law, basic human rights, and the country's obligations, as reported by Khaama Press. In an open letter, the groups emphasized that many Afghan refugees, including human rights defenders and activists, have fled their homeland due to violence, harassment, and persecution. As per reports, the letter also points out that Afghan migrants, including women, children, and those with valid visas, are being subjected to forced expulsion, detention, and high visa fees. In recent years, the Pakistani government has begun to view the prolonged stay of Afghan refugees as a strain on resources and a potential security threat, especially after the rise of groups like the Taliban. Recently, Pakistan initiated expulsions, citing illegal residency and security risks. These expulsions have sparked debates over human rights, regional stability, and Pakistan's responsibility toward its Afghan neighbours. (ANI)
The enforced disappearance of Saeed Ahmed, a security guard at Turbat Law College, has ignited protests in the Kech district, with demonstrators blocking the M-8 highway at the Tejaban area of Balochistan, as reported by the Balochistan Post. Led by Ahmed's family and local residents, the protest saw significant participation from women and children demanding his immediate release, the Balochistan Post reported. Saeed Ahmed, a law-abiding citizen and security guard at the law college for several years, was reportedly abducted by Pakistani forces two days ago, according to the protesters. His disappearance occurred on March 5, when he was taken by unidentified men in plain clothes during his duty hours at the college. According to the Balochistan Post, the demonstrators have vowed to continue their sit-in and disrupt traffic until Ahmed is returned. After negotiations between his family and Assistant Commissioner Kech, Muhammad Jan, the authorities assured the family that Ahmed would be released within three days. Following this assurance, the protesters lifted the blockade temporarily but warned of escalating protests if he is not recovered within the given timeframe. Ahmed, a resident of Singabad in Kech, is still missing, and his family has condemned the act as inhumane. They have pledged to expand their protest if he is not returned as promised. The community's frustration is mounting as they demand answers and justice for Saeed Ahmed's disappearance, as reported by the Balochistan Post. The issue of enforced disappearances of Baloch individuals in Pakistan has been an ongoing and troubling concern, particularly in Balochistan. The Baloch community, which advocates for greater autonomy and rights, has been subjected to persecution by state security forces, including the military and intelligence agencies. Families of the disappeared endure great hardships in their quest for justice, while the government frequently denies any involvement, heightening concerns about further repression and violence. This situation has led to widespread condemnation both domestically and internationally. (ANI)
Jalalabad [Afghanistan], March 8 (ANI/ODA): In a landmark humanitarian initiative, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has unveiled a transformative project to establish ten state-of-the-art maternity and pediatric centres across Afghanistan. This initiative, guided by the humanitarian vision of the UAE's founder, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and supported by Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE President, aims to address critical healthcare needs while fostering stability, development, and prosperity in Afghanistan. The maternity clinics are located in Afghan provinces where the need is greatest, including Nangarhar, Balkh, Herat, Ghazni, Paktika, Kandahar, and Nimroz. Each centre is equipped with two specialist beds and staffed by dedicated doctors and nurses. An estimated 115,000 women and the wider community will benefit from the services in the coming years. The initiative promises to elevate healthcare standards, empower women and children, and strengthen local communities. The project features cutting-edge facilities, solar power, satellite-linked stations, mobile clinics, and ambulances. The medical centre in the Baghbani district of Jalalabad is already serving expectant mothers and young children. Previously, local families lacked access to reliable vaccines due to supply shortages and inadequate refrigeration. Now, thanks to the centre's facilities, essential immunizations, including tuberculosis vaccines, are available to over 20 people daily. Baby Ayesha Qamari is one of many children receiving vital health checks and vaccinations. Afghanistan has one of the highest infant mortality rates, with approximately 43 deaths per 1,000 live births. The most significant contributors include infectious diseases, respiratory infections, diarrhoea, malaria, pre-term birth complications, and birth asphyxia. Ayesha's mother expressed her gratitude: "We've come to the clinic three or four times. Whoever built this clinic, we thank them. We didn't have the ability to rent a car, and there were other problems. By the time we would go to the city hospital or university hospital, our patient or child would pass away." The vaccination program is also a crucial aspect of the centre's services. Marwa Akbari, Clinic Vaccination Officer, explained: "Currently, we are applying the COVID-19 and BCG vaccines to eligible individuals. This vaccine is administered to both pregnant and non-pregnant women who meet the criteria." Ikramullah, the leading doctor at the clinic, emphasized the improvements in maternal healthcare: "Previously, unsafe home births were common, but now we assist deliveries with a professional team. We also provide vaccinations, nutritional support for newborns, and treatment facilities for mothers with internal health issues." Afghanistan has been identified as a priority for the UAE's humanitarian and sustainable aid efforts. Under the close supervision of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court, and Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Martyrs' Families Affairs, the UAE's Integrated Development Program aims to deliver top-quality healthcare across the country. One Afghan mother, Shazia Mohammadi, who has six children, has never had access to modern healthcare--until now. In appreciation of the UAE's efforts, she named her newborn daughter Fatima after Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Al Ketbi, Mother of the Nation and wife of the UAE's founder. "When I was giving birth, our economic situation was very bad. Now, things have improved. We thank the UAE for helping us so much." Her husband, Ramadan Mohammadi, echoed her sentiments: "Six of our children were born at home. The clinic was far away, and our economy was weak. This is the first time a clinic has been built near our house, and it has been very good for us." Beyond healthcare, the initiative is generating economic opportunities by creating 92 jobs and stimulating local businesses to uplift families. Mawlawi Ameenullah Sharif, Health Director of Nangarhar Province, acknowledged the impact. He said, "We thank the UAE for supporting the Islamic Emirate and for investing in clinics across Afghanistan. The Nangarhar clinic was urgently needed. Now, the poor have access to essential healthcare, including vaccination, nutrition, and maternal and child health services." Jalalabad, Afghanistan's fifth-largest city with an approximate population of 350,000, is just one of many areas benefiting from the UAE's philanthropic efforts. The UAE continues to fund multiple humanitarian initiatives across Afghanistan, guided by principles of solidarity, generosity, and sustainable development, regardless of race, class, ethnicity, sect, or political orientation. (ANI/ODA)
During his visit, Gen Chauhan was accorded a ceremonial guard of honor and traditional welcome upon his arrival at the Russell Offices of the Australian Defence Force, where he held high-level discussions with Admiral David Johnston, Australia's Chief of Defence Force and with the Chiefs of Staff Committee.

CDS also visited Headquarters Joint Operations Command (HQJOC), gaining insights into Australia's operational command structure and exploring avenues for enhanced joint operations.

His other engagements include a visit to Forces Command Headquarters, Australian Army, and Fleet Headquarters, Royal Australian Navy, which facilitated deeper coordination in maritime security and strategic operations.

In alignment with India's commitment to professional military training and education, General Chauhan visited the Australian Defence College, where he held discussions on enhancing professional military education with Rear Admiral James Lybrand, Commandant of the ADC.

The CDS addressed senior officers undergoing the Defence and Strategic Studies Course on strategic challenges in the Indo-Pacific region and interacted with Indian student officers undergoing training at the ADC, acknowledging their role in fostering bilateral military understanding and professional exchanges, as per the Ministry of Defence.

Furthering intellectual and policy exchanges, CDS chaired a round-table discussion at the Lowy Institute, Australia's premier think tank and engaged with Air Chief Marshal (Retd) Sir Angus Houston and renowned strategic experts Dr Michael Fullilove and Sam Roggeveen, exchanging valuable perspectives on India-Australia defence cooperation, multilateral security frameworks, and strategic convergence in the Indo-Pacific.

Additionally, CDS received a detailed briefing on Advanced Navigation Systems, showcasing cutting-edge technologies that enhance battlefield awareness, precision targeting, and situational awareness in complex operational environments.

He also visited leading Australian Defence Industry facilities, gaining first-hand insights into Australia's advanced defence manufacturing, R&D and technological innovations.

A significant moment of the visit was Gen Chauhan's tribute at the Australian War Memorial, where he laid a wreath in honour of the fallen Indian soldiers who sacrificed their lives during the Gallipoli campaign.

This visit further solidified the India- Australia defence partnership, enhancing mutual trust and understanding while reinforcing the growing convergence of strategic interests between the two nations in the Indo-Pacific region.

The Ministry of Defence said the visit underscored the growing engagement between the two nations under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, emphasising their shared commitment to regional security and military collaboration.

The deliberations focused on strengthening military cooperation, with key emphasis on maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region, capacity building, defence technology exchange and new bilateral defence initiatives. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Trump have agreed to push forward negotiations on a multi-sector Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), according to sources. This mutually beneficial agreement, finalised in February 2025, aims to boost market access, reduce tariffs and non-tariff barriers, and enhance supply chain integration. To achieve this, both leaders have decided to designate senior representatives to advance the negotiations. This move demonstrates their commitment to strengthening trade ties and promoting economic cooperation between the two nations, sources said on Saturday. The BTA is expected to impact various sectors, including goods and services. By increasing market access and reducing barriers, the agreement will facilitate smoother trade flows and create new opportunities for businesses on both sides. An Indian delegation led by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal visited Washington from March 3 to 6, 2025, to meet with the US Commerce Secretary, the US Trade Representative, and their teams. These discussions are part of a broader effort to boost bilateral trade to USD 500 billion by 2030. The agreement will focus on various sectors, including energy, defense, and technology. India has already reduced its average applied tariffs for key developed countries like Australia, UAE, Switzerland, and Norway under recently concluded trade agreements. Similar negotiations are currently underway with the European Union and the United Kingdom, among other partners. The ongoing discussions with the United States should be seen in this context, said the sources Meanwhile, in February, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Washington, DC, where both the leaders set an ambitious goal to double bilateral trade to USD 500 billion by 2030. According to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), the leaders resolved to expand trade and investment to make their citizens more prosperous, nations stronger, economies more innovative, and supply chains more resilient. They also resolved to deepen the US- India trade relationship to promote growth that ensures fairness, national security, and job creation. To this end, the leaders set a bold new goal for bilateral trade--"Mission 500"--aiming to more than double total bilateral trade to USD 500 billion by 2030. (ANI)
Thousands of teachers took to the streets in Kathmandu on Saturday to protest the government's delay in endorsing the School Education Bill. The teachers, led by the National Teachers Federation (NTF), demanded further amendments to the bill, claiming it fails to address their concerns and is not justifiable in the current context. The protest, which saw teachers marching along a 1-kilometre stretch near the iconic Maitighar Mandala, was the culmination of a series of protests and lobbying efforts by the NTF, demanding that the government endorse a bill with further amendments and implement the agreement signed in the year 2023. The National Teachers Federation (NTF), an elected body of the country's school teachers, had issued a circular to members to attend Saturday's protest in Kathmandu. All teachers and schools in the Kathmandu Valley were instructed to join the protest. The circular had allocated a specific number of participants, with a minimum of 50 and a maximum of 1,000 teachers, for all 77 districts to ensure the participation of at least 36,000 teachers. At the heart of the protest is the School Education Bill, which has been delayed due to the illness of Minister for Education, Science, and Technology Minister Bidya Bhattarai. "The School Education Bill which the Government of Nepal has prepared for this winter session of parliament, it fails to address concerns of teachers. Teachers have long been facing problems, so it should come in rightful interest teachers, students and guardians. The School Education Bill should address all these concerns, which is what we have been demanding for," Keshar Bahadur Kunwar, one of the protesting teachers from the Kanchanpur District of Nepal, told ANI. The bill is currently being held up in the parliamentary committee for deliberation, with discussions focusing on teacher management and the jurisdiction of local governments. The subpanel has discussed several issues, including teacher management, and has received mutually conflicting suggestions. As the Constitution of Nepal 2072 lists school education as the absolute authority of the local government, local units want school teachers to fall under their jurisdiction. Teachers oppose the idea of being governed by local authorities, fearing they will be treated based on political leanings. Instead, they want to remain under the federal government, which has agreed to keep them under its jurisdiction on multiple occasions. Enactment of the Act is a must to implement the Constitution of Nepal, which can delegate most of the authority to manage the education sector at the local and provincial levels. However, almost a decade after the constitution came into force, the country is yet to get the Act. "In the current bill, educational institutions have been divided as responsibility of three-tier governments. Education never can be a responsibility of a person or any private institutions, it completely is responsibility of the government and the Central Government should carry the responsibility. The School Education Bill should address all the existing problems. The Education Act was first introduced in the year 2028 B.S. (1971 AD), it has been over half-a century since its promulgation; it cannot address the demand of 21st Century. So we demand the upcoming bill to address all the concerning issues along with those which might arise in the future and our protest comes in line with it," Keshar Bahadur Kunwar, also the principal of a local school in Kanchanpur told ANI. The federation held an interaction program in every school on February 11 this year among students, parents, and the school management committees to inform them about the demands of teachers and staff and the necessity of the movement. On February 12, the agitating teachers held protest rallies at the local level wherein wore black armbands and chant the slogan: 'The School Education Act should be enacted from the winter session.' On February 14, the disgruntled teachers also submitted memorandums to the chiefs of the Education Development and Coordination Units in all 77 districts nationwide. A week later, on February 21, the teachers also submitted a memorandum to the chief ministers and social development ministers at the provincial level. The NTF has warned of stronger protests after March 8 if the government fails to address their demands. The federation has already held protests at local and provincial levels, submitted memorandums to government officials, and engaged in lobbying efforts. (ANI)
The Indus River System Authority (Irsa) has issued a warning to the Punjab and Sindh provinces of Pakistan about a potential 30-35 per cent water shortage, as the Tarbela and Mangla dams are rapidly approaching their dead levels, affecting the wheat crops, the Dawn reported. In a letter to irrigation secretaries, Irsa's Director of Regulation, Khalid Idrees Rana, informed the provinces that both reservoirs were nearing depletion. He stated that operating the reservoirs at or around dead levels could lead to significant water shortages. According to Irsa's latest data, Tarbela Dam has only 73,000 acre-feet of water remaining. Its level is 1,409 feet, just nine feet above the dead level of 1,400 feet. The dam, which has a maximum storage capacity of 1,550 feet, was receiving 17,000 cusecs of water inflow against an outflow of 20,000 cusecs. Meanwhile, the Mangla Dam had a live storage of 235,000 acre-feet and a level of 1,088 feet, just 28 feet above its dead level of 1,060 feet. The Dawn reported that it was receiving 16,400 cusecs of inflow while releasing 18,000 cusecs. According to Dawn, Irsa informed the provinces that daily discharge data clearly indicated the Tarbela and Mangla reservoirs could reach their dead levels in the coming days. Irsa had anticipated this outcome at the beginning of the Rabi season on October 2, 2024, when it projected that the storage would hit dead level within the first 10 days of March 2025. While the depletion of reservoirs to dead levels is a regular occurrence, the timing of this shortage is critical. The Dawn reported that the wheat crop, already impacted by lower-than-expected sowing due to shifting government policies, is in its crucial final watering stage and should be ready for harvest by the end of the month. Meanwhile, the water regulator expressed hope that upcoming rain spells would help improve the system. It has urged the provinces to implement necessary precautionary measures to prevent any adverse situations. (ANI)
The Supreme Administrative Court has abolished a controversial Education Ministry regulation that restricted students' hairstyles for over five decades, Bangkok Post reported The court's ruling, made final on Wednesday, puts an end to a long-standing issue that had caused disputes among teachers, students, and parents. The court ordered the annulment of a 1975 regulation the ministry issued, effective immediately, on the grounds that it violated individual freedom protected by the constitution and was out of touch with a changing society, as per Bangkok Post. The regulation dictated specific hairstyles for male and female students. Boys were required to have short hair and were prohibited from having beards or mustaches, while girls were not allowed to grow their hair below their ears or wear makeup. According to the Bangkok Post, the court found that this rule infringed upon individual freedom and was out of touch with modern society. The regulation was also deemed to be in conflict with the Child Protection Act of 2003 and had a negative impact on students. The rule was originally based on a 1972 order by a military junta that specified acceptable hairstyles for students. The goal was to promote discipline and good behavior among students. However, the court's decision brings an end to this decades-old restriction, allowing students to express themselves more freely. "The order of the military regime and the ministry regulation in dispute cannot be considered as being for the utmost benefit of the students," the court said. The court's final judgement is seen as a victory for the 23 students who first petitioned the Administrative Court in 2020, asking it to revoke the 1975 regulation. The ministry has allowed some flexibility in student hairstyles and even dress codes since 2024. The court ruling means the ministry will now leave the issue of hairstyles up to individual schools. Some schools pass it on to parents to decide, while others leave it to the school executive body or a joint sitting of teachers and parents. (ANI)
The Department of Religion and Culture of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) held a one-hour prayer service on March 8 to honor the sacrifices of peaceful Tibetan protesters who participated in the 1989 demonstrations against the Chinese government, as reported by Tibet.net. According to Tibet.net, the event commemorated the 29th anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising Day, during which thousands of Tibetans in Lhasa protested against the oppressive policies of the Chinese authorities. In response, the Chinese government imposed martial law and opened fire on the demonstrators, resulting in numerous deaths and injuries. Since that tragic day, the CTA has organized an annual prayer service to remember those who lost their lives and those who suffered in the struggle for Tibet's freedom, Tibet.net reported. The prayer ceremony took place at Tsuglagkhang and was followed by a media address from Sikyong Penpa Tsering. Sikyong Penpa Tsering stated," Tibetans inside Tibet have demonstrated an unwavering dedication to safeguarding their rich cultural and linguistic heritage despite the Chinese government's escalating efforts to erase Tibetan identity through stricter restrictions and surveillance. Likewise, we in exile, despite our limited population and resources, must continue our work with the same dedication as Tibetans on both sides, drawing strength and inspiration from one another. Today is the day to reflect on the events of 1989 and the years that followed, and to recognise the important responsibilities that rest upon us." Cabinet Secretary Tsegyal Chukya Dranyi also addressed the gathering, offering a brief explanation of the purpose and significance of the annual prayer service. As reported by Tibet.net, the prayer service underscored its role in remembering the sacrifices made by Tibetans for the greater cause of Tibet's freedom and autonomy. The prayer service reinforced unity and commitment to Tibet's enduring cause. The ceremony served as a moment of reflection on the past and a call to action for the ongoing struggle for Tibet's future. (ANI)
India has supported Mauritius in its stance on its sovereignty over Chagos archipelago and this is in keeping with country's long-standing position with regard to decolonization and support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other countries, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Saturday. Addressing a special press conference on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's two-day visit to Mauritius beginning March 11, the Foreign Secretary said that several memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) will be exchanged, including on trade and promoting SMEs between the two countries. Answering queries, he said there is already a lot that India has accomplished with Mauritius in terms of contributing to its maritime safety and security-related issues. "During the current visit, we expect to sign a technical agreement on sharing white-shipping information between the Indian Navy and Mauritius authorities. It will further enhance maritime security of Mauritius, safety of its trading corridors, and enhance regional cooperation in real-time sharing of data. It will enable Indian authorities and Mauritius authorities to cooperate in preventing illegal activities, improve Mauritius' maritime domain awareness in the region," Misri said. "This will involve not just the Indian Navy, but also the Mauritius police force in an effort to combat these kinds of activities," he added. There is an allied MOU that will be signed between the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) with the Ministry of Earth Sciences and the Prime Minister's office from the Mauritius side, which also establishes a comprehensive framework for cooperation on ocean observation, research and information management, and enhancing maritime zone management in Mauritius. "This will involve a lot of technical activities such as ocean modeling and focus on capacity building and training in this particular area. There will be engagement on the latest technologies, collaboration on best practices, data management, remote sensing, etc. We will provide details of this once this is done between the two sides," Misri said. He said a memorandum of understanding that is proposed to be concluded between the Enforcement Directorate and the Financial Crimes Commission of Mauritius. It essentially aims at providing intelligence and technical assistance cooperation on anti-corruption and anti-money laundering activities and it will also help in identifying emerging trends, knowledge exchange, and adapting to new methodologies in this particular area. Answering another query, he said India has provided Mauritius with a Coast Guard ship which was provided through a grant as well as loan assistance, the CGS Barracuda, and then through a soft loan, another platform which is the CGS Victory. "And in addition, there is a whole bunch of fast interceptor craft that were also provided to Mauritius. We have been providing them with these kinds of assets and if there is a need felt for more to be done in this regard, we would be ready to examine those proposals as well," Misri said. Misri said the consolidated portfolio of development assistance to Mauritius just in the last decade is nearly USD 1.1 billion. "Of this, about USD 729 million is through lines of credit and nearly USD 427 million is through outright grant assistance. The bouquet of projects that has been executed contains everything from three phases of the Metro Express. There is a scheme under which e-tablets were provided for school children, firefighting pumps, medical clinics, solar projects...there is a very wide spectrum of development cooperation related projects that has been done, and we are continuing to work on other projects now in the run-up to the visit as well," Misri added. Answering a query on Chagos archipelago, he said India continues to support Mauritius in its efforts to reach a mutually satisfactory and mutually beneficial deal with its interlocutors on the issue. "We have supported Mauritius in its stance on its sovereignty over Chagos. And this is obviously in keeping with our longstanding position with regard to decolonization and support for sovereignty and territorial integrity of our other countries. And its only fitting for us to articulate this support for partners such as Mauritius," Misri said. "You are also aware that for quite some time there have been extensive discussions and negotiations that were held between Mauritius and the UK last year. The previous government in Mauritius was also involved with these negotiations, and certain arrangement had been arrived at. Naturally, after a new government has taken power in Mauritius, they have taken a relook at some of the provisions... "Nevertheless, it is something that has continued to be discussed between Mauritius and the UK, and we understand that they have engaged each other quite intensively and have also, perhaps, arrived at a mutually acceptable deal on the subject. The details are really for them to agree on," he added. Misri said additional element is that there has been a change in government in the United States as well which is in some senses also associated or affected by these discussions. "Again, these are issues to be resolved between the concerned parties. We, for our part, have continued to support Mauritius and will continue to do so. I would imagine that during the visit there will be an opportunity perhaps for the Mauritius side to update us on any issues that might still be outstanding if there are any issues by that time," Misri said. Answering a query on Agalega islands, Misri said it was on the previous visit of the Prime Minister in 2015 that an MoU had been signed on the improvement of facilities on the island for sea and air connectivity. "And pursuant to that MOU, these facilities were created on the island and last year in February the facilities were jointly inaugurated by the Prime Ministers of the two countries. The facilities have contributed to enhancing connectivity between the island and mainland Mauritius," he said. Misri said creation of these facilities that has allowed this kind of early and very quick response to take place, and to bring real relief to people who were affected by a natural disaster. These facilities have also been assisting Mauritius in its maritime surveillance and patrolling of its vast Exclusive Economic Zone and in safeguarding the assets of its blue economy ecosystem from traditional and non-traditional maritime challenges. "As you are aware, this is a region that is particularly beset by challenges of various kinds such as piracy, drug trafficking, human trafficking, etc. So, this is a facility which I think at the end of the day has already proven its worth and will continue to prove its worth for Mauritius," Misri said. Answering a query on tariffs, he said there is perhaps likely to be a general discussion on how different countries can react to this new narrative related to trade and tariffs that we see currently hitting the headlines. "Obviously, there is no one-size-fits-all solution that is possible on this. Different measures are being taken for different countries and different countries are going to be impacted differently depending on the makeup of their economies, their current sort of situation in terms of trade. So, I would imagine that there would be a certain amount of discussion on this particular issue. Maybe we will be able to brief you after the visit on the content of these discussions and any understandings that might have been reached," he said. (ANI)
As many as 36 members of the outlawed Hizb-ut Tahrir group have been arrested in Bangladesh since Friday, Chief Adviser's office said on Saturday in a statement. "They include Saiful Islam, a key organiser of the group, which was banned in 2009 for an anti-state campaign", the statement said. "Police have launched a nationwide search for the members of the group who took part in the banned rally outside the Baitul Mukarram Mosque in Dhaka", it added. "We are analysing the video footage of the rally. We have identified many members of HT, and they will be arrested for joining a political program of a banned organisation," Inspector General of Police Baharul Alam said. Police have filed several cases under anti-terrorism laws against the members of the group, the statement said. Earlier on Friday, Hizb ut-Tahrir, a radical Islamist organisation banned in Bangladesh since October 2009, carried out its first open rally in Dhaka. Joined by thousands of its members, the group began the rally from the north gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque after Friday prayers. The rally was titled "March for Khilafah." Dhaka Tribune reported that a clash erupted between police and members of the banned organization near the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in Dhaka. Law enforcement intervened to stop the procession, leading to a violent altercation. Hizb ut-Tahrir advocates for the establishment of a global Islamic Caliphate, or Khilafah, which it claims would unite all Muslim-majority countries under a single Islamic government. Earlier in February, Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah, Professor, Department of Public Administration, University of Dhaka, admitted that Islamist groups in Bangladesh have got more freedom after Sheikh Hasina left the country. Kalimullah, while speaking to ANI, said that several banned Islamist outfits are active in Bangladesh and are even holding press conferences. "Islamists, they have succeeded in carving out larger space in the public domain. And Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has strengthened its position. Hefazat-e-Islam movement has become stronger. Personalities such as Peer of Charmoni has gained prominence. Even Hizb ut-Tahrir, they are an outlaw organization, but they're visible. They are coming up with leaflets, posters and also in different places they are waving their flags, they're marching in the streets even convened press conferences. So officially this outfit is not a legal entity till now and their media coordinator is behind the bar. So, officially the ban is still there but in reality they are functioning," he said. Hizb ut-Tahrir remains a banned organization in Bangladesh, with all its activities and demonstrations deemed illegal. (ANI)
FUKUOKA, Mar 08 (News On Japan) - A trade exhibition featuring domestically caught fin whale meat, harvested under Japans resumed commercial whaling program, was held in Fukuoka. Fin whale meat is known for its mild flavor and rich fat content.

The trade event, organized by a Tokyo-based whaling company, aimed to introduce the product to local seafood markets and restaurant industry professionals.

Fin whales are large marine mammals that grow up to approximately 20 meters in length. Last July, the Fisheries Agency included 60 fin whales in the annual quota for large whale species, marking the first such inclusion in 49 years. This decision followed assessments confirming abundant stocks in the northwest Pacific.

Attendees sampled the meat, with one food vendor remarking, "It's delicious, with a rich fat content." A Japanese restaurant representative expressed interest in incorporating whale meat into a course menu, stating, "It could help differentiate us from other establishments."

The event organizers emphasized the deep-rooted tradition of whale meat consumption in Fukuoka, encouraging participants to experience what they called "a supreme delicacy."

Source: KBC
Setting the Landscape

Family planning choices have evolved considerably in recent years, with more couples seeking options that align with their long-term goals and values. Male sterilization has emerged as a significant part of this conversation, representing a shift toward shared reproductive responsibility between partners.

The procedure has gained traction among adults who have completed their families or decided against having biological children. According to health data, vasectomies have increased by approximately 10% over the past decade in many developed countries. This growth reflects changing attitudes about who bears responsibility for contraception in committed relationships.

Male sterilization offers a permanent, highly effective solution that appeals to those seeking reliability without ongoing maintenance. As gender roles continue to shift, more men are choosing to take an active role in family planning decisions, recognizing that reproductive health isnt solely a womens issue.

This growing acceptance represents a broader social shift toward more open discussions about reproductive choices and their impact on personal and family life.

Understanding the Procedure

Male sterilization, or vasectomy, is a straightforward surgical procedure that prevents sperm from entering the semen by blocking or cutting the vas deferens tubes. The operation takes about 20-30 minutes and is typically performed under local anesthesia in an outpatient setting.

Modern techniques have made the procedure less invasive. The no-scalpel method uses a small puncture rather than an incision, resulting in less discomfort and faster healing. Most men recover within a week, with many returning to non-strenuous work after just a few days.

The procedure does not affect hormone production, sexual function, or ejaculation. The testes continue to produce sperm, but these cells are simply reabsorbed by the body rather than being released during ejaculation.

Effectiveness rates exceed 99% after the clearance period (when residual sperm are no longer present in the system). This clearance typically takes about three months or 20-30 ejaculations, during which time alternative birth control is necessary.

The permanence of the procedure makes it ideal for those certain about their family planning goals, though surgical reversal is sometimes possible with varying success rates.

Clearing Common Misunderstandings

Several persistent myths continue to cause unnecessary concern about male sterilization:

Myth: Vasectomy affects testosterone levels or causes hormonal changes. Reality: The procedure only blocks sperm transport and does not affect hormone production or release.

Myth: The procedure reduces sexual desire or function. Reality: Nearly all men report no change in sexual drive, performance, or sensation after recovery.

Myth: Vasectomy increases risk of prostate or testicular cancer. Reality: Large-scale studies have found no link between vasectomy and increased cancer risk.

Myth: The procedure is painful and requires lengthy recovery. Reality: Most men experience minimal pain during recovery, which typically lasts less than a week.

Myth: Vasectomy results in immediate sterility. Reality: Residual sperm remain in the system for several months after the procedure, requiring temporary backup contraception.

These misconceptions often stem from outdated information or general discomfort with discussing male reproductive health, highlighting the need for better education on these topics.

Regional Perspectives on Male Health Options

Access to male sterilization varies widely based on location, healthcare systems, and cultural factors. In some regions, the procedure is readily available through public health services, while in others, patients face substantial barriers including cost, limited provider availability, or restrictive policies.

Urban centers typically offer more service options than rural areas, creating geographic disparities in access. For example, patients seeking a vasectomy Utah providers offer both traditional and no-scalpel techniques with varying recovery protocols based on regional medical practices.

Cultural attitudes also significantly impact utilization rates. Countries with more progressive views on gender equality often see higher rates of male sterilization, while regions with more traditional gender roles typically have lower rates.

Insurance coverage presents another variable factor, with some healthcare systems fully covering the procedure while others classify it as elective, creating financial barriers. These differences highlight how local factors shape reproductive health decisions beyond personal preference.

In recent years, innovative approaches have emerged in some regions, including mobile vasectomy clinics and specialized mens health centers that focus on making these services more accessible.

Assessing Risks and Outcomes

Benefits

Effectiveness : Over 99% effective after the clearance period

: Over 99% effective after the clearance period Convenience : One-time procedure with no ongoing maintenance

: One-time procedure with no ongoing maintenance Non-hormonal : No chemical effects or side effects

: No chemical effects or side effects Cost-effective: Usually less expensive than female sterilization or long-term contraceptive use

Potential Risks

Short-term discomfort : Pain, swelling, or bruising during recovery

: Pain, swelling, or bruising during recovery Post-vasectomy pain syndrome : Affects 1-2% of patients with varying severity

: Affects 1-2% of patients with varying severity Failure rate : About 1 in 2,000 procedures may fail due to recanalization

: About 1 in 2,000 procedures may fail due to recanalization Psychological impact: Some men may experience regret, particularly if life circumstances change

Comparative Analysis

Factor Vasectomy Tubal Ligation Long-term Hormonal Methods Effectiveness >99% >99% 91-99% Invasiveness Minimally invasive Surgical procedure Non-surgical Recovery time 2-7 days 1-2 weeks None Permanence Considered permanent Permanent Reversible Hormone effects None None Variable

The data shows that male sterilization offers comparable effectiveness to female sterilization but with less invasive surgery and faster recovery times. The procedures minimal impact on physical health makes it a favorable option for many couples who have completed their families.

Looking Forward: The Future of Family Planning

As societal perspectives continue to evolve, male sterilization is likely to become an increasingly mainstream option in family planning conversations. The growing emphasis on shared responsibility between partners suggests that more men will take active roles in contraceptive decisions.

Medical innovations may further improve the procedure. Research continues on methods that might offer easier reversibility or less invasive approaches. Some promising developments include gel-based temporary blockages that could provide long-term but not permanent contraception.

Policy changes could also expand access, with more insurance plans covering the procedure and public health systems recognizing its cost-effectiveness. Educational campaigns targeted at normalizing conversations about male reproductive health will likely reduce stigma and increase awareness.

Digital health platforms are beginning to include male contraceptive options in their tracking and educational tools, reflecting this shift toward more balanced approaches to family planning.

The core principle remains supporting informed choice. As options expand and information becomes more readily available, individuals and couples will have greater agency in making reproductive decisions that align with their life goals, values, and circumstances.
AI technology is rapidly revolutionizing healthcare, logistics, and cybersecurity among other industries. Technologies such as predictive analytics are drivers of innovation and productivity. Giant e-commerce companies like Walmart use AI to streamline the supply chain. Again, medical professionals use it to provide better patient care.

Innovators such as Hexaware, featured in our top 10 list, showcase AI-driven IT services accelerating fintech and cloud automation. Earlier projections estimate that artificial intelligence will inject $15.7 trillion into the global economy this year.

This article analyzes the AI trends defining 2025. We also highlight the top 10 AI services driving this revolution, revealing their innovative methodologies. From generative AIs hyper-personalization to sustainable Industry 4.0 solutions, we decode what makes these firms indispensable partners. Finally, we provide actionable insights to help your business thrive in an AI-first era.

The Top 10 AI Services Companies Leading in 2025

AI is reshaping businesses worldwide. The top 10 companies drive digital transformation with innovative, scalable, and sustainable solutions. Their advanced tech boosts efficiency in healthcare, finance, logistics, and manufacturing.

Below is a list of the best 10 companies that offer AI services. These leaders are transforming businesses and making them future-ready.

1. Hexaware

Hexaware is one of the top AI services companies that is leading in AI-driven digital transformation. It provides some of the best AI solutions in the industry. They use their Tensai platform to provide solutions for specific industries. It offers tailored tools that address critical challenges in banking, healthcare, and manufacturing. The platform automates tasks, cuts costs, and enhances decision-making through adaptable, industry-specific tools.

Tensai helps banks spot fraud and manage underwriting. It cuts processing times by 50%. This leads to faster service for customers and better risk management. A global bank automated 80% of its compliance workflows, saving $15 million each year. Predictive models in healthcare analyze patient data. They predict readmission risks and improve clinical trials. These models reach 95% accuracy in forecasting trial outcomes. One of their clients cut readmissions by 25%, which enhanced care quality. AI-driven supply chain tools in manufacturing lower inventory costs by 30%. They also reduce equipment downtime by 40% with proactive maintenance alerts.

Hexaware partners with Microsoft Azure to enhance generative AI for Fortune 500 companies. This collaboration allows for real-time data processing and quick decision-making. Client names may be kept private, but results match case studies on the companys website.

The firm connects different sectors by leveraging Generative AI solutions and AI services and solutions for their needs. This includes banking automation, healthcare analytics, and Industry 4.0. The company targets specific industries rather than seeking broad-market control. Its alliance with Azure enhances its service offerings. It also introduces tools like predictive maintenance and carbon-aware computing.

2. Tempus

Tempus integrates AI and genomic data to drive precision cancer care. Its platform applies patient-specific biomarkers to customize treatments, reducing trial and error. In collaboration with GSK, Tempus develops predictive models. They link therapies to genetic tumor subtypes. Its goal is to improve outcomes, as noted in 2023 press releases.

In 2024, the company assisted over 50,000 patients. They received personalized treatment plans, according to the companys annual impact report. Its tools, for example, assisted oncologists in identifying targeted therapies. Patients with late-stage lung cancer had improved remission rates, according to peer-reviewed studies.

The company operates in collaboration with 300+ hospitals, including Mayo Clinic. It integrates AI into clinical workflows to give physicians data-driven insights. It bridges cutting-edge science with everyday patient care.

While costs limit accessibility, the companys work shows AIs potential. It exemplifies how AI can democratize precision medicine.

3. Symbotic

Symbotic brings warehouses into the modern age with AI-powered robotics. In partnership with Walmart, the firm will implement its systems in 42 distribution centers through 2026. The enhancement aims for quicker order completion, lower labor expenses, and accurate tracking of inventory.

They helped Walmart save energy and packaging waste by 30% in 2023, based on case studies. Robots sort and pick items independently, with a reduction in errors and product damage. Employees move to supervisory roles, where they carry out safety checks and system monitoring.

The technology optimizes storage configurations and travel paths, reducing energy consumption. Predictive analytics forecast demand, stocking shelves without excess inventory. This reduces waste and supports corporate sustainability efforts.

Their approach combines workforce realignment with automation. It centers on the ability of AI to streamline processes to make them more efficient and develop safer, better-skilled jobs. Employees now oversee workflows instead of duplicative tasks, which increases satisfaction on the job.

The company combines automation and sustainability to allow companies to achieve zero-waste businesses. Its platforms are compliant with global ESG requirements. This is proof that technology-enabled logistics can be sustainable and efficient.

4. Darktrace

Darktrace uses self-trained AI to detect cyber threats in real time. It mimics the human immune system to detect subtle network anomalies. Unlike other solutions that utilize known attack signatures, it learns to fight new threats.

The platform stops zero-day ransomware that targets unknown vulnerabilities. It monitors network activity and alerts you to unusual events, like unauthorized data access. This proactive approach minimizes breach threats before significant harm occurs.

Airbus, for example, partnered with Darktrace to secure its IoT networks. The AI blocked over 500 monthly threats, from ransomware to credential theft. These results, validated in case studies, were achieved without disrupting operations.

Darktrace is part of the trend for autonomous defense systems. Analysts predict 50% of businesses will utilize AI-driven security solutions by 2026, as stated by Gartner. The trend addresses the global lack of cybersecurity expertise. AI performs regular monitoring so that human experts can concentrate on advanced threats.

As formidable as it is, Darktrace works best alongside human teams. It detects threats faster but requires human judgment for context and decision-making. This balance creates a dynamic defense that evolves with new threats.

5. C3.ai

This corporation delivers Artificial Intelligence solutions for the energy and defense sectors. Its machine-learning tools help companies streamline operations, cut costs, and meet sustainability targets.

A 2025 priority is its partnership with Shell, aiming to slash carbon emissions by 15%. The models spot inefficiencies and suggest cleaner energy alternatives in real time. They pinpoint inefficiencies and suggest cleaner energy strategies, accelerating decarbonization in heavy industries.

For defense, its predictive maintenance system assists the U.S. Air Force. The platform forecasts equipment failures, preventing unplanned downtime. This extends asset lifespans and saves millions annually, as noted in official case studies.

C3.ai champions Sustainable Industry 4.0, merging industrial automation with eco-friendly practices. Its AI tools prioritize user collaboration, letting engineers and executives apply insights without technical expertise.

By balancing profit and the planet, it proves AI can drive efficiency while protecting resources. Its approach reshapes industries, showing technology and sustainability thrive together.

6. DataRobot

DataRobot specializes in AI technology and automated machine learning. It enables SMEs to adopt AI without advanced technical skills. Its platform simplifies building and deploying predictive models through intuitive workflows. Industry experts predict the company will grow its low-code fraud detection tools this year. It will likely target markets like Southeast Asia and Africa. These regions face escalating fraud risks due to rapid digital payment growth.

Retailers already benefit from the companys proven efficiency gains. Lenovo reported $100M in inventory savings using its demand forecasting tools. 7-Eleven Thailand reduced forecast errors by 30%, according to official case studies. These results highlight AutoMLs ability to optimize costs and inventory accuracy.

For SMEs, DataRobot democratizes Artificial Intelligence access. This allows smaller businesses to compete with larger enterprises. Its focus on usability fosters trust in automation. This is a critical factor in fast-evolving economies.

7. UiPath

AI-powered robotic process automation streamlines complex workflows. RPA blends smart automation with Generative AI services. UiPath specializes in this field. They focus on tools that extract data from unstructured documents like invoices. These tools achieve human-like accuracy, cutting errors and accelerating processing times.

For example, a healthcare provider automated 70% of invoice tasks using such platforms. This reduced manual work and speeded employee payments. Staff redirected saved hours to patient care, boosting efficiency. Their collaboration with Adobe strengthens PDF features, making document management seamless.

The technology aligns with hyper-automation trends. It merges and processes mining to automate finance, logistics, and customer service tasks. User-friendly designs let non-technical teams build bots, democratizing automation across departments. This adaptability helps businesses stay agile amid shifting demands.

UiPaths approach balances technical sophistication with practicality. Its solutions address immediate productivity gaps while preparing organizations for AI-driven futures. For instance, predictive analytics in logistics optimize inventory routes, cutting costs and delays. In healthcare, compliance-focused automation ensures data privacy while improving workflows.

With accessible and ethical design, the platform empowers employees, not replaces them. Engineers focus on innovation, while managers leverage real-time insights for smarter decisions. This human-centric model proves automation can enhance efficiency without sacrificing workforce value.

8. Cognite

Cognite helps energy companies by providing AI insights. It transforms complex industrial data into tools for efficiency and sustainability. Its platform, Cognite Data Fusion, uses machine learning. This streamlines workflows and improves asset performance.

A standout example is its work with Aker BP on offshore wind farms. Digital twins enable real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance. This slashes downtime, cuts costs, and extends equipment life, making renewables more viable.

In 2024, the company helped global energy leader OMV reduce downtime by 25% at key sites. By analyzing historical and live data, inefficiencies were flagged, enabling proactive repairs. This saved millions annually while boosting operational reliability.

Cognite bridges traditional energy and green transitions. For renewables, it optimizes wind and solar output. For oil and gas industries, it reduces waste via leak detection and emission tracking.

The company combines AI with industry know-how. This helps firms adopt sustainable practices while keeping profits. Engineers use their tools to balance eco-goals and operational needs. They show that innovation and responsibility can work together.

9. Babylon Health

Babylon Health uses AI for telehealth services. These services include virtual consultations, symptom checks, and predictive analytics. They make it simpler to get care. This is key for managing chronic conditions like diabetes and for urgent needs. They also help reduce in-person visits.

In 2019, the company teamed up with Rwandas government to use AI tools. These tools help diagnose common illnesses and enhance maternal healthcare in rural areas. By 2020, the company expanded into South Africa. They trained community health workers to use mobile AI systems. The goal was to reduce preventable deaths. This connected remote villages with medical professionals.

In the UK, Babylons AI reportedly cut hospital wait times by 40% in earlier NHS trials. However, its 2023 financial collapse left outcomes unclear. Their technology still aids in early risk detection, such as diabetes. This eases pressure on emergency departments.

Despite setbacks, the companys African initiatives highlight AIs potential to democratize healthcare. These include scrutiny over diagnostic accuracy and its UK subsidiarys failure. For lasting impact, addressing transparency gaps and ensuring financial stability remain critical.

Babylons AI improves rural diagnostics and access. But long-term success depends on resolving operational flaws and rebuilding trust.

10. Samsara

Samsara uses AI and real-time data to boost fleet operations. This helps companies save money, work more efficiently, and lower their environmental impact. The predictive maintenance system checks vehicle performance, battery health, and route conditions. This helps stop breakdowns before they happen. It reduces downtime, extends EV lifespans, and ensures reliable deliveries. The firm supports UPSs electric fleets, but we need direct confirmation for details.

The platforms machine-learning algorithms deliver clear results. A U.S. utility company improved fuel efficiency by 18%. They did this by fixing poor driving habits and enhancing maintenance schedules. This saved money and cut carbon emissions, supporting their sustainability goals.

Samsara supports the move to electric fleets. It does this by checking battery health and studying charging patterns. Its tools work with autonomous vehicle software. This improves route planning and safety for self-managed logistics. By combining real-time analytics with proactive insights, businesses create strong, data-driven supply chains. Reducing waste and downtime helps fleets stay competitive and meet environmental goals.

How We Selected the Best Artificial Intelligence Services Companies for 2025

Selecting the top AI Services companies of 2025 was a serious, multi-criteria process. We considered three main pillars: innovation, scalability, and sustainability. We made use of real data from customer case studies and funding trends. The following explains how we selected these AI services:

Innovation: Pioneering tomorrows AI Solutions

Innovation is more than flashy technology. It is about solving real problems. We prioritized companies that push boundaries in Gen AI, autonomous systems, and industry-specific solutions. Adobes generative AI tool, Firefly, automates design tasks and maintains brand consistency. Hexawares partnership with Microsoft Azure combines cloud scalability with fintech solutions to detect fraud in real time.

We also highlighted firms that invest in self-learning algorithms. Darktrace uses behavioral AI to fight zero-day cyberattacks by adapting quickly to emerging threats. Scale AI trains self-driving cars using data-labeling platforms.

Finally, we measured innovation by its practical impact on workflows, cost reduction, and improved efficiency.

Scalability: Bridging Startups and Enterprises

AIs value lies in its adaptability. For enterprises, scalability often hinges on cloud infrastructure. Microsoft Azure offers AIaaS tools, including Azure Machine Learning. These tools let global companies make predictive maintenance models in days, not months. But SMEs need cost-effective, low-code options. Automatic Machine Learning platforms make AI accessible for small businesses. For example, a retailer in Southeast Asia can now forecast demand with 95% accuracy. They can do this without relying on data scientists.

We also assessed vertical vs. horizontal scalability. UiPaths robotic process automation (RPA) software automates invoice processing for healthcare providers. This allows it to scale horizontally. Meanwhile, C3.ai uses industry-specific models for energy and defense. These models scale vertically, addressing specific challenges like tracking carbon emissions.

Scalability isnt just technical but also cultural. Symbiotic thrives by using AI in Walmarts supply chains. They also train staff to work with warehouse robots. This human-AI synergy ensures tools grow with the business.

Sustainability: Ethical AI for a Greener Future

Green AI isnt a buzzword. Its a business imperative. We highlighted firms reducing environmental footprints through energy-efficient algorithms and ESG-aligned practices. UPSs AI-powered EV routes reduce fuel use by 18%. Meanwhile, Cognites digital twins help OMV cut downtime and waste by 25% at offshore rigs.

Ethics matter too. We penalized companies ignoring bias mitigation or data privacy. IBMs AI Fairness 360 toolkit, which audits models for racial or gender bias, sets a gold standard. Similarly, Darktraces GDPR-compliant cybersecurity tools protect user data while stopping threats.

Data Sources: Grounding Analysis in Reality

Our rankings werent hypothetical, but we analyzed client outcomes. For example, a Fortune 500 insurer used Hexawares AI to process claims 60% faster. This saved $12M each year. Case studies revealed a clear trend of faster processes and significant cost reductions. Firms using UiPaths RPA achieved 70% faster invoice processing. Meanwhile, C3.ai clients in defense reported 20% lower maintenance costs.

Funding trends also signaled credibility. Startups such as Scale AI raised $325M in Series C+ rounds. This shows strong investor confidence. We avoided firms that depended on hype instead of revenue, even if their demos went viral.

Why This Matters for 2025?

The AI landscape is crowded, but our method sets pioneers apart from pretenders. We balance innovation with scalability and sustainability. This helps us find partners ready to succeed in 2025s fast-paced markets. This list gives useful insights for everyone. Startups can find no-code tools, while enterprises can update old systems.

AI Trends Redefining Services in 2025

AI companies are driving innovation across sectors, ushering in a new era of transformation. In 2025, theyll reshape industries and create new growth opportunities. Here are the key trends theyre spearheading to boost efficiency and personalization:

Generative AI for Hyper-Personalization

Generative AI transforms how businesses engage customers. It creates personalized content and dynamic pricing models. Retailers use these tools to craft tailored product descriptions and ads. Fintech firms leverage Gen AI to spot fraud quickly. This trend enhances efficiency and customer experiences.

Predictive Healthcare and Preventive Care

AI shifts healthcare from reactive treatment to proactive care. AI-powered triage systems help hospitals prioritize patients and cut wait times. In rural areas, diagnostic apps offer faster risk assessments and connect patients with doctors. Wearable devices now monitor health and alert users early. These advances improve outcomes and lower costs.

Sustainable AI in Industry 4.0

Industries use AI to meet sustainability goals while maintaining efficiency. Digital twins and energy-saving models monitor equipment and reduce waste. AI solutions optimize resource use in manufacturing and energy sectors. Such tools support eco-friendly practices and enhance productivity.

Autonomous Systems and Cybersecurity

These systems boost productivity in logistics and transportation. However, they demand strong cybersecurity. AI-powered tools now monitor network behavior and protect against threats. Companies balance automation with robust security to ensure safe operations.

How to Choose Your AI Company for Long-Term Success

Choosing the right AI partner is critical for sustainable growth. The ideal vendor solves immediate challenges while adapting to future market shifts. Below are actionable steps to align provider capabilities with your goals.

Tailored Solutions for SMEs and Enterprises

SMEs gain from low-code platforms like Microsoft Power Apps and Googles Vertex AI. These tools make Artificial Intelligence accessible to non-technical teams. They simplify tasks such as customer segmentation and inventory forecasting. A small retailer can use templates to predict holiday demand. They dont need data scientists for this.

In contrast, enterprises focus on scalability. Platforms like Azure and AWS provide cloud infrastructure for global use. A global company could use Azure Machine Learning. This tool helps unify supply chain analytics in over 20 countries. This ensures consistency and scalability.

Mapping Goals and Ensuring Seamless Integration

Start by defining short- and long-term objectives. For rapid prototyping, choose reputable drag-and-drop platforms. If data security is paramount, vendors like IBM Watson offer enterprise-grade encryption.

Compatibility with existing systems is crucial. A hospital using old EHR software needs AI that integrates smoothly. Avoid solutions that require you to change your workflow. Choose partners who can tailor their tools to meet your needs.

Compliance and Post-Launch Support

Regulatory alignment is non-negotiable. GDPR-compliant tools, like SAPs AI solutions, automatically anonymize customer data. This keeps EU e-commerce brands safe from fines. In healthcare, HIPAA-compliant AI ensures patient privacy. Post-launch support is equally vital; vendors must update models to address evolving risks. A bank that uses AI for loan approvals must do regular bias checks. This is important to ensure that fairness standards are met.

Sustainability and Risk Mitigation

Sustainability is now a competitive edge. Google Clouds carbon-aware computing sends workloads to areas that use renewable energy. This can reduce energy use by up to 30%. Similarly, tools like Salesforces NetZero Cloud help track emissions. Risk mitigation is important too. Ensure vendors update their models to tackle threats like AI bias and cyberattacks.

Scalability and Technological Adaptability

Assess whether the provider can scale during sudden growth. Do they support edge computing for real-time analytics? Can they integrate Gen AI like ChatGPT for customer service? For example, a logistics firm planning drone deliveries needs edge analytics experts. These partners process data locally to minimize latency.

Review the firms roadmap. Are they investing in AI development and other emerging technologies or falling behind? Focusing on future-readiness helps businesses skip expensive migrations. They create partnerships that grow with their goals.

Final Considerations

The right AI partner acts as both a technician and strategist. For example, a retailer using AI to forecast demand should also gear up for voice commerce. Prioritize vendors offering training to upskill your team, ensuring long-term self-sufficiency. Avoid lock-in contracts; opt for flexible pricing models, e.g., pay-as-you-go.

A future-ready AI partner balances technical excellence with strategic vision. SMEs should focus on ease of use, while enterprises need scalability and integration. Compliance, sustainability, and adaptability are universal must-haves. Aligning vendor strengths with your goals helps build a partnership. This partnership boosts efficiency now and fosters innovation for the future.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Which industries benefit most from AI in 2025?

A1: Healthcare, logistics, and energy lead AI adoption. Healthcare uses predictive diagnostics to improve patient outcomes. Logistics streamlines operations via autonomous systems, like Walmarts AI-driven warehouse robots. Energy firms such as OMV apply AI to reduce emissions and optimize resource use. Retail and finance also gain efficiency through personalized customer insights and fraud detection tools.

Q2: How does generative AI differ from traditional software development?

A2: Gen AI tools produce original content (text, images, code) by learning patterns from data. Unlike rule-based software, tools like Adobes Firefly generate unique designs dynamically. Traditional systems follow predefined logic, while Gen AI adapts creatively, enabling innovations in art, marketing, and problem-solving.

Q3: Will AI eliminate the need for human creativity?

A3: No. AI amplifies creativity by handling repetitive tasks, freeing humans to focus on strategy and innovation. For example, Netflix uses AI to analyze viewer preferences but relies on writers and directors to craft compelling stories. AI tools act as collaborators, not replacements, enhancing artistic and intellectual workflows.

Q4: Is AI adoption affordable for small businesses?

A4: Yes. Cloud-based AI services, like Googles Vertex AI, offer scalable solutions for budgets. Small businesses and business startups use chatbots for customer support or AI analytics to forecast sales. Startups like Jasper provide affordable content-generation tools, democratizing access to AI-driven efficiency.

Conclusion: Embracing AI for Competitive Advantage

In 2025, the top 10 AI service companies are transforming industries. They drive innovation and quickly improve efficiency with smart, reliable solutions. Healthcare, logistics, IT, and fintech all benefit from their work. Each company uses cutting-edge technology and sets new standards. Their clear impact is seen in growth and better business practices. They are significantly reshaping the way we work.

Organizations can learn from these pioneering firms to thrive in a digital world. Partnering with leading companies helps businesses streamline operations and lower costs. Embracing AI opens doors to real value and a competitive edge. This progress builds resilience and prepares companies for future challenges. Understanding these trends is key to making bold, informed decisions.
Chinese national lawmakers slam U.S. sanctions on Xinjiang, welcome visits

Xinhua) 10:13, March 08, 2025

BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- National lawmakers from northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region have dismissed a series of U.S. sanctions on the region under the pretext of so-called "forced labor." They also welcomed individuals from all over the world to see the real Xinjiang with their own eyes.

About 100 Chinese and overseas journalists from more than 70 media outlets on Friday attended an open panel discussion of the Xinjiang delegation to the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC).

Commenting on the U.S. so-called "Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act" and "Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act," Ma Xingrui, an NPC deputy and secretary of the Xinjiang regional committee of the Communist Party of China, said the two documents "aim to hinder Xinjiang's progress and plunge the region back into poverty and backwardness, which could breed separatism that contains China's development."

Noting that last year's World Media Summit in the regional capital of Urumqi welcomed 200 representatives from over 100 international media outlets, Ma said foreign correspondents conducted field investigations across the whole region, and their observations revealed no evidence substantiating claims of "forced labor" or "genocide."

"I invite global journalists to embark on field investigations across the region to see a real Xinjiang, rather than be blindfolded by certain media focused on slandering Xinjiang," he added.

Wang Mingshan, another NPC deputy who is also deputy director of the Standing Committee of the People's Congress of Xinjiang, said sanctions imposed by certain countries under the pretext of "forced labor" had severely infringed upon the rights and interests of Xinjiang enterprises, thus creating "forced unemployment" and "forced impoverishment."

According to the International Labour Organization, the definition of "forced labor" entails three elements: "menace of any penalty," "involuntariness" as well as "work or service."

"People of all ethnic groups can choose where to work and what to do based on their own will," said Wang. "The so-called 'forced labor' in Xinjiang is an outright pseudo-proposition."

After visiting Xinjiang last year, Alena Douhan, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights, said the unilateral sanctions threatened the rights of vulnerable groups in China and called for them to be lifted.

"Xinjiang will never allow itself to be exploited or bullied," said Wang, adding that a 2024 resolution, passed by the region opposing U.S. sanctions, has provided enterprises with strong measures to combat hegemonism and power politics.

"We encourage more enterprises to take up legal weapons and defend their legitimate interests and rights," Wang said.

(Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Sheng Chuyi)
Never let the guy with the broom decide how many elephants can be in the parade. Even if I was the guy with the broom, Id have 10 elephants. Youve got to love a parade, and if you or your kids or your grandkids havent already done so, this is the year to be part of the walking party cal
The Algerian military regime has started feeling the heat with the growing military strength of Morocco which has just received U.S. Apache attack helicopters and purchased Chinese TB-001 reconnaissance & attack drones Twin-Tailed Scorpion.

According to experts, the advanced Chinese long endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) will reinforce Moroccan military capabilities in border surveillance and the fight against terrorism. It will also enable the North African Kingdom counter regional security challenges.

TB-001 is a twin-engine, twin-tailed drone produced by Sichuan Tengden Sci-Tech Innovation Co., Ltd. of China. The drone can carry up to 1.5 tons of ammunition and fly for up to 40 hours, with a maximum flight range of 8,500 kilometers and an operating altitude of up to 10,000 meters.

Morocco is diversifying its military suppliers to reduce reliance on the West and especially the United States. The Kingdoms acquisition of Turkish drones Akinci and Chinese drones TB-001 is part of a strategy to reduce the use of fighter jets in the Sahara region as combat drones proved their efficiency in the fight against incursion attempts of Polisario armed militias and ensuring the security of the country.
Nigeria has become the 77th shareholder in the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

The Banks board of governors approved Nigerias membership after it amended its laws to expand incremental funding to Sub-Saharan Africa, the bank said in a statement.

Through this membership, Nigeria hopes to benefit from EBRD funding, which is yet to be approved by the rest of its members.

The EBRD now has 75 national shareholders in addition to the EU and the European Investment Bank (EIB).

The EBRD supports countries in transition, using a combination of investment, advisory work and policy reform, while focusing on developing the private sector and sustainable projects.

In recent years, the Bank focused its efforts on supporting Ukraine, following the war.
The world is re-embracing nuclear energy after decades of decline, driven by technological advances and the need to keep pace with growing energy demand fueled by the tech sector without compromising climate goals. The world is now on track to produce more nuclear energy than ever before in 2025, and the International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts an all-out nuclear renaissance. But will the future of nuclear power be dominated by emerging technologies like modular reactors, new mega-projects like Plant Vogtle, or the revitalization of old and decommissioned nuclear fleets?

Its clear today that the strong comeback for nuclear energy that the IEA predicted several years ago is well underway, with nuclear set to generate a record level of electricity in 2025, stated IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol. In addition to this, more than 70 gigawatts of new nuclear capacity is under construction globally, one of the highest levels in the last 30 years, and more than 40 countries around the world have plans to expand nuclears role in their energy systems.

Birols comments come on the back of a brand new report from the EIA which states that nuclear power production will break records in 2025 and beyond as the market, technology and policy foundations are in place for a new era of growth in nuclear energy over the coming decades.

Much of the newfound excitement about nuclear energy is centered around small modular reactors (SMRs) and advanced modular reactors (AMRs), which are manufactured in a factory setting and then installed on-site. This means that they are cheaper to produce and quicker to plan for and deploy than traditional reactors, which are behemoth projects that require miles and months or even years of regulatory maneuvering.

The United States at Plant Vogtle is an extreme example but a salient example of the pitfalls of building new full-size nuclear power plants. Plant Vogtle is the only new nuclear reactor that the United States has built in decades, and some see the project as an unmitigated disaster. Although the plant finally fully came online on April 29, 2024, the project was seven years late and $17 billion over budget.

Advocates of SMRs and AMRs point to horror stories like this as the reason that modular technologies are the key to the nuclear renaissance. They also say that modular reactors are less dangerous than traditional models, as they have inbuilt passive safety mechanisms. But new studies show that there may be a significant dark side to wide-scale deployment of SMRs. A recent Stanford study found that most small modular reactor designs will actually increase the volume of nuclear waste in need of management and disposal, by factors of 2 to 30. This creates a major issue for nuclear waste management  a costly, million-year job.

A growing number of nuclear proponents are arguing that instead of focusing on building new nuclear plants  modular or otherwise  we should be focusing more on revitalizing the nuclear plants we already have. There are currently 22 nuclear reactors undergoing decommissioning in the United States, but many of those reactors could still have decades of life in them.

Many nuclear plants were originally designed to run for 40 years, but with proper maintenance and technological upgrades, their lifespan can often be extended to 60 or even 80 years, the Global Financial Market Review recently reported. This makes life extension a financially attractive alternative to constructing new plants from scratch.

Other experts think that if investing dollars and research priorities were aimed at extending the life of old reactors instead of merely designing new ones, that lifespan could be extended even further. Right now we have everything [required] to run plants for at least 80 years, Luca Oriani of Westinghouse Electric Company recently told the Financial Times. We dont see any major challenges to extend another 20 years to go from essentially 80 to 100. He went on to add that these plants can also ramp up their power output through better efficiency measures.

Restarting old reactors could be a regulatory nightmare, but there is already some precedent for it. This year, the Palisades nuclear power plant in Michigan is being revived in an unprecedented move after its 2022 closure. The project is backed by nearly $2 billion in government funding  no small budget, but an absolute steal compared to Plant Vogtle. Palisades is slated to be back online by October of this year.

By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
United States President Donald Trump has vowed to make it easier to develop oil and gas projects in Alaska, despite concerns about environmental degradation. Trump signed an executive order on his first day in office to unleash Alaskas extraordinary resource potential, effectively undoing former President Bidens climate protections for the state. However, it is uncertain whether oil and gas companies will invest in a region with such strict regulations and high project development costs. In addition, many fear potential lawsuits from environmental and indigenous organisations against new developments, as well as what a change in U.S. administration could mean for projects in the future.

President Trumps order aims to expedite the permitting and leasing of energy projects in Alaska, undo resource development restrictions on state and federal lands including crucial areas such as the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) and the National Petroleum Reserve (NPR-A), overturn the cancellation of leases within the ANWR, and prioritise the development of LNG.

Alaskas oil production decreased from around 2 million bpd in 1988 to just 426,000 bpd in 2023, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. At present, just two major projects are under development, ConocoPhillipss $8 billion Willow and Santos Pikka, which are expected to increase the states output to 650,000 bpd.

Many oil and gas companies are wary of developing projects in Alaska due to the high costs involved with operations, the lack of regulatory stability, and litigation risks. Much of the states oil and gas reserves are within federally protected lands such as ANWR and NPR-A, which make project development risky, as a change in administration could mean more policy changes. In addition, several environmental groups have launched lawsuits against oil and gas developers in Alaska in recent years, citing environmental and climate concerns. Weve seen this before where this administration breaks the law we will fight and we will enforce the environmental laws in Alaska, the managing attorney at Earthjustice Carole Holley stated.

Referring to the areas Trump is aiming to reopen for oil and gas exploration, senior vice president of policy at the American Petroleum Institute Dustin Meyers stated, Many of these areas have been closed for a good long while. Meyers added, There is always the risk that these areas could be reclosed after the next election cycle. This view reflects the concerns of several oil majors.

Meanwhile, the International Energy Agency expects global demand for oil to slow over the next decade, while many oil and gas companies are moving to easier-to-develop areas where they can implement low-carbon oil operations.

The Trump administration aims to attract investment for the $44 billion Alaska LNG project on Alaskas North Slope, originally proposed by the state-owned Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC) around a decade ago. The project was authorized by President Trumps administration in 2020 and was reauthorized by the Biden administration in 2022. If developed, it could provide 20 million tonnes of LNG per year.

[Alaska] is the closest point of major oil and gas to Japan by far. Were talking about a joint venture of some type between Japan and [the US] having to do with Alaska oil and gas, Trump said at a joint press conference. However, over the last decade, several big players, including BP, ConocoPhillips and ExxonMobil, have pulled out of the project.

While it is unlikely that oil majors will flock to Alaska, given the plethora of challenges involved with managing oil and gas operations in the state, the threat of tariffs from the Trump administration could reinvigorate interest. On 4th March, Trump introduced 25 percent tariffs on the import of Mexican and Canadian products and an additional 10 percent on Chinese goods. This has made other countries fear a similar move on their products. Trump has threatened tariffs on various countries and regions, such as the EU, if they do not increase the purchase of energy from the U.S. in the coming months.

In early February, Japanese trading giant Mitsui announced it may consider investing in the Alaska LNG project, although no decisions had been made. Japan is the second-largest LNG importer globally and the government has stated that it may be open to purchasing more LNG and other energy products from the U.S., most likely in a bid to avoid U.S. tariffs on Japanese products.

A few days later, Taiwans Economy Ministry expressed interest in purchasing more LNG from the U.S., particularly from Alaska. Taiwans state energy company CPC is indeed quite interested in Alaska's natural gas and will continue to assess the feasibility and is also willing to make additional purchases, the Ministry said in a statement.

Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and several EU member states have expressed interest in buying more U.S. oil and gas to reduce trade gaps that put them at risk of U.S. tariffs. However, with record highs being seen in U.S. gas production over the last year, it is not clear whether this will attract the interest and investment needed to develop new fossil fuel operations in Alaska.

By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
In May 2023, Iraq announced the Development Road, $17 billion, 1,200-kilometer rail line and roadway from a new port at Al Faw in southern Iraq to Turkiye, linking Asia and Europe.

The Road is more than an upgrade to Iraqs old infrastructure and aims to leverage Iraqs location as a future trade corridor to solve several complex problems: unemployment, corruption, outdated infrastructure, and over-reliance on hydrocarbons at a time of declining demand for oil.

The project is supported by Turkiye, and Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are participating, probably as the bankers.

The Development Road Project in Iraq is a bold initiative and some potential benefits are:

Economic Diversification and Growth. By connecting southern Iraq to Turkiye, the project aims to boost economic prosperity by at transforming the country into a major transport hub.

The project aims to reduce Iraqs reliance on oil exports which, according to the World Bank, are virtually Iraq's sole source of foreign exchange, in most years more than 99% of the country's total export earnings. Oil provides approximately 85% of Iraq's federal revenue, making Iraq one of the most oil-dependent economies in the world), and accounts for about 42% of Iraq's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Because the Iraqi government's budget heavily depends on oil revenues, fluctuations in oil prices can lead to significant budgetary adjustments, affecting public spending on infrastructure, health, education, and other social services. Given this high reliance on a single commodity, Iraq's economy is vulnerable to oil price volatility. Economic stability is closely tied to global oil market dynamics, making fiscal planning challenging.

Related: Shell Boosts Deepwater Oil Production Offshore Malaysia

Iraq hopes to use the project to get ahead of future declines in demand for oil. The International Energy Agency reports, Global oil demand will decline faster than expected in the coming decadesas electric vehicles continue to erode oil use in road transport, while biofuels and hydrogen deflate the need for oil in the aviation and shipping sectors. The IEA projects that oil demand will peak in 2030.

The control over oil resources also plays a significant role in Iraq's internal politics, affecting dynamics among different groups and regions, particularly between the central government in Baghdad and the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).

This dependency means that economic policies, national budget planning, and even social stability in Iraq are heavily influenced by the price of a single commodity whose price Iraq does not control. Efforts to diversify the economy are crucial for long-term stability and resilience against oil price shocks.

Regional Cooperation. The project involves stakeholders like Turkiye, Qatar, and the UAE, and ideally will foster regional economic integration, cooperation, and economic interdependence, though there will be tension between the parties.

For example, the UAE may see the new port at Al Faw as competition for its seven major seaports, and neighboring Kuwait may oppose any effort that threatens its Mubarak Al Kabeer Port under construction on Bubiyan Island (part of Chinas Belt and Road Initiative).

Iran may see the Road as competition to its three major ports, Chabahar, Bandar Abbas, and Bandar Imam Khomeini. Tehran may use its allies in Baghdad to stop it via the political process, or may resort to sabotage, though that is a high-risk approach.

Iran proposed a rail link from Iran through Iraq to Syrias Mediterranean coast, though Iraq has always seen a short section, from Shalamcheh, Iran to Basra, just for transporting religious pilgrims, not regional trade or supporting Tehrans resistance allies in the Levant. That said, Iraq may buy peace by agreeing to a connection to the Road by the Shalamcheh-Basra railroad (that Iran will fund.)

In this case, the spoiler may be the U.S. which may target economic normalization between Iraq and Iran as part of its ongoing war against the Islamic Republic, in effect taxing Iraqis to fight Iran.

An important recent development is the declaration by Abdullah Ocalan, the leader of the Iraq-based Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), to the party to disarm, dissolve, and make peace with Turkey. This positive development could also ripple through Iraq, Iran, and Syria, reducing political violence and improving the economic prospects for the region, though much depends on incumbent political leaders reining in triumphalist posturing and working with former PKK members to integrate them into the political and economic landscape.

Involving all Iraqi groups and sects will encourage Qatar, the UAE, and other possible funders, such as China, that local rivalries or the exclusion of some Iraqi stakeholders will not endanger the project.

At the recent 7th Baghdad International Dialogue, the Kurdistan Regions president Nechirvan Barzani supported the Road, calling Iraqs political and economic stability a shared national interest.

The Road project has been criticized for avoiding the semi-autonomous Kurdish region except for except for the last 15 kilometers near the border with Turkey. But Baghdad indicated in 2023 the route was due to the challenging terrain in mountainous Kurdistan that would have added time and cost to the project. A senior Iraqi government official recently indicated the Road will follow the route of the oil pipeline to Turkey and take advantage of the pipelines security measures. Referring to a topographical map, there is a narrow, less mountainous corridor in western Dohuk Governorate in the Kurdish region, so the Road planners, just like the pipeline planners, did not have much choice as to the route.

What Baghdad can do is explore the viability of a connecting line from Erbil, the capital of the Kurdish region, to the Roads mainline. This may allow traffic from the mooted Iran-Kurdistan-Turkiye rail line to instead merge with the Road, giving Tehran and Erbil a piece of the action and incentive to ensure the Road succeeds.

Infrastructure Development. The project includes significant investments in infrastructure, such as rail and land transport, which could modernize Iraq's transport sector.

The project will also broaden Iraqs infrastructure portfolio to include projects not tied to hydrocarbon extraction. And Baghdad may use international demands for transparency and contract oversight to drive change in a political culture that often defaults to cronyism and corruption.

The Road may also accommodate fiber optic lines, creating a secure information road, useful redundancy in light of the damage to Red Sea fiber optic lines due to Houthi attacks on merchant shipping in 2024. The damaged cables impacted about 25% of the traffic flowing through the Red Sea.

The introduction of high-speed rail (HSR) may interest China, which is the worlds leading developer of HSR. Autonomous vehicles (trucks) will require 5G/6G/XG wireless connectivity, another area of Chinese leadership and an XG corridor will drive economic development along the route with the help of local wireless providers such as Asiacell and Supercell.

The PKK may be demobilizing which will reduce violence and political risk, Iraq is making progress in reducing corruption and increasing fiscal transparency, and Kurdish leaders like Nechirvan Barzani share the prime ministers vision for the Roads potential to benefit all Iraqis.

China may eventually wish to contribute to the Road, but will the U.S. be opposed to Chinas participation despite Baghdads friendly relations with Beijing? China is Iraqs biggest trade partner and a leader in HSR and 5G wireless communications. Iraq is a significant supplier of oil to China, is a Belt and Road country and received $9 billion in 2024, and a total of $17 billion from Beijing.

Job Creation. The construction and maintenance of new transport routes and infrastructure could create numerous job opportunities for Iraqis.

The projects advertised gains are 100,000 jobs, and $4 billion/year of revenue, which is needed as the current population of 46 million will probably increase to 50 million by 2028

Fifty-six percent of Iraqs population is under 24 years of age, and Iraq produces 250,000 university graduates per year, and many expect government jobs at a time when the private sector is slow to hire. In 2023, Iraqs parliament approved a $153 billion spending bill to mostly fund government sector salaries and to hire more than half a million Iraqis (the current public sector is about 4,5 million employees). In the future, Baghdad will find such profligacy unsustainable and injurious to the countrys financial health,

The unemployment rate is 16.5%, higher for women and in rural areas. Lack of jobs was one reason for the 2022 protests and Iraqs leaders will want to avoid any unrest that will spook foreign investors and weaken public confidence in their stewardship, though public concern about corruption may do more to erode public trust.

Does Iraq have the engineers and managers to administer the project? Or operate and maintain it after completion? If not, the Road contract must include a training and education deliverable so Iraqis can eventually replace the cadre of foreign managers and engineers that may be imported to complete the project.

Strategic Position. By becoming a key link between East and West, Iraq could enhance its geopolitical significance and attract further foreign investments in non-hydrocarbon sectors, however the participation of China and Iran will attract Americas attention and not in a positive way.

Will U.S. attempt to block Iranian participation? If so, there will be no consequences for American workers and businesses, so no consequences for U.S. politicians by stalling a rail and road project 7,000 miles away as part of Washingtons vendetta with the Islamic Republic.

The U.S. advocated for the Middle Corridor to keep cargo out of the Northern Corridor (Russia), and the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) was promoted to speed Israeli-Saudi reconciliation, so will the U.S. undercut the project to satisfy a political objective of blocking Iran and China, regardless of local consequences?

The U.S. has sanctioned so many entities in Iran and China that it will be easy to claim Baghdad is violating some U.S. proscription or other just by doing day-to-day business. And, Iraq will probably always be friendlier with Iran that the U.S. would prefer as they are neighbors forever, but Washingtons national interests are always in peril when someone in Tehran is making a buck.

Despite, or because of, the positive potential of the Road, there are still obstacles to its success:

Political Instability. Iraq's volatile political environment and ongoing disputes among various political factions pose a major challenge. Widespread (though declining) corruption in Iraq may affect project success and readiness of investors to contribute, and alienate contractors and suppliers.

The Kurdish region needs to be a participant. The Kurds will probably assume the task of helping the PKK members integrate into the regions economy and politics and may need support from Baghdad and Ankara in the process, and their support will be a wise investment.

Also, a project of the magnitude of the Road will have environmental and social repercussions, including displacement of communities or environmental degradation, which could lead to public opposition if not managed well.

Security Concerns. The presence of various armed groups, some sponsored by Iran, and the potential for conflict relapse threaten the safety and continuity of the project. The PKK may soon dissolve but the Islamic State, which doesnt control much territory but has world-side appeal, will be an ongoing problem.

Economic Constraints. The project's estimated cost has already increased from $17 billion to potentially over $24 billion. Baghdad has been accused of failing to conduct an adequate feasibility study for the ambitious project, though the World Bank committed to delivering a study by February 2026, three years after the project was announced.

Securing sufficient funding and managing financial resources effectively remain critical challenges. Rival transborder projects in the area, such as the Belt and Road projects, the Middle Corridor, the Saudi Arabia Land Bridge from the Persian Gulf to the Red Sea, the IndiaMiddle EastEurope Economic Corridor, and Kuwaits Bubiyan Port may lead to opposition from neighboring countries.

Will opposition parties in Iraqs parliament appropriate the funds needed for the project or will they prioritize obstructing Prime Minister Sudanis efforts?

Baghdad and Erbil need to resolve the shutdown of Kurdistans oil pipeline to Turkeys Ceyhan port, which has cost Iraq $25 billion over 22 months - enough to pay for the project. Washington wants exports to resume to increase global supplies and as part of its renewed maximum pressure campaign against Tehran, and to support its Kurdish partners who host U.S. troops, but the negotiations ended in deadlock on 6 March despite American pressure on Baghdad.

Regional Tensions. Iraq's relationships with neighboring countries, particularly Iran, which is not included in the project, could undermine its progress, but including Tehran may attract Washingtons attention. Baghdad needs to convince the neighbors, and China, the Road will not be duplicative and improve economic, and thus political, resiliency.

Infrastructure Challenges. Constructing the necessary infrastructure, such as the Grand Al Faw Port and the extensive rail and highway networks, requires overcoming technical and logistical hurdles. Does Iraq have the human infrastructure, the skilled managers, contract administrators, and financial advisors, to execute the project in a transparent manner? Can local contractors, tradesmen, and laborers do some of the work or will skilled labor have to be imported?

As important as oil is for Iraqs future, the Road depends on another valuable liquid, water.

Iraq is ranked extremely high for water stress, #23 in the world, according to the World Resources Institute. In 2023, Iraq joined the UN Water Convention, a legal and intergovernmental framework aims to ensure the sustainable use of transboundary water resources by facilitating cooperation across borders. However, Turkey, the source of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers is not a member of the Convention, so Baghdad and Ankara will have to find a suitable venue to work out a water sharing agreement.

The Tigris and Euphrates account for 98% of Iraqs surface water. Turkeys Southeastern Anatolia Project, a complex of 22 dams and 19 power plants to develop the southeastern provinces, the Kurdish region, has significantly decreased Iraqs water supply. If the PKK rank-and-file stack arms and return to their homes, Turkey may feel it is winning and be oblivious to the need to generous in victory, especially as it will expect Iraq to ensure the PKK is no longer in northern Iraq, its home base.

What does this have to do with the Road? Well, all that concrete wont mix itself  it needs water. In the U.S., the Interstate Highway System traffic lanes are topped with 11 inches (28 centimeters) of concrete for a roadway 48 feet (14.7 meters) wide. And its not just the concrete, all the workers and equipment will also make significant demands on the countrys water supply.

The UN feasibility study for the Road isnt due for a year so now is the time for Iraq and Turkey to get started on a joint water agreement, though Iraq may have to pledge to modernize its irrigation system and substitute less thirsty crops to get the Turks to the table.

There will be many beneficiaries of the Development Road if it succeeds. Businesses will flourish, governments will diversify economies and revenue sources, and the always popular connectivity will get a boost, but this is really for young Iraqis who desire an end to decades of drama and foreign intervention and want Iraq to finally be a normal country.

By James Durso

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
With no end in sight to the international chess match over tariffs, bar and brewery owner Bill Baburek of Omaha said Friday hes weary of being a pawn.

He owns Infusion Brewing Co. of Omaha, and he says a good portion of the barley malt and aluminum cans his business uses comes from Canada.

I feel sometimes its frustrating for us to be in that political chess game that theyre playing with the consumers hard-earned money, Baburek said.

Since becoming president, Donald Trump has proposed significant tariffs on major trading partners, as he promised he would. But those tariffs have been delayed or changed as news pours out near daily from the Trump administration and foreign leaders.

When brewing beer, the number one ingredient, after water, is barley malt, said Baburek, who owns Crescent Moon Ale House. He gets about 9% of it from Canada, a truckload at a time, he said.

A 25% tariff on that would have a huge impact on our bottom line, he said.

Together, tariffs on those products could amount to as much as $1 per six-pack, which may be enough to turn off some consumers, he said.

The last thing we want to do is raise our prices, he said. In fact, weve tried to keep our prices low. Weve only raised our price once in the last four years.

Ignacio Chavez, manager of El Alamo Mexican restaurant in South Omaha, is also concerned. On Friday, he was thinking about potential prices hikes on imported tequila, beer, limes and avocados from Mexico.

Odds are the fresh, ripe tomato on your plate in dead of winter came from Mexico, he said.

Although he hasnt seen prices go up yet, if they do, he said hell have no choice but to pass the increase on to customers.

The tariffs may be enough to force some local businesses into bankruptcy, he said.

We have little margin to make it, Chavez said. We dont have a big margin like big companies.

Tariffs landscape continues to change

In less than a week, the rapid-fire back-and-forth over tariffs among the United States, Canada and Mexico has given many onlookers whiplash.

Nebraska Farm Bureau president Mark McHargue this week called on Trump and his administration to quickly work through any disagreements to help prevent significant and long-term harm to some of our more important trading relationships and to these huge export markets for Nebraska agriculture.

McHargue said Nebraskas farm and ranch families are heavily dependent on international customers for one third of their annual income.

Tariffs and retaliations put downward pressure on commodity prices, increase costs and cause economic uncertainty, he said.

Meantime, until the feuding countries can settle their differences, the likelihood that consumers will face higher prices on imported products looms, with grocery items likely among the first to get hit, experts say.

In the near term, consumers are likely to see increases in prices first at the supermarket, said Steve Schulz, interim dean of the College of Business Administration at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. The gallon of milk, the vegetables, fruits and so on that come into our country.

Over the intermediate and longer term, consumers may feel the impact of higher prices on products like computer technology, automobiles, steel and aluminum, he said.

For those products, the supply chains are longer and there are more steps in the process, he said.

We dont buy cars all that often, Schulz said. We do buy them, but its going to take a while for that to work through the supply chain, to get the steel to the manufacturers and back to the consumer.

Trump initially reimposed his 25% tariffs on imported Mexican and Canadian goods Tuesday, saying the two countries have not done enough to stop illegal drugs and immigrants crossing into the United States.

He granted a one-month exemption to automakers at the request of Ford, General Motors and Stellantis, according to White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt. About three-quarters of the vehicles produced in Mexico are exported to the United States, the administration says.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded with retaliatory tariffs of 25% on U.S. goods.

Initially, Canada put tariffs on $30 billion in goods, mostly consumer goods and food, and threatened additional tariffs on $125 billion in imports from the United States. Those products would be drawn from a list that includes beef, pork and dairy, as well as electric vehicles, electronics, steel, aluminum, trucks and buses.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said her country will respond with retaliatory tariffs on imports from the United States, according to media reports. However, on Thursday, Trump posted to Truth Social that after speaking with Sheinbaum, he has agreed that Mexico will not be required to pay tariffs on anything that falls under the existing United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement until April 2. He also ordered a similar pause for Canada.

Nebraskas top agricultural exports in 2024 were beef, soybeans, corn, pork and soybean meal, according to the Nebraska Farm Bureau.

Canada, Mexico and China were at or near the top of the customer list, the bureau said.

Tariffs would likely impact grocery prices

Ansley Fellers, executive director of the Nebraska Grocery Industry Association, said that tariffs on imported goods, if put in place, could push up prices on some grocery items.

But were not seeing that yet, she said Wednesday. Theres still a lot of product in the United States, she said.

She said Americans benefit from having a diverse and resilient supply chain that allows us to enjoy imported fresh strawberries, avocados and tomatoes even in winter.

However, she said, just because its a 25% tariff, that doesnt mean the price of an imported avocado will increase by 25%.

I think its a little bit more dynamic than that, she said. Fellers said grocery is a competitive industry, and the operators try to keep the prices as low and competitive as possible.

Although some national retailers are already signaling that consumers should expect higher prices, Fellers said she talked with a wholesaler Wednesday who was taking a wait-and-see approach until theres more clarity about the future.

What tariffs mean for building supplies

Homebuilders are also cautiously watching the international back-and-forth, with a keen eye to the cost of lumber, as well as gypsum and lime, which are used in construction, according to a major Nebraska homebuilder.

With tariffs in place, the impact on the cost of houses would be inevitable, said David Vogtman, treasurer of the Metropolitan Omaha Builders Association.

He is senior vice president of The Home Company, which he said builds about 175 homes a year in Omaha and the surrounding area.

Homebuilders need lumber, and Canada is the top supplier of forest products to the United States.

I know that lumber prices just this week, with the tariffs going into place went up by 5%, so you know it is going to go up, Vogtman said.

Yet, he said, the impact of tariffs on home prices will likely pale beside other factors that have driven up home costs over the last decade.

He said some studies suggest that tariffs, if left in place, could increase the price of a typical single-family house anywhere from $4,500 to $22,000.

However, he said the cost of building a home has surged in recent years on a variety of other factors, driven up by rising costs for land, infrastructure, materials, lumber, fees and government requirements.

I dont want to downplay the tariffs, he said. There will be an impact. But you know weve had a lot of impacts in the homebuilding industry over the last eight to 10 years, land prices going higher, materials being higher, that have affected the market far more than the tariffs are.

According to a White House fact sheet from March 1, Trump views securing the countrys lumber supply as an economic and national security issue.

The United States has been a net importer of lumber since 2016, despite having the practical production capacity to supply 95% of the United States 2024 softwood consumption, it said.

Tariffs might create some local opportunities

According to Schulz, the UNO business dean, consumers need to remember that not everything we consume is imported, and not everything will be impacted by tariffs.

In a tariff environment, buying local could become even more popular, he said. Local producers, previously unable to compete on price, could step into the market offering alternatives to imports, he said.

Shopping local may mean more now than it ever has, he said.

Homegrown or near-grown types of food products may become more appealing because theyre domestic, he said.

If prices start to rise, consumers are going to have to become better educated about whats imported and whats domestic and start to make choices based on that, he said.

Schulz said it appears the bargaining between nations will continue for a while. For consumers and producers, meantime, that means uncertainty, he said.

Weve had the first salvo, and were already talking about second iterations of what might come into play, he said.
Half of the teens charged with murder or manslaughter in Douglas County since 2023 were on juvenile probation at the time of the alleged killings.

Just last month, 60-year-old Pedro Velasquez was walking his dogs near his South Omaha home when he was ambushed, shot and killed in an apparent robbery attempt. Two teens, including a 15-year-old who was placed on juvenile probation in January, face first-degree murder charges in connection with the slaying.

How could this have gone differently? Patrick Dempsey, the president of the Omaha Police Officers Association, said of the teens arrested in Velasquezs killing. More supervision? More follow-up? How do juveniles escalate to this level while on probation?

These questions led some law enforcement agencies and prosecutors to voice strong support for a legislative proposal that would shift oversight of juvenile probation from the judicial branch to a new agency under the executive branch. Legislative Bill 684, introduced by State Sen. Eliot Bostar of Lincoln, would establish a new Juvenile Probation Agency within the executive branch. The Nebraska Judicial Branch has overseen juvenile probation in some fashion for decades and assumed full control of the Office of Juvenile Services after a series of changes beginning in 2013.

In more than five hours of testimony during a Judiciary Committee hearing late last month, proponents said the lack of information-sharing between police and juvenile probation has been detrimental to investigations and community safety. Opponents said lawmakers should look at the underlying issues in state statute and courtroom procedures instead of shifting the responsibility to a different branch of government.

When pressed by legislators, many supporters said they werent sure that the executive branch was the answer, but they jumped at the opportunity to start a broader conversation about juvenile probation.

What we have right now isnt working, and this was the first opportunity that I saw where there was somebody that offered an opportunity for us to have the conversation, Lincoln Police Chief Michon Morrow said. I dont know that the right answer is the executive branch, but I know the wrong answer is the status quo.

Heres what the data says about juvenile crime

Between 2023 and February 2025, 20 juveniles between the ages of 13 and 18 in Douglas County were charged with murder or manslaughter in connection with 13 homicides. Ten of those 20 were on juvenile probation at the time they were charged with the killings.

One example: William Willis, one of three teens accused in the October 2023 killing of 16-year-old LaMarintae Swift, had four felony convictions in Juvenile Court  including gun and robbery charges  in the years preceding his alleged involvement in the murder. He had been under the supervision of a juvenile probation officer since early 2022.

Another: Each of the six juveniles accused in the 2024 killing of Mursal Jama had previous Juvenile Court involvement. The two youngest, ages 11 and 13, had open felony cases in Juvenile Court that had not yet been adjudicated. The four older teens were each on juvenile probation; three of the four had at least one felony conviction in Juvenile Court.

Douglas County saw an overall decrease in youth felony arrests in 2024 after a record high in 2023, but officials are worried about the growing number of kids who are arrested for multiple felony offenses  many of whom are on juvenile probation when they are accused of additional felonies.

Last year, Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer shared data with the Douglas County Board of Commissioners that in 2016 just two juveniles were arrested for five or more felonies by the Omaha Police Department. In 2023, that number rose to 36, and it dropped to 28 in 2024.

Searching for solutions, not quick fixes

Law enforcement officials told lawmakers one problem may be the issues theyve had obtaining data from juvenile probation, particularly GPS data from kids who are on electronic monitoring.

We have experienced the detrimental impact on our investigations, and subsequently the safety of our community, due to the lack of collaborative information-sharing from juvenile probation, Morrow said. Law enforcement frequently needs critical information they possess regarding system-involved youth placements and access to GPS data from monitors as a part of our investigations. We need a consistent commitment to exchange information.

But opponents pointed out that state statute dictates how juvenile probation can share information with law enforcement. Under a law enacted in 2023, its up to prosecutors to request that law enforcement has instant access to juvenile GPS monitoring data as a condition of probation.

Both a Juvenile Court judge in Lancaster County and a juvenile defense attorney in Douglas County testified that theyve never seen prosecutors request that access as a probation condition.

Opponents, some of whom work in the judicial branch, questioned the efficacy of shifting the responsibility of juvenile probation with a broader look at whats causing the troubles. Justin Wayne, a former state senator and defense attorney who often works in Juvenile Court, likened the bill to some of his own prior proposals.

What this bill, to me, comes down to, is laziness and kicking the can down the road, Wayne said. And I can say that, because I brought bills similar to this two times. I did it because I thought it was a quick fix. But heres why its kicking the can down the road: If you go down this path, youre going to spend the next two to three years hearing, Its a transition period. Were working through issues. Give us time to catch up and figure it all out. In the meantime, were not solving the problem.

Jennifer Houlden, the chief deputy in the juvenile services division at the Lancaster County Public Defenders Office, encouraged legislators not to reshape juvenile probation without considering all the kids for whom it is working. Overall, the recidivism rate for juveniles placed on probation is about 17%, which is in line with national figures.

Our juvenile justice system needs to serve the entire states youth, she said. It should not be designed for the six worst examples that have ever happened in the past 10 years. There are thousands of other children that deserve evidence-based treatment and intervention, and we should not shape our system because of real experiences that are anecdotal outliers.

Testifying in a neutral capacity, Douglas County Sheriff Aaron Hanson agreed that juvenile probation has been catastrophic for high-risk youths. He echoed the negative changes in the relationship between law enforcement and juvenile probation in recent years. But he also said new leadership in the judicial branch  including a new chief justice and probation administrator  may lead to increased communication and better outcomes.

Asked by The World-Herald if he would support moving juvenile probation under the executive branch, Hanson said hes a classic neutral on the issue.

Whoever retains control over juvenile justice supervision post-adjudication, it has got to be focused on finding pathways to address the kid where they are right now, Hanson said. The duration of supervision is too short. The alternatives to detention are not only few and far between, but the infrastructure design of those alternatives are inadequate because state law does not allow for secure placement options. We need to find a way to transition high-risk kids from detention to therapeutic support and ultimately to sustainability. And we dont have that option now.

The Judiciary Committee did not take immediate action on the bill after the hearing. In addition to the oral testimony, the committee received five written comments from proponents and four from opponents.


Republican Oregon Lawmakers Urge President Trump to Take Executive Action on Voter ID and Citizenship Verification

By Oregon House Republican Office,

Salem, OR  A group of Republican members of the Oregon State Legislature is calling on President Donald J. Trump to issue an executive order requiring states to implement voter ID and citizenship verification for all voter registrations nationwide, citing serious election integrity concerns in Oregon.

In a letter to the President and key federal leaders, the lawmakers warn that Oregons lack of voter ID and citizenship verification has left its elections vulnerable. They point to a recent failure where at least 1,600 individuals were erroneously registered to vote without proof of U.S. citizenshiplikely just the tip of the iceberg since Oregon is an attestation state.

Shockingly, the state resumed automatic voter registration before an independent audit was even completed, raising further doubts about the security of the system. Now Democrats in the state legislature have proposed a bill to allow 16 and 17 year olds to vote.

To address these concerns, the lawmakers are urging immediate federal action, including:

An Executive Order requiring all states to implement voter ID and citizenship verification.

Congressional Legislation to establish uniform election security standards nationwide.

The integrity of our elections is at stake, the lawmakers stated. Oregoniansand all Americansdeserve a system that is secure, transparent, and free from fraud. The federal government must act now.

The letter was signed by seven Republican state representatives: Court Boice (District 1), Virgle Osborne (District 2), Dwayne Yunker (District 3), Alek Skarlatos (District 4), Darin Harbick (District 12), Ed Diehl (District 17), and E. Werner Reschke (District 55).
While the arrow tattoo has its origins in Native American traditions, its symbolic meaning has evolved and expanded over time, transcending cultural boundaries and resonating with people from diverse backgrounds. Today, the arrow tattoo can represent a wide range of personal and universal concepts, each with its own unique significance.

The Single Arrow: Protection and Independence

The simplest form of the arrow tattoo is a single, standalone arrow. This design often symbolizes the wearer's desire for protection, self-defense, and personal independence. The arrow is seen as a powerful tool for warding off harm and safeguarding one's wellbeing, both physically and emotionally.

Advertisement

The Downward-Pointing Arrow: Peace and Tranquility

In Native American culture, a downward-pointing arrow is associated with the concept of peace. This tattoo design can represent the wearer's aspiration for inner calm, the resolution of conflicts, and the ability to find harmony in their life.

The Feathered Arrow: Freedom and Triumph

The addition of feathers to the arrow tattoo design adds a layer of symbolism, often representing the wearer's sense of liberty, independence, and personal triumph. The feathers evoke the imagery of flight, suggesting the ability to soar above life's challenges and achieve one's goals.

The Crossed Arrows: Friendship and Alliance

When two arrows are crossed, the tattoo design signifies a bond of friendship, alliance, or unity between individuals. This symbol reflects the wearer's commitment to their relationships and the strength they draw from their connections with others.

The Arrow on a Bow: Struggle and Tension

An arrow that is pulled back on a bow represents the tension, conflict, and inner struggles that the wearer may be experiencing or has overcome. This design can symbolize the individual's resilience and determination to navigate life's challenges.

The Released Arrow: Transition and Forward Movement

In contrast to the arrow on a bow, the released arrow tattoo design represents a positive transition or a forward movement in the wearer's life. This symbol suggests a shift from a state of tension to one of progress and growth.

The Broken Arrow: Peace and Reconciliation

A broken or snapped arrow tattoo is a powerful symbol of peace, reconciliation, and the end of conflict. This design can signify the wearer's ability to let go of past struggles and embrace a new era of harmony and understanding.

The Compass Arrow: New Direction and Guidance

The compass arrow tattoo design incorporates an arrow passing through one of the compass points, representing a new direction, a change in life's path, or the search for guidance and purpose. This tattoo can symbolize the wearer's commitment to finding their way, even in the face of uncertainty.

The Cupid Arrow: Love and Romance

In classical mythology, the god Cupid was known for using his bow and arrow to ignite the flames of love and desire. The cupid arrow tattoo design, with the arrow piercing a heart, is a timeless symbol of romantic love, passion, and the power of attraction.
As the koi fish's captivating symbolism has transcended cultural boundaries, it has become a beloved subject for tattoo enthusiasts worldwide. Koi fish tattoos have become a canvas for personal expression, allowing individuals to commemorate their own journeys, celebrate their triumphs, and communicate their deepest aspirations through the timeless imagery of these remarkable creatures.

The Multifaceted Symbolism of Koi Fish Tattoos

Koi fish tattoos are not merely decorative ink; they are imbued with a wealth of symbolic meaning that resonates with people across the globe. These tattoos can represent a wide range of powerful sentiments, including:

Advertisement

Strength and Perseverance: The koi's ability to swim against the current and overcome obstacles symbolizes the wearer's own inner strength and determination to confront life's challenges.

Transformation and Rebirth: The legend of the koi's transformation into a dragon represents the wearer's personal journey of growth, evolution, and the shedding of old selves to embrace new beginnings.

Good Fortune and Prosperity: The koi's association with success, wealth, and abundance makes it a popular choice for those seeking to attract positive energy and manifest their dreams.

Masculinity and Virility: In Japanese and Chinese cultures, the koi is closely linked to masculine qualities, making it a powerful symbol for those seeking to celebrate their strength, courage, and prowess.

Harmony and Balance: The yin-yang symbolism often incorporated into koi fish tattoos represents the wearer's pursuit of inner peace, balance, and the harmonious integration of opposing forces.

Diversity in Koi Fish Tattoo Designs

The captivating world of koi fish tattoos offers a vast array of artistic interpretations and stylistic variations, each with its own unique charm and symbolic significance. From traditional Japanese-inspired designs to contemporary, abstract renditions, the versatility of koi fish tattoos allows for highly personalized expressions of the wearer's identity, values, and life experiences.

Traditional Japanese Koi Tattoos

Firmly rooted in the rich cultural heritage of Japan, traditional koi fish tattoos are celebrated for their intricate, vibrant designs and the profound symbolism they convey. These tattoos often feature bold, striking color palettes, including vivid reds, oranges, and blacks, each hue carrying distinct meanings and associations.

Realistic Koi Tattoos

The hyperrealistic depiction of koi fish in tattoo art has captivated many enthusiasts, showcasing the incredible technical mastery of talented tattoo artists. These tattoos aim to capture the lifelike essence of the koi, with meticulous attention to detail in the rendering of scales, fins, and vibrant colors. The realism of these designs heightens the emotional impact and personal significance of the koi's symbolic resonance.

Black and Grey Koi Tattoos

Embracing a more understated, yet equally captivating aesthetic, black and grey koi tattoos offer a timeless and elegant interpretation of the iconic fish. These monochromatic designs rely on the interplay of light and shadow to convey the koi's essence, highlighting the artistry and technical prowess of the tattoo artist.

Watercolor Koi Tattoos

Defying the traditional boundaries of koi tattoo design, the watercolor style has emerged as a striking and imaginative interpretation. These tattoos capture the fluidity and ethereal beauty of the koi, with soft, blurred edges and translucent hues that evoke a sense of artistic expression and personal creativity.

Koi and Dragon Tattoos

The fusion of the koi fish and the mythical dragon has become a captivating and symbolically rich tattoo design. The dragon, representing strength, power, and transformation, is often depicted alongside the koi, creating a harmonious blend of the koi's perseverance and the dragon's majestic grandeur.

Placement and Meaning: The Significance of Body Art Location

The placement of a koi fish tattoo on the body can also profoundly influence its symbolic meaning and visual impact. Certain body parts are commonly associated with specific interpretations, allowing wearers to tailor the tattoo's significance to their personal narratives.

Forearm Koi Tattoos

Koi fish tattoos on the forearm are often seen as bold, prominent declarations of the wearer's inner strength, courage, and determination. The visibility of the tattoo on this area of the body can amplify the symbolic resonance of the koi's journey and the wearer's own personal struggles and triumphs.

Back Koi Tattoos

Expansive koi fish tattoos on the back offer a grand canvas for intricate, visually striking designs. This placement can symbolize the wearer's willingness to confront and overcome life's challenges head-on, with the koi's perseverance serving as a constant source of inspiration and motivation.

Thigh Koi Tattoos

Koi fish tattoos on the thigh can represent the wearer's sense of forward momentum and progress. The curved surface of the thigh lends itself well to dynamic, flowing designs that capture the koi's graceful movements and the wearer's own journey towards their goals.

Chest Koi Tattoos

Koi fish tattoos on the chest are often associated with matters of the heart, symbolizing the courage to follow one's passions and the resilience to overcome emotional obstacles. This placement can reflect the wearer's deep personal connection to the koi's symbolic significance.

Ankle Koi Tattoos

Smaller koi fish tattoos on the ankle or foot can signify a more intimate, personal connection to the symbolism of the fish. This placement can represent the wearer's sense of freedom, independence, and the ability to move forward with purpose and determination.
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:

People watch waves at Surfers Beach on Australia's Gold Coast as former Cyclone Alfred nears.

Ex-Cyclone Alfred stalled off the rain- and wind-lashed coast of eastern Australia on Saturday, threatening to unleash floods after blacking out more than 330,000 homes and businesses.

The former tropical cyclonenow downgraded to a tropical depressionhas battered the coastline with gale-force winds that toppled trees, brought down power lines, and damaged buildings.

It was still creating heavy rainfall, swelling rivers in parts of a 400-kilometer (250-mile) stretch of the coast straddling southeast Queensland and northeast New South Wales, government forecasters said.

Utility companies said 295,000 properties in southeast Queensland and another 42,600 in New South Wales were without power, warning that floods could hamper repairs.

"That's the largest ever loss of power from a natural disaster in Queensland's history," said the state's premier, David Crisafulli, estimating that about 750,000 people had been impacted since the blackouts began.

Although the weather system "stalled and began weakening", the bureau of meteorology warned that intense rain and damaging wind gusts were a risk throughout the weekend.

"Rivers are already starting to respond to the heavy rainfall, with many Minor to Major Flood Warnings current," the bureau said in a statement.

Before weakening into a tropical low, Cyclone Alfred battered Nobby's Beach on the Gold Coast of eastern Australia.

A 61-year-old man's body was found Saturday after his four-wheel drive pick-up truck was swept off a bridge into a river in northern New South Wales.

He had clambered out of the vehicle and tried in vain to cling to a tree branch in the river before disappearing into the rapid waters on Friday, police said.

Flood warnings

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese warned people not to underestimate the risks.

"While it has been downgraded, very serious risks remain so it is important that people do not take this downgrading as a reason for complacency," Albanese told a news conference.

"Its impact will be serious and will intensify over coming hours and indeed over coming days."

Evacuation orders have been issued for 16,200 people in New South Wales, where 30 flood rescues have been carried out over the past 24 hours, emergency services said.

A tree uprooted by strong winds crashed into a home in Elanora, a suburb of Australia's Gold Coast.

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns told a news conference the emergency was not over.

"It's not over for the following reasons: The rivers are full. The rain is continuing and expected to keep falling in the days ahead. And wind conditions are very high and extreme," he said.

But in Lismorea northern New South Wales city hit by deadly floods in 2022 and a focus of concern in the past few daysthe Wilsons River was no longer expected to spill over a 10.6-meter (35-foot) levee protecting inhabitants, forecasters said.

Paramedic Ginny Burke, 30, said she was at work when the wind uprooted a large gum tree that smashed through the house she is renting in Elanora on the Gold Coast in Queensland.

Burke told AFP she returned to her crushed home, where her sister recounted that she had heard the tree fall on Friday evening but described the calamity as "really unexciting".

"What can you do?" the paramedic asked. "It's just stuff. Everyone's safe."

 2025 AFP
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Despite large multinational companies such as Goldman Sachs, Paramount, Google and others removing their diversity, equity and inclusion policies, the evidence is clear: having a diverse team can help businesses make better, more empathetic decisions.

At the top level, a growing body of research shows having more women on corporate boards leads to better decision-making, stronger governance and improved environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance.

Yet, progress remains sloweven in New Zealand. Though we rank highly on the Human Development Index, the country lags behind in leadership gender equality.

Women make up 50.8% of the population and hold 40.8% of parliamentary leadership roles. But they hold only 28.5% of board seats and 26.4% of executive roles in the New Zealand's Stock Exchange (NZX) top 50 companies (the NZX50).

And while businesses are encouraged to disclose gender diversity policies by the NZX, there are no mandatory quotas, leaving progress uneven.

However, change is happening. Our new research looked at the percentage of female directors in NZX-listed firms between 2016 and 2022.

What we found is positive. Using information from financial infrastructure and data provider LSEG's database on global financial markets, we identified a rise in the number of female directors on corporate boards. We also saw a corresponding improvement in the firms' ESG performance.

Boosting performance

Between 2016 and 2022, the proportion of female directors in NZX-listed firms increased from 26% to 36%. These same businesses saw an average 33% improvement in their ESG performance.

Notably, governanceone of the key ESG pillarsimproved significantly, with a 31% increase on average. Governance specifically refers to the effectiveness of the firm's management systems, board structure and capacity to protect shareholder interests.

While it's not possible to say outright that having more women on the board directly influenced governance outcomes, we saw a positive relationship between the two. This suggests having more women in leadership strengthens corporate oversight and ethical decision-making.

Gender diversity does not have the same level of importance in all contexts. While social and environmental performance also improved, this study found no significant link between a more gender-diverse board and these higher scores in social and environmental performance.

Our findings are supported by overseas research suggesting board diversity does not strongly influence sustainability outcomes when it comes to issues and groups already covered by legislation.

Therefore, New Zealand's proactive stance on issues such as the environment, poverty and human rights, as well as encouraging private companies to improve sustainability and transparency, may explain why board diversity had no notable impact on social and environmental performance in this study.

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 women bring to the business

Our findings align with studies completed overseas.

In the US, one study found women business leaders tended to prioritize transparency, fairness and stakeholder interests. This made them strong advocates for sustainable and inclusive business practices.

It's clear that addressing the gender gap in corporate New Zealand isn't just about fairness. It's about economic success. Businesses that embrace diversity perform better, attract top talent and enhance their reputations.

The solution isn't simply about enforcing quotas, but ensuring more qualified women are placed in leadership roles. Companies need to move beyond a "compliance mindset" and recognize true diversity strengthens governance, reduces risk and drives long-term success.

As the world celebrates International Women's Day on March 8, businesses need to realize that increasing female representation at the top isn't just the right thing to doit's the smart thing to do.

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:

Drawing of Burial 10 in situ during excavation. Credit: Kathryn Killacky in Juengst et al. 2025

A recent study, conducted by Dr. Sara Juengst and her colleagues and published in Latin American Antiquity, sheds light on a unique Manteno (AD 6501532) burial, possibly linked to human sacrifice.

The burial, located in Buen Suceso, Ecuador, contains the remains of a young female, pregnant at the time, who was interred between AD 771 and 953 during the Manteno period.

The Manteno were a pre-Columbian culture known for their agriculture and public architecture. Broadly speaking, the culture shared a similar material culture and socio-political organizations. However, some regional variances exist, and thus, the culture can be further subdivided into three classifications: the Manteno del Norte, the southern Huancavilca, and the Punaes of the Isla Puna. Buen Suceso is located in the liminal zones between the southern Huancavilca and Manteno del Norte cultures.

In 2022, the Buen Suceso site was digitally mapped and excavated. Despite Buen Suceso being a primarily Valdivia Period (37501475 BC) site, burials, including Burial 10 discussed in the study, were determined to be of the later Manteno period.

Dr. Juengst elaborates, "Buen Suceso is primarily a Valdivia Period (37501475 BC) site formed by a U-shaped midden ring, cleared central plaza, and low mound. The burial discussed in the article is from a later period (AD 771953) associated with Manteno occupation of the valley."

Burial 10 contained the remains of a 1720-year-old female, a cranial fragment likely belonging to an individual between 2535 years old, and the remains of a fetus.

Further analysis revealed the woman had suffered from various pathologies in life, including cribra orbitalia (porous lesions in the eye sockets), porotic hyperostosis (pitted lesions in the skull), linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH/ horizontal lines on the teeth), and various bone infections.

Additionally, she had been found with various cut marks and fractures, as well as a missing left leg and unaccounted-for hands.

Throughout her grave, various artifacts both belonging to the Manteno and Valdivia cultures were recovered, including ark clam shells (Anadara sp.), a green clay stone, ceramic fragments, crescent-shaped spondylus shells known as mascaras, obsidian blades, a burnt offering, and spondylus chaquira and oblong beads.

Based on the above evidence, the researchers suggested the woman had been killed by a blow to the head; however, whether this was intentional or accidental could not be asserted. At the time of her death, her pregnancy had been nearly at full term, says Dr. Juengst, "The woman was likely near full-term pregnancy based on the development of the fetal bones, so it is likely people were aware she was pregnant."

Around the time of death, her left leg and hands were removed. She was then buried with various objects containing a mix of Manteno and Valdivia artifacts. Burial 10's grave goods were compared to other burials at Buen Suceso and found to have contained a dramatically higher number of burial goods.

Burial 10 was also unique for the type of artifacts interred; chaquiras, for example, did not exist in other Manteno burials with the exception of one other. Meanwhile, mascaras and obsidian artifacts were completely unique to Burial 10.

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 researchers suggest that Burial 10 may have been treated as a sacrifice or possibly a ritual burial. Although rare, some accounts by the Spanish do report the practice of human sacrifice, says Dr. Juengst.

"European chroniclers actually don't mention limb removal, but they do describe ritual sacrifice of individuals. Benzoni, an Italian explorer, describes the practice of human sacrifice for coastal Ecuador. He suggests this was performed to appease a god or ask supernatural powers for favors (although European explorers were somewhat notoriously bad at understanding what they observed)."

Additionally, the inclusion of green clay stone suggests that the sacrificial ritual may have been linked to fertility, as it recalls the practice of including green stones in Valdivia burials linked with fertility and death.

The interment of a pregnant woman may further support this interpretation. However, some caution is warranted, says Dr. Juengst.

"Burial of infants at special locations is common throughout western South America and along the Ecuadorian coast, but specific rituals about pregnancy are not documented. Ceramics from coastal Ecuador often depict female forms (so-called Valdivia Venus figurines), and sometimes these are interpreted as having been pregnant, but it's unclear what rituals surrounding pregnancy would have existed."

More information: Sara L. Juengst et al, An Enigmatic Manteno Burial from Buen Suceso, Ecuador, AD 771953, Latin American Antiquity (2025). DOI: 10.1017/laq.2024.20

 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:

Figure 1. NASA's InSight lander is shown above with all of its different devices that have been used for scientific discovery. The SEIS (Seismic Experiment for the Interior Structure) seismometer is shown to the bottom left of the lander. Credit: Ikuo Katayama

Are subterranean lifeforms viable on Mars? A new interpretation of Martian seismic data by scientists Ikuo Katayama of Hiroshima University and Yuya Akamatsu of Research Institute for Marine Geodynamics suggests the presence of water below the surface of Mars. "If liquid water exists on Mars," Katayama says, "the presence of microbial activity" is possible.

This analysis is based on seismic data from SEIS (Seismic Experiment for the Interior Structure), deployed from NASA's InSight lander that landed on Mars in 2018 (Fig. 1). This robotic lander is unique because it was able to use its robotic arm to place a seismometer on the surface of Mars. The SEIS instrument, which contains the seismometer, uses the seismic waves naturally generated on Mars from Marsquakes or meteorite impacts to scan the planet's interior (Fig. 1).

When a Marsquake or meteorite impact occurs on Mars, SEIS can read the energy emitted as P-waves, S-waves, and surface waves to create an image of the planet's interior (Fig. 2). Scientists can use P-waves and S-waves to determine a lot about the rocks that make up Mars, including the density of the rocks or potential composition changes within the rocks.

Figure 2. A diagram showing how different seismic waves travel across Mars. Credit: Ikuo Katayama

For example, S-waves cannot travel through water and move at a slower speed than P-waves. Therefore, the presence, absence, and arrival time of S-waves can determine what the subsurface looks like. Moreover, P-waves can travel faster through higher-density material and slower through less dense material, so their velocity can help determine the density of the material the wave is traveling through, as well as if there are any changes in density along its path. The seismic data collected with SEIS shows a boundary at 10 km depth and 20 km depth from measured discrepancies in seismic velocity.

This boundary has previously been interpreted as sharp transitions in the porosity (the percentage of open space in a rock) or chemical composition of the Martian interior. However, Katayama and Akamatsu have interpreted these cracks as potential evidence for water within the Martian subsurface. The seismic data indicate a boundary between dry cracks and water-filled cracks in the Martian subsurface (Fig. 3). To test their hypothesis, they measured the seismic velocity passing through rocks with the same structures and composition of a typical Martian crustal rock under wet, dry, and frozen conditions.

Figure 3. A panel of figures showing how S-wave and P-wave velocities, the ratio of P-wave and S-wave velocity, and porosity change throughout the Martian subsurface. The diagram on the far right shows what these differences mean for each rock layer. Credit: Ikuo Katayama

A typical Martian rock is similar to the diabase rocks from Rydaholm, Sweden, due to their evenly sized plagioclase and orthopyroxene grains. In the lab, Katayama and Akamatsu measured P-wave and S-wave velocity using a piezoelectric transducer, which uses "electrical energy . . . as a wave source" that "monitor[s] seismic wave energy" on dry, wet, and frozen diabase samples. Experimentation revealed that the seismic velocities of the dry, wet, and frozen samples are significantly different, which supports the interpretation that the boundary at 10 km and 20 km could be from a change from dry rock to wet rock.

These laboratory experiments back up Katayama and Yuya's hypothesis that the boundary measured by seismic data indicates a transition from dry rock to wet rock rather than a change in porosity or chemical composition. The findings, therefore, provide compelling evidence for the existence of liquid water beneath the surface of Mars. "Many studies suggest the presence of water on ancient Mars billions of years ago," Katayama explains, "but our model indicates the presence of liquid water on present-day Mars."

More information: Ikuo Katayama et al, Seismic discontinuity in the Martian crust possibly caused by water-filled cracks, Geology (2024). DOI: 10.1130/G52369.1 Journal information: Geology
ATLANTIC CITY  Gemma Downham will never forget when the first COVID-19 patient in Atlantic County arrived at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center five years ago.

We had our first case very early on in the pandemic, before there was testing, said Downham, who was the director of infection prevention during the pandemic. It was in a patient that traveled to Singapore and came back in March. I remember sitting with her care team trying to figure out what the isolation protocols should be and what the treatment options were because there were none at the time. We were just trying to make sure all of the health care professionals that had to go in and out of that room were safe.

Downham, who is now the administrator for AtlantiCares Atlantic City campus, recalled having to rent special beds and use prone ventilation to treat the patient. Prone ventilation involves placing a patient face down to help them breathe.

She was also one of the first cases in the State of New Jersey, Downham said. We worked with local health departments and had to send specimens to the CDC. This patient was with us for a long time, but we were able to establish our treatment protocols that became standard.

In the weeks that followed, the disease spread around the world like wildfire.

The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic March 11, 2020, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. With it came mask mandates and the shutdown of schools and businesses. But frontline health care workers needed to stay true to their jobs and provide around-the-clock care to those infected.

Downham said the experience was overwhelming.

We couldnt have been more proud of our frontline staff because they made sure everyone was taken care of despite the sheer amount of patients, Downham said. It was a surreal time where health care professionals were going about their daily jobs and working like theyve never worked before. I think there was this disconnect between them and what a lot of the other world was living.

How the COVID-19 lockdowns changed life in South Jersey The Press of Atlantic City spoke to people about what they remember about those early days of the COVID-19 pandemic and how those changes affect their lives now.

As testing began to roll out and pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer and Moderna started to develop vaccines, Downham said one of the hospitals focuses was making sure those impacted the most by the virus had access to both.

We made sure those in our community, especially in underserved areas, had the information and education that they needed, Downham said. We had employee resource groups that reached out to community leaders and church leaders to make sure people knew appointments were available.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use authorizations to Pfizer and Moderna in late 2020, allowing vaccines to get into the arms of Americans following successful clinical trials.

A vaccine mega site opened Jan. 22, 2021, at the Atlantic City Convention Center. Thousands came to the resort each day to receive a vaccine, with as many as 4,000 being vaccinated in a single day, Downham said.

Downham said AtlantiCare operated the site with the help of the National Guard and described it as a phenomenal feat.

Between working with the nurses, the pharmacies and the National Guard, I think it was almost like wartime, Downham said. They would go to the mega site every day and give out vaccines until the last vial was empty. It was such a service to not only people in the state, but for those who came from out of the area because vaccines were so hard to come by and it was our only hope of preventing severe disease. The mega site was wildly successful because of all of the logistics and moving parts it took for the medical center to run it with the military.

Downham said the pandemic showed the need to leverage technology in hospitals.

We had to utilize telehealth immediately during the pandemic, Downham said, referring to the process by which patients speak to health care providers remotely. We realized that was a way to reach people that sometimes couldnt make it to appointments or see a doctor as quickly as they need to. We also have more AI now, and were trying to change the focus on those pillars moving forward.
Cameron Martinez found a bit of shelter from Friday morning's mix of rain and snow under the side entrance to the Rock Island Public Library.

He was waiting for a ride to somewhere warmer.

"You get used to it out here," the 29-year-old said. He offered a shrug and burrowed deeper into his big black coat. "It's that time of year, ya know?"

The library on 18th Street is located directly across the street from the two-story brick building that used to house Project NOW. For the last 49 days, it's been the home of Lift NOW, a 37-bed emergency shelter for men, women and families experiencing homelessness.

"I'm not there every night, but I have stayed there," Martinez said. "It's nice. It's been a blessing. It's nice to have a place when everywhere else kinda falls through.

"I'm from California and I've had some hard times. I got a job at John Deere, but they let me go before I even started. It's not been easy. Sometimes I just don't have a place to sleep. That's just how my life is right now."

About an hour after Martinez described his experiences, leaders from Project NOW, Christian Care and the Rock Island County Board gathered inside one the emergency shelter's 12-bed rooms to speak to the media about the efforts to house people during the coldest months of the year.

Why is there a shelter in Rock Island?

When it appeared no emergency shelter would be in place this winter, Project NOW and Christian Care got permission from the city of Rock Island to convert Project NOW's old location on 18th Street into the 37-bed facility.

Project NOW pulled together $127,000 in funding, including a total of $30,000 from the Rock Island County Board. The city of East Moline also chipped in support.

The shelter opened Jan. 17, just before one of the coldest weekends of the winter.

It was, Project NOW Executive Director Dwight Ford said, " ... an attempt to hold things together."

"The state of Illinois saw a 116% increase in homelessness over the last year," Ford said. "The rate went up 44% locally. Rock Island County is one of six locations in the state with at least a 40% increase in homelessness."

Rock Island County Board member Richard Brunk was an early and active supporter of the efforts to establish an emergency shelter. He said he was not alone on the board in that support.

"We thought that it was imperative that we come together to provide some sort of help for people," he said. "It wasn't a partisan issue or anything like that. We just really felt strongly, as a board, that this was a good plan and that Project NOW, Christian Care and their partners could really make a difference."

Ron Lund, Project NOW's director of mission effectiveness and expansion, offered some numbers showing the need for Lift NOW.

The shelter has averaged 26 occupants a night since it opened, Lund said. A total of 137  84 men and 53 women  unduplicated individuals have stayed at least one night.

Lund looked at some other, oft-overlooked, numbers. He noted 47% of those who stayed reported physical or mental health conditions. And 43% reported a history of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence or stalking, and human trafficking.

'Discovering new approaches'

Project NOW's Director of Housing Stability and Homeless Prevention Cathy Jordan was the last to speak at Friday's news conference, but the efforts of her department may be the most critical in terms of Ford's long-term plans.

Jordan reported on five individuals who were housed at the shelter and then transitioned into stable housing:

a 36-year-old who had to stay at the shelter because he lost his job at John Deere. His new apartment allows him to reunite with his child, who had to stay with relatives while he was at the shelter.

a 46-year-old domestic violence survivor

a 61-year-old woman who lost her home

a 57-year-old disabled woman

a 61-year-old man who was unhoused for two years

"These people are not just numbers in a shelter," Jordan said.

She noted the team at Project NOW is working to find stable housing for five more individuals from the shelter.

Ford closed the news conference by making it clear the Lift NOW shelter, in its current location, is "just temporary."

"This is a one-time thing in this location," he said. "We are going to be open until April 15 and after that we are going to dig into our data, and we are going to have conversations.

"We are going to discover new approaches that I believe everyone can benefit from. We are going to look beyond the immediate need for shelter."

Ford said the work to find stable housing is a part of a longer-term solution.

"This is hard work," he said. "Having this shelter has given us a chance to build relationships with those who need housing."

Ford went on to say shelter efforts and housing stability goals should work hand-in-hand.

Shelter totals

Ford and the leaders from Project NOW and Christian Care recognized the efforts of other agencies to shelter homeless individuals. Shelter efforts also expanded in Davenport this winter, as King's Harvest opened a 30-bed shelter for men.

King's Harvest Director Lena Pillers said she had hoped to open a shelter in December 2024 for the winter, but did not get board approval until Feb. 15. She opened the shelter two days later.

Since that time, she said the highest count has been 28, and they average "around 20" men every night.

Davenport-based Humility Homes has the largest shelter in the Quad-Cities, housing between 76 and 80 individuals most nights.

Christian Care in Rock Island has 36 beds and another six for men, as well as 20 beds for women at Martha's House.
The Ravalli County Republican Central Committee officially has the candidates it will be sending to the county commission to consider for replacing Rep. Ron Marshall in House District 87.

The committee voted to select former legislators Michele Binkley and Wayne Rusk, as well as former committee Chairman Terry Nelson as candidates to be sent to Helena in a late night meeting Friday - the same list that was approved at a separate meeting Thursday evening, marking a win for the more moderate members of the RCRCC.

Other candidates considered included Kim Dailey, a paralegal who lost in the 2024 primary to Stevensville Republican Rep. Greg Overstreet; Robert Wallace, who lost in the 2024 primary to Hamilton Republican incumbent David Bedey; and Bill Lussenheide, who owns a financial investment company. Lussenheide received Marshalls endorsement before he left his post.

Friday's meeting was overseen by the Montana GOP, with Director Tyler Newcombe and Vice-Chairwoman Lola Sheldon-Galloway present to provide guidance on the voting process.

The Republican party did not recognize the meeting Thursday night, which featured a slim majority of the committee with 22 of 43 members, saying it did not follow procedures outlined in the committees bylaws. The Thursday evening majority disagreed, citing the section in state bylaws that says meetings may be called by a majority of county committee members.

The two meetings are a result of fractured leadership within the RCRCC. There is an ongoing lawsuit against the committee itself and the current committee chairman Ronald Stoltz, who was absent at the meeting in the county commissions chambers Thursday but chaired the Friday meeting.

The lawsuit claims Stoltz needs to be elected for another term to continue holding a leadership role in the central committee.

Hamilton Republican Sen. Theresa Manzella, who nominated Stoltz for leadership in 2023, left meeting just prior to results being announced around 11 p.m. Earlier in the evening, Manzella spoke before the committee in support of two candidates Wallace and Dailey who both did not secure enough votes to be considered.

The fix was in, we already knew how this was going to turn out, Manzella told the Ravalli Republic on her way out. Its sad that we have a coup going on with this separation in our group.

Tony Hudson, who brought the lawsuit against Stoltz, said the same 22 members who showed up Thursday evening showed up again as well as a 23rd member who couldnt make it Thursday.

Marshall, who owns a vape store, opted to leave his position at the legislature following the advancement of a bill that would make many of his products illegal.

Binkley told the Ravalli Republic she was honored to be chosen, and said she would serve in Helena to the best of her ability if the commissioners chose her to go to Helena.

Nelson expressed a similar sentiment, saying he hopes he gets to represent the valley in Helena.

Rusk said in a statement Saturday he too was honored to have the confidence of the majority of our Ravalli County Central Committee.

In spite of the sharp division we continue to endure in our ranks, we have met the requirement to supply our Commissioners with nominees, that representation may be speedily restored to the residents of House District 87, Rusk said.

The voting process

Much of the evening Friday was spent on process  making roll call votes with 39 members to ensure all were in agreement over how the voting process would proceed  ultimately going forward with the procedure as proposed by the party.

Each member submitted all three choices on small rectangular pieces of paper, and got up one-by-one to enter their ballot in a cardboard box to be counted.

There was a debate over holding an open vote vs. a closed vote," with Manzella putting forward an amendment to the process rules where each member would say their selections out loud, saying its how votes are done in the legislature.

We are known for our voting records, and I think that would be applicable in this situation as well, she said.

But member Steve Gibson contested this point, saying leadership in the legislature is selected with a secret vote.

Yes, when you vote for a bill, it's on the board, everybody sees it," he said. "But this falls in line with more than this is like picking a representative, which is also a secret vote.

There was also a debate on proxy votes, with Stoltz ultimately siding with the interpretation of the bylaws to allow for such votes.

The debate on rules took an hour before the nominating process started, where members would nominate candidates, speak to why they should lead the district and a second member would also speak to their abilities.

Manzella nominated Dailey and said she was a godly woman who would do well in the chaos of the legislature. She also said Wallace was a man of strong character and great faith.

Member Doug Bond spoke to Lussenheides ability to do the job, commending his commitment to Republican principles.

He said there were nominees and people making nominations who refuse to support the Republican platform.

Shortly after nominations each candidate came up to speak to why they should be selected the speeches from Rusk, Binkley and Nelson closely mirroring their speeches from the night before.

Dailey said she ran in the 2024 primary because she thought she was the best for the job and she still did, citing her experience as a paralegal and her support for President Donald Trump. Lussenheide said he was watching the legislature closely and could jump in quickly. Wallace said he would do his best to represent Ravalli County conservatives in the legislature.

Not that I don't like Democrats, not that I won't work with Democrats, but they're not going to sway me to things that I don't believe in, he said.

Rusk and Binkley spoke of their legislative experience and Nelson spoke of his work with the Republican party for more than two decades touting the dominance Republicans have politically in the Bitterroot valley now.

The county commission will make their selection as to who will represent HD 87 Binkley, Rusk or Nelson at a meeting on Monday.
When Rep. George Nikolakakos, R-Great Falls, was in the Montana Air National Guard, he was required to attend multiple diversity, equity and inclusion workshops. Years later, Nikolakakos, who votes with Democrats more than most of his GOP colleagues, carried two major pieces of legislation aimed at reining in those workshops.

Nikolakakos, a senior master sergeant, attended a DEI training in Montana around 2018 in which the Guard flew in contractors to speak to them. There were roughly 100 guardsmen in the training, he explained, and he said he left midway through one of the first training sessions because he was offended and felt like he was being blamed. His fellow guardsmen also took offense, he said.

It got gnarly in there. Were going crossfire. People are getting angry. People are hootin and hollerin, Nikolakakos said.

The representative and other lawmakers have said the appetite for anti-DEI legislation has increased in recent months, resulting in far more bills of the sort being brought this legislative session than in previous years. Still, the Montana House of Representatives did not endorse either of Nikolakakoss bills this week.

House Bill 635, the umbrella anti-DEI bill that Nikolakakos sponsored, would largely ban state dollars from funding DEI programs and prohibit state agencies from requiring employees to attend DEI training sessions. The proposal was supported by the Montana Department of Justice.

An amendment was incorporated into the bill which stated that if the provisions were violated, the attorney general would be able to issue subpoenas to those involved and conduct hearings, among other powers. It included language that said if the subject did not comply, the matter could be referred to district court. The legislation also granted explicit power for someone who is adversely affected by a violation of the proposed law to bring a lawsuit.

The proposal failed to pass a final vote in the House on Friday: It passed its first floor vote Wednesday 52-47, but failed Friday morning 41-58. Despite being a red meat bill, multiple hardline conservative members of the Legislature voted against it Friday. That said, two other narrower bills aimed at reining in DEI passed the House comfortably this week.

House Majority Leader Steve Fitzpatrick, who also represents Great Falls, drafted the original version of HB 635. He thinks the appetite for bills that rein in DEI is still high, but opposition to the amended version (which he also opposed) sunk the effort.

The Department of Labor and Industry, for one, was expressing concerns to lawmakers about the amendment to the legislation before the final vote Friday morning, he and others said.

The Department of Labor and Industry was open in their opposition to the bill [as amended], Fitzpatrick said. I was approached multiple times.

In an email to the Montana State News Bureau, a spokesperson for the Department of Labor and Industry wrote that the department and Gov. Greg Gianforte oppose the un-American trend of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) that far-left activists have pushed on our nation.

DEI has a lengthy definition in the failed legislation, but Nikolakakos still says its hard to define, but easy to understand.

It's like a greasy pig, he said. It's really hard to perfectly put your finger on it, but you know it when you see it. At least I do.

DEI doesnt have one consistent meaning, but its generally used to refer to measures that stave off discrimination and create friendlier environments for people from marginalized groups. In recent years, things like DEI trainings or workshops have become far more commonplace in workplaces and schools.

Nikolakakos is clear that he believes hard conversations about race and gender need to be had, but where his tolerance stops is when blame starts being placed, he said. The representative believes DEI programming is an affront to Montanas culture of individualism and independence, which detractors took issue with in a committee hearing late last month.

I wasn't taught that individualism means that I was prohibited from learning about other people, Jennifer Hensley, a lobbyist for a nonprofit that offers services to people with disabilities, said in committee.

Kelsen Young, a lobbyist for the Montana Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, piled on, saying that Montanans need to understand how there is diversity in our communities.

President Donald Trumps victory has helped along the increased anti-DEI sentiment: Trump campaigned on the idea that he would root out DEI programs in the federal government, and in his first couple weeks in office he issued a series of executive orders targeting DEI.

During the 2023 session, Sen. Jeremy Trebas, also a Great Falls Republican, unsuccessfully carried similar anti-DEI legislation. Trebas partly blamed the bills demise on the difference in tenor on DEI programming among Republican legislators and the public. He believes he had the only piece of legislation of the type during the 2023 session.

Now that Trump is loud and proud and elected again, of course its a lot easier to jump on that train, Trebas said. But we could have actually done the right thing for the right reason last session.

Trebas believes the broader swing away from DEI has allowed legislators to more safely back this type of legislation, including Nikolakakos, who sometimes receives blowback for his more centrist views.

Its what I like to call RINO (Republican in Name Only) covering, Trebas said. [Nikolakakos] needs RINO cover and hes providing it for others who can jump on board the social conservative train for half a second.

Nikolakakos, who is close friends with Trebas, said, I genuinely hate DEI, in response.

Two other bills which were passed by the House on Friday aim to curtail diversity efforts in hiring and admissions practices by employers and universities.

House Bill 663 from Rep. Kerri Seekins-Crowe would prohibit higher education institutions from considering race, ethnicity or national origin when deciding whether to admit a prospective student. It would extend to financial aid offers as well.

This bill is not about erasing diversity, the Billings Republican said on the House floor. Its about ensuring that every student and applicant competes on a level playing field.

Montana universities dont currently make admissions decisions based on these factors, according to Joe Thiel from the Commissioner of Higher Educations Office. He said he doesnt anticipate there being any required changes as a result of the bill should the governor sign it if it reaches his desk.

Though some opponents described the bill as code clutter, Seekins-Crowe said its important to write the rules into statute so that we dont slip into a place in the future where we are not judging people by their merit, character and abilities.

The bill passed 58-41 in the House.

House Bill 638 from Rep. Randyn Gregg, R-White Sulphur Springs, forbids state or local government agencies from requesting diversity statements unless required by federal law.

Because diversity statements under the bill would encompass any statement of race, color, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, religion or gender identity, some raised concerns that HB 638 could hamstring state agencies from collecting information thats essential for basic functions.

HB 638 passed 57-41 Friday.

Nikolakakos also introduced House Bill 618, which barred state agencies from contracting with outfits who have DEI programs. That bill did not make it out of committee.

That legislation was opposed by the Department of Administration  which is responsible for procuring state contracts  not because of the substance of the bill, but because of the cost to the state.

Department of Administration Director Misty Ann Giles said 10 of the state's major IT vendors still have DEI programs in place, and it would cost the state $14 million to pull out of those contracts. If the bill were to become law, Giles said, the state would not be able to use Zoom or Microsoft, which are embedded in the fabric of Montanas government.
Its a back-to-the-future moment for Virginia.

With Donald Trump again in the White House  and plenty of Virginians ticked off about it  2025 feels a lot like 2017, when voter enmity for his topsy-turvy presidency fueled a Democratic surge here that endured for four years.

Democrats swept the statewide offices  governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general  and picked up a stunning 15 seats in the House of Delegates, whittling Republican control of the chamber to a single vote.

Democratic momentum continued through 2020, with the party, along the way, taking back the House and Virginia Senate and winning congressional seats in Northern Virginia, the Richmond area and along the sea coast.

It all came to a crashing end in 2021, when Gov. Glenn Youngkin  harnessing the hostility of Republicans and independents for President Joe Biden  led an impressive GOP comeback. The party not only won the statewide offices, it restored its majority in the House.

Though Youngkins governorship all but ended in 2023. That year, Democrats held the Senate and snatched the House.

In 2025, the chaos of Trump 2.0 cheers Democrats  politically, that is  possibly auguring a statewide sweep and a fattened majority in the House. But sugar highs from election victories are no comfort in the policy lows that can follow.

Which brings us back to 2014, when a newly installed Democratic governor  Terry McAuliffe, who, like his 2021 foe, Youngkin, had no hands-on experience in state government  faced a fiscal calamity in Richmond brought on by a partisan impasse in Washington, D.C.

McAuliffe, narrowly elected in a three-way race, in part, because voters blamed congressional Republicans for a 16-day shutdown of the federal government that October, saw the state budget ravaged by the bureaucracy going dark.

The failure of the Obama administration and the GOP Congress to reach terms on spending triggered across-the-board cuts  the fancy word for this is sequestration  that fell particularly hard on the defense sector, a huge source of public and private jobs in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads.

Seven months into his four-year term, McAuliffe and a Republican legislature were confronted with a $2.4 billion hole in the Virginia budget attributed to the loss of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in federal spending.

Compounding the challenge in balancing the budget: Tax collections plunged as well because, anticipating the expiration of Bush-era tax cuts, people sold capital assets before higher rates were restored; then they paused unloading them altogether. This dramatically shrank non-paycheck tax receipts.

It was a double-whammy, McAuliffe said the other day.

The episode spotlighted then what is in full view now as Trump, in league with his biggest campaign donor, Elon Musk, moves aggressively to chop federal spending and employment: Virginias dependence on Washingtons beneficence.

Third behind California and the District of Columbia in civil service and contract employees  145,000  and first in government contracts, with values totaling $106 billion as of 2023, Virginia is nothing less than a federal suckling.

Though early polls favor the Democrats for governor and roughly a dozen Republican seats could be in play in the barely blue House, no matter who wins in 2025, 2026 could be a nightmare, with Youngkin handing his successor a budget defined by restraint rather than promise.

The left-leaning Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis, noting Virginia receives far more in federal dollars than it contributes in federal income taxes, warns that as the No. 1 state in net benefits, the impact of reduced spending could be immediate, for instance, in K-12 education.

Nearly all school districts in Virginia rely on Washington for cash, many for 5% to 15% of their budgets. But federal aid accounts for 15% to 35% of school revenues in heavily GOP, Trump-friendly rural counties across the lower Blue Ridge, Southside and parts of Southwest Virginia.

And cuts to Medicaid, a health care program for the poor expanded by the state in 2020 to bring the uninsured under Obamacare after six years of partisan bickering, could, in a flash, end coverage for 630,000 Virginians, more than a third of whom live in the red countryside.

Which raises an interesting possibility:

When that bipartisan committee, named by House Speaker Don Scott, D-Portsmouth, to determine the impact on Virginia of Trumps dramatic economies and what the state should do about them, convenes in, say, the impoverished, reflexively Republican coalfields, will Trump voters turn out to endorse education and health care cuts or condemn them?

That the state has some $4 billion in rainy day and emergency reserves means Virginia may be better off than others in absorbing to blows of MAGA-ism. But how long?

And what impact will global events have for Virginia, with the second-largest port on the East Coast? The state, long a player in international commerce, could be quickly stung by a trade war spawned by Trump tariffs.

It is without question that Democratic areas of Virginia, already yowling over the Trump scheme, will yowl even more.

The Northern Virginia suburbs of D.C., seat of the service industries that dominate an economy lopsidedly shaped by manufacturing in the 20th century and farming in the 19th, have grown like kudzu since World War II because of the nearly always-open federal cash spigot that recently helped draw to the region internet giant Amazon, led by Trumps brand-new tech bro, Jeff Bezos.

Virginias repeat designation by CNBC in 2024 as the No. 1 state for business is attributed, in no small part, to the federal government reliably underwriting the defense and security firms that cluster outside the capital and the public universities that support these businesses with now-threatened, Washington-bankrolled research and students-turned-staff.

No wonder Jeffrey McKay, chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, in effect, told Youngkin  himself a Fairfax resident  to man up and challenge Trump on spending and payroll cuts that the governor has repeatedly embraced, never mind the perils they present for the GOP in the approaching elections.

And then there are long-term implications to the federal fiscal mayhem, one of which U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, a Democrat seeking reelection in 2026, touched on in his most recent weekly Q&A with Virginia reporters.

Warner, a former governor who balanced state budgets rattled by the economic aftershocks of 9/11 with spending cuts, a freeze on tax relief and a promise-breaking tax increase that polls showed were widely popular, said the firings of federal employees in Virginia  actual and threatened  are apparently contributing to delays by their college-bound children in deciding where to matriculate this fall. Commitments to Virginia Tech, he said, were lagging 30%.

With families uncertain they can afford tuition and federal assistance in doubt, Warner said kids might put off enrolling in a four-year school, perhaps consider less-costly community college or forgo higher education altogether. That could cost industry trained talent, putting businesses at a competitive disadvantage.

One of the unfortunate realities of politics is that bad news can be good news. And it is clear that Democrats are kvelling  Yiddish, for purring with glee  over the gusher of fiscally menacing developments out of Washington.

Said McAuliffe, while declining to access how Youngkin and those angling to succeed him are handling the emerging headache, This year will be like 2017 on steroids.

Next year, pass the aspirin.
Cancun taxi driver arrested for assault

Cancun, Q.R.  A Cancun taxi driver identified by police as Juan Antonio N has been arrested for attacking a fellow union member. His arrest was made after he allegedly assaulted another taxi driver for picking up passengers near his base March 2.

According to police, he was arrested Friday on Hacienda Avenue in SM 93. He is facing charges of injuries.

In a statement authorities said the State Attorney Generals Office reports that investigative police arrested a male person, a taxi driver by trade, for his alleged involvement in events possibly constituting the crime of injury to the detriment of a victim whose identity is reserved.

The suspect is identified as Juan Antonio N who was arrested on Hacienda Avenue and Huerta de la Supermanzana 93 Street of Cancun.

This person is allegedly involved in the assault of a colleague from the Andres Quintana Roo Taxi Drivers Union, for carrying passengers near their base, on March 2 of this year.

Following the required procedures, Juan Antonio N was placed at the disposal of the Public Prosecutors Office, who will resolve his legal situation within the constitutional term provided.
Quintana Roo teachers continue march against ISSSTE changes

Riviera Maya, Q.R.  Quintana Roo public teachers continue their protest despite being ordered back to work. City streets around the state were filled with upset teachers who vowed to continue marching.

On Friday, teachers in Cancun took to the streets again to protest the ISSSTE changes. Angry teachers started at the Ministry of Education (SEQ) building and walked along Bonampak Avenue.

Traffic along many of the citys main arteries was affected by the hundreds of walking teachers. During their Friday protest, they called on state and federal authorities to stop the new ISSSTE law.

Protesting teachers also marched along Playa del Carmen Boulevard in Playa del Carmen. On Friday, the group met at 8:00 a.m. in Plaza 28 de Julio and began their protest against the ISSSTE law.

On Thursday night, the Quintana Roo Education Secretariat released a statement that they had reached an agreement with the National Union of Education Workers (SNTE) for classes to resume Friday.

Protesting teachers blocked the main road in Playa del Carmen Friday.

Despite being ordered back to work, the teachers said classroom suspension would continue until further notice. Around 200 schools are affected around the state due to the ongoing protests.
LE MARS, Iowa  An altercation that lasted three, maybe five minutes will end up costing Reese Harms up to 50 years or more in prison.

A Plymouth County jury Friday found Harms guilty of second-degree murder and attempted murder for the death of Mike Gomez, who Harms locked in a choke hold from behind until he stopped breathing.

The jury took a little under three hours to reach its verdict.

"Justice was served, and we're happy with how it turned out," Gomez' stepfather, Clint Christenson, said as he stood with his wife, Linda, Gomez' mother.

Harms, 25, of Le Mars, is scheduled to be sentenced May 2. He faces a 50-year prison sentence with a 70% mandatory minimum for second-degree murder and 25 years for attempted murder. It's yet to be determined if those sentences will be merged.

Harms showed no visible reaction when hearing the verdict.

"Obviously, my client is disappointed," Harms' attorney, Michael Jacobsma, said. "He'll look forward to his post-trial motions and likely his appeal."

Lawyers presented two versions of what occurred Jan. 19, 2024, inside in an apartment at 1120 Second St. SE, where police who responded to a call of an unresponsive person found Gomez not breathing.

Gomez, 44, of Merrill, Iowa, died four days later in a Sioux Falls hospital.

During their closing arguments, Jacobsma and Assistant Plymouth County Attorney Jason Bring addressed trial testimony given by Amanda Farmer, who had dated Gomez and had a son with him before they broke up. Harms and Farmer had begun dating and living together at the Fieldcrest Apartments about two months before the incident.

On the morning of the incident, Farmer testified, Gomez had helped her pick up their son from school. They returned to her apartment with Harms and the three drank a couple beers that afternoon. Farmer and Gomez sat on a couch in the living room with their son, and Harms went into a bedroom, where he stayed all afternoon until he began "talking crap" to Gomez. Farmer and Gomez decided Harms should leave because they didn't want their son hearing his comments.

When they stepped into the bedroom, Gomez told Harms he needed to leave, and, Farmer testified, Harms approached Gomez, and, unprovoked, wrapped his right arm around his neck and put him in a choke hold for up to five minutes until Gomez stopped breathing.

It was a chance, Bring said in his closing argument to the jury, to teach Gomez a lesson. Harms was upset, telling police he was jealous and irritated that Gomez was sharing a couch with his girlfriend.

"He wanted to choke him until he stopped breathing. He wanted to kill him, that was his intent," Bring said.

Harms told police in at least four separate statements that Gomez began punching him after telling him to leave. The assault triggered the post traumatic stress disorder Harms suffered as a result of child abuse, and he placed Gomez in the choke hold to stop the assault and protect himself, Jacobsma said.

"When faced with the situation of being attacked, he's going to fight," Jacobsma said.

Farmer testified Gomez did not punch Harms, but Jacobsma pointed out her testimony was inconsistent with statements she gave police and her deposition in which she said there had been punching and shoving.

The forensic pathologist who performed Gomez' autopsy determined he died of cardiac arrest caused by loss of blood and oxygen to the brain.

"He told you if Reese had not choked Mike Gomez, Mr. Gomez would have been alive at the end of the day," Bring told jurors.

The pathologist also found methamphetamine in Gomez' system, a contributing factor to his death.

"He said if Mr. Gomez was not intoxicated on meth, he could have survived the altercation," Jacobsma said, adding the autopsy revealed no signs of strangulation such as injuries to Gomez' neck or trachea or hemorrhaging in his eyes.

In his rebuttal, Bring set a timer for three minutes, the amount of time Harms told police he choked Gomez. As the seconds ticked away, Bring told jurors that during those three minutes, Gomez initially struggled against Harms, then pleaded with Farmer to stop him. Farmer tried and tried to pry Harm's arm from Gomez' neck. Harms squeezed harder as Gomez struggled until, finally, he stopped breathing.

"To choke someone for three minutes really shows malice," Bring said.
DES MOINES  Joe McCulley said SUX Pride organizers take the "utmost precautions" when it comes to drag shows that are performed in front of families during the annual LGBTQ+ event.

"It's all ages appropriate. We literally check costumes," said McCulley, who founded SUX Pride. "We check music, everything, to make sure what we're putting in front of families is family friendly, age-appropriate. We take the trust of the parents into consideration that we're not going to be doing any lewd movements or anything of that nature by any means."

McCulley said it's "always concerning" when a bill comes up, like the one in the Iowa Legislature this week, which would have banned minors from drag shows.

Lawmakers on Tuesday amended a bill that would have barred minors from attending drag shows or performances where a performer "exhibits a gender identity that is different from the performer's gender assigned at birth through the use of clothing, makeup, accessories or other gender signifiers."

House Study Bill 158 defined performances as singing, lip-synching, dances and readings. An adult who knowingly took a minor to a drag show would have been guilty of a Class D felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of $1,025 up to $10,245. Business operators who knowingly let minors attend drag performances at their venues would have faced a $10,000 fine for each minor in attendance.

Critics argued the original bill was overly broad and could potentially target artistic performances  to instead prohibit "obscene performances for minors."

Drag performers and LGBTQ+ advocates flocked to the Iowa Capitol last month to oppose the bill as it was being considered by a House subcommittee.

Opponents noted performances where actors dress up as different genders, including Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night," would be banned under the bill as it was written.

Obscene performances

The House Education Committee on Tuesday amended the bill by striking references to drag shows and instead inserting language from another House Bill that would criminalize exposing minors to "obscene performances," which LGBTQ+ advocates argue still could be used to target drag events and venues that host them.

The amended bill defines "obscene performance" as a visual performance "that exposes the person's genitals, pubic area, buttocks, or female breast, including prosthetics and artificial sexual organs or substitutes  or involves the person engaging in a sex act, masturbation, excretory function, or sadomasochistic abuse." The bill then goes on to apply federal standards that determine if material is obscene.

For performances to be deemed obscene, the average person viewing the performance would find the material appeals to "prurient interest" and is "patently offensive, and the performance taken as a whole lacks serious artistic, literary, political, or scientific value."

Parental choice

Karen Mackey, a founding member of Siouxland Pride Alliance, said she feels that parents should have the choice to decide what to expose or not expose their children to.

"Parents should ultimately be the people to decide those things, but I get concerned any time legislators, elected officials, are trying to legislate morality, because it seems like a slippery slope, she said. Im glad to hear theres been some changes to it, but Im concerned about what those changes actually mean. So I would have to see the bill and look at it to see if its even something reasonable.

McCulley said kids "absolutely love" drag shows during SUX Pride, which will be held June 6-8 at the Sioux City Convention Center.

"They get to see the fantasies and the great costumes. They get to have a good time. It's families that are having a great time and singing. Kids are up dancing. They're loving it," McCulley said. "We are doing more with Pride this year than we have in all the years past. We are looking at adding more events, adding more vendors and more resources."

McCulley said the festival director inspects all the drag show costumes beforehand and that cast members wear six or seven pairs of tights, he said.

"There's always some kind of legislation that comes up that is of this nature to be concerned about. But as I tell all the cast that I work with, 'If we're doing our job, and we are doing our job correctly, and we are doing things the way we would want to be seen and represented, then we shouldn't have issues to be as concerned about,'" he said.

McCulley said his group is also hosting an event from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on March 20 at the Dailey Collective, 1004 Fourth St., to remind people in the community who may be feeling minimized that they are not alone.

"They can come down and meet with other members of the community. Were going to have resources down there. (State Rep.) J.D. Scholten's going to be coming down talking about legislation that's coming up and how people can get involved," he said.

Rep. Helena Hayes, R-New Sharon, said the amendment "will fix a loophole in our obscenity law, and it will prohibit exposing minors to obscene performances."

The legislation comes as LGBTQ+ Pride events, including drag story times where drag performers read to children at libraries and bookstores, have been targeted by conservative efforts to restrict them. Opponents of drag story times argue they expose children to "sexualized behavior."

Rep. Elinor Levin, D-Iowa City, acknowledged the work done on the amendment to "achieve the goals of the bill without negatively impacting people's lives."

Levin, though, said the bill still exposes venues to potential nuisance lawsuits that host drag performances from "folks who are asserting that a performance that does in fact" fail to meet the definition of obscenity under Iowa and federal law.

"I think that it is reasonable and rational to ensure that performances that are designed for adults are only being performed and presented to adults," she said. "I do also, of course, have a few concerns about where are we getting into the parental decision making here? Are we making decisions for the parents about what is appropriate for their children?"

The amended bill was approved by the committee unanimously, making it eligible for debate in the full House and clearing a Friday legislative deadline by which most non-tax and spending bills must be advanced out of committee to remain eligible for further consideration this year.

Tom Barton and Maya Marchel Hoff of the Gazette-Lee Des Moines Bureau contributed to this report.
Fact brief - Is Greenland losing land ice?

Posted on 8 March 2025 by Sue Bin Park

Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs  bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline.

Is Greenland losing land ice?

Data from satellites and expeditions confirm Greenland has been losing land ice at an accelerating rate for decades.

Glaciers gain ice via snowfall, while melting and ice breaking off into the ocean account for nearly all of Greenlands ice-sheet loss. Rates vary season to season and year to year due to weather variationhowever, multi-decade trends show ongoing loss.

Satellites launched in the early 1990s measure ice sheet height and gravity to detect changes in mass. They have found that Greenland has lost ice every year since 1998; from 2010 to 2018, average annual ice loss was six times that of the 1990s.

Greenland has lost 5,000 gigatons of ice since 2002. Rising global temperatures of about 2F (1.1C) since widespread fossil fuel burning began have driven the melt. Scientists warn that positive feedback loops such as the melting of methane-rich permafrost will further accelerate ice loss.

Go to full rebuttal on Skeptical Science or to the fact brief on Gigafact

This fact brief is responsive to quotes such as the one highlighted here.

Sources

NASA The Anatomy of Glacial Ice Loss

NOAA Arctic Report Card: Update for 2023 - Greenland Ice Sheet

National Academy of Sciences - Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences Forty-six years of Greenland Ice Sheet mass balance from 1972 to 2018

UCAR Greenland's Ice Is Melting

World Wildlife Fund Six ways loss of Arctic ice impacts everyone

Carbon Brief How the Greenland ice sheet fared in 2024

CNN Greenland is getting greener. That could have huge consequences for the world

About fact briefs published on Gigafact



Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer yes/no answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact  a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all of our published fact briefs here.
If youre a fan of sophisticated, epistemologically intricate nonfiction filmmaking, it might not occur to you to click the thumbnail for something called Chaos: The Manson Murders when it pops up on your Netflix homepage this weekend. So put it this way: Theres a new Errol Morris movie in town. The Oscar-winning director of The Fog of War and The Thin Blue Line has been in a bit of a rough patch of late: American Dharma, his controversial 2018 portrait of Steve Bannon, took more than a year to find theatrical distribution, and last years Separated, a politically urgent account of the Trump administrations child-separation policy, was bought by MSNBC in October but not broadcast until a month after the presidential election. But between its subject matter and its streaming platform, Chaos isas Morris own editor told himall but certain to bring Morris his biggest audience in years, if not ever.

The movie is credited as an adaptation of Tom ONeills book Chaos: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties, a sprawling, occasionally off-the-rails investigation that eventually ties Manson to the U.S. governments experiments in using LSD for mind control. Or, depending on how you read ONeills evidence and whether you share his obsessions, places the two in close proximity without proving any real connection. According to ONeill, the commonly accepted narrative of the Manson casethat Manson compelled his followers to murder actress Sharon Tate and six others in supremely gruesome fashion in order to start a race war and bring about the end of the worldwas a convenient fiction concocted by prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi to secure an easy conviction and set the stage for his book Helter Skelter, which went on to become the bestselling true-crime title of all time. While Mansons followersthe Family composed of teenage runaways who he would keep high for days while preaching them his gospelmay have believed that story, ONeill believes that Mansons own motives were murkier, and that a concerted effort has been made to keep the truth hidden for years.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

I believe there was a conspiracy to kill JFK, although if you ask me, I would be hard-pressed to tell you exactly the nature of that conspiracy.

Morris movie, in a sense, splits the difference, letting ONeill make his casewhich eventually ropes in a scientist named Louis Jolyon Jolly West, a subcontractor for the CIAs Project MKUltra who also served as the court-appointed psychiatrist for Jack Ruby, the man who assassinated Lee Harvey Oswaldwhile drawing on recorded interviews with Manson and his followers, as well as new ones with prosecutor Stephen Kay and Manson disciple Bobby Beausoleil. Chaos doesnt go as far as ONeills book in suggesting that Manson deployed the same mind-control techniques that the CIA was using to develop brainwashed assassins who would kill on command with no memory of the act. (One of his subjects calls the TateLaBianca murders an MKUltra experiment gone right.) But Morris does suggest that in this case, as in many others, people are drawn more powerfully to stories than they are to the truth, and that important questions still remain unanswered.

Advertisement

Morris, whose Netflix miniseries Wormwood deals with a different MKUltra-related coverup, spoke to Slate from his home in Cambridge, Massachusetts. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Sam Adams: Youve often drawn on things your subjects have written: The Pigeon Tunnel, for example, shares its title with John Le Carres memoir. But Chaos and Separated are, I think, the first movies youve made that are credited as adaptations since A Brief History of Time, which was way back in 1991. So what drew you to Tom ONeills book?

Advertisement

Errol Morris: [pause] I was just thinking about the whole book adaptation question. I would say that there are book adaptations and then there are book adaptations. Its, at least as far as Im concerned, a very large category. And I wouldnt say, strictly speaking, that Separated or Chaos are straight book adaptations. But they have certainly been influenced and inspired by the books that theyre associated with. That Im not going to quibble over.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Your own book, A Wilderness of Error: The Trials of Jeffrey MacDonald, was made into a series by a different director, who, although he was working from your material, seemed to come to a different conclusion. So you have experience from both sides of the transaction about how different versions can diverge. Still, you got into filmmaking in the first place through a fascination with Ed Gein, and Charles Manson is also a serial killer, at least of sorts. Was it an interest in that kind of figure that drew you in? Had you been looking to make a movie about Manson?

It happened in a very odd way. I had done these books with Penguin Press. My editor, Scott Moyers, called me and said that he had a problem project. The writeras it turns out, Tom ONeillcouldnt finish his book on the Manson case. Would I help him finish it? Usually this is not something people ask me to do. So I said, Sure, let me talk to Tom ONeill, and I did, and I suggested, Why dont we make a movie? I interviewed him with I dont know how many cameras, but a lot of cameras. This was at a time when I was obsessed with shooting interviews, not with one camera and not with two cameras but a dozen or more. So I shot this interview, which I rather likedand I dont really like everything I do, but I rather liked this interview. But Tom didnt want to proceed. He wanted to finish the book. Fair enough. I had spent a fair amount of my own money, but in the end I was resigned that I would never get it back and I would never use this material. And time went on, as it has a tendency to do.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Tom completed the book, not with Penguin, a different publisher, and the book was successful. I assumed that it would be turned into some kind of movie. It wasnt. Tom came back to me, this is 10 years or so later, asking me if I was still interested in making a movie.

And I have the proof that I was.

Are those initial interviews with Tom ONeill still in Chaos? Because you use a lot of different visual setups in the film.

Theyre very much there.

Is it the stuff in the beginning, where you have him sitting in blackness with this very dramatic lighting, and then his dog walks through the shot?

Yes. I love those shots.

Tom ONeill is a classic Errol Morris protagonist, a guy who took a 5,000-word assignment for Premiere magazine and spent 20 years turning it into a 450-page book. I can easily see a more first-person, Interrotron-style approach thats more focused on his personal obsession, which is kind of the driving force of the book. But instead you bring in a number of other figures. How did your version of Chaos arrive at the form it has now?

Advertisement

Advertisement

Netflix certainly played some role in all of this. Originally, I had seen it as a series. Netflix was interested in it as a one-off feature, and thats how it was made. Theres certainly enough material on the Manson case and in Toms book alone to imagine a whole number of different movies. And I had made a series for Netflix connected with MKUltra, this CIA programfor want of a better way to describe it, call it the Manchurian Candidate program. Can we induce false memories? Can we control human behavior to the extentcan we induce violent behavior? A willingness, if you like, to kill? And the question for Tom  I suppose its a legitimate question, because did MKUltra exist? It did. No foolin! Was the CIA interested in mind control, programmed assassins, et cetera? They were! But those facts alone dont prove to us that Charles Manson was a vehicle for the CIA. Its truly suggestive, but not proven. And that itself I find really interesting. Did Tom go down a rabbit hole? Clearly he went down a rabbit hole. But in the process of going down that rabbit hole, he discovered all kinds of interesting things.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

As a former detectiveand I suppose a current detective as well, I like to think of it as an ongoing habitI can very, very well understand the frustration of not being able to prove your case. The Jeffrey MacDonald story is a perfect example of that sort of thing. Wanting so badly to prove something and not being able to and instead becoming obsessed with finding out why I couldnt prove it. In this story there are a lot of potential protagonists. I became very much interested, of course, in Tom. And Bobby Beausoleil, who was one of the Manson killers. He probably would not like me to refer to him as such, but he was connected with Manson.

In one of the more recent interviews with Tom ONeill, youre talking to him in his home, and in some of the shots, youre visible as well, sitting on the couch across from him with a camera next to you. In the film, you sometimes put images of him from opposite angles on screen at the same time, so its almost like hes confronting himself face-to-face.

Advertisement

When we made this agreement to make Chaos, Tom shared with me a lot of his work product, his original interviews, his research, and so on and so forth. I was aware from the very beginning of the extraordinary amount of work that he had done. We filmed in Toms house in California, and you have a house just filled with folders, documents, cassette tapes, and on and on. And in all of it, theres this strong desire, of course, to prove his case, and his case is ultimately an MKUltra case. And he felt tantalizingly close with Jolly West, who somehow was involved in so many diverse things, particularly Jack Ruby, the murderer of Lee Harvey Oswald, his connection with the assassination of JFK. Talk about another dark story which may never ever have any kind of satisfactory solution.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

I think we all have this idea that if you work hard enough and long enough, youre going to crack the case. Maybe you just havent looked in the right closet or under the right bed or talked to the right people, but a solution will be at hand, because were talking about the world in which real things happen and they leave evidence. But Ive long since realized that evidence can be manipulated, can be lost, can be changed. And if thats whats happening, can you ever really, really get back to what really happened? Theres a passage that I really like in Helter Skelter, and the passage compares an investigation to a jigsaw puzzle. The idea is that somehow were going to find the missing pieces and were going to put them all together and a picture is going to emerge. And even Bugliosi tells us that people who are intimately acquainted with investigations know that isnt always true. Sometimes people have introduced false pieces of the puzzle. Sometimes the puzzle gets mixed up with a different puzzle. Sometimes the pieces just dont fit together properly and never will.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Ive read about Donald Trumps repeated claims hes going to release all of the hidden material about the JFK assassination. But what do we know about this material? Do we know that it hasnt been planted, adulterated, manipulated? We dont.

Let me clue you in to a certain bias that I have. Do people conspire to do things with each other? Yeah. Do I think that that is the best explanation usually for why things happen? I dont. But for me to say that there are no conspiracies, thats not quite right either. There are conspiracies. Clearly, there are conspiracies. I believe there was a conspiracy to kill JFK, although if you ask me, I would be hard-pressed to tell you exactly the nature of that conspiracy.

Advertisement

Over the years, the older I get, the clearer it becomes how lucky I was in The Thin Blue Line. I stumbled on a story. It wasnt any story that people were interested in. The guy who they believed shot a cop had been arrested, tried, and sentenced to death. He had come within a couple of days of a visit with Old Sparky in the Texas death chamber. I stumbled on a case and spent three years investigating it, and bit by bit as I interviewed more people and found more documents, two things happened. On one hand, it became clear that the guy convicted of the murder hadnt done ithe was sentenced to death, almost electrocuted, but he didnt do it. And then there was a 16-year-old kid who, it became clearer and clearer as more and more evidence piled up, that he was the one who had committed the murder. The chief prosecution witnessits kind of handywas the person who had actually done the killing. The fact that everything opened up in that way, it doesnt happen all the time. It spoiled me into embracing this idea that somehow every case can be cracked.

Advertisement

Advertisement

And here you have Helter Skelter. One of the things that Tom achieved is that he shows that Bugliosi was a lunatic, and the case that Bugliosi prosecuted was probably a fake case that he invented in order to secure a death penalty against Charles Manson and the other members of the family. He needed a kind of hook on which to hang his hat. If you ask me, do I believe that the Beatles White Album was ultimately responsible for all of these deaths? I confess I do not. And so, then, what was the cause? Hopefully what Chaos does is it takes you in a meaningful way deep into the mysteries of the Manson case. And the most important alternative, never to be ignoredjust look at whats going on in America at the momentis that chaos can be the result of real chaos, of stupidity, of people at cross-purposes with each other, of people not really understanding what theyre doing. Happenstance. Chance. Was there one big conspiracy? A lot of little conspiracies? Was there just sheer confusion? I made a movie about it.

Advertisement

Advertisement

People who know your movies know to expect a certain amount of uncertainty. Even in The Thin Blue Line, where you stage reenactments of several different versions of the crime, you never show the one you believe to be the truth. But its still quite a moment as were nearing the end of Chaos to have you turn to Tom ONeill and say youre not sure you believe the entire premise of his book, which is that Manson, directly or indirectly, learned the techniques he used to control his followers from the U.S. government.

Advertisement

Advertisement

I find his policies repellent, but I found Steve Bannon really, really interesting, and still do.

In fairness to Tom, can you rule out MKUltra? Perhaps not. I used to live in Berkeley as a graduate student in philosophy, and often I would drive from Berkeley to San Francisco. Id drive across the Bay Bridge, and Id pick up hitchhikers. And I remember one hitchhiker that I picked up was a Chariots of the Gods guy. I think it had just come out. And hes saying to me, How do you explain the existence of an electric toaster oven that is 12,700 years old found in the Gobi Desert? And I said, I cant. Now, I have to confess I dont believe that there was any such thing. But if there was, could I explain it? Not so much. Tom does something a little bit like that. How do you explain the fact that Mansons parole officer just let him go again and again and again? He was just free to do whatever he chose to do. Can I explain it? I cant. It could be meaningful or not. Is it suggestive of something peculiar? It is. But does it tell us that somehow they were all in league with the government? It doesnt. I think its one of the most fascinating stories about investigation and the desire to believe and how hard it is really to investigate anything.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

As you point out in the film, it isnt the murders, as horrific as they are, that have kept this fascination alive for more than 50 years. Its the story around them: the Helter Skelter story. Your title could be referring to Operation CHAOS, the CIA surveillance program, or to small-c chaos, what Bobby Beausoleil calls blunder after blunder after blunder. Maybe the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department raided Spahn Ranch a week after the murders and then let everyone go because they were government informants, or maybe it was because the police misdated the warrant. Maybe someone just did their job badly.

Right. And I like to keep that act of juggling them alive because its a better way to understand the case than just to pretend that those possibilities dont exist.

The thumbnail art Netflix is using for Chaos doesnt use your namein fact, it makes it look much like any other entry in their extremely well-populated True Crime section. Which raises the interesting possibility, maybe likelihood, of people watching it without realizing its a new Errol Morris movie. What do you think about that?

Advertisement

Often people will say they have a great idea for a movie, and I say, Thats terrific. You have a great idea how to pay for it? Whatever you want to say about it, Netflix has changed the documentary game entirely. I always quote a line that I love from Conan the Barbarian. One penitent says to another, Used to be just another snake cult. Now you see it everywhere. And thats certainly true of documentary.

Advertisement

Advertisement

As a filmmaker, I would rather people see what I do rather than know that I made it. Yeah, I wish my name was on it, but its not. And Im glad that youre talking to me and that youre interested in the fact that I made this film, and Im also interested in the fact that a lot of people will see it. So Im grateful to Netflix for that.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Ive just come back from the True/False documentary festival, and one thing you hear constantly from documentary filmmakers is, The only job offers I get are for true-crime projects. Given that The Thin Blue Line remains one of the landmarks of the form, and yet also quite distinct from the way many people have approached it since, I wonder what thoughts you have about the massive place true crime has come to occupy in the field.

Well, Ive always been interested in true crime. In fact, I have a drama project, as we speak, which is about how I met my wife, and its a love story that includes Ed Gein: I was an undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin, and I came back after I graduated because I wanted to meet Ed Gein. I wanted to investigate the Gein murders. And this is before the advent of all of this stuff. Of course, Psycho had been made in 1960 and remains one of my very favorite films. But I wanted to meet Gein, and I did. As far as I know, Im the only non-psychiatric journalist, if you will, whos ever interviewed him. The story has so many weird angles. I arranged with Werner Herzog that we would go and we would try to exhume Augusta Geins grave in Plainfield Cemetery. Its in Werners autobiography, and its certainly in my film. The movie is called Digging Up the Past, and Im hoping that I make that as a next film. Ive also been in Ukraine several times, and Im going back to Kyiv very soon, and weve been shooting for a different film.

Advertisement

Zelensky seems like a great Errol Morris subject, almost as good as Tom ONeill. Speaking of subjects: Youve been making documentaries for almost 50 years, and I wonder how you think the audience has changed. There were certainly people who criticized you for making movies about Robert McNamara and Donald Rumsfeld, but whatever they said about The Fog of War or The Unknown Known, I dont think it was the same way they reacted to your Steve Bannon movie American Dharma, which was much closer to arguing that it shouldnt exist at all. Perhaps it would have been different if youd released the earlier films when their subjects were still in power, but do you think peoples expectations have shifted?

Advertisement

Well, its all contextual, unavoidably. Its self-serving of me to say so, but I think that American Dharma, my film about Steve Bannon, is one of the best films Ive ever done. And among other things, I think it quite successfully predicts Jan. 6 long before it happened. It tells you something very deep about this impulse, which I still believe to be true, which is this impulse at the heart of MAGA to destroy. Its a destructive movement. And American Dharma shows the underpinning of many of these ideas. Its a movie that I think I needed to make and Im really, really glad I did make. Its hard as a documentary filmmakerwhats the Yeats line? How do you tell the dancer from the dance? Movies become evaluated by their subject matter rather than any inherent merit that they might have. People say they like my film about Robert McNamara much more than my film about Donald Rumsfeld. Why? I have my own theories. Not because I think its a better film. I dont. But because one person is remorseful and obviously a much more likable character. McNamara is a war criminal. I always refer to him as my favorite war criminal. I came to really like the man. I did not come to really like Donald Rumsfeld. And Donald Rumsfeld is not remorseful or contrite. People like it less because people like stories about redemption. And Im not sure I do.

Do you like Steve Bannon?

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

I find his policies repellent, but I found Steve Bannon really, really interesting, and still do. I know that I was criticized. Someone said to me, How dare you put all of these great American movies in a movie? Why do I want to see The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and associate it with Steve Bannon? But we all watch these movies, left and right alike. And the movies to me were a way of teasing out ideas, which I think they do remarkably, particularly in our differences, how I might see a movie and how Steve Bannon sees a movie.

Advertisement

There are people who watch The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and come away thinking the moral is Print the legend. But having a character say Print the legend isnt the same as actually printing the legend. Its the opposite.

Advertisement

I deeply agree. And lets not forget that John Ford shows us what really happened. We know that the legend is a legend and its a legend which is untrue. Thats also part of what Liberty Valance has to tell us, and its a deeply important and profound movie.

I wanted to end by asking you about Separated, which was your movie about the first Trump administrations child-separation policy. It played briefly in theaters, but MSNBC decided to schedule the broadcast a month after the presidential election, which I assume was not when you would have wanted people to see it.

Yes, youre correct. I felt that what was really, really interesting about Separated, and is still interesting to me, is that it was a movie, among other things, about bureaucracy and about self-deception and lying. I think its a very important movie in that regard. I like that aspect of it very much. I know it was criticized by some people. They did not like the use of drama in it, as if using drama in a documentary is an absolute no-no. But why do I even make documentaries? This is an argument I made years ago, Id make it over and over and over again, that each time you make a documentary, you get to reinvent the form. And if someone is telling me that because you put drama in a documentary that its no longer true or false, I say Uh-uh. Its not the case. Were still telling a story that is deeply anchored in the real world and a story that I am using all of my techniques as a filmmaker to make you think about and to engage with. So I think I did a good thing. At least that time.
Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily.

The Supreme Court dealt a blow to the Clean Water Act this week in a 54 decision limiting the governments ability to protect Americans from raw sewage discharge. Justice Samuel Alitos majority opinion barred the Environmental Protection Agency from ordering cities to maintain water standards above a certain level of safety, insisting that the agency could only restrict specific quantities of discharge dumped into rivers, oceans, and bays. Justice Amy Coney Barrett dissented, joined by the three liberals, objecting that Alito butchered the text of the law to let polluters off the hook. The decision came just one day before Barrett joined a 54 majority that compelled the Trump administration to pay out $2 billion in foreign aid that it unlawfully withheld.

On this weeks Slate Plus bonus episode of Amicus, Dahlia Lithwick and Mark Joseph Stern discussed the courts decision, its split along gender lines, and Barretts apparent continued drift away from the conservative bloc. An excerpt of their conversation, below, has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Dahlia Lithwick: I have to say that its a little bit fun to watch Justice Barrett, in a whole series of cases, becoming the person whos like: Dude, Im conservative, but Im not batshit. That seems to be the role that she is playing. Do you want to talk about this gender divide at the court?

Advertisement

Mark Joseph Stern: I want to know what you think! Ive been waiting all week. You did write a book called Lady Justice, after all. This is the second environmental case recently where Barrett has joined with the liberals in dissent in a 54 decision. Each time, it was the five men against the four women. But it goes beyond environmentalism, of course. Whats going on with Barrett?

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Im never comfortable doing straight-up gender-essentializing, in no small part because I think Barrett is such a complicated intellectual figure. But I think there are a couple things going on. First, I think that there is this new, pragmatic, real-world strain in some of her writing, and in some of the questions she asks, even in the abortion cases. Its like: Dear Sam Alito, I know that you live in your own head and fly on private jets, so you dont know how the rest of the world operates, but there actually is a world out there where people drink water and its not like bottled water by the Koch brothers. I think theres a little bit of straight-up pragmatism going on: Im a mom, I live in the world. It would really, really suck if we all die from pollution.

Advertisement

Then, as weve both noted, shes young. She hasnt had years and years to be pickled in the brine of her own victimhood and fury. And you really see that this is not a pickled person. This is a fresh-faced person whos still really curious about how the world works. There is a kind of curiosity, a sense that she knows there are things she doesnt know, but she wants to drill down and learn things. And I think this other braid is that she comes from academia, and that matters, too. Shes not a lifetime jurist. I think she still wants to learn for herself and read for herself. I think you noted before anyone did that when she asked questions at oral argument, even in her first months on the bench, there was a curiosity about how the world works outside of her scope.

Advertisement

Advertisement

I dont know if those are gender qualities as much as they are qualities of not being so rarefied in your existent worldview that you are incurious about how anyone is affected by anything other than your own self. Maybe its not gender, its just not the psychopathic solipsism that were seeing in others, but Ill take it. Maybe this is the place to say that after years breathlessly watching Sandra Day OConnor and then breathlessly watching Anthony Kennedy, I am absolutely not interested in doing justice by way of waiting for Amy Coney Barrett to make constitutional meaning for me. We need to start making it for ourselves. But that said, I do think we are seeing Barrett and also the chief justice making feints towards being something that isnt what Thomas and Alito are every single day.

Advertisement

I want to pick up one part of what you said, which I think is so interesting and clearly correctBarrett is trying to live in the real world more than some of her colleagues on the right. In this Clean Water Act case, she is the only one who acknowledges the real-world impact of this decision and of the environmental law in question. Alito ignores it. She has this really striking passage where she talks about how San Franciscos discharge of sewage has led to discoloration, scum, and floating material, including toilet paper in its waters. That mention of toilet paper has stuck with me. Its incredibly vivid, and really a stark contrast to Alito just whitewashing the horrific environmental impact of this decision. She is acknowledging: Yes, we are humans who must drink water. It exists, and we need it to be clean. Thats what Congress said. It was one of those moments, then and in the foreign aid order on Wednesday, where it just felt like she and Alito were living on two different planets.
Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily.

Last month, Fox News host Jesse Watters outlined the indomitable 21st-century conservative media apparatus thusly: What youre seeing on the right is asymmetrical, he said, on an episode of The Five. Someone says something on social media, Musk retweets it, Rogan podcasts it, Fox broadcasts it, and by the time it reaches everybody, millions of people have seen it.

If you excuse the ostentation of the sentiment, Watters is absolutely correct. It has never been easier for an American voter to elide mainstream airwaves and yet still think they know exactly what is going on. Donald Trump has understood this for the entirety of his political career but particularly during his latest campaign. He snubbed conventional press cycles to instead sit for lengthy interviews with Twitch streamers and former reality show stars, both of whom successfully framed the candidate as more of a personality than a politician. That media strategy has persisted through the early days of this presidency: In a nakedly authoritarian turn, Trump has ripped away control of the White House press room from reporters and banished outlets like the Associated Press in favor of more credulous coverage. (The hilariously pro-Trump One America News Network has been granted a work station at the Pentagon. Politico, meanwhile, had its station rotated out.)

The consequence here is that for all of the chaos marking the febrile early days of Trumps revenge, our countrymen are sealed in two different planes of realitydivaricating media, culture, social contracts, and long-standing consensus on what democracies need to function. And the MAGA reality, it must be said, seems far less stressful than the one I inhabit. It is a place where the president is always right, and nothing is going wrong. When I consider the anxious dread that has infected much of the past decade, to live elsewhere almost sounds like a relief. So many Americans are walking this earth feeling relaxed. Tranquil, even! Imagine that! They are savoring this Republican trifecta, and especially, their self-selected, opposition-free media environment, which continues to promise them a golden age.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

I wanted a taste of that blissfully ignorant life. Because honestly, I needed a break from all the apocalyptic vibes. So last week, I created one for myself. I muted Slack, ditched my group chats, and silenced the pervasive push notifications that keep me attuned to the daily slate of outrage. With that liberal enclave banished, I created a brand new Twitterwell, Xfeed that followed, exclusively, White House agencies and their associated MAGA partisans. For the next 24 hours, it would be my only source of news.

My collection of cranks included @WhiteHouse, @StateDept, and @DOGE. I weaved in a few recent Trump appointees, like @KashPatel and @SecRubio, as well as some lower-level bureaucrats like @KariLake. Naturally I followed Elon Muska man who has been muted on my primary account for quite some timeand I threw in @Catturd2, someone who, while not associated with the government, remains the internets most pervasive Trump regime booster. In order to maintain the purity of the dose, I avoided outwardly branded right-wing media that might still occasionally voice meek dissent. So, no Fox News, no New York Post, and especially no National Review.

Advertisement

And Ill be honest, after logging into my newly MAGA-fied Twitter account, completely purged of a single contrasting viewpoint, I experienced a sensation that has eluded me for quite some time. My typical morning social media banquet of blood-curdling headlines and scream-crying ragesorted algorithmically and melded into an infinite scrollwas nowhere to be found. Instead, my laptop greeted my bleary eyes with a font of good tidings. One of the first posts I read was uploaded at 8:41 a.m. It was the Department of Agriculture, showing off a chart analyzing the price of corn crops compared with soybeans. That was a stark departure from the blunderbuss of content I was used to, which I suppose is one of the advantages that come from only following 25 accounts, all of which are unified in fealty. Three minutes later, another post trickled through. This one came from @RapidResponse47, the primary digital propaganda arm of the Trump administration. It contained a quote from Attorney General Pam Bondi, speaking about how the president is very smart and very hardworking as he conducts his first Cabinet meeting. The verbiage matched the fawning, preschool-report-card tone that MAGA partisans always wield when they talk about the president. Many even piled into the replies, uproariously enthused about the reassertion of what they already believed in their hearts. (He is on another level! chimed MegaMagaMel.)

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

For the bulk of our nations lifespan, most Americans interacted with political news much differently than we do now. It was an aspect of life that merited attention about twice a monthexcept in election yearsand more obsessive scrutiny made you a bit of a wonk. 2016, then, should be heralded as one of the greatest disruptions to social rhythms in the United States in modern history, at least in the sense that people like my parents suddenly became fluent in arcane legislative procedures, like the emoluments clause. This isnt limited to liberals, of course. MAGA types are also psychotically, outrageously online, as you would obviously need to be in order to grasp the chthonic plot points of the Hunter Biden laptop saga.

That said, I do think my exploration of Trump airspace revealed a media climate that felt, perhaps, less routinely berserk than the one I operate in. Yes, Elon Musk and Catturd both peddle a ton of hateful bullshit, but they also love LOLing at normie Facebook memes. Dan Bongino tweets a flatly insane threat to Democrats every other week, sure, but among the few posts I saw from him all day, one was the recirculation of a John Denver cover. There is a lifestyle-brand blaseness to MAGA-dom that cannot be easily mirrored in the rapidly diminishing resistance, where the No. 1 topic at hand is (understandably) feeling like youre about to die. It is emblematic of the great roadblock liberals have failed to navigate for three presidential administrations in a row. Like it or not, being a Democrat isnt perceived by the broader electorate to be very fun. I cant really argue with them, either.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The morning simmered into the afternoon, and the news of the day continued to whoosh by. Whatever atrocities that merited my attention were out of reachtittering away in unclicked Slack rooms. Each headline had been gloriously disfigured by florid spin, lulling a whole nation into docility. I glean, from my highly bifurcated timeline, that a meeting between Keir Starmer and Trump went well, that the Supreme Court blocked a spending mandate filed by an activist judge who must be impeached, and that those America First tariffs the president keeps teasing will, indeed, go into effect the following week.

Advertisement

Some of the more pickled and grievance-fueled elements of MAGA-dom came through, propping up nonsensical controversies that bloom and die within the conservative ecosystem without ever breaking through to our side of the aisle. Steven Cheung, a Trump spokesperson, is all worked up about a stack of notecards Jen Psaki left behind in the White House during her brief run as Bidens press secretary. Its a squabble that literally nobody cares about, and I think that includes Cheung.

Advertisement

I must give Karoline Leavitt, another Trump spokesperson, credit for illuminating one fact that threw me for a loop. Trump, she posted, has been asked 1,009 questions by journalists in the first month of his presidency, compared with just 141 for Biden in that same timeframe. (The claim tracks. Say what you like about the man, but the current iteration of Trump loves to put on a press conference.) Even accommodating for the COVID measures that marked the early Biden years, that discrepancy is pretty damning, but even more damning is that I dont think I wouldve been made aware of it in my liberal haunts. (Perhaps unsurprisingly, my journey into MAGA propaganda left me with even deeper frustration with the former president than I already possessedtheyre good at that!)

Related From Slate J.D. Vances Online Humiliation Is Soaring to New and Impressive Heights Read More

Overall, this was shaping up into a slow news day. Trump was not presiding over the disembowelment of USAID, or Elons Nazi-looking gesture, and I found myself growing increasingly bored of the right-wing pablum churning on my computer. That is, of course, until a MAGA disaster struck. All day, I noticed that Catturd kept excitedly tweeting about the portentous release of the so-called Epstein Filesallegedly some sort of declassified tranche of data from the FBI investigation into high societys most infamous sex criminal. Jeffrey Epstein has been a fascination of the Pizzagate-tinged right for years. Of course, when Bondi did release those files later that day, the public quickly determined that the information was either already widely available or redacted for victim privacy. When the ruse became apparent, a current of outrage pulsed through my feed for the first time. For Bondi, a woman who just hours ago was touting the presidents work ethic, there was hell to pay.

Advertisement

Advertisement

It reminded me of the delicate game the White House is playing. MAGA partisans might be energizedand plenty indoctrinatedbut they could still piss off their mercurial boss and his mercurial base with a simple misstep. The Trump honeymoon could be over at any second.

Advertisement

Advertisement

And while existing inside of MAGA land may be a reprieve from the horror of existing outside of it, this is not a sane place to be either. The constant reaffirmations of loyalty must grow tiresome, even for the most committed of Trump accessories. Weve become desensitized to the ritual by now, but slobbering over an elected officialof any stripeis, and always will be, unbecoming. With my patience for the groveling wearing thin, I yearned for my ancestral home of belligerent progressives. I do not consider myself a person at risk of being red-pilled, and no surprise, but the propaganda did not work on me.

As night fell, I switched back to my original Twitter account and sank deep into that familiar, nauseating exasperation. The next day, Trump had his acrimonious exchange with President Volodymyr Zelensky; I dont think Ive ever seen my timeline so freaked out. Pundits forecasted the end of the postWorld War II order, Democrats mounted frail ripostes, and my own mother tweeted at the embattled Ukrainian premier, offering him an apology on behalf of our nation. It felt awfuland it felt right.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20250308/european-democracy-kills-anyone-with-different-opinion-1121624970.html

European Democracy Kills Anyone With Different Opinion

European Democracy Kills Anyone With Different Opinion

Sputnik International

The failed attempt on PM Ficos life was because he sought dialogue with Russia and peaceful political options, said Lubos Blaha, deputy leader of Slovakias Smer party, speaking to Sputnik.

2025-03-08T11:04+0000

2025-03-08T11:04+0000

2025-03-08T11:31+0000

world

lubos blaha

volodymyr zelensky

robert fico

ukraine

slovakia

european union (eu)

russia

usaid

europe

https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e9/03/08/1121625207_124:0:1297:660_1920x0_80_0_0_0a247fd1d97a7debdbafdc6ff99319b0.jpg

"Imagine you have a different opinion, and somebody wants to kill you. What is it? This is European democracy now. This is European freedom now," Lubos Blaha said.Even though Zelensky cut direct Russian gas supplies, his regime has to buy gas transiting to Slovakia, Blaha pointed out.Zelenskys behavior shows that hes neither a statesman, nor a leader, deputy leader of Slovakias Smer party said.He was writing the statuses which even my 12-year-old boy wouldn't write, because he's well-educated, and he has a normal father who is trying to say that this is not decent, it's not normal. But Zelensky probably has some problems, the politician said.The EU is turning into a modern-day 'empire' - Slovak MEP denounces Brussels hysteria.The Slovak opposition, which stirred up mass protests after PM Robert Fico visited Moscow, has ties with the infamous Georgian Legion's* mercs from Ukraine, Blaha has revealed to Sputnik. "They are the fighters in Ukraine who are waging really war crimes. And I think that their leader, his name is Mr. Mamulashvili, was in Slovakia. He's funded by neoliberal funds, by neoliberal movements, [and] NGOs. These NGOs are getting money from USAID and from Soros," he stressed.The bloc is now in a historical period, and it must strive to survive, Lubos Blaha, Slovak MEP said.*The Georgian Legion is recognized as a terrorist organization and banned in Russia

https://sputnikglobe.com/20250305/zelenskys-new-ceasefire-offer-shows-hes-back-to-his-old-jokes-1121619018.html

ukraine

slovakia

russia

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60

2025

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60

News

en_EN

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60

1920 1080 true

1920 1440 true

1920 1920 true

Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60

Sputnik International

european democracy, slovakias smer party, russia and peaceful political options
While all eyes were on her streaking stablemate, Century Jamila stole the spotlight in this week's $36,000 Fillies & Mares Preferred Pace on Friday, March 7 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Driven by Louis-Philippe Roy, Century Jamila pulled off a double-digit upset in her Preferred debut for trainer Dave Menary.

Glenboro chased the gate away and quickly crossed to command from the outside post six for driver Travis Cullen. She put up a :29.4 opening quarter with the Menary trainees, Century Jamila and favoured Blue Pacific, following in second and third, respectively.

Doug McNair made a quarter-pole move with Blue Pacific, the leading money-earning mare in Canada this year who had won her last four races. They led the field through middle splits of :58.3 and 1:26.3, but the 3-5 favourite was swarmed in the stretch.

Century Jamila rallied outside while Glenboro shot through inside and those two battled to the wire with the former prevailing by a nose over the latter in 1:53.4 with a :26.3 final frame. Lyons Bettorday and Tyler Jones closed from the back of the pack for third, finishing ahead of Blue Pacific.

Stepping up in class off back-to-back wins last month, Century Jamila was overlooked at odds of 10-1 and returned $22.40 for a $2 win ticket.

The five-year-old daughter of Bettors Delight out of Exotic Pleasure has won half of her eight seasonal starts while earning $57,320 in purses for owner Pollack Racing of Venetia, Pennsylvania. The former Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots champion now boasts 15 career wins from 60 starts and a bankroll of $277,566.

In other action, a new Pop-Up Series began on Friday with the favourites winning a pair of $16,000 divisions for female pacers that were non-winners of $30,000 or not averaging $1,700 per start in 2024 with a minimum of 15 starts.



Ronald Nobes' Charmbo Stormy ($3.90) took a new lifetime mark of 1:53 with a four-length romp in the first division with Roy aboard for trainer Jared Mann while Rick Rier's Coz Im Special ($4.80) took the other division in 1:55 flat for the father and son, training and driving duo of Gregg and Doug McNair.

The series continues next Friday, March 14 and concludes with a $35,000 final on Friday, March 21.

To view Friday's harness racing results, click the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.

(Standardbred Canada)
Gia xang dau trong nuoc hom nay (3/7) uoc du bao co the giam tu 6,8 - 7,5% so voi ky ieu hanh truoc o. Cu the, gia ban le xang E5 RON 92 co the giam 1.412 ong (6,9%) ve muc 19.118 ong/lit; xang RON 95-III co the giam 1.440 ong (6,8%) ve muc 19.670 ong/lit. Trong khi o, dau hoa co the giam 7,5% ve muc 17.631 ong/lit; dau mazut co the giam 7,2% ve muc 15.730 ong/kg; dau diesel co the giam 7,1% ve muc 17.977 ong/lit.
Bilateral trade between Trinidad and Tobago and India reached a record TT$1.2 billion (US$368.96 million) in the last fiscal year, according to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

She disclosed this as she announced that her Government aims to expand exports to tap into Indias market of 1.4 billion consumers, and will pursue a Partial Scope Trade Agreementthe first from a Caricom countrywhile laying the foundation for a new Bilateral Investment Treaty.
Russia says ties with China key stabilizer in global affairs

Xinhua) 10:15, March 08, 2025

MOSCOW, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The Russia-China relationship is a significant stabilizing factor in global affairs, with both sides making major contributions to the establishment of a more just world order, said Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova.

Responding to a question from Xinhua at a daily briefing on Thursday, Zakharova said that as each other's largest neighboring countries, Russia and China maintain a comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination characterized by dynamic and vibrant interstate cooperation aimed at achieving sustainable development for both nations and safeguarding their fundamental interests.

"Russia-China relations are not directed against third countries. We are not forming military-political alliances. Our friendship is primarily aimed at benefiting our own nations, and ultimately the world as a whole," she said.

The partnership is an important stabilizing factor in world affairs, making significant contributions to the democratization of international relations and the multi-polarization of the world order, Zakharova added.

Russia and China will resolutely counter any attempts to sow discord in bilateral relations, she said.

As this year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, Zakharova said Russia and China are jointly committed to safeguarding the history of World War II and opposing any distortion of historical narratives.

(Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Sheng Chuyi)
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.
Diversity is the foundation of excellence in biological communities, yelled out a speaker at the University of Arizonas Stand Up For Science rally, where more than 100 people gathered Friday.

The rally was one of many across the country Friday to protest the Trump administrations orders targeting federal research funding.

There is the science that is curing cancer and disease and exploring Mars and helping to solve climate change, but its also the largest community of learning, said Kirsten Engel, a UA professor of law and a former Democratic candidate for Congress, addressing the noon rally on the UA mall.

If we dont have publicly funded science, its not like theres going to be no science, folks. There is going to be privately funded science that will not be available to society, that will not be subject to peer review and will only be used for profit and not the greater good, Engel said. So, we are going to be standing up for public values and for science for the people.

The crowd, which included UA faculty, researchers, students, alumni and other scientists, gathered in warm jackets and scarfs on the rainy Friday.

Chanting the phrase, Science Saves Lives, they held signs saying: Fund Science Not Billionaires, Science Not Silence, The World Is Watching, Science is what makes the U.S. future great, The People Will Defeat Trumps Billionaire Agenda, and more.

Dianne Patterson, a UA staff scientist in neuroimaging who was a main organizer of the rally, said she didnt know what to expect while putting the word out. Patterson, who said this was her first participation in a political rally, said she decided to take the initiative because she doesnt want her grandson growing up in a political state of autocracy.

Patterson pointed to the location of the rally  the USS Arizona Memorial to those killed on the USS Arizona during the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.

This site honors the lives lost more than 80 years ago in an unprovoked and devastating attack on our nation, said Patterson, addressing the rally crowd. Our country rose to the challenge of protecting our values with bravery and science. We are here to remind the world of how crucial science is to our survival.

The rally began with speeches by Patterson, Engel, Lynn Nadel, Christopher Impey and Scott Saleska, all UA professors and researchers, after which audience members were invited to speak.

One audience member wondered aloud if UA President Suresh Garimella, a researcher in the fields of electronics thermal management and energy efficiency, had an official and public stance on the Trump administrations orders to cut federal research funding.

I cant speak for the university. I hope theyre listening, I hope they feel empowered by what theyre hearing from their own students and faculty here, said Engel. They are in a tough spot, obviously. Theres so much money thats on the line that supports this university, but I do think that theyre hearing from people in their own community about what these impacts are going to have. And as Scott (Saleska) said, complying in advance is the pathway to tyranny and I hope theyre hearing that.

Garimella released a note to the UA community Feb. 18, stating the administrations intention to continue to adhere to all applicable laws at the local, state and federal levels. He said the UA would take a proactive approach toward ensuring compliance with the new federal policies and procedures.

In the announcement, Garimella said the UA would take inventory of its Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility-related programs, jobs and activities. This was to determine how to comply with the U.S. Department of Educations Feb. 14 mandate, instructing all educational institutions to stop race-conscious admissions, financial aid, hiring, training and more or lose federal funding.

The Trump administration has also issued federal orders impacting research funding from agencies, including the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Defense Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development.

I think its really hitting home now, as people are seeing grants being cancelled, people being fired, how important these programs are to our public universities and to science, (how) it has been under attack by this (Trump) administration, and what impacts it will have on our community and the world, said Engel.
Mexican gray wolves continued their comeback in 2024, according to the latest population estimates from state wildlife officials in Arizona and New Mexico.

The annual survey results, announced on Monday, showed at least 286 of the endangered animals living in the wild in the two states.

Thats an 11% increase over the 2023 estimate, and it marks the ninth consecutive year of population growth, the longest such streak since Mexican wolves were first reintroduced to the region in 1998.

The results of this years count reflect the hard work of many people and agencies, said Clay Crowder, assistant director of the Arizona Game and Fish Department. Prior to the first release into the wild, many thought that a successful free-ranging wild Mexican wolf population was impossible, but as we can see from the ninth consecutive year of population growth, we are knocking on the door of recovery.

New Mexico has the biggest share of the population at about 57%.

Wolf advocates welcomed news of the population increase, but they warned that the animals future is still threatened by its limited gene pool and potential cuts to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other federal agencies involved in the recovery effort.

Were concerned that Mexican gray wolf recovery will be defunded by people in the Trump administration who dont care about the non-monetary values of wild things and wild places, said Greta Anderson, the Tucson-based deputy director of Western Watersheds Project. We dont always agree with how Mexican wolves are managed, but we know that without the continued federal engagement and the strong protections of the Endangered Species Act, we wouldnt have this many lobos alive and in the wild.

Chris Smith, wildlife program director for the Santa Fe, New Mexico-based nonprofit WildEarth Guardians, said the slow growth of the nations only wild Mexican wolf population is a testament to the species resiliency and their place on the landscape where they have roamed for thousands of years.

But true recovery is being stymied by illegal killings, genetic crisis, and a lack of room to roam, Smith said. As the federal administration abandons the environment, wildlife, and conservation, states need to step up.

The latest population estimates are based on data collected from November through February by the Mexican Wolf Interagency Field Team, which includes five federal agencies, along with Arizona Game and Fish, the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, the White Mountain Apache Tribe and the Saving Animals From Extinction program.

Team members visually count the animals from the ground and in the air and track them using GPS collars, remote cameras and scat collection.

Some 112 wolves, about 39% of the estimated population, are currently wearing tracking collars.

The 2024 survey identified at least 60 distinct packs  23 in Arizona and 37 in New Mexico  each containing two or more wolves with an established home range.

Wildlife officials estimate that a minimum of 164 pups were born in 2024, and 79 of them made it to the end of the year, a survival rate of 48%.

The field team also documented two more foster wolf pups that survived to adulthood, bringing the total to 20 since that effort was launched in 2016. At least 10 of those wolves have now successfully bred and produced litters in the wild.

The fostering program aims to increase the genetic diversity of the subspecies by taking selected pups born in captivity and placing them in the dens of wild wolf packs, where they are cared for and raised alongside wild-born pups of similar ages.

The Mexican wolf is a subspecies of the gray wolf that has been listed separately under the federal Endangered Species Act since 1976. It was once found across the southwestern U.S. and Mexico until government-sponsored predator-eradication practices drove it to the verge of extinction.

In addition to the wild population, approximately 350 Mexican wolves currently live in captivity in facilities throughout the U.S. and Mexico as part of a bi-national breeding program designed to save the subspecies.

The new population figures come roughly two months after Mexican wolves were blamed for the deaths of eight cows on rangeland in southeastern Arizona.

A subsequent investigation by the Wildlife Services branch of the U.S. Department of Agriculture determined that only two of the cows were actually killed by wolves. Inspections of the remaining dead animals concluded that the (deaths) were not the result of Mexican wolf depredations, according to a Feb. 20 statement from Arizona Game and Fish.

But that hasnt stopped ranching supporters from pinning all of the lost cattle on wolves and using the incident to call for an end to the recovery program. A pair of Facebook posts shared hundreds of times since early February include a direct appeal to President Trump: Defund the wolf and protect American agriculture!

Only two Mexican wolves, nicknamed Llave and Wonder by conservationists, are known to live that far south in Arizona.

State wildlife officials said they dispatched riders from the agency to haze any wolves they found away from areas occupied by livestock, while staff members helped the owner of the two dead cows file for compensation from the Arizona Livestock Loss Board.

Anderson, from the Western Watersheds Project in Tucson, has spent years reviewing federal investigations of suspected wolf attacks on cattle and challenging the scant evidence sometimes used to repay ranchers and punish predators.

She said it is very, very unlikely that the wolf pair in southeastern Arizona would kill cattle for sport instead of food or that the cows that werent attacked somehow died of fright, as the Facebook posts suggested.

Im afraid this kind of wild speculation is going to lead to these wolves being removed, Anderson said.
WILLCOX  With the orange dawn behind him and a full moon in front, Jack Dykinga leans into his 600 mm lens and waits for the cranes to lift off.

Its not quite 7 a.m. on a Thursday in mid-February, and the temperature is not quite above freezing.

Dykinga stares out from behind his tripod near the edge of a pond at the Lake Cochise Wildlife Viewing Area, hoping to get a shot hes been chasing for the past four years at least: wintering sandhill cranes lit by the first light of sunrise, as they fly across the bone-white disk of the setting moon.

Technically, its fraught. Youre dealing with the sun and moon and the birds, the 82-year-old Oro Valley resident says over the endless trumpeting of a thousand cranes. Ultimately, its just dumb luck. Or educated dumb luck, hows that?

Of course, Jack Dykinga is no ordinary photographer. His newspaper work in Chicago earned him a Pulitzer Prize at the age of 28, and his nature photos have filled the pages of books and prestigious publications for decades.

The latest edition of National Geographic includes a 17-page spread of burrowing owls he photographed at the site of a conservation project in Marana.

The current issue of Arizona Highways features a shot he took in December of sandhill cranes crossing in front of a full moon, this time at Whitewater Draw, 100 miles southeast of Tucson. The image is splashed across two pages of the magazine, alongside a story Dykinga wrote explaining how he got the picture and how it could be better.

In landscape photography, youre never done, he writes. But its good to enjoy your successes when you can.

So many of Dykingas successes have been published in Arizona Highways over the past 40 years that everyone, including him, seems to have lost count of all his photo credits. Magazine editor Robert Stieves best guess: more than 500, which works out to an average of about one photograph in every issue since 1982.

Its hardly a surprise, then, that Dykinga is one of 15 photographers, artists and writers chosen for the inaugural class of the Arizona Highways Hall of Fame. Joining him there are fellow Tucsonans Ted DeGrazia, Esther Henderson, Ray Manley and Clara Lee Tanner.

Stieve says the full list of inductees will be unveiled in their special April edition, dedicated to the magazines centennial. The issue is set to arrive on newsstands March 20, about a week after subscribers get it.

Stone Canyon

Youve probably seen one of Dykingas photos before, even if you dont frequent photography exhibits or subscribe to Arizona Highways. Maybe its the shot of Edward Abbey in black and white, grinning in front of his battered 1973 Ford F100 pickup. Or the curved arm of a saguaro creating a frame for other stately cactuses in the background as it holds out its blossoms like a bouquet.

His technical skill and artistic eye are easy enough to see in his work. Whats not so apparent is the amount of research, planning and effort involved.

Before I go anywhere, it always starts with really looking at things like climate, weather (and the) schedules of animals. All that is plugged into different programs, and Ive got different areas that I want to hit simultaneously, he says. You want to make a living at it, so youve got to have four or five projects going at the same time.

In addition to the sandhill cranes, Dykinga is tracking wild swings in the weather, documenting rare aurora borealis events over Southern Arizona and searching for swaths of dying saguaros as part of another National Geographic pitch about prolonged drought in the desert.

He also keeps a running list in his head of nest sites he has found  Harris hawks, great horned owls, crested caracaras  so he can go back to them with his cameras when the time is right.

Heres a good example of the preparations he regularly makes: After he shot the northern lights near Picacho Peak in May, he spent two days scouting for a better location in the unlikely event that the phenomenon happened again. So when the aurora returned even stronger in October, he already had the perfect spot picked out, with a distinctive saguaro cactus and a clean northeastern view free of light pollution.

The worst thing you can do is be running around when its happening, especially when youre out in rattlesnake-infested deserts, he says. So immediately after getting the first one, I was already thinking about the next one.

For arguably his most heralded photo, called Stone Canyon, Dykinga followed seasonal rainstorms through a wilderness of petrified dunes along the Arizona-Utah border to capture a curled length of sun-bleached root resting in an ephemeral sandstone reflecting pool.

It took half a dozen separate trips  each of them six miles long, with a pack weighed down by his 45 large-format camera and accessories  to finally capture the scene on a windless morning in just the right light.

The image wound up on the cover of Dykingas 1996 book, written with famed author Charles Bowden, called Stone Canyons of the Colorado Plateau. It also got passed around Capitol Hill and the Clinton White House, where it eventually contributed to the creation of three new national monuments: Grand Canyon-Parashant and Vermilion Cliffs in northern Arizona and Grand Staircase-Escalante in southern Utah.

In 2010, the International League of Conservation Photographers selected Stone Canyon as one of the 40 best nature photographs of all time.

Burrowing owls

To shoot the sandhill cranes during the full moon, Dykinga slept overnight in his solar-powered, pop-up camper at the edge of Willcox so he wouldnt miss the moment when it came.

A good camper might just be the most important piece of equipment he owns, he says, because he practically has to live where he shoots. You really have to go back over and over again, and you never know what the hell youre going to get in terms of light or wind or conditions in general. I know what Im after in terms of perfection, but you dont always get it.

Dykinga tries to take pictures every day. And if Im not shooting for real, Im practicing, he says.

He fought the transition from film to digital photography for years, refusing to make the switch until he was convinced the new technology could produce the same results he knew he could achieve with his older gear. When he finally did embrace the change, though, he immersed himself in it completely. Now any time he gets an upgraded camera body or new firmware that promises to improve performance, he tests it out by shooting pictures of his backyard bird feeder, the grapes on his kitchen table or whatever else he can find around the house.

Im basically working out things ahead of time, he says. Its sort of interesting, because the cameras are supposed to be making it easier for you, but theyve also gotten more complicated. Its like a computer; you have to set it up, and the learning curve is pretty steep, especially nowadays.

Its not enough to just know your way around a camera, either. Wildlife photography also requires a working knowledge of an animals habitat and behavior. You have to know where your subjects are, when they are active and what they might be expected to do.

For Dykinga, that means reading a lot of books and making repeat trips to observe the animals where they live and figure out where he needs to be to photograph them.

It took him four years to collect the 11 photos that appear in the burrowing owl feature for National Geographic.

He visited the birds artificial burrows in the morning and at night for hours at a time and days on end, parking as close as 10 feet from them and using his car as a blind.

I would just basically sit there and watch these guys, he says. After a while, they become your instructors. They teach you what their behavior is, but they have to habituate to you first.

He has no idea how many individual photos he took during that time. After all, cameras these days can shoot up to 20 frames a second.

When youre shooting wildlife, the funniest expression is you spray and pray, he says. But it also requires a certain intensity of seeing  an awareness of color, design and composition.

Medical miracle

Everything Dykinga has accomplished over the past 10 years has come on borrowed breath.

Basically, its like a chainsaw across here, he says, motioning to his chest. Ive got a scar from armpit to armpit.

He was diagnosed with a degenerative lung disease called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in 2010. The incurable condition landed him in an experimental drug trial at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, but his breathing grew progressively worse, even as he continued his backcountry photography expeditions.

When his lungs finally began to shut down for good in 2014, he was at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, leading a workshop and raft trip for amateur photographers. He says he managed to make it back to Flagstaff while he was still breathing, but he knew he was in trouble when it took him an hour to get one sock on.

He was rushed to the emergency room at Mayo and then to an operating room at St. Josephs Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix  home, as luck would have it, to one of the worlds most successful lung transplant programs.

Roughly eight hours of surgery and six months of recovery time later, Dykinga says he was born again.

He still gets choked up when he talks about all the doctors, nurses and other caregivers who worked to extend his life.

Its really a miracle, he says, and its why I get very upset with politicians who kind of berate science. I just go into a blind rage. Its like, if youre at 30,000 feet, do you question avionics?

Dykinga never found out where his new lungs came from. The records were sealed by the donors loved ones. But the anonymous gift gave him back his wind, albeit with a few strings attached.

Every day, for example, he has to swallow 13 different pills in the morning and 7 more at night, including the anti-rejection drugs he takes to keep his body from attacking his replacement lungs. And with his immune system pinned down by the medication, hes left vulnerable to things like COVID or the common cold.

Certain kinds of skin cancer also thrive in the absence of his natural defenses, so Dykinga endures frequent surgeries to have chunks of bad skin removed. Like others in his position, he is terrified about losing an ear to the cancer someday.

Thats the downside, he says, but compared to how I was (almost) dead 10 years ago, you know, it is what it is.

Born to shoot

Dykinga was born and raised in Chicago, where magazine photos and the pictures his older brothers brought home from World War II and Korea sparked his interest in seeing the world through a camera.

In high school, all the guys were looking at National Geographic for the bare-chested women, and I was looking at the photographs, he says.

As he writes in A Photographers Life, his 2017 memoir, life really snapped into focus for him during his senior year, when a picture he shot for his high school newspaper won a national contest.

Soon he was spending so much time and money at his favorite local camera store that the owners recommended him to a news photographer specializing in snapshots of famous people arriving at the airport. The job gave the young Dykinga the chance to photograph the likes of Jimmy Durante, Richard Nixon and even the Beatles. It also got his foot in the door at the Chicago Tribune, which picked up a few of his pictures.

He was hoping to land afterhours work in the newspapers photo lab while he attended college classes during the day, but the photo editor sent him out into the city to shoot pictures instead.

There was a lot going on in Chicago in 1965. I got to cover the House Un-American Activities stuff, street protests, got beat up by cops a few times, marched with (Martin Luther) King, Dykinga says.

After a couple of years at the Trib, he jumped to the Chicago Sun-Times, where he joined an investigative team that exposed the deplorable conditions inside two Illinois state institutions for the mentally disabled. The reporting project, anchored by Dykingas searing black-and-white photos, helped turn a proposed budget cut into a state funding increase for the institutions and won him the 1971 Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography.

He later returned to the Chicago Tribune to shoot features for the papers Sunday magazine, including a life-changing assignment that sent him first to mountaineering school and then to the summit of Mount Rainier in 1975.

The following year, Dykinga moved to Tucson with his wife, Margaret, and their two children for what he calls a quality of life change. He would spend the next five years as photo editor of the Arizona Daily Star, before another lifestyle decision overtook him.

I quit to become a wilderness guide. Perfectly logical, Dykinga says, chuckling. I discovered a canyon, so therefore I wanted to lead people there. I was an expert  pure arrogance and too young to know what I didnt know.

When that didnt work out, he rescued himself with his camera, selling pictures to Time, Newsweek and other publications. I would do (freelance) assignments wherever I could get them, he says.

That eventually led to a fateful 1982 pitch meeting at Arizona Highways, where Dykinga tried to convince the magazine to let him do a story about his work as a wilderness guide. The editor had a better idea: Why not go shoot pictures for the story that some up-and-coming writer was doing about the Nature Conservancys work in Ramsey Canyon, outside of Sierra Vista?

So I met Chuck Bowden, and we kind of circled each other like two dogs around a fireplug, each of us saying how much better we were, Dykinga says. I wasnt short on ego and he wasnt either, and so it became a fast friendship.

The two men would go on to collaborate on a series of books, articles and wild adventures. With cameras and notebooks in hand, they drove across Arizona using only dirt roads, rode bicycles from the Grand Canyon to the Mexican border and completed a death-defying, summertime hike from Yuma to Palm Springs, following a route blazed by modern-day migrants and 19th century Texans drawn to the California gold rush.

And in 2014, when Dykinga was rushed to the hospital to be prepped for his lung transplant, he turned to his pal Chuck to write his obituary.

Not many people get to proofread their own obit, but it was pure Chuck, he recalls with a laugh. He made it more about him than me, so we spiked that one.

Bowden died unexpectedly less than two months later, leaving Dykinga, still recovering from his own fresh brush with death, to deliver the eulogy at his friends memorial service.

In the archive

That first Arizona Highways feature by the pair helped kick open the door for Dykinga, who threw himself into the kind of large-format landscape photography he knew the magazine wanted.

Such work also came in handy as he began pitching stories to National Geographic, which eventually published two full features from him  one in 2007 on the wilderness along both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border around Big Bend National Park and the other in 2010 on conservation work by Native American tribes across the country.

The burrowing owl piece is his third big project for the magazine he once marveled at as a kid.

He credits his varied work experience for making him into the nature photographer he is today. Shooting for newspapers taught him to be fast and flexible and keenly aware of his surroundings. Working as a photo editor taught him to be ruthless about his own work and careful about choosing the most worthwhile assignments. And freelancing taught him to plan ahead, multitask and always keep moving.

I think thats really crucial, he says. Youre just divvying out your time, and it gets even more intense when you know youre going to die pretty quick.

The Arizona Highways Hall of Fame isnt his only recent lifetime achievement award of sorts. Early last month, he learned that his entire film archive, including his Pulitzer-Prize-winning negatives, would be added to the collection at the University of Arizonas prestigious Center for Creative Photography. The honor means his work will be preserved forever alongside that of such legendary North American photographers as Ansel Adams, Lola Alvarez Bravo, David Hume Kennerly, W. Eugene Smith, Edward Weston and Garry Winogrand.

But Dykinga shows no signs of slowing down. In the last few days alone, he made a solo trip to Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge to photograph a rare cactus, then drove his camper north to Death Valley National Park in search of wildflowers and flood damage. Being a photographer isnt something he does; its something he is.

I feel like Im doing better than I ever did, and I think the reason is theres an urgency to live and to produce, he says.

Its a self-imposed pressure he can feel every time he draws a breath.

Part of the drive is you dont want to disappoint the doctors. Its like a million-dollar operation, Dykinga says. And its not just me; its somebody elses lungs, too.
Three separate requests seeking permission for high-voltage transmission lines across three central Tucson intersections as part of TEPs Midtown Reliability Project have been rejected by the citys zoning examiner.

The rejections come as the City Council considers an election for a new franchise agreement between the city and Tucson Electric Power.

Last week the council approved pursuing public engagement relating to TEPs request for a new franchise agreement. An election on the matter could happen in November, city attorney Mike Rankin said.

City voters soundly defeated the last proposed franchised agreement, Prop. 412, in 2023. It would have imposed a monthly fee on city residents to help fund underground installation of the Midtown Reliability Project line, as well as future city climate-action programs.

However, the councils actions came a little over a week after Tucsons zoning examiner denied the three separate exemptions TEP wanted to allow it to install high-voltage transmission lines across the intersections.

The power project TEP seeks would connect three substations across central Tucson via 12 miles of 138-kilovolt transmission lines suspended by 75- to 85-foot-tall poles. In some areas, the poles could be up to 130 feet tall.

At a glance, the utilitys preferred route would connect a substation near Interstate 10 and West Grant Road to a proposed substation just north of the University of Arizona and Banner University Medical Center. From there, TEP would route transmission lines to a substation near South Kino Parkway and East 36th Street.

If the three recently rejected TEP requests were approved, the utility would have been able to run its lines east-west across North Oracle Road on West Grant Road, north-south across East Broadway on North Euclid Avenue, and east-west across South Kino Parkway on East 36th Street.

But Acting Zoning Examiner Frank Cassidy denied TEPs request on Feb. 21.

TEP was seeking the exceptions from city code that requires new transmission lines be installed underground within a Gateway Corridor Zone. Those are areas in the city that give a favorable visual impression of Tucson to tourists and visitors at entry points to the City and on routes leading to major recreation attractions.

TEP said overhead lines were needed, in part, because large risers would need to be built on either side of the intersections to accommodate the underground lines. Those risers, the utility said, were more visually invasive the the power lines.

Cassidy disagreed, noting on each request that the absence-or-reduced number of overhead transmission lines provides a substantially more favorable visual impression in the Gateway Corridor Zone, despite the need for the risers.

The Acting Zoning Examiner also finds that other adverse impacts of overhead lines, including their constrictions on surrounding private and public development and their safety hazards, are significantly reduced or even eliminated by being underground, Cassidy said in two decisions. These adverse effects cannot be substantially mitigated through the use of conditions if the lines are permitted to be installed overhead.

On Friday, TEP spokesman Joe Barrios said the utility earlier in the week filed a notice of intent to appeal the zoning examiners decisions.

Ahead of the zoning examiners Feb. 13 public hearing, Koren Manning, interim director of the citys planning and development services wrote in a Jan. 28 memo to Cassidy that the department concluded that special exception requests were appropriate and recommended their approval.

The utility believes the recommendation was correct, Barrios said.

He noted that the need for this power line route is still there and that the utility is still hoping to complete the work by summer 2027.

TEP is continuing to look at its options but has not made any final decisions on how to move forward, Barrios said.

This issue of the city-designated gateway corridors was the same friction point that TEP and the city had in 2022. Thats when the utility withdrew its original line-siting route for the project. TEP had initially sought zoning permission in 2021 to install the overhead 138-kilovolt lines along parts of Kino Parkway, contending the project was a system upgrade not subject to the overhead line prohibition.

In July, a Pima County Superior Court judge upheld the citys authority to prohibit overhead transmission lines in city-designated corridors, denying an appeal by TEP that challenged a city zoning administrators rejection of part of the utilitys initial plan to build overhead high-voltage transmission lines through midtown.

The Arizona Corporation Commission then unanimously approved a Certificate of Environmental Capability for TEPs route in September 2024, but the utility still had to get special exceptions to build it above ground, which the zoning examiner denied last month.
Randy Krehbiel Tulsa World Reporter Follow Randy Krehbiel Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

STILLWATER  The regent who pressed for the audit that led to Oklahoma State University President Kayse Shrum's resignation said Friday that she zeroed in on the OSU Innovation Foundation immediately after joining the board last July.

Jennifer Callahan, an Oklahoma City attorney with a background in nonprofit and corporate governance, said she did not like the way the Innovation Foundation operated and quickly asked for a task force to investigate the matter.

This produced an internal audit of the Innovation Foundation that became public earlier this week.

"The audit explicitly states that funds were not spent as appropriated by the Legislature," Callahan said following a regents meeting on the OSU campus. "Nor were they spent as agreed to by the board. Both internal and external auditors have reached this conclusion."

Callahan said the foundation was in a precarious financial position that was likely to get worse had the board not stepped in.

Shrum disputed this in a statement earlier in the week, and her supporters  none of whom would speak on the record  say the transfer of restricted funds among academic accounts is standard operating procedure.

They maintain that the situation was intentionally blown out of proportion to force Shrum's resignation. Shrum was popular with donors, students and alumni but had gotten crosswise with some in state leadership and on the Board of Regents for OSU and A&M Colleges.

After the audit became public on Wednesday, interim President Jim Hess said the irregularities it identified were isolated and did not affect the university's overall financial situation.

At Friday's meeting, regents approved Hess' new contract, with a base annual salary of $650,000, and made it clear that they are in no hurry to begin looking for a full-time successor.

"I know many of you are curious who will lead OSU next," Chairman Jimmy Harrel said, "but our focus right now is on supporting President Hess and OSU's land grant mission. We will determine the timeline for the OSU presidential search at a later date. Jim has our full support."

According to OSU's O'Colly student newspaper, Hess told faculty a presidential search will not begin until the Innovation Foundation situation is resolved.

That did nothing, however, to cool the suspicions of some that the regents' long game is to hold the position open until Gov. Kevin Stitt completes his second term in January 2027.

Stitt says he's not interested in the job, but a belief to the contrary persists among many insiders.

One obstacle to such a scenario is that Stitt does not have a terminal degree  generally a doctorate, which includes a law degree. OSU presidents are not required to have such academic credentials, but it's been a century since one did not. Among research universities such as OSU a president without a terminal degree would be highly unusual.

The only member of the board not appointed by Stitt, Dr. Trudie Milner of Tulsa, resigned after Shrum's resignation.

Exactly when the Innovation Foundation situation will be resolved is unclear. Callahan indicated Friday that further investigation of its finances is expected.

The basic findings of the internal audit were that as much as $41 million in restricted funds earmarked by the Legislature for specific purposes was used by other university components over a three-year period and that some of the money was used to pay Innovation Foundation personnel.

Whether the shortchanged accounts were later made whole is not clear.

The Innovation Foundation was created in 1967 as the OSU Research Foundation. Although reorganized and rebranded by Shrum, its general purpose remains the same. It houses several research institutes, including the highly successful Oklahoma Aerospace Institute for Research and Education and the Human Performance and Nutrition Research Institute.

Among other things, the foundation provides shared support services to the institutes.

Callahan and the audit report said university funds should not have been used to support the nonprofit foundation. Asked why regents on the foundation's board had not questioned the arrangement previously, she said, "You probably have to see what was actually communicated" to them.

She was also critical of the foundation's governance, which included regents, business people, academics and the university's chief financial officer.

The university's most recent independent audit, issued last year, mentions the Innovation Foundation several times.

"The Innovation Foundation is governed by a Board of Directors comprised primarily of management of the General University," the audit says in several places. "In addition, General University employees and facilities are used for virtually all activities of the Innovation Foundation. Accordingly, the Innovation Foundation has been reported as a blended component unit in the financial statements."
Steve Metzer Tulsa World Capitol Bureau Staff Writer Follow Steve Metzer Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

OKLAHOMA CITY  Lawmakers may have to find tens of millions of dollars to fill a budget hole revealed by the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.

The exact amount of the shortfall hasnt been determined. Department officials initially reported to legislative leaders that they might need a supplemental appropriation of $52 million to $57 million to finish fiscal year 2025. Days later, House Speaker Kyle Hilbert said the estimate was boosted to $63 million.

Hilbert said additional money, perhaps $10 million or more, could be needed to fix any structural deficit that may exist, to prevent similar shortfalls from occurring in the future.

Whatever that structural deficit might be also hasnt been determined.

On Wednesday, Gov. Kevin Stitt, acting on the recommendation of Mental Health Commissioner Allie Friesen, requested a comprehensive audit of the department. On the same day, Hilbert and Senate President Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton announced that they had asked the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency to investigate the matter.

During separate meetings with reporters on Thursday, Hilbert and Paxton both referenced a situation that occurred in 2017, when the Oklahoma State Department of Health made a request for a supplemental appropriation of $30 million. It was later determined that no real shortfall existed and Health Department officials were excoriated for malfeasance.

Friesen, who was appointed by Stitt just over a year ago, said in a statement at the time the audit request was announced that she had identified systemic issues at the agency that date back years.

The previous Mental Health Department commissioner, Carrie Slatton-Hodges, who was appointed by Stitt in January 2020, left the department in late 2023 to take a position as director of the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors Research Institute. She could not be reached for comment on Friday.

Hilbert and Paxton both said LOFT findings, which should be delivered much sooner than a report from State Auditor and Inspector Cindy Byrd, will help lawmakers as they work in coming weeks to craft a budget for FY 2026. Byrds audit, they said, will help to clarify problems that might need to be addressed in the future.

The state auditor absolutely has a role in this, because we want to make sure theres no waste, fraud or abuse associated with whatever is going on, Hilbert said. Right now, we are not aware of (any), but $63 million is a substantial sum, so were going to get to the bottom of it. ...

"In the short term, we have a budget that we have to pass 12 weeks from now, and so LOFT is well-equipped to dig in and get us some answers that were going to need expeditiously.

Hilbert, R-Bristow, noted that the Oklahoma Health Care Authority has already paid the federal Center for Medicaid Services money equivalent to the shortfall that was owed by the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, so the OHCA actually faces the immediate prospect of a loss if its unable to be reimbursed.

So now this also opens up an additional question that Ive asked out fiscal team to dig into. Why are we even doing this backfilling situation in the first place? Hilbert asked. It just doesnt seem like an efficient system to me.

Paxton, R-Tuttle, said the exposure of the budget shortfall didnt have anything to do with an agreement reached this week to settle a lawsuit stemming from allegations that the Mental Health Department violated the rights of incarcerated individuals in need of mental health treatment. It did, however, force a delay in finalizing the signing of a consent decree.

The Senate leader said the situation, which has resulted in some turnover of staff at the department, raised serious concerns.

We are very concerned. Heres another big bunch of taxpayer money were not sure where it was spent or how it was spent, he said. From my perspective as a legislator, $60 million is a serious issue. The thing is, we dont know if its been misappropriated, misspent or is just sitting in an account somewhere that were not familiar with.

At her own weekly meeting with reporters, Senate Minority Caucus Leader Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City, expressed concern about the absence of an external board to maintain oversight of the Department of Mental Health and Substances Abuse Services.

Whos watching those finances and catching those things? she asked.

She added that it will be important for the shortfall to be addressed quickly to avoid any possible disruption in mental health treatment or services for Oklahomans in need.
A third season of Myths: The Greatest Mysteries of Humanity on SBS VICELAND heads off in search of the mythical El Dorado in South America, plus to Egypt for the legend of Cleopatra.

Myths have captivated us for thousands of years. We puzzle over unexplained phenomena, mysterious places, and superhuman heroes. What if the legends are more than just fiction? Across the globe, researchers are working to solve the greatest mysteries of all time.

In each episode of Myths: The Greatest Mysteries of Humanity, scientists uncover ancient tombs, examine artefacts, and go on expeditions in search of the origins of historical legends and myths.

Season Three, Episode One: El Dorado

El Dorado  the city of gold. Spanish conquistadors searched in vain for its riches. Today, the legend of El Dorado continues to fascinate treasure hunter Thierry Jamin and archaeologists Jose Perez-Gomez and Juan Quintero. From Peru to Guyana and Colombia, evidence of El Dorado can be found all over South America. But only one of these leads traces back to the origins of the legend.

Season Three, Episode Two: Cleopatra

Cleopatra is the embodiment of beauty, luxury, and dangerous femininity, and is arguably the most famous woman in history. She was a legend even in ancient times. For over than 2000 years, countless stories have circulated about the Egyptian ruler. But which ones are true? Will the latest archaeological discoveries give insight into the real-life story of Egypts final queen?

Double episodes Monday, 10 March at 8.30pm on SBS VICELAND.
Why do we need to keep changing our clocks twice a year?

This weekend we, as Americans, are once again directed to spring forward and set our clocks ahead one hour to observe daylight saving time (DST). So, dont forget on Saturday night before you go to bed, thus reminding yourself you will lose an hour of sleep before getting up on Sunday for church or whatever activity you have planned.







According to Wikipedia, this is the practice of advancing clocks to make better use of the longer daylight available during the summer so that darkness falls at a later clock time. Who wouldnt want an extra hour of daylight, right?

This practice, and setting our clocks back an hour in the fall, is something that has always fascinated and somewhat perplexed me. Wikipedia says that around 34 percent of the worlds counties use DST. Some countries, including Canada, observe this ritual in only some regions. For instance, all of Yukon, most of Saskatchewan and parts of Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec do not observe DST.

It is observed by every state in the United States with exception of Hawaii and Arizona, including the Navajo Nation.

Consider this twist: When I lived in southern Indiana in the early 1990s, I lived in a part of the state that did not observe daylight saving time. Half of the year, the town of Washington, Indiana became part of the Eastern time zonemeaning that prime time television would begin at 8 p.m. and run until 11 p.m.while the other six months of the year, the city observed the Central time zone, meaning that prime time television began at 7 p.m. and ran until 10 p.m., much like it does here in The Crossroads.

You want to talk about confusionI didnt understand why they did it then and I still dont understand now why they did such a thing. It seemed like a novelty at the time, but it seemed all so unnecessary.

I understand things have since changed in Indiana since then. In April 2006, all counties in Indiana were mandated to observe daylight saving time. At least some sanity was restored there.

Now, Ive been told, the debate about daylight saving time has resurfaced among Texas lawmakers. After it failed in the 2023 legislative session, Sen. Judith Zaffirini from Laredo has now proposed a bill that would allow the state to remain in standard time all year, as reported by the Texas Tribune. This differs from previous attempts to change the law, which have generally suggested states remain in daylight saving timean act that is barred by federal law.

The twice-a-year clock change is disruptive and unnecessary, Zaffirini told The Texas Tribune. And while she went into detail about studies linking these shifts to increased traffic accidents, negative health effects and decreased productivity, I must say I have to agree with this Democratic lawmaker.

In 2022, then-U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, now the U.S. Secretary of State, proposed the Sunshine Protection Act, a bill that was passed by the state Senate but stalled in the House. As a former resident of Orlando, I would have been affected by that. Rubio stated, Its time to lock the clock and stop enduring the ridiculous and antiquated practice of switching our clocks back and forth.

I must say I agree. It only makes sense. Along with Zaffirini, Rep. Will Metcalf has proposed a bill that would do away with the time change. By passing HB 1393, well demonstrate leadership and send a strong message [to Washington, D.C.] that Texans are ready to move forward.

Has the practice of changing your clocks twice a year outgrown its welcome? Let me know what you think.
Edwyn Collins "felt he was fighting for his life" during his stroke ordeal.

Edwyn Collins 'felt he was fighting for his life' during his stroke ordeal

The 65-year-old musician had to go through a lengthy programme of neurological rehabilitation after a major health crisis left him unable to speak in 2005 and thought that that was going to be the end for him.

In a Q+A with readers of The Guardian, he was asked what "inspires" him to carry on, and he replied: "In hospital, even my pupils didnt react. It looked like curtains for me. But my doctor decided to operate. And Im grateful. Even when I was unconscious, I felt I was fighting for my life."

But the 'A Girl Like You' hitmaker - who is married to his manager Grace Maxwell and has son William, 25, with her - refused to give up on his dreams and ahead of his farewell tour later his year admitted that while it is ""difficult" for him to get around these days, he finds "joy" in being able to walk short distances with his son.

He said: "My dreams didnt die. There was wonderful satisfaction to come. Now, sometimes its difficult for me to get about. [When Im in] town it is difficult, bumping into people. But I can walk to the tube with my son William; thats joyful."

Meanwhile, the Scottish-born star - who found fame as the frontman of the 1980s post-punk band Orange Juice - will release his 10th studio album 'Nation Shall Speak Unto Nation' on March 14, and revealed that his wife came up with the title.

He said: "It was Graces choice Up in Helmsdale [in the Scottish Highlands], in my studio, I have an art deco radiogram speaker which has a sort of sunburst thing with that phrase written on it. For 60 on eBay  pristine! It was the BBC World Service motto. When we were casting about for a title for the new record, it seemed like a great expression. Grace said, if youre going to call it that you have to write a song with that title. So I did."
If I had any complaint about Texas state park system it would be there are not enough of them covering enough acreage.

There are currently 88 state parks, natural areas, historic sites, visitor centers, lodges and tramways covering more than 640,000 acres, but in a state where the population now hovers just below 32 million the need for outdoor recreation is greater than it has ever been.







It was not until the 1950s that Texas became an urban state, trailing much of the remainder of the country by 30 or so years. Late in the 20th century most Texans still had some connection to the land through grandparents and other relatives or maybe friends, and the need for recreational areas was not that strong. It is different now as todays state parks annually draw more than 9 million total visitors, 2.6 million of which stay overnight.

I remember as a child taking family vacations at Lake Brownwood State Park. Even though we had plenty of access to farmland close to home, my parents would periodically take us to Central Texas to stay a few nights. Compared to todays cabins it was rustic and almost primitive, but it was still an adventure that resulted in life-long memories.

Todays park system has more than 8,000 overnight facilities at 81 facilities, with more on the way possibly this year if Palo Pinto Mountains State Park is completed. The overnight facilities include campsites, shelters and group areas, along with 243 cabins at 36 of the 81 locations. Cedar Hill State Park, just south of Dallas on Joe Pool Lake, has the most campsites with 401.

In comparison, Tyler State Park has 101 campsites, cabins and shelters.

What makes a state park visit special besides having nature just outside your cabin or tent, is the cost. Campsites within the system range from $4 to $75 depending on type, while cabins run from $40 to $200, a price that is much more affordable than a hotel.

And that is where the problem begins. For budget-conscious families, or anyone who enjoys nature, camping and outdoors in a clean and safe environment, state parks can fill up quickly. That is especially true starting with upcoming spring break vacations for schools around the state, and on most holiday weekends in the spring and summer.

According to Texas Parks and Wildlife Departments numbers for 2024, the five most popular parks for overall visitation are Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, Garner, Palo Duro Canyon, Cedar Hill and McKinney Falls state parks.

The most popular with overnight visitors are Garner, Inks Lake, Cedar Hill, Galveston Island and Tyler, the smallest of the five.

Each park is different, depending on its location in the state, and they offer a variety of activities from fishing, hiking, swimming, bicycle and horseback trails. Some are full of activities that can keep you in the park all day, while others are gateways to adventures off-site, making the parks good options for stays when traversing the state.

To see which is the best fit, it is important to research the various parks (https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/) before making reservations.

Thanks to some different funding initiatives in recent years that have put the system in the best financial state it has ever been, TPWD is looking toward expansion.

It has begun with the purchase of 630 acres adjacent to Enchanted Rock last year using funding from the Sporting Goods Sale Tax approved by Texas voters in 2019. The department then announced in January it would be doubling the size of the Llano County park with the purchase of an additional 3,073 adjacent acres with $43 million from the Centennial Parks Conservation Fund created in 2023, the 100-year anniversary of the state park system.

Using the same fund the agency has also purchased the 500-acre Lake Colorado City State Park in Mitchell County. The existing park was on land leased from Vistra Corp.

By purchasing the facility, the state prevented a fiasco like the loss of Fairfield Lake State Park last year.

The department has also purchased 2,020 acres in Burnet County for the creation of a new park to be known as Colorado Bend State Park. Before planning even begins that site could expand by an additional 1,100 acres as a willing seller recently approached the department about buying that land.

The two funding sources will be important to the state park system going forward. Long underfunded and unable to move quickly to secure land and forced into a massive backlog of repairs, issues that both appear in the past.
By Thu Ngan

Viet Nam is strategically focusing on expanding traditional export markets while diversifying into new ones to navigate the growing volatility in world trade.

In recent weeks phrases like "trade tension" and "trade volatility" have dominated both international and domestic media following the announcement by the US Government of new tariffs on various imported products, notably on products such as steel and aluminium.

Trade experts in Viet Nam and elsewhere have made several prognostications and outlined scenarios for future global trade dynamics post the imposition of new tariffs by the US President Donald Trump administration.

The World Economic Forum on its website said: The proposed tariffs, which target major US trading partners, could upend traditional trading relations, creating significant uncertainty in the global economy.

Fitch admitted that US trade policy represented a clear and significant risk to its macro-economic forecasts for the affected countries, and warned higher tariffs would weigh on global growth, as noted in its 2025 Global Sovereigns Outlook.

Vietnamese experts fear potential worldwide trade volatility could disrupt supply chains and reduce global production and consumption, thereby impacting the country's export potential and economic growth momentum.

As a highly open economy deeply integrated into global supply chains, Viet Nam is likely to be affected by this trade volatility to some extent.

However, as reiterated by a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Government is closely monitoring international developments so that it can take suitable measures to mitigate their economic impacts while fostering the healthy development of trade.

A proactive approach and careful preparation for sustainable export growth are therefore urgent, especially when the Government is making all efforts to reach the goals of topping 8 per cent growth this year and achieving double-digit growth in the coming years.

At a Government meeting on February 5, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh noted complex changes of the global political and economic environment, as well as major trading partners like the US and China may directly impact Viet Nams exports and business operations.

He exhorted cabinet members to anticipate and analyse emerging issues such as the possibility of a global trade war, which could disrupt supply chains and shrink Viet Nams export markets.

Ministries and local authorities have been tasked with proposing solutions and responsive strategies to help Viet Nam overcome these challenges with an eye on seizing growth opportunities.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), as one of the key drivers of national growth, has developed various scenarios to sustain and enhance exports.

One of the main strategies being employed is to continue capitalising on existing markets and maximising the benefits of current free trade agreements alongside exploring new ones.

This approach enables businesses to diversify their customer bases, product lines, and supply chains to bolster export increase.

New and traditional

As Viet Nam strives to reduce the impacts caused by global trade challenges, the proactive pursuit of new markets, particularly niche ones, while maintaining strong relationships in traditional markets, remains essential.

In line with this, the Government underscores the criticality of exploring markets in halal food countries, the Middle East, Africa, and South America.

In response to the guidance from the MoIT, Viet Nam trade offices abroad have launched numerous programmes to expand markets even further.

Viet Nam's trade office in South Africa, its biggest trade partner in Africa, said it regularly took part in online meetings with domestic companies to update information as well as give them advice to explore and expand markets.

They also proactively engaged with chambers of commerce and business communities in South Africa to introduce high-quality export products from Viet Nam.

It provided information to wholesale and retail systems and supermarket chains in South Africa interested in Vietnamese products.

Dr inh The Hien, an economist, also highlighted India and South America as lucrative markets with ample opportunities for Vietnamese enterprises due to their large population bases and consumer-friendly environment.

"While expanding into new and niche markets is crucial," Hien said, "concentrating on traditional markets is equally imperative for sustained growth."

He said consistency in nurturing relationships with key trade partners such as China, the United States, and the EU was paramount for Viet Nam.

China continued to remain its top trade partner, recording substantial growth in trade volumes, with the US ranking second and the EU market also showing promising growth prospects.

"These are the three biggest markets, and Viet Nam holds many advantages in exporting to them," Hien said.

Successfully capturing these three markets in the new context will help Viet Nam effectively navigate trade volatility.

He said the positive signals in the geopolitical situation suggested that the Russia-Ukraine war could end.

Exports to the EU and US had been significantly impacted by the war over the past three years, but there might be a recovery this year once the conflict comes to an end, he added.

The potential of traditional markets is clearly shown through figures. China remained the largest trade partner, with bilateral trade being worth US$204.9 billion last year, a 19.2 per cent increase from 2023, with Viet Nams exports reaching $60.6 billion.

The US was second at $134.6 billion, a 21.5 per cent increase, with Viet Nams exports reaching $119.6 billion.

Trade with the EU was worth an estimated $68.8 billion, with exports estimated at $52.1 billion.

So, successfully leveraging the key markets while exploring new and niche ones would enable Viet Nam to effectively control trade volatility and uncertainties.

FTAs  an escape route

Free trade agreements constitute an escape route to increase trade by the targeted 12 per cent in 2025 amidst the prevailing global volatility.

Under normal circumstances the tariff rates set by FTAs offer significant advantages for member nations, and in times of trade volatility they can become a decisive factor influencing export orders, presenting a crucial advantage.

FTAs also facilitate trade by reducing non-tariff barriers and simplifying international transactions.

HSBC said: FTAs are an important source of opportunity for companies that rely on cross-border partnerships FTAs grease the wheels of commerce by simplifying processes and reducing frictions in international transactions  such as tariffs and even more punitive non-tariff barriers to trade.

Talking about the benefits of a large-sized FTA, the CPTPP, David Johnstone, head of free trade agreement utilisation, UK Government, said: CPTPP is a fantastic trade bloc, representing 15 per cent of global GDP. Therefore, I anticipate increased trade activities among the economies involved in the short, medium and long terms as well...

The benefits derived from participation in FTAs are undeniable for Viet Nam, with the country signing a total of 17 FTAs by October 2024 and actively negotiating two more, the Viet Nam  EFTA FTA (including Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, and Liechtenstein), and the ASEAN - Canada FTA (ACaFTA).

These agreements have played a pivotal role in boosting trade and elevating Viet Nam's international status as a key partner in the global trade network.

With a broad network of over 60 FTA partners spanning various continents and accounting for almost 90 per cent of global GDP, Viet Nam has emerged as a crucial link in connecting nations worldwide.

A report from the MoIT in mid-2024 said FTA partners accounted for 65 per cent of the countrys total exports.

In 2024 trade rose to a record US$800 billion, with exports topping $400 billion. Viet Nam posted a trade surplus  of nearly $25 billion -- for a ninth consecutive year.

The figure will surely increase after the Viet Nam  EFTA FTA and ACaFTA are signed.

For the Viet Nam - EFTA FTA members have completed 16 rounds of negotiations and held numerous online meetings, discussing trade facilitation, competition, trade and sustainable development, trade remedies, and final provisions.

Fish and crustaceans, pharmaceutical products and electrical machinery were the main exports from EFTA to Viet Nam, while electrical machinery, footwear and woven apparel and clothing accessories were the primary imports from Viet Nam.

In another development, the 11th round of the ASEAN-Canada Free Trade Agreement negotiations was organised in Bangkok from January 15 to 17.

The talks focused on advancing discussions across various sectors, with the two sides aiming to reach a significant conclusion by the end of 2025.

MoIT has kept supporting businesses and industry associations in leveraging their competitive advantages, utilising the benefits of 17 free trade agreements and nearly dozens of bilateral cooperation mechanisms to effectively explore key markets, traditional markets, develop small and niche markets, and tap into emerging potential markets.

Amidst the ongoing challenges, the Government and businesses are seeking opportunities for growth with all-encompassing efforts and proactive measures.

As the country continues to pursue growth, it remains poised to seize emerging opportunities while overcoming trade hurdles effectively.

In danger lies opportunities. VNS
By Mai Huong

Despite growing uncertainties in global trade, Viet Nam remains committed to its ambitious economic growth targets.

The country has raised its 2025 GDP growth target to 8 per cent, with an even bolder vision of achieving double-digit expansion by 2030. While this ambition faces challenges, economic analysts remain confident in Viet Nams ability to sustain strong growth momentum.

A major headwind comes from new US tariff policies, which could impact Viet Nams trade-driven economy. Trade accounts for nearly 90 per cent of GDP, making the country highly vulnerable to external shocks. The US, Viet Nams largest export market, absorbs about 30 per cent of its total exports.

Recent moves by US President Donald Trump, including a national security investigation into imported wood and potential new tariffs on key goods such as aluminium, steel and automobiles, signal a more protectionist stance that could weigh on Viet Nams export sector.

The biggest risk [to Viet Nams economic outlook] is US trade policy, Louis Kuijs, chief economist, Asia-Pacific, S&P Global Ratings, told Viet Nam News.

One risk is direct tariffs on Viet Nam, but another major concern is that if the US imposes tariffs on many countries, the global economy could slow down significantly. A slowdown in China or the US would weaken Viet Nams export, Kuijs said.

Viet Nams strong GDP performance in 2024 was largely driven by trade, with two-way trade turnover reaching a record US$800 billion.

According to Kuijs, Viet Nam faces challenges mainly due to its trade surplus with the US.

A main worry is the broad authority granted to the US government in a recent White House memo. It allows new tariffs to be imposed based on factors including trade surplus, tariff rates, taxes, regulations, and even wages, giving Washington flexibility to justify tariff increase if needed.

Viet Nams trade surplus with the US hit a record $120 billion in 2024, the third-largest after China and Mexico. This rapid growth may be a key concern for the US government, according to a Goldman Sachs report citing US customs data.

A new report by Goldman Sachs warns that higher US tariffs on Vietnamese goods could significantly impact the countrys economy. The investment bank estimates that a 10 per cent tariff increase could reduce Viet Nams GDP by 1 per cent.

Adaptability

However, Viet Nam is well-positioned to adapt to these changes.

The country is emerging as an attractive investment destination as global firms reassess supply chains. Despite potential challenges from US tariffs, Viet Nams strong manufacturing base offers new opportunities as companies rethink production and sourcing strategies.

We expect around 6.5 per cent GDP growth in the coming three years, implying that Viet Nam will vie with India for the title of fastest-growing Asian economy, Kuijs said.

In the medium and long term, he noted that Viet Nams key challenge was moving up the value chain by producing higher-value goods and services. To sustain strong growth, the country needed to boost the role of local firms in global supply chains, improve the business environment, enhance competition in the service sector, and upgrade workforce skills.

The Asian Development Bank has revised its 2025 growth forecast upward to 6.6 per cent, citing robust export performance, strong foreign direct investment inflows, and stabilising global commodity prices.

Similarly, the World Bank predicts a 6.5 per cent GDP growth rate, making Viet Nam one of the fastest-growing economies in the East Asia-Pacific region. The International Monetary Fund projects Viet Nams economy to reach $506 billion in 2025, ranking 33rd globally.

Foreign direct investment continues to be a key driver of Viet Nams economic success.

In 2024, disbursed FDI capital hit a record $25.4 billion, up from $23.2 billion in 2023. This reflects strong investor confidence in Viet Nams stable macroeconomic environment, competitive labour force, and strategic position in global supply chains. As global manufacturers seek to diversify away from China, Viet Nam remains a prime destination for new investments.

According to Nguyen Quang Thuan, CEO of FiinRatings, industries with resilient domestic supply chains such as metals, nickel, and seafood are expected to weather trade disruptions better than sectors heavily reliant on Chinese raw materials, such as textiles and garments. The latter could face increased scrutiny from the US, as Washington tightens measures against perceived circumvention of tariffs through third-country production hubs like Viet Nam.

Despite past trade policy challenges, FiinRatings notes that Viet Nam benefited under Trumps first term, demonstrating adaptability in turning risks into opportunities.

Viet Nams government is also proactively seeking measures to mitigate trade risks.

At a briefing by the Trade Promotion Agency on March 4, o Ngoc Hung, commercial counsellor and head of the Viet Nam Trade Office in the US, noted that Viet Nam had yet to be recognised as a full market economy, putting it at a disadvantage in anti-dumping investigations.

As a result, the Viet Nam Trade Office in the US was urging the swift development of a clear roadmap to protect the countrys trade interests from potential tariffs under Trumps administration. At the same time, it calls for deeper strategic cooperation with the US to ensure long-term stability and growth in bilateral relations.

In January 2025, Viet Nams exports to the US reached $10 billion, up 4.6 per cent year-on-year, while imports from the US declined by 6.6 per cent.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative is currently reviewing and compiling a country-by-country assessment of trade policies it considers unfair or restrictive to US exports, with a focus on countries with the largest trade deficits. This review will help shape future US trade policies, with the deadline for feedback set for March 11, 2025.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Phan Thi Thang stressed the importance of closely monitoring geopolitical developments and enhancing trade competitiveness. Strengthening economic ties with the US remains a priority, alongside diversifying export markets to reduce dependency on any single trade partner.

Despite potential US tariff increase and global trade tensions, Viet Nams economy remains resilient. With steady FDI inflows, policy stability, and adaptability, the country is well-prepared for challenges. Diversifying trade partners, strengthening supply chains, and maintaining investor confidence will be key to sustaining growth and resilience. VNS
HA NOI  The Trade Remedies Authority of Viet Nam advised wood enterprises not to use imported peeled veneer from China as a raw material for manufacturing plywood cores.

The authority also urged businesses to continue monitoring and inspecting the export and import of these products to prevent illegal transhipment and the misrepresentation of Vietnamese origin.

They should be aware of the potential risk that the US may initiate further anti-dumping or countervailing duty investigations into these products.

In June 2020, the US Department of Commerce (DOC) launched an investigation into trade remedy evasion concerning all plywood products imported from Viet Nam.

After multiple extensions, the DOC issued its final determination in July 2023. Plywood imported from Viet Nam into the US containing cores made from peeled veneer imported from China is considered to circumvent trade remedy measures imposed on Chinese plywood imports.

However, plywood from Viet Nam with cores made from veneer produced domestically or in other countries is not considered circumvention. The DOC has allowed eligible Vietnamese exporters to participate in a self-certification mechanism to be exempt from the trade measures.

Businesses should maintain thorough records and documentation tracing the origin of raw materials in a systematic manner to provide evidence to US authorities when required for verification.

Following a sharp decline due to the DOC's trade remedy circumvention investigation, US demand for plywood imports remains significant.

In 2022, the value of US hardwood plywood imports reached a record high of US$2.8 billion. In 2023, the value dropped by 47 per cent compared to the previous year, falling to $1.5 billion.

By 2024, import values showed a slight recovery, with total wood product imports into the US reaching $22.9 billion. Of which, hardwood plywood imports accounted for 7.1 per cent, totalling $1.6 billion.

According to the Trade Remedies Authority, Viet Nam holds the highest value of hardwood plywood exports to the US among major exporting countries.

In 2022, Viet Nams hardwood plywood exports to the US were valued at $670 million, accounting for 23.7 per cent of total US hardwood plywood imports.

In 2023, the export value declined to $334.3 million but still represented 22.3 per cent of the total.

By 2024, this figure rebounded to $414.8 million, accounting for 25.3 per cent of total US imports in this category.

From 2022 to 2024, Viet Nam remained the leading supplier of hardwood plywood to the US.  BIZHUB/VNS
LOS ANGELES  The Viet Nam Film Development Association (VFDA) has organised a series of events in Los Angeles, United States to promote the production collaboration between Viet Nam and Hollywood.

These events are part of a programme celebrating the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Viet Nam and the United States, aiming to enhance connections, expand international collaboration, and promote the Vietnamese film industry.

Ngo Phuong Lan, chairwoman of VFDA and former director of the Department of Cinema, led the VFDA delegation.

Viet Nam-US Film Production Cooperation Roundtable

Vietnamese delegates, along with representatives from studios, film production companies, and organisations interested in the Vietnamese market, jointly discussed opportunities for collaboration between Viet Nam and the US in film production.

The conversation focused on leveraging the advantages of Viet Nam's landscapes, government support policies, and the potential for developing the post-production industry.

Hoang Anh Tuan, the Vietnamese Consul General in San Francisco, remarked that the Vietnamese Government is committed to creating the most favourable conditions to attract film projects and is eager to listen to feedback from US partners on the key factors that can help Viet Nam become a global film production hub.

He said: "We want to hear from filmmakers: What makes a location attractive? What does Viet Nam need to do to better meet the needs of studios? Whether it's blockbuster films set in majestic landscapes or emotionally rich stories exploring cultural depth, we are always ready to collaborate to turn these ideas into reality."

Lan said: "Viet Nam has unique natural landscapes, a rich cultural heritage, and a talented workforce. However, since Kong: Skull Island, Viet Nam has yet to attract more large-scale projects from Hollywood. This time, VFDA aims to bridge the gap between local and international filmmakers, connecting them with localities to promote film production in Viet Nam."

US producers and investors expressed concerns about the factors that Viet Nam needs to improve in order to attract more large-scale projects.

Producer Matt Del Piano expressed concerns about Viet Nam's ability to meet international film industry standards, as well as film training.

Producer Adam Schroeder raised interest in financial incentives, taxes, infrastructure, and production processes.

Lan emphasised that Viet Nam has a wealth of young talent and a well-established training system, including specialised universities and short-term courses with the participation of international experts.

She also mentioned that Viet Nam has improved its licensing process, with many provinces joining the Film Attraction Index (PAI) and offering competitive rates, and although local studios aren't up to Hollywood standards yet, Viet Nam's unique natural filming locations are a big advantage.

Lan acknowledged that while Vietnamese films are popular domestically, the international market still presents challenges. However, recently, some Vietnamese films have been screened in the US, helping to increase the market share of Vietnamese films from 30 per cent to 44 per cent.

She believed that with production collaboration between Viet Nam and Hollywood, this number will continue to grow, opening up great opportunities for Vietnamese cinema to expand globally.

"Vietnamese cinema not only aims to attract international projects but also must create films with global appeal. Collaboration with Hollywood will help improve skills, expand markets, and take Vietnamese cinema further," she said.

Cooperation with Sony Pictures

The delegation from VFDA also met with Sony Pictures to discuss opportunities for film production cooperation in Viet Nam.

Sanford Panitch, president of Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, expressed interest in Viet Nam's potential but emphasised that financial incentives, the capability of local film crews, and film censorship procedures would be crucial factors for Hollywood to consider investing.

Lan said that while waiting for the Vietnamese Government to issue specific regulations on financial incentives for foreign films, VFDA can act as a bridge with localities to find incentive packages and provide advice to ensure film projects comply with regulations while meeting the financial requirements of Sony Pictures.

The discussion in Los Angeles and the meeting with Sony Pictures represent a significant milestone in efforts to position Viet Nam as a key destination for the global film industry. Through such conversations, VFDA aims to encourage real collaboration and facilitate international film projects in Viet Nam.  VNS
WASHINGTON DC  Mua Tren Canh Buom (Dont Cry, Butterfly), directed by young Vietnamese filmmaker Duong Dieu Linh, marked the opening of the Vietnamese Film Days at the Motion Picture Association (MPA) headquarters in Washington DC, US.

The event was hosted by the Viet Nam Film Development Association (VFDA), the Motion Picture Association (MPA) and the Vietnamese Embassy in the United States, celebrating the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Viet Nam and the United States.

The screening was attended by leaders and representatives from member studios of the Motion Picture Association (MPA), ambassadors and representatives from various embassies in the US, along with filmmakers and industry experts.

Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Nguyen Quoc Dung reflected on the progress of Viet Nam-US relations over the past 30 years. He highlighted the growing cultural connections and people-to-people exchanges that have united the two countries.

Ngo Phuong Lan, chairwoman of VFDA, remarked that the fact that a Vietnamese film is being shown at MPA  a venue that gathers major film production and distribution companies in the US  is not only an opportunity to promote the film, but it also support Vietnamese cinema get closer to the international market.

She said: "This screening today is an important milestone, not only in showcasing Vietnamese cinema to international audiences but also in reflecting the deepening connection between the film industries of the two countries. We hope this event will open up new collaboration opportunities, bringing Vietnamese films closer to the global market."

Charles Rivkin, chairman and CEO of MPA, expressed his delight in collaborating with the Vietnamese Embassy and VFDA to introduce Vietnamese films to American audiences.

Following the screening, director Linh engaged in a discussion with the audience, joined by Melissa Bisagni, director of the Asia-Pacific-America Film Festival in Washington DC.

Dont Cry, Butterfly has become one of the rare Vietnamese films to have the opportunity to directly engage with industry experts, opening up new opportunities for connection and collaboration for Vietnamese cinema.

Dont Cry, Butterfly is set in a suburban town near Ha Noi in the early 2000s and tells the story of a middle-aged housewife who finds out that her husband is cheating on her. Instead of confronting him, she voodoos her husband back into love, but accidentally awakens mysterious supernatural forces in the house.

The film won the 2024 Venice Film Festival Critics Week Grand Prize and the Most Innovative Film award at Settimana Internazionale della Critica.

The jury praised the features uniqueness and creativity, which mixes comedy, social drama and fantasy while depicting the complexities of a mother-daughter relationship.  VNS
JAKARTA  Party General Secretary To Lams state visit to Indonesia from March 9-11 will serve as a significant catalyst for strengthening mutual understanding and political trust through high-level meetings and engagements, according to Vietnamese Ambassador to Indonesia Ta Van Thong.

This visit is expected to lay a solid foundation for enhancing bilateral ties across multiple channels, including Party, Government, National Assembly, locality-to-locality cooperation, and people-to-people exchange.

In an interview with Vietnam News Agency correspondents in Jakarta ahead of the trip, the ambassador highlighted its historical significance, noting that this is the first visit by a Vietnamese Party chief to Indonesia in nearly eight years.

The visit comes at a time when the Viet Nam-Indonesia Strategic Partnership is experiencing robust, comprehensive, and stable growth across various fields, including politics, diplomacy, security-defence, economy, tourism, culture, and people-to-people exchange. High-ranking leaders from both nations frequently visit each other and meet on the sidelines of multilateral forums.

Indonesia is currently Viet Nams third-largest trading partner in ASEAN, while Viet Nam ranks fourth among Indonesias key trade partners. Bilateral trade has consistently expanded, from US$9 billion in 2019 to $16.7 billion last year. The two countries' leaders have set an ambitious target of raising the figure to $18 billion.

The diplomat emphasised that the visit reflects Viet Nams consistent foreign policy of valuing its traditional friendship and Strategic Partnership with Indonesia, aiming to deepen the existing strong cooperation and bring Viet Nam-Indonesia relations to new heights.

He went on to say that this will benefit both nations' people while contributing to regional peace, stability, and prosperity. Furthermore, this visit marks the launch of a series of events commemorating the 70th anniversary of Viet Nam-Indonesia diplomatic relations this year.

With a shared determination to elevate bilateral ties, leaders from both nations will discuss a strategic vision for driving cooperation, particularly in emerging fields such as green energy, high-tech agriculture, cultural and educational exchanges, and tourism development.

During this visit, Party General Secretary To Lam and President Prabowo Subianto will outline future cooperation strategies and witness the signing of cooperation agreements in specific sectors.

The year 2025 will also mark the 30th anniversary of Viet Nams ASEAN membership. As part of the Vietnamese Party chiefs visit, several events will be organised to celebrate this milestone, reaffirming Viet Nams commitment to ASEAN cooperation and further strengthening Viet Nam-Indonesia relations within the regional bloc.

Thriving relations

Viet Nam-Indonesia relations continue to yield positive results across multiple sectors, with trade and investment cooperation standing out. Last year, Indonesia ran 123 investment projects in Viet Nam, with a total registered capital of $682 million, ranking 29th among 143 foreign investors in Viet Nam. Major Indonesian corporations, such as Ciputra, Traveloka, Vietmindo Energitama, Japfa Comfeed Vietnam, and Semen Indonesia Group, have established a significant presence in Viet Nam.

Meanwhile, Vietnamese enterprises, including FPT, VinFast, Era Blue, and Sunhouse, are actively expanding their investments in Indonesia. Notably, 2024 witnessed significant breakthroughs in bilateral trade and investment, including private carrier VietJet launching a direct flight between Ha Noi and Jakarta and automaker VinFast establishing a $200 million factory in Subang, opening 20 new showrooms, and introducing the SM Green Taxi brand in Indonesia.

Both Viet Nam and Indonesia are dynamic and rapidly growing economies with complementary strengths that can be leveraged to enhance cooperation and overcome challenges. This will enable businesses from both nations to maximise market access, particularly in emerging sectors like the Halal industry, digital economy, green economy, green transition, and electric vehicle ecosystem development.

With a strong foundation of bilateral ties and ongoing efforts to unlock potential cooperation opportunities, the ambassador expressed confidence that Viet Nam and Indonesia can achieve the target of $18 billion in bilateral trade by 2028.

The ambassador also underscored the remarkable progress in people-to-people exchange, which play a crucial role in fostering mutual understanding and strengthening Viet Nam-Indonesia comprehensive relations.

The tourism sector, in particular, has experienced significant growth following the launch of direct flights by Vietnam Airlines and VietJet Air connecting Viet Nam's Ha Noi and HCM City with Indonesia's Jakarta and Bali. The number of Indonesian tourists to Viet Nam tripled within a year, surpassing 120,000 in 2024. This positive trend highlights the potential for further collaboration in tourism, through linked tourism products, cultural promotions, and increased awareness of each others history, traditions, and culture.

Moreover, cultural, culinary, and educational exchanges continue to play a vital role in deepening bilateral ties, via art troupe exchanges, community group collaboration, and local partnerships, and increasing the presence of Vietnamese brands in Indonesia.

Looking ahead, both nations plan to explore initiatives to make Indonesia a more attractive destination for Vietnamese students in Southeast Asia, including scholarship programmes and exchange opportunities for students from both countries.  VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nam and Indonesia are set to bring their bilateral relationship to a new level, Indonesian Ambassador to Viet Nam Denny Abdi said ahead of Party General Secretary To Lams state visit to Indonesia from March 9-11 at the invitation of Indonesian President and President of the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) Prabowo Subianto.

In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), Ambassador Abdi highlighted the remarkable progress in bilateral ties over the past 70 years, underpinned by high-level visits and growing economic cooperation. He noted that last year saw visits by both Indonesian President Joko Widodo and then President-elect Prabowo Subianto to Viet Nam.

Trade between the two nations reached US$16.7 billion in 2024, doubling the 2020 figure and coming closer to the target of $18 billion by 2028, a goal expected to be achieved ahead of schedule.

Beyond trade, cooperation has expanded into education, with partnerships between universities, students, and teachers. The two countries also collaborated in building a mosque in Long Xuyen District, the Mekong Delta province of An Giang, fostering community ties and creating opportunities in the Halal industry.

Ambassador Abdi also noted the completion of negotiations on the delimitation of the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) between the two countries, which promises tangible benefits for both nations.

Regarding the significance of Lam's visit, the diplomat described it as the first by a Vietnamese Party chief to Indonesia since 2017. Accompanied by a high-level Vietnamese delegation, Lam is expected to focus on boosting trade, investment, and business cooperation, including meetings with business communities from both nations.

The ambassador expressed his hope that the visit would mark a new chapter in bilateral relations, with both countries striving towards the shared goal of becoming high-income nations by 2045.

Looking ahead, he anticipated the signing of several memoranda of understanding covering a wide array of sectors, including politics, economy, technology, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, education, and agriculture.

He highlighted the untapped potential for trade cooperation and noted the efforts of the Indonesia-Viet Nam Friendship Association in promoting cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

With their close and multifaceted relationship, Viet Nam and Indonesia are well-positioned to exert a positive influence on Southeast Asia, contributing to regional stability amid global uncertainties.  VNS
Sadie Frost wanted to make a documentary about Twiggy because she is still a fashion icon now after exploding onto the scene in 1966.

Sadie Frost wanted to celebrate Twiggy in her new documentary

The 59-year-old actress directed 'Twiggy', the new documentary film about the iconic model, and Sadie has revealed that she was determined to "celebrate" Twiggy.

In an exclusive interview with BANG Showbiz at the premiere of Twiggy, held at Vue Cinema in Londons Leicester Square on Thursday night (06.03.25), Sadie said: "Twiggy is such an exciting, wonderful human being.

"Shes done so many things that many people maybe do or dont know about, but I just wanted to document that and celebrate her life.

"From the moment she became a model in 1966, she became the face of 1966. Right up until now, shes still relevant, doing Charlotte Tilbury campaigns, on the cover of Vogue, still modelling, still being active, recording albums. I just wanted to tell that story and celebrate women and celebrate her."

'Twiggy' - produced by the BBC and Film Soho - was released in the UK and Ireland on Friday (07.03.25). The film follows the legendary career of Twiggy, who was discovered at the age of 16.

Sadie explained: "She was quite nervous about telling her story. People had asked her before, but there was a certain amount of trust between the two of us."

The idea first arose when Sadie appeared on the podcast Tea with Twiggy to promote Quant, her 2021 documentary about fashion designer Mary Quant.

Sadie suggested to Twiggy that she could be the subject of her next project.

The director said: "We realised, actually it could become a reality. And then she rang me up and she said, Lets go for lunch, lets discuss it.

Twiggy hadnt planned to be the subject of a documentary, despite having been approached numerous times over the years.

The 75-year-old fashion icon said: "For whatever reason, I was too busy, or the person wasnt right, or the idea wasnt what I wanted to do."

But the instant connection that Twiggy felt with Sadie made her feel the time was right to tell her story.

Twiggy said: "We got on really well. I loved the fact she was a woman.

"Actually, our lives are kind of parallel. I mean, Im older than her obviously, but shes an actress, Im an actress. Shes been a model, Ive been a model. Shes been a designer, I design. Shes lived in the public eye, I have lived.

"I knew shed understand me. I knew wed be on the same wavelength. We get on great. Shes become one of my best friends now."

Twiggy emerged from a working-class background to become one of the best-known models in the world, and Sadie feels the documentary creates a feeling a positivity and hope.

She said: "[Twiggy] reminds people that you can do anything if you put your mind to it."
Johan Ndisi and Caroline Nyamayemombe*

Diversity is more than just the right thing to doits good for business. Across industries, companies that embrace gender diversity, especially in leadership, outperform those that do not. Studies show that businesses with more women in decision-making roles achieve higher profitability, greater innovation, and better risk management. The evidence is clear: diverse leadership drives economic success and business innovation.

Sweden and Viet Nam have long promoted female leadership, and the results speak for themself. As of 2025, women hold 36 per cent of board seats in Swedens publicly listed companies and 36.3 per cent of senior management roles. In Viet Nam, female board representation in listed enterprises rose to 18 per cent in 2024, with 284 of 500 HOSE and HNX companies having at least one woman on their Board of Directors.

Research consistently shows that companies with gender diversity perform better financially. According to McKinsey, firms in the top quartile for gender diversity are 25 per cent more likely to achieve above-average profitability. Moreover, organisations with gender-diverse leadership teams generate higher revenue, innovation, and better business decisions73 per cent of the time. Why? Because different perspectives lead to better problem-solving and long-term strategies. Women leaders often focus on sustainability, customer needs, and employee well-beingkey drivers of business success, especially in fast-changing economies.

Diversity also boosts entrepreneurship. Startups with at least one female founder create 63 per cent more value than male-led ones. Yet, in 2021, only 11.1 per cent of Swedens investment capital went to mixed-gender teamsa missed opportunity. Increasing financial support for female entrepreneurs in Sweden and Viet Nam could unlock major economic potential.

To reap the benefits, businesses must be willing to take bold and concrete actions. The growth of companies signing up to the Womens Empowerment Principles (WEPs) of UN Women and UN Global Compact, which promote women's leadership in workplace, marketplace and community, has set the stage for further inclusive progress.

Leading Swedish and Vietnamese firms such as IKEA, H&M, Ericsson Vietnam, and TH Group have demonstrated that prioritizing gender balance drives success. IKEA, for instance, achieved 50 per cent female representation in leadership globally by 2022. Similarly, H&M has made gender equality a priority, with women holding 72 per cent of leadership roles. At Ericsson Vietnam, women now represent over 40 per cent of the workforce, including executive leadership and line management, with this number continuing to rise. Meanwhile, TH Group Vietnam boasts a workforce that is 46 per cent female, with women holding 30 per cent of middle and senior management positionsnearly double the national average of 16 per cent.

The future belongs to businesses and nations that understand the value of inclusion.

Globally, process remains slow, in 2023 women held only 23,3 per cent of board seats worldwide. While gender parity in leadership may take decades to achieve, Viet Nam, and other nations, can accelerate this progress by fostering female leadership in business and innovation.

Investing in women is more than just the right thing to do; it drives economic growth and sustainability. Both Viet Nam and Sweden serve on the UN Women Executive Board, demonstrating their commitment to gender equality. With their strong track record, both countries have the opportunity to inspire greater action and accountability on a global scale.

This March 8, lets celebrate and support all women and girls as they shape a better future for Viet Nam and beyond. The message is clear: Rights. Equality. Empowerment. VNS

*Johan Ndisi, Swedish Ambassador to Viet Nam & Caroline Nyamayemombe, UN Women Country Representative in Viet Nam
HA NOI  The Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) and the Cuban Workers' Centre (CTC) held a ceremony in Hanoi on March 8 to commemorate Cuban national hero Jose Marti Perez.

Jose Marti, born in January 28, 1853 in Havana, was a prominent thinker and cultural figure, and a unyielding revolutionary who made significant contributions to Cubas national independence in the late 19th century. He was the first Cuban to lay the foundation for the brotherhood between the people of Viet Nam and Cuba.

Speaking at the event, VGCL Vice President Huynh Thanh Xuan said that Cuba was the first country in the Western Hemisphere to establish diplomatic relations with Viet Nam (December 2, 1960).

Rooted in the noble sentiments of hero Jose Marti, late Cuban President Fidel Castro, and late Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh, the 65-year steadfast friendship and enduring solidarity between the two countries have been tirelessly nurtured by the Party, State, and people of both nations. This strong bond has continuously been reinforced and flourished across all fields, serving the interests of both peoples and contributing to global peace and progress.

Xuan once again reaffirmed the consistent and unwavering stance of the VGCL in further strengthening and deepening the exemplary friendship, traditional solidarity, and loyal bond between the workers and trade unions of Viet Nam and Cuba.

Isdalis Rodriguez Rodriguez, member of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee, Second Secretary of the CTC, assessed that the joint organisation of the commemoration event is an extremely meaningful activity to celebrate the "Viet Nam - Cuba Friendship Year" and towards the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.  VNS
HCM CITY  HCM City aims to complete the renovation, repair, or rebuilding of over 500 severely degraded apartment buildings by 2035 as part of efforts to improve the urban environment and improve residents quality of life.

Most of these buildings were constructed before 1975 or between 1975 and 1994, according to city authorities.

The city has categorised the buildings into three classes: Class B (downgraded but safe), Class C (potentially dangerous), and Class D (dangerous).

Plans include a five-year preparation period for relocation and compensation for residents in degraded buildings.

For the 16 Class D buildings, the city plans to demolish and replace them entirely.

From 2016 to 2020, the renovation of old apartment buildings in HCM City fell short, particularly for severely damaged Class D buildings, due to funding shortages, quality assessment issues, inconsistent planning, and compensation challenges.

To improve the situation, the city has instructed district committees to approve compensation and resettlement plans before reconstruction.

It also proposed allowing demolition and rebuilding with the consent of just half of the residents instead of requiring unanimous agreement.

The city is seeking amendments to a Government Decree to streamline the renovation process, as current regulations limit owners time to select investors for demolition, complicating valuations and compensation.

To facilitate renovations, residents could receive apartments as compensation or choose between apartments or cash if half agree to demolition.

The city also suggested requiring 80 per cent resident approval for selecting demolition investors and called for state support during compensation and demolition.

Currently, HCM City has 474 unsafe buildings built before 1975, including 16 Class D and 116 Class C apartments, many in disrepair, with some already demolished.

In addition, there are numerous low-rise apartments built between 1975 and 1994 that are facing ownership complexities and poor living conditions.  VNS
HA NOI  Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on March 8 extended his best wishes to all Vietnamese women on the occasion of International Womens Day, affirming that they always play a crucial role in the development of each family, each community, each nation, and humanity as a whole.

PM Chinh chaired a meeting with female generals, heroines of the people's armed forces, labour heroines, and female scientists; and attended a ceremony to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Kovalevskaia Award and announce winners of the 2024 edition.

Hailing womens significant contributions across all fields of social life, Chinh proposed that in addition to the Kovalevskaia Award, there should be similar awards to recognise them in various fields such as economy, culture, society, and humanities, as well as young women in the field of science in general.

"The Vietnamese Party and State have always paid special attention to the development of women and women-related affairs, implementing various mechanisms, policies, and solutions to create favourable conditions for them, protect their rights, enhance their role and contributions, and promote gender equality in all aspects," he affirmed.

Highlighting and honouring outstanding Vietnamese women throughout different periods and across various spheres, he stated that under the leadership of the Party and with the special attention of authorities at all levels, sectors, localities, and society as a whole, Vietnamese women are increasingly developing in all aspects, affirming their role, position, and significant contributions.

According to the Prime Minister, Viet Nam is one of the countries that have achieved the Millennium Development Goal on gender equality and women's empowerment ahead of schedule. In 2024, it ranked 72nd out of 146 countries in the global gender equality index. Notably, the proportion of female deputies in Viet Nams 2021-2026 National Assembly stands at 30.26 per cent, a high level compared to other countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

Furthermore, women constitute a significant portion of the workforce, with 51 per cent of Vietnamese enterprises having women in ownership structures, a figure higher than in many other countries.

Additionally, Vietnamese women have always been a crucial force in national defence, security, diplomacy, and national safeguarding. Viet Nam is also one of the leading countries in terms of the proportion of women participating in United Nations peacekeeping operations, stated Chinh.

Pointing to a need for concerted, drastic and effective measures and engagement of the entire political system, the business community and the entire people, including women, to achieve targets set for 2025 and the following years, the Government leader urged the Viet Nam Womens Union to further enhance its role in representing women from all walks of life by recommending policies that support and create favourable conditions for Vietnamese women in general, and female scientists in particular, to continue showcasing their talent, intelligence, and dedication for their advancement and development.

He also requested all-level authorities, sectors, and localities to prioritise resources and establish policies and special mechanisms for training and developing high-quality female human resources across all fields.

Special attention, he went on, should be given to young female scientists, ethnic minority women, and those working in difficult areas, mountainous regions, and islands, especially in the digital era of the country.

On this occasion, the 2024 Kovalevskaia Award was presented to Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Minh Tan from the Ha Noi University of Science and Technology and Associate Professor, Dr. ang Thi My Dung from the Viet Nam National University, Ho Chi Minh City. They were honoured for their outstanding achievements in scientific research and practical applications, contributing to the development of their units and respective fields. Many of their research results have been successfully implemented in practice, with technology transfers worth billions of Viet Nam ong to enterprises in Viet Nam.  VNS
HA NOI  Nearly 2,000 people joined a running event in Ha Noi on March 8 to support the Earth Hour 2025 Campaign, highlighting Viet Nams commitment to energy conservation and environmental sustainability.

The run was launched together with a nationwide energy-saving campaign in response to Earth Hour 2025 at an event organised by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) as part of the National Programme on Energy Efficiency (2019-2030) on Tran Nhan Tong pedestrian street, Hai Ba Trung District.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hoang Long emphasised that a series of activities will be held throughout March 2025 in response to Earth Hour, including the running event, an online contest about economical and efficient use of energy, and a call on community and businesses to switch off lights from 8:30pm to 9:30pm on March 22.

He stressed that the initiative aims to inspire a widespread movement beyond just saving electricity. It promotes sustainable energy production, greater adoption of renewable energy and energy-efficient products and technologies.

Kristina Buende, head of cooperation at the EU Delegation to Viet Nam, reiterated the importance of energy efficiency and renewable energy as essential solutions for a sustainable energy supply and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

As the EU and Viet Nam share a strong commitment to the green transition and circular economy, she expressed her belief that Viet Nam will achieve its net-zero emissions target by 2050.

According to organisers, participants will engage in the run through two formats: an offline 5km race in Ha Noi and an online race via the 84RACE and Strava apps from March 8-31.

Viet Nam first joined the Earth Hour movement in 2009. Over the past 15 years, public awareness of energy conservation, environmental protection, and climate action has significantly increased. VNS
By Le Huong*

Viet Nam's population is ageing rapidly, with people aged 60 and over expected to make up 25 per cent of the population by 2050. By 2036, the country will be classified as an "aged society".

Modern lifestyles are driving demand for eldercare, with many old adults opting for daycare, long-term care or nursing homes. There are around 200 state-run and over 400 private nursing homes nationwide.

One of the most popular facilities is the Dien Hong Eldercare Centre, which operates eight nursing homes in the North, with a total of 200 staff members, serving nearly 500 residents.

"Several years ago, many people thought sending parents to a nursing home was unfilial," said ao Quang uc, manager of the Dien Hong Eldercare Centre 2 on the outskirts of Ha Noi.

"But recently, the media has highlighted the benefits of professional eldercare. Families now understand that nursing homes provide quality care for both physical and mental well-being. The stigma has largely faded, and demand for residential care is rising."

Dien Hong aims to become the largest eldercare provider in the country by 2050 and regularly partners with Japanese organizations to enhance its services.

For many residents, nursing homes offer companionship and professional care that might not be available at home.

Nguyen Nhu Nga, 97, said: "Theres a slogan here'Let's take care of the elderly like family members.' Ive seen the staff live up to this. They take care of us even better than our own family members. Im pleased with the service."

Ngas two children work far from home and cannot provide her with daily care.

Similarly, 93-year-old Nguyen Thi Bien, despite having six children in Ha Noi, chose to move to Dien Hong after realising she could no longer rely on them for daily care.

"When I came here, it felt like fate," she said. "Sometimes I miss home, but only for a short while. Here, Ive found joy with my peers that I couldnt have at home."

Dien Hong organises daily activities and festive events like Tet (Lunar New Year) festival, International Womens Day (March 8), and International Day for the Elderly (October 1).

Nguyen Thi Ha Nguyet, whose mother has lived at Dien Hong for three years, expressed satisfaction with the centres services.

Nguyet visits her mother regularly, and also joins in activities for the residents at the centre.

Meanwhile, nurses highlight the need for patience and understanding when caring for the elderly.

"Every resident has their own personality. The older they get, the more particular they can become," said nurse Nguyen Thi Thuy Duong. "By listening to them and understanding their needs, I can provide them with better care."

For healthier elder adults who need help or supervision during the day, Nhan Ai Daycare centre in Bac Tu Liem District, Ha Noi, provides the participants with care and companionship. They come in for health checks, massage treatments, morning exercises, and even foreign language lessons.

Vu Hai Chi, 75, attends the centre daily, allowing his son to go to work.

"In the morning, my son goes to work, and I come here. We gather in the afternoonI tell him about my day, and he tells me about his work. Its interesting," Chi said.

He acknowledged his health improvements: "At home, I would have been sick, just watching TV. But not here."

oan Thi Bich ao, 75, attends with her husband, describing it as "going to school".

"Every day should be a happy day," she said.

Many other participants have seen significant health improvements at Nhan Ai Daycare.

Nguyen Hoang Hai, 76, who previously suffered from depression, is now more cheerful and social.

Similarly, inh Vy Thanh, who struggled with Alzheimers, initially refused to eat or speak but gained four kilogrammes in two months under professional care.

"Nursing staff must be gentle, hardworking, and meticulous," said nurse Giang A Khai. "They need excellent nursing skills and must also support mental health."

Nguyen Thi Kim Thanh, general director of the Nhan Ai International Corporation, has spent 19 years developing a holistic eldercare system.

"Families can trust us," she said. "We care for the elderly not only when they are healthy, but also when they are ill and even in their final days. We work closely with families so that the elderly can find happiness in the care of their loved ones, society, and the community."

Meeting the unique needs of the elderly ensures they can live happier, healthier, and longer lives. Aged care provides essential support to this growing segment of the population. VNS

(With additional reporting by Hai Anh)
Thanh Ha

Home to stunning natural landscapes, historical relics, and famous landmarks, the northern province of Tuyen Quang offers diverse tourism experiences.

Among these, spiritual tourism linked to the Mother Goddess worship and the Truc Lam Zen sect is expected to help the province emerge as a national tourism hub.

"Tuyen Quang is not only a land of heroic history but also a place where the essence of Vietnamese spiritual culture converges," said Vu Quynh Loan, vice chairwoman of the Tuyen Quang City People's Committee [municipal administration].

"For hundreds of years, two streams of pure Vietnamese beliefsthe Mother Goddess belief and Truc Lam Zenhave coexisted in the spiritual life of the populace, creating a unique, mysterious, and virtuous identity."

A sacred land

Mother Goddess worship is an ancient indigenous belief representing the three realms of the universeHeaven, Water and Mountain. Most temples in Tuyen Quang are dedicated to the Mother Goddess, a UNESCO-recognised intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

Among them, Ha, Thuong, and Y La temples, built between the 18th and 19th centuries, are the three most ancient sites worshipping Mother Thoai, the deity of water.

At the start of the year, tourists flock to Tuyen Quang City to experience the sacred atmosphere of this unique festival and its indigenous beliefs.

This year's festival of the three temples, recognised as national intangible cultural heritage in 2017, is taking place on a grand scale from March 9-15.

During the festival, people express gratitude to their ancestors and the Holy Mother for protecting the community, while praying for prosperity, happiness, and good health. The festivities include traditional games such as cockfighting, chau van (ceremonial singing), tug of war, and sky lantern releasing.

A highlight will be the UNESCO-recognised hau ong performance, a ritual of spirit mediumship connected with Mother Goddess worship. This unique art form combines music, dance, gestures, and costumes.

"Mother Goddess worship has existed in Tuyen Quang since the early 17th century and flourished in the 18th century," said provincial Vice Chairman Hoang Viet Phuong.

"The province is considered the birthplace of the deity of water, governing rivers. Due to the significant number of Mother Thoai temples, it is often referred to as 'the Land of Mother Goddesses'."

Truong Quoc Binh, former deputy director of the Department of Cultural Heritage, highlighted the belief's historical significance.

"Mother Goddess worship is an indigenous practice with deep roots in the Vietnamese community. It has evolved through interactions with Taoism and Buddhism, reflecting world awareness, fostering patriotism, and connecting communities. Despite historical ups and downs, the belief remains integral to the nation's cultural identity."

Truc Lam Zen

Tuyen Quang has for years developed unique spiritual tourism products to attract visitors. In addition to the three temples and the Mother Goddess worship, the province is also home to Truc Lam Zen Monastery, located about 7km from the city centre.

Built in 2019, the monastery is renowned for its picturesque setting and charitable activities, making it a must-visit destination. Despite being under construction, it attracts a large number of visitors daily.

Spanning 20ha, the monastery includes places for worship, Buddhist scriptures, dormitories, a lecture hall, a meditation hall, and a 3-storey tower.

Atop the tower sits an 18m-high statue of Shakyamuni Buddha holding a lotus. From this vantage point, visitors can admire panoramic views of Tuyen Quang City, with its majestic mountain and river landscapes.

Venerable Bao Nhu told Viet Nam News that the monastery serves both spiritual and social functions, hosting summer retreats for students and caring for orphans and disadvantaged children.

"In addition to worship, visitors are offered free vegetarian meals and accommodation if needed," he added.

Truc Lam Zen was founded by King Tran Nhan Tong in the 14th century. It promotes a philosophy of embracing life while fulfilling ones duties to society.

Venerable Thich Tam Thuan said: "This is a pure Vietnamese Buddhist Zen sect with deep cultural, ethical, and lifestyle influences. Researching, preserving, and promoting its values can help guide moral and spiritual orientation for future generations."

Moving forward

Developing spiritual tourism based on these two beliefs not only helps promote local culture but also drives economic growth by attracting domestic and international tourists, according to Bui Hoai Son, member of the National Assembly's Culture and Education Committee.

To ensure sustainability, he stressed the need for balance between tourism development and the preservation of sacred values.

"Developing tourism routes connected to the Mother Goddess religion can enhance awareness of folk beliefs while benefiting local communities economically," Son said.

"Meanwhile, tours that combine meditation experiences with learning about Truc Lam Buddhist philosophy can provide visitors with opportunities to integrate Zen principles into modern life."

He urged the state and local authorities to introduce policies that support responsible spiritual tourism and ensure visitors engage in beliefs appropriately.

Duong Thi Thu Ha from the Tran Nhan Tong Institute echoed this sentiment, highlighting the province's strong potential for spiritual tourism.

"Tuyen Quang has great opportunities to develop spiritual tourism through Mother Goddess festivals and Truc Lam Monastery tours. These activities not only generate revenue but also help preserve and promote the provinces rich cultural heritage."

Provincial Vice Chairwoman Loan welcomed those expert opinions, saying that both Mother Goddess worship and Truc Lam Zen provide spiritual comfort while forming a strong foundation for sustainable tourism.

"With cooperation from the whole society, Tuyen Quang is poised to become one of Viet Nam's most attractive spiritual tourism destinations in the near future," she said. VNS
By Nguyen My Ha

March is usually a midway month between spring and summer, but seasonal transitions are never easy. The weather has been acting like an unpredictable teenagerhumidity sometimes reaching 90 per cent, only to vanish as a northeastern cold wind sweeps through the Red River Delta, leaving everything dry as if moisture was never an issue.

March has never been the most uplifting time of year, but in 2025, the country is buzzing with preparations for the 50th anniversary of national reunification and later, in the autumn, the 80th National Dayevents that keep spirits high and people busy.

Just weeks ago, hundreds of thousands of families sent their young men off to military service, marking an emotional milestone. At recruitment centres across the country, scenes of farewell played out in different ways. One particularly striking moment saw a mother throwing herself to the ground in anguish as her son departed.

Reactions to this viral moment were divided. Some sympathised, while others reflected on the strength parents must show.

"Its always emotional to part with our children as they grow up," wrote one mother who had gone through the experience years ago. "As they leave for a new environment and a rigorous training schedule, we mothers must stay strong to give them courage and support."

Scrolling through the online discussion, my friend Hanh shared her own experience. "When my son left home for the army, my husband and I felt completely lost," she said. "For three months, we were scattered, with no energy for anything. In that time, he lost 20 kilos, dropping from 90 because he wasnt eating as much as he did at home."

For a country that has endured decades of war, it may seem surprising to see parents react so intensely. From old wartime footage and historical records, we know that in times of national danger, young men volunteered to put their studies aside and join the army.

But Viet Nam has enjoyed over 30 years of peace, and young generations have grown accustomed to that stability. Military training, with its rigid discipline, can be overwhelmingespecially for city-raised youths unfamiliar with such a structured way of life.

Theres a saying: "Discipline is the strength of the army." But in truth, discipline is the strength of anyone who learns to master it.

A few years ago, I visited the Truong Sa (Spratly) Islands and met young soldiers stationed there. One young man, barely older than my own child, stood in full uniform under 40-degree Celsius heat, carrying out his duties with unwavering resolve.

"You will be able to do anything," wrote another commenter in response to the viral military send-off video. "In the army, you will learn to fulfil every assignment. We used to say, Heavy rain means small rain. Small rain means no rain. In other words, we must overcome all challenges with courage."

Many parents worry about how their children will cope, but the military experience often brings unexpected growth.

"Two years pass quickly," Hanh said. "When we finally visited our son at his barracks, we were shocked at how much he had learned and how fast he had matured."

She emphasised that its not just about learning new skillsits about learning them in a collective, in a spirit of camaraderie.

"You learn to live for your peers, just as they are ready to back you up."

Of course, the experience is not without challenges.

"There are temptations during service, too," she said. "If you keep a strong mindset, youll do well. If you give in, it can be hard to pull yourself back up."

For Hanhs family, military service was a transformative period.

"We were glad that our son lost his extra weight, but even happier that he grew up and matured in ways we couldnt have imagined. When he returned home two years later, we were doubly happy."

Preparing for national celebrations

Across the country, regiments assigned to the coming April 30 parade in Ho Chi Minh City have been training tirelessly, perfecting their marching formations. Videos of their drills, paired with patriotic songs, have uplifted viewers and provided a boost in morale as Viet Nam prepares for its historic anniversary.

March in HCM City will bring scorching heat, while in the north, soldiers must train in cold rain and muddy conditions. This weekend, a new cold wave is forecast to sweep through the northern delta, adding yet another layer of challenge to their preparations.

Yet, rain or shine, they march on.

And for that, we are forever gratefulfor their discipline, their dedication, and their role in keeping our nation at peace. VNS
Trace Cyrus believes Benny Blanco needs to change his mindset if his relationship with Selena Gomez "is going to last".

Benny Blanco is engaged to Selena Gomez

The 36-year-old record producer has admitted to being "scared" that Selena could leave him, but Trace has now encouraged Benny to change his mindset and to recognise his own worth.

The 36-year-old musician - who is the brother of Miley and Noah Cyrus - wrote on Instagram: "Men dont have to be attractive to be with a beautiful woman. They just need to have confidence."

Trace observed that Benny and Selena - who got engaged in 2024 - are equally deserving of one another.

He said: "I dont know Benny personally but I love him as a producer and have watched every podcast hes done. Love his personality. And in my view shes just as lucky to be with him as he is with her. Thats the mindset he needs if the relationship is going to last."

Trace subsequently suggested that Benny needs to change his outlook.

He wrote: "Confidence is key as a man and unfortunately women think they want to be put on a pedestal but as soon as you act like they are superior in the relationship they start to lose respect."

Earlier this year, Benny admitted to being "scared" that Selena might leave him one day.

The record producer - who has collaborated with Selena on a new album called 'I Said I Love You First' - told Interview magazine: "Im so scared shes just going to wake up and be like, 'What? No.'"

Despite this, Benny insisted that there's "no ego between [them]".

He explained: "I worship the ground she walks on and I feel like shes the same way to me. Theres no ego between us. Shes praying for me to win and Im praying for her to win."
Winona Senior High School students will soon have a new way to explore and potentially pursue a career in firefighting.

Starting in the fall, juniors and seniors will have the option to take a firefighting course over two semesters.

The course will be presented online and led by two Winona firefighters: Assistant Chief Brandon Czaplewski and Capt. Brad Bartelson, who used to teach at Winona Area Public Schools.

We have local connections, local instructors that are current, active firemen that are going to be leading and teaching the class, which is incredible because of the support they're going to be able to provide them, said Jeremy Graves, who serves as the career and technical education coordinator at the school.

Students can take the course as an elective over two semesters or as independent study in their free time.

This really opens it up to all students, Graves said. We wanted to make sure that all students that walk into our doors that are junior or senior right now will be able to have this as an option.

Students also will have six days of hands-on learning with the fire department.

The district will cover the costs of the course and its workbook.

Graves said the district hopes to partner with Riverland Community College so students can earn college credits, even if they dont decide to become firefighters.

Students would need to pass a state test to become a firefighter.

Graves said the course idea was brought to the district by the Winona Fire Department. He said the district already was looking for ways to add career and technical education options.

I think it was a no brainer," he said.

Joel Corcoran, the citys fire chief, said the department started exploring the idea several years ago.

The Rochester Fire Department offers a similar option with Riverland Community College.

We're not reinventing the wheel. We're taking really what Rochester is doing, and we're just going to use their format," Graves said.

Corcoran said the department is excited to start.

It's something I think all of us in this building would have loved to see when we were that age, he said.

Alex Benson, who graduated from WSHS in 2021, did a ride along with the department in February and believes the course is a good thing.

He said the course will teach students important, basic skills that could help them save lives.

Even if they dont go into the field, they can at least help somebody thats down if they need it, Benson said.

Corcoran believes the course will provide a clear path for students to become firefighters -- something he didn't have 27 years ago when he started his career.

This is us approaching the students, saying, Here's a clear path. And I think that that's a really huge positive thing for these kids," he said.

Corcoran said the skills learned could be applied to other jobs and is likely to help volunteer fire departments in the area.

Throughout the country, there's a shortage of firemen and women," Graves said.

Corcoran said as firefighting has become more technical and complex, interest in the profession has waned, especially for volunteer departments.

If you're a volunteer and you're being asked to do this on your own time, I mean, you're chasing people away from the profession, he said.

Some area volunteer departments include firefighters who work at the Winona department as well. This can cause staffing issues because of the overlap of people, Corcoran said.

If we can get more people who maybe they want to be a auto mechanic or something, but they can also volunteer in their community, that's a huge benefit for everyone," Corcoran said.

The course should help create a new wave of potential firefighters.

I hope that, if nothing else, it sparks interest, and we can kind of shore up our volunteer departments and get recruits, Corcoran said.

Graves said the districts goal is also to offer an EMS course starting in the 2026-27 school year, which could help students become licensed for that work, too. That licensure is also an important factor in working as a firefighter.

Graves highlighted the need for more career and technical education courses like these that lead to successful careers without needing to go to college.

"We need people that are skilled in professions that go beyond the brain. We need people skilled with their hands. We need people skilled and be able to create things and produce things for us," he said. "We need mechanics, we need plumbers. We need electricians. We need firemen. We need peace officers. We need these people who wake up every day and provide key services to the rest of the public.
Schools in south central and southwest Wisconsin are looking to grow their trade programs, and the area technical college and regional manufacturers are collaborating to help spur that growth.

Madison Area Technical College, also known as Madison College, and eight area businesses, along with four school districts in Columbia and Sauk counties, are working together to increase manufacturing opportunities for interested high school students. Districts in Portage, Wisconsin Dells, Sauk Prairie and Reedsburg are four partners for the Mini Manufacturing World program, which provides high school students early exposure to manufacturing.

The businesses and Madison College received the Workforce Development Board of South Central Wisconsins 2024 Champion in Action award, largely for their work on Mini Manufacturing World, a program started at Madison Colleges Portage campus in which sophomores at Portage High School spent days in October and January learning about manufacturing with customizable Lego sets, as well as how to manage workplace situations.

The WDBSCWs goal is to create a future-ready workforce by collaborating with partners to provide students (K-12) with the skills and experience they need to succeed after high school, said Shawna Marquardt, Madison Colleges regional dean for campuses in Reedsburg, Portage, Watertown and Fort Atkinson.

A third and final group of Portage sophomores will attend another Mini Manufacturing World session at the Madison College campus in the city on April 2.

Our new Mini Manufacturing World simulation series has engaged about 150 local students to date, showcasing various pathways available with local employers in one of Wisconsins top industries, said Jackie Hall, a spokesperson for the Workforce Development Board of South Central Wisconsin.

Businesses involved with the program include Portage-based plastics company Penda Corporation, Baraboo-based Teel Plastics, Reedsburg-based Primex Plastics and Sauk Prairie manufacturers Milwaukee Valve and McFarlane Manufacturing.

Todd Spencer, vice president of human resources for Penda, said Mini Manufacturing World is a one-day immersive simulation of a day in manufacturing, and that groups of participating students compete to generate the highest amount of simulated profit.

Simulated situations include hiring and firing, sales and marketing, safety violations, missing parts, and information technology issues, among many others, according to Spencer.

The main thing in each session is to have fun and not take things too seriously, Spencer said. We tell them that even if they leave learning something they dont want to do, that it is still a valuable learning experience.

The partnerships between Madison College and the area businesses is called the Manufacturing Alliance. Businesses are from Sauk, Columbia and Marquette counties. Mini Manufacturing World is a partnership between the Manufacturing Alliance and the Workforce Development Board of South Central Wisconsin.

The event emphasizes hands-on learning and real-world applications, inviting students to explore manufacturing career paths, Marquardt said, adding that the success of the Mini Manufacturing World program has allowed it to partner with Reedsburg, Wisconsin Dells and Sauk Prairie.

We see on the exit surveys given to the students that many of them had no idea what they were getting into for the day and many of them express how meaningful the experience was for them, in no small part from the phenomenal job that the mentors (from partnering businesses) provide, Marquardt said.

Stephanie Kohl, a Portage High School counselor who helped organize Mini Manufacturing World, said the program is not just for students interested in manufacturing or other trades, but an opportunity for sophomores to get a look into manufacturing and management.

I know that the students that participated in that first Mini Manufacturing Day left with a much better understanding of the options available to them, and at the same time the area manufacturers that participated also had a lasting impact on the students and were able to get an opportunity to highlight what their businesses have to offer, Portage School District Superintendent Josh Sween said.

The Portage campus is hosting two more Mini Manufacturing World sessions on March 18 and 20 with two groups of Wisconsin Dells High School sophomores.

Eighth-grade students from Sauk Prairie Middle School will be involved with the program. District Superintendent Jeff Wright said the Mini Manufacturing World program is best suited for the districts eighth-grade students in relation to the districts Academic and Career Planning goals.

This will expose students to regional manufacturing opportunities and related careers at a key moment in their own career exploration, Wright said.

Mentors from the Manufacturing Alliance plan to visit Sauk Prairie Middle School, hopefully this spring, Wright said.

Reedsburg School District officials are still looking into the program and seeing how it will benefit students, according to district spokesperson Kari Stanek.

Word is now spreading about the benefits of this program and other area schools as well as other area manufacturers want to get involved, Sween said. I believe that the perception of what manufacturing can provide in the form of diverse careers is beginning to change.

Youth and young adults are a critical talent pipeline for Wisconsin and we can play a role in helping them prepare for their careers, Hall said.

Along with programs like Mini Manufacturing World, Madison College offers dual-credit and college pathway opportunities for area high school students. Dual-credit courses allow students to earn college credits at high schools, while college pathways allow them to take courses at colleges.

Marquardt is going to do a presentation on Mini Manufacturing World at the National Association of Branch Campus Administrators national conference on May 27 in Asheville, North Carolina.
Senedd votes to scrap tax relief for private schools

This article is old - Published: Saturday, Mar 8th, 2025

The Welsh Parliament voted to scrap charitable business rates relief for private schools.

From April, private schools in Wales will no longer be eligible for charitable relief but an exception will be introduced for independent special schools.

Of the 83 independent schools in Wales, 17 receive charitable relief at an annual cost to the public purse of about 1.3m  equivalent to 210 for each of the estimated 6,200 pupils.

Welsh ministers said it would be impossible to disentangle the impact from the Labour UK Governments separate decision to introduce VAT on private school fees.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies estimated the proportion of pupils who may move from private to state-funded schools as a result of the UK changes at 3% to 7%.

Triple whammy

Similarly, private schools that are charities in England will also no longer be eligible to receive charitable relief of up to 80% off business rates bills from April 1.

Urging Senedd members to back the Welsh regulations on March 4, Mark Drakeford said: The policy aim is to make additional funding available for local services in Wales, by withdrawing a tax reduction for private education that is paid for by public funds.

Natasha Asghar, the Conservatives shadow education secretary, accused the Labour Welsh Government of another attack on private schools.

She told the Senedd: Not content with enforcing VAT on private independent schools, and implementing a hugely damaging national insurance hike, Labour now wants to take away the 80% business rate relief for charity-run private schools.

Independent schools are being punished by Labours triple whammy on higher taxes.

Crippling pressures

Ms Asghar raised a report that found 23% of parents were considering moving their children from private to state schools, which would equate to 140,000 pupils in Wales and England.

She said: After 26 years of Labour mismanagement, we have the worst educational outcomes of anywhere else in the UK and this decision will only add to the already crippling pressures facing our schools.

Removing charitable status from independent schools may seem like a quick fix, but it risks creating more problems than it actually solves.

It could lead to fewer options for parents, increased costs for families, and, more importantly, it risks shifting the focus away from the real issue, which is improving education for all children regardless of their background.

Plaid Cymrus Heledd Fychan welcomed the regulations, calling for details of how much consequential funding Wales will receive from the VAT changes and when.

Few and privileged

Prof Drakeford said the Welsh Government expects only one independent school to be exempt because it provides education to children with additional learning needs.

He did not address the question on consequential funding.

The first minister-turned-finance secretary told the Senedd: Of course, I was not surprised to hear the contribution from the Welsh Conservatives.

They would rather my constituents in Ely and Riverside pay the 1.6m that goes in charitable rate relief to schools whose parents are well able to pay the fees out of their own pockets, thats what you would prefer  to support the few and the privileged.

And I absolutely resent  that it is somehow a problem to have more young people receiving state education in Wales.

The Senedd approved the regulations, 42-16, with the Tory group voting against.

By Chris Haines, ICNN Senedd reporter
Students test skills in major incident exercise at Wrexham University

This article is old - Published: Saturday, Mar 8th, 2025

A major incident exercise tested the skills, knowledge and real-time reactions of Healthcare, Policing and Forensic students at Wrexham University.

Students and lecturers from Policing, Paramedic Science, Forensic Science, Nursing and Operating Department Practice (ODP) degree programmes took part in the seventh annual Major Incident Day exercise.

It saw a series of escalating events unfold to the students in real-time, with no prior warning. They had to respond quickly and professionally to the evolving situations, putting their classroom knowledge into practice.

The immersive exercise allowed students from the different disciplines to work together and apply their knowledge to real-life scenarios, including:

An explosion.

An abandoned vehicle scene, which saw walking injured enter the Students Union building requiring police and paramedic attention.

A police search of Ty Dysgu  the Universitys on-campus simulation house.

A hostage situation involving hostage negotiators working for a safe release  with a suspect arrested, and subsequently taken to the Universitys on-site custody suite.

A lecture room within the Universitys B-corridor was transformed into the incident control room, where students coordinated the emergency response, while the incidents unfolded at various locations across campus.

Andy Crawford, Senior Lecturer in Policing, said the annual exercise is an incredibly exciting day for students to be part of.

Not only does it strengthen our students skills as individuals but it also promotes teamwork and quality communication among the various professions  preparing them for multidisciplinary working for when they embark on their careers, after graduating, he continued.

It also gives us a great opportunity to utilise our excellent, industry-standard facilities and spaces such as our Health Simulation Centre, Ty Dysgu and our recently installed police custody training suite.

Id like to thank colleagues from across the University for supporting this annual event, as well as our students for immersing themselves fully into the exercises.

The day also wouldnt have been possible without the support of a number of external colleagues, including officers and staff from North Wales Police who assisted Policing students, as well as Emma Roberts, Crime Scene Manager from North Wales Police, who gave her time and expertise to support the Forensic Science students process the main crime scene.

Thanks must also go to members of the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust who assisted the Paramedic students and the NHS workers who came in to help with the various health programme students studying at the University, as well as moulage company, Bloody Realistic, who worked on the special effects make up as part of bringing the day to life, and local actor Michael Corteen, who played the role of the offender.

We were also pleased to welcome Uniformed Public Services students from Coleg Cambria, who joined us for the day to observe  and help inform their curriculum in response to dealing with emergency incidents.

Freya Pierce, second-year Paramedic Science student, said: Its been brilliant to be part of this years Major Incident Day. Its provided us with a fantastic insight into responding to a major incident that involves trauma  and seeing how each professional discipline works as part of that response.

Exercises like this also provide a safe space for us to learn but also make mistakes without negative consequences.

Its been fantastic to have Paramedics from the Welsh Ambulance Service with us as part of the day, their guidance has been so valuable.

First-year Policing student, Kaylee Williams, said: Days like this are vital in helping to cement what we learn in our lectures as we can actually put that knowledge into practice, in these true-to-life scenarios.

Final-year Forensic Science student, Jenny Jones, added: Our role in Forensic Science as part of the exercise was Crime Scene Investigators where we were required to gather intelligence and evidence from the incidents.

As someone who learns best through hands-on experiences, the day was fantastic for me  it was extremely memorable and great to see the role that each profession has to play.

Lecturers involving in the planning and running of Major Incident Day will be among those taking part in the Universitys next undergraduate open day event, which is being held on Saturday, March 15 from 10am  2pm. For more information or to book your place at the open day, visit the Wrexham University website.
The Mammoth Lakes Police Department has released body cam footage following a fatal shooting incident involving police earlier this month.

It happened on March 4 when officers opened fire on 39-year-old Jesus Corona Uribe of Mammoth Lakes.

Uribe was armed with rocks, which he was allegedly throwing at cars before officers arrived.

When police got on scene, he allegedly charged toward them holding the rocks after refusing orders from officers. Officers then opened fire.

Lifesaving measures were attempted, and first responders provided medical aid. Uribe was taken to Mammoth Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

You can watch the video in full on the Mammoth Lakes Police Department YouTube channel. It displays graphic images and foul language. Viewer discretion is advised. If you wish to watch it, you can view it at this link.

---

March 7 Update:

The Mammoth Lakes Police Department has released details about a shooting on Tuesday where officers shot a man at the Mammoth Lakes Branch Library.

According to the report, around noon on Tuesday, March 4, officers responded to a call about a disturbance at the library.

When police arrived, they encountered 39-year old Jesus Corona Uribe armed with rocks. He was uncooperative with officers, and ran towards them holding the rocks - which prompted the officers to open fire.

After the shooting, lifesaving measures were attempted as medical responders arrived at the scene. Uribe was moved to Mammoth Hospital, where he died from the gunshots.

The California Department of Justice will be investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting, in accordance with state law.

Anyone with information about this incident is being asked to contact the California Department of Justice at (916) 210-2871.

The Mammoth Lakes Police Department is planning to release a video regarding the shooting.

Original Story (3/4/2025, 10:54 p.m.):

The California Department of Justice is investigating a shooting that involved the Mammoth Lakes Police Department on Tuesday.

Officials say one person is dead.

It happened at noon at the Mono County Library Mammoth Lakes branch.

Officers said they encountered a man at the front entrance of the library, and the California DOJ said one person died as a result of the shooting.

The identity of that person has not yet been released.

The California DOJ will be handling the investigation.
We're going to be jumping an hour ahead this weekend, which means we'll be losing some sleep but also gaining a little extra sunshine later in the day.

There's a lot of mixed opinions on springing forward. Some people focus more on those longer days, others on the shorter nights.

"I love to be out of the house" said Zaydeus Palado, a high school senior. "I feel like more sunlight or the more time we have outside then it's like I get to do more; I get to be outside more."

"I am not looking forward to daylight saving," said Rosie Brownlow-Calkin, an assistant professor at University of Nevada, Reno. "I mean, any time you lose an hour of sleep is not a good idea in my book and i have a toddler."

You may remember our reporting on Assembly Bill 81 in the Nevada legislature proposing to end daylight saving time. If passed this means Nevada would be in permanent standard time with the sun rising at 4:30 am and setting at 7:30pm at summer solstice.

Alysiah Bibbs, a third year at the university, says, "I don't really oppose to it or like agree, I just think it's something that will happen."

Brownlow-Calkin adds, "I think it would be really good for parents because when the sun doesn't set until really late in the summer it's really hard to convince them that it's bedtime."

Firefighters are also using daylight saving time as good reminder to not only change the clocks but also your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

"We want to replace our batteries in our smoke alarms, our traditional smoke alarms that have nine-volt batteries twice a year, and we want to make sure that we test our smoke alarm once every month," said Reno Fire Marshal John Beck.

Beck tells us three out of five residential fire deaths occur in homes that either have a nonfunctioning smoke alarm or a smoke alarm that has actually been removed. So, it's extremely important to consistently check your alarms.

Bibbs says, "Oh I don't do none of that." She laughs. "No, I just wait till it beeps and if it beeps, I just change it."

Brownlow-Calkin says, "That's definitely not something we do twice a year. We do it when it beeps."

Palado says, "Oof! Definitely not and I'm a victim to those smoke alarms going off and honestly it's been going off, so I mean maybe it is time, but I don't know if we're going to be able to get through it."

For people who are elderly or physically disabled and unable to reach the alarms yourself, you can call (314) 516-2797 or click here to have American Red Cross check and replace detectors for you for free.
The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada has scheduled a consumer session for Tuesday, March 11 to hear public comment regarding the annual rate adjustment application of Southwest Gas Corporation.

Southwest Gas Corporation is proposing an increase for the monthly bills of the average northern Nevada single-family residential customer by $3.77, or 4.49%.

The company is also proposing to increase the average southern Nevada single-family residential customer monthly bill by $3.05, or 5.21%.

The PUCN may approve rates as proposed, or decrease or increase rates as necessary to ensure rates are just and reasonable. Public comment regarding this application will be accepted in person or by phone at the session.

Written comments also may be submitted to the PUCN electronically through the Electronic Filing System on the PUCNs website, by hand-delivery, or via U.S. Mail.

Public comment is limited to the contents of the application and speakers may be limited to three minutes.

Full details of the session can be found at this link.
The shock entrance of DeepSeek in the race to develop advanced artificial intelligence has put the world on notice as to China's innovation prowess, a high-ranking Beijing official said Thursday.

The startup released a new version of its AI chatbot in January, sending shockwaves across global markets.

DeepSeek wowed industry insiders with its apparent ability to rival or even surpass the capabilities of Western competitors like ChatGPT at a fraction of the cost.

"DeepSeek has stood out in the global field of AI," said Wu Qing, Chairman of China's Securities Regulatory Commission.

"It is not just that the field of AI has been deeply shocked, but now also the world and the financial community have a new understanding of China's ability to innovate in science and technology," he said.

The official added that DeepSeek had contributed to a "recent re-evaluation of Chinese assets".

"If someone does not talk about DeepSeek these days, it seems that they're not fashionable," Wu said.

"But this phenomenon is indeed worthy of our high attention."

Recent weeks have seen shares in Chinese tech titans surge.

Last month, long-shunned Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma was seen meeting President Xi Jinping at a business symposium -- signalling a more welcoming stance from Beijing towards its domestic tech sector.

Alibaba's shares rose more than eight percent during Thursday trading in Hong Kong after it unveiled an AI model with a performance it said was "comparable" to DeepSeek.

Investors are watching for announcements this week from Beijing -- where officials are convening for a key annual political event known as the "Two Sessions" -- on further government support to boost innovation and spending.

Wu's comments came during a press conference on China's economy, which has struggled to fully recover from the pandemic.

Authorities are banking on advanced technology as a lifeline to reach official growth targets this year as heightened trade winds batter the export-dependent nation.
On Friday night the 20th annual "Shave for the Brave" event kicked off to show support and raise money for childhood cancer research.

Northern Nevada Children's Cancer Foundation (NNCCF) asked the community to support and participate in shaving their heads or donating money to the cause.

The event takes place each year around St. Patrick's Day, and the non-profit encourages people to go bald in support of childhood cancer research.

"Tonight is amazing," said Brigette Cole, the Executive Director for Northern Nevada Children's Cancer Foundation. "This is really our community coming together. It is a huge grassroots effort. People are showing up all over the area, showing our families that no one fights alone in northern Nevada."

The "Shave for the Brave" event is in partnership with the St. Baldrick's Foundation.

"Shave for the Brave" has raised over $3.6 million for childhood cancer research by shaving 4,930 heads since 2006.

Cole adds "These kids lose their hair, and they don't have a choice in the matter, so I think for them to see others up on stage willingly shaving their head in support means the world to them."

We also spoke to the Smith family, who has a son who battled cancer multiple times.

The mother, Nancy Smith, told us her son was diagnosed with neuroblastoma in 2015, and this is her third time shaving her head in his honor.

Her son is now 12 and a half years old and was also at the event tonight to shave his head too.

She tells us "He is very aware of the impact I think, especially as he gets a little older, and also it's very special to share this with him because I first did it for him."

She goes more into how the foundation was helpful to them.

"It's amazing," she said. "This organization is fantastic, one of the drugs that they sponsored in 2015, he was one of the first kids who got it off study, so I've seen...oh I'm going to cry...I've seen the impact firsthand of this research funds."

We also spoke to another group that shaved their heads Friday night.

Jeremiah Austin & Michael Barbheo said "This is for Lucas and all the kids who get cancer every 2 minutes in the world, yeah, just trying to make a difference."

They add "They can't do it without us and we can't do it without them."

To help celebrate their 20th year St. Baldrick's Board member Phil Ralston will be joining the event.

He first became involved with the St. Baldrick's Foundation to support the daughter of a friend who was diagnosed with cancer.

The goal of the event was to raise $200,000 for childhood cancer research.
1

Iberia lanza un aviso urgente a los viajeros que acudan al aeropuerto de Barajas tras el colapso en ...
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has revised its proposed remedies against Google, withdrawing its demand that the tech giant divest its investments in artificial intelligence firms, including Anthropic. Instead, the DOJ is concentrating on dismantling Google's alleged search engine monopoly through other measures, according to recent court filings.

The DOJ, alongside a coalition of state attorneys general, is now pushing for a court order that would compel Google to sell its Chrome browser and implement other changes designed to foster competition in online search. This adjustment reflects a shift in focus from the initial proposal, which sought to address perceived anti-competitive practices in the burgeoning AI sector.

Prosecutors emphasized that the core issue remains Google's dominance in search, arguing that unchecked monopolistic power stifles innovation and freedom of competition. "The American dream is about higher values than just cheap goods and 'free' online services," they stated in their filing, highlighting the importance of fair competition.

Google, however, maintains that the proposed remedies are excessive and would negatively impact consumers, the economy, and national security. A Google spokesperson criticized the DOJ's "sweeping proposals," asserting they go beyond the court's findings.

The decision to retract the AI divestiture demand comes after the DOJ reviewed further evidence, which suggested that such a move could have "unintended consequences" in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. Instead, the DOJ now proposes that Google provide advance notice of future generative AI investments.

The ongoing legal battle, which includes proposals for Google to modify its default search engine agreements with Apple and other device makers, is scheduled for trial in April. Judge Amit Mehta will preside over the proceedings.

This case is part of a broader antitrust push against major tech companies, including Apple, Meta, and Amazon, which face similar allegations of monopolistic practices. The DOJ's revised approach underscores the complexities of regulating tech giants in a rapidly changing technological environment.

The new proposal has garnered support from both Democratic and Republican attorneys general, as well as the Alphabet Workers Union-CWA.

Also Read: DOJ concludes case against Google in antitrust case
Indian cinema has seen a transformative shift, with powerful women-led stories taking center stage. Today, actresses are owning the screen with performances that are bold, inspiring, and deeply layered. As we celebrate Womens Day, lets have a look at some of the most remarkable actresses who have redefined female characters with their fearless and unforgettable performances.

Vidya Balan:

Vidya Balan has been a game-changer in Bollywood, proving that women-led films can be critically acclaimed and commercially successful. She delivered a powerhouse performance in 'Ishqiya' (2010) as Krishna Verma, a woman who is both mysterious and strong-willed. Her character exuded intelligence and cunning, navigating a world of crime and deceit with resilience and wit, proving that strength comes in many forms. In The Dirty Picture (2011), she fearlessly portrayed Silk Smitha, embracing the boldness and vulnerability of a woman who refused to live by societys rules. With Kahaani (2012), she played Vidya Bagchi, a pregnant woman searching for her missing husband in Kolkata, only to reveal a shocking twist that left audiences stunned. Vidyas role in Tumhari Sulu (2017) further cemented her versatility, as she breathed life into a middle-class homemaker who rediscovers her confidence as a radio jockey. Following this, she has given several women-centric films including 'Shakuntala Devi' (2020).

Rani Mukerji:

Rani Mukerji has been a force to be reckoned with in Bollywood, taking on roles that depict strong, independent women. One of her most celebrated roles came in Black (2005), where she portrayed a deaf and blind woman, bringing an extraordinary level of emotional depth to the screen. In the Mardaani series (2014, 2019), she played Shivani Shivaji Roy, a fearless cop taking on human traffickers, delivering an intense and hard-hitting performance.

Kiara Advani:

Kiara Advani has carved a niche for herself with roles that challenge traditional storytelling. In Lust Stories (2018), she played a newlywed woman navigating her desires, a performance that sparked conversations about female agency in Indian cinema. Her role in Guilty (2020) as Nanki Dutta, a rebellious college student Nanki Dutta dealing with a #MeToo case. The actress showcased her ability to portray deep-seated trauma and inner conflict. Kiara also delivered a standout performance in Shershaah (2021) as Dimple Cheema, bringing emotional depth and strength to the character. Kiara Advani portrayed a strong-willed woman in 'Jug Jugg Jeeyo' (2022) as Naina, a successful working professional dealing with the complexities of marriage and personal aspirations. Her performance highlighted the struggles of modern women balancing career, relationships, and self-respect with determination and grace. In Satyaprem Ki Katha (2023), she beautifully balanced vulnerability and resilience, playing a woman overcoming past trauma while learning to embrace love.

Alia Bhatt:

Alia Bhatt has time and again proven that she is one of the most versatile actresses of her generation. In Highway (2014), Alia stunned audiences with her portrayal of a young woman on a journey of self-discovery after being kidnapped, marking one of the most nuanced performances of her career. In Raazi (2018), she portrayed an Indian spy who marries a Pakistani family, delivering a gripping performance that balanced patriotism with personal conflict. Her transformation into Gangubai Kathiawadi in Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022) was nothing short of mesmerizing, as she brought raw power and emotional depth to the story of a sex worker-turned-mafia queen. Also, in last year's release 'Jigra', Alia Bhatt plays the character of Satyabhama "Satya" Anand, a young woman fighting to rescue her brother, Ankur Anand, from a foreign prison.

Priyanka Chopra:

Priyanka Chopra has taken on some of the most challenging roles in Bollywood, proving her versatility time and again. Her transformation into the legendary boxer in Mary Kom (2014) was nothing short of extraordinary, as she brought the grit and perseverance of a real-life athlete to the big screen. In Bajirao Mastani (2015), she played Kashibai with a perfect balance of strength and heartbreak, making her one of the most memorable characters in the film. With Jai Gangaajal (2016), Priyanka stepped into the shoes of a tough IPS officer fighting corruption, solidifying her position as an actress who can command the screen with power and intensity.

Deepika Padukone:

Deepika Padukone has seamlessly blended elegance and power in her roles, giving audiences some of the most unforgettable female characters in recent years. In Piku (2015), the actress showcased a different side of Deepika, as she played a modern, independent woman navigating lifes struggles while caring for her aging father. Her portrayal of acid attack survivor Laxmi Agarwal in Chhapaak (2020) was deeply moving, shedding light on the harsh realities of survivors while celebrating their courage. In Padmaavat (2018), she embodied Rani Padmavatis dignity and unshakable strength, holding her own in a film dominated by grandeur and intensity.

Kangana Ranaut:

Kangana Ranaut is known for choosing roles that celebrate fearless, independent women who refuse to conform. In Queen (2014), she won hearts as Rani, a simple girl who embarks on a journey of self-discovery after being left at the altar. With Manikarnika (2019), she brought the legendary warrior Rani Laxmibai to life, delivering an action-packed performance that radiated power and patriotism. In Thalaivii (2021), Kangana took on the challenging role of J. Jayalalithaa, tracing her journey from an actress to one of Indias most formidable political leaders.

These actresses have not only entertained audiences but have also redefined how women are portrayed in Indian cinema. Their performances have shattered stereotypes, proving that strong female-led films can be both commercially successful and socially impactful. As we celebrate Womens Day, lets applaud these extraordinary women for their fearless portrayals, their ability to challenge norms, and their unwavering commitment to bringing complex, powerful female characters to life on screen.

Also Read: From Bastar to Hisaab: Vipul Shah's fearless cinematic journey
On the occasion of International Women's Day, Narayana Health SRCC Children's Hospital, Mumbai has launched the Her Health, Her Power campaignan inspiring initiative aimed at redefining empowerment by prioritizing women's health and well-being. This campaign features a captivating video that spotlights female doctors who share insights on crucial health issues, including early childhood development, risks associated with smoking, impact of high-risk pregnancies, obesity and breast cancer.

Through this campaign, Narayana Health SRCC Children's Hospital, Mumbai underscores the importance of self-care, mental well-being and lifestyle choices that contribute to a healthier future. The campaign aims to empower young girls to dream big, to support expectant mothers through their pregnancy, and to promote preventive healthcare while recognizing the dedicated team of doctors at the Hospital who continue to inspire, heal, and uplift women through their expertise and compassion.

According to data shared by Narayana Health, 57% of women aged 15 to 49 years are anemic and also at times suffer from diabetes, genetic disorders, hormonal issues, and even cancer. Additionally, many young girls who face health issues are engaging in smoking and drinking, which worsens their well-being.

The #HerHealthHerPower campaign aims to bridge the gap in women's health by raising awareness and encouraging women to prioritize their well-being. By shifting the focus of empowerment from external achievements to internal well-being, this initiative reinforces the message that true strength comes from maintaining good health and serves as a reminder that self-care is not a luxury but a necessity.

Speaking about the campaign, Dr Anaita Hegde, Sr Consultant Paediatric Neurology, Narayana Health SRCC Children's Hospital, said: "Empowerment is not just about achieving successits about being healthy, both physically and mentally. Through 'Her Health, Her Power', we want to inspire women to take charge of their well-being and make informed choices that contribute to a healthier and more fulfilling life . Our goal is to spark a movement for positive change.

Dr. Indu Khosla, Senior Consultant- Pediatrics Pulmonology, Narayana Health SRCC Childrens Hospital Said, This campaign serves as a crucial reminder that women's health is essential and should be a top priority for all. By encouraging women to take charge of their well-being, this initiative has the potential to significantly improve the lives of millions across India. The campaign celebrates the unwavering dedication of our healthcare professionals and spreads the message that true empowerment begins with good health. Our research reveals a worrying trendmany women are not giving their health the attention it deserves. Unhealthy eating habits are prevalent, including smoking.

Also Read: Duroflex promotes better sleep with #9KeBaadNo, prioritizing mothers' health
IndusInd Bank, in collaboration with VISA, today launched its Womens Day campaign, #DropTheLabel, encouraging women to break free from societal labels that often limit their potential. The campaign talks about the various challenges that women professionals face being tagged with stereotypes which can create barriers to their growth and success.

At the heart of the campaign is an inspiring film featuring Tania Sachdev, a renowned chess player who holds the title of International Master and Woman Grandmaster. In this video, she talks about the various labels that she has been given over a period of time and how she has transformed those stereotypes into stellar achievements. The film highlights the power of perseverance and determination in overcoming stereotypes, serving as a powerful testament to resilience. It encourages women to challenge limiting labels and embrace a limitless mind set.

Here is what Tania had to say about the campaign- Partnering with IndusInd Bank for this womens day campaign has been an incredible opportunity to amplify the message that women should never be confined by labels. I believe that every woman has the power to define her own path, break barriers, and create her own narrative. Together, lets drop the labels and embrace who we truly are- limitless, strong, and capable of anything we set our minds to.

Through these narratives, the campaign highlights the journey of breaking free from limiting labels, celebrating personal growth and the power of self-definition. Additionally, the campaign has a special segment featuring women leaders within the bank talking about the labels that they have overcome, dropped and embraced.

IndusInd Bank has also come up with exclusive offers during this period for its customers such as high returns on savings and FD, cashback and rewards on brands across travel, shopping, dining and lifestyle. The campaign will be amplified across social media channels, Website, App and other digital hotspots.

Charu Mathur, Head  Digital Banking & Strategy (Existing Business), IndusInd Bank, said, At IndusInd Bank, we believe that true progress begins when women define their own paths, unburdened by societal labels. #DropTheLabel is more than just a campaign, it is a movement to challenge preconceived notions and create a culture where women feel empowered to embrace their ambitions without hesitation. This Womens Day, we celebrate the strength, resilience and limitless potential of women, encouraging them to break barriers and shape their own success stories.

Sujatha V Kumar, Head of Marketing, India & South Asia, Visa, commented, We are delighted to collaborate with IndusInd Bank on an extraordinary initiative this International Women's Day. This inspiring campaign honors the unwavering spirit of women and motivates them to #DropTheLabels and embrace their authentic selves. Together, we are committed to fostering a more inclusive and empowering future for all women.

Also Read: IndusInd Bank & Havas: A heartwarming reminder to invest in relationships
News18 Bangla has secured the position of the No. 1 Bengali news channel, surpassing ABP Ananda in overall market share, as per the latest data released by the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC). This milestone reflects the channels growing influence and deep engagement with audiences across West Bengal.

The channel maintains a significant lead of 3.3% over ABP Ananda (Source: BARC | Market: West Bengal | TG: All 15+ | Period: Week 825 | Metric: AMA 000s). It also records an impressive cumulative reach of 20,200, outperforming its closest competitorsABP Ananda (20,000), R Bangla (12,200), and TV9 Bangla.

News18 Banglas ascension to the top has been driven by a strategic programming overhaul and an unwavering commitment to quality journalism. By expanding its coverage across the state, the channel ensures that news from every cornerurban and rural alikereaches its viewers in real-time.

A defining factor in News18 Banglas success is its resolute focus on local issues that directly impact the lives of Bengals people. The channel's extensive coverage of underrepresented communities in semi-urban and rural regions, has amplified their voices, fostering a stronger connection with its audience. This emphasis on in-depth, people-centric journalism has further strengthened viewer loyalty and trust.

The latest rankings reaffirm News18 Banglas growing dominance in the regional news landscape. As the channel continues to innovate and evolve, it remains committed to delivering credible, insightful, and impactful journalismempowering viewers with knowledge, perspective, and a deeper understanding of the world around them.

Also Read: News18 Odia Healthcare Summit 2025 Honors Odisha's medical professionals
The PR industry  fast-paced, dynamic, and rooted in strategic storytelling  has seen a surge in women-led firms that are not only redefining the industry, but also setting new standards in brand communication, crisis management, and digital strategy. With women making up approximately 73% of PR professionals in India, its evident that they have carved a strong presence in this field.

However, despite their dominance in the workforce, women remain underrepresented at higher leadership levels. The PR industry presents a unique contrast  while women thrive in key operational and strategic roles, the journey to executive leadership often remains challenging. Yet, an increasing number of women entrepreneurs are breaking barriers, establishing their own firms, and driving innovation in the digital age.

What makes PR a space where women excel as entrepreneurs? How do they navigate challenges and bring a fresh perspective to corporate storytelling? This article delves into the success stories of women-led PR firms, highlighting their contributions, leadership styles, and the impact they are making in Indias communication landscape.

Women in PR: A Natural Fit for Leadership

Public relations is inherently a relationship-driven industry, demanding strong communication skills, emotional intelligence, and crisis-handling capabilities  areas where women have historically excelled. Women entrepreneurs in PR leverage these strengths to build trust-based client relationships, craft compelling narratives, and navigate complex reputation challenges.

The success of women-led PR firms can also be attributed to cultural and societal shifts. Over the past two decades, increased female participation in media, corporate leadership, and entrepreneurship has fostered an environment where women in PR can rise to leadership roles. Many female PR professionals, after gaining substantial experience in large agencies, have ventured out to establish their own firms, bringing fresh perspectives and innovative strategies to the industry.

Voices from Women Leaders in PR

PR firms today are filled with women in leadership roles, and its no coincidence. PR is about trust, storytelling, and long-term relationshipsareas where women excel. Their ability to handle crisis communications, shape brand narratives, and foster client trust makes them indispensable.

The industrys emphasis on collaboration over hierarchy has enabled women-led firms to thrive. At Media Mantra Group, we believe diverse leadership drives strategic thinking, with many key roles held by women who shape campaigns and build lasting partnerships.

PR values expertise over legacy, allowing women to rise based on merit and innovation. The flexibility and demand for inclusive perspectives have strengthened their presence. Women in PR arent just thrivingtheyre defining its future.

Sanya Bajaj, Founder, Column Inches:

Women are naturally intuitive when it comes to listening, nurturing relationships, and dont shy away from pointing the spotlight to the person in front of them. PR is all about collaboration, maintaining relationships, bringing people together, shaping narratives, ensuring rightful expectations for clients and media houses. I have a team of 20, of which 18 are women! Women have always been forces of nature, look at our history and culture, be it Malala, Oprah, or even our mythology, like Gandhari, Sita, and Draupadi. Women are both fierce and nurturing, supportive yet assertive, simple yet enigmatic. In PR, this balance helps us navigate complex narratives, drive creative strategies, and build trust. Its what makes us exceptional storytellers and powerhouses in this field.

PR is a profession that inherently appreciates relationship-building, storytelling, and crisis managementdomains where women tend to excel. Beyond that, what differentiates women in PR leadership is their capacity to introduce new perspectives, emotional intelligence, and a strategic mind to brand communication. In India, the growth of the PR sector went hand in hand with women entering leadership positions in media, corporate communications, and entrepreneurship. PR is not only a profession for women but also a means of creating something of their owna business in which intuition, adaptability, and effective stakeholder management are the drivers of success. We at PRandit have established our success on credibility, innovation, and long-term reputation management rather than merely good storytelling. This skill to craft narratives with depth and intention is the reason why women-led PR firms are successful today.

PR has historically been a women-dominated industry, perhaps due to qualities like communication, relationship-building, patience, and crisis management, which are often associated with women. However, PR has evolved beyond media relations into a strategic, data-driven field that encompasses brand engagement, campaign creation, and reputation management. Success in PR isnt about genderits about adaptability, creativity, and the ability to craft compelling narratives that drive real impact.

Shruti Mishra, CEO & Founder, Image Stereo Marcom:

PR isnt just an industry where women thriveits where they shine. With storytelling, trust-building, and crisis management at its core, PR aligns naturally with women's strengths. Empathy, deep relationships, and adaptability give them an edge in shaping narratives and managing reputations. Historically, women have played these roles in families, communities, and businesses, making PR leadership instinctive. In a digital age driven by connection and authenticity, women are not just breaking barrierstheyre setting the standard for great PR.

Women have the potential to be great entrepreneurs in every field. While PR does see a larger female workforceperhaps because it appears to be a natural fitit actually demands immense grit, adaptability, and determination to succeed and stay ahead.

Im not a fan of categorizing entrepreneurship or leadership by gender. However, I do believe that women bring a unique level of empathy to businessan invaluable quality when it comes to building and leading a company.

Komal Lath, Founder, Tute Consult:

Women bring their greatest strengths to the tablemultitasking, patience, and the ability not just to handle but to truly manage tasks, which is at the heart of communications. They are inherently wired and conditioned for this (not that men can't, but women excel), making the profession a natural extension of their personalities. At a leadership level, its a fair gameleadership and meticulousness transcend gender, though women often take a larger share. Historically and culturally, we have been tuned to make it happen, and thats where the subtle yet significant difference lies.

PR is fundamentally about storytelling, relationship-building, and emotional intelligencequalities that many women naturally bring to the table. Our ability to read emotional cues, build authentic connections, and manage complex relationships makes us well-suited for leadership in this industry

To truly capitalize on womens strengths, companies must go beyond recognition and actively foster diverse leadership at all levels. Ive seen firsthand how equitable policies and inclusive environments enhance not just workplace culture but also business performance. The progress is encouraging, but theres still significant room to grow. When organizations champion womens advancement, the benefits extend far beyond individual companiesto the entire economy.

Ishita Singhal, Founder, Sass Communications:

PR is built on communication, relationships, and trustthings women naturally excel at. We are intuitive, adaptable, and great at crisis management, which are critical in this industry. Historically, women have always been strong storytellers, whether in families or communities, and that extends to PR. Over time, more women have seized leadership roles in the industry, proving that they not only belong herethey lead here.

PR is built on trust, strong instincts, and the ability to read people; things women have been doing forever, whether in business or life. The field demands quick thinking, problem-solving, and a strong network, and many women naturally lean into these skills.

For generations, women in India have juggled multiple responsibilities, managing conversations, diffusing tensions, and bringing people together. These skills arent just helpful in PR; they define the profession. Women dont only build relationships, they sustain them. And in a business where credibility and trust matter most, thats a game-changer. Its no surprise that so many women have built successful PR firms.

Sonam Shah, Founder & CEO, Treize Communications:

PR is an industry where women naturally thrive as entrepreneurs. Strong media relations, a core aspect of PR, align well with womens innate ability to build and nurture connections. Women-led PR firms are on the rise, offering flexibility that supports work-life balance while running a business. The industrys structure allows women to choose their clients, set their schedules, and manage commitments efficiently. Additionally, PR firms require relatively lower initial investments, making them a practical and empowering choice for women entrepreneurs.

Women Shaping Corporate Narratives in India

Women-led PR firms are making remarkable strides in shaping corporate narratives, especially in industries where storytelling plays a crucial role in brand positioning. These firms bring a fresh perspective to PR campaigns, emphasizing inclusivity, social impact, and authenticity in ways that redefine corporate communication.

From crisis management to thought leadership initiatives, women leaders are revolutionizing how brands engage with their audiences. In sectors like technology, manufacturing, and financewhere communication was traditionally driven by numbers and performancewomen-led PR firms are infusing brand messaging with human-centric storytelling, making it more relatable and engaging.

Womens Strength in Corporate PR

Sonam Shah of Treize Communications, shares her perspective: Today, there are more women-led decision-making roles at the C-Suite level. As the founder of a PR firm specializing in corporate PR, I can confidently say that what we do is not extravagantwe simply ensure that everything is executed correctly and on time. PR is a time-sensitive field, and its crucial to maintain the right messaging, strategy, and storytelling within the required timeline.

Women also bring empathy and emotional intelligence to their execution, which works wonders for brand building and reputation management. And perhaps most importantly, many women genuinely enjoy what they do, which adds even more value to the work we create.

A New Wave of Corporate Storytelling

Sanya Bajaj of Column Inches highlights this transformation, Theres a wave of freshness across the economic ecosystem. New-age startups are disrupting traditional business legacies, and corporate narratives are evolving in tandem. Be it the way we communicate through emails or interact with journalists, the relationships we cultivate and the strategies we develop are being redefined.

Media has historically been male-dominated, but PR thrives on relationship-building. Startups no longer want the traditional approach; they are open to taking risks, trying new strategies, and embracing authenticity. Women in PR are leading this change, particularly young agencies that understand the power of organic media through genuine storytelling.

Humanizing Brand Messaging

Shalu Jha of PRandit Solution echoes this sentiment: Women-owned PR agencies are transforming how brands communicate by integrating authenticity, diversity, and purpose-driven storytelling. Our focus goes beyond securing press coveragewe craft narratives that create real impact. In traditionally male-dominated sectors, we are seeing a shift in how companies approach their brand voice.

In industries like deep tech, Web3, and sustainability, trust and education are crucial for audience engagement. Women-led PR firms are ensuring that corporate messaging isnt just about visibility but credibility. Todays brands must stand for something meaningful, and our role is to help them communicate innovation, sustainability, and social impact in ways that truly resonate.

The Power of Empathy in PR:

Empathy is a defining strength of women-led PR firms, asexplains, We bring empathy and authenticity to storytelling. In a world where audiences demand real, meaningful engagement, women-led firms are crafting narratives that connect, not just sell. Whether its humanizing brands or navigating crises with compassion, were leading the shift toward purpose-driven, inclusive communication.

Transforming Corporate Storytelling

Nikky Gupta from Teamwork Communications Group further emphasizes the impact of women-led PR firms: Women-led PR firms are transforming corporate storytelling in India by fostering a more authentic, engaging, and human-centric approach to brand communication. PR is no longer just about polished statements and data-heavy messagingits about building genuine connections.

In industries once dominated by numbers and jargon, PR is evolving into a medium for real, relatable stories. Women-led firms are shifting the focus from mere product promotion to creating meaningful impact. They are making technology less intimidating, finance more accessible, and encouraging brands to address real-world issues that matter. And that shift? Its nothing short of powerful.

Driving Meaningful Brand Engagement

Shruti Mishra of Image Stereo Marcom reinforces this evolving landscape: Women-led PR firms are reshaping corporate narratives in India by embedding brand messaging with authenticity, emotional intelligence, and a deep understanding of stakeholder engagement. Their leadership is particularly transformative in traditionally male-dominated sectors like finance, manufacturing, and technology, where communication has long been rigid and transactional.

Great PR isnt just about visibility; its about resonance. Women leaders bring a unique ability to craft narratives that dont just inform but connect and inspire. By prioritizing transparency, inclusivity, and social impact, they are helping brands move beyond conventional corporate speak to build trust and credibility with diverse audiences.

As businesses increasingly recognize the power of meaningful narratives, women leaders in PR are not just managing reputations; they are shaping the way corporations engage with the world.

Challenges Faced by Women-Led PR Firms

Despite the growing presence of women entrepreneurs in public relations, significant challenges persist. Gender biases, societal expectations, and structural limitations continue to shape the way women-led firms operate. Access to funding and securing large-scale corporate retainers remain uphill battles compared to their male counterparts. Additionally, breaking into traditionally male-dominated sectors such as finance, technology, and infrastructure demands extra effort and strategic positioning.

Bias still existsclients question if a women-led firm can handle high-pressure industries, says Ishita Singhal. Business networks remain male-dominated, making funding and scaling harder. But results speak louder than anything else.

While women-led firms have excelled in sectors like consumer brands, lifestyle, and healthcare, earning trust in industries long dominated by men often requires overcoming skepticism. Nikky Gupta, Co-Founder, Teamwork Communications Group, highlights this challenge: People assume women-led firms handle lifestyle brands but hesitate with finance or tech clients. Access to big budgets and high-stakes mandates takes longer. Women juggle leadership with societal expectations, making networking and risk-taking tougher.

The issue extends beyond business operations to societal perceptions and workplace inclusivity. Sanya Bajaj, Founder, Column Inches, notes, Legacy firms dominate PR with more resources and influence. Women still face pay gaps, domestic responsibility biases, and client skepticism, especially in tech. Workplace inclusivity and respect for boundaries remain major issues.

Balancing business leadership with personal responsibilities adds another layer of complexity. Women still have a lot of challenges, and this goes beyond PR, says. The type of obstacles may have changed, but they still exist. There is still a taken for granted attitude, questioning of decision-making, or doubting of abilities. As the PR industry evolves, so will these challengesbut societal transition is not easy or immediate.

Yet, women-led PR firms continue to redefine the industry by showcasing expertise and resilience. Shalu Jha, Founder, PRandit Solution, emphasizes, Sectors like tech, Web3, and deep tech are often assumed to be male-led, but weve proven expertise isnt defined by gender. Scaling a PR business means competing with global firms, evolving with media trends, and balancing growth with client expectations.

Despite these challenges, brands are increasingly recognizing the strategic advantage of women-led PR firms., explains, Women leaders must work harder to establish authority. Societal expectations add pressure, and funding access is limited, slowing growth. But brands value the authentic storytelling and deep audience connections that women-led firms bring.

The evolving gender dynamics in PR suggest that while change is happening, it remains an ongoing process. Women-led firms are not just breaking barriersthey are setting new benchmarks for success in the industry.

Staying Ahead in the Age of AI and Digital Disruption

With AI and digital transformation reshaping the PR landscape, women-led firms are at the forefront of innovation. They are adopting cutting-edge technologies, leveraging data-driven insights, and exploring new-age storytelling formats to maintain their competitive edge. From AI-powered sentiment analysis to real-time media monitoring, these firms are integrating digital tools to enhance their strategic planning and execution.

Social media and influencer marketing have also become integral to PR strategies, and women-led firms are adept at utilizing these channels to create impactful brand narratives. The ability to blend traditional PR with digital-first approaches has positioned these firms as industry leaders in an ever-evolving media ecosystem.

The Role of AI in Modern PR

Puja Pathak of Media Mantra Group shares, The way PR functions today is completely different from what it was even five years ago. AI, digital PR, and performance marketing arent just buzzwords; theyre key components driving changes in how we communicate and build reputations. Many women-led firms today are ahead of the curve because they bring a mix of strategic thinking and adaptability. The best PR is no longer restricted to just media placements; its about using data to predict audience behavior, leveraging AI-driven tools for sharper messaging, and ensuring that digital narratives align with business goals. Here at Media Mantra Group, weve embraced this shift by integrating AI-powered insights into our campaigns. Whether it's tracking media sentiment in real-time, using performance marketing for precise audience targeting, or employing risk assessment tools to preempt crises, we ensure that technology works with us, not instead of us. Our expansion into Dubai and the MENA region is another example of this forward-thinking approach, allowing us to bring cutting-edge PR solutions to global clients.

Komal Lath of Tute Consult emphasizes the importance of precision in AI-driven PR strategies, With AI, the role of women becomes even more pertinent to be discoverable. Spray and pray is long dead. What is required are noble strategies to target niche communities, top-tier publications that are AI-relevant, and also bring about changes in the way communication is actionedlike Substacks, Reddit forums, and audio-visual comms.

Balancing AI with Human Creativity

Think Ink Communications & Think Talkies Radhika Nihalani underscores the significance of adapting to AI while preserving human ingenuity, saying, I think businesses, led by both men and women, are at the beginning of the AI revolution. While no amount of AI can replace the human mind and its limitless possibilities, it is imperative for founders to adapt to this changing environment and use the tech outburst that we are witnessing right now to improve efficiencies. Media monitoring, analysis, a base level of content creation, and more allow teams to focus more on creative ideation and strategy, improving the overall quality and effectiveness of campaigns. By fostering a supportive ecosystem for women in PR, India can unlock new opportunities for leadership, innovation, and meaningful brand storytelling in the years to come.

Nikky Gupta of Teamwork Communications Group highlights the synergy between AI and human connection, pointing out, PR is evolving fast, and the smartest firms know how to adapt without losing their core strengths. AI is great for crunching data and predicting trends, but PR still relies on people. Women-led firms are utilizing AI tools to refine strategies, but they know that technology cant replace intuition. The focus is on making campaigns sharper, personalizing messaging, and using insights to predict conversations before they happen. The biggest edge? The ability to blend tech with instinctbalancing data with storytelling, automation with real human connection. Thats how brands stay relevant, and thats how PR keeps evolving.

Women Leaders Navigating Digital Transformation

Meanwhile, highlighting the gender disparity in PR leadership, Akshaara Lalwani of Communicate India notes, The PR industry is experiencing a complete digital revolution that's changing everything about how we communicate. While technology adoption itself isnt gendered, theres still a significant imbalance in whos leading these tech-driven changes. Women make up roughly 89% of PR professionals yet hold only about 30% of senior leadership positions. Despite these challenges, women-led PR firms are exceptionally good at navigating digital transformation. We integrate technological capabilities with strong emotional intelligence, creating multi-dimensional campaigns that move seamlessly between platforms.

Bloomingdale Public Relations Diana Fernandes emphasizes continuous innovation, saying, AI and digital disruption are reshaping PR across the board, regardless of leadership gender. To stay ahead, PR firms must continuously innovate, think beyond traditional strategies, and embrace technology to drive impactful results. Success in this evolving landscape lies in the ability to merge human creativity with data-driven intelligence, ensuring long-term relevance and impact.

A Personalized Approach in a Tech-Driven World

Shalu Jha of PRandit Solution believes in maintaining the human touch in PR, The PR landscape is changing fast, and female-led agencies are not only keeping pacewe are driving it. AI takes over media monitoring, sentiment tracking, and content automation, but the human touch of trust-building, relationship-forging, and storytelling is more important than ever. At PRandit, we embrace a forward-thinking methodology with a personal touch, ensuring storytelling is not lost. PR is not merely about companies anymoreits about the leaders who run them. Women-owned businesses are assisting executives in establishing strong, credible personal brands, making them thought leaders within their own space.

Sanya Bajaj of Column Inches underscores the importance of maintaining authenticity, stating, If theres one word to describe women, its fluid. We quickly adapt to change and embrace learning and experimentation. Most press releases today are AI-generated, founder quotes are often crafted through ChatGPT, and PR is increasingly leveraging social listening and advanced tools to track brand narratives. While I fully support innovation and AI for automating mundane tasks like brand tracking or social media monitoring, a brands voice should always remain authentic. We can stay ahead of the curve by embracing these trends while staying true to our unique identity and voice.

Blending AI with Emotional Intelligence

Ishita Singhal of Sass Communications underscores adaptability. We adapt fast. AI and data are changing PR, but the essence of the jobunderstanding peopleremains the same. Women-led firms are embracing tech, but not at the cost of human connection. Were using AI for insights, automation for efficiency, but keeping creativity, storytelling, and emotional intelligence at the core, she adds.

Speaking about the integration of AI in PR, Image Stereo Marcoms Shruti Mishra highlights, The rise of AI and digital disruption is transforming PR, and women-led firms are staying ahead by blending emotional intelligence with technology. By leveraging tools like ChatGPT for content generation, Meltwater for media analytics, and Sprout Social for social listening, they are refining audience engagement and ensuring sharper, data-driven storytelling. AI isnt here to replace PR; its here to enhance it by being a helping hand. Beyond AI, these firms are pushing the boundaries of digital PR through interactive content, immersive storytelling, and real-time audience engagement. By combining automation with emotional intelligence, they maintain authenticity while scaling impact.

As AI continues to redefine PR, women-led firms are proving that the key to success lies in leveraging technology without compromising the human essence of storytelling. By balancing data-driven intelligence with creativity and emotional intelligence, these firms are shaping the future of the industry, ensuring relevance, authenticity, and innovation in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Also Read: Ajay Chhangani on the rise of sports streaming and advertising potential
President Donald Trump is set to host the first ever White House digital assets summit, and some of the confirmed attendees are already preparing themselves and what they will advocate for when they go to Washington Friday.

The selection of attendees is critical for the industry, given how it could indicate which specific segments the new administration seeks to support.

Which Crypto Leaders Have Confirmed Their Attendance So Far?

Way ahead of others, Ripple's CEO said he will attend the summit and discuss the importance of an industry working together to drive growth. However, since he didn't really announce he was "invited" to the event, there were some questions about his attendance.

It was only until White House crypto and AI czar David Sacks took to X to "confirm" that a list being circulated by journalist Eleanor Terrett was the one that "looks correct."

Here are the confirmed attendees as per Terrett's list:

Brad Garlinghouse (Ripple)  The Ripple CEO said he will encourage collaboration in the industry and thanked Trump for recognizing that the industry has evolved into a "multichain world," seemingly indicating how there are now other coins with utility beyond Bitcoin.

(Ripple)  The Ripple CEO said he will encourage collaboration in the industry and thanked Trump for recognizing that the industry has evolved into a "multichain world," seemingly indicating how there are now other coins with utility beyond Bitcoin. Fred Thiel (MARA Holdings)  Thiel confirmed his attendance Thursday, saying he is looking forward to the discussions at the roundtable but did not specify what he will advocate for. Still, his confirmation is a big nod to the Bitcoin mining industry.

(MARA Holdings)  Thiel confirmed his attendance Thursday, saying he is looking forward to the discussions at the roundtable but did not specify what he will advocate for. Still, his confirmation is a big nod to the Bitcoin mining industry. Vlad Tenev (Robinhood)  Tenev specifically asked his over 230,000 followers on X what they think are the most pressing issues to them that he may be able to present at the summit. Some said crypto regulation is crucial and prominent crypto sleuth ZachXBT said Circle (USDC) and Ripple (XRP) should be held accountable for "trying to attack competitors via regulatory capture."

(Robinhood)  Tenev specifically asked his over 230,000 followers on X what they think are the most pressing issues to them that he may be able to present at the summit. Some said crypto regulation is crucial and prominent crypto sleuth ZachXBT said Circle (USDC) and Ripple (XRP) should be held accountable for "trying to attack competitors via regulatory capture." Chris Dixon (a16z)

(a16z) Nathan McCauley (Anchorage Digital)  The Anchorage CEO said he had been invited to the roundtable and is positive it is "the start of the golden age for crypto in America." Anchorage is a platform for institutional crypto, indicating the president is interested in supporting institutional adoption.

(Anchorage Digital)  The Anchorage CEO said he had been invited to the roundtable and is positive it is "the start of the golden age for crypto in America." Anchorage is a platform for institutional crypto, indicating the president is interested in supporting institutional adoption. Mike Belshe (BitGo)  The BitGo CEO said he is "heading to DC" to fulfill his part as a digital assets advocate.

(BitGo)  The BitGo CEO said he is "heading to DC" to fulfill his part as a digital assets advocate. Raghu Yarlagadda (Falcon X)  He specifically said he will "bring the institutional voice" to the crypto summit and will support "the crypto policy roadmap."

(Falcon X)  He specifically said he will "bring the institutional voice" to the crypto summit and will support "the crypto policy roadmap." Kris Marszalek (Crypto.com)

(Crypto.com) Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss (Gemini)  The twin executives' attendance is no surprise to the industry, since they have been forging close ties with the Trump administration and even donated millions to the Trump campaign.

(Gemini)  The twin executives' attendance is no surprise to the industry, since they have been forging close ties with the Trump administration and even donated millions to the Trump campaign. Arjun Sethi (Kraken FX)

(Kraken FX) Michael Saylor (Strategy)  The well-known Bitcoin maximalist personally confirmed his attendance on X, gaining much attention from Bitcoiners.

(Strategy)  The well-known Bitcoin maximalist personally confirmed his attendance on X, gaining much attention from Bitcoiners. Brian Armstrong (Coinbase)

(Coinbase) Sergey Nazarov (Chainlink)

(Chainlink) Kyle Samani (Multicoin Capital)  The managing partner said he is looking forward to collaborating with industry peers and the Trump admin "to ensure crypto thrives in America."

(Multicoin Capital)  The managing partner said he is looking forward to collaborating with industry peers and the Trump admin "to ensure crypto thrives in America." Zach Witkoff (WLFI)  The World Liberty Financial co-founder thanked Trump for the invitation. Trump has only ever officially promoted WLFI and his own meme coin, Official Trump (TRUMP), in terms of crypto projects.

(WLFI)  The World Liberty Financial co-founder thanked Trump for the invitation. Trump has only ever officially promoted WLFI and his own meme coin, Official Trump (TRUMP), in terms of crypto projects. JP Richardson (Exodus)  The Exodus CEO said he will promote the recognition of "the importance of self-custody" in the crypto space.

(Exodus)  The Exodus CEO said he will promote the recognition of "the importance of self-custody" in the crypto space. Matt Huang (Paradigm)  He said he wants to discuss "how America can take a leadership role in promoting the principles of open crypto."

(Paradigm)  He said he wants to discuss "how America can take a leadership role in promoting the principles of open crypto." David Bailey (Bitcoin Magazine)  The prominent Bitcoiner re-posted Terrett's post where his name is listed as an attendee.

Bailey revealed he expects the total number of crypto executives at the roundtable to be around 20, but Terrett said more people may be confirming their attendance ahead of the Friday summit.

Originally published on IBTimes
Atishi Calls Out BJP Over Unfulfilled 2,500 Promise to Delhi Women 2

Leader of Opposition Atishi has accused the BJP of failing to fulfill its pre-election promise of providing 2,500 per month to women in Delhi. In a video posted on X, she reminded Prime Minister Narendra Modi of his commitment, stating that women across the capital are still waiting for the promised funds to be credited to their bank accounts.

During the election campaign, PM Modi had assured 2,500 for all women by March 8. That money has yet to arrive, Atishi remarked. The Mahila Samriddhi Yojana, a key pledge in the BJPs manifesto during the Delhi Assembly elections, was intended to provide financial aid to women in the national capital.

On International Womens Day, Atishi took a dig at the BJP, saying, Today, all the women of Delhi are staring at their phones, waiting for a message confirming the deposit. She further urged the Prime Minister to honor his commitment, cautioning that failure to do so would prove it was nothing more than a jhumla (false promise).
Bus Attacked in Manipur's Kangpokpi, Security Forces Fire Tear Gas 2

A bus of the Manipur state transport was attacked in Kangpokpi on Saturday after inter-district bus services resumed from Imphal to hill areas since ethnic strife broke out in the northeastern state two years ago, officials said.

In December last year, the state governments attempt to resume public bus services from Imphal to Kangpokpi and Churachandpur failed when no passengers showed up at the Manipur State Transport (MST) station in Moirangkhom, Imphal.

The attack on the Senapati district-bound bus occurred when the passenger vehicle was pelted with stones by a mob in Kagpokpi districts Gamgiphai area, they said.

Security forces fired tear gas shells and baton-charged the mob, leading to injuries to a few demonstrators, the officials said.

The buses to the hill districts of Churachandpur and Senapati were flagged off from Imphal airport around 10 am without any passengers, and a large convoy of central forces, including army personnel, escorted the vehicles, they said.

The Churachandpur-bound bus reached Kangvai after crossing the Bishnupur district without any hindrance, the officials said.

The bus destined for Senapati district via Kangpokpi did not face any obstruction or blockade till Kanglatongbi in Imphal West district, they added.

The state transport bus services resumed to alleviate public inconveniences and as an initiative towards bringing normalcy in the state, the officials said.

The inter-district bus services resumed after Union Home Minister Amit Shah had recently directed security forces to ensure free movement of people on all routes in Manipur from March 8 and also called for strict action against those creating obstructions.

Chairing a meeting to review the security situation of Manipur, he said the Centre remains fully committed to restoring lasting peace in the state and is providing all necessary assistance in this regard.

This was the first such meeting held after the imposition of the Presidents rule in the northeastern state, which has been witnessing ethnic violence since May 2023.

Over 250 people have lost their lives in the violence.
Israeli Tourist and Homestay Operator Gang-Raped Near Hampi, Odisha Tourist Missing 2

In a shocking incident near Karnatakas Hampi, two women, including a 27-year-old Israeli tourist, were allegedly gang-raped while stargazing near Sanapur Lake late Thursday night. According to police, the attack occurred around 11 p.m. when the victims, along with three male tourists, were enjoying music by the canal after dinner.

Among the male tourists, one was from the United States, while the others were from Odisha and Maharashtra. The second victim, a 29-year-old woman, operated the homestay where the Israeli tourist was staying.

As per the complaint filed by the homestay operator, three men on a motorcycle approached them, asking where they could find petrol. When informed that no petrol pumps were nearby, the suspects demanded 100. Upon refusal, they allegedly began abusing the group in Kannada and Telugu before launching a violent assault.

The accused allegedly raped both women and pushed the three male tourists into the canal. Two of them sustained injuries, while the Odisha tourist remains missing.

Following the complaint, police registered a case at Gangavathi Rural Police Station under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including charges of extortion, robbery, gang-rape, and attempted murder.

The victims are currently receiving medical treatment, while police have identified the suspects. Six special teams have been deployed to track down the culprits, with authorities assuring swift action. The brutal crime has sent shockwaves across the region, raising serious concerns over tourist safety in the heritage town of Hampi.
Chanda Fehler, a 23-year-old graduate student at the University of Alabama, was slain in 1987 and her death remains unsolved. (Contributed)

Its been nearly 38 years since a University of Alabama graduate student was found slain in the Black Warrior River, and investigators arent giving up hope for a break in the case.

Chanda Fehler, 23, was last seen June 10, 1987, at the Riverside pool on UAs campus.

Her vehicle was found at the pool, but there was no sign of Fehler. The interior light was on and one of the doors was slightly ajar.

Fehlers purse, drivers license and towel were found inside, but her keys were missing.

Others at the pool that day recalled seeing her there and seeing her leave the pool area with her belongings around noon, but no one recalled seeing her leave in her car, according to the Alabama Cold Case Advocacy.

Her family reported her missing the next day.

Four days later, on June 14, 1987, a fisherman discovered her body.

Fehlers hands and feet had been bound by wire, and her body had been weighted down with a cement block.

There were no obvious signs of injury, leading the medical examiner to believe Chanda died by suffocation or drowning.

There were no knife wounds or gunshot wounds, a state medical examiner said at the time.

At the time of her death, Fehler had graduated from UAs College of Education and was working on her masters degree in early child education.

Fehler had been active at First United Methodist Church and was described as outgoing and loving.

Since her death, her family and law enforcement have worked to solve the case.

The case has never been closed and has been reviewed and re-initiated numerous times by different investigative teams, said Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit Capt. Jack Kennedy.

Kennedy said Friday an intense evaluation of physical evidence is being conducted.

These modern, state-of-the-art techniques were not available until just a few years ago, Kennedy said.

We are hopeful that the result of these tests will help provide leads or closure to this case.

An original $10,000 reward offered in the case remains valid.

Kennedy said investigators have long believed Fehler knew her killer.

Invariably there are people who have personal information about suspects and can help solve cases, he said. Eye-witness testimony is just as valuable, if not more valuable, than forensic evidence.

That would include observations before and after the crime, and conversations with possible suspects.

Any valid witness information may be corroborated by the new forensic leads, and vice versa, Kennedy said. This can be useful, even if someone was not present and did not personally witness the crime.

The new testing, along with the reward and the years that have passed, make this the right time for anyone with information to come forward, he said.

Now is the time to provide closure for Chanda and her family.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Violent Crimes Unit at 205-464-8690.
Walker County Sheriff Nick Smith has deactivated his personal and the sheriffs office Facebook pages, saying he no longer sees a reason to provide a platform for hate, negativity, and vitriol.

Hate is so easy nowadays, Smith wrote in a Friday night statement on the sheriffs office mobile app, which most police departments and sheriffs offices also have and use to disseminate news.

With the ability to hide behind a screen or a fake profile, its too easy a temptation to avoid, Smith wrote. But a hateful world isnt one I want to operate in.

The move came days after federal authorities indicted two more of his deputies  Carl Carpenter and Matt Handley  claiming they abused inmate Tony Mitchell by kicking and pushing him when he arrived at the Walker County Jail.

Mitchell died two weeks after he was arrested, and court records have chronicled the horrific abuse he suffered.

Over the past seven months, a dozen of employees who worked at the Walker County Jail  including jailers and contract nurses  have been charged in connection with the events surrounding Mitchells death.

Many have already pleaded guilty, and others have agreed to do so.

Carpenter and Handley are charged with deprivation of rights. Additionally, Handley is charged with lying to a grand jury to cover up their alleged abuse.

Walker County deputies Carl Carpenter and Matt Handley are indicted on federal charges in the abuse of inmate Tony Mitchell, who ultimately died in the custody of the sheriff's office. (Walker County Sheriff's Office)

The pair was set to be arraigned on the charges March 13.

However, Carpenters lawyer has asked for a continuation, stating in court documents Carpenter has been admitted to the psychiatric ward at the VA hospital in Tuscaloosa due to an acute mental breakdown.

The attorney said Carpenters diagnosis and prognosis reports are still pending. Efforts to reach the attorney for comment were unsuccessful.

A ruling on the attorneys motion has been issued, but it has not been made public in court records, but the court docket shows the arraignment will be set at a later date.

Mitchells death has been a lightening rod for Smith, who is seeking re-election for a third term.

Mitchell was arrested Jan. 12, 2023, during a mental health welfare check at his home. Authorities said he fired a gun while deputies were on his property.

Deputies responded that Thursday afternoon to Lost Creek Road near Carbon Hill on a welfare check after family members of Mitchell feared he could harm himself or someone else.

Mitchell, 33, died Jan. 26, 2023, at Walker Baptist Medical Center.

The county coroners death certificate listed Mitchells manner of death as homicide and listed the causes as hypothermia and sepsis resulting from infected injuries obtained during incarceration and medical neglect.

Tony Mitchell being placed in a Walker County Sheriff's Office vehicle. (Court filing)

Here is Smiths full statement from Friday night:

As many of you may have noticed, the Sheriffs Office Facebook page has recently disappeared from your timelines. It wasnt deleted, only deactivated, and this was a decision that was mine and mine alone. When I began my first campaign to be your Sheriff, I promised to provide a more informative Sheriffs Office. One way of doing that was by capturing real time operations through photos and uploading them to our Facebook page. Because social media has become so prevalent in our society and has quickly become the most efficient method for informing as many people as possible as quickly as possible, it was the natural choice for sharing information. Most people enjoyed and appreciated the information, but as with anything else controlled by people, our unique way of providing information to the masses became a point of contention for people that wanted to find an issue with, well, anything really.

Its no secret that our department, and this county, have been going through an unprecedentedly difficult time. And while I understand everyones varied thoughts and opinions, I no longer see a reason to provide a platform for hate, negativity, and vitriol. Our Facebook page isnt necessary. We arent required to maintain one, and once the purpose of our page was lost, it was time to let it go. Everything that was ever posted was done with the intention to be transparent and informative to the public. Unfortunately, I dont think certain parts of the public were ready to be that informed.

Law enforcement is a tough business, and things that we deal with on a daily basis are sometimes something a regular citizen couldnt dream up in a million years. Sometimes that can be a shock to the system of people who arent used to seeing it, and here in Walker County I think that was definitely the case. So, moving forward, any information that we believe is important for the public to know, we will push through this app. Encourage your friends and family to download it. And before the conversation gets started, no, we dont make any money for the app being downloaded or used.

I have also removed the inmate mugshots from the app. This is strictly because of the negative attention they received when shared on Facebook. We share those pictures to inform people, and its unfortunate that some people use those pictures to illicit views on their page, and then allow people to make fun of the way some inmates look. While I understand this is just people expressing their first amendment right, its hateful and we wont be contributing to it any longer. And Ill be honest, there was a time when I didnt care about things like that, but as time passes things change, and humiliation, even if its unintentional, isnt something were going to participate in.

Hate is so easy nowadays. With the ability to hide behind a screen or a fake profile, its too easy a temptation to avoid. But hateful world isnt one I want to operate in. If Ive learned anything recently, its humility. Its important to see things from other peoples points of view, whether theyre inmates, police officers, or even people that hate you. In trying to do that, Ive realized some important things. Love is better than hate, support is better than judgment, and prayer is the only way to deal with it all. The Walker County Sheriffs Office and I are just as committed now as we have ever been to provide safety and security to the people of this county, no matter how they feel about us. We just wont be doing it on Facebook anymore.
Nearly 300 people attended a rally in Birmingham on March 7, 2025, to protest federal pauses to NIH and other research funding. Rebecca Griesbach | AL.com

Holding a sign that said UAB saved my life twice, Birmingham resident Mara Jambor credited researchers for flagging malignant melanoma on a screening before it was too late for treatment.

At a rally at Railroad Park in Birmingham on Friday, Jambor said she is worried about what might happen if federal research agencies like the National Institutes of Health lose funding.

Trump is intentionally dismantling our government and all the good things we do, she told AL.com. It doesnt just hurt us in Birmingham or in Alabama or in this country, it hurts the world.

Jambor joined nearly 300 researchers, students, patients and community members to protest against funding pauses and proposed cuts to NIH, along with other federal research agencies.

UAB officials estimate cuts could cost the institution about $70 million a year, while other state universities could also lose millions of dollars in grants. The federal government has also halted study sections, where grants get reviewed, as well as the council that approves them and administers funding.

Our American scientific engine is good for the economy, Kristina Visscher, a local neuroscientist, told the crowd. It improves lives, and its one of the true wonders of the world, and I am heartbroken to say that today it is under attack.

Birmingham resident Mara Jambor protests against NIH funding cuts at a rally in Railroad Park on March 7, 2025. Rebecca Griesbach | AL.com

At the rally, some speakers said their jobs have already been impacted. Others worried about the future of lifesaving research in the state.

Joshua Huffines said he worries about how he will support his two young children if he is unable to continue his work as a research trainee in Birmingham.

A new position he is supposed to start soon is dependent on funding from the NIH, and after months of waiting, he still hasnt received notice of whether he will be able to get paid.

There are so many factors going on right now that are really, really harming the ability for researchers to do their jobs and to bring innovation to the United States, he said. And thats going to hit universities in the state as well.

A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administrations cut to the NIHs indirect cost rate, and recently extended the pause. Local students and researchers, however, say they are already feeling the impact of government actions.

Caitlyn Sebastian, a Ph.D. student at UAB, graduated from a small college with few opportunities to work in a lab. An NIH program she joined after graduation, however, gave her the guidance and support to conduct intensive research on pathogens like tuberculosis, and eventually opened up a career in biosafety and containment.

But that program is now pausing recruitment for trainees like her, she said. A notice on the programs website says it is awaiting guidance from the federal Health and Human Services department.

Another UAB doctoral student, Joshua Lewis, said his federal funding for his postdoc program at the University of Michigan was rescinded, despite earning one of the highest scores on a dissertation award grant.

This shock to the scientific landscape is immediate for many of us, and it will ultimately be dire to the many communities our research benefits in the coming months, years and decades, if left unchecked, he said.

Ankur Saxena, an associate biology professor, said federal research dollars have funded positions for students in his lab  a job that has enabled one of his employees to land a coveted position at a top-tier research university.

Meanwhile, Hazel Payne, an undergraduate studying pain research, doesnt know how many opportunities will be waiting for her when she graduates.

We have students who have dreamed of these things for years and years and years who are asking themselves, whats next? she said.

Research has also been stalled, students and professors said, including studies that affect some of the states most vulnerable populations.

Billy McDonald credited NIH funding for a program that helped him manage Parkinsons disease. Another resident said clinical research helped treat a neurological condition.

Amanda Finn, a doctoral student in Birmingham, said the government has stalled a meeting to reapprove funding for a multi-year lung disease study led by her professor. The study aimed to give rural Alabamians access to free tests and scans, but now it might not be completed, she said.

This is all preventable and requires us to remember that people from all backgrounds do science, she said. People from all backgrounds care about science, and people from all backgrounds benefit from science.

Joni Lakin, an education professor at the University of Alabama, told AL.com that a grant she received from the Office of Naval Research was terminated last week. She stressed that she is not speaking on behalf of her university, but as an individual.

Lakin and a handful of graduate students were working with Auburn University to develop after-school programs and project-based curriculum for high school science labs. She said the grant also enabled them to run a summer camp for middle school students from rural areas.

But a letter from the office, she said, claimed their project did not comply with Trumps executive order that prohibits federal grants and contracts from supporting equity-related projects. Officials did not give any further reasons for cutting the grant, she said.

Without the grant, that work wont continue, she said. Her department also relies heavily on federal funding to pay salaries for graduate student workers, many of whom are international students who might have to go back to their home countries if the university cant find additional funding to support them.

I think everyone loses if we dont have that kind of funding, she said.
An Alabama high school student was taken into custody after they were found with a gun Friday afternoon, authorities said.

The Opelika High School student was found in possession of the weapon around 3 p.m. Friday, police said.

No one was injured in connection with the incident.

The student was then taken into custody by Opelika police school resource officers and escorted off the campus.

For the safety of students and staff, an additional police presence was at the high school during dismissal.

Opelika police said there was no danger to students following the incident.

Police continued to investigate the incident late Friday afternoon.

Anyone with information helpful to the case was asked to call Opelika police at 334-705-5200.

Further information was unavailable.
This is an opinion column.

The doctor had a question for Medicine. Not about medicine, but for Medicine, the Zambian driver for Dr. Michael Saag, one of the worlds foremost infectious disease specialists, during the physicians periodic trips to the African nation.

It was 2007, and Saag was three years into guiding an HIV/AIDS treatment program in the country where about 20% of the population had once been infected with the deadly virus. America was investing millions annually in the program, and it was achieving significant success.

It was saving lives.

Do the people around here realize whats happening? Saag asked Medicine. Can they see whats happening?

Compassionate Conservatism ignites aid

Today, Saag is a professor emeritus of medicine, microbiology and public health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

In 2004, he helped launch the Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia. Its funding was administered by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the global humanitarian agency thats been flatlined by President Donald Trump and the Department of Government Elimination thats run by the unelected and unvetted Elon Musk. Call it DOGE ball.

Former President George W. Bush was elected on a platform he called compassionate conservatism. Seems like a mummified oxymoron today.

In his 2003 State of the Union address, Bush, a Republican, passionately called on America to battle the scourge of HIV/AIDS ravaging the continent of Africa. He created the Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and called upon Congress to fund it with $15 billion.

Because the AIDS diagnosis is considered a death sentence, many do not seek treatment. Almost all who do are turned away, he said in the speech. A doctor in rural South Africa describes his frustration: He says, We have no medicines. Many hospitals tell people, Youve got AIDS, we cant help you. Go home and die.

 In an age of miraculous medicines, no person should have to hear those words.

Both Republicans and Democrats rose to give Bush a standing ovation. Both. Imagine.

In 2004, Bush signed legislation establishing PEPFAR with the money authorized by Congress.

Years before, Saag had founded the 1917 Clinic at UAB to help address the growing HIV/AIDS epidemic in the U.S. With a PEPFAR grant, he and a group from UAB created the treatment program in Zambia. There werent a lot of options, Saag says. It was demoralizing to me, and devastating, obviously, to the people of Zambia.

The group originally aimed to treat 3,000 to 5,000 people in the first year, with an emphasis on pregnant mother-to-child transmission. Two years later, 100,000 Zambians were in treatment. The United States was a catalyst, but the people of Zambia were the ones who implemented a lot of it, and I dont want to sell that short, Saag says. Our impact was one of the most gratifying and rewarding things Ive ever done, Saag said.

Medicines haunting response

Sitting in the car on that morning in 2007, with Medicine behind the wheel driving through downtown Lukasa, Saag asked: Do they know?

Oh yes, absolutely, Medicine said.

How do you know? Saag asked.

Well, look at us.

Saag stared out the car window and saw nothing out of the ordinary. Okay?

Were going right through town, and everythings smooth; the roads are clear, Medicine said. Saag still struggled to understand. Three years ago, this would have been gridlocked.

Why is that? Saag asked.

Funerals.

The word floored Saag. I fell over, he told me. It was so visceral. It was so impactful that I just sat there with tears running from my eyes. I was silent for about three or four minutes while I processed what he said.

Death by DOGE

When we spoke a few days ago, Saag was emotional again, this time from news that DOGE had pulled the plug on 92% of USAID grants, along with 4,100 grants managed by the U.S. State Department. About $2 billion for work already done is snared in legal limbo with challenges to the action already reaching the U.S. Supreme Court .

Musk and DOGE claim to be saving nearly $60 billion by gutting USAID  side-eye skepticism on claim since DOGEs estimates are repeatedly grossly inaccurate or unverifiable .

No matter the amount saved, whats the cost?

Likely lives lost.

Saag learned of the cuts on a conference call with the other members of the board of directors for the Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia. (Saag emphasized that he was speaking as an individual, not on behalf of UAB.)

I felt eviscerated, something beyond demoralized, Saag said. I felt like our government, perhaps not intentionally  Ill be generous and say maybe unintentionally  has substantially impacted the ability of CIDRZ to do its work. Its not just funding that may be disrupted, its the disruption of the network of USAID expatriates catalyzing and implementing programs, not just working with CIDRZ, but with many other groups . This one created a feeling of helplessness and hopelessness.

That tragedy, and thats the best word I can use for it, echoes throughout the entire region because its not just Zambia, its all over Sub-Saharan Africa and other places around the world.

Last March, under President Joe Biden, PEPFAR announced $367 million in new support toward Zambias HIV treatment program. Over the past 20 years, the U.S. provided $6.7 billion for the program, according to the U.S. Embassy. Officials said more than 1.2 million Zambians were receiving free HIV treatment and that annual HIV-related deaths were halved. Over 86 percent of HIV-positive Zambians have undetectable virus levels, meaning they cannot further transmit the HIV, the embassy says on its website .

CIDRZ has also impacted Zambians through work addressing other health challenges, such as tuberculosis (TB incidence lowered from 333 per 100k to 283 per 100k over two years), malaria (They get cerebral malaria and die from that, Saag says) even diarrhea.

Diarrhea disease is the number one killer historically, of Zambian children between the ages of two and five, Saag says. That sounds foreign to us, but a child can get diarrhea, even a viral diarrhea, and die from dehydration. So getting them access to repletion fluids is key and also a new vaccine.

Overall, PEPFAR has been a gem of American humanitarianism. Its reportedly saved 25 million lives from AIDS and provided antiretroviral treatment to 20 million people with HIV. About 5.5 million babies have been born to HIV-positive mothers while free of the virus themselves.

American orphans in limbo

Saag is also despondent over the disruption and uncertainty now felt by myriad Americans who worked for the program, many through USAID. Expatriates who have been in Lusaka for a long time, he says. They were the hands on the ground. They were the hands from the heart and the head that helped us implement a lot of what we did. They understood the people. They had connections. They are young idealists who just like to do good. They committed to working overseas, got bitten by the service bug and decided to make a career out of it. USAID was a pathway to do that.

Now, Saag says, those expats are stuck. They dont have any way back to get back to the United States, he said. If this goes forward, theyve lost their job. Many have families with young children. They have no means of paying for living there anymore, and they might have trouble repatriating back to the United States. If they get here, they dont have a job. They dont have a place to live.

Theyre basically orphans of the United States. They got paid, of course, but it was more than a job to them. It was a mission. It was a purpose. It was an ability to make a difference in the world. And as Pollyanna as that may sound, its real.

Long before Trump and DOGE began waving the flag of fraud and waste (also unverified) as its justification for its wildfire of cuts, Saag diligently tracked how CIDRZ was spending federal money. The program judiciously noted each person who received treatment, their medicines and dates of treatment, their medical condition and how long they lived.

We didnt want to be involved in any kind of scandal, he says. And we wanted to make sure the money was used for its purpose.

On the call when the news was shared, Saag said, I found myself apologizing on behalf of the United States for the disruption of the good work they were doing. I had a lump in my throat but felt compelled to do that.

Now, like a plethora of federal functions, CIDRZ and the future health of more than 20 million Zambians are shrouded in uncertainty and fear. As are people throughout the continent that Bush strived to heal.

Fear of streets again crowded with funeral processions because an America that once led with compassion is now driven by the callous and uncaring.

Lets be better tomorrow than we are today. My column appears on AL.com, and digital editions of The Birmingham News, Huntsville Times, and Mobile Press-Register. Tell me what you think at rjohnson@al.com, and follow me at twitter.com/roysj, Instagram @roysj and BlueSky.
Vice President JD Vance, right, speaks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, 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 Zelenskyy being told to leave the White House without any agreements being signed. (AP Photo / Mystyslav Chernov) (AP Photo / Mystyslav Chernov)

Mo Brooks is a retired congressman from north Alabama and a long-standing conservative voice in state and national politics. He now writes an opinion column for AL.com.

The Media Debacle involving President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is the worst Ive seen emanating from Americas White House.

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is its only winner. Ukraine President Zelenskyy, Ukraine, President Donald Trump, and America are among its many losers.

How so?

Zelenskyy lost. Zelenskyy came to the White House for war support in Ukraines fight for freedom. Zelenskyy failed. So Zelenskyy lost.

As an aside, Zelenskyys goal may be an impossible reach. The seeds of Trumps anger and ire against Zelenskyy and Ukraine were likely first sown in 2019, when Zelenskyy rebuffed Trumps demand that Ukraine publicly investigate the Bidens. Trump arguably made the demand for political gain, to help Trump beat President Joe Biden in 2020; Zelenskyy declined because he did not want to embroil Ukraine in Americas domestic politics.

Shortly after Zelenskyy rebuffed Trumps 2019 demand, Trump suspended $400 million in Ukraine aid for 55 days. Similarly, Trump has now unilaterally and indefinitely suspended Ukraine weaponry and intelligence aid while Ukraine soldiers and civilians fight for their lives and country.

Ukraine lost. Ukraine suffers horribly from Russias 11-year invasion. Ukraine civilian casualties are at least 12,000 dead and 29,000 injured, while military dead are at least 45,000 with another 390,000+ wounded. I say at least because warring countries often minimize disclosed casualties for morale and propaganda purposes.

Ukraine also lost because it needs American war-related support and, without that support, Russias invasion will likely drag on longer; Russia will conquer more of Ukraine (depriving more Ukraine citizens of their homes and liberty); and Ukrainian casualty rates will go up as soldiers fight with fewer or inferior armaments.

Trump lost. Trumps White House has deployed all media assets (cabinet, media allies, senators and congressmen) to destroy Zelenskyys reputation and presidency. These maximum efforts are the best evidence of how bad the White House perceives the Media Debacle damages Trump.

In any event, no matter how you spin it, Trump hosted and presided over the White House Media Debacle. It is never good for the leader of the free world to preside over a debacle in his own house. Yet it happened.

In a republic, presidential power derives from the public. Bad P.R. undermines presidents. Good P.R. empowers presidents.

Real Clear Politics poll average says Americas perception of Trump personally is worsening, from an inaugural 0.3 point net unfavorable rating to a 2.3 point net unfavorable rating (a 2 point drop). This drop is worrisome but manageable if the erosion stops.

Americas perception of Trumps job performance is also dropping, from an inaugural 8.5 point net favorability rating to a 1.2 point net favorability rating (a 7.3 point drop in two months).

If the erosion continues, Trump risks losing public support for his policy goals and presidency.

Worse yet (from a Republican perspective), if Trumps public support erosion continues, then Republicans become increasingly likely to revisit the biggest failures of Trumps first term: losing the House in 2018 and the Senate and White House in 2020.

With this public opinion context in mind, Trump is a loser in the Media Debacle if for no other reason than because it diverts public attention from good things Trump has done, thereby hindering efforts to reverse his public support decline.

America lost. The White House Media Debacle damages Americas reputation because it was so shocking, amateurish, and otherwise a disaster in the eyes of the rest of the world.

Embarrassingly, while Trump was spinning the Media Debacle as a major Zelenskyy failure (which it was), almost all major European allies were publicly rallying behind Zelenskyy and Ukraine. Even the King of England publicly supports Zelenskyy.

So many major nations giving strong, vocal support for Zelenskyy, all while Trump calls for Zelenskyys resignation, is a slap at Trumps face. Rarely have American allies rebuked an American president so visibly, all while Trump engages America in multi-front economic and national security conflicts.

For example, Trump is initiating tariff and trade wars with Canada, Mexico, Europe, and others at great economic risk to Americas trillion+ dollar export of goods and services that create 10.2 million American jobs (6.7% of Americas jobs). These jobs are why, if America is to wage trade wars, it better win them.

How do the Media Debacle and trade wars relate?

It is easier to win trade wars by engaging one country at a time, where Americas larger economy gives America leverage and a tactical advantage. It is unwise to do anything that unites economic foes because, if their combined economies are larger than Americas, their unity puts America at a disadvantage.

The White House Media Debacle helps unite Americas trade war foes. That makes America another Media Debacle loser.

Conclusion

Trump must set aside the White House Media Debacle and his ire directed at Ukraine and Zelenskyy and understand that anything that looks like a Russian win in Ukraine conveys American weakness and encourages more Russian military aggression (Poland, the Baltics and the Balkans are Russian targets) and maybe a Communist Chinese invasion of Taiwan.

Failure to deter Russia, China and other aggressor nations unnecessarily risks triggering American troop involvement and nuclear exchanges.

There is a saying, Those who dont learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

Trumps efforts in the name of peace to force Ukraines partial or complete surrender rewards aggression and encourages more of it. Hence, any form of Ukraine surrender in the name of peace does not bring peace. It brings larger wars.

Trump walks a fine line. He must get it exactly right. I hope he does.

Mo Brooks served on the House Armed Services Committee for 12 years and the Foreign Affairs Committee for 6 years.
A South Korean court cancelled the arrest warrant of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday, but he remains behind bars with the prosecution likely to appeal.

Yoon's lawyers filed a request to cancel his arrest warrant last month, arguing his detention was unlawful because the prosecution had waited too long to indict him.

"It is reasonable to conclude that the indictment was filed after the defendant's detention period had expired," said a document from the Seoul Central District Court.

"To ensure procedural clarity and eliminate any doubts regarding the legality of the investigative process, it would be appropriate to issue a decision to cancel the detention," the court added.

The president was impeached and detained for his December 3 declaration of martial law.

But his lawyers said the cancellation of his arrest does not necessarily mean that he will be released straight away.

"Even if the court decides to cancel the detention, the defendant is not immediately released," Yoon's lawyer, Seok Dong-hyeon, said Friday.

"The defendant will be released only if the prosecutor waives the right to appeal, or does not file an appeal within the prescribed period".

Prosecutors did not immediately respond to a request for comment from AFP.

The opposition Democratic Party slammed the court decision.

"The prosecution must immediately appeal, to ensure a ruling that aligns with the public's sense of justice," said opposition party floor leader Park Chan-dae.

Yoon, a former prosecutor, plunged democratic South Korea into turmoil in December by briefly suspending civilian rule and sending soldiers into parliament.

He has been charged with insurrection for his martial law declaration, which lawmakers voted down within hours before impeaching him.

The 64-year-old resisted arrest for two weeks, in a tense standoff between his security team and investigators at his official residence in Seoul. He was finally taken into custody on January 15.

He also faces an impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court, which will determine whether his removal from office is upheld.

The hearings for that case wrapped up last week, with the court's eight judges to decide Yoon's fate behind closed doors. A verdict is expected in mid-March.

South Korea must hold a fresh presidential election within 60 days if Yoon is removed.

Lawmakers at Yoon's ruling People Power Party (PPP) hailed the court's decision Friday.

"Although overdue, this is a very welcome decision," said MP Kwon Young-se.

"The arrest itself raised numerous concerns, when considering the investigative process that led to it," said Kwon.

"This is a crucial moment that reaffirms the rule of law and justice in South Korea," he added.

Overjoyed supporters quickly gathered in front of Yoon's house, waving Korean and US flags.

AFP reporters also saw at least 100 supporters in front of the detention centre where Yoon is being held, chanting "dismiss the impeachment" and "for the president we voted".

The court decision on Yoon's detention is "entirely unrelated" to the ongoing impeachment trial, the opposition party spokesperson Han Min-soo said.

Friday's ruling "will not affect the proceedings" regarding Yoon's formal removal from office by the Constitutional Court, Han added.

Much of the impeachment trial has centred on whether Yoon violated the constitution by declaring martial law, which is reserved for national emergencies or times of war.

The opposition has accused him of taking the extraordinary measure without proper justification.

Yoon's lawyers have said he declared martial law to alert the country to the dangers of "legislative dictatorship" by the opposition.
Grocery shoppers browse the aisles at Ramey's Marketplace in Chatom. A bill in the Alabama Legislature would reduce the state sales tax on food from 3% to 2% starting in September. (John Sharp/jsharp@al.com).

Four proposals to cut taxes were introduced Wednesday in the Alabama House of Representatives and appear to be on a fast track.

One of the bills would reduce the state sales tax on food, while two others would cut income taxes. Overall, the bills are projected to save taxpayers about $190 million a year.

Another previously introduced tax cut items including diapers and baby formula would save an additional $10.5 million, lawmakers have said.

House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter, R-Rainsville, said he expects the House to consider the bills the week of March 18, when lawmakers return after taking next week off.

Ledbetter said the latest tax cut bills will add to more than a dozen passed since 2022.

Lawmakers also approved state income tax rebates of almost $400 million in 2023.

Were excited to be able to do that, Ledbetter said. I think its because that this body has been conservative with the budgeting process and making sure the money goes where it needs to be.

Lawmakers also face a decision on whether to extend a major tax cut - a state income tax exemption on overtime pay that is scheduled to expire this summer.

All four bills introduced Wednesday are sponsored by Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, who is chairman of the House Ways and Means Education Committee. The bills have dozens of co-sponsors.

Here is a look at those bills:

Cutting sales tax on food from 3% to 2%: HB386 would reduce the state sales tax on food from 3% to 2% starting September 1.

The estimated savings to taxpayers would be $122 million a year. The bill follows up on one passed in 2023 that cut the tax from 4% to 3%.

Allowing counties to reduce sales tax on food: HB387 would remove a restriction on county and municipal governments reducing their sales tax on food.

Current law allows them to cut the tax only in years when their general fund increases more than 2% over the previous year.

Increasing income tax exemption for seniors from $6,000 to $12,000: HB388 increases an exemption to the state income tax for people 65 and older. The exemption is for taxable income from defined contribution plans, such as Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) and 401(k) savings plans.

The bill would increase the amount that is exempt from $6,000 to $12,000, saving taxpayers an estimated $45 million a year. The exemption would take effect in 2026. The $6,000 exemption was approved in 2022.

Changing dependent and standard deductions: HB389 would make several changes to the state income tax affecting dependent exemptions and standard deductions that would save taxpayers estimated at $25 million a year.

Eliminating sales tax on goods for babies and menstrual products: Another bill introduced earlier in the legislative session Another bill introduced earlier in the legislative session would remove the state sales tax, which is 4%, from diapers, baby formula and other baby products, maternity clothing, and feminine hygiene products.

It would save taxpayers an estimated $10.5 million annually.

Garrett called the bills commonsense, conservative measures we can take to put more money back into the pockets of hardworking Alabamians.

Will overtime tax exemption expire?

One tax cut approved in a previous session might be going away.

The Legislature approved the state income tax exemption on overtime pay in 2023 and it was in effect for the first time last year.

House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels, D-Huntsville, sponsored the bill, which won strong bipartisan support and passed without a dissenting vote.

Lawmakers included an expiration date June 30, 2025, because of concerns about the impact on the Education Trust Fund.

The state Revenue Department estimated that exemption reduced income tax revenue by $230 million during the first nine months of last year, far more than estimates.

Daniels said the economic benefits of the exemption exceed its cost.

He said the purpose of the bill was to allow employees to take home more of what they earn and provide an incentive for work during a time when Alabamas labor force participation rate is lower than most other states.

Davis has said he will propose a bill that would extend the by another year and that would authorize a study to analyze the overall economic impact of the exemption.

Ledbetter said he did not know what would happen on the overtime tax exemption but said he believes the latest package of tax bills would benefit more people.

Everybody in the state of Alabama gets a tax cut. And also our senior citizens gets a benefit from this, Ledbetter said.
A new Air Force One, which has been under construction by Boeing since the first Trump Administration, has faced cost overruns and repeated delays while facing criticism from the president himself.

As Boeing stumbles, Airbus looms in the background, expanding its footprint in Mobile. But President Donald Trump and one of his top allies, U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, have drawn a hard line: When it comes to the commander-in-chiefs aircraft, only American-made will do.

Their stance has ignited a fresh debate over what American-made truly means, as Mobile leaders continue their long push to gain a greater foothold in U.S. military deals with hopes of securing a U.S. Air Force tanker contract that could mean thousands of new jobs.

The Airbus plant has been delivering Alabama-made planes since 2016, south of downtown Mobile. It is run by Airbus Americas, a subsidiary to the French-based corporation. It does not produce a plane designed to meet Air Force Ones requirements.

Airbus Mobile continues to do amazing work, and we are thrilled to have them creating jobs and vital technologies in Alabama, Tuberville said in a statement. But from a national security perspective, Air Force One must be built by an American company.

Tuberville said that Trumps safety is paramount over which company  Boeing or Airbus or some other entity  builds the plane that flies around the president.

President Trump has survived two assassination attempts and is actively under threat by other countries who want him dead  the least we can do is get him a plane that is indestructible, American-made, and totally secure.

Alabama reaction

Bradley Byrne, president & CEO with the Mobile Chamber, provides remarks during the announcement on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, that Breeze Airways will provide non-stop service from Mobile, Ala., to Orlando, Fla., and Providence, R.I., starting in April 2024. John Sharp/jsharp@al.com

Bradley Byrne, president & CEO with the Mobile Chamber and the former congressman who represented Mobile during his time in office, dismissed the concerns expressed by Tuberville.

There is no plane or anything that is bought by the military that is produced by a foreign government, Byrne said in response to Tubervilles remarks.

Byrne ran for the Senate in 2020, finishing third in the GOP primary behind Tuberville and former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

Austal has an American subsidiary that makes Navy ships (in Mobile), Byrne said, referring to the large military shipbuilding contractor located in downtown Mobile. The parent company is Australian. Airbus Americas is an American company owned by a European parent. The workers working in this area are Senators Tubervilles constituents in Mobile.

Byrne noted that Mobiles Airbus plant builds two commercial planes -- the A320 and A220 families of aircraft. He noted that the plant is not equipped to build an Airbus version of what Boeing is doing for a new generation of Air Force One.

Boeing still has the contract to build Air Force One, despite Trump saying he was disappointed in the progress. He shot down Airbus as an alternative to building Air Force One, but said he would support an alternative, or buy another plane elsewhere.

Boeing, founded in Seattle and headquartered in Virginia, received a $3.9 billion contract in 2018 to build two new Air Force One planes based on its 747 aircraft. The planes were to be delivered by December 2024, but delays are pushing that timeline back to 2027 or 2028. The delays and missteps have reportedly cost Boeing $2.5 billion in losses.

Stephen Nodine, the former Republican Mobile County commissioner who was involved in talks years ago for military tankers to be constructed in Mobile, said Tubervilles comments represent what he believes is a stigma about Airbus as an foreign conglomerate, and not one with deepening roots in Alabama.

Senator Tuberville does not understand that Pensacola, Mobile, Biloxi, and New Orleans were founded by the French, the Spanish, and the English, and that almost every component of this airframe is with our NATO allies and are a vital part of national security, said Nodine, who is planning a run for mayor this year.

He said similar concerns were expressed to Mobile area officials in the late 2000s, while they were pursuing a military tanker contract that ultimately went to Boeing. That decision occurred in 2011, but Airbus announced a year later they were building their largest North American commercial aircraft manufacturer in Mobile.

Nodine said he worried about an isolationist approach that jeopardizes every multinational corporation in this nation.

Byrne said he doesnt share that worry. He said Trumps approach on tariffs is meant to get multinational companies to establish a presence in the U.S.

Trump has either threatened or implemented tariffs on foreign countries and is utilizing them as a hallmark policy in early weeks of his presidency.

The President says in his remarks with regard to the tariff program is to get foreign companies to produce goods in the United States, Byrne said. Thats exactly what Airbus has done in producing aircraft in Mobile.

Byrne said when he was in the U.S. House, during the first Trump administration, there was no pushback from the president against Airbus. In fact, Byrne said Trumps previous tariff plans were adjusted to remove tariffs on aircraft components. If the tariffs were left in place, it would have been detrimental to Airbus operations in Mobile.

Tanker contract

In this April 7, 2020, file photo, U.S. Air Force KC-46 tankers being built by Boeing sit parked at the Paine Field airport in Everett, Wash. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File) AP

Meanwhile, Airbus has been part of recent past talks over interest in pursuing government projects at its Mobile facility. The top pursuit is a multi-billion-dollar contract to build refueling tankers for the U.S. Air Force.

To win an Air Force deal, Airbus will have to offer an American-made contender to its European program. Its also a high-stakes pursuit for Mobile, which would be able to add thousands of new jobs if Airbus were to receive a military contract to build tankers alongside its sprawling plant that is building commercial jetliners at the Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley  about six miles south of downtown Mobile.

An Airbus spokesperson said the company does not comment on bids and proposals as a matter of company policy.

Boeing has struggled with delivering its military plane, the KC-46 that is riddled with problems. The Air Force halted deliveries on Feb. 26, after cracks were found on two aircraft that were awaiting handoff to the military branch.

Boeing, in a statement to AL.com in 2023, said their KC-46A is the only tanker that meets the stringent airworthiness and performance requirements of the U.S. Air Force and the Federal Aviation Administration.

Airbus and Boeing, meanwhile, are locked in a fierce battle for a contract with the Polish Ministry of National Ministry for refueling tankers. Airbus is attempting to lock in the contract by vowing to produce A330 multi-role tanker transport (MRTT) aircraft. The MRTT could also be constructed in Mobile.

We know from experience that Airbus tankers can refuel American jet aircraft, Byrne said. It stands to reason that if Boeing cannot produce an acceptable tanker, the alternative works and should go to (Airbus).

Expanding footprint

A before and after photo of the Airbus assembly plant in Mobile, Ala. The top image is the plant taken in 2015. The bottom image is the image of the plant taken nearly 9 years later, in 2024. photo provided by Airbus

Airbus could be expanding its footprint in Mobile, with the announced departure of VT Mobile Aerospace Engineering (MAE). The company announced it was leaving Mobile and moving much of its operations to nearby Pensacola. The announcement prompted officials to ponder a potential expansion of the Airbus facility into the existing VT MAE site.

Those hangars are valuable, and someone will want them whether its Airbus or someone else, Byrne said.

Airbus, in a statement, said they do not have any details to share at this time, on a property expansion within Brookley.

Since its right next door and contiguous with Airbus, it would make sense for Airbus to use that property, Byrne said.

Airbus is already set to open a new final assembly line in Mobile sometime later this year. The facility will be the second assembly line for the Airbus A320-series of aircraft, and help the company clear a backlog of global orders.

The company currently employs over 2,000 people in Mobile.
It is deeply ironic for European leaders to criticize Donald Trump for allegedly undermining President Volodymyr Zelensky as he seeks to create space for negotiations  especially given their own failure to prevent Russias invasion of Ukraine in the first place. Ukraines pursuit of NATO membership, despite Russias explicit warnings, combined with the inability of President Joe Biden and European leaders to deter Vladimir Putins aggression, directly contributed to the war. By ignoring Putins repeated signals that NATO expansion posed a threat to Russias security, Ukraine took a gamble  one that ultimately failed, as the West proved too weak to deter him. Instead of condemning Trump for recognizing this reality and pushing for a negotiated peace, his efforts should be welcomed.

Trumps Position: Acknowledging Reality

Despite claims to the contrary, President Trump has openly recognized Russia as the aggressor in the ongoing conflict with Ukraine. In a recent interview, he stated, Russia attacked, clearly acknowledging Moscows role in initiating hostilities. Unlike European leaders and many on the left in America, Trump also understands the sobering reality that achieving peace requires bringing both sides to the negotiating table  almost certainly involving Ukraine ceding some eastern territories. Although no one wants Putin to benefit from launching a brutal invasion against his neighbor and former Soviet satellite, the blame rests squarely on the Biden administration and the European Unions failure to prevent the war during the eight months of Russian military buildup on Ukraines border. European leaders, so quick to criticize Trump for supposedly cozying up to Putin, should have considered the consequences of their collective weakness when they failed to act before the full-scale invasion began.

Expensive Stalemate

Despite the E.U. spending approximately $130 billion and the U.S. around $200 billion in military and financial aid, the war remains largely stagnant. As of February 2025, Russia controls roughly 20% of Ukraines territory, primarily in the south and east. Over the past month, Russian forces have gained an additional 130 square miles (about 336 square kilometers), advancing into areas like Pokrovsk. but at a staggering cost  over 420,000 Russian casualties in 2024 alone.

There is little reason to believe that in one year, or even three, Ukraine will reclaim its lost land through military action. So what is the rationale for indefinitely funding this war? The toll on human lives has been catastrophic, and the risk of escalation into a wider conflict  potentially between nuclear powers  only adds urgency to the need for diplomacy. This is the core premise of Trumps position: pushing for negotiations now rather than prolonging a war that continues to drain resources and lives with no clear path to victory.

Pre-War Deterrence: A Missed Opportunity

Prior to the invasion, several deterrence strategies existed but were rejected by the West:

Provision of Military Equipment  Supplying Ukraine with advanced military assets, such as MiG fighter jets from Finland and Poland  aircraft that Ukrainian pilots were already trained to fly  could have enhanced its defensive capabilities and signaled a stronger commitment from Western allies.

 Supplying Ukraine with advanced military assets, such as MiG fighter jets from Finland and Poland  aircraft that Ukrainian pilots were already trained to fly  could have enhanced its defensive capabilities and signaled a stronger commitment from Western allies. Economic Sanctions  Implementing comprehensive pre-emptive sanctions targeting key sectors of the Russian economy, particularly energy exports, might have exerted enough economic pressure to deter an invasion. However, Western nations delayed decisive action, weakening the sanctions potential impact.

 Implementing comprehensive pre-emptive sanctions targeting key sectors of the Russian economy, particularly energy exports, might have exerted enough economic pressure to deter an invasion. However, Western nations delayed decisive action, weakening the sanctions potential impact. International Diplomatic Isolation  A unified, global diplomatic effort to isolate Russia could have increased the political and economic costs of an invasion, potentially influencing Putins calculations. Instead, Western leaders engaged in half-measures, emboldening Russian aggression. Biden even went so far as to state that small Russian incursion into Ukraine may not require a U.S. response.

 A unified, global diplomatic effort to isolate Russia could have increased the political and economic costs of an invasion, potentially influencing Putins calculations. Instead, Western leaders engaged in half-measures, emboldening Russian aggression. Biden even went so far as to state that small Russian incursion into Ukraine may not require a U.S. response. The E.U. Failed to Boycott Russian Energy  Reports indicate that the European Union has spent more on Russian oil and gas than on financial aid to Ukraine. According to the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), in the third year of the war, the E.U. paid approximately $23 billion for Russian fossil fuels, surpassing the $20 billion allocated for Ukraines financial support in 2024.

Big Talk, Little Action

European leaders now express strong rhetorical support for Ukraine, but their past inaction contributed to the crisis. Their continued failure to offer a realistic path toward peace beyond funding the war only prolongs the suffering.

French president Emmanuel Macron has insisted that Europe was right to help Ukraine and sanction Russia three years ago and must continue doing so. Yet these weak sanctions did little to stop the war or weaken Russias resolve.

has insisted that Europe was right to help Ukraine and sanction Russia three years ago and must continue doing so. Yet these weak sanctions did little to stop the war or weaken Russias resolve. Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni has warned of a divided West following Trumps meeting with Zelensky, urging negotiations to prevent further discord among Western allies. However, this unity should have been prioritized before the war began.

has warned of a divided West following Trumps meeting with Zelensky, urging negotiations to prevent further discord among Western allies. However, this unity should have been prioritized before the war began. British prime minister Keir Starmer has emphasized Europes responsibility for its own defense, proposing a U.K.-French ceasefire plan to the U.S. while pledging additional funds for Ukrainian air defense. However, without a comprehensive diplomatic strategy, such actions remain piecemeal efforts.

Conclusion: A Preventable War, a Necessary Peace

The war in Ukraine is a stark reminder of the failures of weak Western deterrence and the complexities of international diplomacy. Although alternative strategies could have prevented this conflict, the current priority must be securing a just and lasting peace  one that, realistically, will require Ukraine to cede some territory, a painful but unavoidable price that Ukraine will pay for its and the greater Wests missteps along the way.

As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Had European leaders and the Biden administration acted decisively before the invasion, this war might never have begun. Now, as the conflict drags on with mounting casualties and economic costs, a new approach is urgently needed.

Donald Trump remains the only leader advocating for a pragmatic resolution  one that acknowledges the realities on the ground and prioritizes stopping the bloodshed over prolonging an unwinnable war. While European leaders continue their posturing, Ukraine continues to suffer. Without decisive leadership, this war will persist, draining resources, lives, and global stability. The time for serious negotiations is now.

Image via Pixabay.
If the designation hate crime had any real meaning, Frederick Demond Scott of Kansas City would be its poster boy. In 2016, Scott, then 21, shot six people without warning in six separate instances, five of them middle-aged white men, one a middle-aged white woman. All were minding their own business when assassinated by Scott. Several were walking their dogs.

After Scotts arrest in 2017, court records revealed that three years earlier he had threatened to kill all white people. Despite their knowledge of this threat, Kansas City police did not know if the shootings were racially motivated. Woke Jackson County prosecutor Jean Peters Baker saw no clear motive. And the FBI, like the media, took no interest at all. Hate crime? What hate crime?

Eight years after the murders, Scott has still not gone to trial. Following an outburst in court in August 2024, he was committed to a Missouri state behavioral health program. Authorities have to decide whether he should be sent to an inpatient behavioral health program or assigned outpatient treatment. Outpatient?

To understand how perverse is the application of hate to a given crime no better case presents itself than that of father Greg and son Travis McMichael. As I documented in detail in a recent Substack article, Greg and Travis were involved in the February 2020 Georgia shooting death of 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery, a chronic thief and troublemaker with documented mental-health issues.

After reviewing the evidence, including a video of the shooting, local District Attorney George Barnhill chose not to bring charges. The McMichaels, Barnhill argued, were following, in hot pursuit a burglary suspect, with solid first hand probable cause, in their neighborhood, and asking/telling him to stop. It appears their intent was to stop and hold this criminal suspect until law enforcement arrived. Under Georgia Law this is perfectly legal. No new evidence surfaced to contradict Barnhills opinion.

What did surface was a media-driven, politically motivated mob. Under mounting pressure, State of Georgia officials took control of the case from the local officials and arrested the McMichaels for murder on May 7, 2020.

The pressure would only grow. Weeks after the arrest of the McMichaels, George Floyd died while in police custody in Minneapolis. The effect on all racially charged trials everywhere in the United States was profound. Georgia was no exception. In November 2021, the McMichaels were convicted of murder. On January 7, 2022, Judge Timothy Walmsley sentenced father and son to life without parole.

As famed jurist Oliver Wendell Holmes said of the conviction in Georgia courts of accused murderer Leo Frank a century earlier, "Mob law does not become due process of law by securing the assent of a terrorized jury. Human nature has not changed.

While the state case moved forward, in April 2021 President Bidens Department of Justice launched a criminal hate crime case against the McMichaels. Once convicted on state charges, and expecting no justice from the Feds, the McMichaels pleaded guilty to the federal charges.

Their motive was self-preservation. As the Washington Post reported, The McMichaels were concerned that the Georgia state prison system would be particularly unsafe, given the racial nature of their crime and the fact that Gregory McMichael was a former police officer.

That is exactly why Arberys vengeful mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones, spoke out forcefully against the agreement. She wanted to see the McMichaels exposed to racial retribution in prison.

It should be noted that Ms. Cooper-Jones had once called 911 to report on Arberys troubled behavior. She confessed to being frightened of a son who had been diagnosed with Schizoaffective Disorder. No matter, in an embarrassing turn of events, the DoJ capitulated to Cooper-Jones, threw out the contract it had signed with the McMichaels, and forced them to trial.

On February 22, 2022 a federal jury took no more than three hours to convict the McMichaels on all charges. If life without parole wasnt punishment enough, Greg McMichael was sentenced to life plus seven years and son Travis was sentenced to life plus ten for committing a federal hate crime.

Said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the DoJs Civil Rights Division, It was important that this murder was prosecuted for what it was -- a brutal and abhorrent racially-motivated hate crime. If anyone committed a brutal and abhorrent racially-motivated hate crime it was Frederick Demond Scott. At worse, the McMichaels were guilty of impolite texts and jokes.

Greg McMichael, a U.S. Navy veteran and retired chief investigator for the Glynn County district attorneys office, was not even guilty of that. As his attorney pointed out in his appeal, Despite three decades in law enforcement, no evidence was presented at trial showing that Gregory McMichael had ever been the subject of any formal complaint involving excessive force or racially insensitive conduct directed at suspects, defendants, or co-workers.

It also should be noted, said the attorney, that the Government presented the jury with no evidence that Gregory McMichael uttered the n-word or other racial epithets against African Americans. The DoJ press release that announced the sentences shed no light at all on why Greg was charged with a hate crime.

The release notes that Travis had for many years associated Black people with criminality and had expressed a desire to see Black people particularly those he viewed as criminals harmed or killed, but says not a word about Greg.

Despite the absence of evidence against Greg and the shallowness of the evidence against Travis, the DoJ insisted that the evidence proved beyond a reasonable doubt that race formed a but-for cause of the defendants actions on Feb. 23, 2020 -- meaning that, but-for Arbery being

Black, the defendants would not have assumed he was a criminal, chased him down, and shot him.

This was an outrageous conclusion, based on deliberately manipulated evidence. The neighborhood was admittedly on edge. Months before the shooting, Greg called 911. We got a lot of break-ins in this area out here, automobile break-ins, he told the dispatcher. He had discovered a shady looking fellow living under a nearby bridge. The man was white.

On February 11, 2020, at 7:27 p.m., a nervous Travis called 911 for a second time. He had earlier called after someone stole a handgun from his truck. Weve got a string of burglaries in the neighborhood, and I just caught a guy running into a house being built, he said.

I turned my lights on him, Travis writes from prison, and was getting out of my vehicle to ask what he was doing when he pulled up his shirt and started reaching for his belt line. I got back in my car, and he ran into the house under construction. Anyone in my shoes would assume he was armed.

Just weeks before the McMichaels fatal encounter with Arbery, a police officer showed the McMichaels security camera footage of Arbery rummaging through the house under construction and brainstormed ways to identify him. Said Gregs appeals attorney, Greg McMichael never uttered any racial epithet about Arbery or expressed any racial animus.

Arbery was no jogger. He had been caught on security cameras casing the house under construction at least four times, usually at night. On the Sunday in question, Greg saw Arbery run by the house.

As Gregs attorney explained, Gregory McMichael, a retired investigator with decades of police experience, left his driveway to initiate a pursuit of Mr. Arbery, not because Mr. Arbery was Black, but, rather, because he correctly identified Mr. Arbery as the individual he had seen on the home security footage.

Without being asked, neighbor Roddie Bryan joined in the pursuit in his own truck. At one point, Arbery reached out and tried to yank open Bryans door, leaving a mark on the vehicle. Standing in the truck bed to ease his recently replaced hip, Greg saw the encounter from a distance.

Travis stopped the vehicle to give Greg his cell phone to call 911. Now, Arbery was running toward their truck. Bryan, following behind Arbery, recorded the critical sequence on his cell phone while driving.

The viewer first sees Arbery running, his pace almost casual. Alarmed by Arberys earlier behavior, Travis had dismounted from the truck and was standing by the open left front door with a shotgun at his side, pointing at the ground. This was the weapon he happened to be cleaning when the pursuit started. A boarding officer during his time in the Coast Guard, Travis was well trained in its use.

Greg, standing in the truck bed, held the phone up against his ear with one hand, his revolver in the other hand. Im out here at Satilla Shores, Greg told the dispatcher. Theres a black male running down the street." He then shouted at Arbery, "Stop! ... Watch that. Stop, damn it! Stop! He then dropped the phone. No racial epithets from either Greg or Travis were recorded on that call.

Approaching the truck from the rear, Arbery had seen Travis on the left side and headed around the right. Arbery chose not to flee into an unfenced green space on his right, nor to wait for the police to arrive. Instead, on a suicidal impulse, he abruptly turned left at the front of the truck, headed towards Travis at full speed, and grabbed the barrel of his shotgun.

Caught off guard, Travis found himself engaged in a life and death struggle for the gun. After two shots had been fired, Arbery let go of the gun with one hand to punch Travis in the head, the fifth or so time he struck him. Now, the third shot was fired, this one fatally. Its all on video for anyone who cares to see.

In the era of George Floyd justice, the mob got its way. So did the media. And so did Arberys mom. Thanks to her intervention, Greg and Travis have been condemned to spend the rest of their lives under constant threat of death in a Georgia state prison.

As to Fredrick Demond Scott, the jury is still out, but if he comes to an outpatient center near you, try not to pre-judge him by the color of his skin. There may be consequences.

Image: Jackson County Prosecutors Office
Right before the 2024 election, the House Administration Committee found evidence indicating that foreign donations from countries hostile to America may have been laundered straight into Democrat campaigns through ActBlue, the Democrats primary fundraising engine. That information came out during a Democrat administration. With Republicans in charge now in D.C., the investigation into ActBlues activities is being turned up a notch. That may explain why ActBlue is in complete disarray, with top executives fleeing the organization.

According to Wikipedia, which is probably accurate on this, ActBlue, which was founded in 2004, is a major part of the Democratic Partys fundraising infrastructure. In the 20 years from 2004 to 2024, it raised $13.7 billion for Democrat causes and candidates. Indeed, most Democrat politicians and organizations used ActBlue as their clearinghouse for credit card donations.

Image by Grok.

By 2023, though, Republicans were raising questions about ActBlues practices. For one thing, for a long time, donors werent required to provide the little three-digit (or, in the case of Amex, four-digit) code that hides on their credit cards. The code is an important way to ensure that the person donating actually possesses the card, rather than the card number having come from information gained via electronic theft. (ActBlue eventually changed that policy.)

Another problem, alluded to in the opening paragraph, was the allegation that Act Blues security measures were so lax that the identities of legitimate, individual ActBlue donors were being used to launder illegal foreign money into Democrat party politics:

The Republican-led House Administration Committee has found evidence that illegal donations from China, Russia, Iran and Venezuela may have been laundered to Democratic campaigns through the partys online fundraising juggernaut ActBlue. Administration Committee Chairman Bryan Steil (R-Wis.) wrote to ActBlue CEO Regina Wallace-Jones on Monday to demand information on ActBlues donor verification policies, which are allegedly letting US adversaries use unwitting straw donors to make political contributions. Our investigation has indicated that these [foreign] actors may be exploiting existing U.S. [sic] donors by making straw donations without the individuals or your platforms knowledge, Steil wrote. This failure to verify donor identity may have allowed foreign actors to fraudulently participate in the political process.

Its against that background that the New York Times reported yesterday that ActBlue is, as my mom would have said, in deep doo-doo:

ActBlue, the online fund-raising organization that powers Democratic candidates, has plunged into turmoil, with at least seven senior officials resigning late last month and a remaining lawyer suggesting he faced internal retaliation. The departures from ActBlue, which helps raise money for Democrats running for office at all levels of government, come as the group is under investigation by congressional Republicans. They have advanced legislation that some Democrats warn could be used to debilitate what is the partys leading fund-raising operation. The exodus has set off deep concerns about ActBlues future. Last week, two unions representing the groups workers sent a blistering letter to ActBlues board of directors that listed the seven officials who had left. The letter described an alarming pattern of departures that was eroding our confidence in the stability of the organization.

The reason behind the mass exodus is a mystery, as none of the people jumping ship would agree to be interviewed. Perhaps they didnt want to say anything that can be used or misused against them later. In any event, when a company suddenly starts hemorrhaging high-level people, one can only assume that damaging news will follow.

I think its becoming pretty clear that, while there are certainly Democrat voters (e.g., all of my high school classmates from my long-ago youth in San Francisco), the Democrat party thats been winning elections and controlling policy for the past many years may well be an illusion. Ive long suspected that many of the votes have more than a whiff of the graveyard about them.

And now, with the DOGE revelations about how Democrat people and organizations were using taxpayer money as their personal slush fundsand the news that many of the organizations instantly collapsed when the money flow stoppedit seems to me that the Democrat party is effectively over. It was held together by corruption and, with the corruption exposed, its just melting away.
On Thursday, federal grand juries in the District of Oregon and the Western District of Washington handed down indictments against three individuals linked to the U.S. military. Jian Zhao and Li Tian were both active-duty soldiers stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, and the third, Ruoyu Duan, is a former soldier.

According to the March 6 Department of Justice Press release, Tian and Duan were charged in the District of Oregon for conspiring to commit bribery and theft of government property. Specifically, Duan and Tian allegedly conspired to secretly collect sensitive U.S. military information from November 28, 2021, to at least December 19, 2024.

Tian, an active-duty U.S. Army officer, allegedly gathered information on U.S. military weapon systems, including technical manuals for the Bradley and Stryker fighting vehicles, and transmitted these data to Duan in exchange for money.

Beginning in or about July 2024, Zhao allegedly collected and then disclosed national defense or sensitive information with a co-conspirator (Co-Conspirator 1 in the indictment) who is a foreign national purporting to reside in Changchun, the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). Zhao maintained a U.S. security clearance and was eligible to access material up to and including the SECRET level, according to the indictment brought in the Western District of Washington.

According to the press release, Zhao conspired to collect and transmit several classified hard drives, including ones marked SECRET and TOP SECRET, for which he received at least $10,000. In addition, Zhao is accused of conspiring to sell an encryption-capable computer stolen from the U.S. government, as well as sensitive U.S. military documents and information. This includes data related to the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) and information on U.S. military readiness in the event of a conflict with the PRC. In total, Zhao allegedly corruptly received payments totaling $15,000.

FBI director Kash Patel highlighted the Trump administrations commitment to ensuring active service members understand that criminal behavior will not be tolerated. Patel promised that the individuals would face American justice.

Brig. Gen. Rhett Cox, the commanding general of the Army Counterintelligence Command (ACIC), highlighted the need for vigilance with the ongoing threat of the PRC:

These arrests underscore the persistent and increasing foreign intelligence threat facing our Army and nation. Along with the Department of Justice and FBI, Army Counterintelligence Command will continue to work tirelessly to hold those accountable who irresponsibly and selfishly abandon the Army values and choose personal gain over duty to our nation. We remind all members of the Army team to increase their vigilance and protect our Army by reporting suspicious activity.

Cox took over the responsibility for the ACIC in November, 2022.

Image via Pixabay.
It's not Bobby Vinton, but there are some real problems with the blue team. I think that they call it a lack of message or too many people trying to appear on MSNBC. In the end, the party is in trouble and divisions are usually Exhibit A of that. Here is the story:

Congressional Democrats' internal divisions over how to combat President Trump surfaced with a fury Wednesday after the president was repeatedly heckled and disrupted during his speech to Congress. Why it matters: The party is in a rut, stumbling on finding the most effective counterattack to Trump's full-bore assault on the federal bureaucracy. That struggle played out on primetime television Tuesday night.

Doubling down on Trump Derangement Syndrome is not working. In fact, it's only doubling their problems because the public can smell an irrational person a mile away.

As the article points out, the activists want activity, but the people running in competitive districts want something they can explain to normal voters. In other words, the centrists know that those infected with TDS will vote for any Democrat. The problem is that the rational people do not want to see any more performances like the other night.

Senator John Fetterman, who voted to keep men playing against women, did send a message saying that he saw a "sad cavalcade of self owns and unhinged petulance" on Tuesday night. My guess is that others have the same attitude, but the Democrat activists printing placards do not take prisoners.

In the meantime, the blue team plans their next attack on the Trump presidency and run into the same wall of reality.

P.S. Check out my blog for posts, podcasts and videos.

Image: Elvert Barnes
A few decades ago the movement for concealed carry began. Anti-liberty/gun cracktivists were outraged. There would be wild west gunfights everywhere! The streets would run with blood! Of course, none of that happened. More recently, the Constitutional Carry movement caught fire, and the same predictions of blazing gunplay were made and failed to materialize. More than half the states allow constitutional carry and every state allows concealed carry of some sort. No state that has adopted concealed or constitutional carry has repealed either.

Constitutional Carry means any citizen not otherwise disqualified by lawadjudicated mental illness, felony convictions, etc.--can carry concealed weapons without government vetting or permits as the Founders intended. Many still get permits, which are necessary for reciprocity with surrounding states.

Another pro-liberty innovation has been Castle Doctrine laws, which ten states currently enjoy. Generally, Castle Doctrine laws remove any obligation to retreat from an intruder in the home which makes all kinds of sense. Why should a victim of a hot burglary be forced to abandon their home, family and possessions to a violent criminal? Most burglars absolutely avoid hot burglarieswhen residents are homeand those that dont are among the most violent and dangerous criminals.

Such laws also commonly feature the presumption that someone unlawfully entering a home isnt there for good and lawful purposes, and whatever force is necessary may be used against them. They also commonly immunize citizens who defend themselves and their families from prosecution and civil liability. This is a good thing as the relatives of dead violent criminals often suddenly discover the departed were were irreplaceable assets to humanity and minutes from receiving a declaration of canonization from the Vatican.

Castle Doctrine laws arguably overlap Stand Your Ground Laws, which 27 states enjoy. Theyre not residence specific and feature essentially the same benefits as Castle Doctrine laws. So long as one is legally present, there is no requirement to run away before using whatever force is necessary against criminal attack. Both laws are common sense, sane empowerments of the law-abiding and innocent against violent criminals.

Despite what anti-liberty/gun/racist cracktivists whine, neither law allows anyone to bypass laws governing lawful self-defense. Theyre entirely race neutral.

Thats why California is trying to do away with the Castle Doctrine:

Graphic: X Screenshot

California Democrat State Assemblyman Rick Chavez Zbur (D-Hollywood) is rushing to amend a proposed bill that would have made it unlawful for a homeowner to exercise self-defense against a burglar in many circumstances. The bill, AB 1333, would eliminate certain circumstances under which homicide is justifiable, including, among others, in defense of a habitation or property. The bill would additionally clarify circumstances in which homicide is not justifiable, including, among others, when a person uses more force than necessary to defend against a danger, according to the official summary of the legislation. The bill would require homeowners to have exhausted every reasonable means to escape such danger other than the use of force likely to cause death or great bodily injury before acting in self-defense using deadly force.

As always, the devil is in the details and in legislative language. One can be certain that whats considered reasonable in The Peoples Republic of California bears no resemblance to whats reasonable in red states. The intent of the bill is surely to criminalize self-defense within ones home and on ones property. Attacked by an armed criminal in the dead of night, homeowners must run away, and should they dare to defend themselves, their family and property, whatever force they use will surely be ruled unreasonable.

Graphic: X Screenshot

If passed, the bill would be one of the most obvious criminal empowerment, immunity from prosecution laws ever imagined, which is par for the course in California.

A Community Notes comment on Zburs post added: Assemblymember Zbur introduced that bill when he explicitly intended to limit the right to defend their home.

Zburs tweet reveals his real intentions. Apparently Zbur thinks homeowners lure or invite criminals into their homes as a prelude to murdering them. This happens precisely never. In a long police career I never experienced anything like this, nor was I ever aware of it happening anywhere. Kyle Rittenhouse did not provoke violence. He was violently attacked by numerous violent rioters, one of whom pointed a handgun at Rittenhouses head. He was acquitted of political charges because he acted entirely in self-defense.

Whats most likely is Zbur knows vigilantes dont lure helpless, sympathetic violent criminals to their doom. He, like most of the California legislature and much of its population, think criminals victims, sympathetic figures deserving of every protection and break California can give themeven at the cost of the maiming and deaths of the innocent.

Thats virtue signaling, California style.

On a different subject, if you are not already a subscriber, you may not know that weve implemented something new: A weekly newsletter with unique content from our editors for subscribers only. These essays alone are worth the cost of the subscription.

Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. He is a published author and blogger. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor.
According to Front Page Magazine's Daniel Greenfield, leftists say that white folks like me cant even mourn our dead children anymore  unless we wish to exhibit our virulent white supremacy in doing so.

Members of the terrorist group Hamas brutally murdered 9-month-old Kfir Bibas, his brother, 4-year-old Ariel Bibas -- and their 33-year-old mother Shiri -- and subsequently paraded their locked coffins around Gaza before eventually handing them over to Israeli authorities.

In light of this horrific tragedy, the Empire State Building and a number of other national landmarks temporarily changed their colors to orange to honor the two redheaded children, while various other entities and people also memorialized them in some way.

Which didnt sit well with many leftists.

Front Page Magazine wrote:

No sooner had Israel lowered the bodies of the two murdered Bibas children into their graves, than radical leftists began accusing Jews of white supremacy for mourning them.

Seamus Malekafzali, the son of an Iranian Marxist, whose work is published by The Nation, said of the memorials, as quoted by FrontPage:

This is just white nationalism.

FrontPage also reported that Emma Vigeland, a veteran of The Young Turks who co-hosts the thoroughly repulsive left-wing Majority Report with Sam Seder, opined:

Just make the hair blonde instead of red and it immediately becomes identifiable as Nazi-style racial supremacist propaganda by modern day Nazis, Zionists.

So Israelis, Jews, and Zionists are all Nazis now? If it is true that you cant fix stupid, it is equally true that you cant cure insanity -- or reason with pure, unadulterated evil. Jews Nazis?

Really?

FPM again:

Propagandists are fetishizing the red hair of two dead white kids, Caitlin Johnstone, an Australian self-described journalist, complained. Look at any photo of the Bibas kids and you will see children who look just like the white children youll see in any western nation."

And:

I swear, if I hear one more person cry about the Bibas family, Ill lose my mind, Aidan Simardone, a Canadian immigration lawyer published in The New Arab, Counterpunch and the Soros-Koch Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, ranted. This is White supremacy.

And:

Getting angry over the Bibas family reveals your white supremacy, an account calling itself the Palestine News Network sneered.

No, getting angry over the cold-blooded murder of two young kids and their mother, and the subsequent parading and defiling of their caskets, does not reveal anyones white supremacy. It reveals decency, compassion, and humanity. Not being upset about these heinous acts would reveal  a monster.

It would be closer to the truth to say that the worldwide memorials to the life-long criminal and drug abuser George Floyd reveals black supremacy.

But, of course, no one said that.

It is disgusting that Democrats seem to side with Hamas and the crazed Palestinians more than they do with Israel. Then again, Democrats didnt even stand up or clap for a black child with brain cancer who was being granted his fondest wish during President Trump's joint address to Congress. Hamas terrorists are evil effing monsters.

But their supporters are even worse.



Image: Nizzan Cohen, via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 4.0 Deed
Georgetown University's longtime law dean, William Treanor, seems to think his school's DEI graduates have a "right" to be hired as deep-state operatives by the U.S. Department of Justice.

How else to explain his obnoxious reply to U.S. interim Attorney General Ed Martin, who asked them to end their DEI programs as per federal policy or they wouldn't be hiring Georgetown graduates?

According to the Associated Press:

WASHINGTON (AP)  Georgetown Law Schools dean on Thursday rebuffed an unusual warning from the top federal prosecutor for Washington, D.C., that his office wont hire the private schools students if it doesnt eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Dean William Treanor told acting U.S. Attorney Ed Martin that the First Amendment prohibits the government from dictating what Georgetowns faculty teach or how to teach it. Given the First Amendments protection of a universitys freedom to determine its own curriculum and how to deliver it, the constitutional violation behind this threat is clear, as is the attack on the Universitys mission as a Jesuit and Catholic institution, Treanor wrote in a letter addressed to Martin.

The full letter is here:

This week, Edward Martin, the interim US attorney for Washington, DC, sent a letter to the dean of @Georgetown Law School threatening to investigate the school if it did not scrub its policies and curriculum of diversity and inclusion initiatives.



Here is the Dean's response. pic.twitter.com/RIDXDftncZ  James Martin, SJ (@JamesMartinSJ) March 7, 2025

He claims it's about freedom of speech? That begs the question, because it's not about the First Amendment at all.

What's more, Trump's executive order which forms the premise of Martin's letter explicitly stated that universities were free to advocate for DEI hiring practices if they wanted to, so nobody's free speech is affected.

What this is really about is that DoJ isn't going to hire DEI graduates to serve as deep-state operatives, every one of them a leftist of non-diverse ideas, and many of whom "didn't earn it."

The Trump administration's policy is merit-only hiring and what Georgetown is putting out with its DEI adherence, even as most universities and companies are scrapping it, is bureaucratic bean-counting based on skin color and other identifiers, along with grievance politics and hatred of half the country.

Why should the Department of Justice hire from a pool like that? It actually sounds as though Treanor thinks he should determine policy, including whom to hire.

According to Higher Ed Dive, the executive order, meaning, Trump's policy, and Martin's rationale for his letter, is summed up this way:

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Tuesday targeting diversity, equity and inclusion programs at colleges and other influential institutions of American society, escalating the Republican-led crusade against DEI.

The executive order declares that DEI policies and programs adopted by colleges and others can violate federal civil rights laws and directs federal agencies to combat illegal private sector DEI preferences, mandates, policies, and activities.

Trumps order also directs each federal agency to identify up to nine corporations or associations, large foundations, or colleges with endowments over $1 billion as potential targets for civil compliance investigations.

President Trump's recent executive order banning DEI at colleges that receive federal funding are justified as worth ending because of their conflicts with the Civil Rights Act, meaning, merit is subjected to bureaucratic box-ticking for tokenist purposes.

The other problem is that it's essentially anti-meritocratic, placing skin color above accomplishment, something that puts certain groups at a natural disadvantage and artificially elevates others, creating a lot of resentment and division. One set of rules for everyone is clearly violated in some of these admissions and grading decisions where DEI is paramount.

We saw a hint of that at Georgetown in a secretly recorded moment where a Georgetown Law professor said: I end up having this angst every semester that a lot of my lower [graded] ones are Blacks, happens almost every semester, Sellers said in the video. Instead of asking her if it were true and maybe finding a way to remedy it, Treanor fired her, calling her observations "reprehensible."

Which raises questions as to whether school is now just waving the underperformers through now, which, from DoJ's and every other employer's point of view, is a disincentive to hire anyone from that school.

In 2023 landmark ruling, the Supreme Court held that DEI practices, specifically, race-based admissions to universities, were actually unconstitutional.

Why Trump should hire people from a place that doesn't value meritocracy, and worse still, gaslights that it is a meritocracy anyway, is a matter of common sense. Given the recent history of the DoJ, where operatives constantly plotted against Trump to prevent him from running for re-election, abusing the law, it would seem that professionalism ought to be the highest consideration, which isn't the top value at Georgetown under DEI.

Not surprisingly, Georgetown Law is diverse all right as a result of its commitment to DEI -- in all things, as Treanor brags, except ideas.

Here's what THe Hoya, Georgetown's school paper, reported in 2023:

Georgetown University placed 245 out of 248 schools in the 2024 College Free Speech Rankings by College Pulse and the controversial Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), an organization with the self-stated mission of protecting free speech and thought. The list, which seeks to assess the openness of free speech on campuses that explicitly promise this freedom to their students, has ranked Georgetown in its bottom quartile since its first edition in 2020. Michigan Technological University, Auburn University and the University of New Hampshire took the top three places on the list for 2024. Only the University of South Carolina, the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard University are ranked lower than Georgetown.

Seems they value diversity, in all things but ideas. And that shows:

Here's a 2014 study indicating that Georgetown's faculty is anything but diverse -- out of a faculty of 120, a mere three, about 2%, were conservative. That's downright exclusionary.

Georgetown is free to teach anything it wants, in as exclusionary a way as they like, but they can't make someone hire them with their outrageous values, prizing grievance over knowledge, wokesterism over idea diversity, and skin color box checking over meritocracy.

That Treanor now claims this is about free speech instead of problems with his values pretty well tells us he doesn't understand legal reasoning all that well either. Perhaps there are more reasons than just adherence to DEI at that place that is making DoJ not want to hire them. The last thing it needs is a new crop of plotters coming in to take over, immune to all legal reasoning or any semblance of professionalism.



Image: Logo, via X // fair use
Global sea ice cover hit a historic low in February as the world endured exceptional heat, with temperatures near the North Pole soaring 11 degrees Celsius above average, Europe's climate monitor said Thursday.

The Copernicus Climate Change Service said February 2025 was the third-hottest on record, continuing a warming trend since 2023 stoked by greenhouse gas emissions.

Combined Antarctic and Arctic sea ice cover -- ocean water that freezes and floats on the surface -- dropped to a record minimum extent of 16.04 million square kilometres (6.19 million square miles) on February 7, Copernicus said.

"February 2025 continues the streak of record or near-record temperatures observed throughout the last two years," said Samantha Burgess of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, which runs Copernicus.

"One of the consequences of a warmer world is melting sea ice, and the record or near-record low sea ice cover at both poles has pushed global sea ice cover to an all-time minimum."

The poles are warming several times faster than the global average.

Arctic ice cover, which typically peaks in March, was at an historic low for February, eight percent below average, marking the third consecutive monthly record.

In the Antarctic, where it is now summer and the ice is melting, the frozen cover was 26 percent below average across February.

The Antarctic region reached its annual minimum on March 1, tying with 2022 and 2024 for the second-lowest extent in the 47-year satellite record, according to the US National Snow and Ice Data Center.

Research scientist Ted Scambos explained that while sea ice loss was near average late last year, it accelerated sharply in January and February. "Antarctica seems to finally be feeling the heat," he said.

Decreased ice cover does not affect sea levels because the ice is already floating in the water but its retreat has serious impacts on weather patterns, global climate, ocean currents, people and ecosystems.

When reflective ice gives way to dark ocean, the sun's energy, instead of bouncing back into space, is absorbed by the water, warming it and fueling further ice melt and global warming.

Arctic ice loss is opening new shipping routes and drawing geopolitical interest, including from US President Donald Trump, who expressed interest in controlling Greenland, a Danish autonomous territory.

Polar ice is crucial for many animals, providing shelter, breeding, and hunting grounds for species like polar bears, seals, and, in Antarctica, penguins.

"The current record low global sea ice extent revealed by the Copernicus analysis is of serious concern" said Simon Josey, Professor of Oceanography at the UK's National Oceanography Centre.

He warned that warm ocean and atmospheric temperatures "may lead to an extensive failure of the ice to regrow" in Antarctica during the southern hemisphere winter.

Oceans absorb 90 percent of the excess heat trapped by greenhouse gases, largely from human activities like burning fossil fuels.

Sea surface temperatures have been exceptionally high in 2023 and 2024, with February recording the second-warmest sea surface temperatures for that month. Globally, February was 1.59C hotter than pre-industrial times, according to Copernicus.

While temperatures were below average last month in parts of North America, Eastern Europe, and eastern Asia, they were above average in northern Chile, Argentina, western Australia, the southwestern US, and Mexico.

The Arctic saw particularly high temperatures in February, averaging 4C above the 1991-2020 reference period, with one area near the North Pole 11C hotter than average.

Copernicus uses satellite observations of polar regions going back to the 1970s and shipping records before that.

Climate scientists had expected the exceptional heat spell across the world to subside after a warming El Nino event peaked in January 2024 and conditions gradually shifted to a cooling La Nina phase.

Last year was the hottest on record, and the UN's World Meteorological Organization warned that La Nina is "weak" and likely short-lived.

Since mid-2023, only July 2024 fell below 1.5C of warming, raising concerns that the Paris Agreement's goal of limiting long-term warming to 1.5C may be out of reach.
A huge storm is brewing in San Francisco because a bath house dared to create a womens only night that banned phallused women (in other words, exhibitionistic, autogynophilic men). The outrage from the mentally ill crowd was predictable, and the city is now involved.

The background is that Archimedes Banya is a traditional Russian bathhouse in San Francisco. It was struggling to deal with the needs of sane patrons (actual women) and insane patrons (mentally ill and fetishistic men). It failed in that effort.

It all started when the bathhouse, in response to concerns from women that naked men were flooding its womens only night, announced that the womens only night would be open only to actual womenor, in the parlance thats now passes for speech in San Francisco, those assigned female at birth. The point, according to the owners (again in the weird language of the left), was to create a phallus-free environment for patrons from religious and cultural backgrounds to ensure their comfort.

The fetishists went crazy (or even crazier than usual), flooding Yelp with their complaints:

The policy, first posted to the bathhouses website, sparked immediate backlash. Customers and members of the Bay Areas transgender and intersex communities criticized the move, inundating the businesss Yelp page with one-star reviews, prompting the platform to suspend new ratings and place a disclaimer on the listing. Trans women should not be treated as scapegoats for misogyny by cisgender male staff, leadership, and patrons, one reviewer wrote. Another noted they canceled their plans to visit, adding: If you are willing to discriminate against some people some days of the month, odds are high you will discriminate any day of the month.  I dont feel safe at a facility that openly discriminates against the LGBTQ community in San Francisco of all places.

Yelp had to shut the comments down entirely:

Meanwhile, over at the Google Map reviews, the switch from good reviews to bad was also instant. Before last week, reviewers were mostly good, with a few people complaining about temperature, prices, or cleanliness. Then, the fecal matter hit the fan. Several one-star reviews appeared, along with warnings.

One Kaia Peacock wrote Caution to trans people and allies! Banya is not safe for transpeople. They will never have my business againand note how so-called trans people almost always have sexually suggestive names, reminding us that its not an identity, its a fetish. Jae Welty was more pithy: Wretched vibes. Meanwhile, Lola S complained,

Used to love this place but I'm ashamed to see they'll go out of their way to exclude trans people in the name of "religious preferences". This kind of bigotry has no place in San Francisco, and there are much better saunas elsewhere in the city anyway. Not worth your time.

In response to these attacks, the bath house tried to reach a Solomon-like solution by splitting the trans baby in two (er, two nights):

A woke spa in San Francisco is having difficulty navigating the natural consequences of their policies. They held a "women's only night" and so many bepenised ppl showed up that even the SF Wokes revolted and now, they're having alternating "phallic" and "non phallic" days pic.twitter.com/b6Yi8yPXlT  The Heretical Liberal  (@Rob_ThaBuilder) March 7, 2025

The appended letter is written in the leftists own language but reading it, you instantly know it wont placate the lunatics running the San Francisco asylum:

Dear Banya patrons: It has been a long and difficult night filled with reflection on how to best navigate the conversation unfolding around us. We are listening. We are reading the comments  some of them filled with thoughtful perspectives, others with painful accusations. And we want to take a moment to clarify our intentions. We have seen messages claiming that cis women don't deserve space, that asking for a phallus-free environment is inherently hateful, and that any separation is an act of exclusion. That is categorically not true. The request for a phallic-free space is not about exclusion  it is about recognizing that some members of our community experience a different reaction to that part of the human body. Whether that reaction is based on personal history, trauma, cultural or religious beliefs, or simply comfort, it is valid. It should not be controversial to hold space for both needs and we are planning to arrange monthly:  A night that welcomes all women, regardless of gender identity.  A night that provides a healing, comfortable space for those who need a female-only phallus-free environment. Some have framed this as an issue of hate and marginalization, but intention matters. Our intention has never been, and never will be, to push trans women away. Archimedes Banya has always been, and will always be, a place where trans women, trans men, and nonbinary individuals are welcome every other day of the month.

Thats actually not a bad letter for a leftist company, living in a leftist environment, but trying to keep one foot in the world of reality, while retaining its still-sane customer base.

Within hours, the bath house learned that compromise does not work when youre dealing with lunatics, so it tried again to explain its goals:

PRESS STATEMENT FROM ARCHIMEDES BANYA SAN FRANCISCO, CA, March 3, 2025 At Archimedes Banya, we are deeply committed to fostering a welcoming, respectful, and inclusive space for all members of our community. We celebrate the diversity of the Bay Area and strive to create an environment where everyone can relax, restore, and feel supported. To honor both our commitment to inclusivity and the needs of religious and cultural communities who require gender-segregated spaces, we are introducing two distinct womens nights: Inclusive Womens Night: Open to all individuals who identify as women, regardless of sex assigned at birth or gender expression. This night is designed to be a welcoming and affirming space for all women in our community. Cultural & Religious Womens Night: 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. On all other days, Archimedes Banya remains open to everyone, embracing our diverse Bay Area community and upholding our mission to provide a space for health, relaxation, and connection. We recognize that these decisions involve complex considerations, and we are committed to ongoing dialogue to ensure that all our guests feel respected and valued. Our goal is to balance inclusivity with the specific needs of different communities while maintaining the warm, supportive atmosphere that makes Archimedes Banya a beloved gathering place. Thank you for your understanding and support. ABOUT ARCHIMEDES BANYA

The crazies were not appeased. (Note: You cannot appease crazy people.)

The crazies arent just in the street, of course. Theyre also in City Hall. Now that the lunatics have taken over the asylum, Archimedes Banya, for daring to protect women from phallused people, is under investigation:

A San Francisco bathhouses policy to restrict access to transgender individuals on select nights is now under investigation by the San Francisco Human Rights Commission.

The Commission will find support in Californias gender identity law, which officially recognizes peoples self-identity just because they say so:

This bill, commencing on September 1, 2018, would delete the requirement that a person have undergone any treatment to seek a court judgment to recognize a change of gender and instead would authorize the petitioner to attest, under penalty of perjury, that the request is to conform the persons legal gender to the persons gender identity and not for any fraudulent purpose.

In other words, if you are a man born in California and you say youre a woman, for real, no fooling, the state will issue you a birth certificate confirming your femininity. This means that, if youre a biological man, once youve become a state-certified woman, regardless of that dangling dongle in your pants, you are legally entitled to attend a womens night.

For the past eight years, the sexual fetishists have been at the front and center of the Democrat party, driving its policy. Ordinary people, though, hate it, and they hate the destruction it brings to everything it touches. They understand that there is no middle ground on this. There are men and there are women. There are sad, mentally ill people who should not be abused but to whom a society cannot cater, and there are perverts and predators who must be treated accordingly.

Archimedes Banya, which is clearly a leftist-run business, just got mugged by fetish reality. One wonders if it has learned a lesson, and how many others will need to learn that lesson before the Democrat party finally gives up on this madness and becomes a real political party once again.

KPIX video screen grab.
Imagine youre the mayor of any big city. How can you, with as little effort as possible, make your city a crime-ridden hellhole? What else, after all, is the primary function of a big city mayor in America circa 2025?

Always, defund the police or at least whine about defunding them. Hamstring them, harass them, call them racistseven the black copskeep them from using entirely constitutional, proactive tactics, and say and do everything possible to keep them from doing their jobs. Make police work in your city so unattractive and dangerous every cop who can retire does, moves somewhere theyre allowed to be police officers or quits the profession. This will have the added benefit of keeping qualified candidates from applying to be cops in your police force. This will keep the police understaffed and those that remain will be badly overworked and stressed.

If youre really a model, modern, leftist mayor youll dramatically lower hiring standards for cops, filling diminished ranks with drug users, idiots, incompetents and criminals, which will cause competent cops that remain to do as little as possible, which keeps your primary constituencycriminals of all kindshappy.

Absolutely avoid prosecuting criminals, but absolutely prosecute cops for daring to do their jobs, particularly if black criminals force them to protect themselves.

Graphic: X Screenshot

Those are the basics, but Boston Mayor Michelle Wu has set a new standard in anti-public safety insanity. An off-duty Boston cop was eating in a Chick-fil-A when a criminal with a knife chased a delivery driver into the restaurant, trying to kill him and menacing everyone in the restaurant. The officer tried to talk the criminal down, but he advanced on the officer who shot and killed him.

For sane, normal Americans, the obvious response is praise for the officer, not only for his restraint and tactics but for his marksmanship. An allied sentiment would be relief that one more dangerous psychopath was no longer walking Bostons streets. But Michelle Wu is no sane, normal American:

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, who has drawn attention for similar responses to violent incidents in her own city, released a statement saying:

Our hearts are with the family of the individual involved in this tragic shooting. No family should have to experience such a loss. To her credit, Wu also acknowledged the officers quick response and said she was grateful the officer was safe.

Shakespeare would call this damning with faint praise. The local prosecutor is no sane, normal American either:

Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden echoed similar sentiments, adding:

This is a difficult time for everyone involved, especially the family of the deceased. We recognize the pain they are feeling right now.

The Police Commissioner expressed similar sentiments.

As one might imagine and hope, there was immediate backlash against Wu, who given opportunities to appear sane and concerned for public, rather than criminal, safety took the opportunities to miss the opportunities:

Graphic: X Screenshot

On Monday, Wu said it was "unfortunate to politicize being at the scene of a tragic incident."

Ah. So, sympathizing with a dead violent criminal and his family isnt politicizing a tragic incident, but pointing out the insanity of doing that is?

"Our officers are in extremely difficult and dangerous situations every single day keeping our residents safe," the politician, who took office in 2021, said. "I expressed condolences, along with our police commissioner and district attorney, because every loss of life is a horrible tragedy."

Wu also added something she sort of forgot to mention in the first place:

Wu also said she is grateful "every hour of every day for the work of our Boston police officers." "In this case, we had an off-duty officer who saw something happening, his training kicked in, and took action and surely saved even more lives," she added.

A show of hands, please, for anyone who thinks Wu would have said no such thing if her original comment hadnt blown up in her face? Lets seethats everyone.

Wu, and most leftists, dont really think every loss of life is a horrible tragedy." Violent, knife-wielding criminals, certainly. How can society do without them? And should the delivery driver, an innocent citizen in the Chick-fil-A or the off-duty cop been killed, Wu would have mademaybea pro forma comment or two, but shes ignoring normal American reality.

Normal, sane people know the lives of innocent, productive Americans, including cops, are far more valuable than the lives of people who would unlawfully take them. Evil exists and lives to destroy good. The criminal got what he deserved, what he asked for, and his death makes Boston safer. Thats not a tragedy. Voting for people like Michelle Wu? Thats a tragedy.

On a different subject, if you are not already a subscriber, you may not know that weve implemented something new: A weekly newsletter with unique content from our editors for subscribers only. These essays alone are worth the cost of the subscription.

Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. He is a published author and blogger. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor.
In the Bloomfield section of Pittsburgh, pockets of old-timers inform those who will listen, running businesses and reflecting several generations of living in our Little Italy.

Bloomfield Groceria is one of those businesses, run by 75-year-old Rich Ciccio and his son, Rick. Its a neat little place with all sorts of Italian sauces and pastas, breads, and frozen goods, plus a large deli offering meats, cheese, fish, and subs that vary on weekdays and are a great bite for $9 and up (including a foot-long half-pound roast beef sub for $13). They also have soups that vary daily and a few small tables with chairs if you want to dine in.

All of this, while trendier parts of town not far away are charging $20 for a fish sandwich as a Lenten special (they ought to confess that sin).

I stop into this place sometimes specifically to pick up the $3 crab cakes and some Mancinis or Cellones bread (the crab cakes are form Merkles, a longtime fish store around the corner with limited hours). The Grocerias subs and soups are great, and the premade ravioli, desserts, and the like also are fine.

But our Little Italy, and our city, are not what they used to be, those of us whove been around a long time know. I was reminded of this when I stopped into the Groceria recently and had a chat with Rich while I ate my bowl of chili. We got to talking about how Bloomfield was, how Pittsburgh was. I admitted I am less fond of it and not crazy about a lot of the folks moving in.

I ask about the handwritten sign in his shop window that reads, We are still open!

Rich waved a dismissive hand.

We just put that up because some guy wrote a story about one of the businesses upstreet closing down, and they said we were closing, too, he explains. The guy didnt even talk to us. ... People are weird over here  on one block you say that sign is red, a block away they say its green.

Theres a lot less community, and neighborliness, I say.

Thats right, and people used to take care of each other, and you didnt have to worry. Wed leave the house unlocked when we were gone and nothing ever happened, Rich said.

Our family would go on vacation and leave the house unlocked, I add.

We would, too! Now they fight around here over parking spots!

Rich is ruddy-faced, energetic, and a good storyteller, so he throws me a line, prefacing it with Youll like this story...

When he was a little kid, a new family moved in up the street, and he became friends with their son, and theyd play together. The family kept pigeons. So the new neighbors invited him over for dinner. They were fresh from Italy, and the son had learned English fast, though the father spoke mostly Italian.

We sat down to dinner, and of course there was a big bowl of spaghetti. We ate, and the father asked me if I liked it, and I said yes, Rich said. Would you like to take some home? he asked, and I said yes.

He took the plate of food home, and his father nearly cried when he saw it. Do you know what that is? the elder Ciccio said. That's pigeon.

And my dad went out and bought a huge bag of steaks and other meat for the family, and took it to them. And they were so grateful.

People used to care about each other, Rich said.

Image via Pixabay.
When my kids were growing up, I knew a young man who was charming, funny, sociable, and quite obviously going to be gay. Exactly no one was surprised when, at 13, he came out of the closet. All would have been well if COVID hadnt hit when he was in college. Isolated and depressed, he signed up for therapy, ending with a therapist who informed him that he was actually a woman. (Im sure social media algorithms, such as Chinese-run TikToks, helped steer him in that direction.)

This young man has now had hormones and two surgeries. Hes stacked up top and empty down below. The big question is whether he will find happiness.

Sadly for my young friend, the odds are against him, at least according to a massive study done in Houston and published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine, an outlet of Oxford Academic, which is, in turn, part of Oxford University Press. In other words, a big study published on a reputable forum. According to that study, once the surgery is over, and once the euphoria associated with realizing a dream has passed, the post-surgical patients are deeply depressed.

Image by Grok.

The study examined information from 107,583 patients, using the TriNetX database. (Electronic medical records are very helpful for looking at large population segments.) The study examined people over age 18 with gender dysphoria, and broke them into six useful categories for data analysis.

WPATH, the largest organization pushing transgender ideology on doctors and hospitals, along with the usual collection of activists, would undoubtedly predict that the study showed increased levels of happiness among post-surgical people. They surely would argue that so-called transgender people who had surgery would magically be less depressed, less inclined to substance abuse, and less likely to commit suicide.

In fact, the opposite was true, and not just a little true, but very true. Those who had surgery were markedly less happy than their so-called transgender peers who stopped short of slicing and dicing their bodies:

From 107 583 patients, matched cohorts demonstrated that those undergoing surgery were at significantly higher risk for depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and substance use disorders than those without surgery. Males with surgery showed a higher prevalence of depression (25.4% vs. 11.5%, RR 2.203, P < 0.0001) and anxiety (12.8% vs. 2.6%, RR 4.882, P < 0.0001). Females exhibited similar trends, with elevated depression (22.9% vs. 14.6%, RR 1.563, P < 0.0001) and anxiety (10.5% vs. 7.1%, RR 1.478, P < 0.0001). Feminizing individuals demonstrated particularly high risk for depression (RR 1.783, P = 0.0298) and substance use disorders (RR 1.284, P < 0.0001).

Sadly, the study pulls back from stating the obvious conclusion, which is that so-called transgenderism is a mental condition, not a physical one. Mutilating ones body, even if that mutilation is deeply desired and ostensibly conforms to a perceived better body, does not address the underlying problems of gender dysphoria.

Or as the old saying goes, wherever you go, there you are. You cannot outrun yourself with surgery. Surgeries are good for fixing distinct medical conditions (e.g., a broken hip or clogged heart), or even making little cosmetic tweaks (e.g., a nose job), but they will not fix a broken psyche.

But again, the study will not or cannot acknowledge that. Instead, it believes the post-surgical problems arise, in part, from stigma and lack of gender affirmation. That cannot be right, because the stigma and lack of gender affirmation logically exist before the mutilating surgery as well as after. Ignoring logic, the study recommends ongoing, gender-sensitive mental health support for transgender individuals post-surgery. The same logic says this wont help either.

Again, wherever you go, there you are. Cutting off your breasts or castrating yourself will not change that, no matter how much you sign up for mental health support from ideologues who, like the therapist my young friend saw, are effectively hammers who believe everything is a transgender nail.

Transgender madness will pass, as all societal delusions must. However, it will leave so many broken lives in its wake.

Currently, my young friend is living a narcissists dream, taking endless photos of his feminized self to affirm that, yes, he really is a girl. Eventually, though, those photos wont help. I fear that this once brilliant, funny, sociable young man will fall into an abyss as he looks down at his eunuchs body and realizes there is no going back.
The heated discussion between President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky began when he challenged Trumps plan to end the war in Ukraine through diplomacy. As an example, he brought up the Western failure to stop Putin after he annexed and occupied Crimea in 2014. It is true that the Minsk agreement with Russia, France, and Germany that followed was unsuccessful but the United States was not a party to it. Furthermore, Putin occupied Crimea because the corrupt and compromised Ukrainian Army did not defend it. Not one shot was fired. Even Zbigniew Brzezinski, a great friend of Ukraine, said that this disqualified Ukraine from membership in NATO. Only after this disaster did the Ukrainian government ask the West for advice on reform of the Ukrainian Army from its Soviet model. As a result it was much better prepared to face the Russians in 2022.

President Zelensky often uses half-truths and power moves to get his way in his dealings with foreign leaders. This is because the Ukrainian diplomacy retains its Soviet political culture. He often starts his conversations with a litany of requirements and claims, making unreasonable demands in a categorical tone. There is no room for gratitude for gifts provided in this paradigm. Ukrainians take a moral high ground tone and disdain for others and their legitimate interests. They feel free to lecture their benefactors. They demand privileges but refuse to fulfill conditions which are often attached to them. Their arrogance and a sense of entitlement grate.

This was demonstrated numerous times in Zelenskys dealings with other foreign leaders but was ignored. The most public was a speech that Zelensky gave on September 19, 2023 at the United Nations General Assembly where he said that it is alarming to see how some in Europe play out solidarity in a political theatre... They may seem to play their own role but in fact, they are helping set the stage to a Moscow actor. Thus, he implied that Poland, his earliest and most ardent supporter, is feigning solidarity with Ukraine while indirectly supporting Moscow. This was in response to objections of the Polish government to the flood of cheap Ukrainian grain that was driving Polish farmers out of business. Then, he cancelled the meeting with his brother President Andrzej Duda and walked out on his presentation. Thus, Zelensky often uses the Putin card to get what he wants and seems to switch sides unexpectedly.

Zelenskys actions also seem to be connected to new political calculations for a changing geopolitical orientation of Ukraine toward closer cooperation with Germany. In his speech to the UN Security Council the same year, Zelensky put forward a proposal to appoint Germany and some other countries of the global South as permanent members of the UN Security Council, thus altering the balance of power established after World War II. Germans seem to have promised the Ukrainian government membership in the European Union and substantial aid in exchange for support of German geopolitical goals. They are to become a dominant leader of the centralized EU and a permanent member of the Security Council of the United Nations, thus damaging the leading position of the United States and supporting a multipolar world.

It is evident that Zelensky forged relationships with leftist European elites and it is possible that this is a reason for his challenge of Donald Trumps strategy for peace and sabotage of the U.S. rare minerals agreement that was a part of it. Polish portal W Polityce reports that about a month ago Zelensky made a proposal to the European governments and offered them access to strategic natural resources in Ukraine. In response, on February 25, the European Union presented its own proposal on critical minerals to Zelensky. Even though Zelensky agreed to the American proposal, ultimately he did not sign it. Maybe he is counting on a better deal from the Europeans.

However, the Europeans are unable to provide arms or security guarantees to Ukraine without the United States, and political maneuvers cannot change it. The United States is the main sponsor of Ukraine and it has a credible strategy for peace. It is unclear how this public challenge will affect Zelenskys position but it is evident that the spat in the White House was not about tempers but the most vital national interests and plans for the future.

Image: Nancy Pelosi
In recent years, Google has been especially busy defending itself in court against regulators. The company received an unfavorable ruling in the US in 2024 that called its search engine business a monopoly. Google and authorities have been analyzing potential remedies to resolve the situation. In a recent development, the DOJ reiterates its proposal to sell Google Chrome, among other things.

Following the ruling against Google, the DOJ suggested a preliminary list of remedies. One of the most extreme measures was the sale of the popular Google Chrome browser to a third party. The agency believes that this will help create a fairer competitive environment in the search engine segment.

DOJ reiterates that Google must sell Chrome in its revised remedies

Now, the DOJ has presented its revised proposal, which includes some tweaks. However, the DOJ document reiterates the need for Google to sell Chrome, so it seems to be a non-negotiable requirement for the agency. The DOJ considers Chrome to be an important search access point, so keeping it in the hands of Google, whose market position has been determined to be monopolistic, is an issue to be resolved.

The measure aims to provide an opportunity for a new rival to operate a significant gateway to search the internet, free of Googles monopoly control. That said, there is no guarantee that an outside buyer will manage Chrome the way Google does. Currently, Google offers the open-source Chromium project for third parties to build on. A buyer could consider shutting down the Chromium code, affecting many other parties.

Android selling suggestion removed; Google may continue funding AI companies

There are other changes to the preliminary proposal presented in November. The DOJ is no longer suggesting the sale of Android as another potential remedy. However, the agency is looking to implement some changes in favor of a more competitive market. If this is not met, the requirement to sell Android could return in the future.

The new DOJ proposal makes a concession to Google regarding investments in AI companies. The Mountain View giant can continue to fund AI-related initiatives. The agency considered that prohibiting this could cause unintended consequences in the evolving AI space. Perhaps the current context, where the United States seeks to dominate the AI industry, influenced the decision. That said, Google must provide notice when it intends to make a new AI-related investment.

Google will also present its revised proposal in the next few hours. The Mountain View giant suggested preliminary remedies in December. A new hearing on the case will take place in April. The final decision on what Google must do to resolve its monopoly situation will come before September 2025. Still, Google confirmed that it will appeal the monopoly ruling.
Many of the AI models that exist today are held behind closed doors. This is the case with OpenAIs models and Googles models. However, there are a ton of open-source models on the market. Mistral AI, one of the more notable AI companies, just announced that its making its model open-source.

There are other AI models on the market that are open-source like Metas Llama models and xAIs Grok models. This means that its easier for other people to learn from them when developing their own models. In fact, many of the smaller models are open-source. This is good for AI development altogether, as other companies can build off of one another.

Mistral AI is going open-source with its AI

Arthur Mensch, the CEO of Mistral AI, announced that it will release its models to the public. In a bold move, he said that these models will rival that of DeepSeek. In case you dont know, DeepSeek is the company that shook the AI world with its AI models that were trained on far less money than the competition.

DeepSeeks models, despite the controversy, were able to rival and even beat some of OpenAIs most powerful models. Well, Mensch believes that DeepSeeks time in the spotlight will come to a close. He has his eyes set on the Chinese company, but its not a heated competition. The story with open source is that you have different companies that are building on top of one another. So, he knows that no company can stay on top of the pack forever, OpenAIs models were the best on the market until DeepSeek came in. Well, another company will come by and dethrone DeepSeek. Then, another company will dethrone that company. Its just how it goes.

Being open-source means that other small companies will have a better fighting chance compared to the Googles and OpenAIs of the world. Those companies are extremely well-funded, so they can afford to keep their models close to the chest.
Donald Trumps victory in the US presidential elections brought some internal policy changes and important moves in the structure of several big tech companies. Firms that were once at odds with him now have to smooth things over. This list does not include Samsung, but they may soon change some things to improve relations with Trump in the US.

Large companies usually have a public affairs department. This is responsible for, among other things, ensuring that the business is on favorable terms with local representatives. It is not unusual to see changes in public affairs departments of companies after a change of government. This happens especially when the new administration handles different political-social views. In line with that, Samsung could soon change the current head of its North American public affairs.

Samsung could replace its US public affairs head with Republican close to Trump administration

Currently, Mark Lippert is the person in charge of Samsungs US public affairs office. But Korean media reports claim that the representative is on the verge of resigning. Its noteworthy that Lippert was the US ambassador to South Korea during the Obama administration. Samsung hired him in 2022 for his capabilities and closeness to the Democratic Party.

However, Samsung is already reportedly looking for a replacement for the position. According to reports, the South Korean giant is looking for a profile with ties to the Republican Party and closeness to the Trump administration.

The potential move could come at a time when upcoming decisions could impact Samsung in general. Trump has expressed the idea of setting tariffs on chip imports. This would especially affect Samsungs semiconductor division. The tariffs would make the companys products more expensive, so American businesses could look for other suppliers. Samsung is also setting up new chip manufacturing facilities in Texas. The last thing the company wants is for potential tariffs to severely impact its plans.

A strategy similar to Metas

Samsung is not the only company that is expected to make changes to its public affairs office following Trumps arrival. Meta has been working hard on getting closer to the US president. The firm has already replaced its policy team head in favor of a former Republican staffer. Plus, Mark Zuckerberg made changes to Metas moderation policies in favor of freedom of expression. Zuckerberg himself has met with Trump on a few occasions as well.
In the spring of 2013, John Legereclad in the now-iconic magenta T-Mobile teestrode onto the stage and disrupted the carrier industry with a single announcement: Un-carrier. He wasnt selling a wireless plan; he was selling a rebellion. He was giving power back to customers.

With his long hair, stacked rings and bracelets, and a wardrobe that suggested comfort over convention, Legere looked less like a CEO and more like a frontman. He swore with impunity, threw up bunny ears behind a reporter on live TV, and called the industry broken and arrogant. But beneath the sunglasses and leather jackets was a mind sharp enough to turn an industry laughingstock into a market force.

Five years after handing the reins to Mike Sievert, Legeres legacy is at risk. After a decade branding itself as the anti-Verizon and anti-AT&T, T-Mobile now finds itself slipping into familiar habits. The Un-carrier is slowly becoming just another carrier.

With price hikes looming and policies shifting, the rebellion is over. Welcome to just another carrier.

The Sprint merger: A shift in strategy

The T-Mobile strategy shift became evident after the Sprint merger in 2020. To regulators, T-Mobile painted the merger as a win for consumers: a promise of lower prices, stronger competition, and a more formidable alternative to Verizon and AT&T.

The irony? A decade earlier, regulators saw this danger coming. When AT&T tried to acquire T-Mobile in 2011, the deal was blocked. At the time, AT&T controlled nearly a third of the wireless market. Absorbing T-Mobile would have given it close to 50%a clear monopoly.

Yet, when T-Mobile pursued a similar merger with Sprint years later, the same regulators gave it the green light. What changed? If regulators once saw the risks of T-Mobiles merger with AT&T, why did they fail to see the dangers this time?

Perhaps thats how the story goes. Companies that start out fighting the establishment eventually become the establishment.

Netflix was supposed to be the answer to cable. But now? Its indistinguishable from a cable provider. Google, once proudly touting the mantra Dont be evil, has become an advertising leviathan, selling user data to the highest bidder. Apples tagline once famously read, It just works, but now nickel-and-dimes customers for everything.

The carriers dominance, which was supposed to be a push for healthy competition, has quietly reshuffled its priorities so subtly that by the time customers realized what was going on, it was too late.

The undoing of the Un-carrier

Investors have every reason to adore Mike Sievert. Under his stewardship, T-Mobile has grown into a juggernaut. The companys fourth-quarter earnings for 2024 were nothing short of fantastic. Net income grew to $2.98 billion, which was up 48% year over year. Financially speaking, T-Mobile was thriving. However, in its rush to impress Wall Street, the company seems to have forgotten who got it there in the first placeits customers.

Despite its remarkable performance, T-Mobile wants more. During an all-hands meeting with employees, Sievert hinted at another round of price hikes. He never quite says it outright. Instead, he glides around the topic with the precision of a boardroom veteran. His exact words: Youre going to be hearing about us, for example, getting back to some of the adjustments of legacy pricing that we began last year.

Its a masterclass in corporate speak. Adjustments of legacy pricing could mean anything, but its not hard to read between the lines.

The last time T-Mobile raised prices, it did so with a particular stealthiness: not all customers on the same plan were affected. There was no clear explanation for why some saw price hikes while others didnt. No transparency, no criteria.

And now? There are three possibilities: Customers who saw price hikes last time will be hit again, customers who dodged the last round will get targeted now, or worst-case scenario, everyone pays more.

None of them sound particularly appealing.

The carrier that once promised transparency, simplicity, and customer-first policies is now pulling the same shenanigans as its rivals. With each subtle price increase and policy revision, the T-Mobile strategy shift signals a departure from the bold, customer-first promises of the past.

Back in its Un-carrier days, T-Mobiles Simple Choice plans were exactly thatsimple. It was a strategy to disrupt the wireless industry by getting rid of the things that commonly frustrated customers. Contracts, hidden fees, and confusing plans were kicked to the curb. It positioned T-Mobile as a customer-first carrier that emphasized transparency and flexibility.

Then came Un-contract, a radical idea at that time and a promise: Your bill would never go up. Legere guaranteed it: As long as youre a customer, your rate will stay the same.

It was a promise that didnt last.

T-Mobile later rebranded Un-contract to Price Lock: same concept, different name. Then, the name remained, but the policy changed: Instead of guaranteeing that your bill wouldnt rise, T-Mobile simply offered to cover your last months bill if you decided to leave.

Or, to put it another way, T-Mobiles way of saying, Thanks for playing. See ya!

For a company that once prided itself on keeping its customers, T-Mobile seems surprisingly comfortable letting them leave.

T-Life, the app nobody asked for

The T-Mobile strategy shift extends beyond pricing. The T-Life app comes straight from the modern corporate playbook: automate tasks, reduce reliance on human employees, and cut costs. The formula is simple. Replace customer service reps with an app, then fire them and close the stores.

Weve seen this before. Airlines replaced call centers with chatbots. Supermarkets have introduced self-checkout lanes. Once staffed with tellers and loan officers, banks now exist only as apps. Even in Japan, some hotels have gone so far as to replace human receptionists with robots.

Now, T-Mobile is applying the same cost-cutting strategy to its operations. If you need more proof that T-Mobile is drifting further from its customer-first roots, look no further than T-Life.

T-Mobile wants you to believe that T-Life is a gift to customers. The pitch? An app that lets you manage your account on your own. No more waiting on hold for a customer service rep, no more wasted time. Its framed as freedom, independence, and control. It was supposed to be about customer empowerment.

But in reality? Customers are struggling.

The feedback has been overwhelmingly negative. The app is confusing, unintuitive, and frustratingespecially for older users. Store employees report that customers keep returning, week after week, asking the same questions and struggling with the same issues.

T-Mobile isnt just encouraging customers to use the app; its also pressuring them. Officially, T-Life is optional. Unofficially, higher-ups are pushing store employees to get as many customers as possible to download and use it. But the pressure doesnt stop there. Employees say theyre required to write detailed reports explaining why a customer refuses to use the app.

If T-Mobile truly wanted to fix the app, wouldnt it make more sense to get customer feedback directly? Instead, the company is playing an elaborate game of corporate telephone, forcing employees to convey customers frustrations rather than listening to them firsthand.

The final irony: becoming what it hated

The carriers shift in strategy is complete: T-Mobile is no longer the underdog clawing for relevance in an industry once dominated by AT&T and Verizon. When it was fighting for a larger slice of the pie, it bit, scratched, and defied expectations. It did what AT&T and Verizon wouldntor couldnt. It was brash, reckless, and different.

But that was before they had a seat at the table.

Now, with a sizeable market share and no real threat to its dominance, T-Mobile no longer has to fight for customers. It already has them, thanks largely to its absorption of Sprint. It no longer breaks industry normsit follows them. Its recent moves look familiar, not because they are bold, but because they are predictable.

The scrappy underdog becomes the big dog. The college dorm startup that once promised a revolution eventually becomes the corporation that sells your data. The hero becomes the villain.

And so, the Un-carrier has changed. It has lopped off its long hair. It has traded its brashness for boardroom polish. The sunglasses and leather jacket are gone, replaced by a suit and a carefully worded earnings report.

The Un-carrier is no more.

Say hello to your new T-Mobile.
Brunei implements visa-free entry for Chinese citizens

Xinhua) 10:17, March 08, 2025

A National Day parade is staged to celebrate the 41st anniversary of Brunei's independence in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, Feb. 23, 2025. (Photo by Wong Chee Peng/ Xinhua)

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, March 8 (Xinhua) -- The Immigration Department of Brunei Darussalam announced on Thursday that starting from March 8, Chinese nationals holding ordinary passports will enter the country visa-free.

According to the department, citizens of the People's Republic of China holding a valid ordinary passport with a minimum validity of six months may enter through any designated entry point and stay in Brunei without requiring a visa for a period not exceeding 14 days.

Brunei looked forward to welcoming an increase in Chinese tourist arrivals that will contribute to fostering mutual understanding and stronger people-to-people ties, according to a joint statement issued by the two countries in February 2025.

Brunei is a Southeast Asian country located in the northern part of Borneo Island. The Sultanate is rich in natural resources and boasts beautiful natural scenery.

(Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Sheng Chuyi)
The father and sister of one of the nine beachgoers whose dismembered bodies were found in a Mexican highway posted emotional farewell messages, apologizing to her daughter for not being able to protect her.

"One day I'll hug you like we agreed. Go and find your uncle, look after us from heaven," Angel Noya, father of 21-year-old Lesly Noya, wrote on social media.

"My pretty girl, they have taken you from me, I couldn't protect you. I can't accept what's happening, I'd like for all of this to be a nightmare and for everything to be alright. Your only mistake was trusting the wrong people," her sister Karla said in a post of her own.

Noya was among the five men and four women went missing on Feb. 27 after making a vacation trip to Huatulco, Oaxaca. Their bodies were found a few days later in the municipality of San Jose Miahuatlan, in the state of Puebla, with officials reportedly saying that the murders could be linked to a dispute between criminal organizations. They also did not rule out the idea of involvement by local law enforcement.

Investigators believe local police officers colluded in the murders after local press reported that Brenda Mariel Salas Moya, one of two survivors of the attack, said she and another victim had left a hostel when they were intercepted by what seemed to be a local police car.

Authorities found all dismembered bodies inside an abandoned vehicle along the Cuacnopalan-Oaxaca highway. Upon inspecting the vehicle, authorities found a bloodied tarp that contained five bodies and a bag with eight pairs of hands, per local media outlet Central Puebla Irreverente, with the remaining four bodies stashed inside the vehicle's trunk.

Originally published on Latin Times
Lee Anderson has criticised fellow Reform MP Rupert Lowe - Carl Court/Getty Images Europe

Reform UK cannot function with Rupert Lowe as one of the partys MPs, its chief whip has said.

Mr Lowe, the MP for Great Yarmouth, in Norfolk, has been accused of twice making threats against Zia Yusuf, the Reform chairman, and bullying two female members of staff.

He denies the allegations and claims he has been targeted for criticising Nigel Farage, whom he called a messiah who does not want to delegate.

The 67-year-old has threatened to leave the party unless its governance structures are overhauled and it starts behaving as if we are leading and not merely protesting.

His comments have been interpreted as an attack on Mr Farage and a bid for greater influence in Reform.

Mr Anderson wrote on X on Saturday: His unwillingness to co-operate in an investigation into his behaviour has meant the Parliamentary party cannot function effectively whilst Rupert is a Reform UK MP.

Mr Lowe hit back calling Mr Andersons statement simply not true, adding: I thought you were a friend. Evidently, I was wrong.

The row comes amid a surge in support for the Right-wing party, which has overtaken Labour to top some national polls.

Mr Lowe can no longer sit as an MP under the Reform banner after having the whip suspended. The party has also reported him to the Metropolitan Police for the alleged threats.

Earlier this week, Mr Lowe said: We have to change from being a protest party led by the Messiah into being a properly structured party with a front bench.

But on Saturday, Mr Anderson said: Politics is a team game and we must work as a team. He added on X:

Statement.



At Reform UK we have a monumental task on our hands in order to save our country.



There is a huge amount of pressure on Nigel and our team to deliver for the British public. I did not come into politics for personal gain, like my colleagues I stepped forward because  Lee Anderson MP (@LeeAndersonMP_) March 8, 2025

He continued: I have a great deal of respect for Rupert Lowe, and as his chief whip I have bent over backwards to be fair with him since he entered Parliament.

But his unwillingness to cooperate in an investigation into his behaviour has meant the Parliamentary party cannot function effectively whilst Rupert is a Reform UK MP.

There is far too much at stake, and by not taking decisive action we would risk losing everything we have built up.

I bear no malice towards Rupert, and to remove the whip was a deeply painful thing to do, but delivering for our country must come first and no man is bigger than our party.

Mr Lowe responded:

Lee. What you have said is simply not true. I have spoken to the KC multiple times over the last week. She has confirmed again and again that no credible evidence against me has been provided to her by you or the party. I must have had ten different conversations with her.



To  Rupert Lowe MP (@RupertLowe10) March 8, 2025

He continued: To say I have not co-operated is false. That is an outright lie. Launching this vindictive assault before an investigation has even started is quite frankly pathetic.

Our members, supporters and country deserve so much better than this. I thought you were a friend. Evidently, I was wrong.

Mr Lowe made a public plea to Mr Farage, asking to resolve their disagreements over dinner.

He said: I am going to now repeat publicly an invitation that I have extended to Nigel Farage in private multiple times over many months. Every offer has been refused or ignored.

Please, lets have dinner and resolve this in a manner that our members, and the country, would expect. Any time, any place. Youve got my number.

In a statement on Friday, Mr Anderson and Mr Yusuf wrote: Evidence was provided to us of workplace bullying, the targeting of female staff who raised concerns, and evidence of derogatory and discriminatory remarks made about women, including reference to a perceived disability.

Mr Lowe said he was disappointed, but not surprised, to read Reforms untrue and false allegations, adding that party members had been let down by this malicious circus.
Anthony Albanese says Australia is ready to assist Ukraine and are open to discussions about potential peacekeeping - Fiona Goodall/AFP

Australia is considering joining a group of countries that are prepared to protect an eventual ceasefire of the Russia-Ukraine war, the UK said on Saturday.

Britain and France have been leading efforts to form the coalition of the willing, as the United States long-term commitment to Europes security is now in doubt under Donald Trump.

Sir Keir Starmer, Britains Prime Minister, spoke to the prime minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, this morning, the UK leaders office said on Saturday.

He welcomed prime minister Albaneses commitment to consider contributing to a coalition of the willing for Ukraine and looked forward to the Chiefs of Defence meeting in Paris on Tuesday.

European countries have been rushing to boost support for Ukraine as Mr Trump pursues direct talks with Vladimir Putin, Russias leader, to end Moscows three-year-long invasion of Ukraine.

European countries have greenlit a plan to re-arm Europe against the threat of Russia as the war in Ukraine continues - AFP

Several European states have said they would be willing to deploy troops to Ukraine as a security guarantee should the conflict be frozen along current lines.

Key details about the coalition have not been specified, but the grouping was mentioned by Starmer during a summit of European leaders in London last Sunday, which was aimed at guaranteeing lasting peace in Ukraine.

British officials have held talks with around 20 countries interested in being part of the group, a UK official said on Thursday. The official refused to name the nations but said they were largely European and Commonwealth partners.

Earlier this week, Mr Albanese told journalists that Australia was ready to assist Ukraine, but did not specify what form this assistance could take.

Theres discussion at the moment about potential peacekeeping, he said. From my governments perspective, were open to consideration of any proposals going forward.

With EU leaders shaken by the prospect of US military disengagement in Europe, they agreed to boost the blocs defences at a crisis summit on Thursday.

Rallying around Ukraine after Volodymyr Zelenskys blow-up with Mr Trump at the White House last week, European countries greenlit a plan to re-arm Europe against the perceived threat from Russia.

We are moving decisively towards a strong and more sovereign Europe of defence, Antonio Costa, who heads the European Council, told reporters after the talks.

We are putting our money where our mouth is.

Leaders endorsed the European Commissions aim to mobilise about 800 billion (671 billion) for defence spending, committing to examine as a matter of urgency its proposal to provide members with EU-backed loans of up to 150 billion.

The defence plan eases fiscal rules to allow states to spend much more  at a time when Friedrich Merz, Germanys chancellor-in-waiting, is embracing radical reforms to fund the countrys rearmament.

Emmanuel Macron, the president of France, has also called for a defence spending surge and suggested extending Frances nuclear deterrent to European partners.

Trumps pivot away from Americas transatlantic partners comes as he seeks a rapprochement with Russia to end the Ukraine war  raising fears Kyiv could be forced into an unfavourable deal.
Sir Keir Starmer has welcomed a commitment from Australia to consider contributing to a coalition of the willing for Ukraine, Downing Street has said.

The Prime Minister had a call with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese on Saturday, the latest in a series of conversations Sir Keir has had as the UK continues its diplomatic push for a peace deal in Ukraine.

Britain and France have been seeking to build a coalition of nations willing to defend an agreement.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that further Russian strikes prove they are not thinking about how to end the war and that he is grateful to all the leaders, diplomats from partner countries, and civil society figures who support Ukraine.

A readout of the conversation from a Downing Street spokesperson said: The Prime Minister began by expressing his support for all Australians affected by the cyclone and paid tribute to the strength of the partnership between the two countries.

He welcomed Prime Minister Albaneses commitment to consider contributing to a coalition of the willing for Ukraine and looked forward to the chiefs of defence meeting in Paris on Tuesday.

The Prime Minister also reiterated the UKs commitment to the AUKUS programme.

The leaders agreed to stay in touch.

Officials from about 20 largely European and Commonwealth countries took part in the talks about the peacekeeping coalition earlier this week.

Not all the countries interested in the plan would necessarily provide troops to a peacekeeping force but they could potentially contribute in other ways.

Meanwhile, former national security adviser and cabinet secretary Lord Mark Sedwill has warned that if boots are put on the ground, it could be a commitment of many years.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4s Week in Westminster, Lord Sedwill said that the UK would have to be willing to display strategic patience.

He explained that if our adversaries [] believe they can just wait us out then we will not succeed.

So we have to be willing to sustain such an effort for potentially quite a long period, he said.

Could be many years.

In a message on X on Saturday evening, Mr Zelensky said 11 people had died in a strike in the city of Dobropillya.

He added: Russia continues to prove with its cruelty, day after day, that nothing has changed for them in Moscow  they are not thinking about how to end the war, but how to destroy and capture more while the world allows them to continue. Of course, we are doing everything we can to protect lives.

Today, all day long, work continued in the city of Dobropillya, the Donetsk region, following a Russian strike. It was one of the most brutal attacks, a combined strike carefully planned to cause maximum damage. Missiles, along with Shahed drones, targeted the central part of the pic.twitter.com/bipdh5iS9I  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) March 8, 2025

Sir Keirs phone call with the Australian leader comes after Sir Keir spoke to French President Emmanuel Macron to compare notes on their work towards a peace deal.

On Thursday, the EU moved to free up billions of euros for security as the bloc grapples with the prospect of the US reducing assistance for Europe.

In a separate call with the president of the European Council, Antonio Costa, president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the leaders of Canada, Turkey, Norway and Iceland, Sir Keir had described the EUs move as a historic step forward.

Talks between the US and Ukraine in search of a deal are expected in Saudi Arabia.

Earlier on Saturday, former UK defence secretary Ben Wallace suggested that it would not be the end of the world if the US pulled out of Nato.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4s Today programme, he called such a prospect horrific but added: We have the will in Europe and the money, if we choose to, to fix our own security and defence.

He later added: I think we are already witnessing, even if they dont pull out of Nato, a new era. We are witnessing an era where we cannot take for granted US security guarantees.

On Friday, US president Donald Trump suggested that Kyiv was more difficult to deal with than the Kremlin, and said he wanted to get the war finished before committing to security guarantees.

He had earlier said that he was strongly considering sanctions and tariffs on Russia until a final peace deal is reached, given Moscow was absolutely pounding Ukraine.

In a post on TruthSocial, his own social media network, Mr Trump said: Based on the fact that Russia is absolutely pounding Ukraine on the battlefield right now, I am strongly considering large scale Banking Sanctions, Sanctions, and Tariffs on Russia until a Cease Fire and FINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ON PEACE IS REACHED. To Russia and Ukraine, get to the table right now, before it is too late. Thank you!!!
US actress Blake Lively posed for photos at the world premiere of Another Simple Favour, amid her legal battle with Justin Baldoni, on Friday.

The Gossip Girl star, 37, wore a strapless nude pink dress to the event, which opened the SXSW Film and TV Festival in Austin, Texas.

The film, a sequel to 2018s A Simple Favour, is Livelys first new movie since It Ends With Us and the subsequent legal drama involving Lively and the movies director and co-star, Baldoni.

Blake Lively and Michele Morrone at the world premiere of Another Simple Favour (Jack Plunkett/Invision/AP)

Lively sued Baldoni, 41, and several others tied to the romantic drama, in late December, alleging harassment and a co-ordinated campaign to attack her reputation, for coming forward about her treatment on the set.

Baldoni, who denies Livelys allegations, then sued the actress and her husband, Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds, for defamation and extortion, in January.

A trial date is set for March 2026.

Also at the premiere were Livelys co-stars, Pitch Perfect actress Anna Kendrick and Italian actor Michele Morrone.

The trailer for Another Simple Favour, which streams on Prime Video from May 1, shows the return of Livelys character Emily as she invites Stephanie (Kendrick) to the island of Capri off Italy for her extravagant wedding.

The teaser shows a montage of explosions, glamorous parties, and a body on a stretcher, with the words revenge is a dish best served chilled, with a twist.

Last month, Lively and Reynolds, 48, attended an anniversary show for Saturday Night Live (SNL) during which the Canadian actor joked why? what have you heard, after being asked how he was by actress and comedian Amy Poehler.
President Donald Trump took to social media to reveal that he is "strongly considering" tariffs against Russia in order to prompt a ceasefire deal settlement that would end the war in Ukraine.

The 47th President revealed this in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, on Friday.

"Based on the fact that Russia is absolutely 'pounding' Ukraine on the battlefield right now, I am strongly considering large scale Banking Sanctions, Sanctions, and Tariffs on Russia until a Cease Fire and FINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ON PEACE IS REACHED," Trump wrote. "To Russia and Ukraine, get to the table right now, before it is too late. Thank you!!!"

Last week, Trump concerned members of his own party as well as world leaders across the globe following an explosive meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office, during which Zelenskyy was berated by both Trump and Vice President JD Vance.

During the meeting, Trump and Vance repeatedly criticized the Ukrainian President for not being grateful enough for the aid the US has supplied Ukraine with in the wake of Russia's invasion. Furthermore, they sat by as a reporter criticized Zelenskyy's attire, telling him that it was "disrespectful" to not wear a suit to the White House.

"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," Trump posted on Truth Social after the meeting.

"It's amazing what comes out through emotion, and I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations," Trump continued. "I don't want advantage, I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace."

Trump has since been accused of aligning himself with Russian President Vladimir Putin following his decision to suspend all military aid to Ukraine, even reportedly having considered sanctions relief for Moscow.

Originally published on Latin Times
Ismaila Sarr scored a late winner in Palaces 1-0 victory at Selhurst Park to deny relegation-battling Ipswich a much-needed point.

England boss Thomas Tuchel paid another visit to the Eagles south London home, but it was a far less entertaining encounter than their 4-1 victory over Aston Villa on his last trip.

The contest picked up in the second half, though neither side was able to make the most of their chances.

Just as it looked like the visitors might be able to cling on and share the spoils, Sarr secured all three points for Palace eight minutes from time.

Kieran McKenna made three changes from Ipswichs 3-2 loss to Manchester United, bringing Luke Woolfenden, Kalvin Phillips and Julio Enciso into his starting XI.

Eddie Nketiah came in for Jean-Philippe Mateta, now in recovery after requiring 25 stitches for the ear laceration he sustained in Palaces FA Cup fifth-round victory over Millwall, one of four changes for Eagles boss Oliver Glasner.

There was an early chance for Nketiah  set up nicely by Adam Wharton  who found himself through on goal and tried to outsmart Alex Palmer, who was alert to it and denied the former Arsenal striker a quickfire opener.

Dean Henderson was called into action for the first time on Ipswichs counter-attack, denying Jaden Philogene from near the penalty spot, while Liam Delap skied an effort.

Palace worked the ball to Jefferson Lerma, who fired wide, then won a free-kick from just outside the visitors penalty area when Jacob Greaves clattered into the back of Sarr.

It was taken by Eberechi Eze, but blocked by the man who had conceded it.

Graves next intervention was even more influential, sliding in with a perfectly-timed sliding tackle to deny Eze, who was one-on-one with Palmer but watched his effort deflect over.

Eze soon found himself flanked by three pink shirts at the other end of the pitch, eventually conceding possession and allowing Brighton loanee Enciso to call Henderson into a good save.

It was the beginning of a promising spell midway through the first half from the visitors, who then forced the Eagles shot-stopper to punch away a corner.

There was a pause late in the half to treat Leif Davis, who came down awkwardly from an aerial challenge with Daniel Munoz and appeared to feel some discomfort in his shoulder, but was allowed to continue.

What had started entertainingly had fallen a bit flat by the break, neither side looking especially close to breaking the deadlock.

Davis fired over from an early free-kick as the second half got under way then Eze came closer with a cross deflected off Dara OShea that clipped Palmers right post, and the hosts  second-best in the league at scoring from set-pieces  could not make anything of the handful that followed.

The contest remained stop-start by the hour, when Jack Clarke fired sharply  but straight at Henderson  after Eze lost possession.

Ipswich remained on the attack, Delap next to test Henderson with a header from a corner and Philogene nearly getting enough on the rebound, but denied by Maxence Lacroixs clearance off the line.

Palaces main threat was coming from Eze, who could not find the finishing touch on a few chances for the Eagles, while Sarr nodded just wide of the far post.

Munoz missed a huge chance to fire Palace into the lead with less than 15 minutes remaining after some poor work from Davis allowed the Palace defender to pounce.

He had just Palmer to beat, but the Ipswich keeper timed his block perfectly.

The visitors then had their own difficulties finding the target, a succession of missed chances they would come to regret when Sarr finally broke the deadlock.

It was some patient work from the Senegal international that finally paid off when he cleverly worked his way into position before dinking over Palmer, and honoured his goal  paying tribute to his team-mate  with Matetas signature celebration.
Joao Pedro scored a stoppage-time penalty as Brighton finally beat Fulham in the Premier League at the 10th attempt, securing a 2-1 win.

Albion looked set to be frustrated by the Cottagers once again, having never beaten them in nine previous attempts.

But Pedros spot-kick at the death settled the battle of the European hopefuls in Brightons favour and moved them up to sixth, just a point behind Manchester City in fourth.

Raul Jimenezs opener for Fulham had earlier been cancelled out by Jan Paul van Heckes towering header in the first half.

These two teams both reached the FA Cup quarter-finals last weekend after extra time and, in Fulhams case at Manchester United, penalties.

Whether they were still feeling the effects may have contributed to a flat opening half an hour.

Yasin Ayari had a shot deflected wide and Yankuba Mintehs effort was tipped around a post by Bernd Leno, who also held Pedros drive from the edge of the box.

For Fulham, Emile Smith Rowes shot through the legs of Van Hecke flew just wide.

But the deadlock was broken in the 35th minute after a moment of inspiration from Alex Iwobi, who outstripped Pervis Estupinan and Ayari down the right wing.

Iwobis looping cross flew just over the head of Van Hecke and straight on to the chest of Jimenez.

The Mexico striker controlled it superbly with his first touch, before lashing the ball left-footed past Seagulls keeper Bart Verbruggen from a tight angle with his second.

But six minutes later Van Hecke made amends when he was left unmarked in the opposition area to haul Brighton level.

The Dutch centre-half arrived at the far post to power a header from Ayaris free-kick across Leno and in off the opposite upright.

After the break Pedro played a neat one-two with Georginio Rutter in the area but he ended up in the near-post side-netting while his shot sailed past the far post.

Kaoru Mitoma, passed fit despite going off at Newcastle last weekend, and Simon Adingra both had goals ruled out for offside as the hosts poured forward.

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler turned to Danny Welbeck, who had come on as a substitute to score the winner in successive 2-1 Seagulls victories.

But the veteran striker could not complete a notable hat-trick of sorts, sending a presentable close-range header from Pedros cross wide of the target.

Instead, with the five minutes of added time already up, Pedro was tripped in the box by Harrison Reed, referee Sam Barrott pointed to the spot and Brighton finally ended their Fulham hoodoo.
A journalist targeted by a Russian spy ring said he is lucky to be alive after being tracked by the group.

Roman Dobrokhotov, an investigative journalist and founder of The Insider, a media organisation which was formerly based in Russia, was targeted by Bulgarian spies based in the UK who were working for Moscow.

Bulgarians Katrin Ivanova, 33, Vanya Gaberova, 30, and Tihomir Ivanov Ivanchev, 39, were found guilty at the Old Bailey on Friday of spying on an industrial scale, putting lives and national security at risk.

Katrin Ivanova, 33, was one of three people who was found guilty at the Old Bailey of her part in one of the largest and most complex Russian spy operations to be uncovered on UK soil (Handout/PA)

In an interview, Mr Dobrokhotov, who was followed across Europe by the spies in November 2022, told the BBC: Im very lucky to be alive actually.

I think assassination was one of the options that they reviewed.

Asked who he thought ordered he was targeted, Mr Dobrokhotov said he believed it was Russian President Vladimir Putin himself.

He said: In this dictatorship, you would never take responsibility on your own to do such a political stuff. You will always have a direct order from the president.

Ivanova, Gaberova and Ivanchev were part of one of the largest and most complex enemy operations to be uncovered on UK soil.

They will be sentenced alongside ringleader Orlin Roussev, 47, his second-in-command Biser Dzhambazov, 43, and Ivan Stoyanov, 33, who admitted their roles in the spy ring.

The group were directed by alleged Russian agent Jan Marsalek, 44, an Austrian businessman wanted by Interpol after the collapse of German payment processing firm Wirecard.

Tihomir Ivanchev was also convicted on Friday (Handout/PA)

Mr Dobrokhotov told the BBC the spies were clumsy, but he was still concerned for his safety.

During the trial, the court had heard how another investigative journalist Christo Grozev was also targeted after he exposed Russian links to the Novichok poisoning and the downing of a Malaysia Airlines plane in July 2014.

He was followed from Vienna to a conference in Valencia in Spain, with Ivanova able to get close enough on the plane to record the PIN number on his phone with a camera on the strap of her bag after the spies acquired his flight manifest.

Marsalek discussed kidnapping Mr Dobrokhotov by boat, the trial was told.

Vanya Gaberova was found guilty of conspiracy to spy on Friday (Handout/PA)

The risk was that me and Christo (Grozev) would be killed, Mr Dobrokhotov told the BBC.

And the fact that the spies were very clumsy doesnt mean anything.

You know because in the case of the Skripal poisoning they also did all the possible mistakes and behaved in a very stupid way but they still poisoned Skripal and his daughter and murdered a UK citizen.

The fact that they are very, very unprofessional, very clumsy, very stupid, still doesnt mean that they are not dangerous.

The three defendants made no reaction as the verdicts were delivered on Friday.

Mr Justice Hilliard KC remanded the defendants into custody until sentencing between May 7 and May 12.
Brussels is demanding that the UK agrees to copy its agricultural rules in return for a deal that would reduce checks on food exports - Tolga Akmen/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Sir Keir Starmers plans to reset relations with the European Union risk dealing a 1 billion blow to farmers, senior Tories have warned.

The Prime Minister has been urged not to throw British growers under the bus by agreeing to adopt overly restrictive EU red tape.

Brussels is demanding that the UK agrees to copy and paste its agricultural rules in return for a deal that would reduce checks on food exports.

But agreeing to the terms risks killing off a booming UK industry centred on the development of new drought and pest resistant crops.

Britain has become a world leader on research into gene-edited fruit and vegetables, which provide more plentiful and reliable yields for farmers.

The development, which is already worth 1 billion a year to the economy and has boosted harvests by one per cent, is only possible because of Brexit.

Gene-edited crops are subject to a de facto ban in the EU, where they are subject to such stringent red tape that they are impossible to grow at scale.

As things stand, Britain would have to revert to effectively banning them once again if it were to sign up to mirroring Europes rules on agriculture.

Sir Keir Starmer has been warned not to cave into Brussels demands that might be a risk to the booming UK industry - Ben Birchall/PA

Jerome Mayhew, the shadow business minister, warned Sir Keir he must not cave to Brusselss demands and sacrifice the cutting-edge industry.

He said: Attempts to get closer to the EU risk throwing our farmers and scientific communities under the bus.

If this government is serious about food security, reduced reliance on chemicals and economic growth, the Labour-EU love-in must draw the line at watering down UK progress on precision breeding

His intervention comes after Daniel Zeichner, the farming and agriculture minister, appeared to raise the prospect of Britain and the EU aligning on gene-edited crops in future.

Responding to a written parliamentary question, Mr Zeichner said that Brussels was now drawing up proposed rules similar in aim to the UKs.

He said that British officials were discussing the plans with EU officials, raising fears that Labour could forfeit Britains independence in this area.

EU states are currently discussing whether to allow gene-edited crops and, even if they do, could add red tape not required in Britain, such as labelling.

Gene editing to bolster UKs food security

George Freeman, a former science minister, said the Government must not surrender the freedoms that Brexit has afforded us to pursue gene-editing.

He said: Gene editing can bolster our nations food security, reduce farmers reliance on expensive chemical inputs, and cement our position as a scientific superpower.

Labour should not willingly sacrifice this progress in its desperate attempts to cosy up to the EU.

If it is serious about economic growth, the government should go further to cut gene-editing red tape, not seek to add EU restrictions onto it.

Legislation to pave the way for the development of gene-edited crops was first passed by the Tories in 2023 and has been backed by Labour.

Defra has said that it will bring the law into force this spring, and it is expected the first commercially available crops will become available in 2028.

Ministers also announced last September that they will further simplify the red tape around the authorisation process so that smaller farmers can benefit.

They said gene editing has the potential to add significant additional value to a plant breeding industry already worth 1bn a year.

So far, gene-edited crops have only been given the go-ahead in England, with Scotland and Wales taking a more restrictive approach.

Northern Ireland will not be able to benefit from them because it already has to follow EU food standards rules under the Brexit border deal.
Firefighters at work after Russian hit residential buildings in the centre of Dobropillia. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images

Russia launched a devastating attack on Ukraine on Saturday, killing at least 14 people and injuring dozens more, hours after Donald Trump defended Vladimir Putin and said the Kremlin leader was doing what anybody would do.

Two ballistic missiles hit the centre of Dobropillia in the eastern Donetsk region. Fire engulfed a five-storey apartment building. As emergency services arrived, Russia launched another strike on the same area. Eleven civilians were killed, with five children among the 30 injured.

Writing on social media, Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the vile and inhuman intimidation tactic often used by the Russians. Three people also died and seven injured in a drone attack in the city of Bohodukhiv, in the Kharkiv region.

Russias relentless bombardment of Ukrainian cities has intensified after a torrid week in which Trump has pulled the plug on intelligence sharing with Ukraine and halted the supply of US weapons.

These hostile moves mean the alarm system that warns Ukrainian civilians of incoming enemy missiles is less effective. Asked if Putin was taking advantage of US aid pauses, Trump on Friday acknowledged Ukraine was experiencing a tremendous pounding.

He suggested, however, that anyone in Putins position would do the same. Before a meeting on Tuesday between US and Ukrainian representatives in Saudi Arabia, Trump said he was finding it easier to deal with Moscow than with Kyiv.

European leaders suggested the US president was complicit in the latest devastation.

The Polish prime minister, Donald Tusk, said there had been another tragic night in Ukraine, with more bombs, more aggression and more victims. Without mentioning Trump directly, he said: This is what happens when someone appeases barbarians.

The EUs foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, said the relentless Russian missiles demonstrated that Putin had no interest in peace. We must step up our military support. Otherwise, even more Ukrainian civilians will pay the highest price, she said.

Zelenskyy has been seeking to repair relations with Trump after their acrimonious White House meeting last month. Ukraines president has sketched out a peace plan  beginning with a truce on land and sea  and said he is ready to sign a favourable minerals deal with the US.

So far, however, Trump has piled pressure on Ukraine while making no demands of Russia. Zelenskyy said Saturdays strike showed Moscows objectives had not changed. He called for an increase in sanctions against Russia to collapse its war economy.

Russias latest strike transformed the centre of Dobropillia into a sprawling ruin. The apartment block was a gutted mess. There were burnt-out cars and vans and smouldering debris. Rescuers swept up glass and twisted pieces of metal. Video from the strike showed a terrifying explosion.

Irina Kostenko, 59, spent the night cowering in her hallway with her husband. When she left the apartment building on Saturday, she saw a neighbour lying dead on the ground, covered with a blanket. It was shocking, I dont have the words to describe it, she told the AFP news agency.

Meanwhile, Russia has exploited the US intelligence and weapons freeze to launch a series of bold attacks. North Korean and Russian troops have broken through Ukraines defences in Russias Kursk region, where Ukrainian units have for seven months occupied a parcel of territory.

There were unconfirmed reports on Saturday that Ukrainian forces had managed to stabilise the situation and avoid encirclement, at least for now. A hundred Russian soldiers crept through a gas pipeline in a raid on the Kyiv-held Russian town of Sudzha, Ukrainskaya Pravda newspaper reported.

Ukraines hold on territory in Kursk is increasingly precarious. Soldiers told the Observer two supply roads with the Ukrainian city of Sumy were open, but came under constant attack from Russian drones and artillery.

Serhiy Sternenko, a prominent Ukrainian activist, described the logistics situation there as rapidly deteriorating and already critical. Logistics routes to Sudzha are under full enemy fire control, he posted on X.

According to Kremlin bloggers, Russian combat groups advanced several kilometres across the border into Ukraines Sumy region. Russia also said it had retaken three villages in neighbouring Kharkiv oblast.
Thirty-two people were involved in an incident in which two Australian defence force vehicles rolled off the road at Lismore on Saturday that has left 13 injured, some seriously.

Emergency services were called to the scene in northern New South Wales shortly after 5pm with initial reports that 22 people had been injured. NSW police said on Sunday that 13 personnel were injured. Six are in a serious condition.

Nineteen ambulances were dispatched to Tregeagle Road to respond to the incident.

Patients have been transported to Lismore, Tweed, Byron and Ballina hospitals.

The incident was originally believed to be a collision between the two vehicles but police clarified on Sunday that was not the case. In a statement, police said: one vehicle left the roadway and rolled several times into a paddock, and a second vehicle tipped onto its side attempting to avoid the first vehicle. The vehicles did not collide with each other.

Related: Ex-Cyclone Alfred live updates: cyclone downgraded to tropical low; BoM path tracking map for Brisbane, Queensland and NSW; hundreds of thousands without power; weather forecast and flooding  latest news

The ADF was deployed to Lismore to help the community prepare for the impacts of ex-tropical cyclone Alfred and flooding due to heavy rainfall.

In a statement, NSW police said the incident occurred around 9km south west of Lismore.

NSW Ambulance paramedics attended and are assisting a number of people at the scene, the statement said.

Multiple emergency services are also at the scene, including officers from Richmond Police District and specialist rescue units.

Officers from the Crash Investigation Unit will investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash.

Photographs taken by a photographer from the Sydney Morning Herald show a large troop transport vehicle had rolled onto its side.

Tregeagle Road has been closed and police have told people to avoid the area.

In a joint statement, the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, and the defence minister, Richard Marles said some of the ADF personnel had been seriously injured.

Medical assistance is on hand, the joint statement said. We stress this is an ongoing incident.



Right now our focus is on the welfare of those involved and their families. Our ADF heroes were on their way to help Australians in need.

NSW premier Chris Minns said he was very concerned to hear reports of an accident involving Australian Defence Force personnel tonight.



They came to the Northern Rivers to help keep this community safe, Minns said.



NSW emergency services are currently responding on the scene and we will provide all support necessary.

Janelle Saffin, the state MP for Lismore, said our community expresses its heartfelt concern and sends our love to those personnel injured and their families.

They came in service to our Northern Rivers communities in our time of need and we stand ready to help in their time of need, Saffin said.
Harlow is the most popular local authority for London councils to buy homes in, with 164 acquired there since 2017. Photograph: Andy Hall/The Observer

London councils and housing companies they own have spent more than 140m buying up homes to relocate homeless people out of the city.

More than a dozen councils in the capital have collectively spent millions buying up more than 850 properties in towns and cities across England since 2017, Guardian analysis of property ownership data found.

The homes are either owned directly by councils or by companies they partly or wholly own. They are used to house homeless individuals and families, either temporarily in emergency accommodation or permanently in privately rented homes.

Most of the homes are in deprived areas in the south-east and east of England that are already under huge pressures due to homelessness among their own residents. But in the past year London councils have looked farther afield, buying up a small number of properties in the Midlands and laying out plans to buy more in north-east England.

Housing charities said families lives were thrown into turmoil by being moved away from their communities. Labour MPs urged the government to reconsider its approach to the scarring out-of-area placements, which are at their highest levels since records began.

Waltham Forest and Bromley councils, via companies they jointly own with the housing and social care company Mears Group, have collectively spent almost 80m buying more than 500 homes in areas including Harlow and Thurrock in Essex and Maidstone in Kent since 2017. Both councils use these properties to discharge their homelessness duties and permanently rehouse people out of London.

Brent council has spent more than 18m buying 75 properties across Milton Keynes, Hemel Hempstead and Slough, while Barnet council has spent more than 10m buying nearly 70 properties in Peterborough and Luton. Brent and Barnet used companies they wholly owned to make these purchases since 2017.

Housing Gateway, a company wholly owned by Enfield council, spent 13m in 2018 buying Greenway House, a converted office block on the outskirts of Harlow with 83 flats that are used as temporary accommodation.

The Guardian previously revealed that councils had paid millions to relocation companies to help them permanently move homeless people to the Midlands and north of England. Recent property purchases suggest that some London councils are starting to move the practice in-house.

In December, Enfield council laid out plans to buy 28 homes through Housing Gateway around Liverpool this year. It said these properties would initially be used as temporary accommodation with the aim of finding homeless households long-term housing in the area once relocated.

Redbridge council, which has spent more than 10m buying 55 properties outside the capital since 2020, has bought homes 100 miles away in Coventry and Leicester in the past year. They are being used as temporary accommodation but the council said it planned to privately discharge homeless households into these homes.

Harlow is the most popular local authority for London councils to buy homes in, with 164 properties acquired there since 2017.

Many of the homes bought are concentrated in areas where hundreds of households are already homeless. Eighty-four homes owned by London councils are in Basildon in Essex, where nearly 700 households are living in emergency accommodation.

Basildon councils leader, Gavin Callaghan, has previously said his authority had no choice but to find local people new homes in the north of England because its own housing stock was being used by London councils.

MPs have been increasingly vocal about out-of-area placements. Government data shows the number of households placed in temporary accommodation outsidetheir borough is at an all-time high, with a 39% rise in such placements in the past 12 months.

Florence Eshalomi, a Labour MP who is the chair of the housing, communities and local government parliamentary committee, said: Out-of-area placements force some of our most vulnerable families away from desperately needed support and devastate the life chances of children, who end up travelling for hours simply to go to school.

This is the result of the toxic mix of the housing crisis and the stretching of local council finances to breaking point. The governments long-term housing strategy must give local authorities the support and supply to ensure everyone has access to the right housing and support in their own community.

Naushabah Khan, the Labour MP for Gillingham and Rainham, who also sits on the housing committee, said: The negative impact of out-of-borough placements is the scarring legacy of a deeply damaged housing market that was neglected under 14 years of a Conservative government. As local councils struggle with an ongoing housing crisis, this last-resort practice has become the norm.

Polly Neate, the chief executive of the housing charity Shelter, said: On top of the trauma of becoming homeless, families lives are being thrown into further turmoil by being moved miles away from their communities, often overnight. Councils are meant to accommodate families who become homeless in their own area, but a dire shortage of social homes, extortionate private rents, and record homelessness is making this increasingly difficult.

Instead of sinking money into temporary solutions, we need to see social homes built in areas where they are most needed.

Waltham Forest council said the purpose of its housing company was to provide long-term good-quality homes to discharge the councils homelessness duties and move households on from temporary accommodation. It said loans used to buy these homes were taken out by the company itself, not the council, and they did not appear on council balance sheets.

Bromley council said its policy was to secure housing in or as near to Bromley as possible but, as it receives lower funding as an outer London borough, many local homes were unaffordable, forcing it to look farther afield. It said its housing companies were primarily partner-funded.

Barnet council said when it placed people in temporary accommodation it ensured it was in or as close as possible to the borough. It said neither the council nor any of its subsidiaries had bought homes outside the borough since 2020.

Redbridge council said all properties it had acquired were being used as temporary accommodation but it aimed to use these homes to provide longer-term settled tenancies by discharging its homelessness duty through a housing company.

Brent council said the vast majority of homes bought via its housing company were in London and it was working to build council housing to deal with the 34,000 people on its housing waiting list. It added that none had been bought outside London since 2021.
Rupert Lowe: I want Reform to be professional, to be fair, to be serious. The leaderships behaviour this week has undermined that cause - Joe Giddens/PA Wire

Let me be abundantly clear on one thing to begin  there is no credible evidence against me. None has been provided.

Reform has removed me from the party before any investigation has started. These allegations arent even directed at me  they have deliberately conflated the complaints to insinuate that I am guilty. I will not tolerate these falsehoods, and discussions have already taken place with my legal team.

Is it a surprise that these allegations were made public the day after I made reasonable criticisms of Nigel Farage and the Reform leadership?

It is a witch hunt, plain for all to see. I have been entirely frozen out of the Reform machine over the last few months, in a deliberate and calculated way.

I have tried and tried to restore communication. I have failed, categorically. Despite repeated requests for regular meetings, policy debate and even just the most basic level of communication, I am ridiculed and insulted.

There were five MPs  we could have fitted in a black cab. Getting together for a weekly meeting is not beyond the wit of man.

Yes, I am not your usual politician. I am fortunate to be wealthy in my own right, and donate my entire net MP salary to local charities. I am not in this for money. I am in this to change the way our country is governed.

Do I need to spend my weekends trudging around Great Yarmouth talking about bins? No. But I love it. Being Great Yarmouths MP is the biggest honour of my professional life.

Reforms 2024 intake of MPs: (left to right) Lee Anderson, Nigel Farage, Rupert Lowe, Richard Tice and James McMurdock - PA Wire

I have been betrayed many times in my life, but never so ferociously by individuals I once called friends. Nobody even bothered to call me to ask me what really happened.

Parliamentary HR were involved at every step of the way, and were fully supportive of the steps taken.

This is not about that. It is about me, and a complete inability for the Reform leadership to even accept the most mild constructive criticism. The allegations against me from the chairman relate to an incident in December, but he only reported them to the police the day after my reasonable questioning was published. Take from that what you will.

I dont feel sorry for myself. I feel sorry for the millions of decent British men and women who put their faith in Reform. They deserve better than this vicious charade. Will members be pleased to know that their fees have been spent on hiring expensive lawyers to investigate their own MPs with zero credible evidence?

Everything has been put at risk. Everything. The future of the Right in Britain is now in peril. How can Reform claim to be a party awaiting government when they cant even follow basic process?

They even botched the release of their statement, failing to say Ive been suspended. Then clarifying, then removing the whip. Its impressive incompetence.

Reform has been rising in the polls for months. But this spectre of infighting will leave the party looking unserious and turn voters off. Infighting failed the Tories  and its failing Reform.

I want Reform to be professional, to be fair, to be serious. We must offer a credible alternative to the uniparty that has so failed so spectacularly. The leaderships behaviour this week has undermined that cause, not only in the eyes of the electorate, but also in those of serious individuals across business and industry that any party of government needs to win over.

On multiple occasions, I have invited Nigel Farage for dinner over the last few months. Every single one has been refused or ignored. My one and only summons from Nigel to Reform HQ I was unable to be met at such short notice  no further invitation was extended after that.

Again, I offer a public invitation to Nigel. Lets have dinner and resolve this in the matter that our members, supporters and country would expect. Any time, any place.

Removing me from the party before any investigation has even started is a cowardly act that undermines our entire cause. Reform, and Britain, deserves better.
Demonstrators outside a Tesla dealership in Palo Alto, California, protest on Wednesday against Elon Musks role in the Trump administration. Photograph: Carlos Barria/Reuters

Globally renowned brands would not, ordinarily, want to be associated with Germanys far-right opposition. But Tesla, one of the worlds biggest corporate names, does not have a conventional chief executive.

After Elon Musk backed Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD)  calling the party Germanys only hope  voters are considering an alternative to Tesla. Data released on Thursday showed that registrations of the companys electric cars in Germany fell 76% to 1,429 last month. Overall, electric vehicle registrations rose by 31%.

Teslas biggest shareholder, who has voiced support for rightwing leaders around the world, is now a de facto US cabinet member under Donald Trumps administration.

Related: Could Elon Musks newfound political influence help him finally crack India?

Teslas valuation has become inextricably tied to Musks politics. After he spent $288m backing Trumps 2024 election victory, Teslas valuation passed $1tn. Yet Musks political involvements  unprecedented for the head of a company that size  could also be having a negative effect.

On Friday, a group of Extinction Rebellion activists occupied a Tesla store in central Milan. Activists chained themselves to the cars tyres, and others glued themselves to the windows along with the slogans Make millionaires pay again and Ecology for all, no ecofascism.

Analysts are openly wondering if Musk is causing lasting damage to a brand he has made synonymous with electric cars and, by extension, liberal aspirations to tackle climate change.

Tesla was approached for comment.

Tesla was the worlds biggest producer of battery electric cars in 2024, but sales dropped to 1.79m, the first time the company has endured a sales decline since 2011 after years of rapid growth that made it the worlds most valuable carmaker.

The manufacturer said in January that global sales would grow during 2025, and Wall Street analysts expect Tesla to sell more than 2m cars this year. But even those forecasts would hardly represent a blazing return to form. As recently as October, Musk said he expected 20% to 30% annual sales growth, implying as many as 2.3m cars sold.

Customer retention will be key in 2025 as customers may begin to look for an Alternative for Tesla, said Matthias Schmidt, a Berlin-based electric car analyst.

Other analysts are more optimistic. Dan Ives, of Wedbush Securities, a US financial firm, is a longstanding Tesla supporter. Ives believes the companys share price could rise from its current level of about $280 to hit $550. However, he acknowledged the negative perception created by Musks partnership with Trump and his work on the so-called department of government efficiency (Doge)  an issue he described as the elephant in the room for the brand.

Calling them major brand worries for Tesla, he added in a note to investors that the direct impact on sales should be relatively small. We estimate less than 5% of Tesla sales globally are at risk from these issues despite the global draconian narrative for Musk.

Ives said that Tesla was on the verge of making a new, cheaper vehicle  costing less than $35,000  and would own the autonomous vehicle market, factors that would help push Tesla to a valuation of more than $2tn.

Nonetheless there are clear signs in the US, Teslas biggest market, that would-be buyers are wavering, according to Strategic Vision, a market research company. Its new vehicle experience study tracks the buying preferences of up to 250,000 car buyers in the US, and it shows a sharp decline in regard for Tesla since Musk bought Twitter (now X) in 2022.

Shortly before the multibillionaire bought the social media platform, 22% of new vehicle buyers would have definitely considered buying a Tesla. By the end of 2024 it was just under 8%. The proportion who would not consider buying a Tesla has risen from 39% over the same period to 63%.

According to Strategic Vision, approximately half of non-Tesla EV buyers identify as Democrat or liberal, compared with about 20% identifying as Republican or conservative. Among Tesla owners, the Democrat owner group has fallen from 40% during the Biden administration to 29% now, with the Republican group averaging about 30% since 2021.

Democrats, the majority party of EV owners, are now actively rejecting Tesla and choosing other options, said Alexander Edwards, president of Strategic Vision.

Meanwhile, global protests against Musk and Tesla are intensifying. In America, there have been demonstrations outside dozens of Tesla showrooms, while in the UK a guerrilla poster campaign  0 to 1939 in 3 seconds  has emphasised Musks fascist-style salute at an inauguration rally. In Germany, he was recently caricatured on a carnival float as Napo-Elon.

Ross Gerber, chief executive of the US investment management firm Gerber Kawasaki, which holds shares in Tesla, said Musk had given people an outlet to express their disdain for his politics.

He said: He has left himself open to a direct way for people to attack him if they dont like his politics. Its ironic because the vehicles were made for liberals who care about the environment and it has become a symbol of the conservative movement.

Tesla is valued at about $847bn  still more than the next 10 carmakers combined. Few investment banks have included any effect from Musk in their work trying to accurately value Tesla. Still, there are further reports of falling sales. In Australia, February sales were down about 72% compared with the same month in 2024, according to data released this week.

Several analysts have raised concerns that the current valuation is much too high. JP Morgan is among the most pessimistic of the investment banks, suggesting that Teslas share price could fall as low as $135  or a valuation closer to $400bn. Musk is the largest shareholder in Tesla, a key contributor to his status as the worlds wealthiest person.

Tesla shares continue to strike us as having become completely divorced from the fundamentals, wrote JP Morgan in January, pointing out that 2025 profit expectations were down 70% since 2022. The share price has more than doubled since then  something that would not usually happen when investors expect lower profits.

Analysts at UBS, a Swiss investment bank, concur, saying that Teslas valuation continues to confound us, with big risks in its efforts to make money from self-driving cars or humanoid robots.

While sales declined steeply in January in several markets, several analysts have warned against relying on numbers for a single month. Schmidt said: Some consumers are likely holding back purchase decisions and waiting for the updated Model Y which arrives this month. The big question though is, are these just the die-hard Tesla enthusiasts which remain in line while other potential consumers jump ship?

There have also been positive signs elsewhere. UK Tesla sales fell in January, but bounced back by a fifth in February to leave sales up year-on-year for 2025 so far. In the US there were also signs of a recovery after a fall in January, with preliminary data for February indicating rebound sales of about 42,000 cars, up 14% year-on-year, according to Wards Intelligence.

But the UK sales figures also highlight another concern for investors: that Teslas lead on rivals could be narrowing as a flood of new models arrive. Teslas electric market share for the first two months of 2025 was 11%, down from 14% in 2024, according to New Automotive, a research group.

Ben Nelmes, New Automotives chief executive, said: The impact of Elon Musks political views on Teslas sales may have been overstated, but Tesla is gradually losing its position as the dominant EV seller in the UK as other carmakers bring more up-to-date and cheaper models to market.

In China Tesla is under big pressure from a slew of cheaper competitors, most notably BYD. In Teslas second-biggest market, sales of its China-made EVs dropped 49% year-on-year in February, to the lowest level since August 2022.

Edward Niedermeyer, author of Ludicrous  a 2019 book about Tesla which focuses on Musks habit of making bold claims about the business that dont stack up  argues that the prospect for new business like robotaxis and robots are distant. The unique moment that were in now is the business has peaked, he said.

The worry for Tesla investors is whether Musk has turned that peak into a cliff-edge.

Additional reporting Lorenzo Tondo
The man has been up Elizabeth Tower since around 7.20am on Saturday (Jeff Moore/PA) (PA Wire)

Negotiators are continuing to appeal to a man who is several metres up the clock tower of Big Ben to come down as darkness falls across central London.

Footage shared on social media shows a barefoot man standing on a ledge several metres above ground level on the Elizabeth Tower, holding a Palestinian flag.

In a video posted on Instagram, he tells negotiators he will come down on his own terms having scaled the building at around 7.20am.

Negotiators on an aerial ladder platform appear to raise concerns about an injury to his foot, saying there is quite a lot of blood and that his clothes are not warm enough as temperatures drop after sunset.

But the man insists he is safe and says: I will come down on my own terms, I have said this. But right now I am saying I am safe.

During the stand-off with police, he adds: If you come towards me you are putting me in danger and I will climb higher.

The man climbed over a fence surrounding the Houses of Parliament without any security guards approaching him.

Emergency services talk to a man after he climbed up Elizabeth Tower (James Manning/PA Wire)

Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty said on X, formerly Twitter, there needs to be an explanation about how the man got into the parliamentary estate.

He wrote: Every day in Parliament I see dozens of armed police officers patrolling Portcullis House and the parliamentary estate. Where were they today?

On Monday there needs to be a full explanation to MPs and staff as to how this protester was able to evade security so easily.

Meanwhile, around 100 people gathered earlier for the pro-Palestine protest on the corner of Parliament Square appeared to show support for him.

A crowd held up a sign that read: Labour Tories BBC you show Russias crimes but hide Israels  why?

They shouted free Palestine and one appeared to be waiving at Big Ben.

Man with Palestine flag on Elizabeth Tower (James Manning/PA Wire)

The activist on the landmark returned a wave and shouted something inaudible back.

The small group of pro-Palestine activist have been moved out of Parliament Square and all members of the public have been asked to leave.

Vehicles are still allowed to drive through but all pedestrian access has been blocked off by police.

The pro-Palestine group were asked to move to Richmond Terrace in Whitehall.

Some appeared upset with this decision. One demonstrator yelled fascists at officers.

Emergency services remain at the Palace of Westminster, where a man has scaled the tower which houses Big Ben holding a Palestinian flag in an apparent act of protest.



Sky's @AmeliaHarperTV has the latest.



Read more: https://t.co/v0aDUis2jf



 Sky 501, Virgin 602 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/iAEbmoDFZF  Sky News (@SkyNews) March 8, 2025

At least nine emergency service vehicles lined Bridge Street in central London and crowds looked on from beyond the police cordon.

Pictures appear to show the man with blood coming from his foot.

No further details about any injuries have been revealed, as negotiators were seen speaking to the man.

There is heavy traffic congestion in the surrounding area due to the closures, and several London bus routes, including the 3, 11, 148, C10, and 159, have been placed on diversion.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: At 7.24am on Saturday March 8 officers were alerted to a man climbing up the Elizabeth Tower at the Houses of Parliament.

"Officers are at the scene working to bring the incident to a safe conclusion. They are being assisted by the London Fire Brigade and the London Ambulance Service."

At around 10am on Saturday, three emergency personnel were lifted several metres up on a fire brigade aerial ladder platform with one person using a megaphone to speak to the man on the ledge.

Emergency services talk to a man after he climbed up Elizabeth Tower (James Manning/PA Wire)

Tours at the Parliamentary Estate have been cancelled today due to the ongoing incident.

A Parliamentary spokesperson said: We are aware of an incident on the Parliamentary Estate this morning, which is being handled by the Metropolitan Police, assisted by the London Fire Brigade and the London Ambulance Service.

Parliament takes security extremely seriously, however we do not comment on the specifics of our security measures or mitigations.

As a result of this incident, tours of the Parliamentary Estate today have unfortunately had to be cancelled.

A spokesman for London Fire Brigade (LFB) said: Firefighters are responding alongside the Metropolitan Police Service to reports of a person scaling the Palace of Westminster.

Crews from Lambeth, Chelsea, Soho and Islington fire stations have been deployed, LFB added.

Members of London Ambulance Services hazardous area response team were at the scene wearing green helmets.

The specialist team is trained to provide life-saving medical care in complex and challenging environments.

In the afternoon, shouts of Free Palestine and You are a hero could be heard from a small group of supporters behind the police cordon at Victoria Embankment.

Uniformed officers continue to guard the cordon, which includes the Houses of Parliament and Parliament Square.

In 2019, an Extinction Rebellion activist wearing a blond wig was arrested after climbing the scaffolding surrounding the clock tower.

Tree surgeon Ben Atkinson climbed the scaffolding surrounding Big Ben dressed as Boris Johnson  complete with a blond wig, shirt, jacket and tie  and was up Elizabeth Tower for around three and a half hours on October 18 2019, before police managed to get him to come down.
Toronto police are searching for a suspect following a shooting outside a pub in the Scarborough district that left at least 12 people injured late Friday night.

According to authorities, the incident occurred at approximately 10:39 p.m. local time (03:39 GMT Saturday) near Scarborough city centre, east of downtown Toronto. Four individuals sustained non-life-threatening injuries, while the extent of the injuries for the remaining victims has not yet been disclosed.

Witnesses reported that the suspected shooter was wearing a black balaclava and was last seen fleeing the scene in a silver vehicle. Police have not yet made any arrests and are continuing their investigation.

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow expressed her concern over the shooting, assuring residents that law enforcement is fully engaged in addressing the situation.

"I am deeply troubled to hear reports of a shooting at a pub in Scarborough," Chow wrote in a post on X. "My thoughts are with the victims and their families."

She added that Toronto Police Chief had "assured me all necessary resources have been deployed."

Authorities are urging anyone with information about the shooting to come forward as they work to identify the suspect and determine the motive behind the attack. Police are expected to provide further updates as the investigation progresses.

This is a developing story.
The south-east coast of Queensland and northern NSW are no strangers to cyclonic weather that floods towns and suburbs, risks lives and damages infrastructure. Photograph: Dave Hunt/AP

As ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred crossed the coast , authorities remain concerned about heavy rainfall and the potential for flooding.

It is expected to make landfall in Queensland on Saturday as a tropical low.

According to the Bureau of Meteorology, over the years, at least 20 cyclones have approached within 300km of south-east Queensland and northern NSW.

Only a few have made landfall, but history shows that cyclones, and even ex-cyclones, have the potential to wreak havoc in this corner of the country.

Related: Albanese warns against complacency as Cyclone Alfred weakens to tropical low off Queensland coast

Dr Stephen Turton, an adjunct professor at Central Queensland University who has studied tropical cyclones for more than 30 years, said events in 1954 and 1974 caused extensive damage, in large part because of extensive rainfall and flooding.

Griffith University environmental historian, Dr Margaret Cook, said cyclones and tropical lows could cause cascading disasters, leading to flooding and other impacts, such as health problems and electricity outages.

In the aftermath of such storms, governments have tried to learn and better prepare for the future.

Heres what has happened in the past  and how Alfred compares.

The Great Gold Coast Cyclone of 1954

An unnamed cyclone that crossed the coast at Coolangatta on 20 February 1954 brought such devastation it was dubbed the Great Gold Coast Cyclone.

That was before the Bureau of Meteorology instituted its cyclone naming policy. It was also before the use of satellites, Turton said, which made the event difficult to confirm as a true tropical cyclone. Regardless, it caused a lot of damage.

At least 26 people died and the cyclone caused widespread flooding and structural damage from Bundaberg to Grafton.

Springbrook, about an hours drive inland from Coolangatta, recorded 900mm of rain in the 24-hours before the cyclone hit land, according to an account in the journal Climate Dynamics.

Boats were reported in treetops at Beachmere, as the cyclone crossed the coast, bringing storm surges of 6.4 metres to Moreton Bay. About 200 metres of the Byron Bay jetty was swept away, taking with it the towns entire fishing fleet.

One of the worst hit areas was near Cudgen, a small coastal town in New South Wales, where houses were blown apart and trees more than 1 metre in diameter were twisted out of the ground.

Flooding triggered by the cyclone swept across the northern rivers region, particularly affecting Lismore, Casino, Kyogle and Murwillumbah.

The Courier Mail reported the first clear message from Lismore just after 5pm, after extreme rainfall caused record flood levels of 12.11 metres.

It has been a night of horror. We need help, said a message broadcast on radio station 2LM. More than 2,000 people are homeless. More than 1,000 are sheltering on high ground. We need 1,000 blankets tonight. From Kyogle, later revealed as a scene of devastation, there was no word.

Related: Limited sleep, damp houses  and waiting for more wild weather: what its like on the ground as Alfred nears

Turton said while ex-tropical cyclone Alfred would bring heavy rainfall to similar areas, the human context today was totally different. The Gold Coast in 1954 was nothing like it is today, he said, adding that back then the area was made up mostly of smaller towns populated with beach shacks.

Cyclone Dinah 1967

Cook, who specialises in climate-related disasters, said Dinah, a category three tropical cyclone which remained off the coast (making landfall at Kgari and then heading back out to sea) still did significant damage to the Gold Coast, which was by then starting to resemble the Surfers Paradise of today.

Storm surges almost completely washed away the sand on the beaches. Waves crashed over the embankments and undermined the esplanade, causing parts to collapse, she said. Some buildings toppled into the sea.

It was a really big problem because they were worried about the tourism industry, she said. The beaches were off limits for a long time because there was just no sand.

Houses were unroofed at Bundaberg, Maryborough and along the Sunshine and Gold Coasts; the sea wall at Nudgee was destroyed, and homes were flooded with 0.66 metres of seawater. Data from the Insurance Council of Australia shows insurance losses were equivalent to $4.68bn.

Storm surges also affected the Gold Coast and water lapped the decking of the Jubilee Bridge, which is about 1.5 metres above highest astronomical tide.

Cyclone Wanda and ex-cyclone Zoe, in 1974

Cook said a series of cyclones hit a similar strip of coastline in 1974, beginning with Wanda, a category one cyclone that caused the second biggest recorded floods since colonisation.

The ground was already wet and saturated when Wanda arrived on 24 January, crossing the coast at Maryborough, about 250km north of Brisbane. More than 500mm of rainfall fell on Brisbane within 24-hours, triggering the citys worst floods since 1893.

Sixteen people were killed in Brisbane and Ipswich. Thousands of homes were inundated; 56 in Brisbane were completely destroyed, and 41 were washed away in Ipswich, according to the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience.

Tom Mortlock, head of climate analytics for the Asia-Pacific at financial services group Aon and an adjunct fellow in the Climate Change Research Centre at UNSW, said Alfred was a reminder that tropical cyclones had the potential to track this far south, as Dinah had done.

He said, Wanda, which followed a similar path to Alfred, was a good benchmark for what could occur, he said.

The difference then was that there wasnt as much infrastructure and people as there are nowadays, Mortlock said. The full impact and costs associated with Alfred wont be known for some time, but he expects it could be a multi-billion dollar event in terms of insured losses.

Ex-tropical cyclone Zoe followed just six weeks after Cyclone Wanda, crossing the coast at Coolangatta on 12 March 1974, then curving back out to sea.

Wind damage from Zoe was limited, but flooding was extensive, and caused hundreds of evacuations in northern NSW, according to the bureau. It also caused landslides and severe erosion of Gold Coast beaches.

The big legacy of the 1974 floods was the formation of Queenslands State Emergency Service, Cook said, replacing what had previously been, something more akin to a Dads army.
Jan Marsalek, one of Vladimir Putins agents, has attempted to influence the flow of migrants into Europe using private armies - Bela Szandelszky/AP

Russia uses migration like a tap, which it can turn on and off to influence European leaders, experts have said.

Vladimir Putin is accused of using migration as part of his hybrid warfare against the West, including as leverage in political support for Ukraine.

It comes as The Telegraph reveals that one of his agents  Jan Marsalek  had been attempting to influence the flow of migrants into Europe using private armies.

There is evidence that Russia is fuelling migration in a number of ways, including physically moving people toward the EUs borders, supporting smugglers, and increasing instability and violence in certain regions including Syria and parts of Africa.

Putins cronies are also accused of spreading fake news about migration in order to disrupt European unity.

Late last year, Finland closed the last of its borders with Russia after seeing a dramatic spike in the number of migrants without proper visas and documentation, mostly from the Middle East and Africa.

Elina Valtonen, the Finnish foreign minister, had said that undoubtedly Russia was using migration in hybrid warfare and in some cases they were actively helping migrants travel to the border.

It was the latest in a string of European countries bordering Russia and its allies to have warned that they have seen a deliberate influx, with others including Poland, Lithuania, Estonia and Norway.

Frontex, the EUs border police, said it had seen Russia using migration as a lever in a larger game of influence and pressure.

In recent years Putin and his mercenaries have also been increasing their stronghold in key migration routes through sub-Saharan Africa and into Libya  the smugglers route through the central Mediterranean.

Russian mercenaries are known to have a presence in Mali, Burkina Faso, and three countries key to migration  Central African Republic, Sudan and Libya.

Kilian Kleinschmidt, a humanitarian and consultant who had unwittingly become embroiled in Marsaleks attempts to set up a border control force, said he had been warning about weaponisation of migration for a long time.

We discovered, for instance, in 2019, just before the European elections, that there was a deliberate attempt to push a new wave of mass migration from Turkey, Greece and so on, in the direction of northern Europe, Mr Kleinschmidt told The Telegraph.

The wrong information was being spread by certain people, who we suspect are Iranian and Russian agent provocateurs, people who tried to push that and said Angela Merkel will open the border again.

We have seen a very deliberate manipulation of migration flows. We see that at the border to Poland. We have seen that at the borders to Hungary as well as, of course, from Africa. We also saw a rise in arrivals with boats from eastern Libya prior to the last Italian elections.

Mr Kleinschmidt explained: You turn on and turn off the tap as you want, and you put European politics under pressure.

Migration has become, as we know, the major theme for the political Right and populists saying theyre coming, we have to stop that. The Russians clearly use that theme to make Europe nervous and influence elections.

Migrants on the Belarusian-Polish border - Sefa Karacan/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

He had been employed in 2017 to help plan for a reconstruction project in Libya, but the plan failed when it became clear that Marsalek was intent on using it for border control.

At the time Marsalek was the chief operating officer of Wirecard, the jewel in the crown of Germanys tech sector. When the company collapsed in 2020, he fled to Moscow and is now one of Europes most wanted men.

Mr Kleinschmidt had been unaware that, by the time the plan failed, Marsalek had secretly bought a Russian private military company, the RSB Group. In 2016, Marsalek was involved in getting Russian boots on the ground in Libya for the first time.

Through a deal with a long-time business associate, he arranged for the private military company to carry out mine clearing for the Libyan Cement Company.

It was in an area controlled by Gen Khalifa Haftar, a Libyan warlord who controls the eastern and southern parts of the country, is the leader of the self-styled Libyan National Army, and known to have links to the Kremlin.

Along with his Russian handler, Stanislav Petlinsky, Marsalek had travelled to the country to meet Maj Gen Wanis Bukhamada, then commander of the Libyan National Armys special forces, to get permission for the mercenaries to enter, those with knowledge of the meetings told The Telegraph.

Impressed by their work, Marsalek had decided to buy RSB. According to Der Spiegel, the deal was facilitated by his sending thousands of euros in cash on his private jet to purchase the company from Oleg Krinitsyn, the current owner, who stayed on as CEO.

The presence of the RSB Group in Libya is thought to have paved the way for Wagners mercenaries, who arrived in their thousands in the following years.

Jan Marsalek was involved in getting Russian boots on the ground in Libya for the first time in 2016

Antonio Tajani, Italys deputy prime minister, has said that they had intelligence that the mercenaries in the region are very active and in contact with trafficking gangs and militia interested in migrant smuggling.

Just months after Marsalek fled Europe in June 2020, the RSB Group was named alongside Wagner on a contract to provide security in neighbouring Sudan, it is understood.

Dr Mark Galeotti, an expert in Russian security and the director of consultancy Mayak Intelligence, told The Telegraph: Libya is potentially one of the main thoroughfares for migrants from all across Africa to head towards Europe.

Southern parts of Italy and the northern parts of Africa are pretty close, and there is that sense that if the Russians are able to close their grip on whats going on in Libya, which theyre largely doing through supporting a variety of different militia movements, and particularly the warlord Haftar, then they will be in a position to open or close the migration taps as they saw fit.

Particularly for the Mediterranean countries, many of which are already a little bit lukewarm about support for Ukraine, this would give Russia some kind of leverage.

If they could basically say you need to start scaling down your Ukraine support or else suddenly tomorrow 10,000 migrants are going to appear on boats, or conversely, if you play ball with us, we will make sure that this coast is closed to migrants.

That gives Russia a degree of leverage that otherwise it lacks. So that has been really one of the fairly clear objectives of the Kremlin for some time. Whoever can achieve that for the Kremlin would presumably be well reimbursed.

Marsalek and Petlinsky are scammers

In an interview with The Telegraph, Petlinsky admitted that Marsalek had bought the RSB Group but said that they used it just once and then put it into bankruptcy.

When it was pointed out that since 2022 they have been widely sanctioned by European countries such as the UK, including for training Russian troops to fight in Ukraine, he said tWestern intelligence was absolutely s---.

When approached by The Telegraph, the RSB Group said that two scammers, Jan Marsalek and Stas Petlinsky, created a fake company and used our good name. They introduced themselves to the RSB Group and did their dirty deeds.

A spokesman added: Because of these scams, we have been sanctioned. We always work within the law, and we have carried out humanitarian mine clearance in Libya and other countries. But then the RSB Group came to Libya, which was fake and ruined our image.

It did not respond to further questions about its involvement in mine-clearing in Libya or contracts in Sudan.
Officials said that Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, had been crystal clear about the need for childrens healthcare to be evidence-led - Rich McCarthy/PA

Wes Streeting has refused to intervene in an NHS puberty blocker trial despite concerns about childrens safety.

The drugs were banned last year in the wake of the independent Cass Review, which found no evidence to support their use and warned they may also disrupt brain development.

But an NHS trial to examine the evidence around their use in children is awaiting the green light from the ethics regulator. A previous pilot into the drugs was controversially approved in 2011 but failed to ensure the results were shared.

Some 6,000 children are currently on the national gender clinic waiting list and could be eligible to receive the drugs if their clinical team and parents agree.

Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative Party leader and former equalities minister, has led criticism of the planned trial, with campaigners expressing concern it could act as a loophole to be exploited by activists despite the ban.

But the Health Secretary insisted it must go ahead to build the evidence base around the use of the drugs, as had been recommended by the Cass Review.

A Department of Health spokesman said Mr Streeting had been crystal clear about the need for childrens healthcare to be evidence-led and that extending the puberty blocker ban had been one of his first acts in office.

But Mrs Badenoch said it was hard to believe there could ever be an ethical way of trialling these irreversible drugs for this purpose.

The Government said it was following a recommendation by Baroness Cass, author of last years independent review into gender identity services - Yui Mok/PA

Parents of trans-identifying children have also raised concerns.

A spokesman for Bayswater Support Group, which advocates for evidence-based care on behalf of 600 families with trans-identifying children, said those responsible for the first trial had not been held to account for their role in the initial Tavistock scandal and the whole process appears at risk of being replicated, with more children being knowingly harmed.

They said it was inconceivable that the NHS was poised to re-open a back door to further vulnerable children taking medically unnecessary and potentially irreversible drugs.

Previous data suppressed

Keith Jordan, a spokesman for Our Duty, a support group for parents with gender-questioning children, said the first trial should have produced clear data on the harms of this treatment pathway and that it was telling that the data had been suppressed.

He said the Health Research Authority (HRA) needed to act to protect the vulnerable, not rubber-stamp another unethical experiment and added: We know that whenever a loophole is created activists will find ways to enlarge and exploit it.

Experts have pointed to the multiple failures of the initial puberty blocker trial run by the Tavistock gender clinic and University College London, which began in 2011, and said they feared the scandal would be repeated.

The Early Intervention Study was given ethical approval almost 15 months ago, after initially being rejected by an ethics panel. It took nine years for the results to be published.

Puberty blockers are currently banned in the UK after Mr Streeting made a temporary suspension indefinite on the advice of the Commission on Human Medicines.

But last week, it emerged that the NHS trial into the drugs, run by researchers from Kings College London, would be backed by 11 million in government funding.

The Cass Review, led by Baroness Cass, the former president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, recommended a study to gather further evidence into the effectiveness of puberty blockers and for existing data on children, who are now adults and had been through the Tavistocks gender clinic, to be collated and analysed.

Holistic approach needed

Details of the NHS trial have yet to be submitted to the regulator for ethical approval, it is understood.

If it is, a research ethics committee (REC) will be assigned to assess whether it meets the necessary standards. At least a third of the panel of up to 15 members will be lay people with no expertise in the relevant field of study.

Mrs Badenoch said: Puberty blockers have never been certified as a safe or effective treatment for children with gender distress, and it is hard to believe there could ever be an ethical way of trialling these irreversible drugs for this purpose.

She said the Cass Review had made clear that a holistic approach was required.

Kemi Badenoch said she found it hard to believe that a puberty blocker trial could ever be done in an ethical way - Geoff Pugh

Dr Michael Biggs, the associate professor of sociology at the University of Oxford, said during the last trial, the HRA allowed the researchers to suppress the results.

He said it was crucial the HRA and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) ensure that the proposed clinical trial of puberty blockers is clinically and ethically justified before approving it and ensure the results are published as soon as possible.

Otherwise the Tavistock scandal will be repeated, this time with even more children being subjected to an unethical experiment, he added.

Dr Louise Irvine, the co-chairman of the Clinical Advisory Network on Sex and Gender, said during the previous trial the supervision, regulation and accountability process by the HRA was totally inadequate and said it had failed to do its job.

She said the proposed application meant it would be held to the highest clinical standards but warned that the world is watching.

Trial will be watched like a hawk

In 2019, the HRA published an investigation into how it handled the Tavistock trial and concluded it had acted within its standard operating procedures and its normal practice in relation to this study.

Under new legislation, clinical trials will be legally required to publish a summary of results within 12 months of the end of the trial or face regulatory action by the MHRA, which also has the power to stop or halt a trial if it has concerns.

More than 1,000 children were prescribed puberty blockers while being cared for by the Tavistock clinic between 2011 and its closure in 2023.

One of those patients was Keira Bell, a biological woman who was given the drugs and had surgery to become a trans man. She later regretted the decision and has now de-transitioned.

Ms Bell has threatened the NHS with a lawsuit if it ploughs ahead with the unethical and unlawful trial.

Dr Caroline Johnson, the shadow health minister and consultant paediatrician, said the trial would be watched like a hawk and that it was vital everything is done absolutely by the book.

Helen Joyce, the director of advocacy at human rights charity Sex Matters, said the HRAs approach to the first puberty blocker trial had contributed to the normalisation of the practice in mainstream medicine.

A spokesman for the HRA said: The HRA is the appointing authority for research ethic committees in England, but each committee gives an ethical opinion using an established ethical review framework that ensures a consistent approach to ethical matters in different applications.

RECs review all of the information submitted by a study team in an application and offer an opinion on the ethics of the approach. RECs do not decide what research takes place and how it is carried out. They carry out their ethical review using an established framework for the review of health and social care research in the UK.

Study will be safe and controlled

A Department of Health spokesman said: The secretary of state has been crystal clear about the need for childrens healthcare to be evidence-led. One of his first acts in office was to extend a ban on puberty-suppressing hormones following expert, independent advice from the Cass Review.

This also recommended a clinical trial be set up [to] help us better understand the effects of these hormones, providing the robust evidence required.

The number of participants on the trial will be restricted by carefully considered eligibility criteria, which will be scrutinised as part of the ethical approval process and published once finalised.

This will provide a safe and controlled environment for young people and will be conducted to the highest scientific and ethical standards.

An NHS England spokesman said the study has been subject to independent academic peer review and a review by the National Institute for Health Care and Research committee ahead of seeking the usual strict ethical and regulatory approvals which ensure stringent safeguards in scientific research.
Louise Holland, a nurse practitioner in womens sexual and reproductive health, runs the Womens Health Mobile Clinic. Photograph: Christopher Hopkins/The Guardian

The idea of travelling to Victorias most remote corners, hopping between small towns every few weeks and living out of a suitcase doesnt sound like everyones dream job.

But when Louise Holland heard about the opportunity to run a mobile womens health clinic that involved just that, she jumped at it.

For the past month, the nurse practitioner has been travelling on board a hot-pink coloured trailer fitted out as a medical clinic on wheels, named Nina.

You sure cant miss it, she says. Especially when were parked right next to the local footy club.

Inside, theres a small reception area, an X-ray room for breast screenings and a compact office where she offers free, 45-minute appointments. Services include cervical screenings, treatment for sexually transmitted infections, prescriptions for long-acting, reversible contraception and referrals for mental health or alcohol and other drug support.

Holland also provides prescriptions for medical abortions  a drug-induced termination that can be carried out up to nine weeks gestation  and offers referrals for surgical abortions.

She says that while Victoria is the nation-leader in abortion access, it can still be challenging for women, particularly in remote and regional areas, to receive timely care.

There are some well-serviced towns with GPs who would provide abortion services to their client base  but some dont take on new clients, even in these circumstances, Holland says.

Then theres others who dont provide the services at all and then theres towns without GPs. I usually work in Bendigo and we have women who call us from two to three hours away, from Deniliquin across the NSW border, trying to access abortion services.

Her account is backed up by data. A report by the not-for-profit Womens Health Victoria, published last year, found seven out of 10 Victorian local government areas had no surgical abortion provider and one in five had no medical abortion provider in 2023.

Meanwhile, 17% of Victorian GPs provided access to medical abortions and less than 20% of pharmacies in the state dispensed the drugs for medical abortions.

This is why the van is just so brilliant, Holland says. People can come and see me, I can tell them what their options are.

For some women, who track their cycles on apps and know that they are in the very early stages of pregnancy, they can come in and say, I dont want to wait until Im six weeks to have an ultrasound and I can provide medication.

For others, she says, it might require a follow-up visit or a referral to another service: Everyones story is different and individualised and you need to be very mindful of that. Its not a one-size-fits-all approach.

The areas the van will visit have been chosen based on demographics and demand. So far, Holland has visited Edenhope, a remote town in western Victoria about four-and-a-half hours from Melbourne, as well as Daylesford and Bendigo, where she is working alongside the local Aboriginal community-controlled health organisation.

Holland has focused on building relationships in each place she visits. This includes working with schools, where she has offered sexual education classes for senior students, and meeting with pharmacists to discuss access to emergency contraception and medical abortion drugs.

Ill ask the pharmacist questions like, Would you give emergency contraception to a 15-year-old if they walked in and asked for the morning-after pill? Because in my experience, thats not happening, Holland says.

And of course, Ill ask about medical abortion medications  if they dispense MS-2 Step. If they say yes, then thats great. I give them my provider number, tell them to get in touch if theres any issues while Im in town. Or, if they dont, then I need to look elsewhere.

In Edenhope, Holland met with Jo Grant, the primary health coordinator at Grampians Health, to ask for a private clinical space to conduct pelvic examinations.

Grant agreed  and booked in to see Holland herself. She says the town has one male GP, who is generally booked out weeks in advance, with the closest female doctor 45 minutes away at a clinic in Naracoorte, in South Australia.

Visiting the doctor is the sort of thing you put off if youre a woman living in the area, because you probably are going to have to drive, and youve got to fit it around school pickup, kinder drop offs, or whether youre shearing or whatever is going on in your life, Grant says.

Womens roles are very complex, and they often do put their health needs on the back burner.

The mobile clinic is a joint project between the Victorian government and BreastScreen Victoria, which has been conducting mobile breast checks for years.

It forms part of the states $153m womens health package, which also includes funding for 20 new womens health clinics, a dedicated Aboriginal womens health clinic, a virtual womens health clinic and the doubling of the number of laparoscopies for endometriosis and related conditions.

The health minister, Mary-Anne Thomas, said the package  and other initiatives such as an inquiry into womens pain  came from meetings of Labors female MPs.

I have no doubt whatsoever that the massive increase in representation in our party has changed what we prioritise and focus on, Thomas said.

We bring to the parliament our own lived experience of being dismissed, being told that the pain that were experiencing is not real, not being able to access the services that we need.

She said she was working to improve abortion access in Victoria and that the US supreme court overturning Roe v Wade should serve as a reminder of the need for vigilance in Australia, especially as far-right politicians aligned with conservative groups continue to stir up the debate.

Nina will travel to St Arnaud (17-28 March), Birchip (31 March-11 April), Warracknabeal (14 April-2 May), and Nhill (5-15 May).
You don't have to commit to adopting a pet to help animals in need. Animal shelters and rescues always need staff, volunteers, foster parents, and even just donations to keep running efficiently. Whether you lend a hand one time or make it a regular commitment, every ounce of your effort, time, or money will go toward the injured, surrendered, and stray animals who need it the most.

For the folks at the Humane Society of North Myrtle Beach, in South Carolina, a lot of their recent efforts have gone toward a special dog named Pumpkin. She's the shelter's longest resident and, at only 3 years old, has spent over two and a half years waiting patiently for her forever family to come her way. Punkin is a large, mixed-breed dog with friendly eyes and precious, half-floppy ears, but the sweetest thing about her just may be the nightly routine that has even her friends online falling for her.

Aww! Every dog deserves to have a comforting nighttime routine, whether they're in the shelter or in their forever home. Night can be difficult, especially for rescue dogs who are still in the shelter, but a loving interaction could make all the difference in the world.

Related: Shelter Dog's Grateful Cuddles for Couple Who Took Him Out for Sleepover Gets Sweetest Surprise

Punkin is a beautiful dog! Her sleek brown coat looks great, and she appears to be at a healthy weight, so it's clear that her friends at the South Carolina shelter are taking wonderful care of her. However, after being in the shelter since 2022, kennel anxiety is starting to get the best of her.

The sweet shelter dog arrived at the rescue at only 6 months old, which means she's missed out on a lot of important life experiences. As her pals at @rescueme_atl explain in the video caption, "She thinks the staff and volunteers are her family because shes been here as a puppy and doesnt remember life before." As relieving as it is to know that she is loved beyond measure by her shelter family, it's equally heartbreaking to realize that she's never known any other life.

Adopting a Rescue Dog

As sad as I am for Punkin, I was thrilled to see a comment from a potential adopter. She expressed so much joy at the thought of adding four more paws to her family, but ultimately, her adoption application was not the right fit. Due to Punkin's kennel anxiety and dislike for other dogs, she needs to find a dog-free home close to South Carolina where she can take her time to adjust.

No matter what they've been through, any rescue dog could need weeks or even months before feeling at home with their new family. It's nothing personal! Dogs could take days before they feel safe enough to interact with their new environment, though they should be getting the hang of daily routines and expectations after a few weeks. Building trust may take time, but the result is so worth it! Punkin is going to be a sweet, loving dog for the right person, and she'll never have to spend another night alone ever again!

Looking for more PetHelpful updates? Follow us on YouTube for more entertaining videos.

Or, share your own adorable pet by submitting a video, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest pet updates and tips.
Brad Sigmon with his children, taken around 1999 when he was roughly 42 years old. Photograph: Courtesy of Brad Sigmon's lawyers

The US has conducted its first execution by firing squad in 15 years, with South Carolina prison officials shooting to death Brad Sigmon, 67, on Friday evening, despite widespread concerns about the safety and cruelty of this method.

Sigmon was the oldest person to be executed in the states history and his death was part of a series of rapid killings the state has pursued in the last six months as it revives capital punishment. There had been growing calls for clemency, but minutes before Sigmon was killed, the states Republican governor, Henry McMaster, announced he would not be intervening.

Sigmon called for Christians to support an end to the death penalty in his last words.

After a 13-year-pause in killings in South Carolina, due to limited supplies of drugs to carry out executions, the state now directs men on death row to choose their method of death  electric chair, lethal injection or firing squad.

Sigmon chose to be shot dead out of fear that lethal injection would result in a prolonged death following reports that the last three South Carolina men executed by pentobarbital, a sedative, took more than 20 minutes to die and one appeared to suffer a condition akin to drowning and suffocation. They were three men Brad knew and cared for, his lawyers said, and he feared a slow injection process or being burned and cooked alive by electrocution.

Related: Life on South Carolina death row: months of barbaric isolation before execution

The South Carolina department of corrections (SCDC) firing squad protocols dictated that staff strap Sigmon to a chair in the death chamber. At the start of the process, Sigmon was restrained at his ankles, wrists, lap and waist, with a strap on the lower half of his face, Gerald Bo King, one of his lawyers, said after the execution.

Before the shooting, Sigmon tried to mouth words to King and his spiritual adviser in the front row, but the restraint on his face made it hard for them to decipher the words, the lawyer said. King attempted to maintain eye contact until staff put a large hood over Sigmons head. He had a bulls eye on his chest and was dressed in black, which is not the typical uniform color for men facing execution and was probably meant to conceal the blood, King said.

Three prison employees armed with rifles shot Sigmon at once, and his arm went tense and started trembling and forcefully straining as if he was trying to break free from the restraints, King said. The lawyer said he saw blood spilling out: The wound on his chest opened very abruptly and violently. When a doctor approached to check his pulse, the attorney said it appeared that Sigmons chest was briefly still moving.

There were three media witnesses in the room, including the Associated Press, who reported that the staff were shooting through openings in a wall and were roughly 15ft away from Sigmon.The AP said it appeared the target was blasted off his chest during the shooting. The staff, who volunteer to be shooters, fired about 6.05pm and Sigmon was declared dead roughly three minutes later.

When SCDC released a photo of the death chamber before the execution, some firearms experts raised concerns about whether the set-up was safe for witnesses and the shooters, citing the possibility for bullets to ricochet. A spokesperson did not respond to questions about safety concerns earlier this week.

Sigmon was convicted of the 2001 murders of his ex-girlfriends parents, David and Gladys Larke. He had long admitted his guilt, with his lawyers arguing that the killings stemmed from a childhood of severe abuse and neglect and undiagnosed and untreated mental illness.

His lawyers said he suffered organic brain injuries and manic episodes and was experiencing a psychotic break that probably rendered him incompetent to stand trial. His team argued his trial counsel failed him and the jury had no idea of how severely compromised his mental health was.

The US supreme court denied his lawyers appeal to stop the execution on Friday afternoon.

Sigmons last words, shared by his attorneys, read: I want my closing statement to be one of love and a calling to my fellow Christians to help us end the death penalty. An eye for an eye was used as justification to the jury for seeking the death penalty. At that time, I was too ignorant to know how wrong that was.

He said: We ... now live under the New Testament, and quoted a Bible verse that says: You have heard that it has been said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. but I say unto you that you do not resist an evil person. Whosoever shall smite me on the right cheek, turn to him the other one as well.

Nowhere does God in the New Testament give man the authority to kill another man, he continued, quoting the verse, Did not Moses give you the law? Yet none of you keep with the law. His statement concluded: We are now under Gods grace and mercy.

Rebecca Armstrong, Sigmons ex-girlfriend and the daughter of the victims, told USA Today in an interview before the execution that she did not believe in the death penalty, but he should answer for what hes done.

The state argued in court that some arguments raised by his attorneys about his trial counsel and mental health had already been litigated and that it was too late to raise new issues.

Sigmon knew the shooting would shatter his bones and destroy his heart, King said in a statement after the execution, but it was the only choice he had, after the states three executions by lethal injection inflicted prolonged and potentially torturous deaths on men he loved like brothers.

It is unfathomable that, in 2025, South Carolina would execute one of its citizens in this bloody spectacle, King said, adding that the state had killed a man who has devoted himself to his faith, and to ministry and service to all around him.

Brad admitted his guilt at trial and shared his deep grief for his crimes with his jury and, in the years since, with everyone who knew him, King said, adding: In 23 years on death row, Brad devoted himself every day to prayer and repentance.

For his final meal, Sigmon asked for three buckets of Kentucky Fried Chicken to be shared with the others on death row, but the request was denied, King said: Brads love for his brothers, his family, his friends and the men and women who have guarded him is undeniable. It is a shame that South Carolina has not lived up the example that Brad has set for all of us during his final days.

King, the chief of the capital habeas unit for the fourth circuit, which is part of the federal public defenders office, has also been raising concerns around the secrecy of South Carolinas execution methods. Lawmakers in 2023 passed a shield law to keep the identity of lethal injection drug suppliers secret, which allowed officials to restock pentobarbital and resume executions.

Sigmons lawyers have said it was barbaric to make the men on death row choose among these methods and argued the state was obliged to disclose some basic facts about the drugs creation, quality and reliability. The lawyers have also criticized prison officials for failing to provide information about the potency, purity and stability of the drugs, their expiration dates and how they are being tested and stored.

In the execution of Richard Moore in November, autopsy records suggested he required two pentobarbital doses and that his lungs were swollen with fluid, an excruciating condition known as pulmonary edema.

A South Carolina judge previously said the firing squad method constitutes torture and the person was likely to be conscious for a minimum of 10 seconds after impact.

Faith leaders in the state had protested against Sigmons execution and supporters had collected thousands of signatures calling for clemency. No South Carolina governor has granted clemency to a defendant facing execution in the modern death penalty era.
The Denka synthetic rubber plant in Reserve, Louisiana, in 2025. Photograph: Brandon Holland/The Guardian

The Donald Trump administration has formally agreed to drop a landmark environmental justice case in Louisianas Cancer Alley region, marking a blow to clean air advocates in the region and a win for the Japanese petrochemical giant at the centre of the litigation.

Legal filings made public on Friday morning reveal that Trumps Department of Justice agreed to dismiss a long-running lawsuit against the operators of a synthetic rubber plant in Reserve, Louisiana, which is allegedly largely responsible for some of the highest cancer risk rates in the US for the surrounding majority-Black neighborhoods.

The litigation was filed under the Biden administration in February 2023 in an attempt to substantially curb the plants emissions of a pollutant named chloroprene, a likely human carcinogen. It had targeted both the current operator, the Japanese firm Denka, and its previous owner, the American chemical giant DuPont, and formed a central piece of the former administrations Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) efforts to address environmental justice issues in disadvantaged communities. A trial had been due to start in April 2025 following lengthy delays.

Related: Air in Louisianas Cancer Alley likely more toxic than previously thought

Community leaders in Reserve had expressed grave concerns about the cases future following Trumps return to the White House after the president moved to gut offices within the EPA and justice department responsible for civil rights and environmental justice.

On Friday, 84-year-old Robert Taylor, a resident in Reserve who has lost a number of family members to cancer, described the move as terrible for his community.

Its obvious that the Trump administration doesnt care anything for the poor Black folk in Cancer Alley, Taylor said. [Trumps] administration has taken away what protections we had, what little hope we had.

Filings show that parties involved in the litigation, including lawyers for Denka and DuPont, met on Wednesday and agreed jointly with the US justice department to dismiss the case.

In a statement released on Friday evening, the justice department said the dismissal was made in compliance with an executive order issued by Trump targeting wasteful government and DEI programs aimed to eliminate ideological overreach and restore impartial enforcement of federal laws.

The department claimed Bidens EPA had overreached by utilizing the Clean Air Acts emergency powers authority and had not alleged the plant had violated any regulatory air quality standard.

We do not regulate through litigation, nor do we stretch statutes beyond their plain meaning to advance political agendas, said Adam Gustafson, acting assistant attorney general.

The EPAs long-term exposure limit for chloroprene is 0.2 micrograms per cubic meter. Air monitoring around the plant has frequently shown readings dozens over times above this threshold.

A spokesperson for Denka did not respond to questions from the Guardian but issued a statement thanking the Trump administration and lauding Louisianas Republican governor, Jeff Landry, for his unwavering support.

The chemical firm pointed to a $35m investment in emissions offsets and said the facilitys emissions are at an historical low. The company remains committed to implementing the emissions reductions achieved as we turn the page from this relentless and draining attack on our business, the statement added.

According to the complaint filed in 2023, emissions from the plant pose an imminent and substantial endangerment to public health and welfare. The lawsuit had specifically singled out the risk to children living near the plant and those attending an elementary school situated close to the plants fence line. It noted that average readings at an air monitor near the school between April 2018 to January 2023 showed that those under 16 could surpass the EPAs excess cancer risk rate within two years of their life.

On Friday, Taylor vowed to continue pushing back against pollution.

We are going to fight them and prepare ourselves to keep going. We were preparing for the worst, and I dont know how it could get any worse now that the government has totally abandoned us, it seems.

DuPont did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Relatives and neighbours mourn during the funeral procession for four Syrian security force members killed in clashes with loyalists of ousted President Bashar Assad in coastal Syria, in the village of Al-Janoudiya, west of Idlib, Saturday, March 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Albam)

BEIRUT (AP)  The death toll from two days of clashes between Syrian security forces and loyalists of ousted President Bashar Assad and revenge killings that followed has risen to more than 1,000, a war monitoring group said Saturday, making it one of the deadliest acts of violence since Syrias conflict began 14 years ago.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said in addition to 745 civilians killed, mostly in shootings from close distance, 125 government security force members and 148 militants with armed groups affiliated with Assad were killed. It added that electricity and drinking water were cut off in large areas around the city of Latakia.

The clashes, which erupted Thursday, marked a major escalation in the challenge to the new government in Damascus, three months after insurgents took authority after removing Assad from power.

The government has said that they were responding to attacks from remnants of Assads forces and blamed individual actions for the rampant violence.

Retribution killings between Sunnis and Alawites

The revenge killings that started Friday by Sunni Muslim gunmen loyal to the government against members of Assads minority Alawite sect are a major blow to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the faction that led the overthrow of the former government. Alawites made up a large part of Assads support base for decades.

Residents of Alawite villages and towns spoke to The Associated Press about killings during which gunmen shot Alawites, the majority of them men, in the streets or at the gates of their homes. Many homes of Alawites were looted and then set on fire in different areas, two residents of Syrias coastal region told the AP from their hideouts.

They asked that their names not be made public out of fear of being killed by gunmen, adding that thousands of people have fled to nearby mountains for safety.

Residents speak of atrocities in one town

Residents of Baniyas, one of the towns worst hit by the violence, said bodies were strewn on the streets or left unburied in homes and on the roofs of buildings, and nobody was able to collect them. One resident said that the gunmen prevented residents for hours from removing the bodies of five of their neighbors killed Friday at close range.

Ali Sheha, a 57-year-old resident of Baniyas who fled with his family and neighbors hours after the violence broke out Friday, said that at least 20 of his neighbors and colleagues in one neighborhood of Baniyas where Alawites lived, were killed, some of them in their shops, or in their homes.

Sheha called the attacks revenge killings of the Alawite minority for the crimes committed by Assad's government. Other residents said the gunmen included foreign fighters, and militants from neighboring villages and towns.

It was very very bad. Bodies were on the streets, as he was fleeing, Sheha said, speaking by phone from nearly 20 kilometers (12 miles) away from the city. He said the gunmen were gathering less than 100 meters from his apartment building, firing randomly at homes and residents and in at least one incident he knows of, asked residents for their IDs to check their religion and their sect before killing them. He said the gunmen also burned some homes and stole cars and robbed homes.

Death toll has multiplied

The Observatorys chief Rami Abdurrahman said that revenge killings stopped early Saturday.

This was one of the biggest massacres during the Syrian conflict, Abdurrahman said about the killings of Alawite civilians.

The previous figure given by the group was more than 600 dead. No official figures have been released.

A funeral was held Saturday afternoon for four Syrian security force members in the northwestern village of Al-Janoudiya after they were killed in the clashes along Syria's coast. Scores of people attended the funeral.

Official reports say Syrian forces regaining control

Syrias state news agency quoted an unnamed Defense Ministry official as saying that government forces have regained control of much of the areas from Assad loyalists. It added that authorities have closed all roads leading to the coastal region to prevent violations and gradually restore stability.

On Saturday morning, the bodies of 31 people killed in revenge attacks the day before in the central village of Tuwaym were laid to rest in a mass grave, residents said. Those killed included nine children and four women, the residents said, sending the AP photos of the bodies draped in white cloth as they were lined in the mass grave.

Lebanese legislator Haidar Nasser, who holds one of the two seats allocated to the Alawite sect in parliament, said that people were fleeing from Syria for safety in Lebanon. He said he didn't have exact numbers.

Nasser said that many people were sheltering at the Russian air base in Hmeimim, Syria, adding that the international community should protect Alawites who are Syrian citizens loyal to their country. He said that since Assads fall, many Alawites were fired from their jobs and some former soldiers who reconciled with the new authorities were killed.

Under Assad, Alawites held top posts in the army and security agencies. The new government has blamed his loyalists for attacks against the countrys new security forces over the past several weeks.

France expressed its deep concern over recent violence in Syria. Paris condemns in the strongest possible terms atrocities committed against civilians on the basis of religion grounds and against prisoners, its foreign ministry said in a statement Saturday.

France urged Syrian interim authorities to make sure independent investigations shed full light on these crimes.

The most recent clashes started when government forces tried to detain a wanted person near the coastal city of Jableh, and were ambushed by Assad loyalists, according to the Observatory.

___

Omar Albam in Al-Janoudiya, Syria and Sylvie Corbet in Paris contributed to this report..
Need a little something to boost your serotonin levels after a long, dreary day (who doesn't need that, am I right)? If so, I've got just the thing. Get ready to get your good vibes on, because it's time for a sing-along with animal rescuer Ryan Phillips and his best pal on four hooves, Jenna the stylish horned cow!

Ryan Phillips rescued Jenna from a dairy farm when she was a calf back in 2018, and they've been inseparable ever since. Jenna has a passion for fashionshe loves wearing scrunchies on her hornsbut more than that, she loves listening to Ryan play his acoustic guitar and serenade her with Phil Collins tunes.

Lucky Ryanif I had an adorable cheerleader like Jenna on my shoulder, there'd be nothing I couldn't accomplish! Jenna is Ryan's biggest fan, and according to Ryan, she's done wonders for his vocal prowess over the course of their friendship together.

"This [Against All Odds] is one of my favorite songs and also a song I never thought I'd be able to sing. In fact, it wasn't until I started to sing to Jenna that my vocal range expanded to where it is now," Ryan explained in his caption. "If only she'd been around inspiring me back when I was a kid, I would have been so much better by now, maybe even had my rock and roll dreams come true. But, I'd much rather spend my days with Jenna than be playing to stadiums. So life worked out exactly as it was meant to!"

Ryan and Jenna frequently get together and jam out for TikTok in their "Tunetastic Tuesday" seriesJenna with her horns adorned in scrunchies and flower headbands, Ryan with his acoustic guitar and a mental catalog of rocking tunes. The charismatic duo never fails to draw a crowd and always brings good vibes to their appreciative fans.

"Look at her face, eyes closed, just loving this. You, sir, are in heaven," said @yorkielove4. Other TikTokers were equally entranced, with one @peoplearepeople73 sharing that their singalong "made me smile in a world that is hard to smile in." The comments were full of heartfelt feedback from people who really needed a smile... along with a few punny responses.

"This was a very MOOving performance," quipped @cjr72104. I guess we can't deny that!

Jenna's Story

It's heartbreaking to think that Jenna almost didn't get this magical life with her friend and adopted dad Ryan. According to her bio on the website for the Life With Pigs Farm Animal Sanctuary, Jenna was born in 2018 on a North Carolina dairy farm. Because she was born with a twin brother, she was a Freemartin cow, or a masculinized female cow that likely would never produce milk or have babies of her own. The dairy farmer wanted to put the twin calves down, but his daughter, Jenna, convinced him to let her find someone to give them a home first.

Ryan Phillips adopted the female calf when she was three days old, naming her "Jenna" in honor of the woman who saved her and her brother's lives. Jenna "mooved" out to the Life With Pigs Sanctuary in Williamsburg, VA, where she joined scores of other cows, pigs, sheep, chickens, and other farm animals (along with a few "wild card" animals, like their adopted conure Sassy). Jenna has lived at the idyllic farm sanctuary ever since, where she's free to live like a contented calf for the rest of her daysand since cows can live up to 15-20 years or more, that means she and Ryan can look forward to many, many "Tunetastic Tuesdays" together in their future.
In this photo provided by the National Hot Rod Association, drivers Tony Stewart, left, and Leah Pruett hold their son, Dominic, during NHRA media day on Thursday, March 6, 2025. (Jerry Foss/NHRA via AP)

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP)  New dad Tony Stewart insists hes ready to change his first diaper. But it needs to happen "in the right situation.

His wife, fellow drag racer Leah Pruett, rolls her eyes and shakes her head as the NASCAR Hall of Famer calls himself still undefeated when it comes to facing one of parenthoods many daunting  and sometimes dirtiest  duties.

She keeps telling me every time I say this answer that it is not a flex, that it is embarrassing, Stewart said. But I still am undefeated.

Stewart and Pruett welcomed their first child, Dominic James Stewart, in November. And the baby boy has been along for the ride ever since  literally.

Dom was in tow for the Hot Air Balloon Festival in Lake Havasu, Arizona, on hand for two weeks of preseason testing in Florida and will be on site for the NHRAs season opener, the Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway, this weekend.

Stewart, 53, and Pruett, 36, provided a glimpse into their new normal Friday, beginning with Pruett hustling up three flights of stairs and arriving a few minutes late and a little out of breath to a scheduled media availability.

Im absolutely loving it, and Im finding this balance between constantly comparing my love for racing and love for Dominic, and theres two different types of love, right? she said. But I feel like I have won the absolute lottery, the beautiful baby, an incredible team on both sides, incredible partners. I couldnt be happier.

Striking that balance might be more intimidating considering Pruett is constantly trying to meld feedings, naps and playtime with business meetings, autograph signings and working on cars  all while shielding Dom from the deafening noises and toxic fumes of the drag strip.

Leah has huge responsibilities, not only as a mom and a babysitter for me, but now on top of that, she plays a very crucial role with the race team, Stewart said. She doesnt just sit around. Shes not sitting on her hands all day away from the kid. Shes working in this pit, so she has a full schedule.

Pruett stepped away from driving for Tony Stewart Racing at the end of the 2023 season to focus on starting a family. Stewart, a three-time NASCAR champion and the 1997 IndyCar champion, replaced her last year in the Top Fuel dragster that Pruett drove to a career-best third in the standings.

Stewart, who reiterated his promise to turn the seat back over to Pruett the moment shes ready, finished ninth in points in 2024. It was a solid start for a guy who took up drag racing just a few years ago. Hes hoping to take a step forward in Year 2.

This year Im way calmer, said Stewart, who also announced Friday a multiyear extension with Stellantis, the parent company of automaker Dodge. Theres still a lot of things that havent happened driving the car that I know are out there and that are going to come at some point. So its not like you say, I got that. But I feel way more confident and comfortable where I am now versus where I was a year ago at this time.

Having Dom around should help.

If you have a bad run and you get a chance to go back to the bus just for five minutes, and hes awake and you see him smile one time, that bad run doesnt seem so bad, Stewart said. So I think this kids going to play a really crucial role in this team.

Stewart and Pruett have full-time help, although the newborn care specialist got sick and was unable to make the trip to Florida. They were able to pivot to a new nanny, although the last-minute shakeup could be the twist Stewart needs to finally delve into the diaper bag.

I never thought I would say this: Im kind of looking forward to this a little bit because I feel like its a rite of passage to a certain degree as a father," Stewart said. So it is coming, and Im planning and, psychologically, in the right frame of mind to do this.

"Ive watched him pull the diaper down and Ive seen whats in there, and I immediately exit stage right. So Im going to have to commit to this one. But once we do the first one, itll be fine, Im sure.

Stewart promised to share the ordeal on social media.

I will make sure the world knows when I change my first one, he quipped.

___

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
Russian strikes overnight had killed at least 12 people in eastern Ukraine as of Saturday morning, the country's emergency service said, days ahead of talks in Saudi Arabia between US and Ukrainian negotiators aimed at a truce.

A Russian assault hit the centre of Dobropillia in Ukraine's Donetsk region late Friday, killing 11 people and wounding 30, according to the emergency service.

Separately, one person was killed in a drone attack and seven others wounded early Saturday in the city of Bogodukhiv, said Kharkiv region military head Oleg Synegubov.

The overnight air raids come after US President Donald Trump threatened new sanctions and tariffs on Russia but said it may be "easier" to work with Moscow than Kyiv on efforts to end the three-year war.

After Trump publicly berated Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky during a White House meeting and suspended US aid to Kyiv in a stated bid to encourage diplomacy, the US president told reporters Friday that he trusted Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"I'm finding it more difficult frankly to deal with Ukraine and they don't have the cards," Trump said. "It may be easier dealing with Russia."

The remarks followed Trump earlier Friday threatening new sanctions and tariffs on Russia over its bombardments of Ukraine -- his warning coming just hours after Moscow launched a "massive" drone and missile attack on Ukrainian energy facilities.

"Based on the fact that Russia is absolutely 'pounding' Ukraine on the battlefield right now, I am strongly considering large scale Banking Sanctions, Sanctions, and Tariffs on Russia until a Cease Fire and FINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ON PEACE IS REACHED," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

"To Russia and Ukraine, get to the table right now, before it is too late," he added.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also spoke with his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Sybiha, on the phone Friday.

On the call, Rubio underscored Trump's goal of ending the three-year war quickly, and emphasized that "all sides must take steps to secure a sustainable peace", State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement.

Zelensky is due to land in Saudi Arabia on Monday for talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The meeting is a day before Ukrainian officials are expected to hold fresh talks with their US counterparts on Tuesday in the Middle Eastern kingdom.

After meeting with Prince Mohammed, Zelensky said his team "will remain in Saudi Arabia to work with our American partners".

"Ukraine is most interested in peace," he added.

Earlier on Friday, he renewed calls for a mutual halt to aerial attacks on critical infrastructure following the recent Russian barrage.

The Ukrainian leader said the first steps to establishing real peace should be stopping both Russian and Ukrainian aerial and naval attacks.

This latest proposal builds on growing rhetoric from Kyiv, Washington and Moscow on halting the war.

The Kremlin has previously ruled out a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine.

Moscow's defence ministry said Saturday its air defence systems destroyed 31 Ukrainian drones over the past night, with most over the territory of Krasnodar Krai.

A Ukrainian drone attack also targeted Russia's Kirishi oil refinery, with air defence forces shooting down one drone on approach and another over the territory of the facility, Leningrad governor Aleksandr Drozdenko wrote in a post, adding that the "external structure of one of the reservoirs was damaged by falling debris".

A civilian was wounded by a drone attack in Belgorod district near the border, Belgorod governor Vyacheslav Gladkov wrote on Telegram.

Russia's defence ministry confirmed earlier Friday it had carried out "precision" strikes on energy facilities.

The Ukrainian air force said it had deployed French Mirage fighter jets -- delivered to Ukraine last month -- for the first time to repel the aerial onslaught.

DTEK, the largest private energy supplier in Ukraine, said its facilities in the Black Sea region of Odesa had been targeted for a fourth night.

Its gas facilities in the central Poltava region had "ceased operations" after being struck in the overnight attack, it added.

State gas company Naftogaz said its production facilities had been damaged.

Ukraine's energy minister German Galushchenko said Russia was trying to "hurt ordinary Ukrainians by shelling energy and gas production facilities".

The latest air raids came after EU leaders, shaken by the prospect of US disengagement, agreed to boost the bloc's defences.

Washington, however, has said talks with Kyiv were back on track to secure a ceasefire with Moscow -- after the public falling out between Trump and Zelensky.

US envoy Steve Witkoff said he would speak to Ukrainian negotiators about an "initial ceasefire" with Russia and a "framework" for a longer agreement at the talks in Saudi Arabia.
I've been gaga for beluga whales ever since I was a little kid (along with probably every other 80s/90s kid who grew up listening to Raffi's "Baby Beluga" song). Turns out, though, baby belugas don't just live in the deep blue seathey also live at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, where one particular little baby beluga is making big waves!

Several months back, beluga parents Naya and Beethoven welcomed their own baby beluga into the Shedd family. After officially confirming the boy beluga's gender last month, the Shedd Aquarium has been trying to find the perfect name for himand as of March 6, they finally did it!

Everyone, meet Opus. Opuswhich, among other definitions, refers to a musical composition or a set of numbered musical compositionsis reportedly named in honor of his father Beethoven and as a reference to belugas being the "canaries of the sea" due to their unique vocalizations. The Shedd Aquarium held a baby beluga naming contest last month, and over 50% of respondents voted for the classical music-inspired moniker. It's a fitting name in more ways than one, because this baby beluga is certainly his parents' magnum opus!

Related: Sweet Update on 6-Month-Old Beluga Whale at Shedd Aquarium Has People in Love

Opus has been stealing hearts left and right ever since he was born back in July. The little whale has passed tons of important development milestones in that time, and now that he finally has his own official name, fans of the Shedd Aquarium are more obsessed than ever!

"I LOVE YOU WITH MY WHOLE HEART OPUS," cried the aptly named @belugawhalelover on TikTok. User @juliagoolia89 shared those sentiments, saying, "Opus is my motivation to survive 2025."

Several TikTok users even dubbed Opus as a "Knight of the Rotund Table," referring to an adorable art trend started by TikTok user @indipine depicting famous chubby 'n' cute animals from around the internet (including Moo Deng and Pesto the Penguin Chick) as valiant knights of the aforementioned "Rotund Table." I think Opus would be a shoo-in for such a noble crew!

What's New With Opus?

Besides his christening, Opus has been making all sorts of big strides behind the scenes. In a press release last month, the Shedd Aquarium revealed that Opus had grown nearly three times his size since birth and was crossing off other important "big boy" milestones, including "eating solid fish, swimming in new spaces, forging relationships with the animal care team and meeting members of the pod."

Fortuitously coinciding with the reveal of his musical name, Opus is now working on another important beluga skill: singing.

"Opus, the beluga calf at the aquarium, is still learning the chirps, clicks, whistles and squeals used to communicate," the Shedd Aquarium shared in their March 6 press release. "He regularly interacts with the care staff at Shedd, who remark on his curious nature and willingness to explore, try new things and test his abilities."

If you'd like to see Opus in person (whale-son?) and congratulate him on his christening, you'll find him "out and about" at the Shedd Aquarium swimming with other members of his podyou'll be able to recognize him as the smallest in size and darkest in color of the bunch. Here's to you, Opus!
Donald Trump and David Sacks in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on March 3.

The White House hosted its first-ever crypto summit Friday, convening top executives from various digital asset firms to discuss the Trump administrations commitment to rolling back the aggressive regulatory posture the Biden administration took toward the industry.

However, some in the crypto world were left disappointed that the Trump administration did not signal more active support for the industry, leading the prices of the very assets the summit was supposed to acclaim to sag Friday.

The price of bitcoin was down about 3% in late-afternoon trading and was set to finish the week down approximately 7%, to $87,000.

The groundwork for the lackluster reaction was laid late Thursday, when Trumps crypto czar, venture capitalist David Sacks, announced that the president had signed an order to create a strategic bitcoin reserve.

While that measure has been aggressively pushed by the crypto community, the order indicated the reserve would only comprise current bitcoin holdings previously seized by federal law enforcement agencies. A separate digital asset stockpile would also be created to hold non-bitcoin digital tokens, like ethereum and ripple, that have also been seized in enforcement proceedings.

However, the executive order gave no explicit guarantee or timetable for the government to begin making new cryptocurrency purchases outright.

If such purchases were to ever occur, it said, they would be undertaken in a budget-neutral way and at no additional cost to taxpayers.

To be sure, the very existence of a White House crypto summit, let alone a strategic reserve, represents a sea change for an industry that has long fought to gain mainstream acceptance. And despite its recent declines, the price of bitcoin remains about 25% higher than its level before Trump secured a second presidential term in early November.

Trump himself has jumped headfirst into the crypto world, launching his own meme coin just prior to his inauguration in January that briefly saw his paper net worth explode by billions. The coins value has since plunged.

While Trump on Friday doubled down on his desire to make the U.S. the crypto capital of the world and a leader in cutting-edge financial technology, some investors were still left wanting more.

Trump is now officially off the hook for what the Bitcoin community did for him, Jeff Park, an executive with the Bitwise crypto investment group, said in a post on X Friday before the summit concluded, referring to the creation of the strategic reserve. If you want something else later, hell want something else from now on.

Park continued: We asked for too little. Having only bitcoin and not the rest of the altcoins in the strategic reserve is not a win. Exploring or studying concepts is not a win. Not selling is not a win. None of these things at the core require an EO at all to do anything.

On a call with reporters before the summit Friday, White House officials likened the establishment of the reserve to a digital Fort Knox that would ensure the U.S. maintains proper control over its digital holdings. Previously, the officials said, the government had sold off its holdings in an ad hoc manner that, they argued, has resulted in lost value to taxpayers given bitcoins steady rise in value.

The officials also dispelled a rumor that had been circulating  with excitement  in online crypto spaces that individuals would not have to pay taxes on gains from crypto holdings.

And, the officials said, observers had read too much into the presidents initial social media post announcing the creation of the reserve when he initially mentioned three other non-bitcoin cryptocurrencies would serve as founding tokens for the reserve.

The crypto industry played an outsize role in the 2024 election, with crypto-related political action committees and affiliated groups spending more than $245 million for last years cycle, according to Federal Election Commission data.

Nearly half of all corporate dollars that flowed into the election came from the crypto industry, according to the nonprofit watchdog Public Citizen.

For those efforts, even if the industry has not seen the U.S. government jump headfirst into crypto markets, it has nevertheless won a far more encouraging regulatory approach. Trump said Friday his administration would end the federal bureaucracys war on crypto.

We feel like pioneers, Trump said.
By Parisa Hafezi

DUBAI (Reuters) -Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Saturday that Iran will not be bullied into negotiations, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump said he had sent a letter to the country's top authority urging Tehran to negotiate a nuclear deal.

In an interview with Fox Business, Trump said, "There are two ways Iran can be handled: militarily, or you make a deal" to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

At a meeting with senior Iranian officials, Khamenei said Washington's aim was to "impose their own expectations," Iranian state media reported.

"The insistence of some bullying governments on negotiations is not to resolve issues. ... Talks for them is a pathway to have new demands, it is not only about Iran's nuclear issue. ... Iran will definitely not accept their expectations," Khamenei was quoted as saying, without directly mentioning Trump.

In response to Khamenei's comments, White House National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes reiterated almost word for word the choice of negotiations or military action that Trump said he had presented to Iran.

"We hope the Iran Regime puts its people and best interests ahead of terror," Hughes said in a statement.

While expressing openness to a deal with Tehran, Trump has reinstated a "maximum pressure" campaign that was applied during his first term as president to isolate Iran from the global economy and drive its oil exports to zero.

During his 2017-2021 term, Trump withdrew the United States from a landmark deal between Iran and major powers that had placed strict limits on Tehran's nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.

After Trump pulled out in 2018 and re-imposed sanctions, Iran breached and far surpassed those limits.

U.N. nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi has said that time is running out for diplomacy to impose new restrictions on Iran's activities, as Tehran continues to accelerate its enrichment of uranium to near weapons-grade.

Tehran says its nuclear work is solely for peaceful purposes.

Khamenei, who has the last say on Iran's key policies, said there was "no other way to stand against coercion and bullying".

"They are bringing up new demands that certainly will not be accepted by Iran, like our defence capabilities, missile range and international influence," he was quoted as saying.

Although Tehran says its ballistic missile programme is purely defensive, it is seen in the West as a destabilising factor in a volatile, conflict-ridden Middle East.

Tehran has in recent months announced new additions to its conventional weaponry, such as its first drone carrier and an underground naval base amid rising tensions with the U.S. and Israel.

(Writing by Parisa Hafezi; additional reporting by Matt Spetalnick and David Brunnstrom in Washington; Editing by Sharon Singleton, Timothy Heritage and Leslie Adler)
Joy Behar has been a mainstay on The View since 1997. But is the veteran television personality getting ready to say goodbye to the panel show?

The topic came up in a recent episode of the podcast Behind the Table, and Behar wasnt shy about addressing her eventual departure from the ABC show.

 SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 

It all started when podcast host and The View executive producer Brian Teta asked Behar about her take on congressman Al Greens removal from the House floor on March 4 during President Donald Trumps speech to Congress. I thought that was a moment where you saw passion on [the representatives] part, she said, revealing that she thought good for him.

Youre no stranger to walk-offs, said Teta, referencing Behar and co-host Whoopi Goldbergs infamous mid-interview departure while speaking with former Fox News host Bill OReilly.

After calling OReilly ridiculous and sharing that I dont believe you can paint any group with one brush, Behar added, He did it with Muslims, that theyre all terrorists, I believe thats what it was. And I could not get him to retract that, so I got up and left.

Its my greatest moment on the show, Behar said. And when I leave this show, I want you to include that in my package.

Teta quickly clarified that she was speaking about leaving some time in the future and that this was not a retirement announcement. Well, when I do. Everybody leaves eventually; even you will leave eventually, Behar noted.

But theres no plans for you to go anywhere at the moment? Teta asked her. Behar confirmed that shes not planning on retiring from the show just yet before quipping, Oh, thats wishful thinking, when Teta explained that there are constant rumors circulating about cast shakeups at The View that involve her or Goldberg leaving.

Next: 'The View's Joy Behar Makes Bold Declaration About Co-Hosts Who Were 'Mean' To Her
A Newark police officer was killed and another officer suffered critical injuries in a shooting in New Jerseys largest city Friday evening, according to the police union and officials.

Gunfire erupted after 6 p.m. in the area of Broadway and Carteret Street in the citys North Ward, the Essex County Prosecutors Office said. Police responded after 18 shots were fired.

As they got to the scene, the officers came across gunfire and called for urgent backup. Two officers were shot, according to officials.

One officer was struck in the head by a bullet and was rushed to University Hospital in critical condition, where they later died, the New Jersey State Policemens Benevolent Association said in a post on Facebook.

The other officer was critically injured but had wounds that were not considered to be life-threatening, according to the county prosecutors office.

The officers have not been publicly identified.

A suspect was taken into custody, and is believed to have been responsible for firing the bullets that struck the officers, officials said.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said he had been updated on an incident involving the officers in Newark, and urged people to pray for these officers, their families, and all our men and women in uniform who put their lives on the line to keep up safe.

The state attorney generals office said it was monitoring the situation as well.

No further information was immediately available. An investigation is ongoing.
Giorgia Caporuscio at don antonio holding a pizza, la montanara pizza at don antonio restaurant, don antonio restaurant

Shes a pizz-a culinary history.

Giorgia Caporuscio is breaking the sauce ceiling as the only female pizza chef featured in the Michelin Guide.

The Italian native said when it comes to kneading dough, a womans touch is better  especially for the Neapolitan-style pizza she makes at her Hells Kitchen restaurant, Don Antonio.

Women have less power in their hands and they can control that power more, Caporuscio, 34, told The Post ahead of International Womens Day on Saturday.

Giorgia Caporuscio is the owner of Don Antonio on West 50th Street in Hells Kitchen. J.C. Rice

So when you are going to touch Neapolitan pizza, whose dough is fermented at least 24 hours, you need to be really soft and gentle because youre pushing the air that was created.

The foodie bible is far from the only acclaim showered on Don Antonio. The restaurant is ranked seventh in the U.S., and 30th in the world, according to 50 Top Pizza.

Caporuscio grew up on a farm in Terracina, 35 miles from Rome, and immigrated to New York at 19 to join her father, Roberto.

He was one of the first to introduce Neapolitan-style pizza to Manhattan when he opened Keste Pizza & Vino on Bleecker Street in 2009.

She was the only woman at the eatery, and the Italian male employees taunted her.

Everyone was making fun of me, saying, You are Italian, you dont know how to make pasta or pizza, so I said, Why dont I show them that I can make better pizza than them.'

She began closely watching her father prepare pies  and soon learned that pizza-making was in her genes.

It came naturally, said Caporuscio, who took over her dads second NYC restaurant, Don Antonio, on West 50th Street, in 2020.

I felt really that it was in my blood.

Caporuscio married Don Antonios bartender, Matteo. The couple has two children, Liam, 3 months, pictured, and Leo, 1. J.C. Rice

When she was 22, she traveled to Naples for the Caputo Cup, known as the Olympics of Pizza, with her dad, who, unbeknownst to her, signed her up for a pizza-making competition  where she made history as the youngest woman to ever win it.

At the contest, she made La Montanara  deep-fried pizza with tomato sauce, smoked buffalo mozzarella, pecorino romano and basil  the signature dish at Don Antonio, which has roots in womens history.

To help the economy of their house, women would fry pizza on the street while the men were working, she said.

Despite her early success, many still thought she couldnt stand the heat.

One pizza maker said to me, You cannot reach the same success as a man because at one point you need to slow down to stay home with your children,' she recalled.

Don Antonios signature pizza is La Montanara. J.C. Rice

Caporuscio married Don Antonios bartender, Matteo, in 2022 and the couple has two children, Leo, 1, and Liam, 3 months.

And in the past two years, I accomplished a lot more than I ever did, she said, smiling.

After over a decade of working with her dad, she decided to take over Don Antonio with the help of Matteo.

It was hard for me to step out of his shadow, she said.

But it was the right moment to show the customers who I am.

Caporuscios father, Roberto, opened Don Antonio in 2012, and she took the helm in 2020. J.C. Rice

There were some who took a while to get used to a woman making their pizza.

When I was expecting my first child and making pizza at the oven, a guy from Italy came to see who was making the pizza, she said.

And first he was shocked because I was a woman and second he was like, Oh my God, youre expecting a baby!'

Now, Caporuscio is mentoring young women who want to follow in her footsteps, as a founding member of the nonprofit Women in Pizza.

This is the biggest difference between us and male pizza makers. They dont like to share. They say all the time, No, this is my secret sauce.

But we dont have any secrets, we are sharing everything.
Eurostar services to London and all trains heading to northern France were brought to a halt - Geoffroy van der Hasselt/AFP

All Eurostar services between London and Paris were cancelled on Friday after an unexploded Second World War bomb was found in the middle of the tracks in France overnight.

Thousands of passengers are facing disruption as police work to disable the ordnance, which was discovered by engineers a mile and a half away from the station.

Gare du Nord station was closed and Eurostar asked passengers to change their travel plans. It remains unclear exactly how long disruption is expected to last.

Philippe Tabarot, the French transport minister, said normal services were expected to resume on Saturday.

Eurostar said it expects normal traffic between Paris and London on Saturday, and will run one extra service in each direction in addition to its usual timetable.

The first Eurostar train to run from London St Pancras to Gare du Nord on Saturday is scheduled to depart at 6.31am.

Fridays are often the busiest day of the week on the Eurostar, as holidaymakers head on weekend breaks and workers return home.

The first six trains departing Paris bound for London were cancelled - Samuel Petrequin/AP

Large queues formed at St Pancras as passengers tried to work out how to continue their journeys.

Five of the six flights that British Airways was operating from Heathrow to Paris Charles de Gaulle on Friday afternoon were full.

A ticket for the one with spare seats, which departs at 6.20pm, was being sold for 264.

Some passengers opted to travel to Lille instead, where services were unaffected. From there, Paris is a three-hour bus ride.

Eurostar said affected passengers can exchange their ticket for free to travel at a different time or date in the same travel class.

It added that it sincerely apologises for the disruption and understands the inconvenience this may cause..

Officers sealed off the bomb site in the northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis - AFP

Mr Tarabot told Sud Radio that local residents should have no fear about an explosion occurring.

The device was found by track workers at around 4am by workers moving earth near the tracks in Saint-Denis, around 1.5 miles from the station.

Gare du Nord also connects Paris with other international destinations such as in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany, as well as being used for domestic services.

It is considered the worlds busiest railway station outside of Japan.

It is not uncommon to discover unexploded wartime bombs along railway lines in France, though they are rarely found in such densely populated areas. British and American armies targeted rail-yards in Paris during the Second World War in a bid to disrupt German supply lines.

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.
TORONTO  President Donald Trumps tariffs on Canadian goods, coming on the heels of his taunting threats to make the country the 51st U.S. state, are eroding the inherent politeness of Americans northern neighbors and rallying them around their own flag.

Canadians are removing American liquor and California wines from their store shelves. Theyre pulling back on future visits to the U.S. Theyre pushing Buy Canadian to counter higher costs and spite Trump. And they are uncharacteristically brandishing unvarnished anger over what they see as a betrayal by a longtime friend.

I will never visit America again, Angela Qin, a university student, told NBC News as she exited an ice rink in downtown Toronto. You dont stab the back of your friend.

Follow live politics coverage here.

Trump announced 25% tariffs this week on most Canadian imports. His decision a couple of days later to exempt from tariffs about 38% of Canadian goods that comply with the North American trade deal negotiated during his first term sparked more confusion and did little to tamp down contempt for him across the country. His suggestion on Friday that he might hit Canada with new tariffs on lumber and dairy products only fueled the fury.

Canada has been ripping us off for years on tariffs for lumber and for dairy products, Trump told reporters during an event in the Oval Office. He accused Canada of taking advantage of American farmers and threatened to reciprocate with more tariffs as early as today or well wait until Monday or Tuesday.

Its not fair, the president said.

For Canadians, whats not fair is being a good, friendly neighbor only to have that friend turn on you. Now  from the top tiers of the Canadian government on down  the country is seeking to send a message to America.

Our grocery stores are really promoting our Canadian products, and I think a lot of us are buying those products because of this, said Liz Floyd, who noted theres been more national unity in Canada.

At a state-run liquor store in Toronto on March 6, empty shelves where American wines would normally be on display; a sign explaining why the shelves are empty; empty shelves where American whisky would normally be on display next to stocked Canadian whisky.

British Columbia Premier David Eby was more blunt.

Were gonna ensure that the Americans understand how pissed off we are, how unified we are, how committed we are to working as a country to stand up for each other, he said.

Qin said its hard to separate Americans from Trump, at least for the next four years.

We have been in our comfort zone with America for years, she said. So, this is a chance for us to, you know, be stronger together.

Others interviewed at Toronto City Hall had nothing nice to say about Trump or his tariffs. But ever well-mannered, they stopped short of directing their scorn directly at the American people  even as they warned costs for them will increase too because of Canadas retaliatory moves.

This is going to screw us, and its going to screw you guys, said Chris Peterson, a carpenter from St. Catharines, a city in Ontario across the border from western New York. Pardon my words, but yeah, you guys are  all your prices are going to go up, and all our prices go up.

The Canadian government on Friday launched a $5 billion program to help businesses in the country navigate the tariffs and find new markets for their exports.

Provincial governments are taking forceful steps on their own to encourage consumers to Buy Canadian. Ontarios government-run liquor stores sell nearly a billion dollars in American products every year, but they were ordered this week to stop selling American wines and liquor.

We love the U.S., Ontarios Premier Doug Ford said in an interview. This is insanity, and its unfortunate.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford on March 3.

Ford threatened to cut off Canadian electricity sold across the border, which powers some 1.5 million homes and businesses in New York, Minnesota and Michigan.

Thats the last thing I want to do, but President Trump is trying to destroy our country, he said.

Some Canadians support that move  and more.

Were still being too nice, said Peterson. I think we should cut everything up. No electricity for you guys, no wood for you guys, no nothing till he takes every one of those tariffs away.

As for Trumps ambitions to make Canada Americas 51st state, Not a chance, Peterson said. Were not going anywhere. Were Canada.
Kyle Mazza/NurPhoto via AP ATF agents assisting the police at the crime scene on March 7

A police officer was killed and another critically injured during a shoot-out in New Jersey, according to reports.

The two Newark police officers were shot while on duty in the area of Broadway and Carteret at around 6:37 p.m. local time on Friday, March 7, the Associated Press, ABC 7 New York, and CBS News reported. The police officers were transported to University Hospital in Newark, per AP.

A 14-year-old suspect is in custody along with multiple suspects in connection to the shooting, according to reports.

The 14-year-old suspect was also shot and injured in the incident, CBS News reported.

The president of the Fraternal Order of Police, Robert W. Fox, confirmed the death of one of the police officers in a statement on Facebook, writing, "[We] are saddened to announce that two brave, hero police officers of the Newark Police Department were shot in the line of duty this evening."



Kyle Mazza/NurPhoto via AP Newark Police shooting

Related: 7 Police Officers Shot While Responding to 'Suicide in Progress' Call in Texas, Authorities Say

One Officer has made the ultimate sacrifice, and the other is receiving treatment for their wounds at the time of this release  We will provide updated information as it becomes available," he continued.

Witnesses of the shooting recalled seeing police chasing and running before hearing several shots during the incident.

Randy Mejia, who works in the area, told CBS News, "They were chasing, but I don't know if they were chasing somebody. I saw maybe four cops on the way down toward the street. They were running down the street."

Andrea Perez told ABC 7 New York, "There were 10 shots, I want to say. I want to say the whole clip basically. I just heard the gunshots and I thought it was fireworks, because people are always doing their fireworks, and then I saw a bunch of police come."

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.

Authorities are concentrating their investigation in an area located between a McDonald's and a White Castle, ABC 7 New York reported. Police also retrieved a backpack as evidence in the shooting, according to the outlet.

Details of the events leading up to the shooting have not been released at this time.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy wrote on X, This is a rapidly developing situation. Please pray for these officers, their families, and all our men and women in uniform who put their lives on the line to keep us safe.

The investigation is ongoing.

PEOPLE has contacted the Essex County Prosecutor's Office for comment.



Read the original article on People
Katrin Ivanova, 33, and Tihomir Ivanchev, 39, were found guilty of conspiracy to spy at the Central Criminal Court following a trial.

LONDON  The Haydee Guesthouse, with its worn-out carpets and grandmotherly Victorian facade, makes for an unlikely base for Russian-backed high-stakes espionage.

But for years, the guesthouse in Great Yarmouth, a run-down resort town on Britains east coast, played host to a freelance spy ring orchestrating cross-continental honeytraps, kidnappings and murder plots targeting high-profile dissidents and sensitive military sites.

The details, which seem pulled straight from a spy novel, unfolded in British courts last week after three Bulgarians  members of a Russian ring operating from their base in the United Kingdom  were found guilty of conspiracy to spy.

Gabriela Gaberova, 30, a beautician tapped to carry out honeytraps; Katrin Ivanova, 33, a lab assistant who was also found guilty of possessing identity documents with improper intention; and Tihomir Ivanchev, 39, a painter-decorator and Gaberovas former partner, made up the ragtag group of amateur operatives who managed to carry out espionage operations for the Kremlin on what prosecutors described as an industrial scale.

Their handler, a fellow Bulgarian named Biser Dzhambazov, called himself Mad Max and doubled as a medical courier as well as a knot in the spy rings tangled romantic subplot.

Dzhambazov lived with Ivanova before ending their long-term relationship after developing feelings for Gaberova. When police raided the beauticians northwest London flat in February 2023, they found Dzhambazov and Gaberova in bed together.

Their ringleader was a fifth Bulgarian, Orlin Roussev, part spy, part IT specialist, who adopted the name Jackie Chan in messages to his sidekick, Dzhambazov.

Roussev and Dzhambazov both pleaded guilty to espionage charges following their arrest in 2023. A sixth Bulgarian, a mixed martial arts fighter code-named The Destroyer, real name Ivan Stoyanov, also admitted to spying for Russia.

Meanwhile, Roussevs minions  whom he named after the yellow characters from the Despicable Me animated series  denied the charges.

Vanya Gaberova, 30, was found guilty of conspiracy to spy at the Central Criminal Court following a trial.

Instead of being part of the cartoon villain Grus scheme, these defendants were real-life operatives working for the Russian intelligence service, also named GRU.

From 2020 to 2023, the gang carried out a series of chaotic and often disorganized covert missions, one of which targeted Christo Grozev, an investigative journalist renowned for exposing Russian involvement in the poisoning of MI6 double agent Sergei Skripal with the Novichok nerve agent in Salisbury, England, in March 2018.

The group tracked his movements across Austria, Montenegro and Spain, even considering a honeytrap, with Gaberova potentially involved in the scheme.

In 2022, they surveilled Roman Dobrokhotov, a journalist critical of Russia, with discussions of a possible kidnapping. Telegram messages show the group followed him from Budapest to Berlin before losing him at passport control.

In another bizarre plot, the group planned to spray the Kazakh Embassy in London with what Britains Crown Prosecution Service described as large quantities of fake pigs blood. They also schemed to create a false opposition group to stage a protest outside the embassy and feed the sham information about the fake group to Kazakh intelligence in order to boost Russias image.

The group also tracked Kirill Kachur, a former Russian official, in Montenegro, planning a kidnapping. They surveilled a U.S. military base in Stuttgart, Germany, focusing on Ukrainian forces. Additionally, they conducted covert operations against former Kazakh politician Bergey Ryskaliyev, attempting to access his residence and gather intelligence.

Investigators uncovered a trove of over 200,000 messages between the operatives, as well as spy equipment worth tens of thousands of dollars, including cameras hidden in pens and ties, and videos showing the group surveilling specific sites of interest.

In addition to espionage, the group was implicated in broader Russian efforts to influence foreign political climates and destabilize rival nations.

Orlin Roussev, 47, Bizer Dzhambazov, 43, and Ivan Stoyanov, 32, previously pleaded guilty to spying offenses.

The three defendants will be held in custody until sentencing in May.

Commander Dominic Murphy, head of Scotland Yards SO15, which deals with state threats, said it was one of the U.K.s largest espionage investigations of the last 15 years.

Prosecutors said the group was directed by alleged Russian agent Jan Marsalek, an Austrian national who had contact with Russian intelligence agencies.

The shadowy former chief operating officer of Wirecard, who is wanted in Germany and subject to an Interpol red notice, had fled to Russia, where he allegedly ran the Bulgarian network.

Marsalek and Roussev discussed the kidnapping and murder of both Grozev and Kachur, who had worked for the Investigative Committee of Russia until falling out with the Kremlin.

Gaberova, Ivanchev and Ivanova claimed they didnt know whom they were working for, or that they were lied to by their superiors.

This prolonged activity also undermined the security and safety of the UK, the Crown Prosecution Service said in a statement, and there can be no doubt that each of the defendants knew exactly who they were spying for.

Russia has been linked to numerous covert operations in the U.K. in recent years as part of its broader efforts to undermine Western security and influence global politics.

In 2022, a 55-page report from the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament said the the country is a target of Russian disinformation, and described Russian influence in Britain as the new normal.
A 14-year-old accused of shooting a police officer sitting in his car in Newark, New Jersey, has been charged with murder and attempted murder, officials announced Saturday.

Detective Joseph Azcona, 26, succumbed to his injuries at a hospital, while a second officer who was also shot is recovering.

"Five-year veteran Joseph Azcona was shot before he even had the opportunity to leave his police car," Essex County Prosecutor Theodore Stephens said during a news conference Saturday morning.

Authorities have not disclosed the identity of the teenage suspect.

Azcona, a five-year member of the police force, was unmarried and did not have children, officials said. He was pronounced dead at University Hospital around 2:34 a.m.

The shooting occurred around 6:30 p.m. near a White Castle and McDonald's where the suspect had been socializing with friends, according to the Essex County Prosecutor's Office, as reported by ABC7.

Police have not released details regarding the circumstances leading up to the shooting, stating that the investigation remains ongoing.

According to sources cited by PIX11, the teen allegedly fired a total of 29 shots at officers.
Alison Dominguez - Hearst Owned



"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."



I never thought I'd see the day when cocktails were on their way out and mocktails were on their way in. But with so many people cutting back on their alcohol consumption, paired with the legalization of marijuana in many states, it makes sense. In fact, those who consume cannabis daily or near daily now exceed the number of daily or near daily drinkers.

With the rise in cannabis consumption in all forms, and most notably in beverages, it's important to know just how these drinks will affect youand what regulations companies have to follow to ensure your safety. After all, one man's "unencumbered and happy" is another's "I can no longer use my arms and legs."

First, a little context: Thanks to the Farm Bill, which passed in 2018, commercial production of hemp became legal, allowing hemp-derived cannabinoids (like Delta-9 and Delta-8 THC, but more on that later) to be infused into products. "This created an entirely new category of cannabis consumption, enabling innovative teams to develop unique beverage formulations with precise, controlled dosages," explains Dr. Malik Appleton, PharmD MDA and Director of Regulatory Compliance for The Hi Collection.



While technically legal in 39 out of 50 states for medical use and 24 states for recreational use, some states do have added restrictions and regulations for hemp, so before purchasing or consuming, it's best to check in your area on the exact regulations. Many locations have a max dosage of THC per serving, too, typically around 5-10 mg.

Delish spoke to experts in the field (literally, they work in marijuana fields) to get to the bottom of everything you need to know about cannabis drinks. From their strength and effects to their destigmatization and potential benefits, we've infused ourselves with deeper knowledge about what these canned "cocktails"really contain. THC-infused beverages are a top-trending item that you can now find in many a fridge; here's what you need to know before you pop one open.

Are THC Beverages Regulated?

The short answer here is yes! Jake Bullock, co-founder and CEO of Cann, says the industry is highly regulated. Currently, there are two different ways that manufacturers can sell their products: through the cannabis market, which is state regulated, or the hemp market, which is not as heavily monitored due to its very low amounts of THC.

Alison Dominguez - Hearst Owned

Aaron Nosbisch, founder of Brez, explains that when producers sell in a state cannabis market, they need to manufacture their products in every state that they retail in because they are not legally allowed to ship across state lines. That's because regulation varies state-by-statefor example, states like Connecticut and Iowa have implemented strict product registration and age-gating requirements for intoxicating hemp sales. Retailers are "subject to a lot of strict regulations that make it hard to reach consumers," Nosbisch says.



The Farm Bill allows for brands to extract THC (the psychoactive compound of marijuana) and CBD (the non-psychoactive compound) from hemp that has less than 0.3% THC. This means that these popular THC beverages should be below that amount by weight, meaning that the majority of the products you'll find will contain 10 mg THC or below.

However, because the industry is still relatively new, regulation is still murky for many markets, cautions Dr. Appleton. "Some brands are well-tested and transparent, while others operate in legal loopholes with little oversight," he says. Nosbisch notes that while most offerings stay in the 2.5 mg, 5 mg, and 10 mg "reasonable range, there are hemp-derived THC drinks out there that have up to 100 mg of THC." So, it's important to do your research before grabbing a can.

Bertini recommends checking the lab tests on any given brand's website. "Any legit THC beverage should have a Certificate of Analysis (COA), which proves that what's on the label is actually in the drink," he says. "If a brand isn't showing lab results, that is a huge red flag. Always look for third-party testing to ensure that you are drinking something safe and reliable."

Do THC Beverages Come In Different Strengths?

Just like your favorite beers, THC drinks range in strength. Jim Higdon, co-founder and CCO of Cornbread Hemp, explains that you'll find beverages that solely contain THC and others that contain a mix of THC and CBD. Plus, these can all contain differing ratios, affecting the way they influence you.

"The easiest way to understand the variety of THC beverages is by comparing them to alcohol," notes Josh Bertini, co-founder and Head of Growth at Indacloud. "You have everything from light, easy sippers like a Radler all the way to your grandpa's moonshine. Those same strengths and intensities can be found in the THC beverage world."

Dr. Appleton explains that you can find everything from microdoses1-2 mgfor a subtle effect, to mid-range doses5-10 mgthat feel like a milder high, to high doses that are over 10 mg and deliver a strong cannabis high. Standard doses in drinks right now are 2.5 mg, 5 mg, and 1o mg, Nosbisch tells us. "Other than their huge range of strengths, THC beverages also differ in cannabinoids, the natural compounds in the plant that interact with your body and produce the different effects such as relaxation, euphoria, focus, etc.," Bertini tells us. These cannabinoids often include CBD, which helps with relaxation and reducing inflammation, as well as CBN, which can help contribute to a deeper sleep.

Options of course, vary from brand to brandfor example, Cann has multiple offerings. Its traditional Canns contain 2 mg THC and 4 mg CBD, while its Hi Boys contain 5 mg THC and 10 mg CBD. It also has a lighter option: its Lo Boys, which only have 1 mg THC and 15 mg CBD.

Alison Dominguez - Hearst Owned

Hi Seltzers, on the other hand, solely contain 5 mg of Delta-9 THC, while Brez's offerings include a single, which contains 2.5 mg THC, 5 mg CBD, and 1600 mg Lion's Mane (a mushroom known to improve mood and alleviate stress); a double, which contains 5 mg THC, 10 mg CBD, and 2200 mg Lion's Mane; and finally, Flow, which solely contains 2200 mg Lion's Mane.

How Do THC Beverages Affect You?

"Like alcohol, everyone's tolerance for THC can be different," explains Bullock. Off the bat, it's important to know that THC beverages are not the same as edibles, which can sometimes take an hour or more to kick in. New, fast-acting THC beverages that use nano-emulsion technology start working in anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes. This makes a big difference if you're trying to time your experience. Plus, "this makes the effects more predictable and easier to control," notes Higdon.

Obviously, the effects range depending on how high or low your dose is and if there are any other cannabinoids in your drink. "Lower amounts provide a light, social buzz, while higher doses can lead to stronger psychoactive effects," Higdon continues.

If you're looking to recreate that classic cannabis high, a Delta-9 THC beverage is your best bet. This will be "stronger, more euphoric, and sometimes heavier on the body," Bertini explains. "A Delta-8 drink, on the other hand, is smoother and more chill, which is ideal for a functional buzz." These drinks are often compared to alcohol, but the silver lining here is that "instead of a foggy or impaired feeling, they offer more of a clear-headed euphoria," Higdon notes.

However, even though THC drinks are safe and a good alcohol alternative, they don't come without a warning. "While you can't fatally overdose on THC, drinking too much can lead to unwanted side effects like paranoia, nausea, or dizziness," explains Dr. Appleton. "People who are sensitive to THC, have certain medical conditions, [are] pregnant or nursing, or take specific medications should consult a doctor first." It will take some finessing and trial and error to figure out how your body reacts and what dose is right for you.

The CDC further warns consumers that cannabis use can lead to negative health consequences. For example, heavy use can damage memory, attention, and learning ability, and use during pregnancy or while breastfeeding may harm the baby. Additionally, cannabis use has also been linked to depression, social anxiety, suicide, and schizophrenia. However, the FDA notes that, "Information from adverse event reports regarding cannabis use is extremely limited."

How Much Can You Drink?

"If youre just dipping your toes in, something between 3-10 mg THC is a solid place to startthink of it like having a beer or a glass of wine," says Bertini. And just like with alcohol, everyone reacts differently to THC and has a different tolerance level. "We recommend you start with one [drink] and wait to feel its effects before going in for another," says Bullock. "It is important to start slow and low and listen to your body. It can take 10-15 minutes for the effects to kick in, and you can expect it to last for about an hour, which may vary based on the drinkers tolerance, just like with alcohol."

For a person more experienced with THC, you can go for something 10 mg+ for a stronger high without going overboard, explains Bertini. Anything 50+ mg is for the experienced crew that really knows what they're doing, he tells us. "Youre going on a trip. Buckle up."

Luckily, because of its fast-acting properties, you can easily dial up or dial down your experience based on how you're feeling, explains Nosbisch, and the effects last around 45 minutes to an hour.

Alison Dominguez - Hearst Owned

Aside from the differing ranges of THC content and other cannabinoids, cannabis drinks also differ in flavor, sugar content, and ingredients. Some brands load their offerings with artificial flavors and sweeteners, while others are sugar-free and use natural ingredients, so always check the labels and go for whatever works and tastes best to you.

Dr. Appleton also cautions consumers to be mindful of where you store your beverages. "Since they often resemble regular drinks, it's important to keep them away from kids and pets," he tells us.

Lastly, even though THC beverages are legal in many states, there are still laws in place that prevent you from consuming them in public and driving after imbibing, so always check your local laws. Additionally, for anyone subject to drug screening, keep in mind that common drug tests cannot distinguish between hemp-derived cannabinoids and traditional THC.

With all of the innovation and brands currently on the market, it's always good to know all the facts before you reach for a can.

You Might Also Like
The Trump administration last Saturday touted logging as the next frontier in job creation and wildfire prevention, but those goals will face confounding challenges.

Trump issued two executive orders on March 1: the first to boost timber production on federal land and the second to address wood product imports. The moves were quickly cheered by the timber industry.

These are common sense directives, said Travis Joseph, president of the American Forest Resource Council, a timber industry trade group. Our federal forests have been mismanaged for decades and Americans have paid the price in almost every way  lost jobs, lost manufacturing, and infrastructure.

Timber groups and rural lawmakers also said the orders could help manage overstocked forests and reduce the threat of wildfire.

But conservation groups and forestry experts say cutting down more trees doesn't inherently reduce wildfire risk and can actually increase it. And the Trump administration's plan also faces pushback about environmental concerns and economics.

News: Trump says Mexico will not pay tariffs until April 2 after talk with Mexican president

Meanwhile, the logging surge is expected to face legal pushback. Groups like the Center for Biological Diversity and Earthjustice say they are pursuing all of their options, including litigation, to potentially prevent Trump's directives from taking effect.

Will more logging help prevent wildfires?

The Trump administration says increased logging and wildfire prevention go hand-in-hand.

A March 1 executive order links logging regulations with a list problems: "Our inability to fully exploit our domestic timber supply has impeded the creation of jobs and prosperity, contributed to wildfire disasters, degraded fish and wildlife habitats, increased the cost of construction and energy, and threatened our economic security."

But logging more timber and dealing with increased fire risk are really two separate problems, according to Scott Stephens, a professor of fire science at the University of California, Berkeley, where he oversees the forestry program.

A loader moves logs around the yard at the Eugene, Oregon, sawmill now owned Sierra Pacific Industries.

Stephens said a multitude of factors fuel wildfires, including:

Too few natural fires: U.S. Forest Service fire suppression efforts that began in the early part of the 1900s mean that many U.S. forests  which evolved to burn every five to 30 years  are now unnaturally overgrown and at risk for catastrophic fires.

Climate change: A warming planet has led to increased drought and temperatures, leaving landscapes more fire-prone.

Disease: A rise in bark beetle infestations has killed large swaths of trees, adding potential fuel to forests.

Lack of forest management: This process is labor intensive and expensive, but it can keep small fires from becoming conflagrations. It involves controlled burns and mechanical thinning, which can make forests more resistant to catastrophic fires.

Environmental groups say logging doesn't address these issues, in part because natural, mature forests are more resilient to wildfire than timber plantations would be.

"Logging doesnt curb fires, it intensifies fires. Trump falsely claims that more logging will curb wildfires and protect communities, but there's an overwhelming amount of scientific evidence showing the exact opposite," said Chad Hanson, a co-founder of the John Muir Project. "The more trees you remove, the faster wildfire flames sweep through the forest. It gives less time for people to evacuate and less time for first responders to react."

Logs are seen at the Rosboro lumber mill in Springfield, Oregon.

Wildfires move faster because removing trees reduces wind resistance, allowing winds to sweep through faster, Hanson added.

"Also, removing trees reduces the 'cooling shade of the forest canopy,' creating those hotter and drier conditions," Hanson said. "When the forest canopy is reduced, it stimulates the growth of combustible invasive grasses, which like a lot of sunlight. Grasses spread flames faster."

More logging would not have affected the Los Angeles fires. The land that surrounds the areas that burned is largely chaparral, a type of scrubland, said Ernesto Alvarado, a professor of forestry and forest fires at the University of Washington.

There are no commercially useful trees there, he said. You cannot harvest trees where there are no trees.

Many of the most destructive fires in recent years have been driven by conditions its unclear any amount of forest management could have stopped, said Mindy Crandall, a professor and forest economist at Oregon State University.

Those fires in Los Angeles were in 90 mile per hour winds and extremely dry conditions, she said.

Economic boost from logging? There are logistical challenges

Currently, about 70% of U.S. timber needs are supplied by domestic production and 30% by Canada and small amounts from other countries. About 50% of U.S. forestland is privately owned, according to the National Association of State Foresters, which the executive order doesnt impact.

The U.S. Lumber Coalition has cheered Trump's actions, especially possible additional tariffs on timber imports. The trade group says Canada's lumber industry is unfairly subsidized by the country's government, making it tough for U.S. producers to compete.

Tariffs making imported wood and timber more expensive could drive up demand for U.S. sources. However, some of the infrastructure that once supported the U.S. timber industry no longer exists, Alvarado said. Smaller sawmills were uneconomical and closed.

In the short term, we have fixed capacity, Crandall said. The uncertainty will make it difficult for new mills to be built. Businesses arent going to build out increased capacity for an increase that might only last three or four years.

U.S. timber production has decreased since the 1990s, according to the Congressional Research Service. Its partly due to falling demand and cheaper imports from other countries.

Some of the trained workforce left the field, in part due to low wages.

You cant just take people off the streets and have them start cutting trees, said the University of Washington's Alvarado. Its a risky job.

Complicating the issue further: In many areas of national forests, current trees are the wrong size and the wrong species for the forest industry to process, he said.

Other environmental impacts

Expanding logging operations also comes with environmental concerns, including how felled trees could release vast amounts of carbon into the atmosphere.

Logging, including thinning, emits at least three to five times more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere per acre than wildfire alone, according to the John Muir Project's Hanson. Most of the wood removed from forests through logging is burned for energy, he said.

Randi Spivak, a public lands director for the Center for Biological Diversity, argued the orders would cause major destruction. Spivak agreed that "stripping these beautiful spaces" increases the danger for more wildfires but added they could put about 400 threatened and endangered species  including grizzly bears, wild salmon, salamanders and spotted owls  at risk.

"The gloves are off, Trump is purely looking at our federal forests not as valued land but merely as pieces of property," Spivak said Tuesday. "Trump views our public lands merely as commodities, whether it's oil and gas, whether its mining or creating timber, he views these as places he can loot and exploit."

The Trump executive order is being extensively discussed in forestry circles, but not enough is known about what it means and how it will be implemented, Crandall said.

Theres a lot being proposed for changes right now, she said. We have all these interactions: different types of land owners, the demand question, the tariff piece. Theres just a lot we dont know.

(This story was updated to add new information.)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump's logging surge faces a host of problems
By Jody Godoy

(Reuters) -The U.S. Department of Justice on Friday dropped a proposal to force Alphabet's Google to sell its investments in artificial intelligence companies, including OpenAI competitor Anthropic, to boost competition in online search.

The DOJ and a coalition of 38 state attorneys general still seek a court order requiring Google to sell its Chrome browser and take other measures aimed at addressing what a judge said was Google's illegal search monopoly, according to court papers filed in Washington.

"The American dream is about higher values than just cheap goods and 'free' online services. These values include freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom to innovate, and freedom to compete in a market undistorted by the controlling hand of a monopolist," prosecutors wrote.

A spokesperson for Google said the "sweeping proposals continue to go miles beyond the Court's decision, and would harm America's consumers, economy and national security."

A spokesperson for Anthropic did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

President Donald Trump has said he would continue a crackdown on Big Tech, which began during his first term and continued into former President Joe Biden's administration. Trump has tapped veteran antitrust attorney Gail Slater to lead the DOJ's efforts.

Google holds a minority stake worth billions of dollars in Anthropic. Losing the investment would hand a competitive advantage to OpenAI and its partner Microsoft, Anthropic wrote to the court in February.

Evidence prosecutors obtained since making their draft recommendation in November showed a risk that banning Google from AI investments "could cause unintended consequences in the evolving AI space," they said in the final proposal on Friday. They asked that Google be required to give prior notice to the government about future investments in generative AI.

Google, which has said it will appeal, has made its own proposal that would loosen agreements with Apple and others to set Google as the default search engine on new devices. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta has scheduled a trial on the proposals for April.

The blockbuster case is one of several U.S. antitrust cases against Big Tech companies. Apple, Meta Platforms and Amazon.com also face allegations of maintaining illegal monopolies in their respective markets.

Since Trump's reelection, Google has sought to make the case that the DOJ's approach in the case would hobble the company's ability to compete in AI and "jeopardize America's global economic and technological leadership."

Many of the measures prosecutors proposed in November remain intact with a few tweaks.

For example, a requirement that Google share search query data with competitors now says that Google can charge a marginal fee for access and that the competitors must not pose a national security risk.

The proposal drew statements of support from Democratic and Republican attorneys general as well as the Alphabet Workers Union-CWA.

(Reporting by Jody Godoy in New York; Editing by Chris Reese and David Gregorio)
By Nate Raymond

(Reuters) -The U.S. Department of Labor has reinstated about 120 employees who were facing termination as part of the Trump administration's mass firings of recently hired workers, a union said on Friday.

The American Federation of Government Employees, the largest federal employee union, said the probationary employees had been reinstated immediately and the department was issuing letters telling them to report back to duty on Monday.

"It's our understanding that this decision affects about 120 employees, most of whom had been placed on administrative leave," Tim Kauffman, a union spokesperson, said in a statement.

A letter to one employee reviewed by Reuters advised the department would "use the remainder of your probationary/trial period to determine if your appointment is in the best interest of the public."

The Labor Department and White House did not respond to requests for comment.

The Labor Department employees were reinstated a day after U.S. President Donald Trump told his cabinet members that they, not Elon Musk, had the final say on staffing and policy at their agencies.

Musk and his team at the Department of Government Efficiency have been tasked by Trump to slash the size and cost of the federal bureaucracy. To date about 25,000 workers have been fired, and another 75,000 have taken a buyout, out of the 2.3 million federal civilian workforce.

Trump on Thursday, though, said while it was "very important that we cut levels down to where they should be," agencies should use a "scalpel" rather than a "hatchet" for job reductions.

A day earlier, the Merit Systems Protection Board ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture to temporarily reinstate nearly 6,000 probationary employees, while the board considers a challenge to their firing.

The board hears appeals by federal government employees when they are fired or disciplined. Probationary workers typically have less than a year of service in their current roles, though some are longtime federal workers.

Skye Perryman, whose liberal legal group Democracy Forward is challenging the firings, on Friday welcomed the Labor Department's decision to reverse course on terminating probationary employees.

"Every other agency should follow their lead and put these workers back on the job immediately," she said in a statement.

(Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama, Chris Reese and Cynthia Osterman)
A teenager accused of stabbing his mother to death in Wisconsin said his actions were inspired by the Menendez brothers, who were convicted of the 1989 murders of their parents at their Beverly Hills mansion.

The 15-year-old was charged Thursday with first-degree intentional homicide by the Racine County District Attorneys Office, Wisconsin court records show. Officers, who arrived at the Caledonia home around 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday, saw the teenager drop a knife before admitting to killing his mother, according to a criminal complaint obtained by the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, part of the USA TODAY Network.

Police took the teen into custody, but not before he asked the officers to kill him, the complaint says. While speaking with detectives, the teenager said he came home from school and felt depressed and an urge to murder his parents, the document continued.

Before the alleged murder, the teen said he was taking his brothers anxiety medication for about a month because they made him feel high, which he enjoyed, the complaint says. He then told detectives he took nine pills on Tuesday night.

The teenager is represented by an attorney in the Wisconsin State Public Defenders Office. USA TODAY contacted the state public defenders office on Friday but has not received a response.

Undated file combo image of brothers Erik (L) and Lyle Menendez who were convicted March 20, 1996 of the first degree murder of their wealthy Beverly Hills parents. The brothers were sentenced to life imprisonment.

Teen watched Netflix doc on Menendez brothers before alleged murder

According to the complaint, the teenager said he scoured the familys home for a hammer because he was going to kill his father once he arrived from work, but he abandoned that plan after not being able to find one large enough. So instead, he waited until after dinner when his mother was seated on the couch using her computer and he had begun watching a movie, the document says.

The teen began watching a Netflix documentary about Lyle and Erik Menendez. While watching, he developed a plan to kill his parent, inspired by a shotgun scene, which graphically recreates the killing of Jose and Mary Louise Kitty Menendez, according to court records.

The teens mother, identified as SG in the complaint, went upstairs around 9:50 p.m, and when he hid his sleeping medication,. After hiding the medication, he took a steak knife and put it in his pocket before telling his mother that he could not find his medicine, the document continued.

More: Woman who stabbed classmate in 2014 wont be released: See timeline of the Slender Man case

Reed Gelinskey: She is dead from what I did

The teenager told detectives he hid a dumbbell bar in the sleeve of his sweatshirt while his mother came downstairs to help look for the pills, the complaint says. Court records indicate that when she turned her back, the teen hit her twice in the head with the dumbbell.

When the teens mother did not fall over, he said he threw her to the ground and grabbed the knife out of his pocket, the complaint reads. His mother tried to kick him off her multiple times, but he ultimately stabbed her three times in the chest and twice in the neck, the document continued.

The teenager recalled his mother asking him, Why? He replied, Pain, according to the complaint. Following the alleged murder, the teen said he reached out to his friend using Snapchat and told her to call the police, the document says.

He sat on the floor until he heard sirens, and once the sound stopped, he went outside to meet the police, the complaint reads.

She is dead, the teen said to officers, according to the complaint. She is dead from what I did.

The teenager appeared in court on Thursday and was given a $1 million bail, court records show. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 12.

Menendez brothers attempting to challenge murder convictions

In 2023, the Menendez brothers filed a habeas corpus petition asking the court to vacate their convictions or give them a retrial in light of new evidence.

Last month, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said he did not support Lyle and Erik Menendezs latest attempt to challenge their murder convictions. Hochmans reasoning for opposing the petition was due to the new evidence not meeting the narrow and rigorous standards required to vacate the brothers convictions or conduct a retrial.

The question about whether or not the Menendez brothers should be free will ultimately be a court question, Hochman said. Our job is to give the court the information and make the arguments.

Lyle and Erik Menendez were found guilty in 1996 of the killings of their parents and later sentenced to life imprisonment. The true-crime Netflix series Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story seemingly revived the case and led to many advocating for the brothers release from prison, including their family.

We have also completely forgiven them. We love them so much we miss them, Anamaria Baralt, Lyle and Eriks cousin, told USA TODAY in January. There is not a family holiday that there is not just a hole in our hearts and a void in our family.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Wisconsin teen claims Menendez brothers inspired mother's murder
FILE - New York Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton runs the bases during the sixth inning in Game 4 of the baseball AL Championship Series against the Cleveland Guardians, Oct. 18, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vasquez, file) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

TAMPA, Fla. (AP)  Giancarlo Stanton will return to New York for a third round of platelet-rich plasma injections in his ailing elbows on Monday, manager Aaron Boone told reporters.

Stanton was back at the Yankees' spring training complex on Friday. Boone was quoted as saying the five-time All-Star is not likely to play in any exhibition games.

Stanton said on Feb. 17 after reporting to camp that he had not swung a bat in three or four weeks because of pain in both elbows. The Yankees said he had been in New York, where he received two rounds of PRP injections.

Stanton hit .233 with 27 homers and 72 RBIs while playing 114 games last year, his season interrupted by a strained left hamstring that sidelined him between June 22 and July 29. Stanton batted .273 with seven homers and 16 RBIs in the postseason.

He signed a then-record $325 million, 13-year contract with the Marlins ahead of the 2015 season and had 59 homers and 132 RBIs in 2017, winning the NL MVP award. He was acquired by the Yankees that December and hit 38 homers with 100 RBIs in his first season with New York.

He missed 266 of 708 games over the next five seasons because of a series of injuries that included strains of right biceps, right knee, left hamstring (twice) and left quadriceps along with right ankle inflammation and left Achilles tendinitis.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
Beijing has updated the Law on the Protection of Cultural Artefacts, in force since March 1st. It imposes archaeological evaluations before construction and has removed the statute of limitations for the recovery of stolen artefacts. It also cracks down on tourism, to limit commercialisation. Increased responsibility for local governments.

Rome (AsiaNews/Agencies) - The new Law on the Protection of Cultural Relics, approved last November by the National People's Congress (NPC), China's highest legislative body, came into force on 1 March, a few days before the start of the Two Sessions, the country's most important annual political meetings.

In the first significant update to its cultural heritage protection laws in over two decades, China has introduced stricter penalties, more rigorous oversight and has placed the main responsibility for conservation on local governments.

The changes increase the maximum fines for damage from 500,000 yuan to 10 million (from 70,000 to 1.4 million dollars), require archaeological assessments before any building project and remove the statute of limitations for the recovery of stolen artefacts.

In addition, they strengthen tourism regulations to limit excessive commercialisation and improve protections for unclassified artefacts, highlighting the government's commitment to countering heritage loss in a context of rapid development.

The protection of cultural heritage is expected to be a key issue at this year's Two Sessions. The possibility of offering greater transparency in the disclosure of opening hours of cultural sites and accessibility standards to prevent overcrowding is being discussed.

As is the protection of immovable cultural artefacts, which include ancient tombs, historic buildings, cave temples, stone carvings and frescoes.

The last national census of cultural and historical artefacts, carried out in 2011, recorded almost 770,000 immovable cultural artefacts in China. Of these, 17.7 per cent were in poor condition and around 44,000 sites had been demolished, mainly due to urban expansion and infrastructure projects.

According to Wang Yunxia, director of the Institute of Cultural Heritage Law at Renmin University of China, the online magazine Sixth Tone reports that the updated law gives local governments primary responsibility for the protection of cultural artefacts.

In addition, the law introduces two key restrictions: local governments cannot transfer or assign land, and companies cannot start major construction projects before an archaeological survey. The revised law also introduces stricter penalties for serious violations.

The new law has tightened regulations on tourism. State-owned cultural relics designated as tourist sites cannot be transferred to the control of private companies.

During the 2021 Chinese New Year, a fire in the Ancient Village of Wengding, in the south-western province of Yunnan, destroyed more than 100 straw houses in a settlement of the 400-year-old Wa ethnic minority, once known as China's last primitive tribe. The incident fuelled the debate on the risks associated with excessive tourism development.

Finally, the law eliminates the statute of limitations for the recovery of illegally acquired cultural artefacts: a measure aimed at strengthening international efforts to recover stolen artefacts.

It also introduces detailed regulations on the survey of cultural artefacts, in underground conservation areas and with regard to underwater heritage.

The updated Law on the Protection of Cultural Artefacts applies the strictest regulations and the most severe legal framework for the safeguarding of cultural heritage, making its protection an indisputable national commitment, said the National Administration of Cultural Heritage in its interpretation of the legislation.
This morning a small part of the heart of the priest and religious was exposed to the faithful. This was followed by a solemn mass presided over by the bishop of Cubao. An occasion to celebrate the ten-year mission of the order, whose first community in the archipelago dates back to 8 March 1975. The commitment in the health sector alongside the sick, following the charisma of the founder.

Manila (AsiaNews/CBCP)  Today, 8 March, is a special day for millions of Catholics in the Archdiocese of Manila and throughout the country who have the opportunity to venerate the relic of St Camillus de Lellis, patron saint of hospitals and the sick, on display to the faithful inside the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Cubao.

The place of worship opened this morning at 8.15 to allow the first faithful to venerate the relic, which is a small piece of the heart of the Italian priest and monk who lived between 1500 and 1600.

This was followed at 8.30 by the celebration of a solemn mass presided over by the Bishop of Cubao (a suffragan diocese of Manila), Monsignor Elias Ayuban Jr. At the end of the morning, the relic was transferred to the San Camillo Seminary in Marikina City for an event scheduled for 13.00.

The events and initiatives, including the exhibition of the relic, are part of the events scheduled to celebrate 50 years of the Camillian mission in the Philippines, serving the sick and suffering in particular.

In the 1960s, the Jesuit Father Hernando Maceda brought the relic of the heart of St Camillus to the Philippine archipelago after completing his studies in Rome.

It was a gift from a friend, the Camillian Father Mario Vanti, together with a request for prayers that one day the order of St Camillus would be established in your country.

In 1974, two young Italian religious, Ivo Anselmi and Pietro Ferri, arrived in Manila to complete their theological studies at the Loyola School of Theology in Quezon City. Fr Maceda gave them the relic of St Camillus, thus - unknowingly - marking the beginning of the realisation of Fr Vanti's prayer.

The presence of the Camillians, together with Fr Ernesto Nidini, who studied at De La Salle University, contributed to the birth of the Camillian Foundation in the Philippines. Fifty years ago, on 8 March 1975, the first community in the country was founded in Quezon City, under the Lombardy-Venetia province.

The original presence of the Camillians in the archipelago included Fr Nidini as the first superior, together with Fr Alberto Roman, Fr Anselmo Zambotti and the newly ordained priests Fr Anselmi and Fr Ferri.

A year later the community joined the vice-province of the Far East, becoming the Far East Province in 1997. The following year the Philippine Camillians took charge of all seven communities scattered throughout the archipelago.

Finally, the official establishment of the Philippine province dates back to 1 July 2003, with Fr Anselmi as the first provincial superior.

The specific nature of the Camillian charisma, as also emerges from the mission in the Asian country, is the love for the sick, lived in a community of fathers and brothers.

Among the main events to celebrate 50 years of mission is the solemn declaration of Spiritual Twinning between the parish church of Nuestra Senora de la Anunciata and the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth, on 18 December 2024, the culminating event scheduled for today at the Parish of the Anunciata.

Since the first steps in 1975, the religious have expanded their mission, with 41 Filipino members now serving in their country of origin and on missions in Taiwan, Australia, Italy, Germany and the United States.

In the Philippines, the Camillians provide spiritual and medical assistance in 14 hospital chaplaincies, three hospitals, a polyclinic, a nursing home, two parishes and a pastoral centre.

The religious also run an NGO that deals with health, development and disaster response, and they support three training centres. Finally, they are actively involved in HIV/AIDS care, as well as collaborating with the health care commission of the Episcopal Conference.
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.
8 March 2025 14:50 (UTC+04:00)

By Farman Aydin I AzerNEWS

Keith Kellogg, the U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine, took the stage at the prestigious Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, presenting a sharp critique of current U.S. foreign policy towards Ukraine and Russia. His remarks signaled a growing shift in Washington's approach and underscored the complexities of the ongoing conflict. Kelloggs analysis painted a picture of a diplomatic landscape in which the United States must confront its failures, recalibrate its strategies, and face hard truths about its alliances and adversaries.

Call for diplomacy, not isolationism

Kelloggs central message was unambiguous: Washington must reset its relationship with Moscow. He argued that isolationismrefusing to engage with both allies and adversarieshas become a critical diplomatic failure. According to Kellogg, the strategy of cutting off dialogue and retreating into a narrow worldview has only undermined the U.S.s position on the global stage. The notion of a "reset" with Moscow might sound unpalatable to some, but Kellogg insisted it is a necessary recalibration, given the failure of current policies to bring about a lasting resolution.

One of the most striking points in Kelloggs speech was his acknowledgment of the suspended intelligence-sharing between the U.S. and Ukraine. This, he argued, represents a significant concession to Russia. By withholding vital intelligence, the U.S. has inadvertently limited Ukraines ability to target Russian forces and has reduced its capacity to mount an effective defense. Kellogg pointed to this as a serious misstep in the Wests commitment to Ukraines fight for sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Kellogg did not shy away from placing blame squarely on Ukraine for the current limitations on intelligence-sharing. According to Kellogg, Ukraines actionscutting off intelligence access and limiting cooperationdirectly impacted the Ukrainian militarys operations on the ground. This growing pressure, he contended, has effectively hampered the countrys ability to press forward on the battlefield, undermining the broader Western effort to weaken Russia's hold in Ukraine.

A surprising turn in Kelloggs comments was his praise for the Trump administrations stance on the conflict. He highlighted that the previous administration actively sought a peaceful resolution by balancing pressure and incentives for both Russia and Ukraine. These measures included the seizure of frozen Russian assets and imposing strict energy sanctionsa strategy designed to bring both sides to the negotiation table. Kellogg argued that this approach was more practical than the current policy, which seems mired in a stalemate.

Crucial U.S.-Ukraine minerals deal: precondition for military support

Kellogg also underscored the importance of a crucial development: the U.S.-Ukraine minerals deal. For the U.S. to resume intelligence sharing and military aid to Ukraine, Kellogg emphasized, Kyiv must agree to this deal. This requirement, according to him, is non-negotiable. The Ukrainian leadership, particularly President Zelensky, has been under increasing pressure to sign the deal. Kellogg was clear in his assessment, warning that without this agreement, military aid and intelligence sharing would not resume.

Kellogg went on to recount President Zelenskys recent visit to the White House, noting that the purpose of the trip was to move forward with the signing of the U.S.-Ukraine agreement. However, the document was never signeda setback that Kellogg framed as a clear roadblock in U.S.-Ukrainian relations. In no uncertain terms, he asserted that no further progress could be made without this vital signature.

The Special Representative shared that during his recent trip to Kyiv, he had been "blunt and clear" with President Zelensky about the consequences of not signing the agreement. Kellogg made it clear to Zelensky that failure to proceed with the deal would have direct and negative consequences for Ukraines access to U.S. support, leaving no room for ambiguity.

Despite these criticisms, Kellogg did not hold back from expressing admiration for Zelensky. He lauded the Ukrainian presidents leadership in the face of overwhelming adversity, recalling his refusal to flee Kyiv at the onset of the invasion, instead opting to remain and request ammunition rather than a "taxi." This, Kellogg stated, was the mark of a true leaderone who inspires loyalty and respect from his allies, a leader with whom "youd want to have a beer."

Kelloggs remarks reveal a growing frustration with the current direction of U.S. foreign policy regarding Ukraine and Russia. His speech points to the necessity of a more pragmatic, diplomatic approachone that does not shy away from tough negotiations and honest conversations. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains clear that U.S. support for Ukraine is conditional, and the path forward hinges on strategic concessions and agreements that align with both Ukrainian and American interests.
8 March 2025 12:42 (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.

During the reporting period, Azerbaijan imported containers from a diverse range of countries, including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, the USA, Australia, the UAE, the UK, China, Afghanistan, India, Indonesia, South Korea, Norway, Pakistan, Singapore, Turkey, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands.

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!
8 March 2025 09:00 (UTC+04:00)

Akbar Novruz Read more

On March 7, Azerbaijan's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jeyhun Bayramov, participated in and delivered a speech at the extraordinary session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Saudi Arabia during his business trip to the Kingdom.

Azernews reports via Azertag that Jeyhun Bayramov conveyed his best wishes to the entire Muslim world on the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan.

The existing humanitarian crisis in the Gaza region and Palestine, the mass killing of innocent people, the destruction of infrastructure, and the ongoing food and water shortages in the region remain a source of concern. The use of force resulting in civilian deaths was deemed unacceptable, and the need for urgent and decisive steps to end this situation was emphasized.

In this regard, it was highlighted that international law principles such as sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the inadmissibility of the use of force must be upheld.

It was also noted that Azerbaijan positively assessed the ceasefire reached in January, stressing the importance of avoiding any actions that could lead to the violation of the ceasefire and further escalation in the current delicate situation.

The importance of the ceasefire, as a starting point for a sustainable peace process based on international law and the legitimate desires of the Palestinian people, was emphasized.

In this context, it was reiterated that Azerbaijan supports a solution to the conflict based on the "two-state" principle in accordance with international law norms and principles, as well as relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.

In addition to the current peace initiatives, the importance of humanitarian aid efforts was also noted. As a responsible member of the OIC, and also as the president of the OIC in 2026, Azerbaijan reaffirmed its readiness to always support the brotherly Palestinian people. It was mentioned that since the escalation in 2023, Azerbaijan has provided $2 million in aid to alleviate the humanitarian situation of the Palestinian people.

The article further emphasized Azerbaijan's efforts to support Palestine in education and healthcare. Specifically, in 2024-2025, 15 students from Palestine will be awarded the "Heydar Aliyev International Education Grant," and Azerbaijan has undertaken the construction of a 600-student school in Nablus.

Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, during his speech, emphasized Azerbaijan's support for the plan presented by Egypt regarding the reconstruction of Gaza and the provision of aid, which was endorsed at the Extraordinary Arab Summit on March 4.

The Minister also congratulated the session on the restoration of Syrias membership in the OIC and expressed support for Syria's territorial integrity, sovereignty, and the restoration of lasting peace and stability in the country.

Bayramov and Ishaq Dar review partnership growth in key sectors at OIC meeting

Further to the extraordinary session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Saudi Arabia, FM Bayramov met with the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Muhammad Ishaq Dar, within the framework of his participation at the event.

Thus, issues arising from the Azerbaijan-Pakistan strategic partnership and various aspects of the bilateral and multilateral cooperation agenda were discussed at the meeting.

Referring to the discussions held during the visit of the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, to our country in February, issues of partnership in the areas of economic, trade, investment, energy security, transport, and other areas of mutual interest were reviewed.

FM Bayramov and Tunisias Mohamed Ali El-Nafti explore strengthening ties

Minister Bayramov also met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Immigration, and Tunisians Abroad of the Republic of Tunisia, Mohamed Ali El-Nafti, within the framework of his participation in the extraordinary session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

During the meeting, the prospects for bilateral and multilateral cooperation between Azerbaijan and Tunisia were discussed.

The importance of expanding relations in various fields between our countries, which are connected by common religious and cultural roots, was noted, as well as the existence of vast potential in this direction.

In this regard, the importance of establishing a consultation mechanism between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs was emphasized.

The need for mutually beneficial cooperation between Azerbaijan and Tunisia within regional and international organizations, including the UN, the OIC, and the Non-Aligned Movement, was highlighted.

During the meeting, views were also exchanged on other issues of mutual interest.
8 March 2025 10:00 (UTC+04:00)

Qabil Ashirov Read more

The Israeli Prime Minister's Office has confirmed that discussions are ongoing with the United States to establish a strong framework for trilateral cooperation between Israel, Azerbaijan, and the US, as reported by JPost.

This statement came as a response to a proposal made by Simon Moshiashvili, a Member of Parliament from the Shas party, during a plenary session at the Knesset. Moshiashvili had raised the idea of renewing the strategic partnership with Azerbaijan and potentially involving the country in the Abraham Accords.

The Prime Minister's Office emphasized that Israel is committed to strengthening its ties with both Azerbaijan and the US, while firmly opposing any efforts to weaken these relationships.
8 March 2025 10:30 (UTC+04:00)

On March 8, 2025, Azerbaijans Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jeyhun Bayramov, met with Tunisias Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration, and Tunisians Abroad, Mohamed Ali Al-Nafti, during the extraordinary session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Tunis. The meeting focused on strengthening bilateral and multilateral cooperation between the two nations, Azernews reports, citing MFA.

The Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that the discussions highlighted the prospects for deepening ties in various fields, emphasizing the shared religious and cultural roots between Azerbaijan and Tunisia. Both ministers underscored the importance of expanding relations and acknowledged the vast potential for collaboration in areas of mutual interest.

A key point of discussion was the establishment of a consultation mechanism between the two foreign ministries to facilitate ongoing dialogue and cooperation. The ministers also stressed the necessity of enhancing mutual collaboration within regional and international organizations, including the United Nations, the OIC, and the Non-Aligned Movement.

In addition to bilateral relations, the meeting addressed other issues of mutual concern, with both sides exchanging views on regional and global developments. The talks reaffirmed the commitment of both nations to fostering a robust partnership grounded in shared values and common goals.
8 March 2025 11:05 (UTC+04:00)

The Restoration, Construction, and Management Service Public Legal Entity has finalized preparations for the construction of additional multi-functional mid-rise residential buildings in Aghdams 4th Residential Complex. According to information obtained by Azernews, the construction will take place in the 9th and 10th districts of the complex.

The agency has entrusted the implementation of the project to Merkuri-Insaat Limited Liability Company (LLC) and has already signed a contract with the company. Under the agreement, Merkuri-Insaat LLC has been allocated 19.3 million manats for the project.

Earlier, the agency announced the start of construction work in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th districts of the same residential complex, with an estimated budget of 137.2 million manats. These projects are part of broader efforts to rebuild and revitalize the regions of Aghdam, Fuzuli, and Khojavand, which were heavily affected during the conflict.

Merkuri-Insaat LLC, the company responsible for the construction in the 9th and 10th districts, has been operating since 2007 and is registered with the state. The companys experience in construction and infrastructure projects makes it a key player in the ongoing reconstruction efforts in the liberated territories.

The new residential buildings are expected to provide modern, functional living spaces for residents, contributing to the restoration of normalcy and the return of displaced families to their homeland. The projects align with the Azerbaijani governments broader strategy to rebuild and develop the Karabakh and East Zangazur regions.
8 March 2025 13:15 (UTC+04:00)

Azerbaijan has reached an agreement to establish an Excellence Center in the field of transport as part of its collaboration with the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation. The agreement also includes the formation of a working group for this initiative, Azernews reports, citing a post shared by Azerbaijans Minister of Digital Development and Transport, Rashad Nabiyev, on his official Facebook account.

We held a meeting with Isiaka Abdulqadir Imam , Secretary-General of the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation, who is currently visiting Azerbaijan. During the meeting, we discussed opportunities for cooperation in transportparticularly in the fields of aviation and maritime transportas well as the expansion of the legislative framework, the minister shared.

This development highlights Azerbaijan's commitment to improving its transport sector and fostering international cooperation in key areas such as aviation and maritime activities.
8 March 2025 15:25 (UTC+04:00)

During the holy month of Ramadan, the Azerbaijani Embassy in Morocco organized an iftar meal for 750 vulnerable individuals in Rabat, the capital of the Kingdom of Morocco, Azernews reports.

The event brought together families of the Azerbaijani ambassador and other diplomats, members of the diaspora, and representatives of the Moroccan Scout Organization, making it a significant moment of solidarity and compassion.

Participants eagerly contributed to preparing the iftar meal, showcasing a remarkable example of unity and kindness. Even children took part in this heartwarming event, lending a hand in setting up the tables and spreading the festive spirit.

The iftar gathering will continue for three to four days , aiming to strengthen unity and mutual support among different social groups in alignment with the spirit of Ramadan.

Notably, the Azerbaijani Embassy remains dedicated to promoting Azerbaijans values and traditions in Morocco through various charitable and cultural events. These initiatives not only enhance cultural and humanitarian ties between Azerbaijan and Morocco but also contribute to showcasing Azerbaijans humanitarian values on an international scale.
8 March 2025 16:30 (UTC+04:00)

A delegation led by Azerbaijans Deputy Minister of Energy, Orkhan Zeynalov, participated in the inaugural meeting of the EU-Slovakia Working Group on Slovakias natural gas supply issues. The session, held in Brussels, brought together key stakeholders to discuss energy security and collaboration opportunities, Azernews reports.

The meeting included Kristina Lobillo Borrero , Director of the European Commissions Directorate-General for Energy, and Denisa Sakova , Slovakia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy. During the discussions, both the European Commission and Slovakia emphasized Azerbaijans strategic importance as a reliable partner in the energy sector. Commitments to expanding cooperation in natural gas and "green energy" were highlighted.

SOCAR Vice President Elshad Nasirov also presented Azerbaijans natural gas potential and additional export opportunities to Europe. The delegation underlined the importance of developing infrastructure and increasing supply to meet Europes growing demand. Deputy Minister Zeynalov elaborated on Azerbaijans strategic role in establishing energy corridors and its readiness to enhance collaboration with European suppliers to strengthen energy security.

The working group also explored renewable energy development and export plans. Updates were provided on Azerbaijans green energy interconnector projects, including the Caspian-Black Sea-Europe, Azerbaijan-Central Asia-Europe , Azerbaijan-Turkey-Europe , and Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey-Bulgaria routes.

During the visit, a meeting was also held with Ditte Juul Jrgensen , Director-General for Energy at the European Commission. Discussions focused on the EU-Azerbaijan energy dialogue, cooperation within the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council, and plans for renewable energy transit from Central Asia to Europe using various routes.

Azerbaijan reaffirmed its commitment to contributing to Europes energy security while continuing to expand its role as a key energy partner.
8 March 2025 16:50 (UTC+04:00)

The Azerbaijani delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, led by Member of Parliament Ramid Namazov, is currently on a working visit to Brussels from March 6 to 8, 2025, Azernews reports.

According to the Azerbaijani Delegation to NATO, the delegation has held a series of bilateral meetings at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Secretariat and NATO Headquarters, attended by key officials from the Azerbaijani delegation to NATO.

During their visit to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Secretariat, the delegation met with the Assemblys Secretary General, the Directors of the Defense and Security Committee, the Democracy and Security Committee, the Political Committee, and the Science and Technology Committee. These meetings focused on the development of inter-parliamentary cooperation between Azerbaijan and NATO.

At NATO Headquarters, the delegation held detailed discussions on Azerbaijan-NATO relations with several high-ranking officials, including the Head of the Public Diplomacy Division, the Director of the Partnership and Global Issues Section of the Political Affairs and Security Policy Division, and the Head of the Arms Control Section of the Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Division. Topics included the 30th anniversary of Azerbaijan-NATO partnership and the significant role of Azerbaijan in NATO-led peacekeeping operations and European energy security. The discussions also highlighted Azerbaijan's contribution to the Peace Partnership Program and its vital role in global transport infrastructure.

The delegation also addressed Azerbaijans ongoing issues with landmines, which have been a major humanitarian and economic challenge since the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Since November 2020, landmine explosions have led to the deaths and injuries of 383 Azerbaijani civilians, severely hindering the return of displaced persons to their homes and the restoration of affected areas. The delegation discussed potential NATO financial and technical assistance in mine clearance efforts, as well as the application of modern technologies and new methods.

Additionally, the parties exchanged experiences in humanitarian mine clearance. The Azerbaijani delegation also visited the Azerbaijani Mission to NATO during their visit to NATO Headquarters.
8 March 2025 19:35 (UTC+04:00)

UN's high representative for disarmament affairs, Izumi Nakamitsu, on Friday highlighted the new Syrian government's commitment to cooperation with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Azernews reports, citing Yeni Safak.

Describing the situation in Syria with the fall of Assad regime as "an historic opportunity to build a stable and peaceful future," Nakamitsu said: "As part of such a stable and peaceful future, the new reality also presents an opportunity to obtain long overdue clarifications on the full extent and scope of the Syrian chemical weapons program, to rid the country of all chemical weapons, to normalize relations with the OPCW and to ensure long term compliance with the chemical weapons convention."

"Syria has started to take its steps towards this objective," she said.

Emphasizing that the outstanding issues on "Syria's chemical weapons dossier cannot be overstated," she noted that the OPCW team "was never able to confirm that the declaration submitted was accurate and complete because of the insufficient and inaccurate information it contained" by the Assad regime.

Nakamitsu reported that use of chemical weapons by Syrian Arab Armed Forces was documented by the OPCW in Syria in several incidents.

"Thus, the OPCW technical Secretariat has reported that it is undeniable that the previous authorities in Syria did not declare the full extent of the Syrian chemical weapons program," she said.

Noting that the "work ahead will not be easy," she further said, "the commitment of the caretaker authorities in Syria to fully and transparently cooperate with the OPCW technical secretariat is commendable."

Despite the new situation in Syria "presenting an opportunity to chart a new course" in the country, she warned that it also "presents significant challenges" given the major humanitarian, security and recovery needs.

She noted the need for strong support and additional resources from the international community to accomplish the tasks needed to rid Syria of all chemical weapons.

"I urge the members of this Council to unite and show leadership in providing that support that these unprecedented efforts will require," she said.

In 2013, the former Assad regime launched missiles carrying sarin gas, a fast-acting toxic nerve agent, on Ghouta, near the capital Damascus, killing more than 1,400 people, including hundreds of children.

On Sept. 13, 2013, following the attack, Syria under the Assad regime joined the OPCW.

In April 2021, OPCW member states voted to suspend some of Syria's membership rights after investigations confirmed the use of chemical weapons in attacks on Al-Lataminah in Hama in 2017 and Idlib in 2018.

Last month, new Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa met in Damascus with a delegation from the OPCW, led by Director-General Fernando Arias Gonzalez.

Bashar al-Assad, Syria's leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia on Dec. 8, ending the regime of the Baath Party, which had been in power since 1963.
8 March 2025 22:20 (UTC+04:00)

Facing the potential loss of hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding, Duke University is preparing for the worst, Azernews reports, citing AP.

Like research universities around the United States, the private school in North Carolinas Research Triangle would see a massive loss from Trump administration cuts to grants from the National Institutes of Health.

Duke would be among the hardest hit. In its previous fiscal year, Duke took in $580 million in NIH grants and contracts, 11th most among the countrys research institutions. The cuts are delayed temporarily by a court challenge, but universities nationwide have implemented hiring freezes, scaled back research and drawn up contingency plans in case the loss in funding takes effect.

Historically, the federal government has negotiated with colleges and universities on its contribution toward their operating costs. If a scientist wins a federal grant to fund their research, the government pays the school an additional amount as a percentage of the grant money.

At Duke, the current rate for these indirect costs  expenses such as utilities and laboratory maintenance  is about 61%. Last month, President Donald Trumps administration set the rate cap at 15%, significantly less than most universities receive.
8 March 2025 23:25 (UTC+04:00)

The Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia (MFA) and the Russian Social Fund (RSF) have clarified the procedure for citizens who have moved abroad permanently to continue receiving their Russian pension, Azernews reports.

Retirees who have relocated to another country for permanent residence can continue to receive their Russian pension. To do so, an application must be submitted to the RSF. This can be done in person, through an RSF territorial office, at a multifunctional center (MFC), or via a representative on the "State Services" portal.

If the application was not submitted before departure, it can still be completed after leaving the country. In such cases, the application should be sent by post to the RSF territorial office or the RSF Department of Transfers and Social Security Integration. The application forms, along with the required documents, are available on the RSF website.

If copies of documents are submitted without the originals, their validity must be notarized.

Electronic services are available on the RSF website in the Citizens Personal Account section. These services allow users to get information about pension assignments and payments, as well as track the progress of the submitted documents.

For more detailed information, the RSF website provides additional resources.
An investigation by the Oversight Project of the Heritage Foundation has found that all of the Joe Biden signatures on documents that have uncovered, except his withdrawal from the race, were signed with an autopen, not by Biden himself. This raises serious questions about who actually applied those signatures to the documents and if Biden even was aware it was being done.

There have been questions for some time about who was actually running things in the White House. Those questions are now on steroids.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/03/report-nearly-all-bidens-official-signatures-were-autopens/

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/could-bombshell-discovery-render-all-bidens-presidential-actions-null-and-void

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has responded with a letter to the US Department of Justice calling for an investigation of all documents signed in Biden's name, calling into question their validity.

https://redstate.com/nick-arama/2025/03/07/andrew-bailey-demands-doj-investigation-of-bidens-condition-plus-the-question-of-the-autopen-n2186381

This reminds one of the video "Weekend at Bidens" from the 2020 campaign:
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.
The Tribune reported Feb. 14 on a notice that was pinned to the front door of Sturm Cosmetic Surgery saying the center is no longer accepting patients and all appointments were canceled, but it was unclear when the center officially closed. The centers website is no longer active and has been scrubbed of all information.

Former patients have since come forward with complications that they are facing in the wake of the centers closure. Ames resident A.J. Gomez-Han told the Tribune that he contracted a bacterial infection and endured a lot of discomfort as a result of a pair of local surgeries he received at the facility in 2024. He was scheduled for a third operation at Sturm Cosmetic Surgery before it suddenly closed, according to the report.

Another former patient, Christine Heintz, told the Tribune that she underwent a two-year recovery after undergoing a procedure at the center, which led to her starting a Facebook group with almost 2,000 members and dozens of frustrated anecdotes, according to the report.

The lead surgeon, Lindsay Sturm, DO, remains actively licensed, according to the report, but is also facing two unrelated malpractice lawsuits  one for wrongful death and another seeking damages after a negligent procedure.

Beckers has reached out to Dr. Sturm and will update this article if more information becomes available.
1. The original version of the bill placed a $1 million cap on damages that could be awarded in medical malpractice cases that did not result in death. Controversy around that provision led to it being removed from the final bill, according to the report.

2. The bill requires plaintiffs pay the defendants attorney fees if the court does not find their claim valid in an effort to decrease frivolous lawsuits.

3. The bill would also prohibit lawyers from going after physicians assets in malpractice suits and creates a framework for determining economic damages based on payments made for medical expenses. It would require the Division of Professional Licensing to put together yearly reports to summarize malpractice claims and outcomes in the state.

4. The bill would also require physicians to hold an insurance policy of at least $1 million.

5. The bill passed through the House on March 6 by a 7-27 vote. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Katy Hall will now go to the governors office for final approval.
But some say that payer reimbursement policies are holding ASCs back from acquiring and implementing technology for procedures.

William Chey, MD, president-elect of American College of Gastroenterology and chief of the GI division at Ann Arbor-based Michigan Medicine, told Beckers that reimbursement policies are hampering the adoption of new technologies in his specialty.

Providers are forced to work with payers individually for any reimbursement, and payers will often deem new technology as emerging or experimental,' he said. Then, they use it as rationale for denying coverage or providing an inadequate reimbursement for the practices expense and investment.

He said that artificial intelligence is a prime example of how GI practices may struggle to invest in technology that could enhance patient care. While AI is demonstrating benefits in diagnosis and treatment, many gastroenterologists cannot integrate these advancements due to reimbursement challenges and a lack of clarity on what payers will cover, he said.

We must come together to find a better solution to help bring innovative technologies to our patients, he said. In the long run, AI has the potential to reduce healthcare costs, but we must first develop strategies to ensure that there is a pathway for physicians who use these technologies to be paid.
In a conversation with Beckers, she discussed her priorities and vision for the hospital moving forward.

Ms. Anderson, who also serves as chief nursing officer, replaces Michael James, who, along with CEO Joe Riley, stepped down in 2024 as part of the restructuring. Ron Dreskin, who was previously brought in to support the restructuring, is serving as interim CEO of Jackson Hospital. Mr. James began a new role as CEO of Vaughan Regional Medical Center in Selma, Ala., on Feb. 10.

Jackson Hospital, a 344-bed facility, filed for bankruptcy in February, citing significant financial pressures in recent years, including a challenging payer mix, COVID-19, stagnant reimbursement rates and increased labor costs.

Ms. Anderson noted that multiple initiatives are underway to stabilize the hospitals finances. She also sees the value of her dual role in improving efficiency.

Hybrid chief nursing officer and COO roles are becoming more popular at hospitals and health systems to streamline operations and executive teams. At Jackson, combining the CNO and COO roles has resulted in greater collaboration between clinical and nonclinical teams, Ms. Anderson said.

Having a clinical background, my mind happens to be operational and performance improvement as well, she said. And having a clinical background and then a background in operations has helped me merge those two to get a better [quality] outcome. So I do think its unique from that perspective.

Ms. Anderson said she is focused on stabilization of the organization and the workforce, and developing best practices within each area of the hospital. As she put it, getting back to fundamental operations.

And then what? How is that going to ultimately impact the patient? Because you may be a nonclinical area, but you can have a significant impact on outcomes for the patient, she added. And so I want to try to tie that together and see collaboration with clinical and nonclinical folks to move toward that.

She said she also views her dual role as an opportunity to move at a faster pace in terms of improvement in the organization, since she is not new to the hospital and has already built trust with staff and colleagues in the C-suite.

Im optimistic, because I think we have a really strong director level and front line. Those that are here and have remained with us want to see Jackson turned around and to be what we used to be, and to be even better than what we were before, Ms. Anderson said. Im excited about the opportunity to be able to work with all of the clinical and nonclinical staff and create that team that we can move forward with the organization, for the patients we serve.
In December, Dr. Foster took the helm at Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center in Windsor, Vt., and Valley Regional Hospital in Claremont, N.H. The two critical access hospitals finalized their affiliation with Dartmouth Health in July after Mt. Ascutney became a member of Dartmouth Health in 2014.

In 2025, Dr. Foster and his team will focus on defining what it means to create that microsystem, or one community with two campuses, he told Beckers. Part of the process involves identifying shared services and integrating operations across the hospitals.

How do we take these two campuses and make it whole so that we have a shared leadership team and service lines of excellence that cross both campuses? Dr. Foster said. Were divided by the Connecticut River  one hospital is in Vermont and one hospital is in New Hampshire. Its not lost on me that we literally have to cross a bridge in order to do this. But I think thats whats exciting.

While still in the early stages, the initial focus is on understanding the commonalities between the hospitals.

They are more common than different, he said. I also think its important to recognize that each hospital is unique, and we want to preserve the uniqueness and identities of both, rather than just merging them for the sake of merging and losing what makes Mt. Ascutney special and what makes Valley Regional special.

Keys to leadership transitions

About 90 days into his role, Dr. Foster is prioritizing building relationships and trust with his team and the communities both hospitals serve. For leaders stepping into a new organization, active listening, open-ended questions, challenging ones assumptions and overcommunication are key, he said.

Its also about being visible, Dr. Foster said. Take extra time, not just during the day, but on weekends and night shifts, to get to know people, because were a 24/7 operation, and people sacrifice a lot in healthcare, both personally and for others.

New leaders should also avoid feeling like they need to have all the answers.

Dont assume that you are the one who has to come with all the solutions, he said. As Ive said to my team, dont be the chief problem solver. How do we empower people doing the work to come up with solutions without having to ask permission or to think this cant be done?

Lifelong learning

Dr. Foster served as a pathologist and called that clinical experience invaluable. Beyond enjoying the hospital environment and its energy, he said it has given him firsthand insight into the challenges physicians face.

But fundamentally, its an intellectual curiosity, he said. Its a lifelong learning. In medicine, everybody has different specialties or skill sets. What I hope I can bring is the perspective of being a practicing physician for 20-plus years, being connected with national leadership in my specialty, and then also being able to respect the differences of opinion and different skill sets that so many people have.

As part of an academic health system, Dr. Foster aims to set the standard for rural healthcare by improving local access to care.

Transportation is a challenge. Taking time off work to go for a doctors visit is sometimes impossible, he said. The more care we can have in our communities, meeting people where they are, ensuring access and affordability, the more successful we will be.
The Texas Health Department has now reported 198 cases since late January, while New Mexico has confirmed 30 cases, primarily in Lea County near the Texas border.

Health officials are also investigating a potential second measles-related death in an unvaccinated person.

Here are four more things to know:

So far, 23 people have been hospitalized from the measles and in late February, one child died in Lubbock, Texas. The child was unvaccinated and had no underlying health conditions. New Mexicos Department of Health is reviewing the death of another unvaccinated individual who tested positive for measles in Lea County, though an official cause has not been determined. Katherine Wells, director of Lubbock Public Health, told the Journal the rise in reported cases is most likely due to more people getting tested. This is growing how I would expect it to grow, she said. She also said testing in Lubbock began March 3, allowing for 24-hour results, compared to previous delays, when samples had to be sent to Austin, Texas. Most of those sickened with measles were not vaccinated or their vaccination status was unknown, and children make up most of those infected.

Measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, meaning it was no longer constantly present. However, outbreaks still occur within unvaccinated populations and in the wake of international travel, with the CDC recording 285 measles cases in 2024.
Businesses in Belfast mall tell of anger at way announcement of closure has been handled

Connswater Shopping Centre will close by the end of the month (Picture by Pacemaker)

Tenants of Connswater Shopping Centre who were told about its closure only hours before it was publicly announced have expressed anger.

The news on Friday morning was described as a sad day for East Belfast by local MP Gavin Robinson

The 20 remaining commercial tenants in the centre, which opened in 1983, were informed it would be shutting in a fortnight.

A senior manager of one charity with a lease at Connswater said it was a huge, huge shock.

The woman, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Belfast Telegraph two letters confirming the closure were sent within minutes of each other on Friday morning.

She said: We are disappointed with how the communication has been handled. To find out, as a tenant, that the very swift closure of the centre is expected on the same day that they made a public announcement is hugely disappointing.

The charity uses its space to meet with its users, and has invested 20,000 in making it safe and welcoming.

She added: As a charity, we worked very hard to raise that money. To have to relocate with no notice will significantly impact our financial viability.

I will be meeting with our board and staff next week. Its a Friday, which is a very unfortunate day, when a number of part-time staff arent officially in work. It will be next week before I have an opportunity to look at next steps.

It will be very costly to any charity to have to relocate, and it will significantly impact our ability to deliver services to our users. Were a very small team, and we would be unable to deliver a regular programme of activity.

We need to relocate our premises, our office staff. All of our official registered addresses are registered to Connswater  it is a huge bureaucratic and logistical issue to deal with.

She added she had concerns about whether the way the closure news was communicated fulfilled the terms of the lease.

Connswater opened in 1983 (Photo by Luke Jervis / Belfast Telegraph)

Strand Arts Centre, which temporarily relocated to Connswater while its Belmont Road home is being refurbished, posted on Instagram: Like many of you, we only found out this morning that the landlord plans to close Connswater in just two weeks time. Whether this will happen remains uncertain.

If you have booked for any screening, event, or workshop after the 21st March, we will be in touch as soon as we know if we have to relocate or refund events. Needless to say, we are devastated by the news weve received today.

Weve invested a great deal of time and money in establishing ourselves at Connswater and weve been overwhelmed by the wonderful audiences weve attracted.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support. Lets hope this is not goodbye.

Connswater informed tenants about the closure early on Friday morning, before receivers BDO NI sent further communication at 11am.

A spokeswoman for Connswater Shopping Centre said: The evolving retail landscape, the loss of anchor tenants and difficult market conditions have made it increasingly challenging to sustain operations in a viable way.

So, very regretfully and after much consideration of different options, we have now appointed BDO as fixed charge receivers for the centre.

Connswater

We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to our loyal customers, tenants and staff who have supported Connswater Shopping Centre throughout the years.

Your patronage and dedication have been invaluable, and we are deeply appreciative of the community spirit that has been fostered here throughout our 20 years of ownership.

We understand that this news will be disappointing to many. Connswater Shopping Centre has been more than just a shopping destination, it has been a part of the fabric of east Belfast.

We deeply regret having to make this difficult decision.

BDO NIs Michael Jennings and Brian Murphy have been appointed as fixed charge receivers, and will have control over certain assets.

The goal of fixed charge receivers in the case of shopping centres is to recover funds owed to creditors. They are often appointed when money for a fixed charge has not been paid.

They only have control over the asset linked to the charge, they do not have control over the business which owns the asset.

In the case of a shopping centre, receivers will usually work towards preparing the property for sale.
The manager of erotic dance group the Pleasure Boys believes it's ridiculous that the performers can no longer show full-frontal nudity in their Northern Irish shows, and said each dancer has now signed a waiver to say they won't fully strip in their return show to Belfast.
Belfast bar Rattlebag marks fifth birthday with vodka martini drink flavoured by gateau from Dougies Goodies bakery

The drink is poured into a glass decorated with - what else? - hundreds and thousands

A Belfast bartender has created a special drink to mark the anniversary of her workplace this weekend  and the ingredients include cake from a local bakery.

Antrim woman Hannah Morro (25) concocted the cocktail to celebrate Rattlebags fifth year in the city centre.

She said: We decided were going to have our first ever birthday party to celebrate five years of Rattlebag being open and I really wanted to make a drink that tastes like birthday cake... why not?

Whenever you think of a birthday party, you think of cake, right?

So, we took Boatyard Vodka, which is one of our favourite things to use in our drinks, and we infused it with cake from Dougies Goodies bakery, because whenever I was young and at school, if someone had a birthday and they told you they were going to have cake from Dougies Goodies, you were like: Please, bring me in a piece after the weekend.

So, its just great to have that in a drink. Why would you not want to have a little bit of vodka with a bit of cake?

Hannah Morro with her birthday cake cocktail

I would take this over the birthday cake!: The Belfast Telegraph taste tests NI bars birthday cocktail

Dougies Goodies, which started as a small business in Ballymena, now has its treats stocked in more than 25 local outlets.

It opened its Belfast city centre store last October.

Hannah said infusing vodka with the cake was really simple for anyone thinking of trying it at home.

She explained: You just put it all in a blender together and then filter it through something like a coffee filter. You get all the solids out and then youre just left with liquid cake essentially.

Boatyard is from Enniskillen... and theyve been really big supporters of the bar for the past few years, so I think its quite nice to bring two really lovely, local things together to make one drink.

For anyone with a sweet tooth, you can get your hands on Hannahs novel martini tomorrow at Rattlebag in Ann Street from 3pm.

To celebrate the birthday, the bar is offering all cocktails for 10 on the day.

The drink is poured into a glass decorated with - what else? - hundreds and thousands

Hannah added: Were running the birthday cake drink as kind of like a one-time special, so if you want to come in and try it, please do, because I think once its gone, thatll be it done.

The cocktail also contains Empirical, a spirit from Copenhagen.

She said: Empirical is made with plum kernels and it tastes like marzipan, so theres a little bit of that in there, a little bit of lemon and then some vanilla.

Its clarified with milk, so you get a perfectly clear cocktail which tastes like cake.

Ive been a bartender for seven years and since I started making cocktails Ive just kind of never stopped.

I just love coming up with new things and trying to experiment with how you can make things taste like something else  like how you can make a martini taste like a cake.
If the box office was dropping, hed do something outrageous so that people would go and buy tickets: Actor Jared Harris on his father Richards legacy
Several items were placed across the road and set alight shortly before 8pm. Stock photo

Police are dealing with ongoing disorder in the Galliagh area of Derry.

Several items were placed across the road and set alight shortly before 8pm.

Petrol bombs have been thrown at police in the area.

Firefighters attended the incident however the Belfast Telegraph understands they have withdrawn from the area after safety concerns.

Images from the incident on social media show several cones and bins on fire.

The PSNI has been contacted for comment.

Several items were placed across the road and set alight shortly before 8pm. Stock photo

News Catch Up - Friday 7th March
A suspect in the murder of Dublin criminal Robbie Lawlor has had to flee his north Belfast bail address under threat.

Lawlor  who headed up an organised crime gang in the Republic  was shot in the head outside Adrian Hollands house in Etna Drive, Ardoyne, five years ago.
Exclusive |

Stormont told a judge that tarmacking 3,000 acres of farmland would be less polluting than the industrial farming it has encouraged
Dozens of pro-Palestine protesters began a march near the Houses of Parliament after a planned rally near the BBCs headquarters was blocked by police.

Protesters were planning to gather outside Broadcasting House in Portland Place, central London, on Saturday.

But police imposed conditions under the Public Order Act to prevent the rally from gathering there as it risked causing serious disruption to a nearby synagogue on a Saturday, the Jewish holy day, as congregants attended Shabbat services.

Organisers Palestine Pulse, XR for Palestine and others moved the protest to outside Downing Street instead.

People watched a man with a Palestine flag after he climbed up the Elizabeth Tower (Jeff Moore/PA)

Dozens of protesters were at Parliament Square on Saturday and appeared to be showing support for a man who had scaled Elizabeth Tower, which houses Big Ben, from the edge of a police cordon.

The man, barefoot and holding a Palestine flag, has been perched on a ledge for more than seven hours, and has been spoken to by negotiators who were raised to his level on an aerial ladder platform.

Shouts of Free Palestine and You Are A Hero could be heard from a small group of supporters who were pinned behind the police cordon at Victoria Embankment.

Officers also imposed a condition on protest activity near Parliament Square to prevent serious disruption, the Metropolitan Police said.

Vehicles were still able to drive there but the pro-Palestine protesters were ordered to move from Bridge Street to Richmond Terrace.

Some of those protesters joined crowds on Whitehall and continued their demonstration into the afternoon.

The Metropolitan Police have been contacted for further comment.
Foreign ministers from Muslim nations have rejected calls by US President Donald Trump to empty the Gaza Strip of its Palestinian population, and instead backed a plan for an administrative committee of Palestinians to govern the territory to allow reconstruction to go ahead.

Meanwhile, Hamas reported positive signals in talks with Egyptian and Qatari mediators in Cairo on starting negotiations on the delayed second phase of its ceasefire deal with Israel.

Spokesman Abdel-Latif al-Qanoua gave no details, but said the group is willing to start talks and its delegation has been discussing the means to do so.

The foreign ministers gathered in the Saudi city of Jeddah for a special session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to address the situation in Gaza, at a time when the seven-week-old ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has been thrown into doubt.

In a statement, the gathering threw its support behind a plan to rebuild Gaza put forward by Egypt and backed by Arab states, including Saudi Arabia and Jordan, aimed at countering Mr Trumps call.

The OIC comprises 57 nations with largely Muslim populations.

Women supporters of a religious party Jamaat-e-Islami hold placards in support of women of Gaza during a demonstration to mark International Womens Day, in Lahore (AP)

Without specifically mentioning Mr Trump, the ministers said they rejected plans aimed at displacing the Palestinian people individually or collectively  as ethnic cleansing, a grave violation of international law and a crime against humanity.

They also condemned policies of starvation that they said aim to push Palestinians to leave.

The OIC also reinstated Syria as a member of the grouping.

Syria was removed from the OIC in 2012 over then-president Bashar Assads brutal crackdown on opposition protests.

After some 14 years of civil war, Mr Assad was ousted in December by Islamist-led insurgents who have since created a transitional government.

The ceasefire that began in mid-January brought a pause in Israels campaign of bombardment and ground offensives in Gaza aimed at destroying Hamas after its attack on southern Israel on October 7 2023.

The ceasefires first phase saw the release of 25 Israeli hostages held by militants in Gaza and the bodies of eight others in exchange for the freeing of nearly 2,000 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

Camps have been set up for displaced Palestinians (AP)

But an intended second phase of the deal  meant to bring the release of remaining hostages and a lasting truce and full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza  has been thrown into doubt.

Israel has baulked at entering negotiations over the terms of the second phase. Instead, it has called for Hamas to release half its remaining hostages in return for an extension of the ceasefire and a promise to negotiate a lasting truce.

Since Sunday, Israel has barred all food, fuel, medicine and other supplies from entering Gaza for some two million people, demanding Hamas accept the revised deal.

At the same time, Mr Trump has called for Gazas population to be resettled elsewhere permanently so that the United States can take over the territory and develop it for others.

Palestinians have rejected calls to leave.

The ministers at the OIC gathering supported an Egyptian-backed proposal that an administrative committee replace Hamas in governing Gaza.

The committee would work under the umbrella of the Palestinian Authority, based in the West Bank. Israel has rejected the authority having any role in the Gaza Strip, but has not put forward an alternative for post-war rule in the territory.

Palestinians have rejected calls to leave (AP)

Under the ceasefire, Israeli forces have pulled back to a zone along Gazas edges.

Early on Saturday, an Israeli strike killed two Palestinians in Gazas southernmost city of Rafah, the Palestinian health ministry said.

The Israeli military said it struck several men who appeared to have been flying a drone that entered Israel from Gaza.

Israels military offensive has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to Gazas health ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were militants.

The campaign was triggered by Hamas October 2023 attack, in which militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, inside Israel and took a total of 251 people hostage.

Most have been released in ceasefire agreements or other arrangements.

Hamas is believed to still have 24 living hostages and the bodies of 34 others.
PSNI broke its silence on claims it spied on journalist Donal MacIntyreChief Constable says no journalistic material was viewed, recorded, or sought by the PSNIPSNI also denies breaking into journalists car  after initially refusing to comment

A week ago, the Belfast Telegraph revealed allegations that the PSNI has spied on a journalist as he investigated the death of 14-year-old schoolboy Noah Donohoe.

Sam McBride revealed claims that journalist Donal MacIntyre was put under significant surveillance in August 2023.

MacIntyre also claimed that his car was broken into in London last October in highly unusual circumstances, with sensitive information about his investigation disturbed.

The PSNI didnt deny any of this, and for five days after that article was published, it remained silent.

Now, Chief Constable Jon Boutcher has emerged to admit that the PSNI began taking an interest in Mr MacIntyre right at the point where our source claimed the spying began.

Speaking in a meeting of the policing board on Thursday, he denied this involved intrusive surveillance and also denied the PSNI broke into his car. He said the PSNI only accessed information that was publicly posted on two X accounts.

So what really went on here? Ciaran Dunbar is joined by Belfast Telegraphs Northern Ireland editor, Sam McBride.
Business

Eyewear company Warby Parker will open its new location at the Old Mill District on Saturday. The company
Opinion

Here are some questions the candidates for the interim Deschutes County Sheriff should answer: Is there anything in
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  On Friday, a Bennington jury came back for a second day of deliberations during the trial of a Searsburg man charged with supplying the drugs that led to a womans overdose death in April 2021. After 20 minutes more, the judge declared a mistrial.

Cory Racicot, 35, of Searsburg, was facing a single felony count of dispensing a regulated drug with death resulting, stemming from an incident at the Weathervane Motel in Manchester in 2021. Depending on a decision by the States Attorneys Office, the clock may now start all over again .

The jury of eight women and four men took just 20 minutes of Friday's second day of deliberations after working for over five hours, until 8:30 p.m., on Thursday. That night, the visually tired jury  after informing the judge twice that they were hopelessly deadlocked  agreed to try once again the next day.

According to court records, on April 28, 2021, police responded to a report of a possible untimely death at the Weathervane Motel in Manchester. The victim, Aubriana Castor, 28, was found deceased amid several packets of drugs and drug paraphernalia.

While investigating the overdose, Manchester Police discovered the victim's purse, which contained several packets of heroin with a blue stamp and Game of Death written on them. After reviewing cellphone records provided by the victim's family, police discovered coded text messages between her and a C.R. It was later confirmed through a witness that C.R. was Racicot. It was further revealed that several payments were made through Cash App, a web-based money transfer application, between an intermediary of Racicots and the victim.

During the trial, an individual who had been asleep when Castor overdosed, Lenon Lestor, testified that he and Castor drove through Bennington the night before searching for drugs and meeting with approximately three individuals who could possibly supply those drugs. One of those individuals was identified by Lestor as Racicot.

This was not the first overdose death that Racicot was alleged to have had a hand in.

In an earlier overdose, according to police affidavits, on April 28, 2020, exactly a year to the day of Castors overdose death, Bennington Police responded to a call of an unresponsive male at the White Birches Mobile Home Park. Upon arrival, police located an unconscious male in a shed behind a residence. Rescue personnel attempted lifesaving efforts to no avail, and the male was pronounced dead at the scene. An investigation of the deceaseds cellphone revealed text conversations between the victim and an alleged dealer with ties to Racicot.

In the third death, police responded to Gage St. in Bennington for a report of an overdose. They found an unresponsive male in a bathroom of the residence, who was also declared dead at the scene. Again, police found numerous text messages between a dealer named Ed, who was allegedly connected to Racicot, who police believe supplied the heroin and Fentanyl that led to the overdose.

One of those overdose cases was ultimately dismissed by the state. The second on Gage Street, initially tied to the Castor case, was severed as its own case and is still pending.

During closing arguments, Prosecutor Jared Bianchi held a plastic bag and a toxicology report matching the "Game of Death" drug packets found at the scene to the toxicology report on Castor after her death. He also reminded the jury of the several coded text messages between Racicot and Castor, who was searching for drugs, as well as the transactions on the internet cash application.

This case is a tragedy because Cory Racicot was willing to profit off of someone elses disease, Bianchi said as he held up the evidence. There is a straight line from the woman lying on the floor at the Weathervane Motel on April 28, 2021 to that man [pointing to Racicot at the defense table] sitting there. We ask you to find Racicot guilty.

Countering that argument, defense attorney Joshua Stern told the jury, Ultimately, this is not just about what happened to Mrs. Castor. Its about how it happened and who caused the death. Although attorney Bianchi told you there is a straight line from what happened to Mrs. Castor to Mr. Racicot, thats very far from the truth.

Stern maintained Racicot's innocence, describing a messy investigation and missed opportunities to find out what the truth was, sewing doubt into the states case.

After the third attempt at a verdict Friday morning, Bennington Judge Jennifer Barrett officially declared a mistrial and thanked the jury for their service. They were released soon after.

Prosecutor Bianchi said that the State will re-evaluate the case and make a decision on how they will move forward.

We thank the jury for their service, Bianchi said. This was a difficult case. There hasnt been any decision yet on where we go from here. These cases are always difficult. We will always try to keep people safe and help find justice for victims who didnt have a chance to get clean.

Both Racicot and his attorney declined comment.

Racicot has a long history of convictions in Vermont. Those convictions include several felony drug offenses, violations of conditions of release, transporting drugs into a detention center, and violating an abuse prevention order. Racicot has served little time behind bars. An inquiry into his criminal convictions shows several sentences from months to years that were all suspended.

April will be four years since Aubriana passed, said Christiana Ezzo, Aubrianas mom, after the mistrial was declared. Two and a half years since they decided to pursue charges against Cory. Thats a long time to wait for justice. I thought there would be a resolution and an end to this but it sometimes feels as though there never will be, even though the jury did try. Nothing will ever bring Aubriana back, but I will always be a voice for her and for accountability for what happened.

Legally, the case, depending on the States decision, will reset and begin anew, be negotiated in a plea deal, or be dismissed. Racicot is still facing a possible 20-years behind bars if he is found guilty. He is currently under a 24/7 curfew at the First Step Recovery Center in Burlington until the case resolves. A status conference in the case is scheduled for this May.
Hamas delegation arrives in Cairo to discuss 2nd phase of Gaza ceasefire

Xinhua) 10:21, March 08, 2025

CAIRO, March 7 (Xinhua) -- A Hamas delegation arrived in Egypt's Cairo on Friday for talks on implementing terms of the Gaza ceasefire deal and pushing forward negotiations on its second phase, Egypt's State Information Service said in a statement.

Egypt is holding intensive talks with Hamas leaders, as well as U.S. and Qatari mediators, to continue the implementation of the ceasefire and to begin the 2nd phase of the deal, according to the statement.

A three-phase Gaza ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, brokered by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, took effect on January 19. The negotiations for the second phase of the deal remain stalled after the initial 42-day phase expired on March 1.

Egypt has been intensifying diplomatic efforts to achieve a Gaza ceasefire and advance the strip's reconstruction. On Tuesday, Egypt hosted an emergency Arab summit and proposed a Gaza non-displacement reconstruction plan valued at 53 billion U.S. dollars.

However, the plan necessitates a permanent ceasefire in the strip to encourage financing and investment for its implementation.

(Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Sheng Chuyi)
Eagle Archives, July 2, 1957: The Marauders drum and bugle corps will be absent from the 1957 Fourth of July Parade after a split with the Pittsfield Firemens Association, which demanded the return of all instruments amid tensions over name changes and sponsorship.
First noticed in Ohio in 2012 and in Massachusetts in 2020 in Plymouth and Bristol counties, beech leaf disease had been found in every county by 2022, Now, its been documented in nearly every community in Massachusetts.
GREAT BARRINGTON  High winds, the absence of snow in places and an ongoing drought has made the county ripe for wildfire  again.

Its why fire officials in Great Barrington have temporarily banned outdoor burning during the annual burn season, according to a message from the department on Facebook.

The outdoor burn season for brush and forest debris began Jan. 15 for those with permits, and was scheduled to run until May 1.

"Winds, low humidity and extremely dry fuel with lack of snow cover," will make fire travel very quickly and put homes and property in danger, the departments message said.

All of Western Massachusetts is currently at a significant drought level, while the middle part of the state is facing critical drought levels. In February, the western part of the state was under a mild drought.

Rebecca Tepper, the state's energy and environmental affairs secretary, said that almost seven months of below-normal precipitation" has left the state vulnerable to groundwater shortages.

She also said that freezing temperatures and frozen ground have prevented snowmelt from soaking through in order to replenish groundwater supplies.

As such, residents should try to minimize water use whenever possible.

It is vital that everyone continues to follow state guidance and local water restrictions, Tepper said, to ensure water is available for our essential needs.

Four months ago, drought conditions helped fuel a wildfire in Great Barrington that tore through around 1,600 acres, threatened neighborhoods and required a weeks-long response from hundreds of firefighters and state agencies.

The snow had finally tamped down the blaze, which was named the Butternut Fire, in December for good. The Great Barrington Fire Department said in its message on outdoor burning that it was not keen on repeating that incident.
An art teacher at School Street Elementary School has been cited by Punxsutawney-based state police for allegedly slapping a 10-year-old student.

Rebecca J. Hunter, 48, of Eldred, was cited for harassment  subjecting another person to physical contact, and disorderly conduct, both summary offenses.

According to state police, they were requested by Bradford City Police to investigate an incident at the elementary school at 9:45 a.m. Jan. 15. The investigation showed that Hunter had struck the 10-year-old male victim in the presence of witnesses, police said.

The citations have been filed in the office of District Judge Rich Luther. As of Friday, Hunter had not entered a plea to either citation.

A request for comment from Bradford Area School District officials was not immediately returned.
McKean County is due to receive more than $2 million in liquid fuels payments for its municipalities to maintain roads and bridges.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation on Thursday announced the annual distributions, totaling $468 million statewide in 2025. Funds, which are available to municipalities that submit annual reports in compliance with the act, are generated by the state gas tax and assist municipalities with highway- and bridge-related expenses like repaving and winter maintenance.

There are approximately 422 miles of municipal roads in McKean County, and each township, borough or citys allocation is based on population and approved miles of road in the liquid fuels inventory.

To be eligible, roadways must be formally adopted as a public street, meet certain dimension requirements and be able to safely accommodate vehicles driving at least 15 mph.

McKean Countys allocations total $2,048,516.84, an increase of nearly $30,000 from last years distributions.

Bradford City, based again this year on a population of 7,849 and 30.68 miles, is due to receive $235,093.12. The amount is an increase of nearly $3,000 from 2024.

At 4,793 residents and 34.41 miles, Bradford Township will see $192,934.02  also nearly $3,000 more than last year.

Foster Township is due to receive $172,586.51 based on 4,038 residents and 32.18 miles, an increase of $4,000. Lewis Run Borough will receive about $1,000 more this year, with a total of $20,448.02. Its figure is based on a population of 583 and 3.12 miles of roadway.

For the complete list of municipal liquid fuels payments, visit PennDOTs Municipal Liquid Fuels Program page. McKean Countys distributions are found on page 76 of the 121-page MLF report for 2025.

Some municipalities enter into agreements with PennDOT to have the department conduct required bridge inspections for them, according to PennDOT officials. Each municipalitys share of those agreements is deducted from the gross allocation to arrive at the net allocation, which are the numbers included here.

Further, municipalities may use 20% of their net annual distribution to purchase major equipment. That percentage is a portion of the allocation, not an additional payment.

With township and local governments responsible for two-thirds of Pennsylvanias road miles, we recognize the critical role of liquid fuels funding in maintaining our roadways, said PSATS Executive Director David Sanko. However, as vehicles are more fuel-efficient, these funds are diminishing, so we are optimistic for the EV fee implementation to be successful and the additional revenue they will bring to our local governments.

We appreciate PennDOTs recognition of local governments as essential partners in the commonwealths transportation network and look forward to continuing our collaboration with PennDOT and the General Assembly to find innovative solutions, ensuring our roads remain smooth, safe and ready for future journeys, he added.

There are nearly 121,000 miles of public roads in Pennsylvania. More than 2,500 municipalities manage approximately 78,000 miles of roadway and more than 6,600 bridges.

PSAB Executive Director Chris Cap said, The Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs commends the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for recognizing borough governments as important participants in the statewide transportation network. These liquid fuels allocations are an essential funding component for preserving this vast network of locally maintained roads, which are so vital to the continued economic viability of this commonwealth.
ROME (AP)  Pope Francis hit the three-week mark Friday in his hospitalization for double pneumonia, in stable condition, receiving therapy but not necessarily improving, after giving the world a tangible indication of just how frail and sick he is.

The 88-year-old Francis spent 20 minutes in the Gemelli hospital chapel, praying and doing some work in between rest and respiratory and physical therapy, the Vatican said. He was using high flows of supplemental oxygen to help him breathe during the day and a noninvasive mechanical ventilation mask at night.

Doctors not involved in his care said after three weeks of acute care in the hospital for double pneumonia, they would have hoped to have seen improvement and warned that he was increasingly at risk of secondary infections the longer he remains hospitalized. Additionally, Francis has had episodes of acute respiratory failure earlier this week and underwent bronchoscopies to suction mucus from his lungs.

Hes had respiratory failure and they were not able to liberate him from the hospital in the first three weeks. And therefore I think youd say this does look concerning, perhaps more concerning than it did right at the beginning, said Dr. Andrew Chadwick, a respiratory and intensive care specialist at Oxford University Hospitals in England.

Dr. Jeffrey Millstein, a clinical assistant professor of internal medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, said it wasnt shocking that Francis hadnt improved in three weeks, and that it was encouraging he was able to breathe part of the day with just a nasal tube of high-flow oxygen. But he said that his condition certainly was a precarious, touch and go kind of situation and that recovery, while still possible, would be a long process.

Going forward, I just would be looking for no new setbacks, he said. I think as long as he is dealing with the current issues and hes just making incremental progress, that would be great.

Francis offered a first public sign of just how weak he is on Thursday by recording an audio message that was broadcast to the faithful in St. Peters Square who had gathered for the nightly recitation of the rosary prayer.

In it, Francis thanked the people for their prayers. But his voice was barely discernible through his labored breaths and he spoke in his native Spanish, not Italian.

I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers for my health from the square, I accompany you from here, he said to the hushed square. May God bless you and the Virgin protect you. Thank you.

The messaged served many purposes. It was the first public sign of life from the pope since he entered Romes Gemelli hospital on Feb. 14, and put to rest right-wing conspiracy theories and rumors calling into question his true medical status.

The Vatican said that Francis himself wanted to record it, to thank all those people who had been praying for him. In his Sunday message last weekend, Francis said he had felt the affection of so many people, and felt as if I am carried and supported by all Gods people.

But the audio also underscored just how weak Francis is. For anyone used to hearing his voice, the message was an emotional punch to the gut that hammered home just how hard it is for him to even breathe.

The pope has chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed as a young man.

The Vatican has given twice-daily updates on Francis condition, but has distributed no photos or video of him since the morning of Feb. 14, when he held a handful of audiences at the Vatican before being admitted to Gemelli hospital for what was then just a bad case of bronchitis.

The infection progressed into a complex respiratory tract infection and double pneumonia that has sidelined Francis for the longest period of his 12-year papacy and raised questions about the future of his papacy.

(Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.)
PITTSBURGH (TNS)  Jessica Tucker, a 38-year-old mother living in Brookline, started feeling depressed when she was 20 weeks pregnant.

Tucker spoke to her doctor at Allegheny Health Network, who referred her to West Penn Hospitals intensive outpatient program created in 2018 to help expectant- and new mothers process feelings of sadness and grief associated with postpartum depression.

During a press conference Thursday at West Penn, Tucker turned to Ewurama Sackey, her doctor and the medical director of the womens behavioral health program at Allegheny Health Network, and said, You saved my life. Her baby, Willow, is now almost a year old.

The gathering at the hospital in Bloomfield was part of a push to win backing for a Shapiro administration plan to bolster maternal health care and instate universal postpartum depression screening for all Pennsylvania mothers in the Commonwealth. Debra Bogen, the states health secretary, said the plan is to set aside $5 million in the 2025-2026 state budget to fund the effort.

Gov. Josh Shapiro reserved funds in his 2023  2024 budget proposal specifically for maternal health, with the goal of reducing maternal death and complications, a first for a Pennsylvania governor.

In this sessions proposal, Shapiro hopes to fund training of medical professionals to recognize the condition, instating universal screening, speeding up referrals to care when moms test positive for postpartum depression and creating a hub and local support network where families can access resources.

Pittsburgh-area health officials welcome the effort.

We see the growing demand for our services far exceeding our current capacity, and this underscores the urgent need for increased investment, said Sackey.

Postpartum depression  defined as debilitating anxiety, depression or thoughts of self harm following childbirth  impacts one in seven women in the U.S. and one in eight in Pennsylvania. Its estimated that more than half of all postpartum deaths occur with the first two weeks following childbirth, suicide being a leading cause of maternal death.

While its normal for expecting and new mothers to feel the baby blues, characterized by mood swings, irritability and anxiety shortly after giving birth, postpartum depression is clinically distinct, more severe and poses a risk to the child and the rest of the family, said Sara Goulet, special advisor to the state Department of Human Services.

Demand for postpartum services is higher than ever, said Brian Johnson, president of West Penn Hospital where about 4,000 babies were delivered last year. About 8,400 babies were delivered across all AHN locations in 2024.

Its a demand that health officials in the Pittsburgh community have been chipping away at for years, and the hope is that additional state funds can bolster those efforts.

In 2018, Alexis Joy DAchille Center for Perinatal Mental Health was created within West Penn. The center addresses mental health care of pregnant and new mothers with depression and other mental health challenges.

The center, which is near the hospitals emergency department off Millvale Avenue in Bloomfield, is where Tucker met other struggling moms.

The center was created in the honor of Steven DAchilles wife, who died by suicide in 2013 five weeks after birthing their child. The idea for the foundation and the center came to him while she was in intensive care after her suicide attempt. She died two days later.

We desperately sought access to care that just did not exist, said DAchille. I believe that had my wife had access to a facility like this, I would still have my wife and my daughter would still have her mother.

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services partnered recently with the Pennsylvania Doula Commission to create a certification program, and the state now has 171 certified doulas who can support mothers through their pregnancy and postpartum journey, said Goulet.

Pregnant people who meet certain criteria and income requirements may also be eligible for Medicaid coverage for up to one year after their childs birth. A third of all Pennsylvania births are covered by the states Medicaid program.

Bogen, a pediatrician in Allegheny County for 25 years and the health director of the Allegheny County Health Department before becoming health secretary, said she helped implement depression screening for new mothers. Stigma has decreased over time, but its still too high, she said.

That screening was vital, she said. Universal screening allowed us to offer support, education, referral, options for evidence based treatments and follow up.

While screening can help catch mothers who may otherwise fall through the cracks, its only a first step, said Priya Gopalan, chief of psychiatry at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital and a psychiatrist at UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital.

We have to be thinking about all of the things that factor into perinatal mental health more broadly, she said, including access to transportation, child care, housing and stigma that may prevent mothers from coming forward about their struggles.

At UPMC Magee, health care providers screened more than 12,000 women last year for postpartum depression, she said, and 18% came back positive. Through partnerships with other care teams in the system, including obstetrics, pediatrics and family medicine, the hospital was able to refer them for additional support.

Telemedicine will play a crucial role for families in rural areas, said Gopalan.

We are very blessed here in Western Pa. to have many services, but thats not true across the state, said Bogen.

Postpartum depression and perinatal care are bipartisan issues, Bogen added, so she hopes the state legislature will accept the portion of funds Shapiro wants to reserve for these purposes.

They funded this last year, and we hope they will fund it this year, she said.

The legislature is expected to vote on the budget later this summer.
Lawyers acting for John Magnier have claimed that Maurice Regan, the US-based construction magnate, is funding the owners of the Barne Estate in their defence of a High Court action taken by the Coolmore Stud billionaire.

Mr Magniers proceedings are anchored in the claim that the owners of the Barne Estate reneged on a purported deal to sell the 751-acre estate to him for 15 million, instead choosing to sell to Mr Regan for a higher price.

Advertisement

Paul Gallagher SC, for Mr Magnier, also claimed on Friday that recently-discovered documents evidenced Mr Regan bullying and threatening custodians of the Co Tipperary estate, and inducing a breach of an exclusivity agreement that, the plaintiffs say, was in effect following the purported deal.

All the claims were denied. Martin Hayden SC, for the defendants, said the allegation that Mr Regan was financing the proceedings was an outrage, and there was no evidence before the court to support such a claim.

A hearing into the dispute between Mr Magnier and the owners of the Barne Estate was due to begin on Thursday.

However, Mr Justice Michael Quinn on Friday adjourned the case for several weeks, to allow the defendants to remedy what he described as their incomplete and grossly inadequate discovery of documents.

Advertisement

Mr Magnier  along with his adult children John Paul Magnier and Kate Wachman  wants to enforce the alleged deal, worth 15 million.

They say the deal was struck at an August 22nd, 2023, meeting at Mr Magniers Coolmore Stud. They also claim an exclusivity agreement, stipulating that the estate not permit its representatives to solicit or encourage any expression of interest, inquiry or offer on the property from anyone other than Mr Magnier, was in effect from August 31st to September 30th.

Barne Estate is held for the benefit of Richard Thomson-Moore, his sister Alexandra, their children, and their spouses by a Jersey trust.

The Magniers have sued the Barne Estate, Mr Thomson-Moore and three companies of IQEQ (Jersey) Ltd seeking to enforce the purported deal.

Advertisement

The Barne defendants say there was never any such agreement and subsequently they agreed to sell it for 22.5 million to construction magnate Mr Regan, founder of the New York building firm JT Magen. Mr Regan is not a party to the case.

On Friday, Paul Gallagher SC, for Mr Magnier, claimed that the defendants refused to provide information on foot of queries about Mr Regan  whom Mr Gallagher described as a dark force  allegedly funding the proceedings.

We have repeatedly asked for the confirmation that Mr Regan is funding these proceedings, Mr Gallagher said.

Martin Hayden SC, for the defendants, said he was not obliged to engage with Mr Gallaghers allegations. He said that if Mr Gallagher had the remotest idea a non-party was funding the litigation, he was absolutely sure, with the resources at his disposal, wed have a motion to strike out [the proceedings].

Mr Gallagher also claimed that a document of 60-odd pages of typed notes written by John Stokes  a Tipperary-based estate agent who was present at the August 2023 meeting at Coolmore Stud  not only set out the terms of the deal for the estate as Mr Magnier has pleaded, but also showed Mr Regan inducing a breach of the exclusivity agreement.

Advertisement

He further claimed that this rolling note  previously the subject of an incorrect claim of privilege by the defendant  had evidence of Mr Regan bullying and threatening Mr Stokes, and threatening of other Barne Estate trustees.

In response, Mr Hayden said that if Mr Magnier felt he had a case against Mr Regan relating to a breach of an exclusivity agreement, given the level of resources and representation he has, he would have sued Mr Regan.

Instead, we get this allegation made for public consumption, Mr Hayden said.

Mr Hayden said that it was not the case that Mr Stokes was bullied. He said the court would see that in due course that Mr Regan made several offers  16.5 million, 18 million and then 20 million  for the Barne Estate but received no engagement in response.

Advertisement

If thats bullying, Id like to be bullied like that, Mr Hayden said.

After two days of oral argument, Mr Justice Quinn made orders for further discovery, directing the defendants to search devices belonging to key custodians for documents captured by previously-agreed categories of discovery.

Ireland Judge says court will not be 'used' by billionaire... Read More

This order in part arose from the defendants admission an email inbox linked to Mr Thomson-Moore was not searched during the discovery process.

He also ordered that the defendants carry out a review of their previous claims of privilege made over documents in the case. This order arose from the incorrect claim of privilege over Mr Stokes rolling diary.

The judge ruled with the defendants in determining they were correct in their interpretation of agreed-upon discovery categories relating requests for communications. The defendants, the court has heard, limited their discovery in these categories to phone messages and emails.

The case was adjourned to a date in April, when a new date for trial will be set.
US actress Blake Lively posed for photos at the world premiere of Another Simple Favour, amid her legal battle with Justin Baldoni on Friday.

The Gossip Girl star, 37, wore a strapless nude pink dress to the event, which opened the SXSW Film and TV Festival in Austin, Texas.

Advertisement

The film, a sequel to 2018s A Simple Favour, is Livelys first new movie since It Ends With Us and the subsequent legal drama involving Lively and the movies director and co-star, Baldoni.

Blake Lively and Michele Morrone at the world premiere of Another Simple Favour (Jack Plunkett/Invision/AP)

Lively sued Baldoni, 41, and several others tied to the romantic drama, in late December, alleging harassment and a co-ordinated campaign to attack her reputation, for coming forward about her treatment on the set.

Baldoni, who denies Livelys allegations, then sued the actress and her husband, Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds, for defamation and extortion, in January.

A trial date is set for March 2026.

Advertisement

Also at the premiere were Livelys co-stars, Pitch Perfect actress Anna Kendrick and Italian actor Michele Morrone.

The trailer for Another Simple Favour, which streams on Prime Video from May 1, shows the return of Livelys character Emily as she invites Stephanie (Kendrick) to the island of Capri off Italy for her extravagant wedding.

The teaser shows a montage of explosions, glamorous parties, and a body on a stretcher, with the words revenge is a dish best served chilled, with a twist.
An Irish soldier has been awarded the distinguished service medal posthumously.

Private Billy Kedian from Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo was killed in action in Lebanon in 1999, and has now made history as the first Army private to be awarded a DSM.

Advertisement

The 21-year-old had been on his second peacekeeping mission to Unifil.

The Defence Forces said in the early hours of May, hostile fire had broken out close to UNP 6-42, at which Private Kedian was stationed.

At 5am a mortar round impacted within the confines of UNP 6-42, fatally injuring the young soldier.

A Defence Forces Medals Board, which reviewed the case, concluded that Private Kedians selfless actions, were deserving of the posthumous award of the DSM With Honour.

Advertisement

The DSM With Honour has only been awarded on 31 previous occasions.

Tanaiste and Minister for Defence Simon Harris made the special presentation to Private Kedians sisters Ann and Mary during a ceremony at Dun Ui Mhaoiliosa in Galway on Saturday.

Mr Harris paid tribute to Private Kedian, saying he had put himself in harms way to protect others.

Were it not for the courage, bravery and the highest level of selfless devotion to duty, Private Kedian would likely have been the first of his Company to reach the protection of the bunker in the early hours of 31 May 1999, he said.

Advertisement

Instead, Private Kedian put himself in harms way for the protection of others.

He did this without hesitation, ensuring the safety of his comrades, while sacrificing his own safety, embodying the highest values of our Defence Forces.

Mr Harris said, through the award of the DSM, the young soldier will never be forgotten.

He, too, will always retain the gratitude of the Irish Government, the women and men of Oglaigh na hEireann, and above all, the Irish people, he said.

He went on to speak about the important role of Irish peacekeepers on missions across the world, as typified by the service given by Private Kedian.

Advertisement

Oglaigh na hEireanns unbroken peacekeeping service in the Unifil mission in Lebanon stretches back to 1978, he said.

Troops deployed to Unifil are no strangers to having to react to the ever changing environment brought about by the deep-rooted conflict that has wracked the country for decades.

Participation in Unifil illustrates how small countries like Ireland can make a practical difference for the people of Lebanon, with whom the people of Ireland share a particular affinity.

The decision by any Government to send troops overseas on UN peacekeeping operations is never taken lightly.

Advertisement

The decision of Private Kedian to embark on this noble endeavour and to travel to Lebanon to contribute to this vital mission for a second time in April 1999, is a source of pride for us all.
Legislation to modify rules around the deployment of Irish peacekeeping troops is to be scrutinised robustly, Irelands Minister for Defence has said.

Sinn Fein has expressed concern at the governments plans to amend Irelands triple lock on the deployment of Defence Force peacekeepers overseas as very dangerous.

Advertisement

The party has called for a referendum on the move.

Tanaiste and Minister for Defence Simon Harris (PA)

Under the current system, Ireland cannot deploy any more than 12 Defence Forces peacekeepers overseas without a mission being approved by a vote of the UN Security Council, as well as approval by the Government and the Dail.

Under the draft legislation, it is proposed to increase the number of troops who are sent on peacekeeping missions from 12 to 50.

Speaking to media in Co Galway on Saturday, Tanaiste Simon Harris emphasised that he and the government value Irish neutrality.

Advertisement

Irish neutrality is a deeply held position by the Irish people and successive Irish governments, and by me as leader of Fine Gael and as Tanaiste and Minister for Defence, he said

I value Irish neutrality.

What I dont value though is the fact that Vladimir Putin or others can have a veto on where peacekeeping troops can go.

Im here today honouring the service of peacekeepers.

Advertisement

I am so proud of the work of our peacekeepers.

I believe it is absolutely appropriate, in fact an act of sovereignty, for the government to decide where to send peacekeeping troops, not to ask for the authority of other countries.

I have published draft legislation in relation to modifying the Triple Lock.

I want that to be scrutinised robustly, looked at, examined in the Oireachtas and I want to get this right.
A sixth man arrested during the investigation into the death of Quham Babatunde in Dublin has been charged with violent disorder and two counts of assault.

Mr Babatunde, who was 34 and from Nigeria, died after being stabbed on Anne Street South in the city centre at around 3am on February 15th.

Advertisement

It occurred after a row started among revellers leaving a Valentine's night music event.

Gardai found him unresponsive, and he was rushed to St James's Street Hospital, where he passed away a short time later.

John Eghomwanre, 23, Dun Emer Glade, Lusk, Co Dublin, was arrested on Thursday, and on Friday, gardai charged him with three offences.

He was held by gardai pending his appearance before Judge Michele Finan at Dublin District Court, where Garda Grainne Collier gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution.

Advertisement

During the brief hearing, defence counsel Luke O'Higgins, instructed by solicitor Evan Moore, said his client, who has yet to indicate a plea, was not applying for bail at this stage.

Mr Eghomwanre is accused of assault causing harm to Mr Babatunde Anne Street South and his friend Adetola Adetuilehim at Duke Lane, and violent disorder.

Judge Finan granted legal aid and remanded him in custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court on March 11th.

Gardai must obtain directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions, and the defence must give the prosecution 48 hours' notice if they intend to apply for bail.

Advertisement

Mr Babatunde had been living in the Ballyogan accommodation centre in south Dublin pending his international protection application.

Five other men have already come before the courts on charges connected to his murder or events in the area that night.

They remain in custody on remand.

Ryan Ndede, 23, of Boroimhe Birches, Swords, Co Dublin, was arrested by the PSNI in Belfast after boarding a ferry to England. He was charged with Quham Babatunde's murder and held in custody after he appeared at Belfast Magistrate's Court on February 21st.

Advertisement

The other four have appeared before Dublin District Court on connected charges.

Rory Carr, 21, of Ard na Greine, Seapoint Lane, Balbriggan, was accused of assault causing harm to Mr Babatunde and Adetuilehim at Anne Street South, and violent disorder.

Jeffrey Bangu, 21, of Cardy Rock Crescent, Balbriggan, was charged with assault causing harm to Mr Babatunde at Duke Lane and to Adetuilehim at Anne Street South.

He faces additional charges of violent disorder and the production of a knife during the incident.

Sean Forde, 23, with an address at Bath Road, Balbriggan, Co Dublin, was charged with violent disorder at Anne Street South.

Bakuani Diavisi, 25, of Cardy Rock, Balbriggan, Co Dublin, was charged with assault causing harm to another named male at Dawson Street, Dublin 2, on the same date.
Foreign ministers from Muslim nations have rejected calls by US President Donald Trump to empty the Gaza Strip of its Palestinian population, and instead backed a plan for an administrative committee of Palestinians to govern the territory to allow reconstruction to go ahead.

Meanwhile, Hamas reported positive signals in talks with Egyptian and Qatari mediators in Cairo on starting negotiations on the delayed second phase of its ceasefire deal with Israel.

Advertisement

Spokesman Abdel-Latif al-Qanoua gave no details, but said the group is willing to start talks and its delegation has been discussing the means to do so.

The foreign ministers gathered in the Saudi city of Jeddah for a special session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to address the situation in Gaza, at a time when the seven-week-old ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has been thrown into doubt.

In a statement, the gathering threw its support behind a plan to rebuild Gaza put forward by Egypt and backed by Arab states, including Saudi Arabia and Jordan, aimed at countering Mr Trumps call.

The OIC comprises 57 nations with largely Muslim populations.

Advertisement

Women supporters of a religious party Jamaat-e-Islami hold placards in support of women of Gaza during a demonstration to mark International Womens Day, in Lahore (AP)

Without specifically mentioning Mr Trump, the ministers said they rejected plans aimed at displacing the Palestinian people individually or collectively  as ethnic cleansing, a grave violation of international law and a crime against humanity.

They also condemned policies of starvation that they said aim to push Palestinians to leave.

The OIC also reinstated Syria as a member of the grouping.

Syria was removed from the OIC in 2012 over then-president Bashar Assads brutal crackdown on opposition protests.

Advertisement

After some 14 years of civil war, Mr Assad was ousted in December by Islamist-led insurgents who have since created a transitional government.

The ceasefire that began in mid-January brought a pause in Israels campaign of bombardment and ground offensives in Gaza aimed at destroying Hamas after its attack on southern Israel on October 7 2023.

The ceasefires first phase saw the release of 25 Israeli hostages held by militants in Gaza and the bodies of eight others in exchange for the freeing of nearly 2,000 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

Camps have been set up for displaced Palestinians (AP)

But an intended second phase of the deal  meant to bring the release of remaining hostages and a lasting truce and full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza  has been thrown into doubt.

Advertisement

Israel has baulked at entering negotiations over the terms of the second phase. Instead, it has called for Hamas to release half its remaining hostages in return for an extension of the ceasefire and a promise to negotiate a lasting truce.

Since Sunday, Israel has barred all food, fuel, medicine and other supplies from entering Gaza for some two million people, demanding Hamas accept the revised deal.

At the same time, Mr Trump has called for Gazas population to be resettled elsewhere permanently so that the United States can take over the territory and develop it for others.

Palestinians have rejected calls to leave.

Advertisement

The ministers at the OIC gathering supported an Egyptian-backed proposal that an administrative committee replace Hamas in governing Gaza.

The committee would work under the umbrella of the Palestinian Authority, based in the West Bank. Israel has rejected the authority having any role in the Gaza Strip, but has not put forward an alternative for post-war rule in the territory.

Palestinians have rejected calls to leave (AP)

Under the ceasefire, Israeli forces have pulled back to a zone along Gazas edges.

Early on Saturday, an Israeli strike killed two Palestinians in Gazas southernmost city of Rafah, the Palestinian health ministry said.

The Israeli military said it struck several men who appeared to have been flying a drone that entered Israel from Gaza.

Israels military offensive has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to Gazas health ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were militants.

The campaign was triggered by Hamas October 2023 attack, in which militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, inside Israel and took a total of 251 people hostage.

Most have been released in ceasefire agreements or other arrangements.

Hamas is believed to still have 24 living hostages and the bodies of 34 others.
A tropical cyclone has weakened into a tropical low weather system as it approaches Brisbane, Australias third-most populous city, bringing flooding rain which is expected to lash the coastal region for days.

Tropical Cyclone Alfred had been expected on Saturday to become the first cyclone to cross the east Australian coast near the Queensland state capital since 1974.

Advertisement

But it weakened early in the day to a tropical low, defined as carrying sustained winds of less than 39mph.



The cyclone has weakened (AP)

The system is expected to cross the coast north of Brisbane between Bribie Island and the Sunshine Coast region later, Bureau of Meteorology manager Matt Collopy said.

Heavy to locally intense rainfall leading to flash and riverine flooding now becomes the major concern as the ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred moves inland, he said.

Cyclones are common in Queenslands tropical north but are rare in the states temperate and densely populated south-east corner bordering New South Wales.

Advertisement

A 61-year-old man remains missing after being swept away in a flooded river near the town of Dorrigo in New South Wales, and a woman sustained minor injuries when an apartment building lost its roof in the Queensland border city of Gold Coast on Friday, police said. The woman was one of 21 people who were evacuated from the building.

More than 330,000 homes and businesses lost power on both sides of the border, a large proportion of them at Gold Coast, which recorded the strongest gusts of 66mph on Friday night.



Further heavy rain is expected (AAP/AP)

Of those, 291,000 premises were in Queensland, including 131,000 in Gold Coast, officials said. Another 45,000 were without power in New South Wales.

Power lines, homes and cars were damaged by falling trees across the region over Friday night.

Advertisement

The Gold Coasts renowned broad beaches have become steep sandy cliffs several yards high after days of relentless erosion.

Queensland premier David Crisafulli said he was grateful the risk had passed of the storm crossing the coast at high tide, which would have flooded coastal homes.

To have no homes reported that have had storm tide inundation is really a tremendous, tremendous result, he said.





The reports of an accident involving Australian Defence Force personnel in Northern NSW is deeply concerning.



Troops have been carrying out support operations in our State today, stepping up to help when we need it most.



On behalf of Queenslanders, we send our thoughts and  David Crisafulli (@DavidCrisafulli) March 8, 2025

Rivers were flooding in Queensland and New South Wales after days of heavy rain, the meteorology bureau said.

Advertisement

The missing man was the only failure among 29 flood rescues carried out by emergency teams in northern New South Wales in recent days, most involving vehicles attempting to cross floodwaters, police said.

The Sunshine Coast, an area popular with tourists 60 miles north of Brisbane city centre, is preparing for increasing rain and the associated risks of sudden flooding as the weather system approaches, mayor Rosanna Natoli said.
A tropical cyclone weakened to a tropical low weather system on Saturday as it approached Brisbane, Australias third-most populous city, bringing flooding rain that was expected to lash the coastal region for days.

Tropical Cyclone Alfred had been expected to become the first cyclone to cross the east Australian coast near the Queensland state capital since 1974.

Advertisement

On Friday, it was moving west towards Brisbane with sustained winds near its centre of 59mph and gusting to 81mph.

But it weakened early on Saturday to a tropical low, which is defined as carrying sustained winds of less than 39mph.



A giant golf ball sign is seen fallen outside a mini golf complex at Mermaid Beach on the Gold Coast (Dave Hunt/AAP/AP)

The system was expected to cross the coast north of Brisbane between Bribie Island and the Sunshine Coast region on Saturday, Bureau of Meteorology manager Matt Collopy said.

Heavy-to-locally intense rainfall leading to flash and riverine flooding now becomes the major concern as the ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred moves inland, he told reporters in Brisbane.

Advertisement

Cyclones are common in Queenslands tropical north, but are rare in the states temperate and densely populated southeast corner which borders New South Wales state.

A 61-year-old man remained missing after being swept away in a flooded river near the town of Dorrigo in New South Wales. Another woman sustained minor injuries when an apartment building lost its roof at the Queensland border city of Gold Coast on Friday, police said. The woman was one of 21 people who were evacuated from the building.

Almost 300,000 homes and businesses lost power on both sides of the border, mostly at Gold Coast, which recorded the strongest gusts of 66mph on Friday night.

Power lines, homes and cars were damaged by falling trees across the region over Friday night.

Advertisement



Children take shelter from waves behind a breakwall in the Coolangatta area of Gold Coast (Dave Hunt/AAP Image/AP)

Queensland premier David Crisafulli said he was grateful the risk had passed of the storm crossing the coast at high tide, which would have flooded coastal homes.

Our message this morning to Queenslanders is firstly one of gratitude, he said.

To have no homes reported that have had storm tide inundation is really a tremendous, tremendous result, he added.

Mr Crisafulli said the almost 250,000 homes and businesses without power on the Queensland side of the border on Saturday was the states largest blackout in a decade.

Advertisement

In New South Wales, 43,000 homes and businesses were without power from the border south to the city of Grafton, energy minister Penny Sharpe said. Grafton is 165 miles south of the Queensland border by road.

Were still in the middle of this event and there is still wind and there is still extreme rain, she told reporters.



A fallen tree lies on a damaged house in Gold Coast (Dave Hunt/AAP Image/AP)

Having electrical workers in that space is very dangerous. What is occurring is that were waiting until it is safe to do so.

Rivers were flooding in Queensland and New South Wales after days of heavy rain, the meteorology bureau said.

Advertisement

More than 19,000 people have been evacuated from low-lying homes, officials said.

The Sunshine Coast, a local government area popular with tourists 60 miles north of Brisbane city centre, was preparing for increasing rain late on Saturday and the associated risks of sudden flooding as the weather system approached, mayor Rosanna Natoli said.

On the Sunshine Coast, we are really breathing a sigh of relief because we are not seeing right now the same impact as our neighbours to the south, she told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

In terms of our coastal impacts, we have a lot of erosion on our beaches, but we have fared far better than the people to our south.
The Taliban have issued a message on International Womens Day, saying Afghan women live in security with their rights protected, even as the UN condemns ongoing employment and education bans.

Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021, they have barred education for women and girls beyond sixth grade (age 11-12), most employment, and many public spaces.

Advertisement

Last August, the countrys Vice and Virtue Ministry published laws that ban womens voices and bare faces outside the home.

On #InternationalWomensDay, we stand in unwavering solidarity with Afghan women and girls. Despite immense challenges, they continue to fight for their rights. Investing in Afghan women is investing in Afghanistans future. We must translate our solidarity into action.#IWD2025 pic.twitter.com/5GnATtoLAq  UN Women Afghanistan (@unwomenafghan) March 8, 2025

The Talibans chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid released a statement on his official X account, without specifically mentioning International Womens Day, which is celebrated on March 8.

He said the dignity, honour, and legal rights of women were a priority for the Islamic emirate, the term used by the Taliban to describe their government.

Afghan women lived in security, both physically and psychologically, he added.

Advertisement

In accordance with Islamic law and the culture and traditions of Afghan society, the fundamental rights of Afghan women have been secured, said Mr Mujahid.

However, it should not be forgotten that the rights of Afghan women are being discussed within an Islamic and Afghan society, which has clear differences from Western societies and their culture.

Statement of Coordination Council of the Diplomatic and Consular Missions of

the I.R Afghanistan  on the Occasion of International Womens Day,

(Geneve- March 8, 2025)



On this International Womens Day, the Coordination Council stands in solidarity with the courageous and pic.twitter.com/XGNHbGkvTL  Afghanistan in Geneva (@AfghanistanInCH) March 8, 2025

Also on Saturday, the UN renewed its call for the Taliban to lift the bans.

Roza Otunbayeva, the head of the UN mission in Afghanistan, said: The erasure of women and girls from public life cannot be ignored.

Advertisement

We remain committed to investing in their resilience and leadership, as they are key to Afghanistans future.

UNESCO Conference on Women and Girls in Afghanistan in Paris today highlighted importance of standing up for human rights in , including access to comprehensive education for all. I also stressed necessity to hold  accountable for violations of CEDAW. pic.twitter.com/o4bFELps1i  Ambassador Kerstin Purschel (@GermanAmbUNESCO) March 7, 2025

Alison Davidian, special representative for UN Women Afghanistan, said the world could not accept a future for Afghan women that would never be tolerated elsewhere.

Our response to their erasure is a test of our commitment to women and girls everywhere, said Ms Davidian. We must stand with Afghan women as if our own lives depend on it  because they do.

The Taliban remain isolated from the West  and without international recognition as the countrys official government  because of their restrictions on women and girls.

Advertisement

On this #InternationalWomensDay, the UN in Afghanistan stands in unwavering solidarity with Afghan women and girls. This means investing in their resilience, empowerment, and leadership, amplifying their voices, and advocating for their rights.#IWD2025 #ForAllWomenAndGirls pic.twitter.com/RO2PPzBumt  Indrika Ratwatte (@IndrikaRatwatte) March 8, 2025

The Afghanistan Journalists Support Organisation said 893 women were currently employed in the media sector. That is a drop from 2,756 who were working before 2021, according to Reporters Without Borders.

There were nine provinces where there were no women in the media industry, the Afghan support organisation said.

The declining participation of female journalists, driven by the Talibans discriminatory policies, signalled a concerted effort to erase women from the media landscape, it said.

On Friday in Paris, Unesco hosted a high-level conference on women and girls in Afghanistan.

Advertisement

Participants included Hamida Aman, the founder of the women-only station Radio Begum, Fawzia Khoofi, a parliamentarian from the former Western-backed government, and rights experts including Richard Bennett, who is barred from entering Afghanistan.

In an apparent dig at the event, the spokesman for the Vice and Virtue Ministry Saif ul-Islam Khyber said recent international conferences held under the name of womens rights exposed the hypocrisy of certain organisations and European Union foundations.
The death toll from two days of clashes between Syrian security forces and loyalists of ousted President Bashar Assad and revenge killings that followed has passed 1,000, including 750 civilians, a war monitoring group said.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said in addition to 745 civilians, mostly killed in massacres, 125 government security force members and 148 militants with armed groups affiliated with Assad were killed.

Advertisement

It added that electricity and drinking water were cut off in large areas around the city of Latakia.

Smoke rises from a factory hit on the outskirts of Latakia. Photo: Omar Albam/AP.

The clashes, which erupted on Thursday, marked a major escalation in the challenge to the new government in Damascus, three months after insurgents took authority after removing Assad from power.

The government has said it was responding to attacks from remnants of Assads forces and blamed individual actions for the violence.

The revenge killings that started on Friday by Sunni Muslim gunmen loyal to the government against members of Assads minority Alawite sect are a major blow to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the faction that led the overthrow of the former administration.

Advertisement

Alawites made up a large part of Assads support base for decades.

Residents of Alawite villages and towns spoke to the Associated Press about killings during which gunmen shot Alawites, the majority of them men, in the streets or at the gates of their homes.

Many homes of Alawites were looted and then set on fire in different areas, two residents of Syrias coastal region told the AP from their hideouts.

They asked that their names not be made public out of fear of being killed by gunmen, adding that thousands of people have fled to nearby mountains for safety.

Advertisement

Syrian government forces are deployed amid heightened security in Damascus (Omar Sanadiki/AP)

Residents of Baniyas, one of the towns worst hit by the violence, said bodies were strewn on the streets or left unburied in homes and on the roofs of buildings, and nobody was able to collect them.

One resident said the gunmen prevented residents for hours from removing the bodies of five of their neighbours killed at close range on Friday.

Ali Sheha, a 57-year-old resident of Baniyas who fled with his family and neighbours hours after the violence broke out on Friday, said that at least 20 of his neighbours and colleagues in one neighbourhood of Baniyas where Alawites lived, were killed, some of them in their shops or homes.

He called the attacks revenge killings of the Alawite minority for the crimes committed by Assads government. Other residents said the gunmen included foreign fighters and militants from neighbouring villages and towns.

Advertisement

He said the gunmen were gathering less than 100 metres from his apartment building, firing randomly at homes and residents and in at least one incident he knows of, asked residents for their IDs to check their religion and their sect before killing them.

He said the gunmen also burned some homes and stole cars and robbed homes.

The body of a Syrian security force member is carried for burial in the village of Al-Janoudiya, west of Idlib. Photo: Omar Albam/AP.

The Observatorys chief Rami Abdurrahman said revenge killings stopped early on Saturday.

This was one of the biggest massacres during the Syrian conflict, he said about the killings of Alawite civilians.

Advertisement

The previous figure given by the group was more than 200 dead. No official figures have been released.

Syrias state news agency quoted a Defence Ministry source as saying government forces have regained control of many areas from Assad loyalists. It added that authorities have closed all roads leading to the coastal region to prevent violations and gradually restore stability.

On Saturday morning, the bodies of 31 people killed in revenge attacks the day before in the central village of Tuwaym were laid to rest in a mass grave, residents said. They included nine children and four women, the residents said.

Lebanese legislator Haidar Nasser, who holds one of the two seats allocated to the Alawite sect in parliament, said people were fleeing to Lebanon. He did not have exact numbers.

Mr Nasser said many people were sheltering at the Russian air base in Hmeimim, adding that the international community should protect Alawites who are Syrian citizens loyal to their country.

World Negotiators appeal to man to come down from Big Be... Read More

He said that since Assads fall, many Alawites had been fired from their jobs and some former soldiers who reconciled with the new authorities were killed.

Under Assad, Alawites held top posts in the army and security agencies. The new government has blamed his loyalists for attacks against the countrys new security forces over recent weeks.

The most recent clashes started when government forces tried to detain a wanted person near the coastal city of Jableh, and were ambushed by Assad loyalists, according to the Observatory.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size

For days the people of Lismore have trained their eyes on dark skies. Now theyre looking down over the concrete wall between their city and the Wilsons River, which is brown, stewing with currents and bubbles, and threatening to rise.

The grating advance of ex-tropical cyclone Alfred is summoning waves of diagonal rain to the floodplain and its heaving tributaries. Its midday, and the latest update from the Bureau of Meteorology holds that Lismores CBD will flood.

State Emergency Service community liaison officer Ian Leckie stands nearby, war-gaming with police rescue officers. For the patrols of SES vans and police trucks hitched with boats, the emergency has just begun.

We are still at a very high river. The Richmond River is high, the Wilsons River is high, he says. The best thing people can do at the moment is if theyre in an evacuation zone, not to be there.

Nervous Lismore residents watch the river rise at the Browns Creek Pumping Station. Credit: Nick Moir

Next to the carpark of flitting spectators to the Wilsons River is Browns Creek Pump Station, which hosts a tall blue sign stamped with key river heights: the major flood line at 9.7 metres (the river is half a metre off it), the levee height of 10.2 to 10.95 metres and, monstering all measurements, the 14.4-metre February 2022 flood, so giant it swallowed churches.

By 1pm, the deluges are thick and heavy, but the bureau no longer believes the CBD will fall: a flash of mercy on the day of Alfreds landfall, but theres more rain to come. Lismore is just one of the regions coloured emergency red on the SESs hazard map, urged to get out or seek higher ground.
A man has died after sustaining serious head injuries during a targeted attack following an alleged break-in at his western Sydney home in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Police are searching for two men after responding to calls from neighbours to attend a unit on Union Road in Penrith at about 1.30am on Saturday, where an alleged break-and-enter was in progress.

A man has died from injuries sustained during a break-in at a home in Penrith. Credit: Nine News

A man believed to be in his 60s was found with multiple injuries. Police and paramedics attempted to save his life, but his condition deteriorated, and he died at the scene.

Detective Inspector Michael Cantrell said two other men, described as Pacific Islander in appearance, were seen fleeing the area at the time officers arrived.
Police are appealing for public assistance in finding a 12-year-old girl from Redland Bay, who has not been seen since Wednesday night.

The girl, described as Pacific Islander, approximately 150 centimetres tall with dark hair and brown eyes, was last seen about 6pm on Wednesday and has not been heard from since, with family and police concerned due to her age and the arrival of Cyclone Alfred.

Queensland Police are appealing for community members with information relating to a missing girl from Redland Bay to come forward.

She is known to frequent the Brisbane CBD, South Bank, Fortitude Valley and major shopping centres.

Police are appealing to the girl or anyone with information regarding her whereabouts to come forward.
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 Riding pillion through narrow medieval streets on a grimy Tata motorbike, we crested a low hill to suddenly encounter the worlds largest-ever gathering of humans: the 2025 Maha Kumbh Mela, a festival of Hindi multitudes, gathered to share Amrita, the nectar of immortality. A massive temporary city sprawled before us as far as the eye could see. Held every 12 years, when Jupiter enters a new phase of the zodiac, the Kumbh festival was first recorded in 1285. But this year was particularly auspicious; Jupiter was completing a full rotation of its astrological cycle, a one in a 144-year event, meaning this year a record number of pilgrims were expected for the Maha, or Great Kumbh. Around 450 million pilgrims (10 million a day) were predicted to visit the Kumbh tent city to bathe in the holy water of the River Ganga (Ganges) at its confluence with the Yamuna River and the mythical Saraswati River and so be freed from the cycle of birth and death. To house them, an ephemeral megacity was built on the sandy floodplain at Prayag-Sangam, near the holy city of Varanasi. As a Sydney architect and urbanist with knowledge of planning and building our Olympics 2000, I became fascinated with the logistics of this event and eager to understand how Indias national and Uttar Pradesh state governments could suddenly create this city. The Olympic build took three years. The build for the Kumbh Mela takes place over three months. The city cannot be constructed until last years monsoon crop season passes, and is dismantled immediately after the festival. The last time the event was held, in 2013, organisers estimated 120 million people attended over 55 days. Thirty thousand policemen supervised the visitors  averaging around 1000 pilgrims a policeman a day, according to Kumbh Mela: Mapping the Ephemeral Mega City, edited by architecture professor Rahul Mehrotra, which examined the 2013 festival camp in detail, and put the figure of attendees at a total of 60 million. Almost 11,000 toilet zones provided about 122,000 portaloos for 20 million users a day. To cater for heavy maintenance vehicles, roads were partly paved with steel plates that could be each carried and bolted down by two men. Near the river junction, 20 new pontoon bridges were floated across the Ganges on large hollow tanks supporting the steel beams and road plates. These materials are recycled at future festivals.

Advertisement

The 144-year timing of this years festival meant even these astounding numbers were set to be topped. There were to be 40,000 police officers, this time supported by AI surveillance systems. The Uttar Pradesh government reclaimed 26 hectares of new land to accommodate the crowds and increase the bathing area, so the festival grounds now covered 4000 hectares, equivalent to the area of Georges River Council in Sydney, which has a population of 158,000 people, or Melbourne City Council, which has 150,000 people in 3800 hectares. The total length of temporary roads built purely for the purpose of catering for the pilgrims increased from 299 kilometres to more than 450 kilometres. Thirty pontoon bridges were built. A record number of pilgrims was expected to bathe in the sacred rivers. Credit: NurPhoto via Getty Images Intrigued, I flew to Varanasi and trekked out to this years Kumbh Mela site to see exactly how such a vast camp was put together and how well it served the human needs of Indian pilgrims. We hired a car for the two-hour journey from Varanasi and then two motorcycles and their drivers to weave us through a slow cacophony of honking bikes, tuk-tuks and cars flying orange festival flags. After a few hairy encounters with oncoming traffic, and security blockages of back routes, we eventually entered the camp to join millions of Indian families, couples, sadhus, monks and occasional camels wandering around the grid of roads. Few European tourists were seen around, so we were warmly greeted with many requests for selfies. Above the fields of brown and khaki tents, some high, ornamental portal structures marked the entrances to 14 akharas  fenced stations containing worshippers and leaders of government-approved religious groups. One crowd of pilgrims parted to allow a spectacular parade of about 40 saffron-swathed sadhus. Beside the roads were sellers offering religious charms, shawls, artefacts and bowls of bright ochre dyes for dabbing on the foreheads of passersby. Sitting on the ground, some invalids and aged people called for donations. Brightly coloured structures mark the entrances to the camps of individual religious groups. Credit: AP

Advertisement

The secret to the construction of the many temporary buildings needed for the festival was a carefully planned approach that used basic resources that were easily transported, assembled and later recycled. Most structures were built of bamboo poles with rope or nail connections. The evidence of this was all around me. Interesting small pavilions were made of bamboo poles with thatched roofs  all easy to dismantle. Larger structures were also made of bamboo poles but cloaked with bright fabrics. From the roadway they seemed quite solid but, internally, the bamboo pole frames were precariously made. Some pavilions contained instant restaurants with giant aluminum pots cooking rice, rotis and vegetable stews to feed the hungry. After a few hours sweltering in the heat, these meal stations were appreciated for shade, sustenance and lime sodas. Building for such enormous numbers of people relies on using simple materials combined in numerous ways and assembled by plentiful cheap labour. Credit: NurPhoto via Getty Images But can a temporary city be a good city? Could the Kumbh Mela successfully meet this measure? There were four key elements I was looking for: a street structure that was clear and easy to understand, a physical definition of the streets that made them feel like a linear room with a comfortable sense of enclosure, street edges that produced a lively interplay between buildings and city life, and an easy pedestrian experience. The street grid was clearly laid out across the vast site and the streets lined up across the Ganges River through the 30 floating bridges connecting with the streets on both sides. The physical definition of the streets was helped by the imposing facade structures for the akhara camps. These structures were around 30 metres tall and looked like solid temple walls but were actually painted canvas on bamboo structures. They played the part of street-defining buildings. As for activity at ground level that delights the eye and promotes a dynamic use of space, the Mela excelled with many temporary stalls, often on the ground, selling exotic powders, and religious artefacts next to inviting restaurants and the odd sadhu lying on thorns and keen to get monetary contributions.

Advertisement

Finally, city streets that are dominated by traffic are not good people places and pedestrians feel uncomfortable, but at the Kumbh Mela pedestrians dominated the streets in a lively, friendly and brightly coloured procession of humanity. Even as a temporary city the Kumbh Mela ticked all the boxes that make for a great place. Most of the crowds moved towards the bathing zones and pontoon bridges along the Ganges. To take panoramic photos, I climbed the cabin of a semi-trailer, a vacant watch tower, a pile of sandbags and a wobbly fence. Bathers, mostly men, stood thigh and waist deep in small, muddy pools enclosed by low barriers of bamboo or blue plastic pipes. Across the river, thousands more bathers and onlookers spread along the riverfront  jostled by thousands more devotees continually crossing the floating footbridges; each allowing only one-way transit. Security was among the many services supersized for this years festival. Credit: AP Ours was a relatively quiet day with perhaps 3 million or 4 million attendees (my best guess) but massive crowds were expected on the following sacred day. The official projection of 450 million visitors over the 45-day event appears to have been exceeded, with organisers announcing that 650 million people had attended when the festival finished last week. However, visitors who stayed for multiple days may have visited the holy bathing sites several times and been counted every time, boosting the daily numbers, and inflating the final figure. Sadhus generally stay the full 45 days of the festival, sleeping in their akhara zones or in roadside tents, from where they wave and beckon to passersby. Near one of these tents lay a grey-bearded, orange-turbaned sadhu, daubed with violet ochre, resting on a blanket with branches of thorns surrounding his lower torso, clutching beads in one hand while happily shaking a small drum. Beside this spectacular guru lay a scattering of IR50 ($1) notes amid orange chrysanthemum blossoms. A sadhu shakes his drum as pilgrims pass by. Credit: Chris Johnson After leaving the river bathing, we lost our way but stumbled upon a restaurant tent where the manager spoke English. After our meal, he kindly found us two more motorcyclists to return us to our waiting car and driver. Riding pillion gave a good parting overview across the temporary city as we wove through the endless crowds towards the rail and vehicle bridges across the Ganges River.

Advertisement
Upon assuming the US presidency for the second time, Donald Trump brought back a bust of Winston Churchill that had been removed from the Oval Office. It is now displayed prominently in the room where so much of global import happens.

Trumps affinity with Churchill has been the subject of speculation and ridicule since then. The British wartime prime minister was, of course, the co-creator of the Western alliance, alongside US president Franklin Roosevelt. Last week, New Zealands high commissioner to the United Kingdom was fired for asking, apropos of the bust, whether Trump really understands history.

The Winston Churchill bust has been returned to the Oval Office by US President Donald Trump. Credit: AP

The question was understandable. According to the wisdom of the gazettes of the international status quo, Trump is smashing the Western alliance, putting the global rules-based order in peril.

It must then be a happy accident that, as a result of the mad presidents actions, Western governments and supranational bodies will end up strengthening the apparatus that stands as a bulwark against dictators.
Long Li Sha, a 22-year-old Chinese actress and student at the Communication University of China, has been located by police following her reported disappearance in late February.

As per VN EXpress International, authorities traced her using her phone's GPS after she vanished while traveling to Weinan for a film project.

During questioning, Li Sha provided disturbing details about her alleged abduction, asserting that her kidnappersa group of about 10 individualsreactivated her phone and dropped her off at a train station.

She denied accusations that her disappearance was a publicity stunt, explaining that the incident occurred shortly after her arrival in Weinan.

"After I arrived in Weinan, a member of the film crew brought me to a temporary place to stay, telling me that they couldn't afford a hotel," Li Sha said. "I agreed because I was told I would be staying in a hotel when we traveled to Xi'an."

When Li Sha's friends and family noticed that her phone's GPS had been turned off, along with her camera during a video call, alarm bells were raised for her safety.

She was reportedly made to admit to making a video for her family, one where she asked to take posts down about her kidnapping and reassured them that she was safe.

Despite the video, Li Sha's family filed a missing person report with police in Beijing's Chaoyang district. Her university also reported her missing.

The circumstances surrounding her release remain unclear, with speculation about whether social media attention or the missing person reports played a role.

In a post-rescue video message, Li Sha thanked friends, fans, and police for their help.

She added, "Thank you to everyone who expressed concern and assisted me through this trying period."

Li Sha has now been reconnected with her family.

The probe continues involving the abduction, but officials are in need of more details about the individuals involved in the incident.
By Rebecca Black, PA

Legislation to modify rules around the deployment of Irish peacekeeping troops is to be scrutinised robustly, Irelands Minister for Defence has said.

Sinn Fein has expressed concern at the governments plans to amend Irelands triple lock on the deployment of Defence Force peacekeepers overseas as very dangerous.

The party has called for a referendum on the move.

Tanaiste and Minister for Defence Simon Harris (PA)

Under the current system, Ireland cannot deploy any more than 12 Defence Forces peacekeepers overseas without a mission being approved by a vote of the UN Security Council, as well as approval by the Government and the Dail.

Under the draft legislation, it is proposed to increase the number of troops who are sent on peacekeeping missions from 12 to 50.

Speaking to media in Co Galway on Saturday, Tanaiste Simon Harris emphasised that he and the government value Irish neutrality.

Irish neutrality is a deeply held position by the Irish people and successive Irish governments, and by me as leader of Fine Gael and as Tanaiste and Minister for Defence, he said

I value Irish neutrality.

What I dont value though is the fact that Vladimir Putin or others can have a veto on where peacekeeping troops can go.

Im here today honouring the service of peacekeepers.

I am so proud of the work of our peacekeepers.

I believe it is absolutely appropriate, in fact an act of sovereignty, for the government to decide where to send peacekeeping troops, not to ask for the authority of other countries.

I have published draft legislation in relation to modifying the Triple Lock.

I want that to be scrutinised robustly, looked at, examined in the Oireachtas and I want to get this right.
I WONDER what the next revelation regarding the misuse of public money will unearth.

Last week, we heard of another fiasco at the Department of Arts, when it transpired they had paid 125,000 for a scanner, only to later learn that this was seven years ago and since then it had remained unused  simply because no room was available to house it.

Before that, we had the wall that cost nearly half-a-million, the security hut that set us back 1 million and the daddy of them all, a childrens hospital that will end up costing the taxpayer a whopping 2.2 billion  from an initial estimate less than ten years ago of 800 million.

Here is another one which you may not have heard of  Dun Laoghaire Baths. That eventually cost 18 million, almost double the original estimate. And Im sure the list goes on and on.

But fair play to our politicians, they know how to justify anything. I couldnt but smile when minister for health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill was asked to speak about the huge over-run for the new hospital. She answered the question by stating this was a one-off cost out of an annual budget of 24 billion. In other words, it was small potatoes.

That may be so, but we still dont know what the eventual cost will be. The firm building the hospital has a list the length of your arm of items it says were add-ons  all of which will have to be discussed, argued about and eventually settled. They may not get what they have asked for, but they wont walk away empty handed either.

And all this for a hospital which probably will not be able to find the 4,000 staff needed to run it to its full potential. We hear of vacancies all over the health system, so why should it be any different in this new hospital?

I remember reading that about 900 parking spaces will be allocated to this seven-storey building, but more than half of those will be reserved for staff. If you dont know the location of the new hospital, it is on the grounds of St James  where a chronic shortage of spaces already exists. God only knows what it is going to be like when this new state-of-the-art 6,000-room building is up and running.

Incidentally, there will be 380 individual in-patient rooms complete with ensuite facilities and sleeping accommodation for parents in the new facility. I know absolutely nothing about hospitals or hospital numbers, but someone told me that at present it is estimated that the maximum needed runs to slightly under 300 beds. If that is the case and this hospital is supposed to be capable of catering for our needs for up to 100 years, I think someone, somewhere has got their sums wrong.

But that doesnt surprise me. There never seems to be accountability. We can have all the angry statements we like from our politicians, but after a few days of headline grabbing, the latest scandal just seems to disappear like an early-morning ground fog.

If you want ratification that it is always easy to spend other peoples money, just take on board the following  irrespective of all the problems with the construction of the new National Childrens Hospital, the same contractor has been engaged by the NHS in Northern Ireland to build a new childrens hospital in Belfast.

The cost is 671 million, but I would be wary to say the least that this project will end up costing that. Especially, bearing in mind the comments made by Northern Irelands health secretary, when he said he was not interested in looking at what happened in the past; rather, he preferred to concentrate on the future.

Sounds grand, but surely to God, anyone can see there is a pattern here. Governments dont mind the small stuff, why should they? If a project ends up costing two, three or even four times the original estimate, who cares?

The new childrens hospital is a classic example. For starters, those who originally signed off on the project are no longer involved, so those who will cut the tape at the official opening can take all the credit.

We are now on our fourth minister for health since construction began on the hospital. Many dont even remember the previous ministers, let alone what the original price tag was. At the end of the day, all they want is a functioning hospital, where their sick children can get better. Who cares if the cost is double or even treble the original estimate? Because we all know there is no such thing as value for money when it comes to government spending. There never was and history shows there never will be.
Patty "Pat" Bradbury passed away last month at her daughters home in Canton, Georgia. Mrs. Bradbury was one of the first women to manage and operate a downtown Chattanooga business.

Pathway Books, a division of Pathway Press, opened a bookshop around 1968 on Market Street near Miller Brothers and Mrs. Bradbury was named manager. The bookstore was located next to the Orange Juice bar, which had a huge customer base. Mrs. Bradbury said theyd leave her store and go next door for a cold glass of fresh squeezed orange juice. She said she had to have at least one glass a day.

WDOD FM was looking for different programming besides the traditional easy listening orchestras sometimes known as elevator music. Management asked this writer to meet with Mrs. Bradbury who was friends with many of the Southern Gospel artists. A meeting was set up between the young businesswoman and WDOD General Manager Bill Nash, who asked Ms. Bradburys opinion about playing Gospel Music on FM.

Ms. Bradbury was excited and immediately said shed be glad to help in any way possible to get the station some records. Nash asked her about a name for a program, and Pat responded, Southern Gospel Music has its roots in Campmeetings. Nash interrupted, Dixie Campmeeting, thats it.

In March, 1969 WDOD FM began a programming adventure that would start a change in Chattanooga radio on the FM dial.

Mrs. Bradbury took this writer to her companys warehouse in Cleveland, Tn., and gave us several dozen of the latest Southern Gospel albums. Ms. Bradbury than asked, How much advertising do I get in return? The station worked out a trade agreement, advertising for LPs. She even selected the Dixie Campmeeting theme song, Joy in the Camp, written by Bill and Gloria Gaither and recorded by the Speer Family.

During a live remote broadcast from her store, Felix Miller with neighboring Miller Brothers visited the shop and congratulated Mrs. Bradbury for being a female pioneer in managing a downtown business. If memory is correct, the department store executive purchased a Bible for a friend. Mrs. Bradbury said Mr. Miller became a regular customer.

Mrs. Bradbury was good friends with Ruth Lanham who operated Lanhams Bible Bookshop in the Brainerd Village Shopping Center. The two ladies traveled together to several of the Christian Book Sellers Conventions. Mrs. Lanham said Pat Bradbury knew her product better than anyone and she even tried to hire her. Mrs. Bradbury said she liked downtown and her stores location and was ready to compete with Baptist Bookstore located a few blocks away on Cherry Street.

Pat Bradburys career with Pathway Press covered some 35 years from managing the Chattanooga store to marketing director over Pathways chain of Christian Bookstores.

Although Mrs. Bradbury enjoyed management, she still mingled among customers at the Cleveland, Tn. location of Pathway Books. Mayor Tom Rowland said when he visited in the store hed see Pat helping customers.

As host of the daily Gospel music program on WDOD FM, it would have been impossible to have started a new format of Southern Gospel music had it not been for the vision and assistance of Pat Bradbury. One of the first guests was Eva Mae LeFevre (her close friend) of the famous LeFevre Gospel group.

With Mrs. Bradburys radio friendships, she arranged two Gospel Music concerts for WDOD FM - Martin Cook and the Inspirations and the Speer Family with both Ben and Brock.

After learning of Mrs. Bradburys passing this writer went through a large collection of Gospel LPs; many came from Pat Bradburys Chattanooga store. I found two special recordings by the Downings with Chattanoogan Dickie Mathews playing the piano. The Heart Warming Records are extra special since this writer was present when they were recorded in Nashville, Tn.

Mrs. Bradbury was a good cook and often invited her friends into a back room for lunch at the Market Street store. After retiring from Pathway, She opened Bradbury Catering and fed many people over the years.

This fine Christian lady worked most of her life, but in her spare time enjoyed her loving husband, Richard, two daughters and grandchildren.

This world is a much better place because of people like Mrs. Bradbury. Pattie "Pat" Bradbury was a real friend of Southern Gospel Music and Christian books readers. She never forgot the customers who made Pathway one of the top Christian Bookstores of yesteryear. Under todays standard, Mrs. Bradbury would have been a real lady of distinction.

A visitation and Celebration of Life will be held Saturday at the Dixon Chapel of North Cleveland Church of God.
William Norman "Rick" Bonner, 72, passed away on March 7, 2025, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, at a local hospital.

Born on Sept. 12, 1952, in McDonald, Tn.,, Rick lived a life dedicated to faith, service, and family.

Rick was a devoted husband to his wife, Glenda Bonner, and a loving father to his daughter, Sara Lewis. He cherished his role as a grandfather to Wyatt and Lainey Kate Lewis and shared a close bond with his son-in-law, Ben Lewis. He also leaves behind a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends who will deeply miss him. He was preceded in death by his parents, Mildred Deyhle and Bobby Bonner, as well as his brother, David Bonner.

A man of deep faith, Rick was a member of Mercy Baptist Church in Ooltewah. His life was guided by his unwavering commitment to serving God and others. He was passionate about helping those in need and was instrumental in founding the East Ridge Food Pantry. His dedication to serving the homeless community was one of the many ways he lived out his faith with action and compassion.

Beyond his service work, Rick found immense joy in spending time with his grandchildren. Whether sharing stories or simply being present for them, he treasured every moment with Wyatt and Lainey Kate. Known for his quick wit and infectious humor, he had a remarkable ability to bring laughter into any room. At the same time, he stood firmly for what he believed was rightnever hesitating to advocate for those who needed support or encouragement.

Family and friends are invited to pay their respects during visitation on Monday, March 10, from 3-8 p.m. at Heritage Funeral Home, at 7454 East Brainerd Road in Chattanooga.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, March 11, in the funeral home chapel. Interment will follow at Lee Cemetery in McDonald.

Ricks legacy of kindness and service will continue to inspire those who knew him. May his memory bring comfort and strength to all whose lives he touched.

Visit the online obituary www.heritagechattanooga.com to post tributes and share memories.

Arrangements by Heritage Funeral Home, East Brainerd Chapel.
Home > 2025 > Right to Abortion  Women Betrayed by the System in Brazil | L.M. (...)

Given the rise of conservative parties following Jair Bolsonaros presidency, far-right politicians are seeking to roll back legal abortion even in the case of rape. Congressman Sostenes Cavalcante has introduced Bill PL 190424, which would criminalize abortion under all circumstances after 22 weeks of pregnancy.

If passed, this legislation would subject rape survivors to unbearable psychological burdens, forcing them to carry pregnancies to term. Meanwhile, their aggressors face much lighter penalties.

Impact on Survivors

Due to his role in spreading disinformation, Jair Bolsonaro is currently ineligible for public office. However, his influence is felt with the introduction of Bill PL 190424. Largely supported by members of the Congressional evangelical caucus, the bill is an affront to the secular state established in Brazils constitution.

Brazil is a predominantly Christian country, a slight majority Catholic but with evangelical congregations growing rapidly. In the face of social inequality they project a deeply conservative prosperty gospel.

While many may support the bill from a deeply religious and moralistic viewpoint, it is criminalizing the victims of abuse, not their abusers. Moreover, religious beliefs have no place in public health and policy. Abortion is a human right, recognized by the UN and World Health Organization.

The bill was marked urgent through a symbolic vote lasting just 23 seconds. Although this designation has since been revoked due to significant public pressure, the bill remains under congressional review and could still be passed.

This congressional proposal starkly reflects a state that not only fails to protect its citizens but also exacerbates the trauma endured by victims, further penalizing them by forcing them to carry the physical embodiment of their trauma for the rest of their lives.

The bills proponents argue that adoption after birth is an option. Yet this completely disregards the will and psychological needs of the person, who may face gestational depression, the dangers of younger victims to safely give birth, as well as the bureaucratic inefficiencies of Brazils adoption system. Societal prejudices hinder adoption and as a result, post-adoption support is inadequate. Brazils adoption system is already overwhelmed.

Judicial delays can take up to 10 years, often leaving children eligible for adoption only in adolescence while most prospective parents, aiming for easier familial integration, prefer infants or toddlers under three.

The Child Pregnancy Bill

Those most affected by Bill PL 190424 would be underage girls, and its already being referred to as the Child Pregnancy Bill.

Children, especially those from marginalized communities, take longer to recognize abuse and seek legal support. The psychological toll of processing the trauma and overcoming the stigma, even from medical and legal professionals, further delays access to legal abortion, often pushing the pregnancy beyond the 22-week limit.

According to a 2022 study by the Brazilian Public Security Forum, the country recorded the highest number of rapes in its history, with 74,930 victims, 75.8% of whom were cases of statutory rape. This alarming figure highlights Brazils culture of rape and pedophilia, which the state fails to dismantle  instead, it institutionalizes the crimes through patriarchal structures.

Under this bill, women and girls who terminate pregnancies resulting from rape could face up to 20 years in prison. They would be convicted as murderers and detained in juvenile facilities until they coud be transferred to the adult prison system  punishment that is not only cruel but also disproportionate, as rapists themselves face sentences ranging from six to 12 years, almost half the penalty imposed on the victims. Indeed, how many abusers are ever held accountable?

This dangerous inversion of roles discourages abuse reports, as victims, understandably opting for illegal abortions, would avoid formal complaints to escape such harsh consequences. Considering that most child sexual abuse in Brazil is perpetrated by family members, this is even more concerning. Victims, often coerced by their families into silence, would be denied legal support.

Criminalization and Trauma

For those who experience sexual violence, the trauma does not end with the act itself. Forensic examinations are frequently insensitively handled, meaning that survivors can be exposed to immediate post-trauma humiliation. They not only face the possibility of an unwanted pregnancy, but the questioning of what they may have done to cause their own victimization.

Yet pro-life advocates argue that the unborn child should not be punished, claiming that one crime does not justify another.

This means they prioritize the rights potential life over the rights of the pregnant person. How can one justify coercing a person to risk their health and well-being in order to bring a fetus to term?

The dominant Christianized notion in Brazil posits that life begins at conception, as the soul supposedly enters the body, making it sacred before birth. Debates on the nature of life vary. But the right to abortion cannot be restricted to ones religious belief. It is a public health issue.

Denying this right strips affected women of ownership over their own bodies. Undermining female autonomy insults human dignity, placing a wide range of reproductive rights under the control of the church and state.

Where abortion is a legal right, no person with a uterus should be forced to continue a pregnancy or to undergo an abortion. The far right maintains that abortion, a safe and legal procedure in many countries, is coercive. But that stands the reality on its head  without access to abortion one is condemned to continuing a pregnancy despite the dangers and problems that may entail. By forcing women to carry unwanted pregnancies, the state turns their bodies into sanctuaries for abuse, where trauma solidifies and renews daily.

Criminalizing abortion does not reduce abortion rates  it only makes the procedure less safe. An estimated 70% of abortions in Brazil are performed clandestinely.

The Fight Against Oppression

Women who choose to terminate pregnancies, even when its legally prohibited, have resorted to unsafe methods that can result in irreversible consequences. Annually around 200,000 hospitalizations are due to unsafe abortions, predominantly among young and impoverished women.

At the beginning of the 21st century, Brazils rate of maternal mortality stood at 45.8 per 100,000. with unsafe abortions the fourth leading cause of death.

Protestors across Brazil have taken to the streets in hundreds of peaceful demonstrations against Bill PL 190424  the largist being 10,000 marching in Sao Paulo  and forcing national media coverage. Feminist organizations, social movements, and human rights collectives are mobilizing to resist this proposal and demanding that the government respect womens rights. Thus the feminist movement is not just demonstrating against this reactionary bill, but confronting the entire dismal state of reproductive rights.

Only five years ago, Brazil and Argentina had similar restrictive abortion laws, although Argentinian feminists were able to work more openly. At the end of 2020 Argentinas congress passed a law that made abortion available upon request for the first 14 weeks of pregnancy and guarantees access to abortion services free of charge in both public and private health care facilities. This was the result of a sustained movement that involved massive demonstrations.

Clearly the fight for female freedom and autonomy must be a collective effort, extending to all women confronting patriarchal systems worldwide and opposing every form of gender oppression and restriction of womens rights. International solidarity can play a crucial role in amplifying resistance beyond South Americas borders.

[The above article is reproduced from Against the Current No. 235, March/April 2025, 28 February 2025]
Home News Trump's week in review: Address to Congress disrupted, aid stripped from Ukraine

President Donald Trump's first week of March was marked by economic flexing, foreign policy shifts and domestic political friction.



Trump's first address to Congress of his second term highlighted the week, though one disruptive Democrat was thrown out of the House chamber while others refused to stand for any of his remarks or guests.



The week also saw the suspension of aid and intelligence sharing to Ukraine amid heightening tensions, a pointed warning to Hamas, as well as the stripping security clearance of a major law firm tied to the "Russiagate" hoax.



Here are four key actions Trump and his administration took within the past week.

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
Home News Nick Vujicic to mark launch of faith-based alternative to traditional banking in Texas

A groundbreaking financial institution rooted in Christian values is set to make its debut in Texas.

ProLifeFintech is a financial technology company positioning itself as a faith-based alternative to traditional banking. Its mission is to align financial services with Christian values, particularly emphasizing the sanctity of life. The banking venture is set to celebrate its grand opening in Plano on Saturday night.

Billed as an unforgettable evening to launch a financial institution that honors God and aligns with His principles, the evenings festivities will be hosted by Betsy Gray, co-founder of ProLifeFintech, and includes a lineup of prominent speakers, including Nick Vujicic, ProLifeFintech co-founder and motivational speaker; retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn who also served as national security advisor under the first Trump administration; and conservative commentator and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk. Economic and financial expert Kevin Freeman is also scheduled to speak on the intersection of faith, values and economic stewardship.

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 gala event will highlight ProLifeFintechs stated mission to provide banking services that ensure customers money doesn't support causes conflicting with Christian beliefs, such as abortion. Leveraging the use of technology to improve the traditional delivery of financial services, ProLifeFintech operates under the sponsorship of a faith-based bank rather than holding their own charter, a move which officials say allows them to offer familiar financial technologies  like debit and credit card services  while adhering to their values.

Vujicic shared the personal experiences that inspired this venture, including his own de-banking experience.

In 2019, I was framed and canceled for my Christian values. This was well before cancel culture was introduced into our society, he told The Christian Post on Thursday. People were so hateful that we had a grenade at our home, a false magazine article published against me, a lawsuit threat, and a drone spying on my family and me. This culminated in being canceled by Chase Bank without cause.

While he was never told why Chase Bank ended its business relationship with him, Vujicic says he believes he was targeted because of his conservative Christian views along with a social media following of about 16 million. It was around this same time, he said, that Gray approached him about the idea.

Gray had been managing a womens medical clinic that honors the sanctity of unborn life, explained Vujicic. The clinic felt guilty about making deposits to a bank they knew gave to the abortion industry. So, she researched local banks in her community and beyond. What she found shocked her: every bank and credit union she reached out to philanthropically supported Planned Parenthood.

That includes Vujicics former bank, Chase Bank, which pro-life advocate Human Life International lists as one of several financial institutions that support Planned Parenthood, the nations largest abortion provider.

A few months after he was introduced to Gray, Vujicic says Chase dropped him as a customer.

The Lord was clearly saying to me, Now, are you ready to start my bank with Betsy? Thats how ProLifeFintech was born, he said. Several years later, here we are, building something were incredibly passionate about.

Looking back, says Vujicic, hes grateful things worked out the way they did.

Had I not been canceled by my bank, I may not have co-founded ProLifeFintech, he said. It was through that experience that I realized the urgent need for a secure, values-driven financial alternative, because no one should ever be canceled for their conservative beliefs.

He says people of faith who bank with ProLifeFintech can have the confidence that their money will never be used to invest in organizations with values that run contrary to their own.

I dont know about you, but I certainly dont want to put my money in a bank knowing that they could use it to donate to organizations that dont value the sanctity of life, said Vujicic. I want to know that my money, Gods money, is in a bank that honors God, serves people, and always chooses to support life  all human life.
Home News Hundreds killed in worst violence since Islamic rebels overthrew Assad in Syria: 'Widespread field executions'

Hundreds of people, including over 125 civilians, have been killed along Syrias Mediterranean coast in what authorities consider the deadliest burst of violence since Islamic rebels defeated President Bashar al Assads forces in December.

More than 225 people have died in the fighting that erupted in Latakia and Tartous this week, according to a Friday tally from the Syrian Network for Human Rights, notes CNN.

The group documented at least 125 civilian fatalities, alleging widespread field executions of young men and adult males without clear distinction between civilians and others.

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 Syrian government has disputed the toll and said an emergency committee was tracking claims of abuses, according to the network. It pledged to refer those who exceeded command instructions during the recent military and security operation to the military court.

A security source told state news agency SANA of individual violations by troops responding to large, unorganized crowds travelling to the coast. Official statements indicated that at least 150 security personnel had been killed since Thursday, with 300 more captured by pro-Assad militants.

The violence has shaken areas once regarded as strongholds of Alawite support for Assad, who ruled Syria until last year. His familys regime ended after Islamist factions removed him from power, although some loyalists retained weapons.

Syrias Alawites, around 10% of the population, had significant influence in the previous administration, and many surrendered their arms while others kept resisting.

In an address Friday, Syrias transitional president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, also known as Jolani, vowed to track down those responsible for killing security personnel. He also urged officers to avoid disproportionate reactions, addressing widespread reports of civilian casualties in the clashes.

An official was quoted as saying that the government targeted former military and security leaders affiliated with the defunct regime.

Saudi Arabia, a key ally of the new government, denounced what it termed crimes committed by outlaw groups.

Videos on social media showed both security personnel and men in civilian clothing lying dead near vehicles and in residential zones. Footage from a town near al Jinderiyah depicted women mourning at least 20 men in civilian attire who appeared to have been shot. Other clips filmed at night showed security forces firing extensively at unidentified attackers.

Some videos suggested government forces had entered Al-Qardaha, the Assad familys hometown, amid explosions. A Defence Ministry official confirmed that operations there aimed to eliminate the remnants of the former regime.

The Health Ministry said pro-Assad elements attacked six hospitals in rural Latakia and Tartous on Thursday night, causing fatalities among staff and patients. An activist, Abdul Rahman Taleb, reported an assault in Latakia while he documented events, adding that Alawites offered him protection until reinforcements arrived.

Various Syrian cities have witnessed demonstrations both for and against the transitional authorities.
Home News India to have 6.8 million fewer female births by 2030 due to abortion: study

India will have approximately 6.8 million missing female births between 2017 and 2030 because of sex-selective abortions, according to a recently published study.

Fengqing Chao at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Thuwal, Saudi Arabia, and her colleagues had their paper published by PLOS ONE on Wednesday, titled Probabilistic projection of the sex ratio at birth and missing female births by State and Union Territory in India.

According to the paper, the sex birth ratio (SBR) of India has been imbalanced since the 1970s and is projected to result in 6.8 million fewer female births by 2030.

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 researchers attributed this to a combination of the intensity of son preference in Indian culture and fertility squeeze, or a pressure to have a smaller family household.

The masculinized SBR for India is a direct result of the practice of sex-selective abortions at the national level, explained the researchers, noting that different regions of the country vary on when this male birth preference began.

Some states, such as Punjab, have experienced an early and rapid rise in birth masculinity since the 1980s, whereas in North Indian states, the masculinized SBR started to increase later.

The researchers looked at the SBR estimates by states and union territories in India from 1990 to 2016, as well as data from the India Sample Registration System on total fertility rates and Indias Demographic and Health Surveys.

We project that out of the 21 Indian States and UTs with SRS data, 16 will have imbalanced SBR between 2017 and 2030, they continued.

Among these 16 States/UTs, the largest contribution to the female births deficit is projected to be from Uttar Pradesh, with a cumulative number of missing female births projected to be 2.0 [1.9; 2.2] million from 2017 to 2030.

The researchers proposed better identification, monitoring, and education in the worst affected regions of India as part of the solution to the issue of missing female births.

Our study highlights the need to strengthen policies that advocate for gender equity and the introduction of support measures to counteract existing gender biases that adequately target each regional context, they concluded.

Future work may include additional sources of heterogeneity, such as education, religion, and ethnicity, for projecting the SBR in India and extending the SRB predictions for longer-term projections.

Jonathan Abbamonte, research analyst at the Population Research Institute, wrote in an op-ed piece published by The Christian Post last year that India is not the only nation facing a disproportionately high number of male births due to sex-selective abortion.

Abbamonte also named China, South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, nations in the Balkan Peninsula of Europe as problem areas where millions of girls have been lost as a result.

In India alone, I have found that approximately 15.8 million girls have been eliminated through sex-selective abortion and other forms of prenatal daughter elimination since 1990, he wrote in 2019.

To put that in perspective, that is roughly the equivalent of the population of Portugal and Finland combined.

In 2014, former President Jimmy Carter told David Letterman in an interview that he considered sex-selective abortion the "worst human rights abuse on earth."

He added, "160 million girls are now missing from the face of the earth because they were murdered at birth by their parents or either selectively aborted when their parents find out that the fetus is a girl."

"Well, it's the worst human rights abuse on earth and it's basically unaddressed  So that many people are missing and they're all girls who are missing."

In the United States, several states have considered and even passed bans on sex-selective abortion, only to face legal battles over their constitutionality by pro-choice groups.

Earlier this month, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit issued a ruling allowing Arkansas to enforce a law passed in 2017 banning sex-selective abortions.

Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge celebrated the decision, saying in a statement that Arkansas has taken a strong stance to protect the unborn from inhumane treatment.

As Arkansas chief legal officer, I have always advocated for the lives of unborn children and will continue to defend our states legal right to protect the unborn, stated Rutledge.

The Guttmacher Institute, a research organization with historic ties to Planned Parenthood, has argued that banning sex-selective abortions would not resolve the issues they create.

Evidence from the global context indicates that sex-selective abortion bans do not work to prevent sex selection, because these bans do nothing to challenge the phenomenon of son preference or its underlying causes and they are difficult to enforce, argued the Institute in a post from January.

Also, sex-selective abortion is only one of several medical methods of choosing the sex of a fetus; others, such as sperm sorting and preimplantation genetic diagnostics, remain legal under state bans on sex-selective abortion.
Home News Over 100 Christian leaders denounce Trump cuts to foreign aid, mass deportations Critic says letter unlikely to 'shift public opinion'

A group of over 100 Christian pastors and social justice activists have signed an open letter denouncing the Trump administration's cuts to welfare programs, foreign aid and large-scale deportations of immigrants in the country illegally.

Titled "Returning To Jesus: Practicing Lent In Our Time," the letter was the result of meetings among faith organization leaders in January, with the Center on Faith and Justice at Georgetown University, headed by longtime Evangelical progressive activist Jim Wallis, helping organize signatures and other logistics.

The letter does not mention President Donald Trump by name, though it does take issue with the current efforts of his administration to cut foreign aid and other anti-poverty programs.

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 massive cutting of foreign aid to those most in need, and from many faith-based organizations supplying it is a gospel issue for us that we must speak to, despite dishonest, personal, and unprecedented government attacks now coming against faith-based service providers," the letter reads.

"We must defend lifesaving international aid and humanitarian assistance that prevents hungry people from starving, keeps those in ill health from dying, and defends children and families lives from being destroyed."

The letter argues that "deficit reduction should never be at the expense of low-income families, while benefits are disproportionately given to the wealthy, calling it a "moral tradeoff" that is "unacceptable."

"As Christians on both sides of the political aisle, we must call on our local, state, and federal elected officials to oppose massive cuts in funding to programs like Medicaid that provide vital healthcare to the poor, and like SNAP, WIC, and other efforts to sustain food for the hungry," the letter reads.

The statement is centered on the liturgical season of Lent, a time of spiritual preparation for Easter Sunday that began on Wednesday and often involves participants giving things up.

"This year we celebrate Lent amidst a growing crisis in America, driven by the political accumulation of wealth, power, and control. This crisis already threatens the rule of law and the checks and balances of our constitutional democracy," reads the letter in part.

"In the deluge and whirlwind of this administration's initial actions we see the brutal abandonment and targeting of the people Jesus commands his followers to serve and protect. Defending the vulnerable and opposing unjust decisions are faith-rooted commitments we must examine during Lent."

The letter cites and quotes from Matthew 25, where Jesus is described as standing in judgment over the sheep and goats, with Jesus saying in verse 40, "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."

The website where the letter was published also offers resources, including efforts to organize vigils during March and a petition calling for the administration to prohibit immigration raids on houses of worship.

Center on Faith and Justice Faculty Director Wallis is best known as the founder of the Evangelical progressive magazine and social justice organization Sojourners.

He said in a statement emailed to The Christian Post that the letter "draws on the biblical story of Jesus in the desert resisting Satan's temptations of money, wealth, and power as well as Jesus' final teachings in Matthew about how, in the end, we will be judged by how we treat the hungry, thirsty, naked, sick, stranger, and imprisoned."

"If people read this and think it's political and especially if they feel like it directly confronts their own politics  then they need to reexamine their politics," Wallis contends.

Signatories include several notable left-leaning and progressive Christian leaders, including Shane Claiborne of Red Letter Christians, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) General Minister Rev. Teresa Hord Owens, Rev. Adam Hamilton of the mutli-campus United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in the Greater Kansas City area, Sojourners President Adam Taylor as well as Bishop Claude Alexander of The Park Church in North Carolina, a prominent figure in the Evangelicals for Harris campaign.

The open letter is not without its critics, among them David Closson, director of the Center for Biblical Worldview at the Christian conservative advocacy group the Family Research Council.

Closson told CP in emailed comments that he commends "any group or denomination that prioritizes prayer" and that "Christians should take the admonition of Matthew 25 seriously."

"However, as reflected in the list of signatories, this letter represents yet another attempt by the theological left to reframe political issues through a progressive lens," he said.

"While it does not explicitly mention President Trump, it clearly criticizes his administration's efforts to eliminate certain controversial programs and reduce waste, fraud, and abuse  issues that have often been obscured under the umbrella of foreign aid."

Patrick Carolan of the activist organization Catholics Vote Common Good, who formerly served as executive director of the Franciscan Action Network, was also one of the signatories.

Carolan told CP that he signed the letter because he believes "that our Christian faith teaches us to care for the stranger, welcome the stranger, care for the poor."

"In our Christian faith, the one prayer that we're taught to pray all the time is the 'Our Father,' it's the one prayer that Jesus actually taught us. And in the Lord's Prayer, it says 'Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven,'" he said.

"I often ask people, 'do you think in Heaven there's going to be children living in garbage dumps and starving while other people are living in mansions? And if God wouldn't find that acceptable in Heaven, why do you think God would find that acceptable on earth?'"

Carolan said, "The words of Jesus are obvious, to welcome the stranger, to care for the poor and the hungry," adding, "Jesus didn't beat around the bush about that."

"The one sin that Jesus talks most about in the Gospels, is the sin of hypocrisy," he continued. "It's kind of hypocritical to say you're following the message of Jesus while you want to cut out programs that care for the poor and the hungry."

Closson disputed the letter's claims, telling CP, "It is inaccurate to claim that the administration is engaging in unbiblical policies."

"On the contrary, when it comes to issues concerning creation order  such as abortion and transgenderism  this administration has demonstrated a strong commitment to policies that align with a biblical worldview," Closson continued.

"Since returning to office, President Trump has issued a series of executive orders that uphold these values, including measures to protect women's sports, reinstate the Mexico City Policy (which prevents taxpayer dollars from funding abortion overseas), and prohibit gender-related medical interventions on minors. These and other actions reflect a commitment to biblical principles rather than a departure from them."

The Rev. Nancy Neal of the anti-hunger charity Bread for the World was another signatory, telling CP that "as a cradle rock Presbyterian, I was taught that caring for our neighbors is at the heart of our response to God's saving grace demonstrated in the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

"Historically, programs grounded in caring for the most vulnerable in our communities and world have had bipartisan support. And I have dedicated my life and ministry for the last 14 years to working in an organization that is distinctly nonpartisan," she said.

"At Bread for the World we seek to build bridges across political and theological divides, locking arms to advocate for a world without hunger. For 50 years, Bread has been guided by our Christian faith and rooted in scripture to lead the Church in addressing one of the most pressing issues of our time."

Regarding what impact the Lenten letter may have on society, Closson responded that he does not "believe this letter will significantly influence the broader public discourse."

"The signatories represent a familiar group of individuals aligned with the theological left, and their positions on these issues are well known," he continued.

"Those who follow religious and political discussions are already aware of the perspectives these leaders hold, making it unlikely that this letter will shift public opinion in any meaningful way."
Home News John-Paul Miller sexually assaulted 14-year-old, told her she would be raped by demons': 2nd lawsuit

Editor's note: This article contains graphic depictions of alleged sexual assault.

A second alleged victim who says she was sexually assaulted by Pastor John-Paul Miller of Solid Rock at Market Common in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, when she was just 14 in the late 1990s, said the embattled pastor and his father, Reginald Wayne Miller, told her she would be "raped by demons" for reading Harry Potter books.

The 46-page lawsuit, which identifies the victim as Jane Doe #2, was filed on her behalf Wednesday in Horry County by attorneys S. Randall Hood of McGowan, Hood, Felder & Phillips, LLC, and Mark B. Tinsley of Gooding and Gooding, P.A.

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

She said the abuse happened between 1998 and 2001 while she was a student at Cathedral Hall Academy in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina  a private Christian School founded by Reginald Miller.

John-Paul Miller, his father, All Nations Cathedral Church (formerly known as Cathedral Baptist Church of the Grand Strand, Inc.), Solid Rock Ministries, Inc. and Cathedral Hall Academy (previously known as Grand Strand Academy) are all named as defendants in the lawsuit seeking unspecified damages.

The victim alleges the abuse and acts of predatory behavior she suffered while attending Cathedral Hall Academy have caused her "severe and lasting harm."

She is suing the defendants for negligence, gross negligence, and recklessness; civil conspiracy; assault and battery; outrage/intentional or reckless infliction of emotional distress; and violation of the South Carolina Unfair Trade Practices Act.

The counts are nearly identical to those listed in a lawsuit filed by another woman last month who says John-Paul Miller sexually assaulted her when she was 15 and 23.

John-Paul Miller is accused of assaulting Jane Doe #2 for the first time in 1999 when he was a teacher at the school at age 19 or 20.

"One morning in 1999, after chapel service, Plaintiff was asked to hold the door as students left the church building. When the last student exited, she found herself alone with John-Paul Miller, who was seated at the piano, playing softly. JPM then asked Jane Doe #2 if she wanted to play the piano. At fourteen, Jane Doe #2 was trusting and saw no reason to decline," the lawsuit says.

"As Jane Doe #2 turned to leave, JPM pulled her into a hug. She barely had time to react before JPM's hands moved down her back, past her waist, and under her clothing and touching her bare butt."

Jane Doe #2 said she sought help from another teacher who sent her to Reginald Miller's office despite his own history of sexual abuse allegations, according to the complaint.

"When she arrived, JPM was already there. RWM demanded she repeat her accusation with his son standing beside him. Jane Doe #2's voice wavered, and she told the truth. RWM did not ask for details. He did not care," the victim's attorneys wrote.

As punishment for her allegations, Jane Doe 2 says she was forced to write 5,000 lines declaring, "I will not lie about John-Paul Miller."

Following the incident, she claims she was continually harassed and assaulted by other students at times in the presence of John-Paul Miller.

"One student even held her down and sprayed bug spray into her mouth and eyes while others watched. Through it all, JPM was there, smirking, encouraging, watching. RWM was no different. One day, he found her crying. He told Jane Doe #2, 'Stop disturbing the Lord's work' and 'Repent for your lies.'"

John-Paul Miller is also accused of touching Jane Doe #2 sexually when she was in the ninth grade, but according to her attorney, she did not start processing the abuse she endured until the controversial suicide of John-Paul Miller's second wife, Mica Miller, in 2024.

"By ninth grade, Plaintiff had stopped hoping things would change. Then, one afternoon, JPM cornered her alone in a classroom and told her, 'You failed the test.' He said she needed extra help, and if she stayed after class, he could fix it for her. She hesitated but obeyed. She sat down in a chair near the piano. He started with small talk and asked, 'Did she like him?" and 'Did she have a boyfriend?'" the complaint notes.

"His hand moved to her knee, and she froze, and he leaned in further and said he could protect her if she would let him. He then grabbed her and physically assaulted her by putting his hands under her shirt and skirt and touching her sexually. She struggled to push him away, but he was stronger and pushed her down. She finally broke free and sprinted for the door. She ran down the hall and out of the school away from JPM."

Though her mother found her walking down the road from the school, Jane Doe #2 did not tell her mother.

"The horrors of Cathedral Hall Academy were not just physical and sexual, they were psychological. When Plaintiff brought a Harry Potter book to school, RWM and JPM dragged her into the office. They berated her, called her a servant of Satan, and told her that if she continued down this path, she would be raped by demons," the attorneys state. "Then, right in front of her, they set the book on fire. RWM then beat her with a Bible and poured water over her head."

Mica Miller died last April 27 at Lumber River State Park in Robeson County, North Carolina. While some critics have speculated John-Paul Miller played a role in his late wife's death, which he has denied, he has not been charged in connection with her death even after an FBI search of his home last November.
Home News Teen shot multiple times at Christian school survived because of faith and doctors, family says

Nearly three months after their son was left critically injured during a shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Wisconsin, Christina and Brett Clardy say their son, River, is alive today thanks to hardworking doctors and their faith in God.

River is a kid who is a perseverer. Hes a hard worker, Christina Clardy said in a recent interview with WMTV about her 14-year-old son.

We believe that God is a huge part of his healing through natural means like through the body healing itself and through some things that you know arent explainable to us. But he is, hes done better than he should have, she said of her River's recovery following the shooting that left three people dead and five others injured.

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

On Dec. 16, 2024, officers with the Madison Police Department said they were called to Abundant Life Christian School at 10:57 a.m. Central time about a shooting where they discovered that 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow murdered a teacher, a student and injured several others, including River, before taking her own life.

Christina Clardy, who is a first year teacher at the school, said her first instinct when the shooting began was to protect the children in her class. Once she had things under control, she turned her attention to her own three children who are also students at the school.

I pretty quickly saw my two daughters and they were questioning me about where their brother was. I had not seen him, but I knew they were also still clearing out the school, she told WMTV. It became pretty clear that some people were still missing ... and one of my teaching team informed the police that my son was one of those people.

When it was discovered that River had been injured, he was transported to American Family Childrens Hospital. Upon hearing the news that his son had been wounded, Brett Clardy rushed back from Chicago while his wife and daughters quicky drove to the hospital.

I didnt know anything other than he was at the hospital, thats all I knew, Brett Clardy recalled. I wasnt sure of his condition, his state, his level of injuries. I was just driving.

Dr. Adam Brinkman, medical director of pediatric trauma care at UW Healths American Family Childrens Hospital, told the local news station that Rivers condition was dire.

He had a breathing tube in. The paramedics and EMTs were breathing for him. He had no shirt on and across his chest in black magic marker was his first name, he noted.

River was losing a lot of blood from injuries to his neck, to his throat, to his hip, to his hand. His skin color was very pale. His heart rate was very high. Blood pressure was very low. All the clinical signs that he was very close to dying, Brinkman noted.

With three injuries to his neck, including a bullet that went through his carotid artery and one that went through the back of his throat, Brinkman counts River as perhaps one of the most critically ill patients that has come to this childrens hospital in the last five or six years.

After several surgeries and 46 days in the hospital under the care of more than 200 health professionals, River pulled through and was able to go home.

He had to relearn how to hold a pen, how to swallow liquid and food safely. How to brush his teeth, brush his hair, tie his shoes, Dr. Brinkman said. All of his nurses, techs and physical and occupational therapists and speech therapists, case managers and social workers, physicians, residents and students ... everybody was rooting for River.

And Christina Clardy and her family are glad to have River back home.

Its important to give thanks for the good in our lives. And to recognize [...] the good around us, like in the people in our community, she said. When our circumstances arent good, those things, those are things that are good. [...] I do have moments where Im like, I cant believe hes alive, you know? Im just really grateful.
Home News Wyoming becomes 29th state to pass a Religious Freedom Restoration Act

Wyoming became the latest state to pass a state version of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act on Thursday.

Republican Gov. Mark Gordon signed House Bill 207 into law following its passage in a 57-3 vote in the Republican-controlled Wyoming House of Representatives and a 28-3 vote in the Republican-controlled Wyoming Senate.

The votes in favor of the measure came mostly from Republicans and opposition to it came mostly from Democrats. However, one House Republican joined Democrats in opposing it, while three Senate Democrats joined Republicans in supporting it.

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 Wyoming Religious Freedom Restoration Act is modeled after federal legislation of the same name.

The policy states: "State action shall not substantially burden a person's right to the exercise of religion, even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability unless it is demonstrated that applying the burden to that person's exercise of religion in that particular instance" is "essential to further a compelling governmental interest" or "the least restrictive means of furthering that compelling governmental interest."

Examples of what constitutes a "burden" listed in the act include "withholding of benefits" as well as "assessing criminal, civil or administrative penalties," "exclusion from governmental programs" and "denial of access to government facilities."

The protections of the bill will apply "to all state and local laws, ordinances, rules, regulations and policies, and their implementation, whether statutory or otherwise and whether adopted before, on or after the effective date of this act."

One provision enables those who believe that their "exercise of religion has been substantially burdened or is likely to be substantially burdened in violation of this act" to seek relief in court. It is scheduled to take effect on July 1.

Greg Chafuen, senior counsel at the religious liberty law firm Alliance Defending Freedom, said that the new law "provides a sensible balancing test for courts to use when reviewing government policies that infringe upon the religious freedom rights of Wyomingites."

"The law doesn't determine who will win every disagreement, but it does ensure that every person  regardless of their religious creed or political power  receives a fair hearing when government action burdens a person's freedom to live out his or her religious beliefs," Chafuen said in a statement. "Wyoming joins 28 other states in guaranteeing that Wyomingites of all faiths can seek relief from oppressive state action."

Other states that have a state version of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act on the books are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming.
Home Opinion 10 reasons beauty is powerful apologetic

In todays cultural climate, where truth is often subjective, and goodness is increasingly questioned, beauty remains a universal language that transcends barriers. Conservative Jewish and Christian scholars agree that beauty originates from God, who is the ultimate source of all that is good, true, and beautiful. Beauty is not merely aesthetic but a reflection of Gods perfection, order, and glory.

The three conditions of beauty

Thomas Aquinas identifies three key attributes that define beauty (Summa Theologica, I, Q. 39, A. 8):

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

1. Integrity (a statue with missing limbs would lack integrity and thus lose its beauty.)

2. Proportion (harmony): Beauty depends on the harmony or proper relationship between the parts of a whole. This reflects an ordered and rational structure. (Music is beautiful because of the balance and proportion of its notes.)

3. Clarity (brightness or radiance): Beauty is enhanced by the ability of something to reveal its essence clearly and intelligibly. (A work of art is beautiful when it reveals the truth about the subject it represents.)

God as the source of all beauty

God is supremely beautiful because He is perfect, complete, and the cause of all order and harmony in creation. Aquinas writes, God is beauty itself because His essence is pure actuality, free of any deficiency. All beauty in the created world reflects divine beauty. Just as light emanates from the sun, beauty in creation flows from God as its source.

David said in Psalm 27:4  One thing I ask from the Lord  that I may gaze on the beauty of the Lord,  which shows that Gods beauty is moral, spiritual, and transcendent. His holiness, righteousness, and majesty embody beauty in its purest form. The phrase worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness (Psalm 29:2; 96:9) encapsulates the Old Testaments view of beauty as inseparable from holiness.

Since the Protestant Reformation, many sectors of the Church have rejected beauty, opting for simplicity out of fear of idolatry. This overreaction has stripped the Church of one of its most compelling apologetics for the Gospel.

Below are ten reasons why embracing beauty is essential for the Churchs mission in the world.

1. Beauty reflects the nature of God

God is the essence of beauty. From the beginning, creation itself testifies to His splendor: The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands (Psalm 19:1). The intricate shapes and multi-varied colors of the cosmos, an awe-inspiring sunset, the majesty of the mountains, and the complexity of the human body all point to a Creator who delights in beauty. When the Church neglects beauty, it neglects a vital aspect of Gods nature. By embracing beauty, we bear witness to the God who encapsulates both the good and the beautiful.

2. Beauty is an act of worship

Far from being idolatrous, the creation of beauty can be an act of worship. In Exodus 3536, God anointed Bezalel and Oholiab with His Spirit to craft the Tabernacle, filling it with intricate designs, gold, and images of cherubim. These artisans used their skills to glorify God, demonstrating that beauty has a sacred purpose. When the Church embraces beauty in its buildings, music, and creative expressions, it reflects the worship seen in Scripture, where excellence and artistry are offered as gifts to God.

3. The Church is meant to depict Heaven on earth

The Tabernacle and the Temple of Solomon were designed to reflect heavenly realities (Hebrews 8:5). Their beauty pointed to the perfection of Gods throne room and the original harmony of Eden. In the same way, the Church is called to reflect Heaven on earth. Through beautiful art, architecture, and liturgy, we provide a foretaste of Gods kingdom, inspiring people to long for the ultimate restoration of all things.

4. Beauty draws people to God

Beauty is a universal language that transcends culture, time, and religion. While theological arguments and moral debates often divide, beauty has the power to unite.

5. Beauty affirms human dignity as the Image of God

Genesis 1:27 teaches that humanity is made in Gods image. Some theologians suggest this means we are Gods icons, called to reflect His glory. We fulfill this divine calling when we create beautywhether through art, music, or innovation.

6. The rejection of beauty undermines evangelism

When the Church distances itself from beauty, it distances itself from one of Gods most attractive aspects. Many people are drawn to Christianity not through arguments but through the beauty of a cathedral, the majesty of sacred music, or the elegance of a well-crafted liturgy. By embracing beauty, the Church provides a powerful apologetic that appeals to the senses and emotions, drawing people to the Gospels truth.

7. Beauty inspires the next generation of cultural creatives

Historically, The Church has patronized the arts, producing some of the worlds greatest artists, composers, and architects. From Michelangelo to Bach, these cultural creatives were inspired by their faith to depict the beauty of God. By prioritizing beauty, the Church can once again raise up a generation of artists, engineers, scientists, and innovators who reflect Gods glory in their work. This enriches culture and serves as a compelling witness to the world.

8. Beauty points to the atonement

Colossians 1:20 states that through Christ, God reconciled all things to Himself. This includes not only humanity but also the entirety of creation. The atonement is not merely about forgiving sins but restoring creation to its original beauty and harmony.

The Old Testament often uses beauty to symbolize redemption and restoration. Isaiah 61:3 speaks of giving a crown of beauty instead of ashes, pointing to Gods transformative power

By embracing beauty, the Church participates in this redemptive work, offering a glimpse of the new heavens and new earth where all things will be made beautiful again.

9. Beauty counters the secular narrative

Beauty offers a counter-narrative in a culture dominated by utilitarianism and pragmatism, where value is measured by functionality and profit. Life without God leads to nihilism and hopelessness, as we have seen in the writings of German philosopher Frederick Nietzsche. When the Church embraces beauty, it challenges the secular worldview and invites people to experience a reality that transcends the material.

10. Beauty aligns with the mission of reconciliation

The Christian faith is fundamentally a story of reconciliation  between God and humanity, between individuals, and ultimately between all of creation and its Creator (2 Corinthians 5:1819). Beauty serves as a signpost of this reconciliation, demonstrating the restoration of order, harmony, and radiance where there was once brokenness.

Beauty acts as a foretaste of the renewed creation in a fractured world marked by division, suffering, and decay. The resurrection of Christ is the ultimate act of restoration, turning the horror of the cross into the beauty of redemption. Just as an artist takes raw, unformed materials and crafts them into something beautiful, God shapes history toward His ultimate beauty of cosmic harmony and perfection.
The road to charter change in Pepper Pike remains a rocky one, as a recent council meeting showed. Jeff Piorkowski

PEPPER PIKE, Ohio -- City Council will hold the first of three scheduled town hall meetings Monday (March 10) so that residents can give input and ask questions about proposed charter changes.

The citys nine-member Charter Review Commission wrapped up its work Dec. 19 after conducting 17 meetings. It recommended a host of changes to the citys 1966 charter. Other than a couple of changes, the charter had never before undergone a thorough review by such a commission.

The many recommended charter changes will be put before voters as one ballot item when residents go to the polls on May 6.

The March 10 town hall will take place from 7-9 p.m. in the cafeteria of Brady Middle School, 32000 Chagrin Blvd.

Council will also hold town halls at Brady at 7 p.m. April 2, and 9 a.m. April 5.

The town hall dates and times were approved during councils Feb. 25 meeting, a meeting that stretched more than three and a half hours. As in past meeting on the subject of proposed charter changes, tempers were, at times, raised.

The Feb. 25 meeting included a lengthy, painstaking portion in which council members and Mayor Richard Bain poured over each sentence of a letter Councilman Jim LeMay wrote to residents meant as a response to a letter Bain wrote to residents pertaining to the proposed changes and town halls.

LeMay believed Bains posted letter, included in a recent edition of the citys emailed Pepper Pike Post newsletter, contained bias against some of the proposed charter changes.

LeMay expressed frustration Feb. 25 when the draft of his letter sent to council a week earlier was termed by Bain as a promotional piece. LeMays letter has not been posted.

Law Director Stephen Byron has told council during the process that any letter mailed using city money or posted on its website must not contain language that expresses backing for the proposed charter changes.

Councilman Robert Gentile stated his belief that LeMays letter was well crafted and needed no revisions, a comment with which Councilwoman Emmy Zatroch agreed.

Bain, however, said he had some significant concerns about LeMays letter.

This is, in many ways, an interpretive promotional piece, as opposed to simply saying, This is what the charter revisions being advanced in the replacement charter are.

There are things in the letter, unfortunately, that are even factually incorrect, and they can lead to misunderstanding by the public.

Byron, speaking of LeMays letter, said, This is advocacy (for the charter changes).

One example of the problems Byron said he had was LeMays inference in his letter that having a council president presiding at council meetings was the norm in Ohio, when there are many examples where such is not the case.

One proposed charter change would have a council president run council meetings, as opposed to the mayor, as has always been the case in Pepper Pike.

Byron said he looked over Bains posting and found it did not attempt to lead the public to think in a certain way.

LeMay, however, said to Bain, There are a number of provisions in yours (letter) that are misleading by omission.

LeMay stated more than once that his letter was scrutinized in a way Bains was not.

LeMay said that each line of his letter should be reviewed during the meeting to determine if the language, indeed, advocated for the charter changes.

Council and the administration did agree to develop a letter that would be posted that would be acceptable to both.

Bain, who disagrees with some of the charter changes, including one that can have the mayor removed from office based on a council vote, was frank in his criticisms of the proposed charter changes.

Bain noted, as he has in the past, that only 62 percent of the time did residents open city emails that contained Commission updates, and that links showing the rolling revisions to the charter were almost never opened.

He also said Commission meetings did not include any advice to the public as to the back-channel negotiation and drafting of what was then presented virtually as a fait accompli in the public meetings.

I think it is a sham, frankly, to claim the public knew what was going on and (that it) had an opportunity (to make comments).

At another point, Bain said only residents, in the case of wrongdoing, should have the ability to remove a mayor from office, and that the proposed charter change would take away that right from residents.

It is not up to any council person or me to remove public officials, Bain said. They are elected by the people, and the people deserve to remove them.

Residents who spoke near the meetings conclusion were not happy with the process.

Resident Bob Rice, speaking during the meetings public portion, said he believes the charter needs to be updated, and that council over the past three years could have made some of those changes, such as changing instances in the charter where the city is referred to as a village (as it was in 1966), or changing councilmen to councilpersons.

Frankly, the long discussion tonight, and all of this, is because you (council) did not do your job, Rice said. You did not legislate. You have two jobs: you make a budget and approve a budget, and you make legislation.

And you didnt legislate. You abdicated all your responsibility to the Commission.

Resident Patricia Stillman told council that it is not representing residents and that it should take the issue off the May ballot and start over with the process.

Another resident, Sandip Mody, told council that, despite all the dialogue concerning what would be posted on the citys website, nobody is reading the website.

He said that it is delusional for city leaders to think that residents know what is going on with the charter discussion. Eight out of 10, maybe nine out of 10, have no idea this is in the ballot, let alone the May ballot, he said.

Mody said he is disturbed that the charter issue will appear on the May ballot because voter turnout is so low during a primary election.

All of the proposed charter changes can be seen here.

Read more from the Chagrin Solon Sun.
The pool of 21 large Northeast Ohio companies used for the Cleveland Foundation's Impact Cleveland Investment Pool (shown in blue) has significantly outperformed the S&P 500. Cleveland Foundation

CLEVELAND, Ohio  Some of Greater Clevelands major companies, like Eaton, Parker Hannifin and Progressive, have been blowing away key stock indexes. So, why not invest locally  especially if it means giving back to the community?

Thats exactly the idea behind an investment option created by the charitable Cleveland Foundation, designed for both its own assets and donors looking to invest at least $10,000 for philanthropic purposes.

When funds are set aside for long-term giving, beating the market translates to more grant money for years to come. And history suggests thats possible, right here in Northeast Ohio.

Launched in October, the Impact Cleveland Investment Pool is what the Cleveland Foundation calls the first place-based investment pool of its kind in the country.

Eighty percent of the fund is evenly split among 21 major companies headquartered or with significant operations in Northeast Ohio, including Eaton and Signet Jewelers. The remaining portion is allocated to three private funds focused on Ohio investments.

This has allowed donors to invest in Cleveland, said Rosanne Potter, chief financial officer for the Cleveland Foundation.

But that alone, she said, wouldnt make for a wise investment.

The idea came to her last year during a Greater Cleveland Partnership presentation showing how Northeast Ohio companies were outperforming the S&P 500. She quickly pitched the concept to Tony Gattuso, the foundations vice president of finance and treasurer.

I took a picture of it and sent it to Tony, and said, Tony, this is our next pool, Potter recalled.

Under the GCPs model, $100 invested in the grouping of companies in 2010 would have grown to $946 by the end of September. But the same $100 in the S&P 500 would have risen to just $686. This was based on weighting investments  with more set aside for the larger companies.

The Cleveland Foundation tweaked the idea. They used 21 companies regionally valued at more than $1 billion each, and they set up the pool to invest in them equally. Many are household names, like Sherwin-Williams, Goodyear and KeyBank.

These companies, together, nearly doubled the return of the S&P 500 from January 2007 through this past January, Cleveland Foundation research found. Using 100 as a starting point for each, the index of 21 Cleveland-area companies grew to 876, versus 464 for the S&P 500 Index.

Why?

Cerity Partners practice leader Bob Smith, who helped develop the Cleveland index for the GCP and has been tracking Cleveland stocks this way off and on for decades, said many Cleveland companies are at or near tops in their fields when it comes to developing profitable, leading-edge products.

Weve got some great companies in Northeast Ohio -- Eaton, Parker, Progressive and Sherwin-Williams. They are leaders in their industries, Smith said. Sherwin-Williams paint products are the most innovative the world.

He said this performance of late is different than ahead of the dot-com bubble around 2000 and during previous recessions, when Cleveland companies tended to lag.

In fact, during just the last five years  while the S&P 500 is up 94% -- Eatons stock price is up 207%, Progressives 248% and Parker Hannifins 285%, just to use three examples.

The Cleveland Foundation set aside $30 million to start the fund in October and has added $13 million from interested donors.

A lot of our donors wanted to jump into it, Potter said. This has allowed donors to invest in Cleveland.

In addition to the big companies, one of the private investments in the pool is the O.H.I.O. Fund, created with the goal of raising $500 million to invest in emerging Ohio companies.

It is a logical tie in, said O.H.I.O. Fund President Ray Leach: Our motivation is very similar. We share a lot of common goals.

He said investing locally isnt just a smart financial moveit also helps spotlight the opportunities right here in Ohio.

Cleveland, the Foundations Gattuso said, sometimes has the reputation of being this old place and where nothing is going on.  This is exciting.

The investment pool

Publicly traded companies: Applied Industrial Technologies, Avery Dennison, Avient, CBIZ, Cleveland-Cliffs, Eaton, FirstEnergy, Goodyear, J.M. Smucker, KeyBank, Lincoln Electric, Nordson, Parker, Progressive, RPM, Sherwin-Williams, Signet Jewelers, Sotera Health, Steris, Timken, TransDigm Group.

Private investment funds: The O.H.I.O Fund, JumpStart Ventures and ScaleCo Capital.

Rich Exner covers regional development and transportation for cleveland.com.
The Selective Service System is supposed to train thousands of people across the nation to be ready in case the United States re-institutes the military draft. Selective Service System

The number of people who remember the days of draft boards dwindles with each passing month, but for about a day this week, we thought we might have a hot story about their return.

Sometimes, a tip leads to a terrific story. And sometimes, as here, the work we do on a tip leads to a routine story.

In this case, the tip was from someone with a long affiliation with the Selective Service System. After years of almost no activity, people involved with the system were told of a mandatory multi-state training session this month on how local boards would consider exemption claims if the United States restored the military draft.

Because our tipster, who required anonymity, had never seen anything like it, he thought we should know about it, quoting the Washington Post slogan, Democracy dies in Darkness. He wasnt sure what the new training might mean but thought it might be newsworthy. He was not being alarmist.

We were alarmed, however. Did the training notice mean that President Donald Trump planned to restore the draft, which would require an act of Congress? If so, why? Our heads swirled. Here we have a president who wants Canada to be the 51st state and to own Greenland. Hes also a president who appears to worship our longtime enemy, Vladimir Putin, who invaded Ukraine in his own land grab.

Could it be that Trump planned to invade Canada in his own land grab, so he could be like his idol Putin, as ridiculous as that seems?

You can laugh at that question or scorn it, but based on what weve seen these last six weeks, nothing is outside the realm of possibility. The Trump administration is making hugely consequential decisions without thought, study or consideration of consequences. I cant count how many decisions have been announced only to be retracted because of the dire impacts that the administration recklessly failed to foresee.

The first thing we did was look for any reporting, anywhere, about the new Selective Service training for the volunteer boards. We found nothing.

We also turned to the information-loaded website of the Selective Service System, which contains all the details of how the local boards work and how they are supposed to be trained. The training happening this month is supposed to be routine, so we wondered why it has not happened all these years. These boards are supposed to be ready to operate -- smoothly -- the minute a president and Congress re-instituted the draft.

For those who are not aware, men in America are required to register with the Selective Service System upon turning 18. Im of the age group that was the first wave to register when Jimmy Carter began requiring registrations in 1980. (I used the lookup function on the site to see Im still in it. Indeed, I am.) If the government brought back the draft, it would draw from those registered, ages 18 to 26.

It turns out that the Biden administration, not Trump, is responsible for the new training. The Selective Service System decided last year to get the ball rolling on annual exercises. I presume someone recognized that the training had been non-existent and saw the need to formalize it.

One of our reporters called the Selective Service to get more details and finally got a call back three days later, allowing us to publish an explainer Friday on the training. The federal government is not all that responsive to reporters these days. Our reporter put out a lot of other calls as well, with members of Congress and more, but none of those turned up anything.

Thats the frustrating part of covering the federal government. Ideally, to avoid anxiety, the government would have announced to the public that it was initiating this training -- not because anyone planned to bring back the draft but to be ready if the need arose. A simple announcement would be helpful to any parent of a teenage son, as well as those sons.

But we had no announcement, and before the Selective Service finally called back, we had to make a decision: write a story about the new training for the board members, raising a question about the draft and alarming parents everywhere? Or wait for complete answers, to fully explain what is going on.

We opted to avoid creating anxiety and did not write the story until we got the return call.

We wish federal government leaders would consider citizen anxiety on all fronts. The Trump administration appears to be cutting jobs without thought about ramifications. Wouldnt everyone feel better if the administration explained each step?

Say, for example, that the Trump team had explained that it had analyzed the number of calls IRS workers field each hour and determined the rate could increase, to match call centers in the private sector. If the government explained it was cutting call taker positions because it was making the system more efficient, with actual numbers, Americans would be grateful for the wise spending of their tax money. But were not getting anything like that. What we get is jobs being cut without apparent logic or forethought, only to see many get restored because the positions, it turns out, are vital to government operation.

Absent that kind of explanation from the executive branch, we rely on Congress to hold hearings to get answers. But our Congress is AWOL. Instead of serving the residents they purportedly represent, they fearfully sit silent, refusing to publicly seek explanations from the administration. Their job is to be a check on the executive branch. Instead, they are toadies to it.

Were not alone in bemoaning the lack of transparency. Weve seen growing protests about the invisibility and inaccessibility of our members of Congress. They refuse to face the voters.

What the nation needs now more than ever is a lot more journalists trying to answer the questions.

Thanks for reading.

Im at cquinn@cleveland.com
Trump says considering large-scale sanctions on Russia until Ukraine deal reached

Xinhua) 10:23, March 08, 2025

WASHINGTON, March 7 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that he is "strongly considering" imposing sanctions on Russia until a ceasefire and peace agreement is reached with Ukraine.

"Based on the fact that Russia is absolutely 'pounding' Ukraine on the battlefield right now, I am strongly considering large scale Banking Sanctions, Sanctions, and Tariffs on Russia until a Cease Fire and FINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ON PEACE IS REACHED," Trump said on Truth Social.

"To Russia and Ukraine, get to the table right now, before it is too late. Thank you!!!" said Trump.

The threat from the president came as the U.S. and Russian teams have been engaging in negotiations aimed at ending the conflict in Ukraine and normalizing ties between Washington and Moscow on a broader scale.

It also followed the announcement from both the United States and Ukraine that the two countries will hold talks next week in Saudi Arabia on a ceasefire and a framework for peace with Russia.

Steve Witkoff, Trump's special envoy for Middle East, told reporters Thursday outside the White House that the "idea" for the U.S.-Ukraine talks "is to get down a framework for a peace agreement and an initial ceasefire as well."

"Next Monday, I have a visit planned to Saudi Arabia for a meeting with the Crown Prince. After that, my team will stay in Saudi Arabia to work with our American partners," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday on social media.

Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry welcomed the scheduled talks, which would take place in the country's second largest city of Jeddah on the coast of the Red Sea, the ministry said in a brief statement on Friday.

"The Ministry affirmed the Kingdom's continued efforts to achieve lasting peace to end the Ukrainian crisis," the statement said.

On Thursday, Trump said when sharing his thoughts with reporters on reaching a Russia-Ukraine peace deal: "I think Ukraine wants to make a deal because they don't have a choice."

"I also think that Russia wants to make a deal because in a certain different way - a different way that only I know - they have no choice either," said the president, who was surrounded by reporters in the Oval Office.

(Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Sheng Chuyi)
Bill Gates' favorite author has a new book, and the billionaire says "it will teach you a lot" about food.

Specifically, how eliminating food waste and reducing global food insecurity could make food cheaper for everyone. Vaclav Smil's "How to Feed the World," which was published on Tuesday, "will transform the way you think about hunger, food, and what we eat (and don't)," Gates wrote in an Instagram post on Wednesday.

Smil, a Czech-Canadian professor emeritus at the University of Manitoba, has written more than 40 books on a range of topics like technological innovation, energy, public policy and population growth. Gates is a "devoted reader" of the academic's entire catalogue, reading "nearly all" of Smil's published works, he wrote in a blog post published Tuesday.

"The truth is, I'd read just about any topic he found interesting and wanted to dissect," Gates wrote in 2017, adding: "I wait for new Smil books the way some people wait for the next 'Star Wars' movie."

DON'T MISS: How to start a side hustle to earn extra money

Ending world hunger is a central focus for the Gates Foundation, and Smil's newest book turns "conventional wisdom on its head" by using data to reframe the problem, Gates noted in his recent blog post.

The world produces roughly 3,000 calories-worth of food per person per day, which is "more than enough to feed everyone," Gates wrote. The problem is how food is distributed, with rampant inefficiencies in the supply chain resulting in massive amounts of food waste: Roughly one-third of food ends up unconsumed, according to the United Nations.

The inefficiencies also increase costs for producers and retailers, resulting in higher prices for shoppers around the world. Reducing food waste can take pressure off of the global food supply, making food more accessible and more affordable for everyone, according to Smil.

Other researchers agree. Roughly $600 billion worth of food is lost during or following its harvest annually, according to a 2022 report from consulting firm McKinsey. And food waste of all kinds leads to lost revenue for retailers and inflated consumer prices, found a 2024 Pacific Coast Collaborative report.

Smil's book offers some potential solutions, including improvements to food storage, packing, supply chains and pricing models. One of Gates' favorites, he wrote: CRISPR gene editing, which could theoretically develop more resilient crops that better withstand the effects of climate change.

"Like all of Vaclav's best books, it challenges readers to think differently about a problem we thought we understood," Gates wrote, adding: "We also need to ensure that food is more accessible and affordable, less wasted, and just as nutritious as it is abundant."

Want to earn some extra money on the side? Take CNBC's new online course How to Start a Side Hustle to learn tips to get started and strategies for success from top side hustle experts. Sign up today and use coupon code EARLYBIRD for an introductory discount of 30% off $97 (+taxes and fees) through April 1, 2025.

Plus, sign up for CNBC Make It's newsletter to get tips and tricks for success at work, with money and in life.
Bill Murrays most recent promotional tour has taken him everywhere from The Joe Rogan Experience to The Drew Barrymore Show, presumably because she was one of the few Charlies Angels cast members that he wasnt a huge dick to.

This week, Murray also appeared on Hot Ones, where he answered questions about his career while eating wings doused in extraordinary spicy hot sauce that thankfully didnt kill him.

Play

Don't Miss

Murray talked about his work on Saturday Night Live, his dramatic turn in Jim Jarmuschs Broken Flowers and how his real-life bowling skills came in handy on the set of Kingpin. But, of course, host Sean Evans couldnt interview Murray without bringing up his classic 1993 comedy Groundhog Day.

Specifically, Evans asked about one famous piece of Groundhog Day lore  the rumor that Murray was bitten by one of the groundhogs that was used during filming, and had to get a rabies shot as a result. Not only did Murray confirm that the story was true, he showed that he still has the scars to prove it.

Advertisement

That nodule there, thats from the groundhog, Murray said while gesturing to the back of his middle finger. He got me back to back, two days in a row. After the first bite, Murray even tried to take precautions to ensure that he wouldn't get hurt again, to no avail. The second day, I was cheating, or I thought I was being smart, and I put some fishermans gloves, like steel gloves on, underneath the gloves I was wearing, Murray recalled. His teeth went right through the steel.

While reliving the same ordeal over again was certainly in keeping with the theme of the movie, Murray obviously wasnt happy. I got upset with the animal wrangler. I said, Who the hell trained this gopher? You know, self-righteous actor stuff, Murray confessed. The keepers of the groundhog were just a young couple who responded to Murrays rage by explaining that the groundhog they were using was rather wild.

Advertisement

Advertisement

We caught him just over that way, over there by that field, the wranglers told Murray. We caught him there like two weeks ago.

Yeah, apparently the groundhog who played Punxsutawney Phil in Groundhog Day wasnt a trained Hollywood performer, or even a domesticated weather-predicting pet rodent, it was just a wild animal who was living in the woods less than a month before filming began, which explains why he had no qualms about chowing down on the star of Ghostbusters. You get what you pay for, Murray mused.

Although the groundhog may have been a literal pain for Murray to work with, perhaps we should all be glad that the filmmakers chose to bring in a real animal and not simply use a janky puppet a la Caddyshack.
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (PANA) - On International Womens Day, Transparency International celebrated the achievements of women worldwide, but also acknowledged the barriers that still hinder gender equality
The U.S. Department of Justice launches investigation into allegations of antisemitism at the University of California. (Photo by Sembol under CC SA 3.0)
Blog Archive: Jul 2025 (25) Jun 2025 (150) May 2025 (155) Apr 2025 (9) Mar 2025 (149) Feb 2025 (139) Jan 2025 (155) Dec 2024 (144) Nov 2024 (143) Oct 2024 (155) Sep 2024 (149) Aug 2024 (155) Jul 2024 (155) Jun 2024 (150) May 2024 (153) Apr 2024 (149) Mar 2024 (155) Feb 2024 (145) Jan 2024 (155) Dec 2023 (155) Nov 2023 (150) Oct 2023 (155) Sep 2023 (150) Aug 2023 (155) Jul 2023 (155) Jun 2023 (150) May 2023 (155) Apr 2023 (150) Mar 2023 (155) Feb 2023 (140) Jan 2023 (155) Dec 2022 (156) Nov 2022 (150) Oct 2022 (155) Sep 2022 (150) Aug 2022 (155) Jul 2022 (154) Jun 2022 (150) May 2022 (155) Apr 2022 (150) Mar 2022 (155) Feb 2022 (140) Jan 2022 (156) Dec 2021 (156) Nov 2021 (150) Oct 2021 (155) Sep 2021 (150) Aug 2021 (155) Jul 2021 (155) Jun 2021 (150) May 2021 (155) Apr 2021 (150) Mar 2021 (155) Feb 2021 (140) Jan 2021 (155) Dec 2020 (155) Nov 2020 (150) Oct 2020 (158) Sep 2020 (150) Aug 2020 (130) Jul 2020 (124) Jun 2020 (120) May 2020 (124) Apr 2020 (120) Mar 2020 (124) Feb 2020 (116) Jan 2020 (125) Dec 2019 (126) Nov 2019 (120) Oct 2019 (124) Sep 2019 (120) Aug 2019 (125) Jul 2019 (124) Jun 2019 (120) May 2019 (123) Apr 2019 (121) Mar 2019 (124) Feb 2019 (112) Jan 2019 (125) Dec 2018 (126) Nov 2018 (120) Oct 2018 (124) Sep 2018 (121) Aug 2018 (124) Jul 2018 (125) Jun 2018 (120) May 2018 (124) Apr 2018 (121) Mar 2018 (124) Feb 2018 (112) Jan 2018 (123) Dec 2017 (124) Nov 2017 (124) Oct 2017 (141) Sep 2017 (135) Aug 2017 (138) Jul 2017 (137) Jun 2017 (134) May 2017 (138) Apr 2017 (135) Mar 2017 (139) Feb 2017 (129) Jan 2017 (143) Dec 2016 (135) Nov 2016 (138) Oct 2016 (142) Sep 2016 (128) Aug 2016 (133) Jul 2016 (136) Jun 2016 (138) May 2016 (164) Apr 2016 (311) Mar 2016 (348) Feb 2016 (320) Jan 2016 (348) Dec 2015 (314) Nov 2015 (338) Oct 2015 (363) Sep 2015 (358) Aug 2015 (399) Jul 2015 (374) Jun 2015 (331) May 2015 (337) Apr 2015 (319) Mar 2015 (320) Feb 2015 (271) Jan 2015 (286) Dec 2014 (254) Nov 2014 (238) Oct 2014 (287) Sep 2014 (267) Aug 2014 (259) Jul 2014 (260) Jun 2014 (238) May 2014 (241) Apr 2014 (228) Mar 2014 (240) Feb 2014 (217) Jan 2014 (263) Dec 2013 (226) Nov 2013 (254) Oct 2013 (256) Sep 2013 (252) Aug 2013 (263) Jul 2013 (261) Jun 2013 (251) May 2013 (250) Apr 2013 (221) Mar 2013 (193) Feb 2013 (164) Jan 2013 (157) Dec 2012 (155) Nov 2012 (240) Oct 2012 (526) Sep 2012 (411) Aug 2012 (394) Jul 2012 (284) Jun 2012 (229) May 2012 (213) Apr 2012 (213) Mar 2012 (253) Feb 2012 (269) Jan 2012 (298) Dec 2011 (273) Nov 2011 (219) Oct 2011 (204) Sep 2011 (201) Aug 2011 (236) Jul 2011 (217) Jun 2011 (211) May 2011 (206) Apr 2011 (215) Mar 2011 (215) Feb 2011 (186) Jan 2011 (215) Dec 2010 (107) Nov 2010 (98) Oct 2010 (55)
The epidemic of welfare dependency is perhaps the biggest anchor on economic growth in Britain, and it is getting heavier by the day.

Once renowned for a strong work ethic, personal responsibility and self-sufficiency, our country is fast becoming a something-for-nothing culture.

So, the shocking rise in the number of people categorised as long-term sick  some 2.8million, a rise of around 700,000 since before the pandemic  should trouble us all.

The situation is getting so bad the Policy Exchange think-tank suggests 1 in every 4 paid in income tax will go towards sickness benefits by the end of the decade.

The entire bill for these payments is set to rise from 65billion today to a staggering 100billion by 2030  almost twice the entire defence budget. This is simply unsustainable.

A diminishing number of workers are expected to toil longer and pay ever more tax to fund an army of slackers who demand more and more for less.

The backs of the working population will eventually break, businesses will fail, the tax take will plummet and we'll all be poorer.

This leaves Rachel Reeves in the jaws of a vice. She knows she can't afford her spending priorities without growth, and there can't be growth while so many working age people lounge around on the sofa.

Rachel Reeves (pictured) knows she can't afford her spending priorities without growth, and there can't be growth while so many working age people lounge around on the sofa

Yet if she takes an axe to the swollen welfare state, she risks a clash with Labour MPs who are already feeling bruised by the decision to slash winter fuel payments.

To the Chancellor's credit, she seems to be up for the fight. It is reported she has earmarked billions of pounds of welfare cuts  and expects to reap instant rewards.

There are straightforward reforms she could make. She could tighten the process for signing people off sick and remove the perverse incentives that leave some better off on benefits than in employment.

Of course, there are those who legitimately cannot work due to disability. But with today's technology, it's surely not impossible for many to take on at least some paid employment  or face docked benefits.

Such measures are bound to bring howls of indignation from the Left. Isn't it only evil Tories, they wail, who would happily kick the crutches from the old and sick?

But there is nothing kind about shunting people on to sickness benefits for years on end.

On the contrary, it is as unfair to abandon families on state handouts, deprived of all purpose and with no opportunity to fulfil their potential, as it is to the hard-working taxpayers who pick up the bills.

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood (pictured) has threatened to legislate to overturn the Sentencing Council's pernicious guidance

Terrible judgment

On its website, the Sentencing Council says it was set up to promote greater consistency when the courts dispense justice.

By recommending that judges consider more lenient treatment for criminals from ethnic, religious or gender minorities, it has instead fuelled the growing sense that 'two-tier justice' has taken root in Britain.

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has threatened to legislate to overturn this quango's pernicious guidance. She should act before it comes into force on April 1.

But the problem is wider than just the Sentencing Council. For years, we have seen judgments in law court and immigration tribunals that defy government policy and public opinion.

It increasingly seems as if activist judges are making up the law on the hoof to fit their prejudices, when their constitutional role is to apply legislation passed by MPs.

Yes, the independence of the judiciary should be sacrosanct. But m'luds shouldn't act as if they are a shadow Parliament.
Last Monday TV screens lit up with bright red 'BREAKING NEWS' alerts, as word came in that someone had driven a car into crowds in the western German city of Mannheim. He killed two people and injured many more. Yet in a couple of days the entire event had vanished from headlines and, like many other such horrors, will probably sink into obscurity.

This is because even by the greatest stretch the killings cannot be made to look as if they were a terror attack or the work of a migrant. Even the usual dubious eyewitness claims that the perpetrator had shouted 'Allahu Akbar!' were missing.

Reuters news agency reported the suspect was a 40-year-old German man. They noted 'he did not appear to have been politically or religiously motivated'. Instead, the local prosecutor said there were 'reasons to believe he was psychologically unwell'. No surprise.

If we examine all the rampage killings in the world, which have become so frequent since the 1960s, the key thing they have in common is a deranged perpetrator. Often he (it is usually he) can be shown to have been a user of various mind-altering drugs, generally SSRI 'antidepressants', steroids or marijuana. Often this is simply likely but unproven.

Police cordon off the scene in the western German city of Mannheim, where a man drove a car into crowds, killing two people and injuring many more

In the USA, they're seldom classified as terror acts. The perpetrators are usually American-born. So the anti-gun lobby use these tragedies to campaign for gun control. As mass ownership of guns has been legal in the USA for centuries, this does not explain why such killings have become so common in recent years.

It's the mirror image of the European response, where the culprit is automatically claimed to be some sort of terrorist, despite the fact that most of them are plainly unhinged, solitary killers with no coherent political aim.

When, in the USA, the killer uses a car (as sometimes happens) you hear little of it because the gun issue isn't involved. When, in Europe (as sometimes happens) the killer is obviously neither a migrant nor a terrorist, it likewise drops out of the news.

Media, politicians and others are simply missing the key common factor on both sides of the Atlantic, which is mental illness following drug use.

Is this perhaps because so many influential people in America and Europe are past or present users of legal or illegal drugs, and don't want them restricted?

Aren't you enjoying the longer days and the lighter evenings? I certainly am. Yet this has nothing to with the clocks going forward (that doesn't happen for three weeks). It has just happened naturally, as it always does. So why, on March 30, must we endure  yet again  this pantomime in which we falsify every clock and watch in the kingdom? Most people understand this so badly that they don't know whether the clocks go backwards or forwards. We do know this imposed springtime jetlag makes people ill. But what good does it do? I regard it as an annual intelligence test. Anyone who can actually understand it wants it so stop. So why not stop it?

Oh come on... ruthless Ellis was guilty as sin

It was a stupid mistake to hang Ruth Ellis. She should just have been locked up for a few years.

There's something gruesome and sadistic about executing a woman, and people understandably recoil from it in most cases (though I wouldn't have minded if Myra Hindley had been hanged). Mrs Ellis's 1955 execution greatly strengthened the campaign to abolish the death penalty, which was a mistake, as the gallows undoubtedly deterred armed crime.

Now our courts are so hopeless and our juries so weak that we cannot safely bring it back. But the attempt, in the ITV drama A Cruel Love, to turn Mrs Ellis (played by Lucy Boynton) into some sort of feminist heroine is twaddle. Her lawyer is shown telling her that she is a sort of Germaine Greer before her time. 'You represent everything they fear,' he tells her, 'an ambitious woman who has no respect for class boundaries, no respect for sexual boundaries.' Oh come on.

Lucy Boyton and Laurie Davidson as Ruth Ellis and David Blakely in ITV's A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story

She was undoubtedly guilty of shooting her boyfriend not just once but four times. She callously injured a passer-by while she was trying to drill one more bullet into David Blakely, as he lay dying in the street.

The police went after her because she killed, ruthlessly, in a plainly pre-planned crime, not because she challenged the class system and the sexual boundaries of the time. The 1950s, for sure, were not a very pleasant era (though I'm often accused of claiming they were).

But those who lived then were less willing to listen to excuses for wicked actions, and I think they were wise. We have gone much too far in the other direction.

Last week I noted the first appearance of special wall-mounted boxes containing emergency equipment to deal with stabbings. The next day I saw this installation, left, on a railway station, where you can get kit to cope with a stabbing, or a heart attack, or perhaps both at once. Im more and more sure that Id prefer us to work harder on preventing both these things.

Dimwits are duping us into more war You have to admire the stupidity of the leaders of 'Europe', all of whom are startlingly useless at governing their own countries. They have  as a result  developed Early Onset Foreign Mania. Donald Trump has offered them the end to one of the most pointless and avoidable wars in modern history. But these dimwits propose to restart it. First, they want a huge, economically crippling arms build-up. Then they plan to infuriate Russia into another invasion. The grounds for this are that Russia is a terrifying threat to Europe. It just is not. You are being had. Listen: Western Europe already spends three times as much as Russia on defence. Russia's military expenditure last year was forecast to be $145.9 billion, much of it swallowed up by theft, corruption and slobbish incompetence. European combined military spending in the same period was forecast to reach $457 billion. Those of you who were taught proper arithmetic in sensible schools will see immediately that 457 is more than three times as much as 145.9. Victims of modern schools will have to take my word for it. You may also be sure that Western weapons are better, our ammunition more reliable and our troops more motivated and disciplined. Advertisement

Want more Peter Hitchens? Listen to Alas Vine & Hitchens wherever you get your podcasts.
Comments about 'white bald men' in The White Lotus have led to debate online

Expats living in Thailand have hit back after a White Lotus character said the country is filled with 'bald white guys', whom she dubbed 'Losers Back Home'.

The incendiary remark in the first episode of season three has led to furious discourse online, with many saying the stereotype is 'outdated' and 'misinformed', while others even said it 'preys on' men.

In the HBO programme, Chloe (played by Charlotte Le Bon) tells Aimee Lou Wood's character Chelsea: 'You'll notice a lot of bald white guys in Thailand. The locals call them LBHs - Losers Back Home.'

The term has gained traction since its use in the dramatic social satire - this time set in Koh Samui in Thailand - but it's one that has been around for years.

Andrew Russell, a lecturer in creative and cultural industries at the University of Portsmouth, defines it as: 'The stereotype of the older, rich, bald white male  referred to here as LBHs (losers back home)  who retires to Thailand with a much younger wife.'

Elsewhere, it's been interpreted as those who seek success in another country after 'failing' back at home.

And since the show aired, social media has erupted with people who have moved abroad to Thailand - with many keen to demonstrate all the things the show got wrong about the label.

Sam, an Australian YouTuber on the channel Gone Adrift, accused the show of 'upsetting expats'.

Expats have hit back against the 'Losers Back Home' stereotype recently popularised by the White Lotus. Pictured: Sam, who moved from Sydney to Thailand

In the White Lotus, Aimee Lou Wood's character Chelsea (pictured) is informed about Losers Back Home - defined as 'bald white guys in Thailand'

The video blogger, who himself moved from Sydney to Thailand, wrote in the description of his video titled 'I'm a LOSER BACK HOME' that Gone Adrift was feeling 'personally affronted'.

He even went as far to admit that he personally related to the label - but that it does 'absolutely not' apply to everyone who moves abroad.

Sam said in his video: 'I was absolutely a loser back home! Contrary to what the masses are saying on the internet, I somewhat agree in relation to me and my personal situation.

'I'm someone that did terribly, academically, in high school. I never made it to uni, I studied at technical college.

'And then I pursued a career in an industry that was emotionally rewarding. I'm proud of my legacy in Sydney city working with the homeless adults, children and teenagers. But diving into a career like that left me with no knowledge of finances.

'By age 37, I had accumulated no real estate... I do see myself as a little bit of a loser back home.'

However, Sam was quick to point out that many of his friends in Thailand were actually 'very accomplished' back at home - with his pal Stefan a successful musician, while his friend Manny can speak multiple languages.

And appearing to address the rumour that many white men move abroad for romance, he said Stefan is 'happily single'.

He was presented with footage from the show and reacted accordingly, saying 'white guys are amazing'

'I'm happy to accept that term but I'm not happy to accept that anyone who decides to leave their country in the West and move to Thailand or any other country around the world is automatically a loser. Absolutely not!' he concluded.

Sam, who says he has a 'personal' connection to the show due to visiting Koh Samui and even seeing actress Michelle Monaghan, said the cynical comment was mainly aimed at the wealthy elite and their ignorance towards the culture they're visiting.

'Expats like ourselves, we don't really need to take it to heart,' he said.

Another man living in Silom, Thailand, took aim at the stereotype, saying white bald guys are 'amazing', and the term is just used to 'prey on' men.

An interview conducted by @yourthaibestie on Instagram featured Nathan, originally from England.

Speaking of the LBH stereotype and presented with footage from the HBO show, Nathan said: 'It's pretty much what everyone thinks at the moment, isn't it!

'I think guys are going through sacrifices to make everyone else look good at the moment. It's men against women now and men are the worst thing.

'Guys are being preyed upon at the moment - they can't do anything right, which is sad.

On Reddit, r/Thailand - which features experiences from expats - people have taken issue with the term

'I'm a short guy, bald head, tattoos. In England, you're just classed as someone who's got out of prison! White bald short guys are amazing!'

Like Sam, Travis Leon Price, who moved to Bangkok from Ireland, said the term is a 'generalisation'.

Travis shares videos on life in Southeast Asia to his 300,000 followers, and took to his TikTok account to address the phrase before the White Lotus aired.

He said: 'Let's talk about the loser back home insult. It's a term used to describe people who couldn't make it in their own country, and they move to a country where it's supposedly easier to exist. It's been used as a blanket term for white males who move to southeast Asia.

'My issue with the insult is just that, it's a generalisation. A lot of people move here for opportunities, culture, or just to enjoy another way of life.

'Most of the time I've seen this insult, it comes from people who choose a more typical, conventional path of life. They live closer to home, they seem just generally unhappy in their life so they hate on people online. I like to call them losers stuck at home.

'I will say this, there is a lot of bad character here and I can see where the insult has come from and I can't stick up for those guys. They're loud, they don't respect the culture, and they prey on girls.'

Tom Birchy, from the UK, who is now touring the world, went one step further and said the term is 'outdated' and 'misinformed' for all involved.

He pointed out that there are many reasons why men, typically in their 50s and 60s, may choose to move abroad - including the cheap cost of living providing ample retirement opportunities.

He said: 'Thailand offers an incredible standard of living, especially for retirement.

Others have even said they're 'proud' to be given the label after moving to Thailand

Chloe (played by Charlotte Le Bon) in the White Lotus tells Chelsea about LBHs

'You can live in luxury for relatively cheaply. After you've worked hard all your life, you might as well move to paradise and spend money actually enjoying yourself!

'With the people who say, "oh they're only moving to Thailand for one thing!" I doubt these people have ever actually spent a day in Thailand. People's misconceptions of this country are gross and outdated.

'For people who say those nasty things about people who move to Thailand, you're misinformed, you're outdated, and you should come and see this wonderful place instead of making closed-minded, misinformed judgements on the internet.'

Others, however, have insisted they're 'proud' of the label, and don't mind being called it as they feel it's an accurate reflection of their situation.

Writing on social media, one person said they are a 'Proud "LBH" here enjoying life with my Thai wife in Thailand.'

Another added: 'I never saw the White Lotus but I get the whole LBH mentality. I happily fit the bill.'

Others said: 'Fail to see why it would be an insult. If you're a loser back home but made a good life elsewhere then that's good on you!';

'I'm one of those "old white men" and I love my life here.'

On Reddit too, expats have taken issue with the label - saying they've only met 'remarkable' individuals abroad rather than those fitting with the 'loser' stereotype.

The incendiary remark in the first episode of season three has led to furious discourse online

Travis Leon, who is travelling the world, spoke up about the term and said it is a 'generalisation'

Nathan, from the UK, said he felt like the term was 'preying on' men in an interview on Instagram

In the Reddit post r/Thailand, one person said: 'To be honest most foreigners I have met in Thailand have turned out to be some remarkable individuals. Most are financially stable fun loving, out going people.

'Those from europe and america that visit Thailand have done something most people in their home country will never do. And those that decide to live in Thailand are in a league of their own.'

Another added: 'Most ppl i have met here are here because they want to have a better life in thailand compared to the west. they usually work online or are retired. does that make them losers at home? not sure what the term LBH is referring too but i havent met anyone who i would label with such a term.'

Others even expressed worries that the continued popularity of the phrase would 'discourage people from visiting.'
A British woman is sharing what it's like to move to Florida, in the United States, after taking the plunge last year - including her concerns with the American education system for her teenage child.

Katie, 41, and her husband Jason had lived in Qatar - where he worked as a pilot - with their daughter Zara for ten years.

But the family, originally from the North East of England, decided to trek over from the Middle East to the Orlando as they had always dreamed of relocating to America.

The mother is documenting her family's life - filled with Target hauls and beach trips - on a YouTube channel Katie's Florida Life where she has more than 4,500 subscribers.

While they're making the most of the Sunshine State, with Katie, who is originally from Seaton Carew, revealing they're Disney and Universal Studios annual passholders - there are downfalls too.

But Katie says she has 'no regrets' - and though the couple were ready to move on from their life in Doha, moving back to the UK wasn't an option.

'It's been my lifelong dream to live in Orlando,' she told a vlog. 'I came here when I was eight for the first time and just addicted ever since.'

The couple have showed off their stunning new home - which comes with plenty of the spaces for the family of three - in their online diaries.

Katie, 40, and her husband Jason had lived in Qatar - where he worked as a pilot - with their daughter Zara for ten years. Pictured documenting her life

Katie has also taken viewers through the journey of furnishing the house and setting it up.

It includes decorating the sprawling open-plan living room - fit with a widescreen television and sleek white furniture - as well as a separate room just for laundry.

'This is the norm in America, apparently,' she gushed in another video, brandishing the Samsung appliances. 'It's my favourite bit.'

She has also since compared the property with their house in the UK - which contains a 'tiny' fridge compared to the refrigerator in Orlando - and 'no pantry'.

However, most of her videos focus on the activities her family is able to take part in - from frolicking around in Disney ears in theme parks to travelling around the Everglades swamp.

Katie also has a TikTok, where she recently opened up about feeling like a 'Disney local'.

But Katie says she has 'no regrets' - and though the couple were ready to move on from their life in Doha, moving back to the UK wasn't an option. Pictured with her husband in an online post about her life in Florida

However, while the family enjoys the spoils of the great weather and fun shops, there are also downsides. Katie documents their life on her YouTube channel

Katie - pictured - also has a TikTok , where she recently opened up about feeling like a 'Disney local'

'One of my favourite things to do is sit and drink coffee in Epcot and people watch,' she revealed.

She also shares quirky finds in American shops - including Lemon Glaze cookie scented Dove body wash - and shares hauls from Yank staples like Trader Joe's.

However, while the family enjoys the spoils of the great weather and fun shops, there are also downsides.

For one, Katie and Jason witnessed the destructive force of Hurricane Milton. The storm ripped through Florida in September and caused millions in damages.

Her loved ones were safe, but the couple's house had no power or water, so had to check into a hotel just to use basic amenities.

The area was also faced with torrential downpour due to Storm Debbie in August - which Katie said was their first ever 'tropical storm'.

Elsewhere, Katie also spoke about her concerns for Zara's education.

'I can't compare it for Zara because Zara has never been to school in the UK... She did go to a British school, though, so she's come from a British system,' the mother revealed in a video.

The couple have showed off their stunning new home - which comes with plenty of the spaces for the family of three - in their online diaries

It includes decorating the sprawling open-plan living room - fit with a widescreen television and sleek white furniture - as well as a separate room just for laundry. Pictured in a vlog of their home

Katie (pictured in a post at Disney) also spoke about the process of getting a Green Card - which was roughly a two year process, and cost them $13,500 (10,478.29) in legal fees

'Compared to the British system which she had in the Middle East, I think the biggest difference is the amount of subjects that they do.

'So in Qatar they had something like 11 or 12 subjects that she used to have whereas in the US she has about five.

'They don't learn any world history, they don't learn any world geography, which Zara noticed immediately, and one of those five lessons is about the American government.

'I'm hoping when she goes to high school there'll be a broader choice of lessons for her to choose from.'

However, Katie admitted that while the system feels limited for now, she is 'impressed with the teachers'.

'I feel that the quality of teaching is there,' she said. 'We would call it a mainstream school in the UK... not a private school, not a paid-for school.'

Katie also remarked that while she loved the sunny weather and climate generally, it can also be difficult to deal with the humidity in the summer.

'The crime concerns me,' she added. 'Not that I've witnessed anything... but it definitely concerns me.

'But that's not Orlando, I think that's jus the US in general. However, the crime in the UK is not perfect either.'

While Katie admitted she hasn't lived in the UK for a decade now, when she visits she still gets the impression that it's still cheaper than the States.

'It's the insurance,' she said. 'The insurance is killer. You need insurance for everything.

'The food, the grocery shopping is more expensive... I wish we knew how much things were going to cost.'

Katie also spoke about the process of getting a Green Card - which was roughly a two year process, and cost them $13,500 (10,478.29) in legal fees.

In the end, the whole process also racked up to $18,200 (14,126.29) with additional admin costs and flights.

'You have to be committed, cause you're handing the money over straight away,' she said in a video.

They came over on an 'EB2 National Interest Waiver' thanks to her pilot husband Jason - which is defined by Boundless Immigration as 'an employment-based visa intended for those who either have an advanced degree or exceptional ability'.

Despite it all, Katie admitted that even with the extortionate bills and climate concerns, she still feels they made the right decision to move.

It was actually more financially beneficial for the family to stay in Qatar, Katie admitted, speaking of their time in Doha.

Jason got paid more for his work as a pilot, and it was 'tax free'. However, she stressed that their relocation was not driven by finances but rather the lifestyle in Florida.

'I love just being there, I've always loved Orlando,' she said. 'I just love the fact that I'm there and I can take or leave the parks whenever I want.

'When I was on holiday, it used to be "we've got to do this, this, this" it was always very stressful.

'But now... it's so accessible. I can do it whenever I want. I love the weather, the sunshine...

'I like the style of living there, I like that's there's lots to do outside rather than in the UK where it's cold and miserable.

'You don't really get that in Florida... the weather is pretty predictable. I love being there.'
An ex-employee has revealed that you can avoid bad food by asking for a receipt

Most people are familiar with the disappointment of opening up a McDonald's brown paper bag to find a limp burger or packet of cold fries.

It can seem almost down to luck sometimes whether a meal is made to order or has been sat around under a hot lamp for a period of time. But, there could be a way round this.

A McDonald's employee has revealed the easy hack to ensure a customer gets the freshest meal every time.

According to The Mirror, by asking for a receipt when you purchase your meal, you can make sure you never eat a soggy fry again.

Kamran Adan - who claims to have worked in a London branch of McDonald's - says by doing this, you also guarantee your burger hasn't been sat around for ages either.

And the reason behind this is that mystery shoppers who rate the service and food in shops, cafes and restaurants always ask for receipts for reimbursement purposes.

According to Mr Adan's Quora post, employees know this trick and will always give them the freshest food to make a good impression.

Most people are familiar with the disappointment of opening up a McDonald's brown paper bag to find a limp burger or packet of cold fries (stock photo)

Mystery shoppers often use a promotion called 'Food for Thoughts', although Mr Adan mentions Gap Busters in his post.

Participants are asked to fill out a survey about their experience and those who use Food for Thoughts are given food vouchers for completing the survey.

But most importantly they cant claim their coupons without having the receipt.

But by simply asking for a receipt, the customers can ensure they get the most out of their McDonalds meal and they shave some money off the price in to the bargain.

The new hack comes as McDonald's launched five new items as part of its New Year menu overhaul.

From January, fans can sink their teeth into three brand new additions, including the Chicken Katsu One wrap, available for 3.49 or 5.29 as part of a meal.

On Wednesdays, the wrap, as well as several other flavours, is available for just 1.99.

The Katsu wrap contains either crispy or grilled chicken strips, crispy onions, cucumber and fresh lettuce, smothered in Japanese-inspired katsu sauce and wrapped in a toasted tortilla.

By asking for a receipt when you purchase your meal, you can make sure you never eat a soggy fry again (stock photo)

Alongside the Katsu wrap, McDonald's has launched the all new BBQ Ranch Stack, which costs 5.19 as a single item or 6.99 with a meal.

The new burger features two 100 per cent beef patties, topped with Emmental cheese, lettuce, bacon, crispy onions, creamy ranch and a sweet BBQ sauce, sandwiched in a glazed sesame seed bun.

For those who prefer chicken to beef, fans will be delighted to hear the McCrispy BBQ Smokehouse has returned to the revamped menu, available for 5.79 as a single item or 7.49 with a meal.

First launched in October 2023, the popular burger contains a 100 per cent chicken breast fillet in a crunchy, crispy coating, topped with cheddar cheese, red onion and lettuce, smothered in a smoky BBQ sauce in a sourdough-style sesame topped bun.

Additionally, a delicious new McFlurry flavour has touched down on earth ready to make its debut: The Milky Way.

Available for 2.19, The Milky Way McFlurry features soft dairy ice cream swirled with milk chocolate stars and malt flavoured pieces, topped with a chocolate sauce.

According to a former employee, mystery shoppers often ask for a receipt with their meal and so staff will always give the reviewers the freshest meal to make a good impression

Also returning to UK menus are the ever-popular Mozzarella Dippers, which can be snapped up for 2.39 for a portion of three, or 7.09 for nine.

A standard portion contains three sticks of stringy Mozzarella cheese, coated in breadcrumbs and served with Salsa dip.

The new menu will be available for six weeks from January 6, aside from the McCrispy BBQ Smokehouse which is set to remain for a little longer until May 6.

Similarly, the Mozzarella Dippers will remain on UK menus until 25 March.
The sprawling Utah desert home where Ruby Franke's children were tortured and abused has received a 'surge of interest' following Hulu's docuseries about the Mormon mommy vlogger's crimes.

The incredible property, located in Ivins, Utah, belongs to Franke's accomplice Jodi Hildebrandt, who, along with Franke, is currently serving four consecutive sentences of one to 15 years in prison for child abuse.

According to Realtor.com, the exposure that the $5 million Utah mansion received after being featured in Hulu's Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke has attracted a wave of potential buyers.

Just one month before she was sentenced, Hildebrandt listed the sprawling home for $5.3 million, but it was quickly pulled from the market after a judge ruled that she had to wait until her sentencing before selling it.

Since returning to the market, the property has failed to find a buyer despite being described by listing agent Steve Foisy as 'a true masterpiece with stunning features'.

The price was even lowered to $4.99 million, but continued to languish on the market.

Now there's been a 'surge of interest' in the five-bedroom, 4.5-bathroom dwelling since it was shown in Hulu's docuseries.

The property, which is nestled in the Utah desert, is undoubtedly breathtaking.

The Utah home where Ruby Franke's children were tortured and abused has received a surge of interest following Hulu's docuseries about the Mormon mommy vlogger's crimes

The incredible property, located in Ivins, belongs to Franke's accomplice Jodi Hildebrandt

It's filled with plenty of luxury touches, including a home theatre, a pool, a fully serviced casita, water features, and a five-car garage.

'This home truly has it all, and with its stunning features and finishes, you'll be able to enjoy a luxurious lifestyle in this incredible property,' writes Foisy.

However, Franke and Hildebrandt's former abode also has a dark side.

A walk-in safe located in the basement is where Franke and Hildebrandt stored many of the devices used to abuse two of Franke's six children, including handcuffs, duct tape, and a pot of cayenne pepper and honey used to dress their open wounds.

One of the large closets upstairs is where Franke's malnourished and terrified daughter, aged nine at the time, was found when police raided the house.

The exposure that the home is receiving now is no surprise given the record-breaking ratings that Devil in the Family brought to Hulu.

According to Deadline, the three-part docuseries drew 7.9 million global views in its first five days of streaming, which makes it the biggest docuseries on Hulu to date.

The chilling documentary reveals the contents of a diary that Franke, 43, kept on her bedside table in which she wrote down the abuse she meted out to her two youngest children, a son aged ten and a daughter.

The property has failed to find a buyer despite being described by listing agent Steve Foisy as 'a true masterpiece with stunning features'

The property, which is nestled in the Utah desert, is undoubtedly breathtaking

It's filled with plenty of luxury touches, including a home theatre, a pool, a fully serviced casita, water features, and a five-car garage

'This home truly has it all, and with its stunning features and finishes, you'll be able to enjoy a luxurious lifestyle in this incredible property,' said the listing agent

In the diary, she calls her children 'Satan' and chides her son for showing no remorse for 'stealing' water - even though she was denying him food.

Franke was arrested in 2023 after her son escaped the home in St George, Utah, they were living in and ran to a neighbor to ask for help.

Horrified police discovered he was emaciated and had deep wounds in his ankles which had been covered over with tape.

Franke, who became famous vlogging about parenting her six children, was arrested, as was her guru Jodi Hildenbrant, 55, a therapist whose house they had been staying in.

Both pleaded guilty to child abuse charges last year and are serving sentences that could last decades.

However, Franke and Hildebrandt's former abode also has a dark side

A walk-in safe located in the basement is where Franke and Hildebrandt stored many of the devices used to abuse two of Franke's six children

Ruby and Kevin Franke are pictured with their six children

The documentary crew was given access to 1,000 hours of home video footage that was never uploaded to Franke's wildly popular YouTube account, 8 Passengers, in which she chronicled their life as a Mormon family in Utah.

The documentary also describes how Franke fell under Hildenbrandt's spell so strongly that she moved her into their home.

Ruby's ex-husband Kevin says that after that 'weird things started happening' and describes how Hildenbrandt went into 'possessed trances'.

In one video, Hildenbrandt can be seen speaking in a strange low voice and repeatedly saying 'She's mine! She's mine! She's mine! She knows!' before hitting herself and adding 'I own her!'

Kevin claims they had to exorcise the evil spirits inside Hildenbrandt who would react when he said Jesus's name
After her much-anticipated home-spun series about being the most fabulous yummy mummy in the world went straight into Netflixs top ten, she gushingly thanked her fans saying: Thank you for loving me so much and celebrating with me.

Within hours, however, laughter could be heard across the world as the series was panned and Megss rating fell down faster than a new brides knickers.

Hollywoods revered Variety magazine decried With Love, Meghan as a gormless lifestyle filler laced with tangible desperation. Others were less complimentary.

Yet inexplicably, we learned yesterday that Netflix has already filmed a second series of the show in which Meghan is attempting to cling to fame by any means possible, in the words of one critic.

Was that why she ticked off a supposed bestie for calling her Meghan Markle, insisting her family name is Sussex? Was Megs reminding us she married a prince and shes the star whos going to save the Sussex fortune as her hapless husband is sidelined in the series?

We learned yesterday that Netflix has already filmed a second series of With Love, Meghan

Who knows? Theres no keeping up with the reinventions of Meghan Markle, TV actress, duchess, royal nightmare, proud feminist and now perfect little woman in the kitchen.

Perhaps the mystery of Meghans changing characters is why Netflix thinks people will keep watching. Perhaps it thinks, that in this bleak world, theres no better escape for viewers than her vacuous twitterings as she bakes her lemon drizzle cake and turns into her latest incarnation  the Duchess of Drivel.

Im delighted by plans for a two-tier justice system with pre-sentence reports for minorities (we Aussies make up about 0.25 per cent of the UK population), those from deprived backgrounds (raised in the bush) and trans folk. If the first two excuses fail after the police catch me, Ill go free by identifying as Andrew Platell.

Charlis X-rated

When pop princess Charli XCX collected five Brit awards she wore a completely transparent frock, nipples on view and hardly even bothering to cover her modesty.

For decades weve been fed the mantra that its evil men who exploit women, especially in the music industry. But these days, it seems, its women sexualising themselves for profit.

What kind of message is that for teenage girls, suggesting that to get ahead they must exploit their bodies while male stars such as Chris Martin and Ed Sheeran make millions in jeans?

When pop princess Charli XCX collected five Brit awards she wore a completely transparent frock

Captain Toms daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore, accused of misappropriating charity money in his name for her benefit, says her devout Christian father would have lost faith in humanity if he had seen the way she has been treated since he died. Sorry Hannah, had he lived, your heroic father would only have lost faith in humanity because of your shameless betrayal of his legacy.

King Charles has shared his personal music playlist in a collaboration with Apple Music. But was it wise to choose Bob Marley & The Wailers Could You Be Loved among most loved songs, given that we all wondered if he could ever be loved as monarch after his mother died.

Rotten parents = bad teeth

The Government is spending 11 million to teach under-fives how to brush their teeth. What an absolute waste of money. If the kids parents cant be bothered to teach them the basics of life  and then feed them junk food and fizzy drinks  theyre not fit to be mums and dads in the first place.

Kaleb Cooper, Jeremy Clarksons lovable sidekick on his Amazon farming series, has made his first million aged 26. Good on Kaleb, a real farmer since he was a teenager.

Yet its a strange world where TV farmers like Clarkson, worth 55million, and Cooper, make fortunes  while those who have grafted a lifetime on the soil may lose everything under Labours spiteful death taxes.

Kaleb Cooper, Jeremy Clarksons lovable sidekick on his Amazon farming series, has made his first million aged 26

Boring, boring Ko Zzz-samui

Backpacking with my then husband John in the 1980s, I stayed on the Thai paradise island Ko Samui  setting for the miserably disappointing third series of The White Lotus. I can testify it was as dull as the show. Visitors were offered, if they were so inclined, a magic mushroom omelette simply to alleviate the interminable tedium.

Sad to hear of the death of Dolly Partons reclusive husband of 60 years Carl Dean. As for the mystery over them never being seen together, Dolly said they took regular campervan holidays but without her wig and rhinestones. So no one recognised her  not even Jolene.

The Great British Bake Off star Prue Leith says the unsayable: todays youngsters are so mollycoddled many are unfit for modern life. We are encouraging a whole generation to think about themselves... when they should spend more time thinking about others, she adds. Full-fat chance of that with narcissistic Generation Z.

Pop goes Kims balloon stunt!

Promoting her new Skims range, Kim Kardashian put a 60ft balloon body double of herself in a bikini in New Yorks Times Square, complete with ginormous surgically-enhanced breasts.

Maybe the joke was on Kim, as who can tell the difference between the blow-up doll and the real thing?

Promoting her new Skims range, Kim Kardashian put a 60ft balloon body double of herself in a bikini in New Yorks Times Square

On World Book Day, were told a kids book called Heatwave got a special mention in one of the worlds top publishing awards. Its the story of a boy who endures a hot day on the beach due to global warming. Is it any wonder kids dont read any more?

Pamelas paradox

Just weeks before David Hasselhoffs ex-wife Pamela Bach, 62, was found dead in her home from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, she had posted: Happy New Year, everyone! As we step into 2025 my heart is full of gratitude, especially for my precious grandbaby, London.

Such mixed messages from the mother of two grown-up children with David  a soul full of hope and thanks, yet driven to despair.

Clearly she was beyond the reach of those who loved her and has now left them with memories no one should ever have to bear.
Dozens of beautifully groomed dogs have arrived for the third day of Crufts this morning - to see who will win a set of coveted awards.

Saturday is the Gundog group day of the international dog show, which is being held at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham.

Founded by Charles Cruft in the late 19th century and held annually in the Midlands city, Crufts culminates on Sunday with the coveted Best in Show prize.

The third day of action saw dog owners and their pups arrive in Birmingham in the early hours, ready for a busy Super Saturday at the National Exhibition Centre.

The jam-packed day will include the Southern Golden Retrievers Display, the Scruffts Finals and the much-anticipated Gundog Judging.

A number of the early arrivals were staving off the morning chill in colourful jackets, while a group of Golden Retrievers arrived to show off their skills.

Crufts brings more than 150,000 to Birmingham's NEC, with almost 9 million set to tune in and watch on telly; the programme is airing in the UK on Channel 4.

Thursday saw Gundogs take the stage to compete, with points awarded in different categories - YKC Agility Dog of the Year, Vulnerable Breeds Competition and Gamekeepers Competition - for agility, flyball, heelwork and displays.

Dozens of beautifully groomed dogs have arrived for the third day of Crufts this morning - to see who will win a set of coveted awards

Saturday is the Gundog group day of the international dog show, which is being held at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham

Founded by Charles Cruft in the late 19th century and held annually in the Midlands city, Crufts culminates on Sunday with the coveted Best in Show prize

The packed daily programme runs from 8:30am in the morning until after dark.

On Thursday, a six-year-old schoolboy made history when he became Crufts youngest entrant.

Freddie Osborne and his smooth fox terrier Penny competed alongside adults after qualifying for the world-famous dog show for the first time last year.

The third day of action saw dog owners and their pups arrive in Birmingham in the early hours, ready for a busy Super Saturday at the National Exhibition Centre

The jam-packed day will include the Southern Golden Retrievers Display, the Scruffts Finals and the much-anticipated Gundog Judging

A number of the early arrivals were staving off the morning chill in colourful jackets, while a group of Golden Retrievers arrived to show off their skills

Crufts brings more than 150,000 to Birmingham's NEC, with almost 9 million set to tune in and watch on telly; the programme is airing in the UK on Channel 4

Thursday saw Gundogs take the stage to compete, with points awarded in different categories

Weimaraner judging during Crufts 2025 at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham

Irish Setter judging during Crufts 2025 at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham

Irish Setter judging during Crufts 2025 at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham

Retriever judging during Crufts 2025 at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham

Adorable photos show how the pair have been inseparable since the day Freddie was born with Penny always faithfully by his side.

The youngster was given special permission to take the day off school so he could compete at Birmingham's NEC on Thursday.

Freddie, from Bobbington, Staffordshire, said: 'I love dog shows and I love Penny because shes not just my dog, shes my best friend.

'I am really looking forward to being with her in the arena.

'At home she likes to lick you, sit on your lap and cuddles. I like going for walks with her as they are fun and gets you fresh air.'
Prince Andrew took advantage of the warmer spring weather today as he headed out for his weekly ride around the Windsor estate.

The Duke of York, 65, was without his usual puffer jacket as he embarked on an early morning trot around the sprawling Berkshire estate on Saturday.

Instead, as the weather starts to warm up, Andrew opted for a burgundy jumper and navy blue shirt, accompanied by his usual dark blue jodhpurs and white stripe helmet.

The prince was joined by a female groom, and the pair appeared deep on conversation as they made their way through the grounds of Windsor Castle on horseback.

It comes in the wake of new allegations by a masseuse, who has claimed that she felt the way Prince Andrew behaved when she gave him a massage was 'inappropriate' and 'an abuse of his privilege'.

The claims were made in an upcoming memoir by masseuse Monique Giannelloni, 60.

According to Monique, she met Ghislane Maxwell in 2000, and visited her Belgravia home twice to give her massages. A man she now realises was Jeffrey Epstein present.

Maxwell was taken with Monique and said she had a high profile contact she wanted her to work for, hyping her by saying that her next booking would be with 'somebody more famous than God'.

Prince Andrew took advantage of the warmer spring weather today as he headed out for his weekly ride around the Windsor estate

This turned out to be Prince Andrew - with the session to take place within his suite of rooms at Buckingham Palace.

Monique claims she was hired to give Andrew a massage at the palace despite 'minimal vetting'.

But this was next to nothing compared to the shock that came next, with the therapist claiming that the prince, who remains 8th in line to the throne, undid his bathrobe and threw off his towel before climbing onto the massage table.

She felt his behaviour at their session was inappropriate: 'He did not do anything or suggest anything untoward, but I was very uncomfortable and a bit shocked that he had acted like that.'

Monique added that she would have 'expected more' from a royal and that she was not 'impressed' by his behaviour.

The Duke of York, 65, was without his usual puffer jacket as he embarked on an early morning trot around the sprawling Berkshire estate on Saturday

Masseuse Monique Giannelloni, 60, claims that Prince Andrew booked her to massage him at Buckingham Palace

Ms Giannelloni believes that Ghislaine Maxwell attempted to groom her to attend what she now believes were Espteins sordid sex parties

It was during that summer of 2000 while she was working with both Prince Andrew and Maxwell that the latter suggested she might join her and Epstein for a lavish VIP party on a boat. Maxwell even leered: 'What happens on the boat stays on the boat.'

It was an invitation that Maxwell would repeat several times, Monique claimed.

And Monique now believes that Maxwell was attempting to recruit her to be a regular for sex games with Epstein at the parties he laid on for his wealthy friends in those years.

She recalled: 'It wasn't difficult for me to reject her offers. I just didnt feel right about her boat parties.

Prince Andrew typically enjoys a number of rides around the Windsor Estate each week

'It was Andrews choice to be friends with those individuals Ghislaine and Epstein and somehow, I ended up in their world because of my work.

'I have a lot of questions and a significant one is: was Ghislaine trying to involve me and Andrew in her sordid lifestyle?'

Ms Giannelloni told MailOnline that she remains distressed at belatedly realising how close she came to Epsteins vile circle.

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline from her home in the south of France, she said: I had some dark days after all the stuff about Ghislaine and Epstein and their terrible sexual predatory behaviour blew up. It shocked me to think she had tried to lure me into their circle. Andrew should never have been in contact with these people.

Maxwell, 62, was found guilty in December 2021 of helping disgraced financier Epstein sexually abuse young girls.

The high society party girl, daughter of fraudster Robert Maxwell, was sentenced to 20 years in prison in June 2022.

Epstein, her former boyfriend, died by suicide in 2019 in a Manhattan jail cell, five weeks after he was arrested and charged with sex trafficking.

Mother-of-two Monique added: Andrews reputation has been sullied by his friendships with those two people.

The masseuse kept the 75 cheque which was signed by Andrews aide on his behalf after the massage session - in case he should try to later deny they had met.
Kate Middleton has marked International Women's Day with a poignant tribute to 17-year-old photographer Liz Hatton - who died of cancer late last year.

The Princess of Wales, 43, took to Instagram on Saturday afternoon to celebrate the 17-year-old and her mother Vicky's 'unwavering resilience'.

In one of a number of posts dedicated to women who have 'inspired' her, Kate wrote: 'Celebrating the strength, resilience and creativity of Liz and her mother Vicky, it was an honour meeting them both at Windsor in November.

'Liz's memory lives on in Vicky's unwavering resilience.

'Thank you for such a moving moment.'

Liz died at her home in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, in November, less than a year after being diagnosed with an incurable desmoplastic small round cell tumour.

A hugely talented photographer, she compiled an inspirational 'bucket list' of assignments to complete in the last months of her life, which reached the ears of the future king and queen.

She was invited by them to Windsor Castle to photograph an investiture William was holding and, to her surprise, was asked to have tea with the couple afterwards.

The Princess of Wales pictured sharing a tender hug with Liz Hatton when they met at Windsor Castle last October and bonded over their shared love of photography

The Princess of Wales, 43, took to Instagram on Saturday afternoon to celebrate the 17-year-old and her mother Vicky's 'unwavering resilience'

Kate, who has recently gone through her own cancer journey, was pictured giving Liz an emotional hug, although the pair pointedly did not discuss their respective experiences but focused on their shared love of photography.

As a result of their meeting, however, the brave teenager - who always said she did not want to be defined by her illness - was inundated with offers of support and was able to complete almost all of her bucket list, including a London film premiere, and more.

She was even snapping away, despite being in great pain, on the red carpet of the Royal Variety Show last year and was proud beyond belief to attend an exhibition of her incredible work in London.

Liz died at her home in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, in November, less than a year after being diagnosed with an incurable desmoplastic small round cell tumour

The royals shared tributes to a number of women 'who have inspired us over the past 12 months'

Sadly, however, her condition began to rapidly deteriorate, so much so that her family had decided to celebrate Christmas early because it was her adored little brother Mateo's wish to have her here for it.

Tragically, that wasn't to be.

Liz's mother, Vicky Robayna, told the Mail last November that the family were taking comfort from the fact that she had blazed such a trail in such a short space of time.

She said: 'Our lovely Liz died in the early hours of this morning. She remained determined to her last.

The Princess of Wales paid tribute to a number of women who have inspired her on Saturday

Another to be featured on the Kensington Royal Instagram was Bethany Horne

'Even yesterday she was telling me that I had better get nurses sorted so she could do more things.

'She went out in a blaze of glory with almost everyone she cared out seeing her for the last time at her exhibition last week.

'I could not be prouder of her. She has faced every day with unbelievable bravery. And now it's our turn to do her proud and give her brother the life she expects us to.

'She was never scared of dying but she was terrified of leaving him behind. It's our job to make that a little easier for her.'
She also discovered a hard 'lump' on her breast that her doctors dismissed

Jodie Brown was 34 and pregnant when she suddenly lost weight

Jodie Brown was 34, healthy and delighted to be pregnant with her third baby when she felt a small lump in her breast.

The Sydney mum voiced her concerns to her GP and midwife, only to be reassured that it was unlikely to be anything serious as lumpy breast tissue is common in pregnancy.

But, paired with the unusual weight loss she'd been experiencing, it was a sign of something far more sinister going on with her health.

Jodie, who had always been diligent with check-ups, was blissfully unaware of the stage three breast cancer growing in her chest.

'I asked my GP and I asked all the midwives I saw regularly if it was something to do with my baby,' Jodie, now 42, told FEMAIL.

'It wasn't symmetrical on both breasts, it was just on the one, right above my nipple.'

Jodie wasn't the only one who was worried, with her mother raising her noticeable weight loss too. Both of them agreed it was a symptom of her gestational diabetes.

With a niggling feeling something was wrong remaining, Jodie continued to bring up the lump she felt to medical professionals.

Jodie Brown, now 42, was pregnant with her third child when she first noticed an unusual lump in her left breast in mid-2016

Jodie's mum was concerned about the amount of weight she lost during her pregnancy, but she chalked it up to gestational diabetes

Their constant dismissals didn't put her at ease, in fact, it did the opposite.

Jodie was given an ultrasound 'just to be safe' but the results were inconclusive. Her breast tissue was too dense.

'The radiologist said they couldn't see anything - it was all white matter,' she recalled.

'Because it was inconclusive my doctor thought it was just "settle down" on its own with time.'

Months passed, but the lump did not shrink. Instead, it grew harder and larger.

Still uneasy, Jodie demanded a second ultrasound but the results came back the same.

'I was worried,' she said.

'My GP said, "We can't do anything about it right now. Let's wait until you give birth and then do a mammogram".'

Jodie underwent the scan, but the results were inconclusive due to her dense breast tissue

Following the birth of her daughter, Jodie immediately followed up on her concerns

Following the birth of her daughter, Jodie returned to the doctor as early as possible for the mammogram.

Within a week she had it done, paired with a biopsy. This time, the results were undeniable.

'I hadn't even made it home from the biopsy when my GP called me,' she said.

'I live five minutes from the ultrasound clinic, and I was told to come in straight away. I knew then that it was bad news.'

Jodie was diagnosed with Triple Positive Invasive Ductal Carcinoma breast cancer and it had already spread to her lymph nodes.

She had several tumours - six of which were cancerous and the largest one was 7cm.

'It was devastating because I had brought it up so many times during my pregnancy,' she said.

'I had two scans. I pushed for answers. And yet, by the time they diagnosed it, I was nearly at stage four - after which there's no cure.

The diagnosis left Jodie feeling betrayed by the medical system that had downplayed her concerns for months

'I felt a lot of anger. Why did this happen to me? Could anything have been done differently had it been diagnosed earlier?'

The diagnosis left Jodie feeling betrayed by those who had downplayed her concerns for months.

'When women know something is wrong with their bodies, they should be taken seriously,' she said.

'I was proactive and I pushed for tests. And still, nothing showed up until it was almost too late.'

She underwent an aggressive treatment plan, including multiple surgeries, five months of chemotherapy, radiation, and targeted drug therapies.

Initially advised to have a mastectomy, Jodie was hopeful she could avoid losing her breast.

She underwent an aggressive treatment plan, including multiple surgeries, five months of chemotherapy, radiation, and targeted drug therapies

Throughout her battle, Jodie found solace in a local cancer survivor group and her family

'The lump shrank slightly after I stopped breastfeeding - two weeks after giving birth - so we opted for a lumpectomy instead,' she said.

Unfortunately, the margins weren't clear, requiring a second lumpectomy.

When that too failed, she had no choice but to proceed with a full mastectomy.

'By that point, I had already gone through so many surgeries that I was emotionally prepared for it,' she said.

'But it's still such a confronting thing as a woman. Seeing yourself in the mirror for the first time after surgery is incredibly hard.'

Throughout her battle, Jodie found solace in a local breast cancer survivor group, The Youngies, who provided her with much-needed support.

'They understood exactly what I was going through,' she said.

Jodie also credits her husband, friends, and extended family for helping her navigate the exhausting process of treatment while caring for her newborn and two young boys

'It wasn't just about cancer - it was about life, about adjusting, about moving forward.'

Jodie also credits her husband, friends, and extended family for helping her navigate the exhausting process of treatment while caring for her newborn and two young boys.

'It was a balancing act,' she said.

'My husband was working, taking care of the kids at night, and rushing to bring them to see me in the hospital. My in-laws helped with the baby so I could go to appointments. We somehow made it work.'

Jodie went through her gruelling treatment while on maternity leave, something that weighed heavily on her as she struggled to care for her young children while battling the side effects of chemotherapy and surgery.

'I was terrified I wouldn't see them grow up,' she admitted.

'I had a newborn, and my boys were still so little. I tried not to let it completely take over because I had to fight to survive for my family, but it was there in the back of my mind.

'In a way, it was a blessing that I had a newborn baby who didn't know I had cancer, didn't feel sorry for me and instead needed me, and was 100 per cent dependent on me.'

Initially advised to have a mastectomy, Jodie was hopeful she could avoid losing her breast

Jodie, who is now in remission, said to this day she is still worried about the future, but she's working through it.

'It's taken me a few years to get here, but I try to stop and think, is this serving me to worry? Is there any evidence that would give me cause to worry?,' she said.

'I'm just focusing on what and who is important to me in life, who shows me I'm important to them, and spending time and energy on those people.'

As part of her healing process, Jodie and her family took a much-needed break through the Otis Foundation, which provides accommodation to breast cancer patients.

The break was something she'd recommend to any and all mothers in her position.

As part of her healing process, Jodie and her family took a much-needed break through the Otis Foundation, which provides accommodation to breast cancer patients

Jodie will remain on the drug Tamoxifen until October 2028, a hormone therapy drug used to prevent the recurrence of breast cancer by blocking oestrogen receptors in the body.

While highly effective, Tamoxifen is known to cause side effects such as hot flashes, joint pain, fatigue, and mood changes.

'The side effects have been brutal,' she said.

'I've had to deal with a lot of mood changes - my tolerance just changed almost overnight. It might've been exacerbated by me having young children who couldn't do things for themselves, but it was difficult.'

Jodie also gained 15kg and experienced intense hair loss because she was put into chemically induced menopause at only 35.

Despite the ongoing struggles, she remains committed to staying on the medication for as long as needed to reduce the risk of the cancer returning.

'It's hard, but it's a small price to pay for more time with my kids,' she said.

Despite the ongoing struggles, she remains committed to staying on the medication for as long as needed to reduce the risk of the cancer returning

Despite the trauma of her diagnosis, Jodie remains grateful for what she calls her 'second chance'.

'I had to fight,' she said. 'I had three little ones who needed me. I couldn't afford to give up.'

She now urges other women to trust their instincts and demand further testing if something feels wrong.

Jodie is also now looking to change careers and hopes to find a job in the breast cancer awareness space where she can help other women through their health journeys.

'I've lost five friends to breast cancer since my own diagnosis, and I really want to be able to help raise funds for research and better treatment options. I want to contribute to making sure that the future looks brighter for those diagnosed.'

Leading research organisation, Breast Cancer Trials, is hosting a Q&A on Wednesday March 19th focusing on the latest breast cancer research.

You can register for the event at www.breastcancertrials.org.au/qa-events/qa-breast-cancer-research-current-progress-and-future-pathways/.

The panel of experts includes Professor Fran Boyle AM, Professor Bruce Mann, and Dr Stephen Luen who will provide the latest updates on breast cancer research, focusing on the key research areas that are transforming the landscape of patient care.
Men who chew with their mouths open? Ick. Telling me how much money you make as you chow down on free bread? Ick. Being rude to the waitstaff? Ick. Photos of yourself holding up big fish? Ick.

It's a visceral reaction, sometimes a disproportionately large one, to someone else's seemingly innocuous behavior.

They're often discovered during courtship, or whatever the 2025 version of courtship is. I think the touchstones are Hinge prompts with those icebreakers like 'I'm weirdly attracted to...' and 'I won't shut up about...', agreeing in advance on a time to leave the party and eating in bed.

Think of the ick as a lighthearted take on classic evolutionary biology and mate selection. Humans are hard-wired to select mates with genetic fitness, or the traits associated with longevity, strength, and making healthy children.

Millions of years ago, the 'icks' may have been a partner who struggled to hunt, had a hunched back, always smelled bad, and put their offspring in danger.

That sudden feeling of repulsion when your partner arrives to dinner with a man-bun, can't differentiate between 'there' and 'their' in writing, or claps when the plane lands could actually be an innate alarm bell that this person is weak/incompetent/not worth introducing your mother to.

Researchers have discovered that women are far more likely than men to experience the ick

Photos of men holding a fish give me the ick - it's a visceral reaction, sometimes a disproportionately large one, to someone else's seemingly innocuous behavior

Which is probably why psychologists at a Californian university recently discovered that women are far more likely than men to experience the ick - some 75 percent of women compared to 57 percent of men.

Years before the younger generation had christened this Darwin-esq danger sign 'the ick', I was dancing with a man named Mateo in a Madrid nightclub, having a great time. He was handsome, had rhythm, and didn't give off a hard-to-explain murderer vibe that most if not all women can instinctively recognize.

The lights were dim, the occasional strobe or flash highlighting his jawline that made me swoon. He looked like a Disney prince.

I was prepared and dare I say eager to go home with him when, all of a sudden, he pulled out his cell phone, typed with his thumbs, and held it up into the air.

This man was Shazam-ing 2008's triple-platinum-#1-on-the-Billboard-Hot-100 classic Love in this Club by modern-poet Usher, and featuring Young Jeezy.

I can't explain why it turned me off so much. There's something about pulling a move more suited to a proud dad at a Bar Mitzvah that kills my mood.

Getting the ick ahead of a one-night stand isn't the worst thing. You weren't going to bring him home for Thanksgiving.

But it gets dicey when you realize that you like this person. And despite the fact that he sighs with satisfaction after drinking a tall glass of ice water, you could see introducing him to your family.

In my experience, though, some icks simply cannot be ignored.

A gentleman I was dating in Washington, DC was, at first, a strong candidate for a relationship. He was sweet, kind of corny but sometimes funny, caring, and was at least as emotionally intelligent as a precocious child (think Matilda). I can say from experience that this is an unusual find in a man.

But at his birthday brunch  by the way, men, don't do this  he was rude to the servers, barking orders and making side comments about the wait for the food.

It worsened when he was rude to an Uber driver on the way to the following activity.

In my experience, a person who is rude to service workers is showing their true colors in those moments.

He arrived at my apartment one afternoon when I failed to text him back for days after this event. (And, yes, showing up to someone's home uninvited is an ick.)

After trying and failing to pretend I wasn't home, I let him in, and tried to calmly explain to him that I didn't think we were a good match and shouldn't continue seeing each other.

After he fought against my reasoning, I couldn't hold back: 'You have the manners of a child who was left in the woods and was forced to subsist alone on berries and squirrels, until being introduced into civilization well after his frontal lobe has developed.'

Spotting an ick early on is your gut's way of telling you to move along

He didn't respond and, in a desperate need to fill the awkward silence, I couldn't help but carry on: 'Oh and "your" without the apostrophe is possessive. "You're" with the apostrophe-R-E is "you are".'

I wonder sometimes if the ick is just an excuse to pump the breaks on a relationship that I feel is moving too quickly. Sometimes I also wonder if I'm just too picky.

But I also don't think it's too much to ask that a man not have long talons for finger - or toe - nails. I don't think it's a huge reach to look for a man who thinks having a snake as a pet is weird, or someone who has never had a man bun.

Armchair psychologists (and, Ive found, insecure men) say fixating on an annoying behavior and allowing it to accelerate the end of a relationship suggests a fear of close connection. I disagree.

These little, grating behaviors may seem like petty grievances but, for me - and many other women - they're non-negotiable.

Spotting an ick early on is your gut's way of telling you to move along.

And if this makes me picky, well, Id rather be picky than ignore red flags that set me up for years of second-hand embarrassment when he applauds the plane landing.
Ten years ago, I was 28, single and bruised from too many toxic relationships. I'd started to see that I was stuck in a looping pattern, in which my relationship history was fast becoming my relationship future.

Toxic relationships seemed to follow me everywhere and I was deeply unhappy, despite the great success I was having in my work as a business professional.

For many years I'd been throwing money at my problems to make them go away but, finally, I realised that my efforts were futile. Money couldn't solve this issue  I needed to go deeper.

So I tried every healing therapy I could find: hypnotherapy, yoga, breathwork, meditation, inner-child work and many more.

While some methods fared better for me than others, what I quickly realised is that there are certain techniques that universally work for everyone.

Drawing on those tools which I'd learned were particularly effective, I performed an exercise one night, just before I went to sleep, in which I essentially asked the Universe to bring me real love.

Two weeks later, I met a beautiful woman called Mandy. We fell in love, we've been married for six years and we have three gorgeous children.

I essentially asked the Universe to bring me real love, Oliver Nino writes. Two weeks later, I met a beautiful woman called Mandy Morris (pictured together)

That simple exercise changed my life for ever  and it could change yours. But don't just take my word for it.

As a spiritual healer who has spent almost two decades teaching millions of people to create the life they desire by unblocking mental and emotional obstacles in their sleeping hours, I receive thousands of emails a month from my students sharing their success stories.

Even if you've been through debilitating ups and downs in your love life (or in other areas too; my techniques can help you with health, sleep, vitality, mental clarity and so much more), I believe that you can actively create the life of your dreams right here and now.

What's more, you don't need to believe in any of the New Age woo-woo stuff  you don't actually need to believe in anything at all! Just be open to my exercises and soon enough you'll be using them to help yourself step into a life of greater abundance, peace, joy and purpose.

So why before bed? The period before falling asleep marks a natural hypnotic state during which brain waves slow down and the mind is ripe for reconditioning. When we're in this state, we can plant new ideas, set out new intentions, that will bypass our often loud and opinionated conscious mind that says things like, 'Well, that's not very realistic, is it?'

As that habitually overbearing voice recedes, the subconscious mind can readily receive and absorb new messages and ideas  such as our vision of love, or perfect health, or our intent to make better decisions  as if they are real... and then, they will be. From this place, I believe we literally make magic.

Scientists have suggested that approximately 5 per cent of our brain functions are conscious and deliberate, and 95 per cent are subconscious and automatic.

The French psychologist Emile Coue (born in 1857) was well aware of this and developed a technique known as Optimistic Autosuggestion, where he encouraged depressed patients to repeat the now well-known affirmation, 'Every day in every way I am getting better and better,' several times before falling asleep. Some of them genuinely believed the statement, while others were less convinced  but they nevertheless still experienced positive results, and there are documented letters from several of his patients who reported major improvements in their physical and mental health.

This is why working with the subconscious is so powerful; it's where we can start to unlock more of our potential.

When our subconscious mind has absorbed what we want to manifest, we start experiencing it as if it were reality, Oliver Nino writes

Our conscious beliefs don't necessarily matter when we're seeking a better life; when our subconscious mind has absorbed what we want to manifest, we start experiencing it as if it were reality.

All it takes to manifest the life of your dreams is a few minutes before bedtime  but before you follow my exercises, it's vital first to prepare yourself by cleansing any unwanted energy you may have absorbed from others during the day.

I call this 'energy hygiene' and I encourage you to make the four foundational practices (below) a regular part of your bedtime routine. In the same way we brush our teeth and floss every night, practising energy hygiene is fundamental to our overall health.

Energy hygiene  clear negativity

Exercise one: Clear and open your third eye, ears and heart.

Follow these three steps to release any negative energy you might have absorbed during the day and reclaim your sleep as a time to heal and recharge.

Step one: Release the debris of the day from your third eye.

Your third eye, which is located in the middle of your forehead, is a powerful energy centre that activates your intuition.

You don't want negative energies polluting it, so say to yourself, 'I'm ready to release whatever is draining my third eye of energy and vitality, and to bring in my intuitive power and highest vision'.

Imagine white light coming down from the skies, sending all the gunk in your third eye outside of you with a giant whoosh, then replacing it with positive, love-based energy.

Cleanse any unwanted energy you may have absorbed during the day, Oliver Nino writes

Step two: Clear out your ears of any toxic words.

We also have energy centres in our ears, which are constantly picking up words, thoughts, beliefs and vibrations from others.

Say to yourself, 'I'm ready to release whatever is draining my ears of energy and vitality'.

Visualise that same light coming through your ears in the form of a little tornado, clearing out any harsh or unkind sentiments that infiltrated your ears during the day and filling them instead with words of kindness and positivity.

Step three: Unblock your heart of toxic attachments.

Your heart is primarily where you store all the negative energy you've absorbed throughout the day. It also has the largest and most powerful electromagnetic field in your body, so you want to make sure it's clear of any negative influences.

Say to yourself, 'I'm ready to release whatever is draining my heart of energy and vitality, and to bring in love, joy, and rejuvenation'. Feel the white light whirling around your heart, pulling out any toxic influences and making it shine bright and strong.

Exercise two: Raise your vibration with three questions.

It's so important to raise your vibration  or positive energy  before you go to bed, which will make you feel like you can move mountains. In fact, I've seen students and clients manifest what they want within 24 to 48 hours of doing this practice.

Ask yourself these three simple questions:

1. What am I grateful for?

2. What did I do right today?

3. What experiences do I wish to create and how do I want to feel about them?

As you reflect, you'll feel both a sense of peace and excitement for all the beautiful things that are coming your way. Next thing you know, this high-vibrational energy will accumulate and flow into the next day, and you'll begin to experience more of what you want.

Exercise three: Find the higher meaning.

We all experience disappointment, but this practice will help you transmute disappointment into possibility by asking: What's the higher meaning of this?

When 'bad' things happen, it's easy to feel punished. But it's crucial to reframe these events  what you perceive as a disappointment might actually be leading you to the life you desire.

Maybe the person who broke up with you is moving out of the way so your heart can make room for your true soulmate.

Maybe your car stalling and making you late is a reminder to slow down and smell the roses.

Have faith that there is a higher meaning and that what you want is around the corner.

Exercise four: Connect with the you who has it all.

This final foundational practice is perhaps the most powerful, so I encourage you to spend the most time with it.

In fact, if you do this three nights in a row, your life might not ever be the same.

Imagine there's a version of you right now who has it all, who is already living your best life with abundance, joy, peace, love, and wellness.

Imagine there's a version of you right now who has it all, who is already living your best life with abundance, joy, peace, love, and wellness, Oliver Nino writes

Now say to yourself, 'I choose to connect to the highest version of me, the one who has it all'.

Imagine white light pouring down from the sky and filling your entire body. Let yourself be bathed in the energy of this version of you. Bathe in that vibration, allowing it to change you  because it will.

Ready for love?

Now that you've cleaned out your negative energy, you're ready to move on to attracting love and the healthy relationship of your dreams, using these three easy steps:

Practice one: Releasing blockages from the heart

For at least two weeks at bedtime, place your hand over your heart and say, 'I'm now ready to release all the pain from everyone who's ever hurt me. I release it fully. I'm ready for the love that's waiting for me. I am loved. I am worthy. I am enough.'

As you do this, feel your heart fill up with a glowing pink light that helps to heal any wounded energy that may still be creating blockages within the largest energy field in your body, which is responsible for the flow of abundance and love.

Practice two: A ritual for healing the wounds of love.

This is the exercise with which I attracted my wife. Although the timing may vary depending on the amount of healing your wounds of love need, hundreds of my students have shared positive results with this ritual in just a short amount of time.

Write down the names of everyone who has ever hurt you in relationships. These can include romantic partners, as well as friends and family members. Whether or not you feel that they deserve to be forgiven, you are now ready to release the negative energy of their actions and your perceptions towards them.

Crumple up that piece of paper with all the names and burn it in a fire-safe bowl. Say, 'I release you, I release you, I release you'.

Now, get another piece of paper and write down all the qualities you've ever wanted in a partner. Be as detailed as you like. Then say, 'This or something better is coming my way'. Fold that piece of paper up and put it away.

Practice three: Make a commitment to self-love.

Finally, do at least three things you love this week  activities that make your heart sing. It's a bit like dating your best self, and will help you to see and fall in love with the unique and beautiful soul that you are.

Do at least three things you love this week, Oliver Nino writes

A deep commitment to self-love enables us to attract a healthier relationship  and faster than we otherwise would. Therefore, the person who is exactly right for you will find you... and not in a state of woundedness, but in a state of empowerment and clarity.

Once you've learnt the foundational practices and some of the exercises, I encourage you to do them every single night, because it's my firm belief that with these tools you can absolutely have the life of your dreams, even if it has not felt within reach in the past.

Remember that when you practise these exercises, it's not a matter of overhauling everything in your day-to-day. It begins with becoming more receptive to new possibilities and inviting in a little magic, even if you're sceptical.

You'll also notice a shift in your energy levels, mood, connection to yourself and others  and your ability to optimise your time and energy throughout the day.

I'm confident that incorporating them into your bedtime routine will change your life as you discover even more abundance, joy, and purpose than you ever thought possible. Soon enough, you will realise that you're not just dreaming about the life you've always wanted. You'll be living it every waking moment.

Have fun  and sweet dreams!

Adapted from Do This Before Bed by Oliver Nino (Hay House, 18.99).  Oliver Nino 2025. To order a copy for 17.09 (offer valid to 22/3/25; UK P&P free on order over 25) go to mailshop.co.uk/books or call 020 3176 2937.
Daily Mail journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission - learn more

An email just popped into my inbox. It reads: Joanne, come back to Koh Samui, featured in The White Lotus. Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui is a place you already hold close to your heart. Youve enjoyed the panoramic views, serene spa treatments and curated wellness experiences amid lush tropical landscapes. Now return and write your next classic getaway.

After the pandemic, I stayed at the resort now being enjoyed by the characters of The White Lotuss much talked-about third season. Back then it offered enticing packages to restart its tourism industry and, after months of lockdown, I wanted adventure.

Blazer, Co, skirt, Zimmermann, BAG, The Row, shoes, Jil Sander

Having experienced the beauty, food and hospitality for myself, Im really happy to see the spotlight on this wonderful island and its lovely people. Whats more, I love resort wear. Done right, its whimsical, exciting and, most importantly, fun.

Being cocooned in the resort for a week was beautiful. I can also relate to the heady feelings created by the landscape and its wildlife shown in The White Lotus. In any resort, characters with odd habits emerge. Observing and gossiping about them is part of the fun. Which is why Im excited to see what the shows characters wear, as fashion collaborations have been big business for the series, including the hit H&M one.

In episode one, I loved the arrival outfit of American wife Victoria Ratliff (Parker Posey): a Banana Republic khaki linen dress she elevated with a silk scarf from Swaine London and a Gucci bamboo top-handle bag. The brand dressed Patrick Schwarzenegger, who plays her son Saxon, in a custom suit for the shows premiere. (The actor is hosting an event in New York this month to launch the The White Lotus x Banana Republic collab.) The floaty Zimmermann dresses seen in episodes one and two have now sold out. As has the white lace one by Polo Ralph Lauren, worn by the Ratliffs daughter Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook).

My own Koh Samui wardrobe had a rocky start. My luggage was lost during the transfer from Bangkok, so my introduction to the island was a convenience-store stopover for toothpaste. In my sleep-deprived state I bought some Thai make-up, which, in broad daylight, was unusable on my pasty skin. I was given some Thai-style billowy pants and a cotton top from the resort until my luggage arrived a few days later. You never quite feel yourself in someone elses pants, it turns out!

@thestylistandthewardrobe

@youmagazine

BOWLED OVER

Online marketplace Lyst has seen a huge 262 per cent increase in demand over the past three months for the Cos bowling bag (above), a great dupe for The Rows increasingly hard-to-get Margaux bag.

DENIMS SEW GOOD

Embroidered denim is popular this season and these Mint Velvet jeans with their floral details are perfect for spring.

SPOTTED

I love Meghann Fahys chic style. Shes had some exciting fashion collaborations recently with Carolina Herrera (left), Khaite and Saint Laurent. In her new movie, Drop (out in April), shes a widow whose romantic date turns sinister. Shes also seeing Leo Woodall, currently in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, who she met on series two of The White Lotus.
The best way to instantly reboot your spring look? A great bag. And if you want to know which handbags are trending for 2025, these are the styles to look out for...

EAST TO WEST

Characterised by their elongated shape and a long upright handle that sits over the shoulder, the new wide bag looks fashionable and feels practical.

This is 100% the bag of the moment, says You magazines fashion director Sophie Dearden-Howell. All the fashion editors I know are obsessed with them. Plus, they are practical, because you can fit your phone and keys in there, plus the strap actually fits over your shoulder (I hate a bag you can only hold in your hand!)

DeMellier is the It-brand for bags right now. Designed in London and made in Europe, they were seen on the arms of the fashion masses at London Fashion Week last month. The New York Shoulder 365, demellierlondon.com

Leopard is the fashion experts neutral, so this wont be going out of style any time soon. Leather bowling bag, 97, stories.com

This Pepto-Bismol shade is the perfect pink without being sickly. Satin Bow Elongated Shoulder bag 85, charleskeith.co.uk

This exudes Bottega vibes at a bargain price. Gold Woven clutch bag, 28, riverisland.com

It may not be the Alaia, which retails at 1,900, but can you really tell the difference? Double handle clutch bag, 45.99, mango.com

An investment piece for sure, but we predict it will also turn into a classic. Maya East West Caribou, 875, lalagebeaumont.com

I love things as simple and sleek as possible  no shiny hardware here  and this immediately ticks all my boxes (except the price). Simona Cylinder bag, 398, thereformation.com

BOWLING

Hurrah for a bag you can actually fit all your stuff in. I love the fact that you could even get a laptop in here, says Dearden-Howell  which is good news for those of us who often end up double-bagging (i.e. having a small neat handbag to look good, but then a massive great tote full of all the things we couldnt actually fit into it).

In a neutral shade, these picks will go with everything too.

A super-modern style, and the cross-body strap is a practical addition. Black Lois Bowling Crossbody Bag, 149, whistles.com

My favourite high-street design, it looks much more expensive than it is. Taupe Brown Large Tote Bag, 48, next.co.uk

A classic bowling bag and a great price for one thats fully leather. Brown Leather Bowling bag 129, phase-eight.com

If you are as colour-phobic as me and love a cream carpet, this ones for you. 279, radley.co.uk

Despite its neutral shade, this makes a statement. Sianna Bowling Bag 79, charleskeith.co.uk

This is a sustainable brand based in London, so you dont have to feel guilty treating yourself. 235, neerlondon.com

WOVEN

These designer-inspired bags remain huge for 2025. Originating with Bottega Venetas iconic weave, there are now plenty of budget versions available (and even celebrities love the high street take, with Bella Hadid and Katie Holmes both spotted toting the Dune version).

These textured options feel both modern and classic.

Red is the best way to inject colour into your spring wardrobe, and this shape is the perfect size for everyday use. Faux leather woven shoulder bag 45, marksandspencer.com

Belgian brand Dragon Diffusion has led the way in woven bags and this copy from & Other Stories is a fraction of the price. Small braided leather bag, 125, stories.com

Shiny, pale pink, woven and from the quality brand Aspinal. Milly crossbody bag, 325, aspinaloflondon.com

An affordable faux-suede bag that will make a perfect companion on your commute. Khaki Woven Knot Handle slouch bag, 36, riverisland.com

Dune has nailed the woven everyday bag, seen on the arm of Bella Hadid. This orange shade will look amazing with white, brown and denim. Dinkydeliberate bag, 99, dunelondon.com

This is ideal for spring and summer events. And the price is unbeatable. Gold woven clutch bag 24.99, newlook.com
Ive always had what you might call a complicated relationship with knitting. For as long as I can remember, my mother was busy with a pair of needles and a hank of wool, turning out an unstoppable procession of often eccentric garments for me and my two brothers. One of my earliest memories is of a pale lemon onesie with a pointy hood and dangling pompoms she called a siren suit. We lived in dread of knitted bathing costumes, mohair tank tops and aran sweaters that gripped our small torsos like exoskeletons. We longed for clothes that had been bought in a shop.

Our young mother was a teacher at a school in Newport, Wales, and her marriage to our father was a traditional one, which is to say that as well as working, she did everything else: all the cooking, all the cleaning, all the shopping and all the childcare. I dont know how she found the time to knit, but knit she did, abundantly and continuously. Things slowed a little when we were teenagers, but then I got married and, in 1989, when I turned 29 and moved with my husband and baby daughter to New York, she picked up the pace again. Booties, dresses, hats, cardigans and mittens re-entered my life, a woolly river of pale pastel softness that went on and on.

Then something odd happened. We had another child, followed by two more. They all grew bigger, but the knitting, although it kept coming, did not. A sweater that arrived the Christmas one of our boys turned three was too small even for his not very big teddy bear. A dress for our youngest daughters first birthday was the size of a not particularly large tea cosy.

Do you think shes doing it deliberately? asked my husband.

I dont know, I said. Maybe.

It was just possible that, despite her visits to New York to see us, shed lost track of how quickly her grandchildren were growing. But it seemed more likely that this was her stubborn way of telling us it was time we came home.

Things settled down, knitting-wise, once we were back in the UK, and for the next decade or so her output was fairly normal  mostly sweaters made to patterns wed chosen ourselves. Yes, there were times when she went rogue with her choice of wool and the results were unwearable, but in the last few years of her life she made me a whole series of things Im still wearing  various hats, a white cotton sleeveless top and a couple of thick jumpers, one of which I pull on most days in winter to keep me warm when Im writing.

Caryss mother, Mari Bowen Jones, in 1953

There was a period of no knitting in her early 70s when the breast cancer that had first arrived in her 50s returned. She was having chemo and was too sick even to pick up a ball of wool. But when the chemo was over her energy returned and she started to knit again. She was still knitting when the cancer came back for another go and it became clear there wasnt any more treatment that would work.

When she died in 2015, she was in the middle of knitting me a cropped cardigan to a pattern Id chosen, albeit in an awful cherry-blossom-pink wool shed dug out of the back of a wardrobe. Shed knitted the back and most of one sleeve when, late one evening at the hospice as I was sitting next to her on her bed, she said, I dont think Im going to finish this one in time. Always a good judge of how long things would take  stews, car journeys, pieces of homework  she died the next day. I couldnt help thinking that my three-, five-, seven- and 11-year-old self, given the choice of wool, would have breathed a sigh of relief that here, at last, was one piece of knitting that would not have to be worn in public.

But at the age of 53, I was heartbroken.

Three years later, I found myself in New York again  this time without my children  writing my first novel, West. Set in early 19th-century America, its about a widowed farmer, Cy Bellman, who, convinced that mammoths could still be alive in the unexplored wilderness beyond the Mississippi River, sets off to find them, leaving his young daughter Bess behind with her aunt. I wasnt expecting my mothers knitting to insinuate itself into the story, but I soon realised that  in the strange, unpredictable way real life has of resurfacing in fiction  it had.

When Cy packs his dead wifes sturdy metal knitting needles to trade for food along the way, Bess cant help hoping the real reason hes taken them is because her mother isnt really dead  that his true mission is to fetch her home and, naturally, she will want to knit on the long journey back.

By the time the novel was published, I was writing another one. Set in 1840s Scotland during the Highland Clearances, Clear is the story of Ivar, the last inhabitant of a tiny island between Shetland and Norway, and John, a Presbyterian minister sent by Ivars landlord to evict him from his home. Almost as soon as he arrives, John has a terrible accident and when Ivar finds him lying unconscious at the foot of a cliff, he brings him home. Unaware of Johns mission, he nurses him back to health. He washes him, dresses his wounds and even helps him to pee. He cooks for him and tends the fire and, yes, he knits He knits John a soft hat and a warm pair of socks and he repairs his torn coat with some new knitted sleeves.

My mother, had she lived long enough to read either West or Clear, would surely have been astonished that my memories of her knitting had found their way into my stories. I certainly was. But the more Ive thought about it, the more I understand why it happened  why knitting, in quite a profound way, has become important to me.

Yes, in the early years, my mothers knitting was mostly about saving money and keeping us warm and well-defended against the damp Welsh weather. And, yes, it was no doubt a way of escaping the mayhem of family life, of relaxing and retreating into herself. But above all  and this seems blindingly obvious to me now  it was a way of expressing her enduring love and telling us how much she missed us when we werent there. Knitting was about care and devotion, and it had gone on and on and on and on until, eventually, it wormed its way on to the page as I wrote about poor Scottish farmers being expelled from their homes and one American mans search for giant extinct creatures.

I wish now that I had kept the half-made blossom-pink cardigan so it could be finished. I would probably have chosen a different colour for the left sleeve and the front, which admittedly might have looked a bit outlandish, but I would have liked to wear it, here in Edinburgh, where I now live, and where  ten years after my mother died and over half a century since the yellow siren suit  I am finally learning to knit.

Caryss novel Clear is published by Granta, 9.99. To order a copy for 8.49 until 23 March, got to mailshop.co.uk/boks or call 020 3176 2937. Free UK delivery on orders over 25.

elina nova/shutterstock
The Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof was in a Tehran jail when he hit on the idea for his Oscar-nominated film The Seed of the Sacred Fig. He was in solitary confinement for signing a petition criticising his countrys government. The Woman Life Freedom protests were sweeping Iran after 22-year-old Mahsa Amini was arrested in September 2022 and beaten to death for not wearing her hijab correctly.

I had a chance encounter with a big shot from the prison staff, the 52-year-old director explains over Zoom from Germany (he cant say exactly where he is, after escaping the regime last year, more of which later). He pulled me aside and we had a very short conversation. He told me, in secret, how much hed come to hate himself [because working for the prison made him part of the regime]. His children kept criticising him at home, asking how he could work in the prison system and bring himself to jail people. He had an intense pang of conscience but didnt have the courage to leave his job. He said he was thinking about taking his own life. He wanted to hang himself in front of the prison entrance.

Prison, kidnap and a 28-day mountain escape  what I risked for my Oscar-nominated film

As soon as he left prison after seven months, Rasoulof set about making a film that would celebrate the feminist movement but also explore the effect these brave, strong young women were having on their families. The encounter convinced me that, eventually, the womens movement in Iran will succeed and I wanted to make a new film to help with this effort.

He shot The Seed of the Sacred Fig in secret in various locations around Iran over 70 days, from the end of December 2023 to March 2024. At the time he was also awaiting his sentence for crimes against the countrys security linked to his previous films and his public support of protests. The films title refers to a species of fig that spreads by wrapping itself around another tree and eventually strangling it. The storyline follows a naive lawyer Iman, played by Missagh Zareh, who believes the regime is doing everything for the best. At the start of the film hes promoted, becoming an investigative judge in the Revolutionary Guard Court. Hes delighted, until he learns that his predecessor was sacked for refusing to sign a young mans death warrant.

As the 2022 protests break out, Iman finds he is signing death warrant after death warrant, with no time even to read the charges. Meanwhile his daughters Rezvan and Sana side with the women burning hijabs and rioting in the street and the focus of the film slowly becomes their story.

The dictatorship has always been a patriarchy, so the fight for womens rights has very deep roots, says Rasoulof, whose film uses real smartphone footage from 2022 of protestors being beaten and chased in the streets.

It forces women to wear a mask, which shows obedience. Just by wearing a hijab you are submitting to the regime every time you leave the house. This young generation has completely ripped off the mask, saying very clearly, I want my rights, starting from the most basic aspect of my daily life. For me, Sana represents the young generation of Iran that took us all by surprise with its courage and its refusal to hide.

Mohammad Rasoulof fled Tehran (above) in 2024

The subject matter was extremely risky  since he began making films in 2002, Rasoulof has been arrested and jailed many times. In 2010 he was locked up for filming without the correct permit. In 2017 he was banned from leaving the country. That year his film A Man of Integrity, about endemic corruption, won him the prestigious Un Certain Regard award at Cannes  and later another year-long prison sentence.

This time, filming involved a lot of hiding from the authorities, and most of the scenes were shot indoors. The footage was smuggled out of Iran to Hamburg, where it was put through post-production. Rasoulof would watch the edits back via WhatsApp. Its not easy to bring together people who can accept the risks, Rasoulof says. During filming, sometimes the fear of being arrested overshadowed the group. Nothing makes the work as difficult as maintaining the crews safety. We tried to keep the group small. We also had minimal technical equipment, but the government cant monitor everything.

As the film was being edited early last year, Rasoulofs sentence was finally handed down. He faced eight years in prison, a public flogging, a fine and the confiscation of all his property. But before he could be incarcerated, last April he fled the country, using a network he had learned of in prison which specialises in helping persecuted citizens escape Iran. He left his phone, family, IDs and laptop, crossing mountains in the course of his gruelling 28-day journey.

Its an extraordinary tale: ferried from one hiding place to the next, travelling along abandoned roads, at one point he was kidnapped by villagers meant to help him escape, until more money changed hands. He was hauled up snowy peaks by two guides who strapped his arms around them when he could climb no further. He wont confirm details of the route for fear of betraying his helpers, but finally he made it to Germany, claiming asylum, and on 10 May reached Hamburg to finish editing his film.

Most of the cast and crew  including his wife, the producer Rozita Hendijanian  were also able to flee in the weeks that followed. The regime faced so much internal chaos following a helicopter crash in May last year that killed president Ebrahim Raisi, as well as the resulting elections and the escalation of conflict with Israel, that the travel bans they all faced werent renewed for a week  giving them a narrow window to find freedom. Only Soheila Golestani, who plays conflicted matriarch Najmeh in the film, remains behind. Shes been subjected to countless interrogations and banned from leaving the country, Rasoulof looks down sadly. She is free on bail but banned from working.

The Seed of the Sacred Fig concerns a Tehran mother and her two anti-regime daughters

Rasoulof cant return unless the regime falls, but he is not as downcast as I expected. The joy of his films is in the way he shows Iranian life as vibrant, complicated and filled with love. If your image of the country is of repressive burqas and street violence, he will show you its beauty and the warmth of its people. Having travelled there and been stunned by the hospitality and kindness of Iranian people, I tell him I could feel his love for his country spilling out of the screen.

He nods, gives a sad smile and says that exile isnt so bad. I will miss Iran a great deal, but thanks to technology theres a way to maintain connections that is much better than, say, 20 years ago. In terms of films, the reason I left is that I had stories I needed to tell, and I couldnt keep telling them there.

He feels quite safe, he explains, thanks in part to the films success. When I wonder if winning an Oscar will make him a target for the regimes hit squads, he disagrees: The stronger the voice of the film, the more successful the film is, I think the more it will protect all those involved in its making. (When we went to press with this article, we didnt know if its Oscar nomination for best international feature film would result in a win.)

As the interview comes to an end, I ask him about Craig and Lindsay Foreman, the two British tourists arrested in Iran on espionage charges in January. This unfortunately is a quite common technique in the Islamic Republic  taking hostages, he sighs. Its usually a way to get other countries to release money. But it could be for geopolitical reasons.

It certainly will not be easy for this couple. Iranian prisons have absolutely inhumane conditions. Perhaps they will be treated better because they will be telling the world what happened. The hardest thing is keeping your sense of dignity and self-respect. They try to take that away and the consequences tend to be long lasting psychologically. He pauses, and adds, I hope well hear good news soon.

In the end, he says, his hopes are with the women of the nation. Right now, as we speak, women in Iran are protesting against the death penalty, he explains. It isnt reported much outside Iran, but they will not stop protesting. Men are joining them, but the women are unstoppable. It doesnt matter what the regime does. They will not be silenced.

The Seed of the Sacred Fig is in cinemas now
EAT

Local legends Pucketts is the place to go for a big ol Southern breakfast: grits, gravy, biscuits and bottomless coffee (8). Or head to local confectioner Goo Goo Cluster to make your own caramel, nougat and nut creation (45 for a one-hour class). The Tennessee Brew Works crafts beverages only available in the county: the Southern Wit will convert even non-beer drinkers (5.50 a litre).

Gastro guru Well-heeled locals head to Husk for intimate fine dining. Gannons (pictured) offers live music, art deco elegance and steaks the size of birthday cakes (35).

Quick bites Team coffee with a pecan cinnamon bun (7.50 for both) at award-winning DAndrews Bakery. The Assembly Food Hall has more than 30 eateries, including the legendary Princes Hot Chicken (wings 9.50). Go off-menu at Hattie Janes Creamery with The Elvis  a banana and peanut butter ice-cream concoction (4.50).

STAY

Downtown digs Find fluffy bathrobes, embroidered bedding and coffee on tap on each floor of Noelle (pictured, from 230 per night, noelle-nashville.com). Its downtown location is perfect for exploring the citys country music scene. The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, which delivers a timeline of the genre, can be combined with a tour of the RCA Studio B, where Elvis recorded many of his biggest hits (fun fact: Are You Lonesome Tonight? was sung in pitch black at 4am). Noelle is also near the excellent National Museum of African American Music, detailing how Blues emerged from the field songs of enslaved people, through to modern hip-hop and dance.

Hot new hotel Near the historic Printers Alley, home to many bars including the much-loved Skulls, The Bankers Alley Hotel features fuss-free rooms and vibrant local art (from 180 per night, hilton.com).

LOVE

Culture fix Sculptor Alan LeQuire  who spent eight years making Athena for Nashvilles lifesize re-creation of the Parthenon in Athens (yes, really)  opens his studio to reveal his colossal human figures coming to life (by appointment, lequiregallery.com).

Retail therapy Visit Tecovas for cowboy boots, Any Old Iron for stage-worthy sequins, cult record shop Grimeys and vintage stores Star Struck, Anaconda, Savant and Black Shag.

Showtime Catch a concert at the Ryman Auditorium. For up-close performances, book a speakeasy songwriters night at 1865 Club (1865club.com/events).

Say cheers Despite being over an hour from Nashville, the Jack Daniels distillery (pictured) is worth a visit, as is Nearest Green, which was named after the enslaved man who taught Daniel how to make whiskey and became his master distiller once freed (tours 30 each).
SHOPPING  Contains affiliated content. Products featured in this Shopping Finder article are selected by our shopping writers. If you make a purchase using links on this page, Dailymail.co.uk will earn an affiliate commission. Click here for more information.

The household

Daily Mail journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission - learn more

Lucy Ward, creative director of furniture brand Loaf, her husband Chris, creative director at a graphic design company, and their daughter Arla.

The renovation

The couples plan was to turn the dingy, 1980s-installed basement kitchen and bathroom extension of their East London Victorian terrace into an open-plan family hub with the help of local interior designer Laura Parkinson (palmerandstone.com). Before the new kitchen was put in, the space was taken back to a shell by knocking down the wall between the bathroom and kitchen and ripping out the shower, loo and plumbing. The cost

Quartz worktops: 4,000.

Double-glazed windows and doors: 9,000.

Bespoke kitchen carcass, shelving and banquette seating area with inbuilt storage benches: 25,000.

Fixtures and fittings (including all white goods, paint, flooring, pendant and wall lights): 10,000.

Total 48,000

THE EXTENSION

AFTER

The first thing Ward had done was knock through the wall separating the poky U-shaped kitchen and plug-on extension that housed a shower and loo. The dividing wall was originally the end of the house, and the extension felt as though it had been plonked on the side, says Ward, who made it into one open-plan space.

BEFORE

Getting rid of the shower room extension elongated the room, but the dimensions were still narrow, so the cabinetry design integrated the dishwasher, washing machine, fridge and freezer (which are stacked on top of one another), boiler and bins. Parkinson also designed countertops 38cm shallower than the standard specification of 60cm to make the room feel more spacious. Open shelving is used to display everyday essentials such as plates and glasses, keeping everything accessible.

Ive always been drawn to the clean lines of Shaker-style kitchens, but they are expensive, says Ward, who took pictures of kitchens she liked then hired carpenter Jonathan Currie (@jcurrie_designs) to build oak cabinets for a lower price.

THE COURTYARD

AFTER

The outside area has been redesigned for family life and social occasions. Ward added a built-in bench that stores cushions and throws, while a shelf underneath the new square kitchen window enables Ward to pass out drinks and nibbles. Its a small addition but one that makes a huge difference to how we use the outside area in summer, she says. It also feels like an extension of the kitchen, which, again, makes the space appear bigger.

BEFORE

THE COLOUR SCHEME AND FLOORING

AFTER

The cabinets and panelling were given a light coat of paint (if you look closely you can still see the wood grain) in Studio Green and Lime White, paired with accents of sunny India Yellow (all farrow-ball.com). The reclaimed terracotta flooring is from floorsofstone.com: I love it because it doesnt stain, says Ward. The butler sink is from shawsofdarwen.com.

BEFORE

I spent ages trying to track down a reclaimed version, but they were all either chipped or had hairline cracks, so would need to be replaced down the line, she explains. This one will last for years. The sisal rug is from loaf.com.

THE DINING AREA

AFTER

Installing a banquette seating area was non-negotiable for Ward. I wanted a compact gather zone where friends and family could relax, she says. The multifunctional seats act as an integrated storage pit for Wards collection of glasses, bowls and table linen. The tabletop is a slab of iroko wood salvaged from a 1960s school science lab. Iroko wood, which is native to West Africa, is known for its durability and often reclaimed from municipal buildings such as schools and town halls. I didnt want to worry about red wine spills or sticky little hands, she says. The piece still has etchings made by bored school kids.

BEFORE

GET THE LOOK

For a taste of Wards modern-rustic kitchen, add rattan, enamelware and a scattering of cushions

Salad bowl, 23.99, zarahome.com

Casserole, 49.50, marksandspencer.com

Food processor in satin/chrome, from 200, magimix.co.uk

Jug, 37, falconenamelware.com

Cushion, 55, heals.com

Tray, 18, dunelm.com

Glasses, 48 for four, maisonmargauxltd.com

Shelf, 50 each, ikea.com

Lamp, 39.50, marksandspencer.com
I've just been to see the new Bridget, Mad About the Boy. I went alone, but it was lovely to be in a cinema packed with women, albeit it at 1pm on a Sunday, all desperate for Bridge to have a happy ending.

I have Bridget Jones, and her creator, Helen Fielding, to thank for my career. It was December 1999, and my editor on my Sunday broadsheet was desperate to steal some of Fielding's thunder on a rival paper. And so, given my surname and singleton status, I was asked to write a column. It was initially entitled, 'Only Me!' Then 'Single File'. And, finally, 'Liz Jones's Diary'. The subheading read: 'She is just like Bridget Jones, except she's real!'

And therein lay my downfall. Unlike Helen, who pretended everyone she wrote about was fictional, my USP was that I was authentic. Unfiltered. Real.

It's weird how Bridget's fictional life and my real one have segued over 25 years. Take the new film. Bridget is ghosted by her younger lover, as I have just been. When I told the German he ghosted me, he said, 'I don't know what that means. I have to do research.' I imagine he's too busy having sex with multiple partners to keep up with current parlance.

Bridge keeps looking at her phone, as I have done, putting it down, picking it up, trying desperately not to text him. Again. Bridge also experiments with beauty tweakments, getting fuller lips, which means she can no longer talk normally (my facelift means I can no longer whistle and my iPhone no longer recognises me).

The Bridget films have also mirrored my professional standing, and not in a good way. For the first, I flew to Los Angeles to interview Renee Zellweger (she ordered organic flat rainwater) and stayed over for the cover shoot for my magazine, Marie Claire. Zellweger was so thin she no longer fitted any of the clothes we had couriered to the studio. She was the only star whose frame I was forced to airbrush flesh on to, rather than shave it off.

For the second film, The Edge of Reason, I was sent to file a review for the London Evening Standard. My dispatch made the front page: 'As B would say, it's not VG.' For the third, Bridget Jones's Baby, I was sent to the premiere in Leicester Square and made to stand next to Neil Pearson, who plays B's sexist TV boss in all the films, for a paparazzi shot. He gave me a look that said, 'Who the f**k are you?', when he used to attend parties at my flat in the Barbican in the 1970s.

In the film, Bridget is ghosted by her younger lover, as I have just been, Liz Jones writes. Pictured: Renee Zellweger as Bridget and Leo Woodall as Roxster

But for this fourth film, I wasn't invited even to a screening. I had to go to the Vue in Darlington and pay for my ticket. The humiliation! But sitting with an audience of women was a revelation. The warmth, the willingness for B to have a lovely life. The affection simply radiated from every seat.

When Hugh Grant hove into view, a few hundred ovaries exploded. 'Colon Dirty, sorry Colin Firth,' said the woman on my left. 'He is always so elegant. And I don't care that Pew, Hugh, looks as old as the hills. I can't understand why she doesn't end up with him!' She had brought along a banana and a flask ('Times is hard, Lizzie; obviously for you, too, given you're here').

Away from the Mondrian in LA, the Odeon Leicester Square, the screening rooms in Soho, it is in grubby regional cinemas where you find out what Bridge means to us. I cried not just when Bridge's son says he is forgetting his dad, but when I spied Celia Imrie and Gemma Jones in an old people's home. I was reminded of my mum: cheerful, stoic, twinkly eyed  a generation we won't see the likes of again.

Bridge's latest incarnation isn't perfect. I wonder how anyone with a huge house in Hampstead can dare to be miserable and, if she hasn't worked since Darcy died, why is it so untidy? But I love that her girlfriends and gay best friend are still there for her, as mine are for me. Because that's where love lives (thank you, Alison Limerick). Men have their own agendas. They want us to enhance who they are, to hang off their arm like an expensive watch. Our friends just want the best for us.

Andrea, Sue, Nic, you are my Shazzas and Judes. There through thick and thin. Let's stop chasing men and celebrate female friendship instead. They will be cackling long after we have buried the ghosters, the f**kwits, the serial cheaters, the Germans, the victims of premature heart attacks And they care not a jot for our wobbly bits.

Jones Moans... What Liz loathes this week
MSNBC host Chris Hayes surprised viewers with a rare compliment for Maria Bartiromo, praising the Fox News host for boldly confronting President Donald Trump's controversial trade policies.

The political commentator shifted his stance during Friday's episode of All In With Chris Hayes, crediting the conservative journalist for challenging Trump's tariff policies that he says has left the nation in 'economic uncertainty.'

'Maria, I got to say,' Hayes said. 'I've been a critic, but when you're right, you're right.'

The 78-year-old president has found himself in hot waters over his tariffs against Mexico, Canada and China, prompting some conservative news outlets to push back against the recently announced policies.

Bartiromo sat down with Trump in the White House for a Fox Business interview on Friday.

Citing an earlier interview, the Fox anchor recalled Trump's explanation for the tariffs, in which he said: 'I did it because I could. I put an amendment in there. And I said in six years, I can change it.'

Bartiromo insisted that CEOs want to see 'predictability' on international trade presented by the current administration rather than being left in the dark by fluctuating tariff decisions.

Trump responded: 'Well, I think so. But you know, the tariffs could go up as time goes by and they may go up. And you know, I don't know if it's predictability, I think-'

MSNBC host Chris Hayes surprised viewers with a rare compliment for Maria Bartiromo on Friday, crediting the Fox News anchor for challenging Trump's inconsistent tariff policies that has left the nation in 'economic uncertainty'

The 78-year-old president has found himself in hot waters over his tariffs against Mexico , Canada and China , prompting several Trump-friendly news outlets and journalists to publicly oppose the recently announced policies

The conservative journalist sat down with Trump in the White House for a Fox Business interview on Friday and boldly confronted President Trump's controversial trade policies and lack of clarity

However, before the president could even finish his sentence, Bartiromo abruptly interjected: 'That's not clarity.'

'I think that they say that you know it sounds good to say. But for years the globalists, the big globalists, have been ripping off the United States,' Trump said in defense.

'They've been taking money away from the United States. And all we're doing is getting some of it back, and we're going to treat our country fairly,' he added. 'This country has been ripped off from every nation in the world, every company outside the world.'

'We've been ripped off at levels never seen before. And all we're going to do is get it back. We're going to get a lot of it back. We're not going to let people take advantage of us anymore.'

During his recap of the ongoing economic trade drama, Hayes took special note of Bartiromo's recent interview on his show's Friday segment.

'In a safe-space interview with Fox anchor Maria Bartiromo, the Trump-friendly host gently pressed him for just the tiniest bit of clarity on his erratic trade policy and the harm it is causing American businesses,' the host said before airing the clip.

Before the segment came to an end, Hayes offered his seemingly genuine reaction toward Bartiromo's bold comments, stating: 'Maria, I got to say - I've been a critic, but when you're right, you're right. That's not clarity.'

'Here's the thing, she's not wrong about what CEOs want to see,' he continued. 'I mean every business person thrives on some stability and most people generally hate this type of chaos.'

Before the episode of All In With Chris Hayes came to an end, the left-leaning host offered his seemingly genuine reaction towards Bartiromo's bold comments, stating: 'Maria, I got to say - I've been a critic, but when you're right, you're right. That's not clarity'

In a civil manner, Bartiromo insisted that CEOs want to see 'predictability' on international trade presented by the current administration rather than being left in the dark by Trump's fluctuating tariff decisions, questioning the president on whether the business community will get clarity

Before the president could even finish his sentence, Bartiromo abruptly interjected, firmly stating: 'That's not clarity,' seemingly unhappy with his flip-flop response

'I mean, the major reason being unpredictability makes it nearly impossible to plan and invest and hire and do anything!'

Hayes has made headlines dozens of times over recent years for blasting Trump's handling of major events and nationwide issues.

In January, both Hayes and his co-host Rachel Maddow launched blistering attacks during the network's coverage of Trump's inauguration after figures such as Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and Apple's Tim Cook were invited.

While Maddow took issue with the tech billionaires in attendance, Hayes found fault with the president's mostly impromptu speech.

Enraged after seeing Cook next to Trump's pick for head of the Department of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, Maddow infuriatingly reacted with a question posed to the American public.

'How is this happening in America?' she asked aloud.

After Trump took his oath and gave his speech, Hayes likened him to a 'cult leader' because of his fervent fanbase and rhetoric.

The commander-in-chief issued a brutal takedown of the network just days later, vowing that Maddow would soon 'be off the air.'

'MSNBC IS CLOSE TO DEATH. CNN HAS REACHED THE BOTTOM. This is a good thing. They are the Enemy of the people!' Trump wrote in a late-night post to his Truth Social account.

Hayes also reacted to Trump and JD Vance's attack on Ukrainian President Vlodomyr Zelensky in the Oval Office last month, declaring on-air on MSNBC that the president had 'irreparably destroyed' world older during the blowup.

'Today, Donald Trump irreparably destroyed the 80-year-old post World War II international order,' the host said.
Bill Maher has slammed liberal fact-checkers at MSNBC for their 'obsessive' focus on President Trump's lies and mistruths as he argued they make no difference.

The talk show host said he has grown 'bored' of watching pundits and experts calling out Trump's lies, even as he admitted the president 'said some things that were not exactly true. And when I say not exactly, I mean not at all.'

'If youre a conservative and you see him say many, many things that are not even close to true, you just dont care anymore. This is so baked in the cake. That is who he is,' Maher said.

He argued that even as Trump made statements that were verifiably false - such as his claim that the United States has spent '$350 billion' on Ukraine aid when the number is closer to $115 billion - MAGA supporters are not concerned.

'They do not take him literally or think he needs to be taken literally. Its an amazing advantage in politics,' Maher continued.

'And if youre a liberal watching MSNBC every day, youre obsessed with this. And youve seen all these things where they exposed it.

'Im bored with that s***.'

The View co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin, a former Trump White House staffer-turned-critic, agreed as she declared that 'rambling fact checks and going line by line through what he says - I dont know that it matters.'

Bill Maher slammed liberal fact-checkers for their 'obsessive' focus on President Trump's lies and mistruths, saying most Americans are so used to it people 'just don't care anymore'

Maher said that even as Trump made statements that could be fact-checked, his supporters 'do not take him literally or think he needs to be taken literally. Its an amazing advantage in politics'

Farah Griffin said that over eight years since he first ascended to the White House, she is now 'not convinced Donald Trump is trying to pick up any new voters.'

'All he needs to do is keep his approval rating with the Republican Party roughly where it is,' she continued.

'And to be honest, as much as that speech drove me crazy. A lot of people were really happy with it. He threw a lot of red meat to his base. He rattled off things that his voters love.

'He gave them a lot of what hes not trying to reach the other side because he doesnt need to anymore.'

Maher added satirically that as he has grown weary of attempting to keep up with Trump's mistruths, he has started to think of his statements in 'dog years.'

'I just take everything with a grain of salt. If he says Zelenskys approval rating is 4 percent. Its 57.2. Its like, you know, dog years.

'If somebody says the dog is four. Oh, the dog is 28.'

The comedian concluded that Trump 'is not going to run again - wink, wink,' in a nod to Trump's teasing that he would want to stay in power beyond his constitutional two term limit.

The View co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin (sat beside former Montana Senator Jon Tester) agreed with Maher as she declared that 'rambling fact checks and going line by line through what (Trump) says - I dont know that it matters'

The remarks come as Maher, a frequent Trump critic, has taken to slamming Democrats following their election drubbing in November, warning that the party needs to urgently change course to return to power.

Earlier in his show with Farah Griffin and former Montana Senator Jon Tester, Maher slammed the previous weekend's Oscars ceremony and said it was symbolic of how wokeness drives away everyday voters.

Maher offered up Julianne Hough's opening announcement during Sunday's Academy Awards broadcast, viewed by almost 20 million people in the US alone, as a prime example.

Hough started the show with an acknowledgment that paid homage to the Native Americans who once lived on the land where Hollywood now stands.

'We gather in celebration of the Oscars on the ancestral lands of the Tongva, Tataviam, and Chumash peoples, the traditional caretakers of this water and land,' Hough declared.

But Maher was quick to ridicule the gesture, saying, 'I don't know if we're still saying "cringe," but if we are, that's this.'

He then delivered his signature no-holds-barred critique, blasting Hollywood's self-congratulatory activism as hollow and hypocritical.

'I've said it before, I'll say it againeither give the land back or shut the f*** up!'
The owner of Boots has been sold to private equity for almost 8billion  reviving hopes that the pharmacy chain could be floated in London.

New York-listed Walgreens Boots Alliance, which owns the High Street firm as well as US group Walgreens, has been snapped up by buyout group Sycamore Partners.

The deal is expected to result in parts of the business being sold by Sycamore  including Boots.

Pressure is now on ministers and City executives to persuade Sycamore to list Boots on the London stock market through an initial public offering (IPO).

That would be a major boost for the Square Mile and wider economy following a dearth of listings in recent years.

But it is feared Sycamore will in fact sell Boots to another private equity group rather than return it to the London market.

Deal: Walgreens executives Stefano Pessina and wife Ornella Barra have offloaded Boots

Russ Mould, investment director at investment platform AJ Bell, said: 'Sycamore is unlikely to keep Boots once the takeover is completed.

The logical route is to first find a buyer and if that doesn't work, it might float the business on a stock market.

'The London Stock Exchange might be on a charm offensive in support of an IPO but Sycamore will care more about making money now rather than later.'

Firms who showed interest in buying Boots two years ago  including TDR, Apollo and Reliance Industries  may throw their hat into the ring again. Industry expert Jonathan De Mello believes Sycamore may have already agreed a sale in principle with a buyer.

Although an initial sales process was abandoned in 2022 due to suitors reportedly being unwilling to pay a 5.5billion price tag, Boots is regarded as more attractive to buyers now.

It has enjoyed bumper sales in recent months thanks to a boom in the health and beauty market after the pandemic.

Sales have soared thanks to popular skincare and fragrance brands, such as No7 which boasts actress Keeley Hawes as its ambassador and Floral Street, while its advantage loyalty card has also helped business thrive.

Retail analyst Nick Bubb said it was hard to gauge how much Boots could be worth as owner Walgreens, led by Stefano Pessina, does not break down its sales and profits. The firm was reportedly valued at around 7billion last year, but Bubb said a 5billion price tag 'feels more realistic'.

Pessina's wife Ornella Barra, chief operating officer at Walgreens Boots Alliance in charge of overseeing Boots, wrote to staff yesterday to reassure them 'nothing is changing today'.

Should Boots return to the UK markets, it would be a much-needed vote of confidence.
The value of European defence stocks has risen by more than 100bn this year as the Continent races to rearm.

An index tracking the biggest European munitions firms  including BAE Systems in the UK, Rheinmetall in Germany and Leonardo in Italy  has risen 34 per cent since January.

The rally comes as governments scramble to boost their military firepower amid fears they can no longer rely on the US to protect Ukraine against Russian aggression.

The sense of urgency was underlined this week when Germany tore up its stringent debt rules to fund a massive rearmament programme.

German Chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz, who is seeking to form a coalition after his Christian Democrats emerged as the largest party in last month's elections, said his country must do 'whatever it takes' to boost its defences.

The prospect of higher European demand for everything from weapons and ammunition to fighter jets, tanks and warships has sent shares in London-listed BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce to record highs this week.

Conflict: Ukrainian troops fire a cannon towards Russian territory in the Kharkiv region

UK-based firms Chemring, Babcock and QinetiQ also recorded huge gains. And on the Continent, Leonardo and Rheinmetall scaled new peaks, along with French company Thales and Sweden's Saab.

Analysts at JP Morgan said Europe's push to rearm has been 'turbocharged' by the realisation that countries cannot rely on the US for security and defence.

It follows Donald Trump's decision to pause US military aid to Ukraine after a heated showdown with president Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office last week.

'There are 30 European countries in Nato and we expect many of them will soon commit to much higher defence spending,' JP Morgan said in a note.

Keir Starmer has vowed to increase military spending from 2.3 per cent to 2.5 per cent of the economy by 2027 and 3 per cent by the next parliament.

At an emergency summit of European leaders last week, the Prime Minister said the continent must do the 'heavy lifting' on defending Ukraine.

EU Commissioner Ursula von der Leyen said rearming was 'urgent' and that governments 'must prepare for the worst'.

Data from AJ Bell shows the Stoxx European Aerospace and Defence Index is worth 106billion more than at the start of 2025.

It has gained 9 per cent, or 35billion, this week  though defence stocks fell yesterday  and 170 per cent, or 260billion, since the start of 2022 when Russia was preparing its invasion.

Concern: German Chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz (pictured) said his country must do 'whatever it takes' to boost its defences

Dan Coatsworth, an analyst at AJ Bell, said: 'Defence stocks have rallied hard as investors spy the second major tailwind for the sector in three years.

'First, we had Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 causing governments around the world to take their defence strategy more seriously.

'This year we've had secretary general Mark Rutte say Nato members will have to boost their defence spending by 'considerably more than 3 per cent' of GDP, with Donald Trump suggesting 5 per cent.

'All this points towards a rich pipeline of opportunities for defence contractors and investors want exposure to a sector that's going places.'
The chairman of Barclays told Andrew Bailey 'you have destroyed him' after a probe was launched into then chief executive Jes Staley over his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, a court heard yesterday.

Nigel Higgins made the remark when Bailey  now governor of the Bank of England  led the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in 2019, a London tribunal was told.

The FCA later fined Staley 1.8m after finding that he had 'recklessly' misled the watchdog by claiming that he and paedophile financier Epstein were 'not close'.

Staley, who quit Barclays over the probe in 2021, is appealing the decision.

Fighting back: Jes Staley (pictured) quit Barclays over the Jeffrey Epstein probe in 2021

Bailey yesterday was in court asked to recall conversations with Higgins around the time the investigation was launched.

The case centres on a letter sent by Barclays to the FCA about the nature of Staley and Epstein's relationship.

The watchdog's probe began after it received emails from Staley's former employer JP Morgan that cast doubt on what the letter said.

Bailey explained: 'We had received an answer that looked straightforward: that there had been no close relationship.

'Now it looked like that answer was ill-founded. This raised awkward questions for Barclays and in particular for Mr Higgins.'
US hedge fund believes pivot away from green energy doesn't go far enough

US hedge fund Elliott is demanding BP sell off its petrol stations as it embarks on an aggressive campaign to improve the performance of the oil giant.

The BP board is braced for a string of hardline demands from Elliott Management, an 'activist' investor that has taken a stake in the UK stalwart.

Activists buy shares in firms they believe are underperforming and agitate for change.

Elliott, which is renowned as one of the most ruthless of the breed, is dissatisfied with the strategy laid out by BP chief executive Murray Auchincloss less than a fortnight ago.

It believes a pivot away from 'woke' green energy projects and 10 billion of extra investment in oil and gas does not go far enough.

Selling off BP's network of more than 1,200 petrol stations could haul in 31 billion, analysts estimate. The proceeds could be used to pay down debt.

Under pressure: Elliott is dissatisfied with the strategy laid out by BP chief executive Murray Auchincloss (pictured) less than a fortnight ago

Potential suitors include the EG Group, run by the billionaire Issa brothers, and Motor Fuel Group, owned by private equity firm Clayton Dubilier & Rice.

One investor said: 'Murray and his team have to show they can unlock some value. BP is not the best owner for the petrol station business, which could achieve a far higher valuation elsewhere.'

Elliott, whose stake is worth 3.5 billion, is now preparing a battle plan that is likely to include trying to oust the chairman Helge Lund as well as splitting up large parts of the group.

The firm's modus operandi usually involves a stinging letter criticising the chief executive and calling for sweeping changes.

A letter has yet to arrive but investors expect one before the company's annual meeting in mid-April.

A source close to BP said: 'I have dealt with activists before, but Elliott is on another level.'

Observers expect Lund, who has been in post for seven years, to be one of the first targets at the meeting.

He backed the green plans of both Auchincloss and his disgraced predecessor Bernard Looney before they were ditched.

A vote of more than 20 per cent is likely to be enough to make Lund's position untenable.

A bright spot for management is likely to be the sale of Castrol with a price tag of up to 8 billion.

Saudi Aramco, whose pockets may be deep enough to deter other bidders, has emerged as the frontrunner for the lubricants business.
A comedian has broken her silence over claims she was sexually assaulted during a long haul flight, but was only offered a $500 Qantas voucher when she raised the alarm.

The Australian woman, who Daily Mail Australia has chosen not to name, was on the QF2 Sydney flight from Europe last September when she said her ordeal unfolded.

Months later, she says she is still suffering PTSD from the incident, but said the airline had merely tried to placate her with the $500 flight voucher.

Details of the allegations were revealed in a social media post by the woman who also named the alleged perpetrator.

Australian Federal Police confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that a 29-year-old Queensland man was charged with indecent exposure in December over the incident.

But the alleged victim said police had kept her in the dark about the case.

The comedian was flying home via Singapore when she boarded a Qantas Airbus aircraft and was seated near the man.

The incident allegedly occurred around midnight according to the Court Attendance Notice seen by Daily Mail Australia.

A comedian has broken her silence over claims she was sexually assaulted during a long haul flight, but was offered only a $500 Qantas voucher when she raised the alarm

The Australian woman, who Daily Mail Australia has chosen not to name, was on the QF2 Sydney flight from Europe last September when she said her ordeal unfolded

But she said when she complained to flight crew, they simply moved her 'five rows behind him'.

She added: 'I could still see him and I had to use the bathroom at the back of the plane to avoid him.'

Qantas flight attendants told her 'three times' police would take him off the plane when it landed, but 'he just walked straight off and they had no idea about any of it'.

The airline later told the comedian that the flight crew had consulted the captain en route, and requested police be present on landing.

'They moved you away from the customer concerned,' Qantas told her in an email two months later, she revealed.

'They seated you next to a female passenger to ensure your comfort and placed you in an aisle seat so the crew could continue to monitor the situation.

'Our customer service manager addressed the matter with the customer, and spoke to other customers in the vicinity when the customer denied the allegation.

'Our staff are not able to conduct criminal investigations and had no authority to detain this customer. The police were present upon arrival.'

The email added: 'I acknowledge you don't agree that the response form the crew was appropriate.

'In recognition of your disappointment, and purely as a gesture of goodwill, I have arranged for a $500 travel voucher to be sent to you.'

The comedian said she'd also had to email the AFP four times before being told he was charged.

'Knock knock anyone home?' she posted on Instagram. 'He in prison? Or fined? Or even a bit ... sad?

'How's his PTSD? Just got my anti-depressant (which has since doubled) and my diazepam (panic attacks still happening and nightmares) - just wondering if I still have to pay for that?'

Part of the letter the comedian received from Qantas which she found an inadequate resonse given her PTSD from the alleged incident

She then named the Qantas manager she dealt with on the flight, who, she said, told her: 'It's his word against yours.'

She asked how that person was and 'if he'd like to listen to her troubles of nightmares and lack of self esteem'.

'Has he been able to go back to work?' she asked.

'How nice for him. Qantas do you think the $500 voucher you gave me and no refund is equal to being sexually assaulted?

'Would I get $600 if I'd filmed it?'

The performer said that she had been forced to cancel upcoming shows of her stand-up comedy act, because she was struggling with her mental health.

'The amount of stories I have learnt about SA on flights from friends of mine since this happened is INSANE,' she wrote.

The man was arrested after landing in Sydney and charged in December. He faces up to 12 months in jail and/or a maximum fine of $6,600.

The comedian said when she complained she was moved her 'five rows behind him. I could still see him and I had to use the bathroom at the back of the plane to avoid him' (stock image)

The comedian's posts won sympathy online, with one woman revealing she suffered a similar ordeal and it her took several months to get a response.

'Through victim services, you are entitled to 22 hours of free counselling and potentially a recognition payment with a police report,' she added.

Qantas told Daily Mail Australia the airline had followed procedure in dealing with the incident.

'In this instance, our crew took all possible steps to assist onboard including escalating the complaint to the captain during the flight, relocating the passenger on the aircraft and supporting her throughout the flight,' it said in a statement.

'Our crew contacted the Australian Federal Police (AFP) while airborne and requested the AFP meet the aircraft on arrival, which they did.'

It added: 'Qantas takes complaints about alleged inappropriate behaviour extremely seriously and undertakes a rigorous review and investigation process of all serious allegations and incidents.'
When Tanya Kach was 14, all she wanted was love and attention.

Her parents had split when she was 10, and with her mother out of the picture she felt increasingly lonely when she moved in with her father and his new girlfriend.

Then, in 1995, the eighth-grader found the affection she had been craving in the halls of Cornel Middle School in Pennsylvania.

Kach's classmates didn't like 38-year-old school security guard Thomas Hose, but she loved the way he joked around and made her laugh when they talked.

He would give her special treatment by pulling her out of class, and over six months built a relationship with the teenage girl who was at her most naive and vulnerable.

Hose told Kach he would take better care of her than her family and promised he wouldnt mistreat her. He called her 'Kitty' because she loved cats and sent her notes declaring his love. The youngster believed everything he said and was taken in.

But what she did next turned her life into a nightmare that still haunts her 29 years on.

Tanya Kach was 14 when she was lured from her home and held captive for 10 years by a security guard at her middle school. She miraculously survived

On February 10, 1996, Kach ran away with Hose and moved into the home where he lived with his parents and 12-year-old son.

She was held captive there for the next 10 years, subjected to horrific sexual abuse, starvation, and threats he would kill her if she tried to break free.

At first, Hose first kept her in his bedroom. Then four years into her captivity he introduced her to his parents as his girlfriend under a different name, Nikki Allen.

Now, in an interview with DailyMail.com nearly three decades after she was abducted, she has shared her chilling story about the horrors she had to endure at the hands of 'the definition of an evil monster.

Kach, who is today 43 and happily married, said her childhood was normal up until age seven when her mother was hospitalized after having a mental breakdown.

Everything after that started to go 'downhill', she said.

When her parents divorced, her father was granted full custody and her period of feeling isolated began.

Thomas Hose was a security guard at Cornell Middle School in McKeesport, Pennsylvania. After his arrest in 2006, he spent 15 years behind bars

'I didn't want to be there. My dad stopped caring about me and stopped loving me.'

Kach said Hose came into the picture when she was looking to fill that void.

She first started talking to Hose in the hallway of her school in September 1995.

The other students didn't like him, but Kach thought he was 'nice' and fond of the way he would joke around and make her laugh.

He would give her special treatment and even pull her from class. Then he kissed her.

He would tell her 'I can take care of you better than your family. I would never do this or that to you,' Kach recalled. 'He painted such a pretty picture.'

Hose groomed and preyed on the teen for months before she ran away from her troubled home to stay with him full time.

'My 14-year-old self was very gullible and naive,' she recalled. 'I did not have love from my dad and my mom wasn't in my life.'

Hose told her that she was 'everything he ever wanted,' until the caring security guard turned sinister.

He starved her to make her lose weight. When he did give her food it was only his leftover scraps.

His plot to get her to drop to 93 pounds was deliberate because he wanted my figure 'to look a certain way,' she said.

What she thought was a welcome escape from a loveless life became bleaker every day.

She was only allowed to leave her room to bathe when Hose's parents and son were out of the house.

Then her situation took a far darker turn when he raped her.

Kach revealed to DailyMail.com that Hose would sexually abuse her before he went to work.

During the day she would pass the time reading or watching TV through headphones. But when he got home the vile attacks would continue.

'It's like he was my master and I was waiting for him to come home,' she said. 'I felt like a dog.'

When he drank on the weekends, the abuse became frequent and more violent, she said. She also recalled one horrific Christmas that she spent locked in a closet.

She tried to escape, but Hose would threaten her and leave her paralyzed with fear.

Tanya Kach's parents got divorced when she was 10 and after her mother was hospitalized after a mental breakdown. She lived with her father and stepmother and her family life became unbearable

An older Kach pictured in the bedroom she was held captive in at Hose's parents home

Another angle of the bedroom and room Kach was forced to live in for a decade against her will

The dilapidated house of horrors in McKeesport where Kach was imprisoned for most of her teen years and part of her early 20s'

Even on days when she was sick Hose would continue to abuse her. 'He still raped me,' she said. 'He didn't care.'

At one point, she thought she was pregnant. Hose told her he would kill the baby, but fortunately for Kach it turned out to be a false alarm.

Hose's coercion included manipulation and brain-washing her into believing her life wouldn't be any better if she was free.

He showed Kach newspaper clippings of her mother getting married and told her 'see she's moved on'.

Then there was a newspaper announcement that her father and his wife had bought a new home.

'He told me "see they moved on too. So both of your parents moved on. They don't care."'

Hose told his parents Kach lost her job, needed a place to stay and was there to help care for his father, who's health was declining.

Hose's mother didn't like her, so she was given a list of chores to do in the house.

Tom Hose, Katch's predator kidnapper is pictured holding a cat. Kach said he called her 'Kitty'

An envelope has the pet name Hose gave Kach

Hose knew that Kach loved cats and would send her cards with pictures of the furry animal

The handwritten notes Hose wrote Kach, who he nicknamed 'Kitty'

Kach would have asked Hose's parents for help, but they were also scared of him.

There were parts of his past already twisted in darkness.

Hose once revealed there had been another girl at the middle school who he had preyed on. Like her, she had blonde hair and and blue eyes and was having trouble at home. But he ending up choosing Kach instead.

After 10 years in captivity, and when Kach was in her twenties, Hose gave her more freedom from his otherwise iron grip.

He allowed her to leave the house, but gave her strict rules for when she had to return.

It was during one of these brief trips in public where she met the owner of a local market named Joe.

He paid her a few dollars every time she would visit to help him stock the shelves.

Thomas Hose, a former school security guard accused of keeping a teenage runaway in his home for a decade and having sex with her pleaded guilty to all charges he faced

But Joe got worried the more time he spent with Kach. He had a daughter a similar age, and started to see red flags.

So he started to ask questions.

'He would tell me, "you are this young girl. You don't have parents in your life. You have no family. You're with this older man. Something doesn't seem right,"' she told DailyMail.com.

For months Kach would ignore his concerns and keep working, until one day when she broke down in tears and finally told him the truth.

She was 24 years old at the time.

'I started crying and shaking. I blamed myself. I told him I did something so horrible in my life. I've been with Tom since I was 14.'

She told him to look her up in the database of National Exploited and Missing Children.

When he saw that everything she was telling him was true, he helped her plan her escape.

Kach said Joe instructed her to go home to Hose and act like nothing had happened.

About five hours later, while she was sat in her pajamas and Hose was upstairs, a police officer came to the door. He asked, 'Are you Tanya Nicole Cash?'

'I collapsed into his arms and said, "Yes!" For the first time in a decade, she felt like her ordeal was over.

Thomas Hose, center, of McKeesport walks into Allegheny County police headquarters with his attorney Jim Ecker, left, Wednesday, March 22, 2006

Thomas Hose, left, with his attorney Jim Ecker, leave the courtroom after a preliminary hearing in Pittsburgh, Thursday, April, 6, 2006

A 25-year-old Kach pictured walking into the Allegheny County Courthouse in Pittsburg, June 26, 2007 accompanied by Joelle Sparico (right) and Geraldine Massey (left)

Hose heard the commotion and ran down the stairs.

'Kitty what's going on?' he said.

'He thought I was going to defend him,' she said.

'What's going on Kitty?' he repeated. 'Tell him what's going on?'

Kach turned to her abductor and said: 'It's over.'

She said Hose wanted to talk to her but the detectives wouldn't allow it.

As the officers rushed her out of the door, she recalled him screaming out to her 'Judas!' (Judas in the Bible betrayed Jesus).

'That really hit me as a Christian and I broke down,' Kach said. 'That really hurt.'

While she was relieved to be finally free of his grasps, she felt overwhelming guilt and blamed herself for what had happened.

'I thought I would be living under a bridge. I thought that would be better than what I'm going through,' she told DailyMail.com.

Tanya pictured with her father Jerry kach who she has been estranged from

In 2011, Kach and her attorney, Lawrence Fisher co-wrote her memoir 'Milk Carton Kid'

Lifetime made a movie in 2024 called 'The Girl Locked Upstairs: The Tanya Kach Story,' created by executive producer Elizabeth Smart

Kach's father Jerry was reunited with his daughter after 10 long years.

They hugged. Kach lovingly tugged on his arms as they spoke to the press. But it was apparently all for show.

'He acted one way in front of the cameras but once that ended he was blaming me for what happened.'

She was now 24 years old and working on getting her life back. Part of that was going through counseling she described as 'intense.'

Less than a year after her rescue, she obtained her driver's license. She got her GED and went to college, earning a degree in business management. She said her mother supported her.

Tanya Kach shared her harrowing story of survival with DailyMail.com

But the trauma she endured caused health issues.

She had a hysterectomy as a result of rampant sexual abuse.

It crushed her that she wasn't able to have a child of her own.

Years of malnourishment caused vision and hearing loss and some arthritis.

In 2007, 11 years after Kach moved into Hose's home, he made a deal with prosecutors and pled guilty to involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and was sentenced to five to 15 years in prison.

Every year he was up for parole, so Kach would testify and write to the parole board urging them to keep him behind bars.

'He could have gotten over 70 years but he had a plea deal,' Kach said.

She told DailyMail.com her one regret was not going to trial.

'They felt I wasn't mentally capable to go through a trial,' she said. 'I wish I would have went through with it. It would have been very mentally hard on me but I wish I had.'

Hose's parents are dead, but he still lives in McKeesport - the same city where he held Kach captive and just 15 minutes away from the home she shares with her husband of 17 years, Karl McCrum.

Kach said she avoids going to McKeesport at all costs but there is always that fear of running into him.

'I tell everyone I don't know what my reaction would be,' she said. 'I don't know if it would be anger, sadness, fear.'

Kach's story captured national headlines and several movies were created based on her harrowing story.

Most recently the 2024 Lifetime movie: 'The Girl Locked Upstairs: The Tanya Kach Story,' created by executive producer Elizabeth Smart.

Smart was 14 when she was abducted from her bedroom in her Salt Lake City home and tortured for nine months before she was rescued in 2002.

'Elizabeth reached out to me about making a movie. I was happy to meet her because she is someone that understands exactly what I went through and I understand what she went through.'

She added: 'To sit down and talk to her was so surreal for me.'

Kach pictured with her husband Karl McCrum who she has been married to for 17 years

In 2011, she co-wrote the book 'Memoir of a Milk Carton Kid: The Tanya Nicole Kach Story' with civil rights attorney Lawrence Fisher.

He got involved with her case when it started to attract widespread media attention.

'The school district itself failed to observe what was going on under their noses and in full view of cameras that were located in the school back in 1996, when she was abducted,' he told DailyMail.com.

'They did have cameras in that school and could have seen the impropriety of what was going on between her and this security guard, but they turned a blind eye to it.'

'We sued the McKeesport Area School district. We sued the principal of the school. We sued the counselor,' he continued.

'We sued the McKeesport area Police Department. We sued three different officers in that police department, chief of police and the juvenile lieutenant who was supposed to investigate the abduction, and then another police officer who ultimately took over investigating the matter.'

'We also sued, obviously, the abductor, Thomas Hose. We sued his parents because he lived at home and kept her in the bedroom where his parents also lived.'

'We sued the St. Moritz Security Services because they hired him independently and placed him in that school district.'

However, Fisher said all cases were dismissed due to the statute of limitations, with his request for an extension due to extraordinary circumstances also rejected.

Fisher told DailyMail.com that 'the existence of the security cameras at the time in question were confirmed under oath by testimony of numerous witnesses in the civil case. Ten years later, when Tanya emerged from captivity, they had not been preserved.'

He went on to explain that Kach had a history of running away but was always brought back home by the police. '

I don't think they seriously looked after her or looked for her. They all washed their hands of her which is not what you do with a 14-year-old child. They really abandoned her,' he said.

Fisher believed Kach had some form of Stockholm Syndrome, a psychological condition when the victim identifies with and empathizes with their captor or abuser and their goals.

'A jury might ask themselves, "Why didn't she just unlock the door and leave if it was so horrible."

'Or when she was out on the street after she turned 18, "why did it take so many years for her to tell somebody and be rescued?"'

But Fisher explained that Stockholm Syndrome is 'a difficult psychiatric matter to prove or to explain.'

'I think when you deal with people that have gone through what she went through and you see the courage and strength that they have, you become forever connected to them,' he told DailyMail.com. 'I am really in awe of how she's able to speak about it.'
Young women in an affluent part of Newcastle say they are under attack from balaclava-clad thugs wielding weapons on dirt bikes searching for mobile phones to snatch.

Warnings have been shared on social media telling residents to be on their guard against masked youths on the off-road motorbikes and electric bikes who have been stealing phones and harassing residents.

The issue seems to be particularly frightening in the city's upmarket Jesmond area.

It comes after young women began taking to TikTok to document their experiences of living in the upscale suburb.

Just weeks ago, two female students filmed themselves running away from a masked biker, who they claimed was pursuing them through the affluent area of the city.

'We are being followed by a man, a cyclist in a balaclava. He was following us along the pavement,' they said, while running down a street.

'We're running for our lives,' they added.

The hysteria caused by this has also seen some youngsters uploading comic videos on social media platforms such as TikTok showing them 'running for their lives'.

A video shared by Northumbria Police captured balaclava-clad youths riding motorbikes

Students in an affluent suburb are under siege from thieves who have brought terror on two wheels

As MailOnline spoke to shoppers about the issue on a high street in Newcastle this week, the peace was suddenly shattered by the roar of off-road bikes

The hysteria caused by this has also seen some youngsters uploading comic videos on social media platforms such as TikTok showing them 'running for their lives'.

There was a visible police presence in the city, with officers deployed to the streets in an effort to put residents at ease

But the phone thefts are just part of the problem plaguing Tyneside's streets with off-road bikes and electric bikes and scooters being ridden illegally, prompting fears for the safety of the riders and other road users.

More than 200 vehicles - including motorbikes, quadbikes and off-road bikes - have been seized and destroyed by police, with arrests for offences from driving without insurance to conspiracy to commit burglary.

As MailOnline spoke to shoppers about the issue on a high street in Newcastle this week, the peace was suddenly shattered by the roar of off-road bikes.

Two riders, their faces covered by black visors, swerved around a bus and sped down Shields Road in the city's Byker area.

One opened the throttle and pulled a wheelie as he roared into the distance, while his pal flashed a defiant v-sign to passers-by.

Chef Gil Robson, 56, said: 'It's actually frightening to watch, you are waiting for these kids to either kill themselves or someone else.

'They speed up and down Shields Road all the time, weaving in and out of traffic, often not wearing helmets but with their faces covered by masks or balaclavas.

'It's only a matter of time until someone gets badly hurt. I have heard that people have had things stolen from them as well but have never seen it happen. The police need to take action.'

Grandad Chris Smith, 46, said: 'The kids on the bikes don't care, they think the law can't touch them.

'They bomb up and down this street and most of them aren't old enough to have any kind of licence, it's scary to see them overtaking traffic and diving down side roads.

'It's a problem all over Newcastle but people in Byker are sick of seeing it, I'd hate to see an innocent person get killed or injured by them using the streets as a race track.'

Chef Gil Robson, 56, fears the bikers are at risk of killing innocent bystanders as they use local roads as a 'race track'

Grandad Chris Smith, 46, said: 'The kids on the bikes don't care, they think the law can't touch them'

Northumbria Police said it began tracking youths with the assistance of National Police Air Service after they received reports of youngsters dangerously riding bikes that are thought to be stolen while wielding bolt cutters and crowbars in the Benton and Wallsend areas

The force launched a dedicated mission, Operation Capio, to clamp down on the issue

In another video on TikTok, young women have filmed themselves running with the caption 'Jesmond lore'

Crime and problems associated with bikes and scooters has become so serious in the Northumbria Police force area that they launched a dedicated mission to clamp down, Operation Capio.

As part of the operations, off-road bikes and quads were seized, confiscated and crushed when they were discovered being ridden on the streets without licences by children as young as 12.

And in July, nine teenagers were arrested in an effort to stop 'motorbike-related crime' in and around Newcastle.

The force said in a statement at the time: 'We received a number of reports of youngsters dangerously riding motorbikes, believed to be stolen, around the Benton and Wallsend areas. They were also said to be carrying bolt cutters and crowbars.

'We responded immediately and  with the assistance of National Police Air Service (NPAS)  began tracking youths wearing balaclavas, riding motorbikes believed to be linked to the reports.

'Between the two locations, a total of nine suspects  aged between 15 and 18 - were stopped & arrested for conspiracy to commit burglary.'

The force say they're unaware of Jesmond being specifically targeted but students say they're aware of the dangers posed.

Student Fleur, 19, said: 'I've never had a problem myself and I actually feel safer in Newcastle than in Bristol, which is where I'm from.

PHD student Mariam Albakar (right, with Hamad Al Shaijy), 42, said she feels 'safe' in the area but has witnessed crimes such as shoplifting

Student Fleur, 19, (pictured left with friend Isabella Carmichael) told MailOnline she is aware of students having their phones snatched in the Jesmond area by bike riders

Locals describe bikers in black visors or balaclavas racing around Newcastle and putting others at risk

Police respond to an incident on Shields Road in Byker, Newcastle as MailOnline visited the area

'But in the centre of Jesmond I'm aware that students have had their phones taken from them.

'They'll be walking along with their phone in their hand and have it snatched by someone on an electric bike who comes along very quietly.'

A male student on Osborne Road, Jesmond, said: 'People are now much more aware that there are youths on scooters grabbing phones or anything else that's easy to steal.

'You don't hear them coming up behind you and they're always wearing balaclavas to cover their faces.

'It's never happened to me but I know people who've had their phones taken and there's no chance of identifying the thieves, they're completely covered up and gone in a flash.

'There have been warnings in student groups on social media to keep your phone safe and be aware of what's going on around you.'

Among the bikes plaguing local residents are off-road vehicles, which have thick spiked tyres

Police officers have seized hundreds of bikes since the launch of Operation Capio in 2023

Another user posted a video of herself doing stretches while walking through Jesmond, captioning it: 'Warming up in case we see the Jesmond balaclava men on the way to get our Thursday morning coffee'.

PHD student Mariam Albakar, 42, told MailOnline: 'I have known people have their phones snatched in London and it must be a very scary experience.

'But I've lived in Newcastle for a year and a half and it feels very safe to me, the worst thing I have witnessed is shoplifting.'

Northumbria's Chief Constable Vanessa Jardine vowed to clampdown on illegal motorbike use when Operation Capio was launched.

One biker pulled a wheelie on a busy Newcastle street - while the other flashed the v-sign at passers-by

Northumbria's Chief Constable Vanessa Jardine vowed to clampdown on illegal motorbike use

It ran from late 2023 and ended two months ago with hundreds of machines seized and many destroyed.

Chief Superintendent Barrie Joisce, Northumbria Police's lead for Anti-Social Behaviour, said: 'As a Force, we take all reports of anti-social behaviour seriously, especially those involving electric motorbikes and off-road bikes.

'This is because we know the actions of a minority can have a significant impact on the wider community.

'We are committed to tackling this type of disorder, and through Operation Capio, we carry out dedicated activity which sees us working with our partners and using a range of tools to ensure a robust response to reports of reckless and dangerous riding.

'As part of this work, we regularly deploy officers to hotspot areas, issue dispersal notices, seize vehicles and make arrests where appropriate.

'We also use drones to support our work in this area and will continue to use technology to enhance and develop our response.

'Following the implementation of Operation Capio, incidents involving electric motorbikes and off-road bikes has fallen by 16 per cent compared with the previous year, with more than 200 bikes seized.

'As always, we would like to thank the public for their continued support. By sharing concerns and reporting incidents to us, this allows our intelligence picture to grow so we can better shape our patrols and planning.

'I hope our communities know that we act on the information they share with us and we'd ask they continue to be our eyes and ears.

'If you see something suspicious, please report it to police at the earliest opportunity and share as much detail as possible to help us bring any offenders to justice.'
Iconic Melbourne live music pub The Gasometer Hotel will close at the end of the month after it faced a boycott for allegedly refusing to book all-white, all-male bands.

The shock decision comes after the Collingwood venue was branded 'woke' by radio host Tom Elliott who revealed details of the alleged new booking policy.

He claimed on air that the pub had told him it would 'no longer accept line-ups booked entirely or overwhelmingly of white performers or cis male performers'.

The 3AW morning host blasted The Gaso and said the ban would have meant bands like The Beatles, Kiss and Led Zeppelin would never have been allowed to play there.

'So if you're white and you're born a male, and presumably you're heterosexual, you can't perform at The Gasometer,' Elliott told listeners.

'Now, if you take this at their word, if the surviving Rolling Stones turned up and said, "We'd like to play a free gig here", they'd have to say, "No".

'Because they're all white, they're all born male, they all identify still as male and, as far as I know, they're all heterosexual.'

Gasometer Hotel boss James Martelletti denied Elliot's claims, but confirmed the pub would shut its doors for the last time on March 31, admitting: 'Go woke, go broke.'

Iconic Melbourne live music pub The Gasometer Hotel (pictured) will close forever at the end of the month after it faced a boycott for allegedly refusing to book all-white, all-male bands

Gasometer Hotel boss James Martelletti (pictured) denied Elliot's claims, but confirmed the pub would shut its doors for the last time on March 31, admitting: 'Go woke, go broke.'

He posted on the pub's Instagram account: 'Tom Elliott's poor reading comprehension has resulted in an entirely fabricated controversy.

'In our bookings document, we had text around being mindful of diversity when it comes to an overall line-up.

'Line-up does not mean the make-up of any one band. Of course, we book all-male bands. We love music and we love their respective communities across all genres.'

An earlier social media post from the pub had called for more inclusion in the local music scene.

'We are proud to work towards a more equitable music community at the Gasometer and we ask that you prioritise people of colour and LGBTQIA and fem-identifying artists,' it read.

But Mr Martelletti insisted: 'It was a mission and not a rule, and our bookers are always there to support where support is needed.

'Regardless of this, as long as you can manage to not be a d***head, then you're always welcome at The Gaso.'

However he said the cost of living crisis had taken its toll and was forcing the legendary venue to close.

Radio host Tom Elliott said the new policy would stop The Killers from playing the venue (frontman Brandon Flowers is pictured performing in Melbourne at the 2017 AFL Grand Final)

Mr Martelletti cited rising costs including increased wages and superannuation, utility bills and suppliers, liquor licensing fees, insurance, tax and rent.

'Dont let them distract you from the real reasons the industry is such a struggle,' Martelletti said in the Instagram post.

'Greedy corporations and ineffective politicians from all sides.

'We are proud to say that around 30 per cent of our revenue has always gone to paying artists for their performances.

'Weve supported them as theyve supported us.

'This is as symbiotic relationship as you can get and we appreciate everyone whos ever played this amazing venue and provided us all something to live for.'

The Gaso has been a mainstay in the Melbourne live music scene for decades, with queues to get in often stretching hundreds of metres.

The pub has been known to give a string of local Aussie bands their start and it hosted big acts including Jet and Mallrats.

The shock decision to close the Collingwood venue came it after was branded ' woke ' by radio host Tom Elliott (pictured) who revealed details of the alleged new booking policy

Mr Martelletti added: 'We will be going out without any debts. All staff, suppliers and superannuation have always been paid.

'We can hold our heads high knowing weve done nothing but pour our hearts, money, blood, sweat and tears into providing a space for everyone to enjoy.

'Please come and show your support for everything weve done over the next few weeks while we sort out the next chapter. Dont let what you read break our spirits.'

In September 2018, controversy engulfed The Gaso when a rap music event hosted by 66 Records turned violent and erupted into a massive brawl on nearby Smith St.

The brawl, allegedly involving 200 menaces, started inside The Gaso but spilled outside where a teen lost his leg after he was crushed by a car.
Nobody knows how they will react in those fragile last moments.

But photographs captured by those just moments from death provide a record of the most universal of fears.

A journalist's decision to preserve the dignity of a child trapped in a volcanic mudslide offers a precious, human bent to the story of a forgotten natural disaster overseas.

Video of a young tourist swept away by a huge wave carries a warning that tragedy can strike when most unexpected.

And the final selfies of a mother and her daughter sharing a Saturday together after welcoming a new life into the world offer a poignant reminder of those left behind.

Child trapped in volcanic mudslide's haunting last words

On November 13, 1985, the Nevado del Ruiz volcano erupted in Colombia, killing some 70 per cent of the population of the town of Armero.

Among them was 13-year-old Omayra Sanchez Garzon.

She became one of the most famous victims of the tragedy after a harrowing video of the girl with eyes so bloodshot they had turned black circulated.

Omayra's father and aunt were killed after a 'lahar' mudflow of lava and ice struck their house.

The child became trapped under a door and spent three days half buried in water, helpless.

Rescuers assessed that they would not be able to give life-saving care if they were to amputate her legs and free her.

Instead, they tried to make her as comfortable as possible, bringing her a tyre to float on. Others brought sweets and fizzy drinks.

She spoke to journalists and sang in spite of her condition.

But after three days spent in the water, Omayra began to hallucinate, telling bystanders she worried about being late for an exam.

Her hands turned white and her bloodshot eyes black.

Onlookers made a record of the tragedy that engulfed Armero as Omayra uttered her last words: 'Mommy, I love you so much, daddy I love you, brother I love you.'

The photo of Omayra won the World Press Photo of the Year in 1986. Photographer Frank Fournier said he hounded by people slating him for not doing more to save Omayra.

Years later he told the BBC it was 'impossible' for him to act.

'I felt that the only thing I could do was to report properly on the courage and the suffering and the dignity of the little girl and hope that it would mobilise people to help the ones that had been rescued and had been saved,' he said in 2005.

Photographer Frank Fournier said he hoped to 'report properly on the courage and the suffering and the dignity of the little girl' trapped in the rubble of her home

Omayra Sanchez Garzon spent three days trapped in the water after the mudslide

Chinese daredevil falls from 62-storey building days before he was due to ask permission for marriage

Wu Yongning was doing pull-ups at the top of the Huayuan International Centre in Changsha, the capital of Huan Province, when he lost his grip and fell.

The 26-year-old daredevil had picked up a reputation as 'China's first rooftopper', a lucrative online opportunity that he hoped would help pay for his wedding.

Wu's girlfriend, who refers to herself as Jin Jin, told the Beijing News that he was due to ask her parents' permission to marry her two days after the stunt.

Jin Jin told the newspaper that he planned to bring her family a bridal gift of 80,000 yuan (9,000), roughly the same amount he was due to earn from the video.

Wu had scaled the 62-storey skyscraper and set up a camera to record his climb on November 8, 2017.

The camera also captured the harrowing moment his grip weakened and he let go.

Wu fell 45ft onto a terrace below, where his body was later found by a window cleaner.

His death was confirmed by family members on December 8 after fans became concerned that no videos had been posted to his social media account for a month.

On live-streaming video site 'Volcano', Wu had one million followers and 300 videos.

He held 217 live-streaming sessions and was paid around 55,000 yuan (6,000) for doing so. Viewers paid him with virtual currency if they liked the videos.

Horrific footage showed the moment the daredevil lost his grip while filming the climb

The former actor earned money from his climbs that he hoped would help fund his wedding

Tragedy as packed hot air balloon collides with power line

On July 30, 2016, 16 people were killed in a hot air balloon crash in Texas.

Paige Brabson, who just gave birth to her first child, was among the victims.

She had bought tickets to the ride as a Mother's Day present for Lorilee Brabson, recording the moment in a series of photos on the ground and above the clouds.

The balloon took off as normal around 7.05am that Saturday morning.

Fellow passenger Matt Rowan captured an image of the view from inside the balloon at 7:29am.

But within just 13 minutes, the 15 passengers and pilot would be brought down as the balloon hit a power line.

Witnesses reported at the time that the balloon had caught fire before it plummeted to the ground.

Authorities found the basket about three quarters of a mile from the balloon itself.

Britney Reeves Hedin later wrote a touching tribute on Facebook remembering Lorilee Brabson as an 'excellent example of loving kindness to all.'

She also added: 'My heart is completely broken for their family. Her daughter has a very young little girl and life was just starting for them.'

Matt Rowan's Iraq war veteran brother Joshua, an Iraq veteran, told NBC: 'They're going to be incredibly missed. They made a difference in so many people's lives.'

Fellow passengers Brian and Tressie Neill, of San Antonio left behind two daughters, then aged 20 and 16.

Tressie Neill shared an image on Facebook as they prepared to take flight.

'Up early heading out for the anniversary surprise Brian's had planned for months! I'm super excited! and sleepy', she wrote.

Paige and Lorilee Brabson pose for a selfie before the fateful flight

Paige had bought tickets to the ride as a Mother's Day present for Lorilee Brabson, recording the moment in a series of photos on the ground and above the clouds.

Newlywed Matt Rowan shared his final images with his wife from inside the balloon to a Facebook group at 7.29am on Saturday just 13 minutes before the balloon struck power lines

Tourist swept away by sudden wave on popular beach

Rony Josua Simanjuntak joined 15 friends in an outing to the beach in October last year.

The 21-year-old was posing for photos with his friends on the rocks at Indonesia's Kedung Tumpang Beach in East Java when the sea became agitated.

The young man was standing on wet rocks with several friends when a huge wave crashed into boulders around him, sending whitewater rushing inwards.

There was nothing his friends could do as Rony was swept away and dragged into the foaming waters.

Dramatic footage shows the youth initially smiling with his arms outstretched before he was knocked off the jagged rocks jutting out of the coast.

Three rescue squads returned from searches each afternoon without news.

One team scoured the sea on rubber boats deployed from Sine Beach, five miles west of Kedung Tumpang Beach, while two other groups searched along the cliffs where Rony disappeared.

It was five days before a fisherman found Rony's corpse face down in the water, approximately 14 miles from where he went into the sea.

Police issued a warning to young people and tourists flocking to Java's photo-perfect beaches during the search.

'We are aware that young people and tourists like to visit this area to take pictures.

'But we advise them now to stay away or to avoid going close to the water. It is very dangerous.'

The moment before tragedy struck: Rony is pictured with friends looking out to sea

The group were standing on the jagged rocks when a huge wave swept Rony away

Man dies after livestreaming himself eating poisonous bugs and geckos

A 35-year-old man was found without vital signs in his flat in Hefei, China in July 2019, arousing suspicion.

'Sun', who was identified only by his surname, had only recently live-streamed himself eating poisonous centipedes and geckos alive.

The streamer had been filming himself drinking large amounts of alcohol and eating various live creatures for his 15,000 followers, local media reported at the time.

To gain more followers, he would spin a wheel marked with items including centipedes, geckos, mealworms, vinegar, eggs, beer and baijiu - a clear distilled liquor.

The pointer would land on a tile denoting something to eat or drink, and Sun would comply.

Police said they found the man unconscious in his room and without vital signs on Saturday, July 20.

His last live-stream session was the Thursday just gone, at 7:53pm. The computer was still set to stream.

Sun was a popular streamer on DouYu, one of China's largest platforms.

Local media reported that he would live stream sessions every night.

Police said they found the so-called 'food items' used in his sessions on the desk in his room.

Sun had been filming himself drinking large amounts of alcohol and eating centipedes, geckos and mealworms. To gain more followers, he would spin a wheel (above) marked with the items

File photo. To gain more followers, he would spin a wheel marked with items including centipedes, geckos, mealworms, vinegar, eggs, beer and baijiu - a clear distilled liquor

Police said they found the man unconscious in his room and without vital signs. His computer was in live-stream mode

Car passenger inadvertently live-streams her own death on Facebook

Nikol Barabasova was livestreaming when the car smashed into a barrier and rolled.

The 22-year-old filmed herself laughing and joking with her friend in the driving seat as they travelled along a road in Obrnice in Czechia.

At one point she looked nervously at the road before looking back at the camera.

Barabasova let out a scream as the vehicle suddenly slammed into a barrier, reportedly travelled 120kph (74.5mph).

The vehicle shuddered, flipped over and went quiet.

The camera, left running, ended up focusing on one of the car's seat belts.

Contemporary reports said emergency services stopped the live stream when they arrived about 20 minutes later.

A man could be heard later in the stream asking if the women were alright.

The driver was said to be in intensive care in hospital having suffered serious head injuries.

Local reports said Barabasova was killed in the accident.

The women were filmed smiling in the car while speeding down the road in Czechia

Barabasova let out a scream as the vehicle suddenly slammed into a barrier

The camera, left running, ended up focusing on one of the car's seat belts

Tourist's last photograph before falling off cliff

Ankit, 20, was 'mucking around' with friends at the top of a cliff in Western Australia when he fell and died in May 2018.

The young student from India had ventured out to The Gap in Albany when he went over the designated path and viewing platform.

Witnesses said he had been 'very careful' and only walked around the platform to take a picture before he slipped.

Ankit hit several rocks when he fell down the cliff face, before landing on a rock at the base.

Moments later a wave swept him out to sea.

A witness who called emergency services said that she had to stop his friends from jumping in after him and going over the edge.

Rescue crews arrived at about 2.45pm and searched for Ankit who was found floating in the water half an hour later west of The Gap.

Albany Sea Rescue volunteers retrieved his body just before 4pm.

Ankit's friend Sahil Khenchi, who was with him that day, chose to release one of the last photos taken of the exchange student just moments before his untimely death.

He said he hoped that the harrowing image would send a message to future visitors to be vigilant and not venture out on to the rocks to take photos.

'It was like his hobby to take pictures in each and every moment,' Sahil told Channel 7 Perth. 'It's like a warning for others.'

A friend travelling with Ankit (pictured) shared one of the final images before the fall

The exchange student went off the designated path at The Gap in Albany in Western Australia
Schools across the US are increasingly banning crocs from campuses over fears the cult slip-on footwear will cause injuries - and lawsuits.

Crocs are banned in dozens of schools - and some entire districts - in at least 20 states, to the consternation of kids who adore the casual shoes.

Numerous schools brought in the bans over the past few years after more children showed up wearing them after the Covid pandemic.

The brand, long a polarizing casual shoe for adults, pivoted towards marketing itself towards teens in the past few years after a decade of sagging sales.

But school officials have feared their growing popularity would lead to a rise in students slipping over, as crocs have no ankle support and minimal grip.

They argued crocs would be a hazard in an emergency situation, such as a mass shooting, and hamper students fleeing to safety.

Students also threw the shoes at each other, and got distracted by the charms it became trendy to attach to them, school bosses claimed.

Parents at affected schools are bitterly divided over the bans, and argue in local Facebook groups and parent forums - and with school bosses.

Schools across the US are increasingly banning crocs from campus over fears the cult slip-on footwear will cause injuries - and lawsuits

Crocs are banned in dozens of school - and some entire districts - in at least 20 states, to the consternation of kids who adore the casual shoes

Many don't want to enforce the ban on their kids, but others are concerned about safety and teaching children to follow dress codes.

'This is extreme, sounds like a prison pipeline to me what's wrong with crocs?' one parent, Brittany Thompson, claimed.

Bessemer City in Alabama banned crocs years ago, but was met with such resistance in August 2023 that its high school had to beg student not to follow through with a planned walkout.

'There is no need to walk out on Monday. Here at BCHS we want to have a safe learning environment for all, not create a prison,' it wrote in a social media post.

'Your concerns about the crocs/slides rule are heard.'

The school explained that the rule was in place before the current principal took over, under orders from the Bessemer City Board of Education

It said crocs were 'prohibited on campus for safety reasons' but staff were 'ready to have a conversation with you to discuss this issue'

But the school caused a renewed furor last July when it created a graphic with 13 banned clothes and accessories, including crocs, saying it was 'excited to announce our uniform policy'.

'This policy is a dress code to help foster a sense of community and reduce distractions, allowing students to focus on their studies,' it said.

Bessemer City in Alabama banned crocs years ago, but was met with such resistance in August 2023 that its high school had to beg student not to follow through with a planned walkout

Bessemer City High School caused a renewed furor last July when it created a graphic with 13 banned clothes and accessories, including crocs

Principal Stoney Pritchett stood by the ban, calling the controversial footwear 'a safety hazard'.

'They can twist the twist the knees, twist, twist the ankles, things like that,' he said.

BCHS parent Cassie Owen was unimpressed, claiming Pritchett was 'just trying to be a dictator' and insisted they wear safe to wear.

'He has no reason to ban crocs, he's just wanting to throw his weight around,' she said.

'Tell my kids they can't run in crocs and that will be proven a lie too. Saying they can't run in them is a dumb reason to ban them. My kids run, hike, and ride bikes in them.

'It has nothing to do with running or fleeing. It is just a way to control the children.'

Another local parent, Haven Garner, questioned why the school would send students home or suspend them just for wearing crocs.

'Kids literally sit in class for eight hours, let them be comfortable,' she said.

'Maybe we should start really focusing on more important things like bullying and school shootings. I mean, it's not gonna matter what a kid is wearing if they're dead.'

Former teacher Donna Yielding also hit out against the no-crocs rule, saying she herself wore them in class.

'I taught for over 30 years and wore crocs a lot because I stood on hard concrete floors over eight hours a day,' she said.

'If anyone had ever told me I couldn't wear them to school I would have put one of those offensive crocs where their sun didn't shine.

'Clothing can impact learning only in extreme cases. Crocs and hoodies for students is not extreme and should be allowed.'

Students also threw the shoes at each other, and got distracted by the charms it became trendy to attach to them, school bosses claimed

Wendy Coffee said footwear restrictions were one of reasons she homeschooled her children.

'Public schools are losing children daily because of all the stipulations... Why in Heaven's sake would crocs be prohibited?? Give me a break,' she said.

Clayton County Public School District, just south of Atlanta, also banned crocs and its enforcement of the rule sparked weeks of argument on a parents' group.

'I know at my daughter's school, several children hurt themselves, including my own child while wearing crocs,' Jamelle Campbell argued.

'I don't see it as an authoritative issue but rather a safety issue. When I wear crocs myself, I trip over my feet, especially when the floor is waxed and there is no grip at all when they are wet.'

Tia Lowe agreed the shoes were dangerous, based on her own experience.

'Yesterday my daughter was wearing her crocs, tripped walking on the sidewalk, and scraped up both knees pretty bad. It was the crocs,' she said.

Ka Chanelle added: 'I've seen a child with her chin split from her lip to her throat after tripping on crocs and her parent was trying to sue/blame the school. I don't blame them for banning crocs.'

One parent shared a photo of an injury either she or her daughter suffered from falling over while wearing crocs

Brandon Harris, a student at Jonesboro High School in the Clayton County district, complained that the school didn't give enough warning.

'Maybe if they would've enforced the rule one the first day than it would be understandable but taking us from our classrooms and halls to put us in ISS they could've gave us an warning,' he said.

Iman Roberts, whose daughter went to the school, said her child would continue to wear crocs until she was told not to.

'Never heard of a child being injured from wearing Crocs They can get injured from wearing any non skid shoes. My daughter is an athlete and needs some relief on her feet,' she insisted.

Cha'Rika Jenkins said both her sons wore crocs that year without issue.

'My daughter will continue to wear hers as well. This doesn't take away from being a 'lifelong citizen' or knowing how to dress appropriately for specific occasions,' she said.

'My daughter is an athlete so sometimes she needs the comfort of those shoes.'

Another parent, named, Lisa said she was happy to be moving out of Clayton County and avoiding the crocs ban.

'This is why it's time to depart from this county (for me). good luck, we're headed to Loganville where education is more important than anything else,' she said.

Schools argued crocs would be a hazard in an emergency situation, such as a mass shooting , and hamper students fleeing to safety

Nash Central Middle School in Nash County, North Carolina, was another school that banned crocs, upsetting parents Kendra Powell.

She wrote online that the school no longer allowed kids to wear crocs due to 'safety concerns such as falls and tripping'

'That's all my kids like to wear!' she protested.

But another parents, Glenda Delgado, warned that crocs could be unsafe and her child was injured while wearing them.

'Mine actually got hurt at school with his crocs, got stuck to the gym floor while he was running and fell on his knee. Had a knee brace for two months,' she wrote.

LaBelle Middle School in LaBelle, Florida, made it very clear in its uniform policy: 'NO CROCS allowed... Safe footwear shall be worn at all times.'

One parents, Alisha Gibson, claimed the ban took all individuality out of the school.

'Wow! You know everyone had the money to go out and purchase an entire second wardrobe for their kids just so they can learn,' she said.

'Kids learn best when they are comfortable in their own skin and clothing.'

Podiatrists said crocs didn't offer enough support and didn't provide for proper foot development, and were too much of a safety hazard

St Joseph High School, a Catholic school in Harrison, Pennsylvania, is another that has 'never' allowed crocs on campus.

'Canvas and slipper-like shoes present a safety hazard in all science and robotics/engineering classes because there is no protection from spills, breakages and falling objects,' the school said.

Nearby Mary Queen of Apostles in New Kensington didn't have a formal policy because students never wore them - even on uniform-free days.

Doctor Michele Kurlanski, a podiatrist in Scarborough, Maine, cautioned parents against letting their children wear crocs to school - even if it was allowed.

'I'm not surprised that some schools are banning crocs. While they might be comfy and convenient, theyre not the best choice for growing feet - especially in active environments like school,' she said.

'While they might be great for the beach or quick errands, they shouldn't replace proper footwear for school.

'If you want comfort and support, look for shoes with a firm sole, secure heel, and good arch support. Your child's feet will thank you.'

Dr. Kurlanski said crocs didn't offer enough support and didn't provide for proper foot development, and were too much of a safety hazard.

Crocs insisted its product was an 'everyday shoe' and called school bans 'baffling' and 'unfortunate'

'With their loose fit and open heel, kids can easily trip, especially on stairs or while running at recess,' she said.

Crocs were also 'too flimsy' and didn't provide protection from falling objects, rough surfaces, or anything sharp like normal shoes did.

In addition to schools, Disney World banned crocs from escalators citing safety concerns.

Crocs insisted its product was an 'everyday shoe' and called school bans 'baffling' and 'unfortunate'.

The company claims about 150 million pairs of crocs are sold every year.
A Bulgarian spy ring that passed secrets onto the Russian state ran their covert operation from a quaint-looking Norfolk hotel, it was revealed in court.

Shocking photos show rooms at the Haydee guesthouse in Great Yarmouth crammed full of surveillance equipment and spying 'toys'.

Among the high-tech gadgets found was a 120,000 'IMSI' grabber that could capture people's mobile phone numbers and fake ID printers.

The base, which looks like a typical seaside hotel from the outside, was used by the group of six Bulgarian spies to pass on information to the Kremlin.

Beautician Vanya Gaberova, 30, decorator Tihomir Ivanchev, 39, and lab technician Katrin Ivanova, 33, were all found guilty of conspiring to spy for Russia at the Old Baily following a three-month trial.

Their handler, Orlin Roussev, 46, his lieutenant, Biser Dzhambazov, 43, and Ivan Stoyanov, 32, had already pleaded guilty to the charges under the Official Secrets Act.

Roussev previously boasted about being like James Bond's 'Q' due to the scale of surveillance equipment at the Haydee guesthouse.

An 'Aladdin's Cave' of sophisticated technology including rocks containing hidden cameras, 11 drones, 221 mobile phones and 75 fake passports was found at the address.

The Haydee guesthouse, which looks like a typical seaside hotel from the outside, was used by the group of six Bulgarian spies to pass on information to the Kremlin

Orlin Roussev, 46, (pictured) boasted he was becoming like the 007 character 'Q' as he prepared his spying 'toys' for kidnap and surveillance operations across Europe

Picture shows the huge amounts of surveillance equipment that were found inside the Norfolk hotel

At the trial, jurors were also shown a 120,000 'IMSI grabber' - a black metal box, the size of a large shoe box, capable of capturing mobile phone numbers from a nearby area.

The Razor II was made by an unknown manufacturer and had been modified to include a battery that allowed it to be deployed anywhere and a wi-fi interface to allow remote communication.

A smaller 40,000 system, marked 'Stealth', a black box the size of a pencil case, was designed to be carried around and concealed beneath outer clothing.

The devices were described as 'law enforcement grade' and could be used to intercept or disrupt targeted mobile phone communications.

They could also identify an individual phone by their IMSI and IMEI numbers in conjunction with a direction finding unit called a Jugular 4 which cost 15,000.

The spies planned to use them outside a US military base in Stuttgart, Germany, to gather information from the phones of Ukrainian servicemen who were being trained to operate Patriot missile defence batteries.

The court also heard how Roussev had a number of wi-fi enabled audio and video transmitters and recorders.

Much of it was 'wearable technology' for recording video and audio such as wristwatches, pens, ties, sunglasses, a cigarette lighter, car key fob and jewellery.

Three of the 33 rooms in the Great Yarmouth guesthouse were crammed full of surveillance equipment

Pictured: A 120,000 'IMSI grabber' - a black metal box, the size of a large shoe box, capable of capturing mobile phone numbers from a nearby area

Bulgarian Vanya Gaberova, 30, was found guilty of spying after a three-month trial at the Old Bailey

The guesthouse had 33 rooms and inside three of them was a 'significant amount of IT and surveillance equipment'

Pictured: Fake press cards belonging to Gaberova and Ivanchev that were shown to the jury during the trial

The jewellery included pendant necklaces with hidden camera and microphone with SD card storage and earrings with audio recorders.

Some had SIM cards meaning they could communicate and stream directly to another member of the spy ring.

A large number of USB power banks with covert video cameras were also found.

Water bottles had mobile phone linked video surveillance capability and other 'designer' hydration vessels had devices hidden in the lid.

Police also found a listening device in a computer mouse, a camera in a smoke detector, and an audio and video recorder in a coat hook.

Radio frequency audio transmitting devices included one concealed in a pen, some of which had voice activation to save on battery life.

Computer network exploitation devices - with names such as pineapples, coconuts, turtles, bash bunnies, rubber duckies, packet squirrels, key crocks, plunder bugs and shark jacks - could be used to intercept digital communications data on unsecured wi-fi networks.

There was also a Pandora car key cloning device, a Russian-made car unlocking device and radio frequency identification cloning equipment, which would allow the spies to capture hotel or building access cards and to clone them.

Gaberova pictured with Biser Dzhambazov, 43, who had already pleaded guilty to the charges under the Official Secrets act

The agents used hi-tech equipment to try and track Ukrainian servicemen training at US airbase Patch Barracks in Stuttgart (Pictured: A minion camera seized by police)

This picture of Vanya Gaberova wearing spy glasses was shown to the jury at the Old Bailey

Fugitive businessman Jan Marsalek (pictured in his passport photo) was the financer of the operations

Decorator Tihomir Ivanchev, 39, (left) was accused of being part of the spy ring

Ivan Stoyanov, 32, had already pleaded guilty to the charges under the Official Secrets Act.

Earpieces allowed the spies to listen in to inductive hearing loops used in public spaces, such as conference rooms, and could also be used for the spies to communicate with each other.

There were numerous GPS tracking devices with magnets which showed scratches and markings to suggest they had been used in previous deployments.

More traditional surveillance equipment included night vision binoculars and monoculars and mobile radios as well as scanners that could be used to listen to mobile radios used by security guards.

Other technical surveillance counter measures included radio frequency scanners known as 'bug detectors' and a basic camera lens detector.

There were said to be an 'extraordinary' number of mobile phones both traditional and smart phones, including low-cost Chinese manufactured Cubot smart phones that allowed the user to illegally modify the phone's IMEI number.
A horrifying sexual abuse lawsuit filed against Mica Miller's husband might be just the tip of the iceberg, with numerous other alleged victims considering similar action against the embattled clergyman, a lawyer claims.

John-Paul Miller, 44, was accused in a lawsuit filed last week of raping a 15-year-old girl in 1998 while working at his father's church in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, when he was 19.

Miller has been under intense public scrutiny since his wife, Mica, was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in April 2024 at a North Carolina state park.

Her death came just days after she served Miller with divorce papers. Allegations of abuse later surfaced, and the FBI is currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the 30-year-old's suicide.

Now an accuser - identified only as 'Jane Doe' - alleged that Miller sexually assaulted her again more than two decades later in 2023 by forcibly grabbing her genitals in public without her consent.

The woman claimed the most recent alleged attack 'triggered repressed memories' of the incident from 1998, of which she previously had 'no conscious recollection'.

But things could get worse for Miller yet still, with the attorney for Mica's family, Regina Ward, telling DailyMail.com she has been in communication with multiple other women who are considering filing similar civil claims against Miller alleging abuse.

'My response to [Jane Doe's lawsuit] is that it sounds very similar to the pattern of abusive behavior shared by other alleged victims that I've been speaking to,' claimed Ward.

John-Paul Miller, 44, was accused of rape and sexual assault in a lawsuit filed in Horry County, South Carolina, last week

Miller has fallen under a torrent of public scrutiny since his wife Mica Miller was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot would in April 2024, following accusations of abuse

'I can't divulge how many others there are, but let's just say this is Jane Doe number one.'

In last week's complaint, Miller's anonymous accuser claims she had been attending Sunday school at Miller's father's church, All Nations Church, in 1998 when she says a teenage Miller - then a youth pastor - forced her into his father's office and shut the door behind them.

Miller is said to have immediately become 'aggressive' with Jane Doe and attempted to physically overpower her while she pleaded with him to stop.

The accuser alleges Miller then led her from his dad's office, forced her into his truck, and raped her.

The accuser was a virgin at the time of the alleged attack, according to the lawsuit.

Years later, she claims she ran into Miller during a trip to Myrtle Beach with a friend in 2023.

Miller leaned in to hug her before suddenly shoving his 'hands down her pants and touching genitals without her consent', the complaint alleges.

Shortly after, the pair got into an argument over him allegedly using his title as pastor and citing scripture to 'justify sexual misconduct'.

The complaint alleges that Miller replied: 'No man is without sin and temptation. God understands that,' citing a scripture.

Doe's complaint notes that the alleged 2023 sexual assault triggered repressed memories of the alleged 1998 rape.

The complaint also names Miller's father, Reginald Wayne Miller, as a defendant, as well as their religious affiliations, All Nations Cathedral Church, previously Cathedral Baptist Church of the Grand Strand, and Solid Rock Ministries.

'Behind their religious facade, John-Paul Miller and Reginald Wayne Miller engaged in sexual abuse and predatory conduct - often targeting minors,' reads the complaint.

'They used their positions of power to manipulate and exploit vulnerable victims while concealing their actions from the public.'

'Their failure to create and enforce proper policies was not only negligent but reckless and willful, as they ignored clear warning signs and failed to warn minors and their families about the dangers within the church,' the complaint continues.

Mica took her own life, aged 30, just days after serving Miller with divorce papers

The FBI searched Miller's home in November. The reason for that search has not been disclosed

The suit names All Nations Church, led by his father Reginald Wayne Miller, and his own church Cathedral Baptist Church of the Grand Strand and Solid Rock Ministries as defendants

The lawsuit further cited two sworn affidavits, one from Miller's ex-wife Alison Williams and another from Susan Miller, his father's ex-wife.

In Williams's affidavit from 2024, she testified that Miller had confessed to being sexually inappropriate with 'several underage female members of their church'.

Williams said that Miller had attempted to justify his behavior by pointing to his own history of childhood sexual abuse, allegedly perpetrated by his father.

She also said that Miller had been ordered to undergo a sexual addiction rehab program, though she claims he never completed it.

Susan Miller's 2007 testimony, meanwhile, details how Miller's father allegedly 'physically and emotionally abused his family'.

Miller also testified she'd heard 'rumors' and 'sexual innuendo' regarding her former husband.

Several young men had previously come forward against the elder Miller in 1989, telling WPDE he had made sexual advances toward them.

Attorney Randall Hood, who is representing the woman, said she felt compelled to come forward after learning of the death of Miller's wife - insisting that she felt 'immense guilt' and believed she could've prevented more harm if she'd spoken up sooner.

Hood added that the accuser heard there had been 'multiple other victims over the years' and wanted to ensure no other women could be victimized.

Ward told DailyMail.com she believes more alleged victims will be speaking out soon.

'Victims of this kind of assault tend to not want to come forward with these allegations, especially against a pastor or school leadership, because there's always a fear the victim won't be believed, so it takes someone courageous to come forward. Period,' shared Ward.

'Some of the individuals I've spoken to, I hope they will find the courage to come forward and join forces with Jane Doe Number One - I encourage them to do that.

'Anyone else who has been victimized by him or his father. They should come forward, seek out an attorney, and get the support they need.'

Miller's attorney declined to comment on Jane Doe's lawsuit.

He appeared in court last week to request a restraining order against three 'Justice for Mica' protesters, one of whom he's accused of physically assaulting. The request was denied.

The three women - Alexandra Cuozzo, Melissa Pfeiffer, and Sandra Caron - have been protesting outside of Miller's church for months.

The protests grew out of abuse and harassment allegations made against Miller, which surfaced in the aftermath of Mica's suicide.

The attorney for Mica's family, Regina Ward, told DailyMail.com she has been in communication with multiple other women who are considering filing civil claims of abuse against Miller

Before her death, Mica accused Miller of grooming her as a child. Miller has denied the claims

Seen above is Solid Rock Ministries in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where Miller works as a pastor

Miller's father Reginald, seen here, has also been named as a defendant in the suit brought against his son

Mica contacted police several times in the months preceding her suicide to level allegations against her husband, including claims he 'groomed' her when he was a teenager.

Miller has vehemently denied any allegations of grooming and abuse. He has also previously suggested Mica suffered from mental illness and had attempted suicide on more than one occasion.

The circumstances of Mica's death are currently being investigated by the FBI.

Ward was subpoenaed by the bureau last June to supply documents, including journal entries and electronic evidence, relating to the woman's death.

Then, in November, federal authorities were seen serving a search warrant at Miller's home.

A spokesperson for the agency refused to disclose the reason for the search.

As of last week, Ward said she hadn't received any further information from the FBI but remains hopeful the investigation results in an indictment.

'I don't know anything about the FBI's investigation, but they took materials and other things from [Miller's] home, so you'd assume that's being reviewed,' said Ward.

'Of course, the family is hopeful there will be an indictment, but we haven't had any updates since the search warrant.'

Ward added that she hasn't spoken to Mica's family since Jane Doe's lawsuit was filed in Horry County on February 25.

Right now, the family is preparing to celebrate Mica's first birthday since her passing and are choosing to stay out of the spotlight so they can finally focus on grieving Mica's loss.

'This took the world by storm, and they haven't taken a moment to breathe and mourn the loss of their beloved sister and daughter for almost a year,' Ward shared.

'They're taking the time to lean on each other. Her birthday is going to be a very emotional time for them all, and they plan to be together, away from the spotlight.'
A woman has revealed how her abusive husband locked her in their house when he went to work for almost two years and monitored her every move through through their Alexa.

Wayne Wellings also forced his wife Carolyn Shepherd, 38, to open the window for delivery drivers because the front door of their home in The Wirral was locked, and he kept tabs on what she was up to using the family's Alexa smart speaker.

'He'd dial in and listen silently, even though I could hear the noise from his workplace in the background.

'When I asked him about it, he'd say I was imagining it, trying to make me think I was going mad. It was his way of checking up on me every day and he did it for nearly two years.

'Sometimes, he'd dial in and shout down the Alexa, to make sure I was at home, and I was alone. If I ever didn't pick up his call or reply to a text message, he immediately dialled straight into the Alexa because he suspected I was being unfaithful, which was never the case.'

He'd also forced the mother-of-two to video her hen night hotel, proving she wasn't having an affair. And he even attacked her in a jealous outburst on their wedding night in 2016, after she danced with a gay pal.

In violent rages, he squashed her face after she'd had cosmetic filler to make her lips burst. He would also spit on her make-up and smash her beauty products, accusing her of trying to look good for other men.

Last September Wellings was jailed at Liverpool Crown Court for five years after he was convicted of assaults and coercive control.

Carolyn Shepherd, 38, from The Wirral, with her husband Wayne Wellings on their wedding day in 2016. He attacked her that night after she'd danced with a gay male friend

It took a year for Carolyn to report her former husband's abuse, but she now realises it was the best thing she's ever done

Carolyn's injured lip after an attack. Wellings would squash her lips until they burst after she'd had filler

'I used to stay quiet, even when he was attacking me, because I felt that was best. Now I realise that finding my voice is the best thing I've ever done,' Carolyn said.

'I'm back at work, raising my children, and really enjoying my life.'

Carolyn, who works in the car industry, met Wellings 11 years ago online and within six months they had moved in together.

'He was very intense, from the start, and wanted us to be together all the time,' she recalled. 'But I was flattered, I thought he really loved me. I was ready to settle down and he seemed like the perfect man.

'The first night we moved into our new home, Wayne attacked me because he was drunk. He rubbed my face in the dog's bowl and told me I was fat and I was a dog.

'I felt so ashamed, I couldn't bear to tell anyone. I'd borrowed money from my family to move into the house. And that set the pattern for the next eight years  I just kept quiet no matter what he did.

'Wayne was abusive almost every day. He'd spit on me and rub his hand in my face to mess up my make up. He pulled out my hair extensions. He said I was a slut.

'I had lip filler sometimes and he'd squash my lips until they burst which was agony.

Carolyn said that Wellings was charming but intense when they first met

The couple had two sons, and on December 27 2020, when their second son was just weeks old, Wayne launched his final attack

'He'd raise his hand and then laugh when I flinched, thinking he was going to hit me.'

The couple married in July 2016, with Carolyn hoping their wedding might be a new start.

She said: 'I had a quiet hen do, a night away in Essex with two friends, but Wayne harassed me all night and made me video the hotel room to make sure there were no men in there.

'On our wedding day he got drunk and vanished, and I had to do our last dance with a gay pal. Wayne went ballistic and attacked me on our wedding night, squeezing me round my throat.

'He told me I deserved it and by now, I believed it. I thought I was completely worthless. He locked me in the house when he went to work, and if we had a delivery, I had to open the window. He monitored me through the Alexa which was downstairs.

'By now, my mum was calling me every day to make sure I was OK. She begged me to get help. I left him a few times, but he'd threaten to kill me, or my mum, and so I always went back. I was trapped.'

The couple had two sons, and on December 27 2020, when their second son was just weeks old, Wayne launched his final attack.

She says: 'I took a work message from a male colleague and Wayne accused me of flirting. He went ballistic, pulling a curtain pole down and beating me. My mum turned up and something clicked. I realised enough was enough.'

Carolyn has now gone back to work and is raising her two sons

Carolyn moved in with her mum, Christine, but it was another year before she felt strong enough to speak to the police.

In September Wellings was found guilty at Liverpool Crown Court on two counts of ABH and controlling/coercive behaviour. In November, he was jailed for five years.

Carolyn says: 'I am so relieved he's behind bars. I now have chance to look to the future. I'm back at work, I'm enjoying raising my sons, and life is better than it's ever been.

For eight long and lonely years, I stayed quiet, because I felt that was best. Now I realise that finding my voice is the best thing I've ever done.

I only hope my story can be a lesson to someone else. Please speak out and get help. Silence is not the answer.'
A British university student who auctioned off her virginity for 1.6million has revealed she has no regrets and now wants to become a sugar baby doted on by rich men.

Laura, 22, from Manchester, is one of an increasing number of young women who have sold their virginity on escort sites for large sums of cash.

Despite being born into a 'very strict' family with a religious background, she told MailOnline she 'never wanted to be still single and broke' and felt that, logically, a virginity sale was an easy solution.

And although she found out the man who bid the most for taking her virginity was a Hollywood actor who had visited Jeffrey Epstein's paedophile island, Laura still slept with him.

Now, almost a year after losing her virginity and 1.6million richer, Laura says she has 'no regrets'.

She now hopes to become a sugar baby and demands interested men pay her 30,000-a-month for the pleasure of her company.

The youngster first decided to sell her virginity in December 2023, which is when she submitted an application to escort site Cinderella Escorts.

Laura was then invited to events to meet potential buyers before eventually 'taking it a step further' just months later.

Laura, a 22-year-old student from the UK (pictured), sold her virginity for 1.6million almost a year ago to a bidder that she alleges is an 'extremely well-known Hollywood actor from Los Angeles'

Despite being born into a 'very strict' family with a religious background, she has exclusively told MailOnline that she 'never wanted to be still single and broke'

Although Laura found out the man who bid the most for taking her virginity was a Hollywood actor who had visited Jeffrey Epstein's (pictured) paedophile island, she still slept with him

In a hugely competitive bidding process, an 'extremely well-known Hollywood actor from Los Angeles' won the virginity auction, beating a 'politician from London' and a 'Dubai businessman'.

Then, a date for the event was arranged and a member of the escort site's team later accompanied her to a five-star London hotel to meet the man who had laid down more than a 1million to have sex with her.

Laura said that the buyer even brought a doctor to 'confirm the authenticity' of her virginity beforehand.

She insists that while she had not conventionally dated her buyer, they had organised a meeting prior in order to ensure that she 'felt comfortable with the idea of taking it a step further'.

And, far from feeling apprehensive, the young woman could 'hardly wait' to make the hugely anticipated sale.

She said: 'When my virginity was bought, we arranged a day where I was invited to a hotel to spend the night with him. He had brought a doctor with him on the same day to confirm the authenticity of my virginity beforehand.

'It was actually nothing more than an escort booking, with the difference being that I had never had sex before and the amount paid was a lot higher'.

Describing the interaction with her buyer as completely 'harmless' , Laura insisted she had previously 'made friends with the idea' of losing her virginity in a non-traditional way and had also clearly communicated her sexual preferences beforehand.

Far from feeling apprehensive, the young woman could 'hardly wait' to make the hugely anticipated sale

Laura said that her traditional parents were initially 'surprised' by her unique decision to auction her virginity but later came to support her

The young student said she had previously 'made friends with the idea' of losing her virginity in a non-traditional way

Pictured: Disgraced socialite Jeffrey Epstein's paedophile island of Little St James in the Caribbean

She added: 'I'm glad that I made this decision, as I think very rationally as a person. The likelihood that I would have lost my virginity to someone who would never have married me afterwards anyway was very high. It wasn't worth it to me.'

Laura said that her traditional parents were initially 'surprised' by her unique decision to auction her virginity but later came to support her, appreciating their daughter's desire to have complete bodily autonomy.

Laura remarked: 'I don't think anyone should interfere and tell me who I should have sex with, after all it's my body and I'm a free and independent woman. What's more, I'm of legal age and therefore fully aware of my decision.'

Desiring to sell her virginity in order to obtain 'financial independence', Laura said that receiving a payment of 1.6million felt like she was living 'in a dream'.

She added: 'I could hardly believe that I suddenly had so much money.

'I bought apartments to rent out and used the rest to buy new clothes. I also travelled. I didn't want to spend everything straight away.'

Laura, who said she found it 'amazing how many famous people like virgins', said that the sale has provided her with exclusive access into some of the most A-list celebrity circles, alleging that she has dated 'NBA players, Premier League players and politicians'.

Laura said that receiving a payment of more than 1million felt like she was living 'in a dream'. She has used the cash to fund holidays and to purchase flats that she now lets out

Laura said that her traditional parents were initially 'surprised' by her unique decision to auction her virginity but later came to support her

The 22-year-old revealed that the buyer had even brought a doctor to 'confirm the authenticity' of her virginity beforehand

Laura cautioned against women jumping into making a similar decision without first considering the possible dangers

She added: 'If you're a woman who flirts with these men and maybe even gets intimate, then they open up and tell you everything. You can just ask so many questions.

'I'm a very curious person and these circles were just like a paradise for inquisitive people like me.'

However, while Laura speaks positively about how her virginity sale has transformed her life, she cautions against women jumping into making a similar decision without first considering the possible dangers.

She said: 'Of course, there are a lot of risks involved. It is important to clearly communicate sexual taboos beforehand. You should definitely contact a renowned agency and never plan something like this on your own.'
A Labour MP has denied reports of young schoolgirls being approached and followed just minutes from a so-called 'migrant hotel'.

Parents in the affluent town of Earley, near Reading, raised the alarm after reportedly seeing men behaving suspiciously and chasing schoolgirls in Maiden Place, located a three-minute drive from the Best Western Plus Moat House hotel.

In response, Earley and Woodley MP Yuan Yang insisted in a letter sent to concerned residents that she was in 'regular contact with the police' who had arrested several individuals over a suspected 'public order' issue and were 'not in relation to behaviour against school-aged children'.

She also added that the police currently 'have a very small number of reports and nothing that suggests endemic predatory behaviour from residents'.

However one resident who lives near the hotel told MailOnline that police officers had been knocking on nearby residents' doors in a search of CCTV footage that may show young girls being approached.

The mother-of-two, who has lived near Easington Drive for more than a year, said: 'I heard from a friend that some girls were being followed near a primary school.'

The primary school was approached for comment but declined to provide further information.

Earley and Woodley MP Yuan Yang (pictured) insisted in a letter sent to concerned residents that she was in 'regular contact with the police' who had arrested several individuals over a suspected 'public order' issue 'not in relation to behaviour against school aged children'

In a letter sent to concerned residents last month, Earley and Woodley MP Yuan Yang said that she was in 'regular contact with the police' regarding residents' concerns

Thames Valley Police have made a series of public disorder arrests after reports of young girls being approached and followed in Earley, near Reading, just minutes from a hotel housing migrants (pictured)

The Earley resident also alleged witnessing police cars patrolling around the primary school at the end of the school day - and added that another friend recently had seen a suspicious interaction between a girl from Maiden Erlegh Secondary School and a young man.

The Earley resident also alleged witnessing police cars patrolling around the primary school at the end of the school day - and added that another friend recently had seen a suspicious interaction between a girl from Maiden Erlegh Secondary School and a young man.

The 35-year-old said: 'My friend was walking her son to school and there was this girl on her own and there was this seemingly foreign guy asking for directions to the shops, and he said, 'you come with me, you show me,' and my friend had to tell him 'no', and he walked off. This was two weeks ago.

'We usually let our kids play outside here - we don't allow that anymore.'

A series of Facebook posts alleging that men from the hotel have been 'stalking' school girls has prompted the nearby secondary school to warn pupils not to walk home alone.

In an email sent to pupils' parents and guardians, the deputy headteacher from Maiden Erlegh School said: 'We have been made aware that there are several social media posts regarding concerns around the conduct of some older adult males at Maiden Place.

'We have contacted the police who have informed us that they are aware of concerns and are actioning accordingly.

'We would encourage all students to remain vigilant and avoid walking home alone where at all possible.

The Seven Red Roses pub, Maiden Place, has put up posters addressing residents' safety concerns (pictured)

One local resident, a mother-of-two, told MailOnline that police officers had been knocking on nearby residents' doors in a search for possible CCTV footage of girls being approached

A series of Facebook posts alleging that men from the hotel have been 'stalking' school girls has prompted the nearby secondary school to warn pupils not to walk home alone

Your browser does not support iframes.

'We would ask that you educate your child(ren) about interacting with anyone unknown and to ensure they know what to do in an emergency.'

IT worker Shelley Johnston, 50, said she had been 'shocked' when she received the email from her son's school.

She said: 'It makes me feel really terrible, we have a nice little community and I have been really concerned. I have feared for my kids safety.

'There is a camp that are against all migration, period. I'm not in that camp. I absolutely welcome all immigration - I work across the globe with my job and I would be delighted if more people come to this country with their skills.'

The Seven Red Roses pub, Maiden Place, has put up posters addressing residents' concerns, saying that anyone 'feeling harassed or distressed' could come inside and have staff arrange safe transport home.

Staff member Ashley, 25, said: 'We just want everyone to feel safe. There have been a lot of police about the area.'

But she expressed concerns about the dangers of potentially misleading posts on social media.

It comes as up to 38,079 migrants were being housed in asylum hotels at the end of December 2024, an increase of nearly six per cent in six months, according to figures by the Home Office

Local resident and mother, Shelley Johnston, 50, said she had been 'shocked' by the email sent from her son's school and that she has 'feared for my kids safety'

She said: 'It can be dangerous if it's not true.'

It comes as up to 38,079 migrants were being housed in asylum hotels at the end of December 2024, an increase of nearly six per cent in six months, according to figures by the Home Office.

Matthew Rycroft, the Home Office's permanent secretary, announced just last month that the department would aim to 'exit' hotel use by the end of the Parliament, which is latest August 2029.

Sandra Bushnell, who has lived in Earley since 1970 and visits the shopping area 'daily', said she hadn't seen any suspicious behaviour - but had been left spooked by reports online.

She said: 'I haven't experienced anything terrible - but because of the posts I'm very apprehensive, so I no longer walk here to the cafe on my own.'

In her letter to residents, Ms Yang thanked residents for contacting her about their concerns 'about the Moat House Hotel'.

She said: 'I understand that some of the reports, particularly those shared on social media, are quite distressing.

'My team have been in regular contact with the police and have been made aware of arrests made last week regarding an incident not previously flagged on social media; these arrests were made on suspicion of public order but were not in relation to behaviour against school aged children.

'All those arrested (I believe it was two or three people) have been interviewed and bailed pending a disposal decision.'

Ms Yang also said that she 'shares residents' concerns that the asylum system in the UK has broken down' and believes that the Government 'must work towards a fairer, more humane and better organised asylum system, and must not normalise the use of hotels.'

Thames Valley Police was unable to confirm the details around the reported arrests.

The Home Office declined to comment on the status of Best Western Moat House hotel.

The Best Western hotel chain was approached for comment.
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 ...


Meghan Markle has courted controversy for years but in one of the more peculiar moments of public life, the controversial actress was kissed by a young boy in front of a room of rowdy teenagers.

In the years since the viral kiss, Meghan has been responsible for a series of failed Megxit projects - from her cancelled Spotify podcast and children's book flops to her disastrous lifestyle brand and slated Netflix shows.

Yet despite her failures, the 16-year-old who kissed Meghan Markle five years ago on her final UK engagement still has eyes for the Duchess of Sussex, MailOnline can reveal.

Aker Okoye, now 21, delighted his schoolmates when he left Meghan in hysterics on a trip to Robert Clack Upper School in Dagenham in 2020, where he bounded up on stage to rapturous applause and embraced her.

Taking to the lectern, the smooth-talking head boy laughed before waiting for the clamour to die down - and said, 'she really is beautiful innit,' sparking more laughter as Meghan wagged her finger in mock admonishment.

Over the following days the teenager's life was a whirlwind. He wrote a tongue-in-cheek apology to Prince Harry for 'cuddling his wife' and defended Meghan on Good Morning Britain, saying she 'is more than a pretty face'.

Now a star student at Cambridge who hopes to take up an acting career after he finishes his BA in Education, Policy and International Development, Aker says he still has an 'admiration' for Meghan, who quit the royal family to live in a multi-million-pound mansion in California.

Speaking to MailOnline five years after his star moment, Aker said: 'If we ever share a stage again I will be sure to point it out for the crowd in one way or another.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (left) goes to embrace student Aker Okoye during a school assembly as part of a visit to Robert Clack School in Essex, on March 6, 2020, in support of International Women's Day

The trip to the Dagenham school was Meghan's final solo engagement as a working member of the Royal Family and marked International Women's Day

Aker Okoye, now 21, delighted his schoolmates when he left Meghan in hysterics on a trip to Robert Clack Upper School in Dagenham in 2020, where he bounded up on stage to rapturous applause and embraced her

'I'll let it be known that I'll always share an admiration for her and her works!'

But despite his love for the Duchess, Aker said that he has not watched her new Netflix show or her podcasts because he hadn't realised they existed.

He said he had watched Suits after meeting the former actress and 'loved' it, and hoped she had 'really experienced as much as she could in the UK and taken as much from that experience and learned from that'.

Meghan Markle's With Love show has a lowly 11 per cent rating from viewers, falling behind wrestling and sitcoms on Netflix's chart. The delayed lifestyle series was slammed by critics yesterday after its premiere as 'gormless lifestyle filler' with a 'tangible desperation'.

The trip to the Dagenham school was Meghan's final solo engagement as a working member of the Royal Family and marked International Women's Day.

Aker raced to the stage after she asked for a schoolboy to get up on stage and talk about what the day meant to them.

Looking back on the moment, he laughed: 'I've managed to do a few things since that moment. I was but a boy, now I am a 21-year-old man so things have definitely transitioned, shifted, grown since.

Now a star student at Cambridge who hopes to take up an acting career after he finishes his BA in Education, Policy and International Development, Aker says he still has an 'admiration' for the Montecito-based royal

Meghan called for a 'brave young man' to come up on stage to explain the importance of it all  and for one rare moment, Meghan found herself upstaged by 16-year-old Aker

Taking to the lectern, the smooth-talking head boy laughed before waiting for the clamour to die down - and simply said: 'she really is beautiful innit'

The crowd went wild and he beamed as she laughed and wagged her finger in mock admonishment

'It's nice to see my essence captured in real time, and so that to be celebrated at the time - unintentional that it was going to be seen by so many people!'

Aker says that his father and then-agent were adamant that he return to school and live a normal life after his royal exposure.

He said that his whole class gathered around the school projector to watch his appearance on Good Morning Britain - and he arrived back to find himself the object of amazement and envy.

And even when he arrived at Cambridge, after achieving stellar A*A*A* grades, he was a local celebrity.

He made top of the student newspaper Varsity's list of 'famous freshers' - beating Northern Irish environmental activist Dara McAnulty, BRIT award nominated Classical Soprano Katie Marshall and Lichtenstein's Princess Theodora.

After throwing himself into acting at Cambridge, he is prepped to attend his first award show later this year and hopes to join the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art when he graduates.

He said: 'I was a bit of a maverick growing up and was good with everybody - I was quite social and I was also head boy.

'The goodwill I accumulated years prior had to come to fruition for the most part and were just very happy for me. Some of them were jealous and still now they hold on to it which I have to laugh at!

Meghan's delayed lifestyle series was slammed by critics yesterday after its premiere as 'gormless lifestyle filler' with a 'tangible desperation'

Meghan Markle 's With Love show has a lowly 11 per cent rating from viewers with it behind wrestling and sitcoms on Netflix 's chart

Aker's letter to Prince Harry and Meghan Dear Harry and Meghan, Harry, hope you don't mind me writing this letter. I hope you didn't mind me cuddling your wife. I was just overwhelmed and shocked to see her at my school. It was a pleasure to hear her speech and to speak in front of her as well. She is truly inspirational. I nearly met you last year when you came to East London to open the future youth zone but I was away with the school. I hope to meet you one day. Good luck and best for the future. With kind regards, Aker Okoye Advertisement

'There were some staff who were not very happy with me. I think a lot of teachers had not foreseen the circumstances!'

The viral moment came just days before the country went into lockdown for Covid-19. Teachers who met Meghan joked they weren't sure whether to offer her a handshake or elbow bump. 'It's OK!' she said, holding out her hand.

Aker said that the isolation following his new-found fame was 'very difficult', but made him realise how important it was to be a part of the local community.

He remains proud that he helped put the struggling area in east London - which the Duchess of Sussex called 'incredibly profound' - on the map.

He continued: 'Dagenham especially has so many heroes and so many people that often aren't given the shining light that they deserve simply because of where they're coming from.

'I'm glad that, at least in that moment, the world knew what Dagenham was and had a flavor or Dagenham can offer.'

Standing up in front of the school assembly in 2020, Meghan spoke passionately to the school about International Women's Day.

And that's when she called for a 'brave young man' to come up on stage to explain the importance of it all  and for one rare moment, Meghan found herself upstaged by 16-year-old Aker.

'I had to speak the truth there,' he told the room. 'International Women's Day is a reminder to everyone that women can do it all and do do it all.

Aker poses for a picture with GMB presenter Piers Morgan (left) and grabs a selfie with Susanna Reid

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex poses with school children making the 'Equality' sign following a school assembly during a visit to Robert Clack School in Essex, on March 6, 2020, in support of International Women's Day

'This is more of a message to all you guys. Maybe this Sunday could be the one day we don't look at women as objects.'

'Well done. Very well said,' replied Meghan as Aker hugged her and left the stage. 'And incredible confidence, won't you all agree?'

It is a message Aker still lives by. He said: 'I think often people don't even begin to question why she was there, but the reason why she was there was in light of International Women's Day.

'I've participated in anti male violence against women and girls consecutively for the past two years and I think that that message has only been echoed.

'I'll always be someone who repeats this message and tries to embody that as much as I can.

'I think as men, we have a great responsibility not only in celebrating but also calling out the injustices and doing what you can to protect and serve.'
His story is one so remarkable that even Hollywood's most creative minds would struggle to conjure up a more unbelievable script.

But now, Chris Lemons, 45, is having his story told on the biggest of screens following the release of The Last Breath, a survival thriller film which follows one of the world's truly astonishing stories.

In September 2012, Mr Lemons found himself 300ft under the North Sea for 38 minutes with limited air and no contact with his colleagues - and lived to tell the tale.

Staring the prospect of death straight in the face after the snapping of his 'umbilical' support cord which plunged him to the freezing depths of the sea, the 45-year-old has spoken about what was running through his mind at that moment.

He told The Guardian: 'I was at an exciting point in my life: early 30s, getting married the following year, we were in the process of building a house...I had all the hopes and dreams you have at that stage  of children, travel  and it felt as if all of that was about to be ripped away in this strange, lonely, ethereal place.

'I grew up in a middle-class family on the outskirts of Cambridge, and I remember thinking: "How is this dark, lonely place where I end my days?".'

Mr Lemons, who can now show a degree of humour when recalling the traumatic incident, saying he was even worried about what they'd find on his mobile phone after he died.

The 45-year-old, who worked as a saturation diver, would normally spend his shifts working in a submerged pressurised chamber for up to a month while he worked on offshore structures.

Chris Lemons (pictured, right) survived at 300ft under the North Sea for 38 minutes without any oxygen or contact with his colleagues - and lived to tell the tale; with Mr Lemons is Morag who he was engaged to at the time of the incident

The remarkable story has been adapted for the big screen with The Last Breath, a survival thriller film which will hit cinemas on March 14

From left, Finn Cole, Woody Harrelson and Simu Liu will all feature in the new movie, The Last Breath

A typical way for him to get to work was via diving-bell, which Mr Lemons labels his 'taxi'.

However on September 18, his cab faltered.

It had started as just another day at sea for Mr Lemons and his colleagues Dave Yuasa and Duncan Allcock, another two underwater specialists.

Their task was to descend 300 ft from the diving support vessel, Bibby Topaz, to the seabed to repair a damaged pipe.

Normally this would be routine for them, but terrifying in anybody elses terms.

They would be working in extreme conditions, where the pressure on their bodies was such that they had to prepare for a dive by spending days on board the ship in a special decompression saturation unit  like a mini-submarine  before climbing into an even more cramped diving bell, attached to the Bibby Topaz, that took them towards the bottom.

While Mr Yuasa and Lemons donned their diving suits and helmets before descending, Mr Allcock stayed in the diving bell, feeding out the umbilical cords  lifelines that provided the two divers with air, warmth, light and a way of communicating for what was planned as a six-hour job.

All was going to plan until an alarm began ringing from the Bibby Topaz to Mr Yuasa and Mr Lemons. They were to return to the bell at once and to be brought back to the ship.

The Last Breath, featuring Finn Cole (pictured) is directed by Emmy-nominated Alex Parkinson

The adaption to the big screen shows the incredible moments which saw Mr Lemons plummet to the seabed

However, its computer-operated navigation system, which was being used to lock the vessel in place over the oil well, had failed. Now the Bibby Topaz was drifting away from the oil well with the crew unable to control it.

The bell was attached to the ship, and as it drifted, so did the bell. But for Mr Yuasa and Mr Lemons, all that connected them to safety were their umbilical cords, which had become vulnerable to the pull of a drifting vessel.

As they frantically scrambled up, following the cords back to the bell, Mr Lemonss cord got snagged on the wells structure.

With the ship dragging the bell in the opposite direction, the cord was pulled tight. Mr Yuasa tried to help, but knew it was hopeless. As Lemons desperately tugged to free it, it snapped with a bang.

Inside his diving suit, everything went silent. No light, no air, no communication with his colleagues  and no more hot water circulating to keep his suit warm. He was flung back to the seabed.

Mr Yuasa was ordered back to the bell. There was not enough play in his cord to look for Mr Lemons, and the crew on the Bibby Topaz didnt want to lose both divers.

Inside the bell, Mr Allcock tried to imagine how he was going to explain what had happened to Morag.

On the surface, the crew frantically battled to repair the ships navigation system. They knew every minute counted if they were to return and launch a search for Mr Lemons.

Simu Liu, who recently featured in the box-office hit, Barbie, will play Mr Yuasa

At best, they calculated, he might have eight minutes of air in his emergency tanks.

Reflecting now, Mr Lemons said he estimates using roughly half of the emergency gas.

As the clock ticked and the technicians tried to regain control, the decision was taken to send down an unmanned probe with a camera to look for the missing diver, starting in the immediate vicinity of the well.

Alone on the seabed, Mr Lemons knew his chances of survival were diminishing by the second. His best option, he judged, was to use what little air he had to find the well structure and climb up to where he knew there was a shelf.

But disorientated by the intense darkness, he recalled having no idea which way to head.

By the time the underwater probe reached the well structure and spotted his body, the crew above glued to the monitors showing camera footage could see he was still twitching.

But by the time the navigation system was rebooted, 25 minutes after it crashed, the images being relayed to the Bibby Topaz showed Mr Lemons was now still.

The crew concluded with regret that it was now a question of recovering a dead body.

The BBC made a documentary about the incident in 2019, titled Last Breath

It took them several more minutes to get the Topaz back to its original position above the well. From the bell, attached to its underside, Mr Yuasa was instructed to dive down to the platform and bring back Mr Lemons body.

It was a deadweight, as if confirming all their worst fears, but Mr Yuasa hauled it into the bell where Mr Allcock tore off Lemons helmet and, more in hope than expectation, started to give him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

After just two breaths, Lemons shuddered into life.

Yet, still, Mr Allcock knew the chances of Mr Lemons being left severely brain-damaged by lack of oxygen were overwhelming. But within minutes Lemons started talking coherently. He really had cheated death.

How he survived alone with almost no air for 38 minutes in one of the most inhospitable places on the planet still puzzles experts.

The best explanation they can offer is that the extreme cold caused his body to shutdown, allowing its vital organs to function in twilight mode on the tiny bit of oxygen left in his system.

I dont think I will ever know, Mr Lemons said at the end of the initial BBC documentary about the incident in 2019.

His life with Morag, which he thought had been so cruelly snatched from him, was fulfilled and they married as planned.

And remarkably, after all he went through that night when the North Sea did its best to claim him as its own, he, Mr Yuasa and Mr Allcock were back on the sea bed three weeks later.

Today, he still works in the industry as a diving supervisor on the ship.
Sir Keir Starmer has signalled that he would block any attempt to ban first cousin marriage, a practice which remains prevalent in some UK communities - despite the genetic damage it can potentially do to offspring.

In Bradford, one of northern England's biggest cities, nearly half (46 per cent) of the female Pakistani community were in a 'consanguineous relationship' meaning they have a common ancestor, a 2024 study found.

Independent MP Iqbal Mohamed drew huge flak in December last year after speaking against former Conservative minister Richard Holden's motion pushing to ban first cousins from marrying.

A senior Tory said it was 'shocking' that an MP would 'defend this revolting practice'.

Mr Holden's Marriage (Prohibited Degrees of Relationship) Bill is due to return before the House of Commons on Friday and, ahead of its scheduled second reading, Mr Holden pushed for government support.

However, Sir Keir yesterday signalled that Labour would block any such attempt to introduce a legal ban on first cousins being able to marry in England and Wales.

Speaking during Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Holden urged Sir Keir to 'think again' after Downing Street previously indicated it had no plans to change the law.

'A marriage between first cousins carries significant health issues, many of which aren't even knowable until post-birth,' he told the PM.

In Bradford, one of northern England's biggest cities, a 2024 study found that nearly half (46 per cent) of the female Pakistani community are in a 'consanguineous relationship' meaning they were married to a first cousin or other blood relation

Sir Keir yesterday signalled that Labour would block any attempt to introduce a legal ban on first cousins being able to marry in England and Wales

Your browser does not support iframes.

'When practised generation after generation, there is a significant multiplier effect.'

Mr Holden added: 'In addition, the real impact for the openness of our society and women's rights in our country are also significant.

'After all, there are significant dynamics in having and sharing the same set of grandparents.

'On Friday, this Government has a choice to let my Bill to ban first cousin marriage go through to committee stage.

'Will the PM think again before instructing his whips to block this legislation?'

But Sir Keir signalled the Government would not be throwing its support behind Mr Holden's Bill, with the PM replying: 'We've taken our position on that Bill, thank you.'

While the genetic risks of first cousin marriage are hotly contested, they relate to a process called 'unmasking'.

Each individual receives two versions of each gene - known as 'alleles' - from our parents, one from the mother and one from the father.

Richard Holden, the Conservative MP behind the Marriage (Prohibited Degrees of Relationship) Bill which is seeking to ban first cousin marriage

One gene can be dominant and one can be recessive, so for a recessive gene to become active and manifest in a particular individual then both copies of the gene must be the recessive. If you only receive one recessive gene then you are merely a 'carrier'.

That becomes dangerous in first cousin marriages since cousins share grandparents, so the risk of a child inheriting two copies of the same dangerous gene are higher.

Experts say that children of first cousin marriages have a roughly double chance of having a child with an autosomal recessive genetic disorder, with the risk rising to 6 per cent from around 3 per cent in the general population.

However, not all members of the medical community believe that is a reason to ban the practice, as one doctor put it in a 2005 paper by Owen Dyer: 'We know that the risk of Downs syndrome increases with advancing maternal age, but we dont see public education films urging mothers to have children younger.'

Experts began tracking the prevalence of consanguinity in Bradford  home to one of the UK's biggest Pakistani communities  in the late noughties.

Almost 12,500 pregnant women were quizzed about their relationship status with the father of their child.

The Born in Bradford study was later repeated with another cohort of 2,400 women between 2016 and 2019.

Final results were published last month by Wellcome Open Research, a platform ran by the prestigious Wellcome Trust.

This graphic, from NHS material distributed to couples in Bradford, explains some of the genetic risks of having children with a close relative. Two parents with a recessive gene have an increased chance of having a child with an inherited condition

The study found that cousin relationships are no longer a 'majority' in Bradford's female Pakistani community amid rising awareness of the birth defect risks.

A decade ago, a Government-funded surveillance project found that 62 per cent of Pakistani heritage women were in consanguineous relationships. This figure has since dropped to 46 per cent, researchers say.

Sharing an earlier version of the results with the BBC last year, Dr John Wright, chief investigator, spoke of the 'significant shift' seen in just under a decade.

He described cousin marriage as having gone from a 'majority activity to now being just about a minority activity'.

Dr Wright added: 'The effect will be fewer children with congenital anomalies.'

The Born in Bradford figures, it was said, may indicate that the numbers of Pakistani people marrying cousins across the UK as a whole is also falling.

Reasons behind the fall are thought to include high educational attainment, stricter immigration rules and changes in family dynamics.

Writing in their study, the team said: 'It may be we are seeing generational changes, and newly evolving societal norms.

'But these changes need to be monitored to see if they are indications of a lasting change and they need to be considered in other settings where consanguinity is common to see how widespread these reductions in consanguinity are.'

More than half of residents living in the Bradford West constituency, represented by Labour MP Naz Shah, are Pakistani.

The figure is 36 per cent in Bradford East and nearly 17 per cent in Bradford South  the city's two other constituencies.

Birmingham also has a large Pakistani community, with up to 40 per cent of people being of that ethnicity in parts of the city.

Cousin marriage was once common among Britain's upper classes.

Historically it was seen as a way of firming up alliances and keeping wealth and land in the family.

Despite falling out of fashion, the practice is still common in some communities, such as travellers.

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were first cousins, sharing a set of grandparents.

This map, by Professor Alan Bittles an Australian expert in genomics, shows rates of consanguineous marriage, that between cousins, around the world

The reality of 'extreme' inbreeding in the UK was exposed pre-Covid.

Scientists analysing the genes of 450,000 Brits believed 125 had parents who were either first- or second-degree relatives. This equated to a rate of one in 3,600.

When extrapolated to the wider population, the 2019 study, published in the journal Nature Communications, was reported as meaning that 13,000 Brits were conceived through extreme inbreeding.

First degree relations include those between parent and child, while second-degree includes more distant, but still genetic close relatives, such as half-siblings.

The University of Queensland authors noted, given the nature of the subject and the limited variety of Brits included in the sample, true rates could be significantly higher or lower.

Incest  sexual intercourse between immediate relatives  is illegal in the UK even if consensual.

Marriages between certain blood relatives  as well as some step relationships  is also illegal. However, it is legal to marry your cousin in the UK.

Former Conservative minister Richard Holden yesterday proposed a Bill to outlaw the practice entirely.

Existing legislation states the prohibited degrees of relationship for marriage include those to a sibling, parent or child, but not marriages between first cousins, like Queen Victoria and Prince Albert

Saying now was a 'sensible time' to look at the issue, Mr Holden said: 'People already think it is illegal and then are surprised when you mention it isn't.'

He pointed to evidence showing it heightens the risk of birth defects and claimed that it can 'reinforce negative structures and control women'.

Mr Mohamed, representing Dewsbury and Batley, suggested that MPs should avoid 'stigmatising' the issue, which is seen as 'very positive' in some communities.

Instead of banning it outright, he said a 'more positive approach' involving advanced genetic tests for prospective married cousins would be more effective in addressing issues around it.

Mr Mohamed, who is part of the Independent Alliance of MPs  including ex-Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, faced criticism from senior Tories for defending the practice.

Tory justice spokesman Robert Jenrick said: 'Its shocking that an MP would defend this revolting practice which is linked to birth defects and abusive relationships.

'We know this is causing immense harm. This practice has no place in the UK.'

Labour refused to back moves to ban first-cousin marriages.

Worldwide, one in 10 people are thought to be a result of a consanguineous union.

Estimates on consanguineous marriage prevalence around the world vary.

Studies have put Pakistan as having one of the highest rates globally at 65 per cent of unions.

This is followed by Saudi Arabia (50 per cent), Afghanistan (40 per cent), Iran (30 per cent) and Egypt and Turkey (20 per cent each). Rates are around 10 per cent in India, research suggests.

Data suggests the risk of a child of first cousins developing a genetic condition is up to 6 per cent, double that of children from unrelated parents.

While this means the majority of children born in such circumstances will be healthy, the increased risk is undeniable.

As well as birth defects, potential conditions children of first cousins are at increased risk of include developmental delays and ongoing genetic disorders.

These can include conditions such as blindness, low IQ, cleft palate, heart problems, cystic fibrosis, and even an increased risk of infant death.
Families say their lives would be severely impacted and house prices decimated if a second runway is allowed to be built at Gatwick Airport.

They have blasted the Labour government which last week signalled that the plans would be approved, if environmental concerns could be met.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said she was 'minded to approve' the extension but the deadline has been pushed back until the end of October while further consultation is carried out.

Locals in the nearby town of Crawley and surrounding villages believe the decision is being delayed and have slammed Chancellor Rachel Reeves for pushing it.

If the development goes ahead, it could mean the airport could use its emergency runway routinely, opening up space for an extra 100,000 flights a year.

But this would lead to a mutiny of locals leaving the county, they claim.

Structural engineer Ray Ogden, 63, blasted the plans.

He told MailOnline: 'I'm not sure the answer to the problems that we have locally is to bring in millions more tourists each year and get them leaving. I cannot see the benefits.

Structural engineer Ray Ogden, 63, (pictured) said he is worried about the noise and pollution the extra runway will bring

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been pushing for the runway, saying the expansion of sites such as Gatwick and Heathrow Airport is essential for economic growth

The expansion would enable the West Sussex airport to use its emergency runway routinely, opening up space for 100,000 more flights a year

'It's just more noise and pollution. We're told we have to be more environmentally friendly but then they're pushing this hard. It will just cause so many problems.

'Our prices will suffer. They talk about jobs but I don't think they'll be the sort of jobs which will benefit local people who have lived here all their childhoods and teenage years. They'll just move to London to work.

'I have not read any sort of case which properly supports it. The government is just trying to rush these things through because they have a big majority.'

Mr Ogden said he would rather see local issues addressed first.

He said: 'Our roads are a mess. There's not enough school places and getting an appointment for the doctor and dentist is a nightmare.

'People who have lived here decades have seen the state of Crawley and surrounding areas reduce significantly. But nothing is done to help us.'

The Planning Inspectorate turned down the original application for the new runway, but took the unusual step of recommending an alternative approach.

That would require more noise controls and over half of passengers to arrive at the airport by train.

Ms Alexander has heavily hinted at an approval, stressing she is not a 'flight-shaming eco-warrior' and 'believes in airport expansion'.

Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband has been sounding a far more sceptical tone about the airports push hailed by Chancellor Rachel Reeves.

Marketing worker Rhi Mctoal, 27, (pictured) said she doesn't agree 'at all' with the idea and has been against it since it was first planned

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said she was 'minded to approve' the extension but the deadline has been pushed back until the end of October while further consultation is carried out

The Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign has placed signs around London which read 'Gatwick's Big Enough' as they oppose plans for the new runway

Ms Reeves has argued that expansion of sites such as Heathrow is essential for economic growth, but Mr Miliband has stressed it can only happen if the UK's carbon emissions targets are met.

Rhi Mctoal, 27, who works in marketing, said she has always been 'dead against' the idea since it was first planned.

She said: 'I don't agree with it at all. It's a very hotly contested topic locally.

'I can't see how air travel will actually get better as a result.

'We hear all of this about being green and environmentally friendly, which I support, then now it's about getting the second runway going.

'There's always huge delays. The airport cannot cope at the moment. I fly out of there a lot and it is often chaos.

'Adding thousands of extra flights isn't going to improve the situation.'

Patricia Ladcock, 67, has lived in Crawley for 40 years and said it has made her want to move.

The dental hygienist said: 'We were told for years not to worry about it because any government would side with the environment and not do it.

Retired RAF officer Terrence Sheehan, 85, (pictured) has lived in the area for 11 years and said the planes already keep him awake at night

Gatwick is London's second largest airport behind Heathrow and handles more than 43 million passengers per year

'But it looks like Labour and Rachel Reeves are hell-bent on destroying the local area.

'If it goes ahead, I will move. It will ruin my house price. I fear it'll decrease by 30 per cent. It is a terrible idea.

'You don't get that amount of extra flights without some serious consequences.'

Retired RAF officer Terrence Sheehan, has lived in the area for 11 years and said the airport at the moment was already having a negative impact on his life.

The 85-year-old said: 'It's been a nightmare. The planes keep me awake as it is. Even more of them will be worse.

'It won't improve the lives of local people. If anything, it will make it worse. Why bother?'

The Planning Inspectorate said Gatwick's initial plan would cause 'moderate levels of harm' in areas such as greenhouse gas emissions, traffic and noise.

Its report stated that the 'recommended DCO' would introduce 'a wide range of detailed planning controls', which would mean 'the benefits of the proposed development would outweigh harm'.

But Virginia Arnold, 70, said she would welcome the expansion - saying it would create more jobs.

The grandmother-of-eight said: 'I have lived here for 50 years and I think it is needed.

Grandmother-of-eight Virginia Arnold, 70, (pictured) supports the new plans and thinks it will be 'brilliant for the local economy'

Salesman Alex Bunn, 56, (pictured) said the plans would not keep him up at night, though he knows his indifference leaves him in a minority

'It will be brilliant for the local economy and create a lot of jobs. My daughter lives in Dubai so we will be able to fly out more to see her and she can come here.

'It's quicker than going all the way to Heathrow. It's a thriving airport is Gatwick. So anything to make it even better is brilliant.'

Salesman Alex Bunn , 56, said he was torn about what he thought.

He said: 'It's not the end of the world. The world is changing. I know far more people are against it though.'

Speaking to a gathering of aviation leaders last month, Ms Alexander said there are 'capacity problems, particularly at airports in the South East'.

She revealed Gatwick's development consent order application is 'literally on my desk' for a decision.

That would enable the West Sussex airport to use its emergency runway routinely, opening up space for 100,000 more flights a year.

In her speech at the annual dinner of trade body Airlines UK in central London, Ms Alexander said: 'Some might say the current national debate about airport expansion highlights a fundamental tension between growing the economy, whilst protecting the environment.

'I say we must do both.'

Speaking to a gathering of aviation leaders last month, Ms Alexander said there are 'capacity problems, particularly at airports in the South East'

She added: 'I am not some sort of flight-shaming eco-warrior. I love flying. I always have.'

In addition to making a decision on Gatwick, Ms Alexander is also required to determine whether Luton airport's expansion plan can go ahead.

Meanwhile, Heathrow Airport is developing detailed plans for its third runway project.

Ms Alexander said her job as the 'decision maker' on airport expansion is to 'strike a balance' between the potential benefits of jobs, trade and tourism, with 'tough questions', such as whether the schemes will be compatible with the UK's climate and air quality obligations, whether noise can be minimised and whether costs will be 'shared fairly'.

Gatwick's 2.2billion privately financed project would see it move the emergency runway 12 metres north.

The plan also involves remodelling and replacing existing taxiways  which connect runways to terminals, hangars and other facilities  extending both terminals, and installing new aircraft gates.

Road connections to both terminals would be enhanced, paid for by Gatwick, with flyovers to separate local traffic from vehicles travelling to or from the airport.

A 250million modification of the airport's railway station was completed in November 2023.

Gatwick's 2.2billion privately financed project would see it move the emergency runway 12 metres north. Pictured: The Northern Runway

Additional car parking, offices and hotels would also be provided.

The airport says its scheme is 'shovel ready' and construction could start this year.

It hopes the upgraded runway will be operational by the end of the decade.

Local campaigners opposed to Gatwick's expansion have expressed concerns over the impact on surface transport, noise, housing provision and wastewater treatment.

But the airport insists it has conducted 'full and thorough assessments' of those issues.

The emergency runway is currently used as a taxiway or when the main runway is closed because of maintenance or incidents.

Under the plan, the emergency runway would be used for departures of narrow-bodied planes such as Airbus A320s and Boeing 737s.

Operating as a two-runway airport would enable Gatwick to add around 10-15 flights per hour at peak periods.

Rachel Reeves used a major speech recently to put airport expansion at the centre of her new economic growth plan. Pictured, an artist's impression of the Heathrow development

This would see its total annual number of flights rise from 280,000 to 380,000.

It expects passenger annual numbers to rise from 45million to 75million.

Gatwick says its plans would create 1billion per year in economic benefits, and generate an additional 14,000 jobs.

A government source has previously said: 'The Transport Secretary has set out a path to approving the expansion of Gatwick today following the Planning Inspectorate's recommendation to refuse the original application.

'This is an important step forward and demonstrates that this Government will stop at nothing to deliver economic growth and new infrastructure as part of our Plan for Change.

'Expansion will bring huge benefits for business and represents a victory for holidaymakers. We want to deliver this opportunity in line with our legal, environmental and climate obligations.

'We look forward to Gatwick's response as they have indicated planes could take off from a new runway before the end of this Parliament.'

A London Gatwick spokesperson said: 'Our 2.2 billion privately financed Northern Runway plans could be operational by the turn of the decade and will support the Government's growth agenda generating an additional 1 billion per year in economic benefits and creating 14,000 jobs.

'As part of the Development Consent Order planning process for our Northern Runway plans, full and thorough assessments have been carried out on surface transport, noise and environmental impacts.

'We understand noise is an important consideration for local people and managing noise levels for the local community is extremely important to us. Our noise footprint has reduced by around a third over the last 20 years due to quieter aircraft.

A spokesperson for Gatwick Airport said they see managing noise levels in the area as 'extremely important'

'If our Northern Runway plans are approved, we will commit to ensuring noise levels are no louder than they were in 2019  our busiest year. This can be done as quieter aircraft will join airlines' fleets, offsetting any increase in noise from the additional flights.

'London Gatwick's plan supports the UK's net-zero goals through the Jet Zero Strategy with London Gatwick committing to spend a quarter of a billion to reach net zero for its own operations by 2030.

'Recent polling shows 80% of responding residents across the South East support the airport's growth plans, while more than 100,000 businesses were represented in letters to government endorsing our plans.'

MailOnline approached Rachel Reeves for a response, but a spokesperson said it would be 'inappropriate' for the Chancellor to comment as it is still a live issue.
'You're going to need a bigger boat...'

That's the message delivered by a flotilla of Chinese warships that have been sailing around Australia for the last few weeks.

The Royal Australian Navy has been relegated to a spectator role as one of the world's most-lethal warships penetrated further south than any previous Chinese voyage and engaged in live-fire exercises a few hundred miles off Sydney.

Even as Australia's political leaders attempted to downplay the threat, it emerged that not only did China not deem them worthy of a polite heads-up about the drills via official channels, but that it took 40 minutes for the Defence Department to learn the firing had started.

And that's only because commercial pilots raised the alarm.

The Royal New Zealand Navy, to whom monitoring of the flotilla had been outsourced, took 90 minutes to let Defence know.

That sort of delay in a hostile situation would be disastrous. From where that firing took place, the destroyer Zunyi could on its own erase from the map every city on Australia's east coast from Townsville to Hobart using China's nuclear capable CJ-10 cruise missiles (equivalent to the US's famed Tomahawk).

The Zunyi, which the US Naval Institute describes as 'among the most formidable warships afloat', can fire 112 cruise missiles from its array of vertical launchers. That's equivalent to half the total number of Tomahawks Australia has ordered for its entire armed forces. In one ship.

The flotilla of Chinese warships that has been sailing around Australia for the last few weeks has exposed a terrifying truth about Australia's defence capability

China has eight such vessels, with two more recently launched and more under construction. The frigate that accompanied the Zunyi is one of more than 40 China operates, each boasting 32 vertical missile launchers.

Japan's next destroyer will have 128 missile launchers, matching the armament of South Korea's destroyers.

Australia's most-formidable ships, the three Hobart-class air-warfare destroyers, have 48 vertical missile launchers. Its Collins-class submarines have no vertical launch capability and there are no plans to equip them to fire anything other than anti-ship missiles or torpedoes.

The basic fact is the Royal Australian Navy has across recent decades been badly let down by both sides of politics. The Chinese cruise has shown how woefully underequipped the RAN is in terms of providing a meaningful deterrent at a time when the strategic equation in our region is becoming increasingly unbalanced.

Vertical launch capability matters because modern naval warfare is primarily missile based and, once at sea, resupply and reloading is difficult. In a high-intensity engagement, having more ammunition confers a distinct advantage. The US Navy fired more than 200 missiles of varying types defending itself and other targets in the Red Sea from Houthi attacks over the 15 months to January, the War Zone reported.

To be sure, Australia's Navy has a pipeline of impressive vessels on the way, but none of those are going to be operational in the immediate future. The first of the new general-purpose frigates may be ready by 2029, while one Virginia-class submarine might arrive in 2032 (assuming the US is willing to part with it).

What is a middle power such as Australia to do?

Certainly the AUKUS nuclear submarine program would go some way to addressing the capability gap, providing a stealthy and potent platform that should give any potential aggressor pause.

Anthony Albanese earlier downplayed the threat posed by China's powerful warships

But, as noted, the first of those, a pre-loved Block III or IV variant, won't be available until 2032 at the earliest. And selling it to Australia will cut into the US's own planned inventory of Virginia-class boats.

If only there was some sort of powerful warship that Australia might be able to get hold of in the short term - one that offered significant firepower and could serve as a genuine deterrent while the RAN awaits its upgrades.

Well, there may well be four such vessels; the US Navy plans to retire its converted Ohio-class guided-missile submarines Ohio, Florida, Michigan and Georgia beginning next year through 2028. These are nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, SSGNs, that were converted to carry only conventional weapons.

The SSGNs can each carry up to 154 Tomahawk missiles (about 75 per cent of the total number of those missiles that Australia has ordered), or a combination of Tomahawks and anti-ship missiles, as well as accommodating up to 66 special forces operators, and serving as a platform for unmanned underwater and aerial systems. They are extremely stealthy.

They are among the most in-demand platforms in the US Navy's inventory, yet it has been steadfast in keeping to its decommissioning schedule. Perhaps Australia could offer to help defer their execution, if it can be done.

Granted, the boats are running up against the deadline of their extended 42-year life span, but it is unknown how much flex might be built in to that timing. They are still very effective; the Florida completed a 727-day around-the-world voyage in July 2024.

Australia has committed to building a nuclear-powered submarine force with help from the US and UK. Perhaps, given the mercantile bent of the current US administration and the fact the US Navy is committed to doing without them, some sort of deal could be struck to have the SSGNs serve out their remaining time Down Under.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has overseen a military build-up making China's navy the largest in the world

It is unlikely to be cheap, but the AUKUS program is already costing about AU$300billion or more for subs whose delivery timetable is uncertain. Bringing some of that expenditure forward to secure a deterrent right now could be viewed a sound investment. And it would have the happy side effect of offering an obvious win for the President in his quest to get allies to ante up more for US security.

Having one or more of the SSGNs based in Australian waters could also enable training of more local crew and maintenance personnel and fast track efforts to build capacity ahead of the Virginia-class boats' eventual arrivals.

Nick Gentle is an independent analyst.
A bizarre fence fix sparked an online storm after the owners of a historic 800-year-old manor house carved holes to let tree branches pass through - rather than trim them back.

Kate Guilding and her husband Joe adapted their fence to accommodate an sprawling sumac tree after previous panelling at their 1.25m Grade-II listed home was destroyed by its growth.

Pictures of the modified fence - featuring two large branches poking through makeshift holes - quickly went viral, with some calling the unconventional solution 'art' and others 'stupidity'.

Images of the fence were posted on the Dull Men's Club, a Facebook group boasting 1.5m members, by Richard Robinson, a neighbour of the couple in leafy Horsforth, West Yorks.

He wrote: 'For about two weeks now I have been staring at our neighbours new fence from my office window.

'I have been unable to decide if this is genius or total stupidity.'

Mrs Guilding, a Leeds-based lawyer, then posted images from her side of the fence - sharing her reasoning behind the unusual design.

Kate Guilding and her husband Joe adapted their fence to accommodate an sprawling sumac tree after previous panelling at their 1.25m Grade-II listed home was destroyed by its growth

Pictures of the modified fence - featuring two large branches poking through makeshift holes - quickly went viral, with some calling the unconventional solution 'art' and others 'stupidity'

Mrs Guilding, a Leeds-based lawyer, posted images from her side of the fence - sharing her reasoning behind the unusual design

The debate comes as the property itself is on the market for 1.25million

She explained that the tree was protected under conservation area rules and that planning permission would have been needed to prune back the branches.

Mrs Guilding wrote: 'Well I have to say I never expected my fence fix to get so much attention!

'The panel it replaced had totally come down due to the growth of the trees and we have a puppy who was able to escape through the gap.

'We are also selling our house and it wouldn't look great for buyers to be able see a great big gap in the fence.

'We live in a conservation area so all trees are protected. We could have applied for permission from planning to chop back the branches but I'd rather protect the tree.

'If needed we can make larger holes but the tree is well established and slow growing. We have been through gusts of 40+ in the last week without issue.'

The original post has since amassed over 10,000 likes and 3,400 comments, with opinions divided.

Sioux Ball praised the fence as 'absolute genius', adding: 'The tree was there first, why kill it? Work with what you've got.'

Images of the fence were posted on the Dull Men's Club, a Facebook group boasting 1.5m members, by Richard Robinson, a neighbour of the couple in leafy Horsforth, West Yorks

The original post has since amassed over 10,000 likes and 3,400 comments, with opinions divided

Photos of the incredible home showed a wood-paneled lounge area complete with an open fireplace

In one of the bedrooms sat a unique four-poster bed overshadowed by stunning exposed beams

Chloe Amos added: 'Looks like a great solution to me. Ignore the haters. Trees are worth saving, so what if you have to mend the fence to accommodate it later.'

Another, Henk Jansen van Rensburg, described the fence as an 'elegant solution to a mundane problem', while Eoin Jones wrote 'I think it looks quite beautiful from the front. The fence becomes almost like a canvas framing the branches.

But not everyone was convinced. Gage Collins issued a stark warning: 'Unfortunately, it's stupidity.

'I love that the tree didn't get cut down, don't get me wrong. But every time the wind blows strong enough to sway those branches, it will cause them to rub up against that fence.

'This rubbing will potentially cause open wounds on the tree, creating vectors for disease. Not to mention the damage to the fence.'

Tricia Watson added 'Nice idea, can't help thinking there might be a design flaw or two.'

Others suggested that planting a hedge would have provided a more subtle way of screening the six-bedroom house.

The debate comes as the property itself is on the market for 1.25million.

The fence panel had two pieces cut out of it to allow the branches to pass through it uninterrupted

Said to be the oldest in the Leeds area, the listed building boasts period features from Tudor and Georgian eras

The spacious kitchen has a bright and airy feel, and features colourful tiles alongside a bright green oven

The dining room shows a long table, where the ancient fittings have been stylishly interwoven with modern touches

Said to be the oldest in the Leeds area, the listed building boasts period features from Tudor and Georgian eras.

A Rightmove listing states: 'It is believed to be the oldest property in Horsforth with the oldest elements being 800 years old and the majority being a combination of Tudor and Georgian.

'This delightful Grade II listed house is offered to the market with no onward chain and boasts a wealth of period features, including mullioned windows, Jacobean panelling and an exceptional Tudor style fireplace in the dining room.

'The property has been tastefully updated to provide a modern finish whilst retaining the features that contribute to the interesting history of the property.'
Moving from a three-bedroom house to a one-bedroom flat seems like an obvious lifestyle downgrade.

But that was not the case for Janelle Ciara who said moving from a three-bedroom three-bathroom 'beautiful' house in the UK to a one-bedroom apartment in Thailand was the 'mature' choice.

In a video on TikTok which has over 500,000 views she said: 'Maturing is realising that you'd rather live in a one-bedroom apartment in Thailand than a three-bedroom house in the UK.

'Because I have such a better quality of life.

'I get weekly massages, my food is prepared fresh, I never have to cook if I don't want to.

'The people are friendly, the sun is always out. I wake up every single day excited about my day. I wake up loving what I do.

'I'm surrounded by people who are on the same frequency and same vibration as me.'

But the lifestyle content creator angered people in the comments who claimed she was being naive.

Janelle Ciara (pictured) said moving from a three-bedroom 'beautiful' house in the UK to a one-bedroom apartment in Thailand was the 'mature' choice

Documenting her 'amazing' move to Thailand she praised the area and Thailand's 'energy'

One user commented: 'Maturing is realising that one persons paradise is another persons hell. Please don't mistake maturity for preference.'

Another added: 'Until the holiday effect wears off. You'll be back in a year to 18 months.'

But other TikTok users agreed that nothing sounds better than living in the sunshine.

One person commented: 'Thailand is so much better than the UK. Lower taxes, more sun, better food and happier friendlier people.'

And this isn't the only video she has made.

Documenting her 'amazing' move to Thailand in another video she praised the area.

She said: 'I landed (in the UK) on Christmas day and I was like why am I going home?

'I'm a digital nomad, I can work online and I can fly back to England whenever I want to fly back but I just feel like I should live here.

'This place has the most amazing energy. If you've never been to Thailand then you won't understand.

'But if you have you know this is a place that you never ever ever want to leave.'

Janelle claimed the logistics of the move were simple and it was the 'easiest decision' of her life.
Donald Trump's administration is being urged to address the booming vape market inside the U.S.

Widespread use and access to illegal vapes, often manufactured in China, is becoming an increasingly big issue nationwide and particularly in Florida and New York specifically.

And there is increasing scrutiny on vapes distributors as state attorneys general, including in New York, are filing lawsuits against large distributors to stop the 'youth vaping epidemic.'

Taher Shriteh, a former journalist from Gaza City, owns a string of 'The King of Vape' shops in south Florida and earned himself the nickname the 'Vape King.'

He is linked to the managers of major vapes distributor Safa Goods, which was founded in 2018. Though his representative states he has no legal relationship with Safa Goods.

Shriteh's company leases space to Safa Goods, as he told a local Florida Fox station last year, and he said its new site in south Florida close to the airport was 'designed for distribution' and would provide 200-500 jobs.

Tahers relatives, Ahmed and Haitham, are listed as managers of Safa Goods according to the Florida Division of Corporations.

Safa Goods is one of the top vape distributors in the country carrying popular brands like 'Lost Mary,' 'Mr. Fog' and 'RAZ,' all of which are illegal yet widely popular around the country.

The distributing company managed by Tahers relatives has expanded rapidly, building out operations in over 40 states as U.S. consumers increasingly turn to disposable flavored vaping products.

Safa Goods vape sales have expanded so far that the group is now being sued by the state of New York.

Donald Trump's administration is being pushed to reevaluate the FDA's stance on disposable flavored vaping products after a recent boom in sales since the Republican banned non-disposable flavored vaping devices in 2020

Lost Mary vapes are some of the most popular in the U.S., and they're totally illegal

State Attorney General Leticia James alleges in a February 2025 lawsuit that Safa Goods ignored state laws banning flavored vape sales.

Southern Florida, the companys operating base, has become the capital of illegal vapes.

It holds the unenviable distinction of being the number one state for illicit vapor device sales, according to the Florida Retail Federation.

These disposable devices feature flavors like 'Berry Burst,' 'Blue Razz Ice,' 'Strawmelon Peach' and more kid-friendly tastes.

Most of the illegal flavored vape products offered at corner stores and smoke shops across the country are these types of disposables - and almost all originate in China.

They also have high levels of nicotine, which sometimes comes from completely synthetic sources.

Florida's Republican Senator Ashley Moody is trying to crack down on these products.

This week, she pressed Dr. Marty Makary, Trump's nominee to lead the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), to consider regulations for the illegal devices.

'As a mom and former Florida AG, protecting our children from illicit vapes is a top priority of mine,' she told Makary during his confirmation hearing.

Discarded Lost Mary disposable vape pen after use shows the environmental impact of vape pens in terms of the waste of electronics and plastics involved

'These things are all over the United States, in convenience stores. They're readily available to children. If you walked in anyone right now, you would be able to find them,' Moody stated.

She noted how the U.S. 'accounts for two-thirds of Chinese vape exports that are flooding our communities and addicting our kids' despite the flavored products being illegal in China.

Trump moved against flavored vape products in 2020, instructing the FDA to introduce a ban on flavored products that use 'cartridges' or 'capsules,' like the popular Juul device.

However, that left a gray area for flavored vapes that did not have removable, refillable cartridges.

Quickly Chinese manufacturers began pumping out disposable vape devices that danced around the flavor ban.

A worker organizes his display of vape products

The New York lawsuit against Safa Goods also accuses the company of illegally shipping the products to New York, failing to disclose harmful ingredients and targeting youth with colorful packaging and kid-friendly flavoring.

'Across the brands of Flavored E-Cigarettes that Safa Goods sells into New York, there is a multitude of flavors clearly designed to entice young people, like Orange Soda, Ice Cola, Caramel Popcorn, and Lemon Crumble flavors,' the suit states.

'Safa Goods has targeted adolescents ... [through] the broad use of flavors, bright colors, and themes that are deliberately designed to attract children, including fruity and candy flavors, and concentrating its sales efforts on Disposable Vapes, which are most accessible by price and form to adolescent use.'

Safa Goods did not return DailyMail.coms request for comment on allegations contained within the lawsuit.

A point in time review of tobacco products in Washington, D.C. last year found that 99 percent of all vape products used in the district were Chinese made.
The parents of a disabled boy with a life-threatening heart condition say they are in a race against time to save his life after the NHS allegedly refused to perform surgery on their son.

Louis Dagger was born on March 1, 2021 with DiGeorge syndrome, a condition caused when a small part of chromosome 22 is missing, which led to a congenital heart defect.

The now four-year-old underwent surgery at Bristol Children's Hospital aged just six months in a procedure which went two-thirds of the way to fully repairing his heart.

Despite the success of the procedure, Louis suffered a cardiac arrest four months later after developing sepsis when his feeding tube malfunctioned and his medication stopped being absorbed. He was left with a hypoxic brain injury and developed critical care myopathy.

Louis was discharged to his home with his parents, Ian and Helen, and five older siblings in Merthyr Tydfil after a 17-month long stay in hospital. He does daily physiotherapy at home and has regained some movement in his arms and head, and is advancing well neurologically.

But, after a relatively healthy two years, Louis contracted H1N1 avian flu and, when doctors at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff carried out tests, they discovered that the plastic conduit fitted during Louis heart surgeries had narrowed as he had grown.

Louis mother, Helen, said this had been planned for, and it was part of Louis surgical plan for it to be upsized.

She said doctors then contacted Bristol Royal Hospital, who are experts in cardiology, to discuss further surgery. But, the hospital declined to carry out the surgery  a decision Helen believes is down to Louis neurological disability.

Now, she and her family are desperately trying to raise the necessary funds to pay for the surgery themselves either in the UK or the US in a race against time to save Louis life.

Louis Dagger was born on March 1, 2021 with DiGeorge syndrome, a condition caused when a small part of chromosome 22 is missing, which led to a congenital heart defect

Louis recently contracted H1N1 avian flu and, when doctors at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff carried out tests, they saw there had been some further damage to Louis heart

Parents Ian and Helen are desperately trying to raise funds for Louis treatment

Louis underwent surgery at Bristol Children's Hospital aged just six months in a procedure which went two-thirds of the way to fully repairing his heart

Louis devoted parents, Helen and Ian, are desperate to raise the funds for surgery

Louis was discharged to his home with his parents, Ian and Helen, and five older siblings in Merthyr Tydfil after a 17-month long stay in hospital

'From the moment he was born, Louis has been fighting for his life', she said. 'He had surgery in 2021 at Bristol Children's Hospital which was two-thirds of the way to fully repairing his heart. At the time, the consultants were happy with how it went. They told us there was no reason why Louis could not go on and lead a healthy and normal life.

'After the repair in 2021, he had a cardiac catheterisation to check the outcome, and that was when they told us it had exceeded expectations, and he had his NG tube fitted in Bristol. Unfortunately, no one in Cardiff or Merthyr were familiar with it and it failed. His medication stopped working and he went into septic shock.

'He had a cardiac arrest in 2022, a few weeks before his birthday. Cardiff were brilliant and they pulled out all the stops to save him. We were there on our knees begging them to save him.

'His heart recovered really well and was back to pre-arrest state within 48 hours but unfortunately, he had a hypoxic brain injury as a result and developed critical care myopathy. We do daily physiotherapy at home now and he has regained some movement in his arms, and he can now turn his head.

'Over time, he has really developed neurologically. He's very cheeky and has a social smile and is doing well. He was finally getting to experience a life that every child deserves.

'He contracted H1N1 and the doctors at Cardiff carried out an Echocardiogram (Echo) saw there had been some significant narrowing in conduit in his heart. They called Bristol and said we needed to go there because they are experts in cardiology.

'But Bristol told them no and said there were no more plans for surgery for Louis. They're attitude totally changed after the stroke  they used to say there was nothing they wouldn't do for Louis and always told staff in Cardiff to pull out all the stops.

'We were completely unaware of all this until Louis became poorly with the flu. We were told just before Christmas and we feel we've been kept at arms length with updates. We aren't getting answers we have been chasing, we can't get a discussion going and they have cancelled meetings with us. We honestly don't know who is leading the decisions now.'

Louis is the youngest of six children and is 'doted on' by his older siblings

Louis turned four earlier this month, defying all the odds stacked against him

Just before Christmas, the family were informed that there were 'no further plans' for more surgery

Louis family are now trying to raise the funds for the surgery with a JustGiving page, while dad Ian has even signed up for a charity comedy night

All funds raised are set to go towards Louis treatment, here in the UK or abroad

A meeting has since been arranged with both Cardiff and Bristol hospitals, set to be held next week.

'We just feel they have just sent him home to die when there is a treatment available', Helen added.

'He's come through so much, and he's so strong and happy and content. Louis is not just a medical case, he is a beloved son, a brother, a fighter, and a little boy who has already proven his strength time and time again.'

Louis family are now trying to raise the funds for the surgery with a JustGiving page, while dad Ian has even signed up for a charity comedy night.

At the time of writing, just over 800 had been raised.

'Louis is doted on by his siblings', Helen said. 'We have an 11-year-old boy and they are thick as thieves  they are always together.

'The kids were brilliant when it all happened at Christmas. We have always been honest with them and they have kicked into gear to help with fundraising. But it is very, very difficult as parents. We are shattered.

'Ian is working flat out to raise funds and awareness. He's even signed up to do a charity comedy night, which is totally out of character.

'All we are asking is for donations for a child who has been doing really well and is a much-loved member of a large family. Any funds raised will go towards Louis's fight for life and surgery either in this country or abroad.

Helen has said she and her family feel that Louis has been 'sent home to die'

Ian is set to take part in a charity comedy night in a bid to help raise awareness and funds

Louis family are desperate to raise the funds which could pay for the life saving surgery

His mother says that her youngest son 'deserves to grow up in his family's arms'

'Everything we do with him; every nice memory and every nice smile hangs over you. You just can't switch off and be with him and enjoy him as you always worry that it could be the last time.

'Louis is full of love, laughter, and an unbreakable spirit. He deserves to grow up in his family's arms, surrounded by those who cherish him'.

Dr Rebecca Maxwell, Chief Medical Officer for University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, said: 'We will always act in the best interests of our patients. Compassion, dignity and respect are at the heart of every decision we make about the right approach to treatment for those in our care. It would not be appropriate to go into specific details regarding Louis.'

MailOnline has contacted Cardiff and Vale University Health Board for comment.

You can find the JustGiving page here.
Speaker Mike Johnson celebrated President Trump's upcoming speech to Congress on Tuesday by welcoming a group of influencers to Capitol Hill.

He was not there to film any fun videos or viral stunts with the group, as he explained later during an interview with Fox News host Kayleigh McEnany on Outnumbered on Friday.

'We don't do dance videos. That is ridiculous I mean that is so cringeworthy!' he said.

Johnson was reacting to the bizarre 'Choose your fighter' video published by a Democratic influencer Sulhee Jessica Woo, who was part of a group invited to the Capitol to create digital content for Democrats.

Republican influencers mocked the video as 'cringe' and ruthlessly tore it apart on social media as it went viral for all the wrong reasons.

Johnson said the video was 'performance art' and obviously a failed attempt by Democratic politicians to try to engage young people.

'If that is the performance, please continue to do that ... I would like to see a lot more from them. That is fantastic,' he said sarcastically.

The viral moment demonstrated a shift in digital communications as former President Barack Obama famously entertained millennials with irreverent, fun viral videos that tantalized social media and humanized normally scripted politicians.

Emily Austin was among right-leaning influencers who met with Speaker Johnson after Trump's address to congress

President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington,

House Speaker Mike Johnson, of La., applauds as President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill

But Johnson argued that Gen-Z viewers wanted authenticity and serious conversations about issues they cared about, not digital stunts.

'This next generation is so thirsty for authenticity, they just see all this performance stuff and it's detestable to them and they want something that's real,' Johnson said.

Johnson met with a group of online right-leaning influencers after the president's speech and spoke to them about Trump's agenda and their plans for the future.

'It was great!' reporter Emily Austin told DailyMail.com after the meeting. 'Its been clear that this new administration is really keen on empowering independent journalists.'

Great morning on the Hill with Speaker Mike Johnson. As he said, we must unify as a country to make America Great Again. pic.twitter.com/ANZYqv1Gju  Emily Austin (@emilyraustin) March 6, 2025

Rep. Jasmine Crockett (left) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (right) were among the House Democratic women who appeared in influencer Sulhee Jessica Woo's 'Choose Your Fighter' video, which prompted groans and eyerolls from conservatives online

Austin said they group discussed the importance of the State of the Union and the importance of Republicans keeping control of the House in the upcoming election.

The group also discussed ways to open up more access to influencers.

'I left very optimistic, as hes working to bring NEW MEDIA to the Capitol, just as Trump is doing at the White House,' wrote Nick Sorter after meeting with Johnson. 'The days of leftist media coddling and running cover for Democrats at the Capitol are over.'

They also had fun mocking the left for their efforts to communicate online.

'We discussed everything from last nights Democrats looking like they were in a giant Rexulti commercial to DOGEs daily mining of government waste!' wrote Justine Brooke Murray after the visit with Johnson.

Got a refreshing recap of President Trumps address from Speaker Johnson this morning, as he sat down with NEW MEDIA folks. We discussed everything from last nights Democrats looking like they were in a giant Rexulti commercial to DOGEs daily mining of government waste! pic.twitter.com/13ZyolcR8Q  Justine Brooke Murray (@Justine_Brooke) March 6, 2025

The meeting was also good opportunity to meet with fellow social media personalities and influencers, some of whom they know recognized from online interactions.

Meeting with influencers to help direct a message is certainly not new for political figures, but Republicans led by Trump are having great success.

After seizing majorities in the both the House and the Senate in January, Republicans in Congress are eager to keep their communications momentum moving forward beyond the election and through their attempts to govern.

Republican communications professionals are eager to imitate President Donald Trump's unique media strategy during the presidential campaign, as he met with podcasters, social media influencers, TikTok stars, and even video game streamers.

Speaker Johnson opened up his office to 'The Benny Show' host Benny Johnson who live-streamed a four hour show and spoke with Republican representatives Tim Burchett, Rep. Wesley Hunt, Sen. Katie Britt, Sen. Tommy Tuberville, Sen. Mike Lee, and Sen. Ron Johnson.

'Ladies and Gentlemen, we're just having a party, we're just going to throw down here!' Johnson said as star Republicans cycled through.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, also stopped by to talk about her first weeks intelligence community.

When Johnson asked Gabbard if she knew what Trump was going to say, she grinned.

'Would I be the director of national intelligence if I didn't?' she said adding she can not share any details because she is in charge of America's secrets.

Had she shared what she really knew, she would have revealed that Trump was going to announce that United States had just apprehended one of the top terrorists responsible for the Abbey Gate bombing in Afghanistan.

Democrats also welcomed influencer guests on Capitol Hill, but their content was ruthlessly ridiculed online.

Prior to the State of the Union, A stream of videos from Democratic senators featuring a similar script and frenetic 'jump cut' edits as they held a wireless microphone and used censored language like 's**t' to appear authentic and draw more attention to their message.

Republican social media stars caught the trend and collected the videos to show the scripted artificial attempt to communicate online with the American people.

This is the definition of The Blob. Zero original thought. All reading off of the same script. All holding the DJI microphone trying to look like a Zoomer YouTuber. Its the party of pure unfettered inauthenticity. A grift machine with replaceable parts. pic.twitter.com/dqU4SsYz40  Autism Capital  (@AutismCapital) March 4, 2025

Now were up to 22 Dem senators all doing the same cringe video simultaneously!



I will buy a Cybertruck for anyone can provide proof of who wrote this particular piece of propaganda.



First person to post proof in the replies to this post gets the truck! https://t.co/ILdATEXXTn  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 4, 2025

The video drew the attention of Elon Musk who posted a mashup of each senator using a similar script to share the same message.

'Now were up to 22 Dem senators all doing the same cringe video simultaneously!' he wrote incredulously mocking the Democrats for the 'worst puppet show ever' and holding the microphones 'like a teenager doing TikTok videos.

'I will buy a Cybertruck for anyone can provide proof of who wrote this particular piece of propaganda,; he wrote. 'First person to post proof in the replies to this post gets the truck!'

It's unclear whether anyone won the Cybertruck, but the post got the desired effect with 59 million views on the post mocking their digital efforts.
President Donald Trump held the White House's first ever crypto summit Friday - complete with a cameo from the Winklevoss twins, who famously sued Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg over the social media site's founding.

It was the latest move in Trump's embrace of bitcoin and cryptocurrency, which started during his 2024 campaign as a way to increase his support among Silicon Valley.

Since then Trump has become part of the crypto business, notably alongside 18-year-old son Barron, who turned the president on to a number of tech bro podcaster types, whose audience helped the Republican win the election.

'High IQ individuals around this table, that's what I always say, we need high IQ,' Trump gushed at the group gathered in the White House's State Dining Room Friday afternoon.

The session was led by David Sacks, the White House's crypto czar, who called attention to comments made by one of the Winklevoss twins, who were portrayed in the 2010 film, The Social Network.

'Actually Cameron, I think you said something earlier that I thought was really profound, you said that a year ago you thought that it would be more likely that you'd end up in jail than at the White House,' Sacks relayed to Trump. 'Not to put you on the spot, cause you didn't do anything wrong, but that was the environment.'

Cameron, who was seated next to his twin Tyler, then spoke.

'Sure, that was actually Tyler who said that,' Cameron Winklevoss said, prompting laughs. 'But, yeah, we never thought we would get attacked the way we did in our backyard after trying to do the right thing for so many years.'

'High IQ individuals around this table, that's what I always say, we need high IQ,' President Donald Trump said Friday at the White House Crypto Summit

Cameron Winklevoss (left) and Tyler Winklevoss (right) - of Facebook movie fame - attended the White House's Crypto Summit on Friday afternoon

He added that the twins had always 'raised the bar with respect for regulations.'

'We've always felt that the U.S. should lead in bitcoin in crypto and it's our to sort of lead and win and it's wonderful what President Trump has been doing with this,' Cameron added.

Tyler then had his say.

'I was just going to say thank you Mr. President,' he told Trump.

'Cameron takes credit for a lot of things I say, so it's not the first time. But the U.S. won the internet and the U.S. should win crypto, so thank you for your leadershp on this,' Tyler added.

Over the summer, Trump cemented himself as the candidate who would be kinder to crypto.

He promised to make the U.S. the world's 'crypto capital' and rid the country of the Gary Gensler, the Securities and Exchange Commission chairman, who took a heavy hand to the emerging industry.

In September, Gensler told the BBC that the crypto industry was 'rife with fraud and hucksters and grifters.'

18-year-old Barron Trump, photographed on Inauguration Day, is a 'Web3 Ambassador' for the Trump crypto enterprise World Liberty Financial

'I pledge to the Bitcoin community, the day I take the oath of office, Joe Biden's and Kamala Harris's anti-crypto crusade will be over. It will end. It will be done,' Trump said in July.

'The moment I'm sworn in, the persecution stops and the weaponization ends against your industry,' the Republican nominee added.

The Winklevoss twins each pledged $1 million donations to the Trump campaign and also sent money to Elon Musk's PAC, which funded Trump's coffers as well.

Weeks after Trump's election victory, Gensler announced that he planned to resign in January, which is tradition.

At the same time, the Trump family was getting into the crypto business, launching a '$TRUMP' meme coin in January.

His World Liberty Financial lists the president as its 'Chief Crypto Advocate,' with Barron, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump serving as the 'Web3 Ambassadors' for the company.

Ahead of inauguration day, there was also the first-ever Crypto Ball - which included a number of MAGA personalities and a performance from Snoop Dogg.
Former vice presidential nominee Tim Walz was left speechless when asked who is in charge of the Democratic party.

The Minnesota governor appeared to be startled by CNN's Kasie Hunt's probe on live television Wednesday night, seemingly unable to answer her straightforward question.

'Who do you think the leader of the Democratic Party is right now?' Hunt asked while appearing on her show The Arena with Kasie Hunt.

After a long and uncomfortable pause, Walz, 60, awkwardly laughed before mumbling an unexpected answer.

'I think the voting public, right now, is what I would say,' he stiffly responded.

'We're not going to have a charismatic leader ride in and save us from this,' he added of his struggling party.

Brought on the afternoon broadcast to discuss President Donald Trump's joint congressional address, the 60-year-old politician was also asked if he sees anyone who could possibly 'be a Democratic national figure?'

'I see a whole lot of them,' Walz said. 'I see young members of Congress stepping up, I see folks out there, I see it out here, state senators, state legislators, folks that are getting ready. Labor union members who are out there talking. I think the thing we need to do is: We can't cede the space. If Donald Trump's going to be out therewe have to be there every day.

'We need to be better organized. There is going to be an organic uprising which we're seeing.'

When Hunt asked if former Vice President Kamala Harris could be the party's future leader, Walz responded: 'I certainly think she could be.'

Tim Walz, 60, was obviously stunned by CNN 's Kasie Hunt's probe on live television Wednesday night, seemingly unable to answer her straightforward question

After a long and uncomfortable pause, Walz, 60, awkwardly laughed before mumbling an unexpected answer

However, Walz isn't the first to contend with this question. Since Harris' loss in November, Democratic lawmakers have expressed discontent with their party's leadership - or lack of.

'There's no one, certainly, that the party, I would argue, looks to, or feels led by, or inspired by, is the truth,' former Democratic Representative Dean Phillips told The Hill.

The former party representative showed little hope in his languishing party, claiming it is suffering from a lack of leadership'.

'Any organization - business, for-profit, nonprofit, political party - that lacks spirited leadership is going to suffer. And I think you can count us among those organizations right now. There's just no question,' Phillips added.

CNN's Kasie Hunt puzzled the Democratic governor while on her show, The Arena with Kasie Hunt, on Wednesday

Walz's off-putting interview came just days after he signaled he would 'certainly consider' running for president in 2028, despite his crushing defeat this past November.

'Look, I never had an ambition to be president or vice president. I was honored to be asked,' he told The New Yorker Radio Hour on Sunday.

'If I feel I can serve, I will. And if nationally, people are like, "Dude we tried you, and look how that worked out," I'm good with that.'

'If I think I could offer something  I would certainly consider that,' he added.

Yet, the division of the Democratic party was made expressly clear after Democrats had a variety of responses to Trump's Congressional Address on Tuesday.

Hunt later asked if former Vice President Kamala Harris could be the party's future leader, to which Walz responded: 'I certainly think she could be'

Representative Al Green, a Democrat from Texas, was even removed from the chamber for repeatedly interrupting Trump at the beginning of the address on Tuesday

Many silently listened, others walked out and some even wore pink - a color of power and protest, according to Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez of New Mexico, who leads the Democratic Women's Caucus - in protest.

Representative Al Green, a Democrat from Texas, was even removed from the chamber for repeatedly interrupting Trump at the beginning of the address.

'Last night I stood up for those who need Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security.

'Democrats will never abandon the fight to make sure every American has a safe, healthy, and financially secure life. #ISaidWhatISaid,' Green wrote on X Wednesday night.

Green's fellow lawmakers voted to censure him on Thursday. Nearly every Republican and 10 Democrats voted in favor of the resolution.
Vladimir Putin has signaled his willingness to consider an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, although it would be under strict and potentially controversial conditions.

As Donald Trump pushes to broker a peace deal, the Kremlin also appears to be leveraging the opportunity to advance its own strategic objectives.

The international community has been left reeling as Trump, in a stunning reversal of longstanding US policy, has pivoted toward Moscow while simultaneously placing increased pressure on Ukraine to negotiate.

'We're doing very well with Russia,' Trump said candidly from the Oval Office on Friday. 'I'm finding it more difficult, frankly, to deal with Ukraine.'

Reports from inside the Kremlin suggest that Russia is open to a temporary cessation of hostilities, but only if certain preconditions are met.

According to individuals familiar with high-level negotiations, these include a concrete framework for a final peace agreement and a carefully curated list of countries to participate in a prospective peacekeeping mission.

But such a stipulation is raising concerns among Ukraine and its Western allies, who fear that any such agreement would be skewed in Moscow's favor.

The Trump administration had been quietly exploring ways to ease economic sanctions against Russia, including reconsidering the cap on its oil sales, a move that has alarmed European allies.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signaled his willingness to consider an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, although it would be under strict and potentially controversial conditions

The international community has been left reeling as Trump, in a stunning reversal of longstanding US policy, has pivoted toward Moscow while simultaneously placing increased pressure on Ukraine

Trump used Truth Social to send a warning to Moscow

But on Friday, he warned Moscow that he was now 'strongly considering' imposing sanctions and tariffs on Russia until a ceasefire and peace agreement is reached.

The Treasury Department is looking at possible sanctions on Russian oil majors and oilfield service companies deepening steps already taken by former President Joe Biden's administration in January.

Sean Savett, a former spokesperson for the National Security Council under Biden, said Trump's sanctions comments amounted to an 'admission of naivete' about Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose forces launched 67 missiles and almost 200 drones at Ukraine overnight.

The barrage which also pounded homes wounded at least 10 people.

'Not only did he clearly get it wrong when he claimed repeatedly that Putin wants peace, but his actions squeezing Ukraine have made peace less attainable by strengthening Putin's hand instead of Ukraine's,' he said.

Russia, one of the world's biggest oil producers, is already subject to over 20,000 sanctions imposed by the United States and partners after its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The U.S. alone has implemented 6,433 sanctions against Russia since February 2022, with measures by other countries including Britain, Australia, the European Union and Canada reaching a total of 21,692, according to a sanctions dashboard produced by Castellum.AI, a global risk and compliance platform.

U.S. sanctions on Russia include measures aimed at limiting its oil and gas revenues, including a cap of $60 per barrel on Russia's oil exports.

It marks a shift in tone after Trump worried allies with warm words about how trusted President Vladimir Putin and a call for Moscow to be readmitted to the G7.

A senior administration official said 'the president's has intensified over Russia escalating as he's trying to get both sides to the table.'

Trump took to his Truth Social platform to express his fury.

'Based on the fact that Russia is absolutely 'pounding' Ukraine on the battlefield right now, I am strongly considering large scale Banking Sanctions, Sanctions, and Tariffs on Russia until a Cease Fire and FINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ON PEACE IS REACHED,' he posted.

'To Russia and Ukraine, get to the table right now, before it is too late.'

He offered no further details on his plans.

At the same time, the US and Ukrainian governments are scrambling to mend relations in a crucial meeting scheduled for next Tuesday in Saudi Arabia.

Trump, in a stunning reversal of longstanding US policy, has leaned in closer toward Moscow while simultaneously placing increased pressure on Ukraine to negotiate. Pictured, June 2017

A State Emergency Service of Ukraine shows a firefighting team tackling a fire after Russian troops launched a massive strike with guided air bombs on a front-line settlement in Kharkiv, Ukraine on Thursday

Last Friday's explosive showdown in the Oval Office with Trump, Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has only served to destable the entire situation

Trump's decision to temporarily suspend military aid and intelligence-sharing with Kyiv comes after last week's heated exchange in the Oval Officer with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House.

The blow up only served to further destabilize the situation, leaving Ukraine exposed as Russian forces continue to bombard key cities.

Despite this, Trump has also displayed some optimism stating, 'I believe Putin wants peace in Ukraine.'

Last week Trump's administration voted against a United Nations resolution that marked the third anniversary of the war by condemning the Russian invasion.

On Thursday, it emerged key allies were weighing whether to withhold sensitive intelligence from Washington for fear it might end up being shared with Russia.

Trump's strong words come as Russia keeps up its barrage on Ukraine, and amid signs it is about to launch a major spring offensive.

Trump promised to end the conflict on day one of his presidency but the complexity of the task means he has dropped that target but still wants to end the war as fast as possible.

Zelensky, meanwhile, finds himself in an unenviable position.

His administration has been working tirelessly behind the scenes to keep negotiations afloat while simultaneously resisting what some perceive as an effort to strong-arm Ukraine into accepting unfavorable terms.

In his nightly address, Zelensky reinforced Kyiv's position: 'The Kremlin has to be forced into peace.'

Despite Ukraine's efforts, Putin remains resolute in his demands.

According to sources close to the Russian government, Moscow will reject any ceasefire proposal that includes NATO troops stationed on Ukrainian soil.

This effectively nullifies a Franco-British initiative aimed at deploying a 'coalition of the willing' to oversee and enforce a potential truce.

Trump's about-face on Ukraine has sent shockwaves through European capitals, where officials are warning that a premature deal could embolden Russian aggression.

'The risk of rewarding Putin's invasion is very real,' said an unnamed European diplomat. 'Lifting sanctions now could set a dangerous precedent.'

Despite the outward appearance of flexibility, Putin has not softened his stance on Ukraine.

Speaking at his annual press conference in December, he reiterated his long-standing position: 'We don't need a truce - we need peace: long-term, durable, with guarantees for the Russian Federation and its citizens.'

The declaration underscores the Kremlin's insistence on cementing its territorial gains and ensuring that any agreement serves Russia's long-term strategic interests.

Just this week, Moscow dismissed a proposed Franco-British truce, which would have limited air and naval operations, calling it 'insufficient and unrealistic.'
London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan has issued a warning to US President Donald Trump ahead of a potential second state visit to the UK.

The Labour politician has told the US President that he should prepare to face mass protests upon any return to London after Mr Trump received an invite from King Charles last week.

Sir Sadiq said in a Sky News interview on Friday that he expects the British public to turn out in force and 'use their right to free speech and the right to protest'.

Mr Trump and Sir Sadiq have shared a tempestuous relationship in the past, with the latter reiterating in the same interview that his views on the US President 'have not changed'.

During Mr Trump's previous state visit, Sir Sadiq made headlines when he authorised a blow-up blimp of the controversial Republican Party leader which was flown over Parliament Square.

More recently, last November saw the London Mayor break Labour Party ranks by issuing a rather disparaging 'congratulatory' message to Mr Trump upon his second US Presidential election victory.

'Progress is not evitable', said Sir Sadiq at the time in a statement which left him painfully at odds with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. He has also previously labelled Mr Trump as 'sexist, homophobic, Islamophobic and racist'.

The animosity on Sir Sadiq's behalf stems from President Trump's pledge during his first White House term to ban Muslims from gaining entry to the US - a policy which Sir Sadiq blasted as 'ignorant'.

London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan has issued a warning to President Trump ahead of a muted second state visit to the UK

Donald Trump was invited on a second state visit of the UK by King Charles last week in a letter hand delivered by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer

Sir Sadiq issued the go ahead to a Trump blimp which depicted the US President in diaper during his first state visit to London

Of course, Mr Trump stayed true to his abrasive style and returned fire, dubbing the London Mayor a 'stone-cold loser' and 'very dumb'.

Last November, Sir Sadiq levelled accusations of racial bias against Mr Trump in an appearance on the High Performance Podcast.

'He wasn't coming for me because I'm five foot six. He's coming for me because of  let's be frank  my ethnicity and my religion, so it's incredibly personal to me', Sir Sadiq said at the time.

'It affects me, my family. What worries me though, it's not about me and my family  it's about the fact that he's the leader of the free world'.

Speaking on Friday, Sir Sadiq reiterated these words by stating that his 'views on President Trump are known by everybody and haven't changed in his second term'.

He went on to critique last week's unprecedented Oval Office altercation between President Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the subsequent decision by the Trump administration to halt the flow of military aid into Ukraine

'I think we are living in unprecedented times. In my adult life I've not seen what I have over the past three years. Russia invading Georgia, annexing Crimea and once again illegally invading Ukraine', Sir Sadiq said.

'What does Russia want? Russia wants the USA to be disentangled with Europe and to leave NATO. Russia is pleased that the UK has left the EU'.

Sir Sadiq appeared on Sky News on Friday to issue a warning to President Trump about his muted return to London

Sir Sadiq said he 'accepts' the government's need to retain close ties with the US but disagrees with the visit of Mr Trump

Trump publicly feuded with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during their meeting in the Oval Office last week (pictured)

Going on to admit that he did not agree with the decision to re-invite President Trump for a second state visit, Sir Sadiq said that he 'accepted' Downing Street's stance and need to retain close ties with the US.

'I accept when the government says its in the national interest for President Trump to have a state visit, but for me personally, my views on President Trump in his second term have not changed'.

Sir Sadiq continued by issuing a warning to Mr Trump to expect a less than kind welcome from Londoners and the wider UK population should he accept the invitation of King Charles.

'I'm sure you'll see when President Trump comes to the UK, Londoners and Brits exercising their right of freedom of speech and freedom of protest and letting our views be known...

'Unlike the views of Vice President JD Vance, we do have free speech in this country which includes the right to protest. I expect you'll see Londoners and those across the country letting their views be heard loud and clear if and when President Trump comes', Sir Sadiq concluded.

Earlier this week, Scottish National Party (SNP) leader John Swinney echoed Sir Sadiq's misgivings around Mr Trump's muted second state visit.

Mr Swinney said that no visit should be considered by government until the Trump administration pledges its 'full scale' support for Ukraine.

However, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer rubbished these calls, claiming he would not be 'diverted by SNP rhetoric' on the issue.
A father-of-three forced to withdraw his eight-year-old son from private school due to Labour's introduction of VAT on fees will be mounting a protest outside the High Court next month.

Matt Harris, 46, says his son Tiger 'is being forced to leave the many friendships he has built over the years at his school, his place of familiarity and his routine through no fault of his own.'

The Independent Schools Council (ISC) is leading a High Court challenge against the Government's policy of applying VAT to independent school fees, arguing that it infringes on human rights and negatively impacts families, with a hearing expected in April.

Mr Harris, a solicitor's casework officer from Sidmouth, Devon, say he and his wife Nat have already made all the savings they can, having put Tiger's elder sisters through independent schools.

'There's nothing left to cut  I drive a 25-year-old Volvo estate and we don't take long foreign holidays or anything,' he told MailOnline.

'I want people to understand that this isn't all about people with millions sending their children to Eton and Harrow, it's ordinary people who have made this choice and decided to save on other things which people take for granted.

'Milly is just coming up to GCSE year and is at an all-girls school with a bursary, so we can't pull her out of school now, but sadly, Tiger's fees, which are currently 13,000 plus VAT, will prove to be too much on our income.'

Former Foreign Office official Mr Harris says he and his Thai-born wife Nat now face a dilemma when he leaves the school  either to home-school Tiger, or possibly move abroad.

Matt Harris, 46, says he has been forced to take his son Tiger, eight, out of private school due to Labour's VAT tax raid

'My son was an August baby and the school suggested keeping him back a year, which you can do in the private sector, but not in a state school. So if he went into a state school now, he'd be expected to jump from year 4 to year 6, and we don't think that's fair on him.'

Mr Harris said he's convinced that the ISC will win their case, but the government will appeal the decision all the way to the Supreme Court and Strasbourg.

'I strongly believe the government will lose this, as it is a breach of the children's human rights.

'I think Keir Starmer knows this but it will be seen by his followers as having immediately fulfilled an election pledge.

'The Department for Education should learn from the private sector where teachers are in it to teach and not just for the pension.

'There are so many ways the private sector can support the state by taking in SEND children 'at cost', for example, and children from really disadvantaged backgrounds to turn their prospects around.'

He pointed out that parents of independent school pupils are 'paying three times' for their children's education.

'We pay our income tax, which includes a provision for education, even though we're not using it ,then we pay for school fees, and now we're being asked to pay VAT on top of that and it's just not fair.'

He says he will be outside the High Court during the three days while the case is expected to run and has set up a Gofundme page to help with expenses for him and others to travel to London and mount the protest with a nominal 10k target.

Mr Harris added: 'We're not expecting to hit the 10k but want to fund banners and help pay for transport and lodgings for anyone who can come along and support us. I expect it's going to be a long road.'

Last month, a study found that state schools across 27 councils in England are already oversubscribed in some year groups  with Years 7 and 8 having the lowest spare capacity.

The data prompted concern that state schools will be unable to cope with an expected increase in demand following Labour's tax raid.

Schools in local authority areas including Bristol, Hull, Coventry, Rutland and South Gloucestershire are said to have no spare spaces in certain age groups.

Some 87 areas said they had a least one year group with under 100 spare places across the entire council, according to the figures published by The Times.

It comes after the long-standing VAT exemption for private schools came to end at the start of this year, which saw many increase their costs by 20 per cent.

An estimated 37,000 fewer pupils will attend private school because of the changes, according to the Government - most of whom will likely go into the state sector.

While there are nationally 578,000 spare places in primary schools and 465,000 in secondary schools, some councils have no spare spaces in some year groups.

A GoFundMe link can be found here to help with the protest.
Nearly 200 people have been killed in clashes between new government forces and loyalists in Syria - as the country faces the worst violence since the fall of President Assad.

Dozens of men were killed on Thursday and Friday as government fighters stormed three villages near Syria's coast.

The village assaults were in response to recent attacks on government security forces by loyalists of ousted President Assad, a war monitor said.

Clashes between the two sides have been ongoing since the former regime was toppled in December by insurgents led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.

According to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, nearly 200 people were killed in the recent violence.

In addition to 69 killed in the villages, the dead includes at least 50 members of Syria's government forces and 45 fighters loyal to Mr Assad.

It comes as the new government has pledged to unite Syria after 14 years of civil war.

The most recent clashes began when government forces tried to detain a wanted person near the coastal city of Jableh on Thursday but were ambushed by Assad loyalists, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

A rocket is seen being fired as authorities extended the curfew in the cities of Latakia and Tartus in northwest Syria on Friday following clashes

Dozens of men were killed on Thursday and Friday as government fighters stormed three villages near Syria's coast

Soldiers are seen in a vehicle with damaged windows as authorities extended the curfew in the cities of Latakia and Tartus in northwest Syria on Friday

On Thursday and Friday, gunmen loyal to the new government stormed the villages of Sheer, Mukhtariyeh and Haffah near the coast.

'They killed every man they encountered,' said observatory chief Rami Abdurrahman.

Beirut-based Al-Mayadeen TV also reported the attacks on the three villages, saying that more than 30 men were killed in the village of Mukhtariyeh alone.

While Syrian authorities did not publish a death toll, state news agency Sana quoted a security official as saying that numerous people went to the coast seeking revenge for recent attacks on government security forces.

The official, who was not named, said the actions 'led to some individual violations and we are working on stop them'.

Overnight, Damascus sent reinforcements to the coastal cities of Latakia and Tartus and nearby villages that are home to Mr Assad's minority Alawite sect and make up his longtime base of support.

A curfew remained in effect in Latakia and other coastal areas.

Under Mr Assad, Alawites held top posts in the army and security agencies.

Smoke rises as search and sweep operations are being expanded to track down remnants of the deposed Bashar al-Assad regime

Clashes between the two sides have been ongoing since the former regime was toppled in December by insurgents led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham

In addition to 69 killed in the villages, the dead includes at least 50 members of Syria's government forces and 45 fighters loyal to Mr Assad

Black smoke rises as authorities extended the curfew in the cities of Latakia and Tartus in northwest Syria on Friday

The new government has blamed his loyalists for attacks against the country's new security forces over the past weeks.

There also have been some attacks against Alawites in recent weeks, though the new government says it will not allow collective punishment or sectarian vengeance.

Geir O. Pedersen, the United Nations special envoy for Syria, said in a written statement that 'all parties should refrain from actions that could further inflame tensions, escalate conflict, exacerbate the suffering of affected communities, destabilise Syria, and jeopardize a credible and inclusive political transition'.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has praised the 'phenomenal courage' of freed Israeli hostage Eli Sharabi whom he met in a special Downing Street reception on Friday.

Mr Sharabi spent 16 months in captivity after his wife and two daughters were killed during Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7 2023.

He was released in February as part of the fragile ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israeli authorities.

His gaunt appearance when he was released sparked concern that he had been mistreated or even tortured by Hamas.

During his terrifying ordeal, Mr Sharabi survived on just 250 to 300 calories a day and was shackled by his legs with heavy chains 'that cut into the flesh with every step' for much of his time in captivity.

It was previously reported that Hamas hung Mr Sharabi and his fellow hostages by their feet, throttled them with rope, gagged their mouths and branded them with burning objects.

The captives were deliberately starved, held in a room inside a tunnel so tiny they could not move nor stand and were left struggling for air.

After days without food or water they were handed rotten pita bread which they were made to share with others. 'We were treated like animals,' one said on being released.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer met with freed Israeli prisoner Eli Sharabi at Downing Street on Friday morning

Eli Sharabi spent 16 months in Hamas captivity before being released under the ceasefire agreement last month

The terrorists also subjected the men to barbaric interrogation sessions over 491 days in captivity.

Hamas strangled them, tied them up and gagged their mouths with cloth so they nearly suffocated.

It was only when they were due for release that the captives were permitted food so that they could stand on their feet during the handover ceremony.

Mr Sharabi was taken hostage from his home at the Be'eri Kibbutz on October 7 2023.

Tragically, he only learnt after his release that his British born wife Lianne, 48, and their daughters Noiya, 16, and Yahel, 13, had died during the attacks.

Hamas taunted him during their 'handover ceremony' where they made him say he was looking forward to seeing his wife and children once he got back home.

The ceasefire has now entered its challenging second phase, after the first which saw 25 hostages and the bodies of eight more exchanged for almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

Following the meeting, the Prime Minister stated that the UK will 'redouble' its helping of Israel in order to secure the safe release of the remaining 59 hostages.

Sir Keir promised to 'redouble' the UK's efforts in aiding the release of the remaining 59 hostages

At present, Israel supports a new US-led plan for the second phase of the ceasefire which would see Hamas release half of the remaining hostages immediately and the other half upon the agreement of a permanent ceasefire.

However, Hamas has rejected this proposal, instead stating its intention to follow the original agreement signed in January.

In an attempt to pressure Hamas into signing the new deal, Israel has cut off the delivery of humanitarian supplies into an already ravaged Gaza and threatened Hamas with 'additional consequences' should it fail to comply.

In the aftermath of the meeting between Sir Keir and Mr Sharabi, a Number 10 spokesperson said that the Prime Minister had expressed his 'heartfelt condolences' to Mr Sharabi on the loss of his wife, Lianne, and daughters Noiya and Yahel.

'Hearing first-hand about his 16-month ordeal, the Prime Minister said he could not begin to imagine what Eli had been through. It was a brutal reminder of what the remaining hostages were enduring.

'The UK would redouble its intensive work, at all levels, to secure the release of the remaining 59 hostages', the spokesperson added.

In a statement released later, Mr Sharabi and his family said he had thanked the Prime Minister and asked him to do 'everything he possibly could' to ensure the remaining hostages were freed.

'Eli thanked the Prime Minister for the UK taking responsibility for him as a hostage with close British connections, and for working towards his release for over a year,' the statement said.

'Eli asked the Prime Minister to confirm that he would do everything he possibly could to ensure that the 59 remaining hostages were released, including the body of Eli's brother, Yossi, who was killed in captivity.

'The Prime Minister said that he had read the transcript of a recent interview given by Eli to Israeli TV, which had moved him deeply, and was very powerful. He said that 'inhuman is a word that is used too often, but your experience warranted that word'.'
Russian forces unleashed a massive attack on Ukraine's gas network as the Kyiv regime's new vulnerability was laid bare.

After the US withdrew military aid and stopped sharing intelligence with Volodymyr Zelensky's administration, Moscow shut down Ukraine's energy supplies and pushed through its positions in Kursk.

The onslaught overnight on Thursday prompted Mr Zelensky to issue a desperate appeal for 'silence in the skies' that would ban 'the use of missiles, long-range drones and aerial bombs'.

Referring to the 'massive attack', which continued into yesterday, he said: 'In total, the Russians used nearly 70 missiles, both cruise and ballistic, as well as almost 200 attack drones. All of this was directed against infrastructure that ensures normal life.'

The offensive triggered Ukraine's first use of Mirage 2000 jets provided by France.

It comes as the Kyiv leadership is no longer able to observe Russian troop movements behind the frontlines and faces rationing air defence missiles following the White House's shock intervention.

The US insists its cessation of aid and intelligence blockade will only last until Ukraine makes a 'true commitment to a path to peace'. Kyiv hopes that the US could resume its support following ceasefire talks in Saudi Arabia next week.

At least 18 people, including four children, were wounded in Russian airstrikes yesterday, with at least one fatality in a strike on Kostiantynivka in the east.

A Ukrainian woman cries in front of the body of her father after being rescued from under the rubble of their home, after a Russian bombardment of the city of Kostiantynivka on March 7

Ukrainian emergency rescue workers carry the body of a man lying in the rubble of his home

Firefighters conduct extinguishing work after eight civilians were injured in Russian missile attack on residential area in Kharkiv on March 7

Ukrainian emergency service firefighters extinguish a fire in a house after Russian shelling on the city of Kostiantynivka

Ukrainian emergency service firefighters extinguish a fire in garages in Kostiantynivka

Eight casualties occurred in Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv, after Russia struck a 'critical infrastructure facility'. Seven people, including two girls aged three and four, were wounded in Slovyansk, also in eastern Ukraine, in a strike that hit 30 buildings.

A factory near Kyiv and energy infrastructure in the southern port city of Odesa were also damaged. Gas supplies were also cut off in western Ukraine after a 'critical industrial facility was struck in Ternopil', local officials said. Energy firm Naftogaz confirmed its facilities were also hit.

In total, Russian forces launched 67 missiles and 194 drones. But in turn, Ukraine reportedly managed to shoot down 34 rockets and 100 drones.

Meanwhile in southern Russia, Kremlin forces broke through Ukrainian lines in Kursk, the province partially seized by Mr Zelensky's forces last year.

Ukrainian military spokesman Dmytro Lykhoviy said it was the first combined Russian attack since the US stopped supplying military aid. The threat to western Ukraine led neighbouring Poland to scramble its aircraft, while its ground-based air defences were on the highest alert.
Mexican government officials and luxury hotel venues are casting doubt on the return of infamous Fyre Festival - this time branded as Fyre Festival 2.

The event is set to take place on Isla Mujeres from May 30 to June 2 and festival founder Billy McFarland insists that everything is on track.

But key stakeholders on the island are telling a very different story.

Isla Mujeres' city hall has released a damning statement, pouring cold water on McFarland's claims revealing how the festival's organizers have not yet even applied for the necessary permits to hold the event.

'The General Directorate for Tourism of Isla Mujeres informs that no person or company has requested permits from this office or any other municipal government department for said event,' the statement read.

The revelation raises serious concerns about whether Fyre Festival 2 can legally proceed, despite convicted con artist McFarland's confident assertions that the event is still on and will go ahead as planned.

Just like its predecessor, Fyre Festival 2 has been aggressively marketing a high-end experience, with ticket packages costing as much as $25,000.

The Phoenix package, as listed on the festival's website, includes four-day festival access for two, private transportation, and a lavish three-night stay at either Impression Isla Mujeres by Secrets or Almare All-Inclusive Resort.

Billy McFarland insists that everything is on track despite Mexican resorts saying no permits have been secured

McFarland wrote a lengthy statement insisting how the festival was definitely going ahead

McFarland was jailed for four years after guests paid up to $13,000 for a trashy unfinished site and canceled performances at the original festival

Yet in another embarrassing twist, Mourad Essafi, the general manager of the Secrets resort publicly denied any affiliation with the festival.

'We are not sponsoring Fyre Festival 2 or affiliated with it in any way. Reports to the contrary are false,' Essafi declared on February 28.

Despite this the hotel is still listed on the festival's website as a premium accommodation option, raising even more questions about the legitimacy of McFarland's claims.

McFarland attempted to reassure ticket holders and festival-goers in a social media video on Tuesday.

He insisted that Fyre Festival 2 had secured contracts with 'a number of villas, yachts, and hotels,' though he conspicuously avoided naming specific locations.

After some hotels publicly disassociated themselves from the festival, McFarland took an aggressive stance stating how his team had 'terminated those contracts' after two hotels allegedly gave 'misleading statements, saying they never heard of Fyre.'

While McFarland did not specify which hotels he was referring to, it remains unclear how many actual agreements are in place.

'We're going to have artists across electronic, hip hop, pop and rock. However, it's not just music,' McFarland said to Today.

'We might have a professional skateboarder do a demonstration. We might have an MMA champion teach you techniques in the morning.'

The infamous cheese sandwich went viral on social media during the original doomed festival

Mexican government officials and luxury hotel venues are casting doubt on the return of infamous Fyre Festival - this time branded as Fyre Festival 2

In another embarrassing twis the general manager of the Secrets resort, pictured, has publicly denied any affiliation with the festival

Tickets to Fyre 2 don't come cheap with one package selling for $25,000 for two

The models who had promoted the festival for months leading up to its failure to launch each said they had no understanding of exactly how much of a fraud McFarland was

Celebrity faces of Fyre Festival included Kendall Jenner, Emily Ratajkowski, Bella Hadid and Hailey Bieber - several of whom were subpoenaed for their role in the scam

McFarland said attendees who cough up the million-dollar price tag will get a glamorous experience.

'You will be on a boat, have the luxury yachts that we partner with who will be docked and parked outside the island,' he said.

'But once again, Fyre is not just about this, like, luxury experience. It's about the adventure. So you'll be scuba diving with me. You'll be bouncing around to other islands and other countries on small planes.'

Given the catastrophic failure of the original Fyre Festival in 2017, many are now questioning why McFarland is even bothering to stage a second attempt.

McFarland was sentenced to six years in prison in 2018 for defrauding investors out of $26 million along with over $100,000 in additional fraudulent ticket-selling schemes.

McFarland agreed to pay back his victims. Along with jail time he was ordered to forfeit the cash.

After serving under four years of his six-year sentence, he was released to a halfway house, and was under house arrest until September 2022.

He told USA Today last week that $500,000 of the festival's proceeds and an additional 10 percent of all profits would be allocated toward restitution.

The first Fyre Festival, held in the Bahamas in 2017, was infamously marketed the 'cultural experience of the decade', featuring influencer endorsements from the likes of Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid, and Hailey Bieber.

The promised luxury lodgings were actually Red Cross disaster-relief tent

Festivalgoers at the first Fyre Festival had shelled out thousands of dollars to attend, with one package costing a whopping $250,000

Guests at the original festival were forced to wait for hours on end in the heat before being herded into makeshift tents on an island with no running water or electricity

After paying up to $12,000 for tickets, Fyre Festival's guests were greeted with substandard accommodation, soggy food and poor security - before the entire event was cancelled before it even began

Portable toilets are pictured strewn by the side of the road at the ill-fated Fyre Festival

Fyre Festival founder Billy McFarland ended up serving four years in prison for wire fraud

Luxury accommodations turned out to be tents usually used as disaster relief shelters and barely kept out the bad weather that plagued guests

Attendees were promised performances from major artists like Blink-182 and Migos, along with five-star accommodations and gourmet food.

Instead, when festival-goers arrived on the Bahamian island Exuma, it was a scene of chaos.

Artists had canceled, the promised luxury lodgings were actually Red Cross disaster-relief tents, and the now-iconic 'gourmet meal' turned out to be little more than a sad cheese sandwich in a Styrofoam box.

Numerous festival-goers posted pictures on social media of the shambolic scenes, leading to online mockery of the high prices many had paid.

Attendees were effectively stranded and had to be evacuated after just one night, cementing Fyre Festival's place as one of the greatest scams in modern history.
The sickness benefits bill will swallow a quarter of income tax intake by this decade's end, a report has warned.

The cost of disability and incapacity handouts has risen by 40 per cent in real terms since 2013 and is forecast to reach 100billion by 2029/30.

In such a scenario, 1 in every 4 of income tax will be spent on health and disability benefits, according to analysis by the Policy Exchange think-tank.

The total spent on the benefits would be equal to almost 1,500 per person annually across the UK, it added.

Policy Exchange called for major reforms to the benefits system, such as ensuring every claim for these handouts is 'backed by medical evidence'.

It also said young adults claiming disability benefits should be made to look for work or training.

And the report suggests the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) be made 'conditional' for those aged 18-30 to combat spiralling joblessness.

PIP is given to those with long-term disabilities regardless of their employment status or financial situation.

The sickness benefits bill will swallow a quarter of income tax intake by this decade's end, a report has warned (File image)

Labour grandee Lord Blunkett (pictured), a former work and pensions secretary, said the report is timely given that the Government's own welfare reform paper is imminent

The sickness and disability benefits bill for working-age people has risen by 20billion since the pandemic, and ministers are looking to make 5billion worth of savings.

The report comes ahead of the publication of the Government's plans to slash welfare spending.

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall told Cabinet colleagues this week the current system is 'bad for people's wellbeing'.

Labour grandee Lord Blunkett, a former work and pensions secretary, said: 'This is an extremely timely report given that the Government's own welfare reform paper is imminent.

'What is absolutely certain is that for the sake of individuals, our economy and the affordability of the system, radical and positive change is necessary.'